Special to the Times Vedette
Panorama FFA students participated in Drive Your Tractor to School Day on March 6 and created a TikTok video to show what all was driven — including a push mower. The activity is part of the National FFA Week festivities that were the prior week. This event was held later due to scheduling conflicts.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
March 7 marked the 11th annual “Welcome to Fairadise” fundraiser event at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds. The event included social hour, dinner, live and silent auctions, and games. Proceeds help support improvements at the fairgrounds. The event usually draws nearly 400 people, and this year’s crowd was no exception.
Diehard fans were drawn to these auction items.
A package for every taste.
Social hour included bidding and chatting.
Auction items line two long walls.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
Farmers State Bank sponsored a free pancake breakfast at the Yale Community Building on Saturday morning, March 7. The event has been a tradition for 35 years, held annually on the first Saturday in March. The event generally draws a crowd of 225 to 250 from Yale and the surrounding communities.
The pancake breakfast was the place to be in Yale Saturday morning.
Dig in.
Roger Burchfield goes through the line for breakfast.
John Wilson, Jordan Carstens and Doug Hemphill take a breather from serving.
Darren White of Chris Cakes flips pancakes.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the regular meeting of the Panora City Council on March 9, the councilmembers considered a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding a request from Lutheran Church of Hope.
The Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Application states, in part, “The request is submitted to allow the development of a church at 1200 E. Main St., Panora.” The area is part of a “Light Industrial District,” so a church does not meet the criteria as the ordinance currently is written. The lot is owned by Panora Fiber.
Pastor Mark Brandt addressed the council, explaining the search for an appropriate property that the church could purchase in Panora to establish a permanent church.
Mayor Curt Thornberry explained that if the council wishes to change the ordinance, there will need to be three readings and a public hearing.
Councilmember Roger Dorr stated his support for the request.
“It’s been grass for I don’t know how many years, and speaking with a member of Panora Fiber, there really hasn’t been any interest in it until now. I think it’s great for the community. This is something that will make the area attractive for other things coming in out there,” Dorr said.
Councilmember Mark Sheeder voiced agreement with Dorr’s opinion, and the council voted unanimously to begin the process of changing the ordinance as requested.
Pat Subbert addressed the council on behalf of the Lions Club, asking if the $175 fee for use of the Community Center could be lowered, since that amount eats into the good works the club performs for the community. After discussion, the council voted to lower the fee to $100 for the Lions Club.
The next regular meeting is set for Monday, March 23 at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome. Interested persons may attend in person or electronically by visiting the website https://meet.goto.com/cityofpanora or by phone 1-312-757-3121 (Access Code 295-099-701, Audio PIN 220#).
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the March 9 regular meeting of the Guthrie Center City Council, Streets Department Chief Darrin Sloss shared information on the cleanup efforts at the long-vacated Lacey building on State Street.
“A little over 50 man-hours were put into it in two days; approximately 10 tons of materials were removed,” he said. Sloss added that the process went fairly smoothly.
In other news, Sloss said he will post additional “25 MPH” signage on Oak Street as previously discussed by the council.
The council voted to approve a “general agreement” with Region XII to serve as Housing Inspector for Guthrie Center.
City Administrator Kris Arrasmith provided an update on RAGBRAI planning for the July 20 event. She noted that the preliminary plan is for many of the largest groups of riders to stay overnight at the fairgrounds, although smaller groups will likely end up in many other areas. She noted that the largest group (sometimes called a “charter”) is a group of approximately 1,500 cyclists, and that charter will bring in about 17 semi-trailers. Arrasmith added that charging cyclists for staying overnight in tents on homeowner lawns and similar areas is not allowed.
A public hearing on the Fiscal Year 26-27 Property Tax Levy is set for March 23 at 6:30 p.m., immediately prior to the regular council meeting on that date. The public is welcome.
Special to the Times Vedette
The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), in partnership with Iowa State University (ISU), is hosting a farmer webinar, “Why it Pays to Test Your Soil Nitrogen,” on March 27 at 1 p.m. The free webinar is designed to provide new data and tools to farmers regarding this season’s nitrate trends that translate into practical, cost-saving tips for planting season.
The webinar will feature ISU researchers Dr. Matt Helmers, Dr. Mike Castellano and Dr. Richard Roth, who will share findings from their recent modeling analysis of soil mineralization and the factors contributing to the unusual nitrogen levels this winter, along with the latest nitrogen fertility support tools available to farmers to reduce input costs and support yield goals while protecting water quality.
“We continuously strive to provide the latest science and practical solutions to farmers to help them make the best decisions for their farms,” said Shawn Richmond, IFBF conservation and natural resources policy advisor. “This webinar brings credible science together with real-world tools so farmers can make confident nitrogen decisions that help reduce costs at a time when margins are tight and input costs are high — all while continuing to improve soil and water outcomes.”
“Since 98% of the nitrogen in Iowa’s soil is naturally occurring, the key is understanding how environmental conditions drive its availability. Our new modeling sheds light on that and gives farmers new insight to fine-tune their nitrogen rates so they can balance economic returns with environmental stewardship,” said Dr. Castellano.
To register for the webinar, visit https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZaEF2Vj1R-O4ah7jaXMHgg