News

     Mitchell Anderson, 14, knows he must do well in his classes and finish his homework regularly, or else he will not be allowed to go to Vinton and build fireworks.      That's the law in the Anderson house in Waterloo, where Chris Anderson, an Iowa Pyrotechnic Association member, makes sure that Mitchell puts school first.

     The first time that members of the Vinton-Shellsburg Class of 2011 stood on the campus of the high school where they received their diplomas on Sunday, it was still just a corn field.      Now, six years after helping to celebrate the ground-breaking of the new high school, the 114 members of the Class of 2011 are the first students to graduate after attending all four years of high school in the new building.

    Vinton Shellsburg's band, came to the ceremonies this morning to help with the events. They marched in the short parade to the river, and band members Megan Jorgensen and Matt Lash played taps at cemeteries and the ceremonies throughout the morning.     Special thanks to Jan Andreesen for snapping these pictu

     The annual Memorial Day services began Monday morning at Maplewood and St. Mary's cemeteries on the west edge of Vinton. Area veterans from the VFW, AMVETS and American Legion honored America's fallen soldiers with gun salutes, prayers and other words. Vinton-Shellsburg High School band members Megan Jorgensen and Matt Lash played taps.

       On Saturday, May 21, many of the Benton County Volunteers joined together at First Christian Church for a surprise retirement brunch for Alberta "Bert" Reifenstahl, Benton County Volunteer Coordinator.  Bert has given 1 3years of service to northern Benton County with the Benton County Volunteer Program.

     The last year of the residential program at the Iowa Braille School and Sight-Saving School did not end with a graduation. The school only had five students this year, and no seniors. Instead of a commencement, the year ended with a brief awards ceremony.      However, the annual reunion of IBSSS alumni is still scheduled to take place at the school the second weekend in June.

6th Grade A Honor Roll Destiny Andrew Conner Bendull* Kailie Berry Emilie Blake Calista Blank Connor Brown Erin Cantrell Tanner Davis Emily Dearden* Alexander Dick Haley Dinderman Benjamin Eden Weston Edwards* William Edwards Halie Engler* Hannah Haisman Kaela Hendrickson Aspen Hepker Kenneth Jorgensen Nicole Kalina Raynee Kraklio Ryan Levis Alexis Long Samantha Mancinas Caitlyn Martin Jaelen Martin Jared McGowan Dakota Meyers Lindsey Miller* Conner Miracle Rebecca Moore Logan Murray* Erica Noe Joshua Rath Sidney Sanders Mitchell Schlitter Kayla Schneider* Jordan Schoettmer Grace Shultis Owen Sloop* Cole Smith* Joshua Staab Nathan Struve Destiny Swallom Jamie Thompson* Dylan Wagner Elizabeth Weiss* Chase Werderman Taylor Wheeler Joy Whitson Andrew Wiley Abbe Wilson Scott Wirth Jacob Worthen Brooke Wroblewski Jordan Yessak *Denotes 4.

       The Vinton Parks and Recreation Department will be starting the Medallion Hunt, once again for the 20th Anniversary Party in the Park.  The Medallion Hunt will begin June 3, 2011 and end June 22, 2011.   Keep in mind the two guys that are hiding the medallions are a little strange at times and stretch things quite a bit and their first names are Jeff & Nathan.

     We'd like to say...Congratulations to all of the Vinton-Shellsburg 2011 Graduates!      Graduation starts at 2:00 Sunday, May 29. The event is open to the public; doors open at 1 p.m.      Graduation speakers will include Class of 2011 members Wes Lyons and Megan Owens as student speakers; Kirk Johnson is the faculty speaker selected by the students.

    Nearly every day for the past couple of weeks, a National Guard Black Hawk helicopter has left Waterloo for a training mission that included stops in Vinton, said pilot and airport commission member Rick Hadley.       "They're regular visitors; at least once a week normally, and nearly every day for the past couple of weeks," said Hadley  "I don't know if they're getting ready for deployment or just flying more because the weather is better.