LATEST NEWS

The Guthrie County Historical Village and Museum is hosting an educational event this afternoon. The Marchant House is a late 19th century home located at the Historical Village in Panora, and has been on the city lot since it was first built before 1900. The structure is a current restoration project for the Historical Village, but a new project has popped up, and current plans are to move the Youtz Carriage House from its current location. The Carriage House will be moved from its location half a block east of the square in downtown Panora to the Marchant House lot.

There are many things that people need to keep in mind when they go fishing. Besides some of the safety concerns, the regulations and restrictions also need to be kept in mind. But that can be hard sometimes, as bodies of water in Iowa don’t always have the same regulations and restrictions. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer for Guthrie County Jeremy King says that one of the easiest ways to make sure you follow those regulations and restrictions is to take a little time when you first arrive, and just look them up before you get started. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that there is one regulation that many may not know in Guthrie County, and it pertains to the Middle Raccoon River.

Two school districts in Guthrie County saw athletes bring home gold medals from the state track meet. For Panorama, junior Jaidyn Sellers took the top spot in three races. She won the 2A girls 400m dash with a time of 56.67 seconds, the 2A girls 100m dash with a state record time of 12.06 seconds and the 2A girls 200m dash with a time of 24.98 seconds.

One major part of thunderstorms, whether or not they reach a severe stage, is rain. Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf says that even though rain is a major part of these storms, heavy rains can occur without the thunderstorms as well. These major rain events can cause a host of issues including hydroplaning, where drivers find themselves losing traction as their tires lose contact with the road because of the amount of water on them.

Memorial Day is a time of remembrance for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice as they served their country. The Stuart American Legion and Scouts, along with any who would like to volunteer to help, will set up the cemetery at 8:30am tomorrow, and the Memorial Day Service will be at 9am Monday. Panora will hold their service on Monday as well, with the ceremony to occur at Vet’s Auditorium. Greenfield’s American Legion will be performing a memorial service on Monday at 10am at the Greenfield Cemetery, and if there’s inclement weather, the service will move to the Adair County Medical Clinic.

Unemployment rates for the Raccoon Valley Radio listening area dropped in the month of April. According to Iowa Workforce Development, all three counties saw a decrease of at least 0.3-percent from March to April. Greene County’s unemployment rate dropped 0.3-percent from 2-percent to 1.7-percent, while Dallas County saw a 0.5-percent decrease from 2.2-percent to 1.7-percent. Guthrie County saw the largest drop in unemployment, falling 1.1-percent from 3.5-percent to 2.4-percent.

The school year is winding down for the school districts in Guthrie County, and all three will have their final day of classes tomorrow. Adair – Casey / Guthrie Center will have a two hour early out for students, and teaching staff will finish their contracted year on May 31st. Panorama will send students home at 1pm, and West Central Valley will let their students out for the summer at 1:30pm.

We discuss with Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer for Guthrie County Jeremy King.

With the recent good weather, many people may want to spend their time outside. One popular way to do that is to go fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer for Guthrie County Jeremy King says that fishing is a fun pastime that many people enjoy, but that there are a few things individuals need to do before casting their lines. He explains that having a valid fishing license is the first step after having the necessary gear, and that the DNR has made it extremely easy to get your license, so there’s no excuse for not having it.

Guthrie County Recorder Tristen Richard recently announced that a scam letter has been circulating in Iowa. According to Richard, the initial report of the scam letter occurred in Webster County. She says the letter claims to be from “County Deed Records,” and gives false information about the expiration date of the recipient’s home warranty. It also contains a “renewal fee voucher” that resembles a check, and asks for immediate action from the homeowner, lest they be left vulnerable to repair costs.

As warmer temperatures continue to move into the area, the possibility for severe storms also comes through more often. Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf says that one of the more common severe storms that comes through the Raccoon Valley Radio listening area is severe thunderstorms. He explains that a watch is the advisory that conditions are favorable for a thunderstorm, and that a warning means that there are thunderstorms in that area at that moment. Kempf adds that there are other weather events that can occur with severe thunderstorms, like heavy rains, high speed winds and hail. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio a common misconception about hail.

5-15-23 2:05 am Stuart Fire & Ambulance responded to an oil spill in Stuart. 7:33 am Stuart Ambulance responded to a medical call in Stuart. 10:11 am Guthrie Co Deputy responded to a report of a vehicle in the ditch in GC. 10:55 am Guthrie Co Deputy assisted a pedestrian...

We discuss with Guthrie County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach K-12 Coordinator Meghan McBride.

Drivers in and coming through Guthrie County may notice an increased presence of law enforcement on the roads. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Shelby McCreedy says that the state of Iowa has joined the National Safety Bureau’s “Click it or Ticket” campaign, which continues until June 4th. She mentions that all law enforcement agencies across the state including the Iowa State Patrol are urging Iowa residents and travelers in the state to wear their seatbelt. McCreedy mentions why these agencies are working to educate those they can.

Next week the Guthrie County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will be holding a class for some who take care of children. Extension K-12 Coordinator Meghan McBride says that the office will hold a Babysitting Basics class on June 1st from 9am to 3pm. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio what they will go over in the class.

The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Tuesday. The Board approved a liquor license for Coulter’s Panorama Marine, Inc. and to reimburse Guthrie County Deputy Kent Gries for hotel and travel expenses incurred during a recent out of state training, and discuss with Deputy Gries how they could help with other costs (airfare and meals) from the trip as well. They then approved a payroll change notice for Facilities Maintenance Technician Jason Godwin, and tabled a decision on a payroll change notice for Marci Shreck to be hired as a part-time civil clerk with the sheriff’s office until next week.

(Guthrie Center) On Tuesday, the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors approved the notice of a public hearing on the Guthrie County Fiscal Year, 2023-2024 Budget amendment number two. Auditor Dani Fink says the Sheriff’s Office budget was amended to cover the fidelity and security bond premium, the equipment insurance that...

As the weather continues to improve, people and animals will begin to cross paths more often, especially for those that camp or hike trails. Guthrie County Conservation Director Brad Halterman says that there are many different species of wildlife that campers and hikers can come across in Guthrie County. He mentions that at Nations Bridge Park, visitors might be able to see some nesting geese, deer, turkeys and many different songbirds. Halterman tells Raccoon Valley Radio that for those hiking the Raccoon River Valley Trail system, there are some other animals that can be found as well.

We discuss with Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf.

Campgrounds in Guthrie County are open for camping to those that enjoy spending their time outside. Guthrie County Conservation Director Brad Halterman says that the conservation department waits until temperatures stay above freezing for a few days before they really get into the swing of getting things ready. He adds that usually April 15th is when they start preparing, but if temperatures are still too low, they’ll wait. Halterman tells Raccoon Valley Radio that as the weather improves, campers start to make their way to Lennon Mills Park and Nations Bridge Park to camp, but that the biggest weekend before summer hasn’t passed yet.