DES MOINES – At a press conference held during the annual Terrace Hill Easter Egg Hunt, Governor Kim Reynolds suggested she will not endorse a candidate to be her successor. The Des Moines Register reports following her announcement to not run for a third full term, Reynolds indicated wanting the primary process to play out. The governor did endorse several house and senate candidates in the last few cycles during Republican primary elections to have a legislature that better aligned with her agenda.

DES MOINES – A Des Moines man faces a life sentence for a murder conviction. KCCI-TV reports Cedrick Thomas, Jr. is guilty for his role in a 2022 robbery that resulted in the death of Charles Lovelady. Court records indicate Thomas and two other people set up a drug deal with Lovelady to ultimately ambush him. Thomas was guilty of first degree murder and the two accomplices both also face prison time.

IOWA – Drought conditions have remained steady throughout the state through the first few weeks of spring. According to the most recent report, nearly 80% of the state is still at least abnormally dry and 29% is in moderate drought, primarily in northeast Iowa. Chances for severe weather return for many later this week, especially on Thursday in the longer range forecast, and the National Weather Service also is keeping on a eye on a wet end to April in its Climate Prediction Center outlook