Water Quality

A family farm in central Iowa recently transitioned their industrial hog operation to grow something else — specialty mushrooms. They say it’s better for them and the environment, and with help from a nonprofit, they hope to inspire other farmers.

Led by the Iowa Environmental Council, the Protect Water Prevent Cancer campaign includes state-level policy recommendations, along with guidance for individuals to contact lawmakers and advocate for change in their communities.

Kratom is often found at gas stations and convenience stores and is marketed as a natural supplement for pain and anxiety. Gov. Kim Reynolds is calling for a total ban of the product and other synthetic varieties, alleging dozens of kratom-related deaths in Iowa since 2024. On this Newsbuzz edition of River to River, Ben Kieffer speaks with the 'Iowa Capital Dispatch's' Clark Kauffman about this call to ban kratom. Also, the 'Des Moines Register's' Brianne Pfannenstiel shares how candidates are approaching water quality this session, a registered nurse who found a side hustle fighting poison ivy and columnist Rekha Basu shares the impact of Gloria Steinem. Finally, our International Writing Program series returns with Mexican writer Juan Carlos Reyes and Studio One's Erin Fuller grooves us into the weekend.

Samples from 41 taps across five eastern Iowa cities show wide disparities in what residents are drinking. A Cedar Falls-based environmental scientist conducted a study to better understand how nitrate levels vary in the region.

After hearing from community members who wanted a one-year pause on data centers, the Salix City Council rejected a proposed moratorium. Google is considering a project near the small town.

More than 60 years after a Cold War missile site was deactivated near Missouri Valley, a toxic compound remains in the groundwater. People living nearby are pressing federal officials for answers about health risks and how long the cleanup will take.