In 2018, we said goodbye to a number of remarkable Iowans. On this edition of River to River , we remember them by looking back at their lives, listening to excerpts of interviews and speaking to people who knew them well. We remember syndicated columnist and RAGBRAI cofounder Donald Kaul, Iowa’s longest-serving Iowa Supreme Court Justice Jerry Larson, civil rights and education advocate Betty Jean Furgerson, former U.S. Congressman Leonard Boswell, editorial writer Gil Cranberg, former Iowa

As lawmakers returned to the Iowa Capitol Monday to kick off the 2019 legislative session, Republican leaders said they are excited about having full control of the statehouse for the third session in a row. Party leaders and lawmakers started the day at a fundraising breakfast for Iowa Republicans, where party chair Jeff Kaufmann said the recent elections gave them a mandate to continue their work. “Iowans spoke in 2018, and what they told you is that when you do what you say you’re going to do

Iowa’s so-called "ag gag" law made it a crime for journalists and advocacy groups to go undercover at ag-related operations to investigate working conditions, animal welfare, food safety and environmental hazards, among other things. This week, a federal judge struck down that 2012 law. In this news buzz edition of River to River , host Ben Kieffer talks with Jennifer Zwagerman of Drake University to examine why the court says the law is not compatible with free speech, and what this new ruling

In this hour of River to River, host Ben Kieffer looks back at some of the biggest Iowa news stories from 2018 with Iowa Public Radio reporters Kate Payne, Katie Peikes, Katarina Sostaric, Clay Masters, and Amy Mayer. The team looks back on stories including a historic midterm election, the progression of the Fetal Heartbeat Bill , sexual harassment complaints in the state government, the murders of Mollie Tibbetts and Celia Barquín Arozamena , the passage of a new Farm Bill , the legalization

Does the U.S. have a new strategy for the war in Syria? On this politics day edition of River to River , host Ben Kieffer talks with political scientists Jim McCormick of Iowa State University and Wayne Moyer of Grinnell College about the possible withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, the president's primetime address Tuesday evening, the continuing effects of the partial government shutdown, and the ongoing immigration debate in Washington.

This program originally aired on March 8, 2018. Terrorism, environmental degradation, ever more divisive politics... Sometimes it seems like the world is falling apart. But is it really? In his latest book, "Enlightenment Now," author Steven Pinker - one of the foremost writers on language, the mind, and human nature - urges everyone to step back from the headlines full of doom. In this episode of River to River , Ben Kieffer talks with Pinker about his thoughts on religion, nationalism,

If you’ve driven along I-80 between Iowa City and Des Moines in the last year, you’ve noticed the dozens of wind turbines being built along the interstate. Those are part of a $3.6 billion MidAmerican wind energy expansion project. The Iowa Utilities board approved another $922 million wind energy project, Wind XII, late last year; and with its approval, MidAmerican is positioned to provide its customers with 100 percent of their energy from renewable sources in the next few years. During this

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren will visit Iowa today, just a few days after launching her 2020 exploratory committee for a White House bid. On this news buzz edition of River to River , host Emily Woodbury speaks with political analyst Donna Hoffman of the University of Northern Iowa for analysis ahead of Senator Warren's visit to Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Storm Lake, and Des Moines. Also in today's program: Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller discusses a recent legal win expected to

President Trump met with leaders from both parties and both chambers Wednesday, in an effort to find a compromise that would end the federal government shutdown. The meeting was billed as a briefing about security at the border, but talk quickly turned to the president's demand for $5 billion in funding for a border wall, a key campaign promise. In this episode of River to River , host Ben Kieffer talks with Dennis Goldford, professor of political science and department chair at Drake University

The arrest of a suspect in a 39-year-old murder case has police reminding fugitives that unsolved investigations are almost always ongoing. The Cedar Rapids Police have a man in custody accused of the 1979 killing of Michelle Martinko. Chief Wayne Jerman says just because a case goes cold doesn’t mean it will remain that way. “Police, law enforcement throughout the country are not going to stop,” he says. “Technology continues to evolve and we’re going to use it to our advantage in the pursuit