SPIRIT LAKE (IRN) – Two northwest Iowa school districts have pulled plans to arm staff members. WHO-13 reports the Cherokee and Spirit Lake Schools had approved new policies that would have allowed select, certified staff members to be armed on campus, but insurance providers wouldn’t cover either district under the policy. DES MOINES (IRN) – Iowa Democratic Leadership anticipates a special session could be called this summer for Republicans to pass abortion restrictions. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that Party Chairperson Rita Hart and Senator Sarah Trone Garriott both expressed concerns about how far the majority party will go not only in outlawing abortions in Iowa, but how they may also retaliate against the Iowa Supreme Court for their 3-3 split decision earlier this month. DES MOINES (IRN) – An American Airlines flight headed for North Carolina was forced to return to the Des Moines International Airport shortly after takeoff. KCCI-TV reports Flight 2488 had 136 passengers on board Friday morning. It’s the second time this week an American Airlines flight was recalled shortly after takeoff heading for Charlotte — both for potential mechanical issues.

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.

DES MOINES (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds has reached a settlement in a lawsuit alleging her office violated state law by failing to respond to open records requests. The Governor’s Office has agreed to allow a state district court to resolve open records disputes with three plantiffs that arise over the next year, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. A state appeal board has approved the requests. The state will also pay $135,000. DES MOINES (IRN) – Police believe a fire at a church in Des Moines Monday was an arson. Twenty-seven-year old Emmanuel Philpot was arrested after he was spotted near Perfecting Holiness Temple as the Des Moines Fire Department fought the blaze. The DMPD arson dog, Yahtzee, was able to detect an accelerant for fire in a follow-up investigation. COUNCIL BLUFFS (IRN) A Cass County man was sentenced Tuesday conspiring to distribute fentanyl. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Iowa issued a press release about Mason Blaine Loudermilk, a 19-year-old who was sentenced to 192 months in prison. Loudermilk must serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. According to court documents, between August 2020 and May 2022, Loudermilk obtained fentanyl, in pill form, from a source in Omaha, Nebraska. BOONE (IRN) – The Iowa High School Athletic Association has filed a lawsuit against the Iowa High School Sports Network over proposed fees for streaming state tournament games going forward. The broadcast partners are in contention about whether the IHSSN can add fees and the time remaining on their current contract in Polk County District Court. The IHSSN intends to charge $9.99 per game, or $18.99 per tournament, for fans to watch on any internet-connected device.

UNIONVILLE (IRN) – A Unionville man was killed in a single vehicle rollover Tuesday morning. The Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office reports 65-year-old Craig Bankson was pronounced dead at the scene after he rolled his Ford Explorer onto its side at the intersection of South Street and Oak Street in Unionville. Bankson was ejected from the vehicle after losing control. DES MOINES (IRN) – Iowa’s Office of the Chief Information Officer issued Notice of Funding Availability for $149 million in grants available for communities to bolster high speed internet access. A pre-application conference will be held on June 28th before applications open in July for the program aimed at expanding broadband access in Iowa. DES MOINES (IRN) – The state of Iowa is receiving $12 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to strengthen the power grid against severe weather. The Des Moines Register reports the funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aiming to modernize the electric grid and reduce the impacts of extreme weather on electricity. FAIRFIELD (IRN) – KCII-TV reports that a Fairfield teenager who pleaded guilty to killing his teacher is requesting a delayed sentence. In April, Jeremy Gooddale admitted guilt to first-degree murder for the death of Nohema Graber in 2021. Gooddale’s sentencing is scheduled in August, but his lawyers are asking for a two-month delay because a psychiatrist set to testify at the hearing is not available during the current date. Prosecutors say Graber’s ex-husband wants to make a witness impact statement but his also facing a terminal illness. A judge will review the request in July.

FORT DODGE (IRN) – Fort Dodge Police and the Webster County Sheriff’s Office have identified a teenager who died in an apparent shooting this past weekend. KCCI-TV reports that police found 14-year-old Dakari James in Fort Dodge with multiple wounds after receiving calls about gunshots at around noon on Saturday. Nineteen-year-old Isaac Bachman of Fort Dodge has been charged with first degree murder. MAGNOLIA (IRN) – Three people were killed in a multi-vehicle crash Sunday in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a truck driven by 73-year-old Ronald Meeker of Woobine was traveling on Highway 127, when he failed to negotiate a curve and stop at a stop sign, rolling on to its side, where it hit a motorcycle with Steven and Julie Starkey of Council Bluffs, who died after they were thrown from their bike. Adam and Samantha Opal were critically injured trying to avoid the crash after they were thrown from their motorcycle. DES MOINES (IRN) – Three Des Moines police officers were injured while trying to arrest a man accused of domestic abuse. The Des Moines Police Department reports that non-life threatening injuries were sustained as police arrested 23 year old Pierce Nicholas Cruz at 1:30 Sunday afternoon. Cruz has been charged with violation of a no contact order, willful injury causing bodily injury, and assault on a peace officer. DES MOINES (IRN) – More than 6,000 people may have had their personal information exposed during a cyber attack on Des Moines Public Schools. WHO-13 in Des Moines reports the school district released details this week from the attack that closed classes for several days in January. Des Moines Public Schools reports no evidence of financial fraud or identity theft has been found so far in their ongoing investigation.