News

The Benton County Community Foundation (BCCF) will hold its 2014 grant awards ceremony on Wednesday, July 23 at the Benton County Fair Grounds grandstand beginning at 6:00 p.m. This year’s grant distribution to support community projects totaled over $97,500. 2014 grant recipients included: ·         American Legion-Jennings-Bradshaw # 39, Belle Plaine Legion Hall Jennings Bradshaw Post #39 Kitchen Renovation ·         Area Substance Abuse Council, Students At Risk Support Group ·         Belle Plaine Area Ambulance, Auto Pulse ·         Benton County, Bison Tub ·         Benton County, Benton County Courthouse Clock & Bell Restoration Project ·         Benton County Historical Society, Heating and Cooling for the Vinton Depot ·         Benton County Volunteer Program, BCVP Medical Transportation Assistance ·         Benton Development Group, Benton County Greatly Expanded Marketing Project ·         Cedar Valley Friends of the Family, Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance ·         City of Blairstown, Rescue Truck Refurbish ·         City of Newhall, Boy Scout Eagle Scout Project Park Beautification Project ·         City of Walford, City Park Pedestrian Trail Project ·         Garrison Betterment Committee, Garrison Betterment Park Committee & Garrison Emergency Services – Kid’s Health & Safety Fair ·         Genesis Development, Transportation for People with Disabilities to Achieve Community Inclusion ·         Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, Benton County Girl Scouting ·         Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc.

In the summer of 1995, former Vinton newspaper publisher and dirt track racing enthusiast Dick Hogan died while watching his son, Scott, race in Independence.  A few weeks later Scott Hogan won the first annual Hogan Memorial event, which honors Dick and Janet (who died in 2006) for their commitment to racing and the Vinton community.  Every year since then, racers have gathered in Vinton for a mid-summer tribute to Dick and Janet Hogan.

Virginia Gay Hospital celebrated Nancy Farmers’ 36 years of healthcare service to our community during her retirement celebration this past Friday. Mike Riege, Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics CEO, spoke to a group gathered to reminisce and wish Nancy a wonderful retirement. Mr. Riege mentioned when he first came to VGH, Nancy’s mother Rita Barron had her retirement, so during his tenure he has had the honor to retired both.

Three years and one day after the historic wind storm ripped the roof off the old library building and flattened the city's emergency services building, Garrison continues recovering and the city held its 2014 Fun Day. While the day was all about fun at the park, and lessons on health and safety for children from a variety of medical providers and public safety officials, throughout the small town are visible signs of recovery from that massive, devastating wind storm.

After 913 days of cancer and treatment, Amillianna King, the daughter of Mike and Stephanie King of Vinton, finally had her last doses of chemotherapy on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. As they celebrate their daughter's remission, the King family has two events planned and invites local residents who have helped them over the past two and one-half years to join the party.

The annual Free Concert in Center Point starts at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at Fross Park in Center Point. Bands are T & A, Prairieland Band, Lyinheart, with special guests CR Spirits dance team, CPTKD Taekwondo Demo; also the All Iowa Mustang club will have all their fancy cars there to look at! There will be over 50 vendors and there will be grilled food and a beer tent.

With the recent tornado warnings that affected the Vinton and Benton County areas, there have been more residents using the storm shelter on Q Avenue. And, as the Vinton City Council learned on Thursday, problems with the shelter. Anna Sallee lives near the shelter on Q Avenue. The storm shelter serves  families who live on Q Avenue, as well as those residing in the trailer homes on R Avenue.

Vinton area residents are being asked to look for something that usually doesn't show up on a "missing" list: A couple thousand honey bees. Jim Arbuckle says that he believes many of the Italian honey bees his daughter has been keeping in family's yard on the south edge of Vinton have migrated to up to two miles away from his house, and he's hoping that anyone who sees a new swarm will contact him.

The Vinton City Council will discuss replacing one of its members as well as the process of hiring a new police chief during its meeting tonight. Council member Dave Redlinger is leaving the council; he recently announced that he is moving out of the Vinton city limits. The council could appoint a replacement to fill his term, which expires in 2017.

As the organizers of the new Mobile Food Pantry plan for the second distribution day this Saturday, July 12, they are asking for some specific donations from the community. "We could really use produce and other perishables," says Erin Monaghan, one of the pantry organizers. "Gardens are starting to produce and we'd love to receive fruits and vegetables to share.