The Iowa Podcast

Do you know what risks are present in your own neighborhood? Probably not says Director John Benson, of The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He gives advice for every Iowan in case of an emergency, because in many cases the Cavalry can't make it until it's too late. Director Benson says the Iowa, FEMA, and help will eventually get to you, but it's up to you to hold ou...

As KCCI turns 70 years old, Cynthia Fodor & Steve Karlin come into the studio to take a walk down memory lane and discuss moments that defined them, and the station. The dynamic duo are known far beyond just their Iowa coverage, often leading national news cycles due to their Presidential access and finger on the USA pulse.  Karlin and Fodor discuss Democrat party pain leaving Iowa, the rise of ci...

If you think Mayor Tom Phillips is joking as he petitions Buc-ee's to build their first Iowa location in Norwalk, you're wrong. He's serious, it's not a PR stunt. And if you talk to him about the Norwalk master plan, it all makes sense. Mayor Phillips discusses the beloved convenience store, their growing school district, and discusses a major hush-hush $500M project. Norwalk has grown 43% since 2...

MAHA, seed oils, glyphosate, nitrates, corn syrup, ethanol, processed foods, and carbon pipelines? Suddenly, Iowa has become the center of many of the political hot button issues driving the national conversation. Farm broadcaster David Geiger discusses the implications for Iowa farmers now and in the future.  Just last week, The Iowa Soybean association warned congress on trade risks and what the...

The Des Moines Register has built a massive amount of national respect for decades. The new Editor in Chief Rachel Stassen-Berger discusses restoring media trust, the Selzer Poll debacle, and answers a common Republican complaint: do they have a left-bias? Political operatives have long-recognized the Register as a political powerhouse and Stassen-Berger is well aware of the legacy. She addresses...

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack needs a bigger business card. The newly minted CEO of the World Food Prize just completed his second White House cabinet run under President Joe Biden, previously serving in the Obama administration. Vilsack discusses food health and gives his perspective on President Biden's mental acuity in office. As new CEO of The World Food Prize, Governor Vilsack has moved on from p...

Have you seen a massive rock painted with a Veteran theme in Iowa? How about two of them? How about more? Is there something bigger behind the trend? It turns out, the Iowa artist started the project when he was 19 to honor veterans. Now every country in Iowa has one. Artist and veteran advocate Ray "Bubba" Sorensen shares the powerful story behind his Freedom Rock Tour—99 hand-painted tributes to...

https://iowapodcast.com/dubuque-is-the-wall-street-journals-pick-for-travel/Iowans love it when people from the rest of the country recognize our awesomeness. This week, the state was pleasantly surprised to see just that. A piece in The Wall Street Journal hailed Dubuque, Iowa as a top summer destination. Writer David Farley joined the show to discuss why he wrote the piece and what surprises he...

It's the most state-of-the-art EV charger in the country, the only one in Iowa, and you'll never guess where it is. The V4 Tesla Supercharger is capable of an output of 350 hW per hour charging speeds and is located in Lamoni, Iowa at the Amish Country Store, right next to Amish Horse and Buggy Parking. Jeremy Sellars, owner of the store says it was a long time coming. Tesla owners stop at the cha...

Have you heard of Pizza on the Prairie? Only in Iowa can you enjoy locally made pizza, made from scratch, out of an Italian pizza oven, sourced using ingredients grown right next to you, as you eat! Debra Houghtaling tells us why families come to learn about Iowa agriculture with their appetite!  On Friday nights in the summer, Iowans are making their way to Orient, Iowa to enjoy Pizza on the Prai...

Representative Eddie Andrews has announced his run for Iowa Governor. As a Republican he doesn't align with his party's lock step on everything, specifically the glyphosate shield law and eminent domain use for carbon pipeline companies. He also discusses mental health and property taxes, and ESA transparency. Rep. Andrews discusses his take on issues, but also expands on his focus on mental healt...

Does Iowa have a rising tech scene? Many community leaders may brag about it often but the reality is… well, no. Liz Keehner, Principal of Next Level Ventures explains the hard truths that many Iowans probably don't want to hear—the money isn't there. So is it time to pack it in or double down? The discussion ventures into uncharted territory many Iowans are reluctant to discuss. Venture investmen...

Is Des Moines Water Works tap water safe? That depends on who you ask. Medical podcaster Dr. Andrew Huberman has recommended filtering your tap water on his popular show Huberman Lab due to new studies on DBPs and negative effects from fluoride. Polk County Supervisor Matt McCoy discusses water safety, addresses concerns, and explains why Des Moines Water Works is developing a new marketing campai...

