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

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026
	Running Wild races into Bix week with community at forefront For the store, fielding a Running Wild elite team is about more than visibility — it’s about building trust with the running community it serves.
	Iowa foster kids to get investment help with ‘Survivor Funds’ Iowa foster children could soon have a financial head start thanks to a new state initiative ending what’s known as the orphan tax.
	2 more comfortable days in the QC before next mini heat wave Wednesday's high was only in the middle 70s! That's more than 10° below normal for mid to late July. Thursday and Friday look good with sunny skies and highs near 80°. Then things heat up again starting this weekend! There will be more days with highs in the 90s starting Sunday...
	Eldridge city council absorbs volunteer fire department Eldridge City Council voted to absorb the volunteer fire department. The city plans to hire a fire chief, with a Sept. 1 target launch date.
	Rock Island man arrested for shots fired, weapons charges A Rock Island man was arrested on weapons charges and violation of the Illinois Sex Offender Registration Act. According to a release from the Moline Police Department, detectives assigned to the Moline Police Department Criminal Investigation Division were conducting a follow-up investigation July 22 involving Ervin Conner, 42, a suspect in a stalking investigation that [...]
	Iowa 80 Group names new leader after CEO's death Iowa 80 Group and CAT Scale Company have named a new president and CEO following the recent death of the companies' longtime leader.
	Joan Benoit Samuelson still chasing miles — and memories — at the Bix 7 From being chased by her brothers around the house, to being the first-ever gold medal winner in the Olympic women’s marathon in 1984, you could say Joan Benoit Samuelson has a love for running.
	Bill Rodgers returns to Bix for 46th consecutive year 1980 was the year everything changed for the Quad City Times Bix 7.
	El Sabor del Mercado rescheduled to Friday night For $10, community members decide on their favorites from Mercado, with four contest categories: Best Salsa, Best Main Dish, Best Drink, Best Side or Snack.
	Original Bix 7 runner keeps 50+ year tradition alive When the first Bix 7 launched in 1975, only 84 runners crossed the starting line. Ed Lillis was one of them — and more than 50 years later, he is still coming back.
	Moline police now using language translation software The technology will be used when a human interpreter is not immediately available. It can translate 60 languages through an officer's body camera within seconds.
	Southern rust popping up on some Iowa corn crops, Iowa State testing finds So far this summer, the Iowa State University Extension lab had not seen any signs of the disease in Iowa — until now. ISU Agronomist Virgil Schmitt explains.
	Rep. Hinson reviewing funding request as war with Iran hits 5th month U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is not saying yet whether she will support new funding request for the Department of Defense.
	Moline Police rolls out body cameras with language translation The Moline Police Department is rolling out language translation in their Body Cameras.
	Police: Stalking suspect fired at Moline PD during arrest, hit squad car A stalking suspect is accused of firing at a Moline police vehicle while fleeing officers on Wednesday. No injuries were reported.
	Cisco’s Mexican Grill in Moline announces plans to reopen this weekend Cisco’s Mexican Bar and Grill in Moline said on Facebook it will reopen to the public this weekend after an engineer’s inspection of the partial facade collapse on Saturday, July 11.
	QCA athlete shines at Special Olympics USA Games Fresh off big wins at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, Team Illinois ranked sixth overall in medal count with 54 medals, and a Quad-City athlete earned two medals for bowling! Scott Maess, Steve Hernandez and Kevin Mullen joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about the road leading up to the games and beyond. [...]
	Trump administration signs commercial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia The agreement gives American companies priority access to nuclear reactors and fuel to Saudi Arabia. It's expected to last decades and be worth billions of dollars.
	3rd-annual Taste of Mercado contest is Friday in Moline Mercado on Fifth hosts its third-annual El Sabor del Mercado (Taste of Mercado) competition Friday, July 24, during the weekly Mercado night market, on Moline’s Fifth Avenue west of 12th Street.
	Cooler temperatures for the rest of the week Pleasant weather settles in, cooler through end of work week
	Death Notice: Kathleen Lyon A funeral service for Kathleen M. Lyon, 64, of Davenport, will be held at noon on Friday, July 24, at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant. Mrs. Lyon died Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at MercyOne Genesis, Davenport. Memorials may be made to King's Harvest Pet Rescue No Kill Shelter or to the Humane Society of Scott County. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the July 29 edition of The NSP.
	Pritzker says he doesn’t know details of deadly Jan. 4 shooting by Illinois State Police Gov. JB Pritzker said he hasn’t seen video of a Jan. 4 police shooting that left an unarmed woman dead after a traffic stop in a vehicle that was reported stolen.
	Coal Valley man facing grooming, lascivious acts with a child charges A Coal Valley man is facing charges after police say inappropriately touched two children.
	Iowa 80 Group, CAT Scale Company announces new leadership The Iowa 80 Group, Inc. and CAT Scale Company has announced new leadership.
	Rock Island man arrested after running from police, firing twice A Rock Island man wanted in connection with a stalking investigation was arrested Wednesday after police say he ran from police and fired twice.
	Iowa 80 Group, CAT Scale Company names new CEO The new CEO will take over for her brother, who died earlier this month.
	1 arrested after police search in Moline Moline police have arrested a person after blocking a section of 10th Avenue Wednesday afternoon.
	Motorcyclist injured in crash with SUV on Highway 61 A motorcyclist was hurt in a crash west of Davenport Wednesday afternoon.
	Beshear reverses 4% Kentucky Medicaid provider cuts Hundreds of Kentuckians with disabilities and their loved ones and advocates came to Frankfort and pleaded with elected officials to find a way to protect the services they receive through Medicaid waivers. July 17, 2026. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)FRANKFORT — Thanks to an “unanticipated” corporate income tax payment and revenue surplus, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that Medicaid providers will not suffer a 4% reimbursement cut after all. Beshear said $255 million from the taxes, as well as additional revenue, will delay any cuts to Medicaid reimbursement through this fiscal year, which ends at the end of next June. It will also fund the state’s senior meal program and Michelle P. Waiver slots, which are Medicaid waivers for Kentuckians with intellectual or developmental disabilities who need nursing facility or immediate care facility level of care. Beshear said he does not know which company submitted the tax payments — “and the Department of Revenue isn’t allowed to tell us” — and therefore said not to count on that money every month. He also said that “this isn’t any type of data center payment.” “Thanks to strong fiscal management by my administration and a strong economic surge late in the fiscal year, we turned a $156 million deficit into a $476 million surplus,” Beshear said during a press conference in Frankfort. “Additional good news… we believe that the surge is going to continue.” This comes after hundreds of Kentuckians rallied in Frankfort for a reversal of the cuts, especially those affecting Medicaid waivers, last Friday. Kentuckians with disabilities, advocates say looming 4% Medicaid cut is a ‘threat’ The Beshear administration had, in June, informed various providers they would see a 4% reduction in Medicaid reimbursement starting Aug. 1. He said Wednesday that new notices will go out to providers “shortly.” Beshear blamed the budget passed by the General Assembly this year for forcing his hand toward the cuts, while lawmakers said he could better manage the money they provided. Beshear is redirecting $4 million into the Senior Meal program, fully funding all authorized Michelle P. Waiver slots and putting $18 million into the road fund. The latter was a point of contention between his administration and the General Assembly. When Beshear, in May, signed an executive order to reduce the gas tax by 10 cents (and later, he extended the reduction to localities that asked him to), lawmakers said the move would cost the state’s road project fund $26.8 million for one month. At that time, Sen. Jimmy Higdon, the Lebanon Republican who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, said lawmakers could consider reducing road funding from local governments that participate in the gas tax reduction. Beshear said all the financial changes announced Wednesday only apply to this fiscal year and said the legislature “absolutely” needs to reopen the budget in January and ensure enough funding for the next fiscal year. “Today is not a magic wand. It’s not a magic bullet,” Beshear said. “There are still people out there suffering, but I know that there will be fewer that suffer in order to get their services because of this movement.” This story will be updated. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Kentucky Lantern
	Aledo DMV returning to new location after 2025 closure The office is expected to open late this summer.
	More than 10,000 New Mexico kids have lost federal food assistance in last year, new analysis shows More than 18,000 New Mexicans, most of them children, lost federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding over the last year, according to a new analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Courtesy The Food Depot)More than 10,000 New Mexico children have lost federal food assistance benefits in the year since Congress enacted a sweeping spending bill, according to a new analysis from a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The spending bill President Donald Trump signed last July imposed new work requirements and other burdens on households seeking food assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also included stiff penalties for states that have high rates of errors in implementing the program, causing states, including New Mexico, to quickly impose new paperwork requirements. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ analysis released Tuesday says those new burdens on states and households have coincided with more than 1.5 million children nationwide losing their SNAP benefits, roughly one-third of the estimated 4.5 million people who lost SNAP since Congress passed the law. The center’s analysis looked at the period between July 2025 and April 2026 and determined that roughly 18,000 New Mexicans lost SNAP in that period, including more than 10,000 children. In a news conference Wednesday morning detailing their analysis, center leaders said the swift dropoff of SNAP recipients should compel Congress to delay penalties for states that don’t reduce errors by deadlines set in the law or to give states more funding to reduce errors. “States are working hard to reduce their error rates, but they’re up against the wall,” Vice President for Food Assistance Ty Jones Cox said. “The law didn’t give them any time or resources to do so, so that creates an enormous incentive for states to slash their error rates by any means necessary, and that’s what we’re seeing: more paperwork, shorter certification periods, more red tape, even if it means eligible families lose benefits they’re entitled to.” New Mexico could face a penalty of at least $150 million if it does not reduce its error rate from 16.8% — which is the third-highest in the nation — to less than 6% by October 2027. The New Mexico Health Care Authority recently imposed new verification requirements for SNAP applicants’ incomes and household sizes, and the authority is working to improve its data collection and caseworker training to minimize the number of SNAP over- and underpayments made to SNAP recipients. Citing a hunger ‘crisis,’ US mayors call for end to federal SNAP cuts The center examined data from 19 states with readily available data regarding children enrolled in SNAP. New Mexico’s proportion of children who lost SNAP — 56% — over the last year was among the highest. Health Care Authority officials did not immediately respond to Source NM’s emailed request for comment Wednesday. More-recent HCA data reviewed by Source NM shows that the trend in SNAP disenrollment has continued through June, with approximately 7,000 additional people losing SNAP between April and June. That HCA data does not specify how many of them are children. The center’s analysts say they cannot identify whether lack of funding or new barriers on households is the primary driver in reducing SNAP enrollment. But they ruled out the possibility that SNAP households’ economic well-being have improved enough in the last year that they no longer need the food assistance. “Grocery prices are still rising,” Jones Cox said. “Unemployment has been largely flat since before the law passed. Real wages have actually declined. People need food assistance today just as much as they did a year ago, and they’re simply being cut off from assistance as states scramble to limit their exposure.” Courtesy of Source New Mexico
	Muscatine City Council denies nine appeals from downtown building owners The city council met Tuesday to consider evidence and rule on nine appeals filed by building owners who had received a notice identifying their buildings as unsafe.
	I-280 reopened after multi-vehicle crash Interstate 280 was closed near Davenport Wednesday morning due to a crash.
	Pay It Forward: Pam's Place supporting Quad Cities Pamela Seales was presented with the Pay It Forward award for her hard work and dedication in fostering a strong and resourceful community.
	Former Silvis alderman under criminal investigation A former Silvis alderman is under criminal investigation.
	Traffic Alert: Section of 10th Street blocked in Moline Moline Police are investigating an incident. The roads are blocked off from 34th Street to 38th Street along 10th Avenue.
	Moline deploys real-time translation technology for officer body cams Moline police will now have real-time translation technology on their body-worn cameras, equipping officers with communication capabilities for more than 60 languages.
	Alabama Department of Public Health holds hearing on marijuana rescheduling Mock medical cannabis tinctures in a display case at Callie's Apothecary in Montgomery, Alabama, on May 14, 2026. The Alabama Department of Public Health Wednesday heard from members of the public for rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)A group of conservative activists Wednesday registered objections to the federal rescheduling of marijuana with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). The ADPH held a public hearing following the April decision by the Trump administration to move marijuana from a Schedule I drug, meaning it has the greatest potential for abuse and least legitimate use, to a Schedule III drug with substances considered to have a low to moderate potential for physical and psychological dependence. Former President Joe Biden planned to have rescheduling occur in 2024, but hearings on the matter were canceled in early 2025. In May, the governing body of ADPH voted to object to the federal rescheduling of marijuana to give the agency more time to determine how to implement it. Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, the head of ADPH, said during the meeting that the department “fully intends” to implement the change. Activists speaking at Wednesday’s meeting cited several concerns. Eagle Forum Executive Director Becky Gerritson said the change would “not only harm children, but we believe it will worsen Alabama’s mental health crisis.” “Rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III puts it on the same level as Tylenol with codeine. This sends a powerful message to the public that this drug has an accepted medical use, and presents a relatively low risk,” Gerritson said. “ADPH’s policy should follow the evidence, not public opinion or commercial pressure.” Greg Davis, the chief executive officer of the Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP), a conservative organization that represents churches across the state, also spoke in opposition to the rescheduling. “Whether we call it medical or whatever we want to call it, or however someone gets it, however it comes to them, whether it’s on the corner street or whether it’s in a doctor’s office or at a dispensary, it doesn’t really matter. The effects can be the same, and so I would just urge everyone, on behalf of our churches across the state, who oftentimes deal with the devastation, to oppose this rescheduling in Alabama,” he said. Susan Short, a member of the public, said she opposed the rescheduling because of the effects it has on teens. “Teens do not know that marijuana could possibly make you psychotic at 19 years of age for the rest of your life,” she said. “We are losing an entire generation of young people because we have normalized and commercialized and glorified this addictive and harmful substance.” Under the Compassion Act passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2021, a minor under the age of 19 cannot obtain medical marijuana without approval from a parent or guardian and without a qualifying medical condition. If approved, the minor can only receive medical marijuana that contains no more than 3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Callie’s Apothecary, a dispensary in Montgomery, sold the first legal medical cannabis in the state last month. Joey Robertson, CEO and president of Wagon Trail Med-Serv, the sole proponent of the rescheduling at the meeting, said not following what is happening on federal level could instill distrust between patients and doctors and the state. “This is a controlled program in the state of Alabama that has nothing to do with children outside of those that qualify for those medications,” he said. “This has nothing to do with the illicit market, which will grow no matter what, and really does not care if the federal government or Alabama reschedules from Schedule I to Schedule III.” General counsel for the ADPH said after the hearing a decision must be made after Aug. 5. Courtesy of Alabama Reflector
	What to know about Ukraine's military shakeup After a week of nationwide protests over the direction of Ukraine's military strategy in the ongoing war with Russia, the Ukrainian military has a new commander, Mykhailo Drapatyi. Here's what to know.
	Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to get $400 million in federal settlement The Alaska Native Medical Center is reflected in the campus pond on Sept. 9, 2022. The hospital is among several facilities on the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium campus in Anchorage. ANTHC is the nation's largest Native tribal organization. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)The federal government has agreed to pay the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium $400 million to settle claims of inadequate cost coverage over several years. The settlement, announced on Tuesday by the U.S. Justice Department, stems from a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit tribal health group in 2021 against the Department of Health and Human Services, which operates the Indian Health Service. At issue in the case are “contract support costs,” the term for the expenses necessary for administration, facilities maintenance and other functions that support the healthcare services that tribal organizations provide through contracts with the federal government. In a statement, the Justice Department acknowledged that the federal government owed ANTHC money to cover contract support costs. “This settlement reflects our commitment to resolving litigation fairly and ensuring that federal resources are appropriately directed toward serving Native communities,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in the statement. “We are pleased to have reached an authorized agreement that benefits American Indian and Alaska Native communities and remains consistent with the legal framework established by Congress.” Natasha Singh, ANTHC’s president and chief executive officer, characterized the settlement as a fair resolution of a longstanding dispute over costs borne by the organization. “ANTHC welcomes the authorization of this settlement, addressing contract support costs that have long been owed to Tribes that assumed responsibility for delivering healthcare on the federal government’s behalf. This settlement marks an important step toward ensuring that resources accurately reflect the true cost of operating a complex Tribal health system and advancing self-determination in healthcare,” Singh said in a statement. For more than a decade, different tribal health organizations have claimed that the Indian Health Service was underpaying contract support costs. There is a history of litigation and Congressional action over the issue. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in. Ruling in a case concerning tribes in Arizona and Wyoming, the court said the Indian Health Service is obligated to pay the full costs of contract support services. Those costs are necessary for tribal health organizations to provide medical services, the 5-4 ruling said. If the costs are not fully covered by the IHS, “the tribe would have to divert some program income to pay such costs, or it would have to pay them out of its own pocket,” amounting to a penalty for pursuing self-determination under federal law. The settlement is in line with that 2024 ruling, as well as with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the federal law through which tribal organizations administer their own healthcare programs, the Justice Department said. ANTHC is the nation’s largest tribal health organization. At its approximately 140-acre campus in east Anchorage, it operates the Alaska Native Medical Center, which is one of the state’s biggest hospitals, along with various in-patient services, research and epidemiology services and an environmental health program, among other functions. It provides services throughout the state. The consortium, formed in 1997, has embarked on a facilities expansion program, enlarging the hospital’s emergency department and constructing a skilled nursing facility for patients needing extended care, along with other periodic upgrades. Singh, in her statement, said the ANTHC board had “committed resources toward long-standing needs across our system of care” in anticipation of the settlement announced Tuesday. Those commitments include the investments in the ongoing construction projects, she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Most of Muscatine's Riverside Park to be closed to traffic next week Traffic will be closed in part of Riverside Park next week to accommodate Great River Days and the Great River Days Concert Series, among other events.
	Colorado health officials still unable to investigate tuberculosis case at ICE detention facility The Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Aurora, operated by private prison firm GEO Group, is pictured on Jan. 30, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)Colorado public health officials are still unable to investigate at least one tuberculosis case at an immigration detention center in Aurora, as the private company that runs the facility missed a deadline to give more information and allow health workers inside the building. “The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment still has not received access to the facility or all of the information needed to determine who may have been exposed and ensure they receive appropriate testing and treatment,” CDPHE spokesperson Hope Shuler wrote in an email. “The Governor and CDPHE leadership have demanded contact with facility leadership multiple times, including sending written questions, and we remain ready to work together to complete the investigation.” Shuler wrote that lawyers for The GEO Group, the company that operates the detention center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have stated that there are no confirmed or suspected cases of tuberculosis at the site, but it is impossible for CDPHE and the Adams County Health Department to verify that claim without a public health contact investigation. “A complete investigation remains necessary because people who were recently infected may initially test negative,” she wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Colorado law requires public health agencies to investigate confirmed tuberculosis cases. Adams County health officials became aware of one laboratory-confirmed case and issued a public health order on June 25 to require compliance from GEO. CDPHE then gave GEO a July 17 deadline for information and access, which went unanswered. Immigration advocates press for action on tuberculosis case at Aurora ICE facility Immigration advocates believe there has been more than one case, and an unnamed person detained in the facility told The Guardian last week that at least 12 people have tested positive for the disease. Staff from the offices of Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper of Colorado, visited the facility on July 15 and wrote in a report that ICE said it can “deny facility access to local officials as they are a federal facility.” Hickenlooper’s office submitted a formal inquiry with the Department of Homeland Security over the issue, spokesperson Madeleine Hughes said. During that visit, GEO and ICE staff told the lawmakers there were no active tuberculosis cases at the facility and one person was being monitored. Correspondence to Crow’s office from July 17 also noted that GEO conducted its own contact investigation and identified 61 people exposed to the initial case, according to the report. GEO placed those people in a “precautionary cohort.” The staff members also noted very high temperatures inside the facility, which align with reports from advocates that the air conditioning is not working. Temperatures in the Denver metro area have approached or hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit in recent days. “ICE is out of control and needs to be reined in,” Crow said in a statement. “When our immigration detention system is driven by corporate greed, it allows corporations like GEO Group to cut corners on medical care and safety to benefit their bottom line.” An unnamed ICE spokesperson said last week that the facility is complying with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on communicable diseases. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Colorado Newsline
	Goose Creek Spray Pad closed due to infrastructure, mechanical issues Residents who cool off at the Goose Creek Spray Pad in Davenport will have to find other ways to beat the heat. A post on the Davenport Parks & Recreation’s website said “due to aged infrastructure and mechanical issues, the Goose Creek Spray Pad will be closed. Staff are assessing options for replacement.” Goose Creek [...]
	Barr sponsors effort to regulate intoxicating hemp-derived products ahead of federal ban A line of THC-infused beverages on a desk before state lawmakers during a committee meeting at the General Assembly. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)U.S. Representative Andy Barr, R-KY, is sponsoring a bipartisan effort, backed by Kentucky’s hemp industry, to regulate intoxicating hemp-derived products ahead of an effective ban of such products spearheaded by Kentucky’s senior U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell. The Lawful Hemp Protection Act would create a regulatory framework for consumable hemp products that have tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the intoxicating compound that gives users a “high” feeling when consumed. Last year, McConnell successfully passed a provision into federal law that bans hemp-deprived products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, what hemp industry advocates and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul decried as a ban on a growing market for intoxicating hemp-derived edibles, beverages and other consumables. McConnell had said he wanted to close a loophole created with his legalization of industrial hemp through the 2018 Farm Bill that allowed companies to market intoxicating hemp-derived products to children. His provision for intoxicating hemp-derived products would go into effect in November. Barr’s bill, supported by Democratic Minnesota U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, would allow the sale of such products with three distinctions: Sales would be limited to those 21 years of age and older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would be tasked with setting limits on THC amounts per hemp-derived product, and the advertising of such products to children would be prohibited. In a statement, Barr said his Lawful Hemp Protection Act protects “Kentucky agriculture, safeguards consumers, and establishes a commonsense regulatory framework that allows this important industry to continue to grow while ensuring products are safe and kept out of the hands of children. “Kentucky has demonstrated that hemp can be successfully regulated while supporting farmers and protecting consumers,” Barr said. “This legislation builds on that success by creating a national framework that rewards responsible producers, eliminates bad actors, and ensures consumers have confidence in the products they purchase.” The bill has the backing of hemp industry groups including the Kentucky Hemp Association and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association, according to a release from Barr’s office. Dee Dee Taylor, the president of the Kentucky Hemp Association, in a statement also called for an extension of the November deadline of the effective ban on such products. “An extension will give lawmakers the time needed to build a durable federal framework that protects public health, respects successful state regulatory programs like Kentucky’s, and preserves economic opportunities for American agriculture,” Taylor said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Kentucky Lantern
	A strange transmissible cancer is spreading through the catfish in this lake For more than a decade, there's been something fishy going on in a lake that straddles Vermont and the province of Quebec. It involves cancer, a kind of catfish, and — possibly — clues about how tumors metastasize.
	In pursuit of 'Instagram face,' are we losing the imperfections that make us human? Plastic surgery is becoming so normalized and undetectable, it's changing our relationship to reality. The New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino considers how beauty standards have dovetailed with AI.
	Regular customer charged in 2025 Davenport vape shop robbery A Davenport man is charged with first-degree robbery after police say he threatened a vape shop employee with a knife during a 2025 robbery.
	Firefighters battle Carbon Cliff house fire Firefighters responded to a house fire in Carbon Cliff Wednesday morning. Part of North First Avenue was closed as crews worked at the scene.
	Aledo Auto and Farm looking for new owner The store is not closing. "We are seeking a local individual or couple to purchase our business. You will not regret the adventure, we promise you."
	Quad Cities Community Foundation launches nonprofit networking series The Quad Cities Community Foundation has a new way to help nonprofits find skilled, engaged board members. The foundation is launching Quad Cities Board Connections, a networking series that is supported by corporate sponsors and designed to connect nonprofit organizations with professionals interested in serving on nonprofit boards, committees and advisory groups. The inaugural Quad [...]
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: MARKCUS DAVIS, 32, 5'8", 187 pounds, brown eyes, black hair. Wanted by Rock Island County Sheriff's Office for failure to appear on aggravated assault [...]
	Oklahoma records 170 ‘explosive diarrhea’ cyclosporiasis cases as spike continues Fruit is displayed at an Anchorage grocery store. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s cyclosporiasis cases, the parasitic infection that causes stomach cramping and “explosive diarrhea,” have more than doubled since last week. The state’s Department of Health has recorded 170 confirmed cases of the intestinal illness, most of which have been reported this month. There have been 12 hospitalizations but no deaths, according to the department. Just over half of the state’s infections have been reported in women, and it has affected people from 9 to 94 years old. The Centers for Disease Control reports 4,173 confirmed cases across 41 states since May 1. The CDC expects this number to rise as it analyzes over 7,400 additional cases local and state health departments have reported. There have been 308 hospitalizations nationwide from cyclosporiasis, but no deaths as of Monday. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration announced a recall of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, which was served in restaurants like Taco Bell in five states. On Monday, acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas announced this was a false positive, but the agency still recommends against eating the company’s lettuce as it investigates possible causes of the outbreak. The CDC recommends washing produce thoroughly, and if possible, cooking it to at least 158 degrees to kill the parasite. It advises against drinking untreated water. Common symptoms of cyclosporiasis include diarrhea, loss of appetite and stomach pain. Treatment includes antibiotics and rehydration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Oklahoma Voice
	People are watching the Reflecting Pool like reality TV. What does that say about us? It's not just watching paint dry. The twists and turns of the Reflecting Pool repairs, originally a two-week project, have kept bloggers and viewers busy all summer.
