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

Sunday, May 10th, 2026
	4 the Record Web Extra: Supreme Court's Voting Rights Act ruling creates uncertainty Thanks for checking out this web extra. We ran out of time to bring you all of our panel discussion on 4 The Record. We're already seeing fallout from a recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. The 6-3 conservative majority struck down a key provision of the voting rights act that directly impacts how [...]
	Pritzker's affordable housing plan at odds with local governments Gov. JB Pritzker wants to make it easier to build affordable housing in the state. His Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) plan would clear the way for duplexes and apartments by essentially ignoring local zoning laws and speeding up the review and inspection process for housing permits. This isn't sitting well with the Illinois Municipal [...]
	Iowa legislature failure to pass new eminent domain rules draws criticism Iowa state lawmakers adjourn for the session without moving forward on one of the priorities for Republicans. In Iowa, Republicans in the majority did not deliver on new legislation to restrict the use of eminent domain. It was so important to Senate Republicans last year they stalled on passing the budget unless it was addressed, [...]
	Steen hopes to steer into Iowa governor's mansion Our countdown to the Iowa primary has it 23 days from now. We focus again on the race to to be the Republican nominee for governor. Five candidates will be on the ballot. They are Eddie Andrews, randy Feenstra, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman and Adam Steen. One candidate must get at least 35% of the [...]
	KWQC team honors their family on Mother’s Day You can submit your Mother’s Day photos to KWQC here.
	Willy Wonka would love this laboratory that checks the quality of chocolate The chocolate biz is raising the bar with a lab to assess cacao beans from around the world. (Talk about a sweet gig!) Consumers and farmers stand to benefit from the "Standard of Excellence" program.
	Every cacao is different: A new worldwide program evaluates cacao like wine or coffee The chocolate biz is raising the bar with a lab to assess cacao beans from around the world. (Talk about a sweet gig!) Consumers and farmers stand to benefit from the "Standard of Excellence" program.
	A lifetime of care: Mother and daughter work side by side at MercyOne Genesis Ally Grothusen’s first day as a nurse included a familiar face — her mom, a 30-year veteran at the same hospital.
	Hy-Vee celebrating America 250 with increased support for Veterans, active-duty service members Starting in May, Hy-Vee stores are bolstering their support for our country’s military veterans and active-duty service members through several Hy-Vee Homefront initiatives.
	Keir Starmer's party lost big in U.K. local elections. Here's what comes next. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour party suffered major losses in local elections held across Britain last week. So far, Starmer has rejected calls for his resignation.
	Happy Mother's Day to the kindest mom. P.S. Your kindness annoyed me when I was a kid She and her siblings had to make tea for and share food with every visitor. That did not make her happy. Today she has a different perspective. So she finally asked her mom: What made you so kind?
	Free community resource fair planned for Rock Island, open to all QC residents A community resource fair will be held from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, at the YWCA, 513 17th St., Rock Island. Everyone is welcome to meet representatives of Quad Cities organizations and learn about services they provide. The first 70 attendees will receive a free food voucher for Abarrotes Carrillo. Prairie State Legal Services and [...]
	Upper Mississippi River Center, others win 2026 Eddy Awards Michael Reisner recently won the Eddy Award from River Action for his 13-year dedication as the Upper Mississippi River Center's director.
	BBB Tip: Top vacation scams to avoid Booking a vacation requires time and detailed planning. Whether just starting to research lodging and flights or completing the final scheduling, BBB encourages people to stay alert for common travel and vacation scams. Keep an eye out for the following…
	MARK-TO-MARKET: How AI is supercharging America’s demand for energy This year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. is expected to consume a record-high 4,200 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
	Rock Island-Milan Superintendent responds to discipline concerns Rock Island-Milan School District Superintendent Sharon Williams makes her case for the district's current discipline strategies and why more punitive measures won't work for the district.
	Of course we look for ourselves in art — but if we stop there, we're missing out As I watched the new series, I only cared about Piggy — the thoughtful, smart kid stranded on an island with other boys. That made me think about what we look for in art.
	'Not as bad as we had thought': Iowa Quad-Cities reacts to property tax changes State lawmakers have passed a bill reforming Iowa's property tax laws. Here's how Iowa Quad-Cities local governments say it will impact them.
	Jefferson Davis and Arsenal Island This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Have you ever regretted a decision that seemed absolutely right at the time? Here's a local example.In 1816, United…
	Cape Verde: Tiny nation, massive World Cup dream In Cape Verde, a small island nation off West Africa, World Cup qualification is transforming dreams on and off the pitch.
	Per Mar Security Services renews TMA Five Diamond status Per Mar Security renews TMA Five Diamond status. This designation demonstrates continued commitment to public safety, rigorous operator training, and industry-leading best practices
	Iran ceasefire tested as cargo ship catches fire after being hit off Qatar's coast A cargo ship caught fire Sunday after being hit by an unknown projectile off Qatar's coast, the British military said.
	Gas, groceries and getting by: How voters in one Ohio district see affordability Ohio voters headed to the polls last week for primary elections, and in competitive districts like the one where Toledo is primarily located, the message was clear: affordability is a top priority.
Saturday, May 9th, 2026
	“Life is Bigger Than Sports” tournament held in honor of Davenport North soccer coach’s daughter The event is organized by Davenport North soccer coach David Gamble to honor his daughter, McKenzie, who died from ovarian cancer.
	Tacos & Margaritas Festival brings hundreds to Maine Street Hundreds packed downtown for the festival, as organizers say growing attendance and vendor demand are turning Main Street into a major community destination.
	Will guns be available soon through the mail? Guns may soon be available through the mail. Shipping firearms through the U.S. Postal Service is regulated by the Gun Control Act of 1968 and USPS Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted and Perishable Mail, but pressure from the Department of Justice might lead to a change. Our Quad Cities News correspondent Tyler Hill looks at the potential impact of [...]
	Protests and boycotts rock prestigious Venice Biennale The 61st edition of the international art event launched on Saturday in an atmosphere marked by geopolitical strife.
	Justice Barrett rejects swing vote label despite splits with SCOTUS conservative majority Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett speaks at the Reagan Library on September 09, 2025 in Simi Valley, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected the idea of being a swing vote on the U.S. Supreme Court during an appearance in Arkansas on Saturday, despite cases where she’s split from the court’s conservative majority. Barrett, who President Donald Trump nominated to the court in 2020, spoke for an hour about her work during an event at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. Conservatives hold a 6-3 majority on the court, but Barrett has sided with the liberal justices on several key cases over the years. But Barrett said she doesn’t view herself as a swing vote. “I don’t like that label because it makes me sound sort of flighty,” she said during the “Building Bridges” Q&A with Crystal Bridges Board Chair Olivia Walton. “You could say a lot of things. I don’t think I’m flighty. I think independent, or just following the law, would be the way to describe it.” Barrett said that being a judge means that sometimes she’ll decide a case where she doesn’t like the results. “I think that’s what it means to be faithful to the law and not try to align yourself with what people want you to do on the outside,” she said. Barrett said that “spicy” dissents or sharp splits on the court aren’t an indication that justices don’t get along. When conferencing on cases, there aren’t loud arguments and justices do things to build collegiality, she said. “I think when you only see someone as a package of ideas, especially if some of the ideas are ones you disagree with, it’s pretty hard like them, right?” she said. “But if you put the ideas aside and get to know someone as a person, then you can relate. Then you can put those things behind so the disagreements don’t dominate the relationship.” When asked about artificial intelligence, Barrett told Walton the court doesn’t use it “because it would be insecure.” “You can trust that our opinions are not AI-generated,” Barrett said, though she said her husband occasionally uses it for recipes. Barrett, who has a daughter graduating from college and a son graduating from high school this year, said she would tell graduates to seek out people with whom they disagree. “Make sure to give them grace and see people as humans,” she said. Courtesy of Arkansas Advocate
	Downtown Burlington receives multiple honors Downtown Burlington’s Main Street program earned statewide recognition for leadership, business support and placemaking at the 2026 Main Street Iowa Development Awards. According to a release, the annual awards ceremony brought together communities from Iowa to celebrate excellence in downtown revitalization. Downtown Burlington received the following recognitions: For more information, click here.
	Clinton addiction recovery center celebrates 2 years, opens new location The Rediscover Recovery Community Center celebrated its second anniversary Saturday while marking the opening of its new location in Clinton.
	Davenport Central soccer players photograph moments from the pitch Jensen Mier and Alex Nguyen are making the balancing act work with two hobbies they love.
	Your Mother's Day Forecast While the start of the weekend had warmer weather and some slight rain in the afternoon, your Mother's Day tomorrow will be a lot nicer. Temperatures will be cooling down slightly into the mid 60s but remaining to see a lot of sunshine to go out and enjoy with all of the moms out there!
