By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

An estimated 80 individuals of all ages (plus a few dogs) showed up at Springbrook State Park on New Year’s Day for the “first day hike” that many Iowa state parks host.

During the hike, frequent stops allowed park staff Anne Riordan and Reaghan Oakleaf to share information about the history and notable features of the park. After a two-mile hike, attendees were treated to tasty refreshments.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

January and February are the best time of the year for tree pruning because trees are dormant in the winter. Learn what tools you need to properly prune a young tree in your yard with the three step method within the video “Winter Tree Pruning” on YouTube. For additional information, check out our Urban Forestry page.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Iowa’s trumpeter swans attempted a modern-day record 158 nests in 2025, which is an increase of 17% over 2022. The nesting data is from the most recent statewide observation survey completed in December.

“It’s a neat story about the restoration. We spent a lot of time and effort to get the population established and it’s really taking off right now,” Orrin Jones, state waterfowl biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said.

Recovery has taken time but is a true modern-day conservation success story, he said.

The restoration effort was supported by the Iowa DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund, a constitutionally protected fund where hunting, fishing and trapping license fees are deposited and used, in part, to protect, restore, or manage fish and wildlife.

The largest waterfowl in North America, trumpeter swans have come a long way since the 1930s when conservation efforts began in order to protect small populations in Montana and Alaska.

Native to Iowa, trumpeter swans were once as widely distributed as Canada geese but had been extirpated by the early 1880s. Early and aggressive reintroduction efforts in the Midwest by Minnesota and Wisconsin, followed a few years later by Michigan, and then Iowa, sought to return these iconic waterfowl to their traditional place on the prairie wetlands.

Iowa began with a restoration plan in 1993 followed by the first release of four swans in 1994. The plan included monitoring the swans to evaluate reintroduction success. The DNR released a total of 1,218 swans, ending in 2022.

Iowa’s first trumpeter swan nest in the modern era was in 1998, in Dubuque County, followed two years later by one in Winnebago County. Nesting attempts increased slowly following the growing number of released swans. After averaging in the mid-50s for nearly a decade, nest attempts jumped to more than 120 in 2020, followed by nearly 140 in 2022.

“Reintroduction has been successful and we continue to monitor the population as time goes on,” Taylor Ballard, wildlife research technician with the Iowa DNR’s Clear Lake office, said. “We ask our staff to record any observations of swans — active nests, swans with a brood — let us know if they see a successful nest and the number of cygnets that nest has, which gives us our number of cygnets of per successful nest.”

Ballard said the active nests average 4.4 cygnets, or young swans, which is helping grow the local population. Of the 158 active nests, Ballard said 98 were known to be successful in hatching.

Population surveys begin in mid- to late-April with peak surveys from May to September. Iowa DNR staff, along with staff from local county conservation boards, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private citizens, check areas with preferred habitat or where nests have previously occurred.

The data is passed along to the Mississippi Flyway Council, which coordinates management with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“The birds are doing best on the large semi-permanent wetlands in the prairie pothole region and their trend is continuing to expand in abundance, like we thought it would,” Jones said. “It takes time for swans to reach maturity but once they begin nesting they are productive and we have vacant habitat available for them.”

The Iowa DNR has captured and collared cygnets as part of a survival study. Swans live as a family unit with parents providing protection and teaching the young skills needed to survive. More than 70% of cygnets that fledge in September will survive to March.

“Trumpeter swans are emblematic of healthy wetland systems, clean water, and are a way to tie a species to the habitat,” Jones said. “It’s a neat story about the swan restoration, and we’re seeing a similar response with the sandhill cranes — they’re expanding, too — and likely will increase until population reaches the carrying capacity of the habitat.”

Iowa swans, along with swans from Minnesota and Wisconsin, are part of the interior population of trumpeter swans. Some of these birds follow traditional winter migration to Missouri and Arkansas, while others will remain in Iowa, to be joined by swans from up north. The 2025 midwinter waterfowl survey recorded more than 4,700 swans in Iowa.

While the population has been increasing, threats do remain.

Collisions with powerlines is a major problem, as is ingesting lead. In the last few years, avian influenza has claimed some swans, as well.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Keep the entire family active and entertained this holiday season and all winter long with these fun activities:

• Take a walk through your neighborhood, yard or a local park. Stop and listen to the sounds of winter (e.g., wind or snow under feet). Find tips for exploring winter trees on the Project Learning Tree Family Activity web page.

• Make your own snowman bird feeder. Dress your snowman with food strings of unsalted, unbuttered popcorn and cranberries to increase the food variety and attract colorful birds.

• Snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and winter hiking are great cold-weather options, with hundreds of miles of trails in state parks.

• Winter is a great time to enjoy bird watching. Explore Iowa DNR’s Get Into Birding How-to Guide for beginners.

