(Update 7:40-a.m.) Firefighters and rescue personnel from Atlantic were called to a house fire at 107 E. 9th Street at around 3:19-a.m. today (Wednesday). Atlantic Police Officer Spencer Walton and Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh McLaren were the first to arrive on the scene after seeing smoke a couple of blocks away. They reported the home was fully engulfed and that they could not get close enough to determine if anyone was inside, due to the intense heat. The house is owned by Dean Adams. The current resident was identified as Rick Parrot. He was not home at the time.  The cause of the fire remains undetermined.  Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News the blaze apparently started in the northeast corner of the home, near the main door/living room area. He said also there were no utilities connected to the home, which sustained significant damage and will likely be declared a total loss. Crews were on the scene for a little more than 2 1/2 hours.

Photos by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Atlantic Fire and Rescue was assisted at the scene by Atlantic Police, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Medivac Ambulance.

Here is the latest Iowa-related news from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The House Ethics Committee is investigating whether U.S. Rep. Rod Blum violated any rules related to his role in an outside business. A statement Tuesday from the committee chair and ranking member says the committee will continue a previously unannounced investigation into the actions of the Iowa Republican. The statement says the committee plans to announce its results in December, after a midterm election in which Blum faces a difficult campaign.

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Filmmaker Tyler Perry and a prominent attorney have announced a lawsuit against a former Florida sheriff’s deputy connected to the disappearance of two minority men almost 15 years ago. Perry and Benjamin Crump said Tuesday that the lawsuit in a state court alleges former Collier County deputy Steve Calkins was responsible for the death of Terrance Williams, a black man who disappeared in 2003.

ALGONA, Iowa (AP) — Some farm buildings, trees and utility poles in rural north-central Iowa have been damaged by what officials believe was a tornado that briefly touched down. Kossuth County Emergency Manager David Penton says trained spotters saw what looked like a tornado touch down just southwest of Algona around 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. Penton says buildings used in a hog confinement operation were damaged. He said no injuries had been reported.

VALIER, Mont. (AP) — The problem of Native American women who go missing or are killed is getting new attention among lawmakers and activists. In this era of the #MeToo movement, there’s a push to find out how many of these women have vanished or been killed and develop ways for authorities to better pursue these cases. One U.S. senator has proposed new legislation. Some states also are trying to get a better handle on the scope of the problem and help the families of these women.

LEHIGH, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say north-central Iowa man has been shot while squirrel hunting at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area near Lehigh. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the incident happened Saturday when 55-year-old Sao Bunpan was shot in the upper chest by his brother, 50-year-old Khor Bunpan. Both men live in Webster City.

Authorities say the two brothers were hunting together with a party of four for the opening day of squirrel hunting in Iowa. Sao Bunpan was taken to a Webster City hospital and then to a Des Moines hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

Conservation officers are investigating, but preliminary efforts have led officials to believe the shooting was an accident. No charges have been filed.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports an arrest has been made in connection with the August 27th attempted robbery of a bar in Jamaica. 22-year-old Andrew Onnen, of Guthrie Center, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon. He faces a felony charge of second degree robbery, following an investigation into the incident at ToJo’s Bar and Grill.

The Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Panora Police Department assisted in the arrest. Onnen was being held in the Guthrie County Jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Ottumwa man who once threatened to kill then-President Barack Obama is scheduled to be sentenced in January for threatening a federal judge.

Federal court records say Matthew James Howard has pleaded guilty to threatening the judge and to mailing a threatening communication. His sentencing is set for Jan. 10 in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

Howard, who is serving prison time for robbery and burglary, received an additional three years in September 2013 for writing letters threatening to kill Obama and a judge earlier that year.

Howard was indicted in April for threatening U.S. Judge Linda Reade in a letter sent from prison in Anamosa in November.