Zach Nunn can't seem to find somebody representative of his district to publicly support him... weird.
This summer, Iowans learned that the State Historical Society's research center in Iowa City will close on June 30, 2026. More than half of the center's collection may be scattered, sold, or destroyed. Iowans are rightfully concerned about the potential loss of irreplaceable records of their state's history, many of which have been donated by locals.
Find out more on the latest episode of Cornhole Champions here: https://youtu.be/SMncHdWcPPo?si=kLBiLZDkGTs-iAhf
Iowa's skin cancer rates are sky high. A solution? Slip, slop, slap.
Find out more on the latest episode of Cornhole Champions, where host Zachary Oren Smith interviews dermatologist Dr. Marta Van Beek about the state's skin cancer problem: https://youtu.be/UlqbwTWClC8?si=T2gr77RcfZzJY0GQ
Iowa workers are bearing the cost of policy decisions made in Washington.
Find out more on the newest episode of Cornhole Champions here: https://youtu.be/7ThZiTN-fjU?si=cee_E4WTdyStZ-SH
Big if true: US Sen. Joni Ernst is reportedly telling her inner circle that she's not running for reelection. Zach digs into what that could mean.
The EPA removed Iowa drinking water sources from a list of impaired waterways, but not because the water quality got any better.
Iowa ranks fifth nationally for melanoma—a rate similar to Arizona—and the reason might surprise you. It's not just about UV radiation. It's about who's spending their days outside and how we protect ourselves.
Dr. Marta Van Beek, a dermatologist at UI Healthcare, breaks down the reality: agricultural workers face 60% higher skin cancer rates, there's no such thing as a "healthy tan," and most of us are applying sunscreen completely wrong. (Spoiler: it's every two hours, not just when you remember.)
Toss some bags with a dermatologist about why Iowa's skin cancer rate is high and what you can do to reduce your chances of being part of the statistic.
Toss some bags at Iowa's surprising skin cancer crisis... why "pale is in vogue"... and the two-hour sunscreen rule that changes everything...
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Why Iowa ranks 5th nationally for melanoma (higher than Arizona!)
01:58 - Agricultural workers face 60% higher skin cancer rates
03:30 - The two-hour sunscreen rule most people don't follow
06:30 - Rural healthcare barriers: living far from dermatologists
09:00 - "No such thing as a healthy tan" - myth debunked
10:00 - Iowa's tanning bed problem: one of only 6 states with no restrictions
12:00 - Why tanning is actually addictive (endorphins released)
14:30 - "It's never too late" - why 50-year-olds should still protect skin
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Thirty-nine years ago, UAW workers began the longest strike in John Deere history—163 days fighting for job security during the 1980s farm crisis. Today, John Deere announced 238 more layoffs across Iowa and Illinois, blaming $600 million in annual tariff costs. From the 1986 lockout to 2025's trade war casualties, Iowa workers keep paying the price for decisions made in distant boardrooms and Washington.
On this segment of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker connect past and present labor struggles.
Toss some bags at declining school enrollment... the coming loss of a historical archive in Iowa City... And how the 1986 Deere strike connects to today's tariff layoffs...
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:*
00:00:30 - August 23, 1986: The Day 4,300 Workers Walked Off the Job
01:00 - "Emasculate Our Cost of Living": What UAW Workers Really Fought For
01:30 - 1980s Farm Crisis: When Manufacturing Jobs Fell 30% in Quad Cities
02:30 - 2025 Reality: $600 Million in Tariffs, 238 More Layoffs
04:00 - Farmers Feeding Wheat to Cattle: When Harvesting Isn't Worth It
04:30 - How China Switched from Iowa Soybeans to Brazilian Suppliers
06:00 - Waterloo's Five John Deere Plants: Thousands of Jobs at Risk
08:00 - The Through Line: Erosion of Public Life in Iowa Communities
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Librarians. Custodians. Middle and high school teachers.
When Iowa school administrators have to cut their budgets, they hope they can delay getting some new textbooks, or require fewer professional development classes for staff.
But when there’s nothing else to cut from the general fund anymore, it has to get a little more personal… and difficult.
It’s jobs—it’s PEOPLE—that have to be eliminated. That’s what’s happening in Waterloo Community Schools. Because of what the superintendent calls “a perfect storm,” there are 60 people whose jobs will be cut this coming school year.
✏️: Salina Heller
Will the pendulum swing back in 2026?
