Originally broadcast 10/25/2021  Listen to the entire episode now!

The reasons for an encounter with a belligerent raccoon are explored, then Dennis Hart provides a roundup of Iowa news. 

Laura Belin explains why the workers at John Deere are striking and the current status of the conflict with the plant management. She provides an interview with an Ankeny representative of the striking UAW (United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America) who explains why 90% of the union members voted to strike "as long as necessary," especially after sacrifices are made during the Pandemic and John Deere's profits have increased dramatically.

Matt Scott, from Ankeny, describes his business, Iowa Parklands, that provides detailed maps of trails in Iowa Parks, including maps on bandana's. His web site also sells maps for download, posters, stickers, playing cards, and has a blog discussing the details of various Iowa's parks. He describes how his business connects with the love and memories people have about parks.

Originally broadcast 10/20/2021  Listen to the entire episode now!

Our show started with our monthly report from Leanne Harter, Story County Outreach and Special Projects Manager. We then heard from Kim Harms, an author from Huxley who told us why she wrote her personal story "Navigating the World of Mastectomies and Breast Reconstruction"  and read some moving passages.  Since epidemics have been on our minds recently we were fortunate to have guests who could tell us what it means to have a disease eradicated. For smallpox we heard from Prof Alan Marcus, chair of the History Department at Mississippi State University and author of works focusing on the History of Technology, Science, Medicine.  A decades long effort by Rotary International has focused on worldwide  efforts to eradicate polio. One of the people actually part of this is Susan Herrick from Boone, who told what is involved in eliminating polio from the earth.