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

Sunday, February 8th, 2026
	QC pizza joints busy for Super Bowl Sunday Harris Pizza staff stayed busy keeping up with game-day orders.
	Galesburg home ordered to be demolished after early morning fire Galesburg fire crews responded to a house fire that was later order to be demolished due to dangerous instability.
	Overnight structure fire damages Galesburg home Fire crews responded to a house fire early Sunday in Galesburg. One resident went to the hospital, and the home was later ordered demolished due to instability.
	Before the bowl: Join KWQC’s pregame livestream ahead of Super Bowl LX The livestream will feature breaking news, TV6 Investigates, local news, weather and sports.
	From cookie drug test to expulsion: A mom’s fight to clear her child A Quad-Cities mom fights to clear her 13-year-old daughter after a cookie field test led to suspension and expulsion. Months later, an Iowa crime lab found no drugs—but the record remains.
	Crews to demolish home after fire leaves it ‘dangerously unstable’ Crews responded to a fire at 12:02 a.m. Sunday at 53 Duffield St., according to a media release.
	Iowa State Lab in Davenport Offers R&D Support to Quad Cities Manufacturers Many Quad Cities manufacturers may not realize one of the region’s most advanced research and development labs is right here at home.
	Former QCA wrestler finds new passion as official after career-ending injury Sydney Park returned to the Quad Cities this weekend for the D3 National Invite for women’s wrestling at Augustana College, but her role looked much different than she once imagined.
	Davenport native works third Super Bowl fan experience University of Dubuque student manages crowd control and monitors Vince Lombardi Trophy
	Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities prepares for Robert Burns dinner The Scottish American Society of the Quad Cities prepares beef haggis for its Robert Burns dinner.
	School briefly placed on lockdown after police chase ends nearby A sergeant was patrolling around 12:45 p.m. Friday near Route 78 in Hooppole when a black vehicle drove past at a high rate of speed.
	Crews respond to brush fire Crews came to brush fire about 11 a.m. on 155th Avenue.
	U.S. gave Ukraine and Russia June deadline to reach peace agreement, Zelenskyy says "The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer," Zelenskyy said, speaking to reporters on Friday.
	John Deere celebrates 222nd birthday with community event Attendees got a chance to go inside tractors, enjoy cookies and participate in a coloring contest for kids.
	Hand in Hand hosts 17th annual chili cook-off fundraiser The family-friendly event allowed the public to try 16 different chilis, vote on their favorite and participate in activities.
	Those clucking egg prices as of 2/6/26 Here’s this week’s egg price update. This is the USDA’s average price per dozen when delivered to the warehouse on Jan. 20, 2025, compared to where prices are now. To see the price, click on the video above. Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and [...]
	Alienation of traditional U.S. economic allies could disrupt world order It's safe to say President Donald Trump ruffled more than a few feathers during the first year of his second term in office, not only among Democrats. His international trade policy hasn't sat well with world leaders considered to be allies of the United States. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has referred to the United [...]
	Iowa GOP tough on crime plan could get expensive Illinois might let you bet on the Academy Awards, and Iowa might adopt its own three strikes law to crack down on crime. Two very different measures are being considered in the legislatures of the neighboring states. Host Jim Niedelman got into those issues with Scott County Democratic Party Chair Kay Pence and former Scott [...]
	Capparelli claims to be the true Republican in Illinois Senate race We're now down to 37 days until the Illinois primary. Early voting will start before then. We're still shining the light on the race for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate for the seat being vacated by Dick Durbin. Here's a reminder of the six Republicans on the ballot: Host Jim Niedelman gets to [...]
	32-year-old man stabbed, taken to hospital Emergency crews found that Jacob Haage, 32, of Fort Madison had been stabbed. Officials said he was taken to a local hospital.
	U.K. leader's chief of staff quits over hiring Epstein friend as U.S. ambassador British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff resigned Sunday over the furor surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to the U.S. despite his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
	Trump administration lauds plastic surgeons' statement on trans surgery for minors A patient who came to regret the top surgery she got as a teen won a $2 million malpractice suit. Then, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons clarified its position that surgery is not recommended for transgender minors.
	Crash in Rock Island At least one vehicle was towed after a crash in Rock Island on Sunday. It happened before 6 a.m. at the intersection of 30th Street and 18th Avenue. Our Quad Cities News saw multiple police cars responding to the scene and airbags deployed in the vehicle being towed. No word on any injuries from the [...]
	City of Aledo considers change in recycling services; sets public hearing The City of Aledo is weighing whether to continue using Lakeshore Recycling for waste collection after public complaints over service failures, a news release says. The city has called a public hearing for 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Mercer County Junior High Band Room. Residents are encouraged to share their feedback online or [...]
	MARK-TO-MARKET: Super Bowl betting expected to reach record level The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that Americans will legally wager a record $1.76 billion on tonight’s big game.
	BBB Tip: Scammers use impersonation, blackmail and trickery to steal As February is the month we celebrate Valentine's Day the BBB offers tips regarding the inner workings of romance scams to help potential targets avoid fraud and financial losses. In recent years BBB has seen a huge increase in reports…
	Ezra Sidran opines on Davenport, pre-1920 and post-2023, in latest book Sidran will give a talk at the German American Heritage Center on Sunday afternoon.
	Lab provides research and development opportunities for Quad-Cities manufacturers The lab offers services like industrial 3D printing that can help companies development new prototypes.
	The Fisher case: Witnesses line up against the man accused of killing Trudy Appleby Court filings detail witness statements linking Jamie Fisher to the murder of Trudy Appleby. How many people claim to have known about the crime?
