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

Sunday, October 4th, 2026
	Brazil's presidential race heads to Lula–Bolsonaro run-off as right gains ground Now there are two: Brazil heads into a runoff after a first round that failed to fully energize voters, setting the stage for a more polarized contest that Washington is watching very closely.
	Enjoy Halloween fun at Witches Night Out Enjoy a witchy night out in Downtown Moline! According to a release, Moline Centre is hosting its first-ever Witches Night Out October 30. The event brings Halloween fun, shopping, food, drinks and activities to participating downtown businesses. Witches Night Out is open for ages 21 and older. Participants can purchase a Witches Night Out ticket [...]
	Traffic Alert: I-74 West at Woodhull to close overnight The interstate will close overnight at the Woodhull/Illinois 17 interchange, exit 32, on Monday, according to a media release.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges to receive more than $800K to expand workforce training Eastern Iowa Community Colleges are set to receive more than $800,000 in federal grant money to expand short-term workforce training programs.
	2 suspects face charges in connection with fake cell-phone scam at Iowa Walmart One man has been arrested and a warrant has been issued for the arrest of another after a scam that occurred at a Walmart in West Burlington earlier this year, according to a news release from the West Burlington Police Department. On May 26, the release says West Burlington police were made aware of a [...]
	Monmouth water main rupture closes intersection, prompts boil order The intersection of North 6th Street and Highway 34 is closed for a ruptured 12-inch water main under the highway, according to a media release.
	Two Burlington men arrested for using fake cellphones to scam Walmart Two Burlington men have been arrested for using fake cellphones to scam a local Walmart.
	Hog Capital Wildlife Rescue release two bald eagles after rehabilitation Hog Capital Wildlife Rescue and Rehab released two bald eagles Sunday after they were returned to health.
	Muscatine firefighters open their doors to help families stay safe at home At Muscatine's annual Public Safety Open House, the goal is to get children involved in fire safety lessons.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges to receive $817K workforce training grant The funding will help launch or enhance 11 training programs expected to serve 362 students.
	Illinois, Iowa DOTs to reveal plan for future Centennial Bridge The open house is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Holiday Inn Rock Island-Quad Cities on 17th Street.
	Two Burlington men accused of selling cardboard phones to Walmart EcoATM kiosk Police say two Burlington men used cardboard phones to trick a Walmart EcoATM kiosk into paying cash, leading to felony charges.
	Water main rupture causes Monmouth road closure It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. A road closure is in effect for the intersection of N. 6th St. and Highway 34 in Monmouth. According to a release from the City of Monmouth, the closure is due to a 12-inch water main that has ruptured underneath the highway. Due to the size and [...]
	The Black Vote: From suppression to the battle for ballot access The cast discusses the journey of the Black vote in America, from post-civil war suppression to the fight for true ballot access.
	Five years in: What the ‘Home Illinois’ plan reveals about the state of homelessness Five years after Gov. JB Pritzker launched the Home Illinois Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, the Illinois Department of Human Services released a report meant to serve as a roadmap of action from fiscal year 2027 to 2029.
	Pleasant Valley School District resignations, hirings from Sept. 28 school board agenda The following personnel items are from the Sept. 28 meeting of the Pleasant Valley School District. The School Board met at the Belmont Administration Center.
	Trump names national intelligence chief Jay Clayton as new AI czar Trump said Clayton will lead the White House's new "Super Intelligence Force," which will coordinate government engagement with artificial intelligence.
	Judge accepts Donahue teen's plea agreement in child sex abuse materials case Scott County Judge accepts plea agreement of Tristen Johnson, 18, who used his 16-year-old girlfriend to make child sex abuse materials.
	Davenport man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attacking two people with his vehicle Davenport man who tried to run over two people with his vehicle sentenced to 10 years in prison.
	Trinity Health Foundation to host free community nursing education event Prior to the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a cocktail hour and book signing with keynote speaker Amie Archibald-Varley.
	First Central's Grilling for Charity to benefit OHL Proceeds collected will benefit the OHL Strong Foundation, a group dedicated to support those affected by pancreatic cancer.
	Augustana names alum Angela Snyder as its first vice president for impact learning Augustana alumnus Angela Snyder, the former chief strategy officer at United Way Quad Cities, has been named the school's first vice president for impact learning.
	Cornell president calls gang rape allegations 'deeply disturbing' Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff said his university "must do better" in a video statement. "This is a defining moment in Cornell's history," he added.
	Scott County Supervisor candidates debate budget, solar, and rural electricity plant Six candidates for Scott County supervisor drew contrasts on how to manage the county's budget, land-use for wind and solar, and a proposed electrical plant in rural Scott County.
	U.S. Marine arrested for alleged murder of a woman in Okinawa, Japan Japanese police arrested a U.S. Marine in the alleged robbery and murder of a woman on Okinawa, officials said Sunday.
	Iowa Down Ballot podcast: Special legislative session, 4th District debate Iowa Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, spoke in opposition to legislation passed by the Iowa Legislature in a special session Oct. 2, 2026 making changes to a state economic development program to provide more tax incentive for a steel mill project in southeast Iowa. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa Down Ballot with Dave Price 10/4/26 by Iowa Writers Collaborative A super busy Friday so we recorded Saturday. Get caught up on state lawmakers passing $1.5B in steel plant incentives through a special legislative session. Laura, Kathie, and Eric are all here! Read on Substack The Iowa Legislature’s one-day special session on Friday left a lot to discuss — including the political ramifications of the estimated $1.4 billion in incentives lawmakers approved for an out-of-state company that plans to locate a steel mill in southeast Iowa. Eric Woolson is back this week with Dave Price, Laura Belin and Kathie Obradovich, for discussion that also included the recent debate between Iowa’s 4th Congressional District candidates. Listen or watch here. The Iowa Down Ballot Podcast with Dave Price is a production of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Please consider a paid subscription today to help us cover production costs, or moving up to the benefactor level — or sending a gift subscription to a friend — if you’re already a paid subscriber. And please spread the word to friends who might enjoy the podcast. Thanks! Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Inmates moving to new Rapid City women’s prison, but dilapidated unit in Pierre remains in use Vehicles fill the parking lot of South Dakota's Rapid City Correctional Facility, a women's prison, on Oct. 1, 2026. The complex includes multiple additional structures behind the main building. (Photo by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)South Dakota’s recently opened women’s prison in Rapid City held 79 women at the end of September, the first month the state began to move them there from the women’s prison campus in Pierre. Overcrowding in the buildings at the older women’s prison spurred the construction of the $87 million Rapid City complex. For years, the state has paid Hughes County to house some female state prison inmates at the jail in Pierre and held hundreds of women in a minimum security unit that state engineers have deemed unfit for human habitation. The new women’s prison on the state’s western side has 288 beds. In addition to standard housing units, the campus has facilities for chemical dependency treatment and for a mother-baby program that lets qualifying women live in a home-like environment with their newborn children. Department of Corrections spokesperson Michael Winder said its population of 79 will grow as its operations ramp up. On July 10, the date of a ribbon cutting for the prison, Winder told South Dakota Searchlight that inmates would start to move in “beginning next month,” but the first inmates didn’t arrive until September. As of Thursday, 466 women remained in prison custody in secure facilities Pierre, Winder said in an email. There were 64 held off-site at the Hughes County Jail and 208 in the minimum security unit, with the remaining people in secure detention housed in the main prison unit. Beyond the women in secure facilities, the total population of women in state prison custody includes some who live in community facilities, such as halfway houses. Corrections Secretary Nick Lamb told lawmakers in February that the minimum unit is “not suited for occupancy,” according to multiple assessments across multiple years, and has “structural deficiencies.” Lamb’s remarks came in support of a bill to set aside $682,825 to demolish the building, which lawmakers passed and Gov. Larry Rhoden signed into law. All maintenance work on the building ceased once lawmakers approved funding for the new Rapid City prison in 2023, Lamb said in February, and the demolition would be needed because the building will “continue to degrade and pose life safety concerns.” The women in the minimum unit would be transferred to Rapid City “later this summer,” Lamb told lawmakers. Winder told South Dakota Searchlight that “there have been no substantial maintenance projects” at the minimum unit since Lamb said that. The number of South Dakotans in prison systemwide has risen by hundreds since spring. A policy change announced this spring by Gov. Larry Rhoden makes it easier to bring paroled inmates back to prison for breaking the rules of their supervision agreements after early release. The number of parolees in custody spiked shortly after the announcement. Inmates are also being denied early release at a higher rate. In February, the total inmate population was 3,720. Of those, 580 were women. At the end of August — the most recent population count available when this story was published — there were 4,049 inmates in custody. Of those, 632 were women. There were eight more women in the minimum unit on Aug. 31 than there are today. In response to a question about whether the minimum unit in Pierre would remain in service now that the Rapid City facility is open, Winder said the Department of Corrections intends to demolish the building in accordance with the Legislature’s decision. The timeline for removal is not set, however, and will take place when the unit “is no longer needed,” Winder said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of South Dakota Searchlight
	How the Cornell case is affecting women who have experienced sexual assault The rape allegations that have emerged from a Cornell University frat house are leading many women to remember their own experiences — and call for a wider reckoning over sexual violence.
