News
Atkins woman wins $30K Iowa Lottery prize
A Benton County woman has won a $30,000 lottery prize.
Kate Hoeck of Atkins claimed the 38th of 86 top prizes of $30,000 available in the Iowa Lottery’s “Crossword” instant-scratch game.
Hoeck claimed her prize Thursday at the lottery’s regional office in Cedar Rapids. She purchased her winning ticket at Kum & Go, 30 Four Oaks Drive SW in Cedar Rapids. McDowell's staff helps Larry Druschel celebrate 50th anniversary
Recently graduated from high school, Larry Druschel saw an help wanted at for McDowell's in the summer of 1964. He applied for the job and started on Aug. 4 of that year.
Today, the staff of McDowell's surprised Larry with a special celebration of his 50th year. Refreshments are available and customers are invited to stop by to congratulate Larry on the milestone. Possible drowning report leads to two arrests on Cedar River
At about 7:00 pm on Saturday, Aug. 2, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing person in the Cedar River about ½ mile south of the Benton / Buchanan Road southwest of Brandon.
It was reported that subjects were boating about 1/2 mile south of the Mount Auburn boat dock, when Jennifer Frye, 42, of Garrison, went under the water and had not resurfaced; she had been gone for 25-30 minutes.
Vinton FD hosts waterball event; Bramow leads team to 4th place
The decades-old tradition of friendly competition to see who can move an empty barrel suspended on a cable above the street continued in Vinton, as the popular firemen's waterball competition returned.
Firefighter Dennis Bramow organized the event, and his team earned 4th Place in Sunday's competition, which included 40 men's teams and 17 women's teams from several departments throughout Iowa. Tragic, mysterious anniversary: Unsolved Blairstown murder happened 33 years ago
Thirty-three years ago today, the city of Blairstown awoke to learn one of its senior citizens had been brutally murdered.
Amos Jellison, 74, had lived alone in a trailer house on Prospect Street, not far from his nephew, Daryl.
Daryl Jellison called authorities in the middle of the night, to tell them he had received an anonymous phone call from an older man at around 1 a.
Vinton artist Wittmer wins State Fair Concrete Painting Contest
After earning Second Place honors in the Iowa State Fair Concrete Statue Painting Contest in both 2012 and 2013, Angie Wittmer of rural Vinton won first place in the novice division with her Iowa-shaped project.
Angie and about 40 other artists painted Iowa-shaped concrete with whatever design they felt inspired to paint. Angie’s include a variety of Iowa scenes and history lessons, and a short poem. Fair Results: Ribbon recipients, champions listed
The Benton County Extension Office has completed compiling the results of the 2014 Benton County Fair.
Click on the links below for complete results for each event:
Communications Day
Breeding Beef Show
Breeding Sheep Show
Bucket Bottle Show
Dairy Cattle Show
Dairy Goat Show
Derby Sheep Show
Dog Show
Home Ec/S. Rare WWII-era plane makes stop in Vinton
With the Oshkosh, Wisc., air show winding down this weekend, the Vinton airport has been a re-fueling site for pilots heading to or from that popular event.
On Friday, at least two planes refueled in Vinton; one heading to Osh Kosh and one departing.
The plane heading to the show for its final weekend included a man who flew a plane with his son and grandson as passengers. Lions welcome new members, choose new officers
The Vinton Lions Club recently formally inducted new members and installed new officers.
The new officers include: Dale Schmidt, Lion Tamer; Sara Stuefen, 3rd VicePresident; Mike Timmermans, Vice President, (2nd VP Rob Levis, not pictured); Directors Mary Jo Hainstock, Brett Nelson, Nathan Hesson (and Gail Wood not pictured); front row: Treasurer and Immediate Past President Alan Woodhouse; 2013-14 President Phil Borleske; Secretary, Lynn Montgomery. Benton County Recorder warns of deed record scam targeting Iowans
Creative crooks are constantly looking for new ways to separate honest Americans, including Iowans, from their money.
The latest attempt – which has affected parts of Iowa but has not yet been reported in Benton County – deals with property records.
Some Iowa property owners have reported receiving letters in the mail, implying that there has been “deed activity” affecting their property and offering them copies of deeds and property assessments for $83.