Posted 2/9/21
By Darren Tromblay
Lake Panorama Times

Tired of being cooped up indoors? Just because the cold winter months are here doesn’t mean one can’t enjoy the great outdoors at Lake Panorama. Old Man Winter’s arrival means cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, skating and, of course, ice fishing.

Ask any true fisherman (or woman), and he or she will tell you the pandemic may have canceled a lot of things over the last year, but fishing isn’t one of them. In the winter, a number of ice fishing shacks dot the lake, as well as a few enthusiasts who prefer the more primitive “ice bucket, pole and manual auger” experience.

To each their own, but the one thing they all share is a love of dropping a line into the water and patiently waiting for that first bite.

Brian Peppmeier owns a “getaway” home on the west side of Lake Panorama, a place he and his wife bought last November. They’ve spent the last year upgrading it to the point where it’s habitable. Unfortunately, that meant little time for fun. But over the course of those months, Peppmeier has noticed how much he enjoyed the simplicity of just being there.

“I think I like it out there in the winter almost as much as the summer,” he says. “It’s so quiet; there’s wildlife out there.”

And fishing. Despite being a relative newbie to the sport, Peppmeier is all in on the enthusiasm front. He’s learning.

“Ice fishing is different than regular fishing,” he says. “They (fish) don’t hit your lures the way they would during normal fishing, so it definitely takes a feel.”

Peppmeier has been honing his skills, which were helped along greatly when he received a fishing tent for Christmas.

“I like to be comfortable and don’t like to be cold, so that was pretty nice,” he says. “You can put a heater in there and probably be in a T-shirt in there if you wanted to. It’s pretty comfortable, with a padded bench in it, and a sled under it where you can put all your stuff to carry around. A little heater will warm it up in a couple minutes.”

Peppmeier bought a used gas-powered auger to drill holes in the ice and invested in around 10 ice fishing poles so, if family members or friends want to go out, they can. He also bought a Vexilar fish finder. Once his friend, Dan, showed him how to use it, it’s become an invaluable tool.

“Now that I know how to use it, I don’t think I’d go fishing without it,” Peppmeier admits. “You can literally see your lure on the screen, the depth, and watch fish follow your lure if they’re there.”

Peppmeier has just begun to figure out the lake’s intricacies — where the “hot spots” are. A cove that he fishes frequently has yielded good results, primarily at 7-8 feet of depth near a main channel and additional drop offs. Where a structure is nearby, there may be fish, he says.

The majority of the other people Peppmeier has seen this fishing season have been dropping their lures in the vicinity of the marina, he says, which has rendered good results as well.

The ice isn’t consistently thick across the lake, so safety is a top priority for Peppmeier. In rendering a verdict as to whether or not an area is safe and thick enough to bear weight, remember: Good ice is clear. Milky-looking is not. The stronger, the better, Peppmeier says. At least 4 inches of ice is a good starting point.

“I’m probably overly cautious,” he says. “There are probably people who would go out on 2 inches of ice, but I wouldn’t do that. Because even with 2 inches, your next step could be a half an inch. It’s been a good, consistent 6 inches since we started going out this year, and I feel pretty confident in that.”

A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work, though. Even if Peppmeier isn’t having the best of luck reeling in the gilled ones, he’s still doing something he enjoys.

“It’s not even as much about fishing for me, as it is about being out there and relaxing,” he says. “I feel like, as soon as we drive there and turn down that road where it starts to get wooded, there’s a big sense of relaxation. We’ve seen quite a bit of deer, a fox, an eagle that flies over quite a bit.

“You can either sit in the house all day or find something to do outside. My wife has done some snowshoeing, and we take our dogs for walks quite a bit, too. Fishing is just one more thing to do that is relaxing and gets you outside. Obviously, it’s more fun if you’re catching fish, but it’s just about being there.”

On the move
Scott Stanley lives just off the water in the main basin near the marina of Lake Panorama.

Come late October to early November, he’s getting primed and ready for ice fishing. The first step is to do that initial ice strength test.

“I always have an ice chisel with me, and, generally, if you pound that out in front of you, if it’s 3 inches or less in depth, the chisel will go right through,” he says. “Clear ice is the best ice. Cloudy, white ice is not the safest, and it’s the hardest to judge just because you can’t see the cracks to judge the depth. Four-plus inches is the safe spot.”

Even then, though, it’s best to err on the side of caution, he says.

“One spot will be 7 inches, and the next might be completely unsafe,” he says.

This fishing season has been an odd one thus far, with Stanley not being able to drop a lure through the ice until around Christmas time, he says. It was too warm. The arrival of more consistently cold temperatures recently has solved that. But it hasn’t made the success rate any better. Fishing on Lake Panorama can be tough.

“The lack of cover being the primary reason,” he says. There are a few spots with cover, however, including one of his favorite spots, the jetty near the marina. On a good day, one might find four or five shacks in that area alone. “It’s a good spot because you can catch all different kinds of species, from walleyes to catfish, bass, bluegills. You can catch them all there.”

 The jetty can also be a difficult fishing spot due to its popularity and ease of accessibility, Stanley says. For those seeking a less-trafficked spot, he recommends the Shady Beach area, where there’s an underwater rock point that juts out, complete with a river channel flowing next to it. The transition from shallow water to a sudden drop off of anywhere from 12 to 20 feet provides the fish a good cover and structure area. Trees in the area make it another prime locale for a good fishing experience, he says.

“If you can find the bait, you’re going to find the fish,” he says. “The old saying is that 90 percent of the fish in a body of water are located in 10 percent of it. You have to cover a lot of water when you ice fish and punch a bunch of holes. My biggest advice would be to find a main lake point, or if you know where some trees are in water — anything with structure in the bottom — it’s going to be an added benefit, just because the lake is pretty much barren the way it is. If you can find some sort of structure at the mouth of coves, that might also be a good spot because generally there’s a stream or creek that’s feeding in that has the forage for the bigger fish to go prey on.”

