By Morgan Sheeder | Times Vedette

A GoFundMe site has been set up to help Dan Tallman repair extensive damage to his Guthrie Center property following an electrical fire several weeks ago. Donald Steenson is the organizer of the GoFundMe site, stating that donations will go toward cleanup, building materials, labor costs and everyday living expenses while Dan and his daughter, Eva, are displaced.

To visit the GoFundMe site, visit this page. You may also make in-person donations to the Dan Tallman Fundraiser Account at the Guthrie County State Bank, 413 State St. in Guthrie Center.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

The Iowa deer hunting tradition will be passed on to about 10,000 young hunters who are participating in the youth deer season, which opened on Sept. 19. This season is designed as a mentor-styled hunt, matching young hunters with a licensed adult to teach proper deer hunting techniques, wildlife behavior, and safe hunting practices without the added pressure of other hunters in the field.

For many young hunters, this will be their first experience hunting deer, and mentors are encouraged to take the needs of the new hunter into account when planning the hunt.  

The goal of the hunt should be a positive, enjoyable and ethical experience, and harvesting a deer should be considered a bonus, not define success.

The youth season coincides with the disabled hunter deer season for hunters who meet certain criteria. Each season runs Sept. 19 through Oct. 4.

Each youth must be under direct supervision of an adult mentor, with a valid license and habitat fee (if required).  The youth license is valid statewide and for any legal deer.

An unfilled youth season tag may be used during any subsequent deer season, while following all other rules specified for each season. Party hunting with a youth tag is not allowed. A deer must be harvested by the youth with the tag. However, that tag holder may obtain deer tags for other seasons, just as any other hunter can do.

The youth deer season usually has mild temperatures and biting insects.  Hunters should be prepared to properly handle any harvest made, including having bags of ice along to cool the deer cavity and to have contacted a locker before the hunt begins that can accept the deer for processing.

A youth’s first hunting experience can bring a lifetime of memories. Mentors should be prepared for to make this a wonderful, adventurous and safe outing.

All deer taken must be reported using the harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is recovered. Harvest reporting is a very important part of the deer management program in Iowa, playing a vital role in managing deer populations and hunting opportunities. Hunters can report their deer on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov, by calling the toll-free reporting number 1-800-771-4692, or at any license vendor.

The Cedar Ridge Trail at Palisades-Kepler State Park

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Whether you want to immerse yourself in a weekend nature experience or just enjoy an afternoon of beautiful scenery, Iowa offers unforgettable fall hiking in its state parks and forests. Here are 11 outstanding options for an autumn hike:

Palisades-Kepler State Park

The 2-mile, out-and-back Cedar Cliff Trail winds its way through forests, crossing over CCC-era bridges, to a ridge-top shelter with gorgeous autumn views of the Cedar River. This is the perfect fall hike to experience nature in Iowa. Palisades-Kepler State Park is located on Highway 30 between Cedar Rapids and Mt. Vernon in eastern Iowa.

Yellow River State Forest

For backpackers looking for a backcountry experience, head straight to northeast Iowa’s Yellow River State Forest. At Yellow River, you can enjoy long hikes with varying elevation, and even camp primitively. With about 32 miles of trail, it’s easy to feel like you’ve escaped it all in this gorgeous setting.

Loess Hills State Forest

The Loess Hills — a landscape rare in the world — afford vistas not often seen in the United States. Add in the native prairie that abounds in the area, and you have a great place to wander while taking in sweeping vistas and discovering precious rare plants. Loess Hills State Forest covers 11,000 acres and has more than 60 miles of trails, including the iconic Overlook. Plan your visit at the Loess Hills State Forest Visitors Center in Pisgah.

Waubonsie State Park

Continue exploring the Loess Hills in the far southwest corner of Iowa to take in majestic views of prairie and mature woodlands. Hike the Sunset Ridge Nature Trail that traverses the ridgetop, offering sweeping views of the Missouri River Valley and the plains of Nebraska. Eight miles of trails are accessible only to hikers. Another eight miles of multi-use trails wind through the northern regions of Waubonsie and are perfect for anyone in search of challenging hikes, mountain biking, horseback riding or snowmobiling opportunities.

Ledges State Park

Steeped in natural history, Ledges is known for its picturesque canyon that leads to the Des Moines River. Climb the trails in the canyon area to get a bird’s-eye view of picnickers and kids splashing in the creek below. Or wander the accessible Lost Lake Trail to find a serene woodland views. Finish off the day by heading to a secluded hike-in only campsite.

Wildcat Den State Park

The trails are all about scenery at Wildcat Den, just a mile upstream of the Mississippi River. Explore almost 4 miles of trails, including a short hike with views of rock outcroppings on your way to the Devil’s Punch Bowl. Check out the restored grist mill near the historic Pine Creek bridge. Camp at the park, or head over to the Fairport State Recreation Area, just two miles away, to camp along the mighty Mississippi.

Backbone State Park 

Located near Strawberry Point, Iowa’s oldest state park also features one of its most iconic hikes. The Backbone Trail is perched atop limestone formations that resemble backbones, which is where the park got its name. A trail of moderate difficulty for persons with good mobility, it’s a blast for scrambling. The trail is “out and back” from the main road to scenic points overlooking Backbone Lake and the Maquoketa River. The state forest trails adjacent to the park on the north are equestrian favorites.

Pikes Peak State Park

During peak fall colors, Pikes Peak State Park is an Iowa travel destination, offering spectacular views of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers converging. Trail types at Pikes Peak run the gamut from natural surface, which wander through old growth woodland, to board-walked and stair-stepped surfaces that take hikers to sensitive natural rock and water features such as Bridal Veil Falls. There’s also paved surface and scenic overlooks, including a platform with wheelchair access.

