DES MOINES, Iowa, May 28, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development will provide Agency resources at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster recovery centers in the towns of Minden, Harlan, Greenfield, and Mount Ayr, areas hit hard by recent severe storms and tornadoes. The Agency offers information to individuals and organizations seeking grants and loans to help homeowners, businesses, and communities in rural areas damaged by severe storms and tornadoes in Iowa on April 26-27, 2024, map, and May 21, 2024, map.

USDA encourages homeowners with storm damage in all eligible counties to register with FEMA. Start an application for FEMA assistance at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

USDA resources include Rural Development’s disaster assistance fact sheet for Iowa, resource guide, and webpage.

USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.

To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

FEMA Disaster recovery center locations in Iowa

Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Adair County – Greenfield City Hall

202 S. 1st Street

Greenfield, Iowa 50849

Ringgold County – United Baptist Presbyterian Church

2343 US Highway 169

Mount Ayr, Iowa 50854

Pottawattamie County – Minden Fire Department

207 Main Street

Minden, Iowa 51553

Shelby County – Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

1901 Hawkeye Ave. Suite 101

Harlan, Iowa 51537

(Iowa DNR) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has forestry experts available to help landowners impacted by recent storms with forest storm damage assessments and forest recovery plans. Lindsey Barney, district forester for 11 counties in southern and southwest Iowa for the Iowa DNR, said the phone calls are just beginning as the cleanup progresses.

“These storms have caused significant damage across the state. When the landowners are ready, we will be here to help them assess the impact to their timber,” she said. There is a map and contact information for the local district foresters online at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Forestry-Landowner-Assistance

(Iowa DNR News) – Fawning season traditionally begins during the last week of May, peaks in the first couple of weeks of June, before gradually tapering off. And that means deer are on the move. Does are secretive about the birthing process and will venture out from normal use areas looking for a secluded spot to deliver this year’s crop of fawns in peace, said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “This seclusion process is a driving force in protection for the lanky, wavering fawn. Fawns will be left alone while the doe returns only to nurse. This is normal deer behavior,” he said.

“The doe searches out an isolated location where she feels safe and, on occasion, those places may leave us scratching our heads wondering what the doe was thinking. But she chose that location because it made sense to her,” Coffey said. “The worst thing someone can do at this stage is to ‘rescue’ the fawn. Mom is likely nearby and watching you. Leave it be, or if you did handle the fawn, return it to where you found it and walk away.”

With the recent flooding and saturated soils, many areas near river bottoms are not available for fawning, pushing deer to higher elevations. These spots can be anything from open hayfield to a field terrace to the flowerbed in the backyard. The Iowa DNR will not be rehabilitating or comingling fawns with other deer to avoid the potential of spreading chronic wasting disease – or other disease – to new areas. This emphasizes the point of leaving ‘abandoned” fawns be.

The spindly legged newborn fawn is designed with a few survival tools built in –its spots are cryptic camouflage that emulates the sunlight spots projected onto leaf litter of the forest floor and its lack of movement the first two weeks helps to reduce scent patterns. This combination is its best chance at survival until it is capable to following the doe.

Fawning season also coincides with an increase in deer vehicle collisions. “There is a lot of movement this time of year that relates to the social structure of deer. The doe is on the move looking for the safe isolated place to have the fawns.  Additional movement comes from last year’s fawns that are now isolated teenagers starting to venture out to find new space. These yearlings have to make their own decisions for the first time, encounter other adult deer and build new social structures,” Coffey said. “This movement behavior can occur during all times of the day. Once it settles out, the active movement time will return to dawn and dusk.

“The key to remember is that for the next month deer may not be acting like we think deer should act, stay alert while driving at any time of the day.” Drivers are reminded to drive defensively, avoid distractions, slow down, and provide safe distance between vehicles. Don’t veer for deer. If a driver does hit a deer, drivers can get a salvage tag for the meat by calling either the local conservation officer or local law enforcement agency. The salvage tag is free and is required to legally possess the meat. Salvaging requires that the entire deer be removed from the roadway.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports six arrests occurred over the past week. Tuesday (May 28th), 33-year-old Tyler Jason Chambers, of Glenwood, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. His bond was set at $5,000.