Crappies, bluegills and walleyes can be hooked if you know how to get after them. But the latter is by far the hardest to pull out of the lake, he says, noting that his biggest walleye catch was a 27 1/4-inch through the ice. Despite the fishing conditions being “a bit tricky” this season, he says, if you can find the fish, they’ve been willing to bite.

Stanley has been ice fishing more than 20 years, and, much like Peppmeier, says it’s more than just about the fishing.

“It’s definitely a social event,” he says. “You want to take someone new, or it’s a great family event. You can get in the shack with a heater, bring all the snacks and goodies you want, and camp out for a couple of hours. This year’s been a lot different due to COVID, so there hasn’t been the get-togethers with the friends, so we’re looking forward to next fishing season and getting back on a regular pattern there.”

It’s also a family affair. The Stanley children — Alyssa, 9, and Blake, 5, — are hooked, too. Both began ice fishing with their dad when they were 4. For Stanley, their excitement at discovering a new sport was equally as gratifying for him. Many kids are followers of their parents’ footsteps, he says, and when asked if they wanted to go, they immediately said “Yes!”

Mission accomplished. Now if only the fish will bite.

“At this age, you need to keep them entertained if the fish aren’t biting, so you need to bring plenty of snacks,” he admits. “Thankfully, every time we’ve gone, the fish have cooperated, and they have had a blast. My son always says, ‘I love feeling that classic ‘tink’ when a fish bites. Once I feel it, I set the hook!’ ”

The sheer excitement on the kids’ faces is enough to keep them coming back for years to come.

“Nothing beats getting the kids outdoors and being active,” Stanley says. “My kids agree that it’s way better than being cooped up inside. The joy and excitement they have when they do catch the big one is my pure joy. I know one day they will do the same with their kids.”

Technological advances have made it easier to ice fish, too, Stanley says. Gas-powered ice augers have been a huge help, for starters.

“Twenty-five years ago, I went out with a hand-held auger and no other electronics,” he says. “I’d basically go to a spot blind, punch holes, and have to find the depth to the bottom on my own. There was nothing efficient about it. Now there’s all the technology and the fish maps. I’ll look at maps of lakes before I go there just to find any hot spots. Once I do, I’ll walk right there and start punching holes.”

A lot of people go with live bait for lures, he says, but he prefers artificial lures.

“They stay on the hook a lot better, you can keep your gloves on more, and it’s just a faster, more efficient approach,” he says. “But, a lot of times, winter fish can be stubborn. They like that live bait. When that happens, my go-to are minnow heads on any type of jig.”

In the state of Iowa, you are allowed two lines per license, with the option of buying a bonus line for an additional fee. Stanley usually has two, punching a hole for his “deadstick rod,” as he calls it, which he places on a bucket while holding and jigging his other pole.

“It’s all about moving,” he says. “If you punch a few holes in a general area, and you’re not marking fish for 15 minutes, you need to get up and move and go somewhere else and find them.”


Tips for safely enjoying outdoor activities
Protecting yourself from the elements is incredibly important. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind as you venture out into the cold.

• Dress appropriately. Since your body loses heat faster than you can produce it in the cold weather, make sure you dress appropriately. Wear a hat, boots, gloves and layers of loose-fitting, water-resistant clothing. Pay special attention to vulnerable areas such as the nose, ears, toes, cheeks, chin and fingers.

• Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids is just as important during the winter season as it is in the summertime. Since the cold air is dryer, it’s easier to become dehydrated. If you plan to be outside for an hour or more, make sure to bring fluids with you.

• Use sunblock. Yes, even in the wintertime, you need to protect your skin. Use broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen daily (even on cloudy and snowy days), and make sure your skin is covered.

• Monitor weather conditions. Always check the weather forecast before heading out for your winter run, hike, or snowshoeing excursion. Inclement weather may force you to alter your plans, but it’ll be better than getting stranded in a snowstorm.

• Tell someone where you’re going. Outdoor winter adventures are fun, but the risks may be higher, depending on the activity you choose. A good rule of thumb for safety is to always tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to return.

Posted 2/9/21
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

The story of how two high school sweethearts from Davenport started and have maintained a retail jewelry store in Ames for nearly 45 years is an interesting one. What makes it even more interesting is they have a second home at Lake Panorama.

Gary Youngberg and Karen Mensing both made the Davenport varsity golf teams as sophomores.

“We played a lot of golf together and fell in love,” says Gary.

Gary attended the University of Iowa for his first year of college while Karen went to Iowa State.

“I hated college and considered quitting and becoming a policeman in Davenport,” says Gary. “Karen encouraged me to finish the year in Iowa City and try Iowa State the next year, so I did. I liked Ames much better but still saw little value for me in college. My scholarships were running out, and I didn’t want to borrow money to do something I didn’t like, so I ended my college career.”

Gary had always loved rocks and gems and had taught himself how to make jewelry from two books he checked out of the library while in college.

“Karen and I were 20 years old and had been doing some art shows with a modicum of success,” he says. “I knew I loved what I was doing, so we started Ames Silversmithing in August of 1976 with $1,500 from my savings account. I ran out of funds by the time we opened and was fortunate I was a waiter at a sorority so I could eat.”

The couple married in June of 1977. The same year, they moved Ames Silversmithing to a larger location at 220 Main in downtown Ames, where it remains today.

Originally working in silver and semi-precious stones, Gary continued producing his one-of-a-kind jewelry creations. As business grew, both Gary and Karen received their diamond training through the Gemological Institute of America, the leading gemological laboratory in the world. Soon, Gary was working in gold, platinum and diamonds, as well as an extensive selection of precious and semi-precious colored gemstones.

Gary says when he and Karen started the business in 1976, they didn’t think about long-term success, yet the business continued to grow. In 1990, they more than doubled the size of the business by building a new facility on their old site. In 2000, another expansion made room for two more workbenches, allowing four full-time artists to design and create jewelry.

In 2002, the couple’s two sons joined the business. Kyle attended the University of Kansas for three years before returning home to graduate from Iowa State University in business. Kyle works in sales and customer relations, plus inventory management and administration. Kyle’s wife, Katie Youngberg, has been a part of the business for more than a decade, and helps with sales, marketing, purchasing and inventory management.

The couple’s younger son, Kirk, attended college for two years before joining the team. Gary says Kirk “brings an exciting and refreshing perspective to the bench in his jewelry designs.” Kyle, Kirk and Katie all received their diamond training and degrees from the Gemological Institute of America. Kirk’s wife, Lori, works at Iowa State University as an ISU Extension program coordinator.

In 2004, Ames Silversmithing expanded again. The purchase of a property adjacent to the store allowed for expansion of both the retail and work areas.

“The extra space made it possible for us to completely redesign the retail area with all new showcases and interior displays,” Gary says. “The extra space has been a benefit to not only the staff, but also for our customers.”

Most customers come from a 60-mile radius around Ames, but the business has had customers from nearly every state in the country.

“We have a broad range of customers,” Gary says. “The young couple looking for an engagement ring, the high schooler looking for a $45 pair of earrings for his girlfriend, the guy wanting to surprise his wife with an anniversary gift after 30 years of marriage, and the self-purchasers who want what they want.”

Their busiest time is the last six weeks of the year, with spikes around Valentine’s Day and spring wedding engagements.

The Youngbergs bought their Lake Panorama home in December 2016.

“Karen had been looking off and on at both Clear Lake and Lake Panorama,” Gary says. “She worked with a realtor a few times, but we found out about the house through friends who live directly across Horseshoe Cove. They had looked at the property before buying where they did, called one of our sons and told him it had come on the market, and suggested Karen and I might like it.”

The house is a cedar cabin and features a point of land that sticks out into the cove.

“That is where our yellow lab named Koda and I love to sit and fish,” Gary says. “I had a ‘Koda’s Point’ marker made for the point.”

The Youngbergs use their Lake Panorama home year-round.

“Our time there can range from a simple overnight to perhaps a week, but typically it is just one or two days at a time,” says Gary.

The family enjoys Lake Panorama for many reasons.

“Being on the water is always fun, and the ability to fish when and for as long as I want is a real plus,” says Gary. “With our two sons, their wives and six grandchildren all in Ames, the lake is a wonderful getaway that is very easy and convenient to get to. We all look forward to our family gatherings there, but the other families get their alone time as well.”

Both Karen and Gary are accomplished amateur golfers. Gary has won the Ames City golf championship eight times in the Open division and twice in the Senior division. That means the couple also appreciates Lake Panorama because of its two golf courses.

“The 18-hole course is challenging for all levels and always in fine shape,” Gary says. “But the gem, at least for me, is Panorama West, which is literally a two-minute golf cart ride away. We never tire of playing the par-3 course. In 2019, I had my third hole-in-one there on the eighth hole.”

Over the last 10 years, Gary has taken up an interest in hickory golf.

“Hickory golf is played with pre-1935 hickory shaft golf clubs and is rapidly expanding across the country,” he says. “It speaks to the soul of golf and lets people see how the game was played 100 years ago.”

Gary has about 200 hickory clubs and is always looking for more. He does club refurbishing in his work area at the lake, and he and Karen talk about organizing and hosting a hickory event at Panorama West someday.

The Youngbergs have donated a piece of jewelry for the Fin & Feather annual auction three times.

“Karen and I have developed a truly special feeling for Lake Panorama after just this short time,” Gary says. “We appreciate the work Fin and Feather does and are always happy to support their efforts in conservation.”

Gary says the success of Ames Silversmithing has allowed the couple’s philanthropical efforts to grow through the years.

“We support every high school post prom in the area, every grade school carnival, multiple fundraisers for the American Heart Association, the American Diabetic Association, Canine Companions for Independence, Search Dog Foundation, and Tunnel to Towers, to name a few,” he says.

The couple also routinely donates jewelry pieces to help those in need of kidney transplants or other health issues.

Ames Silversmithing offers a wide variety of jewelry.

“We carry everything from moderately priced silver jewelry in the $50 to $500 range, up to larger diamonds and fine quality colored gemstones such as rubies, emeralds and sapphires,” Gary says. “We also carry perhaps the largest selection of semi-precious stones in Iowa, including tourmaline, garnets in multiple varieties, tanzanite, aquamarine, opals in a wide range and cultured pearls in classic white to black South Seas Tahitian pearls.”

Gary says the Ames Silversmithing story truly is one of the American dream.

“Karen and I started the business with little more than a thought,” he says. “And while we still are a small business from a technical viewpoint, our business supports eight different families. Our success over the last 40-plus years is based on an attention to detail one seldom sees in today’s world.

“Our service is second to none, as is the quality of our jewelry and gems,” Gary says. “We have six people in the store, myself included, who not only design but create many of our pieces. We work in not only silver as our name suggests, but gold and platinum as well. As manufacturers, we are able to offer prices and selection like no other store around.”

Ames Silversmithing is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with appointments welcomed. More information is available on the store’s website at www.amessilversmithing.com.
 

Posted 2/9/21
By Cheryl Temple
Lake Panorama Times

Lake Dogs
Chloe, tri-color, age 3; and Mady, ruby color, age 1.
Both are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Owners are Julie Maddux and son Wyatt Hall.
Chloe and Mady enjoy sunbathing on their deck, playing tug of war with each other and going to “work” with mom Julie in her home office. Chloe’s pet peeve is when there is a dog on TV, and Mady is too easy-going to have any pet peeves.

