News
Kelly Steffen Named 2024 National Lowell Milken Center Fellow
The Lowell Milken Center (LMC) for Unsung Heroes in
Fort Scott, Kansas, an international educational non-profit, has awarded its prestigious
Fellowship to Kelly Steffen, a social studies teacher at Vinton-Shellsburg High in Iowa. Kelly
will arrive in Fort Scott on June 23rd for a week of collaboration with LMC staff and the other
members of the Fellowship. There will be no email on Juneteenth
In recognition of the national holiday of Juneteenth, there will be no outgoing email on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. The holiday was established in 2021 by President Biden. To find out more about the holiday, click HERE.
Benton County Fair Events
It's Fair week in Benton County! Come on out and enjoy some fun and entertainment! Below are some of the highlights of the week!Wednesday, June 19, 6:00 p.m.Come to the grandstands for 4-H night and crowing of the 2024 Benton County Fair QueenThursday, June 20, 6:30 p.m.There will be a car show at the grandstands Friday, June 21, 7:00 p.m.Come on out for a bang up time watching the Demolition Derby in the Grandstands!Saturday, June 22 7:00 p.
Flags Retired by Local Legion Members
Legion members carried out the "Unserviceable Flag Ceremony" on Flag Day last week. The Legion has been honoring the worn flags across the nation with solemn retirement ceremonies since September of 1937. The ceremony has been an integral part of the American Legion ritual since that time. The local American Legion George G. Lucky Post 57 gathers to perform the ceremony, retiring dozens of worn flags with dignity and respect each year. Former Urbana Police Chief Sues City of Urbana, Mayor and City Clerk
The former Urbana Police Chief was put on leave last April following a move by the Urbana City Council. The council handed over the oversight authority to the "City Administrator." The City Clerk, Jennifer Burkhart appears to have taken on the role of "Administrator" and proceeded to put Urbana's Police Chief, Josh Baker on leave, thus eliminating the Urbana Police Department.
City Council Notes for 6/13/24 Meeting
The Vinton City Council met on Thursday evening for their first June meeting. meetings. The meeting was called to order followed by a roll call with all members present, Ron Hessenius, Rylie Pflughaupt, Tami Stark-Mahood, Zach Parmater, Wesley Recker, Andrew Elwick and Mayor Bud Maynard. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and the meeting began. Samantha Bevans Sentenced to Life in Prison
Samantha Bevans was found guilty of First Degree murder in the death of her stepmother Jodie Bevans. Sentencing was held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 14. The Judge sentenced her to life in prison without a chance of parole and ordered her to pay $150,000 in restitution to the beneficiaries of Jodie Bevans.As the hearing opened, lawyers for Samantha tried to make the case for a retrial. Lawsuits promised, One Delivered to Benton County
In the Benton County Supervisor Meeting held on May 28, 2024, former Benton County Attorney, David Thompson said, "you have more lawsuits out there that are pending, that you haven't disclosed to the public yet," and "How many more lawsuits do you want? Because you know you have more out there that the public's not aware of." The statement made seemed to be an odd one to make, until this week.
Nathan's Miles Glow Trail puts Vinton on the Map
Nathan's Miles Glow Trail has certainly been a bright spot in Vinton. On June 9th, a Facebook page called, "Iowa Road Trip" gave a glowing review of Vinton's trail. Sharing the post brought even more attention. In the online world, it speaks a lot about the reach of social media for this project. At Thursday night's council meeting, Vinton's Parks and Recreation Director, Matt Boggess' said that his phone has been lighting up again with inquiries about the trail. Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Shows Skills in Summer
By: Co-Reporter, Sophia NewtonThe Vinton-Shellsburg FFA members have spent weeks preparing for various state and district contests. The competitions were held at the Kirkwood and Iowa State University campuses. On Thursday, June 6th the Ag Mechanics and Food Science teams competed at Iowa State in their statewide contest. The Vinton-Shellsburg State Ag Mechanics team included Andrew Allsup, Cooper McClintock, and Wesley McKenna.