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

Wednesday, July 15th, 2026
	QCCA Expo Center announces new name, facility upgrades Now the QCCA Event Center, the facility plans to refresh its main exhibition hall, renovate its restrooms and modernize its concession stand area.
	Illinois State Board of Education issues AI guidance, written with help from AI The Illinois State Board of Education recently released a guidance document intended to help schools and districts make decisions about whether and how to use artificial intelligence in classrooms and school operations.
	2 injured in shooting on Davenport's Pershing Avenue Police said two men suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a shooting Tuesday night on Pershing Avenue in Davenport. The incident is under investigation.
	Rock Island Grand Prix suspended for 2026 The Rock Island Grand Prix has decided to suspend the race for 2026, citing "increasing costs, declining participation at kart races across the country, and the rising costs for air and auto travel for race teams, race officials and spectators, among other issues, were behind the decision." A news release said the decision by the committee was unanimous. [...]
	Davenport man sentenced on methamphetamine charges A Davenport man was sentenced to federal prison on methamphetamine charges. According to public court documents, Anthony Duyvejonck, 33, conspired with others to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine across the state of Iowa. In July 2025, officers found 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine in Duyvejonck’s vehicle. Duyvejonck distributed almost 13 pounds of methamphetamine. Duyvejonck was paroled [...]
	China and Xi favored over US and Trump in many nations: Survey The change is driven by improved perceptions of China and declining views of the United States.
	Five sentenced to federal prison for QCA fentanyl charges Five suspects were sentenced to federal prison for Quad-City fentanyl charges. According to public court documents, between April 2022 and March 2024, five conspired together to distribute fentanyl across the Quad-City area. More than 26,000 pills containing fentanyl were attributed to the drug trafficking organization: The Davenport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) [...]
	QCCA Expo Center rebrands, to upgrade facilities The expo center will now be called the QCCA Event Center sponsored by Jackson Generator, according to a media release.
	DeWitt Crossroads Triathlons set for this weekend with youth, adult events The DeWitt adult triathlon Saturday includes a swim, bike ride and run at Lake Killdeer.
	Residents voice support for tattoo shops in the Village of East Davenport The next step in the process is a Davenport Planning and Zoning Commission vote Aug. 4. Their recommendation will then go to the city council.
	Traffic Alert: Temporary ‘No Right Turn’ at 24th Street, 18th Avenue intersection in Rock Island The intersection will remain open for traffic to move through, but vehicles will not be allowed to make a right turn.
	Rock Island road work leads to traffic restriction Drivers in Rock Island will find a temporary traffic restriction in place on Friday and Saturday. A news release from the city said there will be a temporary traffic restriction at the intersection of 24th Street and 18th Avenue on Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18. A “No Right Turn” restriction will be in [...]
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: MICKEAL BLOCH, 28, 5’10”, 158 pounds, brown eyes, black hair. Wanted by Bettendorf Police Department for possession with intent to deliver marijuana, failure to [...]
	Davenport shooting Tuesday night injures two A shooting in Davenport on the night of Tuesday, July 14 injured a 41-year-old male and an 18-year-old male.
	Trump relished in being compared to dictators like Hitler and Stalin, journalist says The New York Times journalist Jonathan Swan says the president is fixated on becoming a "great man of history" during his second term. Swan's new book, written with Maggie Haberman, is Regime Change.
	Police: Rock Island man robbed man at gunpoint near middle school A Rock Island man is facing several charges after police say he robbed a man at gunpoint near a Davenport middle school.
	Imagery mapping finds Iowa has 15,309 animal feeding operations The group utilized satellite and aerial imagery to map animal feeding operations across Iowa and estimate the amount of manure they produce.
	Learn about healthy eating at Cooking with Heart series QCA residents who want to learn about healthy cooking can join UnityPoint Health – Trinity’s Cooking with Heart series, with new classes starting in August and September. The classes include Cooking with Heart Foundational and Cooking with Heart for Cancer. Each four-week series is led by nutrition experts who make healthy eating easier while helping [...]
	Davenport man faces 20 felony charges after Google flagged explicit uploads of children A Google tip to NCMEC led to the arrest of David Leroy England in Davenport. He is held in Scott County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.
	Verizon stores to donate hundreds of backpacks for the back-to-school season Verizon stores in Rock Island, Moline, Davenport and other surrounding areas will be donating backpacks later this month.
	Davenport man arrested on 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor A Davenport man is in the Scott County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond after police received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about uploads of child sex abuse material. According to the criminal complaint filed in Scott County Court, detectives with the Davenport Police Department were assigned [...]
