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Inflection Point 100: Death by Diversity Initiative & The Myth of Meritocracy

Organizational psychologist Dr. Barbara Adams says there is transformational power for everyone in diversity and inclusivity.




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Inflection Point 80: Mid-term election revisit - Kate Black, Chief of Staff for EMILY's List

What does it actually take for women to win elections?




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Guess this Bay Area sound! July 22, 2017

This is Audiograph — the Bay Area’s sonic signature. Each week, we’ll play you a sound recorded somewhere in the Bay Area. Your job? Listen to the sound in the player above, figure out where it was recorded and what it is, then call to let us know. If you think you can identify this Audiograph sound of the week, call 415-264-7106. Also, tell us where to record next. We’ll give away a KALW t-shirt every week to one lucky caller. We will announce the winner of this week's sound on Thursday during the 5 p.m. broadcast of Crosscurrents . This auditory guessing game is part of our project, Audiograph, a crowd-sourced collaborative radio project mapping the sonic signature of each of the Bay Area’s nine counties. By using the sounds of voices, nature, industry, and music, Audiograph tells the story of where you live, and the people who live there with you.




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Audiograph's Sound of the Week: Bill King

The Bay Area has a rich pro sports scene with distinctive voices who bring us all the action.




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Audiograph’s Sound of the Week: Alameda Ferry

We played you this sound and asked you to guess what exactly it is and where exactly in the Bay Area we recorded it.




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Guests flock to San Francisco's Bird Hotel

Birgit Soyka stands in a large warehouse amongst 68 bird cages, each holding an exotic bird. The walls are covered in photos of brightly colored parrots, and bird-shaped tchotchkes dot the room. She cradles Boogie, a Congo African gray, and a regular guest at the San Francisco Bird Hotel, a spa and resort for birds. “Hi Boogie,” Soyka says; the bird coos in response. As the owner of the San Francisco Bird Hotel, Soyka takes care of Boogie and up to 150 other birds at a time. Her bird-boarding business started back in 2006, when Soyka, who says she’s always loved birds, agreed to “bird sit” a friend’s pet. “It was the beginning of a big snowball and avalanche,” Soyka says. “Out of this one bird came three birds, then 10 birds, then 100 birds.” In 2014, her small business turned into a full-blown bird spa and resort. At the Bird Hotel, all the cages are named after castles around the world; there’s Charlottenburg Palace, Hearst Castle and the Taj Mahal, just to name a few. There are




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Año Nuevo Island is off-limits to humans — but not these scientists

Jessie Beck, a biologist with Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, is our captain on today ’ s inflatable boat commute to A ñ o Nuevo Island.




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Hundreds of short-legged pups celebrate Corgi Con

Corgi Con is a semi-annual celebration of short, sausage-shaped dogs called Corgis. Hundreds of dogs and their families descend on Ocean Beach for a day of events and festivities.




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Get to know your farmer at California’s first farmers market

Alemany Farmers Market started during WWII to support rural farms near San Francisco. Throughout the market’s evolution, its maintained modest prices, diverse customers, and a “local first” attitude towards selling produce. You’ll find an assortment of Latin and Southeast Asian ingredients unlike anywhere else, and it’s open every Saturday, all year long.




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Crushing gender and cultural barriers with the Chulita Vinyl Club

Second Fridays at the Legionnaire Saloon in downtown Oakland are not just any bar night. It feels more like a backyard party or a family reunion.




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Finding home in San Jose's Grand Century Mall

I’ve moved 16 times. So when I settled in San Jose, I thought I could finally get some real Vietnamese food. But where to go? A friend brought me to the Grand Century Mall food court in East San Jose to catch up over bánh xèo . It had been years since I’d torn through this sizzling crepe of coconut cream and rice flour batter. Shrimp, slivers of pork, mint, and bean sprouts spilled out the lacy edges of a golden crisp semicircle. It tasted like home. I came back to the mall recently to figure out if there were other people who felt the same way I did. I met Emily Nguyễn, who was eating with friend at one of the laminate tables. She’s in her 40s and came to San Jose as a teenager. “When you migrate to a new country, everything seems strange at the beginning. And at the time we didn’t have a lot of Asian food or shopping malls,” she says. “That’s one of the main reasons why they built this mall for us; to continue that tradition and pass it down to our children.” Emily easily navigates




