Posted 5/10/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times 

New voting precincts and changes in the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors districts mean voters may need to do some research before they head to the polls for the June 7 primary.
Supervisor districts are redrawn every 10 years to reflect the most recent census numbers and ensure each supervisor represents an equal portion of the county population. The county map approved March 3 by the Guthrie County supervisors cut the number of voting precincts from eight to six, with the number of supervisor districts remaining at five.
The plan divides Lake Panorama into two supervisor districts, which had been expected because the lake community is spread across both Cass and Victory townships. During redistricting, townships generally are kept intact.
Lake Panorama is split between the Yale precinct (Supervisor District 2) and the Panora precinct (Supervisor District 3). Both of these districts represent open seats, since none of the five incumbent supervisors live in these newly drawn districts.
The Yale precinct includes Lake Panorama voters who live in the Victory Township portion of the lake, plus the towns of Yale, Jamaica and Bagley. Voting for this precinct will take place in the Yale Community Building .
The Panora precinct includes Lake Panorama voters who live in the Cass Township portion of the lake and the town of Panora. Voting for this precinct will take place in the Vets Auditorium in Panora.
Danielle Fink, Guthrie County Auditor, says all registered voters will receive a notice from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office informing them of their new polling locations.
“These will begin showing up within 30 days of the primary election,” Fink says. Voters also can use a link on the Secretary of State’s website to find their voting precinct: sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/pollingplace/search.aspx
Fink says there are options for those who want to complete an absentee ballot, rather than vote in person June 7.
“If a voter wishes to receive an absentee ballot by mail, they may call our office at 641-747-3619, and we will mail them a request form to complete and return to us,” she says. “We will begin mailing requested absentee ballots May 18. May 23 is the last day we will mail absentee ballots, and the last day to request absentee ballots by mail.”
The absentee ballot request form also is available online: sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/absenteeballotapp.pdf.
People can vote absentee in person at the county auditor’s office in the Guthrie County Courthouse during regular business hours May 18 through June 6. The auditor’s office also will be open for absentee voting Saturday, June 4, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To vote in the primary election, voters must declare a party affiliation, either Democrat or Republican, and will vote only on candidates running in their chosen party. If someone is not yet registered to vote in Guthrie County, they can register at the polls the day of the election, and then vote. If the person’s driver’s license or approved identification shows his or her current address, nothing else is needed. If it does not, some other proof of residence will be needed, such as a utility bill or bank statement.
Those running as Democrats for a Guthrie County position include Jacki Sloss, Guthrie Center, County Supervisor District 1; Tom Flanery, Panora, County Supervisor District 3; Michael Herbert, Guthrie Center, County Supervisor District 4; and John A. Maschman, Coon Rapids, County Attorney.
Three people are on the Republican ballot for Guthrie County Supervisor in District 1 — Clifford Carney, Adair; Jerome J.D. Kuster, Guthrie Center; and Jack Lloyd, Bayard. Lloyd announced he has dropped out of the race, but that decision was too late to keep his name off the ballot.
Two people are on the Republican ballot for Guthrie County Supervisor in District 2 — Clinton Deardorff, Yale, and Brian Johnson, Panora. There also are two people on the Republican ballot for Guthrie County Supervisor in District 3 — Maggie Armstrong, Panora, and William Halling, Panora. For County Supervisor in District 4, JT Herron and Steve Smith, both of Guthrie Center, are on the Republican ballot.
Also on the Republican ballot are candidates for two county offices. Brenda Campbell, Guthrie Center, is running for county treasurer. Tristen Richard, Panora, is running for county recorder.
Supervisor Mike Dickson, of Stuart, lives in the newly established Supervisor District 5. He is not required to run this year, because he is the only incumbent residing in the new district. To maintain staggering of terms, the supervisors placed District 2 and District 3 in a hat, and drew for which district would be a two-year term to run again in 2024. Supervisor District 2 was drawn as the two-year term and will be on the ballot again in 2024 to run for a four-year term, along with District 5. District 3 is a four-year term to run again in 2026, along with Districts 1 and 4. 

