A man from Missouri who was wanted on a warrant out of eastern Iowa for Probation Violation, was taken into custody in Fremont County at around 6:40-a.m. today (Tuesday).  The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says 45-year old Donald Scott Baker, of Osceola, MO., was arrested after authorities received a call about a man talking to himself and waving his arms.

Deputies found Baker parked on private property located off of Waubonsie Avenue in Bartlett, and after checking his record, took him into custody on the Tama County warrant. The Iowa State Patrol assisted at the scene.

Baker was being held on a $5,000 bond in the Fremont County Jail pending transport back to Tama County.

Donald Scott Baker

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley is accusing the Department of Veterans Affairs of lying about the length of time veterans wait for medical appointments at Iowa’s VA hospitals.

The Iowa Republican says detailed data provided by a whistleblower shows the VA wasn’t truthful in February when it told the committee he chairs that no patients waited longer than 90 days at Iowa City and Des Moines hospitals during January and February. He says in reality thousands of veterans at the hospitals wait longer than 90 days.

In a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin Grassley said he was extremely disturbed by the misinformation. Shulkin responded in a letter May 26 that it was a misunderstanding and not a deliberate attempt to mislead.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three recent arrests. On Monday, 25-year old Chanel Quintana, of Northlake, IL, was arrested on a  felony charge of Forgery, and an aggravated misdemeanor charge of Unauthorized Use of Credit Card. Quintana was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $7,000 bond.

Sunday, Cass County Deputies arrested 58-year old Terry Lee Ranney, of Massena, on a charge of Violating a No Contact Order. Ranney was taken to the Cass County Jail and released Monday on $300 bond.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say around 230 workers were evacuated because of an ammonia leak at a Tyson pork plant in Storm Lake. Firefighters and police were dispatched around 3:10 a.m. Tuesday to the plant, which had already been emptied. Tyson staffers told firefighters the ammonia flow had been shut off but plenty of gas vapor remained in the plant. The plant air eventually cleared up.

No injuries have been reported. Storm Lake authorities say a fan on a refrigeration unit had broken. It struck a condenser coil in the refrigeration unit, causing the ammonia leak.

Early June is the second busiest month in Iowa behind the November rut for deer-vehicle collisions, as does are moving to more secluded areas prior to giving birth. Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says “The same cautions for drivers that apply during the November rut apply today – drive defensively and slow down. Watch for does going to nontraditional areas, like alfalfa fields, pastures, smaller secluded patches of habitat to have fawns. We’ve even seen does have fawns in flower beds. It’s wherever she feels safe when the contractions hit.”

This increased deer movement spans the first two weeks of June. The fawning period coincides with hay cutting operations which can reduce cover and move deer as well. Drivers are encouraged to not swerve to avoid hitting a deer as that can result in more serious consequences. Coffey said “Does are active any time of day right now. If a collision is unavoidable, drivers should break and try to control the collision.”

I found this “abandoned” fawn…The calls, emails are personal messages have already begun. “I rescued this abandoned fawn, brought it home, now what do I do with it?” Early June is a productive time of year for wildlife having babies, and for fawns to get “rescued” from their mother. “The fawn may appear to be abandoned, when, in fact, it is under the watchful eye of its mother and should not be picked up or moved from the area. This is the mother’s way of protecting the fawn,” Coffey said. “She will return to nurse the fawn once or twice a day and start moving it when the fawn has the strength and agility to follow her effectively, usually after a week to 10 days.”

In addition to fawns showing up, pheasant chicks and turkey poults are hatching.