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Iowa News You Can Use
LOCAL VIDEO
Jun 2025 11

WATCH: Trump anti-DEI push supercharges Iowa Pride (PT 3) – Cornhole Champions #28

By | LOCAL VIDEO, COMMUNITY, Iowa Production Staff

Corporate America is pulling back from Pride Month as Iowa LGBTQ+ organizations feel the financial squeeze from Trump's anti-DEI push. Des Moines Capital City Pride lost nearly $70,000 when Nationwide and Mid-American Energy walked away, while Iowa City Pride saw $15,000 in support disappear. But record individual donations and packed attendance prove the queer community's resilience runs deeper than corporate sponsorship dollars.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amy Rivers, and Avery Staker discuss how Iowa's Pride organizations are adapting to lost corporate funding while doubling down on grassroots community support.

Also in this episode, an overview of Iowa's 2026 Senate race. Perry's second chance. And a one-on-one with US Senate candidate Zach Wahls.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

*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:*
00:00 - Corporate Pride Pullback - Iowa Organizations Lose $85,000+ in Sponsorships
00:47 - The Pendulum Swing - Corporate America's Profit-Driven Pride Strategy
01:10 - "Gay is Cool" - How Pride Became a Marketing Opportunity
01:30 - Queer Resilience - Community Survives Beyond Corporate Support
02:06 - Individual Donations Surge - Capital City Pride Sees Record Grassroots Funding
02:51 - Attendance Up Despite Funding Down - Community Shows Up Regardless
03:00 - Pride's Radical Roots - Remembering Stonewall Was a Riot
03:30 - Des Moines People's Pride - Community-Organized Alternative at Waterworks Park
04:13 - June 14th Event Preview - Queer Elder Panel and Local Artists
04:49 - Finding Real Allies - When Fair Weather Friends Reveal True Support
05:23 - Iowa Pride Events Statewide - Supporting Community Over Corporations

*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/

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LOCAL VIDEO - Iowa Starting Line
Jun 2025 5

WATCH: Meet Justin Putzier, a motor sports content creator from Iowa

By | LOCAL VIDEO, COMMUNITY, Amie Rivers

Justin Putzier, an Iowa content creator, loves racing and motor sports. He's been to race tracks all over the Midwest, and interviews current and former racers on his YouTube show "Full Throttle with JP." And he does it all with cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination.

"I do have CP," he said. "[But] I want to come across as someone very interesting that might have very interesting questions."

Subscribe to JP's Full Throttle on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@JPFullThrottle18

LOCAL VIDEO - Iowa Starting Line
May 2025 27

WATCH: Iowa workers win back pensions

By | LOCAL VIDEO, COMMUNITY, Amie Rivers

Meatpacking workers at JBS plants across the country, including two in Iowa, just ratified a first-ever national contract across all plants. And they got their pensions back for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Comment WORKER to get these stories in your inbox without relying on the algorithm!

LOCAL VIDEO - Iowa Starting Line
May 2025 14

🌽 Cornhole Champions #24 – Rob Sand’s Record-Breaking Campaign Launch & Money in Politics

By | LOCAL VIDEO, COMMUNITY, Amie Rivers

On this solo episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith breaks down State Auditor Rob Sand's historic campaign launch for Iowa governor. After entering the race with an impressive $8 million war chest, Sand's campaign reported an additional $2.25 million raised in just 24 hours — breaking state records for the most raised on the first day of any gubernatorial campaign in Iowa history.

Then, Zach sits down with Nico Agosta, a 25-year-old TikTok creator behind the viral "Stocking the Capitol" series. Nico grades the financial integrity of every member of Congress before the 2026 midterms, exposing stock trading and corporate influence through engaging social media content that makes campaign finance accessible.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line where we throw bags at the state's biggest stories. This show is created by Zachary Oren Smith with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

Guests:

Rob Sand is Iowa's State Auditor. He’s running to be the Democratic nominee in Iowa’s 2026 governor’s race.

Nico Agosta is the creator of "Stocking the Capitol," a series that grades members of Congress on their financial integrity and stock trading practices.

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@UCXN791Qw5opBRLyvTWYl43w
- 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

*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
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LOCAL VIDEO - Iowa Starting Line