New Mexican Restaurant Coming to Guthrie Center Soon

A new Mexican restaurant will soon be coming to Guthrie Center.

The restaurant will be moving into the vacated space that was most recently occupied by Shipwrecked Saloon, which closed down its operations back in May.

Guthrie County Supervisor Tom Rutledge owns the building that will soon be utilized by the new Mexican restaurant, and he believes it will be a nice addition to the town.

“I think a new restaurant in Guthrie Center will be great.  There are some existing restaurants but there have been a couple that have closed down–we lost a Breadeux Pizza over the last year, year and a half and the bowling alley just closed down recently.  So, I think (this restaurant) will be good for the area, good for the community and good for the county.”

Rutledge says the prospective restaurant owners first contacted him a couple of months ago to discuss the newly available space at his “Talk of the Town” building.  Talks have certainly progressed since that initial conversation, and Rutledge discusses the next steps that are now being taken.

“I think they’re finalizing the contract and signing the lease agreement (shortly).  Then they’ve got some decorating and remodeling to do in the bar part of (the space) where they’re going to be serving food, and we’re currently undergoing some kitchen remodel.  They’ll then come in to install their kitchen equipment and after that I think they’ll be ready for a grand opening.”

The official name of the Mexican restaurant has not yet been released.

Rutledge says the ownership group currently runs a couple other Mexican-style restaurants in central Iowa, one of them being in Indianola.

Scoop the Loop#2 Has Arrived

Scoop the Loop #2 in Stuart is finally here.

We’ve got one final reminder for area residents to let you know the details for today’s car show and Salute to Science Fair program.

The Salute to Science Fair begins at 4pm this afternoon in the West Central Valley High School commons.  Larry Schwinger will highlight those being honored and he’ll also participate in Scoop the Loop as the “King of the Loop.”

Former Science Fair teachers and participants Tod Broman, Darin O’Brien and Bret Williams are among the other individuals being honored during the Salute to Science Fair.

Scoop the Loop then officially begins at 5 o’clock and will run until 10pm.  If Stuart gets good weather tonight, event founder Bob Cook says he’s expecting the biggest classic car crowd to date since he brought Scoop the Loop back to town in 2012.

Main Street Iowa Visit to Guthrie Center Productive, Successful Yet Again

A Main Street Iowa specialist was back in Guthrie Center earlier this week, and you can chalk it up as another productive and successful meeting, according to Main Guthrie Center Director Julie Bailey.

Main Street Iowa’s Terry Buschkamp met with members of the Promotion Committee Tuesday evening, and Bailey discusses with us the information that was shared.

“Terry is just a wealth of information–she’s been a Main Street director herself and so it always refreshing to have her come in and share her ideas.  We tried to focus on three areas: retail promotions, special events and lastly, image building.  The Promotion Committee here in Guthrie Center has already been busy working on all three of those but it was good to hear from Terry so that we could get some ideas on what else we can be thinking about.”

As for what her personal takeaway was from Tuesday’s meeting, Bailey says she realizes that Main Street Guthrie Center needs to delve deeper into the retail promotions aspect of its organization.

“One of the things that became very clear to me on Tuesday was that we really need more input from the retailers of downtown Guthrie Center.  We can’t do promotions and special events without them being a part of the planning, and so that will be one of my goals–to try and get the retailers more involved in what Main Street Guthrie Center is doing.  We really need to sit down with those retailers and discuss some of the ideas that were presented by Terry Tuesday night, and also get their ideas and input on what kinds of promotions and special events we can do here in Guthrie Center.”

Law Enforcement Officials Confident in Patrol Plan for Guthrie’s River Ruckus

Several area law enforcement officers and emergency responders, including those from the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Guthrie Center Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol, convened Wednesday with Guthrie’s River Ruckus Promoter Grant Sheeder for one final safety meeting before the big concert coming up in just a couple of weeks.

Sheeder says the biggest change to this year’s event is attendees will now be required to purchase at least a single day pass into the campgrounds in order to be part of River Ruckus.  Walk-ups were allowed on the Guthrie County Fairgrounds for free in years past but that will no longer be allowed.

In the hopes of curbing some of the underage drinking at the three-day concert event, Sheeder says he and members of the River Ruckus Board will be distributing platinum wristbands to people over the age of 21 for when they are inside the concert venue.

Attendees will still be allowed to bring in their own alcohol to the campgrounds however.

So far just under 10,000 tickets have been sold and that number will be capped at 15,000 for the July 24th through 26th event.  Sheeder says he’s expecting a crowd somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 people for the Friday and Saturday concerts.

Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says law enforcement is confident they are ready to deal with any problems that may arise at this year’s River Ruckus.  He says officers’ sole goal “is to keep everybody safe.”

More than 150 officials will be patrolling the crowds at this year’s concert, with the departments involved being Guthrie County Emergency Management, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, the Guthrie Center Police Department, Panora EMS, CSC Security, and the Office of Juvenile Justice, along with other various law enforcement officers from around the state.

Man Wanted On Warrant for Involuntary Manslaughter Surrenders to Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office

A man wanted on a warrant for involuntary manslaughter surrendered to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshal Task Force along with officers from the Ankeny Police Department were in Ankeny Tuesday searching for 26 year-old Patrick Glade, who was wanted for involuntary manslaughter stemming from the 2013 death of 17 year-old Aaliyah West of Grimes.

While in Ankeny, law enforcement developed leads that Glade was actually in Guthrie Center. With officers en-route to Guthrie Center, the U.S. Marshal Task Force was then notified by Glade’s attorney that Glade would surrender to police.

He was arrested on the involuntary manslaughter warrant at the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office and transported back to the Polk County Jail.

Glade is currently being held in jail with a cash only bail of $20,000.

Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.

Guthrie County Deputy K9 Searches Vehicle, Leads to Drug Arrest of Panora Man

A Panora man was arrested on three separate drug charges this past weekend after his car was searched during a traffic stop.

According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Kent Gries was conducting a traffic stop on a Chevy Trailblazer at the intersection of Highway 4 and 190th Street in Guthrie County at about 6:30pm on Sunday, July 6th, when he deployed his K9, Rage.

The K9 then hit on the passenger side of the vehicle and following a search, 39 year-old Russell Gardner of Panora, was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Hydrocodone and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Gardner was booked in the Guthrie County Jail and later released after posting bond.

Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.