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

Sunday, June 7th, 2026
	Subaru recall: Moonroof glass may detach while driving Subaru is recalling nearly 70,000 of its popular SUVs over a defect that could cause the glass moonroof to detach while the vehicle is moving, according to a filing with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Saturday, June 6th, 2026
	Crews respond to fire at Flip's Pancake House in Rock Island The Rock Island Fire Department responded to a fire at Flip's Pancake House Saturday evening.
	Fulton baseball falls in Sectional championship 11-2 Fulton baseball’s incredible season comes to an end in the Sectional championship to Putnam County 11-2.
	Galena baseball wins their first ever Sectional title Galena baseball defeated Dakota in the Sectional Championship 5-4.
	Steamwheelers beat first place Blizzard 43-37 The Quad City Steamwheelers are back in the win column after defeating first place Green Bay Blizzard 43-37.
	Quad Cities Pride Festival draws hundreds to celebrate community and inclusion Several people gathered at Schwiebert Riverfront Park this weekend for the 2026 Quad Cities Pride Festival, a two-day celebration of community, inclusion, and LGBTQ+ pride.
	Crews respond to small fire at Flip's Pancake House, Rock Island No one was injured in a small fire Saturday afternoon at Flip's Pancake House, 2704 18th Ave., Rock Island, according to a news release. Rock Island firefighters responded to the restaurant shortly after 4:45 p.m. No smoke was visible from the exterior. Crews secured the scene while they waited for the property owners. Firefighters discovered [...]
	Muscatine mental health fundraiser takes on added meaning after week of tragedy A growing mental health fundraiser in Muscatine, offers both a celebration of one man's life and a source of healing for a community grappling with recent loss.
	Downtown Bettendorf Organizations holds Be Downtown event Organizers say the event is designed to showcase downtown Bettendorf while encouraging people to support local businesses.
	Potential heavy rainfall tomorrow After things have been a bit dry over the past couple of weeks in the Quad Cities, we are finally looking to get some much-needed rain just in time for the growing season. Throughout the next 7 days on our rain outlook, we could be seeing anywhere between 1.5 to 2 inches of rain. Within [...]
	Rescue Rocks Music Fest held in Bettendorf Proceeds from the event go towards the Scott County Humane Society.
	Quad Cities Pride Fest draws crowds to Rock Island Hundreds gathered to be a part of the Quad Cities Pride Festival.
	Annual mental health fundraiser held in Muscatine days after shooting Home Base hosts its annual mental health fundraiser in Muscatine days after fatal shootings.
	Davenport pair held on $2 million bond each for child-endangerment charges: Records After a report of child abuse, two Davenport residents were being held Saturday on a $2 million cash-only bond each, according to Scott County Court records. Andrew Warrington, 48; and Kellie Warrington, 47; each face charges of first-degree kidnapping, child endangerment, willful injury, and neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, according to Scott County [...]
	Death Notice: Bridget Johnson Bridget Ann Johnson, 53, of Blue Grass, died Monday, June 1, 2026, at MercyOne Genesis, Davenport. Funeral services and a visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 10, at the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11:30 a.m. Following the service, a luncheon will be held at Duck Creek Lodge, Davenport. Memorials may be made to the family. Online condolences may be made at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. A full obituary will appear in the June 10 edition of The NSP.
	Section of Running River Trail to close Monday in Muscatine A section of the Running River Trail System will close this coming week for repairs.
	Portion of eastbound Rockingham Road in Davenport to close Monday A traffic alert for drivers in Davenport.
	‘Play all day, party all night’ at Bettendorf’s annual Be Downtown event, Saturday An annual event is returning to downtown Bettendorf this weekend.
	‘Quad Cities Construction Hike for Hope’ steps off Saturday in Davenport It’s an event to honor loved ones lost to suicide, and provide resources focused on mental health awareness in the construction industry.
	Muscatine boat lunch to close for arrival of American Melody cruise boat The City of Muscatine will temporarily close the downriver boat launch and adjacent parking lot near the Iowa Avenue entrance to Riverside Park on Monday, June 8, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate the arrival and docking of the American Melody, a river cruise vessel operated by American Cruise Lines, a news release says. [...]
	Opportunity Knocks job fair scheduled for IowaWORKS, Davenport IowaWORKS will host an Opportunity Knocks, job fair from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, June11, in the IowaWORKS office 1801 E. Kimberly Road, Davenport, a news release says. Opportunity Knocks provides a great venue for new job seekers, seasoned professionals oranyone who may be in the growing transitioning job market. In addition to providing access to [...]
	Section of Running River Trail, Muscatine, to close for construction A section of the Running River Trail System will close on Monday, June 8, weather permitting, to allow for construction work related to the dredge spoils relocation project in Muscatine, according to a news release. The closure will extend from the chicanes at the upper end of Riverside Park to just east of the pedestrian [...]
	Despite a competitive market, finding a summer job is highly beneficial for teens Teenagers looking for summer jobs face a tough labor market. But the personal benefits are huge.
	As American elections become more tense, officials are turning to local police Since the 2020 election, local law enforcement has increasingly been playing a bigger role in helping local officials secure elections.
	Bettendorf Community School District selects student services executive director Pending approval by the Bettendorf Community School District Board of Education, Lorry Wilson has been selected as the district’s next executive director of student services, a news release says. Wilson will begin her new role on July 1 as executive director of student services, Wilson will oversee a comprehensive range of programs and services that [...]
	A park famed for rare gorillas gears up to fight Ebola and protect its primates In Virunga National Park, rangers are on the frontlines — playing a critical role to contain the surging virus while coping with an upsurge in conflict-related violence.
	Laufenberg joins Moline Regional Community Foundation Board of Directors Moline Regional Community Foundation welcomes Brian Laufenberg to its board of directors, where he brings more than 40 years of financial services experience and a commitmentto exceptional professional relationships and community service, a news release says. “Brian provides a degree of leadership expertise and personal experiences which will helpguide the foundation’s philanthropic work throughout our [...]
	Memories of Muscatine: Northwestern Bell Telephone Operators This week for Memories of Muscatine: A photo of Northwestern Bell Telephone operators from 1955.
	Israeli airstrikes kill 9 including Lebanese army officers after ceasefire deal The Israeli military confirmed hitting a vehicle and said the incident is being reviewed. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun called the strike "a flagrant violation to Lebanese sovereignty and international law."
	Report: Deaths by suicide increased in Maryland as numbers declined nationally The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched nationwide can help people in crisis connect with resources and support. (Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters)A new report says states are finally seeing reductions in fatal drug overdoses, alcohol-induced deaths and suicides, after two decades of increases across the nation, leaving some hopeful of a potential “turning point” in those types of deaths. But while the 2026 edition of “Pain in the Nation: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths” released this week said deaths by suicide fell 3% nationwide from 2023 to 2024, Maryland actually saw a 4% increase, one of more than a dozen states to see a rise that year. Why Maryland didn’t see the same progress as the nation is unclear, but advocates and public health experts say the report’s findings can be used to further build on suicide prevention efforts in the state and nation. “There’s so many factors and it’s really hard to have a sort of definitive answer,” said Molly Warren, senior health policy researcher and analyst with Trust for America’s Health, which produced the 2026 report. “All these deaths went up a huge amount during the pandemic … and they weren’t good before,” she said. “So, we have a lot more work to do.” Warren notes Maryland still has a relatively low rate of suicide deaths, even if the percentage grew between two years, with a rate of 9.7 deaths per 100,000, compared to the nation’s 13.7 per 100,000. She even called Maryland “relatively stable,” as previous data shows Maryland’s rate of suicide deaths has fluctuated between around 8 deaths per 100,000 to the pandemic-era peak of 10.3 per 100,000. Follow the money: New dashboard tracks use of opioid settlement funds She still urges Maryland to continue supporting and boosting suicide prevention efforts, especially as federal cuts under the Trump administration could disrupt funding for certain behavioral health services and other efforts at the state level. “National funding is harder to get, and even when you do get it, there’s sometimes disruption and uncertainty that can cause programmatic difficulties,” said Warren. “I think … state officials, should try to continue programs as best you can and find funding to continue this extremely important work.” Overall, the report says the cited fatalities peaked in the early years of COVID-19, with more than 207,800 people dying in both 2021 and 2022 from all three of those causes. It wasn’t until 2023 that deaths started to drop, and the all three metrics fell nationwide in the 2024 report. In 2024, alcohol-related deaths fell 4% nationwide along with a 26% drop in drug overdose mortality and a 3% decline in deaths by suicide. They combined for a total of 173,913 deaths in 2024, a 16% decrease from 2023 data. Maryland largely aligned with those trends. In 2024, about 2,900 Marylanders died from either alcohol, overdose or suicide, a 24% drop from 2023. Alcohol-induced deaths in the state fell 12% and overdose-related deaths dropped 32%, outpacing the national figures. The report notes that Maryland does not currently have a state official or commission required by law to focus on suicide prevention. That said, Maryland does have a group established by a long-running executive order to do just that. The Governor’s Commission on Suicide Prevention was initially formed in 2009 through an executive order issued by former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D). Former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) issued another executive order in 2018 to modernize the commission by expanding its membership. It still meets in 2026. Help is at hand If you are in crisis, you can call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.” But Warren said that having the commission codified into Maryland law would be “one way to ensure” that suicide prevention has “long-term” state efforts behind it. “If governors change, this would be a permanent office that would have funding dedicated to it, personnel that could focus on suicide across governorship,” she said. “None of these are going to fix any of it by itself, it really needs to be a variety of these efforts.” Holly Wilcox, who chairs the Governor’s Commission on Suicide Prevention, says that there are opportunities and challenges in reducing suicide in Maryland. Accessibility of firearms is one of the current main points of interest. “One thing that’s been keeping many of