Monday Morning Read: Flood costs adding up, abortion bill add-ons, ‘Storage Wars’ spotlight

FLOOD COSTS ADDING UP — Six months after the 2016 flood, Cedar Rapids continues to pay bills and incur new ones tied to the flood. Through April 7, Cedar Rapids had paid $6.3 million on 950-plus invoices from 170-plus vendors. It paid $640,223 in overtime to employees, according to city records. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/business/cedar-rapids-2016-flood-costs-close-in-on-7-million-with-total-still-a-moving-target/

ABORTION BILL ADD-ONS — The Senate this week once again is expected to debate Senate File 471, a bill that would ban almost all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy — but this time the legislation also will include an amendment that would enact a 72-hour waiting period before any abortion and require physicians to perform an ultrasound as well as offer the woman the ability to listen to the heartbeat, a description of the baby and counseling. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/news/iowa-abortion-bill-comes-with-add-ons/

'STORAGE WARS' SPOTLIGHT — Solon native Emily Wears has known auctioneering her whole life. In fact, she was basically born into the business. Perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that her years around auctioneering have brought her into the spotlight to show off her own auctioneering skills on A&E's 'Storage Wars' 10th season. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/life/iowa-auctioneer-in-storage-wars-spotlight/

EX-JEFFERSON STAR HAS STAR SON — In 1983, Lisa Becker scored 58.7 points a game for Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School. Now her oldest son, 6-foot-10 Michael Porter Jr., is considered the nation's best prep player. Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-prep-sports/u-s-top-prep-basketball-player-is-son-of-ex-c-r-jefferson-star/

QUOTABLE — 'It's a point of pride to me because I like to tell my people back home that I don't just follow the company line. I don't just do what my caucus and leadership tells me to do, and I've got multiple examples that prove that.' Rep. Bruce Bearinger, a Democrat from Oelwein, on being the lone lawmaker to vote against a piece of legislation