DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa will pay $2.5 million to settle a lawsuit involving a woman who leaped from the top of a five-story parking ramp. The lawsuit was filed by Kathleen Haptonstall and her husband, William, in 2016. The Des Moines Register reports that she died last year of complications from injuries suffered when she jumped Sept. 24, 2014, from a ramp at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. She was a psychiatric patient there at the time.

The lawsuit alleged among other things that the hospital didn’t communicate changes in her behavior and failed to adequately review medical records before taking her from a locked psychiatric unit. The lawsuit also says staffers failed to follow procedures that could have prevented the incident. The Iowa Appeal Board approved the settlement Tuesday.

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

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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids is taking steps to protect the city from Cedar River floodwaters. The National Weather Service says the river was nearly 3 feet (1 meter) above flood stage Wednesday morning and is expected to crest at more than 4 feet above flood stage on Sunday morning. City officials say their preparations include placing sand-filled barriers in low-lying areas and closing gates to the city’s storm sewer system, which will protect the NewBo District and most of the downtown. Sandbagging stations have not been opened, but preparations for two have been made.

Forecasters say remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon could cause flash flooding across parts of seven states — as far north as southern Iowa — in coming days. In its latest update before dawn today (Wednesday), the National Hurricane Center says the storm is expected to leave total rain amounts of 4-8 inches in the Florida panhandle and parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.

The Hurricane Center says that isolated amounts of 12 inches will be possible in parts of the region through early Saturday. Though Gordon is expected to weaken to a tropical depression sometime Wednesday morning, forecasters say tornadoes will still be possible Wednesday and Wednesday night in Mississippi and western Alabama.

Red Oak Police, Tuesday evening, arrested 53-year old Valerie Zamora, of Red Oak. The woman was taken into custody at around 7:15-p.m., for Public Intoxication. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 cash bond.

(Update 7:40-a.m.) Firefighters and rescue personnel from Atlantic were called to a house fire at 107 E. 9th Street at around 3:19-a.m. today (Wednesday). Atlantic Police Officer Spencer Walton and Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh McLaren were the first to arrive on the scene after seeing smoke a couple of blocks away. They reported the home was fully engulfed and that they could not get close enough to determine if anyone was inside, due to the intense heat. The house is owned by Dean Adams. The current resident was identified as Rick Parrot. He was not home at the time.  The cause of the fire remains undetermined.  Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News the blaze apparently started in the northeast corner of the home, near the main door/living room area. He said also there were no utilities connected to the home, which sustained significant damage and will likely be declared a total loss. Crews were on the scene for a little more than 2 1/2 hours.

Photos by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Atlantic Fire and Rescue was assisted at the scene by Atlantic Police, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Medivac Ambulance.

Here is the latest Iowa-related news from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The House Ethics Committee is investigating whether U.S. Rep. Rod Blum violated any rules related to his role in an outside business. A statement Tuesday from the committee chair and ranking member says the committee will continue a previously unannounced investigation into the actions of the Iowa Republican. The statement says the committee plans to announce its results in December, after a midterm election in which Blum faces a difficult campaign.

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Filmmaker Tyler Perry and a prominent attorney have announced a lawsuit against a former Florida sheriff’s deputy connected to the disappearance of two minority men almost 15 years ago. Perry and Benjamin Crump said Tuesday that the lawsuit in a state court alleges former Collier County deputy Steve Calkins was responsible for the death of Terrance Williams, a black man who disappeared in 2003.

ALGONA, Iowa (AP) — Some farm buildings, trees and utility poles in rural north-central Iowa have been damaged by what officials believe was a tornado that briefly touched down. Kossuth County Emergency Manager David Penton says trained spotters saw what looked like a tornado touch down just southwest of Algona around 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. Penton says buildings used in a hog confinement operation were damaged. He said no injuries had been reported.

VALIER, Mont. (AP) — The problem of Native American women who go missing or are killed is getting new attention among lawmakers and activists. In this era of the #MeToo movement, there’s a push to find out how many of these women have vanished or been killed and develop ways for authorities to better pursue these cases. One U.S. senator has proposed new legislation. Some states also are trying to get a better handle on the scope of the problem and help the families of these women.

LEHIGH, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say north-central Iowa man has been shot while squirrel hunting at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area near Lehigh. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the incident happened Saturday when 55-year-old Sao Bunpan was shot in the upper chest by his brother, 50-year-old Khor Bunpan. Both men live in Webster City.

Authorities say the two brothers were hunting together with a party of four for the opening day of squirrel hunting in Iowa. Sao Bunpan was taken to a Webster City hospital and then to a Des Moines hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

Conservation officers are investigating, but preliminary efforts have led officials to believe the shooting was an accident. No charges have been filed.

ALGONA, Iowa (AP) — Some farm buildings, trees and utility poles in rural north-central Iowa have been damaged by what officials believe was a tornado that briefly touched down.

Kossuth County Emergency Manager David Penton says trained spotters saw what looked like a tornado touch down just southwest of Algona around 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. Penton says buildings used in a hog confinement operation were damaged. He said no injuries had been reported.

The National Weather Service at Des Moines issued a tornado warning for the area that expired around 4:15 p.m. Penton says it will be up to the weather service to confirm whether it was a tornado that hit the area.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports an arrest has been made in connection with the August 27th attempted robbery of a bar in Jamaica. 22-year-old Andrew Onnen, of Guthrie Center, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon. He faces a felony charge of second degree robbery, following an investigation into the incident at ToJo’s Bar and Grill.

The Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Panora Police Department assisted in the arrest. Onnen was being held in the Guthrie County Jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond.