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

Friday, April 17th, 2026
	Man accused of grooming, abducting Waterloo 12-year-old extradited to Iowa A Michigan man accused of grooming and abducting a 12-year-old Waterloo girl has been extradited to Iowa.
	Jamison Fisher due in court on pro se motions He is set to appear at 10 a.m. Friday on several pro se motions — motions he filed himself rather than through his attorneys.
	One person transported following Clinton house fire One person was transported to a local hospital following a house fire in Clinton. According to a release from the City of Clinton, the Clinton Fire Department was dispatched for a reported structure fire at 11:01 p.m. April 16 to the 300 block of S. 3rd St. Upon arrival, the fire was extinguished within 15 [...]
	4 Your Money \| Earning It The stock market hit another record high this week, continuing the strong performance of the last few years. James Nelson, Financial Planner at NelsonCorp Wealth Management, explains where the growth is coming from and why returns driven by real earnings growth are more sustainable.
	Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn holds townhall in Davenport Lahn is one of five Republicans running for governor.
	Why scientists are nervous about fungi They can pose a threat to human health — yeast infections are but one example. Scientists say not enough attention is paid to their ability to develop resistance to medications that treat them.
	Widespread severe weather likely Friday afternoon and evening We've already seen two nights with severe weather across the Quad Cities area this week. Severe weather is likely this afternoon into early tonight and this event is looking to be more widespread. After a very warm Friday, much cooler air moves in this weekend. We'll see frost and a possible freeze Saturday night and [...]
	Leaders urge for restraint as 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire takes effect Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, acknowledged the ceasefire, but did not say whether it would abide by it and urged people displaced by war in Lebanon to refrain from heading home.
	The U.S. blockade continues despite Iran's announcement the Strait of Hormuz is open Iran's foreign minister declared the Strait of Hormuz is open, following the start of an Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. President Trump swiftly responded that the U.S. naval blockade on Iran will continue.
	Crews battle house fire in Clinton About 1 a.m. a KWQC crew could see first responders working in the 100 block of South Third Street.
	Picking up pet waste protects water quality, community health in Muscatine Picking up after your pet isn’t just about courtesy — it’s about protecting the environment and public health. Every time you scoop, bag, and trash your pet’s waste, you’re helping keep Muscatine’s parks, sidewalks, and waterways clean and safe for everyone. according to a news release from . Why pet waste matters Dog and cat [...]
	Mary Ellen Chamberlin remembered as a force who shaped the Quad-Cities Mary Ellen Chamberlin helped launch Jimmy Carter out of the caucuses, brought riverboat gambling to Iowa to revive the economy, and connected more than $50 million in grants to nonprofits.
	Cesar Toscano: Celebrating National Poetry Month with another Quad-Cities high school poet This is Education Reporter Cesar Toscano's second of four columns featuring a student poet for National Poetry Month, this time with Pleasant Valley senior Josephine Schurke.
	NEST Café marks 4 years serving the Quad Cities pay-what-you-can meals Four years in, NEST Café is busier than ever. The pay-what-you-can restaurant in Rock Island reflects growing need and strong community support.
	DeWitt mourns science teacher after car accident and house fire Trisha Brookins was a 7th grade science teacher at Central DeWitt Middle School.
	The Flatboat This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Looking for an idea to spice up your next garage sale? Have I got an idea for you, fresh from the first farmers who…
	Partial intersection closure ahead at Mt. Joy roundabout It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. According to a release from the Scott County Secondary Roads Department, a partial intersection closure is scheduled beginning Monday, April 20 for approximately six weeks, weather permitting. The roads involved are the intersection of 210th St. and N. Brady St. in Mt. Joy. The release says both [...]
	Road work will affect access to Eagle Heights Elementary School, Clinton The City of Clinton, in coordination with the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), has scheduled a temporary road closure on Main Avenue next week that will affect access to Eagle Heights Elementary School, a news release says. Main Avenue will be closed to through traffic from Mill Creek Parkway to North 3rd Street beginning [...]
	Who says they have no fear of the Trump administration? The quiz knows Also: If you know what Eric Swalwell looks like, you'll get at least one question correct.
	The Labor Department wants to teach you to use AI more. Here's what we found The short course provides solid basics for using AI. But it also misidentifies AI products, links out to bad advice and raises ethical concerns about the products it promotes
	Cook review: 'You, Me & Tuscany' is a serviceable rom-com Here's a romantic comedy that's pretty to look at, with an engaging ensemble. It's not hard to figure out what will happen in "You, Me & Tuscany." But if you want to see nice-looking people enjoying life in the beautiful environment of Italy, this might be just the film for you. The talented Halle Bailey [...]
	Trump rails against court decision that once again stalls his White House ballroom project The federal judge's decision continues to block above-ground construction on the $400 million White House ballroom, allowing only below-ground work on a bunker and other "national security facilities" at the site.
	House extends surveillance powers for 10 days Earlier in the morning GOP leaders had pushed for either a five-year renewal or the 18-month renewal President Trump had demanded, but both votes tanked.
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
	DeWitt mourns science teacher after car accident and house fire Trisha Brookins was a 7th grade science teacher at Central DeWitt Middle School.
	Army announces cancellation of collective bargaining agreements; legislators respond Union employees at the Rock Island Arsenal were feeling uncertain Thursday. That's after the U. S. Army announced the cancellation of collective bargaining agreements with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE.) AFGE Local 15 President Steve Beck says the executive order impacts two unions at the arsenal. The order could allow the Army to [...]
	Singer D4vd is arrested months after a teen's remains were found in his car The 21-year-old Houston-born singer, whose real name is David Burke, had been under a secret investigation by an LA County grand jury after a 14-year-old girl's decomposed body was found in his car.
	East Moline School District's new transportation zones raise safety concerns Transportation from the East Moline School District (EMSD) between Learning Tree and Bowlesburg and Ridgewood Elementaries will stop after this school year. "I have worked here since 1999. Ever since I have worked here, East Moline has stopped and picked up these kids," says Nicole Henry, Director of Learning Tree Child Care in Silvis, located [...]
	Washington state awards $56M for child care facility projects (Photo by Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images)Washington is pouring $55.8 million into early learning facilities across the state. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced the competitive grant awards Thursday. The funds will create about 2,000 new child care spaces and support renovation projects in over 50 jurisdictions, according to the governor’s office. The grants are from the state’s Early Learning Facilities program, administered by the Department of Commerce. The 74 recipients include local governments, school districts, commercial properties and in-home child care facilities. “With these grants, we are working to build more capacity — literally — for our child care and early learning providers,” the governor said. The grants provide funding to plan, expand, remodel, purchase, or build early learning facilities and classrooms. Recipients include Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program contractors and Working Connections Child Care providers — two programs open to lower-income families. In November, the Ballmer Group committed to funding up to 10,000 more Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program slots over the next decade. The investment could end up totaling more than $1 billion. The philanthropic group was founded by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie. “Thanks to the generosity of the Ballmer Group, we’re on track to provide early learning to thousands more kids over the next decade,” said Ferguson. The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program serves students from families who earn less than 36% of the state median income, students who are homeless and students with disabilities. The Department of Commerce received 325 applications for the Early Learning Facilities grants, requesting a total of $277 million. Priority was given to facilities that serve children from low-income families and that are located in rural areas. Commerce has awarded more than $235 million from the Early Learning Facilities Program since 2017. Release of the grant funding follows a cut to another early learning program, Transition to Kindergarten. Designed to prepare students in need of extra support for kindergarten, the program took a 25% reduction in funding under legislation that state lawmakers and Ferguson approved this year. State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said last week that in his 30 years in education, he has never seen “a more ill-advised and damaging cut to education.” That reduction in funding will lead to about 2,000 fewer Transition to Kindergarten spots. Courtesy of Washington State Standard
	House approves Pritzker initiative to regulate social media algorithms The Illinois House voted on bipartisan lines to pass the Children’s Social Media Safety Act.
	The Heart of the Story: Maintaining the mussels Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. The race is on to save an endangered [...]
	Clinton County IT systems back online after security incident A third-party forensics team confirmed threat was caught in early stages.
	State Budget Committee approves toll road hikes, child care boost From left: Adam Alson, the director of the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, and Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Mitch Roob speak during a State Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)A panel of state officials on Thursday green-lit a deal letting the Indiana Toll Road’s private operator raise rates twice annually — in exchange for a $700 million windfall — and the governor’s request to spend $200 million expanding a frozen low-income child care program. The Indiana Finance Authority on Tuesday approved a resolution authorizing increases twice a year on all vehicles traveling the 157-mile northern Indiana Toll Road, but it couldn’t take effect without State Budget Committee approval, Public Finance Director James McGoff said. Class 2 passenger vehicles currently pay $16.21 for a full-length trip, with Class 5 trucks paying $87.49, with tolls rising once a year by 2% — or by the rate of inflation, if it’s greater. Indiana Toll Road deal would trade twice-annual hikes for $700M Bears stadium-related windfall The amendment to the 75-year road lease allows ITR Concession Company to hike rates by 1.5%, or by inflation, every Dec. 31 and June 30. The increase this December will be 1.6%, according to slides McGoff presented Thursday. The operator will pay the Indiana Finance Authority, which issues debt and finances projects for the state, a total of $700 million in cash over the next two years. The money will go to a transportation and infrastructure fund for use in the seven counties through which the road runs — including Lake, the prospective host of a new Chicago Bears stadium. If the Bears decide to relocate, spending would start in Lake County, on stadium-related infrastructure, McGoff said. In that case, Lake and Porter counties would increase local tourism taxes and the money would be distributed among the other Toll Road counties. That way, all seven “will share in the modification to the lease,” McGoff said. If the Bears stay put, the funds will stay in the agency’s account until lawmakers appropriate it. Public Finance Director James McGoff speaks during a State Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Despite the money’s connection to the stadium, McGoff said that negotiations on changing the lease began about a year ago — before Hoosier leaders launched their campaign to woo the franchise. And although the funds will directly benefit the Toll Road counties, McGoff said the state as a whole could benefit indirectly. “Theoretically, it gives the ability for (the Indiana Department of Transportation) to reprogram their transportation projects to other counties,” he told the committee, “because these towns would be the beneficiary of the funds that are restricted for infrastructure and transportation.” Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, thought that was unlikely. “So the county is going to spend its money … in a way that saves INDOT money? I’m waiting for that day,” DeLaney told reporters. “They’re not going to do that. They’re going to spend it on whatever they think is useful.” DeLaney — an alternate who served as the only voting Democrat on the committee — unsuccessfully proposed a motion to remove the item from the panel’s agenda for approval, but it was not seconded. He complained that he had requested the amendment ahead of the Thursday vote but hadn’t received it. Administration plans to increase budget for child care Also on the State Budget Committee agenda was Gov. Mike Braun’s request to push $200 million from the state’s General Fund through the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth fund to reopen admissions for a key child care program. The money would bring about 14,000 Hoosier children off a waitlist of those seeking vouchers. About 21,000 would remain, though. “The Senate kickstarted this funding discussion by unanimously passing Senate Enrolled Act 4 during the 2026 legislative session, which allows the state to spend money from the FROG fund on CCDF,” said Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, in a statement Thursday. Mishler, who chairs the State Budget Committee and authored the new law, said he’s “pleased to see that the Senate’s efforts are paying off, and we will continue to work on this program as we begin to prepare for the 2027 budget session.” The Child Care and Development Fund currently provides vouchers to about 43,000 needy children, as long as their parents meet income and work requirements. It has been closed to new enrollees for more than a year as officials worked to curb state spending. About 4,000 seats will be set aside for certain groups. The Family and Social Services Administration, which administers CCDF, released the numbers in slides presented Thursday. From left: Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, listen during a State Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The set-asides include 1,500 slots for foster and kinship care children; 1,000 for special needs kids; 800 for those being served by the Department of Child Services; 300 for homeless kids; 200 for the children of child care workers; and 100 for referrals from Ivy Tech Community College. FSSA will also prioritize other groups: the siblings of current voucher-holders, infants, toddlers and 3- to 5-year-olds. The agency will begin enrollments in late May, but the rollout will take months, said Adam Alson, FSSA’s director of Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning. That’s because the agency can only process about 3,000 applications a month, per slides. That works out to about 18 weeks, even if the first 14,000 applicants are all determined eligible. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US The move will kickstart the Braun administration’s efforts to provide consistent funding, officials said. “We are funding this for one year, but … it will create a multi-year obligation for the state of Indiana,” Alson told the committee. He said the line item for early childhood learning in the next two-year budget “will reflect the commitment to maintaining funding for CCDF vouchers, and to increase the baseline from $39 million to at least $239 million” of state dollars, on top of base federal funding. DeLaney was skeptical child care providers would be able to “bet on that” and make business decisions despite unknown future state funding. “The governor has every intention of including a sustainable budget for CCDF vouchers in his budget,” State Budget Director Chad Ranney said. “… The governor is certainly committed to continuing this.” Closing out the waitlist — if everyone on it is eligible — would take about $350 million, according to Family and Social Services Secretary Mitch Roob. The State Budget Committee agreed, by unanimous voice vote, to adopt its agenda — approving all the items listed. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Indiana Capital Chronicle
	Order deadline nears for Safer Foundation’s annual lunch fundraiser You have until April 17 to place your $10 Safer Sacks order. All of the money stays local to help those with arrest and conviction records get back on their feet.
	Students and community members in Wayland, Iowa, come together for storm debris cleanup After a possible tornado passed through the WACO Community School District on Tuesday, students and members of the community came together to clean up.
