News

This year, the Vinton/Shellsburg FFA students decorated the Benton County Courthouse Christmas Tree on 2nd Floor.  "Every year a different group or organization from the county uses their own ideas to do the decorating!" said Lexa Speidel, Benton County Recorder.Organizations in the community who might be interested in decorating the tree in the upcoming years, can contact Lexa at lspeidel@bentoncountyia.

Julie shopped locally in Vinton and won $50 in Vinton Value Dollars! Every week between now and Christmas, Vinton Unlimited will be drawing a winner in their Holiday Lights Punch Card Buy Local shopping incentive. Cards can be picked up at any of the participating businesses, shoppers will receive one punch on their card for every $10 they spend at those stores, when they fill in a card (10 punches) their card is placed in the weekly drawing.

By: Co-Reporter, Juliana LuisOn November 10th, 11th, and 13th chapter members volunteered to help set up the lights and roping all around town in cooperation with the GoVS Scholarship Committee. November 10th consisted of organizing the roping, lights, and bows to be put out on the storefronts in the back parking lot to make the following day’s events run smoother.

Happy December! It's hard to believe yet exciting that Christmas is so close already!Here at the Benton County Angel Tree we have been busy getting kiddos signed up, and the tags have been distributed for adoption at three local banks: Cedar Valley Bank, Farmers Bank, and US Bank.Please remember that we also accept donations of cash or gift cards! We have receipts available (if you need one for tax purposes) just request them.

Dale Henry and Jerry Huffman of the VFW Post #8884 awarded Jenna Grovert the winner of the Patriot's Pen contest. Grovert is a student at Central Lutheran School in Newhall. This essay contest is open to all 6th through 8th graders. We are honored to give this award every year. The theme this year was "How are you Inspired by America."Congratulatio

Cedar Valley Bank & Trust is ringing in the Christmas season with their Giving Tree. The tree is full of names of those that can use a little bit of help to make the season a little merrier. The community is welcome to stop in and spread a little cheer! Gifts are due back by Friday, December 15, 2023.

Myron Parizek spoke to the Vinton Kiwanis Club this week and addressed the many jobs that are required of the Secondary Roads Crew. Parizek will have been with Benton County 35 years this January. He began his presentation laying out briefly the Benton County lines which extend from Dysart, to a few miles north of Urbana and down as far as Blairstown.

Pictured: (Top left)Ben Mcgowan, Wes McKenna, Ben Buhr, Andrew Pingenot, Austin Noe, Jerry Lee, Dallas Fairbanks, (Second row) Will McKenna, Cooper McClintock, Izzie Birker, Megan Schlitter, Grayce McClintock, Juliana Luis, (Third row) Anabelle Hernandez, Kelcie Appleby, Mac Goodell, and Alana Fleming. All of these members are on the track of the “Indianapolis 500” By: Co-Reporter Izzie Birker and Co-Reporter Juliana LuisThe National FFA Convention took place on 1st-4th of November and the Vinton-Shellsburg Chapter got the opportunity to take 17 FFA members to Indianapolis to the Lucas Oil Stadium for the most fun-filled week of their lives! They started the week out by going on a tour of a local reindeer farm called Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul, Illinois.

The Benton County Attorney's office released the following statement:"On November 21, 2023, criminal charges were filed by the Benton County Sheriff’s Department against Amber D. Bell, the former City Clerk for the City of Atkins Iowa. These charges include: Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, in violation of Iowa Code Section 715A.6(2); Felonious Conduct in Office, in violation of Iowa Code Section 721.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Kathy Van Steenhuyse, who is stepping down from the school board, following a decade of service. Kathy has been a tremendous asset to our district, and her dedication and commitment have made a lasting impact on our community. We appreciate her years of service and wish her the very best in her future endeavors.