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

Wednesday, March 25th, 2026
	Songs of Iowa This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.I don't recall that any state has had as hard a time choosing an official state song as Iowa. We're all familiar with…
	U.S. drafts plan to end war with Iran as 2,000 paratroopers are ordered to deploy in the Middle East Nearly a month into the war with Iran, the Trump administration is keeping its options open: it has drafted a 15-point plan to end the war with Iran and ordering thousands of paratroopers to deploy in the Middle East.
	Pentagon orders troops from 82nd Airborne Division to deploy to Middle East Nearly a month into the war with Iran, the Trump administration is keeping its options open: it says it is pursuing diplomatic solutions with Iran, while ordering thousands of paratroopers to deploy in the Middle East.
	They gave her business a lifeline, then froze all her money A murky corner of the financial world is now the fastest-growing source of funding for small businesses. One state, Connecticut, had given these lenders unusual power. That may be about to change.
	Mumford & Sons: Tiny Desk Concert The British folk-rock band shares world-weary anthems to growing older, weathering the innumerable blows of life and coming out on the other side, hopefully a little wiser.
	Are you sure you know what 'gaslighting' is? Therapists say we're overusing the word. Here's what it actually means — and what the Ingrid Bergman film that helped birth the word can teach us about it.
	Ford recalls 254,000 vehicles to fix 'unexpected reset' of safety features The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that the Ford Motor Company has recalled more than 250,000 vehicles, including three different models.
	OpenAI pulls the plug on Sora, the viral AI video app that sparked deepfake concerns OpenAI said Tuesday that it was "saying goodbye to the Sora app" and that it would share more soon about how to preserve what users already created on the app.
	Rubio plans travel to France to sell Iran war to skeptical G7 allies Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to France this week to try to sell America's skeptical Group of Seven allies on the Iran war that has sent global fuel prices soaring.
Tuesday, March 24th, 2026
	Clinton marks one year on major road construction project The Clinton City Council approved a new bid on the second phase of a major road project during a regular meeting Tuesday night. A year ago, Clinton began work on its "Drive to Prosperity" project. Clinton Mayor Scott Maddasion says the project will help connect parts of the community in the heart of the city. [...]
	Ameren Illinois offering to help customers pay bills Ameren Illinois is offering customers who’ve fallen behind on their energy bills flexible payment plans and help, according to a media release.
	Arconic celebrates 27 apprentice program graduates Family and friends were able to celebrate the employees who completed skilled trades apprenticeship programs at Davenport Works.
	Several kids injured after being run over in pick-up line at Ankeny, Iowa school The driver is cooperating with law enforcement, according to Ankeny police.
	Resentencing set for perpetrator convicted in 2005 killing of East Moline teen One of the people convicted in the 2005 murder of 16-year-old Adrianne Reynolds will return to Rock Island County court this summer for resentencing.
	Insurance bill combining homeowners and auto regulation passes House, awaits Senate action A bill that would give the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to review and approve rates for both homeowners and automobile coverage is advancing in the General Assembly.
	MidAmerican proposed Illinois rate hikes could raise bills by about $24 a month by 2028 The request now heads to state regulators, where consumer advocates are expected to challenge the increase.
	Silvis woman who helped boyfriend steal guns sentenced to federal prison A Silvis woman who helped her boyfriend steal 15 guns from a house in Waterloo, Iowa, was sentenced on March 9 to more than three years in federal prison. Jena Lea Wells, 30, received the prison term after a Sept. 19, 2025, guilty plea to possession of stolen firearms, according to a news release. Information [...]
	Judge says government's Anthropic ban looks like punishment Tech company Anthropic, the maker of the Claude AI system, is suing the Trump administration over the government labeling it a "supply chain risk."
	An air traffic controller was juggling extra roles during the LaGuardia plane crash The National Transportation Safety Board said it has concerns about air traffic controllers who work the midnight shift taking on extra work in an airspace as busy as LaGuardia's.
	QC man looks to bring back the spark of the historic Moline Orpheum Theater It's the 1950s in Moline. A long line draws down the sidewalk of Fourth Street. About 600 people eagerly waiting their turn to find their seat in the Moline Orpheum Theater on a Friday night to see the latest hot movie release from Hollywood. Felix Vallejo says many people in the neighborhood now known as [...]
	North 11th Street in Clinton closed temporarily North 11th Street in Clinton is closed between 12th Avenue North and 11th Avenue North to allow crews to perform necessary patch work, a news release says. The closure will remain in place through Wednesday morning. Drivers are asked to use alternate routes and exercise caution when traveling near the work zone. For questions or [...]
	Slim chance for strong t'storms Thursday in Quad Cities After some quiet weather (since the blizzard,) we're looking at a chance for some t'storms Thursday. A few of the storms could be strong SE of the Quad Cities. The biggest risk would be large hail. The front that delivers this chance for storms also works to drop the temperature for Friday. We'll go from [...]
	Utility vehicle believed to be cause of home fire Dubuque County Sheriff’s officials believe a utility vehicle caused a house fire Tuesday afternoon.
	Resentencing set for perpetrator convicted in 2005 killing of East Moline teen One of the people convicted in the 2005 murder of 16-year-old Adrianne Reynolds will return to Rock Island County court this summer for resentencing.
	Illinois bill could help regulate homeowner and car insurance A bill in Illinois that would give more authority to regulate homeowner and car insurance is advancing. Senate Bill 1486 passed the House last week. It needs a vote in the Senate before being sent to Gov. JB Pritzker. The call for regulating homeowners insurance rates came last summer after State Farm Insurance announced a [...]
	Proposed MidAmerican rate increase faces pushback in Illinois Residents in Illinois could soon see higher utility bills as MidAmerican Energy Company proposes a rate increase.
	Longtime QC political strategist, community leader dies at 91 A Quad Cities community leader known as a political strategist and a public-policy advocate has passed away, according to her obituary on the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home website. She was born Feb. 7, 1935 and died March 17, 2026, at the age of 91, her obituary says. A celebration of life will be held from 3-6 [...]
	St. Ambrose University to welcome influential cardinal as keynote speaker for conference Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe is the former Master of the Dominican Order and was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2024.
	Moline High teachers hosting feminine hygiene products for students in need From now through March 27, you can donate pads, tampons, new bras and underwear to help not only students at Moline HS, but also the Third Place QC nonprofit.
	SPARK program offers full tuition, job security at Hammond-Henry Hospital Qualifying students can receive full tuition assistance, paid clinical hours and four years of guaranteed employment at the Geneseo hospital. Here's how to apply.
