Loess Hills Media and Podcasts

11/14/2025

On this episode of Local Routes, we look ahead to winter fun in Pottawattamie County with Kylie Jacott, Community Outreach Manager for Pottawattamie Conservation. Kylie joins us from Crescent Hill to share how the team is preparing for the upcoming ski and snowboard season, what it takes to make snow in the Midwest, and why this local hill continues to be a favorite for families and beginners.

We talk staffing, equipment upgrades, ideal snowmaking conditions, and the excitement surrounding their season pass pickup party. Kylie also explains how Crescent Hill offers an accessible first step into skiing and snowboarding for people who want to learn without traveling to the mountains.

If you love winter in Southwest Iowa, this is a conversation you will enjoy.

11/14/2025

Part of Winerfest this year is the Makers Market. In to tell us more is Brandi Drvol from the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce!

11/13/2025

On this episode of Local Routes, we highlight one of the most meaningful programs in Pottawattamie County. Rikayla Champlin from the Pottawattamie County Jail joins us to share the impact of Shop with the Sheriff, a long-running effort that brings deputies and young people together for a morning of shopping, support, and positive connections.

Rikayla explains how the program began in 1998, how it has grown to serve families across the entire county, and why these early interactions between kids and law enforcement matter so much. From winter coats to holiday meals to simple moments of kindness, Shop with the Sheriff brings our community together in a powerful way.

If you want to understand what strong local relationships look like in action, this conversation is a perfect example.

11/13/2025

On this episode of Morning Coffee with Todd Studer, we’re talking about the spirit of entrepreneurship across Southwest Iowa. Conner Mowery, Manager of Entrepreneurial Development with Advanced Southwest Iowa Corporation, joins the conversation to share how small business owners can connect, grow, and take advantage of the free local resources available to help them succeed.

From the excitement of RevPitch 2025 to the value of real relationships in small towns, this conversation highlights what makes our local business community strong and how collaboration drives opportunity.

11/12/2025

Real estate in Southwest Iowa continues to evolve, and Blake Hunter of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services joins Todd Studer to break it all down. From seasonal market cycles and the pros and cons of 30-year versus 50-year mortgages to rural land demand and the growing desire for the homestead lifestyle, this episode gives both homebuyers and sellers practical insights on what’s really happening right now in the local market.

11/12/2025

Morning Coffee digs into practical tech with Jason and Jessa Erickson from ThinkSpace IT. We cover safe e-waste recycling, protecting your data, why lithium batteries should not live in your junk drawer, and smart year-end IT budgeting, including the difference between refurbished and repurposed gear. Plus a shoutout to the Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of East Mills and their new building open house.

11/11/2025

11/11/2025

Jeff Veit from Iowa Workforce Development joins us today on this episode of Local Routes. If you are in the market for employees, you don't want to miss this one!

11/11/2025

Newly re-elected Council Bluffs City Council member Steve Gorman joins Morning Coffee to talk election takeaways, homelessness, housing, neighborhood collaboration, and how real conversations move a community forward.

11/10/2025

In this conversation, Todd Studer and Kyle Ranney discuss the exciting new commercial space they are moving into, the innovative CRM and marketing management app designed for small businesses, and the unique features that set it apart from competitors. They explore the benefits of the app for small business owners, including automation, client communication, and collaboration. The conversation concludes with a look at future plans for their new space and the services they will offer to clients.

11/10/2025

Life has a way of changing the path under our feet, and sometimes those changes show up right in our business. In rural communities like ours, the small businesses that survive are the ones willing to grow, shift, and reinvent when the world around them does the same.

My business has changed over the years. Many of you remember The Studios On South 4th and the work we did there. That chapter taught me a lot about creativity, persistence, and what it means to serve a local community that depends on each other. Those lessons became the foundation for Loess Hills Media and Podcasts, which is now reaching more people across Southwest Iowa than I ever expected.

Every change has led to something stronger. Every pivot has created new opportunities to help local businesses tell their stories. Rural communities thrive when small business owners adjust, adapt, and keep moving forward.

If you are thinking about making a change in your business, or if the world has already forced that change on you, know that growth often starts on the other side of the unknown.

Loess Hills Media and Podcasts is here to help you share your voice with the communities you care about.