Posted 5/10/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

In mid-April, Trish Hart snapped this photo of a bird that isn’t often seen at Lake Panorama. The Great Crested Flycatcher is more common in states further east and south. Iowa and states to the north and south are the furthest west these birds are found. They winter in Mexico and Columbia with some in Florida.
Once the birds fly north to their breeding grounds, they prefer to perch in the tops of trees as they look for their prey, then swoop after flying insects. They spend very little time on the ground and do not hop or walk. They have a distinct, high-pitched call, which Hart says caught her attention.
“I quickly got my camera out and started looking in the trees,” she says. “He was perched high on a branch near the lakeshore, likely on the hunt for a snack.”
These colorful birds feed on a wide variety of insects, including caterpillars, moths, butterflies, katydids, tree crickets, beetles and others. They also eat fruits and berries, which are a major part of their diet as they spend their winters in warmer climates.
The Great Crested Flycatcher prefers to nest in natural cavities in dead trees but will use large, abandoned woodpecker holes, nesting boxes and hollow posts.
Hart offers custom prints of her nature photos on canvas, paper, metal and glass. For more information, visit @NaturesCanvasPhotos on Facebook. 

Posted 4/5/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

A total of 304 ash trees were removed from the Lake Panorama National (LPN) golf course this winter. Eight of those were big shade trees located around the Spikes snack shop and between the first and 10th tee boxes.
Plans are being made to plant about 30 trees on the LPN course this year. These would be planted by tree spade, but it will be many years before the same amount of shade the old trees delivered is available again around Spikes.
Kane Powell is an avid golfer, electrician and builder who owns Lake Panorama Realty with his wife, Dee. While talking with other golfers about the loss of shade around Spikes, he came up with the idea of checking into artificial shade options. That led him to Shade Sails of Iowa, LLC, located in Grimes.
Shade Sails are made of a heavy-duty fabric and come in many shapes and colors. A company representative developed a plan that would provide shade in a 40-foot by 80-foot  grassy area east of Spikes.
Six metal poles would be installed in concrete footings with two sails attached to the poles at various angles to provide shade throughout the day. The sails would vary between 10 to 16 feet from the ground. The varying heights help the sails shed rain and leaves and provide an architectural dimension to the installation.
Both the LPA and LPN board of directors recently approved this project, as long as the $22,000 needed can be raised with private donations. The Friends of Lake Panorama board agreed to assist with this fundraising effort, which allows donations to be tax-deductible.
LPA officials say they still will plant some trees in the area near Spikes, but those locations won’t be determined until this new artificial shade project is complete.
Powell says the sails would be a forest green to match the color of the metal roof on Spikes. If additional funds are raised, electricity could be run to the poles and lights strung. The sails would be taken down each fall and reinstalled each summer.
“Besides giving us back some shade in that area, this will provide a new venue for Lake Panorama National customers to enjoy,” Powell says. “It will be a place where golfers can gather before and after tournaments and should relieve some of the congestion when golf carts park in front of Spikes. The shaded area is designed for golf cart gatherings. For a special event, tables and chairs could be moved under the sails on a temporary basis.”
Once the money for this shade project is raised, the order will be placed. Powell says it will take four weeks from the time the order is placed until the poles and sails are installed. It’s hoped the $22,000 goal can be reached fairly quickly, so the “horseshoe” area in front of Spikes will be shaded by the time hot, sunny weather arrives.
Fundraising is off to a good start because of a $1,000 donation in memory of Dr. David J. Wang. A former Panora dentist and Lake Panorama resident, Wang died in 2002 at the age of 40. In 2018, his family, including wife, Grace, son, Tony, and daughter, Cassie, donated $10,000 to Friends of Lake Panorama. Wang was an avid golfer who enjoyed the men’s league and other golf events at the LPN. The bulk of the gift was used for renovations in the LPN dining room.
The family wanted the remaining funds to be used for a project on the golf course. When contacted about this Shade Sails effort, they quickly agreed this would be something their husband and father would have supported.
Donors of $500 or more will be recognized on a sign placed inside Spikes. All donors will receive a letter recognizing their donation for tax purposes.
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 using Venmo @Panorama-Friends, or by credit card on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org.

Posted 4/5/2022
By Cheryl Temple
Lake Panorama Times 

Name: Shortbread
Age: 8
Breed: Silver/Blue tabby with gorgeous green eyes
Available at: Panora Pets
Shortbread is active and loves to play. She would be an excellent companion for a home looking for an active, playful, affectionate and conversational cat. Shortbread would do great as an only cat due to her history, but she gets along well with dogs and children old enough to notice she can get overwhelmed. Once accustomed to her new surroundings and family, Shortbread would be a great fit for a household that likes energetic kitties. 

