Dean Beukema and Lisa Neitz proudly show their spooky decorations.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

The house at 1103 Prairie St. in Guthrie Center was a popular destination at Halloween, and for good reason. Lisa Neitz, Dean Beukema, and their son, Andrew Neitz, live at the house, but every fall, the yard belongs to an amazing array of spooky creatures.  

Lisa and Dean described the labor of love they perform each fall to get their yard prepared for Halloween. Some of the decorations are handmade, including homegrown pumpkins. Other items are store-bought.

Although the project is a lot of work, the family has no plans to stop or downsize in the future. They have actually begun to spill over onto a willing neighbor’s yard.

“After the county fair, we start dragging stuff out. We start setting it up in September, and then we bring some of the animated stuff out just for Halloween night,” Lisa said. “And then we have people dressed up, too, so you never know which ones are real.”

More than 60 skeletons wander the yard at 1103 Prairie St. in Guthrie Center.

If it’s scary, creepy or crawly, it’s probably here.

Special to the Times Vedette

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) announced the election of Rick Hunsaker, executive director of Region XII COG in Carroll, as president of the association on Oct. 23 at NADO’s 2024 Annual Business Meeting. The meeting was held in conjunction with NADO’s Annual Training Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Oct. 21-24. 

As president, Hunsaker will lead and work with the 67-member NADO Board of Directors, which oversees the association’s budget and operations and develops policy on issues affecting regional development organizations. NADO was founded in 1967 to provide training, information and representation for regional development organizations throughout the United States. Today, NADO’s 350-plus member organizations serve local governments and the public within their regions through various programs focused on diversifying local economies, assisting businesses, creating jobs and providing vital community services.

“We are honored to have Rick Hunsaker serve as president of our national association,” NADO Executive Director Joe McKinney shared. “Rick brings an abundance of regional community and economic development knowledge to this role and our board. He is dedicated to helping our nation’s local communities pursue comprehensive regional strategies for remaining economically competitive in today’s rapidly changing global environment.”

“I am excited to serve the National Association of Development Organizations as president for the next year,” Hunsaker said. “NADO serves as a positive and vital resource for regional development organizations around the country and I am fortunate to be part of the important work they are doing.”

To contact Hunsaker, email rhunsaker@region12cog.org.

Special to the Times Vedette

Edward Jones Financial Advisor Melissa Loest of Guthrie Center has received the Agriculture Focused Financial Planning(TM) designation, (or AFFP®).

Achieving this designation required in-depth study in the following areas: 

• Process and Fundamentals of Financial Planning
• Agriculture Economics Concepts
• Communication
• Farming, Family, and Operations
• Land and Leverage
• Legacy
• Income Strategies

Loest’s office is located at 205 State St. in Guthrie Center.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Iowa snowmobilers are no longer required to purchase and display an annual trail user permit, according to a new law that went into effect July 1, 2024. The law folded the trail user permit into the annual snowmobile registration fee, which will now be $30 plus administration fees. The previous price for each type was $15.

Registration and permit fees for snowmobiles are placed in a dedicated account for snowmobile programs in Iowa, including the Iowa Snowmobile Trail Grant Program, which is administered through the Iowa State Snowmobile Association. The grant program supports snowmobile trail development and grooming; equipment purchases and maintenance; and trail signage in cooperation with snowmobile clubs all across Iowa.  

Snowmobilers who own a new machine or have not yet entered the snowmobile into the state registration system need to go to the County Recorder’s office in their county of residence to start the registration process. To renew an existing registration, visit the County Recorder or go online to www.gooutdoorsiowa.com.

Nonresident snowmobilers will still need to purchase and display the trail user permit, which are available at any County Recorder’s Office, through retailers that sell hunting and fishing licenses, or online at www.gooutdoorsiowa.com.

Learn more about Iowa’s snowmobile programs at: https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-to-do/snowmobiles

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Iowa’s furbearer season opens Saturday, and the outlook for trappers is positive — most species populations are steady, and there are some early indications wild fur pelt prices could be trending up this winter.

The challenge, however, could be that fewer marshes and streams have good water levels.

“Our water levels are similar to last year in some regions, even with a wet spring,” Vince Evelsizer, state furbearer and wetland biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said. “These wet/dry-dry/wet swings within a year can have an impact on aquatic furbearers — otters, mink, beavers and muskrats. But the upland species — bobcats, red fox, coyotes — are much less impacted.”

Evelsizer encouraged trappers to do some preseason scouting as marsh water levels vary by location with many either dry or drying by the day.

The furbearer season is Nov. 2 to Feb. 28, 2025. Beaver trapping closes on April 15, 2025.

Mentoring young trappers

A regulation change allows youth ages 15 and younger to go trapping with a licensed adult trapper without purchasing a license. This change brings trapping in line with hunting.

“This allows the youth to experience trapping to see if it is something they would enjoy without having to purchase a license,” Evelsizer said.

Each youth must be accompanied by a licensed adult.

Gray fox study

The Iowa DNR will again be looking for live caught gray foxes as part of a pilot population study to learn more about this small, secretive woodland furbearer.

“We’re asking for the public and our trappers to contact us if they’ve recently seen a gray fox or catch a gray fox. Better yet, contact us in advance if you’re trying to catch a gray fox in your area. Private trappers are a valuable partner for this pilot project. We have one fox collared so far, and hope to add to that this year,” Evelsizer said.

The collar provides researchers with data on the fox’s movement, habitat preference and survivorship. There is a $400 reward, provided by the Iowa Wildlife Federation, for anyone who catches a gray fox that can be used for this study.

He said the fox will be released on the site where it was caught.

The DNR is also working with Iowa State University on a pilot project this winter in northeast Iowa, using cameras to track fishers and gray foxes to determine what areas these species occupy and what areas they don’t occupy in this region.

“Other regions may be surveyed in the future, depending on how this study goes,” Evelsizer said.