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

Tuesday, July 28th, 2026
	Davenport man arrested on CSAM charges after cybertips received A Davenport man is being held in the Scott County Jail on a $200,000 cash-only bond after police said he uploaded and shared videos and images depicting Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM). The criminal complaint filed in Scott County Court said detectives with the Davenport Police Department were assigned a NCMEC (National Center for Missing [...]
	Passenger airlifted after car attempting U-turn struck by truck on Highway 61 A passenger was airlifted after a Hyundai Ascent attempting a U-turn on Highway 61 was hit by a Dodge Ram truck Monday night.
	Bix Street Fest features water slides, games Davenport, Iowa's Bix Street Fest brings runners and families together for food, games and water slides after the annual Quad-City Times Bix 7 events.
	Cambridge Natural History Museum hosting 2 year anniversary party The Cambridge Natural History Museum is celebrating its two-year anniversary with a full day of fun on Saturday, August 8th in Cambridge. The Cambridge Natural History Museum’s Two-Year Anniversary Party will feature a family-friendly fun run, free timed museum tours, games, a scavenger hunt, educational presentations, light refreshments and a movie. All events are free [...]
	Photos: Spain and France's battle record wildfires Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced from their homes as powerful wildfires sweep across Spain and France, revealing the growing scale of a climate crisis already reshaping the continent.
	3 injured in Muscatine County crash after wrong-way driver attempts U-turn Three people were injured after a wrong-way driver attempted a U-turn on U.S. Highway 61 Monday evening, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
	Holm participates in chamber professional convention in New Orleans Jennifer L. Holm recently joined more than 1,000 chambers of commerce professionals from across North America at the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) 2026 Annual Convention in New Orleans, where industry leaders gathered to explore innovative solutions for strengthening local economies, advancing member engagement, and preparing chambers for the future, a news release [...]
	Former Quad City Arts interim director arrested on child sex abuse materials charges The investigation began on June 26 after a group called "Predator Poachers" alerted Rock Island police to suspected criminal activity.
	MercyOne Genesis, Medic of Scott County report busier year for Bix 7 medical response Medical personnel report a busier-than-normal year for injuries at Davenport's Quad-City Times Bix 7, treating dozens of runners for dehydration and many falls.
	4 residents evacuated following early morning house fire in Moline News 8 crews arrived at the scene just after 3 a.m. to find a house with severe fire damage. It's unclear what caused the fire.
	Here are the 13 books that made the Booker Prize longlist The 2026 list includes new works from household names Douglas Stuart, Marlon James and Elizabeth Strout as well as a few debut authors.
	Reckless riding prompts Rock Island to advance illegal mini bike crackdown The Rock Island City Council voted 8–2 to advance an ordinance targeting mini bikes and unauthorized motorized vehicles on public streets. Police say they've received 75 complaints since March and cite safety on major roads as the top concern.
	Davenport holds meet and greet for new police department leaders Davenport residents had the opportunity to meet the city’s new police department leaders at a community meet and greet.
	A strong earthquake shakes part of southern Japan but no tsunami detected The quake shook Kumamoto, on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu, late Tuesday afternoon local time, causing damage and injuries.
	A 7.1 quake hits Japan's Kyushu, trapping people in a collapsed shopping center The quake shook Japan's southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon local time, causing damage and injuries.
	A 7.1 quake hits Japan's Kyushu, trapping people in a collapsed shopping mall The quake shook Japan's southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon local time, causing damage and injuries.
	Crews battle early morning Moline house fire Firefighters responded to a house fire on the 900 block of 16th Street early Tuesday morning. Our Quad Cities News crew arrived as firefighters sprayed water on the home. Officials have not released information on injuries or what caused the fire. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
	CBI Bank & Trust appoints Will Heidbreder to Board of Directors Heidbreder brings more than thirty-three years of experience in financial institutions.
	Iowa health officials say threat of measles outbreak has passed Iowa reported its first confirmed measles case of 2026 on July 8.
	Developing \| Moline firefighters work to put out morning structure fire Crews responded to an early morning house fire in the 900 block of 16th Street in Moline. At this time, investigators have not released the cause of this fire.
	More heat, but less humidity for a couple of days After the hottest day of the year Monday at 96° in the Quad Cities, it'll stay hot for a few more days, but it won't be as humid. Three more dry days are expected before a soaking rain event arrives later this week. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	Crews battle Moline house fire Crews responded just before 3 a.m.
	AI tokens could become the kilowatt-hour of the AI age AI companies use tokens to track usage and bill customers. Now economists are using them to track the spread of AI through the economy.
	Schooltime This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Forget the image of frontier schools you've seen in Westerns and on television: rough wooden benches and an incompetent…
	Yes, it's possible to save money while paying off credit card debt. Here's how In fact, experts recommend it because it can keep you off the hamster wheel of debt. Here's how to find the money in your budget to put toward savings and credit card payments.
	Trump shattered ethics norms. Will voters trust Democrats to fix them? Democrats are making the case that now is the time to tackle anti-corruption reforms — to serve as a check on Donald Trump and to overhaul a system voters say is co-opted against their interests.
	Comfortable Break Arrives in Quad Cities This Week, Rain Expected Thursday Night Seasonal temperatures and lower humidity return after recent heat
	Netanyahu to meet Trump in a first encounter since the Iran war began The meeting comes as both face pressures at home. Netanyahu is up for reelection, embattled in part due to his deteriorating relationship with Trump. Trump is under pressure to end an unpopular war.
	Empowering Abilities announces Debra "Deb" Lindbom Memorial Scholarship winners Empowering Abilities announced the 2026 recipients of the Debra "Deb" Lindbom Memorial Scholarship to recognize dedicated team members whose commitment to continued learning will strengthen services for individuals with disabilities throughout the QCA. According to a release from Empowering Abilities, this year's recipients are as follows: Established in memory of longtime Empowering Abilities participant Debra [...]
	With wildfires raging in France and Spain, fire crews race against next heat wave French President Emmanuel Macron said France was "facing a completely unprecedented fire," describing the situation as France's worst fire-related crisis since World War II.
	Health experts: State’s high vaccination rate is keeping spread of measles in check Maryland health officials and public health experts urge Marylanders to vaccinate against measles amid nationwide surge in cases. (Photo by Jerry Saslav/U.S. Ari Force)Just seven months into the year, confirmed measles cases Maryland are already four times higher that they were for all of last year, but health officials say the situation could be much worse. Almost all of the 12 cases recorded so far this year — up from three for all of 2025 — were “imported” into Maryland after out-of-state or international travel. But once here, the infections have not spread further, which experts say is a sign that the state’s relatively high vaccine coverage at 96% is protecting residents from the potentially fatal illness. “This is higher than many previous years, but it doesn’t represent sustained transmission within Maryland,” said Dr. William Moss, director of the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University. “We have now had repeated importations into the state without sustained transmission.” It’s a trend that he and public health officials hope to protect amid growing vaccine skepticism as new state data shows more parents opting their children out of required school vaccinations. Approximately 96% of Marylanders have lifelong protection from measles due to being vaccinated, above the national average of 93%, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other Marylanders who have already been sick with measles are also considered immune. The recommend vaccination coverage rate to considered necessary to protect a community from measles is 96%, but as regions across the United States struggle with outbreaks, the dozen cases identified in Maryland reflect those challenges. Of the 12 cases identified by the Maryland Department of Health this year, nine were detected after the resident returned from out-of-state travel, while two cases were detected after international travel. The most recent case, announced June 23 by the health department, did not indicate where the individual may have picked up measles. But Moss says that the lack of sustained community transmission is “a signal of the strength of our immunization program and our really good measles vaccine coverage.” That coverage may be slipping, as more Maryland families cite religious reasons to opt their kids out of vaccinations that are otherwise required to enter kindergarten through religious exemptions. The Maryland Department of Health reports that during the 2025-2026 school year, 2.1% of kindergartners had religious exemptions from the vaccinations, up from 1.7% the year before. That’s more than 1,300 of the 65,500 kindergartners enrolled in the 2025-2026 school year. It’s the highest percentage since 2019-2020, when the religious exemption rate was 2.7% amid disruptions in the school year due to COVID-19. That said, overall vaccine coverage among kindergarteners was still at least 95% in every Maryland county, even in counties where religious exemptions were higher like Allegany and Worcester, according to the health department’s most recent data. “High vaccination rates in schools are crucial for preventing outbreaks and maintaining community immunity,” the Maryland Department of Health said in a written statement Monday. “Maryland maintains a strong safety net with 96.7% of kindergarteners reported as vaccinated in the 2025-2026 school year.” Dr. Andrea Berry is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a pediatric infectious disease specialist at University of Maryland Golisano Children’s Hospital. She says that over the last few years, there’s been growing confusion and vaccine skepticism among parents, which leads them to opt their kids out of vaccines, including the measles vaccine. “There is a very close relationship between vaccination rates and the likelihood of an outbreak,” she said. “Overall, Maryland does a really great job getting children vaccinated, but the increase in these exemptions stems from vaccine hesitancy.” Meanwhile, the number of measles cases climbs across the United States with 2,318 cases confirmed as of July 23 this year. Those cases have reached 44 states and Washington, D.C., with Maryland’s neighbors among the states with the largest measles outbreaks currently, with Virginia facing 176 measles cases and Pennsylvania facing 134 cases. Measles cases have reached a 35-year high, CDC reports Despite Virginia’s high vaccination rate at 96%, the measles outbreak it’s facing occurred in two rural counties where vaccination rates are less than 75%. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s statewide vaccination rate is 92%. Moss warns that the growing measles cases in neighboring states create a greater chance of exposure when Marylanders are visiting those regions, especially in communities with lower vaccination coverage. He says Maryland is “not immune to having local transmission.” “I suspect that we have communities here in Maryland that have lower vaccine coverage … but fortunately, these imported cases have not made it into those communities yet,” he said. “Traveling to a place where there’s ongoing measles virus transmission … the most important thing is to make sure you’re protected against measles.” Berry noted that anyone past the age of 6 months can get a measles vaccination. She urges Marylanders to get vaccinated if they are not already protected through prior illness from measles, especially as cases rise in neighboring states. “Now that there are so many outbreaks all throughout the United States, it’s more likely that somebody is going to travel to those places or speak to somebody who did travel those places,” she said. “With the vaccine, you’re much less likely to get measles, and when people do get measles, it is not as severe.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Maryland Matters
Monday, July 27th, 2026
	Clinton LumberKings host Clinton County Special Athletes for game Monday night, the LumberKings played the Rolling Thunder, a team made up of Clinton County Special Athletes
	Rock Island ordinance would enforce safe operation of dirt bikes, minibikes Rock Island City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will prohibit the unsafe operation of minibikes, dirt bikes and other such vehicles on city streets.
	Davenport police hold meet and greet with new chief Citizens were able to sit down with Chie Greg Behning and Assistant Chief Jason Smith.
	Rock Island City Council advances e-bike ordinance The ordinance would establish rules for how e-bikes can be used on City streets.
	Rock Island considers ordinance for high-CC motorized bikes, ATVs, dirt bikes A new ordinance proposed by the Rock Island City Council would curb reckless driving on mini bikes, ATVs and dirt bikes. Police say the city is getting a lot of complaints about those vehicles on major roads around town. "I wouldn't say it's specifically a Rock Island issue. It's a statewide issue," said Tim Muehler, [...]
	Less than 40 without power in Quad Cities Less than 40 people are without power in the Quad Cities Monday night. .
	2nd man charged in Bettendorf recreational field vandalism A second person has been charged in the burning of a new recreational field in Kiwanis Park.
	New Davenport gym offers workouts, personalized training, child care Burn Boot Camp just opened on Ravenwood Lane off East 53rd Street, Davenport. The gym offers 45-minutes workouts, personalized training, and more. You also can bring your kids, because the gym offers "childwatch," which acts as a daycare during your 45-minute workout. "There's a lot of moms in our community that need something like this. [...]