	Socioeconomic status a key factor in understanding Alaska test data, lawmakers hear An empty classroom at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé in Juneau, Alaska (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)A professor at Furman University told the Alaska Legislature Task Force on Education Funding Wednesday afternoon that standardized test results might not be the most appropriate set of data on which to base education policy decisions. During a routine presentation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, Paul Thomas backed a principle that legislators should not make decisions about students and schools based on a single standardized test. “The key to understanding test data in Alaska is the information on poverty,” Thomas said. Alaska’s NAEP scores of fourth- and eighth- grade Alaskans ranked lower than the national public in mathematics and reading in 2024. According to the Nation’s Report Card, approximately 69% of students performing below the 25th percentile are economically disadvantaged while economically disadvantaged students make up 48% of Alaskan students. “Education policy and socioeconomic policy are really strongly connected,” Thomas said. “Test scores are a reflection of the socioeconomic status of the students.” State education officials led legislators through a practice test of the Alaska System of Academic Readiness, commonly referred to as the AK STAR. Each fall, winter, and spring, Alaskan students in grades 3-9 take the MAP Growth assessment and each spring, Alaskan students take the AK STAR. Kelly Melin, who works for the Department of Education and Early Development’s Assessments and Standards Administration, said the state’s standardized tests are designed to satisfy federal requirements set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act. “We’ve taken the power of an interim assessment and the need for a summative assessment as was dictated through ESSA and connected those to come up with what we have as AK STAR,” Melin said. Kelly Manning, the department’s Director of Innovation and Education Excellence, said that the purpose of assessments is to measure the state’s ability to close the achievement gap and measure students’ ability to read at grade level by the third grade. Statewide, about 33% of students tested at or above grade level expectations in language arts and 32% in math in 2025. Students in ninth grade demonstrated the greatest need for support in language arts and math. The esting window for Alaska students closes on May 1. AK STAR results will be available to school districts in July and statewide in the fall. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Illinois legislation would cap some prescription drug prices Price limits could be imposed on some of the most expensive prescription drugs in Illinois. Under House Bill 1443 and Senate Bill 66, medications that qualify would need to cost more than $60,000 a year or have acquisition costs that increase by more than $3,000 dollars a year. Some generic medications with significant price increases [...]
	Volunteers clean up trash in downtown Bettendorf Over 70 volunteers in downtown Bettendorf got together to clean up trash Thursday afternoon. It was all part of a clean up event that's hosted yearly by the Downtown Bettendorf Organization along with XStream Cleanup. The event came with a free lunch from Jimmy John's for volunteers willing to spend some time picking up trash. [...]
	AKWAABA QC to host first citizenship workshop for Quad Cities immigrants Organizers say it will be a "one-stop shop" for applicants seeking U.S. citizenship. Participants will leave with completed applications ready to be mailed.
	House passes bill extending protections for Haitian migrants in the U.S. Ten Republicans voted alongside Democrats, in a rebuke to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Should it pass the Senate, the White House said President Trump would veto the measure.
	Is Utah short behavioral health beds? ‘Word on the street’ is yes, but audit says state lacks data People congregate outside the Lantern House homeless shelter in Ogden on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)<a href='#'><img alt=' ' src='https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Ut/UtahBehavioralHealthBedDashboard/MapDashboard/1_rss.png' style='margin-bottom: 10px; max-width:100%;' /></a> As Utah state and local leaders continue to look for ways to improve services for Utahns in need, a panel of lawmakers on Thursday reviewed a legislative audit focused on one piece of the puzzle: behavioral health. Even though legislative auditors set out to answer the simple question of whether Utah has enough behavioral health beds to meet demand, they ran into a problem. “Unfortunately, we found that no one could actually answer that question,” Madison Hoover, an audit supervisor with the Office of the Legislative Auditor General, told the Legislative Management Committee. Utah homeless leaders look to focus funding on ‘high utilizers’ while not ‘backing away’ from campus She said there’s no one entity responsible for collecting that information from all the various facilities across the state — including between the private and public sectors — so there’s no comprehensive information available on how many beds exist, how often they’re available, or where capacity may fall short. So, the audit report released Thursday instead declared “Utah does not know its behavioral health bed needs.” To fix that problem, auditors recommended lawmakers focus on creating a statewide bed registry to show where needs are or aren’t met, and to designate a “central authority” to better coordinate the system and its varying types of behavioral health facilities. “This lack of information is really important, because behavioral health beds are the mechanism that allow patients to move through the system,” Hoover said. “And when patients can’t access the appropriate level of care — whether that’s in a residential treatment facility like First Step House or an acute care wing of an Intermountain hospital — congestion builds, and those ripple effects are really seen across the continuum.” Hoover said auditors tried their best to contact all 600 facilities across the state that offer some type of behavioral health services “because we wanted to at least work to start assembling as much of that picture as we could,” but they could only get information from some of them. “That exercise itself exposed, again, the core issue here. Without authority, coordination and standardized reporting, understanding this system is extraordinarily difficult,” Hoover said. However, “to show that systemwide visibility is actually possible,” she said auditors built a dashboard to showcase the information they were able to collect. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX That dashboard shows (based on available information) that Salt Lake County has the lion’s share of the state’s behavioral health beds, with at least 2,623. Utah County has 1,460; Davis County has 336; Weber County has 262; and Washington County has 390. <a href='#'><img alt=' ' src='https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Ut/UtahBehavioralHealthBedDashboard/MapDashboard/1_rss.png' style='margin-bottom: 10px; max-width:100%;' /></a> Leah Blevins, audit manager, said the dashboard isn’t updated in real time, so the numbers and availability can fluctuate, “but we do think it does show how important it is to have this information — for the hospitals … and especially for you as decision-makers.” And it reflects the “most complete information that anyone gathered to this point,” she said. “The word on the street is there’s not enough beds, and we’re not questioning that,” Blevins said. “But we don’t have the data to back that up. So if the Legislature is deciding whether to spend more money on beds, it’s very difficult for policymakers to make those decisions based on the lacking information that we have.” So Hoover said auditors aren’t issuing an immediate call to “add more beds,” but rather a call to “actually understand the system before we make additional investments.” “Without the systemwide visibility, capacity, availability and demand, Utah is going to be making decisions with significant blind spots,” she said. “So understanding these resources across the continuum is a foundational step towards improving access, reducing delays, and ensuring public dollars are directed at the areas of greatest need.” House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, expressed support for the recommendation for a statewide bed registry, calling it a “really good option” for lawmakers to consider. With funds for 670 homeless overflow beds running out, board OKs $1 million to ‘bridge’ the gap Blevins also said the state’s already established Behavioral Health Commission is a “great first step” to help coordinate existing efforts, but the state lacks a final decision-maker, which is why auditors recommended a central authority to govern the system. In response to the audit’s recommendations, Tonya Hales, deputy director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services’s health care administration, said she thinks the DHHS is “in a really good position to be a central authority” over behavioral health for the state. However, Hales said “one thing we lack right now is the ability to engage with the private sector,” so she suggested that’s one thing lawmakers could consider to help implement the audit’s recommendations. Eric Tadehara, director of DHHS’s office of Substance Use and Mental Health, also told lawmakers that a challenge facing state officials is identifying what types of behavioral health beds are or aren’t needed. “From a general perspective, I think we know that we are short on beds,” Tadehara said. “I think the level of bed is going to be where it’s hard to quantify.” For example, he said there already have been recommendations to increase capacity at the Utah State Hospital, but there have been challenges determining what other types of beds are needed. “Are we discussing specific residential beds for all populations? Are we talking specifically for youth, for adults, or for substance use and the like?” he said. “I think it’s very difficult to quantify, and this has been one of the challenges.” Schultz pointed to lawmakers’ recent move to set aside $125 million to expand Utah’s prison capacity in Gunnison to help better meet the state’s growing population, and he applauded efforts to do something similar for behavioral health. “Having a system in place for the Legislature to look at and work collaboratively with your agency to determine what that looks like going into the future would be very beneficial,” the House speaker said. After reviewing the audit, the Legislative Management Committee voted to refer it to the Health and Human Services interim committee for further review and consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Utah News Dispatch
	Iowa Department of Transportation names bridges to rebuild using $65 million of federal funds The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) is partnering with counties and cities across the state to rebuild 67 bridges. The funds come from two grants within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed in 2021. The 67 bridges were picked due to cost-benefit analysis for traffic and length of detours and because those bridges were [...]
	River Action holding cleanup day at Indian Springs Park next Wednesday Participants should wear long pants and sleeves, as well as sturdy shoes. The cleanup runs from 9-11 a.m.
	Victims identified in fatal cash between train and truck in Savanna Carroll County officials said 50-year-old Benjamin Sandrock and his son, 21-year-old Connor Sandrock, were killed in the crash. Both were from rural Lyndon.
	Davenport activates flood plan as Mississippi River rises Davenport has activated the city’s flood plan as the Mississippi River rises following recent heavy rain.
	Illinois bill to regulate e-bikes advances A proposal to regulate e-bikes in Illinois is moving forward. Senate Bill 3336 would require e-bikes that can go up to 28 miles an hour to be registered and insured. Riders would need to be at least 16 years old and have a license. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says the changes are needed [...]
	One last round of severe weather It has been a long and active week of weather for us in the Quad Cities with severe thunderstorms and even a few tornadoes as well. While this Thursday has been a much-needed break, lots of clear skies and sunshine, it will not last long as we prepare for Friday. A level 3 - enhanced [...]
	Idaho governor, state superintendent promote conservative group in high schools Gov. Brad Little signed a proclamation encouraging students to start Club America chapters during an event on April 8, 2026, at the Idaho Statehouse. (Brad Little via X) Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on April 16, 2026 Spokespeople for Gov. Brad Little and state superintendent Debbie Critchfield say there’s a difference between promoting political ideologies in the classroom and promoting “extracurricular” and “student-led” political activities outside the classroom. But you might have to squint to see where the line is drawn. Little and Critchfield’s offices defended the Republicans — both running for reelection this year — after they caught flak for promoting “Club America,” Turning Point USA’s campaign to equip and educate conservative activists in high schools. Last week, Little signed a proclamation encouraging Idaho students to form Club America chapters at their schools. Republican governors in Arkansas and South Carolina recently signed similar proclamations. Critchfield also spoke in support of the program, and Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke attended the event at the governor’s office. Leaders of another youth organization, Babe Vote, picked up on the irony. Idaho Republicans for years have rooted out so-called “woke” and “leftist” influences from public schools, colleges and universities — critical race theory, DEI, gender ideologies, etc. — under the guise of keeping classrooms politically neutral. Now, the governor and the state’s top education leader are encouraging students to join an overtly ideological group. “The hypocrisy of this partnership is staggering,” said Babe Vote’s statement condemning the proclamation. “…This move by the governor and superintendent proves that their concern isn’t about removing politics from schools — it’s about ensuring only their politics are allowed.” Last year, Little signed into law House Bill 41. The law prohibits public school teachers from hanging classroom flags and banners that represent “political ideologies” in order to “maintain a neutral and inclusive environment for all students.” Critchfield’s Idaho Department of Education is responsible for enforcing the law. Teachers, for instance, are not allowed to hang the “Everyone is Welcome Here” poster that spurred debates on classroom politics after West Ada School District administrators ordered former teacher Sara Inama to take it down. The poster’s “rainbow colors and progressive symbols” made its “political purpose unmistakable,” according to Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador. Whether a poster representing inclusion has a “political purpose” is debatable. But there’s no mistaking where Turning Point USA (TPUSA) stands. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX What is TPUSA? The late activist Charlie Kirk founded TPUSA in 2012 to counter liberal influences on college campuses. The group in 2016 launched a “watchlist” of professors who “advance leftist propaganda.” It later published a similar database for public school trustees. Today, TPUSA is an influential political organizer in the conservative movement, hosting annual conferences with high-profile Republicans. In 2024, the nonprofit raised $85 million, according to ProPublica. Club America, which launched last year, extended the group’s campus efforts to high schools, offering student leaders a framework, resources and incentives for activism. Before Kirk was killed by a gunman at Utah Valley University last year, he hoped to establish Club America chapters at 25,000 high schools across the country, said TPUSA chief field officer Andrew Sypher, who spoke at last week’s Statehouse event. “(Kirk) was a man with a vision, a man that believed one day we could have a presence in not only every high school and college in America, but that we could take over the American culture,” Sypher said. “We could influence American culture to show that conservatism is not just a left-right thing, but it is an American ideology, one that will prevail nationwide.” Idaho Gov. Brad Little takes questions from an Idaho News 6 reporter after his State of the State Address on Jan. 12, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Club America chapters already exist in 15% of Idaho high schools, Sypher said. A “chapter constitution” says the mission of clubs is to “educate students on the importance of freedom, free markets, and limited government — while building a strong network of trailblazers ready to lead in their schools and communities.” Aiden Shingler, a Boise high schooler and Club America member, thanked the governor for his “willingness to stand with students like me.” Shingler said his club has faced protests and intimidation from fellow students and discouragement and delays from school administrators. “When activism is encouraged in one direction but discouraged in another, it certainly sets a tone,” Shingler said at last week’s event. “…This selectivity is not neutrality, and selectivity in education does not create informed students.” Little, Critchfield offices defend proclamation Little and Critchfield didn’t mention TPUSA’s politics while discussing the governor’s proclamation at last week’s event. They framed it as supporting free speech and civic engagement — and this is mostly what the proclamation itself covers. But only one student organization was mentioned. “I encourage any student who is interested in leading or joining a Club America or Turning Point USA chapter to do so,” the proclamation says. So where’s the line on political neutrality in schools? Joan Vargas, Little’s press secretary, drew it here: “Encouraging students to participate in extracurricular activities on their own time is fundamentally different from promoting political viewpoints in the classroom,” Vargas said by email. “Gov. Little’s proclamation underscores the importance of ensuring students can exercise their First Amendment rights in a safe and respectful environment, and he supports students’ ability to join clubs that reflect their individual interests and beliefs.” A spokeswoman for Critchfield made a similar contrast. Club America is a “student-led extracurricular … similar to others on campuses, including those that might be described as ‘liberal activism,’ such as Gay-Straight Alliance, Babe Vote, and BLM (Black Lives Matter),” Andrea Dearden, chief communications officer for the Idaho Department of Education, said by email. “The line is drawn when one viewpoint is promoted over others or to the exclusion of others,” she said. Dearden also distanced Critchfield from the classroom flag and banner restrictions, noting that IDE “has not been involved in policymaking” on the issue. Asked whether teachers and administrators should also encourage students to join Club America, Dearden said: “We encourage all students to lead and participate in activities and organizations that matter to them, and we see that happening in many forms across the state. As long as clubs operate within state and federal guidelines, districts and charter schools may host them regardless of focus or affiliation.” Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield enters the House of Representative chambers to listen to Gov. Brad Little give his State of the State Address on Jan. 12, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) National network offers resources, incentives to conservative students Ultimately, Club America is a volunteer organization, and students can choose whether it’s right for them. The club’s resources clearly appeal to students interested in conservative politics. Club America’s website includes a library of videos, presentations, games and activities organized into Gen Z-coded “activism themes” covering topics like “taxes are shady,” “socialism kinda sus” and “big gov scares.” Club members can also order “activism kits,” which include posters and stickers with messages like “strengthen America’s borders,” “America First” and “protect our kids, arm our schools.” An online handbook lays out the ground rules for maintaining an active chapter: Each club must have a student leadership team, sign an agreement with TPUSA and organize at least one “activism initiative” per semester while communicating with a Club America field representative “on a regular basis.” The handbook prohibits chapters from endorsing political candidates or aiding in political campaigns. Chapters must obtain approval from Club America headquarters before hosting a speaker on campus, according to the handbook. TPUSA also offers incentives to student activists who complete “noteworthy activism,” according to the group’s website. “Patriot rewards” include free swag along with “VIP experiences” at TPUSA’s national conferences. While Club America may be an “innocuous” student group, it also draws students into TPUSA’s broader political organization, said Liz Yates, program director at Western States Center, a nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon, that researches “anti-democracy actors.” Roughly one-third of the 31,000 attendees at TPUSA’s AmericaFest convention last year were students, Religion News Service reported. Speakers at the event included mainstream Republicans like Vice President J.D. Vance and fringe figures in the conservative movement, like Christian nationalist theologian and pastor Doug Wilson of Idaho. Among other controversial takes on politics, Wilson has advocated against women’s suffrage, arguing that the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote was part of a “war on the family.” “This is the kind of person that you are exposed to through the TPUSA network,” Yates said. “Clubs at schools are one thing. This is a pipeline into a much bigger ecosphere that I think many, many parents would have a lot of concerns about.” Courtesy of Idaho Capital Sun
	Sale pending on Quad-City Times building in Davenport, could close in next few months A deal is pending for the Quad-City Times building in Davenport. A local developer is exploring plans to bring in multiple tenants.