	Hong Kong booksellers arrested for allegedly selling seditious books Hong Kong was once known for its freedom of publication, but political changes have created a challenging environment for independent bookstores.
	2 injured in Davenport shooting The shooting happened Tuesday night, police said.
	Sheriff Booker completed the 4-day ride to support families of officers killed Several Scott County roads will rise to a 60 mph speed limit under a new Iowa law, debunking social media rumors about the county's DOT route changes.
	Cancer disparities researchers say federal funding changes have disrupted their work In a survey, 93% of cancer researchers who study disparities said federal policy changes have affected them. Funding is harder to come by and they worry it's slowing progress in their field.
	'Run Like A Rockstar' in downtown Rock Island A new race is bringing runners, music and big hair to downtown Rock Island. The first Run Like a Rockstar 5K on Friday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m. will take participants along the Great River Trail, finishing near Arts Alley, 1719–21 Second Avenue. The race will be held during the Alternating Currents Festival and all [...]
	Learn about equine therapy at Rock Island County Fair demonstration An equine therapy demonstration will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at the Rock Island County Fair in the Indoor Cattle Show Barn, East Moline. You can learn how horses respond to human emotions and body language. Through guided equine-assisted activities, participants gain greater self-awareness, improve communication, reduce stress and develop healthier coping [...]
	Geneseo officials to consider earlier construction start time Aldermen discussed the possibility of permitting construction work to begin at 6 a.m. to mitigate heat-related safety risks and maximize productivity.
	Old rivals, new battle: Argentina and England clash in World Cup Semifinal Old rivals. New stakes. A World Cup final spot on the line. Argentina vs. England.
	Meet Dixie: Sweet senior hound seeking a new home in the Quad Cities Dixieis up for adoption in Milan, Ill.
	120 mph chase ends in crash, arrest of West Burlington man Justin Bessine, 22, was arrested after leading West Burlington police on a 120 mph chase and rear-ending another car.
	Iowa joins multi-state settlement over 23andMe data breach after company’s bankruptcy Iowa will get $430,000 in a huge $18M multi-state settlement with bankrupt 23andMe over the 2023 data breach that leaked genetic info to the dark web.
	CBI Bank & Trust announces new senior vice president CBI Bank & Trust has announced that Chris Crozier has joined the organization as senior vice president, chief technology officer, a news release says. Crozier brings more than 16 years of experience in financial institutions. Most recently, he was vice president of technology services at First Bankers Trust Company. Before that, he was vice president [...]
	Illinois Housing Authority awards tax credits to senior housing development in Galesburg The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has awarded federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to Burlington Terrace, a collaborative affordable senior housing development led by Bywater Development Group, Simmons Development Group, Beacon-SOCAYR, Graham Health System, and the City of Galesburg, a news release says. The award marks a major milestone for the development and advances [...]
	East Moline man makes plea deal in Scott County human trafficking case He pleaded guilty to third-degree kidnapping and third-degree sexual abuse, with a sentencing scheduled for Oct. 15.
	Kids enjoy Bettendorf futsal court after weekend vandalism is cleaned up A Molotov cocktail and spray paint didn't stop the celebration for a new futsal court in Kiwanis Park.
	Pebble Creek Golf Club & Ike's Restaurant to hold ribbon cutting Golf Club and restaurant celebrates renovations with complimentary cocktails and appetizers that is open the public, followed by live music.
	Several more days of highs in the 90s It's the middle of July and temperatures this month in the Quad Cities are running 1.6 degrees above average. More heat is in the forecast. After a dry start to the week, shower chances return Thursday. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	Everyday People: Davenport coffee shop's dance party is all part of a great job Being 25 can be "awkward," according to Skylar Boisen. You feel like a kid, but you're expected to be an adult.
	Black Hawk College contributes $291 million a year to Quad-Cities economy A study showed Black Hawk supported 3,882 local jobs, representing one out of every 50 jobs in the region.
	Anna V. Larson This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Several months ago, I went to Anna V. Larson's funeral at St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island. It was one of…
	Too weak to advocate for herself, a young woman is saved by a nun When Solitaire Miles was 18, she had a stroke. When she got to the hospital, doctors and nurses accused her of being on drugs. Then, her unsung hero arrived and ensured she got the care she needed.
	American AI is expensive. Some startups are turning to cheap Chinese models AI is a fast-growing business expense. Some companies are cutting costs by switching to cheaper Chinese AI models.
	Napalm Death: Tiny Desk Concert Napalm Death's ongoing campaign for musical destruction comes to the Desk. The founding fathers of grindcore speed through a sprawling catalog with manic energy.
