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

Wednesday, July 1st, 2026
	What Iowa law says about saving children, pets from hot cars While Iowa has no specific laws about breaking into vehicles to save kids or animals from the heat, the state's "Good Samaritan Law" might apply in some cases.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: JOSHUA AVILA, 33, 5'9", 220 pounds. Wanted by Rock Island County Sheriff's Office for violation of murder and violent offender against youth registration. ZACHARY [...]
	Untold casualties and humanitarian needs: What to know a week from Venezuela's quakes Here's a look at some of the major developments since major back-to-back earthquakes rocked Venezuela on June 24, devastating parts of a country already reeling from crisis after crisis.
	Kids line up to get autographs from the Savannah Bananas at the John Deere Classic In the words of Gwen Stefani: Bananas.
	Bettendorf Superintendent Michelle Morse announces departure Superintendent Michelle Morse has announced her departure from the Bettendorf Community School District in an email sent to families, effective Wednesday.
	Black Hawk College extends president's contract to 2030 The Black Hawk College Board of Trustees has unanimously approved a contract extension for President Dr. Jeremy Thomas through June 30, 2030, recognizing the college’s continued momentum under his leadership and reaffirming its confidence in its future. Dr. Thomas became the college’s president on June 1, 2023 and has successfully completed the original term of [...]
	Davenport opens DREAM applications for homeowners and businesses Davenport is accepting applications through July 31 for new rounds of its DREAM and Commercial DREAM grant programs for homes and businesses.
	Understanding heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke can be lifesaving, doctor says Prompt action in a heat stroke situation can save a life. Here's how you can tell the difference.
	Beating the heat as hundreds gather at TPC Deere Run Various cooling stations will be available throughout the concourse for spectators and athletes alike to get out of the heat.
	Eldridge officials respond to volunteer fire department Eldridge officials are responding to claims made by the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department on social media.
	Bix 7 leaders honored by industry groups Two leaders with the Bix 7 have been honored by industry groups for their work putting the event on every year. Laura Torgerud, Operations Director for the Quad-City Times Bix 7, was named an Emerging Industry Leader by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) on June 24. She earned the distinction [...]
	Extreme Heat Warning until THU 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning: Dangerously High Temperatures and Humidity Until Thursday Evening
	Labor unions, Gray Matters Collective call for I-74 bridge barriers Labor unions from Iowa and Illinois are joining The Gray Matters Collective to call for real, evidence-based suicide prevention on the I-74 Bridge, including physical barriers, prominent crisis hotline signage and emergency phones that connect directly to the 988 Lifeline or local crisis lines. The Barriers to Suicide Act of 2025 (H.R. 3505), a bipartisan [...]
	SNAP is how millions of Americans afford food. Cuts to the program have thrown it into chaos. SNAP is how millions of Americans afford food. Cuts to the program have thrown it into chaos.A missing zero put Sarah’s grocery money in jeopardy. Every month, Sarah receives $219 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for her and her 9-year-old. Sarah works two jobs in food service, one at a senior center and one at a banquet hall, and has relied on SNAP for support ever since her husband died unexpectedly about six years ago. But last year during her annual benefits renewal, one of her employers messed up a number on the required paperwork.It was around Christmas, and Sarah and her daughter were about to take a long-awaited trip from Michigan to Texas to see Sarah’s mother for the holiday. That’s when the letter came. (This article refers to SNAP recipients by their first names only to protect their privacy.) It stated that Sarah would lose her benefits if she didn’t re-complete the paperwork. Before, she had been able to call a caseworker assigned to her who could answer questions. Now, paperwork simply disappeared into a portal. She debated canceling their trip—would it be better to save the travel money to put toward food just in case? She crossed her fingers and headed to Texas anyway, and while there, contacted her job to have them correct the error. She resubmitted with a week to spare. But it was tough to get into the spirit of holiday fun when she was hiding how stressed she was from both her daughter and her mother.It makes you on edge, she told The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Slate, not knowing if you can protect your kid, if you can feed her, all because of something outside your control. She called it a low-grade terror: “You know how that feels, right? Where you’re worried all the time, and it’s like a low burn in your chest, queasiness in the belly.”She was right to worry: After she returned home, a second letter arrived, telling Sarah she’d lost her benefits.SNAP helps over 41 million people in the United States afford food, and under Donald Trump, it’s been thrown into chaos. It’s “completely unprecedented as to what we’re dealing with,” said Gina Plata-Nino, director of SNAP policy and advocacy at the Food Research & Action Center. In July 2025, when the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or H.R. 1, was signed into law, it included the largest cuts to SNAP in history. With that came new work requirements, costs of the program shifting to states, and other sweeping changes that could lead to more than 3 million people losing access within the next few years. Then, in November, the program paused for the first time ever, when the Trump administration refused to fund benefits during the government shutdown, which left many without food assistance for nearly two weeks, a decision that had lasting detrimental effects. People were forced to go hungry, choosing between paying for bills or for food, or not eating to ensure children were fed. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved waivers that allow 18 states to restrict some foods from being purchased with SNAP, creating confusion for retailers and recipients, according to CivilEats. All this is unfolding amid an affordability crisis with continued high costs for medical care, housing, and, of course, food.“The government has shown us what they think is important in terms of keeping people fed and healthy and able to participate in our economy, and they don’t care,” said Lindsay Allen, health economist and policy researcher at Northwestern University, adding that health care and food have been used as political pawns.Even when benefits do end up coming through, the endless chaos, changes to the program, and fear around access to food are taking a toll. After receiving the second notice, Sarah fought to get her benefits back. It turns out that a communal caseworker never got to the resubmitted paperwork. After over an hour on the phone, her SNAP benefits were reinstated—but somehow she got less by about a fourth. “If you want to talk about mental health strain, that kind of thing can happen at any time, and does,” she said. She’s still figuring out how to make up for the fact that her monthly benefits are lower.Food insecurity, defined by the USDA as the economic and social condition of having limited or uncertain access to adequate food, affects some 50 million Americans. Changes to SNAP could deepen existing food insecurity—and food insecurity itself is linked to anxiety, depression, and psychiatric disorders. There is nothing that being hungry does not worsen. Hunger and mental health issues feed off each other, said Mariana Chilton, a professor in the department of nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She’s done extensive research showing that food insecurity is strongly associated with major maternal depressive symptoms; she points to research focused on the association between food insecurity and suicidal ideation and attempts in teenagers. Children are profoundly impacted by hunger, with consequences for mental health and development, among other things, extending far past childhood.Some experts have long called for benefit amounts to be increased, or for other changes to make the program more accessible and responsive to needs. A 2023 analysis from the Urban Institute found that SNAP benefits weren’t keeping up with rising food costs in 99 percent of counties. Current cuts are making everything worse.SNAP participation has historically reduced the likelihood that a given household will be food insecure by 30 percent. Research led by Anna Austin, an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of North Carolina, found that policies that increase the number of households eligible to receive SNAP benefits contributes to reductions in poor mental health and suicidality. She noted that when people gain access to SNAP, they show improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Removing the cognitive strain of where food will come from also can reduce stigma and feelings of shame.There’s also a general sense of unease around changes to SNAP. Some described it as fear: fear around where a next meal will come from. Fear over how someone will pay for a child’s birthday cake. Fear that the program—without warning or reason—may become impossible to access.What’s more, changes to SNAP are happening alongside cuts to Medicaid. It leads to what Allen calls a “terrible synergistic effect” of people’s food being taken away and people getting sick because of it while health care is stripped away.People who are considered “able-bodied adults without dependents” have to work for at least 80 hours a month to receive SNAP benefits, according to KFF, a health policy organization focused on research, policy analysis, polling, and journalism, which broke down Medicaid and SNAP work requirements. H.R. 1 expanded work requirements to include adults ages 55 to 64 and adults with dependents over 14 years old. It also removed exemptions for veterans, young adults who aged out of foster care, and people experiencing homelessness. Lack of access to SNAP disproportionately harms children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, immigrant households, and rural communities, and can exacerbate racial and ethnic health inequities, Austin said. Meanwhile, studies show that most people receiving SNAP who can work already do so, and research shows work requirements aren’t effective at improving employment outcomes, since they don’t address economic conditions, scheduling practices, or other barriers to work. Getting a job, even if you really want one, can be difficult.A March 2026 report from the Center for American Progress detailed the deadly consequences of these cuts, estimating that work requirement expansions could lead to almost 70,000 deaths by 2040. In the meantime, they are tormenting people. In 2022, Allen published research that found that SNAP work requirements worsened anxiety and depression, with visits to health care providers for depression and anxiety increasing faster for women than they did for men. SNAP and Medicaid are safety-net programs, she said, “and there’s nothing below the safety net but concrete.”The first time Nieves Aragon testified at a Colorado Board of Human Services meeting about the restriction on using SNAP benefits to purchase sweetened drinks, she held up a juice box. The second time, in early March, she held up a can of Coca-Cola. She wanted to show that what they are attempting to take away from SNAP recipients are lifesavers to her as a Type 1 diabetic. If she’s with her 5-year-old son and her sugar goes low, the first thing she thinks of is a Gatorade or soda, which wouldn’t be covered. Now, she worries about whether she can afford the $3 out of pocket to grab a Coke, or if she’ll have to compromise on what her child needs in order to grab what she needs for her sugar. Aragon has attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and said that maintaining a specific diet is crucial to both her diabetes and ensuring her ADHD medication is working properly. “I try not to think about it too much, because I feel like then you spiral down to that depressive ‘What are we going to do?’ kind of state,” explained Aragon of the restrictions. In March 2026, SNAP recipients in multiple states, including Colorado, sued the USDA over food-restriction waivers, stating in the complaint that they “destabilize food access.” The restrictions are stalled. But they could come back.Over in Tennessee, where restrictions on “processed foods and beverages” will take effect in July, Brittany, a single mom, says the cost of food is so high, she struggles even with the support of SNAP. Restrictions on what can be purchased will only make it harder, because out-of-pocket costs take away from other necessities, like gas. There are going to be parents who can’t afford a birthday cake for their kid thanks to restrictions, which isn’t fair to that child, she pointed out. “I feel like you can never get ahead,” she said. She already works full-time as a medical assistant. She can’t get a second job; if she did, she would then make too much to live in government housing—but still wouldn’t be able to afford to live elsewhere. She’s always worried about the next thing. “I try not to cry in front of my kids or let them know that I’m worried at all about anything, because that just puts more stress on them,” she said.The strain of uncertainty sits at an intersection of turmoil in the United States, all overlapping, all exhausting. There’s the cost of food, and the cost of health care. Jobs feel impossible to find, and wages don’t meet the cost of living. Even attempting to keep track of changes is like “drinking from the firehose,” said Austin, the researcher who found that expanded SNAP access improved mental health. “I think the constant uncertainty, particularly when it’s something as important as ‘How am I going to feed my family? Where am I going to get my next meal?’ is just so much strain and stress and really negatively impacting mental health,” she said.Recently, Krysten, who lives in Pennsylvania, was dropped from SNAP because she technically makes too much money. Krysten makes $13 an hour as a home health aide, but doesn’t have paid leave or benefits, so when she’s sick, she makes nothing. Because she lives in the same household as her mother, what her mom receives in Social Security counts as income. That’s left her household receiving only $72 a month in SNAP benefits. She thinks elected officials who are making decisions to cut or restrict SNAP should visit food pantries to see how many people are coming in—last time Krysten went, the food pantry was so low on items that they weren’t able to really help. Krysten does meet the requirements to stay on Medicaid, which she’s thankful for.Recently, when she went to the doctor, she said they asked if she wanted medication for depression. But she didn’t feel like there was anything amiss that could be solved with medicine. She is depressed because she doesn’t have enough food in the house, she explained to the doctor. “That does make you stressed. It does make you depressed.”For many, SNAP is a direct mental health support. That’s the case for Annika Verma, a college student who moved out of her family’s home shortly before she turned 18. Verma was struggling with depression and an eating disorder, and working as a barista while enrolled in community college. She didn’t know she could access resources like SNAP. “Starving, to me, started to feel like an economic choice that just became congruent with those aesthetic and obsessive choices around food,” she explained. By summer 2024, SNAP benefits made it possible for her to work with her nutritionist and clinical team to eat consistently, and to build new, nutritious foods, as well as fun foods, back into her diet.But the threat of that support going away was constant. While she recently has become financially stable and stopped using SNAP, she recalled worrying that one mistake on a form would mean not eating. The fear would keep her up at night catastrophizing; the calculator on her phone was always being used for either calorie counting or counting SNAP dollars. It stays with you, she said. Now, she added, it feels like the Trump administration is telling people “that they are not allowed to be a human in need.”Co-published by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Slate.This story was produced by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Slate, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Americans are showing up for the World Cup in record-breaking numbers While the U.S. isn't a bona fide soccer nation yet, the past three weeks have perhaps shown what it would feel like if it were.
	The Trump administration’s multiple investigations of the 2020 election may have more to do with 2026 The Trump administration’s multiple investigations of the 2020 election may have more to do with 2026The FBI agents arrived at David Bolter’s Milwaukee home on a cool, cloudy Wednesday morning in late May. They were armed with a list of questions for the 2020 poll worker, who had raised concerns about the way local officials handled the 2020 election, Bolter told Votebeat.President Donald Trump relied on Bolter’s claims in an unsuccessful 2020 lawsuit that sought to throw out more than 220,000 votes. That would have been more than enough to move Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes from Democrat Joe Biden, who won the state, to Trump. Though courts, several election reviews, and many audits rejected Trump’s claims, the Republican never stopped believing that he was cheated out of the presidency in 2020.That appears to be why, last month, the FBI sent agents back to Milwaukee to question Bolter as part of an expanding national effort by the second Trump administration to investigate long-debunked claims of fraud in the 2020 election.Votebeat dug into the Trump administration’s various investigations of the 2020 election and explained how those efforts could impact the midterms in 2026.The investigation into the 2020 election appears to be relying on already disproven allegations from people like Bolter. Bolter declined to divulge more about his conversation with the FBI, which has not been previously reported, but allegations from Bolter’s 2020 affidavit were central to some conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. For example, he alleged that somebody in Milwaukee’s absentee ballot counting facility announced around midnight on Election Day that a “huge truckload of ballots” was going to be delivered — an accusation for which there has so far appeared to be no additional evidence.Around the same time Bolter says he talked to the FBI, two plainclothes agents with FBI badges showed up at the apartment of a former Milwaukee resident and 2020 poll worker about an affidavit she submitted, according to the former poll worker, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Christine, to give her the freedom to discuss an ongoing investigation.Christine had also submitted an affidavit about the 2020 election, saying election workers had been told that all votes were counted, but she then saw workers continuing to count ballots around midnight. That affidavit was the focus of the agents’ questions, Christine told Votebeat.“I suspected wrongdoing, but I’m not saying that it actually happened,” she said. “I’m just one lowly person that was working there.”During the interview, she added, an agent showed her a photograph of Claire Woodall, the former Milwaukee election chief, asking her if she recognized the former election official who has been central to false allegations about the 2020 election. She identified her by name. Woodall didn’t respond to a request for comment.Caroline Clancy, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Milwaukee office, declined to comment.While investigators seem mainly focused on the 2020 vote, some elections experts believe the Trump administration’s wide-ranging probe is actually designed to create more doubts among Americans about future elections, as Republicans face strong political headwinds that could cost them control of Congress later this year.“This isn’t about the 2020 election, this is about the 2026 and 2028 elections,” said David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Election Innovation and Research. “This is about intimidating election officials. This is about creating a stream of disinformation designed to delegitimize an election the president may believe he’s going to lose. This is designed by the president’s underlings to satisfy the unrealistic expectations of a president that still cannot comprehend that he lost an election that he definitely lost, and it’s incredibly destabilizing.”Wisconsin is the latest known target of the Trump administration’s 2020 investigation. The FBI is looking to interview elections officials and Milwaukee police officers in what some worry could be a precursor to an effort to seize ballots from the 2020 presidential race, as it already has in Georgia.The Trump administration is revisiting allegations of election fraud that have been repeatedly scrutinizedIn January, federal investigators seized 600 boxes of ballots from the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia. The heavily Democratic county, home to Atlanta, was key to Biden’s narrow 2020 victory in the state.As in Wisconsin, the FBI in Georgia has built its investigation on allegations that have already been repeatedly scrutinized by audits, investigations, and courts without unearthing any evidence of fraud or tampering that could have overturned the results.The Georgia search represented an unprecedented intervention by the federal government into local administration. Even more unusually, Tulsi Gabbard, who will step down at the end of this month as director of national intelligence, personally oversaw the seizure and arranged for Trump to speak directly to the FBI agents via cell phone after they carried out the operation.The Trump administration investigations stretch from Arizona, where federal officials subpoenaed computerized records of a partisan review state lawmakers conducted of Maricopa County’s 2020 election, to Puerto Rico, where the Office of the Director of National Intelligence procured voting machines to examine for potential security risks.The administration’s investigations aren’t entirely limited to 2020. The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter in April to Wayne County, Michigan — home to Detroit — demanding all ballots cast in the 2024 election, which Trump won. But even in that case, to support the request, the Justice Department cited accusations of fraud made after the 2020 election, including a lawsuit that was quickly dismissed after a judge wrote that “plaintiffs’ interpretation of events is incorrect and not credible.” Wayne County never handed over the ballots, because it doesn’t have possession of them.What do the 2020 elections mean for 2026?The FBI faces challenges in pursuing cases tied to the 2020 election since the five-year statute of limitations that applies to most of the likely charges expired last year. Law enforcement veterans said it is possible that the Justice Department could pursue broader conspiracy charges in the case, but the prospect remains unclear.FBI Director Kash Patel suggested in April that the Justice Department would soon announce arrests related to the 2020 election, but that has not yet occurred. Officials with the FBI and Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment.John Keller, a former acting head of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section who resigned in 2025 after refusing the Trump administration’s demands to drop corruption charges against then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams, said the administration appeared to be trying to normalize federal investigations of state elections to pave the way for future intervention.“They are using enforcement directed at the 2020 election as a test run for what they can get away with on Election Day this year, or after, to try and delay certification or invalidate an election” if the results don’t go their way, he said.Injecting federal law enforcement officials into an ongoing election is a more extreme and serious action than investigating a past one, and it could face stiffer opposition. But it’s clear, at least, that the administration is scrutinizing current elections closely.Trump last week blasted California’s long vote counting process in its primary election and asserted that Democrats were trying to steal the election and federal authorities were investigating. Last month, Trump also said he was ordering the Justice Department to investigate an error that led to some voters in Maryland receiving ballots for the wrong party in the state’s upcoming primary. State officials in both cases have explained the true causes of the issues and that nothing nefarious was behind them.Any effort to seize ballots in an ongoing election would create unprecedented new issues, such as a breach in the chain of custody over cast ballots, that could prevent election officials from declaring a winner and throw results into uncertainty.Catherine Engelbrecht, co-founder of the Texas-based conservative group True the Vote, which has promoted debunked theories about the 2020 election, said she understands Trump’s intentions but believes the 2020 election questions should have been resolved “in the immediate aftermath of the 2020 election.”“This is not necessarily the way I would have recommended that it would be handled,” she said. “The fact that it wasn’t addressed has left this lingering void.”In most cases, however, Trump’s claims of voter fraud were addressed in the wake of the 2020 election. Time and again, courts, state investigations, and even the Justice Department concluded that there was no evidence of problems or fraud that would have changed the results.Engelbrecht said she views the Trump administration’s ongoing investigations as an effort to dig into long-standing concerns about the voting process it wants to address for future elections.“The past is prologue,” she said. “If we don’t understand what happened, we are doomed to repeat it.”This story was produced by Votebeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Funerals held for 14 Pakistani children killed in tutoring center collapse Police are investigating whether negligence during construction work caused the collapse in the eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday.
	Applications open for Davenport DREAM projects Applications are now open for new rounds of funding through the Davenport DREAM Project and Commercial DREAM Project. The program offers grants to new and existing homeowners in the city’s heritage neighborhoods by offering grants to make exterior property improvements. Commercial DREAM provides grants to eligible property owners to improve blight conditions on commercial, industrial [...]
	A simple yet expensive way to climate-proof the grid: Bury the power lines A simple yet expensive way to climate-proof the grid: Bury the power linesPower lines across the country weren’t designed for a changing climate, with much of the nation’s grid built more than half a century ago. Today, stronger storms and heavier precipitation contribute to hundreds of outages each year, many because of trees falling on above-ground power lines.In northern Michigan, some utilities want to change that.In March 2025, a devastating ice storm hit the region, knocking down trees and snapping utility poles. Thousands of people lost power, and some remained without electricity for weeks..During the blackout, Lewiston, Michigan, resident Wanda Whiting suddenly had to get her husband, Dave, to the hospital. He was having heart trouble. The side of the highway was littered with downed wires and broken poles. The streets were so dark, she said, that she got lost on familiar roads.“I still can’t get over how astonished I was, how much we rely on street lights,” Whiting told Grist.At one point, she had to drive over thick cables that had fallen across the road. Downed wires are dangerous; they can still be live even if the power is out. The couple made it to the hospital, and Dave Whiting recovered. But the power in the area didn’t come back on for another two weeks. Vivian La // IPR News For Michiganders, the ice storm was a reminder of the power grid’s vulnerabilities during severe weather. The state already sees some of the longest power outages in the country.Climate change could make that worse. Research suggests northern Michigan will see more freezing rain instead of snow and possibly more destructive ice storms. Communities need to plan for a different future, said Richard B. Rood, a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan who studies climate change adaptation.“You can’t think of what we’re experiencing as, ‘This is how it used to be, and this is where it will be,â€˜” Rood said. “You are right in the middle of the change here.”The biggest challenge to undergrounding power lines is cost. Consumers Energy, one of the largest utilities in Michigan, says it hears from customers “consistently” about burying more lines. The company estimates that undergrounding 1 mile of line in the state can cost $400,000. In some urban areas that cost can swell, with estimates ranging from $2 million to $3 million per mile, according to a report from the Michigan Public Service Commission.In contrast, installing overhead lines is typically a fraction of that cost.Instead of undergrounding existing wires, burying new lines during construction is generally easier and cheaper, because crews can install power lines alongside other utilities like water or gas.Tony Chartrand, pictured below, is director of electrical engineering and operations for Traverse City Light & Power, which serves roughly 42,000 people. He said utilities face a balancing act. “Part of that solution is undergrounding lines,” he said. “But it’s not necessarily undergrounding everything.” Vivian La // IPR News Great Lakes Energy, the state’s largest electric co-op serving 26 counties across northern Michigan, has announced plans to bury all new power lines. The new policy came in response to last year’s ice storm, which caused more than 66,000 power outages across the electric co-op’s system and cost about $150 million in damages.Even so, burying new lines will be expensive, said Shari Culver, chief operating officer for Great Lakes Energy. It can cost three to five times more than putting up an overhead line, and costs will be passed onto ratepayers. But, she said, “I think there’s reliability benefits for our membership, because it’s going to help prevent outages over the long term.”The utility isn’t planning on burying all its existing overhead lines. That’s when expenses for construction, labor, and materials can add up quickly.Besides the cost, there are other challenges with burying power lines. Any problem often requires digging up sidewalks to reach wires, Chartrand said. For utilities, that can be a balancing act.“Part of that solution is undergrounding lines. But it’s not necessarily undergrounding everything,” he said. “It’s trying to balance that cost with the benefit.”Michigan utilities aren’t alone in addressing the problem of downed lines during intense storms. Across the country, Americans are experiencing longer and more frequent power outages due to severe weather.Utilities nationwide are looking to bury more lines, said Andrew Phillips, vice president of transmission and distribution infrastructure at the Electric Power Research Institute.But expensive electricity bills are another concern, as utilities balance upgrades to an aging grid and increasing demand.“If the utility wants to make any investment, this money doesn’t come from nowhere,” said Tao Sun, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University who studies the impact of extreme weather on power systems. “They have to pass on those costs to their customers.”That can be a hard sell.Sun said utilities need to plan ahead, identify the areas that would see the most benefit from undergrounding, and get buy-in from local communities for rate increases — ideally before any major disaster.Right now, he said, those changes typically happen after disaster strikes. Vivian La // IPR News “We will only take actions after local customers feel or experience those events that are really severe or disrupt their lives,” Sun said.For instance, California’s largest utility, PG&E, is in the middle of one of the country’s largest undergrounding projects — in response to destructive wildfires.A year after the devastating ice storm in northern Michigan, residents like Wanda Whiting are still recovering. There are now new poles and wires near her home. But Whiting can’t help wondering how these power lines will hold up in the next storm — and whether there’s a better solution.“If it means going underground,” she says, “Then by God, go underground!”This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and Interlochen Public Radio in northern Michigan.This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Two Bettendorf parishes unite to form St. Joan of Arc Parish A new chapter in Catholic life in Bettendorf starts today as Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and St. John Vianney Parish officially unite to form St. Joan of Arc Parish. The merger was approved by the Diocese of Davenport and Bishop Dennis Walsh and brings together two vibrant parish communities into one parish family, serving [...]
	City of Eldridge statement addresses public comments, fire department, public safety In a Facebook post, the City of Eldridge has released a statement about public comments and a shortage of firefighters. City staff and elected officials have been working for over a year with members of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department to solve the department’s "dire shortage of manpower and burnout. We all agree that the [...]
	Managing money as a couple: What to know about joint bank accounts Managing money as a couple: What to know about joint bank accounts In any relationship, these questions may inevitably come up: Should we keep our own separate bank accounts? Should we open a joint account? Should we have both?How you and your spouse (or future spouse) or partner manage your money can mean much more than you might think. Your daily-use bank accounts can influence how you two approach money, make financial decisions, and even plan for your future.“The decision reflects how you’re thinking about earning, saving, and giving. It reflects a philosophy of life: ‘What does it mean to earn? Whose earnings are those? Who am I spending for? Is it a personal or shared project?’” said Mariana Martinez, a senior family dynamics consultant with Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management. These are important questions for every couple to answer as they plan for a financially happy and healthy life together. What that answer is will inevitably be different for everyone. In this article, Wells Fargo outlines the potential advantages and disadvantages you and your partner should consider.Key takeawaysUnderstand your options: Couples may opt to use joint, individual, or a mix of both joint and individual bank accounts, depending on their needs and approaches to money.Using joint accounts may offer both spouses visibility over those funds, shared fiscal responsibility, and an easier path forward if one of you dies. However, some couples may conflict over how the account is used or even abused.Using individual accounts may offer spouses more individual freedom in managing money, which can be important for those with separate expenses. But it’s possible you and your partner might lack opportunities to make a more cohesive financial strategy.What is best for your relationship? You and your partner should discuss your preferences and come to an answer together. Joint vs. individual accounts: What’s the difference?A joint account is a checking or savings account with two accountholders with the same primary authority. Even though there are two people responsible for the account, one person can make transactions or changes to the account without the other’s permission.An individual account is the same checking or savings bank account, but there’s only one primary account holder who’s able to make transactions and access the account.Typically, primary account holders of either joint or individual accounts can give another person view-only access, such as a parent who’s able to monitor their child’s account activity. Pros: Joint bank accounts Shared responsibilityWhen two people decide to live their lives together, they explicitly or tacitly agree to take on expenses together. Paying for these costs using a joint account may naturally follow logically or philosophically for many couples.“A joint account represents the desire to have a combined journey,” Martinez said.Simply put, this joint account creates a shared place for you and your spouse to put money and use it. When covering fixed expenses like rent or a mortgage, utilities, or insurance, you both can have peace of mind knowing these shared bills are covered because you’re working on them together, in addition to the visibility to see transactions are made. The advantage of a joint account is that both of you may be actively engaged or at least familiar with managing the account.Joint visibilityThe clearest benefit of a couple managing their money with a joint account is that both people can see that money and how it’s being spent. This could lead to both members of the relationship having a more holistic view of their finances. That way, you can check if you’re on track with your budget or if you’re both working toward your goals.Joint visibility into you and your partner’s accounts may make it easier to create a more cohesive financial plan. The opposite may be true if you and your partner don’t know how much money the other has in their accounts or how they’re being managed, said Travis Taylor, a financial advisor and certified financial planner professional with Wells Fargo Advisors. This visibility also means there could be two sets of eyes monitoring recent account activity for unexpected or dubious transactions, fraud, or scams.It could be easier to pass on moneyA joint account makes it easier for a spouse to access that money if the other spouse dies, compared with individual accounts.When the worst happens, anything in that account will pass to the surviving accountholder. If it were an individual account, that spouse may need to enter a probate process to get those funds.“That’s a pro if you know that money needs to go to your spouse if something were to happen to you,” Taylor said. “It could be considered a con, though, if one spouse has a different opinion of where that money should go after death.” If you and your spouse feel differently about where those joint account funds should go when you pass on, opening a trust is one option to ensure your wishes are followed.Cons: Joint bank accountsAssumed roles can ariseNaturally, people may carry assumptions or expectations of all sorts when it comes to money, including who carries the most responsibility of managing the couple’s joint bank account. Left unspoken, these attitudes can lead couples to not fulfilling both members’ financial needs. “Pay attention to how those inherited views are handled and how they’re informing what the couple is doing,” Martinez said.For example, if one spouse is the household’s primary earner, makes all major financial transactions using a joint account, and dies unexpectedly, that may leave the other spouse less prepared to manage money alone, because they haven’t had to handle the account. However, this is only a disadvantage if you or your partner aren’t familiar with how to manage the account.Trust can be brokenSharing a financial account relies on trust between partners to earn, save, and spend money together with some level of shared expectations. However, that bond can be broken if a spouse breaks those rules or expectations, such as by overspending, withdrawing funds inappropriately, or failing to cover bills.“If there is ever a breach of trust in the relationship, that joint authority can be problematic,” Taylor said.If conflict arises, you and your spouse may be able to rebuild that bond by talking honestly about what happened, how it overstepped a boundary or made you feel, and what can be done to regain trust moving forward.Trickier to decouple if your relationship endsWhile joint accounts can help couples manage their money over the course of their relationship, they will likely need to be closed if you and your spouse decide to end your relationship or marriage.If you and your spouse get divorced, your joint account will most likely be considered marital property and be split according to your state’s laws or what’s dictated in your divorce proceedings, assuming both you and your partner contributed to it. If you’re in this position, work with your attorney and your bank to manage the account accordingly throughout the divorce process. A prenuptial agreement can help you and a future spouse make your accounts known to the other partner and discuss how you’d like them handled in the event your marriage ends. For married couples, a postnuptial agreement can establish your joint plan of how to handle your accounts in the case of death or divorce, removing the uncertainty from a difficult time.“The account type, in my mind, does not dictate a happy retirement for a married couple,” Taylor said. “What more likely dictates a happy retirement are two people who set a plan early in life and follow up on that plan until they retire.”Pros: Individual bank accounts Both you and your partner must manage moneyIf you and your partner decide to keep the individual bank accounts you entered your relationship or marriage with, you’ll likely manage them as you did.By maintaining some individual responsibility with money, you may both preserve or improve your financial literacy skills and ultimately will serve your relationship better if each of you has an individual account.“Individual accounts help keep both people financially responsible,” Martinez said. “You want both people to be competent in financial management.”Allows for different money habits or approachesIf you and your spouse keep separate bank accounts, you may more easily move, spend, and save your money how you’d like because you won’t need to factor in another person.“That gives people room and, in my experience, it’s one less thing where friction can come up,” Martinez said. For example, if you’re more frugal and your partner is less so, you could agree to use your money as you want, beyond meeting any shared financial goals or budget. For another couple, one spouse may have a stable income and opt to cover fixed expenses while the other person could use their varied income to pay down debt or cover rainy day purchases.Spouses may have separate expensesBoth people in a marriage may prefer to handle expenses that only pertain to them. In some relationships, it might not be appropriate for these payments to come from a joint account. This may be particularly important for spouses who must pay alimony, child support, or other payments stipulated in a divorce, for example. If you or your spouse have been married and divorced previously, the idea of combining your finances into a joint account might be tough, especially if decoupling your finances with a previous partner was emotionally, financially, or logistically difficult. If that’s the case, having separate individual accounts may be a good alternative.This question comes up pretty often if you have two people who’ve had difficult divorces and they’re bringing their money together, Taylor said.Cons: Individual bank accountsPotential lack of cohesion with your financesWithout a joint account, couples may not have organic opportunities to discuss and agree on financial goals and how to budget their money. These are two building blocks to a cohesive strategy for a financially healthy marriage and successful long-term planning.“Going from happily married to happily retired is hard. To me, it all starts with setting a goal for what you want your retirement to look like together and how you accomplish that,” Taylor said. For some, however, that may be easier with a joint account that allows spouses to see each other’s spending and savings habits with those funds, Taylor said.Power dynamics can emergeWhen spouses have separate accounts, their financial differences could be exacerbated, Martinez said.For example, if one spouse earns more and has more funds to spend on hobbies, clothes, or other discretionary purchases, it might lead the other person to develop negative feelings. For another couple, uneven incomes or access to money might lead to feelings of inequality in the relationship.“Separate accounts can reduce resentment, but they can also invite competition. That might not be the best approach to building a life together,” Martinez said. Your account structure activates the power dynamics that more often than not money brings to the table, she added.There’s no default transparencyThe same freedom that can empower couples to manage money how they want may also lead to confusion, a lack of accountability, or even financial dishonesty.Financial secrets aren’t uncommon. In fact, 56% of Americans surveyed in the 2025 Wells Fargo Money Study kept secret how much money they have.“Having an individual account means that only spouse A can see spouse A’s account. Spouse B? Not so much,” Taylor said. “How can you hold each other accountable to have a happy retirement if you’re not working together?”When to decide if you should have joint or separate accounts There’s no wrong or right time for couples to make a change when it comes to their bank accounts. The best decision is one made jointly and with intention.You and your spouse shouldn’t feel pressure to create a joint account right when you live together or get married if it doesn’t come up organically. Suddenly changing how you manage money without prior planning, especially as you navigate big life changes, can be a “recipe for disaster,” said Sylvia Guinan, a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors. Instead, try “baby steps,” like paying a bill through a joint account and adding other expenses over time, Guinan added. A potential entry point for newer couples might be opening a joint account to cover some wedding expenses, Martinez said.“What often makes sense is to have a joint account for joint bills — the house, electric — and maybe for your vacations, but I think it’s nice for everybody to keep a bit of their independence,” Guinan said.Don’t let the timing of your decision keep you and your spouse from making it at all. Being intentional with money is an aspiration for many: Nearly everyone (94%) surveyed in the 2025 Wells Fargo Money Study said they want to make money choices that align with their values. What are other couples doing with their bank accounts? Wells Fargo Source: YouGov Plc survey of 2,217 American adults conducted Dec. 9–11, 2024, on behalf of BankrateCurious how other people use joint or separate bank accounts? One survey suggests relying on joint accounts is the most popular approach, but a mix of both joint and separate bank accounts was also popular. Wells Fargo Source: YouGov Plc survey of 2,217 American adults conducted Dec. 9–11, 2024 on behalf of BankrateMost Americans (62%) polled in a 2024 Bankrate survey said they keep at least some money separated in individual accounts, but joint accounts are quite common, too. Nearly 3 in 4 people (73%) in the survey reported using a joint account for all or part of how they manage their money.FAQHow do I open a bank account with my spouse?Financial institutions may have different account opening processes and requirements. With some institutions, you can start the process of opening a checking or savings account with a spouse or partner online or at a branch.Can I add my spouse to an existing bank account?While not all accounts will have the same terms and conditions, yes, you can typically add a spouse or partner to an existing checking or savings account. Do you need to be married to open a joint bank account together?No, you do not need to be married to open a joint bank account with a spouse, partner, boyfriend, or girlfriend.This story was produced by Wells Fargo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Why values and early conversations matter when talking about wealth Why values and early conversations matter when talking about wealthWealth without values is a fragile inheritance—starting early, honest conversations with kids about money and meaning is the true legacy that lasts across generations.When it comes to wealth, especially at the ultrahigh-net-worth (UHNW) level, the conversation often starts and ends with portfolios, asset allocation, and tax strategies. But if you ask families who have successfully navigated wealth across generations, they’ll tell you the most critical work happens long before any financial decisions are made. It begins with understanding your relationship with money and, more importantly, the values that guide it.Insights from dozens of in-depth, confidential interviews with multigenerational families and family office leaders point to a clear conclusion: Wealth without a foundation of self-awareness and shared values is fragile. On the other hand, as Bernstein Private Wealth Management explains, wealth grounded in purpose and intentionality stays resilient.Why Values Come First as Wealth GrowsOne self-made entrepreneur who eventually exited put it succinctly: “If my motivations were a Ferrari and a bigger house, I would have given up early and failed miserably. The only reason I kept fighting was for my family. That’s the only motivation that matters.” Clarity of purpose—not financial reward—sustained them through years of uncertainty and eventual success. Without that clarity, wealth can amplify stress, fear, or misalignment. But when your financial journey is anchored in what truly matters, wealth becomes a servant to life, not the driver of it.For many wealth creators, there is no inherited playbook. As one family office leader explained, “When wealth is liquid and there’s no legacy business, you don’t automatically have a story or something bonding family members. You have to be intentional about creating a sense of connection and legacy.” Values such as humility, responsibility, generosity, and stewardship become the compass when there is no road map.And this compass is essential not just for the current generation but for the next. One first-generation wealth creator shared a common concern: “I just don’t want my kids to think that money makes them better than anyone else. It doesn’t. They still have to show up, they still have to work, and they still have to be good people.” Families who are most confident about their long-term success emphasize communication, education, and deliberately conveying values to the next generation.Put Values First, Numbers LaterOne of the most important lessons to be learned from working with UHNW families is that values must come before numbers. One entrepreneur with five children described their approach: “We created our family values together: love, gratitude, respect, discipline. I ask my kids ‘What are the values you guys lived today at school, or in the sports arena?’” This philosophy—tying money conversations back to values and separating values education from financial disclosure—is a hallmark of families who feel confident about the next generation’s outcomes.Without a values framework, wealth discussions can feel abstract, or worse, transactional. But when values come first, money becomes a tool in service of something bigger, not an identity. This mindset transforms wealth from a potential source of division or anxiety into a source of clarity, connection, and opportunity.When and How Should We Talk to Our Kids About Our Wealth?One of the most emotionally charged questions for UHNW families is: When should we talk to our children about our wealth? And what should we say? The short answer is that there is no single “right age.” Instead, it’s a gradual process of age-appropriate conversations that deepens understanding over time. One parent who experienced a significant liquidity event shared that they didn’t sit their kids down and say, “Here’s the number.” Rather, what mattered was helping them understand “that this isn’t normal—but they’re not special,” emphasizing that money doesn’t buy effort, character, or belonging.Start Earlier Than You ThinkChildren start forming beliefs about money as early as elementary school. And silence doesn’t protect them. Instead, it leaves them to fill in the gaps themselves. One multigenerational family leader explained, “We didn’t grow up with financial education, but we certainly did have conversations. Not about money—about expectations. To encourage us to do something meaningful with the freedom we were given.”Long before wealth is named explicitly, early conversations focus on work ethic, gratitude, and choice. These conversations lay the foundation that makes later disclosures feel logical instead of destabilizing. They don’t need all the information, but they do need context. Shielding children from wealth often increases anxiety later. You can involve them in age-appropriate advisor conversations and financial decisions without handing over full control. This approach fosters trust and prepares them for future responsibilities. Bernstein Private Wealth Management Three Ways to Build a Values-Driven Wealth Legacy1. Start with Honest Self-ReflectionBefore diving into structures or strategies, take time to reflect on your own relationship with money and values. Ask yourself:What does money represent to us? Security, freedom, impact, perhaps something else?What beliefs about money did we inherit, and which ones still serve us?What life experiences inform how we make decisions about wealth?In what ways does wealth simplify our lives, and where does it complicate things?Action: Set aside dedicated time, alone or with your partner, to write down your answers. This exchange can become the foundation for future financial decisions and family conversations.2. Make Values Explicit—and Share ThemMany families assume their values are “understood.” In practice, the strongest families name them clearly and revisit them often. Create a short family values list or mission statement. Use family meetings to discuss why decisions are made, not just what decisions are made. Share personal stories that illustrate values in action—especially moments of failure or challenge. Living those values day-to-day is just as critical, if not more. Put simply, as the family grows, it’s not enough to hope everyone stays close. As one multigenerational entrepreneurial family member reflected, “When you have so many people involved, communication and preserving the [family values] are the most important things to keep the family together for the next generations to come.”Action: Draft a family values or mission statement and review it together at least once a year.3. Connect Money Decisions to MeaningFinancial literacy deepens when wealth is connected to purpose. Involve the next generation in age-appropriate financial decisions. Use philanthropy as a teaching tool, not just a giving vehicle. Encourage exploration of passions alongside an understanding of responsibility. As one family business leader with college-age children noted, “I’m going to set up a charity, and I want to use that to get [our kids] to start thinking about how you manage money, how you give money away, how people will be looking at you and treating you. I think it’ll be a good experience for us to learn together, and hopefully use that as a stepping stone for more education on wealth management.”Action: Home in on one financial decision—investing, giving, or spending—and explicitly discuss how it aligns with your family’s values.Final ThoughtsFor UHNW families, financial literacy is not just about knowing how to manage money—it’s about knowing why you have it, what role it plays in your life, and what you want it to stand for. When values come first, wealth becomes a source of clarity, connection, and opportunity across generations. But when they don’t, even the most sophisticated strategies can fall short. As one interviewee summarized, “Stay humble. Stay true to your values, regardless of your financial situation. I think that’s the most important.”This story was produced by Bernstein Private Wealth Management and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Davenport's Party in the Park program will return in July The City of Davenport has announced the return of Party in the Park for summer 2026, a news release says. Community members are invited to join city staff, local organizations, elected officials, and neighbors for a series of free community gatherings in parks across Davenport. Party in the Park offers an opportunity for people of [...]
	Firecracker Run, Freedom Run and QC Marathon highlight busy Quad Cities race season The Quad Cities’ summer race season begins July 4 with the Firecracker Run, followed by the Freedom Run on Aug. 13 and the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon on Sept. 27, with organizers highlighting tradition, community impact and support for local military families.
	Does sunscreen expire? How to tell if your SPF still works Does sunscreen expire? How to tell if your SPF still worksThat half-used bottle of sunscreen sitting in a beach bag since last summer might seem fine, but appearances can deceive. A surprising 52% of people surveyed in 2022 did not check their sunscreen for an expiration date before applying it.This oversight matters because expired SPF products lose their protective abilities, leaving skin vulnerable to harmful UV rays. Understanding whether sunscreen still works requires knowing what to look for and when to replace sun care products. Unprotected sun exposure contributes to premature aging and increases skin cancer risk.Below, Doctronic shares what to look for to determine whether your sunscreen is still safe and effective for use.Key TakeawaysSunscreen typically remains effective for about three years from its manufacturing date, but proper storage plays a critical role in maintaining SPF protection.Visual and sensory changes like separation, clumping, unusual smells, or discoloration indicate sunscreen has degraded and should be discarded.Using expired sunscreen puts skin at risk for sunburn, reduced UV protection, and potential irritation or allergic reactions.Heat, direct sunlight, and contamination can accelerate sunscreen breakdown well before the printed expiration date.When in doubt, replace the bottle: A new sunscreen costs far less than treating sun damage.Sunscreen Shelf Life and FDA RegulationsSunscreen falls under Food and Drug Administration regulation as an over-the-counter drug, which means manufacturers must meet specific stability requirements before products reach store shelves.The Standard 3-Year RuleThe FDA has established clear guidelines for sunscreen longevity. Products must remain stable for at least three years from the manufacturing date, or manufacturers are required to print an expiration date on the packaging.Most sunscreens generally last up to three years from their manufacturing date when stored properly. Opened products may begin to lose effectiveness sooner due to air and contaminant exposure.How to Find Expiration Dates on Different BrandsExpiration dates appear in different locations depending on the brand:Spray sunscreens often display dates on the bottom of the can.Tube products typically print expiration information near the crimp or on the box.Stick sunscreens may have dates stamped on the base.If no date appears, the FDA recommends assuming the product is effective for up to three years from the manufacturing date. Writing the purchase date on the bottle with a permanent marker eliminates guesswork.Visual and Sensory Signs Your SPF Has Gone BadPhysical changes in sunscreen provide the clearest indicators that a product has expired, regardless of what the date stamp says.Changes in Consistency and TextureFresh sunscreen has a smooth, uniform consistency that spreads easily across skin. Expired products often separate into watery and thick layers that do not remix properly even after shaking.Clumping, graininess, or a gritty texture signals that active sunscreen ingredients have broken down. Lotions may become either too thick to spread or too runny to provide adequate coverage.Identifying Off-Putting Smells and DiscolorationSunscreen should smell neutral or have a mild, pleasant fragrance if scented. A sour, rancid, or chemical odor indicates bacterial growth or ingredient breakdown.Color changes also matter: white or clear sunscreens that turn yellow or brown have oxidized. Any product that looks or smells different from when it was purchased should go in the trash immediately.The Risks of Using Expired SunscreenApplying degraded sunscreen creates a false sense of security while providing inadequate protection against sun damage.Reduced UV Protection and Sunburn RiskThe active ingredients in sunscreen, whether chemical filters like avobenzone or physical blockers like zinc oxide, lose their ability to absorb or reflect UV rays as they degrade. A product labeled SPF 50 might provide significantly reduced protection once expired.This reduction means skin burns faster and more severely than expected. Someone who normally tolerates two hours of sun exposure with fresh SPF 50 might burn in under an hour with degraded product. Understanding broad-spectrum protection helps explain why both UVA and UVB filters need to remain stable for effective defense.Potential Skin Irritation and Allergic ReactionsExpired sunscreen can cause more than just sunburn. Degraded preservatives allow bacteria and fungi to grow, potentially causing skin infections. Broken-down chemical ingredients may irritate skin or trigger allergic reactions, including redness, itching, rashes, and swelling.People with sensitive skin face higher risks from using expired products.Factors That Accelerate Sunscreen BreakdownStorage conditions dramatically affect how quickly sunscreen loses effectiveness, sometimes long before the printed expiration date.Heat Exposure and Direct SunlightLeaving sunscreen in a hot car, on a sunny windowsill, or exposed at the beach accelerates ingredient breakdown. Temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit can destabilize both chemical and physical UV filters.The irony is real: The very sun that sunscreen protects against also destroys it. Products stored in consistently hot environments may lose significant effectiveness within months rather than years.Contamination from Bacteria and MoistureEvery time fingers touch sunscreen or water enters the container, bacteria have an opportunity to colonize the product:Pump bottles and squeeze tubes minimize contamination compared to jars that require dipping fingers inside.Beach sand, pool water, and wet hands introduce microorganisms that multiply in the product.Once contaminated, sunscreen can cause breakouts and infections even if the active ingredients remain stable. Best Practices for Storing and Maintaining SPFProper storage extends the life of sunscreen and ensures protection when it matters most.Ideal Storage Locations and TemperaturesStore sunscreen in a cool, dark place, such as a medicine cabinet, closet, or drawer. Room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Keep bottles tightly closed when not in use. Avoid bathrooms where heat and humidity from showers accelerate degradation.Tips for Beach and Poolside HandlingAt the beach or pool, keep sunscreen in a cooler bag or wrapped in a towel in the shade. Never leave it sitting in direct sunlight.Use a dedicated beach sunscreen and replace it each season rather than trying to stretch one bottle across multiple summers. Consider travel-size bottles that get used up quickly rather than large containers that sit half-empty for months.When to Replace: A Final ChecklistDiscard sunscreen immediately if any of these conditions apply:The expiration date has passed.More than three years have elapsed since manufacture, with no printed date.The texture has changed: separation, clumping, or graininess.An unusual smell has developed.Color has shifted from the original.The product was stored in heat or direct sunlight for extended periods.Water or sand contaminated the container.When in doubt, throw it out. A new bottle costs far less than treating sun damage. Patients concerned about vitamin D levels from consistent sunscreen use can discuss supplementation with a healthcare provider to maintain healthy levels while staying protected.Frequently Asked QuestionsCan expired sunscreen cause skin cancer?Expired sunscreen itself does not cause cancer, but using it provides inadequate UV protection. This false security leads to longer unprotected sun exposure, which increases skin cancer risk over time.Does sunscreen expire faster once opened?Yes. Opening sunscreen exposes it to air, bacteria, and contaminants that accelerate degradation. Opened products should be used within one to two years for optimal effectiveness, even if the expiration date is further out.Is expired sunscreen better than no sunscreen?Some protection is generally better than none, but relying on expired sunscreen is risky. The actual SPF level is unknown, making it impossible to judge safe sun exposure time. Fresh sunscreen is always the safer choice.How should sunscreen be disposed of properly?Sunscreen should be thrown away with regular household trash. Do not pour it down drains, as the chemicals can contaminate water supplies. Empty containers can be recycled in accordance with local guidelines.The Bottom LineChecking sunscreen expiration dates and watching for physical changes protects skin from UV damage and irritation. The three-year rule provides a baseline, but storage conditions, contamination, and visible signs of degradation matter just as much as the printed date.This story was produced by Doctronic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	July is here and expect more of the same June temperatures, overall, were slightly below average. However, temperatures since Sunday have been above average and that will continue. Here's are some stats for July. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	"Extreme Heat Warning" remains in effect Hot and humid weather is still in the forecast through the Fourth of July weekend. An "Extreme Heat Warning" remains in place through tonight north and Thursday night for the rest of us. Shower and storm chances go up starting Thursday and we'll see a daily chance into early next week. Here's your full 7-day [...]
	Muscatine coalition helping displaced residents move out of evacuated apartments Coalition leaders say they are still looking for volunteers to assist on Wednesday afternoon, July 1.
	OSF Healthcare Foundation names new president Jacque Schweighart, M.Ed., has accepted the position of chief development officer and president of OSF HealthCare Foundation. Schweighart will be accountable for defining and driving a unified philanthropic strategy that aligns donor priorities with the Mission of OSF HealthCare and strategic focus areas. She will lead an integrated fundraising enterprise across all giving channels, [...]
	Everyday People: In Davenport, sisters offer lemonade, beaded animals and a euphonium Ahrianna and Jayla Fuller have a lemonade stand on West Third Street in Davenport and they are learning the in and outs of business.
	Meet the new Pleasant Valley School District superintendent Coming from the Ankeny School District, new Pleasant Valley Superintendent Darin Haack began his tenure on Wednesday morning.
	Top bathroom design trends homeowners are embracing right now (BPT) - Homeowners seeking transformative bathroom renovations may be surprised to learn just how accessible it is to realize their vision. Current trends topping the list in bathroom design this year include greater design personalization, handcrafted home materials and a more cohesive overall design. All of these are possible to achieve with the help of Kohler® bathroom solutions.Explore these options to help you shape a vision for a bathroom that feels as elevated as it is functional, creating a look and ambience that expresses your sense of style.Personalization through designOne huge trend shift in 2026 bathroom design is away from a minimalist approach and toward a more personalized aesthetic. Consider this space as an opportunity to explore a look uniquely your own, instead of making your bathroom look just like everyone else's.To help you create the look you want, Kohler® makes customization easy by offering Mix & Match faucets. You can select your own combination of spout, handle and finish from these three distinct collections with different style expressions — traditional, transitional and modern — for over 50 possible combinations:Components® lets you elevate your bathroom space with bold sophistication, where strong lines meet smooth forms to create faucets with a distinctly modern aesthetic. New York-based designer Cara Woodhouse selected Components® faucets as a feature in a recent home renovation.Occasion® is a sculptural collection where pentagonal accents and mod shapes come together to create faucets fashioned to be the center of attention.Artifacts® captures the charm of turn-of-the-century homes, using vintage silhouettes and elegant details for a look that never goes out of style.To create your unique look, simply:1. Choose your spout: Select from a variety of shapes and sizes, as well as deck- or wall-mount options for a design to anchor your space.2. Choose your handles: Pair your faucet with a range of handle options including lever, cross and industrial styles.3. Choose your finish: Select your desired tone (polished, brushed or matte), that you can elegantly coordinate or unapologetically contrast with accessories, lighting and showering components.Sustainability and craftsmanship Another trend that's continuing to gather steam is prioritizing sustainable materials and methods. Combined with concern for the environment, this trend also favors design elements that are well-crafted rather than cookie-cutter or seemingly mass produced.If this trend speaks to you, consider a WasteLAB® DemiLav® rectangular vessel sink when you're planning your next bathroom upgrade. Each sink is made with at least 70% recycled materials sourced from manufacturing waste streams. Handcrafted by artisans and American made, these sinks are made in small batches, creating natural variation and individuality.WasteLAB® DemiLav® sinks are designed to balance sustainability with high design, offering a unique, expressive focal point. Each sink brings craftsmanship to your bathroom, with a refined, elegant design featuring a deep, symmetrical basin with rounded edges. These sinks meticulously transform repurposed industrial materials into sophisticated and luxurious centerpieces, without compromising sustainability.Cohesive bathroom design Another way to elevate your bathroom's look is by creating an overall cohesive design, a trend that can be achieved using repeated colors through color drenching — even using the same color for walls, trim and ceiling — to unify the look of any space.For a truly cohesive bathroom design, the Kohler x Studio McGee Claude collection offers an authentically timeless full-suite collection including toilets, sinks, vanities, mirrors and baths that are all designed in a modern classic style, though inspired by historic details. Designed to create a coordinated aesthetic across the entire space, this collection blends timeless design elements with modern performance. The Kohler x Studio McGee Claude collection uses architectural detailing and classic forms for a modern yet enduring look.Within this collection, you can choose from three different bathroom sink options (console, pedestal and undermount) to tie powder rooms, guest bathrooms and primary bathrooms together in a home without over-repeating.Customizing your home so it's uniquely your own, with sustainable options and cohesive spaces, is a goal you can make happen, with the right approach and products meant to inspire.For whatever direction you want to go with your next bathroom transformation, explore all the possibilities at Kohler.com.
	Muscatine residents and small businesses adapt amid Second Street demolition project Candy Fuegen owns several businesses in the 200 block of East Second Street in downtown Muscatine. She’s adapting after multiple buildings in the block were found to be unsafe.
	Bix This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Thoreau was only one of many Americans who favored experience as the best teacher. "Who would know knives better," he…
	Greetings from London, where Banksy's flag man is a warning cry As he marches on, his flag blows back into his face, leaving him unaware he is only a step away from a perilous fall. As usual with Banksy's art, the statue presents a sharp critique of society.
	New oil spill money is a welcome boost for coastal Alabama The sun sets over Mobile Bay in this undated photo. Gov. Kay Ivey recently announced Alabama will receive $87 million in RESTORE Act funding, intended to assist ongoing recovery efforts from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (Mindy Flanigen/Getty Images)Sometimes, the news is good. Not long ago, I found myself trudging through a gloomy collection of headlines when a piece of good news indeed made me light up like a firefly: Gov. Kay Ivey had just announced that Alabama will receive a healthy infusion of $87 million in new RESTORE Act funding. The money will go toward a concise but ambitious set of coastal restoration projects, including the creation of 100 acres of wetland in upper Mobile Bay; replenishment of both Dauphin Island’s West End and Grand Batture Island; and the continuation of a water quality program that has brought better infrastructure to waterfront municipalities. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. This is Deepwater Horizon money, Alabama’s piece of a larger 2026 funding package totaling $403 million that will benefit all five Gulf Coast states. The money’s overseeing body, the RESTORE Council, earlier this month unanimously approved the funding package, which is itself just one slice of the mammoth $20.8 billion environmental damage settlement that emerged from the catastrophic oil spill. Quite a silver lining to a smoky, oil-soaked cloud. I still remember the sharp tang that laced the air in the spring of 2010. The acrid scent blew ashore on the Gulf breeze as more than 130 million gallons of oil gushed from the shattered rig off the coast of Louisiana. Even after the heavy slicks had all been scraped off the water’s surface or sprayed with chemical dispersants, the sparkling sands of Gulf Shores remained dotted with squishy little tar balls — a reminder that although the spill had finally been capped after 87 long days, its remnants would linger indefinitely. Scientists estimate that up to 167,600 turtles, 105,400 seabirds, and 8.3 billion oysters died because of the spill. Deep-water coral beds were smothered. Dolphins experienced the biggest die-off in the recorded history of the northern Gulf. No amount of money can make them whole again. But it can help in other ways. After the spill, the federal and state-level Powers That Be made the smart decision to give themselves latitude in how they funded coastal restoration. Since the spill’s effects were so widespread, they decided not to be overly prescriptive about how they distributed recovery money. Instead, they identified a set of general parameters, ranging from restoring and conserving habitat to creating recreational opportunities, and gave themselves the flexibility to allocate funds toward a variety of projects that support those goals. As a result, they’ve been able to use the BP money to respond to the coast’s most pressing ecological challenges, even if the oil spill didn’t directly cause them. Thank goodness for that. While the Deepwater Horizon spill was an epic disaster that played out in wall-to-wall TV news coverage across the country, many of the problems that plague Alabama’s waterways today come from less dramatic sources: development, industrial pollution and agriculture. The challenges that sprout from this unexciting collection of factors play out in smaller, localized snapshots. Snapshots like: The soggy remains of Tropical Storm Arthur scraped along the Gulf in mid-June and dumped a ton of rain, causing about two dozen sewage overflows across Mobile and Baldwin counties. The Alabama Department of Public Health’s latest Fish Consumption Advisory Guidelines warn against eating several species found in the state’s rivers and creeks because of high levels of mercury and other pollutants. An Alabama Department of Environmental Management swim advisory in early June reported the highest levels of enterococcus, a fecal indicator bacterium, in more than 20 years of testing at sites in Fairhope and Gulf Shores. This new $87 million installment from the RESTORE Council, and other funds that come to coastal Alabama from the BP settlement, should help to reverse troubling data points like these. But the money isn’t going to last forever. Nor is it a cure-all. While coastal Alabama will gladly take the cash, the only way we’ll succeed at maintaining healthy waterways long-term is by building a culture of conservation that extends far inland, branching out across Mobile Bay’s enormous watershed. I’m optimistic about our chances, partly because optimism feels more productive than pessimism and partly because several nonprofit and scientific groups have been doing this work for decades — but mostly because conservation is emerging as a bipartisan issue. The broadest of strokes would paint environmentalists on the left and business interests on the right, but that is, of course, not reflective of the complexities of real people. The truth is, conservation fits neatly within the conservative world, too. Ivey herself articulated that argument in her announcement of the new RESTORE Act funding: “These $87 million in restoration projects will strengthen our coastal communities, improve our waterways and preserve the natural beauty and resources that support Alabama jobs, tourism and outdoor recreation,” she said. I would love it if we didn’t have to couch environmental restoration within the confines of “jobs, tourism, and outdoor recreation.” The preservation of an estuary as marvelously complex as Mobile Bay is a valuable end unto itself. But for now, I’ll grab onto these strands of agreement and keep them close, hoping that they continue to take root in the thick soil of the bay. Courtesy of Alabama Reflector
	Months after he sent a harsh email to ICE, agents tracked him to his home and a hotel Federal agents went to a Rochester man's home to warn him that an email he sent five months ago could be an illegal threat. He was on vacation but another agent found his hotel hundreds of miles away.
	World Cup's knockout rounds collide with a massive heat wave A major heat wave is affecting much of the eastern half of the United States this week, bringing dangerous conditions to multiple World Cup matches.
	The majority of Americans are proud but worry about direction of the country As the U.S. approaches its 250th birthday, Americans reflect on the state of the nation in the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll.
	5 safety tips to keep you out of the emergency room this summer Experts share guidance on how to prevent common summertime health risks, such as drowning, fire accidents and heat exhaustion.
	A federal law bans late voter roll purges. Republicans are pushing to reinterpret it There's a ban on most states systematically purging voter rolls within 90 days before Election Day. Republicans are pushing courts to reinterpret that longstanding protection for eligible voters.
	Extreme Heat Warning until THU 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning: High Heat Index Values Through Thursday Night
	Serena Williams 'enjoyed the moment' despite 3-set loss at Wimbledon Serena Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6) 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in her first professional singles match in nearly four years in the opening round of Wimbledon.
	Ford recalls over 741,000 vehicles over park system issue: NHTSA Ford is recalling more than 741,000 vehicles because of a park system issue that could cause unintended movement and rolling away, federal regulators announced.
	Mexico ends a 40-year knockout drought, beats Ecuador to advance in World Cup Mexico lost seven consecutive times at that same stage from 1994 to 2018 and didn't advance past the group stage in 2022. Now, the 40-year wait is over.
	Win or go home: The U.S. to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup knockout game The U.S. men's team is favored in Wednesday's must-win Round of 32 match — but they haven't beaten a European team since 2021, nor won a World Cup knockout game since 2002.
Tuesday, June 30th, 2026
	From the JDC to stardom; a look back at biggest names to get started in QC Some of golf's biggest stars have gotten their careers started at the John Deere Classic as sponsor's exemptions.
	Sherrard Education Association hosts meal donation days The Sherrard Education Association is helping feed the community, one Chick-fil-A sandwich at a time.
	NJ lawmakers approve new protections for transgender and reproductive healthcare Candor Plum hugs Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul as Bill S2260 / A2218 passes the Aseemlby in Trenton on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Legislation to strengthen protections for reproductive and transgender healthcare providers and patients is poised for Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s approval following party-line votes by New Jersey lawmakers Tuesday. The state Assembly approved the Democratic-sponsored measure to create a new crime of interfering with reproductive healthcare, which under the bill includes care for people who are transgender, by a vote of 55 to 23. The Senate also approved minor changes made by the Assembly by 25 to 15. Jennifer Williams, a city council member in Trenton who is transgender, said she “could not be happier” with the outcome, given the years of advocacy by LGBTQ+ supporters. “New Jersey is a great, liberty-loving state that will remain a safe haven for those who only want to live happy, productive lives while accessing medically necessary and proven medical care,” Williams told the New Jersey Monitor after the vote. Supporters have said the protections are necessary as the Trump administration seeks to reduce access to abortion and care for gender dysphoria diagnoses, particularly among children. The administration has supported rollbacks to abortion access and has sought to withhold healthcare funding from hospitals that provide treatments to trans kids. The measure first passed the Senate in late May — also along party lines — following multiple hearings that featured passionate testimony from parents whose transgender children have struggled to get care. Many said they have been told by doctors that treatment their kids were receiving would be terminated because of political pressure on their hospital systems. “Healthcare decisions belong to patients and their providers,” bill sponsor Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (D-Essex) said in a statement. Speight said every patient should have access to care without “fear, delay, or intimidation.” Opponents of the bill said it could curb free speech and limit what anti-abortion advocates call “sidewalk counseling” of patients visiting reproductive healthcare facilities (a provision of the bill that some critics said could lead to criminal charges against journalists was removed in recent weeks). Republicans echoed those concerns and withheld their support. Assemblyman Brian Rumpf (R-Ocean) claimed New Jersey was “turning the Constitution on its head” to address what he called the “highly inflammatory” issue of healthcare for people who are transgender. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) said she supports access to healthcare for adults who are transgender, but worries the legislation does not do enough to protect children from getting treatments they may regret later in life. “The bill does not differentiate between children and adults. That’s highly problematic. Adults can make adult decisions. Children — that’s different,” Fantasia said. Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul (D) speaks outside the Statehouse in support of A2218, a bill meant to protect reproductive and transgender healthcare, on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Lauren Albrecht, senior advocacy director at Garden State Equality, an LGBTQ+ organization that advocated for the bill, said the legislation protects access to evidence-based care. Kaitlyn Wojtowicz, executive director of Planned Parenthood’s New Jersey political arm, said the measure will strengthen New Jersey’s existing protections around abortion, a critical step in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end national protections for the procedure in 2022. “This is a truly momentous day in New Jersey,” Wojtowicz said. If signed into law, it would be a fourth-degree crime to harass or harm patients and healthcare providers, staff, or volunteers or block them from entering a facility that provides reproductive care, including services for trans people. If someone is hurt during the interference, violators face ten years in prison and a fine of $150,000. It would also protect providers from extradition to other states that have chosen to criminalize their practice. “This bill isn’t about trans individuals. This bill is about human rights,” said bill sponsor Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul (D-Monmouth), “and about women getting reproductive care.” The votes in New Jersey came the same day the U.S. Supreme Court upheld bans Idaho and West Virginia created to prevent trans athletes from participating in women’s sports, a measure supporters say is needed to ensure fair competition for females. LGBTQ+ advocates said the ban is discriminatory. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of New Jersey Monitor
	July 1 is last day to donate to Birdies for Charity July 1 is the last day to donate to the John Deere Classic's Birdies for Charity. Donors can pledge a few cents for every birdie players make during the tournament. All pledges go to a local charity of the donors' choice. Charities don't pay an administrative fee and get all of the donations designated to [...]
	Parts of Spruce Hills Dr., Bettendorf, to close for holiday It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. Spruce Hills Dr. between 18th St. and Middle Rd. will close Friday, July 3 at 6:00 a.m. so the city can set up for the 4th of July festival. The closure will continue through Sunday, July 4 at noon. Access to Cumberland Square businesses will be on [...]
	Disaster proclamation for Warren County: Gov. Pritzker Gov. JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation for 11 Illinois counties in response to recent storm damage, and one of them is in the QCA. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed an EF1 tornado hit Monmouth in Warren County two weeks ago. The tornado packed 100 mile-per-hour wind while being 100 yards wide. The NWS [...]
	What birthright citizenship decision means for kids of immigrants The ruling strikes down Trump's efforts to limit the 14th Amendment rights of some U.S.-born children.
	Bettendorf discusses annexing over 400 acres of land The city and its developers have eyed the land east of Criswell Street for months now hoping to bring in more residential infrastructure.
	Freedom 250 next up for Davenport Speedway Fast cars, close finishes, and fireworks are on tap this Friday at Davenport Speedway, a news release says. The racetrack at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds will hold the Freedom 250 on Friday, July 3. The featured class will be the Karl Chevrolet Premier Late Model Tour. This will be the first time the Karl Chevrolet [...]
	John Deere Classic volunteer has been on the course for more than five decades It takes an army of volunteers to make sure the John Deere Classic “Runs like a Deere.”
	Search continues along Rock River for missing woman Authorities responded to the bridge on I-80 just after midnight on Tuesday, June 30.
	Water to be shut off in Maquoketa's Eddy Street area for 5 hours The City of Maquoketa said crews will shut the water off to make a connection to the water main at the corner of Eddy Street and Eddy Place on July 1.
	Extreme Heat Warning until THU 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning in Effect Through Thursday Evening
	Moline man sentenced to federal prison for selling drugs He pleaded guilty earlier this month to distribution of a controlled substance containing cocaine base, known as crack.
	Davenport receives State of Iowa grant to redevelop Raphael's Emporium The City of Davenport has received a $100,000 grant from the State of Iowa to support the redevelopment of Raphael’s Emporium at 628 Harrison St., a news release says The historic building in the Hilltop Campus Village dates back to 1883. The grant -supported project will stabilize and restore the vacant building for new commercial [...]
	City of Eldridge releases statement on negotiations regarding future of volunteer fire department Officials with the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company (EVFC) previously told News 8 that Eldridge's growing population has strained their volunteer model.
	Johnson, Spieth reflect on John Deere Classic ahead of 4th of July weekend Former John Deere Classic champions Zach Johnson and Jordan Spieth returned to TPC Deere Run this week, sharing their appreciation for the tournament and offering thoughts on the PGA Tour’s new two-tier structure.
	NJ Legislature OKs bill to fine some employers with workers on Medicaid New Jersey lawmakers approved a fee on companies that have at least 50 workers covered by Medicaid to raise $145 million for the state. (Photo by Dana DiFilippo/New Jersey Monitor)New Jersey will charge fees to companies that have at least 50 employees covered by Medicaid to generate $145 million annually for the state under legislation lawmakers approved and Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed Tuesday. The Democratic-sponsored measure cleared the Assembly and Senate along party lines as part of a package of budget bills that outline how New Jersey will spend $60.7 billion over the coming fiscal year, which starts Wednesday. Sherrill first pitched the concept in her budget speech in March. Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-Ocean) said under the current system, taxpayers are left to foot the full bill for Medicaid, which is expected to cost some $26 billion over the next year, with more than $7 million from New Jersey coffers. “This is called tax fairness. This is called getting the record straight,” Schnall said before Tuesday’s vote. The bill calls for big employers to pay annual fees of $325, $525, or $725 for each worker on Medicaid and for each of their family members covered by the publicly funded health insurance program. The cost of the fee depends on how many of the company’s staff are insured through Medicaid. According to a 2024 report from the state Department of Human Services, which oversees Medicaid, nearly 750 companies, nonprofits, and government offices would be subject to the fine. Medicaid claims for the 382,000 people associated with these companies cost $427 million over just three months, with $137 million from state funds. Amazon, the largest employer of Medicaid recipients at the time, had some 5,600 workers and more than 10,000 dependents on the public health plan, according to the report. Walmart had more than 10,000 workers and family members on Medicaid, while Century II Staffing had just over 9,000, the report notes. Walmart spokesperson Katrina Proffitt said the company is proud of the “affordable, robust” medical plans it offers and that New Jerseyans deserve “meaningful” solutions to rising healthcare costs. “We encourage policymakers to pursue approaches that improve access to affordable care while supporting employers that continue to invest in quality benefits, good jobs, and New Jersey’s economy,” she said in a statement to the New Jersey Monitor. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) called the bill an “ambush” on companies that won’t impact just national employers like Amazon, but also small auto repair shops, community hospitals, and civic organizations. Jennifer Spiegel, a policy analyst with progressive think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective, also took issue with the concept. While the state needs additional funds to support its Medicaid program, she said, the fee could discourage companies from hiring people on public healthcare plans. “Lawmakers should pursue broader, more equitable revenue solutions that ask profitable corporations to contribute their fair share without putting low-wage workers at risk of losing coverage,” Spiegel said in a statement. The Assembly approved the legislation 48 to 22, with 10 people not voting. The Senate approved it 22-15, with three people not voting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of New Jersey Monitor
	Amid extreme heat, owners of new snow tubing park making final touches for first winter season After six years of planning and construction, Lost Oasis is putting the finishing touches on its new snow tubing park ahead of its first full winter season.