	Community meets new police department leaders at Davenport meet-and-greet Davenport residents had a chance to visit a police department in the Quad Cities metro area to meet its new leaders. The Davenport Police Department hosted a meet-and-greet Monday for new Chief Greg Behning and Assistant Chief Jason Smith. Both hope these kinds of community events will help local law enforcement connect with the community [...]
	Chicago Farmer will bring 'working-class folk music' to Cambridge concert Chicago Farmer, the performing name of Illinois singer-songwriter Cody Diekhoff, will bring his heartfelt, working-class folk music to Ca d’Zan House Concerts in Cambridge on Friday, July 31. Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, the all-ages concert will begin at 7 p.m., following an optional community potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Raised in the small farming [...]
	TEDxDavenport returns Aug. 12 with new venue, expanded speaker lineup TEDxDavenport returns Aug. 12 at The Last Picture House, featuring a new venue, a diverse speaker lineup and a rooftop meet‑and‑greet, with limited seating tickets available now.
	Christmas in July: QC Arts reveals 2026 Festival of Trees theme, calls for designers Quad City Arts has announced the 2026 Festival of Trees theme, Winter Wonderland, while encouraging designers to register by Aug. 1 for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card ahead of the Nov. 21–29 event at the RiverCenter.
	Muscatine chooses preservation plan for evacuated downtown block over full demolition Muscatine will pursue a plan to stabilize much of its evacuated downtown block after engineers said several historic buildings can still be saved.
	Monmouth under partial boil order Monmouth was under a partial boil order Monday evening. Click on the video to see and hear where residents in portions of the city are advised to boil their water before drinking or using it.
	Rand Paul releases Anthony Fauci's pandemic-era diary notes. Here's what they tell us Sen. Rand Paul has released a tranche of Dr. Anthony Fauci's diary entries from the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci is set to appear before a Senate committee Wednesday on the origins of the coronavirus.
	Red Cross issues rare blood-crisis declaration; QCA donation dates scheduled For only the second time in history, the American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis — and patients may already be feeling the impact, according to a news release that says donors are asked to act immediately to help save lives. Quad-City donation Blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low, worsening [...]
	Cisco's Mexican Bar and Grill to reopen in Moline The restaurant sustained minor damage when part of its brick facade gave way on July 11.
	Over 1500 without power in Iowa Quad Cities More than 1500 people are without power in the Iowa Quad Cities Monday evening.
	Moline Public Works to host Touch-a-Truck event Kids will be able to honk horns, sit in the driver’s seat and get a close look at the vehicles.
	Iowa advocates push for federal newborn supply program Iowa advocates were in the nation’s capital pushing for a bipartisan bill that would support a federal program providing newborn supply kits and postpartum resources to new mothers.
	Over 1600 without power in Iowa Quad Cities More than 1600 people are without power in the Iowa Quad Cities Monday evening.
	Power outage affects hundreds in Iowa QC Hundreds of people in the Iowa Quad Cities are without power as of 5:30 p.m. Monday, according to MidAmerican Energy updates. The cause is a tree on wires, according to a text from MidAmerican to customers. Crews are working to restore power, which is estimated to return by 7:30 p.m., the text says.
	Extreme heat moves Rock Island High School band practice indoors Extreme heat pushed the Rock Island High School marching band indoors, and as wildfire smoke returns, they may have to go indoors for the remainder of the week.
	Board suspends license of chiropractor convicted of fraud, money laundering The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing is responsible for overseeing Iowa's licensing boards. (Photo illustration via Getty Images; logo courtesy of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing) State regulators have suspended the license of a Bettendorf chiropractor convicted of bank fraud and money laundering and accused of misuse of COVID-relief funds and the unlicensed practice of medicine. In July 2025, the Iowa Board of Chiropractic charged Jason Rannfeldt with practicing outside the scope of the profession, being convicted of an offense that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the profession, and representing oneself as a chiropractor without an active license. According to state records, those disciplinary charges were filed 14 months after Rannfeldt pleaded guilty to criminal charges of making false statements to a financial institution, bank fraud, money laundering and filing a false bankruptcy declaration. The board also alleged Rannfeldt had continued to practice chiropractic even after his license lapsed in 2023, and that he had posted videos in which he described himself as a physician and discussed treatments for diabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and thyroid dysfunction. In order to resolve the disciplinary case, the board recently agreed to suspend Rannfeldt’s chiropractic license for one year and also agreed to “back date” that suspension to November 2025, meaning he’ll be eligible for reinstatement in four months. Once the license is reinstated, it will be placed on probationary status for up to six years, with Rannfeldt’s billings and financial reports subject to outside review, the board ordered. Rannfeldt will also be required to complete 15 hours of educational training on ethics and professionalism. Indicted on 20 separate charges Federal court records show that in March 2023, Rannfeldt was accused by prosecutors of using his clinic, Rannfeldt Family Chiropractic, and several other businesses he owned, to secure financial assistance from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, an economic-assistance program that provided forgivable loans to small businesses to maintain payroll, rehire laid-off staff, and cover overhead costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors alleged Rannfeldt falsified numerous PPP loan applications and routed the money to his personal bank account. He was also alleged to have falsified records to secure loans for a down payment on a new, $785,000 home. Court records indicate many of the falsified loan applications were denied by bankers, resulting in what prosecutors called “attempted losses,” although some of the applications were approved. According to the prosecutors, Rannfeldt’s scheme resulted in $115,000 in attempted losses to each of three separate financial institutions — Quad-Cities Bank & Trust, U.S. Bank and Northeast Bank — plus $465,692 in attempted losses to Cross River Bank. In addition, Cross River Bank sustained actual losses of $29,542, and Vibrant Credit Union sustained $262,333 in actual losses, prosecutors claimed. After being indicted on 20 separate charges, Rannfeldt pleaded guilty to five charges, including bank fraud, money laundering and making false statements to a financial institution, and prosecutors dismissed the remaining 15 charges. Rannfeldt was then sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $291,875 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. Rannfeldt: ‘This is not me.’ During the criminal court proceedings, prosecutors alleged Rannfeldt had continued to file fraudulent documents even after entering a guilty plea in the case. They alleged Rannfeldt, as part of a residential lease application in November 2023, fraudulently presented his father-in law as a guarantor, included fraudulent earning statements in the application, and forged his father-in-law’s signature. In arguing for a significant prison sentence, prosecutors cited what they called Rannfeldt’s “repeated and blatant fraud” against taxpayers and the government. “He lied and used falsified documents to get loans,” they told the court. “He lied and used falsified documents to get those loans forgiven. He lied and used falsified documents to get bankruptcy protection. And … he hasn’t stopped.” At his sentencing in May 2024, Rannfeldt’s attorney informed the court that his client, while having pleaded guilty to misusing COVID-19 relief funds, was also suffering from the medical effects of “long COVID” — the condition in which those who contracted the virus suffer from a variety of long-term effects. “He still has multiple physical problems, breathing problems, memory problems, muscle issues by way of cramping, headaches,” the attorney, Terence L. McAtee, told the court. “He also has multiple mental health issues.” McAtee described Rannfeldt as a “beloved husband, father, successful chiropractor, church member, and pillar of the community.” The Iowa Capital Dispatch was not able to reach Rannfeldt for comment, but at his sentencing in 2024, Rannfeldt apologized to the court for his conduct. “This is not me,” he said at the time. “No matter what the reason, there is no excuse for this, to waste (the) taxpayer dollars wasted on this case. I’m honestly so embarrassed for what has happened. My family means a lot to me, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to recover that.” Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Davenport man faces attempted-murder charges: Court records A 34-year-old Davenport man faces felony charges after a gunfire incident early Monday in Davenport, according to Scott County arrest affidavits. Demaine Glenn faces charges of attempted murder, going armed with intent, dominion/control of a firearm/offensive weapon by a felon, and trafficking in stolen weapons - first offense, affidavits show. Glenn "did intentionally attempt to [...]
	Iowa crops rated highly; some counties have access to disaster funding Blooms visible on a soybean plant in mid July. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa corn and soybean crops are generally in good to excellent condition, according to the latest report, even while parts of the state were hit with heavy rains that triggered disaster assistance from a federal agency for houses and businesses in certain counties. Corn grown for grain in Iowa rated 80% good to excellent and soybean crop condition was rated 78% good to excellent in the latest crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Corn silking reached 87% across the state for the July 20 through July 26 reporting period. This is 6 percentage points ahead of the 2025 crop and 7 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Twenty-eight percent of corn acres had corn in the dough stage during the reporting period, which was 4 percentage points behind last year, but 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. This was also an increase from the week prior, when just 8% of the crop had reached the dough stage. Soybeans blooming reached 80% which is 1 percentage point ahead of the year prior and 1 percentage point behind the five-year average. Nearly half, 48%, of soybeans were setting pods, which is slightly behind last year’s pace and 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Oats rated 82% good to excellent and the harvest of the crop continues to be significantly ahead of the 2025 crop. With 67% of the crop harvested as of the reporting period, it was 20 percentage points ahead of harvest from the year prior. Soil moisture conditions were rated short for 27% of topsoil and 28% of subsoil. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said “many” areas of the state could “use a good rain.” “As I’ve traveled across Iowa in recent weeks, I’ve generally seen strong crop conditions, though wind, hail and pockets of both excessive rainfall and persistent dryness have created some variability,” Naig said in a statement. Naig noted the “stifling” temperatures and humidity toward the end of the week are forecast to “break” toward the middle of the coming week. Despite the high temperatures at the end of the reporting period, State Climatologist Justin Glisan’s weekly weather report shows the statewide average temperature for the period, at 72.2 degrees Fahrenheit, was slightly below the climatological normal. While more of Iowa slid into moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions during the reporting period, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the statewide average precipitation was 0.99 inch, about one-tenth of an inch more than the normal. Glisan reported several severe weather events at the beginning of the reporting period. Storms on July 20 had strong wind gusts and “torrential downpours” in some areas and 2- to 3-inch-diameter hail and tornadoes in other parts of the state. Federal disaster loans available to eight Iowa counties The U.S. Small Business Association granted Gov. Kim Reynolds’ request to make low-income disaster loans available to homeowners, renters, businesses, and most nonprofit organizations in Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story, and Warren counties that were affected by flooding and severe storms over the July Fourth weekend. Some of these areas received more than two months’ worth of rain in a period of several days. While the Small Business Association cannot provide loans for agricultural losses, it can offer homeowners up to $100,000 in low-interest loans to repair personal property, and loans of up to $2 million for businesses and nonprofits that sustained damage from the storms. Those interested in applying for the aid can reach out to their local Disaster Loan Outreach Center or apply online. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Just over 1,500 MidAmerican customers without power in Davenport The impacted area is near E. Kimberly Road and Brady Street.
	A new hottest day of the year! To start the work week in the Quad Cities we were greeted with some very intense and dangerous heat all across the area. This includes a new holder for the hottest day of the year as we reached a high of 96 degrees this afternoon, bringing our 90 days total up to 15. On top [...]