	States with the lowest mortgage payments in 2026 States with the lowest mortgage payments in 2026The median monthly cost of homeownership in the U.S. now sits at $2,035, according to data from the Census Bureau. That figure, which includes mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowners insurance (fire, hazard, and flood), utilities, and applicable condo or HOA fees, is up 3.8% from the year prior. In some states, like California, Hawai'i, and New Jersey, it’s even higher.Home prices have stabilized somewhat since their post-pandemic peak, but affordability pressure hasn’t eased much.According to Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), the median sales price of homes sold in the U.S. stands at $405,300 as of late 2025. And according to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed rate has held at above 6% for much of the past year. Elevated values plus persistent borrowing costs add up fast.This study from SoFi uses the latest home value data and mortgage rate benchmarks to examine affordability at the state and metro levels, including median and estimated monthly payments by state and the reasons costs differ by location.Key FindingsHomeownership costs are on the rise. The median monthly owner costs for U.S. homeowners with a mortgage reached $2,035 in 2024, a 3.8% year-over-year increase.Monthly housing costs vary significantly by state. The median monthly payment is highest in the District of Columbia ($3,181) and California ($3,001). It’s lowest in West Virginia ($1,272) and Arkansas ($1,375).State- and metro-level data each show a different story. State data reflects overall affordability trends, while metro data illustrates real-time localized market pressure.The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage rate has held at above 6.00% for much of the past year. Elevated rates combined with rising home values also contribute to higher monthly costs.The U.S. estimated monthly mortgage payment is $2,226, according to Zillow data.Monthly costs at the metro level vary wildly. In metros like New York City and Los Angeles, the estimated monthly mortgage payment is upward of $4,000. Northern California metros like San Jose and San Francisco reach even higher, topping $6,000. On the other end of the spectrum, the monthly estimated mortgage payment doesn’t even crack $1,000 in metros like Danville, Illinois, and Pine Bluff, Arkansas.Rising affordability pressure is keeping many buyers on the fence. Elevated costs limit buying power, making it harder to qualify for financing. SoFi The Current State of Mortgage Affordability in the US SoFi A recent Gallup study found that 62% of Americans currently own a home. Less than a third (30%) of nonhomeowners expect to buy property within the next five years. Only about a quarter anticipate becoming homeowners in the next decade.Gallup cites affordability as a major concern. One of the biggest drivers of affordability pressure is mortgage rates. These remain near recent highs as of April 16 at:6.30% for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage: Rates have declined over the past year but have started to rise again.5.65% for a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage: After a dip in mid-February, rates have started to go up again.The median sales price of homes sold in the U.S. stood at $405,300 in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025. Prices have stabilized somewhat from their post-pandemic highs ($442,600 in Q4 2022), but they remain well above where prices sat in Q2 2020, when the median was $317,100.That appreciation, paired with 6.00%-plus 30-year fixed interest rates, has pushed up monthly ownership costs. The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey found that median monthly owner costs reached $2,035 in 2024, up 3.80% year over year (YoY).More recent data from the Mortgage Bankers Association puts the current median payment at $2,061.States With the Lowest Mortgage PaymentsNot every state carries the cost burden seen in D.C. or California. Across much of the Midwest and South, median monthly owner costs fall well below the national figure of $2,035.The states with the lowest medians are:West Virginia: $1,272Arkansas: $1,375Mississippi: $1,448Kentucky: $1,453Indiana: $1,466Alabama: $1,500Iowa: $1,538Ohio: $1,563Michigan: $1,573Missouri: $1,589The gap between the lowest and highest costs is substantial. West Virginia’s median of $1,272 sits $1,909 below D.C.’s $3,181. That’s a difference larger than the median monthly cost in all 10 lowest-cost states.The regional pattern is consistent. All 10 of the lower-cost states fall within the South or Midwest, according to Census Bureau geographic classifications:Midwestern states: Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, MissouriSouthern states: West Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, AlabamaThe full 50-state picture (plus Washington, D.C.) is below, ranked from highest to lowest. The national median of $2,035 serves as a useful benchmark, with 18 states sitting above it.States With the Highest Mortgage PaymentsOf course, housing costs vary significantly based on where you live. Everything from home prices to mortgage rates is location-dependent. The states (including Washington, D.C.) where the median monthly owner costs are steepest are:Washington, D.C.: $3,181California: $3,001Hawai'i: $2,937New Jersey: $2,797Massachusetts: $2,755New York: $2,544Washington: $2,519Colorado: $2,466Connecticut: $2,454New Hampshire: $2,399Maryland: $2,389In D.C. and California, the median monthly cost is about $1,000 higher than the national median payment amount ($2,035). New Hampshire and Maryland sit closer to the national figure, though even a few hundred dollars per month adds up against the broader cost of living in those states.Know that these higher-than-average costs reflect structural affordability, not real-time pricing. Metro-level figures later in this study draw from more recent Zillow data in an effort to capture current market conditions more closely.Several factors drive costs higher in these states:High home values: Median home values are higher in places like D.C. than in many other parts of the country. Elevated home prices can directly affect mortgage costs, insurance premiums, and monthly payments.Supply constraints: Housing shortages, combined with increased demand, can translate to higher home values. In California, for example, the state’s Department of Community and Housing Development estimates that housing production has averaged fewer than 80,000 new homes each year during the past decade. The projected annual need for new homes is 180,000.Demand: States with higher migration (often due to new job opportunities) may also see increased demand for housing. New York, California, and D.C. have a relatively high number of people moving in from year to year.Mortgage rates: These are influenced by inflation and Federal Reserve policy, but they’re not the same everywhere. Competition, foreclosure laws, and other economic policies can all determine the rates lenders set. Having a higher mortgage principal can also result in a higher rate, regardless of location.Note that all figures cited here are medians. The median often better reflects typical affordability conditions than the average, which can be skewed by high-cost outliers at either end of the market.Metros With the Highest and Lowest Mortgage Payments SoFi While state-level data shows broader affordability trends, metro-level data shows real-time market pressure. Within a single state, costs can vary considerably. The figures below are drawn from Zillow data as of Feb. 28, 2026, and represent estimated monthly mortgage payments on a new home purchase at current rates.The 10 metros with the highest estimated monthly mortgage payments are (ranked highest to lowest):San Jose, California: $9,910Santa Cruz, California: $6,931San Francisco: $6,892Kahului, Hawai'i: $6,112Santa Maria, California: $6,024Los Angeles: $5,891San Diego: $5,732San Luis Obispo, California: $5,491Napa, California: $5,470Oxnard, California: $5,371Nine of the 10 most expensive metros are in California. The sole outlier is Kahului, Hawai'i. San Jose leads by a considerable margin. Its $9,909 monthly figure is more than $2,900 ahead of the next closest metro. The estimated mortgage payment in these metros all exceeds $5,000.And the 10 metros with the lowest estimated monthly mortgage payments are (ranked lowest to highest):Danville, Illinois: $587Pine Bluff, Arkansas: $594Johnstown, Pennsylvania: $718Decatur, Illinois: $736Weirton, West Virginia: $770Wheeling, West Virginia: $819Enid, Oklahoma: $849Beckley, West Virginia: $878Charleston, West Virginia: $879Carbondale, Illinois: $914None of the 10 lowest-cost metros surpass the $1,000 per-month mark. And nine of the 10 metros are located in Midwestern or Southern states, with the Northeast’s Johnstown, Pennsylvania, being the lone exception.Several factors likely drive the variation:Demand concentration: Demand for housing is often highest in major economic hubs like Los Angeles (ranked sixth-most expensive metro) or New York City (ranked 19th).Housing supply: In major cities like Los Angeles, there’s a severe shortage of affordable housing. Meanwhile, metros like Danville have greater supply than demand, which can keep prices down.Speed of growth (metro): Fast-growing cities may also experience greater demand than the available housing supply. In California, cities like San Diego are growing faster than others in the state.State-level figures are based on median monthly owner costs sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, the most recent year available.Metro-level figures use Zillow data as of Feb. 28, 2026. Zillow’s metro data is based on estimates of the monthly mortgage payment on a new home purchase with the average interest rate of that month. The home value is estimated using smoothed and seasonally adjusted Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI). If the down payment is less than 20%, the monthly mortgage payment includes 1% mortgage insurance.How Mortgage Costs Vary Across the CountryWithin a single state, costs can swing by thousands of dollars depending on the metro. Using Zillow’s data, here’s how that dynamic plays out in select states: SoFi Pennsylvania: The estimated monthly mortgage payment in Pennsylvania ranges from $718 (Johnstown) to $2,322 (Philadelphia). That’s a $1,604 spread.Michigan: The estimated mortgage payment in Michigan ranges from $1,003 (Saginaw) to $2,503 (Ann Arbor). Buyers in Ann Arbor pay roughly 2.5 times what buyers in Saginaw pay.Florida: The estimated mortgage payment in Florida metros ranges from $1,433 (Sebring) to $3,427 (Naples). That’s a nearly $2,000 difference, within a single state.Arizona: On the low end of estimated monthly mortgage payments in Arizona is Sierra Vista, where the estimate is $1,595. The most expensive metro is Flagstaff, with an estimated cost of $3,810.Location is one driver of cost variation, but housing inventory and population growth shape what buyers pay, too. The regions with the highest growth in 2025 were:South: 39.2%West: 23.4%Midwest: 20.4%Northeast: 17%Coastal states currently carry the highest monthly costs, while much of the Midwest and South remain more affordable.What Rising Mortgage Payments Mean for HomebuyersHigher monthly costs have concrete consequences for buyers trying to enter the market. They can:Limit buying power: When home values and interest rates rise faster than incomes, buyers either get priced out or are pushed toward less expensive properties and lower-cost markets.Delay homeownership: Research shows that only half of nonhomeowners (55%) anticipate buying property in the foreseeable future. Just under a third of nonhomeowners expect to purchase a home within the next five years.Tighter loan qualification: Mortgage lenders expect borrowers to meet certain income requirements before approving them for financing. Most lenders look for those whose housing expenses plus long-term debt are no more than 36% of their monthly gross income. The higher the mortgage payment, the greater your income needs to be.For current homeowners, mortgage refinancing is one option for reducing monthly costs, though it comes with its own trade-offs depending on the rate environment and the remaining loan term.The TakeawayThe data makes clear that where you buy matters as much as what you buy. Monthly owner costs in California, Hawai'i, and D.C. run more than double those in West Virginia, Arkansas, and Indiana. And within any given state, the spread between metros can be just as wide.The monthly payment is the key affordability metric if you’re in the market for real estate. But it’s also a good idea to evaluate total cost versus just the home’s price tag. Interest rates, property tax, insurance, and HOA fees all feed into what homeownership costs month to month. An online mortgage interest calculator can help you do the math on the total costs of a loan.Frequently Asked Questions About Mortgage PaymentsWhat is the average mortgage payment in the U.S.?As of April 16, 2026, the average interest rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate loan is 6.3%. Meanwhile, the average sales price of all homes sold in the U.S. was $534,000 (Q4 2025). Assuming these averages and a 20% down payment, the average monthly mortgage payment sits at around $2,664. This amount includes only the principal and interest, not any taxes, insurance, or other fees.That figure is higher than the Census Bureau’s median monthly owner costs of $2,035, which reflects what existing homeowners with a mortgage actually paid in 2024. The median is generally the more useful affordability benchmark, as it represents the midpoint across all current mortgages and is less sensitive to high-end outliers than the average.How are monthly mortgage payments calculated?For fixed-rate mortgages, lenders generally calculate monthly payments based on three factors: loan amount, term, and interest rate. Getting a smaller loan typically means a lower monthly payment, unless you also go with a shorter term. That’s because shorter terms usually mean higher monthly payments. A higher interest rate can also increase payment amounts.Taxes and insurance can also affect your mortgage payments. When financing (or refinancing) a mortgage, property taxes are typically included in those payments. The same can be said of homeowners insurance.You can use an online mortgage calculator to determine your estimated monthly payment based on different values (home price, down payment, and interest rate).Why do mortgage payments vary by state?The law of supply and demand is one of the biggest reasons why mortgage payments vary so much. Some states — like New York — have more limited housing supply than others. When demand is higher than supply, housing prices tend to rise. This often means larger loans, which can result in higher interest rates (and higher monthly payments).Variances in state lending laws and competition can also affect mortgage payments. For example, states with strict usury laws (limits on interest rates) might see lower mortgage payments (depending on housing costs).Which states have the highest mortgage payments?The states with the highest monthly owner costs are California ($3,001), Hawai'i ($2,937), New Jersey ($2,797), New York ($2,544), and Washington ($2,519). The District of Columbia has the highest monthly owner cost at $3,181.Which states have the lowest mortgage payments?The U.S. states with the lowest monthly owner costs are West Virginia ($1,272), Arkansas ($1,375), Mississippi ($1,448), Kentucky ($1,453), and Indiana ($1,466).Homeownership costs also vary by metro. For example, the median listing price of homes in West Virginia is just shy of $250,000, which may account for the lower monthly payment amounts. But in some parts of the state — like Winchester — prices are much higher.How do mortgage interest rates affect monthly payments?A monthly mortgage payment includes two main components: principal and interest. A higher interest rate typically means larger monthly payments, while a lower rate means smaller monthly payments. Factors like loan term and amount can also impact your monthly payment. As you shop around, check the current mortgage rates by lender for a better idea of what to expect.What is included in a typical mortgage payment?A mortgage payment typically includes the principal, which is the original amount borrowed to buy the home. It also includes the interest, which is the cost of borrowing money from a lender.In most cases, your monthly mortgage payment will also include escrow for property taxes and homeowners insurance. If you put less than 20% down on a conventional loan, you may be required to have private mortgage insurance (PMI), which adds to your monthly payments.How can I lower my monthly mortgage payment?Even if you pay around the average mortgage payment amount for your state, it might be eating into funds that could be spent on other things, such as your retirement savings. One way to lower your payment is to get rid of PMI (if you’re paying it). Your lender will often automatically remove it for you once you have 22% equity in your home. You can, however, request that it be removed as soon as you reach 20%.The other method is through a home mortgage refinance. This could get you a longer term (with a lower monthly payment). Or it might result in a lower interest rate (also with a lower monthly payment).This story was produced by SoFi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	A smaller labor force means a smaller economy A smaller labor force means a smaller economyIn 2024, the U.S. fertility rate reached a new low of 1.6. Net immigration started declining rapidly that same year and quite possibly turned negative in 2025. This combination of factors has brought the rate of population growth to a historic low, a development with major economic implications, The Dispatch reports.Perhaps the most obvious consequence is lower overall output growth. Economic growth generally comes from an increase in the labor force or more output per worker. In the U.S., the latter has averaged about 2% annually over the past century, with variation that does not correlate in an immediately obvious way with labor force growth. It is therefore reasonable to expect a slowdown in labor-force growth to translate directly into slower economic growth. If labor force growth goes from 1% per year to 0%, economic growth is likely to fall from 3% to 2%. Over time, this adds up to a much smaller aggregate economy, likely accompanied by lower interest rates.And U.S. labor force growth has, in fact, come down in tandem with population growth. In 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that population growth would average 0.6% between 2023 and 2033, while the labor force would grow at an annual rate of 0.4%. Compare that to the 1960s and 1970s, when population growth was around 1.8% and labor force growth topped 2% annually. The Congressional Budget Office projects that deaths will start to exceed births in 2030 and assumes that net migration will be high enough to offset this natural population decrease until well into the 2050s. Without positive net migration, though, the total population would start to shrink around the end of President Donald Trump’s second term.If anything, the BLS and CBO projections, like other such efforts, are overly optimistic. They typically assume that fertility rates will plateau just below where they are today, or even at a higher level, even as other countries have seen fertility fall to meaningfully lower levels. And they count on persistently positive net migration, even though it is close to zero today, with little prospect of increases in at least the coming two years. Very few people are crossing the southern border these days, and the Trump administration has restricted immigration through practically all legal pathways as well.One will sometimes hear from immigration skeptics that overall GDP growth does not matter, just GDP per capita, because that is what determines the well-being of the native-born. That is not true. Most importantly, overall GDP growth is crucial to the national defense and the geopolitical position of the U.S. If only GDP per capita mattered, geopolitical competition with China would be the least of the country’s concerns, and the continent of Europe would be under the iron-fisted control of Grand Duke Guillaume V of Luxembourg.A second set of macroeconomic consequences of the population slowdown is best understood through the lens of real interest rates. This issue received significant attention prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, when some economists viewed slowing population growth as a key driver of so-called secular stagnation. Under this view, slower population growth reduces the demand for new capital goods—a smaller workforce will need fewer factories and vehicles, less real estate and equipment—which places downward pressure on interest rates.This effect is reinforced by a reduction in the marginal returns to capital from increased capital per (remaining) worker. In simple terms: An understaffed factory is less productive, a restaurant needs waiters, cars do not quite drive themselves yet, and a house no one wants to live in is worse than useless. Through this channel, lower population growth reduces rates of return throughout the economy.Downward pressures on rates are further amplified by the effects of aging, which is generally seen as increasing savings as people expect to spend more time in retirement. This increases the supply of loanable funds, which reduces the cost of borrowing. Commentators will point to Japan’s persistent low-interest rate environment as evidence for the idea that borrowing is cheap in an aging, shrinking society.That said, there is more ambiguity around the impact of the population growth slowdown on interest rates than around the impact on output growth. Perhaps the most important force that pushes in the opposite direction comes from the government’s need to finance its spending. As population growth slows, fewer people become responsible for bearing the burden of the national debt and the cost of providing public goods like national defense. This makes Treasury bonds riskier, pushing up interest rates. Higher interest rates, in turn, raise future deficits.This mechanism also interacts with the consequences of aging. As smaller cohorts enter the labor