News
Urbana man faces federal sentence for sex offender registry violation
A convicted, registered sex offender who failed to register with authorities was sentenced today to over a year in federal prison.
David Alden Johnston, 24, from Urbana, received the prison term following his November 18, 2010 guilty plea to one count of failing to register as a sex offender.
Cooling Dancers Enjoy Successful Competition Weekend
62 dancers from the Cooling Dance Center of Vinton competed April 2 and 3 at the Midwest Starz Regional Dance Competition. The event was held at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, and featured hundreds of dance routines competing on two stages throughout the two days.
Dancers competed in various styles and age groupings before a panel of three judges in a theatrical setting. Party in the Park planning continues; committee seeks donations
Let’s hope winter is about over and we can start doing some things outside and get ready for a great summer. The Party in the Park committee has been meeting since last fall in preparation for our twentieth anniversary of Party in the Park.
The festival will be taking place on June 23, 24 & 25 and this year.
Alliant Energy urges customers to call 811 before they dig
April is national Call Before You Dig month
For many, warm sunny weather equals being outdoors and working on home improvements. Whether you’re landscaping, installing a fence, or building a deck, Alliant Energy urges you to “call before you dig.”
“Safety for both our customers and employees is always a top priority at Alliant Energy,” said Rosanne Rogers, compliance and operations support manager.
Vinton musicians join others from Iowa at annual What Cheer event April 10
Vinton area musicians Judy Trygstad, Jodi Bierschenk and Barb Glime will be performed with the What Cheer Winds Band at the What Cheer Opera House this Sunday.
The theme of the concert was "Travel the World with Music."
Trygstad plays the flute, while Bierschenk plays the clarinet, and Glime plays alto clarinet. Treasurer Fitzgerald Announces Deadline to Apply for Robert D. Blue Scholarship
State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald reminds students that the deadline to apply for a Robert D. Blue Scholarship is drawing near. Applications must be submitted online at www.rdblue.org by May 10 in order to be eligible for this year's award.
"Over the years we've helped thousands of Iowa students meet their college costs with this scholarship," Fitzgerald stated.
New advisor, same auctioneer for FFA Labor Auction Thursday
Last year, during the Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Labor Auction, Louise Fleming sat with her family in the audience. She had just been selected to replace Duane Fisher as the FFA advisor and ag teacher.
This week, Mrs. Fleming will lead her first Labor Auction as FFA advisor. The event takes place in the VSHS gym at 7 p. Where are they now: Liz Hill sets new Mount Mercy home run record
When she was at Vinton-Shellsburg, Liz Hill was most at home on the pitcher's mound, earning all WaMaC honors as a pitcher.
But now as Mount Mercy, she's becoming a college pitcher's biggest headache.
A 2008 Vinton-Shellsburg graduate, Hill is a junior at Mount Mercy. Last week, she hit her 17th career home run, setting a new softball record for the Mustangs. Donkey basketball brings laughs, scholarship funds to Vinton-Shellsburg
A third generation of donkey owners brought a unique form of basketball to a second generation of Vinton-Shellsburg residents Saturday evening.
Thirty or so years ago, the FFA brought donkey basketball to Vinton for a couple of events, recalled Duane Fisher, who in his first year of retirement is still active in many organizations, including Dollars for Scholars. Alpha Psi members celebrate Founder's Day
Members of the Tama-Benton Alpha Psi chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma met March 7 at the Dysart United Methodist Church hall.
The evening included dinner, business meeting and annual Founder's Day ceremony.
Founding member Georgia Gray, of Independence, was in attendance along with 15 other members.
Many members wore hats to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Upsilon State organization which will be noted at the June state convention in Burlington.