	CDC director nominee Erica Schwartz faces Senate for confirmation hearing Dr. Erica Schwartz, Trump's nominee for CDC director, faces the Senate health committee for her confirmation hearing on July 15. If confirmed, she will lead an agency dealing with workforce and leadership shortages, and new layers of political review.
	Todd Blanche's confirmation brings one Epstein survivor to center stage Dani Bensky and a group of women who were abused by Jeffrey Epstein have formed a bond they call a "survivor sisterhood." They live in two worlds, of advocacy and everyday life and motherhood.
	Taco Bell removes certain menu items amid cyclospora outbreak: Reports Taco Bell is reportedly taking precautions as a parasite continues to sicken thousands of people nationwide.
	Mystery bidder buys T. rex nicknamed 'Gus' for a record $50 million A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil billed as one of the world's largest and most complete specimens was sold for a record $50.1 million Tuesday to a mystery bidder.
	Trump will speak on elections in Thursday primetime address The speech comes as President Trump has escalated calls for Republicans to pass tighter federal voting rules for November's midterm elections.
	Ebola is spreading faster in eastern Congo than it can be tracked, as deaths pass 700 Eighty percent of new Ebola cases in eastern Congo are emerging from unknown chains of transmission, according to WHO, a sign the outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track.
Tuesday, July 14th, 2026
	Bettendorf man faces charges after new park vandalized by fire, graffiti: Court records A 20-year-old Bettendorf man is scheduled to appear in Scott County Court after a new Bettendorf park was damaged, according to Scott County Court arrest affidavits and news releases. Trenton Runge, who has been released on $15,300 bond, faces felony charges of use/possession of explosive mater/destructive device; aggravated misdemeanor charges of third-degree arson and third-degree [...]
	East Moline police asking for help locating missing juvenile Neveah Lindsey was last seen leaving her home in East Moline around 5 p.m. on Monday.
	Kids enjoy Bettendorf futsal court after weekend vandalism is cleaned A Molotov cocktail and spray paint didn't stop the celebration for a new futsal court in Kiwanis Park.
	Rock Island accepting applications for bow deer hunting season Applications can be picked up at the Rock Island Police Department, the Rock Island Parks and Rec office or online.
	East Moline police asking for help in search for missing juvenile Neveah Lindsey was last seen leaving her home in East Moline around 5 p.m. on Monday.
	'You are destroying my life.' Muscatine property owners want block reopened Property and business owners in Muscatine operating in buildings that were shut down because of safety concerns want the city to let them re-open. The Muscatine City Council heard their appeals during a meeting Tuesday night. "I've lived in that building 35 years, and no one's inspected that building. So how can you say, 'Get [...]
	Investigation into Illinois Representative Carol Ammons set: What to know Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons was indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and obstruction of justice last week. Now an in-house investigation into Ammons will take place for a closer look at her work in Springfield. Our Quad Cities News Illinois Capitol Bureau chief Alex Whitney reports on what's ahead as those hearings could [...]
	Caregiver issued a warning after nursing home resident chokes and dies A nursing home worker accused of failing to evaluate a choking resident who subsequently died has been given a warning by state regulators.
	Floatzilla organizers announce new event for 2026 The largest paddle event on the Mississippi River will take place on Aug. 15.
	Some Iowa primary and secondary highways to go to 60 mph in Scott County A post making its rounds on Facebook this week claimed that Scott County would see no change in speed on Iowa DOT maintained two lane roads. That post proved to be false.
	Davenport man arrested for allegedly possessing child sex abuse materials A tip from Google sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to the man’s arrest.
	Some Iowa and secondary highways to go to 60 mph in Scott County A post making its rounds on Facebook this week claimed that Scott County would see no change in speed on Iowa DOT maintained two lane roads. That post proved to be false.
	Scott County board votes to intervene in CIPCO gas plant proposal The Scott County Board of Supervisors voted to intervene in a proposed CIPCO power plant, moving local opposition into a formal process before state decision-makers.
	Hinson calls for enforceable Iran deal as U.S. strikes resume Iowa Senate candidate calls for enforceable deal as renewed U.S. strikes push fuel costs higher
	Iowa DNR predicts another strong year for pheasant population In 2025, Iowa's pheasant population reached a 20-year high. This year, biologists say nesting successes could lead to similarly high numbers. Here's why.
	More 90s on the way for the Quad Cities It's hot again in the Quad Cities! And the heat isn't letting up anytime soon... Here are the highs over the next 7 days: Remember though, the humidity will make it feel even a little hotter:
	East Moline police ask for help finding missing girl The East Moline Police Department is asking for help finding a missing girl Tuesday night.