force, the economics of programs like Social Security and Medicare change. With fewer workers per beneficiary, they become harder to finance. This means reduced benefits (politically impossible), higher taxes (implausible), or larger deficits (definitely). Relying heavily on the final option will again push up interest rates.Policymakers can respond to the population growth slowdown in numerous potentially productive ways. They can try to increase fertility rates (or slow down their decrease), though efforts in that area have, at best, a mixed record. As a recent paper published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives put it: “[T]he clear-cut bottom line is that whatever impacts pro-natal policies and broader changes might have caused, none has caused low birth rates to reverse enduringly back to replacement levels.” Of course, raising fertility rates will not pay off, in economic terms, for decades.While currently not in the cards, the U.S. could also admit more immigrants (and let more of those already here stay). That approach has direct positive consequences for growth and the fiscal outlook. Immigrants typically have a more positive fiscal impact than comparable natives, as immigrants often arrive after they have completed their K-12 schooling and are not eligible for many welfare and social insurance programs, at least not immediately. Skepticism of this positive impact is often driven by data from Europe, where the numbers look quite different because of differing immigrant selection, more generous welfare states, and steeper barriers to labor market integration. In addition, immigrants bear part of the burden for the existing federal debt and future unfunded liabilities, which makes their impact on the fiscal outlook even more positive.Where immigrants are less helpful—because they too age out of the labor force—is in keeping old-age pension and health care programs sustainable. Those programs can, of course, be addressed directly. Doing so is straightforward on a technocratic level but seemingly impossible politically. The best reform proposals pay a triple dividend: Not only do they reduce the cost of the programs themselves, but they also reduce the tax burden on younger workers while strengthening the incentives of older workers to stay in the labor force longer.Finally, the country can try to increase output per worker. Some have argued that a scarcity of young workers leads to the development of new labor-saving technologies that can offset the growth slowdown entirely. A more mainstream view is that fewer people will come up with fewer new ideas, and productivity will rise more slowly. Regardless of which of these two scenarios you believe to be correct, the government can contribute to efforts to raise productivity by investing in science, letting people build housing in productive parts of the country, reducing trade barriers, allowing for data center construction, ensuring that firms have access to cheap and reliable energy, and making policy in ways that are transparent and predictable.Slower population growth appears to be here to stay. Policymakers can avoid some of the harmful consequences by keeping America attractive to immigrants, adjusting entitlement programs to new demographic realities, and working to raise productivity levels. But absent a genuine AI revolution, a future of slower economic growth is likely.This story was produced by The Dispatch and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Health insurers use a whole arsenal of tools to deny care, increase profit Protesters with People's Action target health insurance giant UnitedHealth Group due to health insurance costs and insurance claims denials on April 16, 2024 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)Last summer, the Trump administration, physician advocates, public health academics and activists requested a voluntary commitment from commercial health insurance industry CEOs to streamline the prior authorization process. Commercial health insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, CVS Health, Humana and others signed onto a six-part voluntary pledge, understanding they would be required to reach a number of benchmarks to reduce prior authorization, which is when a commercial health insurance company does not allow the medical treatment requested for a patient by a physician without permission from the insurer. The problem with the singular fight to reduce prior authorizations? Prior authorization is but one of countless denial of care tools commercial health insurance companies use to deploy what’s known as the float. This is how the denial of care business model works: The commercial health insurance float is the cash a company holds onto during the time gap between collecting premium payments from customers, denying medical care and actually paying out medical claims to healthcare providers. Insurers are highly motivated to artificially widen the gap between receiving a premium and paying a doctor. The industry uses an arsenal of chaotic administrative barriers and lengthy review processes to slow down reimbursements while patients in need wait for medical care. On a hospital’s balance sheet, this delayed money sits as accounts receivable, but on the commercial insurer’s balance sheet, it remains part of the float while generating millions of dollars in interest before it is paid out — if ever. The delay allows commercial health insurance companies to invest this cash — frequently into securities, bonds, real estate, private equity and other investments — and increase profits, while patients struggle and suffer. In addition to prior authorization, here are just a handful of the many denial of care tools used by the industry: “Click and close” requires medical directors to maintain rapid medical care case-review quotas. Their bonuses and performance metrics are often tied to the volume of cases closed and speedy boilerplate denials. Step therapy, also called “fail first” by the industry, requires patients to try cheaper, less effective treatments instead of implementing what a physician recommends. Insurers deny the doctor’s prescribed treatment until the patient officially documents that the cheaper options failed to work. “Procedure to diagnosis,” also known as PxDx is software that allows companies to instantly batch-reject medical claims. If the submitted procedure code matches an approved diagnosis code on the insurer’s list, the doctor is paid automatically. If the codes do not align, the claim is automatically rejected, often processing in as little as 1.2 seconds. For reference, over a period of two months in 2022, Cigna doctors employed by the company to review insurance claims denied more than 300,000 requests for payments using PxDx. Commercial health insurance companies also use “ghost networks,” which are inaccurate healthcare provider directories that create a false impression of comprehensive coverage by listing doctors, therapists or clinics as “in-network” when they are actually unreachable, retired, no longer accepting that insurance or closed to new patients. This deception leaves patients stranded with unexpected out-of-pocket costs and delayed treatments. Ghost networks are exceptionally prevalent in behavioral health and therapy directories. Using AI to deny medical care is nothing new: The nH Predict algorithm was developed by SeniorMetrix in the late 1990s and early 2000s and is now owned by UnitedHealth Group. The industry calls it a “predictive” AI model, meaning it estimates how long a patient “should” need for acute nursing home or rehabilitation care. Lawsuits allege the tool has prematurely cut off medical care to elderly persons based on the algorithmic target required to increase profits. While the float is a major financial driver across all insurance sectors, the commercial health insurance float is singular as the product/service is human health and human life. On May 30, 1996, my dear friend and colleague Dr. Linda Peeno pointed this difference out as the first physician to testify before members of the United States Congress about the astonishing velocity of preventable harm and death caused by the float. She testified two more times after that appearance in 1996 and has been writing about denial of care ever since. What else has accelerated over the intervening decades? The scope and scale of corporate malfeasance. On May 29, the Attorney General of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare for allegedly defrauding Medicare to the tune of $100 million by classifying patients as much sicker than they actually were. Nurses blew the whistle. On June 1, the Attorney General of Arizona filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealthcare, MultiPlan, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Elevance, Molina, Centene and Health Care Service Corporation for allegedly building and operating a system that slashed payments to doctors and hospitals and left Arizonans having to pay more for out-of-network care. As physicians who spoke during the Arizona Attorney General’s press conference stated, these are not victimless crimes. Minnesotans, and all Americans, might consider that those who invest in commercial health insurance companies are generating wealth extracted from delayed medical care as well as untreated illness, injury, disability and preventable death. The good news? Lawmakers are trying to slay the hydra. After learning from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department that individual market-qualified health plans denied more than 3 million claims in the state in 2024, two lawmakers introduced legislation to add a category of aggravated assault that would apply to CEOs of commercial health insurance companies if a covered person is caused serious bodily injury or dies as the result of denial of care. Citizens can replicate this legislation in state legislatures nationwide. Slaying the denial of care hydra is not easy, but there are viable solutions in our midst. Americans can pass National Improved Medicare for All/Single Payer Universal Healthcare (Senate Bill 1506 and House Resolution 3069) and they can amend the Constitution of the United States to include healthcare as a human right. In the meantime, as executives at UnitedHealthcare and their industry allies have tossed out yet another rodeo clown public relations spectacle — voluntarily pledging to reduce prior-authorizations — they continue to deploy an arsenal of other denial of care administrative weapons that obstruct medical care for profit. Courtesy of Minnesota Reformer
	Multiple departments respond to Carbon Cliff fire Our Quad Cities News is on the scene of a structure fire in the 100 block of N. 1st Avenue in Carbon Cliff. Units from Carbon Cliff/Barstow Fire, Silvis Fire and Hampton Fire responded to the scene. There is no word on any injuries at this time.
	Can you legally tint your windshield? How the rules vary depending on the state Can you legally tint your windshield? How the rules vary depending on the stateWe’ve all been there: driving toward a setting sun, squinting through a glare so intense it makes your dashboard hot enough to cook dinner on. Your instinctual response may be, "I should just tint the whole windshield."However, windshield tinting is a tangled web of legality and permissibility. Unlike side windows, which offer a bit of wiggle room, the windshield is treated differently. Laws are significantly stricter here because. And, as RealTruck.com discusses, plenty of tint shops will let you break the law, confusing matters even further.What Windshield Tint Is (and If It’s Safe)At its core, windshield tint is a thin polyester film applied to the interior surface of the glass. An adhesive is used, and when applied properly by a professional, bubbling and peeling almost never happen.Modern options range from "barely there" to "total blackout."Dyed Tint: This is the entry-level option. It’s mostly for aesthetics and some glare reduction, but it’s the most prone to fading over time.Metalized Tint: This type of tint uses tiny metallic particles to reflect heat. It’s great for cooling, but it can occasionally interfere with your GPS or cell signal, which is not ideal when you’re off-roading in the middle of nowhere.Carbon Tint: This tint is a step up that offers a matte finish and blocks about 40% of infrared light. It doesn’t fade like a dyed tint.Ceramic Tint: Here is the gold standard. It uses ceramic particles to block up to 99% of UV rays and a massive amount of solar heat without being dark. This is the "loophole" tech many truck owners love; you can get a "clear" ceramic tint that offers maximum protection without looking like you’re hiding something from the law.As for safety, applying quality tint to your glass is generally safe for the windshield's structure. However, the real danger is "thermal shock." If a low-quality tint absorbs too much heat unevenly, it could, in theory, contribute to glass stress, though this is rare with modern automotive glass. The bigger safety concern is visibility; a 5% VLT (visible light transmission) tint at night makes driving feel like you're wearing sunglasses in a cave.How Windshield Tint is AppliedWindshield tint isn't a simple sticker. Tint requires a clean environment, a steady hand, and a fair amount of patience. The process involves cleaning the glass multiple times, heat-shrinking the film on the outside of the windshield to match the curve, then moving to the inside to apply it with a specialized solution.While the DIY crowd might be tempted to save a few bucks, professional application is almost mandatory for windshields, especially on modern trucks and SUVs, because of safety concerns. According to recent data, the cost to replace a windshield has skyrocketed due to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). In 2018, a standard replacement was roughly $300-$500. Now, replacing the windshield on a modern vehicle equipped with lane-keep assist or automatic-braking cameras will cost $1,000 to $1,600.If you mess up a DIY tint and need to scrape it off, you risk damaging the sensors or the glass itself. On the other hand, if your tint obscures sensors, it could be a safety risk. Calibration for those sensors alone can add $300–$600 to a repair bill. A professional glass tinter knows how to work around these sensors and ensures that the film doesn't interfere with your truck's ability to see the road.Which States Allow Windshield Tint?This is where things get complicated. Most states follow the AS-1 line rule (covered in the next section), but a few allow a full-windshield tint if it meets specific VLT requirements.Alabama: Above AS-1 line only.Alaska: Top 5 inches only.Arkansas: Top 5 inches only; 25% VLT or more.California: Above AS-1 line; no aftermarket tint allowed otherwise without a medical exemption.Colorado: Above AS-1 line (or top 4 inches); must allow 70% VLT for the whole windshield.Florida: Above AS-1 line; nonreflective.Georgia: Above AS-1 line (6 inches).Hawai‘i: Above AS-1 line.Illinois: Above AS-1 line only.New York: Above AS-1 line; 70% VLT required for all glass.Ohio: Above AS-1 line; 70% VLT allowed for the whole windshield.Texas: 25% VLT allowed above AS-1 line.Utah: Above AS-1 line; 70% VLT allowed for the whole windshield.Note: In states like Ohio and Utah, you can technically tint the entire windshield, but it must be a very light film (70% VLT). This is often where high-end ceramic tints shine, as they provide the UV protection you want while remaining legally "clear" to the naked eye.The States That Only Allow Windshield Tint StripsThe vast majority of states — including South Carolina, Florida, and California — strictly limit windshield tint to a strip at the very top of the glass. This is officially known as the AS-1 Line.If you look closely at your windshield, you’ll see a tiny mark (usually "AS-1") near the top edge, typically between 4 and 6 inches from the top of the windshield. This indicates the manufacturer-approved top area of the windshield where the glass is allowed to be obscured. Most states permit a "nonreflective" tint strip in this area.Even in strip-friendly states, there are rules. The strip cannot be reflective or mirrored, and it must not extend below the AS-1 line. The strips are designed to block the sun's glare without obstructing the driver's forward view, and most not interfere with oncoming traffic — that’s why reflective strips are banned.Be careful, though. In 2025, many law enforcement agencies began using tint meters. If your strip is 7 inches deep in a state that only allows 5 inches, you’re looking at a fix-it ticket that requires you to peel off that expensive film.FAQsWhat Is VLT?VLT stands for visible light transmission. A 5% VLT means only 5% of light gets through (very dark). A 70% VLT means 70% of light gets through (mostly clear).Can I Get a Medical Exemption?Many states allow darker windshield tint if you have a documented medical condition, such as lupus, Albinism, or severe light sensitivity. You’ll need a signed affidavit from your doctor, and you must keep it in the vehicle at all times.Will Tinting My Windshield Void My Warranty?Typically not, but if the installation involves moisture that seeps into your dashboard and damages your ADAS sensors or electronics, the dealer will likely deny that specific repair claim.Does Tint Affect Night Driving?Absolutely. Even a 50% tint can significantly reduce your ability to see pedestrians or debris in low-light conditions. Stick to clear ceramic or legal strips.Will Insurance Cover My Tint?If your windshield is cracked and needs replacement, some insurance companies will pay for the re-tinting of the new glass, but only if you have a "custom equipment" rider and the tint is legal in your state.How Do I Know if My Tint Is Legal?If a reputable shop doing your tint requires cash payment, your tint is likely illegal. Tint shops will often do whatever you want, but they don’t want a paper trail leading back to them. That said, most will not tint a full windshield.This story was produced by RealTruck.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Peer pressure: Help your child be themselves Peer pressure: Help your child be themselvesDuring adolescence, your child might want to avoid “standing out,” but there’s no need for them to pretend they’re something they’re not. Use Dove’s action checklist to help your child resist peer pressure and enjoy being themselves.Peer pressure in adolescenceEven as an adult, a situation where you don’t know anyone can be daunting. When young people are thrown into this position, it sparks an internal battle. They desperately want to feel part of the community and fit in, but at the same time, they’re trying to express their individuality and personal style.The tendency for young people to judge appearance“Let’s be real: When girls walk into a room, they all check each other out,” says self-esteem coach Dr. Tara Cousineau. “At this point in her life, your daughter is noticing the different emotional and physical traits of her peers, comparing herself to her friends, starting to judge these as desirable or undesirable. This is compounded by the media, magazines, and movies. All of a sudden, the value of a certain type of appearance and personality is amplified.”Starting at a new school or joining a new team are situations in which these comparisons come to the fore. Young people may begin to experiment with different looks, vocabulary, and social behavior.These situations can also trigger a massive shift in young people’s attitudes towards their bodies and appearance, as they struggle to find their place in their social circles.What is peer pressure doing to their confidence?Take heart that these are serious situations your child needs to go through to work out who they really are and what’s important to them. It’s all part of growing up.However, this can be a particularly vulnerable time for young people’s confidence as they figure out their place in the perceived social pecking order. Your son or daughter may be envious of others or find themselves the envy of their peers.Help your child feel confident in themselvesSo what can you do to help your child navigate this tricky territory, value their uniqueness, and safeguard their confidence? We’ve put together some practical suggestions in our action checklist. The main thing is to help them understand they shouldn’t let go of all the wonderful things that make them unique just to fit in.There’s a phase when fitting in is the most important thing for a young person. This changes as they mature and develop their own interests, talents, and style. Over time, and with your support, they will work out which friends are “good” for them and which aren’t so good.By helping your child identify what makes them unique and how they contribute to friendships, you can give them the confidence to be themselves, as well as recognize and appreciate diversity in others.To protect privacy, we’ve changed the names of people whose stories we tell on these pages, but the stories are genuine.Tell your child how awesome they are. Reinforce their sense of self-worth by complimenting specific characteristics. Focus on actions, skills, and personality rather than physical featuresHelp them identify a supportive group of friends. Talk to your child about qualities that make a good friend. Does a great friend wear the same clothes as you? Or is being a good listener or considerate of someone’s feelings more important? Help them identify personality traits and characteristics they respect and admireDiscuss what role they play in their group of friends. They might be a good listener, the one who cheers everyone up, or great at getting people involvedCelebrate the diversity in their peer group. Compliment your child and their friends on the unique aspects of their appearance, but focus more on their beautiful personalitiesFind positive role models. Talk about people in your family or community, or in the public eye, who have admirable qualities. Identify role models who exemplify compassion, collaboration, overcoming adversity, and leadership. Be the kind of person you hope your child will grow up to be.This story was produced by Dove and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Independent autopsy "inconclusive" on cause of death for 18-year-old Nolan Wells in Mississippi An independent autopsy of the body of Nolan Wells shows that the cause of death is undetermined pending an investigation, according to attorney Ben Crump.
