The Iowa Podcast
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Ice Cream Days in Le Mars, Iowa. A brief history and how to attend!
It’s almost here! Le Mars Iowa hosts it’s annual Ice Cream Days festival. Executive Director, Kristen Heimgartner explains the history of the special event, how you can get free ice cream, why their town is growing, and how their biggest employer, Wells, sources dairy from Iowa farms. Le Mars, Iowa, holds the formal designation of…
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Secretary of Ag Mike Naig addresses glyphosate concerns
With cancer rates rising and water quality concerns, Iowans are paying closer attention to the Secretary of Agriculture election. Should we make changes? Should we ban chemical pesticides or herbicides like glyphosate? Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said his administration will prioritize accelerating voluntary conservation practices and infrastructure investments to improve water quality, while maintaining…
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Iowa beer trends and what’s behind the Iowa Craft Brew Festival?
Iowa’s craft beer scene is experiencing a shift toward crisp, lower-alcohol beverages. Noreen Otto, the executive director of the Iowa Brewers Guild, highlights a major renaissance in craft ciders made from heritage fruits grown in local orchards. Consumers are increasingly moving away from heavily hopped IPAs and high-ABV stouts in favor of straightforward, easy-drinking lagers…
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Lahn Pops, Feenstra Drops, But Can They Pound Sand?
Iowa is experiencing a remarkably unpredictable election cycle, marked by unprecedented vacancies in its top offices. Kathie Obradovich, editor-in-chief of the Iowa Capital Dispatch, breaks down the bizarre election cycle, the Iowa GOP Gubernatorial flip, what’s happening in the Senate and Congressional races, and are The Democrats coming back to The Iowa Caucuses? Obradovich says…
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One thing you should do on Memorial Day with your family
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ben Doyle explains the true meaning of the holiday and the profound responsibilities of honoring fallen soldiers. Doyle, a volunteer with the Iowa Members Remembrance Run, shared an intimate look into the military traditions surrounding casualties and offered straightforward guidance on how civilians can meaningfully honor the fallen. The Duty of…
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Chris Jones is running for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture to fix our water
Jones says the runoff and nitrate issues are entirely preventable if we change regulations around farming. He also suggests new state funding to help farmers re-design their fields but also suggests farmers may have to contribute new tax revenue to get our water problems under control. In the past, the Secretary of Agriculture position wasn’t…
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Royalty, FAQs and Parking at The Tulip Time Festival
It’s Tulip Time in Iowa! Iowan’s are aware of the annual Tulip Time Festival in Pella, running May 7-9th this year, BUT did you know it’s a honeypot of high-brow visitors? Royalty and even musical celebrities are known to make an appearance, all for the love of Dutch heritage and culture. Jessi Galligan, Executive Director…
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New data: more people listen to podcasts than radio! Iowa podcaster joins us.
According to new data from Edison Research, more people are listening to podcasts in the USA than radio. It’s the very first time this has happened. Ryan Snaadt of Snaadt media, and the Rhymes with Odd Podcast comes in the studio to explain why podcasts aren’t just limited to news companies or publishers. Any brand…
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Is Ai creative? Local composer on making music with Kreg Tool
While AI is an incredibly sophisticated “copy paste” tool capable of replicating patterns, can it close the biological “last mile” of creativity that defines true artistry? Tony Bohnenkamp of The Canary Collective, and former member of The Nadas discusses the creative process of composing original music for Kreg Tool. Music requires emotional depth and intent…
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Iowa Artisan “Vibe Coding” the Future of A Centuries-Old Trade
Riana LeJeune, owner of Renewable Furniture Inc. and the Re-Pinned Workroom, is bridging the gap between a centuries-old skilled trade and futuristic technology. While many perceive upholstery as a dying art, LeJeune argues it is actually an essential industry suffering from a lack of visibility and accessible educational pathways. “Upholstery is a centuries-old skilled trade;…