News
Controlled burn: VFD burns field northwest of Vinton
A few days after fighting a controlled burn that burned out-of-control fire northeast of Vinton, the Vinton Fire Department started -- and controlled -- a grass fire northeast of Vinton.
Firemen in several trucks surrounded the flames to keep them from spreading. Winds were calm and firemen extinguished the blaze, although witnesses reported seeing large flames in the area for a while. Task force continues pursuing grants, donations for courthouse clock repair
By Robert Spangler
The Benton County Historical Preservation Commission has established a Courthouse Clock Restoration Task Force. Since December, 2013, this task force has been exploring the restoration of the Courthouse clock. Proposals were requested and three proposals we're received from clocksmiths beginning in early January, 2014.
Vinton Today crosses the 9 MILLION mark!
It's breaking news!
Vinton Today, a tiny website operating out of tiny Vinton, Iowa, has just had our 9 MILLIONTH visit!
Yes, you read that right, our 9 MILLIONTH visit!
We just celebrated our 4th year in business, we've gotten to the point that the "big guys" are now watching our website for their news, something that all of you already knew!
Thank you, thank you, thank YOU, for the wonderful 4 years, for all of your attention given to our stories, our advertisers and especially to our dear community. Vinton native Nelson expects 'only a happy memory' from 2014 Boston Marathon
Competing in the Boston Marathon this Monday will certainly be an emotional experience, said Vinton native Jody Wood Nelson.
For Nelson, the daughter of Joe and the late Judy Wood of Vinton, running in -- and finishing -- last year's Marathon had been a celebration of healing and an important part of her grieving process, after her mother's death of cancer, followed by her father's diagnosis of lymphoma. Teen arrested for making threat at Benton Community High School
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office has referred a 17-year-old juvenile from the Atkins area to Benton County Juvenile Court after a two day investigation. The male juvenile was referred with two counts of Harassment in the First Degree, which are aggravated misdemeanors.
This first count resulted from threats made towards staff at the Benton Community School in Van Horne earlier this week.
Cooling Dancers Win Awards
The Cooling Dancers of Vinton have returned from an outstanding weekend of competition April 11-13 at the “Midwest Starz” Regional.
Hundreds of dancers from 19 studios throughout Iowa gathered at the Five Sullivan Bros. Center to compete. The Cooling Dancers brought home many of the top awards in each age division. Benton Community officials investigating threat; track meet with VS still on
The Benton Community School District and the Benton County Sheriff's Office are investigating a threat written on the wall of a restroom earlier this week.
The threat reads verbatim:
“ON April 17 I going to blow this school up. Only After I Shoot as many people as I can then kill myself”.
School officials plan to have law enforcement personnel on the school campuses tomorrow, but the class and activity schedule so far has not been changed.
DNR says 'protocol not followed' in rural Vinton fire
A press release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued Tuesday afternoon places the blame for Friday's fire in rural Vinton on DNR personnel who did not follow the DNR's policies on burning.
Below is the complete press release, from the Iowa DNR:
An initial review of the prescribed fire in Benton County on April 11 found the National Weather Service was not in any way in error and that certain steps as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources internal burn policy were not followed.
Local women's group seeks to help V-S graduates
A local women’s group will be helping area youth celebrate their graduation from high school. The celebration will recognize students who have beat the odds to succeed and may not otherwise be able to celebrate their accomplishments. This initiative will focus on helping students in the Vinton-Shellsburg school district who may be homeless, in foster care, living in a shelter, or living on their own.
Wamac Art show entries from VS, other schools on display today
From 2 to 5 p;m. today, the Iowa Braille School gym will be open for public viewing of the art exhibits for tomorrow's Wamac Art Fair. The annual event takes place in a different conference school's town each year, and returns to Vinton for 2014.
The public is invited to see the art work from VS students as well as those from the other schools in the Wamac West conference.