	Chlamydia falls, new HIV cases rise in latest Rhode Island sexually transmitted infections data A digitally colorized scanning electron microscope image shows HIV-1 particles on the surface of a human lymphocyte. (Photo by C. Goldsmith, P. Feorino, E. L. Palmer, W. R. McManus/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)During National STI Awareness Week, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) had some good news to share: An assortment of sexually transmitted infections seem to be entering a period of decline after years of upward movement. The most promising downward trend can be found in chlamydia, which dropped to 4,681 cases in 2024 — the lowest since 2015, and a marked difference from the peak of 5,717 cases documented in 2019. The latest state data from 2024 was compiled and released by the state health department during March in its annual STI surveillance report. The data, which is reported on a year lag, “represent the most accurate, comprehensive, up-to-date snapshot we have of HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and TB [tuberculosis] in Rhode Island,” according to the report’s opening note from Director of Health Dr. Jerome Larkin. Disparities linger, however, in the distribution of STIs. Take newly diagnosed cases of HIV. Overall, there were 94 documented cases of newly diagnosed HIV in Rhode Island in 2024, the highest number since 2015. That spike was highest among Rhode Island’s Black and African-American population. From 2020 to 2023, the number of cases in this demographic dropped by 63%, for a total of about 12 cases diagnosed in 2023. But in 2024, this statistic shot up nearly fivefold to about 57 cases, which the RIDOH report noted was “18.9 times higher than among the non-Hispanic White population” and “observed across multiple risk groups.” The average number of cases in recent years has hovered around 70 per year. Over the past decade, the population most commonly exposed to HIV are gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), which the RIDOH report says have accounted for 66% of newly diagnosed cases where the exposure type was known. HIV diagnoses dropped in 2020 during the pandemic, but the health department report says that, from 2021 to 2023, this number returned to levels compared with the pre-COVID era. The 2024 data saw a 34.3% increase above the average number of diagnoses in these years. Larkin noted in his introduction, however, that preliminary data for 2025 does not seem to hold the same trend. “I am pleased to report that we did not continue to see an increase in cases in 2025,” Larkin wrote. “Rhode Island’s counts of newly diagnosed HIV cases in 2025 are below our 10-year average of 70 cases per year.” The state has also seen success in treating people with HIV, with an estimated 76.4% of people living with the virus receiving treatment and 94.1% of those engaged in care achieving viral suppression, Larkin wrote. The health department estimates there are 2,851 living with HIV in Rhode Island. Age also plays a factor in STI acquisition, with teens and young adults in the age range of 15 to 24 continuing to show higher rates. Chlamydia, for example, had a rate of around 427 infections per 100,000 people in the general population. Among the 15-24 age group, the rate was 1,827 per 100,000 people. That was still an improvement over last year, with people in this age range having approximately 2,030 infections per 100,000 people. A similar situation played out with gonorrhea, whose case-per-population ratio in the 15-24 group was more than twice that of the general population.The state health department promoted its RIght to Know app alongside its announcement about falling STI rates. The platform is designed to provide adolescents and young adults with “accurate information about sexual and reproductive health, as well as places across Rhode Island to access resources like care and condoms,” according to the health department’s press release. Also highlighted in this year’s STI report: Chlamydia’s 4,681 recorded cases in 2024 were the lowest annual total since 2015. But the disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis remains concentrated among younger people, with the highest rates since 2020 observed among Rhode Islanders ages 20 to 34. Gonorrhea continues to climb, even if it experienced a slight dip this year. The health department counted 1,622 cases in 2024, down from 1,672 cases in 2023, but still far above the 580 cases in 2015. The report says rates have risen consistently over the last five years among people ages 20 to 34. Infectious syphilis dropped to 161 cases in 2024 — down from 190 the year prior, and less than half the peak of 328 cases recorded statewide in 2021. More alarmingly, the health department noted it recorded 12 cases of congenital syphilis from 2020 to 2024, when no cases had been reported in more than a decade. Viral hepatitis has seen strong progress over the last decade, with the number of inpatient hospitalizations tied to a diagnosis of hepatitis C declining from more than 2,700 such cases in 2015 to under 900 in 2024. In 2023 and 2024, there 15 cases of hepatitis B and 41 cases of hepatitis C. Monkeypox, or Mpox, was first observed by health departments around the world during its initial outbreak in 2022. Aggressive vaccination efforts quickly suppressed the virus’ spread for the most part, but Larkin wrote that the state saw “a slight uptick in cases in 2024 and 2025.” A health department dashboard shows there have only been 104 cases recorded in the Ocean State as of Feb. 2026, with less than 10 in both 2024 and 2025. And what about TB? While tuberculosis is not a sexually transmitted infection, it’s combined with the surveillance of other diseases in the annual report. Larkin wrote that rates of this consumptive illness were “higher than expected in 2023 and 2024, but preliminary 2025 data showed a decline to pre-2023 levels.” There were 23 cases recorded in 2024, still higher than the past decade’s low of just seven cases in 2020. Pre-pandemic, the state was still considered “low-incidence” and regularly documented under 20 cases in its annual counts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Rock Island-Milan School District names new dean of students at Rock Island High School Dr. Yolanda Grandberry-Pugh will step into the role next school year. She's currently the interim dean.
	Grand Forks County reports first measles case of 2026 as Pembina County outbreak ends One of the symptoms of measles is a red, blotchy rash. (iStock/Getty Images)Grand Forks County reported its first measles case of 2026 on Thursday, increasing North Dakota’s total measles cases to 33 for the year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The new Grand Forks County measles case involves a person who was likely infected within the state and did not report any recent out-of-state or international travel, state officials said. The department also declared the measles outbreak in Pembina County as resolved on Wednesday after no additional cases were reported in that county for 42 days since the onset of the last case. People traveling to Pembina County are recommended to follow routine immunization guidelines, the department said. Of the state’s 33 cases this year, 23 were reported in Pembina County, six in Ransom County, and additional single cases in Grand Forks, Traill, Walsh and Williams counties. Five people who contracted measles needed to be hospitalized, according to the HHS measles dashboard. Of those who contracted measles, 27 people reported being unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. The agency recommends anyone traveling to Grand Forks County to ensure they are vaccinated against the disease. Health officials also recommend any children in Grand Forks County older than 6 months should receive their first dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The department is continuing to investigate the source of the measles exposure in Grand Forks County, but also updated its list of possible exposure sites. Anyone present at an exposure site should quarantine for 21 days and monitor for symptoms. People with at least one dose of MMR vaccine, or those born before 1957, do not need to be quarantined, but should monitor themselves for symptoms. Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and eye irritation, followed by a widespread rash, according to the department. People can transmit the disease for up to four days before a rash develops, according to HHS. People who believe they may have contracted the measles should contact their health care provider before arriving at a medical clinic to ensure precautionary measures can be taken to protect other patients and medical staff. As of April 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 1,714 measles cases across 32 states in 2026. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of North Dakota Monitor
	Top five takeaways from Homeland Security budget hearings Lawmakers have been in a stalemate for over 60 days about funding the entire department, which includes agencies that oversee immigration enforcement, disaster relief, cybersecurity and the U.S. Coast Guard.
	Support affordable homeownership at Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities' Golf Fore Homes You can enjoy a great day of golf while helping to support affordable homeownership here in the QCA! Tom Fisher-King joined Our Quad Cities News with details on Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities' Golf Fore Homes. For more information, click here.
	Michael Bridgford, Bettendorf, announces Congressional run for 1st District Michael Bridgford, a Quad Cities small business owner raised on a seventh- generation family farm, on Thursday officially announced his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, according to a news release. Running as an independent, Bridgford seeks to represent the "exhausted majority" of voters who are tired of hyper-partisan [...]
	Speed cameras: What you should know before paying ticket Confused by a speed camera ticket? Discover the legal distinctions between camera citations often issued by private vendors and police-issued tickets.
	Akwaaba QC hosting first-ever citizenship workshop The nonprofit just got back from a trip to Springfield, Illinois, on Wednesday, where they talked with lawmakers about the state budget.
	The Quad Cities is drought free! After several months of below average rain fall in the Quad Cities, we have been under drought conditions for quite some time now. Most of the area has been under a moderate drought from the lack of rain but with the rain we have been getting for the past few weeks, things have been improving. [...]
	Davenport blood drive highlights closely-linked need for blood, organ donation During National Donate Life Month, ImpactLife and the Iowa Donor Network are emphasizing the importance of blood transfusions during organ transplant surgeries.
	Learn basic home maintenance skills at the the HANDY at HOME workshop series If you want to learn how to be a little more handy around the house, here's your chance to learn some basic home maintenance skills! Crystal Crayne from the Moline Community Development Corporation joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about the HANDY at HOME workshop series. For more information, click here.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted for escape, failure to appear Michael Schram, 41, is wanted by the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office for escape and failure to appear in court on a robbery charge.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted on both sides of the river for probation violation, failure to appear Frederick McKenzie is wanted by the Rock Island County Sheriff's Office and in Scott County.
	Do you know them? Help police identify 2 vandals Officials said two suspects were seen on camera damaging vehicles in Rock Island and Davenport.
	2 arrested in Dixon, Illinois, sex abuse investigation The investigation that led to the arrests of 35-year-old Edward Wilhite and 32-year-old Chelsea Morrison began in July 2025.
	Driver identified after fatal crash into rural DeWitt home Authorities say 46-year-old Trisha Brookins died after a vehicle crashed into a rural DeWitt home and caught fire following a medical emergency.
	Order deadline nears for Safer Foundation’s annual lunch fundraiser You have until April 17 to place your $10 Safer Sacks lunch order. All of the money stays local to help those with arrest, conviction records get back on their feet.
	Miller-Meeks, Sorensen split on Iran peace talks, shutdown strategy With a fragile cease-fire holding in the Iran conflict, two members of Congress who represent the Quad Cities region say the U.S. must keep pressure on Iran and restore stability in the Strait of Hormuz — but they differ on how the administration and Congress should proceed.
	These musicians are providing the soundtrack for anti-ICE protests in LA Los Jornaleros Del Norte play protest songs whose lyrics reflect the hopes and struggles of undocumented workers as they evade immigration agents patrolling the streets.
	Latin American history, pet custody bills advance in Springfield ahead of deadline Illinois lawmakers entered their final six-week stretch by moving dozens of bills from one chamber to the other.
