QCA.news - Quad Cities news and view from both sides of the river

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026
	Polling places across Illinois are ready for state's primary election day Most polling places will be open starting at 6 a.m., and for people looking to vote, remember to bring two forms of ID.
	Not Plain Jane Consignment boutique opens March 17 in Moline Not Plain Jane Consignment boutique opens this week in Moline and will hold a grand opening Saturday, March 21.
	Proposed changes to Rock River dams spark community debate The Illinois Department of Natural Resources revealed its study on possible changes to two Rock River dams, with some community members voicing concerns.
	Israel says it killed two top Iranian commanders in targeted strike Israel says it killed Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, the highest profile assassinations since the targeting of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war.
	Is there a more fair way to sell World Cup tickets? World Cup tickets are expensive, and buying them has been frustrating and confusing. But this is what economics is for: figuring out the best ways to allocate scarce resources. FIFA, steal these ideas.
	Walter Butler This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island."If you build it, they will come" is an Iowa idea that goes back at least as far as the beginnings of Iowa City.On May…
	I'm concerned about my blood pressure. Can I check it at home? If you get a high reading at the doctor's office, it may not be definitive. Here's what to know about your risk — and testing your blood pressure at home.
	Bringing marine life back to South Florida's 'forgotten edge' Seawalls are great at protecting property and people. A new nature-inspired seawall add-on is trying to make them better at protecting marine wildlife too.
	Reproductive health clinics scramble as Title X funding cliff approaches Title X is a 56-year-old federal grant program that supports thousands of clinics that provide birth control and STI testing and treatment around the country. Now those clinics could face a funding gap because of a Trump administration delay.
	'Rewarding loyalists,' punishing critics: How Trump's Treasury sanctions foreigners Spain's Prime Minister called U.S. strikes against Iran "unjustified." When other foreigners in power have used similar language against the U.S. or Israel, they were sanctioned by the Treasury.
	From Descartes to punk rock, X has an extraordinary history The letter X can be a lot of things: rebellious, mysterious, religious. For this Word of the Week, we examine its origins and many uses.
	Last protester in detention after Trump's campus crackdown has been released Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old from the West Bank who has lived in New Jersey since 2016, had been held in a U.S. immigration detention center in Texas since last March.
	RI County Sheriff candidates share priorities before primary Rock Island County residents will narrow down several races with the primary for the 2026 midterm elections Tuesday. One race includes the Rock Island County Sheriff. It will be an open job after current Sheriff Darren Hart announced he's retiring. Three deputies are on the Democratic Party's ballot. Marcus Herbert, a sergeant with the department, [...]
Monday, March 16th, 2026
	Navigating Cholesterol: What You Need to Know for a Healthy Heart (Feature Impact) With so much information available, it can be difficult to understand what cholesterol is - and why it's important. Knowing your personal risk of developing heart disease and managing your cholesterol early through healthy habits, regular screening and informed care is key for heart and brain health. This advice from the American Heart Association can help you understand why cholesterol matters, how to manage it and how lifestyle habits may affect your long-term heart health. Cholesterol is Essential Cholesterol is a waxy substance found throughout your body. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs for important jobs, such as helping to build cells and make certain hormones. The concern is having too much "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) in the blood, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Having enough "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL) in your blood can help reduce your risk. "Cholesterol itself isn't the enemy - our bodies need moderate levels to function," said Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, FAHA, chair of the 2026 Dyslipidemia Guideline writing group and an American Heart Association national volunteer expert and cardiologist. "The goal is balance. Healthy lifestyle habits are a powerful step in keeping LDL cholesterol in a healthy range and protecting your heart and brain over the long term." Cholesterol in Your Blood vs. Cholesterol in Food Too much blood cholesterol - the type measured on a cholesterol test - can cause plaque buildup in arteries (atherosclerosis), increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. Blood cholesterol levels are influenced by overall eating patterns, lifestyle habits, genetics and other health factors, not just the cholesterol found in foods. Enjoy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, unsaturated fats and lean proteins as part of an overall healthy eating pattern. Limit ultra-processed foods that are high in saturated fats, added sugars and sodium. Know Your Numbers and Understand Your Risk Adults ages 19 and older should have their cholesterol checked at least every five years, as recommended by the American Heart Association. A lipid profile, or cholesterol test, is a blood test that will provide results for your HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total blood cholesterol. Other risk factors like age, family history, smoking status and more should also be considered to determine your risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Work with your health care professional to understand your results and design a treatment plan based on your risk. Managing Cholesterol: Lifestyle is Essential For many people, healthy lifestyle habits are the foundation of cholesterol management. Eating a nutritious diet, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, avoiding tobacco products and managing blood pressure and blood sugar can all help support heart health. Cholesterol-Lowering Medications In addition to healthy lifestyle habits, some people may require cholesterol-lowering medication based on their overall risk of developing heart disease or stroke. If side effects occur, talk with a health care professional. Another medication or approach may be a better fit, and staying on the recommended treatment plan can support long-term heart health. Cholesterol in Children High cholesterol doesn't just affect adults. It can begin in childhood, particularly for children with inherited conditions or other risk factors, which is why early screening is important. Cholesterol screening is recommended for children not previously screened between the ages of 9-11 to help assess risk and guide care, along with kickstarting wellness habits such as prioritizing healthy foods, daily exercise and adequate sleep. These small lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke through adulthood. For more information and heart health resources, visit Heart.org/KnowYourCholesterol. Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
	Moline community voices concerns over plans for steel dam on Rock River It was a packed house Monday night in Moline to figure out what to do with the steel dam on the Rock River.
	Illinois DNR discusses possible changes to Steel and Sears dams The DNR will collect comments on the proposals until March 31, and then a final report is expected in June.
	What's in the SAVE America Act? The bill requires people to show documentary proof of citizenship when they register to vote, and it's one of President Trump's biggest priorities.
	Knox County deploying snowmobile rescue team due to hazardous road conditions Officials with the Knox County Sheriff's Office said residents should stay home if possible.
	Kevin McKee is golden once again as sled hockey team tops Canada US sweeps all the hockey competitions in Milan.
	Knox County deploying snowmobile rescue team due to hazardous road conditions Officials with the Knox County Sheriff's Office said residents should stay home if possible.
	Knox County deploys snowmobile rescue team amid dangerous road conditions The Knox County Snowmobile Rescue Team has been deployed to help stranded drivers as the QCA
	A look behind-the-scenes at Moline Public Works' snow plow crews following winter storm After inches of snow were dumped across the Quad Cities region, we give you a look behind the wheel on how plow drivers work to clear roadways.
	Traffic Alert: I-74 West to I-80 West ramp blocked due to crash The ramp is from I-74 West to I-80 West, according to Iowa 511.
	QC Rollers move to new venue for 20th season home opener game This year is the 20th season of the QC Rollers.
	County attorney: West Liberty officer ‘legally justified’ when he shot man A West Liberty police officer was “legally justified” when he shot a man during a domestic disturbance call, the Muscatine County Attorney’s Office found.
	Crews respond to crash on I-80 in Henry County, Illinois Emergency crews are responding to a crash on I-80 near Geneseo.
	Scott County EMS gets a fresh look with updated colors The Scott County ambulance service has gotten a makeover.
	Tennessee teens sue Elon Musk's xAI over AI-generated child sexual abuse material The three girls say that the nonconsensual nude images were created by a perpetrator who used AI company xAI's image generation tools.
	Hyundai recalls Palisade SUVs after child dies Hyundai is recalling nearly 70,000 of its 2026 Palisade SUVs while an investigation into the death of a young child continues, the carmaker announced Friday.
	Traffic Alert: I-74 East down to 1 lane due to crash I-74 East is down to one lane after a crash Monday evening.
	Afghanistan says 400 people killed in Pakistan strike on Kabul hospital Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of targeting a hospital for drug users in the Afghan capital with an airstrike, marking a dramatic escalation of a conflict that began late last month. Pakistan has dismissed the accusation.
	Traffic Alert: G62 and U Avenue closed due to semi-trailer crash Lousia County deputies closed both lanes of traffic to keep responders safe, according to a Facebook post.
	Galesburg-based Jet Air Inc. buys 3 new facilities The company has rebranded the facilities at airports in Davenport, Muscatine and Moline.
	Iowa bill to restrict collegiate diversity, equity and inclusion programs fails A bill in Iowa to add more restrictions to diversity, equity and inclusion programs failed in a senate education subcommittee. House File 2488 would withhold state tuition grants from private colleges and universities in the state failed in a senate education subcommittee. All three subcommittee members spoke against the bill on grounds it violates religious [...]
	Former Iowa City man found not guilty of election misconduct The verdict is the latest in six cases brought by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office over allegations of improper voting by individuals without full U.S. citizenship.
	Interstate 74 eastbound closed because of crashes: Knox County Sheriff's Office Interstate 74 eastbound from Woodhull to Galesburg is closed as of 6:30 p.m. Monday because of multiple crashes, according to a Facebook post from the Knox County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office asks that drivers avoid the area and seek alternate routes while emergency crews respond. The post says updates will be provided as more [...]
	Traffic Alert: Part of I-74 East closed due to multiple crashes The interstate is closed from Woodhull to Galesburg, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
	Traffic Alert: I-88 West closed due to crash The interstate is shut down at mile marker 26, according to Whiteside County Dispatch.
	Blizzard wrap-up for the Quad Cities What a blast of wintry weather Sunday night into Monday around the Quad Cities! We saw about 7" of snow in most of the area. Winds made matters MUCH worse though! We had winds gusting to around 50 mph for several hours late Sunday night and Monday morning. Here's a look at some of the [...]
	'Gathering of the Green' celebrates John Deere's role in America's story for 250th anniversary The four-day event highlights John Deere’s role in shaping agriculture, innovation and American history.
	Federal judge halts RFK Jr.'s changes to children's vaccine policies In a rebuke, a federal district court judge blocked the administration's reduction in the number of immunizations recommended for kids and also changes to an influential vaccine committee.
	Clinton to celebrate America's 250th anniversary with 250-mile cycling challenge Clinton invites cyclists to join their celebration of America's 250th anniversary with a 250-mile cycling challenge.
	OQC Crime Watch Episode 58: Stay safe from IRS 'dirty dozen' of tax-time scams Watch crime reporters Linda Cook and Sharon Wren talk about crime and courts in our area with the latest episode of the Our QC Crime Watch Podcast. In this episode Linda and Sharon discuss: updates on: To view, click the video above or watch on-the-go on Spotify. The QC Crime Watch Podcast \| Podcast on [...]
	Blizzard pushes emergency shelters to capacity overnight Blizzard conditions overnight created dangerous situations for people without a place to stay, pushing local emergency shelters to their limits.
	Former Scott County deputy sues Scott County sheriff A former Scott County deputy is suing Sheriff Tim Lane for what he calls an “illegal termination.”
	Traffic Alert: US 67 blocked in both directions due to crash The road is blocked at County Road Z36, three miles south of the Camanche area, according to Iowa 511.
	Gleason: Aldermen setting new path for Davenport From roads to the riverfront, a conversation with Davenport's new city administrator.
	No injuries in East Moline house fire First responders said no one was home when the blaze broke out.
	Traffic Alert: Left lane blocked on I-80 West due to crash The crash is between U.S. 61 and Exit 292: North West Boulevard (Davenport), according to Iowa 511.
	Monmouth-Roseville School District names next superintendent The Monmouth-Roseville School District has named the next superintendent who will take over the position in the coming years.
	Supreme Court to hear expedited arguments on protected status for migrants The court temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting some 6,000 Syrians and 350,000 Haitians who were granted Temporary Protected Status.
	What's ahead for the Quad City Steamwheelers? Sports fans, get ready for all the rough and tumble action of indoor football! Cory Ross and Quian Williams joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about what's ahead for our Quad City Steamwheelers as they take on the Iowa Barnstormers opening night. For more information, click here.
	Gathering of the Green returns to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary The Quad Cities will welcome Gathering of the Green, a national conference celebrating the legacy of John Deere and its impact on American agriculture.
	Groundbreaking early Black filmmaker to celebrated in Davenport March 22 A pioneering but little-known Black filmmaker will be celebrated in a free screening and talk on Sunday, March 22 at The Last Picture House, 325 E. 2nd St., Davenport.
	Groundbreaking early Black filmmaker to be celebrated in Davenport March 22 A pioneering but little-known Black filmmaker will be celebrated in a free screening and talk on Sunday, March 22 at The Last Picture House, 325 E. 2nd St., Davenport.
	Officials: Clinton County, Secondary Road Department to pause plowing as blowing wind continues Monday afternoon, Clinton County, Iowa Secondary Roads posted to Facebook with an update.
	2 people hurt in Bureau County crash Two drivers were taken to a local hospital with injuries, troopers said.
	'Go slow': Blizzard dumps 7 inches on the Quad-Cities, winds create tough driving Monday's combination of 7 inches of snow and wind gusts as high as 50 mph made for difficult driving conditions.
	A new drug could be the beginning of the end for sleeping sickness The goal in the world of global health is to bring an end to this scourge by 2030. A new drug looks as if it could do the job.
	Meet Rock Island Co. Sheriff candidate: Sgt. Marcus Herbert Four people are running--three Democrats and one Republican and we introduced each candidate during an appearance on the News at Noon.
	Cómo entender el colesterol: lo que necesita saber para un corazón saludable (Feature Impact) Con tanta información disponible, puede resultar difícil entender qué es el colesterol y por qué es importante. Conocer su riesgo personal de desarrollar enfermedad cardíaca y controlar su colesterol desde una etapa temprana mediante hábitos saludables, exámenes regulares y atención informada es clave para la salud del corazón y del cerebro. Los siguientes consejos de la American Heart Association pueden ayudarle a entender por qué el colesterol es importante, cómo controlarlo y cómo los hábitos de estilo de vida pueden afectar la salud de su corazón a largo plazo. El colesterol es esencial El colesterol es una sustancia cerosa que se encuentra en todo el cuerpo. Su cuerpo produce todo el colesterol que necesita para realizar funciones importantes, como ayudar a formar células y producir ciertas hormonas. El problema surge cuando hay demasiado colesterol “malo” (lipoproteína de baja densidad, o LDL) en la sangre, lo cual puede aumentar el riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca y ataque o derrame cerebral. Tener suficiente colesterol “bueno” (lipoproteína de alta densidad, o HDL) en la sangre puede ayudar a reducir ese riesgo. “El colesterol en sí no es el enemigo. Nuestros cuerpos necesitan niveles moderados para funcionar”, dijo Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, FAHA, presidente del grupo redactor de la Guía de Dislipidemia 2026 y experto voluntario nacional de la American Heart Association y cardiólogo. “El objetivo es el equilibrio. Los hábitos de vida saludables son un paso poderoso para mantener el colesterol LDL dentro de un rango saludable y proteger su corazón y su cerebro a largo plazo”. Colesterol en la sangre vs. colesterol en los alimentos Tener demasiado colesterol en la sangre, el tipo que se mide en un examen de colesterol, puede provocar acumulación de placa en las arterias (aterosclerosis), lo que aumenta el riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca y ataque o derrame cerebral. Los niveles de colesterol en la sangre están influenciados por los patrones generales de alimentación, los hábitos de estilo de vida, la genética y otros factores de salud, no solo por el colesterol presente en los alimentos. Disfrute verduras, frutas, granos integrales, frijoles, nueces, semillas, grasas no saturadas y proteínas magras como parte de un patrón general de alimentación saludable. Limite los alimentos ultraprocesados que tienen un alto contenido de grasas saturadas, azúcares añadidos y sodio. Conozca sus niveles y entienda su riesgo Los adultos de 19 años o más deberían revisarse el colesterol al menos cada cinco años, según lo recomienda la American Heart Association. Un perfil de lípidos, o examen de colesterol, es un análisis de sangre que proporciona resultados de su colesterol HDL, colesterol LDL, triglicéridos y colesterol total en sangre. También se deben considerar otros factores de riesgo, como la edad, los antecedentes familiares, si fuma y otros factores, para determinar su riesgo de desarrollar enfermedad cardíaca o ataque o derrame cerebral. Trabaje con su profesional de la salud para comprender sus resultados y diseñar un plan de tratamiento basado en su nivel de riesgo. Control del colesterol: el estilo de vida es fundamental Para muchas personas, los hábitos de vida saludables son la base para controlar el colesterol. Llevar una alimentación saludable, realizar actividad física con regularidad, mantener un peso saludable, dormir lo suficiente, evitar los productos de tabaco y controlar la presión arterial y el nivel de azúcar en la sangre pueden ayudar a apoyar la salud del corazón. Medicamentos para reducir el colesterol Además de los hábitos de vida saludables, algunas personas pueden necesitar medicamentos para reducir el colesterol según su riesgo general de desarrollar enfermedad cardíaca o ataque o derrame cerebral. Si se presentan efectos secundarios, hable con un profesional de la salud. Es posible que otro medicamento o enfoque sea más adecuado, y seguir el plan de tratamiento recomendado puede ayudar a proteger la salud del corazón a largo plazo. El colesterol en los niños El colesterol alto no solo afecta a los adultos. Puede comenzar en la infancia, especialmente en niños con afecciones hereditarias u otros factores de riesgo, por lo que la detección temprana es importante. Se recomienda realizar pruebas de colesterol a los niños que no hayan sido evaluados previamente entre los 9 y 11 años para ayudar a evaluar su riesgo y orientar la atención médica, además de iniciar hábitos de bienestar como priorizar alimentos saludables, hacer ejercicio diariamente y dormir lo suficiente. Estos pequeños cambios en el estilo de vida pueden ayudar a reducir el riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca y ataque o derrame cerebral en la edad adulta. Para obtener más información y recursos sobre la salud del corazón, visite Heart.org/KnowYourCholesterol. Fotos cortesía de Shutterstock
	Vaccine critics keep the pressure on, even as RFK Jr. shifts focus Anti-vaccine activists rally supporters to try to keep the momentum going on changing federal vaccine policies. This comes even as the White House tries to tamp down attention to the unpopular issue ahead of the midterm elections, and a powerful federal advisory committee plans to meet to consider even more moves.
