Lightening is thought to have been the cause of an early morning house fire near Menlo, Monday. According to WOI-TV in Ames, firefighters from Menlo, Guthrie Center, and Casey were on the scene for about three hours. When crews arrived on the scene,  flames were coming through the roof. One person was in the home at the time, but he was able to escape without injury.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), Monday, issued a Press Release  urges all Iowans over 6 months of age to receive their yearly seasonal influenza vaccine. Surveillance by IDPH influenza sentinel sites and confirmatory testing by the State Hygienic Laboratory shows the flu is circulating in Iowa, and appears to be particularly spreading among children. IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says “Children are known as ‘super spreaders’ because they are often in close contact with others at schools or daycare, and when ill, can quickly spread the illness to others.”

Quinlisk says while the flu vaccine is the best defense against getting influenza, it’s also important to take personal actions to help prevent the spread of illness. Remember the 3Cs: Cover your coughs and sneezes; Clean your hands frequently; and Contain germs by staying home when ill. The flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. The flu comes on suddenly and symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days.

Influenza may cause severe illness or even death in people such as the very young or very old, or those who have underlying health conditions. Influenza is not a ‘reportable disease’ in Iowa, which means doctors are not required to notify IDPH each time a patient tests positive for influenza; however, IDPH conducts year-round influenza surveillance through the Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network. The surveillance indicates what types of influenza viruses are circulating and how widespread influenza illness is.

For more information about where and what kind of influenza is in Iowa, go to www.idph.state.ia.us/Cade/Influenza.aspx?pg=FluHome. Contact your health care provider or local health department to find out where the vaccine is available in your community or use the Flu Vaccine Finder at www.flu.gov.

Sheriff’s Officials in Montgomery County have identified the victim of Friday’s train-versus-pedestrian collision. Authorities are awaiting dental records and autopsy results to confirm the victim was 18-year old Jessica Lynn Randolph of Jackson, Missouri. According to Sheriff Joe Sampson, the young woman moved to Stanton in August, and was a senior at Red Oak High School.

Authorities have yet to  determine why she was standing on the railroad tracks just east of the Halland Avenue railroad crossing on the southern edge of Stanton, where she was struck by a Burlington Northern Railroad freight train at around 5:24-p.m., Friday.

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) – An Iowa man will face federal charges in a bank robbery, now that Nebraska is dropping its case.  The Sioux City Journal says 67-year-old Max Lafferty, of Sioux City, Iowa, was indicted last week in U.S. District Court in Omaha. Dakota County Attorney Kim Watson filed a motion Friday to dismiss the Nebraska case against Lafferty.

Lafferty is accused of robbing a Bank of the West branch in South Sioux City on Sept. 11. Police say he flashed a steak knife when he demanded cash from a bank worker and left the building with about $1,500. He was arrested about a block away. A Dakota County jailer said Monday that Lafferty has been turned over to federal marshals.