Pine Lake State Park

Nestled alongside the Iowa River, Pine Lake State Park offers something for everyone. A 2.5-mile paved trail connects the lake to the nearby town of Eldora. The park has several miles of hiking trails ranging from flat and easy to rough and steep, meandering through diverse habitats including woodlands and remnants of native prairie. Pine Lake is a great hiking park for the leisurely day user. If you’d like to stay over, the cabins are among the best in the state.

Brushy Creek State Recreation Area

Second only to Loess Hills State Forest for total trail miles on DNR-managed land, Brushy Creek SRA showcases 40-plus miles of trails. For hikers, arguably the best hike is through the preserve atop the bluffs looking down on Brushy Creek. Brushy’s 12-mile, all-weather trail loop around the lake features a trail bridge over the spillway, which provides safe access over sometimes very fast moving water. Trails in the southern-most portion of the park follow the Des Moines River.

Dolliver Memorial State Park

This small-but-mighty state park features a 5-mile trail system that meanders through an area rich in history and natural resources. The unique Copperas Trail showcases sandstone formations towering 100 feet above Prairie Creek. Beyond this point, the Copperas Trail gains elevation into oak-covered hillsides and then slopes down past Bone Yard Hollow and wooded hillsides. Views along the Des Moines River add to the richness of the park.

Janet Oberholtz and Gary Randel of Country View Estates.

Gary Randel and Janet Oberholtz, co-administrators, share what the organization does and its history.

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times, September 2026

Residential service for adults with intellectual disabilities has undergone a major change over the past century. In Iowa, this is easily seen in what was once commonly referred to as the “county homes” or “poor farms,” which were often large buildings in the country. 

Decades ago, these facilities housed many of the disabled persons in Iowa counties, but those buildings now have been repurposed or torn down due to age. Legislation in the 1960s through the 1980s mandated that persons with disabilities should be served in community settings whenever possible.

Because of this paradigm shift, most communities now have group homes and/or supervised apartments where persons with special needs can receive the help they need while also being involved in their community.

Country View Estates operates several such group homes in Guthrie Center. Gary Randel and Janet Oberholtz are co-administrators at Country View Estates, and they took a few moments to describe what the organization does and its history.

“Janet started in 1983 out at the facility when it was Guthrie County Care Facility. I started in 1984,” Randel said. “Then, in 1991, through the changes in the state, we formed a nonprofit corporation and went private. We leased the facility from the county out there for a number of years. We started transitioning into group homes in Guthrie Center in 2012. Now we have four houses.”

A total of 18 individuals receive residential services in the homes operated by Country View Estates. Instead of the old-school terminology of calling these individuals “patients” or “residents,” the term used at Country View Estates is “members.”

“The members actually rent the houses and pay all the bills, the rent and the utilities,” Randel said. “We rent the Methodist Church parsonage, we have a house on North 12th Street and two on North Seventh Street.”

The Medicaid Waiver system has been a large factor in moving services away from large “county home” facilities and instead providing needed services in more typical housing units. But old assumptions do not change overnight, so Oberholtz and Randel still often hear the term “county home.”

“I take a lot of pride in what we’ve done and how far we’ve come,” Randel said. “We’re not affiliated with the county in any way since we left out there.”

Part of the service funding mandates that each member receives only the help he or she needs rather than one plan for all.

“Everybody has a different need and a different care plan,” Randel said. “We try to help people be as independent as they possibly can be.”

“We also operate the can redemption center downtown,” Randel said. “That’s a great resource for work. We also have a team that cleans down at the fairgrounds and campgrounds down there. We clean the Christian Church and the Fellowship Hall and the activity center downtown,” Randel said. “And a lot of our members work in the community.”

“I think the public really appreciates the redemption center,” Oberholtz said.

Randel noted that some area organizations, including Panorama Schools, Rose Acre Farm and Dollar General, have hired members who receive services from Country View Estates.

Besides Randel and Oberholtz, Country View Estates employs about 25 staff to work at the group homes in Guthrie Center. Because the organization provides services around the clock, every day of the year, there is usually at least some need for additional staff.

“We’re always hiring, it seems to me,” Randel said. “I’ve got staff that will work 130 hours in a two-week pay period, so they’re getting a lot of overtime.”

The office of Country View Estates is at 100 Industrial Road in Guthrie Center, just across the highway from Café on the Hill.

Oberholtz noted that Country View Estates not only provides daily services in and around Guthrie Center but also supports members in taking trips and vacations on occasion, such as a group trip to Branson, Missouri. 

“That’s what makes you feel really good,” Oberholtz said.

Unlike some similar organizations, Country View Estates is a stand-alone agency and is not affiliated with any larger organization or religious group. One of the main goals of the organization is to assist members to live as independently as possible. 

“We’re not very big, but we try to do a good job. You don’t do what we’ve done for 40-some years and not care about the people we serve,” Randel said. “It all goes back to the people that we provide services to. They are why we are here.”

Special to the Times Vedette

A two-vehicle accident occurred on Sept. 18 at 12:17 p.m. at the intersection of Justice Road and 130^th Street south of Bayard, resulting in a fatality.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport driven by 22-year-old Brendan Bork of Bayard was traveling westbound on 130th Street and failed to yield at the stop sign at the intersection with Justice Road. A semi truck driven by Jimmy Hansen, 65, of Coin was traveling northbound on Justice Road and hit the Jeep broadside as it entered the intersection. Both vehicles came to rest in the west ditch north of the intersection.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, Bork was pronounced dead at the scene. Hansen was transported by Panora Emergency Medical Services to the Guthrie County Hospital in for minor injuries.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Bayard Fire Department, Bagley Fire Department, Panora Ambulance, EMA, Bayard First Responders and the Iowa State Patrol. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the accident.