News Headlines

The first candidate for the June 2, 2026 primary election ballot was Bethany Hantz. She filed her paperwork with the Benton County Auditor's Office bright and early on Monday morning, the first day that papers could be submitted. She will now be one of the candidates on the Republican ticket to run for Benton County Supervisor. Hantz said that she believes public office is built on trust and that elected officials must operate with openness and accountability.

RecapLuke Truesdell was the man charged with the beating deaths of Romondus "Ro" Cooper, Amanda Parker, Keonna Ryan and Brent Brown in Hiawatha on June 5, 2024. Truesdell was sentenced on Friday afternoon. He was originally charged with four counts of first-degree murder, but was found guilty by a jury of only three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder in November of 2025.

National Association of Counties Legislative Conference draws nearly 2,000 county leaders along with cabinet-level speakers, members of CongressBenton County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, Hayley Rippel joined nearly 2,000 county leaders from across the country for the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference February 21-24.

Abby Cronk spoke with the local Vinton Kiwanis Club on Tuesday. She shared that she's been with the Vinton Palace Theatre for 20 years and told of her experiences during her time there. Cronk began as a projectionist in the days of films arriving on reels. She said that they would arrive in a 2 big cans with six or seven reels which had to be spliced together, put on a larger reel and then put on a "platter.

Save the Date! The Vinton Lions Club Foundation (VLCF) will host the Second Annual Pickleball Tournament, “Battle for the Paddle,” on Saturday, May 9, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Funds raised will support scholarships for Vinton-Shellsburg High School students.  The tournament will be held at both the Vinton Skate Center, located at 1703 C Ave.

By: Co-Reporter, Bri DulinOn Wednesday, February 18th, Vinton-Shellsburg FFA members traveled to Hawkeye Community College to compete in the Sub-District FFA Contest, earning impressive results. Advancing to the District Competition include: Kendalyn Appleby earned 2nd place Gold in Creed Speaking, Raine Wheeler earned 1st place Gold in Extemporaneous Speaking, Will McKenna received 2nd place Gold in Prepared Public Speaking, Bridgette Castle earned 1st place Gold in Chapter Website, Wyatt Shaver earned 1st place Gold in Ag Sales, in Chapter Program Zane Helter, Bri Dulin, and Kenzie Rhinehart earned 2nd place Silver, and the Parliamentary Procedure team of Levi Lutz, Ali Lutz, Ciara Dods, Kassidi Brunssen, and Andrew Allsup earned 1st place Gold.

Benton County residents are invited to attend the Benton County Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, March 7th, at Vinton-Shellsburg High School, held in conjunction the annual Kiwanis Club of Vinton with Pancake Breakfast.The Health & Wellness Fair will bring together dozens of local and regional organizations offering information, resources, and services focused on physical, mental, and community well-being.

The Iowa City Police Department was dispatched to the Highlander Hotel on Highlander Place in Iowa City, just after 11:45 p.m. on Saturday, February 21.The police report says that 32-year-old Allison See of Van Horne, entered a strangers hotel room, began stripping, and told the occupant, “Let’s do this.” Authorities reported that she eventually left the room but later returned and knocked on the door.

If you were anywhere near the Skate Center on Saturday night, you didn’t need a calendar to tell you something special was happening. The parking lot was jam-packed, the street lined with cars and pickup trucks, and inside the building, something even more beautiful was unfolding.It was the annual Daddy Daughter Dance.The Skate Center was filled wall to wall with little girls dressed in their very best — sparkly shoes, fluffy skirts, bows, braids, and bright smiles.

A free seminar offered by the State of Iowa’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) and Virginia Gay HospitalWelcome to Medicare will cover:» Medicare Parts A & B benefits» Prescription Drug Benefits (Part D)» Medicare Advantage Plans» Medicare Supplement Insurance» Identify Medicare Fraud, Errors, and AbuseThe event will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm at Virginia Gay Hospital 504 N 9th Ave Vinton, IA 52349 REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BY APRIL 16, 2026 Call (319) 361-7357 Seminar will be held in the Clinic Conference Room.