	Camine más para estresarse menos: Muévase para mejorar su bienestar (Feature Impact) Hace más de 10 años, apenas cinco palabras asustaban a los oficinistas de todo el mundo: “sentarse es el nuevo fumar”. Aún así, muchas personas en Estados Unidos caminan menos que antes. Pasar largos días sentado puede pasar factura con el tiempo, impactando negativamente en el cuerpo y la mente. Una investigación de la American Heart Association muestra que 1 de cada 4 adultos en los Estados Unidos permanece sentado durante más de 8 horas cada día, lo que aumenta el riesgo de padecer enfermedades cardiovasculares, obesidad, diabetes tipo 2, ciertos tipos de cáncer y muerte prematura. Es común sentirse abrumado por las exigencias de la vida cotidiana. Sin embargo, simplemente agregar 20 minutos de actividad física diaria puede reducir el riesgo de enfermedades y mejorar la salud mental, según una investigación publicada en “JAMA Internal Medicine”. Además, estar físicamente activo trae consigo muchos beneficios a largo plazo. Mantenga su mente alerta a medida que envejece; los estudios muestran que niveles más altos de actividad física están relacionados con una mejor atención, aprendizaje, memoria de trabajo y resolución de problemas. También reduce el riesgo de depresión y aumenta una sensación general de alegría. Las investigaciones continúan demostrando que la actividad física, como caminar, reduce el estrés, mejora el estado de ánimo y promueve el bienestar general. Este año, en honor al Día Nacional de la Caminata, creado por la American Heart Association hace más de 10 años para fomentar más movimiento a lo largo del día y ayudar a las personas a vivir vidas más largas y saludables, paso a paso, considere estas ideas para hacer que su cuerpo se mueva para ayudar a reducir el estrés, mejorar el sueño, levantar su estado de ánimo y apoyar la salud mental y física. Adéntrese en la naturaleza Ponerse un par de zapatos cómodos para caminar y salir al aire libre es una forma sencilla de incorporar más movimiento a su vida. Caminar al aire libre tiene el beneficio adicional de ayudar a reducir el estrés, mejorar el estado de ánimo y estimular la salud cardiovascular. La luz solar también brinda un aporte de vitamina D y refuerzo inmunológico. Hágalo divertido Piense en el movimiento como algo que le da a si mismo al moverse más a su manera. Cuando elige actividades que disfruta, es más fácil convertirlas en parte de su día. Si no puede encontrar 20 minutos para caminar al aire libre, incluso pequeños movimientos pueden ayudar. Caminar en el mismo lugar a un ritmo rápido, subir y bajar las escaleras de su casa, buscar una rutina de baile rápida en línea o incluso hacer ejercicios sentados y descansos para estirarse durante el día pueden ayudarlo a sentirse más renovado y listo para asumir las tareas cotidianas, como cocinar y hacer recados. Camine con un amigo peludo Las mascotas pueden ser un gran motivador para empezar a moverse. Además, sacar a pasear a su amigo peludo puede favorecer la salud del corazón, reducir el estrés y aumentar la felicidad general. De hecho, un estudio publicado en el “Journal of Physical Activity and Health” muestra que los dueños de perros tienen un 34% más de probabilidades de alcanzar sus objetivos de fitness y realizar la cantidad recomendada de actividad física que aquellos que no tienen perro. Caminar con su mascota también puede generar una mayor conexión social, como conocer vecinos u otros dueños de mascotas. Golpee el pavimento con un amigo Caminar solo puede ser bueno para la introspección, pero ir acompañado de un amigo, familiar o compañero de trabajo puede hacer que el tiempo pase más rápido y agregar conexión a su rutina. Explore un área verde, una zona costera o un centro comercial cubierto para encontrar una forma nueva de caminar. Si un ser querido no está disponible para acompañarlo, haga una llamada telefónica mientras camina o realice una reunión o conferencia telefónica al aire libre si su trabajo lo permite. Cada paso cuenta. Visite Heart.org/movemore para obtener más consejos para comenzar a moverse.
	The network of 38,000 inexpensive US lakefront campsites you've probably never heard of The network of 38,000 inexpensive US lakefront campsites you've probably never heard ofAsk most campers to name a federal campground system and they will say National Parks, maybe National Forests. Very few will say Army Corps of Engineers. That is a mistake. Outwander.com explains.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates the largest federal campground network in the country: 994 campgrounds across 226 lake projects in 37 states, with 38,552 individual campsites bookable through Recreation.gov. The average nightly rate, weighted by campsite count, is $20. Half of all USACE campgrounds price their cheapest sites under $20 per night. Nearly all of them sit on lakefront property with boat ramps, swimming areas, and fishing access.The National Park Service gets 331.9 million recreation visits a year and wall-to-wall media coverage. The Corps gets north of 370 million visits and a fraction of the coverage.How the Army Got Into the Campground BusinessThe Corps of Engineers didn't set out to become a recreation provider. Its core mission is building and maintaining dams, locks, and levees for flood control and navigation. But when you build over 600 dams across 43 states, you end up controlling a lot of shoreline. More than 55,000 miles of it.Rather than leave that land idle, Congress authorized the Corps to develop recreation areas along its reservoirs starting in the 1940s. Today, those recreation areas include over 4,300 sites across 438 lake and river projects: campgrounds, day-use parks, boat ramps, marinas, and trails.For context: The National Park Service manages roughly 27,000 campsites across its 63 parks. The Corps manages 38,552 on Recreation.gov alone, plus thousands more first-come-first-served sites that don't appear in the reservation system.Why So Few People Know About ThisThere are three reasons a system this large stays invisible.First, branding. "Army Corps of Engineers" sounds like a military outfit, not a recreation agency. Few people Google "Army Corps camping." They search for "lakeside camping near me" and get private campground ads.Second, the Corps doesn't market. The NPS has a $3+ billion annual budget, a communications team, and national park designations that function as brand names. The Corps has project-level websites that look like they were built in 2004, because many of them were.Third, there is no single front door. Each lake is managed by a regional district. There is no unified "Camp Corps" app, no centralized campaign, nothing equivalent to the NPS arrowhead. The closest thing to a hub is Recreation.gov, where USACE campgrounds show up alongside Forest Service, NPS, and BLM listings without standing out.The result: 38,552 campsites priced below the market, with little brand awareness driving demand.What You Get for $20 a NightUSACE campgrounds share more DNA with state parks than with private RV resorts. Expect roomy sites along a lake or river with electric hookups (and often water hookups), a fire ring, a picnic table, and access to basic but clean restroom and shower facilities. Most campgrounds include a dump station, a boat ramp, and a swimming beach. Some offer full hookups with sewer.Here is how the pricing breaks down across 617 USACE campgrounds with published nightly rates on Recreation.gov:Under $20/night: 307 campgrounds (49.8%)$20 to $30/night: 247 campgrounds (40.0%)$30 to $40/night: 49 campgrounds (7.9%)Over $40/night: 14 campgrounds (2.3%)The simple average across those 617 campgrounds is $22.98 per night.For comparison, KOA's published rates for full-hookup sites at popular locations routinely top $75. A family spending 10 nights at USACE campgrounds instead of private campgrounds saves $390 to $470 on site fees alone.Visitors aged 62 or older get a 50% discount at USACE campgrounds. The America the Beautiful Senior Pass ($80 lifetime) works at Corps sites the same way it works at national parks.The 10 Best USACE Lakes for CampingOutwander.com ranked all 226 USACE lake projects with campgrounds by total campsite count and cross-referenced user ratings, pricing, and campground density (how many separate campgrounds each lake offers).A note on ratings: Lake-level ratings are averages of each campground's Recreation.gov score, weighted by review count. Across all 854 rated USACE campgrounds (172,368 total reviews), the system-wide weighted average is 4.43 out of 5 stars.The top 10:1. Greers Ferry Lake, Arkansas (13 campgrounds, 1,018 sites, avg $19/night, 4.3 rating)A 31,000-acre lake in the Ozark foothills with clear water, striped bass fishing, and sites spread across 13 campgrounds on both the north and south shores. At $19 a night for 1,018 sites, it is the highest-capacity and lowest-cost combination in the system.2. Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Mississippi/Alabama (22 campgrounds, 709 sites, avg $31/night, 4.7 rating)The highest-rated project in the top 10. The Tenn-Tom is a 234-mile navigable waterway connecting the Tennessee and Mobile rivers, with 22 separate campgrounds strung along its length. The 4.7-star average across its campgrounds is the best of any USACE property with significant review volume.3. Beaver Lake, Arkansas (11 campgrounds, 677 sites, avg $20/night, 4.0 rating)Northwest Arkansas's anchor lake, popular with bass anglers and kayakers. War Eagle and Lost Bridge South fill fast; Prairie Creek and Horseshoe Bend offer more availability.4. Table Rock Lake, Missouri/Arkansas (12 campgrounds, 657 sites, avg $18/night, 4.4 rating)Twelve campgrounds near Branson with rates starting at $16. Baxter and Indian Point are the most popular; Aunts Creek and Big M draw fewer crowds.5. Lake Texoma, Texas/Oklahoma (10 campgrounds, 640 sites, avg $16/night, 4.1 rating)An 89,000-acre reservoir straddling the Texas-Oklahoma border, known for its striped bass fishery. Ten campgrounds, some with full hookups, at $16 per night on average.6. Lake Shelbyville, Illinois (14 campgrounds, 555 sites, avg $17/night, 4.2 rating)The most campground-dense lake in the system: 14 separate campgrounds around an 11,100-acre reservoir in central Illinois. Individual campsites run $16 to $18 per night. Easy access from both Springfield and Champaign.7. Saylorville Lake, Iowa (11 campgrounds, 553 sites, avg $20/night, 4.5 rating)Fifteen minutes north of Des Moines. Eleven campgrounds, a 50-mile trail system, and 553 sites within commuting distance of Iowa's capital. The textbook example of the USACE's proximity advantage.8. Harry S. Truman Lake, Missouri (8 campgrounds, 533 sites, avg $14/night, 4.5 rating)The cheapest option in the top 10 at $14 on average. A 55,000-acre reservoir in west-central Missouri-popular with crappie fisherman.9. Tenkiller Ferry Lake, Oklahoma (6 campgrounds, 518 sites, avg $13/night, 4.1 rating)Known locally as "Oklahoma's Clear Water Lake" for its visibility. Six campgrounds at $13 average.10. Lake Sidney Lanier, Georgia (14 campgrounds, 508 sites, avg $26/night, 4.1 rating)The Atlanta metro's go-to lake, 50 miles northeast of downtown. Rates are higher than the USACE average given the proximity to 6 million people, but still roughly half of private campground pricing in the same market.The Geography: 37 States, Heavy in the Southeast and MidwestThe Corps campground footprint tilts toward the states where dam-building was most active: the Arkansas-Oklahoma-Texas triangle, the Great Plains, the Ohio River valley, and the Southeast.The top 10 states by total campsites on Recreation.gov:Arkansas: 5,081 campsites (115 campgrounds)Texas: 4,375 (95 campgrounds)Oklahoma: 4,254 (87 campgrounds)Missouri: 3,049 (56 campgrounds)Kansas: 2,575 (61 campgrounds)Georgia: 2,057 (70 campgrounds)Kentucky: 1,919 (51 campgrounds)Iowa: 1,901 (42 campgrounds)Illinois: 1,664 (42 campgrounds)Mississippi: 1,494 (70 campgrounds)Note the gap between campground count and campsite count: Mississippi and Georgia tie for 4th in campgrounds (70 each) but rank 10th and 6th in campsites. Many of Mississippi's entries are small day-use areas or picnic shelters with one or two bookable units. Campsites are the more useful measure of actual camping capacity.Eight states have no USACE campgrounds: Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wyoming. The Corps Lakes Gateway lists recreation areas in 42 states total, but campgrounds cluster in the 37 states above.Why the West is mostly missing: When Congress divided federal water management in the early 1900s, the Corps got jurisdiction over river systems east of the Rockies (flood control, navigation, hydropower). The Bureau of Reclamation got the 17 western states (irrigation, water supply, dam construction). Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Shasta Lake: those are all Bureau of Reclamation projects. The handful of Corps lakes out west, like Libby Dam in Montana and Lucky Peak in Idaho, are exceptions where the Corps built flood-control projects in Reclamation's territory.Reclamation runs its own campground system: roughly 549 campgrounds with over 12,000 RV/trailer sites across those 17 western states. It is equally under-the-radar.This geographic split fills a gap in the federal camping map. The NPS and Forest Service are strongest in the Mountain West and Pacific states. The Corps is strongest in the regions where NPS and USFS camping options are thinnest. If you live in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, or Kentucky and want affordable federal campground access, the Corps is your primary option.The Swap Guide: USACE Alternatives to Overcrowded National ParksThe Outwander National Park Overcrowding Index identified the parks with the highest visitor density per acre during peak months. Several of the most overcrowded parks have USACE campground alternatives within driving distance.Instead of Hot Springs National Park (65.4 visitors/acre in June): Lake Ouachita, 20 miles west. Thirteen campgrounds, 381 sites on Arkansas's largest lake, 40,000 acres of clear water with scuba diving and island camping. $18/night.Instead of Great Smoky Mountains (2.9 visitors/acre in October): Center Hill Lake, 80 miles east in Tennessee. Five campgrounds, 295 sites on a quiet 18,000-acre lake. Full hookups, $22/night.Instead of Cuyahoga Valley (12.2 visitors/acre in July): Summersville Lake, 250 miles south in West Virginia. Crystal-clear water, cliff jumping, scuba diving, 4 campgrounds with 338 sites. $28/night.Instead of Rocky Mountain National Park (3.8 visitors/acre in July): Chatfield Reservoir, 60 miles south near Denver. Corps-managed reservoir with RV hookups, boating, and mountain views. $28/night.The trade-off: You are swapping a marquee national park experience for a lake. But if your goal is getting outdoors, parking your RV somewhere scenic, and not fighting for a reservation six months out, the Corps fills that gap at a fraction of the cost.How to Find and Book USACE CampgroundsAll reservable USACE campgrounds are booked through Recreation.gov. Search for the lake name or browse the interactive map. You can filter by hookup type (electric, water, sewer), pull-through sites, pet-friendly sites, and ADA-accessible sites.A few booking tips:Reservation windows vary. Most USACE campgrounds open reservations six months in advance, but some open at 12 months. Check the specific campground page on Recreation.gov for its booking window.First-come-first-served sites still exist. Not all USACE campgrounds require reservations. Many have a mix of reservable and walk-up sites.Start at the Corps Lakes Gateway. The Corps Lakes Gateway lets you browse by state and lake, check which campgrounds are currently open, and find contact info for the ranger office. Use it to explore, then move to Recreation.gov to book.Check satellite campgrounds. Big lakes like Greers Ferry (13 campgrounds) and Lake Shelbyville (14 campgrounds) have multiple camping areas. If the popular campground is booked, the one three miles down the shore often has openings.Season dates matter. Most USACE campgrounds run from April through October. Some in the Deep South extend into November. Winter camping is limited.RV-Specific NotesUSACE campgrounds are disproportionately RV-friendly compared to other federal camping options. Most sites include at least 30-amp electric, and many offer 50-amp. Water hookups are common. Pull-through sites are available at most larger campgrounds. Dump stations are standard.A month of camping at USACE sites at $20/night runs $600 total, compared to $1,800+ at private campgrounds. For RVers doing extended trips, that math is hard to ignore.The top Corps lakes for RV-equipped camping: Lake Texoma (TX/OK), Greers Ferry Lake (AR), Beaver Lake (AR), Saylorville Lake (IA), and J Percy Priest Lake (TN).MethodologyThis analysis used the Recreation.gov Search API to identify all campgrounds managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The query returned 994 USACE-operated campground listings as of February 2026. For each campground, we collected: name, location (state, city, GPS coordinates), total campsite count, user rating, number of ratings, parent lake or project name, and nightly price range.Rankings: Lake project rankings sort by total campsites aggregated across all campgrounds at each lake. We chose campsites over a composite weighted score because it is the most concrete, verifiable metric.Pricing: The $20.10 weighted average uses the minimum published nightly rate for each campground, weighted by campsite count (617 campgrounds, 37,078 sites). "Minimum rate" means the cheapest available site type, typically a basic electric site. Full-hookup and waterfront premium sites cost more. Group camps ($100-$240/night) and day-use shelters were excluded. Rates vary by season; treat these as baseline figures.Ratings: Lake-level ratings average each campground's Recreation.gov user score, weighted by review count (854 campgrounds, 172,368 total reviews). Self-selection bias applies: campers who leave reviews skew toward strong opinions in either direction.State coverage: The 42-state figure for recreation areas comes from the Corps Lakes Gateway (438 lake and river projects). The 37-state figure for campgrounds comes from Recreation.gov, covering only the subset with online reservations.What this data does not include: First-come-first-served campgrounds not listed on Recreation.gov. The Corps operates an unknown number of walk-up-only campgrounds that don't appear in any centralized database. Our 994/38,552 numbers are a floor, not a ceiling. We also lack hookup-type breakdowns (electric vs. water vs. full) at scale; the Recreation.gov API does not expose this field in search results.The NPS overcrowding comparison uses the Outwander National Park Overcrowding Index, which calculates peak-month visitor density per acre using 2024 NPS IRMA data.Data sources:- Recreation.gov Search API (campground listings, pricing, ratings, Feb 2026)- Corps Lakes Gateway (state coverage, lake count, operational status)- USACE Civil Works Recreation (aggregate recreation statistics)- NPS IRMA Stats REST API (2024 monthly recreation visits, via Outwander Overcrowding Index)This story was produced by outwander.