ATLANTIC – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting eight meetings in Western Iowa to discuss the status of the region’s deer herd as population levels have fallen in recent years.

In Atlantic, the meeting will be held July 8, at the Venue, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

State wildlife experts say there are likely multiple factors that have contributed to the decline in the number of deer on the landscape and it might take a multilevel approach for the herd to recover.

“With the hindsight we have today, we can look back and realize that too much doe harvest was encouraged for too long in western Iowa. Significant outbreaks of hemorrhagic disease over the last decade have not helped populations recover, and changes in land cover resulting in less habitat makes deer more vulnerable to harvest,” said Jace Elliott, state deer biologist with the Iowa DNR. “This population decline impacts roughly one-fifth of the state so we are encouraging hunters and landowners to come to the meetings and give us their feedback. Every voice counts.”

The goal of these meetings is to move forward with a plan the department can execute and that hunters will support, he said.

“Deer hunting is one of Iowa’s most recreationally and economically important traditions. Our goal is to manage deer numbers at a level that is acceptable to our citizens and that supports a quality hunting experience,” Elliott said.

Meetings are scheduled in July and run from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

(Creston, Iowa) – A woman from Madison County did not report any injuries following an accident Saturday night, in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, 63-year-old Kimberly Dawn Mathes, of Winterset, was driving a 2005 Chevy trailblazer SUV westbound on Highway 34 at around 9:40-p.m., when she failed to make a turn onto Laurel Street.

The SUV went over a curb at the intersection and struck a traffic signal pole. The impact caused the right front wheel and part of the vehicle’s suspension to be torn-off. The SUV’s grill and other parts of the vehicle were found as far as 10-yards away, according to the police report.

Mathes was found in her vehicle, with the engine still running, when police arrived. She told authorities that due to heavy rain she couldn’t see the curve in the road ahead, which caused her to lose control. The Police report said due to the widely scattered debris from the SUV, Mathes was allegedly traveling faster than the posted 35-mile per hour speed limit. She was not cited, though.

The Officer’s report stated she should re-examined for her vision, because the four-lane roadway was well lit, even in the heavy rain.

(Iowa News Service) – Family farm advocates are calling for cuts in federal subsidies to large animal feeding operations known as CAFOs in the Farm Bill being debated in Congress. Iowa family farmers want more support for conservation programs that benefit smaller agriculture operations. Right now, CAFOs can qualify for as much as 100-million dollars every year to reduce some of the environmental damage they can cause. That’s taxpayer money that Barb Kalbach, a fourth-generation family farmer in Adair County, says could be put to much better use by small family farmers on their land.

CAFO operators contend they use the federal money to defend against environmental damage and that they’re always looking for cleaner, safer ways to raise high-quality meats while responding to increased consumer demand.

As a board member for the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment, Kalbach is calling for more support of conservation programs that would help family farmers, but she is just as adamant that the long-standing rules governing CAFOs are changed.

The Farm Bill saw its first action in the House Agriculture Committee May 23rd. The House version of the measure also proposes 30-billion dollars in cuts to SNAP benefits over the next decade, including 170-million in Iowa.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports five recent arrests:

At around 9:20-a.m. Friday, June 14th, Officers arrested 33-year-old Elisa Renae Savala, of Creston. She was taekn into custody on a Union County Warrant for Violation of No Contact/Protection Order. Savala was held in the Union County Jail until seen by the magistrate.  Friday evening, Creston Police arrested 21-year-old Calvin Cerda, of Lenox, for Driving while Revoked. Cerda was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

At around 1:45-a.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 46-year-old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, on a Union County Warrant for Possession of a Firearm or Offensive Weapon by Felon. Whitney was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Early Sunday morning, 38-year-old Jose Raul Flores, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense. Flores was later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, at around 3-a.m. Sunday, 50-year-old Charles Herbert Abell, of Macksburg, was arrested in Creston for Driving while Suspended. Abell was cited and released from the scene on Promise to Appear.

Montgomery county law enforcement reports a Red Oak woman was arrested Sunday on a drug offense.  During a traffic stop just before midnight Sunday, June 16 in the 1900 block of Broadway Street in Red Oak, 31-year old Aundrea Theresa Clay of Red Oak was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, 3rd offense.  Clay was taken to the Montgomery County jail and held on $5,000 bond.  Red Oak police and the Montgomery County K-9 assisted.

