Opinion

Pastor\'s Blog - RECKLESS GRACE: FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION

Pastor Lanette S. Van   Luke 15:11-32 Kate Braestrup in her book, Beginner's Grace, tells a story about her own "prodigal son," Peter (pp.94-97).  When Peter was around fourteen,...

I\'m from the country, and I like it!

T.W. Close, the 1st generation So many time as I head out of the huge city of Vinton to my humble abode in the country, I ponder how privileged we are to live where we do. I marvel at the lack of whining you hear among neigh...

Letter to the Editor - Copper theft hits local REC; group asks for new law

  Dear Editor, Across the country and here in Iowa theft of precious metals (including copper, aluminum and bronze) is on the rise from abandoned buildings, empty houses and most dange...

How a traditional newspaper (which we are not) gets its funding...

  (Just in case anyone out there is still not sure about this: We are not, no more, not, not at all, not either, in no way, not even in the slig...

Sandy, Sherry, Candy, Jackie and the boys of summer

Dazzy Vance: The Iowa native who taught a girl how to pitch well enough to pay for college.   I was in the middle of one of those "buserable" -- busy and miserable -- February days last week. It was snowy and windy and cold. But I saw something that warmed my heart ...

Letter to the Editor - Concerns about The American Community Survey

Dear Editor,  I have recently become familiar with The Community Survey. This survey is sent by the U.S. Census Bureau to 250,000 households per month. It is mandated by Congress and the s...

Pastor's Blog - Mardi Gras or Easter – Choose

  Mardi Gras or Easter – Choose   Many of you probably know that the Tuesday just prior to Ash Wednesday is called ‘Fat Tuesday’ or in French, ‘Mardi ...

Brad Wines

  Wine has an image problem.   Few beverages can make me feel as incompetent, uninformed and undeserving as wine.  It’s almost as if the wine bottle on the shelf i...

Why we did not cover the news that did not happen

  There is just one reason why we at Vinton Today did not write about the threat of armed intruders that led to students coming home to tell their parents that they had heard about an arme...

Backyard Reporting

Sometimes I still have to laugh at our lack of common sense.  As I've admitted before, we are city folks, just living in the country.  For decades the Closes and the Stainbroo...