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The Burlington Fire Department is considering joining an Illinois-based program called MABAS. 

During a city council meeting on Monday, Fire Chief Tom Clements gave a presentation about the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.

"Between us and the next MABAS station sits Henderson County," Clements told the council. "When Monmouth (Ill) had a fire, the dog food company, at that point in time they realized that even though they were involved in MABAS, they're rural enough that they were running out of the equipment needed to handle that fire.

"After that time, they approached us about being involved in MABAS."

MABAS was established in Illinois in the 1960s to give law enforcement agencies a response plan to any location in the state that is suffering from a disaster.

The council's reaction seemed positive, especially when Clements revealed that membership is only $200 a year.

Washington D.C. (AP)-Iowa Governor Chet Culver says president Barack Obama has authorized a presidential disaster declaration for 32 Iowa counties, including Lee, Van Buren and Wapello.

The declaration stems from the flooding and severe storms that has affected those counties since June 1.

The declaration provides federal funding to rebuild roads and bridges and other public facilities and help cover the cost of debris removal or emergency work during the storms. It will not cover the costs of damages for individuals, although some residents in those counties are eligible for state funds.

This is the second such presidential disaster delcaration for Lee County this week. Obama handed down a declaration on Tuesday for damages sustained in the county from the May 12th and 13th floods. Des Moines County also received the declaration for the May floods.

Not only is the "Fill the Boot" fundraiser coming up in September for area fire departments, but now three area communities are also teaming up to host a golf tournament next month to raise money for charity.

Firefighters from Fort Madison, Burlington and Keokuk are hosting the first ever MDA Fund Raiser Golf Tournament next month. All proceeds will go to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

"Area firefighters always do 'Fill the Boot,' and sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate on that weekend," Pat Gray, president of the Fort Madison Firefighters Local 607, said. "This is just a way of raising more money for MDA. Other fire departments in the state have done this and have raised a lot of money."

Gray says Fort Madison was the original organizer, but Burlington and Keokuk both asked to join in the fundraising event.

The tournament will be held on Saturday, August 28th at the Sheaffer Memorial Golf Course in Fort Madison. As of Thursday, Gray says 13 teams have signed, but says there is room for up to 36 teams to play in the four-man best ball tournament.

To register, call Gray at (319) 371-6135.

Burlington police are investigating an assault and attempted robbery at Crazy Coyote's Bar over the weekend.

Authorities say a 51-year-old woman was beaten by a masked man at around 5:20 a.m. Sunday.

"A friend of mine came to help clean the bar," owner Jason Olnes explained following the incident. "She pulled up and saw the back light was off, which it never is. She saw some guy peak out and about that time he hit her across the face with a crow bar and proceeded to choke her. She gouged his eyes, but actually took the crowbar away from him after he hit her with it."

Olnes says the woman, who was not identified by police, was able to get back in her car and drive to a gas station to call police. She was taken to an area hospital and, after having surgery, was released.

Police say they are now searching for a man of slender build over six feet tall with marks on his face from the altercation.

Anyone with information regarding this case should contact Crime Stoppers at (319) 753.6835.