News

Joshua Paul Thomas, 32, of Hiawatha, escaped injury when he drove around a railroad safety barrier and drove into a passing train in Norway on Friday morning. The Iowa State Patrol says Thomas had stopped for an eastbound train then drove around the stop arm and attempted to cross, hitting the westbound train at 7:18 a.m. The front of his 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee sustained significant damage.

Each year the American Legion of Iowa holds a “Fifth Grade Flag Essay” contest which begins at the Post level. The students are asked to write about what the American flag means to them. This year George G Luckey Post57 received essays from 61 fifth grade students of the Shellburg Elementary School. The members of Post 57 are proud to announce our winners:   1st Pace: Aspen Ahrenholz of Mrs Lorenzen's class.

A unique snowman is turning heads on Third Street; Kipp Schoettmer and the guys at John's Tire Service painted and built and lighted a snowman made of tires.  If you see any unique Christmas season lights or decorations, pass them along to us at vintontoday@hotmail.com

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Bobby Jo Witt age: 41 from Cedar Rapids Iowa following a chase during the early morning hours of December 17, 2015. A deputy on patrol between Newhall and Atkins at 12:19 am observed the driver of a vehicle run a stop sign and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver refused to stop and attempted to elude the deputy driving away at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour.

Along with learning how to design, program and pilot a Lego robot well enough to earn the school's first trip to the State Competition, the members of VS Middle School Lego League teams are leading an effort to help recycle electronics. Working with an electronics recycling company, the students are collecting a variety of items, and the school progam will receive funding from profits from the resale of those items.

While recognizing there is room to improve, staff at Vinton-Shellsburg are proud of the results the Iowa Department of Education released earlier today. As a result of legislation action in 2013, the Department of Education developed Attendance Center Rankings for all the school buildings across the state.  Vinton-Shellsburg’s Middle School received an “Exceptional” ranking which is the highest ranking and one that only 3% of middle schools across the state received! Tilford Elementary was ranked as “High Performing,” the High School as “Commendable” and Shellsburg Elementary was given a ranking of “Acceptable.

The school board met in regular session on Monday, December 14 with all board members present.  Highlights from the meeting include an overview by Gail Showman of the Home School Assistance Program shared with Benton.  There are currently 125 students enrolled in the program. Under the Superintendent’s Report, Paige and Cloey Fall will continue attending CPU even though they moved into the district; Every Student Achieves Act was approved by Congress and signed by the President, it will replace No Child Left Behind starting next fall; staff are working on K-12 attendance policies and will have recommendations for the board’s review in January; the January board meeting will include building walk-throughs and then the meeting will begin at 4:00 at Tilford.

Usually at this time of the year, area residents are looking at the Cedar River and wondering how soon the ice will be thick enough for ice fishing or snowmobiles. Not this year. Area residents are watching the river, wondering how high the water will rise. In the past three days, the Cedar River level as measured at the Vinton USGS (United States Geological Service) monitoring station rose from 6 to 13 feet.

The Angel Tree program is again going to be a success this year, thanks to the many donors of money, clothing and toys. Approximately 200 children are signed up for the program, says LaNette Parker. Donors brought item to the WMT Stuff the Bus drive at Windsor Manor, and have left them at the Angel Trees set up at Farmers Bank and US Bank. and G & G Auto Parts.

Being diagnosed with cancer can be frightening, but it also gives you license to get away with a lot of things you wouldn't do otherwise.  "Laugh With Kathy" takes you on a journey through breast cancer and finding humor in the diagnosis, treatment and survival of the disease through one patient's experience.   “Laugh With Kathy”  is alternately laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving, Kathy gives you glimpses of what it takes to beat breast cancer.