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

Saturday, April 25th, 2026
	Man found guilty in fatal shooting near Davenport Skybridge On Friday, a jury found Johnathan J. Terrones guilty of first-degree murder in a 2024 shooting at the Davenport Skybridge.
	Clinton MTA plans updates to Lincolnway Shuttle The Clinton Municipal Transit Administration (MTA) is making updates to the Lincolnway Shuttle for a 30-day trial beginning on May 4 to better serve riders and to create a more efficient route for the public and drivers. The route will now leave the transfer point at Home Depot, stop at Westgate Quality Care Clinic, Wild [...]
	Ridgecrest Village will hold Senior Resource Fair The Ridgecrest Village Senior Resource Fair, co-hosted with St. Croix Hospice, will be 8:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 21, at Ridgecrest Village, 4130 Northwest Blvd., Davenport. Giveaways, information, refreshments, tours, free blood-pressure and blood-sugar screenings will be featured. Hundreds of Quad Cities senior citizens and their caregivers are expected. To see a list of participating resource [...]
	Step back in time at historic Potter's Mill in Bellevue, Iowa A free program and tour of the transformation of the historic Potter's Mill in Bellevue, Iowa, will be 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the Potter's Mill Event Center, 300 Potter Drive, Bellevue, a news release says. Speakers will include:
	Moline Regional Community Foundation partners with Porter McNeil Foundation The Moline Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) welcomes a partnership with The Porter McNeil Foundation, a news release says. This fund will carry forward his legacy by providing scholarships to students and emerging leaders committed to service, education, and civic engagement. Scholarships will be available to area high school seniors pursuing careers in civic leadership, public [...]
	Ascentra supports new QC Back the Blue Flight As part of its ongoing commitment to community, service, and supporting those who protect the Quad Cities region, Ascentra Credit Union has donated $20,000 to the inaugural Quad City Back the Blue Flight, a news release says. The new program honors local law enforcement officers, both active and retired, by providing a one-day chartered flight [...]
	Retirements, resignations, hirings, other Davenport School personnel news See the personnel items from the March 23 agenda of the Davenport Community School District. The board met at the Achievement Service Center, 2nd Floor, 1702 N. Main St., Davenport.
	Support Christian Care at trivia night presented by Royal Neighbors of America You can test your trivia skills at Christian Care’s annual trivia night. This fun event, hosted by Royal Neighbors of America, Chapter 20035, will take place on Friday,May 15, at the Rock Island Holiday Inn. The event will feature a night of trivia, raffles, a cashbar, and more. Players can buy a ticket for $10 [...]
	Bettendorf plans family-friendly Public Woks Day "Rooted in Service, Powered by Community" is the theme of National Public Works Week from May 17-23 through the American Public Works Association. To kick off National Public Works Week, the City of Bettendorf's Public Works Department will host its annual Public Works Day on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Bettendorf [...]
	Resignation, hirings and transfers from Bettendorf School District for March 12 The following personnel items are from the March 12 agenda of the Bettendorf Community School District. The School Board met at the Administration Center, 3311 18th St., Bettendorf.
	Opinion: A lesson in humanity at the Boston Marathon Two runners in this week's Boston Marathon stopped to help a racer who had collapsed just short of the finish line. NPR's Scott Simon says their generosity is its own kind of "personal best."
	7 Brew coffee shop in Bettendorf to hold grand opening on Monday The location is the first in the Quad-Cities area for the rapidly growing drive-thru-only coffee chain and is located at 3469 Middle Road in Bettendorf.
	Buchanan Community Chorus will present patriotic concerts in Monmouth The Buchanan Community Chorus will present "America! Celebrating 250 Years" at 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, at Faith United Presbyterian Church, 200 S. 8th St., Monmouth. The concert also will be presented at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at First United Methodist Church, 221 E. Broadway, Monmouth.
	Cesar Toscano: Celebrating National Poetry Month with Quad-Cities college poet This is Education Reporter Cesar Toscano's third of four columns featuring a student poet for National Poetry Month, this time with Scott Community College student Alexis Willet.
	Build My Future will inspire next generation of trades professionals in West Burlington Students from throughout Southeast Iowa can explore hands-on career experiences during Build My Future 2026, a large, skilled trades career exploration event scheduled for Thursday, May 7, at the Agri-Sports Arena on the Southeastern Community College campus, West Burlington. The event will welcome more than 1,200 seventh-graders from 10 counties for a day of interactive [...]
	QC Nuclear Power Station, Cordova, to test emergency response plans An exercise to test emergency response plans for the area surrounding the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, a news release says. Emergency response personnel from the states of Illinois and Iowa, Rock Island County, Whiteside County, Scott County, Clinton County and Constellation will participate in the exercise. The Federal [...]
	Memories of Muscatine: The flood of 1952 This week for Memories of Muscatine: A photo of what was then the intersection of Front and Sycamore during the 1952 flood.
	Augustana's Sierra Club holds community gathering highlighting environmental efforts Several local groups made an appearance to speak on climate change, environmental justice and sustainability.
	Muscatine mayor proclaims Light the Night Week to honor firefighters The City of Muscatine will join communities across the nation in recognizing Light the Night Week from April 26–May 3, a time to honor the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering service of firefighters, according to a news release. This year’s observance began with a proclamation by Mayor Brad Bark during the April 21 Muscatine City Council [...]
	The Professor This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.If people took professors more seriously, this would be a better world.I'm thinking of a humanities professor at a…
	Justice Department makes it easier to deport those with DACA status Three appellate immigration judges sided with Department of Homeland Security lawyers who appealed a decision from Immigration Judge Michael Pleters terminating removal proceedings for DACA recipient Catalina "Xóchitl" Santiago.
	DOJ wants to shield its lawyers from outside scrutiny. Critics worry about oversight Critics say the proposed rule to let the DOJ step into state bar investigations could weaken one of the last independent checks on government lawyers.
	Iran's foreign minister awaits U.S. delegation to Pakistan for peace talks Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday, as the White House confirmed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel there Saturday to try to "move the ball forward towards a deal."
Friday, April 24th, 2026
	West Central defeats Sherrard 13-8 West Central softball defeated Sherrard 13-8. West Central moves to 14-2-1 on the season.
	River Bandits fall to Lugnuts 7-6 Quad Cities River Bandits fall short in game 4 against the Lugnuts 7-6.
	Drake Relays: April 24th More local athletes in action for Day 2 of the Drake Relays. Clinton senior Elle Lonergan won the high jump championship at the Drake Relays on Friday.
	Local developer buying the Quad-City Times building The Geifman Group will split the office and warehouse space between multiple tenants and partner with the Quad-City Times Bix 7.
	Lawmakers faced increased ‘harassment’ over DDA budget cuts, as advocates faced impacts Advocates for self-directed care for developmentally disabled Marylanders gather at Lawyers Mall in March to push back against $126 million in cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/MaryAdvcates fro land Matters)In another round of tense budget discussions and steep cuts to disability services, budget leaders and advocates anticipated impassioned and challenging dialogue as families across the state pleaded with lawmakers to fund those services. What they didn’t anticipate was this: Verbal and online harassment of lawmakers and their staff over those cuts that reached a new intensity this year, to the point where some groups issued not one, but two, statements calling on advocates to tone down the rhetoric and remain respectful. “I’ve worked in this field for 22 years and we’ve never even had to contemplate issuing a statement,” said Laura Howell, CEO of the Maryland Association of Community Services, part of the Maryland Developmental Disability Coalition. “But unfortunately, this session, the DD Coalition had to issue two statements condemning imagery and then the harassment that occurred.” One of the biggest challenges for lawmakers during the 2026 session was how to fund the Developmental Disabilities Administration, which oversees a Medicaid waiver for about 19,000 Marylanders with developmental disabilities, but has been struggling with “unsustainable” enrollment growth and spending in recent years. Lawmakers ultimately cut $126 million from the DDA in fiscal 2027 — down from the $150 million cut proposed in Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) initial budget — to help rein in that spending. Advocates notch some gains, but say $126 million cut to DDA funds is still ‘painful’, ‘unacceptable’ It came one year after the administration budget was cut $164 million in DDA, as the state faced a more than $3 billion budget gap. The final cut was originally targeted at $400 million, but advocate activism was able to restore some of the funding. Howell said that over the last year, frustrations over the cuts and administrative hurdles with the DDA have grown, and a small but vocal number of advocates within the community have taken a new approach in tone and communications “that was perceived as harassing.” “The reality is, families and people with disabilities are very scared about what these cuts will mean to them, their services and their lives,” she said. “What we saw this session was a growing frustration, with a second year of significant budget cuts being proposed to the Developmental Disabilities Administration, and unfortunately, there were advocates in the DD community who really took a different tone in their advocacy that was harassing at times.” The incendiary rhetoric continued, to the point where some lawmakers or their staff were getting harassing calls to the lawmaker’s office, or they saw comments that wished for their deaths over the cuts. One lawmaker even allowed staff to temporarily let calls go straight to voicemail after one staff member had an emotional breakdown, giving them a break from screening the comments. Lawmakers were hesitant to discuss it in detail but said the harassment, both by phone and online, ranged from hurtful characterizations to threats of personal lawsuits, name calling, and joking about the deaths of elected officials. Del. Emily Shetty (D-Montgomery), who chairs a House Appropriations subcommittee involved with the DDA funding, said that she and her staff got verbal harassment from people calling her office, which she said was “really disappointing to see.” “I have a strong belief in the importance of advocacy, but verbal abuse against our staff has been an all-time high,” Shetty said in early April. Del. Mike Griffith (R-Cecil and Harford), who has a son with autism, said that he has also seen what he called “online invective … directed at lawmakers,” including himself. While I thought some of the mainly online invective comments directed at lawmakers … was at times inappropriate ... you’ll never hear me criticize a parent fighting for the needs and the hopes of their child. – Del. Mi ke Griffith (R-Harford and Cecil) on the level of emotion surrounding this year's DDA debate The DD Coalition issued a statement on April 1, responding to those reports and others. “This conduct does not reflect the views or actions of the Developmental Disabilities Coalition, nor the majority of developmental disability advocates,” the statement said. “While fear and frustration are certainly understandable, the hostility towards our public servants is not acceptable and is not who we are as a community.” That statement followed a separate one in late March condemning unflattering artificial intelligence-generated depictions of Moore that circulated online that month. One cartoonish image depicts the governor – a vocal sports fan – drawing up his March Madness bracket and ignoring protesters behind him who are yelling to protect DDA services. Another shows him making balloon animals while a money-filled dumpster, labeled “disability services,” is engulfed in flames behind him. Leaders of another advocacy group called Concerned Citizens of Self-Direction Maryland also issued an April 1 statement in a private Facebook group urging advocates to turn down the animosity toward lawmakers. “Some legislators are receiving death threats, and that puts everything we are working toward at risk,” Shari Dexter, co-founder of the Concerned Citizens group, said in that social media post. “And as upset as we are, we cannot lose the relationships that carry us forward.” That said, Dexter said this week that while some comments may have been “hot-tempered” and some advocates “said things that they should not have,” she also wanted to emphasize “that these are devastating cuts” that will impact families across the state. She said some advocates feel like they’ve been “left out to dry” by state lawmakers because of the cuts, particularly those in the self-directed program of the Medicaid waiver who employ their own care staff rather than participate in a community provider. People with developmental disabilities seeing Medicaid coverage lapse more often “We’re trying to keep the community calm, but we’re also reaching out to state lawmakers and asking for help,” she said. Dexter and other Concerned Citizens leaders continue to call on their members to ensure that discussions remain respectful. Another co-founder of the group, Cody Stevens, put out a statement Thursday to other advocates urging them “lead with purpose.” “We are all carrying frustration, fear, and exhaustion. When our loved ones are affected, it cuts deep and it’s natural to respond emotionally and defensively. We have all been there more times than we should have had to, myself included,” Stevens said in the post. “When we act in anger or impulse, it can sometimes create more barriers than breakthroughs. But when we channel that same energy into focused, respectful, and intentional action, it becomes one of our greatest strengths,” his social media post said. Meanwhile, Griffith, Shetty and other lawmakers familiar with the issue say they are sympathetic to the impacts of the cuts and know that those constituents are stressed, frustrated and afraid — even if language and tone sometimes crossed lines of acceptability. “As much as anyone, I understand how emotional it is when these programs are at issue,” Griffith said in a recent statement. “As I have a developmentally disabled son dealing with the same challenges, I share these concerns. “While I thought some of the mainly online invective directed at lawmakers … was at times inappropriate, you’ll never hear me criticize a parent fighting for the needs and the hopes of their child,” he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Maryland Matters
	West Branch nears completion of 'long awaited' flood mitigation project A series of 11 floods in the 2000s and early 2010s triggered West Branch to begin research on how to prevent flooding. A couple of major floods through the downtown in the summer of 2014 emphasized the importance of flood mitigation. Now after 15 years of research and planning, city leaders hooe they have the [...]
	Iowa lineman, northern Illinois native drafted by Steelers Gennings Dunker was the 32 pick in the 3rd round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
	Inside Iowa Politics: Emotional farewell speech from Sen. Jack Whitver State Senator Jack Whitver gave his retirement speech as he prepares to leave office to continue his treatment for a brain tumor.
	Davenport squads crash after officers are called to disturbance No officers were injured when two Davenport squad cars, responding to a disturbance, crashed into each other Friday night. The incident happened about 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of 3rd and Marquette streets. Our Quad Cities News crew was on the scene, where both cars sustained damage, and airbags were deployed. No one was injured, [...]
	Justice Department to allow firing squads for executions in move to ramp up capital punishment The Justice Department will adopt firing squad as a permitted method of execution as the Trump administration moves to ramp up and expedite capital punishment cases.
	Davenport squad cars involved in crash KWQC crews were at the scene at 3rd Street and Marquette Street and could see two squad cars with damage.