• Escape to a winter cabin wonderland. Tucked among quiet forests, on the shores of peacefully frozen lakes or inside scenic parks, Iowa’s cabins offer the coziest escape. Get 20% off your stay with Promo Code Cabin2026 when you book now for January or February 2026.

 

Panora woman says she owns approximately 170 pairs. 

 

By Rich Wicks | Panora Times, December 2025

Throughout her adult life, Linda Wendl has enjoyed earrings. She noted that while she never chose to purposely start a collection, she now owns approximately 170 pair, so she admits the term “collection” probably fits. 

Wendl recalled when she first started wearing earrings.

“It started when I pierced my ears in high school. I pierced my own. And then, when I got to college, one girl wanted me to pierce her ears, so I did,” Wendl said. “From then on, I’d get knocks on my door at all hours of the night with girls asking if I could pierce their ears. It’s one of those things that I probably shouldn’t have done, but I did.”

Although her method was neither high-tech nor sterile, none of Wendl’s “patients” suffered infection or other problems.

“I used a bar of soap behind their ears, and just a needle and thread, and I would put it into the soap and then pull it through,” she said.

With her ears pierced, Wendl gradually started accumulating earrings that she liked. Many of the items in her collection have been purchased from her travels within the USA and abroad.

“Most of my earrings, I’ve gotten when I travel. They’re fun to buy, and they don’t take up much room, so I’ve got earrings from a lot of different countries, and I have a lot that have been gifts,” Wendl said. “And, I’ve got seasonal earrings — Halloween, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day.”

 As Wendl looked through her assorted earrings, she recalled how, when and where each was acquired. She showed a few unmatched earrings that have lost their mate, but Wendl has kept the singles for sentimental reasons — and in case the matching earring would show back up.

“I love turquoise and American Indian jewelry,” Wendl said. “I gravitate toward turquoise a lot. Anytime I see someone wearing American Indian jewelry, I notice it right away.”

Wendl’s collection is all about the memories and meaning behind each pair rather than any monetary value.

“Nothing is really valuable; they’re just fun,” she said.

Over the years, as Wendl’s collection grew, she began to need a convenient way to keep them all organized. Luckily, she found an easy solution with a commercial earring display rack. 

“When Younkers sold out, they had this display for $25, so I put this on my dresser with the earrings I wear the most,” she said.

When asked to point out her favorite pair of earrings, Wendl said she does not have one. Instead, she simply looks for a pair that matches well with whatever clothes she wears on a certain day.

While the majority of Wendl’s earrings are for pierced ears, she showed a few pairs of clip-on earrings, which are among the oldest items in her collection. She said she seldom wears those, because they simply are not comfortable.

“After a while, they pinch,” Wendl said. 

Wendl said she doesn’t purposely set out to add to her collection, but it just happens naturally. She explained with a smile that a familiar pattern has emerged.

“Every once in a while, I’ll go shopping with a friend and I’ll realize I forgot to put on earrings, and I’ll say, ‘Oh, I’ll have to buy some… darn.” n

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

During the Dec. 30 meeting of the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors, discussion was again held regarding the county’s interest in pursuing EMS as an essential service. Supervisor Steve Smith shared his opinion that the supervisors should allow the EMS committee (once it is formed) to handle most matters, including the specific makeup of an ad hoc committee.

“This is the committee’s task, not ours,” Smith said. “Number one, we’ve got to decide how many should be on the committee, and number two, make sure that everybody has some kind of representation. And, after that, it’s like, it’s yours.”

No formal action was taken at this time.

Supervisor Brian Johnson explained Mike Webb’s inquiry about purchasing Parcel 0000711800, which is adjacent to Webb’s property. The parcel is .63 acres. Supervisor Mike Dickson suggested County Engineer Josh Sebern should be consulted to see if there is any expected need, such as widening the adjacent roadway at some point.

“We’ll check with Josh,” Johnson said.

No action was taken at this time.

County Auditor Dani Fink shared data on the county property valuations and outlined the fiscal year 2027 budget process. Fink shared that while Guthrie County supervisors have traditionally held a second weekly meeting during budget season, some counties have the budget meetings all within one or two weeks. After discussion, the supervisors plan to hold budget meetings with department heads the week of Jan. 26. The meetings will be scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon.

The supervisors discussed how best to hold performance reviews for county employees. Smith shared his opinion that if the review includes only one or two supervisors (rather than all five), employees are more likely to engage in productive conversation. Chair Maggie Armstrong agreed.

“I think changing it to just two people leads to more fluid conversation,” Armstrong said.

The supervisors suggested getting feedback on this idea from department heads. Armstrong will contact department heads to ask their preference.

The supervisors will hold a special meeting on the first business day of the new year, Jan. 2 at 9 a.m. 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#