It’s Friday, June 21, 2024.

The summer solstice, or longest day of the year—when the North Pole is most tilted toward the sun—was yesterday.

But if you’re looking for fun Iowa solstice events, there are a few you can still check out this weekend; read all about them here.

And it also happens to coincide with this month’s full moon, called the Strawberry Moon. It’s supposed to be low and kind of reddish. If you get any cool photos of it, I’ll put one in next week’s newsletter!

And speaking of events there’s still time to attend around Iowa:

• Ankeny and Keokuk are keeping the Juneteenth celebration going through this weekend,
• There are still Pride festivals upcoming in Ankeny, Burlington, Fort Dodge, and West Des Moines this month (and more later this summer),
• Catch a baseball game (semi-pro AND minor league) in a town near you!

What’s been your favorite summertime event to attend in Iowa? Send me your thoughts.

How a near-total abortion ban would give domestic abusers in Iowa more power

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs a new law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy before speaking at the Family Leadership Summit, Friday, July 14, 2023, in Des Moines.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Before the end of June, the Iowa Supreme Court will decide if a near-total abortion ban can take effect across the state.

That makes domestic violence advocates like Lindsay Pingel and Alta Medea worried for a group of people who are made especially vulnerable by abortion bans: Survivors of domestic abuse.

“Homicide is the leading cause of death during pregnancy for all females who are of reproductive age in the US,” said Pingel, the the director of community engagement at the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Any time there are restrictions put in place that affect not only a survivor but anyone’s need for reproductive health care, it is a huge concern for us.”

Read about how preventing women from having abortions traps them in abusive relationships.

Republicans sometimes like to say banning abortion would HELP abused women. But it doesn’t (see story above), and besides, Republicans like Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird have shown they don’t care about that. @LizFromIowa explains why that’s politically expedient for them in this video.

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On unionizing and Iowa’s anti-union legislation in the wake of bakery employees in Iowa forming a union:

• “Unions are important to establish a base salary that non-union employers must meet to get workers.” ~Wally
• “I was in a state union and support them totally. Even lobbied on a vacation day for the union.” ~Steve N.

• “I am with the unions!!! Iowa is taking more and more of people’s rights, Stop Stop Stop!!!” ~Jeri N.

• “There was a time when legislation was created to solve a problem and/or to help citizens. Why, now, do our elected officials feel they need to solve problems which don’t exist or limit or take away individuals’ and groups’ rights?” ~David F.

• “First the Rs cook the books, making it ridiculously hard to organize and retain unions. Then unions still successfully organize, even with the ridiculous recertification impositions. So now the Rs want to let bosses cheat on annual recertification.” ~Linda S. of Sioux City (NOTE: Linda sent this back when that bill was still being debated. It did not pass this year.)

• “I am a member of the AFSCME retirees. I hope we can rebuild the
  union. However, I have my concerns … A lot of my coworkers were diehard MAGA folks. I am afraid that Trump will win Iowa again.” ~Dan B.

• “Working my entire life in retail management (I’m since retired), I used to harbor a smidgen of anti-union sentiment. No longer. Labor, tired of being kicked around, has every right to flex their collective muscle. I wish them well.” ~Kevin S.

On Iowa’s school voucher program being a pipe dream:

• “According to Google, ALL private schools in Iowa are CHRISTIAN….SAY IT!!! What you have said is important, THANK YOU!” ~Edwin

• “This is exactly what the Heritage Foundation and it’s 900+ page ‘Project 2025’ are planning to make happen all over the United States. Religious schools are projected to take the place of public schools. The Haves will benefit while the Have Nots will lose out all the way around.” ~Cassandra A.

• “It costs $13,385 to educate a student in Iowa’s public schools. In the voucher system a student is eligible to receive $7,635 per student to pay private school expenses, which is a savings to taxpayers of $5,750 per student.” ~Paul B.
  (FACT CHECK: That $13K figure includes local and federal money, not just state. Iowa pays an average of $7,227 per public school student, which you’ll notice is less than the state voucher. Vouchers don’t mean Iowans pay less in local or federal taxes; but they do mean we’re shelling out $180 million more at the state level. So, instead of my taxes going toward free education for all, I’m bailing out mostly wealthy families who were already paying for private school, while the rest of Iowa’s kids denied entry to private schools get fewer resources.)

On a rural Iowa school district voting to close:

• “To imply, as you did today, that Orient-Macksburg Community Schools are closing because of this state [voucher] program is totally untrue. … They are closing because, sadly, their towns are diminishing. … The funding from the state has NEVER declined, only increased every year. ” ~Laurie D. 
  (NOTE: While I didn’t directly connect vouchers to O-M’s closure, I’ll grant you I appended it to that story as part of the larger picture. In any case, district officials did tell Starting Line that less state funding was a big part of their decision—see here and here. And increases are only increases if they’re more than inflation, which has not been the case.)

On the FDA warning about raw milk and bird flu:

• “I know several families that drink raw milk and have no problems at all. The difference is they are living on sustainable farms, not farms that raise cattle in an unnatural way, i.e. CAFOs. … It seems to only show up in confinements.” ~Sharon S. (NOTE: OK, just don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

On what reminds you of your dad for Father’s Day:

• “Hearing someone whistle really well!” ~Rachel M.
• “My dad’s work ethic, and I have tried to emulate that in my life and I hope my kids saw that in me as well.” ~Don S. (NOTE: This is from my own dad—and we definitely did. 🥰)

I got lots of responses to the immigration ruling this week—so many that I ran out of room. I’ll add them to next week’s roundup.

Iowa events for Women’s National Strike Day, the two-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, will be held Saturday and Monday.

• Davenport: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Vander Veer Botanical Park. Learn more here.
• Des Moines: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Iowa State Capitol. Candidates for office will speak at noon and marches will happen at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Learn more here.
• Cedar Rapids: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Greene Square Park. Learn more here.

The River ARC and the Black Hawk County Public Health is holding the Cedar Valley’s first French Community Health Resource Fair, specifically to help Congolese and other French-speaking immigrant and refugee families, on Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Living Stone Church in Waterloo.

The Iowa Pork Producers are holding the 2nd annual BBQ and Brew at the Ballpark on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines. Sample food, craft beer and cider, and listen to live music. Tickets are $20 in advance.

Learn more here.

Riverview Center and LifeServe Blood Center are holding a blood and donation drive Friday, June 28 from 12:30-5 p.m. at UMC Freedom Center in Waterloo. Donors have the option to convert donor points into a donation to Riverview. They’re also collecting supplies for their food pantry. Learn more here.

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is holding RAGBRAI training rides before the July ride. Their final one will be Saturday, June 29, in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

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