	Meet the Luke Bryan fan whose on-stage appearance has gone viral What started as a last-minute date night for a Davenport couple turned into a social media sensation after Luke Bryan pulled a fan on stage.
	Sweet corn season off to a strong start at Smeltzly’s Farm in Cordova Sweet corn season in the Quad Cities is here. At Smeltzly’s Farm, a family effort ensures fresh corn reaches eager customers daily, but it sells out fast.
	East Moline issues lead advisory after elevated levels found in homes Officials said the results were limited to certain properties and do not indicate a systemwide problem.
	Notre Dame Club of the QC earns Club of the Year at leadership conference During the 2026 Leadership Conference held on campus, the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association awarded “Club of the Year” prizes to six of its 260 chapters in categories determined by size of membership, a news release says. The ND Club of the Quad Cities won in the C-Class category with its current membership at [...]
	Moline building remains closed after partial façade collapse; engineer to determine next steps A downtown Moline building remains closed after part of its brick façade collapsed Saturday morning, forcing the evacuation of residents and temporarily closing the business inside.
	Person rescued from Galesburg house fire, 1 dog killed Firefighters removed an occupant from the home during a response, who was brought to a hospital.
	West Liberty Raceway will roar with action at Muscatine County Fair When the Muscatine County Fair opens on Wednesday, the West Liberty Raceway will hear the familiar roar of racing engines. Muscatine County Fair races will be run by SR Promotions, which operates racing at the Davenport Speedway. The program is highlighted by the Karl Chevrolet Premier Late Model Tour. The Late Models will pay $1,500-to-win. [...]
	Police ask for help finding missing East Moline juvenile Police are asking for help locating a missing juvenile. According to a Facebook post by the East Moline Police Department, Neveah Lindsey was last seen at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 13 after leaving her home in East Moline. She was last seen wearing a gray crop-top shirt, red and pink sweatpants and red [...]
	Local fair season begins The Rock Island County fair begins Tuesday, June 14 and the Muscatine County Fair begins Wednesday, June 15.
	Federal lawmakers to introduce bill reauthorizing, expanding RECA A fireball ascends from the first atomic artillery shell in history, tested at the Nevada Test Site in 1953. Radiation from the test site fell across the West, including in Montana. (Photo: Library of Congress)A bipartisan group in Congress plans to introduce legislation that will expand the federal government’s program compensating people exposed to nuclear weapons testing or uranium mining and milling. The bill will expand the Radiation Exposure Reauthorization Act, or RECA, to include individuals in Montana, which recorded some of the highest concentrations of radiation in the country from nuclear weapons experimentation in the 1950s and ‘60s. In a virtual press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Delegate. James Moylan, R-Guam and Reps. Dina Titus, D-Nevada; Wesley Bell, D-Missouri.; and Gabe Vasquez, D-New Mexico; announced they would introduce the bill to expand RECA in the next few days, in line with the 81st anniversary of the Trinity Test and National Atomic Veterans Day on July 16. The legislation will broaden geographic eligibility to fully cover four new states plus Guam, add specific new communities including the Hanford Site in Washington and waste sites near St. Louis, and expand the eligibility for qualifying illnesses, include atomic cleanup veterans, allow the parents of radiation victims to apply, and support Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program clinics. Delegate Moylan (territorial delegates can introduce bills, but cannot vote on final passage) has led efforts to expand RECA for years, with varied success, and this bill to reauthorize and expand the program is intended to fill the gaps previous versions contained. “We fought for major reforms to RECA, adding Guam to the Downwinder program, and we have fought for radiation survivors across the country as well,” Moylan said on a press call. “Unfortunately, many groups were left out of the final version (of RECA adopted last year), and I am pursuing a fair bill for all to be involved.” What the new bill does, Moylan said, is “expands the eligibility to reflect the realities of U.S. atomic weapons testing.” RECA was first implemented in 1990 and was set to expire in 2022. President Joe Biden extended the program for two years, and a bipartisan group of senators, led by Missouri Republican Josh Hawley as well as delegates from western states including Idaho, sought to reauthorize and expand the program in subsequent years without success. One version of the bill which included Montanans passed the Senate, but never saw a vote in the House. The latest version of RECA, which expanded it to states including Idaho, but not Montana, was included in House Resolution 1 last year, known as the One Big Beautiful Bil Actl, with an expiration date of 2028. Moylan’s proposed reauthorization bill will expand coverage for individuals exposed to radiation fallout from nuclear tests, called “Downwinders,” to all of Arizona, Colorado, Guam, Montana and Nevada. A landmark study in 1997 by the National Cancer Institute looked at the top 25 counties in the country which received the highest concentration of radioactive byproducts — iodine-131— from nuclear testing in Nevada. Of those top 25 