	Wood banks prep for long winter months This story by Liberty Darr and Patrick Bilow was first published in the News & Citizen on Sept. 17, 2026. One in three Vermonters will heat their homes with wood this winter, but as the cost and difficulty of sourcing wood increases for some, a handful of local organizations are providing free cords to those in need. Recently volunteers donned safety gloves and earmuffs for an annual firewood workday in Morristown with United Way of Lamoille County. Wood splitters of various shapes and sizes fired on all cylinders as volunteers chucked chunks of wood into trucks for home deliveries. The United Way’s firewood program is one of multiple wood banks in the Lamoille County area that provide free firewood to local seniors, veterans and income-eligible families to help keep their homes warm throughout the winter. According to the most recent statistics from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, as of 2019, just over a third of Vermont households use cordwood as a heating source — a statistic that is largely unchanged from reported usage in the 2014-2015 heating season and similar to usage in the 1990s. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of Vermont households using cordwood rely on it as their primary source of heat, while just over one-third use it for supplemental heat, according to the department’s 2019 Residential Fuel Assessment. The survey also indicates that Vermont households burned more than 400,000 estimated cords of wood during the 2018-2019 heating season — 18% higher than the estimated total number burned during the 2014-2015 season and higher than any previously reported estimate since 1986. As reliance on wood as a heat source increased marginally in Vermont as of 2019, the price of a cord skyrocketed to around $500, according to those familiar with the industry. Meanwhile, recent increases in oil prices anecdotally pushed some Vermonters back to burning wood. While financial assistance is often provided for oil burners, less is available for wood burners. According to information from the state’s Department for Children and Families from 2023, just under 2,000 households that heat with wood and pellets were issued benefits. That’s where wood banks are stepping up. Keeping neighbors warm Not only can burning wood be cost intensive, but it’s also labor intensive, creating a relatively substantial barrier to the heat source, especially for older demographics. “If you’re elderly but you have a wood stove and can’t afford to replace it, then you’re going to end up needing firewood, and it can be really cumbersome or impossible for folks to process their own wood,” said Clarissa French, executive director of United Way of Lamoille County. In any given year, the organization gives away between 40 and 65 cords, based on demand, which some providers say is increasing. Most of the wood is harvested on state land and donated by the state of Vermont through its Wood Warms program. Stephanie Ferro, a United Way board member, and her husband, Bryan, operate their own wood bank in Stowe called Vermont Warm Hearts, which he launched as a high school student in Woodstock. Between Lamoille and Windsor counties, the organization delivered emergency wood to nearly 20 families last year. They are often contacted during emergency situations when a family is almost out of wood in the dead of winter. The small, family-run operation — their daughter Sophia is involved — tries to fulfill those deliveries within 24 hours. “The demand is going up,” Stephanie Ferro said, adding that there is a substantial group of people in need that are just above the income threshold the state utilizes for determining eligibility for fuel assistance. They are often left to choose between feeding their families or heating their homes, she said. A wider reach Another wood provider, Wood4Good, is expanding its influence in Lamoille County. Since launching in 2019, the nonprofit has donated and delivered approximately 50 cords of wood each year to towns across Vermont. Eric Axelrod started Wood4Good with his son after a pile of firewood in their yard had grown too large to continue storing. They gave a few cords away and have been chasing that feeling ever since. “We gave that wood away, and the family we gave it to said to us, ‘This is the first winter we’re going to be OK,’” Axelrod said. “Then we found another family that was burning furniture to keep their home warm.” After years of increased reliance on its service, Wood4Good recently expanded its influence in Lamoille County. The nonprofit processes firewood with automated splitters in Jericho but has storage facilities throughout the state, including in Johnson. The Wolcott Selectboard is also mulling whether to allow Wood4Good to clear trees in the town’s newly established forest as it expands municipal wastewater services and expands trail networks on the land. Several towns in Chittenden County, including Hinesburg and Shelburne, allocate funds for the nonprofit. No towns in Lamoille County have yet to follow suit. As winter sets in and households scramble for firewood, Axelrod agreed with other wood banks that need is increasing and recently spiked. Just this year, he received 50 new applications for firewood next winter. Recently he also received a letter from an elderly customer who said she and her dog almost froze to death last winter huddling under an electric blanket. “That’s the story of a lot of Vermont. That story is very, very real,” Axelrod said. One for all These three wood banks — United Way, Vermont Warm Hearts and Wood4Good — do not operate in silos. To create the greatest impact, French from United Way said, local wood banks are trying to network more and regularly attend collaborative meetings with state officials. “There’s not enough wood bank activity in the state, but there are little wood banks trying to make an impact all over the place,” she said. For example, Stephanie Ferro does a lot of coordinating between her family’s organization and United Way. If the call is one that doesn’t fit the bill for Vermont Warm Hearts, they may relay the request to another organization. Her and her husband’s organization provides emergency support, whereas United Way doesn’t typically. “When we moved here, and I heard what United Way was doing, I said to my husband, ‘I want to get involved and let’s see if we can work together so that we can share resources, share brain power and share energy,’ and I think it’s definitely working for us,” she said. Read the story on VTDigger here: Wood banks prep for long winter months. Courtesy of VT Digger
	Weird Halloween-themed food you can try at home Hidden Valley and Cup Noodles are officially taking home the award for the weirdest Halloween drops of 2026.
	After a costly dry spell, a wetter outlook People walk along the beach at St. Albans Bay in September 2025. The 2025 drought brought water levels on Lake Champlain to near record lows. File photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger Droughts like the one that cost Vermont farmers nearly $16 million last year might be becoming less common, a new Dartmouth College study suggests, as increased rainfall makes dry spells less frequent and less intense across the Northeast. But farmers shouldn’t pack up their irrigation equipment just yet. “What this study does not tell you is that there will not be drought in the Northeast,” said lead author Jonathan Winter. “That is not the case. We have always had drought, and we will continue to have drought.” The study, published Thursday in the Journal of Hydrometeorology, found that drought in the Northeast has been 59% less frequent and 19% less intense since the mid-1980s compared with the entire period from 1901 to 1983. Winter and his team used more than a century of weather station records to calculate a drought index for the region. The findings could help Vermont decide how to prepare for drought alongside other weather threats. Relatively little peer-reviewed research has examined these regional drought trends, which means this study can contribute to a greater understanding of them, Winter said. Last year’s agricultural losses illustrate how damaging an individual drought can be despite the long-term regional decline. Vermont farmers lost nearly $16 million in drought-related damage last year. The Vermont Economic Development Authority, which assists businesses affected by disasters, offered loans to those affected. Lawmakers also passed Act 78, establishing a permanent fund for farmers and foresters facing financial losses from weather events. Supply and demand The study’s relatively simple drought metric helps describe broad trends, but Vermont State climatologist Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux said drought and its effects are more complicated. She has studied drought and extreme weather in Vermont since the late 1990s. Drought, in the simplest terms, is a shortage of precipitation. But, its intensity and impact can be affected by many factors, including geography, season, temperature and the type of precipitation. “As long as you have a greater demand (on water) than you have supply, you’re in a drought,” she said. “This is exacerbated by how ‘thirsty’ the air or ground is at the time.” A ‘thirsty’ atmosphere, for example, can evaporate moisture from the ground and worsen drought conditions. Dupigny-Giroux said new types of drought have emerged in the past decade. These include flash droughts, which intensify quickly, and ecological droughts, the effects of which can actually alter ecosystems. Vermont was more drought-prone but began getting wetter around the 1970s, Dupigny-Giroux said. That’s about a decade before the shift identified in Winter’s regional research. She attributed Vermont’s change to a combination of factors, including a warmer atmosphere and a shift in storm tracks over the region. In fact, drought conditions preceded some of Vermont’s worst floods, Dupigny-Giroux said. She pointed to the drought and flood of 1927 and a short period of drought conditions before Irene hit in 2011. There was also a drought in the spring and early summer in 2023 leading up to the historic floods in July, she said. “By always keeping an eye on history is what allows you to say Vermont is a state that goes from droughts to floods in the blink of an eye,” Dupigny-Giroux said. The Northeast’s drought decline contrasts with conditions elsewhere in the country. More than half of the U.S. experienced drought conditions this past spring, while the West has endured a prolonged megadrought described in research published in Nature Climate Change as the driest conditions in at least 1,200 years. Weather disasters strain state and local resources, complicating decisions about which risks to prepare for and how to spend limited funds. Winter said he hopes the findings can help guide those decisions. “To the extent that we can deploy awareness of, as well as preparedness and adaptation strategies to cope with droughts, these would help move us towards a more resilient place than waiting for droughts to occur and reacting to them,” Dupigny-Giroux said. Read the story on VTDigger here: After a costly dry spell, a wetter outlook. Courtesy of VT Digger
	MARK-TO-MARKET: Iowa just landed a major addition to the US steel industry The project is expected to create 6,000 construction jobs and 1,700 permanent jobs upon completion.