Posted 4/5/2022
By Cheryl Temple
Lake Panorama Times 

Name: Gus
Age: 6
Breed: English Bulldog
Name: Phoebe
Age: 15
Breed: Shih Tzu/poodle mix
Owners: Kevin and Lisa Wingert
The Wingerts’ oldest son brought Gus home from Stimson Bulldogs in Clarinda.  Gus is loved by the entire family. They say he is sweet, gentle and laid back. He has been compared to the lovable donkey, “Eeyore.” The Wingerts have three young grandchildren who visit often.  When the house gets too loud, Gus will find a back bedroom or closet to retreat to. Gus is not a fan of water, as he prefers a view of the lake from a shady spot. Phoebe is a typical small dog with a big attitude. She’s always been the boss. She and Gus have become good buddies. Phoebe came from Gina Lloyd (Art on State, Guthrie Center).

Posted 4/5/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times 

Many of Trish Hart’s nature photos are of birds, which she captures with her digital camera as they sit on feeders on the deck of her home or in nearby trees. This month’s photo is a male American Robin, perched in a tree and enjoying winter berries.
According to the Audubon Society, robins winter as far north as Canada. With the breakup of flocks prior to the nesting season, when we Iowans see our “first robin of spring,” it may be a bird that has wintered only a few miles away, not one that just arrived from southern climates.
Robins run and hop on lawns with an upright stance, often nesting on porches and windowsills. Nests usually contain four pale blue or “robin’s-egg blue” eggs. Incubation by the female is 12-14 days, and fledglings leave the nest 14-16 days after hatching. The male may tend to the fledged young while the female begins a second nesting attempt. Pairs usually raise two broods per season, sometimes three.
The robin’s rich caroling is among the earliest bird songs heard at dawn in spring and summer, often beginning just before first light. In fall and winter, robins gather by the hundreds in roaming flocks, concentrating at sources of food.
Hart launched “Nature’s Canvas Photography” in January 2021, offering custom prints of her photos on canvas, paper, metal and glass. Visit NaturesCanvasPhotos on Facebook. 

Posted 3/7/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

Eight students from the Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center (AC/GC) high school won a top award at the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) Large Group All-State Festival. The festival was held in Ames Feb. 19.
The student group, led by Kelsey Dinkla, won the Critic’s Choice award in the Musical Theatre category. In announcing his choice, Joel Waggoner, a Waterloo native and Broadway artist, said it was impossible to compare the musical theatre performances he had seen that day, but the one that touched him the most was “Come From Away,” performed by the AC/GC students.
Dinkla teaches vocal music for grades seven through 12 and is the head large group speech coach and theatre director at AC/GC. She grew up in Bayard and graduated from Coon Rapids-Bayard in 2008. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 2011, went back to school for music in 2017, and is working toward a master’s degree in music education. She has been teaching for 10 years with nine of those in the Guthrie Center and AC/GC School District.
“If you had asked me in December if I thought we would be named the best musical theatre group in the entire state of Iowa, I would have laughed,” Dinkla says. “Not because I didn’t believe in my kids, but because I know the reality of being in a small school. My kids are stretched thin between work, academics and activities.”
In Iowa state speech competitions, schools aren’t divided by class size, as is done in athletics. There are four districts, with AC/GC in the southwest district. Dinkla terms it “the most competitive and difficult district in the state. If you scroll through the Southwest District’s All State Nominations list, you will see several large schools, including many from the Des Moines metro area.”
Musical Theatre speech performances contain singing, dancing or blocking, and dialogue.
“This category is very broad and purposefully left open for interpretation. Some schools choose to perform just one musical selection, while others may perform multiple pieces,” Dinkla says. “At the end of the day, students are judged on their ability to tell a story through music but how they accomplish this is left up to each group.”
The Broadway play “Come From Away,” conceived by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is based on the book, “The Day The World Came To Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland” by Jim DeFede. It chronicles the events of 9/11 through the eyes of the local people of Gander, as well the 7,000 “Plane People” who were diverted to Gander when the U.S. airspace shut down.
“Because the rights to perform this show are not available yet, I wrote to Musical Theatre International and obtained special permission to use three songs from the show,” Dinkla says. “I chose the selections and crafted them together in such a way that would give audience members a small snapshot of the entire Broadway production.”
Around Thanksgiving last fall, the students began working on their performance. On Jan. 23, they received a Division I rating at the district contest at Ankeny Centennial High School. They advanced to perform at the state contest at Valley High School Feb. 5. On Feb. 7, they learned they would advance to the All-State Festival.
Musical Theatre performances can last 10 minutes.
“Our performance pushed the time limit, coming in at 9 minutes and 58 seconds,” Dinkla says. “It’s hard to put on an entire show in less than 10 minutes.”
Dinkla and her assistant coach, Colin Shawgo, have had groups nominated for All-State Large Group Speech each of the last five years, including three in 2022. Besides Musical Theatre, AC/GC students performed in both the group improvisation and group mime categories.
Dinkla says her goal for next year’s speech season is to continue to provide her students with a safe space to explore the art of communication through quality speech and theatre experiences.
“The awards and recognition are incredible, but that’s not why we do what we do,” she says. “Pulling together kids with different talents, abilities and experiences, getting them to rub shoulders with people they may have never dreamed of being friends with, and helping them conceptualize the true meaning of empathy in motion is the heart and soul of the AC/GC large group speech program,” Dinkla says. “I’m just lucky enough to be along for the ride.”

