By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

On May 13, ACGC High School held Baccalaureate and 2026 awards night. The following students received awards/scholarships.

Local Scholarships and Awards

• Bernie Saggau Award – Carter Richter
• Governor’s Scholar Award – Caydence Boals
• Wayne Cooley Nominee – Becca Littler
• Guthrie County Citizenship Award – Iowa State Bar Association – Caydence Boals
• Adair County Citizenship Award – Iowa State Bar Association – Lucy Knutter
• American Legion Post 124 Scholarship – Carter Dinkla, Tanner Downing, Collin Stringham
• Sons of the American Legion Post 124 Scholarship – Carter Dinkla, Jack Sheeder, Collin Stringham
• Omar B. Shearer Unit 124, Auxiliary Merit Award – Caydence Boals, Tanner Downing
• Masonic Lodge #123 – Leaya Klemish, Becca Littler, Jack Sheeder
• Grand Lodge of Iowa: Mark Earl and Ester Ruth Spencer Technical Scholarship – Savannah Akers
• J.D. and Kathy Kuster Scholarship – Savannah Akers, Xander Harwood
• Adair Women’s Club Scholarship – Joe Crawford, Allie DeWitt
• Festival of Trees Scholarship – Savannah Akers, Leaya Klemish, Camdyn Richter,  Karli Kautzky, Becca Littler, Ava Sneller
• Lynn Lehman Scholarship – Becca Littler
• Norunn Stangland Scholarship – Caydence Boals
• Marines Scholastic Excellence Award – Savannah Akers, Charlie Christensen
• Distinguished Male Athlete Award – Joe Crawford
• Distinguished Female Athlete Award – Camdyn Richter
• “Semper Fidelis” Award for Musical Excellence – Caydence Boals, Tanner Downing
• Outstanding Senior English Department Award – Lucy Knutter
• Outstanding Senior Communications Award – Xander Harwood
• Jen Hewitt Memorial Art Award – Alex Doherty
• Outstanding Senior Art Award – Chelsea Kopaska
• Outstanding Senior Award for Instrumental Music/Arion Award – Allie DeWitt
• Outstanding Senior Drama Award – Caydence Boals
• Outstanding Senior Vocal Award – Carter Dinkla, Tanner Downing
• Iowa Choral Directors Association Outstanding Senior Award – Rohnin Grasty
• Trudy Straub Speech Award – Tanner Downing
• Sue Osborne Scholarship – Collin Stringham
• Guthrie County REC Scholarship – Tanner Downing, Becca Littler, Brennan Tunink
• Alliant Energy Innovation Scholarship – Caydence Boals, Max Trujillo-Garcia
• Association of Independent Business Women Scholarship – Caydence Boals
• Guthrie County Youth Foundation Scholarship – Tanner Downing, Leaya Klemish, Camdyn Richter, Karli Kautzky, Kaylee Oberholtz, Brennan Tunink
• Eddie McCartney Memorial Scholarship – Savannah Akers
• Healthcare Scholarship (Sponsored by: Synergy Wellness, Dub P Apparel, Hospice of the Midwest & The New Homestead) – Savannah Akers, Leaya Klemish
• Adair-Casey Education Association Scholarship – Becca Littler, Camdyn Richter
• Adair Library Brainard Memorial Scholarship – Savannah Akers, Allie DeWitt, Karli Kautzky, Becca Littler, Camdyn Richter, Ava Sneller, Caydence Boals, Shelby Gustin, Leaya Klemish, Kaylee Oberholtz, Thomas Skram
• D Evangeline Kuester Scholarship – Lucy Knutter, Xander Harwood
• Daisy Petersen Trust Scholarship – Lucy Knutter, Thomas Skram
• Neil Lewis Memorial Scholarship – Leaya Klemish
• National Honor Society Medal Presentation – Savannah Akers, Allie DeWitt, Leaya Klemish, Caydence Boals, Tanner Downing, Lucy Knutter, Charlie Christensen, Karli Kautzky, Becca Littler
• DMACC Graduation Certificates and Cords – Savannah Akers (CNA – Nurse Aide, Advanced CNA), Jacie Baker (CNA – Nurse Aide, Advanced CNA), Elizabeth Drake (CNA – Nurse Aide, Advanced CNA), Karli Kautzky (CNA – Nurse Aide, Advanced CNA), Leaya Klemish (CNA – Nurse Aide, Advanced CNA), Camdyn Richter (CNA – Nurse Aide, Advanced CNA)
• Central College Journey Scholarship – Luke Brincks
• Central College Presidential Scholarship – Luke Brincks
• Coon Valley Telephone Co. Scholarship – Jacie Baker
• Panora Fiber – Tanner Downing
• Adair Casey Conservation Club – Savannah Akers, Allie DeWitt, Kaylee Oberholtz, Ava Sneller
• Guthrie SWCD Scholarship – Caydence Boals
• Adair SWCD Scholarship – Joe Crawford
• Charles Dobbins Scholarship – Charlie Christensen, Joe Crawford, Leaya Klemish, Camdyn Richter
• Iowa Land Improvement Contactors Association – Camdyn Richter
• Adair County Cattlemen’s Scholarship – Joe Crawford
• Guthrie County Cattlemen’s Scholarship – Gracie Hodges, Irelyn Wirt
• Casey Service Club Scholarship – Ava Sneller
• AC/GC Charger Booster Club Scholarships – Savannah Akers, Tanner Downing, Leaya Klemish, Camdyn Richter, Caydence Boals, Shelby Gustin, Becca Littler
• Iowa Farm Bureau, Adair County Scholarship – Joe Crawford
• Iowa Farm Bureau, Guthrie County Scholarship – Gracie Hodges, Camdyn Richter
• Ernst Heritage Farms Scholarship – Savannah Akers
• Guthrie County Hospital Foundation – Savannah Akers, Elizabeth Drake, Leaya Kelmish
• Guthrie County Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship – Leaya Klemish
• St. Mary’s Alter & Rosary – Tanner Downing
• Peoples Bank Scholarship – Caydence Boals
• Everfi “Top 3” Financial Literacy Students – Savannah Akers (Overall Winner), Kaylee Oberholtz, Rohnin Grasty
• Guthrie Center Lions Club Scholarship – Savannah Akers, Allie DeWitt, Shelby Gustin, Caydence Boals, Tanner Downing, Leaya Klemish, Becca Littler, Camdyn Richter
• Elevate Adair – Ava Sneller
• Jessie Leeper Building Lives Scholarship – Savannah Akers, Leaya Klemish, Ava Sneller,   Caydence Boals, Becca Littler
• Hayes Trust Scholarship – Becca Littler, Thomas Skram, Ava Sneller
• Casey Women’s Club Scholarship – Savannah Akers, Becca Littler, Ava Sneller
• Chapter PH and BY PEO Scholarship – Ava Sneller
• Taylor Scholarship – Caydence Boals
• Presentation of Senior Key – Lucy Knutter and Rylee Robson

