Talk of Iowa Show

2 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Anastasia Tsioulcas

The federal trial against hip-hop tycoon Sean Combs is finally getting underway, some eight months after he was arrested on criminal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. Combs — also known by a number of monikers including P. Diddy, Puff Daddy and Puff — concurrently faces dozens of civil lawsuits from men and women who allege that he drugged and sexually assaulted them.

2 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Julia Simon

VIENNA – Vienna's city hall, with its stone towers and gargoyles, often reminds visitors of another neo-gothic building, says city council member Nina Abrahamczik.  "Children who come with the school classes are like, 'Oh, it looks like Hogwarts,'" she says. But Abrahamczik, who heads the city's climate and environment committee, says this building has something Hogwarts doesn't: solar panels.

2 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Hadeel Al-Shalchi

Updated May 12, 2025 at 1:51 PM CDTTEL AVIV, Israel — Hamas has released U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, according to a statement by Hamas and an Israeli official who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity because the official was unauthorized to speak publicly. On Sunday, Hamas said his release would be a step toward reaching a ceasefire agreement with Israel after it had been holding talks with the U.S. for the last several days.

5 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Ben Kieffer |Dani Gehr |Caitlin Troutman |Brianna Bohling-Hall

Hundreds of AmeriCorps members in Iowa have been left scrambling for housing and jobs after the federal government abruptly terminated funding for the program. On this episode of River to River, Indian Creek Nature Center executive director John Myers discusses how his center has been impacted by the sudden departure of AmeriCorps volunteers, and what it could mean for the future of many of Iowa’s nature reserves.

5 days ago | iowapublicradio.org | Charity Nebbe |Aaron Steil |Brianna Bohling-Hall

Ants can sometimes be beneficial to your garden, but can become problematic. Iowa State University entomologist Zach Schumm and extension horticulture specialist Aaron Steil give tips on how to identify different kinds of ants, signs that you have an ant problem and what do to about ants. GuestsZach Schumm, Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic diagnostician, Iowa State University  Aaron Steil, extension horticulture specialist, Iowa State University