Posted 3/7/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

Once the federal tax filing deadline of April 15 is behind us, most people are ready to clean out files and discard previous year’s tax returns. Again this year, the folks at the Panora Public Library are poised to help.
“We like the shredding truck to come after tax time, so people can safely dispose of old documents and tax-related forms,” says Kim Finnegan, director of the Panora Public Library. “This is a service we like to provide to the Lake Panorama, Panora and surrounding communities, because they support us throughout the year.”
Finnegan says there is no cost to individuals to drop off paper documents they want to have shredded. The Panora Public Library uses donated funds to cover the cost of this community service.
The “Shred-It” truck will be at the Panora Public Library Saturday, April 23 from 9-11 a.m. Those who plan to drop off paper to be shredded are asked to pull into the driveway north of the library.  

Posted 3/7/2022
By Jolene Goodman

(Culinary.net) Freshen up your St. Patrick’s Day menu with easy, light sandwiches inspired by the traditional color of the festivities. These open-faced noshes can be perfect for lunch, snack time or even as an appetizer for get-togethers with friends and family.
Layered with a smooth cream cheese and mozzarella mixture then topped with crisp cucumber and a stem of green bell pepper, these St. Patrick’s Day Sandwiches are easy and cute, which makes them a fan favorite at nearly any green gathering. They’re also sprinkled with lemon juice to add a little acidity and create a nice, light bite.
Plus, this recipe is quick to make. When you’re in a rush to get everything on the table for the party, it’s easy to throw together and get on the platter in next to no time.
The sandwiches pop off the plate with their bright, seasonal garnishes. While sure to attract attention and have your loved ones asking “Where did you get this idea?” they’re also an easy way to sneak a few vegetables into your kids’ diets.
Find more festive recipes and ideas at Culinary.net.

St. Patrick’s Day Sandwiches

Yield: 8 sandwiches

8 ounces plain cream cheese spread, softened
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
salt
4 English muffins
24 slices cucumber
8 thin slices green pepper
fresh cilantro leaves
lemon juice
lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
In bowl, mix cream cheese spread, mozzarella cheese and salt well.
Split English muffins in half. Cut each muffin half into shamrock shape.
Spread cheese mixture over each muffin half.
Place three cucumbers on each “shamrock,” one on each “leaf.” Use green pepper slice as stem. Place cilantro leaf on top of each sandwich.
Sprinkle sandwiches with lemon juice and add lemon slices, for garnish, if desired.

Jolene Goodman is the advertising director for Lake Panorama Times and vice president of Big Green Umbrella Media.