	LSU to combat Louisiana brain drain with revamped honors degree program LSU’s Memorial Tower pictured on March 20, 2023. (Matthew Perschall/Louisiana Illuminator)As Louisiana bleeds educated young people to other states, LSU wants to give them a reason to stay. The LSU Honors College has historically been an add-on option for qualifying students’ existing degree paths, allowing them to take classes that typically have fewer students and more focused subject matter. But the program has struggled to retain students as they matriculate. The value of being an LSU honor graduate has not always been enough to outweigh the effort needed for the required thesis. Honors College Dean Jonathan Earle hopes to fix this with the creation of a Traditions in Critical Thought and Scholarship (TRACTS) bachelor of arts degree. The program will admit a small number of high performing students; 28 are enrolled in the first cohort and eventually 100 will be admitted annually. Though they are bound together as TRACTS students, the program is compatible with all other undergraduate degrees at LSU, giving participating students their own unique focus. As a cohort, they are provided an education comparable to a small liberal arts college but with all the perks of being at a large university, Earle said. The biggest selling point of the program comes after students graduate. The Honors College is currently lining up employers and agreements with graduate schools in the LSU System to be able to offer every single TRACTS graduate either a job in Louisiana or a placement in a graduate degree program. The goal, Earle said, is to generate buy-in from students to remain in Louisiana so they might one day become the leaders who tackle the state’s problems. “This is the premier group of students in the entire country that [we] are going to recruit into the state … They are going to not just come to the state and get an education. They’re going to start the businesses that are going to hire the students that LSU is producing,” interim Provost Troy Blanchard said in an interview. “It’s the tip of the spear,” LSU Board of Supervisors chairman Scott Ballard said. The new Honors College degree received approval from the LSU Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents in 2024 and enrolled its first class for fall 2025. Current students haven’t been promised a guaranteed job yet, though the goal of that guarantee is circulating among them, several TRACTS enrollees said in interviews. Brian Haymon, CEO of the Baton Rouge-based logistics company Loadstar, founded and chairs LSU Honors College advisory committee. He is among those spearheading the effort to line up jobs for TRACTS graduates. The first step, Haymon said, is signing up employers who are willing to take on the students as interns before they graduate. “Everyone who hears this story about the Honors College is interested, if not enthusiastic and excited, because these are the students that every organization wants,” Haymon said. “I think that’s the starting point, and we’re on that path.” “This is a very deliberate attempt to address some fundamental challenges that the state has,” Haymon said of the program. To attract students to the program, administrators are touting what they call a truly interdisciplinary education. Its course titles include “Physical Science for Citizens: Lean Systems,” “Great Conversations: Self-Discovery in Science and Literature” and “Critical Analysis – Louisiana: Where Are We Headed?” Haymon said his fellow company leaders are searching for students skilled at reading, writing and thinking critically. “We want students who come out able to reason clearly, problem solve, write and speak well, and have that classic educational background to then apply in other substantive areas, whether it be medicine, law, science,” Haymon said. The process to qualify for TRACTS starts with the application, Earle said, as students seeking admission must submit an essay on a piece of literature or art that inspires them. They must also have a 3.5 high school GPA and scored at least 30 on the ACT or 1360 on the SAT. Supporters of the TRACTS program say elements from a classical liberal arts education are as vital for science-oriented majors as they are for those studying the humanities. Irene Kaiser, a junior kinesiology major in the TRACTS program, said she believes science, technology, engineering and math students are those most in need of an interdisciplinary education. “Sometimes you get so dead set on like, I’m learning organic chemistry and genetics that I don’t remember what it’s like to be a human at some point, like, when’s the last time I actually read a book about a real experience and I had that feeling of, like, empathy and communication through collaboration,” Kaiser said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Louisiana Illuminator
	Temperance Societies This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.How many temperance societies does a town need in order to keep its German immigrants from drinking beer? That’s the…
	Thailand counts votes in early election with 3 main parties vying for power Vote counting was underway in Thailand's early general election on Sunday, seen as a three-way race among competing visions of progressive, populist and old-fashioned patronage politics.
	US ski star Lindsey Vonn crashes in Olympic downhill race In an explosive crash near the top of the downhill course in Cortina, Vonn landed a jump perpendicular to the slope and tumbled to a stop shortly below.
Saturday, February 7th, 2026
	Juvenile taken into custody after high speed chase A juvenile was taken into custody after a high speed chase. Deputies recovered a firearm and magazine.
	For many U.S. Olympic athletes, Italy feels like home turf Many spent their careers training on the mountains they'll be competing on at the Winter Games. Lindsey Vonn wanted to stage a comeback on these slopes and Jessie Diggins won her first World Cup there.
	Tudi's Tribe holds annual putt putt event raising support for children battling cancer Around 360 people participated in the indoor 18-hole event.
	Burst pipe floods Storage of America Burst pipe floods Storage of America damaging tenant items.
	Special election decides 3 seats in Louisiana Legislature; 2 need March runoffs Gov. Jeff Landry addresses the Louisiana Legislature on opening day of legislative session, Monday, April 14, 2025, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate-Pool)A special election was held Saturday in six parishes to fill five vacancies in the Louisiana Legislature, including three seats representing New Orleans. Two of the contests will be decided in a runoff next month, but the outcomes won’t alter the overall party makeup of the state house where Republicans continue to hold a super majority in both chambers. Senate District 3 The March 14 runoff in Senate District 3 will pit the son of a former New Orleans mayor against an attorney with a background in the public sector. Sidney Barthelemy II, a construction company owner, led the four-person field with 44% of the vote. That was double the share received by Kenn Barnes, a special counsel to the Louisiana Supreme Court and former public defender and city attorney. Chad Lauga, a St. Bernard Parish electrician and union lobbyist, finished third with 19%. Former state lawmaker Jon Johnson finished last in the all-Democrat field. Barthlemey and Barnes want to replace Joe Bouie, D-New Orleans, who stepped away from the Louisiana Senate to take the chancellor’s role at Southern University New Orleans. House District 37 Small business owner Reese “Skip” Broussard, a Republican from Jennings, claimed a resounding win with 67% of the vote over former Jefferson Davis Sheriff Ivy Woods, who has no party affiliation. Broussard received the endorsement of the Louisiana Republican Party and several elected leaders in his district that includes most of Jeff Davis and a sliver of Calcasieu Parish. The District 37 seat became open when Troy Romero of Jennings resigned from the legislature to become state rural development director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. House District 60 Republicans missed out on their only opportunity to gain a seat in the special election when Iberville Parish Councilwoman Chasity Verret Martinez, a Democrat, defeated Brad Daigle, a Plaquemine business owner. The district she’ll represent includes portions of Assumption and Iberville parishes. Martinez replaces another Democrat in Chad Brown, who Gov. Jeff Landry appointed last year to lead the state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Louisiana State House 60 Jungle Primary 50/50 Precincts Reporting:
	Hand-in-Hand holds 17th annual chili cook-off All proceeds from the event go towards 'Hand-in-Hand's' programs for children, families and adults.
	1 seriously injured after a single-vehicle rollover crash in Morrison Whiteside County deputies investigate a single-vehicle rollover crash in Morrison. The driver was seriously injured.
	Tessa Janecke’s first coaches reflect on training a future Olympian Tessa Janecke's first coaches reflect on seeing a 4-year-old girl grow into an Olympian for Team USA
	81-year-old airlifted after vehicle rollover in Whiteside Co. An 81-year-old is in the hospital with serious injuries after rolling a vehicle Friday afternoon in Whiteside County.
	Moline house catches on fire after vehicle hits it A truck hit a house, causing it to catch on fire early Saturday morning in Moline.
	Immigrant whose skull was broken in 8 places during ICE arrest says beating was unprovoked Alberto Castañeda Mondragón was hospitalized with eight skull fractures and five life-threatening brain hemorrhages. Officers claimed he ran into a wall, but medical staff doubted that account.
	1 seriously injured after Morrison crash The Whiteside County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a crash resulting in one person seriously injured.
	Your Super Bowl Forecast The big game is finally here this Sunday and over in San Jose where the game is taking place temperatures are ranging from the 50s to 60s with sunshine. But for all of us staying home and have Super Bowl parties, temperatures will be warming back up to the low 40s during the afternoon with [...]
	Crews respond to Whiteside County rollover crash with injuries A Morrison driver was airlifted with serious injuries following a single-vehicle rollover crash. According to a release, Whiteside County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to a single-vehicle rollover crash with injuries on February 6 at approximately 4:13 p.m. The accident happened at the intersection of Fenton Rd. and Black Rd. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a [...]
	Pentagon says it's cutting ties with 'woke' Harvard, ending military training Amid an ongoing standoff between Harvard and the White House, the Defense Department said it plans to cut ties with the Ivy League — ending military training, fellowships and certificate programs.
	'Washington Post' CEO resigns after going AWOL during massive job cuts Washington Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis has resigned just days after the newspaper announced massive layoffs.
	One week since Nancy Guthrie was last seen, here's what we know Nancy Guthrie was last seen a week ago. In the days since, investigators have launched a frantic search to return the 84-year-old home.
	Floating classroom barge returns to Beacon Harbor Living Lands & Waters brings educational programming to Mississippi River community
	Tapestry Farms bring viral "Dubai Chocolate" trend to Quad Cities Tapestry Farms is selling handmade Dubai chocolate bars made by refugee artisans, with proceeds supporting refugee families and services in the Quad Cities.
	Juvenile charged after high-speed pursuit, firearm recovered in Henry County Authorities say a juvenile faces charges after a high-speed pursuit in Henry County. Deputies recovered a firearm after items were thrown from the vehicle.
	Judge OKs release of evidence in Border Patrol shooting of Marimar Martinez Marimar Martinez, the Chicago teacher shot five times by Border Patrol agents last fall, was granted permission to release certain evidence from her case.
	Rivermont Collegiate senior named National Honor Society Scholarship winner Rivermont Collegiate senior Stella Ashdown has been named a National Honor Society (NHS) Scholarship winner at the National Semifinalist level. According to a release, Ashdown is one of nine students in Iowa to earn the distinction and the only student from the Quad Cities to be recognized as a National Semifinalist. The recognition is awarded [...]
	Saturday morning crash sparks house fire in Moline A vehicle crash sparked a house fire early Feb. 7 in Moline. Residents were displaced and one person was transported to a hospital for evaluation.
	Vehicle crash sparks house fire, displacing residents An early morning crash into a Moline home sparked a fire, displacing residents. One person was transported to a hospital for treatment.
	Mercer County fundraiser reveals a different side of homelessness 13 teams slept in their cars in the VFW parking lot in Aledo, raising money for Mercer County Better Together.
	Little Aledo, Illinois gets its cinematic closeup in a big way The small Quad Cities area town of Aledo is getting lots of attention on the silver screen, thanks to two film projects from producer Christina Shaver.
	“Violins of Hope” Opening Event, February 17 This spring, Iowa will host one of the world’s most recognized Holocaust-era cultural exhibitions as Violins of Hope launches a rare, two-month residency spanning multiple Iowa communities, an opening event for the program taking place at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center on February 17.
	Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival will be at Augustana College, Rock Island Augustana College, Rock Island, will host its annual Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival on Saturday, Feb. 21, a news release says. The event, featuring guest artists John Sampen and Mark Bunce, will be held at Bergendoff Hall, 3701 7th Ave. All events are free and open to the public. The Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival celebrates new [...]
	Moline firefighters extinguish fire early Saturday after truck crashes into home Firefighters responded to the 300 block of 23rd Avenue in Moline at about 2:46 a.m. Saturday, finding a home on fire and partially collapsed after a truck had run into it.
	Rivermont Collegiate student earns National Honor Society Scholarship recognition Rivermont Collegiate senior Stella Ashdown is a National Honor Society (NHS) Scholarship winner at the National Semifinalist level, a news release says. This prestigious recognition is awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, leadership, service, and character. Ashdown is one of only nine students in Iowa to earn this distinction and the only student [...]
	In this Icelandic drama, a couple quietly drifts apart Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason weaves scenes of quiet domestic life against the backdrop of an arresting landscape in his newest film.
	After the Fall: How Olympic figure skaters soar after stumbling on the ice Olympic figure skating is often seems to take athletes to the very edge of perfection, but even the greatest stumble and fall. How do they pull themselves together again on the biggest world stage? Toughness, poise and practice.
	QC Bicycle Club to host 'RAGRBRAI for Rookies' The Quad Cities Bicycle Club will host “RAGBRAI For Rookies” on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Eastern Avenue Branch of the Davenport Public Library, a news release says. The event, which is free and open to the public, is intended both for those planning to do the Register’s Annual Great [...]
	Art, Black History Month presentation featured at Black Hawk College, Moline The Black Hawk College ArtSpace Gallery is exhibiting “Metaphors, Mythologies, and a Bucket Full of Shadow” – photography by Randal Richmond – through Friday, Feb. 20. Everyone is invited to a closing reception from 4-5:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 with an artist talk at 4:15 p.m. The ArtSpace Gallery is on the first floor of Building 4, [...]
	Truck hits Moline home; starts fire, partial collapse One person was treated at the scene and transported to the hospital following an early-morning fire. According to a release, on February 7 at approximately 2:46 a.m., the Moline Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle crash in the 300 block of 23rd Ave. Crews were informed that a truck had struck a [...]
	They're cured of leprosy. Why do they still live in leprosy colonies? Leprosy is one of the least contagious diseases around — and perhaps one of the most misunderstood. The colonies are relics of a not-too-distant past when those diagnosed with leprosy were exiled.
	Aledo seeks public input on Lakeshore Recycling contract issues The City of Aledo seeks public input in a public hearing; weighs ending the contract with waste collection partner Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS).
	Job openings fewest since 2020: Feds The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Thursday reported the fewest job openings on the market since 2020.
	This season, 'The Pitt' is about what doesn't happen in one day The first season of The Pitt was about acute problems. The second is about chronic ones.
	Lindsey Vonn is set to ski the Olympic downhill race with a torn ACL. How? An ACL tear would keep almost any other athlete from competing -- but not Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old superstar skier who is determined to cap off an incredible comeback from retirement with one last shot at an Olympic medal.
	Legislative notebook: Idaho lawmakers vote to cut state budget, conform to ‘big, beautiful’ law The exterior of the Idaho Statehouse as seen on Jan. 14, 2026, in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) In an effort to help Idahoans follow major bills, resolutions and memorials through the legislative process, the Idaho Capital Sun will produce a “legislative notebook” at the end of each week to gather information in one place that concerns major happenings in the Legislature and other news relating to state government. To receive the full extent of our reporting in your inbox each day, sign up for our free email newsletter, The Sunrise, on our website at idahocapitalsun.com/subscribe/. Here is our quick rundown of the major happenings during the second week of the Idaho Legislature’s 2026 session. Forgive us if this is starting to sound familiar, but the state budget continued to drive major decisions by the Idaho Legislature this week – decisions that will affect state agencies and Idaho residents for years to come. On Friday, the Legislature’s budget committee voted to enact state budget cuts that will affect most state agencies, many state employees and the public’s access to government services. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted 14-6 to cut the state budget by 1% – or a $131 million reduction – for what is left of the 2026 fiscal year, and voted 13-7 to cut the state budget by 2% – or a $143 million reduction – from fiscal year 2027. That’s on top of a 3% budget holdback ordered by Gov. Brad Little last summer to deal with a projected budget deficit. That means most state agencies will be faced with total cuts equaling 5%. Some state budgets, like those for K-12 education, Idaho State Police and the Idaho Department of Correction, will not be affected by the additional 1% and 2% cuts. JFAC’s co-chairs, Sen. Scott Grow and Rep. Josh Tanner, both Republicans from Eagle, said the new cuts are necessary to make room in the budget to comply with the tax cuts President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans championed in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Grow and Tanner also said they want to make cuts to provide long-term structural balance to the state’s budget, to leave a positive year-end budget surplus and to guard against additional financial uncertainty. Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee co-chairmen Scott Grow, R-Eagle, and Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, preside over the committee’s first meeting of the legislative session on Jan. 13, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Also on Friday, the Idaho Senate voted, largely on party lines, in favor of conforming to those federal tax changes in the “big, beautiful” bill, which include things like removing taxes on a worker’s tips or removing taxes on a worker’s overtime. The tax conformity bill is something that happens annually, but this year’s process is particularly impactful because conforming to the federal tax code changes means the state will lose out on an estimated $155 million in revenue for fiscal year 2026 and $175 million for fiscal year 2027. Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, listens to proceedings during the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting on Jan. 14, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) “Republicans are pretending this is about balancing the budget. It’s not,” said Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, in a statement. “These permanent cuts are the playbook for future rollbacks of services Idahoans value, including our schools, public safety, and health care. They know they can’t openly repeal Medicaid expansion because Idahoans already decided that question. So the plan becomes death by a thousand cuts, starving it through the budget until services fail by design and families pay the price.” A number of state Senate Republicans said during floor debate on the bill that they would rather see tax cuts go to Idahoans than for the state to have the revenue. “Even though there is a cost of $155 million projected for (fiscal year 2026), there is a huge benefit to our Idaho taxpayers,” said bill sponsor Sen. Doug Ricks, R-Rexburg. The tax conformity bill, House Bill 559, now heads to the governor for consideration. The governor could sign it into law, let it become law without his signature, or veto the legislation. How will the budget cuts affect Idaho’s state agencies? The state budget cuts and less revenue for state government due to tax conformity have real implications for state services. Last week, state agencies submitted a list of potential cuts to the budget committee and described the impact those cuts would have on the state. State officials worried the cuts could lead to furloughs for state employees, could stop the development of a new family medicine obstetrics fellowship in Pocatello and could jeopardize graduate medical education programs at a time when Idaho ranks 50th in the country for the number of physicians per capita. Higher education could especially be affected by the cuts. In the list of potential cuts submitted to the Legislature by the state’s universities and colleges, education leaders said the cuts would mean the schools would have to delay or freeze hiring for future employees, furlough current employees, reduce programming and online class offerings, increase student-to-staff ratios, cut student recruitment dollars and increase tuition and fees for students. The University of Idaho, for instance, said in its plans that UI has already made “significant permanent budget reductions in prior years to right-size operations and has experienced record enrollment growth for ten straight semesters without adding employees to serve the increased number of students.” As a result, university officials wrote, “additional permanent reductions would no longer reduce discretionary capacity.” Instead, 1% and 2% permanent reductions would permanently reduce UI’S ability to: “Educate students statewide in fields critical to national security and Idaho’s economy, including mining, cybersecurity, and nuclear engineering Respond to industry workforce needs and emerging opportunities. Sustain applied research and Extension services supporting agriculture, natural resources, health care, and economic development.” “These impacts represent long-term capacity losses that cannot be quickly restored and would materially affect Idaho’s workforce, industries, and communities,” the university wrote in its cuts plan. The newly approved ongoing budget cuts totaling about 5% will be built into the fiscal year 2027 maintenance of operations budgets for state agencies and departments, which JFAC will begin working on next week. State budget analysts said JFAC will vote on maintenance budgets Feb. 13 at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. Legislation of interest during the fourth week of the 2025 session House Bill 557: Sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, the bill would prohibit Idaho cities and counties from passing anti-discrimination ordinances based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill passed the House on a 53-16 vote and now heads to the Senate State Affairs committee for further consideration. House Joint Resolution 8: Sponsored by Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, the resolution would amend the Idaho Constitution to remove the requirement that state-owned endowment lands be managed for the maximum financial return for beneficiaries. It would allow the state to manage the land for ongoing revenue generation through things like timber harvest and mining or grazing leases, followed by preserving public access for recreation, hunting, trapping and fishing. The bill received an introductory hearing on Wednesday, and could be heard by the House State Affairs Committee in the coming days or weeks of the session. House Concurrent Resolution 25: Cosponsored by Reps. John Shirts, R-Weiser, and Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, the resolution calls for a never-before-used method of amending the U.S. Constitution to balance the federal budget, called a constitutional convention of states. The resolution narrowly passed the Idaho House on a 36-34 vote on Friday. It now heads to the Idaho Senate for further consideration. What to expect next week at the Idaho Legislature Public valentine writing event to be held at Idaho Capitol Five statewide women’s organizations are inviting members of the public to a free event at the Idaho State Capitol to write valentines to Idaho and America. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mountain time Feb. 12 in the first floor rotunda of the Capitol in Boise. Valentines will be collected and sent to Idaho’s congressional delegation, state legislators and executive officers to remind them of what Idahoans love and value about the state and the country, according to a press release from the League of Women Voters of Idaho. Participants may choose to remain anonymous or share their names on the cards, according to the release. Co-sponsors of the event include the League of Women Voters of Idaho, the American Association of University Women, United Women in Faith, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and Idaho Solutions. Legislation on committee agendas Quick note: Committees, especially at the beginning of the session, have agenda items known as an RS (which stands for routing slip). That’s legislative talk for “draft legislation.” An RS is not a public record until a committee considers it at an introductory hearing. Many of those agenda items are only listed by subject matter, so it’s impossible to ascertain what the RS is specifically about, other than the few words used to describe the RS until the introductory hearing takes place. Idaho House of Representatives House Education Committee 9 a.m. Monday: The committee is scheduled to hold introductory hearings for an RS relating to “public charter school admissions,” an RS relating to “students, immigration data,” an RS relating to “Public Schools Facilities Cooperative Fund” and Senate Bill 1225 as amended relating to university president job searches. House Revenue and Taxation Committee 9 a.m. Monday: The committee is scheduled to hold introductory hearings for an RS relating to “ homestead exempt, religious mission” and “tax exemptions, data centers.” House Judiciary, Rules & Administration Committee 1:30 p.m. Monday: The committee is scheduled to hold introductory hearings for an RS relating to “detention, involuntary admission” and an RS relating to “disturbing the peace, churches.” Idaho Senate Senate Resources and Environment Committee 1:30 p.m. Monday: The committee is scheduled to hold introductory hearings for an RS relating to “cloud seeding.” Senate Education Committee 3 p.m. Monday: The committee is scheduled to hold introductory hearings for an RS relating to the “Parental Choice Tax Credit.” Senate Agricultural Committee 8 a.m. Tuesday: The committee is scheduled to hold an introductory hearing for an RS relating to “abatement of rats.” It is scheduled to hold public hearings on Senate Bill 1241, which aims to “clarify and protect the lawful use of working animals in commerce and service” and on House Joint Memorial 10, which urges Congress to join Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.’s push to move away from artificial sweeteners in children’s school lunches and replace them with natural sources of sugar. Quote of the week “It is time to acknowledge our growth in Idaho. We aren’t trying to grow government. We should, however, maintain our quality of life. If you are frustrated with traffic now, it is only going to get worse with the decisions we are making.” – Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, on the budget cuts passed by the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee Social media post of the week NEW: An Idaho advisory panel is developing a bill to require autopsies in circumstances including unexplained child deaths. The state would help fund autopsies for coroners who get national certification, to address underfunding and bolster standards. [image or embed] — ProPublica (@propublica.org) February 4, 2026 at 7:30 AM How to follow the Idaho Legislature and Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s work during the session Here are a few tools we use to track the Legislature’s business and how to let your voice be heard in the issues that matter most to you. How to find your legislators: To determine which legislative district you live in, and to find contact information for your legislators within that district, go to the Legislative Services Office’s website and put in your home address and ZIP code. Once you’ve entered that information, the three legislators – two House members and one senator – who represent your district will appear, and you can click on their headshots to find their email address and phone number. How to find committee agendas: Go to the Idaho Legislature’s website, legislature.idaho.gov, and click on the “all available Senate committee agendas” link and the “all available House committee agendas” link on the right side of the website. How to watch the legislative action in committees and on the House and Senate floors: Idaho Public Television works in conjunction with the Legislative Services Office and the Idaho Department of Administration through a program called “Idaho in Session” to provide live streaming for all legislative committees and for the House and Senate floors. To watch the action, go to https://www.idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/Legislature/ and select the stream you’d like to watch. How to testify remotely at public hearings before a committee: To sign up to testify remotely for a specific committee, navigate to that committee’s webpage, and click on the “testimony registration (remote and in person)” tab at the top. How to find state budget documents: Go to Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Division’s website https://legislature.idaho.gov/lso/bpa/budgetinformation/. How to track which bills have made it to Gov. Little’s desk and any action he took on them (including vetoes): Go to the governor’s website https://gov.idaho.gov/legislative-sessions/2026-session/. You can scroll down to the bottom of the site and enter your email address to get alerts sent straight to your inbox when the page has been updated. Idaho Capital Sun reporters Clark Corbin, Laura Guido and Kyle Pfannenstiel contributed reporting to this story. Courtesy of Idaho Capital Sun
	Civilized Indians This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.One day in February of 1834, four Winnebago Indians appeared in the little frontier mining village of Dubuque in what…
	UnityPoint Health offers Heart to Heart series UnityPoint Health is offering its first Heart to Heart Community Education Series of 2026. According to a release, the free in-person event is led by medical experts to help people get on the right track to living a more heart-healthy life. Heart to Heart is a free community educational series for those interested in learning [...]
	DVDs and public transit: Boycott drives people to ditch Big Tech to protest ICE A sweeping boycott has begun — targeting tech giants who participants believe are enabling President Trump and his immigration crackdown.
	The CIA World Factbook is dead. Here's how I came to love it The Factbook survived the Cold War and became a hit online. It mixed quirky cultural notes and trivia with maps, data, and photos taken by CIA officers. But it was discontinued this week.
	State Department will delete X posts from before Trump returned to office The policy change orders the removal of any post made by official State Department accounts on X before President Trump returned to office in 2025.
Friday, February 6th, 2026
	Women’s reproductive justice: Activists aren’t giving up the fight Abortion rights advocates speak out after oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court on abortion bans and the state's privacy clause. Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” – Simone de Beauvoir It’s not too far-fetched to look at the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2022 evisceration of Roe v. Wade as the canary in the coal mine. The high court’s reversal of this long-established legal precedent has roiled the lives and livelihoods of more than half America’s population. Since the ruling, far-right Republican policymakers have relentlessly peeled away what was thought to be an unalienable constitutional right for America’s women. These actions by Republican-led legislatures in at least 26 states have shattered the lives of childbearing-age women and their families in these states. In Florida, May 1, 2024, is remembered as the day that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ six-week abortion ban went into effect. Despite a robust struggle to blunt the effort, supporters of reproductive healthcare and access to abortion fell short when that year’s ballot amendment failed to reach the required 60%. In the aftermath, millions of Florida women had their reproductive healthcare protections snatched away. Even with this victory, DeSantis and the anti-abortion lobby continue to push against as many legal, political, and constitutional boundaries as they can while challenging, ignoring, or defying courts that try to rein them in. Florida’s six-week ban is creating insurmountable barriers to abortion care for many patients. Clinicians describe how the unworkability of the ban’s narrow exceptions and the “severe chilling effect on abortion provision caused by the sweeping criminalization of abortion from a very early stage of pregnancy are endangering patients’ health and survival and impairing clinicians’ ability to comply with their ethical obligations and medical standards of care,” according to a report by Physicians for Human Rights. The Florida ban replaced a 15-week ban instituted a month after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. “Anyone who performs or participates in the termination of a pregnancy faces a third-degree felony charge and up to five years in prison,” the report reads. “Unlike other states, Florida’s ban does not clearly exempt pregnant people themselves from prosecution.” While the law includes exceptions in cases of preterm rupture of membranes, gestational tumors, and ectopic pregnancies, the guidelines “lack medical clarity, further confusing clinicians,” the physicians group explained. Baptist News Global, in an alarming October 2024 article, warned that women were dying because of vague abortion laws. These deaths are exceptionally difficult to document because lawmakers have purposely chosen not to chronicle or make publicly available such information, but there are stories in Florida, Texas, Indiana, and elsewhere detailing the human costs of this onerous law. Doctors “described the serious and manifold harms the ban is causing pregnant people in the state who seek reproductive health care,” the article reported. “The six-week ban is unclear in its guidelines and introduces barriers to care, delays in emergency reproductive services, and deviations from standard medical care. Moreover, the steep penalties, particularly when combined with other laws, create intensified fear and confusion among healthcare providers who do not know in what cases they legally can or cannot provide abortion care, creating strain in the patient-clinician relationship and inducing providers and trainees to leave the state.” Health experts say Florida’s abortion restrictions, particularly the six-week ban, create significant health, economic, and social harm, especially for women facing barriers to essential care, increased health risks (especially for maternal mortality), financial setbacks (lost wages or education), and mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. Yet bans prevent adequate access to care while placing barriers to timely medical care even for miscarriages or life-threatening situations. ‘Nightmare’ The abortion ban is forcing Florida women to travel out of state for care and delay vital medical treatment, and imposes severe economic hardships on them, limiting education and workforce participation. These disproportionately affect Black women and survivors of sexual violence, who face complex proof requirements for exceptions. These restrictions increase unwanted pregnancies, leading to more poverty and harm to families, despite research showing that access to abortion improves women’s economic stability and well-being. According to Reproduction Justice For All, “2025 affirmed critical truths that will be at the forefront of our fight in 2026 — voters continue to reject abortion bans and support reproductive freedom champions at the ballot box; anti-abortion actors are escalating, not retreating, despite their proven unpopularity; and the human cost of abortion bans is mounting while the full damage is still untold.” And as the country moves into a new year, the Republican war against women shows no sign of abating. Twenty-five years since the FDA approved mifepristone — which has been rigorously studied and used safely by more than 7.5 million people — Trump and his MAGA allies are using every branch and level of government, including the courts, Congress, and administrative agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, to block access to mifepristone. Meanwhile, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill in the Senate to ban the mailing of mifepristone. House Republicans have introduced similar legislation. Reproductive justice advocate Jessica Valenti characterized the effect of the anti-abortion crusade as “a nightmare.” “[T]his impact isn’t only going to be felt in Florida, but across the South,” she wrote in her newsletter in April 2024, after the Florida Supreme Court upheld the six-week abortion ban. “Florida abortion clinics have been preparing” for the outcome, Valenti wrote, noting that groups like Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, for example, had “been strengthening their partnerships with providers in pro-choice states so they can refer people elsewhere.” Earthquakes Abortion and the reproductive justice providers made sure that there were all “the right people in place with scheduling, making sure we can fit as many patients in as possible. Education is the biggest part really, just making sure Floridians are educated about what’s about to happen come May 1,” when the six-week ban took effect. Reproductive justice advocates and other experts have likened the Florida and Arizona abortion bans to earthquakes that have significantly altered America’s abortion landscape. But that has not caused them to run away from the challenge. Valenti, Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and a phalanx of activists are fighting back, using a variety of methods to blunt this anti-woman assault. The methods vary: legal challenges, legislative advocacy, funding for abortion access, and direct action to protect clinics. Key strategies include supporting these organizations, funding patient travel and care, establishing buffer zones to prevent harassment, and passing state-level protections for reproductive rights. For reproductive justice advocates, this fight is far from over, as abortion opponents — aided and abetted by Trump, Republican members of Congress, and state legislators — continue to rachet up the stakes. Ms. Magazine encapsulates what American women face with the next prong of MAGA control of women: Project 2026, an extension of Project 2025 described as a group of people bent on reducing “the supply and demand for abortion at all stages.” “Project 2026 lays out a government redesigned to control women’s bodies, erase LGBTQ+ lives, dismantle civil rights protections and roll back decades of hard-won progress. Wrapped in the language of ‘family,’ ‘sovereignty’ and ‘restoring America,’ it is a direct attempt to impose a narrow, rigid ideology on an entire nation,” the magazine wrote. “Make no mistake: This is a plan for forced motherhood, government-policed gender and the end of women’s equality as we know it,” the article continues. “[We] know exactly what this means. A country where a woman’s future is no longer her own.” Courtesy of Florida Phoenix
	TMBC Lincoln Resource Center holds Black Excellence Fest On Saturday, the TMBC Lincoln Resource Center will host its Black History Month fashion show.
	Morrison native promoted to first-star general Morrison native Steven Rice was promoted to Brigadier General on Friday afternoon. Rice grew up hearing stories of his grandfather serving in the South Pacific during World War II - stories that would inspire three more generations of military members. "My father - his son - joined the active duty Air Force in 1968 during [...]
	Mercer County fundraiser reveals a different side of homelessness 13 teams slept in their cars in the VFW parking lot in Aledo, raising money for Mercer County Better Together.
	Davenport scrap yard reported stolen shopping carts, leading to arrests Davenport reports more than 2,500 thefts a year, and many stolen items end up at scrap yards, where owners work with police to stop repeat offenders.
	Highlight Zone: Week 5, girls state wrestling tournament, high school basketball It’s another week of The Highlight Zone.
	Researchers survey bald eagle night roost at the Milan Bottoms The team counted over 300 bald eagles spending the night at the Bottoms on Feb. 5, but a report from an environmental consultant claims the roost is no longer used.
	Mariah Carey, coffee makers and other highlights from the Olympic opening ceremony NPR reporters at the Milan opening ceremony layered up and took notes.
	MLK Jr. Center hosts 'Youth Voices on Display' exhibit by students The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center is hosting "Youth Voices on Display," aPhotoVoice exhibit created by students from the West End Revitalization High School Club atThurgood Marshall Learning Center, a news release says. The exhibit is now on public display in the MLK Center lobby at 630 9th St., Rock Island. "Youth Voices on [...]
	Moline to replace 4,900 water service lines over next decade Moline's new Lead Service Line Replacement program will replace 4,900 lead or galvanized water service lines in homes across the city. The proactive program will last a decade and will continue the city's efforts to replace those old service lines with copper. "It is simply to address pipes that are lead or galvanized," said Ashley [...]
	Davenport elementary students learn about Winter Olympics with opening ceremony celebration Students got to learn and experience the Olympics through a collaboration between multiple school subjects.
	Rock Line Studios is ready to break ground in the QCA; short $3 million A huge addition to the Quad Cities' film industry is $3 million away from breaking ground. The project known as Rock Line Studios originated from Rock Island's own Fresh Films. The project is expected to bring in significant economic growth in the area. "It's absolutely crucial to keep local talent here in the Quad Cities," [...]
	How people in purple shirts demanded changes for mobile home residents Mobile home residents want Iowa lawmakers to give them more rights against the out-of-state companies that own their land.
	Historic Cascade Bridge in Burlington set to receive $6M restoration More than a decade after closing, Burlington’s historic Cascade Bridge will undergo repairs after Iowa secured $6 million to preserve the 1896 structure.
	Researchers survey bald eagle night roost at the Milan Bottoms The team counted over 300 bald eagles spending the night at the Bottoms on Feb. 5, but a report from an environmental consultant claims the roost is no longer used.
	Among Alaska’s 16 candidates for governor is a ‘pissed off’ single mother of five Independent Alaska gubernatorial candidate Jessica Faircloth is seen in a photo distributed by the candidate on Feb. 5, 2026. (Campaign handout photo)The first independent candidate in Alaska’s 2026 gubernatorial election is a single mother of five who says she’s frustrated with the condition of Alaska’s fisheries, its economy and the Permanent Fund dividend. Jessica Faircloth filed her letter of intent in January, making her the 15th person to sign up for this year’s gubernatorial race. A 16th candidate announced his candidacy this week. She’s from Kasilof, a rural community on the Kenai Peninsula. Faircloth hasn’t held public office before, but she decided to run after one of her oldest children surprised her with the happy news that she’ll be a grandmother soon. “I was overjoyed,” she said, “but then I started thinking. My kids are the fourth generation of my family to live in (our) house, and they didn’t get to grow up in the same Alaska I did.” She recalls digging for clams, always having moose and caribou in the freezer — and then, there were the king salmon. “We caught so many kings when I was a kid, we turned them loose if they were too small, or they didn’t fight hard enough, or we caught them too early in the day, or they were a little pink,” she said. “I realized three of my five children have caught a king salmon, and only one of them was over 50 pounds, and they don’t remember digging clams,” she said. As she was contemplating the future her first grandchild might experience, she said: “It’s like a light bulb went on, and I started to see that Alaska is not being managed for Alaskans.” Governor candidates so far Former state Sen. Tom Begich (Democrat) Former state Sen. Click Bishop (Republican) Former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson (Republican) and Lt. Gov. candidate Josh Church (Republican) Former state revenue commissioner Adam Crum (Republican) Current state Sen. Matt Claman (Democrat) Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (Republican) Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries (Republican) Kasilof resident Jessica Faircloth (Undeclared) Anchorage podiatrist and state medical board member Matt Heilala Former state Sen. Shelley Hughes (Republican) Former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (Democrat) Author Hank Kroll (Registered Republican) with Lt. Gov. candidate Tommy Nicholson (Undeclared) Angoon resident and former teacher James William Parkin IV (Republican) Former Attorney General Treg Taylor (Republican) Palmer resident Bruce Walden (Republican) Businesswoman Bernadette Wilson (Republican) with Lt. Gov. candidate Mike Shower (Republican) The Permanent Fund dividend needs to be guaranteed in the Alaska Constitution, she said. Faircloth noted that some oil and gas companies have been able to use writeoffs and exemptions to reduce their taxes to zero. “If you look at our oil and gas, the tax structure allows zero tax years … and our Legislature hasn’t done anything to fix them,” she said. Fisheries are big in her mind, too. “The whole West Coast doesn’t have any salmon. I don’t have any king salmon. I love them more than anything in the world,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the PFD, our state budgeting — none of it, none of it, is being managed to benefit Alaskans. It’s benefiting outside corporate interests, mainly, and I am absolutely morally and ethically appalled and pissed off,” Faircloth said. Faircloth was one of more than 19,000 Alaskans registered as members of the Alaskan Independence Party when it dissolved last year. Now, she’s registered as “undeclared” and campaigning independently of any party. “I’m one of those people that doesn’t just sit back and complain … that’s the mentality I grew up with. You either do something or you stop complaining,” she said. Independent Alaska candidate for governor Jessica Faircloth is seen with a king salmon in this undated photo provided by the candidate. Preserving salmon runs is a major priority for the candidate. (Campaign handout photo) Faircloth’s policy positions don’t fit into the standard Alaska political boxes. She supports a constitutional dividend, something Republicans in the Alaska Legislature tend to champion. She also wants to see more support for public school teachers, a position typically held by legislative Democrats. “There’s no pension. There’s no benefits. It’s underfunded,” she said of the state’s public school system. “I just — I’m watching my teacher friends, especially some of the younger ones, and they are so discouraged,” Faircloth said. She’s a fan of the “Stop Alaskan Trawler Bycatch” Facebook page and supports anti-trawl appointees to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and other fishery regulators. “I understand that the governor actually has very little power (on fisheries), but the power that the governor does have is who they appoint as commissioners and on boards, and that is where the strength of Alaskan government comes from,” she said. Eight years ago, she voted for current Gov. Mike Dunleavy, but she’s soured on him. “I really believed, you know, that he was going to be able to get the dividend in the Constitution. And I just expected great things from him. And after eight years, I’m kind of let down,” she said. Dunleavy is term-limited and unable to run for a third term, a fact that has encouraged a large number of candidates to enter the race. So far, there are three Democrats, 12 Republicans and Faircloth. The deadline to register with the Alaska Division of Elections is 5 p.m. June 1. The four candidates who receive the most votes in the August primary election will advance to the November general election. “I’ve been a broke-ass single mom with a backbone and the ability to budget, and that is what our state needs right now,” she said. “Somebody to walk in there and say, ‘OK, listen, you’re not doing your job, and we’re all in this together. So I need everyone to step up and to do what they’re supposed to.’ I just think that Alaska should be managed for Alaskans first. And that’s not being done.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Lee Enterprises closes strategic investment, welcomes David Hoffmann as board chair Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, has announced that it has closed its previously announced $50 million strategic equity private placement, according to a news release on the Lee Enterprises website. The investment was led by David Hoffmann with participation from other existing investors in the company, "providing the company with committed capital and a strengthened financial and [...]
	Pleasant Valley High School students protest against ICE, decry enforcement operations More than 100 Pleasant Valley High School students showed up to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in American cities.
	New citizens welcomed at Iowa State Capitol naturalization ceremony Forty new United States citizens were welcomed at the Iowa State Capitol Friday during a naturalization ceremony representing more than a dozen countries.
	Below normal so far in Feb, but not for long We're 6 days into February and 3 have had below normal highs so far. One day was right at average and that leaves 2 above normal days. But, we're about to go on another warmer than normal run starting Sunday! The warmest temperature we've had so far this year is 61° back on January 8th. [...]
	Scottish American Society invites public to celebrate the annual Robert Burns dinner Every winter, Scottish people all over the world celebrate the life and work of Scotland's most famous poet Robert Burns.

Sunday, February 8th, 2026

Saturday, February 7th, 2026

Friday, February 6th, 2026