CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a person has died in a farming accident south of Cedar Rapids. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that deputies and medics were called Thursday afternoon to the area southeast of the city’s airport. Arriving emergency responders found a tractor with a collapsed attachment that had fallen on the tractor’s driver. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the driver’s name pending notification of family members.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Memorial Day holiday weekend is fast approaching and is expected to be a busy one, despite Covid-19. Iowa has a wide variety of outdoor activities to spend your weekend, whether it be camping, visiting state parks, swimming at the beaches, or paddling and boating. The Iowa DNR reminds everyone to obey all laws and rules—that includes physical distancing guidelines—while enjoying Iowa’s outdoor recreational activities. “Everyone is antsy to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Iowa natural resources after being cooped up all winter and more recently because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” DNR Director Kayla Lyon said. “This weekend will provide a great time for families to get out and explore what our great state has to offer, but we caution everyone to do so safely and responsibly.”

This week, May 16-22, marks Safe Boating Week in Iowa. With over 5,000 lakes and 54,000 miles of rivers and streams, Iowa offers an abundant boating resource for hundreds of thousands of people each year. Whether you are canoeing a stream, fishing on a state lake, kayaking or boating on the waters of Iowa, the simple steps of wearing a life jacket, taking a safe boating course and not operating your boat when impaired greatly improve your chances for a safe and enjoyable day on the water.

Fast Facts:

• Iowa has approximately 195,450 registered boats.
• In 2019, DNR Conservation Officers made 67 Boating While Intoxicated arrests
• In 2019, there were 7 boating-related fatalities and 13 incidents involving injuries.

Following these important boater safety tips will help ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend on the water:

• Wear your life jacket – it floats, you don’t.
• Alcohol and boating don’t mix. Wind, sun glare and heat can enhance the effects of alcohol hindering the operator’s ability to make decisions.
• Check for open ramps or water hazards before heading out.
• Be patient; boat ramps will be busy.
• Before leaving the house, check the trailer lights, wheel bearings and the hitch.
• Make sure there is a current fire extinguisher and horn/whistle, a wearable life jacket for everyone and a USCG approved flotation device onboard.
• Anyone 12 and under on a vessel underway must wear a life jacket.
• File a float plan with a friend, including your destination, expected time of return and type of boat.
• Inflatable life jackets are light weight, comfortable and USCG approved. Wear it.
• Take a boater education course available online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Boating/Boater-Education. It has valuable information and many insurance companies will offer a discount on boat insurance. Familiarize yourself with Iowa’s boating laws.
• Slow down, watch for other boaters or personal watercraft, have patience and most importantly, have a designated operator who will stay clear of any alcohol
• Drain plugs and other water draining devices must be removed and/or remain open during transport to avoid spreading invasive species. Anglers leaving with fish are recommended to put them on ice, whether in a cooler, a bucket or a live well (plug must still be removed and/or opened).
• Top two safety violations in Iowa are having inadequate life jackets and operating too fast and too close to other vessels.

Even outdoor recreation looks a little different in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Boaters should practice the following physical distancing guidelines:

• Limit the people aboard your boat to people in your immediate household. Gather in groups of 10 or fewer.
• Stay at least six feet away from other people.
• Maintain safe distance at the fuel dock, boat ramp or loading up at the marina.
• Wash hands frequently or use a hand sanitizer regularly.
• Don’t raft up to other boaters or pull up onto a beach too close to someone else.
• Avoid any unnecessary stops between your home and the lake to avoid contact with others outside of your immediate family.
• Pack food, water and other items from home that you may need, as restaurants and marina stores may not be open.
• Stay home if you or someone in your household is sick.

The Iowa DNR wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Together, we can follow the rules to ensure the safest possible weekend and help stop the spread of Covid-19.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Department of Agriculture says an agreement that is designed to help small-size meat processing facilities is moving ahead. Iowa Ag Secretary, Mike Naig, says it involved lockers with fewer than 25 employees.

“We’ve got a new cooperative interstate shipment program that will allow them to sell products across state lines for the first time,” according to Naig. “They’ll remain a state inspected locker — but they’ll be able to sell across state lines. And we think this is just a great opportunity that will have a long-lasting impact for these folks.” Without this agreement meat processed at a small-town butcher shop would have to be inspected a second time by FEDERAL inspectors before it could be marketed anywhere beyond Iowa’s borders.

Naig says the deal has been in the works long before the COVID-19 issues with the meat supply chain. He says the process started last June as small meat lockers and processors came to him asked about it. Naig says then they started working with the U-S-D-A on it. Naig says the current coronavirus impact on the supply chain has helped push this forward as livestock producers are trying to be creative for marketing their livestock. The capacity of the large processors dropped with COVID-19 outbreaks and that has led to some producers euthanizing their animals as they have no place to take them.

“It is not terribly widespread yet — but each day that the plants don’t run at full capacity is a day that we are adding to that backlog,” Naig says. “The situation continues to improve with our packing plants, I think as of today (Wednesday), we are running right around 72 to 73 percent of our normal capacity. So, it’s going to take us some time to get back up to that normal capacity that we know we need.” Iowa is the seventh state, to enter an agreement. Those lockers that enter the agreement will still have periodic visits from federal inspectors.

