News

Vinton-Shellsburg High School students received their academic awards for successes learned last year during the annual presentation on Thursday night.  Principal Matt Kingsbury and Assistant Principal Tony Islas handed out the awards as Guidance Couselor Scott Tandy read the list of honorees. HERE to see the list.

The Confederate flag controversy that has made news in other parts of the U.S. in recent months has come to Vinton. Two Vinton-Shellsburg High School students say they were told to remove the Confederate flag from their pickup trucks in the school parking lot on Wednesday, because other students said it made them uncomfortable. After a discussion in class yesterday, the two agreed to put both a U.

In 210 countries around the world and 46,577 Lions Clubs, a very small number of individuals will receive the Melvin Jones Fellow award.  One Vinton Lion did receive the award on Wednesday when 1st District Vice-Governor Jim Tierney presented it to Keith Elwick.  Melvin Jones started Lions in Chicago in 1917 and the Melvin Jones Fellow award is one of the highest honors a Lion member can receive.

The local residents working to pass an initiative allowing the creation of a local telecommunications utility now have a website online for fellow community members.  The site www.iVinton.com includes basic information about the upcoming vote and opportunities for community members to submit questions, volunteer to help with the election, and take advantage of other opportunities to be more informed of the issues.

Medicare Part D plans are often confusing and need to be reviewed every year because there are potentially many changes to your plan.  They can include changes to: the covered drugs in a specific plan, co-payments, the plan deductible, and restrictions on access to medications you need.  Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics is interested in helping Medicare-eligible seniors get the very best information they can to stay abreast of changes to their insurance.

Got scrap metal? Want to avoid landfill fees? Area residents are invited to clean up, recycle and contribute to community projects by donating such trash to the Vinton Lions scrap metal fundraiser Saturday September 26, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ideal Industries, 1705 E Street West (Vinton’s Industrial Park). Elderly and handicapped donors who have no way to transport their scrap can call fundraising chair Rick Ohrt at 472-4813 or email vintonlionsclub@gmail.

Members of the Vinton Class of 1960 gathered for their 55th reunion over the past weekend. They met for dinner on Saturday at the Benton County Nature Center, then filled the home of Carolyn Hibbs, the wife of classmate Mike, to watch the Iowa Hawkeye football game.  Pictured here are: Front row, left to Right:  Lyle Scheib, Larry Williams, Jim Noeller, Wayne Hanson   2nd row:  Warren Coleman, Alice Mussman Bell, Barry Lefstad, Denny Kearns, Doug Fowler, Dave Henkel, Roger Rinderknecht  3rd Row:  Joe Wood, Jim Smock, Darwin Halstead, Major Boddicker, Ron Selken, Kenney Gregory  4th Row:  Marion Greaser, Sharon Thompson Williams, Marcia Moody Hite, Gretchen Holtz Kopecky, Ron Geiger, Larry Roster.

We have received a very generous donation from Charlotte Heaverlo of Marshalltown, Iowa. She handmade three beautiful and professional quilted items for a silent auction to further benefit the Flaughless 5K. These items will be on display at the Vinton Family Medical Clinic starting Thursday, September 24. The silent auction will begin at the Vinton Family Medical Clinic prior to race day and relocate to the round shelter at Riverside Park on the morning of the race, Saturday, October 10, 2015.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Alan Merchant is hoping to paint the town pink. He is offering painted 6' pink ribbons on your yard. If you're a survivor he'll add "survivor" on the ribbon. The paint is water based so won't become a permanent addition to your yard. Cost is $30 and all proceeds go to Benton County Survivors who have hosted the Party in Pink 5K and offer support to each other and newly diagnosed women.

A Vinton man has been charged with multiple offenses after an investigation by the Vinton Police Department into sexual abuse allegations involving two female victims that occurred between December 2014 and March 2015. One of the victims was 13 years old when the abuse began and the second victim was 15 years old when the abuse began. Kevin Joseph Wheeler, 22, of Vinton, was charged with the following: 1) two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree (Class C Felony), 2) two counts of Assault With Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse (Aggravated Misdemeanor), 3) one count of Indecent Contact With a Child (Aggravated Misdemeanor), 4) one count of Lascivious Acts With a Child (Class C Felony) 5) one count of Lascivious Conduct with a Minor (Serious Misdemeanor) Wheeler is currently being held in the Benton County Jail on a $10,000 bond.