Iowa motorists can expect to see more deer darting across roadways in the coming weeks. Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Tom Litchfield says the early harvest this year has deer on the move. They tend to be especially active around sunrise and sunset near creeks and wooded areas.

“I always tell motorists to be especially vigilant as they’re nearing low spots in the landscape,” Litchfield said. The DNR has taken steps to reduce Iowa’s deer population over the last decade after a peak road kill total of 15,361 was recorded in 2004. Last year, the road kill total dropped to 10,626 deer.

“The last four years, the (road kill) rates compare well to the mid 1980s through the early 90s. There’s been quite a difference from what we had between 2002 and 2006,” Litchfield said. The potential for deer/vehicle collisions in Iowa could decline more in the years to come. Litchfield notes hunters killed just over 121,000 deer in Iowa in 2011.

“I expect this year our reported harvest should drop six-to-seven percent just due to the decline in the deer herd,” Litchfield said. Deer population goals set by the DNR have been reached in roughly two-thirds of Iowa’s counties, according to Litchfield. The chances for deer/vehicle collisions will rise a bit more in late October and early November as the “rut” or breeding season begins.

A teenage girl was injured in a one vehicle accident that occurred Monday afternoon near Shenandoah.

At about 5:30 PM, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Shenandoah Rescue were dispatched to a scene of a one vehicle accident at the intersection of 170th St and 390th Ave in Fremont County near Shenandoah.  Upon arrival officials found a 1995 Chevy Pickup owned by Kevin Wilson but driven by a teenage girl in the ditch where it had struck a power poll.

The girl had possible injuries to her hand.  Two other teenage boys who were passengers in the pickup did not sustain injuries.  All the teens were released to their parents.

The Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency is offering a FEMA course called Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) on Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Fire Training Center in Council Bluffs at 3405 South 11^th St.  CERT was started in 2003 by the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency.  Pottawattamie Emergency Management Office Specialist Eva Fisher says they have a class every 1-2 years that teach disaster preparedness for individuals.  She says they keep a database with volunteers and train 15-20 people each 20 hour class.  Last year they helped in the EOC with phones because of the flood.

Iowa Farm Service Agency State Executive Director John R. Whitaker announced that preparations are being made to issue Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Direct and Counter Cyclical Program (DCP) payments.   The annual rental payments for CRP and the direct payments for DCP, are generally made in October and will begin after FSA receives the authorization to issue payments.

“Payments are considered timely when they are issued within 30 days of the authorized date,” said Whitaker. “Many people are not aware of the amount of work that goes into ensuring the payment process goes smoothly.  Our offices know in years such as this, these funds support the agricultural economy and responsible stewardship of America’s production acreage.”

Many variables will go into this year’s payment process.  “Producers who were part of the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) review may need to file these and others forms before payments can be issued,” added Whitaker.   While the AGI review is one example of how payments are affected, producers who signed up for emergency haying and grazing will see their annual payment reduced by the acreage that was hayed or grazed, if this was not prepaid.

Whitaker added that, producers who are affected by office consolidations should not see payments delayed due to this reason alone. “Our agency has taken steps to ensure that these payments will be generated at the same time that the rest of the state’s payments are issued.”

Iowa producers hold over 106,000 CRP contracts and approximately 154,000 DCP contacts in the state.

For more information on CRP, DCP, or other programs administered by FSA, contact your local FSA office or visit FSA’s Website at www.fsa.usda.gov/ia

–FSA Press Release

A New Market man was injured in a two vehicle crash Monday afternoon near Clarinda.

Shortly before 6 PM, the Page County Sheriff’s Office reports that 33-year-old Amy Wilmes of New Market was driving a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan eastbound on Tahoe place, turning onto 210^th Street, which is a gravel road.  A 2000 Buick Lesabre, driven by 19-year-old Christian Nook of New Market was westbound on Tahoe Place.  Wilmes turned in front of Nook causing both vehicles to collide.  Prior to the crash another vehicle had just turned, causing dust to be blown from the gravel road.

Nook was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center by Clarinda EMS with unknown injuries.  Both vehicles sustained heavy damage from the collision.

A Villisca teenager faces an assault charge after an incident at Villisca junior high on Tuesday.

At about noon, a 14-year-old boy was arrested by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office after he allegedly assaulted a 12-year-old student at Villisca junior high.  The teen was charged with simple assault and released to a parent.

One woman and her three passengers were injured in a single vehicle accident in Fremont County Tuesday afternoon.

At about 2 PM, a 1995 Toyota Camry driven by 68-year-old Bettye Brown of Omaha was southbound in the right lane on on I-29 at mile marker five near Hamburg.  Brown drifted to the left lane and over corrected causing her to lose control of her Camry.  Brown’s Camry went off the road into the west ditch and rolled several times.  She was ejected from the vehicle.

Brown was air lifted by life net helicopter to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha with non life threatening injuries .  Three other passengers in Brown’s vehicle were transported to Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg with non life threatenining injuries.