	Rob Sand advocates for more Iowa wetlands and grazing land Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand speaks at a town hall at the Webster County Fairgrounds in Fort Dodge, July 27, 2026. (Photo by Kadin Luhmann/Iowa Capital Dispatch)FORT DODGE — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand discussed plans to combat Iowa’s water quality issues and advocated for more mental health funding Monday at a town hall in Fort Dodge. Sand, who currently serves as state auditor, said he is “not satisfied” with Iowa’s efforts to address water quality. He advocated for a data-driven approach to tackle the issue, and more wetlands that would improve soil health, water quality, biodiversity and recreational activities. “I want us to have the single biggest expansion of wetlands and grazing land that we have ever seen in the state of Iowa,” Sand said. “You can fish, you can photograph, all kinds of fun stuff that you can do in wetlands. We want our kids to take part.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. The town hall came hours after the announcement that he supports banning social media for children under 16-years-old, citing the negative effects social media can have on mental health, saying the platforms can be as “addictive as nicotine.” “They’re hurting people’s mental health. They’re making our kids sicker and more depressed. I think that’s a place where the government needs to take action because these are companies that are harming people,” Sand said. Mental health Sand said Iowa families face too many barriers when seeking behavioral health treatment, adding that Iowa has restructured its efforts to treating mental health three times in six years, “It’s like surviving a shipwreck in the dark, with brief flashes of lightning showing possible help, but no consistent path to actually reach it,” Sand said. Sand argued that mental health providers are in high demand, and must be paid competitive wages so they don’t leave Iowa, saying that providers may receive less compensation for telehealth appointments, causing them to leave Iowa for better opportunities. “Number one, we should be making sure that mental health professionals in the state of Iowa are paid a competitive wage,” Sand said. “What we do not want is a situation where they can say, ‘Boy, I could make a lot more money if I was just doing this somewhere else,’ but oftentimes, we have that.” Sand also connected Iowa’s issues to privatized Medicaid, proposing the reversal of privatized Medicaid to lower costs. “Here’s the other thing that we can do. I just heard from a longtime [acquaintance] of mine that they are closing their mental health clinic in Iowa because of privatized Medicaid,” Sand said. Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	LeClaire Culver's to hold grand opening The new Culver's in LeClaire will hold its grand opening on Aug. 10.
	He Unsaid, She Unsaid: “Motor City,” “Hadestown: The Musical,” and “Her Private Hell” It's not that the characters can't talk. They just don't, or do without our being able to hear them, and that makes many of the goings-on here silly to the point of absurdity.
	Packets for Rock Island candidates available now Candidates for office in the City of Rock Island may pick up a campaign packet beginningTuesday, July 28, at 8 a.m. in the City Clerk’s office, 1528 Third Ave., a news release says. The packets include general information regarding the election and the necessary forms for nomination. Offices to be elected in Rock Island in [...]
	Tip leads to arrest of Davenport man for allegedly possessing child sex abuse materials A tip from Snapchat to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to the arrest of a Davenport man for allegedly possessing child sex abuse materials.
	St. Ambrose University president meets Pope Leo, discusses AI This summer, Dr. Amy Novak traveled to Rome to meet with Pope Leo XIV. They discussed technology, a call to action and service and even a joke about Saint Ambrose.
	Snowstar to hold Slip 'n Slide event amid extreme heat Snowstar will hold a Slip 'n Slide event on Aug. 1 and 2 from 1 to 5 p.m.
	Muscatine's SPARK! students design logo for Towhead Island The island was gifted to the community foundation to support conservation, education, recreation and community engagement.
	Illinois recognizes gambling addiction, allowing new treatment options Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill Friday that officially recognizes gambling disorder as an addiction in Illinois.
	Snowstar holding Slip 'n Slide event amid hot temperatures this weekend The event will be held Aug. 1 and 2 from 1-5 p.m. A single ticket is $15, and a family pack of four is $50.
	Dangerous heat drives demand at The Third Place QC As dangerous heat settles over the Quad Cities, The Third Place QC in Rock Island is seeing more people turn to the daytime resource center for relief.
	North Dakota judge weighs decision in Beef Commission membership lawsuit Cattle roam in a pasture near Killdeer in southwest North Dakota. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)A North Dakota judge is set to decide whether the process for who serves on the state’s Beef Commission is unconstitutional. South Central Judicial District Judge Jackson Lofgren heard arguments Monday from attorneys for the state and the Ranchers Rights Initiative. The group’s directors – Kenneth Graner, Michael Heaton and Jeremy Maher – are three cattlemen who say the law plays favorites over who serves on the board that decides how to use cattle sale fees from ranchers to promote beef. The group wants the judge to strike down the law. The state wants the judge to dismiss the challengers’ claims. The judge said he will work to get an opinion out as quickly as he can. The Beef Commission consists of nine members, including three beef producers, one cattle feeder, one dairy producer, one representative of a public livestock market and three at-large members, all appointed by the governor. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association submits names for the beef producers and the association’s feeder council submits names for the cattle feeder. The lawsuit filed last year names Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong, the commission and the state. Ranchers sue to revamp North Dakota Beef Commission appointment process An attorney for the challengers, who don’t currently belong to any of the organizations set in the law, say the law unconstitutionally elevates the Stockmen’s Association “and other favored associations” above other groups. “Ultimately, this case is about the simple principle that government is to be by the people, not by the privileged and not by those with influence,” Ranchers Rights Initiative attorney Robby Dube said. The commission decides how to use the money raised from fees on cattle sales of $2 per head – $1 apiece to the state and federal government – known as the beef checkoff. The money is mainly used for beef promotion, education and research. The commission raised more than $1.5 million of assessment revenue in 2024-2025, according to an annual report. Dube said the law includes “legislatively favored private associations” and creates a “closed class” for the commission’s beef producer positions of solely the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, amounting to a special law, which unfairly treats similar entities differently and is prohibited by the state constitution. Of the 24 beef producer nominations since 2009, 21 were Stockmen’s Association or auxiliary group members at the time, and it’s unclear the membership status of the other three, Dube said. Additionally, the Stockmen’s Association has supported at least 16 people for the at-large positions since 2009, including 10 of its own or auxiliary group members, according to court documents. “You have private organizations that are going to only be beholden to themselves who are appointing their own people and then turning around and funding themselves. That is exactly what has happened here over and over again,” Dube said. The challengers haven’t shown that the law is unconstitutional, Special Assistant Attorney General Zachary Pelham said. The law doesn’t require membership in the Stockmen’s Association or the Milk Producers Association, but commission members must be a North Dakota resident and a U.S. citizen actively engaged in the part of the industry they represent for five years, he said. State says North Dakota Beef Commission lawsuit should be dismissed “We have a law that applies equally to all,” Pelham said. The law has “meaningful at-large access” in that people can nominate themselves or others for the commission’s at-large seats, he said. And ultimately, the governor selects the members, he added. Additionally, the challengers don’t have legal standing to bring their claims, Pelham said. A three-year statute of limitations bars the claims of the challengers, who have tried to change the commission selection process for at least 20 years via the Independent Beef Association of North Dakota, the state said in court documents. And Maher nominating himself for an at-large seat and not being selected is not a legal injury for standing, Pelham said. The challengers also say a requirement that commissioners cannot have received a checkoff refund in the last three years is punitive and discriminatory. Pelham said the requirement is appropriate as “skin in the game.” “The act is constitutional because it reflects rational legislative choices about how to administer a specialized agriculture commodity program,” Pelham said. The challengers’ arguments are essentially “policy objections and dissatisfaction with the appointment outcomes,” he said. The judge said he will take the matter under advisement. The case had been set for a court trial in August, which has been canceled and may or may not be rescheduled. North Dakota Monitor reporter Jack Dura can be reached at jdura@northdakotamonitor.com. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of North Dakota Monitor
	Extreme Heat Warning until MON 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning in Effect Until 10 PM CDT Tonight
	Providence charter school singled out by moratorium sues McKee, General Assembly leaders Left-handed Gov. Dan McKee signs the fiscal 2027 budget at Children's Friend in Providence on Friday, June 12, 2026. In center background looking on is Senate President Valarie Lawson. (Photo by Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current)A dual-language public charter school blocked from opening in Providence next fall under a moratorium passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Dan McKee filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday. De La Comunidad Bilingual Public Charter School had moved partially, but not entirely, through the necessary approval pipeline when the state legislature OK’d a three-year moratorium on new charter school approvals, effectively preventing it from opening. McKee, who is seeking reelection, signed the teachers union-backed legislation into law on June 18 over the objections of charter school advocates. “This law was aimed at one school: ours,” Carol Aguasvivas, board chair of De La Comunidad, said in a statement Monday. “Families chose us. Our community fought for us. And when lawmakers tried to shut the door before we even opened it, we had a responsibility to fight back.” De La Comunidad planned to serve students from Providence, Pawtucket and Cranston, starting with around 140 students in its first year after opening in the fall of 2027and expanding over time. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island on Monday, names McKee, House Speaker Christopher Blazejewski, Senate President Valarie Lawson, and the state’s Council on Elementary and Secondary Education as defendants. McKee signs charter school moratorium bills with five days to spare, ending uncertainty Former Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, who is representing the charter school, wrote in the complaint that the charter school ban was a targeted effort. Taveras noted that the original draft of the charter bill was amended to preserve the expansion of another potentially affected charter school, The Greene School, but that the legislature did not “carve out an exception” for De La Comunidad and shot down further amendments. “The General Assembly purports to want to address the fiscal impacts on school districts associated with students in the districts attending charter schools,” Taveras argued in the suit. “In truth, the Moratorium Bill was targeted to stop De La Comunidad and strip De La Comunidad of its right to obtain approval to operate.” The complaint is asking the federal court to nullify the moratorium’s effect on De La Comunidad, alleging that the moratorium constitutes “an unconstitutional impairment of contract and a violation of substantive due process.” It also claims that the moratorium’s impact on De La Comunidad skirts both federal and state laws. The school received preliminary approval to open from the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education on Jan. 5, with state education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green having recommended passage. Under Rhode Island Department of Education regulations, a preliminary approval does not guarantee a charter school will receive the charter it needs to open. Applicants still need to complete certain financial, governance, enrollment, staffing and facilities requirements. The suit argues that De La Comunidad’s preliminary approval — even if downplayed by the General Assembly in its passage of the charter bill — created enforceable rights. The unopened school relied on the K-12 council’s tentative approval with the tacit understanding, the lawsuit argues, that a “school is given final approval to operate” once it satisfies the council’s outline conditions. “[T]he activity approved was lawful and permitted at the time of approval, and the conditions in the preliminary charter were, on their face, an invitation to perform,” the lawsuit argues. De La Comunidad had completed most of these conditions, according to the suit. The school incorporated, secured federal nonprofit status, developed financial and staffing plans, identified a possible building to operate from and obtained nearly $1.8 million in combined, conditional funding from a Charter School Program Grant, the New School Venture Fund, the Charter School Growth Fund, and the Rhode Island Education Collective. The Rhode Island Senate voting board is shown during a vote on an amendment to the charter school moratorium bill on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Broader argument over school funding The legal contest hinges largely on what rights, if any, the preliminary approval created. The value of that tentative affirmation also played into the General Assembly’s passage of the bill, which was underscored by a wider debate about how Rhode Island pays for public charter schools versus traditional district schools. The law blocks new charter approvals for the 2026-2027, 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school years and also reduces the statewide charter cap from 35 to 28. The state needs this pause, legislative supporters argued, while Rhode Island reconsiders its school funding formula. State and local per-pupil funding generally follows students when they transfer to charter schools, but districts can set aside part of that local contribution to allocate toward a district’s fixed costs — operational expenses that don’t budge easily, like building maintenance, utilities and staffing. Defending the bill ahead of its successful passage on June 10, House Education Chair Joseph McNamara said Rhode Island could no longer afford to operate these “two school systems” in tandem. But the broader argument about funding did not persuade all of McNamara’s colleagues during that floor debate, with some speaking up against the moratorium as specifically exclusionary of De La Comunidad. Charter school moratorium passes RI House, awaits clearance from a favorable Senate Rep. Leonela Felix, a Pawtucket Democrat, argued on the House floor on June 10 that the school would serve primarily students of color, and yet it would be the only school immediately impacted by the moratorium. Felix tried to recommit the bill to committee, which would subject it to an additional round of legislative review, but her effort was countered by Majority Leader Katherine Kazarian, who objected and suggested moving on to the bill’s ultimately successful vote. A day later, in the opposite chamber on the last night of the legislative session, Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz proposed an amendment to allow preliminarily approved schools to proceed with the opening process. “Preliminary approval is just that, it is preliminary,” Sen. Melissa Murray, the bill’s sponsor, said that night, urging her colleagues to reject the minority leader’s amendment. The amendment still failed despite drawing 15 votes of support — more than twice the six senators who opposed the moratorium itself. McKee was ‘Against a Moratorium Before He Was for It’ Still, the Senate had approved an earlier amendment allowing The Greene School, an existing charter school in West Greenwich, to move forward with an expansion approved the same day De La Comunidad received preliminary approval. That approvals allowed The Greene School to add 168 students, including 112 during the years covered by the moratorium. De La Comunidad would have added 140 students over the three years, and 96 more in the 2029-2030 school year. The suit characterizes McKee as dealing the final blow against De La Comunidad, despite the fact that, as one heading in the lawsuit puts it, the governor was “Against a Moratorium Before He Was for It.” McKee had expressed support for charter schools in the past. De la Comunidad leadership “met with Governor McKee to urge him to veto the Moratorium Bill,” the suit recounts, a meeting which McKee also referenced in public comments to reporters after he had signed the moratorium bill. “During their meeting, Governor McKee confirmed that De La Comunidad had been specifically targeted by the advocates of the Moratorium Bill,” the complaint reads. The complaint also focuses on opposition from Rhode Island’s two major teachers unions — the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP) and the National Education Association Rhode Island, of which Senate President Lawson is also president — as instrumental in pushing the moratorium to victory. NEARI spokesperson Stephanie Mandeville said the organization needed time to review the lawsuit before deciding whether it would be able to comment. A representative for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals did not immediately respond to a request for comment. McKee received an endorsement from the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals on Friday. McKee backed a charter school moratorium. Now a major teachers union has endorsed him. McKee’s office is leaving comment on the matter up to the courts. “Because this is now the subject of litigation, it will be addressed through the courts,” spokesperson Laura Hart said in an email, adding that McKee remained focused on educational access and pointed to school construction spending, academic gains, reduced chronic absenteeism and the addition of 21 after school learning centers planned statewide. Spokespeople for Blazejewski and Lawson said the legislative leaders had not received the complaint and referred questions to the Attorney General’s Office, which would represent them in the matter. The AG’s spokesperson, Tim Rondeau, said the office “had not yet been served with the lawsuit, but we will review once we receive it.” Victor Morente, a spokesperson for the education department, confirmed that the agency is “aware of the lawsuit,” but would stick to its “longstanding practice” of not commenting on pending litigation. The case has been assigned to Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Traffic Alert: Section of 12th Street closed in Rock Island Part of 12th Street is closed in Rock Island for roadway improvements starting Monday.