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to pick bedroom paint colors to suit your sensibility How to pick bedroom paint colors to suit your sensibilityWhat if your bedroom walls could help you sleep better, think more clearly or even wake up happier? Color psychology plays a significant role in how we experience a space, and in the bedroom, paint color can influence everything from relaxation to focus. Choosing the right paint color depends on the mood you want to cultivate, and understanding how different shades affect the brain can help you create a bedroom that aligns with your needs. But how do you know which colors will actually support the vibe you're going for? Naturepedic explainsWhy Color Matters in the BedroomColor psychology explores how different hues can influence our behavior, mood and mental clarity – a concept supported by over 128 years of psychological theory and research. Studies have shown that certain colors can affect heart rate, stress levels and cognitive performance, which makes them especially important in spaces like the bedroom, where these factors can all influence the quality of rest. Because the bedroom is where we sleep, wake and recharge, choosing a paint color that aligns with these activities can support and enhance them. Sure, choosing the right wall color in your bedroom seems like it’s just aesthetics, but it can truly affect your well-being.Calming Colors for Better SleepCertain hues can help calm the nervous system, reduce stress and cue the brain for sleep. Here are a few. Naturepedic Soft bluesConsistently ranked as the most calming color, blue tones have been linked to lowered heart rate, reduced blood pressure and a greater sense of mental clarity. For this reason, soft blues are a classic choice for creating a peaceful environment in the bedroom. Lighter shades like powder blue, mist or robin’s egg can lend a clean, calm, airy feel to the space. These soothing bedroom paint colors work especially well in rooms that get a lot of natural light, where they can reflect sunlight throughout the day. Paired with natural materials like organic cotton bedding, blue walls can cultivate a tranquil space that’s just right for rest and relaxation.Sage greenSage green is a versatile, earthy hue that brings a subtle connection to the natural world indoors. Its gray-green base makes it soft enough to act as a neutral that doesn’t overpower the room, while still adding color and character to your walls. This makes it a great option for those looking to introduce some color without straying too far from a minimalist palette. If your goal is to design a nature-inspired space or you simply want your room to feel grounded and harmonious, sage offers just the right amount of color and calm.Warm neutralsWarm neutrals like ivory, sand, oatmeal and taupe offer a timeless, easygoing canvas for your bedroom. These hues don’t demand attention, but that’s exactly what makes them so effective at bestowing a sense of calm. Warm neutrals adapt beautifully in a variety of design styles, including rustic, modern, coastal and Scandinavian. Thanks to their neutrality, these warm hues help create an understated, welcoming bedroom that feels effortlessly comfortable and naturally restful.Energizing Colors to Wake Up HappyYour bedroom doesn’t have to be all about winding down — it's also where you start each day. If you're looking to bring a bit of lightness and energy to your mornings, try these colors. Naturepedic Sun-kissed yellowsShades of yellow, especially those on the softer, warmer end of the spectrum, can add a cheerful glow to your bedroom. Think buttercream, golden straw or muted ochre — colors that offer warmth without being too bold. Used across an entire room or even just one focal wall, these shades can make the room feel brighter and more inviting. Pair with neutral textiles and organic textures for a grounded, natural look that still radiates energy.Peach or coral accentsPeach and coral come in warm, approachable shades that can add a gentle liveliness to your bedroom walls. These colors work especially well in rooms with lots of natural light, where they pick up the sun's warm rays throughout the day. Consider a soft peach for all four walls of color or a slightly stronger coral for an accent wall. Both options bring a playful, yet polished feel — ideal for balancing rest at night with a spark of joy in the morning.Light terracotta or clayFor something earthy yet vibrant, try painting your walls in a pale terracotta or soft clay tone. These grounded colors add depth and character without overpowering the space. They pair beautifully with natural elements like wood furniture, linen bedding and woven rugs, creating a warm and sun-washed atmosphere that still feels restful. Terracotta walls can also give your bedroom a distinctive, collected feel that works across many design styles while offering a happy wake-up in the mornings.Romantic Colors for Cozy NightsIf you’re creating a romantic space, the wall color you choose can help set the tone. These soft, rich hues invite a sense of intimacy to enhance the mood of your room. Naturepedic Blush pinkBlush pink is soft, soothing and effortlessly timeless on bedroom walls. It adds a hint of color without overwhelming a space, making it an ideal choice for those who want a palette that feels warm and gentle. Paired with creamy whites, brushed brass or soft gray linens, blush walls can offer a versatile backdrop that lends itself to a cozy, layered bedroom environment ready for an evening of romance.Deep plum or burgundyIf you prefer something moodier and more dramatic, consider a deep plum or burgundy. These rich hues create a sense of depth and character, enveloping the room in a cocoon-like feel that’s especially appealing in the evening hours. They also bring an elegant, grounded quality to the space and pair well with darker woods, velvet accents or candlelit lighting.Warm rose tonesA warm rose — somewhere between pink and terracotta — adds romantic warmth without leaning too sweet or too stark. When used on all four walls or as an accent wall behind the bed, this color can create a soft, inviting canvas that works beautifully with natural textures and cozy details. Warm rose tones feel both modern and nostalgic, making them a lovely fit for bedrooms that blend comfort with charm — and create an atmosphere perfect for cuddling.Focus-Friendly Colors for a Multi-Use BedroomSometimes bedrooms must serve more than one role: part sleep space, part workspace, part anything-in-between. If your bedroom doubles as a home office, reading nook or creative studio, choosing a paint color that helps support both focus and relaxation is key — try these. Naturepedic Muted teal or blue-greenPainting your bedroom walls in a soft teal or blue-green can create a fresh and balanced atmosphere. These dual-toned hues bring rich color to the space without being overly stimulating, which makes them ideal for rooms that require both clarity and calm. Muted teals work well with natural materials like rattan, walnut or wool, and provide a lovely contrast to neutral bedding and soft lighting.Slate graySlate gray makes for a sophisticated, grounding wall color that adapts beautifully to a wide range of styles. It's clean and modern, yet still warm enough to feel cozy, especially when softened with texture — like cotton drapes or a wool area rug. A slate-gray bedroom offers a stylish, uncluttered backdrop that supports focus and rest.Warm greigeA mix of beige and gray, warm greige is a quietly refined option for bedroom walls. Its soft, warm undertones create a sense of calm while offering enough neutrality to work with nearly any design scheme. Plus, it isn’t a color too rich to be distracting while trying to focus on your work. Greige walls can tie a space together while allowing your decor and personal touches to shine in both minimalist and maximalist spaces.Tips for Choosing the Right ShadeChoosing the perfect paint color isn’t just about the shade itself, it’s also about how it lives in your space. Several factors can influence how a color looks and feels once it’s on your walls, and you don’t want to go through the work of getting the color up without it being the right one.Check natural light: North-facing rooms need richer tones and south-facing spaces can use cooler shades.Test samples: Try swatches at different times of day and with different lighting. The same color can look completely different depending on the light in the room.Consider ceiling, trim and textiles: The subtle, often neutral tones from these elements frame your walls and impact mood, too.Use low‑VOC paint: Especially important for sensitive sleepers — less off‑gassing means cleaner air.Style supports mood: Paint sets the tone, but textiles, plants, lighting and art bring it home.There’s no universal list of best bedroom colors — it’s about finding what best suits your personal rhythms, lifestyle and taste. Use color psychology as a guide, not a rule, and remember: Even small shifts in color can significantly change how a room feels.By taking the time to test, observe and consider all elements of your room, you’ll be better equipped to choose a shade that truly supports your desired mood. A thoughtful approach, paired with healthy, low-VOC paint, can help you create a bedroom that not only looks beautiful but feels just right.This story was produced by Naturepedic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	2026 NCAA Tournament bracket strategy: Tips and trends to help you win your pool 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket strategy: Tips and trends to help you win your poolOne of the country’s favorite traditions in sports is back at last. The 68-team 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket is set, and tens of millions will fill out their own brackets in the coming days, chasing bragging rights and the near-impossible perfect bracket across 67 games.With upsets on tap, Cinderellas emerging, and blue-blood programs chasing another national title, everyone is searching for an edge with their bracket strategy.There’s no guaranteed formula, but NCAA Tournament history offers clues. PrizePicks, a real money sports pick app, shares its NCAA Tournament bracket tips, and trends that can improve your college basketball bracket picks to help you win your bracket pool this year.2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket Strategy: 8 Tips to Win Your PoolMany people know the one co-worker with minimal “ball knowledge” who has won the bracket pool by winning coin flips for every game. Or the friend who nailed the national semifinal teams by picking based on mascots.You can put in hours of research on advanced metrics, matchup breakdowns — and somehow, your bracket is busted before the first weekend ends.If there’s one bad habit we have for brackets, it’s overthinking the wrong things. After hours spent diving into the data, it’s easy to get lost in the sauce.Let’s narrow this bracket strategy to eight NCAA Tournament tips and trends to focus on when filling out brackets, melding together historical trends with this year’s tournament teams.Tip #1: Don’t Sweat the UpsetsUpsets are what separate the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament from any other tournament, constantly providing results that no one could have expected.Of course, upsets will happen, but how much do they really impact your bracket pool ranking? Most pools double your points by round for each correct pick. For example, you may earn 10 points for a first-round pick, followed by 20 points for the second round, and up to 320 points for nailing the National Champion.With that said, maybe people place too much emphasis on the upsets.Someone may be seen as a genius for predicting a 14-seed to upset a No. 3. But in the Round of 32, that 14-seed loses. In the end, that bracket only has a small advantage — usually 10 points — over the competition.That’s dust in the wind compared to 80 points for a correct national semifinal pick.Time could be best served focusing on the later rounds — the teams that have tournament longevity. High accuracy in hitting your final eight teams can easily erase any first- and second-round woes.Tip #2: Make Your National Champion Pick With DataOver the last 23 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments, 22 champions entered the bracket ranked in the top 25 of adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom — an advanced analytic resource for college basketball.Eight teams currently fit that metric: Duke, Arizona, Michigan, Florida, Houston, Iowa State, Michigan State, and Louisville. PrizePicks Team Picks has the first six teams above listed as the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament, while Michigan State and Louisville are longer shot picksOddly enough, Week 6 of the AP Top 25 Poll also holds some magic, with 21 consecutive and 35 of the last 36 champions ranking in the top 12 of the Week 6 poll. Out of the eight squads, Florida is the only team that doesn’t fit the trend, ranked No. 18 in December’s poll.Tip #3: 5 Seeds Have Never Won a National TitleWhen selecting a champ, team seeds should be kept in mind. Every seedline one through eight has won a national title — except for No. 5 seeds. In 2023, No. 5 San Diego State appeared in the national championship game, but it fell short against No. 4 UConn.In the last 40 tournaments, 26 No. 1 seeds, five No. 2 seeds, four No. 3 seeds, two No. 4 seeds, one No. 6 seed, one No. 7 seed, and one No. 8 seed have won it all. As expected, the consistent pick is with No. 1 seeds, taking home 65 percent (26) of the past 40 titles.No. 1 seeds are even more dominant in recent history; over the past 10 NCAA Tournaments, eight No. 1 seeds cut down the nets (or 80%). Perhaps the top seed isn’t the most exciting pick, but it yields results more often than not.Tip #4: Recent Tournaments Have Been ChalkyThe 2025 NCAA Tournament featured all four No. 1 seeds in the national semifinals for the first time since 2008. An average of 1.6 No. 1 seeds per tournament appeared in the national semifinals from 2014 to 2024.From 2013 to 2023, an average of 0.9 No. 1 seeds per tournament lost in the first weekend of play — the first or second round. Recent history busted that trend, with all four No. 1 seeds advancing to the Round of 16 in the last two tournaments.While upsets are still bound to happen, the top dogs are creating separation from the pack. Perhaps this is a recent trend that could continue, with Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) introduced in the 2021-22 season, allowing the teams with the most financial backing to recruit and pay the best talent — even more so than before.With that in mind, don’t be afraid to lean on more chalk by selecting the lowest seed in matchups, especially when it comes to the top teams.Tip #5: And Then There Were FourThe national semifinals also win some serious points in your bracket pool. Let’s go over a few trends for selecting the four teams that will play for all the marbles in Indianapolis this year.Before the 2025 NCAA Tournament, a No. 4 seed or higher had advanced in the national semifinals in 14 consecutive brackets. Last year bucked that trend, but there’s still plenty of history there.On average, one ACC team per tournament has appeared in the national semifinals since 2015. This included some improbable runs, such as No. 11 NC State in 2024 and No. 5 Miami (Florida) in 2023.Perhaps that’s support for circling Duke in 2026, which is tied as the favorite to earn a national semifinal berth on PrizePicks Team Picks.Predicting the correct national championship game produces a truckload of points in bracket pools, too, and six of the last 10 title games featured two No. 1 seeds duking it out.Tip #6: Expect Some Double-Digit Seed UpsetsThese tips have focused plenty on the later rounds with juicy bracket pool points. But is it any fun without upsets? Don’t worry, there will be plenty of them.Since the 2015 NCAA Tournament, an average of 8.9 upsets — or the lower-seeded team defeating the higher seed — occurred in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.This pertains to any lower seed grabbing a dub, including No. 9 seeds over the No. 9 seedline. Last season featured only seven first-round upsets, emphasizing the chalk discussed above.However, over the last 10 tournaments, Nos. 10, 11, and 12 each average at least one first-round win per tournament.No. 10 seeds – 1.5 average first-round wins since 2015No. 11 seeds – 2.0No. 12 seeds – 1.3No. 13 and No. 14 seeds (combined) – 1.3A No. 15 or 16 seed has not won a game over the last two tournaments. That’s the first time since 2014 and 2015 that back-to-back tournaments featured all one and two seeds advancing to the second round.With that said, even last season’s chalky bracket still had seven first-round upsets — and five were double-digit seeds snagging Ws.Tip #7: Prepare for First Weekend ChaosUpsets are still frequent in the first weekend — consisting of the first and second rounds, meaning surprise teams continue to earn Round of 16 bids.Over the last 10 tournaments, 1.6 double-digit seeds per tournament advanced to the second weekend of the tournament.Nine of the past 10 tournaments had a double-digit seed in the Round of 16. Even the chalky 2025 NCAA Tournament featured No. 10 Arkansas knocking off No. 2 St. John’s in the Round of 32.Eight of the last 10 tournaments had at least one No. 2 seed losing in the first weekend of play. Furthermore, an average of 1.7 No. 3 seeds lost in the first weekend per year over the last 10 tournaments.Maybe fans haven’t enjoyed the usual Cinderella runs or No. 1 or 2 seeds falling in the first round, but upsets still occur, even in the chalkiest brackets.Tip #8: A Perfect Bracket is Nearly ImpossibleAbove all else, have fun with your bracket. Don’t let the multitude of trends and data drive you to insanity. Roll with your favorite data and go with your gut. Bumps in the road are inevitable.You think winning the Powerball is impossible? Try hitting a perfect bracket. In fact, your chance at a perfect bracket — with zero ball knowledge — is a 1 in 9.2 quintillion chance.There has never been a verified perfect bracket. A man from Ohio holds the best verifiable win streak with 49 consecutive correct picks to begin his 2019 NCAA Tournament bracket.In short, try to be easy on yourself as you fill out your 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket, as no one has ever pulled off the nearly impossible feat of a perfect bracket.This story was produced by PrizePicks and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	PTA PSA: Notes on the 2026 Academy Awards Telecast All awards-season long, One Battle After Another v. Sinners felt like the friendliest of rivalries, an unusual happenstance no doubt augmented by both films coming from the same studio. Why pitch the titles against each other when Warner Bros. was gonna win either way?
	Free coffee and soup available for snow removal crews, first responders at select Happy Joe's locations The promotion is only available at Happy Joe's Spruce Hills Drive location in Bettendorf and its W. 50th Street location in Davenport, while supplies last.
