Try and take it (we mean the podcast).
Catch the newest epsiode of Cornhole Champions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExIa2mztick
US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks supported Trump's tax bill that will knock 86,000 Iowans off their Medicaid coverage. She signed a letter recently saying the Senate version goes too far.
Kristen Crowell is on 14-state tour hoping to raise attention about the way Trump's tax bill—the one Iowa Republicans support—raises the debt and cuts programs like Medicaid.
If you're interested in the message, she's coming to Iowa this Sunday:
👉 Davenport IA - June 29, 2025
👉 Cedar Rapids, IA - June 29, 2025
You didn't elect the Family Leader, but they're pulling a lot of strings at the Capitol.
Rob Sand, Democratic candidate for Iowa governor, spoke with teachers Thursday afternoon in Cedar Rapids. On the private school voucher program, Sand said if school choice advocates want competition, they should have the same rules public schools maintain.
A divided Supreme Court allowed states to cut off Medicaid money to Planned Parenthood in a ruling handed down Thursday amid a wider Republican-backed push to defund the country’s biggest abortion provider.
Federal Medicaid cuts threaten Iowa's already struggling rural hospitals. Nearly half operate at a loss, and proposed $4 billion in funding reductions for Iowa could force more closures in communities that can't afford to lose their healthcare lifelines.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers and Avery Staker dig into why rural health providers are taking these so seriously.
Toss some bags about a "research victory” leaving US research in the hole... why a successful vocation program is getting the axe... and why egging's decline may be our country's greatest recession indicator.
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
*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
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*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Cold Open - Egging Houses and Economic Anxiety - Discussion about childhood pranks becoming too expensive in current economy
04:00 - Show Introduction - Zachary Oren Smith with Amy Rivers and Avery Staker
05:00 - Rural Hospital Crisis - Federal Medicaid cuts threatening small-town hospitals, focusing on "Big Beautiful Bill" reconciliation package
06:00 - Medicaid Cut Details - Work requirements, cost-sharing increases, and federal matching rate reductions for expansion states like Iowa
07:30 - Washington County Hospital CEO Letter - Warning about rural hospital survival crisis and community impact
08:30 - Cost Shifting vs Cost Savings - How Medicaid cuts shift expenses to emergency rooms and social services
09:30 - Personal Impact Story - Tony and Lori Luckin family facing loss of Medicaid waiver for ventilator-dependent care in Sergeant Bluff
12:30 - Iowa's Waiver System Problems - Lack of appeal process compared to neighboring states like Nebraska and Missouri
13:30 - Hospital Funding Mechanics - How hospital taxes create federal match funds that get redistributed back
14:30 - Medicaid Recipients Are Rural - Why these cuts disproportionately harm rural communities and hospitals
The Trump administration announces a $10 million fund for an East Palestine health study while simultaneously cutting billions from scientific research. The contradiction reveals how selective science funding serves political purposes rather than public health priorities.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker dig into the one-off funding opportunity and the context that surrounds it.
Toss some bags about the “Big Beautiful Bill’s” big, ugly impacts… why a successful vocation program is getting the axe... and why egging's decline may be our country's greatest recession indicator.
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
*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
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- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@UCXN791Qw5opBRLyvTWYl43w
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - East Palestine Health Study - Trump administration announces $10 million study 2.5 years after toxic train derailment
00:30 - East Palestine Disaster Details - February 3rd, 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment with hazardous chemicals
01:00 - Health Impact Comparison - Residents experiencing symptoms similar to 9/11 first responders
01:30 - Research Funding Contradiction - $10 million specific study while cutting NIH by 37% and canceling $750 million in grants
03:30 - Scale of NIH Cuts - 1,400 research grants worth $750 million terminated versus single $10 million study
05:30 - Political Theater vs Genuine Health Priority - Trump administration's selective approach to public health funding
The Trump administration paused funding for Job Corps centers nationwide, including Iowa's top-rated Ottumwa facility. The cuts eliminate 125 jobs in one of Iowa's poorest counties while stranding vulnerable young people mid-program.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amy Rivers, and Avery Staker dig into how a major shift on high ripples out into a small town.
Toss some bags about the “Big Beautiful Bill’s” big, ugly impacts… a "research victory” leaving US research in the hole... and why egging's decline may be our country's greatest recession indicator.
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
*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
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*FOLLOW IOWA STARTING LINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
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- YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@UCXN791Qw5opBRLyvTWYl43w
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Job Corps Shutdown - Trump administration eliminates Iowa's flagship Ottumwa facility serving vulnerable youth
01:00 - Ottumwa's Outstanding Performance - 125 jobs, 240 students, 94% job placement rate in one of Iowa's poorest counties
02:30 - Economic Impact Analysis - 125 jobs lost, students becoming homeless, community economic contribution
04:00 - Personal Military Family Experience - Army brat perspective on social safety net benefits
05:30 - Ajai Long's Transformation Story - From couch-hopping and depression to stability through Job Corps
07:30 - Generational Investment Concept - Current spending prevents future costs and breaks poverty cycles
10:30 - Federal Land Questions - What happens to donated campus property after closure
11:30 - Close
13:11 - Post-Credits Banter
Yes, FEMA actually uses Waffle Houses to gauge the severity of hurricane damage.
Find out more from Iowa's Waffle House Index expert Zachary Oren Smith on the newest episode of Cornhole Champions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv0eS3j4RZs&t=16s
