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Upcoming events in the area

Oct 14, 2025 | Events

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

This time of year, fall and harvest events abound — and the holiday events are approaching, too. Below are some upcoming events in or near Guthrie County.

Community Baby Shower Oct. 14

First Christian Church (105 N. Fourth St., Guthrie Center) is hosting a “Come and Go Community Baby Shower” from 5-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The event will honor all Guthrie County prenatal families and those with infants younger than 1 year old. Attendees are encouraged to bring new items to donate.

Legion Fish Fry in Stuart Oct. 15

The Stuart American Legion is holding a fish fry on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 5-7 p.m. at the Legion building (323 S.W. Second St., Stuart). The menu includes cod, Wally’s baked beans, roll and butter, pasta salads and desserts. Cost is $12 for adults (or $11 if donating a canned item to the food pantry). Deliveries available by calling 515-523-1666.

Community Meal at Faith Bible Church Oct. 15

Faith Bible Church (2096 Highway 4, Panora) invites everyone to a free community meal from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The meal on Oct. 15 will include baked ziti, tossed salad, garlic bread, pumpkin bars, and apple pie bars. Upcoming monthly meal dates are Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.

Linden Harvest Supper Oct. 16

On Thursday, Oct. 16, the Linden United Methodist Church will hold a country store and harvest supper. The country store opens at 4 p.m., selling crafts and baked goods. From 5-7 p.m., the supper will serve steak, potatoes and gravy, vegetable and dessert. $12 for adults, $6 for kids younger than 10, and $1 for kids younger than 5. Carryouts are available beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Adair Boys and Girls Club meal delivery Oct. 17

Anyone in the Adair/Casey area is invited to support the Adair Boys and Girls Club of Central Southwest Iowa by ordering Friday harvest lunchtime meals. The Oct. 17 meal will be chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole. In Adair, deliveries are available at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., noon or 12:30 p.m. In Casey, meals can be picked up at 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. at the Casey Community Center. Cost is $12 per meal, and each meal includes a side, cookie or bar, and water. To order meals for pickup or delivery, please call 641-742-3119 by the Wednesday beforehand. The menu for Friday Oct. 24 is chicken and noodles.

Country Jam at Raccoon Ridge Oct. 19

Raccoon Ridge Music Hall (3281 298th Lane, Stuart) will hold a “Country Jam” from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. Admission cost is a freewill donation. Those attending are welcome to bring beverages and snacks. Other upcoming events at Raccoon Ridge include “Who Nu” rock and roll dance, 7-10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25 ($10 admission), and music by “Jesse and the Medicine Men” on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2-5 p.m. ($10 admission).

Drive-through harvest dinner in Guthrie Center Oct. 22

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, 4:45-6:30 p.m., Main Street Guthrie Center will hold a drive-thru meal that includes ham balls, green beans, mashed potatoes, roll, and pumpkin bar. Cost is $10 per meal. The event will be held at the Guthrie Center Activity Center, 209 State St.

Haunted House in Guthrie Center Oct. 30 and Oct. 31

A haunted house, hosted by Main Street Guthrie Center, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 30 and Friday, Oct. 31 at 302 Prairie St. Admission cost is $10, and children younger than 10 must be accompanied by an adult. The haunted house will be open 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 30 and 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 31.

Holiday Showcase Nov. 6-8

The Guthrie Center and Panora Chambers of Commerce are hosting a Holiday Showcase to encourage residents and visitors to kick off their holiday shopping. Businesses will have participating specials and drawings during the event. Dates and hours are Thursday, Nov. 6 from 5-8 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

 

Redfield Winterfest Dec. 6

Celebrate winter in Redfield on Dec. 6 at West Central Valley Middle School. A craft fair, silent auction and cookie walk run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids shop for free from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Santa visits at 1 p.m.  Then head over to Legion Hall and City Park for the lighting. The chili competition drop-off is at 3:30 p.m. with the judging beginning at 4 p.m. The tree and holiday display and lighting of the park occurs at 5 p.m. The chili feed runs from 5-7 p.m. for a free will donation. At 6:30 p.m., the silent auction ends. And, at 7 p.m., the lighted parade begins. 

Submit your event information to rich@gctimesnews.com.

Panora City Council reviews sidewalk sale ordinance, ‘emergency only’ credit card

Oct 14, 2025 | News

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the regular meeting of the Panora City Council on Oct. 13, the council members discussed sidewalk sales by downtown storefronts in the business commercial district. City Administrator Lisa Grossman read from the current ordinance, which outlines the number of days that a business can have a sidewalk sale consecutively.

Council members suggested amending the ordinance to stipulate that sidewalk sales can occur only during regular business hours, meaning that items would need to be brought inside or removed at the end of the business day.

Grossman suggested the matter should first be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and then could come back to the council after that. No formal action was taken by the council.

