Talk of Iowa Show

Talk of Iowa features a blend of familiar guests and knowledgeable specialists who share insights about current events in Iowa and highlight the unique aspects of living in the state. Among the regular contributors are wildlife authority Jim Pease and the Hort Day team, who join the conversation every Friday.

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Iowan Peggy Whitson preps for 5th space mission this weekend

2 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Matt Kelley

America’s most experienced astronaut, Iowa native Peggy Whitson, is scheduled to launch Sunday on her fifth mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Sunday’s launch will mark her second mission with the private firm Axiom Space. Whitson will command Ax-4 on a two-week expedition to the orbiting station, along with three teammates, all of whom are from different countries. During an Axiom Space news conference, Whitson talked about the historic nature of the flight.
2025 summer book guide for kids and teens

3 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Natalie Dunlap |Caitlin Troutman |Charity Nebbe

Books recommended by:Janeé Jackson-Doering, consultant for youth services, State Library of IowaAmanda Lepper, co-owner, Dog Eared BooksMolly Roberts, manager of children’s books, Prairie Lights Bookstore Arts & Life Books & ReadingSummer Reading
2025 summer book guide for grown-ups

4 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Natalie Dunlap |Charity Nebbe |Caitlin Troutman

Books recommended by:Jan Weismiller, co-owner of Prairie LightsTim Budd, buyer at Prairie LightsEllyn Grimm, co-owner of Dog-Eared Books in Ames Arts & Life Book listsBooks & Reading
Democrat Julie Stauch launches campaign for Iowa governor

4 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | O. Kay Henderson

A Democrat who has worked behind the scenes on many campaigns has launched her own campaign for governor. Julie Stauch of West Des Moines said Iowans are "disgusted” by the state’s elected leaders. “Everything’s really broken and it needs to be fixed, and I’m a problem solver. It’s what I’ve done in everything I do,” Stauch told Radio Iowa. “We have a governor and a Legislature that, for the last at least seven years and maybe 15, think their job is to create problems for the people of Iowa.
'Bring Carol home:' ICE snatches rural Missouri mom at immigration check-in

4 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Kavahn Mansouri |Chad Davis

Carol Mayorga sat at a small table inside the Greene County Jail in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday morning. She appeared on screen via the jail's video visitation service, wearing a muted green jumpsuit, her eyeglasses framed by her black hair. Mayorga, whose legal name is Ming Li Hui, has been detained in jail under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since late April.
Jacinda Ardern reflects on a career focused on the power of kindness

4 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Mary Louise Kelly |Courtney Dorning |Erika Ryan

In 2017, Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, was sitting in her bathroom anxiously anticipating the news of two potentially life-changing events. One, the election results that could make her the youngest female head of government in the world. And the other, a pregnancy test that could not only make her a first-time mother, but determine how she might spend the first few months of her tenure. Ardern won the election and gave birth to a daughter later that year.
What Iowa National Guard members will be doing during Middle East deployment

4 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Ben Kieffer |Samantha McIntosh

The first measles case since 2019 in Iowa was confirmed on May 23rd. In this episode, we hear from two Iowans who are seeking to provide accurate measles and vaccine information to the state. Later in the episode, we hear from Chief of Staff Colonel Chuck Lampe of the Iowa Army National Guard about last week's deployment of 1,800 members to the Middle East as part of the U.S. military's mission to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
A million people in the Midwest could lose Medicaid under federal work requirements

5 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Ben Thorp

Up to 1 million low income and disabled people across the Midwest could lose their Medicaid health insurance coverage, according to a new analysis. That's because federal lawmakers are considering adding Medicaid work requirements, which means people would have to prove they work, volunteer, or go to school in order to receive health insurance.
How to give your conifers a chance to thrive

1 week ago | iowapublicradio.org | Charity Nebbe |Caitlin Troutman

Conifers can add a lot to a landscape — color, texture and they’re great for windbreaks, but Iowa isn’t always good for conifers. The list of recommended species has been dwindling in recent years. Host Charity Nebbe joins Jeff Iles, professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, to find out how to give conifers the best chance to survive and thrive. Then, Iowa State University Extension Horticulture Specialist Aaron Steil joins the program to help answer listener questions.
Health guidance amid a confirmed measles case and shifting vaccine guidance

1 week ago | iowapublicradio.org | Ben Kieffer |Dani Gehr

This week, the federal government announced it would no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines for healthy pregnant women and children and that it had cancelled a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine. This follows the first detection of measles in Iowa since 2019. Amid all this health news, River to River host Ben Kieffer is joined by Johnson County Public Health disease prevention specialist Jennifer Miller to get the latest health guidance.