11:45 and most is well....

VINTON TODAY
December 17, 2010 11:30 am

Last week, I wrote about what it's like on a day when there is no news. See that story, if you have not already seen it, HERE. Today seems to be a day very much like that one.

Letter to the Editor: Crossing paths with a dishonest Christmas customer

STEPHONIE WILLIAMS
December 16, 2010 1:52 pm

       I would like to address my remarks to the Big Box Store Customer with whom I had the misfortune of crossing paths.

Big city reporters inspire one to want to carry a big stick

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
December 16, 2010 10:56 am

      As I'm sure you've read, we had a bit of excitement out here yesterday...more than I EVER want to see again!      Thank God, the outcome was only the loss of a material things, and unfortunately keepsakes and memories.

Every story affects somebody's neighbor; today it was mine

VINTON TODAY
December 15, 2010 4:02 pm

       Two significant newsworthy events – a minor house fire and a tragic double-fatality automobile/bicycle accident – in the year before it became my job to write about such events taught me a significant lesson: Every person involved in a fire, flood, accident or any other tragedy is somebody’s Somebody.

Journalism lesson: Avoiding the armpit pitfall

VINTON TODAY
December 14, 2010 2:26 pm

       Lots of people were probably thinking lots of things Friday night as the Vikettes prepared to play Marion.      “Is there something I forgot to do before I came here?”      “I should have stopped for supper first.

Growing Old in Vinton

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
December 14, 2010 7:34 am

You know the smells in the air when you go to Cedar Rapids? Sometimes its bad, sometimes you smell Captain Crunch. I have the same relationship with old folks homes.

The Christmas that was, for me, the most like Christmas

VINTON TODAY
December 10, 2010 6:37 pm

       When I look back on my own personal history of  Christmas, I can think of several years when the holiday had special meaning for me.

All I want for Christmas is....

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
December 10, 2010 12:30 pm

It's the most wonderful time of the year... Now to do the shopping to make it wonderful! :) I find myself asking, "What would you like?" and being asked, "What should I get you and dad?" I used to find it easy to think of something I wanted.

Eleven-forty five and all is well

VINTON TODAY
December 10, 2010 11:33 am

       At 11:45 each day, the Vinton Today computer magically sends out hundreds of messages, telling many of our readers what is happening in our town that day.

Parody, satire and the patriotic mosquito poem

VINTON TODAY
December 8, 2010 9:03 pm

       One of my favorite humorous poems has always been an 100-year-old ditty called “The Mosquito Hunt.”      The poem, from a book of poetry dated around 1890, tells of the story of a couple trying to kill a mosquito that threatened to interrupt their sleep with a painful bite.