River to River

A new campaign wants to make it harder to raise taxes in Iowa — background on what that constitutional amendment would actually do. Then, we hear from IPR's Rachel Kramer about why farm income is down more than half since 2022. We also talk with Kate Melloy Goettel of the University of Iowa Law School about why government wants to strip a naturalized Iowan's citizenship, discuss the AI model that forecasts nitrate spikes in Iowa's river with University of Iowa professor Jesus Gomez Velez, and more.

For many disabled, elderly, and low-income Iowans, a simple trip to the dentist is anything but simple. On this episode, why care for these patients often falls through the cracks, and what's being done about it. We talk with two University of Iowa dental experts on the push to expand access to care: Leo Marchini, newly named to an international disability and oral health committee, and John Warren. Warren brings dental students into community health centers across the state. Then, we hear from gerontologist Elaine Eshbaugh of the University of Northern Iowa. She’s the founder of the dementia simulation ho...

Congress keeps funding the Iran war with little oversight.Political scientists Karen Kedrowski and Kelly Shaw of Iowa State University offer analysis on this and other political issues from the week.

Our air was getting cleaner. Now, wildfire smoke has reversed that progress. On this episode, a new University of Iowa study finds wildfires have undone years of gains against ground-level ozone pollution, and the effects are reaching deep into the Midwest. First, we hear from former Iowa residents Jerry and Sue Prothero, who watched ash fall like snow in northern Minnesota. Then, we talk with Jun Wang, the study's lead author, about why ozone pollution is worsening and what it means for Iowans. We also talk with Peter Thorne of the University of Iowa College of Public Health about the...

A report from the Environmental Working Group claims thousands of feeding operations are off the DNR's radar. A representative with the Iowa Pork Producers Association says the DNR is following state law. Host Ben Kieffer speaks with the co-author of this report, Anne Schechinger, about how mapping animal operations relates to water quality issues, and Pork Association legal counsel Eldon McAfee shares what he thinks the report gets wrong. Then, Kieffer speaks with the recipient of the "Nobel Prize for statistics," University of Iowa professor emeritus Luke Tierney.

An Iowa man was nearly deported into a war zone. On this episode, how families are caught in the middle of third-country deportation. First, we hear from Midwest Newsroom reporting fellow Steph Conquest-Ware on families in limbo under the third-country deportation policy. We also talk about tips on how to protect yourself from this summer's fast-spreading cyclospora outbreak with disease prevention specialist Jennifer Miller. We hear from Guthrie Center RAGBRAI organizer Mike Underwood, as the town readies to host tens of thousands overnight on RAGBRAI. And, after 12 years at the helm, a conversation with IPR’s outgoing CEO Myrna Johnson. Th...

Two years, eight thousand miles, and according to a new book, a lot more heroes than just Lewis and Clark. On this episode, we talk with historian and author Craig Fehrman. He spent five years chasing down the real story behind the famous expedition, and found it wasn't just their story. His new book, 'This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark,' rebuilds the history through 10 different voices, exploring new perspectives of American history.

President Donald Trump reverses course to endorse Zach Lahn. On this Politics Day episode, we take stock of the Iowa governor's race. We talk with political scientists Donna Hoffman of the University of Northern Iowa and Kelly Winfrey of Iowa State University. We also preview Trump’s primetime address, talk about ICE shootings across the country, the scramble to replace Graham Platner in the Maine U.S. Senate race and more.

A history of murder, prostitution and police corruption have been buried for a century in Des Moines. On today's episode, we hear the true story of Erastus Wallace Scott, the saloon keeper the 'Des Moines Register' called 'the wickedest man in the wickedest part of town.' He was a killer, a con man and the head of a crime family that terrorized East Des Moines for a decade. We talk with Dave and Rose Donovan about their new book 'The Nastiest Saloon in Iowa: Murder, Prostitution, and Corruption in the Heartland.' The book uncovers century-old murder and corruption...

Nationally, deaths from suicide, drugs and alcohol are declining. But in Iowa, they're rising, and they're often referred to as "deaths of despair." On this episode, we hear from Lauren Williams, an Iowa woman who lost her brother to suicide, and from Kayla Mayer of Cherokee County Public Health, who's working to decrease the local rate of suicide. We also talk with Daniel Wheaton of the Midwest Newsroom and Dr. Alison Lynch of the University of Iowa on why our state is seeing more deaths of despair and what can be done about it.