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Audiograph's Sound of the Week: Chapel of the Chimes Solstice Concert

This story originally aired in 2015. All week long, we've been playing this sound , and asking you to guess what exactly it is and where exactly in the Bay Area we recorded it. This auditory guessing game is part of Audiograph , a crowd-sourced collaborative radio project mapping the Bay Area’s sonic signature. Audiograph tells the story of where you live, and the people who live there with you. Every Thursday, we tell you the story behind our weekly mystery sound on Crosscurrents , and here in weekly blog posts. Listen above for the full answer... SARAH CAHILL: “I heard some music coming from somewhere in the building, and I have to say it was a very sensuous experience wandering around thinking, 'oh its this way,' and making a turn and then encountering a little cage of love birds and a little fountain and a pool. I thought 'oh my god' what is this place?!" Congratulations to this week's winner, Joshua Raoul Brody ! Is there a sound from your life that should be featured on




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Seen 'Plandemic'? We Take A Close Look At The Viral Conspiracy Video's Claims

A slickly produced 26-minute video called Plandemic has exploded on social media in recent days, claiming to present a view of COVID-19 that differs from the "official" narrative. The video has been viewed millions of times on YouTube via links that are replaced as quickly as the video-sharing service can remove them for violating its policy against "COVID-19 misinformation." In it, filmmaker Mikki Willis conducts an uncritical interview with Judy Mikovits, who he says has been called "one of the most accomplished scientists of her generation." Never heard of her? You're not alone. Two prominent scientists with backgrounds in AIDS research and infectious diseases, who asked not to be identified over concerns of facing a backlash on social media, told NPR that they did not know who she was. If you were aware of Mikovits before this week, it is probably for two books she published with co-author Kent Heckenlively, one in 2017 and another last month. Heckenlively has also written a book




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It's Planting Season

On this edition of Talk of Iowa , host Charity Nebbe speaks with Aaron Steil and Richard Jauron to guide listeners on selecting vegetables and annual flowers. They also answer questions about protecting gardens and plants from overnight frost warnings, and caring for plants as they begin to grow. GUESTS : Aaron Steil , assistant director of Reiman Gardens in Ames Richard Jauron , extension horticulture specialist at Iowa State University




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More Census Workers To Return To Rural Areas In 9 States To Leave Forms

The Census Bureau says it is continuing the gradual relaunch of limited field operations for the 2020 census next week in nine states where the coronavirus pandemic forced the hand-delivery of paper forms in rural areas to be suspended in mid-March. On May 13, some local census offices in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington are scheduled to restart that fieldwork, according to an updated schedule the bureau published on its website Friday. All workers are expected to be trained in CDC guidance in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and besides a new reusable face mask for every 10 days worked and a pair of gloves for each work day, the bureau has ordered 2 ounces of hand sanitizer for each census worker conducting field operations, the bureau tells NPR in an email. The announcement means more households that receive their mail at post office boxes or drop points are expected to find paper questionnaires left outside their




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Coronavirus FAQs: Do Temperature Screenings Help? Can Mosquitoes Spread It?

This is part of a series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week. We'd like to hear what you're curious about. Email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." More than 76,000 people in the U.S. have died because of COVID-19, and there have been 1.27 million confirmed cases across the country — and nearly 4 million worldwide. Though the virus continues to spread and sicken people, some states and countries are starting to reopen businesses and lift stay-at-home requirements. This week, we look at some of your questions as summer nears and restrictions are eased. Is it safe to swim in pools or lakes? Does the virus spread through the water? People are asking whether they should be concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus while swimming. Experts say water needn't be a cause for concern. The CDC says there is no evidence the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas or water




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Google Says Most Of Its Employees Will Likely Work Remotely Through End of Year

Google says most of its employees will likely be allowed to work remotely through the end of year. In a companywide meeting Thursday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said employees who needed to work in the office would be allowed to return in June or July with enhanced safety measures in place. The rest would likely continue working from home, a Google spokesperson told NPR. Google had originally told employees work-from-home protocols would be in place at least through June 1. Facebook also said it would allow most of its employees to work remotely through the end of 2020, according to media reports. The company had previously announced it was canceling large events through June 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both companies began telling employees to stay home in March . Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.




