Firefighters from Avoca were called to the scene of a home fully engulfed in flames early this (Sunday) morning. The call for a blaze at the Rod Osbahr residence at 507 N. Chestnut Street, came in at around 1:40-a.m.  Officials say lightening was the apparent cause of the fire, as witnesses reported seeing the home struck not long before the flames erupted. The roof of the structure had reportedly collapsed before fire fighters arrived. Walnut and Harlan Fire provided additional manpower and support.  The house was declared a total loss. No one was home at the time, and no injuries were reported.

Photo’s & info. courtesy of James Wolff, from Walnut.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report an escape occurred Saturday from a work release facility, in Council Bluffs. 28-year old Andrew Eugene Maybee was placed on escape status after failing to return to the facility, Saturday.

Maybee was serving a 25-year prison sentence for two counts of willful injury causing serious injury, conspiracy to commit forcible felony, and going armed with intent. He was transferred to the Council Bluffs facility in June.

Maybee is a Caucasian male, 6-feet 3-inches tall. He weighs 285 pounds, has blonde hair and blue eyes. He also has a tattoo on his back, and scars on his abdomen, left arm, right forearm, and both hands and legs.

Anyone with information on Maybee’s location should contact Council Bluffs Police.

Two grants announced last week address the majority of a $700,000 funding shortfall for the proposed Pottawattamie County veterans building in Council Bluffs. The Omaha World-Herald reports the Iowa West Foundation and Charles E. Lakin Foundation each awarded $275,000 to the project, to help close the gap between the $1.5 million approved by voters more than a year ago and the low project bid of $2.24-million.

The amount not covered by the foundation grants — about $150,000 — will come from county funds that were set aside for a property purchase or through changes in the building’s lighting or other design features to cut costs.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A slew of issue-advocacy groups are taking a page from White House hopefuls, flooding airwaves and knocking on doors to try to educate voters ahead of the state’s first-in the-nation 2016 presidential caucus. Groups are running ad campaigns or grassroots efforts are raising issues like early childhood education, campaign finance reform, environmental policy and the national debt. Political strategists and experts view the early-voting state as a fertile ground to reach voters, candidates and influence the conversation. But one veteran operative says that it could be a challenge to cut through the noise because of the mass of groups and candidates jockeying for Iowa voters’ attention.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Residents in Iowa — and neighboring Nebraska across the Missouri River —took advantage of Iowa’s sales tax holiday this weekend. The annual sales tax holiday coincides with back-to-school shopping. It began Friday and wrapped up Saturday. The Iowa holiday allows shoppers to buy select clothing and footwear priced at less than $100 without paying sales tax or local option taxes.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa state auditor’s report says a University of Northern Iowa secretary deposited personal and business checks in lieu of cash donations in an effort to collect personal and business tax breaks. The Des Moines Register reports that auditors found more than $3,000 in cash was collected but never deposited by Lori Shannon, a secretary with the Literacy Education Office.

GARNER, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa State trooper has been charged with three counts in a child pornography case. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 66-year-old David Hubbard of Garner has pleaded not guilty to three counts of misdemeanor sexual exploitation of a minor. Hubbard was arrested on June 30th in Britt.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — In two seasons as Iowa’s backup quarterback, C.J. Beathard was one of the most popular players on the roster. Beathard, a redshirt junior nicknamed “Sunshine” by his teammates, was promoted to the starting role following a brutal loss to Tennessee in January’s TaxSlayer Bowl. The Hawkeyes open against Illinois State on September 5th.

Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Dallas County authorities are conducting an investigation into a suspicious death along a bike trail. According to KCCI in Des Moines, a body was found on a bike path Saturday morning.

The body was found on the bike path between Waukee and Dallas Center. The DCI is checking with local law enforcement and the missing person’s database. An autopsy will be performed Monday. No other details have been released at this time.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested two Red Oak men Friday night on Burglary and Criminal Mischief charges.  At approximately 8:45pm Friday Sheriff’s Officials arrested 21-year-old Ryan Kier of Red Oak and at approximately 10:45pm Officers arrested 24-year-old Aaron Gar Nelson of Red Oak both for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief.  Both arrests are in connection with an incident that took place on July 11, 2015 at 1655 Ironwood Avenue in which a vehicle was damaged and a residence burglarized.  An additional suspect sought in the case, 22-year-old Timothy John Jennings of Red Oak, turned himself in to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center at approximately 8:00am Saturday after hearing he was being sought by authorities.

Forensic evidence collected from the crime scene led to the arrests.  All three suspects are being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.  The Red Oak Police Department assisted in the investigation and arrests.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an armed robbery that took place early this (Saturday) morning. Officials say at around 3:40-a.m., three men entered the Casey’s General Store at 1030 Vets Memorial Hwy. The suspects were all dressed in dark clothing, wore gloves and had bandanas covering their faces. The first suspect was holding a firearm and jumped the counter before pointing the weapon at the clerk and demanding money and cigarettes. The second suspect was also armed. He pointed a gun at the kitchen worker, and told her not to move. The third suspect did not display a firearm and did not speak. The men stole the cash out of the drawer along with some cigarettes, and fled east out of the building. No injuries were reported.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia following a traffic stop Friday.  At 9:00pm Officers initiated a traffic stop at the corner of North 3rd Street and East Reed Street in Red Oak.  During the stop Officers arrested 25-year-old Keaton Kevin Ebrecht of Red Oak for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor, and also cited Ebrecht for Careless Driving and Failure to Provide Proper Insurance.  Ebrecht was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was cited and released with a future court date.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A 48-year-old Council Bluffs man has been charged with five counts of sexual abuse of a girl over an eight-year period. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports that Steven Cain turned himself in on Wednesday. He is charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and three sexual abuse counts.

Police say the abuse started in 2006 and continued until last year. Cain’s alleged victim is now 18. Police say during a search of Cain’s home, investigators found naked pictures of the victim among Cain’s collection of pornography.

Cain remained in Pottawattamie County Jail on $75,000 bond Saturday. He is set to make his next court appearance on Aug. 17.