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Chargers see action at WCAC scrimmage 

Aug 21, 2026 | Sports

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

The ACGC volleyball team participated yesterday, Aug. 20, in a West Central Activities Conference scrimmage in Ogden. Also participating were Earlham, Interstate 35, Madrid, Martensdale-St Marys, Ogden, Panorama, Pleasantville, Van Meter and West Central Valley. No official match scores or individual game results were recorded.

The Chargers will travel to Atlantic tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 22, for the start of the regular season at the SWI Coaches Clinic where 18 teams will be in attendance. Action starts at 10 a.m.

New coaches, familiar faces set the stage for ACGC and Panorama fall sports

Aug 21, 2026 | Cyote's Den

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

Fall sports for ACGC and Panorama are right around the corner. ACGC football and volleyball, and Panorama volleyball are participating in scrimmages, and Panorama plays a week 0 game later tonight. And, by next week, the cross country programs for both schools join the party. With each new sports season comes a new sports guide from Big Green Umbrella Media. I’ve interviewed every head coach in each of these programs across the two schools to find out what to expect from all the teams.

Panorama

Panorama football is heading in a new direction after being led by Charlie Lake the last few seasons. The Panthers experienced back to back 1-7 seasons and have now pivoted to Jim Demers. Demers is in the Buena Vista Hall of Fame for his performances in football and basketball. He has 20 years of football coaching experience under his belt and is ready to bring Panorama football into prominence.

The volleyball team is also under new leadership with Mollie Lint stepping down and Angela Mincy taking her place. The volleyball program saw several years of steady improvement under Lint. The team had won double-digit games in back-to-back seasons for the first time. Mincy has been an assistant for the past five years and brings plenty of experience as an AAU coach as well. She will look to continue the program on its current trajectory.

There is no coaching change for the two cross country programs, however, as the indomitable Greg Thompson steers the ships for another year. The boys and girls did not qualify for state as team or qualify any individuals for the state meet. That is a rarity under Thompson, but it looks like it will be short lived. The boys return several solid runners, and he says all made great strides throughout last season. For the girls, two-time all-state runner Kylie Rochholz is back to full health for her senior season with several solid runners joining her on a team that narrowly missed the state meet without Rochholz last year.

ACGC

Perhaps the biggest offseason news for any of these programs was the departure of ACGC football coach Cody Matthewson. Matthewson led the program for eight years, including three straight 10-1 seasons the last three years. In his place comes Will Shull, who had been an assistant for the last two seasons. Shull will be a familiar face for the players and the staff that remains largely intact. He says he doesn’t plan on changing too much with the program. If your team won 30 games in the last three years, would you? I wouldn’t either. It will be interesting to see how the Chargers and Shull handle the transition.

ACGC volleyball has also had a solid program for the last decade and then some. The girls were led by Caley Vaughan last season, who took them from a 20-11 season to 24-12. That’s just one win shy of the team’s all-time best record of 25-7 set back in 2013-2014. The Chargers did graduate some solid players from last season, but their star hitter Stella Largent returns for her senior year. Largent’s 514 kills were the fourth most in the state last season. Before that, her 443 were eighth most in the state. Even as a freshman, she led the Chargers with 317 kills (92nd best in the state). A total of 730 kills led the entire state last season. Could Largent reach those heights this season? We will soon see.

ACGC cross country will also have a new head coach with Gabe Soda. Soda was an assistant coach at Madrid last year and was also the head junior high track coach. He has only been out of college for two years, but his personal running experience rivals most. Soda’s list of accomplishments as a runner at Cornell College is long. He will aim to translate that success to a Charger program that could use a jolt. The boys have an excellent runner in Preston Kent, who is coming off of a successful track and field season, and the girls have another excellent runner in Cadence Petersen. Both qualified for the state meet last year.

New coaches, returning stars and high expectations make this a fall sports season worth watching. From the football fields to the volleyball courts and cross-country courses, ACGC and Panorama have plenty of storylines to follow. The season is here, and the formal action is about to begin.

Reach out with comments, suggestions, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.