	Authors have mixed feelings about the $1.5B Anthropic copyright infringement ruling Some say the $3,100 per title payout is small compensation for what they view as big, ongoing threats from the makers of generative AI models.
	Arconic Foundation helps to eliminate $3.5 million in medical debt in the Quad-Cities More than 2,775 residents in the Quad-Cities were helped.
	‘Downwinders Clinic’ will host free meetings across Utah for RECA-eligible families A fireball rises into the sky over Nevada after the U.S. government detonated a 61-kiloton device on June 4, 1953. Nuclear weapons experiments at the Nevada Test Site spread fallout to other states, including Utah, research and records show. (Getty Images)The Intermountain Health’s Downwinders Clinic will host meetings to help inform those who may qualify for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, also known as RECA. Now that more Utah regions are eligible for payment, the clinic is making stops across the state, including some cities in the north. The RECA compensation is a $100,000 one-time payment for eligible “downwinders,” people who developed serious illnesses from nuclear weapons testing in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and New Mexico. The public information meetings are scheduled in late July and early August in St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, Logan and Ogden. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. The clinic will have applications and information available during the meetings, with discussions about the compensation process and the online portal, according to a news release from Intermountain Health. Federal lawmakers to introduce bill reauthorizing, expanding RECA “This is a free service. Come receive information regarding what new areas now qualify to apply for the RECA compensation as well as the new increased compensation amount,” the release says. Utah residents and their families — who may apply for the payment on behalf of an eligible person who has died — are encouraged to attend to have their questions answered. Intermountain Health will also offer application reviews, but only by appointment. Scheduling is available by phone at 435-251-4760. RECA has undergone expansion recently after a 2024 gap when Congress failed to reauthorize the program. However, under Congress’ spending package, downwinders who were recently diagnosed with serious illnesses, like cancer, or those who hadn’t applied for the program, can make claims. The program’s scope is broader than what was previously allowed. All of Utah is considered an affected area, meaning someone who lived in the Beehive State for a period of 12 months between 1951 to 1962, and contracted a certain type of cancer, is likely eligible for compensation. Before the expansion residents in just 10 counties in Utah were eligible for RECA, despite evidence fallout from the testing impacted the whole state. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is also working on amending the program to include individuals from all of Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Guam and Nevada, and to extend the application period which is now set to end on Dec. 31, 2027. While the claim amounts have been increased, those who have already received RECA indemnification do not qualify to receive additional payments, Downwinders Clinic meetings St. George When: Thursday, July. 30, 2026. From 4 to 5 p.m. Where: Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital Cancer Center building 7, classrooms A, B and C. 600 S. Medical Center Drive. Provo/Orem When: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. From 2 to 3 p.m. Where: Utah Valley Hospital Sorenson Tower, building 4, second floor, classrooms 1, 2 and 3. 395 Cougar Blvd. Salt Lake City When: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. From 6 to 7 p.m. Where: Intermountain Medical Center, Doty Family Education Center, building 6, West Auditorium. 5121 S. Cottonwood St. Logan When: Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. From 1 to 2 p.m. Where: Logan Public Library. 285 N. Main St. Ogden When: Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. From noon to 1 p.m. Where: McKay-Dee Hospital, Thomas Dee Auditorium. 4401 Harrison Blvd. Application reviews by appointment St George When: Friday, July 31, 2026. From 1 to 5 p.m. Where: St. George Regional Hospital Cancer Center, Downwinders Clinic Office. Murray When: Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: Intermountain Medical Center, Transformation Center, Room 103. 5026 S. State St. Ogden When: Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. From 2 to 6 p.m. Where: McKay-Dee Hospital, Thomas Dee Auditorium. 4401 Harrison Blvd. To schedule an application review appointment or for additional information, call the Downwinders Clinic at 435-251-4760. Courtesy of Utah News Dispatch
	NJ panel punts vote on health insurance increases for school workers A state panel tasked with setting healthcare rates for school workers delayed a decision Monday in anticipation of input from state Treasury officials. (Photo by Hal Brown/New Jersey Monitor)The School Employee Health Benefit Commission approved premium hikes for retirees but delayed a vote on larger increases proposed for current school workers pending a review from the state treasurer. Monday’s votes will push premiums for early retirees enrolled in the state-run plan up by 11% come January, or 6% for its retirees on Medicare. But the panel avoided a more fraught hike that would have caused school workers health premiums to rise by as much as 34%. The commission is expected to weigh an increase in active school workers’ health premiums at a meeting on Aug. 19, said Kelly Fields, the commission’s secretary. The delay comes as the School Employees Health Benefit Program grows increasingly unstable. Years of rate increases have pushed districts with healthier workers into private-market options, spurring more hikes and then more departures. The plan’s proposed rate hikes include additional increases to make up for districts that are expected to leave the plan. Joe Tappe, a vice president at state actuary Aon, said the firm expects enrollment in school workers’ plan to fall by nearly 9% in 2027. There was an 18% drop in 2026 and an 8% decrease in 2025. “We are facing a real crisis here,” Steve Beatty, president of statewide teachers union the New Jersey Education Association, told the commission. It’s not clear what might be included in the Treasury’s review. Spokespeople for the agency did not return a request for comment. The proposed rate increases are intended in part to rebuild the health plan’s reserves, which is projected to end 2026 with a negative $56 million balance. This year, the plan is aiming to build a surplus equal to one month of claims, rather than the two months sought in prior years, to reduce rate hikes. Separately, the active school worker plan is expected to borrow $70 million from retirees’ plans to continue paying claims in 2026, a fact also expected to increase plan premiums. At least some of that balance is set to be repaid in 2027, but staff with the state pension and benefits division warned that, absent legislation, the office lacks the legal authority to secure loan payments from districts that left the plan and required it to start borrowing. “The districts that remain in as of January 1 are going to be paying claims for districts that pull out, essentially,” said Commissioner Sarah Favinger, an associate director with the NJEA. New Jersey’s public-worker health plans have faced years of steep premium increases that have outpaced growth in the private market, and officials in and around state and local government have increasingly warned about the plans’ instability. Last year, the Treasury released a report that warned local government workers’ health plan — which faces similar but smaller rate increases this year — had entered a “death spiral” and that school workers’ health plan risked a similar fate. Treasury officials have repeatedly said public workers’ health plans must become less generous to become stable. On average, the state plans cover 98% of the costs associated with a healthcare visit, compared to 89% in a New Jersey benchmark Aon uses for comparisons. Annual per-employee costs were on average 88% higher under the state plans than the benchmark, the actuary said in an analysis filed earlier this month. Union officials have taken a different view, arguing that lengthy procurement timelines had allowed hospitals, pharmacy benefit managers, and others along the health insurance supply chain to drive up costs. At times, unions have sought plan design changes that would, among other things, peg the price of some services to Medicare rates. Darryl Isherwood, a spokesperson for the Treasury, said the executive branch had little ability to change school health plans’ coverage rules as a result of a 2020 law that locked in the plans’ designs until January 1, 2028, in a bid to move school workers to less costly options. “Prior to that date, the only solution available to bring down costs for members and school districts would be legislative changes to Chapter 44,” Isherwood said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of New Jersey Monitor
	Pritzker signs bills designating Emmett Till Day, requiring boater’s liability insurance Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation codifying the designation ahead of what would have been Till’s 85th birthday. It was one of 78 bills the governor signed last week.