us up at night is this issue of, during the pandemic, there were more people at the beginning of the pandemic buying firearms, so there are more firearms out in circulation. For suicide prevention, that is a major challenge,” said Wilcox, who is director of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Suicide Prevention. In a written statement Friday, the Maryland Department of Health reports that since 2022, firearm suicides have increased by 24%, accounting for almost 53% of firearm-related deaths in 2025. From January through April this year, approximately 55% of the 158 reported firearm deaths have been suicides. A newer point of interest is in workplace suicide-prevention initiatives, which could involve training employees to recognize signs of distress or the use of an anonymous questionnaire that could connect an employee with additional resources if needed. Wilcox noted there can be overlaps between substance use and suicide, which can complicate reduction efforts. “Another challenge is that when people die and it’s an overdose, sometimes it’s really hard to understand the intent and to classify it as an accidental death or a suicide,” she said. Wilcox said that those deaths may be ruled “undetermined,” leading to a lack of data for advocates and state leaders to consider new policies that could have best helped that person and could prevent a similar death in the future. Medical examiner audit reclassifies dozens of police-restraint deaths as homicides Wilcox said that state officials are working to reduce the number of “undetermined” deaths, which could be impacting the Maryland’s data in the TFAH report. According to 2023 data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, so-called “undetermined” deaths made up 19% of autopsies evaluated by the state medical examiner. In 2024, that figure decreased to 14% of fatalities ruled as undetermined. In 2025, a state audit reported that Office of the Chief Medical Examiner had reevaluated and reclassified dozens of previously “undetermined” deaths. Meanwhile, the reduction in national death by suicide figures coincides with an increased awareness of the national 988 Lifeline, which people in crisis or people who are concerned for another’s wellbeing can call for specialized crisis supports and resources. Wilcox said it’s too early to determine if the introduction of the 988 Lifeline correlates with the national reduction in suicide deaths, but it’s still helpful to have those resources available. The Trust for America’s Health is not taking any victory laps on downward trend of nationwide fatal drug overdoses, alcohol-induced deaths or suicides just yet. It says the progress outlined in the 2026 report is fragile, as funding disruption under the Trump administration threatens to weaken the programs and resources available to keep deaths trending down. “Over the past year, the federal behavioral health and injury prevention systems that support prevention, surveillance, and crisis response have experienced leadership upheaval, funding disruptions, and workforce reductions,” the report says. “Whether recent gains continue will depend on sustained investment in the public health infrastructure that makes prevention possible.” Warren urges states like Maryland to bolster state-level efforts to further prevent suicides along with the other trends in reducing overdose and alcohol-induced deaths. “This is the first year we’ve seen significant declines for each off the three causes nationwide, and that’s really important — it’s also not guaranteed to continue,” Warren said. “This is the best data I’ve seen since working on this and I want to keep going.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Maryland Matters
	Filipino sailors say they were falsely accused of possessing child porn and deported NPR has tracked deported Filipino sailors who say they were accused without evidence of possessing child sexual exploitation material. Almost none have been charged or prosecuted.
	Joan of Arc, Rock Island Style This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island. As with most rough river towns along the Upper Mississippi, Rock Islanders have had their share of sin. In 1903,…
	Bishop Hill Heritage Association presents Doodle Folk Music Festival Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with folk music in an 1840’s historic village! The Bishop Hill Heritage Association presents the Doodle Folk Music Festival June 13 in Bishop Hill. Concerts will take place at the main stage, located next to the park gazebo in the center of Village Park: Located in the village park in Bishop [...]
	The Forest Service says it's closing offices to cut costs. But the math doesn't add up The Forest Service is trying to shut down research hubs because it says it needs to live within its means. But the agency plans to close facilities that cost less than $1 to rent while keeping open one that costs $1 million.
	In Ohio, the Sikh community passes traditions to the next generation Photographer Akash Pamarthy has documented the Sikh religious community in Ohio over several years. His photos tell a story.
	U.S. mortgage rates are staying high — and the Fed can do very little about it Even though the Fed cut interest rates in 2024 and 2025, mortgage rates have stayed high, frustrating many would-be homebuyers. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)U.S. homebuyers can’t get a break. The 30-year mortgage rate has been stuck at recent highs well above 6% and now averages 6.48%, according to the data released on June 4, 2026, by Freddie Mac, which bundles and sells home loans. That marks another blow for Americans hoping to buy a home or refinance their current mortgage that had been locked in at similarly steep rates. It’s also a sharp jump since February 2026, when the financing cost of a 30-year mortgage had dropped as low as 6%. Pricey mortgages have been weighing on the housing market more broadly, which has not escaped President Donald Trump. He has waged an aggressive campaign to pressure the Federal Reserve, which sets the short-term benchmark rate, to make deeper cuts to the cost of borrowing. The new Fed chief, Kevin Warsh, has also been touting rate cuts since he was nominated by Trump, a reversal from his earlier anti-inflation stance. As a professor of finance, I have been asked why mortgage rates are rising even though the Fed has been keeping rates steady after a series of cuts in 2024 and 2025. The central bank actually has little control over the cost of home loans — and Americans may be stuck with high rates for a long time. How much can the Fed control mortgage rates? Not that much. The Fed directly influences the federal funds rate, a short-term interest rate that banks charge one another for overnight loans. Many people assume that mortgage rates move in lockstep with the Fed’s decisions, but, in fact, they’re driven primarily by financial markets. Thirty-year mortgages are long-term assets. Investors purchasing those loans, either directly or through mortgage-backed securities, are making decisions based on what they believe inflation, economic growth, government borrowing and interest rates will look like years into the future. So what does affect mortgage rates? Inflation is one of the biggest factors. Although inflation has declined substantially from the peaks experienced in 2022 and 2023, investors remain uncertain about when it will return to the Fed’s official long-term target of 2%, especially with elevated oil prices and the ongoing conflict with Iran. This uncertainty matters because when lenders originate a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, they’re committing capital for decades. If inflation turns out to be higher than expected, the future payments that lenders receive will be worth less in real purchasing-power terms. To compensate for that risk, investors demand higher yields for the higher cost of borrowing. The greater the risk, the higher the yield. Federal government borrowing is another important factor. The long-term budget outlook by the independent scorekeeper Congressional Budget Office projects continuing large federal deficits and rising debt levels in the years ahead. It estimated that Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill, passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in 2025, will add $US3.4 trillion to federal deficits through 2034. Financing the deficit requires the U.S. Treasury to issue large amounts of debt by selling Treasury bonds and other securities. When the supply of government bonds increases, investors may require higher yields to absorb that additional supply. And because Treasury yields serve as a benchmark for many different types of borrowing costs throughout the economy, mortgage rates often move with them. In particular, mortgage rates tend to track the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note much more closely than they track the federal funds rate. What else affects mortgage rates? Adding another layer of complexity are mortgage-backed securities, which are made up of bundled loans that are sold to investors rather than remaining on a lender’s balance sheet. Investors who own these securities face risks that Treasury bond investors do not. Chief among them is the right to refinance: Homeowners can refinance when rates fall, pay the loan down more quickly than required by the mortgage contract, or move unexpectedly and completely repay loans early. So investors generally demand a premium above Treasury yields when buying mortgage-backed securities to compensate for this prepayment risk. Otherwise, they would be stuck with a return lower than they initially expected when they bought that loan. Since mortgage rates are high, the general expectation is that many homeowners will refinance at lower rates once they can. That means the refinance risk is greater than usual — and it has kept the difference, or spread, between 10-year Treasuries and mortgage rates elevated compared to historical norms, according to the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center. In short, even if Treasury yields remain stable, a larger mortgage spread could keep mortgage rates higher than borrowers might expect. This helps explain why mortgage rates don’t always move in the same direction as Fed policy, and why mortgage rates have stayed high even after the Fed started lowering short-term interest rates in 2024. Why it helps to take the long view Last, there’s an important historical perspective that’s often missing from discussions about today’s mortgage market. Many Americans compare current mortgage rates with the extraordinarily low rates available during 2020 and 2021, when some borrowers secured 30-year mortgages at rates that were below 3%. Those were among the lowest mortgage rates ever recorded in the United States — the exception rather than the rule — and a result of the Fed’s emergency measures to steer the economy out of recession. In fact, throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s, mortgage rates frequently ranged between 6% and 8%. Viewed through that lens, today’s rates are far less unusual than many Americans would think. Mortgages have been around more than two millenia, surviving empires, kingdoms, depressions, wars, financial crises and technological revolutions. The details have changed dramatically, but the underlying economics have not: Lenders have always demanded compensation for inflation risk, uncertainty and the time value of money. That’s why mortgage rates aren’t determined solely by the Fed but by millions of investors making judgments about the future. And at the moment, those investors remain cautious. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Michael J. Highfield is the provost and executive vice president at Mississippi College and vice president for curriculum at the Graduate School of Banking at LSU. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here. Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Security cameras sold by Amazon, Home Depot and others recalled over fire hazard "All consumers who used the long, flat-head screw to install the solar panel on top of the camera should participate in the recall," CPSC said.
