More than 10,000 Iowans are living with Parkinson's disease — and one state senator believes a common weed killer may be part of the story.
On this episode, we talk with state Sen. Art Staed of Cedar Rapids, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2024. He's been pushing to ban paraquat, a widely used herbicide tied to higher Parkinson's risk. Luke Nozicka of The Midwest Newsroom joins us to discuss his reporting on the debate over banning paraquat, and we hear from Iowan Nate Peterson who believes his own diagnosis traces back to paraquat exposure. Peterson was diagnosed with Parkinson's at age 34.
Then, a conversation with 1st Congressional District candidate Democrat Christina Bohannan. Bohannan is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Guests:
- Sen. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids
- Luke Nozicka, senior reporter, NPR's Midwest Newsroom
- Nate Peterson, proponent of paraquat ban
- Christina Bohannan, Democratic candidate, Iowa's 1st Congressional District