	Audit reveals Brattleboro hospital’s multiyear budget deficit has risen to at least $30 million A crowd of about 100 people rally July 14 in support of the birthing center at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger BRATTLEBORO — As town leaders weigh a proposed municipal tax hike to help the fiscally ailing Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, administrators at the southeastern Vermont healthcare hub estimate their multiyear budget deficit has risen to at least $30 million. The hospital has yet to submit a spending plan to the state for the coming fiscal year, having missed a July 1 filing deadline and July 24 extension. But its administrators are reporting shortfalls of $16 million for the last fiscal year — four times their initial estimate, or 13% of a $119 million budget — and a projected $14.5 million for the current year, or 11% of a $130 million budget. “It has actually taken us six to seven months to finish our financial audit and figure out what the state of the finances were,” acting co-CEO Elizabeth McLarney said on the July 21 episode of the local Vermontitude webcast. “While some of this news is very shocking to people, it was because our financial reporting systems were in shambles.” McLarney and fellow acting co-CEO Tony Blofson, both doctors, became administrators last fall after former hospital President Christopher Dougherty exited without explanation in November and former Chief Financial Officer Laura Bruno departed amid similar silence in December. The hospital hasn’t publicly addressed the reasons for the changes in administration and accounting, but has acknowledged receipt of a $1 million state grant to study and help stabilize its finances. Administrators have yet to release the resulting audit, although they confirmed the deficit estimates for the last two years. They also cautioned that shortfalls date back even farther, but have yet to report an overall timeline or total. “Our multiyear losses didn’t start in 2025 and go back years,” hospital spokesperson Gina Pattison said in a statement Monday. “Our hope for FY27 and FY28 is to climb our way to a breakeven operating margin. Our budget for FY2027 will reflect a meaningful step towards that goal.” As for its state budget submission, the hospital said it was delayed “due to some logistical issues” and would be delivered later this week. In response, state regulators said they’d address the situation at an Aug. 14 hearing of the Green Mountain Care Board, which assesses and must approve budgets. To cut costs, the hospital has proposed the closure of its birthing center, which is projected to end the current fiscal year with a $4.8 million loss — one-third of an estimated $14.5 million deficit for all departments for the period that ends Sept. 30. “Declining birth volumes, rising operating costs and persistent difficulties recruiting and retaining obstetric clinicians have made the current model increasingly difficult to sustain without significant external support,” the hospital said upon announcing the center’s potential closure “within the next six to nine months.” The Brattleboro Selectboard is set to vote Tuesday on whether to schedule a special Town Meeting for Sept. 2 to debate whether to raise a yet-to-be-determined sum of tax money to aid the obstetrics unit, which is a half-hour away from its nearest counterpart in Keene, New Hampshire. The issue has sparked a July 14 rally of 100 hospital supporters as well as dozens of questions on social media, with many residents echoing the sentiment of local Facebook commenter Justin Howard: “I do support the birthing center but our taxes are plenty high.” Gov. Phil Scott has also voiced concerns about the proposed one-time municipal tax hike. READ MORE “That’s not going to fix the problems,” Scott said Thursday at his weekly press conference. Instead, Scott pointed to a recent letter by seven Vermont medical groups urging the state Agency of Human Services to help the hospital by raising Medicaid obstetric reimbursement rates to match those paid for other primary care services. “The letter is going down the right path,” said Scott, suggesting it could lead to a more sustainable solution. “We are looking into that now.” Agency of Human Services officials recently traveled to Brattleboro to meet with hospital administrators. “We have finite amounts of funding that’s available, but we’re absolutely willing to work with and will continue to work with our providers,” agency Secretary Jenney Samuelson said at Thursday’s press conference. This is the second year in a row the hospital has missed its budget submission deadline with the Green Mountain Care Board. Last summer, administrators said they were too busy dealing with their financial challenges to file on time. “Our financial condition has really interfered with preparing and submitting the documentation,” Bruno, the since-departed CFO, told regulators last August. “I’ve been fully focused on the survival of the hospital.” The care board wasn’t swayed. “It is really hard to properly evaluate your budget when we just have discrepancies, inconsistencies and unanswered questions,” replied board member Jessica Holmes, a professor of health economics and public policy at Middlebury College. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that to a hospital in the 10 years that I’ve been doing this.” Regulators went on to ask the hospital in October to recalculate its budget or risk becoming the first to receive a state-appointed monitor under a new law adopted to control costs. After administrators revised the numbers, the care board simply issued a warning in January, although it could still call for some sort of intervention during the coming budget review process. Read the story on VTDigger here: Audit reveals Brattleboro hospital’s multiyear budget deficit has risen to at least $30 million. Courtesy of VT Digger
	U.S. House candidate who lost job to DOGE campaigns on grassroots fundraising, rural Kansas issues Lauren Reinhold answers questions during a Dec. 26, 2025, interview in Lawrence. As a candidate to represent western and parts of eastern Kansas in the U.S. House, she opposes Colin McRoberts in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary election. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)LAWRENCE — Democratic candidate Lauren Reinhold decided to run for Congress in Kansas after the Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Government Efficiency — better known as DOGE — eliminated her federal position. “It wasn’t about me losing my job,” she said. “It was about my commitment and faith in federal government, and watching what they did to break it.” Reinhold and Colin McRoberts, both Lawrence attorneys, are challenging each other for the Democratic nomination in the state’s 1st Congressional District in the Aug. 4 primary. The Democratic nominee is likely to face an uphill battle against Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of Salina, who is seeking a fourth term in a district he has handily won since 2020. Mann is also facing GOP primary opponent, Craig Musser of Ellinwood. Reinhold has traveled 20,000 miles crisscrossing much of the state so far, she said, focusing on rural counties. The 1st Congressional District includes rural, western Kansas with an arm that stretches to Lawrence in the east. She said gerrymandering to maintain a GOP seat has divided the district. So, she ventures far from the largely Democratic city of Lawrence, despite facing conservative voters’ skepticism of a candidate from liberal Lawrence. “The best thing I can do is just gain trust and listen and say, ‘I’m dealing with the same crap you are,’ ” she said. “I lost my job. My 401(k) is dwindling.” Anticorporate upbringing, career, campaign Reinhold worked for several years in the U.S. Social Security Administration from Kansas, first as an attorney and then as a human resources administrator. DOGE cuts to the Social Security Administration in 2025 slashed her job. Before her federal roles, she specialized in immigration law under her private practice. For two years she served as an officer in her federal employee union chapter. She received her law degree from the University of Kansas. Her parents, both government workers at one time, raised her in Topeka, Kansas City and St. Louis. “My dad represented unions as an attorney for many, many years,” she said. “I come from a background of fighting for people.” Reinhold promised potential voters to fight corporate interests if elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Her plan involves strengthening unions and reversing tax advantages established by the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, particularly the tax cut program for private school donors Kansas joined in 2026. “The rich are not paying their share of taxes,” she said. “We need to tax capital gains, corporations that pay their CEOs outrageously and rich wage earners.” Without corporate connections, something she said Mann and her primary opponent both have that she doesn’t, her campaign runs on grassroots fundraising, she said. She also said she has not accepted any corporate PAC money for her campaign. McRoberts said he hasn’t either. “I was the very first candidate in Kansas to sign the Political Integrity Pledge promising to reject corporate PAC money,” he said in an email. “Every dollar we’ve raised came from individual donors, giving under $100 on average. With their support, not corporate money, we’re leading Democratic fundraising in the district by a very large margin.” Mann and his campaign did not respond to requests for comment. On immigration, tariffs, housing, small towns While working as an immigration attorney years ago, Reinhold said she was never a big fan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But, she said, ICE has grown out of control under President Donald Trump’s leadership. This summer, ICE officers have tried to employ a new Kansas law to block observers from videotaping their crackdowns in the state. This year, federal agents have killed people in Maine, Minnesota and Texas, and shot at even more across the country. Reinhold blamed Congress. “ICE is wildly veering all over everybody in this country, rather than staying in its lane,” she said. “This is a perfect example of where Congress has abdicated their power. The House of Representatives has the power of investigation and holding ICE to account.” She also blamed the president and Mann’s loyalty to him. “Tracy Mann is just a rubber stamp for Trump,” she said. “He does whatever Trump wants.” Congress should stand up to Trump’s administration, Reinhold said. To her, that means fighting tariffs, particularly for farmers in rural Kansas facing rising costs and falling crop prices. “Congress has let this presidential administration take control of tariffs,” she said. “We have really, arguably, the weakest Congress probably ever.” As someone who switched from owning a home to renting, Reinhold said she feels the housing crisis. “I’m at the mercy of my landlord who keeps hiking the rent, and it’s eaten into my budget, and it’s eaten into so many people’s budget,” she said. “We need to build more affordable housing.” Strengthening the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, she said, will lead to subsidized affordable housing. And, she added, so will tax reform. “All these issues — healthcare, housing — they need to be addressed aggressively,” she said. “And we can afford it. You know how we can afford it? Tax the rich. Period.” Much of the focus, Reinhold said, needs to be on small towns. A major part of her platform is a plan to support infrastructure deals advantageous to rural communities. She said infrastructure laws – such as the Biden administration’s bipartisan law that spent $1.2 trillion on roads, bridges, public transit and broadband internet access – often benefit urban areas the most. “In the meantime, we have schools in rural Kansas in serious disrepair, hospitals in disrepair,” she said. “Communities needing water, sewer upgrades that they can’t afford. We have roads out there that are flat-out dangerous.” So, she said, she will continue on the western Kansas campaign trail. Accusing Mann of neglecting rural areas, Reinhold mentioned her next stop would be his hometown of Quinter. “I can’t wait to learn about Quinter,” she said, “and learn what people there think about their hometown boy and what he’s doing for our rural communities.” “That county has 120 registered Democrats,” she added. “I texted all 120 of them to let them know about the forum.” Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Arconic Foundation wipes millions in medical debt in its communities The company's charitable arm partnered with Undue Medical Debt to erase nearly $30 million in medical debt for those living in communities near Arconic facilities.
	Geneseo house struck by vehicle Police say a house was hit by a vehicle on North Chicago Street in Geneseo on Monday morning.
	$3.5M in medical debt bought, eliminated in Quad Cities The Arconic Foundation teamed up with Undue Medical Debt to erase $3.5 million in medical debt for 2,775 people across the Quad Cities region.