The council discussed a request from Mason Caruthers for permission to hunt Canada geese on agricultural ground within city limits. The land in question is owned by Ethan Boyers. Caruthers’ request stated he would hunt at least 600 feet from any building or dwelling, and he added that Police Chief Matt Reising has no objection to the request. The council unanimously approved Caruthers’ request.

Grossman brought up a request to obtain an “emergency-only” credit card for Panora EMS use.

“There’s a fuel card in each vehicle, and each employee has a PIN. We’ve had a few situations come up where a PIN is incorrectly entered, and sometimes the employee has to then use their own card for fuel and get reimbursed,” Grossman said.

Grossman also said the credit card could help with various unexpected emergencies, such as in case of a vehicle breakdown or accident. She explained that if approved, the emergency-only credit card would be for only those situations when EMS staff are unable to use the fuel card. Council members were hesitant about the city having another credit card.

“I’m just looking at it as one more credit card out there. Personally, I’m not for it,” Councilmember Brian Dorsett said.

The council did not take formal action on the request.

The next regular meeting is set for Monday, Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome. Interested persons may attend in person or electronically by visiting the website https://meet.goto.com/cityofpanora or by phone 1-312-757-3121 (Access Code 295-099-701, Audio PIN 220#).

Sidewalk replacement project for Guthrie Center slated for 2027

Oct 14, 2025 | News

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the regular meeting of the Guthrie Center city council on Oct. 13, Darin Sloss (Street Department) shared the plans for many sidewalks in Guthrie Center to be replaced in 2027. He said it will be a Department of Transportation (DOT) project, and there will be no cost to the city. The total cost is estimated at $1.3 to $1.7 million.

“It’ll be a big project, but downtown will not be affected a whole lot,” Sloss said.

Part of the project is making sidewalks and street crossings ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. Sloss said public hearings will be held about the project in 2026, and the project is expected to begin in March 2027 and be completed by Labor Day 2027.

Sloss asked the council to consider approving the purchase of two Toro 6000 series mowers for the city at a cost of $17,468. The council approved the purchase.

City Administrator Kris Arasmith explained that the city’s Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance rates will increase by 3% for 2026, but she said that is a very moderate increase. The council unanimously voted to approval the renewal for 2026.

The council voted to give a full three-year tax abatement on the townhouse of Nancy Van Meter (1600 Cameron Pass).

As part of the consent agenda, the council approved a beer/liquor license for Little Charger ELC and a building permit (shed) for 102 North St. (Hughes/Cook).

The next regular meeting is set for Monday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. The public is welcome.

Iowa weekly weather summary — Week of Oct. 13

Oct 13, 2025 | Weather Summary

From the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s weekly weather summary released today. Information from the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report, which is released weekly by the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service from April through November, was not available due to the federal government shutdown. 

“Based on the crop progress reports published over the past five years, Iowa farmers typically have about two-thirds of the soybeans and one-third of the corn harvested statewide by mid-October. As I’ve visited with farmers, driven through rural parts of the state, and spent several days in the field on our family farm in northwest Iowa, it seems that harvest is about where we’d expect this time of year,” Secretary Naig said. “Looking ahead, rain chances remain in the forecast through the end of the month. Farmers will continue to push forward with harvest, cover crop seeding and other field work as the weather allows.”   

Weather summary

Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship 

While not as warm as the previous week, temperatures across Iowa remained four to six degrees above normal, with a statewide average temperature of 61.4 degrees, 5.3 degrees above the 30-year climatological mean. Widespread rainfall also returned to the state, with southwestern stations observing positive departures ranging from 1.00 to 2.00 inches, while northwestern stations experienced the driest conditions.

A cold front swept across Iowa on Sunday (5ᵗʰ) afternoon, bringing measurable rainfall to many reporting stations statewide. A southwest-to-northeast swath of stations recorded the highest amounts, with more than 50 stations observing 1.00 inch or greater. Several stations in southwestern and central Iowa observed totals exceeding 2.00 inches; Boone (Boone County) registered 2.02 inches, while Red Oak (Montgomery County) reported 2.50 inches. Totals northwest and southeast of the swath ranged from 0.25 to 0.50 inch, with a statewide average of 0.41 inch. Overcast conditions persisted into Monday (6ᵗʰ) as rain showers continued over the southeastern half of the state. Morning temperatures varied from the mid 40s in the northwest, where skies were clear, to the low 60s in the southeast, ahead of the cold front. Light to moderate rain persisted into the evening hours, with southern and eastern stations recording additional totals from 0.25 to 0.75 inch; Davenport (Scott County) received 1.00 inch, and Pacific Junction (Mills County) recorded 1.54 inches. Skies cleared across most of Iowa by Tuesday (7ᵗʰ), with temperatures in the mid-30s across northwestern stations and up to 20 degrees warmer in southeastern Iowa, where cloud cover remained. High pressure dominated the Upper Midwest as winds shifted to a northerly direction throughout the daylight hours, under sunny skies and with highs in the mid to upper 60s.

