Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:25 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials say a surge in construction projects and an increase in miles driven by motorists have led to a high number of people dying in road construction work zone crashes this year. The Des Moines Register reports that 10 people have died in work zone crashes this year, compared to 13 deaths last year. Department officials say speeding and distracted driving are contributing factors.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An internal review shows that several Republican staff members in the Iowa Senate are unlikely to report sexual harassment or workplace misconduct because of fear of retaliation. A brief report was released Friday summarizing the in-house investigation that started this summer. The three-page report says senators made “sexually suggestive comments” or discussed “sexual preferences” on the chamber floor in recent years, though no details about the comments or who made them were included.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s former worker’s compensation commissioner plans to take his discrimination lawsuit to state court next year, alleging he was pressured by former Gov. Terry Branstad to resign because he’s gay. Chris Godfrey is seeking damages in one of the first cases attempting to hold the state financially liable for actions of state officials that infringed on an individual’s rights. Branstad has denied the allegations. The case is being closely watched by state agencies across Iowa.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A quirk in the mail delivery system is forcing some residents in rural northern Missouri to have Iowa mailing addresses, causing problems when they vote, pay taxes and even when they die. Sen. Claire McCaskill calls it “one of the dumbest things” she’s seen and is seeking help from the U.S. Postal Service. The agency says it’s working with the Missouri senator. Local officials have been asking for help for years. In one county, residents say accurate addresses are critical for 911 systems.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials say a surge in construction projects and an increase in miles driven by motorists have led to a high number of people dying in road construction work zone crashes this year. The Des Moines Register reports that 10 people have died in work zone crashes this year, compared to 13 deaths last year. Department officials say speeding and distracted driving are contributing factors.

State officials say that the overall number of traffic fatalities across the state is declining. So far there have been 295 traffic fatalities this year, which is 55 fewer than the same time last year.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will spend $680 million on construction projects this year, compared to $695 million spent on road projects last year.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says cyber security is a “constant challenge” and it’s “vital” that his office get more state tax dollars in the next budgeting year. Pate says the I-Vote system that handles voter registration data needs attention. “That’s a system that was built over 15 years ago and obviously elections have changed dramatically since then,” Pate says. “It needs some serious upgrades if we’re going to go forward and we need to look at replacing that system in the coming years.”

Pate is asking the governor and legislators to provide his office with an additional one-point-75 MILLION dollars for the budgeting year that begins July 1st. He’d spend much of it on upgrades for the voter registration system. Earlier this year, lawmakers set aside more money to replace a different computer system in Pate’s office. It’s the one used by people filing out the online forms to start a new business. “A new fast track filing system that’s going to provide Iowa’s business community with service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Pate says. “Whether it’s three o’clock on a Friday afternoon or 3 am on Christmas morning, they’ll be able to access it and do business.”

That system should “go live” something this spring. Pate’s office handled the records for more than 20-thousand businesses that were launched in Iowa this past year. That’s an all-time high in new business filings. Pate says the number of Iowa businesses being dissolved is declining, too. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office has an elections division, but it also has a business division that handles documents for non-profits, corporations, partnerships that operate in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)