	Open Wheel Madness lives up to its name at Davenport Speedway Open Wheel Madness lived up to its billing Friday night at the Davenport Speedway. A last lap thriller, a couple of hard knocks, and a great night of racing was had. The most exciting race of the evening was the Interstate Racing Association winged sprint car feature. Joel Myers Jr. jumped out to the lead [...]
	In photos: A tumultuous Alabama special session, marked by protest Voters hold signs saying "Hands Off Our Votes" and "Our Vote Our Voice Our Power" outside the Alabama Statehouse on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)The Alabama Legislature on Friday passed two bills that would allow the state to set new primary elections in certain congressional and legislative district if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps it previously declared racially discriminatory. The session came after the U.S. Supreme Court substantially weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, preventing racial discrimination in voting laws, in Louisiana v. Callais, and as the Alabama Attorney General’s Office sought to overturn prior court rulings that led to the creation of a second congressional district with a substantial population of Black voters. Republicans said the efforts were meant to allow state officials to draw maps. Gov. Kay Ivey, who called the special session on May 1, said it would take mapping power from “activist groups who think they know Alabama better than Alabama.” Democrats through the session said Republicans were trying to reduce Black political representation, won through the suffering and deaths of civil rights activists. “My aunt bludgeoned on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, tear gas, billy clubs, trampled over for the right to vote not a long time ago,” said Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, during debate on Friday. “We didn’t even have the Voting Rights Act intact for 50 years. That is a sin and a shame.” Protestors shadowed the session all week, from a Monday rally that drew at least 400 people to demonstrations in legislative committees on Thursday to a protest on Friday that led to the removal of one activist from the House galleries and drew Democratic state representatives attempting to intervene on her behalf. Litigation over the new laws is likely if the federal courts reverse their previous rulings and allow the state to redistrict. Democrats throughout the week noted an amendment to the Alabama Constitution passed in 2022 forbids election law changes six months before an election. Republicans said the amendment did not apply to primaries. Alabama Reflector staffers documented the session and took photos throughout the week. Carsie Evans of Anniston, Alabama holds a sign saying "Who Invited Jim Crow?" outside the Alabama Statehouse on May 4, 2026. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Voters hold signs saying "Hands Off Our Votes" and "Our Vote Our Voice Our Power" outside the Alabama Statehouse on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)A group of protestors hold a banner saying "Black Voters Matter" with a quote from Allen v. Milligan, a 2023 case that required Alabama to draw a second congressional district to give Black voters an opportunity to elect their preferred leaders, on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)A person holds a sign saying "No Jim Crow 2.0" at a protest of a special session of the Alabama Legislature on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Randy Kelley, the chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, stands during a rally against redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)A protestor holds a sign saying "It Is Time We The People Say No" with the Alabama State Capitol in the background on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Lindsay McCormick, a community organizer from Auburn, Alabama, holds a sign with a picture and a saying from the late civil rights activist and U.S. Rep. John Lewis during a rally against redistricting on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Dee Reed of Black Voters Matters addresses a rally against redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama on May 4, 2026. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)A woman holds a fan saying "Black Voters Matter" at a rally against redistricting on May 4, 2026. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)A person holds a sign saying "No New Map" at a rally against redistricting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama on May 4, 2026. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sheyann Webb-Christburg (bottom center, holding microphone), who survived "Bloody Sunday" on the Edmund Pettus Bridge Selma, Alabama in 1965, speaks to a rally against redistricting on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. Webb-Christburg was eight when marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965 before law enforcement attacked protestors after they crossed. The event became a spur for the Voting Rights Act. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Curtis Travis, D-Tuscaloosa, stands at a lectern in the Alabama House of Representatives shortly before delivering a prayer on May 4, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature began a special session Monday that could result in changes to primary elections and current congressional legislative district lines. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, speaking to reporters after the Senate adjourned on May 4, 2026, the first day of a special session on primary elections for court-altered districts, in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey speaks with the media on Monday in Birmingham before discussing the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais with Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham and its potential impact on voting rights for African Americans. (Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham speaks with members of the media on Monday in Birmingham before hosting a discussion with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey. She told reporters that state “will not go back” amid a U.S. Supreme Court decision that blunted the impact of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. (Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector)Democratic Sens. Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile, Kirk Hatcher of Montgomery, Bobby Singleton of Greensboro and Merika Coleman of Pleasant Grove speaking before a committee meeting on May 5, 2026, in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama, on the second day of the special session addressing legislation on special primary elections for court-altered legislative districts. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Democratic Sens. Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile, Kirk Hatcher of Montgomery, Bobby Singleton of Greensboro, Merika Coleman of Pleasant Grove and a staffer speaking before a committee meeting on May 5, 2026, in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama, on the second day of the special session addressing legislation on special primary elections for court-altered legislative districts. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, speaks to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee about a bill to set new primary schedules if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to redistrict on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee (right) questions Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile (foreground) about a bill that would allow new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to redistrict on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee (right) questions Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile (foreground) about a bill that would allow new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to redistrict on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Ja'Mel Brown, a Democratic candidate for Alabama governor, speaks to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee about a bill that would allow new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to redistrict on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Eliza Jane Franklin of Barbour County holds up a copy of "Witness to Injustice," a book by David Frost Jr. about racial violence and the Civil Rights Movement in Eufala, Alabama while speaking to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Franklin spoke in opposition to a bill that would set new primary dates should the U.S. Supreme Court allow the state to use maps ruled racially discriminatory in the past. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham (center) applauds a speaker in the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Rep. Penni McClammy, D-Montgomery, sits on the left; Rep. Tashina Morris, D-Montgomery, sits on the right. The committee Tuesday approved a bill that would allow the state to set new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to revert to congressional and state Senate maps previously deemed unconstitutional. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Richard Williams, pastor of Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Montgomery, speaks to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Williams spoke in opposition to a bill that would allow the state to set new primary dates if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to use legislative maps previously ruled to be racially discriminatory. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, listens to speakers at a meeting of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The committee approved a bill that would allow the state to hold new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows Alabama to revert back to congressional and legislative maps previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Ja'Kobe Bibbs, a student at the University of Alabama and president of UA's NAACP chapter, returns to his seat after speaking to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Bibbs spoke in opposition to a bill that would allow the state to set new primary dates if the U.S. Supreme Court allows Alabama to revert back to congressional and legislative maps previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Linden (left) questions Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile (foreground) about a bill that would allow new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to redistrict on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rev. Agnes Lover of St. Paul AME Church in Montgomery returns to her seat after speaking to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Lover spoke in opposition to a bill that would allow the state to set new primary dates if the U.S. Supreme Court allows it to revert back to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed racially discriminatory. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham (left), speaks to a rally at the Alabama Statehouse on May 5, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. The rally was a protest against two bills that would allow Alabama to set new primary election dates if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to use maps previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham (center, holding microphone) speaks at a rally at the Alabama Statehouse on May 5, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. The rally was held in opposition to two bills that would allow Alabama to set new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to revert to congressional and state Senate maps previously ruled racially discriminatory. Behind Sewell (l-r) are Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile; Sen. Robert L. Stewart, D-Selma; Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile and Rep. Kelvin Datcher, D-Birmingham. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Andra Johnson-Lee, an ABA therapist from Helena, holds signs supporting equal representation on May 5, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Democrats held a rally at the building on Tuesday in protest of two bills that would allow the state to set new primary dates if the U.S. Supreme Court allows Alabama to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed unconstitutional. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, speaks to a rally in opposition to two election bills on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The bills would allow the state to set new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows Alabama to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed racially discriminatory by federal courts (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, speaks to a rally in opposition to two election bills on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The bills would allow the state to set new primary elections if the U.S. Supreme Court allows Alabama to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed racially discriminatory by federal courts (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, leans against the dais in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Wednesday debated a bill that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow Alabama to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously declared discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, sets up a phone to record debate in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Wednesday debated a measure that would allow the state to set new primary elections if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously deemed discriminatory to Black voters. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile (bottom) speaks in opposition to a bill that would set new primary dates in the state on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama, The measure would take effect if federal courts allow the state to revert back to congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory against Black voters. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)(Left to right) Reps. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger's Island; Rhett Marques, R-Enterprise, and Jeff Sorrells, R-Hartford, speak to each other during a meeting of the Alabama House of Representatives on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, looks up into the galleries in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 6, 2026. The House Wednesday debated a measure that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow the state to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed discriminatory against Black voters. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, speaks in the Alabama House of Representatives while her phone records her speech on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Wednesday debated a measure that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow the state to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed discriminatory against Black voters. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville (right) speaks to a colleague in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 6, 2026 in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Wednesday debated a measure that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow the state to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed discriminatory against Black voters. To the left is Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, looks at a colleague in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Wednesday debated a measure that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow the state to revert to congressional and legislative maps previously deemed discriminatory against Black voters. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Protestors on the seventh floor of the Alabama Statehouse raise their fists on May 6, 2026, in Montgomery, Alabama. The protest was against SB 1, a bill that would require a special election for two Montgomery-area Senate districts, if a federal court allows it. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Mildred Bennett, a civil rights foot soldier in the 1960s, speaks during a protest in the hallway of the seventh floor of the Alabama Statehouse on May 6, 2026, in Montgomery, Alabama. The protest was against SB 1, a bill that would require a special election for two Montgomery-area Senate districts, if a federal court allows it. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)A group of people hold their fists aloft to protest SB 1, a bill that would allow new primaries for for two Montgomery-area Senate districts if a federal court allows it, in the Alabama Statehouse on May 6, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday amid flooding in downtown Montgomery. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, discusses a primary bill in the Alabama Senate on May 6, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Senate approved the bill, which would allow the state to set new primary elections in two Montgomery-area state Senate districts if federal courts allow the state to use a legislative map previously declared unconstitutional. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)The Alabama Statehouse, shortly after being evacuated on May 6, 2026. Flooding on the first floor of the building threatened electrical systems, leading to an evacuation Wednesday evening. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Water spills into the first floor of the Alabama Statehouse on May 6, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. Torrential rain in Montgomery forced the Alabama Senate to abruptly end debate on a primary election bill and evacuate the building. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, speaking to the Senate County and Municipal Government Committee on May 7, 2026, in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The committee held a public hearing and approved HB 1, which would create a process for a special primary election for four congressional districts that were altered by a court order, if the order is lifted. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, speaking at the Senate County and Municipal Government Committee on May 7, 2026, in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The committee held a public hearing and approved HB 1, which would create a process for a special primary election for four congressional districts that were altered by a court order, if the order is lifted. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, thanks the audience for attending an Alabama Senate committee meeting on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. House and Senate committees moved two bills that would reschedule primaries should courts allow the state to use congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory. The committee votes were preceded by protests from audience members who said the Legislature was denying Black Alabamians proper representation. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, leaves the lectern after speaking to an Alabama Senate committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. House and Senate committees moved two bills that would reschedule primaries should courts allow the state to use congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory. The committee votes were preceded by protests from audience members who said the Legislature was denying Black Alabamians proper representation. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, listens to a question from the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. House and Senate committees moved two bills that would reschedule primaries should courts allow the state to use congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory. The committee votes were preceded by protests from audience members who said the Legislature was denying Black Alabamians proper representation. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Travis Jackson leading a protest after the Senate County and Municipal Government Committee approved legislation setting up the possibility of new primary elections for four congressional districts in the lower half of the state, should the U.S. Supreme Court allow it, on May 7, 2026, in the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Activist Travis Jackson (back, with fist raised) leads chants against a primary bill in a House committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham (foreground, in patterned dress) joins in the protest. House and Senate committees moved two bills that would reschedule primaries should courts allow the state to use congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory. The committee votes were preceded by protests from audience members who said the Legislature was denying Black Alabamians proper representation. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard (seated) listens to Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile (foreground) during a meeting of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Two bills that could change primary elections in Alabama — should federal courts allow the use of congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory – moved closer to passage Thursday, but not without major protests erupting in legislative committees. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)(Left to right) Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile listen to speakers in the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Two bills that could change primary elections in Alabama — should federal courts allow the use of congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory – moved closer to passage Thursday, but not without major protests erupting in legislative committees. (Brian Lyman/Alabama ReflectorRep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, speaks to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Two bills that could change primary elections in Alabama — should federal courts allow the use of congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory – moved closer to passage Thursday, but not without major protests erupting in legislative committees. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, raises her fist in protest of a bill setting new primary election dates on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Two bills that could change primary elections in Alabama — should federal courts allow the use of congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory – moved closer to passage Thursday, but not without major protests erupting in legislative committees. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Wayne Taft Harris (right) of Black Lives Matter Birmingham speaks amid protests in an Alabama House committee hearing on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Two bills that could change primary elections in Alabama — should federal courts allow the use of congressional and legislative maps previously ruled discriminatory – moved closer to passage Thursday, but not without major protests erupting in legislative committees. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Mildred Bennett, a civil rights foot soldier in Birmingham in the 1960s, speaks to the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Wayne Taft Harris (right) of Black Lives Matter Birmingham speaks amid protests in an Alabama House committee hearing on May 7, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, talks to the crowd at a town hall event hosted by U.S. Congressman Shomari Figures on May 7, 2026. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)Maia McKinney, a rising junior at The University of Alabama, asks state leaders how younger people can get involved with voting efforts at a town hall hosted by U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, on May 7, 2026. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)(Left to Right) U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile; House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville; Sheyanne Webb-Christburg, a civil rights activist and Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery listen to Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, speak at a town hall on voting rights and redistricting on May 7, 2026. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Tashina Morris, D-Montgomery, speaks to a colleague on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on May 8, 2026. The Alabama House Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, listens to debate in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama House Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham (right, in maroon suit) speaks to security in the gallery of the Alabama House of Representatives on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Friday recessed over a bill to set new primary dates after protests began in the gallery over the chamber. One protestor was taken out by security. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmigham, embraces Dee Reed of Black Voters Matter after Reed was removed from the House gallery amid a protest on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Friday recessed over a bill to set new primary dates after protests began in the gallery over the chamber.(Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Dee Reed of Black Voters Matter (left) speaks with Reps. Juandalynn Givan (center) and Travis Hendrix, both D-Birmingham, after being removed from the Alabama House gallery on May 8, 2026 following a protest. The House Friday recessed over a bill to set new primary dates after protests began in the gallery over the chamber. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Kelvin Datcher, D-Birmingham, speaks to protestors in the gallery of the Alabama House of Representatives following several protests on May 8 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Datcher asked those present to allow House Democrats to debate two bills that could lead to new primary dates in order to build a legal case against them. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, listening to debate on HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, and carried by Albritton, on May 8, 2026, in the Alabama Senate in Montgomery, Alabama. The bill would set new primary elections for Congressional districts 1, 2, 6 and 7, if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to use a 2023 map the Legislature passed of the map, which the court previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, debating HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, on May 8, 2026, in the Alabama Senate in Montgomery, Alabama. The bill would set new primary elections for Congressional districts 1, 2, 6 and 7, if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to use a 2023 map the Legislature passed of the map, which the court previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector) Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, speaks in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama House Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, holding a photo of his aunt, who he said marched on "Bloody Sunday" in 1965, on the floor of the Alabama Senate on May 8, 2026, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Spectators in the gallery of the Alabama House of Representatives film and stream a debate on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama House Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, becomes emotional when describing law enforcement removing a protestor from the House gallery on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House Friday recessed over a bill to set new primary dates after protests began in the gallery over the chamber. Givan said the presence of state troopers reminded her of similar tactics used against protestors during the Civil Rights Movement. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Orlando Tillman, D-Bessemer, speaks to reporters about the removal of a protestor from the House gallery on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, listens to a debate in the Alabama Senate on May 8, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. A lithograph of the first Black U.S. representatives and senators during Reconstruction sits next to him. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, speaks on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama House Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, debating HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, on the Alabama Senate floor on May 8, 2026, in Montgomery, Alabama. The bill would set new primary elections for Congressional districts 1, 2, 6 and 7, if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to use a 2023 map the Legislature passed of the map, which the court previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector) Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, speaks to reporters on May 8, 2026 after the Alabama House of Representatives approved a bill allowing new primary dates in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert back to maps previously ruled discriminatory against Black voters. Bracy said Democrats would file a motion with federal courts opposing it. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, speaks to reporters at a press conference held by the Alabama House Democratic Caucus on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sens. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville (left) and Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia (right) speak next to a lithograph of the first Black members of Congress during Reconstruction on May 8, 2026 in the Alabama Senate. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved two bills that would allow the state to set new primary dates should federal courts allow Alabama to use congressional and legislative maps previously declared discriminatory by federal courts. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, listens to debate in the Alabama Senate on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, speaks in the Alabama Senate on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Alabama Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle, R-Mobile (left) and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, speak to reporters on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro (second from right) speaks to reporters outside the Alabama Senate on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. From left to right: Democratic Sens. Merika Coleman of Pleasant Grove; Linda Coleman-Madison of Birmingham; Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham; Robert Stewart of Selma and Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, speaks to reporters on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. To Hatcher's right is Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile. (Andrea TInker/Alabama Reflector)Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, speaks to reporters on May 8, 2026 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama Legislature Friday approved legislation that would allow new primary dates to be set in the state if federal courts allow the state to revert to maps previously declared racially discriminatory against Black Alabamians. To Figures' right is Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro. (Andrea Tinker/Alabama Reflector) Courtesy of Alabama Reflector
	'We're dry:' The new U.S. Wildland Fire Service prepares for extreme fire season Brian Fennessy, new head of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, says his agency is 'trying to bring on additional aircraft and bring them on early,' and dismisses criticism of prevention methods.
