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

Monday, June 15th, 2026
	Heavy rain and strong storms possible Wednesday around Quad Cities After some relatively quiet weather for the last few days, we're tracking another chance for showers and storms for Wednesday. Before that happens, there's a slight chance for a stray shower or two Tuesday. But the severe weather chances don't arrive until Wednesday: Heavy rain is also a good possibility with the Wednesday storms:
	Meet our new reporter, Andrew Spaid! Andrew joins the Quad Cities from the Chicago suburbs. He previously helped with JDC coverage and is looking forward to getting to know the area better.
	Village of Albany, IL seeks federal funding for wastewater treatment plant The current facility is about 65 years old.
	Crews respond to water main break on River Drive A city official said crews were responding to a water main break on River Drive between 23rd and 34th Streets.
	Davenport tattoo shops submit rezoning request in fight to avoid closure More than 1,700 people have signed a petition supporting the businesses.
	Checking in on drought levels in Iowa and Illinois Illinois and Iowa both have some sort of dryness in about 60% of each state.
	Ride the Island Father's Day with River Action Take a family bicycle ride with River Action and celebrate 250 years of America's independence! Kathy Wine joined Our Quad Cities News with details on Ride the Island. For more information, click here.
	Worldwide artists head to the Davenport Tattoo Festival Artists from all across the globe are heading to the QCA for live tattooing, art vendors and competitions. Quinn Hurley spoke with Our Quad Cities News with details on the Davenport Tattoo Festival. For more information, click here.
	Jackson County officials to discuss data center ordinance The county zoning commission and the board of supervisors will review the current draft of the ordinance, according to city documents.
	Augustana grad running the Mississippi River to raise money for cancer research Grant Bell was inspired to take on the challenge after his niece was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that primarily impacts children.
	Savannah Bananas members coming to youth day at John Deere Classic The players will be at the tournament on July 1st to play in the Pro-Am and take part in the clinic at youth day on the driving range.
	Scott County Park Pool opens June 19 The Scott County Park Pool will open for the 2026 summer season on Friday, June 19. This comes after substantial progress on the pool renovation project, which had initially delayed the facility’s Memorial Day Weekend debut. “We are grateful for the community’s patience and understanding as this significant project reached completion. We also appreciate the [...]
	Davenport Elks Lodge holds flag retirement ceremony for Flag Day The Davenport Elks Lodge held a flag retirement ceremony in honor of Flag Day. Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the U.S. flag by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. For the ceremony, Elks Lodge members retired the club's flag and replaced it with a new one. The flag that got replaced in [...]
	3 Savannah Bananas heading to John Deere Classic Three Savannah Bananas are peeling away from the baseball diamond for a visit to the Quad Cities and the John Deere Classic Pro-Am.
	Blue Collar Bagels to officially open June 20 in Rock Island After a trial weekend run, Blue Collar Bagels will officially open Friday, June 20 in Rock Island, according to the company's Instagram page. Owner Patrick Fineran says he spent years in the produce business and started baking bagels. He says he soon realized he had a talent and potential business. About three-fourths of their menu [...]
	Kewanee police begins Fourth of July traffic safety campaign The Kewanee Police Department has announced the beginning of its Fourth of July traffic safety campaign.
	Friends of MLK holding annual Juneteenth Festival in Davenport 160 years ago, the first celebration of Juneteenth took place in Galveston, Texas, commemorating the independence of Black Americans from bondage. The celebration stems from Union troops entering southern Texas in 1865, informing Black Americans that they were no longer controlled by the upper white class known as the planter’s class. Friends of MLK in Davenport is continuing the local celebration for the now-observed federal holiday. The festival is set for Saturday, June 20th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 2nd Street between Harrison and Brady Streets.
	Water main break halts traffic on River Drive in Moline The break was reported about 1 p.m. Monday.
	Honor Flight of the Quad Cities announces veteran reunion Honor Flight of the Quad Cities hosts a veteran reunion on July 9 at the Waterfront Convention Center. Veterans in gold shirts get free entry.
	MercyOne Clinton Medical Center to celebrate new surgical robot MercyOne says that robotic-assisted surgery may lead to smaller incisions, less pain and faster recovery times for patients.
	'Pop the Cork' wine lounge to open in Moline The new wine lounge is set to hold a ribbon-cutting to celebrate its opening on River Drive in Moline.
	Honor Flight announces reunion for former flight veterans Honor Flight of the Quad Cities will hold a reunion for all flight veterans as part of America's 250th anniversary celebration.
	Muscatine closes East 2nd Street for building demolition The City of Muscatine has temporarily close East 2nd Street as crews begin building demolition.
	Quad-Cities gas prices drop by nearly 10 cents in the past week Prices in the Quad-Cities are 54.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, but 98.8 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.
	Crews working to fix water main break on River Drive in Moline The break is on River Drive between 23rd and 25th Streets, according to a media release.
	Contractors begin removal of a downtown Muscatine building Demolition was set to begin on Monday, with exact timing depending on further evaluations.
	How long can flooded crops survive? Iowa State experts share recovery guidelines after severe storms Iowa State University Extension experts release key guidelines to help farmers evaluate wind-damaged corn and flooded soybeans after recent storms.
	Water main break in Moline The City of Moline says crews are responding to a water main break.
	Water main break closes part of River Drive, Moline Crews with the City of Moline Utilities Department are responding to a water main break on River Drive between 23rd and 25th Streets, according to a news release from the city. Drivers are asked to avoid the area while the situation is investigated and assessed.
	2 Village of East Davenport tattoo shops at risk due to zoning law Both business owners will submit their petitions to the city as well as an application to change the zoning code.
	Honor Flight of the QC hosting reunion Honor Flight of the Quad Cities is holding a reunion for all veterans who have been on one of its flights. It will be held on July 9 from 1 -4 p.m. at the Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State Street in Bettendorf. Veterans should bring the gold t-shirt or jacket they received on [...]
	Long Grove asks residents to limit water usage as month-long water tower maintenance begins Long Grove starts water tower maintenance on Monday. Residents are asked to limit nonessential water use for four weeks as temporary pressure drops.
	Muscatine awarded contract for demolition of building The City of Muscatine has been awarded a contract for demolition of 201 East 2nd Street building.
	4th Avenue closures begin Monday in Moline A heads up to drivers in downtown Moline, construction is shifting in the area.
	Pick the winner of this year's John Deere Classic Choose the winner of this year's event and you could WIN!
	Home Runs for Life honoring Bryce Gronowski MercyOne Genesis Home Runs for Life is honoring Bryce Gronowski, 6, of Bettendorf, during the Quad Cities River Bandits game at Modern Woodmen Park on Friday, June 19. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. and players from both teams will honor Bryce during an on-field ceremony at the end of the 2nd inning. A video [...]
	Can dads get postpartum depression? How to spot the symptoms Can dads get postpartum depression? How to spot the symptomsWelcoming a new baby turns life upside down, introducing an immediate, intense, and all-consuming shift. One minute you’re an adult with a routine and a sense of control over your life. The next minute you’re fumbling through midnight feedings, running on no sleep, and trying to soothe a tiny human whose needs feel endless.For fathers, the transition to parenthood can be uniquely disorienting. When their partner is the one physically feeding and comforting the baby, fathers may feel sidelined or unsure of their role. They may want to help at home but have no idea how to contribute. At the same time, fathers might be grieving the sudden loss of freedom or identity. All of this can bring up a wave of unexpected emotions they don’t know how to express.So, yes, dads and other nonbirthing partners can and do suffer from postpartum depression. While it’s well established that hormonal and physical changes make new mothers vulnerable to postpartum depression, more recent research shows that dads are also at risk of developing this condition.In fact, fathers develop symptoms of postpartum depression nearly as often as new moms, but those symptoms are far more likely to go unrecognized. Alma examined the common causes and symptoms for paternal postpartum depression and explained how new fathers can get support.Any type of depression merits support, but with the spotlight firmly fixed on mom and baby, it can be harder for dads to seek help. You may not feel like you “should” need support given all that your partner is managing. It’s important to remember that when dads are mentally healthy and supported, the whole family is stronger for it.What can put men at risk for postpartum depressionThere isn’t one cause of postpartum depression, but there are some situations and life experiences that make it more likely to occur. These risk factors include:A personal or family history of depression (including postpartum depression)Recent stressors, including pregnancy complications, the death of a loved one, or an illnessHaving a partner with postpartum depressionHaving a baby with special needs or health problemsHaving twins or tripletsRelationship challenges with your partnerFinancial insecurityA lack of emotional supportAn unplanned or unwanted pregnancySigns and symptoms of postpartum depression in menGeneral symptoms of postpartum depression are similar in new mothers and fathers. However, research has found that men are more likely to experience somatic symptoms (e.g. physical pain and tension), avoidance and emotional withdrawal, irritability and anger, increased substance use, and violence towards their partner.General signs and symptoms of postpartum depression to watch for:Feeling sad or depressed most of the day, nearly every dayLoss of interest or pleasure in activities you once enjoyedSignificant weight loss or weight gainMajor changes in eating and/or sleeping habits (beyond what’s attributable to parenting an infant)Feeling tired or like you have no energy nearly every dayFeeling guilty or worthlessDifficulty thinking or making decisionsRecurring thoughts of death or suicideLack of interest in your baby, not feeling bonded to your baby, or feeling very anxious around your babyFear of harming the baby or yourselfIt’s easy to dismiss symptoms of postpartum depression as a normal part of adjusting to life with a new baby. And in some cases, mood swings, exhaustion, and stress are a normal part of the transition. That said, it’s time to see a doctor or therapist if your symptoms:Last more than two weeksAre getting worseAre making it hard to take care of yourself or your babyInclude thoughts of hurting yourself or your babyThe effects of paternal postpartum depressionPostpartum depression can make the already monumental task of caring for a newborn even more difficult. For example, the sleep deprivation that all new parents face can be intensified by the effects of depression, leading to even greater exhaustion and emotional strain. Postpartum depression can also interfere with the ability to connect with a partner, care for the baby, and develop a strong bond with a child.Research has found that children with one or more parents experiencing postpartum depression may be at higher risk for certain emotional difficulties, behavioral issues, and hyperactivity.Some studies have also linked parental postpartum depression with academic struggles later in childhood. However, the relationship between these concerns isn’t fully understood. Many factors may contribute, and more research is needed to clarify how postpartum depression affects child development over time.Why it’s so hard for new dads to get helpUnfortunately, society still tends to overlook men’s emotional needs, and this is especially true during the postpartum period. When a new baby arrives, the attention naturally centers on the birthing parent and newborn. While that focus is important, it can leave dads and moms feeling invisible or guilty for having their own needs.And the instinct to “tough it out” doesn’t come from nowhere. From a young age, boys are taught to hide vulnerability, solve problems on their own, and associate strength with silence. So when the weight of new fatherhood becomes overwhelming, it can trigger deep feelings of shame, inadequacy, and isolation.To make matters worse, those same outdated beliefs are often echoed by friends, family, and even other dads who were raised with the same messages. The unspoken rule that “real men don’t ask for help” still lingers.But that message is false and harmful. There is real strength in recognizing when you’re struggling, knowing your limits, and choosing to get support so you can show up fully for your family.How men can get support for postpartum depressionIf you’re struggling, know that there is help available, and you don’t have to wait until things get worse. Connecting with a therapist is one of the most effective steps you can take. Even attending sessions every other week can be effective in reducing the intensity of postpartum depression.While many types of therapy can help, research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is especially effective in treating postpartum depression. Combining medication with therapy may also be a potential option.At the same time, there are small, meaningful actions you can take right now to support your mental health:Prioritize sleep when you can. Even a short nap or trading night shifts can make a difference.Move your body. A short walk, a stretch, or a few minutes outside can help regulate your mood and clear your head.Stay connected. A brief check-in with a friend or family member can help you feel connected to your loved ones and yourself.Limit alcohol and other substances. While they can be a relief in the moment, they can worsen mood swings and sleep issues.Give yourself credit. Remind yourself that many people struggle during this life transition, and you are doing the best you can.One hard but important step is talking to your partner about how you’re feeling. It can feel really tricky to bring up your struggles when your partner is struggling, too. But it’s possible to share your experience in a way that creates connection.You can try saying something like, “I know you are dealing with so much right now, and I see how hard you’re working. I’m feeling overwhelmed too, and I think I need some support so I can keep showing up the way I want to.”When you let your partner in gently, clearly, and with empathy, you create an opportunity for connection. And that’s what your baby needs most: parents who feel supported and present.You’re not alone, and you’re not failing as a new dad. Taking care of your mental health puts you on a path to being a good parent.This story was produced by Alma and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What data shows about choosing the right summer music festival What data shows about choosing the right summer music festivalSummer music festival season gives fans, artists, and industry teams more choices than a poster can explain. Major events compete for attention with long lineups, high-profile headliners, genre-focused gatherings, and smaller festivals built around specific scenes. The common starting point is simple: Look for the biggest name or the most familiar artist. That approach can help, but it leaves out much of what makes a festival a good fit.To show how data can sharpen the comparison, Viberate analyzed selected 2026 summer festival lineups using artist-level data from each festival’s lineup table. The analysis reviewed genre tags, subgenre tags, artist countries, artist ranks, and the number of festival performances each artist had in the 12 months leading up to May 20, 2026. The examples are illustrative and are not presented as a ranked list of summer music festivals.The data points to a practical conclusion: The right festival depends on fit. A megafestival can offer broad exposure across scenes, a genre-focused event can provide a clearer match for specific tastes, and a medium-sized festival can be more relevant to a niche audience than a larger general event.Festival fit starts with the full lineupFestival discovery often starts with headliners. That makes sense. Headliners carry much of the marketing weight, and they help explain why a festival gets public attention.But headliners can distort how a festival is perceived. A festival with several pop headliners may still have a large electronic bill. A jazz festival may include R&B-, rock-, hip-hop-, and country-adjacent artists. A punk festival may include enough metal acts to appeal to a different audience than the headline genre suggests.That is why lineup-level analysis matters. Instead of asking only which names appear at the top of the announcement, a data-based approach asks more specific questions:Which genres appear most often across the listed lineup?How concentrated is the festival around one sound?Which countries do the booked artists come from?How many booked artists rank highly at a global level?How active are those artists on the festival circuit?These questions do not produce one universal answer. They make the comparison more precise.4 festivals, 4 types of fitFor this analysis, Viberate reviewed updated 2026 lineup data for four festivals: Coachella, Tomorrowland, Newport Jazz Festival, and Jera On Air. The group was selected to illustrate different festival-selection scenarios rather than to rank the events against one another.Coachella and Tomorrowland are both megafestivals, but the data shows different lineup patterns. Newport Jazz Festival and Jera On Air are medium-sized festivals, but each has a clearer genre and scene identity. Viberate The table shows why size alone is a limited filter. Coachella and Tomorrowland are both megafestivals, but their genre structures differ sharply. Newport Jazz Festival and Jera On Air are both medium-sized, but they serve different listening contexts.Coachella shows why broad festivals need deeper analysisCoachella is often discussed through celebrity appearances, pop culture visibility, and major headliners. That framing is understandable, but it does not fully describe the 2026 lineup.In the lineup analyzed by Viberate, electronic was the largest main genre by artist count, with 101 of 217 artists listed. That does not mean Coachella is only an electronic festival. It means the listed lineup contains a large electronic layer alongside other genres.The same dataset shows why broad festivals are hard to reduce to a single label. Coachella’s 2026 lineup included artists tagged across pop, Latin, hip-hop, rock, R&B, reggae, jazz, country, African, and Asian categories. House was the top subgenre by artist count.For fans, this can change how the festival is evaluated. A listener using only the biggest names may miss the sections of the lineup that are closest to their taste. For artists and teams, the same logic applies: Festival reputation alone does not show whether the middle and lower sections of the bill match a specific sound or career lane.Coachella’s example points to a broader lesson. Large festivals can offer wide discovery value, but they require a more detailed read. Scale does not automatically make a festival a clean fit.Tomorrowland shows what a focused genre profile looks likeTomorrowland provides the clearest genre-fit example in this analysis. In the 2026 lineup analyzed by Viberate, 520 of 566 artists were tagged as electronic. That equals 91.9% of the listed lineup.This does not mean every artist at Tomorrowland fits the same subgenre. The lineup still includes different branches of electronic music and some crossover appeal. But compared with a broad multigenre festival, the data shows a much more concentrated identity.Dance was the top subgenre by artist count in the 2026 lineup. That first layer of analysis already answers a practical question: If someone is looking for a festival built around electronic music, Tomorrowland is easier to assess by genre fit than a festival with a wider genre spread.The updated lineup also shows why complete data matters. With 566 listed artists analyzed, Tomorrowland’s lineup includes a much larger long tail than a first-page review would suggest. That makes the genre-fit finding more specific: The festival is highly concentrated around electronic, while still covering a broad depth of artists within and around that space.A focused genre profile does not make a festival better, but it does make the festival easier to evaluate for a specific purpose.Newport Jazz Festival shows how medium festivals can offer niche fitNewport Jazz Festival provides a different type of example. It is not competing with megafestivals on scale in this analysis but, it shows how a medium-sized festival can be relevant because of genre and scene context.The 2026 Newport lineup analyzed by Viberate included 61 listed artists. Jazz was the largest main genre, representing 45.9% of the lineup. Jazz fusion was the top subgenre by artist count.The lineup went beyond jazz. It also included R&B, rock, pop, hip-hop, country, Asian, and other tags. That mix matters because it shows how a genre-rooted festival can still include adjacent styles that widen its audience and programming range.For a listener, this may mean the festival offers a specific starting point rather than a general-purpose lineup. For an artist or team, it may indicate a different kind of fit: not the largest audience in the sample but a more relevant cultural and musical context.This is one of the central points of data-based festival comparison. A smaller scale does not automatically mean a weaker fit. In some cases, the narrower context is the main value.Jera On Air shows subculture fit outside the megafestival tierJera On Air is another medium-sized example, but in a different scene. The festival’s 2026 profile places it in Ysselsteyn, Netherlands, with punk and metal as its main genre positioning.In the updated 2026 lineup analyzed by Viberate, punk was the largest main genre, representing 46.1% of the listed artists. Punk rock was the top subgenre by artist count. Metal was the second-largest main genre, giving the lineup a clear punk/metal crossover profile.This type of festival shows why genre-specific analysis should not stop at the headline category. Punk and metal can overlap in live settings, but the distinction matters for festival fit. A punk-leaning lineup with a major metal presence may attract a different audience than a general rock festival or a broader alternative event.Jera On Air also shows why medium festivals can matter in a data-based search. Its value is measured by more than global rank or total size. It comes from the fit between the lineup, the scene, and the audience most likely to care about that mix.For festival discovery, that is a useful correction. A medium punk/metal event may be more relevant to the right listener or artist than a larger festival with only a small number of similar acts.Artist rank and festival activity add another layerGenre is only one part of the decision. Lineup depth also matters.To compare depth, Viberate reviewed artist ranks and festival-performance activity across the four updated 2026 lineups. Artist rank gives one view of scale. Festival-performance activity shows how often the booked artists had appeared at festivals in the previous 12 months. Viberate These figures show different programming patterns.Coachella had the strongest rank-depth profile among the four selected examples, with the lowest median artist-rank number and the highest share of listed artists ranked in the top 500. That fits its role as a broad megafestival with a large upper tier.Tomorrowland had a much larger listed lineup and remained highly concentrated around electronic. Its median rank was higher than Coachella’s because the updated export included a broader long tail of artists. Still, nearly a quarter of Tomorrowland’s listed artists had 10 or more festival performances in the previous 12 months, close to Coachella’s 26.7%.Newport Jazz Festival and Jera On Air had fewer top-500-ranked artists, which reinforces that these festivals serve different kinds of fit. A festival with more globally ranked artists may offer broader visibility. A festival with lower-ranked but highly relevant artists may still be useful for a genre-specific audience.Country mix can change the interpretationThe country distribution of a lineup can also shape how a festival is understood.In the updated 2026 lineups analyzed, the largest artist-origin country varied by festival. U.S. artists made up 47.5% of Coachella’s listed lineup. Belgian artists were the largest country group at Tomorrowland, with 24.4%. U.S. artists accounted for 78.7% of Newport Jazz Festival’s listed lineup and 42.2% of Jera On Air’s lineup.These numbers describe where the booked artists are tagged as coming from. That distinction matters. Artist-country data can help show whether a lineup is locally concentrated, regionally mixed, or globally spread. It cannot prove who will attend the festival.For festival comparison, this can still be useful. A festival with a high domestic artist share may have a different scene function than one built mostly around international touring acts. Again, the value depends on the goal.Data helps narrow the search, not make the final decisionLineup data can make festival comparison more objective, but it cannot answer every practical question.A dataset cannot fully capture ticket price, travel cost, weather, local infrastructure, set times, venue layout, artist fees, booking relationships, production needs, visa issues, or the real on-site atmosphere. It also cannot define what a listener personally wants from a festival weekend.That is why data works best as a filter. It can show whether a festival is broad or focused, whether its lineup matches a genre, whether booked artists are active on the festival circuit, and whether the lineup is local, domestic, or international in composition.The final decision still depends on context. For a fan, that context may be taste, budget, and travel. For an artist or manager, it may be a realistic booking fit, market strategy, and routing. For a label or promoter, it may be audience overlap and scene relevance.The main takeaway is not that data can make the search less dependent on reputation, assumptions, and headline names.MethodologyViberate analyzed four selected 2026 summer festival lineups: Coachella, Tomorrowland, Newport Jazz Festival, and Jera On Air. The festivals were selected to illustrate different types of festival fit: a broad megafestival, a genre-focused megafestival, a medium jazz/R&B-oriented festival, and a medium punk/metal festival.The analysis used updated artist-level data from each festival’s 2026 lineup table, including artist name, country, main genre, subgenre, Viberate rank, and festival performances in the previous 12 months. Genre and subgenre shares were calculated from the current-year listed artists. Historical genre-distribution charts were excluded where they did not match the 2026 lineup year.Artist-country shares were calculated from the listed artist country field. Median artist rank was calculated from available Viberate rank values. Rank-band shares, including the share of artists ranked in the top 500, were calculated from the same artist-rank field. Festival-performance activity was calculated from the number of festival performances listed for each artist in the previous 12 months.For consistency, percentage shares in the article use the full listed lineup as the denominator. Newport Jazz Festival had one artist row without available genre or country data, and Tomorrowland had four artist rows without available country data; those rows remained in the full lineup denominator. The examples are illustrative and are not presented as a ranking of summer music festivals. The analysis does not account for ticket prices, travel costs, booking fees, artist availability, set times, venue conditions, or on-site attendance data.This story was produced by Viberate and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	If you have one of these 50 names, you were probably a 1950s baby Roman Nerud // Shutterstock Baby Names That Rocked the 1950s Perhaps no decade in US history conjures up more imagery of all-American idealism than the 1950s. A politically conservative era, the '50s introduced the world to some of the most enduring cultural touchstones of the USA: milkshakes, Elvis Presley, "I Love Lucy," and sock-hops. One might imagine classic American kids named Jimmy and Susie splitting a hot-fudge sundae at a local soda shop—and you'd actually be historically accurate. James and Susan were in fact two of the most popular names of the decade. In the age of the baby boom, popular names were traditional and conservative, mirroring the culture of the times. But many common names from the '50s have now fallen drastically in rank. Susan, for example, hasn't been among the top 1,000 girls' names since 2020. Parents today are also opting to stray from norms a bit more and go with more unique baby names. The top 10 most popular girls names throughout the '50s accounted for about 21% of all baby girls born in that decade. In 2024, the top 10 girls names accounted for about 6.5%. As homage to the times of white picket fences and drive-in movies, Stacker used the Social Security Administration's historical archives to calculate the average rank of baby names from the 1950s and compared those names to their popularity in 2024. Click through to find out which classic monikers stayed relevant, and which fell out of fashion. Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock #25 Boy: George - Rank in the 1950s: #25 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 18,103 - Rank in 2024: #123 - Births in 2024: 2,890 Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock #25 Girl: Carolyn - Rank in the 1950s: #25 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 12,407 - Rank in 2024: #1,161 - Births in 2024: 206 Samuel Borges Photography // Shutterstock #24 Boy: Jeffrey - Rank in the 1950s: #24 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 18,466 - Rank in 2024: #519 - Births in 2024: 587 Nolte Lourens // Shutterstock #24 Girl: Janice - Rank in the 1950s: #24 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 13,362 - Rank in 2024: #2,243 - Births in 2024: 83 BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock #23 Boy: Edward - Rank in the 1950s: #23 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 18,833 - Rank in 2024: #228 - Births in 2024: 1,584 Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock #23 Girl: Margaret - Rank in the 1950s: #23 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 14,958 - Rank in 2024: #118 - Births in 2024: 2,303 marina shin // Shutterstock #22 Boy: Timothy - Rank in the 1950s: #22 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 19,832 - Rank in 2024: #207 - Births in 2024: 1,708 Dasha Muller // Shutterstock #22 Girl: Kathy - Rank in the 1950s: #22 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 15,793 - Rank in 2024: #2,688 - Births in 2024: 64 Africa Studio // Shutterstock #21 Boy: Dennis - Rank in the 1950s: #21 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 20,427 - Rank in 2024: #707 - Births in 2024: 376 riggleton // Shutterstock #21 Girl: Elizabeth - Rank in the 1950s: #21 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 16,566 - Rank in 2024: #17 - Births in 2024: 6,878 Africa Studio // Shutterstock #20 Boy: Stephen - Rank in the 1950s: #20 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 20,728 - Rank in 2024: #377 - Births in 2024: 864 Darren Brode // Shutterstock #20 Girl: Janet - Rank in the 1950s: #20 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 16,752 - Rank in 2024: #2,426 - Births in 2024: 74 Syda Productions // Shutterstock #19 Boy: Daniel - Rank in the 1950s: #19 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 24,372 - Rank in 2024: #16 - Births in 2024: 8,391 Studio Romantic // Shutterstock #19 Girl: Cheryl - Rank in the 1950s: #19 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 17,139 - Rank in 2024: #3,949 - Births in 2024: 37 Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock #18 Boy: Larry - Rank in the 1950s: #18 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 24,569 - Rank in 2024: #1,065 - Births in 2024: 204 Mcimage // Shutterstock #18 Girl: Brenda - Rank in the 1950s: #18 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 20,924 - Rank in 2024: #1,137 - Births in 2024: 212 Mallmo // Shutterstock #17 Boy: Paul - Rank in the 1950s: #17 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 25,319 - Rank in 2024: #263 - Births in 2024: 1,320 Natalia Kirichenko // Shutterstock #17 Girl: Diane - Rank in the 1950s: #17 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 21,063 - Rank in 2024: #2,243 - Births in 2024: 83 Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock #16 Boy: Kenneth - Rank in the 1950s: #16 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 26,282 - Rank in 2024: #284 - Births in 2024: 1,186 Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock #16 Girl: Carol - Rank in the 1950s: #16 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 22,265 - Rank in 2024: #2,629 - Births in 2024: 66 Africa Studio // Shutterstock #15 Boy: Ronald - Rank in the 1950s: #15 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 27,115 - Rank in 2024: #575 - Births in 2024: 495 Fuller Photography // Shutterstock #15 Girl: Kathleen - Rank in the 1950s: #15 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 22,434 - Rank in 2024: #1,107 - Births in 2024: 220 2p2play // Shutterstock #14 Boy: Donald - Rank in the 1950s: #14 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 27,358 - Rank in 2024: #672 - Births in 2024: 405 Amalia Zilio // Shutterstock #14 Girl: Sharon - Rank in the 1950s: #14 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 23,281 - Rank in 2024: #1,229 - Births in 2024: 190 Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock #13 Boy: Joseph - Rank in the 1950s: #13 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 30,001 - Rank in 2024: #32 - Births in 2024: 7,223 Dasha Muller // Shutterstock #13 Girl: Pamela - Rank in the 1950s: #13 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 23,740 - Rank in 2024: #2,143 - Births in 2024: 88 FamVeld // Shutterstock #12 Boy: Gary - Rank in the 1950s: #12 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 32,994 - Rank in 2024: #1,128 - Births in 2024: 187 Africa Studio // Shutterstock #12 Girl: Sandra - Rank in the 1950s: #12 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 25,159 - Rank in 2024: #1,041 - Births in 2024: 240 Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock #11 Boy: Steven - Rank in the 1950s: #11 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 33,366 - Rank in 2024: #269 - Births in 2024: 1,284 Darkdiamond67 // Shutterstock #11 Girl: Cynthia - Rank in the 1950s: #11 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 26,343 - Rank in 2024: #826 - Births in 2024: 331 Fotonium // Shutterstock #10 Boy: Charles - Rank in the 1950s: #10 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 36,118 - Rank in 2024: #51 - Births in 2024: 5,593 George Rudy // Shutterstock #10 Girl: Donna - Rank in the 1950s: #10 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 27,033 - Rank in 2024: #1,934 - Births in 2024: 102 Pshenina_m // Shutterstock #9 Boy: Mark - Rank in the 1950s: #9 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 38,258 - Rank in 2024: #246 - Births in 2024: 1,437 Zdenka Darula // Shutterstock #9 Girl: Nancy - Rank in the 1950s: #9 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 28,681 - Rank in 2024: #919 - Births in 2024: 288 rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock #8 Boy: Thomas - Rank in the 1950s: #8 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 45,438 - Rank in 2024: #39 - Births in 2024: 6,576 Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock #8 Girl: Karen - Rank in the 1950s: #8 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 33,253 - Rank in 2024: #1,258 - Births in 2024: 184 Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock #7 Boy: Richard - Rank in the 1950s: #7 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 53,545 - Rank in 2024: #232 - Births in 2024: 1,539 javi_indy // Shutterstock #7 Girl: Debra - Rank in the 1950s: #7 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 34,135 - Rank in 2024: #3,565 - Births in 2024: 43 DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock #6 Boy: William - Rank in the 1950s: #6 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 59,123 - Rank in 2024: #10 - Births in 2024: 10,596 Zdenka Darula // Shutterstock #6 Girl: Barbara - Rank in the 1950s: #6 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 34,572 - Rank in 2024: #859 - Births in 2024: 313 Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock #5 Boy: David - Rank in the 1950s: #5 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 76,995 - Rank in 2024: #31 - Births in 2024: 7,317 Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock #5 Girl: Deborah - Rank in the 1950s: #5 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 43,054 - Rank in 2024: #851 - Births in 2024: 316 Falcona // Shutterstock #4 Boy: John - Rank in the 1950s: #4 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 79,792 - Rank in 2024: #21 - Births in 2024: 8,047 phadungsak sawasdee // Shutterstock #4 Girl: Susan - Rank in the 1950s: #4 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 43,777 - Rank in 2024: #1,129 - Births in 2024: 213 Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock #3 Boy: Robert - Rank in the 1950s: #3 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 83,039 - Rank in 2024: #90 - Births in 2024: 3,785 Marlon Lopez MMG1 Design // Shutterstock #3 Girl: Patricia - Rank in the 1950s: #3 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 45,969 - Rank in 2024: #1,298 - Births in 2024: 177 Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock #2 Boy: Michael - Rank in the 1950s: #2 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 83,747 - Rank in 2024: #18 - Births in 2024: 8,189 DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock #2 Girl: Linda - Rank in the 1950s: #2 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 56,436 - Rank in 2024: #835 - Births in 2024: 321 Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock #1 Boy: James - Rank in the 1950s: #1 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 84,378 - Rank in 2024: #5 - Births in 2024: 11,793 Oleksiy Avtomonov // Shutterstock #1 Girl: Mary - Rank in the 1950s: #1 - Average annual births in the 1950s: 62,561 - Rank in 2024: #132 - Births in 2024: 2,196
	Do you live in one of America's best-run cities? These are the top 25, based on data. Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock The 25 best-run cities in America Cities and towns throughout the United States vary drastically in terms of how well they are managed and operated on a daily and yearly basis. Those that work efficiently and effectively usually have stronger economies, lower crime rates, and higher median annual incomes. However, it's important to note that tried-and-true strategies for city management could soon change. A 2025 report from Deloitte found that city governments are increasingly using artificial intelligence for functions like city planning and operations. In the near future, this could impact everything from traffic to air quality within many urban centers. Additionally, pressure is mounting on local political administrations to improve the quality of life for the working class, as evidenced by democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani winning the New York City mayoral race in November 2025. Urban management strategies may shift even further in the face of climate change and growing housing shortages. Global warming has led to an increase in extreme weather events, like the winter storms that killed 150 people across the U.S. in 2026—catastrophes that most cities don't have the resources to handle. Meanwhile, many metros don't even have enough housing stock for their citizens, with mayors projecting a need for an additional 2.1 million units by 2030. Housing prices are also becoming untenable for many, with roughly half of U.S. households spending over 30% of their monthly income on housing. With time, these trends may completely redefine what we think of as a successful city. For now, though, some of the best-run American cities are distinguished by their opportunities for economic growth and education, which in turn increase the quality of services and quality of life for their residents. These cities also tend to attract young professionals as well as older, more experienced professionals looking to start or advance their careers. To define the best of the best, Stacker listed the 25 best-run U.S. cities using 2025 data from WalletHub's Best- and Worst-Run Cities in America. Cities are ranked by their overall operating efficiency, which is determined by the quality of services and total budget per capita. The factors used to determine the overall quality of city services comprise weighted average scores in six key categories: financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure and pollution. Read on to learn more about America's best-run cities. Real Window Creative // Shutterstock #25. Topeka, Kansas - Quality of city services rank: 95 - Financial stability rank: 99 - Education rank: 94 - Health rank: 102 - Safety rank: 89 - Economy rank: 68 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 5 To entice more new workers to Topeka, the city broadened its $15,000 relocation incentive in 2023. If the new residents work in person for a local company, the money can be used toward buying a home or paying for child care expenses. Veterans and previous residents returning to the area are eligible for a $5,000 incentive. The program supports local employers, addresses the low unemployment rate of 3.6%, and helps the economy grow. Topeka is run by a city council and a manager. George Dodd III // Shutterstock #24. Mobile, Alabama - Quality of city services rank: 94 - Financial stability rank: 56 - Education rank: 35 - Health rank: 124 - Safety rank: 107 - Economy rank: 111 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 29 Significant industrial development has occurred in Mobile in recent years. The city began construction on a new airport terminal in 2024, and as of 2025, a $237.5 million replacement of the previous Civic Center is moving forward. Mobile is governed by a mayor and a city council. Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock #23. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky - Quality of city services rank: 64 - Financial stability rank: 57 - Education rank: 39 - Health rank: 104 - Safety rank: 43 - Economy rank: 97 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 130 The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government is rebuilding itself. It's constructing a new government center and a second senior center and developing property along the Kentucky River. The city is also expanding its boundaries, opening thousands of acres for the construction of homes and businesses to accommodate an influx of residents expected in the coming years. RazorbackAlum // Shutterstock #22. Grand Rapids, Michigan - Quality of city services rank: 35 - Financial stability rank: 58 - Education rank: 53 - Health rank: 37 - Safety rank: 67 - Economy rank: 66 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 7 The Grand Rapids council comprises seven elected officials, including the city's mayor. The city has a lower-than-average crime rate, which is reflected in its relatively high safety ranking. While the city hasn't always been safe, crime rates have come down significantly over the years, particularly homicide cases. ESBprofessional // Shutterstock #21. Raleigh, North Carolina - Quality of city services rank: 13 - Financial stability rank: 10 - Education rank: 51 - Health rank: 21 - Safety rank: 35 - Economy rank: 21 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 98 Raleigh's city council comprises seven members and one mayor. The city's strategic plan focuses on improving arts and cultural resources, economic development, and transportation. Seane Pavone // Shutterstock #20. Columbus, Georgia - Quality of city services rank: 106 - Financial stability rank: 48 - Education rank: 54 - Health rank: 148 - Safety rank: 60 - Economy rank: 77 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 65 In June 2025, Columbus State University launched plans to build a $22.2 million center for robotics, engineering, space science, and more. Columbus has a mayor, city council, and city manager, all of whom work together to strengthen the city's economic development and attract new residents. ESB Professional // Shutterstock #19. Jacksonville, Florida - Quality of city services rank: 93 - Financial stability rank: 68 - Education rank: 72 - Health rank: 128 - Safety rank: 90 - Economy rank: 57 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 45 In 2000, voters approved a half-cent sales tax to fund the Better Jacksonville Plan, a $2.25 billion program to improve roads, infrastructure, the environment, and economic development. Projects include a $1.4 billion renovation of the city's pro football stadium and the conversion of an industrial shipyard into a 10-acre waterfront park. In 2025, Duval County Public Schools, which includes Jacksonville, earned its first-ever A grade from the state. Chad Robertson Media // Shutterstock #18. Tallahassee, Florida - Quality of city services rank: 54 - Financial stability rank: 69 - Education rank: 42 - Health rank: 112 - Safety rank: 66 - Economy rank: 78 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 21 Florida's state capital is also boosted by the presence of Florida State University, which generates over $670 million in economic impact for Leon County in tourism alone. Revitalization efforts in the city include redeveloping Bicentennial Square around City Hall and SoMo Walls, an award-winning, mixed-use arts and retail property redevelopment. Tallahassee has a council-manager government with a mayor and four commissioners who are each elected to four-year terms, and four appointed officers who manage the city's daily operations. Sean Pavone // Shutterstock #17. Chesapeake, Virginia - Quality of city services rank: 21 - Financial stability rank: 8 - Education rank: 9 - Health rank: 111 - Safety rank: 22 - Economy rank: 56 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 133 Chesapeake focuses significant attention on economic development and is a stable location to open and develop a business. The city also ranks well for education, with more than 40 schools located in the Chesapeake City Public Schools district. Jon Bilous // Shutterstock #16. Missoula, Montana - Quality of city services rank: 44 - Financial stability rank: 122 - Education rank: 25 - Health rank: 53 - Safety rank: 58 - Economy rank: 3 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 62 Missoula has been focused on recruiting and retaining public educators and has raised salaries accordingly. To pay for these and other budget increases in the 2026 fiscal year, the city government approved a 3.4% tax rate hike in August 2025. Missoula has a mayor and a city council. Sean Pavone // Shutterstock #15. Durham, North Carolina - Quality of city services rank: 19 - Financial stability rank: 2 - Education rank: 14 - Health rank: 22 - Safety rank: 77 - Economy rank: 11 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 140 The city council of Durham, North Carolina, comprises three elected ward members, three at-large members, and a mayor. Durham is very invested in its future and has implemented many strategic plans to support developments and improvements, such as the Capital Improvement Plan. The city focuses heavily on shared economic prosperity, which reflects its #2 ranking for financial stability. Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock #14. Warwick, Rhode Island - Quality of city services rank: 33 - Financial stability rank: 110 - Education rank: 74 - Health rank: 67 - Safety rank: 1 - Economy rank: 31 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 116 Businesses are opening and expanding in Warwick, which has low crime rates across more than 30 unique villages. The city is governed by a mayor and a city council. David Langford // Shutterstock #13. Las Cruces, New Mexico - Quality of city services rank: 76 - Financial stability rank: 54 - Education rank: 86 - Health rank: 83 - Safety rank: 118 - Economy rank: 30 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 90 In November 2024, Las Cruces voters agreed to a 0.325% gross receipt tax increase that eventually added $11.5 million to the city's budget in 2025. As of 2025, more affordable housing projects are in the works, primarily funded by $11 million in state grants. Las Cruces is governed through a council-manager structure. Sean Pavone // Shutterstock #12. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Quality of city services rank: 62 - Financial stability rank: 7 - Education rank: 108 - Health rank: 107 - Safety rank: 72 - Economy rank: 38 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 128 Sales taxes are Oklahoma City's largest single revenue source, but as of 2025, they've fallen behind government expenditures. As a result, OKC has implemented budget cuts for 2026 and initiated plans to scale back the city's workforce. Oklahoma City has a council-manager form of government. Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock #11. Mesa, Arizona - Quality of city services rank: 55 - Financial stability rank: 67 - Education rank: 82 - Health rank: 74 - Safety rank: 33 - Economy rank: 19 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 137 The third-largest city in Arizona, Mesa, is run by a mayor and city council. The city has relatively low crime rates and a thriving economy—in 2024, It opened Mesa Business Builder @ The Studios, a downtown facility dedicated to supporting businesses of all sizes. Nicholas J Klein // Shutterstock #10. Fort Wayne, Indiana - Quality of city services rank: 47 - Financial stability rank: 20 - Education rank: 63 - Health rank: 113 - Safety rank: 17 - Economy rank: 45 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 127 Purdue University's forthcoming Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building on the Fort Wayne campus is expected to open in early summer 2026. The $25 million facility is funded through a combination of state appropriations and private donations. The city has also been making investments in neighborhood infrastructure—streets, bridges, sidewalks, and alleys—as well as its police department and parks. Sherry V Smith // Shutterstock #9. Virginia Beach, Virginia - Quality of city services rank: 2 - Financial stability rank: 9 - Education rank: 4 - Health rank: 59 - Safety rank: 8 - Economy rank: 12 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 105 Virginia Beach has some of the lowest poverty and violent crime rates in the nation. The city also has impressive city services, and a July 2025 survey found that residents report above-average satisfaction with factors like public safety and recreation. Virginia Beach has multiple committees to create and develop economic and business opportunities locally, nationally, and globally. Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock #8. Lincoln, Nebraska - Quality of city services rank: 18 - Financial stability rank: 3 - Education rank: 105 - Health rank: 20 - Safety rank: 21 - Economy rank: 58 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 123 Lincoln's police department provides public access to city-wide data and statistics, including daily call summaries, crime alerts, and a crime mapping website. Its most recent budget boosts city spending on public pools, the StarTran bus system, and pensions for police and firefighters. Steven Frame // Shutterstock #7. Sioux Falls, South Dakota - Quality of city services rank: 16 - Financial stability rank: 23 - Education rank: 75 - Health rank: 46 - Safety rank: 29 - Economy rank: 7 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 63 Sioux Falls focuses its investments on improving its community. The city is active in talent recruitment, invests in infrastructure to improve residents' quality of life, and continually seeks to enhance its economic position. Nagel Photography // Shutterstock #6. Dover, Delaware - Quality of city services rank: 73 - Financial stability rank: 88 - Education rank: 58 - Health rank: 103 - Safety rank: 99 - Economy rank: 14 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 56 As of 2025, Dover is in the midst of Capital City 2030, a $500 million development project aimed at transforming the city's downtown. When finished, it will have new housing, commercial space, a transit hub, a river walk, green space, and an amphitheater. In 2024, the city's police department enacted a Quality of Life Initiative to develop solutions for entrenched safety issues such as drug overdoses, public lewdness, and trespassing. Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock #5. Nashua, New Hampshire - Quality of city services rank: 4 - Financial stability rank: 22 - Education rank: 37 - Health rank: 47 - Safety rank: 2 - Economy rank: 4 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 50 Nashua has an extremely active and strong police department that prioritizes community-oriented policing by working with the city's residents. The city government has been recognized for how well it welcomes immigrants, including an annual festival of cross-cultural celebrations and events. Charles Knowles // Shutterstock #4. Boise, Idaho - Quality of city services rank: 11 - Financial stability rank: 45 - Education rank: 56 - Health rank: 32 - Safety rank: 6 - Economy rank: 16 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 68 Boise has a mayor-council form of government, in which the mayor works full-time and only votes in case of a tie, and six council members who work part-time. This council committed to having the city government be carbon-neutral by 2035, and the rest of the city by 2050. Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock #3. Manchester, New Hampshire - Quality of city services rank: 32 - Financial stability rank: 95 - Education rank: 116 - Health rank: 43 - Safety rank: 15 - Economy rank: 8 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 37 The city of Manchester, known as New Hampshire's business capital, is led by a mayor and a board of 14 aldermen. Manchester has a low unemployment rate and is the largest city in New Hampshire. Ninzie // Shutterstock #2. Nampa, Idaho - Quality of city services rank: 41 - Financial stability rank: 83 - Education rank: 140 - Health rank: 84 - Safety rank: 5 - Economy rank: 1 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 93 Nampa, west of Boise, is governed by a mayor and a six-member city council. City leaders are grappling with the need for more housing to handle expected growth, and existing residents' concerns about where those developments should occur. Additional developments include the upcoming Deer Flat Ranch, a mixed-use project greenlit in February 2025. Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock #1. Provo, Utah - Quality of city services rank: 5 - Financial stability rank: 31 - Education rank: 29 - Health rank: 35 - Safety rank: 3 - Economy rank: 84 - Infrastructure and pollution rank: 23 Provo has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the United States, placing this city at #3 in the safety rankings. Provo is also known as a great place to start a business and raise a family, with strong educational and economic ratings. Data reporting by Rob Powell. Additional writing by Jill Jaracz. Story editing by Cu Fleshman.
