“The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round.” As students head back to classrooms across Iowa next week, this song will be on the tip of our tongues.

 The Brush & Compost Yard hours will be strictly followed. Please plan accordingly.August, September, October & NovemberMonday-Friday from 11:00am — 7:00pmSaturday from 10:00am — 7:00pmSunday from 1:00pm — 5:00pm Do NOT dump brush, grass clippings or other yard waste in the ditch if the gate is closed.

The Benton County Fairgrounds roared to life one last time for Boomtown as it held its final show in 2025, capping off years of explosive tradition with an unforgettable night of fireworks, fun, and community spirit.

 Scammers often target older Iowans, exploiting their kindness and good will. These schemes can take many forms, such as a scammer posing as a family member in urgent need of help or falsely claiming the older Iowan is involved in a crime and needs to pay to avoid arrest or jail.

To address Iowa’s ongoing teacher shortage, the state is investing an additional $3.4 million into a growing apprenticeship program aimed at building the next generation of educators.

By: Co-Reporter, Abby McKennaThe Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Chapter had an outstanding showing at the 2025 Iowa State Fair, with members competing in a wide variety of events and earning recognition for their hard work.

A Waterloo man who smuggled fentanyl into the United States and distributed it in the Waterloo area was sentenced today to 37 years in federal prison.  Javoni Marcelius Butler, also known as “G Man,” age 44, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 20, 2024 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, one count of international money laundering, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

This week we were excited to welcome eight new teachers to the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District. Over the past two days, they participated in training designed to help them get acquainted with our district, our students, and our community.

As students across Iowa prepare to return to the classroom, Attorney General Brenna Bird is issuing a warning to Iowa parents and schools about the dangers of deepfake artificial intelligence (AI) images being used for bullying and harassment.

Hey Vinton-Shellsburg fam! Want to show off your school spirit and support a great cause? We're selling VS Apparel to help raise funds for Post Prom 2026! Awesome gear.