	MercyOne centers honored for treatment of heart disease, stroke MercyOne Medical Centers in Iowa have been recognized for their work to treat heart disease and strokes. The medical centers received 17 American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating heart disease and stroke, leading to more lives saved, shorter [...]
	How landlords can increase rental cash flow without raising rent in 2026 How landlords can increase rental cash flow without raising rent in 2026Rent increases get most of the attention when landlords talk about improving cash flow. If the income isn’t where you want it to be, raise the rent. That’s the natural first instinct, but the market doesn’t always support that decision.Nationally, rent grew just 2.9% over the 12 months ending in May 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a modest pace compared to the sharp increases seen a few years ago. Meanwhile, the national rental vacancy rate has increased to 7.3% since 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In a competitive market where renters are price sensitive, raising rents can just as easily push a good tenant out the door as it can grow an owner’s income.What gets less attention is how much cash flow is already available inside a rental property at the current rent price. Cash flow isn’t only what a tenant is charged each month. It’s what actually gets collected, and what’s left over after the costs of running the property. That means there are two separate levers you can pull to increase it:Collect more of the rent that’s already owed by cutting down on late payments, vacancies, and turnover.Spend less to operate the property by handling maintenance more efficiently and reconsidering what’s being paid out in management fees.Both of these levers affect profits, and neither one requires a rent increase. Below, RentRedi covers the areas where landlords are finding real, measurable improvements in cash flow without asking a single tenant to pay more.Get Rent Paid On TimeThe single biggest factor in a landlord’s monthly cash flow is whether rent shows up when it’s supposed to. Late payments delay a landlord’s ability to pay a mortgage, cover an insurance bill, or set money aside for repairs, and a few late months in a row can turn a manageable budget into a stressful one.Nationally, independent rental owners see an on-time payment rate of about 83.8%, meaning roughly 15 out of every 100 rent payments arrive late, according to a June 2026 RentRedi report. A few changes to how rent is collected can move that number substantially, and each one is backed by data on digital rent collection:Turning on autopay provides the best results. When tenants pay through an automatic, recurring payment instead of manually sending a check each month, the on-time rate climbs to 99%, because the payment no longer depends on the tenant remembering to make it.Screening tenants before signing a lease matters too. Owners who screen for identity, income, credit history, and background see a 90% on-time payment rate, well above the national average. Screened tenants also pay faster once they do pay, at an average of 17 days sooner than tenants who weren’t screened, and they are 8% more likely to pay on time overall.Sending automated rent reminders a few days before rent is due makes tenants 27% more likely to pay on time. Most late payments aren’t a tenant refusing to pay. They’re a tenant forgetting, or assuming they have more time than they actually do.Reporting on-time payments to the credit bureaus adds one more incentive. When a tenant knows that paying rent on time helps their credit score, landlords who report payment history this way see a 13% increase in on-time payments.Make It Easy for Tenants to Pay the Way They Want ToHow a tenant is allowed to pay matters just as much as when. A 2025 RentRedi tenant survey showed 92% of renters would prefer to pay rent digitally, through a bank transfer, debit card, or credit card. Despite that, 27% still report being required to pay with cash or a paper check, simply because it’s the only option their landlord offers.That gap costs landlords time and money. A paper check has to be written, mailed, or dropped off, plus deposited and cleared before the funds are usable. Something can go wrong at each of those steps. Paper checks can get lost in the mail, delayed because you’re traveling, or simply forgotten. A digital payment is typically available in your account within one to three business days, with none of those points of failure. Setting this up doesn’t require hiring anyone; you can usually connect a bank account and start accepting digital payments within minutes.Handle Maintenance Before Small Problems Become Expensive OnesMaintenance is one of the largest and most unpredictable costs a landlord faces, and a lot of that cost comes down to timing. A small leak under a sink left unnoticed or unreported for a few months can damage cabinets, flooring, and drywall in ways that cost far more than it would have if it had been caught and fixed early. A furnace or air conditioner that is overdue for servicing is more likely to fail during the exact week it’s working hardest, when repair costs and tenant frustration are both at their peak.Scheduled maintenance heads off a large share of these problems. Servicing HVAC systems twice a year, once before cooling season and once before heating season, catches worn parts and airflow issues before they become a full breakdown. The same logic applies to plumbing, roofing, and drainage: inspecting these systems on a regular schedule, rather than waiting for a tenant to report a problem, tends to cost less over time, not more. Making it simple for tenants to submit a request with a photo or short video helps too, since it lets a landlord see exactly what’s wrong before a technician ever visits, while the problem is still small and cheap to fix.There’s also a scale advantage available to landlords who use rental management platforms that maintain their own networks of prevetted, background-checked maintenance vendors and contractors who’ve agreed to set rates in exchange for the volume of work the platform sends their way. A landlord with one or two units has little leverage to negotiate a good rate with a plumber or an HVAC technician. A landlord plugged into a platform’s vendor network gets access to pricing that’s normally reserved for owners managing hundreds of doors. This translates to significant cost savings.Weigh What You’re Actually Paying For ManagementThe largest cash flow opportunity for a lot of independent landlords isn’t a stat about payments or maintenance at all. It’s the cost of outsourcing management in the first place.Professional property management typically runs 8% to 12% of the monthly gross rent per unit. On top of that fee, most agreements include a leasing fee (often a full month’s rent every time a new tenant is placed), lease renewal fees around $200, and a maintenance markup of 5% to 15% on top of whatever the repair actually costs, a markup that isn’t always itemized clearly. There’s also a timing cost that rarely shows up in a fee disclosure: after a property manager collects rent, it typically takes eight to 15 days, sometimes up to 30, before that money is disbursed to the owner. If your portfolio brings in a few thousand dollars a month, that’s real cash sitting somewhere else for a meaningful stretch of every month.Keep Good Tenants From LeavingTenant turnover is expensive, and it’s easy to underestimate until it’s added up. Between marketing a unit, cleaning, repairs, and lost rent during the vacancy, turnover typically costs $1,000 to $5,000 per unit. Compare that to the cost of keeping a good tenant for another year, and the math almost always favors retention.What keeps a tenant renewing usually comes down to a handful of things, several of which are within your control: how easy it is to pay rent, how quickly maintenance requests get resolved, and whether communication is clear rather than scattered across texts, emails, and calls that never quite connect. Getting those basics right takes a good operational system to make the day-to-day experience of renting from you a good one.The Cash Flow Was Already ThereEvery strategy above comes down to running your property like an operation with a system behind it, and taking an honest look at what you’re paying to run it. Put autopay, tenant screening, credit reporting, proactive maintenance, and a clear-eyed view of management costs in place, and you’ll likely find the same thing a lot of landlords do: The income was already available at your current rent price. It just needed a good system in place to capture it.This story was produced by RentRedi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	US dollar safe-haven status in 2026: De-dollarization explained for traders US dollar safe-haven status in 2026: De-dollarization explained for tradersFor decades, the U.S. dollar has been the world’s financial anchor. It has dominated foreign exchange reserves, global trade invoicing, cross-border funding, and safe-haven flows during periods of market stress.But in 2026, that role is being questioned more openly. De-dollarization, rising gold reserves, U.S. fiscal concerns, geopolitical tensions, and changing expectations for Federal Reserve policy have all raised doubts about whether the greenback still behaves like the world’s ultimate safe-haven asset.As Plus500 explains below, the answer is nuanced. The dollar is not losing its global role overnight. However, its dominance is becoming more contested, and traders may need to analyse the greenback through both short-term macro drivers and longer-term structural shifts.TL;DRThe U.S. dollar holds roughly 58% of global foreign exchange reserves, down from roughly 71% in 2000.Central banks bought over 1,000 tonnes of gold in 2024, a third consecutive year above that threshold.No single currency currently matches the dollar's liquidity, market depth, or network effects.The dollar's safe-haven role may weaken when the shock originates inside the U.S. itself.The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) remains the primary benchmark for tracking broad USD strength.Traders should monitor Fed policy, Treasury yields, DXY levels, and reserve-diversification trends together.Is the U.S. Dollar Still the World's Reserve Currency?The U.S. dollar remains the leading currency in global reserves and financial markets. The Federal Reserve notes that the dollar continues to play a preeminent role in international reserves, trade, payments, funding, and investment.However, dominance does not mean immunity. IMF COFER data track the currency composition of official foreign exchange reserves and show that central banks continue to hold large dollar allocations while gradually diversifying into other currencies and assets.This gradual decline in reserve share is one reason the de-dollarization debate has intensified. The dollar is still the system’s core currency, but its monopoly-like status is being questioned more frequently.What Is De-Dollarization?De-dollarization refers to efforts by countries, central banks, and institutions to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar in reserves, trade settlement, borrowing, or payment systems.This can include:holding fewer dollar-denominated reserves;increasing gold holdings;settling trade in local currencies;using alternative payment systems;reducing exposure to U.S. sanctions or dollar-based financial infrastructure.The trend has been especially visible among countries seeking greater financial independence from the U.S.-led system. However, de-dollarization is gradual rather than sudden because the dollar remains deeply embedded in global markets.Why the Dollar's Safe-Haven Premium Is WeakeningThe dollar traditionally benefits during crises because investors seek liquidity, safety, and access to U.S. financial markets. However, recent market behavior has become more complicated.Some analysts argue that the dollar’s safe-haven premium has weakened during periods when the uncertainty originates in the United States itself, such as trade policy shocks, fiscal concerns, or political volatility. Brookings has argued that rising tariffs and the U.S. retreat from international trade may threaten the dollar’s role as a safe-haven and anchor currency.S&P Global has also noted that tariff-driven inflation risks and policy uncertainty could challenge the dollar’s traditional role as a reliable store of value during market turbulence.This does not mean the dollar has stopped acting as a safe haven. Rather, it suggests that the source of the shock matters. If the global economy is under stress, the dollar may still benefit. If the shock is specifically tied to U.S. policy credibility, the reaction may be weaker.Why Central Banks Are Buying Gold Instead of DollarsOne of the clearest signs of reserve diversification is central bank gold demand.The World Gold Council reported that central bank gold demand remained strong in 2025, with net purchases continuing despite record-high gold prices.The 2025 Central Bank Gold Reserves Survey also found that reserve managers continued to view gold as important during periods of geopolitical and economic uncertainty.Gold does not replace the dollar as a payment or funding currency. It does not provide the same liquidity, yield, or transactional utility as U.S. Treasuries. But rising gold allocations suggest that some central banks want reserve assets that sit outside the dollar-based system.Could the Euro or Yuan Replace the U.S. Dollar?Despite de-dollarization headlines, the biggest challenge for dollar alternatives is scale.The euro is the second-most important reserve currency, but it lacks a unified fiscal and safe-asset market comparable to U.S. Treasuries.The Chinese yuan has grown in international relevance, but capital controls and limited convertibility constrain its global role. Gold is useful as a reserve asset but is not a practical currency for daily trade settlement or cross-border funding.The structural comparison below based on International Monetary Fund data shows why no alternative currently replicates what the dollar provides:U.S. Dollar (roughly 58% of global reserves) Still dominant. Declining gradually from roughly 71% in 2000 but retains unmatched liquidity and market depth. Key limitation: reserve share erosion and growing geopolitical scrutiny.Euro (roughly 20% of global reserves) Second-largest reserve currency. Deep foreign exchange (FX) market and strong institutional framework. Key limitation: no unified fiscal authority and no single Euro-area safe asset comparable to U.S. Treasuries.Chinese Yuan (roughly 2%-3% of global reserves) Growing international use, particularly in bilateral trade and commodity settlement. Key limitation: capital controls, restricted convertibility, and limited offshore liquidity constrain reserve manager adoption.Gold (not a currency; roughly 15% of average central bank reserves by value) Strategic reserve asset with no counterparty risk and no dollar dependency. Key limitation: no yield, not usable for trade settlement or cross-border payments, and illiquid at scale.For now, the dollar's biggest advantage is not trust alone. It is market depth, liquidity, and network effects that no alternative has yet replicated at scale.What's Driving USD Price Action in 2026?Even if de-dollarization is a long-term theme, short-term dollar moves are still heavily driven by traditional macro factors.In June 2026, Trading Economics reported that the U.S. Dollar Index had strengthened over the previous month and was higher over the prior 12 months, supported by expectations that U.S. interest rates could remain elevated.That highlights an important point for traders: Structural narratives do not always determine short-term price action.The dollar can still rise when:U.S. yields increase;inflation keeps the Federal Reserve hawkish;global risk sentiment deteriorates;investors seek liquidity;other major economies look weaker.It can weaken when:Fed rate-cut expectations rise;U.S. fiscal concerns intensify;trade policy uncertainty increases;global growth improves;investors rotate into higher-yielding or risk-sensitive currencies.Trading the Greenback in a De-Dollarization EraFor traders, the dollar’s evolving role creates a more complex trading environment.1. Watch the Fed FirstInterest-rate expectations remain one of the strongest drivers of USD pairs. Inflation data, labour-market reports, Fed speeches, and Treasury yields can all influence the greenback.2. Separate Cyclical Moves From Structural TrendsA short-term dollar rally does not necessarily disprove de-dollarization. Likewise, a short-term selloff does not mean the dollar is losing reserve status. Traders should distinguish between tactical FX moves and long-term reserve diversification.3. Monitor Gold and Treasuries TogetherGold demand may provide clues about reserve diversification and geopolitical hedging. Treasury yields still matter because U.S. government debt remains central to global reserve management.4. Track U.S.