News

Garrett Paustian, a Benton County 4-H member donated a barn quilt to the Iowa 4-H Foundation for its annual auction.  4-H supporters from around the state gathered on Feb. 28 in Cedar Rapids to raise funds to support the Foundation. Over 200 attendees enjoyed an evening full of food, socializing, and of course, opportunities to bid on more than 110 silent and live auction items! At the end of the night, over $106,000 was raised to fund opportunities for Iowa’s 4-H youth which include state-level award recognition, scholarships, national 4-H trips as well as financial aid support.

On April 9th, 2015 the Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Chapter held their annual labor auction at 7 pm in the Vinton-Shellsburg High School gymnasium. At the labor auction, many buyers showed up to buy FFA members for up to 8 hours worth of work. This year, a total of 44 freshmen, sophomore, juniors, and seniors, along with the two advisors were sold and raised up to $12,105.

The Benton County Fair is looking for young women who are interested in serving as a representative of the fair by becoming the Benton County Fair Queen.  As a representative for the Benton County Fair, the queen will be asked to assist with various contests and activities during the county fair in July as well as helping with other promotional activities.

When the grief-stricken Center Point Urbana High School student body joined the Stormin' Pointers football team in a prayer huddle Friday to mourn the death of senior Triston Randall, they surrounded Triston’s teammates, who had formed a tight circle around the classmate who was most profoundly affected by his death – cheerleader Alexis Waddell, who, two years ago today, said "Yes!" when Triston asked her to be his girl.

Ask Matt Wilden, PAC., one of 5 providers serving Virginia Gay Hospital’s Emergency Department, to describe a secret dread and it would be one shared by many health care providers.  Their dread is to be responsible for a patient with limited space, limited equipment, and no backup.  That’s where Matt found himself last Thursday at 30,000 feet, cut-off from the state-of-the-art equipment and communications he relies on at Virginia Gay, but responsible for a patient with all the signs of a heart attack.

After several complaints from local residents, and a letter from State Rep. Dawn Pettengill, the director of the Iowa Department of Transportation has ordered a safety study of the intersection of the Highway 150 curve and 55th Street where five young people died in a pickup-semi accident last Thursday. Pettengill wrote to Iowa DOT Director Paul Trombino III the following request: "Please accept this formal request for the Department of Transportation to review and implement additional safety measures at the intersection of 55th Street and State Highway 150 west of Urbana, Iowa.

An informal support group for family and friends affected by drug abuse will begin meeting in Vinton.  Please join us on Monday, April 27, at 6:30pm at the Vinton Pizza Ranch in the meeting room.  All are welcome and all information is confidential.  This group is a place for support and positive encouragement.

Approximately 25 people from Boy Scout Troop 47 (Vinton), Cub Scout Pack 47 (Vinton) and Cub Scout Pack 43 (Shellsburg) helped plant 500 bare root seedlings - a mix of Red Oak and Walnut. The project was at the Russ and Barb Glime property between Shellsburg and Urbana.  They have about 7 acres of timber that was heavily damaged in the 2011 wind storm.

The Vinton Community Foundation board members are pleased to announce they are now accepting grant applications from non-profit Vinton area groups, for the 2015-grant program. The following grant applications may be applied for: the Vinton Community Foundation, the L.J. Kirkland Trust, and the City of Vinton Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Fund. Board members include Mary Jo Hainstock, chairman, representing the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School; Rev.

After the removal of the cardboard recycling trailer because of problems with people placing non-cardboard trash in the trailer, Mayor John Watson led an effort by the City of Vinton to negotiate its return with Josh Fry of J & R Enterprises of Garrison.   Although the trailer is located inside the fenced-in area of the Benton County Engineer/Road Department, Mayor Watson said this effort with the trailer is a city-funded venture.