Caitlin Troutman

Pauli Murray was a civil rights pioneer and queer Black woman whose work shaped modern movements for racial and gender equality.

When Ben Hagen showed up to the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus 20 years ago, he was new to town and hadn't come out as gay at work or to his family.

Dave Good was a District Court Judge living in Cedar Rapids. In 2003, at the age of 56, he was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. His wife Kathy became his caregiver while continuing to work full time. On this episode, Kathy Good, who now guides other caregivers as the Senior Director of the Chris and Suzy DeWolf Family Innovation Center for Aging and Dementia of Mercy, shares her story. Then Good and Michael Wagler, Iowa State Director for the AARP, will talk about the resources those who care for loved ones with dementia. (This show was originally produced July 24, 2025.)

Iowa's farmland sits on more than soil — deep underground may be the makings of a clean energy economy. On this episode, we go beneath Iowa's surface to talk about a billion-year-old rock formation where geologic hydrogen is hiding. We talk with Ryan Clark, associate state geologist at the Iowa Geological Survey and Betsy Swanner, an Iowa State University professor of Earth, atmosphere and climate to find out what it would take to actually build a hydrogen economy in Iowa. Then, Iowa State University agronomist Jianming Yu shares what artificial intelligence and citizen science reveal about how plants adapt to their environments.

Peter Simons, author of 'Global Heartland: Cultivating the American Century on the Midwestern Farm,' shares an in-depth look at the role farmers throughout the Midwest played in America’s rise to power post-WWII. Then Adam Janke, Iowa State University wildlife extension specialist, joins the program. Janke's new series of articles shares low-cost, accessible tips for landowners and homeowners to sustain wildlife. (This show was originally produced August 11, 2025.)

The Supreme Court just finished one of its most consequential terms in years. Drake University law professors Sally Frank and Miguel Schor break down what the 2026 rulings mean for Iowans. They discuss the landmark win for birthright citizenship, the loss of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, new limits on transgender athletes and more.

Thanks to storms and severe weather, tree limbs are down while tree stress is up. But there are ways to help the timber in your area and to keep damage from happening. We talk with Iowa State University professor of horticulture Jeff Iles about helping trees with storm damage, as well as preventative measures to consider before the next round of severe weather.

Thanks to storms and severe weather, tree limbs are down while tree stress is up. But there are ways to help the timber in your area and to keep damage from happening. On this Horticulture Day episode, Caitlin Troutman sits in for Charity Nebbe. We talk with Iowa State University professor of horticulture Jeff Iles about helping trees with storm damage, as well as preventative measures to consider before the next round of severe weather. Then, Iowa State University Extension Horticulturist Aaron Steil joins us to answer listener questions.

A history of murder, prostitution and police corruption have been buried for a century in Des Moines. On today's episode, we hear the true story of Erastus Wallace Scott, the saloon keeper the 'Des Moines Register' called 'the wickedest man in the wickedest part of town.' He was a killer, a con man and the head of a crime family that terrorized East Des Moines for a decade. We talk with Dave and Rose Donovan about their new book 'The Nastiest Saloon in Iowa: Murder, Prostitution, and Corruption in the Heartland.' The book uncovers century-old murder and corruption hiding in downtown Des Moines, and in Rose's own family tree.

The Granny Basketball National Tournament is in Ankeny this weekend. Iowa is the birthplace of the sport, which celebrates six-on-six history and gives a space for older women to compete.