	Knicks beat Spurs by one point for 2-0 lead in NBA Finals The red-hot Knicks are going home, two wins away from an NBA championship that the capital of the world has been waiting to see for generations.
Friday, June 5th, 2026
	U.S. military says it shot down Iranian drones launched toward Gulf allies The exchange of strikes comes as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Iran to make a deal to end the conflict.
	River Bandits beat South Bend Cubs 13-8 in game one of double header The Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the South Bend Cubs 13-8 in game one of a double header Friday night.
	Recall: Target baby wipes found to have bacteria that could cause life-threatening sepsis Target is voluntarily recalling two types of baby wipes its generic brand baby wipes after testing found bacteria on the product.
	Pulling Focus African America Film Festival returns to the Quad Cities All screenings and events are free and open to the public.
	Chicago Bears fans weigh possible move to Indiana after stadium vote Chicago Bears fans are reacting after the team's board voted to advance a stadium project in Hammond, Indiana, potentially moving the franchise from Chicago.
	Our QC Crime Watch: Kewanee man faces child-pornography charges - Episode 68 Watch crime reporters Linda Cook and Sharon Wren talk about crime and courts in our area with the latest episode of the Our Quad Cities Crime Watch Podcast. In this episode Linda and Sharon discuss: updates on: To view, click the video above or watch on-the-go on Spotify. The QC Crime Watch Podcast \| Pod
	Davenport Parks and Recreation director resigns The City of Davenport announces that Chad Dyson will step down from his position as director of Davenport Parks and Recreation, effective June 10, a news release says. Dyson has accepted a position with another organization out of state. He joined the City of Davenport in 2018 to oversee park operations, recreational programming, and maintenance [...]
	Iowa American Water continues resurfacing project in Bettendorf Beginning Monday, June 8, work moves eastward on Central Avenue as Iowa American Water continues the first part of the Central Avenue Resurfacing Project by replacing the water main in some spots from 14th Street to Pius Lane, according to a news release. Beginning Monday, June 8, crews will begin work on the fourth of [...]
	It Takes a Village to close rescue and clinic operations The organization had closed its shelter, moving to being a foster-based rescue, in November.
	Democrat Xavier Becerra wins the top spot in November's race for California governor Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has clinched the top spot on California's ballot for governor. With millions of ballots still to be counted, his November challenger is unknown.
	Princeton Iowa's newest water well causes costly problems An $800,000 well in Princeton, Iowa, came with a flow of water and costly problems since it opened in 2022. It's taking water from the same aquafer as its main water source, but this well has produced high nitrate levels. This has forced the well to be closed since the fall of 2024. Exactly what [...]
	Iowa teachers back new classroom discipline law aimed at disruptive behavior A new Iowa law gives teachers more input when handling disruptive students. Educators say the change could improve classroom safety.
	Libertarians, independents file to appear on Nov. 3 Iowa ballot Iowa third-party candidates filed for the Nov. 3 ballot this week.
	Davenport residents rally for immigrant rights, civil liberties Community members gathered in downtown Davenport Sunday to raise their voices on issues ranging from immigration to civil rights and community support.
	House approves $15.2B FY27 budget with marquee acquisition: millionaire’s tax The Rhode Island House of Representatives debates the fiscal year 2027 state budget at the Rhode Island State House in Providence on Friday. June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)A record $15.2 billion fiscal 2027 budget breezed through the Rhode Island House of Representatives in near record time Friday, with the 65-10 vote finalized with an hour to spare before sunset. The approved budget is almost identical to the version given preliminary vetting by the House Committee on Finance one week ago, featuring a phased-in millionaire’s tax, a state inspector general’s office, and additional funds for healthcare, families with children, and the state public transit agency. The $15.2 billion bottom line for fiscal 2027 marks the highest spending in state history — roughly $300 million more than what Gov. Dan McKee proposed in January, and $900 million above the current fiscal year budget approved one year ago. “Sustainability was at the core of what we’re looking at to make sure we’re investing not just today, but for our families for the future,” House Speaker Christopher Blazejewski, a Providence Democrat, told reporters after the vote on Friday. All 10 Republican lawmakers voted against the budget, blasting the unsustainable growth in state spending and the controversial millionaire’s tax, which dominated debate throughout the legislative session. Friday afternoon proved no exception, with lawmakers reprising familiar talking points about business interests and household affordability during an hourlong back-and-forth periodically marked by raised voices. The phased-in millionaire’s tax seeks to strike a balance, stretching out the 3% tax increase income over $1 million over three years, rather than all at once as McKee’s budget proposal contemplated. The tax hike supplies another $22 million in tax revenue in the upcoming fiscal year based on a 6.99% tax on income over $1 million — the highest tax bracket now pays 5.99% — starting Jan. 1. Revenue from the millionaire’s tax is expected to rise to $142 million by the end of the decade when the incremental tax hike reaches the peak rate of 8.99%. Backers of the tax increase, including Blazejewski, insisted the extra revenue would be needed to offset anticipated federal funding cuts tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “This is us ensuring we will still be able to provide the bare minimum for individuals who need it the most in our state,” said Rep. Teresa Tanzi, a South Kingstown Democrat, listing off examples of the affordability crisis gripping the nation and state. “People aren’t even going to Applebee’s anymore, they’re going to McDonald’s,” she said. “I urge my colleagues to support the 80%. Not the 1%, not the millionaires.” Rep. Teresa Tanzi speaks on the House floor during consideration of the fiscal year 2027 state budget on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale warned that the Ocean State will lose its top earners and employers, costing the state’s economy in the long term. In Massachusetts, which began taxing income over $1 million in 2024, more people are leaving the state according to federal tax filings, a trend opponents link to the tax on top earners though the correlation is not explicit. “We are making our territory infertile for businesses,” Chippendale, a Foster Republican, said. Quotation People aren’t even going to Applebee’s anymore, they’re going to McDonald’s. I urge my colleagues to support the 80%. Not the 1%, not the millionaires. – Rep. Teresa Tanzi, a South Kingstown Democrat Losing a major employer like CVS Health would make its host city, Woonsocket, “look like Monaco in Detroit,” independent Rep. Jon Brien said, referencing the Michigan used car dealer. The budget article including the tax increase prevailed by a 54-17 vote, with the chamber Republicans, Brien, and seven Democrats opposed. Three representatives did not vote. Inspector general, at last Far less controversial was the newly minted speaker’s pitch for a state inspector general, cemented with a $1.3 million earmark in the state budget. The funding, unanimously backed by lawmakers Friday, pays for a 12-person independent watchdog agency to improve government efficiency and investigate waste, fraud and abuse. “I’m frankly exuberant that it’s in this budget,” said Chippendale in what he admitted was a rare note of praise on the Democrat-crafted spending plan. Blazejewski’s decision not to subject the state legislature or judiciary to the inspector general’s purview, citing separation of powers, created initial reservations among Republicans and a handful of Democrats. “The public is surmising and I can understand why they are, that we have something really sinister going on here, we’re trying to hide what we’re doing,” Rep. Charlene Lima, a Cranston Democrat said. She acknowledged nothing devious was behind the legislation, but suggested that including the legislature and judiciary under the inspector general’s purview would put people at ease. Lima favored letting the courts decide whether it was unconstitutional. Quotation We are making our territory infertile for businesses. – House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale, a Foster Republican The state auditor general, funded with $8.3 million in fiscal 2027, already serves as oversight for the legislative branch. Rep. George Nardone, a Coventry Republican, pitched a different workaround that would expand the auditor general’s power over the legislature, adding express subpoena and investigatory powers. Both Lima and Nardone’s amendments failed, shot down by an overwhelming majority of chamber Democrats. Budget documents sit in a box on the floor of the Rhode Island House of Representatives on Friday, June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Help for hospitals, RIPTA Anticipated fallout from new, federal restrictions on Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) spurred lawmakers to focus the state budget on programs that could cushion the blow for service providers and recipients. “This plan recognizes where we are and meets that moment, with an eye towards tomorrow,” Rep. Marvin Abney, a Newport Democrat and chair of the House Committee on Finance, said of the spending plan overall. “This budget does not solve all problems. But once again, it addresses the most pressing needs of the day.” The budget includes the full $116 million cost to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for behavioral and home health care providers, as recommended by the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner. There’s nearly $39 million more for hospitals and healthcare providers to offset the costs associated with an expected rise in uncompensated care, and $22 million to help offset higher premiums for people who purchase health insurance through the state exchange. A new, refundable child tax credit will help middle and low-income families with an average of $330 per child per year, while an extra $11.5 million extends the runway for a state pilot program that incentivizes SNAP recipients to spend their food assistance on fruits and vegetables. The Eat Well, Be Well pilot would have otherwise run out of money at the end of the month. Other spending allotments are more targeted: $4.6 million to close the deficit at the Department of Children, Youth and Families, preventing the staffing cuts that spurred protests by agency employees; $1.6 million for the Newport Hospital birthing center, which remains under threat of closure without more money from donors, according to operator Brown University Health; $3 million for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, and returning the cash-strapped Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) into the black after years of deficits. Lawmakers added an extra $13.4 million for the state public transit agency, compared with McKee’s proposal, relying on revenue from a 2-cent increase in the gas tax enacted last year, and extra money from a separate, state highway account maintained by the Department of Transportation. Newport’s cruise ship landing and docking fees will remain at current levels, despite McKee’s proposal to increase them as a way to fund RIPTA. Rep. George Nardone, a Coventry Republican, speaks as the House takes up the fiscal year 2027 state budget on Friday, June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Little love for RIDOT The embattled state transportation department, which has been widely blamed