IOWA CITY (IRN) – Iowa City police are investigating a shooting that happened in the early morning hours of July 4th. KCRG-TV reports that police responded to reports of a possible shooting and found a man with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to survive. The incident remains under investigation. FLOYD COUNTY (IRN) – Two Minnesota residents were killed in a northeast Iowa crash Sunday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Jeep Cherokee driven by 37-year-old Jenna Stangland of Minneapolis crossed the centerline on Highway 18 and collided with a Toyota Prius driven by 74-year-old Steven York of Waconia. Steven and 16 year old Keira Duffy, of Golden Valley, MN, were both killed as a result of the crash. Mary York and Stangland both survived with injuries. MITCHELLVILLE (IRN) – A bad Sunday kept getting worse for a Mitchellville couple. KCCI-TV reports a fire destroyed their home, and while riding their motorcycles home after being alerted, they crashed. Wendy Hansen suffered broken bones and injuries and taken to the hospital via ambulance — where she got worse news. Doctors discovered cancer while evaluating her injuries. Hansen and her fiance Russell Farnsworth lost their home and six pets.

MORAVIA (IRN) – A mechanical malfunction is the likely cause of an exploding boat at Lake Rathbun Sunday. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported five people were burned when a boat engine exploded during start up at the Buck Creek Arm of the lake at 3 p.m. One of the individuals injured was flown by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospital with severe burns. SIOUX CITY (IRN) – A Woodbury County woman intends to go trial in a case involved more than 50 counts of voter fraud. KTIV-TV reports Kim Taylor, the wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor, was alleged to take part in a scheme to generate voters in the June 2020 primary election. Her husband ran for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, and failed, only to successfully land on the ballot for supervisor. Kim allegedly repeated the scheme in the 2020 general election. The trial is currently scheduled to start on July 31st. DEWITT (IRN) – The Central DeWitt school board and administration violated Iowa code when they held a closed meeting in February 2022. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports Judge Mark Lawson ruled in favor of The Observer, a DeWitt based newspaper that sued the district over the actual purpose of the meeting; the district held that it was for a review of Superintendent Dan Peterson, but the newspaper alleged there was discussion of controversial topics that would have been in the public’s interest. The schools will pay the court costs of the paper and release the meeting’s recording, and have also been placed under an order to comply with transparency laws, or face stiffer penalties. Residents of Iowa will travel in record numbers for Independence Day. AAA forecasts more than 3.7 million travelers from the Midwest will take at least one trip of 50 miles or more since last Friday through Today. That’s 140,000 more holiday travelers than the previous record high, set in 2019 and 2022. Nationally, travel figures are also expected to set new records. An estimated 50.7 million Americans are forecast to travel for the holiday weekend.

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.

DES MOINES (IRN) – Iowa lawmakers have been told to keep dates open in July for a possible special session. An email obtained by KCCI-TV shows state representatives should stay available on July 10th to convene. Republican leadership in both chambers denounced an Iowa Supreme Court decision in June that ultimately nullified a 2018 six-week abortion ban signed by Governor Kim Reynolds. It is unclear what Republicans will propose with strong majorities in the Iowa House and Senate. ISRAEL (IRN) – Governor Kim Reynolds is returning from a trade mission in Europe today. She made stops in Italy, Kosovo, and Israel during her trip away from Iowa that she left for on June 20th. Reynolds signed a proclamation celebrating the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh·tuhn·yaa·hoo). DES MOINES (IRN) – A slate of new laws take effect Saturday. KWWL-TV reports the new legislation includes a government reorganization, in-person caucus requirements, changes in SNAP benefits, removal of some child labor restrictions, and limits to the power of State Auditor Rob Sand. A sweeping education law also takes effect that restricts what can be taught in classrooms and allows certain books to be removed from school libraries. DES MOINES (IRN) – More than three dozen union workers gather outside of UPS in Des Moines Friday, part of thousands nationwide staging a picket during ongoing contract negotiations. The Des Moines Register reports The Teamsters’ union nationwide has authorized a possible strike if a new contract isn’t approved July 31st.

CENTERVILLE (IRN) – A powerful line of severe thunderstorms caused extensive damage across the Midwest and southern Iowa Thursday morning. The National Weather Service reports a derecho knocked down trees and power lines, with damage to several buildings as sustained winds from 60 to 80 miles per hour ripped across the southern part of the state in communities from Winterset to Centerville to Bloomfield to Keokuk. The storms picked up even more intensity heading into central Illinois, where wind speeds approached 100 miles per hour. IOWA CITY (IRN) – An Iowa City man received eight decades in prison for repeated sexual abuse of a child. KGAN-TV reports 43-year-old Thomas Jesse was convicted of 40 counts of sexual abuse after recording video of abuse of a minor under the age of 12. Jesse will have to serve at least 70% of each sentence before being eligible for parole. MARENGO (IRN) – An Iowa company has been fined just over $95,000 for a December 2022 explosion that injured several employees. KCCI-TV reports a blast at C6-Zero in Marengo cause a plume of smoke seen for miles as first responders from a 50 mile radius responded to assist. State investigators reported the fire was accidental, but Iowa’s OSHA office found out about the fire through TV reports and not official channels. Emails between the state and company show how an informal settlement was formed between the parties. DES MOINES (IRN) – The state of Iowa is applying to participate in a federal program providing summer grocery money to school-age children. The Des Moines Register reports the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program was created in 2020 and provides eligible families with cards paid for by the federal government. A push by Democratic lawmakers and anti-hunger advocates spurred the state to apply after the initial plan was not to participate.