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

Wednesday, July 1st, 2026
	July is here and expect more of the same June temperatures, overall, were slightly below average. However, temperatures since Sunday have been above average and that will continue. Here's are some stats for July. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	"Extreme Heat Warning" remains in effect Hot and humid weather is still in the forecast through the Fourth of July weekend. An "Extreme Heat Warning" remains in place through tonight north and Thursday night for the rest of us. Shower and storm chances go up starting Thursday and we'll see a daily chance into early next week. Here's your full 7-day [...]
	Muscatine coalition helping displaced residents move out of evacuated apartments Coalition leaders say they are still looking for volunteers to assist on Wednesday afternoon, July 1.
	OSF Healthcare Foundation names new president Jacque Schweighart, M.Ed., has accepted the position of chief development officer and president of OSF HealthCare Foundation. Schweighart will be accountable for defining and driving a unified philanthropic strategy that aligns donor priorities with the Mission of OSF HealthCare and strategic focus areas. She will lead an integrated fundraising enterprise across all giving channels, [...]
	Everyday People: In Davenport, sisters offer lemonade, beaded animals and a euphonium Ahrianna and Jayla Fuller have a lemonade stand on West Third Street in Davenport and they are learning the in and outs of business.
	Meet the new Pleasant Valley School District superintendent Coming from the Ankeny School District, new Pleasant Valley Superintendent Darin Haack began his tenure on Wednesday morning.
	Muscatine residents and small businesses adapt amid Second Street demolition project Candy Fuegen owns several businesses in the 200 block of East Second Street in downtown Muscatine. She’s adapting after multiple buildings in the block were found to be unsafe.
	Bix This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Thoreau was only one of many Americans who favored experience as the best teacher. "Who would know knives better," he…
	Greetings from London, where Banksy's flag man is a warning cry As he marches on, his flag blows back into his face, leaving him unaware he is only a step away from a perilous fall. As usual with Banksy's art, the statue presents a sharp critique of society.
	Months after he sent a harsh email to ICE, agents tracked him to his home and a hotel Federal agents went to a Rochester man's home to warn him that an email he sent five months ago could be an illegal threat. He was on vacation but another agent found his hotel hundreds of miles away.
	World Cup's knockout rounds collide with a massive heat wave A major heat wave is affecting much of the eastern half of the United States this week, bringing dangerous conditions to multiple World Cup matches.
	The majority of Americans are proud but worry about direction of the country As the U.S. approaches its 250th birthday, Americans reflect on the state of the nation in the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll.
	5 safety tips to keep you out of the emergency room this summer Experts share guidance on how to prevent common summertime health risks, such as drowning, fire accidents and heat exhaustion.
	A federal law bans late voter roll purges. Republicans are pushing to reinterpret it There's a ban on most states systematically purging voter rolls within 90 days before Election Day. Republicans are pushing courts to reinterpret that longstanding protection for eligible voters.
	Extreme Heat Warning until THU 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning: High Heat Index Values Through Thursday Night
	Serena Williams 'enjoyed the moment' despite 3-set loss at Wimbledon Serena Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6) 6-3 by 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia in her first professional singles match in nearly four years in the opening round of Wimbledon.
	Ford recalls over 741,000 vehicles over park system issue: NHTSA Ford is recalling more than 741,000 vehicles because of a park system issue that could cause unintended movement and rolling away, federal regulators announced.
	Mexico ends a 40-year knockout drought, beats Ecuador to advance in World Cup Mexico lost seven consecutive times at that same stage from 1994 to 2018 and didn't advance past the group stage in 2022. Now, the 40-year wait is over.
	Win or go home: The U.S. to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup knockout game The U.S. men's team is favored in Wednesday's must-win Round of 32 match — but they haven't beaten a European team since 2021, nor won a World Cup knockout game since 2002.
Tuesday, June 30th, 2026
	From the JDC to stardom; a look back at biggest names to get started in QC Some of golf's biggest stars have gotten their careers started at the John Deere Classic as sponsor's exemptions.
	Sherrard Education Association hosts meal donation days The Sherrard Education Association is helping feed the community, one Chick-fil-A sandwich at a time.
	NJ lawmakers approve new protections for transgender and reproductive healthcare Candor Plum hugs Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul as Bill S2260 / A2218 passes the Aseemlby in Trenton on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Legislation to strengthen protections for reproductive and transgender healthcare providers and patients is poised for Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s approval following party-line votes by New Jersey lawmakers Tuesday. The state Assembly approved the Democratic-sponsored measure to create a new crime of interfering with reproductive healthcare, which under the bill includes care for people who are transgender, by a vote of 55 to 23. The Senate also approved minor changes made by the Assembly by 25 to 15. Jennifer Williams, a city council member in Trenton who is transgender, said she “could not be happier” with the outcome, given the years of advocacy by LGBTQ+ supporters. “New Jersey is a great, liberty-loving state that will remain a safe haven for those who only want to live happy, productive lives while accessing medically necessary and proven medical care,” Williams told the New Jersey Monitor after the vote. Supporters have said the protections are necessary as the Trump administration seeks to reduce access to abortion and care for gender dysphoria diagnoses, particularly among children. The administration has supported rollbacks to abortion access and has sought to withhold healthcare funding from hospitals that provide treatments to trans kids. The measure first passed the Senate in late May — also along party lines — following multiple hearings that featured passionate testimony from parents whose transgender children have struggled to get care. Many said they have been told by doctors that treatment their kids were receiving would be terminated because of political pressure on their hospital systems. “Healthcare decisions belong to patients and their providers,” bill sponsor Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (D-Essex) said in a statement. Speight said every patient should have access to care without “fear, delay, or intimidation.” Opponents of the bill said it could curb free speech and limit what anti-abortion advocates call “sidewalk counseling” of patients visiting reproductive healthcare facilities (a provision of the bill that some critics said could lead to criminal charges against journalists was removed in recent weeks). Republicans echoed those concerns and withheld their support. Assemblyman Brian Rumpf (R-Ocean) claimed New Jersey was “turning the Constitution on its head” to address what he called the “highly inflammatory” issue of healthcare for people who are transgender. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) said she supports access to healthcare for adults who are transgender, but worries the legislation does not do enough to protect children from getting treatments they may regret later in life. “The bill does not differentiate between children and adults. That’s highly problematic. Adults can make adult decisions. Children — that’s different,” Fantasia said. Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul (D) speaks outside the Statehouse in support of A2218, a bill meant to protect reproductive and transgender healthcare, on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Lauren Albrecht, senior advocacy director at Garden State Equality, an LGBTQ+ organization that advocated for the bill, said the legislation protects access to evidence-based care. Kaitlyn Wojtowicz, executive director of Planned Parenthood’s New Jersey political arm, said the measure will strengthen New Jersey’s existing protections around abortion, a critical step in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end national protections for the procedure in 2022. “This is a truly momentous day in New Jersey,” Wojtowicz said. If signed into law, it would be a fourth-degree crime to harass or harm patients and healthcare providers, staff, or volunteers or block them from entering a facility that provides reproductive care, including services for trans people. If someone is hurt during the interference, violators face ten years in prison and a fine of $150,000. It would also protect providers from extradition to other states that have chosen to criminalize their practice. “This bill isn’t about trans individuals. This bill is about human rights,” said bill sponsor Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul (D-Monmouth), “and about women getting reproductive care.” The votes in New Jersey came the same day the U.S. Supreme Court upheld bans Idaho and West Virginia created to prevent trans athletes from participating in women’s sports, a measure supporters say is needed to ensure fair competition for females. LGBTQ+ advocates said the ban is discriminatory. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of New Jersey Monitor
	July 1 is last day to donate to Birdies for Charity July 1 is the last day to donate to the John Deere Classic's Birdies for Charity. Donors can pledge a few cents for every birdie players make during the tournament. All pledges go to a local charity of the donors' choice. Charities don't pay an administrative fee and get all of the donations designated to [...]
	Parts of Spruce Hills Dr., Bettendorf, to close for holiday It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. Spruce Hills Dr. between 18th St. and Middle Rd. will close Friday, July 3 at 6:00 a.m. so the city can set up for the 4th of July festival. The closure will continue through Sunday, July 4 at noon. Access to Cumberland Square businesses will be on [...]
	Disaster proclamation for Warren County: Gov. Pritzker Gov. JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation for 11 Illinois counties in response to recent storm damage, and one of them is in the QCA. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed an EF1 tornado hit Monmouth in Warren County two weeks ago. The tornado packed 100 mile-per-hour wind while being 100 yards wide. The NWS [...]
	What birthright citizenship decision means for kids of immigrants The ruling strikes down Trump's efforts to limit the 14th Amendment rights of some U.S.-born children.
	Bettendorf discusses annexing over 400 acres of land The city and its developers have eyed the land east of Criswell Street for months now hoping to bring in more residential infrastructure.
	Freedom 250 next up for Davenport Speedway Fast cars, close finishes, and fireworks are on tap this Friday at Davenport Speedway, a news release says. The racetrack at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds will hold the Freedom 250 on Friday, July 3. The featured class will be the Karl Chevrolet Premier Late Model Tour. This will be the first time the Karl Chevrolet [...]
	John Deere Classic volunteer has been on the course for more than five decades It takes an army of volunteers to make sure the John Deere Classic “Runs like a Deere.”
	Search continues along Rock River for missing woman Authorities responded to the bridge on I-80 just after midnight on Tuesday, June 30.
	Water to be shut off in Maquoketa's Eddy Street area for 5 hours The City of Maquoketa said crews will shut the water off to make a connection to the water main at the corner of Eddy Street and Eddy Place on July 1.
	Extreme Heat Warning until THU 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning in Effect Through Thursday Evening
	Moline man sentenced to federal prison for selling drugs He pleaded guilty earlier this month to distribution of a controlled substance containing cocaine base, known as crack.
	Davenport receives State of Iowa grant to redevelop Raphael's Emporium The City of Davenport has received a $100,000 grant from the State of Iowa to support the redevelopment of Raphael’s Emporium at 628 Harrison St., a news release says The historic building in the Hilltop Campus Village dates back to 1883. The grant -supported project will stabilize and restore the vacant building for new commercial [...]
	City of Eldridge releases statement on negotiations regarding future of volunteer fire department Officials with the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company (EVFC) previously told News 8 that Eldridge's growing population has strained their volunteer model.
	Johnson, Spieth reflect on John Deere Classic ahead of 4th of July weekend Former John Deere Classic champions Zach Johnson and Jordan Spieth returned to TPC Deere Run this week, sharing their appreciation for the tournament and offering thoughts on the PGA Tour’s new two-tier structure.
	NJ Legislature OKs bill to fine some employers with workers on Medicaid New Jersey lawmakers approved a fee on companies that have at least 50 workers covered by Medicaid to raise $145 million for the state. (Photo by Dana DiFilippo/New Jersey Monitor)New Jersey will charge fees to companies that have at least 50 employees covered by Medicaid to generate $145 million annually for the state under legislation lawmakers approved and Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed Tuesday. The Democratic-sponsored measure cleared the Assembly and Senate along party lines as part of a package of budget bills that outline how New Jersey will spend $60.7 billion over the coming fiscal year, which starts Wednesday. Sherrill first pitched the concept in her budget speech in March. Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-Ocean) said under the current system, taxpayers are left to foot the full bill for Medicaid, which is expected to cost some $26 billion over the next year, with more than $7 million from New Jersey coffers. “This is called tax fairness. This is called getting the record straight,” Schnall said before Tuesday’s vote. The bill calls for big employers to pay annual fees of $325, $525, or $725 for each worker on Medicaid and for each of their family members covered by the publicly funded health insurance program. The cost of the fee depends on how many of the company’s staff are insured through Medicaid. According to a 2024 report from the state Department of Human Services, which oversees Medicaid, nearly 750 companies, nonprofits, and government offices would be subject to the fine. Medicaid claims for the 382,000 people associated with these companies cost $427 million over just three months, with $137 million from state funds. Amazon, the largest employer of Medicaid recipients at the time, had some 5,600 workers and more than 10,000 dependents on the public health plan, according to the report. Walmart had more than 10,000 workers and family members on Medicaid, while Century II Staffing had just over 9,000, the report notes. Walmart spokesperson Katrina Proffitt said the company is proud of the “affordable, robust” medical plans it offers and that New Jerseyans deserve “meaningful” solutions to rising healthcare costs. “We encourage policymakers to pursue approaches that improve access to affordable care while supporting employers that continue to invest in quality benefits, good jobs, and New Jersey’s economy,” she said in a statement to the New Jersey Monitor. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) called the bill an “ambush” on companies that won’t impact just national employers like Amazon, but also small auto repair shops, community hospitals, and civic organizations. Jennifer Spiegel, a policy analyst with progressive think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective, also took issue with the concept. While the state needs additional funds to support its Medicaid program, she said, the fee could discourage companies from hiring people on public healthcare plans. “Lawmakers should pursue broader, more equitable revenue solutions that ask profitable corporations to contribute their fair share without putting low-wage workers at risk of losing coverage,” Spiegel said in a statement. The Assembly approved the legislation 48 to 22, with 10 people not voting. The Senate approved it 22-15, with three people not voting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of New Jersey Monitor
	Amid extreme heat, owners of new snow tubing park making final touches for first winter season After six years of planning and construction, Lost Oasis is putting the finishing touches on its new snow tubing park ahead of its first full winter season.
