The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of 45-year-old Travis Lynn Heinlen of Fort Dodge today (Friday). Heinlen was arrested at about 9:30am after he was found hiding in a closet at a residence in the 1200 block of 140th Street in Red Oak. He was arrested on two warrants from Webster County for Violation of Probation and Voluntary Absence from Custody. He was being held on $6,000 bond in the Montgomery County Jail for Webster County.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests in the past two days.

On Thursday, July 13th Atlantic Police arrested 37-year-old Dicey Christensen of Atlantic on two Cass County Warrants for Unauthorized use of a Credit Card. She was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

Today (Friday, July 14th) Atlantic Police arrested 54-year-old Larry Will of Atlantic for OWI and Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was taken into custody and booked in to the Cass County Jail.

A two-story structure fire was occurring in downtown Exira early this morning. According to an Exira firefighter, the page went out at around 2:20-a.m., for the blaze at Jerry’s Bar at 100 W. Washington Street. Atlantic Fire Department’s quint (Ladder truck) and Anita Fire’s tanker truck were requested at 3:25-a.m.

KJAN News arrived on the scene not long thereafter. Even though there wasn’t much of  a breeze, smoke from the blaze could seen and smelled as far south as Brayton. Downtown Exira was filled with a thick, acrid smoke, as calls for help from the Audubon, Kimballton and Adair Fire Departments. The main problem was with the water supply, according to the fireman we spoke with. Cumberland, Massena and Marne Fire Department’s tanker trucks were also called to provide extra water between 5:30-and 5:40-a.m.  Griswold, Lewis and Coon Rapids Tanker trucks were requested as well just before 6-a.m..  Other personnel were on hand as well, including Exira Rescue, Portsmouth Fire, and the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office.

Jerry’s bar recently underwent a renovation, from what we were told. Crews were working feverishly to contain the blaze to the bar. It’s expected they’ll be on the scene for at least a couple of more hours.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A county prosecutor in Iowa who was sued for threatening to charge a 14-year-old girl with sexual exploitation of a minor for sending suggestive photos of herself to a boy has agreed to drop the case. The girl and her parents filed the federal lawsuit in November, aiming to block Marion County Attorney Ed Bull from bringing charges. An agreement to dismiss the case was filed Thursday.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) — State officials are testing fur found at the site of a black bear sighting in southeastern Iowa. The Oskaloosa Herald reports that the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a black bear strolling through a soybean field on Wednesday. Officials say there have been multiple bear sightings reported in the area in recent weeks.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five people in Iowa are among more than 400 people charged with taking part in health care fraud and opioid scams that federal prosecutors say totaled $1.3 billion in false billing across the country. U.S. Attorney Kevin VanderSchel in the Southern District of Iowa says the five were indicted in two schemes involving the distribution of opioids. The charges range from possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone and oxycodone to conspiracy and distribution of the drugs.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — A school board member has pleaded not guilty to a charge of domestic abuse assault. The written plea and a demand for a jury trial were electronically filed Wednesday in Lee County for 40-year-old Carlita “Carrie” Steele. She’s a school board member for Keokuk schools. A criminal complaint says Steele’s husband, Christopher, told officers that his wife had threatened to shoot him and herself Tuesday night.

Fire fighters from Atlantic and Anita were dispatched to provide mutual at the site of a large structure fire in Exira this (Friday) morning. According to dispatch reports, the fire was at Jerry’s Bar (100 W. Washington St). Anita’s tanker was request at the scene. The call went out at around 3:25-a.m.

No other details are currently available.