Casey Distinguished Service Award recipient Nicholas Lindberg and his wife, Isabella, in the parade.

Special to the Times Vedette

Nicholas Lindberg has been named as the recipient of the 2025 Casey Distinguished Service Award. He graduated from Adair-Casey High School in 2015 and showed an interest in government at an early age when he was chosen to be a personal secretary at the Iowa House of Representatives as Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer’s page. He continued to work in the Iowa House as a confidential assistant.

Nick was elected in November of 2015, fresh out of high school, as a council member for the City of Casey. Nick then took on the role of mayor of Casey. He has cared deeply about the town from an early age.

The role of mayor is not an easy one, but Nick took it on with grace, strength and dignity. Often a thankless job, Nick marched forward with his team to implement improvements that were needed to help get Casey moving in the right direction again. Nick helped implement the sewer project to improve sewer lines and sewer plant operation.

Nick also worked extensively with the Iowa DNR when the city wells dried up in the drought to get a new well as quickly as possible. He also helped obtain the grant that paid for the new well.

Nick, tech savvy and knowledgeable, created and maintained the city’s website. He also worked to get help for the federal funding needed for the bridge replacement on West Thomas Road.

Nick made it a priority to attend training to keep abreast with current and new laws and state requirements. He also studied and became certified in the National Incident Management System as part of his service of an elected official, and in 2022, the Iowa League of Cities awarded him CEMO designation in recognition of his time spent taking voluntary courses to further develop his knowledge.

Nick stepped up to the plate to address as many nuisance issues in town as possible, which is not an easy feat. City clerk Gwen Blass said, “Nick always strived to do what was in the best interest of the City of Casey. It was a pleasure to work with Nick. He was a wealth of knowledge, and if he didn’t know the answer, he wasn’t afraid to do the work to get it. Nick was very professional and always conscientious of how he treated the people of Casey.”

Today, Nick continues his career with the City of West Des Moines as a community compliance specialist. He is settled in his historic home with his wife, Isabella. Although they will not live in Casey anymore, Nick will remain a “true Caseyian,” and a piece of his heart belongs here forever.

Special to the Times Vedette

Students at Art on State recently learned to shade with chalk painting. They also looked at the northern lights and how to use chalk to draw it and shade it. Kids arts and crafts classes are held on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Treats are provided for everyone.

Art on State is an art gallery created by the Guthrie County Arts Council as an opportunity to bring together the artists of the county, encouraging them in their talents by providing means to display and sell their work and to bring awareness of artistic endeavors to the community at large by presenting performing and visual arts programs. Art on State is located at 320 State St. in Guthrie Center. Learn more at www.guthriecountyartscouncil.org or call 641-332-2267.

Special to the Times Vedette

Wilbur and Susan Bates at 602 State St. in Guthrie Center are the winners of $100 in chamber bucks from the Guthrie Center Lions Club and the Guthrie Center Chamber of Commerce for the Yard of the Month contest for June. These two organizations have teamed up to award citizens who maintain and take pride in their yard with this monthly contest.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

July 18 and 19 attracted many residents and visitors alike to Casey for city’s annual Fun Days celebration. The town was filled with music, food, history and fun.

Local businesses joined the parade.

The Casey parade included royalty with Adair County Fair Queen Chloe Rardin and Little Miss and Mister, Alyx Mensing and Nash Williams.

ACGC Seniors Camdyn Richter, Becca Littler, Savannah Akers and Leaya Klemish work their food stand, which raised funds for the senior trip to Washington, D.C.

The Bonar family takes a break from the water slide (Back row: Bill, Shyanne. Middle row: Myra, Mayze and Benin. Front: Baylor)

Classic cars lined McPherson Street.

Vintage tractors were on display at Casey Fun Days.

Special to the Times Vedette

Graduates of Panora, Linden, Panora-Linden and Panorama schools are invited to attend the 143^rd Annual All-School Alumni banquet on Saturday, Aug. 2 in the Old Gym on Panora’s town square. The event begins at 5 p.m. with dinner served at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the door. Current and former teachers and staff are invited to attend. 

The Classes of 1975, 2000 and 2025 will be honored guests. The Panora Boy Scouts will present the colors and lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Panorama alumni Avery Bahrenfuss will sing the National Anthem.  

Beginning in 2016, the Alumni Association has offered scholarships to help recent high school graduates attend college or trade school. Over that time, the group has granted scholarships totaling more than $33,750 to 39 recent Panorama graduates. This year, they will be awarding $1,500 scholarships to the following students:

• Madelyn Carstens, daughter of Jordan and Sarah Carstens
• Laine Christie, son of Mike and Cindy Christie
• Joel Cooper, son of Jeremy and Betty Cooper
• Emme Hardisty, daughter of Dave and Ann Hardisty
• Landon Kirtley, son of Jason Kirtley and Deanna Van Gundy
• Maddelyn Richey, daughter Lila Lutz and Brian Richey
• Sawyer Simmons, son of Brian and Stacy Simmons
• Arilyan Steenblock, daughter of Ryan and Arianne Steenblock

Golfing fans can take part in the 10^th Annual Golf Tourney on Sunday, Aug. 3, which helps fund the scholarships. Interested golfers can contact Chaille Crandall with the Panorama Booster Club for more information at 515-729-2240 or crandallchaille@gmail.com.