	Kansas Supreme Court rejects self-defense claims in slaying of U.S. Army soldier in Manhattan Kansas Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall authored a unanimous opinion affirming convictions of a former U.S. Army solder convicted of shooting to death a man outside a bar in Manhattan. This image is from a Jan. 12, 2026, session of the Supreme Court in Topeka. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court unanimously affirmed first-degree murder and attempted murder convictions Friday of a former U.S. Army soldier who admitted shooting a fellow soldier to death outside a Manhattan bar but argued the jury should have been allowed to consider his claim of self-defense. The Supreme Court concluded two “unrelated harmless errors” occurred during the Riley County District Court trial of Tremelle Montgomery in 2023. The defendant was sentenced to life in prison plus 64 years for the premeditated slaying of Joshua Wardi, 21, on the sidewalk outside the Hi Lo bar in the Aggieville district in February 2022. He also was found guilty of attempted murder and aggravated assault for chasing three other individuals after fatally shooting Wardi five times with a handgun. Justice Caleb Stegall, writing for a unanimous Supreme Court, said justices considered whether Judge John Bosch should have instructed the jury on an alternative voluntary manslaughter charge based on Montgomery’s assertion he acted in self-defense. In the written opinion, Stegall said the district court erred by not offering a jury instruction for the lesser felony of voluntary manslaughter. However, the Supreme Court concluded that decision amounted to harmless error because no reasonable person reviewing evidence in the case would have perceived Montgomery’s use of deadly force as necessary. “The record contains an overwhelming amount of evidence that Montgomery did not shoot Wardi because of an honest, and unreasonable, belief that shooting him was necessary,” Stegall said in the opinion. “Montgomery’s story does not paint Wardi as being anywhere near using or threatening any imminent death or great bodily harm.” In addition, the Supreme Court said the trial judge committed “judicial comment error” by telling a juror the sentence for premeditated murder in Kansas could be life in prison. The mistake was promptly corrected by the judge, and the Supreme Court viewed the infraction as harmless to outcome of the trial. “We are convinced that these two unrelated harmless errors, considered together, did not affect the outcome of Montgomery’s trial in light of the entire record,” Stegall’s opinion said. “Stated another way, we are firmly convinced that … no rational juror would have convicted Montgomery of anything other than first-degree premeditated murder.” Jacob Nowak, an attorney with the Kansas Appellate Defender Office, argued instructional and comment errors were prejudicial and Montgomery deserved a new trial. He said there was insufficient evidence to support three guilty verdicts for attempted first-degree murder. Nowak said there was no dispute about whether Montgomery shot Wardi. The issue at trial was whether the jury should have been given the opportunity to weigh credibility of Montgomery’s contention deadly force was justified, he said. The judge should have permitted members of the jury to evaluate evidence for and against self-defense and how it related to premeditation, Nowak said. “From the moment of Tremelle’s arrest, he advised police that he shot Mr. Wardi in self-defense,” Nowak said. “The only issue for the jury to resolve in this case was whether Tremelle’s actions were either justified or mitigated. The jury never got to consider that issue. That cannot stand.” David Lowden, an assistant Riley County attorney, said the judge appropriately performed a gatekeeping function regarding the defendant’s claim of self-defense. “The notion that maybe he was just going to get this self-defense instruction and it would have turned the tide of this case, that’s false,” Lowden said. “He has to have a sincere and honest belief that deadly force was necessary. The state’s position is that he did not have that.” Late on Feb. 4, 2022, Montgomery was ticketed for underage drinking while with friends at Tubby’s Sports Bar in Manhattan. Montgomery was 19 years old at that time, and a Riley County officer recognized him from an encounter the prior week involving a firearm. Montgomery was found to be intoxicated and was issued a citation. He was released from a police substation at 12:29 p.m. Feb. 5, and events leading to his conviction on serious crimes occurred in the next four minutes. In close proximity to the substation, Montgomery and two friends engaged in a back-and-forth verbal exchange with Wardi and three of his friends. Montgomery grabbed an extended-magazine Glock pistol from his car, tucked it into his waistband and began crossing the street toward Wardi’s group. Wardi’s three friends ran, but Wardi paused before proceeding on the sidewalk. Montgomery drew his weapon, and later claimed he was “anxious” Wardi might be armed. He shot Wardi five times at close range. Wardi was unarmed. Montgomery sprinted down the sidewalk in the direction of Wardi’s friends. Riley County officers who heard the gunshots gave chase, and Montgomery was shot in the leg before apprehended. While on the ground, Montgomery recognized one of the officers. “What’s goin’ on dog?” Montgomery said. “It’s crazy how quick s*** escalated, right?” Montgomery was interviewed by a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent at a hospital, the court record says. The defendant said he shot Wardi in self-defense because he felt a threat on his life. He said three separate times that he ran after Wardi’s three friends “to kill them.” Later, Montgomery testified he was running away from Wardi’s friends out of fear they might retaliate. Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Illinois treasurer's auction features collectibles for bidders Collectible baseball cards of Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg, Nolan Ryan and Ken Griffey Jr., a gold ingot, and an 1868 French coin bearing the image of Napoleon III are just a few of the notable items available at the online ICash auction now through May 3. The auction catalog is available here. “Our online auction [...]
	Davenport police officer seen comforting woman In a video shared with KWQC, Officer Doug Scroggins was seen comforting a woman Friday.
	“2026 DART SeniorThesis Show,” through August 30 With its venue transformed into a space to honor and celebrate the creativity of four graduating digital art and design majors before they step into the world as professional designers, the 2026 DART Senior Thesis Show will be on display at the University of Dubuque's Bisignano Art Gallery throughout the summer, this annual exhibit an energetic mix of illustration, motion design, and digital painting.
	Emergency room visits for tick bites rise this year Weekly ER visits for tick bites are on the rise. Last April, there were 68 reported bites. This year, that number has climbed to 96.
	Iowa City Police arrest man taking a shower in a stranger’s home An Iowa City man was arrested Thursday night after police found him using a stranger’s shower.
	Davenport man facing kidnapping, human trafficking charges A Davenport man is facing kidnapping and human trafficking charges after he allegedly forced a woman into a prostitution, according to Scott County District Court documents.
	Group seeking to end Idaho’s abortion ban says it’s met signature goal in 19 legislative districts A few hundred people attended a rally on June 25, 2025, in front of the Idaho State Capitol to support the start of signature gathering for an abortion rights ballot initiative. (Photo by Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun)A group trying to qualify a ballot initiative to end Idaho’s abortion ban said Friday it has met its signature gathering goals in more than enough legislative districts to qualify for the November general election. The group Idahoans United for Women and Families announced Friday that it hit its signature goals in 19 different legislative districts and that counties have officially processed 95% of the 104,000 signatures they have gathered. Idahoans United for Women and Families Executive Director Melanie Folwell speaks at the third No Kings protest in downtown Boise on Saturday, March 28, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun) If the state verifies those results, that would be more than enough to qualify the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act for November’s general election ballot. “It’s Friday afternoon, so I’ll make this quick: the counties have processed over 95% of our 104,000 submitted signatures and the news is very good,” Idahoans United Executive Director Melanie Folwell wrote in an email to supporters. Supporters have until April 30 to turn in their final signatures for verification to the Secretary of State’s Office. How does an initiative qualify for the Idaho ballot? In Idaho, a ballot initiative is a form of direct democracy where the voters – not the Idaho Legislature – decide whether to pass a proposed law. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US To qualify for the general election, supporters must collect signatures from at least 6% of the registered voters statewide and from at least 6% of the registered voters in at least 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts. To achieve the 6% statewide total, supporters need 70,725 verified signatures. If the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act meets the requirements to appear on the November ballot, it would take a simple majority of votes to approve it. The ballot initiative seeks to decriminalize abortion in Idaho and allow the right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability – and beyond that, in the case of medical emergencies. Supporters said their initiative restores the same standard that was in place until the U.S. Supreme Court repealed the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed a right to an abortion and Idaho’s felony abortion trigger law took effect. Supporters said their signature drive is not over. “We will gather signatures until the last minute of our deadline,” Folwell wrote. The Idahoans United ballot initiative is one of two different ballot initiatives that could qualify for November’s election. A different group, the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho, is pushing a ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis for Idahoans with a terminal illness or debilitating pain. Supporters of the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act told the Idaho Capital Sun earlier this month that they have also gathered more than 100,000 signatures, although backers did not disclose how many different legislative districts they have met their goal in. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Idaho Capital Sun
	House approves redistricting amendment, fearing federal Voting Rights Act will be eliminated Illinois House passes an amendment to protect minority representation in maps as fears grow over the Supreme Court striking down federal voting rights.
	Vera French celebrates opening new $10-million affordable housing complex in central Davenport Dozens of people gathered in central Davenport on Friday, April 24, to celebrate the ribbon-cutting and opening of Carol’s Village Gardens, a four-story, $10-million affordable rental housing complex.
	Vera French holds ribbon cutting for Carol's Village Gardens housing completion 30 units of the housing development are fully leased with six units set aside for people coming out of homelessness.
	Local developer to buy the Quad-City Times building The Geifman Group will split the office and warehouse space between multiple tenants and partner with the Quad-City Times Bix 7.
	Kranovich named to board of Sports Events & Tourism Association Visit Quad Cities has announced that Joan Kranovich, vice president of business growth and director, Sports QC, has been named to the board of directors of the Sports Events & Tourism Association, a news release says. The association is the leading trade association supporting sports events and tourism industry professionals. This recognition reflects her leadership [...]
	Great Friday night weather to kick off the weekend After some stormy days at times over the last week and a half - this weekend looks pretty good in the Quad Cities! That includes our Friday night! It should be a great night at Modern woodmen Park for the River Bandits. Saturday and Sunday also look good, with sunshine and highs in the 70s. [...]
	Rivermont Collegiate to hold annual Derby Day Rivermont Collegiate will hold its second annual Derby Day fundraiser.
	Jury finds East Moline man guilty of first-degree murder in downtown Davenport shooting A 21-year-old East Moline man is facing a mandatory sentence of life in prison after a jury found him guilty in the shooting death of Mayson Payne in downtown Davenport.
	Quad Cities Civic Conversations hosting talk about AI Quad Cities Civic Conversations will hold a free talk titled "Is AI coming for your job?"
	IDOT to host public meeting on IL 84/IL 92 corridor improvements in Silvis The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting a public open house meeting for proposed reconstruction and improvements to the IL 84/IL 92 corridor.
	9 breweries collaborate for 'Brew Together' 'Brew Together,' brings together 9 breweries for a months-long collaborative event featuring new beer recipes.
	Appeals court rules that Trump's asylum ban at the border is illegal A U.S. appeals court ruled Friday that immigration laws allow people to apply for asylum at the border, and the president cannot bypass this. The decision stems from Trump declaring the border situation an invasion and suspending asylum.
	American Water Charitable Foundation helps six QCA non-profits The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., and Iowa American water, has announced that six organizations were awarded a Foundation 2026 Water and Environment grant, supporting communities served throughout Iowa. “Living along the Mississippi River, this grant is [...]
	More Iowa nursing homes are cited, but not penalized, for too few staff Five Iowa nursing homes have been cited recently for failing to meet federal standards for nursing home staffing. (Photo by byryo/iStock/Getty Images Plus)In the past eight weeks, five Iowa nursing homes have been cited for failing to meet federal standards for nursing home staffing. Inadequate staffing is believed to be the single biggest contributor to poor quality resident care, according to several federal and private studies of nursing home quality. In recent years, staffing levels have become a hot political issue, with the Trump administration rolling back Biden administration’s efforts to increase federal staffing requirements for homes that collect taxpayer dollars through the Medicaid and Medicare programs. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A recent Iowa Capital Dispatch review of federal data found that in 2025, 60 of Iowa’s 397 nursing homes — 15% of all the homes in the state — were cited for insufficient staffing. That represents a rate of staffing-level violations that’s two to five times higher than most other nearby states. Nationally, a new report from the Long-Term Care Community Coalition indicates that in the third quarter of 2025, almost 9 in 10 nursing homes fell below their expected their staffing levels, with the average facility understaffed by 24% on a daily basis. The report is based on federal data derived from the homes’ self-reported payroll information and assessment of residents’ needs. Inspectors: Staff ignored feeding-tube alarm One of the Iowa homes recently cited for violating the existing, longstanding requirements for “sufficient” staffing is Harmony House Healthcare Center in Waterloo. On March 25, 2026, state inspectors visited Harmony House to investigate eight separate complaints pertaining to quality-of-care issues. Based on a sample review of the home’s electronic call-light records related to just three of the home’s 42 residents, the inspectors concluded that the staff failed to answer all three residents’ call lights in a timely manner. In addition, the “wait times for multiple residents” at the home frequently exceeded 15 minutes, and sometimes stretched to more than 90 minutes, inspectors reported. One resident reportedly complained of waiting up to two hours for a response to her call light. A certified nursing assistant allegedly reported an instance in which a resident’s call light went unanswered for more than an hour, and no one reported it to the nurse on duty because she had previously threatened to quit. “The failure persisted despite residents reporting concerns through interviews and the facility’s own grievance logs, and after staff were reportedly re-educated on the importance of responding to call lights,” the inspectors alleged. Even with state inspectors in the building, call lights went unanswered, according to the inspectors’ written reports. In one instance, the staff, including the director of nursing, allegedly failed to respond to a prolonged audible alarm that indicated a resident’s feeding-tube pump wasn’t working. For one hour, an inspector allegedly watched as the pump’s digital screen flashed yellow, indicating a blockage in the feeding tube, and the device made a continuous beeping alarm that could be heard from the hallway. While the inspector watched, nearby housekeeping workers failed to respond to the alarm, then a male staff member twice walked past without responding, then the director of nursing stood in the hallway outside the resident room without responding, after which a licensed practical nurse stood at a medication cart in the hallway without responding to the alarm. The home was cited for several additional violations, some of which resulted in $5,500 in fines that were held in suspension due to the possibility of federal penalties being imposed. Other Iowa homes cited for staffing issues None of the five Iowa nursing homes recently cited for insufficient staff were fined for that particular violation, according to state records. In addition to Harmony House, these Iowa nursing homes were recently cited for too few staff: Adel: Adel Acres, a 40-resident nursing home, was cited March 26, 2026, for failing to meet the legal minimum staffing standard of having at least one registered nurse working for a minimum of eight hours each day. According to inspectors, the home’s administrator acknowledged that for two days in a row in mid-February, there was no registered nurse scheduled to work. Separately, the home was also cited for failing to meet professional standards, medication errors, food preparation violations, inaccurate staffing reports, and inadequate infection control. A citation for inadequate nursing services, tied to a series of medication errors that resulted in a resident receiving an overdose of an opioid painkiller, resulted in a proposed $15,000 state fine that is being held in suspension pending a possible federal penalty. Carroll: Accura Healthcare of Carroll, a 48-resident care facility, was cited on April 2, 2026, for insufficient staffing, with inspectors noting that residents had complained of inadequate staffing and long waits of up to two hours for a response to their call lights. In addition, the home was cited for failing to provide a safe, clean, homelike environment, a failure to meet professional standards, overall quality-of-care deficiencies, medication errors, and inadequate infection control. Marshalltown: Accura Healthcare of Marshalltown, a 59-resident nursing home, was cited on March 12, 2026 for insufficient staffing due to a failure to have a registered nurse in the building for at least eight consecutive hours every day. According to the inspectors, the facility failed to meet that standard on 19 separate days between Dec. 1, 2025, and March 8, 2026. The home’s administrator allegedly acknowledged the issue and explained the home typically went without any registered nurses on duty every other weekend. Tabor: On March 4, 2026, the 40-resident Tabor Manor Care Center was cited for insufficient staffing as part of an investigation into four separate complaints against the facility. According to inspectors, the home’s electronic log of call lights showed the facility often failed to respond to call lights within the expected 15-minute timeframe, with residents sometimes waiting 50 minutes for a response. The home’s administrator reportedly acknowledged the problem and the need for improvement. Tabor Manor was cited for more than a dozen other violations, including failing to provide a safe, clean, homelike environment, a failure to meet professional standards, overall quality-of-care deficiencies, inadequate treatment of pressure sores, medication errors, and inadequate infection control. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Carol’s Village Gardens opens in Davenport to provide affordable housing and support Carol’s Village Gardens in Davenport offers thirty affordable apartments with essential support services, embodying the philosophy that stable, secure housing is fundamental to quality healthcare.