	Nation’s first state-run long-term care insurance program about to launch in WA (Photo by Getty Images)It’s a landmark moment for the endeavor known as WA Cares, envisioned as a means to help Washington’s workforce afford long-term care and services as they age. Starting Wednesday, insurance coverage through the state-run program will begin. Dozens of applications for benefits have already rolled in. It’s been a bumpy journey since majority Democrats in the state Legislature approved its creation in 2019 over the objections of Republicans. The program has undergone much retooling due to legislative action and public debate. And, two years ago, it survived an attempt to end it through a ballot measure. Eligible individuals will be able to use their benefits to obtain services like in-home caretaking, equipment to help with getting around, medications, and meal delivery. The state will pay authorized providers from a fund in which premiums paid by an estimated 3.7 million Washington workers are deposited. “We are changing what it means to age and age with purpose and age with dignity, and more importantly, aging in the homes where people want to be, to live those lives filled with purpose and dignity,” Cathy MacCaul, advocacy director for AARP Washington, said at a news conference in Tukwila on Tuesday. MacCaul, in a separate interview, said that while it is “a really exciting milestone,” there is still more work to do. Specifically, she cited the need to clarify how family caregivers are involved, and to enlist more nursing homes, adult family homes and assisted living facilities. Meanwhile, the safety-net entitlement is viewed as a test case for the country at a time when many states are coping with rising costs of care for aging populations. “I’d be surprised if we get a few years down the road, and other states aren’t starting to follow this model,” said Gov. Bob Ferguson. “Washington is making history by being the first to launch a public solution to the long-term care crisis that forces too many people further into debt every year,” said House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, who authored the 2019 legislation. How it works WA Cares is funded with a 0.58% tax on the paychecks of workers in Washington. It amounts to just under $25 a month for those earning $50,000 a year, rising to $39 a month for those making $80,000. Collections began in July 2023. A person pays as long as they are working in the state. Deductions stop if they retire, become unemployed or leave the workforce, and resume if they return to work. Starting Wednesday, those living in Washington who qualify can begin accessing the benefit, which has a maximum benefit of $36,500, an amount that will rise over time for inflation. Eligible beneficiaries living out of state can tap into benefits starting July 1, 2030. To be eligible for the full benefit, one must contribute for 10 years, or pay in for three years within the last six from the date they apply for benefits. Near-retirees, defined as those born before 1968, who do not become eligible for the full amount, will earn a pro-rated share of 10% for each year they work. For all pathways, a person must work at least 500 hours annually for the year to count toward their eligibility for the program. In addition, a person must demonstrate a need for help with at least three activities of daily living for at least 90 days. An employee of the state Department of Social and Health Services will conduct an in-home assessment of the person’s living situation. The process of applying and learning one’s eligibility and benefit amount is anticipated to take a couple weeks. People could start applying in May and 113 applications had come in as of June 22, according to state tallies. Of those, 44 people were deemed eligible. Up to that point, nearly $1.2 million in services had been authorized. It is estimated 25,000 people will access benefits in the first year and 130,000 in the next decade, said Bea Rector, assistant secretary for the Department of Social and Health Services. Program officials believe they’ve signed up enough providers in every county for what they think will be the most sought services, such as home-delivered meals, adaptive equipment, transportation, housework, yard work, errands and in-home personal care. They’ve acknowledged they are well below their targets in areas like adult family homes, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, as well as providers of adult day services and home safety evaluations. MacCaul said one challenge is that facility operators may need to buy additional coverage to meet the state’s insurance requirement for this program. They worry they won’t be able to recoup that cost because there is no guarantee of receiving WA Cares clients, she said. A long road WA Cares was supposed to start sooner. But, from the outset, the program faced criticism for its mandatory nature and failing to make the benefits portable, so if a person moved out of state after paying into the fund, they would be able to access the benefits. As concerns multiplied, the Legislature in the 2022 session delayed the planned start by 18 months. That session, and each one since, lawmakers made changes to address concerns. A revision in 2024 addressed the portability issue, for example. Last year, lawmakers acted to allow workers who opted out of WA Cares because they had private long-term care insurance to get back in. And they opened a path for private insurers to create supplemental insurance policies for individuals with WA Cares benefits. People who rescind their exemptions from paying the tax and join the state program must do so by July 1, 2028. The strength of the program’s finances is an ongoing concern. State actuaries estimate that it is currently solvent for 75 years. It will help that voters last year amended the state constitution to allow the Washington State Investment Board to legally handle the program’s assets as it does state worker pension and retirement accounts. The WA Cares fund had a balance of over $3.3 billion at the end of 2025. There is language in the 2019 law intended to prevent those dollars from being swept toward other state spending. “My biggest concern when we worked on the legislation,” MacCaul said, “was that I could see a future where there is a struggle with a budget and there will be money in the trust fund and it will look very attractive.” Courtesy of Washington State Standard
	Medicaid changes spark legislative, provider concern (Thomas Barwick/Getty Images)Changes to Medicaid rules and the cancellation of a planned healthcare provider reimbursement increase have led to concern among both providers and patients as Montana faces a deficit in the human services division. After voting to increase Medicaid spending last session, the state is having to draw back on a planned 3% provider rate increase. Large-scale federal changes are also affecting Montanans. Last year, Congress pushed through — and President Donald Trump signed — a reconciliation bill, known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” That bill implemented new work requirements for accessing Medicaid, which all states will implement by the end of the year. There’s also a list of exceptions to who has to complete the work requirement. ‘Prepared for this transition’ Montana is moving on the new, federally-mandated work requirements six months early — to start on July 1 — which is the beginning of the state’s fiscal year. “The department is fully prepared for this transition, with trained staff, clear exemption processes, and systems ready to support members,” said Charlie Brereton, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services director, in a Tuesday press release. “We are focused on helping eligible Montanans keep their coverage while successfully meeting these new requirements.” The release from the state went on to say the requirements are “intended to promote self-sufficiency, increase workforce participation, and ensure responsible use of public resources, while preserving coverage for those who qualify.” But the changes are already impacting some across the state, including Celeste Thompson, a caregiver with SEIU 775. Thompson said Trump’s bill ended up with her having to go off of Medicaid because of the work requirements. Her husband receives disability assistance and the work requirements for Medicaid are 20 hours per week and 80 over a month. However, a spouse’s income is factored into standard disability payments, meaning if she worked more her husband could lose the disability assistance. “We need his disability to make ends meet,” Thompson said. She’s been a caregiver for nearly 25 years between two different companies, Thompson said this week, adding she’s trying to get back on Medicaid, but is unsure when that will happen. “With all this going on, state and federal, it’s frustrating, it’s frustrating all over, and I’m frustrated about it,” Thompson said. “We need to try to elect the leaders that are going to work with us instead of against us.” Looking to take action, some Montana organizations are planning Medicaid demonstrations at the capitol, including one on July 8, hosted by Catalyst Montana. The new work requirements are adding administrative hurdles, said Dillon Sarb, a senior organizer with the organization, and pointed to the fact there’s other impacts, too. “Coverage losses are a huge one that has downstream effects on how hospitals, particularly rural hospitals, will be impacted financially,” Sarb said. “I think the communication piece is certainly a part of all of this, too. People I talk with are very concerned about these new changes coming, and it’s unclear how and what they need to do to comply. That’s obviously a huge fear for folks.” ‘When there’s no new dollars’ Additionally, DPHHS has faced a massive budget shortfall that they’ve said they plan to address by canceling a 3% Medicaid provider rate increase for the coming fiscal year. In order to address the shortfall, they created a supplemental budget request and are statutorily obligated to show their own cost-saving measures. One of those measures was not increasing the provider rate approved by the legislature. DPHHS did not respond to Daily Montanan questions regarding provider rates or what benefit Montana receives by bringing on the work requirement deadline early. DPHHS has blamed the Legislature for the shortfall, saying it warned the Legislature that its budget was too conservative. Democrats last week gathered at the state Capitol to protest the cancellation of the provider rate increase and fight for access to Medicaid. Helena Rep. Mary Caferro called out Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte who she said “chooses to cut Medicaid,” which makes life “less affordable” for Montanans. In a response to MTN News, the Governor’s office said it “will not apologize” for making “hard choices” to keep Medicaid stable. The statement went on to say the Legislature failed to properly fund the department. “We slowly built our way to where we are today, with the expansion of Medicaid, with the historic investment in behavioral health, and the increase in the provider rates that began to get providers up to be competitive and be able to keep their doors open,” Caferro said. “Our priority is the people of Montana, the providers who provide the care for people who need health care, and of course, I am tired of having this conversation. I am so tired of governors getting into office and forgetting who elected them.” Some providers, including Jason Cronk at Immanuel Living in Kalispell, are also expressing concern at the state of Medicaid in Montana. Immanuel Living is a nonprofit senior living facility, something of a rarity in Montana, Cronk said. It’s given them some major advantages — namely, employees who believe in the group’s mission and stick around because of that — but the organization runs on a tight budget. They have a foundation and donors as well, which is hugely beneficial, he said. Inflation, in particular, has made things more difficult, Cronk said, and they were depending on the provider rate increase. “Most of Montana nursing homes are rural nursing homes that depend on Medicaid as their primary source of revenue, and that’s devastating when there’s no new dollars coming in July 1,” Cronk said in an interview this week. Cronk’s worry is about the other nursing home and assisted living facilities that don’t have a strong mission and operate for-profit models. It’s going to be difficult to keep those small facilities going, he said, especially as Montana continues to get older at a rate that outpaces much of the rest of the country. The state also reimburses at a lower rate compared to those that surround Montana. “They’ve really given nursing homes the lowest priority in funding for the Medicaid program,” Cronk said. “They give prisons higher priority than they give Montana nursing homes.” Courtesy of Daily Montanan
	These new laws are taking effect in Iowa July 1 July 1, the beginning of the state’s fiscal year, is the default date for new laws to be enacted, unless otherwise specified.
	Extreme heat to impact this year's John Deere Classic The John Deere Classic is one of the biggest events of the year in the Quad Cities, bringing essential tourism income to local businesses, restaurants and hotels. While it's usually hot during the tournament that takes place July 4th weekend, this year's patrons and golfers will feel extreme heat. High temperatures are expected to be [...]
	Kobach sues Kansas employee insurer Aetna for ‘misappropriating’ state funds Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, shown here answering a reporter's questions in March, filed a lawsuit June 24, 2026, accusing Aetna of using billing practices that misappropriate state funds. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed a lawsuit accusing Aetna Inc. of “misappropriating” state funds through a mechanism found to violate federal law in other court cases, an allegation the health insurer denies. Amber Smith, deputy attorney general of the Public Protection Unit, said Aetna failed in its fiduciary duty and has “chosen to misappropriate Kansas funds to pay itself.” Aetna is a third-party administrator for the State Employee Health plan, serving along with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas. The lawsuit, filed June 24 in Shawnee County District Court, alleges that Aetna used a billing process called “cross-plan offsetting” to pay itself back using state money when Aetna overpays providers in unrelated insurance plans, a news release from Kobach’s office said. The Kansas lawsuit also accuses Aetna of charging the state “hidden or obfuscated” fees for out-of-network claims using a repricing structure that’s been challenged in federal court. The lawsuit asks the courts to order Aetna to stop using practices that use state money to offset costs for other plans and that restitution be made to the state. An Aetna spokesperson denied any wrongdoing in a statement emailed to Kansas Reflector. “Aetna is committed to safeguarding the money provided by Kansas taxpayers to fund the state employee health plan. We deny these allegations and will defend ourselves vigorously,” the statement said. How federal law defines the billing practice The lawsuit focuses on cross-plan offsetting, a process other courts nationwide have said violates federal law defined in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. In a lawsuit filed about the practice, the U.S. Department of Labor described how an insurance company used cross-plan offsetting. The department said the company overpaid a healthcare provider for services received by a plan participant. Instead of trying to recoup the overpayment, the company “took the payment it admits was due to the same provider for services rendered to a different plan participant in a different plan.” The Department of Labor treats the practice as a federal law violation. In late 2023, the department settled with EmblemHealth, a New York-based healthcare company, for using the practice. The insurer agreed to stop cross-plan offsetting in Employee Retirement Income Security Act-covered health plans and to reimburse workers and families harmed by the practice, the department said in a release. Aetna and Kansas In the lawsuit, Kobach said Aetna was entrusted to determine medical claims, process provider payments and “administer the Plan fairly, lawfully, and in the best interests of plan participants.” Instead, Aetna treated those obligations as optional, the lawsuit said. “Kansas is the first state to sue Aetna for misusing state health plan dollars to benefit the health plan administrator,” Smith said in the release. “However, in other private lawsuits, courts have ruled against Aetna’s cross-plan offsetting scheme as a violation of the company’s fiduciary duty to its customers. Arizona has also sued Aetna in a far-reaching antitrust case related to its conduct for out-of-network claims.” In the lawsuit, Kobach says Aetna’s role with the State Employees Health Plan allows the company “substantial discretion” over operations, including whether claims are approved, how they are priced, what portion of billed charges is paid to providers and whether payments are later reversed or recouped. “That discretion is exercised over public assets, on behalf of public employees, under a contract that obligates Aetna to act in the interests of the Plan and its participants,” the lawsuit filing said. “It carries fiduciary weight regardless of the label the parties have given the relationship.” The Kansas Employee Health Care Commission recently chose to retain Aetna and Blue Cross as the two third-party administrators for state employees. The commission considered dropping BCBSKS because Aetna’s bid was lower but retained both companies. When asked if the commission had been aware of possible issues with Aetna’s operations or that a lawsuit would be filed, Samir Arif, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Administration, said the department doesn’t comment when a lawsuit is ongoing. Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Local getaways gain popularity for Fourth of July If a big vacation isn’t in your plans this Fourth of July, you’re not alone. With travel costs remaining high, many families are choosing shorter trips and destinations closer to home.
	A sneak peek into July With a hot end to the month of June, we look ahead to what will be a hot start to July with temperatures maintaining the 90s. Average temperatures linger around the mid 80s for July with the hottest ever being 111 degrees in 1936. With nearly 7 inches of rain for the month of June [...]
	Temperatures on the course heat up as John Deere Classic prepares to tee off, tips to stay safe Action at the tournament gets underway on Wednesday.