	BBB Scam Alert: Fall home repairs: Protecting seniors from contractor scams BBB and the FTC point to several tactics worth recognizing.
	Resignations, hirings, athletic assignments, and other Moline School District personnel news from Sept. 28 See the personnel items from the Sept. 28 agenda of the Moline-Coal Valley School District. The board met at the Moline Education Center.
	Everyday People: Film brings monsters and a first date to Davenport A provocative new film is playing at The Last Picture House, and Tom Loewy discovered it was the perfect place for a first date.
	A Story Not Worth Telling This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.The following story about the Mississippi River is not worth telling. Unlike those river events that make the six…
	She died covering war for Fox News. Her parents blame the network — and a star reporter The family members of two Fox News journalists killed while covering the war in Ukraine are suing the network, saying it put getting the story ahead of its people.
	Latter-day Saints women turn away from scandal-plagued Republican candidate in Arizona Arizona Republican candidate for Congress Mark Lamb has been accused of sexual misconduct while sheriff. His controversy is turning many voters away as Democrats see an opportunity in the red seat.
	Iowa GOP Senator: Gov. Reynolds negotiated bad deal for proposed $15 billion steel plant State Sen. Dan Dawson criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds for the deal she negotiated with company for steel plant proposal.
Saturday, October 3rd, 2026
	Boating incident kills two people on Mississippi River near Dubuque The Department of Natural Resources is investigating after a boating incident killed two people on the Mississippi River near Dubuque.
	Former Wonder Bread plant in Davenport set for demolition, future of site in question As the former Wonder Bread plant in Davenport is set for demolition, Alderman John Blunk says the future of the site could be up in the air.
	Free heart health screenings offered at Trinity in Rock Island Heart to Heart Day at UnityPoint Trinity in Rock Island offered free heart health screenings Saturday, reminding the community about prevention and regular checkups.
	Illinois social media and prediction market taxes bring lawsuits Proposed taxes are bringing new lawsuits, and Illinois Republicans are calling on the Gov. Pritzker to hold off in their implementation. Senate Bill 3019 enacts new taxes and fees on social media platforms and prediction markets. A top concern is whether the taxes are legal and if the state is setting itself up to lose [...]
	How your kids can write to Jack Skellington for Halloween We all know to send letters to Santa at Christmastime, but did you know you can write to the Pumpkin King at Halloween? Tulare Parks & Recreation in California is making sure letters get to Jack Skellington for Halloween! One of the area's favorite Halloween activities returns. According to a Facebook post: Mr. Jack Skellington [...]
	Former Wonder Bread factory building in Davenport set for demolition According to Davenport Alderman John Blunk, the former Wonder Bread bakery on East River Drive is slated for demolition.
	Two killed in Mississippi River accident near Dubuque Two people were killed in a boating accident on the Mississippi River near Dubuque on Saturday.
	Two dead after boating accident on Mississippi River The DNR said it received a report of a boat hitting a floating object in the river.
	Crews knock down garage fire in Silvis No injuries were reported Saturday as firefighters responded to flames in a garage in Silvis.
	Bettendorf house fire causes thousands in damage Nobody was injured following a fire early Saturday morning in Bettendorf.
	Crews respond to overnight residential fire in Bettendorf Crews responded to a residential fire in Bettendorf early Saturday.
	Former Wonder Bread factory building in Davenport slated for demolition The former Wonder Bread factory building in Davenport is slated for demolition, according to Alderman John Blunk.
	Mattresses sold on Amazon recalled over fire hazards: CPSC All of the impacted mattresses were sold on Amazon between December 2024 and May 2026, according to the CPSC.
	College GameDay returns to Iowa City for first time since 2006 ESPN's College GameDay returned to Iowa City for the first time since 2006, drawing thousands of fans to the Pentacrest ahead of the Hawkeyes' matchup against Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium.
	Crews respond to residential fire in Silvis Firefighters quickly knocked down a residential fire in Silvis on Saturday.
	NC legislative leaders call for special session on high gas, diesel prices Gas prices in late September were $4.19 a gallon for regular unleaded and over $6 a gallon for diesel fuel in Raleigh, North Carolina. A sticker affixed to the gas pump blames President Donald Trump for the high prices. (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, and Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, announced Saturday they’ve agreed to call the legislature into a special session to provide relief from high gas and diesel prices. The leaders did not announce a date for the special session or details on what measures they plan to consider. With only a month left until Nov. 3, it’s unclear whether they can or will call Republican lawmakers off the campaign trail before what’s expected to be a tough election for the GOP. “Rising fuel costs are squeezing North Carolina families’ pocketbooks and creating challenges for farmers across the state,” Hall said in a social media post announcing the special session. “North Carolinians can’t afford to wait.” Berger shared a similar message on social media, calling for “real relief” for families. The announcement comes three days after Gov. Josh Stein directed the state Department of Revenue to suspend penalties through the end of 2026 to allow farmers to use red-dyed diesel fuel on highways. Red-dyed diesel is exempt from state and federal fuel taxes and is intended for off-road agricultural equipment. Using it in vehicles that drive on public roads is generally illegal. Stein said North Carolina farmers have been strained by crop losses, drought and higher diesel costs. “I urge the federal government to join me in providing the same relief to North Carolina farmers and families,” he said. North Carolina’s gas tax is currently 41 cents per gallon. Lawmakers could consider suspending part or all of the tax during the special session, though leaders have not yet said what relief they propose. Other states have enacted similar measures. The move comes as poll numbers in N.C. show declining approval numbers for President Donald Trump and the generic Republican ballot. Friday, the Senate Leadership Fund decided to pull ad buys for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley. Republican super PAC pauses spending in North Carolina’s key US Senate race House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, criticized the announcement. He said Republicans are attempting to distract voters from their record on affordability ahead of the midterm election. “After sixteen years with nearly complete control of the state, Legislative Republicans have done nothing to make life more affordable for North Carolinians,” he said. “ In fact, they have made life harder and much more expensive for almost everyone.” Courtesy of NC Newsline
	No injuries in early-morning residential fire in Bettendorf Authorities say a residential fire in Bettendorf early Saturday caused approximately $40,000 in damage.
	Heart to Heart Day at Unity Point Trinity offers community free screenings Unity Point Trinity offered free heart health screenings as part of Heart to Heart Day.
	Coast Guard finds debris from medical plane carrying 6 people Flight data shows the jet dropped at least 9,000 feet over two minutes, then leveled off for several more minutes, before disappearing.
	Crimson Tide makes short work of previously unbeaten Bulldogs and a hobbled Kamario Taylor Audio articles are automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story; however, this audio has not been reviewed for accuracy and may contain errors. Read more about how we use AI to increase access to our reporting. STARKVILLE — Kamario Taylor has had far better days this season and even last year as a freshman. He will have many much better days in the future. As has been written in this column several times, the gifted quarterback will win many, many big games at Mississippi State. Rick Cleveland But this sunny, humid Saturday at Scott Field was a reminder of two important facts: One, for all his remarkable ability and his accomplishments to date, Taylor is 19 years young and will not turn 20 until February. Saturday was only his sixth college start. As good as he is, he’s far from as good as he will become. He made mistakes that cost State dearly. Two, Alabama is still Alabama, which is elite. And we could add a third important factor: Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell, like Taylor only a sophomore, seems a lock to be the next in line of so many splendid Crimson Tide quarterbacks (think Starr, Namath, McCarron, Hurts, Tagovailoa, Young and so many more). Russell, strong-armed and so uncommonly quick, passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as No. 7 Alabama raced past No. 16 Mississippi State 56-23 to remain undefeated and unceremoniously knock the Bulldogs from the ranks of unbeaten. Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby looks at the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/James Pugh If you saw Russell play in in Alabama’s first two games and then saw him again against State, you can be excused for thinking you were watching two different quarterbacks. In a month’s time, the Duncanville, Texas, native has become much more efficient, much more confident and sure of himself, much quicker with his decisions. Saturday, he completed 16 of 22 throws for 275 yards and used his quickness and speed to escape State defenders, buy himself some time, and make accurate throws down the field. Some of Russell’s throws, particularly a couple of perfect back-shoulder tosses, almost didn’t seem fair. State defensive backs seemed in perfect position, running step for step with the receiver, and then the receiver stopped, turned around and snagged a perfectly timed pass. State defensive back Isaac Smith, one of the Bulldogs’ veteran leaders, offered no excuses. “Russell is a really good player, but we shot ourselves in the foot,” Smith said. “That’s on us, the players. It’s not on the coaches, not on the crowd. I apologize to our fans. I’ll take the blame. I’m the leader on the back end, and we just didn’t do our job.” There were excuses that could have been made. Taylor came into the game hobbled with a lower leg injury, didn’t play the fourth quarter and limped off the field with his foot in a protective boot. Said State coach Jeff Lebby, “Kamario wasn’t able to do anything with his legs.” As anyone who has watched Taylor play knows, his long legs – and his foot speed – are so much of what make him who he is. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) looks downfield against Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/James Pugh Taylor did manage to throw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, but he suffered two interceptions, one a pick-6, and he lost a fumble. All three mistakes led to Alabama touchdowns. The fumble actually led to Alabama’s first score when Taylor seemed to pump fake a pass, but the ball tumbled out of his hands. Bama recovered. Officials reviewed the play and the call on the field, a fumble, stood. Alabama quickly scored. Some day, perhaps, someone will explain that rule to me in a way I can understand it. Taylor’s arm was moving forward, the ball went forward and I’ve seen that ruled an incomplete pass as often as not. Maybe you have to be a mind reader to officiate that call. If so, clearly some refs read minds differently than others. On State’s next possession, Taylor simply threw a bad pass, nowhere near the intended receiver, which Alabama cornerback Dijon Lee snatched out of the air and returned 30 yards for a second touchdown. That was two touchdowns in 71 seconds, no way to start a game against anybody, much less against Alabama. Lebby praised Taylor for his courage and grit, but at the same time also stated the obvious, that Taylor has to be more careful with the ball. State’s other valid excuse was that the Dogs’ best back by far, Fluff Bothwell, was banged up coming into the game and carried only one time for 1 yard before retiring to the sidelines. His absence was glaring. But then, when Alabama loses a great back, the Tide just plugs in another, and they all run behind mammoth, yet mobile, offensive linemen who look as if they just walked off an NFL bus. Bama won the line of scrimmage on both sides as it usually does in this lopsided series which the Bulldogs have won only 17 of 109 meetings. At times, this writer felt as if I was watching a rerun of a bad movie I’ve seen maybe 25 or 30 times before. Indeed, Alabama has now won 17 straight games over State by an average of 26 points per game. Maybe a healthy Kamario Taylor is the quarterback who can finally snap that streak. State will have to improve greatly across both lines and play much more efficiently, Taylor included, to do so. Until then, the Tide will keep on rolling. Mississippi State wide receiver Zion Ragins (7) scores a touchdown against Alabama during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/James Pugh Courtesy of Mississippi Today
	Frozen berries recalled in Iowa and Illinois amid possible E. coli contamination Great Value's frozen Organic Triple Berry Blend, Organic Blueberries 10 OZ, and Trader Joe’s frozen Organic Mixed Berry Blend were recalled.
