DES MOINES (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds has announced a change in leadership at the Department of Education, appointing McKenzie Snow, presently Deputy Secretary of Education in the Commonwealth of Virginia, to replace Chad Aldis as department director. Aldis, who was named director in March of this year, has resigned for family reasons. Snow’s appointment as Director of the Iowa Department of Education is effective Monday, June 26. Aldis will remain through June 30 to assist with the transition.

SHEFFIELD (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation and Iowa State Patrol are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Sheffield. The two departments reported that deputies with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office were called to a domestic dispute on June 20th. Upon arrival, deputies encountered 30-year-old Matt Davis of Hampton, brandishing a handgun. Davis was arguing with family members, who had locked themselves inside the house and called 911. Deputies ordered Davis to drop the gun, he refused, and walked toward police, pointing the gun at a passing vehicle and then officers, who subsequently fired at Davis, who died at the scene. No officers were injured.

BLOOMFIELD (IRN) – Extreme speeding is believed to be the cause behind a chase and fatal motorcycle crash in southern Iowa. KCCI-TV reports that on May 20th, the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office claims Reese Jones, Lane Spurgeon and Jarrett Rea were riding on motorcycles in speeds approaching 200 miles per hour, which police say is backed up by video recordings. Jones and Spurgeon fled police during an attempted stop, with the former dying after allegedly running a stop sign and colling with a pickup truck; the latter has been arrested and charged with eluding.

DES MOINES (IRN) – Drought is rapidly intensifying across the state, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report. Nearly 100% of Iowa is rated as abnormally dry or worse, and 83% of the state considered to be in drought — or an estimated 2.17 million residents. The next best chance for widespread rainfall across the state may also bring severe weather and large hail this Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.