	Nation’s first state-run long-term care insurance program about to launch in WA (Photo by Getty Images)It’s a landmark moment for the endeavor known as WA Cares, envisioned as a means to help Washington’s workforce afford long-term care and services as they age. Starting Wednesday, insurance coverage through the state-run program will begin. Dozens of applications for benefits have already rolled in. It’s been a bumpy journey since majority Democrats in the state Legislature approved its creation in 2019 over the objections of Republicans. The program has undergone much retooling due to legislative action and public debate. And, two years ago, it survived an attempt to end it through a ballot measure. Eligible individuals will be able to use their benefits to obtain services like in-home caretaking, equipment to help with getting around, medications, and meal delivery. The state will pay authorized providers from a fund in which premiums paid by an estimated 3.7 million Washington workers are deposited. “We are changing what it means to age and age with purpose and age with dignity, and more importantly, aging in the homes where people want to be, to live those lives filled with purpose and dignity,” Cathy MacCaul, advocacy director for AARP Washington, said at a news conference in Tukwila on Tuesday. MacCaul, in a separate interview, said that while it is “a really exciting milestone,” there is still more work to do. Specifically, she cited the need to clarify how family caregivers are involved, and to enlist more nursing homes, adult family homes and assisted living facilities. Meanwhile, the safety-net entitlement is viewed as a test case for the country at a time when many states are coping with rising costs of care for aging populations. “I’d be surprised if we get a few years down the road, and other states aren’t starting to follow this model,” said Gov. Bob Ferguson. “Washington is making history by being the first to launch a public solution to the long-term care crisis that forces too many people further into debt every year,” said House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, who authored the 2019 legislation. How it works WA Cares is funded with a 0.58% tax on the paychecks of workers in Washington. It amounts to just under $25 a month for those earning $50,000 a year, rising to $39 a month for those making $80,000. Collections began in July 2023. A person pays as long as they are working in the state. Deductions stop if they retire, become unemployed or leave the workforce, and resume if they return to work. Starting Wednesday, those living in Washington who qualify can begin accessing the benefit, which has a maximum benefit of $36,500, an amount that will rise over time for inflation. Eligible beneficiaries living out of state can tap into benefits starting July 1, 2030. To be eligible for the full benefit, one must contribute for 10 years, or pay in for three years within the last six from the date they apply for benefits. Near-retirees, defined as those born before 1968, who do not become eligible for the full amount, will earn a pro-rated share of 10% for each year they work. For all pathways, a person must work at least 500 hours annually for the year to count toward their eligibility for the program. In addition, a person must demonstrate a need for help with at least three activities of daily living for at least 90 days. An employee of the state Department of Social and Health Services will conduct an in-home assessment of the person’s living situation. The process of applying and learning one’s eligibility and benefit amount is anticipated to take a couple weeks. People could start applying in May and 113 applications had come in as of June 22, according to state tallies. Of those, 44 people were deemed eligible. Up to that point, nearly $1.2 million in services had been authorized. It is estimated 25,000 people will access benefits in the first year and 130,000 in the next decade, said Bea Rector, assistant secretary for the Department of Social and Health Services. Program officials believe they’ve signed up enough providers in every county for what they think will be the most sought services, such as home-delivered meals, adaptive equipment, transportation, housework, yard work, errands and in-home personal care. They’ve acknowledged they are well below their targets in areas like adult family homes, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, as well as providers of adult day services and home safety evaluations. MacCaul said one challenge is that facility operators may need to buy additional coverage to meet the state’s insurance requirement for this program. They worry they won’t be able to recoup that cost because there is no guarantee of receiving WA Cares clients, she said. A long road WA Cares was supposed to start sooner. But, from the outset, the program faced criticism for its mandatory nature and failing to make the benefits portable, so if a person moved out of state after paying into the fund, they would be able to access the benefits. As concerns multiplied, the Legislature in the 2022 session delayed the planned start by 18 months. That session, and each one since, lawmakers made changes to address concerns. A revision in 2024 addressed the portability issue, for example. Last year, lawmakers acted to allow workers who opted out of WA Cares because they had private long-term care insurance to get back in. And they opened a path for private insurers to create supplemental insurance policies for individuals with WA Cares benefits. People who rescind their exemptions from paying the tax and join the state program must do so by July 1, 2028. The strength of the program’s finances is an ongoing concern. State actuaries estimate that it is currently solvent for 75 years. It will help that voters last year amended the state constitution to allow the Washington State Investment Board to legally handle the program’s assets as it does state worker pension and retirement accounts. The WA Cares fund had a balance of over $3.3 billion at the end of 2025. There is language in the 2019 law intended to prevent those dollars from being swept toward other state spending. “My biggest concern when we worked on the legislation,” MacCaul said, “was that I could see a future where there is a struggle with a budget and there will be money in the trust fund and it will look very attractive.” Courtesy of Washington State Standard
	Medicaid changes spark legislative, provider concern (Thomas Barwick/Getty Images)Changes to Medicaid rules and the cancellation of a planned healthcare provider reimbursement increase have led to concern among both providers and patients as Montana faces a deficit in the human services division. After voting to increase Medicaid spending last session, the state is having to draw back on a planned 3% provider rate increase. Large-scale federal changes are also affecting Montanans. Last year, Congress pushed through — and President Donald Trump signed — a reconciliation bill, known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” That bill implemented new work requirements for accessing Medicaid, which all states will implement by the end of the year. There’s also a list of exceptions to who has to complete the work requirement. ‘Prepared for this transition’ Montana is moving on the new, federally-mandated work requirements six months early — to start on July 1 — which is the beginning of the state’s fiscal year. “The department is fully prepared for this transition, with trained staff, clear exemption processes, and systems ready to support members,” said Charlie Brereton, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services director, in a Tuesday press release. “We are focused on helping eligible Montanans keep their coverage while successfully meeting these new requirements.” The release from the state went on to say the requirements are “intended to promote self-sufficiency, increase workforce participation, and ensure responsible use of public resources, while preserving coverage for those who qualify.” But the changes are already impacting some across the state, including Celeste Thompson, a caregiver with SEIU 775. Thompson said Trump’s bill ended up with her having to go off of Medicaid because of the work requirements. Her husband receives disability assistance and the work requirements for Medicaid are 20 hours per week and 80 over a month. However, a spouse’s income is factored into standard disability payments, meaning if she worked more her husband could lose the disability assistance. “We need his disability to make ends meet,” Thompson said. She’s been a caregiver for nearly 25 years between two different companies, Thompson said this week, adding she’s trying to get back on Medicaid, but is unsure when that will happen. “With all this going on, state and federal, it’s frustrating, it’s frustrating all over, and I’m frustrated about it,” Thompson said. “We need to try to elect the leaders that are going to work with us instead of against us.” Looking to take action, some Montana organizations are planning Medicaid demonstrations at the capitol, including one on July 8, hosted by Catalyst Montana. The new work requirements are adding administrative hurdles, said Dillon Sarb, a senior organizer with the organization, and pointed to the fact there’s other impacts, too. “Coverage losses are a huge one that has downstream effects on how hospitals, particularly rural hospitals, will be impacted financially,” Sarb said. “I think the communication piece is certainly a part of all of this, too. People I talk with are very concerned about these new changes coming, and it’s unclear how and what they need to do to comply. That’s obviously a huge fear for folks.” ‘When there’s no new dollars’ Additionally, DPHHS has faced a massive budget shortfall that they’ve said they plan to address by canceling a 3% Medicaid provider rate increase for the coming fiscal year. In order to address the shortfall, they created a supplemental budget request and are statutorily obligated to show their own cost-saving measures. One of those measures was not increasing the provider rate approved by the legislature. DPHHS did not respond to Daily Montanan questions regarding provider rates or what benefit Montana receives by bringing on the work requirement deadline early. DPHHS has blamed the Legislature for the shortfall, saying it warned the Legislature that its budget was too conservative. Democrats last week gathered at the state Capitol to protest the cancellation of the provider rate increase and fight for access to Medicaid. Helena Rep. Mary Caferro called out Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte who she said “chooses to cut Medicaid,” which makes life “less affordable” for Montanans. In a response to MTN News, the Governor’s office said it “will not apologize” for making “hard choices” to keep Medicaid stable. The statement went on to say the Legislature failed to properly fund the department. “We slowly built our way to where we are today, with the expansion of Medicaid, with the historic investment in behavioral health, and the increase in the provider rates that began to get providers up to be competitive and be able to keep their doors open,” Caferro said. “Our priority is the people of Montana, the providers who provide the care for people who need health care, and of course, I am tired of having this conversation. I am so tired of governors getting into office and forgetting who elected them.” Some providers, including Jason Cronk at Immanuel Living in Kalispell, are also expressing concern at the state of Medicaid in Montana. Immanuel Living is a nonprofit senior living facility, something of a rarity in Montana, Cronk said. It’s given them some major advantages — namely, employees who believe in the group’s mission and stick around because of that — but the organization runs on a tight budget. They have a foundation and donors as well, which is hugely beneficial, he said. Inflation, in particular, has made things more difficult, Cronk said, and they were depending on the provider rate increase. “Most of Montana nursing homes are rural nursing homes that depend on Medicaid as their primary source of revenue, and that’s devastating when there’s no new dollars coming in July 1,” Cronk said in an interview this week. Cronk’s worry is about the other nursing home and assisted living facilities that don’t have a strong mission and operate for-profit models. It’s going to be difficult to keep those small facilities going, he said, especially as Montana continues to get older at a rate that outpaces much of the rest of the country. The state also reimburses at a lower rate compared to those that surround Montana. “They’ve really given nursing homes the lowest priority in funding for the Medicaid program,” Cronk said. “They give prisons higher priority than they give Montana nursing homes.” Courtesy of Daily Montanan
	These new laws are taking effect in Iowa July 1 July 1, the beginning of the state’s fiscal year, is the default date for new laws to be enacted, unless otherwise specified.
	Extreme heat to impact this year's John Deere Classic The John Deere Classic is one of the biggest events of the year in the Quad Cities, bringing essential tourism income to local businesses, restaurants and hotels. While it's usually hot during the tournament that takes place July 4th weekend, this year's patrons and golfers will feel extreme heat. High temperatures are expected to be [...]
	Kobach sues Kansas employee insurer Aetna for ‘misappropriating’ state funds Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, shown here answering a reporter's questions in March, filed a lawsuit June 24, 2026, accusing Aetna of using billing practices that misappropriate state funds. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed a lawsuit accusing Aetna Inc. of “misappropriating” state funds through a mechanism found to violate federal law in other court cases, an allegation the health insurer denies. Amber Smith, deputy attorney general of the Public Protection Unit, said Aetna failed in its fiduciary duty and has “chosen to misappropriate Kansas funds to pay itself.” Aetna is a third-party administrator for the State Employee Health plan, serving along with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas. The lawsuit, filed June 24 in Shawnee County District Court, alleges that Aetna used a billing process called “cross-plan offsetting” to pay itself back using state money when Aetna overpays providers in unrelated insurance plans, a news release from Kobach’s office said. The Kansas lawsuit also accuses Aetna of charging the state “hidden or obfuscated” fees for out-of-network claims using a repricing structure that’s been challenged in federal court. The lawsuit asks the courts to order Aetna to stop using practices that use state money to offset costs for other plans and that restitution be made to the state. An Aetna spokesperson denied any wrongdoing in a statement emailed to Kansas Reflector. “Aetna is committed to safeguarding the money provided by Kansas taxpayers to fund the state employee health plan. We deny these allegations and will defend ourselves vigorously,” the statement said. How federal law defines the billing practice The lawsuit focuses on cross-plan offsetting, a process other courts nationwide have said violates federal law defined in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. In a lawsuit filed about the practice, the U.S. Department of Labor described how an insurance company used cross-plan offsetting. The department said the company overpaid a healthcare provider for services received by a plan participant. Instead of trying to recoup the overpayment, the company “took the payment it admits was due to the same provider for services rendered to a different plan participant in a different plan.” The Department of Labor treats the practice as a federal law violation. In late 2023, the department settled with EmblemHealth, a New York-based healthcare company, for using the practice. The insurer agreed to stop cross-plan offsetting in Employee Retirement Income Security Act-covered health plans and to reimburse workers and families harmed by the practice, the department said in a release. Aetna and Kansas In the lawsuit, Kobach said Aetna was entrusted to determine medical claims, process provider payments and “administer the Plan fairly, lawfully, and in the best interests of plan participants.” Instead, Aetna treated those obligations as optional, the lawsuit said. “Kansas is the first state to sue Aetna for misusing state health plan dollars to benefit the health plan administrator,” Smith said in the release. “However, in other private lawsuits, courts have ruled against Aetna’s cross-plan offsetting scheme as a violation of the company’s fiduciary duty to its customers. Arizona has also sued Aetna in a far-reaching antitrust case related to its conduct for out-of-network claims.” In the lawsuit, Kobach says Aetna’s role with the State Employees Health Plan allows the company “substantial discretion” over operations, including whether claims are approved, how they are priced, what portion of billed charges is paid to providers and whether payments are later reversed or recouped. “That discretion is exercised over public assets, on behalf of public employees, under a contract that obligates Aetna to act in the interests of the Plan and its participants,” the lawsuit filing said. “It carries fiduciary weight regardless of the label the parties have given the relationship.” The Kansas Employee Health Care Commission recently chose to retain Aetna and Blue Cross as the two third-party administrators for state employees. The commission considered dropping BCBSKS because Aetna’s bid was lower but retained both companies. When asked if the commission had been aware of possible issues with Aetna’s operations or that a lawsuit would be filed, Samir Arif, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Administration, said the department doesn’t comment when a lawsuit is ongoing. Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	Local getaways gain popularity for Fourth of July If a big vacation isn’t in your plans this Fourth of July, you’re not alone. With travel costs remaining high, many families are choosing shorter trips and destinations closer to home.
	A sneak peek into July With a hot end to the month of June, we look ahead to what will be a hot start to July with temperatures maintaining the 90s. Average temperatures linger around the mid 80s for July with the hottest ever being 111 degrees in 1936. With nearly 7 inches of rain for the month of June [...]
	Temperatures on the course heat up as John Deere Classic prepares to tee off, tips to stay safe Action at the tournament gets underway on Wednesday.
	Growing scope of Oregon psilocybin program raises safety concerns, study says A woman finds psilocybin mushrooms at the base of Douglas fir trees in Columbia Park in North Portland on Nov. 10, 2023. A new study raises questions about Oregon’s program allowing the use of the psychedelic. (Photo by Lynne Terry/Oregon Capital Chronicle)Oregon’s landmark effort allowing adults older than 21 to access psilocybin has evolved beyond “strictly medical uses” and may be allowing more people to enroll in the program than is safe, according to a new study. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University published their findings in mid-June in the International Journal of Drug Policy, drawing upon 2025 data from the Oregon Health Authority. The study notes most patients in Oregon’s program come from high-income backgrounds and outside of Oregon. They found that few people had an adverse reaction to the psychedelic drug, but that a significant proportion of clients in Oregon reported using psilocybin services for general health and wellness. The other top two reasons for participation in the service last year were change in perspective and “expanded consciousness,” according to state data. Oregon is the only state in the nation to use a “supported adult use” model for psilocybin access, meaning individuals only have to be supervised by a licensed facilitator at a service center and can access the drug for their own personal reasons. But researchers warned that the program raises “several safety concerns,” particularly when individuals are seeking psilocybin for serious medical issues. David Yaden, an associate professor of psychedelic research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said the program’s “risk profile” was better than he expected, pointing to a low number of reported negative responses involving psilocybin. But he said that there is still a possibility that concerns are not being fully reported. “Some people reported seeking out psychedelic services for general well-being while others reported seeking out services to treat medical or psychiatric conditions,” he wrote in an email. “There is some ambiguity about whether the services were designed to support these kinds of medical treatment related reasons, and this is an area for further discussion and consideration on the policy level.” The findings come as Oregon is charting a four-year plan from 2025 to 2029 aiming to destigmatize the use of psilocybin “as a culturally responsive option for healing and wellness” following its decriminalization in 2020. State health officials have pointed to research showing the use of psilocybin for healing in Indigenous communities as well as addressing depression, alcohol and tobacco dependency and trauma. Psilocybin, a drug which often comes in the form of mushrooms, creates a chemical compound similar to the chemical messenger serotonin, helping to regulate functions such as mood, appetite, cognition and perception. Research has shown that it can alter the brain’s ability to both strengthen and weaken neural pathways, but there is less information available about the effects of numerous other compounds that are a part of psilocybin mushrooms. Erica Heartquist, a spokesperson for the Oregon Health Authority, noted in a statement that Oregon voters passed Oregon’s Psilocybin Services Act in November 2020 and that state law comes with its own “broad eligibility criteria” that is “not expanded by the agency.” She pointed to a fact sheet on the program, which notes that “psilocybin products consumed must be cultivated or produced by a licensed psilocybin manufacturer, tested by a licensed laboratory, and may only be provided to a client by a licensed psilocybin service center during an administration session.” The new study isn’t the only recent research conducted on Oregon’s psilocybin program. A federally-funded study announced in February by Oregon Health & Science University aims to examine the safety and effectiveness of access to psilocybin in community settings rather than highly-regulated laboratories. Todd Korthuis, a leader of that effort and co-director of the university’s Oregon Psilocybin Evaluation Nexus, said the study provides useful insight into Oregon’s program. He said his group would also be releasing their own findings in July detailing how individuals respond to psilocybin up to 72 hours after treatment, rather than on the day of receiving it. That data will allow researchers to evaluate whether more negative reactions to psilocybin occur for individuals who turn to the drug for serious issues such as trauma or depression. “I am cautiously optimistic that expanding services through state regulated programs will be a good thing, but we won’t know that for sure until we have long term data on people accessing these services,” Korthuis said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Oregon Capital Chronicle
	Montana voters seek oversight of data center construction An Amazon Web Services data center is shown situated near single-family homes. Some local and state officials across the country want to halt development of the facilities. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)Montana residents are seeking oversight of data center construction by putting voter initiatives on the ballot this year. In Yellowstone and Butte-Silver Bow counties, groups are gathering signatures for initiatives that would require approval from two-thirds of registered voters before construction or expansion of data centers. Last week, Broadview resident Kassi Solberg told the Daily Montanan that the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office had approved the citizens’ petition she submitted on behalf of the group “Yellowstone County Voices.” On Thursday, Solberg held the first training for volunteers in Billings to help collect the 16,650 valid signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot, and she said the support has already been huge. “I love to see people standing up and saying they can do this,” she told the Daily Montanan in an interview. “Whether you’re for or against data centers, you should sign this so that you can have the vote. When those companies fill out applications to put data centers here, it’s we, the people, who get to decide whether it’s the right fit.” Northwestern Energy, the state’s largest monopoly utility, has said it’s in discussion with at least 11 developers about opening data centers in Montana, but many details about these conversations are unavailable to the public. A similar grassroots initiative led by the group 406 People First in Butte-Silver Bow County would establish a new provision in municipal code to prohibit “any necessary authorization to construct or expand any data center within the city-county” without approval from voters. Sabey Corporation had previously proposed a billion-dollar data center project near Butte, but the company terminated an agreement to purchase land earlier this year. The organization announced earlier this month it had collected more than 600 signatures in its first week following approval from the county election administrator and needs 3,652 signatures by the end of August. “A local ballot initiative is the most direct way to protect our wallets, water and way of life,” said Denise Kelley, a member of 406 People First, in a statement. “We’ve watched the news and heard about real life impacts from data centers across the country causing people’s electricity bills to go through the roof and draining water supplies.” The ballot language in Butte was drafted by John Meyer, an attorney with Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, and was used as a model for the Yellowstone County initiative. Helena attorney Brian Miller, a Democratic candidate for the state’s eastern U.S. House seat, revised the language for Yellowstone County. He said in a post on social media that he made sure the definition of “data center” combined all existing definitions in state and local laws, and that it would include the Quantica data center. He also said he wanted to make sure there wasn’t a loophole for smaller data centers, to ensure companies didn’t break up projects into small pieces to avoid oversight. “This is uncharted legal water here,” Miller said. “So could this get challenged after passage? Absolutely … But these issues have to be brought up and dealt with sooner or later, so that’s just the risk you take. One battle at a time.” Data centers have increasingly become an issue political parties are getting involved in, and the state Democratic Party at its June 20 convention voted to support a two-year moratorium on data center projects as a plank of the party. *** Solberg said she first became aware of the data center issue in Yellowstone County from a post on social media, and then went to an informational meeting held at Rocky Mountain College by Quantica Infrastructure, a company seeking to build a large-scale data center on roughly 5,000 acres of land near Broadview. “I have asked a lot of questions, and I didn’t really receive any answers,” Solberg said. Quantica announced in a press release last month it had filed applications with Northwestern Energy, Montana’s monopoly utility company, to expand power generation for the data center campus, with a total of 7,235 megawatts of capacity requested through the interconnection — roughly 10 times the power load Northwestern provides for all of Montana. “Quantica will pay for the additional power capacity for the Big Sky Digital Infrastructure Campus in Montana. NorthWestern Energy’s ratepayers will not be responsible for the cost of the power. As a Billings resident, I appreciate this approach and it’s important to me that my neighbors don’t foot the bill for our project,” Charlie Baker, chief accounting officer of Quantica Infrastructure, said in a statement. The applications include “renewable and firming generation, plus battery storage,” according to the company, and The Billings Gazette has reported that plans also include building two gas-fired power plants. While energy watchdogs want to be sure residential customers won’t be paying and are pressing the Public Service Commission to exert oversight, some union and trade organizations are supportive of data center projects. Quantica recently announced an agreement with a local AFL-CIO affiliated federation – Southeastern Montana Building and Construction Trades Council — establishing a “cooperative framework focused on union-backed workforce development, apprenticeship and training pathways, and project stability for the Big Sky Campus.” But some residents, like Solberg, have a lot of questions about the data center construction and how all the new energy needs will affect local residents. She said her first course of action was to send a petition to the Yellowstone County Commissioners seeking “transparency, accountability and protection regarding data centers,” but didn’t get much of a response. Solberg said the commissioners instead sent her on a “wild goose chase,” by proposing an interim zoning ordinance that would put a moratorium on data center construction within the district. But when she submitted the signatures from adjoining landowners near the Quantica campus, she said the commissioners did not act on the issue. “That brought me to my next move with the citizens’ initiative,” Solberg said. “The people deserve to have a say. This affects them, this affects where they live. Because our elected officials and county commissioners have ignored us, we are taking that power into our own hands.” Two of the three Yellowstone County Commissioners – all Republicans – did not respond to questions from the Daily Montanan, while Commissioner Chris White said he was out of town and unable to answer questions. In a statement to MTN news, Commissioner Mike Waters, , said he appreciates “the citizens’ participation in the local initiative process and respects the effort that goes into preparing and submitting a proposal.” Questions sent to Quantica Infrastructure about the community response, concerns over power generation, and more, did not receive a response by publication time. Courtesy of Daily Montanan
	The fine print: NC’s $34M budget includes DEI cuts, ferry tolls, AI, prison funds and more The North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)Republican budget writers in the North Carolina General Assembly rolled out a 634-page spending plan Tuesday chock-full of special provisions and policy changes with limited time for review before the first planned vote on the $34 billion package. The measure includes raises for state employees and teachers first announced by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) in May, along with an agreed-upon cut in the state’s personal income tax rate from 3.99% this year to 3.49% next year. It also includes hundreds of millions for Helene relief. NC legislature releases $34B budget deal, expects votes this week Republican leaders put the proposal into a format that cannot be amended in any way. There will be no committee hearings on the measure, only the opportunity to speak on the bill on the chamber floors and vote yes or no. Legislators say that speeds up the process of completing the budget, but critics say it leaves minority lawmakers and taxpayers shut out of the conversation. “North Carolinians waited a full year for a state budget, only to see the final decisions made behind closed doors with little opportunity for public input,” said Alexandra Sirota, director of the NC Budget and Tax Center. As is always the case, the fine print of the massive bill is littered with policy provisions sought by leaders and majority-party lawmakers. This year, that includes eliminating state programs that address racial disparity after lawmakers enacted three new laws last week banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state government and public education over the governor’s vetoes. NC House Republicans override Gov. Stein’s vetoes on anti-DEI and pro-ICE bills The budget eliminates the Office of Health Equity at DHHS. The office will be absorbed into the Division of Public Health. It also abolishes the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses in the Department of Administration, eliminating 12 jobs. For more than 25 years, the office has promoted opportunities for minority businesses from across North Carolina to compete for state and local government contracts. And it shutters a mentoring program for minority male students in the N.C. Community Colleges System office. One of the largest expenses in the budget is a $1 billion allocation towards funding Medicaid, including $847 million for Medicaid rebase. There’s $1.5 million for investigating fraud, waste, and abuse within the program, heeding requests from Attorney General Jeff Jackson and DHHS Secretary Dev Sangvai. Sangvai said Tuesday morning that he had not seen the budget. “We’re going to take a look at the entire budget and then understand what’s in there,” he said. “We’re optimistic that a lot of what the department had been hoping for, that would be included in the budget, will be in there.” The budget provides $9 million for the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a program the DHHS had been fighting to revive. The Healthy Opportunities Pilot provides services in rural areas such as food, housing, and transportation to help participants improve their health. DHHS paused the program last July because the state did not have a budget and Healthy Opportunities did not have money. Other noteworthy items in the spending plan include: $650,000 for six full-time positions to staff a new Child Welfare Case Escalation Team in the Department of Health and Human Services. This was a top priority for Rep. Carla Cunningham (U-Mecklenburg) after the horrific abuse death of six-year-old Dominique Moody. $5 million in recurring funds for the School of Civic Life and Leadership to operate as a separate academic unit at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Courses will focus on the “development of democratic competencies informed by American history” and the study of the great texts of Western civilization that “form the foundation of the American republic.” UNC faculty have broadly criticized SCiLL since it was established for its lack of rigor and transparency. Nearly $49 million for Farmland Preservation, including a $2 million increase in recurring funds. It also requires the Department of Environmental Quality to participate in federal FAST-41 permitting for nuclear power plants, natural gas plants and pipeline projects. An additional $28.7 million to the General Maintenance Fund for improving statewide road maintenance. NCDOT has warned that growth is outpacing state funding for transportation needs. $25 million in federal rural healthcare stabilization funds to Martin County to reopen its shuttered Martin General hospital as a rural emergency hospital. $97 million to increase child care subsidy rates, setting a rate floor based on the 2021 Child Care Market Rate Study. Allows the Board of Transportation to establish tolls on all ferry routes. The North Carolina Ferry System serves an estimated 700,000 vehicles and over 1.5 million passengers annually. Most of North Carolina’s ferries have been in service for 25 years or more, and it’s estimated that in the next 20 years most of the fleet will reach the end of its useful life. Moves the N.C. Department of Public Safety out of its longtime downtown offices in the Archdale Building to the N.C. Education Lottery’s building near Capital Blvd. Instructs the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop a system that would eliminate physical vehicle registration cards and stickers in order to cut down on administrative costs and streamline the registration process. There’s funding for 30 more positions at the DMV, and to support new driver license offices in Wake Forest or Rolesville and Tabor City. Requires the city of Charlotte to repay NCDOT for the money the agency spent to plan the expansion of I-77 through the city – a project city leaders recently decided to abandon. Repeals the sales tax exemption on electricity for data centers, an idea that Gov. Josh Stein has endorsed, and closes a loophole for sales tax relief for hospitals that some hospitals had begun using to get around the cap on the benefit. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Statewide AI rules for public schools The budget would create a statewide framework for the use of artificial intelligence in public schools. The proposal requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop a model AI policy for schools. School districts, charter schools and laboratory schools would be required to adopt AI policies. DPI also would maintain a list of reviewed AI tools and provide guidance on AI procurement. The budget directs N.C. State University’s Friday Institute to develop AI training for educators, and teachers would be required to complete the training by June 30, 2028. The proposal goes beyond funding AI tools by establishing statewide standards for how schools use artificial intelligence. New statewide process for challenging instructional materials The budget would require every local school board to establish a community media advisory committee to review challenges to instructional and supplementary materials. The bill specifies the committee’s membership, including principals, teachers, parents and school library media coordinators. It requires the committee to hold a hearing within two weeks of a challenge and make a recommendation to the school board within two weeks after the hearing. Local school boards would have final authority over whether materials are removed, and their decisions could not be appealed. Challenges would be limited to claims that materials are obscene, inappropriate for students’ age or maturity, or, in the case of instructional materials, not aligned with the standard course of study. The proposal establishes a uniform statewide process for reviewing challenges to instructional materials amid ongoing debates over books and classroom content in North Carolina schools. State prison system kept afloat For years, the Department of Adult Correction has been short on staff and cash, even delaying payments to vendors from one fiscal year to the next just to balance its books. In the meantime, some facilities have fallen deep into disrepair. Prison officials told the General Assembly last year that the department faces a 40% vacancy rate for correctional officers and has recorded more than $1 billion in deferred maintenance for prison infrastructure. Underscoring the danger that lack of funding poses, North Carolina saw inmates overpower staff and take over Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center for hours on Monday. Though that facility is not overseen by the Department of Adult Correction, like many North Carolina correctional facilities, it too has suffered from under staff shortages and overcrowding. Tuesday’s budget gives the state prison system relief, but it is unclear whether it will be enough to address the longstanding financial woes the department has faced. The correctional system is receiving by far the largest sum of appropriations of any public safety agency in the state, receiving $2.2 billion under the budget proposal, more than half of all criminal justice spending in the state. Much of that funding is aimed at bringing correctional officer salaries in North Carolina up from bottom three in the U.S. In addition to the 3% salary increase received by most government employees, correctional officers are getting a 13% raise and probation and parole officers are getting a 6.5% raise. Factoring in all raises and benefits, an additional $155 million will be going toward staffing the Department of Adult Correction under the new budget. Millions will also go toward modernizing the state’s digital offender management system, installing security cameras in roughly 600 offender transport vehicles, and purchasing 15 body scanners for the state’s prison facilities. The budget cuts $40 million in vacant positions from the department’s budget and reappropriates it elsewhere in the program. About $13 million each will go toward addressing shortfalls in food and nutrition, pharmacy services, and general health. Another $80 million will go toward the department’s other deficits — the state prison system was forced to push roughly that sum in invoices owed last year into the current fiscal year. The budget eliminates state support for the Second Chance Initiative at Campbell University, cutting $1 million in funding for a program that seeks to educate incarcerated North Carolinians and help them reintegrate into society by equipping them for a career after prison. This comes as Republican lawmakers have hardened on programs aimed at rehabilitation over punishment, slamming them as “soft-on-crime.” Courtesy of NC Newsline
	Iowa small businesses encouraged to compete for federal defense contracts Iowa small business owners are being encouraged to compete for billions of dollars in government contracts as the federal government looks to expand its defense industrial base.
	The John Deere Classic: 56 years of professional golf in the Quad Cities The tournament now known as the John Deere Classic began in 1971 as a satellite event with a $25,000 purse at Crow Valley.
	Search continues for missing woman after deputies respond to Rock River Bridge Authorities responded to the bridge on I-80 just after midnight on Tuesday, June 30.
	Nebraska officials push for response to aging Whitehall youth center, but lawmakers have concerns State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering. July 31, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)LINCOLN — With time ticking on an aging youth treatment facility in Lincoln, some state lawmakers remain concerned about a proposed transition plan from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. The Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee held an interim study hearing Tuesday to examine long-term options for youth residing in Lincoln’s Whitehall Psychiatric Residential and Treatment Facility. State officials say the building is falling into disrepair, posing risks to the 67 staff and 15 boys currently housed there. According to State Sen. Brian Hardin of Gering, chair of the HHS Committee, Whitehall has operated for more than 30 years providing rehabilitation to male adolescents who have committed sexual violence. In 2020, the facility expanded to also serve male teens who engaged in substance abuse, with participants housed separately based on their program. Earlier this year, DHHS reported several maintenance concerns at Whitehall, noting that some are in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Kelli Schadwinkel highlighted flooding in the basement, which is regularly used for laundry and acts as shelter during severe weather. She also said the facility’s bathrooms lack proper ventilation, and found evidence of mice and cockroach infestations in the building. Hardin argued the state should be proactive in response to these concerns, wanting to avoid a situation like what happened in Geneva, when a former Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center (YRTC) location closed due to understaffing and poor conditions. “We do have what feels like a lit wick on a stick of dynamite,” Hardin said about Whitehall. “That facility’s not going to last forever.” The amount of repairs needed to keep Whitehall in operation would cost an estimated $6.3 million, according to Thomas Janousek, director of DHHS’ division of behavioral health. As a cost-saving measure, officials with DHHS and the state Department of Corrections have proposed vacating Whitehall entirely, and transitioning the participants to different YRTC locations. The plan could involve more than just Whitehall residents. Under the agencies’ proposal, youths housed across several YRTC locations and state prison facilities would switch to different locations. The plan includes moving female participants at YRTC-Hastings to YRTC-Kearney. Pattern of alleged staff sex abuse at Nebraska’s youth detention center emerges in court Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, who sits on the HHS Committee, raised concerns with this part of the plan, noting that YRTC-Kearney has a recent history of reported sexual abuse by staff. State officials have denied that the proposed transition plan is related to these reports. Janousek said he couldn’t comment on this aspect of the plan, as it doesn’t involve his division, but indicated YRTC-Kearney is just one option for where to send the girls. Several committee members mentioned that the areas of disrepair at Whitehall sound like issues that would be covered by routine maintenance, and questioned why DHHS did not act sooner. Bo Botello, chief legal officer for DHHS, said because the department doesn’t own the building, it doesn’t budget for maintenance, and said the question would be better suited for the state’s building administrator. “We are basically a tenant in their buildings,” Botello said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Brent Flachsbart, the state’s building director with the Department of Administrative Services, was invited to testify at Tuesday’s hearing, but fell ill and didn’t attend. Fredrickson had concerns with Botello’s explanation. Just because the department doesn’t own Whitehall, DHHS staff are working there daily, and he said it is incumbent on them to report maintenance issues to the building division. Though Botello said none of the youths at Whitehall can be moved until their new destinations are properly staffed and licensed, and the Legislature lacks the authority to halt the transition. DHHS spokesperson Jeff Powell confirmed no youths across YRTC locations have been moved as of Tuesday. Whitehall’s programming for youth who have engaged in sexual harm is unique in Nebraska, Janousek said, and because of this the facility has a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) license that is not held by the state’s YRTC locations. Because of this, Janousek said he would prefer to move the Whitehall boys to YRTC-Hastings, which he said is the closest to meeting PRTF requirements and would require the fewest changes. Similar to Whitehall, he said YRTC-Hastings offers a more residential and “friendly” feel, and is less prison-like than other YRTC locations. This led Fredrickson to question why the state was designing YRTC locations to be similar to prisons when the youths housed there are not inmates. Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, another member of the committee, expressed doubts that the state’s proposed transition plan was truly the only option available. He said Janousek’s testimony focused largely on “facility-driven planning,” as opposed to addressing the needs of the youth or staff. “I feel like today, all of you may be here to try to convince us, or as you … said the word ‘educate’ us, as to why your way is the best way,” Riepe said. “I’m not convinced of that.” Janousek said he is confident that Whitehall is adequately staffed to respond to the needs of the youth there, but argued that the maintenance issues do have an impact on the quality of service. “Physical safety is the foundational element of safety in the program, and I want to make sure that our youth are having the best and safest facility possible,” Janousek said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Nebraska Examiner
	Ford Transit Now Getting Employee Pricing for Businesses and Owner-Operators (BPT) - Jumpstart your business or next adventure with Ford Transit with Ford Employee Pricing now through July 6.In addition to Ford Employee Pricing, Ford Transit customers can qualify for up to $1,000 in Customer Cash.Deadline: For retail (individual) customers, visit your local Ford dealer to purchase or place a new order by July 6, 2026.For commercial and fleet customers, visit your local Ford Commercial Vehicle Center or contact Ford Pro at 1.800.34.FLEET to get started.Fast Facts: America's Best-Selling Commercial VanFord Transit is America's best-selling commercial van, offering customers excellent value and versatility, excellent payload and towing capability to meet the needs of businesses, families, and explorers across the country.Transit van posted its best sales last year since its U.S. market introduction in 2014, totaling 161,797 vans in 2025.New standard equipment includes an all-new 8-inch multi-function dashboard display, SYNC® 4 with 12-inch center display, Ford Co-Pilot360® with Active Driver-Assist Features, and a 5G modem with Wi-Fi® for up to 10 devices — all while maintaining full access to Ford Pro Telematics and Fleet Management tools.Available features include Ford Co-Pilot360® 2.0® with Remote Acceleration Limiter and Fleet Start Inhibit, and Vehicle Integration System 2.0 upfitting hardware and software.A Configuration for Every BusinessWith three roof heights, two wheelbases, three body lengths, and a choice of chassis, cargo, passenger, or cutaway variants, the 2026 Ford Transit offers configurations for virtually any vocation. The T-150 and T-250 handle delivery and small business fleets with up to 4,146 lbs. of payload. The T-350 gives trades and contractors 81.5 inches of interior cargo height with available Trade Packages for electricians, HVAC, and general contractors. The T-350 HD delivers up to 5,103 lbs. of max payload for heavy-duty fleet operations, climbing to 6,452 lbs. as a Cutaway.What's New for 2026Ford engineers have given the 2026 Ford Transit a complete digital refresh. Every model now comes standard with SYNC 4 and a 12-inch center display, an all-new 8-inch digital instrument cluster, a built-in 5G modem with unlimited Wi-Fi for up to 10 devices, keyless push-button start, and Ford Co-Pilot360 with Pre-Collision Assist, Lane-Keeping System, and front and rear parking sensors. Ford Pro Telematics Essentials is included at no cost.Available features include Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, Pro Power Onboard™ 400W, Close Assist on Mid/High Roof Vans, and Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 with Adaptive Cruise Control, 360-Degree Camera, and BLIS with Cross Traffic Alert.A Ford Connectivity Package is included for the first year, offering Wi-Fi, audio and video streaming, and Connected Navigation. Extended plans are available for purchase beyond the initial year.Two Engine ChoicesThe standard 3.5L PFDi V6 produces 275 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The available 3.5L EcoBoost V6 delivers 300 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque with towing up to 6,900 lbs. Both pair with a 10-speed automatic.The Ford Transit Passenger Van seats up to 15 with available configurations in 2, 12, and 15-passenger layouts across three roof heights. Available features like rear climate control, Close Assist on the sliding door, and Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 make it a smart choice for shuttle services, churches, schools, and crew transport.
	Evacuations in downtown Muscatine force yoga business to start over Lindsay Broders opened Energy 108 YOGA just before the pandemic hit. Just when she got back on her feet, she had to evacuate her downtown Muscatine building.
	Muscatine coalition helping displaced residents with hotels, food and move-outs The Louisa-Muscatine Disaster Coalition is still seeking volunteers to help move belongings out of evacuated downtown buildings on Wednesday, July 1.
	Downtown evacuations force Muscatine yoga business to start over again Lindsay Broders opened Energy 108 YOGA right before the pandemic hit. Just when she got back on her feet, she had to evacuate her downtown Muscatine building.
	Luke Bryan, July 10 Touring in supporting of his September release Signs, the artist's ninth studio album dating back to 2007, country-pop superstar Luke Bryan brings his national tour to Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK on July 10, the longtime American Idol judge also one of the world's best-selling singers, with more than 75 million records sold to date.
	A view from above: How to succeed on each hole at TPC Deere Run It’s a course that allows golfers of all levels to experience the challenge of a course that tests tour professionals each July.
	L.A. Guns, July 10 With their latest album Leopard Skin hailed by The Rockpit as "a hook-filled, melody-drenched delight" and "perfectly mixed and balanced from start to finish," the hard rockers and glam-metal musicians of L.A. Guns return to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on July 10, the latest recording in their career of four decades plus also lauded by CGCM Rock Radio as "a wild ride and quite possibly the most diverse album of their career."
	Mason Jennings, July 16 With his 2025 album Magnifier hailed by Music Connection Magazine as an "intensely personal" creation that "reminds everyone of the value in taking a breather to contemplate the world and reexamine our place within it," indie-folk singer/songwriter Mason Jennings headlines a July 16 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, AllMusic adding that the artist's latest is "folk-pop with an intimate feel" and "an amazingly realized work."
	Louisa-Muscatine Disaster Coalition helping residents through tornadoes, floods and more Coalition members Chris Jasper joined The Current to discuss the organization's work across multiple counties.
	Xolex, July 15 Hailed by IndiePulse Music Magazine for a repertoire that's "hard-hitting while remaining airy and light on its musical feet," the Iowa-born and Nashville-based Xolex (pronounced "X O Lex") returns to Davenport's Raccoon Motel on July 15, Iowa PBS having added that the artist "mixes pop sensibilities, soulful lyrics, and a bit of rock 'n roll behind songs that pull from personal experience to explore universal themes."
	Hembree, July 12 Touring in support of their most recent album Better Days that Kansas City Pitch said "might be the band's most collaborative one yet," the Missouri-based indie rockers of Hembree return to the Raccoon Motel on July 12, their high-energy engagement closing the week of festivities celebrating the Davenport venue's week of fifth-birthday-party revelry.
	Insomniac, July 14 Touring in support of their new recording OM MOKSHA RITAM that The Obelisk called "among the most cohesive and engagingly plotted debuts of the year," the rockers of Insomniac headline a July 14 concert at davenport's Raccoon Motel, Head-Banger Reviews adding that the band's first album is "an experience that is truly mandatory for all who consider themselves even the most casual fans of heavy psych."
	Horse Lords and Friend Less, July 13 A pair of unique indie acts share a co-headlining bill at Rock Islands Rozz-Tox on July 13, the evening boasting the talents of the Baltimore, Maryland-based Horse Lords and Jon Mueller's touring project Friend Less.
	Celebrate Davenport's Motor Row Victory Lane It'll be the Bix weekend before you know it, and an event will celebrate Davenport's Motor Row, one of the city's most storied neighborhoods. Alisha Espey and Suzon Robbins joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about Motor Row Victory Lane and the Eclectic Market. For more information, click here.
	“Songs of Hero Street with David G Smith,” July 14 With the singer/songwriter's newest album Hero Street including a titular song that appears in the lauded PBS docuseries of the same name created by the Quad Cities' Fourth Wall Films, David G Smith performs Songs from Hero Street at the Moline Public Library on July 14, the most recent recording the 12th full-length released by the popular artist who splits his time between Nashville, the Quad Cities, and touring the United States.
	Barry Cloyd: “Where Have All the Flowers Gone, the Ballad of Pete Seeger,” July 14 His repertoire boasting such classic tunes as “If I Had A Hammer," “Turn, Turn, Turn," “The Sinking of the Reuben James," and the iconic song of the title, gifted area singer/songwriter/storyteller Barry Cloyd brings his solo performance Where Have All the Flowers Gone, the Ballad of Pete Seeger to the Moline Public Library on July 14, an event guaranteed to get the audience singing along to some of America's best loved folk songs.
	Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute, July 12 Celebrating more than 20 years of thrilling crowds with spectacular renditions of “Waterloo,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and additional favorites, the tribute artists of Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute headline a July 12 outdoor concert in Bishop Hill's Village Park, their return engagement promising a mesmerizing ABBA experience for every Chiquitita, Super Trouper, Fernando, and Dancing Queen around.
	Bad Momz of Comedy, July 10 and 11 Founded by Chicago-based comic Orly KG in 2022, and utilizing a mighty showcase of hilarious comics from its growing roster of more than 80 standup who are also mothers, the Bad Momz of Comedy tour comes to Iowa and Illinois, this collection of gifted funnywomen performing at Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center on July 10 and Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on July 11.
	Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office continues search following Rock River incident Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office continues search following Rock River incident.
	Andrew Dismukes, July 12 Hailed by Texas Monthly for his edgy jokes' "blithe, understated lack of self-consciousness ... that elevate them beyond mere gross-out gags," actor, writer, and featured Saturday Night Live cast member Andrew Dismukes headlines a July 12 show at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, his film credits including the upcoming Super Troopers 3 and Call Me Brother, the latter of which earned him a Special Jury Award for Performance at the Florida Film Festival.
	Proposal to regulate cryptocurrency ATMs wins NC Senate approval Tuesday MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 12: A cryptocurrency ATM setup in a convenience store on May 12, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Prices of cryptocurrencies have experienced turbulence recently as many have seen their value drop. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)A bill to regulate North Carolina’s burgeoning cryptocurrency ATM industry was approved by the state Senate Tuesday, setting it up for a final House vote later this week. The Senate version of House Bill 920, titled the “Virtual Currency Kiosk Consumer Protection Act,” sets a lower cap than the House did on cryptocurrency ATM transaction fees, which currently run between 20% to 30%. The House had proposed a 14% cap. Senator Tom McInnis (R-Moore) changed it to 12% in a Senate Finance committee meeting Tuesday morning. When asked by Sen. Joyce Waddell (D-Mecklenburg) why the fees couldn’t be even lower, McInnis said 12% is a good compromise. Senator Tom McInnis (Photo: NCGA) “It was significantly higher in the beginning, so this has made significant inroads in bringing it down to something reasonable,” McInnis said. “We’re just trying to make it more reasonable for the consumer.” NC Newsline reached out to Coinflip, a major operator of crypto ATMs, for comment on the latest version of the proposal. Coinflip did not immediately respond to the request. Instead of regulating cryptocurrency ATMs, Sen. Gale Adcock (D-Wake) said the kiosks should be banned outright. Adcock noted that Indiana, Tennessee and Minnesota have banned cryptocurrency kiosks statewide. “I had a wonderful member of the AARP in the office right before I came over here, describing to me the harm that is done through these kiosks,” Adcock said. “I just don’t see a legitimate purpose for them at all, so my question would be, why don’t we just rip this bandaid off?” According to AARP’s website, cryptocurrency kiosks were used in scams that led to $389 million in reported losses in 2025. Adults 60 and older accounted for 86% of reported losses in cases where the victim’s age was known, according to AARP. Earlier this month, bill sponsor Rep. Neal Jackson (R-Moore) told House members North Carolina is one of the hardest-hit states for cryptocurrency scams, with more than 4,300 fraud complaints in 2025. Crypto ATM regulations move quickly through NC House with concessions to industry McInnis acknowledged that the kiosks are sometimes used to perpetuate frauds and scams. He said lower transaction fees will get the attention of kiosk companies. “We are addressing the problem you’re talking about with this bill,” McInnis said. “Is it perfect? I don’t think so, but let’s move the bill forward and work on it.” McInnis said senior citizens in his district have lost money because someone told them to take money out of the bank and convert it to Bitcoin because the “sky was falling” and the “banking system was going to fail.” Sen. Ralph Hise (Photo: NCGA) Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) defended the kiosks, saying they’re often the “only way” some residents can participate in the crypto market, although most cryptocurrencies can also be bought online. Risks are inherent with such enterprises, he said. “They’re playing them almost as a gambling kind of thing. As that crypto goes up significantly, then they have more funds,” Hise said. “The fees are a problem, but we see this issue in investing all the time.” As NC Newsline previously reported, cryptocurrency kiosks allow a user to convert currency to blockchain cryptocurrency. They’re currently unregulated in North Carolina, and they’re often used in criminal scams because cash converted to crypto can’t be traced or retrieved. H920 would subject crypto kiosk operators to the state’s Money Transmitters Act, under the oversight of the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks. It requires consumer protections like scam alert signs on kiosks, live customer service, receipts for transactions, and the ability to cancel a transaction while in progress until it’s finalized. It also allows a 30-day window for customers to claim refunds for fraudulent transactions. “We have these machines that are located strategically throughout North Carolina, in the areas that make them very susceptible to people that might not be as up to speed on knowing what they do and what they don’t do,” McInnis said. “This bill has some bars in there, and some gateways and some guidelines, and some backstops to try to help that.” Courtesy of NC Newsline
	North Dakota justices hear arguments on gender-affirming healthcare ban A crowd listens to oral arguments during a Supreme Court hearing at the North Dakota State Capitol on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Photo by Tanner Ecker/Bismarck Tribune)Attorneys challenging the state’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for minors told the North Dakota Supreme Court that the law will keep life-saving care from adolescents who need it. South Central District Court Judge Jackson Lofgren in October found that the 2023 law, which makes it a crime to prescribe puberty blockers and other treatments to adolescents, does not violate the state constitution. The plaintiff, pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Luis Casas, and his attorneys announced in February their decision to appeal Lofgren’s ruling. The North Dakota Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case Tuesday afternoon. Northeast Judicial District Judge Michael Hurly sat in for Justice Mark Friese, who recused. Casas wants the high court to find Lofgren’s analysis of the law was incorrect, and to send the case back to the district court level for further review. Tanya Pellegrini, one of the attorneys representing Casas, emphasized to justices Tuesday that the gender-affirming care ban denies North Dakotans’ right to make their own healthcare decisions. Appellant’s attorney Tanya Pellegrini looks over notes during a Supreme Court hearing at the North Dakota State Capitol on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Photo by Tanner Ecker/Bismarck Tribune) Pellegrini said that the high court has recognized this right in previous rulings. As one example, she pointed to the court’s 2023 finding that women have a constitutional right to obtain an abortion to preserve their life and health. She noted that one of Casas’ patients testified in court last year that gender-affirming care saved her life. Pellegrini also referenced Casas’ testimony last year that one of his patients attempted suicide because the healthcare ban had prevented them from receiving treatment. Pellegrini called it “completely unprecedented” for North Dakota lawmakers “to single out a population from being able to receive medical care, categorically ban their medical treatment, and override parental consent.” She said the law is a form of sex discrimination because it bars minors with gender dysphoria from accessing necessary medical treatments that are otherwise available to kids to treat other medical conditions. She said Lofgren was wrong not to make this finding, and that this led to an incorrect conclusion that the law is constitutional. North Dakota Solicitor General Philip Axt on Tuesday asked the court to uphold Lofgren’s ruling, arguing that the state has an interest in regulating the medical field to protect minors. North Dakota Solicitor General Philip Axt looks over notes during a Supreme Court hearing at the North Dakota State Capitol on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Photo by Tanner Ecker/Bismarck Tribune) Axt doubled down on the state’s position that the science behind gender-affirming care is unsettled and therefore the Legislature had a reasonable basis for adopting the law. He noted that other-Republican led state courts have made similar conclusions. He also disputed the plaintiff’s argument that access to this care is constitutionally protected. “There’s no way to conclude the people of North Dakota in 1889 would have understood our constitution as creating a right to perform these procedures on children,” Axt said. Axt characterized gender dysphoria as a mental health condition, and said that North Dakota courts have not found that North Dakotans have a right to obtain care for mental health purposes. He also said that the law does not discriminate based on sex. “No child of either gender can be subjected to these procedures for the purpose of changing their gender appearance,” he said. Lofgren’s October decision hinged in part on his conclusion that transgender people do not qualify for special legal protections, and that the gender-affirming care ban does not discriminate on the basis of sex. Unless judges find that a law affects a protected group or restricts an important right, they are generally deferential to the Legislature, experts told the North Dakota Monitor previously. In these cases, it’s much more difficult to find that a law violates the constitution. Lofgren in his October opinion frequently cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Chief Justice Lisa Fair McEvers noted during Tuesday’s hearing that Tennessee’s law, unlike North Dakota’s, does not establish a criminal penalty. She asked Axt if North Dakota lawmakers have the discretion to establish criminal penalties for any area they regulate. Axt responded that this is part of the Legislature’s job. The lawsuit was originally brought against the state of North Dakota by three families with transgender children in addition to Casas. Lofgren later dismissed the families and children from the suit, finding they did not have standing to bring it. That left Casas as the sole plaintiff. Lofgren presided over a seven-day court trial in early 2025 that included testimony from doctors, as well as two transgender teens and their parents who were initially plaintiffs in the case. Attorneys for Casas during the trial noted that the majority of leading medical associations in the U.S. have found gender-affirming care to be a safe and effective treatment for adolescents with gender dysphoria. Aside from finding Lofgren used the incorrect legal standard in analyzing the case, the North Dakota Supreme Court could also decide to uphold the district court’s decision. Or, it could find Lofgren applied the right framework but disagree with his conclusion that the law is constitutional, attorneys for Gender Justice told the North Dakota Monitor previously. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of North Dakota Monitor
	Quad City Music Guild's “The SpongeBob Musical,” July 10 through 19 A boisterous, hilarious, critically acclaimed adaptation of Nickelodeon’s long-running animated children’s sitcom SpongeBob Squarepants, The SpongeBob Musical enjoys a July 10 through 19 engagement at Moline's Prospect Park Auditorium, the show's Quad City Music Guild presentation sure to demonstrate why this family treat earned 12 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, and why the New York Times deemed it "a ginormous giggle of a show."
	Davenport police chief role fielded finalists from Minnesota, Georgia Davenport Police Chief Greg Behning was selected from among three finalists certified by the Davenport Civil Service Commission.
	Genesius Guild's The Taming of the Shrew,” July 11 through 19 One of the funniest and most presently controversial of William Shakespeare's comedies will be given a brand-new – and yet centuries-old – makeover in Genesius Guild's July 11 through 19 staging of The Taming of the Shew, director Cait Bodenbender's romantic farce that, as in the Bard's own day will find its entire cast of characters composed of male performers.
	“Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk,” July 10 through 18 With Broadway World praising the play as "a heartwarming and truly inspiring tale," author Catherine Bush's Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk makes its Quad Cities debut at Moline's Black Box Theatre July 10 through 18, Family Beautiful adding to the praise by calling the show "thoughtful without being precious, inspiring without being saccharine, and serious without forgetting to be human."
	Fourth of July sales show the American consumer is still spending, but only when the deal is right Fourth of July sales show the American consumer is still spending, but only when the deal is rightMemorial Day has come and gone, but the Fourth of July is already shaping up as the bigger test for retailers this summer. This year’s holiday carries added meaning, marking 250 years of American independence and putting fresh attention on how the country celebrates and spends.The added attention is showing up in survey data, with the National Retail Federation finding 87% of Americans plan to celebrate, and food spending alone is climbing to a record average near $94 a head.Marketing and data teams across the industry study how households move through retail holidays like this one as inflation and tighter budgets change what shoppers are willing to buy without a stronger deal. But tighter budgets do not mean Americans have stopped spending.Instead, Memorial Day made the pattern harder for retailers to ignore, with shoppers still showing up when the markdown was strong enough to justify the purchase. Now the Fourth of July is heading into the same test, only with more attention around the holiday and more households preparing to celebrate.Americans still plan to shop, but they are waiting for the right Fourth of July deal before they buy. In this article, elk Marketing digs into Fourth of July shopping trends and shows how value-conscious consumers are still spending when the deal feels right.The Fourth of July Has Become a Major Independence Day E-commerce EventBefore the Fourth of July became one of America’s biggest summer shopping holidays, it was a civic celebration built around public events and family gatherings. Many of those traditions still drive the holiday, but they now send shoppers into a longer summer buying cycle.Memorial Day opened that cycle by showing retailers that shoppers would spend when discounts felt strong enough, and the Fourth of July is now stepping in as the larger online test.Consumer buying also reaches categories retailers care about most during the summer. ConsumerAffairs reports that Fourth of July discounts often center on large appliances and outdoor gear as stores clear seasonal inventory before Labor Day promotions begin.With the 250th anniversary approaching, e-commerce activity is starting earlier and moving faster than in past summers, placing the holiday between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the middle test of summer retail demand.The American Consumer Is Still Spending, But Confidence Is WeakDespite surveys that show a grim mood, retail sales have held their ground through months of economic worry. Shoppers keep spending even as their doubts about prices and the economy grow.Mark Mathews of the National Retail Federation told Marketplace that mood and spending have shown “a complete disconnect” since the COVID-19 pandemic, with shoppers sounding worried while purchases keep moving.Neil Saunders of GlobalData explained why that divide has not broken spending yet, telling CBS News that confidence reflects people’s willingness to spend more than their ability to spend. Some economists now describe this shopper as cautious but active. They may be nervous about the future, but they are still ready to spend.Discounts Are Driving Consumer DecisionsHigh prices have turned casual buying into careful planning, with shoppers now mapping larger purchases to the Fourth of July sales calendar and waiting for prices to drop. Inflation sits at 4.2%, its highest point since early 2023. The pressure is easy to see at the grocery store.Cookout staples are part of that squeeze, with the American Farm Bureau Federation reporting that a Fourth of July cookout for 10 now costs $73.82, the highest price in a decade. And those costs are changing how shoppers prepare.A RetailMeNot survey backs up that behavior, with 35% of shoppers saying they were very likely to delay a big purchase until Memorial Day sales arrived. But reaching that point takes more than patience, since deal-seekers compare retailers, check price history, and decide what they are willing to pay before buying.Stacking those habits is exactly what Gabriele Vitke of Decodo told ConsumerAffairs shoppers should be doing, urging them to set a target price before the sale begins so preparation beats reaction.Big-Ticket Purchases Reveal Economic Pressure PointsThere is often some level of hesitation around a large home purchase, but that pause gets longer when the item in question is a refrigerator or a new sofa. Smaller purchases leave more room for impulse, but appliances and furniture usually force a household to decide whether something truly needs replacing or whether the upgrade can wait.Numerator found that 46% of shoppers surveyed in May said they were uncomfortable or very uncomfortable buying a large appliance, while Whirlpool reported in its Q1 2026 Earnings Call that replacements forced by a breakdown made up over 60% of industry demand. MarketWatch cited Circana adviser Marshal Cohen, who said heavy appliances are now “strictly need-based, not desirous or impulsive.”E-commerce and Mobile Shopping Are Reshaping Retail HolidaysThe easier shopping becomes, the more it migrates onto the phone someone is already holding. And smartphones sit at the center of that habit, acting as a storefront and checkout on the same screen.Shoppers lean on their phones to compare prices and read reviews before they decide a product is worth buying. And once that decision is made, the same screen keeps the process moving by tracking promotions and handling the final checkout, with no register required.NBC News reported that ads are also moving into generative AI tools, giving retailers another way to reach shoppers while they search for deals. Mobile alone is set to pass half of all U.S. online retail sales by 2027, according to eMarketer, and retailers now build their holiday plan around that screen.Discounts Can Encourage Strategic SpendingDiscounts do more than send shoppers hunting for the lowest price. A strong sale can turn a product someone wanted into a purchase they can defend, especially when the marked-down version feels better than the basic one.In a Q2 2025 report, Salsify and the Digital Shelf Institute found that 70% of shoppers made an unplanned online purchase after receiving a discount offer, while 62% said flash sales and other limited-time discounts drive online purchases.NBC News reported that major retailers are also offering earlier summer discounts, from home products to kitchen items, as they compete for shoppers dealing with higher prices.Retailers use that pressure to unlock demand already sitting close to the surface. The shopper may still be careful, but the right deal can make the better option feel within reach. And by Labor Day, that same shopper may expect another round of proof that the price is worth acting on.A Consumer Economy That Is Increasingly DividedThe American economy is splitting right down the middle, creating what economists often describe as a divided consumer economy. One household keeps booking trips and making discretionary purchases with little hesitation, while another waits for a promotion before spending at all, squeezed by rent and grocery bills that outrun every raise.Bank of America Institute Senior Economist David Tinsley told CNBC the spending divide between higher- and middle-income households is the largest it has been since early 2022. And retailers see that split in uneven demand, with premium brands still finding buyers while value-focused companies work harder to move every purchase.The Fourth of July puts that divide on full display, with higher-income households booking long-weekend travel for the 250th anniversary while lower- and middle-income shoppers stretch their holiday budgets through grocery sales and discount retailers.The Rise of the Value-Conscious ConsumerMemorial Day may be the start of summer, but the Fourth of July gives retailers a clearer look at how shoppers spend once the season is already underway. This year’s holiday brings more attention than usual, with the 250th anniversary pushing celebration costs higher even as shoppers stay active in the economy.Walmart’s steady double-digit online growth, as reported by PYMNTS, shows demand keeps moving, though spending is more tied to promotions and clear value than it was just a few years ago.And that puts retailers in a harder position. Discounts can move inventory and bring buyers back, but bigger markdowns can pressure profitability if shoppers begin to wait for every purchase.Once buyers start waiting, brands have to give them a stronger reason to act before the next sale arrives. And online shopping raises that bar, since shoppers can compare prices within seconds and leave when the value is not clear.Labor Day will show whether that pressure eases after Fourth of July demand cools. If shoppers continue buying at higher values later in the summer, retailers will have more room to protect margin without leaning on deeper discounts.And that possibility showed up last year, when MNTN found that Labor Day generated some of the summer’s highest average order values in 2025, even as discounts pulled back. Future retail performance will depend on whether brands can make value obvious before a discount becomes the only reason to buy.This story was produced by elk Marketing and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Blue Devil Productions' “Next to Normal,” July 10 through 12 Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the wildly acclaimed Broadway hit Next to Normal receives a Blue Devil Productions "alumni staging" at Davenport Central High School from July 10 through 12, the New York Times raving that this ecstatically praised pop/rock musical “throbs with an emotional intensity” and “is steeped in an inescapable, aching compassion for people crippled by pain.”
	“Selena,” July 15 Presented as a special event in the Quad Cities Latino Cinema Series, the musical biography and Jennifer Lopez breakout Selena enjoys a July 15 screening at Davenport venue The Last Picture House, noted film critic James Bernardinelli praising the film for "conveying the boundless energy and enthusiasm that exemplified Selena."
	“America 250: Focus on Michael & Connie Roberts with Artist Connie Roberts,” July 16 In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, Davenport's Figge Art Museum is hosting American Art talks throughout the month of July, and on Thursday the 16th, guests are invited to hear from artist Connie Roberts of the new exhibition Connie & Michael Roberts: Portrait of America, Connie noted for bridging the realms of fine art and folk art, and for tackling many subjects with sharp wit and restrained humor.
	Concerts on the Course returns to John Deere Classic for 4th year brining magic and music to fans The Concerts on the Course is relatively new to the tournament in the last couple of years.
	Meta considered buying Kalshi before developing its own prediction market app Mark Zuckerberg met with Kalshi's CEO last year about a potential deal, but talks did not move forward. Now Meta is making its own prediction market app.
	Alpha-gal syndrome red meat allergy from ticks Alpha-gal syndrome red meat allergy from ticksAlpha-gal syndrome represents one of the most unusual allergic conditions in modern medicine. A tick bite that fundamentally changes how your immune system responds to red meat, creating delayed allergic reactions that can range from mild hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis.This tick-borne condition has emerged as a growing health concern across the southeastern United States, where outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and hikers face increased risk of developing this delayed meat allergy. It has now also migrated to the Northeast and Midwest. Understanding the connection between tick exposure and red meat reactions is crucial for early recognition and proper management. Doctronic shares what people should know about alpha-gal syndrome.Key TakeawaysAlpha-gal syndrome is triggered by lone star tick bites that introduce a sugar molecule, causing mammalian meat allergies.Symptoms appear three to six hours after eating red meat, unlike immediate food allergies.The condition is most common in the southeastern and south-central United States, where lone star ticks thrive, and it has now migrated to the Northeast and Midwest.Diagnosis requires specific blood tests measuring alpha-gal IgE antibodies combined with a detailed symptom history.What Is Alpha-Gal SyndromeAlpha-gal syndrome is an allergic condition triggered by the bite of a lone star tick that fundamentally alters your immune system's response to mammalian meat. The condition gets its name from galactose-α-1,3-galactose, a complex sugar molecule naturally present in the meat and organs of mammals but completely absent in humans, apes, and Old World monkeys.When a lone star tick feeds on a mammal like deer, cattle, or other wildlife, its saliva becomes loaded with alpha-gal molecules. During subsequent feeding on humans, the tick's saliva introduces these foreign sugar molecules directly into the bloodstream. This exposure primes the immune system to recognize alpha-gal as a threat, producing specific IgE antibodies against this carbohydrate.Once sensitized, consuming red meat from mammals triggers an immune response. The body's immune system launches an attack against the alpha-gal molecules present in beef, pork, lamb, and other mammalian products. Unlike traditional food allergies that target proteins, alpha-gal syndrome uniquely targets a carbohydrate structure, making it distinct from other milk allergy reactions or protein-based food sensitivities.The condition typically affects red meat consumption while sparing poultry, fish, and other nonmammalian protein sources, allowing patients to maintain protein intake through alternative sources.When Alpha-Gal Syndrome Develops and Who's at RiskAlpha-gal syndrome shows clear geographic clustering in areas where lone star ticks thrive. The highest concentration of cases occurs throughout the southeastern and south-central United States, spanning from Texas through the Carolinas and extending north into parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. This distribution directly correlates with lone star tick habitat preferences for wooded areas with dense understory vegetation. It has now migrated to the Northeast and Midwest.Outdoor workers face an elevated risk due to regular tick exposure through their occupations. This includes forestry workers, landscapers, utility line maintenance crews, and agricultural workers who spend extended periods in tick-infested environments. Recreational outdoor enthusiasts such as hunters, hikers, campers, and nature photographers also demonstrate higher incidence rates compared to urban populations with limited outdoor exposure.Multiple tick bites can increase both sensitization risk and symptom severity over time. Research suggests that repeated exposure to lone star tick saliva may lead to progressive immune system sensitization, with some individuals developing more severe reactions after subsequent tick encounters. Adults develop the condition more frequently than children, with peak incidence occurring in middle-aged populations who have accumulated years of potential tick exposure.Climate change and expanding tick populations are gradually extending the geographic range of alpha-gal syndrome. Warming temperatures allow lone star ticks to survive in previously inhospitable regions, potentially increasing the number of at-risk populations across broader geographic areas.How Alpha-Gal Syndrome Symptoms ManifestAlpha-gal syndrome produces a distinctive delayed reaction pattern that sets it apart from immediate food allergies. Symptoms typically begin three to six hours after consuming red meat, creating a significant time gap that often makes identifying the trigger challenging. This delayed onset contrasts sharply with traditional food allergies, which usually cause reactions within minutes of exposure.Gastrointestinal symptoms often dominate the clinical picture, with patients experiencing severe abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and explosive diarrhea. The intensity of digestive symptoms can be debilitating, lasting several hours and sometimes requiring emergency medical intervention for dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.Skin manifestations range from localized hives around the mouth and throat to widespread urticaria covering large portions of the body. Many patients develop angioedema, causing swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat. Some individuals experience intense itching that can persist for hours, even after other symptoms resolve, similar to reactions seen with allergy coughing episodes.Severe cases can progress to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening systemic reaction involving respiratory distress, hypotension, and cardiovascular collapse. These severe reactions may require emergency epinephrine administration and immediate medical care. The delayed nature of these reactions makes them particularly dangerous, as individuals may be far from medical facilities when symptoms begin.Alpha-Gal Syndrome vs. Traditional Food AllergiesUnderstanding the differences between alpha-gal syndrome and conventional food allergies is crucial for proper recognition and management. These distinctions help both patients and healthcare providers identify this unique condition and implement appropriate treatment strategies. Doctronic The delayed reaction timing represents the most distinguishing feature of alpha-gal syndrome. While someone with a latex allergy might experience immediate symptoms upon contact, alpha-gal patients can consume a steak dinner and not experience reactions until the middle of the night.Traditional food allergies typically target specific protein structures found in particular foods, whereas alpha-gal syndrome affects all mammalian meat sources simultaneously. This broad reactivity means patients must avoid beef, pork, lamb, venison, and other mammalian products while typically tolerating chicken, turkey, fish, and plant-based proteins without difficulty.Diagnosis and Testing for Alpha-Gal SyndromeDiagnosing alpha-gal syndrome requires specialized testing combined with careful clinical history evaluation. The primary diagnostic tool is the alpha-gal specific IgE blood test, which measures antibody levels against the galactose-α-1,3-galactose molecule. Blood levels greater than 0.1 kU/L suggest sensitization, while levels above 2.0 kU/L strongly indicate clinically relevant alpha-gal syndrome.Healthcare providers must conduct detailed allergy histories focusing specifically on delayed reactions following mammalian meat consumption. This includes documenting the timing between meat intake and symptom onset, the specific types of meat that trigger reactions, and the severity and duration of symptoms. Many patients initially struggle to connect their symptoms with red meat consumption due to the delayed timing.Skin prick tests using alpha-gal extracts may be performed but show less reliability compared to blood testing. Some medical centers offer component-resolved diagnostics that can identify specific alpha-gal sensitization patterns, helping distinguish true alpha-gal syndrome from other food sensitivities.In uncertain cases, supervised elimination diets followed by carefully monitored oral challenges may help confirm the diagnosis. These procedures should only be performed in medical settings equipped to handle severe allergic reactions, as some patients may experience anaphylaxis during testing.Advanced telecare technology now allows many patients to consult with allergists remotely, making specialist evaluation more accessible for those in rural areas where alpha-gal syndrome is most common.Frequently Asked QuestionsCan alpha-gal syndrome be cured, or will I have it permanently?Currently, there is no cure for alpha-gal syndrome, and the condition typically persists long-term. Some patients may experience gradual reduction in sensitivity over years without additional tick bites, but complete resolution is uncommon and unpredictable.Are there any medications to prevent alpha-gal reactions?Antihistamines may reduce mild reaction severity but cannot prevent serious allergic responses. Epinephrine auto-injectors are essential for patients at risk of anaphylaxis. Allergy shots are not currently available for alpha-gal syndrome treatment.Can I eat dairy products and gelatin if I have alpha-gal syndrome?Many alpha-gal patients can tolerate dairy products, though some may react to high-fat dairy items. Gelatin derived from mammalian sources often triggers reactions and should generally be avoided by sensitive individuals.How can I prevent getting alpha-gal syndrome?Prevention focuses on avoiding tick bites through protective clothing, insect repellents containing DEET, regular tick checks after outdoor activities, and prompt tick removal within 24 hours of attachment.Will one tick bite definitely cause alpha-gal syndrome?Not everyone bitten by lone star ticks develops alpha-gal syndrome. Individual susceptibility varies, and some people require multiple tick exposures before developing sensitization, while others may never become allergic despite repeated bites.Prevention is KeyAlpha-gal syndrome represents a unique and growing health concern that transforms a simple tick bite into a life-altering food allergy. This condition highlights the complex relationship between environmental exposures and immune system responses, demonstrating how a single tick encounter can permanently change dietary tolerance. The delayed nature of reactions makes diagnosis challenging, often leading to years of unexplained symptoms before proper identification. Early recognition is crucial for preventing severe reactions and implementing appropriate dietary modifications. Prevention remains the best strategy through tick avoidance measures and prompt tick removal after outdoor activities.This story was produced by Doctronic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How many Americans own stock? The top 1% own more than the bottom 90% combined How many Americans own stock? The top 1% own more than the bottom 90% combinedRoughly 156 million U.S. adults, or 58% of the population, owned stock as of April 2026, according to Gallup — down from 62% a year earlier and the first decline since 2016.The Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making found that only 37% of adults hold stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, or mutual funds outside a retirement account, meaning most stock owners hold them through a 401(k) or individual retirement account rather than a brokerage account.And among those who do own stock in any form, ownership is extraordinarily concentrated: The wealthiest 1% hold more equity than the bottom 90% combined, according to Federal Reserve data.A similar story is told when the data is sliced by wealth level, generation, and race. The Motley Fool explored how the stock market generates wealth unevenly, with the wealthiest benefitting the most.Key Points58% of U.S. adults own stock, mostly through retirement accounts.The wealthiest 1% own more stock than the bottom 90% combined.Stock ownership varies greatly by race and generation, favoring white Americans and boomers.How Many Americans Own Stock?Gallup's April 2026 survey found that 58% of U.S. adults own stock either directly or through a mutual fund, index fund, or self-directed retirement account. That marks the first meaningful decline since 2016, when ownership stood at 52% before rebounding to 54%-55% through 2017-20. The Motley Fool The Federal Reserve's 2025 SHED breaks that ownership down further. 61% of adults hold a retirement savings account such as a 401(k), IRA, or Roth IRA. 37% hold stocks, bonds, ETFs, or mutual funds outside a retirement account.The Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances provides a longer-term view, showing rising exposure to the stock market through retirement accounts.In 2022, 58% of American families held stock in some form — through retirement accounts, mutual funds, ETFs, or direct purchases. Only 21% held stock directly, meaning individual shares purchased through a brokerage account. Total ownership has climbed steadily since the 1980s, while direct ownership has stayed essentially flat, hovering around 20% for three decades. The Motley Fool Stock Ownership by Level of WealthWhile more than half of U.S. adults own stock, most don't own much. The wealthiest 1% of Americans hold 50% of all equities, worth approximately $27.6 trillion as of Q1 2026, according to the Federal Reserve's Distribution of Financial Accounts.The top 10% by wealth hold 87% of wealth, worth roughly $48 trillion. The bottom 90% hold the remaining 13%, less than what the top 1% holds on its own.In comparison, the rest of the country has seen stock ownership dwindle. The bottom 50% of Americans by net worth own only 1% of stocks, which is worth roughly $590 billion. The Motley Fool Concentration of stock ownership is a measure of inequality and of how the richest Americans can grow wealthier faster than the rest of the country. When the S&P 500 gains 20% in a year, the top 1% captures roughly half of that gain in dollar terms. The Motley Fool Stock Ownership by GenerationConcentration in stock ownership extends across generations. Baby boomers hold 54% of all U.S. equities, worth $29.71 trillion, followed by Gen X at 22% ($12.23 trillion) and millennials at 9% ($4.94 trillion), according to the Federal Reserve's Distribution of Financial Accounts as of Q1 2026. The Motley Fool The Fed does not report separate equity figures for Gen Z in that report, but the 2025 SHED found that 36% of Gen Z hold stocks through a retirement account and 20% hold stocks outside one. Gen Z lags older generations in stock ownership through both retirement accounts and direct holdings. The Motley Fool Stock Ownership by RaceStock ownership is dramatically split along racial lines, with white Americans owning 87% of stocks having a total value of $48.1 trillion.The share of stocks owned by white Americans has gradually declined from 96.2% in 1989. But the breakdown of stock ownership by race still falls far short of reflecting the racial makeup of the U.S. population.Despite making up 12% of the U.S. population, Black Americans own only 0.7% of stocks, worth $360 billion. The percentage of Black Americans who own stocks has declined since 2012, while the value of their holdings has grown.Similarly, Hispanic Americans own 0.7% of stocks even though they make up 19% of the U.S. population. The share of stocks owned by Hispanic Americans is about the same now as it was in 1989. The Motley Fool Average Value of Stocks Held by American FamiliesEven among families who own stock, the typical position is modest. The median value of stock holdings for American families was $52,000 in 2022 — including mutual funds and retirement accounts — according to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances.For families that hold stock directly, outside of funds and retirement accounts, the median was $15,000, the lowest on record as of that survey.The $37,000 gap between total and direct holdings reflects the shift toward fund-based investing — retirement accounts and mutual funds provide more families with market exposure. Still, direct holders, who tend to be wealthier and older, hold the positions that translate most directly into wealth accumulation. The Motley Fool Why the Distribution of Stocks MattersThe data on how many people invest in the stock market shows both promising signs and serious issues.It's encouraging that 58% of American adults own stock. Younger generations are also gradually investing more. Millennials have increased their stock ownership over the last decade. Gen Z investors are learning how to invest in stocks and entering the market as well.On the other hand, it's impossible to ignore the fact that the wealthiest Americans own far more stock than 90% of the country. Stock ownership rates remain stubbornly low among Hispanic and Black households.While starting to invest may seem daunting, it's a step worth taking for the 37% of Americans who currently don't own stocks. The average stock market return is about 10% per year, so investing is a great way to save for retirement.For first-time investors, here are a few tips to help get started:Diversifying across at least 50 stocks reduces risk by avoiding concentration in a handful of companies.Index funds and low-cost ETFs provide a diversified portfolio in a single investment.Investing regularly through an individual brokerage account, a retirement account, or both compounds over time, even when the monthly amount is small.Most importantly, invest for the long haul. The Motley Fool recommends holding for at least five years, even through market volatility.FAQsWhat