What makes something the best? Is it the fanciest? The most expensive? The most popular? The one with the most five-star reviews online? Or is it simply the place you trust, the person who always comes through or the business you would recommend to your neighbor without hesitation?

“Best” is a funny word because everybody seems to agree on what it means until they have to decide who actually deserves the title. By definition, being the best means excelling above all others in a particular area and providing the highest level of quality, performance or satisfaction. That sounds pretty straightforward. Until two people disagree. And, of course, they will.

That is what makes our Best of Guthrie County readers’ poll so interesting. It is not our opinion. It is not based on who bought the most advertising, who has the slickest website or who has figured out how to make Google love them. It is based on what our readers think.

You have likely heard of SEO, or search engine optimization. It is the process businesses use to improve their visibility in internet searches. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. Being found online is important. But there is a difference between being the easiest business to find and being the best business to use. One can be accomplished with technology and marketing. The other has to be earned. That’s the philosophy behind our Best of Guthrie County poll, and the proof is in the pudding. This year, a record 1,052 votes were cast across 91 categories. 

In our poll, we do something that makes our job considerably more difficult but, we believe, makes the results more authentic: We do not pre-load the ballot with suggested answers. Every category is a fill-in-the-blank. You tell us. That means we have to sort through the responses, identify the vote totals, sort them all and make sure the results are accurate. It is more work than handing you a list and asking you to check a box, but we think it is worth it. 

Again this year, we added a formal event to celebrate the winners. The invitation-only Best of Guthrie County event was held Sept. 9 at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds with the top three vote-getters in each of the 91 categories invited. The event once again reached maximum capacity.

Now, we are pleased to share the results with everyone. You will find them in this issue of Lake Panorama Times, as well as the upcoming September editions of Guthrie Center Times and Panora Times. We will also share links through our twice-weekly Times Vedette email newsletter.

So, when you see the winners, congratulate them. Then do something even better: Give them your business. Shop locally. Eat locally. Hire locally. And when it comes time to market your business or organization, we hope you advertise locally, too. We encourage you to support the people and businesses your neighbors have identified as the best. 

Thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707

If dogs could vote, there would not have even been a race.

The Lake Panorama Dog Park was named the Best Place to Take Your Dog in the 2025 Best of Guthrie County poll, and if you have watched a Labrador sprint through the gate at full speed, you know exactly why. Tails wag. Tongues hang. Owners smile. Squirrels reconsider their life choices. It is basically Disney World for dogs, minus the overpriced churros.

The park, located near the east campground at the corner of Sage Trail and RV Road, opened in 2022 after years of planning, fundraising and volunteer work. It is open daily during daylight hours and features separate areas for large and small dogs inside a secure 6-foot chain-link fence. That means Great Danes and Chihuahuas can each enjoy their own version of recess without accidentally creating a nature documentary.

The amenities are impressive, too. Shade trees. Picnic tables. Benches. Water bowls activated with the push of a button. Waste bag dispensers. A crushed-rock walking path. About the only thing missing is a concession stand selling bacon-flavored ice cream.

In a survey conducted this spring by the Lake Panorama Association, 49 respondents said they regularly use the park. But, like most anything worthwhile, the dog park was not built overnight. The idea bounced around for nearly a decade before gaining traction in 2019 when Friends of Lake Panorama began studying the possibility. 

Once the project received approval, volunteers tackled the challenge of raising $50,000. They organized special events, rallied dog lovers and reached the goal in less than a year. Construction began in September 2021, and additional fundraising helped purchase trees and benches after the park opened.

That story may be the park’s greatest feature. Yes, the fences are sturdy. The walking path is nice. The water bowls are clever. But the real foundation is community spirit. The Lake Panorama Dog Park is proof that when neighbors come together with a shared vision — and perhaps a shared love of muddy paw prints — they can build something that benefits many. After all, a community is often judged by how it treats its people. Around here, it is also judged by how the dogs are treated, too. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707
shane@gctimesnews.com 

There is nothing quite like Panorama Days to remind us that humanity is chaotic, charming and deeply committed to eating fried food outdoors.

On paper, Panorama Days sounds quite wholesome — live music, a lengthy parade, smiling families. In reality, it is a delightful mash-up of sunburns, long lines and numerous renditions of 1980s power ballads. And yet, we keep coming back.

Maybe it is because Panorama Days turns our comfortably ordinary place into something magical. Suddenly, our city is packed with classic cars, our lake is full of courageous water skiers, and our stomachs churn from too much ice cream. Streets close, tents pop up and everyone seemingly agrees that standing in line for 10 minutes for an almost cold beer is quite reasonable.

The real entertainment, though, are the people. Panorama Days is one of the few times when strangers will strike up conversations with others for no reason at all. You could be minding your business, ready to bite into a hamburger, and suddenly someone is telling you where to find “the best cheese curds on this side of the Mississippi.” 

Somehow, though, it is not just about the food. It is about the stories behind it. Every booth or food truck has someone proudly explaining their recipe, their craft, or why their salsa is “award-winning.” You nod, you sample, you pretend you understand the subtle flavor notes. It’s a cultural exchange with napkins.

Music adds another layer. Local bands take the stage and give it everything they have got. And there is something refreshing about a performance where the lead singer might also be your dentist.

Of course, no festival is complete without at least one mildly chaotic moment. Maybe it is a sudden rain shower that sends everyone scrambling under tents. Maybe it is a child covered head to toe in cotton candy. Maybe it is you, realizing you have been walking around for an hour with powdered sugar on your face. These are the moments that turn a nice afternoon into a story you will tell later.

