If you ask some, the anti-Trump and Elon Musk protests are saving Democracy. If you ask others, the're burning Tesla stores and vandalizing property. Saturday protest organizer, Michaelyn Mankel describes their objectives, and tells us if anyone is getting paid to protest. 

Mankel says their objectives are around concerns with President Trump, Elon Musk, DOGE, and Congressman Zach Nunn are around them cutting social security, medicare, and medicaid despite their claims those benefits won't be removed. She says violence won't be tolerated at the protests, and protestors should not bring Nazi symbols or Hitler-depictions as we've seen in other states. She says they would appreciate Nunn meeting with them, and even mentioned what condtions may cause them to applaud him. 

See the video & show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/des-moines-anti-trump-elon-musk-protest 

Get your free Jethro's BBQ $30 off e-gift card when you buy $100 of e-gift cards. Use this official link: https://jethrosdesmoines.cardfoundry.com/giftcards/card_details

Kevin Foley has led the Des Moines International Airport for over a decade and is retiring in April, handing off operations to Brian Mulcahy. In this special episode, Mulcahy introduces himself to Iowans and Foley takes a walk down memory lane, including getting through the emotional period of the COVID-related global shutdown. This interview took place at the DSM Airport on video, between terminals A and C. 

Brian Mulcahy joins the airport with aviation experience as a helicopter pilot from the Des Moines National Guard. Mulcahy outlines what the next few years look like and introduces himself to Iowans. Kevin Foley, who has been on The Iowa Podcast several times, takes listeners on a walk down memory lane, and announces new routes and hints at a new airline coming to Iowa shortly. 

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/dsm-airport 

Get your free Jethro's BBQ $30 off e-gift card when you buy $100 of e-gift cards. Use this official link: https://jethrosdesmoines.cardfoundry.com/giftcards/card_details

What’s new for the Iowa Cubs 2025 Season? General Manager and President, Sam Bernabe joins us. For starters the Iowa Cubs have seven of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 playing right here for the Iowa Cubs. 

It’s a great way to build momentum on what was already an incredibly talented year in 2024. We also find out why only ONE person operates the T-Shirt cannon and has never missed a game.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/iowa-cubs 

Get your free Jethro's BBQ $30 off e-gift card when you buy $100 of e-gift cards. Use this official link: https://jethrosdesmoines.cardfoundry.com/giftcards/card_details

It’s a shaky time for Iowa basketball. Iowa Hawkeye men axe Fran McCaffery after a bad year. Iowa Hawkeye women have lost momentum in the post Clark era, and Iowa State men and women basketball have an average tournament showing. As Drake’s head coach Brian McCollum heads to Iowa however, are they the real winner? Ross Peterson of The Rush suggests this apparent loss may be a huge advantage. 

The Drake Bulldogs have now lost three high performing coaches, but as Peterson points out. They now find themselves as a pipeline that attracts premium coaching talent. Does this make Drake University the place to go for coaches who work hard and want to rise through the ranks? Will Drake use this as a recruiting advantage for coaches and players. Peterson thinks so. 

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/ross-peterson-the-rush 

Building a Tiny Home in Iowa or an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) sounds straightforward, but Iowa law makes it anything but simple—a new bill may rectify that. Depending on which city you live in, the laws and regulations may be entirely different. According to Mike Stuart, founder of Tiny Homes of Iowa, this complexity is driving costs up for home buyers entering a new stage of life, but it might not be who you think. 

Shockingly, younger buyers aren’t interested in low-cost tiny homes; retirees seeking to downside are. With high housing prices, Iowans entering their 70s are wanting to live in their communities and near their families, but are having difficulty. It turns out, finding smaller houses to downside into is hard as builders and cities prioritize more square footage. A new Iowa bill under consideration may force cities to allow ADUs.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/tiny-homes-of-iowa-adu 

Is Christianity on the decline in Iowa? The data may not paint the entire picture, explains Pastor Rob Pearson, Youth and Connections Pastor of Living Waters Fellowship. In 2007, 78% of people identified as a Christian, today the number is 63%. But the definition of “Christian” is also changing.

Pearson explains that many Iowans he speaks to, despite claiming to be a Christian, tell him they aren’t actually sure what that means. In that same vein, people from other countries assume everyone from the USA are Christians. Are people really turning away from Christianity or are Iowans finally understanding what Christianity means? 

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/iowa-churches-christianity

Move over Dos Equis guy, Bruce Gerleman may very well be the most interesting man in Iowa. As the founder of Jethro’s, he reacts to the original Jethro’s location burning to the ground, a property he sold years ago. He also discusses his background in Iowa, how he paid for a building by selling the inventory inside it, why he coached Superman and Aquaman, and the origin story of the Adam Emmenecker challenge. 

Gerleman recounts the origins of Jethro's, his second restaurant concept in Iowa after Splash Seafood in Downtown Des Moines. He mentions he wanted to bring Texas BBQ to Iowa, but with a unique Iowa spin. He also takes us on a fun trip down memory lane discussing how the Adam Emmencker challenge was created, and how a small woman holds the record over some big burly guys, including the host of Man Vs Food. 

Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/bruce-gerleman-jethros 

For those not in the know, just being recognized by The James Beard foundation is a big achievement, and Andy Schumacher of Cobble Hill in Cedar Rapids has the bragging rights. The celebrity chef, who was beaten by Guy Fieri on a reality show, discusses fine dining in Iowa.

The chef and owner graduated from The University of Iowa and decided to move to Brooklyn, NY to pursue cooking. After sharing the stage on The Next Food Network Star with Guy Fieri, who ended up beating him, he eventually brought his culinary skill back to Iowa.

Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/cobble-hill-andy-schumacher 

A new bill, SSB1051, could shield pesticide manufacturers from civil litigation from Iowans. Senator Tony Bisignano explains his opposition to the bill, saying if it’s discovered an organization exposed Iowans to carcinogens, they should face lawsuits like anyone else. But with political lines changing, is this a Republican or Democrat issue?

Bayer who own Monsanto, makers of RoundUp, are pushing the legislation. They argue if a pesticide receives EPA  approval they should be safe from civil lawsuits. Bill opponents argue because we don’t yet know if these chemicals are linked to Iowa cancer rates, we shouldn’t rush to protect companies potentially causing the rise. Republicans are mostly in support of the bill, however with Robert F. Kennedy Junior, a public dissident of glyphosate, being installed as HHS Director last week does that change things?

Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/SSB1051-cancer-gag-tony-bisignano-bayer

Where did WHO TV anchor Elias Johnson go? The lifelong newsman has been a fixture in Des Moines news. Before filling the evening news position vacated by Dan Winters September of 2022, Johnson was on WOI, Channel 5. But in August of 2024 just short of two years at Channel 13 he left to lead communications at Fareway. But why?

"It was a personal life issue of missing my family and not being able to do my number one job, which is being a dad," he said. "There is quite a long time where the only thing I could do to get ready for bed is pour a whiskey, or pour a drink, and then just kind of chill out... But that's not healthy." So he made the choice to make healthier choices.

Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/where-did-elias-johnson-go