E-bikes have made cycling more accessible and expanded the ability to replace car trips with a bike ride. However, electric motors have complicated bike trails and have people worried about safety. Today, we go on an e-commute with IPR's Meghan Polk and her young kids. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition's Matt Burkey shares why he has embraced e-bikes and how most problems on the trail are due to e-motos. Ankeny Police Sgt. Trevor McGraw shares how they are trying to improve trail safety. Lake Shore Cyclery & Fitness owner Riley Godfredson joins to talk about booming e-bike sales and how to choose the right bike. Finally, Iowa Waste Reduction Center director Joe Bolick talks about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries, how to safely dispose of them and reduce e-waste.
Courtesy of Visit Mason City
Maura Curran
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Iowa Public Radio
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For years, the Iowa State Patrol has set a goal of keeping traffic deaths below 300. In 2025, they not only met that goal, but had the fewest fatalities since 1925 at 259. We discuss some of the factors that have led to this decrease, including the hands-free driving law that took effect July 2025, with full enforcement beginning in January. We also learn about Alive at 25, a safety initiative launched by the Iowa Department of Transportation last fall to improve driving behavior among the state's youngest drivers. (This show was originally produced Jan. 8, 2026.) -
Iowa's hands-free driving law aimed at combating distracted driving goes into effect July 1. Under the new law, drivers can't hold their phone in any way. -
The nonprofit works to reduce barriers to cycling through its bike checkout service and programs aimed at Spanish-speaking, gender diverse and limited mobility individuals.
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The Iowa City Bike Library is working to broaden who a cyclist is and reduce barriers to biking. -
The Des Moines nonprofit shared their mission of mentoring at-risk youth through RAGBRAI training on national TV. The group received a donation of $10,000 from Casey's during the appearance. -
The Iowa State Fair is known for its creative food and passionate politics, and in this week's News Buzz, we sample from both.
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A long-anticipated connection between the Raccoon River Valley and High Trestle trails in central Iowa opens on Saturday, Aug. 17. -
The Courage Ride — which raises funds for Sarcoma research — will roll out of Iowa City on August 10.
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While the Iowa Senate passed a bill that would ban motorists' handheld use of cell phones behind the wheel in 2023, it failed to advance in this year's session after the proposal was combined with legislation that would ban traffic enforcement cameras.
