News

     You would have had to see it for yourself to believe it, but Vinton's 2011 Party in the Park weekend began Thursday night with geese that knew when it was time to start.       The Goose Man, Paul Messerschmidt, brought several of his trained geese to Vinton to entertain and teach the crowd. The geese made their way toward the front of the line of children who had gathered go from the Farmers Bank parking lot to the courthouse lawn on foot, bikes, and other wheeled vehicles.

     Many area children helped Jugglers Dean Franzen and Doug Sayers perform  during the Party in the Park activities Thursday night.      Sayers, a 20-something and Franzen, a 50-something who has relatives in Vinton, used pins, balls, discs and even swords and a unicycle in two 30-minute shows.      Both men have been performing throughout Iowa and beyond for many years, and Sayers has recently won championships in world juggling competitions.

       "The goose is booked."      That play on words came from a Vinton Parks and Recreation Board member as the first act of the 2011 Party in the Park was scheduled last November.      The Goose Man is coming to Vinton tonight.      Paul Messerschmidt -- a former western Iowa school classmate of two Vinton residents, VPRD Board President Jeff Peterson and Bob Noren -- will bring his flock of trained geese to the courthouse lawn tonight.

  Horizons, A Family Service Alliance, celebrated its third annivesary in Vinton with an open house Tuesday morning at the Horizons office at 215 North K. Ave, Vinton.  The event will offered  an opportunity to learn about Horizons’ iCan Behavioral Health Intervention Services for Children and Families, Mental Health Counseling, Early Access and Family Support Programs offered in Vinton.

Yesterday, Matt Betterton and Scott Barron organized a ground-breaking ceremony for their new clinic on 13th Street on the west edge of Vinton. Hearing about this event made me remember my introduction to chiropractic medicine... I was fortunate enough to have had a happy childhood, not a lot of drama, and relatively normal. I can't think of anything that really gave me a phobia from if except one thing, trips to the chiropractor with my mom.

     As children arrive at the Farmers Savings Bank & Trust-Vinton parking lot Thursday evening, June 23, for the annual Party in the Park Kiddie Parade, the FSB staff will continue the tradition of serving hotdogs, chips and soda to everyone.      The annual Community Appreciation Picnic begins at 5 p.m. Thursday and continues until the start of the Kiddie Parade at 6:30.

       This year’s Party in the Park celebration is better than ever!  It’s the 20th anniversary of Vinton’s annual family-oriented celebration.  We’ve got a weekend full of awesome entertainment and fun for the whole family.  The fun kicks off Thursday, June 23rd with a community picnic sponsored by Farmer’s Savings Bank and Trust.

       The Vinton-Shellsburg High School Marching Band will be representing the state of Iowa in the 2011 National Independence Day Parade in Washington D.C.       The marching band, under the direction of Mr. Karl Smith, will consist of 76 students accompanied by 13 band booster chaperones.       The band will be rehearsing this Friday, June 24 from 8:00-9:00 A.

     One of Katy Manchester's photos features both her and her father. They are in separate cars, competing in one of their favorite hobbies: Demolition Derbies.      Katy, from New Hampshire, is an AmeriCorps member at the North Region campus in Vinton. She is hoping to find a car to enter into the Demolition Derby at the Benton County Fair July 16.

  We are now well over two weeks into the Party In The Park 20th Anniversary Medallion Hunt. We've had a number of people who have been tenaciously hunting down the treasure but those few individuals who were successful in uncovering the medallions 11 through 18 are as follows:   Medallion 11: Gaby Nieves discovered the medallion by the rocks at Farmers Savings Bank & Trust   Medallion 12: Chelsey Kettler discovered the medallion on Duane Randall's fence   Medallion 13: Allan Woodhouse discovered the medallion at TJ Gas   Medallion 14: Judy Midthun discovered the medallion by the VPRD rock at Cedar Bend Park   Medallion 15: Allan Woodhouse discovered the medallion by the rock at the Vinton Country Club   Medallion 16: Connie Gill discovered the medallion in the carport at the Ray House   Medallion 17: Connie Gill discovered the medallion by a tree at Celebration Park   Medallion 18: Bethany Clemonson discovered the medallion in a horse stall at the fairgrounds.