News
Benton County ISU Extension office accepting Master Gardener applications
Are you an avid gardener, but would like to know more about gardening, plants and horticulture? Would you like to meet people who share your interest in gardening? If so, you may be interested in becoming a MASTER GARDENER.
What is a MASTER GARDENER? Master Gardeners are individuals who have an interest in horticulture, have taken the Master Gardener training offered by the extension service and share their time and expertise with other gardeners.
Benton County Fair Queen competing at State Fair this week
Willow Huber is competing this week in the Iowa State Fair Queen event. The new Queen will be crowned on Saturday evening. Willow was named the Benton County Fair Queen last month.
Out of the seven girls participating this year besides our County Queen Willow Huber, several of them have earned other honors.
Rylie Pflughaupt is the Iowa Jersey Princess, Aspen Auld is the Llama Association Queen.
Winning Twins: Jenna, Nora Grovert of rural Shellsburg are 'Most Alike' at age 3
Jenna and Nora Grovert of rural Shellsburg placed first in the Twins, Triplets and More Contest at the Iowa State Fair. The competition was held August 8, on the opening day of the 2013 fair. The twin daughters of Paul and Janet Grovert brought home the blue ribbon in the Most Alike, Age 3 category. The girls also won first place in 2010 for the Under 1 category, first place in 2011 for the Age 1 category and placed 4th for the Age 2 category in 2012. Farmers Market continues; many vendors offering sweet corn
The weekly VPRD Farmers Market took place on Thursday, with many vendors offering sweet corn in abundance, along with other baked goods and fresh garden produce. This week was Bingo Night, with Brad Barker calling the games and T-shirts and goodie bags from the Parks and Rec Department as prizes. Shellsburg tax preparer gets 21 months for falsifying returns, pocketing refunds
A Shellsburg tax preparer who admitted filing false tax returns on behalf of clients who were unaware of the changes he made, then diverting parts of tax refunds to his personal bank accounts, has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to repay the government more than $50,000.
The IRS did not disclose how or when the investigation of Keith Rath, 52, began.
Be the Match: Vinton mom of child with leukemia organizing bone marrow event
Being the mom of a child with cancer, says Vinton resident Stephanie King, “is a very bumpy road, especially at the beginning.”
But she says, having the support of others who have gone through cancer has been a wonderful help.
“It will feel like it is never going to end or get better but it does,” says Stephanie.
The symptoms
For Stephanie and her daughter, Amillianna, that journey began with what seemed like routine toddler ailments. VS registration: PaySchools program has issues; plan to pay with cash/check
We are sorry for the inconvenience but, at this time PaySchools has been having a lot of internal issues outside of our local control. It has been working off and on and hasn't been super reliable.
We are recommending at this time to pay registration fees via cash or check. It would be best to go to PaySchools and put things in your "Cart," print it, and then send a check to a building office or drop it off between 8am and 4pm.
Area children raise $230 for AHA
For the second year in a row, a group of friends of the children of Joe and Jill Johnson have gathered in the Johnson yard in Vinton to sell lemonade and cookies, play and raise money to donate to a special need.
This year, the children raised $230 which they will donate to the American Heart Association in honor of Vinton resident Olivia Spencer. 'Pop Goes the Evil!' VSHS band members, new director work on routine at camp
New Vinton-Shellsburg High School Band Director Nick Waymire (who played in the mellophone section of the Hawkeye Marching Band) is wearing black and gold again.
This time, the West Des Moines native and recent U of I graduate is leading another band of black and gold. Waymire is the director of the Vinton-Shellsburg High School bands.
At Iowa, he was a section leader and was part of the band when it went to Florida to play during the 2010 Orange Bowl, where Iowa defeated Georgia Tech. Lent resigns as Vinton City Coordinator; last day Sept. 6
At a special meeting of the Vinton City Council on Tuesday, August 6, 2013, Andy Lent, City Coordinator for the City of Vinton officially resigned his position as city coordinator. His final day will be Friday, September 6, 2013. Lent will be assuming the position of city administrator for the City of Carlisle, which is on the southeast side of the Des Moines metro area.