Upcoming events in the area

Aug 21, 2026 | Events

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Flannel Crawl in Guthrie Center Aug. 22

A full day of food, fun and shopping awaits on Saturday, Aug. 22 in downtown Guthrie Center. For $50 per person, attendees will enjoy meditation at Sapphire Skin, breakfast at the Café, shopping at local stores and the farmers market, lunch and drinks at Incredi-Bowl. The event runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Only 50 spots are available. Proceeds will go back to participating businesses. To register, contact Kristina Swensen at gcchamberofcommerce@gmail.com.

Panorama Hangout Aug. 23

Panorama Schools kids, parents and guardians are invited to come have a fun afternoon 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, before the start of the school year, at the Panora town square. The event will include games, popcorn, root beer floats, and a few more surprises to be added.

Casey Send-off Aug. 23

The public is welcome to join the Casey Summer Send-off beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23 at the Casey Community Building. Food and drinks will be available from the Casey Service Club for a freewill donation.  At 8:30 p.m., the movie “Up” will be shown. Free popcorn will be provided, and candy and soda will be available for purchase. Yard games face painting and crafts will be offered. Rolling Hills Bank will provide goodie bags.

Little Chargers Grill-out Aug. 24

The public is invited to support the Little Chargers Early Learning Center by enjoying a meal of burgers, chips and dessert on Monday, Aug. 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. (or until sold out). The meal is available for a freewill donation. Little Chargers is at 207 Park Ave. in Guthrie Center.

Open House at Tori’s Angel Aug. 28

On Friday, Aug. 28 from 4-6 p.m., everyone is invited to the new office of Tori’s Angels. The office is at 110 East Main in Panora, and the location is shared with the office of BH Real Estate and Consulting. Refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. Come and learn more about how Tori’s Angels supports Iowa families who have a child facing life-threatening conditions.

Springbrook 100th Celebration Aug. 28 and 29

Everyone is invited to help celebrate 100 years of Springbrook State Park (2437 160th Road, Guthrie Center). Scheduled events include (at campground gazebo unless noted otherwise):

Friday, Aug. 28

  • 8:30 p.m.: Fire and marshmallow roast
  • 9 p.m.: Full moon guided hike

Saturday, Aug. 29

  • 9 a.m.: Guided exploration hike and learning the history of Springbrook State Park
  • 10 a.m.: Rose’s Krafty Korner
  • 11 a.m.: Kayaking at the beach (kayaks and life jackets provided or bring your own). No experience needed; kids younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • 2 p.m.: Ambassador animals meet and greet
  • 2 p.m.: Slack line and crafting
  • 3 p.m.: Insect investigations
  • 4 p.m.: Atlatl (spear throwing)
  • 5 p.m.: Music jam/folk circle (bring a chair, and an instrument if you wish)
  • 6 p.m.: Free picnic (brats, hot dogs and chips provided; bring beverage and chair)

High Five Fridays at GC Elementary

Individuals and groups are welcome to sign up to provide “high fives” and similar encouragement at one of the High Five Fridays, 7:30-8:05 a.m. at Guthrie Center Elementary School. Contact gcchamberofcommerce@gmail.com to check availability of any particular Fridays.

Free grief support group in Panora this fall

Beginning Sept. 8 and running through Dec. 8, a free grief support group will meet at the Panora Public Library (102 North First St.) on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To register, go to www.griefshare.org or call Carla Kem at 641-332-3006.

Blues and BBQ Aug. 29 at Boulder Beach

On Saturday, Aug. 29, from 4-7 p.m., great music and food will be on tap at Lake Panorama’s Boulder Beach. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair to listen to live music by the Brick’N Bob Duo. Tickets cost $40 each and can be purchased from any LPA or LPN member, or by emailing Shanell.wagler@gmail.com. Proceeds will support improvements at Lake Panorama National.

Guthrie County Fair Sept. 3-7

The 2026 Guthrie County Fair will be held Sept. 3-7 at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds in Guthrie Center. The Guthrie County Fair has been an established venue since 1858. Located on the west edge of Guthrie Center, the fairground is centrally located in the county. The fair is held annually over Labor Day weekend, providing a long weekend of fun and family-oriented events. See details at www.guthriecountyfair.com.

