Thousands of bicycle enthusiasts and their entourages will be descending on Council Bluffs this weekend for the start of the 2019 Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI). Each year, RAGBRAI riders are treated to the best hospitality Iowa has to offer in cities along the route. Some riders are early risers and take to the roads early to get to the next town. Others sleep a little later and take a more leisurely pace, moving from town to town. With so many riders moving at different times of day, the Iowa Department of Transportation is alerting motorists to be extra cautious of bicyclists over the next week, especially in the area of that day’s route.

Tips for motorists

• Do not honk your horn at bicyclists. They may be startled and lose control.
• Use extra caution when passing bicycles. Move entirely into the left lane; on a two-lane road, do not pass a bicycle if oncoming traffic is near.
• Bicyclists might swerve to avoid road hazards. Common road hazards for bicyclists are potholes, debris, drainage grates, railroad tracks, and narrow bridges.
• Be careful when opening your vehicle door. Road widths often force bicyclists to ride close to parked vehicles where they may be injured by an opening door.
• When in doubt, yield to bicycles.

Tips for bicyclists

• Always wear a helmet.
• Ride on the right. Ride in the right lane except when passing another vehicle, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding hazards.
• Never ride against traffic. Always ride with the flow of traffic.
• Obey traffic signs and signals. Use hand signals to advise motorists you plan to turn, change lanes, or stop.
• Make eye contact with motorists. Never assume a motorist sees you or that you have the right of way.
• Expect the unexpected. Watch for vehicles pulling into traffic from a parking spot; vehicle doors opening into your path; and debris on the road.
• At night use a headlight, taillight, and reflectors.

Even though the RAGBRAI route is taking bikers south of Interstate 80, many bicyclists in other parts of the state are getting motivated to get out and ride. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to share the road. Remember that bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities on our highways as motorists.

Minden Fire and Rescue was called to assist Neola Fire and Rescue following an accident early this (Saturday) morning on Interstate 80 westbound, just south of the I-80/I680 split, at mile marker 27. At least one person was transported by LifeNet helicopter to an area hospital. No other details are currently available.

Police in Atlantic say a man from Anita was arrested on an OWI/1st offense charge following an accident at 10th & Poplar Streets that took place at around 2:56-a.m. today (Saturday). Officer Christian Holzapfel said a red Kia Sportage collided with a power pole. The driver, 50-year-old Randall Lewis of Anita, and the vehicle, left the scene. The accident caused downed power lines, resulting in a brief outage. Officials said all power had been restored as of 4:40-a.m.

When Police arrived at the scene of the accident, they found the bumper of a red SUV.  The suspect vehicle was located at around 3-a.m. near 10th Street and Hospital Drive. The SUV’s airbag had deployed. Officer Holzapfel said the driver suffered minor injuries. He refused treatment and was transported to the jail, in Atlantic.

An SUV crashed into a power pole early this morning at 10th and Poplar in Atlantic, resulting in downed power lines and a loss of power to some area residences. The accident happened at around 2:50-a.m.

When Police arrived, the found the bumper of a red SUV, but the vehicle and driver was not on the scene. The suspect vehicle was located at around 3-a.m. near 10th Street and Hospital Drive. A 50-year old male had been injured and the vehicles’ airbag had deployed.

The individual was transported by Medivac Ambulance to nearby CCMH. Additional details were not immediately available.

Police in Red Oak arrested a man late Friday evening, following a traffic stop. 51-year old Gregory Allen Riley, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 7:42-p.m., for Driving While Revoked, and failure to have SR-22 insurance. Riley was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press …

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa State University graduate student accused of sex crimes during his time at the school has been indicted on federal child pornography charges. Federal prosecutors say 33-year-old Jona Shitaleni Paulus, of Ames, was charged Thursday by a grand jury with one count of receiving and one count of possessing child pornography. The Des Moines Register says Paulus was taken into federal custody Thursday, one day after he was sentenced to 90 days in jail related to his guilty plea in a state case.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The parents of an underweight baby girl who tested positive for cocaine have been sentenced to probation. The Des Moines Register reports that 20-year-old Stazia Kirk and 21-year-old Zak Herman, both of Pella, were sentenced Thursday. . The pleaded guilty in May to felony neglect of a dependent person. Court documents say their 3-month-old baby, Charlotte, weighed less than her birth weight when she was taken to a hospital in December.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s 14-year-old voter registration system will live to see another presidential election. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office confirmed that a long-discussed plan to replace the I-Voters system will not be completed before the 2020 elections. Spokesman Kevin Hall says the office is still in the information-gathering phase of the project. Critics worry that the current system is running on outdated technology and could be vulnerable to hackers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed in May challenging a new state law that prohibits the use of Medicaid funding for gender reassignment surgery. Judge David Porter says in an order filed Thursday that the two people who filed the lawsuit must first seek to have their surgeries approved by the Iowa Department of Human Services through Medicaid and follow an administrative appeals process.