	Illinois Department of Transportation to host open house public meeting The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting a public open house meeting for proposed reconstruction and improvements to the IL 84/IL 92 corridor.
	Our chance of another severe outbreak on Monday After this week has, for the most part, been very nice with warm weather and sunshine, this weekend is also looking very nice. However, Monday is showing an enhanced risk for severe weather across the entirety of our Quad Cities area. Where we could see strong winds, large hail, and tornados, heavy rain is also [...]
	Lee Enterprises names Nathan Bekke president and CEO Nathan Bekke, a longtime company leader, is now Lee’s president and CEO. Josh Rinehults will serve as CFO.
	Crash involving scooter, vehicle in Rock Island Our Quad Cities News is on the scene of an incident between vehicle and a scooter on 24th Street at 20 ½ Avenue, Rock Island. One person was apparently transported from the scene but there is no word on any injuries.
	First Geneseo Wine Walk to feature wine tasting, shopping and live music The first Geneseo Wine Walk will bring wine tasting, shopping and music to downtown May 30.
	Bolivian man fights deportation to Congo as U.S. attorney pursues Muscatine Co. case Federal prosecutors in Iowa are continuing their push to deport to the Democratic Republic of Congo a Bolivian asylum seeker who was unlawfully jailed in Muscatine County.
	Tennessee court delays trial over abortion ban using new appeals law Allie Phillips, one of the plaintiffs suing the state of Tennessee over its abortion bans, stands in her kitchen with her husband and daughter in February 2024. Phillips unsuccessfully ran for a legislative seat in 2024, in part based on her story of having to leave the state for a medically necessary abortion, and is running again this year. (Photo by John Partipilo for the Tennessee Lookout)Three years after a miscarriage that caused a severe, nearly septic infection because a Tennessee hospital denied her an abortion, Katy Dulong was looking forward to telling her story in a trial that was scheduled to begin Monday. But this week, the state appealed to a higher court based on a new law passed by the legislature in March, and the court put the trial on hold indefinitely. It will now be months before the lower court can proceed. Dulong had complications that led to a miscarriage in November 2022 at 16 weeks of pregnancy, long before fetal viability. Under the state’s abortion ban, which had only been in place for a few months, the hospital sent her home to miscarry on her own. When that didn’t happen, severe infection started to set in 10 days later, when she was able to get doctors to agree to help. The experience left her with post-traumatic stress disorder. Tennessee bill expands attorney general rights to appeal case rulings The delay in the legal case feels like the state trying to silence her and the other plaintiffs, she said. “It’s shocking to me that there’s anyone in this world that would have such opposing views to think that our voices don’t matter,” Dulong said in an interview. “How are they taking away our voice right now?” In a motion to dismiss in February, the state argued it couldn’t be sued by the plaintiffs under a term called sovereign immunity, and in April, the Tennessee Legislature passed a law making it harder to sue the state on the constitutionality of a state or government action. Legislators passed another bill allowing the state to automatically appeal a decision related to sovereign immunity. Nicolas Kabat, a staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights who has been working on the case with the plaintiffs, said the state has tried to have the case dismissed four times without success, and said this is just the latest move to delay the trial. But he said the latest laws passed by the legislature allowing automatic appeals in the middle of a case, on the eve of a trial, make the situation unique. “There is nothing unusual about appealing an appealable order,” said Phil Buehler, press secretary for Tennessee Republican Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, in an email Thursday. Similar lawsuits are ongoing or have already been resolved in several states with bans, including Texas and Idaho, where state residents have challenged the law based on their personal experiences. Plaintiffs in Idaho won their case in April 2025, when a judge said the near-total abortion ban does not mean a pregnant patient’s death has to be imminent or “assured” to perform an abortion. Complaints are also pending related to Texas hospitals allegedly not complying with federal law mandating emergency room treatment for a patient who needs an abortion as stabilizing care. Women with serious pregnancy complications sue over state abortion bans Allie Phillips, the lead plaintiff in Tennessee, joined several other women to sue the state in September 2023, alleging that the abortion ban put their health and lives in jeopardy when they were pregnant. They asked the state to clarify the law so that health is considered in an abortion decision, not just an immediate threat to a pregnant patient’s life. The way the law is written, attorneys argue, is too vague to allow for those exceptions. Phillips and Nicole Blackmon, another plaintiff, had fetuses with anomalies related to the development of vital organs. Blackmon couldn’t afford to travel out of the state for an abortion, and eventually had to stop working because the pregnancy was affecting her health. She delivered a stillborn baby in her seventh month of pregnancy. Phillips raised enough money to seek an abortion in New York, only to find when she got there that the fetus had already died. After the court granted a temporary block on the law as it relates to pregnancy complications, the state passed several laws that affected the case. The first bill, meant to clarify the state’s health exception for an abortion, was enacted in April 2025 but didn’t solve the issue, Kabat said. The language still wasn’t clear enough, and the court agreed and allowed the suit to continue. Kabat said the legal team will continue its effort to clarify Tennessee’s laws so that stories like Dulong’s don’t happen to others. “No matter how long this takes, we’re going to get the trial, we’re going to get these stories heard and we’re going to seek accountability from the state,” Kabat said. Stateline reporter Kelcie Moseley-Morris can be reached at kmoseley@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Stateline
	U.S. attorney in Muscatine Co. pursues effort to deport Bolivian man to Congo Federal prosecutors in Iowa are continuing their push to deport to the Democratic Republic of Congo a Bolivian asylum seeker who was unlawfully jailed in Muscatine County.
	State announces $7 million settlement with contractor Deloitte over RIBridges cyber breach A laptop shows a video playing on the Deloitte website's homepage on Friday, April 24, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)A $7 million handshake between the Rhode Island Department of Administration and global consultancy Deloitte over the latter’s role in the 2024 RIBridges data breach has brought the state’s total windfall to $12 million for the incident. Deloitte is required to pay up within 30 days of the agreement’s effective date, or comply with a later deadline if it receives one from the state. The agreement, announced by Gov. Dan McKee’s office Friday afternoon, was signed by Deloitte Consulting LLP Principal Lindsay Musser Hough on April 15. The Department of Administration’s Acting Director Thomas Verdi — who has filled in as head of the department since ex-Director Jonathan Womer was ousted by the governor in March — signed the deal a day later. “This was a comprehensive and carefully negotiated agreement,” Verdi said in a statement Friday. Friday’s announcement noted that Deloitte has supplied the state an additional $6 million in “system enhancements, operational support, and business continuity services in response to the incident that were outside the scope of their contract,” at no cost to the state. Karen Greco, a Department of Administration spokesperson, said via email Friday that this “is the complete and final settlement of claims arising from or related to the RI Bridges cybersecurity incident.” Asked how the $7 million might be appropriated, Greco said it was “premature” to determine that. Deloitte is the creator and vendor of RIBridges, which serves as the state’s one-stop-shop for public benefits and is used by Rhode Islanders to apply for and manage Medicaid, food stamps and other benefits. It’s also used to access the state’s health insurance marketplace, HealthSource RI, and shop for health plans. While the customer-facing frontend for RIBridges was taken offline during the incident, it was the backend used by state employees that had been hacked in the 2024 breach. A cybercriminal group known as Brain Cipher quietly harvested information from the system for months before pilfering several large bounties of data in late 2024, triggering hundreds of file transfer alerts in late November. Deloitte and the state became aware in early December, and McKee first notified the public on Dec. 13, 2024. An estimated 644,401 people who received or merely applied for benefits via the RIBridges system had their personal information affected by the breach, and Brain Cipher leaked at least some of the data it exfiltrated from state servers. “This agreement reflects a deliberate effort to protect Rhode Island taxpayers while ensuring the State has the resources needed to move forward,” McKee said in a statement Friday. In February 2025, the state received $5 million from Deloitte for expenses tied to the cyberattack. Deloitte did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. A ‘compromise of disputed claims’ Once Deloitte fulfills its new promise and pays the $7 million, and the state pays a number of invoices related to the project, both sides effectively relinquish their ability to further squabble in court over the cyberattack. Deloitte and the state cannot sue each other over the incident, they cannot encourage others to sue, and any public statements about the agreement must be choreographed in tandem. News releases about the agreement, such as the one McKee’s office published Friday, are to be “discussed in advance by the Parties before [publication,]” the agreement notes, and an additional non-disparagement clause furthers the mandate that the parties play nice. “Each Party agrees that… it shall refrain from making any public statements…to third parties which are disparaging or derogatory about the other Party concerning the Incident,” the agreement reads, unless otherwise required by law. The agreement notes it’s a “compromise of disputed claims” and both parties admit no liability in the incident. In October 2025, Deloitte settled a separate class action suit over the breach. While the state was not involved in that litigation, the class action suit nevertheless shielded the state by including it as a “released party,” thereby protecting the state from any claims made against it by people who did not opt out from the class action. Only 35 people opted out, according to the final settlement approved by the court in January. The state’s status as a released party is referenced in the new settlement. Court filings showed that by January, slightly more than 47,000 eligible class members had filed claims to receive an approximate $100 payment without proof of identity theft, as well as larger reimbursements for claimants who submitted documented losses related to identity theft. RIBridges firewall worked. But forensic report says hundreds of alarms went unnoticed. While the cyberattack’s legal avenue is now likely exhausted of new information, the most complete technical analysis of the cyberattack remains the one the state shared, in abbreviated form, in May 2025. The third-party forensic report by CrowdStrike identified the incident’s beginning as July 2024, when Brain Cipher used a stolen username and password from a Deloitte representative to gain access to the system. The forensic analysis could not determine how the cybercriminals gained those credentials, but the threat actors stayed in the system for about five months, accessing 28 of RIBridges’ 338 backend environments with the help of a backdoor that allowed easy entry and exit for them alone. The last malicious activity recorded in the system was on Thanksgiving Day 2024, some time after the threat actors had already transferred large troves of data from the system to their own servers. Deloitte, however, did not notify the state until Dec. 5, 2024, a day after Brain Cipher posted to its leak site the spoils it had raided. The dark web post, in turn, prompted Deloitte to comb through their own servers. Said McKee in May last year: “Deloitte missed some issues that we certainly hold them responsible for.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 4:38 pmUpdated to include a statement from Department of Administration spokesperson Karen Greco. Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	A real-life Kraken stalked the seas of the late Cretaceous Researchers discovered evidence of enormous Kraken-like creatures who hunted in the seas some 100 million years ago, competing with large apex predators.
	1 dead after Jo Daviess County crash An 81-year-old is dead after a crash in Jo Daviess County. The crash remains under investigation.
	2 injured after Henry County crash Both drivers were taken to a hospital after a crash in Henry County. One driver was airlifted and their conditions are unknown.
	Full press conference \| Georgia Gov. and Officials speak on the wildfire emergency Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and other Officials speak on the wildfire emergency throughout Georgia and Florida
	Road work underway at John Deere Rd. and 16th St. in Moline It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. Work is underway on the intersection of Illinois 5 (John Deere Rd.) and 16th St. in Moline. According to a release from the Illinois Department of Transportation, work will include patching pavement at the intersection and resurfacing portions of it. A bulk of the work will be [...]
