DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Democrat Rita Hart announced plans Tuesday to file a notice of contest with the U.S. House of Representatives in Iowa’s District 2 election against Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Hart’s campaign says the notice details 22 ballots she believes were unlawfully excluded from the certified election results. A final recount on Nov. 30 resulted in Miller-Meeks winning the election by six votes.

WEST BRANCH, IA (IRN) – Three people died after a crash on Interstate 80 just after 4:30 a.m. Monday near West Branch. 20-year-old Eric Nunez, of Plano, Illinois, was driving the wrong way, heading eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-80 when he collided head-on with a vehicle driven by 70-year-old Robert Larson, of West Liberty. Larson’s passenger, 68-year-old Teresa Larson, of West Liberty, also died at the scene.

USA (IRN) – A number of Republican lawmakers who downplayed concerns about the coronavirus pandemic or ignored public health advice are now facing a wave of backlash for being among the first to receive a vaccine. This includes Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst. Her early vaccination drew swift condemnation, with many pointing to comments she had made in September suggesting that healthcare workers were inflating Covid-19 death numbers for profit.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Events in downtown Des Moines draw thousands of people to local hotels, shops and restaurants, but COVID-19 cancelations cost the metro economy millions of dollars in 2020. Estimates are the hundreds of cancelations cost the metro over $300 million in revenue.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa Hawkeye football program has suspended all in-person activities due to an increase in COVID-19 cases among the team and staff. While their first priority is the health and safety of their players and staff, their goal is to play and compete against Missouri in the Music City Bowl in Nashville on Dec. 30.