OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Mississippi River is dropping below flood stage along many of Iowa’s riverfront cities after nearly three months of record highs caused by melting snow and torrential rain. The National Weather Service says the river dropped below flood stage at Guttenberg, Iowa, early Tuesday, and was more than a half-foot under flood stage Thursday morning at one Dubuque gauge. The weather service says the river’s been above flood stage in Dubuque for a record 85 days, breaking the old mark of 34 days set in 2011.

The river remains around 2.5 feet (three-quarters of a meter) above flood stage at Davenport, where floodwaters surged into downtown after a barrier failed April 30. Missouri River levels also have dropped but are expected to remain high for much of the summer.

Mills County Sheriff’s officials say a distracted driver caused an accident in a construction zone Wednesday evening, that resulted in a woman being transported to the hospital. Authorities say 48-year old Maria Harger, of Shenandoah, was legally stopped at a stop sign for a construction zone on Highway 34. An eastbound 2011 Chevy driven by Kyle O’Banion, of Glenwood, collided with the rear of Harger’s 2015 Chevy, at around 6:45-p.m.

O’Banion told authorities he was distracted by children in the back seat. His vehicle failed to slow down for the construction zone, despite several warning signs. He saw Harger’s vehicle at the last second and tried to swerve into the left lane to avoid the collision, but his vehicle clipped the left rear of her car Following the collision, O’Banion’s Chevy continued into the westbound lane and came to rest in the north ditch.

Harger was transported by Malvern Rescue to the hospital. O’Banion was cited for Driving While Suspended and Failure to Maintain a reasonable and proper speed.

An investigation into suspicious activity at around 12:06-a.m. today (Thursday), just east of the Avoca City Limits, resulted in an arrest. A deputy noticed a pickup truck parked in the drive lane of the Avoca Pool/Park after hours. After making contact with two individuals, 18-year old Matthew Sauvain, of Avoca, was arrested for Carrying a weapon/weapons in a Weapons Free Zone. Sauvain was brought to the Pott. County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond.

And, at around 11:05-p.m. Wednesday, 31-year old Sean Alain McMahon was arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Council Bluffs. A deputy on patrol saw an approaching 2018 Chevy Silverado on Highway 6. The driver flashed the bright lights at the Deputy multiple times. After the Deputy turned around and followed the pickup onto I-80 westbound, he stopped the vehicle, and upon further investigation, arrested McMahon for OWI/1st offense.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested Wednesday on drug charges, following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Lenox. Taylor County Deputies, with the assistance of Deputies from Ringgold County, entered a home in the 600 block of E. Ohio Street in Lenox, and after conducting a search, charged 44-year Erron Bolinger, of Lenox, with Possession of a Controlled Substance, (methamphetamine), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bolinger was being held on a $1,300 bond, with additional charges are pending.

28-year old Samantha Gile-Smith, of Creston, was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and held on a $300 bond.

A Creston resident reported to the police department Wednesday morning, that someone had stolen a wallet from his car, while it was parked in the 300 block of S. Lincoln Street. The wallet was later recovered, but $300 cash and a check book and register, were missing. The loss was estimate at $350 altogether. It’s not clear what the time-frame for the theft was.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport woman accused of locking her intellectually disabled daughter in a bedroom has pleaded guilty. Scott County District Court records say 48-year-old Kimberly Williams entered a written plea Wednesday to recklessly committing dependent adult abuse resulting in physical injury. She denied in the plea document allegations that her daughter had been locked in her bedroom for 11 months. Williams’ sentencing is scheduled for July 31.

Williams’ husband, Eugene Harris, was convicted of neglect of a dependent person and sentenced in November to 10 years in prison. Authorities say officers sent to the home May 22 last year to check a report about a domestic disturbance were led by Harris to a bedroom locked from the outside. That’s where they found Williams’ daughter. Nearby were soiled adult diapers, a mattress on the floor and a few other items.

WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — Police in a Des Moines suburb want residents to register their doorbell and other security cameras as a way to solve crimes. Waukee police Sgt. Mackenzie Sposeto told The Des Moines Register the city has received around 20 applications since launching the program a few weeks ago. Sposeto says registering a camera does not give police automatic access to the recordings. But police can quickly contact the owner and request recordings if a crime occurs nearby. The camera recordings can help police identify people or vehicles involved in a crime or to signal the path of someone leaving a crime scene.

Video from a home security camera in Brooklyn, Iowa, led police to the car of Cristhian Bahena Rivera, the man charged with killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts last summer. He’s pleaded not guilty.  For more information about selecting a home security system, see this link: https://www.safety.com/surveillance-systems/

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports his deputies, Wednesday night, arrested 27 year old Courtney Bartles, of Hamburg, and 21 year old Dakota Girouex, of Red Oak. They were arrested in the 1200 block of Washington St. in Hamburg around 9-p.m., for controlled substance violations.

Dakota Girouex

Courtney Bartles

Bartles and Girouex were both transported to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center where Bartles was charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, use of a minor in the drug trade, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her cash-only bond was set at $22,300.

Aistrope says Bartles is currently out on bond for drug charges in Missouri, and also previous drug charges in Fremont County. Girouex was charged with delivery of a controlled substance. Her cash-only bond was set at $5,000.