	Most midlife adults feel better about their health than they did in their 30s, according to Hone Health data Most midlife adults feel better about their health than they did in their 30s, according to Hone Health dataAging is often considered synonymous with physical and mental decline, but a new nationwide survey of 1,000 adults aged 35–65 shows that increasingly, people in this age group feel more in control of their health now than they did a decade ago.The survey, conducted by Hone Health, a telehealth platform focused on longevity and preventative health, found nearly three-quarters of respondents are actively taking steps to improve their healthspan.They’re managing their weight, building muscle, getting regular bloodwork, minding their heart health, taking sleep more seriously, investing in relationships, and making time to destress. And taking these proactive steps is making them feel rosier about their future: Nearly a third want to live to 100, especially if they can live those years in good health. Close to a quarter would like to live to 90–99.“What stands out to me clinically from the data is that 70% of midlife adults feel more in control of their health than they did earlier in adulthood,” says longevity physician Candice Knight, M.D. “That belief matters more than people realize. A sense of control is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health outcomes.”Knight says she tells her patients they have to be able to see themselves well to visualize the version of themselves they want to become. “When you stop seeing your health as something that happens to you, and start seeing it as something you can shape, that’s when real change becomes possible.”That sense of control doesn't arrive all at once. The data shows it plays out differently depending on where someone is in midlife.The 40s Are the New LaunchpadThe 45–49 year-olds — squarely in the heart of midlife — report feeling the greatest control over their health of any age group, with 51% saying they feel "much more in control" than decades earlier.They rank highly for a number of health habits typical of a lower biological age:74% get regular checkups and screenings68% get regular blood work69% invest in strong relationshipsLongevity ambition peaks here too: Adults ages 40–44 are more likely to aspire to live to 90–99 (31%) than any other age group.The 50s Are a Take-Control EraThe 50s are when people appear to get most proactive about their health. Adults 55–59 rank among the highest for actively managing heart health (79%), immune health (80%), and emotional wellbeing (77%).This group also leads in doctor checkups and screenings (87%) and regular blood work (85%). Adults ages 55–59 are also among the most ambitious about longevity, with 37% hoping to live to 100 or beyond.For women, Knight believes that once they move through perimenopause, they begin to feel like themselves again. “Their energy returns, their clarity improves, and with that comes a sense of renewed optimism,” she says. “They finally start to see further into their future, and realize that those can be quality years.”The 60s Are the Most Underreported Good-News Story in AgingThe 60–65-year-olds are the most likely to want to live to 100 (32%), and they’re following through — ranking among the highest age groups in regular checkups and screenings (83%), blood work (83%), and supplements (86%).“The later-in-life patients are most optimistic about aging because they often have many fewer responsibilities and commitments, which allows them the time and space for self-care,” Knight says.The TakeawayMidlife adults across the country are pushing back against the idea that aging means decline. They're building habits, tracking their health, and thinking seriously about how long — and how well — they want to live. The data suggests that how you approach midlife may matter more than the number itself.Results come from a January 2026 online survey of 1,000 adults aged 35–65. The survey explored attitudes about aging, health behaviors, identity, and language preferences related to this life stage. Age distribution: 35–39 (23%), 40–44 (24%), 45–49 (22%), 50–54 (14%), 55–59 (10%), 60–65 (7%). Gender: 48% male, 52% female. Geographic coverage: All major U.S. regions represented. Household income: Broad distribution from under $10,000 to $200,000+.This story was produced by Hone Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Gov. Mills vetoes landmark data center ban A data center in Haymarket, Virginia. (Photo by Hugh Kenny via Virginia Mercury)This story has been updated. Gov. Janet Mills on Friday vetoed a bill that would have banned data centers larger than 20 megawatts until November, 2027 — which would have been the first such moratorium in the nation. “A moratorium is appropriate given the impacts of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electricity rates,” Mills wrote in her veto letter to the Legislature. “But the final version of this bill fails to allow for a specific project in the Town of Jay that enjoys strong local support from its host community and region.” The bill, LD 307, saw significant debate in the Maine Legislature, as lawmakers attempted to add an exemption process aimed at proposed projects in Jay and Sanford. Tony McDonald, who is involved in the Jay project, said the ban would stop the project at the former paper mill. In a statement Friday, bill sponsor Rep. Melanie Sachs (D-Freeport)said Mills’ veto was “simply wrong.” Sachs said the Maine Artificial Intelligence Task Force had explicitly recommended to the governor that Maine should develop a plan for responding to data center developments. “By vetoing this bill, Governor Mills isn’t just rejecting the advice of her own task force — she is resisting the will of a majority of Maine people,” Sachs said. “While a veto might protect the proposed data center project in Jay, it poses significant potential consequences for all ratepayers, our electric grid, our environment, and our shared energy future.” Americans for Prosperity, a libertarian political advocacy group, hailed Mills’ decision, saying she stood up for Maine’s economic future. “At a time when states across the country are competing for investment and innovation, this veto sends a strong signal that Maine is open for business and reinforces the state’s commitment to growth and innovation,” said Ross Connolly, the group’s Northeast region director. Mills said earlier in the session that she wanted an exemption process, but ultimately legislators failed to pass an amendment. She emphasized her stance again in her statement Friday: “I supported the exemption and would have signed this bill if it had included it.” As Gov. Mills weighs data center ban, projects mixed on what the impact would be The bill also would have created the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to assess policy tools for regulating data centers, but Mills said she intends to issue an executive order to establish the council. “I believe it necessary and important to examine and plan for the potential impacts of large-scale data centers in Maine, as the use of artificial intelligence becomes more widespread,” Mills said. “Given the serious conversations about data centers here and around the country, I believe this work should commence without delay.” Maureen Drouin, executive director for Maine Conservation Voters, said in a statement that Mills’ veto sides with developers over safeguards for Maine’s environment and residents. “Across the country, the development of large-scale data centers has far outpaced the ability of policy and lawmakers to properly regulate them and establish sensible protections,” Drouin said. “Maine had a chance to push pause and establish the right regulatory framework to protect its people, their wallets and the environment from polluting, resource-hungry data centers. This veto flies in the face of that responsibility and the bipartisan will of the Maine Legislature, passing the buck to the next Governor to rein in large-scale data centers after they’ve arrived.” Seth Berry, executive director of Our Power, said the veto was the “wrong decision” for Maine, and the concerns about Jay are “a pretext and a poor excuse.” Berry noted the strong, bipartisan support for the moratorium and said the group helped organize nearly 6,880 letters from members of the public to elected officials. “But all is not lost,” Berry added. “We believe Maine people will now take matters into their own hands, community by community, and we are confident that they will win.” In her veto message, Mills emphasized that the 2023 closure of the Androscoggin Mill was a “devastating” blow to the local economy and eliminated hundreds of jobs. “As a long-time resident of Franklin County, I know well how critical the mill was to generations of working families, and how important it is — and how challenging it has been — to promote reinvestment and job-creation at the former mill which is a brownfield site,” Mills said. “After prior redevelopment efforts failed, the Town of Jay worked for two years on a $550 million data center redevelopment project to finally bring jobs and investment back to the mill site.” Mills said that the Town of Jay, the Franklin County commissioners and the regional Chamber of Commerce all reached out to her office to voice support for the development project. The Jay project would inherit the paper mill’s existing agreement with Central Maine Power, which provides for 82 megawatts. McDonald said CMP estimates that the grid could provide up to 200 megawatts without needing any improvements and the agreement states that if the grid ever needed any upgrades, the data center would pay for that work. The project is also expected to use far less water than the paper mill, and developers plan to tear down the gas-fired power generation plant that’s on site, and build a solar field to help generate power. “This project — which is now under contract and which has received several permits — is expected to create more than 800 construction jobs, at least 100 high-paying permanent jobs, and would contribute substantial property tax revenue to the Town of Jay,” Mills said. “The project developers are committed to revitalizing the mill site by utilizing its existing industrial buildings, water, and electrical infrastructure to avoid the adverse impacts cited in the bill, including impacts to ratepayers.” Lawmakers will return for a final day of work Wednesday, and could vote to overturn the veto. But that requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers, and earlier roll calls on the bill did not have that level of support. On Thursday, Mills did sign LD 713, which excludes data centers from some tax incentive programs. Courtesy of Maine Morning Star
	Confusing state borders and the stories behind them Confusing state borders and the stories behind themHave you ever wondered why some states have the borders they do? You would think that borders are determined by an organized, planned effort. But many times, they’re a result of unique and extenuating circumstances.From geological anomalies to political disagreements, Spokeo explores the weird and less-understood boundaries of seven states across America.Kentucky’s “Bubbleland”: A border caused by an earthquakeIf you look closely at Kentucky’s southwestern border, you’ll notice an odd bubble that’s separate from the rest of the state. This isolated section of land was a result of the New Madrid Earthquakes between 1811 and 1812.At the time, surveyors separated Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee using the Mississippi River as a natural state border. A series of strong earthquakes, many of them registering a magnitude 8.0 on the Richter scale, permanently altered the course of the river, creating a loop. This separated a portion of Kentucky from the rest of the state, and surveyors were forced to include it.The Oklahoma panhandle: “No-man’s land”In 1820, slavery was banned north of the line of the Missouri Compromise. Portions of land at and above this latitude were controlled by Texas, which joined the Union in 1845. Because it was a state with slavery, it was forced to give up any land that it controlled north of this latitude. As a result, it surrendered a uniform, rectangular piece of land just west of Oklahoma.For years, this land was not legally controlled by any state, giving it the name of “no-man’s land.” In 1890, Oklahoma absorbed it under the Organic Act of 1890.The Missouri Bootheel was a political power grabIn the southeast corner of Missouri, right near Kentucky’s “bubble,” lies a section of land that looks like it was sewn onto the rest of the state.Back in 1820, Missouri was getting ready to become a state. Borders were drawn, and originally, the “Bootheel” was going to be included in the Arkansas Territory. This section of land was mostly controlled by a wealthy farmer who had a strong desire to be included in Missouri’s official boundaries. He lobbied extensively for this and, through a political power grab, was able to include his land in the rest of Missouri.The four corners: Straightforward planningThe Four Corners region at the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah is an interesting place in America. It’s a popular tourist destination and the only place in the country where four states share a border.Unlike other borders on this list, the four corners were a result of simple planning. The United States government was dividing up land in the West and simply drew lines. It used the 37th parallel north and the 32nd meridian to form a junction that is now known as the Four Corners.Minnesota was a mapping mistakeSurveying and cartography were not always as accurate as they are now. This resulted in the “Minnesota Angle,” a small section of land north of the state that is bordered on three sides by Canada.When borders were originally drawn, no one had an accurate map of the region. The U.S.-Canada border was believed to run through the most northwestern corner of the Lake of the Woods, just west of the Mississippi River. But the Mississippi actually terminated south of the lake, and when this was discovered, the U.S. and Canada decided to just run the border as written, leaving the awkward section that exists to this day.Carter Lake, Iowa: An Iowa city stranded in NebraskaOriginally, the Mississippi River ran west of Carter Lake, marking the border between Iowa and Nebraska. In 1877, however, the river flooded and changed course to the eastern side of Carter Lake, leaving this section of land stranded from the rest of Iowa.The United States Supreme Court ruled that the original border would persist. Today, around 3,800 people live in Carter Lake. To get to the rest of their own state, they either have to go through Nebraska or swim across the Mississippi.The Delaware Wedge: Land no state wantedFor over a hundred years, a small, triangular tract of land sat unclaimed between Delaware and Pennsylvania. When borders were first drawn between these states, Delaware had a curved arc that started from the courthouse in New Castle and ended in the Delaware River just east of Claymont.The Mason-Dixon line ran directly north and south just west of Delaware, abutting the southern border of Pennsylvania. This created a triangular gap between Delaware’s curved border and the rest of Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until 1921 that this unclaimed section was officially added to Delaware, resulting in a weird departure from the state’s curved northern border.Borders tell a storyTo the average person, borders might seem like they’re intentionally drawn by the government for a specific purpose. In actuality, borders are much more complicated. They can be a result of mistakes, boundary disputes, and even unpredictable weather.If one thing is certain, it’s that borders are a historical reference point. They tell a story about a country’s past and how it has changed over the years. Who knows if they’ll look the same in another hundred years?This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Doctor accused of past daily cocaine use fights license suspension The Iowa Board of Medicine regulates the state's medical profession as part of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. (Photo by Getty Images, board seal courtesy the State of Iowa) A former central Iowa physician who allegedly admitted using cocaine daily before entering treatment is now taking the state to court over efforts to suspend his license for 90 days. According to the Iowa Board of Medicine, Dr. Chad Becker, who once practiced at UnityPoint Health’s Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, admitted routinely consuming an excessive amount of drugs and/or alcohol prior to 2022, resulting in a referral to the Iowa Physician Health Program for treatment. According to the board, Becker ultimately chose not to comply with the program’s requirements and so the issue of his substance abuse was referred back to the board in November 2022. Twenty-nine months later, in March 2025, the board publicly charged Becker with two counts of misconduct: substance abuse and committing a practice harmful or detrimental to the public. The board alleged Becker’s substance abuse had created a risk of harm to the public and that it did, in fact, create the “actual harm of providing care while impaired.” Initially, the board alleged Becker’s substance abuse created the “actual harm of providing care while impaired,” although it later reversed itself on that point. There is no exception to discipline for doctors who manage to sober up before a hearing or otherwise leave the state and let their licenses expire. – Iowa Board of Medicine Becker then entered rehabilitation, according to the board, and began working as a physician in California. It was during his treatment there, the board alleges, that Becker acknowledged he had been using cocaine daily, along with other substances. At a hearing on his disciplinary charges, the Iowa board presented evidence that Becker admitted to hallucinating while at work and to needing fluids prior to work shifts. Becker countered that using fluids to minimize his hangovers “just showed he was not impaired while working,” according to the board’s summary of the hearing evidence. In considering how to resolve the case against Becker, the board agreed to accept that there was “no evidence in the record Dr. Becker ever harmed a patient due to any impairment.” Becker argued the board should impose no sanctions against him since he has now received the help he needs with his substance abuse, and that his recovery means the state no longer has the authority to sanction him. The board rejected that claim, stating “there is no exception to discipline for doctors who manage to sober up before a hearing or otherwise leave the state and let their licenses expire.” In February 2026, the board ruled a license suspension of 90 days was warranted, as was an $8,000 civil penalty. Becker takes Iowa board to court Becker is now taking the board to court, seeking judicial review of the board’s disciplinary action as well as its subsequent refusal in March to grant him a rehearing on the matter. In one of two separate petitions filed this week in Polk County District Court, Becker’s attorney, Michael M. Sellers, is seeking judicial review of the board’s actions. Sellers argues the case against his client “did not involve any claims or evidence of any ‘incompetence’ or ‘misconduct’ in the practice of medicine, and therefore the Iowa Board of Medicine and the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing lacked jurisdiction to pursue any form of sanction” against him. The petition claims the Iowa Board of Medicine unconstitutionally denied Becker due process when it “ignored facts” related to the case, and asks the court to reverse, overrule and dismiss the disciplinary case in its entirety and order the board to void its report of the sanctions to the National Practitioner Data Bank. In separate petition filed concurrent to the petition for judicial review, Sellers is seeking a stay in any of the disciplinary proceedings against his client. In that petition, Sellers notes that while the Board of Medicine stated that “Iowa citizens do not anticipate their physician will be under the influence” when they seek emergency care, “it is undisputed that there is no evidence from any source that (Becker) was ever under any influence of anything when working.” Sellers claims that in four years of investigating by the board, no patient, colleague, co-worker or administrator suggested Becker’s practice was affected by his use of drugs or alcohol, and only Becker’s ex-wife and ex-girlfriend claimed to even suspect such a problem. “It was also devastating to have the personal, irrelevant accusations by the ex-girlfriend held for disclosure to the board at the very end of the hearing as the last thing that they heard,” Sellers argues in the court petition. While the ex-girlfriend’s allegations have not been publicly disclosed as part of any order issued by the board, Sellers asserts the board heard a portion of an audiotaped interview of the woman that includes “endless allegations by the former girlfriend … covering their six- year relationship with no opportunity for cross examination or refutation… This was an edited recording, with cherry-picked audio bytes that maligned the context of the testimony and was played just prior to closing statements.” Sellers contends that while Becker does not plan to return to Iowa and resume practice here, the Iowa board’s actions threaten Becker’s medical practice in California where his license is subject to automatic, temporary suspension pending a review of sanctions imposed by other states. Becker, the petition claims, “is already in an employer review process” due solely to the Iowa board’s actions. “There is no patient that was harmed by Dr. Becker when he worked in Iowa,” Sellers argues in his petition. “There is no hospital or employer that terminated Dr. Becker based on some alleged wrongdoing while he was Iowa. There is not even any identified colleague that ever complained that Dr. Becker posed any harm or did anything wrong, ever — impairment-related or not. The only identifiable complaints come from ex-paramours.” As part of his case, Sellers is also asking the court to seal all of the exhibits in the case “due to the possibility of exposure of personal identifying information.” The Iowa Board of Medicine has yet to file a response to either of the court petitions. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Senate blocks study of insecticide-treated seeds At hearings earlier this month, opponents of the bill said they worried the outcome of the study committee was predetermined in favor of a ban. (USDA photo by Lance Cheung)Concerns about insecticides and their impact on New Hampshire’s wildlife aren’t going away, senators said on Thursday. But with one bill on the subject sent for interim study and another killed this week, the Legislature will not take the matter any further this session. House Bill 1086, from prime sponsor and Wolfeboro Republican John MacDonald, started the session as a proposed ban on seeds treated with a group of pesticides called neonicotinoids. Scientists say these chemicals leech from treated seeds into the environment, causing harm and death to non-target insects as well as birds, fish, and other wildlife. In February, a House amendment softened the bill, proposing a study committee on the seed treatments in place of a ban. Other states including Vermont and New York, as well as the Canadian province of Quebec, have enacted bans on the seed coatings; the committee would study the results of those bans and whether it was advisable to enact one in New Hampshire, proponents said. But on Thursday, the bill’s path ended with a voice vote in the Senate. Sen. Howard Pearl, a Loudon Republican and a farmer, made the motion to defeat the bill. He said the Legislature had considered pesticide concerns at length in prior years and the information the study committee would consider was “readily available.” “There’s been a strong movement to remove these [neonicotinoids] from the tool bag of agriculture in New Hampshire, and they are a very much needed tool that we use on a daily basis,” he said. At hearings earlier this month, opponents of the bill said they worried the outcome of the study committee was predetermined in favor of a ban. Some farmers said they worried that restricting the use of neonicotinoids would harm their crops. But others said there was not scientific evidence that the use of seed coatings boosts crop yields. (Seed coating treatments, popular for grain and corn, are just one of the ways that the pesticides can be applied.) Yet the impact of the chemicals on wildlife is clear, conservationists said. On Thursday, Sen. David Watters, a Dover Democrat, pointed to the documented decline in birds, fish, and insect populations across the state. Neonicotinoids are water-soluble and travel through runoff and streams; they are also passed to birds through their insect prey. “We could at least study it, we could talk about it,” he said. “… If not this year, we’re going to have to do something about neonics. We’re just going to have to.” Another bill sponsored by MacDonald, House Bill 1431, sought to direct the state’s Pesticide Control Board to reclassify neonicotinoids, limiting their use to certified pesticide applicators. That bill was sent to interim study by voice vote in the Senate on April 16. Pearl said the Legislature had discussed regulations on the pesticides for years and pointed to future bills he said would be forthcoming. “There’ll be more bills coming forward, I’m certain, in the upcoming years,” he said. Courtesy of New Hampshire Bulletin
	2026 backlink study: How many backlinks does a website need to rank, by industry 2026 backlink study: How many backlinks does a website need to rank, by industryHow many backlinks do I need to rank? According to WebFX’s 2026 study of 1,462 domains across 15 industries, websites ranking on page one have a median of 907 referring domains, ranging from 76 in Apparel to 3,027 in Finance & Insurance.Most answers to this question stop at “it depends,” but the study sought actual numbers, analyzing the backlink profiles of domains appearing in the top organic search results for 150 service-intent keywords, filtering out directories, publishers, and major retailers, and benchmarking what real businesses need to compete.This study covers three things: How many referring domains page-one ranking websites have by industry, how fast they are building new ones, and what types of links make up their profiles.2026 backlink benchmarks by industry (how many backlinks should a website have)Before reading the backlink benchmarks below, one important note: The study uses referring domains as the primary metric, not raw backlink count. One website linking to you from 200 pages still counts as one referring domain.Backlink counts can vary significantly based on link structure, and some industries, like Real Estate, naturally show higher links-per-domain ratios because of directory, brokerage, and listing ecosystems. Referring domains is the metric that most major SEO platforms treat as the stronger ranking signal because it measures how many distinct sites vouch for your content.Here is what the backlink profiles of page-one ranking websites look like across 15 industries in 2026: WebFX How to read this tableThe median referring domains column is the midpoint. Half the page-one ranking sites in that industry have more, half have fewer. This is your primary benchmark.The 25th percentile is the competitive minimum. Sites at this level are competing on page one but sitting at the lower end. If your referring domain count is below this number, you are not yet in the competitive range for your industry.The 75th percentile is where the top performers sit. Reaching this level puts you ahead of most competitors in your industry.The average link velocity is how many new referring domains top-ranking websites in that industry gain per month on average. This tells you the pace you need to maintain, not just the total you need to reach.The average editorial links column is the percentage of backlinks that are editorial (contextual links within content) versus directory or resource links. Higher editorial percentages signal a healthier, more authoritative link profile.Note: This study measures the number of unique referring domains, not the domain rating (authority) of those domains. A referring domain from a high-authority site carries more weight than one from a low-authority site. When evaluating your own backlink profile, consider both the count and the quality of your referring domains.What stands out in this data1. There is no single backlink benchmark. There is a competitive range.One of the clearest takeaways from this study is that there is no universal number of backlinks required to rank. There is a competitive range, and that range changes dramatically by industry. WebFX Finance & Insurance has the highest median referring domain benchmark at 3,027, while Apparel sits at just 76. That is a 40-fold difference between industries. A business asking “How many backlinks do I need?” without factoring in the industry is asking the wrong question.2. Industry shapes the benchmark more than generic SEO advice suggests.Finance & Insurance requires the most referring domains to compete, but it also shows the fastest pace of backlink growth at 101 new referring domains per month. These are not static link profiles. The top-ranking websites in finance are actively building backlinks at a pace that most other industries do not match.On the other end, Apparel has the lowest barrier to entry and the slowest link velocity at 15 new referring domains per month. A local tailor or alterations shop can realistically compete on page one without a massive link-building campaign.3. Link velocity is just as important as total referring domains.This study shows that backlinks are not just a total-count game, but they are also a momentum game. WebFX Across industries, average link velocity ranges from 15 new referring domains per month in Apparel to 101 in Finance & Insurance. Even if you reach your industry’s median benchmark, competitors can still outpace you if they are building links faster. That makes link velocity one of the most useful metrics in this study for setting realistic monthly goals.4. Wide spreads usually signal mixed competition.The widest competitive spread belongs to Computers & Electronics. The 25th percentile sits at 262 referring domains, but the 75th percentile jumps to 12,813. That gap exists because keywords like “tech support services near me” pull in large brands like Samsung, HP, and Verizon alongside small local repair shops.If you are a local electronics repair business, you are not competing against Samsung’s backlink profile. You are competing against the smaller businesses clustered closer to the lower end of that range. In industries with wide spreads like this, local businesses typically compete closer to the 25th percentile than the median.5. Editorial links dominate page-one rankings.One pattern holds across every industry in this study: Editorial links dominate. Percentages shown below reflect average backlink shares by type across industries, so totals may vary slightly from 100% due to rounding. WebFX The cross-industry average is 92.2% editorial links. Directory submissions and resource page links combined account for less than 8%. If your link-building strategy relies heavily on directory listings, this data suggests you are investing in the wrong link type.Directories do not win rankings on their own. They may support visibility, but the domains holding page-one positions are overwhelmingly backed by editorial links earned through content, PR, partnerships, and authority-building efforts.Why ‘it depends’ is the wrong answer (and what to measure instead)Search “how many backlinks do I need,” and you will find the same advice repeated across every result: It depends on your niche, it depends on keyword difficulty, and it depends on link quality. That is technically true, but it gives you nothing to work with.Our data tells a more specific story. The gap between the easiest and hardest industries to compete in is 40-fold. Apparel requires a median of 76 referring domains. Finance & Insurance requires 3,027. Telling both of those businesses “it depends” is like telling someone the drive is somewhere between 10 minutes and seven hours. WebFX The problem with generic backlink advice is that it treats every industry the same. It does not account for three things that the data shows actually separate page-one sites from everyone else:1. Your industry’s median referring domainsThis is the single most important number. It tells you the baseline for what it takes to compete in your specific vertical. A plumber does not need the same link profile as a financial advisor. The data puts a number on that difference: 461 median RDs for Home & Garden versus 3,027 for Finance & Insurance.2. Your link velocity relative to competitorsReaching the median is not enough if your competitors are building new links faster than you. Finance & Insurance domains gain an average of 101 new referring domains per month. Apparel domains gain 15. If you match your industry’s median today but stop building, you will fall behind within months. Link velocity tells you exactly the pace you need to sustain.3. Your link type distributionAcross all 15 industries, 92.2% of backlinks pointing to top-ranking domains are editorial links, and not directory submissions or resource page mentions. These are editorial links earned through content, partnerships, and PR. Thus, if you are spending your link-building budget on directories and hoping to rank, the data says that approach does not match what is actually working for the sites that hold page-one positions.So instead of asking “how many backlinks do I need,” ask these three questions:What is the median referring domain count for my industry?Am I building new referring domains at or above the average velocity for my industry?Are most of my backlinks editorial?If you can answer all three with real numbers, you have a strategy. If you cannot, the next section will show you how to calculate the gap.How to calculate your backlink gapNow that you know the backlink benchmarks for your industry, the next step is measuring how far your site is from where it needs to be. Here is a simple formula:Your industry’s median RDs – Your current RDs = Your backlink gapHere is how to run this calculation for your own site:Step 1: Find your industry’s median referring domains.Use the backlink benchmark table above. If your industry is not listed, find the closest match. A dental practice would fall under Health (median: 1,915 RDs). A landscaping company would fall under Home & Garden (median: 461 RDs).Step 2: Check your current referring domain count.Enter your domain into a backlink checker, such as Ahrefs or Semrush. Look at the referring domains and not the total backlinks.Step 3: Run the formula.Once you have those two numbers, calculate your backlink gap using the formula.Here’s an example for a landscaping company with 120 referring domains:Industry median referring domains: 461Current referring domains: 120Backlink gap: 461 – 120 = 341 referring domains to closeStep 4: Set a monthly target using link velocity.Knowing your backlink gap is not the finish line yet. Note that your competitors are actively adding new referring domains every month, which means the target is moving. If you only build enough links to close today’s gap without accounting for your competitors’ pace, you will still fall behind.Your industry’s average link velocity tells you how fast that target is moving, so factor it into your monthly goal. Here is the math using the landscaping example:Backlink gap: 341 RDsIndustry average link velocity: 48 new RDs/month (what competitors are adding)To close the gap in 12 months: (341 / 12) + 48 = 76 new RDs per monthTo close the gap in 24 months: (341 / 24) + 48 = 62 new RDs per monthAfter reaching the median: Sustain at 48+ new RDs per month to hold your positionKeep in mind that these velocity figures represent a Q1 2026 snapshot. Seasonal variations may affect link velocity in some industries, so treat these as directional benchmarks rather than exact monthly targets.Consequently, the shorter your timeline, the more aggressively you need to build. Pick a pace that fits your budget and capacity, but understand that anything below your industry’s average velocity means widening the gap.This formula gives you a starting point, not a guarantee. Backlink profiles are one of many SEO ranking factors, and the quality of your referring domains matters as much as the count. But having a specific number to work toward is more useful than simply “build more links.”If you’re not sure where to begin, the next section covers the strategies that can help you hit those numbers.Strategies to surpass your industry backlink benchmarksYou have your backlink gap number, and you know the velocity you need to hit. Now the question is how to actually build those referring domains.Based on what the data shows about the link profiles of top-ranking sites (92.2% editorial links on average), your strategy needs to prioritize earning contextual links within real content and steer clear of relying on directory listings.Here are the link-building strategies that align with what is actually working for the domains in the dataset:1. Create data-driven content that earns links naturallyOriginal research is one of the effective link magnets in search engine optimization (SEO). Industry benchmarks, survey results, proprietary data studies, and trend analyses give other websites something to cite and link to. In fact, the piece you are reading right now is an example of this strategy in action.If you have access to first-party data (customer trends, pricing patterns, service demand by season), packaging that data into a publishable format gives journalists, bloggers, and industry publications a reason to reference your site.2. Build relationships through digital PRDigital PR means getting your business featured in online publications, trade outlets, and news sites through story pitches, expert commentary, and press releases tied to newsworthy angles. A single placement in an industry publication with a high domain rating can be worth more than dozens of directory links. This approach directly produces the editorial links that make up 92.2% of top-ranking backlink profiles.3. Pursue guest posting on relevant industry sitesGuest posting on sites within your industry or adjacent verticals builds referring domains from contextually relevant sources. The key here is to target sites that your audience actually reads, and not those generic “write for us” farms. One guest post on a respected industry blog with a natural link back to your site adds a referring domain that carries topical relevance and editorial weight.4. Earn links through partnerships and co-marketingIf you work with vendors, suppliers, or complementary service providers, there are often natural link opportunities. Case studies featuring a partner, coauthored guides, event sponsorships, and joint webinars all create reasons for another business to link to your site. These links tend to be high quality because they come from real business relationships.5. Leverage local and industry-specific opportunitiesFor service businesses competing in local search, links from local chambers of commerce, business associations, community sponsorships, and local news coverage build referring domains that are both geographically and topically relevant.Our data shows that local service businesses can compete on page one even at the lower end (25th percentile) of their industry’s range. In Home & Garden, “roof repair near me” has a median of just 144 referring domains. Local link building can get you there without a national-scale campaign.6. Audit and replicate competitor link sourcesUse a tool such as Ahrefs or Semrush to run a backlink analysis on your top-ranking competitors. Look for patterns, like whether they are getting featured in specific publications, listed in certain directories, or earning links from particular types of content. Any source linking to a competitor but not to you is a potential opportunity.One final point: Link building is not a one-time project. The data shows that top-ranking sites across all 15 industries are gaining new referring domains every month, with the cross-industry average at 48 per month. Therefore, treat link building as an ongoing investment in order to hold your page-one position.Data sources and methodologyThis study was conducted by the WebFX marketing team in March 2026 to benchmark thebacklink requirements for ranking in service-intent search results across industries.Data scopeWebFX analyzed the backlink profiles of 1,462 domains ranking on page one across 15 industries and 150 service-intent keywords (10 keywords per industry).These industries span both local and national service categories, including Finance & Insurance, Real Estate, Health, Home & Garden, and more, to reflect the competitive landscape most businesses face in organic search.Keyword selectionAll 150 keywords were selected to reflect high-value commercial search behavior. Keywords met the following criteria:Monthly search volume of 500 or higherKeyword difficulty of 24 or higherCommercial and/or transactional intentA mix of keyword types, including core services, broad services, problem-based queries, and alternative phrasingThe dataset includes a strong representation of “near me” and service-intent queries to align with how users search for providers in real-world scenarios.Data collectionFor each keyword, the top-ranking organic results (U.S., desktop) were extracted using a third-party SERP data provider. Each ranking domain was then analyzed via the Ahrefs API to collect:Referring domain countsTotal backlink countsLink velocity (average new referring domains per month over a three-month period). Seasonal variations may affect velocity, and longer lookback periods could yield different averages.Link type classification (editorial, directory, resource)To ensure benchmarks reflect real service businesses rather than aggregators or publishers, a master exclusion list of approximately 200 domains was applied.Excluded categories included:Directories and review platformsSocial media and forumsNews and media publishersMarketplaces and retailersGovernment and education domains (e.g., .gov, .edu, .mil)We also excluded URLs with patterns such as /maps/, /reviews/, /directory/, /list/, or /best- to remove list-based and aggregator-driven results.Enterprise brands were retained where they compete directly in service-intent search results, ensuring benchmarks reflect real competitive environments.CalculationsIndustry-level benchmarks were calculated using medians, 25th percentiles, and 75th percentiles across all domains within each industry.Link velocity and link type metrics were averaged across the 10 keywords per industry.Link type percentages represent the average share of total backlinks by type (editorial, directory, or resource) across the keywords in each industry. Because values are averaged and rounded, totals may not equal exactly 100%.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Director of GEMA/HS speaks on wildfire emergency Josh Lamb, Director of Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency speaks on wildfire emergency
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	Henry County Sheriff’s Office seeks owners of unclaimed bicycles The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is asking people to claim bicycles found in rural Mount Pleasant in July 2025.
