Residents are calling on Havenpark to institute "a two-year moratorium on lot rent increases" and said park owners needed "to provide clean, safe drinkable water, essential park maintenance, and responsive on-site management in all parks."
Attorney General Brenna Bird is pursuing legal action against Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx over a Facebook post questioning unconstitutional immigration enforcement, despite Marx's full compliance with all ICE detainer requests. On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amy Rivers, and Avery Staker talk through the story and how this could impact law enforcement's independence.
Also on this episode… Bohannan to take another swing at unseating Miller-Meeks… Which hands are up in Iowa’s race for governor… Iowa Republicans are in revolt over Reynolds CO2 pipeline bill veto…
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.
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*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:30 - Facebook Post Controversy - Sheriff Questions Unconstitutional Detainer Requests
01:47 - Compelled Speech Demand - Bird Wants Personal Apology from Sheriff
02:51 - Facebook Status Overreaction - Lawsuit Over Procedure Explanation
04:00 - No Iowa Sheriffs Sign - Dubuque Sheriff Warns of Targeting
06:37 - Economic Reality Check - Donor Pressure on Trump Administration
07:00 - Independent Sheriff Culture - Elected Law Enforcement Philosophy
10:57 - Host Sign-offs
11:10 - Post-Show
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Thousands took over the entire front lawn of the Iowa State Capitol building in Des Moines on June 14 for the No Kings protest—and the sign game was on point.
Zach can't run.
Check out Cornhole Champions where you listen to podcasts. New episode drops this Wednesday: https://youtu.be/Bub8WCj8rFM
Being an Iowa union member boasts tons of benefits—from discounts at local businesses to savings on cell phone plans. Learn where and how you can save in Iowa.
Less than a year after the town's major Tyson plant closure, meatpacking giant JBS announced the construction of a new Perry facility employing 500 workers. On the latest episode of Cornhole Champions, the team talked about the impact the Tyson closure had on the community, what the JBS facility could do for the local economy, and the net win of potential union representation.
Check out the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVzqTcfZrH4&t=1s
Numbers to call to demand disbanding the Iowa ICE Task Force👇
DPS Commissioner Stephan Bayens: 515-725-6182
Gov. Kim Reynolds: 515-281-5211
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:*
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... 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:*
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Waverly, Iowa, had never before held a Pride event, and wanted to do something unique.
Organizers decided to showcase an important part of the town—the Cedar River—along with celebrating the area's LGBTQ+ community.
"The current political landscape is messy and unpredictable," the Waverly Human Equity and Diversity Commission said in announcing the event on the city's website. "Let's gather and celebrate the wonderful diversity of humanity and our community."
The city's own political landscape was messy: One group of pastors opposed any showcase of LGBTQ+ pride. Another group of pastors affirmed the event was welcome in town. It even made national news.
But the Sunset Pride Float on June 5, put together by the commission in collaboration with Crawdaddy Outdoors, was actually a chill event. At least 60 paddled a short stretch of the Cedar River in kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddle boards, while dozens of others cheered them on from the bridges and banks, holding signs and waving flags.
"Tonight was truly special," one paddler wrote in an Instagram post. "Never have I been more proud of this town than I was tonight. Good on you Waverly!"
Running from the police and changing your name is exactly something someone who is not guilty would do.