-Specific RiskThe dollar may behave differently when uncertainty is caused by U.S. fiscal policy, tariffs, debt concerns, or institutional credibility, compared with global recessions or broad risk-off events.5. Compare the Dollar Against Different Currency TypesThe dollar may perform differently against the euro, yen, Swiss franc, yuan, and commodity currencies. A broad USD view should not rely on one pair alone.U.S. Dollar Outlook: What to Watch in the De-Dollarization EraThe U.S. dollar is not being replaced as the world’s reserve currency in the near term. Its liquidity, Treasury market depth, global payments role, and network effects remain unmatched.However, the dollar’s safe-haven status is no longer beyond debate. Central banks are diversifying reserves, gold has regained strategic importance, and geopolitical tensions have encouraged some countries to reduce dependence on dollar-based systems.For traders, this means the greenback should be analysed through two lenses: short-term macro forces and long-term structural change. Fed policy, yields, inflation, and risk sentiment may continue to dominate daily price action, but de-dollarization, reserve diversification, and geopolitical realignment are increasingly important background forces.FAQsIs the U.S. dollar losing its safe-haven status?Not completely. The dollar remains a major safe-haven currency, especially during global risk-off periods. However, its safe-haven role may be weaker during crises linked directly to U.S. policy, fiscal concerns, or institutional uncertainty.What is de-dollarization?De-dollarization is the process of reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar in foreign exchange reserves, trade settlement, borrowing, and payment systems.Why are central banks buying gold?Central banks often buy gold to diversify reserves, hedge geopolitical risk, and reduce reliance on assets tied to any single country’s currency or financial system.Could the euro or yuan replace the dollar?Neither appears likely to fully replace the dollar in the near term. The euro is important but lacks a single Treasury-like safe-asset market, while the yuan faces limits linked to capital controls and convertibility.What moves the U.S. dollar most?Key drivers include Federal Reserve policy, Treasury yields, inflation, economic growth, risk sentiment, fiscal concerns, geopolitical developments, and relative performance versus other major economies.How should traders approach the dollar in 2026?Traders may need to combine short-term macro analysis with longer-term structural themes, including reserve diversification, gold demand, U.S. fiscal policy, and global de-dollarization efforts.This story was produced by Plus500 and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Why certain identity theft schemes spike every summer, and how to avoid becoming a target Why certain identity theft schemes spike every summer, and how to avoid becoming a targetEverything has a peak season, and just like heirloom tomatoes, identity theft seems to ripen during the summer. While identity thieves prey on people every day of the year, summer creates an environment in which victims are more susceptible to a number of scams.Below, PeopleFinders breaks down why particular scam attacks increase during the summer, how they happen, how to protect yourself from them, and what to do if you find out someone has stolen your identity.The Summer Vulnerability Gap: Why Identity Thieves Don't Take VacationsSummer is a time for rest and relaxation—vacations, traveling somewhere new, or just sitting by the neighborhood pool and working on your tan. However, it also presents prime opportunities for identity thieves to hatch some of their tried-and-true schemes.Vacation travelers, for instance, are an attractive target for many scammers and fraudsters. Most vacation revelers tend to swipe their cards left and right, enter their credentials for online reservations, and rarely check their bank accounts. These actions create ripe conditions for successful identity theft schemes.Before proceeding to summer’s most common scams, it’s worthwhile to cover imposters. Imposter scams involve scammers posing as authority figures, customer service representatives, or otherwise trustworthy people and cover a wide range of illegal schemes. It’s been steadily rising since 2020, and it cost Americans $3.5 billion in 2025. Many of the following schemes fall into the imposter scam category, which increases by around 144 percent in the summer.Summer Safety Power Rankings: Top 5 High-Risk Scenarios1. Package Delivery ScamsPackage delivery scams are a type of imposter scam in which malicious actors impersonate shipping company employees. They send you a text about a package that couldn’t be delivered, and you think, “Uh oh, what if we don’t get those cool Bluey swim floaties in time for the beach trip?”Panicked, you enter your information on the web page linked in the shipper’s message. It happens to plenty of consumers each year and even spikes 89% during the summer months.2. Fraudulent Travel DealsIf something looks too good to be true, it probably is. A free cruise to the Bahamas sounds incredible, but companies simply don’t give them to people who never entered any contests in the first place.In the case of travel deals and cheap accommodation, it’s almost always a way to steal credit card information. Scammers/imposters often send emails and text messages that contain links to legitimate-looking websites. Once victims enter their sensitive personal information, bad actors leverage those credentials to extract as much money as possible.3. Public USB Charging Stations (Juice Jacking)Some identity thieves weaponize public charging stations that use USB cables to either transmit personal and financial data from the victim’s phone to a skimming device in the port or install malware on the phone to spy on them. As people still need to charge their phones during vacations, they’re often forced to plug their phones into USB ports they’ve never used before. These unfamiliar—and unvetted—ports are often highly accessible to scammers intent on juice jacking unsuspecting victims.4. Ticket ScamsSummer is the season of big-name festivals and concerts that sell out quickly, relegating many ticket sales to the second-hand market. Unfortunately, that’s where many scammers make their dough.Fake ads for supposedly available concert tickets are a common way of obtaining victims’ credit card information. Scammers often request payment via wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and other applications with weaker fraud protections. These imposters then disappear into thin air.5. Unsecured Wi-Fi NetworksLastly, public Wi-Fi networks are extremely easy for hackers to intercept and siphon off critical information shared by the victims. They can sometimes obtain bank account login credentials, Social Security numbers, and other personal details by intercepting the right internet traffic.In other instances, scammers spoof the names of trusted Wi-Fi networks. Instead of getting on the airport Starbucks’ free internet, for example, you can unwittingly stumble onto a fraudster’s meticulously crafted network. From there, they can monitor your every move on search engines and other websites.Staying Ahead: A Proactive Summer Security ChecklistIdentity theft isn’t an inevitability. You can enjoy a summer with much fewer risks if you make sure to follow the following tips:Download a VPN to reroute your data so it’s not visible to hackers, even when you use lower security networks.Keep your devices up to date with security patches from the manufacturer. Devices with older security protocols are more vulnerable to cyber attacks.Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all your log-ins. It creates a barrier that protects your account, and you’ll notice any suspicious activity once you receive a text message providing a one-time password (OTP) you didn’t request.Do an end-of-summer audit for bank statements and credit reports, and flag any small transactions you don’t remember making. These are usually tests done by identity thieves and could signal that your account is a target.Am I Dealing with a Scammer? Steps to Secure Your InformationIf you suspect encountering a potential scam, here are some actions you could take to minimize the risk:1. Find and Report the ScammerSince recent Experian data show that more victims report being contacted by email than by any other method, you can use a tool to reverse email search any suspicious person contacting you. Once you have their information, proceed to report them to your local police department, as well as their PD if they’re out of state.2. Report Your Stolen Identity to the Federal Trade CommissionUse identitytheft.gov, the FTC’s dedicated website to report identity fraud, to report the incident. There, you’ll find information to help mitigate the losses and protect you from further damage.3. Contact a Credit Bureau to Freeze Your CreditIf the scammer got hold of your financial information, contact one of the three credit bureaus to put a fraud alert on your credit report until the issue is resolved. The bureau you contact is obligated to report to the other two.Equifax: 800-525-6285Experian: 888-397-3742TransUnion: 800-680-7289Even though there’s a higher chance of encountering scams during the summer, you can still have a great time while doing your due diligence to protect your identity. Just remember to be careful who you share your information with, implement a few cybersecurity measures, and track any unusual communication you receive.This story was produced by PeopleFinders and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What to do when visa delays slow your startup What to do when visa delays slow your startupStartups compete on speed. But the immigration system runs on fiscal years.For founders, delays cost more than filing fees. They can lead to stalled roadmaps, unfilled roles, and even work moved overseas.The immigration system can be a tax on velocity. But as Manifest Law explains below, there’s a way for founders to plan for it.Key TakeawaysTo keep visa delays from slowing your startup, plan hiring around the immigration calendar and line up backup visa options.When companies can’t get visas, research shows some of the work moves overseas.You can’t speed up the government, but employers with an immigration strategy can keep more of their momentum.What does immigration delay cost a startup?The biggest cost of immigration delay is time. It’s the senior engineer you want to hire in March who can’t start until October. It’s the role that sits open for months while you wait on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process a petition.Why delays are commonMost new H-1B work visas go through a lottery. For fiscal year 2026, employers submitted about 344,000 registrations. Only around 120,000 were selected, or around 35%.A missed lottery can push the hire back a year, but even lottery selection doesn’t always mean a fast start. Regular H-1B processing for a worker changing status in the U.S. typically takes as long as 9 months. And cap-subject hires usually can’t begin work until Oct. 1, no matter when you make the offer.For a company that ships products in two-week sprints, that’s an enormous wait. So what about paying to go faster?Employers can add premium processing to get a response to their petition in 15 business days at a cost of $2,965. But that only speeds up potential approval. It doesn’t change the Oct. 1 start date, and it can’t buy a better spot in the lottery (although the wage level you register at might, as will be explained later).And if the hire is overseas, add another wait for the visa stamp at a consulate abroad. A start date could slip for a number of reasons.Do immigration delays push jobs overseas?The research suggests that when companies can’t get visas, some of the work simply leaves the country.A study of the H-1B program by Britta Glennon, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, looked at what firms do when visas get denied. The study, published in the journal Management Science in 2023, found that for every visa rejection, the average multinational company added about 0.4 workers abroad. The most globally connected firms added closer to 0.9, nearly one offshore hire for every rejection.Where did those jobs go? Mostly to India, China, and Canada, per the study. And many were R&D roles.Are startup jobs moving overseas?That study looked at large multinationals, not seed-stage startups. So why should a founder care?Startups now have the same escape valve that those big firms used, thanks to remote-first hiring and established engineering hubs abroad. The barrier that pushed corporate R&D to Bangalore can also push a 20-person startup toward a contractor in Toronto.But by offshoring, you lose one thing startups run on: people in the same room, iterating fast. Working over distant time zones can slow you down. Some founders will want their core team close by.Which delays hit hardest?The biggest delays fall on two groups: your newest, entry-level hires, and your longest-tenured people waiting on green cards.The shift to a wage-weighted lottery system rewrites the playbook for junior hiring. New grads and early-career engineers on Level I wages now appear to face the steepest odds. Then a green card backlog creates a retention risk. A great engineer may join, do great work, then face a decade-plus wait for permanent resident status, which could push them to look elsewhere.Here are the main pressure points employers face today:The H-1B cap lottery: The annual lottery selected about 35% of registrations in FY2026. For FY2027, the lottery was wage-weighted, so odds rise with pay. Early estimates put Level I near 15% and Level IV near 61%, so junior and entry-level roles are affected the most.Petition processing: Regular processing may take as long as 9 months. That’s a tight squeeze for anyone aiming for an Oct. 1 start.The green card backlog: Roughly 1.8 million people are waiting for an employment-based green card. For Indian nationals, EB-2 and EB-3 wait times may stretch well over a decade. As of the July 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-2 India is temporarily unavailable, with no new green cards issued in that category for the rest of the fiscal year. Long-tenured staff are affected the most by this wait.The $100,000 H-1B fee: A new fee on certain petitions is in effect while under appeal, adding cost and uncertainty. It affects H-1B hires from abroad.What can employers do about immigration delays?You can’t speed up the government. But you can design your hiring around its calendar, and build a more defensible plan in the process.Here are six moves that could help:Plan for the fiscal calendar, not the offer date. Build the Oct. 1 start date into your headcount planning. If a role depends on the H-1B lottery, plan for the gap between the offer and the start date.Register at the wage level the role can legitimately support. The wage-weighted lottery gives higher wage levels better selection odds. In Manifest’s FY2027 data, Level II was selected at roughly twice the rate of Level I. But this only works when the role genuinely supports the higher wage. Don’t inflate a level to game the lottery. The position and pay have to match, or you risk trouble down the line.Diversify your visa pathways. The H-1B lottery is not the only door. Common alternatives include O-1, L-1, TN, F-1, and J-1 visas, which do not require a lottery.Sequence green cards early. For talent from backlogged countries, starting the green card process sooner may help mitigate long-term retention risk. The wait won’t shrink, but an early start keeps the timeline moving and signals commitment.Use premium processing where possible. When a late approval could force a work stoppage, paying for a faster decision through H-1B premium processing can buy timeline certainty.Build a contingency for a lottery miss. Two out of three registrations don’t get selected, so have a backup ready. That might mean keeping a candidate on another valid status, exploring a cap-exempt option, or covering the work another way until the next lottery. A defensible framework beats scrambling in April.None of this can speed up immigration. But together, these moves help you stay in control of your own timeline instead of leaving it to chance.What’s really at stake?Immigrants founded or co-founded 59% of America’s billion-dollar startups, companies now worth a combined $5 trillion, according to an analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). Immigration delays slow that engine.For founders, immigration shapes how fast you can build, and companies that plan for it early can keep their momentum. You can’t speed up the system, but you can build around it.FAQs about immigration delaysHow long does the H-1B process take?Regular H-1B processing times may take 9 months, and cap-subject hires usually can’t start work before Oct. 1. From the March lottery to a start date, the full timeline often runs about seven months or more.What happens if you don’t get selected in the H-1B lottery?If you weren’t selected in the lottery, you generally have to wait and try again the next year, since the lottery runs only once annually. In the meantime, employers may keep a candidate on another valid status, explore a cap-exempt option, or cover the work another way.Does premium processing make an H-1B faster?H-1B premium processing speeds up the decision on your petition, requiring a response from USCIS in 15 business days for roughly $2,965. But it doesn’t move the Oct. 1 start date or improve your lottery odds.What are alternatives to the H-1B for hiring engineers?The O-1 visa has no annual cap and may fit people who qualify as highly accomplished. The L-1 visa allows employees to move from an existing foreign office, and the E-2 visa can work for treaty-country nationals at qualifying companies. Other types of work visas can also avoid the lottery.Why is the green card wait so long for Indian nationals?A 7% per-country cap limits how many green cards any one country can get each year. High demand from India means EB-2 and EB-3 waits for Indian nationals may stretch well over a decade.This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law changes frequently, and the information here is current only as of the publication date. For advice on your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.This story was produced by Manifest Law and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Senior Bix kicks off Bix Week along the Mississippi River Trail Runners and walkers had the option to complete a 1-mile or 2-mile course.