for a lack of oversight that led to the sudden closure and subsequent rebuild of the westbound Washington Bridge, is less fortunate. The agency loses funding for 35 of its 60 vacant positions, while subject to a state audit for efficiency and performance, due in March. And, the transportation director loses the chair position on RIPTA’s board of directors, although they continue to have a seat on the appointed panel. Also coming out with less than they hoped for: high-income retirees who pay state income taxes on their Social Security benefits. McKee’s initial budget proposed a three-year phaseout of the tax, which affects retirees with income above $107,000, or $133,750 for joint filers. Lawmakers preserved the first year of the plan, which eliminates the age minimum required to bypass taxes, but held the line on the policy and rate. McKee’s contested energy affordability plan was also largely gutted by lawmakers — despite a last-ditch effort led by Republicans to reinstate a piece of it — in favor of preserving the existing renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates meant to tackle climate change and rising energy costs. “If it were as simple as changing the date, we would have done that,” said Rep. Lauren Carson, a Newport Democrat, referring to the stricken proposal to push out the state deadline to offset 100% of its electricity needs through renewable sources or energy credits. “There are other variables out there that affect the cost of utilities. This is not one quick fix to get ratepayer bills down.” But, legislators agreed with McKee’s proposal to let hydropower and nuclear energy count toward fulfilling the state’s renewable energy requirements, and to control costs for large-scale solar developments through a voluntary fixed-price program. McKee’s attempt to empower the executive with a line-item veto through budget language was also stricken by lawmakers, as were proposed increases in cigar and cigarette taxes. But the governor’s signature afterschool education program, Learn365, got the $2 million he wanted. A $250,000 security request for World Cup events was also incorporated. Charter schools still TBD The spending plan does not address one of the biggest unsettled debates still hanging over Smith Hill: charter schools. The Rhode Island Senate approved legislation Thursday that would ban new charter schools for the next three academic years, which proponents say gives time to better understand how the nontraditional public schools affect resources and outcomes for students in standard public schools. But opponents, including some progressive lawmakers, say the legislation is a bandage that fails to address the deep-rooted problems in the state education system. The spending plan devotes additional state aid to school districts with higher percentages of low-income students, as well as extra money for student transportation costs and career and technical education. It also returns the Central Falls School District to city control after more than three decades under state authority. And, an amendment incorporated Friday sets aside more than $700,000 to train educators to work with students whose first language is not English. However, lawmakers did not offer the extra $590 million in annual state education aid recommended in January by a Rhode Island Foundation-led panel charged with overhauling the opaque education funding formula. But they charged the Rhode Island Department of Education with submitting a report analyzing and comparing the Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations to the existing funding structure. The budget also advances a $600 million, five-question series of bonds to voters in November, although allocations are slightly different than what McKee proposed in January, with extra money directed toward an integrated health sciences building at University of Rhode Island, and a $50 million career and technical secondary education program scrapped. There is more money for farm and forestland preservation in the “green bond,” while there is $40 million — $5 million less than what McKee proposed — for Secretary of State Gregg Amore’s requested state history center. The budget provides another $4.5 million from the state’s long-term capital projects budget for the dedicated history building. Sharon Reynolds Ferland, fiscal adviser to the Rhode Island House of Representatives, reviews documents during the floor session to approve the state’s fiscal year 2027 budget at the Rhode Island State House in Providence on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Etc. The long-awaited return of truck tolls is baked into the new spending plan, which assumes $20 million in revenue from the still-unspecified date when gantries reactivate. An extra $18 million will go back into the state rainy day fund, replenishing the amount lawmakers agreed to put up as a separate backstop for the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in February A $5 million earmark will pay for an initial year of planning for a new University of Rhode Island medical school A $600,000 allocation of state funds will pay for three employees, including a magistrate, to oversee a dedicated domestic violence court An extra $200,000 boost will expand the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship to let in-state high school graduates defer college enrollment by one semester while still qualifying for free tuition at the Community College of Rhode Island. The chamber’s vote now sends the budget to the Rhode Island Senate, where the Committee on Finance is scheduled to take up the spending plan Monday night, with a floor vote on Tuesday. Former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat who stepped down from the leadership position but not his seat in May after applying for a seat on the state Supreme Court, missed most of the budget debate, arriving just in time to cast his vote in support of the final fiscal 2027 spending plan. Rhode Island House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale and Rep. Megan Cotter, an Exeter Democrat, confer on the House floor on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Rep. Charlene Lima, a Cranston Democrat, speaks on the House floor on Friday, June 5, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Muscatine's It Takes a Village to close animal rescue and clinic The shelter shifted to a foster-only model in late 2025 as it struggled with funding issues.
	Rock Island to switch utility billing, new accounts will be needed for autopay The change to the new system is expected to happen in August.
	‘East Chicago Bears’ jokes fly as fans and taxpayers react to potential Indiana move Quad Cities and Illinois residents are strongly divided after the Chicago Bears voted to advance stadium talks with Hammond, Indiana.
	The Arc of the Quad Cities Area's Heritage Homes development receives state funding The Arc of the Quad Cities Area announced its Heritage Homes development has been awarded state funding.
	HEAT WAVE coming to the Quad Cities We haven't hit 90° yet this year, but we're about to several times next week. Highs this weekend will be in the 80s but then hit the middle 90s several days next week. Average highs right now are in the lower 80s. That means we'll be well above normal...but will likely fall just short of [...]
	Davenport Channel Cat dock reopens after renovations The project includes a fresh pedestrian bridge, landside improvements and the dock itself.
	Trump appears with Van Orden, Tiffany at Chippewa Falls farm roundtable President Trump listens to U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden as he praises Trump administration ag policy at a forum Friday June 5, 2026 in Chippewa Falls (Screenshot via the Official White House Rapid Response account on X)President Donald Trump held a roundtable discussion Friday at Custer Farms in Chippewa Falls to tout his administration’s efforts to help farmers. Trump’s visit is his first to Wisconsin during this year’s election season. First to take the stage on Friday were U.S. Reps. Derrick Van Orden and Tom Tiffany, signaling the importance of the 3rd Congressional District and the Wisconsin gubernatorial contest for Republicans this year. Despite Trump’s waning approval ratings, Van Orden and Tiffany tied themselves to the president, effusively praising him. Trump appeared on stage for the roundtable with both congressmen as well as U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, farm owner Ken Custer, Jake Leinenkugel, Olympic speed skater Jordan Stolz and Joe Thomas, a Hall of Fame former NFL player who played for UW-Madison and now owns a western Wisconsin beef farm. Despite its billing as a roundtable discussion of agriculture policy, Trump spoke for more than 40 minutes straight, at times appearing to read from a script and at others riffing on a number of favorite topics including former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, “Dumbocrats in Congress,” the allegedly “rigged” 2020 presidential election, transgender people, his multi-million dollar D.C. renovation projects and the southern border. “These are some very sick puppies that I’m looking at that are running for office and on the other side,” Trump said. “I call them the Dumocrats, D-U-M, you take out the B, a lot of people don’t know, dumb has a b, a lot of people don’t know. You take out the b and change the E, you put the you and you have a Dumocrat, but they are, their policy is just outstandingly bad, and it’s really bad for the farmer, because we were having record stuff, and then we had to put out a fire, we had to extinguish a nuclear weapon.” With six months until November’s midterm elections, many of Trump’s signature policies have directly affected the bottom line of Wisconsin farmers. Trump’s tariffs and war in Iran have greatly increased the cost of essentials such as fertilizer and gas while limiting access to foreign markets for corn and soybeans. In western Wisconsin communities close to where he appeared on Friday, Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota’s Twin Cities extended into the Dairy State, directly striking the undocumented migrant labor the region’s farmers rely on. “If anybody you hear says that Donald Trump doesn’t care about the farmers, you can look him straight in the eye and tell him that’s a pile of manure, because the man is right back there,” Van Orden said. “We’re going to make sure our farmers don’t have to wring their hands at night because they’re worried about paying bills.” Trump and other speakers promised that the administration and congressional Republicans are working to ease the burden on American farmers, but offered little in the way of concrete proposals for how fertilizer, seed, gas and equipment will get cheaper or how milk, corn and soybeans will get easier to sell. “Your fertilizer prices are going to go way down, just like they were four months ago,” Trump said. “Your fertilizer is down, your energy’s down, your oil, your gas is all coming way down. And frankly, I thought it would go much higher than it did.” In the days leading up to Friday’s event Democratic politicians and Democratic-aligned groups rolled out a series of tours, roundtables and online events to highlight complaints about administration policies on all manner of things. “Wisconsin farmers do backbreaking work to produce world-class products that feed the world and drive our rural economies. President Trump came into office promising to support our farmers, but instead has taken every opportunity to jack up their costs, limit their customers, and cut into their margins,” U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) said in a statement. “Between Donald Trump’s trade war, unnecessary war in Iran, and attacks on our health care system, Wisconsin farmers are paying more for everything, and Donald Trump has no solutions to the problems he’s caused. As President Trump visits Wisconsin, he owes our farmers more than lip service – they need real relief from the high costs they are paying.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Wisconsin Examiner
	Pride Festival, Rhubarb Festival and free Figge tours among weekend activities in the Quad Cities Find out what's going on in your neighborhood this weekend!
