Pack up the tent and sleeping bags, as Iowa’s state parks are hosting Camping Kickoff Weekend this Friday through Sunday. Todd Coffelt, the state parks director at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says everything is ready for Iowans to enjoy. “We’ve got all of the facilities hooked up, the water and utilities, and we want people to get out and enjoy the outdoors,” Coffelt says. “Our state parks system is nearing 100 years old so it’s an opportunity for people to take a look at it with a different lens.”

Iowans can use either of two websites to make reservations for camping spots. “They can do a search on the DNR webpage, www.iowadnr.gov, to find a place to visit,” Coffelt says, “or they can go to iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com, and that will be the direct line where they can set a reservation at their favorite park.” Iowa has more than 47-hundred state park campsites and 75-percent of them can be reserved in advance. Coffelt said there are two parks that have temporarily closed their camping facilities for renovation — Ledges and Marble Beach at Gull Point — but Iowans will notice plenty of improvements elsewhere.

“Pleasant Creek will have more water in it and it’s a park that’s been closed with our Lakes Restoration Program and people will now be able to get access there,” Coffelt says. “You’re going to see Lake MacBride is back up and moving, Lake Wapello is back open, and Waubonsie, down in southwest Iowa. We’ve made a lot of effort to get these parks up and running.”  More than 30 state parks are hosting special activities this weekend (May 4-6), including kayaking clinics, fun runs, night sky hikes, volunteer projects and more.

(Radio Iowa)

NEW VIENNA, Iowa (AP) — A dairy farmer has agreed to pay more than $24,000 in restitution and a penalty for manure runoff that Iowa authorities say killed more than 60,000 fish.
The fish kill was reported Oct. 9 after carcasses were spotted in two creeks in Dyersville. Officials searched the area upstream and determined that the fish kill was caused by manure from the dairy farm, which sits about 3 miles east of New Vienna.

An Iowa Natural Resources Department settlement signed last week says farm owner John Hoefler and the department agreed that he would pay a $2,000 penalty and restitution and investigative costs of more than $22,400 and take steps to ensure the spill doesn’t recur.

Among the dead fish were minnows, white suckers and creek chubs.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund has donated $500 to Josh Peach for the upcoming kids fishing clinic. The clinic takes place Saturday, June 2nd. at Lake Anita State Park. The Friends of Lake Anita will begin registration for the event at 9:30, with fishing to start at 10.  There will be a short program held prior to fishing.  Each participant will receive a prize and the event is finished off with a hot dog, chips and water provided to the participants.

Lake Anita Park Mgr. Josh Peach (Left), receives a check from Melanie Petty with the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund. (Photo submitted)

Fund spokesperson (and Trevor’s mom) Melanie Petty, says “We are happy to help sponsor this wonderful event that gets kids out into the great outdoors.  Fishing is a great sport that you can enjoy all of your life.  If you are new to fishing, the group even has a few fishing rods that they will loan out for the event.”

Petty reminds you also, that the 10th Annual TFred Memorial Golf Outing will be held on Saturday, August 11th at Nishna Hills Golf Club.  This is the only fundraising event for the year.  If you are interested in entering a team please call or text Melanie Petty at 712-249-3696.  She says “We look forward to a great day of golf and friendship.”  All monies raised are donated back to the community that Trevor loved.

• KJAN, Atlantic  1.5″
• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  1.26″
• Massena  .34″
• Elk Horn  1.18″
• Audubon  1.07″
• Avoca  .2″
• Villisca  1.2″
• Kirkman  .69″
• Manning  .71″
• Carroll  .97″
• Denison  .18″
• Red Oak  .18″
• Clarinda  .42″
• Shenandoah  .98″
• Missouri Valley  .52″
• Logan  .16″
• Bedford  .57″
• Underwood  .12″

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced ten urban conservation water quality demonstration projects have been selected to receive $789,100 in funding.  In addition to the state funds, the 10 projects will provide over $3.2 million in matching funds and additional in-kind contributions to support water quality improvement efforts. Participating communities include: Algona, Ames, Atlantic, Cherokee, Clive, Coralville, Garnavillo, Grimes, Muscatine, North Liberty and Sioux City.

