Originally broadcast 02/29/2016
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We start our Leap Day show with a conversation on criminal justice reform in Iowa with two central Iowa representatives, Helen Miller of Fort Dodge and Chip Baltimore of Boone. Since her Iowa Criminal Justice Summit in October, Representative Miller has been hosting “conversations” on criminal justice issues, including one in Fort Dodge on February 20 and one planned for this coming Saturday at the Des Moines DMACC campus. She has also introduced bills in this session, restoring ex-offenders’ voting rights, establishing a payment plan for fines, diverting mentally ill offenders, and allowing ex-offenders more access to professional licensure. Representative Baltimore is the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. He offers his views on racial disparity in Iowa and explains the community-based corrections system. We end the hour with Allyson Walter of the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau, whetting our appetites for Spring in Story Co.

Originally broadcast 02/24/2016
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Mark Edwards, former DNR trails coordinator for the Ledges and naturalist, was in the studio with us today as we talked with David Gradwolh, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at ISU, about the native American sites in the Des Moines River Valley and the pottery kilns in the area. We also talked with Gradwohl about the coal town of Buxton , where his ISU archeology team did extensive excavation to learn about the daily life of Black Coal Miners and their families at the beginning of the 20th century. John Liston, former curator of the Boone County Historical Society and keeper of Moingona history, told us about the heyday of Moingona as a coal mining and railroad center, and how it changed over the years. April Burch told us about the People's Forum on the Bakken Pipeline at the Boone High School on February 28 about using the Community Rights movement to resist the Bakken Pipeline.

Originally broadcast 02/22/2016
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ISU economist Dave Swenson discusses a study by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities released recently, showing that the vast majority of new jobs come from local businesses and companies that already exist in a state, not from out-of-state corporations. Swenson claims that our state's pursuit of investment by large out-of-state corporations comes at too great a price, pointing to our $500 million subsidy of Orascom, the fertilizer plant in SE Iowa, and last week's $17 million "deal" with the newly merged Dupont-Dow not to cut R&D jobs in Johnston there was no evidence of their intending to cut.

Ames resident Nitin Gadi describes Campustown Square, a citizen initiative he is spearheading to develop a public meeting space in Campus Town. He will be holding a public meeting in early March for discussion.

Anthony Capps gives a brief history of the building slated to be torn down in Campus Town: 188 and 120 Hayward Avenue.

Nevada poet, Jennifer L. Knox, reads two poems from her book Days of Shame and Failure. The book was recently reviewed in the New York Times; Jennfer was also featured in the "Iowa Life" section of Sunday's Des Moines Register.

Originally broadcast 02/17/2016
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Co-host Pat Schlarbaum talked with Doug Harr, from Iowa Audubon, about cardinals and other birds that are springing into action at this time of year. Co-host Gale Seiler spoke with Kate Pauly, from the Food Bank of Iowa, about the Backpack Program that sends weekend food home with elementary school students. And Ursula Reudenberg brought us Jina Park and Alan Henson to tell us about the Young Artists Concert that the Central Iowa Symphony is putting on.