Cove Cat
Houdini, age 5
Owners are Justin and Andrea Rishel.
Houdini got his name from popping out of a bag or a blanket when he was very tiny — just like magic! He was rescued from a hoarding situation when he was a baby. Houdini enjoys snuggling, napping and hunting. His best friends are their dog Tanner and the other kitty, Lucky. Houdini likes chasing Lucky around the house and playing fetch with his squeaky mouse.
 

Posted 1/5/21
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

In 1966, Paul Brackelsberg was a new animal science faculty member at Iowa State University. Three years later, his wife Phyllis joined the ISU textiles and clothing faculty. One day they were driving to a conference together when they decided to stop in Panora to check out Lake Panorama.

“The lot sales location was on the west side,” Paul says. “We didn’t have much money, but we ended up buying some lots on the west side that we were told would be real moneymakers for us. It didn’t really turn out that way.”

But eventually they bought a boat and started spending time on the new lake. Phyllis had grown up in Minnesota so was familiar with the family fun of living on a lake. The couple now had three children and decided it was time to build a house on Lake Panorama. In 1988, they purchased a waterfront lot on the east side near the entrance to the Narrows, plus three B lots across the street.

They built a small home – just 1,040 square feet. But it was a place for them and their extended family to gather.

“Phyllis’ parents from Minnesota came to visit and said we made a good decision, that having a lake home is a good way to keep families together,” Paul says.

The couple combined the three B lots across the street into one. Paul says he was “too tight” to pay taxes on land and just let it sit, so he planted pine trees. As they grew, he sold some for Christmas trees and gave some away. He still has some people who choose a tree each year and come cut it down when they are ready.

The first trees were scotch pine. As those grew and were harvested, Paul decided to replant using white pine. He says the softer needles don’t hold Christmas ornaments as well, but each year many tree branches are cut and turned into wreaths and garland.

The area is surrounded by a tall fence in an attempt to keep deer out. Once the pine trees were planted, Paul decided to add play features for his grandchildren. A large tree house was built. A tire swing hangs from another tree. Freestanding playground equipment is located in several spots.

The most interesting play feature is a wooden train, with cars large enough for both children and adults to climb into. The Brackelsberg’s three children all live along Interstate 35. Their son lives in Oklahoma City. One daughter is in Ames, with another daughter in the Twin Cities.

The Twin Cities family used to travel to Strasburg, Pennsylvania, on business, and sometimes Paul and Phyllis would make the trip, too. They stayed in the Red Caboose Motel there, where each room is a caboose. One of the many train-themed parts of the motel and surrounding area is a wooden train, with an engine, caboose and three cars in between.

“The grandkids loved playing on that train so much, I decided I should build them one,” Paul says. “I took pictures and got measurements and came home and started building it, one car at a time. The grandkids loved it, and now it’s the great-grandkids that play on it the most.”

Phyllis and Paul retired in 1998.

“We both had very successful, productive careers at Iowa State,” Paul says. “We felt we had the best jobs at the university, because we were both teaching and advising undergraduates. It was a huge joy for both of us.”

Phyllis passed away 10 years ago. Paul lives in the Green Hills Retirement Community, located on 30 acres just south of the ISU campus. At the age of 81, he remains active in the community there, while also making regular trips to his Lake Panorama home. This year he cut pine branches and created 15 wreaths to donate for a fundraiser for his Kiwanis Club.

The three Brackelsberg children gave their parents 18 living grandchildren, with one deceased. There now are 11 great-grandchildren, with No.  12 arriving soon. It has been a long-time tradition for all the close family and descendants to gather at Lake Panorama one weekend each summer, often the first weekend in August.

As the family continued to grow, Paul’s daughter who lives in Ames convinced him the original lake home was becoming too small for the big family gatherings. Seven years ago, the house was expanded and now boasts 2,300 square feet on each of its two floors. Even with seven bedrooms, Paul says those family weekends have kids sleeping on couches and air mattresses scattered throughout the house.

A couple of years ago, all 40 of the Brackelsberg descendants were present for the special family weekend. This year’s pandemic cut into the number of family members who could attend, but there still were about 30 in attendance.

“I let the kids and grandkids do all the planning now,” he says. “I just show up and enjoy.”

Posted 1/5/21
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

At the beginning of December, $19,000 had been donated to Friends of Lake Panorama for a proposed Lake Panorama dog park. By the end of December, donations had reached $30,000.

The ultimate goal for the dog park is $50,000 to construct the park and provide all desired amenities. The Friends board had set an interim goal of $25,000 raised by May 1, 2021, to ensure this is a financially viable project. With $11,000 donated in December, that goal was surpassed four months early.

One reason for the strong level of donations was a challenge made early in December by Amanda and Jeff Creen, who said they would match up to $2,500 in donations made within the month.

The couple has been taking their two rescue pups to the Perry dog park for the past year. They were excited when plans for a Lake Panorama dog park were revealed and are looking forward to it being built. Amanda says they decided to offer the December matching funds to help speed the process.

Amanda is the Lakeside Village director, and she and Jeff live on the third floor of the senior living facility. Lakeside Village is pet friendly, and there are several dogs living with their owners there, in addition to Lola and Toby, the dogs she and Jeff own.

The couple adopted Toby three years ago and Lola two years ago. Both came through United Yorkie Rescue and were 7 years old at the time of adoption.

“We love the idea of a dog park at Lake Panorama,” Amanda says. “I know we’ll be loading up the Lakeside bus with dogs and their owners and making trips to the dog park on a regular basis.”

Plans for the park include a 6-foot-high chain link fence 650 feet long and 155 feet wide. There will be two sections — one for small dogs and one for large dogs — with chain link fence dividing the two areas. A single entrance will be protected by a keyless lock. Once inside this gate, users can choose a gate to either the large-dog or small-dog areas.