	The 25 best Western TV shows of all time, based on data—and 'Gunsmoke' is only #12 Hulton Archive // Getty Images The 25 best Western TV shows of all time If there's a genre of television that is associated with being iconically American, the Western would be the top contender. Visions of saloon doors swinging open as a spur-spangled stranger stands in the frame. Tumbleweeds toss along the road behind him. The ominous sound of over-plucked guitar strings and the stressed-out neigh of restless horses act as the soundtrack in the background. Guns glisten and shine in the holster as they catch the eye of the audience. It's quintessential Americana, and it makes for good television. Westerns, which typically take place in the latter half of the 19th century, focus on the fantasy of the Old West. Scenes harken to a time of outlaw renegades and vigilante justice—all while conveniently leaving out the genocide and colonization that took place to create the "Old West." The fantasy-based genre started around the 1930s and skyrocketed in popularity through the 1960s. From these films and TV shows were born icons of the Western, like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Gary Cooper, among others. Westerns were the most popular TV genre throughout the 1950s and '60s, with classics like "Gunsmoke," "The Lone Ranger," and "Cheyenne." While Westerns faded from the spotlight during most of the '70s, '80s, and '90s, the genre was resurrected at the turn of the 21st century with shows like "Deadwood," "Longmire," and "Yellowstone." Though "Yellowstone" ended in December 2024, it has had a major effect on TV Westerns, including spinoffs like "1883" and "1923." The franchise continues to expand—the most recent installments, "Y: Marshals" and "The Madison," both premiered in early 2026, with "Dutton Ranch" debuting in May 2026. And Taylor Sheridan is no longer the only name in the game. Netflix debuted a number of Western series in 2025, including "American Primeval," "Ransom Canyon," and "The Abandons." These shows and more deliver the kind of gunslinging action that has long kept Western fans captivated. But which are the greatest ever made? Stacker compiled data from IMDb on all Western TV series and ranked them according to IMDb user scores, ties broken by votes. The series had to have at least 500 IMDb user votes to qualify. Whether you're a gunslinging Western aficionado or just cutting your teeth, there are plenty of television Westerns to choose from. Revue Studios #25. Laramie - IMDb user rating: 7.7 - On air: 1959-1963 Set in 1870s Wyoming, "Laramie" was the story of Slim Sherman and his brother, who work to save their family ranch after their father dies. The two main stars of Laramie were John Smith and Robert Fuller, but the show's many guest stars were prominent figures in Hollywood Westerns. MGM Television #24. The Young Riders - IMDb user rating: 7.7 - On air: 1989-1992 This series followed the adventures of the young, handsome group of Pony Express riders based in the Nebraska Territory in the years before the Civil War. It was the first time a traditional Western had been on TV in a decade. Its first season received decidedly low ratings, but the show made a comeback after moving to a new time slot in its second season. Apex Film Corp. #23. The Lone Ranger - IMDb user rating: 7.7 - On air: 1949-1957 Marked by his mask and trusty steed, Silver, the Lone Ranger was a former Texas Ranger who battled the bad guys in the Old West. "The Lone Ranger" got its start in radio back in 1933. It came to television in 1949 and starred Clayton Moore. The series was ABC's first big hit of the early 1950s. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images #22. Sky King - IMDb user rating: 7.8 - On air: 1951-1962 With most Westerns painting the picture of a dusty trail on horseback, "Sky King" flew in with a different perspective on the expansive frontier. The show started as a radio program in 1946 and followed Arizona rancher and pilot Schuyler "Sky" King as he flew through the air with the greatest of ease—all while hunting down criminals and rescuing lost travelers around town. The plots often revolved around death-defying stunts and near-death situations that the ranchers had to escape. The radio show was on air until 1954, simulcasting along with the television series for the first few seasons. American Broadcasting Company (ABC) #21. The Rebel - IMDb user rating: 7.8 - On air: 1959-1961 The "Rebel" was a short-lived series about Johnny Yuma, a Confederate army veteran haunted by memories of the Civil War and all the horrible violence he carried out while fighting on the wrong side of history. The show was a departure for the production company, as they typically worked solely on game shows. Starring Nick Adams as Yuma, the plotline followed the veteran's search for an inner peace he didn't know how to find. He wandered the West, mostly alone, writing about his adventures and fighting perceived injustices—a moral penance for the injustices he carried out. Overland Productions #20. Tales of Wells Fargo - IMDb user rating: 7.9 - On air: 1957-1962 Based on the biography of Wells Fargo detective Fred J. Dodge, the story followed special agent Jim Hardie, "the left-handed gun," who helped save stagecoaches from outlaws and other violence. The actor Dale Robertson did all his own stunts. He was also right-handed. CBS Television Network #19. Rawhide - IMDb user rating: 7.9 - On air: 1959-1965 The premise of "Rawhide" followed the adventures of drovers along the rough and challenging cattle drives of the 1860s. Each episode involved the drovers encountering people along the way and typically involved solving their problems or rescuing them from trouble. It was in "Rawhide" that an American icon was born. The TV series debuted in 1959 and was the first Western to give Clint Eastwood his big break. Michael R. Joyce Productions, #18. Peacemakers - IMDb user rating: 8 - On air: 2003 Set in Silver City, Colorado, Deputy Marshal Jared Stone and private detective Larimer Finch were on the right side of the law during the early beginnings of forensic science. It was a USA Network show starring Tom Berenger and Peter O'Meara, described by Alessandra Stanley in the New York Times as "a cozy, old-fashioned detective show in the vein of 'Columbo' or 'Murder, She Wrote,' set amid the dirt streets and swinging saloon doors of 'Bonanza or 'Gunsmoke.'" It only ran for one season. Warner Bros. Television #17. Cheyenne - IMDb user rating: 8 - On air: 1955-1963 "Cheyenne," which debuted in 1955, made its mark on the Western scene by being the first hour-long drama to run for more than one season. It told the story of Cheyenne Bodie, a kind-hearted cowboy wandering the West in the years following the American Civil War. It inspired many spinoffs and crossovers and won the 1957 Golden Globe Award for Television Achievement. Four Star Productions #16. Wanted: Dead or Alive - IMDb user rating: 8 - On air: 1958-1961 "Wanted Dead or Alive" was a Western series from the late 1950s that starred Steve McQueen as Josh Randall, a Civil War veteran-turned-bounty hunter who roamed the dusty roads of the Wild West looking for outlaws to turn in. This show was Steve McQueen's big break. It also gave early screen time to Michael Landon, who skyrocketed to superstar status when he eventually moved on to "Bonanza." Warner Bros. Television #15. Maverick - IMDb user rating: 8 - On air: 1957-1962 Bret and Bart Maverick were a couple of brothers with eyes for style and hearts for gambling. The series followed the two migrating from town to town in the Wild West as they pursued the next good time. Unlike other Westerns, the Maverick brothers didn't adhere to strict macho stereotypes. An obituary for Jack Kelly, who played Bart Maverick, noted that the Maverick brothers weren't the "quickdraw" personalities typical of Western heroes. They showed fear in the face of danger and even ran from it. Warner Bros. Television #14. Lawman - IMDb user rating: 8.1 - On air: 1958-1962 Set in Laramie, Wyoming, during the second half of the 19th century, "Lawman" was about Marshal Dan Troop, his deputy Johnny McKay, and an orphan. Peter Brown, who played Deputy McKay, was so popular on the program he became a fixture on TV Westerns. He went on to hold guest star roles in "Cheyenne," "Maverick," and "The Virginian." Bruce Lansbury Productions #13. The Wild Wild West - IMDb user rating: 8.1 - On air: 1965-1969 Before the Secret Service, there was James West and Artemus Gordon, a gunslinger and inventor. The characters in the show "The Wild Wild West" served under Ulysses S. Grant to keep the peace and thwart evil in the rough-and-tumble American West. Because of the series' spy nature, equipped with disguises and gadgets, critics have likened it to the James Bond of the West, as noted by Neil Genzlinger in the New York Times obituary of Robert Conrad, who played Jim West. Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images #12. Gunsmoke - IMDb user rating: 8.1 - On air: 1955-1975 Based on a long-running radio program, "Gunsmoke" was one of the longest-running television Westerns, running for 20 seasons. It followed Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), who set out to protect Dodge City, Kansas, from outlaws. MGM Television #11. How the West Was Won - IMDb user rating: 8.2 - On air: 1976-1979 Actor James Arness made his name in "Gunsmoke," but later starred as Zeb Macahan in "How the West Was Won." The plot follows Macahan after the start of the Civil War, caring for his brother's children as they make their way west. It was an expanded version of the film of the same name, which premiered in 1963 to a lackluster review from The New York Times. Walt Disney Productions #10. Zorro - IMDb user rating: 8.2 - On air: 1957-1959 The handsome patrician Don Diego de la Vega, from the Spanish California era, has a secret: it's his alter ego, the masked swordsman, Zorro. Teamed up with his butler, Bernardo, the two protected their fellow citizens from the Spanish in 19th-century Mexico. The show starred Guy Williams, who was born Armand Catalano. His father was an avid fencer who helped him prepare for the role, according to his obituary in The New York Times. Four Star Productions #9. The Rifleman - IMDb user rating: 8.3 - On air: 1958-1963 Rancher Lucas McCain lived in the New Mexico territory in the 1880s with his son Mark. The half-hour show followed his trials and tribulations, raising his son in hostile territory while battling desperados. The original series, created by Sam Peckinpah, ran on ABC from 1958 to 1963. In 2011, Cynthia Littleton wrote in Variety that a remake was coming back to CBS, but it never came to fruition. Boam/Cuse Productions #8. The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. - IMDb user rating: 8.3 - On air: 1993-1994 Harvard-educated Brisco County (a man, not a place) decides he's finished practicing law and makes a dramatic switch to bounty hunting. "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." tells his story with his sidekick, Lord Bowler, and horse, Comet, as they hunt down his father's killer. Variety writer Todd Everett likened it to an Indiana Jones of the West, which isn't all that surprising, seeing as it was the brainchild of Indy writer-producers Jeffrey Boam and Carlton Cuse. Two Boomerang #7. Longmire - IMDb user rating: 8.3 - On air: 2012-2017 Craig Johnson's mystery novels about Walt Longmire came to life in this A&E (and later Netflix) Western crime drama. After Longmire, the sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming, faces the death of his wife, his daughter and deputy help him slowly put his life back together. A&E canceled the series after three seasons, but a small-yet-vocal following caused a stir, and Netflix picked it up. Entertainment One #6. Hell on Wheels - IMDb user rating: 8.3 - On air: 2011-2016 In this series, Cullen Bohannon is a Civil War veteran who witnesses the death of his wife at the hands of Union soldiers. Scarred by this memory, he seeks revenge and stumbles into Hell on Wheels, a lawless town associated with the construction of the Union Pacific railroad. In the Hollywood Reporter, Elizabeth Snead wrote that the show accurately depicted the "true-to-life greed, corruption, deception, and life-and-death struggles" surrounding the construction of the transcontinental railroad. CBS Television Network #5. Have Gun - Will Travel - IMDb user rating: 8.4 - On air: 1957-1963 This CBS Western told the story of Paladin, a West Point graduate who turns into a gun for hire. The series aired in 1957; in 2012, writer David Mamet said he was planning a reboot. A deal was made with CBS, but the reboot never came to fruition. Viacom International Inc #4. 1923 - IMDb user rating: 8.4 - On air: 2022-2023 If you are looking for a star-studded Western series with modern telling and epic cinematography, look no further than the Paramount Plus original series "1923." The prequel to "Yellowstone" stars Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and a cavalcade of acclaimed actors. The show focuses on the Hutton family as they struggle through problems brought on by the rise of Western expansion. FX Productions #3. Justified - IMDb user rating: 8.6 - On air: 2010-2015 Based on a short story by Elmore Leonard, "Justified" tells the story of one U.S. marshal using his own Wild West style of justice in Harlan, Kentucky. His unique brand got him into hot water with his higher-ups, as well as the criminals he put away. The chemistry of the show's leads, Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins, was the stuff of legend. Goggins' character was supposed to die in the first season, but creator Graham Yost changed his plans after seeing the actor's performance play out. Home Box Office (HBO) #2. Deadwood - IMDb user rating: 8.6 - On air: 2004-2006 Set in a mining town following the Civil War, "Deadwood" was a picture of lawlessness coming to life. The series followed a debauchery-fueled town home to fortune hunters and outlaws, all built on land taken from the Sioux Tribe. "Deadwood" had a remarkable cult following, but was canceled after just two seasons. Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone wrote that it "seemed destined to be remembered as television's great unfinished masterpiece" until a movie was released in 2019. The film took was set a decade after the TV show ended. Paramount Network #1. Yellowstone - IMDb user rating: 8.7 - On air: 2018-2024 Modern-day cowboy Kevin Costner leads this drama series, following a sixth-generation rancher, John Dutton. He's working in a world of corruption and shifting alliances, which always puts his ranch at risk. The series takes place during the emergence of Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park, and was a huge ratings winner for the Paramount Network. Additional writing by Jaimie Etkin and Cu Fleshman. Copy edited by Kristen Wegrzyn.
