News

At 8 p.m. last Saturday, the bell atop the Benton County courthouse chimed – four times. At that time, the big hand on the clock facing south was on “12;” the little hand on 8. The clock facing west, however, was five minutes behind. Five minutes later, when the west face of the courthouse clock was at 8, the bell chimed four more times.

Vinton police are investigating the recent break-in at the Benton County Speedway. One one or possibly more occasions this week, the perpertrators entered the structure, damaging a door, before taking some product from the concession stand and vandalizing equipment.  A $500 reward has been offered for information leading to conviction of those responsible.

Ribbons and banners were awarded at the Boer Goat Show judged August 23 at the 2015 Iowa State Fair. Complete results below: COMMERCIAL DOES Commercial Goat, class 1 1) Zeke Kauzlarich, Knoxville 2) Deppe Bros., Maquoketa 3) Harwood Farm, West Point 4) Harwood Farm, West Point 5) Break of Dawn Boer Goats, Lorimor 6) Harwood Farm, West Point 7) Nishna Valley Boer Goats, Atlantic 8) Lane Elmquist, Audubon 9) Break of Dawn Boer Goats, Lorimor 10) Scurr Bros.

The English Society Horse Show took place August 18 through 20 in the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center at the 2015 Iowa State Fair. Complete results below: Five-Gaited Open 1) Judy Gauger, Marengo Five-Gaited Iowa Owned 1) Judy Gauger, Marengo Five-Gaited Stake 1) Judy Gauger, Marengo Three-Gaited Open 1) Green Wood Stables, Indianola Three-Gaited Iowa Owned 1) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls 2) Green Wood Stables, Indianola Three-Gaited Stake 1) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls 2) Green Wood Stables, Indianola Three-Gaited Pleasure -- 17 & Under 1) Jennifer DeRoos, Urbandale 2) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 3) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls 4) Green Wood Stables, Ankeny Three-Gaited Pleasure -- 18 & Over 1) Gretchen Stanislav, Granger 2) Delaney Morris, Norwalk Three-Gaited Pleasure Stake 1) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 2) Jennifer DeRoos, Urbandale 3) Gretchen Stanislav, Granger 4) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls Pleasure Model 1) Kelsi Keith-Rusch, Ottumwa 2) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls 3) Green Wood Stables, Ankeny Five-Gaited Pleasure Horse 1) Deanne Mundt, Urbandale Five-Gaited Show Pleasure Stake 1) Deanne Mundt, Urbandale Country Pleasure English -- 17 & Under 1) Ron Beckman, West Burlington 2) Green Wood Stables, Norwalk 3) Tina Sherman, Marengo Country Pleasure English -- 18 & Over 1) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 2) Kelsi Keith-Rusch, Ottumwa 3) Sara Eaton, Des Moines 4) Green Wood Stables, Norwalk 5) Terri Rocca, Iowa City Country Pleasure English Stake 1) Ron Beckman, West Burlington 2) Sara Eaton, Des Moines 3) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 4) Terri Rocca, Iowa City 5) Tina Sherman, Marengo Country Pleasure Western -- 18 & Over 1) HEARTLAND STABLES, Des Moine 2) Lesley Stucker, Johnston 3) Kim Herron, De Soto 4) Sandra Swalla, Newton Country Pleasure Western Stake 1) HEARTLAND STABLES, Des Moine 2) Kim Herron, De Soto 3) Lesley Stucker, Johnston 4) Sandra Swalla, Newton Country Pleasure Model 1) Marcia Pothoven, Pella Fine Harness Iowa Owned 1) Julie Phillips, West Des Moines Fine Harness Stake 1) Julie Phillips, West Des Moines Park Pleasure 1) Sally Graf, Clive 2) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton Park Pleasure Stake 1) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 2) Sally Graf, Clive Park Open 1) Susan Aschenbrenner, Urbandale 2) Ed Rhoads, Waverly, Ohio 3) Mary O'Keefe, Cumming 4) Kelsi Keith-Rusch, Ottumwa Park Stake 1) Ed Rhoads, Waverly, Ohio 2) Mary Okeefe, Cumming 3) Kelsi Keith-Rusch, Ottumwa Saddle Seat Equitation -- 17 & Under 1) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 2) Ron Beckman, West Burlington Saddle Seat Equitation Stake 1) Renae Van Zomeren, Leighton 2) Ron Beckman, West Burlington Hackney Pony Single 1) Heavenly Acres, Dysart Hackney Pony Single Stake 1) Heavenly Acres, Dysart Hackney Harness Pony Single 1) Rise & Shine Stables, Altoona Hackney Harness Pony Single Stake 1) Rise & Shine Stables, Altoona Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving 1) Heavenly Acres, Dysart 2) Doug Anderson, Eldridge 3) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls 4) Doug Anderson, Eldridge 5) Judith McDonough, Douds Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving Stake 1) Doug Anderson, Eldridge 2) Judith McDonough, Douds 3) Clif Paulsen, Cedar Falls 4) Heavenly Acres, Dysart Roadster Pony Single - Open 1) Rise & Shine Stables, Altoona 2) Judith McDonough, Douds Roadster Pony Single - Amateur 1) Rise & Shine Stables, Altoona 2) Judith McDonough, Douds Roadster Pony Stake 1) Rise & Shine Stables, Altoona 2) Rise & Shine Stables, Altoona 3) Judith McDonough, Douds Morgan Gelding at Halter 1) Mary and Lyle Borg, Pella 2) Mary and Lyle Borg, Pella 3) Judy Gauger, Marengo Morgan Grand & Reserve Grand Champion Grand) Mary and Lyle Borg, Pella Res.

