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Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., 10/17/17

News

October 17th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The law firm that won a landmark gender discrimination case against the University of Iowa athletics department will challenge the school’s handling of sexual assault and harassment complaints next. Des Moines-based Newkirk Zwagerman filed two lawsuits seeking changes to how the school responds when female students report assault and harassment, arguing that a culture of “victim blaming, implicit gender bias and gender stereotypes” hinders how cases are investigated and resolved.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Rain has kept Iowa and Nebraska farmers out of corn and soybean fields in the past few weeks significantly delaying the harvest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says just 32 percent of the Iowa soybean crop has been harvested, the lowest percentage harvested by this date since 1985 and only 13 percent of the corn crop for grain is finished, the smallest percentage harvested by this date since 2009. Nebraska farmers are similarly behind the normal harvest schedule for both crops.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines chicken owners are objecting to a proposal to limit flock size and ban roosters in the city. Sgt. Jim Butler, the police department’s chief humane officer, has proposed a 15-chicken limit per home and the rooster ban, saying the changes are in response to complaints. The Des Moines Register reports chicken owners told City Council members Monday that the 15-chicken limit would be difficult because local hatcheries typically sell chicks in orders of 25. The council didn’t take action.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines Airport had to divert and delay some flights after heavy rain caused a runway problem. Airport Executive Director Kevin Foley says the runway was closed between 4 and 6:05 p.m. Saturday so a team could fix the problem. He says the team had found the runway had bubbled after rain seeped beneath the pavement.