Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has called a special legislative session so lawmakers can enact new abortion restrictions. The move comes after the state Supreme Court last month declined to reinstate a law that would have banned abortion as early as six weeks in a pregnancy. The court was split 3-3 and did not issue a decision on the merits of the law, leaving open the possibility that the GOP-controlled Legislature could try to pass the same ban again. In the meantime, abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Most Republican-led states have significantly curbed access to abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year.
News release from IA Gov. Kim Reynolds:
Gov. Reynolds Calls Special Session to Enact Pro-life Legislation
DES MOINES – Today, Governor Reynolds announced she will convene the General Assembly of Iowa on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. for a special session with the sole purpose of enacting legislation that addresses abortion and protects unborn lives.
"Iowans have elected representatives willing to stand up for the rights of the unborn and, in doing so, they have voted strongly in support of pro-life principles and against the arbitrary destruction of innocent, defenseless lives,” stated Governor Reynolds.
“In 2018, I proposed, the legislature passed, and I proudly signed into law legislation that protected unborn babies from abortion once a heartbeat was detectable. After years of litigation, the Iowa Supreme Court was split 3-3 last month in its opinion regarding whether a lower court’s injunction of the Fetal Heartbeat Law should be dissolved. This lack of action disregards the will of Iowa voters and lawmakers who will not rest until the unborn are protected by law.
“I believe the pro-life movement is the most important human rights cause of our time. Not only will I continue to fight against the inhumanity of abortion, but I will also remain committed to supporting women in planning for motherhood, promoting fatherhood and parenting, and continuing policies that encourage strong families. These are the most essential building blocks of our society, and they are what will keep the foundation of our state and country strong for generations to come.”
The governor has issued a Proclamation of Special Session in accordance with Article IV, Section 11, and Article III, Section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Iowa.
After the body of a baby was discovered in Norfolk, Nebraska in 2004, police released an update on the case. For the full story check out this story from the Norfolk Daily News.
Minnesota recorded a 20% jump in abortions in 2022. That's partly because more patients are traveling from states that have banned or limited abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The Minnesota Department of Health says in an annual report that over 16% of the more than 12,000 abortions performed in the state last year involved women from elsewhere. And the Star Tribune reports the number of abortions involving women from other states or countries was double the 2021 total. Last year marked a sharp reversal of a gradual decline in abortions in Minnesota since the late 1980s.
Former Vice President Mike Pence plans to visit Sioux City today. He will be joined by Congressman Randy Feenstra at the Pizza Ranch on Floyd Boulevard at 5 p.m. today. News reports say Pence is expected in Iowa next week with other presidential candidates for an event hosted by the conservative organization The Family Leader.
An Iowa State University study is expanding on recent advisories from the American Psychological Association and the U.S. surgeon general that found the more people use social media, the lower their psychological well-being. Check out Radio Iowa for the full story.
Shelby Houlihan returned to public racing Saturday, nearly two years after her ban from competition for failing a drug test. The Sioux City Journal has the full story.
Submitted news releases:
Tuesdays for You: Noah’s Hope Animal Rescue
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (July 4, 2023) — The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center invites the community to a new fun event beyond our normal operating hours. On Tuesday, July 18, from 5:30PM to 6:30PM, Brenda Iwen of Noah’s Hope Animal Rescue will share how people can help out this worthy program either through donation, fostering, or adoption. She will have a selection of animals for visitors to meet and learn their stories. This event will be held outdoors.
The next Tuesday event will be on July 25 featuring Amber Hobbs of Growing up Lulu Fiber Arts. She will teach a basic knitting class; she is offering a basic $15 kit for sale at her store, which will be available at the event. For a full list of events, visit our website: https://siouxcitylcic.com/series/tuesdays-for-you. Each event will be held from 5:30pm—6:30pm. No registration is required so stop by if you are in the neighborhood!
“Nancy Drew: Iowa Heroine to the World”
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (July 4, 2023) — Nancy Drew is the most popular teen detective in fiction. More than 200 million copies of Nancy Drew mysteries have been sold, and her books have been translated into 45 different languages. At 2:00 PM on Sunday, July 16, 2023, the Betty Strong Encounter Center will welcome retired University of Northern Iowa English professor Barbara Lounsberry to share her presentation “Nancy Drew: Iowa Heroine to the World.” Admission is free with a reception to follow.
Few know that Nancy Drew is an Iowa heroine and that an Iowa writer, Mildred Augustine, created Nancy’s winning character and personality. Augustine wrote The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase and twenty-three other Nancy Drew mysteries. Her authorship of the first Nancy Drew mysteries, and single-handed creation of Nancy’s admirable character, were kept secret for more than 50 years.
Nancy Drew and her creator are extraordinary role models for Midwest girls and boys, women, and men. Augustine was herself an intrepid Nancy Drew-like figure. An academic pioneer (the first woman to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism), Augustine earned 6 airplane pilots’ licenses, including one for sea planing; wrote 130 books for young people; and continued her newspaper column “On the Go” through her 96th and last year of life.
Barbara Lounsberry was born and raised in Iowa. She has written books on literature and writing and had the fun of editing three mystery novels set in Iowa, with each chapter written by a different Iowa author. The first novel, Time and Chance, revolves around riverboat gambling; the second, 16,000 Suspects: A RAGBRAI Mystery, is set during Iowa's famous bicycle ride across the state. Politics is Murder, the third detective novel, unfolds during the 2002 Iowa's governor's race. Lounsberry’s latest books are an award-winning trilogy on Virginia Woolf.
Trumpet Soloist Featured in Municipal Band Concert July 9
The Sioux City Municipal Band’s concert this week in Grandview Park, Sunday, July 9, 7:30p.m., will feature guest soloist Michael Widjaja, who will perform “Fantasie Brillante” on trumpet. Widjaja is a Sioux City East High School graduate, and is currently a student at the University of Connecticut, studying music education and trumpet performance.
Conductor Michael Prichard will also lead the band in music from the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “MacArthur Park,” and “Melodious Thunk” by David Biedenbender. The traditional audience sing-a-long, led by Dave Madsen from Morningside University, will be “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Knock Three Times.”
The summer concerts are presented by the Sioux City Parks and Recreation Department, and will continue through July 23.