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Lack Of Traffic Acclerates Iowa Downtown Projects

A lack of pedestrians and reduced vehicle traffic is allowing construction projects in several downtown areas around the state to move more quickly. In Iowa City, Public Works Director Ron Knoche said his crews are able to tackle a maintenance project on one of the few river bridges in the district. “We were able to move forward with that project a little sooner and it was a full closure of Burlington Street, so it was something that we were dreading but because of campus being cancelled and the local school districts being closed, it really opened that window up for us to be able to do that project,” said Knoche. Knoche admitted his job these days is quote “100 percent” easier. He said the street will open to limited traffic next Friday. In Cedar Falls, workers are using the lack of pedestrians to make substantial progress on a project to replace decades-old bricks in front of businesses in the area known as the Parkade. City Communications Specialist Amanda Huisman explained it’s




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Tyson's Largest Pork Plant Reopens As Tests Show Surge In Coronavirus Cases

A meat-packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, where a coronavirus outbreak exploded a few weeks ago, resumed operations on Thursday after a two-week closure. The reopening of Tyson Foods' largest U.S. pork plant came the same day that health officials in Black Hawk County, where the plant is located, announced that 1,031 of the plant's estimated 2,800 employees have tested positive for the virus. That's higher than previous estimates by state officials. Tony Thompson, sheriff of Black Hawk County, was among the public officials who called for the Waterloo facility to shut down temporarily. His call to close the plant came after he first toured the facility on April 10. Thompson says that when he toured the plant then, he "fully expected" to see barriers, masks and other personal protective equipment in place. That wasn't the case. "What I saw when we went into that plant was an absolute free-for-all," he says. "Some people were wearing bandannas. Some people were wearing surgical masks. ....




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Public Health Experts Say Many States Are Opening Too Soon To Do So Safely

As of Friday in Texas, you can go to a tanning salon. In Indiana, houses of worship are being allowed to open with no cap on attendance. Places like Pennsylvania are taking a more cautious approach, only starting to ease restrictions in some counties based on the number of COVID-19 cases. By Monday, at least 31 states will have partially reopened after seven weeks of restrictions. The moves come as President Trump pushes for the country to get back to work despite public health experts warning that it's too soon. "The early lesson that was learned, really, we learned from the island of Hokkaido in Japan, where they did a really good job of controlling the initial phase of the outbreak," said Bob Bednarczyk, assistant professor of global health and epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Atlanta. Because of that success, many of the restrictions on the island were lifted. But cases and deaths surged in a second wave of infections. Twenty-six days later




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Chief Medical Officer's Handling Of Coronavirus Inspires Alaskans To #ThinkLikeZink

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to pick up in Alaska, Dr. Anne Zink, the state's chief medical officer, faced a difficult choice. Should she continue in-person meetings and nightly briefings with Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy? Or should she opt for a more socially distant form of engagement? Zink chose the latter, saying she wanted to model the behavior that she has been appealing to residents to follow. She now appears at Dunleavy's briefings by video. And over the past two months, she has become a trusted voice as she urges Alaskans to follow the strict social distancing and other public health guidelines adopted by the state administration — which doctors groups have credited with keeping the state's COVID-19 numbers among the lowest in the country. Zink, who has a Facebook fan club and a #ThinkLikeZink hashtag , isn't the only public health official to acquire a cultlike following during the pandemic: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal infectious disease expert, has inspired a Saturday




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COMIC: Hospitals Turn To Alicia Keys, U2 And The Beatles To Sing Patients Home

Dr. Grace Farris is chief of hospital medicine at Mount Sinai West in Manhattan. She also writes a monthly comics column in the Annals of Internal Medicine called "Dr Mom." You can find her on Instagram @coupdegracefarris . Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.




