News
Benton County Fair in progress
COVID isn't going to stop the sheep, cows, pigs, chicken and all of the kids from making a trip to the Benton County Fair. The audience is much smaller in the barns, but the enthusiasm and dedication these kids have is large enough to fill the place. Cheering each other on, the livestock is paraded out to show the judges the best of the best. The training shows as the entrants display their livestock. Better Tomorrows Early Childhood Iowa Launch ‘CAREforce for our WORKforce”
Iowa Women’s Foundation, Better Tomorrows Early Childhood Iowa Launch ‘CAREforce for our WORKforce” in Support of Child Care Professionals New campaign urges public to recognize child care providers as essential workers. Better Tomorrows Early Childhood Iowa and the Iowa Women’s Foundation (IWF) have joined forces to launch a campaign to increase the recognition of child care providers as essential, professional workers. Area Residents participate in the Bible Reading Marathon
A group of Vinton residents met on the courthouse lawn to participate in the 2020 Iowa Bible Reading Marathon. Taking the scripture 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and will turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land,” as their theme. Party in the Park Annual Event scaled back to an Evening Event
The usual three day weekend of festivities will be scaled back to just an evening for the annual Party in the Park. The event will be held on Saturday, August 1st, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Kicking off the evening will be the rock band The Empty Pockets who will bring a live music concert to Riverside Park. You will enjoy old-school classic rock, folk and the blues. What's up with that? Coin Shortage
If you're online at all, or if you've seen signs up at stores that declare there is a coin shortage, you might be like me and you want to ask the local bank, “What's up with that?”I reached out to a couple of out local banks and found that they were told by the Federal Reserve that "there is a coin shortage due to the mint being closed down for a period of time because of COVID-19.
Oak Grove Church puts their Faith in Action
For the 2nd year in a row, the Oak Grove Church put their faith to work. A group of more than 50 members of the church met this past week to minister to people in the community. Faith in Action is a project that the church uses to help those in the community that might need a helping hand. The group took on 11 projects across the Benton County area. Lamont and Lang address area Kiwanis Club
Lillie Lamont and Carli Lang addressed the Vinton Kiwanis Club in Vinton. The two shared several experiences from their time in New Jersey as the fought alongside other healthcare workers in the battle against COVID-19. They shared their work, and struggle to be able to find a place to stay, and other bits of their experiences on the east coast. Vinton’s landscape is changing quickly in several areas
The big highlight of the year has been the continued progress of the iVinton project. Something more than a decade in the works. It's been a project that doesn't have a lot of physical things that you can see. But on the heels of that has been several more above-ground changes that residents can and will be seeing.Anderson Creek EstatesLocated on the southern edge of Vinton, the new development is quickly taking shape. Benton County currently at 20 active COVID-19 Cases
The total cases of COVID-19 cases have risen by 6 in the last week. Benton County numbers are at 75 since the beginning of the pandemic. Currently, out of Benton County's 25,645 residents: 2,356 have been tested2,274 are negative75 cases total54 have recovered20 active cases1 death In Region 6 which includes Benton County, there are:25 Hospitalized5 in ICU2 admitted in the last 24 hours1.
Iowa Department of Transportation asking for community input on roundabout
April 9, 2015 one of the most horrific accidents occurred on the Hwy150 intersection on the west edge of Urbana. Killing 5 area youth Quentin Ray Ary, 19, of Vinton; Triston James-Ray Randall, 17, of Urbana; Nicole Renee Jacobson, 20, of Vinton; Hunter William Tuttle, 14; and Zoey Lynnae Tuttle, 12, were killed when the pickup they were riding in pulled into the path of a semi.