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My neighbor Tamara is tired of politics; she tells me this all the time. She says she doesn’t watch the news except for the weather, and would rather read a good book instead. I get it, I tell her, as I drop off a paperback I just finished. But Tamara is also pretty...
by Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch October 17, 2025 State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past several weeks, including offenses related to dirty kitchens, unlicensed eateries...
Iowa Democrats have chosen West Des Moines City Council Member Renee Hardman as the party's nominee for a coming special election for an Iowa legislative seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Claire Celsi. Hardman defeated four other candidates at an Oct. 21 special...
From the largest pickleball paddle to the shortest bull to the biggest collection of pencils, discover the Guinness World Records Iowa and its residents hold.
News about and for the Iowa working class. 'No Kings' is back: The Indivisible-organized protests against President Donald Trump's authoritarianism, which first took place in June, are back this Saturday, Oct. 18—and there's likely one near you. The federal government...
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch October 15, 2025 Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate issued a warning for Iowans Wednesday about reported mass texts impersonating elected officials and candidates. The state elections official said fraudulent messages were...
ISL’s series The Hot Spot: Investigating Cancer in Iowa comes to an end, but one big question remains: What are we going to do about this crisis?
Uncover 12 budget-friendly family activities in Iowa, from historic sites to natural wonders. Have fun without spending a fortune!
Obtaining a library card in Iowa isn’t restricted to a city of residence. Any Iowan can get a library card at any library in the state.
Cancer in Iowa isn’t just about the research studies and the statistics. Real Iowans and their families are behind each diagnosis.
What does a government shutdown mean for you? Politico has some good information here. (Also, the National Labor Relations Board site appears to be down, possibly because of this, so you may not be able to click on the links related to union efforts.) Gaining back the...
We sent out 100 nitrate tests to Iowans across the state, who found levels that exceeded safety guidelines. Experts say these levels may increase cancer risk.
Iowa journalist and author Art Cullen penned a book about the state’s issues with water pollution. He’ll be promoting it at the Iowa City Book Festival in October.
State and local lawmakers, community advocates, and family spoke out in front of hundreds of Iowans in support of Jorge González, an Iowa City man abducted by immigration officers.
This week's Iowa Worker's Almanac news briefs: Iowa ranks 43rd for teachers: A new WalletHub ranking puts Iowa 43rd of the 50 states and DC for teachers, taking into account opportunity, competition, academic, and work environment. “Iowa schools used to be our state’s...
Iowa’s Best Pork Tenderloin Contest has been held annually since 2003, and you can check out these 14 winning restaurants that are still open today.
Restaurant inspection update: Rodents, flies, larvae and gnats by Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch September 22, 2025 State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants, schools and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past several...
Union rallies for Fort Madison prison workers: Prison health care workers unionized with AFSCME Council 61 held a rally Wednesday against a proposal from the state that would outsource prison health care across Iowa. “Whenever we see privatization, it’s not about...
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is fighting to keep her emails secret, and it could change government transparency in Iowa forever. When asked if Lutheran Family Services was a “money laundering operation,” Reynolds couldn’t give a straight answer – now she’s suing the Des Moines Register to hide the emails that prepared her to to respond.
This isn’t just about four emails. It’s about whether Iowa governors can claim “executive privilege” that doesn’t exist in state law.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down Reynolds’ disastrous Washington testimony, why she’s fighting so hard to keep emails hidden, and what this lawsuit means for government accountability in Iowa.
Toss some bags at city-school elections this fall… Iowa’s response to Kirk’s assassination… And what about Gov. Kim Reynolds’ emails?!
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. It’s produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Kim Reynolds vs Des Moines Register: The Email Fight
01:30 Iowa Doge Initiative Leads to Washington Disaster
02:30 Reynolds Can’t Deny “Money Laundering” Claims on Camera
04:30 What Executive Privilege Actually Means (Spoiler: Not Much in Iowa)
06:00 Legal Precedent at Stake: Future of Government Transparency
07:00 What Could Be So Bad She’s Fighting This Hard?
08:30 Government Office Gossip vs. Media Prep: What’s Really Hidden?