	How companies can manage supply chain during inflation How companies can manage supply chain during inflationArtificial intelligence, strategic partnerships, digital transformation and sustainability efforts are helping businesses build smarter, more resilient supply chains, Fifth Third reports.Key Takeaways:Artificial Intelligence and digital tools are enabling predictive supply chain management and supplier risk management, helping midsize businesses reduce disruptions and improve decision-making.Strategic partnerships, especially with 3PL providers, offer scalable logistics solutions that cut costs and enhance service quality.Sustainability initiatives, including circular supply chain models, help mitigate climate-related risks and align with evolving consumer and regulatory expectations.Proactive risk management is essential for building long-term resilience in a volatile market.The call for resilient supply chainsAs inflation, geopolitical tensions, cybersecurity concerns and consumer expectations continue to evolve, midsize businesses continue to grapple with a turbulent supply chain landscape. In contrast to large enterprises, these companies often lack the cushion of vertical integration or deep inventory reserves, exposing them to an increased risk of disruption and volatility.The 2025 WTW Global supply chain risk report further illustrates this vulnerability, sharing that only 8% of businesses feel they have full control over their supply chain risks, while 63% report higher-than-expected losses due to disruptions. These statistics underscore the dire need for more resilient supply chain strategies.In response, many organizations are seeking agile solutions that fuse digital innovation, strategic partnerships and proactive risk management. By implementing innovative strategies like AI-powered forecasting, strategic outsourcing and sustainability-driven supply chain design, midsize firms are transforming their supply chain processes to more effectively navigate uncertainty and build long-term resilience.Supply chain management operational agility with AIRecent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) allow organizations to shift from reactive crisis management to predictive intelligence. From forecasting and tracking inventory levels to predicting potential threats, AI helps organizations to optimize decision-making, reduce operational disruptions and proactively adapt to shifts in the market before they escalate into expensive concerns.Consulting firm Ernst & Young also discusses the power of AI when it comes to unified data models. Whereas legacy systems often produce fragmented, siloed data, artificial intelligence allows organizations to look at information from multiple sources in real time, all in one place. Improved, real-time visibility to things like weather-related delays at ports and supplier bottlenecks allows organizations to proactively reroute shipments, adjust production schedules, minimize costly disruptions and overall, foster a culture of continuous improvement.Additionally, AI plays a significant role in addressing persistent labor shortages by automating repetitive, manual tasks such as inventory tracking, order processing and vendor communication. This allows existing team members to focus on higher-value activities and is especially helpful for smaller companies that are already pressed to retain staff and cover costs.Emy Ruiz, Fifth Third’s head of global transaction banking, shares that "in today’s volatile global landscape, small and medium enterprises must embrace a blend of AI, digital transformation, and financial tools like supply chain finance to stay competitive. These integrated solutions empower smarter decision-making, enhance agility, and lay the groundwork for sustainable growth across international trade operations."As supply chains become more complex and unpredictable in the current geopolitical and economic environment, integrating artificial intelligence into supply chain management will continue to be a strategic imperative. For midsize businesses especially, AI offers a path to greater resilience, efficiency and adaptability.Outsourcing logistics through strategic partnershipsWhen building a resilient supply chain strategy, solutions for outsourcing and warehousing have become increasingly important. Many midsize firms are turning to partnerships with third-party logistics (3PL) providers that allow them to leverage cutting-edge automation, sustainability-focused strategies and more. These strategic alliances help organizations to improve customer service, cut costs and increase and scale efficiency while maintaining control over service quality and customer experience.The impact of these partnerships is both measurable and meaningful. According to NTT Data’s 2024 Third Party Logistics Study, 89% of shippers reported that 3PL partnerships helped to improve service. Furthermore, 80% saw a reduction in the cost of logistics. These findings emphasize the tangible value of outsourcing logistics, positioning midsize companies to compete more effectively with larger enterprises by leveraging external capabilities without sacrificing control.To successfully integrate partnerships and other outsourcing solutions into a broader supply chain strategy, organizations must carefully consider cultural alignment, operational transparency and clear performance metrics. To do so, companies can implement strategic frameworks to assess, design and embed logistics transformations.By approaching outsourcing as a strategic extension of a larger supply chain strategy, middle market businesses can boost their flexibility and resilience. When these partnerships align with broader operational goals, they become powerful resources for confronting an uncertain market.Supply chain forecasting and planning: building resilience through sustainabilityClimate-related disruptions also pose a significant risk to the global supply chain landscape. Flooding, extreme temperatures, wildfires and other recent environmental disasters can have a substantial impact on transportation networks, production timelines and supplier reliability. As regulatory pressures and consumer demand for ethical sourcing increase in tandem, sustainability initiatives are paramount to the overall success of supply chain strategies.In an effort to both prioritize waste reduction and mitigate the risks associated with resource scarcity and volatile raw material prices, organizations are increasingly adopting circular supply chain models. These efforts allow companies to prioritize the use of recycled resources and keep materials in circulation for longer periods of time through closed loop systems. By implementing this model, organizations are better suited to cut costs, ensure access to materials when resources are scarce, fulfill requirements of new governmental regulations while aligning with growing consumer expectations for environmentally responsible practices.By embedding sustainability into supply chain strategy, organizations can future-proof their operations, fulfill stakeholder expectations and contribute to a more resilient global economy.A look aheadGiven the current volatility of the market, risk mitigation strategies will continue to play a vital role in supply chain planning. In addition to proactively implementing innovative resources like AI, strategic partnerships and sustainable infrastructure, midsize businesses can leverage tools like contingent business interruption insurance or supply chain coverage as a financial buffer.As sourcing becomes more unpredictable, companies may also need to reevaluate their product or service offerings, simplifying portfolios to focus on core items that drive the most value. By combining operational agility with proactive risk management, midsize firms can better position themselves to weather disruption and maintain long-term competitiveness."Resilience in today’s supply chains demands more than contingency planning, it must be woven into the very fabric of a company’s strategy," says Ruiz. "By integrating diversified support channels, advanced analytics, and AI capabilities, businesses can minimize disruptions and build sustainable, future-ready operations. This isn’t just a competitive advantage, it’s a necessity."This story was produced by Fifth Third and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	2023 SUVs compared: Ford Explorer vs. Kia Sorento 2023 SUVs compared: Ford Explorer vs. Kia SorentoThe original Ford Explorer kicked off America's love affair with SUVs, and the Explorer continues to sell by the truckload. But the competition has gotten fierce, with just about every automaker making these car-based SUVs the cornerstone of its lineup.Kia is no exception. The most recent generation of the Sorento three-row midsize SUV is excellent. It's filled with the latest and greatest tech, boasts a stylish interior, and can be a great value.Comparing 2023 models CarMax Independent reliability tracker RepairPal says the Sorento is more reliable than the Explorer, needing fewer repairs per year and costing less when they occur. And the Sorento tends to be a couple of thousand dollars cheaper than the Explorer on the used market. But keep in mind that some customers reported transmission issues with the Sorento, which can be a big expense.For this comparison, CarMax looks at the 2023 models for both the Sorento and the Explorer to find out which of these midsize SUVs is right for you.Ford Explorer BasicsFord introduced this generation of the Explorer back in 2020. It was initially available with both gas-powered and hybrid engines, but 2023 is the final year the hybrid was available, largely because it wasn't all that efficient. The Explorer got a significant refresh for 2025, debuting a new Google-based infotainment system and BlueCruise hands-free driving on higher trims. But the 2023 model year is a sweet spot. You can often find one at a good price, and it comes with what makes the Explorer a good choice: an impressive engine lineup and a roomy cargo area.Kia Sorento BasicsKia introduced this generation of the Sorento in 2021, and it was a massive improvement over what came before it. Kia packed the Sorento with the latest and greatest tech, impressive driver aids, and a stylish design inside and out. The standard engine is nothing to get excited about, but Edmunds' testing found the turbocharged engine impressively powerful. It's also got a lot of space for passengers, which is great if you're often hauling around a big crew.Midsize SUV showdownSo is the Ford Explorer's impressive cargo space the winning play for you? Or do you prefer all the tech features offered by the Kia Sorento? Let's get into it.Passengers and cargoThe Ford Explorer is 9.8 inches longer than the Sorento. It matters because it explains the big difference in how much cargo they can hold when you're using all three rows, which brings up the second important number. The Explorer cargo area is 18.2 cubic feet, which is 5.6 cubic feet more than the Sorento. A typical brown grocery bag is about 1 cubic foot, for reference.If you fold down the second and third rows, the Explorer boasts 87.8 cubic feet of cargo space. That's quite a bit better than the 75.5 cubic feet offered by the Sorento. So, if you're primarily hauling cargo, the Explorer is a pretty obvious winner.But if you're hauling people more often than gear, the Sorento shines. Both the second and third rows of the Sorento offer more legroom than you'll get with the Explorer. The third rows on both the Sorento and the Explorer are better suited to short folks and children than they are to most adults, but the Sorento's third row is easier to get into and more comfortable.Both the Sorento and Explorer come standard with seating for seven, but on some higher trims you lose the second-row bench seat for a pair of captain's chairs, reducing total seating for either vehicle to six. There are two seating positions in the third row of both the Sorento and Explorer. You can get three car seats into both vehicles, though getting a third seat in the rearmost row is a chore in either one.The verdictYour decision really depends on what you're going to do with your vehicle. The Sorento has superior passenger space, but if you're looking to go car camping, go for the Explorer.Engine choicesThere are three available engines on the 2023 Ford Explorer. The standard engine is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder, and the upgrade engine is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. This is also the final year of the 3.3-liter V6 hybrid engine, but Edmunds doesn't recommend it because of its so-so efficiency. Both of the standard engines are plenty powerful, but look for ST, King Ranch, and Platinum trimmed Explorers if you want the most potent engine.The story is similar to the Kia Sorento. Its standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, and its upgrade engine is a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that offers a big power upgrade. The Sorento is also available as a hybrid, which gets up to an EPA-estimated 37 mpg combined—that's a big improvement over the 24-26 mpg the EPA estimates for the standard Sorento.If you're looking for a powerful engine, go with the Explorer. The standard engine on the Explorer has more juice than the upgrade engine on the Sorento. If you're going to tow, or if you want more power going up steep inclines, the Explorer is the right choice. If you're more concerned about fuel efficiency than power, that's where the Sorento can make sense.The verdictThe Ford Explorer is the clear winner here.Tech and driver aidsBoth the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both vehicles come standard with an eight-inch touchscreen, and both offer a larger upgrade screen on higher trim vehicles. Both Sorento touchscreens worked just fine in Edmunds' testing, though the larger 10.25-inch touchscreen costs you wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.2023 Ford ExplorerThe Ford Explorer's standard touchscreen also held up well in Edmunds' testing, but the 10-incher didn’t. It's vertically oriented, like an iPad glued to the dash, and Edmunds editors almost universally disliked it because of the mediocre way the infotainment and Apple CarPlay were displayed. As such, there’s no need to look for the larger touchscreen if you pick the Explorer.How about advanced driver aids? The Sorento comes standard with forward collision mitigation, lane-keeping assistance, and blind-spot warning. You only need to go up to the third trim (EX) to get adaptive cruise control, which is a great feature. The fanciest Sorento (SX Prestige) has a 360-degree camera system and a blind-spot camera. The former is great for getting in and out of tight parking spaces, while the latter is more of a novelty that shows you cars in adjacent lanes.2023 Kia SorentoFord makes things a little more complicated with the Explorer. The Explorer, like the Sorento, comes standard with forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, and lane departure mitigation. To get advanced features like adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system, you need to find an Explorer with the appropriate packages installed. These packages (XLT Technology and Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+) are available on the second-level XLT trim. You can also get them standard on ST-Line and higher trims.Edmunds' testing found the Sorento driver aids just a tad more effective than the Explorer's, but by and large all these systems work well.The verdictThe slight edge on driver aids performance and a superior touchscreen experience give the Sorento the nod.Choose WiselyWant to haul a bunch of stuff in a powerful SUV that's pretty fun to drive? Go with the Explorer. For just about everyone else, the Sorento is the right choice. Its superior passenger experience, slightly better tech, and a much nicer interior make the Kia Sorento an excellent pick.This story was produced by CarMax and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Davenport police to search cellphone of mother accused of locking child in room Davenport police will search the phone of Kellie J. Warrington, a mother accused along with her husband of locking their 10-year-old child in a room.
	25 vintage photos of life in our nation's capital 100 years ago US National Archives // Getty Images 25 photos of life in Washington, DC 100 years ago Do you ever wonder what people will see when they look (or swipe) through photos of the historical moment we are experiencing? How different will the 2020s look to people in the 2120s? Chances are, they'll look as different as photos from the 1920s look to us today. In fact, America's capital city has already undergone significant shifts since President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. From deploying the National Guard to handle a "crime emergency" in August 2025, to demolishing parts of the White House to make way for a new ballroom in October 2025, the Washington, D.C. of today looks very different than it did just a few years ago. With these changes in mind, we were curious to see what life looked like 100 years ago in America's capital city. So Stacker compiled a collection of 25 incredible images showcasing the history of Washington, D.C. in the 1920s. After curating the vintage images, we took a closer inspection of the moments and researched their historical significance. While some moments tell a story of Prohibition and politics, others show simple life pleasures like diving, boating in the Potomac, egg rolls at the White House, and people posing in familiar landmarks. It was a time captured in black-and-white photos colored with people celebrating milestones like many women gaining the power to vote, bold headlines in newspapers, car wrecks, and children traveling to schools in buses built by the Ford Motor Company. Through one lens one can see political unrest in contentious conventions and party infighting. Another glimpse shows market vendors and parades. Landmarks like the National Zoo, Metropolitan Theater, and the Capitol steps were filled with citizens living everyday moments in an extraordinary era. Take a few moments to click through the slideshow and think about how so many things change, yet many remain the same. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Raising the flag of suffrage The 19th Amendment of the Constitution was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, enshrining in law that one could "not be denied" the vote on account of sex. In practice, however, the amendment only won the vote for white women, with Black women and other groups, including Asian American immigrants, still barred from the voting booth. While the milestone changed the face of American voting rights, it would take decades for minority women to gain their voting rights. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Baseball in the park Sen. Pat Harrison plays umpire at a boys' baseball game in the summer of 1921. Prior to serving as senator of Mississippi, Harrison was valedictorian of his class in 1899, attended Louisiana State University on a baseball scholarship, and pitched for a semi-professional baseball team. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Snow battle at the Capitol Democratic and Republican page boys enjoy a snowball fight at the Capitol in this photo from December 1923. Republican President Calvin Coolidge did not join in the winter games. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Sporting goods and Grafonolas A man stands at the entrance to The Sport Mart, a sporting goods store that also sold the latest in phonographs and records. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress A dip at the National Mall When Congress failed to appropriate money for public pools, children decided to make a splash in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The children waved to the photographer while wading with a toy sailboat. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Democrats gather in 1924 Members of the Democratic National Committee gather in front of the Hotel Lafayette in 1924. The year marked a wild convention that took 16 days and a record 103 ballots to select a nominee. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress A bumpy ride Onlookers gather to examine the wreckage in the aftermath of a car accident in 1923. With few laws and safety measures around driving, accidents and deaths were frequent as cars became a common mode of transportation in the '20s. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Off to the races A group of schoolboys competes in a track meet as onlookers cheer and the leader triumphantly crosses the finish line. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress The rites of spring Students at the Sidwell Friends School take part in an annual May Festival in 1920. The coed Quaker day school for pre-kindergartners to high schoolers was founded in 1883. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Lights, camera, inaction A half-dozen photographers take a break on the steps of the Capitol building and pose for a photo while a couple in the background enjoy the view. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Washington Herald banner waves on top of D.J. Kaufman, Inc. The Washington Herald election banner waves on top of D.J. Kaufman, Inc., an iconic department store located in downtown D.C. Its motto was "Money's Worth or Money Back." Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Summer boating A woman from the Potomac Boat Club participates in the canoe regatta at the Tidal Basin Carnival in this 1924 photo. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Big bones A professor from the Smithsonian Institution poses with the bones of a Diplodocus dinosaur in 1924. The Diplodocus, discovered in 1899 on a high-profile expedition funded by Andrew Carnegie, was a famous discovery. The fossils were replicated and sent around the world, making it a well-known dinosaur in the early 20th century. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Beauty in the Botanic Garden A pair of women examine a Hottentot plant in the United States Botanic Garden with the Capitol building in the background. The U.S. Botanic Garden, the oldest continually operating garden in the country, began blooming in 1820. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Gone fishing A man enjoys a leisurely afternoon of fishing on the Potomac River as a dog sniffs a bottle of liquor from his back pocket. During Prohibition "hooch hounds" were specially trained to detect alcohol. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Center Market moment Vendors sell their goods from various stalls in the expansive Center Market. Today the National Archives resides on the former site of the bustling market. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Read all about it! A newsboy sells copies of The Washington Daily News on the street for 1 cent each. The headline 'Millionaire tax rends G.O.P.' was the talk of the town in 1921. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Splish splash A diver splashes into the water from a floating wooden structure on the Potomac River in the summer of 1923. George Washington built his home on the Potomac River, dubbing it the "Nation's River," which was designated an American Heritage River by President Bill Clinton in 1998. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Music memories Young people gather for a summertime music event in the park in 1921. One hundred years later, concertgoers still cram together to listen to music. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Got milk? Can you name the dapper dudes milking a goat in the sun in Maryland in 1924? Dr. W. Thurnheer is the gentleman showing Secretary Henry Wallace the fine art of goat milking. Henry Wallace was the secretary of agriculture from 1921 to 1924. His son, Henry A. Wallace, also became secretary of agriculture and went on to be vice president during the third term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four-term run. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Canoe crew Members of the Potomac Boat Club paddle past the Key Bridge in Georgetown. The Key Bridge, whose full name is the Francis Scott Key Bridge, connects Georgetown to Rosslyn, Virginia. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Off to school In this photo from 1925, students enjoy the open windows of a Ford Motor Company school bus riding through a residential neighborhood in Rockville, Maryland. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Divine outdoor dining A group of debutantes in matching waitress uniforms gather at an outdoor horse show. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress Spring love Two small children share a drink at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll in 1922. The Easter Egg Roll is a White House tradition that began in 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes invited children to roll eggs on the South Lawn. Nat'l Photo Co. Collection // Library of Congress School competition Students compete in a pie-eating contest at Jefferson Middle School Academy. Max Schwartz was declared the champion at the 1923 event.
	Protein is everywhere: Why 2026 is the year of the protein-first diet Protein is everywhere: Why 2026 is the year of the protein-first dietProtein used to belong to gym regulars, meal-preppers, and the people who knew exactly how many grams of protein were sitting on their plate. Now it is showing up everywhere ordinary people make food decisions, from grocery aisles and coffee orders to restaurant menus and the apps people use to track what they eat.A 2025 report from the International Food Information Council found that 70% of Americans are trying to consume more protein, while federal dietary guidance has pushed the conversation further by raising daily protein recommendations to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.For people using GLP-1 medications, whose appetite may drop enough to make daily protein goals require more planning, protein-first eating has become part of a much larger change in how Americans think about everyday food, Protein Now reports.From Fitness Macro to Everyday PriorityPeople who once scanned labels only for calories are now tracking daily protein goals with the same focus. And protein's path to that behavior took decades.Bob Hoffman's Hi-Proteen powder, launched in 1952, was the first processed protein shake on the market, built entirely for bodybuilders and weightlifters. "It was very much a niche market for a long time," Hannah Cutting-Jones, a food historian at the University of Oregon, told History.But fitness tracking apps and wearables pulled protein out of that niche by making macronutrient data personal and easy to follow for everyday users, giving people a clear way to see protein separate from everything else they consumed.Consumer awareness grew from there, and protein became connected to something larger than gym performance. People began linking it to preventative health, longevity, and a closer understanding of how food choices affect blood sugar, daily energy, and the way the body holds up as they age.Why Protein Matters Beyond Muscle BuildingMost conversations around protein circle back to muscle, body composition, and athletic performance, but its role inside the body extends well beyond the weight room. Every cell depends on a daily supply of amino acids to repair tissue, regulate hormones, and support the immune system as they produce the white blood cells and antibodies needed to fight infection.“They’re the main building blocks for our bone, skin, muscle, and other tissues,” Jennifer Fabrowicz, a board-certified nurse practitioner, told Franciscan Health. Older adults feel this need more directly as the body becomes less efficient at converting dietary protein into muscle with age, raising the risk of losing the strength tied to mobility and independence.People using GLP-1 weight-loss medications face a closely related concern. An article from University Hospitals explains that because these drugs reduce appetite so significantly, getting enough protein each day to protect lean muscle during weight loss requires more deliberate attention to what goes on the plate.Busy professionals face a different version of the same challenge, since rushed days and missed meals can make it harder to give the body what it needs. Protein’s broader value comes from that constant work, helping the body repair, regulate, and keep pace with daily life.The Satiety and Metabolism AdvantageMuch of protein’s appeal comes down to something people can feel within hours of eating. Protein is the most filling of the three macronutrients, partly because it takes longer to digest and helps quiet ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger, while supporting hormones tied to fullness.“It takes longer for our bodies to digest protein, which in turn staves off hunger,” Deanne Siegal, a registered dietitian at University Hospitals, said. That longer digestion window helps explain why protein sits so closely beside weight management conversations, especially for people trying to snack less or manage portions without turning every meal into a math problem.For the millions of people now using GLP-1 medications, whose reduced appetite can make eating feel optional, hitting daily protein targets in a smaller eating window has become a more deliberate daily practice.Protein also carries a higher thermic effect, with the body using 20%-30% of protein’s calories just to process it, compared with 5% to 10 percent for carbohydrates and less than 3% for fat.By slowing how quickly glucose enters the bloodstream, protein can also help reduce the energy dips that often follow carbohydrate-heavy meals. Siegal described it as “a metabolic edge” that supports appetite control and steadier energy throughout the day.The Rise of Protein in Everyday FoodsLarge tubs of protein powder used to be the clearest sign that someone was adding more protein beyond regular meals. Today, that demand is reshaping the ordinary grocery trip, with more protein appearing in products people already buy for breakfast, snacks, and busy days.According to SPINS data, snack and beverage products with 15 or more grams of protein now make up a $4.9 billion market, nearly 70% of the sales volume tied to the traditional protein supplement category.By the end of November 2025, refrigerated yogurt drinks grew more than 22% year over year, while cottage cheese rose more than 20%, showing how much demand has moved into foods people already recognize.SPINS also reports that 12% of U.S. adults have used GLP-1 weight-loss medications, and that group tends to eat less overall but expects more from what they do eat, making smaller, protein-rich products a practical match for how their appetite has changed.Clara Komischke-Konnerup of Arla Foods Ingredients said, “People want it in their everyday drinks just to hit their protein goals.” Protein’s place in the grocery store has grown because shoppers want nutrition that fits the pace of ordinary life.Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Protein?More protein in more places raises a fair question about whether consuming too much is a real concern. The most common worry, that high protein harms the kidneys, applies to people with existing kidney disease. In healthy individuals, research shows that kidneys adapt normally to higher protein intake without lasting harm.The bigger issue for many consumers is less about protein itself and more about what gets pushed off the plate when protein takes over. Houston Methodist dietitian Knubian Gatlin said most people fall within a practical range of 0.8 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on age, activity, and goals.A diet built too heavily around protein can leave less room for fiber, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Protein works best as part of a full diet, not as a single number to chase.What the Protein-First Trend Signals for the FutureProtein’s rise reflects a broader change in how people judge food. Instead of focusing only on what a meal leaves out, more consumers are looking at what it adds to their day, from steady energy to support for long-term health. According to 2025 Cargill research, 57% of consumers who read nutrition labels explicitly look for protein.Food brands are responding to that behavior with products that combine protein with other nutrients people already associate with everyday wellness, including fiber, probiotics, and ingredients tied to healthy aging.Floor van der Horst, marketing director at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, said "protein will be the baseline rather than the headline" as more brands move toward building it in as a core ingredient rather than a featured claim. And federal dietary guidance is moving in a similar direction, giving protein a stronger role in both public health conversations and everyday food choices.A Lasting Shift in How People EatProtein has always been essential, but the public understanding of it has become much sharper. The conversation has moved beyond gym culture because more people now connect protein with the practical parts of daily life, from staying satisfied after meals to supporting strength, recovery, and long-term health.Michael Ormsbee, director of the FSU Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine, said high-protein diets appeal across goals because they are “relatively easy to adopt without eliminating entire food groups.” And that balance is the point.Protein-first eating does not need to become another extreme diet rule. At its best, it reflects a more informed consumer who wants food to help the body function better, fit into real schedules, and make everyday meals feel more useful.This story was produced by Protein Now and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What does landlord insurance cover? What does landlord insurance cover?Landlord insurance typically provides coverage for three things: the physical building you own, your liability as a property owner, and the rental income you could lose if a covered event made your property uninhabitable. What landlord insurance doesn’t usually cover for rental properties is the tenant’s property, routine building maintenance, or a tenant’s business operations inside your building. These are usually protected by a tenant’s own personal insurance or business insurance policies.ERGO NEXT explains what landlord insurance covers and which coverage options make sense for both residential and commercial rental properties.Landlord insurance can help protect property owners (in insurance, they can often be called “lessors”) who rent or lease their property residentially or commercially. It’s intended to cover risks for landlords who rent out the space, rather than provide protection for the occupants of the rented space.Landlord insurance typically includes three types of coverage:Property coverage — The building itself and structures related to the building.Liability coverage — The cost of medical bills for visitors who suffer an injury in the space and related legal claims.Business income protection — Lost rent after a covered event, such as a fire or a burst water pipe, that leaves the space uninhabitable temporarily.What could landlord insurance cover?Let’s dig in further to understand what could be covered, including some example scenarios and risks for landlords who rent out their property to residents and businesses.1. Property damageProperty damage coverage is usually the foundation of landlord insurance for rental properties. This type of coverage could help repair the building structure if it’s damaged by a covered event such as fire or smoke, vandalism, or a natural event like a storm, wind, or hail.Coverage typically includes the building walls, roof, and any common areas or shared spaces, depending on the policy. It also may cover built-in systems like HVAC or plumbing.Example of landlord insurance property damage coverage: A grease fire breaks out in a tenant’s restaurant. The fire triggers the sprinkler system, causing fire, smoke, and water damage across multiple units.The tenant’s own restaurant insurance may cover their equipment, but landlord insurance could help cover repair costs for the walls, ceilings, and integrated systems such as air conditioning or ventilation. Without landlord insurance coverage on the property, you, the lessor, could be stuck paying out of pocket to rebuild.2. Liability protectionLiability insurance coverage could help protect landlords if someone is injured on your property and you’re held responsible (in insurance, this is called bodily injury). This can be a high-risk exposure for landlords, especially in multitenant or commercial properties.Liability insurance could help cover:Medical expensesLegal defense costsSettlements or court judgmentsExample of landlord insurance bodily injury coverage: A visitor enters your building and slips on a wet floor in a common area. They get hurt and require medical care. Though they’re not your tenant, you could still be held liable as the property owner. Landlord insurance could help cover some of those costs.As the property owner, you can be held liable for injuries to visitors and nontenants — not just your renters — making liability coverage a good idea for any lessor.3. Loss of rental incomeBusiness income insurance, also called business interruption insurance, is where landlord insurance goes beyond basic property care.If your property becomes uninhabitable due to a covered loss, such as a fire, burst water pipe, or damage from extreme weather, landlord insurance could help cover the rental income you would have earned while your building is uninhabitable, as well as some other operational expenses.Example of landlord insurance extreme weather damage coverage: A severe storm causes significant roof damage to your property. Tenants are forced to temporarily vacate while the building is being repaired, so you’re out on rent.Landlord insurance could help replace lost rental income while the property is under construction. For many landlords, this can mean the difference between staying financially stable and taking a major financial hit.What’s not typically covered by landlord insurance?Here’s where many policies draw the line on coverage, though you should always check your policies for a full list of exclusions:Tenant property. Landlord insurance doesn’t usually cover tenant belongings like furniture, electronics, personal assets, or business inventory or any business property owned by tenants who rent a commercial space. Your tenants will need their own renters insurance or business insurance to cover those items.Regular wear and tear. Insurance is intended to cover sudden, accidental events, not ongoing issues. As a landlord, you’re responsible for routine upkeep, replacing aging systems, and fixing equipment breakdowns caused by time and use. If something like your HVAC system just conks out one day because you haven’t been keeping up with regular maintenance, that cost won’t be covered by landlord insurance.Your tenant’s business or operations. Your tenant’s business on your property is their own responsibility. If you lease a commercial space to a business, your policy will not cover that business operation, the tenant’s equipment, the tenant’s inventory, or the tenant's general liability.Commercial landlord insurance vs. residential landlord insuranceLandlord insurance can cover both commercial and residential properties. Both types of coverage share the same general goal: Protect the building itself, the income it generates, and the landlord’s exposure if something goes wrong. But the risks, terminology, and policy structure can differ between them.Commercial landlord insuranceLandlord insurance for commercial properties is often referred to as lessor’s risk only (LRO) insurance. This type of insurance can cover buildings like office spaces and retail storefronts where the tenants are businesses rather than individuals. With LRO, the building, including its common areas and shared systems, can be covered in some policies, but the tenant is responsible for their own operations, equipment, and business liability. Commercial properties tend to carry more variable risk due to factors such as multiple tenants with different business activities and higher foot traffic.Residential landlord insuranceLandlord insurance for residential properties is for buildings that are rented or leased to individuals or families, such as single-family homes or small, multiunit buildings.What type of insurance do landlords need most?The right landlord insurance coverage depends on your property type, your tenants, and how much risk you’re willing to take on. The types of insurance that many landlords consider include:Business owner’s policy (BOP insurance)Some landlord insurance policies — especially for commercial properties — are written as a business owner’s policy (BOP insurance), which bundles commercial property insurance for the building itself and business income loss with general liability insurance for injuries and legal claims. Bundling helps protect against coverage gaps, and it can be more cost-effective than buying two separate policies.Despite being a great option for landlords, BOP adoption was the only major coverage type that did not see growth from 2023 to 2025, according to a 2025 ERGO NEXT survey of 500 small business owners. This lack of adoption suggests that small business owners — including property owners — may not realize the value of a single bundled policy.Cyber liability insuranceThis type of coverage could help protect landlords who collect and store sensitive tenant information like tenant applications, leases, and payment details. Cyber liability insurance could help with coverage for the costs of data breaches, cyber attacks, and system failures.Landlord insurance vs. homeowners insuranceOne of the most common mistakes property owners make is to think that homeowners insurance provides sufficient coverage on a rental property. If you rent out a property, your risks change. Homeowners insurance is designed for owner-occupied homes. Landlord insurance is equipped to handle the complexity of residential and commercial rental properties.If you make the mistake of relying on homeowners insurance, you may not be protected against the costs of tenant-related damage, liability involving tenants or visitors, or lost rental income.How much landlord insurance coverage do you need?The amount of coverage that a landlord needs depends on a number of factors, including:Your property sizeResidential or commercial propertyThe type of property you rentThe number of tenants you haveThe location of your propertyLocal weather risks and other hazardsVacancy levels in your areaMany landlords look for coverage that can help cover a full rebuild for the cost of the property, liability limits high enough to protect their personal assets, and rental income that reflects the actual rent.This story was produced by ERGO NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Gregg Johnson hosting town hall tonight Rock Island County residents can meet with two of their state legislators at a town hall in East Moline tonight. State Rep. Gregg Johnson (D-Rock Island) is co-hosting a state legislators’ town hall with state Sen. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) on Monday, June 15 from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the East Moline UAW [...]