Crushed rock will create a 5-foot-wide walking path along and under the fencing to provide a weed barrier and keep dogs from digging. A small gravel parking lot will be adjacent to the park.

Amenities inside the park fence included in the $50,000 cost estimate are four benches, four stations where bags for dog waste would be available, and two domed waste receptacles. A dual station pet fountain placed in the fence line between the two sections would make it possible for dogs to access drinking water from either side.

The facility will be open to LPA members and their guests. Signs will be posted for responsible use. A sign recognizing donors of $500 or more also will be posted at the dog park.

Fundraising for the dog park will continue as Friends of Lake Panorama’s priority project over the next several months, with hopes construction can begin in the fall of 2021.

Checks made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama can be mailed to P.O. Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Other donation options and more information are available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.

The Friends of Lake Panorama board recently voted to host its fourth Beach Ball fundraiser on Friday, July 30. A final decision will be made at the board’s spring meeting, but it is anticipated a percentage of funds from this event will go to the dog park.

The board also hopes to use some of the Beach Ball funds for smaller projects, such as walking trails near Panorama West and the south shore, a disc golf course on the west side of the lake, and more benches and other amenities at all three beaches.

For the past year, the charity has focused on raising $70,000 for new playground equipment at both Shady and Boulder Beaches. New equipment was installed at Shady Beach in October, and the $70,000 goal also was reached that month.

The Boulder play equipment has been ordered and will be delivered and installed in the spring. Some additional money was donated in December for the playgrounds, which made it possible to add a second individual spring rider at Boulder Beach. Signs recognizing donors of $500 or more will be installed near both playgrounds next summer.

Posted 1/5/21
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

Major upgrades to the Lake Panorama Association water system are nearing completion. The project required three main components — drilling a second Jordan well, upgrading to a reverse osmosis treatment system, and installing a discharge line to accompany the reverse osmosis process.

The old system used a Jordan well that was drilled in 2011 and two Dakota wells constructed in the 1990s. The Dakota wells, which are in a shallower aquifer, had become less reliable. These wells were the source of iron and manganese that resulted in some customers having black and brown water flowing from their taps at times. Eliminating dependence on these temperamental wells was a key reason for this project.

A line to carry discharge water away from the new reverse osmosis (RO) system to the Middle Raccoon River by Highway 44 was installed last summer. A one-half-mile-deep Jordan well was drilled in late May. An addition was built on the north side of the water plant building to house the RO system, which arrived in June.

Half of the reverse osmosis system went online in late October. The LPA expedited the rollout of the new plant because of a problem with one of the old Dakota wells.

“This Dakota well was inspected by camera in 2017 and appeared to be in good condition,” says John Rutledge, LPA general manager. “But the screen failed this fall. When all options were reviewed, the only one that made sense was to have the RO plant activated a little sooner than planned. We are lucky we didn’t delay further the decision to move ahead with the new plant.”

The first Jordan well was able to serve the Lake Panorama community for eight weeks until a pump was installed in the new Jordan well and all controls were finalized. The second half of the water system was brought online in mid-December. This involved connecting in the new Jordan well and corresponding RO system.

Water hardness can be described as grains per gallon. Mike Gliem, LPA’s water and dam supervisor, says under the old system, LPA water had a hardness of 36 grains per gallon.

“Our goal with the new system is to produce water that is 7 grains per gallon,” he says. “That is typical of what the Des Moines Water Works and other municipalities offer their water customers.”

All sampling data indicates the 7 grains per gallon goal will be reached in early 2021, and should remain at that level.

“We’ve received a lot of compliments already on the quality of the water,” says Rutledge.

Gliem says to reach this level of softness, the water runs through the RO tubes twice, using eight the first time and four the second time.

“Then we combine this water with 20 percent raw water for the finished water provided to our customers,” he says.

“It comes down to personal preference,” Gliem says. “Some newer water softeners will automatically adjust to the water and reduce the number of cycles and salt usage. For older softeners, I recommend dialing back the hardness setting until customers like the water quality. Some homeowners may decide they don’t even need their water softeners anymore.”

Gliem says LPA continues to receive positive feedback from members who already have reduced their water softeners and are extremely pleased with the water quality.

Neither of the two Dakota wells are being used now. If all continues to go as planned, those wells will be plugged, capped and covered with fill dirt by next spring.

During December, contractors were disassembling some components of the old plant. Large blue water gravity filters have been removed along with other old pieces of equipment and pipe. This area now is being used for some components of the new system. Work is expected to wrap up in early 2021.

Total cost for the entire project is $4.7 million. Funding for the project is through the State Revolving Loan Fund for drinking water improvements, at a fixed rate of 2 percent interest for 20 years.

To pay off the loan, LPA water bills increased with the Oct. 1, 2020, bill by $70 per quarter, going from $90 to $160 per quarter. Rutledge says the membership has been widely supportive of this project.

“No one likes to see an increase in their expenses,” he says. “But we’re pleased to report the increase in rates was accompanied by a substantial increase in water quality realized by the members. In addition, the increased reliability of this new system provides LPA the assurance our system can handle demand 365 days a year for decades to come.”

Increased focus on LPA quarterly water bills has resulted in more awareness of how water utilities are billed in the state of Iowa. In 2018, the Iowa Legislature passed a new Water Service Excise Tax (WET).

Prior to this law, the sale of water was subject to state sales tax. Now WET exempts the sale of water service from state sales tax but imposes a 6 percent excise tax on the sale of water service. WET tax revenues are allocated by the State of Iowa to the water quality infrastructure fund and the water quality assistance fund.

Rutledge says even with the recent rate increase, LPA water bills are very comparable with other municipalities.

“LPA members need to know the cost of this plant is very affordable and will position the association for decades to come,” he says.