	Fire damages home at Bettendorf Trailer Park early Saturday A trailer home in the Parkview Trailer Park in Bettendorf was damaged by fire early Saturday. No injuries were reported.
	No injures reported following early morning Bettendorf fire No injuries to occupants or firefighters were reported following a Bettendorf fire. According to a release from the City of Bettendorf, the Bettendorf Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in the 1300 block of Devils Glen Rd. on October 3 at 1:39 a.m. Upon arrival, crews found smoke and fire conditions [...]
	Iowa City students gear up for ESPN's College Gameday return to campus Saturday marks the show's first visit to Iowa City in 20 years.
	Got questions about the 2026 Massachusetts ballot? We want to hear them. CommonWealth Beacon is collecting listener questions for an upcoming podcast episode. Leave us a voicemail at (617) 858-0510 with your name, your question, and where you’re calling from. Use the form linked here to type your answer. Courtesy of Commonwealth Beacon
	Back from the Dead returns to Rock Island You can enjoy a full day of Halloween fun, eerie adventures and experiences across Rock Island! According to a release from the Quad Cities Chamber, the Rock Island Downtown Alliance will transform Downtown Rock Island into a Halloween destination with Back from the Dead on October 24. Explore the downtown area with family-friendly experiences during [...]
	After botched execution of Christa Pike, Tennessee correction chief steps down After the failed execution of Christa Pike, Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada will resign, Gov. Bill Lee announced. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada will step down, Gov. Bill Lee announced Saturday — three days after a botched execution attempt left Christa Pike on a ventilator in critical condition. Strada offered his resignation, and the governor accepted, the news release said. Strada will step down from his role this month, it said. Pike, sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, had exhausted all appeals before her scheduled execution Wednesday. Tennessee governor orders third-party review, pauses all executions for the rest of the year But the execution was halted after two failed rounds of a lethal injection protocol over a two-hour period. Media witnesses were then asked to leave the building. They reported Pike was making audible noises as they exited. Pike remains in critical condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Pike’s was the second botched execution in Tennessee under his leadership. In May, the execution of Tony Carruthers was halted after officials said they were unable to find a vein after trying for an hour and a half. As chief of the corrections department, Strada oversees state executions. In announcing his resignation, Lee said Strada had served “with integrity.” “I appreciate his willingness to put the interests of Tennesseans first during this difficult moment,” read the statement from Lee. Before Lee hired him in 2023, Strada served as a deputy commissioner in Arizona, where he oversaw three executions marked by problems. Lee has ordered a third-party review of Pike’s attempted execution and a pause on all executions in Tennessee through the end of the year. An interim commissioner will be announced at a later date, the governor’s news release said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Tennessee Lookout
	Enjoy Halloween fun at Boo! Street Landing Have a spooktacular time at Boo! Street Landing! According to a release, Boo! Street Landing is a free, family-friendly event October 29 at Bass Street Landing. Families can enjoy costume contests, Halloween activities, treat booths and DJ/karaoke. Check out the Scarecrow Showdown and vote for your favorite scarecrow. Boo! Street Landing is a free event [...]
	Resignations, hirings and other personnel news from East Moline School District The following personnel items are from the Sept. 28 agenda of the East Moline District 37 Board of Education. The School Board met at Early Learning Center.
	Tree education session will be held in Riverside Cemetery, Moline The City of Moline Parks and Recreation Department and Moline Community Development Corporation will partner for the second year to invite residents, homeowners, and community members to attend a fall tree education session focused on proper tree maintenance and pruning techniques. The workshop will provide practical guidance to help residents keep neighborhood trees healthy, safe [...]
	The Grinders & Spaghetti House in Moline HVAC unit burglarized The Grinders & Spaghetti House Moline location was burglarized early Friday morning.
	It’s College GameDay in Iowa City! It is finally here! College GameDay in Iowa City kicked off at 8 a.m. on ESPN.
	Immigration insights: Tears and action follow ICE raids in southwest Kansas Dodge City protesters gather at Wright Park on Sept. 25, 2026, to march to U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann's office. They were protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the community. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)DODGE CITY — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived in southwest Kansas on Sept. 22 and departed three days later, leaving fear, uncertainty and anger. Many in the Hispanic and Latino communities in Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal, where most ICE activity was located, returned to work this week. But their fear persists and they aren’t yet leaving their homes or returning to regular activities, multiple immigrants said. The fear was contagious. In Manhattan, about 225 miles east of Dodge City, social media posts blasted warnings of possible ICE agents on Thursday because of a large presence of law enforcement vehicles in a store parking lot. It turned out to be a training session for local police, according to a store employee. Here are a handful of glimpses into the lives of Kansans affected by the raids. Viridiana Boron, volunteer Viridiana Boron spent several days last week delivering meals to Dodge City families whose members were scared to leave home because ICE was in the area. Her mother and sister cooked meals for about 200 people, and Boron delivered them, she said. “I was the one that was on the street and watching everything, watching all the suffer the families was having,” she said, pausing to apologize for her English. “I saw the reality, the truth. They were scared. They were sad. They were worried. I saw families with no water.” Boron started crying. “It was something that I’ve never seen in my life,” she said. “How can people not have heart and just do things like that? Because I mean, there I know could be a lot of immigrants over here that are like criminals, but a lot of people that I saw, they were not criminals. They were people working hard for their kids.” This week, many people she knows have returned to work, but they aren’t eating out or shopping as the fear lingers, Boron said. Boron came to the United States at age 24, receiving a visa because she and her family were threatened in Mexico. She has since married and is a legal permanent resident. Despite knowing she had the correct documentation, she was scared during the ICE operation. Others who stayed home also had documentation, she said. But they have seen instances where it didn’t matter, and ICE agents stopped cars to check paperwork just because someone looked Hispanic or Latina, Boron said. The affect on the community was “huge,” she said. It was difficult explaining to her 11-year-old son why people were scared because he didn’t understand the difference a paper could make, Boron said. “We are all the same,” she said. Priest Mercado, 15, attends a Dodge City march on Sept. 25, 2026, to protest the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining immigrants in his community. He said that he doesn’t believe families should be torn apart. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector) Julie Barraza, volunteer and activist Julie Barraza smiled at everyone approaching the table she set up at a downtown Dodge City protest on Sept. 24. She patiently answered questions about a petition to reform the country’s immigration system. “I was born and raised here, and I’ve never seen such a cloud over the town,” she said during a break. “The first morning, they (ICE) were waiting for me to get out of my car, and I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t get out of my car.” Barraza drove on to work at Rattlesnake Grill. She said ICE agents came in to eat but employees didn’t realize they were with ICE because they wore regular clothing. “Once we figured out they were ICE agents, because a customer had alerted us, I stepped out and decided to tell them to leave, and they refused,” she recalled. “I was scared, but I still did it.” The agents did get up and leave, Barraza said, adding that several restaurants in town refused to serve agents and others closed because there weren’t employees to work. Patrick Lopez, immigrant and educator Patrick Lopez stood in the midst of a Dodge City protest on Sept. 24, holding a sign and nodding to people he knew. He was there, he said, to “show solidarity with people who are being persecuted by ICE.” “I’m here to defend my immigrant brothers and sisters. I’m here to stand up for them, and I hate that they have to live in fear right now,” Lopez said. “I can’t sleep last night. I’m offended as an American. I’m embarrassed as an American. I’m indignant. I can’t believe that this is happening right now.” While acknowledging the economic costs to town — restaurants closed, businesses slowing or stopping work — Lopez said they weren’t what made him toss and turn at night. “I also wish that people remembered the human rights effect,” he said. “People’s families should be protected. I don’t care what the issue is. You can’t destroy people’s families like that and hopefully get away with it.” He tried unsuccessfully to reach a friend who drives a cab and worried that he was detained. “He works every day, and that’s the thing. The people that ICE is after are hardworking people around town,” Lopez said. “Many of them are putting their kids through school. They’re just trying to make a living.” Dodge City protesters gather at Wright Park on Sept. 25, 2026, to march to U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann’s office. They were protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the community. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector) Sarahí Aguilera, therapist and immigrant Sarahí Aguilera is a licensed social worker, and she works as a mental health therapist. Advocating for the immigrant community, she said, is at the foundation of her personal and professional life. She knows the challenges well. Aguilera is part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows young people who arrived during specific time periods to apply and work in the country. DACA has been under fire during President Donald Trump’s administration, she said, but she was fortunate that her permit didn’t expire when the program was temporarily halted. Since then, it has been a “consistent uphill battle” to keep the program active, Aguilera said. Other family members weren’t so lucky. Aguilera’s sister had just been to an immigration appointment after turning 15, which is the age that people can apply for the DACA program, Aguilera said. “We had started her paperwork. She had been approved. She had gone to her biometrics. I lived at Wichita at the time because that’s where I was getting my education,” she said. “And she got approved. She just never received her work permit.” It was frustrating because when the family looked her up in the system, it said she was approved, Aguilera said. But she never physically received the approval that would allow her to receive her driver’s license or continue her education. Her sister eventually married and is in the process of acquiring her documentation, Aguilera said. The experience reminds her how difficult it is to go through the immigration process and how different it is for each person, she said. “Especially seeing me and believing she was going to have the same opportunity,” Aguilera said. “It really impacted her mental health and her motivation to further her education and just work on herself.” Aguilera volunteers with New Frontiers, a nonprofit organization that works with young people in southwest Kansas to create a grassroots movement focused on political, social and economic power. The group has a rapid response team that becomes active when events like ICE raids in the area occur, she said. Volunteers watch for ICE agents and try to verify information before releasing it to the community. “Fear already does a lot to someone,” Aguilera said. “So fear and the wrong information — we want to make sure that we’re just prepared and grounded with what information we’re trying to share.” Fear of the unknown is a problem for southwest Kansas immigrants, Aguilera said, along with how overwhelming information coming out could be. While ICE was in the area, she saw about four clients because most were afraid to go out. Typically, her schedule is full every day. Aguilera said she understands why some people are critical of immigrants who don’t have documentation. “There is so much misinformation. I believe as a society we need to do a better job of understanding what the immigration process looks like,” she said. “Of understanding what are the barriers, what are the circumstances? Because there is not a system that is going to work for all of us.” DACA recipients, for instance, don’t have a pathway to citizenship unless they marry or their jobs petition for them, Aguilera said. Whatever a person’s belief system, she said, she hopes people are careful with their words. “I do think it’s important to be mindful of the comments and what they can do to the mental health of someone overall,” she said, adding that people are easily influenced by social media and political figures, who she believes often don’t understand the process either. Does she think significant immigration reform is likely? “My heart wants to say that it’s hopeful. My uncertainty and anxiety that I’ve experienced for the past 10 years wants me to have a different answer,” Aguilera said. “I do believe people are opening their eyes. I believe we are getting a lot more information and more attention. Although I think we are creating great awareness and sharing information and education, I don’t believe we will see the impact and the change we want to see until people get out and vote.” Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Muscatine invites residents to join in the Healthiest State Walk Iowans across the state will take part in the 16th Annual Healthiest State Walk on Wednesday, Oct. 7, in a statewide initiative encouraging residents to step outside for a 30-minute walk. Workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and community groups are invited to participate in whatever way works best for them. The City of Muscatine invites all residents [...]
	Buddy Guy celebrated at Radio City Music Hall with a sold-out ‘Buddy’s Got the Blues’ show Audio articles are automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story; however, this audio has not been reviewed for accuracy and may contain errors. Read more about how we use AI to increase access to our reporting. NEW YORK (AP) — Two months past his 90th birthday, Buddy Guy is still up for a little bragging, a lot of cursing and a long night of partying. The blues great was celebrated Thursday night with a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall in New York, where a lineup of guest musicians and a house band led by Rolling Stones drummer Steve Jordan had the audience on its feet for much of the three-hour-plus “Buddy’s Got the Blues” concert. Guy himself was only on stage part of the time, but his name was heard throughout, and his spirit always present. One of the last of the Chicago bluesmen who thrived in the mid-20th century, Guy has become so much the ideal of the genre that musicians didn’t need to perform his songs to summon his legend. John Mayer, with an ache in his voice on Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember,” and Eric Gales and Joe Bonamassa jamming on the Jimmy Reed standard “Baby What You Want Me to Do,” seemed as fitting as Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks reviving an old Guy-Junior Wells favorite, “Messin’ with the Kid.” But no one was going to top the guest of honor. Guy, wearing a dark cap, dark pants and a polka dot shirt, opened the show with a long, raunchy acoustic workout of John Lee Hooker’s “I’m in the Mood” and only seemed to get friskier after bringing out his electric guitar. He leered and joked with longtime friend Shemekia Copeland on a duet of “Rock Me Baby,” left no doubt about the meaning of “to buzz all night long” in Slim Harpo’s “I’m a King Bee” and carried on a lot more when joined by one of his few contemporaries, Bobby Rush, just a month away from his 93rd birthday. Everyone came on at the end for an all-out, self-fulfilling “Got My Mojo Workin.’” Guy is still making plans. His team announced this week that he has a new album out next year, produced by Jordan and featuring multi-instrumentalist Ivan Neville, bassist Willie Weeks and others who played at Radio City Music Hall. Guy didn’t seem at first to have a lot on his mind Thursday besides the next double entendre or the next profanity. “Help me f—k up this song,” he liked to call out. But the tributes offered by the younger performers and the presence of Rush, who testified that he would have walked from Mississippi just to be here, left him moved and near tears. “I didn’t think this many people would be coming out for a 90 year old man,” Guy said, after confiding he didn’t have the strength to blow out that many “f—kin’ candles” on the cakes brought out at the end. “This is the greatest day I ever had in my life.” Courtesy of Mississippi Today
	The record-breaking, genre-melting, career-redefining evolution of Miranda Lambert Lambert started out as a scrappy country singer with a me-against-the-world attitude. How did she end up making lush disco songs and writing one of the biggest pop hits of the year?
	Citizens First Bank, Morrison, announces branch manger for new location Citizens First Bank has announced that Kristine Wiersema has been named branch manager of the bank’s new Morrison, Illinois, location. She will continue in her role as vice president, real estate lending. Wiersema brings more than three decades of banking experience to the position. She began her banking career in 1990 and joined Citizens First [...]
	'When Dylan Met Guthrie' will be presented at Rock Island Public Library "When Dylan Met Guthrie" will be presented at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at Rock Island Public Library, Watts-Midtown Branch, 2715 30th St., Rock Island, a news release says. The Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities and the Rock Island Public Library invite the public to the two man show created and presented by award-winning [...]
	Comedian Dale Jones will bring comedy show to Rhythm City, Davenport Comedian Dale Jones will perform Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Rhythm City Casino, 7077 Elmore Ave., Davenport, a news release says. Tickets are available online here or at The Market at Rhythm City for $33.75 and $44.45, which includes tax and an online/phone ticketing fee. The online/phone ticketing fee is waived when you purchase tickets [...]
	Manufacturing Day at Arconic introduces high school students to the industry "We want to let young students know that there's opportunities right here at home," said Jeffery Weida, vice president of manufacturing for Arconic Davenport Works and Satellites in Riverdale.
	Conservation Action Network hosts confluence session in Davenport The Bi-State Conservation Action Network (Bi-CAN) will host "Confluence: Where Community, Conservation, & Creativity Meet," from 8 a.m.-noon Oct. 15 at Credit Island, bringing together conservation and community-minded professionals from across the region for a morning of connection, learning, creativity, and outdoor exploration. Built around the idea of “confluence,” the event will explore the places [...]