	Bobby Cox, Hall of Fame manager of Atlanta Braves, dies at age 84 The Braves announced Cox's death on Saturday. He managed the team to prominence during the 1990s and the team's only championship in 1995, before retiring after the 2010 season.
	Is there a treatment for hantavirus? Health officials in numerous countries are working to contain the spread of illnesses linked to a hantavirus outbreak traced back to a now-deceased passenger on a Dutch cruise ship.
	CDC says threat of widespread outbreak of hantavirus remains low As hantavirus has dominated headlines, sparking fears of another debilitating pandemic, the CDC stressed that the risk of sweeping contagion was small.
	13-year-old Muscatine boy arrested for allegedly committing thefts, burglaries The teen is accused of multiple crimes that occurred between April 25 and May 6.
	6th annual Sip & Shop event to take over Downtown Muscatine in June The Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry along with downtown businesses will host the 6th annual Sip & Shop event later this spring.
	Galesburg’s Discovery Depot, Judy’s Cafe partner to launch new interactive exhibit Discovery Depot Children’s Museum and Judy’s Family Cafe are partnering to bring a new and interactive exhibit to town.
	Work to improve Bettendorf’s State Street begins Tuesday To ensure the safety of the traveling public and the construction workers onsite, there will be lane closures that move from day to day on State Street.
	EGLE examines ways to improve battery recycling as disposal barriers persist Photo by Jon King/Michigan AdvanceThe Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy released a new analysis examining how individuals dispose of used batteries, finding more efforts are needed to ensure proper disposal. The analysis, performed by Resource Recycling Systems, found that Michigan residents were generally confused on how to get rid of spent batteries, with many tossing them in their trash cans and recycling bins, with more than 10,000 tons of batteries ending up in Michigan landfills each year. While some batteries are safe to include in your trash, most are not due to the chemicals they contain, with EGLE stressing that recycling is always the best option. Additionally, EGLE advises against placing rechargeable and lithium-ion batteries in curbside trash or recycling, as these power sources can hold enough charge to spark and cause a fire during collections or processing. However, the barriers for proper disposal are numerous, with the analysis pointing to inconsistent information from local governments about battery disposal, limited access to drop off site and retail recycling programs, unstable funding for recycling efforts and a lack of policies on producer responsibility as among the hurdles preventing more individuals from properly disposing of their batteries. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In order to address these concerns, the report also identifies several steps for addressing these shortfalls including: Establishing an advisory group to guide policy and program development. Assessing and expanding existing recovery infrastructure. Exploring extended producer responsibility legislation for sustainable funding. Improving access to recycling drop-off locations. Coordinating statewide education and outreach. Expanding capacity for battery recovery and processing. According to the department, EGLE is working to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve battery collection, recycling and reuse using the results from the analysis and input from industry stakeholders, local governments, and community organizations. “Batteries – both consumer and electric vehicle batteries – are a unique opportunity for Michigan based on our strong roots in industry and the investments we’ve made toward a circular economy,” Julie Staveland, assistant director of EGLE’s Materials Management Division said in a statement. “We are well positioned to implement best practices for proper battery management to mitigate safety and environmental risks while reaping the benefits of jobs across the battery recovery and recycling value chain. We are taking action to ensure that we keep our residents safe, capture valuable materials, and build a stronger local economy.” As part of that effort, EGLE said it would be launching a battery solutions accelerator through its NextCycle Michigan initiative later this year to help address challenges with battery disposal. EGLE also offers a link on their website for residents to find the nearest battery recycling location. Courtesy of Michigan Advance
	QC Community Foundation announces record $856,327 in scholarships The Quad Cities Community Foundation has announced the recipients of $856,327 in scholarship awards, the largest total dollars awarded in the organization’s 60-plus-year history, a news release says. The awards are made possible by the generosity of donors to scholarship funds at the Community Foundation. “Behind every scholarship is a personal motivation,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, [...]
	Alaska Beacon state and legislative daybook for the week of May 11, 2026 Senators passed the mental health budget by a 20 to 0 vote on May 7, 2026. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)We’re headed into the finale of the second legislative session of the 34th Legislature. The Senate passed a draft operating budget and the House continues work on the capital budget, while lawmakers are considering final bills to pass or reject. A joint session to vote on the governor’s appointees for various boards and commissions is expected this week, but a date has not been set yet. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is in Juneau and pushing for legislative action on the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project, but there is still considerable disagreement among legislators about what that should look like — and how much the state should subsidize the gas line. This is the Alaska Beacon’s list of where we’re putting our attention in the coming week. There’s always more news than there are people to report it. Every Thursday, the Alaska Legislature publishes its committee schedule for the coming week. Public notices alert us to meetings and events. The governor’s office occasionally lets us know ahead of time that something’s coming down the pike, too. Here’s what we know about for the coming week. If you know of something that’s coming up that you should think we should pay attention to, email us at info@alaskabeacon.com. We can’t cover everything on this list, but we’re interested in them and we think you should know about them in case you’re interested in them, too. This list is ripped from our notebooks, and it is likely to change over the course of the week. We’ll update it when we can. Are you trying to keep track of when to testify on a bill? The Legislature has a website for that. Monday, May 11 House/Senate floor sessions in the morning 9 a.m. – Senate Finance considers an omnibus crime bill, containing ten bills related to a variety of court and criminal justice issues 1:30 p.m. – House Finance considers a “mini-bus” education bill, including adding nearly $82 million in one-time funding for schools and a variety of policy changes 3:15 p.m. – House Labor and Commerce considers a bill to change charitable gaming law to include electronic pull tabs, passed by the Senate 3:30 – Senate Resources continues considering tax breaks for the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project Tuesday, May 12 8 a.m. House Community and Regional Affairs considers a bill to expand property tax deferments for some farms and agricultural businesses, which was passed by the Senate 9 a.m. – Senate Resources continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project, and a bill to enact tougher standards for residential licenses for hunting and fishing, which was already passed by the House 1:30 p.m. – Senate Transportation considers a bill that would regulate autonomous vehicles, which was passed by the House 3:15 p.m. – House State Affairs considers a bill that would cap campaign contributions and enact more reporting requirements for political campaigns 3:30 p.m. – Senate Resources considers a bill to establish cooperatives for salmon setnetters that has been passed by the House, and continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project 3:30 p.m. – Senate State Affairs considers a bill to establish an Alaska Native Languages Task Force, and looks at a new elections bill introduced by Gov. Dunleavy after he vetoed a bipartisan elections reform bill that the Legislature tried and failed to override Wednesday, May 13 9 a.m. – House Finance considers a bill to enact a statewide spay and neuter program, and another bill that would establish shared responsibility for construction project owners and contractors for unpaid wage violations 9 a.m. – Senate Finance hears a presentation on the Donlin Gold project 9 a.m. – Senate Resources continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project 1:30 p.m. – House Finance considers a bill related to property taxes for the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project 1:30 p.m. – Senate Labor and Commerce considers a bill that would require contracts for new data centers to account for energy needs, prioritize renewable energy and ensure other energy customers’ costs do not increase 3:15 p.m. – House Labor and Commerce continues considering a bill to change charitable gaming law to include electronic pull tabs, passed by the Senate 3:30 p.m. – Senate Resources continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project Thursday, May 14 9 a.m. – House Finance considers a bill to expand state funding for early education, including school districts’ funding for pre-K student programs, passed by the Senate 9 a.m. – Senate Finance to consider a governor’s proposal, amended by the Senate Resources Committee, to levy a state tax for education and expand corporate income taxes 9 a.m. – Senate Resources continues considering tax breaks for the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project 1:30 p.m. – House Finance continues hearing a House proposal for tax breaks on the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project 1:30 p.m. – Senate Finance considers two bills that would allow communities to borrow from the state’s bulk fuel loan program to help offset rising fuel costs 3:15 p.m. – House State Affairs continues to consider a bill that would cap campaign contributions and enact more reporting requirements for political campaigns, and another bill to update state law to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression in real estate transactions Friday, May 13 9 a.m. – House Finance considers a bill that would enact a $0.98 monthly surcharge on all phone lines to fund behavioral health crisis services, including a 988 crisis hotline 1:30 p.m. – House Finance continues consideration of a House proposal for tax breaks on the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project 1:30 p.m. – Senate Labor and Commerce considers a bill to exempt seafood processing workers from paid sick leave, passed by Alaska voters with Ballot Measure 1 in 2024 3:30 p.m. – Senate Resources continues considering the proposed Alaska LNG gas line project Saturday, May 14 Hearings on various bills are scheduled to continue in Senate Finance, House Finance, House Health and Social Services and House State Affairs SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Rock Falls Tourism seeks works for Park Sculpture Walk and Outdoor Art Gallery Rock Falls Tourism has announced two calls for artists for the 2026 Art in the Park Sculpture Walk and Outdoor Art Gallery, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, in the RB&W District in Rock Falls, a news release says. These opportunities invite artists to showcase their creativity through a juried outdoor gallery and a year-long public [...]