affected counties, 15 of them were in Montana, with Meagher County receiving more radiation than any other. The other top-25 counties include Broadwater, Beaverhead, Chouteau, Jefferson, Powell, Judith Basin, Madison, Fergus, Gallatin, Petroleum, Lewis and Clark, Blaine, Silver Bow and Deer Lodge; while much of the rest of the state also received high exposure to radioactive material. In 2024, the Daily Montanan and other States Newsroom outlets partnered with investigative journalism outlet MuckRock to publish a national series of stories in January called “The Radius” investigating the effects of the radiation fallout on Americans in the states that were affected. The Daily Montanan’s reporting featured a woman who grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation who believes it’s possible radiation could have caused her to develop thyroid cancer and an ovary malady, as well as a woman who now lives in Billings but who grew up in New Mexico and lost several family members to illnesses believed to have been caused by radiation from the Trinity test. Both said they believe any victims of the government’s nuclear testing deserve fair compensation. Advocates in other affected states and jurisdictions told similar stories on the press call.. “After doing this work for 21 years, I know of no one that died the day of Trinity,” said Tina Cordova, co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, which has advocated for RECA expansion for decades. But, “It was the beginning of the end for tens of thousands of people, including thousands of babies that died that summer that have never been recognized, acknowledged, and their families have never been compensated.” Cordova, grew up in Tularosa, an hour away from the Trinity test site, said she is the fourth generation of her family to have cancer since 1945. “My dad died after having three different cancers he didn’t have risk factors for, except that he was a 4-year-old child living a very organic lifestyle, 45 miles away from Ground Zero,” she said. “We were never warned before or afterwards. No one understood what it meant to be overexposed to radiation.” Cordova also had two siblings and a niece get cancer, but her siblings are not eligible for compensation due to the types of cancer they developed. “I think that it’s high time our government realizes that we are not going to stand for justice for some. We are in favor of justice for not just a few, but justice for the many, and we will continue to fight until we receive justice for all,” she said. While Montanans are not eligible for compensation under RECA, the federal government has paid out nearly $12 million to current Montana residents who were exposed to radioactive material in locations that are covered. Despite Montanans being excluded from RECA compensation, the state has played an active role in the program’s expansion, with former U.S. Sen Conrad Burns, a Republican, introducing the first expansion bill in 2005. Montana’s subsequent senators — Democrats Jon Tester and Max Baucus — teamed up with Idaho Republicans Mike Crapo and Jim Risch to push for expansion into both states. Republican Sen. Steve Daines voted in favor of a standalone RECA bill in 2024. During Montana’s 2023 Legislative session, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers passed Senate Resolution 69, urging the federal government to include Montana in the RECA program. The Daily Montanan reached out to all members of Montana’s federal delegation asking about their support for RECA expansion and reauthorization, but did not receive responses from any of them by publication. “We’re reaching out to all representatives as well for each of the sections that we are including — Colorado, Montana, all of Nevada, and all of Arizona. So this is a bigger partnership that we have going,” Moylan said on the press call. “It’s important that we get all of these folks who need to be added, that want to be added … so they can help fight for us to get this passed.” The reauthorization bill will also cover individuals exposed to radioactive material at specific sites across the country, including Manhattan Project waste sites in or near St. Louis , the Hanford Site in Washington, the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (in Ohio), the Rocky Flats Plant and the Cañon City Mill (both in Colorado). It will also fund a study through the National Cancer Institute to examine the long-term health impacts of radiation on both individuals who are exposed and their descendants. Courtesy of Daily Montanan
	Hot Glass, Davenport, to break record for largest glass flag in honor of America's 250th Logan Ryser is one of the few artists in the country who can create massive blown-glass art installations. He works with his dad at Hot Glass in Davenport. Over the years, Ryser has taken on big projects, like his three crosses at the studio. Those are the ones that keep his passion alive. "I see [...]
	Bix Museum to celebrate new location opening The grand opening will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on July 24 on West 2nd Street in Davenport.
	Bettendorf school board appoints interim Superintendent This comes after former Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Morse, left the role on July 1.
	QCCA Expo Center rebrands as QCCA Event Center The QCCA Expo Center has been rebranded. According to a release, the Quad City Conservation Alliance (QCCA) announced the official rebranding of the QCCA Expo Center as the QCCA Event Center sponsored by Jackson Generator. The new identity marks a significant milestone for one of the Quad Cities' premier event venues, accompanied by facility improvements [...]
