(Radio Iowa) — Thousands of bicycle riders will be pedaling into Burlington on Friday and community leaders say they’ll be ready, despite intense flooding there just a few weeks ago. The Mississippi River town is an overnight host for RAGBRAI, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. Dustin Roth, with the Greater Burlington Partnership, says the downtown has recovered from the flooding and is prepared. “There have been a few logistical things that it has affected,” Roth says. “However, the day of, nothing will have changed, so most riders will have no idea that about a month ago it was, oh, five, six feet underwater.”

Last month, the flooded Mississippi overpowered a temporary flood barrier in Burlington and swept through some downtown buildings and roads. It’s taken weeks of clean-up work, but Roth says they’re good to go for a series of concerts Friday on the riverfront. “The water is down. We’re taking down our permanent flood wall, or they will be taking that down so riders can have a view of the river,” he says. “The party will be happening right there on the parking lot so everything there is going fantastic.”

According to a National Weather Service forecast, river levels in Burlington will likely be elevated this week but not at flood stage.

(with thanks to Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

A traffic stop on a speeding vehicle Sunday in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest on two warrants, of a Pottawattamie County man. 38-year old Sean Michael Cooney, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody on Pott. County warrants for Assault and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree.

Cooney was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 26-year-old Des Moines man has died after he tried to jump aboard a train. The Des Moines Register reports that Des Moines Police say Ian Pfeifer tried to jump aboard the train early Saturday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At least four Iowa children have died in the past 18 months at day care centers that had been warned about caring for too many children. The Des Moines Register reports that criminal charges have been filed in two of the deaths, and prosecutors are considering charges in a third case.

EARLVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The trial of a man accused of using a corn rake to kill his wife has been moved from Delaware County to Dubuque County. The Telegraph Herald reports that the judge’s order to move the first-degree murder trial of 43-year-old Todd Mullis was released Friday. Mullis, who remains in custody on a $5 million bond, had said he couldn’t get a fair trial in Delaware County. Authorities say he fatally attacked 39-year-old Amy Mullis in November at her farm northwest of Earlville.

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been charged after police say he threatened to shoot people in his home, including children, as well as police officers. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 54-year-old Alan Dale Rieken was arrested Thursday evening at his home. Police say he told others in his home, “I’m gonna shoot some cops and then you.” Officers who arrived at the home say Rieken refused to comply with officers’ orders and was eventually arrested. The officers took a handgun from his waistband.

The first leg of RAGBRAI saw riders and their support vehicles leave Council Bluffs Sunday enroute to Atlantic for the first overnight stay on the 427 mile cross-State trip. Along the way, the throngs passed through Underwood, Neola, Minden, Avoca and Walnut, with an optional loop through McClelland early on. Three members of Team “Bad Monkey,” Zack Humphries from Kansas City, Al Hiller from Liberty, Missouri, and Craig Sommeren from Chicago, Illinois, spoke about their first day.

Sommeren said their group didn’t actually start from Council Bluffs.

They arrived in Atlantic early Sunday afternoon. All three riders are RAGBRAI veterans. Hiller has participated for 15-years, for Humphries it’s his second year, and Sommeren said he’s been on the ride for a total of 20-years. He said he learns something new every day. Humphries said the Iowan’s have been very friendly, and were excited to see the riders.

Hiller said the rain didn’t put a damper on the ride.

(He said “We have people from Seattle…it was Seattle weather.” Otherwise, it was a beautiful day.”)

The overcast skies, the men said, made the scenery all the more interesting, especially with the blades of the wind turbines partially hidden in the clouds. Along the way, they stopped for baked goods and pie in Walnut. Sommeren said the host communities never have enough of one type of pie, though. He said there is never enough rhubarb pie. “If you think you’ve made enough, make more.”

He said it’s the first pie that sells out. He also just make plain rhubarb…”Not any of this strawberry-rhubarb bingo stuff.” For those who have always wanted to participate in RAGBRAI, the men have some advice. They said prepare for a lesson in problem solving, and expect the unexpected.” That includes mechanical failure with support buses. They gave a shout-out to “Team Hard,” who had to push their bus across an intersection after it broke down.

When asked if things are different on RAGBRAI this year, than in past years, Sommeren said “Yes.” He said “There’s a lot more rules. When I started there was almost no rules.” That, he says, concerns him because younger people aren’t participating in the ride as they had when it started out.

(He said the average age of ridership is aging out. How do we get younger riders in this to keep it going. The average age keeps going up.”)

Riders leave Atlantic Monday morning on their way to their next overnight stay in Winterset. Along the way they’ll pass through Wiota, Anita, Adair, Casey, Menlo, Stuart, Dexter and Earlham. Listen for KJAN News Director Ric Hanson’s full interview with the three men Monday morning at 7:30, on “Heartbeat Today,” with Jim Field. The podcast of that program will be posted soon after it airs.

From Left to right: Craig Sommeren, Ric Hanson, Zach Humphries and Al Hiller. (Photo courtesy Steve Andersen)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 26-year-old Des Moines man has died after he tried to jump aboard a train. The Des Moines Register reports that Des Moines Police say Ian Pfeifer tried to jump aboard the train early Saturday. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says Pfeifer was dragged about 60 feet by the train after he tried to jump aboard. Parizek says Pfeifer had told friends he planned to jump on a train before the incident.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — At least four Iowa children have died in the past 18 months at day care centers that had been warned about caring for too many children.The Des Moines Register reports that criminal charges have been filed in two of the deaths, and prosecutors are considering charges in a third case.

Often, state or local officials know about providers that are caring for too many children, but don’t tell prosecutors or take other action to stop them. The state has 4,300 regulated day care centers, but home day cares are not regulated.