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Municipal consultant Patrick Callahan helped the Vinton City Council replace the city manager; he now will work with City Manager Chris Ward, Mayor John Watson, and the city council on seeking a new chief of police. The council approved hiring Callahan during its meeting on Thursday. Mayor Watson also expressed his desire to appoint a citizens' committee to help city officials screen the candidates and offer its input.

The Doggie Dip on Sunday brought the 2014 Vinton Municipal Swimming Pool season to an end. Several dog owners brought their pets for a swim before the pool closed for the season.  

The best minute so far in the history of Vinton-area fireworks took place Friday, in Mason City. Scott Anderson of rural Brandon received the Grand Master trophy, honoring him as the best individual fireworks maker among all of those who entered the Pyrotechnics Guild International competition last week. While Scott’s friends, neighbors and colleagues from the Iowa Pyrotechnic Association (IPA) were still applauding, they heard the announcer declare that the IPA had won the Team Trophy for the first time in several years.

The Vinton City Council dealt with a unique "quagmire," as Mayor John Watson called it during Thursdays meeting: The quagmire: With two of its six members no longer in office, and one of the four remaining members absent, there was not a sufficient number of council members present to vote on any thing, including the appointment of people to fill the vacancies.

The Cummings family of Benton County came home with three honors from the 51st Annual Farm Bureau Cook-Out Contest, and Dawn Richards of Vinton earned a First Place trophy for her beef entry.  Phil Cummings, Center Point, won 1st Place in the Lamb Category at the Iowa State Fair for Iowa Farm Bureau’s 51st Annual Cookout Contest with his Mediterranean Lamb Pops recipe.

There's a philosophy shared among those who love the world of pyrotechnics: Anything that is part of life is better if you add fireworks to it. A 1990s Mercury Grand Marquis? Naturally! Birthday cake? Of course! Video games? Indeed! Favorite songs? Always! A pinata? Si, Senor! These items were just a few of the things that members of the Iowa Pyrotechnic Association, along with other fireworks enthusiasts from a variety of other state clubs and associations, used this week in Mason City during the annual Pyrotechnics Guild International Convention, which returns to the North Iowa Event Center about every five years.

Top dairy farms competed for honors in the Brown Swiss Dairy Cattle show judged Friday at the 2014 Iowa State Fair. Lee-Ann's Swiss of DeWitt showed the Grand Champion Female and Honorable Mention Female. Type-Wise of Boyceville, Wis., received the Reserve Grand Champion Female banner. Additional results below (name, hometown and animal identification): Spring Heifer Calf – March 1 to May 31, 2014 1) Breezy Ridge Dairy, Epworth, Breezy Ridge Bailey, 3/16/2014, 68161360 2) Edgebrook Jerseys, Montour, Edgebrook Tanbark Illusion, 3/7/2014, 840003124819627 3) Lee-Ann's Swiss, DeWitt, Lee-Ann's Brooking Sequel ET, 3/1/2014, 681611233 4) Hilltop Acres Farm, Calmar, Hill Top Acres DRM Starburst, 3/10/2014, 68158974 5) Irish Hill Swiss, DeWitt, Siegerts Durham Molly, 3/15/2014, 000000068159063 6) Irish Hill Swiss, DeWitt, Siegert's Jake Mika, 3/25/2014, 000000068159065 7) Goodman Dairy Farm, Rose Hill, Goodman Dally O Bo, 5/18/2014, 68161411 8) DeVore Dairy, Wilton, DeVores Titus Pharoh, 4/21/2014, 68160248 Winter Heifer Calf – Dec.

Dairies competed for top honors in the Jersey Dairy Cattle show judged Friday at the 2014 Iowa State Fair. The Grand Champion Female was shown by Kruses LJ Swiss of Holy Cross, and Ski Pal Farms of Epworth exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Female. An honorable mention was awarded to Steinridge Jerseys of Lawler. Lyon Jerseys, LLC of Toledo earned first place in both the Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder contests.

Hunter Gerths of Albia won Grand Champion Market Lamb honors in the 4-H Market Lamb Show judged Monday at the 2014 Iowa State Fair. Halle Hindman of Albia exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb. Brooke Kuesel of Victor claimed both Third and Fifth Place Market Lambs. Nicole Zuber of Marengo received the Fourth Place Market Lamb title.

Hagen Fouch of Pleasantville captured the highly coveted Grand Champion Market Steer banner with his Champion Charlois steer in the 4-H Market Beef show Wednesday at the 2014 Iowa State Fair. Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer honors went to Macey Goretska of Corydon for her Champion Crossbred Division 1 steer. McKlain Jorgensen of Guthrie Center showed the Champion Crossbred Division 2 which won the Third Place Overall banner.