	Princeton well contamination highlights water challenges for small Iowa towns A drinking water problem in Princeton may be highlighting a larger challenge for small communities across Iowa.
	Morrison Fire Department celebrates 150 years with community event The Morrison Fire Department is celebrating its 150th anniversary this Saturday with a car show, parade, and open house at the county fairgrounds.
	MetroLINK, Davenport unveil refurbished Channel Cat landing Enabled by a $1.8 million federal grant, Quad-Cities stakeholders gathered in the Village of East Davenport to show support for the improvements to public transit in the bi-state area.
	East Moline neighborhood to see 'complete redevelopment' A new housing development in East Moline could start seeing construction within the next year.Officials are calling the project a 'complete redevelopment' of an area in the northeast part of the city. Built in the 1940's, the target neighborhood surrounding Morton Drive is embedded in the city's history. "Interestingly enough, it was actually built using [...]
	New Iowa DOT tool helps counties measure superload damage The Road Infrastructure Superload Analysis Tool (RISAT) is a spreadsheet-based program that allows agencies to estimate pavement damage and associated repair costs.
	Scott County worker identified after fatal dump truck crash Bridget Hillyer was driving a county-owned dump truck when police say she lost control of the vehicle and rolled into a ditch. The crash remains under investigation.
	Death Notice: Eugene Doyle A Memorial Mass for Eugene "Gene" Doyle, 87, of Bettendorf, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Bettendorf. Visitation will be one hour prior to Mass at the church. A luncheon will follow at The Outing Club in Davenport. Per his wishes, the rite of cremation will be accorded. The Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements. Mr. Doyle died Sunday, May 31, 2026, at StoryPoint Senior Living. Memorials may be made to Bettendorf Parks and Recreation. A full obituary will appear in the June 10 edition of The NSP.
	Muscatine moms turn grief into action with mental health fundraiser following tragedy After a tragedy that left seven dead, Muscatine community members rally to host a vital mental health and suicide prevention fundraiser this Saturday.
	It Takes a Village, Muscatine, closes permanently: Facebook post It Takes a Village Animal Rescue and Resources, Muscatine, has closed permanently, according to a Facebook message posted Friday. "To our amazing Village of supporters and animal lovers, after much reflection, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our rescue and clinic operations," the post says. "This is not the ending we had [...]
	Robert Young Center launches Quad Cities’ first intensive outpatient eating disorder program Local providers say eating disorders have spiked since the COVID-19 pandemic, yet Iowa's largest program to help closed in 2022. The QC program will launch June 22.
	New home for Davenport’s Bix Museum offers a sneak preview The relocated Bix Beiderbecke Museum is opening briefly tonight and Saturday for a sneak preview, at its new home across from its old one, 112 W. 2nd St., Davenport.
	Quad Cities’ first intensive outpatient eating disorder program to open this month UnityPoint Health - Robert Young Center will begin accepting referrals Monday for the program, which they say is a first for the region.
	Rhubarb Fest returns to Aledo for 34th year The annual Rhubarb Fest in Aledo has returned for its 34th years with thousands of pies and more.
	Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and support the Wounded Warrior Project Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and support the Wounded Warrior Project! Chris Bishop and Matt Magnafici joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Red, White and Blue Ball. For more information, click here.
	Shelter closing It Takes a Village Animal Rescue in Muscatine is permanently closing, citing financial challenges after switching to a foster-only model.
	After D.C.'s Reflecting Pool gets repainted, visitors ask: What changed? The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is refilling after President Trump had it painted "American flag blue." Some visitors say the results of the project — which reportedly cost millions — are subtle.
	Some retired NC state workers will pay more for health insurance. Working enrollees could save. State Health Plan Executive Administrator Tom Friedman speaks at a State Health Plan Board of Trustees meeting on June 5, 2026. State Treasurer Brad Briner is on the right. (Photo: Lynn Bonner/NC Newsline)Retirees using Medicare Advantage health insurance under the State Health Plan will see significant increases next year. The Plan’s Board of Trustees voted Friday to approve the increases. Copays will increase for a range of medical services. For example, the daily copay for an inpatient hospital stay of 1 to 10 days will go up from $160 to $200 under the base plan. The radiology copay under the base plan will increase from $40 to $75. Out-of-pocket maximums will go up, too, rising $500 to $4,500 for retirees on the base plan, and increasing by $400 to $3,700 for those on the enhanced plan. About 177,000 retirees are enrolled in the health plan’s Medicare Advantage insurance. Jackson Cozort, associate director of the Retired Government Employees Association, said retirees will struggle to pay more. They have no way to offset the higher costs through job promotions or raises, he said. “For many retirees, healthcare costs are not simply another line item in their household budget,” he said. “They’re among the most significant expenses they face.” Suzanne Beasley, lobbyist for the State Employees Association of North Carolina, said the increase for retirees is probably going to be “pretty unbearable.” Retirees have gone a long time without a cost-of-living increase, she said. The Medicaid Advantage increases “are going to turn our folks on their head,” Beasley said. State employees and teachers who are still working and enrolled in the State Health Plan would pay less out of pocket when they seek care from “preferred providers” under a strategy for reducing costs health plan administrators discussed Friday. The plan covers about 750,000 people, including about 575,000 state employees, teachers, and their dependents. Health systems and specialists designated as “preferred providers” will offer care at lower costs to the insurance plan. To help convince insurance plan members to use those providers, members would also pay less. For example, the deductible for an individual would drop to $1,500 from $3,000 under the “standard” plan, and from $1,500 to $1,000 for the “plus” plan. Copays at medical specialists and walk-in clinics would also drop. “Everyone of our active members should have the opportunity to save material amounts of money under this new strategy,” state Treasurer Brad Briner said Friday. Out-of-pocket savings for plan members will amount to one-third or more, he said. Big changes ahead for State Health Plan as trustees work to lower costs This is the latest effort by plan administrators to help control medical costs and reverse the drain on health plan reserves. Health insurance premiums increased this year for the first time in seven years. Trustees are expected to vote on another premium increase next month. Workers are paying premiums on a sliding scale pegged to their salaries this year for the first time. The latest change separates medical systems into four tiers: preferred, access, non-preferred, and out-of-network. It would be considerably more expensive for members to use non-preferred or out-of-network doctors and hospitals. The health plan will announce which health systems will be on the preferred list next month after contracts are signed. Briner acknowledged that the new tiered system could be confusing for members, and anticipated that health systems that end up in the “non-preferred” category will complain. However, every major provider was invited to compete for a contract, Briner said. Providers who end up on the non-preferred list didn’t bid at all or decided to keep their prices high. Over time, health plan administrators hope to have 90% of members using “preferred” or “access” providers, said Tom Friedman, the health plan’s executive administrator. Health plan administrators want to make it worthwhile for members to use preferred providers while steering them away from non-preferred providers. “We cannot afford to continue to pay the highest prices for things,” Friedman said. Courtesy of NC Newsline
	Nebraska seeks temporary Medicaid work requirements exemption for Dawson County Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. Dec. 27, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has directed the state’s largest agency to seek federal approval to temporarily waive new Medicaid work requirements in Dawson County. Pillen directed the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to seek a temporary high-unemployment exemption. Dawson County had the highest monthly unemployment rate in the state in April, at 19.9% not seasonally adjusted in preliminary data, in part following the closure of the Tyson food processing plant. The plant closed in January. The exemption can be sought if a county’s unemployment rate exceeds 8% or is at least 1.5 times the national average, which was 4.3% in April. Nebraska’s unemployment rate was 3%. “Since the Tyson plant closure was announced, I have directed every available resource and state agency to do everything possible to support the Lexington community,” Pillen said in a Friday statement. “This request to CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) is another step to help provide relief and support to our fellow Nebraskans.” A news release says Pillen has also directed state agencies to continue coordinating workforce assistance, job placement services, benefit navigation and community support resources for those impacted by the Tyson closure. If the state’s request is approved, Medicaid expansion recipients living in Dawson County wouldn’t need to meet federally mandated work requirements to get or keep Medicaid. Nebraska DHHS reviewing federal rule on Medicaid work requirements, declines call to ‘press pause’ Broadly, the requirements mandate that certain adults receiving Medicaid who are between the ages of 19 and 64 must work, volunteer or attend school for at least 80 hours per month, earn at least $580 a month or qualify for an exemption to keep or retain Medicaid. Among those who are exempt are people who are pregnant, have a disability, are a parent or caretaker of a young child or are veterans with a total disability rating. Nebraska implemented new work requirements eight months early. The federal government this week issued its proposal for what states would need to require by Jan. 1. Nebraska DHHS has said roughly 25,000 of the 72,000 adult Nebraskans enrolled through Medicaid expansion will eventually be subject to the updated work requirements beginning at their next renewal period. “Our focus remains on helping Nebraskans get back on their feet and connected with new opportunities,” Nebraska DHHS CEO Steve Corsi said in a Friday statement. He continued: “Under Governor Pillen’s direction, DHHS and our partner agencies are continuing to work closely with local leaders, employers and community organizations to ensure impacted residents have access to the support and services they need.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Nebraska Examiner
	Fund established for families after Muscatine murder/suicide A fund has been established at the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine to support the families directly affected by the murder/suicide of seven people in Muscatine on June 1. Charitable donations to the McFarland, Whitlow, and Harris Family Support Fund will help address immediate and ongoing family needs, including memorial-related expenses, through the coordination of [...]