Guthrie County Fair 5K Sept. 5

Runners and walkers are encouraged to join the Guthrie County Fair 5K on Saturday, Sept 5 at the fairgrounds. The course is flat and fun. Registration will open that day at 7:30 a.m., with the 5K to begin at 8 a.m. Participants can register online now through Sept. 2. Cost is $30 (or 15 without a T-shirt). Proceeds will support the ACGC cross country teams. To register, go to https://synergywellness5k-2026.itemorder.com/shop/home

BBQ Cook-off in Stuart Sept. 18-19

Fun and food will be enjoyed at the Best of the Block BBQ Cook-off in downtown Stuart on Sept. 18 and 19. The fest kicks off on Friday, Sept. 18 with a freewill donation chili feed at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 offers a Legion breakfast, games and kids’ events, caricatures, a vendor fair, BBQ awards, pie auction and raffle, BBQ meat fest and street dance with live music. The complete schedule can be viewed on the Facebook page of Stuart Best of the Block BBQ. The event will raise funds for the Cottage Pantry and the American Legion.

Send your event information to rich@gctimesnews.com.       

Happy birthday to you!

Aug 21, 2026 | Birthdays

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Each Friday in the Times Vedette, we share birthdays and anniversaries for the following week of people with past or present ties to the area. To submit yours, or for corrections or updates, email rich@iowalivingmagazines.com.

Birthdays

  • Aug. 21: Rexanna Ketelsen, Cary McDermott, Bill Wilson
  • Aug. 22: Fred Rosenburg, Lynda Bohlender, Grace Siglin, Linda Eighmy, Stormy Miller, Spencer Grove
  • Aug. 23: Jaidyn Sellers, Jean Penninger
  • Aug. 24: Jacob Hein, Colby Kafer, Holly Ritter, Kimberly Tighe, Allison Hemphill, Avari Baldwin, Mason Mleynek
  • Aug. 25: Sharon Prince, Megan Wells
  • Aug. 26: Ryan Deardorff, Harper Hyde, Denise Jacobs, Austin Radebaugh
  • Aug. 27: Jeff Meinecke, Natasha Meinecke, Lucille Robinson, Chuck Hastings, Brecklin McGuire, Hayes Weaver

Yester Years

Aug 20, 2026 | Yester Years

10 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie County Vedette, Aug. 11, 2016

LUCKY NO. 5. Five-year-old Abby Cenname of Panora holds her flip-flop up after finding it in a box. Magician Eric Michael took the flip-flop, burned it and made it disappear before a large crowd during Panorama Days on Saturday afternoon. Cenname found her flip-flop after Michael opened five boxes within a large box she sat on during the act.

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20 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Times, Aug. 16, 2006

A LITTLE TO THE LEFT. Recruited by athletic director Brent Meier, first-year teachers Ryan Smith, left, high school special education, and Matt Chambers, fifth and sixth grade, helped spruce up the football scoreboard with new decals. The Guthrie Center football team will scrimmage under the lights at Jarman Field Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers open the season Aug. 25 against I-35 at Truro.

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30 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Times, Aug. 21, 1996

 

THE HOMETOWN TEAM WINS. The Bagley Women firefighters hosed out a victory at the annual water fights on Bagley’s main street Saturday.

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40 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Vedette, Aug. 14, 1986

AND THE BRIDE WORE. An ice pack. Deanna Yilek, right, applies ice to a sore knee after completing the 10K race at the Panorama Days Fun Run Saturday. After running 6.2 miles in the morning, Yilek, a P-L elementary teacher, was married later Saturday to Jerry Holbrook.

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50 years ago

From the archives of The Guthrie Center Times, Aug. 11, 1976

WITHERING HEIGHTS. Gary Kopaska, who farms about 10 miles northwest of Guthrie Center, takes a look at a patch of hail-damaged corn that was ripped by a storm the middle of June. The hail cut down the population and the maturing of the ear. Crops in the southern part of the county are in better shape, as they escaped the storm and received needed moisture.