News

Tomorrow I will be working as an election worker which means, today's email includes a mega list of everything you need to know about the election. Usually, my phone rings on election day with questions about where to vote, who's running in whatever precinct, etc. All of that information is in this article. I have republished all of the information about the candidates as well, and they should appear in your email.

The traditional Vinton Parks and Recreation downtown Halloween event took place Saturday, as hundreds of children dressed in creative costumes and played games on the courthouse lawn followed by a parade through the downtown to visit area businesses. Nearly 400 children along with their parents and grandparents participated.To see pictures of the parade, click here.

Steve Woodruff, of the Iowa Iowa River Wildlife Unit branch of the DNR,and wildlife management biologist for our area, spoke to the Vinton Kiwanis Club on Tuesday. The public wildlife areas that he covers are in the counties of Linn, Benton, Iowa, Cedar, Johnson, Tama, Marshall, and some of Poweshiek.Woodruff manages two crews. One is the Hawkeye Wildlife Unit, which is in the Otter Creek Marsh, also covering the outlying areas there, and the other covers Dudgeon Lake and the Red Fox area.

The Benton County Volunteer Program has quietly operated in Benton County since 1974. Originally the group was known as RSVP, Retired Seniors Volunteer Program. In 2001 the group reorganized with the help of the Benton County Supervisors. The group assists members in the community that cannot drive but are in need of transportation to get to doctors' appointments.

A second theft occurred this week from one of the area businesses. An area thief thought that it was okay to steal the hat off of the scarecrow at Michael & Dowd. Sure, it's "just" a hat, but it was not YOUR hat. The business decided to also take the duck decoys down before they too disappeared, then they figured that they would just take the whole display down.

Vinton Lions Club donated $3,000 to the Vinton-Shellsburg Boosters. During the high school football season, Vinton Lions Club sets up the food trailer at the VS Karr Athletic Complex providing hand-cut tenderloins, funnel cakes, potato bites and sno-cones. This season was a great success with beautiful weather and bountiful crowds of people enjoying the football season.

The "Scouting for Food" collection was held this last Saturday and benefitted the Vinton Food Pantry. As of September, the food pantry has been able to help feed 3,406 people!The local scouts who are shown with the collection included from left to right:Josh JonesElliott DownsWill GiegerVinnie BowenCarter Smith

Corral your credit card, capture your crochet hooks, and k-nab your k-nitting needles—Friends of the Center Point Library needs winter hats, mittens, and scarves for the Library Giving Tree. ‘Winter warmers,’ purchased new or newly handmade by you, may be put on the tree in November and December to be donated to those who need them, baby to grandparent size.

The Palace Theatre might have a bone to pick with you. With all of the fun and giggles that the scarecrows have added to the community, there is always someone that will ruin a bit of the fun. If anyone knows who made off with the third skeleton at the Vinton Palace Theater, please tell that bag of bones to return the skeleton. The two remaining skeletons are missing him.

Who knew that Scarecrows on every corner would make Vinton more enjoyable to drive through? Vinton Parks and Recreation did!Below is a list of all of the businesses competing in the Scarecrow contest. Some scarecrows are located inside of the businesses and some outside. There is a link at the bottom to view photos of some of the Scarecrows. If you are a business owners, you are more than welcome to snap a photo and zap it to my phone at 319-202-4125 and I'll add it to the album!Thanks everyone for participating and giving the rest of us something to smile about!Contestants:1.