On this edition of Iowa Press, we convene a group of reporters for a roundtable discussion about Iowa politics, water quality and the environment, and more. Reporters include Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa, Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises, and Perry Beeman, senior reporter for Iowa Capital Dispatch.  Program support provided by: Associated General Contractors of Iowa, Iowa Bankers Association and FUELIowa. Recorded: 7/9/2021

Iowa Press

Reporters Roundtable: Environmental Issues

On this edition of Iowa Press, we convene a panel of Iowa political reporters to discuss Iowa politics at the Statehouse and beyond.  Joining moderator Kay Henderson at the Iowa Press table are Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises, Brianne Pfannenstiel, chief political reporter for the Des Moines Register, Dave Price, political director for WHO-TV 13 in Des Moines, and Stephen Gruber-Miller, Statehouse reporter for the Des Moines Register.

Reporters' Roundtable

On this edition of Iowa Press, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Sen. Jack Whitver (R-Ankeny) discusses the special legislative session and the ongoing redistricting process, as well as the pandemic and various policy issues. Joining moderator Kay Henderson at the Iowa Press table are Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises, and Stephen Gruber-Miller, Statehouse reporter for the Des Moines Register.

Iowa Sen. Jack Whitver

(music) A special legislative session is only days away. We gather perspective from the Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst on this edition of Iowa Press. (music)           

Rep. Jennifer Konfrst

On this edition of Iowa Press, Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) discusses the upcoming special legislative session and the redistricting process.  Joining moderator Kay Henderson at the Iowa Press table are Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises, and Stephen Gruber-Miller, Statehouse reporter for the Des Moines Register. Program support provided by: Associated General Contractors of Iowa, Iowa Bankers Association and FUELIowa.

Rep. Pat Grassley

On this edition of Iowa Press, United States Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Marion) discusses her work in Congress and her plans for re-election in 2022. Joining moderator Kay Henderson at the Iowa Press table are James Lynch, political reporter for The Gazette and Clay Masters, politics reporter and Morning Edition host for Iowa Public Radio. Program support for Iowa Press is provided by Associated General Contractors of Iowa and Iowa Bankers Association.

Congresswoman Ashley Hinson

On this edition of Iowa Press we convene a panel of Iowa political reporters to discuss the latest in Iowa politics and other news.  Joining moderator David Yepsen at the Iowa Press table for Yepsen’s final show are Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa; Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises; Brianne Pfannenstiel, chief political reporter for The Des Moines Register; and Dave Price, political director for WHO-TV in Des Moines.

On this edition of Iowa Press, our guests include Mike Beranek, president of the Iowa State Education Association and a 30-year veteran teacher; Liz Brennan, West Des Moines School Board member, president-elect of the Iowa Association of School Boards board of directors, Heartland AEA board member, and a preschool teacher; and Jessica Drake, president of the Van Meter School Board. They discuss masking and COVID-19 mitigation in schools, as well as other pandemic impacts, education policy, and upcoming school board elections. 

Iowa Educators

On this edition of Iowa Press, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador to China, a former career foreign service officer and president emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation, discusses the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, ongoing evacuations, refugees, relations with China and more. Joining moderator David Yepsen at the Iowa Press table are Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa, and Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises.

Ambassador Kenneth Quinn

On this edition of Iowa Press, Darrel Colson, president of Wartburg College, and Anne Harris, president of Grinnell College discuss the status of Iowa's private colleges and universities, including both challenges and opportunities on smaller campuses across the state. Joining moderator David Yepsen at the Iowa Press table are Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa, and Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises.

Iowa Private Colleges

On this edition of Iowa Press, our guests are Anson Marston Distinguished Professor and London Professor of Power Systems Engineering at Iowa State University Jim McCalley, and Stu Anderson, director of the Transportation Development Division of the Iowa Department of Transportation. They discuss the latest federal infrastructure bill negotiations and expectations and what it could mean for Iowa.

Iowa Infrastructure

On this edition of Iowa Press, our guests are Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, and Justyn Lewis, a community activist and founder/president of Des Moines Selma, a nonprofit aimed at educating Iowans about the Black experience. They will discuss the ongoing push for racial justice and equality.  Joining moderator David Yepsen at the Iowa Press table are Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa, and Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises.

Racial Justice and Equality in Iowa

On this edition of Iowa Press, our guests are Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Kelly Niewenhuis, a farmer from near Primghar, Iowa, who is an ethanol producer and a member of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, and President of Cobb Oil Co., Inc. Mark Cobb, who is an investor in a biodiesel plant in Washington, Iowa, and a member of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. They discuss Iowa's ethanol and renewable fuels industries.

Ethanol and renewable fuels

On this edition of Iowa Press, our guest is Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The FAMiLY LEADER. He discusses politics, policy and next week's 2021 Family Leadership Summit. Joining moderator David Yepsen at the Iowa Press table are Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa, and Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (music)

Bob Vander Plaats

On this edition of Iowa Press, Peter Orazem, professor of economics at Iowa State University, and Bill Boal, professor of economics at Drake University discuss Iowa's economy and related issues.  Joining moderator David Yepsen at the Iowa Press table are Kay Henderson, news director for Radio Iowa, and Linh Ta, Des Moines reporter for Axios. Program support provided by: Associated General Contractors of Iowa, Iowa Bankers Association and FUELIowa.

Iowa’s economy

Each week Iowa Press explores the issues affecting the lives of Iowans. Newsmakers, policy makers and elected officials join capitol reporters in a weekly discussion.