WASHINGTON D.C. (IRN) – The closest race for a federal seat in the last election will be talked about in a U.S. House committee Wednesday. In Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Rita Hart lost to Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks by just six votes after several recounts. Hart filed a petition with the U.S. House instead of the Iowa court system, saying 22 ballots were not counted. Miller-Meeks was certified the winner by the state and seated provisionally in January. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A jury in Fayette County has convicted a man of murder in the 2018 death of an infant. Dean Alan Hettinger, 24, of Westgate, was a caretaker of four-week-old Holten Smith. Holten had brain bleeding when hospitalized and 36 traumatic rib fractures were identified during his autopsy. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – Ankeny police are investigating what they call a “suspicious” death at a mobile home park. Witness interviews are underway and investigators are attempting to contact the family of the deceased. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A West Des Moines police officer returned to work Monday months after being struck by a car on Interstate 35 while on duty. The Nov. 8 crash left Officer Jon Kaufman in critical condition. Kaufman suffered multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed and blood clots during the crash. Kaufman returned to patrol following months of medical procedures, physical therapy and extensive screening. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Less than 24 hours after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a new voting reform law into effect, an Iowa civil rights group has filed a lawsuit to stop the state from enforcing it. LULAC Iowa, a state branch of the nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic organization, filed the lawsuit. The law reduces Iowa’s early voting period from 29 to 20 days, among other provisions.

PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – An Illinois man died and two others were injured in a crash early Tuesday morning in Polk County near Southeast Polk High School. A semi-truck was stopped at a stoplight when a Cadillac struck the semi. The driver and a passenger were hospitalized; another passenger was killed. The driver of the semi wasn’t injured. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law Monday that will make sweeping changes to elections in Iowa. The law shortens early voting in Iowa from 29 days down to 20 days. The law also closes polls earlier on election day and prohibits county auditors from sending absentee ballot applications unless one is requested by a voter. Democrats say it is voter suppression. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The West Des Moines Community School District will cut $2.9 million from its budget for next year. Officials say the cuts aren’t due to the pandemic. Cuts follow lower enrollment and reduced state funding. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Democrats in Johnson County have passed a resolution in support of switching from presidential caucusing to a primary system. The county, which includes Iowa City, is the fifth largest in the state. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa’s freshman women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Clark was also a unanimous pick to be on the All-Big Ten first team. Clark scored 27.4 points per game during her first season as a Hawkeye.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Falls family is safe after a Monday morning fire forced them out of their home. The homeowner says she woke up to the smell of smoke. Her family, including her baby, were immediately evacuated, and are safe. Officials believe an extension cord covered in leaves in the front yard caused the fire, and it spread to the home. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 16-year-old who died from a gunshot wound Saturday in Des Moines was accidentally shot. 18-year-old Thomas Londewa Ivy has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and a weapons charge. Ivy was handing a gun to 16-year-old Elijah Edwardlee Brown-Townsend while the two teens were seated in a parked vehicle at the time when the gun went off. WEST LIBERTY, IA (IRN) – Classes at West Liberty schools are canceled today due to a lack of staff, including all virtual learning. District officials say the lack of staffing is due to many staff members experiencing side effects from their 2nd round of COVID vaccine administered on Saturday. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Hundreds of people stood in line for a career fair at the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum in Waterloo on Saturday to apply for one of more than 300 jobs open at John Deere Waterloo Works. The factory is seeing an increase in demand for farm equipment. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Luka Garza’s #55 will never be worn again by an Iowa Hawkeye after the team announced plans to retire it after Sunday’s 77-73 win over Wisconsin. Garza leads the Big Ten in scoring, and is third in the nation.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department has made an arrest in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old early Saturday morning. An 18-year-old man was arrested. AMES, IA (IRN) – Police arrested an Iowa man Friday in connection to a series of incidents in Ames in which college women reported awakening to see a man watching them in their beds. 29-year-old Trenton Williams of Ames was charged with robbery, burglary, stalking, harassment, trespassing, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, among other counts. Police say between 12 and 15 cases of illegal entry were reported in the area. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police are investigating a stabbing that sent one man to the hospital on Saturday morning. A 43-year-old man told police he was involved in an altercation with a 36-year-old man who was stabbed and drove himself to the hospital before police arrived. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Sports betting is officially a billion-dollar business in Iowa – and the surge of wagers being placed outside of casinos and sportsbook is driving it. New data from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission released on Friday shows $143.6 million was bet on sports in the state in February – a third straight month with wagers hitting nine figures in Iowa.

RYAN, IA (IRN) – A woman from the Delaware county town of Ryan has pleaded not guilty to shooting and killing her boyfriend, Devon Hierrezuelo, 27 of Oak Lawn, Illinois. Investigators believe Danielle Weiner, 33, shot and killed him in the apartment’s bedroom, and then moved his body to the kitchen. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Multiple county officials shared their frustration with the Iowa Department of Public Health at being given little-to-no warning about the changes announced on Thursday, which open up vaccine eligibility to people 64 and younger with a medical condition. The Iowa Department of Public Health only alerted county health departments it was expanding eligibility criteria for COVID-19 vaccinations 8-minutes before the announcement was made. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department is investigating a shooting after an injured man drove himself to a hospital Friday afternoon. The 18-year-old man drove himself to MercyOne Medical Center with a gunshot wound. The man told police he was driving down the street when someone started shooting at him. ST. LOUIS, MO (IRN) – The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinal between Northern Iowa and Drake was canceled Friday night because of a positive COVID-19 test and contract tracing within the Panthers program. Drake advanced to the semifinals. The Bulldogs are 24-3. Northern Iowa finished the season 10-5.