	Graham Platner isn't going anywhere in Maine Senate race after latest controversy Graham Platner is denying accusations of being physically rough with former girlfriends saying that report in The New York Times and other controversies are a sign his campaign is gaining momentum.
	Pride Month celebrations taking place throughout the Quad Cities From festivals to 5Ks to movie screenings, here's a look at events LGBTQIA+ folks and allies can attend this month.
	Dead bills: Glock ban, prescription drug board among measures that stall in final days Key bills banning Glocks, creating a prescription drug price board, and regulating data centers failed to pass before Illinois lawmakers adjourned.
	2 QC Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh stores becoming Pump & Pantry Bosselman Pump & Pantry, a fourth-generation fuel and convenience retailer, announced an agreement to purchase 21 Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh standalone convenience store locations, including five in-store Starbucks and seven in-store Smokey Row coffee shops. The acquisition is expected to close in July 2026. The agreement includes 15 locations in the Des Moines metro, two [...]
	Bears say they are moving forward with Northwest Indiana location for new stadium The Chicago Bears voted to continue new stadium talks in Hammond, Indiana, after an Illinois tax incentive bill died in the state House.
	4 Your Money \| Broken Seesaw Many investors grew up learning that a balanced portfolio means owning both stocks and bonds- stocks for growth, bonds for protection. James Nelson, Financial Planner at NelsonCorp Wealth Management, shares how that traditional 60/40 ratio may be outdated in the current economic landscape.
	The Arc of the Quad Cities Area's Heritage Homes development receives funding The Arc of the Quad Cities Area announced its Heritage Homes development has been awarded state funding.
	Stitt appoints new leader of embattled Mental Health Department Josh Anderson was appointed the interim commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services on Friday. (Photo provided)OKLAHOMA CITY — A struggling state agency will have its third commissioner in two and a half years. Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Josh Anderson on Friday to be the interim leader of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Anderson will succeed Interim Commissioner Gregory Slavonic, who agreed to lead the agency for a year until the end of the 2026 Legislative Session, which finished last month. State lawmakers prepared for the possibility of state Health Commissioner Keith Reed to temporarily lead both the Oklahoma Department of Health and the Mental Health Department, but Anderson’s appointment negates that outcome. Interim Mental Health Commissioner Gregory Slavonic speaks at a ribbon cutting ceremony for an in-patient behavioral health facility in Oklahoma City on Feb. 27. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) Anderson joins the Mental Health Department from the Oklahoma State Health Care Authority where he has been chief of staff since October. Before that, he was the chief legal and policy officer and interim deputy commissioner at the state Health Department since 2020. Whether he will remain with the Mental Health Department for much longer than six months is unclear. Oklahoma’s next governor will be sworn in by January, gaining the authority to appoint a different agency leader. Stitt is term-limited after eight years in office. “I recognize the challenges this agency has overcome, and I’m eager to ensure we set the next administration up for success,” Anderson said in a statement. “Some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens interact with this agency, so it is a top priority that we are serving them to the best of our ability while maintaining transparency and accountability in everything we do.” The Mental Health Department has struggled with financial solvency for the past two years. Former Commissioner Allie Friesen first notified the state Legislature in 2025 that the department faced a dire budget shortfall. Lawmakers later lost confidence Friesen could lead the agency out of the situation and took the unprecedented step of firing her. Stitt appointed Slavonic in June 2025 to replace her. Since then, the Mental Health Department has faced ongoing complaints about an alleged inability to pay its bills on time and reported failure to comply with a court-ordered consent decree. State officials now are considering whether to merge the embattled agency with the Health Department. Senate Bill 1572, which Stitt signed into law last month, requires a feasibility study into the consolidation of the two agencies. The departments must provide the study’s findings on March 1 to the governor, Senate president pro tem and House speaker. Gov. Kevin Stitt delivers his final State of the State Address on Feb. 2 at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) SB 1572 also would have permitted the state health commissioner to lead both departments for the duration of the study, if the governor were to make such an appointment. But on Friday, Stitt instead announced Anderson, voicing confidence in his appointee’s ability to lead the Mental Health Department. “Josh Anderson understands how to run government more efficiently while keeping the focus on serving people,” the governor said in the announcement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Oklahoma Voice
	RI federal judge strikes down block on immigration benefits The exterior of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Johnston. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)Rhode Island’s immigration service nonprofits are celebrating a decision by a federal judge Friday to toss the administration’s policy that froze permits and other benefits for applicants from nearly 40 countries subject to travel bans. The 135-page ruling by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. came in response to a March lawsuit led by two Providence-based nonprofits, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island and Refugee Dream Center. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policies left immigrants living in the country in an “indeterminate legal limbo” because of “anti-immigrant sentiments that it is forbidden from letting influence its decision-making,” McConnell, an Obama appointee, wrote. “Indeed, the agency has violated the very immigration laws that Congress has charged it with administering, as well as the administrative laws that govern the agency’s actions.” James Percival, legal counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, called the ruling “sabotage.” “The Left has been running the same gambit with so called ‘animus’ claims since 2017,” he said in an emailed response Friday. “It is sabotage dressed in legal clothing. It goes like this: (1) the admin is racist, (2) therefore a policy I don’t like is motivated by race, (3) therefore it is invalid. They have used it on virtually every Trump era Department of Homeland Security policy.” He did not answer when asked if federal authorities plan to appeal. Federal authorities suspended immigration work permits and related benefits in November following a Washington, D.C. shooting in which an Afghan national killed one National Guard member and wounded another. In March, a coalition of nonprofit organizations and labor unions that represent and serve immigrant communities filed a complaint, claiming the Trump administration’s actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the U.S. Constitution’s right to due process. Dorcas International had hundreds of pending immigration benefits application cases that were put in limbo as a result of the Trump administration, according to its complaint. “Dorcas International’s attorneys continue to invest time and resources preparing these cases, and monitoring ongoing cases, but the hold ensures that no case can reach a final decision,” the complaint stated. “This creates a challenging and ever-growing backlog of open cases that Dorcas International must continue to service at its low-cost fee structure, without any prospect of resolution.” Milagro Sique, CEO of Dorcas International, celebrated McConnell’s ruling. “These policies were wrong, plain and simple, and caused needless and profound fear and uncertainty for so many of our friends, neighbors, and coworkers,” she said in an emailed response Friday. “Having the judicial process work as intended — by upholding the rule of law — gives us some reassurance that all is not lost and allows those who have been impacted to move forward with their lives in a meaningful way.” The Trump administration’s decision to suspend benefits for immigrants from countries deemed “high risk” similarly affected the Refugee Dream Center, including in its training program for immigrants no longer able to obtain or renew federal work authorization documents. “They were wrong policies and today we have been vindicated,” Dr. Omar Bah, founder and co-executive director of Refugee Dream Center, said in a statement. “This ruling reaffirms the American doctrine of the rule of law, and place of refuge and equality for all that call it home.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Why you need independent energy this summer and beyond (BPT) - On May 18, 2026, PJM Interconnection — North America's largest power grid operator — scheduled a planned outage to prepare its facilities for summer energy demand. What should have been routine spring maintenance quickly became an emergency.The night before the outage, an early-season heat wave hit the East Coast. At the same time, according to a May 19 Utility Dive article, more than 40 gigawatts of power plant capacity were offline, leaving PJM's grid, which serves more than 67 million people across 13 states and Washington, D.C., with dangerously thin reserves.PJM determined that it could not safely meet projected evening peak demand and requested assistance from the U.S. government to avert a disaster. Fortunately, on May 18, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a rare emergency order, granting PJM's request and authorizing backup generation to help prevent blackouts. But what happens when, not if, the next energy emergency arrives?An old problem with a new culpritSummer blackouts are nothing new. In the hottest months, homeowners and apartment residents rely heavily on air conditioning. That surge in electricity use strains the aging U.S. power grid, causing outages that can last for hours, days or even weeks.But extreme heat is not the only force putting pressure on the grid. AI is steadily driving up energy demand across the country. In fact, data centers accounted for 50% of all U.S. electricity demand growth last year. As more data centers come online and strain an already fragile grid, Americans are heading into summer with more heat and less reliable power.The good news is that households can take control of their energy before summer temperatures peak.Gaining energy independence with a reliable, renewable sourceToday's homes do not have to depend entirely on an unpredictable and costly grid. With a reliable, renewable energy source, households can keep power on when the rest of the block goes dark, reduce energy bills, and, most importantly, gain greater energy independence.There is no one-size-fits-all solution for residential energy needs, but solar generators in a range of sizes and capacities are proving essential for energy resilience. For example, Jackery's Essential Home Backup line offers clean-energy power stations designed as a modern alternative to gas generators, providing coverage for core essentials without the added cost and power draw of whole-home energy storage systems.Jackery, a global leader in portable power and solar generator solutions, anticipated growing U.S. grid instability and evolved its battery backup technology to meet it. Its solar generators run indoors, quietly and safely, without fumes and are built to support how a modern household uses energy, whether that means powering a full load of household appliances or simply keeping one room comfortable and one device charged in an apartment.Those living in large homes would do well to invest in models like the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus and the HomePower 3600 Plus, both of which can be connected to a home's essential circuits through a Jackery Smart Transfer Switch and a Manual Transfer Switch, respectively, the installation of which promises to be simpler and more affordable than the traditional grid-tied backup options on the market.These modular, versatile home systems can power essentials in multiple rooms: refrigerators, medical devices, AC units and more through extended outages. Both models can be recharged in multiple ways, including solar and traditional AC power, so they're always ready. The Solar Generator 5000 Plus is even compatible with high-voltage solar panels, allowing it to recharge and store energy from a home's existing rooftop solar system. With over 10 years of durability, they offer lasting energy independence.Because the modern household's routine runs on power, every type of home deserves a tailored home backup. For renters and apartment dwellers, the HomePower 3000 and Solar Generator 2000 V2 are ideal portable, plug-and-play options. Using either model, households can keep a room comfortable, charge phones, run a fan and even power larger appliances like a refrigerator.Secure energy independence before the lights go outPower from the grid is never promised, but it's never been easier to find the right backup for your home and lifestyle. Designed around the way you live, the way you explore, and all the ways you need support, Essential Home Backup gives the place you call home the power, connection, comfort and safety you deserve. Don't wait for summer blackout or storm season to take energy independence seriously. To learn more about energy independence and find the right model in Jackery's Essential Home Backup line, visit Jackery.com.
