Seen around town: Wednesday, April 22, 2026

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
April 23, 2026 4:05 pm

The town was buzzing with activity on Wednesday. West 9th St. saw a huge tree being taken down on C Ave. and a few hours later at the intersection of A Avenue there was a car accident.

Vinton Today crosses the 9.000 mark on Facebook!

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
April 23, 2026 10:48 am

This website and its reach continue to absolutely amaze me! Just a few months ago, I noted that we had reached 8,500 followers on the Facebook page...Today, I noticed that we had quietly passed that 9,000 mark!I'm incredibly grateful to all of you who follow there, or subscribe to the daily email with the latest news updates and to those who send in news, photos, share events, or say, "Hey, did you know.

Successful District Convention Highlights Leadership, Awards, and State Qualifie

FFA
April 22, 2026 1:25 pm

PicturedFront row; Will McKenna, Levi Lutz, Ali Lutz, Abby McKenna, Jenna Grovert, Nora Grovert, and Madeline Pingenot. Second row; Andrew Allsup, Jackson Lloyd, Bridgette Castle, Bri Dulin, Kenzie Rhinehart, Zane Helter, Jameson Demuth, and Cole Birker.

LaPorte City Public Library May Newsletter

LAPORTE CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
April 22, 2026 1:24 pm

Board Minutes from April 20, 2026Meeting Commencement: The La Porte City Public Library Board of Trustees met in regular session on April 20, 2026. President Heather Chingren called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM with members Brynna Hemsath, Renee Jesse, Mindy Rottinghaus, Terri Vopelak, and Linda Weidemann present.

Part 2: Fighting to Save the Nation, One Farm at a Time

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
April 21, 2026 12:06 pm

                  Lance Lillibridge, a Vinton farmer, stood at Columbia College in the heart of New York City in front of a room full of those with a PhD.

Part 1: Meeting the Lillibridges

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
April 20, 2026 11:48 am

In October of 2025, local farmer Lance Lillibridge shared a post that got the attention of many. It started with the words, "I am a pissed off farmer - like most in the U.

Seen around town: Pelicans

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
April 20, 2026 11:45 am

This flock of pelicans created a beautiful photo opportunity when they landed at Dudgeon Lake, north of Vinton. Russell Lindberg captured this photo of the birds over the weekend.

Making Room for the Next Generation

VALERIE CLOSE, EDITOR
April 20, 2026 10:14 am

Will McKenna, son of Nichole and John, shared a speech he gave as part of a FFA Public Speaking project. As required, it addressed several agricultural topics entitled, "Making Room for the Next Generation.

Statewide Hands-Free Traffic Enforcement Results

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
April 17, 2026 12:07 pm

For Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) partnered with the Central Iowa Traffic Safety Task Force (CITSTF), and law enforcement agencies across the state to enforce Iowa's Hands-Free Driving Law.

A new gold rush: States stockpile bars, encourage gold-backed debit cards

IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH
April 17, 2026 12:07 pm

By Kevin HardyMore states are piling up gold bars, or encouraging residents to use gold-backed debit cards, to hedge against inflation.Several states, including Western ones with rich mining histories, have been stockpiling gold as part of their broader state savings.