News

Innovative pilot program demonstrates how government, non-profits and the private sector can partner together to address community challenges like food insecurity while also building Iowa’s economy Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the launch of the Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Program – Food Bank Pilot. The pilot program, which was authorized during the 2024 legislative session and is an initiative of the state’s Choose Iowa Program, aims to connect Iowa food banks with Choose Iowa members to help alleviate food insecurity within our communities.

On the agenda for discuss and approval were Benton County Handbook changes in sections: 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5.Vacation time for Benton County employees has been a topic of discussion for more than a year. According to current terms laid out in the Benton County Employee Handbook in Section 4.2,  employee vacation should be as follows:1 year - 10 days8 years - 15 days17 years - 20 daysRecently a long time employee, brought to the attention of the Board of Supervisors that they had been there for 39 years and is still allowed only four weeks of vacation.

Melissa Sherbon, 42, a former special education associate who worked at the middle and high school of the Benton Community School District was arrested in January of 2024. Sherbon was charged with Telephone Dissemination of Obscene Material to a Minor. This is her first offense. She pled guilty to the charge and received a 2 year deferred sentence and 2 years of supervised probation, a civil penalty of $855.

Hemorrhagic disease, commonly referred to as EHD or Bluetongue, has been impacting deer in Iowa for over a decade, with severe outbreaks occurring in 2012, 2013, 2019, and 2023. As a way to better understand disease impacts, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has created an online tool where hunters and landowners can report dead deer resulting from hemorrhagic disease outbreaks.

Randy Scheel spoke with the local Vinton Kiwanis Club on Tuesday about Benton County Conservation. He introduced himself sharing a story about how he became involved. It began when he decided to run on the Old Creamery Nature local trail in the Garrison area. He noticed that a tree was down blocking the trail/ Returned to the trail on his four wheeler and with his chain saw to take care of the problem, he met Nancy Baldwin who was also doing some work on the trail.

Farm Rescue provides planting, haying, harvesting, commodity hauling, and livestock feeding assistance to families who have experienced a major illness, injury, or natural disaster. They believe that every farm and ranch family deserves the dignity of a helping hand.National Farm Rescuer Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of March and is recognized annually.

An Iowa district judge has ruled that a law banning most abortions as early as six weeks takes effect on Monday, July 29. District Judge Jeffrey Farrell said that the injunction blocking the law from enforcement will be lifted at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. The order came down a day after the Iowa Supreme Court denied Planned Parenthood’s petition for a hearing of its case to  challenge the law.

        ​The Iowa State Fair is quickly approaching and plans for the annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show are in full swing. Iowa cattlemen support this great event that benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.        ​Izzie Birker of Garrison, Iowa, has joined the Governor’s Charity Steer Show lineup of exceptional youth to show her steer at the August 10 event.