	A parasite that thrives in warm conditions adds to Yukon River salmon woes Stan Zuray's son Joe hangs salmon to dry several years ago. The fish were dried int he traditional manner; the site was a family fish camp on the Yukon River. (Photo provided by Stan Zuray)When Stan Zuray began noticing white spots, a mushy texture and a weird “sour watermelon” smell in the Chinook salmon he was pulling from the Yukon River, he knew something was going wrong. That was back in the 1980s. By about 1990, he and others just stopped fishing what he calls “the ass end of the king run” because the fish were so low in quality, he said. Everyone stopped fishing earlier than normal, he said. “You just get tired of the bum-looking fish,” said Zuray, who lives in the village of Tanana but still has his Boston accent after spending half a century in the Alaska Bush. Stan Zuray at home with two of his three daughters, Katlyn and Ariella. (Photo provided by Stan Zuray) It was an ominous turn for a river famous for producing some of the world’s biggest and most prized wild salmon. Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon, is so exalted among the five Pacific salmon species that it is designated Alaska’s official state fish. And the Yukon River Chinooks were traditionally considered among the best of the best. The culprit in the mushy, weird-smelling salmon was Ichthyophonus, a parasite found in oceans around the world, but a particular menace to the health of Yukon River Chinook salmon. Zuray is known nationally as a featured character in the reality TV show “Yukon Men” and from his own YouTube broadcasts and a biographical documentary. Within Alaska fishing circles, he is well known as a former subsistence representative on the Alaska Board of Fisheries. In the science community, he is known for his work as one of the early Yukon River Ichthyophonus researchers. He set up a program and documented infection rates at Rampart Falls, a spot on the river near the tiny Alaska village of Rampart, collecting data that has become critical to current studies. Zuray said he could smell the infection as fish dried on racks in the traditional way and the parasite multiplied rapidly in the warm sunlight. He dissected samples and documented how Icthyophonus attacks a salmon’s heart. “I squish it in my hand by closing my fingers, and the heart will ooze out through my fingers,” he said. White spots in a Chinook salmon heart show the Ichthyophonus infection. (Photo by Stan Zuray) Waves of infection as salmon runs dwindle Since Zuray began documenting Icthyophonus in the late 1980s, there have been waves of infections — periods when the parasite was so prevalent that half or more of tested fish were infected, followed by slower periods, followed by new increases. Those waves, especially the most recent infectious wave around 2022, coincided with a devastating crash in Yukon River Chinook runs. They also coincide with a long-term warming of the Chinooks’ freshwater habitat. Once thought of as a fungus but now classified as a protist, a category that lies somewhere between fungi and bacteria, Icthyophonus was first identified more than a century ago. It exists in oceans all around the world, as well as in some freshwater bodies. Fish typically become infected by consuming it through prey, but can also get infected through physical contact or absorption of water. As with other parasites affecting fish, the warming climate is a factor in the spread of Ichthyophonus. It multiplies faster in warmer conditions, and fish enduring warmer conditions are more stressed and weaker, making them more vulnerable to infection. Alaska fish known to get Ichthyophonus infections include herring, halibut and pollock, for which the parasite can be a minor nuisance. A graph shows changes in the number of Chinook salmon entering the Yukon River, as measured by sonar at Pilot Station, a Yup’ik village near the river’s Bering Sea mouth. Two years of data, 1996 and 2009, are missing. (Graph provided by the U.S. Fish and Widllife Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game/2025 Preliminary Yukon River Salmon Fisheries Review, September 2025) Estimated returns of Canadian-origin Chinook salmon into the Canadian portion of the Yukon River are shown in a graph charting changes from 2005 to 2025. The current goal for what is called “spawning escapement,” the return of fish to grouds where they can successfully reproduce, is 71,000 fish. That is the level believed sufficient to rebuild the population to a sustainable level. Previous years’ goals are shown with dotted lines. (Graph provided by the U.S. Fish and Widllife Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game/2025 Preliminary Yukon River Salmon Fisheries Review, September 2025) But for Yukon River Chinook, once plentiful and the backbone of commerce, communities and culture, Ichthyophonus is adding to the long-term problems plaguing the runs. It can kill fish, and those that survive infections can be in weakened states, with meat that is not dangerous but unpalatable. Yukon River Chinook numbers have plummeted. In 2022, the Chinook return to the Yukon River was about 80% below the previous 30-year mean, according to federal scientists. The picture at the far end of the river’s spawning grounds is especially grim. In recent years, less than a third of the minimum number of adult Chinook salmon needed to sustain the population have made it back to Canadian spawning grounds. Chinook salmon fishing has been closed entirely for several years on the Canadian portion of the river, and closures will likely continue until 2030, under an Alaska-Canada agreement signed in 2024. Exactly what role Ichthyophonus plays in the decline is yet to be determined, but it could be important, said Alaska Department of Fish and Game pathologist Jayde Ferguson. “From a research priority perspective, it ranks high to figure it out,” said Ferguson, who works at the department’s fish pathology lab in Anchorage. The lab tracks numerous fish diseases, but Ichthyophonus has become a major focus. The department and various partners, including the U.S, Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Pacific University and tribal entities, are spending a lot of time and money trying to find answers “not because we think we can reverse the infection but to better manage the runs as they are now,” Ferguson said. A microscopic image shows an Ichthyophonus infection in the tissue of a Chinook salmon. The white spots indicate the infection. (Photo by Jayde Ferguson/Alaska Department of Fish and Game) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Myriad factors blamed for crash The Chinook salmon crash is a multifaceted story that extends far beyond the Yukon River, caused by stressors that scientists say are overlapping and cumulative. Throughout their North Pacific habitat, Chinook runs have faltered, even as runs of other salmon species such as sockeye have boomed. Some reasons are directly related to climate change, including recent heat waves, scientists say. Warming in the ocean has shifted salmon food sources from high-fat prey to low-fat and lower-quality prey, affecting not only Chinook salmon but another species important to Yukon River residents, chum salmon. Warming in the rivers where salmon return to spawn creates heat stress: In the summer of 2019, the hottest on record in Alaska, masses of dead chum salmon were found in the river system. Permafrost thaw is releasing mercury and other minerals; some formerly clear rivers are now tinted rust-red, with levels of minerals that are now occasionally toxic. A spawning Yukon River Chinook salmon captured near Pilot Station in June of 2018 is examined in a study of heat stress effects on the fish. (Photo by Shannon Waters/USGS Alaska Science Center) Beyond the Yukon, invasive species can degrade the habitat, a problem exacerbated by climate change. In Southcentral Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Borough, for example, numerous freshwater bodies are infested with invasive northern pike that are gorging on juvenile salmon, and warmer temperatures increase the predation, University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers have found. Some reasons for the Chinook crashes, along with crashes of chum salmon, are related to fishery practices at home and abroad. Increasing loads of hatchery fish pumped into the ocean from Asian operations result in depletion of food sources. Subsistence salmon fishers like Zuray have also faulted management decisions that they say favor large-scale commercial harvesters. They are especially concerned about the interception of salmon at sea by trawlers targeting other species like pollock, a phenomenon called bycatch. The degree to which bycatch at sea is responsible for the declines in the Yukon and other river systems is a subject of heated debate. Trawling industry defenders point out that only a tiny percentage of the Chinook netted in the ocean as bycatch in the Bering Sea is from the Yukon River. But fishers on the river say percentages mean little because every Chinook salmon that fails to return to spawning is another reproduction dead end. The river residents have a slogan: “Every salmon counts.” Wristbands and buttons bearing the slogan “EVERY SALMON COUNTS” are displayed on a table on Feb. 9, 2026. The wristbands and buttons were distributed by tribal organizations attending the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Anchorage. The slogan references the argument that every salmon that avoids bycatch and is able to swim to river spawning grounds is important to the population and to the people who depend on salmon runs. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) The desire to preserve every possible fish affects Ichythophonus research. Only dead fish can currently be tested for the parasite, as the heart and other tissue must be examined to confirm infections. To limit pressure on the run, the Department of Fish and Game and its partners sample only a few dozen fish a year. The researchers are currently trying to develop nonlethal ways to test, such as muscle biopsies, Ferguson said. Parasite’s role The Fish and Game researchers and their partners are examining not only the frequency of infection in runs but also the concentrations of parasites within individual fish. They are trying to understand how much infection salmon can withstand before succumbing, as well as what the sublethal effects are. Recent years’ troubles pose some specific questions. How many of the missing fish — those unaccounted-for fish that entered the river’s mouth but failed to reach spawning grounds — were lost to infections? And to what extent is the parasite hampering U.S. treaty obligations to allow a sustainable amount of Chinook to reach Canadian spawning ground? Ferguson and his research partners have some preliminary answers. Alaska Department of Fish and Game fish pathologist Jayde Ferguson holds samples from Yukon River burbot that became infected with Ichthyophonus, the parasite that has been a problem for Yukon River Chinook. The burbot are presumed to have eaten infected salmon. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/ALaska Beacon) Using a model based on samples collected between 2022 and 2024, a time of high infection rates, they came up with some percentages, as detailed in a study newly published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. For Canadian-origin Chinook salmon, between 8% and 15% of the deaths occurring as they swam through the Alaska part of the river during those summers were caused by Ichthyophonus infections, according to the model. That percentage rose to nearly 35% at the Canadian border, the mathematical model shows. The intensity of infection is emerging as an important factor. Over all three years in that study period, the prevalence of infection was largely unchanged, ranging from 36% to 49% of fish sampled at three different sites. But the intensity of infection was lower in 2024 — and in that year, there was no evidence that Ichthyophonus was responsible for any of the Chinook that were missing and presumed dead. Indications are that the rate of infection, which was about 35% in 2025, according to preliminary data, is on the wane, Ferguson said. An Ichthyophonus infection is seen in the flesh of a Yukon River Chinook salmon. The white spots show the infection. (Photo by Stan Zuray) While money for the three-year project evaluating returns from 2022 to 2024 has ended, there is new federal funding for additional research, thanks to a 2024 budget measure that, through efforts by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, included money for Pacific salmon health research. Yukon Chinook: Special, and especially vulnerable Scientific studies and causal observation have made one thing clear: In Alaska, Ichthyophonus is most troublesome for Yukon River Chinook. What makes those fish special also appears to make them vulnerable. They spend more time in the ocean than any other of Alaska’s salmon species, and they also make the longest trip to spawning grounds, up a river that extends 2,000 miles. Once they enter freshwater, all their energy goes into the reproduction mission. The ultra-long migration is also what accounts for their extra-high oil content, something that made Yukon River Chinook the priciest of all Alaska salmon in past decades, when there was enough to support a commercial harvest. Alaska Department of FIsh and Game fish pathologist Jayde Ferguson stands by fish samples kept in a freezer at the Anchorage lab where he works on Dec. 5, 2025. The samples are from Yukon River fish. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Losses from shut-down salmon harvests go well beyond dollars, river residents say. Christina Changsak, from the Yup’ik village of Russian Mission on the Lower Yukon River, articulated those sentiments at a February fishery management meeting. She fishes during the summer and tries to teach her grandchildren about traditions, she said. “I teach them how to put away the meat, how to take care of their berries and tend to their fish when they’re drying and how to take care of them, to put them away, so we’ll have all that food security during winter,” she said in testimony to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the panel that regulates seafood harvests in federal waters off Alaska. “With the Yukon being shut down, I have no way of teaching my grandkids until we’re reopened again.” Even if they can harvest other fish, there is no adequate substitute for the missing salmon, she said. “The king salmon have that oil that our body needs,” she said. Shrinking fish Yukon Chinook are not just fewer in number but also smaller. On average, they are about 11% shorter in length than they were prior to 1980, according to a research collaboration that includes scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. By weight, they are close to 20% smaller on average, agency and university scientists say. A woman at Fort Yukon in the early 20th century holds a large Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon. Two men, two boys and a dog are also seen with a cart full of other large salmon fished from the Yukon River (Photo from the Dr. Ernest A. Cook Photographic Collection, 1913-1939/University of Alaska Fairbanks) The change is noticeable, Zuray said. “I’m sure I forget when the last time I caught a 50-pounder was,” he said. Scientists say the shrinking size, documented in all Pacific salmon species but most dramatically in Chinook, is linked to warmer conditions in the ocean. Salmon are maturing faster there, thus returning to freshwater earlier and more petite. That is part of a negative feedback loop, according to UAF-led research: Smaller Chinook salmon carry fewer eggs and are less robust as they make their journey upstream, leading to less reproduction and to yet-smaller runs of returning fish. Wilson Justin, an Ahtna Athabascan elder from the upper Copper River region, said smaller fish create problems. “They deteriorate faster. And it’s very difficult to take the time to dry the fish right,” he said. It used to take four to five days to dry them on a rack in the traditional fashion, he said. Now that schedule does not work, he said. It used to take “just a little bit of smoke” to process them properly; now smoking fish in the traditional way no longer works well, so people simply stick them in freezers, he said. Juvenile Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon, are seen on July 12, 2006, swimming in the water in Togiak National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Alaska. Salmon in the Togiak refuge migrate out to the Bering Sea. (Photo provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Infections are also part of the shrinking-fish-size negative feedback loop, Justin said. Fish that are infected do not grow as well, but it’s unclear whether infections are the cause or the result of smaller sizes, he said. “The smaller you get, the more you’re going to be susceptible to parasitic infection,” he said. To Ferguson, the link between smaller sizes and infections is yet to be understood: “It’s the chicken and the egg. Are they smaller because they’re wormy? Or are they wormy because they’re smaller?” Beyond the Yukon River, and beyond Icthyophonus A yet-unsolved mystery is why Ichthyophonus problems are concentrated in Bering Sea-swimming salmon. Whole troll-caught Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon, are displayed on ice and offered for sale at Anchorage’s New Sagaya Market on June 23, 2023. This salmon is from Southeast Alaska. There have been widespread declines in Chinook runs in much of the Pacific region, but some commercial harvests are ongoing, and the fish sold from those harvests is considered a premium product. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Potentially, long-term climate change is a factor, Ferguson said. Reduced ice coverage, shifting of fish stocks north and other changes might have occurred too quickly for Bering Sea salmon to adapt to Ichthyophonus, compared to those runs that use the Gulf of Alaska, where fish might have been exposed to the parasite for centuries. “But that’s speculation,” he said. Even though the Gulf of Alaska runs have been resistant to Ichthyophonus, fishing-dependent communities outside of the Yukon River are on the lookout for that and other parasites that multiply faster in warmer waters. In Justin’s home region, there are concerns for Copper River salmon. Those fish, which also pack on extra fat to support a long migration to spawning grounds, are now among the most-prized commercially caught salmon in the world. Copper River red salmon, also known as sockeyes, are relatively healthy, but Copper River Chinook runs, like other Chinook runs, have diminished. And some locals have complained about “mushy” fish. The Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission, an organization created by the eight tribal governments in the region, operates wide-ranging science programs that include studies of fish health. That program turned up one confirmed case of Ichthyophonus in 2024, but in a sockeye salmon. Other suspected cases were either ruled out or unconfirmed. Ben Americus, a scientist with the Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, stands on Dec. 8, 2025, at the at the Moose Creek site where he found a sockeye salmon with what he suspected was an Ichthyophonus. The substance causing the white spots in the fish turned out to be a type of bacteria called Lactococcus petauri, which had not been documented before in Alaska but has been found in fish in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere, and may be present elsewhere in Alaska. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Close to Anchorage, in the Dena’ina community of Chickaloon, there was another unusual discovery. An infected fish turned up at Moose Creek, a waterway traditionally known as Tsidek’etna’. The Dena’ina name translates to “Grandmother Creek,” and the site was so named because it used to be so packed with salmon that even grandmothers could easily catch fish there. Ben Americus, a scientist working for the Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, found the suspicious fish in 2025: a sockeye salmon, which was one of 107 fish examined as part of a program investigating salmon declines there and how to reverse them. When Americus examined the heart, he found lesions that he’d never seen before in a Moose Creek salmon, and they appeared to be classic symptoms of Ichthyophonus infection. Investigation by the Fish and Game lab identified the infection as something else: Lactococcus petauri, a type of bacteria seen as an emerging threat in the Lower 48 and elsewhere. It has killed fish, including salmonids like rainbow trout, but has not previously been documented in an Alaska fish. The discovery in Chickaloon was the first documented in an Alaska fish, Ferguson said. But Lactococcus petauri may well exist in other Alaska fish, as this type of bacteria is already endemic farther south in the Pacific Northwest, he said. Additionally, it is unclear whether the infection happened before or after the fish died; there were no overt signs that the bacteria killed that fish, he said. With climate change, there are reasons to watch for Alaska fish infections beyond Ichthyophonus. An image of the Yukon River Delta is captured on Sept. 22, 2002, by NASA’s Lansat 7 satellite. The nearly 2,000-mile long river originates in British Columbia and flows through the Yukon Territory and Alaska. At the delta, channels that branch out into a fan pour the river’s water into the Bering Sea. (Photo provided by NASA Earth Observatory) A 2022 Canadian study found numerous pathogens in four species of salmon in the Gulf of Alaska, all of which increased in quantity and infection load as temperatures increased. A study published in January that Ferguson co-authored also detailed several parasites that affect Pacific salmon and salmonids like rainbow trout, and it contained a warning. In the future, “with climate changes leading to warmer water and reduced water flow, it is likely that virulence of certain recognized pathogens in adult salmon will increase,” said the study, published in the journal Pathogens. The concern about increasing disease risks to fish extends to parts of the north beyond Alaska, including Canada’s Nunavut territory and Greenland, where scientists are studying parasites in fish like Arctic char. ‘Doggiest village’ no more Back on the Yukon River, Zuray has settled into a different lifestyle than that which made him a reality TV and YouTube star. The dog team that was so important to his identity is no more. Instead of traversing the wilderness by dogsled, he works with his son operating maintenance equipment for the tribal government and the state. He has a single dog, a pet who also occasionally serves as a “bear dog,” giving some protection in the outdoors. Stan Zuray’s sled dog team during a trapping trip several years ago 35 miles north of Tanana. (Photo provided by Stan Zuray) At the start of the salmon crash, he gave away half of his dogs because there was not enough fish to feed them. He tried to keep a team together by feeding them commercial dog food, but that proved too expensive; dog food sold on Amazon currently costs about $1.50 to $3 a pound, not including shipping. His son held on to a team for a while, but he also gave it up. The last of his son’s sled dogs were adopted out of the Fairbanks animal shelter, Zuray said. It is a common story along the Yukon River. The loss is keenly felt in Tanana, where residents used to have around 500 dogs altogether, numerous dog teams and a very active mushing community, Zuray said. Now the last dog team has been disbanded, he said. “This was probably the doggiest village on the Yukon River, without a doubt,” he said. It was possibly even “the doggiest village in the state,” he said. “And all the teams are gone.” A section of the upper Yukon River flowing through the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve is seen on Sept. 10, 2012. A U.S.-Canada treaty aims to ensure that Alaskans and Canadians have enough Yukon River salmon to meet their needs. (Photo provided by National Park Service) This article was produced as a project for USC Annenberg’s Center for Health Journalism and Center for Climate Journalism and Communication 2025 Health and Climate Change Reporting Fellowship. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Greetings from Jerusalem, whose holy sites host some of the oldest colonies of nesting swifts The scythe-winged birds have nested in the cracks of the Western Wall and other holy sites in Jerusalem for thousands of years.