	Moline Public Library opens seed library You don't even need a library card to receive seeds! The library has growing instructions on its website.
	New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law The jury agreed that Meta engaged in "unconscionable" trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities of and inexperience of children. Jurors found there were thousands of violations, each counting separately toward a penalty of $375 million.
	Death Notice: Brian Zimpleman A funeral service for Brian Zimpleman, 79, of Osage Beach, Mo., formerly of Eldridge, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 27, at Middle Amana Church, Amana. Visitation will be Thursday, March 26, from 4-7 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home, Marengo. Mr. Zimpleman died Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Osage Beach. Memorials may be made to the family in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.powellfuneralhomes.com. An obituary will appear in the April 1 edition of The NSP.
	Partial closure on Highway 20 in Jo Daviess County to start April 13 The closure is between the west limits of Stockton and Logemann roads and will begin April 24.
	Hammond-Henry Hospital launches new program to support future healthcare workers The SPARK program will offer full tuition assistance to qualified students, as well as paid clinical hours and a four-year employment commitment at Hammond-Henry.
	West Liberty Elementary School receives $50,000 ‘Cash for Classrooms Grant’ to complete inclusive playground The project is expected to be completed by November 2026.
	Davenport Schools discuss demolition of 2 100 year old buildings The Davenport School Board has a decision to make as two red brick buildings at the intersection of Brady Street and East 36th Street
	Teachers at Moline High School organize feminine hygiene drive Donations to the feminine hygiene drive will be accepted through March 27.
	Man shot in Rock Island; one suspect arrested, second remains at large A 46-year-old man was shot in Rock Island on Saturday, March 21. One suspect has been arrested, while a second suspect remains at large, police said.
	Quad City International Airport holds donation drive for TSA agents About 500 TSA agents have walked off the job since the start of the partial government shutdown, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
	Iowa absentee ballots now available A written application for an absentee ballot must be sent to your county auditor's office if you'd like to receive one.
	Donation drive being held to support Quad Cities TSA workers Donations will be accepted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
	Grow a garden with the Davenport Public Library Mary, Mary, quite contrary - how does your garden grow? Even if you don't have a 'green thumb,' the Davenport Public Library has all the resources to help! Tessa Wallace joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about what's 'growing' on at the Davenport Public Library. For more information, click here.
	Davenport man charged after stabbing during Sunday altercation A Davenport man is accused of stabbing another person during an altercation. The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening.
	Quad City Symphony Orchestra presents Violins of Hope The Quad City Symphony Orchestra is bringing musical history to life in schools across the QCA. Brian Baxter joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about the orchestra's partnership with Violins of Hope. For more information, click here.
	Hearing set for Fisher’s self-filed motions in Trudy Appleby case The motions will be heard at 10 a.m. on April 17.
	3 men arrested after Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigation into theft at township building Three men have been arrested and charged after the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation into a theft report.
	Death Notice: Joyce Lund Mears A graveside funeral service for Joyce Lund Mears will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Princeton. Following the graveside ceremony, a celebration of life luncheon will be held at Three 33 in Princeton from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Ms. Lund Mears died Nov. 11, 2025. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the April 1 edition of The NSP.
	Scott County proposed budget would raise rural tax levy rate 15 cents, keep urban rate flat The county will hold a public hearing on the proposed tax levy Thursday, March 26, at 5:45 p.m.
	This is why Iowa candidate gets another day to prove he should be on the ballot A state panel will not allow three Iowa candidates to appear on the ballot, agreed to allow another candidate to appear on the ballot, and decided to delay its decision regarding gubernatorial candidate, Eddie Andrews.
	Tuesday’s adoptable pet: Meet Mama’s Boy Nicholson said Mama’s Boy is goofy, loves treats and is super friendly.
	Man arrested after shooting investigation in rural Henderson County The investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be pending.
	Saddle Up for Summer: American Classics Await in Lincoln (Feature Impact) Each June, hundreds of baseball players travel the “Road to Omaha” to play on college baseball’s championship stage. That sport’s pilgrimage pales in comparison to the number of athletes headed slightly west of there a few weeks later. More than 1,700 student athletes – more than any high school championship in America – will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to compete in the National High School Finals Rodeo July 19-25. For many contestants, the world’s largest rodeo is their last stop before they turn pro. “The caliber of these young athletes is beyond what most people can even imagine,” said Kendra Ronnau, Lancaster County Agricultural Society Board president. “The All-Around Cowboy and All-Around Cowgirl from last year will likely be back as seniors defending their titles. It’s also highly probable we’ll see the 2025 Trap Shooting Champion, who didn’t shoot one perfect round; he shot two.” The event delivers seven days of excitement at the Sandhills Global Event Center (SGEC) complex with rodeo competition in all the traditional events, including bull riding, barrel racing, team roping and more. Those who love patriotic pageantry can also see the largest gathering of rodeo queens in the world compete for one crown. Plus, the region’s largest Western trade show is open for shoppers to explore throughout the event – no ticket required for trade show entry. Ron Bohaty, SGEC managing director, said there’s truly something for everyone in Lincoln. “The facilities for our athletes and fans, a central location and a city full of surprises makes Lincoln an ideal host for this event,” he said. “It’s a big city with small city charm so everyone feels right at home.” Lincoln’s easy interstate access and more than 5,000 hotel rooms, nearby camping and more than 900 restaurants make it an affordable and accessible destination. Consider these additional entertainment options that make it a perfect location for a summer vacation. Historic Downtown Anchored by the towering Nebraska capitol building, downtown Lincoln and its popular Historic Haymarket District offer a lively yet relaxed ambiance with plenty of restaurants and shops to entice visitors. University of Nebraska Fan favorites at Nebraska’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Nebraska, include the Larsen Tractor Test & Power Museum, Memorial Stadium, Botanical Garden and Arboretum, Sheldon Art Museum and the Dairy Store, offering locally sourced, handmade ice cream created by students. Miles of Trails The Lincoln area makes exercising by yourself or with travel companions easy with more than 185 miles of trails, including a 2.6-mile bridle path in Pioneers Park. Must-See Museums Among the internationally acclaimed museums in Nebraska’s capital city are the International Quilt Museum, with the largest quilt collection in the world, and the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed, voted “Best Motor Racing Museum in the Country” by “Newsweek” readers. Start planning your summer trip to Lincoln by visiting nhsfrlincoln.org.
	Cuba sends doctors on medical missions. The U.S. isn't a fan It's a major source of revenue for the island. And it's controversial. Now countries are sending Cuban doctors home in response to pressure from the Trump administration.