	A look at Jamison Fisher through the years Jamison Fisher since 2020, in pictures.
	Request for bench trial brings surprise, relief to Trudy Appleby's family Earlier this week, Jamison Fischer asked for Judge Norma Kauzlarich for a bench trial and dropped his change-of-motion venue.
	Just short of its 200th birthday, a landmark natural history museum shuts down Beloved for its dinosaurs, Philadelphia's storied Academy of Natural Sciences closed down this week, amid an intense fight by local residents, politicians and scientists to save it.
	All's fair in love and 'War' — a well-cast, classy-trashy divorce drama HBO's War is intended to be an anthology series about two dueling London law firms. The first season stars Dominic West and Sienna Miller as a high-profile couple in the midst of a very nasty divorce.
	Theaster Gates bets on fine china The famed, Chicago-based artist's career is taking a new direction with the purchase of Pickard China, the sole remaining maker of fine china in the United States.
	Memories of Muscatine: A golf club hatpin This week for Memories of Muscatine: A hatpin from c.1900.
	Augustana and Billy Sunday This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.By the time the famous evangelist, Billy Sunday, came to the city of Rock Island for a six-week crusade in the fall of…
	The Supreme Court faces another term jam-packed with controversy The Supreme Court term opens on Monday with big test cases on religion, guns and climate change. Plus, the emergency docket keeps popping.
	No one expected an American pope. Here's the inside story of how 'Bob' became Pope Leo When the 2025 conclave began, no one expected an American pope. But by its end, Cardinal Robert Prevost had become Pope Leo. Here's a look behind the scenes.
	A hot tip to battle performance anxiety? 'Pretend flush' a mistake down the toilet Worried about stumbling before a high-stakes event, like a race or a job interview? Psychologist Cindra Kamphoff offers creative strategies to overcome the jitters and build confidence in the moment.
	Police at late-night crash in Davenport Shortly after 11:45 p.m. Friday near the intersection of Kimberly Road and Jersey Ridge Road in Davenport, Our Quad Cities News crew saw police squad cars and at least one wrecked vehicle. One car appeared to have severe damage. Officers remained on the scene for some time.
Friday, October 2nd, 2026
	How many Republicans will vote for a Black man for governor? U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 9, 2023. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)“Although slavery may have been abolished, the crippling poison of racism still persists, and the struggle still continues.” — Harry Belafonte, 2010 With U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds one step closer to the Governor’s Mansion, Republicans in general and MAGA in particular face a choice: Will they vote for a Black man to be Florida’s chief executive or opt out and open the door for Democrats? Now that Donalds is in a competitive race in a Republican-heavy state, there are distinct rumblings in GOP-land about whether the party — and especially the far-right conservative, white nationalist faction — will ever vote for a Black man. There are no simple answers because this is, after all, Florida. Little is black and white, issues are mostly colored grey, coated in nuance and subtlety. President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Donalds turbocharged his campaign, offering the impetus that has guaranteed wins for a significant number of MAGA Republicans seeking office this election season in other parts of the country. Racial bias is a key ingredient of the state’s distorted DNA. In its 181-year history, the Sunshine State has never voted for a Black governor, male or female, Democrat or Republican, not because there were never any competent, qualified Black candidates. Only three states have elected Black governors. Time will tell whether Donalds can scale this obstacle. Historic milestone A Donalds election as Florida’s first Black governor would represent a historic milestone, but there’s a significant divide among Black people in Florida and even among political observers. Black Westchester publisher Damon K. Jones captured their dilemma in an Aug 20 op-ed. “He is poised to become Florida’s first Black governor. But this moment is not being celebrated in quite the same way among Black Floridians and Black political analysts nationwide,” Jones explains. “The rift illuminates how America talks about race and representation more than it highlights anything about Donalds himself. For others, the criticism stems not from Donald’s race, but instead his political beliefs and what they see as his race being exploited by a party which they feel willfully works against Black political and economic interests when it comes to issues like voting rights, criminal justice and civil rights enforcement.” People who believe this see celebrating a “first” as a hollow gesture in the face of policy positions that person espouses, and they argue that having a representative without unity on key issues is not the type of progress praised in these situations, Jones added. “Some of the criticism goes a step further by accusing the GOP — whether intentionally or not — of attempting to downvote fraud claims, weakening criticism of the GOP’s positions on race-centric policies by electing Donalds, a Black person, who can help defend their policies,” Jones writes. Primary results Donalds’ primary win prompted conversations about the viability of his general election campaign. It didn’t take long for political pundits like 610WIOD’s Manny Munoz and comedian and television host Bill Maher to say the quiet part out loud. “It’s not me suggesting that maybe Byron Donalds didn’t get votes because he’s Black. Republican primary results tell the story,” Munoz wrote in an Instagram post following Donalds’ win. “You look at the map of the Republican primary results last week and the map alone will tell you. Byron Donalds lost 17 counties across Florida. In 16 of the counties, 92% of the voters are white. In counties which were more diverse, Byron Donalds won 39 of the 40 counties. But he lost in rural, Northern, MAGA counties.” In these counties, Munoz explained, Donalds won 42% of the primary vote “despite tens of millions spent on advertising and the fact that he had the overwhelming endorsement of President Trump before he was even an official candidate,” Munoz said. Maher told Donalds on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” (and replayed on Fox News) he believed race played a sizable element in Donalds’ inability to cross the 50% threshold. “You did lose the ‘Redneck Riviera’ badly,” Maher said, referring to Donalds’ losses in Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hardee, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, and Washington counties — rural areas where roughly 94% of Republican voters are white, the Redneck Riviera, which is the Panhandle. “I think there are people there who still would not — you’re a Republican, you’re a Trumper — they should love you and they don’t. I think there is still racism.” Donalds countered: “Let’s talk a little bit about the Panhandle. There are counties we did incredibly well in that we won. There were some counties that we fell a little short in, that’s OK. The No. 1 thing overall, we closed out 48% of the vote in Florida. Eight hundred thousand votes [is] a long way to becoming the nominee.” Taking issue Donalds argued race isn’t a factor. “Florida really has become the microcosm of what we all want,” Donalds said. “It’s a meritocracy. And it’s about the best person with the best views, the best skills, the best talent moving forward to represent your state or to represent a district in your state, and Florida exemplifies that.” Still, in the Trump-DeSantis era, the Black presence in the federal government, business, commerce, and education is diminishing; so is access to jobs, education, and other opportunities, while discussion of race and racism in schools, the marketplace, and wider community is being curbed. Voting rights advocate Jasmine Burney-Clark criticized DeSantis as Black Floridians have watched him and his MAGA cronies dismantle their political power. “Florida has 28 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. After this year’s elections, and barring the November general election results, we are staring at the possibility that just one of those 28 seats will be a Black access seat, also known as a ‘majority-minority district,’” writes Burney-Clarke, founder of Equal Ground Education Fund and Action Fund. Black progress? Democratic State Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis considers Donalds an adversary of Black progress. Her evidence? Donalds voted against the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and “when asked whether he would support the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act, legislation that I am proud to sponsor, Byron Donalds said NO,” Bracy Davis writes. “That legislation is named for two Black Floridians murdered after dedicating their lives to registering Black voters and fighting for our political power.” He is also a staunch supporter of ICE-led deportations; said he would use state funding as leverage to compel local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement; is a strong supporter of AI data centers; told FOX49 he would keep Florida’s abortion restrictions in place rather than make them more or less restrictive; wants the state to support pregnancy resource centers and community pregnancy clinics; opposes legalizing recreational marijuana; and wants Florida to repeal the post-Parkland restriction preventing people younger than 21 from purchasing long guns. Bumpy ride Donalds had been hoping for a smooth ride on the Trump train into the governor’s office, but things aren’t going as planned. Trump is enjoying record disapproval numbers — with a net approval rating of -29, Newsweek reports — dogged by a deeply unpopular war against Iran he started that is dragging on into its seventh month. The war and Trump’s tariffs have jacked up the cost of gasoline and grocery staples, producing deep anger among the electorate and tarnishing the Republican brand and MAGA conservatives like Donalds closely aligned with Trump. That has produced what The Independent calls “a surprisingly competitive race,” with Donalds, a three-term congressman, and the Democratic candidate, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, in a dead heat, separated by one percentage point in one poll, according to Florida Politics. Meanwhile, Donalds tried to leap off the good ship Trump and put as much distance between himself and the embattled president as he can. Last week, news outlets report, Donalds scrubbed most Trump references from his website. “Donalds has long tied himself to Trump, but on Sept. 22 he erased nearly all references to the president on the website, an indication that the campaign might see the leader of the Republican Party as a drag in the tight race against Democrat opponent David Jolly.” News of the mass deletion was first reported by the Miami Herald. Trump’s endorsement of Donalds once dominated the website, but it has now been relegated to a separate page under endorsements, although it still includes a photo of the president and the candidate. There are two other minor references to Trump, as well, the story said. Donalds, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, castigated the news media for hyping what he called a non-story, insisting the move represents a shift toward the electorates’ priorities including affordability, the cost of insurance, and property tax relief. Trump meanwhile, defended Donalds while characterizing the coverage as “Another Fake Story.” He also said two rallies were still scheduled in Florida to support the campaign. “If Florida thought the story that Byron ‘dropped’ me was true, he would lose the Election, and that would be a terrible thing because he’s going to be a fantastic Governor!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Courtesy of Florida Phoenix