	Managed Landscapes Help Combat Summer’s Biggest Challenges TurfMutt Foundation Highlights How Well-Cared-For Green Spaces Cool, Clean and Protect Communities(NAPSI)—Summer brings challenges homeowners and communities often dread: scorching heat, dusty conditions, sudden and heavy storms, and in some regions, increased wildfire risk. According to the TurfMutt Foundation, properly managed landscapes are one of the most effective—and often overlooked—tools for addressing these seasonal concerns.“People often think of parks, yards and other green space as merely decorative, but they are one of the hardest-working assets in our communities,” says Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the TurfMutt Foundation. “They help communities stay cooler, cleaner and more resilient throughout the summer months. That’s a pretty impressive return from something some may take for granted.”Here are 4 key benefits that our parks, backyards, schoolyards and other managed green spaces do for us.Cool the AirTrees, shrubs, turfgrass and other plants combat the urban heat island effect through shade and evapotranspiration, the process by which plants release water vapor into the air. This natural cooling effect provides relief from summer heat and cools homes, businesses, and neighborhoods. Capture and Filter StormwaterSummer storms can deliver large amounts of rain unexpectedly and quickly. Healthy, managed landscapes act as living sponges, slowing rainfall’s effects by capturing and filtering water before it enters streams, rivers and groundwater supplies. This also reduces runoff and erosion and helps with localized flooding. Capture Dust and Particulate MatterLandscapes help improve air quality by trapping dust, pollen and particulate matter that would otherwise circulate during dry summer conditions.Reduce Fire RiskIn areas vulnerable to wildfire, properly maintained landscapes can serve as effective fire breaks, and strategic landscape design and ongoing maintenance can create defensible space around homes and businesses. Regular mowing, pruning, irrigation and removal of dead vegetation reduces the fuel for fire and helps reduce its spread. “Also never forget the important benefit of actively growing trees, shrubs and turfgrass capturing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen,” adds Kiser. “Healthy green spaces also support pollinators, wildlife and overall ecosystem health.” The TurfMutt Foundation encourages homeowners, businesses and communities to properly care for and maintain their green spaces so they can continue delivering these important environmental and quality-of-life benefits throughout the summer and beyond.For more information about the benefits of managed landscapes and outdoor living, visit TurfMutt.com.Word Count: 357
	How to identify and prevent common accounts payable fraud schemes How to identify and prevent common accounts payable fraud schemesAccounts payable (AP) fraud is a growing concern for businesses of all sizes.The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) reports that organizations lose about 5% of annual revenue to occupational fraud, with a median loss of $145,000 per case. Even more alarming, fraud can go undetected for an average of 14 months without strong controls in place.Left unchecked, AP fraud drains cash, damages vendor relationships, and exposes companies to regulatory risk. Ramp explains how schemes work and how to spot them early to protect your organization’s financial health.What is accounts payable fraud?Accounts payable fraud is the deliberate exploitation of your company’s payment process for unauthorized financial gain. It targets the accounts payable department, which manages vendor payments and is a frequent point of vulnerability.Fraud can involve insiders, such as employees with access to payment systems, or external parties like vendors or cybercriminals. Sometimes it includes collusion—for example, an employee working with a vendor to inflate invoices or approve payments for nonexistent services.AP fraud can occur at multiple points in the procure-to-pay process, including vendor setup, purchase orders (POs), invoice submission, approval workflows, and payment execution.How AP fraud schemes workFraud often enters through weak points in the accounts payable process.One common entry point is vendor master creation and changes. Fraud occurs when fictitious vendors are onboarded or when bank details are altered without proper verification.Invoice submission and approval thresholds are another target. Inflated or duplicate invoices can slip through if approvers don’t closely review supporting documentation. At the payment stage, schemes often involve diverted ACH payments or manipulation of checks, such as altering payee information.Collusion adds to the risk. Employees may conspire with vendors or other approvers to override controls. Gaps like missing three-way matches (purchase order, invoice, and receipt), weak verification or callback procedures for bank account changes, and inadequate segregation of duties in AP also create opportunities for fraud.Consequences and risks of AP fraudAccounts payable fraud drains cash and creates ripple effects across the business. It can damage vendor relationships, harm your reputation with customers and auditors, and trigger regulatory scrutiny that leads to fines or restatements. Beyond compliance, fraud disrupts daily operations, lowers employee morale, and diverts resources away from growth.Common types of accounts payable fraudAccounts payable fraud schemes generally fall into two categories: internal fraud, committed by employees inside the organization, and external fraud, carried out by outside parties like vendors or cybercriminals. Each category presents unique challenges and risks, requiring tailored prevention strategies.Internal AP fraudCommon internal fraud schemes include:Billing schemes: Employees create fake vendors or inflate invoices to divert funds for undelivered goods or services.Pass-through schemes: An employee sets up a shell vendor to buy goods at market price, then resells them to the company at inflated rates.Check tampering: Fraudsters alter payee details or increase amounts by exploiting access to checks or accounting software.Expense reimbursement fraud: Employees file false claims such as fake expense reports, business travel expenses, or duplicate receipts.Duplicate payments: Invoices are intentionally paid twice, or vendors exploit the process by resubmitting the same invoice with minor changes.Conflict of interest: Employees approve payments to vendors with undisclosed personal ties, often leading to inflated costs or poor service.Kickback schemes: Employees collude with vendors to obtain personal benefits, such as cash or gifts, in exchange for favorable contracts.External AP fraudExternal fraud schemes include:Invoice fraud: Criminals submit fake invoices with altered details, often impersonating legitimate vendors.Overbilling: Vendors inflate invoices or bill for services not rendered when purchase orders or receipts aren’t closely reviewed.Vendor fraud: Fraudulent vendors register fake entities to receive payments, taking advantage of weak onboarding and limited monitoring.Ghost vendors: Fictitious supplier accounts are created to receive payments for nonexistent goods or services, often in small, recurring amounts.Business email compromise (BEC): Cybercriminals impersonate executives or vendors via email to request urgent payments, using spoofed addresses and social engineering tactics.ACH fraud: Fraudsters commit ACH scams by altering payment instructions to divert funds to unauthorized accounts, often escaping detection without real-time monitoring.Payment diversion: Bank account details or payment instructions are manipulated, sometimes with insider collusion, to reroute legitimate vendor payments.Other external techniques: Tactics such as phishing, malware, and social engineering target outdated systems and weak security.AP fraud red flagsDetecting accounts payable fraud schemes early is critical. Watch for these warning signs.Vendor red flagsFraud risk increases when payments go to unfamiliar or unverified vendors. Signs include vendor addresses or bank accounts that match employees, inactive vendors suddenly receiving payments, or vendors that provide only a P.O. box. Rapid or unexplained changes to vendor bank details are another red flag.Invoice red flagsInvoices missing details such as tax IDs, rounded amounts, or vague line-item descriptions should be treated with caution. Sequential invoice numbers, duplicate submissions, or amounts that consistently fall just below approval thresholds can also signal false invoices.Payment red flagsUnusual payment activity often signals fraud. Examples include sudden spikes in payments, multiple transactions to the same vendor in a short time, or frequent off-cycle payments. Repeated wires to new accounts and exceptions that bypass standard workflows also deserve closer scrutiny.Behavioral red flagsEmployee behavior can reveal risks that systems miss. Reluctance to share responsibilities, resisting scheduled leave, or insisting on handling vendor changes alone can indicate concealment. Close or undisclosed personal relationships with vendors are another warning sign.Data red flagsFraud often leaves patterns in the data. Look for repeated cents across invoices, duplicate entries across vendors, or payment spikes clustered by vendor, approver, or time period.How to detect AP fraud in your businessStrong detection practices are essential to identify vulnerabilities before they become costly fraud events.Use Benford’s law for data analysisBenford’s law predicts the distribution of leading digits in naturally occurring datasets. In legitimate financial transactions, lower digits, such as one, two, or three, appear more often than higher digits, such as eight or nine. Significant deviations from this pattern in invoices or payments can signal fraud.Automated accounting software can compare payment data against Benford’s law. Investigate anomalies when first-digit distributions deviate by more than 5 percentage points across a period, or when unusual patterns persist month over month. These anomalies lead to potential fraud, not proof on their own, and should always be combined with other tests and controls.Conduct regular auditsRegular accounts payable audits help uncover discrepancies in high-risk areas such as vendor onboarding, payment approvals, and invoice reconciliation. Surprise audits can be especially effective in deterring internal fraud.Focus on four core checks:Periodic vendor master reviews: Validate vendor legitimacy.Sample-based invoice audits: Use invoice audits to catch duplicates or irregularities.Statement reconciliations: Confirm balances with vendors.Surprise check stock counts: Prevent unauthorized use of paper checks.Designate responsible parties for monitoringFraud detection only works when ownership is clear. Key roles include:AP department: Handles vendor setup, invoice processing, first-line reviews, and callbacks for bank detail changesInternal audit/compliance: Oversees control design, conducts audits, and supports investigationsIT/security: Manages email and domain protections, enforces access controls, and leads incident responseExecutive sponsor (CFO or controller): Sets the tone at the top, approves policies, and provides resourcesExternal auditors: Offer independent assessments and identify blind spots internal teams may missEstablish a culture where employees know their role in protecting financial integrity and feel comfortable reporting concerns.Centralize monitoring and analyticsUse centralized dashboards to flag risks such as duplicate invoices, rapid vendor changes, split invoices designed to bypass approval thresholds, and payments to first-time vendor accounts. Automated anomaly detection, including machine learning models that score outliers in invoice amounts or approval patterns, strengthens oversight and surfaces fraud trends early.What to do if you suspect fraudIf you suspect fraud, act fast. Freeze pending payments, lock system access, and preserve records as evidence. Notify your bank and internal stakeholders right away, and escalate to IT/security, law enforcement, or your insurer. Quick action limits financial loss and improves your chances of recovery.Preventing AP fraud in your businessPreventing accounts payable fraud requires a combination of strong internal controls, advanced technology, and a culture of accountability. Here are eight controls worth prioritizing:Segregation of duties: Separate vendor setup, invoice entry, approval, and payment release. Role-based access ensures no single employee controls the full process.Three-way matching (with tolerances): Use systems that automatically match purchase orders, receipts, and invoices before releasing payment. Define acceptable tolerances so minor variances, such as shipping costs or taxes, don’t delay legitimate payments.Vendor master data validation: Vet new vendors thoroughly with background checks, address verification, and tax ID confirmation. Restrict who can edit vendor records and require out-of-band callbacks before approving changes.Four-eyes principle for approvals: Require dual approvals for payments above a threshold and for sensitive actions such as vendor bank account changes or high-risk vendor onboarding.Positive pay for checks: Implement positive pay controls, which verify check details with the bank before payment. Lock check stock, and reconcile exceptions daily.Bank detail change verification: Block email-only change requests. Always confirm with a trusted vendor contact by phone or another secure method before updating bank details.Training and whistleblowing: Offer annual training on red flags and BEC tactics. Provide confidential reporting channels so employees can raise concerns without fear of retaliation.Periodic risk assessments: Regularly review whether controls are effective. After incidents or system changes, revisit thresholds, approval levels, and monitoring rules to keep protections current.This story was produced by Ramp and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	States of bankruptcy in 2026 States of bankruptcy in 2026Bankruptcy can offer a financial reset, but how often Americans need it varies by state. Sudden unemployment, divorce, medical crises and other financial shocks can force households into bankruptcy, which research has linked to depression and adverse health outcomes. Individually, a bankruptcy filing signals acute financial distress; collectively, bankruptcy patterns can highlight where residents face the greatest strain in meeting financial obligations.SmartAsset examined the most recent personal bankruptcy filings in the nation’s bankruptcy courts to identify the states where filings have increased the most. The analysis also measured personal bankruptcy filings per capita in each state.Key FindingsFour states form the nation’s “bankruptcy belt.” Four geographically contiguous states form the nation’s “bankruptcy belt”: Alabama ranks No. 1 for per capita personal bankruptcy filings, followed by Mississippi at No. 2, Tennessee at No. 3 and Georgia at No. 5.Low-bankruptcy states saw the biggest increases in filings. North Dakota and Alaska had the largest year-over-year increases in personal bankruptcy filings, at 41% and 29%, respectively. However, both states remain among those where residents are least likely to file for bankruptcy.One state saw a decline in bankruptcy filings. Among the 50 states, only Maine saw a decrease in the number of personal bankruptcy filings between 2025 and 2026. Filings in the Pine Tree State declined by about 8%, from 580 in 2025 to 533 in 2026.In the West, Nevada stands out. Every state west of the Mississippi River has fewer than 250 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents except Nevada. Nevadans file for bankruptcy at a rate of 285 cases per 100,000 residents, making them the nation’s fourth most frequent bankruptcy filers. SmartAsset SmartAsset States Ranked1. North Dakota• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 716• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 509• Year-over-year change: 40.7%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 89.92. Alaska• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 237• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 184• Year-over-year change: 28.8%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 32.03. Florida• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 44,496• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 36,407• Year-over-year change: 22.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 190.44. Texas• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 35,573• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 29,600• Year-over-year change: 20.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 113.75. Oregon• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 7,995• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 6,712• Year-over-year change: 19.1%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 187.16. Minnesota• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 10,203• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 8,655• Year-over-year change: 17.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 176.17. West Virginia• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 1,792• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 1,521• Year-over-year change: 17.8%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 101.28. Maryland• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 12,717• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 10,847• Year-over-year change: 17.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 203.09. Nebraska• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 2,855• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 2,443• Year-over-year change: 16.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 142.410. Delaware• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 1,569• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 1,345• Year-over-year change: 16.7%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 149.211. North Carolina• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 9,975• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 8,582• Year-over-year change: 16.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 90.312. Montana• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 845• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 727• Year-over-year change: 16.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 74.313. South Carolina• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 5,240• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 4,540• Year-over-year change: 15.4%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 95.614. New Mexico• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 1,625• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 1,408• Year-over-year change: 15.4%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 76.315. California• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 52,973• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 46,088• Year-over-year change: 14.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 134.316. Vermont• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 268• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 234• Year-over-year change: 14.5%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 41.317. Georgia• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 31,677• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 27,779• Year-over-year change: 14.0%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 283.318. Arizona• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 12,843• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 11,281• Year-over-year change: 13.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 169.419. Idaho• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 2,421• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 2,148• Year-over-year change: 12.7%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 121.020. Oklahoma• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 7,386• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 6,554• Year-over-year change: 12.7%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 180.421. Virginia• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 16,054• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 14,253• Year-over-year change: 12.6%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 182.222. Washington• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 9,376• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 8,331• Year-over-year change: 12.5%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 117.823. Missouri• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 10,832• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 9,625• Year-over-year change: 12.5%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 173.424. Nevada• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 9,301• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 8,284• Year-over-year change: 12.3%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 284.725. Colorado• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 8,461• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 7,536• Year-over-year change: 12.3%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 142.026. Utah• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 7,819• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 6,973• Year-over-year change: 12.1%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 223.227. Kansas• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 4,197• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 3,764• Year-over-year change: 11.5%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 141.328. Michigan• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 22,651• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 20,348• Year-over-year change: 11.3%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 223.429. Wyoming• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 561• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 508• Year-over-year change: 10.4%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 95.530. Indiana• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 18,200• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 16,510• Year-over-year change: 10.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 262.831. Pennsylvania• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 13,521• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 12,319• Year-over-year change: 9.8%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 103.432. Iowa• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 3,559• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 3,245• Year-over-year change: 9.7%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 109.833. Kentucky• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 12,120• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 11,131• Year-over-year change: 8.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 264.234. South Dakota• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 650• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 599• Year-over-year change: 8.5%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 70.335. New York• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 21,316• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 19,684• Year-over-year change: 8.3%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 107.336. Louisiana• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 9,984• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 9,226• Year-over-year change: 8.2%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 217.237. Alabama• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 20,909• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 19,428• Year-over-year change: 7.6%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 405.438. Massachusetts• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 4,862• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 4,526• Year-over-year change: 7.4%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 68.139. Arkansas• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 6,966• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 6,491• Year-over-year change: 7.3%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 225.640. Connecticut• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 3,559• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 3,338• Year-over-year change: 6.6%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 96.841. Tennessee• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 21,630• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 20,296• Year-over-year change: 6.6%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 299.342. Mississippi• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 9,762• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 9,177• Year-over-year change: 6.4%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 331.743. Rhode Island• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 1,056• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 993• Year-over-year change: 6.3%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 94.944. New Jersey• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 13,409• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 12,704• Year-over-year change: 5.5%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 141.145. Ohio• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 26,110• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 24,777• Year-over-year change: 5.4%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 219.746. Illinois• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 26,525• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 25,581• Year-over-year change: 3.7%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 208.747. Wisconsin• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 10,021• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 9,734• Year-over-year change: 2.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 168.148. Hawai'i• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 1,140• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 1,117• Year-over-year change: 2.1%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 78.849. New Hampshire• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 906• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 898• Year-over-year change: 0.9%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 64.350. Maine• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2026: 533• Bankruptcy filings, 12 months ending March 31, 2025: 580• Year-over-year change: -8.1%• Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents: 37.9MethodologyNonbusiness Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings across 84 U.S. bankruptcy courts were examined for the 12-month periods ending March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2026, to determine the year-over-year change in filings by state. For states divided into multiple judicial districts, district totals were combined into statewide counts. Filing rates per 100,000 residents were calculated using filings for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2026, and 2024 American Community Survey one-year population estimates. Source data providers are not affiliated with, and do not endorse or sponsor, this study or its findings.This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	America's 10 most dangerous cities, according to data—and New York and Chicago didn't even make the list travelview // Shutterstock The 10 most dangerous cities in America Many American cities have long been known for crime, but recent data often show that these reputations are outdated. Homicide rates did increase across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2025, rates receded 21% compared to 2024—one of the largest declines in American history and potentially the lowest homicide rate since 1900. Despite this, in the summer of 2025, President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops into Los Angeles, which was later deemed illegal by a federal judge in September 2025. Troops also invaded Washington D.C., some armed, to respond to the "crime emergency," according to the executive order that cited violent crime and homelessness. For a reality check, Stacker ranked the 10 most dangerous U.S. cities using WalletHub's 2026 rankings. WalletHub's methodology compared 182 cities, defining safety by risks to home and community, natural disasters, and finances. It evaluated safety on a 100-point scale, with 1 being the most dangerous, and ranked the cities according to their total score. Natural disaster risks included risks like earthquakes and wildfires; the home and community safety category was weighted by factors such as murders, assaults, and drug poisoning deaths. Financial safety risks included aspects like unemployment rates, the rate of uninsured people, and fraud. The cities named in the crime crackdown were not always consistent with crime data or WalletHub's list. For instance, Washington D.C., which has the lowest violent crime rate in over 30 years, was ranked #11 by WalletHub, and Los Angeles missed this list by a mile at #27 on WalletHub's ranking. Cities that are being threatened with National Guard invasions but also aren't included in the list include Chicago, which President Trump named "the most dangerous city in the world," and New York City. However, Trump has focused on some cities that do make the list, like Baltimore, Memphis, and New Orleans—whose governor welcomed "Trump's help." Read on to see where those three cities rank among the 10 most dangerous in the U.S.—and which other ones made the list. Sean Pavone // Shutterstock #10. Cleveland - Total safety score: 39.74 --- Home and community safety rank: 176 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 87 --- Financial safety rank: 150 Thu Lai Photography // Shutterstock #9. Philadelphia - Total safety score: 39.39 --- Home and community safety rank: 176 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 87 --- Financial safety rank: 150 Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock #8. San Bernardino, California - Total safety score: 38.57 --- Home and community safety rank: 173 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 166 --- Financial safety rank: 156 Sean Pavone // Shutterstock #7. Houston - Total safety score: 38.1 --- Home and community safety rank: 165 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 182 --- Financial safety rank: 161 YES Market Media // Shutterstock #6. Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Total safety score: 37.28 --- Home and community safety rank: 166 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 174 --- Financial safety rank: 178 Vibe Images // Shutterstock #5. Baltimore - Total safety score: 36.69 --- Home and community safety rank: 180 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 61 --- Financial safety rank: 166 Vladimir Mucibabic // Shutterstock #4. Detroit - Total safety score: 36.38 --- Home and community safety rank: 177 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 100 --- Financial safety rank: 181 Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock #3. Baton Rouge, Louisiana - Total safety score: 33.74 --- Home and community safety rank: 181 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 136 --- Financial safety rank: 147 Connor D. Ryan // Shutterstock #2. Memphis, Tennessee - Total safety score: 33.71 --- Home and community safety rank: 179 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 101 --- Financial safety rank: 182 Agnieszka Gaul // Shutterstock #1. New Orleans - Total safety score: 31.57 --- Home and community safety rank: 182 --- Natural-disaster risk rank: 71 --- Financial safety rank: 177