State Auditor Rob Sand is running for Iowa Governor. As the lone Democrat in Iowa public office, backed by a significantly weaker Democrat party, is he going to run as a Democrat or Independent? He discussed why he may not actually be opposed to the new ESA law, how he'll handle a GOP majority, and discusses his opposition to gender being removed from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Sand is positioning...

For the first time in history, the Pope isn't just from the United States, but from the midwest! Pope Leo XIV hails from Chicago, and this close proximity to Iowa could have an impact. Tom Chapman, Executive Director of The Iowa Catholic Conference discusses Pope Leo's history, what it means for Iowans, and tackles the big question we all want to know: is Pope Leo going to make a Midwest visit? Po...

In today's episode guest host Mark Gannon sit down with Jessica Mazour of the Iowa Sierra Club and the carbon pipeline - what is it? Who's behind? And, most importantly, how does it affect us? Some topics discussed include: The use of tax dollars by a private company to fund this project Use of eminent domain for a private company. How is this allowed? The damage to our Iowa land. Safety around th...

Farms aren't fun. Right? Someone tell Samantha (Sammy) Petersen of Bloomsbury Farms in Atkins, Iowa. As a 5th generation farmer she has helped her parents build an agritourism destination in the Eastern Iowa empire. While many Iowa farms have been jumping into the agritourism trend, Peterson says her mother jumped on the trend 30 years ago. Talk about agritourism trendsetters! Starting out as a gr...

In this episode of The Iowa Podcast, guest host Rob Newton chats with Elizabeth Weyers, Manager of the Downtown Farmers' Market at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, as she shares what's ahead for the 2025 season starting May 3rd. With over 300 vendors participating, Elizabeth highlights the Market's wide-ranging showcase of Iowa's agricultural bounty, food producers, artisans, and small business...

If you're a fan of Iowa's famous breaded pork tenderloin, this special Iowa Eats edition of The Iowa Podcast is a must-listen. Guest host and fifth-generation chef Jensen Cummings chats with JayJay Goodvin—aka The Iowa Gallivant—about his flavorful journey across all 99 counties in search of the state's best tenderloin. Broadcast from Jethro's BBQ studio in Des Moines, JayJay shares what went into...

Public transit in Iowa is a challenge. Cities like Des Moines are more expansive and were built around the automobile. There are upsides of course, but it makes public transit quite a challenge. DART CEO, Amanda Wanke explains why central Iowan's shouldn't expect profitability any time soon, and speaks about their plans to address future budget shortfalls. Public transit, says Wanke, is a challeng...

How do Iowa storm chasers get incredible footage? Do they go 120mph in sports cars around the state? Actually no, they just book a hotel room near the area they suspect of tornadic activity. Todd Rector with The Iowa Storm Chasing Network says they have advance notice. But there's a breakdown in how that information is communicated to you. Getting the word out and Iowans can be a challenge, the co...

If you ask some, the anti-Trump and Elon Musk protests are saving Democracy. If you ask others, the're burning Tesla stores and vandalizing property. Saturday protest organizer, Michaelyn Mankel describes their objectives, and tells us if anyone is getting paid to protest.  Mankel says their objectives are around concerns with President Trump, Elon Musk, DOGE, and Congressman Zach Nunn are around...

Kevin Foley has led the Des Moines International Airport for over a decade and is retiring in April, handing off operations to Brian Mulcahy. In this special episode, Mulcahy introduces himself to Iowans and Foley takes a walk down memory lane, including getting through the emotional period of the COVID-related global shutdown. This interview took place at the DSM Airport on video, between termina...

What's new for the Iowa Cubs 2025 Season? General Manager and President, Sam Bernabe joins us. For starters the Iowa Cubs have seven of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 playing right here for the Iowa Cubs.  It's a great way to build momentum on what was already an incredibly talented year in 2024. We also find out why only ONE person operates the T-Shirt cannon and has never missed a game. Find this show o...

It's a shaky time for Iowa basketball. Iowa Hawkeye men axe Fran McCaffery after a bad year. Iowa Hawkeye women have lost momentum in the post Clark era, and Iowa State men and women basketball have an average tournament showing. As Drake's head coach Brian McCollum heads to Iowa however, are they the real winner? Ross Peterson of The Rush suggests this apparent loss may be a huge advantage.  The...