	Abortion returns to southwest Missouri after more than two decades without local access The Planned Parenthood clinic in Springfield began offering medication abortion appointments on Monday after the city went more than 20 years without a local provider (photo submitted).It’s been nearly 21 years since Missourians living in Springfield could access abortion without driving at least a couple hours. That ended Monday. The city’s Planned Parenthood clinic began offering medication abortion this week, ending a stretch that started in October 2005, when Springfield Healthcare Center closed after three decades in business and left southwest Missouri without an abortion provider. The Springfield location is the fifth Planned Parenthood clinic to begin offering the medication after a June court decision struck down several abortion regulations as unconstitutional, opening the door to in-clinic medication abortion access again in Missouri for the first time since 2018. Medication abortion appointments at the clinic can be made up to 12 weeks into pregnancy. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US “Everyone deserves to have access to abortion care close to home,” Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said in a statement. ” … Too many people struggle to get time off work or save up money to travel, and it impacts their ability to access timely care. That’s why it has been a top priority for (Planned Parenthood Great Rivers) to expand access in the Missouri Ozarks.” Medication abortion is the most common method for ending pregnancy in the United States, used in about two-thirds of abortions. Federal challenges to the mifepristone, including efforts spearheaded by Missouri leaders, are ongoing. Abortion has been legal in Missouri since November 2024, when voters approved a reproductive-rights amendment protecting abortion up to the point of fetal viability. This fall, voters will be asked if they want to reinstate an abortion ban after lawmakers voted to place a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot that would ban the procedure with limited exceptions for survivors of rape and incest and for medical emergencies. “This is this is very distressing news,” said Sam Lee, a longtime anti-abortion advocate and lobbyist. “Because of the passage of the amendment in 2024 and the ruling by Judge (Jerri) Zhang last month, it’s clear that Planned Parenthood is greatly expanding their abortion activity, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they start doing abortions at even more clinics in Missouri. This is why it’s absolutely essential that we pass Amendment 3 in November.” Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a notice of intent to appeal the June decision striking down dozens of state regulations on abortion providers — known as TRAP laws, or “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws — as medically unnecessary. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri also filed an intent to appeal the remaining upheld regulations. Springfield Healthcare Center, a for-profit clinic that offered abortion services, closed Oct. 20, 2005, after about 30 years in business. The closure came weeks after then-Gov. Matt Blunt signed a special-session bill requiring abortion providers to hold admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles, though the administrator said the two were unrelated. Expanded pain management options The Springfield clinic this week also began offering nitrous oxide to help manage pain during the placement of intrauterine devices as well as for procedures such as biopsies, colposcopies, vasectomies and cancer screenings. This clinic does not currently perform procedural abortions. Baum said the decision to add nitrous oxide was driven largely by provider and patient feedback at the Springfield office. The inhaled gas does not have long-term sedation effects, so patients are safe to drive themselves home immediately after the procedure. When it came time for Ashley Mann, 41, of Springfield, to have her IUD replaced last spring, she kept replaying her experience 10 years prior at a clinic in her hometown. Mann said she was advised to take ibuprofen prior to the appointment, but she wasn’t offered any other options. The extreme cramping started during the placement and continued for hours after. “I was cramping and crying and in tears as I was driving home,” she said. This time, hoping to keep her anxiety at bay, she was determined to find a provider with more pain management options. A few months ago, Mann called the Planned Parenthood clinic in Springfield and was told they couldn’t provide what she was looking for. She also called Mercy Hospital Springfield and was told they could give her valium. As a self-pay patient, Mann said she was quoted $1,200 to have the procedure done at Planned Parenthood and $1,900 to have it done at the hospital. Around the same time, she and her husband, who both work remotely, planned a trip to Amsterdam. Mann wondered if she could get a new IUD in the Netherlands instead. In May, while on a working vacation, she paid 160 euros to get her new birth control placed. This included lidocaine spray followed by an injection to numb her cervix. “If you know it’s gonna be painful and you have the ability to prevent some kind of suffering, like, why wouldn’t you want to do that?” she said. Now, two months later, Mann’s local Planned Parenthood clinic in Springfield offers some of the relief she was seeking. Each person’s experience with an IUD placement is different. Whether and how they experience discomfort or pain can depend on their genetics, medical and surgical history, and history of trauma. A doctor holding T-shaped intrauterine birth control device (Getty Images). “There’s just a falsehood that there’s a dichotomy in terms of, ‘oh, it’s excruciating pain or it’s nothing,’” said Dr. Catherine Cansino, an OB-GYN and complex family planning specialist in California and a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “ When in reality, people experience pain very differently, and in the same way, the effects of an anesthetic can address their pain in varying ways.” Cansino has placed countless IUDs. In the past few years, she’s increasingly heard from patients requesting pain relief. But expansion of options can be slow-going. “Really it comes down to ‘how can we better address the pain that women experience, the discomfort that women experience?’” she said. “Don’t even get me started about the speculum, right? I mean, we just have very limited options.” Last year, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released new guidance for pain management options for in-office uterine and cervical procedures. The year prior, the CDC released similar advice. “There is an urgent need for clinicians to better understand pain management options and recognize and address patient pain, and for patients to have more autonomy over pain control options for their health care,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidance reads. In recent years, there’s been a growing chorus of women sharing their experiences on social media and asking providers for options to help navigate any pain they might experience. Springfield patients still have fewer choices than those at Planned Parenthood’s clinic in St. Louis’ Central West End, about 200 miles northeast. When a judge’s initial order last year allowed Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri to resume procedural abortions for the first time since 2022, it also opened the door for expanded pain management options for non-abortion care there. Now staffed with a nurse trained in procedures involving anesthetics, the Central West End clinic began offering IV sedation for patients seeking other reproductive healthcare, such as the placement of IUDs. Basic options — breathing techniques and ibuprofen — are available at most providers. In St. Louis, patients can also choose local anesthetic that requires an injection that numbs the cervix, oral prescription medication, or, now, IV sedation. A patient can also be fully sedated in an operating room. It’s more rare, and more expensive, but Baum said the clinic can often help cover the expense when needed. Missouri maternal deaths remain mostly preventable, sixth state report finds The Planned Parenthood affiliate has offered IV sedation at its Fairview Heights clinic in Illinois, where abortion has long been legal, since 2024. Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in the Kansas City area and in Columbia, offers pain management options including lidocaine and Valium. The most important part of this change, Baum said, is giving patients some choice over how the procedure plays out. Baum said she once had a patient who needed a colposcopy, or an in-depth exam of the cervix. Afterward, the patient said she never wanted to get another exam because of how painful it was. Now Baum can call that patient back and offer the exam again, this time with sedation. In Missouri, where she has worked as a doctor and abortion provider for decades, Baum said she thinks about the future of healthcare access for her patients “every day.” “We are eager to expand, we are eager to provide all of the services to people,” she said. “We have to keep in mind resources. When we expand, we have to think ‘is this going to change again?’” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Missouri Independent
	Full Interview: Dr. Amy Novak discusses meeting with Pope Leo Dr. Novak is the president of St. Ambrose University and Mount Mercy University. She joined The Current to share what Pope Leo had to say during their meeting.
	The starter kit for your child’s first smartwatch The starter kit for your child’s first smartwatchParents are asking a different question than they did just a few years ago. Instead of wondering when a child is ready for a smartphone, many are seeking a way to introduce connected technology without immediately handing over a full smartphone with social media, unrestricted internet access and constant notifications.As Verizon explains below, families aren’t seeking more technology. They’re seeking a way to help children gradually build the skills they’ll eventually need to use it responsibly.For some families, a kid’s smartwatch can provide that middle ground. These devices emphasize communication and parent-managed features over social media and open internet access.Ultimately, though, a child’s first connected device isn’t about the device itself. It’s about the habits children begin building from day one.The first few days matterThe first few days with a smartwatch often shape how children will use it going forward. Spend that time practicing simple routines like making calls and sending messages.Those early experiences establish that the watch is a communication tool first and foremost. They also help children build the habits of checking in, asking for help and staying connected as they become more independent.Then, introduce location sharingLocation sharing often becomes less about the technology than about what children believe it represents. When families explain that it’s meant to help everyone reconnect if plans change—not to monitor every movement—children are more likely to think of it as a shared safety tool rather than a sign that they haven’t earned trust.That conversation can evolve as children begin walking home from school, attending sleepovers or spending more time with friends.Practice how they should use the watch in an emergencyChildren often learn how to use technology before they learn how to respond in an emergency. Practicing what to do if they become separated from family, how to identify trusted adults and how to communicate clearly under stress helps prepare them long before those skills are needed.Make the routine matter as much as the device doesA child’s first connected device also introduces new family routines. Setting expectations around family meals, homework and bedtime reinforces that technology has its place but doesn’t need to be part of every moment.Children also notice what adults do. Parents who put their own devices away during family time model the habits they’re hoping to teach.A first smartwatch can become a lesson in responsibilityLearning to use a connected device responsibly also means learning to care for it. Charging the watch, answering calls and texts, and keeping track of it are small responsibilities that reinforce a much bigger lesson: Technology comes with responsibilities as well as privileges.Over time, those everyday habits help children build the digital responsibility they’ll need long after they transition to a smartphone.This article was produced by Verizon’s Parenting in a Digital World and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	John's colleague told him he didn't belong. It was just what he needed to hear John Moe was languishing at his job when a woman in HR reminded him of his potential.
	New genetic approaches raise hopes for restoring the American chestnut to its former glory The American chestnut tree was a dominant and iconic species in many Appalachian forests until it was devastated by an introduced fungus from Asia called chestnut blight. Healthy American chestnuts were giants in the forest. Forest History Society, Durham, N.C. A majestic forest tree, an American chestnut was typically 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 meters) in height, but could grow as tall as 150 feet (45 meters) over its several-hundred-year lifespan. Its leafy canopy provided shade and beauty from Maine to Mississippi. The chestnuts it produced had helped to nourish wildlife, Indigenous peoples and European settlers alike. Its rot-resistant wood was also prized for lumber. People first noticed the blight fungus in New York City in 1904, when it began killing trees at the Bronx Zoo. Over subsequent decades, it spread south and east through the chestnut’s range, killing nearly every mature tree in its path. A ghost forest of blighted American chestnuts. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division Chestnut lovers, foresters and scientists – many under the umbrella of the American Chestnut Foundation – have been working for about a century to bring the trees back. The main strategy has been the use of conventional crossbreeding methods to create blight-resistant varieties. Resistance is exceedingly rare in the American chestnut itself. So breeders have relied on hybridization, crossing the American chestnut with the naturally resistant Asian chestnut by putting pollen from one into the flowers of the other. They recross the hybrids with American chestnut and pick out offspring that are blight-resistant and look like American chestnuts in growth and form. However, progress had been limited. More recently, scientists have learned more about the tree’s genome – its complete set of DNA – including how its genes are expressed, interact and give rise to traits. Now, researchers are turning to genome science for new strategies for chestnut restoration. I am a forest biotechnologist who has been studying and teaching about the genetics and engineering of forest trees and other plants for more than 40 years. My laboratory has been using genomic methods, and developing gene transfer and editing methods, for a variety of tree species, including the American chestnut. Our goal is to develop improved genetic transformation techniques to facilitate the restoration of American chestnuts to their dominant role in Eastern forests. OXO excites, then disappoints The first major genetic engineering approach focused on inserting a single gene from bread wheat into the American chestnut. This gene encodes a protein called OXO, short for oxalate oxidase, which breaks down oxalic acid, the fungus’s key weapon for invading and killing plant tissues. For about 20 years, it appeared the OXO gene could produce fully blight-resistant and healthy chestnuts. This work was pioneered by the late William Powell and his colleagues in the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at the State University of New York in Syracuse. Unfortunately, recent field results suggest that this approach is not working as well as hoped. Many of the trees with the OXO gene unexpectedly developed large abnormal growths called galls, grew slower and showed other symptoms of poor health. Although work to expand and refine the OXO approach continues, new methods and insights from the ongoing genomics revolution in biology have provided new options. Genomics is helping in two distinct ways Scientists using genome-guided breeding can rapidly identify thousands of DNA segments that, when used together, can predict blight resistance in young, healthy plants. Then researchers can choose individual trees for making crosses, and for field testing, that have genomes that contain those same DNA segments. This method enables much faster breeding progress, as breeders can quickly zero in on the best parent trees and progeny, rather than waiting five or more years for the baby tree to grow to see how it fares against the blight. By improving the precision of field studies and disease evaluation, it can save time and money. An ‘omics’ approach looks at the genes, the mRNA transcripts and the proteins that the transcripts direct the cell to make. Rujirat Boonyong/iStock via Getty Images Plus The second genomic approach, often just called “omics,” focuses not just on DNA segments, but on genes and what they do. The goal is to figure out how the presence or absence of a particular gene, the matching mRNA transcripts or cellular biochemicals that a gene codes for relates to blight resistance. Scientists have now identified numerous genes and expressed molecules that are statistically associated with blight resistance in Asian chestnuts. These are logical targets for genetic transformation approaches – that is, using genetic engineering methods to modify naturally occurring genes or introduce genes from one organism into another. My lab has been practicing these techniques for many years in poplars, eucalypts, hops and, recently, chestnut. The goal is to insert genes from Asian chestnuts, or modify American chestnut genes to act more like those in Asian chestnuts. Genomics-informed studies have been carried on in a modest way for some time, but they are poised to expand rapidly given all the new genomics-informed leads now in hand, together with highly efficient gene-editing technologies like CRISPR. There are also some surviving large American chestnuts, some of which have heritable blight resistance. Genomic studies of these rare survivors can provide additional insight into the critical genes and processes keeping them healthy, potentially informing both genome-guided breeding and transformation approaches. American chestnut shoots propagated in tissue culture, ready for use in transformation experiments. Steven Strauss Challenges beyond the science From a scientific viewpoint, genomics-guided breeding and genetic transformation approaches are complementary technologies. The former integrates easily into conventional breeding because it’s just another way to choose parents for crossing and field testing. Transformation approaches enable researchers to create or refine novel mechanisms that are not easily accessible by simple breeding. In practice, however, both tactics add significant costs to conventional breeding. To make matters worse, transformation approaches also face two additional noneconomic barriers to adoption. First, for reasons scientists don’t yet understand, chestnut remains technically challenging to genetically transform. It is often hard to insert genes into chestnut cells; and even once the DNA is in cells, it can be very difficult to get those modified cells to develop into normal plants. Another limiting factor is that most previous transformation approaches have relied on tissues from developing seeds that are only available during limited times of the year and require very specialized culturing methods. My lab is currently working on a new and hopefully more efficient approach that we hope will mitigate this bottleneck. Researchers pollinate flowers on American chestnut trees at a field research station. Lauren Petracca/The Washington Post via Getty Images via The Conversation Genetic transformation approaches also face major social barriers in the form of government regulations. Though any kind of chestnut hybrid can be grown in the field freely, those produced with most transformation methods – even when using chestnut genes as the “active ingredients” – cannot. Transformation-modified trees require strict containment and federal inspections during field studies. Pollen or seed movement – which are very difficult to restrict from mature trees – would violate federal guidelines. Limits on field trials are likely one of the reasons that the problems with OXO were not revealed for many years. The Agriculture Department has recently begun considering regulatory changes that I hope lead to regulations more in line with consensus scientific advice about genetically engineered crops; these should ease the burdens of conducting field tests. But similar moves over past decades have failed or been reversed due to legal challenges. Market restrictions also come into play. All the major green certifiers, such as the Forest Stewardship Council, do not allow any materials that result from transformation approaches in certified forest products. These prohibitions on gene editing and transfer reduce the land area where trees created with transformation approaches could be grown, and dampen interest in associated research. As a scientist, I hope that the barriers to transformation approaches for chestnut, which also apply to the many other forest trees under threat from exotic pathogens and climate stresses, fade. Genomic methods in all their forms have the potential to help protect and restore forests. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Steve Strauss, Oregon State University Read more: New genetically engineered American chestnut will help restore the decimated, iconic tree Can genetic engineering save disappearing forests? Nobel Prize for CRISPR honors two great scientists – and leaves out many others Steve Strauss' laboratory at Oregon State University receives research (not personal) funding from a variety of industry and government organizations, including the National Science Foundation, USDA, and DOE, to advance the science and methods relevant to plant and tree biotechnology. He has also consulted with The American Chestnut Foundation and supervised grant reviews for chestnut related studies under The former Forest Health Initiative (https://2017-2019.archive.usendowment.org/what-we-do/forest-health/forest-health-initiative/).