	Be Downtown family-friendly celebration scheduled for Bettendorf The Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO) has announced expanded programming for Be Downtown on Saturday, June 6, offering a full day of fun that transitions from a family-friendly outdoor festival to an evening of live music throughout downtown Bettendorf. The day kicks off with a free outdoor festival from noon-7 p.m. at 15th Street Landing, 15th [...]
	Trials of the Centuries: “The Skin of Our Teeth,” at Augustana College through May 10 You should see the groundbreaking comedy classic The Skin of Our Teeth at Augustana College. I’ll explain why in a moment, while also trying not to ruin your experience with too many details. But just by reviewing director Jeff Coussens' perfectly cast production, I will be spoiling it a bit.
	Monster Jam takes over Vibrant Arena at The MARK Monster Jam is set to take over the Vibrant Arena at The MARK this weekend.
	Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards over $260,000 in Illinois literacy grants The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has announced the award of more than $260,000 in literacy grants to Illinois nonprofit organizations, libraries and schools, a news release says. The funds contribute to a record-setting, single-day total of nearly $16 million in grants nationwide - supporting adult, family and summer literacy programs in the 48 states where [...]
	Pickleball courts in Muscatine to close temporarily for cleaning The Musco Sports Center will close its hard-surface pickle-ball courts on Monday, May 11, to complete a scheduled deep cleaning, a news release says. The work is expected to take one day, with courts reopening for play on Tuesday, May 12. The facility’s synthetic turf field will remain open on Monday for both free-time use [...]
	Bettendorf approves hiring IMEG to create master plan for I-80 and Middle Road area Bettendorf will do a master plan of an area it’s eyeing for future growth north of Interstate 80 and Middle Road.
	Why saying hello to strangers can be good for you A study establishes that "social ties" — a fancy way of saying being nice to other, even those you don't know — has benefits. A teacher asked her students to test the thesis in real life.
	Scott County Supervisors approve records policy; decline to take up local control resolution The policy comes after the Scott County attorney's office settled an open records complaint filed with the Iowa Public Information Board over a six-month delay in producing a large request to a frequent requester.
	Memories of Muscatine: Giffrey's European Cafe This week for Memories of Muscatine: A photo of Giffrey's European Cafe.
	The Gas Spot in Davenport to feature Iowa products The Gas Spot at 303 W. Locust Street, near St. Ambrose University, will soon feature an Iowa made section.
	Three Seeds This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island. I know a story about three magic seeds, far more powerful than Jack and his beans that grew up to the clouds.One…
	How the 1994 World Cup kicked off America's love affair with soccer Soccer — or football as it's known around the globe — was far from mainstream in the U.S. leading up to the 1994 World Cup. But in the end, the tournament was considered a resounding success. How exactly did that happen?
	They graduate to six figure salaries, and grueling work Cadets from the nation's Merchant Marine academies are finding lots of demand and great salaries because of a shortage of licensed mariners.
	Moscow marks Victory Day with a Red Square parade under tight security Security was tight in Moscow as Putin and several foreign leaders attended the parade, even as a U.S.-brokered three-day ceasefire eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities.
	What is a radical? It's the question of M.I.A.'s vexing career Fans who danced to "Paper Planes" might hardly recognize the conspiracy-touting artist before them today — but in a certain way, she's the same button-pusher as ever.
	National mood is against Republicans, but redistricting could help prop them up The national political landscape looks bad for President Trump and Republicans, but recent wins in the redistricting fight could soften the blow they might have suffered without them.
Friday, May 8th, 2026
	Wisconsin Examiner takes home 12 Milwaukee Press Club awards with six first-place finishes Examiner staff at the Milwaukee Press Club Awards dinner on Friday, May 8. Left to right: Frank Zufall, Andrew Kennard, Henry Redman, Isiah Holmes, Baylor Spears, Ruth Conniff and Erik GunnThe staff of the Wisconsin Examiner won 12 Milwaukee Press Club Awards for Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism in the online category Friday evening. Editor Ruth Conniff took first place for Best Multi-story Coverage of a Single Feature Topic or Event for her series, Midwest-Mexico Connections on Mexican farmworkers and Wisconsin dairy farmers. Deputy Editor Erik Gunn won the first place award for Best Long Hard Feature Story for his piece Wisconsin legislators pause to remember former colleague Jonathan Brostoff Isiah Holmes took home the first-place gold award in the Best Investigative Story or Series category for How the Milwaukee Investigative Team protects officers when investigating police shootings. Top honors went to Baylor Spears for Best Coverage of a Single News Topic or Event for her series about public schools and the struggle over Wisconsin’s budget. Spears also took first place in the Best Short Hard Feature Story category for ‘What is the bar?’: Wisconsin Legislature divided as it passes resolution honoring Charlie Kirk. Criminal Justice Fellows Andrew Kennard and Frank Zufall won gold in the Best Public Service Story category for Shredding of legal mail by Wisconsin prisons worries advocates Conniff also won the second-place silver award for Best Single Editorial, Statement of Editorial Position or Opinion for her column We need a populist, pro-democracy movement, not more gerrymandering, and third place for Best Columnist for her 2025 columns. Gunn won third place in the Best Short Hard Feature Story category for People with autism and their families find Trump-Kennedy autism message harmful and wrong. Holmes won the the second-place silver award for Best Long Soft Feature Story for UW psilocybin study gives man second chance after 10-year opioid addiction and the bronze award in the Best Explanatory Story or Series category for Biodiversity in Wisconsin amidst the 6th great mass extinction. Spears won bronze for her Best Short Soft Feature Story Wisconsin Democrats want to say ‘Bye Bye Baby’ to unfair ticket selling practices and another bronze award for Best Coverage of a Single News Topic or Event, including Breaking News for a series of stories over five months about the defunding of a Wisconsin veterans housing program, and the conflicting attempts to revive that funding. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Wisconsin Examiner
	ABC argues Trump administration is trying to chill free speech In a filing, ABC accuses the Trump administration of trying to chill its constitutionally protected free speech. The point of contention: "The View," and whether it's subject to equal time rules.
	Grow Clinton opens new visitors center as city sees business boom A new tourism center has opened in Clinton. The organization Grow Clinton cut the ribbon on the building Thursday. The visitor center has pamphlets, maps and other information about the area. There's also Clinton-themed merchandise for sale. Managers say the small city has seen the tourism push succeed in recent years. "It's kind of that [...]
	St. Ambrose preparing to host and play in NAIA Men’s Golf Championships The 74th annual NAIA men’s golf championships return to the Quad Cities next week at TPC Deere Run with Visit Quad Cities and St. Ambrose hosting the event.
	7th annual Life is Bigger than Sports event Muscatine team presents jersey to Coach David Gamble at Life is Bigger than Sports tournament.
	Trump says Russia and Ukraine have agreed to his request for a 3-day ceasefire President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin's foreign affairs adviser, both confirmed the agreement for a three-day ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners.
	No deal yet between Arconic and United Steelworkers USW announced Friday it would hold a strike authorization vote. This doesn't guarantee a strike will take place.
	Man arrested in Clinton after allegedly shooting 2 vehicles Larry Stauffer III has been charged with reckless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a domestic assault offender and intimidation with a dangerous weapon.
	Suspect shot by police in Peoria Illinois State Police said a suspect was shot while Peoria police responded to reports of a domestic disturbance.
	Davenport Central reflects on year one of cell phone restriction policies Davenport schools say cell phone restrictions will continue next year after officials and some students reported improved focus in classrooms.
	East Moline police ask for help locating missing teen East Moline police are asking for the public’s help locating 15-year-old Matthew Theuninck, who was last seen on May 3.
	Local transit agencies offering free rides for cyclists during Bike to Work Week If you are participating in Bike to Work Week, local transit agencies will provide free rides all week for bike riders.
	Visit Quad Cities expects boost in tourism during the second half of May The list is long for major events coming to the Quad Cities during the second half of May. There's everything from collegiate national championships to aviation competitions, and even a farmers convention. Visit Quad Cities research says there's more than 9,000 participants coming to the Quad Cities for those upcoming events and even more fans [...]