	Easy ways to get more greens in your daily routine (BPT) - Life is busy, making it challenging to maintain your personal wellness goals every day. Getting in key nutrients tops most people's lists, and that usually means including more whole foods such as green veggies. While it may seem difficult to prepare nutritious, veggie-full meals day in and day out, there are simple ways to boost your greens intake and make the most of what you have on hand. The nutrition experts at Nature Made offer tips for increasing the amount of greens you consume as part of your wellness regimen."For anyone who is health-conscious, eating more greens is a primary goal and sometimes a struggle," said Valerie Agyeman, RD, and Nature Made brand partner. "The good news is, it's easier than you may think to meet that goal."Here's why eating greens is so vital, and ways to make it easier.Why green vegetables?While all vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, green veggies, especially leafy greens like kale and spinach, also support your metabolism, and may reduce the risk of certain diseases. In addition, cruciferous vegetables (think broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage) are especially rich in nutrients and fiber, which aids gut health and provides antioxidants plus other beneficial compounds that support your overall health.Try some of these methods to help you enjoy more greens in your daily routine.Keep them freshAfter purchasing (or growing!) green veggies, remove wilted or rotten areas to prevent the rot from spreading. Don't wash veggies until you're ready to use them, as additional moisture can spoil them.Dry veggies first, then store in an air-tight container or sealed plastic bag along with dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Keep them in the crisper drawer in your fridge, and enjoy them soon!Switch them upNot keen on kale? Look for other options to find what you love. Experiment with turnip greens, watercress, chard or others for more variety in flavor and texture. Veggies can be enjoyed raw, sauteed, creamed, stir-fried or steamed, so discover what methods you like best.Pro tip: Search for recipes from cuisines that typically highlight specific veggies, like Chinese dishes featuring bok choy or Italian food with arugula.Flex your culinary musclesYou can find plenty of ways to incorporate green veggies into foods and drinks. Love smoothies? Combine greens with fruit along with coconut water or your favorite milk to create your own unique blend. Frozen fruit or veggies create a refreshing shake-like drink you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or as a treat.Spruce up green salads with seasonal berries, toasted nuts or grated cheese for extra flavor, color and texture. Try new dressings to keep salads interesting, boosting flavor by adding Dijon mustard, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar or fresh minced herbs.Finely chop greens or chiffonade (cut into thin strips) to use in pasta dishes like spaghetti and lasagna, or as pizza toppings; they'll resemble fresh basil and blend right in! Use chopped greens in soups, burgers or meat loaf, casseroles or as an extra layer of freshness for your favorite grilled sandwich or omelet.You can easily add greens without drastically changing the taste or texture of most dishes. Avoid adding unwanted moisture with extra veggies by blanching first, then squeezing out extra moisture. Adding a more bitter veggie like arugula, broccoli rabe, collard greens or chard? Reduce bitterness with additional salt, healthy fats like olive oil, more acid (lemon juice or vinegar) or aromatics such as garlic and onions. Taste your food as you cook and adjust as needed!Pro tip: Most greens reduce a lot in volume when cooked, so you can add more than you think!Supplement your greens intake For busy people seeking a boost,* get more greens into your daily regimen by adding Nature Made SuperGreens supplements, available in a drink powder or capsule form.SuperGreens with Prebiotic Powder Drink Mix contains one cup of green vegetables (kale, spinach and broccoli) in each daily serving.* Each super greens serving offers a simple, tasty way to enjoy a good source of prebiotic fiber to support digestive health, plus 12 essential nutrients to support energy, immune and whole body health.†SuperGreens Capsules with Probiotics is made with a half cup of real green vegetables (kale, spinach and broccoli) and 2 billion CFU (Colony Forming Units) of probiotics per 3 capsules to support digestive health, plus 12 essential nutrients to support energy, immune and whole body health.†"Remember, SuperGreens powder or capsules are meant to complement your daily diet, so it's important to keep enjoying plenty of fresh vegetables throughout the day," added Valerie Agyeman, RD.To learn more and shop the line of Nature Made SuperGreens products and more, visit NatureMade.com.* Consume in addition to your daily intake of vegetables. ** B vitamins help convert food into cellular energy. † These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
	How to get out of credit card debt fast How to get out of credit card debt fastAmericans collectively owe more than $1.27 trillion in credit card debt — a record high, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your balances, there are a handful of proven ways to approach credit card debt and make progress faster than minimum payments alone.According to Accredited Debt Relief, taking the right approach can help reduce the financial stress that comes with carrying debt. Here are four options worth considering.4 Ways to Get Out of Credit Card Debt Faster1. Consolidate Your DebtDebt consolidation is one of the most versatile tools for tackling credit card debt because it comes in several forms. The right type for you depends on your credit score, income, and how much you owe.A debt consolidation loan is a personal loan that pays off your existing credit card balances, rolling them into a single monthly payment. If you qualify for a lower interest rate than what you're currently paying, you'll save money over time and simplify your finances. This option works best for borrowers with good credit health who can secure a rate meaningfully lower than their current cards.A balance transfer credit card lets you move existing credit card debt to a new card — often with a 0% introductory APR for a set period. This can be a powerful way to pause interest charges and accelerate payoff, provided you have the income to pay down the balance before the promotional rate expires. Generally, a credit score of 670 or higher is needed to qualify.Consider a balance transfer when you:Have a good or recently improved credit score.Have a stable or growing income.Don't plan to take on new debt.Are committed to paying more than the minimum each month.Debt consolidation programs are for people with $10,000 or more in credit card debt and are often the best option for people already experiencing financial hardship. There are no minimum credit score requirements; programs typically reduce monthly payments by 40% or more, and they typically offer a structured path out of debt within 12 to 48 months. This can make the debt more manageable and provide immediate relief in your day-to-day budget that reduces stress and improves confidence.2. Pay More Than the MinimumMinimum payments keep your account in good standing, but they are the slowest and most expensive way to repay debt. Because so much of each minimum payment goes toward interest rather than principal, it can take decades to fully pay off a balance this way — and that only benefits the creditor.If your budget allows, committing even a modest amount above the minimum each month can dramatically shorten your repayment timeline and reduce total interest paid.3. Use a Debt Repayment StrategyIn addition to paying more than the minimum, having a deliberate repayment plan can keep you motivated and maximize your savings.Two popular methods are:The Avalanche Method — Pay minimums on all cards, then put any extra money toward the card with the highest interest rate first. This saves the most money over time.The Snowball Method — Pay minimums on all cards, then direct extra funds toward the card with the smallest balance first. As each balance is eliminated, the freed-up payment rolls into the next. This approach builds momentum and motivation.Both strategies work best when paired with a realistic budget that identifies areas to trim expenses and redirect funds toward debt repayment.4. Seek Professional GuidanceSometimes the most important step is simply knowing where to start. A certified credit counselor or debt specialist can review your full financial picture, explain your options, and help you build a personalized plan.Many companies offer free consultations with no obligation to enroll in services — just the opportunity to get expert advice on how to manage your debts or which consolidation options are right for your circumstances and budget.If you want to talk to a professional, consider what to expect on that call and what you might want to ask.What’s the Best Way to Get Out of Credit Card Debt?There's no one-size-fits-all solution, but understanding what you owe — and how your situation shapes your options — is the right place to start.Credit card debt can take a serious toll on your finances. High interest rates and fees eat into every payment, making it hard to reduce the principal and leaving debt to linger for years or even decades. Over time, that burden can strain your debt-to-income ratio and damage your credit health, narrowing the solutions available to you. Your existing bills and budget will also determine what's actually realistic.One thing is certain: The only wrong move is doing nothing.Credit card debt can:Take decades to pay off.Overwhelm your debt-to-income ratio.Make it harder to qualify for loans in the future.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the fastest way to pay off credit card debt? The fastest approach depends on your financial situation. For those with a stable budget and cards with reasonable interest rates, a debt repayment strategy that pays more than the minimum can accelerate your progress. For people with good credit, qualifying for a balance transfer or consolidation loan with a better interest rate could be a great option. For people who can’t afford more than their minimum payments or qualify for a better interest rate, debt consolidation programs could be a good fit.What credit score do I need for a balance transfer card? Most balance transfer offers require a credit score of at least 670. If your score is below that threshold, a consolidation loan or program could be a better fit.How long does it take to get out of credit card debt? Timelines vary widely. Making only minimum payments can stretch repayment over decades. With a focused repayment strategy or consolidation, most people can become debt-free within two to five years, depending on the balance and method chosen.This story was produced by Accredited Debt Relief and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Carol’s Village Gardens brings 30 new affordable units to Davenport After five years of planning, a new affordable housing project is open in Davenport. Here’s who qualifies and what it offers.
	Vera French dedicates Carol`s Village Gardens housing development in Davenport Vera French dedicated a new supportive and affordable housing development in Davenport. Carol`s Village Gardens provides 30 fully-leased apartment homes to community members. Six units offer permanent supportive Housing for those who have experienced homelessness. Vera French works to advance mental health for all and deliver accessible living solutions. Carol`s Village Gardens is located at [...]
	Davenport man accused of kidnapping, human trafficking Police said Phillip J. Williams, 39, human trafficked a woman in Davenport and attempted to do the same to her in Missouri.
	From abandoned hideaway to teen hotspot, this Utah retreat is getting a glow-up From abandoned hideaway to teen hotspot, this Utah retreat is getting a glow-up When Cameron Jensen first saw the abandoned buildings that sit beyond the mouth of Logan Canyon, he didn’t know their disturbing lore. No one told him they were supposedly home to the sinister soul of a vicious head nun. He didn’t know of the ghastly Dobermans that, as legend put it, patrol the area with red eyes aglow.When he explored the property for the first time in August, all he knew of the dilapidated, eroding structures was their detailed woodwork, hand-laid stone walls and staples of dated luxury now plastered with spray-painted graffiti and covered in rat feces. He was sold.“I saw it for what it was,” Jensen said. “I got it under contract.” Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune Jensen, a Saratoga Springs real estate developer, is dead set on restoring these buildings that became a magnet for teenage mischief to their ritzy roots by opening a resort — complete with a coffee shop, pilates studio and spa, reports The Salt Lake Tribune. Only after he told his wife, Carlee, that he was in the process of buying the buildings did he learn of their haunted tales, which Carlee found on the internet.“She audibly gasped,” Jensen said. “She’s like, ‘Do you realize that babies were drowned in that pool?’ and I was like, ‘what are you talking about?’” Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune Haunted or historic?Babies, of course, were not drowned in that pool. As Jensen started researching the real history of the buildings, which sit on a plot of U.S. Forest Service land, it started to make sense to him why no expense was spared in their construction. The property started with a single-cabin family retreat and evolved under one of the richest men in Depression-era America.After Hezekiah Eastman Hatch put up the first building in 1915, his son Lorenzo Boyd Hatch and Lorenzo’s brother-in-law, Floyd B. Odlum, expanded the complex, adding several houses, a pool and other amenities, according to documents submitted to the National Register of Historic Places.“Odlum is known as the only person in the world that made a fortune out of the Great Depression,” Jensen said. “He had lodges and properties all over the world. … Hatches were obviously extremely wealthy, too.”While under Hatch and Odlum ownership, the Logan Canyon property hosted famous actors, politicians and other accomplished people, records show.Among them was pilot Jacqueline Cochran, Odlum’s second wife, who was the first woman to break the sound barrier.“It’s rumored that Marilyn Monroe stayed,” Jensen said. “Joan Crawford, which is before my time … but she’s someone really famous. That’s who’s staying here.”In 1950, the families donated the complex to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. The church renamed the property from Hatch’s Camp to St. Ann’s Retreat, and used it as a nun’s retreat and youth camp for years before the buildings fell into disrepair and were eventually sold in 1990. Since then, they’ve changed hands multiple times, but have not seen any significant improvements. It was while the camp was in the church’s hands that dark rumors about the place began to flourish in the community, said Lisa Gabbert, the director of Utah State University’s folklore program.The cluster of buildings became known locally as “The Nunnery.”“The Catholic Church and, I would say, Cache Valley, were both very closed societies,” Gabbert said. “Of course people are going to be curious. What is a nun? What do nuns do? … Those kinds of stories about nuns having babies and committing, essentially, infanticide, are actually ancient.”Ghost hunting in Logan Canyon Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune The Cache Valley community readily filled knowledge gaps with fanciful tales of what could be lurking some 8 miles into the canyon, and Gabbert said it became common for people to explore the property.Jason Watson, who grew up in Tremonton, became curious about the place while attending USU.One rainy night sometime around 1991, he visited the retreat with his friends. Many in the group, he recalled, were initially unconcerned or intent on making fun of people who grew scared.“We went up,” he said. “I was pretty blasé about it.” Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune But on that drizzly, dark evening, what started as curiosity grew to a fever pitch of terror when his group stumbled upon the Hatch children’s playhouse and found miniature dishware in its cupboards.“There was something just kind of inherently creepy about this abandoned space,” he said. “Being in this really dark, abandoned space just freaked us all out. Everybody stopped pretending that they weren’t scared, including me.”Horror to hospitalityJensen, who’s stayed alone at the property overnight, said he has yet to have any paranormal encounters. The buildings are, however, still haunted by curious teenagers looking for ghosts. These days, though, they are more likely to find the alarms Jensen has set around the complex. As he juggles historic preservation rules on U.S. Forest Service land, Jensen’s also balancing the cultural significance of his buildings’ fables with his desire to give the retreat new life. Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune “I learned how passionate people are and their opinions on the place,” he said. “Some people are like, ‘don’t touch it, keep it haunted.’ … But I’m not going to base the history of this place and the beauty of this place on a few passionate folks.”Jensen plans to open his resort next year. He’s already replaced a bridge over the Logan River and rebuilt several of the buildings’ roofs.For the next three months, he has to pause construction to compile a historic report to ensure he restores the property in line with regulatory guidelines. This story was produced by The Salt Lake Tribune and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Gog Dynasty Buffet shutters for staff training, deep cleaning after health inspector citations Health inspectors found zero health code violations one week after finding 16.