	1 arrested, 1 wanted, 1 injured after Saturday Rock Island shooting, police say Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Rock Island Police Department at 309-732-2677.
	Quad Cities International Airport hosting donation drive for local TSA agents working without pay QCIA said it currently has 48 uniformed TSA officers and six managers/support staff working without pay.
	North Scott FFA students drive tractors to school for National Ag Day The “Drive Your Tractor to School” event is designed to teach younger students about farming and agriculture.
	Look for eggs at Bethany + Bridgview Easter Egg Hunt Quad City families can celebrate spring at Bethany + Bridgeview’s QC Easter Egg Hunt on March 29th from 1 – 3 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park, 209 S. Gaines Street in Davenport. Gates and the Kid Zone open at 12:30 p.m. Click here to register or contact Christina McNamara, Director of Development and Communication at [...]
	Sabbath: “Long Live Ozzy,” April 3 A full-throttle tribute to the music, madness, and legacy that defined heavy metal, Long Live Ozzy lands at East Moline venue The Rust Belt on April 3, with tribute band Sabbath delivering bone-crushing riffs and haunting as they lovingly re-create the sound, spirit, and stage presence that made Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne legendary.
	Davenport School Board considers adding preschool to the JB Young Center To hold preschool classes at the JB Young Center, the Davenport School District estimates the facility would need $5.8 million in renovations.
	Kelly Moran, April 4 Hailed by A Closer Listen as "an incredibly versatile performer whose music straddles the categories of ambient, electronic and modern composition," lauded pianist Kelly Moran of Warp Records headlines an April 4 concert at Rock Island's Rozz-Tox, this special event supported by the Illinois Arts Council and featuring an additional set by lauded guest musician Randall Hall.
	Senate confirms Trump's pick for new role of fraud enforcement at Justice Department The confirmation comes just days after the White House announced details of its own task force to pursue fraud in government programs.
	Ballyhoo!, April 8 Reggae-rock and punk musicians from Aberdeen, Maryland, who have opened for the likes of 311, Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, and Slightly Stoopid, the touring talents of Ballyhoo! headline an April 8 concert at Rock Island's RIBCO, their most recent album Shellshock boasting the participation of fellow reggae-rock artists The Elovaters, HIRIE, Iya Terra, Kyle Smith and Tropidelic, and their home-state friends of Bumpin Uglies.
	CJ Parker Album-Release Show, April 3 A beloved area native who plays keyboard with local band Fair Warning and sings with 10 of Soul, 24-year-old music phenomenon CJ Parker headlines an April 3 concert at Rock Island's RIBCO in support of his forthcoming album MOVE, the night also boasting a live recording session and performance by rising Illinois singer/songwriter Charlotte Blu.
	Average net worth and assets by state, from the high of Hawai'i to the low of Arkansas Average net worth and assets by state, from the high of Hawai'i to the low of ArkansasA household’s net worth can reveal a lot about its overall financial well-being. Liquid assets can provide better odds for approval for home loans or other lines of credit, cushioning for unpredictable life events, and the potential to make your money work for you through investments. But households in different locations often manage different savings rates, depending on factors such as the local job market, economy, cost of living, and taxes. Thus, the median net worth in the United States ranges from $62,500 to nearly $700,000, depending on which state you live in, according to the latest Census data. And those assets are allocated differently, too, which can greatly impact a household’s flexibility in using these funds.With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 43 states with available data based on the median household net worth, including information about whether these assets are held in home equity, emergency funds, vehicles, retirement accounts, or other investments.Key FindingsThe median net worth in Hawai’i is nearly $700,000. Hawaiian households have the highest net worth nationwide at a median $692,700. Washington ranked second, with a median household net worth of $456,500, followed by New Hampshire ($412,600), Massachusetts ($394,900), and Colorado ($370,000).Retirement savings are highest in Massachusetts. The median retirement savings in the Bay State is $150,000 across 401(k)s, IRAs, and other retirement-specific accounts. In total, 74.8% of households in this state maintain retirement savings. 401(k)s are prevalent in 60.9% of households, compared to 40.6% of households using IRAs or Keogh accounts.Most household net worth in California is tied up in home equity. High housing costs in California have wealth tied up in illiquid assets, with the median household home equity at $550,000 — outsized compared to the median household net worth of $273,800 (12th highest nationwide).The median net worth is below $100,000 in six states. Arkansas has the lowest household median net worth nationwide at $62,500, including just $3,000 readily available in deposit accounts. Households in New Mexico ($77,500), Oklahoma ($78,510), Kentucky ($81,900), Louisiana ($85,230), and Mississippi ($87,280) also rank poorly. SmartAsset Net Worth by StateStates are ranked based on the median household net worth. Details about retirement savings, home equity, and other wealth statistics are also included.Hawai’iMedian net worth: $692,700Median retirement savings: $149,000Median deposit account balance: $37,050Median home equity: $600,000Median equity in vehicles: $19,200Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 78.9%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 61.9%WashingtonMedian net worth: $456,500Median retirement savings: $143,400Median deposit account balance: $16,500Median home equity: $392,000Median equity in vehicles: $16,580Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 75.4%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 47.3%New HampshireMedian net worth: $412,600Median retirement savings: N/AMedian deposit account balance: $22,000Median home equity: N/AMedian equity in vehicles: N/AHouseholds with a net worth of $100K or more: 70.5%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 36.5%MassachusettsMedian net worth: $394,900Median retirement savings: $150,000Median deposit account balance: $22,700Median home equity: $400,000Median equity in vehicles: $14,980Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 68.7%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 44.7%ColoradoMedian net worth: $370,000Median retirement savings: $100,000Median deposit account balance: $10,000Median home equity: $350,000Median equity in vehicles: $15,970Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 67.1%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 46%MarylandMedian net worth: $330,500Median retirement savings: $120,000Median deposit account balance: $22,000Median home equity: $280,000Median equity in vehicles: $15,170Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 68.8%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 41.7%IdahoMedian net worth: $313,400Median retirement savings: $89,000Median deposit account balance: $8,826Median home equity: $303,100Median equity in vehicles: $15,950Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 63.2%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 34.1%New JerseyMedian net worth: $312,400Median retirement savings: $134,000Median deposit account balance: $18,100Median home equity: $300,000Median equity in vehicles: $16,100Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 63.5%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 42.6%MaineMedian net worth: $303,700Median retirement savings: N/AMedian deposit account balance: $12,700Median home equity: $200,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,060Households with a net worth of $100K or more: N/AHouseholds with a net worth of $500K or more: N/ANebraskaMedian net worth: $285,800Median retirement savings: N/AMedian deposit account balance: $17,000Median home equity: $187,000Median equity in vehicles: $18,640Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 77.7%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 32.7%UtahMedian net worth: $282,800Median retirement savings: $62,800Median deposit account balance: $13,900Median home equity: $300,000Median equity in vehicles: $14,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 65.9%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 33.4%CaliforniaMedian net worth: $273,800Median retirement savings: $100,000Median deposit account balance: $13,600Median home equity: $550,000Median equity in vehicles: $15,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 60.6%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 40.3%MinnesotaMedian net worth: $271,300Median retirement savings: $111,000Median deposit account balance: $15,000Median home equity: $167,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,900Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 68.8%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 33.6%MontanaMedian net worth: $258,100Median retirement savings: $76,000Median deposit account balance: $10,100Median home equity: N/AMedian equity in vehicles: $21,300Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 58.2%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 39.3%FloridaMedian net worth: $255,100Median retirement savings: $78,000Median deposit account balance: $10,550Median home equity: $265,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,270Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 63%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 33.5%ConnecticutMedian net worth: $253,100Median retirement savings: $118,400Median deposit account balance: $15,000Median home equity: $232,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,090Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 61.7%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 33%OregonMedian net worth: $248,900Median retirement savings: $92,400Median deposit account balance: $9,700Median home equity: $270,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,400Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 62.9%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 37.1%VirginiaMedian net worth: $219,100Median retirement savings: $85,200Median deposit account balance: $14,100Median home equity: $209,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,260Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 65.7%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 36.5%IllinoisMedian net worth: $209,500Median retirement savings: $111,000Median deposit account balance: $16,000Median home equity: $165,000Median equity in vehicles: $14,270Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 64.2%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 30.1%PennsylvaniaMedian net worth: $207,700Median retirement savings: $101,800Median deposit account balance: $10,750Median home equity: $175,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,750Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 65.4%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 29.3%ArizonaMedian net worth: $204,300Median retirement savings: $69,500Median deposit account balance: $10,680Median home equity: $263,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,660Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 60.5%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 31%WisconsinMedian net worth: $188,000Median retirement savings: $58,000Median deposit account balance: $10,500Median home equity: $175,000Median equity in vehicles: $11,300Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 60.6%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 28.8%IowaMedian net worth: $177,100Median retirement savings: $70,000Median deposit account balance: $9,100Median home equity: $125,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,400Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 60.7%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 25.2%NevadaMedian net worth: $173,700Median retirement savings: $70,000Median deposit account balance: $5,855Median home equity: $233,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 57.2%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 29.1%TennesseeMedian net worth: $172,000Median retirement savings: $74,500Median deposit account balance: $6,400Median home equity: $179,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,500Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 56.3%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 24%North CarolinaMedian net worth: $170,400Median retirement savings: $56,000Median deposit account balance: $8,700Median home equity: $180,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,690Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 59%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 25.9%MichiganMedian net worth: $167,000Median retirement savings: $85,000Median deposit account balance: $10,000Median home equity: $145,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,400Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 58.2%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 25.9%GeorgiaMedian net worth: $167,000Median retirement savings: $72,000Median deposit account balance: $5,140Median home equity: $181,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,200Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 59.3%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 26.6%OhioMedian net worth: $154,400Median retirement savings: $100,000Median deposit account balance: $11,000Median home equity: $158,000Median equity in vehicles: $11,300Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 57%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 27.2%TexasMedian net worth: $149,500Median retirement savings: $55,000Median deposit account balance: $7,600Median home equity: $162,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,890Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 57.7%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 24.5%KansasMedian net worth: $144,200Median retirement savings: $56,000Median deposit account balance: $5,585Median home equity: $130,000Median equity in vehicles: $8,580Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 61.6%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 30.5%IndianaMedian net worth: $141,300Median retirement savings: $71,700Median deposit account balance: $8,300Median home equity: $150,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,810Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 58.3%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 25.3%New YorkMedian net worth: $132,800Median retirement savings: $80,000Median deposit account balance: $10,000Median home equity: $200,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 53.5%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 29.7%South CarolinaMedian net worth: $129,900Median retirement savings: $50,300Median deposit account balance: $10,000Median home equity: $150,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 55.5%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 21.6%MissouriMedian net worth: $118,700Median retirement savings: $57,000Median deposit account balance: $7,500Median home equity: $144,500Median equity in vehicles: $12,100Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 55.2%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 19.9%West VirginiaMedian net worth: $115,000Median retirement savings: $54,400Median deposit account balance: $5,000Median home equity: $150,000Median equity in vehicles: $14,010Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 51.5%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 20.3%AlabamaMedian net worth: $103,500Median retirement savings: $46,000Median deposit account balance: $3,643Median home equity: $137,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,580Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 50.9%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 17.4%MississippiMedian net worth: $87,280Median retirement savings: $35,000Median deposit account balance: $2,500Median home equity: $108,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,800Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 45.8%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 10.3%LouisianaMedian net worth: $85,230Median retirement savings: $50,000Median deposit account balance: $3,320Median home equity: $100,000Median equity in vehicles: $10,530Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 45.9%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 13.3%KentuckyMedian net worth: $81,900Median retirement savings: $50,000Median deposit account balance: $3,700Median home equity: $94,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 46%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 19%OklahomaMedian net worth: $78,510Median retirement savings: $39,450Median deposit account balance: $5,000Median home equity: $125,000Median equity in vehicles: $13,010Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 45.9%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 17.2%New MexicoMedian net worth: $77,500Median retirement savings: $50,000Median deposit account balance: $6,870Median home equity: $132,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,000Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 49%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 23.8%ArkansasMedian net worth: $62,500Median retirement savings: $54,490Median deposit account balance: $3,000Median home equity: $95,000Median equity in vehicles: $12,620Households with a net worth of $100K or more: 44.4%Households with a net worth of $500K or more: 15.9%Data and MethodologyHousehold net worth and asset data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2023, published July 2025. Data was available for 43 states (data for Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming was unavailable).This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	IEEPA tariffs overturned: Why billions in refund claims may now be at stake for importers IEEPA tariffs overturned: Why billions in refund claims may now be at stake for importersOn February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark 6–3 decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the president authority to impose tariffs. The decision struck down the “fentanyl” tariffs applied to Canada, Mexico, and China, along with the broader “reciprocal” tariffs targeting dozens of additional trading partners, dismantling the legal foundation behind a major portion of the administration's trade policy, Passport reports.The financial scale is staggering. According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) declaration filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade, more than 333,000 importers paid approximately $166 billion in duties under the now-invalidated IEEPA tariffs. For businesses that made those payments, the Court’s ruling opens the door to one of the largest tariff recovery efforts in modern U.S. trade history.But recovering those funds won’t be automatic. The Court ruled the tariffs unlawful, but it didn’t establish a process for returning the money. Importers seeking refunds will need to navigate administrative procedures with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a reminder that even landmark legal victories can leave complex operational work ahead for companies in global trade.What the IEEPA Ruling Means for ImportersThe International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was designed to give the president broad authority to regulate economic transactions during declared national