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Top 5 Moments From The Supreme Court's 1st Week Of Livestreaming Arguments

For the first time in its 231-year history, the Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments remotely by phone and made the audio available live. The new setup went off largely without difficulties, but produced some memorable moments, including one justice forgetting to unmute and an ill-timed bathroom break. Here are the top five can't-miss moments from this week's history-making oral arguments. A second week of arguments begin on Monday at 10 a.m. ET. Here's a rundown of the cases and how to listen. 1. Justice Clarence Thomas speaks ... a lot Supreme Court oral arguments are verbal jousting matches. The justices pepper the lawyers with questions, interrupting counsel repeatedly and sometimes even interrupting each other. Justice Clarence Thomas, who has sat on the bench for nearly 30 years, has made his dislike of the chaotic process well known, at one point not asking a question for a full decade. But with no line of sight, the telephone arguments have to be rigidly organized, and




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Women Bear The Brunt Of Coronavirus Job Losses

Very briefly, at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, there were slightly more women on American nonfarm payrolls than men. That's no longer true. The historically disastrous April jobs report shows that the brunt of job losses fell on women. Women now account for around just under half — 49% — of American workers, and they accounted for 55% of the increase in job losses last month. One way of looking at why that matters that is to look at the gap that opened up between women's and men's unemployment last month. The below chart shows women's unemployment rate minus men's unemployment rate since 2007. Usually, the line bumps around near or just below zero — meaning men's unemployment is usually near or slightly higher than women's. But that spike on the far right shows how women's unemployment leapt to be 2.7 points higher than men's in April. Women had an unemployment rate of 16.2% to men's 13.5% last month. That's uncommon for a recession. The below chart is a longer view, and the




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How The Approval Of The Birth Control Pill 60 Years Ago Helped Change Lives

Updated at 9:44 a.m. ET As a young woman growing up in a poor farming community in Virginia in the 1940 and '50s, with little information about sex or contraception, sexuality was a frightening thing for Carole Cato and her female friends. "We lived in constant fear, I mean all of us," she said. "It was like a tightrope. always wondering, is this going to be the time [I get pregnant]?" Cato, 78, now lives in Columbia, S.C. She grew up in the years before the birth control pill was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on May 9, 1960. She said teenage girls in her community were told very little about how their bodies worked. "I was very fortunate; I did not get pregnant, but a lot of my friends did. And of course, they just got married and went into their little farmhouses," she said. "But I just felt I just had to get out." At 23, Cato married a widower who already had seven children. They decided seven was enough. By that time, Cato said, the pill allowed the couple to




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Little Richard, The 'King And Queen' Of Rock And Roll, Dead At 87

Updated at 1:55 p.m. ET Little Richard, the self-described "king and queen" of rock and roll and an outsize influence on everyone from David Bowie to Prince, died Saturday. He was 87 years old. Wayne Chaney, his longtime bandleader and tour manager, tells NPR that Little Richard died at his brother's home in Tullahoma, Tenn., after a battle with cancer. Rolling Stone was the first to report on his death. With his ferocious piano playing, growling and gospel-strong vocals, pancake makeup and outlandish costumes, Little Richard tore down barriers starting in the 1950s. That is no small feat for any artist — let alone a black, openly gay man who grew up in the South. He was a force of nature who outlived many of the musicians he inspired, from Otis Redding to the late Prince and Michael Jackson. His peers James Brown and Otis Redding idolized him. Jimi Hendrix, who once played in Little Richard's band, said he wanted his guitar to sound like Richard's voice. The late David Bowie was 9




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U.K. Airlines, Airports Fear 'Devastating Impact' Of Possible Quarantine Rules