In the end, Panorama Days may be a bit messy, kind of loud and a little crazy, but that’s exactly why it matters. It pulls people out of their routines and into a shared space, where the goal isn’t productivity or efficiency, but simply being there, celebrating our community and each other. 

You may leave feeling slightly tired, possibly sticky and definitely overfed, but you also leave with a feeling that, at least for a few hours, you were part of something fun, spontaneous and genuinely human. And, of course, you will be back next year for more.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707
shane@gctimesnews.com 

I have learned over the years that people truly love to know who and what is considered “the best.” That is why we search online, scroll through reviews and ask friends for recommendations. The problem? Online ratings can be manipulated by scammers, fake reviews and companies that specialize in polishing reputations. So how do you find out what local residents really think? That’s where our Best of Guthrie County poll comes in.

We are excited to launch the third edition of this community competition, giving Guthrie County residents another opportunity to recognize the people, places, businesses and events that make this county special.

As I have stated before, one point deserves repeating: The winners are not chosen by us. They are chosen by you. The results reflect the votes of our readers, not the opinions of our staff. That distinction occasionally gets lost in the discussion, but it is an important one.

While the poll will continue to evolve in future years, this year’s version follows a familiar format. You will find 89 categories ranging from serious to spirited. Best pizza. Best pastor. Best park. Best whatever-you-think-deserves-the-title. You can vote in a single category or tackle all 89 if you are feeling ambitious.

We have been promoting the poll through our publications, emails, social media channels and more to encourage participation from every corner of Guthrie County. The more people who vote, the more meaningful the results become.

Last year, 642 votes were cast. That was an incredible showing and a strong increase from 471 the year prior. So far this year, we are at 608 votes and, with your help, should set a new record.  

Voting is simple. Spend 30 seconds voting in one category or settle in with a cup of coffee and complete all 89. The choice is yours. Just remember that once you submit your ballot, it is final. Much like Election Day, there are no do-overs.

And before anyone gets any bright ideas, yes, we monitor for duplicate voting. We catch the cheaters, and those votes are removed. So save yourself the trouble and don’t try to vote multiple times.

If you are ready to participate, scan the QR code or click the banner at www.gctimesnews.com, review the rules and cast your votes. Then share the poll with your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and anyone else with a connection to Guthrie County.

Thank you in advance for taking part. More importantly, thank you for helping recognize the people and places that make Guthrie County a great place to live, work and visit. 

As always, I thank you for reading— and voting!

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707
shane@gctimesnews.com 

For years, I dismissed farmers markets as little more than roadside produce stands — tables of fruits and vegetables, nothing more. I didn’t cook. I didn’t grocery shop. I didn’t care. 

Then, a few years ago, I wandered into a local farmers market — and my view changed. There was honey, still sweet from the hive. Bread, warm and crusty. Homemade jelly. Even wine. But the real surprise wasn’t what was for sale. It was the atmosphere.

Farmers markets aren’t just about food. They are about people. Music drifts through the aisles. Vendors chat with regulars. Shoppers linger instead of rushing. It is part market, part gathering — and entirely its own experience.

At its heart, a farmers market is a place where producers sell directly to consumers. But “farmer” is a broad label, and that is the point. Alongside fresh produce, you will find plants, baked goods, prepared foods and more.

Some markets are small and unassuming. Others — like the one in downtown Des Moines — take over entire city blocks.

They are not permanent. They don’t last all year. And that’s exactly why they matter. Much like the Shamrock Shake I seem to seek out each spring, their short season makes them something to look forward to.

Farmers markets have been around for centuries, long before modern grocery stores reshaped how we shop. But, in recent decades, demand for fresh, local food has brought them back.

And for the grammar-minded: It is “farmers market,” not farmer’s or farmers’. The Associated Press keeps it clean — no possessive — so we do, too.  

In this month’s cover story, we take you inside some of the farmers markets of Guthrie County and introduce you to the people who make them worth the trip. 

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707
shane@gctimesnews.com 

“My people” will be celebrating on March 17. If you are Irish — or even Iowaish — you can relate. And you can, and should, celebrate, too.  

I say “my people” in a loving way, as I am reasonably confident that I am Irish. I am told that I am also German. And French. And even some Native American. But, I am mostly Irish, thanks to my mother. 

Mom and her siblings fit the stereotypes. Short in stature. Red hair. Light skinned. Catholic. And full of vinegar and something else. Opinions were never in short supply when they gathered together.  

My grandmother’s maiden name was Leonard, and her father, Patrick Leonard, was born near Carlow, Ireland, in 1866. My grandson, appropriately named Callahan, was born in 2025 and has carried on that head of red hair. That’s all the proof I need.  

As for those Irish stereotypes, I found some more that made me chuckle at irelandtravelguides.com, including that all Irish have a thing for potatoes, have the name “Mary,” are obsessed with the weather, love fighting yet are a friendly bunch, and use the word “wee” a lot.

But what about the “luck of the Irish?” With all the leprechaun pot-of-gold imagery, there is a perception that the Irish are luckier than others. According to Edward T. O’Donnell, author of “1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish American History,” the luck of the Irish was a sarcastic phrase adopted during the 19th century to refer to successful Irish miners, intended to deride their accomplishments as mere luck.

In this month’s cover story, we feature two of my favorite Irish people — Patrick and Deb Moylan — and the various excursions they have made to the homeland. It is a fitting story for this time of year that gives all of us a reason to celebrate, at least a wee bit.  

Have a great St. Patrick’s Day, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Lake Panorama Times
641-332-2707
shane@gctimesnews.com