	Lost season for some winter sports leads to adaptation in Black Hills visitor industry Terry Peak Ski Area's snowmaking system in South Dakota's northern Black Hills operates during the 2025-2026 winter season, while surrounded by dry conditions. (Courtesy of Terry Peak)Dry, dormant grass surrounded Terry Peak this winter. The ski area was a patch of artificial white amid miles of brown. The Black Hills experienced one of its driest, warmest winters on record, according to state climatologist Laura Edwards. “You see a lot of top 10s across South Dakota, essentially,” Edwards said. “I think that’s the story of the winter.” In the Black Hills, winter weather is an economic lifeline during tourism’s offseason. The visitor industry of the northern Black Hills, in particular, is built around snowy winters. From October through early April, snowfall in the northern Black Hills was about 8 feet less than average. Other parts of the Black Hills saw deficits of 2-3 feet. The departure from average snowfall amounts statewide from October through early April. (Courtesy of SDSU Extension) That lack of snow impacted businesses that depend on winter recreation, such as downhill skiing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Owners and industry workers expect warmer winters to continue, forcing them to adapt. Winter precipitation amounts are trending downward and average winter temperatures are trending upward in Lawrence County, which encompasses the northern Black Hills, according to data from the National Centers for Environmental Information. The county is trending an inch less in precipitation between December and March compared to the late 1800s, and it’s trending 4 degrees Fahrenheit higher. $6.5 million investment keeps ski area open This winter was among the “most challenging” in Linda Derosier’s 38 years at Terry Peak. “It’s tough to remind people or get them to understand that there was snow at Terry Peak when they’re looking at brown grass in their backyard,” said Derosier, the ski area’s marketing director. Winters have become warmer in the last few decades, Derosier said, and snowfall in the northern Black Hills varies widely year to year. Visitors ski down Terry Peak near Lead during the 2025-2026 season. (Courtesy of Terry Peak) The resort spent $6.5 million over the past two years to update its snowmaking system, replacing water lines, adding snowmaking locations and installing permanent snow guns. The investment more than tripled snowmaking capacity and helped sustain operations this season. Ski resorts across the United States closed early — or didn’t open at all — because temperatures were too warm to make snow. Derosier said employees often made snow overnight when temperatures were cool enough on the mountain, which is one of South Dakota’s highest with a summit above 7,000 feet. She added that the visitors who came this year are more likely to return and buy season passes because they saw the resort was able to maintain reliable conditions. Cross-country skiing, snowmobiling nearly nonexistent No snow means no business for Recreational Springs Resort, said owner Brent Eslinger. In addition to lodging, the resort offers a restaurant, bar and snowmobile rentals. Snowmobiling relies entirely on natural snowfall, and riders were largely unable to get out in the Black Hills this winter. window.addEventListener("message", function(event) { var message = JSON.parse(event.data); if (message.sender == "Flourish" && message.context == "iframe.resize") { src = message.src.replace(/#.+$/, ""); vizFrame = document.querySelector('iframe[src="' + src + '"]'); vizFrame.setAttribute('height', message.height); } }); The annual Deadwood Snocross National was canceled in January because of lack of snow. Eslinger still hosted an annual vintage snowmobile club gathering, though members couldn’t take their usual ride. Cross-country skiing was nearly nonexistent, said Eric Anderson, volunteer grooming coordinator for the Black Hills Nordic Ski Club. The nonprofit maintains cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails in the northern Black Hills. The club typically grooms trails 30 to 40 times a year. This winter, Anderson said the club groomed three times. “When skiing isn’t available, people pivot to other things to do,” Anderson said. “It makes it tough to maintain your user group, community and interest level when you don’t have snow every year and it isn’t as predictable.” Without winter recreation, Eslinger has to work harder to bring locals and visitors into his business. Recreational Springs Resort also rents all-terrain vehicles and hosts events and private parties, such as weddings and reunions. “You need to have that winter traffic to help make it through the rest of the year,” Eslinger said. “It’s either that or become a seasonal operation. Which, even then, I have fixed costs I have to pay for and that winter income helps offset a lot of that.” Economic, visitor impact Other Black Hills winter events were canceled due to warm, dry conditions. Chinook Days in Spearfish and the Burning of the Beetle in Custer were canceled, the former due to lack of snow and the latter due to high fire danger. Visitor spending varied across the region this winter. Meade County, which includes Sturgis, experienced declines in winter visitor spending, according to the South Dakota Tourism dashboard, while Pennington County, which includes Rapid City, posted gains. Custer County visitor spending fluctuated — down 23.8% in December compared with the previous year, up 22.6% in January and down 25.5% in February. Lawrence County, which includes Spearfish and Deadwood, had modest gains in December and January before a 7% drop in February. Michelle Thompson, president of the Black Hills and Badlands Tourism Association, said snow-dependent businesses struggled, but other businesses benefited from the milder weather. Visitors had easier access to hiking trails, parks and museums. The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo in Rapid City, an annual indoor winter event, “had a great year,” Thompson said, with record crowds and sold-out performances. Thompson said visitor numbers throughout the Black Hills and Badlands region remained comparable to years past — total visitor trips were down 0.8% compared with last winter, while visitor spending increased 1.7%. The winter season accounts for just under a quarter of annual visitation. “We feel for the businesses that rely on winter sports, and we know it wasn’t great for them,” Thompson said. “When the weather is good, we draw in visitors for other experiences we have.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of South Dakota Searchlight
	Programming note: Happy’s Place finale to air overnight on KWQC Happy’s Place will run at 2:30 and 3 a.m. Saturday morning.
	Gog Dynasty Buffet shutters for staff training and sanitation after health inspector citations Health inspectors found zero health code violations one week after finding 16.
	Where cost of living has increased and decreased the most Where cost of living has increased and decreased the mostThe cost of living premium in a specific location reflects the relative cost of housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, and other common necessities, compared to the rest of the country. The overall valuation of a dollar also comes into play, with general inflation metrics keeping tabs on nationwide trends and applied across a wider basket of goods and services. Fitting these local and monetary measurements together creates a picture of costs across time and location, giving locals and potential transplants a window into how far their budget will go — or why it may feel like it’s changed.With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 236 locations across the United States based on the cost of living changes between 2024 and 2025.Key FindingsThis city saw nearly a 10% increase in cost of living. Despite still being 3.5% less expensive than the U.S. average, Great Falls, MT is catching up quickly. The cost of living is estimated to have increased by 9.8% year over year. Springfield, MO (8.25%) and Rapid City, SD (7.73%) also ranked among the top three cost increases.These places saw the largest drops in cost of living. The cost of living decreased most in Meridian, MS, where common expenses declined by an estimated 4.0% between 2024 and 2025. Orlando, FL saw a 3.8% decline in costs over the same period, followed by Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL at -3.5%. In all, 41 out of 236 locations saw relief in the cost of living.Three cities are 20% less expensive than the U.S. average. Tupelo, MS has the biggest cost advantage over other locations, as prices are estimated to be 21.1% less expensive than average. Harlingen, TX also has a 20.2% cost advantage, as well as Decatur, IL at 20.0% less expensive than average.New York City has a 139% cost premium. Manhattan has the highest costs relative to the rest of the country, and ranks 14th overall for annual change in cost of living with an increase of 6.2%. Fellow expensive cities include San Jose, CA (84.1% premium); Honolulu, HI (83.9%); Brooklyn, NY (64.0%); Orange County, CA (63.8%); and San Francisco, CA (63.7%). SmartAsset Top 20 Places With the Biggest Increase in Cost of LivingPlaces are ranked based on the relative change in costs between 2025 and 2024.Great Falls, MTOne year change in cost of living: 9.78%Cost of living relative to national average: -3.50%2. Springfield, MOOne year change in cost of living: 8.25%Cost of living relative to national average: -7.70%3. Rapid City, SDOne year change in cost of living: 7.73%Cost of living relative to national average: -1.20%4. Orange County, CAOne year change in cost of living: 7.30%Cost of living relative to national average: 63.80%5. Monroe, LAOne year change in cost of living: 7.14%Cost of living relative to national average: -7.60%6. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IAOne year change in cost of living: 6.80%Cost of living relative to national average: -10.30%7. Augusta-Aiken, GA-SCOne year change in cost of living: 6.66%Cost of living relative to national average: -12.50%8. Champaign-Urbana, ILOne year change in cost of living: 6.64%Cost of living relative to national average: -2.10%9. Asheville, NCOne year change in cost of living: 6.48%Cost of living relative to national average: 6.80%10. Grand Junction, COOne year change in cost of living: 6.29%Cost of living relative to national average: 8.90%Philadelphia, PAOne year change in cost of living: 6.26%Cost of living relative to national average: 7.20%Prescott-Prescott Valley, AZOne year change in cost of living: 6.22%Cost of living relative to national average: 24.70%Dalton, GAOne year change in cost of living: 6.16%Cost of living relative to national average: -9.80%New York (Manhattan), NYOne year change in cost of living: 6.12%Cost of living relative to national average: 139%Ponca City, OKOne year change in cost of living: 6.10%Cost of living relative to national average: -17.10%Juneau, AKOne year change in cost of living: 6.01%Cost of living relative to national average: 31.70%Auburn-Opelika, ALOne year change in cost of living: 5.92%Cost of living relative to national average: -4.10%Fort Wayne-Allen County, INOne year change in cost of living: 5.91%Cost of living relative to national average: -6.60%Toledo, OHOne year change in cost of living: 5.82%Cost of living relative to national average: -1.20%Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, MDOne year change in cost of living: 5.77%Cost of living relative to national average: 34.50%Top 20 Places With the Biggest Drop in Cost of LivingPlaces are ranked based on the relative change in costs between 2025 and 2024.Meridian, MSOne year change in cost of living: -3.98%Cost of living relative to national average: -15.6%Orlando, FLOne year change in cost of living: -3.77%Cost of living relative to national average: -9.4%Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FLOne year change in cost of living: -3.47%Cost of living relative to national average: -1.1%Charleston-N Charleston, SCOne year change in cost of living: -3.24%Cost of living relative to national average: -3.7%Hutchinson, KSOne year change in cost of living: -2.75%Cost of living relative to national average: -14.9%Provo-Orem, UTOne year change in cost of living: -2.60%Cost of living relative to national average: -2.5%McAllen, TXOne year change in cost of living: -2.54%Cost of living relative to national average: -19%Tupelo, MSOne year change in cost of living: -2.31%Cost of living relative to national average: -21.1%Bismarck-Mandan, NDOne year change in cost of living: -2.12%Cost of living relative to national average: -13.1%Muskogee, OKOne year change in cost of living: -2.03%Cost of living relative to national average: -18%Winston-Salem, NCOne year change in cost of living: -1.89%Cost of living relative to national average: -10.5%Charlottesville, VAOne year change in cost of living: -1.58%Cost of living relative to national average: -0.9%Salt Lake City, UTOne year change in cost of living: -1.46%Cost of living relative to national average: 4.9%Oakland, CAOne year change in cost of living: -1.40%Cost of living relative to national average: 32.6%Temple, TXOne year change in cost of living: -1.25%Cost of living relative to national average: -13.2%Louisville, KYOne year change in cost of living: -1.20%Cost of living relative to national average: -9.2%Joliet-Will County, ILOne year change in cost of living: -1.08%Cost of living relative to national average: -8.8%Baton Rouge, LAOne year change in cost of living: -1.03%Cost of living relative to national average: -10.3%Enid, OKOne year change in cost of living: -0.93%Cost of living relative to national average: -10.6%Jacksonville, FLOne year change in cost of living: -0.92%Cost of living relative to national average: -10.1%Data and MethodologyUsing data from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), SmartAsset compared the relative cost of living data for essentials — including housing, utilities, transportation, medical costs and more — across 236 cities with available data. Average cost data for 2025 was compared to that of 2024 after adjusting relative cost rankings for inflation to determine the percent increase in dollars needed to cover the designated basket of essentials. Costs in relation to the national average are also evaluated.This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Death Notice: Michael Meek A celebration of life for Michael A. Meek, 70, of Princeton, will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Three 33 Bar and Grill in Princeton. Per his wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. The McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf, is assisting the family with arrangements. Mr. Meek died Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at his residence. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the April 29 edition of The NSP.