	Trump nominates former Coast Guard doctor as CDC chief The nomination comes after months of interim leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	Rhode Island institutions to receive $18.1M in federal medical research funding The Rhode Island Department of Health headquarters in Providence. The agency is set to receive more than $2 million across seven federal grants in a Thursday announcement from Rhode Island’s congressional delegation. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)Rhode Island’s hospitals, universities, state agencies and community health providers are set to receive a sizable gift from the feds: more than $18 million in health and medical research funding, Rhode Island’s Congressional delegates announced Thursday. The windfall is coming from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support research work in areas like aging, addiction, mental health, diabetes, lung disease, maternal and child health, infectious disease, environmental exposure reduction, and other research endeavors related to public health. Receiving the most is Brown University, which was awarded multiple grants including $1.87 million for aging research; $1.35 million for drug abuse and addiction research; $1.28 million for alcohol research; and $1.24 million for research in pharmacology, physiology and biological chemistry. Overall, Brown accounts for almost half the total, at about $9.16 million across 10 grants. The second largest sum went to the Rhode Island Department of Health, with seven grants totaling $2.06 million. The Miriam Hospital has two grants valued at $1.61 million, and the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services was awarded two grants worth a total of $1.54 million. Other recipients named in the announcement include Tri-County Community Action Agency, the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, Bradley Hospital, Butler Hospital, and Thundermist Health Center. Most recipients received between one and three awards. Rhode Island’s congressional delegation has often been at odds with federal funding priorities since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office last January. Research funding has at times been more volatile and uncertain than it was during the Biden administration, with fights occurring over monies for the National Institutes of Health and research reimbursement policies. Federal funding for HHS, however, has largely stayed on the same plateau. The federal appropriations approved for fiscal year 2026 included $116.6 billion for HHS, according to Rhode Island’s delegates. A Senate press release from March 2024 noted that, in fiscal year 2024, HHS was given $116.8 billion. Federal dollars for fiscal year 2026 allotted funds for a number of specific investments in research areas aimed at finding new cures or treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health conditions, opioid use disorder, diabetes and other illnesses. On-, off-, on-again URI program for diverse STEM scholars braces for October uncertainty Federal appropriations bundled in $30 million for U.S. Sen. Jack Reed’s Childhood Cancer STAR Act, which supports childhood and adolescent cancer research, improves cancer surveillance in these populations, and broadens support for families who have been affected by childhood cancer. Reed, who sits on the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, took the funding as a win for the Ocean State. “I will continue working at the federal level to protect and expand investments that help advance pioneering medical research, strengthen public health, and promote hope and healing,” Reed said in a statement Thursday. State agencies that received sizable awards include Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services, which got about $1.17 million for national training and technical assistance and another $371,000 for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program, a federal program which helps low-income individuals with HIV who are uninsured or underinsured afford the appropriate medicines. The Rhode Island Department of Health received more than $1.08 million for family planning services, plus smaller awards ranging from $66,580 for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau to $467,030 for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for its work in helping local efforts at reducing exposure to environmental toxins. A full list can be found on Reed’s website. Where the $18.1 million is going Brown University: 10 grants totaling $9,164,127 Rhode Island Department of Health: Seven grants totaling $2,064,896 The Miriam Hospital: Two grants totaling $1,606,566 Rhode Island Executive Office of Health & Human Services: Two grants totaling $1,539,897 Tri-County Community Action Agency: One grant for $1,046,526 Rhode Island Hospital: Two grants totaling $815,038 Women & Infants Hospital: Two grants totaling $580,480 University of Rhode Island: One grant totaling $567,224 Bradley Hospital: Three grants totaling $472,092 Butler Hospital: One grant totaling $165,987 Thundermist Health Center: One grant totaling $55,882 SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Warren County Courthouse to reopen after being closed for structural inspection The Warren County Courthouse will reopen Friday after being temporarily closed for a structural inspection.
	Davenport blood drive highlights closely-linked need for blood, organ donation During National Donate Life Month, ImpactLife and the Iowa Donor Network are emphasizing the importance of blood transfusions during organ transplant surgeries.
	The mental health stigma is changing: What America’s increasing therapy rates reveal The mental health stigma is changing: What America’s increasing therapy rates revealAs more Americans seek therapy than ever before, shifting attitudes toward mental health are revealing a broader cultural change in how people approach emotional well-being.Nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults now say that having a mental health condition is nothing to be ashamed of, and 83% report feeling comfortable talking about their mental health openly. That level of acceptance reflects a meaningful shift in how Americans relate to one another and to their own inner lives.People who once felt isolated by their struggles are increasingly finding those same struggles widely shared, and that recognition of being understood rather than judged is reshaping how mental health is discussed across communities.BetterHelp examines the data and cultural forces behind America's shifting relationship with mental health and what rising therapy rates reveal about where the country is headed.A Cultural Turning Point for Mental HealthAmericans are increasingly treating mental health the way they approach physical fitness and financial planning, as a fundamental part of how they live. According to APA's Healthy Minds Poll, 38% of Americans entered 2026 planning to make a mental health-related resolution, up five percent from the previous year.For the first time, emotional well-being ranked third on the national priority list, just behind physical fitness and financial goals, which says something significant about where the culture has arrived.APA President Theresa Miskimen Rivera, M.D., called that progress encouraging, adding that the strategies people are embracing "reflect a growing recognition that mental health is deeply connected to daily habits." That recognition has moved well beyond individual choices.Conversations about therapy and emotional well-being are now happening in boardrooms, classrooms, and family dinners in ways that would have been rare just a decade ago, and that cultural openness shows no signs of retreating.Post-Pandemic Mindset ShiftsThere are a few events in recent history that forced people to reckon with their emotional lives the way the COVID-19 pandemic did. Across every demographic, people confronted stress, isolation, and emotional exhaustion simultaneously, with no precedent to draw from and no clear end in sight.Dr. Delany Smith, system chief clinical officer at the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, noted that years later, she still hears patients use the phrase "since the pandemic" as a mental health reference point.The pandemic did not simply surface new struggles. It revealed how many people had been carrying unaddressed ones for years. Dr. Roger McIntyre, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto, described the period as a turning point, noting that the number of people having conversations about mental health “over the dinner table” had considerably increased.And Dr. Smith echoed that shift, observing that the pandemic brought widespread messaging around the idea that it is acceptable to not be okay, followed by a greater focus on mental wellness in both prevention and treatment.What the pandemic ultimately produced was a generation of people more willing to seek support, and the culture around them began to shift in ways that made that decision feel far less isolating.The Role of Destigmatization MovementsPart of what made seeking help feel less isolating was a change in who was willing to talk about it publicly. Athletes, actors, and musicians with massive platforms began sharing their own mental health struggles, and the cultural impact was significant.Amanda McNab, a licensed clinical social worker at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, observed that when prominent individuals share their mental health journeys, it allows others to see "that they are not alone and that someone can be successful and experience emotional distress."Seeing that kind of honesty from people in the public eye permitted others to be honest too. And that same permission has extended into the workplace, where mental health is no longer treated as a personal matter that employees manage on their own.A 2025 Gallup study found that two-thirds of full-time workers report experiencing burnout, prompting employers to build programs that treat mental health as a core workplace concern rather than an afterthought.As these conversations have become more normalized across public life and professional settings, support systems have begun to evolve alongside them.Increased Access to Mental Health SupportOne of the most significant structural changes behind that evolution has been the expansion of telehealth. The ability to connect with a licensed therapist by video, phone, or messaging changed what seeking help could look like in everyday life.People no longer had to commute across town, rearrange work schedules, or wait months for a local opening, removing barriers that had kept millions from accessing care for years.Geography, scheduling, and cost are no longer the automatic barriers they once were. And growing up with that level of access has begun to shape how younger generations think about mental health care.A Generational Shift in AttitudesNo generation has grown up more fluent in the language of mental health than Gen Z. For many young people, talking about anxiety, therapy, or emotional well-being carries none of the shame it once did for their parents or grandparents, and that cultural distance from stigma is showing up in real behavior.The American Psychiatric Association found that 37% of Gen Z is already receiving professional mental health treatment, the highest rate of any generation on record.Patrick Griswold, a clinical instructor at Metropolitan State University of Denver, observed that stigma among young people has significantly decreased because "it's harder to stigmatize something so widespread." Therapy, for this generation, is a regular part of staying well, not a last resort reserved for moments of crisis.That orientation toward proactive care rather than reactive crisis management may be the most consequential shift of all, and its effects are already rippling outward into how society understands mental health more broadly.What Rising Therapy Rates Reveal About SocietyAmerica's relationship with mental health has not changed overnight, but the direction of that change has become unmistakable.More people are seeking support, more institutions are building systems to provide it, and more communities are creating space for those conversations to happen without judgment. What that collective movement reveals is a deeper cultural recognition that emotional well-being is inseparable from overall health.TakeawayA society that increasingly agrees with that sentiment is one moving toward greater empathy, stronger communities, and workplaces where people feel supported rather than expected to endure in silence. And for millions of Americans who once felt alone in their struggles, that movement forward is long overdue.This story was produced by BetterHelp and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Minnesota has charged an ICE officer with assault for alleged actions during immigration surge Hennepin County officials say these are the first charges filed against a federal immigration agent related to the crackdown that brought thousands of federal officers to the state. The widespread operation led to the shooting deaths of two American citizens.
	Higher ed appropriations bill cutting over half of funding to MSU, U-M passes House subcommittee House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) presents on proposed cuts within Michigan's FY27 budget at a press conference. April 16, 2026. \| Photo by Katherine Dailey/Michigan Advance. The Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and Community Colleges voted to advance a Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bill that would cut over 62% of the state’s funding for both Michigan State University and the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. The bill overall would cut 7.5% from the state’s higher education budget, around $175 million. Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) doubled down on attacks from state Republican leaders on the prenatal and infant direct cash support program Rx Kids as a justification for cutting funding for Michigan State University — over $199 million — in a higher education budget proposal put forward and passed through subcommittee on Thursday. Michigan State is a sponsor of the program, while the Rx Kids founder and director, Dr. Mona Hanna, is an associate dean for public health and the C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Hall launched a number of allegations at the program, which he called “a complete scam,” arguing without evidence that mothers receiving money through the program were spending it on drugs and alcohol, though a report published by Rx Kids in March shows virtually no spending on luxury or discretionary items. “From the Upper Peninsula to Benton Harbor, data from Rx Kids show that when families receive direct support during pregnancy and infancy, they overwhelmingly use it to meet essential needs,” Laura Cane, a spokesperson for Michigan State University, wrote in a statement. “Nearly three-quarters (74%) of mothers report spending their Rx Kids support on baby supplies such as diapers and formula, as well as on food, rent, and utilities. This aligns with extensive global research demonstrating that when families are given additional resources, they prioritize the health and well-being of their families.” In response to a question about Hall’s evidence for his claims, Jeff Wiggins, a spokesperson for Hall’s office said that he was “pointing out that these unrestricted, no strings attached dollars could be spent on anything, including drugs and alcohol, and we would never know,” stating that surveys done by the program do not ask participants to submit documentation to confirm how they actually spent the money, but did not provide any actual evidence for the claims. In addition to the funding cut from Michigan State, the Department of Housing and Human Services budget passed through subcommittee in the House cut $20 million for Rx Kids, reallocating that money to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is limited to very low-income families and only provided for a short period of time. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX “We could spend that on shoring up the other cash welfare programs that actually have eligibility checks that actually look at what money is being spent on, we can stop this waste in Rx Kids,” Hall said. Hall also alleged, again without evidence, that Rx Kids “is giving welfare to illegal aliens,” continuing to say that people are using the program to circumvent citizenship procedures by coming into Michigan, receiving Rx Kids benefits and then having their child here. “Rx Kids uses Medicaid roles to determine citizenship status. With states like Michigan refusing to turn over that information to the federal government, there is no way of confirming that illegal aliens aren’t receiving these funds,” Wiggins said. “It’s a well-choreographed shell game that basically uses tax dollars to subsidize Rx Kids to provide no-strings-attached handouts to illegal aliens.” Cane, however, told the Advance that continued TANF funding was essential to ensure Rx Kids can assist more than 60,000 births over the next three years, especially in light of the funds that were clawed back by the House last year. “At a time when families across Michigan are facing an affordability crisis, Rx Kids is delivering an efficient and effective program that is improving the lives of thousands of Michigan babies,” Cane said, citing the expansion of Rx Kids as a demonstration of the program’s commitment to its work. That same budget proposal also cut over $222 million from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. But Hall’s rationale for those cuts was different than those for the cuts at Michigan State — which he said in a press conference was due to the University of Michigan’s “lack of focus” on in-state Michigan high school graduates. House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) presents on proposed cuts within Michigan’s FY27 budget at a press conference. April 16, 2026. \| Photo by Katherine Dailey/Michigan Advance. “There’s very few Michigan high school graduates that can get into the University of Michigan,” he said, though in-state acceptance rates at the university are significantly higher than out-of-state acceptance rates. Out-of-state tuition is also more than double that of in-state tuition, according to the university. As for whether these budget cuts might actually incentivize the university to admit more out-of-state students to fill those financial gaps, a spokesperson for Hall’s office declined to respond to that question. Perry Zielak, House Fiscal Analyst for the Higher Education budget, noted that there is no one-to-one allocation for the money not going to the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, though he noted that scholarship increases tend to be a place in the budget where those types of funding shifts show up. “I talk to students at Michigan State University or the University of Michigan and hear what they would think about these reductions and what it would mean for their tuition going up or the cost of their housing going up. Anytime you’re making significant reductions to programs, in this case, universities, it really does impact people in Michigan,” Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) told reporters Thursday afternoon. “We didn’t want to take the approach that we were going to cut our way to a balanced budget. We want to make sure that we’re making responsible reductions, but at the same time maintaining critical services.” Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony takes questions from reporters following a committee meeting. April 16, 2025 \| Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance The higher education budget would also eliminate a number of programs designed to support “academically or economically disadvantaged students in postsecondary education in Michigan,” around $2.7 million. It would also remove boilerplate language for AgBio Research and climate resiliency programs at Michigan State, which Reps. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) and Matt Longjohn (D-Portage) each criticized in the wake of heavy storms and flooding in northern Michigan in recent weeks. The Higher Education and Community Colleges subcommittee also advanced appropriations bills for the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential, or MiLEAP, as well as for community colleges. MiLEAP funding was proposed to be cut by around 5% overall, around $32 million, while community college spending would be cut by around $2 million, just 0.4%. Every community college in the state would have a slight increase in their state funding under this bill, ranging from 0.1% to 1.6%. Rogers also raised concerns about a $1.3 million cut to the MiLEAP budget to the Tri-Share child care program “at a time where we have major problems with affordability, with child care,” which committee chair Rep. Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock) said he would be open to discussing later on. Similarly, Longjohn expressed wariness at employee cuts to the Child Care Licensing Bureau, noting public health concerns like measles cases in Washtenaw County. House Fiscal Agency analyst Noel Benson responded, “the FTE reductions across the budget were based on recent FTE reports from the department. These positions are currently unfilled and have been unfilled.” All three bills will now go to the full House Appropriations Committee. Courtesy of Michigan Advance
