public health

Our air was getting cleaner. Now, wildfire smoke has reversed that progress. On this episode, a new University of Iowa study finds wildfires have undone years of gains against ground-level ozone pollution, and the effects are reaching deep into the Midwest. First, we hear from former Iowa residents Jerry and Sue Prothero, who watched ash fall like snow in northern Minnesota. Then, we talk with Jun Wang, the study's lead author, about why ozone pollution is worsening and what it means for Iowans. We also talk with Peter Thorne of the University of Iowa College of Public Health about the health impacts of wildfire smoke and ozone pollution. And we address the health and air quality impacts of a proposed gas plant in Linn County with Abe Kellison of Save Morgan Valley. Save Morgan Valley is a community organization opposing Alliant Energy’s proposed 720-megawatt natural gas power plant in unincorporated western Linn County.

An Iowa man was nearly deported into a war zone. On this episode, how families are caught in the middle of third-country deportation. First, we hear from Midwest Newsroom reporting fellow Steph Conquest-Ware on families in limbo under the third-country deportation policy. We also talk about tips on how to protect yourself from this summer's fast-spreading cyclospora outbreak with disease prevention specialist Jennifer Miller. We hear from Guthrie Center RAGBRAI organizer Mike Underwood, as the town readies to host tens of thousands overnight on RAGBRAI. And, after 12 years at the helm, a conversation with IPR’s outgoing CEO Myrna Johnson. Then, IPR’s Erin Fuller grooves us into the weekend.

Nationally, deaths from suicide, drugs and alcohol are declining. But in Iowa, they're rising, and they're often referred to as "deaths of despair." On this episode, we hear from Lauren Williams, an Iowa woman who lost her brother to suicide, and from Kayla Mayer of Cherokee County Public Health, who's working to decrease the local rate of suicide. We also talk with Daniel Wheaton of the Midwest Newsroom and Dr. Alison Lynch of the University of Iowa on why our state is seeing more deaths of despair and what can be done about it.

Iowa sees its first measles case of the year. On today's Newsbuzz edition episode, we talk with Polk County Public Health director Juliann Van Liew about how Polk County is guarding against the highly contagious virus. We talk with Luke Nozicka of NPR's Midwest Newsroom about the rise in dementia cases and lack of specialists to keep up. We hear how Iowa's drinking water nitrate violations more than doubled last year from Cami Koons of the Iowa Capital Dispatch. IPR's Rachel Kramer shares how Iowa volunteers are racing to track the state's disappearing bumblebees, and we talk with Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders about the budget gap created by the new property tax law. Then, IPR's Cece Mitchell grooves us into the weekend.

A nonprofit is hoping to provide emergency cooling assistance as extreme heat hits most of central Iowa. It's partnering with local fire stations to request donations as federal funding for its services dwindles.

Data centers are massive and thirsty for water and power. Iowans are split on whether they're good neighbors. On this episode, the data center debate as cities and counties throughout the state are weighing potential data center installations. First, a Brookings Institution researcher on what rural communities stand to gain and lose from these developments. Then, Linn County Supervisor Sami Scheetz joins to discuss the ordinance they passed earlier this year and how it compares to other local governments' approaches to recent data center proposals. Iowa’s state geologist discusses whether Iowa's groundwater supply can handle the demand from data centers. And a public health researcher joins to discuss the public health implications from data centers powered by nonrenewable sources.