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Iowa early News Headlines: 6/3/16

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June 3rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic leaders in Washington hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley have turned to former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge, a farmer who has won statewide. But as the state’s June 7 primary approaches, it’s unclear whether Judge’s advantages in fundraising and name recognition will be enough to overcome support for a more liberal state senator, Rob Hogg, who has endorsements from most Democratic legislators and two key labor unions.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Exelon Corp. said Thursday that it will shut two Illinois nuclear power plants after the Legislature failed to approve a financial-support plan, but an email obtained by The Associated Press indicates the company is pursuing a full-steam lobbying effort. Exelon announced it will shutter its plants in Clinton and the Quad Cities in the next two years because no action was taken on legislation to extend state subsidies to nuclear generators producing clean energy.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — The former treasurer of an Iowa State University sorority alumni association has pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud the group out of nearly $1 million over 14 years. U.S. Attorney Kevin VanderSchel says Thursday that 50-year-old Andrea Baker pleaded guilty to mail fraud. Baker admitted that she received and attempted to receive over $950,000 from the Chi Omega Alumnae Association between 2000 and 2014. Sentencing is set for Oct. 6.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has resumed inspections of egg-handling facilities more than a year after they were suspended due to the nation’s worst bird flu outbreak. Federal on-site egg inspections at processors with 3,000 or more birds were suspended in 21 states in May 2015 after the FDA consulted with state veterinarians concerned about spreading the bird flu virus. FDA spokeswoman Lauren Sucher said the agency resumed inspections Wednesday.