Posted 3/7/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

Tom Smith of Yale has been in the tire business for 40 years. He started at the age of 20 with a small shop in Yale. Later he moved into a bigger building in Yale and also opened Smith Tire locations in Perry and Jefferson.
His latest venture, in partnership with his wife, Sarah, is Panorama Tire. They sold their other three locations to employees and, in June 2019, purchased the former Panora Oil Company building at 418 E. Main St. in Panora. They spent a couple of months renovating the building to better suit their needs.
Smith farms several hundred acres of row crops on both rented land north of Lake Panorama and land he owns in the Yale area. He also has a small Angus cow/calf herd.
He says he enjoyed the first few months in the building.
“We were able to get our own farm equipment here and everything fixed up,” Smith says. “Then, one by one, people started coming in to ask if we were open. We never advertised or had a specific opening date. We already had a tire machine and plenty of other equipment here, so we started to help people.”
They didn’t have to look far for employees. Tom’s daughter, Amanda Doran, works fulltime in the shop, changing tires and oil, and handling whatever else comes her way.
Besides working at Panorama Tire, Amanda helps Tom with his farm operation, and 2022 will be her second year managing 125 acres of row crops on land she rents from Tom and Sarah. Amanda is a 2003 Iowa State University graduate in animal science. She and her daughter Kylie, a junior at Panorama, live with Amanda’s significant other, Darrell, on his family farm near Yale. She has a small collection of animals including cattle, chickens, ducks, rabbits and pot belly pigs.
A grandson, Kade Arganbright, has been working in the Panorama Tire shop since it opened. He was in high school then. Now he’s specializing in auto mechanics at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and will graduate in August. He currently works in the shop Fridays and Saturdays. After graduation, he plans to work full-time alongside his grandfather and aunt.
Kade has two younger sisters who help out. Hallie, age 16, and Lillie, age 13, come after school and spend time cleaning, sweeping, resupplying product and other tasks.
“Tom likes to keep a clean shop, and they’re a big help doing that,” says Sarah.
Sarah took a different route to the family business. She moved to Yale in 2008 after buying the Yale Hotel. It was built in the 1890s near the railroad, which now is the Raccoon River Valley Trail. She began to renovate the hotel, which she named The Windsor, and planned to open it as a bed and breakfast when it was finished.
Tom’s shop was across the street from the hotel. They met, and as often is said, the rest is history. They’ve been married nine years. A decision was made to move The Windsor to Tom’s farm north of Yale and make it their home. Three guest bedrooms and bathrooms were created on the second floor. The couple operated The Windsor bed and breakfast for five years until early 2020 when the COVID pandemic hit.
“We had people from all over stay with us,” Tom says. “Germany, Bulgaria, Florida, plus people locally using it for reunions or special events. Some came to stay who were riding the bike trail. We met some really interesting people.”
Sarah calls those five years of running the bed and breakfast “really fun,” and says she hated to shut it down.
“But with all the issues surrounding COVID, it just made sense. Now we come to work each day, then go home at night to relax, not worry about getting ready for guests.”
Sarah works in an office adjoining the shop. She answers the phone, schedules appointments, handles the billing and taxes, and places orders for all tires and parts.
“I try to keep things at a nice, steady flow, and leave enough time between appointments in the schedule to take care of unexpected tire repairs,” she says.
About 20 percent of the business comes from a tire service truck Tom takes on the road when a call for help comes in. He lists Rose Acre Farms, UPS, Lake Panorama Association, Guthrie County Conservation, and semis stranded on Interstate 80 as some of the tire service calls he handles. Calls from area farmers are year-round but become more frequent during spring planting and fall harvest.
Before selling his shops in Yale, Perry and Jefferson, Yale was a hub for service calls, and he spent most of his days driving from job to job.
“This place allows me to be more in touch with our customers instead of in a truck all day,” he says.
Smith says he, Amanda and Kade do oil changes, fix brakes, work on air conditioners, handle some tune-ups and repair, replace and sell lots of tires and tire tubes.
“We sell most brands and sizes of tires, to fit anything from lawn mowers and trailers, to cars and trucks, up to tires on ag equipment that are 7-feet-tall,” Smith says.
He used to work with three specific tire suppliers.
“When COVID hit, we couldn’t keep enough tires in inventory, so we had to expand. Now we have up to nine tire suppliers we work with to make sure we have what our customers need,” Smith says.
Business has been increasing 10 percent each year.
“People have been really friendly, and we’ve enjoyed meeting more people in the area,” Smith says. “This seemed like a good opportunity, and Sarah knows I like taking chances.”
Sarah smiles. “This was a big undertaking, and I wasn’t sure at first. But we do enjoy working together, so here we are,” she says.
Panorama Tire hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. 

Posted 3/7/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

The new website for the Lake Panorama Association (LPA) launched in early February, replacing a site that had been in place since 2009. The new website is simpler to use while continuing to provide LPA staff the ability to communicate directly with members and provide important documents members need.
There are both public and private sides to the new website. The home page on the public site includes information about Lake Panorama and the LPA. The private side of the website, which is termed the LPA Portal, is restricted to Lake Panorama property owners.
The LPA had more than 1,300 unique member email addresses tied to the former website. Emails were sent to all existing addresses with details on how to set up new accounts. By the end of February, about 600 members had created accounts to gain access to the LPA Portal.
The website address remains the same as the old site — www.lakepanorama.org. The home page has tabs for “Resident Sign-Up” and “Resident Sign-In.”
LPA members who had not registered for the old website wouldn’t have received an email invitation, or emails may have been lost in spam folders. Whether a member received an email or not, they can set up an account through the “Resident Sign-Up” tab and gain access to the private side of the website after being verified as an LPA member.
The home page of the new LPA website features scrolling aerial photos. Several tabs below the photos take visitors to a brief history, a list of frequently asked questions about Lake Panorama and the LPA, and multiple documents that include LPA’s boating regulations and buoy map locations; building codes and applications; rules and regulations and related schedule of fines; by-laws; covenants; and home rental rules.
Under the “helpful links” tab, visitors will find such things as the LPA water safety video and links to websites for Coulter’s Panorama Marine, Lake Panorama Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ), Lake Panorama National Resort, Friends of Lake Panorama, Fin & Feather, and more.
The “contact us” tab takes the viewer to a page with LPA contact details. There also is a link to email the LPA office directly or a form to complete and submit electronically to LPA staff.
LPA members who establish an LPA Portal log-in will find additional documents there that cannot be accessed on the public website. These include such things as LPA board of directors meeting agendas and minutes; variance applications for building permits; a “Who To Call” list with contact information for area service providers; camping and dock registration forms and information; miscellaneous membership forms; hunting information; yard waste site maps and information; and current and past issues of the weekly Panorama Prompt.
Anyone who needs help getting an account set up or has questions can call the LPA office at 641-755-2301 or email staff at lpa@lakepanorama.org. 

