Navigating Controversial Issues: A Close Look at Iowa and the United States through the Lens of River to River

On this episode of River to River, the focus is on a variety of current topics affecting Iowa and the United States. The Des Moines Register’s Stephen Gruber-Miller starts off by discussing new Iowa laws that recently went into effect. Host Ben Kieffer then dives into a conversation with Polk County Public Health Director Helen Eddy about the U.S. Surgeon General’s recent declaration, including an update on Polk County’s “Talk It Up, Lock It Up” gun safety campaign.

The discussion on gun violence continues with perspectives from Iowans Joe Gorton and Richard Rogers, who have differing views on whether gun violence should be treated as a public health threat. The conversation later shifts to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to temporarily block the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Good Neighbor” air pollution rule, with insights from University of Iowa professors Peter Thorne and Shannon Roesler.

University of Iowa professors Peter Thorne and Shannon Roesler provide valuable insights and perspectives on the Supreme Court’s actions marking the third consecutive year in which their rulings have halted the EPA’s pollution control efforts. The guests on the show discuss these important issues affecting the local community and the nation as a whole.