percentage of Americans own stocks?58% of U.S. adults own stock as of April 2026, according to Gallup's annual Economy and Personal Finance survey — down from 62% in 2025. Most do so through a retirement account rather than through direct stock purchases; only 37% hold stocks, bonds, ETFs, or mutual funds outside a retirement account, per the Federal Reserve's 2025 SHED.How much stock does the average American own?The median value of stock holdings for American families was $52,000 in 2022, including mutual funds and retirement accounts, according to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances. Families that bought stock directly had a median holding of $15,000.Do most Americans invest in the stock market?Just over half own stock in some form. The Federal Reserve's 2025 SHED found that only 37% hold investments outside a retirement account — meaning the majority of stock owners participate primarily through a workplace or individual retirement plan rather than through active investment decisions.This story was produced by The Motley Fool and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The doctor will not see you now: 1,900 seniors, disabled residents to lose Brown Health providers An exam room at Brown University Health Middletown Primary Care. (Courtesy of Brown University Health)Dr. Avishek Chatterjee is trained on how to give bad news to patients. But he’s having difficulty delivering the diagnosis, with no course of treatment, for the senior and disabled patients whose health insurance won’t cover their visits to him anymore. “Most of it is surprise, and shock, and disappointment,” said Chatterjee, a primary care doctor for Brown University Health’s North Main Street offices in Providence. “It’s hard. Right now, I am focused on trying to make sure my patients can find access.” Unable to reach agreement on reimbursement rates and other contract details, Brown University Health and United Healthcare are ending their contract for Medicare Advantage patients as of Tuesday. The decision, first announced in May, means 1,900 seniors and residents with disabilities will have to pay out of pocket to keep seeing their primary care and specialty providers, or else find new doctors. A two-month special enrollment period granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the request of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation offers a third option: to change insurance plans or providers, though this may also mean paying more, or finding a new provider anyway. “These people are really kind of screwed,” Chatterjee said, noting that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island — the other major state insurer that offers Medicare Advantage plans — has higher premiums overall. Rhode Island’s federal delegation agreed. “In a small state like Rhode Island with health care workforce shortages, this task may prove all but impossible,” they wrote in the June 5 letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS administrator. Similar breakdowns between Brown Health and United last year cut off coverage for Medicare Advantage patients for non-emergency visits at Brown Health’s five hospitals, effective July 1, 2025. But, those who stuck with United’s commercial alternative to government-run Medicare — available to people 65 and older or with disabilities or chronic conditions like kidney failure or Lou Gehrig’s disease — were still able to see their Brown Health primary care doctors, along with other specialists in dermatology, urology, radiosurgery, neurology, and more. All those providers are no longer in-network as of July 1. While the contract ends Tuesday, the CMS special enrollment period gives affected plan participants until Aug. 31 to switch insurance plans. Patients in the middle of treatment for cancer or other serious illnesses may qualify for a continuity of care determination from United Healthcare to keep seeing their Brown Health doctors even after formal coverage ends, according to information provided by both companies. A sign posted at Brown University Health’s Providence Primary Care office on North Main Street in Providence informs United Healthcare Medicare Advantage patients that Brown University Health providers are no longer in their insurance covered network as of Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Photo by Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current) FAQs and finger pointing In addition to mailed letters, email notices and doctor’s office waiting room signs, Brown Health and United each have a dedicated informational page on its website with frequently asked questions. In June, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office put up its own informational page, with links to each company’s website and information about the special enrollment period. Neronha blamed both the companies, and the healthcare system, for not prioritizing patient care. “Once again, patients are caught in the middle of a contract dispute they had no role in creating,” Neronha said in a statement. “When negotiations like this break down, the cost, literally and figuratively, is borne by older adults and people with complex medical needs who suddenly have to worry about whether they can keep seeing their doctors or afford their care.” The contract dispute reflects rising costs for insurers and healthcare providers, which are only expected to worsen as federal Medicaid restrictions take effect and more people lose insurance coverage. United Healthcare executives told investors in January that they expect to lose up to 1.4 million Medicare Advantage members nationwide in 2026, citing competition with other providers and what they viewed as inadequate federal payments for Medicare Advantage. Brown Health countered that the insurer was unwilling to agree to “fair reimbursement,” a long-held complaint among state health care providers across commercial and government insurance plans. “Brown Health was unable to reach an agreement with UnitedHealthcare for its Medicare Advantage plan because the reimbursement rates offered for physician services in Rhode Island did not adequately support the cost of providing high-quality care,” Jessica Wharton, a Brown Health spokesperson, said in an emailed response. “In addition, the plan’s authorization requirements were excessively burdensome, increased administrative costs, and created barriers to timely patient access.” Trasee Carr, a spokesperson for United Healthcare, declined to answer questions about Brown Health’s account of the contract negotiations. “Our focus at this time is providing the people we serve with continued access to the care they need through either continuity of care or helping them transition to another provider, as appropriate,” Carr said in an email Tuesday. United Healthcare under scrutiny Chatterjee also accused United Healthcare of trying to return money to shareholders, offsetting continued drops in stock prices and credit ratings amid a series of state and federal lawsuits. In May, the Massachusetts attorney general’s office sued United in a complaint that alleged $100 million in state Medicaid fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating United Healthcare for Medicare fraud, the company confirmed last year. And, a Senate Judiciary Committee report published in January found the insurer was “gaming” the Medicare Advantage system by artificially inflating testing and diagnostics to receive higher federal reimbursements. United Healthcare has denied the allegations in the Senate report and the Massachusetts AG’s lawsuit, while pledging compliance with ongoing federal probes. “I’m skeptical this product will be around for much longer,” Chatterjee said of United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plan. “I’d love to be proven wrong about that.” While not the only private provider under scrutiny for manipulating the Medicare Advantage system to increase its bottom line, United Healthcare has been targeted as a top offender, found to have spent an extra $11.6 million on inflated risk assessments across its 6.9 million plan participants nationwide in 2025, according to research by the Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research at the Brown University School of Public Health. In Rhode Island, the insurer was projected to spend an extra $47 million due to higher risk assessments of its 37,000 plan participants in 2025, or $105 more per patient, on average. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, which covers nearly twice the number of Medicare Advantage patients in the state as United, was projected to spend an extra $1 more per patient compared with traditional Medicare plan spending. Both private insurers’ Medicare Advantage plans stayed within the state’s 5.1% spending growth cap in 2024, with United Healthcare increasing annual spending 4.4%, while Blue Cross spent 3.3% more, according to a recent report by the Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner. But the pair of Medicare Advantage insurers exceeded the spending growth target the year before, with United increasing total spending from 2022 to 2023 by 14.8%. The end of the contract between Brown Health and United does not affect dual Medicare and Medicaid recipients. United Medicare Advantage plan participants whose insurance is covered through a former employer under a group plan may also continue to receive care with Brown Health physicians. Brown Health urgent care centers are also not affected, nor are physicians and hospitals in Massachusetts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Nebraska AG Hilgers approves medical cannabis regulations; Governor Pillen to review next Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, center, leads a news conference against Legislative Bill 677 that sought to help implement medical cannabis regulations in the state. About a dozen law enforcement officials joined him in standing against the legislation as it awaited full legislative debate. May 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)LINCOLN — Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers on Tuesday signed off on the constitutionality of regulations from the state Medical Cannabis Commission, a key step toward final approval. Hilgers, who has opposed the creation of the regulatory commission and questioned the legality of its existence, said in a Tuesday letter that his review “does not imply my support for or opposition to the regulations as a policy matter.” “As to constitutionality, I conclude that the medical cannabis regulations do not clearly violate the state or federal Constitutions on their face,” Hilgers said. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, seated, asks a question of Deputy Secretary of State Wayne Bena during a meeting to certify Nebraska’s May primary election. June 8, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The regulations now go to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, who will need to act by July 11 to prevent any lapse for current temporary regulations. The emergency set — the same as the more formal guidelines that Pillen will now review — expires July 15. Should Pillen sign, the more formal set of rules would take effect five days after signing. Laura Strimple, a spokesperson for Pillen, told the Nebraska Examiner: “The governor will be reviewing and taking action on these regulations in the coming days.” Regulations specifics Among requirements in the regulations are: Establishing a “Recommending Health Care Practitioner” directory and requiring patients who want to access Nebraska-licensed dispensaries to go through one of the providers. Capping cultivators at no more than 1,250 flowering plants at one time. Restricting purchases of medical cannabis to no more than 5 ounces of medical cannabis in a 30-day period, of which no more than 5 grams can be delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from the same dispensary. Delta-9 THC is the part of cannabis most associated with a “high.” Allowing no more than 12 medical cannabis dispensaries statewide, arranged by judicial district. That would mean one dispensary each in Douglas County (584,526 residents), Lancaster County (322,608 residents), Sarpy/Cass Counties (217,202 residents) and Buffalo/Hall Counties (112,979 residents), according to 2020 census data. Prohibiting the sale of smoking or vaping products and edibles of any kind. Oral tablets with a “thin layer” of flavoring to make the products swallowable would now be allowed. Cultivators, product manufacturers, transporters and dispensaries can be licensed. To date, the commission has licensed four cultivators — the maximum number allowed under the regulations — and has opened up applications for manufacturers. Commissioners on the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission during an April 13, 2026, meeting. From left, Commissioners Bud Synhorst of Lincoln, Jim Elworth of Nebraska City, Lorelle Mueting of Gretna (interim chair) and J. Michael Coffey of Omaha. All but Mueting also serve on the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Advocates have repeatedly expressed concern that the proposed regulations could hurt the program’s ultimate success. They’ve also worried that Hilgers’ opposition, and the Legislature failing to pass protections for health care providers who wish to recommend medical cannabis, could mean the in-state provider directory for recommendations sits empty. In his letter, Hilgers cautioned that the commission rules are aimed at regulating marijuana for medical use only and are currently in line with federal law. “Any medical cannabis regulations that allow access to marijuana untethered to a plausibly medical purpose without adequate patient protections are ‘medical’ in name only and may slip into a preempted recreational marijuana scheme,” Hilgers said. Feds move to reschedule marijuana The federal government, since April, classifies state-licensed medical cannabis as a Schedule III drug, down from a Schedule I drug that the rest of marijuana has been listed as for decades. Hearings begin next month on whether to reschedule all of marijuana to be Schedule III. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche signs an order downgrading medical marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. (Courtesy of U.S. Department of Justice) Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, LSD, ecstasy and peyote, are drugs the federal government has classified with a high likelihood of abuse and no currently accepted medical value. Schedule III drugs are defined as those with moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence, such as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine and testosterone. Nebraska, under Hilgers’ leadership, is challenging the government’s reclassification effort. Should the regulations change, Hilgers said that could open them up to legal uncertainty. The commission plans to add fees for future application types. Said Hilgers: “Nothing in this analysis should be interpreted as opining on whether the medical cannabis regulations would be constitutional in a future, fact-bound, as-applied challenge.” Fight continues over 2024 vote In 2024, Nebraska voters overwhelmingly legalized the possession of up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a written health care practitioner’s recommendation. Voters also approved the creation of a Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, giving regulators the exclusive regulatory power over “all phases of the possession, manufacture, distribution, delivery and dispensing of cannabis for medical purposes by registered cannabis establishments.” Hilgers cautioned that the legality of the regulatory law is still under question because of a case before the Nebraska Supreme Court involving what Hilgers says is “unprecedented levels of malfeasance” in the petition process. Attorney Daniel Gutman argues before the Nebraska Supreme Court. From left on the bench are Justices Jason Bergevin, Jonathan Papik, William Cassel (not pictured), Jeffrey Funke (chief justice), Stephanie Stacy and John Freudenberg. At right is Gage County District Judge Rick Schreiner, who is rounding out the court due to a temporary vacancy. Dec. 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) The campaign defended its work against Hilgers’ office, and a longtime marijuana opponent. And in November 2024, shortly after the election, a Lancaster County District Court judge ruled that the petitions had enough valid signatures to have been presented to voters. Opponents appealed the ruling to the Nebraska Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments Dec. 3. Now 209 days later, the high court has not yet issued an opinion. “If the Nebraska Supreme Court (or a district court on remand) concludes that the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act did not receive enough signatures to be placed on the ballot, the Act would no longer be good law, and any medical cannabis regulations promulgated under the Act would lack the requisite statutory authority,” Hilgers said. Jocelyn Brasher of Omaha, a former assistant attorney general and the 2026 Democratic nominee for attorney general, said in a statement that Hilgers “is trying to have it both ways” in getting credit for greenlighting the regulations while fighting the voter-approved laws in court. “Nebraskans deserve an attorney general who they can trust to respect the law, honor election results and serve the people,” Brasher said in a statement. Advocates continue to push back Hilgers’ letter also references a current quirk in federal law for Nebraska: Since 2014, Congress has consistently prevented federal dollars from being used to interfere with state medical cannabis programs. Today, 47 states are protected, but not Nebraska. Nebraska advocates for medical cannabis have worked for more than 12 years, and continue to wait, for a safe, regulated system in Nebraska, after winning voter approval in November. Pictured are many longtime advocates for the effort. (Photos courtesy of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana) It is because of that federal rider limited to medical cannabis that Hilgers said the state regulations are not, on their face, violative of federal law. Hilgers said he assumes Nebraska will be added but said he believes that hasn’t happened yet because the program is in its “infancy.” Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which sponsored the 2024 ballot measures, said Tuesday that Hilgers “has always and continues to obstruct what 71% of Nebraska voters approved.” “His signing of these rules and regulations today is nothing more than an election year ruse to trick Nebraskans into thinking he supports the will of the voters,” the organization said. “Nebraskans won’t fall for it.” Medical Cannabis Commission Regulations Signing Statement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Nebraska Examiner
	Olympian speaks about perseverance, growth mindset at JDC’s Executive Women's Day Olympic hurdler Sarah Wells was the keynote speaker for Executive Women's Day at the John Deere Classic on Tuesday.