	SC technical colleges partner with online university for easier transfer The Cornerstone Economic Development and Workforce Training Center is part of Midlands Technical College's campus in northeast Columbia, which joined a partnership for students to more easily enroll in online classes. (Photo courtesy of the Columbia Area Development Partnership)COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s technical college graduates can more easily get an online degree under a partnership with Western Governors University. The partnership, which the colleges announced this week, will make it easier for students and technical college staff to apply their credits toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree, as well as open up $3,500 scholarships to applicants. That would cover all but $500 of the average cost of a six-month semester, according to the nonprofit college based in Salt Lake City. “This partnership expands opportunity for our graduates and employees across South Carolina,” Tim Hardee, president of the state Technical College System, said in a news release. “By creating a seamless transfer pathway to WGU, we are helping students continue their education in a flexible format that supports career advancement and long-term success.” The online university, which is accredited through several regional and national organizations, offers more than 120 degrees, including those in business, technology, health care and education, according to its website. Degrees are self-paced, allowing students to complete work when it best suits them instead of needing to show up for regular lectures. That could encourage graduates from one of the state’s 16 technical colleges who can’t complete a traditional college degree to get a higher education, according to a news release. As of last June, nearly 3,200 South Carolinians were enrolled in the online college. More than half of the university’s students from South Carolina work while getting their degrees, according to the university. “This agreement with the SC Technical College System expands opportunities for South Carolinians to pursue their education and career goals through flexible and affordable online programs and without having to repeat any previous approved coursework,” Ben Coulter, southeast regional coordinator for the online university, said in a news release. Courtesy of South Carolina Daily Gazette
	AG McCuskey asks judge to dismiss methadone clinic moratorium lawsuit against state of West Virginia (Getty Images)The state of West Virginia is asking a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit brought by a Charleston-based overdose prevention organization over the state’s moratorium on new methadone clinics. West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey filed a motion Thursday to dismiss Solutions Oriented Addiction Response WV’s lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The organization is represented in the legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia and Kaplan & Grady. “The question in this action is whether the federal law requires West Virginia to license new opioid treatment programs in addition to the nine such programs it has already licensed,” the attorney general wrote in the motion to dismiss. “None of the statutes or regulations upon which Plaintiff relies state that requirement, and no court — federal, or otherwise — has ever found the requirement exists; Plaintiff simply asks this Court to make it so.” The state of West Virginia enacted the moratorium on new methadone clinics in 2007. There are nine methadone clinics in the state. Bills to repeal the moratorium have repeatedly failed in the state Legislature. The lawsuit asserts that addiction is a disability, and that limiting or restricting access to methadone violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The lawsuit asserts that because fentanyl is rampant in West Virginia, access to methadone is even more important. According to preliminary state data, between January and October last year at least 343 drug overdose deaths included fentanyl, and seven involved heroin. In 2024, per the data, 634 residents died from overdoses involving fentanyl. The legal challenge names Gov. Patrick Morrisey in his official capacity, along with Arvin Signh, state health secretary and Gordon Lane Jr. and Robert Cheren in their official capacities as executive director and chairman of the West Virginia Health Care Authority. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert Chambers. In a 19-page memorandum in support of the motion filed Thursday, the attorney general argues that the organization does not have a personal stake under the Americans with Disabilities Act necessary to sue the state over the moratorium. “Importantly, Plaintiff does not claim to be a ‘qualified individual with a disability,’ nor does plaintiff allege that it has been ‘excluded from participation in,’ ‘denied the benefits of,’ or ‘subjected to discrimination’ under the Disability Acts,” the attorney general’s office wrote. “Plaintiff also does not allege that it is an opioid treatment program, that it operates any such programs, or that it has applied for a (certificate of need) to provide opioid treatment program services. “Instead, Plaintiff claims it is “a not-for-profit organization” whose mission is “to save lives, reduce harm and stigma, and empower individuals impacted by drug use through harm reduction, advocacy, and access to life-saving resources — helping build a community rooted in care and dignity for all.” The organization does not have standing because its complaint did not identify concrete legal injuries, established that the injuries are because of actions by the defendants or that the injuries could be fixed if the moratorium is struck down, the attorney general argued. It argues further that if the plaintiff does not have standing, the court does not have subject matter jurisdiction in the case, and the complaint should be dismissed. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of West Virginia Watch
	Traffic Alert: Central Avenue to close for next section of resurfacing project Central Avenue will be closed as crews continue the second section of the first part Central Avenue Resurfacing Project.
	Pa. Attorney General Dave Sunday signs letter supporting federal PBM transparency rule A pharmacist at Mayo Pharmacy in Bismarck, N.D., reviews completed pharmaceutical orders in January. Advocates, providers, medical associations and state lawmakers are pushing for insurers to cover non-opioid pain medications. (Photo by Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday joined 44 other attorneys general around the country to advocate for a proposed federal rule that would require transparency from Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) around where they receive revenue. PBMs are middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry that have faced scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators and critics for their alleged role in driving up drug costs. Initially, they were created to help insurance providers process prescription drug claims, and still fill that role. But they’ve also grown in the last several decades. They create what are known as formularies — the list of drugs that are covered by a plan — and negotiate rebates and reimbursements with drug manufacturers. They’ve been accused of receiving kickbacks for recommending specific products and lacking transparency around their business practices which could drive up insurance costs for employers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE PBMs are also responsible for reimbursing pharmacies when patients pick up covered prescriptions, and their contracts with them determine how much they will pay for a given drug. The largest PBMs in the country have grown in size and stature in the healthcare industry, over the last several decades. The three biggest manage roughly 80% of all prescription drug claims. And each of those are operated by parent companies that also own major insurance and pharmacy companies. A proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor would require more transparency from PBMs managing healthcare plans provided by employers. Around 136 million Americans receive health coverage through an employer or family member’s employer. It would mandate PBMs to disclose where their revenue comes from twice a year, and allow employers who provide health insurance plans that use their services to audit them. The rule was written following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump called “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First.” A letter signed by 45 attorneys general is broadly supportive of the proposed rule, and also asks the Department of Labor to clarify states’ roles in regulating PBMs. As it stands, PBMs and trade groups representing them have held that federal law governing employer-sponsored health insurance plans preempts many state attempts to rein in or require transparency from PBMs operating in their state. This is, for example, why a major piece of Pennsylvania legislation passed in 2024 to rein in PBMs broadly did not apply to many employer-sponsored plans. Pa. pharmacists call on the state to take a bigger role in how they’re paid for Medicaid patients The attorneys general’s letter asks the U.S. Department of Labor to clarify that federal preemptions are not grounds to block states’ PBM transparency laws, and to state expressly that the department “welcomes cooperative enforcement with state attorneys general where appropriate.” The rule has some critics, however. The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, a trade group representing the country’s largest PBMs, submitted a letter calling it “duplicative” of a law recently signed by Trump, and warning the new requirements could ultimately end up raising the cost of their services. “This rule would add significant costs without providing any additional meaningful transparency, and that’s why we’re calling on the Department of Labor to withdraw it,” President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association David Marin said in a statement. “We share the Trump administration’s goal of PBM transparency and are acting to make it reality. The  DOL rule is simply costly government overreach without benefit for employers or American families. It should be rescinded immediately.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some organizations and advocacy groups, including the Texas Hospital Association, submitted letters saying the rule did not go far enough. They requested it be expanded to cover what are called third-party administrators. Third party administrators are separate companies from PBMs, though they can be financially related. The letter warns that, under a strict reading of the rule, PBMs could direct their revenue to legally separate, but financially connected, companies, which would be exempt from the same disclosure requirements. “We encourage the DOL to ensure that all appropriate parties are included in the requirements to provide the necessary disclosures,” it said. “For example, if a third-party administrator subcontracts PBM services to a third-party entity (which we have been informed does occur), those subcontractors must also be required to provide the information required to be disclosed.” Courtesy of Pennsylvania Capital-Star
	George Foreman laid to rest in Northwest Iowa, fulfilling a long-held wish The former heavyweight boxing champion was buried in Sioux City in 2025
	How blood type could predict risk for disease A study shows people with certain blood types may be at higher risk for disease than those with other blood types.
	Why direct mail is making a comeback: Small businesses turn to mailboxes to beat digital fatigue Why direct mail is making a comeback: Small businesses turn to mailboxes to beat digital fatigueThe economics of digital attention are reaching a breaking point for small business owners. According to the WordStream 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks, cost-per-click (CPC) increased for 87% of industries last year. For a lean enterprise, this inflation represents a significant drain on working capital. While the digital-first giants are chasing clicks, the mailbox is quietly becoming the most reliable ROI on the map.The data backs it up: 84% of marketers say that direct mail gives them the best ROI, according to research by Lob and CompereMedia. 85% of marketers in that study say that direct mail gives them their best conversion rate.You aren't paying for “impressions” that no one sees; you’re paying for a physical piece of property in a customer's hand. In a world of digital inflation, the mailbox is the last place where your dollar still has some muscle.Taradel, a direct mail and digital marketing platform, examines the data behind direct mail's resurgence among small businesses.The CPM Inflation Crisis in Digital ChannelsThe primary driver for the shift toward physical media is the rapid erosion of digital margins. For years, digital marketing was the low-cost leader for customer acquisition. However, that economic reality is shifting.As mentioned in the WordStream Google Ads Benchmarks report above, cost-per-click rates increased for 87% of industries last year, with the average cost rising roughly 13% year-over-year. This represents a tipping point for many smaller budgets.These surging overheads mean campaigns that once provided a high return on ad spend (ROAS) no longer offer the same capital efficiency. For a small business, this volatility in digital pricing creates a "burn rate" that is often unsustainable without a corresponding increase in customer lifetime value (LTV).Analyzing the USPS Volume ContractionIt is critical to distinguish between market volume and market value. According to United States Postal Service (USPS) data, marketing mail volumes dipped by 28% between 2015 and 2025, with a similar decline forecasted through 2035.However, this volume drop-off has created a "white space" opportunity. As the mailbox becomes less crowded, the engagement rate for the remaining pieces increases. Unlike the disposable nature of digital impressions—which are often scrolled past in milliseconds—tangible marketing messages have a longer physical shelf life.Taradel data suggests that hybrid campaigns deliver optimal ROI by leveraging performance analytics to target high-intent demographics. By treating direct mail as a data-driven OpEx rather than a blind "blast," businesses can mitigate the risks of both digital fatigue and physical volume declines.Why Digital Fatigue Has Set InThe underlying driver of shifting marketing budgets is the accelerating saturation of digital channels. Even prior to the deployment of generative AI tools, consumers reached a "fatigue threshold" regarding the volume of marketing emails and social media ads.Average email open rates aggregate at 45.2%, according to HubSpot’s 2024 Email Marketing Benchmarks, but this figure accounts for all transactional and administrative communications. Purely advertorial messages face a significantly higher barrier to entry due to algorithmic filtering and consumer apathy. While digital platforms offer high-frequency exposure, they often fail to convert that attention into durable memory.Trust and "neurological resonance" define the divergence between these media formats. A neuromarketing study by the USPS Office of Inspector General, conducted in partnership with the Fox School of Business at Temple University, suggests that while retrieval accuracy for both formats remains high at over 95%, the quality of that memory differs significantly.Researchers found that participants demonstrated significantly higher confidence regarding the source of an ad when it was presented in a physical format. The data suggests that physical ads trigger "increased arousal" during the exposure phase, leading to superior systematic processing and memory consolidation.The study found that subjects were able to retrieve information presented in physical formats faster than digital alternatives one week after exposure. For small businesses, this indicates that the tactile nature of direct mail bypasses digital "clutter," allowing for more efficient brand recall and long-term cognitive impact.Future Outlook: The Access Economy of MarketingThe trajectory for the next decade suggests a move toward "precision physicality." A report from The Business Research Company (2024) projects the direct mail market will reach $74.46 billion by 2030, growing at a steady 3.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).While digital marketing will continue to expand at a faster rate (forecasted at 11% to 15% annually), the price problem remains the primary hurdle for small-cap businesses. As AI tools lower the barrier to entry for content production, the "digital noise" will only intensify, likely driving up CPMs further.The economic data suggests that physical media remains a vital, if not essential, component of a balanced marketing ledger.This story was produced by Taradel and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rural health transformation grants are here Doctors' Memorial Hospital CEO Lauren Faison-Clark. (Photo by Liam Fineout) Lauren Faison-Clark is CEO of a hospital in rural Perry who has anxiously been waiting for the state to start accepting grant applications for $209 million in “Rural Health Transformation” money. Her wait is over. The DeSantis administration announced this week that it had posted grant applications for rural health infrastructure grants awarded to the state by the federal government late last year as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed by Congress. Trump administration awards Florida $209M for rural health improvements Tuesday’s announcement covers the first round of grant opportunities, focusing on infrastructure necessary to monitor success and track expenditures and deliverables. Specifically, the funds can be spent for: Grant management technologies. Independent evaluation services to monitor compliance, data governance, and the efficacy of the initiative. Technical assistance services for grant sub-awardees. Education and outreach services to assist Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in selecting an integrated health plan. In its press release, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) said it will “soon” post a second round of grants for initiatives intended to improve access to health care for rural Florida. The move came days before the Joint Legislative Budget Commission is expected to grant the agency authority to spend the federal money awarded late last year. AHCA must announce both rounds of grant awards by Sept. 30 and the funds must be spent by Sept. 30, 2027. Year Two funding will equal whatever facilities spent by Sept. 30, 2027. That means, for instance, that if Florida spends only $190 million by that time, Year Two grant funding will be $190 million and not the $209 million the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has approved. Seven-hospital consortium Doctors’ Memorial Hospital is the small facility in Perry that Faison-Clark heads. The hospital faces challenges that rural providers encounter: aging infrastructure, workforce recruitment and retention, and financial struggles stemming from a high mix of underinsured and uninsured patients. In addition, the 48-bed hospital has been hit by three hurricanes over two years. The Perry facility is working with six other rural hospitals across northwest Florida to bring more services to their facilities through telehealth, she said. Representatives of the hospitals have met regularly to discuss how they can tap into the federal rural transformation funds to support the telehealth initiative. “There’s a million examples” of how telehealth could improve rural health care and make it work better for the patient, she said. For instance, it’s not uncommon for a rural hospital to transfer patients to larger facilities out of town because the rural hospital lacks the required specialists needed to render the care. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOXTransferring patients drives up the costs of the hospital bill and takes away available hospital beds at the transfer facility that could have been used for sicker patients. That, Faison-Clark said, “clogs up the system.” Telehealth, she said, can help bring specialists to the hospitals and negate some of those transfers. “There’s no way I’ll ever be able to afford to have a neurologist out here sitting around waiting for the right patient to come in, right? That’s not an efficient use of money, either. But if I have seven rural hospitals, maybe we have a neurologist that supports all of us, and they’re sitting at a computer looking at images, looking at patients talking to doctors,” she said. “They’re an on call, on-demand resource. They can be where they need. Beam in, if you will, where they need to be, when they need to be there. That’s a much more efficient use of the resource, and it gives that patient quicker determination of care, and can be life saving.” In addition to working with the coalition, she said, Doctors’ Memorial Hospital will pursue grant money individually. “So, we’re going to go after as much as we can, you know, assuming that through the RFA [request for application] process we can, you know, find things that qualify to apply for the patients,” she said. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act slashes Medicaid funding by nearly $1 trillion over the next decade to help preserve the tax cuts President Donald Trump passed during his first term. To offset concerns and to help the legislation cross the finish line, Congress agreed to create the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. The program provides states access for five years to $10 billion in grant funding. The grants can be used to support expanded access to care, recruit and retain providers, and for technological innovation, including remote care and emerging delivery models. Dollars cannot be used to reimburse the costs of the care provided, though. Regional spending AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris initially announced on National Rural Health Day, Nov. 20, that the state expected approval from the federal government at the end of December and that the agency would post rural health grant applications in January or February. With more than 1 million people living in rural areas in Florida, the $209M grant breaks down to a $199 per resident, a KFF analysis shows. AHCA divided the state into four regions: Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast and has agreed to spend $43.9 million, $85.6 million, $50.2 million, and $15 million, respectively. Courtesy of Florida Phoenix
	Win a Mother's Day prize package for your special mom! Deadline for entry is May 6th.