	Top ways to be more prepared for hurricane season (BPT) - Key TakeawaysDespite a less severe 2026 hurricane forecast, experiences from 2024 show it only takes one storm to cause prolonged power outages.Taking proactive steps for hurricane season is vital for anyone living in the Mid-Atlantic region, even far from the coast.Preparing for hurricane season means anticipating power outages.Be ready for outages with the modern alternative to gas generators: solar-powered Jackery Essential Home Backup generators.If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you probably know what it's like to be without power for days. Food spoils, you can't use the CPAP machine that helps you breathe better at night, you have no way to safely store bottles of baby formula or breast milk, plus no AC or other appliances and electronics you rely on every day.The just-released Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) brings welcome news: 2026 is predicted to be a below-normal season. However, it only takes one storm to cause outages for thousands (or millions) of households for several days, if not longer.In 2024 alone, Hurricane Helene left 5.9 million customers without power across 10 states, Hurricane Milton left 3.4 million customers in Florida without power, and Hurricane Beryl left 2.6 million customers without power in Texas. In fact, some Houston-area residents were without power for over a week.For anyone living in areas affected by hurricanes, even further inland, it's a good idea to take proactive steps to be better prepared for severe weather events. Top ways to be ready for hurricane seasonExactly how you prep your home depends on whether you live in a house or apartment. But no matter your living situation, these steps are fundamental:Be ready to evacuate: Have "go bags" packed for your household so it won't take long to evacuate.Prepare to hunker down: As long as it's safe to stay put, ensure you have enough water, non-perishable food and a first aid kit.Take stock of energy needs: Which appliances, medical devices, etc. could you not do without for more than a day? This will help you make decisions about practical backup power solutions.Get a home generator that meets your needs: Choose the right backup power to keep your household safely running, no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.The modern home cannot rely on the modern grid during a hurricane, and it doesn't have to.How to prepare for a power outageTo ensure your family has the power they need to get through days or even weeks without power, consider the modern alternative to gas generators: Jackery's Essential Home Backup line. These solar generators are built to run indoors, with no fumes, and no worry about scrambling for fuel during an emergency or local fuel shortage.Here are solar generator options to consider, depending on how much power your household needs:Single rooms or apartments: If you rent an apartment or just want a compact, portable solution for a single room, these two options can cool a room and keep your phone and critical devices running, with no electrician or installation required.HomePower 3000: Portable, apartment/renter-friendly backup solution that keeps essentials running for 1-2 days with 3072 watt hours (Wh) capacity, powering your fridge, Wi-Fi, fans and lights through extended outages.Solar Generator 2000 v2: Compact single-room backup solution with 2042Wh of LiFePO4 (LFP) capacity to keep your fridge, Wi-Fi and lights powered through a full-day outage. The 2200 watt (W) continuous output (4400W surge) easily handles your refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker and everyday essentials without tripping. The switch happens in under 20 milliseconds, so your router and computer stay online during blackouts.Backup power for homes:Solar Generator 5000 Plus: Modular comprehensive home backup system with 5040Wh capacity and 7200W output. It's also expandable to 60 kilowatt hours (kWh), which is enough to keep your home running through an extended outage, not just overnight.HomePower 3600 Plus: Modular comprehensive home system for large appliance loads. Its 3584 Wh capacity and 3600W output delivers 15 hours to 9 days of backup power to run essential home appliances with ease, like refrigerators, medical devices, AC units and other essentials through multi-day outages.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat differentiates solar generators from gas generators?Solar generators (also known as power stations) are indoor-safe, as there is no carbon monoxide risk. They are also quiet, involving no noise ordinance issues. No fuel runs are required.How do you recharge a solar generator?All Jackery solar backup systems are capable of recharging via solar panels, wall outlet or car port, or even via gas generator. Families can begin recharging as soon as the sun returns, without needing to run to a gas station (which are often out of fuel after major storms).Where can I find Jackery home backup systems?Jackery is available through major retailers like Costco, Home Depot, Lowe's, and Best Buy — and directly through Jackery.com and Jackery's Amazon page. To check out all buying options, head to: Jackery.com/pages/where-to-buy to view authorized dealers to ensure the product warranty.The modern home cannot rely on the modern grid during a hurricane, and it doesn't have to. Learn more about keeping your home's power on at Jackery.com.
	Jesus’ earthly dad, St. Joseph, often overlooked, is honored by Father’s Day in many Catholic nations Jesus’ earthly dad, St. Joseph, often overlooked, is honored by Father’s Day in many Catholic nationsThe United States celebrates Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June. Many countries with a Catholic heritage, however, such as Portugal and Spain, have already honored fathers on March 19: the feast of St. Joseph, husband of Mary and patron saint of fathers.Joseph is easy to overlook. None of his words were included in the Christian Bible. In Islam, the Quran omits him entirely, though it does include Jesus and Mary by name; in fact, it refers to Mary more than the Christian Gospels do. And while Catholic tradition gives the highest veneration to the Virgin Mary, it gives less emphasis to Joseph’s significance — there is even a joke that a Sunday school student thought Jesus’ parents names were “Verge ‘n Mary,” after hearing her name so much more than his.However, the Bible portrays St. Joseph playing a crucial role in the life of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. In Catholic culture, Joseph is still an important role model of fatherhood and faith, Gloria Falcão Dodd, a research professor at the University of Dayton, writes for The Conversation.Husband of Mary, father of Jesus— on earthThe bulk of the biblical descriptions of Joseph come from what are called the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which describe Jesus’ birth and childhood.According to the Gospels, Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph, conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit — and therefore Christians consider Jesus the Son of God. However, most Christians understand Joseph to be a true father in every way except biological, since Joseph was the legal father who raised Jesus.The Jewish custom in that time period involved a two-stage marriage: first, a legal contract of marriage, followed later by a party with the husband taking his wife into his home. This is shown in the Gospels: Joseph learned that Mary was expecting before she came to live with him, so he planned to divorce her; but an angel instructed him not to, and instead to take his wife into his home. Therefore, Joseph was already Mary’s legal husband at the time Jesus was conceived. Sergio Anelli // Electa/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images Some Christians believe that after Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph had several children together. The Gospels mention brothers and sisters of Jesus. However, Catholics and Orthodox Christians hold that these verses refer to other relatives, not actual siblings. Jesus taught that children have an obligation to support their parents, but when he was dying, he entrusted Mary to the care of his Apostle John, not a sibling.Catholics believe Mary and Joseph had what the Catholic Church calls a “Josephite marriage” — that is, one that meets Catholicism’s requirements for a true marriage, such as fidelity, but does not involve sexual intercourse.Like any parent, Joseph had his challenges. At one point, for example, he and Mary lost track of the 12-year-old Jesus for three days while they were traveling. But in Catholic teachings, he models faithful fatherhood. Joseph provided for his family as a carpenter, and followed God’s instructions to care for them. He named and circumcised his son, presented him at the Temple in Jerusalem, and took him to the Temple on holy days when possible, all in line with Jewish law. Joseph also protected Jesus from Herod, the King of Judea, who wanted to kill the child, by taking Mary and Jesus to safety in Egypt and then Nazareth.Significance in Catholic culturesFor Catholics, Joseph is the second-greatest saint after Mary, because only she knew, loved and served Jesus more than Joseph. In 1870, Pope Pius IX declared Joseph the patron saint of the entire Catholic Church.The Catholic liturgical calendar has two days just for him. Joseph’s primary celebration honors him as the husband of Mary, and takes place on March 19. It is a “solemnity” — a global celebration requiring specific liturgies — and in some countries, Catholics are obligated to attend Mass. Many Italians celebrate the day with a St. Joseph’s Altar or Bread Table, providing free food to all, as a way to thank the saint for his help.May 1 is an optional feast that honors Joseph in his role as a worker. Pope Pius XII established this celebration in 1955 to give a Christian dimension to International Workers Day, also known as International Labor Day or May Day, and counter its Marxist roots.Joseph also shares in the universal feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph on the Sunday after Christmas, as well as some local commemorations. For example, the Oblates of St. Joseph, a community of priests and religious brothers, celebrates Joseph and Mary’s wedding on Jan. 23.Year of St. JosephIn 2020, an American priest, the Rev. Donald Calloway, published a popular book called “Consecration to St. Joseph.” This guide encourages Catholics — many of whom traditionally devote themselves to Mary — to also consecrate their lives to Joseph, as their spiritual father. Calloway outlines a 33-day program to prepare readers for a ceremony, entrusting themselves to Joseph’s care. Hulton Archive // Getty Images Afterward, Calloway wrote to Pope Francis and asked him to declare a “Year of St. Joseph” for the church. The pope has not spoken about whether this letter influenced him, but Francis did proclaim Dec. 8, 2020, to Dec. 8, 2021, the first-ever Year of St. Joseph, a time for Catholics to deepen their knowledge of the saint and to pray for blessings from God through Joseph’s intercession.Francis wrote a public letter called “With a Father’s Heart,” which highlights Joseph’s paternal qualities, such as tenderness, courage, and being self-giving. “Fathers are not born, but made. … Whenever a man accepts responsibility for the life of another, in some way he becomes a father to that person,” Francis wrote.Joseph is considered the patron of a happy death because the Bible implies that he died in the company of Jesus and Mary, before Jesus’ ministry and death. But in life, too, Catholicism sees Joseph as an encouraging ideal: a man who carried out his important role in the family with hope and joy.This story was produced by The Conversation and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	65% of US homeowners say owning a home costs more than expected. Staying put is getting harder, too. 65% of US homeowners say owning a home costs more than expected. Staying put is getting harder, too.For years, homeownership was pitched as the finish line. Save for the down payment, buy the house and build wealth over time. According to new research from Unlock, a company that helps homeowners access the equity in their home, 75% of U.S. homeowners say they have no plan to buy or sell a home this year. That sounds like stability. But as the research reveals, it is starting to feel more like stagnation.Owning a home turns out to cost more than people thought it would, according to the survey of 2,003 homeowners in the United States, conducted in January 2026. The research found that 65% of U.S. homeowners say it is more expensive than what they expected before they bought. The math goes past the mortgage. Nationwide, property taxes climbed 41% between 2018 and 2025, according to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, with home insurance, maintenance and everyday costs piling on top.Homeowners are cutting back in places that used to be off-limits. Twenty-two percent of respondents reported putting less into retirement to keep up with the cost of owning their home. Another 33% are putting off bigger purchases, like a car. These are not inconsequential cuts. They are cuts to the financial goals owning a home is supposed to make easier in the first place, like building a nest egg, growing an emergency fund or saving for the future.The pressure shows up in the present, too. Nearly a third of homeowners have less than $1,000 in emergency fund savings. More than half say day-to-day expenses are causing significant stress in their lives. Unlock It is not only about cutting back or feeling stressed about day-to-day expenses. The survey found 19% of U.S. homeowners say they would rather double their commute time to work than take on another monthly payment. For homeowners already paying a mortgage, insurance, taxes and maintenance, another bill ranks below an extra hour in traffic. Unlock Costs are only half the story. Homeowners are also sitting on real wealth, though they cannot always say how much. The survey found almost half of U.S. homeowners are not sure how much equity they have built up in their home, including 28% who say they are not sure how to find out. The average mortgaged home in the U.S. holds about $299,000 in equity, according to Cotality, a data and analytics company.Ask homeowners how they feel about having equity in their homes and the answers do not quite line up. Sixty percent say the option to leverage home equity provides an extra level of financial security. Yet 48% say they view home equity as long-term wealth and retirement security, and would only leverage it as a last resort. They want the option there. They just do not want to use it. Unlock The result is a kind of holding pattern. Homeowners are paying more, staying put in homes they cannot easily afford to leave and sitting on wealth they would rather not disturb. The usual options come with a catch. Selling means moving. Refinancing means giving up a low locked-in mortgage rate. According to Realtor.com, 51.5% of outstanding U.S. mortgages still carry rates at or below 4%. Taking out a home equity line of credit or home equity loan adds another monthly payment. Each option asks for something homeowners are trying to avoid. The open question is whether the standard options are still the only options. What used to look like a financial finish line is starting to look more like a treadmill.MethodologyUnlock commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,003 homeowners in the United States. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. Fieldwork was conducted from Jan. 24-30, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.This story was produced by Unlock and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Every major fast-food chain, ranked by real customers—and McDonald's is at the bottom of the list Justin Sullivan // Getty Images Every major fast-food chain, ranked by customer satisfaction Historically, fast-food restaurants have been perceived as a more affordable dining option for Americans, but recently, that hasn't been the case. According to the latest Consumer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released in May 2026, the index for limited-service meals, which includes fast food, rose 3.2% over the last 12 months, not much lower than the 3.6% increase the food category saw overall in the same period. The rising costs mean a meal at a fast-food chain is becoming more of a luxury than a cost-saver, so folks are sticking to their favorites—whether it's for the burgers, the chicken, or the best french fries. Many fast-food chains have particularly loyal bases of customers. Someone who loves Burger King may not love McDonald's, despite the two chains having similar menus. Why? One reason is taste. Many fast-food chains have specific spice blends, sauces, and recipes they and their fans claim differentiate their products from competitors. In addition to food quality, customer service can be a major factor in determining consumer opinion of a fast-food chain. Chains that prioritize friendly and efficient service, such as Chick-fil-A and Starbucks, have built a loyal customer base who appreciate the experience they provide, and they come back again and again. To see how fast-food restaurants compare, Stacker ranked 23 major fast-food brands based on their 2025 customer satisfaction score, as calculated by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. (Ties were broken by the percentage point change from 2024 to 2025; further ties remained.) Eleven fast-food chains on the list saw their customer satisfaction scores decrease from 2024 to 2025; six others maintained their scores, and six saw their numbers improve. Read on to see if your favorite chain made the cut and how it compares to other big names in the industry. SrideeStudio // Shutterstock #23. McDonald's - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 70 - Change from 2024: -1 McDonald's is the largest restaurant chain in the world by revenue, with over 44,000 stores in over 100 countries. Although the menu has expanded in the decades since it was founded, consumers still gravitate toward its core offerings of hamburgers and french fries. Ken Wolter // Shutterstock #22. Dairy Queen - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 72 - Change from 2024: -2 Dairy Queen was founded in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, by a man named Sherb Noble. The very first Dairy Queen location served soft-serve ice cream, a new concept at the time. Nine years later, milkshakes and malts were put on the menu, which keeps people coming back today. JJava Designs // Shutterstock #21. Taco Bell - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 73 - Change from 2024: 0 Taco Bell founder Glen Bell discovered hard-shell tacos from the sit-down restaurant across the street, Mitla Cafe, in San Bernardino, California. Rather than laboriously making each taco by hand, Bell found a way to assemble it quickly. He started selling them out of a stand in December 1951—and thus began Taco Bell. In the years since, the chain has gotten creative with its menu, historically offering Kit Kat quesadillas, Cheetos burritos, and an Airheads slushie. James R. Martin // Shutterstock #20. Sonic - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 73 - Change from 2024: -3 Soon after its founding in the 1950s, Sonic began experimenting with intercom ordering systems, which allowed customers to place their orders without leaving their cars. Today, Sonic is known for its drive-in concept, with carhops delivering food to customers' cars. The company has over 3,500 locations across the United States, and it is known for its extensive drink menu, which includes slushies, milkshakes, and other frozen treats. Birch Photographer // Shutterstock #19. Jack in the Box - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 74 - Change from 2024: +2 Jack in the Box is a fast-food chain founded in 1951 in San Diego. The chain is well-known for its hamburgers, fries, and soft drinks. One of the most polarizing options on the menu is the brand's tacos, which some love and some hate but are always the subject of hearty debate. Ken Wolter // Shutterstock #18. Wendy's - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 75 - Change from 2024: -1 Wendy's founder Dave Thomas named the fast-food chain after his daughter, Melinda Lou "Wendy" Thomas. Although plenty of fast-food staples are on the menu, health-conscious consumers may have more reason to go to Wendy's, as it was the first fast-food company to pioneer a salad bar. NYC Russ // Shutterstock #17. Popeyes - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 75 - Change from 2024: +3 Popeyes thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic. What's more, it's growing. The chain boasted 3,400 locations in 2023 and plans to grow that number to over 4,200 by 2028. The secret to the franchise's success? Its fried chicken recipe, known for its signature crispiness. 4kclips // Shutterstock #16. Five Guys - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 75 - Change from 2024: -3 Founded in 1986, Five Guys is a family-owned company that has leaned into franchising. Since it opened for franchising in 2002, it has grown from five restaurants to almost 2,000 locations across the globe. The company is known for its simple menu of burgers, fries, and milkshakes and its commitment to using high-quality ingredients and cooking everything to order. Among these high-quality ingredients are fresh beef and fries cooked in peanut oil. QualityHD // Shutterstock #15. Subway - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 76 - Change from 2024: +2 Subway is a sandwich chain where customers can get healthy, hearty fare on a sub sandwich bread. Wraps have also become available more recently. Subway even offers a "sandwich artist" training program to teach employees how to make each sandwich to the customer's exact specifications. rblfmr // Shutterstock #14. Chipotle - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 76 - Change from 2024: -1 Chipotle has been called an anti-McDonald's for its unconventional approach to fast food. It prides itself on serving responsibly sourced food with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It operates the roughly 4,000 restaurants it owns across the globe. In 2022, the chain launched a $50 million venture fund focused on eateries with a similar socially conscious approach to dining as the company. ScannableZebra // Shutterstock #13. Little Caesars - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 77 - Change from 2024: +2 Little Caesars is known for its iconic "Pizza! Pizza!" advertising slogan, introduced in 1979. The slogan was originally created to promote the chain's two-for-one pizza deal, but it quickly became synonymous with the brand and is still used today. The chain is also known for being more affordable, making it a good choice for a wide variety of consumers. KULLAPONG PARCHERAT // Shutterstock #12. KFC - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 77 - Change from 2024: -4 KFC is known for its blend of 11 herbs and spices, which gives its chicken a distinct and delicious flavor many people love. The family who started the fried chicken chain has guarded its secret recipe for years, but a photo revealed from a family scrapbook may have exposed the recipe to the world. Sridee Studio // Shutterstock #11. Burger King - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 77 - Change from 2024: 0 Burger King has so many fans that it's successfully marketed merchandise beyond Whoppers. In 2015, the company launched a Flame-Grilled fragrance that smelled like its signature flame-grilled burgers. The limited-edition perfume was available for purchase in Japan. TY Lim // Shutterstock #10. Dunkin' - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 78 - Change from 2024: +1 The founder of Dunkin' Donuts, William Rosenberg, started out selling coffee and donuts in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1948. The company's original name was Open Kettle, but it was later changed to Dunkin' Donuts in 1950. Today, Dunkin' Donuts is one of the world's largest chains specializing in coffee and baked goods, with more than 12,000 franchise locations worldwide, and is beloved by many, including celebrity fan Ben Affleck. Susan Montgomery // Shutterstock #9. Domino's - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 78 - Change from 2024: -1 Domino's has a reputation for delivering pizzas quickly. The chain offers a wide range of toppings and crust options, allowing customers to customize their pizzas to suit their tastes. They also provide a range of side dishes and desserts. James Andrews1 // Shutterstock #8. Culver's - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 78 - Change from 2024: -2 The only newcomer to the 2024 list, Culver's started in Wisconsin in 1984 and now boasts more than 800 restaurants across the U.S., but mostly sticking to its Midwestern roots. The chain is famous for its signature ButterBurgers (which are, as the name implies, served on a buttered, toasted bun), its frozen custard, and of course, its cheese curds, a regional favorite. Though many restaurants struggled due to the societal and economic impact of COVID-19, QSR reports that Culver's "emerged from the pandemic making roughly $1 million-plus more per location than it did going in." Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock #7. Pizza Hut (tie) - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 79 - Change from 2024: 0 Pizza Hut has a unique claim to fame that may appeal to outer space fans: In 2001, it became the first company to deliver pizza to space. Pizza Hut worked with the Russian space agency to deliver a pizza to the International Space Station. However, only cosmonauts enjoyed the pizza because of NASA's policy against advertisements. photo-denver // Shutterstock #7. Papa Johns (tie) - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 79 - Change from 2024: 0 Today, Papa Johns is the fourth-largest pizza chain in the world, with more than 5,500 locations across the globe. The company is also known for its commitment to using high-quality ingredients in its pizzas, including fresh, never-frozen dough and vine-ripened tomatoes for its pizza sauce. This isn't bad, considering the company started out in a converted broom closet in the back of a bar founder John Schnatter co-owned with his father. QualityHD // Shutterstock #5. Panera Bread (tie) - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 79 - Change from 2024: -1 Panera Bread is a fast-casual restaurant known for its quality ingredients. It even maintains a "No No List" of items the chain would never use in its recipes. Panera began in 1987 as the St. Louis Bread Company, armed with a sourdough starter from San Francisco. In 2017, JAB Holding Company purchased the chain. It now operates more than 2,100 bakery-cafes under Panera Bread or St. Louis Bread Company across 48 states and Ontario, Canada. Steve Bruckmann // Shutterstock #5. Arby's (tie) - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 79 - Change from 2024: -1 Leroy and Forrest Raffel opened the first Arby's location in Boardman, Ohio, in 1964, with the name Arby's, based on the initials "R" and "B," meant to stand for "Raffel Brothers." The company's signature dish is its roast beef sandwich, made with slow-roasted, thinly sliced beef and topped with various sauces and toppings. Arby's has since expanded its menu to include a range of sandwiches, salads, and sides, and today has more than 3,400 locations around the nation. Pavel Mikheyev // Shutterstock #3. Starbucks - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 80 - Change from 2024: 0 Starbucks has a reputation for providing a consistent experience across its many locations. Customers know what to expect when they visit a Starbucks, from the quality of the coffee to the store's ambiance. Joni Hanebutt // Shutterstock #2. Panda Express - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 80 - Change from 2024: 3 Panda Express was founded by Chinese immigrants and husband-and-wife team Andrew and Peggy Cherng in 1983, a spinoff of a restaurant concept called Panda Inn. In 1987, the chain found its signature dish, Orange Chicken, thanks to in-house chef Andy Kao. The company is also known for its American take on Chinese dishes, even introducing regional Chinese dishes such as Sichuan-style Kung Pao Chicken and a General Tso's Chicken that uses Hunanese spices. Andriy Blokhin // Shutterstock #1. Chick-fil-A - 2025 customer satisfaction score: 83 - Change from 2024: 0 Chick-fil-A is known for its 100% whole breast meat with no fillers and hormones. Founder Truett Cathy created the recipe over 50 years ago, and it hasn't changed. The chain has faced backlash for its founder's philanthropic efforts, especially giving to conservative and Christian organizations opposed to LGBTQ+ rights. Still, it does abstain from donating to politicians, a common practice in the industry. No matter the politics, the chicken sandwich is undeniably good, and more recently, it has been testing a plant-based sandwich it took four years to develop.
	How to be ready for your child’s college tuition bills Sorry, but your browser does not support the video tag. var bptVideoPlayer = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayer"); if (bptVideoPlayer) { var cssText = "width: 100%;"; cssText += " background: url('" + bptVideoPlayer.getAttribute("poster") + "');"; cssText += " -webkit-background-size: cover;"; cssText += " -moz-background-size: cover;"; cssText += " -o-background-size: cover;"; cssText += " background-size: cover;"; bptVideoPlayer.style.cssText = cssText; var bptVideoPlayerContainer = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayerContainer"); if (bptVideoPlayerContainer) { setTimeout(function () { bptVideoPlayerContainer.style.cssText = "display: block; position: relative; margin-bottom: 10px;"; var isIE = navigator.userAgent.match(/ MSIE(([0 - 9] +)(\.[0 - 9] +) ?) /); var isEdge = navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Edge") > -1 \|\| navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Trident") > -1; if (isIE \|\| isEdge) { fixVideoPoster(); } }, 1000); } var bptVideoPlayButton = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayButton"); if (bptVideoPlayButton) { bptVideoPlayButton.addEventListener("click", function () { bptVideoPlayer.play(); }, false); bptVideoPlayer.addEventListener("play", function () { bptVideoPlayButton.style.cssText = "display: none;"; }, false); } var mainImage = document.getElementById("mainImageImgContainer_sm"); if (mainImage) { mainImage.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var mainImage = document.getElementById("photo-noresize"); if (mainImage) { mainImage.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var assetGallery = document.getElementsByClassName("asset_gallery")[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var assetGallery = document.getElementsByClassName("trb_article_leadart")[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var assetGallery = document.querySelectorAll("[src='https://d372qxeqh8y72i.cloudfront.net/8938831b-2878-41ec-8a47-309948a940b7_web.jpg']")[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } } function fixVideoPoster() { var videoPlayer = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayer"); var videoPoster = document.getElementById("bptVideoPoster"); fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster, true); window.onresize = function() { fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster); }; videoPoster.onclick = function() { videoPlayer.play(); videoPoster.style.display = "none"; }; videoPlayer.onplay = function() { videoPoster.style.display = "none"; }; } function fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster, display) { setTimeout(function () { var videoPosition = videoPlayer.getBoundingClientRect(); videoPoster.style.position = "absolute"; videoPoster.style.top = "0"; videoPoster.style.left = "0"; videoPoster.style.width = videoPlayer.offsetWidth + "px"; videoPoster.style.height = (videoPlayer.offsetHeight + 20) + "px"; if (display) { videoPoster.style.display = "inline"; } }, 1010); } (BPT) - Key takeawaysMost families draw on multiple sources to pay for college.You can find many other sources of potential funding outside of federal student loans and scholarships from schools.Bridge any gap that may still exist between financial aid received and total college expenses with a private student loan from College Ave.Is your family sending a child to college in fall 2026? You probably have a long to-do list this summer, but ensuring you can cover all the expenses is probably at the top.Although the costs of tuition, room and board may seem overwhelming, a Parent Survey by College Ave found that most families manage these expenses by combining multiple funding sources, including scholarships, grants and student loans.The survey also found that parents overwhelmingly believe a college degree is important for their child's future. To help parents prepare, College Ave shares tips for managing expenses.How is financial aid applied?At this point in the process, you filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), your child was accepted into one or more schools and chose where to enroll. The school sent a financial aid award letter indicating the amount of grants, scholarships or federal student loans your child will receive.After your child submits their college acceptance form, aid is usually disbursed directly to the school toward tuition, room and board. Contact the school's financial aid office regarding any remaining bills and deadlines.How can I figure out a college budget?The costs of tuition, room and board in 2026 are high, but there are many ways to lighten the load. For example, most schools offer payment plans to spread tuition bills throughout the year, interest-free.Most families combine multiple resources to pay for school. According to the College Ave Parent Survey, these were the top sources:Regular income/savings: 67%Grants/scholarships: 64%529 account: 45%Federal student loans: 41%Child will work: 39%Parent loan (parent solely responsible): 18%Parent side hustle/second job: 17%Private student loans: 16%Colleges often provide a Net Price Calculator (NPC) on their websites to help families estimate actual costs after financial aid is taken into account.It's also recommended to have an honest discussion with your child about expenses, involving them in decisions about working part-time while in school and exploring ways to lower costs.Parents overwhelmingly believe a college degree is important for their child's future.What other sources of funding are available?According to the Parent Survey, 51% of parents were willing to defer retirement for their child's education, while 69% made additional personal sacrifices or deferred putting money in personal savings to help pay for their child's college.Additional research may help you find untapped funds to defray some expenses. Beyond Federal and school-based aid, millions of dollars in private scholarships are awarded each year, as well as grants from local civic groups or even your employer, many of which go unclaimed. If your family belongs to any civic organization, house of worship or community group, it's worth asking about education funds.It pays to keep searching for grants and scholarships throughout the summer and first year of school. Some may relate to your child's major, place of birth or background rather than their academic performance. Your child should contact their high school counselor and chosen school's financial aid office to explore additional opportunities.You can also research online scholarship databases and your state's Department of Education website. One easy, no-essay scholarship to apply for is from CollegeAve.com/scholarship. A new winner is selected each month.†How can we reduce expenses?Did your child take AP or community college classes? They could transfer credits to their chosen school. They can still consider taking community college classes this summer, or any summer during their college career, to fulfill requirements and potentially graduate early. Check with their college to ensure credits are transferable.Students can also economize by sharing dorm accessory costs with roommates, carpooling or using public transportation. Consider buying used textbooks, renting textbooks or using free digital copies through the university library to cut costs.When are private student loans a good option?You may already be borrowing funds to help pay for college. In fact, it's smart to use Federal student loans in your child's name first, as they offer unique benefits including income-based repayment not typically offered by private lenders.If there's still a gap between received aid and college expenses, this is where a private lender with flexible repayment plans and good customer service, like College Ave, can come in. You can estimate future monthly payments, rates and repayment terms to help make your decision easier at CollegeAve.com/calculators.Find more information on planning and paying for college at CollegeAve.com.†No purchase necessary to enter or win. See official rules for details.
	Lo que debe saber para detectar estafas de impostores (BPT) - Aunque el fraude no es nada nuevo, las estafas actuales están en constante evolución. Los últimos avances tecnológicos, como la inteligencia artificial (IA), hacen que estos fraudes sean aún más difíciles de detectar. La Comisión Federal de Comercio (Federal Trade Commission, FTC) realiza un seguimiento del costo astronómico que supone el fraude para los consumidores, como los $15.900 millones en pérdidas declaradas solo en 2025. Aunque las estafas adoptan muchas formas, la mayoría tiene un rasgo en común: los impostores. Los estafadores se hacen pasar por una persona, una empresa o un organismo público que no son. Las estafas de impostores son el tipo de fraude más denunciado en el país.Las estafas actuales pueden potenciarse fácilmente con la IA, usando herramientas como la IA generativa, la clonación de voz y la tecnología deepfake para crear contenido personalizado y muy convincente que puede incluso ayudar a los estafadores a entablar relación con las víctimas a lo largo del tiempo. Las identidades falsas generadas por IA se utilizan en muchos tipos de estafas, desde estafas sentimentales y de inversión hasta estafas en las que se hacen pasar por un nieto o una pareja sentimental.Para ayudarlo a proteger el dinero que tanto le ha costado ganar, el Servicio de Inspección Postal de los Estados Unidos® ofrece consejos que le ayudarán a detectar y prevenir los tipos más comunes de fraude.Inversiones en criptomonedas para "hacerse rico rápidamente"A todo el mundo le gusta soñar con ganar dinero fácil. Por desgracia, a los estafadores también. Las estafas más habituales abarcan desde valores y materias primas hasta pozos de petróleo y monedas de oro. La estafa en auge hoy en día se basa en inversiones falsas en criptomonedas, en las que incluso los inversores más avispados pueden caer. Los estafadores que se dedican a las inversiones en criptomonedas pueden publicar sitios web de inversión que parecen auténticos, pero usted se dará cuenta de que no puede retirar el dinero que ha "invertido".Si recibe una llamada telefónica o un correo electrónico en el que se utilizan tácticas de presión y se prometen grandes beneficios, es una señal de alarma. Es posible que alguien se ponga en contacto con usted diciendo que ha ganado mucho dinero y que quiere enseñarle cómo hacerlo. Pero las inversiones legítimas nunca garantizan resultados. Si suena demasiado bueno para ser verdad, es que lo es.Protéjase: no tome decisiones precipitadas en materia de dinero, aunque el vendedor le diga que es una "oportunidad única en la vida" con una fecha límite. Investigue para comprobar por usted mismo las promesas de rentabilidad y nunca invierta basándose únicamente en lo que lea en una sola fuente de información. Compruebe la reputación de cualquier empresa en la oficina local de defensa del consumidor o en la Fiscalía General de su estado.Estafas dirigidas a abuelosUna de las estafas más preocupantes, potenciada por la IA, utiliza fotos falsas y la clonación de voz para hacerle creer que un familiar, como un nieto, se está poniendo en contacto con usted, y le pide con urgencia dinero para una fianza, gastos legales o facturas de hospital. Para que la historia resulte creíble, los estafadores agregan detalles sobre cómo o dónde se produjo esa "emergencia", o le dicen que un abogado, un médico o un agente de policía se "lo explicará todo" si los llama. En cuanto se envía el dinero, los estafadores se esfuman y el abuelo o la abuela pierde cientos o miles de dólares.Protéjase: Piense antes de actuar. Estas llamadas o correos electrónicos pueden llegar a altas horas de la noche, cuando no se piensa con claridad. Es a propósito. Póngase en contacto con su familiar (o con sus padres) por el medio que suele utilizar para comunicarse con ellos y compruebe la historia. Las peticiones urgentes de dinero siempre son señales de alarma, al igual que las formas en que los estafadores quieren que se les envíe el dinero. Los métodos de pago preferidos por los estafadores son las transferencias bancarias o las tarjetas de prepago recargables, lo que hace imposible recuperar el dinero.Estafas sentimentalesLas redes sociales y los sitios web de citas son plataformas perfectas para engañar a consumidores vulnerables y atraerlos hacia relaciones sentimentales. Cualquier persona que se encuentre socialmente aislada podría caer en una estafa romántica. Los estafadores fingen estar interesados en usted y, tras ganarse su confianza, pueden pedirle que les envíe dinero o que cobre un cheque o un giro postal. Los estafadores crean una sensación de urgencia alegando que tienen una emergencia médica. O bien, puede que le prometan venir a Estados Unidos para estar con usted, pero que necesitan un cheque o un giro postal para cubrir los gastos. Ninguna de estas historias es cierta.Protéjase: en cualquier relación que surja a través de Internet, no revele sus datos personales. Busque en Internet el nombre de la persona y la ciudad en la que dice vivir. Actúe con cautela y preste atención a las incongruencias que puedan aparecer en el perfil y la información de la persona. Mantenga las conversaciones en la plataforma de la página web oficial de citas. Algunas señales de alerta son mostrar interés romántico por usted muy rápidamente, insistir en pasar a un correo electrónico privado y pedirle dinero para visitarle o para una emergencia.Servicio técnico falsoEs posible que reciba una falsa advertencia sobre un problema en su computadora, como una ventana emergente o un correo electrónico que parezca proceder de una empresa conocida. El aviso le pedirá que llame a un número de teléfono para obtener ayuda o que haga clic en un vínculo. Otras estafas relacionadas con el soporte técnico pueden comenzar con una llamada o un mensaje de texto de un estafador que se hace pasar por un técnico informático. Es posible que le pidan acceso remoto a su computadora y finjan estar buscando virus. A continuación, dirán que han detectado un programa malicioso y se ofrecerán a eliminarlo a cambio de una cantidad de dinero.Una señal de alarma importante es que le insistan en que pague con tarjetas de regalo, mediante transferencia bancaria, criptomonedas o con una aplicación de pago. Quieren que pague de alguna de estas formas porque es como usar dinero en efectivo: una vez que paga, es difícil recuperar su dinero.Protéjase: si recibe una llamada de asistencia técnica que no haya solicitado, simplemente cuelgue. Si recibe un correo electrónico o un mensaje de texto, ignórelo y bórrelo. No facilite información de carácter personal (personally identifiable information, PII) a desconocidos, como su número de Seguridad Social, fecha de nacimiento, números de cuentas bancarias o dirección particular. No haga clic en los vínculos ni responda a este tipo de correos electrónicos. Bloquee los mensajes de spam y borre el correo electrónico o el mensaje de texto. Revise la factura de su teléfono móvil para detectar cargos sospechosos y mantenga actualizado el software de seguridad de todos sus dispositivos.Para obtener más información sobre la prevención del fraude, visite uspis.gov/imposter-scams. Si cree que ha sido víctima de fraude o de cualquier delito relacionado con el Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos, denúncielo en uspis.gov/report o llame al 877-876-2455.
	Found: Macomb police searched for missing 16-year-old over weekend A 16-year-old reported missing in Macomb has been located, according to Macomb police.
	Former American businessman detained in Myanmar after alleged financial misconduct Adam Castillo, founder of AGS Myanmar, was detained Thursday at Yangon International Airport. The U.S. State Department is aware of a reported detention but hasn't commented further.
	Participants in Legacy Stones program will create memorials to those lost to cancer While June is recognized as Cancer Survivorship Month—a time of celebration for many—it can be a deeply bittersweet and challenging month for those whose loved ones are no longer with them. Cancer Support Community Iowa & NW Illinois at Gilda's Club will offer a supportive space to honor the presence of loved ones people have [...]
	DeWitt Pet Hospital opens new full-service veterinary clinic A full-service, local veterinary clinic is now open in DeWitt welcoming clients and patients into the new DeWitt Pet Hospital.
	Midwest Technical Institute celebrates expansion with ribbon cutting on Wednesday Midwest Technical Institute will celebrate their recent expansion with a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon, Thursday, June 17.
	Government Bridge to close for cleaning It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. According to a release from the Rock Island Arsenal, Government Bridge will be closed to to pedestrian and vehicle traffic Friday, June 19 from 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. for cleaning. Signage will be in place during this temporary closure.
	Women and the Land Seminar set for June 22 in Milan Women and the Land Seminar free seminar is designed to help women in agriculture strengthen their understanding of conservation practices and farm financial management.
	Robert Young Center is bringing specialized eating disorder care to the Quad Cities UnityPoint Health – Robert Young Center launches the first eating disorder Intensive Outpatient Program in the Quad Cities.
	As Luigi Mangione's lawyers head to court, support grows for the accused 'vigilante' Luigi Mangione's legal team is back in court in New York City this week for a key pretrial hearing. He's accused of stalking and killing an insurance CEO. Donors have given $1.5 million to support his defense.
	Clinton Engineering celebrates 100 years of service Clinton Engineering 100th Anniversary event served as both a celebration of history and a recognition of Clinton Engineering’s ongoing presence in the community.
	Visit Quad Cities President and CEO recognized by Destinations International Under Herrell's leadership at Visit Quad Cities, the globally accredited organization has generated substantial economic impact through tourism development and marketing initiatives.
	Rock Island and Henry County real estate transactions for June 14, 2026 Here are homes sales and property sales in Rock Island County and Henry County.
	Asian fusion restaurant relocates, new pet hospital, virtual theme park grand opening, and more Quad-Cities business news YELO, formerly known as YELO Cupcakes and Bubble Tea, moves to Davenport, new animal hospital, virtual theme park opens, and more Quad-Cities business news.
	Pleasant temperatures with heavy rain possible The new week across the Quad Cities starts out nice with highs in the 70s to around 80°. While a few showers are possible before then, severe weather is looking more likely Wednesday, along with heavy rain. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	Britain will ban under-16s from social media apps, including TikTok and YouTube The ban will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. The move makes the U.K. part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.