	The Third Place QC asking for donations after 140 came in amid extreme heat Third Place officials said 45 people grabbed donated items during the extreme heat conditions.
	Iowa raises speed limit, effective July 1 A new law raising Iowa’s speed limit from 55 to 60 mph takes effect on July 1, even though speed limit signs in the state still need to be updated. Steven McElmeel, Assistant District Engineer for District Five for the Iowa DOT, spoke with Our Quad Cities News via Zoom to talk about the change [...]
	Birdies for Charity: assisting non-profits beyond the metro Birdies for Charity transforms golf into a do-good powerhouse, benefiting around 500 non-profits with millions of dollars year in and year out.
	Diluted pesticide spill in Lee County creek leads to fish kill The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a spill of pesticide rinsate that caused a fish kill in an unnamed creek near Houghton.
	Comings, goings: New ed commissioner named; healthcare secretary resigns Taylor Hatch, left, Ron DeSantis, center, Paul Burns, right. (Photos of agency heads via agency of the leader, and DeSantis photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)There are new executives in two key positions in the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The State Board of Education on Tuesday voted unanimously to name Paul Burns as interim education commissioner. Burns’ appointment comes as Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas leaves Tallahassee and the governor’s inner circle to take a job next week as president of Polk State College. Additionally, DeSantis Chief of Staff Jason Weida on Tuesday announced Department of Children and Families Secretary Taylor Hatch’s departure when he posted a comment on X wishing her well in her career. The governor’s office has not responded to Phoenix’s questions about Hatch’s last day or who will head the mammoth agency in her wake. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Goodbye, hello The departures in the agencies come as the governor enters his last six months in office before being term limited out. Board of Education Chair Ryan Petty said the appointment of Burns is temporary. Burns has been senior chancellor for nearly two years and has been with the department since 2018. “He has led on nearly every initiative of this administration, diligently serving side-by-side with senior leadership to keep the mission of the department in focus and keeping students first,” Petty said. No other members of the board commented during the telephone meeting. In a news release from the department, Burns said he is “grateful to the Board for the trust placed in me to continue the mission of prioritizing student achievement and school safety.” “For the past eight years, Dr. Burns has played a central role in implementing and advancing Florida’s education agenda,” Kamoutsas said in the news release. “The Board made a strong and thoughtful decision in selecting him as interim commissioner. He knows this department, understands what it takes to deliver results, and I am confident he will continue building on the progress we’ve made.” In addition to saying Burns has “fought tirelessly for parental rights and protecting children, never losing focus through some public and contentious fights,” the department credited Burns with being involved in developing the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking progress monitoring tests and teacher preparation programs. Hatch’s departure Weida’s comment about Hatch’s departure came in response to a late-morning post Hatch made on X regarding the 2026-27 budget the governor signed Monday and how it makes “investments” that “protect the vulnerable, support families earlier, and deliver accountable data-informed services that help more Floridians achieve self sufficiency and prosperity.”
	North Scott Press — July 1, 2026
	Talks between Eldridge Fire Department and city go up in flames Eldridge city officials and volunteer firefighters have spent over a year trying to figure out the future of the town’s small and overworked department. Would the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company hire a full-time chief? Would it remain an independent nonprofit? How much city money would it need to operate? City officials say an agreement was close in April. But after two months of internal discussions, the department voted last month to remain independent, and request a $766,516 contribution from city taxpayers. A string of posts on the department’s Facebook page have argued that city officials will jeopardize the future of fire service in Eldridge if they don’t approve the budget request by July 15. The $766K sum is more than double the allottment in this year’s city budget —already the highest sum on record. Fire Chief Keith Schneckloth says the sum is needed to hire full-time staff and maintain and replace capital equipment. City officials say a crisis once attributed to volunteer “burnout” has turned into a demand for cash the city simply doesn't have. They have also pointed out that Schneckloth was fired from his role as city mechanic last year for alleged misuse of city funds, which a state judge ruled “substantial” misconduct. Schneckloth has denied wrongdoing. City officials said Monday they would continue to negotiate “in good faith,” but the department said negotiations were exhausted, and their ask firm. Read more throughout this week’s North Scott Press.
	Extreme Heat Warning until THU 10:00 PM CDT Extreme Heat Warning: High Heat and Humidity Until Thursday Evening
	Celebrate July 4 Saturday Communities across the Quad Cities are gearing up to celebrate the nation’s 250th year of life, liberty and happiness July 4. Here’s how to join in on the fun. Davenport The Red White and Boom fireworks show will kick off at 9:30 p.m. on July 3, with a large display shot from two barges on the Mississippi River. A musical broadcast on 97X will accompany the show. The event’s webpage lists the best viewing locations as Modern Woodmen and LeClaire Park in Davenport. Bettendorf Greg Adamson, recently retired after 50 years of city service, will lead Bettendorf’s annual July 4 parade on a loop from State Street to Grant Street at 10 a.m., concluding near the starting line again on State Street. From noon to 10 p.m. in Cumberland Square, the city’s annual festival will feature inflatables, water slides, a petting zoo and a small train. A line of food and craft vendors will attend. The Bettendorf City Council will hand out free popsicles during the event. At dusk, the city’s annual fireworks display will begin above Middle Park. LeClaire LeClaire begins its celebrations on July 3, with the band Black Velvet performing at Green Tree Brewery from 6-9 p.m. The band promises to bring classic hits, rock anthems, 80’s pop and more. Mississippi River Distilling Company will host live music from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Kaiden Leezer will perform while the distillery serves up handcrafted patio cocktails. A food truck will offer dinner. Freedomfest begins at 6 p.m. on July 4 at Green Gables II marina in LeClaire, featuring music from Shooter Midwest Touring Band. Food will be provided by food truck vendor Doggy Fresh. Park View Park View’s annual fireworks show will begin at dusk on July 4 at Meadowbrook Park. Happy Hippie Creations will sell food and energy drinks. The park will sell glowsticks and have a bounce house set up. DeWitt Lineup will begin at 8 a.m. inside of Clinton County Fairgrounds for the city’s annual Independence Day parade. Participants of the parade will have the opportunity to win prizes in several categories, such as best theme, most patriotic, best representation of DeWitt and more. The parade will depart the Clinton County Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. on a loop through the heart of the town: down 10th Street, 6th Avenue, 7th Street, 4th Avenue and 8th Street before concluding back at the fairgrounds. Grand Mound Grand Mound’s annual Water Parade will begin at 2 p.m. on July 4. Unlike a traditional parade, this one has an emphasis on soaking your friends and family with water balloons, hoses, and super soakers. At dusk, the fireworks show will begin, organized by the Clinton County Fireworks Association. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and coolers to Grand Mound Ball Park, though they are not required. Durant In Durant, the Tri-County Community Club will host an ice cream social at the Durant High School football field from 7-9 p.m. The Tri-County Band will give a performance during the event. At dusk, Durant’s community fireworks show, hosted by the Durant Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the businesses and residents begins. There is a rain date of July 5. West Liberty The West Liberty Heritage Foundation will hold a West Liberty 250 event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 4. The foundation will organize performances by historical reenactors and hands-on historical activities such as making your own jump rope. Letters will be collected for a community time capsule. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Residents are encouraged to bring lawn chairs with them, though not required. Muscatine Muscatine will have several events spanning the Fourth of July, starting at 8 a.m. with Red White & Ball, a three-versus-three youth basketball tournament. The tournament will be held on the Muscatine Riverfront courts, and is open to boys and girls in third through eighth grade. Registration is available online at Red White & Ball’s website. The annual community parade begins in downtown Muscatine at 4 p.m. The parade will line up on Iowa Avenue from Iowa Field to 4th Street, then travel along Iowa Avenue to 2nd Street, up 2nd to Walnut, continue on 5th Street, and conclude at Cedar Street. Residents are advised to expect increased traffic in the area starting at 2 p.m. The annual Almost Fireworks Fest will be held at the Muscatine Riverfront, starting at 5 p.m. Guests can enjoy live music, food vendors, a beverage tent, bounce houses and more in the hours before the later fireworks show. A reading of the Declaration of Independence will commence at 8 p.m. at Pearl City Station on the Muscatine Riverfront. A message from Muscatine Mayor Brad Bark will follow. The Muscatine Symphony Orchestra’s annual Independence Day performance begins at 8:20 p.m. At 9:30 p.m, a spectacular fireworks and bridge light show begins. Guests are invited to tune into MC 93 FM to hear a special music compilation synced up to the fireworks and lights. Speakers will be set up around the Riverfront. Buffalo Buffalo Days will be held July 3-5. From 5-11 p.m. on July 3 and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4, an assortment of rides, games, food vendors and craft vendors will occupy Marietta Park. From 5-7 p.m. on July 3 and 3-6 p.m. on July 4, Double H Entertainment will provide a live DJ set. At 6 p.m. July 3, a beer mile will begin, where contestants drink a beer in between each quarter-mile lap. Following the DJ set, The Night Wranglers will take to the stage for a live music performance at 8 p.m. From 8-10 a.m. on July 4, both a car show and kids fishing tournament will take place. The car show is open to any competitor for $10, while spectating is free. Judging to pick the top 50 applicants will begin at noon. The kids tournament will take place on the riverfront near the corner of Front and Jefferson streets. At 1 p.m., 3 Door Coupe will provide live music entertainment while signups for the 3rd Annual Poker run, an event where you assemble a poker hand while riding on golf carts, lawn mowers and more, will begin. Open Swim will take to the stage at 7 p.m., rounding out the event’s live music performances. The Buffalo Fire Department will host the annual fireworks show at dusk. Sunday, July 5, will see the Buffalo Days parade line up at 11 a.m. and step off at noon.
	Independents run for board of supervisors Two independents hope to prevail over partisanship in the race for open seats on the Scott County Board of Supervisors. Brendan O’Brien and Wendy Walljasper, both of Davenport, filed to run for the board June 2. They will face three Democrats, two incumbent Republicans, and one Republican newcomer in the November contest for three open seats. “Brendan and I are doing a nontraditional campaign,” Walljasper explained. “We’re working as a team.” O’Brien, a county conservationist, and Walljasper, a therapist, have begun hosting a series of potluck “people’s assemblies” to hear directly from voters about the issues they would like to see the board of supervisors address. They held their most recent assembly at the Bettendorf Public Library Monday evening. “One of the biggest issues I see affecting our communities is lack of engagement from the public,” O’Brien said. “And we think that’s designed, because the political process freezes people out, and the two-party system especially puts people into their corners, and you only have half the population engaged in that conversation.” “At the end of the day, a representative is a representative,” Walljasper said. “Finding out what the community thinks about its issues would be my focus… I don’t want to be beholden to a party or party donor.” “When someone is paying your bills, that’s who you’re beholden to,” she added. “And I want to be obligated to only serve the residents and taxpayers of Scott County.” Walljasper said her experience working for nonprofits had taught her to think creatively within the constraints of a small budget. “I’m used to having to think creatively about how we help the most people with the money we have,” she said. O’Brien said the pair would like to see the board of supervisors lead intergovernmental efforts to address some of the region’s most pressing issues, like affordable housing and responsible development. “We really want to see more community-driven solutions,” he said. “I’ve lived in the Quad Cities almost 20 years,” Walljasper said. “I have kids here in the public schools. And I’ve worked in nonprofits on both sides of the river. I am tired of feeling like there’s nothing I can do about the problems I can see in my community.” A June 24 article in The NSP reported only six candidates in the race for the board of supervisors. O'Brien and Walljasper had filed by that date. The NSP regrets the error.

Wednesday, July 1st, 2026

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026