	Teachers warn GOP union-busting bill could worsen Arizona’s near-last school funding rank Public school teachers gather in downtown Phoenix on May 8, 2026, to speak out against Republican legislation targeting their ability to organize and advocate for better working conditions. The GOP-backed ballot referral would ask Arizona voters to decide whether to ban schools from negotiating contracts with unions and if teachers should be penalized for striking. (Photo by Gloria Rebecca Gomez/Arizona Mirror)Just a few dozen former and current public school teachers showed up for an announced union rally in downtown Phoenix against Republican efforts to legislate the state’s largest teachers union out of existence because it is spearheading a ballot measure to sharply curb the state’s universal private school voucher program. Decked out in bright red — the unofficial color of Arizona Education Association — and shouting chants like “Union busting, that’s disgusting!” the group marched a short distance in Friday afternoon’s 101-degree heat from the Renaissance Hotel to Symphony Hall. Under the shade of trees, speakers denounced GOP lawmakers, who are considering placing a measure on the November ballot that targets the teachers union and could eliminate the collective bargaining rights of teachers altogether. The proposal seeks to push union activity out of schools, barring teachers from using emails, printing flyers in school libraries or gathering in classrooms during school hours to discuss union goals or recruit new members. And it would prohibit school districts from deducting union membership fees from employee paychecks — even though doing so is at the employee’s request. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Republicans have long sought to chip away at the ability of teachers to organize politically. And the proposal has been criticized as a bid to punish the AEA for trying to overhaul the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program. The legislation was unveiled less than two weeks after the union announced its plan to send a ballot initiative to voters in November that would dramatically reform the state’s universal school voucher program. The voucher program is the centerpiece of the GOP education agenda and Republicans have adamantly resisted regulating it, even as it has ballooned to an annual cost of more than $1 billion. An amendment added by Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, among the most far-right members of the legislature, would go even further to blunt the utility of unions for teachers and other school employees. It forbids schools from negotiating with unions about employment terms and punishes teachers who strike or join an “organized work stoppage” against their school by stripping them of their employment benefits and reemployment rights. That ban on “organized work stoppage” and the subsequent penalties could be triggered if just two teachers coordinated their plans. The provision was pulled from a separate bill that is likely to be vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, which has been widely regarded as a Republican attempt to censure teachers who joined anti-ICE protests and walkouts in January. The backing the proposal has won in the GOP-controlled legislature has alarmed the teacher’s union, because unlike most legislation that is hostile to public education, it won’t face a quick death via the governor’s veto stamp if it passes. Ballot referrals approved by the legislature go straight to the voters, circumventing Hobbs altogether. But it will be several more weeks before Republicans have a chance to do that: Lawmakers are on break until June 1, in the middle of an acrimonious standoff with Hobbs over how to fund the state for the next year. On Friday, teachers warned that making it harder for them to organize would only worsen the already dismal state of Arizona’s public education system. Last week, the National Education Association released a public school funding analysis that ranked the Grand Canyon State one place away from dead last in the country for spending on students. That same report found that teachers fare significantly better in states where they have unions to advocate on their behalf; teachers who work in states with active unions have an average top salary that’s more than $15,000 higher than teachers who don’t have collective bargaining. Linda Somo, a retired public school teacher who taught in Arizona schools for more than three decades, said that it was immediately apparent to her that having a union to speak for her was much more effective than trying to get results on her own. “I quickly found out when I was a first year teacher that the only way I could have a voice in my profession was to be part of the union,” she said. “The only way I could influence what was best for my students was to be part of a union. The only way I could influence what I got compensated for my profession was through my union.” Jesse McKinley, a computer science engineering teacher in the Madison School District, joined the rally because he said he values the contributions of his local union and is concerned about the impact of the ballot referral if it becomes law. To show his support for the right of teachers to organize, he wore a black bucket hat and sneakers adorned with red flashing light strips. McKinley said he isn’t confident that teachers would be able to improve their working conditions on their own, without the power afforded to them by the union, which represents multiple voices calling for the same goals. “It takes a village,” he said. “We all come together with the same concerns, the same issues and we all sit down and work together, instead of one of us.” Republican lawmakers have framed the union-busting proposal as a bid to protect taxpayer dollars. During a hearing in the Senate Government Committee on March 25, Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, who sponsored the bill’s underlying language and now champions the new version restraining the teacher’s union, dismissed concerns that it violates the constitutional rights of teachers. “What this merely does is says that we’re not going to use public resources to subsidize a private organization,” he said. But teachers and union members disagree. Geneva Fuentes, the spokeswoman for the AEA, said that the legislation would imperil multiple agreements that were adopted to improve school conditions for both teachers and students. One Phoenix area union, she shared, helped negotiate an accessible playground for students with special needs in their district. Fuentes added that unions are a critical part of the state’s efforts to keep teachers in the classroom, securing retention bonuses or planning periods during the school day that help convince them to stay. And that’s important, because Arizona has struggled with a teacher shortage for nearly a decade. During the 2024-2025 academic year, 4,242 teacher positions were vacant one full month into the school year. In the end, Fuentes said, the legislation targeting the AEA is nothing more than an “attack on all working people.” “Lawmakers may be coming for teachers first, but this is an old playbook of attacks on unions,” she said. “And if this is able to get through, it should send a message to the working people across Arizona that the legislature is opposed to the rights of working people to come together and advocate for each other.” Fuentes said that the union has emphasized the negative consequences of the legislation to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, but lamented that much of it has fallen on “deaf ears.” But she said the group will continue to highlight why unions are beneficial for teachers in the hopes of stopping the proposal from ever making it onto the ballot. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Arizona Mirror
	Quad Cities Bicycle Club offering free breakfasts during Bike to Work Week Breakfast items will be served at each location from 6 to 9 in the morning, with those hours extended to 10 on Friday.
	Woman found with multiple knife injuries, man found dead in Good Hope home he allegedly set fire to A woman was found with multiple knife cuts Friday morning on U.S. 67.
	Harrison Elementary teacher wears 63 tattoos for school fundraiser Kids have been able to buy temporary tattoos for their teachers as a way to raise funds for the school’s PTA.
	Nearly $3 million to be used to fund levee system at Davenport plant The funding will go towards a levee system at the Davenport Water Pollution Control Plant.
	Garage fire in Muscatine causes estimated $30,000 in damage, officials say Firefighters battled a garage fire in Muscatine Friday afternoon.
	Clinton man arrested in connection with two shooting incidents A Clinton man has been arrested in connection with two shootings in the city, police said.
	13-year-old charged in connection to thefts, break-ins The incidents happened between April 25 and May 6, police said.
	Omaha’s UNMC to quarantine, monitor 17 Americans from cruise ship hit by hantavirus A look at the quarantine unit inside the Davis Global Center on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus in Omaha. (Courtesy of UNMC)OMAHA — A group of 17 currently healthy Americans from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship in the Canary Islands soon will be monitored at the Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center. The passengers will be isolated in the campus’ National Quarantine Unit — which UNMC said is the only federally funded unit designed specifically to safely house and observe people who may have been exposed to high-consequence infectious diseases. The Davis Global Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus holds the National Quarantine Unit. (Courtesy of UNMC) A local medical team spoke at a news conference Friday afternoon, underscoring that none of the passengers headed to Omaha has exhibited symptoms of infection. In individual hotel room-like chambers with negative airflow, each will be delivered food and have at their disposal exercise and daily living accommodations. The quarantine process allows for careful observation during the incubation period to reduce the risk of potential spread. “I want to make very clear these are individuals that were on this ship, that they have been potentially exposed but not known to be infected with hantavirus,” said Dr. Angela Hewlett, an infectious disease specialist. Should someone develop symptoms, she said that they’d be moved to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit to receive treatment ranging from clinical monitoring to critical care. That unit, activated in 2014 to treat American Ebola patients evacuated from Africa, has a voluntary staff of select nurses, doctors and infectious disease specialists. Both quarantine and biocontainment units were activated locally in 2020 for the care and management of U.S. citizens from Wuhan, China, and from the Diamond Princess Cruise ship who were exposed to COVID-19. Dr. Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, said the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine team is “prepared for situations exactly like this” and is proud to support the national effort. The request from federal agencies to help in the effort reflects trust in the Nebraska medical team, said Dr. H. Dele Davies, interim chancellor of UNMC, which also is working with the Douglas County Health Department and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions vessel that carried passengers from multiple countries is expected to reach the Spanish island of Tenerife Sunday, with more than 140 passengers and crew members still on board. At least three passengers have died and several other people have been infected, according to media accounts. Some left the ship after the first fatality. Hantavirus is usually spread by the inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings and isn’t easily transmitted between people. Hewlett said the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship involved a more rare strain, the Andes virus, known for its capacity to spread from human to human. The World Health Organization has said the risk to the wider public is low. There is no specific cure for hantavirus, according to Harvard Medical School. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches. About half of those infected suffer dizziness, chills and abdominal problems. Coughing and shortness of breath can appear as lungs fill with fluid. Officials who spoke to reporters Friday made distinctions between COVID-19 and hantavirus, which they said is not a new virus. The two are “extremely different viruses with different transmission patterns,” said Hewlett, medical director of the biocontainment unit. “You really need to be up close and personal with somebody” to transmit hantavirus, as opposed to COVID-19, which was airborne. Also speaking at the event was Dr. John Lowe, director of the Global Center for Health Security, Dr. Michael Wadman, director of the National Quarantine Unit and Ashley Neilmeyer, director of public health for state DHHS. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Nebraska Examiner
	Man charged with theft after stolen UTV found spray painted black Zachary Adcock, 30, faces multiple charges including felony theft and burglary.
	Fire severely damages garage at Muscatine home Muscatine firefighters are investigating the cause of a blaze that severely damaged a garage on Friday.