	Jimothy the raccoon survived against the odds, a testament to sophisticated brains and devoted mothers As a neuroscientist who studies raccoon and rats, I see the viral story of Jimothy the raccoon as a compelling tale of an animal overcoming disability and surviving in the wild. Jimothy, the unique-looking raccoon living in Seattle, became an internet celebrity over the course of a week in July 2026, thanks to a viral Instagram post that has amassed millions of views and thousands of comments cheering for the proverbial underdog. Jimothy has even been honored with a city proclamation. Something about him was obviously different. His body and tail were unusually short, and his back was curved. Although Jimothy hasn’t been officially examined by a veterinarian, he’s thought to have a form of a rare cervical vertebral malformation called short spine syndrome. A handful of cases have been seen in dogs. These animals are born with a condition that prevents their vertebrae from fully developing. With less physical space in the body, organs are crowded into a smaller space than usual and can lead to mobility issues. Adaptations are necessary for these animals to navigate their environments and secure the necessary resources for survival. How did Jimothy overcome the odds and emerge as a survivor? The sophisticated raccoon brain Although it’s easy to imagine a pet dog that’s under the close care of human pet parents surviving a challenging condition such as short spine syndrome – the probability of a disabled or injured wild animal successfully living in the uncertain outdoors is a different story. Even for healthy raccoon, it’s a challenge to survive the harrowing time of being a helpless newborn. Up to half of young kits die without emerging from the natal den. If an individual raccoon is among the fortunate to leave the den as a young adult, life’s challenges don’t stop there. Typically there are no safe zones that are reliably protected from predators. To survive, raccoon have to be vigilant, persistent and physically agile to navigate the physical and mental challenges of life in the wild. In fact, it’s so dangerous out in the wild that many raccoon only live two to five years, even though they have the capacity to live for around 12 years in captivity. It’s difficult to imagine how Jimothy has navigated life’s challenging terrain to survive in the wild. However, if any mammal can transcend the limitations of a disability, raccoon would be at the top of my list. The dexterity of raccoon hands enables their humanlike escapades. Zocha_K/iStock via Getty Images Plus Very few studies have been conducted on the raccoon brain, but my lab’s limited research has revealed the neuroarchitecture of a complex and sophisticated brain. Raccoon have exceptionally high neuron densities, resembling those of small primates. More neurons lead to greater flexibility in behavior, a characteristic that is likely facilitating Jimothy’s survival. My team also identified the presence of specialized and fast-conducting brain cells called von Economo neurons, which are typically located in the areas of the brain involved in emotional, social and internal processing in people. And perhaps the neuroevolutionary pièce de résistance of the raccoon: their hands. The forepaws of raccoon are extremely dexterous and sensitive, and occupy a large portion of their brain’s motor cortex, like that of people. This investment in hand movement takes raccoon learning abilities to the next level – explaining why Toronto paid roughly US$24 million to develop raccoon-proof trash bins. These brain capabilities likely give Jimothy some neural backup as he navigates narrow fences, climbs trees, searches for food and scopes out places for rest and refuge. Jimothy’s mom as hero Equally impressive as Jimothy’s own adaptations is the continuous care provided by his mother. As challenging as the raccoon mother’s role is while raising her young, raising a kit with special needs likely requires extra energy and patience. For raccoon families, the mother is very much a single parent. Not only does she not have help from the father, but she often moves the litter to different dens to escape the threat of males potentially harming the kits. She also needs to be an efficient forager to prevent excessive time away from her vulnerable offspring. Unlike many mammals whose young become independent soon after weaning, raccoon mothers continue taking care of their kits for much longer. Although nursing typically ends around 16 weeks, raccoon youngsters often remain with their moms for up to nine months. From weaning to leaving the natal den, maternal raccoon take their family through something like homeschooling. Raccoon moms teach their children the ropes. milehightraveler/E+ via Getty Images via The Conversation One of my favorite examples appears in the PBS documentary “Raccoon Nation,” where a raccoon mom takes her kits on a field trip to teach them how to collapse their spines to slide past a wooden garage door. For hours, she models the behavior for her young – then observes their attempts, catching them when they fall and nudging them to try again. It’s apparent that Jimothy’s mother was no exception to the prototypical raccoon mother – serving as nurturer, protector and teacher. Based on the videos of older Jimothy running across a field, navigating fences and exploring his world, it appears that his mom’s hard work resulted in a remarkable return on her investment. Evolutionary perseverance Even though the odds were stacked against Jimothy from the day of his birth, he persevered. Jimothy is being celebrated for being different. But, in my opinion, the most interesting aspects of his story are two remarkable evolutionary achievements that all mammals share: a brain capable of adapting to an imperfect body and other life challenges, and a patient and caring mother or guardian who translates her offspring’s capabilities into abilities. Jimothy’s mom celebrated his value long before his video debut and viral following. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Kelly Lambert, University of Richmond Read more: Raccoons break into liquor stores, scale skyscrapers and pick locks – studying their clever brains can clarify human intelligence, too I’m a neuroscientist who taught rats to drive − their joy suggests how anticipating fun can enrich human life 3‑legged lizards can thrive against all odds, challenging assumptions about how evolution works in the wild Kelly Lambert does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
	Driver killed, officer stabbed in western Iowa Iowa DCI is investigating after a Jefferson officer shot a fleeing driver who crashed in a ditch and then stabbed the officer in the face Sunday.
	How the 2026 World Cup shifted sleep, stress, and activity across the globe, according to Oura data How the 2026 World Cup shifted sleep, stress, and activity across the globe, according to Oura dataFrom June 11 to July 19 this summer, millions of fans around the globe tuned in to support their countries in the 2026 World Cup. And while the drama unfolded on screen, Oura Ring was tracking another story right on its members’ fingers.Oura’s data science team analyzed de-identified, aggregate Oura member data from competing countries to see how the tournament shifted real-world health metrics—from late-night bedtimes to physiological stress spikes.Explore the toll that nail-biting football matches took on Oura members’ metrics, below.1. Midnight Matches = Late BedtimesWhen the stakes are high, sleep takes a backseat. Dramatic, late-finishing knockout matches pushed median bedtimes drastically later than baseline across multiple time zones:Norway: Following their heartbreaking quarterfinal loss to England, Norwegian members stayed up until an average of 2:20 a.m.—a massive +170-minute shift from baseline, the single largest bedtime delay in the dataset.Argentina: Fans pushing through the high-octane semifinal against England saw their bedtime delayed to 1:58 a.m. (+133 minutes).Spain: On the night of the Final, Spanish members pushed bedtime back by +80 minutes, turning in around 1:12 a.m.England: Celebrating their quarterfinal victory over Norway delayed bedtimes to 12:49 a.m. (+104 minutes).2. Match Days Trigger Physiological StressFootball brings joy, as well as nerves. Oura’s Daytime Stress feature tracked significant spikes in Stressed Duration on match days—even when teams won. Oura 3. The Heartbreak HangoverOura data revealed that deep tournament runs gradually erode physical recovery, and an elimination match delivers a full-body toll the following morning. Norway’s quarterfinal departure was a textbook example of the physiological “heartbreak hangover”:Sleep quality drops: Norwegian members’ average sleep score fell 9% below baseline.Nervous system strain: Heart rate variability (HRV) decreased by 12%, while resting heart rate (RHR) increased by 4%.Readiness penalty: Overall readiness score dropped by 10% the morning after.Throughout their tournament run, Norwegian members saw their readiness steadily decline as the matches grew more intense, culminating in a perfect storm of late sleep, elevated heart rates, and lower recovery scores.4. Excitement Drives Step CountsIt wasn’t all sedentary couch-watching. The nervous energy and match-day celebrations translated into noticeable spikes in physical activity. Across almost every country analyzed, daily step counts on Oura rose by 8% to 25% on game days.Norway: Steps jumped 25% on the day of their quarterfinal match.Brazil: Opening-match excitement drove steps up by 23%.Colombia: Match day against Portugal pushed step counts up by 22%.Switzerland: The tournament opener saw a 21% boost in daily movement.Methodology: How Oura Analyzed the DataWho: Oura members across competing nations (data included country-days with at least 500 members).The baseline: Each member’s pretournament average from May 18 to June 10, 2026.The timing: Match day metrics captured activity score, steps, and stressed duration. Night after metrics captured sleep score, sleep duration, bedtime, HRV, resting heart rate (RHR), and readiness score.Bouncing Back After Big EventsWhether you are pacing your living room during extra time or staying up late to watch the trophy lift, major events test your body’s limits.Follow these tips to bring your body back to balance.Take time to wind down before bed: Give yourself 30 minutes without screens to reduce daytime stress before sleep.Stay hydrated: Elevated heart rates overnight are often compounded by celebratory drinks or salty game-day snacks.Listen to your body: Take an easy rest day when your HRV dips and your heart rate spikes—your body needs time to reset after emotional highs and lows.This story was produced by Oura and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Bettendorf dad 3D printing mobility trainers for local children in need So far, Anthony Duran has completed and delivered three chairs, with two more close to finished.
	Boil order issued for part of Monmouth Part of Monmouth is under a boil order Monday afternoon.
	Boil order issued for parts of Monmouth The Monmouth Public Works Department has issued a boil water order for part of the citydue to a large water main break. Affected areas include the area north of Broadway, south of Detroit Ave., roughly between B St. and Main St. The area also includes the blocks along Clinton Ave., Boston Ave. and Archer Ave. [...]
	Culver's in LeClaire to hold grand opening Culver's will open its doors in LeClaire with a ribbon-cutting on Aug. 10.
	Quad Cities Community Foundation awards $147,600 in operational grants The Quad Cities Community Foundation awarded more than $147,000 total in operational grants to nine local nonprofit organizations.
