Opinion
Saying goodbye to the the neighbor
A few months after we started Vinton Today, we had the unfortunate task of covering a fire at the home of our dear neighbors, Lester and Donna Geiger, and their little dog.
We watched in horror as their home burned to the ground, and as we saw the "local" TV stations pull into our yard and begin to harass the ambulance workers as they cared for our neighbors, it began to shape who we would be as we became the new voice in Vinton.
Letter to the Editor: ER Dr./researcher expresses ATV on roadway concerns
Dear Editor,
The Benton County Board of Supervisors is considering a proposed ordinance to increase public roadway access to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) traffic. As an emergency medicine physician and an ATV injury prevention researcher, I cannot stress enough how dangerous this decision would be.
My encounter with an 'IRS' scammer
The IRS has been calling me all day, telling me there is a warrant because I have not paid my taxes.
So I called the number, with a Washington, D.C., 202 area code (the first number they left on my answering came from a different area code).
A gentleman who identified himself as Shawn (although his thick accent indicated that he English is not his first language, and few other languages have male names pronounced like “Shawn)” told me that I owed the Internal….
To the Editor: E-mail issue disqualifies Hillary as candidate for President
To the Editor,
The President gave authority to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to classify documents. Sec . Clinton should know when a received item is sensitive to National Security and immediately classify that document. It doesn’t fly that the document received was not classified when she received it.
This, on its face, shows poor judgement and a total disregard for protecting sensitive documents.
To The Editor: Flourishing Families offers help, advice as school begins
Dear Editor,
The Flourishing Families of Benton and Iowa Counties (FFBIC), a local Community Partnership for Protecting Children site, would like to offer a few words of encouragement to all parents and children living, working, and attending school in our counties.
This school year is going to be great! We at FFBIC have been looking forward to the school year since that first back-to-school commercial aired a month ago.
To The Editor: Thanks to all involved in WWII 70th anniversary event
Dear Editor,This past weekend Benton County celebrated the 70TH Anniversary of the End of World War II at Celebration Park in Vinton. There are several people I wish to thank who helped to make this event possible.
First and for most to the veterans of World War II, if it were not for them the world would be a very different place.
Letter to the Editor: Last Hope Animal Rescue's Gain
I want to personally congratulate Last Hope Animal Rescue (formerly based outside of Shellsburg now in Cedar Rapids) on their new Adoption Center Director, Julie Havran.
Julie has a B.S. Degree in Human Services and M.S. Degree in Adult Education from Drake University. After working in human services, human resources, and education, she pursued her lifelong passion for animal welfare.
To the Editor: Motorcycle club member recalls dirt track bike racing in '53
By Bob Kimm, former Vinton Motorcycle Club member
Quite an article today on the 4th of July racing out at the fairgrounds. It brought back some memories for me from way back in 1953. Yeah, 62 years ago.
The old ½ mile horse-track had been shut down and the new ¼ mile was just finished. There was a stock-car race there on Saturday and on Sunday there was a motorcycle race, the first ever, on the new track.
To the Editor: Golf cart drivers need to remember safety rules
To the Editor,
It is my understanding that the city council is entertaining a motion to ban golf carts from city streets. As owners of a golf cart we are pleased to use these streets to do our shopping in Vinton. However I do believe there should be rules to be followed. I think a drivers license should be required. I see little ones driving that would not be allowed behind the wheel of a car.
Happy Birthday, Kiddo
On this day in history, well ok, so 18 years ago, I spent the day in the hospital, and the next few...but it was for a good cause, I was awaiting the arrival of a little girl.
It was one of those births that make all the nurse's hair in the OB ward stand on end. I was in a "lucky" minority that had the joy of bringing home a baby after some of the same complications had robbed other mothers of the same joy.