Posted 3/7/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

The date for the 2022 Fire in the Sky fireworks display has been set for Saturday, July 2. This will be the 27th year this Fourth of July holiday tradition at Lake Panorama has been organized by the Joe Scheiring family. Joe passed away in August 2014. Family members continue to organize the event to honor his memory.
The fireworks are launched from Shady Beach beginning around dusk. Rita Scheiring, Joe’s widow, moved to Polk City in 2017. Her daughter Stephanie Hummel, and granddaughters Maddie and Evelyn, have a home at Lake Panorama.
In the past, the annual fireworks display was on the Fourth of July, but the Scheirings heard from people who were disappointed they couldn’t attend when the holiday fell on a weekday. Now the display is on a Saturday either before or after the official holiday with the date chosen on a year-to-year basis well in advance for planning purposes.
The Scheiring family says generous community support and donations make this one  of the best fireworks displays around. Donations for the 2022 Lake Panorama fireworks display can be sent to Rita Scheiring/Fire in the Sky, P.O. Box 605, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Or via Venmo at @Rita-Scheiring. 

Posted 3/7/2022

Guthrie County, Iowa – The 10 Squared Women of Guthrie County held their first quarter 2022 meeting both live and with the option of virtual attendance and voting. Three very worthy organizations were presented to the group. First, Robyn Corkins spoke on the Bayard Community Center, which is in need of many repairs and upgrades. It is used for many community events, both public and private. Next, Stacey Wedemeyer and Colleen Conrad presented for the Casey Service Club. The Casey Service Club is the organization tasked with fundraising and organizing volunteers to bring revitalization and recreation opportunities to residents and visitors of the community of Casey, Iowa. They have a lot of ambition projects and the top of their list is to complete a walking path at the city park. Last but not least, Paulette Chambers spoke on behalf of the Panora Garden Club. After hearing all three presentations, the group is proud to announce a lump sum of $11,000 was presented to Panora Garden Club. This consists of 10 Squared Women member donations and several employer matches.

“The Panora Garden Club is excited and eager for spring so we can begin working on Heritage Park, thanks to the generous donation of the 10 Squared Women!” said Paulette Chambers, President of the Club. As the north entrance into Panora, beautification of Heritage Park has been a long-time project for the Garden Club, but this donation will help us realize our goals of having a working water fountain for the thousands of bikers and walkers along the Raccoon River Valley Trail, dressing the walkways, removing over-grown brush, and planting new drought-resistant perennials.”

Comprised of approximately 40 volunteer members, the Panora Garden Club primarily focuses on making a positive impact on the Panora community by maintaining the landscaping at Heritage Park, Michael Mills Park, the Panora Library, and planting/decorating the pots along Main Street. Planning has begun to sponsor a Garden Tour of Lake Panorama in June via pontoon boat, stay tuned for details! The Club recently became affiliated with National Gardeners of America, which provides members with educational information on gardening techniques, an invitation to attend their annual conference, and a 501(c)3 designation for fundraising purposes.

Meetings are scheduled by a consensus of the members for workdays, field trips, and programs. The Club welcomes anyone from the community who is interested in beautifying the area, no experience in gardening is required, only the desire to enjoy the comradery! Annual dues are $20, and if interested in joining, check out our Facebook page, Panora Garden Club, or contact Paulette Chambers at 712-304-0077 or JoAnn Johnson at 515-975-9407. Thank you again, 10 Squared Women, for the impact you are having on our communities.

10 Squared Women is focused on helping and donating to local organizations that vow to put those funds to work, right in our back yards. The funds are used in various projects to benefit Guthrie County community’s projects and residents. To date, the group has donated $228,450 in since inception in 2017.

The 10 Squared Women’s group holds meetings quarterly, typically at Lake Panorama Conference Center, the fourth Tuesday in February, May, August and November, subject to change. The next meeting for 2022 will be on Tuesday, May 24th. Members in attendance hear from three nominated organizations, drawn from “the hat” of member-nominated organizations at random, and vote on the winning cause that night.

The group currently has approximately 105 members, 20 organizations nominated and strongly encourages additional philanthropic organizations and new members to come forward. These have included Cities of Yale and Jamaica park improvements, City of Bagley (Library project), Daycare & Preschool programs in Adair and Guthrie Center (Little Charger) and Panora (Little Panther), Guthrie Center and Panora Fire Departments, School Backpack programs a AC/GC, West Central Valley and Panorama, as well as programs that benefit residents from all corners of Guthrie County: Guthrie County Helping Hands (habitat for humanity projects in Stuart, Casey, Guthrie Center, Adair, Panora, Yale, Menlo, Jamaica, and Bagley), New Opportunities, Panora P.E.T.S., Guthrie Activity Center, Tori’s Angels Foundation, Guthrie County Sheriff’s Chaplains, Guthrie County Historical Village Foundation, Guthrie County Hospital Foundation, Guthrie County Arts Council, St. Thomas More Center, Guthrie Center Christmas Lights project, Guthrie Center Revitalization, and now, Panora Garden Club.

10 Squared Women members are encouraged to talk to their friends, neighbors and family about the group, and to share the group within their social circles. Members are not required to attend meetings, however, in order for their vote to count, must be in attendance at the live meeting or virtually. All members are expected to write their donation checks whether they can attend the meeting and vote or not.

One newer (and generous) member is so excited about what the group is doing, she has presented a challenge for existing members. At the May meeting, she will pay the first $100 worth of drinks (promoting to arrive early) and offer a drawing for two $25 gift cards to Bella Sorella! For each new person brought to the meeting, the member and the guest each get their name put into the drawing for the gift card. Members are encouraged to reach out to their networks with invitations. She strongly believes this can help build the group up, really make a difference in these communities and have a little fun, too!

The group is continuously looking for new members who are excited about helping their communities and Guthrie County! There may be some exciting announcements about upcoming meetings in 2022, so, to learn how to get involved, you can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/10squaredwomengc, or email them at 10squaredgc@gmail.com. Membership Forms and Frequently Asked Questions can be found on their Facebook page or by contacting them through Facebook or email.

