Special to the Times Vedette

The Panorama large group speech team competed on Feb. 7 at Valley High School in West Des Moines. The results are as follows:

Receiving overall division 1 ratings (1 being the highest):

• Musical Theater – (straight 1s) “Little Women” – Taylin Woolheater, Piper Godwin, Sabrina Huitt, Evynn Stagg, Kaylee Michaelson and Anabel Pudenz
• Readers’ Theater – (two 1s and a 2) “How to Survive Being in a Shakespeare Play” – Taylin Woolheater, Dylan Burchfield, Jemma Meacham, Lilly Bachmeyer, Sara Gibson, Piper Godwin, Riley Wasson, Huber Galicia, Navira Martin, Connor Deardorff and Evynn Stagg

Receiving division 2 ratings:

• Group Improvisation – (two 2s and a 1) Navira Martin, Huber Galicia, Connor Deardorff, Miley Nolan and Olivia Beaudet
• Radio Broadcasting – (straight 2s) Holliday Mertens, Ella Carico, Olivia Beaudet and Heaven Copeland

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

The New Homestead in Guthrie Center will award one $500 scholarship to a member of the ACGC class of 2026 who will pursue a healthcare degree. Applications may be completed online at www.thenewhomestead.org and are due by April 3, 2026.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

This weekend’s forecast looks like it is going to be unseasonably warm with temperatures in the 60s. Iowa DNR Interpretive Naturalist/Educator Anne Riordan says that is likely going to bring out some of nature’s “nappers” like raccoons and squirrels that will be enjoying the warm weather along with the rest of us.

“It will be a great time to get outside and do a little birding, too,” she says.

This weekend brings the Great Backyard Bird Count, a community science project sponsored by the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada.  Anybody can participate, in any place they would like to, for as little as 15 minutes. All you need to do is identify, count and report your data. Here is a link for more information: https://www.birdcount.org/participate/   

If you would like an in-person introduction to the Great Backyard Count, join Riordan at Springbrook State Park this Saturday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. 

“We will also be making pinecone bird feeders for participants to take home to hang in their yards,” Riordan says. “Meet at the Beach Shelter at Springbrook State Park. Follow the park road up to the intersection at the top of the hill, follow the sign that directs you toward the beach, and park in the lot above the lake.”

Special to the Times Vedette

Creighton University College of Nursing released the student names on its 2025 fall semester Dean’s List. Each student earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Arilyan Steenblock of Panora was one of the students named to the list. 

Special to the Times Vedette

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, six Sunshine Club members and one husband met at the Dexfield Diner for a luncheon meeting. Sandy opened the meeting with roll call being, “What did you have for breakfast?” Lots of delicious answers were given.

The minutes of the December meeting were read due to no meeting in January where several members met to carpool and went to Darrell’s Place in Hamlin for lunch.

The treasurer’s report was given.

Birthdays and anniversaries were mentioned with our special birthday today being Janine’s. We sang “Happy Birthday” to her, and Sandy brought some delicious cupcakes to share.

 Next month’s meeting will be at Janine’s home for a 1 p.m. meeting.

A paper was passed out with information about when the Sunshine Club started, which was back in 1950 and with information about those who started the club and were charter members. The information was shared from former member, Pat Trent, who passed away last September and was our Historian.  Daughter, Trudy Woolman found the information in her mother’s records and shared with members today.

Linda Thompson said when she has her meeting in May, it is going to be a meal coming from a different country, of which she chose Italy. She has asked all coming to make a food that is popular in Italy. Some already signed up today.

Meeting was adjourned, and our food was ready and very delicious. Cards were played after lunch at the Diner.

Special to the Times Vedette

Midwest Partnership is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and Iowa Economic Development Authority to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Guthrie Center area. This study will geographically define which communities contribute to Guthrie Center’s workforce, regardless of political boundaries. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and is based upon commuting patterns.

The purpose of this Laborshed study is to measure the availability and characteristics of Guthrie Center area workers. Laborshed studies are useful tools for economic development teams and existing or prospective employers to understand the local labor market, make informed expansion and site selection decisions, and maintain/recruit a high-quality workforce.

For the success of this study, letters are being sent to randomly selected households asking residents to take a confidential online survey. Survey questions will cover topics such as: employment status, current and desired wages, current and desired benefits, education level, and type of occupation, among other things. However, Iowa Workforce Development will not be asking survey takers identifiable information such as: name, social security number, or date of birth. Participation in this workforce study is greatly appreciated regardless of employment status whether you are currently employed, unemployed, a homemaker, retired, etc.

Telephone surveying is simultaneously being conducted through a third-party vendor. The same survey questions asked in the online survey will be asked of those who participate in the survey on the phone and again, no identifying information will be collected. All the survey answers collected will be combined and reported together. Individual answers are completely confidential.

Every year Iowa Workforce Development conducts Laborshed studies across the State. The results of each analysis are publicly available online at workforce.iowa.gov/laborshed.  If you have any questions about the Laborshed project, contact Sam Queen at samuel.queen@iwd.iowa.gov or 515-281-8179  or Brenda Dudley at bdudley@midwestpartnership or 515-523-1262.