News

Farmers Market continues; many vendors offering sweet corn

The Womochils and Struves discuss sweet corn and other items during the Farmers Market. The weekly VPRD Farmers Market took place on Thursday, with many vendors offering sweet corn in abundance, along with other baked goods and fresh garden produce. This week was Bingo Night, with Brad Barker calling the games and T-shirts and goodie bags from the Parks and Rec Department as prizes. 

Shellsburg tax preparer gets 21 months for falsifying returns, pocketing refunds

A Shellsburg tax preparer who admitted filing false tax returns on behalf of clients who were unaware of the changes he made, then diverting parts of tax refunds to his personal bank accounts, has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to repay the government more than $50,000. The IRS did not disclose how or when the investigation of Keith Rath, 52, began.

Be the Match: Vinton mom of child with leukemia organizing bone marrow event

Amillianna King: Leukemia survivor's family organizing 'Be the Match' bone marrow donor event. Being the mom of a child with cancer, says Vinton resident Stephanie King, “is a very bumpy road, especially at the beginning.” But she says, having the support of others who have gone through cancer has been a wonderful help. “It will feel like it is never going to end or get better but it does,” says Stephanie.   The symptoms For Stephanie and her daughter, Amillianna, that journey began with what seemed like routine toddler ailments.

VS registration: PaySchools program has issues; plan to pay with cash/check

We are sorry for the inconvenience but, at this time PaySchools has been having a lot of internal issues outside of our local control. It has been working off and on and hasn't been super reliable. We are recommending at this time to pay registration fees via cash or check. It would be best to go to PaySchools and put things in your "Cart," print it, and then send a check to a building office or drop it off between 8am and 4pm.

Area children raise $230 for AHA

These children helped raise $230 for the AHA in honor of Olivia Spencer. For the second year in a row, a group of friends of the children of Joe and Jill Johnson have gathered in the Johnson yard in Vinton to sell lemonade and cookies, play and raise money to donate to a special need. This year, the children raised $230 which they will donate to the American Heart Association in honor of Vinton resident Olivia Spencer.

'Pop Goes the Evil!' VSHS band members, new director work on routine at camp

Jacob Gosse plays the trombone during Band Camp. New Vinton-Shellsburg High School Band Director Nick Waymire (who played in the mellophone section of the Hawkeye Marching Band) is wearing black and gold again. This time, the West Des Moines native and recent U of I graduate is leading another band of black and gold. Waymire is the director of the Vinton-Shellsburg High School bands.  At Iowa, he was a section leader and was part of the band when it went to Florida to play during the 2010 Orange Bowl, where Iowa defeated Georgia Tech.

Lent resigns as Vinton City Coordinator; last day Sept. 6

At a special meeting of the Vinton City Council on Tuesday, August 6, 2013, Andy Lent, City Coordinator for the City of Vinton officially resigned his position as city coordinator. His final day will be Friday, September 6, 2013. Lent will be assuming the position of city administrator for the City of Carlisle, which is on the southeast side of the Des Moines metro area.

Murphy Memorial Golf Tournament raises $11,500 for VGH

Rick and Paula Murphy present VGH Administrator Mike Riege $11,500 raised with annual golf event. Rick and Paula Murphy visited Virginia Gay Hospital on Saturday, to present $11,5000 in checks to VGH Administrator Mike Riege.  The proceeds from the 14th Annual Murphy Memorial Golf Tournament will help those who are unable to afford medical care. Of that total, $5,000 will go toward the VGH charity account and $6,500 toward the Gifts of Hope fund, which pays for mammography services for women who cannot afford them.

NCCC Maple 4 Team travels into the woods to preserve popular Michigan trails

Maple 4 poses on the 422ft boardwalk they helped build on the High County Pathway. By Jill Ament Maple 4 started week one with the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association (NMMBA) waking up between 5 and 5:30 in the morning and heading out the door of their bunkhouse in the Pigeon River Country State Forest by 6 a.m. The team then began their hour-long commute under the deep, pine canopies outside of Vanderbilt, Mich. “The commute wasn’t that bad really,” said Maple 4 member JJ Moses of Lyons, Mich.

Pilot safe after landing helicopter in field near Vinton

This helicopter landed in a field near Vinton on Tuesday; no damage or injuries were reported. The Vinton Police Department, Fire Department, and North Benton Ambulance were dispatched to a field behind Theisen's Supply in Vinton at approximately 10:32 a.m. this morning for a report of an aircraft down. The aircraft, a crop dusting helicopter, reportedly experienced engine problems during take-off, and the pilot, Dick Sluke of Montana, was forced to make an off-field landing of the aircraft shortly after departing Farm Service in Vinton.