Rural / Urban

The Business News Headlines 7 January 2026

There is so much interest in the oil under the ground in Venezuela and the president says we're going to go get it. But, there is a but and we'll start there. This is the Business News Headlines for Wednesday the 7th day of January, thanks for listening. In other news, day two of CES in Las Vegas is in the books and we’ll have another look at what attendees saw. Houston…we have a problem and its called an aging U.S. population. This newscast comes to you from Iowa and this state ranks in the top ten states where people are moving…out. Job openings in the US slid yet again we’ll share the latest. We’ll also check the markets in The Wall Street Report and even with lower mortgage rates Americans are not excited about home ownership.  We’ll explain.  Let’s go.
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

The Business News Headlines 2 January 2026

Health care insurance rates just went up for millions of Americans and you might be surprised at who benefited from the subsidies. This is the Business News Headlines for Friday the 2nd day of January, thanks for listening. In other news, Tesla sales falter for the second year in a row and that pushed the manufacturer out of first place in the EV market. California has a new way to keep batteries out of the landfill. The top executive at Saks is out and why. Another tariff delay and we’ll share what happened. Speaking of tariffs a senior Trump Administration just confessed they are a bad idea. We’ll check the numbers in The Wall Street Report and the story of a “class divide” when it comes to the airlines.  Let’s go.
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

The Trouble with Medicaid with Catherine Grey

Not long ago I was doing some research on Medicaid Reimbursement for an upcoming story. My search led me to Catherine Grey who has been working with Medicaid in Iowa for 34 years due to the condition of her son, John.  Here she talks about the challenges of applying, over and over and over again. The amount of money the private Managed Care Organization are receiving from Iowa. The sheer number of people on Medicaid and more.  You've no doubt heard lots of misinformation but here we'll put a face the the issue.  Meet Catherine. 
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.
 

The Business News Headlines 22 August 2025

Wall Street had a day and so did Jerome Powell.  This is the Business News Headlines for Friday the 22nd day of August, thanks for listening!  We're coming to you today from a mobile studio in Mason City, Iowa.  Checking the business news, a massive explosion in Louisiana made the news.  Canada is dropping many of its retaliatory tariffs and why. Cracker Barrel has watched it stock plumet over the past two days…and it’s all about a logo, menu changes and it’s not going over well at all.  We’ll check the numbers from the Wall Street Report and we’re back on Sunday, Noon Central with the Business Week in Review and you can catch us on News/Talk 1540 KXEL, where Iowa comes to talk…and yes we do stream    Let’s go.
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Russ Parker and the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network

We were recently together at The Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade event in Mount Pleasant.  Both of us sitting down with the folks who run the event and those nearly 400 riders that took part. Rus Parker is no stranger to broadcasting. He and Ken Root started the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network with the goal of keeping the world of agribusiness top of mind.  Here we talk about the early days of the network, what he enjoys the most and share some memories along the way.  It was a pleasure to spend time with him.  Now you too can meet Russ Parker.
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.
 

The Spoken Word and A TracrorCade with Jeff Stein

For years "experts" have said, "Radio? It's dead!"  They said it at the dawn of television. They said it at the birth of cable TV. They said it when streaming services came about and they said it when podcasts became popular. But know what...radio is still very much alive. In fact the "spoken word" is more popular today than it was ten years ago. Here you'll meet Jeff Stein the Program Director and News Director for News/Talk 1540 KXEL a 50,000 powerhouse based in Waterloo, Iowa with details. And as a bonus he'll talk about the Great Eastern Iowa TractorCade that kicks off on Sunday the 8th in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.  Meet Jeff:
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Hell No to Postal Privatizing with Herb Copley

Recently postal workers and friends banded together to hold a rally in my hometown of Windsor Heights, Iowa. Well over 200 people came together to say "Hell no to taking the United States Postal Service private!" They lined Hwy. 6 or Hickman Road holding signs and hearing so many vehicles honk in solidarity. Yes, there were speakers and one was Herb Copley the President of the Iowa State Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO. I sat down with Herb who had some interesting things to say about the "service of postal workers".  He also blew away the myth that the USPS receives taxpayer support.  It does not.  Meet Herb Copley:
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

The Business News Headlines and Privatizing the USPS 7 May 2025

As expected the Central Bank left interest rates alone and Chairman Jerome Powell told us...why.  This is the Business News Headlines for Wednesday the 7th day of May, thanks for being with us.  In other news, Disney profits soar and that has an impact on the markets.  It seems the more President Trump talks about tariffs the more confusing it gets. Missouri made the news and it has to do with selling stock or real estate. We’ll share the Wall Street Report and the FAA is about to spend billions to upgrade air traffic control…we are told.  For the conversation I’m joined by Herb Copley the president of the Iowa National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO.  It all has to do with privatizing the postal service and some amazing facts we suspect you don’t know.  Let’s go
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.
 

The Business News Headlines and Four Entrepreneurs 5 May 2025

Happy Cinco De Mayo and welcome to the Monday Edition of the Business News Headlines for this the 5th day of May.  Glad you're here. Topping our newscast is the belief that the Central Bank will defy President Trump and keep interest rates where they are.  We'll know more on Wednesday. In other news shoe company Sketchers has been purchased and will be going private. More tariff news to share with you this time it’s Hollywood and movies. Audi pulls imports the US and tells dealers to sell what’s in stock. The Wall Street Report and an experiment…will American consumers purchase more expensive items if they are made in the USA?  You might be surprised. For the interview I visited with four entrepreneurs last week at the Valley Junction Farmers Market held in West Des Moines, Iowa…and what they had to say might impress you.  Let’s go!
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Historian & Genealogist Ricki King and Her Work

Ricki King is an exceptional individual. Her work centers on researching and then reporting on underrepresented communities and individuals in Iowa. Over the years she has found some amazing links that still impact us today.  Here she will talk about her work, who she is hoping to study and some surprising stories she has uncovered.  Ricki King from Roots to Branches Genealogy.  Enjoy...we did!
Thanks for listening!
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.