Posted 12/8/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times


In 2021, the Lake Panorama National golf course will be 50 years old. For 40 of those 50 golf seasons, Dan Wollner has been the LPN grounds superintendent. He’s retiring the end of this year, and because of COVID-19 restrictions, a retirement party is on hold until sometime next year.

“Forty years, where did it go?” Wollner says when asked to reflect on his years at Lake Panorama National. “My emotions and memories are overwhelming.”

Wollner’s wife, Barb, started as the course horticulturist the same year Dan started as superintendent. The pair met while attending Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg where they graduated with horticulture degrees. Their three children were raised in the log cabin they built in 1983 near the No. 13 green.

Over the years, Barb not only handled flowerbeds and other landscaping but mowed, fixed ball marks, moved cups and anything else that was needed. She now works full time at Guthrie County State Bank and plans to retire at the end of 2021.

“I love the golf course and have since my first day of work in 1981,” Wollner says. “Every inch of the course has its own memory. Trees planted, tee boxes built, five miles of cart paths cut with an 18-inch-wide sod cutter, many holes dug to repair irrigation, trees removed from weather damage, mowing, more mowing, uncountable ball marks repaired, and all the staff who have worked with me in 40 years, including Barb and our three kids.”

Thinking back, Wollner developed a “Top Ten” list following the format David Letterman used on his late-night talk show. No. 10 is 10 years of automatic irrigation after 30 years of manual irrigation. Those 30 years of manual irrigation involved a huge amount of time and labor cost.

“One of the crew or myself would start watering about 3 a.m. after the greens and tees were done with their water cycle,” Wollner says. “It took 50 minutes to put out 14 heads on the first four holes of either the front or back, wait for 10 minutes so each head ran for an hour at a setting, then start the process over on the next holes. We ended on the last holes of each 9 about 9 a.m., hoping to be ahead of all golfers, yet on the last cycle of 14. By the time you were done, you usually were soaking wet.”

Wollner’s No. 9 is nine drought years out of his 40. No. 8 is having worked with eight different head golf pros.

No. 7 is seven major weather events — straight line winds, hail, ice, derecho, tornado, flooding, excessive heat and humidity. “Mother Nature can be your best friend or your worst enemy,” Wollner says.

No. 6 through 3 cover six different general managers, five wonderful grandchildren, four assistant superintendents, and three perfect kids.

No. 2 on Wollner’s list is two families that have had three generations on his staff. These included Gary, Matt, and Hunter Soriede, and Terry, Dave, and Kade Kemble.

As any smart husband would, Wollner chose his wife Barb as No. 1 on his list.

“One patient wife who listened to all the good and bad. She put up with middle-of-the-night phone calls and texts. The stress of missing the rain when it was manual irrigation, knowing how much work that added to me and the staff,” he says.

“She brought me food when I didn’t have time to stop for lunch and planted lots of flowers during her years as horticulturist. She helped mow on weekends when I was short of staff and reminded me to stop and enjoy the beauty of a tree overlooking a pond, sunlight through the water of irrigation, or how pretty the striping was on a fairway,” Wollner says.

In 1987, Wollner received the 18-Hole Superintendent of the Year award from the Iowa Golf Association.

Over his 40 years, he has worked to improve on the original course that opened for play in August of 1981. For instance, the course was built with 18 tee boxes. Juniors, women, seniors, men, pros all used the same 18 tees with markers set not very far apart on some of the smaller tees.

“We started new boxes because the course was too difficult for women to play from the original tees, particularly the par 5s,” Wollner says. “Forward tees were built on the six longest holes — 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 18. Eventually those tees became the senior tees and new forward tees were added. Over the years, we have added 19 tees, so currently there are 37 tee boxes.”

There weren’t any cart paths when the course was built.

“We had days we had to close the course or at least not allow carts after big rains because of standing water,” Wollner says.

Beginning in 1985, he used a sod cutter to build five miles of graveled cart path.

“It took me four passes to take up enough sod for the paths,” he says.

The rock paths were an improvement but were high maintenance. Cart traffic and water runoff meant the paths needed constant upkeep. In 2000, the rock paths were replaced with asphalt.

“Having 18 continuous holes of cart paths allows us to open the course earlier in the spring and keep the course open even during wet spells,” Wollner says.

Another huge impact Wollner has had on the golf course is planting trees.

“When I started in 1981, there were only around 50 trees on the course. There had been more planted when the course was built, but many were lost during the early bankruptcy years because they weren’t cared for properly,” he says.

“We started our first tree nursery around 1983 on the right side of the 14th hole. We moved about 500 out of that nursery. We also dug trees by hand out of surrounding timber and planted those on the course. Ed Clark from Rosehill Nursery helped us on weekends by moving trees with his tree spade,” Wollner says.

“Our second nursery along the west side of the 11th hole was planted in 2009 with the help of Charles and Judy Schnack. We moved about 300 trees out of that nursery. We’ve probably planted 1,200 trees since 1981,” he says.

In retirement, Wollner is handing over the reins to three young men he has mentored.

“I’m guessing over the years I have had about 150 kids who started their first job as a high school student as part of my crew,” he says. “I still see some of them from time to time, and we remember their years working at LPN. And now three of my ‘kids’ are going to be the new LPN superintendent, LPN assistant superintendent and Panorama West superintendent.”

Brandon Waddle will be the new LPN superintendent. He grew up throughout the Midwest, ending up at Lake Panorama his senior year, graduating from Panorama High School in 1991. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture. He worked at Lake Las Vegas golf course for two years before moving back to Lake Panorama with his wife, Jaime, when he was hired as Wollner’s assistant in 1998.

Waddle held that position for 15 years. In 2013, the Lake Panorama Association moved management of the Panorama West golf course under the LPN umbrella, and Waddle was named grounds superintendent there, a position he’s held the last eight years.