Airlines and airport operators in the United Kingdom are not waiting for the British government to publicly confirm their fears. Already, the groups representing major players in the U.K.'s air travel industry are pushing back on a proposal that would require travelers to quarantine after arriving from outside the country. A spokesperson for Airlines UK — a trade body with British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair as members — says the group understands from government officials that plans for a quarantine are in the works, but that details remain scarce at the moment. "We need to see the detail of what they are proposing. Public health must of course be the priority and we will continue to be guided by Sage advice," the group said in a statement emailed to NPR, noting that support measures will be necessary to ensure "that we still have a UK aviation sector once the quarantine period is lifted." "We will be asking for assurances that this decision has been led by the science and that




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Finkenauer Disappointed In Reynolds' 'Lack Of Urgency'

Democratic U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer said she’s disappointed that Gov. Kim Reynolds has not issued a “shelter-in-place” or “stay-at-home” order, despite promising to do so three weeks ago. “In my district in particular, we make the country’s food. It is our meat processing. It is General Mills where we make cereal. It is so much a big part of that, I knew we had to do everything we could to keep those essential workers safe. I’ve been disappointed at the lack of urgency here from the state,” Finkenauer said.




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After Two Days On A Ventilator, Iowan Shares Story Of COVID-19 Survival

After two weeks of hospitalization, Larry Potter became the first Iowan diagnosed with COVID-19 to be released from Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids after spending time on a ventilator.




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A View From The Frontlines Of COVID-19 Research

Dr. Stanley Perlman has studied corona viruses for more than 40 years. Now, his research is part of the global race to better understand COVID-19.




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A Current Look Behind The Scenes At IPR

The pandemic has forced change on all types of professions, including those in radio journalism. On this edition of River to River , host Ben Kieffer spends the hour visiting with a number of his colleagues here at Iowa Public Radio. The conversation spans from adapting to working from our basements, kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms and even converting closets into sound booths. We also explore both the emotional and technical challenges of working from home. Guests: Charity Nebbe , Talk of Iowa host Lindsey Moon , digital producer Kate Payne , eastern Iowa reporter Jason Burns , broadcast operations manager Michael Leland , news director Rob Dillard , correspondent




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Stimulus Checks And The 2020 Election

What happens to our politics when oil craters? On this edition of River to River , host Ben Kieffer is joined by political scientists Sara Mitchell and Jim McCormick to look at how the imbalance in oil markets may impact geopolitics and discuss the top political headlines of the week. Guests: Sara Mitchell , F. Wendell Miller Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa Jim McCormick , professor of political science at Iowa State University




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RAGBRAI 2020 Canceled, Iowa's Economic Forecast And Working From Home Security Concerns

The rash of coronavirus outbreaks in meatpacking plants across the country is causing alarm. On this edition of River to River , IPR’s Amy Mayer explains Iowa’s meat packing challenges.




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Brain Food: Diet's Role in Preventing Conditions like Dementia

*This program originally aired on March 6, 2018. The human brain has substantially different dietary needs than other organs, and new research suggests that diet may play a large role in the development of dementia, obesity, and even ability to sleep. On this edition of River to River , Ben Kieffer talks with neuroscientist and nutritionist Lisa Mosconi, whose new book, Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power , explains how diet affects brain power and health. Mosconi says that if she had to pick one food that’s best for brain health, she would say caviar. “I understand it’s expensive and I understand it’s not practical, but from a scientific perspective, the nutritional composition of caviar is a fantastic complement to whatever nutrients your brain needs for health and cognitive fitness.” In lieu of caviar, she says that some fish are rich in a certain type of fat that the brain needs. Those fish include salmon, trout, herring, and anchovies. And for those




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Combating Domestic Violence Amid Social Distancing

On this episode of River to River , guest host Katelyn Harrop speaks with several guests about some of the latest and ongoing coronavirus stories in Iowa, including Gvernor Kim Reynolds' decision to partially reopen businesses in 77 of Iowa's 99 counties, and how survivors of domestic violence can access resources during this national crisis.