	Curtis Bay Energy will end incineration of medical waste under agreement with state Plumes of smoke rise after an explosion at the CSX Curtis Bay Coal Terminal in 2021, just one of the industrial facilities in the Curtis Bay area that residents say place an undue environmental and health burden on them. (Photo by Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734)State officials were hailing the announcement that the troubled Curtis Bay Energy facility will stop incinerating medical waste at its South Baltimore site in order to settle a Maryland Department of the Environment lawsuit charging the company with repeated air pollution violations. Curtis Bay Energy is one of the largest medical waste incinerators in the country. Under the proposed consent decree, filed Wednesday in Baltimore City Circuit Court, the site will continue operating as a medical waste transfer station, but at sharply reduced levels. Curtis Bay’s current permit allows the company to accept 62,050 tons of waste a year, and burn as much 150 tons a day. That would be cut to no more than 20,000 tons a year, with no incineration, under the settlement. The company also agreed to pay $600,000 in penalties that will be divided between MDE’s clean water fund and its clean air fund. If there are any pollution violations while the shift away from incineration is under way, the company agrees to pay $5,000 to $7,000 per day per violation. “This a major win for a community overburdened by pollution,” Maryland Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain said in a prepared statement. “We won’t accept operations that put public health and safety at risk and leave our most vulnerable communities paying the price.” Attorney General Anthony Brown, whose office negotiated the settlement, said that “the burning of medical waste has forced Curtis Bay residents to inhale smoke and other emissions” for too long. South Baltimore medical waste incinerator will pay one of largest environmental fines in state history after improper disposal “This agreement shuts down the incinerator for good, improving air quality for a community that has carried the weight of industrial pollution for generations,” he said in the joint statement with McIlwain. The changes will take place no later than 90 days after the company submits, and the state approves, an application to change its permit from an air quality permit, allowing it to burn medical waste, to one acting as a transfer station for that waste, which would be subject to steam sterilization. The consent decree, if accepted by the court, would end a 2024 lawsuit in which MDE charged the company with six counts of air quality violations. The state has added seven more charges since then. As part of the settlement, Curtis Bay Energy “denies the factual and legal assertions in the Complaint” and the additional pollution charges. The deal comes three years after previous owners of Curtis Bay Energy pleaded guilty to criminal charges of improper disposal of biohazardous materials, and paid a $1 million fine, one of the largest in state history. It also paid $750,000 then into a fund to pay for environmental improvements in the community around the plant. The Curtis Bay area is dotted with scores of industrial sites, including a CSX coal transfer facility, that residents say place an undue environmental burden on the area. Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), whose district includes Curtis Bay community, said the settlement and the end of incineration there comes after “years of violations and continued concerns from residents.” “Curtis Bay residents …. documented what they were seeing in their own neighborhood, worked with scientists to track emissions, and kept pressing for action. Their photos and videos ultimately became part of the evidence behind the State’s enforcement case,” he said in a statement posted to social media. He thanked state officials for the deal but said he was “especially grateful to the residents and community organizations … who refused to let these concerns be ignored.” “Curtis Bay has carried the burden of industrial pollution for generations. This agreement is a meaningful result for a community that has fought for years,” his statement said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Maryland Matters
	St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church holds drive-thru pet blessings All sorts of pets, including dogs and fish, made an appearance.
	Launch party for Caitlin Clark's new Nike shoe held in Iowa City Nike's CEO said the Caitlin 1 has been the largest women's signature shoe launch in the company's history.
	University of Iowa students gear up for ESPN's College Gameday return Saturday marks the show's first visit to Iowa City in 20 years.
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	Iowa lawmakers approve bill allowing $1.4B in tax incentives for steel mill project Iowa Rep. Matt Rinker, R-Burlington, spoke in support of legislation making changes to the state's Major Economic Growth Attraction program to allow the Iowa Economic Development Authority to provide tax incentives to a proposed $15 billion steel mill project in Iowa during a special session Oct. 2, 2026. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)Iowa lawmakers sent Gov. Kim Reynolds a bill Friday changing a state’s economic development program that could provide nearly $1.4 billion in tax incentives for a $15 billion steel mill project planned in southeast Iowa. Lawmakers called it the largest economic development deal in the state’s history. The Iowa House approved House File 2801 in a 75-17 vote, and the Senate approved the bill in a 28-19 vote after convening a special session Friday morning for the sole purpose of considering the legislation. The proposal would modify the state’s Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program to include further incentives for businesses within rural areas, a targeted change to benefit the Mesabi Metallics project planned in Lee County. At a news conference Monday, President Donald Trump announced the steel plant was a $15 billion project. When operational — with a goal of 2030 — the steel mill is estimated to create 1,750 permanent jobs paying an average of $48 per hour, alongside 6,000 temporary construction jobs as the facility is built, state and business officials said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Rep. Matt Rinker, R-Burlington, said the project would be a major victory for southeast Iowa and was the culmination of years of work from local, state and federal officials alongside Mesabi Metallics. During his time at the Burlington City Council and as a state legislator, Rinker said he has thousands of conversations with members of his community about what was needed to bring success to the area. He told the House, “I’m proud to say that what everyone has been asking for has finally arrived.” “Our vote today isn’t just about a change to something that already exists, or just about incentives for a steel plant, or just about bringing a new industry to Iowa,” Rinker said. “It’s about mortgage payments, grocery bills, dance lessons. It’s about infrastructure and public safety. It’s about opportunities for Iowans and growing our communities while also supporting them at the same time. It’s about thousands of new homes. It’s about the revitalization of a region of our state that has experienced its fair share of tough times.” Iowa Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, spoke in opposition to legislation passed by the Iowa Legislature in a special session Oct. 2, 2026 making changes to a state economic development program to provide more tax incentive for a steel mill project in southeast Iowa. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, who voted against the bill, called it the “largest corporate giveaway in the state of Iowa’s history.” He also warned the change to the tax incentive program for Mesabi Metallics would influence any future negotiations between the state and companies considering bringing their facilities to Iowa, “because the ceiling now becomes the floor.” “Incentives are supposed to make a good deal better, not a bad deal good,” Dawson said. “So to all my colleagues, I know you’ve been put in a difficult position. And you’ve been put into position by people and entities who, frankly, do not care. If they did, you wouldn’t be jammed with this bill in front of you today.” The bill would allow the Iowa Economic Development Authority to authorize a tax credit for a business up to 10% of the business’ qualifying investment in a rural county — an increase from the 5% tax credit currently allowed under the MEGA program for projects representing $1 billion or more in capital investment. According to analysis from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, the net impact of changes to the MEGA program’s Investment Tax Credit made by the bill would result in estimated revenue decreases to the state’s general fund of $575 million from fiscal year 2029 through 2041 — on top of the $575 million that would come under the current MEGA program structure. The MEGA program’s sales and use tax refunds and withholding tax credits are not changed by the legislation, but under the current program, Mesabi Metallics would be eligible to claim $215 million in tax incentives from FY 2028 through 2041. IEDA Director Debi Durham said this investment will provide greater benefits for Iowa through later revenue to the state, as well as an expansion of jobs and economic value to the region. “The state’s portion on the deal that is before you today (is) a 1 to 5.6% return,” Durham said. “So that means for every dollar that we invest as a state, that we get that return back. And when you think of manufacturing, it is the largest part of our gross state product — there is a multiplier of jobs attached to manufacturing, anywhere from three to five jobs will follow. When you happen to talk about a (project) as complicated as this, and as many investments, the investment being made, it is a 5-to-1 job ratio as well, meaning, for every job that they hire, there’s a follow-on job that will occur in our economy.” Rep. Carter Nordman, R-Adel, floor manager for the bill in the House, said the change is not an increased tax incentive for the MEGA program — created with wide bipartisan support in 2024 — but a way to combine the two 5% MEGA program investment tax credits that IEDA can currently offer. The IEDA has not previously awarded any MEGA program tax incentives. “The reality is we are not reinventing the wheel here,” Nordman said. “All we are doing is modernizing and combining two existing incentive programs into one, so Iowa is not on the sidelines, but actively competing on the national and global level for large projects. When creating those incentives of packages a couple years ago … this body could never have imagined the possibility of a $15 billion investment landing here.” Dawson said this was a fundamental misunderstanding of the original intent of MEGA program — a measure Dawson said he helped negotiate when it was approved in 2024. “To be clear, the intent was never 5% plus 5% equals 10%,” Dawson said. “And that the intent was never that we throw the entire farm into one basket, and it could be a ‘one and done’ proposition. We wanted to see this spread throughout Iowa.” Durham told lawmakers increasing the tax credit to 10% was necessary for Iowa to bring the steel plant to Iowa. “We basically do have to be competitive in the marketplace,” Durham said. “So, we look at deals all across the country with this type of industry, and I will say 10% is is a national average of what these