Governor Terry Branstad is deploying the National Guard to respond to flooding in 13 Iowa counties and prepare for future flooding downriver. “We just have to deal with whatever situation comes our way,” Branstad told reporters. “We need to be as well-prepared and in a situation like this in major cities like Waterloo and Cedar Rapids, obviously,we have a little time to prepare and we want to do everything we can for the state to assist the communities and doing the best job we can to avoid and mitigate damage.”

Branstad has signed a proclamation declaring a “disaster emergency” in 13 counties affected by flooding. The counties included are Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cedar, Chickasaw, Delaware, Floyd, Franklin, Linn and Wright. Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Timothy Orr says there were lessons learned during the significant flooding of 2008.

“I think it starts with the community preparedness,” Orr says. “We’re seeing that all up and down our rivers, the pro-active approach of our communities.” Orr has deployed teams of soldiers to emergency management offices in 11 counties. Three more teams will be deployed today (Saturday), focusing on areas south of Iowa City.

We’ve learned that by working from the Mississippi River north, we can get after some of those big issues early on and identify potential issues that will give us time and an ability to bring resources.” Flooding is NOT expected in Iowa City, but Orr says communities like Columbus Junction and Oakville may need to brace for flooding.

Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds will tour flood damage in Clarksville, Shell Rock and Cedar Rapids today (Saturday).

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:30 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Wisconsin emergency officials say preliminary estimates show flooding over the last few days has caused millions of dollars in damage across a number of western Wisconsin counties. Richland County reported more than 40 homes have been damaged, with one destroyed. Vernon County officials are reporting between $2 million and $3 million in damage to roads and bridges.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University President Steven Leath damaged a university-owned airplane he was piloting when it made a rough landing at an Illinois airport in an incident that was made public 14 months after it happened. Accident reports obtained by The Associated Press show both wings on the plane suffered damage after Leath failed to navigate windy conditions and hit the runway at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington, Illinois.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Sioux City man to life in prison for the shooting death of a man in the western Iowa city of Sloan. The Sioux City Journal reports Timothy Schroeder was sentenced Friday to the life term after a jury found him guilty in July of first-degree murder in the January 2015 death of 29-year-old Dustin Wilder in his Sloan home.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is reducing a judge’s $368,000 award of legal fees to an Iowa State University whistleblower who was viciously mistreated by his superiors. The court says that Dennis Smith isn’t entitled to the full award because his case was only partially successful.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says three students were reported as having absconded from the Clarinda Academy sometime around 10:30-p.m., Friday.  Law enforcement and Clarinda Academy personnel are searching for the escaped students. No additional information is available at this time.

The Clarinda Academy is a residential foster care facility that provides residential treatment to at-risk and delinquent male and female youth from several states.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak woman on Friday night on multiple charges.  At 5:48pm officers arrested 46-year-old Shelby Joann Olivares of Red Oak for Violation of a No Contact Order and Interference With Official Acts, both simple misdemeanors. She was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 cash bond.