	Growing scope of Oregon psilocybin program raises safety concerns, study says A woman finds psilocybin mushrooms at the base of Douglas fir trees in Columbia Park in North Portland on Nov. 10, 2023. A new study raises questions about Oregon’s program allowing the use of the psychedelic. (Photo by Lynne Terry/Oregon Capital Chronicle)Oregon’s landmark effort allowing adults older than 21 to access psilocybin has evolved beyond “strictly medical uses” and may be allowing more people to enroll in the program than is safe, according to a new study. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University published their findings in mid-June in the International Journal of Drug Policy, drawing upon 2025 data from the Oregon Health Authority. The study notes most patients in Oregon’s program come from high-income backgrounds and outside of Oregon. They found that few people had an adverse reaction to the psychedelic drug, but that a significant proportion of clients in Oregon reported using psilocybin services for general health and wellness. The other top two reasons for participation in the service last year were change in perspective and “expanded consciousness,” according to state data. Oregon is the only state in the nation to use a “supported adult use” model for psilocybin access, meaning individuals only have to be supervised by a licensed facilitator at a service center and can access the drug for their own personal reasons. But researchers warned that the program raises “several safety concerns,” particularly when individuals are seeking psilocybin for serious medical issues. David Yaden, an associate professor of psychedelic research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said the program’s “risk profile” was better than he expected, pointing to a low number of reported negative responses involving psilocybin. But he said that there is still a possibility that concerns are not being fully reported. “Some people reported seeking out psychedelic services for general well-being while others reported seeking out services to treat medical or psychiatric conditions,” he wrote in an email. “There is some ambiguity about whether the services were designed to support these kinds of medical treatment related reasons, and this is an area for further discussion and consideration on the policy level.” The findings come as Oregon is charting a four-year plan from 2025 to 2029 aiming to destigmatize the use of psilocybin “as a culturally responsive option for healing and wellness” following its decriminalization in 2020. State health officials have pointed to research showing the use of psilocybin for healing in Indigenous communities as well as addressing depression, alcohol and tobacco dependency and trauma. Psilocybin, a drug which often comes in the form of mushrooms, creates a chemical compound similar to the chemical messenger serotonin, helping to regulate functions such as mood, appetite, cognition and perception. Research has shown that it can alter the brain’s ability to both strengthen and weaken neural pathways, but there is less information available about the effects of numerous other compounds that are a part of psilocybin mushrooms. Erica Heartquist, a spokesperson for the Oregon Health Authority, noted in a statement that Oregon voters passed Oregon’s Psilocybin Services Act in November 2020 and that state law comes with its own “broad eligibility criteria” that is “not expanded by the agency.” She pointed to a fact sheet on the program, which notes that “psilocybin products consumed must be cultivated or produced by a licensed psilocybin manufacturer, tested by a licensed laboratory, and may only be provided to a client by a licensed psilocybin service center during an administration session.” The new study isn’t the only recent research conducted on Oregon’s psilocybin program. A federally-funded study announced in February by Oregon Health & Science University aims to examine the safety and effectiveness of access to psilocybin in community settings rather than highly-regulated laboratories. Todd Korthuis, a leader of that effort and co-director of the university’s Oregon Psilocybin Evaluation Nexus, said the study provides useful insight into Oregon’s program. He said his group would also be releasing their own findings in July detailing how individuals respond to psilocybin up to 72 hours after treatment, rather than on the day of receiving it. That data will allow researchers to evaluate whether more negative reactions to psilocybin occur for individuals who turn to the drug for serious issues such as trauma or depression. “I am cautiously optimistic that expanding services through state regulated programs will be a good thing, but we won’t know that for sure until we have long term data on people accessing these services,” Korthuis said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Oregon Capital Chronicle
	Montana voters seek oversight of data center construction An Amazon Web Services data center is shown situated near single-family homes. Some local and state officials across the country want to halt development of the facilities. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)Montana residents are seeking oversight of data center construction by putting voter initiatives on the ballot this year. In Yellowstone and Butte-Silver Bow counties, groups are gathering signatures for initiatives that would require approval from two-thirds of registered voters before construction or expansion of data centers. Last week, Broadview resident Kassi Solberg told the Daily Montanan that the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office had approved the citizens’ petition she submitted on behalf of the group “Yellowstone County Voices.” On Thursday, Solberg held the first training for volunteers in Billings to help collect the 16,650 valid signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot, and she said the support has already been huge. “I love to see people standing up and saying they can do this,” she told the Daily Montanan in an interview. “Whether you’re for or against data centers, you should sign this so that you can have the vote. When those companies fill out applications to put data centers here, it’s we, the people, who get to decide whether it’s the right fit.” Northwestern Energy, the state’s largest monopoly utility, has said it’s in discussion with at least 11 developers about opening data centers in Montana, but many details about these conversations are unavailable to the public. A similar grassroots initiative led by the group 406 People First in Butte-Silver Bow County would establish a new provision in municipal code to prohibit “any necessary authorization to construct or expand any data center within the city-county” without approval from voters. Sabey Corporation had previously proposed a billion-dollar data center project near Butte, but the company terminated an agreement to purchase land earlier this year. The organization announced earlier this month it had collected more than 600 signatures in its first week following approval from the county election administrator and needs 3,652 signatures by the end of August. “A local ballot initiative is the most direct way to protect our wallets, water and way of life,” said Denise Kelley, a member of 406 People First, in a statement. “We’ve watched the news and heard about real life impacts from data centers across the country causing people’s electricity bills to go through the roof and draining water supplies.” The ballot language in Butte was drafted by John Meyer, an attorney with Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, and was used as a model for the Yellowstone County initiative. Helena attorney Brian Miller, a Democratic candidate for the state’s eastern U.S. House seat, revised the language for Yellowstone County. He said in a post on social media that he made sure the definition of “data center” combined all existing definitions in state and local laws, and that it would include the Quantica data center. He also said he wanted to make sure there wasn’t a loophole for smaller data centers, to ensure companies didn’t break up projects into small pieces to avoid oversight. “This is uncharted legal water here,” Miller said. “So could this get challenged after passage? Absolutely … But these issues have to be brought up and dealt with sooner or later, so that’s just the risk you take. One battle at a time.” Data centers have increasingly become an issue political parties are getting involved in, and the state Democratic Party at its June 20 convention voted to support a two-year moratorium on data center projects as a plank of the party. *** Solberg said she first became aware of the data center issue in Yellowstone County from a post on social media, and then went to an informational meeting held at Rocky Mountain College by Quantica Infrastructure, a company seeking to build a large-scale data center on roughly 5,000 acres of land near Broadview. “I have asked a lot of questions, and I didn’t really receive any answers,” Solberg said. Quantica announced in a press release last month it had filed applications with Northwestern Energy, Montana’s monopoly utility company, to expand power generation for the data center campus, with a total of 7,235 megawatts of capacity requested through the interconnection — roughly 10 times the power load Northwestern provides for all of Montana. “Quantica will pay for the additional power capacity for the Big Sky Digital Infrastructure Campus in Montana. NorthWestern Energy’s ratepayers will not be responsible for the cost of the power. As a Billings resident, I appreciate this approach and it’s important to me that my neighbors don’t foot the bill for our project,” Charlie Baker, chief accounting officer of Quantica Infrastructure, said in a statement. The applications include “renewable and firming generation, plus battery storage,” according to the company, and The Billings Gazette has reported that plans also include building two gas-fired power plants. While energy watchdogs want to be sure residential customers won’t be paying and are pressing the Public Service Commission to exert oversight, some union and trade organizations are supportive of data center projects. Quantica recently announced an agreement with a local AFL-CIO affiliated federation – Southeastern Montana Building and Construction Trades Council — establishing a “cooperative framework focused on union-backed workforce development, apprenticeship and training pathways, and project stability for the Big Sky Campus.” But some residents, like Solberg, have a lot of questions about the data center construction and how all the new energy needs will affect local residents. She said her first course of action was to send a petition to the Yellowstone County Commissioners seeking “transparency, accountability and protection regarding data centers,” but didn’t get much of a response. Solberg said the commissioners instead sent her on a “wild goose chase,” by proposing an interim zoning ordinance that would put a moratorium on data center construction within the district. But when she submitted the signatures from adjoining landowners near the Quantica campus, she said the commissioners did not act on the issue. “That brought me to my next move with the citizens’ initiative,” Solberg said. “The people deserve to have a say. This affects them, this affects where they live. Because our elected officials and county commissioners have ignored us, we are taking that power into our own hands.” Two of the three Yellowstone County Commissioners – all Republicans – did not respond to questions from the Daily Montanan, while Commissioner Chris White said he was out of town and unable to answer questions. In a statement to MTN news, Commissioner Mike Waters, , said he appreciates “the citizens’ participation in the local initiative process and respects the effort that goes into preparing and submitting a proposal.” Questions sent to Quantica Infrastructure about the community response, concerns over power generation, and more, did not receive a response by publication time. Courtesy of Daily Montanan
	The fine print: NC’s $34M budget includes DEI cuts, ferry tolls, AI, prison funds and more The North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)Republican budget writers in the North Carolina General Assembly rolled out a 634-page spending plan Tuesday chock-full of special provisions and policy changes with limited time for review before the first planned vote on the $34 billion package. The measure includes raises for state employees and teachers first announced by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) in May, along with an agreed-upon cut in the state’s personal income tax rate from 3.99% this year to 3.49% next year. It also includes hundreds of millions for Helene relief. NC legislature releases $34B budget deal, expects votes this week Republican leaders put the proposal into a format that cannot be amended in any way. There will be no committee hearings on the measure, only the opportunity to speak on the bill on the chamber floors and vote yes or no. Legislators say that speeds up the process of completing the budget, but critics say it leaves minority lawmakers and taxpayers shut out of the conversation. “North Carolinians waited a full year for a state budget, only to see the final decisions made behind closed doors with little opportunity for public input,” said Alexandra Sirota, director of the NC Budget and Tax Center. As is always the case, the fine print of the massive bill is littered with policy provisions sought by leaders and majority-party lawmakers. This year, that includes eliminating state programs that address racial disparity after lawmakers enacted three new laws last week banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state government and public education over the governor’s vetoes. NC House Republicans override Gov. Stein’s vetoes on anti-DEI and pro-ICE bills The budget eliminates the Office of Health Equity at DHHS. The office will be absorbed into the Division of Public Health. It also abolishes the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses in the Department of Administration, eliminating 12 jobs. For more than 25 years, the office has promoted opportunities for minority businesses from across North Carolina to compete for state and local government contracts. And it shutters a mentoring program for minority male students in the N.C. Community Colleges System office. One of the largest expenses in the budget is a $1 billion allocation towards funding Medicaid, including $847 million for Medicaid rebase. There’s $1.5 million for investigating fraud, waste, and abuse within the program, heeding requests from Attorney General Jeff Jackson and DHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai. Sangvai said Tuesday morning that he had not seen the budget. “We’re going to take a look at the entire budget and then understand what’s in there,” he said. “We’re optimistic that a lot of what the department had been hoping for, that would be included in the budget, will be in there.” The budget provides $9 million for the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a program the DHHS had been fighting to revive. The Healthy Opportunities Pilot provides services in rural areas such as food, housing, and transportation to help participants improve their health. DHHS paused the program last July because the state did not have a budget and Healthy Opportunities did not have money. Other noteworthy items in the spending plan include: $650,000 for six full-time positions to staff a new Child Welfare Case Escalation Team in the Department of Health and Human Services. This was a top priority for Rep. Carla Cunningham (U-Mecklenburg) after the horrific abuse death of six-year-old Dominique Moody. $5 million in recurring funds for the School of Civic Life and Leadership to operate as a separate academic unit at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Courses will focus on the “development of democratic competencies informed by American history” and the study of the great texts of Western civilization that “form the foundation of the American republic.” UNC faculty have broadly criticized SCiLL since it was established for its lack of rigor and transparency. Nearly $49 million for Farmland Preservation, including a $2 million increase in recurring funds. It also requires the Department of Environmental Quality to participate in federal FAST-41 permitting for nuclear power plants, natural gas plants and pipeline projects. An additional $28.7 million to the General Maintenance Fund for improving statewide road maintenance. NCDOT has warned that growth is outpacing state funding for transportation needs. $25 million in federal rural healthcare stabilization funds to Martin County to reopen its shuttered Martin General hospital as a rural emergency hospital. $97 million to increase child care subsidy rates, setting a rate floor based on the 2021 Child Care Market Rate Study. Allows the Board of Transportation to establish tolls on all ferry routes. The North Carolina Ferry System serves an estimated 700,000 vehicles and over 1.5 million passengers annually. Most of North Carolina’s ferries have been in service for 25 years or more, and it’s estimated that in the next 20 years most of the fleet will reach the end of its useful life. Moves the N.C. Department of Public Safety out of its longtime downtown offices in the Archdale Building to the N.C. Education Lottery’s building near Capital Blvd. Instructs the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop a system that would eliminate physical vehicle registration cards and stickers in order to cut down on administrative costs and streamline the registration process. There’s funding for 30 more positions at the DMV, and to support new driver license offices in Wake Forest or Rolesville and Tabor City. Requires the city of Charlotte to repay NCDOT for the money the agency spent to plan the expansion of I-77 through the city – a project city leaders recently decided to abandon. Repeals the sales tax exemption on electricity for data centers, an idea that Gov. Josh Stein has endorsed, and closes a loophole for sales tax relief for hospitals that some hospitals had begun using to get around the cap on the benefit. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Statewide AI rules for public schools The budget would create a statewide framework for the use of artificial intelligence in public schools. The proposal requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop a model AI policy for schools. School districts, charter schools and laboratory schools would be required to adopt AI policies. DPI also would maintain a list of reviewed AI tools and provide guidance on AI procurement. The budget directs N.C. State University’s Friday Institute to develop AI training for educators, and teachers would be required to complete the training by June 30, 2028. The proposal goes beyond funding AI tools by establishing statewide standards for how schools use artificial intelligence. New statewide process for challenging instructional materials The budget would require every local school board to establish a community media advisory committee to review challenges to instructional and supplementary materials. The bill specifies the committee’s membership, including principals, teachers, parents and school library media coordinators. It requires the committee to hold a hearing within two weeks of a challenge and make a recommendation to the school board within two weeks after the hearing. Local school boards would have final authority over whether materials are removed, and their decisions could not be appealed. Challenges would be limited to claims that materials are obscene, inappropriate for students’ age or maturity, or, in the case of instructional materials, not aligned with the standard course of study. The proposal establishes a uniform statewide process for reviewing challenges to instructional materials amid ongoing debates over books and classroom content in North Carolina schools. State prison system kept afloat For years, the Department of Adult Correction has been short on staff and cash, even delaying payments to vendors from one fiscal year to the next just to balance its books. In the meantime, some facilities have fallen deep into disrepair. Prison officials told the General Assembly last year that the department faces a 40% vacancy rate for correctional officers and has recorded more than $1 billion in deferred maintenance for prison infrastructure. Underscoring the danger that lack of funding poses, North Carolina saw inmates overpower staff and take over Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center for hours on Monday. Though that facility is not overseen by the Department of Adult Correction, like many North Carolina correctional facilities, it too has suffered from under staff shortages and overcrowding. Tuesday’s budget gives the state prison system relief, but it is unclear whether it will be enough to address the longstanding financial woes the department has faced. The correctional system is receiving by far the largest sum of appropriations of any public safety agency in the state, receiving $2.2 billion under the budget proposal, more than half of all criminal justice spending in the state. Much of that funding is aimed at bringing correctional officer salaries in North Carolina up from bottom three in the U.S. In addition to the 3% salary increase received by most government employees, correctional officers are getting a 13% raise and probation and parole officers are getting a 6.5% raise. Factoring in all raises and benefits, an additional $155 million will be going toward staffing the Department of Adult Correction under the new budget. Millions will also go toward modernizing the state’s digital offender management system, installing security cameras in roughly 600 offender transport vehicles, and purchasing 15 body scanners for the state’s prison facilities. The budget cuts $40 million in vacant positions from the department’s budget and reappropriates it elsewhere in the program. About $13 million each will go toward addressing shortfalls in food and nutrition, pharmacy services, and general health. Another $80 million will go toward the department’s other deficits — the state prison system was forced to push roughly that sum in invoices owed last year into the current fiscal year. The budget eliminates state support for the Second Chance Initiative at Campbell University, cutting $1 million in funding for a program that seeks to educate incarcerated North Carolinians and help them reintegrate into society by equipping them for a career after prison. This comes as Republican lawmakers have hardened on programs aimed at rehabilitation over punishment, slamming them as “soft-on-crime.” Courtesy of NC Newsline
	Iowa small businesses encouraged to compete for federal defense contracts Iowa small business owners are being encouraged to compete for billions of dollars in government contracts as the federal government looks to expand its defense industrial base.
