By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
For Panorama and ACGC students in grades K-12, the first day of classes is set for Aug. 25. ACGC preschool will begin Sept. 2, while Panorama preschool begins Aug. 27.
ACGC and Panorama each have online registration available on their websites.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
The start of the 2025-2026 school year at Panorama Schools will see five new teachers.
Anna Arganbright will teach Middle School Language Arts. Arganbright is a Panorama graduate who says she enjoys reading and time with her family.
Ali McDermott will teach in the fourth grade. McDermott recently graduated from the University of Iowa and is eager to become involved again in the community she grew up in. In her free time, McDermott says she enjoys spending time with family and friends and being outdoors at the lake.
Jaylin Woodward will teach in special education. She credits her fifth-grade math teacher with helping steer her toward a career in education. Woodward says she enjoys reading, scuba diving and soccer in her free time.
Alex Meuer will teach sixth grade at Panorama. She says she is excited to begin her career here where others have been so welcoming. In her spare time, Meuer says she enjoys crafts, cooking, games and spending time with her cat, Cassie.
Katie Sedars will teach in special education. She believes meaningful relationships with students is the most important part of being an educator. She says she enjoys time with friends and family and unwinding with NetFlix.
ACGC Schools welcomes four new teachers to start the school year.
Tristen Lacey will teach high school FCS (family and consumer sciences). Manda Thomas will teach high school science. Kylie South will teach junior high science and ag. Nicole Morey will teach third grade at Adair-Casey Elementary.
Special to the Times Vedette
Guthrie County Hospital has recently received loan approval from the USDA Office of Rural Development. This means the hospital has access to affordable long-term financing to complete its renovation and expansion plans.
For more than a year, Guthrie County Hospital has been developing its strategy for renovation and expansion to better serve the community. With the help of ACI Boland Architects, the hospital completed a campus assessment and Campus Master Plan. From that planning activity, hospital leadership concluded that the facility needs extensive improvements to continue to serve the community with the highest quality services.
“It is the right time for a more comprehensive renovation and expansion of hospital facilities,” Mike Underwood, hospital board chairman, said. “We must modernize our entire hospital campus to continue to grow our services and remain competitive.”
Construction drawings are fully developed and ready to be implemented after the hospital recently received approval of its architectural plan from the USDA, the State Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing and the State Fire Marshal.
The planned construction will impact about 75% of the existing building. There will be approximately 17,000 square feet of new construction and 34,000 square feet of remodeled space. Parking and access to the building will also be addressed.
Goals for this expansion and renovation project include:
“The next big step is to complete the construction bidding process,” Chris Stipe, chief executive officer, said. “Once the bids are in, we will know how well our budgeted cost projections provided by Graham Construction reflect the true cost of the project.” Graham Construction was chosen as the Construction Manager at risk (CMAR) for the project through a required competitive bidding process. When a Construction Manager is “at risk,” they are responsible for managing costs to a project budget, and they are held financially responsible for any cost overruns.
In Iowa, the CMAR delivery method was recently added as an option for public entities. This method allows a construction manager to assume the risk for the project, providing an alternative to traditional bidding processes. The Iowa Legislature implemented this change effective July 1, 2022, expanding the project delivery methods available to public entities in the state.
The Hospital Governing Board will have a final vote on the project once the construction bids have been received.
According to Stipe, if everything falls into place, the hospital could possibly break ground in October.
The hospital is also planning town hall meetings around the county to inform the public about more project details. Dates, locations and times to be determined.
Special to the Times Vedette
A “Question and Answer Opportunity” about the future of the Panorama schools will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Panorama High School Auditorium. Join the community conversation and learn more about the long-term vision with factual information from school officials.
“Whether you’re curious about upcoming projects or future planning, this is the place to get answers,” Superintendent Kasey Huebner said.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
This evening, Friday, Aug. 8, from 6-8 p.m., the Guthrie Center Aquatic Complex welcomes dogs to swim in the pool. Anyone choosing to bring a dog is reminded that each dog must have proof of registration (current tags) and proof of up-to-date vaccinations. Dogs are to be leashed at all times while at the pool.
Special to the Times Vedette
On Aug 6, Dan Webb and Lela Schwartz each got a 16. Robert Klever got a 16 and a 20.
The Guthrie Center cribbage players generally meet at Guthrie Center Library, 400 Grand St., on Mondays at 8 a.m. and at the New Homestead independent living dining hall, 2306 State St., at 8 a.m. on Wednesdays and at 1 p.m. on Fridays. Organizers say there is always room for more, and they will be glad to teach you how to play. They play for quarters on Wednesday and Friday.