In 2018, Waddle was recognized as the 9-hole Superintendent of the Year by the Iowa Golf Course Superintendents Association for his work at Panorama West.

“Leaving Panorama West isn’t easy,” Waddle says. “There was a lot of ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ to go through there, especially with the help of the McLuen estate gift, which made it possible to turn that golf course into a well-oiled machine. But I’m looking forward to moving back to LPN where the playing conditions have always been perfect because of Dan and his dedicated crews over the years. I look forward to the new challenges and demands that go with it.”

Wollner says Waddle “has a lot of experience and is more than ready to take on this new role.”

In return, Waddle says, “Everything I do starts with what Dan has taught me. From the daily routine maintenance of the course, to equipment maintenance, to irrigation maintenance, to the agronomy of maintaining quality turf. And I’ve learned you can plan and prepare all you want, but Mother Nature always has the final say.”

Waddle says Wollner has been respected and looked up to among other golf course superintendents.

“Dan is always willing to help others. He’s probably in the top three on everyone’s list to call if they need help, and he will help. His work ethic is above and beyond, taking the golf course personally, and running it as if he owns it,” Waddle says.

Jared Baier worked the 2020 season as Wollner’s assistant superintendent and now will be Waddle’s assistant. Baier is a native of Guthrie Center and graduated from high school there in 2015. He spent two years at Southwestern Community College where he played college golf. He transferred to Iowa State and graduated in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in management. He spent eight months working for All American Turf Beauty as a sales manager until he was hired at the LPN in March 2020.

“I have been an avid golfer my entire life, so I’m very familiar with LPN. It feels like home to me,” Baier says. “I had a wide variety of responsibilities this golf season. I helped keep track of and assist the summer help we had, helped Dan work on and repair mowers and equipment as needed, and took care of irrigation maintenance as needed. I look forward to taking the next step now that I have a year under my belt, being able to do some things on my own to maintain the course and help out Brandon in any way possible.”

Baier gives Wollner credit for his easy transition to this line of work.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. The amount of knowledge I was able to gain spending this first year with Dan was tremendous. Being new in this industry, I was a little nervous when I started, but Dan made it simple and easy to catch on. I can’t thank Dan enough for this year. I think of him as a friend and guy I can call for advice whenever I need it.”

Garrett Young will be the Panorama West course superintendent. He went to Panorama High School until his junior year, when he transferred to Guthrie Center. He’s now attending Des Moines Area Community College, majoring in horticulture-landscape and turf management. He will graduate in May 2021.

Young has worked five summers at the LPN.

“Before working under Dan, I really had no intention to pursue this line of work. It wasn’t until a couple summers ago I became interested. Since I told Dan I was interested in the turf management field, he has been a tremendous help to me,” Young says. “Once he gave me more responsibilities and let me kind of do my own thing, it really made me realize this is what I want to do.”

Young still will be taking DMACC classes this spring. But starting in February, he’ll be able to work at Panorama West two or three days a week until he graduates.

“I’m really looking forward to working with new people, the responsibilities, and being able to learn more about golf course management from Brandon,” Young says. “I am very thankful for this opportunity.”

As with the others, Young has appreciated his time working with and learning from Wollner.

“He made every day enjoyable,” Young says. “My favorite part was whenever I’d ask him a question, he’d go on a 5-to-10-minute rant about it and pace around the shop when explaining the answer. No matter what, he always made it work. I’m really going to miss him — and his polo shirts and gym short combos.”

As he approaches retirement, Wollner says Panora and Lake Panorama have been a good place for he and Barb to raise their family.

“We built our house in 1983, the year Jacob was born. Now Jacob and Molly live north of Chicago and have two children — Kailyn, age 6, and Graham, 2. Ben and his wife Sara live in Ankeny with their children — Zoey, age 8, and Ivan, 6. Bailey and her husband, Ian, live in Miami, and are the parents of our newest grandchild — Maxwell, 9-months-old,” Wollner says.

“We really enjoy visiting the kids and their families and look forward to more traveling to see them. Road trips are always better with family at the end,” he says. “I’ll also be catching up on 40 years of deferred house maintenance, doing lots of bicycling, and hopefully sleeping until sunrise.”

Waddle says he hopes Wollner enjoys retirement, “riding off into the sunset on his new Rickshaw bike with Barb. But I hope he eventually turns around and becomes a part-timer. Maybe change a hydraulic filter in the HR6010, fix ball marks after a double shotgun, help repair an irrigation leak in July, pull a rough mower out of a pond, or simply wants to stripe some greens in the rain.”

Wollner offers these final words to those who will enjoy the fruits of the labor of the three young men he mentored.

“When you are out there golfing, take time to enjoy the beauty of this treasure,” he says. “And be sure to say thank you to these three for all the behind-the-scene work they do to take care of our favorite place.”

Posted 12/8/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

Friends of Lake Panorama is governed by a volunteer, seven-member board of directors. The board held its 2021 organizational meeting Dec. 1.

For the past year, the charity has focused on raising $70,000 for new playground equipment at both Shady and Boulder Beaches. New equipment was installed at Shady Beach in October, and the $70,000 goal also was reached in October. One key item of business at the Dec. 1 meeting was to approve a motion to purchase the playground equipment for Boulder Beach.

The Boulder equipment now has been ordered and will be delivered and installed in the spring. There is a room for more benches and individual spring riders at both locations, so any additional money donated to the playgrounds in 2020 will be used for these extra items.

A sign recognizing all donors of $500 or more will be installed near both playgrounds, with those donors also recognized on the Friends website.

In other business, two board members were reappointed to the board. In 2020, Jim Tibbles filled out the final year of Dave Furbush’s three-year term and agreed to be reappointed for a full three-year term.

Also reappointed to a three-year term was Jody Muench. Muench has served on the Friends board since 2015.