	The John Deere Classic: 56 years of professional golf in the Quad Cities The tournament now known as the John Deere Classic began in 1971 as a satellite event with a $25,000 purse at Crow Valley.
	Search continues for missing woman after deputies respond to Rock River Bridge Authorities responded to the bridge on I-80 just after midnight on Tuesday, June 30.
	Nebraska officials push for response to aging Whitehall youth center, but lawmakers have concerns State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering. July 31, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)LINCOLN — With time ticking on an aging youth treatment facility in Lincoln, some state lawmakers remain concerned about a proposed transition plan from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. The Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee held an interim study hearing Tuesday to examine long-term options for youth residing in Lincoln’s Whitehall Psychiatric Residential and Treatment Facility. State officials say the building is falling into disrepair, posing risks to the 67 staff and 15 boys currently housed there. According to State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, chair of the HHS Committee, Whitehall has operated for more than 30 years providing rehabilitation to male adolescents who have committed sexual violence. In 2020, the facility expanded to also serve male teens who engaged in substance abuse, with participants housed separately based on their program. Earlier this year, DHHS reported several maintenance concerns at Whitehall, noting that some are in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Kelli Schadwinkel highlighted flooding in the basement, which is regularly used for laundry and acts as shelter during severe weather. She also said the facility’s bathrooms lack proper ventilation, and found evidence of mice and cockroach infestations in the building. Hardin argued the state should be proactive in response to these concerns, wanting to avoid a situation like what happened in Geneva, when a former Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center (YRTC) location closed due to understaffing and poor conditions. “We do have what feels like a lit wick on a stick of dynamite,” Hardin said about Whitehall. “That facility’s not going to last forever.” The amount of repairs needed to keep Whitehall in operation would cost an estimated $6.3 million, according to Thomas Janousek, director of DHHS’ division of behavioral health. As a cost-saving measure, officials with DHHS and the state Department of Corrections have proposed vacating Whitehall entirely, and transitioning the participants to different YRTC locations. The plan could involve more than just Whitehall residents. Under the agencies’ proposal, youths housed across several YRTC locations and state prison facilities would switch to different locations. The plan includes moving female participants at YRTC-Hastings to YRTC-Kearney. Pattern of alleged staff sex abuse at Nebraska’s youth detention center emerges in court Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, who sits on the HHS Committee, raised concerns with this part of the plan, noting that YRTC-Kearney has a recent history of reported sexual abuse by staff. State officials have denied that the proposed transition plan is related to these reports. Janousek said he couldn’t comment on this aspect of the plan, as it doesn’t involve his division, but indicated YRTC-Kearney is just one option for where to send the girls. Several committee members mentioned that the areas of disrepair at Whitehall sound like issues that would be covered by routine maintenance, and questioned why DHHS did not act sooner. Bo Botello, chief legal officer for DHHS, said because the department doesn’t own the building, it doesn’t budget for maintenance, and said the question would be better suited for the state’s building administrator. “We are basically a tenant in their buildings,” Botello said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Brent Flachsbart, the state’s building director with the Department of Administrative Services, was invited to testify at Tuesday’s hearing, but fell ill and didn’t attend. Fredrickson had concerns with Botello’s explanation. Just because the department doesn’t own Whitehall, DHHS staff are working there daily, and he said it is incumbent on them to report maintenance issues to the building division. Though Botello said none of the youths at Whitehall can be moved until their new destinations are properly staffed and licensed, and the Legislature lacks the authority to halt the transition. DHHS spokesperson Jeff Powell confirmed no youths across YRTC locations have been moved as of Tuesday. Whitehall’s programming for youth who have engaged in sexual harm is unique in Nebraska, Janousek said, and because of this the facility has a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) license that is not held by the state’s YRTC locations. Because of this, Janousek said he would prefer to move the Whitehall boys to YRTC-Hastings, which he said is the closest to meeting PRTF requirements and would require the fewest changes. Similar to Whitehall, he said YRTC-Hastings offers a more residential and “friendly” feel, and is less prison-like than other YRTC locations. This led Fredrickson to question why the state was designing YRTC locations to be similar to prisons when the youths housed there are not inmates. Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, another member of the committee, expressed doubts that the state’s proposed transition plan was truly the only option available. He said Janousek’s testimony focused largely on “facility-driven planning,” as opposed to addressing the needs of the youth or staff. “I feel like today, all of you may be here to try to convince us, or as you … said the word ‘educate’ us, as to why your way is the best way,” Riepe said. “I’m not convinced of that.” Janousek said he is confident that Whitehall is adequately staffed to respond to the needs of the youth there, but argued that the maintenance issues do have an impact on the quality of service. “Physical safety is the foundational element of safety in the program, and I want to make sure that our youth are having the best and safest facility possible,” Janousek said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Nebraska Examiner
	Ford Transit Now Getting Employee Pricing for Businesses and Owner-Operators (BPT) - Jumpstart your business or next adventure with Ford Transit with Ford Employee Pricing now through July 6.In addition to Ford Employee Pricing, Ford Transit customers can qualify for up to $1,000 in Customer Cash.Deadline: For retail (individual) customers, visit your local Ford dealer to purchase or place a new order by July 6, 2026.For commercial and fleet customers, visit your local Ford Commercial Vehicle Center or contact Ford Pro at 1.800.34.FLEET to get started.Fast Facts: America's Best-Selling Commercial VanFord Transit is America's best-selling commercial van, offering customers excellent value and versatility, excellent payload and towing capability to meet the needs of businesses, families, and explorers across the country.Transit van posted its best sales last year since its U.S. market introduction in 2014, totaling 161,797 vans in 2025.New standard equipment includes an all-new 8-inch multi-function dashboard display, SYNC® 4 with 12-inch center display, Ford Co-Pilot360® with Active Driver-Assist Features, and a 5G modem with Wi-Fi® for up to 10 devices — all while maintaining full access to Ford Pro Telematics and Fleet Management tools.Available features include Ford Co-Pilot360® 2.0® with Remote Acceleration Limiter and Fleet Start Inhibit, and Vehicle Integration System 2.0 upfitting hardware and software.A Configuration for Every BusinessWith three roof heights, two wheelbases, three body lengths, and a choice of chassis, cargo, passenger, or cutaway variants, the 2026 Ford Transit offers configurations for virtually any vocation. The T-150 and T-250 handle delivery and small business fleets with up to 4,146 lbs. of payload. The T-350 gives trades and contractors 81.5 inches of interior cargo height with available Trade Packages for electricians, HVAC, and general contractors. The T-350 HD delivers up to 5,103 lbs. of max payload for heavy-duty fleet operations, climbing to 6,452 lbs. as a Cutaway.What's New for 2026Ford engineers have given the 2026 Ford Transit a complete digital refresh. Every model now comes standard with SYNC 4 and a 12-inch center display, an all-new 8-inch digital instrument cluster, a built-in 5G modem with unlimited Wi-Fi for up to 10 devices, keyless push-button start, and Ford Co-Pilot360 with Pre-Collision Assist, Lane-Keeping System, and front and rear parking sensors. Ford Pro Telematics Essentials is included at no cost.Available features include Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, Pro Power Onboard™ 400W, Close Assist on Mid/High Roof Vans, and Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 with Adaptive Cruise Control, 360-Degree Camera, and BLIS with Cross Traffic Alert.A Ford Connectivity Package is included for the first year, offering Wi-Fi, audio and video streaming, and Connected Navigation. Extended plans are available for purchase beyond the initial year.Two Engine ChoicesThe standard 3.5L PFDi V6 produces 275 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The available 3.5L EcoBoost V6 delivers 300 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque with towing up to 6,900 lbs. Both pair with a 10-speed automatic.The Ford Transit Passenger Van seats up to 15 with available configurations in 2, 12, and 15-passenger layouts across three roof heights. Available features like rear climate control, Close Assist on the sliding door, and Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 make it a smart choice for shuttle services, churches, schools, and crew transport.
	Evacuations in downtown Muscatine force yoga business to start over Lindsay Broders opened Energy 108 YOGA just before the pandemic hit. Just when she got back on her feet, she had to evacuate her downtown Muscatine building.
	Muscatine coalition helping displaced residents with hotels, food and move-outs The Louisa-Muscatine Disaster Coalition is still seeking volunteers to help move belongings out of evacuated downtown buildings on Wednesday, July 1.
	Downtown evacuations force Muscatine yoga business to start over again Lindsay Broders opened Energy 108 YOGA right before the pandemic hit. Just when she got back on her feet, she had to evacuate her downtown Muscatine building.
	Luke Bryan, July 10 Touring in supporting of his September release Signs, the artist's ninth studio album dating back to 2007, country-pop superstar Luke Bryan brings his national tour to Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK on July 10, the longtime American Idol judge also one of the world's best-selling singers, with more than 75 million records sold to date.
	A view from above: How to succeed on each hole at TPC Deere Run It’s a course that allows golfers of all levels to experience the challenge of a course that tests tour professionals each July.
	L.A. Guns, July 10 With their latest album Leopard Skin hailed by The Rockpit as "a hook-filled, melody-drenched delight" and "perfectly mixed and balanced from start to finish," the hard rockers and glam-metal musicians of L.A. Guns return to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on July 10, the latest recording in their career of four decades plus also lauded by CGCM Rock Radio as "a wild ride and quite possibly the most diverse album of their career."
	Mason Jennings, July 16 With his 2025 album Magnifier hailed by Music Connection Magazine as an "intensely personal" creation that "reminds everyone of the value in taking a breather to contemplate the world and reexamine our place within it," indie-folk singer/songwriter Mason Jennings headlines a July 16 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, AllMusic adding that the artist's latest is "folk-pop with an intimate feel" and "an amazingly realized work."
	Louisa-Muscatine Disaster Coalition helping residents through tornadoes, floods and more Coalition members Chris Jasper joined The Current to discuss the organization's work across multiple counties.
	Xolex, July 15 Hailed by IndiePulse Music Magazine for a repertoire that's "hard-hitting while remaining airy and light on its musical feet," the Iowa-born and Nashville-based Xolex (pronounced "X O Lex") returns to Davenport's Raccoon Motel on July 15, Iowa PBS having added that the artist "mixes pop sensibilities, soulful lyrics, and a bit of rock 'n roll behind songs that pull from personal experience to explore universal themes."
	Hembree, July 12 Touring in support of their most recent album Better Days that Kansas City Pitch said "might be the band's most collaborative one yet," the Missouri-based indie rockers of Hembree return to the Raccoon Motel on July 12, their high-energy engagement closing the week of festivities celebrating the Davenport venue's week of fifth-birthday-party revelry.
	Insomniac, July 14 Touring in support of their new recording OM MOKSHA RITAM that The Obelisk called "among the most cohesive and engagingly plotted debuts of the year," the rockers of Insomniac headline a July 14 concert at davenport's Raccoon Motel, Head-Banger Reviews adding that the band's first album is "an experience that is truly mandatory for all who consider themselves even the most casual fans of heavy psych."
	Horse Lords and Friend Less, July 13 A pair of unique indie acts share a co-headlining bill at Rock Islands Rozz-Tox on July 13, the evening boasting the talents of the Baltimore, Maryland-based Horse Lords and Jon Mueller's touring project Friend Less.
	Celebrate Davenport's Motor Row Victory Lane It'll be the Bix weekend before you know it, and an event will celebrate Davenport's Motor Row, one of the city's most storied neighborhoods. Alisha Espey and Suzon Robbins joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about Motor Row Victory Lane and the Eclectic Market. For more information, click here.
	“Songs of Hero Street with David G Smith,” July 14 With the singer/songwriter's newest album Hero Street including a titular song that appears in the lauded PBS docuseries of the same name created by the Quad Cities' Fourth Wall Films, David G Smith performs Songs from Hero Street at the Moline Public Library on July 14, the most recent recording the 12th full-length released by the popular artist who splits his time between Nashville, the Quad Cities, and touring the United States.
	Barry Cloyd: “Where Have All the Flowers Gone, the Ballad of Pete Seeger,” July 14 His repertoire boasting such classic tunes as “If I Had A Hammer," “Turn, Turn, Turn," “The Sinking of the Reuben James," and the iconic song of the title, gifted area singer/songwriter/storyteller Barry Cloyd brings his solo performance Where Have All the Flowers Gone, the Ballad of Pete Seeger to the Moline Public Library on July 14, an event guaranteed to get the audience singing along to some of America's best loved folk songs.
	Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute, July 12 Celebrating more than 20 years of thrilling crowds with spectacular renditions of “Waterloo,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and additional favorites, the tribute artists of Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute headline a July 12 outdoor concert in Bishop Hill's Village Park, their return engagement promising a mesmerizing ABBA experience for every Chiquitita, Super Trouper, Fernando, and Dancing Queen around.
	Bad Momz of Comedy, July 10 and 11 Founded by Chicago-based comic Orly KG in 2022, and utilizing a mighty showcase of hilarious comics from its growing roster of more than 80 standup who are also mothers, the Bad Momz of Comedy tour comes to Iowa and Illinois, this collection of gifted funnywomen performing at Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center on July 10 and Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on July 11.
	Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office continues search following Rock River incident Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office continues search following Rock River incident.

Wednesday, July 1st, 2026

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026