(Radio Iowa) Five of the six Iowans serving today (Monday) in the U.S. Congress were sworn into office yesterday (Sunday). Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Des Moines from West Des Moines, has started her second term in the U.S. House. Axne stood on the Capitol steps and recorded a statement that was posted on Twitter.

“I am looking forward to getting to work for Iowans once again, making sure that we address the issues, of course, with Covid and get people back to a health state and put money in their pockets,” Axne said. “Of course we’ve got to make sure coming out of that that our country can thrive.” Axne is the dean of the Iowa delegation since the other three representatives from Iowa are all starting their first terms in the House.

First district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion posted a video on Twitter that she recorded as she walked toward the capitol. “I’m so excited. I’m ready to serve you, spent my day today getting my office up and running,” Hinson said. “We’re taking as many calls as we can already.”

Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, issued a written statement, saying on he looks forward to finding conservative solutions that will create a booming economy for taxpayers. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa — from Iowa’s second congressional district — was sworn in as a provisional member of the House. Democrat Rita Hart is asking a House committee to order another recount in the second district race after Miller-Meeks won by just six votes.

Miller-Meeks, in a written statement, said in congress she’ll do her best to help Iowa workers and businesses get back to work and get children safely back to school. On the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol, the vice president administered the oath of office to Republican Joni Ernst, who has started her second term in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Charles Grassley stood behind Ernst as she was sworn into office, but didn’t take the oath. Grassley has two more years remaining on his 7th term in the U.S. Senate.

One person was flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Sunday, following a snowmobile accident in Page County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 48-year-old William Stephens, of Shenandoah, was operating a 2003 Arctic Cat snowmobile south in the west ditch of Northwest Road at around 2:41-p.m., when the machine went out of control at the intersection of Day Street, and struck a light pole.

The accident remains under investigation. Shenandoah Police and Rescue assisted at the scene.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:25 a.m. CST

VINTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of an 84-year-old man in a small eastern Iowa town. The Iowa Department of Public Safety said James Howard Bright was found dead Saturday morning inside his home in Vinton, Iowa, after the sheriff’s department was called to check on him. Vinton is a town of about 5,000 people that is located about 30 miles northwest of Cedar Rapids. Authorities did not release any details about the circumstances of Bright’s death, but they said it is being investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa State Patrol. No arrests have been announced.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police have identified the 18-year-old woman who died after several shots were fired into a home where a New Year’s party was being held. Police said Sunday that Mia Alexis-Marie Kritis of Sioux City died after the shooting early Friday morning. Police said multiple guns were fired into the home during the shooting. Four other people were injured in the shooting, but police didn’t identify them because they are all juveniles. None of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and the department encouraged witnesses to come forward.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man with a gunshot wound died shortly after his arrival at a Cedar Rapids hospital early Sunday morning. Cedar Rapids Police said the man was brought to the hospital by a private vehicle around 2:15 a.m. Sunday. The man’s identity wasn’t immediately released on Sunday. Police did not release any details about the shooting Sunday. No arrests were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines attorney is suing several police officers and the city over their response to racial justice protests in May. The class-action lawsuit seeks to represent anyone arrested or assaulted by Des Moines officers during a protest May 31. Attorney Gina Messamer alleges in the lawsuit that officers illegally arrested and pepper-sprayed people protesting the death of George Floyd while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police. The lawsuit alleges the officers’ actions violated protesters’ free speech rights and were meant to deter future demonstrations. Des Moines officials did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police have identified the 18-year-old woman who died after several shots were fired into a home where a New Year’s party was being held. Police said Sunday that Mia Alexis-Marie Kritis of Sioux City died after the shooting early Friday morning. Police said multiple guns were fired into the home during the shooting.

Four other people were injured in the shooting, but police didn’t identify them because they are all juveniles. None of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and the department encouraged witnesses to come forward.