emergencies. Historically, it has been used for sanctions and financial restrictions. In recent years, however, the law was invoked to impose sweeping tariffs on goods imported from countries including Canada, Mexico, and China.In Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, the Supreme Court drew a clear distinction between regulating trade and taxing it. While IEEPA allows the president to regulate imports during a national emergency, the Court concluded that the statute does not authorize tariffs. Because tariffs function as a form of taxation, the administration had interpreted the law beyond its legal limits.For importers, it is important to distinguish between the Court’s ruling and the process of recovering duties already paid.The decision declares the tariffs unlawful and removes the legal justification for billions of dollars in collected duties. However, the Court did not mandate automatic refunds or create a direct mechanism for returning the funds.Instead, importers must pursue recovery through the administrative framework managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That means identifying affected entries and following the appropriate filing process—whether submitting a CBP Protest or a Post Summary Correction, depending on entry status. Without these proactive steps, refunds may never materialize, and billions of dollars could remain with the U.S. Treasury despite the Court’s ruling.Where IEEPA Tariff Refunds Stand NowOn March 4, 2026, the U.S. Court of International Trade ordered CBP to liquidate or reliquidate certain import entries without tariffs imposed under IEEPA. The ruling in Atmus Filtration, Inc. v. United States follows the Supreme Court’s determination that IEEPA does not authorize presidential tariff authority and applies broadly to affected importers, not just those who filed lawsuits.If the order stands, many importers could receive refunds without filing individual claims, particularly for entries that remain unliquidated or not yet final. However, CBP told the court it has continued liquidating entries with IEEPA duties included and has not begun issuing refunds. The agency said each entry will likely require review to confirm whether other duties or compliance issues remain outstanding.The Justice Department is expected to appeal, leaving the timeline and mechanism for refunds uncertain. While the legal landscape continues to evolve, the operational path to recovering duties still depends on the administrative status of each import entry.According to reporting from Supply Chain Dive on March 6, 2026, CBP told the U.S. Court of International Trade that it cannot immediately comply with the court’s directive to issue refunds for invalidated IEEPA tariffs due to technical and operational constraints. Officials said roughly $166 billion in duties was collected across about 53 million entries, but the agency’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system is not designed to easily separate IEEPA duties from other tariffs. Manually recalculating those entries could require an estimated 4.4 million labor hours.The court has given CBP 45 days to develop system updates that could automate the process through ACE. In the meantime, entries continue to be liquidated automatically, often in large batches each Friday, locking in duty calculations that CBP cannot currently isolate. The agency also reported that more than 7,700 refunds have already failed to process because some importers have not yet enrolled in the electronic ACH refund system that replaced paper checks earlier this year.Determining If Your Brand Is Eligible for IEEPA Tariff RefundsFollowing the Supreme Court’s decision, many U.S. importers are evaluating whether they can recover duties paid under IEEPA tariffs. Eligibility hinges on several technical factors, including how shipments were filed with customs and who held legal responsibility for paying duties. For brands evaluating potential claims, three key questions determine where to start.1. Confirm Your Brand Is the Importer of RecordThe first and most important factor is whether your company is listed as the Importer of Record (IOR).Generally, only the IOR has the legal standing to pursue refunds from CBP. This party is responsible for duty payments, customs declarations, and regulatory compliance.To verify this, importers should review CBP Form 7501 (Entry Summary). The organization listed in the Importer of Record field is the party authorized to file refund claims.For many ecommerce brands, this is straightforward. But in certain fulfillment models, particularly Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) arrangements, the situation can be more complicated. If a supplier, freight forwarder, or third-party logistics provider is listed as the IOR, that entity technically owns the refund claim. Any recovery for the brand would depend on commercial agreements between the parties.2. Verify Your Shipments Were Subject to IEEPA TariffsThe Supreme Court ruling only applies to tariffs imposed under IEEPA. Other major tariff programs remain fully in effect.To determine eligibility, importers should confirm that their shipments were assessed duties tied to IEEPA-related executive orders, including the 2025 “fentanyl-related” border tariffs and broader “reciprocal” tariffs. Look for HTSUS codes in the 9903.01.XX and 9903.02.XX ranges. These are the tariff lines CBP used to assess IEEPA duties. If your entries don’t reference codes in the 9903.01.XX or 9903.02.XX ranges, the duties were likely assessed under a different authority, and those programs were not affected by the ruling. Tariffs that remain in effect include:Section 301 tariffs targeting Chinese goodsSection 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum importsSection 122, which allows temporary import surchargesDuties paid under those programs are not eligible for refunds tied to the IEEPA decision.3. Review the Timing of Your ImportsEven if your shipments were subject to IEEPA tariffs, eligibility also depends on when the goods entered the United States and the administrative status of the import entry.Only shipments entered between the start of the IEEPA tariff orders in early 2025 and their termination on February 24, 2026, fall within the potential refund window.How Importers Can File for IEEPA Tariff RefundsOnce a company confirms it may be eligible to pursue refunds, the next step is determining how to file a claim through CBP. The appropriate recovery process depends largely on the liquidation status of each import entry. Whether an entry is still open or already finalized determines which filing path is available.Unliquidated Entries: These entries remain open and have not yet been finalized by CBP. Importers can often request corrections using a Post Summary Correction (PSC).Liquidated entries: Once an entry is liquidated (typically about 314 days after entry) the duty calculation becomes final. Importers then have 180 days from the liquidation date to file a formal protest.If the 180-day protest window has already passed, recovering those duties may no longer be possible.The decision tree below outlines the primary recovery paths available to importers based on the liquidation status of each entry. Passport Documentation Needed for Refund ClaimsRefund filings must be supported by detailed entry records. Importers typically need documentation such as:Entry summaries (CBP Form 7501)Duty payment recordsTariff classifications and Chapter 99 codesDocumentation identifying the relevant IEEPA tariff linesMuch of this information can be obtained through customs brokers or through the ACE portal, managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.Tracking and Reconciling RefundsAfter claims are submitted, refunds must be tracked and reconciled carefully.Importers should maintain internal records including:Affected entry numbersFiling datesPSC confirmation numbers or protest identifiersExpected refund amountsRefund receipt statusCBP review timelines can vary, and refund processing may take several months or longer, depending on claim complexity.What Comes Next: Trade Policy Changes Importers Should WatchThe Supreme Court's IEEPA ruling creates a historic refund opportunity, but it doesn’t reduce tariff risk. Policymakers retain several other authorities to impose duties—including Section 301, Section 232, and Section 122—and each has been used aggressively in recent years. Importers should expect continued shifts in tariff policy even as the IEEPA tariffs are unwound.Meanwhile, businesses selling internationally face a new wave of regulatory changes outside the United States. The European Union will eliminate its low-value duty exemption in 2026, applying duties and taxes to all imports regardless of value. Several EU member states are also introducing new customs clearance fees on low-value shipments. For ecommerce brands and global retailers, these changes directly affect landed cost accuracy, margin forecasting, checkout conversion, and the delivery experience for EU customers.The bottom line: Global trade rules are shifting on multiple fronts simultaneously. The IEEPA decision may close one chapter, but the broader environment demands that brands maintain clear visibility into duties, taxes, and compliance requirements across every market they serve. For companies selling internationally, maintaining clear visibility into duties, taxes, compliance requirements, and customs data is critical.This story was produced by Passport and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The Go Rounds, April 7 Recipients of WYCE Jammy Awards for Best Alternative Album (whatever you may be) and the band that's "Most Fun to Watch," the Michigan-based indie/psych-rock band The Go Rounds headline an April 7 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, Paste raving that the musicians "are bringing a head-clearing common sense to the sometimes senseless head-banging of rock ‘n’ roll. Or maybe they’re here to exterminate cynicism."
