News
Vinton firefighters stop parade to honor former Chief Dave Hite
It won’t be hard for the members of the Vinton Fire Department to name their favorite moment of the 2013 IFA Convention Parade.
Most of the audience members saw the firefighters jogging along the parade route, pushing or pulling the historic pumper that the fire department uses for such occasions.
But the highlight of the parade came when the firemen stopped jogging. Better Tomorrows Board welcomes three new members
New members of the Better Tomorrows Early Childhood Iowa Board are (left to right) Kecia Appleby, member of the public; Pastor Brian Oliver, faith representative; and Trisha Kennedy, elected official. Better Tomorrows assures children in Benton and Tama County are healthy, have a safe, secure, nurturing childcare and home environment, and are ready to succeed in school. Vinton-Shellsburg School Board Candidate Profile: Rob Levis
Editor's Note: Rob Levis is seeking re-election to the at-large school board seat he was first elected to in 2009. We asked Rob to share some information about himself and her experience, as well as his views on school issues. Below, is his response:
For the past four years I have had the privilege of serving our district as a member of the Vinton-Shellsburg School Board.
Permit to Carry courses to be offered in Vinton
A course for Iowans to obtain their Permit to Carry Weapons has been scheduled in the area. The four hour course covers handgun safety, gun handling, carry options, situational awareness, interaction with law enforcement, use of force, and state and federal laws. The course teaches students how to be safe and efficient with a firearm for personal protection.
IFA Convention: How 2013 camp site looked from above
Former Vinton firefighter and 2013 IFA convention volunteer Marlyn Duncan offered VT Editor Dean Close a ride in his plane to take photos from the air of the IFA camp site.
The field east of TIlford Elementary was filled with hundreds of campers, a few tents, dozens of vehicles, including several old antique fire trucks, and more than 450 golf carts. IFA Convention ends; firefighters, area residents share many memories
There was lots of laughter and excitement as the Iowa Firefighter's Association members -- nearly 2,500 of them -- gathered in Vinton. There were also a few tears too, as members remembered firefighters who have died in the past year, or who are facing illness.
Here are a few of our favorite photos from this year's event.
Look for more stories about the convention, its competitions, events and participants very soon. VS Fine Arts Century Club announces annual meeting
The board of the Vinton-Shellsburg Fine Arts Century Club would like to extend an invitation to current members of the Vinton-Shellsburg Fine Arts Century Club and to prospective members of Vinton and surrounding communities to attend the annual meeting of the Vinton-Shellsburg Fine Arts Century Club on Monday, September 16. The meeting will take place in the Media Center at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School at 7:00 P.
Iowa Firefighter's Association Convention Saturday event schedule
Members of the Iowa Firefighters Association officially began their 2013 convention on Wednesday.
While events for the firefighters and their families are scheduled throughout the week, most of the public events take place on Saturday, Sept. 7.
A contest the IFA calls "drills" -- activities related to the use of water, hose and other firefighting equipment -- begins at 8 a. Benton County Sheriff's Report/Arrest Log, August 2013
Benton County Sheriff Randall Forsyth reports that deputies answered 347 calls for service and investigated 10 accidents. Deputies attempted to serve 265 civil papers and issued 81 traffic citations and 188 traffic warnings.
There were 30 arrests/juvenile referrals with 41 charges being filed in August 2013.
(19) were simple misdemeanors, (11) were indictable misdemeanors, and (11) were felony charges.
Waterball fights: Old Timers, co-ed events took place Thursday
The first two of four waterball events took place on Thursday. Mike Hook of Hiawatha and his team won the Old Timer's event. More than 40 teams signed up for the co-ed event, which featured two teammates from different departments each using their own hose.
The lady's event takes place Friday afternoon, and the men's event concludes the competition part of the convention on Saturday afternoon.