businesses are getting.” Supporters say MEGA program change needed to compete against other states for steel mill The IEDA director said the states of Arkansas and Kentucky were also competing for the steel mill project, with Arkansas being “our biggest competitor.” Dawson said Senate Republicans were told Arkansas lawmakers were expected to call their own special session to create an offer providing “cash up front” to the company by modify their state’s recycling tax credit and funding the tax credit change by borrowing against the Arkansas teacher pension fund. He said officials who knew about the Arkansas proposal told him Arkansas officials walked away from these negotiations, “because the companies seemed to lack equity and could never locate where the equity would come from and the paperwork that they provided to the state.” “While I respect Governor Reynolds’ deep desire to bring a MEGA site to the state of Iowa before her term ends, because she wasn’t willing to walk away from this deal, it’s my belief she negotiated against herself. Because Arkansas, I do not believe, was ever actually at the table seriously. And by negotiating against herself, she negotiated against the Iowa taxpayer.” Durham also emphasized the bill is written to ensure the state will not provide tax incentives to the Mesabi Metallics if the project is not completed. The measures states the tax credit will not be issued to a business until the business begins operations, or until “a designated portion of the project” has been placed in service, and until at least half of created jobs — which must meet a qualifying wage threshold — associated with the project or a designated portion have been added to the payroll. The legislation also states the 10% tax credit will be remitted over the course of a decade. Some Democrats had questions about portions of the bill which allow the tax credit to be transferred to another person or entity. During the House subcommittee meeting on the bill, Jacoby shared concerns from a constituent that the state would not be able to claw back tax credits “against the buyer if the project goes wrong” — a statement Durham said was incorrect. “We will have not only oversight into the transferability, we will have approvals over the transferability, and so that is not correct,” Durham said. “We will be fully protected even with the transferability.” Opponents express concerns about Mesabi Metallics past Iowa GOP leaders have praised the planned steel mill, with Reynolds saying, “this opportunity will fundamentally change the economic trajectory of our state and the entire region for decades to come.” But others are cautious about the project, saying there are concerns about Mesabi Metallics’ commitment to finishing and opening the plant given the company’s history as it also seeks to open an iron ore mine in Nashwauk, a city in the Minnesota Iron Range. The mine has not yet officially started operation. The project began in 2008, under the India-based Essar Group’s company Essar Steel Minnesota, the Des Moines Register reported. The Essar Group was founded by brothers Sashi and Ravi Ruia, and expanded to include the Minnesota company as well as a Essar Steel Algoma in Canada. Essar Steel Minnesota filed for bankruptcy protection in 2016, blocking the Minnesota governor’s attempt to revoke its mineral lease. Investors took control of the company and rebranded it as Mesabi Metallics in 2017 and came out from bankruptcy protection, before Essar Group took over the project again in 2019 under its new name. Marshall Singer, a local activist from Des Moines, shared these details about Essar Group during subcommittee meetings on the proposal. Singer also highlighted Essar Group and associated companies had received loans from a VTB, a Russian state owned-bank, according to the Guardian. VTB has been sanctioned by the European Union and other countries following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. “Iowa’s economic incentive law bars the state with providing tax credits and refunds to a business tied to a foreign adversary,” Singer said. He also added, “This will cost every taxpayer $866, and this is irresponsible when we are running a $1.4 billion dollar deficit.” Joe Broking, president and chief executive officer of Mesabi Metallics, the company seeking to build a $15 billion steel mill in Lee County Iowa, spoke to lawmakers about the project at a subcommittee meeting Oct. 2, 2026 as lawmakers considered a bill making changes to a state economic development program to allow the state to offer a more substantial tax incentive package than currently allowed. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Joe Broking, president and chief executive officer of Mesabi Metallics, addressed some of the comments by Singer about the Minnesota project and Essar Group. He said “there was a global commodity price collapse that happened in 2015, and there were hundreds of companies globally that went through restructurings,” not just Essar Steel Minnesota. He also said the delays of the mine construction were in part due to “certain activities by a competitor to try and stop development on the Iron Range.” Broking’s comments referenced allegations that fellow steel company Cleveland-Cliffs committed antitrust violations. Mesabi Metallics sued the company for in 2025 in a pending case. Additionally, Broking said Mesabi Metallics has “completely rebuilt all of those relationships” with Minnesota public officials, including Gov. Tim Walz, state legislators and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He also added Mesabi Metallics has “invested close to $3 billion to complete this project, and we’re about to start it now.” “And Essar Group and the Ruia family have been a fantastic partner, an absolutely wonderful partner,” Broking said. “They’ve met that commitment the entire time. They’ve invested $2 billion of their family money to complete this project, and like I said earlier, we are on the precipice of doing this.” Answering questions from Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, Durham said she believed the company would be able to complete the Iowa project. Durham said based on the company’s “capital stack,” financing from the Export–Import Bank of the United States and what it has been able to accomplish in Minnesota after “missteps,” she felt confident supporting the project. “When you see where they are today, and when you see what their business plan is, and when you see the people that are coming in and supporting them, I absolutely have no hesitation to say that they will (do) what they say,” Durham said. “And if they don’t, then we’re going to hold them accountable. But I believe that this project is a good project for the state of Iowa, and I do believe that they have the ability to pull it off.” But several lawmakers said they were not as confident as Durham in the project’s viability. Bisignano criticized how Republican leaders and the company brought about the legislation, saying it was concerning that many state legislators did not know about the proposal — or the steel mill project in general — a week before the special session. As Trump and many state leaders have touted the project as the “biggest thing to come to state of Iowa,” Bisignano said there should be more time for legislators and the public to review the project and MEGA program changes. “This should be one of those occasions where — if this is the biggest thing to come to the state of Iowa — that we as a group ought rejoice, with no suspicions, with full knowledge, with defendability when we go back home and we’re asked, ‘why are you giving away a billion and a half of my tax earnings,” Bisignano said. “… I would love to embrace a job creation, of 1,700 jobs with good wages and good benefits that’s going to help a small community that’s been struggling. Who wouldn’t? … Again, we failed. We failed to be transparent with the public, and so they also could rejoice in something like this coming to the state of Iowa.” Timing of special session, budget impacts questioned Bisignano also questioned the timing of the special session, which came just shy of a month before the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. Iowa is situated to play a key role in deciding control of Congress with several competitive U.S. House races, in addition to contentious elections for U.S. Senate and Iowa governor. This is a major change from previous recent elections where Republicans saw decisive victories. Heading into the midterms, all members of Iowa’s federal delegation are Republicans, and there are GOP majorities in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature. There were also questions about the Trump administration’s presentation of the steel mill plan. At the White House announcement, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said, “I think this deal is done” when a reporter asked if the project was contingent on approval of state or local tax breaks. Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines asked Durham “why are we here and putting more of their taxpayer dollars on the line” if the deal was finalized. “Senator, I was surprised by that comment as well, because this is not a done deal,” Durham said. “As we said, you have to pass legislation. It still has to go through the final negotiation. So, I don’t know why that that was stated. I can’t speak to that.” Nordman said he believed the comments made in the Oval Office were “more about the Minnesota mine rather than the plant itself.” While the measure was approved by both the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, the two chambers had differing views of the bill. The House committee approved the measure with bipartisan support — a 20-5 vote — while the Senate committee only narrowly passed the measure with a 10-8 vote as all Democrats, alongside Dawson and Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, voted against the measure. The majority approval from Senate Ways and Means only came after two Senate Republicans — Sens. Jeff Taylor and Dawn Driscoll — were replaced on the committee by Sens. Tim Kraayenbrink and Dan Zumbach, who voted in favor of the bill. Taylor voted against the the measure on the Senate floor. When the Iowa Senate debated the measure, Senate Democrats introduced two amendments calling for certain protections for labor unions and organizations to be codified in the legislation. Both proposals failed. Schultz said during debate he was voting against the legislation, saying, “I’m worried about paying for it, I’m worried about our budget, I am worried about the the situation we’ll find ourselves in in January.” He said the Republican trifecta at the Iowa Legislature chose to the state income tax in previous sessions with the understanding “that the key to tax cuts is controlling spending.” “As we go through, and I look back on my years in the legislature, for all of this time, tax credits have been counted against revenue as an expenditure,” Schultz said. “As we authorized additional tax credits, they were against the tax plan, as I see it, and puts us in a difficult situation where we are spending — in advance — revenue.” Iowa Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, said the package amounts to a cost of roughly $3,000 per household. “What I do want Iowans to know is this: Today is not a ribbon cutting,” Jacoby said. “… We do not have men and women in hard hats and carrying lunch buckets, ready to go to work. This truly is a concept plan right now, a concept plan with many questions. … But sadly, this is a concept that is sorely needed in our great state of Iowa.” Jacoby said he was voting in support of the bill with the hope that “this plan is real.” The measure goes to Reynolds, who announced she planned to sign the bill Friday night. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch

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