News

Traffic has resumed on Highway 150 just east of Prairie Creek Church. The new bridge construction has been completed and there is no longer a detour on the road. 

Benton County Emergency Management released the following information concerning incoming weather for today, July 15, 2024. There is a heat advisory for this area with a heat index of 100° to 110°. Take frequent breaks in air conditioning. There will also be scattered storms throughout this afternoon north I-80 and probably severe storms in the late afternoon into the evening.

After 25 years as the Benton County Emergency Management Coordinator, Scott Hansen, will finally not have to worry about the weather. Or flooding. Or whether or not he should sound the tornado sirens. But out of habit he will no doubt be still thinking about all these things. Beginning July 1, 1999, the year before the dreaded and uncertain Y2K. In a time when computers were still relatively new and no one had a clue what to expect, Hansen began his career.

Dear Vinton-Shellsburg Staff and Community,I am writing to provide an update on our ongoing facilities planning process, which has been a significant focus for our district as we strive to support the success of all students and staff through improved infrastructure.As part of our continuous improvement plan, we have made notable progress. We recently completed the Tiny Vikes Early Learning Center and are finishing up essential building system updates at the Middle School.

A second set of arrests were carried out by the Benton County Sheriff's Department for a married couple from Shellsburg. Stacy Diveley was arrested on the same charge that brought her a prison term just a week earlier. She was arrested for one count of Child Endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor. She was tried in June for her original crimes, found guilty and sentenced to no more than 7 years in prison on July 1, 2024.

July 30 is World Day Against Trafficking, a day dedicated to raising awareness and taking action against the scourge of human trafficking. At the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office, we are passionate about addressing this issue that often goes unnoticed, with survivors too often falling through the cracks of our society.Human trafficking is a modern-day slavery that affects countless lives globally, including within our own communities.

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.Five Adult Arrests the week of July 1-7, 2024June 26 Joshua James Gordon, 47, Vinton, IA Theft 3rd Degree-ShopliftingJune 26 Adriane Sophia Gordon, 45, Vinton, IA Theft 5th Degree-Shoplifting July 3 Austin Tyler Wroblewski,27, Vinton, IA Intrastate Warrant Arrest-Revocation of ProbationJuly 6 Breanna Michelle Uthoff, 25, Vinton, IA Driving While BarredJuly 7 Mackinsie Kay Richey, 27, Vinton, IA Domestic Abuse Assault-2nd OffenseOne Juvenile Referral for the week of June 24-30, 2024Zero Code Enforcement Violations for the week of July 1-7, 2024Sixteen Traffic Citations for Offenses were issued the week of July 1-7, 2024Twenty-Eight Traffic Warnings for Offenses were issued the week of July 1-7, 2024Zero Reported Motor Vehicle Accidents for the week of July 1-7, 2024For the Week of July 1-7, 2024– 110 complaints/calls for service were handled by the Vinton Police Department.

 The Iowa Department of Revenue has a new website, which merges tax.iowa.gov and abd.iowa.gov into the new revenue.iowa.gov. As the state’s revenue agency, the Department supports businesses across all sectors and has the operational  infrastructure to do so efficiently and effectively. As part of the State’s government alignment initiative, The Governor directed the Iowa Department of Revenue to align with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverage Division and the Iowa Lottery Authority to become one agency.

Recently 88 Veterans flew out on the 51st Eastern Iowa Honor Flight. Leaving Cedar Rapids early in the morning, the Iowa Veterans arrived to the applause and cheers of hundreds of travelers who were waiting at the Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. The Sun Country jet filled with the veterans and their guardians had been spotted by those waiting for flights in the Reagan terminal building.

The Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Supervisors Rick Primmer, Tracy Seeman and Gary Bierschenk were present.The meeting began at 9:00 a.m. The agenda and minutes were approved. With a correction of claims concerning paint for the HR department, the claims were also approved. ARPA Claims concerning Public Health with a total of $12,588.