	Number of Montanans on Medicaid falls to lowest level since expansion as charity care rises The cover of a report, "2025 Medicaid in Montana" prepared for the Montana Healthcare Foundation. The foundation has produced the annual report since Medicaid expansion was introduced in the state. An annual Medicaid report tracking the federal and state healthcare program in Montana has been released and it shows what happened after state lawmakers and health officials changed eligibility rules for it, leading to the lowest number of enrollees since the program began. The report, “2026 Medicaid in Montana” produced by the Montana Healthcare Foundation, also noted “uncompensated care” — or charity care — for hospitals and healthcare providers has been creeping up. That is care that hospitals and healthcare systems are mandated to provide, but is not reimbursed by insurance coverage. For years, that number has been slowly declining in Montana as Medicaid expanded. That trend started reversing significantly during the past year. Despite those shifts, which were predicted by healthcare professionals and advocates who warned the state’s new rolling redetermination of eligibility would lead to some dropping off the program who would otherwise qualify, the report also showed as people got on Medicaid their overall health improved, and less money was spent per person on emergency care and more on preventative care. Furthermore, the report shows as Medicaid expansion has solidified in the state, the number of mental health providers has exploded, and some rural healthcare systems have been able to expand offerings. Dr. Aaron Wernham, the executive director of the Montana Healthcare Foundation, said the report still shows the benefits of the program, most notably in rural areas, which have been able to add back services, which don’t just benefit Medicaid patients, but all people in the area. “It means they can stay closer to home for things like orthopedic surgical care or even behavioral health,” Wernham said. “And that benefits everyone because those services will serve the entire community.” The current Montana Medicaid numbers show more than one-in-five Montanans are covered by the program, which includes approximately 40% of the state’s children. Numbers dropping, reasons increasing Wernham and the report pointed to several different factors that could be partly responsible for the decrease in enrollment. First, states were not allowed to drop Medicaid enrollees from coverage during the public health emergency of COVID-19, which did not end until 2023. Then, Montana lawmakers opted to discontinue Montana’s continuous eligibility, which previously meant that once a person qualified for Medicaid, he or she would continue to receive benefits for the next year. “Continuous eligibility,” advocates have argued, reduces the churn of people falling off rolls or coming back into programs, and give providers some stability. But, some Republican lawmakers argue that “continuous eligibility” unnecessarily raises costs by providing benefits to those who may not be eligible. Lawmakers, with the support of Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, switched the state to a rolling redetermination, which means that eligibility will be checked throughout the year. While supporters of this concept argue that it means the state will not end up subsidizing those who are ineligible, opponents have argued the paperwork-laden process results in eligible people losing benefits because of bureaucracy, and the process tacks on additional staffing costs for the state. Wernham said the combination of redetermination and the state’s changes have made it hard to figure out why the number of Medicaid enrollees has fallen to its lowest point since expansion. He said that the foundation has been concerned by reports of residents having long wait times to speak to workers or patients being frustrated or confused by the process. He shared that some Montana healthcare systems have created positions for staff to help guide patients through the registration and eligibility process as a means of stopping large financial losses. Medicaid enrollment hit a high of more than 300,000 people during the COVID-19 emergency. In 2025, the most current yearly data available, the number of people enrolled sat at 217,711 — the lowest since before the program began in Montana, and more than 90,000 fewer than it had at its high point. In 2025, the number of enrollees dropped by 6.1% or 14,162. Still, the demographics of people utilizing Medicaid expansion is relatively stable and constant. For example, in the state’s urban areas, the utilization is around 36% while the utilization in rural areas is at 35%. Counties vary by usage with Roosevelt County seeing nearly 46% of its population enrolled in Medicaid, while Gallatin has just 9.5% enrollment. Four of the top five Montana counties that utilize Medicaid have sizable portions of Native American populations or reservation communities. Counties with the lowest and highest percentage of Medicaid enrollees Counties with the highest percentage of Medicaid as a proportion of population. Roosevelt County 45.7% Glacier County 43.4% Big Horn County 40.5% Golden Valley County 38.1% Pondera County 35.7% Counties with the lowest percentage of Medicaid as a proportion of population. Gallatin County 9.5% Madison County 10.5% Broadwater County 10.9% Sweetgrass County 12.5% Three others at 12.6% As redetermination rules and the pandemic has ended, Montana’s number of people who are not insured has started to creep back up, and with it, the amount of uncompensated care healthcare systems must write off. When Medicaid expanded in Montana in 2016, approximately 12.2% people were not insured. That fell to a low of 10.7% during the COVID years. Meanwhile, the number who were Medicaid-insured went from 15% to 18.9% at its peak in 2023. Those numbers have tailed off, though. Today, the percentage of Medicaid enrolled adults sits at 14.6%, lower than when the expansion began, and the number of uninsured adults nearly mirrors the 2016 statistic at 12.1%. Before the Medicaid expansion came to Montana, uncompensated care for Montana hospitals hit $390 million. Since then, it has dropped, but has since slowly crept back to pre-expansion rates. In 2017, the rate of uncompensated care had been almost cut in half from $390 million to $179 million in just two years. But that number has increased to $370 million last year, worrying healthcare leaders about the losses that the low-margin healthcare systems can endure. Uncompensated care for critical-access hospitals, which are often rural lifelines for communities, has shown a similar trend. In 2015, the amount of uncompensated care was at $26 million. By 2017, that number had fallen to $11 million, but by 2024, the number had returned to $21 million. “That isn’t good news,” Wernham said. Wernham has warned that what has happened in Montana could become even more problematic with more verification requirements in the future. He said state data shows residents aren’t being turned away from the program because they don’t meet eligibility guidelines — it’s for an unrelated reason. “There has been a huge decline in kids and adults during redetermination,” Wernham said. “Half didn’t receive it because they were ineligible for reasons like they had incomplete documentation or they didn’t get something in the mail.” What’s next The Montana Healthcare Foundation is warning both state leaders and residents that Medicaid could be in for another large shift as the Trump administration has implemented new work requirements for adults on the program. That new requirement, which is slated to begin in July, will require states to monitor whether some adults, who have not reached classification as “senior citizens,” (ages 19 through 64) work for at least 80 hours a month. That may complicate or slow the verification and eligibility process, the foundation said. It’s also unclear whether Montana will be ready for the new requirements, although state officials last month with the Department of Public Health and Human Services said that they’re staffing up to prepare for the additional verification. However, in the yearly Medicaid report put out by the foundation, it shows that 94% of those enrolled in the Montana Medicaid program are either in the labor force, a qualified caregiver, a student, or disabled — all categories exempt from the work requirements. This means that only 6% of the adults ages 19 through 64 are likely to be affected by the new rules. Wernham said even though the number of people coming off the Medicaid rolls has slowed, the process is still cumbersome and confusing. “The applications aren’t easy, and there aren’t many offices in the state that offer assistance,” he said. “We really need to think about making applications and redetermination as simple as possible.” Prevention versus emergency One of the items that remains constant in the reporting that has been done for years is as people come onto the system, how money is spent on their behalf changes. The report said that as people enroll in the program, they are more likely to need emergency services, often because of neglected or undiagnosed medical conditions, Wernham explained. But as healthcare professionals work with the enrollees, the money needed to sustain them shifts, often lowering. Within three years, the average number of emergency visits plummets, as preventative screenings, routine yearly checks and pharmacy expenses rise. The Medicaid in Montana report shows Medicaid enrollees had more than 58,000 wellness exams, as well as a variety of screenings from alcohol abuse to diabetes to preventative dental services, which alone totaled more than 112,363 visits in the past year alone. And Wernham points out the sheer number of some exams may be dropping because the number of Medicaid Montana enrollees are dropping, but the percentages of residents getting a yearly wellness exam continues to increase. In 2023, approximately 15% of adults got a routine yearly screening. In 2024, that number had increased to 17%. “Really, the goal is prevention and early detection,” Wernham said. In a chart showing different chronic conditions, Medicaid Montana enrollees who got coverage all showed fewer trips to the emergency room. For example, those with diabetes saw the number of emergency room visits drop by 8% within two years. Those with mental health or substance-use disorders dropped by more than 10%. Mental health Though some politicians have debated the cost and efficacy of the Medicaid program, many lawmakers in a bipartisan way have supported the expansion, including Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte. Gianforte included the expansion in the 2025 biennial budget, signaling his administration’s support for keeping the program — something not all Republicans wanted. Gianforte has also been a champion and advocate for more mental health services and more counseling programs for substance abuse. Those priorities have also showed strong results in the annual report. For example, in 2015 — before the expansion — Medicaid had treated 1,115 cases of substance-use disorder. In 2024, that number had risen to 6,972 — a 525% increase in just nine years. Treatment for mental health conditions also grew rapidly from 18,028 in 2015 to 43,718 in 2024, an increase of 143%. Wernham credited state leaders and the Gianforte administration for putting extra emphasis on the mental health and substance-use disorder, especially in a largely rural state that has perennially tackled the related problems of too few mental health providers and stubbornly high suicide rates. Medicaid costs money Even though some federal support for the program has changed or lowered, Montana, relatively speaking, gets a good deal and hasn’t spent significantly more for the coverage. Montana’s Medicaid budget in state Fiscal Year 2025 was $2.5 billion, with 76% coming from federal funds. That means that the remaining approximately $500 million has come from state coffers. As a percentage, Montana pays nearly the lowest among states for the Medicaid expansion. The U.S. average sits at approximately 20%; Montana’s is 15%. 2026 Medicaid in MT_FINAL Courtesy of Daily Montanan
	Official rules for the Super Mom Sweepstakes 2026 Official rules for this sweepstakes
	The hidden cost of 'managing' credit card debt (and what to do instead) The hidden cost of ‘managing’ credit card debt (and what to do instead)For many Americans, the state of household debt looks relatively stable. Recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows that credit card delinquencies and charge-offs, which rose sharply in early 2024, have since returned to more typical levels.But stability doesn’t necessarily mean progress.Now, there is a different pattern emerging—one where people are staying on top of their debt, but doing so in ways that quietly increase the total cost over time.The most recent CFPB data reinforces this tension: More borrowers are relying on minimum payments at a time when interest rates are at historic highs. In effect, many consumers are defaulting to the most expensive way to carry debt.Earnest examines how common debt management habits can increase the total cost of carrying credit card debt over time.The illusion of controlCredit cards are designed for flexibility. They allow borrowers to manage cash flow, cover short-term expenses, and earn rewards. When balances are paid off in full each month, they can be a useful financial tool.But when balances carry over, that flexibility comes at a price.Minimum payments, while helpful in avoiding delinquency, can dramatically extend repayment timelines. With interest compounding at today’s elevated rates—often exceeding 25% for general-purpose cards—borrowers may spend years paying down balances that could have been resolved much sooner under a different structure.This helps explain why many consumers may feel financially stable while actually making little progress toward becoming debt-free.For borrowers carrying balances month to month, the structure of that debt matters as much as the rate itself—yet it’s often the least examined part of the equation.Why short-term solutions can fall shortIn response to rising interest rates, borrowers may turn to balance transfer credit cards, which offer introductory periods with 0 percent APR. These promotions can provide temporary relief, particularly for those looking to reduce interest costs in the short term.But they are not a universal solution.According to the CFPB, promotional-rate credit cards account for a significant share of today’s market—representing hundreds of billions of dollars in both purchase volume and outstanding balances in the most recent reporting period. About one-third of all credit card balances are tied to these offers.Yet these same accounts tend to carry higher balances over time compared to cards without promotional rates.There are a few reasons for this. Balance transfer fees—often around 3% to 5%—can offset some of the initial savings. And when the promotional period ends, any remaining balance is subject to standard variable APRs, which remain elevated. For borrowers who are unable to pay off the full amount within the introductory window, the long-term cost can end up being higher than expected.What appears to be a low-cost strategy at the start may ultimately extend the life of the debt.Paying for flexibilityToday’s credit environment presents borrowers with a tradeoff: flexibility versus efficiency.Credit cards offer adaptability. Minimum payments provide breathing room. Promotional rates create short-term opportunities. But these features can also make it easier to delay repayment, increasing the total interest paid over time.Recent CFPB data also shows that growth in credit card spending has been driven primarily by borrowers with higher credit scores, while spending among lower-score borrowers has remained relatively flat. This suggests that while access to credit remains, the cost of using it has become more significant—particularly for those already carrying balances.In this environment, many consumers are doing what they can to stay current on payments. But staying current is not the same as minimizing cost.A more efficient path to repaymentFor borrowers carrying high-interest balances, a more efficient structure already exists—but it’s often overlooked.Unlike revolving credit, installment products such as personal loans are designed around a clear endpoint. They offer a fixed interest rate, a predictable monthly payment, and a defined repayment timeline—typically between two and five years.For borrowers juggling multiple credit card balances, they can also simplify repayment by consolidating those balances into a single loan—with one monthly payment, one due date, and one interest rate to track. Instead of managing several accounts with different terms, everything is streamlined into a single plan.This structure provides clarity on both the cost and duration of repayment.More importantly, it can change borrower behavior. Instead of managing a moving target, borrowers are working toward a known finish line. And in a high-rate environment, that difference may reduce total interest costs, depending on the borrower’s rate, fees, and repayment timeline.In practice, this often becomes clear when borrowers compare total cost—not just introductory rates. A borrower evaluating a balance transfer offer alongside a personal loan may find that, after factoring in transfer fees and repayment timelines, the loan could provide a faster and less expensive path to becoming debt-free.That distinction—between short-term relief and long-term efficiency—is increasingly important in today’s rate environment.Choosing the right toolNone of this is to suggest that one financial product is universally better than another. Different tools work better in different situations.Credit cards are incredibly useful for day-to-day spending—especially if you’re able to pay the balance off in full each month. They offer flexibility, convenience, and rewards that can add up over time.But if you’re carrying a balance month after month—especially at double-digit interest rates—that same flexibility can start to work against you. What feels manageable in the short term can become expensive over time.In those cases, a more structured approach can make a real difference. Moving from a revolving balance to a fixed payment with a clear end date can help you make faster progress and potentially reduce how much you pay in interest overall.Ultimately, it’s not just about keeping up with payments. It’s about making sure your debt is set up in a way that actually helps you move forward.Looking beyond the minimumMany borrowers are doing what they’re “supposed” to do: staying current, avoiding missed payments, and keeping their accounts in good standing.But that doesn’t always mean they’re getting ahead.When interest rates are high, minimum payments can keep you treading water for longer than you expect. You might feel in control, but the balance doesn’t move as quickly—and the total cost keeps growing in the background.That’s why it’s worth taking a step back and looking not just at your monthly payment, but at the bigger picture: how long it will take to pay off your debt, and how much it will cost you over time.Because the goal isn’t just to manage debt. It’s to get out of it in a way that lets you keep more of what you earn.This story was produced by Earnest and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The transformation of Terrace Martin After years spent as the go-to guy for a cross-pollinating L.A. music scene, the multi-hyphenate follows his spiritual mission inward for the sprawling series Love Is Louder Than The Algorithms.
	Find deals at Spring Community Garage Sale in Rock Island Find bargains and treasures at the Spring Community Garage Sale and Vendor Fair on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Upper Longview Park, 1300 17th Street in Rock Island. Over 50 vendors' booths and over 6,000 square feet of makers’ market, garage sale and craft vendors for toys, home décor, furniture, [...]
	Moline continuing 'Adaptive Park Pop-Up' program for children with disabilities Children will be able to enjoy arts and crafts, music and other outdoor activities that are adapted to their needs.
	A jury declared Live Nation a monopoly. But ticket prices won't drop just yet D.C. and 33 states now have to argue in favor of specific remedies and fines, which could be paused if Live Nation appeals. Experts say the long-term impact on ticket prices isn't clear either.
	Hospital worker fired after she was twice accused of being drunk at work Iowa Workforce Development manages unemployment claims filed on behalf of Iowans. (Photo by Getty Images, logo courtesy the State of Iowa)A western Iowa mental health professional was fired from a hospital last year after being accused of twice showing up for work drunk. State records indicate Cally Evans, 38, was working last year as a hospital’s mental health technician and was employed by Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Health System, which has operated hospitals in both Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska. According to state records, Evans was working in an Alegent hospital on Nov. 11, 2025, when a shift supervisor detected the smell of alcohol on her breath and observed she had a flushed face, bloodshot eyes, and had difficulty standing upright. She was taken to the emergency room of the hospital where she allegedly admitted she was under the influence of alcohol and was given a written warning. Two weeks later, on Nov. 27, 2025, several of Evans’ coworkers allegedly noticed her acting in unusual manner — speaking slowly, slurring her speech, and running into doorways and into a printer. Evans also fell asleep at the nurses’ station, the hospital later alleged. Evans’ supervisors advised her she needed to submit to a suspicion-based drug and alcohol test. A certified toxicology technician then administered two separate breathalyzer tests, spaced 15 minutes apart. The hospital alleged the first test produced a result showing a blood-alcohol level of 0.198, more than double the legal limit for driving, while the second test showed a level of 0.193. Evans was fired on Dec. 1, 2025, after which she applied for unemployment benefits. Initially, she was deemed eligible and collected $4,168 in benefits. Alegent appealed that decision, and recently Administrative Law Judge Stephanie Adkisson ruled Evans was fired for disqualifying workplace misconduct and was not entitled to collect unemployment benefits. Two other hospital workers fired Other Iowans whose unemployment cases were recently decided include: — Barry Smith, who worked for Broadlawns Medical Center as a business systems analyst from February 2022 until he was fired in April 2025. State records indicate that in April 2025, a firm that conducts random audits of Broadlawns’ personnel data determined that Smith’s educational credentials, as represented to the hospital in 2022 when he was hired, had been fabricated. Specifically, Smith was alleged to have claimed he had a college degree, which he did not, and that he had submitted a falsified document that suggested he had a degree. At his subsequent hearing for unemployment benefits, Smith allegedly admitted he did not “formally” graduate, but believed his previous military experience should have counted toward a degree and so the fabricated credentials should be considered valid. Administrative Law Judge Dan Steen ruled recently that Smith was not entitled to jobless benefits. Smith, Steen ruled, “admits that he knew he did not graduate with the credential in question. This misconduct is substantial and disqualifying. Benefits are denied.” — Jennifer Conley, who worked for the Lucas County Health Center as a registered nurse from May 2019 until January 2026 when she was fired. She was accused of manually editing the time at which the hospital’s electronic medication record system recorded when medications were given to patients, in violation of a policy that prohibited such alterations. In March 2025, Conley was issued a written notice of discipline for “giving medications to patients and then changing the time in which it was being administered.” In January 2026, the hospital allegedly discovered Conley had again made edits to the medication record, once on Nov. 15, 2025, and once on Dec. 5, 2025. On Dec. 12, 2025, Conley allegedly charted that she had given medication to a patient, but a subsequent audit showed the drugs were never pulled from inventory to be administered. After she was fired, Conley was awarded unemployment and collected $1,244 in benefits. Recently, Administrative Law Judge Jasmina Sarajlija ruled Conley was not entitled to benefits, finding that she had “been warned that manually editing the time a medication is administered” was a policy violation, she “continued to engage in similar behavior.” Conley’s Iowa nursing license is in good standing with the Iowa Board of Nursing, with no public record of any discipline. Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	How to compare international shipping quotes and calculate global carrier delivery costs How to compare international shipping quotes and calculate global carrier delivery costsComparing international shipping quotes is not about finding the lowest line item. It’s about measuring the total cost to move a package from A to B. This includes clearing customs, and choosing the carrier and service that gives the best combination of price, predictability, and speed. Published international shipping rates alone can be misleading; you must compare the total cost.Below, ShipStation provides a practical method for comparing international shipping quotes.Why an international shipping quote often misleadsWith international shipping, a carrier quote is usually the base transportation charge for a specific service level. It rarely lists everything that will end up on your invoice: fuel surcharges, dimensional (DIM) weight adjustments, residential or remote-area fees, customs brokerage, duties and taxes, insurance, or post-billing adjustments. Those items can convert a “cheap” quote into a more expensive outcome. The hidden cost increase is a particular concern when it comes to international shipping for small businesses, which manage smaller budgets than enterprise-level companies.When comparing quotes, it’s best to standardize the inputs (same SKU, declared value, HS code, incoterm, weight, and dimensions) and insist on a full breakdown that includes base shipping plus fuel, DIM charges, remote fees, duties, taxes, and customs clearance.Dimensional weight: What your shipping quote calculator needs to catchDIM weight is the most common reason an international shipping quote grows during transit. Carriers charge by the space a parcel occupies, not just its mass. If your package is large but light, DIM weight often becomes the billable measure, sometimes doubling or tripling the apparent cost.A useful shipping quote calculator should automatically compute DIM, compare it with the actual weight, and warn you during order processing so you can change the box size, packing material, or carrier before the label is printed. Systems that surface DIM warnings save money and time.Duties and global shipping costs: Clarifying who paysDuties and taxes create significant discrepancies between an attractive quote and the true global shipping costs. Some carriers quote duties excluded. Others include an estimate. Some expect the recipient to pay. That difference changes both your cash flow and the likelihood of a successful delivery.If you request DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) when comparing quotes, include a realistic duty estimate and confirm how the carrier collects and remits duties. If you choose DAP or CIF, understand that clearing will depend on the local importer or broker. Predictability is more important than legal ownership: Unexpected duties lead to failed deliveries, returns, and customer service escalations. Include customs brokerage and clearance fees when you compute landed costs.A practical process to compare international shipping rates and quotesMake comparisons repeatable by following this process each time:Prepare identical shipment data for every quote with the same SKU, declared value, HS code, incoterm, currency, weight, and box dimensions.Choose comparable service levels without mixing economy with priority.Ask carriers for a written breakdown of base rate, fuel and currency surcharges, residential and remote fees, customs brokerage, insurance, and any other handling charges.Calculate billable weight using each carrier’s DIM divisor and rounding rules. If DIM exceeds actual weight, use DIM in your pricing math. Confirm whether the quote includes duties and taxes. If not, estimate duties based on HS code and the declared value and add them to the quote.Remember to factor in the risk of post-billing adjustments: Some carriers audit and bill additional charges after delivery. Real-time, upfront quotes reduce surprises by showing the costs you will see on your invoice.Carrier differences: Comparing UPS, DHL, USPS, FedEx, and GlobalPost international shipping ratesInternational shipping companies are not interchangeable. Each builds a different global network and applies different rules, surcharges, and strengths. For example, UPS excels at predictable B2B shipping and tight timelines, while FedEx international shipping offers multiple service tiers that balance speed and cost. DHL international shipping is often best in challenging markets where private networks matter most. USPS gives wide reach at low prices for light parcels.A multi-carrier shipping strategy is the best approach, giving you the flexibility to choose the carrier that best fits each shipment’s profile.When you compare UPS, DHL, USPS, and FedEx international shipping rates, focus on these practical distinctions:Transit time reliability for the lanes you useSurcharge structure and how often it changesHow the carrier applies DIM or cubic pricingCustoms brokerage behavior and claims performanceA lower international shipping quote from one carrier may be worse overall than a slightly higher rate from another carrier with better predictability and lower post-billing risk.Operational controls and tools: Use a shipping quote calculator and automation to cut global shipping costsManual comparisons are slow and error-prone. A rate shopper tool or shipping quote calculator that returns real-time prices and shows the impacts of DIM and surcharges during order processing converts guesswork into governance, prevents surprises, and saves time.With ecommerce order automation rules, you can send a package via the least expensive carrier, enforce packaging discipline, and print accurate customs documentation without manual intervention. For high-volume ecommerce shippers, those capabilities transform hours of work into repeatable decisions.Here’s a short checklist before you accept an international shipping quote:Confirm who pays duties.Verify declared value, HS code, and currency.Confirm actual vs. DIM weight and the carrier’s DIM divisor.Request a full list of surcharges and broker fees.Ask about post-billing adjustments and audit practices.Keeping this checklist in your workflow ensures every quote is evaluated consistently and comparisons remain fair.Measuring value: Price, predictability, and post-billing riskPrice is only one dimension. Predictability—on-time delivery, reduced error rates, and consistent post-billing behavior—often produces better total value. A carrier with slightly higher costs but superior reliability can cut down on returns, claims, and customer service costs. Ask carriers for transit-time reliability and claims performance on the exact services you use, and add those metrics to your vendor scorecard.The bottom line on international shipping quotesTo streamline and save on cross-border ecommerce, compare international shipping quotes and calculate global shipping costs correctly, normalize the inputs, compute DIM and duties, include all surcharges, and assess predictability. Use a shipping quote calculator or an international shipping cost calculator to compare UPS, DHL, USPS, FedEx, and other carriers’ international shipping rates by reviewing total cost and operational performance.This story was produced by ShipStation and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	'DJ's Law,' honoring Tampico teen killed in March 2024 crash, heads to Illinois Senate The legislation would increase penalties for young drivers who violate passenger restrictions and are involved in a crash resulting in serious injury or death.
