EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say workers at an ice cream shop in Evansdale captured a 37-year-old man who was threatening to light an explosive. Police say Richard Roney of Washburn was arrested after entering the store around 9:15 last night. Court records say Roney acknowledged that he was planning to rob the 4 Queens Dairy Cream.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Two men have been charged with second-degree robbery and are in jail in Cedar Rapids after police say they were involved in a bank robbery yesterday afternoon. KCRG television reports 18-year-old Kevin Conner and 23-year-old Daniel Straw are being held at the Linn County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former University of Iowa student who attacked an Iowa City police officer has pleaded guilty after making a deal for a lesser charge. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports (that 21-year-old Branden Plummer pleaded guilty this morning to willful injury and interference with official acts. He had been charged with attempted murder and willful injury in the attack on Sergeant Brian Krei on November 18th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds begins an economic and cultural mission to Germany on Saturday to discuss trade, education and other topics. Among the government officials she is scheduled to meet with are German Vice Chancellor Philipp Rosler and the U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy. The meetings will be in Dresden, Lommatzsch, Leipzig, and Berlin.