By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

We’re now in one of the peak times of the year for deer-vehicle collisions. Trooper Paul Gardner, with the Iowa State Patrol in Fort Dodge, reminds Iowans to stay especially vigilant for the creatures that may try to dash in front of your car.

“We have a lot of deer on the move because farmers are out harvesting and that leads to deer wandering around a lot more,” Gardner says. “Typically, they’re very active between sunset and sunrise, during the night, but they can still be observed during daytime hours as well.”

Deer can appear on practically any Iowa road, even in densely populated metro areas, and Gardner says motorists should be especially wary in certain environments.

“They’re usually going to be maintaining habitat in wooded and grassy areas, so when you’re driving through those areas, making sure that you’re driving the speed limit, keeping an eye out for any deer that may be crossing,” Gardner says “Just keep in mind, too, that if you see one, there’s likely going to be more, because they tend to travel in packs.”

If you hit a deer, pull over, assess the damage, and if necessary, call law enforcement, as he says insurance companies may not cover the repairs without a police report. Gardner repeats the mantra “Don’t veer for deer,” as doing so could have deadly results.

“If you do encounter a deer crossing the roadway, it’s best not to try to take evasive action where you’re going to swerve the steering wheel, because if you go to the right, you can go into the ditch,” Gardner says. “Definitely risk rolling your vehicle or hitting something else, or if you swerve to the left, you can take on oncoming traffic, so there’s definitely some dangers in that.”

A recent State Farm study found Iowa is one of the top states for deer collisions. It shows Iowa drivers have a 1-in-69 chance of hitting a deer, based on insurance claims. Each year, around 7,000 crashes between vehicles and deer are reported to Iowa law enforcement.

DES MOINES — Polk County and Oak View Group, operators of Iowa Events Center, announced a new 10-year naming rights partnership with Casey’s, the third largest convenience retailer and fifth largest pizza chain in the country, to rename the 15,000-seat multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue, Casey’s Center, effective on July 1, 2025. The Polk County Board of Supervisors will vote on the proposed new name at their scheduled meeting on October 22.

“The Board of Supervisors takes pride in the impressive accomplishments of the Iowa Events Center and Arena over the last 20 years and the substantial impact it has had on our community. We are thrilled to have Casey’s as our next branding partner for the arena,” said Board Chair Angela Connolly, Polk County Board of Supervisors. “They are a home-grown company with a footprint in all corners of our state. Their reputation for being a dedicated community partner is well known and exactly what we were hoping for in our next naming partner. Together, we, along with our operators Oak View Group, look forward to generating numerous unforgettable experiences in Casey’s Center over the coming decade.”

The 10-year partnership was executed on behalf of Polk County by OVG Global Partnerships, the sponsorship and naming rights division of Oak View Group that connects world-class brands with world-class live entertainment properties. This partnership with Casey’s to name the venue Casey’s Center brings together Iowa’s premier concert and sporting facility with a company which has called Iowa home for 60 years and currently employs 11,000 team members across more than 550 stores in Iowa.

The naming partnership marks the first for Casey’s. In addition to the Casey’s Center name, guests will soon be able to get the delicious, handmade Casey’s pizza along with other Casey’s branded snacks while attending events.

“As Casey’s grows and evolves, we are thrilled to share that Casey’s Center will be coming in July 2025 and we can’t wait to engage with our fans, guests and community in new ways. This venue holds significant importance for many across Iowa, the Midwest and beyond, and we’re grateful to be part of the popular sporting and entertainment events hosted here,” said Darren Rebelez, President and CEO, Casey’s. “We appreciate the partnership with the Polk County Board of Supervisors, Oak View Group, and the Iowa Events Center team, and we look forward to the exciting things ahead over the coming decade at Casey’s Center.”

“This exciting partnership with the team at Casey’s brings together organizations that are laser focused on providing superior customer service and unforgettable experiences for our customers and fans,” said Oak View Group’s Chris Connolly, General Manager of the Iowa Events Center. “I would like to personally thank the team at Wells Fargo for their outstanding partnership over the past 20 years. Their vision and commitment to the Iowa Events Center was a catalyst in providing all of Iowa great entertainment opportunities. We would also like to thank our OVG Global Partnerships team for helping us secure Casey’s as our new naming rights partner.”

Over the past 20 years, the arena has become a premier destination in the Midwest with over 10 million guests. The most recently completed fiscal year, from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 was a great year for live sports and entertainment at the Polk County venue with back-to-back sold out nights with Zach Bryan, Shania Twain and Fall Out Boy, an explosion of comedy acts like Adam Sandler, Katt Williams, Nate Bargatze and Tom Segura, and a sold-out basketball doubleheader with the University of Iowa men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Having just completed preseason games with the NHL and the NBA, the arena continues to book major acts for this coming year with upcoming concerts with Trans-Siberian Orchestra (November 14), Pentatonix (December 18) and Brooks and Dunn (April 24).

Wells Fargo, the original naming rights partner of the arena, opted not to renew its agreement when the contract expires on June 30, 2025.