	NC lawmakers press Sangvai, Jackson on Medicaid fraud, waste North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)North Carolina House lawmakers grilled N.C. Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai and Attorney General Jeff Jackson over allegations of fraud in the state’s Medicaid program during a committee hearing on Thursday. The Medicaid program is facing a $319 million funding gap, jeopardizing healthcare for about 3 million lower-income or disabled North Carolinians. Sangvai has repeatedly warned that the program will run out of money by the end of May. NCDHHS officials asked state lawmakers to make up the shortfall last year, but Republican leaders did not agree to provide that funding, questioning whether it was truly necessary and accusing NCDHHS of not doing enough to root out fraud and waste in the program. “We must ask: How many millions are being lost to waste, fraud or abuse before a single case is opened? How many investigations result in convictions, settlements or recoveries, and how long does it take to intervene once red flags appear?” asked Rep. Grant Campbell (R-Cabarrus), who chaired the session of the House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform. The Medicaid shortfall has become a political football between the Republican-led General Assembly and the administration of Democratic Governor Josh Stein. Last fall, Stein directed the program to cut reimbursement rates to reduce spending, blaming Republican lawmakers for failing to fully fund it. Lawmakers said they were blindsided by the cuts, which they called unnecessary and politically motivated. The governor ultimately reversed the cuts after court challenges blocked them. Stein calls for full Medicaid funding during Black maternal health event Comments at Thursday’s meeting made it clear that some lawmakers still harbor resentment about the episode. Campbell accused NCDHHS leaders of engaging in “a PR campaign to twist public opinion, to force the General Assembly to continue the endless flow of taxpayer dollars to Medicaid without allowing questions to be asked about the potential of waste and fraud occurring.” Sangvai explained that the program has several ways of collecting reports about and investigating allegations of fraud, but many don’t turn out to be criminal behavior. He said the management organizations that implement the Medicaid program are able to catch and eliminate most waste and fraud. Rep. Allen Chesser (R-Nash) asked the state officials if they see any inefficiencies within the program. In response, Sangvai pointed out that the program is massive, with total expenditures around $35 billion and about 18,000 employees when fully staffed. A program that large, he said, is bound to have some inefficiencies. One, he said, is the number of different Medicaid plans in North Carolina. “What that creates is a complexity from which there are some benefits, particularly around maybe the fraud, waste and abuse framework, but also a tremendous amount of work on our Division of Health Benefits to work with multiple plans under the various rules, being able to understand what one plan is doing versus the other and creating some consistency around there,” Sangvai said. The agency would require action from the legislature to figure out how many plans are suitable for coverage in the state, according to Sangvai. Rep. Mike Schietzelt (R-Wake) questioned why the state Dept. of Justice hasn’t secured more convictions for Medicaid fraud. Jackson, a Democrat who previously served a decade in the North Carolina Senate, defended his office’s work. But he said state criminal law lacks teeth when it comes to Medicaid provider fraud, so they often refer cases to federal prosecutors. “The reason why our criminal Medicaid fraud cases have to go federal is because they have real sentences,” Jackson said. “They can get real time. Under state law in North Carolina, they can’t.” North Carolina ranks eighth nationally for total Medicaid recovery over the last six years, and fourth in the country when accounting for staff size conducting those investigations, according to Jackson. “There is no question that North Carolina is punching way above its weight,” he said. “We are nationally regarded as one of the finest and most effective Medicaid Fraud Investigation divisions in the country.” Jackson asked lawmakers for partial funding for an additional investigator position that would be focused on data mining, which he said would further improve the unit’s performance. Lawmakers also asked Sangvai and Jackson whether they are confident that fraudulent providers have been removed from the program. When officials become aware of a fraudulent provider, they’re able to flag it in the system for awareness, Sangvai said. “We have the opportunity to aggregate all those claims, validate that those types of behavior are happening,” he said. “Then we are able to communicate to other plans about that provider.” Courtesy of NC Newsline
	Should you shave before or after a shower? Should you shave before or after a shower?Shaving might be one of those things in your routine that you do automatically without a second thought. Here, Dove Men + Care explains how just a few tweaks to your usual routine could possibly make big changes to how your skin feels afterward.Who doesn't want a shave that's smoother, easier and less irritating?Why the timing of your shave mattersThe biggest change to a traditional shave will come with water.Warm water helps to soften your facial hair and open up your pores. When the hair is softer, your razor glides over your skin and doesn't drag as much.Dry shaving, or rushing, can cause nicks, irritation and the tight skin feeling you might get after a shave.Even the order of your routine can shift the result more than you'd expect. Dove Men + Care Shaving before your showerWhen your morning routine is tight, and you need quick solutions, a shave before your shower works. The cleanup is easier, and you can rinse away the mess in the shower.That said, a little prep will still help. Hold a warm, damp towel over your face for half a minute to help soften the hair, apply your shaving gel or cream and shave.Once you're done, your shower washes away leftover product.Shaving after your showerAfter a shower, your hair is already softer, and the prep work is already complete. Your shave may feel smoother, especially if you cleanse beforehand.After your shave, a quick, cool-water rinse can also help calm your skin down. Pat your face dry and apply a light moisturizer to lock in hydration.Go for a simple shaving routine that worksNo matter when you shave, the basics still apply:Start by cleansing your skin with warm water and a mild wash to remove dirt and oil.Exfoliate your face gently, a couple of times a week to help prevent ingrown hairs.Use a shaving cream or gel that gives your razor some slip.Shave using short, gentle strokes without pressing too hard.Rinse with cooler water once you're done.Finish with a moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.If your skin is on the sensitive sideHow do you know if your skin is sensitive? If your skin reacts to weather, products, or shaving by becoming red or discolored and irritated, you may have sensitive skin. If that describes your skin, try a few simple tricks to help keep it soothed:Keep your water lukewarm.Use a sharp razor to reduce friction.Pat your skin dry with a towel instead.Follow up with a soothing moisturizer or balm.So, to shave before or after?There's no right answer to this, and it comes down to your preference. If you're short on time, shaving before your shower works just fine. If you want a low-irritation shave, after your shower might feel better for you.If you have dry or sensitive skin, the post-shower routine may be better, as the extra hydration helps your razor glide more easily.If you shave in the evening, doing it after a shower also gives your skin time to recover overnight.Of course, you can also shave without showering as long as you make sure to prep your skin with warm water and you're using good products.Once you've figured out what timing works best for you, your shaving routine will better suit your skin type and lifestyle.This story was produced by Dove Men + Care and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Nearly 1 in 4 people seeking abortions out of state chose Illinois. Here’s why. In the center of the map’s biggest sea of red is Illinois, outlined in green — showing it’s a state with strong abortion access — surrounded by several states that ban or severely restrict abortion.
	River Action hosting Earth Day Cleanup in Davenport Join River Action for an Earth Day Cleanup at Indian Springs Park, near the Village of East Davenport, on Earth Day, April 22 from 9 – 11 a.m. Volunteers are advised to wear long pants, sturdy shoes and long sleeves and bring their own bug spray and water bottles. Cleanup materials will be provided and [...]
	AI isn't enough: What companies need to fix before their sales results will change AI isn't enough: What companies need to fix before their sales results will changeMany companies see artificial intelligence (AI) as an off-the-shelf solution to a variety of business problems. AI will personalize outreach. It will score leads. It will write the emails, predict churn, prioritize accounts, and tell salespeople exactly what to say and when to say it.This is happening at some companies. But many businesses are investing heavily in AI-powered tools, deploying them across their go-to-market (GTM) teams, and still not seeing the results they expected. Revenue projections fail to improve, conversion rates remain stagnant, and frontline sellers become increasingly frustrated.The fundamental problem most businesses are struggling with is poor data.ZoomInfo examines why AI investments often fail to improve sales performance and what data quality issues are typically to blame.The Foundation Nobody Wants to Talk AboutAI tools are powerful but cannot conjure insights from nothing. They analyze and act on information that already exists in CRM records, prospect lists, contact databases, and account histories. If that underlying information is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, AI serves only as an accelerant to negative outcomes.The uncomfortable reality for most organizations is that their data is a mess. People leave to pursue new opportunities, companies are acquired, and priorities change. By the time a sales rep reaches out to a "warm" contact in their CRM, there's a meaningful chance that person no longer works there, no longer holds the role a pitch was tailored for, or no longer has the authority to make a decision.AI doesn't know any of that unless the data explicitly says so.What ‘Broken Data’ Actually Looks Like in PracticeBad data wastes time and undermines confidence, but it also has a very real financial impact.Survey data from ZoomInfo suggests that 95% of GTM leaders experienced negative performance stemming from poor-quality data in 2025. One in 4 GTM leaders aren’t confident their GTM data is updated in real time to reflect key changes, with 2 in 5 enterprise GTM leaders sharing similar concerns about the reliability of the real-time data at their disposal.Only half of GTM leaders are satisfied with their customer and prospect data, with integration across systems, intent and buyer signals, data completeness, and their ability to deduplicate redundant records standing out as critical vulnerabilities.The Confidence ProblemAnother dimension of AI’s data problem that is rarely discussed is what bad data does to the humans using these tools.Frontline salespeople who've been burned by bad contact information stop trusting the system. They start manually verifying everything, defeating much of the efficiency AI was supposed to create. Worse, they stop using the tools altogether and revert to the workflows they were comfortable with before.Managers who have watched AI-generated forecasts miss the mark a few times in a row lose confidence in the models. They start overriding recommendations based on gut feel, which reintroduces the kind of inconsistency AI was meant to eliminate.This erosion of trust is slow, but it's toxic to technology investments. It almost always traces back to AI promising results it cannot deliver because the data powering it isn’t reliable enough to deliver them.What Actually Needs to Change?Most companies understand that their data quality isn't perfect, but very few take the time to quantify it. How many CRM contacts have verified, current email addresses? What percentage of accounts have accurate employee counts and revenue figures? How often is contact data refreshed? These are vital diagnostic questions, and the answers will reveal more about sales performance than almost any other metric.One of the most common mistakes organizations make is treating data quality as a one-time initiative owned primarily by IT. Data decays continuously, so the solution has to be continuous, too. That means building processes or partnering with providers that keep your information current on an ongoing basis, not just when someone notices a problem.Many organizations have data quality issues, not because good data doesn't exist somewhere in their technology stack, but because it isn't accessible across disparate systems; data trapped in one system that isn’t accessible to another is storage, not intelligence. Getting the connective tissue right matters as much as the quality of any individual data source.Data quality is a cultural challenge as much as it is an operational one. Organizations that take this seriously treat accurate, current data as a business priority, one that has visible champions at the leadership level and stakeholders across every major department of the business.The Real Competitive AdvantageAI is a genuine force multiplier in sales. The companies that learn to use it well will have real advantages over those that don't. However, that multiplier only works if there's something worth multiplying. If the underlying foundation — the data, the processes, the systems of record — is unreliable, AI cannot fix the problem; it just scales it.The companies that are seeing their sales results change are the ones doing the less exciting, less headline-worthy work of making sure that AI tools have a reliable foundation to build upon, and understand that data quality is a problem of discipline, not technology.Solving it is entirely within reach, but only for the organizations willing to look at it honestly.This story was produced by ZoomInfo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Tennessee Senate passes private-school voucher expansion despite budget concerns The Senate vote board displays how Thursday's debate on an expansion of Tennessee's private school voucher program played out. (Photo: Sam Stockard/Tennessee Lookout)The Tennessee Senate approved a private-school voucher bill Thursday expanding the program to 35,000 students, despite concerns it could drain the state budget and force school districts to collect students’ Social Security numbers. Checking children’s Social Security cards when they register for classes could lead to a legal challenge for potentially violating federal discrimination laws that require public schools to educate every child. The provision also puts a burden on school districts to manage students’ private information, opponents said. The program is expected to cost more than $270 million to nearly double the number of students receiving vouchers worth $7,500 each to enroll in private schools. The Senate voted 18-14 to pass a House version of the bill that was narrowly adopted in that chamber Monday night when it received two more votes than constitutionally required for passage. The measure heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law, wrapping up his main initiative over two terms in office, though the total number of vouchers approved was 5,000 less than he requested in the program’s second year. “We ought to stick with what we promised people,” said Sen. Joey Hensley, a Hohenwald Republican who voted against an expansion of private school vouchers. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who sponsored the bill for Lee, told lawmakers they would be taking up a $58 billion budget containing $9 billion for traditional K-12 schools. “We are committed to public education, making it the best it can be,” Johnson said. Yet he added that the Senate should satisfy its “constitutional obligation” to give parents the option to use state funds to send their children to private schools. Eight Republicans joined six Democrats in voting against the bill, including GOP Sen. Joey Hensley of Hohenwald. “We ought to stick with what we promised people,” Hensley said. When the legislature adopted the program last year, it contained a provision allowing it to expand by 5,000 students annually, subject to approval of funding. The law also required the state to pay school districts for lost enrollment. The new bill pays back districts only for students who take the voucher funds, but to receive the money districts will be required to check students’ Social Security numbers. Nashville Democrat, Sen. Jeff Yarbro, contended that the Social Security number provision doesn’t necessarily challenge Plyler v. Doe, a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision requiring schools to enroll all students regardless of immigration status. Yet he said it violates federal privacy laws in order to receive funds for students who leave the district. “This is just a phasing out of the ‘hold harmless’ statewide on a faster timeline,” Yarbro said, using the term used to describe efforts to keep school districts from hemorrhaging money. Democratic Sen. Heidi Campbell of Nashville warned colleagues that “a reckoning” is coming because of the burden the program will put on the state budget as it grows annually. Campbell and Democratic Sen. Charlane Oliver of Nashville argued that they’re spending more per student to fund private-school vouchers than to increase funding for public schools. Proponents of the expansion, though, said it is needed to keep children from being bullied and cutting themselves because of depression. “For the small percentage of parents who need something else, let’s give them that avenue,” said Republican Sen. Adam Lowe of Calhoun. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Tennessee Lookout

Friday, April 17th, 2026

Thursday, April 16th, 2026