	Spring Craft Show returns to QCCA Expo Center with 125 vendors The event will feature handmade items, seasonal décor, gifts and specialty products from artisans and small businesses across the region.
	One arrested, one wanted after Rock Island shooting Saturday afternoon Rock Island police found a 46-year-old man shot in the abdomen on Saturday, March 21.
	12-day closure planned for U.S. 20 in Jo Daviess County A 12-day closure of U.S. 20 near Stockton begins April 13 for culvert work, with a posted detour in place through April 24.
	“Killers of Kill Tony,” April 3 With the scheduled lineup boasting the talents of David Lucas, Hans Kim, Timmy No Brakes, and Martin Philips, one of the world's most popular live podcasts becomes a live touring sensation in Killers of Kill Tony, its April 3 stop at Davenport's Adler Theatre treating audiences to a night with comedians who have graced the Kill Tony stage their with wit, humor, and unique comedic styles and characters.
	The Israeli military wants several more weeks to fight Iran war, officials say The Israeli military estimates it would need several more weeks of fighting to complete its war goals in Iran, at a time when President Trump says the U.S. is negotiating an end to the war.
	Fire reported near Thomson prison Developing.
	Mary Mack, April 3 With Jake Kroeger of The Comedy Bureau calling her album Pig Woman "especially mischievous and fun" with a "down-to-earth, Midwestern zeitgeist," touring comedian Mary Mack, on April 3, brings her signature standup set back to the Tomfoolery on Tremond series at Davenport's Renwick Mansion, the artist known for her work in television, on radio, and in comedy albums, including her most recent recording Perm Day.
	One wanted in connection with weekend Rock Island shooting Police in Rock Island have made one arrest and are looking for another suspect in a shooting over the weekend. A news release from the Rock Island Police Department said officer responded to the 1600 block of 12th Street on March 21 at about 2:06 p.m. after receiving reports of shots fired. Officers found a [...]
	Man shot in Rock Island; one suspect arrested, second remains at large A 46-year-old man was shot in Rock Island on Saturday, March 21. One suspect has been arrested, while a second suspect remains at large, police said.
	“Robert Ridgway: Illinois' Bird Man,” April 9 His research having transformed the field of ornithology, leading to the evolution of bird-watching from a hobby to scientific discipline, noted "Bird Man' Robert Ridgway will be celebrated in an April 9 program at the Rock Island Public Library's Downtown Branch, with renowned storyteller and author Brian “Fox” Ellis presenting a first-person impression of the Illinois legend and the story of his lifelong work at the Smithsonian Institution.
	Rising heat and stronger storms push demand for climate-resilient windows Rising heat and stronger storms push demand for climate-resilient windowsIf you feel like the weather has been a bit "off" lately, you aren't alone. In just the first few months of 2026, we’ve seen meteorologists scrambling to keep up with what they're calling "weather whiplash." One week, we’re seeing record 80-degree days in the South, and the next, a sudden cold snap is straining the power grid in the Northeast. It’s a strange, volatile time to be a homeowner. While the Western U.S. is coming off a winter defined by record-breaking warmth, the Eastern half of the country is essentially locked in a pattern of unpredictable, whiplash weather.This has shifted the whole conversation around home maintenance. It’s not just about "going green" anymore; it’s about structural survival. People are reinforcing their properties as a way to hedge against the elements and keep their families safe. We’re seeing a massive jump in the demand for climate-resilient materials—especially when it comes to the windows, which have always been a weak link in any house’s defense against stronger storms. Reece Windows looks at what kind of updates homeowners are making in the face of climate change.Windows and Climate-Proofing HomesThe numbers behind this shift are hard to ignore. The global market for energy-efficient windows was valued at $16.3 billion in 2024, and with the record-breaking volatility seen in early 2026, it is likely people will continue to invest. Precedence Research reports that the market will reach the $18.99 billion mark as homeowners prioritize structural survival. But there’s a massive catch: "Energy-efficient" doesn't automatically mean "weather-resilient." You can have a window that saves you money on your electric bill, but fails the moment a high-wind event or a freak ice storm rolls through.True resilience is about matching the glass to the local environment. If you’re in Texas, where they’ve seen summer-level heat as early as March 2026, the game is all about blocking solar gain. You need frames—like vinyl or reinforced aluminum—that won't warp or let heat seep into the living room.In the North, it’s a completely different strategy. You’re looking for "thermal retention" coatings that act like a mirror for heat. Think of it as a low-tech insurance policy; if a winter storm knocks out your power, those windows are what keep the indoor temperature from plummeting and prevent your pipes from freezing over. It’s about more than just a lower utility bill—it’s about shoring up the weakest point in your home’s defense before the next storm hits.The Role of Windows in Modern HomesGiven the current climate situation, it’s only natural to wonder why we keep adding huge windows and glass doors to our homes. From a physics standpoint, a window is essentially a thermal hole in an otherwise insulated wall.The main reason is the need for natural light and connection with the outdoors. As humans, we’re hardwired to crave daylight and views (preferably green), and our mental and physical health is at stake.Windows (especially double- and triple-pane ones) are also a great way to invite natural heat into your home and keep it there. In colder regions (like the U.S. Northeast or Mountain West), large south-facing windows are a climate solution.Natural ventilation is also a factor. Large windows allow fresh air inside, reducing indoor pollutants and humidity. It’s an easy, zero-cost way to cool the inside while also preventing mold growth and structural damage.Windows That Can Handle Stronger StormsClimate change brings many challenges, but a return to an era of small windows and low natural light is (fortunately) not among them. We now have climate-resilient windows that let homeowners reap the benefits of natural light in a safe, regulated environment.These are high-performance glazing systems engineered to withstand extreme weather events, like hurricanes, wildfires, and severe thermal shifts, while maintaining a building's structural integrity and energy efficiency.For optimal protection, you need to know the types of climate threats you’re facing. Most experts recommend double- and triple-pane windows in all climates (for energy efficiency), but when you’re preparing for stronger storms, hurricanes, or wildfires, the equation changes.As you can see in the table below, there are different climate-resilient windows for each climate threat: Reece Windows Climate-resilient windows do require a greater initial