(Radio Iowa) – Iowa may not be at the top of the list of cruise ship destinations — but hundreds of people will be visiting on Missippi River cruises this year. Steve Ahrens is the executive officer of the Riverfront Improvement Commission in Davenport, which greets the passengers during stops. “They are all over I have so much fun interacting with them,” he says, “here they are having sort of that Mark Twain-esque kind of experience plus right — and a little bit of that whole that Midwest, nice kind of hospitality that goes with it.”

The American Cruise Line has been traveling the Mississippi for 15 years, and its American Melody boat made its first stop along Davenport’s riverfront Sunday. The Viking Cruise Line is starting its first North American trips on the Mississippi River later this year. Ahrens says the cruises bring a wide variety of people to Iowa. “They are from all over this country, and many times international guests are aboard as well,” according to Ahrens. “And we’re told especially that will be the case with Viking when they start up in early August.” Ahrens says the stops are not long — but there are many things for the passengers to do — including specially crafted exhibits and stops such as the museum or art center.

“They want unique experiences, that we sometimes that the folks that live here take for granted, many others enjoy these immensely. They also enjoy something else we take for granted. And that is the majestic views of the Mississippi River,” he says. He says the size of the cruises varies — but the companies say they have great interest. “We go from like 170, I think, to 300. You know, as far as a number of passengers, and we’re told that they’re both in both cases, they’re already booking, you know, into through 2023 into 2024,” Ahrens says.

Aherns says the cruises start from different ports of call, including Dubuque, Hannibal, and St. Louis, and can go up to St. Paul.

(Radio Iowa) – Crowds gathered in many cities over the past three days to protest the end of nationwide abortion rights. Kathleen Murrin, who attended a protest in Des Moines, says she’s heartbroken and furious.  “I had an ectopic pregnancy as my first pregnancy. That would be considered an abortion today. That just makes no sense to me. And I would not have a choice in that,” she said. “It’s my health care, my body. My doctor and I are the ones that did make that decision and should still be able to make that decision.”

Hundreds of protesters rallied in front of the governor’s mansion on Friday night. Lexi McKee Hemmingway spoke at a rally in Sioux City. She leads an abortion rights group in South Dakota, where abortion was banned immediately after the Supreme Court’s ruling. She says their mission has now changed. “It’s going to be getting people across state lines to receive the necessary, accessible health care, because abortion is health care,” she said.

An abortion rights protester near the courthouse in Cedar Rapids was injured Friday night when a pick-up drove through the pedestrian cross walk. Other protesters took photos of the license plate. Cedar Rapids police have interviewed the driver.

(Radio Iowa) – Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines and Republican Senator Joni Ernst voted for the bipartisan gun bill President Biden signed into law this weekend. The rest of Iowa’s congressional delegation opposed it.

Republican Congresswomen Ashley Hinson of Marion and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa as well as Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull opposed the bill, as did Senator Chuck Grassley. All expressed concern it does not provide adequate due process rights when it comes to confiscating guns from people considered a threat to themselves or others. Miller-Meeks specifically criticized including access to mental health records during background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst says the law does not place new restrictions on law-abiding gun owners. Congresswoman Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says the bill will make schools safer, but doesn’t go far enough. Axne supports restoring the ban on assault weapons.

(Polk County, Iowa) – A man on a motorcycle died from injuries he suffered Saturday night, in Johnston. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling west on NW Beaver Avenue at around 10:21-p.m., at the same time a 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle was traveling east. When the SUV turned onto NW 70th Avenue, the driver, 25-year-old Makenna Kathleen Streff, of Polk City, failed to see the approaching cycle operated by 33-year-old Landon Mark Crabtree, of Knoxville. The Jeep struck the motorcycle during the turn.

Streff was not injured in the collision. Crabtree was transported by Johnston EMS to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, where he died. The crash remains under investigation.