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Kim Jong Un's Public Disappearance

The new Gross Domestic Product (GPD) figures show the economy’s sharp decline with the situation expected to get much worse. On this edition of River to River , host Ben Kieffer is joined by political scientists Jonathan Hassid and Jeff Taylor to get an analysis on a new poll indicating half of the country is being economically affected by the coronavirus, the Republican primary in Iowa’s 4 th district and worries about North Korea’s stability. Guests: Jonathan Hassid , associate professor of political science at ISU Jeff Taylor , professor of political science at Dordt University




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COVID-19 Unveils A Crisis In Nursing Facilities Across Iowa

Some nursing homes in the state are facing a rash of COVID-19 cases within their facilities, and they’ve closed their doors to visitors. This includes visits by family members. On this edition of River to River , host Ben Kieffer and his guests discuss how nursing home residents are missing the extra care usually provided by someone in their family, why the virus thrives in these facilities, and what might be done to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Guests: Cherie Mortice , retired school teacher Dr. Glenn Hurst , rural primary care physician, senior health policy advocate




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77 Counties Partially Reopen; Hog Farmers Face Crisis

Across the country, restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus are being loosened in some states. On this news buzz edition of River to River , we get a snapshot of the picture here in Iowa.




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Former Congressman Jim Leach Reflects On A Time Of Crisis

On this episode of River to River , host Ben Kieffer is joined by former congressman Jim Leach, best known for his 30 years representing Iowa in Washington. Leach, who is also on faculty at the University of Iowa, offers his reflections on the COVID-19 crisis in the context of his latest course, titled “What is Precedented and Unprecedented in Contemporary Politics.”




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Childcare Providers Fight To Stay Afloat In Pandemic

Many childcare centers across the state have been forced to shut their doors because of COVID-19. For those who are still open, declining enrollment numbers, staff layoffs and difficulties in acquiring and affording necessary supplies has left providers facing tough decisions about the future of their childcare businesses, just as some Iowans begin returning to work.




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Reynolds Meets At White House About COVID-19 Response

In this edition of River to River, host Ben Kieffer talks with political analysts Chris Larimer of University of Northern Iowa and Sara Mitchell of University of Iowa about Gov. Kim Reynolds' trip to meet with White House officials about Iowa's response to COVID-19. They also discuss Vice President Mike Pence's upcoming trip to meet with Iowa religious leaders, and get a snapshot of Iowa congressional and senate races heading into the June 2 primary. Guests: Chis Larimer, professor of political science at University of Northern Iowa Sara Mitchell, F. Wendell Miller professor of political science at University of Iowa




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694: Get Back to Where You Once Belonged

People looking everywhere to find a place—any place—where, for once, they don't have to be the odd man out.




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696: Low Hum of Menace

Things do not seem fine at all, but it’s hard to say why.




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697: Alone Together

This week, as the staff creates the episode from their apartments and houses, with our host in quarantine, in this moment when everyone’s reaching out to the people they love, we put together a collection of family stories, with some timely stuff at the top.




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701: Black Box

Desperate to know what happened to his family, a man obsessively decodes the only information about them he can get. That, and other stories of people looking into the void for answers.




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702: One Last Thing Before I Go

Words can seem so puny and ineffective sometimes. On this show, we have stories in which ordinary people make last ditch efforts to get through to their loved ones, using a combination of small talk and not-so-small talk.




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Disney+, PPV Streaming Taking Off as People Stay at Home

We all know TV viewing is up these days, but data from Hub Entertainment and Wurl show just how much, and which services are seeing the biggest upticks.




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Jan Ozer Introduces "Streaming Media 101" Online Course

The 8-hour course covers the fundamental concepts and technologies of online video and includes hands-on exercises featuring some of the most commonly used tools in the industry




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Global Streaming Up More Than 20% in March, Says Conviva

Viewing in the U.S. is up almost 27%, and daytime viewing is up most of all?a massive 39% rise since the first week of March.




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Brightcove Introduces New Video Tools for the Enterprise

Continuum targets regulated industries like banking, healthcare, and government, while Engage is designed for HR and other managers to keep employees engaged wherever they are