	Boil order issued in Milan Boil order issued in Milan.
	After 20,000 deaths, why are we still attacking doctors? Dr. Edward Simmer, interim agency director for the Department of Public Health, speaks at a press conference on the launch of the new department on Monday, June 24, 2024 (Provided by the Department of Health and Environmental Control)South Carolina lost more than 20,000 people to COVID-19. A tragedy of that scale should have strengthened respect for public health expertise. Instead, in some quarters, it inspired political backlash against the very officials charged with saving lives. Dr. Brannon Traxler and Dr. Edward Simmer have been treated as convenient targets. Both are physicians. Both are highly trained. Both stepped into leadership roles at the state’s public health agency during a once-in-a-century public health emergency. And both faced blistering political attacks, including calls for removal, that had far more to do with the critics’ ideology than with the doctors’ performance. Let’s be clear about what that means. It means public health leadership is being judged less on evidence and expertise than on perceived political alignment. It means that in the middle of a deadly pandemic, some were more interested in scoring political points than evaluating outcomes honestly and supporting best practices to save lives. Criticism of pandemic policy is legitimate. No serious person denies that. Schools were disrupted. Hospitals were overwhelmed. Guidance changed as science evolved. People paid real costs — especially families with children. But what followed went further than criticism. It became scapegoating. Simmer, who senators confirmed in February 2021, was later criticized merely for following federal health guidance. Since becoming interim director last month, Traxler has been targeted for a few past political actions in her private life. That is where the problem begins. Ask a simple question: Would anyone demand to know a surgeon’s party affiliation before a major operation? No. Because it would be irrational. What a patient wants in a doctor is competence and rigorous training: the traditional values of American meritocracy. Not ideology. Public health is no different — even if some politicians pretend otherwise. Viruses don’t care about party affiliation. President Ronald Reagan once joked before surgery that he hoped his doctors were Republicans. It was funny precisely because everyone understood the point. Politics does not belong in the operating room. What matters is expertise. South Carolina’s COVID record makes the cost of forgetting that obvious. The state endured repeated surges. Hospitals strained. Health care workers burned out. The Omicron wave hit hard even after vaccines were widely available. And vaccination rates lagged behind national leaders. Life-saving vaccines The state’s lower-than-average COVID vaccination rate likely contributed to South Carolina having the nation’s 10th-highest COVID death rate in 2021, the pandemic’s deadliest year. Those statistics were not abstract. They showed up in hospital admissions. They showed up in preventable deaths. They showed up in exhausted ICUs trying to absorb yet another wave. One criticism leveled against Traxler and Simmer is that they strongly promoted vaccination. Some anti-vaxxers falsely claimed that the COVID vaccines were ineffective and even harmful. Vaccines, of course, were not perfect. But the core finding of modern medicine remains intact: higher vaccination rates were associated with fewer severe outcomes and fewer deaths. The point bears repeating: Consistently across the nation, states with higher vaccination rates experienced fewer COVID hospitalizations and deaths. States with lower vaccination rates, like South Carolina, saw higher rates of COVID mortality. That is not interpretation. It is empirical evidence. Let’s be clear: Elected officials and candidates who promote vaccine skepticism in South Carolina are playing with public trust in ways that can prove dangerous — even deadly. Vaccination is among the most successful public-health interventions in human history. Smallpox is gone. Polio is nearly gone. Measles was driven to the edge of elimination. Now measles is returning in the United States, including outbreaks in South Carolina and other communities where vaccination rates have fallen. That is not a mystery. That is math. And it is preventable. Public health officials are not saints. They are not infallible. But honest criticism is not the same as delegitimization. The next crisis will come. Another virus. Another outbreak. Another unknown. When it does, South Carolina will again need qualified professionals willing to step forward. The question is whether we will have made that job politically toxic. State officials, for their part, must turn back the tide of disinformation and restore trust in science, vaccination, and public health institutions. With disinformation rampant, elected officials must be the adults in the room. We only hurt ourselves when we turn public health into a political weapon. South Carolina can debate masks, mandates and pandemic policy for years. But no state can afford to punish expertise and expect better outcomes the next time crisis arrives. More than 20,000 South Carolinians died of COVID. If that did not teach us the value of evidence-based public health, the next lesson may come at an even higher cost. Courtesy of South Carolina Daily Gazette
	State: Woman died after nursing home failed to perform CPR Kingsley Specialty Care in Plymouth County. (Photo via Google Earth)An Iowa nursing home where a resident died after the staff failed to perform CPR is facing a possible fine for its actions. State inspection records indicate that a female resident of Kingsley Specialty Care was having trouble breathing the night of May 9, 2026, and asked that she be taken to a hospital. The staff reportedly tried to obtain vital signs but they “could not be read,” according to the inspectors’ report. A registered nurse later told inspectors she went to retrieve a canister of oxygen to help the resident’s breathing, but “couldn’t find all the working parts” for the oxygen-delivery device. She then went to the basement to find the parts. Back in the resident’s room, a nurse aide noted that the woman’s breathing had slowed down and she was no longer responsive. According to inspectors, the aide reported he radioed the nurse “several times and she didn’t respond” then “had to yell for her.” Once the nurse was back in the room, she reported she didn’t know whether the resident had a do-not-resuscitate order in place, inspectors allege. The nurse and an aide then went to the nurses’ station and looked for the book with each resident’s code status. They could not find it, so the nurse looked on the computer and found the woman was a “full-code” resident, indicating cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, should be performed, inspectors reported. At that point, an aide began chest compressions while another aide called 911. The nurse checked for a pulse and said the resident “was gone” and chest compressions were halted, according to inspectors. One of the aides reportedly told the state inspectors she had expected the nurse to take charge of the situation, but “she kind of acted like she was in shock,” the report states. The nurse reportedly told the inspectors she had been “flustered” at the time and hadn’t thought to grab the facility’s crash cart for medical emergencies and take it to the room. The ambulance crew arrived 10 minutes after the 911 call came in and began CPR. The resident was then taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. One of the EMTs on the ambulance crew later told inspectors that when the crew arrived in the resident’s room, an employee — a nurse, she thought — was standing at the foot of the bed. The EMT reportedly told inspectors she asked the employee why no one was performing CPR on the woman, and the worker replied that she was “giving her some air.” There was no bottled oxygen in the room, no crash cart and no Ambubag to administer respiratory support, the EMTs told inspectors. The home’s director of nursing later showed inspectors the crash cart that was positioned near the nurses’ station. The cart contained an Ambubag and oxygen, but the director of nursing reported she did not know if the cart was used for the incident involving the woman who died. The home was cited for failing to provide the woman with basic CPR, which would have involved establishing and maintaining an airway, providing “rescue breathing” if necessary, and external cardiac compressions The home was alco cited for failing to report an incident of resident abuse. In that situation, a licensed practical nurse saw the facility’s charge nurse remove a resident’s medication from its packaging and then take the pill herself. The nurse who witnessed the incident reported she was “shocked” the charge nurse would take a resident’s medication directly in front of her. After the licensed practical nurse reported the incident, the charge nurse was given a verbal warning, according to inspectors. The administrator reportedly told inspectors she did not self-report the incident to state regulators as required because the medication was not a controlled substance. As a result of the violations, the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing has proposed, but held in suspension, a $10,500 state fine. Typically, DIAL holds state fines in suspension so the federal government can decide whether to impose a federal penalty. Kingsley Specialty Care is owned by the Iowa nursing home chain Care Initiatives. The facility has a two-star “below average” overall rating from the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	New Channel Cat dock opens in Davenport The new Lindsay Park dock for the Channel Cat water taxi is open to the public.