	Melting Pot This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.One of the first things we learn about America in grade school is that we are a melting pot. "Here," a French observer…
	Inside Ebola country: NPR reports from eastern DR Congo's outbreak zone In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an Ebola outbreak is reshaping life, with fear spreading faster than information and hospitals turning into places of urgent containment rather than care.
	If you plan to catch up on reading this summer, start with these 3 books Summer is the perfect time to go back to great books that whizzed by in spring, including The Family Man, by James Lasdun, The Hill, by Harriet Clark and A Beautiful Loan, by Mary Costello
	Most parents track their 18-25-year-old kids on their smartphones. Is that healthy? A new survey from the University of Michigan asks parents about their use of technology to track their adult children, ages 18-25, including using "always on" location tracking on their smartphones.
	“Something's Coming Somewhere Tonight, Maria.” “Cool!”: “West Side Story,” at the Spotlight Theatre through June 21 Adam Sanders' production has some of the most intricate, varied, prolonged, high-density, high-energy choreography I’ve yet seen.
	Will Fumbling the Illinois Stadium Bill Cost Pritzker Any Ambitions He May Have for National Office? Governor JB Pritzker last week squarely placed the responsibility for passing a Bears stadium bill on the team itself, and had some unsolicited lobbying advice for the Bears as he attempted to brush off his own session attendance issues.
	A Loaf of Bread, Some Jugs of Wine, and Wow: “Les Misérables,” at the Timber Lake Playhouse through June 28 There's no point in burying the lede on this: The Timber Lake Playhouse's Les Misérables is the most visually powerful, thunderously well-performed area production I've seen since my first published stage review debuted in 2005, and even since I first arrived in the Quad Cities for college in 1986.
	Stand Up, They're Rockin' the 'Boat: “Guys & Dolls,” at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre through June 21 This past Thursday, after a full week of unseasonably hot, muggy weather, we were finally treated to an evening that was cool and breezy. I'm prone to credit the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre's Guys & Dolls for the atmospheric shift, because as season-opening presentations go, this one was as cool and breezy as they come.
	Boat Over Troubled Water: “The Shark Is Broken,” at the Black Box Theatre through June 27 Because The Shark Is Broken is an insider look at the making of Jaws, it seems both fitting and somewhat ironic that the play and movie share the same villain.
	Smells Like Cheese Spirit: “The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales,” at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre through June 21 John Glore’s theatrical adaptation preserves the witty, slightly dark sensibility that made the book so beloved by youth and adults alike, and as directed by Jennifer Hoeper, the Playcrafters Barn Theatre's presentation combines adults and children to bring these fractured fairy tales to life.
	They the People, in Order to Form a More Perfect Union … : Quad City Music Guild's “1776,” at the Prospect Park Auditorium through June 21 Magic is on display in Quad City Music Guild's and director Kathryn Weber's current, spirited presentation of 1776, its music direction by Claire Schaecher and choreography by Beth Marsoun. (And I hear the intermission hot dogs are terrific.)
	Active Weather Pattern Brings Cooler Temperatures and Storms to Quad Cities This Week EARLY FIRST ALERT for severe thunderstorm potential Wednesday
	Swiss reject right-wing's bid to cap population at 10 million, early results show Nearly 55% of voters in Switzerland rejected an initiative championed by the top right-wing party to cap the rich Alpine country's population at 10 million, early results showed.
	Hurricanes use stifling defense to win the Stanley Cup The Carolina Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout Sunday night in Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.
	Russian attack sets fire to religious site in Kyiv, kills 5 in Kharkiv A large-scale Russian attack killed 5 rescuers in Kharkiv, wounded 20 in the capital Kyiv, set apartment buildings ablaze and sparked a fire at one of Ukraine's most significant religious landmarks.
Sunday, June 14th, 2026
	Behind the Product: What Sustainability Looks Like in Beauty Development (Feature Impact) Shoppers are paying closer attention to the products they bring into their homes. They want to know what ingredients are used, how items are packaged and whether the production process includes thoughtful choices. Beauty brands are taking note, and sustainability is increasingly shaping decisions across sourcing, packaging, production, shipping, storage and replenishment. Responsible product lines rarely come from sweeping change. They are built through smaller, connected choices made throughout development. Packaging, ingredient sourcing and production planning influence how a product performs, how much waste it creates and how sustainably products can be produced. Consider this beauty sustainability information from Laura Badcock, Chief Operating Officer of NourishUs Naturals. Why packaging matters beyond appearance "Packaging is often the first thing shoppers notice," Badcock said. "It can shape how someone feels about a product before they ever try what's inside." A package should look appealing, though appearance is only part of the equation. It also needs to protect the product, travel safely, store well and hold up through regular use. Once the product is finished, the packaging should allow easy recycling, refilling or responsible disposal. There is no single packaging option that works best for every beauty product. A lightweight container may reduce shipping weight. A refillable option may stay in use longer. A recyclable material may work well in one area but create challenges in another if local recycling systems cannot process it. Even packaging that appears sustainable can create problems in practice if it leaks, breaks or requires excess shipping materials. Why ingredient sourcing matters "Ingredient lists have become an important part of how people evaluate beauty products," Badcock said. "Shoppers often look for familiar oils, butters, botanical extracts and information about how ingredients were sourced, which plays a major role in the environmental impact." A product's environmental footprint is influenced by many factors, including shipping distance, processing methods, storage conditions and supplier practices. These factors can also affect product consistency and ingredient availability over time. Beauty brands working with wholesale skin care suppliers or private label manufacturers often need to balance ingredient goals with sourcing reliability and production needs. How better planning can lead to less waste "Packaging and ingredients are usually the first things people associate with sustainability, but how much product gets made, stored and discarded matters, too," Badcock said. Overproduction is one of the biggest hidden sources of waste in beauty and personal care. Products that sit too long in storage may eventually expire or remain unsold. Excess inventory can also create additional packaging waste, warehousing needs and disposal costs. Smaller batch sizes give producers more room to adjust as trends or demand shift, and producing closer to expected sales windows helps reduce long storage periods and unnecessary waste. Testing new products in smaller volumes and restocking based on actual demand makes overproduction less likely. How sustainable beauty choices are connected Packaging, ingredient sourcing and production planning are closely connected throughout development. "A packaging choice can affect shipping weight, storage needs and whether a package can be refilled," Badcock said. "Ingredient choices can influence sourcing timelines and how products need to be stored. Production planning affects how much material gets used and how much product could eventually go unsold." Beauty shoppers want more transparency around sustainability claims Sustainability claims carry less weight when those claims aren't explained in practice. This shift is pushing many beauty brands to focus more heavily on traceability, supplier relationships and clearer product information. Transparency is becoming part of the customer experience itself. More responsible product lines are built over time Responsible beauty products come together through ongoing choices around packaging, sourcing, production and inventory planning. For shoppers, those choices influence the products they bring into their homes. "The brands that build sustainability into early decisions tend to have the easiest time maintaining it later," Badcock said. "Once supplier relationships, packaging formats and production routines are in place, small adjustments are far easier than major changes. Treating sustainability as part of product development from the beginning, rather than something to fix later, is what makes it work in practice." To find more information on the intersection of beauty and sustainability, visitNourishUsNaturals.com. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
	HVAC Systems Under Stress: What Happens When Summer Temperatures Surge (Feature Impact) Stretches of scorching summer days may leave you and your family feeling like you just can't quite get (or stay) cool. If you find yourself resigned to cooler rooms or leaving ceiling fans on constantly, it might be time to check your air conditioner. Extreme heat is no longer rare for many parts of the country. According to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 13 million households reported being uncomfortably hot for an extended period. Not all air conditioning systems perform the same when temperatures spike. While most systems can keep up on typical summer days, prolonged heat can expose performance gaps, leading to uneven cooling and higher energy use. The difference often comes down to how the system is designed. To better understand whether your HVAC system can stand up to summer, consider this information from the experts at Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), a world leader in residential air conditioning units with sophisticated, durable systems that deliver quiet operation and energy-efficient performance. Why Some Homes Stay More Comfortable Than Others Not every home experiences summer heat the same way. Factors such as home layout, sun exposure, insulation, and HVAC system design can all influence how effectively a home maintains comfort during prolonged periods of high temperatures. For example, upstairs bedrooms, rooms with large windows, and spaces exposed to direct afternoon sun often have different cooling demands than other areas of the home. Systems that provide more precise temperature control and flexibility can help address these differences and deliver more consistent comfort throughout the house. Signs Your System May Be Struggling As summer temperatures rise, there are often clear signs that an HVAC system may be struggling to keep up with demand. One of the most common indicators is a system that seems to run constantly during the hottest parts of the day, yet fails to deliver the level of comfort homeowners expect. Homeowners may also notice persistent warm spots in certain rooms, increased indoor humidity, or weaker airflow from vents. In some cases, increased noise from vents or equipment may signal the system is working harder than usual to maintain airflow and cooling performance. Another warning sign often appears on monthly utility statements. A noticeable increase in energy use during peak summer months can indicate the system is consuming more power to maintain comfort under challenging conditions. What Makes the Difference in Extreme Heat Not all HVAC systems are built the same. Modern system design plays a critical role in how well a home stays comfortable during prolonged high temperatures. Zoned Comfort Solutions from Mitsubishi Electric include ducted and ductless options designed to deliver reliable comfort, efficiency, and control in demanding conditions like summer heat surges, along with important features like: Cooling performance designed to maintain comfort even during extreme outdoor temperatures Precise temperature control that helps deliver more consistent comfort throughout the home Quiet, efficient operation that delivers strong performance with less noise and energy use Flexible installation options for homes with existing ductwork and homes without ducts, plus room additions, garages, sunrooms, and other hard-to-cool spaces Evaluating whether your current system is designed to handle sustained high temperatures can help prevent discomfort and avoid rushed decisions during the hottest days of the year. To learn more, visit MitsubishiComfort.com.
	Solve Summer Hunger with Fresh Produce and Family-Favorite Snacks (Feature Impact) Bouncing from activity to activity and event to event this summer is bound to lead to bouts of hunger. To help keep your loved ones going amidst the hustle and bustle of pool days, baseball games and road trips, turn to filling snacks that curb appetites. Fresh, nutritious produce can transform afternoon pick-me-ups into moments of celebration. For example, Dandy Celery from Duda Farm Fresh Foods offers exceptional sweetness, crispiness and consistency in Peanut Butter Toast with Celery and Grapes. A familiar, kid-friendly favorite, this sweet-and-savory combination provides a pleasing crunch from lightly toasted bread, celery and grapes paired with soft, warm peanut butter. Fit for sharing with family and friends, Dill Pickle Dip is ready with the snap of a finger so you can serve a crowd without the hassle. Serve with crackers and celery for an easy solution whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue, tagging along for a tailgate or enjoying a slow afternoon with your nearest and dearest. These simple snacks and more delicious summer dishes can be at the heart of your menu when made with Dandy fresh-cut vegetables from Duda Farm Fresh Foods, a leading, trusted American grower and processor of fresh vegetables that's celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. Marking a century of leadership in celery innovation, family farming, industry leadership and sustainable growth, it's spent six generations refining its approach to growing, harvesting and delivering high-quality fresh produce. From its early adoption of advanced farming practices to the development of fresh-cut solutions and waterjet cutting technology, the 100-year-old company has maintained a steady focus on improving flavor, efficiency and satisfaction. "Reaching 100 years is a milestone we owe to our dedicated team, strong industry partnerships and commitment to innovation," said Mark Bassetti, president of Duda Farm Fresh Foods. "As we honor our 100-year legacy, we remain focused on growing the future through innovation, sustainability and family values." Search for more summer snack ideas by visiting DudaFresh.com. Peanut Butter Toast with Celery and Grapes Recipe courtesy of "Floating Kitchen" on behalf of Duda Farm Fresh Foods Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes Servings: 2 2-3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 2 slices cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted 5-6 seedless red grapes, halved 1-2 Dandy celery sticks, sliced diagonal 1 tablespoon granola 1 teaspoon maple syrup kale, mustard greens or arugula (optional) Spread peanut butter evenly over surface of toasted bread. Top with grapes and sliced celery. Sprinkle with granola and drizzle with maple syrup. Top with kale, mustard greens or arugula, if desired. Dill Pickle Dip Recipe courtesy of "Laughing Spatula" on behalf of Duda Farm Fresh Foods Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Servings: 6 8 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup dill pickles, finely chopped, plus additional for garnish 1/4 cup Dandy Celery, finely chopped, plus additional for garnish 3 tablespoons pickle juice 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper crackers, for serving Dandy Celery Dippers, for serving Breadcrumb Topping: 1 teaspoon butter 3 tablespoons panko crumbs Allow cream cheese to soften about 20 minutes outside of refrigerator. While cream cheese is softening, prepare breadcrumb topping. In pan over medium heat, stir butter and breadcrumbs until fully combined. Breadcrumbs will toast in 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat once toasted, as desired. In bowl, mix softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup pickles, 1/4 cup celery, pickle juice, dill, salt and pepper until fully combined. Transfer to serving bowl. Before serving, sprinkle dip with cooled, toasted breadcrumbs and additional pickles and celery. Serve with crackers and celery dippers.
	Escape the Everyday Routine: Summer Travel Experiences Worth Logging Off For (Feature Impact) Between busy schedules, daily responsibilities and the seemingly nonstop pace of everyday life, taking time to disconnect can feel impossible. This summer, make an effort to step away from daily distractions and reconnect with yourself, your passions and the moments that matter most. Whether it’s a solo seaside escape, a culinary adventure with friends or a memory-making family vacation, World of Hyatt’s Global Summer Offers give members access to exclusive savings of up to 25% on stays at participating hotels and resorts across the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Africa, making it easy to plan a perfect getaway to escape the everyday this summer. From paddleboarding in the Bahamas to wandering through Panama’s historic streets, these curated destination recommendations offer inspiration for every kind of traveler. Sun-Soaked Seaside Escapes Some summer vacations are about trading packed schedules for ocean breezes and sun-soaked days by the water. For a chic coastal escape, The Georgian, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, brings timeless glamour to the shores of Santa Monica. Just steps from the ocean, this iconic art deco hotel serves as the perfect seaside retreat for biking along the boardwalk, relaxing on the beach and exploring Santa Monica’s vibrant dining scene. Every detail of a stay at Dreams Puerto Morelos Resort & Spa is crafted to inspire relaxation, connection and discovery. The all-inclusive resort offers a vibrant escape where contemporary comfort meets timeless Caribbean charm in a tropical haven designed for couples and families alike. Memory-Making Family Adventures Families looking to make the most of summer together can head to Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, where every day brings a new adventure. From splashing through the resort’s waterpark and visiting the on-site wildlife sanctuary to enjoying family-friendly dining across more than 45 restaurants and lounges, there’s something for guests of all ages to enjoy together. Along the shores of Kāʻanapali Beach in Maui, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa provides the perfect setting for families to create lasting memories together. Families can fill their days with everything from culinary experiences to sunrise yoga, snorkeling and wildlife tours. Younger guests can even channel their inner sea creature during the resort’s popular mermaid classes. Flavor-Filled Getaways Combining contemporary luxury with Moroccan charm, Park Hyatt Marrakech is an authentic gateway to the destination’s rich culinary heritage. Guests can immerse themselves in local culinary traditions through hands-on experiences, from mastering classic dishes alongside the hotel’s chefs to exploring a Berber village market and sharing a home-cooked lunch with a local family. Travelers looking to immerse themselves in Panama’s vibrant culture and food scene can enjoy a stay at Hyatt Regency Panama City. Whether exploring the colorful streets of Casco Viejo or savoring authentic cuisine at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Rulfo, guests can experience the flavors and energy that define the destination. Immersive Cultural Discovery Just steps from Tallinn’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, Hyatt Place Tallinn places guests in the heart of the city’s rich heritage and within easy reach of landmarks such as Toompea Castle and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, as well as cobbled medieval streets, world-class museums, independent galleries and vibrant cafés that bring centuries of history to life. Steeped in history and tucked in the heart of Westminster, Great Scotland Yard Hotel, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, blends modern luxury with its storied past. Once home to Scottish royalty and later the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police, the hotel’s legacy of sophistication and intrigue inspires every detail and standout experience, including its hidden speakeasy-style bar, where inventive cocktails are inspired by the building’s colorful history and Michelin-starred dining. Set along Savannah’s vibrant riverfront, Thompson Savannah offers a stylish gateway to one of the South’s most charming and culturally rich destinations. Travelers can explore centuries-old architecture in the city’s beautifully preserved Historic District and immerse themselves in the renowned arts scene before unwinding in a private cabana on the hotel’s pool deck or enjoying a cocktail at the rooftop bar. To find more destinations to aid in the escape from everyday routines, visit Hyatt.com for a full list of participating properties and full offer details.
	A Win for Your Skin: 4 Steps to Support Skin Health (Feature Impact) A bit of shade and diligent sunscreen use can go a long way, but protecting your skin - the body's largest organ - takes more than just the basics for optimal health, particularly during the hottest times of the year. In fact, it's not only about what you put on your body, but in it, too. Emerging research suggests grapes may do more than simply provide hydration, nutrition and natural sweetness; they may help support health at the genetic level. A study published in "ACS Nutrition Science" found consuming grapes changed gene expression in human skin and helped support biological processes associated with healthier, more resilient skin. These findings add to mounting evidence that grapes act as a "nutrigenomic" food, meaning the antioxidant and other polyphenol compounds naturally found in grapes may influence how genes behave in the body. The results also highlight how whole foods like grapes may influence important biological pathways in the body, according to John Pezzuto, dean and professor of pharmaceutics at the Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. "We are now certain that grapes are a superfood and mediate a nutrigenomic response in humans," Pezzuto said. "The changes in gene expression indicated improvements in skin health." Along with making foods like Grapes from California a regular part of your diet, consider these ways to support and protect skin throughout the year. Cool Down After Sun Exposure Time in the sun can leave skin feeling dry or irritated, even with sunscreen and protective clothing. After going for a run or spending time at the pool, make sure to rinse off sweat and chlorine with a gentle cleanser then follow up with a lightweight moisturizer or lotion to replenish skin and leave it feeling fresh. Applying moisturizer regularly - especially after showering or washing your face - can help lock in hydration and support your skin's natural barrier. Consume Skin-Friendly Foods and Beverages A cold glass of water goes a long way, but what you put on your plate can play a role in how your skin looks and feels, too. Foods that deliver antioxidants and other polyphenols, like California grapes, may help support skin health from the inside out. An additional bonus: With their high water content, grapes can help maintain hydration, particularly during warmer months. For the best of both worlds, add an easy beverage to your menu with California Grape Rosemary Spritzers, which combine sparkling water and grapes with a hint of rosemary for a sip that's equal parts refreshing and delicious. Don't Forget Lips and Eyes Layering sunscreen on exposed skin might be your first priority before stepping into the sun. However, lips and eyes shouldn't be forgotten. Often overlooked in skin care routines, lips are especially vulnerable to sun damage and dehydration. Make sure to use a lip balm with SPF protection throughout the day and reapply often. Similarly, the delicate skin around the eyes might be one of the first places to show signs of sun damage. Wear sunglasses with UV protection to shield both your eyes and surrounding skin from harsh rays. Keep an Eye on Changing Skin New spots, skin changes or itchiness shouldn't be ignored. Perform regular skin checks at home, particularly if you spend a lot of time outdoors, and routinely visit a dermatologist who can help catch potential concerns early in support of long-term skin health. Find more ways to support your skin with nutritious foods and recipes by visiting GrapesFromCalifornia.com. California Grape Rosemary Spritzers Servings: 8 8 rosemary sprigs (about 6 inches long) 24 whole Grapes from California 2 quarts sparkling water 1 1/2 cups sliced Grapes from California ice Partially strip rosemary branches, leaving 3-4 inches of greenery. Skewer three grapes on each branch. Pour water into large pitcher. Add sliced grapes and stir. Fill eight glasses with ice and grape sparkling water. Garnish each drink with grape-rosemary skewer.
	Village of East Davenport tattoo shops fight for survival amid zoning dispute Two tattoo shops could be forced to close after city officials determined they violate a decades-old zoning ordinance, prompting owners to launch a petition campaign
	2 Village of East Davenport tattoo shops at risk amid zoning dispute Happy Cat Tattoo and Obscura Tattoo are asking city leaders to update a zoning rule that dates back 20 years.
	Derecho and more than 2 dozen tornadoes confirmed June 10-11 It was an active week of weather across the Midwest.
	Galesburg WWII veteran dies at 103 Leland Chandler died in Galesburg on Friday, according to an obituary.
	Crude oil futures drop after Trump promises an Iran deal will be signed Friday Oil prices had already fallen quite dramatically on Thursday and Friday, in anticipation of an imminent deal. President Trump has posted online that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen after the deal is signed on Friday.
	Two injured in I-80 West crash involving semi near Davenport Traffic was impacted for about an hour after a crash involving a semi truck and two vehicles on I-80 West Sunday.
	Davenport barbershop avoids major losses after apartment fire triggers flooding Sprinklers from an early morning apartment fire flooded parts of The Golden Goat Barbers in Davenport.

Monday, June 15th, 2026

Sunday, June 14th, 2026