Posted 2/8/2022
By Susan Thompson 
Lake Panorama Times

It seems most everyone who owns property at Lake Panorama has an interesting story to tell about how they found their way to the lake community. Yet the story J. Hans van Leeuwen tells has more twists and turns than most.
Born in 1946 in the Netherlands, and raised in South Africa, van Leeuwen attended the University of Pretoria in South Africa, earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in engineering.
Fast forward to 11 years ago. Van Leeuwen was a professor in the Iowa State University Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, a position he accepted in 2000.
He’s on a private plane, traveling from Ames to Nebraska to check on a research project there.
“Lake Panorama was very impressive from the air,” van Leeuwen says. “It looked like a beautiful place, and I thought to myself that perhaps we could buy a house there.”
They connected with a local Realtor, who took him and his wife, Marina, on a boat ride. That sealed the deal, and they purchased a home on Horseshoe Cove. They co-own it with their daughter and son-in-law, Lelahni and Tim, who have three children.
“We love living on the water,” van Leeuwen says. This is a second home for them, with Hans and Marina in a house in Clive, and their daughter and her family in another house a few blocks away.
The family’s road to Lake Panorama was long. Van Leeuwen spent decades living and working in South Africa and Australia before emigrating to Iowa in 2000. His early research focused on water reclamation from wastewater and included the recovery of byproducts from liquid wastes and sediments and fungal treatment of food processing wastewater.
He was on the faculty at the University of Pretoria in South Africa for more than 10 years. After moving to Australia, he was a professor at Griffith University for three years, and at the University of New England for four years.
While in Australia, he began work with others, including a PhD candidate, now Dr. Darren Oemcke, on a project to treat ballast water, which is held in tanks and cargo holds of ships. Ballast water provides stability when ships aren’t carrying cargo, or when more stability is needed because of rough seas.
The team developed a process to treat ballast water with ozone, which killed invasive species such as zebra mussels, the same threat that faces Lake Panorama. Since ballast water is released into coastal waters when no longer needed, treating the water before it is released prevents the spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species.
Van Leeuwen and his team received four U.S. patents for the process in 2008 and additional patents in 14 other countries over the next several years. The ozone process has been in use on international tanker ships since 2009.
Another major area of interest for van Leeuwen was ethanol production. Since the United States is the world leader in ethanol production, he was advised he should move to this country. More specifically, it was suggested he move to Iowa, which is the largest ethanol producing state in the U.S.
He researched Iowa ethanol production from afar, started looking for a job, applied for the position at Iowa State University, and was hired. Once in Iowa, he applied for and received many federal, state and private grants to support research on ways to add value to ethanol production.
“Corn fermentation to produce ethanol leaves five times as much water, containing lots of organic material,” van Leeuwen says. “This water needs to be reclaimed for reuse. My fungal process uses filamentous fungi in suspension in the wastewater stream, called thin stillage, to remove the excess organic material from this stream.”
Van Leeuwen’s process creates a high-quality animal feed.
“Growing fungus on the leftover corn found in ethanol production provides for good energy feed for livestock animals, such as pigs and chickens, and also can reduce energy needs,” he says.
More importantly, the fungi can be harvested and used as a resource for biochemicals, including amino acids, oils, glucan and chitin.
“The chitin can be converted to chitosan, a valuable biochemical used in medicine, agriculture and water treatment, which is otherwise made from the exoskeletons of crustaceans,” van Leeuwen says. “The fungal chitosan is of a better quality and can be produced all year, while crustaceans are seasonal. All these additional byproducts will make a corn processing plant less dependent on ethanol and its volatile prices.”
What van Leeuwen discovered about purifying ballast water and ethanol production wastewater led him to develop his own vodka brand.
“Everyone claims their vodka is free of impurities,” he says. “But after years of research, I was able to produce an impurity-free vodka made from Iowa corn.”
The result is IngeniOz, which is distilled and bottled at a production facility in Clive. The process includes the use of an ozone generator, plus various filtration systems. Ozone gas is pushed through 190-proof ethyl alcohol, which alters impurities in the alcohol and makes these easier to absorb. The alcohol then is filtered through activated carbon to remove the impurities.
“This totally removes any contaminants, creating this ultimate premium vodka,” van Leeuwen says.
The vodka was launched in 2014. He sees a sales boost when he hosts tastings at the four HyVee stores nearest his Clive home, where he signs bottles for buyers. His vodka also is available at Hometown Foods in Panora.
“I have a core group of real believers who appreciate the smooth taste and know the lack of impurities lessens any hangover effects,” van Leeuwen says. “Every couple of months, I go to the production facility to create IngeniOz. Everything has to be done in a specific way. The ingredients aren’t a secret, but the exact methodology is critical, and that’s something only I know. I have put written instructions in an envelope for my daughter to open if something happens to me.”
Van Leeuwen retired from Iowa State in 2017 and now is an emeritus professor there, where he still has office space and access to labs if he has a need to go to campus. In 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, he used some laboratory space to research purifying fuel grade ethanol for hand sanitizer.
He continues to be an entrepreneur in the area of ethanol co-product development and was issued another three U.S. patents between 2008 and 2017 for his discoveries. He’s currently working with ClonBio, an Irish company building an ethanol plant in Hungary.
Van Leeuwen poses the question he knows some are thinking.
“Why did I go to Europe with this, when there are so many ethanol plants in Iowa? Because most U.S ethanol plants are owned by farmer cooperatives,” he says. “While there was much interest in my process, nobody was prepared to put up the millions of dollars still required for further development.”
ClonBio is financing this project.
“They had read about our work at Iowa State,” van Leeuwen says. “This isn’t a pilot plant but 100 times larger and includes the reactor for harvesting the fungi used in the distillation process. This private company is prepared to take on the cost burden of the further development and build the full-scale equipment.”
Van Leeuwen has a good working relationship with ClonBio owners and staff. The intention is to establish a joint venture company in which he will be a shareholder.
“So far, everything is developing well,” he says.
In the meantime, life goes on for Hans and Marina. She is an artist with their modern home on Horseshoe Cove featuring some of her paintings. Besides their daughter in Iowa, they have a son and a daughter who live in South Africa and another son in Australia. They also have seven grandchildren in those two countries plus the three in Iowa.
Because of the COVID pandemic, traveling overseas to see family members has been on hold the past two years, but they hope to visit both South Africa and Australia in 2022. And they look forward to another summer on Lake Panorama, watching the lake from their waterfront deck, and cruising in their pontoon. Plus, Van Leeuwen says, “We hope to live long enough to see our great-grandchildren and enjoy the fruits of my patents.”