You don’t need to be an alum to form a golfing party. 

The Alumni Banquet committee consists of President Marilyn Worshek Behr ’72, Vice-President Andy Arganbright ’85, Secretary Candi Knowlton Thompson ’68, Treasurer Cindy Wolfe Carstens ’91, along with members Dave Beidelman ’65, Ron Tryon ’66, Dave Olson ’73, and Ilene Adair Olson ’75.  Contact Marilyn Behr if you would like to join this committee, which meets four times yearly. 

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Although the Guthrie County Fair is still more than a month away, the 4H “static judging” was held in July, as usual, so that entries can move on to the Iowa State Fair or other events. The static judging day also includes entries in the categories of Awardrobe, Communication, and Table Setting.

Local entries that earned the right to move on to the next level are shown below:

Clothing Event:

• Rylee Irlbeck   —   $20 Challenge Outfit   —   Clay County Awardrobe 
• Barrett Peters   —   Cowboy   —   Clay County Awardrobe
• Tessa Slaybaugh   —   Outfit   —   Clay County Awardrobe
• Blair Brown   —   Modeling a red semi-formal dress   —   Clay County Awardrobe
• Laurin Davis   —   Green dress with hat   —   Iowa State Fair

Communication:

• Laurin Davis   —   Pipecleaner and bead dragonflies   —   Iowa State Fair
• Kaylynn Walker   —   Color mixing with colored film   —   Iowa State Fair
• Jaxen Knobbe   —   Blast off with 4-H   —   Iowa State Fair
• Colt Wilson   —   Working Exhibit with Jaxen Knobbe   —   Iowa State Fair

Static:

• Jaxen Knobbe   —   Homemade Grooming Bars   —   Iowa State Fair
• Rylee Robson   —   Ag Tech Poster   —   Iowa State Fair
• Avery Hines   —   Sunset Pictures   —   Iowa State Fair
• Blaire Robson   —   Picture of purple flower   —   Iowa State Fair
• Tessa Slaybaugh   —   Picture   —   Iowa State Fair
• Rylee Robson   —   Radio city   —   Iowa State Fair
• Hayden Clarke   —   Yellowstone   —   Iowa State Fair
• Julianna Schroeder   —   Perler Bead Floral Arrangement   —   Iowa State Fair
• Coy Gruber   —   Wooden American Flag   —   Iowa State Fair
• Kaylynn Walker   —   Air dry clay sculpture of rotten apple   —   Iowa State Fair
• Averi Haines   —   Resin chess/checkerboard   —   Iowa State Fair
• Blake Ganzer   —   Wood burn and painted design on plaque   —   Iowa State Fair
• Trinity Stonehocker   —   Wood puzzle   —   Iowa State Fair
• Tessa Slaybaugh   —   Outfit   —   Iowa State Fair
• Rylee Robson   —   Burgundy dress   —   Iowa State Fair
• Camdyn Coffman   —   Cherry pie   —   Iowa State Fair
• Carrie Downing   —   Baking   —   Iowa State Fair
• Kiera Boals   —   Bagels   —   Iowa State Fair
• Carrie Downing   —   Wall hanging   —   Iowa State Fair
• Kiera Boals   —   Re-purposed coffee table   —   Iowa State Fair
• Julianna Schroeder   —   Crochet horse   —   Iowa State Fair
• Karleen Ploeger   —   Dyslexia   —   Iowa State Fair
• Ruanne Brinker-Owen   —   Mechanical Lego   —   Iowa State Fair
• Easton Gettler   —   John boat with fabrications   —   Iowa State Fair
• Jaxen Knobbe   —   Which bed is the best?    —   Iowa State Fair

Table Setting:

• Zoe Kepple   —   Reserve Champion Jr. Formal Table Setting
• Kenzie Kading   —   Regional Table Setting Participant
• Kenzie Kading   —   Champion Jr. Formal Table Setting
• Blaire Robson   —   Regional Table Setting Participant
• Blaire Robson    —   Champion Jr. Casual Table Setting
• Barrett Peters   —   Reserve Champion Jr. Casual Table Setting
• Jaxen Knobbe   —   Regional Table Setting Participant
• Jaxen Knobbe   —   Champion Intermediate Casual Table
• Sophie Young   —   Reserve Champion Intermediate Casual Table Setting
• Laurin Davis   —   Regional Table Setting Participant
• Laurin Davis   —   Champion Senior Formal Table Setting
• Kiera Boals   —   Reserve Champion Senior Formal Table Setting
• Karleen Ploeger   —   Regional Table Setting Participant
• Karleen Ploeger   —   Champion Senior Formal Table Setting
• Caydence Boals   —   Reserve Champion Senior Casual Table Setting

Best of luck to those moving on, and congratulations to all participants. Complete results can be viewed at the following link:  https://fairentry.com/Fair/Results/21487