Other board members are Galen Johnson, John Muenzenberger, Jan Reinicke, Emily Spradling and Tricia Steffen.

In officer elections, Reinicke was elected president, Muenzenberger vice president, and Emily Spradling secretary-treasurer. Susan Thompson is the non-profit’s executive director.

The board heard an update on fundraising for the Lake Panorama Dog Park. As of Dec. 1, $19,000 has been raised for this project. The ultimate goal for the dog park is $50,000 to construct the park and provide all desired amenities. The Friends board has set an interim goal of $25,000 raised by May 1, 2021, to ensure this is a financially viable project.

Other topics discussed at the Friends board meeting included raising awareness and beginning work on some smaller projects in 2021, including walking trails near Panorama West and the south shore, a disc golf course on the west side of the lake, and more benches and other amenities at all three beaches.

The board also discussed hosting a 2021 Beach Ball to help raise funds to divide among several projects. A final decision will be made at the board’s spring meeting, but it is anticipated a fundraising event will take place in early fall of 2021.

Studies show a large percentage of charitable donations are made in the last two months of each year.

To provide some relief for charitable organizations during this difficult year, Congress included a provision in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that permits individuals who do not itemize deductions to deduct $300 of charitable contributions as an “above-the-line” deduction. Married couples can deduct $600 when taking the standard deduction.

For those who do itemize, cash contributions to qualified charities can be deducted up to 100 percent of adjusted gross income for the 2020 calendar year.

Donations of securities (stocks, mutual funds, etc.) are welcome, as are direct IRA qualified charitable distributions. Those 70½ or older can make a tax-free gift from their IRA and see that gift put to use today. There are potential tax-saving benefits when considering either of these direct donation strategies. For information, contact Kristen Crouthamel, financial advisor at GCSB Investment Center, 641-755-2799 or kristen@investgcsb.com.

Donors currently can designate benches or spring riders for the Boulder and Shady playgrounds, the Lake Panorama Dog Park, Sunset Beach, the Friends general fund, or golf course beautification at either Lake Panorama National or Panorama West.

Donations can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends of Lake Panorama, P.O. Box 488, Panora, IA 50216. Donations also can be made by credit card on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org,

Details on all past and current projects are available on the Friends website. Friends of Lake Panorama also has a Facebook page. Those interested in keeping up-to-date about Friends activities are asked to “like” and “share” the Friends page. Questions or comments? Send an email to staff@friendsoflakepanorama.org.

Posted 12/8/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

A company that provides dredging services across the United States wrapped up its dredging work for Lake Panorama RIZ in late November. After a competitive bidding process, a contract with Dredge America of Kansas City, Missouri, was signed in July 2019.

The contract outlined a plan to dredge in the Middle Raccoon River channel between the lake’s upper basin and the Fansler Bridge, removing at least 700,000 cubic yards of silt. In the end, Dredge America removed 731,653 cubic yards at a cost of $4.3 million.

The company’s equipment began arriving in late September 2019, and some work got underway last year. The bulk of the work occurred this year. 

Following RIZ’s 20-year renewal in 2017, the RIZ Board of Trustees began an extensive effort to schedule expenditures for the next two decades. Early in that process, “catch-up” dredging in the river channel was identified as essential.

Besides removing sediment from a key buffer area for Lake Panorama, the RIZ board recognized increased dredging in the river channel would use up available storage in the County Silt Basin before some land leases there expire.

Planning for that basin near the north end of the lake began in 2004. The land was obtained from seven different owners. Construction began in 2005 and was completed and the basin first used in 2006. It was named the County Basin, despite the fact it’s not owned by Guthrie County.

In fall 2018, the RIZ board finalized $11 million worth of debt certificates, which are similar to bonds, to in part finance hiring an outside company to dredge the river channel. This allowed RIZ to ensure the basin is filled before current easements expire.

Once dredging began, the company had a crew of four to five workers on site at all times and often operated 24 hours a day. Pumping distance exceeded two miles throughout much of the project.

This project required Dredge America to pump the dredging spoils to the remote south end of the county basin with 300,000 cubic yards pumped beyond a designated boundary to the very end. The balance still was pumped to the far reaches of the basin but not quite as far as the initial 300,000 cubic yards.

The company submitted to a strict invasive species policy as part of its contract and was inspected by Lake Panorama staff prior to launching their dredge last September. Ongoing inspections were conducted for any additional craft launched, as well as associated equipment or pipe.

The work took place while LPA also was dredging this season, working to complete its annual dredging contract with RIZ. The LPA also pumped into the county basin.

“This project provided benefit to Lake Panorama by ‘catching up’ and getting us back to the Fansler Bridge,” says John Rutledge, LPA general manager. “In addition, it filled remote areas of the county basin that LPA was not equipped to reach.”

Rutledge says Dredge America was able to do some remote and difficult dredging LPA could never have gotten done.

“If LPA had tried to do this, we would’ve had to ramp up for a year or two and then face the reality of gearing back down,” he says. “We calculated the cost/benefit and felt a subcontractor could supplement our annual effort more effectively than trying to scale-up/scale-down LPA’s equipment and personnel.”

Dredge America reached the Fansler Bridge at the end of October, then spent the next few weeks wrapping up some additional target areas identified by LPA and RIZ.

Posted 11/10/20
By Cheryl Temple
Lake Panorama Times


Murphy
(Also known as “Mr. Murphy”)
3-year old Fawn Boxer
Owners Stacy and Sam Benton

Murphy enjoys playing fetch at the lake and going to “work” with his owners. Murphy’s “mom,” Stacy Benton, owns Bella Sorella Boutique in Panora’s town square. Murphy greets the customers and helps them shop, especially the ladies. In addition, Murphy likes hanging out with the guys at “dad’s” (Sam Benton’s) office, which is also located in the town square. Murphy watches the people walk by and lounges in the office window or peaks out the door of the boutique.