(Radio Iowa) — After being closed twice by spring floods, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is open again, hopefully for good. The 83-hundred acre refuge in southwest Iowa was forced to put up barricades in March when the Missouri River washed in. Repairs were made and it reopened several weeks later, only to be flooded a second time. Senior Park Ranger Peter Rea says one key area is still closed. “We haven’t been able to draw down the water enough to get our boat ramps back open,” Rea says. “It’s either bank fishing or hand-launching boats only at this time. As conditions improve, we’re going to try to get those accesses reopened as soon as we can for the public.”

Rea says the park staff has been scrambling to restore the infrastructure that was damaged by so many weeks of being underwater. “Since March until now, it’s been a battle to stay open with us being closed for a good majority of that time,” Rea says. “As the water is receding, there’s a lot of work to be done, a lot of trails to rebuild, roads to work on.”  The visitor’s center is open again but the south entrance to the refuge remains closed. The East Gravel Road is closed to vehicles but is open to foot traffic. DeSoto is one of the few parks in the area that’s been able to reopen after this spring’s record flooding.  “There’s definitely a lot to do but mainly we’re just excited to get at least some access back open to the public so that people can come and enjoy the place as well,” he says.

Several other parks in the region remain closed, either due to flooding or needed repairs due to flooding, including Tom Hanafan Park and Big Lake Park in Council Bluffs.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two people on warrants, early this (Monday) morning. Just before 1-a.m., 50-year old Rene Telesforo Valdivia, of Red Oak, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Burglary in the 3rd degree and Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $6,000 bond.

And, 24-year old Kylen Mary Gates, of Papillion, Nebraska, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. Her bond was set at $300.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 22-year old Keldon Dean Stiner, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 10:45-p.m., Sunday. Stiner was taken into custody for Driving While Suspended, No SR-22 Insurance on file, and on a Page County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

UNDATED (AP) — Joe Biden is making clear to voters that he is defending the national health care law known as “Obamacare.” The Democratic presidential candidate says he’s opposing anyone who wants to scrap the health care law. Instead, Biden says Obamacare should be the foundation for changes, including a government insurance plan known as the public option to existing exchanges that sell private insurance. Biden is set to discuss health care on Monday at a forum in Iowa.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Floyd County fair will move forward this week despite damage to several buildings from a tornado that passed through the area earlier this year. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the fair is ready to begin as planned on Wednesday, and only a few modifications are needed because of the storm damage. A tornado destroyed five buildings on the fairgrounds in May and damaged several others.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 12-year-old boy died after being thrown from an off-road vehicle he was riding in that rolled over. The Des Moines Register reports that the Jackson County Sheriff’s office is investigating the Saturday afternoon crash in a rural area outside Bellevue, Iowa, that happened during a gathering of off-road vehicles.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Emergency response planners will gather in Omaha next month to work on improving the way they plan for disasters. The Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring the conference from Aug. 8-10 for the region that includes Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 12-year-old boy died after being thrown from an off-road vehicle he was riding in that rolled over. The Des Moines Register reports that the Jackson County Sheriff’s office is investigating the Saturday afternoon crash in a rural area outside Bellevue, Iowa, that happened during a gathering of off-road vehicles.

Authorities say the boy from Clinton, Iowa, was riding in a Chevrolet Suburban driven by a 15-year-old when the crash happened. The 12-year-old was ejected from the vehicle and pinned underneath it. Three other occupants of the vehicle were not hurt.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Emergency response planners will gather in Omaha next month to work on improving the way they plan for disasters.

The Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring the conference from Aug. 8-10 for the region that includes Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

The conference will feature a tabletop exercise for participants to work through the emergency response process.

More details about the conference are available online .

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Floyd County fair will move forward this week despite damage to several buildings from a tornado that passed through the area earlier this year.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the fair is ready to begin as planned on Wednesday, and only a few modifications are needed because of the storm damage. A tornado destroyed five buildings on the fairgrounds in May and damaged several others, but the main livestock and grandstand buildings remained intact.

Fair Board President Amy Staudt says organizers and volunteers have been working hard to get ready. Some of the buildings that were destroyed housed chicken and rabbits, so those animals will only come to the fair for the day to compete and then go home.

Tents are also being used to help fill some gaps.

ANAMOSA – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) said Sunday, prison inmate Wayne Eugene Sinclair was pronounced dead due to apparent suicide at around 6:35 a.m., Saturday, July 13, 2019.  Sinclair was 52 years old at the time of his death.

Sinclair had been incarcerated at the Anamosa State Penitentiary for the crime of Attempted Murder and other crimes from Warren County. His incarceration began on November 9, 1999.

The department releases all inmates suspected to have committed suicide to the State Medical Examiner, and conducts an investigation. When the death of an incarcerated person occurs, the department makes every attempt to notify registered victims.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Adams County arrested a Corning woman Saturday afternoon. 19-year old Lacey Goodnight was arrested at around 2-p.m., for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Authorities say an investigation determined Goodnight intentionally kicked-in a door to a residence at 2021 Quincy Avenue, in Corning.

Her alleged actions caused damage to the door and door frame. Bond was set at $300.

Members of the CAM School Board will meet 6:30-p.m. Monday, in a regular session. In addition to their regular, administrative subjects to cover, the Board will discuss and/or act on:

• The Boyd-Jones Facility Study
• A School Resource Office (SRO) Agreement
• The setting of lunch prices/student fees
• Handbooks
• Facility Projects
• Consideration of a change or changes to regular board meeting dates.
• and the Instructional Support Levy (ISL).