On this special episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith is joined by Iowa Starting Line's Amie Rivers and Avery Staker for a candid conversation about journalism, the stories the shaped them, and why they believe local reporting matters now more than ever.

Plus, a debate about Iowa cuisine: the pork tenderloins, maid-rites, and the "turkey and dressing sandwich" that Avery claims is a thing… you be the judge.

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.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

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Gov. Kim Reynolds was unsure when asked before Congress whether the Lutheran Services of Iowa was a money laundering scheme. At a later press conference, she clarified that she doesn’t think that the church was up to no good. Now she’s suing the Des Moines Register hoping to withhold the media prep that guided the exchange.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Iowa Starting Line’s Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers and Avery Staker discuss the governor’s lawsuit.

Also hear about a growing youth mental health crisis in Iowa. Despite a 15% surge in demand since 2018, funding hasn't kept pace, leaving families describing the search for care as "a full-time job."

The team also explores why the Iowa Legislature is extending beyond Friday's deadline.

Links:

* 1st Story - More Iowa youth need mental health support. Has funding kept up with the demand? (Des Moines Register)

* 2nd Story - Iowa Legislature Set to Extend Session Past Friday Deadline (Iowa Public Radio)

* 3rd Story - Governor Reynolds Sues Des Moines Register Over Email Disclosure (Associated Press)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

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Governor Kim Reynolds stunned us with her bombshell decision not to seek reelection in 2026, creating the first wide-open Republican primary since 2010.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith is joined by Iowa Starting Line's Amy Rivers and special guest Liz Fleming (a.k.a @LizfromIowa) to discuss how this political earthquake is reshaping races across the ballot. They examine potential Republican candidates including Attorney General Brenna Bird, House Speaker Pat Grassley, state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, and state Sen. Mike Bousselot.

The team also discusses how federal funding cuts are creating a crisis for Iowa museums and libraries, with rural communities taking the hardest hit.

Plus, conversations with Angel Ramirez, running to be the first Latina in the Iowa Legislature in a special election for House District 78, as well as Democrat Kevin Techau, the former US Attorney challenging Ashley Hinson for Congress.

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:

* Liz Fleming, best known as Liz from Iowa, is a correspondent for Iowa Starting Line and Courier Newsroom.

* Angel Ramirez is a Democrat running in the special election for Iowa House District 78.

* Kevin Techau has career spanning military service (Air Force and Iowa National Guard), law enforcement (Iowa Commissioner for Public Safety), and legal work (US Attorney for northern Iowa). He plans to take on Republican incumbent Ashley Hinson in 2026.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

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Governor Kim Reynolds shocked Iowa politics by announcing she will not seek reelection in 2026. But the governor’s mansion is not the only seat folks are eyeing in 2026.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith speaks with four Democrats who are eyeing a 2026 run against US Sen. Joni Ernst: state Sen. Zach Wahls of Coralville, state Rep. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City, state Rep. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs, and Nathan Sage of Knoxville who launched his campaign today.

Join the conversation with Iowa Starting Line's Amie Rivers and Avery Staker as they discuss the candidates and what they’re bringing to the table.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out cornholechampions.substack.com.

Guests:

* Sen. Zach Wahls is a Democrat representing State Senate District 37. He’s the executive director of the Next 50, a group working to recruit young people to run for office. He has a newsletter.

* Rep. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City is a Democrat representing State House District 1. He writes about fighting corporate monopolies on his newsletter You're Probably Getting Screwed.

* Rep. Josh Turek is a Democrat representing State House District 90 and two-time Paralympic gold medalist. He has a newsletter.

* Nathan Sage is a veteran and the executive director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and previously worked as a radio station director for KNIA/KRLS in Indianola.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

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Iowa's economy is in trouble. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Iowa's economy shrank by 0.5% last year, making it the second-worst performing state in the entire country.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith speaks with Algona farmer Josh Manske about the impact of President Trump's new tariffs on Iowa agriculture. Manske, a fifth-generation farmer who publishes the Corn Belt Newsletter, discusses how these tariffs could further harm Iowa's already struggling farm economy.

Then Iowa Starting Line's Amie Rivers and Avery Staker join to break down a Republican bill that would have shielded pesticide companies from cancer lawsuits, the legislature's 2% increase in school funding, and the political blame game around Iowa's economic decline.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out cornholechampions.substack.com.

Links:

* 1st Story - Iowa economy shrinks, posts second-worst growth as political parties pass the blame (Iowa News Now)

* 2nd Story - Iowa Republicans Want to Shield Pesticide Firms From Cancer Lawsuits (The New Republic)

* 3rd Story - Iowa Senate approves 2% increase in school funding, other funding provisions (WHO 13)

* Farm-state Republicans rocked by tariffs fear Trump lacks exit strategy (The Hill)

Guest:

* Josh Manske is a fifth-generation farmer in Algona, Iowa who grows corn and soybeans. After a career as a professional golfer, Josh returned to farming in 2019. He's also a farm realtor and publishes the Corn Belt Newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iowa’s Republican Attorney General wants to defund the police… well the Winneshiek County Sheriff to be precise.

Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit aimed at stripping Winneshiek County of ALL its state funding. That includes its law enforcement. All because of a — checks script — Facebook post.

Sheriff Dan Marx, a fellow Republican, said his office would reject unconstitutional immigration detainer requests that weren't approved by courts. And now he’s in a fight with AG Bird and Governor Kim Reynolds.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith speaks with Winneshiek County Republican Party Co-Chair Thomas Hansen about why it “doesn’t make sense” for state Republicans to attack Marx. “just seems wrong.”

Then Iowa Starting Line’s Amie Rivers and Avery Staker join to break down Whirlpool’s layoff of a third of their employees in Amana and the US. Secretary of Agriculture’s visit to the state.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out its roundup of local writers.