	Moline man arrested for allegedly possessing child sex abuse materials A Moline man has been arrested for allegedly possessing child sex abuse materials.
	No injuries reported following Muscatine fire No injuries were reported following a fire in Muscatine. According to a release from the Muscatine Fire Department, the Muscatine Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) received a 911 call May 8 at approximately 3:35 p.m. for a fire in an unattached garage in the 1000 block of Lincoln Blvd. Fire crews encountered heavy smoke and flames. [...]
	Muscatine garage fire remains under investigation A Muscatine garage fire remained under investigation Friday afternoon, according to a news release from the Muscatine Fire Department. About 3:35 p.m. Friday, May 8, the Muscatine Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM)received a 911 call for fire in an unattached garage on the 1000 block of Lincoln Boulevard. Fire crews saw heavy smoke and flames. A [...]
	Here's how you can celebrate mom in the Quad Cities region this weekend Mother's Day is this Sunday, and several local businesses and organizations are hosting special events to celebrate the women we look up to.
	Alabama Attorney General files motions with U.S. Supreme Court seeking to redistrict Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall speaks at a news conference in Montgomery, Alabama last month. The Alabama Attorney General's Office Friday filed motions in the state's congressional redistricting case with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to consider overturning the lower court ruling for the second time after the Callais decision. (Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector)The Alabama Attorney General’s Office Friday filed motions in three separate cases seeking to lift a federal court’s injunction against the state changing congressional district lines before 2030. The office used the same motion in the filings with the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting the justices reconsider its ruling in light of last week’s Louisiana v. Callais that significantly narrowed the scope of Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. “It is irreconcilable with Louisiana v. Callais,” the Attorney General’s Office said in the motion. “For that reason and others, Alabama is highly likely to succeed in its pending motion that this Court vacate the injunctions and remand the cases in light of Callais.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In the majority opinion in Callais, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the court’s ruling did not affect the opinion in Allen v. Milligan, the main Alabama redistricting case before the court. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas set a deadline for Monday for the plaintiffs in Milligan and the two other cases to file their response to the Attorney General’s request. Since some have already voted by absentee and with the primary election a couple of weeks away, the Attorney General’s Office is seeking the court to stay the injunction that is in place by May 14 at 10 a.m. because the justices will not have another conference until May 18, one day before the primary election is scheduled. Friday’s request came hours after Gov. Kay Ivey signed bills allowing special primaries if the state prevails in the redistricting case. It also came on the heels of another appeal filed by the Attorney General’s Office at the end of April to have the court expedite the state’s request to overturn the 2030 injunction. The Attorney General’s motion states that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais requires any proposed map meant to address racial discrimination in voting alleged by the plaintiffs must also consider the state’s interest. The AG’s Office added that the remedial map that the district court ordered Alabama to use, in fact, sacrifices some of the state’s interests. “The district court forced the State to sacrifice a variety of valid goals, such as maintaining the Gulf Coast community of interest in one district, maintaining the Black Belt in two districts, and protecting incumbents,” the Attorney General’s motion states. The remedial map also incorporated race that the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited when it wrote in the majority opinion in Louisiana v. Callais to “disentangle race from politics.” The Attorney General’s Office also said that the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision suggests that the state did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment. In Callais, Louisiana is prohibited from creating another majority-minority district. “That’s what Alabama did, and the district court punished it—not for violating the preliminary order, but for having the gall to enact a better map, present a better record at trial, and ultimately try ‘to ‘find another argument’ to persuade’ the district court that there was no Section 2 violation,” the motion states. Plaintiffs in the cases said that it is too late to revert to the 2023 maps because the primary election is in a couple of weeks and that absentee voting has already started. The attorney general’s motion said that was a question “for the state legislature to decide.” A three-judge panel on Friday rejected a request filed by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday to stay a 2023 order permanently blocking the state from using a proposed map that court ruled had discriminated against Black voters. The court ordered a new map that included a second opportunity district for Black voters. On Tuesday, the Attorney General’s Office requested the three-judge panel lift its injunction, indicating that the Callais decision requires the plaintiffs to prove the government had intended to create maps that are discriminatory whereas before the standard was that the maps only had to have discriminatory intent. Based on the Callais decision, the Attorney General argued that Alabama could succeed on the merits of its case. The plaintiffs across the three congressional redistricting cases filed a response on Wednesday and argued that it is too late to use the 2023 map that the Legislature created because it is too close to the primary election. “Granting a stay in this case would unquestionably be wrong—harming voters, election officials, and all candidates,” the plaintiffs said in their response. The panel cited a lack of jurisdiction, saying it had no authority to do and that only the U.S. Supreme Court could address the issues raised. “Our injunction is the status quo in Alabama. Indeed, our districting map has been the status quo since we and the Supreme Court declined to stay it in September 2023, and pursuant to the orders of this Court, the Secretary used our districting map for Alabama’s 2024 congressional elections and is using it for the 2026 congressional elections that are occurring now,” the three-judge panel stated in its order. Courtesy of Alabama Reflector
	Moline's Wharton Field House gets major interior refresh A major restoration project is underway as crews repaint the iconic gym’s ceiling while working to preserve the building’s historic character.
	Davenport man sentenced to 100 years in prison for sexually abusing four children A Davenport man who was found guilty by a Scott County jury of sexually abusing four children under the age of 12 has been sentenced to 100 years in prison.
	Clinton police arrest suspect after gunfire incident A 31-year-old man was being held Friday in Clinton County Jail after gunfire rang out in Clinton, according to a news release from the Clinton Police Department. Shortly before 2 p.m. May 6, Clinton police responded to a report of a gunfire in the 200 block of Main Avenue in Clinton. The preliminary investigation indicated [...]
	Mother's Day looks pretty good (weatherwise) in the Quad Cities It's a big weekend for moms all around the Quad Cities (and beyond) and the weather looks pretty good here at home! We'll see some sunshine and highs in the 70s Saturday and then in the 60s Sunday.
	Lawmakers take aim at Alaska’s chronic problems with abandoned and loose dogs Dr. Eli Butler, a visiting veterinarian, holds a dog named Jack at the Nome Animal House on April 10, 2026. Butler, a graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks-Colorado State University partnership program, was in Nome for the week to provide services to local dogs and cats. Jack is owned by one of the staff members at the Nome Animal House. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)Rural Alaska has long struggled with an abundance of stray and loose dogs and high rates of dog bites, with young children as the most frequent victims. Pending state and federal legislation aims to chip away at that problem by improving access to veterinary care, currently difficult to obtain in wide swathes of Alaska. Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, talks to reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in the Alaska State Capitol. Stapp’s bill to establish a state spay and neuter fund has attracted three cosponsors and support from animal-care groups. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) At the state level, House Bill 258, sponsored by Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, would establish a state fund to help cover spay and neuter services. Money for the fund, intended to fill gaps in currently available care, would come from sales of specialized license plates, which other states offer, and donations. The fund would also generate its own investment income. The intent is to relieve the stresses on animal welfare, people and communities, including local shelters that are “overwhelmed by the costs of animal control and care,” Stapp wrote in a statement explaining his sponsorship of the bill. “This legislation takes a preventative, fiscally responsible approach to an issue that affects communities throughout Alaska,” the statement concludes. The bill has attracted three cosponsors and support from the animal-care community, Alaska Veterinary Medical Association and the Alaska Municipal League, among other groups. At the federal level, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is pushing for legislation to get veterinary care included in the duties of the Indian Health Service. At present, the agency does not have the authority to pay for veterinarian care. Murkowski’s bill has three Democratic cosponsors, from New Mexico, Hawaii and Minnesota, all states with significant Indigenous populations that are served by the IHS. It passed the Senate in December and is now pending in the House. A nearly identical measure sponsored by Murkowski and the same Democratic colleagues passed the Senate in late 2024, but it died before time ran out on that Congress. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill has support from Native organizations — including the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation and the Navajo Nation, which is coping with problems in its tribal areas that are similar to those in Alaska. It is an approach backed by experts as part of the “One Health” framework that considers human, animal and environmental health as linked. “Veterinarians play an integral role in One Health because animals both impact and are impacted by people and the environment,” the American Veterinary Medical Association says on its website. Human health impacts Dogs are part of life in Alaska, where travel by dogsled is an aspect of Indigenous cultures. But problems caused by abandoned, stray and loose dogs are myriad. Alaska consistently has the nation’s highest rate of dog bites, according to state officials. The rate of dog-bite cases treated in hospitals has been especially high in rural areas; a 2014 epidemiology report said that rate in Southwest and Northern Alaska was two to three times the national rate. Children are at particular risk. And 2009 research, albeit dated, found that Alaska had the highest per-capita rate of fatal dog maulings among all states, with a rate more than 16 times the national average. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks on Oct. 18, 2025, at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Anchorage. Behind her is a screen projeting her image as she speaks. AFN is one of the Native organizations supporting her bill to add veterinary care in the duties of the Indian Health Service. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) The Navajo Nation has also struggled with strays. After a 13-year-old girl was killed in a dog mauling in 2021, the tribal government made a push to boost animal control services. The tribe’s senior animal control officer estimated at the time that there were 500,000 domestic and feral dogs on the Navajo Nation and that a single pair of mating dogs could create up to 5,700 new dogs in five years. Several diseases are associated with loose dogs, notably parvovirus. Endemic in Alaska dogs, parvovirus can kill pets and, if spread to people, cause serious health problems for those who are pregnant or immunocompromised. Rabies, endemic in wild canines in Alaska, is a perennial threat, notably to sled dogs that might be attacked outdoors. Human cases have been rare in Alaska, but they are serious; rabies is always fatal to people once the virus reaches the brain. To prevent that spread, exposed people get rabies shots as quickly as possible. The risk of tick-borne diseases is increasing in Alaska as climate change enables northward tick expansion, according to state health officials. Alaskans may be under the mistaken impression that ticks are not a problem in the state and may thus underestimate their dogs’ vulnerabilities, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has warned. Feral cats can spread diseases, too. A feral cat was implicated in the first recorded fatality from borealpox, a newly discovered and highly rare disease that was initially called Alaskapox; the victim was a Kenai Peninsula man who had cared for a stray cat before dying in early 2024. Emotional costs There are associated mental health problems as well. In rural villages where there are limited management options, stray dogs are sometimes killed, which is “cruel and inhumane,” Christine Witzmann, a board member with Alaska Rural Veterinary Outreach Inc., told the House Resources Committee at a Feb. 16 hearing. “It is also traumatic for the children, who suffer deep emotional scars when they witness how their favorite stray dog is killed,” said Witzmann, whose organization is one of many nonprofits around the state that provide subsidies for spay and neuter services. There can be similar trauma in urban areas, where workers in overcrowded shelters are sometimes tasked with euthanizing animals, another expert said in hearing testimony. “That’s a terrible job that we don’t ever think about. The people who actually have to do the euthanizing, that’s mentally traumatizing to them,” Angie Fitch of the nonprofit Alaska Rural Veterinary Inc. told the committee. A display at the Nome Animal House, seen on April 10, 2026, provides information about Tigaraha Pet Resources, a Nome-based nonprofit that helps pet owners pay for spay and neuter services and other veterinarian care. Spay and neuter services can cost hundreds of dollars, and several nonprofits around the state have programs to help people afford those procedures. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Her organization has provided animal care in more than 100 rural communities over the past 14 years, she said. But despite efforts like that, she and representatives of other nonprofits said, resources to support the volunteer work are scarce and needs remain unmet. Veterinarian shortages exist around the country, but they are acute in rural Alaska. Shortages are particularly dire in Western Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim region. Residents there generally cherish their dogs — 94% of survey respondents in the Yukon-Kuskokwim respondents reported having dogs, and the human-dog relationship has been part of Indigenous culture for centuries — but large majorities identified stray dogs as a problem, a source of community fear, according to a Colorado State University study published in July. Dog owners in the region reported that only 62% of their animals had been vaccinated against rabies and only 53% had undergone full sterilization procedures, according to the study. Service to rural Alaska often relies on traveling veterinarians. Dr. Eli Butler is one of them. Originally from Kenai and a graduate of the collaborative University of Alaska Fairbanks-Colorado State University veterinary medicine program that has been operating for the past decade, Butler was in Nome for a week in early April. Although she had traveled to other parts of Alaska, it was her first time in Nome, which is famous for its sled dogs and is the site of the finish line for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Butler did some spay and neuter procedures during her stint working at the Nome Animal House, a local pet care center. But she was busier with dental care, she said. Poor tooth health can be a problem for dogs, especially older animals, she said. “It is great to be able to come out here and help an area that really, really needs it,” she said. Feral dilemma Stapp’s bill stops short of authorizing any kind of birth control for animals that are already feral. A provision would have allowed municipalities to have trap-neuter-release programs for stray animals, as are carried out in other states. But that was stripped from the bill because it would conflict with state wildlife regulations. It is illegal to release animals into the wild except in certain specially permitted situations, said Ryan Scott, director of the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Wildlife Conservation. Feral animals do a lot of damage to wildlife populations, killing birds, small game mammals and other native creatures, he said. A trap-neuter-release program would do little to address that problem as long as people continue to abandon unwanted dogs and cats, he said. A flier posted at the Nome Recreation Center, seen on April 8, 2026, warns about rabies in wildlife in the Norton Sound region. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) “That particular animal is not going to reproduce. However, you’ve got to get them all,” he said. Ideally, he said, stray dogs and cats would be adopted out if they are captured, spayed, neutered — and vaccinated, something that pets need periodically. There are organizations that try to accomplish that but it takes a lot of work. In 2020, for example, the nonprofit Bethel Friends of Canines worked with other organizations to capture all the stray dogs in the Yukon-Kukokwim village of Tuntutuiak and prepare them for adoption. Rabies threats Murkowski’s bill does contain a section that concerns nondomestic animals – specifically, addressing the circulation of rabies in Arctic wildlife. Her bill has a provision that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to complete a feasibility study on possible delivery of oral rabies vaccines to wildlife species known to be reservoirs of the rabies virus in the Arctic region, notably Arctic foxes, which spend much of their lives on sea ice. Climate change is expected to have mixed impacts on rabies in Alaska. Because Arctic foxes have been the main reservoir, and because the icy habitat for that species is diminishing, it is likely that the prevalence will decrease, according to a 2018 study by UAF scientists. But red foxes, which are bigger, bolder and more likely to lurk around communities, are expanding into territory previously used by Arctic foxes and may become the primary rabies carriers, scientists have said. Red foxes are implicated in most of the known rabies cases in what has been a significant late-winter outbreak in rural Alaska communities. From early February to early March, there were 10 confirmed cases and two more suspected cases, said Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, veterinarian for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. That compares to last year’s total 11 rabies cases in wild animals, Beckmen said during an online webinar held March 10 by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Local Environmental Observer Network. “Now we’ve surpassed that in just one month,” she said. Rabies infections can spread beyond canines. A river otter in Kuskokwim River village of Nightmute tested positive for rabies last year, Beckman reported in her presentation. In 2021, a river otter in Nome also tested positive for rabies, the first such case in Alaska since 2000, when a river otter in the Aleutians East Borough was found to be infected, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. A red fox trots across the rocky tundra in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve looking for something to eat. Red foxes are implicated in most of the recent wildlife rabies cases that have been documented in Alaska. (Photo provided by the National Park Service) In 2023, an aggressive moose that entered the Inupiat village of Teller north of Nome was also found to be infected with rabies. It was Alaska’s first documented case of a rabid moose, and it was presumed to have been bitten by an infected fox. Prospects for passage Murkowski said the chances of her bill winning final passing are unclear. Success will probably depend on getting it combined with broader health legislation, she said. “Passing a standalone bill anymore is just hard unless it is absolutely, 100% noncontroversial,” she said. “People are going to look at it and say, ‘Well, I don’t understand it, so there must be something in here that I should object to.’” The bill has been sitting in the U.S. House since Dec. 15 without any action. The bill, if passed, would impose some new costs. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that adding veterinary care to the Indian Health Service’s mission, as proposed in the bill, would cost $3 million to $4 million a year. Stapp’s spay-and-neuter fund bill would also create some new costs. The program would be administered by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation at a cost of $536,200 in the first year and $331,300 every year after that, according to the Department of Revenue’s analysis. There is no way to know how much of that cost would be offset by the fundraising mechanism established by the bill, the analysis said. As with Murkowski’s bill, the prospects for Stapp’s bill are unclear as the legislature’s scheduled May 20 adjournment deadline looms. Still, it is a popular measure that has touched a nerve in the public, lawmakers acknowledge. “Thank you for bringing forward a bill that fills up my mailbox, my email box,” Rep. Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan, quipped to Stapp at a May 7 House Finance Committee hearing. “There’ll be plenty more emails, and they’ll keep coming until the vote improves there, Rep. Bynum,” Stapp responded. This article was produced as a project for USC Annenberg’s Center for Health Journalism and Center for Climate Journalism and Communication 2025 Health and Climate Change Reporting Fellowship. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Muscatine garage fire causes an estimated $30K in damage The Muscatine Fire Department responded to an unattached garage fire on the 1000 block of Lincoln Boulevard.
	78 Rock Island seniors to be awarded scholarships from Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation The scholarships are worth more than $215,000 in total.
	Monster Jam roars into the QCA You can see some of your favorite monsters trucks in action as they roar into the QCA! Grave Digger driver Matt Cody joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about Monster Jam at Vibrant Arena at The MARK. For more information, click here.
	Davenport police investigate shots fired incident near St. Ambrose University Davenport police are investigating a shots fired incident that occurred between two vehicles near the campus of St. Ambrose University on Friday.

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