09:30 Democracy Requires Sunshine, Not Shadows
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Political violence is on the rise, and the aftermath of tragic events reveals just how broken our discourse has become. Join us for a discussion about how we as Iowans and our leadership are reacting to a tragedy, and what it says about free speech, cancel culture, and our democracy.
From teachers facing job loss over social media posts to county officials defying the governor’s orders, we’re seeing the real-time erosion of nuanced political discussion.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down the role of big tech in political radicalization, the surveillance of educators, and why Johnson County’s response sparked statewide controversy.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. It’s produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
Toss some bags at city-school elections this fall… Iowa’s response to Kirk’s assassination… And what about Gov. Kim Reynolds’ emails?!
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Political Violence Statistics: 23% Now Support Violence
01:30 Big Tech’s Role in Radicalizing Americans
04:00 Why Charlie Kirk’s Debate Format Fed Into Division
06:30 Iowa Teachers Face Firing Over Social Media Posts
08:30 Project 2025’s Attack on Free Speech in Schools
10:30 The Reality: Educators Are Being Surveilled
13:30 Johnson County Official Defies Governor’s Flag Order
17:30 Using Tragedy to Push Political Agendas
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Sweet corn is Iowa’s pride, but at least one of our hosts thinks it’s “completely overrated garbage that belongs in the trash.” He must be stopped.
Also on this episode of Cornhole Champions, hosts Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers and Avery Staker dig into something that actually matters: Iowa’s upcoming local elections. With voter turnout hovering around just 20% for city council and school board races, your vote has never counted more.
Toss some bags at city-school elections this fall… Iowa’s response to Kirk’s assassination… And what about Gov. Kim Reynolds emails?!
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. It’s produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and show art by Desirée Tapia. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 Sweet Corn Controversy Begins
01:30 “Sweet Corn Sucks” – The Hot Take That Started It All
03:00 Science vs. Tradition: Is Corn Actually Indigestible?
04:30 Elote Debate: Does Good Corn Need Mayo and Cheese?
06:30 Mississippi Gas Station Snacks vs. Iowa Corn Stands
08:00 Corn Take So Bad the Host Has to Walk Out
08:30 Why Local Elections Matter More Than Presidential Races
12:00 The Pipeline Effect: How City Council Leads to Congress
*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
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– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
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Iowa is fourth in the nation for rates of alcohol-related cancers, and highest in the Midwest.
State Senator Catelin Drey (D-Sioux City) was sworn in today, breaking the Republican supermajority in the state legislature.
Drey and Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner spoke with press after the swearing in ceremony, expressing optimism that the increase in Democratic representation will mean more checks on Republican power.
With cursed angel statues, graveyard spirits, and glowing headstones, a trip to these haunted cemeteries in Iowa may send a chill down your spine.
Miller-Meeks said she liked clean energy tax credits, but her vote for the Big Beautiful Bill shows she didn't care, writes Stefanie Warnick, a union construction worker with the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 43. "Our state needs leaders...
From the Iowa Worker’s Almanac: News you can use for the week of Sept. 4, 2025:
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 Worker’s Almanac: Layoffs and news briefs, Aug. 29
157 Iowa school districts now depend on budget guarantees as public school enrollment drops 0.63% while nearly 28,000 kids use taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools. That’s 43 more districts on life support than before the pandemic, revealing how voucher programs and brain drain are systematically hollowing out Iowa’s public education system.
On this segment of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down the enrollment crisis hitting Iowa communities.
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:*
01:00 – Tim Conroy’s Epic D&D Realtor Ad: Supporting Local Media Done Right
05:30 – Welcome to Cornhole Champions: Iowa’s Education Crisis Begins
07:00 – The Shocking Numbers: 157 Districts on Budget Guarantee
08:30 – What Budget Guarantees Really Mean for Iowa Communities
09:30 – The Voucher Paradox: Funding Both Public AND Private Schools
10:30 – Why School Closures Devastate Entire Towns
11:30 – Moving 6th Grade Back: Desperate Strategy or Band-Aid Solution?
12:30 – Des Moines’ Radical 10-Year Education Overhaul Plan
*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
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… and everywhere you listen to podcasts
*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
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Urbandale has joined five other Iowa school districts in voting to protect its transgender and nonbinary students.
