Special to the Times Vedette

The University of Northern Iowa recognizes students who have most recently graduated. The following local students were recognized:

• Kate Crawford, Adair, Bachelor of Arts, Economics: Business Economics, Kinesiology and Exercise Science
• Jacob Jordan, Casey, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art: Studio BFA
• Chloe Largent, Casey, Bachelor of Arts, Kinesiology and Exercise Science
• Alyson Embleton, Guthrie Center , Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education
• Hunter Pauley, Guthrie Center, Bachelor of Arts, Finance: Financial Management, Management: Business Administration
• Olivia Van Meter, Guthrie Center, Bachelor of Arts, Biology
• Austin Block, Panora, Bachelor of Arts, Individual Studies: Sport Administration
• Maiah Keith, Panora, Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education
• Lydia Lindstrom, Panora, Bachelor of Arts, Accounting, Real Estate
• Jared Tibben, Stuart, Bachelor of Arts, Finance: Personal Wealth Management, Real Estate

Special to the Times Vedette

The University of Northern Iowa recognizes students who have most recently made the dean’s list. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher while completing at least 12 semester hours, with at least one semester hour of graded credit. The following local students were recognized:

• Jacob Jordan, Casey
• Chloe Largent, Casey
• Alyson Embleton, Guthrie Center
• Megan Lemke, Guthrie Center
• Hunter Pauley, Guthrie Center
• Olivia Van Meter, Guthrie Center
• Jordan Lemke, Guthrie Center
• Kira Gieseman, Panora
• Hannah, Hardisty, Panora
• Maiah Keith, Panora
• Lydia Lindstrom, Panora
• Victoria Woods Lombard, Panora
• Ella Hanner, Stuart

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the June 26 meeting of the Guthrie County Hospital Board of Trustees, CEO Chris Stipe explained the expected flow of funding for the hospital’s planned expansion project. He explained that the flow may be puzzling at first glance.

“You should be saying, ‘Why do we have so much cash in the first year of construction?’ So, they will sell bonds that will generate all the cash we need to pay for this construction, and that will happen, we think, in the first part of the next fiscal year,” Stipe said. “They’ll reinvest those proceeds, and we will get interest on that while that money sits until we use it to pay for the construction.”

Danielle Lauzon reported on quality measures and gave data.

“For May, we had three complaints and one grievance,” Lauzon said. “They all had appropriate follow-up done, and no trends identified. Patient satisfaction for May was really good.”

Chief Financial Officer Brandon Johnson reported on the hospital’s finances for the month of May. He reported that the hospital saw an operating loss of $448,000 in May, and he reported on some of the factors that led to the loss.

“It was not a huge census month, and we had three nurses go on vacation, and several patients with high needs,” Johnson said.

Stipe shared his overview.

“Not our best month. Expenses were high, revenues were a little low, but still, for the year, we’re kind of where we budgeted and pretty similar to last year, year-to-date,” Stipe said.

Foundation Chair Dennis Flanery reported that registrations for the fundraiser golf tournament are full.

Stipe shared that Chief Nursing Officer Sandy Atkinson will be retiring and thanked her for her years of service.

The next regular meeting of the trustees is set for July 24 at 4 p.m. The public is welcome.

Special to the Times Vedette

Iowa Lakes Community College recognizes the outstanding academic accomplishments of students named to the Spring 2025 Honors Lists. This semester, 141 students earned a place on the prestigious President’s List, while 242 students were honored on the Dean’s List. The President’s List celebrates students who achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average while enrolled full-time in 12 or more graded credit hours. The Dean’s List acknowledges full-time students who earned a GPA of 3.25 or higher with a minimum of 12 graded credits completed. Jalen Michaelson of Guthrie Center was named to the President’s List.

Special to the Times Vedette

More than 11,300 Iowa State University students have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the 2025 spring semester Dean’s List. Students named to the Dean’s List must earn a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work. The following students from the area were included: 

Bagley

• Ashlyn J. Frederick, Agricultural Communication, B.S.

Casey

• Hope Kading, Industrial Engineering, B.S.

Guthrie Center

• Trent Allen Hambleton, Management, B.S.
• Cloe Elizabeth Hoyt, Event Management, B.S.
• Brock Smith Littler, Accounting, B.S.
• Ethan Frederick Olsen, Mechanical Engineering, B.S.
• Reid Andrew Rumelhart, Finance, B.S.

Menlo

• Kiefer R Wallace, Mechanical Engineering, B.S.

Panora

• Becca S. Blackford, Interior Design, B.F.A.
• Josie Rose Faga, Industrial Technology, B.S.
• Dylan Riley Ford, Mechanical Engineering, B.S.
• Reagan Gibson, Agricultural and Life Sciences Education, B.S.
• Riley K Gibson, Marketing, B.S.
• Nile Darren Lindstrom, Marketing, B.S.
• Kaitlyn Fay Nanke, Advertising, B.A.
• Levi Matthew Poldberg, Psychology, B.S.
• Mia Celeste Waddle, Kinesiology and Health, B.S.
•  Jack D Weinkoetz, Agronomy, B.S.

Yale

• Keira Grace Simmons, Agronomy, B.S.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the June 24 meeting of the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors, Conservation Director Brad Halterman told of the county’s plan for making storm shelters available for use in times of threatening weather.

“It’s not in anybody’s best interest to have those things unlocked 24-7, so they’re not going to be. Both at Lenon Mill and at Nations Bridge Park, the storm shelters will be locked up. They will be unlocked at both parks when a severe thunderstorm warning is issued for Guthrie County and/or a tornado watch is issued for Guthrie County,” Halterman said. “When those warnings are done, both of the shelters will be locked back up.”

Halterman said he and three other staff will have the keys to unlock and lock the storm shelters as needed.

Health Services Director Jotham Arber talked about plans to have a system of First Responders available throughout the county.

“The crux of what we’re trying to do is build on the system that we already have in place. We have Panora and Stuart and Bayard that are transporting services. We’re trying to come at it from a different angle. Instead of placing ambulances everywhere, which we know is very expensive, we’re trying to put first responders…on so that the response time for that initial crisis is being met,” Arber said. “Then, if it takes our ambulance 10 or 15 minutes, we’ve got someone out there who’s at least doing the basics.”

Supervisor Brian Johnson asked what role law enforcement will play in this plan.

“Great question,” Arber said. “Jesse Swensen is an EMT, so we’re going to bring him on the services with us, so he can have one of the first responder bags and equipment in his vehicle.”

Arber said law enforcement staff could be a great asset in this way.

“If we can incorporate them in our training, and get them in our system, that gives us one more vehicle that’s out there,” Arber said.

The supervisors meet regularly on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. The public is welcome to attend in person or via remote technology. To join remotely, call 323-792-6123, then use meeting code 547029216#.