Here First

Recent episodes

1. Wednesday, August 5th, 2026 from Here First

   Aug 5, 2026

   Iowa is implementing a new Pell grant program for short term career training. Iowa Libertarians will pick a new candidate for the 3rd Congressional District. And a new survey shows public awareness could lead to more conservation efforts for prairies.

2. Tuesday, August 4th, 2026 from Here First

   Aug 4, 2026

   Google wants to build a data center near the small town of Salix. The Otoe-Missouria tribe is in Iowa visiting ancestral sites. And what are the candidates for Iowa governor saying about data center regulations?

3. Monday, August 3rd, 2026 from Here First

   Aug 3, 2026

   Zach Lahn, the Republican candidate for governor, shares his thoughts on public education models. A Libertarian running for Congress says he's going to try to get back on the ballot. And a new law ensures teachers get paid leave if they are physically injured by a student.

4. Friday, July 31st, 2026 from Here First

   Jul 31, 2026

   A new report from the ACLU of Iowa shows schools with school resource officers arrest Black students at disproportionately higher rates. Community members are rallying to stop a natural gas power plant in Linn County from being developed. And how has the lapse of ACA tax credits affected farmers?

5. Thursday, July 30th, 2026 from Here First

   Jul 30, 2026

   Haitians in Iowa on TPS are facing uncertainty as they lose that status this week. Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Democrat Josh Turek for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat. And how are public camping bans being enforced in Midwest cities?

6. Wednesday, July 29th, 2026 from Here First

   Jul 29, 2026

   The Libertarians who wanted to run for governor and lieutenant governor will not be on the ballot. Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand shares his cancer related proposals. And a farming nonprofit in eastern Iowa is in limbo as federal funding from the USDA remains uncertain.

7. Tuesday, July 28th, 2026 from Here First

   Jul 28, 2026

   Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand has shared his proposals on social media restrictions for minors. Residents in the Des Moines Area are no longer under water use restrictions. And a group of farmers is trying to bring attention to the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

8. Monday, July 27th, 2026 from Here First

   Jul 27, 2026

   Iowa will not have the first spot in the Democratic presidential nominating process in 2028. Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson says she’d like to see greater restrictions on social media and AI to protect kids. And a well-known Islamic scholar and community leader in Cedar Rapids has died.

9. Friday, July 24th, 2026 from Here First

   Jul 24, 2026

   Haitians in Iowa with Temporary Protected Status are set to lose their protections on Monday. NASA is partnering with the University of Iowa for a project to predict nitrate concentrations. And farmers in the Corn Belt worry they may not see a profit this year.

10. Thursday, July 23rd, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 23, 2026

    Children in Iowa's foster care system who receive survivor benefits will now get to keep the money when they leave the system. Governor Kim Reynolds talks about her support for the federal SAVE Act that's been stalling in the U.S. Senate. And why are more people moving to the Midwest?

11. Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 22, 2026

    More Iowans are turning to out-of-state health care providers to access abortion care. Two Libertarian candidates for governor who got kicked off the ballot were in court yesterday to get back on it. And a new online tool aims to connect Iowans with cancer screening information.

12. Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 21, 2026

    Residents in a western Iowa community are raising concerns about a manure waste site. A sanctuary policy has failed to pass for a second time in Decorah. And the latest campaign finance reports are out for Iowa's gubernatorial race.

13. Monday, July 20th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 20, 2026

    House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke at a conservative Christian event in Iowa. The 1619 Freedom School hosted its annual Read-In event to protest book bans. And it could be a warmer and drier winter.

14. Friday, July 17th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 17, 2026

    Dubuque County leaders are considering an outright ban on data centers. Scientists say they’re finding concerning levels of pesticides in U.S. rivers. And Iowa’s largest utility is warning people to be wary of online scam artists posing as customer service workers.

15. Thursday, July 16th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 16, 2026

    A data center company wants to build a huge facility near Clinton in eastern Iowa. The state’s new Medicaid fraud task force has met for the first time. And Iowa is looking for the rightful owner of a baseball signed by superstar Pete Rose.

16. Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 15, 2026

    A data center company building near Cedar Rapids is injecting $5 million into workforce development, while the Palo City Council voted to advance their data center ordinance this week. An Iowa woman is the first known patient in the U.S. to receive a quadruple organ transplant with re-transplanted lungs. And U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says he's monitoring a proposed merger between two railways.

17. Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 14, 2026

    Some school districts are delaying or changing projects in connection to changes in state property tax laws. Another Iowa county has put a pause on data center development. And a conversation with Iowa Public Radio's retiring CEO.

18. Monday, July 13th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 13, 2026

    Pete Buttigieg rallied with Iowa Democrats last night. President Trump has endorsed Republican Zach Lahn for Iowa governor. And a Midwestern couple is trying to set up government support for Alzheimer's early detection.

19. Friday, July 10th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 10, 2026

    A hospital in Council Bluffs is set to close its labor and delivery unit. Des Moines residents are sharing their thoughts about the city's expected budget shortfall. And the education center at Springbrook State Park will be demolished.

20. Thursday, July 9th, 2026 from Here First

    Jul 9, 2026

    Iowa has its first confirmed measles case of the year. The city of Decorah is considering an ordinance that would end its cooperation with ICE agents. And an Iowan shares her story of leaving the corporate world to start her own bakery.