(Radio Iowa) — Visitors from as far away as Australia are expected to head for southwest Iowa’s Madison County this coming weekend during the 50th annual Covered Bridge Festival. Heather Riley, executive director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, says there will be guided tours of the historic wooden bridges, arts and crafts, a photo contest, live music, festival food and more. “Typically, we look for about 20,000 people over the weekend,” Riley says. “We have a 5K, there’s a quilt show, the car show is on Sunday as well as our parade. We have two stages of entertainment.”

While there were once a few dozen covered bridges in Madison County, there are now just six, which includes one bridge that fell victim to an arson fire in 2017. “We’re going to do a ribbon-cutting and a rededication of Cedar Bridge which is now fully rebuilt and back,” Riley says. “That’s a $720,000 project and lots of donations by Iowans and from people across the country who enjoy our covered bridges, too.”

Cedar Bridge damaged by arson. (Credit Sarah Boden IPR)

Originally built in the 1883, the Cedar Bridge rose to fame in the early 1990s after James Waller’s novel, “The Bridges of Madison County,” was published and then adapted for film. Cedar Bridge is on the cover of the book. Madison County is considered the Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa, with the largest collection of covered bridges in one area in the western half of the Mississippi Valley.  “I think at one time there was some discussion about maybe tearing down these covered bridges and thankfully, some enlightened soul decided, ‘No, these are actually pretty special,’ so the Covered Bridge Festival began in 1970 as a way to preserve them,” Riley says. “The book was written 20 years after that which drew even more attention to our community.”

The county seat, Winterset, is also home to the John Wayne Birthplace Museum and the Iowa Quilt Museum. The festival runs Friday and Saturday (October 12-13)

More info at: www.madisoncounty.com/covered-bridge-festival/

Two Council Bluffs men were arrested on separate charges Sunday, following a traffic stop in Red Oak. Red Oak Police say 49-year old Richard David Poast was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, with 36 withdrawals in effect. 46-year old Donavan Sands was arrested on three active warrants for Violation of a Protection Order. Both were transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where Poast was being held on a $566.25 bond, and Sands was being held without bond.

No injuries were reported Sunday evening following a collision caused by sun glare. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says at around 6:33-p.m., a two-vehicle accident was reported at 110th Street & Highway 48, east of Elliott. An investigation determined that a 2005 Mazda Tribute, owned and driven by Roger Schooling, of Red Oak, stopped, and was leaving the stop sign on 110th Street, when his vehicle struck a 2012 Ford Fusion owned and operated by Mark Naser, of Griswold. Authorities say Naser was turning southbound onto 110th when the accident occurred. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $6,000. Officials say no citations were issued due the visual impact of the sun.

The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Sunday, of  22-year old Delson Grantham, of Fontanelle, was arrested in the 2700 block of Highway 2 in Taylor County. He was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol 2nd Offense. Grantham was additionally charged with Driving While License Suspended and cited for Speeding 68 in a 55 mile per hour zone. Grantham is being held at the Taylor County Jail on $2,300 bond pending an initial appearance with the Magistrate.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 32-year old Eric Tyler Waldron, of Villisca, was arrested at around 6:10-p.m. Sunday, for Attempted Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His arrest followed an incident at Hacklebarney Park, north of Villisca. Waldron was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:10 a.m. CDT

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris told Iowa voters that they can help refute questions about her electability if they support her in the caucuses. On the campus of Iowa State University, Harris said Sunday that Iowans have the ability to show the country what can be, even if people have never seen it before. Harris’ visit to Ames on Sunday marked her first to Iowa since announcing plans to recommit her focus on the state.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Construction has begun in south-central Iowa on a $13.5 million, 50,000 square-foot facility to train utility linemen in several Midwest states. The Des Moines Register reports the Missouri Valley Line Constructors Apprenticeship and Training Program is building the facility in Indianola. It will be the primary training center for Missouri Valley contract linemen, traffic-signal and substation technicians from Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Last month’s closing of the obstetrics unit at Unity Point Hospital in Marshalltown was only the most recent in Iowa. The Iowa Public Health Department says nearly three dozen Iowa community hospitals have stopped delivering babies in the past two decades, and eight stopped last year _ the most yet in one year. Hansen Family Hospital CEO Doug Morse told Iowa Public Radio that the increased expense of labor and delivery care led officials to end deliveries at the Iowa Falls facility in November.

VINTON, Iowa (AP) — A Vinton man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for firing at officers sent to check on his welfare. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that 44-year-old Lyle Fowler Jr. was sentenced last week in Benton County District Court after pleading guilty to assault on officers and interference with official acts. In a separate case, Fowler pleaded guilty to two charges of disseminating obscene materials to a minor and was given a deferred 10-year prison sentence.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate Theft arrests last week. Last Thursday (10/3), 53-year old Michelle Ann Carey, of Adair, was arrested by Adair Police at the Kum & Go in Adair, for allegedly taking root beer and dog treats valued at less than $200. She was charged with Theft in the 5th Degree.

The Sheriff’s report indicated the manager of the store had caught Carey on camera allegedly stealing items on other occasions, and wanted to catch her in the act. Carey was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $100 cash only bond.

A man from Las Vegas, Nevada, was arrested Oct. 1st in Adair, for Theft in the 5th and Open Container, after allegedly taking food and drink valued at less than $200 from the Casey’s General Store, in Adair. The items, an energy drink and four sticks of beef jerky, and a half-full open container of beer, were found in 31-year old Brandon Scott Terrell‘s vehicle. Terrell was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $300 cash or surety bond.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation report Interstate 29 between Exit 61: I-680; County Road G37 (near Crescent) and Exit 71: I-680 (1 mile south of the Missouri Valley area), is closed because of flooding. The road is expected to remain closed until about 6-p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8th.

IDOT cameras showed the surging Missouri River waters once again overtaking the pavement as IDOT crews worked to shut down the traffic.