Firefighters from Griswold and Elliott were called to the scene of a house fire at 305 4th Street Thursday afternoon. The call came in at around 3:36-p.m.

House fire at 305 4th St. in Griswold. (Ric Hanson/Photo)

Griswold Fire Chief Jim Wyman says he was working in his nearby shop when the call came in. He said he looked out and saw black smoke rising from the house, which was owned by one of his firemen, Severin Ritter. Wyman got to the fire station and told his crews to expedite their arrival.

Wyman said Ritter was standing outside, looking very upset, but there was nothing that could be done expect to try and put out the flames. Wyman said while the cause of the fire remains to be determined, it was clear it had been smoldering for at least three or four hours. The house sustained severe damage, but a dollar amount was not immediately available.

Neither Ritter, nor his wife and twin sons were home at the time, but two family pets, a cat and a dog were inside the home. Ritter, who has been a member of the Griswold  Fire Department for the past four-years, managed to rescue the animals before he went to the fire station. They appeared to be in shock and suffering from smoke inhalation.

Family pets rescued from the home of Griswold Firefighter Severin Ritter.

The cat’s fur was apparently singed as well. None of the fire fighters or anyone else was injured during the blaze. The family was expected to stay with relatives in the area until a more permanent housing situation can be found. Wyman says the house has been undergoing remodeling since it was purchased about four or five-years ago.

Following the investigation into an accident that occurred on March 21st, the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office has charged 19-year old Benjamin Gerard Irlmeier of Audubon with Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident, Failure to Report a Personal Injury Accident, Possession of Alcohol, Failure to Maintain Control, and No Inusrance. The accident had occurred on Quail Avenue south of Exira near Littlefield Drive. Irlmeier appeared before the magistrate Thursday, and pled not guilty. A preliminary hearing is set for May 20th.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input on the proposed improvement of Iowa 92 from Iowa 25 in Greenfield east to 1.3 miles east of Madison County Road P-53 in Adair and Madison counties.

The proposed project provides for widening, resurfacing and installing subdrains from Greenfield east to the Adair/Madison county line. From the county line east to 1.3 miles east of Madison County Road P-53, the proposed improvement provides for milling and rubblizing the existing surface, and widening and resurfacing the roadway.

Through traffic on Iowa 92 would be detoured during the construction phase in Madison County using Iowa 25, Interstate 80 and U.S. 169. The project is scheduled to be let in September 2013. For general information or to make a comment regarding the proposed improvements, contact Don Stevens, assistant district engineer, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh St., Atlantic, Iowa 50022, telephone 712-243-3355 or 800-289-4368, email donald.stevens@dot.iowa.gov.

Comments must be received by May 16th, to be considered.

The reward fund is growing in Sioux City for information leading to the arrest of 21-year-old Jamal Dean. The reward money is now up to $15,000 after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms added another $5,000 to the fund Thursday. That’s in addition to money contributed by the U.S. Marshall’s Service, Crimestoppers and several local, anonymous donors. Dean is wanted for attempted murder in the Monday afternoon shooting of Sioux City Police Officer Kevin McCormick, who was shot in the head during a routine traffic stop. McCormick has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. The search for Dean has expanded to the tri-state area.

Anyone with information regarding Dean’s whereabouts should call (712) 279-6960.

Cross another name off the list of potential Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate. State Ag Secretary Bill Northey issued a written statement, announcing he has decided not to seek the Republican nomination for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat. Northey wrote that he feels he can “be more effective serving Iowans as Secretary of Agriculture rather than engaging in a Senate campaign.”

Last week, during an interview with Radio Iowa, Northey indicated his analysis of the political landscape in Iowa suggested to him he had a shot at the senate seat, but personal considerations were a concern. Northey said his family’s been farming the same ground near Spirit Lake since the 1930s and it would be hard for him to turn the operation over to someone else.

In his written statement today, Northey indicated he would endorse Congressman Steve King — IF King decides to run. If King doesn’t, Northey says there are “many qualified and exciting” Republican candidates considering a run. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds announced last week that she had decided against running for the Senate. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin announced in late January that he would not seek reelection in 2014.

Bruce Braley, the Democratic congressman from Waterloo, launched his race for the Senate in early February.

(Radio Iowa)