Far too many Iowans are facing cancer diagnoses in 2026, and researchers are pretty sure why. Also in this issue: Wildlife are on the frontlines when it comes to environmental hazards, but the now-bountiful bald eagle population is proof a whole species can bounce back from the brink with just a few regulations. Learn how the newly official national bird went from a rare sight to frequent fliers in Iowa skies.
Plus: A look at the beliefs and behavior of Jeff “J-Dog” Shipley, a Republican out of Fairfield who admitted to using slurs against a citizen while defending ivermectin; a Des Moines official questions the city’s renewed contract with a company accused of predatory towing practices; ambient musician Lia Ouyang Rusli pays tribute to her one-time home of Iowa City — and the late Chris Wiersema — with her latest album; Des Moines singer-songwriter Sara Routh records tracks with her kiddos; and Q.C. creatives start a VHS version of the Criterion Closet in the basement of a bookshop.
Cover by Kellan Doolittle
