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Minnesota providers prepare to treat Iowans seeking abortions
Women who are beyond six weeks into their pregnancy are now expected to travel to Minnesota for abortions.
MINNEAPOLIS — A victory by abortion foes in the Iowa legislature will reverberate here Minnesota, according to Planned Parenthood North Central States chief medical officer Sarah Traxler.
Women who can no longer legally obtain abortions in that state will now go elsewhere, including Minnesota, if they have the means and opportunity to travel.
“Our patient navigators will connect with patients who don’t meet the law’s requirements to set them up with appointments in other states and get them the resources to access care,” Dr. Traxler told reporters in a news conference.
The new Iowa law bars abortions in most cases where a fetal heartbeat is detected by ultrasound, typically around 6 weeks gestational age. Traxler said some women don’t realize they’re expecting until they’ve passed the six-week mark.
“If somebody is less than six weeks pregnant based on their last menstrual period, we will go ahead and schedule them in Iowa,” Dr. Traxler explained. “The soonest some cardiac activity can be detected is as early as six weeks, sometimes it’s after that, sometimes it’s before that.”
Planned Parenthood has been gearing up for the Iowa ban both here in Minnesota and in Nebraska, where abortions are banned after 12 weeks. Traxler said Planned Parenthood is also expecting an influx of patients from Missouri, who had been able to travel to Iowa for abortions until Monday.
“We invested in our border communities where abortion remains legal. We expanded our capacity at health centers in Mankato and Minneapolis, as well as in Omaha, where we are tripling our patient capacity by increasing our exam rooms from four to sixteen.”
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Traxler said the organization continues to provide other women’s health care services in Iowa, including annual exams, birth control, SDI testing and treatment, and cancer screening. Planned Parenthood North Central States is based in Minnesota, but has clinics in Iowa, Nebraska, and both South and North Dakota, and North Dakota.
The new Iowa law is also playing into presidential politics. Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, issued a message on social media Monday.
“This ban is going to take effect before many women even know they’re pregnant. And what this means is one in three women of reproductive age lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban,” Harris posted. She vowed to sign legislation restoring abortion rights nationally if it comes to her desk as president.
Former President Trump, at his rally in Saint Cloud Saturday, thanked the six conservative Supreme Court justices for their decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
“Our position is that abortion is now back to the states. They’ve wanted to have this,” Trump told the capacity crowd at Herb Brooks Arena.
“Getting it (the abortion issue) back to the states puts the question where it belongs, with a vote of the people, and it’s over time it’s going to work out incredibly well.”
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
Jeremy Jourdain was 17 when he was last seen on Halloween 2016.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The search for Jeremy Jourdain, who was last seen on Halloween in 2016, continues now eight years later.
Jourdain was last seen at a family member’s house in Bemidji, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs. He left the residence near the 500 block of Wood Avenue after midnight and while people followed him, no one was able to find him.
Jourdain was 17 at the time.
Officials said he was wearing a blue and grey sweatshirt, and blue jeans when last seen. He is Native American and is described as 6 foot 5 and 175 pounds.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you can contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 333-9111. Tips can also be sent to 1-833-560-2065, or you can email ojs_mmu@bia.gov.
