News

  Updates on the latest crop production products and recommendations for seed, fertilizer, and ag chemical dealers are the featured topics of the Ag Chemical Dealer Update on December 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the Highlander Conference Center in Iowa City. “These meetings are a chance for ag input dealers to meet with Extension specialists to review current research, discuss new products, and learn of new recommendations,” says Jim Fawcett, ISU Extension field agronomist in eastern Iowa.

  Please join us for an open house in his honor on Friday, November 12th, at the Benton County Farm Bureau office from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. After 21 years serving clients as an agent with Farm Bureau Financial Services, Frank W. Ohlsen of Dysart, Iowa, will retire on November 1st, 2010. During his career with the company Frank earned numerous awards and recognitions, which includes Royal Court of Honor(Farm Bureau’s most distinguished award), 3-All American trips, Master Agent, Premier Club, Honor council, many company trips, and the use of a red convertible for his Life Campaign efforts.

    Flood Recovery Workers - Take a Breather! “Just Breath!” is the title of a popular song and an effective technique for stress reduction. “Imagine your heart rate slowing, that “frazzled” feeling is replaced with calm and fragmented thoughts settle.” suggests Kristi Cooper, Family Life Specialist, with Iowa State University Extension.

       This year's Tree of Lights campaign at Virginia Gay Hospital will feature a new display that involves many VGH employees, area businesses and others.       The Holiday Tree Walk, sponsored by Edward Jones, is now set up in the VGH lobby.      The walk includes  20 trees -- and a large wreath created and donated by Cindy Elwick and her staff at Nature's Corner.

It's not unusual to see cars with license plates from other counties parked in downtown Vinton, as people come to the Palace for its movies. But on Sunday night, there were more cars with out-of-county plates, and cars from counties much further away than usual. People from all over Iowa -- and says Marcy Horst, from all over the U.S. -- came to Vinton on Sunday to hear Gary Morris sing.

The next regular meeting of the Benton Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioners is scheduled for Wednesday, November 17, 2010.  The Commissioners will meet at 8:00 a.m. in the District office in Vinton.  Items on the agenda will include financial reports, conservation plans, federal and state cost share programs and applications, Watershed Project Reports, and other general business.

 While the symptoms of headache, nausea and fatigue are usually associated with the flu, they’re also a warning sign of another serious health problem – carbon monoxide poisoning. Now that we are heading into flu season and people are starting to regularly run their furnaces, Alliant Energy encourages customers to recognize the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and to take safety precautions this heating season.

On October 27, 2010, Devon Ankney, a Vinton-Shellsburg High School student, exercised her options and energized her future through a job shadow with an athletic trainer. The V-S teen spent part of her school day at Fit 2 Live Gym in Iowa City learning about the expectations, potential earnings and the daily challenges and tasks of the professionals that work there.

The Vinton Lions Club is planning a Nov. 18 chili supper to raise funds for the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight program.  The event takes place from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.. Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Vinton Fire Station. A free will offering will be accepted at the door.  The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight program, part of the National Honor Flight effort to fly World War II veterans to see the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.

Debra A. Manternach, 15, of Watkins, died Saturday, November 6, 2010, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from injuries sustained in a car accident on Friday.   The Benton County Sheriff's office says Debra Manternach was driving a Volkswagen Rabbit, and had stopped to make a left turn on a county road in southern Benton County, when she was rear-ended by a 17-year-old male driving a Ford Taurus.