	Aging-in-place renovations surge as homeowners invest in safety and accessibility upgrades Aging-in-place renovations surge as homeowners invest in safety and accessibility upgradesThe conversation around America’s aging population usually focuses on the macro-level: rising healthcare costs and the future of social security. But in 2026, the most visible shift is happening inside the American home. We’re seeing a massive departure from the traditional move toward retirement communities. Instead, as this article from Five Star Bath Solutions explores, older adults are doubling down on their current properties, choosing to stay independent through a trend known as “aging-in-place.”While this choice might have seemed like an uphill battle a decade ago, modern design and better tech have made it a viable reality. The data shows that turning a family home into a safe, accessible “forever home” is now the primary driver of the domestic remodeling market. Five Star Bath Solutions Aging in Place Picks Up PaceThe demographic shift isn't just a talking point; it's a massive economic force. Census Bureau figures show that as of 2024, the 65-and-over population hit 61.2 million, growing by over 3% annually, while the under-18 demographic actually began to shrink.This shift has flipped the renovation market on its head. According to the 2025 Improving America’s Housing report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University, older homeowners are now outspending their younger counterparts. Back in 2003, people over 65 accounted for just 14% of the remodeling market. By 2023, that number surged to over 27%, officially overtaking the 35-44 age bracket.Financially, the logic is hard to argue with. With the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program pegging annual nursing home costs at over $112,000, spending $20,000 or $30,000 on high-end home modifications isn't just a luxury—it’s an investment that pays for itself in less than a term of care.A total of over $600 billion was spent on remodeling across all demographics last year, including major improvements, minor maintenance, and work on rental properties. Older homeowners, aged 65 and over, accounted for above-average spending. The shift is particularly apparent when compared with bygone decades.Specifically, in 2003, the over-65s accounted for just 14% of renovation spending, while 35- to 44-year-olds accounted for 28%. By 2023, this flipped, with over-65s making up 27.2% of the total, compared with just over 20% for the 35-44 age bracket.Today, around 28% of homeowners aged 65 and above spent money on improvements in the past year. In terms of that expenditure which went towards projects focused on accessibility and safety, the JCHS study puts this at 9.5%. That’s more than twice the proportion for under-65s.Acting on the DataThe current wave of renovations is also seeing a shift in aesthetic expectations. Older homeowners aren't just looking for “functional” fixes; they want high-quality design that doesn't scream “hospital room.”Industry specialists have noted a significant uptick in requests for shower conversions and curbless entryways that blend seamlessly with modern interior design. The JCHS study notes that nearly 10% of all renovation spending for seniors is now hyper-focused on these specific accessibility features. This isn't just about adding a grab bar; it's about re-engineering the most dangerous room in the house—the bathroom—to ensure long-term safety without sacrificing the home's resale value.The JCHS data indicate that there’s a greater need and demand for renovations than there is adequate capital to fund them. A fifth of households spent nothing on improvements or maintenance in the past year, while 14% had budgets of just $500 to work with. Unsurprisingly, the lowest-income households had the lowest uptake of improvement spending, while 86% of the highest-income households pursued at least one renovation project.Analysts advise that additional public funding for renovations aimed at enabling aging-in-place is required to close the gap between the most affluent and poorest households. Given that it is cheaper to live at home and receive care than to move to a nursing facility, so long as accessibility is improved, it’s an efficient option in the long term.A Positive Outlook for Aging In PlacePeople want to live independently for as long as possible and, ideally, remain in their family home for their entire lives. To achieve this, safety and accessibility upgrades must be implemented. Moreover, these improvements must be affordable without compromising on quality, or they will fall short of the needs and the expectations of older people.The trend for aging in place will only gather momentum, with the aging population presenting its own challenges that can be partly addressed by allowing people to adapt their homes for comfortable living into their golden years.This story was produced by Five Star Bath Solutions and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Hatching trends: How America is celebrating Easter, according to DoorDash data Hatching trends: How America is celebrating Easter, according to DoorDash dataWhether you’re planning an egg hunt, building a basket for someone you love, or simply stocking up on “just one more” sweet for yourself, this is the egg-stra scoop on what everyone was actually reaching for. From crowning the top Easter candy nationwide to spotlighting state favorites and mapping the most-loved Peeps colors and flavors, these DoorDash trends from 2025 offer a snapshot of how America snacks when spring officially springs.Key HighlightsReese’s Pieces claimed the No. 1 spot nationwide, proving that a festive plastic carrot full of peanut butter candy is the ultimate egg-hunt essential.Yellow Peeps kept the crown, but blue is trailing close behind as the season’s breakout pastel hue.Parents went full DIY basket mode, driving spikes in storage baskets (up 440%), chalk (360%), food coloring (220%) and arts and crafts (70%).The second the spring weather hit, backyard BBQs officially kicked off with grill orders jumping over 130% on Easter.No matter what you’re celebrating this spring, brunch is in full bloom, with deliveries of croque monsieur (210%), eggs Benedict (60%), and deviled eggs (60%) soaring, and latkes (50%) and lox (40%) close behind.These insights reflect ordering spikes on Easter (4/20/25) versus the prior three months across restaurants and retail, grocery, and convenience.Easter’s Top 10 Sweets UnwrappedHalloween might be the ultimate candy holiday, but Easter is its pastel-fueled cousin, serving up chocolate in every form, from foil-wrapped bunnies to egg-shaped favorites and shareable handfuls made for snacking.With Reese Pieces at No. 1, it’s clear that America loves Easter candy that’s basket-ready, egg-hunt friendly, and easy to share (or snack). And when it comes to holiday cravings, chocolate and peanut butter remain undefeated: The same combo that topped Halloween is still hopping into carts for spring. DoorDash The Candy Egg Hunt: Top Easter Candy by StateHere’s a breakdown of the specific treats that uniquely over-index in every single state for Easter. DoorDash Bunny Business: Reese’s Peanut Butter Bunnies hopped into the top spot in 35 states, including California, New York, Texas and Florida, making the bigger bite of the popular chocolate the clear MVP of Easter baskets.Pieces Party Pack: The candy-coated crunch of the Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Easter Candy Gift Bag was the favorite in seven states including Alaska, Vermont and Wisconsin.Treats & Toys: Kinder Joy Eggs cracked the top spot in four states, including Colorado, Maine, Washington and Wyoming.Sour Standouts: A tangy twist won across three states including Delaware, Hawai’i and Virginia, where Haribo Sour Easter Grass beat out the classic chocolate favorites.Bougie Bunny: New Mexico is the lone state crowning the Lindt Dark Chocolate Gold Bunny as its top pick.The Most Popular Peep Color in Every StateYou can’t talk about Easter without talking about Peeps. From classic yellow to modern color drops (and a few delightfully unexpected flavors), these marshmallow chicks are basically the unofficial mascots of the season. And while yellow still leads the pack, the data shows America’s Peeps preferences have officially gone full pastel, plus a side of unexpected flavors. With blue trailing closely behind, that may be the shade to watch this Easter. DoorDash Feeling The Blues: Blue is close behind, rising in 16 states including California, Florida, Virginia, Wyoming.Lavender League: Nine pastel-loving states like Delaware, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania prefer the soft, spring vibes of lavender marshmallow chicks.Pink Picks: Two major trendsetting states including New York and Ohio are keeping it vibrant with pink Peeps as the top choice for their sugar fix.One-off Standouts: A few states went off-palette: South Carolina kept it minimalist with white, Maryland opted for cream-colored Rice Krispie-flavored Peep, Iowa went with burgundy Dr Pepper-flavored chicks, New Hampshire preferred brown Chocolate Pudding-flavored Peeps, while Kansas stayed dessert-forward with Milk Chocolate chick.Holiday Weekend FavoritesFrom brunch orders to last-minute hosting hauls, here’s what was hopping into carts during Easter last year:Easter Bunny Essentials: Parents went full Easter Bunny mode to curate the ultimate DIY baskets, driving demand for storage baskets (up 440%), sidewalk chalk (360%), food coloring (220%), and arts and crafts supplies (70%).Ultimate Brunch Spread: Restaurant deliveries saw spikes for brunch favorites like croque monsieur (210%), eggs Benedict (60%) and deviled eggs (60%), along with latkes (50%) and lox (40%) rising too.Roasts and Toasts: For those playing head chef, traditional holiday roasts anchored the table. Orders for lamb (70%) and turkey (70%) climbed across grocery and convenience stores, while sparkling wine bubbled up 60% for the ultimate toast to the new season.Spring Hosting: To get the yard guest-ready for the egg hunt, shoppers drove orders for water toys (260%), floral blooms (90%), and extra outdoor chairs (100%).Backyard BBQ Kickoff: As soon as the spring weather hit, grills came out in full force: New grill orders jumped 130% across retail stores.Methodology: Based on ordering data in the two week period ending on Easter last year (4/7/25-4/20/25)Insights reflect ordering spikes on Easter (4/20/25) versus the prior three months across restaurants and retail, grocery, and convenience.This story was produced by DoorDash and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Where the most people are close to retirement age Where the most people are close to retirement ageMany individuals aged 55 to 64 are at the peak of their earning, contributing to local taxes and sometimes with plenty of discretionary income to spare on local businesses. On average, 11.0% of the population in large cities, and an estimated 17.1% of households in this age bracket make $200,000 or more, earning the “high income” label, according to IRS standards.But many people change their budget, lifestyle, and even location when they enter retirement — generally around age 65 — which may impact the local business demand mix and tax revenues alike. In fact, the median household income in large cities drops from an estimated $96,745 in the years before retirement to $59,990 once the householder is aged 65 or older.With this in mind, SmartAsset evaluated 2024 Census Bureau data for 317 of the largest U.S. cities to determine where the population skews toward the 55 to 64 age bracket, including income statistics about these local cohorts.Key FindingsPre-retirees account for over 16% of the population in two cities. Hialeah, Florida, has the highest frequency of people aged 55 to 64 at 16.64%. The estimated median household income for this group is $71,622, and roughly 4.7% of these households are high income. On the opposite coast, Huntington Beach, California, ranks second for most pre-retirees at 16.57%. Higher incomes are more common here, with a median household income of $139,134 for this age bracket, with 33.5% earning at least $200,000.The average pre-retiree in these two cities earns more than $200,000. Bellevue, Washington, has the highest estimated median household income for the pre-retiree group at $214,900, while the median in Fremont, California, is estimated to be $202,314. Bellevue’s frequency of this cohort is slightly below average at 10.62% of the total population, while Fremont’s is slightly above average at 11.75%.The 55 to 64 cohort is small in number but high in income in these cities. The three cities with the lowest rates of pre-retirees are Provo, Utah (5.36%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (5.56%); and College Station, Texas (6.16%). In Provo, the median household income for pre-retirees is $106,419, with 26.4% designated as high income. In Cambridge, those figures are a $182,926 median income and 46.2% prevalence of high income. And in College Station, the median pre-retiree household earns $116,364, with 28.3% over $200,000.More than 30% of the population is retired in Sandy Springs, Georgia. This is the highest nationwide, compared to a national average of 8.2% of the population being aged 65 or older in large U.S. cities. Meanwhile, the pre-retiree cohort in Sandy Springs accounts for another 13.18% of the population. Other cities with particularly high frequencies of retirees include Boca Raton, Florida (27.1%); Arlington, Virginia (27.1%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (26.6%); and Berkeley, California (25.7%). SmartAsset Top 25 Cities With the Highest Rate of Pre-RetireesCities are ranked based on the percentage of the population that falls between the ages of 55 and 64.Hialeah, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 16.64%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 39,163Median pre-retiree household income: $71,622Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 4.7%Huntington Beach, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 16.57%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 32,018Median pre-retiree household income: $139,134Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 33.5%Inglewood, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 15.67%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 16,107Median pre-retiree household income: $79,414Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 12.1%Cape Coral, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 15.25%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 35,536Median pre-retiree household income: $104,988Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 13.1%Clearwater, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 15.11%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 17,651Median pre-retiree household income: $72,376Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 10.9%Boca Raton, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.95%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 15,288Median pre-retiree household income: $140,404Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 36.7%Garden Grove, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.81%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 25,519Median pre-retiree household income: $103,323Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 20.2%Spring Valley, NevadaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.32%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 31,701Median pre-retiree household income: $91,888Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 10.8%Carrollton, TexasPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.29%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 19,333Median pre-retiree household income: $121,115Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 22.9%St. Petersburg, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.13%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 37,726Median pre-retiree household income: $96,841Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 18.7%Scottsdale, ArizonaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.03%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 34,541Median pre-retiree household income: $146,385Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 37.3%Peoria, ArizonaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.97%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 27,929Median pre-retiree household income: $127,553Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 26.9%El Monte, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.92%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 14,568Median pre-retiree household income: $83,731Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 13.4%Pembroke Pines, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.78%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 24,712Median pre-retiree household income: $108,582Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 24.9%Fort Lauderdale, FloridaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.68%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 26,088Median pre-retiree household income: $101,573Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 23.0%Concord, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.67%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 16,954Median pre-retiree household income: $127,308Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 29.0%Torrance, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.59%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 18,967Median pre-retiree household income: $131,738Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 30.6%Cary, North CarolinaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.58%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 24,696Median pre-retiree household income: $158,568Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 39.4%High Point, North CarolinaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.55%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 15,865Median pre-retiree household income: $76,281Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 9.3%Brockton, MassachusettsPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.51%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 14,287Median pre-retiree household income: $79,833Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 11.6%Everett, WashingtonPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.50%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 15,260Median pre-retiree household income: $95,227Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 14.6%Richmond, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.47%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 15,542Median pre-retiree household income: $124,718Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 15.8%Paradise, NevadaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.42%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 24,688Median pre-retiree household income: $66,947Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 9.6%Yonkers, New YorkPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.42%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 28,320Median pre-retiree household income: $101,440Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 20.0%Santa Clarita, CaliforniaPre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.41%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 30,736Median pre-retiree household income: $151,250Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 31.3%Top 25 Cities Where Pre-Retirees Earn the MostCities are ranked based on the estimated median household income for people aged 55 to 64.Bellevue, WashingtonMedian pre-retiree household income: $214,900Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 10.62%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 16,399Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 53.6%Fremont, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $202,314Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 11.75%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 26,811Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 51.9%San Mateo, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $183,921Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 9.22%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 9,501Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 46.6%Naperville, IllinoisMedian pre-retiree household income: $183,142Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.83%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 19,678Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 44.3%Cambridge, MassachusettsMedian pre-retiree household income: $182,926Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 5.56%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 6,735Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 46.2%Arlington, VirginiaMedian pre-retiree household income: $174,834Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 9.96%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 23,883Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 43.5%San Jose, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $173,467Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.09%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 120,627Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 43.1%Berkeley, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $170,681Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 8.45%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 10,284Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 43.7%Sunnyvale, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $168,088Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 9.87%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 15,467Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 40.9%Irvine, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $162,542Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 9.37%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 29,856Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 41.7%Sandy Springs, GeorgiaMedian pre-retiree household income: $162,327Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.18%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 13,910Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 42.9%Arvada, ColoradoMedian pre-retiree household income: $160,672Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.38%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 15,169Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 35.1%Cary, North CarolinaMedian pre-retiree household income: $158,568Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.58%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 24,696Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 39.4%San Francisco, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $154,484Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 11.97%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 99,032Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 40.6%Santa Clarita, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $151,250Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 13.41%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 30,736Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 31.3%Boulder, ColoradoMedian pre-retiree household income: $151,001Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 8.02%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 8,570Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 37.3%McKinney, TexasMedian pre-retiree household income: $150,342Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.00%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 27,296Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 36.0%Alexandria, VirginiaMedian pre-retiree household income: $149,366Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 11.10%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 17,662Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 31.7%Scottsdale, ArizonaMedian pre-retiree household income: $146,385Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 14.03%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 34,541Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 37.3%Gilbert town, ArizonaMedian pre-retiree household income: $144,293Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 9.88%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 28,536Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 28.1%Roseville, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $143,563Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 11.95%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 19,515Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 27.9%Chandler, ArizonaMedian pre-retiree household income: $143,207Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.23%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 34,399Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 27.8%Plano, TexasMedian pre-retiree household income: $141,625Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.50%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 36,569Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 32.5%Elk Grove, CaliforniaMedian pre-retiree household income: $140,811Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 12.62%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 23,058Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 27.5%Seattle, WashingtonMedian pre-retiree household income: $140,442Pre-retirees as a percentage of total population: 9.77%Pre-retirees (ages 55 to 64): 76,338Percent of pre-retirees earning $200K+: 38.8%Data and MethodologyThe population of people aged 55 to 64 is compared to the total population in order to determine the rate of presumed pre-retirees. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2024 for 317 cities for which full data was available. Median income and the portion of households earning over $200,000 is considered for the age bracket that includes households aged 45 to 64. The same data for those aged 65 and older is assumed to represent the cohort of retirees.This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Enterprise delivery blindspots: Powerful capabilities high-volume shippers often overlook Enterprise delivery blindspots: Powerful capabilities high-volume shippers often overlookAs your e-commerce business grows, complexity increases faster than volume. Processes that once worked begin to hold you back as you scale from shipping hundreds of parcels a day to thousands. Manual decisions introduce risk. Customer expectations rise. Costs get harder to control.At enterprise levels, a seamless delivery experience is a survival skill, not a nice-to-have.At the same time, shipping is now a more visible and influential part of the customer journey. If there are weaknesses in your delivery operation, they won’t stay hidden for long.Metapack shares six blind spots high-volume shippers commonly overlook—and the capabilities of modern tools that can help close them.Blind spot 1: Manual decisions hidden inside “automated” processesMany high-volume retailers believe they’re automated. In practice, key decisions are still manual. In enterprise environments, every small manual step slows you down, introduces inconsistency, and increases risk.Teams may be spending time entering addresses, comparing carrier rates, printing labels, and deciding which service to use for each order. These repetitive tasks are not only inefficient but are error-prone. Manual data entry naturally leads to mistakes—wrong addresses, wrong services, or forgotten custom requirements—and those errors ripple outward, leading to increased costs and unhappy customers.True automation brings structure to shipping operations. At the heart of this automation are shipping rules: instructions that tell your system how to route, label, and manage every parcel. Shipping rules take complex decision-making out of human hands and into software that runs at scale and applies your strategy consistently to every shipment.With this transition from manual choice to automated logic, a shipping workflow becomes repeatable and reliable.Automated carrier selection, driven by preset rules, brings advantages. Instead of relying on staff to select carriers, choose service levels, calculate costs, route orders, and update inventory, the system automatically applies your policy.Manual shipping also throttles growth. As order volumes rise, the labor required to keep up increases in step unless you automate. That means hiring more staff just to maintain basic throughput. In contrast, automation changes how businesses scale. Robust shipping rules absorb the growth.Shipping rules also support strategic flexibility. When your business needs change—whether you adjust service levels, add carriers, or open new warehouses—automated rules can adapt to new priorities. Rather than reprogramming your entire workflow or retraining teams, you update the rules that govern decisions.The bottom line: Automation creates operational infrastructure and shifts shipping from a reactive, ad-hoc activity to a predictable, measurable process.Blind spot 2: Ignoring the post-purchase delivery experienceThe customer journey doesn’t end with a purchase. What happens after a customer buys can shape how they view your brand and whether they come back. Retailers need solutions that don’t just solve logistics problems, but also strengthen customer trust and loyalty.After a customer places an order, they wait. But that waiting period is not a blank space. It’s a window of opportunity. If customers feel uncertain about the status of their order or have to jump to carrier sites with confusing interfaces, their confidence can drop. Built-in delivery tracking changes that. Instead of directing them to an external service, it keeps them on your site and shows delivery status in a familiar, branded environment.This continuity keeps the experience cohesive and reinforces your identity at every step.Tracking built into the site also reduces customer support demands and costs by lowering “where is my order?” inquiries.Keeping customers informed in real time and through proactive notifications gives them control and reduces anxiety about their purchase. When tracking pages align with the brand tone and design, every delivery update becomes another interaction that supports loyalty and opens the door to future sales.A similar principle applies to a returns platform. A poor returns experience can undo the goodwill built during the sale and delivery stages. Slow response times, unclear policies, or forcing customers to navigate carrier sites can lead to frustration. Returns software may offer tools like a self-service portal that automates return authorization, lets customers initiate a return, choose how to return items, see expected timelines, and monitor progress, just like they do with deliveries.This self-service approach signals respect for the customer’s time and autonomy. They can manage their return on their own terms.But there’s another strategic benefit: data. When returns are handled through a unified platform, you can see patterns—why items are returned, what carriers perform best, and where bottlenecks occur. That insight helps you refine product descriptions, sizing guidance, inventory decisions, and packaging that reduces return rates over time.Returns software also protects margins. By automating return authorization and offering carrier choices, you can cut service costs and streamline warehouse workflows. At the same time, customers don’t feel abandoned post-purchase. They see clear instructions, receive confirmations and notifications, and watch their refund or exchange process unfold from your branded portal.The bottom line: Together, post-purchase capabilities reinforce the customer’s choice to buy from you. When tracking is easy, returns are seamless, and notifications keep them up to date, customers feel valued. The post-purchase period ceases to be a liability and becomes a driver of retention and long-term growth.Blind spot 3: Having data, but lacking clarityEnterprise retailers generate vast amounts of shipping data. But it usually remains untapped potential. Collecting data isn’t the hard part—it is interpretation.Many teams can see total volume and total spend. Fewer can see performance by carrier, service type, or warehouse. Even fewer can measure how actual delivery performance compares to the promise you made at checkout.The right tool unlocks insights from data, enabling teams to work smarter and leaders to make important business decisions. A unified shipping analytics platform can help give a granular or complete view of your entire shipping operation and network.An intelligent reporting solution consolidates and standardizes tracking events from hundreds of carriers and translates them into easy-to-understand statuses. Businesses can monitor performance across all carriers, services, regions, and warehouses in one place, rather than working across multiple platforms, manually stitching together reports, or building custom tools.This visibility extends across the full journey, covering parcels in the warehouse, in transit, out for delivery, delivered, and returned.Teams can identify shipments that are stuck before dispatch, parcels delayed in the carrier network, and orders at risk of missing their promised delivery date. Instead of reacting after a customer complains, operations teams can intervene early—rerouting, expediting, or proactively communicating.Carrier reports support contract negotiations, service reviews, and allocation decisions. They also strengthen revenue recovery efforts by identifying trends in underperformance, losses, or damage, with evidence to support claims.Warehouse performance reports highlight dispatch delays, processing bottlenecks, and handover timing issues that could impact carrier collections. By connecting warehouse and carrier data, businesses can see where breakdowns occur—whether delays originate internally or within the last mile.Loss and exception reporting is equally valuable, showing lost, damaged, or high-risk shipments by carrier, service, geography, or other criteria. Rather than reviewing historical reports, teams can manage live risk. For high-volume retailers, this level of proactive oversight reduces customer service contacts and protects brand reputation during peak periods.Shipping profile reports reveal cost per parcel, service mix, delivery type distribution, and regional performance variations. This is especially useful in guiding decisions around cross-border expansion and new market entry.Role-based dashboards ensure each team sees what matters most to them—from customer service exception queues to transport performance metrics. For deeper analysis, data feeds can be integrated into internal business intelligence systems, allowing businesses to merge shipping intelligence with sales, CRM, and financial data.The bottom line: Visibility reduces surprises. And at scale, fewer surprises mean stronger margins. The right kind of reporting transforms delivery operations into a strategic advantage.Blind spot 4: Static pricing in a dynamic environmentAt enterprise volumes, even small per-parcel cost differences compound into significant annual savings.Carrier optimization is not a one-time configuration. Rates change. Fuel surcharges fluctuate. Service performance varies by region and season. Static allocation logic cannot keep up.Instead of relying on fixed services or manual decisions, a modern platform compares carrier rates in real time and selects the most cost-effective option that still meets the required delivery promise.Rate shopping allows the system to evaluate multiple carriers and service levels for each individual shipment, eliminating the need for manual checks and preventing defaulting to a single carrier out of habit or convenience.It considers destination, parcel size and weight, transit time, and contracted pricing. Based on defined business rules—such as prioritizing lowest cost, fastest service, or a balance of both—the software automatically assigns the best-fit option. This ensures you are not overpaying for speed when it is not needed, or risking delays when delivery certainty matters.Dynamic allocation rules further support discount strategies. Volume can be distributed across carriers to meet contractual commitments or minimum thresholds without operational disruption. If a carrier underperforms or peak capacity becomes constrained, shipments can be redirected quickly while maintaining cost control.High-volume shipping software also helps businesses unlock and manage carrier discounts. By consolidating volume across services or locations, shipping platforms help companies strengthen their negotiating position. Instead of negotiating on estimates, businesses can negotiate with precise data.In addition, access to a broad carrier library reduces the cost and complexity of onboarding new services. Businesses can trial alternative carriers in specific regions or lanes to benchmark performance and pricing before committing larger volumes. This prevents over-reliance on a single provider and encourages competitive pricing across the network.The bottom line: High-volume shipping is about balancing cost, service reliability, transit time, and contractual obligations at scale. Shipping software automates these decisions, ensuring every parcel is allocated in line with commercial goals while protecting the delivery experience.Blind spot 5: Fragmented carrier managementManaging multiple carriers is essential at an enterprise scale. But managing them independently creates complexity.Separate integrations. Different tracking formats. Inconsistent reporting. Slow onboarding of new services. High maintenance overhead. Fragmentation limits flexibility. It slows your ability to respond to disruption and increases technical debt.A unified carrier integration layer changes that. Tracking events are normalized. Reporting is consistent. Volume can be quickly redistributed to address performance issues.Different carriers excel in different regions and service levels. Shipping software that integrates with many international and regional carriers enables enterprises to leverage the strengths of different carriers for different markets and optimize carrier selection by destination, service level, and cost without managing separate systems for each carrier. There’s no need to learn different processes for different carriers. The software automatically adapts to each carrier’s requirements.The bottom line: Carrier flexibility should not increase complexity. It should reduce it.Blind spot 6: Inefficiencies in cross-border shippingInternational expansion offers clear growth potential but introduces operational strain. Customs rules vary by country. Documentation requirements differ by product type. Carrier capabilities shift across regions. What works domestically rarely translates cleanly across borders.Shipping software built for enterprise operations turns cross-border fulfillment from a manual, high-risk process into a structured and repeatable workflow. Instead of treating international shipping as an exception, the platform manages it as part of your standard operation.Customs documentation is often the largest obstacle. Creating commercial invoices, forms, and other required paperwork manually for thousands of shipments is slow and error-prone.Automated customs documentation changes this entirely. The system can pull product data, such as item descriptions, HS codes, country of origin, and declared values, directly from your catalogue and account settings. It then generates the correct documentation for each shipment.This improves accuracy, reduces duplication and reliance on manual input, and protects against incomplete or incorrect forms that delay delivery.Advanced platforms can also support the electronic submission of customs data directly to carrier systems. By sending information in advance, businesses can accelerate customs clearance without printing and attaching separate paperwork. This shortens transit times and improves the reliability of delivery promises.Compliance management is another critical area. International shipping involves changing trade rules, product restrictions, and local regulatory requirements. Enterprise shipping software centralizes these controls, helping businesses apply correct documentation rules, manage duties and taxes, and adjust processes as regulations evolve.In practice, streamlined international shipping supports faster market entry. Businesses can launch in new regions without building separate operational processes for each country. They can test demand, adjust carrier allocation, and refine their cross-border proposition without major development overhead.The bottom line: International expansion will always involve complexity. The difference is whether that complexity is handled manually or systematically.The blind spots outlined here share a common theme: Decisions are being made, but not always intelligently.Automation that still relies on human intervention. Fulfillment that executes without optimizing. Data that exists but does not guide action. Carrier relationships that lack flexibility. International expansion that adds complexity instead of controlled growth. Together, these gaps shape margin, customer trust, and long-term scalability.High-volume shipping is not about moving parcels faster. It is about making better decisions at scale. The retailers who perform best are those that remove friction, strengthen automation, build visibility across their network, and improve their entire delivery management system.Exposing and closing blind spots is strategic. And the right shipping capabilities turn them into advantages.This story was produced by Metapack and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Quad-Cities area Eagle Scouts win District Eagle Project of the Year for 2025 Five Eagle Scouts were selected for the District Eagle Project of the Year awards. There will be an award ceremony in April where the council-wide winner will be announced.
	Paleontologists uncover a new ‘Spinosaurus’ species by following a clue from a decades-old book into the Sahara Desert My fixation on a small, desolate locale in the heart of the Sahara Desert started with a single line buried in a 630-page tome in French about the rocks of the central Sahara: “Dent de Carcharodontosaurus saharicus Depéret,” which translates to “tooth of Carcharodontosaurus saharicus Depéret” – “Depéret” refers to the scientist who originally named the species. The intrepid French geologist Hugues Faure (1928-2003) had collected one saber-shaped tooth in the early 1950s at a small exposure he labeled “Akarazeras” on one of his maps, identifying the tooth as belonging to the T. rex-size predator Carcharodontosaurus. That beast was named years before based on fossils in the Western Desert of Egypt, and Faure correctly figured the tooth and outcrop in Niger might be the same age. Faure’s tooth, unfortunately, was never figured or photographed and has been lost. In the 70 years since Faure’s account, no paleontologist had ventured back to this hyperarid, windswept landscape to attempt to relocate Akarazeras. In truth, the tooth might have been all that was there, and the site itself could easily have disappeared under drifting dunes. Yet, after reading about it early in my career as a paleontologist, Akarazeras became my fossil Shangri-La, a place I dreamed of visiting. Akarazeras relocated With a small exploratory team in 2019, I followed a desert trail to the remote oasis of Tanout, the closest inhabited point to Akarazeras. There we refreshed our supplies – food, water and fuel – to survive a three-day foray in the open desert in search of the locale. Besides binoculars, we had a few gadgets Faure couldn’t have imagined: GPS hand units and a drone. Navigating using Faure’s map brought us to a flat, barren spot with nothing in sight to the horizon. We drove several kilometers to the north, climbed to the top of our vehicles and launched the drone. One of my team members spotted a low rocky outcrop at distance. Soon after arriving at the exposure, we found several Carcharodontosaurus teeth and, a short distance away, the rim of an infilled, hand-dug well. We had found Akarazeras. By the next afternoon, we had finished packing up a few dozen fossil teeth and bones. We probed in every direction and sent the drone farther to see if there was anything else to find. Nothing but sand. A chance encounter That might have been the end of the story had not a tall, lanky man arrived in our Tanout campground the evening we returned. Looking like a Tuareg Marvel character, Abdoul Nasser stood next to his Honda motorbike, dressed in a full-length black overcoat, a cheche head wrap, sunglasses and a sheathed sword slung over his shoulder. “I can take you to some large bones, farther than Akarazeras,” he said in Tamasheq, with guides translating to French. This seemed more than a boast or scam. I decided to devote our final three days to this venture. Our Tuareg guide to the site of the new Spinosaurus species, Abdoul Nasser, left, with paleontologist Dan Vidal, right, en route to the fossil area Jenguebi. Alhadji Akamaya A day and a half later, we had spent half our fuel chasing our motorbike guide over an endless dunescape. Just as we questioned going farther, Abdoul slowed to a stop in front of the largest fossil hind leg I had ever seen, its thigh bone nearly 6 feet (2 meters) long. As the sun set, we scurried from skeleton to skeleton – it was a veritable dinosaur graveyard. The next morning we had a half-hour at this place locals called Jenguebi before we had to leave. I and my colleague, Spanish paleontologist Dan Vidal, quickly collected large jaw pieces of what we assumed was Carcharodontosaurus. Paul Sereno, left, and paleontologist Dan Vidal, right, next to the gigantic hind limb of a long-necked dinosaur moments after arriving at Jenguebi. Matthew Irving/Fossil lab Epiphany in the lab and field Back in Chicago, the cleaned and assembled jaw pieces told another story. They belonged to the giant fish-eating dinosaur called Spinosaurus, which refers to a group of semiaquatic, T. rex-size beasts known from the northern shores of Africa. For more than two years, plans to return to Niger were scuttled by the pandemic. Finally, in 2022, I led an international, 20-person field crew with a larger guard back to Jenguebi to see whether we could turn up more of the elusive predator. I was busy arranging the campsite an hour after arriving when Dan Vidal approached, wide-eyed. “You won’t believe what we just found … the snout end of our skull!” The team quickly gathered around the toothed bone jutting from the surface of the desert, some in tears, bearing witness to an extraordinary discovery. The snout end fit onto one of the jaw pieces we had collected in 2019. Hours later, Dan approached again with a curved bone in hand. “What do you think this is?” he asked, wanting confirmation for what we both immediately recognized as a landmark discovery. Expedition member Ana Lázaro holds the cranial crest of Spinosaurus mirabilis at the Jenguebi site. Alvaro Simarro The scimitar-shaped bone he held came from the top of the skull. Unlike the low, fluted crest atop the cranium of Spinosaurus from Egypt, called Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, this bone swept upward and backward over the orbital – the space for the eyes. In the cool of the evening, the team gathering around Dan and his laptop to get a glimpse of an initial skull reconstruction, an assembly of digital versions of the bones we had discovered. In awe, we saw the Jenguebi spinosaurid for the first time, a spectacular southern variant of the sail-backed predator first described in Egypt in 1915. Back in the lab, we coined a species name in Latin that captured our collective “astonishment” upon its discovery, Spinosaurus mirabilis. The expedition team watches the laptop of paleontologist Dan Vidal to see the first digital reconstruction of the scimitar-crested skull of Spinosaurus mirabilis. Expedition Impossible LLC An organization I launched with Nigeriens, NigerHeritage, has visualized new museums in the country’s capital, Niamey, and closer to the fossil sites in Agadez that will preserve and display these and many other fossils. A secure homecoming for these remarkable finds also involves a new generation of Nigerien museologists, scholars and museums. An inland fish-eater Other animals at the site included two new long-necked plant-eaters, a partial skull of Carcharodontosaurus, a large skull of a freshwater fish and fossil wood. All of the fossils came from a layer of river-borne sediment less than a meter thick, indicating they lived in the same forested inland area far from a marine coastline. In recent years, the giant fish-eater Spinosaurus has been depicted in Hollywood’s “Jurassic World Rebirth” as a swimming, diving ocean predator alongside other undoubtedly marine creatures like mosasaurs. In 2020, a team of researchers had reinterpreted Spinosaurus aegyptiacus in this way. Dubbed the “aquatic hypothesis,” the key inspiration was the discovery that the sail on its back extended over its tail. The structure of the tail and other lines of evidence, however, led me and my research team to an alternative view of the fish-eater – as a shallow-water, wading, ambush predator with little capacity for swimming and none for diving. Aside from its crest, S. mirabilis is very similar to its cousin S. aegyptiacus from the northern coast of Africa. Their lifestyles likely also were very similar. A flesh model of Spinosaurus mirabilis. Dani Navarro Evolutionary stages The early record of spinosaurids, known only from a few teeth, is rooted in the Jurassic, when they first gained a taste for fish. Over the past few years, researchers have found spinosaurid fossils in many locales in rocks of Early Cretaceous age in southern Europe and Asia, sites that once were near the ancient Tethys Sea. At that time, 115 to 130 million years ago, spinosaurids had split into two subgroups – baryonychines and spinosaurines – that collectively dominated the Tethyan realm as the largest predators of the day. By the dawn of the Late Cretaceous, only spinosaurines remained as larger and more specialized and flamboyant fish-eaters on the southern side of the Tethys Sea in coastal and inland habitats. S. mirabilis is among the last of these great predators. It is perhaps best understood as a “hell heron,” the likes of which we can only imagine when observing the more graceful, if less fearsome, herons of today. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Paul C. Sereno, University of Chicago Read more: Dinosaur ‘mummies’ help scientists visualize the fleshy details of these ancient animals Growing quickly helped the earliest dinosaurs and other ancient reptiles flourish in the aftermath of mass extinction Did male and female dinosaurs differ? A new statistical technique is helping answer the question Paul C. Sereno received funding from an anonymous donor for the 2022 expedition and subsequent research on the new spinosaurid.
	Gasoline prices are still rising as the Iran war stretches into its third week U.S. gasoline prices are up nearly 80 cents from a month ago, while diesel prices have shot up even more. Diesel is now just under $5 a gallon, according to AAA, up $1.34 from last month.