	Officials investigating drone incidents at Eastern Iowa Airport, local drone operator recommends preparation to stay safe Federal aviation officials are investigating two drone incidents at the Eastern Iowa airport that might be tied to nearby data center construction.
	New York state gets one step closer to a data center moratorium A server room in a data center. (Photo by Getty Images)This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. The New York Legislature passed a one-year moratorium Thursday night on data center permits, the latest sign of pushback amid a nationwide rush to build the power-hungry facilities. New York would become the first state in the nation to enact such a freeze if Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the bill into law. But Hochul, who is up for re-election this year, has said that she believes it should be left up to municipalities, Politico’s E&E News reported last week. Maine’s governor vetoed a moratorium there in April. The bill, named the Responsible Data Center Development Act, would also require a local public hearing before such facilities are constructed and a statewide data center environmental impact report within a year and a half after the bill becomes law. The moratorium would apply to any data center with a peak energy use above 20 megawatts. “We need to make sure that we have the appropriate infrastructure and processes in place to protect communities from rising utility bills, protect our environmental resources and actually have a positive vision for what our energy future as a state should look like,” state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who introduced the bill, told Inside Climate News. Large data centers that support artificial intelligence suck up an enormous amount of energy to power their computers. They also need water to cool them. In New York, data centers have been proposed across upstate communities, from Niagara and Erie counties along the border with Canada to the town of East Fishkill in the southeast. Local opposition to these projects, which are often proposed in rural areas, is growing. “The burden of rigorous analysis and defense against billionaires and their white-shoe law firms should not be put on volunteer planning board appointees,” said Gay Nicholson of Sustainable Finger Lakes, a nonprofit opposed to a large data center in the upstate town of Lansing. “We need state-level intervention,” she said at a recent press conference. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. The bill is not without its detractors. Khara Boender, the director of state policy at the Data Center Coalition, an industry group, told local station Spectrum News that “a statewide moratorium on data centers would discourage further investment, undermine New York’s economy, and send a signal that the state is closed for business.” Ken Pokalsky, the vice president of the Business Council of New York State, said in a memo that the “expansive and unworkable mandates proposed in this bill would result in significant adverse economic development impacts.” Multiple data center developers working in the state declined or did not respond to requests for comment. Ed Nadeau, the president of the New York State Pipe Trades Association, told Inside Climate News that he was concerned about the loss of construction jobs during the 12-month moratorium, but did not oppose any other aspects of the bill. Workers in his union have been training to build and maintain these types of facilities for years, he said. “It doesn’t make any sense,” Nadeau said of the freeze. “We want these jobs.” In response to questions about job reductions, Gonzalez said that the capital expended to build and operate a data center is very high compared to the jobs created. New York Focus, a state news outlet, recently reported that a $77 million subsidy for a data center near the state’s border with New Jersey had led to the creation of only a single permanent job. “We want to make sure our building trades have as many opportunities to build as possible,” Gonzalez said. “That’s why we invest deeply in housing, but as part of this bill, we’re also identifying new ways the [electricity] grid has to be improved, and those will be jobs moving forward.” Local opposition to data centers The town of Oneonta in central New York is among the localities nationwide enacting their own moratoriums. William Rivera, now the town supervisor, said he became aware of a proposed data center there last year at a town hall meeting. Eco-Yotta Inc., a technology company, wanted to rezone over 150 acres of what Rivera called “pristine farmland” for the data center. Last month, his administration successfully passed a 12-month moratorium on data center development. “Gone are the days where these mega-corporations can come in and sneak in harmful applications on the backs of working people,” said Rivera, who drafted the Oneonta moratorium policy. But, he said, many local governments and residents struggle to get access to all the information concerning data centers and their impacts. Historically, data center developers have been extremely reluctant to share information about their energy and water use with the public, to the point of getting local officials to sign non-disclosure agreements concerning the details of a project. The newly passed state legislation would force developers to be more transparent about their use of local resources, and includes a requirement to make efforts toward “energy efficiency goals” like recycling waste heat. New York’s electricity grid operator has stated that data center projects will put pressure on the grid and complicate efforts to retire aging gas-fired power plants. U.S. data centers often rely on highly polluting diesel generators for backup power. Some operate their own gas-fired power plants to keep the computers running. The new bill would require existing data centers to disclose greenhouse gas emissions data for the environmental impact report. It would also require them to use increasing amounts of renewable energy to power their data centers, starting at a third of their energy consumption in 2030. “Modern hyperscale data centers are a new and unregulated industrial sector,” said Bridge Rauch, an environmental justice organizer with the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, a region where multiple data centers have been proposed. “Our communities and our state need time to develop and pass local and state regulations.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Pennsylvania Capital-Star
	Kansas anti-abortion PAC endorses GOP candidate Ty Masterson in gubernatorial primary Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican receiving the Kansas for Life PAC's endorsement in the August gubernatorial primary, speaks in January 2026 during an anti-abortion rally at the Kansas Capitol in Topeka. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — The political action committee of Kansans for Life waded Friday into Kansas Republican gubernatorial primary by endorsing Senate President Ty Masterson. Kansans For Life Political Action Committee, or KFL PAC, adhered to the preference of President Donald Trump in expressing support for Masterson, an Andover Republican who has been in the Legislature for two decades. One of Masterson’s chief rivals, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, chose not to officially file Friday after Trump made his endorsement. The primary election Aug. 4 would decide major party nominees for governor as well as other statewide, federal and legislative offices. Larry Damm, chairman of KFL PAC, said Masterson built a legislative record of opposition to abortion rights along with Masterson’s running mate, state Sen. Jeff Klemp, a Leavenworth Republican. “With President Trump’s endorsement, the Masterson-Klemp ticket presents pro-life voters with a clear opportunity to rally behind proven pro-life leadership and unite our votes rather than dilute them,” Damm said. He also said one of the PAC’s priorities was to undermine the GOP gubernatorial candidacy of Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, a Republican who served two terms in that office after representing Topeka in the Kansas Senate. In addition to Masterson and Schmidt, GOP candidates in the race include Charlotte O’Hara, a former member of the Johnson County Commission; marijuana legalization advocate Nick Reinecker; Wichita businesswoman Stacy Rogers; financial services executive Philip Sarnecki; and Secretary of State Scott Schwab. In 2022, KFL PAC endorsed Schwab’s reelection as secretary of state based on his “100% pro-life record.” “While other pro-life candidates are also running for governor in the Republican primary, the frightening scenario of radical pro-abortion Vicki Schmidt slipping through a crowded race to claim an unearned victory is too great to ignore,” Damm said. He said the PAC’s representatives vetted GOP candidates, spoke with a portion of them and engaged in prayer before deciding to embrace Masterson. “That said, we feel it to be imperative to unite pro-life voters behind a single candidate to protect the lives of the preborn, their mothers and families,” Damm said. Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Better Health Foundation grants help improve wellbeing in QCA The Better Health Foundation (BHF) has awarded $956,575 to five nonprofit organizations whose community-informed projects will improve the health and well-being of the greater Quad Cities region as part of its 2026 Innovation grant program. BHF has awarded over $6.27 million for prevention and wellness programs and services since it was organized in 2023. “As [...]
	Naig: Iowa is monitoring screwworm; parasite poses no food-safety risk A pinned specimen of a full-grown New World screwworm fly is shown in this image. Federal and state officials are preparing for a potential invasion from the flesh-eating parasite that could disrupt livestock markets. (Photo courtesy of Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the state “stands ready” to protect livestock and farmers from screwworm. Naig’s statement came in a press release issued Friday, two days after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the nation’s first case of New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that infests and feeds on warm-blooded animals, including humans, in Texas. A sample from a Texas calf was tested and confirmed to be infected at the USDA’s Veterinary Field Services Laboratories in Ames. In the press release, Naig praised the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, adding that the parasite poses no risk to food safety, including meat. “I appreciate Secretary Rollins’ leadership and all the work her team at USDA is doing to quickly respond to this case and work to prevent the spread of the parasitic New World Screwworm fly,” Naig said. “The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is closely monitoring the situation in Texas, and our team stands ready to respond as needed to protect Iowa livestock and our farm families’ livelihoods. Consumers should know that there is no food-safety risk associated with New World Screwworm and properly cooked meat remains safe to eat and enjoy.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. According to the USDA, only one case of screwworm has been detected in the U.S. so far. The case marks the first time since the 1960s screwworm has been reported in the U.S after the parasite was eradicated nationwide. The USDA is also encouraging pet and livestock owners to check their animals for large wounds, signs of discomfort, larvae and eggs. “USDA urges residents in the area to check their pets and livestock for signs of NWS. Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals,” a USDA press release said. “If you suspect your animal is infected with screwworm, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian in charge immediately.” It was just over a month ago that Naig and Iowa’s state veterinarian reported the detection in Iowa of another previously eradicated livestock disease — pseudorabies — which was found in five boars that had been imported from Texas. In that case, IDALS said the incident was “isolated” and had been contained. Pseudorabies, which officials said posed no danger to human health or food safety, had been previous eradicated from U.S. commercial swine herds in 2004, but the virus could still be transmitted through feral swine, IDALS officials said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Nick Jonas steals Paul Rudd's 'Power Ballad' in a profound story about art and honesty In 'Power Ballad,' a wedding singer played by Paul Rudd writes a hit — and a popstar makes it his.

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