The Iowa Podcast

The ICE arrest of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts shocked Iowa, leaving community members with more questions than answers. In this interview, newly installed Interim Superintendent, Matt Smith tries to fill the information vacuum, but concedes much of the process was a mystery even to him.

Serving as Associate Superintendent, this will be his second time stepping into the role left op...

Des Moines Public Schools is now international news after its Superintendent was arrested by ICE. Ian Roberts criminal history including drug trafficking, illegal firearms, and even grand theft auto has slowly come to light led by a citizen journalist, Laura Powell. Powell is a civil rights lawyer from California, and discusses mysterious outsider groups that may have been involved. 

Powell’s research, que...

This month the Amana Colonies Oktoberfest celebrates its 60-year anniversary and the Amana Colonies Bürgermeister himself, Jon Childers, joins us to explain the special occasion, free sausages, local bands, and of course… Lots of beer! He also explains the backstory, why the Amana communal living experiment failed and why they’re not Amish!

The Amana Colonies are an Iowa institution, but most Iowans don’t ...

Erin Kiernan, anchor of WHOTV suddenly vanished off the airwaves leaving viewers to wonder what happened. Upon returning, she explained her time away from the camera was spent on her family, specifically her son Michael Francis who has Autism. She discusses the growing conflict within the autism community and why autism is still very misunderstood.

She breaks down common misunderstanding’s like “the spectr...

Charlie Kirk’s killing sent shockwaves through the entire world but Congressional candidate Christian Schlaefer says the violence isn’t surprising. In an exclusive sit down interview, he explains younger conservatives have seen the increase in hatred and vitriol including himself. 

Schlaefer takes a strong position against what he considers a United States that has strayed from its Christian roots. He ment...

If you want to see how the state is advocating for many different areas of Iowa, the Empower Rural Iowa Task Force would be a good place to start. It is co-chaired by Iowa Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer and aims to invest, grow, and connect rural America through many different programs and initiatives. 

Important aspects of maintaining rural America are being monitored by the task force. From the inte...

HHS released a bombshell report in July finding organ procurement organizations had began the procurement process while patients showed signs of life. But Suzanne Conrad, CEO of the Iowa Donor Network, an OPO that covers Iowa, disagrees with the framing of the story. Conrad explains how the process works in Iowa, what checks and balances are in place, and how this news has impacted organ donations. 

In Jul...

There are many ways to be a good neighbor, for Iowa's farmers, it is an important part of telling their story. Brian Waddingham is the executive director for the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers he says their group was made by farmers to support farmers and that means advocacy and implementing best management practices. Guest host and farm broadcaster, David Geiger hosts in this Saturday special.  

As farmer technology improves,...

Painters from across the state of Iowa are coming to Madison County for a fascinating real-time art challenge. They will be assigned mystery landscape locations in the area and paint their assigned scene under time constraints all with a live audience. Sarah Pugh, the Executive Director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce explains what this “Plein Air” event is all about.

Pugh says artist canvases wi...

Adam Steen is running for Iowa Governor. Appointed by Governor Reynolds in 2021 to lead the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, he announced his candidacy for Governor this week and says he’s running as “the faith guy.” But what does that mean?

Steen left no room for confusion. He explains why his faith matters to him, and explains how it would impact his Governing decisions. He explains his views ...

Camp Creek Organic Produce owner, James Nisly is the Iowa’s organic farmer. Nisly discusses why transitions to organic farms is hard, how soil health translates to your nutrition, and how his efforts to provide healthy organic food for Iowa schools are being opposed by the US Government. 

Starting in 1998, Nisly was one of the first to go organic in Iowa. Only recently, has the world caught up with what ne...

Do you know what risks are present in your own neighborhood? Probably not says Director John Benson, of The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He gives advice for every Iowan in case of an emergency, because in many cases the Cavalry can’t make it until it’s too late.

Director Benson says the Iowa, FEMA, and help will eventually get to you, but it’s up to you to hold out until t...

As KCCI turns 70 years old, Cynthia Fodor & Steve Karlin come into the studio to take a walk down memory lane and discuss moments that defined them, and the station. The dynamic duo are known far beyond just their Iowa coverage, often leading national news cycles due to their Presidential access and finger on the USA pulse. 

Karlin and Fodor discuss Democrat party pain leaving Iowa, the rise of citizen jou...

If you think Mayor Tom Phillips is joking as he petitions Buc-ee’s to build their first Iowa location in Norwalk, you’re wrong. He’s serious, it's not a PR stunt. And if you talk to him about the Norwalk master plan, it all makes sense. Mayor Phillips discusses the beloved convenience store, their growing school district, and discusses a major hush-hush $500M project.

Norwalk has grown 43% since 2010 makin...

MAHA, seed oils, glyphosate, nitrates, corn syrup, ethanol, processed foods, and carbon pipelines? Suddenly, Iowa has become the center of many of the political hot button issues driving the national conversation. Farm broadcaster David Geiger discusses the implications for Iowa farmers now and in the future. 

Just last week, The Iowa Soybean association warned congress on trade risks and what they’re call...

The Des Moines Register has built a massive amount of national respect for decades. The new Editor in Chief Rachel Stassen-Berger discusses restoring media trust, the Selzer Poll debacle, and answers a common Republican complaint: do they have a left-bias?

Political operatives have long-recognized the Register as a political powerhouse and Stassen-Berger is well aware of the legacy. She addresses challengi...

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack needs a bigger business card. The newly minted CEO of the World Food Prize just completed his second White House cabinet run under President Joe Biden, previously serving in the Obama administration. Vilsack discusses food health and gives his perspective on President Biden's mental acuity in office.

As new CEO of The World Food Prize, Governor Vilsack has moved on from politics a...

Have you seen a massive rock painted with a Veteran theme in Iowa? How about two of them? How about more? Is there something bigger behind the trend? It turns out, the Iowa artist started the project when he was 19 to honor veterans. Now every country in Iowa has one.

Artist and veteran advocate Ray “Bubba” Sorensen shares the powerful story behind his Freedom Rock Tour—99 hand-painted tributes to veterans...

https://iowapodcast.com/dubuque-is-the-wall-street-journals-pick-for-travel/Iowans love it when people from the rest of the country recognize our awesomeness. This week, the state was pleasantly surprised to see just that. A piece in The Wall Street Journal hailed Dubuque, Iowa as a top summer destination. Writer David Farley joined the show to discuss why he wrote the piece and what surprises he encountered.

Read more