Iowa sees its first measles case of the year. On today's Newsbuzz edition episode, we talk with Polk County Public Health director Juliann Van Liew about how Polk County is guarding against the highly contagious virus. We talk with Luke Nozicka of NPR's Midwest Newsroom about the rise in dementia cases and lack of specialists to keep up. We hear how Iowa's drinking water nitrate violations more than doubled last year from Cami Koons of the Iowa Capital Dispatch. IPR's Rachel Kramer shares how Iowa volunteers are racing to track the state's disappearing bumblebees, and we talk with Des Moines...

The Supreme Court just finished one of its most consequential terms in years. Drake University law professors Sally Frank and Miguel Schor break down what the 2026 rulings mean for Iowans. They discuss the landmark win for birthright citizenship, the loss of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, new limits on transgender athletes and more.

Tensions flare again between the U.S. and Iran and NATO leaders wrap up a tense summit. On this Politics Day episode, we discuss the political fallout with political scientists Jim McCormick of Iowa State University and Evan Renfro of the University of Northern Iowa. We hear about the new round of U.S.-Iran hostilities that overshadows the days-long funeral for Iran's Supreme Leader, take a look back at the nation's 250th birthday celebration and more.

'Angel Down' is a World War I story told as one continuous sentence, which vividly portrays the horrors of that conflict. Author Daniel Kraus is no stranger to horror. Growing up in Fairfield, he would watch horror movies like 'Night of the Living Dead' and episodes of 'The Twilight Zone' as a five year old with his mom. Kraus joins this episode to talk about his horror and Iowa roots, his latest book, which won this year's Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and his 2023 novel 'Whalefall.' (This show was originally produced February 26, 2026.)

More than 100 new Iowa laws just took effect on abortion, crime, and policing. On this episode of River to River, we talk about what’s changed and who it affects. We hear from Erin Murphy of the Gazette who gives us a quick survey of the most significant new laws. Then, IPR's Natalie Krebs explains the new telehealth restrictions and what options remain for abortion pill prescriptions. Mahaska County Attorney Andrew Ritland tells us about Iowa's new mandatory minimum for repeat felons. And state Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines shares her thoughts on a new law that removes the annual police bi...

Iowa's farmland sits on more than soil — deep underground may be the makings of a clean energy economy. On this episode, we go beneath Iowa's surface to talk about a billion-year-old rock formation where geologic hydrogen is hiding. We talk with Ryan Clark, associate state geologist at the Iowa Geological Survey and Betsy Swanner, an Iowa State University professor of Earth, atmosphere and climate to find out what it would take to actually build a hydrogen economy in Iowa. Then, Iowa State University agronomist Jianming Yu shares what artificial intelligence and citizen science reveal about how plants adapt to their en...

The Supreme Court has ruled on birthright citizenship, transgender athletes and the flow of money in politics. Today, analysis from political scientists Sara Mitchell of the University of Iowa and Dave Peterson of Iowa State University. We discuss the power balance in Washington and what these rulings mean for Iowans. We also reflect on House leadership sending lawmakers home early, the new Iowa laws going into effect and more.

Radon gas is naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, and the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Nearly three-quarters of Iowa homes have tested high, and yet most Iowans have never tested their home, and many have never heard of radon. Joined by Maria Steele, retired nurse practitioner and lung cancer survivor, Dr. Richard Deming, medical director at MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center, and Juliann Van Liew, Polk County Health Department Director, we look at the radon problem in Iowa. We talk about what it is, why it's so pronounced in the state, what's being done about it, and how to...

The World Food Prize Foundation is marking four decades of honoring the scientists, farmers and policy innovators who feed our planet. On this episode, host Ben Kieffer is joined by Iowa Governor and two-time U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Vilsack now leads the foundation. We talk about what the World Food Prize’s 40th anniversary means for communities across the state and why global food security starts with places like Iowa. We also talk about the New World screwworm, the dismantling of USAID and more.

Headlines from this week, including a Supreme Court ruling related to Roundup weed killer, a new law concerning medication abortion access and more.