EXIRA, Iowa (AP) — Officials in western Iowa have set a nearly century-old elementary school on fire as they look to save money and offer training. About 100 firefighters from a dozen departments turned up Sunday in Exira to participate in the controlled burn. Most of the large brick building’s interior was burned within two hours.

Dozens of residents gathered across the street to watch the blaze. Some called the burning bittersweet. Others said the building, which closed in 2011, needed to come down for safety reasons. The Exira Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School District says the controlled burn will save them up to $60,000 in demolition costs and offer critical training to area firefighters.

Police in Council Bluffs say one person was injured during a single-vehicle accident Thursday night. The Omaha World-Herald reports 39-year old Wayne A. Beberniss, of Council Bluffs, suffered a broken neck and several lacerations, after the car he was driving went out of control in the 3600 block of West Broadway Street and hit a raised median before it also slammed into a guardrail and bounced-off into the median. The accident happened at around 11-p.m.

Rescue personnel used a mechanical device to remove Beberniss, who was trapped in his 1989 Ford Mustang. He was transported to Creighton University Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.
Police said speed and reckless driving were likely contributing factors in the crash.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has vetoed tens of millions of dollars in state spending that legislators had approved, with some of the biggest cuts targeting environmental protection and recreation projects.

The Des Moines Register reports that Branstad trimmed state money for the Resource Enhancement and Protection fund, which helps pay for trails, parks and other outdoor recreation, to $16 million. The Legislature had approved $25 million.

Branstad also cut $18.6 million for construction at Iowa State University’s agricultural and biosystems engineering complex, $14 million for routine maintenance or major repairs of state buildings and $8 million for renovation of the University of Iowa’s dental science building. He also cut another $10 million for projects ranging from university buildings to radon testing at schools.

A suspect in the shooting of a Red Oak man early Saturday morning has been apprehended. According to officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, 31-year old Rafael Bautista was arrested by Red Oak Police at around 9-a.m. Saturday. Bautista has a self-inflicted gunshot wound and is currently being treated at the Creighton University Medical Center. Once released from the hospital, he was be transported to the Montgomery County Jail and charged with attempted murder, willful injury and going armed with intent, in connection with the shooting of 36-year old Clyde Everett Zeigler. Bautista’s cash bond was set at $50,000

Officials say at approximately 12:15 A.M. Saturday (May 31st), the Red Oak Police Department and the Red Oak Fire and Rescue received a call of a shooting at 407 4th Avenue in Red Oak. Upon the arrival, officers determined that a subject identified as Zeigler had been shot multiple times.  Zeigler was flown by air ambulance to an Omaha hospital and remains in critical condition.

The incident continues to be investigated by the Red Oak Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory.

A man who has served in the Air Force, worked in the Pentagon, has been involved in the business industry, and currently serves as a college professor – along with being a radio talk show host – is hoping all that experience will translate into a seat the U.S. Senate.

Sam Clovis

64-year old Sam Clovis, an Iowa Republican candidate for the U-S Senate seat being left vacant by the retirement of Tom Harkin, is a Constitutional conservative and Professor at Morningside College in Sioux City. He’s one of five Republicans who hope to win the June 3rd Primary and square off against Democrat Bruce Braley, a congressman from Waterloo.

In a debate televised this past Thursday, Clovis described himself as the only candidate with national security experience, and he touted his current role as an economics professor. He said in an interview with KJAN News, the recent debate was an eye opener for many people and gave a boost to his campaign.

Clovis has campaigned on three main issues: Tax reform, a balanced budget amendment and the elimination of baseline budgeting. Clovis is a 25-year veteran of the Air Force. His brother is also a veteran. He says he’s upset about a report that described chronic wait times at the Phoenix VA hospital and found that about 1,700 veterans in need of care were “at risk of being lost or forgotten.” He the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) or “Obamacare” is part of the problem.

Clovis said the VA issue hits home for himself and his brother, and he would like to see a “Fundamental reform” of the VA, the current level of service of which he says is “Really a microcosm and a view into the future of what we’re probably going to expect under the Affordable Care Act.” Clovis said the ACA is the hot topic he hears about from Iowans, along with related discussion about how to “Fix this Obamacare thing.”

Clovis says as much as he’d like for Obamacare to be repealed, it likely won’t happen when the next Congress is in session. He says the door remains open however for reform of the current system. He says they should take a concentrated effort at repealing portions of the health care bill, not the whole thing.

With regard to the VA scandal, the VA and independent investigators with the Office of Inspector General are still in the process of uncovering problems at dozens of other VA facilities around the country while some lawmakers are calling for criminal probes. On Friday, Veterans Administration Secretary Eric Shenseki resigned from his post. Before the news came out about Shinseki’s resignation, Clovis said he hoped the man wouldn’t quit. He wanted him instead, to “Stay and stew in his own juices.”  He says Shenseki is not as closely compelled to respond to congressional criticism by retiring.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Authorities in Red Oak report the arrest on Friday afternoon of a local woman wanted on an active warrant. Officers with the Red Oak Police Department with assistance from deputies with the  Montgomery County Sheriff’s office, arrested 27-year-old Megan Reynolds, of Red Oak.

Reynolds, who was taken into custody at 1401 Eastern Avenue, was wanted for allegedly violating the terms of her probation. She was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $10,000 bond.