Iowa state legislator Lindsay James is the third Democrat to challenge the northeast Iowa congresswoman in a race pitting kitchen-table economics against Republican messaging. State Rep. Lindsay James said her “why” begins with a constituent she met on a porch....
Fox guarding the henhouse: A former Tyson executive now oversees the safety of the US meat supply. (Sentient Media) Designed to discriminate: By gutting the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Trump is making it easier for federal contractors to...
The Iowa DOGE task force wants to cut IPERS for new hires, the public employee retirement system that thousands of teachers, corrections officers, and more rely on to get them through their golden years. This does not sit well with those workers, the unions they're...
The Democratic primary to take on Republican US Sen. Joni Ernst in 2026 has narrowed. Just one week after announcing his bid, State Rep. Josh Turek got a big endorsement Monday morning. State Rep. J.D Scholten said he was suspending his own campaign to defeat...
Iowa uses more pesticides per capita than any other state—nearly 54 million pounds annually. But according to research engineer Chris Jones, we might be focusing on the wrong chemicals when it comes to cancer risk.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with Jones, author of "The Swine Republic" and president of Driftless Water Defenders, to unpack Iowa's chemical cocktail crisis. We explore why 60% of Iowa's corn goes to ethanol production that exists only because of policy—not environmental benefits. Jones argues it's time to "slaughter the sacred cow" and redirect farm conservation dollars toward systems that don't pollute in the first place.
Toss some bags at Iowa's pesticide problem... why ethanol might be our biggest policy mistake... and what a progressive water quality platform actually looks like.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
SHOW RUNDOWN:
01:00 - Iowa uses more pesticides per capita than any other state
02:00 - The dangerous "chemical cocktail" effect explained
03:30 - Neonicotinoids: The overlooked pesticide in our drinking water
07:00 - How weeds fighting back is making everything worse
08:00 - Dicamba drift: Why everyone in Iowa is breathing toxic chemicals
12:00 - The "D-Day invasion" of crop dusters poisoning our air
22:00 - Why ethanol is Iowa's biggest policy mistake
24:30 - Slaughtering the sacred cow: What needs to change now
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Iowa's DOGE task force just released 45 recommendations for the state government. Unsurprisingly, they want to cut more social services.
Iowa faces the nation's worst cancer crisis, and now federal funding cuts are shaking up promising research. The Trump administration has slashed over $33 million in cancer research funding at the University of Iowa alone.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker explore how these cuts are devastating cancer research when Iowa needs it most.
Toss some bags at Iowa DOGE's pension grab... Josh Turek's Senate bid... And how cancer research cuts are shutting down labs across Iowa...
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Iowa's Cancer Crisis Gets Worse with Funding Cuts
01:30 The "Golden Halo": When Patients Invent Their Own Cures
03:30 $33 Million Cut from University of Iowa Cancer Research
04:00 Only 4% of New Cancer Research Proposals Get Funded
05:30 Why Private Funding Can't Replace Public Research
07:30 Young Researchers Forced Out of Cancer Research
08:00 Eli Lilly Recruiting Laid-Off Government Researchers
08:30 Why Cancer Can't Wait for Budget Convenience
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Iowa's two-time Paralympic gold medalist Josh Turek is taking on Senator Joni Ernst. The Council Bluffs Democrat has won twice in Trump territory and thinks he knows how to beat Republicans statewide.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with State Rep. Josh Turek to discuss his Senate bid, his personal healthcare struggles that drove him to politics, and why he's optimistic about Democrats' chances in 2026.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Meet Josh Turek: From Paralympic Gold to Iowa Politics
02:00 How Turek Wins in Districts Trump Carries by Double Digits
04:30 Why Healthcare Drives Everything Turek Does in Politics
05:30 Iowa's Medicaid Crisis: 22,000 on Seven-Year Wait Lists
07:00 Why Turek Is Leaving the Iowa Legislature for Senate
09:30 What Sets Turek Apart in the Crowded Democratic Primary
11:30 Why Turek Is Optimistic About Democrats in 2026
13:00 Post-Interview Analysis: Turek's Unique Healthcare Perspective
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Iowa Republicans are coming for the public employee retirement system—again. Despite promising to "protect and defend" IPERS in 2018, Gov. Kim Reynolds's handpicked DOGE task force now wants to eliminate pensions for new state employees.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down how wealthy business executives are targeting the 11th best-funded pension system in America.
Toss some bags at Iowa DOGE's pension grab... Josh Turek's Senate bid... And how cancer research cuts are shutting down labs across Iowa...
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Cold Open: The Great Donut Debate Gets Heated
04:30 Iowa DOGE Targets Teacher and Police Pensions
06:00 What is IPERS and Why One in Ten Iowans Depend on It
08:30 Average IPERS Payout: Only $15,000 Per Year
10:30 Iowa Has the 11th Best Pension System in America
11:00 Even Iowa Republicans Oppose This Proposal
12:00 Why Public Workers Earn Less Than Private Sector
13:30 How This Could Gut Iowa's Public Workforce
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Iowa cancer patients are desperate for better screenings, treatments, and cures. Researchers are desperate to find them. So what's the holdup?