In this week’s edition of the “Grow Another Row, Cass County,” newsletter, Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh and the Grow Another Row team, say May 15th is traditionally known as the Last Frost date in Iowa, but of course Mother Nature has her own agenda and we respect that! Another way to determine ideal planting time is to check the soil temperature. Simply grab a kitchen thermometer and insert it into the soil until you get a reading. Check several spots for accuracy.

MOST WANTED PRODUCE DONATIONS: According to ISU Extension, the 13 best produce donations are: tomatoes, winter squash, zucchini, potatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, melons, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beans. Keep this in mind when you’re planting.

Cass County Food Pantries are accepting fresh produce donations now: Cass County food pantries love receiving fresh produce! Make sure the pantries are able to use your donations: 1. Contact the pantry to set up a time to drop off your donation (pantries don’t always have extra refrigeration space). 2. Bring clean produce to the pantry (very little dirt). If you wash the produce before bringing it to the pantry, be sure you can dry it. If you can’t fully dry it, don’t wash it. 3. If possible, bring the produce pre-sacked in quantities that could be sent home with a small family. (Example: please sack green beans, carrots, etc. in 1-pound bags).

• Anita Food Pantry – 208 Chestnut St, Anita, IA 50020 Hours: 1st & 3rd Saturday, 9:00am – 11:00am Produce donation contact: Tracey Lett (712) 249-4996;
• Atlantic Food Pantry – 19 W. 4th St., Atlantic, IA 50022; Hours: Thursdays, 1:00pm – 2:00pm Produce donation time: Thursdays, 9:00-10:00 AM (No need to call ahead if you deliver during this time.) Produce donation contact: (712) 243-1820
• Cumberland Care & Share Food Pantry – 317 Monroe St, Cumberland, IA 50843 Hours: 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 4:00pm- 5:30pm Produce donation contact: (712) 774-5818
• Lord’s Cupboard of Griswold – 100 Cass St., Griswold, IA 51535 Hours: 2nd and 4th Tuesday, 11:00am – 2:00pm Produce donation contact: (712) 778-4178
• Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All Address: Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022) Hours: Mon. 11 AM- 12 PM or by appointment. Produce donation contact: Brigham Hoegh (712) 249-5870

  Watch for our newsletters for more gardening news throughout the season.  For more gardening tips and to sign up to participate in Grow Another Row visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/content/grow-another-row-cass-county. Happy planting! From The ‘Grow Another Row, Cass County’ team

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh reports anonymous donors continue to fund free egg giveaways in Cass County. On Saturday, May 30th, egg giveaways are planned for both Anita and Atlantic. The eggs have been purchased from the Southwest Iowa Egg Cooperative in Massena, and will be handed out by members of the Cass County Local Food Policy Council.

Only one person from each household is asked to collect the eggs and masks are appreciated. Eggs will be handed out in flats (30 eggs). The eggs are clean and chilled, but ungraded and unwashed. Eggs are available to anyone who needs them. There is no requirement to prove need. People who may not need eggs themselves are encouraged to consider getting them for a neighbor or friend.

Free Egg Giveaway Saturday May 30:

Anita: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut St.), 11:00-11:30AM (or as supplies last);

Atlantic: Iowa Western Community College parking lot (705 Walnut Street), 1:00-2:00 PM (or as supplies last)

To purchase eggs from Southwest Iowa Egg Coop., visit Southwest Iowa Egg Coop on Facebook, or call (712)779-3447.For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood

DES MOINES, IA — Iowa state parks will open modern restrooms, shower buildings and cabins starting Friday, May 22 in time for Memorial Day weekend. This means campgrounds will be open for all campers, including RVs, pop-ups and tent camping. Youth group campsites will remain closed. Customers will need to call the local park office (for Backbone cabins, call the Backbone concessionaire) to rent a cabin with the earliest arrival date being Friday, May 22 or Saturday, May 23. Additionally, the state park online reservation system will be available today for state park cabin/yurt rentals with an arrival date of no earlier than Sunday, May 24, if available and beyond. Existing cabin/yurt reservations will be honored. Shelters, lodges, playgrounds, group camps, museums and visitor centers remain closed at this time.

Park visitors are reminded to avoid gatherings of groups larger than 10. DNR park staff will continue to remind and educate visitors to practice physical distancing while enjoying the park. Visitors should also be aware of the following guidelines:

• In campgrounds, only campers with overnight reservations will be allowed; no visitors.
• Only six overnight occupants per campsite will be allowed, unless immediate family contains more than six.
• Communal picnic tables and grills are open for use at your own risk.
• Beaches remain open, but will be monitored closely.
• For cabin rentals, all kitchenware such as dishes, pots and pans, has been removed; renters will need to bring their own from home. Additionally, the check-in time has been moved to 5:00 p.m. and check-out time to 9:00 a.m. (from 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. respectively) to allow for more cleaning time between rentals.
• Some areas of parks and campgrounds may be closed due to construction or maintenance issues, so please check the specific closure information for each park before planning a camping trip.

