SPILLVILLE (IRN) – Two people have died and several were injured in a two vehicle crash in Winneshiek County late Saturday. The Iowa State Patrol reports that 42-year-old Christopher Mirich of Waukon and 54-year-old Laura Lubka of Postville were killed when a Toyota Highlander driven by Mirich ran a stop sign and collided with a Chevrolet Malibu driving by Neil Heins of Monona. None of the five individuals inside those two vehicles were wearing seat belts. There have been 165 individuals killed on Iowa’s roadways in 2023, according to the Iowa DOT, which is a ten percent increase from this time last year.

CASS COUNTY (IRN) – A child care provider in Cass County could spend up to five decades in prison for her role in the death of an infant. Thirty-nine year old Alison Dorsey was sentenced last week after she was found guilty of second degree murder in May. Dorsey was charged for the death of an 11-week-old infant in her care in October 2019. Doctors found the child had severe brain damage consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Dorsey was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with a mandatory 35-year minimum before parole, and must pay the child’s family $150,000. Defense attorneys argued the baby was injured prior to going into Dorsey’s care.

OTTUMWA (IRN) – While drought continues to impact the vast majority of Iowa, several rounds of thunderstorms brought much needed relief, especially south. According to the National Weather Service, rain gauges along and south of Highway 34 in Iowa received two to five inches of needed precipitation Thursday through Sunday morning, and while a lot came during a derecho last week, the rest fell in much less dangerous conditions on Friday and Saturday. The U.S. Drought Monitor Report shows the Ottumwa, Fairfield, and Centerville communities among the areas in extreme drought.

COLFAX (IRN) – If you need to borrow a pencil for a test, a man in Colfax may be able to help. WHO-13 reports Aaron Bartholmew anticipates to be a world-record holder soon, as he believes he owns more than 70,000 pencils, a collection that’s grown for three decades. An official count from Guinness Book of World Records will be held on July 8th.