	McKee backed a charter school moratorium. Now a major teachers union has endorsed him. Gov. Dan McKee, left, and his Democratic rival Helena Buoanno Foulkes, right, have scored respective wins securing endorsements from various unions. (Photos by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)Five weeks after Gov. Dan McKee signed into law a controversial bill temporarily banning new charter schools — departing from his own past support for charter schools — the payoff has come through for his reelection campaign. The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP) endorsed McKee in an announcement Friday. The backing of the 12,000-member teachers union marks a significant gain for McKee’s reelection campaign after the state party and the Rhode Island AFL-CIO declined to endorse a gubernatorial candidate, a move seen as a snub to a sitting governor. McKee trailed challenger Helena Buonanno Foulkes by double digits in the most recent public polling in May, and was outfundraised by Foulkes by a more than 2-to-1 margin as of March 31. Second-quarter campaign finance reports must be submitted to the state elections board by Friday night. “This could be a plus for the governor,” Joe Fleming, WPRI TV-12 political analyst, said in an interview Monday. “He needs some momentum.” The teachers union did not back McKee in 2022, instead endorsing Nellie Gorbea, one of three Democratic challengers in a five-way primary that also featured Foulkes. Foulkes finished second, losing to McKee by 3 percentage points, while Gorbea, the former secretary of state, came in third, another 3 points behind Foulkes. McKee’s recent actions, including signing the three-year charter school moratorium bill this year, a key priority for teachers unions, show his “willingness to work with educators and take meaningful action to strengthen Rhode Island’s public schools,” the federation said in a statement. The union also cited McKee’s approval on legislation limiting state intervention in local school districts, and his signature after-hours community learning program, Learn365, as other reasons for its endorsement. “Our members don’t expect to agree with every governor on every issue,” President Maribeth Calabro said in a statement. “What matters is whether a governor listens, engages in good faith, and is willing to act when it counts. Governor McKee has demonstrated that by signing important legislation that protects public education and supports local school communities.” More information, including the vote breakdown among union members, was not immediately available. A dual-language K-12 charter school that received preliminary, but not final, approval and is now subject to the three-year ban, sued McKee and state lawmakers Monday. In announcing the 55-page federal lawsuit, leaders of De La Comunidad Bilingual Public Charter School called McKee’s signature on the bill a political move to win support from the teachers unions in his reelection campaign. Quotation This could be a plus for the governor. He needs some momentum. – Joe Fleming, WPRI TV-12 political analyst The equally large and influential National Education Association of Rhode Island — the other major state teachers union that also has 12,000 members — has not announced its endorsements yet. Its president, Sen. Valarie Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, is also the leader of the Rhode Island Senate. Both teachers unions represent a mix of public school teachers and higher education faculty throughout the state, and often collaborate in Rhode Island to advocate for state funding, pension adjustments and curriculum changes. The federation features the over 2,000-member Providence Teachers Union along with faculty at Rhode Island College, Bryant University, and the Brown University Graduate Labor Organization. The association features public school teachers and support staff in mostly suburban and rural school districts, and faculty and graduate workers at Roger Williams University and the University of Rhode Island. The association endorsed McKee in 2022. Fleming thought it likely the association would again endorse McKee this year given his recent approval of the charter school moratorium and his administration’s recommendation to return the Providence Public School District to local control. The association’s political action committee is expected to make endorsements by the middle of this week, Stephanie Mandeville, an association spokesperson, said in an email Monday. The committee’s decision incorporates results from a candidate survey and screening interviews with candidates seeking endorsements, which are determined by a simple majority vote among members, Mandeville added. The association’s political action committee donated $500 to McKee in January, according to campaign finance reports. Foulkes is unlikely to receive, or expect, an endorsement from the teachers union; she said publicly she would have vetoed the charter school moratorium bill. “It’s not a loss for her if McKee gets the teachers unions,” Fleming said. “But it’s a win for him if he does.” Angelika Pelligrino, a spokesperson for Foulkes’ campaign, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There’s more than bragging rights on the line. The large membership of both teachers unions could make the difference in the Sept. 9 primary if rank-and-file members turn out at the polls, Fleming said. But, Foulkes has her own roster of union supporters, including the 12,000-member SEIU State Council and the Rhode Island Troopers Association. McKee was previously endorsed by the Rhode Island Council 94 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the United Nurses and Allied Professionals, and General Teamsters Local 251. “It’s clear the unions are not united in their support for one candidate or another,” Fleming said. The divisions are evidenced by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO’s recent decision to stay neutral in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, the first time in decades that the leading state labor federation has not backed a Democratic incumbent in the governor’s race. The Rhode Island Democratic Party opted not endorse a gubernatorial candidate at its state party convention in June. But Foulkes has received strong support among local Democratic party leaders. On Monday, she picked up the endorsement from the Newport Democratic City Committee, having already won the backing of 13 other local party committees — including in McKee’s hometown of Cumberland. Advocacy groups are also weighing in, with Planned Parenthood Votes! Rhode Island, the lobbying and political arm of the reproductive services group, backing McKee last week, while Foulkes picked up the endorsement from the Providence Streets Coalition. The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence declined to make an endorsement in the gubernatorial race, though the gun safety group endorsed Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos in her reelection bid and Rep. Jason Knight for attorney general. The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals backed Xay Khamsyvoravong in the Democratic lieutenant governor’s race, and Keith Hoffmann in the attorney general primary. The Democratic primary for lieutenant governor also includes former state Sen. Cindy Coyne and Providence City Councilor Sue AnderBois. The Democratic primary for the open attorney general’s seat also includes Kim Ahern and Rep. Joe Solomon Jr. Early voting begins Aug. 20 for the Sept. 9 primary. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	YWCA Quad Cities expands preschool program YWCA Quad Cities announced its Early Learning Academy is expanding by opening an additional preschool classroom. According to a release from YWCA Quad Cities: Through collaboration with the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education, the new classroom will operate as a Preschool for All (PFA) program, offering high-quality early childhood education to children aged [...]
	Don’t create political theater — fund the Medicaid fraud fighters Iowa's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates abuse, neglect and financial fraud affecting Medicaid beneficiaries. (Photo illustration using images from the State of Iowa and Getty Images) With the 2026 election approaching, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird have unveiled a new priority: cracking down on Medicaid fraud. That comes as a big surprise to those of us who know the system and have actually fought Medicaid fraud. Why such a surprise? Because our governor and attorney general have long disregarded the most effective tools already at their disposal to fulfill their pronounced objective. The real purpose of their newly created “Medicaid Fraud Elimination Task Force,” unveiled with considerable fanfare, appears to be generating political headlines rather than meaningful results. And, with each new task force meeting streamed to the public, they have concocted a pretext for sustained Medicaid fraud political theater. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. For decades, like every other state, Iowa has maintained a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). Ours is housed within the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), formerly the Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA). By law, this specialized unit investigates Medicaid provider fraud, patient abuse, neglect, and the financial exploitation of vulnerable Iowans. It works closely with county attorneys and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, which prosecute many of the state’s largest Medicaid fraud and health care fraud cases. One would have expected that during the task force’s first meeting, the director of DIAL and the director of the MFCU, both members of the task force, would have reminded the chair, Bird, of one simple fact: Iowa already has the legal framework, an established Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with strong federal, state, and local partnerships needed to combat Medicaid fraud. AG Bird: ‘There is no acceptable amount’ of Medicaid fraud in Iowa If Bird is now serious about combating Medicaid fraud, she should begin by fulfilling the responsibilities already assigned to her under Iowa law. The Iowa False Claims Act provides that “[t]he attorney general shall diligently investigate” violations of the act and bring appropriate actions. Enacted in 2010, the Iowa False Claims Act remains one of the state’s most effective tools for recovering taxpayer dollars lost through Medicaid fraud. Rather than chairing a task force, the attorney general should aggressively enforce the law she’s already been directed to implement. Required public reporting by Bird regarding her required False Claims Act efforts reveals a dearth of action. One area where the False Claims Act requires immediate pursuit is the quality of care provided by taxpayer-funded, for-profit nursing homes. When facilities accept millions of public dollars and profit while failing to provide legally required care, both taxpayers and vulnerable residents suffer. Yet, in 2024, Bird led a coalition of Republican attorneys general challenging the federal minimum nursing home staffing standards rule (a rule researched to save thousands of lives). Her opposition to those standards, together with other state policy decisions, has coincided with Iowa experiencing a higher rate of nursing home staffing violations than neighboring states. Iowa’s state auditor also plays an essential role in identifying waste, fraud, and abuse. It is difficult to understand why Iowa’s state auditor was not invited to participate on a task force supposedly dedicated to protecting taxpayer dollars — or perhaps it is not difficult to understand at all. Sand is the state’s lone Democratic statewide officeholder and a candidate for governor in 2026. Rather than limiting the auditor’s ability to conduct independent oversight, Reynolds and Bird should welcome rigorous audits and public reporting that strengthen accountability throughout Iowa’s Medicaid program. Further, regarding the actually appointed members of the task force — instead of seating Iowa’s money-making managed care organizations, Iowa should be demanding detailed reports on their fraud detection systems, payment integrity programs, provider audits, and other MCO efforts to prevent improper Medicaid payments. Accountability — not another task force — is what protects taxpayers. Our perspectives come from firsthand experience. Kevin Techau served as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, where he worked alongside the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and federal investigators to prosecute health care fraud. Earlier, he served as director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, overseer of MFCU, and later as commissioner of the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Dean Lerner served for 16 years as an Iowa assistant attorney general and thereafter, for nearly a decade, as deputy, then director of the Department of Inspections and Appeals. He, likewise, oversaw Iowa’s MFCU. Later, he served as the Northern District’s Health Care Fraud Specialist. We know firsthand that Iowa already possesses the legal authority and strong federal, state, and local partnerships needed to effectively combat Medicaid fraud. What’s been missing is this administration’s true commitment to that effort. The warning signs of this administration’s lack of total commitment have been evident for years. In 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General issued its multiyear inspection report of Iowa’s MFCU, finding “…that the unit did not maintain staffing levels in accordance with its approved budget, maintained low staffing levels in relation to State Medicaid expenditures, and experienced significant turnover of investigators and high caseloads.” MFCU staffing is measured by several criteria: whether it is in accordance with the MFCU’s budget, its relationship to the state’s Medicaid expenditures, turnover, and caseloads are among the factors. Iowa’s then-DIA Director Larry Johnson responded to the OIG Report on June 7, 2022, stating that Iowa’s nine employees, with two vacant investigator positions, “…are adequate at this time to operate effectively and efficiently.” In 2024, Iowa Capital Dispatch Deputy Editor Clark Kauffman reported on a new OIG Report and noted, among other items: “[f]ederal data indicates Iowa’s staffing issue dates back several years,” adding that “[a]lthough Iowa’s unit was approved for 11 employees in the years 2019, 2020, and 2021, it actually employed seven or eight individuals at the end of each of those years. “Even if all of the vacant positions were filled, the inspector general reported, the Iowa unit’s staffing levels remained low compared to all other fraud-control units in the nation,” Kauffman reported. In 2025, according to the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units, Iowa spent just $1.3 million on its 10-person fraud unit while overseeing a Medicaid program exceeding $8.7 billion. Arkansas, with a similarly sized Medicaid program, invested approximately $3.9 million in its 23-person fraud unit. Kansas employed 16 staff members and spent approximately $2.2 million to oversee its Medicaid program of roughly $6.5 billion. It doesn’t take a task force to know that proper staffing will yield maximum results. Iowa’s excuses are just that, excuses. Medicaid Fraud Control Units investigate providers who bill for services never performed, create phantom patients, up-code claims, perform unnecessary procedures, commit pharmacy and home health fraud, engage in kickback schemes, or abuse and neglect vulnerable Medicaid recipients. Cases are developed through whistleblowers, patients, employees, audits, sophisticated data analytics, and referrals from state and federal agencies — not by another executive order creating a task force. Investing in MFCU staff is one of the best bargains in government. For every 25 cents Iowa invests in its MFCU, the federal government contributes 75 cents. Nationally, Medicaid Fraud Control Units recover roughly $3 to $5 for every taxpayer dollar invested. Few public investments generate a better return. If our honorable governor and attorney general are truly serious about protecting taxpayers and vulnerable Iowans, the task force should meet one more time, adopt the following recommendations, and then disband without further grandstanding. Fully fund Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with sufficient numbers of highly qualified investigators and staff. Aggressively enforce the Iowa False Claims Act. Modernize investigative technology and data analytics. Restore and promote a rigorous statewide Medicaid Fraud Hotline. Empower — not sideline — the state auditor and other independent oversight agencies. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch

Tuesday, July 28th, 2026

Monday, July 27th, 2026