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Iowa News You Can Use

WATCH: What’s siphoning money out of Iowa’s public schools?

By Iowa Production Staff, Salina Heller

February 19, 2026

Could Iowa phase out private school vouchers someday?

That’s what a grassroots group is working toward.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) wants to get rid of vouchers and put the tax money that goes to private schools back into the public school system.

CCI is organizing people to urge their local school boards to pass a resolution that demands the governor and state legislature end vouchers, plus provide a 5% annual increase in public school funding.

So far at least 10 of Iowa’s 327 school districts have unanimously passed resolutions, including the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

That’s where Kelly McMahon is a kindergarten teacher.

✏️: Salina Heller

  • Iowa Production Staff

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  • Salina Heller

    A former 15-year veteran of reporting local news for western Wisconsin TV and radio stations, Salina Heller also volunteers in community theater, helps organize the Chippewa Valley Air Show, and is kept busy by her daughter’s elementary school PTA meetings. She is a UW-Eau Claire alum.

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WATCH: Celebrating one year of Cornhole Champions (PT 3) – Cornhole Champions #46

WATCH: Celebrating one year of Cornhole Champions (PT 3) – Cornhole Champions #46

This is one of the last episodes of Cornhole Champions for 2025. We’re taking November and December off, coming back in January with fresh ideas. But before we wrap, it felt right to step back and talk about what this year has been — and what 2026 might bring.

On Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith sat down with Chase Seibert and Liz Fleming to talk about the future of the podcast and of the state it was created to serve.

Toss some bags about Iowa’s economic woes… health insurance costs going up… and some reflection on a year of Cornhole Champions.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly politics and policy podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line, hosted by Zachary Oren Smith and produced by Rebecca Steinberg, with music by Avery Mossman and art by Desirée Tapia.

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
0:00 – Taking a break: last episode of 2025
1:30 – What it’s like building a podcast in Iowa
3:00 – Why the news cycle moves too fast for weekly shows
4:30 – The difference between videos and podcasts as mediums
6:30 – Why human connection matters more than traditional media
7:00 – Creating space that shows what life in Iowa could be
11:00 – Legacy media vs. new platforms: who’s doing the work?
13:00 – Writing stories about Iowans for Iowans
14:30 – What stories should we cover in 2026? Send us your ideas
15:00 – Thank you for a year of Cornhole Champions

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
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– 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

*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
– Twitter – https://x.com/zacharyos
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