News Headlines

Hello everyone! I'm Raine Wheeler from the Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Chapter. I'm currently working on an agriscience fair project that is focused on farmers' mental health. This will be presented at the State Science Technology Fair of Iowa in late March.As a part of this project, I have created a short questionnaire to better understand the challenges that farmers face and what support or resources may be the most helpful.

[3:30 P.M. Sunday, January 25, 2026]The cold pattern will continue through this week and that means through the end of the month. The coldest over the next few days is tonight through Monday morning, when a Cold Weather Advisory is in effect. Take this cold seriously, and bundle up, as frostbite in short amounts of time (10-30 minutes) is a potential impact.

On Friday night at approximately 8:45 pm, the Brandon Fire Department was dispatched to the 1000 block of 325th St. for a report of a power outage out and smoke filling a home. Upon arrival, flames were visible coming from the roof of a rural residential structure. Mutual aid was requested from surrounding departments and an interior crew was sent in for initial knockdown.

The Benton County Community Foundation (BCCF) would like to announce the distribution of $151,165 to 17 projects of organizations serving Benton County through its 2025 grant cycle.  Grant recipient, organization, project the grant will fund, and grant amount is listed below by funding area. Community Betterment Benton County ISU Extension & Outreach – Lose of Historical Funding Partners – $6,110 Cedar Mt Auburn Community Club – Making Mount Auburn Accessible – $15,375 City of Urbana – Urbana Central Crossing Park Story Walk – $8,000 Shellsburg Area Community Group – Shellsburg Park Music Garden – $7,169 Education & Youth Development Better Tomorrows Early Childhood Iowa – Benton County Dolly Parton Imagination Library – $7,000 Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois – Leadership Program in Benton County – $10,000 Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa – Pathways to Possibilities: K-8 Education Programs – $15,000 Health Belle Plaine Area Ambulance – EMS FirstNet & Ambu-Pads – $14,318 Blairstown Ambulance Service, Inc.

At -11° and windchills much lower than that, a flock of robins made a visit to the same area of the county that had photos of the snow rollers. Of course, with the nasty storm that went through the southern part of the United States, maybe the birds thought it was safer to be in Iowa, even though they might freeze their tail feathers! Photos subm

Pictured left to right are: President Dan McCann, Sponsor Bret Nelson, New Members Gary Marlow and Louie Naniot and Lions Club Foundation Director Chris Waring, who performed the Installation ceremony.The Vinton Lions Club installed two new members on Wednesday, January 21st at the meeting heald at Pizza Ranch in downtown Vinton. During the ce

Dangerous arctic cold will arrive tonight and continue through Friday morning. Wind chills of 20 to 30 below zero can be expected south of I-80. North of I-80 wind chills of 30 to 40 below zero are expected. ● The Extreme Cold Watch continues Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. There is a 50% probability of a Cold Weather Advisory Friday night into Saturday.

The first of the additional instruments for the upcoming Kid's Music Garden has been sponsored. Many thanks to Cranky Hank's Pizza for sponsoring the Single Drum Table. There's room for another single drum, as well as the other two instruments shown. Who's next?As many of you may have seen the Shellsburg Area Community Group has succeeded in receiving a grant for some park improvements.

● Snow showers this afternoon and evening. Strong winds gusting up to 45 mph will result in drifting and blowing snow as well as reduced visibility.---There is a 30-40% chance of snow squalls this afternoon and evening.● A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow has been issued north of Highway 30. South of Highway 30 a Wind Advisory has been issued.

The Big Read Community Art Contest concluded on Saturday, with a reception at the Vinton Public Library to announce the winners and congratulate everyone who participated. VGFA received 41 submissions of original artwork related to the themes in the book, Bewilderment, by Richard Powers, the focus of the Vinton Public Library's Big Read program this year.