investment, but if you live in an area at risk of stronger storms, heat waves, or other adverse weather events, it can be worth the financial effort.This story was produced by Reece Windows and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The welcome kit moment: Why timing and curation define your new hire’s first impression The welcome kit moment: Why timing and curation define your new hire’s first impressionThe moment a new employee opens their laptop on Day 1, the clock on their sense of belonging has already started. Whether they feel connected to their new organization, or still on the outside looking in, can hinge on something HR teams have historically treated as an afterthought: the Welcome Kit.New research from Custom Ink’s 2026 Employee Onboarding Experience Audit, which surveyed more than 600 HR professionals and employees, reveals that most companies are flying blind when it comes to this critical onboarding moment. Only 26% of HR professionals say they are “extremely confident” their onboarding kits make new hires feel welcomed and valued. More striking: A late kit performs almost identically to no kit at all.Timing Is the Hidden VariableThe audit’s most counterintuitive finding concerns delivery timing. Employees who received a Welcome Kit on Day 1 were nearly twice as likely to say they felt they “completely belonged from the start” (34%) compared to those who received no kit at all (18%). That’s a meaningful difference. But here’s where the data gets complicated.Of employees who received a late Welcome Kit, 49% said it took time to feel included. Among those who received no kit at all, that figure was 44%. In other words, a kit that arrives after the first day produces outcomes nearly indistinguishable from receiving nothing.This challenges the assumption that “eventually” is good enough. The Welcome Kit isn’t just a collection of branded merchandise, it’s a signal. When it arrives on Day 1, it says: We were ready for you. When it arrives weeks later, that signal is lost.The Remote Work AmplifierThe stakes are especially high for remote and hybrid employees, where the Welcome Kit is often the only tangible first-day experience a new hire receives. There’s no office to walk through, no desk already set up, no colleague stopping by to say hello. The package that arrives before the first video call has to carry the weight of all of that.Yet only 50% of remote-enabled organizations in the audit successfully ship a Welcome Kit before the employee’s start date. That’s a logistical gap with real human consequences; one that’s largely solvable once organizations understand what’s at stake.The Real Barrier: Curation, Not BudgetWhen HR professionals were asked to identify their biggest challenges when creating a Welcome Kit, the results challenged a common assumption. “Deciding which items will make the strongest impression” ranked first at 53%, outpacing “getting budget approved for quality items” by six percentage points, and outranking every logistical and operational challenge on the list.The top challenges HR teams face when creating a Welcome Kit:Deciding which items will make the strongest impression: 53%Getting budget approved for quality items: 47%Knowing if the current kit is actually making an impact: 45%Knowing what quantity or sizing to order: 44%Finding a vendor who handles everything (kitting and shipping): 43%Cost anxiety is real, but it’s not the primary obstacle. The harder problem is confidence: knowing whether the choices being made will actually resonate with the person opening the box. That uncertainty is what the roughly three-quarters of HR teams who aren’t sure their kit is working are navigating with every new hire cycle.This is, in some ways, good news. Curation is a solvable problem, particularly when there’s direct data from employees about what they actually want.What Employees Actually WantThe audit asked more than 300 employees to select their top three items for the perfect Welcome Kit. The results were clear and, in several respects, instructive.Top employee Welcome Kit wish list items:High-quality water bottle or tumbler: 43% (No. 1 by a significant margin)Tote bag or backpack: 36%Branded hoodie or sweatshirt: 34%Tech accessories (phone stand, charger, cable organizer): 34%Branded t-shirt: 32%Gift card or voucher to choose their own swag: 29%The key word in the most popular item is “high-quality.” Employees aren’t asking for more items; they’re asking for better ones. A premium tumbler sits on a desk every day and signals genuine investment. By contrast, basic plastic bottles ranked among the most overdone and least appreciated items in the survey, consistent with a broader industry-wide shift away from disposable, low-engagement swag.Brand recognition also matters. An overwhelming 91% of buyers believe their teams feel more valued when receiving recognized retail brands compared to generic private label alternatives. Employees notice the difference between thoughtful investment and a budget placeholder. And, they interpret quality as a signal of how much the organization values them as individuals.The Business Case for Getting It RightThe argument for Welcome Kit investment doesn’t have to stay in the HR lane. Fifty percent of employees surveyed said the quality of their onboarding experience, including the Welcome Kit, directly affected how long they stayed at their company.That transforms the conversation. A Welcome Kit isn’t a line item to trim; it’s a first-day investment with measurable retention implications. Organizations that frame it that way are better positioned to make the case for the time, budget, and logistical infrastructure it takes to execute well.Research on broader branded merchandise trends reinforces the stakes: 74% of buyers cite team unity and belonging as their primary goal when selecting any form of branded gear. Onboarding is one of the highest-stakes moments to deliver on that goal—and one of the easiest to get wrong through inattention to timing and curation.What Better Looks LikeThe audit data points toward a fairly clear blueprint for Welcome Kits that work. Prioritize Day 1 delivery: A kit that arrives on time creates belonging outcomes that a late kit simply cannot replicate, regardless of what’s inside. Focus on fewer, higher-quality items rather than volume. Choose items employees will use daily. And recognize that what goes in the box communicates something about how much the organization values the person receiving it.For remote and hybrid teams especially, this isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s often the only first-day experience that’s tangible, physical, and personal. The data suggests that getting it right (or wrong) leaves an impression that outlasts the unboxing by months.HR teams that crack the curation and timing challenges don’t just improve onboarding satisfaction scores. They deliver a first-day signal that new hires carry with them long after the box is recycled.This story was produced by Custom Ink and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	“Breadcrumbs,” April 9 through 12 Hailed by Broadway World as "an endearing and humanly sound story that we didn't realize we needed more than ever," playwright Jennifer Haley's Breadcrumbs enjoys an April 9 through 12 run at Augustana College's Honkamp Myhre Black Box Theatre.
