Joan Arnett turns 43 years at the Iowa Capitol into a warm tour of overlooked stories.
The Iowa State Capitol is framed through Joan Arnett's long relationship with the building and the stories she has gathered across 43 years as a tour guide.
Conversations About Government in Iowa
50 episodes listed below
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In their own words
Short, conversational interviews conducted by LSA staff regarding State and local government. Watch for new Fiscal One-On-One interviews to be posted here periodically.
Why you'd press play
A lipstick case turns up in the Capitol dome; suddenly, you want to know what else is tucked away.
Press play if you want
- the logic behind highway numbers, including why Route 66 breaks the grid
- a Capitol guide's account of the things renovations have turned up in the attic and dome
Talks about
Best episodes of Conversations About Government in Iowa
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Earl Swift shows how Iowa helped shape the people and systems behind America's highways.
Iowa's place in highway history comes through Thomas H. McDonald's path, from the Iowa Highway Commission to his long run leading the Bureau of Public Roads.
A grounded Iowa aquaculture primer on production choices, markets, and the information gaps operators need to close.
Aquaculture in Iowa begins here with a useful working definition: aquatic plants and animals raised in controlled environments. From there, the review moves into the production choices that shape whether an operation can work in the Midwest. Deb Kozell speaks with Dr.
A practical look at how Iowa communities manage cemeteries as maintenance costs and local financial pressure grow.
Local governance comes into focus through the plain work of cemetery care. Dennis Britson, Assistant Bureau Chief of the Iowa Securities and Regulated Industries Bureau of the Iowa Insurance Division, explains how Iowa local government entities can acquire property and operate…
George Oster explains how Iowa townships organize fire protection and EMS, and why districts still matter.
Iowa township fire protection becomes a clear study in local responsibility and the machinery that makes it work. George Oster, former Executive Director of the Fire Service Institute at Iowa State University, brings the subject down to ground level through his experience as a…
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Episodes
- 1
Joan Arnett — Forty-Three Year Career as a State Capitol Tour Guide
Hidden gemJoan Arnett describes her 43-year career at the Iowa State Capitol, beginning in 1976 with dome tours after Sugar McCauley offered her a tour-guide position.
Jan 30, 2020·27m·1 clip - 2
Earl Swift — Iowa's Role in the American Highway System
Hidden gemEarl Swift tells Rodrigo Acevedo that Thomas McDonald, an Iowan trained by Iowa State engineer Anson Marston, was the person most responsible for the American highway system.
Sep 30, 2019·30m·2 clips - 3
Joe Morris — Aquaculture Industry in Iowa
Hidden gemDeb Kozell interviews Iowa State University aquaculture specialist Joe Morris about building an aquaculture industry in Iowa.
Nov 5, 2018·20m·1 clip - 4
Dennis Britson — Local Governance of Cemeteries
Hidden gemDennis Britson of the Iowa Insurance Division explains why perpetual-care cemeteries must begin with a $25,000 trust and deposit 20% of interment-rights sales.
Sep 18, 2018·24m·1 clip - 5
George Oster — Township Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services
Hidden gemGeorge Oster, former Executive Director of Iowa State University’s Fire Service Institute, says Iowa’s 1975 township law created nearly 3,000 governing and taxing bodies for 872 fire departments.
Dec 13, 2017·23m·1 clip - 6
Senator Charles Grassley - History of the Iowa School Aid Formula
Oct 17, 2017·15m - 7
Lettie Prell - Thirty-Year Career in the Field of Corrections
An interview with Lettie Prell, Director of Research at the Iowa Department of Corrections, discussing her career and changes in corrections policy.
Sep 20, 2017·39m - 8
Lee Tack - Iowa School Aid
Aug 22, 2017·21m - 9
Judy Bradshaw - Director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
Oct 26, 2016·56m - 10
John Quinn - Career in Law Enforcement
Sep 8, 2016·1h 11m - 11
State Forest Nursery
Sep 1, 2016·45m - 12
State Accounting Enterprise: Chief Operating Officer Interview
Aug 1, 2016·12m - 13
History of the Legislative Services Agency and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau
An interview with former director Dennis Prouty about the history of Iowa's Legislative Fiscal Bureau and his career in state government.
Feb 5, 2016·25m - 14
Former Women Legislators Roundtable Part 1
Feb 5, 2016·47m - 15
Former Women Legislators Roundtable Part 2
Feb 5, 2016·46m - 16
Abandoned Mine Land Reclaimation Program
Oct 26, 2015·16m - 17
Smarter Balanced Assessments
Sep 22, 2015·34m - 18
Reflections on the Legislative Process
Mar 5, 2015·44m - 19
History of the Administrative Rules Process
Mar 5, 2015·42m - 20
Federal Road Funding
Nov 21, 2014·19m - 21
REAP Program Overview
Sep 26, 2014·20m - 22
The Career of a Correctional Officer
Sep 9, 2014·13m - 23
Jail Inspections
Aug 20, 2014·16m - 24
College Savings Iowa, 529 Plan
Nov 1, 2013·17m - 25
Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund
Oct 1, 2013·21m - 26
State and Federally Declared Disasters
Oct 1, 2013·10m - 27
Iowa Correctional Institution for Women at Mitchellville
Sep 1, 2013·15m - 28
7th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, Community-Based Corrections (CBC)
Sep 1, 2013·19m - 29
Iowa Ethics and Campaign Finance Board
Aug 1, 2013·26m - 30
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
Aug 1, 2013·24m - 31
Department of Natural Resources Happy and Healthy Outdoors Program
Aug 1, 2013·18m - 32
Iowa Medicaid
Jan 1, 2013·13m - 33
Fiscal Services Division
Jan 1, 2013·15m - 34
State Budget Process
Dec 1, 2012·12m - 35
Prison Operations
Dec 1, 2012·20m - 36
Iowa School Aid Funding Formula
Dec 1, 2012·17m - 37
Lottery History and Operations
Nov 1, 2012·32m - 38
Insurance Committee
Nov 1, 2012·9m - 39
Gas Tax
Nov 1, 2012·18m - 40
Rail Transportation in Iowa
Nov 1, 2012·16m - 41
Project AWARE
Nov 1, 2012·18m - 42
State Appellate Defender
Nov 1, 2012·16m - 43
Comparing Iowa College Student Aid to Nation
Oct 1, 2012·12m - 44
Vertical Infrastructure Program, Major and Routine Maintenance
Oct 1, 2012·12m - 45
Historical Overview of the Judicial Branch
An interview with the Iowa State Court Administrator discussing the history and challenges of the Judicial Branch, focusing on budget reductions and court reorganization.
Oct 1, 2012·59m - 46
Overview of the Department of Corrections Part 2
Sep 1, 2012·15m - 47
State Athletic Commissioner
Aug 1, 2012·10m - 48
The Founding of Iowa's Community College System
Aug 1, 2012·34m - 49
Overview of the Department of Corrections' Iowa Corrections Offender Network (ICON)
Aug 1, 2012·17m - 50
Iowa Public Television (IPTV)
Jul 1, 2012·18m