News
Whether in State Government or at Home, a Deal is a Deal
by Rob SandA homeowner calls a contractor to complete a home renovation job, accepts the estimated price, and has the work done—only to get a bill for twice the agreed-upon price! But this one has a twist: the owner is your state government, they are paying with your tax dollars, and they agreed to the cost doubling with no justification at all. All the facts follow. Secretary Naig Honors 16 Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar Contest Winners
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig recognized 16 Iowa students whose artwork was selected for inclusion in the 2024-2025 Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar during a ceremony at the 2024 Iowa State Fair.Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, Iowa raised and Iowa made food and ag products. The annual Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar contest encourages Iowa students to create artwork that highlights the importance and productivity of Iowa agriculture. From Preparation to Participation: Plan Your Vote Today
Save the date! The General Election is on November 5, 2024. Polls will be open from 7 AM - 8 PM. It is never too early to make a plan to vote! Register to vote, identify your polling place, and find additional voting resources at www.voterready.iowa.gov or www.sos.iowa.govImportant dates to remember: October 16: First day absentee ballots can be mailed out; first day of in-person absentee voting.
Sandburg honored by 4-H Foundation
Clint Sandburg is a true cowboy with the 4-H clover on his heart. Clint’s passion for 4-H and the horse and pony project area has truly changed the Benton County 4-H program.Over the years, Clint has served as the horse and pony 4-H superintendent in Benton County, where he prioritized creating a safe and welcoming learning environment for youth who have a passion for horses. V-S FFA Learns New Skills
By: Co-Reporter, Sophia NewtonThe FFA State Meats Judging took place on Saturday August 24th at Iowa State University. The group of sophomores including Ali Lutz, Levi Lutz, Zane Helter, and Sophia Newton received a bronze ranking. These members participated in many different activities in this contest which included evaluating and judging different cuts of meat. Rural Energy for America Program Loans and Grants
Program Application Period: Open for Fiscal Year 2024Application Window:Ends September 30, 2024What does this program do?The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.
Big Boy 4014 Steams through Benton County
"Big Boy 4014" made it through Benton County on Thursday. Built in 1941, the train has a 4-8-8-4 configuration, which means it has four guide wheels in front, two sets of eight drive wheels, and four wheels in the back. Because of its length, the design helped the train to make it around curves.132 feet long and weighing in at 1.2 million pounds, Big Boy is the largest steam engine ever to be produced. Benton County Board of Supervisor Notes for 9/3/24
The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in session on Tuesday morning, September 3, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. The meeting can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/bentoncountyiowaThe agenda and minutes were approved with a spelling correction.Sheriff Ron Tippett presented a contract for the patrolling with the City of Norwaty for 520 hours over the next 12 month at an hourly rate of $32. Fremont Township continues to seek funding and make repairs following derecho
Four years sounds like a long time for any project. But the dedication of the Fremont Township Trustees was obvious as they came before the Benton County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The Fremont Township Hall was hit by the derecho causing the township to find sources of funding to repair the building. Andy Jones, the clerk for the Fremont Township Trustees, addressed the board concerning a request for a loan for the Fremont Township Hall.
STATE AUDITOR HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS REPORT ON A SPECIAL INVESTIGATION
State Auditor Rob Sand hEld a news conference today to discuss a report on a special investigation of the University of Iowa, Department of Physics and Astronomy Machine Shop. The report identifies more than $943,000 diverted into a personal bank account that should have been deposited into the University's account.The special investigation was requested by University officials because a
member of the Department, Brian Busch, failed to disclose his ownership of D3Signtech (D3T) in
compliance with the University's Conflicts of Interest and Commitment policy.