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Virginia Gay Hospital is proud to announce the renaming of the Tony Anthony Nursing Scholarship to the Tony & Dottie Anthony Scholarship, in lasting tribute to the extraordinary lives and legacy of Dr. Sherman "Tony" Anthony and his wife, Dottie Anthony Anderson. The scholarship, which supports Virginia Gay Nursing & Rehab employees pursuing a healthcare career, will now reflect the shared spirit of service, care, and generosity that both Tony and Dottie embodied.

By: Gabby Power, FFA AdvisorWhen Paul Herger first stepped foot into the school greenhouse as part of his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), he had no idea it would grow into something much bigger—quite literally. What began as after-school hours watering geraniums, learning how to mix soil, and coordinating the chapter’s plant sales evolved into a full-blown passion for horticulture that has taken him all the way to The Land Pavilion at Walt Disney World in Florida.

Virginia Gay Hospital (VGH) is proud to announce that it has received a zero-deficiency result following a recent survey conducted by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. The survey determined that VGH is in substantial compliance with Medicare certification requirements for Critical Access Hospitals, an achievement that underscores the hospital’s ongoing commitment to excellence in patient care.

The state-led branding and marketing program is expanding to include Iowa horticulture productsIowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Choose Iowa program is expanding to promote a vibrant array of Iowa grown horticultural products, such as Christmas trees, cut flowers, bedding plants, and ornamental trees and shrubs. Secretary Naig made the expansion announcement in conjunction with Iowa Horticulture Week (April 20-26) during a visit to Red Granite Farm near Boone.

Pictured: Vinton-Shellsburg FFA members at the 2025 Iowa FFA State Convention. Back Row (L to R): Brody Waters, Juliana Luis, Jazmyn Dods, Levi Lutz, Andrew Allsup, Ben Buhr, Ben McGowan, Zane Helter, Andrew Pingenot, Austin Noe, Jonah Meyer, and Jameson Demuth. Second Row (L to R): Kassidi Brunssen, Nora Grovert, Raine Wheeler, Alana Fleming, Megan Schlitter, Bridgette Castle, Bri Dulin, Zoey McClintock, Sophia Newton, Will McKenna, and Will Kreutner.

Benton County Conservation and Shellsburg Hometown Pride were among the grant winners by Diamond Vogel and Keep Iowa Beautiful. We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Paint Iowa Beautiful grants. This long-standing partnership supports community betterment projects across the state by providing free paint for initiatives that improve public spaces such as historic buildings, libraries, schools, parks, and community facilities.

Iowa Attorney General Bird today announced the launch of the new Iowa Cold Case playing card deck to help crack Iowa’s more than 400 unsolved murders. The announcement was made in a press conference at the Des Moines Police Department. Speakers at the press conference also included:Steve Ponsetto, Investigator and lead of the Iowa cold case unit in the Iowa Attorney General’s OfficeHaley Elliott, niece to Ruthie Kingery-PohlmeierBrandi Weber, granddaughter to Bill and Kay WoodJosh Okland, brother to Ashley OklandBrittany Okland, sister to Ashley OklandSheriff Jason Sandholt, Marion County SheriffChief Michael McTaggart, Des Moines Police Department, Chief of Police“Every name in this cold case playing card deck represents more than just an unsolved case,” said Attorney General Bird.

On Sunday, a 19-year-old Vinton man was arrested for allegedly reporting a fake robbery at the Evansdale Kwik Star. This led to an evacuation of the store over the weekend. Dakota Voyle Mathews, was arrested on Sunday for the false report to law enforcement.The Waterloo Courier reported that   "according to court records, Mathews left his house with friends on Saturday and failed to return home for Easter on Sunday.

By: Gabby PowerOn April 17, 2025, students in the Agricultural Mechanics class at Vinton-Shellsburg High School got more than just a lesson, they got real-world insight from a hometown expert. Nate Edwards, fourth-generation owner of Edwards Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning in Vinton, stopped by to speak with students about his business, the value of skilled trades, and even explained a few simple home plumbing fixes.

Is the breaded pork tenderloin your go-to when eating out? If so, it’s that time of year again and we need your help to uncover the 2025 Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin! The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is on the hunt for the tastiest, juiciest, most mouthwatering breaded pork tenderloin sandwich in the state.Nominations for the 23rd annual Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest are officially open from April 17 to June 1, and you can throw your favorite restaurant into the ring.