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 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today provided an update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) state response measures, including announcing new testing requirements for dairy cattle participating in Iowa fairs and exhibitions. He also reiterated his request to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for resources for impacted farmers, and extended his appreciation to Iowa farmers for their cooperation with testing and research efforts that are increasing the broader understanding of this virus.

I am excited to announce Victoria Humiston as the winner of this year's Congressional Art Competition for Iowa's Second Congressional District! Her winning piece, One Acre, was inspired by her uncle's farm and will hang in the U.S. Capitol. Victoria is currently a senior at Vinton-Shellsburg High in Vinton, IA, and a very talented young artist. I'

Hunters will notice a few regulation changes for the upcoming 2024-2025 hunting seasons. These changes could impact deer hunters, waterfowl hunters and furharvesters.DeerDue to a recent statewide effort to combine, clarify, and simplify regulations, Iowa’s hunting regulations now clearly state that party hunting is not allowed for nonresidents.

The Benton County Fair was the place to be last week. Kids of all ages, along with their pets, and livestock were on hand to show their animals and compete for the top spot. Also on the grounds were visitors from the Lutheran Living Communities in Vinton. They had the opportunity to hold and pet several of the animals being shown at the fair.&

The Benton County Fair board would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Olivia Hanson as the 2024 Benton County Fair Queen, and Grayce McClintock as the 2024 Benton County Fair Princesses.A special thank you to Izzie Birker for serving as the 2023 Benton County Fair Queen and Kait Ballard for serving as the 2023 Benton County Fair Princess.

As the 4th of July rolls around, and fireworks are now being sold in town, I've had requests to ask residents to refrain from shooting them off in town. Vinton is home to several veterans who suffer from PTSD. Out of respect for them, please do not set them off in town. As I type this, someone just set some off in my neighborhood. Even without this request…FIREWORKS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED WITHIN THE CITY OF VINTONCity of Vinton Ordinance Chapter 41.

The Benton County Treasurer’s Office is hiring a Motor Vehicles Clerk. This position is responsible for assisting the public by accurately processing motor vehicle transactions as directed by the State of Iowa.Position Responsibilities:Provide excellent service to the public in a timely manner by assisting customers at the counter and answering telephonesAssist motor vehicle owners and dealers in processing vehicle registrations, transferring titles, issuing license plates, computing and collecting appropriate feesIssue salvage titles, junk certificates, duplicate titles, file refund claims, and perform all other record keeping consistent with State of Iowa proceduresLocate and record lien information to assist law enforcement officials, insurance companies and the Internal Revenue Service by searching recordsCollect property tax paymentsOther duties as assignedQualifications:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

 All Charges are subject to review by the Benton County Attorney’s Office. An arrest or criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the Defendant is presumed innocent, unless proven guilty. Intrastate Warrants are issued by Law Enforcement Agencies for crimes happening in their jurisdictions. Two Adult Arrests the week of June 10-16, 2024 June 12Jonathan Allen Franklin, 45, Vinton, IAIntrastate Warrant Arrest-Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Air/Blood Flow Causing Bodily Injury June 14​Athene Rene Darland, 39, Cedar Rapids, IABurglary 3rd Degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia  Zero Juvenile Referrals  Four Code Enforcement Violations- Tall Grass x 3- Parking Violation x 1  Five Traffic Citations for Offenses were issued  Seven Traffic Warnings for Offenses were issued  Two Reported Motor Vehicle Accidents For the Week of June 10-16, 2024, 81 complaints/calls for service were handled by the Vinton Police Department.

Each Summer the Iowa County Recorders Association meets for continuing education in one of the State's six Districts, and last week Okoboji was the meeting destination.As elected officials, the Recorders have a formal Certification Program which offers learning sessions that broadly impact their professional role in the County. Courses are focused on Leadership & Ethics, Open Meetings & Open Records Laws, Communication, Human Resources & Office Management, Iowa Code, Tech Applications, and Local Government/Budgeting.

By Jack O'ConnorIowa scored relatively well in education rankings among the states, but with declining test scores and on-time high school graduation rates decreasing, the state has fallen from its highs of previous years, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.Sixty-seven percent of Iowa fourth-graders in 2022 were not proficient in reading, which is two percentage points worse than the 2019 pre-COVID rates, according to the Kids Count report.