Links:

* 1st Story - Whirlpool lays off 650 (Iowa Starting Line)

* 2nd Story - County Supervisors by districts is a bad idea (John Deeth)

* 3rd Story - County Supervisors by districts is a bad idea (John Deeth)

* 4th Story - Attorney general moves to strip Winneshiek County of all state funding (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Guest:

* Thomas Hansen is the co-chair of the Winneshiek County Republican Party, the co-chair of the Republican 2nd District Executive Committee and has served on the Republican Party of Iowa’s platform committee for 12 years.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

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An Iowa state representative distributed a controversial pamphlet throughout the House chamber last week. The pages, which Rep. Brett Barker said in a statement he circulated without reading, attacked women's liberation, LGBTQ rights, Islam, and certain branches of Christianity.

This week on Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith talks with with Iowa Starting Line’s Amie Rivers and Avery Staker as they break down Barker’s pamphlet and preview some of the actions this week in the Iowa Legislature.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out its roundup of local writers.

Links:

* 1st Story - ‘What changed, Chuck?’ Grassley faces angry crowd at Iowa town hall (Iowa Starting Line)

* 2nd Story - Iowa House Republican admits "rookie mistake" over extremist handout (Iowa Starting Line, Bleeding Heartland)

* 3rd Story - Iowa gave $1 million to 7 anti-abortion pregnancy centers. How they're spending the money (Des Moines Register)

* 4th Story - Iowa’s polluted waterways rarely see improvement. Lawmakers still resist efforts to regulate industrial ag (Investigate Midwest)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota was in Des Moines last week. But while the crowd was excited to see him, they seemed as excited about who didn’t show up. Des Moines sits in US Rep. Zach Nunn’s congressional district, and he’s among a crowd of Republican who are choosing to skip out on public town halls.

This week on Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith talks through whats to gain and whats to lose as these splashy events fall out of favor among Republicans. Join the conversation with Iowa Starting Line’s Amie Rivers and Avery Staker as they break down some the nonsense that’s been going down at the Iowa Legislature.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out its roundup of local writers.

Links:

* 1st Story - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz criticizes US Rep. Zach Nunn for skipping out on public town halls. (Iowa Starting Line)

* 2nd Story - Chemtrail bill amended with Bigfoot study. (Iowa Legislature website)

* 3rd Story - Iowa Democrats push to end insider trading and add term limits. (Iowa Starting Line)

Guest:

* Megan Goldberg is an assistant professor of American politics at Cornell College.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waterloo Schools pulled out of an event focused on promoting Black literacy over fears of losing federal funding under Trump’s new anti-DEI directives. In response, the 1619 Freedom School is stepping in to host its own event this Saturday.

On this special episode of Cornhole Champions, host Zachary Oren Smith speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Waterloo native Nikole Hannah-Jones. She’s the founder of the 1619 School, and she believes this exactly the work the school was created to do.

“What’s so appalling to me is we know that there’s a gaping achievement gap in Waterloo. That’s why the 1619 Freedom School exists. We know that the typical black student in Waterloo reads at one to two grade levels behind the typical white student,” Hannah-Jones said. “That you would not be able to hand out a book for a child to take home that affirms that child’s identity, that is an ugly society that does something like that.”

1619 Freedom School will host a free Community African American Read-In on Saturday, March 15th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Waterloo West High School’s auditorium. The first 300 families attending Saturday’s event will receive tote bags containing books, including copies of “All Because You Matter.” The event is free and open to the public. You can register here.

You can support the work of the 1619 Freedom School by donating here.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out its roundup of local writers.

Guest:

* Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter covering racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine and creator of the landmark The 1619 Project, now a Hulu original docuseries.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

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Iowa's farmers and food producers are facing a crisis that's been brewing behind the scenes at the US Department of Agriculture. Since President Donald Trump took office and his number two billionaire Elon Musk has been taking a club to federal programs, the consequences have been mounting.

And now Iowa food growers are left with the bill.

The USDA has frozen nearly $7 million in promised funding, leaving hundreds of local farms and food businesses in limbo during the critical spring planting season.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, hosts Zachary Oren Smith speaks with Giselle Bruskewitz of Iowa Valley RC&D a group that administers the entire program that was to help build more resilient foodways, but now is leaving a lot of Iowans in the cold.

"It's a slap in the face. It's really devastating. It's the 11th hour. It’s past the 11th hour for some. The produce farmers already have seeds coming up in the greenhouses. The meat farmers have already booked locker dates,” Burskewitz said. “And so the sales projections and what these farmers have been planning all winter for this growing season is now putting them in a really precarious situation where they have to either find other markets.”

Join the conversation with Starting Line’s community editor Amie Rivers and Zach as they break down the what bills are dead and which bills shouldn’t be.

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line with music by Avery Mossman. We are a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For more, check out its roundup of local writers.

Post Funnel Week Postmortems:

* 1st Story - Iowa lawmakers introduced 1,500+ bills this session. Which survived the 'funnel' deadline? (Des Moines Register)

* 2nd Story - Here are the bills that advanced during the Iowa Legislature's first deadline of 2025 (Iowa Public Radio)

* 3rd Story - What bills are still moving at the Iowa Capitol this year? (The Gazette)

Previous episodes mentioned:

* Hear from an anti-hunger organizer about Double Up Food Bucks bills moving through the Iowa Legislature. (Cornhole Champions #14)

* Hear about why banning the abortion pill is dumb move. (Cornhole Champions #13)

* Hear our breakdown of the “Meet Baby Olivia” video. (Cornhole Champions #9)

Guest:

* Giselle Bruskewitz is the program director at Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cornholechampions.substack.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices