When you don't follow the rules...

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
November 2, 2023 11:45 am

If anyone was watching today's Board of Supervisor meeting, I would bet that your blood pressure went through the roof. The frustration of watching and listening to everyone on every side of the room, all boils down to decisions made by the elected officials.

Letter to the Editor To the Citizens of Benton County

VINTON TODAY
November 1, 2023 11:17 am

Citizens of Benton CountyI am writing in response to the many statements and insinuations that Virginia Gay Hospital has not been transparent with use of state grant and county funds.

Reason 1,472,358,234,7453,189 to have a county job

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
October 31, 2023 2:13 pm

At today's Benton County Board of Supervisors Meeting, I found that I might just need to go back on blood pressure medicine. Today's meeting left me frustrated and wishing that as a teenager someone would have said, "Get a county job, or state job, basically any government job will do.

Former BOH member addressed the BOS, sharing her experience and the law

VINTON TODAY
October 30, 2023 11:17 pm

The Board of Supervisors were reminded in a letter dated October 17, of the appointment to the Board of Health of Katilin Emrich. Currently serving on the Public Board of Health in Black Hawk County, Emrich reminded the supervisors of the law concerning the Board of Health and its functions as well as the functions of the Supervisors.

BOH and how to increase a budget by 130%

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
October 25, 2023 7:23 am

In all the hoopla the last few weeks, it has become clear to me that I have a lot of 'splainin' to do as Lucy would have told Desi...(If you don't get the reference, you're a young thing!)The Board of Health is responsible for two departments Environmental Health and Public Health.

Benton Development Group urges YES vote for EMS

BENTON DEVELOPMENT GROUP
October 24, 2023 4:56 pm

 Emergency medical services are a matter of life and death and essential for attracting employers and residents. Safety is at the top of everyone’s list when choosing where to live or locate a business.

Legalese

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
October 23, 2023 11:47 am

This last couple of weeks, I've spent a ton of time reading legalese. When digging into how government works it's like putting a giant puzzle together.

No bailers were harmed in the making of a story

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
October 20, 2023 11:35 am

This week I was talking to a professional in the field of minds and how they work, or how they don't work. We were talking about words and how I sometimes just draw a blank.

There's no hiding it: Iowa Democrats lost big with caucus decision

IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH
October 20, 2023 11:03 am

By Dave Nagle, Iowa Capital DispatchIowa Democratic Party leaders returned last week from St. Louis where the fate of the Iowa Caucuses’ first-in-the-nation status was determined.

EMS As Essential

VINTON TODAY
October 16, 2023 10:31 am

By Anna Demuth, Benton Co EMS Association PresidentOnly a legislature can make 68 cents 35 cents.When you see the EMS levy on the November ballot, remember that thanks to the wizardry of property tax formulas, 68 cents per thousand in assessed valuation could become just 35 cents.