Firefighters from two Shelby County Departments were called to the scene of a grass fire east of Kirkman Wednesday afternoon. The call was dispatched at around 2:30-p.m to 1408 on County Road M47. Crews from Kirkman and Irwin were sent to the scene. Mike Rasmussen, Kirkman Fire Chief, says Nishnabotna REC was called to the scene as well. He says the fire started with two power lines rubbing through the trees. Rasmussen said no structural damage was done to the barn located nearby. The two fire crews were on scene for about an hour.

In addition, the Harlan Fire Department was dispatched 3002 12th Street in Harlan, Lot #83, after a report was received about a porch on fire. The call came in at 2:38-p.m. Roger Bissen, Harlan Fire Chief was first to arrive on scene. He said a deck was on fire, and a handicap ramp leading up to the deck. A fire began under the ramp and started to melt the siding on the side of the trailer. The Harlan Fire Department was there for about 30 minutes taking care of the fire. Bissen said damage done to the ramp; deck and trailer amounted to $2,000. The cause of the fire is still being investigated. No injuries were reported in either fire.

(Joel McCall/KNOD-Harlan)

The Iowa DOT reports that as of 8:11-a.m., one lane of Interstate 80 eastbound near Adair is now open following a single-vehicle accident which occurred at around 7:45-a.m.. The right lane remains closed. Use caution if traveling in this area.

The Iowa Department of Transportation report Interstate 80 eastbound near Adair is blocked this (Thursday) morning, due to a single-vehicle accident. Use caution and expect delays if traveling in the area. We’ll have more details as they become available.

A jury in Guthrie County has convicted a Perry man on a felony charges of Vehicular Homicide by Reckless and Drunken Driving, in connection with an August 24^th 2009 crash, near Yale. According to the Omaha World-Herald, 30-year old Thomas Dugan faces up to 25-years in prison when he is sentenced on July 2^nd. In its decision handed down last Friday (May 18^th), the jury said Dugan was responsible for the death of 28-year old Adam Anderson, of Bagley. They reached their decision after a trial that lasted a little more than three days.

Authorities had claimed Dugan was behind the wheel of a 2003 Ford Mustang that went out of control. Dugan and Anderson were ejected from the car as it rolled end-over-end multiple times before coming to rest in a soybean field. The crash happened soon after a 10-year reunion was held for alumni of the Panorama High School. The car wasn’t discovered until several hours after the wreck took place.

Charges of vehicular homicide, reckless driving and drunken driving were filed against Dugan in February of 2011, after DNA tests indicated he was the driver of the car. Prior to the test results, authorities couldn’t determine which man was behind the wheel.

Iowa Democratic Congressman Leonard Boswell says his Republican opponent in the race for the reorganized Third Congressional District, Tom Latham, has ties to deep pockets when it comes to fundraising, but what will ultimately decide the race is how he stands on the issues.

Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-IA)

Boswell told KJAN News, Wednesday, it’ll be a “High profile race,” and he agrees with some political pundits who say it could be one of the most expensive races in the country.

He says Latham has “plenty of money,” and his close relationships with House Speaker John Boehner and political analyst/Former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to President George W. Bush, Karl Rove, will give Latham “endless pockets to raise money.” But in the end, it what Latham’s record on affordable health care and other issues which will sway the voters.

Boehner has said any increase in the debt limit should be offset by greater cuts in spending and tax reform by the end of the year. Boswell agrees the Country must get government spending under control, but there has to be a tax reform. That can only happen, he says, if Republicans and Democrats can set aside their differences and come together on a solution to a fair and equitable means of taxation. He cited Omaha billionaire Warren Buffet as an example of someone who admittedly pays a disproportionate amount of taxes and wants to see that changed.

Boswell says also, he agrees there has to be a balanced budget amendment to the U-S Constitution, and has supported such a move for a long time, dating back to his days in the Iowa Senate. He has the process has to be transparent however, and differences have to be set aside in order for a balanced budget to become a reality.