MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in eastern Iowa and other states along the Mississippi River are preparing for record or near-record crests. The Rock Island gauge at Davenport showed the level Tuesday morning at a little more than a foot under the record crest of 22.6 feet set in July 1993. It’s expected to crest Wednesday evening a few inches short of the record.

The Muscatine gauge showed the river more than 3 feet below the July 1993 record of 25.6 feet. It’s expected to crest a little more than a foot under the record at Muscatine, where officials have placed new berms and are preparing to divert downtown traffic.

The National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms are forecast through Wednesday afternoon, dropping enough rain to alter the predicted river crests.
The service also says storms and flash flooding are expected for portions of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro Sauce:

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients for cilantro sauce and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Add shrimp and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.  Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook shrimp until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Serve with cilantro sauce.

Officials with the Atlantic Police Department report 52-year old Richard Lewis, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday for violation of a No Contact Order. Lewis was booked-into the Cass County Jail. And, no injuries were reported following an accident Saturday, in the 200 block of Chestnut Street.  A skid loader was hauling a large barrel from across the street at around 11:15-a.m. when it struck a legally parked vehicle owned by Harlan Sisco, of Atlantic. The driver of the skid loader was identified as Douglas Mitchell, of Atlantic. Damage from the mishap amounted to $2,000. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) — Spring planting season is finally underway and state public safety officials are reminding motorists to check their speed as they approach over-sized farm equipment. Iowa Highway Patrol Sergeant Nate Ludwig says traditional cars and trucks are no match for agricultural machinery which often weighs several tons. He says trying to get around those big tractors pulling implements can be dangerous. “They think they start to make that pass and they do it before the yellow line they’re fine,” Ludwig says, “and then they meet a car at the top of a hill coming the other direction, which always results in a bad situation.”

Ludwig says he hopes drivers will resist the urge to pass lumbering farm equipment in no passing zones. He says not only is that a bad idea, it’s against the law. “If you can’t make a complete pass from start to finish before that solid yellow line, that’s illegal,” Ludwig says. “I don’t think people know that. They think maybe if they start to make that pass and they do it before the yellow line, they’re fine.”

Even if the farmer waves you around, Ludwig says it’s best to wait until you can actually see that it’s safe to pass. Planting season often runs around the clock and huge equipment is frequently moved between fields at night. Ludwig says farmers need to share responsibility by making sure it’s obvious when they’re going to turn or come to a sudden stop.

(Thanks to Pat Blank, Iowa Public Radio)

Police in Creston say there were four arrests, Monday. At around 8:30-p.m., 39-year old Jonathan Taylor, of Palmyra, was arrested for Public Intoxication. He was later released on $300 bond. A man and woman were arrested Monday afternoon, at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. 40-year old Shawn Farlow and 37-year old JoAnn Farlow, both of Creston, were arrested on Union County warrants for Theft in the 5th Degree. Both were later released on $300 bond, each. And, at around 11:35-a.m. Monday, 18-year old Blaine McIntosh, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Dissemination and Exhibition of Obscene material. He was later released on a $1,000 bond.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 400 block of N. Mulberry Street, reported that sometime between 12-a.m. Sunday and 8-a.m. Monday, someone shot the passenger window of her vehicle with a BB gun, while the vehicle was parked outside of the residence. The damage was estimated at $200.

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

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CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — The development company behind an $8.6 million Charles City project has filed for bankruptcy protection. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed last week by attorneys for McQuillen Place Co. LLC, listing more than $3.2 million in unsecured claims for the top 20 creditors. Project developer Charles Thomson has declined to comment about the filing, which effectively stopped foreclosure proceedings. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows the filer to restructure finances under bankruptcy court protection.

The project plans called for retail stores on the first floor, with 33 apartments on the second and third levels of the 50,000-square-foot complex.

(Radio Iowa) — The Board of Regents will hold a meeting today (Wednesday), to set the preliminary tuition rates for the three state schools. The Regents held off setting tuition at their meeting earlier this month so they would know how much money the Iowa Legislature was going to approve for the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The board requested 18 million dollars — but the budget approved by lawmakers provides 12 million dollars.

Information from the board office proposes base undergraduate tuition increases of three-point-nine percent at the U-I and I-S-U, and no increase at U-N-I. There are some individual programs where the schools are proposing a slightly higher increase — for instance — the U-I is proposing an additional 200 dollar increase for students in the Business College and nursing.

ASBURY, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa library has reopened around three months after being flooded by water from a burst pipe. The pipe burst Feb. 1 inside the Dubuque County Library’s branch in Asbury. Water ruined carpet, the ceiling, computers and hundreds of books. It reopened Monday. The building repairs cost about $70,000.