Firefighters from Shelby, Harlan, Avoca, Minden and Elk Horn were called to the scene of a hog confinement facility fire northeast of Shelby, Thursday night. A motorist passing by reported the fire at 515 Hazel Road, south of County Road F-58, just before 8-p.m.

Authorities on the scene reported at around 8:07-p.m. that the structure was fully engulfed and the roof had collapsed.

No other details are currently available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials say a lottery employee has been arrested after being identified as the mystery winner of a multimillion-dollar Hot Lotto ticket that baffled investigators for years. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said Thursday that 51-year-old Eddie Raymond Tipton, of Norwalk, faces two felony counts of fraud. He is being held at the Polk County Jail.

Tipton is the security director for the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa. Officials say he bought the Hot Lotto ticket in 2010, despite being legally prohibited. He is accused of asking others to claim the ticket. A New York lawyer in 2011 waited shortly before the one-year deadline to try to claim the ticket but later withdrew. Authorities say the case remains under investigation.

Iowa’s rookie U.S. Senator is getting a prime speaking slot next week. Republican congressional leaders have picked Iowa Senator Joni Ernst to deliver the Republican response to President Obama’s “State of the Union” address next Tuesday. This is the first time G-O-P leaders have asked a first-year senator to speak in the prime time slot. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says Ernst understands that middle-class Americans want Congress “to get refocused on their concerns.”

Ernst released a written statement, saying congress must “implement real solutions” that “grow a vibrant economy…and ensure the federal government beings to run more effectively and efficiently.” The televised response to the president’s annual “State of the Union” speech is carefully crafted and has lately been used by whichever party does not hold the White House as a forum to showcase its future leaders.

Last year Ernst captured the attention of the nation’s political class with a campaign ad touting her hog castration skills. Senator Marco Rubio and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal have both delivered the Republican response during President Obama’s presidency and both are now considered possible presidential candidates in 2016.

(Radio Iowa)

A new vision loss support group continues to gather momentum as it prepares to hold its third meeting. The Low Vision Support Group will again meet at The Center at 714 Main Street in Council Bluffs on Tuesday, January 20 at 1:00 p.m. The agenda for this meeting includes discussion about group leadership, an appeal for volunteers to call members with phone reminders about upcoming meetings, and sharing topics of interest to feature at future meetings. The group also aims to establish a regular meeting time and date.

In addition, applications will be available for people to sign up for the City of Council Bluffs’ transportation service, Council Bluffs Special Transit Service (STS). Dawn Kruse, Rehabilitation
Teacher with the Iowa Department for the Blind, is providing assistance to the group during its formative phase.

The Council Bluffs group is one of several support groups throughout the state that aim to connect those with vision loss in local communities. The groups provide an opportunity for blind or visually impaired Iowans to share ways of doing everyday tasks non-visually, provide support to each other, and participate in fun activities. Support groups generally meet once a month.

For a list of vision loss support groups in the state of Iowa, visit the Iowa Department for the Blind webpage at: http://www.idbonline.org/living/support-groups. People of all ages and from all communities interested in learning more about living with vision loss are encouraged to attend.For more information, contact Dawn Kruse at (712) 355-2843.