CriVen Llamas of Rogersville, Mo. captured Best of Show honors in the 2015 Iowa State Fair Llama show held August 22. The winning llama was selected from Grand Champion females and males in the Light Wool, Medium Wool, Heavy Wool, Silky Wool, Suri Wool, Non-Breeder and Miniature divisions. Additional results below: COSTUME Junior Costume -- 7-11 Years Old 1) Rustic Ridge Llamas, Winterset 2) Raven Dilley, Eldora Intermediate Costume -- 12-15 Years Old 1) Trisha Tjarks, Alden Senior Costume -- 16-18 Years Old 1) Rustic Ridge Llamas, Winterset Advanced Costume 1) Bethany Arnold, Hampton 2) Bushwhacker Llamas, Nevada, Mo.

Rosemary Thompson of Gilman exhibited both the Grand Champion Bull and the Champion Iowa Bull in the Shorthorn Cattle Show judged August 22 at the 2015 Iowa State Fair. Braden Gabrielson of Belmond took home the Grand Champion Female and Champion Iowa Female Banners. Landon Bolin of Dunlap exhibited the Reserve Champion Female and Mitchell Family Shorthorns of Waverly earned the Reserve Champion Bull banner.

For the second year in a row, Scott Anderson of Brandon earned the Grand Master honor at the Pyrotechnics Guild International competion.  He won last year's event in Mason City. This year, he earned the top honor from the international fireworks organization after winning or placing well in several categories with his homemade displays.

Megan Rickels went home from her last meeting as a member of the Vinton-Shellsburg School board, where her husband and sons had made her favorite meal.  It was one of several expressions of thanks that Rickels and fellow board member Angela Hazen received as they left the board after serving two terms. Each chose not to seek re-election.

When Vinton residents cast ballots for the November city elections, they will also have an opportunity to create a new telecommunications utility for the city; one that could offer telephone, internet, and cable TV as the communities of Independence and Cedar Falls have done. Kurt Karr, a member of the iVinton Committee, explained to council members what a yes vote would and would not do.

Maidrites & Music, the concert featuring musicians from several states who play with Vinton resident Todd Frank almost every September, raised money for the Garrison Library building project on Saturday night.  More than 60 people filled the Farmers Mercantile Hall, the building that for decades housed the Mercantile general store, Volunteers wearing red "Garrison Rockets" t-shirts served the meal before the performers took turns playing guitars, violins and other instruments and singing.