	New Mexico Primary 2026: NM House of Representatives, District 30 Golfers take a swing April 23, 2026, at Arroyo del Oso Golf Course in the heart of New Mexico House of Representatives District 30. (Patrick Lohmann/Source NM) A medical malpractice defense attorney who testified on behalf of a recent legislative overhaul of New Mexico’s medical malpractice framework is challenging incumbent state Rep. E. Diane Torres-Velásquez (D-Albuquerque) for the District 30 Democratic primary. Having survived a legal challenge to her candidacy, Veronica Mireles is hoping to continue her work on behalf of medical providers as a lawmaker, she told Source NM. She wants to introduce legislation she said would build on House Bill 99, including one that would allow doctors to apologize to patients without that being deemed an admission of guilt in legal proceedings. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX She faces Torres-Velásquez, a retired university professor who has held the seat since 2025. The incumbent told Source NM she hopes to return to the Roundhouse with a renewed focus on the state’s water challenges and has convened a task force with people within District 30 aimed at replicating the district’s success preserving water, including through the use of recycled water at Arroyo del Oso Golf Course in the heart of the district. District 30 covers a swath of Northeast Albuquerque. A little more than 40% of its 20,000 registered voters are Democrats; 31% are Republicans. The winner of the June 2 primary will face Republican Jerry Trujillo in the general election. Source NM asked questions to both Democratic primary candidates. Their answers below are edited for length and clarity. Veronica Mireles Albuquerque attorney Albuquerque medical malpractice defense Veronica Mireles is seeking to unseat incumbent state Rep. E. Diane Torres-Velásquez. (Photo Courtesy Veronica Mireles) Veronica Mireles grew up in northern New Mexico near Española and, after four years of being homeless as a child and becoming a teen mom, said she never imagined that attending college or becoming a lawyer was an option. But having her first child compelled her to “do something and figure out what to do and over time, life happened.” She went to law school and became a medical malpractice defense attorney after suffering what she said was an episode of medical negligence that still affects her today. “I was angry for a long time,” she said. “What it led me to was a lot of realizations about who the providers are, what they’re going through, and partnering with them was really the best way to improve access to care.” What is the biggest issue facing House District 30? “There’s really kind of three components that all boil down to these systemic issues, these root causes, infrastructure issues, and that’s public safety, that’s healthcare access, and really our kids, our schools and our child welfare. There’s a lot of elderly people in my district. It’s a neighborhood district, it’s working families, and no matter how hard you work, it feels like our people can’t catch up.” What’s the most important issue facing New Mexico? I think, again, it’s that systemic infrastructure issue. I think all of it’s related to health care, whether it’s water, well-paying jobs where people can afford to feed and house their families; it’s access to care. So again, it’s our infrastructure. Our systems are the biggest issue. If elected, what bill would you first introduce? I think the very first thing that I would like to introduce is focusing on a suite of policies related to access to care, because HB 99 [the medical malpractice overhaul] was step one. There’s a lot of providers who are not protected by the Medical Malpractice Act. There’s still a lot of issues that are outside of the liability environment that need to be addressed. We’ve got a crisis. What is your top choice for committee if you are elected? I testified before the House, Health and Human Services and the Judiciary Committee, and because I’m an attorney and I think health care is one of the top priority issues in the state right now, I think either one of those committees I can add some value. What is your strongest skill that makes you the best candidate for the race? Listening, being able to listen to truly understand an issue, being able to distill complex issues into practicable, solvable solutions is a value that I bring to this race. That’s something I do day to day: take complex issues, turn them into easy to understand issues and create a path towards resolution. Do you support paying state lawmakers, and would you accept a salary? I certainly approve measures that improve access to the Roundhouse, but because right now, with the unpaid Legislature, there’s only a certain type of person who’s able to take off work without pay to be able to do that. I think it takes away a lot of voices that matter in the state. Rep. E. Diane Torres-Velásquez New Mexico state Rep. E. Diane Torres-Velásquez has held the District 30 seat since 2025. (Photo courtesy NM Legislature) Incumbent Rep. E. Diane Torres-Velásquez has lived in District 30 for most of her life and spent the last three decades at her home in the Northeast Heights. She attended Del Norte High School and spent her career as an education professor at the University of New Mexico. She first became inspired to run for office in eighth grade, she said, after an essay she wrote in a civics class about the state’s water issues earned her a visit to the Roundhouse. “That’s when I decided, way back at some point, that I wanted to be a rep,” she said. What is the biggest issue facing House District 30? Interestingly, it changes by the season. So last summer, it was [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement], and people did not like what was happening with the detention of immigrants, and were very upset about that. Before that, it was school gun safety. So I worked with some constituents, and we created a memorial that passed [a] committee, but didn’t get to the floor. For the American Medical Association, gun safety was the No. 1 issue, because it was what was taking the most lives. And if you look at New Mexico, it is taking the most children’s lives. That’s a health issue. We need to look at the data around gun safety through the lens of health. What’s the most important issue facing New Mexico? Our natural resources. How do we use our water? How do we make sure that in creating some of the centers that are coming or being requested, that we protect the water for the future, that we protect our land? We do a great job in Bernalillo County in terms of taking care of our water, using recycled water at the golf course and parks. But we need to see what other counties need. Right now, I’m in the process of creating a task force with a professor who teaches on water and law conservation in the UNM School of Law. We’re starting to invite people to our task force so that we can identify some of the issues statewide. If elected, what bill would you first introduce? One that really interests me — that’s very pressing and it’s the right time —has to do with developing curriculum, programs and legislative support for education around land grants and acequias. It’s very important that we look at our history in New Mexico in terms of cultural groups, in terms of prior practices and in terms of how that can lead us into the future. What is your top choice for committee if you are elected? Always education. I love education. We educate each other all the time, whether it’s formally or informally. So education is very important. What is your strongest skill that makes you the best candidate for the race? I’m a fighter. I’m strategic. I’m a real champion for my community and for my families, and for those families across the state that aren’t in my community, too. Do you support paying state lawmakers, and would you accept a salary? I will vote for it. I will support it. One example: I couldn’t leave my job and become a legislator at a younger age. I had to wait until I retired. There are a lot of people who would make excellent legislators who are younger, who are not retired or who don’t have huge income that could represent some real diversity. So much diversity could happen with that change. Courtesy of Source New Mexico
	Scott County rural property tax rate to see 15-cent increase in $136M budget The 15-cent increase would generate about $198,000 new dollars to bring the county's rural service fund, which pays for library services and secondary roads, into the black.
	Tuition to increase at Iowa's public universities Tuition will increase at Iowa's three public universities. The Iowa Board of Regents approved a tuition hike of 3% at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The increases will be in effect for the 2026-27 academic year, starting on August 24. Varying tuition rates for nonresident, graduate and [...]
	Iowa City Police arrest man taking a shower in a stranger’s home An Iowa City man was arrested Thursday night after police found him using a stranger’s shower.
	Iowa Board of Regents approves tuition increases for upcoming year The Iowa Board of Regents approved tuition increases Thursday for students attending Iowa’s public universities in the upcoming academic year.
	What features should you prioritize in a medical alert system? What features should you prioritize in a medical alert system?A medical alert system offers a fast, easy way to call for help in an emergency. Aging in place is safer with a medical alert system, but choosing the right features is key. Standard systems can call 911, but can't identify who or where you are. Advanced systems enhance safety with features such as GPS tracking, automatic fall detection and dedicated response centers.In Medical Care Alert's guide to choosing a medical alert system, you'll learn straightforward tips to help you select the best features for yourself or a loved one.Key TakeawaysMedical alert systems improve safety, peace of mind and independence for seniors.A monitored medical alert system involves dedicated agents who have your information in an emergency.Features such as location tracking and automatic fall detection can boost safety.The exact features you need depend on your lifestyle, preferences and budget.How Can Medical Alert Systems Improve Senior Safety?Medical alert systems improve senior safety with wearable devices and help buttons. These features can help you age in place safely or increase peace of mind if you care for a senior in your life. Here are the ways this type of system improves safety.An easier way to call for help: Medical alert systems provide you or your loved one with an easy way to call for help, even when a phone is out of reach. In the event of an emergency, a quick press of a button connects the wearer with emergency response agents.Immediate emergency response: A medical alert system allows you or a family member to receive immediate help if an accident occurs.24/7 fall detection: Some medical alert systems can detect falls. This feature alerts an emergency response center if the wearer cannot press the button.Health management: Certain systems have features that help track and manage health.What Are the Main Types of Medical Alert Systems?There are two main types of medical alert systems to choose from.MonitoredA monitored system is a comprehensive option that involves a dedicated emergency response center. This center keeps your information on file and responds to your system's alerts. Trained agents know who and where you are when you need help.When you call for help via a monitored medical alert system, the response center staff asks you questions to determine what type of help you need. They quickly dispatch emergency medical services if necessary or reach out to your designated contacts if you just need a helping hand. Investing in a monitored system ensures you receive the right help exactly when you need it. The monitoring center will notify your personal contact list of any emergencies.UnmonitoredAn unmonitored system calls 911 or a family member in the event of an emergency. Dialing 911 is not always local, and it may be outsourced to an EMS service or the state or county police. With an unmonitored system, 911 dispatchers and responders do not know you, your address or your contacts.What Are the Most Essential Features in a Medical Alert System? Courtesy of Medical Care Alert These are the most essential medical alert system features you should look for.Location trackingIn an emergency, a senior may not know or be able to communicate their location. GPS technology overcomes this challenge with fast, accurate location tracking. A medical alert system with GPS tracking enables emergency response agents to immediately locate you or your loved one and rapidly send help to your precise location.Look for a medical alert system with GPS tracking if you or your loved one spends a lot of time away from home. You can often find GPS technology in wearable alert devices, such as pendants and watches.Automatic fall detectionIf you fall at home, you may be unable to press a medical alert button and be too far away from a phone to call for help. Investing in a medical alert system with automatic fall detection gives you 24/7 peace of mind.Automatic fall detection technology can sense falls and immediately alert response center agents. These sensors monitor speed, distance and angle to sense rapid changes in movement and accurately detect occurrences. This is a beneficial feature if the wearer has any medical conditions that increase fall risk.This technology is an optional add-on feature for many medical alert systems. Opt for this feature if you or your loved one is prone to seizures or fainting. Having this feature is also helpful if you experience mobility challenges or want extra peace of mind.When choosing a system with automatic fall detection, look for one that also features two-way speakers so emergency response center agents can talk directly with you or your loved one. An agent evaluates the wearer's needs and offers support until help arrives. This makes it easy to confirm whether you have fallen, ensuring the response center only sends help when needed.A high-quality monitoring centerIt's important to look for a high-quality monitoring or emergency response center. Make sure that a company offers the following advantages before investing in a medical alert system.U.S.-based operators: When emergency response center agents are based in the U.S., they can offer faster, more accurate and more efficient support.EMT/EMD certified agents: Agents should also be EMT or EMD certified. These agents have specific medical and dispatch training, enabling them to provide higher-quality care.Supervised monitoring center: Agents should work in a secure, dedicated monitoring center. Make sure the agents responding to your emergencies are not working remotely.Personalized serviceLook for a medical alert system company that prioritizes your care and keeps your personal information file. A provider's monitoring center should know the following details about the wearer:Name and addressUnique medical needsHow to enter your homeHow to reach your emergency contactsWith this information on file, agents can send rapid help to your home and notify the family, friends and neighbors on your emergency contact list. Select a company that keeps your details in a secure database. This detail ensures only monitoring agents can view it in the event of an emergency.A lockboxAnother important medical alert system feature is a lockbox that stores a spare home key so emergency response professionals can enter your home without breaking down the door. Some companies charge a monthly fee for this feature, but you can find providers that offer a free secure lockbox.Emergency contact textingFriends, family and neighbors may be unable to answer calls or may avoid answering unrecognized numbers. Look for a medical alert system provider that calls and texts you or your loved one's emergency contacts. Sending text messages in addition to calling helps keep family informed in the event you need help or are transported to the hospital.Cellular and landline optionsA medical alert system connects to an emergency response center via a cellular network or your home's landline. A mobile medical alert device connects through your cellular network. An in-home system can connect through your cellular network or a landline, depending on your preference.If you have a landline phone connection, connecting your medical alert system through the phone jack is a reliable and easy way to use it. If you want to connect a system via a cellular network, it's important to check coverage before signing up. You can connect through a current provider or subscribe to a new provider as long as it offers good coverage in your area.Waterproof pendantsWaterproof pendants are essential for all-day wear. You or your loved one can use a waterproof pendant anywhere within its coverage area, even while showering or washing dishes. This detail lets you call for help at any time, including in areas of the home most common for slips and falls.Health management featuresSome medical alert systems, such as medical alert smartwatches, offer additional features that can help you or your loved one manage their health. These devices monitor heart rate and steps, helping you make healthy choices throughout the day. You can also set up medication reminders to ensure you take medication doses on time.How Do You Choose the Right Medical Alert System for Yourself or a Loved One? Courtesy of Medical Care Alert Use the following tips to choose the right medical alert system for yourself or a family member.Assess your daily routine and activitiesLifestyle is an important factor in how portable your system is and how much area it should cover. Consider how much time you or your loved one spends at home versus out and about. Think about details such as social gatherings, time with family, hobbies and errands. This information will help you choose between an in-home system and a mobile device.Prioritize device comfort and ease of useA medical alert device should be comfortable and easy to use. This factor is especially important during an emergency. Choose a system with a simple setup and easy-to-press buttons.You should also evaluate the weight and size of wearable devices. A medical alert smartwatch or pendant should feel lightweight and discreet for you or your loved one. The more comfortable a device is to wear, the more likely an individual is to use it regularly.Evaluate system battery life and charging requirementsAssess how long a device's battery lasts on a single charge and how easy it is to recharge. Some units may require daily charging, while others last several days. Consider the routine that you or your loved one can manage with ease. A system with a long battery life and an easy charging mechanism helps ensure continuous safety.Ensure the system fits your budgetAsk about a medical alert system's total cost, including these details:Monthly feePotential activation costEquipment costsFees for additional features, such as automatic fall detectionIt's also important to consider a system's contract length and the provider's cancellation policy. Understanding all financial aspects helps you choose a system that fits you or your loved one's budget.Read reviews and testimonialsLook for customer reviews and testimonials before choosing a system. Reading honest reviews helps you learn more about a company's overall reliability and the quality of its customer service. Reputable providers offer technical support and answer any questions you may have, giving you peace of mind.Consider a trial periodSelect a medical alert system provider that offers a trial period or a money-back guarantee. This offering lets you try the system and ensure it meets your needs.Talk to your loved one about their preferencesIf you are looking for a medical alert system for a loved one, include them in the decision-making process as much as possible. An individual is more likely to embrace a medical alert system when they feel like they have a voice in the decision. Explain available features and discuss what they want their daily life to look like. For example, they might opt for location tracking if they want to spend more time engaging in hobbies outside their home.You can help a family member accept the idea of a medical alert system by highlighting the benefits. Let them know that this extra support can help them maintain independence and live at home longer.Choosing The Right Medical Alert System Enhances Safety and ComfortDifferent medical alert systems offer varying capabilities, and choosing the right features can significantly enhance the wearer's safety. The right system for yourself or your family member depends on lifestyle, needs and preferences.You might prefer a mobile pendant or smartwatch if you spend a lot of time away from home. Alternatively, you may opt for an in-home system if you only need monitoring while at home. Features such as automatic fall detection and location tracking can benefit you if you are prone to falls or live an active lifestyle. The most important thing is that you or your loved one feels safer and more at ease with a medical alert system.This story was produced by Medical Care Alert and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Driver killed in rollover crash in Jo Daviess County A driver was killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash Thursday afternoon in Jo Daviess County after striking a garage and a utility pole.
	Learn about IL 84/IL 92 improvement project at East Moline meeting The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) invites the public to learn more about the proposed reconstruction and improvements to the Illinois 84/Illinois 92 corridor at an open house in East Moline. IDOT is hosting an open house public meeting on Tuesday, May 12 from 1 – 6 p.m. at The Bend Event Center, 910 Bend [...]

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