	What was the very first plant in the world? Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. What was the very first plant in the world? – Ivy, age 6, Phoenix Long before dinosaurs roamed the land, Earth looked very different from the planet we know today. Around 500 million years ago, most of Earth’s surface was bare rock and dry soil. There were no trees, no grass and no flowers. Life existed almost entirely in the oceans. Then something amazing happened: Plants began to grow on land. This moment was one of the most important events in Earth’s history because it changed the planet forever. As a geoscientist, I am interested in changes in the diversity of flora and fauna – that’s plants and animals – over time. Predecessors of plants lived in water The story of plants begins in the water. The earliest plantlike organisms were simple, tiny green life-forms such as algae. You can still see algae today as seaweed along beaches or as green slime on rocks in ponds. Early algae were just a cell or two in size and drifted in water. NNehring/E+ via Getty Images via The Conversation Algae have lived in Earth’s oceans and lakes for over 1 billion years. They can make their own food, using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create sugars. This process is called photosynthesis; it releases oxygen – the gas we need to breathe – as a byproduct. At first, Earth’s atmosphere had very little oxygen. Over millions of years, photosynthesizing organisms like algae and some bacteria slowly released oxygen into the air. This change, sometimes called the Great Oxygenation Event, made it possible for larger and more complex life to evolve. Without oxygen-producing organisms, animals, including humans, could never have existed. Scientists believe the first true plants evolved from green algae around 470 million years ago. These early plants lived in shallow water near shorelines, where conditions changed often. Sometimes they were underwater, and sometimes they were exposed to air. This habitat helped them slowly adapt to life on land. Getting a foothold on dry land Moving onto land was not easy. Water plants are supported by water and can absorb nutrients easily, but land plants faced new challenges. How would they avoid drying out? How could they stand upright without floating? How would they get water and nutrients from dry ground? To survive, early plants evolved important new features. One key adaptation was a waxy coating, called a cuticle, which helped keep water inside the plant. Plants also developed stronger cell walls that allowed them to stand upright against gravity. Simple rootlike structures, called rhizoids, helped anchor plants to the ground and absorb water and minerals from the soil. The earliest land plants were very small and simple. They looked similar to modern mosses, liverworts and hornworts, which still grow today in damp places like forest floors and stream edges. These plants did not have true roots or stems, and they stayed close to the ground. Fossils of early land plants, such as Cooksonia, date back to about 430 million years ago and show small branching stems only an inch or two tall. An artist’s rendition of Cooksonia plants highlights their strong stems. Nobu Tamura, CC BY-SA Even though these plants were tiny, they had a huge impact on Earth. As plants spread across land, their roots helped break down rocks into soil, a process called weathering. This created richer soil that could support more life. Plants also released more oxygen into the atmosphere, improving air quality and helping animals breathe. Plants created new habitats and food sources, allowing insects and other animals to move from water onto land. Increasing complexity across millions of years Once plants became established on land, evolution continued. Around 420 million years ago, plants evolved vascular tissue: tiny tubes that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. This adaptation allowed plants to grow taller and stronger because water could be moved upward from the roots to the leaves. These vascular plants included early relatives of ferns and club mosses. With vascular tissue, plant life really started to flourish. By about 360 million years ago, vast forests covered much of Earth. Giant ferns and treelike plants, some over 100 feet (30 meters) tall, dominated the landscape. Over time, dead plant material from these forests was buried and compressed, eventually forming coal, which people still use as an energy source today. Another major step in plant evolution was the development of seeds, around 380 million years ago, found in seed ferns. Other seed plants, such as early conifers – a group that includes modern pine trees – could reproduce without needing water for fertilization. Seeds protected plant embryos and allowed plants to survive harsh conditions like drought or cold. The most recent major plant evolution happened around 140 million years ago, when flowering plants, what scientists call angiosperms, appeared. Flowers helped plants attract animals like insects and birds, which spread pollen and seeds. Fruits developed to protect seeds and help them travel. Today, flowering plants make up most of the plants we see, including trees, grasses, fruits and vegetables. The first plants didn’t just survive; they transformed Earth. They changed the atmosphere, built soil, and created ecosystems that allowed animals to thrive on land. Thanks to plant evolution, Earth became a green, living planet full of diverse life. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Erin Potter, Binghamton University, State University of New York Read more:Fossils suggest an aquatic plant that bloomed underwater was among first flowering plantsHow did birds survive while dinosaurs went extinct?Were viruses around on Earth before living cells emerged? A microbiologist explainsErin Potter does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
	States with the most remote workers and what that says about regional lifestyles States with the most remote workers and what that says about regional lifestylesRemote work is no longer just a COVID-19 pandemic-era experiment. It is a structural shift in how millions of Americans are earning a living and where they choose to live. While headlines often frame remote work as a national trend, the reality is far more uneven. Some states have embraced work-from-home as a defining feature of their labor markets, and others remain anchored in more traditional in-person industries that leave little room for flexibility.ThatsThem used the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data, along with insights from the Pew Research Center and other labor-market analyses, to show where remote work has taken hold and where it hasn’t. This data will demonstrate what those differences mean for state economies, housing markets, and workforce mobility.The remote work divide: Top and bottom statesCensus data confirms a stark geographic divide in remote work adoption across the country. While the national share of people primarily working from home has stabilized since its pandemic peak, certain states are consistently outside the average, as evidenced by the ACS: ThatsThem The outer edges of the United States are home to the states with the most remote workers, and the interior of the country shows lower numbers. States with the highest share of remote workers tend to have white-collar job concentration, higher education levels, and urban labor markets that transitioned smoothly over to remote work during the pandemic, but this isn’t a hard-and-fast observation across the board. Specifically, the top five states with the highest share of remote workers are:District of Columbia — 22.9%Colorado — 19.9%Oregon — 17.10%Washington — 16.40%Arizona — 16.30%Remote working is no longer fringe in these states, with a significant share of residents working from home full-time. Many more do so in hybrid arrangements. Conversely, the states with the lowest percentages are:Mississippi — 6.20%North Dakota -— 7.10%Louisiana — 8.00%South Dakota — 8.00%Alabama — 8.30%These are states that tend to rely more on manufacturing, retail, logistics, health care support, and service operations that require an in-person presence. Even as remote tools have improved, the nature of available jobs naturally caps adoption.Driver #1: Industry composition and job typeThe strongest predictor of remote work adoption is naturally the type of work that a state’s residents do. States with high concentrations of technology, finance, professional services, and government roles can support more remote work, as these tasks can be done virtually. CourseReport, a digital platform connecting students with coding bootcamps, conducted research on "tech exodus” patterns that are beginning to emerge. This data shows that software engineers, product managers, analysts, and digital marketers are disproportionately represented among remote workers.Conversely, states built around manufacturing, energy extraction, agriculture, or tourism face natural barriers to entry for remote roles. No amount of investment can make a factory floor or hospital remote.Driver #2: Education levels create access barriersAnother gatekeeper of remote work is education. Data from the Center for Economic Policy and Research, the American think tank on economic and social issues, found that workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher are several times more likely to work remotely. States with higher educational attainment, therefore, enjoy a much broader remote-eligible workforce.Meanwhile, states with lower college completion rates face an uphill battle, even when workers are eager for flexibility. This creates a remote work access gap that mirrors broader income and opportunity divides.Driver #3: Migration reshapes regional economicsRemote work hasn’t just changed how people work but also where they live. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia published a study in January 2026, noting that work-from-home trends have driven increased demand for smaller, less-populated regions that offer attractive amenities. As workers untether from the confines of an office, they can begin to prioritize housing affordability, lifestyle amenities, and tax structures.This has ripple effects, though, including rising home prices in previously affordable markets, population growth without proportional office demand, and shifts in local tax bases. Suburban and exurban real estate markets have seen particular gains, similar to the 23.8% spike in home prices seen following the COVID-19 pandemic, as outlined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. States that attract remote workers benefit from income flows but also face infrastructure and housing supply challenges.Stabilization with regional divergence in the futureWhile the explosive growth of remote work has cooled following the pandemic, the long-term outlook points to stability rather than a reversal. In a Pew Research Center panel of just over 5,000 respondents in early 2025, 46% indicated they would be likely to leave their current job if forced to return to the office. With such high numbers of workers enjoying the luxury of remote work, it’s clear that employers can’t afford to completely get rid of it.The outlook isn’t the same everywhere, though. Instead of national cohesion, regional divergence is more likely. Our prediction? Remote-heavy states will deepen their advantage, in-person economies will remain essential (albeit flexible), and hybrid models will dominate wherever possible.The continued development of remote workRemote work has redrawn the American labor map, but not evenly. States with the right mix of industries, education levels, and policy environments are pulling ahead by attracting mobile workers and reshaping local economies. Others remain constrained by job type and access barriers that technology can’t solve on its own. As remote work enters its next phase, whatever it looks like, the question won’t be whether it will last, but which states are best positioned to benefit from a workforce that can choose both where it lives and where it works.This story was produced by ThatsThem and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Blowing snow and cold temperatures Monday First Alert Day in effect early Wednesday for another round of snow.
	Crash closes westbound I-280, near Milan, injuries 1 All westbound lanes of I-280 are closed as of around noon, officials said.
	Crews respond to East Moline fire Our Quad Cities News has a crew on the scene of a fire in East Moline this morning. The two-story home is in the 2300 block of 7th Street. Broken windows can be seen on the upper level and there is minor smoke damage visible from the front. A restoration company is on site to [...]
	Hollywood's Oscars beauty playbook: How 28M Americans made it mainstream Hollywood's Oscars beauty playbook: How 28M Americans made it mainstreamWeeks before the 98th Academy Awards, the booking calendars at cosmetic clinics across the country are already telling the story. January and February are when the appointments stack up: the Botox touch-ups, the laser sessions, the filler tweaks timed so the swelling fades before a wedding or a reunion or just the arrival of warmer weather. The red carpet is the backdrop. The real rush is happening in strip-mall medical suites and dermatology offices from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Buckhead, Georgia.And the scale of that rush is far bigger than most people assume.Amason Aesthetics, a medical spa and aesthetics practice, analyzed national procedure data to map the size and shape of America's cosmetic boom heading into the 2026 awards season. What the numbers reveal is a market that has quietly become as routine as the dentist, as regional as barbecue, and as generational as the smartphone.A Recession-Proof HabitInflation climbed. Interest rates stayed high. The job market wobbled. And 28.2 million Americans still walked into a cosmetic clinic in 2024 for a procedure involving needles or lasers rather than a scalpel.That is roughly one appointment for every 12 adults in the country. And the total barely budged from the year before, even as consumer spending on other discretionary categories pulled back.The pattern says something about how Americans think about these treatments now. They are not splurges. They are line items, more like a quarterly haircut than a once-in-a-decade decision. The appointment gets made, the card gets swiped, the routine continues regardless of what the Fed does next.The Treatment Nobody Talks About Is Growing the FastestAsk someone to name a cosmetic procedure, and they will say Botox or fillers. Those are still the biggest categories: 9.8 million Botox-type injections and 5.3 million filler treatments in 2024.But neither one is growing the fastest.That distinction belongs to skin resurfacing: chemical peels, laser sessions and similar treatments designed to improve texture and tone rather than freeze a muscle or add volume. Those hit 3.7 million procedures last year, up 6% from the year before. Botox grew 4%. Fillers grew 1%.The shift matters because it says something about what patients are actually asking for. The goal is increasingly not a specific correction. It is skin that looks good without help, the kind that holds up in a phone camera at arm's length or across a table at dinner.Less Filler, More RestraintHere is the paradox at the center of the market right now: The number of people getting filler injections is still growing, but the biggest filler brand is losing money.The company behind Juvéderm and Botox Cosmetic saw its cosmetic business shrink 6.1% in 2025, to $4.86 billion. The filler line took the hardest hit, dropping to $993 million, down roughly $185 million in a single year. Cosmetic Botox sales fell for the first time since 2020.Filler procedures themselves still grew 1%. More people are getting treated. The leading brand is still losing revenue. That math only works if patients are asking for less product per visit, choosing cheaper alternatives, or both.The overfilled look that defined much of the last decade has become its own backlash. Social media calls it "filler fatigue." Filler reversal procedures, where a doctor dissolves existing filler rather than adding more, spiked 57% between 2020 and 2021.Patients increasingly want a face that looks rested rather than altered. The era of volume is giving way to the era of restraint.The Generation That Started in Their 20sThe fastest-growing age group in cosmetic clinics is not who most people would guess. It is not middle-aged women trying to turn back the clock. It is adults in their 20s trying to set the baseline before the clock starts.In 2024, Americans aged 20 to 29 accounted for 975,000 cosmetic procedures. And the treatment they chose most was not Botox or filler. It was skin work: chemical peels, microneedling and laser resurfacing. That age group accounted for roughly 1 in 5 skin treatment procedures performed nationally.The motivation tracks with the era they grew up in. A 2018 paper put a name to what doctors were already seeing: "Snapchat dysmorphia," patients arriving at appointments with filtered selfies as their reference photos. By 2017, 55% of facial plastic surgeons reported seeing patients who wanted to look better in their own selfies, up from 42% just two years earlier.The red carpet still sets the visual standard. But for this generation, the aspiration is not a specific celebrity's face. It is a skin texture that doesn't need a filter.What You Want Depends on Where You LiveSomeone watching the Oscars in Los Angeles and someone watching in Omaha, Nebraska, see the same red carpet. They do not live in the same cosmetics market.In Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas and Miami, eyelid procedures ranked as the most-searched cosmetic treatment in 2024. In San Francisco and Washington D.C., that top spot went to Botox. Chicago was the only major metro where rhinoplasty led.The regional differences go beyond search trends. The Western states account for nearly three-quarters of all cheek implant procedures performed nationally. The South Atlantic tells an entirely different story, performing half the country's Brazilian butt lifts.Zoom out, and two coastal corridors dominate the entire market. The Mountain and Pacific states, anchored by California, handle 29% of all cosmetic procedures nationally. The South Atlantic, led by Florida, handles 25%. Together, those two regions account for more than half the country's appointments. No other part of the country comes close.The Weight-Loss Drugs Are Already Changing the MathThe Oscars arrive on March 15, and with them another cycle of close-ups, speculation and appointments booked weeks in advance.But the next chapter may not be driven by the face at all.More than 837,000 cosmetic patients are currently using weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Of those, nearly 4 in 10 are considering a surgical procedure, and a similar share are considering nonsurgical treatments, for the loose skin and lost volume that rapid weight loss can leave behind.The market built on looking refreshed is already adapting to a population that is reshaping faster than anyone expected. And for the 28 million Americans who walked into a clinic last year, the Oscars are less an aspiration and more a confirmation of a decision already made.MethodologyThis analysis draws on publicly available data from the 2024 Procedural Statistics Report published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), released June 2025. The ASPS report covers procedures performed by ASPS member surgeons based on survey data collected from board-certified plastic surgeons across the United States. Procedure counts represent total procedures, not unique patients; one individual may account for multiple procedures in the same reporting year.The cosmetic procedure total cited (28,243,407) reflects cosmetic minimally invasive procedures only and does not include reconstructive procedures. Age-cohort data for the 20-to-29 demographic is drawn from ASPS's published age-distribution tables. The statement that the 20-to-29 age group accounted for "1 in 5" skin treatment procedures refers to that cohort's share of all skin treatment procedures performed nationally across all age groups (approximately 631,318 of the national total). Within that cohort, skin treatments represented approximately 65% of all cosmetic minimally invasive procedures.Regional procedure distribution uses ASPS's five-region breakdown following U.S. Census Bureau regional definitions: Mountain/Pacific, South Atlantic, East North Central/West North Central, Middle Atlantic/New England, and East South Central/West South Central.Metro-level procedure interest data is drawn from the RealSelf 2024 Real Talk Report, which aggregates search behavior from more than 55 million annual visits to the RealSelf platform. "Most-searched procedure" reflects relative search volume within each metropolitan area and does not represent actual procedure counts.Global data is from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) 2024 Global Survey, released June 19, 2025. The ISAPS survey covers plastic surgeons across 87 countries. Globally, cosmetic procedures reached 37.9 million in 2024, with the United States accounting for the largest share of any country.AbbVie financial data (aesthetics portfolio revenue, Botox Cosmetic and Juvéderm line revenue) is drawn from the company's publicly filed Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 earnings report (released Feb. 4, 2026) and the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 earnings report.Filler reversal procedure data (57% increase between 2020 and 2021, totaling 23,031 cases) is from the Aesthetic Society's annual procedural statistics.The 2018 viewpoint on filtered photographs and self-perception ("Selfies: Living in the Era of Filtered Photographs") was authored by Rajanala, Maymone, and Vashi at Boston University School of Medicine, published in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, Volume 20, Issue 6, pages 443-444. The 55% figure for facial plastic surgeons encountering selfie-motivated patients is from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) 2017 annual survey.U.S. medical aesthetics market size ($4.1 billion in 2024) and projection ($8.8 billion by 2033, 8.7% CAGR) are from IMARC Group's United States Medical Aesthetics Market report. GLP-1 patient data (837,000+ current cosmetic patients using weight-loss medications) is from the ASPS 2024 Procedural Statistics Report.This story was produced by Amason Aesthetics and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Weather affects Metro IL routes Adverse road and weather conditions are affecting Metro IL routes. A post on its Facebook page says they are operating under a Winter Weather Level 1 Yellow Alert and are not providing service in the following areas: The bus company is not using 16th Street in Moline. An earlier post said Route 50 in East [...]
	AI bait is a mirage. Here’s how to get discovered in the new age of search AI bait is a mirage. Here’s how to get discovered in the new age of searchThe launch of agent-based browsing from ChatGPT and Perplexity’s new Comet browser marks a turning point in how AI platforms evaluate and cite content.Instead of blindly scraping text, today’s AI systems behave more like humans: Navigating websites, comparing sources, and choosing content based on depth, clarity, and user experience.If your content reads like it was written for a machine with short, stat-stuffed paragraphs or rehashed definitions, it’s time to rethink your strategy. WebFX breaks down what's changed and how to create content that earns visibility in the new era of search.From crawled to chosen: The rise of agentic discoveryIn the early days of LLMs, “AI bait” — pages designed to be scraped, not read — may have worked.This content often includes:Shallow, statistic-stuffed paragraphsOverused jargon meant to impress machinesDefinition-style explanations that regurgitate common knowledgeLack of perspective or originalityNo clear author or source signalsWhile AI bait may have tricked early models, today’s AI systems operate differently. We’ve entered the age of agentic discovery, where tools don’t just surface content. They choose what to trust, summarize, and cite.Why AI bait is risky: The April Fools’ incident that fooled GoogleHere’s a quick example you may have seen earlier this year.When a Welsh journalist behind the news site Cwmbran Life made up a fake story for April Fools’ Day, he was shocked to see it cited by Google’s AI Overview. WebFX Google’s AI Overview used the satirical article, which claimed the town of Cwmbran has the world’s highest concentration of roundabouts, as the basis for its answer.While harmless in this case, it’s a clear example of how quickly misinformation can spread when AI systems rely on surface-level signals instead of context and credibility.This is exactly the kind of scenario that agentic discovery aims to avoid. Browsing agents and smarter systems are being trained to read between the lines to avoid surfacing content that’s misleading or lacks real-world credibility.3 ways AI bait falls short in 2026Here are a few key ways AI bait misses the mark:1. Modern AI agents act more like humansLaunched earlier this month, ChatGPT agent and Perplexity’s Comet browser give a glimpse into the future of AI search.These aren’t just new upgrades. They represent a larger shift in how AI search works on a fundamental level. Rather than simply scraping content, these new systems evaluate and select content similar to how a user would.Comet and ChatGPT agents browse the web in real time, weighing context, clarity, and relevance. That means old-school tricks no longer work. WebFX Going forward, the question isn’t “Can I get cited by AI tools?” Instead, it’s “Would an AI acting on a user’s behalf choose my content?”2. Citations don’t equal clicksRemember, just because an AI tool mentions your content doesn’t mean people are visiting your site. This is especially relevant for local brands.AI responses often paraphrase or summarize what you write, strip away the nuance, and deliver it directly in search results — no clicks required.Google’s AI Overviews are a perfect example. Here are a few things they’ve been known to do:Cite a brand without linking to itCite a cluster of sites without favoring any one sourceNot cite anyone at all (especially for common knowledge or surface-level content)According to the Pew Research Center, 88% of AI Overviews cite three or more sources, with only 1% citing a single source.If your entire strategy hinges on “being a source,” but there’s no reason for the user to dig deeper, you’ve essentially created invisible content with little measurable business value.3. AI bait erodes human trustContent optimized only for AI often reads like it was built in a lab, not written by a subject-matter expert.Even if AI bait earns a temporary citation, it creates a long-term trust problem. When real users land on the page, whether from a link or through branded search, they’ll skim a few lines, realize there’s nothing valuable, and leave.Optimizing only for AI citations may result in content that ranks but doesn’t convert, gets paraphrased without credit, and ultimately damages your brand’s credibility.What AI agents actually prioritizeAI agents don’t just scrape. They’re designed to find fast, clear, trustworthy content that solves users’ problems.Here’s what AI agents look for: WebFX AI bait vs. true AI magnet contentHere’s a breakdown that shows the major practical differences between AI bait and content that earns AI citations the right way: WebFX Modern agentic platforms reward content designed for humans, not machines. These tactics help create content that is clear, concise, and helpful for users.How to get your content chosen by AIThe following are practical ways to get content chosen by AI in the new era of search:1. Focus on helpful, human-centered answersAI agents help users solve problems and complete tasks.Focus on directly answering search intent, and go beyond surface-level definitions. Answer the user’s question, add context, explain why it matters, and give an expert perspective beyond what AI traditionally summarizes.2. Incorporate visuals that support clarityAI agents are increasingly capable of parsing visual context (like charts or labeled images), and they prefer content that enhances user understanding. Custom graphics, screenshots, and tables aren’t just for decoration. They add clarity and create meaningful interactions with users.3. Demonstrate human experience with E-E-A-TE-E-A-T matters more than ever. Cite firsthand knowledge, include author bylines, share original insights, and link to real-world examples. These cues signal trust and authority to both users and AI systems.4. Cite credible sources (and original research)Tossing in random stats used to fool AI models, but not anymore. Use relevant, up-to-date, and properly cited data (bonus points if it’s original research). AI agents look for originality and trust signals over filler.5. Use schema markup to help AI agents understand contentStructured data helps both traditional search engines and AI agents understand your content, not just crawl it. Add some FAQs and a how-to schema to highlight key information.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Tara Heath named Extension County Director for Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Warren counties There’s a new County Director for University of Illinois Extension in Henderson, Knox, McDonough and Warren counties. Tara Heath has been appointed as the new County Director, replacing Lisa Torrance who has served as Director for 24 years and is retiring at the end of April. “It has been an honor to serve these communities [...]
