Front row: Jerry Buttler, Sharon Riley, Lynn Zajicek, Barb Hansen and Pat Lutz. Back row: Andy Harrelson, Patrick Moylan, Dave Beidelman, Marshall Burgess and Brandon Godwin.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

The Perry Piecemakers group accepted a donation of $3,000 from the Panora VFW/American Legion/Sons of the American Legion. The funds will support the Piecemakers group in its ongoing mission of making quilts for area veterans. Piecemakers representatives Sharon Riley and Barb Hansen were on hand to accept the check.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Saylorville Unit in Boone, Dallas, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Polk, Story and Webster counties.

Areas scheduled for prescribed burns include Bays Branch, Springbrook, Sheeder Prairie State Preserve, McCord Pond and Elk Grove, in Guthrie County; North Raccoon, Finn Pond and Dunbar, in Greene County; Beaver Lake, in Dallas County; Big Creek, in Polk County; Colo Bogs and Hendrickson Marsh, in Story County; McCoy, in Boone County; and Boone Forks, in Webster and Hamilton County. 

Prescribed burns are used to improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities and reduce wildfire potential and vary in size from a few acres to several hundred acres. Burn units are typically on a 4-5 year rotation.

Prescribed burns typically begin mid to late morning and are completed by late afternoon or early evening between mid-March and mid-May. Burns will be conducted on a day that meets the objectives and weather conditions defined in the burn plan. Any prescribed burns that are not able to be completed this spring will be considered for the burn schedule next fall.

Contact Iowa DNR wildlife biologist Josh Gansen at 712-330-6685 with any questions or concerns.

Special to the Times Vedette

On Feb. 27, a total of eight players participated. Lela Schwartz got a 17; Kathy Feilmeier got two 16s; Roy Carl got a 20; Dick Ellis got two 16s; Dennis Betts had a 17; and Sandy Rumelhart also got a 20.

On March 2, a total of seven players participated. Sandy Rumelhart and Robert Klever each got a 16 and a 17.

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.

Special to the Times Vedette

Upper Iowa University has announced the Dean’s List for the 2025 Fall Semester. To be honored, a student must have earned a minimum 3.50 grade point average and be enrolled as a full-time student.

• Deana Solorzano of Yale
• Hannah Van Houten of Panora

Special to the Times Vedette

On Feb. 25, a total of 10 players participated. Sandy Rumelhart got a 20 and an 18; Dick Ellis got a 20; Dennis Betts had a 16, 20 and 16; and Lela Schwartz had a 16.

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.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette 

During the Feb. 26 meeting of the Guthrie County Hospital Board of Trustees, the trustees reviewed the seven bids received on the planned upgrade project at the Stuart Rehab building. The lowest bid was $289,000 from GTG Construction of Des Moines. The trustees voted to accept that bid. The project is expected to be completed by June 8. 

The trustees also voted to formally approve the purchase agreement for the Panora clinic and the loans related to that purchase.

CEO Chris Stipe shared the progress on the hospital’s new website. He added that the website will include updates on the status of the hospital’s construction project as it proceeds.

“Our new website will probably go live a week from today,” Stipe said. “It will continue to evolve and grow.”

Stipe added that, overall, the hospital is running very well.

“Pretty pleased with all of our organizational goals, our finances, our patient satisfaction, our quality indicators,” Stipe said. “We’re just in a good place. I kind of pinch myself that all of those things are going so well.”

Regarding the hospital construction project, Stipe said the kickoff is coming up soon.

“We’re eager to dig in, get the construction fence up and really start getting into the project,” he said. “Groundbreaking is March 11, 2 p.m.”

Chief Human Resources Officer Mary Anderson summarized results of the annual employment engagement survey.

“Our overall score was a 74. Last year it was a 61, so it came up 13 points, and that is amazing,” she said. “It really shows that some of the things we have implemented throughout the last year have really made a difference.”

The next regular meeting of the trustees is set for Thursday, March 26 at 4 p.m. The public is welcome.