Nebraska’s Supreme Court said Friday that two rival abortion initiatives can appear on the November ballot.
The decision by justices followed oral arguments on Monday, where a lawyer representing Lincoln-based neonatologist Catherine Brooks told justices the initiative aiming to expand abortion rights until fetal viability unconstitutionally combined two subjects.
In a countersuit, a group of doctors asked for the same constitutional test to be applied to the opposing measure that proposes enshrining Nebraska’s current 12-week limit.
Ultimately, the state court ruled neither ballot initiative violates the constitution and denied the requested removals.
The ruling leaves voters to decide between expanding abortion access or keeping the 12-week limit in the November election. If both proposals are approved by a majority of voters, whichever receives the most votes will be adopted into the Nebraska constitution, according to a state that dates to 1912.
A third case was before the Nebraska Supreme Court, as a group sought to remove the ballot measure that could repeal Nebraska’s new school choice law. That measure will remain on the November 5 ballot.
*In other news, gasoline prices keep dropping in late summer weeks, as again the price for unleaded self-serve gas in Iowa has gone down over the last week.
The average price of self-serve unleaded gasoline dropped by 5 cents over the week, averaging $3.06 across Iowa, according to AAA.
Compared to one year ago, that price is down 88 cents, when gas was nearly $4 per gallon.
Many Sioux City and surrounding town stations are selling unleaded this week in the range from $2.82 to $3.04, or less than the state average. The national average unleaded price has now dropped to $3.25.
*Additionally, music will continue at a popular bar in Northwest Iowa that hosts everything from Iowa entertainers to national acts.
Byron’s bar in Pomeroy closed at the end of July due to structural issues in the longstanding downtown location. Owner Byron Stuart originally planned to build a new venue, but in the meantime started hosting shows at the local community center.
This week, the city sold the community center to Stuart for $100,000.
“The crowds have been better because it's been a bigger place, and it sounds really good there, so I'm excited. I've got music lined up every Sunday to the end of the year,” Stuart said.
Stuart said support for his bar has been overwhelming and is greatly appreciated. GoFundMe donations were enough to buy the new location.
*Additionally, a marketing campaign continues into a second month as a way to promote business in a downtown Sioux City block amid some substantial nearby infrastructure construction.
Crews began with water main replacement along Pierce Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets in mid-August, and that will continue to late September.
So the Downtown Partners business-promotion group launched the Construction SUX campaign to remind people that many businesses in that block are still open.
Construction SUX, that's spelled capital S-U-X for the shorthand that applies to Sioux City at times and also as a lighthearted reference that construction creates some headaches.
Playful signage and messaging are present in that downtown area, urging people to keep shopping, said Tracie Tuttle, Downtown Partners’ Business Development Coordinator.
Businesses directly impacted by the construction work include Access Systems, The Boat House, Short Staffed, Sooland Boxing Club, Smith and McElwain Law Offices, and Vangarde Arts.
