MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A 49-year-old Mason City man is facing felony charges of threats of terrorism. KIMT-TV reports Steven Williams went to the Mason City police station and told dispatch that he was homicidal and wanted to go to the hospital. Williams told hospital staff that he wanted to kill anybody that made him mad and looked at him. He said he was going to go to the hardware store and get a hatchet and kill people with it. He also said he wanted to hang people by their feet, burn their skin with acid and dissect them with a small knife. He’s in jail.

DUBUQUE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An inmate at the Dubuque County Jail is facing additional charges after being accused of biting a sheriff’s deputy during an altercation. KDTH reports 20-year-old David Specht pled guilty to drunk driving and domestic violence charges last month, and was sentenced to serve 15 months in jail. On Friday, jailers say Specht began to argue with and curse at them, and bit an officer. He stopped biting when he was warned he was about to be Tasered.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police responded to a scene where a man was shot five times Monday evening. KCCI-TV reports shortly after that, a woman called authorities, claiming she was the shooter. She is in custody.

SAC COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A western Iowa teenager died in a farming accident over the weekend. WHO-TV reports Sac County first responders were called to the scene northwest of Wall Lake on Saturday. They found Ethan Nissen, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Nissen was operating an end loader that rolled over.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – There will be more people working at the new Kraft-Heinz plant in Davenport than first thought, according to WQAD-TV. Originally said to employ around 475 people, it will employ closer to 700. The plant, which is now up and running, will eventually replace the old one, located west of downtown Davenport.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Loving your job is key. That’s according to Joe Scherbring, who retired Monday after 47 years as a semi-truck driver for CRST trucking in Cedar Rapids. KCRG-TV reports Scherbring drove more than 5.2 million miles throughout his career, and never had a wreck or traffic ticket. The company is retiring his driver number.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Plaza Lanes bowling alley in Des Moines burned to the ground this morning. KCCI-TV reports at first, firefighters at the scene said the flames appeared to be under control and that only smoke was observed coming from the roof. Not long after, the building became fully engulfed and the bowling alley’s signature dome roof and neon bowler collapsed. The bowling alley is an iconic landmark in the city.

MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Mason City man accused of killing a 19-year-old woman is scheduled to go to trial today. KWWL-TV reports 61-year-old Larry Whaley is charged with second-degree murder in the December 2016 death of Samantha Teeter. Prosecutors say Whaley shot Teeter in the head through his apartment door.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – It’s the season of giving — and taking in Clinton. KWQC-TV reports thieves, sometimes called “porch pirates,” are stealing packages off of doorsteps. Police say it’s best to have packages delivered to someplace other than your front porch, or to request a signature for delivery.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines family is safe after a neighbor noticed flames coming from inside their garage. WHO-TV reports the 911 caller was able to safely help everyone exit the house. No one was injured.

LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Santa Claus has a new ride — a hot air balloon. KCRG-TV reports the jolly old elf has been seen tossing out gifts and candy to kids below in several Linn County towns.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Three people were shot early Saturday in West Des Moines and police say the victims are not being cooperative. KCCI-TV reports the shooting happened around 1:40 a.m. after an argument broke out at Vision Night Club before it escalated into gunfire. Occupants of two cars were apparently firing toward each other, leaving shattered windows and bullet holes at a nearby Village Inn.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – Police are looking for the two people responsible for cutting someone at the University of Northern Iowa. KWWL-TV reports UNI police were called to the Hillside Apartments Friday night for an aggravated assault. The victim says he was cut by two people with knives during a fight. He knew the people responsible.

VERSAILLES, MO (IRN) – A Missouri state trooper convicted of a misdemeanor for the drowning death of a handcuffed Iowa man has been fired. The Kansas City Star reports Anthony Piercy was fired Friday, more than 3 1/2 years after 20-year-old Brandon Ellingson, of Clive drowned in the Lake of the Ozarks. Piercy had pulled Ellingson over on the lake in May 2014 for suspicion of operating while intoxicated. Ellingson drowned after being thrown from the boat by a wave while wearing an improperly secured life vest.

VINTON, IA (IRN) – Two girls from the town of Vinton opened a Christmas present early and couldn’t be happier. WHO-TV reports Alex Ducharme told her daughters Michelle and Ariel they could open up a big Christmas present under the tree early. Their dad Matthew has been in the Navy for 9 1/2 years and was recently deployed for about eight months at sea–that is, until the girls unwrapped the present and he popped out of the box. With his last deployment complete, Matthew says he now plans on going to college.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – More than 20 people will serve time in federal prison for their roles in a methamphetamine and money laundering ring based in Marshalltown. KWWL-TV reports the group was responsible for distributing hundreds of pounds of ice methamphetamine throughout northern Iowa. The money was then funneled back to Mexico either by wire transfer or using cars to smuggle cash across the border.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A jury has convicted a Des Moines resident of murder in the shooting death of a man during a drug deal. The Des Moines Register reports on Friday a jury found 26-year-old Larry Ratliff Jr. guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of 36-year-old Antonio Quinn. Ratliff brought an assault rifle to the planned drug deal and killed Quinn during a fight.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – A burglary at a Clive gun store has police concerned. KCCI-TV reports the burglary was Thursday at Rangemaster’s Training Center, a gun store and shooting range. Upon arrival, officers found that the front door glass and the interior glass had been broken and that seven fully automatic weapons and nine handguns had been stolen. Security camera footage shows that the burglary was committed by two people in less than two minutes.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The city of Council Bluffs is suing the federal government to stop a Native American tribe from building a casino just seven miles away in Carter Lake. KWQC-TV reports the city says a Ponca Tribe of Nebraska casino would compete with state-licensed casinos in Council Bluffs, and cut into millions of dollars in fees, taxes and charitable contributions that benefit the city’s residents.

AMES, IA (IRN) – An unusual pair of students just received their teaching degrees at ISU, according to WHO-TV. 47-year-old Kathleen Robertson, of Madrid, along with her 22-year-old son Zack both received their degree. Kathleen had always wanted to be a teacher, but with marriage and kids she decided to spend time raising her four sons. Kathleen says, “this is what I’m supposed to do…for someone who never thought I’d go back, I’m really glad I did.”