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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6/3/2026
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Zach Lahn, who didn't receive President Trump's endorsement, will be the Republican candidate for Iowa governor. Josh Turek will be the Democratic candidate for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat. And Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a few crime related bills into law.
View original6/2/2026
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There has been a mass shooting in Muscatine that has left seven people dead. Residents in Palo voiced their thoughts on a proposed data center ordinance. And today is the last day Iowans can vote in the primary elections.
View original6/1/2026
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President Trump has endorsed one of the five GOP candidates for Iowa governor days before the primary election. The former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent has been sentenced. And there are over 2,000 certified wildlife habitats in Iowa
View original5/29/2026
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Candidates for several offices are making their last-minute pitches to primary voters just days before the election. And what is the farmer-led movement?
View original5/28/2026
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Des Moines metro residents are being asked to limit some of their water usage. There's a new mobile memory clinic in Polk County to help treat dementia. And Simpson College is dealing with a budget deficit.
View original5/27/2026
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Iowa Democrats are talking to the DNC today about changing the caucus process. The governor has signed a bill into law that will provide funding for pediatric cancer research. And Republican candidate for governor Randy Feenstra shares why he hasn't been going to debates.
View original5/26/2026
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Primary elections are a week away in Iowa. Community colleges are preparing for new state property tax laws. And Polk County has launched a website about water quality and health.
View original5/22/2026
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A new private behavioral health facility opens this June in Council Buffs. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group says testing has shown elevated nitrate levels in Des Moines and other Midwest cities. And a look inside a national competition in Oklahoma that draws hundreds of teenagers from across the country to show their skills judging soil.
View original5/21/2026
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Iowa yesterday. The governor has signed what she's calling Iowa's 'MAHA' law. And a lawsuit about Iowa jail fees is continuing in court.
View original5/20/2026
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The governor has signed a bill that further restricts abortion access in Iowa. Almost all the Republican candidates for governor debated water quality last night. And fundraising reports for the governor candidates are out.
View original5/19/2026
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The city of Des Moines is expecting a budget shortfall after Governor Kim Reynolds signed a property tax bill into law. Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand says he would address PBMs. And who are the Republicans running to represent Iowa's Second Congressional District?
View original5/18/2026
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The Iowa Department of Transportation will have to check citizenship status when Iowans get or renew an ID. There are three Democrats wanting to represent Iowa's Second Congressional District. And the USDA is considering moving around seedbanks in the Midwest.
View original5/15/2026
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Iowa environmental groups are suing the EPA over its decision to remove some Iowa waterways from the Impaired Waters List. Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Josh Turek and Zach Wahls had their second debate last night. And some voters aren't convinced Congressman Randy Feenstra is guaranteed to be the Republican candidate for governor.
View original5/14/2026
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The U.S. House has passed a bill to allow the year-round sale of E-15 fuel. Iowa is updating its IT system used to track foster and adoption cases. And the Democratic primary for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat is competitive.
View original5/13/2026
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Gov. Reynolds signed a bill into law that includes her education priorities. The latest on the push for year-round E-15. And what you need to know about voting early in Iowa's primary election.
View original5/12/2026
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A new state law makes it a felony to torture an animal. A teenager has been charged with five counts of attempted murder in connection to the Iowa City shooting last month. And the Democratic candidate for state treasurer is asking for details about the departure of two top IPERS officials.
View original5/11/2026
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U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren was in Iowa yesterday. A new report ranks Iowa's public health emergency preparedness in the lowest tier. And a new series from IPR looks at divisions in our society.
View original5/8/2026
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The CEO of Iowa's public employee pension program has resigned after allegations of misconduct. There's development on a bird flu vaccine for poultry. And how has shopping patterns changed community supported agriculture boxes?
View original5/7/2026
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Electricians are asking the governor to veto proposed building codes. There is a need for nurses in Iowa. And there are a couple affordable housing projects in Des Moines.
View original5/6/2026
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JD Vance was in Iowa last night to support Republican Zach Nunn's reelection campaign. The Democratic candidates for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat debated last night. And Iowa has given the federal government voter registration data.
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