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The Benton County Board of Supervisors discussed the elected official's raises that were recommended by the Compensation Board. The Compensation board had recommended that the officials should be awarded an 8.3% increase. Supervisor Rick Primmer made a motion for just a 5% increase. He asked his fellow supervisors if the county can afford to keep raising salaries at the suggested 8.

Benton County 4-H hosted a 4-H Cloverbuds Round Up and Winter Workshop on January 13 at the Benton County Extension Office in Vinton. 14 Benton County youth attended the event and experienced an Iowa 4-H educational offering titled “A Beautiful Oops” where they practiced art and literacy while making friends. This event built participants' sense of belonging and excitement around the 4-H program.

The Benton Community School District is seeking the approval of voters in the district to pass a 48.5 million dollar referendum. Property owners would be taxed at $4.04 for each $1,000 of the value of their property. For every $100,000 or assessed value, $405 would be added to the property taxes each year. This amount is in addition toapproximately $10 million insales tax revenue to cover the balance according to the school's website.

Blessed Hope Community Church. is pleased to announce the naming of David Condry to the position of Senior Pastor. In a statement from the elders of BHCC, they said, "We are in awe at God's good timing, provision, and faithfulness throughout this transition." A graduate of Nazarene Bible College, Condry first left Vinton to serve in the Chillicothe Free Methodist Church in Missouri for six years.

While more than 92 percent of front-seat drivers and passengers in Iowa wear seat belts, it might surprise you to learn that nearly half of those killed on Iowa roadways were not buckled up. In 2022, 114 of our loved ones were not wearing seat belts when they were killed in a crash.Buckling up is so easy. But unfortunately, there are a number of reasons adults give for not wearing seat belts themselves.

On Thursday afternoon, a train loaded with coal on the Union Pacific line in Belle Plaine, collided with a pedestrian at a crossing in Belle Plaine. As the Norfolk Southern engine was in the process of stopping the engineer immediately reported the incident at approximately 2:51 p.m. The engineer reported that the pedestrian had been on the north side of the tracks.

The Vinton Kiwanis Club continued it's annual tradition of handing out "A Student's Dictionary" to the Vinton-Shellsburg School District's 3rd grade classes. The dictionaries contain definitions of course as well as other important tidbits of information.On Wednesday, Vinton's Kiwanis members delivered the books to the 3rd graders after introducing the children to the Kiwanis organization.

Will the 2024 Iowa Teacher of the Year hail from your school district? One thing is sure: She or he won’t if you don’t nominate a teacher for the honor.And that’s the beauty – anyone can nominate a teacher: administrators, colleagues, students, parents, college faculty and associations.The Teacher of the Year award provides an opportunity to recognize an Iowa teacher who motivates, challenges, and inspires excellence; who is respected by students and peers; who is a dedicated professional that helps nurture hidden talents and abilities; who is a creative, caring individual; who takes teaching beyond textbooks and blackboards; and who is an exceptional teacher helping to redefine American education.

Holiday donations to The Cedar Rapids Salvation Army (TSA) have set a new record for the social services nonprofit with more than $860,000 raised - shattering their goal of $811,000. "Our prayers were answered," said TSA Captain Shawn DeBaar. "From all of us at TSA, we want to express our sincere gratitude to all those in our community who included our organization in their holiday giving plans.

When you support your local fire department's fundraising activities, It's so much more than just a soup supper or a pancake breakfast. If you have a fire, you call 911 and the calvary shows up in the form of the local fire department. The department puts the fire out and you thank them profusely. The department returns to the station, takes care of all of the gear and sets everything up for their next call.