Wednesday (8ᵗʰ) began with chilly temperatures across northern Iowa, with readings in the mid to upper 30s at numerous stations. Winds became variable by afternoon, and daytime temperatures rose into the upper 60s and low 70s. Cloud cover increased over western Iowa on Thursday (9ᵗʰ) as another weak cold front approached the state. Afternoon temperatures reached the 70s, and southerly winds became gusty into the evening hours. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms developed over central Iowa, expanding northeast and southwest along the advancing front. The convective complex moved southeast and exited the state by sunrise on Friday (10ᵗʰ). Rainfall totals were widespread across southeastern Iowa, with the highest amounts recorded in south-central areas; Lamoni (Decatur County) observed 0.55 inch, Osceola (Clarke County) reported 0.80 inch and Allerton (Wayne County) received 1.22 inches. Skies cleared behind the front, accompanied by brisk northwesterly winds and afternoon temperatures in the 70s. Overnight lows fell into the 40s statewide as light easterly winds developed. Saturday (11ᵗʰ) was a pleasant, sunny day with blustery southeasterly winds, low humidity and temperatures ranging from the upper 60s north to the mid 70s south. Partly cloudy conditions developed on Sunday (12ᵗʰ) as winds strengthened ahead of an approaching system over western Iowa. Morning lows ranged from the low 50s in the southeast to the low 60s in the northwest.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at multiple northwest stations to 3.00 inches in Red Oak and Shenandoah (Page County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.63 inch, slightly below the normal of 0.65 inch. Several stations reported the week’s high temperature of 88 degrees on the 5th, on average 21 degrees above normal. Sioux Center (Sioux County) recorded the week’s low temperature of 31 degrees on the 7ᵗʰ, 12 degrees below normal.

More than just books

Oct 13, 2025 | MJB LIBRARY NEWS

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The library was invaded by snakes, spiders and lizards last week, but that was part of our plan. Friday morning’s story hour had a special visitor, known as the Cold-Blooded Redhead, aka Lindsay Butikofer. Butikofer, who lives in Swisher, is a reptile enthusiast who pursues her passion for reptiles and invertebrates through school and library programs, as well as birthday parties.

The Cold-Blooded Redhead entertained and educated the audience with information about the animals she brought to share. The most exciting part of the program was the opportunity to touch the animals.

A total of 48 people attended the program, which was sponsored by a grant from Guthrie County Community Foundation, the Grow Greene Grant, and matching funds from the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library.

A reminder that preschool story hour takes place each Friday at 10 a.m. at the MJB Library. On Oct. 17, the fire department will have a fire truck at story hour for kids to see, since October is fire prevention month. Monsters are the subject of Oct. 24, with witches as the topic on Oct. 31.

Card-making class will be on Thursday, Oct. 16,  from 9-11 a.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room. Led by Judi Zimerline, the class will guide participants through making their own, unique greeting cards. All supplies are provided for a $5 materials fee.

Cookbook Club is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16.  Membership is simple. Stop by the library and choose a recipe from the month’s featured cookbook, prepare the dish, and show up with food to share with the group on the night of Cookbook Club. Meetings involve tasting the goodies that everyone brings and discussing how well everyone liked the cookbook. “Kick-off Kitchen: 64 Game-Day Recipes Inspired by Every Professional Football Team” by Tim Lopez is the October cookbook. \

Creation Corner for youth is going to be on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. Pre-registration is preferred.

Save the date for the MJB Library Li-BOO-ary Bash on Thursday, Oct. 30. The library staff will be there from 5-7:15 p.m. to greet trick-or-treaters, direct them to try out our family-friendly activities, and hand out a treat at the end.

During the month of October, Laura Sheeder is loaning us two quilts. Her Witches Quilt is hand-embroidered. After embroidering the design, Laura colored the design with crayons. She said the entire project, from embroidery to piecing the quilt, took a year to complete. The second quilt is smaller but equally detailed. The Witch’s Hat Quilt is appliqued and embroidered. Both quilts are intricate and beautiful. Stop in during October to take a look. While you’re here, stop and look at the hand-made wooden toys made by Kieth Merrill, which are also on loan to the library for the month.

On this busy afternoon, we had kids reading, playing Nintendo, and just hanging out.

The quilts displayed for the month of October are on loan from Laura Sheeder. These two quilts must be seen in person to really appreciate the detailed embroidery and intricate design.

Even when the library is busy and filled with people, there are quiet places to curl up with a good book.

You are never too young to work on the STEM table projects.

The Cold-Blooded Redhead reptile program on Friday, Oct. 10, was funded by a grant from the Guthrie County Community Foundation, the Grow Greene Grant, and matching funds from the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library.

 

Below are some fun photos from our Cold-Blooded Redhead program: