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

Monday, March 2nd, 2026
	911 service disrupted in Illinois Valley Region, service restored Some people in the Illinois Valley Region were having trouble reaching 911 on Monday.
	From weather apps to radios: How to get severe weather warnings The KWQC First Alert Weather Team is covering ways you can receive warnings if severe weather threatens your area.
	Mississippi Bend AEA hosts annual teacher job fair The job fair connected aspiring educators with eight school districts on both sides of the Mississippi River.
	Galesburg officials propose new way to evaluate emergency demolitions The current ordinance only allows emergency demolition if a building sustains damage of at least 75% of its assessed value. That can cause delays in emergencies.
	Scott County Attorney's Office acknowledges delay in public records request, IPIB doc shows A Davenport resident filed a formal complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board, alleging the attorney's office did not provide records in a timely manner.
	IMEG, Rock Island, acquires Dallas-based firm IMEG has acquired KMCE, a Dallas-based firm specializing in subsurface utility engineering (SUE) and underground infrastructure services, according to a news release. The acquisition strengthens IMEG’s capabilities in utility locating, damage prevention, and risk mitigation, expanding service offerings for public- and private-sector clients, the release says. Founded in 2018, KMCE brings deep specialized expertise in [...]
	Iowa bill for drug-free homeless service centers advances An Iowa bill to establish what it calls drug-free homeless service centers passed the House last week. House File 2584 would create drug-free zones 300 feet around homeless service centers. The move would create tougher punishment against people convicted of selling controlled substances in those zones and establish penalties for employees of homeless shelters who [...]
	Iowa DNR to start annual spring burning The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will start prescribed burns on wildlife management areas this spring.
	In Vermont, small town meetings grapple with debate on big issues Typically concerned with local issues, residents at town meetings in Vermont and elsewhere increasingly use the forum to debate polarizing national and international events.
	Five occupants, dog, escape Davenport house fire No one was injured after a structure fire did significant damage to an attic in a house on the 2300 block of East Street in Davenport. Firefighters were called to the home about 8:15 p.m., when the fire apparently started on the back porch and spread to the attic. When crews arrived, the outer wall [...]
	Family displaced after Davenport house fire Crews with the Davenport Fire Department are battling a fire at a home.
	Moline First Ward Ald. Debbie Murphy resigns Ald. Debbie Murphy, 1st Ward, announced her resignation from the Moline City Council, effective immediately.
	Crews battle Davenport house fire Crews with the Davenport Fire Department are battling a fire at a home.
	Total lunar eclipse to turn moon blood red: When and how to see it With a little cooperation from the clouds, skygazers in the U.S. will get to watch as the moon turns blood red during Tuesday morning's total lunar eclipse.
	Jackson County businesses planning to rebuild following fire An early Sunday morning fire in La Motte destroyed a building housing Eastern Iowa LP and Midwest Legacy Beef.
	Mercer County School District to vote on proposed staff cuts Mercer County's School Board will vote whether to layoff 25 employees Tuesday. All but one of them would be part of a reduction in force plan. The Mercer County Education Association and the Mercer County Education Employees Association represent 140 employees in the district. They issued a joint statement saying asking for the board to [...]
	OQC Crime Watch Episode 56: Son arrested in connection with mother's homicide Watch crime reporters Linda Cook and Sharon Wren talk about crime and courts in our area with the latest episode of the Our QC Crime Watch Podcast. In this episode Linda and Sharon discuss: updates on: To view, click the video above or you can watch on-the-go on Spotify. The QC Crime Watch Podcast \| [...]
	Augustana College, City of Rock Island look to spark growth in Hilltop neighborhood College and city leaders said they believe the partnership will benefit residents and students alike.
	Quad Cities Business Journal: What's ahead for Davenport's Hilltop Campus Village? After years of preparation, Davenport's Hilltop Campus Village has a new master plan for growing and evolving that historic part of town. Dave Thompson from the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about the project and how it could improve that area. For more information, click here.
	2 westbound lanes blocked on I-74 due to crash, road reopened Two right lanes on I-74 West were blocked due to a crash Monday evening.
	Kris Lager brings soul, blues, 'celebrate life' energy to Bishop Hill Crossroads Cultural Connections will present Nebraska-based blues and soul powerhouse Kris Lager on Sunday, March 8, at Bishop Hill Creative Commons for an evening of high-energy music, heartfelt songwriting, and communal joy, a news release says. The night begins at 6: p.m. with an optional community potluck dinner (bring a dish to share if you’d like to join), followed [...]
	Davenport Police Chief Jeffery Bladel retires after 31 years with department After 31 years with Davenport Police, Chief Jeffery Bladel retired on Monday, March 2, citing a “very satisfying career” and confidence in the department’s future.
	QC Symphony Orchestra will welcome thousands of students to Adler, Davenport The Quad City Symphony Orchestra will welcome more than 6,800 fourth- and fifth-grade students from across the region to the Adler Theatre on Thursday, March 5, for Symphony Day. This free 45-minute interactive concert introduces young learners to the symphony orchestra through performances, guided listening, and opportunities to sing and play recorder along with the [...]
	Special election ahead for school funding in Scott County The Davenport, Pleasant Valley and North Scott school districts will see their current physical plant and equipment tax levy (PPEL) end in 2028 and 2029, meaning another ten-year extension is up for a vote on the ballot in Tuesday's special election. "This fund is only allowed for physical plant and equipment, which means it allows [...]
	Moline alderman resigns Moline First Ward Alderman Debbie Murphy has announced her resignation from the Moline City Council, effective immediately, because of personal and family considerations, according to a Facebook post. "We know this decision was made with great care, and we respect her for thoughtfully prioritizing what matters most," the post says. Elected in April 2023, Murphy’s [...]
	Severe Weather Preparedness Week underscores rising spring storm risks in the Quad Cities As Severe Weather Preparedness Week begins in Illinois, NWS‑Quad Cities outlines key safety steps, statewide drills, new forecast tools and the importance of family readiness.
	Traffic Alert: 2 westbound lanes blocked on I-74 due to crash Two right lanes on I-74 West are blocked due to a crash Monday evening.
	Bett STEAM Expo brings hands-on science, creativity to families Saturday The Bett STEAM Expo returns March 7 with free hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math activities for families, plus special guest Alex Turner and planetarium shows at Bettendorf High School.
	QCA school links increased literacy rates to improved attendance The first week in March is the start to Read Across America Week. Schools in the QCA have been focusing on increasing their literacy rates and decreasing chronic absenteeism. "Homework almost no longer exists because it's hard for parents to help the students when they're not understanding how we're teaching it here at school," says [...]
	Knox County announces new emergency alert system The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) uses cell phone tower technology to send emergency texts to phones within a geographical area.
	Supreme Court blocks redrawing of New York congressional map, dealing a win for GOP At issue is the mid-term redrawing of New York's 11th congressional district, including Staten Island and a small part of Brooklyn.
	The City of Eldridge considering higher fines for animals running at large A proposal on the agenda would raise a first offense from $30 to $150, a second violation would be $300 and a third would jump to $600.
	2 Clinton men charged in fatal February shooting Two Clinton men face multiple felony charges after a Feb. 17 shooting in Clinton left a man dead, court records show.
	Award-winning QCA photographer Scott Hoag shares his work From rolling fields and farms to charming towns and historical attractions, Iowa is a photographer's paradise. Award-winning photographer Scott Hoag joined Our Quad Cities News to share some of his amazing images. For more of Hoag's work, click here.
	Beneficial rain in the Quad Cities forecast After months of dry weather in the Quad Cities, we're finally looking at some promising rain chances later this week! We'll have a chance for rain every day from Tuesday through Saturday! The best chance is Friday and that's also a day when we could have a few t'storms mixing in with the showers. The [...]
	Iowa bill would put HHS in charge of $209M in rural health funding Iowa received $209 million this year from the federal government as part of the rural health transformation program, and a new bill would give the state Department of Health and Human Services the authority to distribute that funding.
	Davenport police chief Jeff Bladel retires after 31 years on the force Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel walked out of the department for the last time Monday, ending a 31-year career with the same department once led by his father. He announced his retirement Feb. 20.
	Illinois lawmakers call for governor-appointed Epstein investigatory commission Illinois lawmakers are calling for an independent commission to investigate Illinois-linked crimes connected to international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein
	Go green at the Quad Cities St. Patrick Society Grand Parade Get ready to go green and celebrate everything Irish! Joe Dooley joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about the upcoming Quad Cities St. Patrick Society Grand Parade. For more information, click here.
	Davenport police chief marks end of 31-year career Chief Jeffrey Bladel started his tenure in August 2022, but had plenty of experience at the department before that.
	Two men charged with involuntary manslaughter following Clinton shooting death Clinton police responded to a shooting in the 500 block of 22nd Avenue N, at about 9 p.m. Feb. 17.
	Slit, Slash, It Ain't No Kind of Bash: “Scream VII,” “Pillion,” and “EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert” As a slasher flick with comedic leanings, director/co-writer Kevin Williamson's Scream 7 is pretty weak. As a half-dozenth sequel so steeped in callbacks and meta-commentary that nostalgia is practically its plot, it's exhausting. And as a statement on big-studio moviegoing practices and habits with a quarter of the 21st century behind us, it's depressing as hell.
	Colona Police Department K-9 dies The Colona Police Department's K-9, Parker, died after his cancer returned.
	Rock Island Arsenal planning to demolish golf course structures Rock Island Arsenal plans to demolish its 1906 golf clubhouse and a nearby stone bridge, citing safety concerns and repair costs.
	Knox County launches IPAWS emergency system The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) will allow Knox County officials to send emergency information directly to your phone.
	Mercer County School District to propose staff cuts at hearing The Mercer County School District will propose 25 total staff cuts at a hearing on March 3, 2026.
	Rock Island Arsenal suspends expedited entry program amid escalating conflict with Iran Rock Island Arsenal has suspended its Trusted Traveler program and now requires 100% ID checks amid escalating conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran.
	Debbie Murphy resigns from Moline City Council to focus on family, health The alderwoman was elected to represent the city's First Ward in April 2023.
	2 Clinton men charged in fatal February shooting Two Clinton men face multiple felony charges after a Feb. 17 shooting in Clinton left a man dead, court records show.
	Davenport, North Scott, Pleasant Valley voters to weigh in on levy on Tuesday Walcott is also holding a special election on Tuesday for a vacant city council seat.
	Lawmakers demand Whirlpool CEO to answer to layoffs at Amana plant 341 employees will be laid off from the Whirlpool factory in Amana on March 9.
	Mercer County Schools to consider laying off 24 employees, union says The Mercer County School District has recommended laying off the employees for the 2026-27 school year, according to a media release from the Illinois Education Association.
	Video of Clinton depositions in Epstein investigation released by House Republicans Over hours of testimony, the Clintons both denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes prior to his pleading guilty in 2008 to state charges in Florida for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
	911 services disrupted in Illinois Valley Region Some people in the Illinois Valley Region are having a tough time reaching 911 on Monday.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges offering no-cost courses in April The free course offerings will run through the month of April as a celebration of Community College Month.
	Debbie Murphy resigns from Moline City Council to focus on family, health The alderwoman was elected to represent the city's First Ward in April 2023.
	Chief Jeff Bladel bids farewell after 31-year career with the Davenport Police Department Jeff Bladel reflected on his 31-year career in the Davenport Police Department and his decision to retire. He spoke to reporters on Monday, his final day leading the department.
	EICC marks Community College Month with free classes Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) are marking Community College Month in April with a wide variety of free classes, allowing residents to step inside classrooms, labs and learning spaces across the region. EICC campuses will host several free events throughout the month, creating even more opportunities for the community to connect, explore and celebrate. Classes [...]
	Man dies from gunshot wound, 2 charged in connection with incident Two people are facing charges after a man was shot in Clinton.
	Over half of direct-to-consumer merchants selling big and bulky items can’t fulfill international orders Over half of direct-to-consumer merchants selling big and bulky items can’t fulfill international ordersEcommerce is becoming more globalized. One study from EY projected that cross-border ecommerce will grow from $1.92 trillion USD in 2024 to $3.37 trillion by 2028. The growth is undeniable and made possible in no small part by social media, algorithmic discovery and, now, AI. TikTok, Instagram, WeChat and, now, AI search engines are helping to expose browsers to new brands wherever these brands are in the world.Buyers expect a seamless buying experience across any channel they plan to use. Merchants selling parcel-sized items stand to benefit the most from new users discovering their brand. It’s these merchants whose storefronts are most optimized out of the box to meet the new potential buyer’s expectations. However, one small but important group of merchants, those operating within ecommerce freight and selling large, oversized goods, is the least equipped to meet these new buyers wherever they are in the world.A recent survey by Freight Right Global Logistics, combined with additional research, revealed that merchants selling oversized goods direct-to-consumer face a uniquely high set of barriers and frictions that those selling parcel-sized goods don’t.Most Big and Bulky Merchants Aren’t Ready for International FulfillmentSelling and shipping big and bulky items is a challenge for merchants. It’s much more challenging when merchants need to ship to customers outside of their domestic market.According to the survey, 78% merchants expressed or signaled that they would not or could not handle shipping to a country outside of their domestic market when asked. The survey also found that while 16% of merchants didn’t outright say they couldn’t handle the shipment, only 8% of surveyed merchants did express that they could help, usually by saying yes and asking for more information or providing a flat rate for the service. Other answers included variations of openness to shipping to one region but not another or others.Why Do Merchants Selling Big and Bulky Items Have Trouble with International Orders?Merchants operating in big and bulky ecommerce face a set of challenges that differ materially from those encountered by sellers of parcel-sized items. Many of these challenges stem from the fact that ecommerce systems and fulfillment infrastructure were designed around standardized, courier-based shipping, rather than the operational realities of ecommerce freight and freight-grade delivery.Accurately pricing oversized goods is a persistent issue. Unlike parcel shipments, freight costs vary based on dimensions, destination, delivery requirements, and access conditions, making real-time pricing difficult to calculate at checkout. As a result, merchants are often forced to rely on manual quoting processes or estimated pricing, both of which introduce delays and uncertainty for buyers. These delays can interrupt the purchasing process and reduce the likelihood that an order is completed.The complexity increases further when orders originate outside a merchant’s domestic market. In addition to freight costs, international shipments require accounting for duties, taxes, and other charges that may not be visible to buyers during checkout. If these costs are not calculated accurately or collected in advance, merchants risk unexpected delivery fees, refused shipments, and costly returns. Because oversized returns are operationally intensive and expensive, even a small number of failed deliveries can materially impact profitability.Physical delivery requirements also play a role. Oversized items often require specialized handling, such as lift-gate service or white-glove delivery, and costs can vary based on local conditions. These factors are difficult to standardize across regions and further limit a merchant’s ability to offer consistent pricing and fulfillment options internationally.Taken together, these challenges make international fulfillment for oversized goods difficult to automate and risky to manage manually. Without systems designed to reflect the operational realities of freight-grade commerce, many merchants choose to limit or decline international orders despite demonstrated demand.Many, if not all, of these challenges are technical or logistical. Additionally, many of these same merchants face challenges optimizing their pricing and means of fulfillment for orders placed by buyers in the merchant’s domestic market.Demand Doesn’t Often Translate to OrdersWhile interest from international buyers exists, converting that demand into completed orders remains difficult for merchants selling oversized goods. Unlike parcel-sized ecommerce, freight-grade fulfillment does not support real-time pricing at checkout. As a result, merchants are often forced to rely on manual quoting processes that require contacting freight forwarders, comparing rates, and accounting for destination-specific delivery requirements. This process can take days, during which time buyer intent frequently dissipates.The financial risk associated with inaccurate pricing further compounds the issue. Oversized international shipments that are not properly quoted or sent with duties and taxes prepaid can result in unexpected charges at delivery. If a buyer refuses the shipment, the merchant may be responsible for return freight costs that exceed the margin on the original sale. These risks are magnified by the high absolute cost of freight and the operational complexity of reverse logistics for large items.Even when pricing is agreed upon, physical delivery constraints introduce additional uncertainty. Oversized goods often require lift-gate service, two-person delivery teams, or white-glove handling, and costs can change based on dimensions, access conditions, or delivery location. Because these variables are difficult to standardize, merchants are left to manage risk manually, often by limiting serviceable regions or declining international orders altogether.Ecommerce Was Designed With Parcels In MindEcommerce technology has been created for and marketed with the merchant selling parcel-sized goods in mind. Shopify, and other ecommerce content management systems (CMS) offer merchants a templated, base-model online store with a templated checkout process for buyers and a marketplace of plugins and add-ons to customize the store further. Though stores can be customized by way of custom themes and plugins, the benefits of all the different ways to customize are to the benefit of the merchant selling parcel-sized goods.The market of plugins available through Shopify and other app marketplaces are designed first for and to the benefit of parcel merchants. Plugins for product management, help desk ticket management and payment processing are a few categories of add-ons designed to make store and SKU management easier for the merchant. Currency and language conversion and shipping plugins enable merchants to prepare their stores for buyers outside their domestic markets. Plugins that enable merchants to pipe their products into marketplaces like Etsy, Facebook, TikTok and eBay help merchants expand their store’s reach to new customers in whatever app they’re using when they’re ready to buy. Because most parcel items don’t often, if ever, require customized pricing, the ecosystem of plugins for merchants and their ability to standardize is reaped tenfold.Direct-to-consumer ecommerce solutions, from the CMS to the add-ons, are designed to make standardized, uniform and seamless experiences for the buyer and the parcel-sized merchant, first and only. The existing solutions promote uniformity and standardization, and impress it onto merchants that need customization and standardization just like this, but for their products. Big and bulky ecommerce would benefit immensely from standardization and uniform solutions that enable effortless customization for buyers. The challenge is that the available solutions weren’t designed with these merchants in mind.Challenges Showing True CostsAccurately pricing items was found to be a massive, if not the biggest, challenge for merchants selling oversized items. For parcel goods, the price shown is generally the price paid with the exceptions of taxes and shipping costs usually displayed at checkout. For large goods, the price at checkout is not usually the full price. Large items often require additional services to deliver them to the buyer. The cost of trucking and white-glove installation are the most common additional charges that merchants often can’t incorporate into the checkout process because most plugins or the CMS itself don’t have the ability to allow merchants to do so. The issue gets more complicated when only certain SKUs and certain SKUs to certain places need to have specific costs applied to them.The situation above becomes more complex when the buyer is out of the merchant’s domestic market. All of the challenges of calculating a true cost for a domestic buyer now have to take into account new costs involved with shipping freight-grade goods internationally within the broader framework of ecommerce freight. These costs often include the cost of the international freight forwarder, tariffs, taxes, and any other charges and fees that come with the goods entering the buyer’s country. The costs don’t reflect the time the merchant spent tracking down a freight forwarder, comparing rates and costs, understanding customs, taxes, product classification — just a few of the steps involved with making sure that the goods are delivered as they were promised. John_T // Shutterstock Entering New Markets Currently Requires a PresencePerhaps the biggest hurdle facing merchants selling big and bulky items from handling international orders is that to service them competitively with those in the buyers’ domestic market means costly investments. For SMB merchants selling parcel goods, expanding into new markets usually means enabling and configuring new locations to ship to, integrating additional payment processors preferable to the new market’s buyers and adjusting the site to change language and currency to reflect the browsers’ preferences. For merchants selling large items, expanding into new markets is vastly more challenging. Because the items the merchant is selling can’t be shipped via courier, merchants need to have inventory readily available in the new market. This means the merchant must, at least, set up a new business entity, purchase warehouse space, shore inventory and store it in the new location and incur the upfront and recurring costs of doing so.Merchants that don’t choose to go through setting up business entities and buying warehouse space have the option of selling through a marketplace like Amazon, MercadoLibre or Ebay. While selling through a marketplace gives the merchant exposure to existing demand, selling through a marketplace comes with its own costs. Marketplaces, Amazon famously, charge merchants for storing their goods in an Amazon warehouse, take a percentage of each sale and charge for their 3PL services. While Amazon also offers Fulfillment by Merchant as an option, many of the costs of engaging with Amazon remain. These costs are separate from any advertising the merchant finds they need to do to increase their visibility in the new market’s marketplace to drive sales and move inventory they’re paying to sit in a warehouse.What the Survey Didn’t CaptureThe survey reflects how merchants selling oversized goods evaluate their ability to accept and fulfill orders, particularly for buyers outside of their domestic market. However, because the survey focused on merchant responses at the point of inquiry, it does not fully account for the operational conditions that occur once an oversized order is accepted and moves into fulfillment. These conditions increasingly influence merchant behavior, including decisions to restrict regions served or to avoid certain orders altogether.Delivering large and oversized items introduces a set of operational requirements that differ materially from parcel-sized fulfillment. Oversized deliveries often require two-person delivery teams, specialized handling, and, in many cases, white-glove or in-home services. The availability of qualified delivery crews varies significantly by region and has not scaled uniformly alongside growth in ecommerce demand for large goods. These constraints are typically managed by carriers and last-mile providers, but their impact is ultimately borne by merchants through higher costs, service limitations, or reduced reliability.The survey also does not capture the complexity associated with returns and failed deliveries for oversized goods. Unlike parcel returns, which are often standardized and automated, returns for freight-grade items require manual coordination, storage decisions, and additional transportation. A single failed delivery attempt or return can materially affect the profitability of an order. As a result, merchants factor these risks into fulfillment decisions even when they are not visible to buyers during checkout.In addition, geographic and urban delivery considerations play a meaningful role in domestic fulfillment. Dense metropolitan areas, where a large share of ecommerce demand is concentrated, often present access limitations, building restrictions, and delivery scheduling constraints that increase the time and cost required to complete deliveries. These factors contribute to uneven serviceability within a merchant’s domestic market and help explain why some merchants selectively limit where oversized items can be shipped.Taken together, these operational realities suggest that the challenges identified by the survey are not limited to international fulfillment alone. Instead, they reflect broader structural constraints in the domestic fulfillment of oversized goods. International expansion introduces additional layers of cost and complexity, but it builds on a fulfillment model that is already difficult to standardize. Without tools that reflect these operational requirements in pricing and execution, merchants are left to manage risk manually, often by declining orders or narrowing the markets they serve.Domestic Optimization Precedes ExpansionFor merchants operating within big and bulky ecommerce, international expansion is rarely constrained by demand alone. More often, it is constrained by operational readiness. When domestic market operations remain manual, margin-sensitive, or operationally inconsistent, expanding internationally compounds these same variables across customs, duties, regulatory compliance, and multi-leg transportation.In practice, international expansion becomes a sequencing decision. Merchants tend not to expand into new markets while they believe their domestic operations are still being optimized. Freight-grade commerce does not allow for the type of configuration-based expansion common in parcel ecommerce. Unlike a parcel merchant that can enable additional countries through payment processors and shipping plugins, oversized merchants must first achieve confidence in execution at home. Without predictable cost structures and fulfillment reliability domestically, international expansion introduces amplified financial and operational risk.Industry outreach and merchant interviews over the past year reinforce this pattern. Two distinct merchant profiles consistently emerge.Consumer oversized brands, including sauna, fitness equipment, furniture, appliance, and wellness companies, often operate mixed SKU catalogs with both parcel and freight-eligible items. Many of these merchants are still optimizing domestic LTL processes and determining how to incorporate freight costs into pricing without suppressing conversion. For these businesses, international expansion is frequently deferred until domestic fulfillment feels stable, repeatable, and margin-safe.By contrast, specialized or proprietary product manufacturers, such as heavy machinery producers, patented equipment founders, or industrial suppliers, tend to treat freight as foundational rather than exceptional. Shipping is embedded within the business model, dedicated personnel manage logistics, and freight costs are structurally expected within the selling price. For these merchants, international expansion decisions are influenced less by domestic operational uncertainty and more by lane competitiveness, regulatory considerations, and the ratio of freight cost to MSRP.This distinction helps explain why many oversized merchants appear reluctant to engage international demand despite evidence of buyer interest. The hesitation is not necessarily strategic conservatism. Rather, international growth often follows domestic operational confidence. Where freight remains a manual, variable, or margin-sensitive process, expansion feels less like incremental revenue and more like amplified exposure to existing operational risk.How Direct-to-Consumer Merchants Selling Oversized Items Are AdaptingThe approaches described below reflect how merchants are currently compensating for the absence of ecommerce infrastructure designed for freight-grade goods. These methods allow some international orders to be fulfilled, but they rely on manual processes, margin concessions, or the transfer of risk to either the merchant or the buyer. As a result, international sales are treated as exceptions rather than repeatable transactions. While these workarounds can enable individual orders, they are difficult to standardize, slow to execute, and costly to manage at scale. Over time, they constrain growth by limiting conversion, increasing operational risk, and preventing oversized goods from being sold internationally through the same automated workflows that support parcel-sized ecommerce.For merchants that didn’t shy away from buyers outside of their domestic markets, they were figuring out and experimenting for themselves how to make these orders work. Some merchants registered new business entities, secured warehouse space, fulfillment solutions and shored inventory to address what they observed was organic, recurring interest in their product. For them, it made sense to at least try to invest in a new market. Others turned to Excel workbooks with tables updated weekly or monthly to offer an estimated amount for freight shipping to a destination. In all cases, every merchant found quoting prospective buyers outside their domestic market a massive challenge.Other merchants were using other services to benchmark or acquire precise rates. Others still were found estimating freight costs and vetting forwarders using freight marketplaces or online freight calculators.The largest section of merchants simply aren’t adapting and choosing not to engage at all with international buyers. Most merchants disable regions they can’t ship to on their store’s backend, causing potential customers to see an error message if their shipping address is among the negated regions. The reasons are those outlined here: The costs are currently too high, the time commitment too large and software solutions to create seamless end-to-end fulfillment and accurate, customized SKU-level pricing are only emerging.This survey helped illustrate that not all merchants have the same opportunities to be part of the global economy in the same ways. Merchants that sell large items within ecommerce freight, for now, are still largely relegated to their domestic markets and, for the time being, learning for themselves how to capture demand and introduce themselves to new potential customers all around the world country-by-country.Oversized Merchant Outreach Survey MethodologyFreight Right surveyed a sample of 50 merchants headquartered across the world selling a variety of goods widely and objectively considered oversized and requiring freight handling to deliver to buyers within the big and bulky ecommerce category and selling on the content management system, Shopify. Merchant goods included but were not limited to saunas, hot tubs, pool tables, outdoor movie screens, cold plunges and other large items that require specialized handling to end users, domestically and internationally. Outreach was conducted via a merchant brand’s Instagram account where the surveying party expressed interest in purchasing a good and if it could be shipped to my country, a country outside of the merchant’s domestic market. The survey was conducted between August and September 2025.This story was produced by Freight Right Global Logistics and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The tax breaks caregivers miss: How families leave thousands on the table every filing season The tax breaks caregivers miss: How families leave thousands on the table every filing seasonOver 63 million Americans provide unpaid care for a child, aging parent, spouse, or disabled family member, and more than a third report financial hardship as a result. Yet, every year, millions of family caregivers leave significant tax savings on the table simply because they don’t know what they qualify for.QMedic dug deep to provide information from sources including AARP, the Internal Revenue Service, H&R Block, and more to highlight how tax changes in 2025 and 2026 can offset caregiving expenses that quietly drain household budgets.1. Credit for other dependents (Up to $500 per dependent)Many caregivers automatically assume that tax credits only apply to young children. In reality, you may qualify for the Credit of Other Dependents if you support an aging parent, adult child with a disability, or another qualifying relative. As outlined by the IRS, this dependent must live with you or be closely related, earn below the IRS income threshold, and receive more than half of their financial support from you.You’ll need to show proof of the relationship, records with financial support documented, and the dependent’s Social Security Number, but doing so can earn you up to $500 per dependent, which will automatically reduce your tax bill.2. Child and Dependent Care Credit ($1,050–$3,000 depending on income)If you pay for care so you can work or actively look for work, you may qualify for this care credit. Your child must be under 13 or a dependent adult incapable of self-care. Depending on your income level, you can claim a percentage of up to $3,000 in care expenses for one dependent or $6,000 for two or more. Examples of eligible expenses that meet this criterion include adult day care, in-home aides, and certain caregiving facilities. Be aware that you will need to provide payment records and the care provider’s basic information.3. Medical Expense Deduction (Expenses exceeding 7.5% of adjusted gross income)Many caregivers pay out-of-pocket medical costs without realizing they may actually be deductible. If you itemize everything and find that your total qualifying medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, you can deduct the expense. Eligible expenses can include prescriptions, mobility equipment, medical travel, in-home nursing care, and more. Receipts, mileage logs, medical necessity statements, and proof of dependency may be required under IRS rules.4. Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (up to $7,500 starting in 2026)Arguably one of the biggest changes for caregivers in 2026 is the increase in dependent care FSA limits. As covered by Employee Benefits Corporation, eligible employees can now contribute up to $7,500 in pre-tax dollars to cover caregiving expenses, up from the previous $5,000 limit.This benefit will reduce your taxable income and can be used for similar types of expenses that qualify you for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. It’s worth noting, however, that you cannot use both the flexible spending account and care credit on the same items.5. Head of Household filing status (higher standard deduction and lower tax rates)Filing status now matters more than many caregivers realize. If you are unmarried and pay more than half the cost of maintaining a home for a qualifying dependent, you may qualify as a Head of Household. This status provides higher standard deductions and more favorable tax brackets than filing as Single, often resulting in thousands of dollars in tax savings.6. Increased Child Tax Credit ($2,200 per child in 2025)As broken down by TurboTax, for caregivers raising children, the Child Tax Credit increased to $2,200 per qualifying child in 2025. This credit can significantly reduce your taxes owed and may even be partially refundable depending on your income level. Eligibility will be dependent on the age of your child, their relationship to you, their residency, and their Social Security status.7. Filing Amended Returns for Previously Missed Benefits (Form 1040-X)If you happened to miss any of the above benefits in prior years, you may still be able to recover the money. A Form 1040-X, as explained by tax firm H&R Block, is allowable under IRS rules and permits taxpayers to file amended returns typically up to three years post-filing. This is especially valuable for caregivers who only just recently learned they qualify for credits or deductions that were never claimed. You will need to provide your original return along with a corrected form and supporting documents for each change to take advantage of new benefits.Avoid leaving money on the table this tax seasonFamily caregivers already shoulder an enormous emotional and financial responsibility. Claiming every available tax benefit won’t eliminate this burden, but it will provide some meaningful monetary relief. With expanded Dependent Care FSA limits, enhanced credits across the board, and clearer IRS guidance, you can head into 2026 sure that your caregiving work is recognized fully at tax time. Even modest tax credits add up, so don’t allow money to go unclaimed.This story was produced by QMedic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Examples of general liability insurance claims: What’s typically covered by insurance? Examples of general liability insurance claims: What’s typically covered by insurance?General liability insurance is a type of business insurance that can help protect business owners from some costs around the most common small business insurance claims they face — from customer injuries to property damage to advertising disputes. Many general liability insurance claims don’t come from reckless behavior or natural disasters. Some of the most common stem from everyday business activities like interacting with customers, working in shared spaces or providing products and services to the public. ERGO NEXT shares examples of four of the most common general liability insurance claims.General liability insurance is designed to help protect a business from some of the most common claims that can arise during day-to-day business operations. This could include:An injury, often called bodily injury in insurance terms, to someone who is not an employeeDamage to property that doesn’t belong to youAccusations of advertising copyright infringement, libel or slanderWhen a business opens its doors or performs work around the public, there’s a chance that someone could be injured or property could be damaged. Even small, routine incidents can lead to medical bills, repair costs or legal expenses.The financial impact of these disputes adds up quickly. According to a recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, commercial liability lawsuits in the U.S. totaled about $347 billion, with small businesses accounting for roughly $160 billion of that total, despite representing a smaller share of overall economic revenue.4 general liability insurance claim examplesGeneral liability claims can affect businesses of all sizes across many industries. The following four examples show how easily business interactions can lead to claims.1. Someone gets hurt at your place of business and asks you to pay their medical billsThe scene: You’re setting up merchandise outside your store to catch the attention of passing foot traffic. Merchandise is left on the sidewalk in front of your door.What went wrong: Someone comes jogging by, and they don’t spot the merchandise in time. They trip on your products and break an arm. They need an ambulance, medical care in the ER, and physical therapy to recover.The consequences and the insurance claim: The jogger says your business is responsible for the accident and asks you to cover their medical expenses. If the disagreement turns into a lawsuit, you could also be on the hook for legal defense costs — the kind that can add up fast, even when fault is disputed.How general liability insurance could help: General liability insurance could help cover eligible medical and legal expenses tied to injury claims from nonemployees. Without coverage, those costs would typically need to be paid out of pocket. For many small business owners, this financial burden could be catastrophic.2. Someone says you or your employees damaged their propertyThe scene: You own a salon, and a newly hired nail technician is giving a client a manicure. It seems like business as usual.What went wrong: Your manicurist accidentally drops a bottle of nail polish. It smashes on the floor, and “Moody Blue” is now all over the client’s expensive handbag, causing visible damage.The consequences and the insurance claim: The client is seeing red. They say your business is responsible for the damage, and they ask you to pay for a replacement. Depending on the value of the purse and how the dispute unfolds, the situation could involve a cleaning bill, replacement expenses or additional claims-related costs.How general liability insurance could help: Accidents happen. General liability insurance could help cover eligible costs related to property damage claims, such as repairing or replacing a client’s belongings, up to the policy limits.3. Someone claims your business invaded their privacyThe scene: Your home decorator business’ social media accounts are blowing up. You get a lot of engagement sharing before-and-after photos of completed projects, so you post a lot of these projects on your public accounts to help get your business more visibility and new clients.What went wrong: After renovating a client’s closet, you share some photos online — but you forgot to ask your client for permission to do so. Your client sees the images and gets angry.The consequences and the insurance claim: The client sues you for breaching their privacy by using photos of their home without permission. Besides being time-consuming and stressful, responding to the claim could involve legal defense costs and potential settlement expenses.How general liability insurance could help: General liability insurance could help cover eligible legal expenses like attorney fees, court costs and damages related to the claim.4. Someone accuses you of advertising copyright infringementThe scene: You’re a personal trainer, and everyone wants to hire you to help them get rock-hard abs for the summer. In fact, some of your clients start calling you “The Rocker.” You lean into the nickname and call yourself The Rocker in online ads and social posts to build your brand and attract more clients.What went wrong: The nickname sticks, and you run ads that pair your image with a photo of a well-known celebrity who happens to share a similar name. What you didn’t realize is that the image — and the way it’s being used — wasn’t cleared with the celebrity’s team or the photographer who owns the rights.The consequences and the insurance claim: Before long, you hear from lawyers claiming copyright infringement and asking for damages. Even if the ad is removed, sorting out the dispute could mean legal fees and other related costs.How general liability insurance could help: General liability insurance could help cover eligible legal expenses and damages tied to certain advertising injury claims, including alleged copyright infringement, up to your policy limits.If you have to file a claim on your general liability insurance policy, you’ll work with a claims advocate who can help sort the details and resolve the claim as soon as possible.What many general liability insurance claims have in commonAt first glance, these situations look very different — a sidewalk accident, a ruined handbag, a social media post gone wrong. But they tend to share a few important traits.Most general liability claims start with ordinary business moments, not reckless decisions or unusual scenarios. They often involve routine interactions with customers, clients or the public — the same activities businesses rely on to operate and grow.Another common thread is how quickly costs can add up. What begins as a relatively small incident can expand to include medical bills, repair or replacement expenses, legal fees and time spent responding to the claim. Even when responsibility is unclear or disputed, resolving a claim can be costly and distracting.That’s why general liability insurance isn’t focused on preventing mistakes. Liability coverage for your business can help businesses manage uncertainty and help make sure accidents don’t become a devastating financial loss. Coverage can provide financial support when everyday operations don’t go exactly as planned.If your business is involved in an accident, it’s important to contact your insurance company immediately.This story was produced by ERGO NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Beyond BBQ and lobster rolls: The regional foods that define American cuisine Beyond BBQ and lobster rolls: The regional foods that define American cuisineNothing speaks to the culture of a region more than its cuisine. You can’t think of Italy without pasta or New York without pizza. Food is the fabric of society and, despite regional differences, it’s what brings everyone together.AnyWho takes a look at the tastiest regional foods in the United States that most Americans haven’t heard of. From the desert Southwest to coastal New England, these local foods taste just as delicious as they sound.The Midwest: Hearty, home-cooked delightsClassic, home-cooked comforts are the localsâ€™ choice throughout the Midwest. Culinary trends differ from one state to another, but in general, one can expect savory meats and cheeses around every corner.Wisconsin has its legendary cheese curds, Cincinnati, Ohio has its German Goetta, and Iowa has its slow-roasted pork tenderloin sandwich. No matter where you go in the Midwest, you’re sure to leave your destination full.Southern Appalachia: Resourceful traditionsAppalachian states like West Virginia and Mississippi can be hidden culinary gems. The cuisines in this region come from a place of resourcefulness and have deep roots in the region’s hardworking lineage.Take, for example, the West Virginia pepperoni roll. This simple, yet mouth-watering dish was first created by the wives of miners, explains WV Tourism. The first commercial variant was a few slices of pepperoni in a fluffy roll, but soon bakeries across the state started offering their own style.The Mississippi slugburger has equally humble beginnings. This burger features ground beef mixed with flour or soybean grits. It was originally created during the Great Depression years to extend the use of limited quantities of expensive meat. Today, it’s a delicious treat that locals enjoy.The Southwest: A fusion of indigenous and immigrant flavorsThe Southwestern U.S. features a blend of different cultures and cuisines. Some of the best food here has roots back to Native American and Mexican dishes.Frybread is one of the region’s delicacies. Smithsonian Magazine details how it was created by the Navajo tribe in the 1860s in response to the government’s forced relocation from Arizona to New Mexico reservations. It’s a flavorful, pancake-style fried dough.Another highly-regarded Southwestern food is the green chile burger of New Mexico. This spicy twist on a traditional cheeseburger can be found at nearly every casual restaurant in the region.Coastlines: From savory seafood to wild gameThe U.S. coastlines are rich in fresh foods that locals get to experience every day. There is also a huge variety depending on location.You might know Maine for its lobster rolls, but wild game is just as revered here. As Down East Magazine reports, game cannot be bought or sold in Maine. It either has to be shot, bartered, or freely given. The experience of obtaining the meat is just as fulfilling as eating it. Popular options include moose, wild turkey, and venison.Don’t forget dessert. The Whoopie pie was invented here and is actually the official state treat.City fare: How urban culinary scenes differThe cat's out of the bag when it comes to local classics like the Philly cheesesteak and Chicago deep dish pizza. It’s become more difficult to find the authentic foods that truly embody the culture of a city. Here are some culinary trends across U.S. cities that most people don’t know about:Seattle, Wash.: You might picture salmon specialties when you think of the Puget Sound region, but did you know that Seattle has a bustling teriyaki scene? As reported by the Seattle Weekly, teriyaki fast food is everywhere these days. In 1984, there were 19 spots. Now there are 519.St. Louis, Mo.: Toasted ravioli are a long-standing tradition of the city. According to Sauce Magazine, rumor has it this dish was invented when a local chef accidentally dropped ravioli into a pan of bread crumbs and decided to fry them.Rochester, N.Y.: A garbage plate may not sound appetizing, but it’s a staple of Rochester. Visit Rochester describes how this dish can be found everywhere in the city, from “small hamburger joints to fine-dining restaurants.” Every place makes it with their own special twist, but the concept is a base of home fries, French fries, baked beans, or mac and cheese, a top layer of hamburger or hot dog, and a finishing drizzle of Rochester-style hot sauce.The dishes that locals craveAcross the United States, locals are diving into amazing dishes that the rest of the country has never experienced. From sweet treats like Indian frybread and Whoopie pies to satisfying meals like German Goetta and toasted ravioli, originality lies in every region of the country. The next time you’re visiting another state or city, consider skipping the tourist special. Find the foods that locals love but never glamorize.This story was produced by AnyWho and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Some Middle East flights resume, but thousands of travelers are still stranded by war Limited flights out of the Middle East resumed on Monday. But hundreds of thousands of travelers are still stranded in the region after attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel.
	Golden years, growing costs: New survey reveals seniors’ difficult trade-offs Golden years, growing costs: New survey reveals seniors’ difficult trade-offsFor older Americans, retirement is meant to be a hard-earned reward after decades of work. But for many today, it feels less like a celebration and more like a struggle to stay afloat. A new, national survey of 1,000 seniors reveals that rising costs are forcing many to make difficult decisions—cutting back on food, delaying or skipping medical care, and scaling back social activities. All of these decisions can have a significant impact on seniors’ physical and mental well-being.While inflation has cooled from recent highs, prices for everyday essentials remain significantly elevated compared to just a few years ago. For retirees living on fixed incomes, even modest price increases can quickly strain monthly budgets.The findings paint a stark picture: Seniors aren’t just adjusting spending, they’re sacrificing basics. These sacrifices leave them feeling frustrated and stressed. Some share that rising costs have taken away their peace of mind, freedom of choice, enjoyment of life, and dignity.Below, My OTC by Chapter examines the findings and offers strategies for seniors feeling the financial pressure.Groceries and basic needs emerge as top pressure pointFood costs are hitting older Americans hardest. According to the survey, 86% of seniors say groceries are among the expenses that have increased the most over the past year. Two-thirds (67%) report that they have already reduced how much they spend on food or changed what they eat due to rising prices. That can mean switching to cheaper brands, buying fewer fresh foods, reducing portion sizes, or skipping certain items altogether.Dietary compromises can have outsized health impacts on older adults. Adequate nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining immune function, strength, and overall well-being later in life.Beyond groceries, 66% of respondents say utilities are among the expenses that have increased the most, while 56% cite higher costs for basic necessities like toiletries and household supplies. Transportation (39%) and housing (32%) also rank among the categories seeing the biggest price increases. Meanwhile, 22% say they have reduced heating or cooling in their homes to save money—a potentially dangerous choice, especially during multiple recent extreme weather events.Health care trade-offs raise concernOne of the most alarming findings involves medical care. One in 4 seniors (25%) say they have delayed or skipped medical care or prescriptions due to cost.Postponing care may provide short-term financial relief but often results in higher long-term costs—both financially and physically. Untreated conditions can worsen, leading to emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or complications that are more expensive to manage.For retirees managing multiple prescriptions or specialist visits, even small increases in copays or out-of-pocket costs can influence decisions about whether to seek care.Social lives shrink alongside budgetsFinancial pressures are also reshaping how seniors spend their time.Nearly one-third (31%) say they have reduced spending on social activities or hobbies, and 26% report cutting back on travel. For some, cutting back on travel means no longer visiting family.Public health experts have long identified social isolation as a significant risk factor for older adults, linked to higher rates of depression, cognitive decline, and even mortality. Reduced mobility and fewer outings can compound existing health vulnerabilities.Budget adjustments like skipping a weekly gathering or postponing a trip may seem minor but can gradually erode quality of life as well as mental and physical well-being.Savvy saving strategies for seniors feeling the pressureNot all seniors feel the same weight of increased costs. One in 3 (34%) seniors report not having cut back on anything in the past 12 months due to rising costs. Others are responding with resilience—adopting smart, proactive strategies to stretch their budgets further.Here are some of the things seniors can do to save in a savvy way.Shop smartAccording to the survey, older Americans are becoming more intentional shoppers. Many shared that they are reducing how much they dine out, shopping sales, and considering store brands at grocery stores to save on food costs.Senior discounts are another great way to save without sacrificing. Many stores offer discounts at specific times or on specific days. If you aren’t sure if the stores or services you use offer discounts, it never hurts to ask. And, while tedious, coupons can also help you stretch your dollar.Finally, many seniors are on Medicare Advantage plans that may come with extra benefits, including grocery allowances and OTC benefit cards that allow them to purchase health and wellness items at no cost to them. In fact, the average senior on Medicare Advantage has $400 in OTC credits—and $5 billion of OTC dollars go unused each year. If you have these benefits, they can help you save on OTC-eligible items and use that money elsewhere.Reduce healthcare costsHealthcare savings may offer some of the biggest opportunities for seniors because if you’re on a suboptimal Medicare plan, it could cost you thousands of dollars. It’s recommended that you review your Medicare coverage and compare Medicare plans during the annual enrollment period, which occurs every year. That said, there are special enrollment periods during which you may also be able to make a change. It’s always worth reviewing your coverage because even small adjustments in coverage can result in significant savings over the course of a year.Outside of changing plans, there are other ways to reduce your healthcare costs. Compare prescription costs at different pharmacies and make sure you’re using in-network doctors and pharmacies. You can also check your eligibility for Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs.Lean on communityBeyond everyday budgeting tactics, many seniors are also exploring community benefits and assistance programs that can meaningfully reduce expenses. Programs like SNAP, state pharmaceutical assistance, energy assistance initiatives, and property tax relief can provide monthly breathing room for those who qualify. Local senior centers can offer both social connection and practical resources—helping older adults stay engaged without increasing financial strain.Bottom lineThe survey findings suggest that while retirement may look different than what many expected, seniors are not simply absorbing higher costs. Many are adapting, strategizing, and finding creative ways to protect both their finances and their quality of life.Still, the data underscores a broader reality: For a growing number of older Americans, the golden years are increasingly defined not by celebration, but by careful trade-offs.Methodology: This Pollfish survey, commissioned by My OTC by Chapter, was conducted in February 2026 among 1,000 U.S. seniors. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding or because respondents could select multiple answers in certain categories.This story was produced by My OTC by Chapter and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How gas prices have changed in the U.S. in the last week Mar. 2, 2026 jittawit21 // Shutterstock How gas prices have changed in the U.S. in the last week Mar. 2, 2026 CheapInsurance.com compiled statistics on gas prices in the U.S. using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of March 2.U.S. by the numbers- Gas current price: $3.00- Week change: +$0.06 (+2.0%)- Year change: -$0.10 (-3.3%)- Historical expensive gas price: $5.02 (6/14/22)- Diesel current price: $3.77- Week change: +$0.06 (+1.6%)- Year change: +$0.11 (+3.1%)- Historical expensive diesel price: $5.82 (6/19/22)States with the least expensive gas#1. Oklahoma: $2.48#2. Mississippi: $2.55#3. Kansas: $2.57#4. Louisiana: $2.58#5. Tennessee: $2.61#6. Arkansas: $2.62#7. Texas: $2.62#8. Iowa: $2.63#9. Kentucky: $2.63#10. North Dakota: $2.65States with the most expensive gas#1. California: $4.66#2. Hawaii: $4.38#3. Washington: $4.37#4. Oregon: $3.92#5. Nevada: $3.70#6. Alaska: $3.62#7. Arizona: $3.32#8. Pennsylvania: $3.12#9. Washington, D.C.: $3.10#10. Illinois: $3.06This story was produced by CheapInsurance.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Dancing with the Stars pro ends up in Peoria hospital Dancing with the Stars’ pro Val Chmerkovskiy was in Peoria on Sunday for a performance at the Prairie Home Alliance Theater.
	Rock Island Arsenal to demolish former golf clubhouse, stone bridge The clubhouse was built in 1906 but has not been used since 2018.
	What is March Madness? Economic impact and 2026 outlook What is March Madness? Economic impact and 2026 outlookEvery spring, March Madness transforms college basketball into a national economic and cultural phenomenon. What begins as a sporting tournament quickly spills into workplaces, media schedules, travel plans, and consumer spending habits across the United States. From packed arenas and prime-time broadcasts to office bracket pools and lost work hours, the tournament’s influence extends far beyond the court.As the 2026 edition approaches, March Madness once again highlights how a single sporting event can drive billions in economic activity, while simultaneously testing productivity and business output nationwide. Here, Plus500 breaks down the tournament's economic footprint and what to expect in 2026.TL;DR — Key takeawaysMarch Madness is the NCAA men’s basketball tournament featuring 68 teams in a single-elimination format.The 2026 tournament runs from March 15 to April 6, 2026.Advertising, tourism, and merchandise generate billions of dollars in economic activity.Lost workplace productivity may cost the U.S. economy up to $20 billion annually.Host cities benefit from short-term GDP and income gains, though some spending is displaced.Overall, March Madness delivers strong consumer-driven growth with notable productivity trade-offs.What is March Madness?March Madness is the nickname for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, held each spring. It brings together 68 college teams competing in a single-elimination bracket to determine the national champion.The phrase originated in 1939, when Henry V. Porter, an Illinois High School Association official, used "March Madness" in an article about the state's high school basketball tournament. He described the event's chaotic energy, writing that "a little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity.”The tournament is famous for its unpredictability, with underdog victories and dramatic finishes that drive widespread fan engagement. Bracket competitions, live broadcasts, office pools, and social media discussions make March Madness one of the most culturally and commercially influential sporting events in the United States, which hosts the 2026 World Cup.Fun Fact: Odds of a perfect bracket are 1 in 9.2 quintillion, less likely than lightning striking you twice.When is the next March Madness? (2026 dates)The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament follows the standard schedule:Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026First Four: March 17-18, 2026First Round: March 19-20, 2026Second Round: March 21-22, 2026Sweet 16: March 26-27, 2026Elite Eight: March 28-29, 2026Final Four: April 4, 2026National Championship: April 6, 2026Games are hosted across multiple U.S. cities, with the Final Four and championship held in Indianapolis.The economic impact of March MadnessMarch Madness creates a complex economic footprint, combining substantial revenue generation with measurable productivity losses.Positive economic effectsAdvertising and media revenueThe tournament is a major advertising platform, with television networks earning around $1.4 billion in advertising revenue in recent years. Commercial slots during games can exceed $100,000 for 30 seconds, reflecting the event’s massive national viewership.Tourism and hospitality growthHost cities experience increased demand for hotels, restaurants, transportation, and entertainment. Major events like the Final Four can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in visitor spending. Even early-round host cities often see millions added to local GDP and personal income.Merchandise and retail salesSales of team apparel, memorabilia, and licensed merchandise exceed $200 million annually, supporting retail businesses and supply chains across manufacturing, logistics, and e-commerce.Negative economic effectsLost workplace productivityMarch Madness is associated with significant productivity losses. Full-time employees spend an average of 2.4 hours per workday following games, with a large share spending four or more hours. Some estimates place total productivity losses at up to $20 billion per year.Business disruptionMany employees prioritize tournament viewing or bracket participation during work hours, leading to billions of dollars in lost business output across the U.S. economy.Spending displacementIn host cities, some local spending shifts rather than increases overall consumption, meaning not all tournament-related spending represents a net economic gain.How March Madness 2026 may affect the economyIn 2026, March Madness is expected to follow familiar economic patterns:Host cities will see short-term boosts to GDP, employment, and tax revenue.The media and advertising sectors will benefit from strong viewership and sponsorship demand.Consumer spending will rise in food, beverages, entertainment, and merchandise.Productivity losses are likely to resurface during the first two rounds, when weekday games dominate.Overall, the tournament will act as a short-term economic stimulant for consumer-facing industries while imposing measurable costs on employers.Stocks related to March MadnessWhile the effects of March Madness extend beyond any single stock or market sector, traders and investors can generally monitor certain areas:Sports betting companies: Stocks like DraftKings, MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Penn Entertainment may be influenced by increased betting activity as fans wager on tournament outcomes.Consumer-focused firms: Companies such as Coca-Cola can experience indirect impacts from watch parties and heightened consumer engagement during the tournament.It is, however, crucial to remember that market outcomes are never guaranteed, and the aforementioned sectors might not experience the predicted shift.ConclusionMarch Madness remains one of the most economically influential sporting events in the United States. While it generates billions in advertising revenue, tourism spending, and retail sales, these gains are partially offset by lost workplace productivity and spending displacement.For the 2026 tournament, the net effect is expected to be economically positive but uneven, benefiting media companies, host cities, and consumer industries most, while posing short-term challenges for businesses reliant on weekday productivity.*Past performance does not reflect future results. The above is for marketing and general informational purposes only and are only projections and should not be taken as investment research, investment advice, or a personal recommendation.This story was produced by Plus500 and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	2 Moline teachers named Golden Apple Award finalists Organizers said the Golden Apple Award aims to elevate the teaching profession by honoring the best of the best Illinois teachers and school leaders.
	'Hamnet' star Jessie Buckley looks for the 'shadowy bits' of her characters Buckley has been nominated for a best actress Oscar for her portrayal of William Shakespeare's wife in Hamnet. The film "brought me into this next chapter of my life as a mother," Buckley says.
	Review: God of Carnage at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre Playcrafters Barn Theatre’s lead-off to its 2026 season is a remarkable production of the 2008 Tony Award-winning script God of Carnage by French playwright Yasmina Reza and directed by Jeremy Mahr, who can take well-deserved pride in his production. God of Carnage continues at Playcrafters Barn Theatre, 4950 - 35th Avenue in Moline, Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8, at 3:00 p.m.
	Eldridge City Council considers ordinance increasing fines for loose animals Under the proposal, a first violation would increase from $30 to $150, a second violation from $75 to $300 and a third violation from $150 to $600.
	Colona police K-9 dies The Colona Police Department's K-9, Parker, died after his cancer returned.
	Galesburg council to consider $323,000 Cooke Park splash pad project The Galesburg City Council will consider a $323,000 Cooke Park splash pad project. The agenda includes renderings of the proposed design.
	How social media affects teen mental health (and what to do about it) How social media affects teen mental health (and what to do about it)Social media is here to stay. In the U.S., 95% of teens use at least one social media platform. And according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, over half of teens admit that it’d be very difficult to quit social media.But research shows that, although social media can have benefits (like providing safe spaces and connections for teens), it can also have significant negative consequences for mental health. Social media use in teens — especially problematic or excessive use — has been linked to mental health problems like depression, eating disorders, and sleep issues.As a parent, you can support your teen in developing more positive relationships — with themselves, with social media, and with you. A therapist who specializes in teen mental health can help them change their social media habits and work through any mental health challenges that might’ve come from it. Below, Rula explores what the research says and how parents can help.Key TakeawaysResearch shows that while social media can have some benefits for teen mental health, it can also have significant negative consequences.Teens who use social media excessively or are overly emotionally invested in social media can be at higher risk of developing mental health problems.Parents can help their teens by talking openly about mental health, teaching digital literacy, and setting limits and boundaries where necessary.Effects of social media on teenagersThe impact of social media on teen mental health isn’t straightforward. Many studies have found that social media is harmful, but others have found that it can have some benefits too.Overall, the evidence shows that using social media as a teen — especially in an excessive or problematic way — is linked to a wide range of mental health problems.The research on the negative effects of social media on teen mental health is so convincing that the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General sent out a 2023 advisory warning against it.The advisory emphasizes that the teen years are a vulnerable time in brain development. Between the ages of 10 and 18, the human brain goes through many changes. Largely because of these changes, teens are already at higher risk for impulsive, risk-taking, and self-harming behaviors, as well as the development of mental health conditions like depression.Research shows that frequent social media use could be linked to changes in the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, which are areas of the brain that are responsible for emotions, impulse control, and social behaviors. This could increase teens’ vulnerability to these mental health problems.In addition, social media platforms aren’t always safe places. While there are accounts and spaces that encourage connection and inclusivity, there could also be dangers present. For example, up to 40% of teens have been the victims of cyberbullying. There are also social media accounts that encourage self-destructive behaviors, like disordered eating and self-harm. Other teens might be exposed to dangerous adults or adult content on social media.Here are some of the specific mental health effects that problematic social media use can have on teen mental health.Depression and anxietyA systematic review found that the time spent on social media, as well as how invested teens felt in social media, was positively correlated with depression. That means the more time teens spent on these platforms and the more invested they were, the more likely they were to have depression.Teens who use social media to seek approval or to compare themselves with others are at higher risk of depression. The same review found similar results for anxiety. Using social media more frequently was associated with higher rates of anxiety. Teens who have been victimized by cyberbullying are at especially high risk of anxiety.Body dysmorphia and eating disordersSocial media and eating disorders may also be connected. Research has found significant links between social media use and body dysphoria in young people. In one study, cutting social media use by half led to significant improvements in body image in teens.Teens who use social media more frequently are also more likely to experience low self-esteem. Research shows that body dysmorphia may play a role in this relationship.Self-harm and suicidalitySocial media could also be linked, according to some research, to self-harm and suicide risk.* Although many social media platforms advocate for suicide awareness and help teens connect to helpful resources, others may have more nefarious purposes.SleepOne of the main avenues through which social media may impact teen well-being is by impacting their sleep. Increased social media use is linked with significant problems for teens’ sleep, including fewer sleeping hours each night and poorer quality of sleep.*A note on safety: The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 confidential support through trained crisis counselors. If you or someone you care about is experiencing emotional distress, self-harm, or a suicidal crisis, please call or text 988. For life-threatening emergencies or immediate assistance, call 911.Signs of a harmful relationship with social mediaResearch indicates that a problematic relationship with social media has the worst mental health impacts. A harmful relationship with social media could look like:Using social media for more than three hours per day: A study found that teens who spent more than three hours per day on social media were significantly more likely to experience mental health problems than teens who used it less frequently. And because a third of teens admit to using social media “almost constantly,” many fall in this category.Comparing themselves to others on social media: Teens who use social media to negatively compare themselves to others could be more likely to have mental health problems or poor self-esteem.Being emotionally invested in social media: If it seems like your teen is overly invested in social media — for example, if getting a “like” can make or break their day — it could be a sign of a problematic relationship.Engaging in cyberbullying: Being either the victim or the perpetrator of cyberbullying through social media could indicate a relationship that isn’t healthy.Following harmful accounts: Teens with a harmful relationship with social media may follow harmful or dangerous accounts, like those that promote self-harm or severely restrictive eating.Not having real-life relationships: It may be cause for concern if it seems like your teen only connects with people they meet online and has no “real-life” friendships.Scrolling social media instead of sleeping: Allowing social media to interfere with healthy sleep can negatively impact mental health.Managing teens’ social media useEven though the research is clear about the negative effects of social media, many parents find it unrealistic to ban their teens from using social media altogether. Plus, there are some benefits of social media for teen mental health as well, including connecting with others who share their same interests or identities.The important thing is to support your teen in using social media in a way that doesn’t harm their mental health. What works for another family may not work for yours, but it’s essential to be involved and take the necessary steps to protect your child. Consider following these steps.Talk to them about mental healthOne of the most important things you can do to support your teen’s mental health — regardless of their relationship with social media — is to have open conversations with them. Despite increasing mental health awareness, it’s still a stigmatized subject that can be uncomfortable to talk about.By keeping the lines of communication open — especially about mental health topics — you can communicate to your teen that there’s nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to mental health challenges. As a result, they may be more likely to reach out to you if they need support.Help them with digital media literacyTeens might not realize that not everything they see on social media is real. They might compare themselves to altered photos online, which can lead to body dysmorphia and other mental health problems. You can help your teen build digital literacy skills, notice when something is edited, and catch the tendency to compare themselves.Use time limits, especially before bedOne of the biggest negative impacts that social media can have on teens is impacting restful and healthy sleep. Research shows that parental rules around screen time before bed can be helpful for teens.Consider setting a hard boundary limiting social media use one hour before bedtime. If your teen isn’t happy with this rule, it may help to review the research on the importance of sleep quality together.Help them connect in personBuilding connections is one of the positive aspects of social media. But if it seems like your teen is overly invested in the relationships that they build online, without making any friendships offline, it could be helpful to help them connect in person.For example, you might set up opportunities for them to bond with people within your family, like a weekly game night or a dinner every weekend. Or you can help them connect with other teens their age in their community, if they feel safe doing so.Keep in mind that there are realistic barriers that may prevent your teen from feeling safe with their peers in their physical community. For example, trans or genderqueer teens may not feel safe with unaccepting peers at school. In these situations, online communities can help your teen feel more accepted and comfortable.Support for teens impacted by social mediaIf you suspect that your teen’s mental health has already been negatively affected by social media, or if they appear to be addicted to social media — for example, if they’re using it almost all the time or use it despite it causing problems in their life — they (and you) could benefit from professional mental health support.Research shows that parental rules can be helpful but only go so far when it comes to teens who are deeply invested in social media. A therapist can strengthen your relationship with your teen and provide your teen with a safe and confidential space where they can discuss their social media use and how they can best use it to support — not harm — their mental health.A therapist who specializes in teen mental health can also help your teen address any mental health concerns that may have arisen due to problematic social media use. These therapists are trained to work through teens’ ambivalence around changing their behaviors, and they can help you learn new tools to get through to your teen as well.Find careSocial media use among teens can be a tricky subject. While research shows that it can be negative for teen mental health, using it is the norm in current teen culture. It may be unrealistic to try to prohibit it. But by being open about mental health and digital literacy and setting rules and limits where appropriate, you can support your teen to develop a healthier relationship with social media. Working with a therapist who specializes in teen mental health can also make a difference.This story was produced by Rula and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	2 structures to be demolished on Rock Island Arsenal The structures are not in use and considered unsafe or uneconomical to repair, officials said.
	The free bus push is spreading. The funding gap is growing. The free bus push is spreading. The funding gap is growing.Cities across America are promoting fare-free bus service as a way to ease household costs and improve access to public transit. At the same time, transit agencies are confronting operating deficits, expiring federal relief funds, and rising service demands.New York City has become the latest flashpoint in that debate. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly backed expanding free bus service as part of his affordability agenda. But New York already tested fare-free buses. And the results offer a clearer picture of both the appeal and the limits of the policy, Buses For Sale reports.New York already ran a fare-free bus pilotThe Metropolitan Transportation Authority operated a fare-free bus pilot on five routes — Bx18A/B, B60, M116, Q4, and S46/96 — from September 24, 2023 through August 31, 2024. Fares resumed on September 1, 2024.The MTA’s one-year evaluation found that ridership increased on all five routes during the pilot. However, the agency reported “limited new ridership,” meaning most of the growth came from existing riders taking additional trips rather than from large numbers of brand-new riders.In short, free fares boosted boardings. The pilot did not demonstrate a major influx of new transit users.How much would free buses cost New York City?The financial scale of eliminating fares citywide is significant. The New York City Independent Budget Office estimated that removing bus fares could reduce operating revenue by roughly $652 million per year under certain scenarios.That estimate does not dictate policy. But it defines the magnitude of the tradeoff. Any permanent fare-free system would require replacing hundreds of millions in annual revenue through taxes, subsidies, or service changes.Why are some cities bringing fares back?While New York debates expansion, Kansas City is moving in the opposite direction.The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority will reinstate a $2 bus fare beginning June 1, 2026, ending several years of fare-free service.Local reporting estimates that reinstating fares could generate approximately $5.2 million for part of 2026, compared to an operating budget of roughly $95 million.Kansas City’s shift reflects a broader challenge. When temporary funding sources expire, agencies must either replace lost revenue or adjust service.Is San Antonio making buses free?San Antonio is debating a different approach.The city’s mayor has requested a six-month fare-free pilot on VIA Metropolitan Transit’s five busiest routes, with a proposed start date of July 1, 2026.VIA leadership has publicly warned that eliminating fares could affect funding structures and potentially complicate major capital projects.Transit employee union leaders have also raised concerns about operational impacts.The proposal remains under discussion, underscoring that even limited pilots entail financial and operational trade-offs.How do transit agencies pay for buses?Passenger fares are only one part of transit funding. The Federal Transit Administration’s National Transit Database tracks farebox recovery ratios and operating revenue across U.S. systems.Farebox recovery refers to the percentage of operating expenses covered by passenger fares. When fares are eliminated, agencies must replace that revenue through local taxes, state support, federal funding, or internal reallocations.Selective free fares are spreadingNot all cities are pursuing universal fare-free service. Some have opted for targeted programs instead.Boston has operated several MBTA bus routes fare-free using federal ARPA reimbursement funding, with the program scheduled through early 2026.Los Angeles Metro offers GoPass, which provides free rides for eligible K-12 and community college students through September 2026.These models limit revenue exposure while expanding access for specific groups.A national affordability debate meets local budget mathThe political appeal of free bus fares is clear. For riders, eliminating a daily fare reduces friction and lowers immediate out-of-pocket costs. For elected officials, it signals a tangible response to affordability concerns.The financial equation is more complicated.New York’s pilot showed increased ridership but limited evidence of large-scale new transit adoption. Kansas City is restoring fares after years of zero-fare service. San Antonio is weighing a pilot while transit leadership flags funding risks.Across cities, the core question remains consistent: If riders no longer pay at the farebox, how will agencies replace that revenue? And for how long?The answer varies by city. The budget math does not disappear.This story was produced by Buses For Sale and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rock Island Arsenal to demolish historic golf clubhouse, stone bridge Rock Island Arsenal plans to demolish its 1906 golf clubhouse and a nearby stone bridge, citing safety concerns and repair costs.
	IowaWORKS hosting job fair March 12 IowaWORKS is hosting an “Opportunity Knocks” job fair on Thursday, March 12 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at IowaWORKS, 1801 E. Kimberly Road in Davenport. “Opportunity Knocks” is for new job seekers, seasoned professionals or anyone who may be in the growing ‘transitioning’ job market. IowaWORKS offers career planning assistance, resume updating, opportunities for [...]
	IPAWS sends critical information to Knox County residents Residents in Knox County now have a new way to receive critical information during emergencies. Knox County Emergency Management Agency (KCEMA) has implemented the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), developed by FEMA, into its emergency alert system. This allows county officials to send immediate, targeted and life-saving information directly to residents’ mobile devices, [...]
	The city where traffic fatalities vanished The city where traffic fatalities vanishedA U.S. city of 60,000 people would typically see around six to eight traffic fatalities every year. But Hoboken, New Jersey? They haven’t had a single fatal crash for nine years — since Jan. 17, 2017, to be exact. Reasons to be Cheerful examines how Hoboken made its streets so safe.Campaigns for seatbelts, lower speed limits and sober driving have brought national death tolls from car crashes down from a peak in the first half of the 20th century. However, many still assume some traffic deaths as an unavoidable cost of car culture.The global Vision Zero movement, by contrast, believes traffic deaths aren’t inevitable, celebrating Hoboken and related milestones in larger cities like Helsinki, Finland, as proof of what can be achieved. By studying which factors contribute to local crash fatalities, Vision Zero proponents say, communities can decide to change policies, infrastructure and human behavior to reduce the likelihood of fatal accidents.Hoboken’s journey to combat traffic deaths has been led for the past eight years by Mayor Ravi Bhalla, whose term ended this month. As a young father, Bhalla had to push his stroller dangerously close to traffic on numerous occasions to check if it was safe to cross certain streets. Later, as a city council member, a pedestrian death cemented his resolve that Hoboken could do better. Courtesy of the City of Hoboken Bhalla picked up the mantle from his predecessor Mayor Dawn Zimmer, launching a five-year analysis of Hoboken’s crash data to learn contributing factors and vulnerabilities that could be used to help shape reforms.That analysis showed that, between 2014 and 2018, 40% of the accidents causing serious injuries or death in Hoboken involved bikers or pedestrians, even though people walking and bicycling were only involved in 8% of all crashes. Given that most bicycle and pedestrian crashes (88%) happened in intersection crosswalks, those became a major priority.Central to Hoboken’s early strategy was a focus on vulnerable road users, such as seniors and kids, which meant prioritizing street redesign near schools, parks and senior centers.Prior to Bhalla’s time in office, Hoboken started strictly enforcing New Jersey’s statewide “daylighting” policy, which bans cars from parking within 25 feet of intersections to improve visibility and boost driver response time. But high demand for parking and pressure to protect already-limited spaces meant enforcement was challenging.“If there’s not something blocking them, they’ll just park there,” says Gregory Francese, who directs Hoboken’s Vision Zero program. “Hoboken would need […] enforcement out there at all times, at every intersection, which is very difficult to impossible.”So Hoboken used a variety of physical deterrents such as inexpensive, waist-high plastic posts to prevent parking in forbidden spots, even temporarily. Some intersection-adjacent spaces were converted into wider sidewalks.The city also collaborated with aligned government departments and community groups to repurpose daylit space to benefit local residents, integrating bike parking, plants and rain gardens to mitigate flood risk. Courtesy of the City of Hoboken Hoboken’s approach of layering several evidence-based strategies simultaneously recognizes that drivers will make mistakes and factors multiple layers of protection into safer road design.“We’re not just investing in infrastructure,” Francese says. “We’re adding safety features to vehicles, we’re doing driver education, […] so if there is driver error, or if there is pedestrian error, the consequences of that aren’t death or serious injury.”Bhalla successfully rallied support from within and outside of government, launching Hoboken’s Vision Zero Task Force in 2019. Public engagement, Francese says, was and is core to this. Community surveys and meetings allowed leaders to hear from multiple voices, “not just the loudest,” he says, and piloting changes at one or two intersections first allowed people time to test and assess new infrastructure before commitments were made on a larger scale.Willingness to adjust plans to respond to feedback or challenges was key. Public awareness campaigns also helped educate residents on the reasoning behind certain changes, like why a speed reduction of just 5 mph translates into huge pedestrian crash survival rate improvements.Not only did community members come to better understand the reasons for certain changes, but many also got on board once they saw the changes in action. Community members now play a role themselves, flagging when infrastructure needs fixing and asking for specific upgrades at intersections that don’t have them. Public reporting of “near-miss” data also supplements close calls caught by city cameras that are being piloted around the city.One busy area near a supermarket had only a handful of crash injuries but many more “near-misses,” captured by cameras and community reporting. Having access to this data spurred leaders to prioritize a safer redesign, with the city and county able to get a state grant to cover the changes. Collaborations with other city departments also contributed to cost sharing of upgrades, particularly for multipurpose spaces with functional community benefits.Hoboken’s success didn’t happen overnight.“Whenever we do any kind of [routine] roadway project, repavement, or building a park, or replacing underground infrastructure […] a lot of places just replace what was there,” Francese says. “That’s not what we do in Hoboken.” Hoboken now integrates higher safety standards into routine roadwork.Sixteen years in, about two-thirds of Hoboken’s intersections are now furnished with physical deterrents, and the city has hundreds of high-visibility crosswalks and dozens of curb extensions.After especially extensive road upgrades in 2022, Hoboken saw 18% fewer injury crashes and a 62% reduction in serious injuries from 2022 to 2023.Hoboken has not eliminated accidents — or injuries. Year-over-year data fluctuates wildly and can still document concerning upswings, as found in a recent analysis of crash injury police reports by Bike Hoboken, showing a 52% rise in traffic-related injuries from 144 in 2023 to 219 in 2024. Likewise, two ongoing challenges have been limited funds for new infrastructure and the constraints of relying on police crash data, which takes a while to be compiled and doesn’t capture narrowly avoided accidents.Likewise, Hoboken’s approach is no silver bullet. Small, commuter-heavy Hoboken with strong public transit infrastructure has narrow streets with high pedestrian traffic on an older street grid, but larger cities like Helsinki have had similar milestones from their own tailored changes. But it’s clear that Hoboken’s multipronged approach to safer streets holds lessons for other communities tackling traffic deaths — both the safety improvements themselves, and how the city rolled out those changes while prioritizing community support. Learning from Hoboken’s successes and challenges — and what has curtailed other Vision Zero programs from similar success — mean communities don’t have to reinvent the wheel.As Bhalla passes the torch this month to another Vision Zero champion, new Mayor Emily Jabbour, Hoboken continues to experiment with new strategies in response to new data. And Jabbour will lead Hoboken as it strives for another milestone: No traffic-related injuries or deaths by 2030.This story was produced by Reasons to be Cheerful and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The AI trust gap: 42% would ask AI before calling a lawyer The AI trust gap: 42% would ask AI before calling a lawyerWhen legal trouble surfaces, many Americans don't start with a law office. They start with a search bar.A new national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults on “The AI Lawyer Trust Gap” finds that 42% of Americans would use AI before contacting a lawyer if they had a legal issue. The appeal is obvious. AI feels fast, private, and free.But speed does not equal certainty. Beneath that initial curiosity lies a clear boundary: Americans are carefully experimenting with AI for legal questions, not legal decisions.In this article, Kolmogorov Law breaks down the findings on how Americans view AI in legal matters.Key Findings42% would use AI before contacting a lawyer.42% trust AI to help them prepare questions for a lawyer.24% don't trust AI with any legal tasks.45% are comfortable sharing sensitive personal details with AI.51% would be fine with their lawyer using AI.60% say lawyers should always disclose when AI is used.Only 31% of Gen Zers would rely solely on free AI advice for a simple legal need.AI Is Becoming the First Stop Kolmogorov Law AI is emerging as a legal prescreening tool.Nearly half of Americans say they would consult AI before calling an attorney. Among men, that number rises to 48%, compared to 37% among women. Among households earning more than $150,000, 36% would turn to a chatbot if a legal issue felt urgent.This is not a rejection of lawyers but a continuation of digital habits. For years, Americans have searched for medical symptoms, employment rights, and tax questions before speaking to a professional. AI condenses that process into a conversational format.In high-stress moments such as a dispute with a landlord, an unexpected letter, or a workplace conflict involving wrongful termination, harassment, or unpaid wages, instant answers feel stabilizing. AI offers immediacy without scheduling delays or hourly fees. It creates a sense of control at a time when control feels scarce.Yet immediacy carries risk. AI systems are known to generate confident but incorrect responses. In legal matters, misinformation can carry consequences.AI as a Prep Tool, Not a SubstituteThe second 42% reveals where Americans draw the line.While nearly half trust AI to help them prepare questions for a lawyer, preparation is not the same as decision-making.People appear comfortable using AI to clarify terminology, outline possible next steps, or organize their thoughts before a consultation, especially when navigating contract disagreements or partnership conflicts. It functions as a briefing assistant, allowing someone to walk into a meeting informed rather than overwhelmed.This signals a shift in consumer behavior. Clients want to show up prepared and use billable time efficiently. So, AI becomes a cost-control and confidence-building tool.For most, however, it does not replace professional authority. Many Americans start with AI, but legal decisions still require interpretation and accountability from a licensed attorney.Distrust Runs Deep for a Meaningful Minority Kolmogorov Law For 24% of Americans, the boundary is firm. They do not trust AI with any legal tasks.That skepticism intensifies among lower-income households. Nearly 29% of those earning under $50,000 reject AI for legal use entirely, compared to just 8% among those earning $150,000 or more.The income gap suggests confidence plays a role. Higher earners may feel more comfortable verifying information or absorbing potential mistakes. Those with fewer financial buffers may perceive greater risk. Legal decisions can alter finances, housing, employment, or lead to complex civil disputes that require formal litigation. When the stakes feel permanent, experimentation feels risky.This hesitation supports a simple principle: Lawyers are licensed, regulated, and accountable under strict professional standards. AI tools are not. If a lawyer gives poor advice, there are ethical standards and disciplinary mechanisms in place. With AI, responsibility can feel unclear. That difference matters.AI Feels Private, Sometimes More Than Lawyers Kolmogorov Law If distrust defines one segment of the public, comfort defines another.Nearly 45% of Americans say they are comfortable sharing sensitive personal details with an AI chatbot to receive legal help. Among parents, that number rises to 58%.Legal issues often carry embarrassment or vulnerability. Divorce, debt, disputes, and family conflicts can feel difficult to discuss face-to-face. A chatbot feels emotionally neutral. It does not react or judge.Some respondents even perceive AI as less biased. Fifteen percent of men say they trust AI more than most lawyers because it feels less biased, compared with 6% of women.The distinction is subtle but important. Many Americans may not trust AI as an authority, but they trust it as a confidant. That emotional dynamic is reshaping how legal conversations begin.Efficiency Is Welcome. Secrecy Is Not. Kolmogorov Law Americans are not broadly opposed to AI in legal practice.A slim majority, 51%, say they would be comfortable with their lawyer using AI to assist in their case. Efficiency and modernization are viewed positively.At the same time, 60% believe lawyers should always disclose when AI is involved.This pairing defines the trust gap. The public is not anti-AI, but anti-ambiguity.If AI is used, clients want transparency. They want to know who reviewed the output and who is responsible for it. Disclosure reinforces that accountability remains human, even when technology assists.Without transparency, confidence declines.Even Gen Z Isn't All In Kolmogorov Law Gen Z is often described as digitally fearless. The data suggests nuance.Only 31% say they would rely solely on free AI advice for a simple legal issue. Even the generation most comfortable with technology limits its authority when consequences feel real.Growing up with digital tools has also meant exposure to misinformation and algorithmic bias. This familiarity appears to produce caution rather than blind trust.The trust gap is situational. When legal stakes rise, human accountability carries weight.The Bigger Picture: A Negotiated FutureThe AI lawyer debate reflects recalibration rather than conflict. Americans are using AI to orient themselves. They are preparing questions. They are testing ideas. They are weighing convenience against risk.They are also signaling that final responsibility should remain with humans. AI may become a permanent part of the legal workflow. Public sentiment indicates openness to that reality under clear conditions: transparency, oversight, and accountability. The trust gap reflects boundary-setting. Those boundaries are likely to shape how law and technology evolve together.MethodologyThis survey was conducted nationally among 1,000 U.S. adults on Jan. 29 via Pollfish to measure attitudes toward using AI for legal guidance. Respondents were asked about usage behavior, trust levels, emotional comfort, and expectations around human oversight in legal matters. Percentages reflect aggregated responses.This story was produced by Kolmogorov Law and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Scott County school districts to hold special election The Davenport, North Scott and Pleasant Valley School Districts will hold a Special Election for renewing the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy.
	Mercer County School District to hold dismissal hearing The Mercer County School District will hold a Certified Honorable Dismissal Hearing and a Board of Education Special Meeting.
	Witness trees: A living archive of Black memory Witness trees: A living archive of Black memoryOn the island of St. Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a nearly 300-year-old baobab tree stands firmly in the center of a grass field. Its 50-foot-wide, swollen trunk and winnowy branches are a spectacle among an otherwise ordinary backdrop. Onlookers say it looks as though the tree was planted upside down. That’s why it’s been nicknamed the “Walking Tree,” drawn from an ancient legend that God inverted it to keep it from wandering.Native to Africa, the baobab is not meant to grow here. How it arrived in the Caribbean around 1750 has long been the subject of speculation. But for many islanders, the answer is clear: by way of the transatlantic slave voyage, or Middle Passage. “The enslaved people [brought] the seed in their hair, necklaces, and earrings,” said Olasee Davis, a Caribbean ecologist and historian. “That is how the seed came to this part of the world.”Stories of how the baobab arrived, and what the tree has come to mean, are commonplace and handed down through generations, Atmos reports. Growing up on St. Croix, Davis and the other children were often told of the tree’s historical and spiritual significance—even that its hollow trunk could serve as a portal to home. “We were told that if we went to the baobab when the moon was full, the hole would open up and we could go back to Africa,” Davis recalled.With a life span that can exceed 1,000 years, baobabs are often described as witnesses to history. This one is officially known as the Grove Place Baobab, and has been a landmark of Black history and a keeper of inhabitants’ tales for centuries. In its relatively brief three centuries on St. Croix, it has already witnessed and endured slavery under Danish colonial rule, the Emancipation Rebellion of 1848, and the decimating winds of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, to name a few.“When you see the tree, history comes alive,” said Davis.The Grove Place Baobab tree is just one of more than 100 others spanning the African diaspora that have been identified as Black Heritage Trees for their roles as living witnesses to pivotal moments in Black history. Led by archaeologist and National Geographic Explorer Alicia Odewale, the Black Heritage Tree Project is now mapping these trees in efforts to protect them and the knowledge they carry.Histories of harm and joyFor Odewale, traditional archaeology has only told half the story of humanity. Trees, she argues, reveal the rest.“We started the Black Heritage Tree Project as a way to allow the trees to take center stage with the storytelling, and reconnect the African diaspora through the trees that we’ve been connected to for generations,” Odewale said. “Somewhere along the way, we lost that connection.”Odewale began the project in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre still shadows the city’s name. During her first archaeological survey there, she followed the trees. As their roots expanded underground, a row of hackberries pushed fragments of the past to the surface, among them bottle fragments and bits of bricks and mortar. The artifacts formed a kind of puzzle for Odewale to fit together.The trees themselves were too young to have stood during the massacre. But their thick, darkened bark—a natural adaptation that offers a form of fire protection—revealed them to be descendants of the trees that had endured the flames. “It reminded me of how people in my community behave as descendants,” Odewale said. “We grow as if we carry this history with us; as if we are still marked by it.”The parallels between trees and humans are deeply intertwined. Like people, trees speak to one another, share stories and nourishment among their communities, and pass down wisdom and warnings to their offspring. The exchange between the distinct organisms is constant: We breathe what trees exhale; they, in turn, depend on what we release. Survival is mutually dependent. It is hardly surprising, then, that when one is afflicted, suffering trails closely behind for the other.Do poplar trees still carry the weight of the human bodies that once hung from their branches? Do Southern magnolias, contorted and gnarled by age, hold memories of bloodshed in their roots?In South Carolina, there are stories of the 500-year-old Angel Oak with an air so heavy that it is suspected to be surrounded by spirits of enslaved Africans, the despair of a generation soaked in its drooping Spanish moss. Stories like these are folklore—but science confirms that these trees are not passive bystanders to history. They’ve physically suffered by proxy: Plantations across the United States created a monocrop culture so pervasive that it depleted soil diversity, altered water systems, and triggered long-term ecological decline. Acres of land were cleared for cotton and sugarcane. And trees no longer stood to witness to the sins of human kin, for better or for worse.But for Odewale, the Black Heritage Tree Project is not solely about cataloging histories of harm. “The ways that we connect to these trees are endless,” she said. “It’s never just about the torture that’s been done to them and to us. It’s the connection that’s been happening both through joy and pain in a cycle.”One such tree is the Greenwood Legacy Tree in Tulsa, once referred to as the Tulsa Race Massacre Tree. The American elm bends almost 90 degrees, its trunk nearly parallel to the ground, but its branches reach upward: skybound. The tree hangs on like a stubborn elder with too much wisdom to spread, living proof of a history that’s time and again been a target for erasure. It survived not only the attempted burning down of a thriving Black Tulsa in 1921, but also the rebuilding of a city from the ashes.The Black Heritage Tree Project has documented dozens of trees associated with creative resilience: live oaks carved with symbols that guided people along the Underground Railroad; baobabs whose hollow trunks became burial sites; kapok trees whose leaves were used as medicine by the enslaved—or, in some accounts, as poison for enslavers; sycamores whose broken limbs were tied together as a sign of matrimony; and mahogany trees that stood as windbreaks along Caribbean shores.Odewale’s favorite trees are the freedom trees. “This is the spot where [the ancestors] stood and heard that freedom had come,” she said. “I could actually touch this tree that they touched and try to imagine what they were feeling at that moment.” Wildnerdpix // Shutterstock Where trees and ancestors meetTexas, which has the most trees documented in the project, is dense with stories of liberation. In Houston, home to several former freedmen’s towns, a 200-year-old live oak marks the place where some of the last enslaved Africans were told they were free: a day eventually commemorated as Juneteenth. Now known as The Freedom Tree, it has become a pillar in the community and a space for remembrance.“[The trees] were always there, whether we noticed them or not,” said Naomi Harris, the Houston lead for the Black Heritage Tree Project. “They were there, and they were witnessing our history.”Nearby stands what enslaved men, women, and children called The Can’t See Tree, on the grounds of the Varner-Hogg plantation. According to Harris, its broad canopy once shielded enslaved laborers from overseers during sugar harvests, providing a momentary break from persecution that doubled as a quiet act of resistance behind the tree’s mossy covering.“If that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what can, because we were not taught our history,” said Harris. “We were told a lot of stuff, but we were not always told the truth because it was violent, it was bloody, and it was painful. But it is also beautiful.”For plant scientist Beronda Montgomery, this relationship with trees is ancestral—and the growing distance from it, she argues, can be attributed to the trauma of chattel slavery. In her newly released book, "When Trees Testify," Montgomery traces how Black botanical knowledge was once valued and exploited. Enslaved people with expertise in cultivation and plant medicine were actively sought after.Montgomery now asks: How might that ancestral connection be reclaimed? How do we honor the ancestors, and the trees that sustained them? As a longtime researcher of photosynthetic organisms, Montgomery commonly describes the process as a sacred exchange of breath between beings.Today, with more than one-third of trees at risk of extinction, Montgomery and the leaders of the Black Heritage Tree project face the daunting task of keeping trees, and the multitudes they hold, from vanishing.“Every time I go somewhere and see these old trees, my first response is, whose breath is captured in this tree?” she said. “What do I know about them? How do I honor their memory? I know my breath can be captured by a tree that will live hundreds of years from now. Am I living a life and taking actions that are worthy of that?”In the American South, elders often say: If these trees could speak. Montgomery suggests they already do. “They can testify to the wholeness of our existence,” she said. “That’s the good and the bad—all of the experiences that make us who we are.”This story was produced by Atmos and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	National Read Across America Day highlights early literacy efforts in the Quad Cities Experts say early literacy is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future academic success.
	What's your financial personality type? What's your financial personality type?Your natural tendencies for spending, saving, and managing money are tied to your unique personality traits. Just as some people have a more outspoken personality and others have a quieter demeanor, we each approach our financial habits in our own way.Knowing your financial personality type can shed light on how you think about money and financial health. It can help you connect the dots between your approach to work, possessions, leisure time, relationships, and money — a useful perspective when thinking about saving for the future.There are four common financial personality types driving financial decisions, according to Lucia Franco, consumer research leader at Forbright Bank. “You typically see people labeling themselves as spenders, savers, frequent shoppers, or hands-on financial managers driven by spreadsheets,” Franco says. “While no personality is right or wrong, each type has its strengths and weaknesses.”Type 1: The SpendersSpenders enjoy the finer things in life. They relish quality goods and experiences, such as memorable meals out and the latest smartphone models. While many Spenders ensure their income supports their expenditures, their habits may not leave much room for substantial savings, investments or an emergency fund.Spenders can seem generous, frequently giving gifts to their friends and family or picking up the tab at group dinners. That’s because they think others deserve these things, too. They’re usually on the lookout for new and better.If you consider yourself a Spender, here are a few things to look out for:Watch to avoid overspending or buying unnecessary items. Spenders may benefit from waiting a few days to pull the trigger for potential purchases, to ensure they properly consider the need for and implications of their purchase. They also may want to consider different savings strategies to help them reach their short-term goals.Put your money to work. Spenders may not naturally look for ways to save money on products and experiences — but the good news is, smart saving doesn’t have to be a lot of work. Setting aside money in a savings account or certificate of deposit can help free up more money to apply toward long-term financial goals. Many savings accounts allow an unlimited number of transfers with no fees, so you always have access to your money if you need it. If you’re unsure about which savings product is right for you, check out this guide to CDs vs. high-yield savings accounts.Make your saving automatic. Consider setting up automatic, recurring deposits to a high-yield savings account. Chances are, you won’t miss the money if it goes straight into your savings account, and it will help build a valuable saving habit. Learn how you can save more with recurring deposits to supercharge your growth.Type 2: The SaversFinding ways to avoid spending money — or spending less when they must — is a lifelong priority for Savers. They may buy generic-brand groceries, take half-priced redeye flights, and wait to replace their car until it’s barely drivable.“Savers often compare online reviews and pricing to make sure they get the best quality when making any purchase,” Franco says.They’re also the ones who take pride in maxing out their retirement contributions, paying down their mortgages early, or repairing their current possessions to avoid the cost of replacement — even if the savings don’t go anywhere except their bank account.While Savers may never suffer from buyer’s remorse, their aversion to spending can also translate to an aversion to risk. In extreme cases, they might avoid investments that pay higher dividends or skip out on experiences that build relationships. Although Savers enjoy building considerable financial reserves over a lifetime of frugality, for them, saving money doesn’t have to have an end goal. It’s more of a lifestyle.If you think you’re a Saver, here are a few things to consider:Take advantage of your natural tendency to save by considering financial products that may generate a higher return over time. For instance, a certificate of deposit account allows you to lock in a higher interest rate for a specific period, or you may opt for an FDIC-insured, high-yield savings account to help you earn a higher interest rate, while still maintaining access to your funds.Translate your careful saving into smart spending. Consider saving for a specific goal within your high-yield savings account — and don’t feel guilty when it comes time to make the purchase.Type 3: The ShoppersShoppers are similar to Spenders, with one clear distinction: They love the thrill of the pursuit.While Shoppers enjoy spending money on things, they often jump on a good deal, thinking it will help them “get more bang for their buck.”For Shoppers, spending money can boost self-esteem or provide an endorphin rush, even if it’s not for them. They enjoy buying things for others, making them some of the most reliable gift-givers on birthdays and holidays.Here are some things to consider if you are a Shopper:Closely monitor your spending to avoid high-interest debt, such as an ongoing credit card balance. If Shoppers accrue debt over time, it’s typically the result of many small to medium purchases — not big, flashy purchases.Build a monthly budget — with some room for spontaneity. Consider implementing an easy-to-follow budget formula to help you avoid overspending and save more. You don’t have to give up your shopping altogether, but look for purchases that pull double duty — like purchasing an experience for a friend that will also result in quality time together. And to ensure you’re maximizing your savings, consider opening a high-yield savings account to allow for flexibility and high returns.Type 4: The SpreadsheetersSpreadsheeters are related to Savers but tend to be tighter planners when it comes to their money.While Savers reflexively put away any extra cash, Spreadsheeters use budgeting tools and spreadsheets to assess, and even reassess, how their dollars can be maximized. Often planning for the worst-case scenario, Spreadsheeters love to crunch numbers and size up their cash flow and net worth. They know their credit scores, month-end projections, and path to retirement. For them, “money is something to be well-managed and not to sit idle,” Franco says.Spreadsheeters find joy in having discipline over their finances. Some may worry about what might happen if they stop tracking their finances as closely. Their habits can overlap with Savers, taking on a scarcity mentality and a tendency to manage every penny.If you see yourself as a Spreadsheeter, consider the following:Take advantage of money management tools without letting them take over your life. Spreadsheeters can sometimes lose sleep over money, but today’s financial planning or projection tools can make it easier than ever to know where you stand.Don’t avoid a (calculated) risk. Spreadsheeters tend to be risk avoidant, but an appropriate level of risk in your portfolio will ensure you’re not missing out on returns that will pay off in the long run.Remember, there’s no right or wrong financial personality or savings type. And the tendencies and behaviors associated with each aren’t set in stone — people can change. The healthiest versions of each personality can merge the best traits of their type — the spontaneity of Spenders, responsibility of Savers, generosity of Shoppers, and organization of Spreadsheeters — with healthy financial habits that help build toward future goals.Disclaimer: This article is for general information and education only. It should not be considered financial or tax advice.This story was produced by Forbright Bank and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Fire destroys La Motte building, impacts two businesses A fire Sunday morning in La Motte destroyed a building housing Eastern Iowa LP and Midwest Legacy Beef. Both businesses say they plan to rebuild.
	Nominations open in Scott County for June primary election Nominations are now being accepted for candidates for partisan county offices for the June 2 primary election, according to Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins. The results of the primary election will determine the candidates for the Democratic and Republican parties in the general election on November 3. The filing period ends on Friday March 20 [...]
	Immigration enforcement gets closer and closer to schools. The effects are wide-reaching. Immigration enforcement gets closer and closer to schools. The effects are wide-reaching.Penny Chavez has been watching immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis with increasing panic, seeing public school students like her two grandchildren being detained.Rumors are swirling that her town, Springfield, Ohio, could be the next target for a surge of activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in part because of its Haitian community, Chalkbeat reports. Chavez and her two grandchildren, ages five and four, are U.S. citizens, but she’s still fearful that they will be detained at or near their schools because they are Hispanic.Chavez has pressed Springfield’s school district for answers around how school leaders would react if agents were to enter a district school, but she hasn’t been reassured by their answers. For parents without legal status whose kids are enrolled in the district, a lack of clarity makes them reluctant to send their children to school, she said.“They have the right to know whether or not it’s safe to pick the kids up or drop them off,” she said.A year after the Department of Homeland Security rescinded a policy limiting operations in and around schools, agents are not raiding schools, but immigration enforcement has nearly arrived at the schoolhouse door. There are reports of parents getting detained at bus stops and images of agents tackling people on school grounds.Some of those places adjacent to schools would have been off-limits under the previous policy, raising questions about where the federal government will draw the line and putting pressure on school leaders to reassure families like Chavez’s.Legal experts say the Fourth Amendment hasn’t changed: It still limits agents from charging inside a school without the right paperwork. But the overall approach by agents has been unpredictable, creating highly charged circumstances around schools.Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, and others have called for a reinstatement of the federal policy, with some organizations pressuring Democrats in Congress to withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security until it is restored. Recent incidents show that ICE is getting closer to going inside schools, she said.“They’re not physically inside the buildings yet, but they’re literally at the school yard gate,” she said.A tracker launched by K-12 Dive, an education industry news site, identifies at least nine instances in which immigration agents came onto the grounds of a K-12 school or preschool. In Chula Vista, California, last week, ICE agents arrested both parents of a 12-year-old and four-year-old after school drop-off, according to a local news report. According to a GoFundMe for the family, the children finished their school day without knowing their parents wouldn’t be the ones to pick them up.The Department of Homeland Security has denied some of the reports, like a recent claim that agents targeted parents in Michigan at a bus stop during student drop-off time. And a department spokesperson said they ended up on school grounds at Roosevelt High in Minneapolis, with agents tackling someone, due to a car chase involving a citizen they claimed impeded enforcement activities, the Sahan Journal reported.School leaders don’t always have clear answers for families and are limited in what they can do, said David Law, superintendent of Minnetonka Public Schools in a suburb of the Twin Cities and president of the School Superintendents’ Association.“They’re mad at us, like, ‘Why can’t you stop this?’ Well, we didn’t start it,” he said.The effect on students, particularly in Minnesota, has been sweeping: more absences from school, an increase in remote learning, and grief from seeing classmates vanish. About one in four St. Paul Public School students were learning virtually amid the enforcement surge, the superintendent told reporters in January.“Not only are they being subjected to the presence of ICE at their bus stop or at their school, but it’s this force that is lacking the control and composure that you would expect from law enforcement, and that has to be extremely traumatic for these students,” said Sarah Pierce, the director of social policy at Third Way, a center-left national think tank.A looming question: Will ICE try to enter schools without a judicial warrant?For decades, the sensitive locations policy has limited immigration arrests at or near schools. The policy made an exception for circumstances that posed an imminent threat.That change means spaces considered public, such as a front lawn or near the parking lot, could be subject to ICE activity, said Keith Armstrong, an immigration attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania.But, in internal memos reported by the Associated Press and the New York Times, ICE has asserted broad powers to enter homes without a warrant signed by a judge, known as a judicial warrant, and to arrest people in public without any warrant. That has raised questions about how the agency might treat sensitive locations, such as schools.Legal experts and advocates point to the Fourth Amendment, which bars agents from entering schools without a judicial warrant. A “long line” of case law also supports the notion that agents need the signed warrant, Armstrong said. If ICE is targeting families in actions on school premises, “that is something we definitely want to know about and see if we can develop a case about.”The recent incident where agents went on the grounds of Minneapolis’ Roosevelt High signals an “attitude shift” in what agents consider OK, Armstrong said.“It seems like there is a change in attitude where previously it would have been sort of unthinkable for ICE to, even with the rescission of the sensitive locations memo, it would have been pretty unthinkable for ICE to really try to do something that brazen,” he said.Ken Cuccinelli, former deputy secretary for DHS during the first Trump administration, told Chalkbeat immediately after the policy was rescinded that he believed agents would tend to avoid enforcement at schools, and he did not expect them to target school drop-off or pick-up to “round up a bunch of people in transit.”But he said in late January that limiting operations within 1,000 feet of a school would also put a “good chunk” of the country off-limits.Still, while ICE has been more aggressive in Trump’s second term, “they haven’t had to go in a bunch of schools,” he said.Democrats, who are facing pressure to withhold DHS funding until the sensitive locations policy is restored, are considering a variety of measures to curb ICE activity.A tentative budget deal reached Friday did not include long-term Department of Homeland Security funding to give policymakers more time to haggle.Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, said restoring the sensitive locations policy is a priority, but it’s one item in a list of competing priorities, including preventing agents from wearing masks or ensuring they’re using warrants appropriately.Bennet, who led Denver Public Schools from 2005 to 2009, said parents and children are separated during the school day and have the reasonable expectation that they’ll be reunited when school ends. ICE’s recent actions are upending that assumption for vulnerable families.“There is a ripple of fear that is running through our communities,” he said. “Traditionally, schools and hospitals and churches have been sanctuaries and places where kids shouldn’t have had to worry about immigration enforcement.”ICE unpredictability leads to school unpredictabilityIn Springfield, Ohio, Chavez said people of color in the community, including citizens, are making contingency plans for child care in case families are separated during the school day — much like families have done in other cities, at times with the support of public schools.Chavez also wants assurances that Springfield City School District would develop a procedure or standards in the event that ICE agents asked to enter schools, including whether school officials would grant them access to a student without a signed warrant.After multiple phone calls with school officials, the grandmother still feels like her questions haven’t been sufficiently answered. A spokesperson for the district did not answer Chalkbeat’s request for comment. The superintendent has told staff members in an email message to remain calm and supportive in the event of a surge in ICE activity and to not engage in any political activity, according to WOSU, a local NPR station.School superintendents are in a tough spot, said Law, the president of the School Superintendents’ Association. He estimated that due to recent events, 80% of the job for some Minneapolis-area superintendents encompasses managing immigration uncertainty and responding to ICE activity.The lack of cooperation or communication between local law enforcement and federal agents is unusual, he said.“We have two police officers stationed at our high school,” he said. “Yet, when something is happening with immigration a block from school they don’t know what’s going on … Even our elected officials are trying to figure out, you know, what has caused all these changes?”He said parents should know that schools have “longstanding practices to discourage enforcement from happening at school.” Bus drivers are trained to drive away from situations that appear chaotic and to call parents instead of dropping kids where circumstances appear questionable. When law enforcement comes in with a judicial warrant, he said administrators can sometimes reason with police officers to carry out the warrant somewhere else.“We would much rather be a safe haven, because no student wants to see an armed person tackling their classmate or their teacher,” he said. “Those are traumatic experiences. But we have practices in place.”For Chavez, the lack of reassurance has led her children to take her grandchildren out of school until “the school is able to assure the community they won’t allow access to the kids at a minimum,” she wrote in a text message to a Chalkbeat reporter.They are paying for online school instead.This story was produced by Chalkbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	GLOW conference offers leadership, cultural experiences The GLOW (Growing, Leading and Owning the Win) Conference returns for its second year of empowerment, leadership and career growth for women in the Quad Cities and beyond. The 2026 conference will be on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Bally’s Quad Cities, 777 Bally Blvd in Rock Island. The event fuses culture, leadership, entrepreneurship and [...]
	School closures have rocked this LA-area district. Are they destroying it, or saving it? School closures have rocked this LA-area district — are they destroying it, or saving it? Inglewood, California — a few miles east of Los Angeles International Airport — is known as the city of champions. The NBA champion Lakers once called Inglewood’s Forum — famously dubbed “the fabulous Forum” by announcer Chick Hearn — home.By the mid-2000s, with the Lakers gone and another local landmark — nearby Hollywood Park racetrack — closed, the city was close to bankruptcy. Then came a series of deals — often attributed to the leadership of Mayor James Butts — that reinvigorated the city as a new epicenter of sports and entertainment, like with the new spaceship-like SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome. When the 2028 Olympics roll around, Inglewood is slated to host many of the events as the world watches. Kirby Lee via Getty Images Some longtime residents say the glitz masks a grimmer reality: a public school system in freefall.In 2012, Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) became one of about 130 U.S. school districts taken over by a state since the 1980s. Of the 10,000 U.S. districts, many struggle academically, financially or both. Takeover happens to the few. In March, citing low enrollment and financial necessity, IUSD announced the closure of five schools, bringing the total up to eight shuttered schools since the district was taken over.As challenges mount nationwide to U.S. public school funding and California experiences significant declines in student enrollment overall, activists warn more people should pay closer attention to what’s happened in Inglewood, a school district where more than 80% of the students are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged. Receivership is just one more tool — along with curriculum censorship, funding cuts and threats to equity and inclusion — to weaken ailing public schools. The Economic Hardship Reporting Project, The Guardian and the University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism examine the effects of school closures on Inglewood. A blindsiding turn of eventsIn 2019, lifelong Inglewood resident Victoria Preciado faced the daunting task of selecting a school for her eldest child. The mother of three and AP Spanish and English history teacher tapped into her network for advice. “As a teacher for so long, I had built really beautiful relationships in the community,” says Preciado, “and when I asked around, people kept recommending Worthington.”Worthington Elementary was a public school in Inglewood’s Lockhaven neighborhood, where 80% of the residents primarily speak Spanish. “I understood that by this time, Inglewood had some of the lowest-performing schools in the state,” Preciado says. “But I also knew there were good schools, too.”Worthington, Preciado says, was a dream. She enrolled her daughter and watched her thrive in the Spanish-English dual-immersion program. “The teachers were excellent. My daughter was receiving a quality education, comparable to the schools on the west side [of Los Angeles] that have these dual-immersion programs,” she says. Meanwhile, Preciado — by then a single mom — found kindred spirits among the other parents: “It was also a tight-knit community. If a mom is late for pickup, there would be another five moms who would hold your child until you got there. It was just that type of neighborhood.”But the dream only lasted a few years. Just days before winter break in 2022 came a notice of a school board meeting to discuss closures. A couple of schools in the district had already closed, although a coalition of parents at one school had managed to stave off closure for several years. But IUSD said those schools had been closed because of low enrollment. Preciado couldn’t believe Worthington Elementary, one of the schools in the district with the highest enrollment and an engaged community, was now on the chopping block. She went to Worthington’s newly appointed principal, Monica Cole-Jackson, whom she says told her she also had been blindsided by the turn of events.Preciado rallied parents and teachers, most of them also unaware, and quickly united other concerned citizens. Somewhere along the way, the coalition, which has grown, became known as Stop IUSD School Closures. The group started packing every school board meeting, and when they learned of an advisory committee in charge of offering recommendations about school closures, they packed those meetings, too. Kids and adults spoke passionately during public comment sessions about what Worthington meant to them, why they were getting a great education and how desperately they wanted to keep it open. Preciado’s daughter, also named Victoria, recited Tupac Shakur’s poem “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” and pleaded with the committee to remove the concrete — the obstacles — so that the roses — the children — could grow. The advisory committee, made up entirely of Inglewood residents and businesspeople, sided with the advocates. They voted to recommend keeping Worthington open. “We cheered,” says Preciadio. “We’d thought we won.”But by the next school board meeting, a new county administrator, James Morris, had been installed. He alone would make the ultimate decision. Community members held signs and chanted: “Escúchanos! Estamos en la lucha!” — “Listen to us! We are in the fight!” “That meeting was packed and demonstrators begged for the school board members to take a stand,” says Preciado. Instead, Morris and the school board members vacated the room. Saying that the demonstrators were too disruptive, they conducted their meeting in a private area and streamed it to the packed room of parents, educators and kids. Through a crackly TV monitor, Preciado heard Morris announce he would ignore the recommendation of the committee and close Worthington. The activists were crushed, but also galvanized, especially as they learned more about takeovers.“When we look at takeovers, the pattern is pretty clear that this is a policy specifically targeted at communities of color,” says Domingo Morel, a political scientist at New York University and an expert on school takeovers. Morel’s research also suggests that in most locales, the laws enabling takeover have been pushed by Republican-led state governments. In Inglewood’s case, it’s more complicated.‘Takeovers fail to improve the outcomes they promise’In January 2004, newly elected Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger struck a deal with the California Teachers Association to balance the state’s budget by borrowing $2 billion from Proposition 98, the education funding guarantee. Consequently, IUSD, like many schools, had a significant chunk of its funding suspended. Some schools made up for shortfalls by appealing to wealthy donors or parents. IUSD didn’t have those resources to tap. Instead, teachers and programs were cut, extracurriculars axed and maintenance on buildings delayed. Charter schools flourished under Schwarzenegger’s push — in Inglewood, a community of just 9 square miles, a dozen sprang up almost overnight, according to Inglewood Teachers Association president John Hughes, a resident since 1971 and teacher since 1992.Meanwhile, Los Angeles Unified and nearby wealthier districts like Redondo Beach, Torrance and Manhattan Beach opened enrollment and happily took students who didn’t have extensive special education needs and whose parents could navigate the process.By 2012, the perfect storm of funding cuts, charter competition and political turmoil pushed IUSD to the financial brink — setting the stage for drastic intervention. Some blame the teachers’ union; others point to the school board for appealing to the senator, Rod Wright. Wright, a Democrat who represented Inglewood, would soon be convicted of mail fraud for lying about his residence. First, however, he wrote SB 533, legislation that provided an emergency loan of up to $55m to keep the district afloat — and mandated takeover.Democratic then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 533 into law on Sept. 14, 2012, making IUSD the ninth California school district placed in receivership. Teachers, parents and the community at the time largely supported the takeover, believing the district would repay the loan and exit quickly.But few understood the ramifications. A district in receivership is subjected to oversight by the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT). This means that expensive audits and consultants scrutinize the district across five areas: community relations, personnel, student achievement, financial management and facilities. The district must score high enough to be freed from receivership, all while repaying loans with interest. For Inglewood, that means spending about $2.3 million every year just on FCMAT reviews and loan payments — costs that weigh heavily on an already strained budget. IUSD, with a total budget of $190.6 million, is already deficit spending to the tune of $16 million this school year.As Preciado’s crew learned more, they were horrified. “IUSD has been in receivership since 2012,” Preciado said. “But it was still scoring only 1’s, 2’s and 3’s out of 10 on FCMAT’s measures — including fiscal management, the very reason the district was placed under state control.”Morel, whose research spans three decades of national data, is blunt: “Takeovers overwhelmingly fail to improve the outcomes they promise.”Under receivership, the state superintendent of public instruction — and later, the Los Angeles County Office of Education — appointed administrators who replaced the superintendent and assumed decision-making authority. Inglewood’s elected school board was stripped of power, sidelining local voices.The official narrative was simple: Inglewood had mismanaged finances and needed rescuing. But the reality, critics say, is that SB 533 was a political overreach imposed on a district that wasn’t nearly as dire as portrayed. In the end, IUSD borrowed $29 million.“Just because a district needs a loan from the state does not mean it should be — or always is — put into receivership,” said Rene Espinoza Kissell, an assistant professor of education at UC Santa Cruz who studies school funding. Where wealthier districts may get supervision, lower-income districts with a majority of students of color are far more likely to be taken over, added Espinoza Kissell.It’s been death by a thousand cuts: slashed budgets, crumbling facilities, bad press from the takeover and surrounding schools actively recruiting its students. IUSD’s enrollment has plummeted from 18,000 students in the early 2000s to fewer than 7,000 today. Test scores, graduation rates, attendance — nearly every metric — have followed the same spiral.Competing visionsOn his very first day in January 2023, James Morris faced a crisis: A natural gas leak at Morningside High forced an emergency shutdown and sent students back to remote learning for a month. Morris, the latest county-appointed administrator for Inglewood Unified, now keeps a piece of that corroded pipe in his office — a daily reminder of how much work there is to do.A veteran educator and former Fremont Unified superintendent, Morris came out of retirement to try to turn Inglewood around — a job he sees as part facilities overhaul, part instructional reset and part political minefield.He wants to revive what he calls the “Inglewood formula” — an emphasis on strong foundational literacy, particularly early reading instruction rooted in phonics — and get IUSD out of receivership, which he says at this rate will take several more years.For fall, the Morningside High building — now repaired — was renamed Inglewood High School United. When school commenced in August, students from Inglewood High, located across town, merged with students from the former Morningside High in the renamed building, which is Inglewood’s only remaining comprehensive high school. Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Meanwhile, a brand-new $240 million high school — funded by bond measures, developer fees and monies Inglewood receives for being in the LAX flight path — is being constructed in the city’s more affluent northern section. After construction is completed, all students will move over to the new school.The new high school will be part of a larger civic investment in the area: A bridge will connect the school to a newly renovated public library, a new YMCA is going up on the site of the current IUSD admin offices and music legends Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine have partnered with the district to launch a program called the Iovine and Young Center for Integrated Design, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images “There are amazing things we’re doing to make it better for students,” said Morris, who acknowledges the sting of closures but urges the community to focus on what students stand to gain.But longtime residents like Fredrisha Dixon, an attorney and organizer with the Inglewood Coalition for Educational Equity — the advocacy group that has come out of the Stop IUSD School Closures folks — aren’t buying it. “This is about developing Inglewood to look a certain way — to invite certain people in and push certain people out,” she said. Decisions, she argues, have been made with little community input and no respect for the city’s history or longtime residents. The coalition worked with the American Civil Liberties Union to develop a report about what they contend has been mismanagement of their district. And the Inglewood teachers’ union and the ACLU submitted a formal complaint asking the state attorney general, Rob Bonta, to investigate what they say are Inglewood’s sweeping school closures and its state receivership status.But state assemblymember Tina McKinnor, a Democrat who represents Inglewood, has called Morris “a godsend” for his steady leadership and recent progress on the FCMAT standards. Indeed, a recent FCMAT progress report shows the district exited review in one category and is scoring in the 5-to-7 range on others. But Dixon, Preciado and other advocates say that what’s being framed as a comeback is really the dismantling of a community institution.“We’ve watched 13 years of destruction of our school district,” said Dixon. “And there’s still no end in sight.”The activists point out that schools in the wealthier areas of Inglewood, bordering places like upscale Ladera Heights, remain open while schools in areas with higher numbers of immigrants and more poverty are being shuttered. Advocates charge the district is creating school deserts in the poorest parts of Inglewood.“You’re going to have to be forced into glory,” Hughes told Morris recently. The longtime educator and Inglewood Teachers Association president has a cordial working relationship with Morris. Hughes says he believes Morris hasn’t been fully transparent with him on a number of issues but that they are “working” on their trust.Hughes says Morris thinks he doesn’t understand his vision — that is, a mission to “right-size” the district, improve test scores and the bottom line and attract more customers with better facilities — but Hughes disagrees: “It’s Morris who doesn’t understand mine,” he says. Schools aren’t Cheesecake Factories or Starbucks franchises, Hughes says: “They’re not businesses. They’re people’s anchors. They’re the centerpieces of communities.”And for activists and educators like Hughes, school closures aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re deep disruptions to a community’s fabric. Sometimes, they’re outright dangerous.“LACOE [the Los Angeles County Office of Education] is running Inglewood school district and they weren’t thinking about the potential problems that could happen when you merge students from the different high schools into one campus,” said Reina Carrillo, a school gang interventionist. Some residents and activists fear more people will leave the district because of the merger.Research backs them up. Studies show school closures frequently accelerate enrollment decline and deepen districts’ financial woes.The activists drafted the California Public School Sovereignty Act to take back local control of IUSD and asked McKinnor to carry the bill. She declined.“They’re doing what they’re supposed to do, which is raise questions,” said McKinnor, a self-described progressive. “But they think they need to educate us, and they don’t. There’s nothing they can do right now. We must close the schools.”Activists also blame Mayor Butts, whom they say traded the community’s stability for outside investment. His administration handed out generous tax abatements to lure the NBA’s Clippers and NFL’s Rams — deals that, critics say, cost Inglewood families dearly. Amy Sussman / WireImage via Getty Images Butts declined to comment for this story.Of course, cities and school districts are entirely separate entities. But what happens in the city affects parents and their school-age children. For example, when the Intuit Dome broke ground, families in nearby rent-stabilized apartments were displaced. Redevelopment followed. Today, the smallest apartments start at $3,000 a month. Property values have soared — a win for some longtime homeowners, perhaps, but a crushing blow for families trying to buy or rent in the city.Even daily life has changed, in no small way affected by development and even school closures. Fewer campuses means more driving to school instead of walking. “Traffic is so bad now, you can barely get across town,” said one resident.Morris sees it differently. While no sports team can save a district, he says, Inglewood schools have seen some modest benefit from the boom. Developer fees have generated a $6 million fund for school facilities, and both the Rams and Clippers have contributed to improvement projects.But that’s not enough, Morris says: “Nobody’s going to come in and save the school district until we start doing what we need to do to get our own house in order.”That means “right-sizing” — closing underused campuses to consolidate resources and fund meaningful upgrades. The goal is to exit receivership. But, he says, it’ll take time, and patience.“We have somewhere around 3,500 to 4,000 students who live in Inglewood but go out of district,” Morris said. “We know our potential population is about 11,000.”A renaissance is possible, he believes. Maybe not next year. Maybe not in five. But someday, he says, IUSD classrooms will be full again.Victoria Preciado doesn’t have that kind of time. She pulled her daughter from IUSD and continues to organize with Stop IUSD School Closures, hoping to build a more informed and empowered community.Recently, McKinnor introduced AB 51, a bill that would eliminate the interest on IUSD’s long-standing loan. So far, it hasn’t made it out of committee. Meanwhile, IUSD made a surprise announcement: Warren Lane Elementary, closed in 2022, reopened this fall as Kelso Elementary, a K-8 campus in the Lockhaven neighborhood. But across town, near the Kia Forum, the former Kelso campus closed instead.Activists see the campus’s reopening as a small concession, though not necessarily a victory.“They’re only doing it because closing Kelso and selling that land will bring in more money,” Hughes said.Parents Melissa and Nicholas Deloach recently attended a Stop IUSD School Closures informational session. Their daughter entered the new Kelso campus in the fall. If all goes well, their twins will follow in a few years.After learning more about the district’s complicated history, Melissa says they were “deeply apprehensive,” but willing to try.“I have family advising me to stay involved and be very, very vocal as a parent,” she said. “Parents really can make a difference at these schools.”If anyone is going to champion schoolchildren in the city of champions, Preciado believes, it will indeed be people like the Deloaches.“There is nobody who is going to come to save us. And I think that’s the reality,” she said. “It’s not a politician, it’s not a community org. It is just going to be the regular folks from Inglewood. And we’re going to have to save ourselves.”Co-published by the The Economic Hardship Reporting Project, The Guardian, and the University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism.This story was produced by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project, The Guardian and the University of Southern California Center for Health Journalism, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Senior Resource Center expands programs in Jo Daviess County The Senior Resource Center is excited to announce the launch of several new social, educational, and wellness programs in Jo Daviess County, expanding opportunities for older adults and caregivers in the Galena area. Over the past six to eight months, the Senior Resource Center has been working diligently to identify program spaces that are affordable, accessible for [...]
	Defensive strategies in court for credit card debt lawsuits Defensive strategies in court for credit card debt lawsuitsWhen life takes a hard turn—job loss, illness, or the loss of someone you love—keeping up with bills sometimes takes a back seat. If you’ve fallen behind on credit card payments, there’s a chance your creditor could take you to court to collect the debt. The larger the balance, the more likely they are to try.If that happens, the steps you take next—and the legal support you get along the way—could make a big difference in how things turn out. Freedom Debt Relief looks at what happens when credit card debt goes unpaid, and what you can do if you find yourself in a legal bind.This information is intended for general informational purposes only. It shouldn’t be taken as legal advice. For personalized legal advice, consult with a qualified attorney licensed to practice law in your state.Key Takeaways:If you get sued for unpaid credit card debt, there are several ways an attorney could help you defend yourself.These strategies might include disputing the facts of the case or finding a reason to get the suit thrown out.A strong defense could help you win the lawsuit or give you leverage to negotiate a favorable settlement.Understanding Your Rights When Sued for Credit Card DebtBeing sued for credit card debt can come as a shock. Stay calm and take it one step at a time. It’s not a one-sided process. With the right information, you can get through this. You have rights, and you’ll get a chance to defend yourself.Let’s take a look at some of the rights you have when you’re sued for credit card debt.You will get written details about why you’re being suedWhen you receive a summons telling you you’re being sued, it should come with another document called a complaint. The complaint should include basic details about the lawsuit, including:Who is suing you.Why they’re suing you.How much money they’re asking for.This is all important information, because when you have these details in front of you, they can help you figure out how to defend yourself against the lawsuit.You are allowed time to respondThe summons should specify a deadline for responding—typically 30 days from when you receive this summons.This time gives you a chance to get legal advice and to compare your records with the details of the complaint. If you find any inaccuracies, you’ll have some time to create a response that points them out. Go through the complaint to check for other reasons the lawsuit isn’t valid.You can ask for relevant information from the plaintiffBefore the court date, there’s time for a process called discovery. That’s when both sides of the lawsuit can request information from the other.In a lawsuit over unpaid credit card debt, this information may include:Copies of the original agreement with the credit card company.Details on charges and balances that make up the debt.Documentation of how any interest and fees included in the debt were calculated.You’ll get the chance to defend yourselfYou’ll get to respond to the complaint in writing, and if the lawsuit moves forward, you’ll be able to defend yourself in court.When you’re first sued, the most important thing is to meet the deadline for responding to the summons. If the deadline passes, the judge could hand the other side a win. Responding on time protects your right to make your case.What to Do if You’re Sued for Unpaid Credit Card DebtLawsuits make their way through the system in a specific way, and understanding that process could help you defend yourself.If you receive a summons letting you know you’re being sued, don’t panic. You just have to work through the process step by step:Note the deadline.Consider working with an attorney or researching legal aid.Look for any inaccuracies in the summons.Start a file system that contains all your important documents.First, make a note of the deadline to respond to the complaint. The summons should state the deadline and give instructions for your next steps. Be sure to meet the deadline. Your creditor could get an automatic win if you don’t respond.You may want to hire an attorney to represent you. It’s not legally required, but having an attorney represent you in a credit card debt lawsuit could lead to a more favorable outcome.If you can’t afford an attorney, you may be eligible for help through your local Legal Aid Society office or volunteer lawyers in your area. Check with your company’s HR department to find out if legal services are offered as part of an employee assistance program.If you’re planning on getting legal help, it might be best to line it up before you respond to the complaint. If there isn’t enough time, you’ll have a chance to retain an attorney later.A summons from your credit card company probably won’t come out of the blue. Credit card companies typically first send several notices asking you to pay off your debt. A lawsuit is usually a last resort, since it costs money.Chances are, before you receive a summons, you’ll already know who the creditor is and why they’re claiming money from you. When you receive a summons, it’s time to dig deeper into that background.Read the complaint carefully and make a note of any inaccuracies. Then review the history of the account in question. Collect any paperwork you can find, including your credit card agreement and statements. Compare the amount the credit card company claims you owe with your own records.This may involve a lot of detail, so getting organized is key. Attach notes to any documents that might prove inaccuracies in the complaint. Keep all this information in a file you can access easily when needed. Choose a system that you’ll be able to manage. Most office and stationery stores sell organizing systems for documents, including:A standing magazine file that holds different file folders.A plastic accordion file with multiple pockets.A three-ring binder with pockets to hold documents.Getting your facts lined up is a big part of preparing to defend yourself against a credit card debt lawsuit. An attorney or other legal advisor may be helpful in helping you find out which defenses you can use under the law.Possible Defensive Strategies for Credit Card LawsuitsThe right approach to a credit card lawsuit will depend on your specific situation. Here are some potential defenses for a credit card debt lawsuit.Mistaken identity and identity theft defensesIdentity theft, a growing problem, occurs when someone uses your personal information, such as your name, address and Social Security number, to open accounts in your name. Often, the victim first finds out about this when the creditor starts contacting them for payment.If a legal complaint is based on an account you didn’t open, you may have been the victim of identity theft. Fortunately, this is a strong defense in a credit card debt lawsuit. Here are some general steps to take:Immediately notify the police about the identity theft. Keep a copy of any crime report they produce. This will help support your defense in the credit card lawsuit. It may even help them track down the criminal responsible.Include information on why you believe this to be a case of identity theft in your response to the complaint.In the discovery process, request proof that the accounts involved were opened with your signature or other legal authorization.It’s also possible the plaintiff is suing you because they’ve mistaken you for someone else. For example, someone with a similar name and address may actually be the owner of the credit card account in question. In that case, requesting copies of the agreements that opened the account may help you clear things up.Whether it’s a mistaken identity or identity theft, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff, not on you. They have to prove you opened the account and made the charges.Fraudulent chargesIdentity theft can involve someone opening an account in your name. Another form of fraud is when someone uses your account to make charges without your authorization.If you find charges on your credit card statement that you don’t recognize, someone may have fraudulently used your account.The Fair Credit Billing Act limits your liability if you’re the victim of fraud. You must notify the credit card company within 60 days of the statement date. If you’ve already done this, you can work with an attorney to prove it.It’s always a good idea to communicate with your credit card company in writing when disputing fraudulent charges. If you use email, print or screen-capture every message. If you use snail mail, keep copies and get proof of delivery for anything you send to your credit card company.Authorized user defenseIf you were an authorized user but not the primary account holder of a credit card, you might not be liable for debt on that card. This could be a strong defense against a lawsuit over credit card debt.An authorized user is a person the primary account holder has allowed to use their account. However, authorized users are not generally liable for debt on that card. This is true even if they made the purchases that led to the debt.This is an important difference between an authorized user and a joint account holder or cosigner. If you signed on as a joint account holder or a cosigner, you share full responsibility for the debt with the primary account holder. In other words, either one of you (or both) can be sued for payment.If you’re not sure what your status is on an account, the account documents should clarify it. You may have account agreements on file that state whether you cosigned for an account or are merely an authorized user. If you can’t find these documents, you can request that the credit card company provide them.In some states, the authorized user defense may not help you if you were married to the primary account holder. If you live in a community property state, couples typically share responsibility for debts incurred during the marriage.Erroneous informationCredit card company records aren’t always correct. And when credit card companies transfer debts to collection agencies, those debt collectors may end up with the wrong information. A lawsuit could also be brought by a debt buyer based on inaccurate information.That’s why checking your records against the claims made in the legal complaint is so important. It’s a good idea to work with your lawyer to identify:Erroneous charges.Duplicate charges.Payments you’ve made that haven’t been reflected.The date of delinquency and whether it’s correct.Whether the correct interest rate and fees were applied to your balance.Whether other charges claimed in the lawsuit, such as legal fees and collection costs, are reasonable.Even if you’re responsible for the debt, disputing incorrect information could reduce the amount you owe. The person suing you has to prove the amount they’re claiming is correct—and that’s to your advantage.The credit card company may be asked to provide account agreements that show:Interest rates, fees, and other charges they’re entitled to collect.How interest rates and fees were applied and for what periods.Sales receipts that prove you made purchases on the account.Payment defense (full or partial)You’re not liable for a debt you’ve already paid. However, you may have to prove that you’ve made those payments.Check stubs and bank statements, whether digital or on paper, should help you prove what payments you’ve made. If you no longer have those records, there’s a good chance your bank can provide them.Proof of payment applies not just to how you paid your credit card bills, but also to when you made those payments. This can help you dispute how interest and late fees were applied to your balance.Having proof that you paid in full and on time could help you get a case dismissed or help you win if the case goes to trial. Even if you can’t prove you’ve paid your balance in full, partial payments could reduce the amount of your liability.Statute of limitationsDebt collectors have a time limit for suing you, known as a statute of limitations. This time limit varies from state to state. It’s typically between three and 10 years, but could be shorter or longer.A local attorney should be familiar with your state’s statute of limitations. If the lawsuit wasn’t begun within the time limit, your attorney could ask the judge to throw out the lawsuit entirely.Lack of standingOnly certain people or companies can legally sue you. The right to sue over a particular matter is known as standing.A credit card company will often sell credit card debt to a debt collection firm. When that happens, the debt collector needs to prove they have bought your specific debt and have the right to sue you for it. Proving this may be more difficult than it seems. Lack of standing could get the lawsuit dismissed.Violations of debt collection rulesThe Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that limits the tactics debt collectors can use to recoup debts. Keep a record of any contact you receive from debt collectors, especially if you feel they’re harassing you. It may be that they’ve used illegal tactics, and the collection calls can be stopped.The FDCPA is designed to prevent debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices. Some examples of practices that may be violations of the FDCPA are:Misrepresenting the amount owed or other aspects of the debt.Threatening to have you arrested for nonpayment.Trying to collect extra charges that aren’t allowed by your agreement with the creditor or by law.Communicating with you on social media in a way that can be seen by others.Sending you mail in an envelope that indicates it is from a debt collector.Calling you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.Contacting you at work if you’ve asked them not to.Contacting you directly when you’ve asked them to deal with your attorney.Using threatening or profane language.Misrepresenting who they are.Many states require debt collectors to be licensed. A debt lawsuit attorney can tell you if your state requires this, and if the debt collector suing you has the right license. Your state may also have additional restrictions on debt collectors. You can check for these to find out if the debt collector has violated state laws.Being victimized by violations of debt collection rules may not be a sufficient legal defense to win a credit card debt lawsuit, but it could help you in other ways. Violations could be grounds for a countersuit based on the illegal practices of the debt collector. That could give you leverage to help you settle the debt.Improper service defenseThe plaintiff is responsible for making sure you received proper notice of the lawsuit. Failure to do this isn’t enough to have the case dismissed. However, it could buy you more time. The plaintiff will need to correct the problem. In the meantime, you’ll have more time to prepare your defense.Sometimes, there are problems with the service.In the content of a summons, the person suing you might not have accurately identified the court where the case will be heard. The summons might not have given you a reasonable amount of time before you have to appear in court.Problems with how the notice was served typically deal with the physical delivery of the summons to the person being sued. In most cases, notice of a lawsuit must be delivered by an adult who isn’t involved in the lawsuit. The notice should include a summons to appear in court and a complaint that details the grounds for the lawsuit. It must be delivered directly to the defendant or left with a responsible adult with whom the defendant has a relationship.In other words, leaving notice of a lawsuit with a child or an unidentified adult at your address isn’t good enough. The server also can’t leave the notice in the common area of an apartment building. Finally, the person serving the notice must sign an affidavit attesting to how and when it was delivered.Debt SettlementIn debt settlement, you negotiate with a creditor to accept less than the full amount you owe. Your creditor might do this if they believe you won’t be able to pay the full amount. They may also consider a settlement to be a cheaper option than continuing with a lawsuit.Debt settlement may be worth considering if you know you legitimately owe the money and your attorney doesn’t think you have a strong legal defense against the lawsuit. An attorney should be able to advise you if a debt settlement makes sense.If you decide to use debt settlement, your attorney may be able to negotiate a settlement for less than the full amount you owe. You could also attempt this negotiation yourself or work with a professional debt settlement company.BankruptcyBankruptcy is a legal process that could give you credit card debt relief. You may be eligible to have some or all of your debts forgiven in bankruptcy.If you file for bankruptcy, one of the first things that happens is a legal order that stops most creditors from continuing debt collection actions against you, including lawsuits. An attorney can discuss the benefits and drawbacks and help you decide if bankruptcy makes sense for your situation.An attorney can also let you know if you qualify and for what type of bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which lets you walk away from unsecured debts in a matter of months, requires your income to be below a certain limit that’s based on where you live.Defenses That Won’t WorkThere are many effective ways to defend against a credit card debt lawsuit, but not every defense will hold up in court. Here are some examples of invalid defenses against a credit card lawsuit:Financial hardship. Losing a job and having unexpected expenses don’t automatically absolve your legal obligation to repay money you’ve borrowed.Divorce decrees. Under the terms of your divorce, your ex-spouse may have agreed to pay off a debt. However, if your name was on that debt originally, in the eyes of the creditor (and the law), you’re responsible for it.Prior arrangements with the creditor that are no longer in effect. For example, maybe you had negotiated an easier payment arrangement but haven’t kept up with the terms. Unless the arrangement is on paper and you’ve kept up with its terms, a creditor is likely to have grounds to sue you for payment.Focus instead on the defenses mentioned here, preferably under the guidance of an attorney. If more than one defense applies to you, so much the better. That could make your case stronger.A stronger case does more than just boost your chances of winning the lawsuit. Even if you do owe some money, it could help you reduce the judgment against you. It could also put you in a stronger position to negotiate a debt settlement even before the case goes forward.Hang in There—You Can Do itUltimately, the best way to defend yourself against a credit card debt lawsuit is to hire an attorney who can decide whatever strategy will be most effective. The strategy your lawyer chooses will depend on the specifics of your situation.One way you can help is by giving your attorney as much information as possible, such as:Records of communications with your credit card company.Copies of old statements.Dispute records, if applicable.Hiring an attorney doesn’t guarantee that you’ll win a credit card debt lawsuit, but it may increase your odds of a better outcome.This story was produced by Freedom Debt Relief and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	American CueSports plans Illinois state championships in East Moline The American CueSports Illinois State Association (ACSISA) will hold its 29th annual 8-Ball State Championships and Open 9-Ball Tournament on March 18-22 at the Bend XPO Center, East Molie, hosted by Visit Quad Cities. This marks the first time the tournament will be held on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities. The multi-day tournament [...]
	Davenport woman serves up history through record-breaking spoon collection Cammie Pohl is the owner and curator of the Mississippi Spoon Gallery in Davenport, Iowa. She recently broke the Guiness Book of World Records for the largest spoon collection, with more than 38,000 spoons. "I had to beat a gentleman from Australia that had 30,000 teaspoons. Our count ended at six hours, at 38,162 and [...]
	13 kitchen layout ideas interior designers recommend 13 kitchen layout ideas interior designers recommendYour kitchen layout goes far beyond aesthetics. It makes the culinary process easier. A layout that allows you to find and access everything easily supports a stress-free cooking experience, which leads to more delicious results.An interior designer may recommend various kitchen layout ideas, but they are not a one-size-fits-all solution. You may have an unusual cooking process that requires certain appliances to be in unlikely places. Your budget and the shape and size of your kitchen may also limit what you can and can’t do.However, with the right design strategies, you will achieve a kitchen design that improves workflow and creates a pleasant home environment, World CopperSmith reports.What Is a Kitchen Layout?A kitchen layout refers to the shape and size of your kitchen, as well as the positioning of appliances within that design. When considering your layout, think about how your appliances work together in your cooking process. For example, you may want a setup that allows you to pass items easily from the dining area to the dishwasher and then the sink for a final rinse.If you have limited space, you may decide to put certain appliances on shelves that are easy to access.You should also consider foot traffic. Do people tend to access the kitchen from a certain side? Can they pass through easily? Are the appliances you need the most within reach?The Importance of a Kitchen TriangleKitchen layouts will vary, but most work around the concept of a kitchen triangle. A kitchen triangle ensures your kitchen’s most important elements—the stove, refrigerator, and sink—are in a triangular shape.Here are some additional requirements for an optimized kitchen triangle:The sum of the triangle’s three sides should not exceed 26 feetEach leg should measure between 4 and 9 feetNo side of the triangle should cut through a kitchen island or peninsula by more than 12 inchesNo predicted foot traffic should cross through the triangleA second triangle can be formed by adding a sink, a fourth wall peninsula, or a workstationA kitchen triangle leaves space between your most important fixtures, but ensures they are within reach. It minimizes the risk of foot traffic interfering with kitchen work. This layout supports a more efficient cooking process.You may achieve a kitchen triangle with a sink in the center back (typically below a window), the refrigerator in a far corner, and a stove integrated into the island or peninsula. The stove will be behind the sink at a slight angle, and the refrigerator will be off to the side, yet within reach, regardless of your position. World CopperSmith Classic Kitchen LayoutsThere are several kitchen layouts to choose from. Here are some classic options to consider.Galley kitchen layoutGalley kitchen layouts are ideal for small kitchens. They are designed with appliances on both sides along a narrow space. The kitchen can come to a dead end or be open-ended, allowing foot traffic to pass through.Though small, with the right layout, you can still make the triangle work in a galley kitchen. For example, you may have your sink on one side in the center and your refrigerator and stove on either side behind you. Similarly, the stove can be your central point, and your refrigerator and sink can sit on either end of the opposite side.L-shaped kitchen layoutAn L-shaped layout is ideal for maximizing cabinet space. It is one of the most popular layout options.To create this design, cabinets should run along two joining walls of the kitchen to form an L-shape. You can take advantage of the additional space and have more room for your small appliances, dinnerware, food items, or whatever else it is you keep in your cabinets.L-shaped layouts work with small and large kitchens and can be optimized to fit specific needs. For best results, position your cabinets near your most used appliances. This concept will allow you to access items easily.U-shaped kitchen layoutU-shaped layouts are ideal for wider spaces. With this design, the cabinetry runs along one side of your kitchen, forming a U shape. It widens the work triangle and can frame elements like range hoods, windows, and attractive tiling.The layout focuses on cabinet space, ensuring you have plenty of room for storage. It can be transformative for homeowners looking to expand cramped kitchen spaces. It’s an effective way to build out your kitchen.One-wall kitchen layoutA one-wall kitchen layout is for kitchens so small, you can’t quite pull off a galley layout. It also prohibits the kitchen triangle. However, it is a great way to save space in small homes.You can optimize a one-wall kitchen layout by placing the refrigerator on one end and tall cabinets on another. Place appliances between the two ends. Integrated appliances can save space in these designs.Modern kitchen layoutsClassic kitchen layouts are always popular, but several modern designs have created additional options. Here are a few that bring a contemporary appeal to any home.Open-plan kitchen layoutAn open-plan kitchen is perfect for anyone who wants to create the illusion of wide-open spaces in their home. They may tear down walls to create an uninterrupted flow from the kitchen to the living room to the dining room to provide a sense of luxury within the home.These floor plans are perfect for people who like to entertain. Guests will feel they can explore the home without restriction. Hosts can interact with guests while they prepare meals.Open-plan designs also make the home seem larger.Broken plan kitchen layoutAs you might guess, a broken plan layout features an enclosed kitchen space. With these designs, the kitchen is not completely enclosed, but it is separated from other areas, usually by some type of partition.A broken-plan kitchen layout may not bring the luxury and spaciousness of an open plan, but it has its benefits. It keeps the kitchen’s noise and heat out of other spaces. It also helps you hide surprises, so that succulent turkey or impressive dessert can truly make a grand entrance.Living kitchen layoutA living kitchen layout is ideal for homeowners who want to make their kitchens more than a kitchen. They typically have areas where people can socialize.An open kitchen layout is conducive to living kitchen plans because it allows hosts to socialize with guests while they prepare food. It may have personal touches like artwork, décor, kitchenette, and sitting areas. Create cohesive décor within your kitchen and living spaces to promote the living kitchen vibe.Eco-friendly kitchen layoutThe world is getting more environmental, and an eco-friendly kitchen design is a great way to cut down on waste and conserve energy. Consider adding LED lights, which consume less energy and last longer. Energy Star appliances are also an efficient choice.You may also install low-flow water fixtures to reduce water usage. Use sustainable materials for solid surfaces and countertops. Build composting and recycling bins to reduce food waste.The layout itself can also increase eco-friendliness. Create a layout that optimizes natural light and heat. Consider how to move through your kitchen efficiently to reduce energy consumption. World CopperSmith Specialty kitchen layoutsYour kitchen layout can also be customized for specialty needs. Here are some to consider.Outdoor kitchen layoutAs the name suggests, an outdoor kitchen layout is outside. In most instances, the stove, sink, counters, and sitting areas are all outdoors. However, sometimes the kitchen is partially indoors in an open patio.Beyond the kitchen being outdoors, no other requirements apply. You can get as creative as you wish with your outdoor space. Use the natural elements to enhance your design.Integrate stone countertop space to mimic your outdoor elements. Utilize grills and firepits in your cooking routines. Play with outdoor lighting and landscaping to make your space unique.Modular kitchen layoutA modular kitchen layout utilizes modules such as pre-fabricated cabinets and units to make space more efficient. The modules are customized to fit the kitchen space and required storage area. Modular designs ensure every inch of space is utilized.Units are pre-fabricated, meaning they are factory-made and assembled onsite. Homeowners can choose from various sizes and finishes to suit their space. The units are typically easy to install reducing costs and allowing for a DIY approach.Various layout options can be combined with a modular layout including L-shaped, U-shaped, and islands. It promotes convenience and personalization in kitchen design.Circular kitchen layoutAs you might guess, a circular kitchen layout places fixtures in a circle, improving functionality. It is ideal for larger kitchens. Home chefs can take advantage of back-to-back appliances to complete tasks more efficiently.With a circular layout, the kitchen will have a U-shape, typically with an island in the center. A 48” reach from the island to the external diameter is ideal. It offers plenty of space but ensures items are still within reach.Pullman kitchen layoutA Pullman kitchen layout is similar to a one-wall kitchen layout but encompasses other elements. For example, while a kitchen triangle is not possible in a one-wall design, it may be featured in a Pullman if the kitchen is in an alcove or features more of a galley layout. Lazy Susans and pull carts are often used to maximize space in these designs.A Pullman design may not be ideal, but there are ways to optimize the space you have. For example, the right lighting can prevent the kitchen from feeling dark and cramped. Upper and lower cabinets can optimize storage without taking up valuable real estate. World CopperSmith Practical Tips for Kitchen DesignYour kitchen layout is only half the battle. Once that’s in place, you must continue to work on your kitchen design by choosing the right appliances and determining your best course for lighting and ventilation. Here are some ideas.Choosing the Right AppliancesAppliances play an important role in energy use, ease of cooking, and aesthetics. Here are some things to consider when choosing your kitchen appliances.Ovens: Choose an oven that’s energy efficient and backed by customer reviews that demonstrate its ability to cook food effectively. If you enjoy baking, you may choose an oven that goes beyond the basic bake/roast/broil.Cooktops: Cooktops are optional, but many people enjoy having this additional cooking option. When choosing a cooktop, your biggest consideration may be gas, induction, or electric. Gas tends to lose the most heat, making electricity a more popular choice. Induction isn’t as mainstream, but it’s making a comeback.Refrigerators/freezers: Today’s refrigerators offer several options for consumers. Choose from two-door and one-door varieties. Freezers may be on the top, bottom, or side. You may also opt for ice and water dispensers and smart kitchen features. Research carefully to balance cost, efficiency, and budget.Microwaves: Microwaves offer fewer options. Beyond efficiency, you must consider whether the microwave can be built into the cabinetry or installed above the cooktop. These installation alternatives can help save space.Sinks: Sinks are a major design element in many kitchens. Many homeowners prefer farmhouse sinks, which are deep and can accommodate large volumes of water. They are available in a wide range of materials ensuring you find one perfectly suited to your kitchen design. You can also choose between double and single bowl sinks based on which match your culinary needs. World CopperSmith Lighting and VentilationLighting and ventilation are also important kitchen components. Here are some considerations for each:Most kitchens are ventilated via a range hood. They suction heat and contaminants out of the environment and help obtain a more pleasant atmosphere in your kitchen.Once upon a time, range hoods were utilitarian, often built into many homes. But today’s range of hoods comes in various styles, from modern to vintage, ensuring you find one that suits your design needs.You must also choose your preferred installation method when choosing a range hood. It can be wall-mounted, mounted above an island cookshop, or discreetly installed under a cabinet. The venting can be ducted, blowing air directly outside through a vent pipe, or it can recirculate air if venting is not possible.Homeowners must also consider the height and width of their range hood to ensure it fits perfectly in their kitchen design.A well-lit kitchen is important. After all, you need to see what you are cooking. You also want to maintain ambiance in dining spaces such as kitchenettes.For this reason, you may want to have accent lighting. This ensures you can see what you are doing when you cook without producing an overly bright kitchen.Kitchen lighting choices have evolved. Once, homeowners were limited to ceiling-mounted units, which weren’t always so attractive. Today, options include:Pendant lights: Pendant lights are ideal because they shed light on specific areas. They are discreet yet stylish. Choose from various metal options to create a vintage appeal or opt for unique shapes and colors to create a contemporary aesthetic.Statement chandeliers: Go bold with your kitchen lighting by installing a statement chandelier over your island.Recessed lighting: Recessed lighting is another discreet choice. It offers a modern appeal that won’t interfere with your kitchen aesthetics.Spotlighting: Modern spotlights are perfect for providing light where you need it most.Fluorescent Lighting: Fluorescent lights may evoke memories of a school lunchroom, but today's fluorescent lights are softer and sleeker. They offer a contemporary appeal, and they are practical for illuminating kitchens.Undercabinet and under-shelving lighting: You may install lights directly under your upper cabinets and shelves to shine a light on your counter space. It puts the light where you need it without overpowering your aesthetics. It can also softly illuminate your kitchen at night.Regardless of which type of lighting you choose, LED lighting is an obvious choice. Although it is more costly upfront as compared to incandescent lights, LEDs use less energy, helping to counter some of the expense. They also last longer, saving you money on replacements. World CopperSmith Final Thought on Kitchen LayoutsThe kitchen may be the most important room in the home. It’s where meals are shared, and memories are made. It’s a place for special gatherings and important moments.The right layout enhances your kitchen, creating a more pleasant atmosphere and making it easier to work in. Choose from various options to find the layout best suited to your needs. Which do you feel is right for your space?FAQsWhat makes kitchen design timeless?Make your kitchen design timeless with elements like natural stone, wood finishes, stainless steel appliances, and neutral color palettes. These elements won’t go out of style, limiting the need to remodel. They also withstand the test of time.What kitchen layouts do chefs prefer?Chefs prefer to have a large kitchen island- sometimes even two islands. They will have oversized sinks, an oven and cooktop, plenty of storage space, and electrical outlets for appliances.What is the ideal kitchen layout?Experts may have varying opinions, but according to consensus, the U-shape design is the most versatile. It provides optimal storage space and a work triangle. This design is ideal for small and large kitchens.This story was produced by World CopperSmith and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Warming up with several rain chances this week After the driest February on record, which was also the driest month on record, in the Quad Cities, we'll see an almost daily chance of rain. Temperatures will stay above average all week. Now that we're into March, here are some of the stats for the month. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	First Central's Grilling For Charity nets record-breaking totals for 2025 First Central State Bank’s Grilling For Charity notched a new record in charitable giving.

Monday, March 2nd, 2026