On Sunday, 34-year-old Morgan Lynne Prusha, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Saturday night, 35-year-old Robert David Roth, of Emerson, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault, Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree, and Disorderly Conduct. Friday afternoon, Mills County Deputies arrested 34-year-old Christopher Lee McDaniel, of Pacific Junction, on a warrant for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. All three subjects were being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

There were two arrested in Mills County on May 21st: 36-year-old Kayla Marie Shoemaker, of Glenwood, was arrested for Simple Assault ($300 bond), and 38-year-old AJ Sidney Kercheval, of Omaha, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation (Bond $5,000).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) held a Town Hall meeting this (Tuesday) morning (May 28th) at Iowa Western Community College, in Atlantic. After he answered questions and spoke about a variety of topics with those in attendance, Grassley took some time to speak with reporters. He was asked what are people asking about lately, during the meetings?

The economy and workforce are also topics of concern to his constituents. Senator Grassley spoke in particular about an immigration parole reform bill.

He said the Democrats don’t want an immigration bill to be discussed on the floor of the Senate unless it’s their bill. Grassley said his message is that there’s enough work to be done in the Senate, but there’s not enough time allotted by leaders of the congressional delegation.

Sen. Grassley

The Town Hall meeting is part of Iowa’s Senior Senator’s annual 99 county tour across the State.

He was scheduled to hold a similar meeting Tuesday afternoon in Glenwood, and in Corning on Wednesday. The sessions mark Grassley’s 44^th consecutive year of holding at least one meeting in each Iowa County.

(Radio Iowa) – The search for a missing kayaker in northeast Iowa has ended in tragedy. Monday, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported seeing what they believed was a body in the Upper Iowa River near Lundy Bridge in Winneshiek County. Authorities say the Decorah Fire Department confirmed a short time later that was the body of 39-year-old Justin Limkemann of Frederika.

Limkemann was last seen May 18th when he went kayaking on the Upper Iowa River near Decorah. A capsized kayak and several items belonging to Limkemann were found on the 19th.

(Radio Iowa) – A recreational boater was rescued late Saturday from the flooded Boone River in Hamilton County. The Webster City Fire Department received a call after the individual had fallen off of a kayak. The fire department used a rescue boat to rescue the person. The rescue was reported in the Boone River between Webster City and Stratford. The individual was hanging on to the kayak at the time of the rescue.

Once the person was rescued, the person was taken to Van Diest Medical Center in Webster City for further care and evaluation. The Boone River is not safe for a boat or kayak to be on due to the river cresting over 10 feet.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic RAGBRAI® Committee continues to sell Atlantipalooza merchandise, a collection of tee shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, and stickers. The Atlantipalooza merchandise was launched during a Town Hall meeting early this May. The committee chose a music festival theme and came up with Atlantipalooza as a play off the well-known music festival Lalapalooza.

The merchandise features the bold “Atlantipalooza” logo on brightly colored tank tops, tee shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers. The committee has limited designs and sizes on hand at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, but the full line of merchandise can be viewed and purchased online at www. AtlanticRAGBRAI.com

The Atlantic RAGBRAI Committee will continue to meet regularly to plan for Atlantipalooza on July 22nd. All forms and information available can be accessed on the website www.atlanticragbrai.com. Community members and riders alike are encouraged to follow Atlantic RAGBRAI on Facebook and Instagram for all things Atlantic RAGBRAI.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman, today (Tuesday), updated the status of repairs following tornadoes that caused damage last week. He started his report on the latest information on the number and strength of the tornadoes. A lot of the information is still in the preliminary stages. Hamman said there were four tornadoes.

He said there was extensive, scattered damage throughout the County, along the twister’s paths.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman (5/28/24)

Hamman said as with any storms, there was extensive tree damage. He’s said they’re still working on getting a dollar amount of the damage to homes, property and infrastructure from the tornadoes and flooding, altogether. Brian Hamman said Secondary Roads also took a big hit, including the destruction of a road, gravel loss, signs and tree removal. The Conservation Department, he said, also has a lot of damage to contend with, estimated “On the lower side of $100,000,” Hamman said. He’s working to get volunteers organized to help clear the trails later this week. The City of Red Oak’s Public Works Department building was damaged in the storms.

Montgomery County’s Communications tower located west of Villisca, was topped in the storm, and another was damaged. It was an emotional topic for him to discuss.

It’s not clear when the tower will be replaced, but the best case scenario, would be about one-year. The north site tower, Hamman said, was still standing, but the micro-wave link is out-of-alignment, and is scheduled to be aligned later this week. He said with the one tower down, there will be a loss of communications in the County, especially in the southeast part of the County, but there are work-around solutions, including fiber optics.

Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert said there is still a road closed due to a washout resulting from the storms.

Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert

She said they lost 50 signs to the storms. President Biden has approved a Disaster Declaration for the County.