Locally, the Atlantic Urban Conservation and Education Project was awarded a grant of $41,000 toward the $82,000 project cost, of installing bioretention cells, rain gardens, native landscaping and a bioswale within a community park, and at the high school. In addition to the water quality improvements, the Atlantic High School will also integrate educational curriculum on the water quality benefits of these practices.

Projects will focus on conservation measures that capture and allow stormwater to be absorbed into the ground and reduce the impact on water quality, stream flows and flooding. The projects also include strong partnerships and education components to promote increased awareness and adoption of practices and tools to reduce nutrient loads delivered to surface waters. Practices to be installed as part of these projects include bioretention cells, bioswales, native plantings, permeable pavement, rain gardens, soil quality restoration, wetlands and others. More information about these and other urban water quality practices can be found at https://www.cleanwateriowa.org/urban/

• KJAN, Atlantic  1.26″
• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .54″
• Massena  .67″
• Elk Horn  .31″
• Avoca  .4″
• Oakland  .5″
• Corning  .49″
• Villisca  1″
• Clarinda  .83″
• Shenandoah  .64″
• Red Oak  .91″
• Underwood  .27″
• Manning  .07″
• Kirkman  .11″
• Persia  .14″
• Bedford  1.35″
• Creston  1.23″

w/Max Dirks.

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It appears the warm spring weather is finally here to stay and in exchange, many Iowans have stuffy noses, itchy eyes and sore throats. Dr. Linda Ford, an allergist in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says the surge in seasonal allergy symptoms lately is most certainly weather-related as the trees were late bloomers this year.  “The first ones came at the end of February and then we had the cold weather, so they stopped pollinating,” Dr. Ford says. “Then we got to April and we got warmer weather and all the trees started pushing out pollen.”

Ford says pollen counts have been very high and the first part of allergy treatment is prevention. “Keep those windows closed at night because the pollen is still out there and with the wind blowing, it’s going to stir up a lot of pollen, pollen that has fallen to the ground that will be stirred back up into the air,” she says.

Many allergy-fighting drugs used to require a prescription, but that’s no longer the case. “There are nasal sprays you can get over-the-counter. There are many different types and they all work about the same,” Ford says. “They work very well along with your non-sedating antihistamine and about 50% of the people need both of those things.”

Many of those meds don’t work the same on everyone so it may take some trial and error to find the perfect fix. If not, she suggests seeing an allergist and if symptoms are severe enough, starting a series of allergy shots.

(Radio Iowa)

Hunter Education Classroom courses are offered by knowledgeable and certified volunteer instructors and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers. Classroom courses are typically 12-15 hours in length and are held over 2 to 3 sessions (days). In order to receive certification, a student must attend all sessions and pass the final exam. Iowa law requires that anyone born after January 1, 1972 must be certified in hunter education before they are eligible to purchase an Iowa hunting license.

Upcoming area Hunter Education Class:

May 16, Exira, Audubon County Conservation Board

For more information on these and other hunter education opportunities, go to www.iowadnr.gov/huntered

Forecasters are predicting beautiful weather for this weekend, when state park campgrounds will celebrate Camping Kickoff, May 4 – 6. State parks will feature more than 40 events across the state, including hikes, kayaking demonstrations, fishing clinics and much more to celebrate the start of the season. A full schedule of programs is available at www.iowadnr.gov/campingkickoff. Campers will also receive a free summer issue of Iowa Outdoors magazine.

Those wanting to join the Camping Kickoff celebration can make advanced reservations through today (Wednesday, May 2). Reservations can be made at https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com or by calling 1-877-427-2757. Phone center hours are 7 AM to 7 PM CST. After today (Wednesday), campers can use walk-in camping on a first-come, first-serve basis for any sites not already reserved. Iowa’s Camping Kickoff is in conjunction with the national Let’s Camp America! initiative, when state parks across the country will celebrate the start of the camping season.