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Here First podcast from IPR
Here First
Monday – Friday before 7 a.m.

Start your day with the essentials. Coffee. Breakfast. And the local news you need to know. Host Meghan McKinney rises bright and early to bring you the top news stories from around Iowa in under 10 minutes. Wake up, grab that coffee and get your news Here First. You can support what you hear on this podcast at ipr.org/donate

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Latest Episodes
  • Congress must figure out DHS funding by Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown. Coralville is considering revisiting what it uses automated license plate readers for. And a young couple moved out of Iowa after state lawmakers removed gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.
  • Abortion pills would have to be dispensed in person under a bill in the Iowa Senate. Local government's civil rights codes would have to match the state's civil rights code under a bill in the Iowa House. And how has immigration enforcement impacted Iowa's population growth?
  • A Republican has dropped out of the 4th Congressional District primary race. Iowa is in a snow drought. And it's Legislative Monday with IPR's Katarina Sostaric.
  • A controversial bill would repeal police training requirements for de-escalation and bias prevention. Researchers are finding some counties in Iowa have higher cancer rates than expected. And how is Alpha-gal syndrome impacting farmers?
  • Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a bill that regulates local government civil rights rules. Linn County supervisors are drafting data center development regulations. And there's a bill that wouldn't allow some partnerships between public schools and public libraries.
  • Weekly organizing for immigrants' rights is continuing in Cedar Rapids. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says he will probably vote for new controversial voter ID requirements. And international artists say it's becoming harder to work in the U.S.
  • Hundreds of people attended a legal observer training in Cedar Rapids. A Democrat has announced his run for state treasurer. And a conversation with the first Iowan to make the U.S. Olympic speedskating team.
  • Iowa Democrats will get a chance to make their case for one of the early slots in the 2028 presidential nominating process. Iowa farmers are hopeful about President Trump’s call to expand the sale of E15 gasoline. And Johnson County supervisors recently met with residents of local mobile home parks to learn more about their list of concerns.
  • There are bills proposed in response to the arrest of former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts. Political party leaders are getting ready for the Iowa Caucuses. And how are dairy farmers dealing with dropping milk prices?
  • House Republican state lawmakers are proposing bills they say would be tough on crime. John Deere is hiring back some workers it laid off last year. And how are Iowa farmers accessing mental health services?