Gazette Daily News Briefing, June 25 and June 26
This is Stephen Schmidt from the Gazette digital news desk and I’m here with your update for Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26.
Showers that began in the early morning hours Saturday should end by around 1 p.m. And, in its wake, some nice cooler air will arrive. According to the National Weather Service, there will be a high of 89 degrees with partly cloudy skies in the Cedar Rapids area after the rain ceases. The low should be around 63 degrees. Then, on Sunday, the high will be a very pleasant 77 degrees with sunny skies. There should be a bit of a breeze at 10 to 15 mph. Then Sunday night it will be mostly clear, with a low near 54 degrees.
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that 50 years ago established the fundamental right to abortion, Iowa lawmakers are free to dramatically reduce or outlaw the procedure in the state.
The reversal of the 1973 case puts the power back into the states’ hands to decide the future of abortion access for its residents, meaning the ruling’s impact will vary state to state
In Iowa — where Republican leadership has attempted for years to restrict abortion — access to the procedure is likely at risk. Iowa Republicans, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, heralded the ruling and vowed to continue to protect the unborn.
No restrictions went into effect in Iowa with the court ruling, and abortion remains legal in the state up until 20 weeks. Planned Parenthood clinics across Iowa and the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City remain open and patient care continues.
Reynolds and legislative leaders did not respond to messages Friday as to whether they would call a special session of the Iowa Legislature to take up a new abortion law.
According to the latest Gallup Poll, more than eight in 10 Americans believe abortion should be legal to some degree, and a majority did not want Roe v. Wade overturned. At the same time, the country remains far from unified on the extent to which abortion should be legal, according to Gallup.
Meanwhile protests were held against the decision across the nation, including several Iowa cities.
In Cedar Rapids a truck collided with a woman who had been protesting, leading to the woman heading to the hospital for evaluation.
A police statement said the incident happened at 7:17 p.m. near the U.S. Courthouse near Eighth Avenue and Second Street SE in downtown Cedar Rapids. About 200 protesters had gathered there.
While no arrests were announced, Cedar Rapids Police said they were scouring the area for surveillance video cameras that may have captured the incident.
While police in a news release described the collision only by saying “contact was made between a vehicle and one of the pedestrians,” some of those who were at the protest said the driver of the truck deliberately hit the protesters.
