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Iowa News You Can Use

WATCH: Iowa hospitals brace for impact as federal Medicaid cuts loom

By Iowa Production Staff

August 11, 2025
Federal Medicaid cuts are expected to strip health care from 86,000 Iowans over the next ten years, but one rural hospital administrator warns the impacts could be felt in four to five months.
CATEGORIES: POLITICS VIDEO
POLITICS VIDEO
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WATCH: We spoke to LGBTQ Iowans who are leaving. We learned why. – Cornhole Champions #33

WATCH: We spoke to LGBTQ Iowans who are leaving. We learned why. – Cornhole Champions #33

Iowa once led on civil rights, but now it’s leading the rollback. Over half of LGBTQ young people in Iowa have considered leaving the state, and for transgender and nonbinary people, that number jumps to 69%. Iowa became the first state in U.S. history to remove gender identity protections from civil rights law.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, Avery Staker, and intern Victor Robbins investigate the quiet exodus happening across Iowa. From doctors refusing gender-affirming care to hate crimes, and the reality behind “Iowa Nice,” we explore why talented young Iowans are fleeing and what it means for the state’s future.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by Zachary Oren Smith and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
– Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5rzNpiA4IwgLmxbyrhETY6?si=6c4a527fa9ad4f64
– PocketCasts – https://pca.st/74atty1j
… and everywhere you listen to podcasts

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
0:00 – Victor Robbins Joins: Investigating LGBTQ Exodus from Iowa
0:45 – Personal Story: Growing Up LGBTQ in Iowa
1:19 – “Not Feeling Safe” – The Root of the Problem
1:50 – Cass’s Story: Flourishing After Leaving Iowa
2:30 – Growing Up in “Milquetoast” Iowa Settings
3:33 – Hate Crime Attack Outside Iowa City Gay Bar
4:30 – “Iowa Nice” Reality: Polite Outside, Different Behind Doors
5:30 – Iowa Civil Rights Act Strips LGBTQ Protections
6:19 – Doctor Refuses Gender-Affirming Healthcare in Iowa
7:00 – $70,000 Medical Procedures Now Out of Reach
8:00 – Policy Makes LGBTQ Iowans “Danger to Themselves”
8:30 – “I’d Rather Move to Minnesota” – Brain Drain Effect
10:33 – The Sucking Sound: Losing Young Talent & Artists
11:30 – “Am I Stubborn for Staying?” – The Spite Question

*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
– Twitter – https://x.com/zacharyos
– Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/zacharyosmith
– Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/zacharyos.bsky.social
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WATCH: Trump revokes visas of 200 JBS workers in Ottumwa (PT 2) – Cornhole Champions #33

WATCH: Trump revokes visas of 200 JBS workers in Ottumwa (PT 2) – Cornhole Champions #33

The irony is staggering: JBS subsidiary Pilgrim’s Pride donated $5 million to Trump’s inauguration, only to watch his administration immediately revoke visas for 200 of their Ottumwa workers from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. These legal workers—nearly 10% of the plant’s workforce—are being told to leave the country immediately.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker talk about Trump’s immigration crackdown and how its hitting Ottumwa.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by Zachary Oren Smith and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
– Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5rzNpiA4IwgLmxbyrhETY6?si=6c4a527fa9ad4f64
– PocketCasts – https://pca.st/74atty1j
… and everywhere you listen to podcasts

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
0:00 – Trump Revokes 200 JBS Worker Visas in Ottumwa
0:44 – Immigration Is the Only Reason Iowa’s Population Is Growing
1:30 – JBS Donated to Trump, Then Lost Workers to His Policies
2:05 – Western Iowa Tech’s Student Visa Exploitation Scandal
3:00 – “Culinary Internships” Were Actually Factory Line Work
3:43 – Judge Rules: Western Tech Engaged in “Indentured Servitude”
4:33 – “We Don’t Need Them” vs. Reality Check
5:00 – $5 Million Gold Cards: Immigration Only for the Rich
5:30 – Force Americans Into Exploitative Jobs by Design
6:00 – Kicking People Off Medicaid to Fill Factory Positions

*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
– Twitter – https://x.com/zacharyos
– Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/zacharyosmith
– Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/zacharyos.bsky.social
– Threads – https://www.threads.com/@zachosmith
– LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyos/

*FOLLOW IOWA STARTING LINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
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