	Crews respond to possible East Moline house fire Crews responded to the 23rd block of 7th Street. News 8 reached out to East Moline police and fire for more information.
	First responders battle house fire on 7th Street in East Moline Monday morning Crews responded to a house fire in the 2300 block of 7th Street in East Moline on Monday morning, battling the flames in blizzard conditions.
	EVs are already making your air cleaner EVs are already making your air cleanerThe logic behind electric vehicles benefiting public health has long been solid: More EVs mean fewer internal combustion engines on the road and a reduction in harmful tailpipe emissions. But now researchers have confirmed, to the greatest extent yet, that this is indeed what’s actually happening on the ground. What’s more, they found that even relatively small upticks in EV adoption can have a measurably positive impact on a community.Whereas previous work has largely been based on modeling, a study published in January in the journal Lancet Planetary Health used satellites to measure actual emissions. The study, conducted between 2019 and 2023, focused on California, which has among the highest rates of EV use in the country, and nitrogen dioxide, one of the gases released during combustion, including when fossil fuels are burned. Exposure to the pollutant can contribute to heart and lung issues, or even premature death. Across nearly 1,700 ZIP codes, the analysis showed that, for every increase of 200 electric vehicles, nitrogen dioxide emissions decreased by 1.1 percent.“A pretty small addition of cars at the ZIP code level led to a decline in air pollution,” Sandrah Eckel, a public health professor at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine and lead author of the study, told Grist. “It’s remarkable.”The group had tried to establish this link using Environmental Protection Agency air monitors before, but because there are only about 100 of them in California, the results weren’t statistically significant. The data also were from 2013 through 2019, when there were fewer electric vehicles on the road. Although the satellite instrument they ultimately used only detected nitrogen dioxide, it did allow researchers to gather data for virtually the entire state, and this time the findings were clear.“It’s making a real difference in our neighborhoods,” said Eckel, who said a methodology like theirs could be used anywhere in the world. The advent of such powerful satellites allows scientists to look at other sources of emissions, such as factories or homes too. “It’s a revolutionary approach.”Mary Johnson, who researches environmental health at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and was not involved in the study, said she’s not aware of a similar study of this size, or one that uses satellite data so extensively. “Their analysis seems sound,” she said, noting that the authors controlled for variables such as the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts toward working from home.The results, Johnson added, “totally make sense” and align with other research in this area. When London implemented congestion pricing in 2003, for example, it reduced traffic and emissions and increased life expectancy. That is the direction this latest research could go too. “They didn’t take the next step and look at health data,” she said, “which I think would be interesting.”Daniel Horton, who leads Northwestern University’s climate change research group, also sees value in this latest work. “The results help to confirm the sort of predictions that numerical air quality modelers have been making for the past decade,” he said, adding that it could also lay the foundation for similar research. “This proof of concept paper is a great start and augurs good things to come.”Eckel hopes that, eventually, advances in satellite technology will allow for more widespread detection of other types of emissions, too, such as fine particulate matter. That could even help account for some of the potential downsides of EVs, which are heavier and could therefore kick up more tire or brake dust than their gasoline counterparts. On the whole, though, she believes the picture overwhelmingly illustrates how driving an electric car is better not just for the planet but for people.Research like this, she says, underscores the importance of continued EV adoption, the sales of which have slumped recently, and the need to do so equitably. Although lower-income neighborhoods have historically borne the brunt of pollution from highways and traffic, they can’t always afford the relatively high cost of EVs. Eckel hopes that research like this can help guide policymakers.“There are concerns that some of the communities that really stand to benefit the most from reductions in air pollution are also some of the communities that are really at risk of being left behind in the transition,” she said. Previous research has shown that EVs could alleviate harms such as asthma in children, and detailed data like this latest study can help highlight both where more work needs to be done and what’s working.“It’s really exciting that we were able to show that there were these measurable improvements in the air that we’re all breathing,” she said. Another arguably hopeful finding was that the median increase in electric vehicle usage during the study was 272 per ZIP code.That, Eckel says, means there is plenty of opportunity to make our air even cleaner.This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Crews respond to East Moline house fire Developing.
	Pain at the pump? Tips on how to use less gas When gas prices spike, filling up gets more painful. But consumers can do something to stretch their fuel just a little farther: Change the way they drive.
	Team USA dominated the Paralympics on both ice and snow. Check out the highlights A mix of decorated veterans and rising stars won 24 medals for Team USA, 13 of them gold. The last one arrived Sunday, when the U.S. sled hockey team beat Canada to win its fifth straight gold medal.
	Team USA won the second-most medals at these Paralympics. See the standout moments A mix of decorated veterans and rising stars won 24 medals for Team USA, 13 of them gold. The last one arrived Sunday, when the U.S. sled hockey team beat Canada to win its fifth straight gold medal.
	There's room for everyone in 'Now I Surrender,' an epic American Western Mexican novelist Álvaro Enrigue re-imagines the story of the American West — and the Apache fight for survival — in an epic that's both defiantly challenging and, at times, magical.
	Online travel scams: What you need to know before booking in 2026 Online travel scams: What you need to know before booking in 2026Planning a trip used to mean hunting for deals. Now, it also means dodging a wave of increasingly sophisticated scams.Even though the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, reported a stagnant number of fraud reports last year, they found financial impact exploded by 25%. Why? AI could be helping scammers be more effective. Scammers now use sophisticated tools to create highly convincing fake websites, impersonate customer service voices, and generate realistic confirmation emails—all at a scale and speed previously impossible.To understand how these threats impact travelers, we analyzed recent SmartCustomer reviews. A clear and disturbing pattern emerged. Travelers aren't just facing traditional fraud. Generative AI has made it exceedingly difficult to distinguish a legitimate business from a digital mirage.Consumer reviews platform SmartCustomer outlines the primary scams and red flags to watch out for to ensure the money you’ve budgeted and saved for your next trip doesn’t end up in a scammer’s wallet.1. Fake Travel Websites that Appear LegitimateAI has supercharged the “lookalike” scam. By scraping or copying legitimate travel brands, fraudsters can clone design patterns, logos, images, and professional copy in seconds.Travelers have shared experiences where fraudulent companies use predatory upcharging while impersonating well-known airlines. In one instance, a user intended to book directly with a major carrier but was diverted to a deceptive site that mirrored the airline's branding so perfectly they didn't realize the mistake until the transaction was complete and cancellation proved impossible.How it works: You search for a flight or hotel and land on a site that looks similar to a major airline, hotel, or booking site. It features “24/7 support” badges and glowing (AI-written) reviews. Thinking you’re safe, you book. But your money goes directly to a criminal entity.The Red Flags:The “Typosquat” URL: You notice slight variations or misspellings of widely used websites, such as “booklng.com” or “expedia-support-deals.net.”Numerous Paid Ads for a New Site: You learn about the site through a social media ad or a random text link. But when you search for more information about the company, you find it doesn’t have much of an online presence.Atypical Payment Demands: You’re urged to use Zelle, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Legitimate platforms always prefer standard credit cards.Ultimately, taking an extra moment to verify the authenticity of a site's domain can be the difference between a confirmed reservation and a major hit to your travel budget.SmartCustomer provides a comprehensive defensive checklist later in this guide.2. Misleading Listings and AI-Generated ImagesSometimes the property does exist but when you arrive, it may look nothing like the pictures in the listing. Scammers are now using AI image generators to “renovate” listings digitally.Reports from the SmartCustomer community describe situations where travelers arrived at hotels that bore no resemblance to their online photos. These victims found themselves in hazardous conditions, including significant mold issues, despite the website showing pristine, high-end rooms. In some cases, staff even admitted the online images were fabricated to mask the actual state of the property.How it works: AI image tools can clean up, enhance, or completely fabricate details. You may find that that “sun-drenched villa” you saw in the listing might turn out to be a windowless basement. AI tools can remove nearby construction, create ocean views, and brighten dingy rooms so they resemble luxury suites.Why it works: As noted above, AI is being used to create professional content on fraudulent websites. But these listings often appear on legitimate peer-to-peer booking platforms, too, using the platform’s trusted name and reputation to appear legitimate.3. Phishing via Automated Spoofing and ‘Urgent’ AlertsUnfortunately, travelers can be especially vulnerable targets for spoofing attacks. Scammers use AI and automated scripts to craft near-perfect imitations of real-time booking and account alerts.Common Tactics:The “Credit Card Failure” Text: You receive an urgent text, such as, “Your reservation is at risk. Update your payment within 10 minutes to avoid cancellation.”The Fake Call Center: You receive an AI-generated phone call claiming your flight is canceled and offering to “rebook” you if you provide your confirmation code and credit card details.The “Exclusive Deal” Credential Trap: You receive emails or text messages with links to limited-time offers that require you to “log in” using your travel account or Google credentials to claim the deal.Why it works: The messages appear polished because they imitate real businesses. Pair that with stolen logos and your real booking details from a data breach, and the scam feels legitimate enough to overcome any initial doubts and suspicions you may have had.Falling for these tactics grants scammers access to your identity, travel accounts, and financial credentials.4. “Bait-and-Switch” PricingSome platforms use AI-driven pricing engines to lure you in with “teaser” rates, only to tack on hidden fees or jack up the prices when you’re about to pay (or in some cases, have already paid).This bait-and-switch pricing scam is one of the most commonly reported tactics on SmartCustomer. One frequently cited experience involves travelers being lured by low initial fares, only to be charged twice for basic services like baggage and seat selection. Others describe discovering substantial, undisclosed "service fees” that only appear on their bank statements after the booking is finalized.Beyond these hidden costs, some travelers report dynamic pricing traps where systems re-check and inflate prices by hundreds of dollars at the very last second of the checkout process under the guise of high demand.Why it works: Predatory operators leverage AI-powered pricing and recommendation engines to change offers in real time. It’s easy to lure you in with a low teaser fare, then sneakily add fee after fee once you’re emotionally committed and rushing to complete the booking.5. Unauthorized, Surprise ChargesOne of the more unsettling experiences for a traveler is realizing the financial transaction didn't end when they clicked on the “Confirm Booking” button.Travelers have recounted digital traps where booking systems displayed errors and instructed them to restart the process, only for the payment to be deducted automatically without a reservation being created.Victims also report difficulty contesting these charges because the companies use AI-driven customer support bots to block access to human representatives, making it nearly impossible to report data breaches or get refunds on unauthorized transactions.Common tactics: Shady operators exploit user-submitted credit card data to trigger charges that were never authorized or hide behind convoluted processes to add fees. Sometimes, these scammers claim that payments are “declined,” only to still charge them without providing a transaction receipt or confirmation, and ultimately refuse a refund.Why it works: Automation allows these companies to easily move money with minimal barriers or accountability. By using AI-gated customer support, they essentially create a “resolution wall” where victims can’t reach a human to report fraud or unauthorized use.6. Ghost Bookings and ‘The Middleman Trap’Ghost bookings are perhaps the most devastating scam because the booking seems real. That is, until you arrive at the airport or hotel and discover there is no record of your reservation.Recent reviews highlight cases where travelers paid for their stay in full, only to find the hotel had no record of the booking upon arrival. This often forces the traveler to pay twice just to have a place to sleep.Other reports describe "middleman" agencies that pocket hundreds of dollars in fees intended for travel insurance and seat upgrades, while providing no actual service. Victims have also reported being stalled with promises of boarding passes that never arrive, only to discover at the airport that their tickets were never actually issued.How it works: Shady third-party “travel services” take your money for the booking but never actually finalize the reservation with the airline, hotel, or other type of accommodation.Why it works: When you book reservations through a shady middleman instead of dealing directly with the airline or hotel, the middleman, not the real provider, controls the money and the information. If that middleman is more interested in keeping your cash than fixing problems, you end up stranded while they blame “system issues” and refuse to help.How to Avoid Online Travel Scams in 2026You can’t control everything that happens when booking travel, but you can make it much harder for scammers and low-quality operators to target you. Here are a few ways you can protect yourself from online travel scams.Scrutinize booking websites.Verify that booking websites are legitimate and not “lookalike” sites. Conduct extra research on websites found through search results or social media, and avoid sites that push you toward unusual payment methods, like Zelle or wire transfers. Reputable platforms will typically prefer standard credit cards, which also offer more protection.Book through direct channels when possible.When in doubt, book directly through the airline, hotel, or rental company website. If you use a third-party platform, choose one with a long track record, transparent policies, and a history of resolving customer complaints.Verify websites and phone numbers before you pay.Inspect the URL, and look for small variations in the address, such as booklng.com or expedia-support-deals.net. Check for spelling issues, extra words, or strange subdomains. For airlines, hotels, and cruise lines, cross-check customer service numbers on the company’s official site, not just what appears in search snippets or AI-generated answers.Treat sudden “urgent” or “too good to be true” offers as suspect.Be cautious with links in emails and texts. If you receive an urgent alert, do not click through blindly. Instead, manually type the official website address into your browser or use the official app. Slow down when a message insists you must act within minutes. Urgency is a tool scammers use to keep you from thinking clearly.Do not trust photos alone.Treat listing photos as a starting point, not the final word. Use independent sources such as maps and street view when available. If a property appears on multiple booking platforms, check whether the photos and description are consistent. Read recent reviews that mention cleanliness, noise, and accuracy of the listing. These are often the first places where AI-enhanced photos collide with reality.Check reviews in the right places.Look up the company on trusted review platforms and skim a mix of positive and negative reviews. Focus on how the company responds when something goes wrong, not just whether people liked their trip. Be cautious if every review sounds oddly similar, generic, or overly polished. This can be a sign of AI-written or purchased feedback. Search phrases like “company name scam” or “company name complaints” and see what emerges from independent sources.Use payment methods that give you leverage.Pay with a credit card whenever possible, since credit cards typically offer stronger dispute and chargeback protections than debit cards, bank transfers, or peer-to-peer payment apps. Be wary of companies that insist on less traceable options for large purchases.Test the support loop before you commit.Try contacting the company with a small question before you book. Pay attention to how quickly they respond and how easy it is to reach a human. If you encounter only unhelpful AI chat, or if every path leads to a dead end, consider that a warning sign.Trust your instincts.If a site, message, or offer makes you uneasy, give yourself permission to walk away. If you see conflicting information or unexplained fees, pause and investigate before entering your payment details. If support is evasive or pushes you to hurry, slow down and verify information from another source.Don’t Let a Scammer Ruin Your TripScammers today aren’t operating out of basement offices with obvious tells. They’re running polished, AI-powered operations designed to look exactly like the legitimate businesses you trust. The best defense is skepticism, the habit of booking direct, and real reviews from travelers who’ve actually been there.This story was produced by SmartCustomer and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Online travel scams: What you need to know before booking in 2026 Online travel scams: What you need to know before booking in 2026Planning a trip used to mean hunting for deals. Now, it also means dodging a wave of increasingly sophisticated scams.Even though the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, reported a stagnant number of fraud reports last year, they found financial impact exploded by 25%. Why? AI could be helping scammers be more effective. Scammers now use sophisticated tools to create highly convincing fake websites, impersonate customer service voices, and generate realistic confirmation emails—all at a scale and speed previously impossible.To understand how these threats impact travelers, we analyzed recent SmartCustomer reviews. A clear and disturbing pattern emerged. Travelers aren't just facing traditional fraud. Generative AI has made it exceedingly difficult to distinguish a legitimate business from a digital mirage.Consumer reviews platform SmartCustomer outlines the primary scams and red flags to watch out for to ensure the money you’ve budgeted and saved for your next trip doesn’t end up in a scammer’s wallet.1. Fake Travel Websites that Appear LegitimateAI has supercharged the “lookalike” scam. By scraping or copying legitimate travel brands, fraudsters can clone design patterns, logos, images, and professional copy in seconds.Travelers have shared experiences where fraudulent companies use predatory upcharging while impersonating well-known airlines. In one instance, a user intended to book directly with a major carrier but was diverted to a deceptive site that mirrored the airline's branding so perfectly they didn't realize the mistake until the transaction was complete and cancellation proved impossible.How it works: You search for a flight or hotel and land on a site that looks similar to a major airline, hotel, or booking site. It features “24/7 support” badges and glowing (AI-written) reviews. Thinking you’re safe, you book. But your money goes directly to a criminal entity.The Red Flags:The “Typosquat” URL: You notice slight variations or misspellings of widely used websites, such as “booklng.com” or “expedia-support-deals.net.”Numerous Paid Ads for a New Site: You learn about the site through a social media ad or a random text link. But when you search for more information about the company, you find it doesn’t have much of an online presence.Atypical Payment Demands: You’re urged to use Zelle, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Legitimate platforms always prefer standard credit cards.Ultimately, taking an extra moment to verify the authenticity of a site's domain can be the difference between a confirmed reservation and a major hit to your travel budget.SmartCustomer provides a comprehensive defensive checklist later in this guide.2. Misleading Listings and AI-Generated ImagesSometimes the property does exist but when you arrive, it may look nothing like the pictures in the listing. Scammers are now using AI image generators to “renovate” listings digitally.Reports from the SmartCustomer community describe situations where travelers arrived at hotels that bore no resemblance to their online photos. These victims found themselves in hazardous conditions, including significant mold issues, despite the website showing pristine, high-end rooms. In some cases, staff even admitted the online images were fabricated to mask the actual state of the property.How it works: AI image tools can clean up, enhance, or completely fabricate details. You may find that that “sun-drenched villa” you saw in the listing might turn out to be a windowless basement. AI tools can remove nearby construction, create ocean views, and brighten dingy rooms so they resemble luxury suites.Why it works: As noted above, AI is being used to create professional content on fraudulent websites. But these listings often appear on legitimate peer-to-peer booking platforms, too, using the platform’s trusted name and reputation to appear legitimate.3. Phishing via Automated Spoofing and ‘Urgent’ AlertsUnfortunately, travelers can be especially vulnerable targets for spoofing attacks. Scammers use AI and automated scripts to craft near-perfect imitations of real-time booking and account alerts.Common Tactics:The “Credit Card Failure” Text: You receive an urgent text, such as, “Your reservation is at risk. Update your payment within 10 minutes to avoid cancellation.”The Fake Call Center: You receive an AI-generated phone call claiming your flight is canceled and offering to “rebook” you if you provide your confirmation code and credit card details.The “Exclusive Deal” Credential Trap: You receive emails or text messages with links to limited-time offers that require