(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s governor and attorney general say nothing is more important than the pro-life cause. Governor Kim Reynolds signed bills in 2018 and again last summer to ban nearly all abortions after the sixth week of a pregnancy, but the Iowa Supreme Court is reviewing a legal challenge to the law, which would ban nearly all abortions in Iowa. “I will never back down from protecting the innocent and unborn,” Reynolds said, to cheers.

Reynolds addressed the crowd gathered in the capitol rotunda today (Monday) for the annual Iowa Rally for Life. “Go out there and continue to fight for the unborn. Thank you for what you do. Thank you for being here and thank you for never, ever ever backing down,” Reynolds said, as the crowd applauded and cheered.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said “all life has value and must be protected. “…We know that we’re going to be successful. We just have to keep working and never give up. We’re never going to give up when it comes to doing the right thing.” Bird told the crowd all the legal briefs from supporters and opponents of Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law are due to be filed with the Iowa Supreme Court by the end of this month and a ruling is “likely” by the end of June.

Governor Kim Reynolds speaks at 2024 Iowa Rally for Life in capitol rotunda. (RI photo)

More than a dozen people spoke at today’s rally. Republican Representative Shannon Lundgren of Peosta guided the policy through the Iowa House in 2018 and again in 2023. “We’ve made a difference and never in my lifetime as a legislator did I ever think we’d see Roe v Wade overturned, but we have and what a joyous day that was,” Lundgren said, “so we’re going to continue to move the needle and do what we can to defend lives and support the moms that have tough decisions to make.” For example, Republicans are considering a bill that would ban city ordinances that prevent organizations from operating homes for pregnant women in residential neighborhoods.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that overturned Roe v Wade is “a stark reminder of just how important it is to vote in every election.” Hart said Iowa Democrats “stand with the vast majority of Iowans” who oppose the six week abortion ban.

(Carroll, Iowa) – A single vehicle accident north of Carroll this (Monday) morning claimed the life of an adult and a female juvenile. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened a little before 8-a.m. on Highway 71, south of 150th Street. A 2005 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 41-year-old Joshua Shelton, of Carroll, was traveling south on Highway 71. When the pickup passed another southbound vehicle, it went out of control as it returned to the southbound lane.

The pickup entered the west ditch and struck a Mid-American Energy power pole before coming to rest. Shelton and his unidentified juvenile passenger died at the scene. Both were wearing their seat belts.

Carroll Community School District Superintendent Casey Berlau sent a letter to families Monday announcing that a ninth-grade student at Carroll High School and the student’s father died in a crash, according to the Carroll Times-Herald. “The district has taken immediate steps to provide support by coordinating with Heartland AEA to make additional grief counselors available. They will be onsite in the coming days to offer assistance to both students and staff” Berlau said in the letter.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Carroll County EMS. According to the latest data from the Iowa Department of Transportation, four people have died so far this year on Iowa roads. That number is 11 fewer than at the same point in 2023. Over the last five years, an average of 350 people have been killed in statewide crashes annually.

Atlantic, IA – Cass County Public Health will be providing free Friends and Family CPR classes on February 5 and March 4, and Stop the Bleed Classes February 19 and March 18. All courses will be held at 1408 East 10^th Street at 6:00 pm.

Space is limited for these free classes, so reserve your spot today by calling Cass County Public Health Nurse Linda Edelman at (712) 243-7551.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a man from Adair was arrested at around 7:10-p.m., Friday, following a traffic stop in Adair. 25-year-old James Dale Luke was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense. His breath alcohol content registered slightly over the legal limit, at .087%.  The legal limit for intoxication in Iowa is .08-percent. James Luke was taken to the Adair County Jail and released a couple of hours later on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

(Anamosa, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol has released the name of a child who died Saturday (Jan. 20, 2024), from injuries that occurred during an eastern Iowa sledding accident on Jan. 10th.  The Patrol says 13-year-old Adam McWherter died from his injuries at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, after his sled was struck by an SUV, when the sled crossed a road in front of a 2008 GMC Envoy SUV. The driver of the SUV was identified as 49-year-old David Thomas, of Anamosa.

The accident happened at around 11:30-a.m. Jan. 10th, in rural Anamosa.

The accident remains under investigation.