The director of the Wapello County Conservation Board says you may see more deer on and along the roadways in warm weather. Rick Tebbs says deer are like humans and stay in the shade to keep cool during the day, and then go on the move to look for food as the sun sets.

Tebbs says the deer we are most likely to see while driving around this time of the year are very young.

Tebbs suggests drivers should go easy on the gas pedal while traveling at night.

Experts say you should not swerve if you see a deer in the roadway, as you may lose control of your car and put yourself in danger.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who use wheelchairs to get around can now zip right onto the sandy beach — or practically anywhere else — at Big Creek State Park in a motorized track chair that’s part wheelchair and part A-T-V. Chad Kelchen, a parks supervisor with the Iowa D-N-R, says the new Action Trackchair is designed to handle tougher terrain than a typical wheelchair.

Iowa DNR photo of a track chair in use

The track chair is the first of its kind for the agency as Kelchen says they noticed people with mobility issues would end up stranded -near- but not -on- the beach, which had to be frustrating.

The Trackchair can handle slopes of up to 30 degrees and it features a cushioned seat, an adjustable reclining backrest and a headrest. Its battery charge will last five to seven hours, depending on the terrain.

The 20-thousand dollar chair came to Iowa at no charge through a grant from the Ford Bronco Wild Fund, which is administered by the America’s State Parks Foundation. Big Creek State Park is in Polk City, just north of Des Moines.

Des Moines, Iowa – The 2024 Governor’s Volunteer Awards will be held 2-p.m. Tuesday, June 25th, at Ankeny High School (1155 SW Cherry Street, Ankeny). Governor Reynolds will recognize individuals and groups during the special ceremony. More than 400 awards are being presented this year.

Individual awards will be presented to southwest Iowans, including 13 people from Clarinda, and one each from Guthrie Center, Glenwood, Carson, Oakland, Villisca, Neola and Shenandoah. Group winners include: The Carson Community Rodeo; Friends of Lake Anita State Park; The Manning Regional Health Care Center; and Shenandoah Medical Center. (View the complete list of Award recipients HERE)

It is estimated that over 85 communities in Iowa were served by this year’s honorees. Coordinated by Volunteer Iowa, a program within the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS), the Governor’s Volunteer Award program—now in its 40^th year—provides an easy way for Iowa nonprofits, charitable organizations, and government entities to honor their volunteers with a prestigious, state-level award.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says “Those being recognized are the people who invest in others without expecting anything in return—except, of course, for the fulfillment that comes from doing their part to give back to their community. This collective impact is nothing short of remarkable.”