Iowa

Veteran journalist Tom Chorneau discusses his book Mrs. Cook & The Klan, which examines an unsolved Iowa murder case from 1925. Chorneau’s true crime investigation also explains the complex social, political and cultural forces at work in 1920s America, where prohibition, the KKK's resurgence and the temperance movement created a volatile mix.This show was originally produced June 17, 2025.

Having prediabetes means your body is struggling to manage blood sugar. Without changes, it can develop into full-blown diabetes and put you at risk for other chronic conditions. Host Ben Kieffer is joined by Dr. Cara Drew, a family medicine physician in Sioux City, and Corey Dion Lewis, a health coach based in Des Moines. They discuss the populations most at risk, how to get tested and how to prevent full-blown diabetes.

A team of researchers at the University of Northern Iowa is exploring the deepest caves in the U.S. with NASA funding. This could inform the search for life on other planets. UNI associate professor Josh Sebree discusses the research he’s been leading with an interdisciplinary team of UNI students. We also hear from one of those researchers, Jacqueline Heggen, and Cheryl Johnson, president of the state’s chapter of the National Speleological Society.

In an internal meeting on Friday, the Iowa Department of Corrections told employees it is no longer pursuing privatization, saying now is not the right time. About 20% of the medical staff resigned over the past six months.

Seed corn companies are using more laborers with H-2A visas, according to data from Iowa Workforce Development and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Local contractors say they have teens, who rely on the summer jobs, waiting to do the work.

Contractors say they have enough local labor to detassel Nebraska’s seed corn but they’re losing work to migrant workers on H-2A visas. A 2024 law attempted to increase transparency in detasseling.

When buying a home, a mortgage isn’t the only thing that can weigh down your finances. From repairs to maintenance, the true costs of owning a home can surprise you.

Staff cuts, the closure of regional printing presses and cuts to printed editions characterize Lee Enterprises as it tries to expand its digital subscriber base while keeping existing print customers and advertisers on board.

Discrepancies surfaced after the former Des Moines superintendent was arrested by federal immigration agents last week. Des Moines Public Schools is suing the firm that did his background check.

The service and sacrifice of Black Americans in defense of the United States is believed to be a driving force in the progress of civil rights over generations.