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Advice on caring for animals when the temperature dropsWith more bitter cold days in the forecast, livestock and pet owners need to be vigilant about the care they give to outdoor animals.While many hobby farm animals in Iowa are well acclimated to lower temperatures, a few basic considerations can keep livestock healthy and comfortable throughout the winter months, according to Amy Powell, 4-H specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The conditions have continued to deteriorate this morning and more ice has been added to the roadways. School is cancelled for the day.We will make a decision on evening activities this afternoon. 

David Upah, a Sheriff Deputy for Benton County has announced his run to fill the seat of Benton County Sheriff in the 2024 election. Upah has served in Benton County for the past nearly 18 years in law enforcement. He began in 2006 as a Reserve Deputy and later on the Special Response Team and performed drug investigations and civil processes. As a road deputy Upah has been involved in jail operations, taking care of vehicle fatalities, homicides, and any kind of call that you can imagine.

Vinton Police Chief Ted Paxton has been a fixture in the Vinton area since he was appointed as the Vinton Police Chief in 2014. Paxton has had a long career in law enforcement. Before he arrived in Vinton. He completed his training at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA)  and has served in the following positions: 1996 in Albion, Iowa as a Police Chief1999 he joined the Hardin Sheriff's Department in Eldora, Iowa 2007-2014 he served as the Eldora Chief of Police 2014-Present he has served as the Vinton Chief of Police In a news release, Paxton made his official announcement about his candidacy for the office of Benton County Sheriff in the 2024 election.

Do you know a child that loves to write or draw stories?!The Vinton Public Library is hosting a Kid Author Event. Local children are encouraged to write their own story and have a meet and greet with the public. Children will come to the event, share their story, sign autographs, and can have a chance to read their story aloud. There will be three age categories:*Kindergarten-2nd Grade *3rd-5th Grade *6th-12th Grade Writing Requirements: 1.

Photo DescriptionsBenton County Historical Society Presentation On behalf of the Benton County Historical Society, Andrew Elwick, presented the school district with four matted maps of the town of Vinton. Highlighting various famous buildings.Difference Maker PresentationMelissa Smith, Amber Foss, Melissa Dulin, and Jasmin Pottebaum have been nominated as true difference makers.

Individuals meeting at (or below) 200% of the federal poverty guidelines are eligible to apply for the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) facilitated through the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc. (HACAP) in 9 eastern Iowa counties that include: Linn, Johnson, Jones, Benton, Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson, Iowa, and Washington.

Watching the numbers on caucus night wasn't really that surprising. This felt like the first caucus that wasn't a nail-biter when it came to guessing who was going to win. Stomping the other candidates in every county but Johnson County, Trump was a clear win. In Johnson County, Nikki Haley won with 1,271 votes to Trump's 1,270. That wasn't at all surprising to me.

The Benton County Community Foundation (BCCF) is announcing the distribution of $296,589 to 30 projects of organizations serving Benton County through its 2023 grant cycle.“Benton County is very fortunate to have these organizations striving to better our community and the Benton County Community Foundation is proud to support them,” said Brian McNulty, chair of the BCCF impact committee.

The Vinton City Council has had to make some hard decisions over the last few months. Replacing the sewer plant has been at the top of the discussion as well as upgrades to the water treatment plant as well. "These 2 facilities are ones that no one thinks about until they don’t have water pressure or can’t flush the toilet. The new designs also are taking into account the safety of our employees in the day-to-day operations of the plant," said Mayor Bud Maynard.