Western Iowa is starting to see more widespread cases of trees becoming infested with the emerald ash borer. The first case was discovered in Woodbury County last year and that’s where Lindsay Meylor (MY-ler) works as a horticulture educator with the I-S-U Extension and Outreach. Meylor says her office is now fielding frequent calls from people, wondering what they can do to save their trees.

Meylor says insecticide is best applied before any signs of damage, and treatment — which can cost hundreds of dollars per application — will have to continue throughout the life of the tree. The insect can kill a tree within two years of infestation.

The D-N-R says when the invasive pest first appeared in eastern Iowa in 2010, there were an estimated 54-million woodland ash trees and another three-million planted in urban areas. It’s unclear how many survived. The emerald ash borer has been detected in all but one of Iowa’s 99 counties. Emmett in northwest Iowa is the only county without a confirmed case.

(Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)

Iowa Democratic Party leaders say hard work and message discipline will yield results for the party in November’s election. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart kicked off the party’s 2024 state convention this weekend by acknowledging there’s a long, hard haul ahead.

All six members of Iowa’s current congressional delegation are Republicans and Republicans have large majorities in the Iowa House and Senate. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst (KON-first) is one of the 36 Democrats in the Iowa House.

Konfrst says Iowans are concerned about public education and abortion — and Democratic candidates need to focus on those two key issues.

Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum (YOH-kum) is one of 16 Democrats in the Iowa Senate. She says Democrats are the defenders of public education in Iowa.

Vice President Kamala Harris recorded a video message that was played for the three-hundred-25 (325) delegates who attended the convention.

Democrats who are running for seats in the U-S House addressed convention delegates, too. Second district nominee Sarah Corkery of Cedar Falls is running against Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion.

Lanon Baccam (luh-NON buh-CAHM), the Democrat who’s running against Republican Congressman Zach Nunn in the third district, also emphasized the abortion issue.

The General Election in November 5th — 140 days away. Iowa Democrats also announced on Saturday that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (beh-SHEER) will be the keynote speaker at a party fundraiser on July 27th. Beshear, a Democrat who just won a second term as governor in 2023, is from a state that, like Iowa, has big G-O-P majorities in the Kentucky legislature and both of the state’s U-S Senators are Republicans.

The University of Iowa is moving ahead on a project to expand and renovate the Tippie College of Business after getting approval from the Board of Regents. U-I vice president, Rod Lehnertz (Lenn-ertz), says the budget is projected between 45 and 60 million dollars.

Part of the project involves renovation of Gilmore Hall.

The Pappajohn Business Building will also be renovated in this project. Lehnertz says they are seeking private gifts to fund a majority of the project. Another project would spend 14 to 17 million dollars to renovate the restrooms in Burge Hall.

Lehnertz says it is a major residence hall and dinning facility, so the work will be done during the summer to avoid disruptions. The Board of Regents also approved renovationg of Level 7 of the John Pappajohn Pavilion for expanded labor, delivery and postpartum patient care at the University Hospitals.

The estimated project cost is 74 million dollars.

(Schleswig, Iowa) – A man from Crawford County was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident this (Sunday) morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2008 Ford F-3250 pickup driven by 24-year-old Victor Rafael Eugenio, of Schleswig, was traveling north on Highway 59 about one-eight of a mile south of F Avenue, south of Schlewig, and according to witnesses, was being driven recklessly  with another vehicle.

The pickup went off the east side of the road, re-entered the road and then went out of control before leaving the road again, and rolling over. The crash happened at around 2:3-a.m.  Eugenio – who was not wearing a seat belt – was ejected from the vehicle. He was transported by Crawford County Ambulance to the Crawford County Memorial Hospital.

The patrol was assisted at the scene by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa [KCCI] — An Iowa man was taken to a hospital Friday afternoon following a skydiving accident. According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, a group of skydivers jumped from just under 15,000 feet Friday afternoon shortly before 2:30 p.m. At about 4,000 feet, members of the group noticed one man experiencing an issue with his parachute. The man spiraled out of control and hit the ground near the Knoxville airport.

Officials on Saturday identified the man as 61-year-old Samuel Owens, of Urbandale. He was airlifted to a Des Moines hospital with serious injuries.