you to “log in” using your travel account or Google credentials to claim the deal.Why it works: The messages appear polished because they imitate real businesses. Pair that with stolen logos and your real booking details from a data breach, and the scam feels legitimate enough to overcome any initial doubts and suspicions you may have had.Falling for these tactics grants scammers access to your identity, travel accounts, and financial credentials.4. “Bait-and-Switch” PricingSome platforms use AI-driven pricing engines to lure you in with “teaser” rates, only to tack on hidden fees or jack up the prices when you’re about to pay (or in some cases, have already paid).This bait-and-switch pricing scam is one of the most commonly reported tactics on SmartCustomer. One frequently cited experience involves travelers being lured by low initial fares, only to be charged twice for basic services like baggage and seat selection. Others describe discovering substantial, undisclosed "service fees” that only appear on their bank statements after the booking is finalized.Beyond these hidden costs, some travelers report dynamic pricing traps where systems re-check and inflate prices by hundreds of dollars at the very last second of the checkout process under the guise of high demand.Why it works: Predatory operators leverage AI-powered pricing and recommendation engines to change offers in real time. It’s easy to lure you in with a low teaser fare, then sneakily add fee after fee once you’re emotionally committed and rushing to complete the booking.5. Unauthorized, Surprise ChargesOne of the more unsettling experiences for a traveler is realizing the financial transaction didn't end when they clicked on the “Confirm Booking” button.Travelers have recounted digital traps where booking systems displayed errors and instructed them to restart the process, only for the payment to be deducted automatically without a reservation being created.Victims also report difficulty contesting these charges because the companies use AI-driven customer support bots to block access to human representatives, making it nearly impossible to report data breaches or get refunds on unauthorized transactions.Common tactics: Shady operators exploit user-submitted credit card data to trigger charges that were never authorized or hide behind convoluted processes to add fees. Sometimes, these scammers claim that payments are “declined,” only to still charge them without providing a transaction receipt or confirmation, and ultimately refuse a refund.Why it works: Automation allows these companies to easily move money with minimal barriers or accountability. By using AI-gated customer support, they essentially create a “resolution wall” where victims can’t reach a human to report fraud or unauthorized use.6. Ghost Bookings and ‘The Middleman Trap’Ghost bookings are perhaps the most devastating scam because the booking seems real. That is, until you arrive at the airport or hotel and discover there is no record of your reservation.Recent reviews highlight cases where travelers paid for their stay in full, only to find the hotel had no record of the booking upon arrival. This often forces the traveler to pay twice just to have a place to sleep.Other reports describe "middleman" agencies that pocket hundreds of dollars in fees intended for travel insurance and seat upgrades, while providing no actual service. Victims have also reported being stalled with promises of boarding passes that never arrive, only to discover at the airport that their tickets were never actually issued.How it works: Shady third-party “travel services” take your money for the booking but never actually finalize the reservation with the airline, hotel, or other type of accommodation.Why it works: When you book reservations through a shady middleman instead of dealing directly with the airline or hotel, the middleman, not the real provider, controls the money and the information. If that middleman is more interested in keeping your cash than fixing problems, you end up stranded while they blame “system issues” and refuse to help.How to Avoid Online Travel Scams in 2026You can’t control everything that happens when booking travel, but you can make it much harder for scammers and low-quality operators to target you. Here are a few ways you can protect yourself from online travel scams.Scrutinize booking websites.Verify that booking websites are legitimate and not “lookalike” sites. Conduct extra research on websites found through search results or social media, and avoid sites that push you toward unusual payment methods, like Zelle or wire transfers. Reputable platforms will typically prefer standard credit cards, which also offer more protection.Book through direct channels when possible.When in doubt, book directly through the airline, hotel, or rental company website. If you use a third-party platform, choose one with a long track record, transparent policies, and a history of resolving customer complaints.Verify websites and phone numbers before you pay.Inspect the URL, and look for small variations in the address, such as booklng.com or expedia-support-deals.net. Check for spelling issues, extra words, or strange subdomains. For airlines, hotels, and cruise lines, cross-check customer service numbers on the company’s official site, not just what appears in search snippets or AI-generated answers.Treat sudden “urgent” or “too good to be true” offers as suspect.Be cautious with links in emails and texts. If you receive an urgent alert, do not click through blindly. Instead, manually type the official website address into your browser or use the official app. Slow down when a message insists you must act within minutes. Urgency is a tool scammers use to keep you from thinking clearly.Do not trust photos alone.Treat listing photos as a starting point, not the final word. Use independent sources such as maps and street view when available. If a property appears on multiple booking platforms, check whether the photos and description are consistent. Read recent reviews that mention cleanliness, noise, and accuracy of the listing. These are often the first places where AI-enhanced photos collide with reality.Check reviews in the right places.Look up the company on trusted review platforms and skim a mix of positive and negative reviews. Focus on how the company responds when something goes wrong, not just whether people liked their trip. Be cautious if every review sounds oddly similar, generic, or overly polished. This can be a sign of AI-written or purchased feedback. Search phrases like “company name scam” or “company name complaints” and see what emerges from independent sources.Use payment methods that give you leverage.Pay with a credit card whenever possible, since credit cards typically offer stronger dispute and chargeback protections than debit cards, bank transfers, or peer-to-peer payment apps. Be wary of companies that insist on less traceable options for large purchases.Test the support loop before you commit.Try contacting the company with a small question before you book. Pay attention to how quickly they respond and how easy it is to reach a human. If you encounter only unhelpful AI chat, or if every path leads to a dead end, consider that a warning sign.Trust your instincts.If a site, message, or offer makes you uneasy, give yourself permission to walk away. If you see conflicting information or unexplained fees, pause and investigate before entering your payment details. If support is evasive or pushes you to hurry, slow down and verify information from another source.Don’t Let a Scammer Ruin Your TripScammers today aren’t operating out of basement offices with obvious tells. They’re running polished, AI-powered operations designed to look exactly like the legitimate businesses you trust. The best defense is skepticism, the habit of booking direct, and real reviews from travelers who’ve actually been there.This story was produced by SmartCustomer and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Blizzard Warning until MON 1:00 PM CDT Blizzard Warning in Effect Until 1 PM CDT: Hazardous Travel Conditions Expected
	The micro-adventure resolution: How Americans plan one-hour outdoor escapes in 2026 The micro-adventure resolution: How Americans plan one-hour outdoor escapes in 2026When a new year begins, Americans tend to aim high. Gym memberships spike, planners fill up, and ambitious routines promise a better version of everyday life. By February, many of those plans collide with reality: long workdays, family obligations, and the quiet pull of the couch.That tension shows up clearly in how people think about time. According to a survey of 1,000 people conducted by Retrospec on Jan. 29, 2026, 32.5% of Americans say they spend their unexpected free hour scrolling on their phones. The gap between intention and action is not about motivation alone. It is about friction. Looking into 2026, many Americans appear ready to resolve that gap with smaller commitments. Instead of training plans or weekend excursions, they are embracing micro-adventures. These are short, one-hour outdoor escapes that feel achievable, affordable, and easy to repeat.Key Findings32.5% of Americans spend an unexpected free hour scrolling on their phone.88% say having one or more one-hour micro-adventures in a week makes them feel proud.72% say a walk or easy hike is the most doable adventure near home.45% would travel just one to three miles for a one-hour outdoor escape.44% feel guilty, anxious, or disappointed when they stay inside instead of going out.32% say owning a bike or e-bike would most increase their odds of getting outside weekly. The One-Hour Problem Retrospec Time scarcity is not new, but the way people experience it has changed. A free hour no longer feels like a gift. It feels undecided. Without a clear plan, that hour often defaults to screens, with 32.5% of Americans spending an unexpected free hour scrolling on their phone. Phones have become both a placeholder and a saboteur. When time opens up unexpectedly, it often lands between obligations rather than before rest. Starting anything that requires preparation can feel risky, while scrolling feels neutral. That friction is amplified by awareness. One in 10 Americans believes their phone will derail their outdoor plans almost every time, showing how easily good intentions dissolve when effort feels too high. Micro-adventures attempt to solve this problem by shrinking the decision itself. When the goal fits neatly into an hour, the barrier to starting drops. There is no packing list, no scheduling puzzle, and no sense of wasted effort if plans change. Pride Over Performance Retrospec What stands out is how quickly these short outings carry emotional weight. 88% of respondents say completing one or more one-hour micro-adventures in a week makes them feel proud.That pride is not tied to distance, intensity, or performance. It comes from follow-through. In days dominated by reactive tasks and nonnegotiable responsibilities, doing something intentionally, even briefly, feels significant. A short bike ride, for instance, or a simple walk around the block can create a clear mental break.Many modern routines leave little room for personal wins. Micro-adventures fill that gap by offering proof that something was chosen, not just managed. In a culture long focused on extremes, that quieter reward appears to be enough to keep people coming back.Close to Home, by Design Retrospec Ambition drops quickly as distance increases. Nearly half of Americans (45%) say they would only go one to three miles from home for a one-hour adventure. Geography is not the issue. It is about protecting the hour itself. Travel time, parking, and unfamiliar routes quietly turn a reset into a project. Staying close preserves flexibility and control.That preference helps explain why simplicity dominates. 72% point to walks or easy hikes as the most doable option near home, while short bike rides resonate with certain groups, including 20% of men who cite quick e-bike rides as their top choice.The takeaway is practical. Instead of looking for novelty, people are looking for proximity. The closer an experience feels, the more likely it is to happen.When Staying in Feels Worse Than Going Out Retrospec Skipping an outdoor plan does not always bring relief. 44% of Americans say they feel guilty, anxious, or disappointed when they realize they stayed inside instead of going out. That response reflects a growing awareness of what outdoor time provides. With more conversation around mental health, movement, and burnout, staying sedentary now feels like a missed opportunity rather than a neutral choice. When micro-adventures do not happen, they are often replaced by passive habits. 32% say they usually stream TV or movies instead, reinforcing the difference between rest and restoration.Micro-adventures sit in a psychological middle ground. They are small enough to feel doable, which means skipping them does not come with a convenient excuse. When the bar is low, the emotional stakes rise.Mental Health as Motivation Retrospec For Americans earning under $50,000, the appeal of micro-adventures goes beyond fitness or fun. 42% say their primary motivation for getting outside is mental health breaks.That distinction matters. Many wellness options feel financially or logistically out of reach. Therapy, gym memberships, classes, and retreats all carry costs that are not easily absorbed. Outdoor time, by contrast, remains accessible. Short rides, park loops, and quick paddles offer relief without added pressure. In this context, micro-adventures function less as leisure and more as maintenance. They create brief pauses that help regulate stress and mental fatigue.The Power of Being Asked Retrospec Motivation does not always come from within. 33% of Americans say a friend asking them to go would make them more likely to do a micro-adventure this week.An invitation simplifies the decision. It removes planning effort and replaces internal debate with momentum. Saying yes becomes easier than initiating.That effect is even stronger among younger adults. 30% of Gen Z respondents say a friend is the most likely factor to get them out the door, reflecting a generation shaped by shared experiences and social cues. For many, movement feels more natural when it is collective. A micro-adventure does not just fit into a schedule. It fits into a conversation. SummaryThe data points to a quiet shift: Americans are not abandoning the outdoors. They are resizing it. Faced with limited time, rising stress, and constant digital distraction, many are choosing progress over perfection. One hour is enough to change how a day feels. Enough to feel proud. Enough to step outside the scroll. In 2026, the most sustainable resolutions are the ones that fit into real life. MethodologyThis survey of U.S. adults examined attitudes toward short, one-hour outdoor activities, motivations, emotional responses, and barriers to participation. Results were analyzed across demographic groups, including age, income, gender, and parental status, to identify broader behavioral patterns and differences. This story was produced by Retrospec and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Grosse Isle playing Irish, French music in Bishop Hill Crossroads Cultural Connections is hosting internationally acclaimed Grosse Isle on Sunday, March 22 at Bishop Hill Creative Commons, 309 North Bishop Hill Street. The evening begins with an optional potluck at 6 p.m., and guests are encouraged to bring a dish to share, though not required. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Click here for more information. The event [...]
	5 ways to say ‘yes’ to friends without saying ‘goodbye’ to savings 5 ways to say ‘yes’ to friends without saying ‘goodbye’ to savingsTime with friends is priceless, but every now and then, it can come with a price tag. In fact, 3 in 5 Gen Z and millennials say that spending money on social activities impacts their ability to save, invest and plan for the future. If you're feeling the pressure to maintain a booked and busy social calendar, you’re not alone.Fortunately, there’s a way to find a balance between your spending and social life without sacrificing your friendships or financial future.Finding balance between friendships and financesSpending time with friends is a major contributing factor to your overall happiness and wellbeing. But when casual social outings become too frequent or expensive, it can result in consistent overspending. Not only can FOMO (fear of missing out) lead to spending money you didn’t plan to, but the instant gratification of smaller expenses can also derail wealth-building. While a $50 dinner or happy hour might be fun today, over time, that saved money could grow significantly.Ally Financial outlines five steps that can help you balance your social life with your budget.5 ways to stay social without overspending1. Align your social life with your values.Being intentional about your hangouts gives you the opportunity to participate in activities that align your values with your budget. By identifying what’s most important to you, your social life can better reflect your priorities. For example, if you enjoy giving back, volunteering is a free and fun way to spend time with your friends.2. Communicate openly with your friends.Discussing money openly with friends can help dismantle the shame around financial struggles and is a great way to explore affordable ways to spend time together. You might even be surprised to learn they're in the same boat.Saying something as simple as, “I’d love to join but XYZ is outside of my budget this month,” is a great way to set boundaries without damaging your friendship. Remember, the ultimate BFF is someone who respects your relationship with money.3. Use tools to help stay on track.Creating “buckets” in your savings account for specific events or experiences can help you plan ahead, based on your goals. Is there an annual friend trip in a few months? Or what about your bestie’s 30th birthday dinner? Create a bucket based on your upcoming commitments and set aside money each month until you reach your goal.Or consider creating a values-based budget, which makes it easier to say “yes” to what truly matters and plan for recurring social events or larger trips.4. Plan low- or no-cost fun.Meaningful experiences with your friends don’t have to be expensive. Consider organizing a DIY craft night, hosting a karaoke party at home or attending free museum events or classes at your local library as inexpensive ways to spend time with your loved ones. Not only do these events cost less than a typical dinner out, they often create richer and more memorable moments.5. Prioritize experiences over spending.When scheduling time with your friends, consider the “return on joy” and how spending money beyond your comfort zone can ultimately diminish the experience. If you’re worried about money while on a costly vacation, is it really worth it?One helpful strategy to combat this feeling is the “two-out-of-three rule,” where for every three event invites, you choose two to attend based on money, energy and anticipated joy. This ensures you show up fully present and relaxed for the events that matter most.Focus on the value of connectionBy identifying and honoring your values and setting boundaries, you can enjoy the friendships that enrich your life without compromising your financial future.This story was produced by Ally Financial and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rural healthcare is in the red as Trump withholds Medicaid payments to Minnesota Rural healthcare is in the red as Trump withholds Medicaid payments to MinnesotaGovernmental action (or inaction) that affects America at large often has an outsized impact on rural residents.At the end of February, the Trump administration announced it will withhold millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota, citing concerns about fraud. This comes on the heels of GOP cuts to Medicaid in the 2025 budget reconciliation bill and an effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which would disproportionately hurt rural healthcare systems.The Daily Yonder explains how rural inequality manifests in this scenario: Rural hospitals are more likely than urban hospitals to operate with negative profit margins. And cuts to public payer programs, like Medicare or Medicaid, disproportionately threaten these hospitals by increasing the rate of uncompensated care, or services for which hospitals receive no payment.The following map shows the percentage of revenue in rural hospitals that comes from federal and state-level health insurance programs for low-income families. The Daily Yonder All hospitals receive reimbursements from programs like Medicaid, CHIP, or state-level health insurance programs. In rural hospitals, Medicaid accounts for about 19% of discharges. But that share varies from hospital to hospital, depending in part on how much of the surrounding population relies on public insurance.Keep in mind that this map does not reflect payer mix, or the share of the total population that receives governmental health insurance assistance for low-income families. It only shows the share of revenue derived from low-income assistance programs, which is not directly proportional to the share of patients on those programs.Data for this analysis comes from Saving Rural Hospitals, a website created by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, a national policy organization that advocates for improvements in healthcare systems.Trump Administration Withholds Minnesota Medicaid FundsIn a Feb. 25 press conference at the White House, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz announced that the Trump administration plans to withhold $259 million from Minnesota’s Medicaid program. Oz claimed that money allotted for low-income families went to bogus organizations and a behavioral health clinic that paid doctors to work 24 hours a day for more than 450 days.In a statement on X, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz criticized the agency’s method of combating fraud, stating that the Trump administration is on a “campaign of retribution,” and that Medicaid cuts would be “devastating” for working families across the state. “The agents Trump allegedly sent to investigate fraud are shooting protesters and arresting children,” Walz said.Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the Trump administration’s plans unlawful, threatening to take them to court if they continued to withhold Medicaid funds.Accessible Space, a Minnesota nonprofit that offers affordable housing to people with disabilities, is funded almost entirely through Medicaid reimbursements. Director of Accessible Space Josh Berg told Minnesota Public Radio that “any cuts to Medicaid funding will directly result in reduced services.”And many rural hospitals in Minnesota — and across rural America at large — face similar circumstances. Thirty-nine of Minnesota’s 98 rural hospitals have negative operating margins, according to Daily Yonder analysis of CMS data.Some hospitals with persistently negative operating margins manage to stay afloat by relying on nonoperating revenue, or revenue that comes from sources like taxes and philanthropy. But even that cushion isn’t always enough. More than 100 rural hospitals have closed in the United States in the last decade alone, forcing rural families to travel further to get the care they need.Trump’s campaign against supposed fraud isn’t an abstract war in rural Minnesota. In communities where hospitals operate on thin margins, even small cuts in federal spending can destabilize entire systems of care.This story was produced by The Daily Yonder and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Blizzard safety: What to know before you shovel or hit the road Experts warn heavy, wet snow can make both driving and shoveling dangerous. Here’s how to prepare before heading outside.

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