Adair County Attorney Melissa Larson was asked during Wednesday mornings’ Adair County Board of Supervisor’s meeting, about the legality of back-dated lease contracts for solar energy farms, after the County received a letter to that effect from a concerned citizen.

Supervisor Matt Wedemeyer…

Larson said didn’t know the answer to that question. She asked if there was any proof anyone had taken such action.

She said she hasn’t spoken with the concerned citizen who wrote the letter, and would look into the authority to request that information, outside of a criminal investigation. The question is, how many acres were signed-up in Adair County prior to May 5th. Larson said it is never okay to back-date a contract, if you are doing it with the intent to obfuscate the law.

In other business, the Adair County Supervisors approved an American Rescue Plan Act award contract with the Department of Treasury. Auditor Mandy Berg said the County is eligible to receive $1.34-million from the COVID relief act. The contract simply acknowledges the County wants whatever money is received, based on per capita. She said they will be setting up a new account specifically for any such funds that are received. The Board also approved Sheriff Jeff Vandewater’s request for him to pay for his own expenses, if any, with regard to a Firearms Instructor Training course set for June 14th through 18th, and for him to submit a claim for reimbursement.

And, Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman reported to the Board, that on Monday they had the bid letting on the G-61 County line grading project, with Cass County picking a portion of the costs. Leroy and Son, Inc., out of Carroll, was the low bidder, at $798,551.80. The engineer’s estimate had been about $973,000, so the bid came about 20% under. The same company handled the Adair County Landfill closing and other projects.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors approved the contract during their meeting Tuesday morning. Adair County will serve as the contracting authority. Cass County will pay $490,996.93, while Adair County will pay $307, 553.88.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. On June 1st, Deputies arrested Robert Surrell, on active warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. And, on or about June 8th, at around 9:36-a.m., an Adams County Deputy stopped a car for a taillight violation. The driver, 29-year-old Tarra Jones, of Winterset, was subsequently arrested for Driving While Revoked, Failure to File SR-22 Insurance, and Failure to have an Interlock Device. She was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $1,000 cash-only bond.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department, Wednesday (today), released a report on arrest from the past week. Three people were arrested on June  6th, in Harlan:

Authorities say two subjects were arrested following a call for service. 27-year-old Stormy Shaye Cole Trucke, of Harlan was charged with public intoxication, felon in possession of a firearm, criminal mischief 5th and possession of drug paraphernalia. 45-year-old Tristine Ann Mackey, of Harlan was charged with unlawful possession of prescription drugs, prohibited acts penalties, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. And, 57-year-old Barbara Rose Kleymann, of Portsmouth, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

On June 4th, 33-year-old Tony Lee Gotto, of Harlan, was arrested for domestic abuse assault. And, the previous day, 28-year-old Pengju Liu, of Monterey Park, CA, was arrested for speeding and eluding.

(Radio Iowa) – The Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office has identified the fisherman who died at Rathbun Lake on Friday. The sheriff’s office announced an autopsy has confirmed 79-year-old Ralph Jay Rosenberger of Indianola died of accidental drowning. Witnesses say they saw Rosenberger was fishing from a boat in Lake Rathbun on Friday afternoon and then they noticed he was floating in the water. Boaters in the area quickly reached the man and started C-P-R until emergency crews arrived.

(Iowa DNR News) – The calls have been coming in to field offices and conservation officers for the past few weeks and will only increase as the first few weeks of June marks the peak of the deer fawning season. Callers report finding an “abandoned” fawn in an unusual place, like a flowerbed or small patch of cover. Rest assured this is normal deer behavior. “The doe searches out an isolated location where she feels safe and on occasion those places are not what we may think of as ideal. She chose that location because it made sense to her,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa DNR. “The worst thing someone can do 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.”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will not be rehabbing or co-mingling fawns with other deer to avoid the potential of spreading chronic wasting disease – or other disease – to new areas. The spindly legged newborn fawn is designed with a few survival tools built in – it is born without scent to avoid predators and its spots are cryptic camouflage that emulates the sunlight spots on the leaf litter in the timber. It will lay motionless to avoid detection and may remain in the area for up to two weeks all while under the care of the doe. After the fawns are born, the doe will return to fairly normal behavior – sleeping, feeding – but returning to nurse and care for the fawn.

The fawning season also coincides with an increase in deer vehicle collisions. “There is a lot of movement this time of year that is part of the social structure of deer. The doe is on the move looking for the safe isolated place to have the fawns.  In addition last year’s fawns – teenagers now – are 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 time will return to dawn and dusk.”

Drivers are reminded to drive defensively, avoid distractions, slow down and not to veer for deer. If they hit a deer, drivers can get a salvage tag by calling either the local conservation officer or local law enforcement. There is no fee for a salvage tag it does require that the entire deer is taken.