For the latest closure information for state parks, campgrounds and trails, visit: www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures

Iowa has 68 state parks and 4 state forests for visitors to enjoy with hiking trails, lake recreation and camping, to learn more visit: www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks or www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Camping

Officials with Connections Area Agency on Aging, in Council Bluffs, have announced that the state is continuing the Farmers Market voucher program for older Iowans. With this program, seniors meeting income requirements can obtain vouchers that they can use at participating area Farmers Markets to buy $30.00 worth of fresh, locally grown produce. This year since Connections’ senior centers and offices are currently closed to the public, officials will be asking individuals to call in and request an application. Requested applications will be mailed out beginning 06/01/20 in an addressed postage paid return envelope. Once they have received the completed application, vouchers will be mailed out to the applicant. Please note applications not completed will not receive vouchers until all information is provided. Please call our office at 1-800-432-9209 to obtain your application.

 Program Criteria:

· Must be at least 60 years of age or older

· Annual income must be less than $23,606 Single; $31,894 Married .

· Only one original application allowed per individual. No photocopies or duplicate applications allowed. Married couples can jointly apply on one application.

Outline of Process:

· Applications available by phone starting 06/01/20.

· Applications will be mailed with a postage paid return envelope.

· Applications must be complete before vouchers will be mailed out.

· Applications are on a first come first serve basis.

· Walk-ins will not be accept at Connections’ senior centers or office locations.

(Radio Iowa) — The coronavirus pandemic may’ve led to a surge in the number of wild turkey hunters this year and a record harvest of the birds. Iowa D-N-R wildlife research biologist Jim Coffey says the season ended Sunday and hunters reported taking 14-thousand-600 birds. “This will be our highest number recorded from our modern records since 2007 when mandatory reporting came into effect,” Coffey says.  The total is well about the previous high for the turkey take of 12-thousand-173 back in 2016. Coffey says one thing stands out as the reason for the increase.”Most likely more hunters. We haven’t got all the data in yet and we will look at success rates — which typically range around 22 to 25 percent — but we are looking at almost a 25 to 30 percent increase in turkey hunters this spring,” according to Coffey.

The wild turkey hunt came as everyone was forced by the pandemic to stay at home and Coffey says that’s likely why more turkey licenses were sold. “That’s kind of the speculation — that you could social distance yourself outside with nature,” Coffey says.  Hunters bagged a bird in all 99 Iowa counties. Coffey says the increase in harvest comes as there’s been a decline in the wild turkey population. He says recent years of wet weather could be part of the reason for the population decline. “Timing of rains can be impactful to wild turkeys and then, of course, cold conditions as well. That might impact the production of insects, which are the primary food resource for the young growing poults,” Coffey explains “So, weather and habitat are always the main factors that are considered with any bird population. But we are always looking at other factors such as predators or disease that might be impacting the populations as well.”

He says the main habitat for wild turkeys is forest land. “Which is mostly found in the eastern third or the southern third of our state — that’s where most of our turkeys are harvested. But we do know that wild turkeys will live in those north-central, northwest areas along river corridor systems,” he says. Coffey says turkeys are smart and they make it very hard to have a successful hunt. He says the way the birds are hunted also makes it tough. “Males stay in one place and call the females to come to them. And as hunters, we act like a female and try to get the male to come to us. So, we are kind of putting ourselves at a disadvantage right off the bat in trying to mess with Mother Nature,” Coffey says. “So that makes success very difficult. And when we look at 20 to 25 percent success rates — that’s actually pretty good in most years for most hunters.”

Coffey says the decline in the turkey population is something that is also happening in other states and they are studying various issues to try and find a pattern to the population losses.

w/Kate Olson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) — Congresswoman Cindy Axne is asking for an investigation of how the IOWA Occupational Safety and Health Administration handled a complaint about working conditions at the pork processing plant in Perry. Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says it’s clear the agency’s review was “severely lacking” since the plant later was the site of a COVID-19 outbreak. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says her staff has reviewed Iowa OSHA’s actions.

“It appears that they followed a normal and their appropriate process,” Reynolds says. According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, no state inspectors were sent to the Tyson plant in Perry and the case was closed nine days later following an email response from the company. Governor Reynolds says the complaint was made on a weekend, on a federal website, and state officials handled it within five business days after getting it — as they were visiting with Tyson about outbreaks at other plants in the state.

“And actually, at the time they were talking to them, they had already proactively made the decision to shut down the facility, do some extensive cleaning and start to implement different practices,” Reynolds says. Congresswoman Axne has written a letter to the state Labor Commissioner, asking for answers to several questions, including what conditions in a plant would trigger an on-site inspection. The governor discussed the agency’s check list during her daily news conference on Tuesday.

“They do have a process that they go through that determines the seriousness of the complaint and therefore how they respond to the complaint,” Reynolds says. “…They do this on a case-by-case basis.” Congresswoman Axne says Iowans need to be assured that issues of workplace safety will be taken seriously by state officials. On May 5th, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced more than 700 workers at Tyson’s Perry plant tested positive for COVID-19. The complaint about conditions inside the plant was made about three weeks earlier, on April 11th.