Additional Scholarship Awards

• Caydence Boals – Drake University Presidential Scholarship Drake University Instrumental Scholarship
• Karli Kautzky – UNI Inspire Award, Panther Achievement Award
• Leaya Klemish – Iowa Western Foundation Scholarship
• Lucy Knutter – Simpson College Presidential Scholarship
• Max Trujillo-Garcia – First Cyclones Scholarship, Shirley R. Meidinger Scholarship, Keep Iowa Beautiful Scholarship
• Brennan Tunink – Marshalltown Community College
• Oliver Wetzel – Ford ASSET Program, Iowa Automobile Dealers Foundation

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

With RABGRAI’s July 20 visit to Guthrie Center nearing, the community is encouraging citizens to help. The Guthrie Center RAGBRAI website (www.guthriecenterragbrai.com) is the best place to see any opportunities and/or updates.

According to organizer Jen Policky, the greatest needs currently are for hosts and volunteers.

HOSTS

Many riders are still looking for a place to sleep in or near Guthrie Center on Monday night, July 20. Local citizens willing to host riders can sign up on the website to allow riders to camp in your yard or in your home. Depending on how many you can comfortably accommodate, you will then be matched with a rider group so that the host and riders can communicate beforehand.

VOLUNTEERS

Policky noted that many volunteers are needed, in a wide variety of roles. Whatever your interests or abilities are, she says Guthrie Center RAGBRAI has a way for you to help.

Volunteers will be needed in the beer garden, at the information center, and at the campgrounds. Volunteers are also needed the day before (July 19) and the morning after (July 21) for set-up and cleanup.

Policky shared that up to 12 shuttle busses will be running that day, taking riders to and from various church dinners and other events in town. Another way to volunteer is to be an “information source” on a shuttle bus, to answer questions from riders so the bus driver can concentrate on driving.

To sign up as a host and/or volunteer, or simply to see what is going on with Guthrie Center RAGBRAI, go to the website, then click on Community.

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Deputy Sheriff Jason Gray reported a car vs. deer accident occurring on May 24 at 9:10 p.m. Olivia Mabel Orth, 24, of Ankeny, was driving ga 2017 Chevrolet Cruze LT southbound on Highway 25 near the intersection of 250^th Street and struck a deer entering from the east ditch, causing driver side non-disabling damage. Estimated damage to the Cruze is $1,500.  

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Deputy Sheriff Jason Gray reported a single-vehicle accident occurring May 25 at 11:10 p.m. on 150^thStreet. Nathaniel Lee Spencer, 18, of Yale, was driving a 2005 Lincoln LS eastbound on 150^th Street near Highway 4 and was traveling too fast for conditions and lost control of the vehicle, entering the south ditch, reentering the roadway, and coming to rest in the north ditch. Estimated damage to the Lincoln is $6,000. 

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Deputy Sheriff Josh Armstrong reported a two-vehicle accident occurring on May 20 at 5:02 p.m. on Highway 4. Riley Jaxon Branson Ruth, 17, of Panora, was driving a 2012 Mazda 3 I and rear-ended a 2022 Jeep Compass driven by Madalyn Sue Childs, 20, of Altoona.  Estimated damage to the Mazda is $1,501 and estimated damage to the Jeep is also $1,501. Ruth was issued a citation for failure to stop in assured clear distance. 

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Students at ACGC high school recently performed the play, “The Addams Family.” Director Kelsey Dinkla praised the hard work of the students throughout the production.

The production was full of creepy costumes and props. Photo by Mark Reno

The cast unites on stage. Photo by Mark Reno

The entire cast and crew pose together.