News

There were about 60 athletes, playing 3 to a group in Saturday's Special Olympics Unified Mini Golf Tournament at the Vinton Skate Center. "We had over 100 people participating, including the volunteers," says Brian Larkin. The event was sponsored by Koops Outdoor Equipment and Stanley Roofing. The event is the only Special Olympics mini golf tournament held in the state.

Jenna and Nora Grovert won 4th place this year at the Iowa State Fair for the Twins, Triplets and More competition for the 5&6 year old most alike category. They have competed every year since birth and have won the event a few times.

For the second consecutive Iowa Hawkeye football season, the Vinton-Shellsburg Post-Prom Committee has a unique opportunity to reach most of its fund-raising goal, and hopes area residents will help. Working with Whelan Security, the group could raise up to $10,000 or more, if they can get 15 people to volunteer for each Hawkeye home game. The volunteers would serve as ushers, taking tickets, helping people find their seats, etc.

Some Vinton city streets were rendered impassable for a short while on Thursday night, and some Vinton basements remained saturated with a few inches of water after the heavy rains swept through the area. The National Weather Service advised that continued thunderstorms and heavy rains are possible today. Some Vinton residents reported as much as seven to 10 inches in rain gauges.

Cambridge was a kitten born in a litter born to a stray cat found in Vinton, he is the last one of that litter to find a home. If you will visit the Friends of the Shelter Facebook page, you will see that he is indeed the cleanest cat around! Look for the video there! He is all about fun and adventure. Can you help pass the word?  Feel free to contact the Friends of the Shelter here: VintonFOTSI@yahoo.

"Fred," a crossbred boar from Farmersburg, bested the competition to claim the Big Boar title at the 2016 Iowa State Fair. The big pig owned by Wikner Farms tipped the scale at 1,155 pounds. "Lugnut," owened by the Sackett Family of Walker, claimed second place weighing 1,148 pounds. "Big Chief," owned by Charlie Bieber and Ken Kehril of Winthrop, claimed third place weighing in at 1,092 pounds.

The Benton County Board of Adjustment – a five-member panel of unpaid volunteers that often goes for years without meeting at all – has met several times in the several months to take action on two separate land use issues. And in each of those two cases, the decision of the Board of Adjustment has resulted in a lawsuit filed by someone who opposed the board's decision.

When Destiny Loney had her first interview with a TV star, she was so nervous she didn't realize until it was too late that she had put her shirt on backwards. The Vinton-Shellsburg graduate is pursuing two careers, one in radio and one as a cheerleading coach. She was a cheerleader at VS High School before joining the Kirkwood cheerleaders.

The Abbe Center building, damaged in the 2011 wind storm and then damaged even more by the July 17 tornado, has been torn down. The mental health service has moved to 309 First Avenue, across the street from the courthouse. The local number has been reconnected; clients can call at 319-472-5226.

"I will get to wear my blue jacket at least one more time," says Emily Cashman. Emily is one of two Vinton-Shellsburg alumni who learned this week that they have been chosen as recipients of the American FFA Degree. Emily nd John Eden have each been invited to accept their award at the National Convention in Indianapolis this fall. The American FFA Degree is awarded to members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA and made significant accomplishments in theirsupervised agricultural experiences (SAEs).