(Radio Iowa) – Now that the calendar says December, Iowans will start autographing their holiday letters and getting packages ready to mail to far-away friends and family. Nicole Hill, a spokeswoman for the United States Postal Service, says Iowans will need to remember a couple of key deadlines. “So, we’re looking at December 18th, send your greeting cards, send your Christmas cards out to your loved ones,” Hill says. “Get those in the mail. Make sure they have the right postage, make sure that the addresses are legible.”

For Iowans who want to send a package Priority Mail, the deadline is just one day later if you want that gift to arrive before the 25th. “December 19th is when we’re looking at that Priority Mail service,” she says. “So, if you’re sending a Priority Mail flat rate to a loved one somewhere else, make sure that you’re Priority Mail package is in the mail stream by December 19th.”

Hill says if you’re sending something via Express Mail, it has to go out by December 23rd at the latest. For more information about packaging or postage, visit usps.com.

(Radio Iowa) – A Webster County man accused of murdering an 18-year-old woman plans to defend himself in court. Eighteen-year-old Denahrrio Lewil of Fort Dodge has given notice to the court he will be defending himself in upcoming court proceedings. He’s facing first-degree murder and attempted murder charges after police say he opened fire on a vehicle and killed Jlynn Beason. The incident occurred September 20th in Fort Dodge.

Police say the bullets were intended for Beason’s brother, as he and Lewil had an altercation prior to the shooting. Lewil has entered not guilty pleas to both charges and both charges will be condensed into one trial.

KCCI-TV in Des Moines reports the Iowa Department of Human Services is facing a whistle-blower lawsuit connected to the Glenwood Resource Center. The lawsuit references the troubling allegations at the Center, where former Superintendent Jerry Rea was accused of spearheading human experiments including sexual arousal studies on Iowans with severe mental disabilities. The latest 50 page lawsuit filed on behalf of six former employees outlines what they describe as an environment of emotional distress.

KCCI says the former employees claim Rea proceeded with the experiments after receiving commitment from the Iowa Special Assistant Attorney General to begin work. The governor’s office has not responded to the allegations.

The Creston Police Department reports one arrest and one incident of theft. 37-year-old Adrian Allen Albert Jacques, of Creston, was arrested Thursday night, for Driving While Suspended. Jacques was transported to the Union County Jail and has since posted bond. And, in a delayed note, the Creston Police Department says a woman residing in the 1100 block of W. Spencer Street, in Creston, reported on Nov. 19th, that a black, Acer school computer was stolen from her son’s truck, sometime between 6 and 7:30-p.m. Nov. 19th. The loss was estimated at $1,200.