
Start your day with the essentials. Coffee. Breakfast. And the local news you need to know. Host Meghan McKinney rises bright and early to bring you the top news stories from around Iowa in under 10 minutes. Wake up, grab that coffee and get your news Here First. You can support what you hear on this podcast at ipr.org/donate.
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 210 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsDaily NewsPolitics | |||

Campaign finance reports are published. There's a bill in the state legislature that would make it harder to get medication abortions. And why did George Foreman decide to be buried in Iowa?
An independent candidate is running to represent Iowa's 1st Congressional District. Public health officials in Polk County have created a plan to address community needs. And a bill would regulate AI used by minors.
A federal commission met last night about the Duane Arnold Energy Center. A bill on the governor's desk would no longer allow minors to get vaccines that prevent STIs. And the gender pay gap in Iowa's state employees has widened.
Congressman Zach Nunn talked to MAGA Nation last night. There's a bill on the governor's desk that changes time limits on subacute mental health care. And the Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is consolidating parishes.
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Listening to Meghan deliver news each morning feels like drinking coffee with a good friend who says, “Hey, here’s what’s going on. Thanks for listening.”
Interesting program but wording and expressions are definitely slanted. It is liberal leaning and must be listened with that in mind.
“Here First” has become my go-to morning listen for a quick overview of state news and the occasional in depth coverage of other issues affecting the Midwest. It’s right up there with coffee as my morning must-have!
Thank you so much IPR for creating this podcast, I often cannot reach IPR on normal radio hours but having this resource is perfect for me to listen more about Iowa specific news!
I am a daily Up First listener, so this was an instant subscribe! Great idea, I appreciate everything IPR does for us in Iowa!
Clay is an excellent radio host and always delivers fair and timely content. I’m really looking forward to this podcast!
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Apple Podcasts | #167 |
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A concise, can't-miss morning briefing focused on Iowa news, policy, and local issues with a national-security and education lens. Episodes frequently cover state politics, infrastructure funding, school finance, data center debates, and environmental topics, often including voices from government, journalism, and advocacy. The tone is fast-paced and practical, aiming to keep listeners informed as they start their day, with a strong emphasis on how statewide developments affect communities, businesses, and public services. A notable strength is tight, under-10-minute formats that mix direct reporting with expert context, making it suitable for busy professionals, movers in state affairs, and media/trainers looking for quick, reliable Iowa c... more
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Here First launched 5 years ago and published 210 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Here First include:
1. Frank Morris
2. Thayne Larson
3. Jose Reyes
4. John Miano
5. Roxana Buckmahamady
6. Elissa Slotkin
7. Mark Mueller
8. Randy Feenstra
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