The end of summer is around the corner, but there’s still time to plan some fun in the sun. Here are seven IA events to take your kids to before August ends.
New data reported by abortion providers show the impacts of Iowa's six-week ban have been felt far and wide.
Sometimes the science moves faster than public policy. And it has real impacts on your health.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Orne Smith explores this gap with Dr. David Cwiertny, an environmental engineer at the University of Iowa.
Toss some bags at the science-policy gap… why we find chemicals everywhere we look… and what mass balance means for Iowa's future.
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:*
0:00 - Welcome: Iowa's cancer rates and chemical safety evolution
2:30 - Mass Balance Principle: Why chemicals never really disappear
5:00 - Neonicotinoids: The pesticides painted on seeds
8:00 - Atrazine Study Reversal: Same research, opposite conclusions
11:30 - The Science-Policy Gap: 20-year lag between discovery and action
14:00 - Why Simple Answers Don't Exist for Complex Problems
16:30 - Living in the "Gray Area" of Chemical Safety
18:30 - Alternative Agriculture: Different models, same profitability
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Curious what food will be at the 2025 Iowa State Fair? We dug into its itinerary to give you the ultimate taste of what’s to come from Aug. 7 to Aug. 17.
AARP Iowa is marking the 90th anniversary of Social Security by helping people understand its importance and hearing from Iowans about how much they rely on it.
53 million pounds. That's how much pesticide gets sprayed across Iowa every year—more than any other state in the country. With Iowa having the second-highest and fastest-growing cancer rates in America, the science is connecting some uncomfortable dots between what's in our fields and what's happening to our neighbors.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith breaks down his investigative reporting on Iowa's massive pesticide problem. From the Agricultural Health Study tracking 89,000 farming families since 1993 to the "gray zone" between cutting-edge science and outdated regulations, we explore why 17 pounds of pesticides are applied for every single Iowan.
This reporting is part of Iowa Starting Line's investigative series "The Hotspot"—sign up for the newsletter to get these deep dives straight to your inbox. https://iowastartingline.com/cancer-in-iowa/
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by Zachary Oren Smith and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Iowa's Staggering Pesticide Problem: 53 Million Pounds Annually
01:30 - Iowa's Cancer Crisis: Second Highest Rates in America
02:30 - 17 Pounds of Pesticides Applied Per Iowa Resident
04:30 - Agricultural Health Study: 89,000 Families Since 1993
06:30 - The "Cancer Gag Act" vs. EPA Approval Controversy
07:30 - The "Gray Zone" Between Science and Policy
10:30 - Company-Funded Studies vs. Independent Research
12:30 - Don Carpenter's Story: Real People, Real Impact
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Iowa is hemorrhaging talent at an alarming rate, and the economic impact is staggering. A new report reveals that 34% more college graduates leave Iowa than stay, with the 2023 cohort alone representing a devastating $17.6 billion loss in potential income for the state.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down Iowa's massive brain drain crisis. From abortion bans driving away OB-GYNs to immigration crackdowns affecting blue-collar workers, we explore the policy decisions pushing talent out of Iowa.
Toss some bags about the economic cost of brain drain… how pesticides contribute to Iowa’s cancer problem… and how the Iowa Supreme Court is approaching new “strict scrutiny” language.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by Zachary Oren Smith and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Iconic 1980s Waterloo Tourism Commercial (Cold Open)
06:30 - Iowa's $17.6 Billion Brain Drain Crisis Begins
08:00 - Why 34% More College Graduates Leave Than Stay
09:00 - Abortion Ban Driving Away OB-GYN Doctors
10:30 - Immigration Crackdowns Affecting Blue-Collar Workers
13:30 - Iowa Losing Population Even to Other Midwest States
16:30 - Generation Z LGBTQ+ Exodus: "Most of My Friends Are Leaving"
17:30 - Why Even Iowa City and Des Moines Aren't Safe Anymore
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New recession indicator just dropped: defecting Republicans.
Iowa's strict scrutiny gun law was supposed to be an "insurmountable wall" against any gun regulation. But surprising new court cases show an unexpected divisions among Iowa's seven Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices.
On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down fascinating cases from the Des Moines Register that show how Iowa's 2022 constitutional amendment is playing out in real courtrooms. From a man seeking gun rights restoration after teenage mental health commitment to domestic violence protection orders, we explore when even conservative justices draw the line.
Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by Zachary Oren Smith and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.
*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
00:00 - Iowa Supreme Court's Surprising Gun Law Divisions
01:30 - Strict Scrutiny Explained: Shifting the Burden of Proof
02:30 - Mental Health Commitment vs. Gun Rights Restoration
04:00 - Domestic Violence Protection Orders and Gun Access
05:30 - The Only Unanimous Ruling: Domestic Violence Abuser Case
06:00 - "While Criming" - The Case That Went Viral
07:00 - Iowa's Hunting Culture and Trap Shooting Teams
09:00 - Racial Bias in Gun Law Enforcement Discussion
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From historic floods to destructive tornadoes, discover extreme Iowa weather events that were caught on tape (and watch the footage for yourself).
