Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:00 a.m. CDT

UNDATED (AP) — Federal regulators have handed a victory to corn farmers by refusing to allow a group of petroleum refiners in 14 states to forego requirements to blend ethanol into the gasoline they make. Members of Congress from farm states have heavily lobbied President Donald Trump to reject the waiver requests for months. Those representing oil producing states supported the waivers which were originally designed to help small refineries but were also granted by EPA in recent years to larger refineries. The decision comes 50 days before the presidential election in which Trump needs support of farmers to help carry several Midwest states again.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement authorities say a 16-year-old died and another was injured when they were shot while trying to rob a group of people in Des Moines. Police say 16-year-old Liem Deng and another 16-year-old were armed with handguns when they tried to rob the group early Monday on the city’s north side. An adult man in the group drew his gun and fired several times at the two teens. Police say the man had a concealed carry permit for his gun. After consulting with the Polk County Attorney’s Office, the incident was ruled self-defense and no charges will be filed.

SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities have ruled the cause of death of a 66-year-old northwest Iowa man as undetermined after initially investigating it as a homicide. David Davenport died in October after tenants on his property found him injured inside rental property near his home in Sergeant Bluff. Authorities became aware of his death two days later, when a fire damaged his home on the property. Authorities ruled his death a homicide after a preliminary autopsy. Investigators later determined the house fire was accidental. Earlier this month, after further reviewing all the evidence, the Iowa Medical Examiner ruled the cause of Davenport’s death was undetermined.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has voided absentee ballot requests in Johnson County, where the county auditor had mailed 92,000 of the forms to voters with personal information already filled in. It’s the third county in Iowa to have the ballot request forms voided after the campaign of President Donald Trump and state and national Republican Party groups challenged the county election officials. Judge Ian Thornhill sided with the Trump campaign in the Johnson County case on Saturday. He earlier ruled similarly in a Linn County case, and Judge Patrick Tott also found in favor of the Republicans in a Woodbury County case. Those rulings voided about 64,000 requests for absentee ballots

(Radio Iowa) – A spring tradition at the three state universities is falling victim to the pandemic. The University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University have each announced plans to shift their spring semester calendars to start later than originally planned. The move includes canceling spring break to try and minimize concerns about students returning to campus and spreading COVID-19. The administrators at the schools in Ames, Iowa City and Cedar Falls say they are planning to hold a mix of virtual and in-person classes in the spring.

U-N-I and I-S-U altered their fall calendars to end the fall semester the day before Thanksgiving so students would not have to go home and come back to campus again. The University of Iowa is using the regular fall calendar — but is switching to all online classes after Thanksgiving.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is helping the U.S. Forest Service fight wildfires out west. A total of 17 Iowans have been deployed in the past month, working wildfires in California, Colorado, Idaho and Montana. With the extremely damaging and deadly fires in these states this year, the D-N-R’s state wildland fire supervisor Gail Kantak says it’s important that Iowa has resources to send.

“All the firefighters are trained really well,” Kantak says. “They go out and they get experience in fire behavior that they can’t get in Iowa. Not only are they helping by supporting the national fire program, but they’re also gaining experience and knowledge and skills that they couldn’t get at home.” Kantak says they’ll bring those skills back to Iowa, which helps improve Iowa’s fire programs. Firefighters would usually mingle a lot once they arrive at their campsite, but she says that’s been a challenge because of the pandemic.

“Everybody has masks on that they may not normally have, and they have to eat in their own module groups,” she says, “so there’s a whole lot less interaction.” At least 40 people have signed up this year to fight wildfires outside of Iowa. Kantak says the D-N-R trains the individuals, who range from local firefighters to conservation board members to college students. Currently, four Iowa firefighters along with an engine and a support vehicle are helping battle flames in Idaho, while one firefighter is assisting in California.

(reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Federal regulators have handed a victory to corn farmers by refusing to allow a group of petroleum refiners in 14 states to forego requirements to blend ethanol into the gasoline they make. Members of Congress from farm states have heavily lobbied President Donald Trump to reject the waiver requests for months.

Those representing oil producing states supported the waivers which were originally designed to help small refineries but were also granted by EPA in recent years to larger refineries. The decision comes 50 days before the presidential election in which Trump needs support of farmers to help carry several Midwest states again.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement authorities say a 16-year-old died and another was injured when they were shot while trying to rob a group of people in Des Moines. Police say 16-year-old Liem Deng and another 16-year-old were armed with handguns when they tried to rob the group early Monday on the city’s north side.

An adult man in the group drew his gun and fired several times at the two teens. Police say the man had a concealed carry permit for his gun. After consulting with the Polk County Attorney’s Office, the incident was ruled self-defense and no charges will be filed.