	Dog dies from smoke inhalation at Galesburg structure fire A dog died from smoke inhalation Tuesday, July 14,in a Galesburg structure fire, according to a news release. Shortly after 6:45 a.m., the Galesburg Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the 800 block of West Third Street. The response included all three fire stations and the 12 personnel on duty. Upon arrival, crews saw [...]
	Iowa DNR officials hope pheasant nests see similar success as 2025 Iowa's pheasant population hit a 20-year high last year.
	Aledo boil order lifted Aledo has lifted the water boil order for all residents and businesses connected to the city's water system.
	Oregon receives $15 million in federal funding to boost semiconductor industry Oregon State University leads Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology, or FAST, a consortium of nearly 100 tech companies, local governments and public education institutions aiming to grow the state's semiconductor industry. (Photo courtesy of Oregon State University)Oregon secured $15 million in federal funding to grow the state’s semiconductor industry, and it could receive up to $160 million over the next decade depending on its progress. The National Science Foundation announced Tuesday that Oregon’s coalition of nearly 100 businesses and public organizations, known as Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology, or FAST, is one of 12 groups receiving the funding across the country. “I worked in industry and academia and pursued semiconductor research throughout my career, and I can tell you awards like this are generational,” Oregon State University President Jayathi Y. Murthy said in a virtual press conference. Oregon State University founded and leads the statewide coalition. The coalition includes other public universities and community colleges, dozens of economic development and STEM advocacy groups and local governments. The state’s semiconductor industry, known as the Silicon Forest, has long been at the forefront of Oregon’s economic output. With dozens of tech organizations and companies such as Intel, Nvidia and Analog Devices located in the Beaver State, Oregon exported $11.4 billion worth in computer products in 2025, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. But without new investments and incentives for Oregon semiconductor companies, the industry risks losing relevance in an evolving global semiconductor landscape, according to a report from Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency. The two-year funding addresses some of those concerns and will help push the industry forward, said Business Oregon Economist Damon Runberg, who wrote the report. Oregon officials celebrate new funding Oregon has some of the most advanced semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities in the world, according to FAST Interim CEO Rob Stone. “There are only three places in the world that have such capabilities: one being Taiwan, Korea, and then of course here in Oregon and Hillsboro,” Stone said at the press conference. Elected officials, university leaders and technology experts celebrated the funding announcement, saying it will fuel research, economic growth and jobs. “The fresh federal investment is going to spark growth in a semiconductor workforce that already has 30,000 Oregonians working in it,” said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon. And the new jobs, Wyden said, will be high-paying. Gov. Tina Kotek said the funding builds on years of intentional work by her administration and the Legislature’s efforts to grow Oregon’s semiconductor industry. In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed a research and development tax credit aimed at supporting the semiconductor industry. Lawmakers that year also created the Oregon CHIPS Fund, a program to administer the $240 million it received under the Biden administration to bolster semiconductor manufacturing. “I firmly believe that Oregon will shape the future of the semiconductor industry with our unmatched combination of technical expertise, manufacturing experience, world-class research institutions and our commitment to sustainable innovation,” Kotek said. “We are positioned to lead this industry for decades to come.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Oregon Capital Chronicle
	Get ready for the food, fun and excitement of the Mississippi Valley Fair It's a sure sign of summer here in the QCA, and all the food, fun and excitement of the fair are right around the corner! Shawn Loter joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about what's happening at the Mississippi Valley Fair. For more information, click here.
