(Radio Iowa) – Northwest Iowa agencies began getting 9-1-1 calls at about seven this (Wednesday) morning about a large fire at the Casey’s along Highway 18 on the west side of Hull. The Hull Fire Department responded and found the roof area of the business engulfed by fire. Employees were inside when the fire started and also reported an explosion that occurred inside shortly after flames and smoke were seen.

All of the employees were able to safely evacuate the business and no one was injured. Fire departments from Sioux Center and Rock Valley assisted in putting the fire out. No damage estimates have been made and the fire remains under investigation.

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday, said four people were arrested Tuesday on separate charges. At around 9:37-a.m., Officers arrested 52-year-old Chadwick Zucco, of Red Oak, for Possession of slightly more than 25.2 grams of marijuana/3rd offense, a Class-D Felony. Zucco was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Two people were arrested at around 1:30-p.m. Tuesday, in Red Oak: 22-year-old Skyler Grace Nagunst and 23-year-old Andrew Michael Nagunst, both of Red Oak, were arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order/Contempt of Court. Skyler Nagunst was also charged with Aiding and Abetting in Violation of a No Contact Order. Their bonds were set at $300, each.

And, at around 4:30-p.m., Tuesday, 49-year-old Michelle Marie Burns, of Henderson, was arrested on an Assault charge. She was taken into custody at the Dollar General Store, in Red Oak. Burns was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

Burns was arrested again on September 29th at 9:47 a.m. for striking an individual while in the Magistrate’s Office for the previous Assault charge. She was subsequently held for another Simple Assault charge and booked back into the Montgomery County Jail on $300 cash bond.

(Radio Iowa) Iowa casinos on the western side of the state now facing some competition from Nebraska, as the Warhorse Casino in Lincoln is now operating after approval from state regulators. Nebraska’s first casino is run by Ho-Chunk Incorporated, the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. C-E-O Lance Morgan says they are going to stop some of the money moving out of Nebraska into Iowa.

They started with slot machines in a building in Lincoln and will build that up and also plan to build a casino in Omaha and eventually South Sioux City. Morgan says he has no qualms about challenging Iowa for the gamblers — and knows it will be a competition.

He says they are starting with the Lincoln and Omaha facilities because they are in an area with one-point-three million people.

The temporary Warhorse Casino in Lincoln began operating Saturday.

(Radio Iowa) The State of Iowa has a more than one-point-nine BILLION dollar budget surplus. Governor Reynolds has announced the state has 830-million dollars in reserve funds and holds more than a BILLION dollars in its Taxpayer Relief Fund. Larger than expected corporate tax payments are triggering a corporate tax cut as well. In a written statement, Governor Reynolds said it shows tax cut critics were wrong and growth oriented policies and fiscal restraint are paying off. House Democratic Whip Lindsay James of Dubuque says instead of lowering costs for Iowans and investing in public schools, Reynolds is celebrating another huge handout to corporations. ANNOUNCER OUT: The last state fiscal year ended June 30th, however this is the week the books are officially closed. That’s so late-arriving payments or expenses are accounted for in the previous state budget.

(Radio Iowa) Iowa Lottery C-E-O, Matt Strawn, predicted it would be hard to match the last two fiscal years — which were the most profitable in the organization’s history. But he says the first two months of this fiscal year that started in July have far exceeded expectations.

Gross sales totaled nearly 78 million dollars in the two months and are around 32 percent ahead of budget projections.

Large jackpots in games are unpredictable, and Strawn says they are still remaining cautious about how the full year will go.

Strawn says they have been focusing on ways to improve revenue and that has included the lotto game category and more drawings.

He says along with the additional draw for Lotto America, the jackpot has exceeded 20 million dollars for the first time in a number of years. Lottery Chief Revenue Officer John Ross says they also have increased the number of stores selling Lottery products by adding 57 Walmart stores. Ross says the economy still remains a concern for the fiscal year ahead.

The two made their comments at today’s (Tuesday) Iowa Lottery Board meeting.