SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — The case of a 19-year-old Henry man charged with manslaughter and motor vehicle homicide rests with a judge.

The trial for Bryan Bloom concluded Thursday with closing arguments and Scotts Bluff County District Judge Randy Lippstreu is considering the case.

Bloom is accused in an accident June 20, 2011, near the Wyoming-Nebraska state line that killed 18-year-old Johrdan Stone. Stone died after he stuck his head out of the window of the van Bloom was driving and he was struck by a temporary road sign in a construction zone.

Prosecutors say Bloom was driving intoxicated and ran off the road in the construction zone.

Bloom’s defense attorney says the sign was improperly placed in an unsafe location which caused Stone’s death.

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 96. Light east wind becoming south southeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Chadron and Crawford – Overnight rain and cooler temperatures this morning gave Ash Creek Fire crews welcome relief, including getting a line around yesterday’s late afternoon “slop-over,” or escape.  Today’s plans include efforts to secure and hold the line while engaging newly arrived resources.  Fire officials anticipate transition to a Type 2 Incident Management Team by mid-afternoon.

“We plan to take advantage of the lower temps and higher humidity today to make progress on containment of this fire.  The extended forecast calls for continued high temperatures, lower humidity and we are not out of the woods yet,” said Steve Lenzo, Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands.  “While bringing new resources to the Ash Creek Fire today, safety remains our priority while we work to secure lines and containment.”

The Ash Creek Fire was reported Sunday morning and measures approximately 1,000 acres.  Today officials plan to take accurate GPS measures to confirm the fire’s size.

Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. North wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. North wind 11 to 16 mph becoming light northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Northwest wind 3 to 8 mph.

BRIDGEPORT, Neb. (AP) — A woman has died in a house fire in Bridgeport in western Nebraska.

The the Morrill County Sheriff’s office says 67-year-old Ilene Christensen died in the fire Tuesday morning.

Bridgeport Fire Chief Brad Mueller says while the fire was contained to one room, the home had extensive smoke and heat damage. The fire likely burned for a while before it was reported by a neighbor.

The Nebraska Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A wildfire that’s consuming trees and blackening grassland in the northwest corner of Nebraska has grown to about 300 acres.

Steve Lenzo is deputy forest supervisor for the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands. He said Tuesday that what’s being called the East Ash Creek fire is on federal recreation area land south of U.S. Highway 20 between Chadron and Crawford.

Lenzo says the fire has grown over the past 24 hours but estimates it’s about 25 percent contained.

He’s optimistic that the 120 or so people on the fire lines Tuesday will make progress in their battle against the flames. They will be aided by four helicopters dropping water from giant buckets.

Lenzo says there have been no injuries and no reports of any structures being damaged.