Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court Justice David May facing November retention vote amid abortion ruling

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2024

Iowa Supreme Court Justice David May facing November retention vote amid abortion ruling

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – One of Iowa’s Supreme Court justices who voted to uphold Iowa’s strict abortion law will be on your November ballot. The law bans abortion once cardiac activity is detected, which doctors say is usually around six weeks of pregnancy. In late June, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision that the law could take effect.

Iowa Supreme Court Justices, unlike federal, are not a lifetime appointment. They go up for retention votes every eight years.

Typically, there’s not much drama involved. This time, one of the justices voted to allow Iowa’s strict abortion law to take effect. That could become a factor in whether he stays on the bench.

Rekha Basu, a retired columnist for the Des Moines Register says she’s voting to remove Justice David May. “It’s horrifying for a group of women members, male dominated members, of the Iowa Supreme Court to decide what rights a woman or a girl has over her own body,” Basu said.

Basu says the court ruled against the will of the people. “The majority of Iowans, more than 60%, believe in a woman’s right to choose abortion so it goes against the will of the people of Iowa,” she said.

But Alan Ostergren, a conservative attorney, says Iowans should keep May on the bench. “This is a justice who did his job and decided this case fairly and objectively based on what he in good faith thought the law required,” Ostergren said.

While most of the attention in this election will be on national races, Ostergren says people should pay attention to this one. “We need to have the court able to make hard decisions. Decisions that not everybody will necessarily agree with because they’re making decisions based on the law, not based on public polling,” he said.

Basu takes a different view.

“If they say there should be no politics with the court system, why is there a retention election in the first place? That’s provided for under Iowa law. If you think someone is qualified to be a Supreme Court justice based on what their rulings have been, then you vote yes. If they’re not qualified, then you vote no. What makes that political?,” she said.

If voters end up deciding to remove May, a state commission will submit names of potential justices to Governor Reynolds. Then, Reynolds will make the final decision of who takes the seat.

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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV or on X/Twitter @ConnerReports.

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Iowa

NW Iowa family witnesses field catch fire firsthand Saturday

Published

3 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

NW Iowa family witnesses field catch fire firsthand Saturday

BRONSON, Iowa (KTIV) – As recovery continues in Northwest Iowa from Saturday’s field fires, one family witnessed the fire firsthand.

On Saturday. March 28, more than 50 organizations from three states responded to a large field fire in Woodbury County.

Several of these organizations worked throughout the night to assist in emergency operations.

Ruth Smith, a Bronson resident, says she and her family saw the fire burn in their backyard, and before she knew it the field in her backyard was fully engulfed in flames.

“Came out and was looking out the back window and we could see the flames, out there in the field there,” said Smith. “It just, you know, spread so fast.”

Residents from Lawton, Bronson, and Moville had to evacuate their homes for their safety, including members of Smith’s family.

“My daughter and son,” said Smith. “They grabbed some of their stuff and threw it in bags, went down to my in-laws’ house.”

From her house, Smith says she could see her neighbor’s shed catch fire and how she felt throughout the night.

“The emotions are scary when the wind is that crazy and you know the ground is that dry and it spreads really fast,” said Smith.

A common fear for residents like Smith is the fear of running out of water.

“We’re out here and they’re no fire hydrants, so it’s pretty scary,” said Smith.

Derek Stanfield, the Salix fire chief says a portable water site has been set up at Lawton-Bronson High School.

“We are dumping water in these holding tanks and as trucks need water, they come here, we fill them out of the tanks,” he said. “That allows these trucks to get back on the road, get water, get back, so we don’t run out.”

Center now open in Bronson for those impacted by Saturday’s field fire

Woodbury County Emergency Management says a respite center is now open at Lofted Views Event Center, located at 2086 210th St. in Bronson.

Those impacted by the fires are encouraged to seek assistance by visiting the center to meet with American Red Cross case workers.

Management says for concerns about recovery efforts, residents can call (712)-222-4400.

Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app.

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Iowa

Body recovered from retention pond after reported drowning in Iowa Colony

Published

15 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Body recovered from retention pond after reported drowning in Iowa Colony

Iowa Colony police say a caller saw a man go underwater in the Meridiana subdivision and did not resurface.

IOWA COLONY, Texas – Iowa Colony police recovered the body of a man Saturday night after witnesses reported seeing him go underwater in a retention pond in the Meridiana subdivision, authorities said.

Officers were dispatched around 7:04 p.m. to a pond behind the 10400 block of Kahlo Court after a caller reported a man was swimming, submerged and did not resurface, according to the Iowa Colony Police Department.

Police said responding officers immediately began searching the area. The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Colony Fire Department and Manvel Fire Department assisted at the scene, and the Fort Bend County Dive and Water Rescue Team was called in to help.

Divers with the Fort Bend County team located the man around 10:10 p.m. and pronounced him deceased, police said.

The man’s identity and the cause of death have not been released. Police said no foul play is suspected and the investigation remains ongoing.

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Iowa

Illini rip Big Ten rival Iowa to reach Final Four for first time in 21 years

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Illini rip Big Ten rival Iowa to reach Final Four for first time in 21 years

HOUSTON — Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois ended Iowa’s underdog March Madness run by dominating in the frontcourt, beating the Hawkeyes 71-59 on Saturday to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2005.

This will be the sixth trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. The Fighting Illini will face either Duke or UConn next weekend in Indianapolis.

The much taller Illini (28-8) outrebounded Iowa 38-21 in the South Region final. David Mirkovic led the way with 12 rebounds.

Coach Brad Underwood’s emphasis on recruiting in Eastern Europe has paid off in this tournament. Tomislav Ivisic of Croatia, who stands 7-foot-1, and his 7-2 twin brother Zvonimir have shined in March.

Andrej Stojakovic, who was born in Greece but whose father is Serbian three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic, scored 17 points for third-seeded Illinois.

His famous father watched proudly as his son punched his ticket to the Final Four, and Wagler’s parents — who met when they played basketball at a junior college in Kansas — cheered wildly throughout for their son, who was named MVP of the region.

Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (24-13), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round as part of an impressive run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion at Northwest Missouri State.

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