IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man charged with leaving a threatening voicemail telling Gov. Kim Reynolds she should be “hung for treason” defended his comments Thursday as free speech, saying he was expressing opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. Harvey Hunter Jr., 48, is charged with first-degree harassment for the profane Jan. 5 message he left on a governor’s office phone line set up to gather input over whether Reynolds should continue the partial statewide mask mandate.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A woman was injured in a shooting Thursday night in Des Moines. She is the fourth person in the city to be shot in 24 hours.

AMES, IA (IRN) – The Ames Police Department is investigating the weekend death of a toddler as “suspicious.” No charges have been filed.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds’ plan to require more Iowa gas stations to offer ethanol may have hit a snag Thursday at the Statehouse. Reynolds’ Renewable Fuel Bill passed out of a Senate subcommittee on Thursday morning. An amendment to that bill would add liability protection for retailers and exempt the E15 standard for those who have incompatible pumps. Many complain they can’t afford to upgrade their tanks claiming it will cost retailers $1 billion.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds is having the state of Iowa return $95 million in COVID relief funding to the federal government. During an interview on Fox News on Thursday night, Gov. Reynolds said that the money was “additional” and supposed to be used to get kids back into the classroom and do surveillance testing. She says we don’t need it because our kids were back in school quickly. Des Moines Public Schools didn’t return until October.