(Radio Iowa) — Abortion rights supporters rallied at the Iowa Capitol Tuesday, part of nationwide protests against new abortion restrictions in other states. Erin Davison-Rippey is state director for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. “This is an attack on each and every single one of us,” Davison-Rippey said. ” It is an attack on anyone who might or can get pregnant and to anyone who stands alongside us.”

Alabama’s new law makes it a crime to perform an abortion, with a sentence of up to 99 years. Sarena Ramirez of Des Moines says “all women” are threatened by what’s happening. “In other countries, they have these laws, and women die because they can’t do what is right for their health care,” Ramirez said.

Legislators in states like Alabama hope their new laws spark a challenge of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal. Some hoped Iowa’s 2018 law could be a test case. It banned abortions as early as six weeks in a pregnancy, after a fetal heartbeat could be detected, but it was struck down by a district court judge in January.

Governor Reynolds decided recent IOWA Supreme Court rulings upholding abortion rights made a successful appeal impossible.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports one person died as the result of storms that stuck early this morning. The Sheriff’s Office received a cellular 911 telephone call reporting an injury and a possible fatality as the result of an unconfirmed tornado at a residence located at 1088 Elk Avenue in Adair County. The residence is approximately ½ mile southeast of the Adair City limits.

First Responders, including the Adair Fire Department, Adair Rescue and the Adair County Ambulance were dispatched. Upon their arrival, rescue personnel located 78 year-old Harold Brownlee, who had sustained serious injuries during the event. Harold Brownlee was flown by air ambulance to a Des Moines Hospital. First Responders also located 74 year-old Linda Lee Brownlee, who was deceased. Debris from the farmstead landed on I-80 at mile marker 77 and a semi was reported in the ditch at the same location.

In addition to the Brownlee residence, there were at least two additional residences and outbuildings at other locations which sustained damage. Law enforcement reported to KJAN that numerous power poles were down this morning across rural roads in eastern Cass County. A motorist drove over one of the power lines at around 4-a.m. on Glendale/Fairview Road, between 750th (Highway 148) and 760th Streets.

Building debris on Glendale Road southeast of Anita. (Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. EMA)

According to Cass County EMA Coordinator Mike Kennon, debris from a barn was scattered along Glendale Road, but as of 6:50-a.m., the road was passable. Kennon encourages residents who sustained storm damage to contact him at 254-1500.

The National Weather Service is expected to begin their assessment of the damage this morning.

(Radio Iowa) — Musicians from across the region will lend their talents to a benefit concert later this week, the proceeds from which will go to the victims of this spring’s Missouri River flooding. The Shamrock Theater in the southwest Iowa town of Imogene is hosting “Floodstock 2019” on Friday night. Singer-songwriter George McGargill of Imogene is helping to organize the event. “Some people have lost everything, you know, their house,” McGargill says. “It’s tough. And we could raise a million dollars and it wouldn’t be a drop in the bucket, but we’ll raise what we can and we’ll try to help out a little bit and if nothing else, they’ll know somebody cares.”

Another local musician, Rick Hillyard, says he’s seen the extent of the flood damage across the area in Nebraska, Missouri, and in southwest Iowa, especially in towns like Pacific Junction, or P-J. “We played in Plattsmouth at the Hop Yard and we had to drive through P.J. to get across the bridge and it’s devastating,” Hillyard says. “There’s nothing left there. It’s heartbreaking.”

Performers at Friday’s concert include McGargill, Hillyard, Omaha recording artist Jocelyn, and Jeff Slater and the Union County Band. Free will donations will be collected. For those who can’t attend, donations can also be left at any Bank Iowa location.