In 2013, the Iowa Legislature passed a law that changed calendar requirements for school districts, allowing them to change their schedule from five days of classes to four. In the years since, more rural school districts have adopted this schedule as a more affordable way to attract and retain teachers. On this episode, we talk about this trend and the impacts that have been seen nationwide. (This episode was originally produced Aug. 21, 2025)
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In 1861, 32 students and two teachers from Greene County left to enlist in the Union Army. The school closed behind them and 11 of them never came home. On this episode, we learn about the schoolboy soldiers of Rippey and the people who are keeping this history alive. We talk with local historian Chuck Offenburger, who spoke to a Greene County High School class, which then inspired students and history teacher Dena Boyd to research further into the soldiers. We also hear from one of those students, Oliver Harris, and Rippey resident Mary Weaver who have all been involved in bringing the Schoolboy Soldiers of Rippey to life with monuments, re-enactments, and an upcoming theatrical production. -
In many U.S. cities, even those without camping bans, officials are more aggressive with removing encampments from public spaces. People experiencing homelessness say they’re moving frequently and experiencing anxiety. -
A new campaign wants to make it harder to raise taxes in Iowa — background on what that constitutional amendment would actually do. Then, we hear from IPR's Rachel Kramer about why farm income is down more than half since 2022. We also talk with Kate Melloy Goettel of the University of Iowa Law School about why government wants to strip a naturalized Iowan's citizenship, discuss the AI model that forecasts nitrate spikes in Iowa's river with University of Iowa professor Jesus Gomez Velez, and more.
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Two years, eight thousand miles, and according to a new book, a lot more heroes than just Lewis and Clark. On this episode, we talk with historian and author Craig Fehrman. He spent five years chasing down the real story behind the famous expedition, and found it wasn't just their story. His new book, 'This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark,' rebuilds the history through 10 different voices, exploring new perspectives of American history.
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The Granny Basketball League is growing fast, and this year's national tournament is in Ankeny. We hear from the Cedar Rapids Sizzlers, the Iowa Gold Stars and league founder Barb Tomlinson Trammel. We learn all about the sport, the league and how it connects with a rich history of women’s basketball in Iowa. Then, the freedom to wear trousers was one that women had to fight for and one of the earliest styles of pants that began to give women the freedom to move without restriction were called bloomers. Amelia Bloomer, women’s rights pioneer and reluctant fashion icon who lived in Iowa, inspired the name.
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More than 100 new Iowa laws just took effect on abortion, crime, and policing. On this episode of River to River, we talk about what’s changed and who it affects. We hear from Erin Murphy of the Gazette who gives us a quick survey of the most significant new laws. Then, IPR's Natalie Krebs explains the new telehealth restrictions and what options remain for abortion pill prescriptions. Mahaska County Attorney Andrew Ritland tells us about Iowa's new mandatory minimum for repeat felons. And state Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines shares her thoughts on a new law that removes the annual police bias training requirement.
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The World Food Prize Foundation is marking four decades of honoring the scientists, farmers and policy innovators who feed our planet. On this episode, host Ben Kieffer is joined by Iowa Governor and two-time U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Vilsack now leads the foundation. We talk about what the World Food Prize’s 40th anniversary means for communities across the state and why global food security starts with places like Iowa. We also talk about the New World screwworm, the dismantling of USAID and more.
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This summer, the Grout Museum District is preparing to demolish its former science center, the Bluedorn Science Imaginarium. The decision was made in the face of funding uncertainty stemming from property tax reform in Waterloo. -
Five young journalists spent a week learning about radio, exploring moments of truth and creating multimedia stories. On this episode, we meet the journalists who participated in the NextGen Journalism Project, a program that helps coach and train public media’s next generation, and hear their work.