	PJM Interconnection electricity price hits cap again in latest auction Power lines cross a field in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Peter Hall/Capital-Star)(This article was updated at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, 2026, to include comments from Todd Snitchler of the Electric Power Supply Association.) Electricity prices will remain elevated in PJM Interconnection’s 13-state service area, including Pennsylvania, following an auction setting prices for future generating capacity. PJM, a Valley Forge-based nonprofit that manages the supply on the largest electricity grid in the nation, announced the results Tuesday of the auction held from late June to mid July. The $325-per-megawatt-day price for generating capacity in 2028 and 2029 is at the maximum price under a cap initially negotiated by the Shapiro administration last year after the 2024 auction closed at a record price of $269.92 per megawatt-day. The cap was extended by PJM at the request of a coalition of PJM-state governors and the Trump administration to cover the latest auction and one to be held in December for 2030 and 2031. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE “These auction results show that demand for electricity continues to grow faster than electricity supply,” PJM President and CEO David Mills said. “At the same time, PJM recognizes how this supply-and-demand imbalance impacts the reliability of the system and costs for consumers. We are working with government and industry leaders on multiple fronts to restore that balance by bringing on new generation as fast as possible and managing the growth of new load on the grid.” A combination of retiring fossil fuel power plants, increased electrification of transportation and industry and proposed data center development has caused peak forecasts to increase by 66,000 megawatts by 2036. That’s nearly 80 times the output of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, which is set to reopen next year exclusively to power data centers. “Demand growth is not going away. That is the driving story here,” said Patrick Cicero, the former Pennsylvania consumer advocate who now works with the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project. PJM also announced Tuesday that the auction fell 6,831 megawatts short of the grid manager’s capacity goal, which is a larger deficit than in last year’s auction. “Data center load growth is degrading grid reliability, and it’s raising prices to the Governor Shapiro-negotiated cap,” said Robert Routh, Pennsylvania state lead for climate and energy policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “So, unless PJM and states take action, this picture will continue to worsen for the foreseeable future.” Consumers are unlikely to see any relief in gas and electric bills as utilities proposed more than $18 billion in rate hikes across the country over the first half of the year, according to a newly released report. (Photo by Dave Cummings/New Hampshire Bulletin) But Todd Snitchler, president and CEO of the Electric Power Supply Association, said the price reflects the competitive electricity generating industry’s willingness to invest to meet the increased demand. Recent year-over-year record lows had discouraged investment in power supply, he said in a statement. “Competitive power suppliers are already responding,” Snitchler added. “New supply is coming; the issue now is to address getting it connected to the system as quickly as possible. Among PJM’s responsibilities is vetting proposals for new power plants, transmission lines and other electric infrastructure and approving their connections to the grid. It has faced intense criticism for allowing a years-long backlog of projects to linger, causing some to drop out of the market. PJM notes it has made significant progress in reducing the backlog by prioritizing shovel-ready projects. PJM’s primary role in managing the grid is to ensure that each of its 67 million customers has the least expensive electricity available for their location at any given time. But it also must ensure the supply is reliable. To do that, it holds auctions for power plant operators to bid to set the price to keep their generators standing by for the peak electricity demand that comes on the hottest and coldest days of the year. Cicero, who spoke to reporters Tuesday, ahead of PJM’s announcement, said market dynamics indicated this month’s auction would close at or near the cap. The last two auctions have added around $16 billion to the cost of ensuring reliability, he said. And any additional generating capacity added in the last year have not been enough to appreciably increase capacity. As a result, the increased cost will remain in place into 2028 and 2029, he said. “These are flat prices that are going to remain high. It’s not necessarily another spike, but it’s really, really high prices remaining,” Cicero said. While the relationship between the auction price and what consumers see on their electric bill is not direct, some Pennsylvania utilities have increased the rate they charge people who don’t shop for their electric rates – some by up to 20%. “This has cost the average residential consumer in Pennsylvania somewhere in the neighborhood of $220 to $320 per year in additional costs on their bill,” he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. In addition to extending the price cap, PJM and its members from the electricity industry have been working on additional steps to isolate residential and small business customers from the demand brought by data centers, Routh said. One, sought by the PJM governors and the Trump administration, is another auction to fund increases in capacity and reliability by getting data center operators and other large load customers to purchase long-term commitments for electricity. Routh described it as a matchmaking venue for data centers and suppliers to meet and arrange to pay for new power supplies to be built “without raising prices for everyone else.” That process faces the same challenges blocking new electricity supplies for everyone. Those include supply chain delays, long timelines for building new infrastructure and siting and permitting hurdles. A lack of money is not among the problems, Routh noted. “Tech companies, data center customers that have a need for power have deep pockets,” he said. “Any power plant that can get built these days should have no problem finding buyers and arranging financing.” Courtesy of Pennsylvania Capital-Star
	Scott County takes power plant case to state board Scott County officials say they want a voice before state regulators decide the future of a proposed $400 million power plant.
