PlatPhorm Podcasts
Start your day with the essentials. Coffee. Breakfast. And the local news you need to know. Host Meghan McKinney rises bright and early to bring you the top news stories from around Iowa in under 10 minutes. Wake up, grab that coffee and get your news Here First. You can support what you hear on this podcast at ipr.org/donate.
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2/10/2026
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Abortion pills would have to be dispensed in person under a bill in the Iowa Senate. Local government's civil rights codes would have to match the state's civil rights code under a bill in the Iowa House. And how has immigration enforcement impacted Iowa's population growth?
View original2/9/2026
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A Republican has dropped out of the 4th Congressional District primary race. Iowa is in a snow drought. And it's Legislative Monday with IPR's Katarina Sostaric.
View original2/6/2026
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A controversial bill would repeal police training requirements for de-escalation and bias prevention. Researchers are finding some counties in Iowa have higher cancer rates than expected. And how is Alpha-gal syndrome impacting farmers?
View original2/5/2026
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Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a bill that regulates local government civil rights rules. Linn County supervisors are drafting data center development regulations. And there's a bill that wouldn't allow some partnerships between public schools and public libraries.
View original2/4/2026
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Weekly organizing for immigrants' rights is continuing in Cedar Rapids. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says he will probably vote for new controversial voter ID requirements. And international artists say it's becoming harder to work in the U.S.
View original2/3/2026
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Hundreds of people attended a legal observer training in Cedar Rapids. A Democrat has announced his run for state treasurer. And a conversation with the first Iowan to make the U.S. Olympic speedskating team.
View original2/2/2026
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Iowa Democrats will get a chance to make their case for one of the early slots in the 2028 presidential nominating process. Iowa farmers are hopeful about President Trump’s call to expand the sale of E15 gasoline. And Johnson County supervisors recently met with residents of local mobile home parks to learn more about their list of concerns.
View original1/30/2026
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There are bills proposed in response to the arrest of former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts. Political party leaders are getting ready for the Iowa Caucuses. And how are dairy farmers dealing with dropping milk prices?
View original1/29/2026
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House Republican state lawmakers are proposing bills they say would be tough on crime. John Deere is hiring back some workers it laid off last year. And how are Iowa farmers accessing mental health services?
View original1/28/2026
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President Trump spoke in Iowa in an effort to rally Republican votes for the 2026 midterms. Senate Democrats in Congress say they won't vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security without limits on ICE. And most of the Republican candidates for governor share their stance on abortion laws.
View original1/27/2026
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Black lawmakers are expanding their caucus to include other racial minorities. A state lawmaker is being treated for uterine cancer. And a few congressional candidates have dropped their campaigns. An earlier version of this podcast stated the Black and Brown Caucus has 12 members. It has 10.
View original1/26/2026
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Iowans protest ICE's presence in the Twin Cities. President Trump is set to speak in Iowa tomorrow. And the latest from the Iowa Capitol.
View original1/23/2026
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Former superintendent of Des Moines schools Ian Roberts has agreed to a plea deal rather than go to trial. House Democratic lawmakers have proposed a water quality bill. And how are scientists trying to hybridize wheat?
View original1/22/2026
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House Republicans have released their property tax plan. Linn County is working on an ordinance to regulate data center development. And there's a bill that would change the structure of the Board of Regents.
View original1/21/2026
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Iowa communities took part in Free America Walkout protests. Cedar Rapids school district is drastically shrinking its budget. And how much money did candidates for governor raise last year?
View original1/20/2026
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The state attorney general is asking lawmakers to make it a felony to harass a judge. Biodiesel producers are still waiting on federal guidance for tax credits. And a few charter schools have been approved.
View original1/19/2026
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Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Governor Kim Reynolds is proposing Iowa to sell ivermectin over the counter. There's also a bill to regulate some general education requirements at Iowa's public universities.
View original1/16/2026
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Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts plans to make a plea deal. Community college leaders want a change in law to offer bachelor's degrees. And how do scientists in the Midwest feel about the second Trump administration so far?
View original1/15/2026
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Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says she stands with ICE after an agent fatally shot a Minneapolis woman last week. Iowa House Democrats have proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. And the head of the Iowa Supreme Court is asking state lawmakers to raise the salary for a district court judge.
View original1/14/2026
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There's a bill in the Iowa House that would ban eminent domain for carbon pipelines. A Democrat has announced a campaign for state secretary of agriculture. And what did Gov. Kim Reynolds have to say in her Condition of the State last night?
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