Firefighters from Kirkman, Irwin and Defiance have been called to the scene of a rural structure fire about five-miles east of Kirkman. The blaze at a shop located at 2204 1500th Street in Shelby County, was reported at around 4:20-p.m. No other details are currently available.

Iowa veterans who are being treated at the V-A Medical Center in Omaha this week are able to take part in a holiday tradition that dates back to the 1930s. V-A spokesman Will Ackerman says the American Legion Auxiliary has opened special store at the hospital where veterans can shop for free.   “The holiday gift shop is for hospitalized veterans who are inpatient, going through dialysis, and those in our recovery center,” Ackerman says. “These veterans are able to select up to four free gifts for their loved ones.” The auxiliary also wraps the gifts at no cost to the veteran.

“These veterans otherwise may not be able to get out and get a gift for their loved ones,” Ackerman says. “This is something the American Legion Auxiliary has done for decades in partnership with the VA.” Auxiliary volunteers also have a portable cart which they wheel around to visit rooms of patients who can’t make it to the shop to select their presents.

“They buy all the gifts and they buy all the wrapping paper and they do all the work and we here at the VA provide them a room to do it in,” Ackerman says. “It’s just a great opportunity to give back to the veterans who have given to us.” The gift shop is open at the Omaha hospital through tomorrow (Wednesday).

(Radio Iowa)

On Monday, December 1, Governor Branstad called for a Special Election for State Senate District 12 due to the resignation of State Senator Joni Ernst. State Senate District 12 includes all of Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold and Taylor Counties. Montgomery County Auditor Stephanie Burke says the deadline to Pre-Register to vote for this Special Election is by 5:00 P.M. Friday, Dec. 19th. There is Special Election Day registration, but specific documentation must be provided. If possible, register before the Special Election Day.

The deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot to be mailed is by 5:00 P.M. Wed., Dec. 24th. Absentee Request Forms are available on the County Website at montgomerycountyiowa.com or at your County Auditor’s office. Request forms will have to be completed prior to receiving an absentee ballot. Return your request form as soon as possible and the ballots will be mailed as soon as they are ready.

The Montgomery County Auditor’s office will be closed Thursday and Friday, Dec. 25th and 26th, but will be open for Absentee voting on Sat., Dec. 27th, from 7:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M., for Absentee Voting. On Tuesday, Dec. 30th, polls for the Special Election will be open from 7-a.m. until 9-p.m.

Polling Places in Montgomery County include: Red Oak Gold Fair Building, Red Oak Fire Station, Red Oak First Christian Church, Elliott Community Building, Stanton Fire Department, Grant Fire Department and the Villisca Community Building.

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. If anyone has questions about voter registration, absentee ballots, or voting, call the Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127 or visit www.montgomerycountyiowa.com.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered that all flags in Iowa be flown at half-staff in honor of state Rep. Dwayne Alons. U.S. flags and Iowa flags under the state’s control will be lowered and flown at half-staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to remember Alons, who died Saturday.

The 68-year-old Alons announced in October that he was battling renal cancer. He was a retired farmer and former Iowa Air National Guard brigadier general. He had represented Iowa House District 4 since 1998.

A memorial service for Alons is scheduled Wednesday morning at First Reformed Church in Hull.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Advocates seeking more funding for Iowa’s bridges and roads are launching a new advertising campaign. In a television ad that started airing Monday, a narrator notes the thousands of structurally deficient bridges in Iowa. At the end of the ad, paid for by the Iowa Good Roads Association, the voice of an emergency operator says: “We have a bridge collapse with a bus full of school children.”

David Scott, executive director of the association, says the ad will air across the state for two weeks. Scott says his group, which includes trucking companies and auto dealers, wants to see an increase in dedicated road funding. Gov. Terry Branstad has said he was open to ideas for increasing road construction funding.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The head of Iowa’s Homeland Security division says more than 50 Iowa counties have signed up for a statewide emergency notification system. Mark Schouten, director of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says Tuesday that 57 counties are now participating in Alert Iowa. The system was launched in October. (Click here for a map of those counties with “Alert Iowa“: http://homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/documents/maps/MAP_AlertIowaCounties.pdf )

Residents in counties with the system can sign up for alerts about issues like severe weather. They have a wide range of options for how to receive the information, including phone calls, text messages or through social media. Counties have local control over how they use the system.

Schouten talked about the program during a budget hearing before Gov. Terry Branstad. Schouten is seeking $400,000 to continue to the program in the next budget year.