	No immediate threat of New World screwworm affecting South Dakota, state vet says Close-up of three New World screwworm larvae. (Photo by Sohath Yuseff-Vanegas, USDA Agricultural Research Service)PIERRE — Flesh-eating pests spreading north into the United States have so far been kept at bay from South Dakota, but state animal industry leaders are keeping an eye on the threat. New World screwworm cases surfaced in Texas in early June. The name “screwworm” refers to the larvae, or maggots, that burrow into open wounds, feeding as they go “like a screw being driven into wood,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They primarily infest livestock, wildlife, pets and birds, leading to sickness or death. In rare cases, they can infect humans. The larvae grow into flies about the size of a common housefly, with orange eyes, a blue or green body, and three dark stripes along the back. Across Texas and in southeastern New Mexico, 35 total cases have been reported, primarily in cattle, according to the USDA. No cases have been reported in South Dakota. Texas is working with federal partners to control the population and track animal movements, according to South Dakota State Veterinarian Mendel Miller. What you need to know about the flesh-eating New World screwworm Miller said he has no immediate concerns due to Texas’ containment strategies and South Dakota’s requirements for veterinary inspections and health records on animals coming into the state. “The system’s in place to prevent it from getting here, provided everybody follows the rules and follows the system,” he said. New World screwworms reached as far north as South Dakota from 1947 to 1950 via infested livestock shipments, according to the USDA. A traditional boundary line for screwworm infections runs through central Kansas, Miller said. The imaginary line separates warmer, southern climates that are more welcoming to the insects from cooler, northern climates. “With global climate change and things like that, milder winters, that line may creep north,” Miller said. “But, we still have winter. That’s probably our best mechanism to prevent it from getting established.” For now, Miller said South Dakota is “still cold enough.” “The ground still freezes and we still get snow cover,” he said. “As long as we have winter, we should be fairly safe.” He recommended keeping a close watch on livestock. Most cattle infections happen during castration, Miller said. Sheep infections happen during dehorning and tail docking, when the tail is removed from the animal. “The best thing to put on their animal is their eyes,” he said of farmers and ranchers. Screwworm had been mostly eliminated from the United States in the 1960s, through the use of sterile flies to end the life cycle of other flies, Miller said. Screwworms have been confined mostly to Mexico and Central America since then, although there have been periodic outbreaks in the United States. The federal government is using sterile flies again in its eradication efforts. Sterilized males mate with females, which lay unfertilized eggs. Because females only mate once in their lifespan, this could reduce and eliminate the population. The USDA recently broke ground on a $750 million sterile fly facility in Edinburg, Texas, that aims to produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week when it opens next year. The agency has also invested in sterile fly facilities in Mexico and Panama. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced on Monday it would suspend several animal exports from Texas, including cattle, horses, pigs and bison. For broadcasters Host script with Mendel Miller sound bite. Courtesy of South Dakota Searchlight
	1 displaced after Davenport house fire A person is without a home after a fire in Davenport Monday evening.
	Spain sparkles to shock France 2-0 and advance to the World Cup final Spain is back in the World Cup final for the first time since 2010. That's also when Spain won its only World Cup title. France had hoped to reach the final for the third straight tournament.
	1 rescued, dog killed in Galesburg house fire A person was hospitalized and a dog died in a house fire in Galesburg Tuesday morning.
	Countryside Community Theatre's “Mean Girls,” July 24 through August 2 Lauded by New York magazine as a show that "delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor, and joyful inside-jokery," the Tony-nominated Broadway musical Mean Girls enjoys a Countryside Community Theatre staging, from July 24 through August 2, at Eldridge North Schott High School Fine Arts Auditorium, New York adding that this critically lauded smash based on the 2004 hit comedy is "hilarious, splashy, and unmistakably by Tina Fey."
	Genesius Guild's “Women's Festival,” July 25 through August 2 Wrapping up Genesius Guild's 2026 summer season with a freewheeling, cheekily updated Greek farce, Women's Festival (a.k.a. Thesmophoriazusae) enjoys a run in Rock Island's Lincoln Park July 25 through August 2, this Aristophanes comedy sure to deliver laughs, commentary, and, as per usual, a madcap, Mack Sennett chase around the Don Wooten Stage.
	Floatzilla returns to the Mississippi River on Aug. 15 River Action announced plans for the annual Floatzilla on August 15, featuring a world-record paddling attempt at Rock Island's Sunset Park.
	Rock Island Arsenal gets new garrison commander Col. Jason Knapp taking over leadership for 6,000 personnel.
	“The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition,” July 25 and 26 At Maquoketa's Ohnward Fine Arts Center on July 25 and 26, audiences are invited on an unforgettable journey down the Yellow Brick Road with The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, a delightful, one-act stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale in which our plucky heroine must make friends, face her fears, and discover how good it is to go home.
	2026 Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival, July 30 through August 1 With an eagerly awaited weekend of live performances returning to the Quad Cities for the 55th time, the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival will, from July 30 through August 1, again enjoy residency at the Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center.
	Bettendorf Community School District names interim superintendent The Bettendorf Community School District Board of Education has approved John Elkin as interim superintendent for the 2026–27 school year.
	Aledo lifts water boil order The order was lifted Tuesday afternoon.

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Tuesday, July 14th, 2026