	Citing a hunger ‘crisis,’ U.S. mayors call for end to federal SNAP cuts More than 200 American mayors are calling on the federal government to reverse changes that will cost states billions and push millions of people off the national food stamp program. (Photo by Steph Quinn/Missouri Independent)More than 200 American mayors are calling on the federal government to reverse changes that will cost states billions and push millions of people off the food stamp program. This week, the United States Conference of Mayors asked the U.S. Senate’s agriculture committee to reconsider the deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, enacted in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In addition to imposing new eligibility and work requirements for recipients, the law will require states for the first time to fund some SNAP benefits themselves beginning in fall 2027. The 210 mayors who signed a letter to Senate leaders said they are on the “front lines of a deepening food security crisis” and said the federal government should be expanding access to food, not creating new obstacles. That letter was signed by Democratic and Republican mayors leading major cities such as Baltimore, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City and St. Louis, as well as smaller communities including Lima, Ohio; Manhattan, Kansas; and Muskegon, Michigan. The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a nonpartisan organization representing the more than 1,400 leaders of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. “When we’re talking about how to make sure that our residents are fed, that is something that worries Republican mayors, it worries Democratic mayors, it worries independent mayors. It worries everybody,” Matt Tuerk, the Democratic mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania, said in an interview with Stateline. Tuerk, who leads the national organization’s Children, Health, and Human Services Standing Committee, said his constituents are already struggling with the high costs of housing, utilities and groceries. “Now they’re worrying about their ability to even pay for those needed groceries without those SNAP benefits,” he said. Already, more than 4 million Americans have lost SNAP benefits, putting more pressure on food banks and food pantries across the country. Federal officials have argued that changes were necessary to root out fraud and waste from the food stamp program. Tuerk said philanthropic groups don’t have the resources to serve as the national safety net, and city and states are already facing tight budgets that cannot fill the void left from federal cuts. Food stamp changes will cost states billions, raising fears about SNAP’s future “And there’s no adequate replacement for food,” he said. “And I can say that as a kid who had a free lunch card … Without food stamps, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.” The mayors are also asking Congress to delay implementation of new requirements that some experts expect could cost states more than $9 billion. The new law will penalize states depending on their payment error rates — a technical calculation by the feds of SNAP overpayments and underpayments, not fraud. States with a payment error rate above 6% will have to fund 5% to 15% of their benefit payments. Previously, the feds provided the aid. Last month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement new error rate data was “further proof that state accountability is severely lacking” in the SNAP program. But the mayors group said states need more time to improve their error rates and budget for additional costs. “Rising costs of living, stagnant wages, and reduced federal support are converging to create conditions that municipal governments are increasingly challenged to address on their own,” the mayors’ letter said. Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Stateline
	3 Things to Know: July 22, 2026 Muscatine sewer repairs, Bix 7 road closures in Davenport and WQAD's school supply drive are your three things to know for Wednesday.
	The school field trip is quietly disappearing The school field trip is quietly disappearingIf you can remember a day from grade school, it may be when you took a field trip to a museum, the state capitol, a farm, or an aquarium. It’s doubtful you’ll mention a pop quiz. Those memories should tell you something about what a field trip is worth. But today, the trip is fading, and the reasons center around the bus. And it may be a bigger loss than you think, BusesForSale.com reports.Every day we wake up, it seems like the average person has less money. When gas costs rise, it affects personal transportation budgets. And school districts have the same experience. When school budgets face challenges, field trips are among the first things cut, since they read as an extra rather than a requirement. The best hard numbers on this are older than you would like. Back in 2015, a survey by the School Superintendents Association found that 10% of districts eliminated field trips that year, after roughly a third had done so during the recession years. The group is careful to say the sample is not perfectly representative, so treat the figures as a lit match rather than a spotlight. The reason for fewer field trips may have to do with overall transportation trips, but there’s also an issue with drivers. As of 2024, the country was short of school bus drivers by about 12% compared with 2019, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The study also found that the median driver is earning 43% less than the median weekly wage for all workers. So, it’s a job with heavy responsibility, split hours, and pay that has slipped. You might be thinking that sounds like a job that people quit.School districts need enough drivers to cover their morning and afternoon routes. But an industry survey of school transportation leaders in 2024 found that more than 90% reported a shortage, and a majority said it forced them to shorten or combine regular routes. One transportation official said a shortage of substitute drivers means "we now just combine routes or run one late" whenever a driver is pulled away for an activity. The daily route has to come first, and any activity goes without.School arithmetic gets pretty clear when it comes to the costs of filling a bus availability gap. Charter buses for a day-long class trip run between $150 and $250 per hour, or $1,300 to $2,200 per bus. And the cost increases once you factor in mileage and driver minimums. Put a real bus-cost line next to a driver shortage next to a budget cut, and the school-paid field trip does not stand a chance. Cutting a school field trip would be an easy decision if it weren’t for the fact that it’s beneficial. The best study we have on field trips is a genuine experiment. In 2011, researchers led by Jay Greene ran a lottery for school tours of a new art museum in Arkansas and surveyed nearly 11,000 students afterward. The kids who won the trip showed measurable gains in critical thinking about art, more historical empathy, and more tolerance. And the effects were largest for the students who usually get the least. Rural kids and kids from high-poverty schools gained the most. Weeks later, most of them still remembered the substance of what they saw.The same researchers flagged a troubling stat. Museum, culture, and educational field trips get squeezed, and the trips that survive tend to be the wrong ones. Schools "are increasingly choosing to take students on trips to reward them," they wrote, "rather than to provide cultural enrichment. Schools take students to amusement parks, sporting events, and movie theaters instead of to museums." So the trip that builds something gets cut, and the trip that is a party gets kept. That leaves children with families who can’t cover a museum without the one opportunity they were getting at school.And that’s the real cost hidden behind transportation costs. For a wealthy family, their child has a better opportunity to get to the museum. In some ways, the school field trip was a nice-to-have for that kid. The child who doesn’t have a parent free on a Saturday or the money for the tickets loses out when the bus isn’t available.The budget shortage driving much of this is not lifting quickly. Reporting late in 2025 found gaps still hanging over the school year despite some gains. None of this means that schools decided field trips do not matter. It’s just that a field trip, a bus, a driver and a bigger budget are becoming hard to find. Without those things, the field trip gets canceled one class and one spring, at a time.This story was produced by BusesForSale and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Illinois debuts Blue Envelope Program to assist drivers with autism during traffic stops Starting Jan. 1, 2027, drivers can get a free blue envelope at their DMV to hold their vehicle documents. Similar programs have been established across the U.S.
	Muscatine City Council denies property owner appeals over unsafe buildings Muscatine City Council voted to deny all appeals from downtown property owners, upholding the decision to declare the buildings along East Second Street unsafe.
	Rock Island man arrest after shooting just 39 days after sentencing in a Scott County crime A man faces charges after a Rock Island shooting, but it's far from his first brush with the law. TV6 looks into his criminal past
	Downtown Davenport to host events, festivities for Bix Weekend As thousands of runners, spectators and visitors arrive in Downtown Davenport for the annual Bix 7 race, the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP), in collaboration with community partners, will present a full lineup of free events and activities throughout the weekend, a news release says. "Bix Weekend has always been about more than a race. It's [...]
	Traffic alert: Part of 280 closed for multiple-vehicle crash Interstate 280 is closed between the exits for West Locust Street and for 160th Street in Davenport.
	Riverside Park, Muscatine, will close for late-July events Most of Riverside Park will be closed to vehicular traffic during the final week of July as several major summer events take place along the riverfront in Muscatine, according to a news release. From July 26 through August 3, Riverside Park will be closed to all vehicle traffic — except emergency vehicles — from the [...]
	Iowa governor appoints QC member to Developmental Disabilities Council The Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council has announced Gov. Kim Reynolds' appointment of five new members - one from the Quad Cities - who bring diverse experiences, strong advocacy backgrounds, and a shared commitment to advancing opportunities for Iowans with developmental disabilities. New council members These new members join a statewide team of advocates, state leaders, [...]
	Henderson joins Sandburg Foundation as athletic development, engagement officer Lucas Henderson, who has several years of college athletics experience as a coach, has joined the staff of the Carl Sandburg College Foundation as athletic development and engagement officer, a news release says. In his role, Henderson will connect with Chargers alumni and supporters to elevate the opportunities and experiences available to Sandburg student athletes. [...]
	Everyday People: After a tough year, Quad-City Times Bix 7 is a relief for Dylan Parker After a rough year, Dylan Parker sees running in the Quad-City Times Bix 7 as his road back.
	Nice weather for a few more days Although July temperatures are still running above average, we have a few cooler than average days in the forecast. While rain chances over the next seven days are slim, they are not at zero. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	Her son was killed by ICE at a traffic stop. She says she's still waiting for justice Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was fatally shot by an ICE agent two months into President Trump's second term. His mother says her family has yet to receive justice.
	6-year-old aims to run entire Quad-City Times Bix 7 to raise funds to see polar bears With running in his blood, Karsen Valenzuela is hoping to complete the Quad-City Times Bix 7 as one of the youngest to do it.
	U.S. and Iranian attacks continue as tensions mount on a key waterway in the Red Sea The attacks overshadowed diplomatic efforts in Pakistan, one of the conflict's mediators, where a senior Iranian official held talks potentially aimed at reviving a collapsed ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
	The Circus This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.I beg to differ with The New Yorker magazine. In their first issue in 1926, they announced that they were not writing…
	Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall but damage appears limited Storm damage is expected to be limited because the El Nino weather pattern will counter its worst effects But unusually warm waters in the Atlantic means the risk of destructive storms is still high.
	Trump has campaigned more so far in 2026 midterms than he did at this point in 2018 Heading to Georgia on Wednesday, President Trump is campaigning more often this year than he did in the same period for 2018 and has already rallied for a dozen candidates in toss-up races.
	States want to bring Medicaid behind bars. Federal changes make that harder Funding cuts and program changes required by President Trump's big budget law are forcing states to rethink bipartisan efforts to bring Medicaid into jails and prisons.
	Peptides get their regulatory closeup A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will meet this week to make recommendations on whether specialized pharmacies should be allowed to make some popular wellness peptides.
	Jessica VanDyke of Visit Quad Cities earns Forty Under 40 Award Visit Quad Cities has announced that Jessica VanDyke, business growth & sports manager for Visit Quad Cities, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Quad Cities Business Journal Forty Under 40 Award among others who have made a great impact in the region, a news release says. This annual recognition honors 40 emerging leaders [...]
	21st-Century Intolerable Grievances On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously adopted by the second Continental Congress of the 13 united states, and soon after sent to King George III to serve as notice of the 13 former colonies' separation from Great Britain, including future jurisdiction and all subsequent authorities of the Crown.
	Mamdani says New York City can't arrest Netanyahu but the federal government should New York Mayor Mamdani said the city would not be able to execute an arrest warrant issued by the top war-crimes court for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, but urged the federal government to do so.
	French lawmakers approve a sweeping social media ban for children under 15 The move makes France the first country in the European Union to pass a blanket ban on platforms as concerns grow worldwide over the harmful effects of digital content on kids.
Tuesday, July 21st, 2026
	Staying in a job for the health insurance? About 1 in 4 Americans do, a survey says About 24% of U.S. employees stay in unwanted jobs just for health insurance, a report out Wednesday finds. Up significantly since 2021, the uptick in "job lock" is a concerning sign for the U.S. economy.
	DMV services returning to Aledo Since the previous location's closure last year, Aledo residents have had to travel to DMV facilities in Silvis, Monmouth and Galesburg for in-person services.
	Coal Valley man accused of inappropriately touching two children A Coal Valley man has been arrested for allegedly inappropriately touching two children.
	Semi truck driver airlifted to hospital after crash that landed in Linn County creek According to an Iowa State Patrol crash report, the semi truck suffered a tire failure while traveling north on Interstate 380.
	After Silvis alderman's resignation, ethics commission holds hearing Former Alderman Craig Pirmann was accused of recording a closed-door City Council meeting.
	Woman found inside walls of Geneseo business pleads guilty Caleigh Gottsche pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of methamphetamine.
	House votes to extend government funding, aiming to avoid an election year shutdown Lawmakers are hoping to avoid a third shutdown since last September. The stopgap funding measure now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain future.

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026

Tuesday, July 21st, 2026