	“Palimpsest” and “The Edge of Light,” April 3 through May 30 Two gifted, thought-provoking Midwestern artists will showcase their most recent works in a pair of April 3 through May 30 exhibits at Dubuque's Voices Studios venue, with stunning examples of the power of photography on view in Randall Richmond's Palimpsest in the Voices Gallery and Amy May Laskye's The Edge of Light in the Joan Mulgrew Gallery.
	Her mother murdered her father in an infamous case. Now, she's telling her own story Lucille Miller was convicted of killing her husband in 1965. Now her daughter Debra reflects on her own traumatic childhood and its lingering effects in The Most Wonderful Terrible Person.
	Three arrested in Dixon diesel theft Three people have been arrested in Lee County after deputies said they removed diesel fuel from the Nelson Township Building in Dixon to use in a gasoline-powered truck and tried to hide the evidence. A news release from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office says deputies investigated a theft at the township building. An investigation determined [...]
	The healthcare software marketing playbook: Winning in an $84B, high-stakes market The healthcare software marketing playbook: Winning in an $84B, high-stakes marketAn $84 billion market suggests momentum. In healthcare, it also signals restraint.A new marketing playbook from Elevation Marketing examines how hospitals evaluate and purchase software in a sector projected to reach $197 billion by 2030. The headline growth is clear. The buying behavior behind it is far more cautious.Here are four findings that explain why healthcare software may be expanding quickly, while hospital decision-making moves at a measured pace.Growth Is Accelerating. Risk Still Drives the Market.The healthcare software market is currently valued at $84 billion and is expected to nearly double by 2030. North America leads adoption, fueled by widespread electronic health record systems and increasingly complex hospital IT environments.Yet growth does not translate into frictionless access.Hospitals evaluate software through the lens of patient safety, regulatory exposure, and operational continuity. A failed rollout can disrupt clinical workflows or expose sensitive health data. In a sector where mistakes carry public and legal consequences, caution is embedded in the process.The opportunity is large. The bar for entry is high.Hospital Sales Cycles Stretch Well Beyond a YearHealthcare software sales rarely move quickly.Hospital sales cycles routinely last 12 to 18 months and often extend longer.The extended timeline reflects layered oversight. Chief information officers, clinicians, IT teams, finance departments, and compliance officers all weigh in. Each group evaluates the software through its own criteria, from clinical impact to cybersecurity posture to long-term cost.In healthcare, the drawn-out process is not a flaw. It is deliberate governance.Trust Signals Outweigh Traditional MarketingHospital leaders rely heavily on peer validation and industry reputation.Merritt Group’s 2023 Healthcare Technology Marketing Guide, which surveyed 20 health system CIOs, found that 75% of CIOs prefer industry events when discovering new vendors. Half learn about new products from colleagues. Nearly 90% say respected industry experts or key opinion leaders influence purchasing decisions.That dynamic reshapes how credibility is built.Case studies, analyst recognition, and media coverage function as risk-reduction tools. They signal survivability and stability in a high-stakes environment. Vendor claims alone rarely carry sufficient weight.Hospitals are not simply comparing features. They are assessing who else has vetted the solution and whether it has performed in real-world clinical settings.Security Is a Baseline, Not a DifferentiatorHealthcare’s regulatory environment leaves little room for error.More than 935 million healthcare records have been exposed in breaches from 2009-2025, according to the HIPAA Journal, which analyzed the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights data. In 2023 and 2024, the industry averaged over two breaches per day. A 2024 cyberattack potentially exposed data for 1 in 3 Americans.Against that backdrop, hospitals scrutinize vendors’ security architecture, certifications, and compliance history. Software that handles protected health information must meet HIPAA standards and operate within a regulatory structure that may include CMS, ONC, FDA, FTC, and state-level oversight.Security is not a selling point. It is the minimum requirement to enter the conversation.A Credibility Market, Not a Volume MarketThe report’s core argument is straightforward. Healthcare software is not a volume play. It is a credibility play.Hospitals are slow to adopt new systems. Once trust is established, they tend to retain vendors for years, in part because switching platforms carries operational and clinical risk.For companies pursuing hospital contracts, speed is less important than sustained proof. Evidence, references, and third-party validation shape outcomes more than aggressive outreach.The healthcare software market may be expanding rapidly. Hospital decision-making remains intentionally deliberate. In an industry where technology can affect patient care, caution is not hesitation. It is part of the design.That tension between growth and governance defines the market today.SummaryThe healthcare software market is valued at $84 billion and is projected to reach $197 billion by 2030. Yet hospital buying behavior remains cautious, layered, and slow by design.Elevation Marketing’s Healthcare Software Marketing Playbook highlights a central tension in the market: rapid growth alongside deliberate governance. Hospital sales cycles routinely stretch 12 to 18 months or longer. Peer validation and industry reputation heavily influence purchasing decisions, with 75% of CIOs preferring industry events for vendor discovery and nearly 90% citing expert influence. At the same time, security and regulatory scrutiny are baseline expectations, shaped by years of high-profile data breaches.The report makes one point clear: Healthcare software is a credible market. Vendors that succeed build trust over time, support internal champions, and meet strict compliance standards.MethodologyThis article is based on Elevation Marketing’s Healthcare Software Marketing Playbook. The playbook synthesizes data on the healthcare software market size, hospital IT purchasing research, CIO surveys, cybersecurity statistics, and regulatory analysis from cited industry sources.Where survey findings are referenced, insights include data from Pollfish, as well as additional third-party healthcare IT reports and published research.Sources cited in the original study include healthcare market research firms, hospital CIO surveys, industry publications, and regulatory analyses. All referenced statistics and data points are attributed in the original report’s source list.This story was produced by Elevation Marketing and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Historic Hewitt family tree removed from TPC Deere Run The tree planted on Friendship Farm's green was named in honor of the William A. and Patricia Hewitt family.
	North Scott Press — March 25, 2026
	Just a few bushels more \With the arrival of spring, there will soon be a flurry of outdoor activity. But animals aren’t the only lumbering beasts awakening. Fire up the tractors and put last week’s snowfall firmly in the rearview. It’s planting season. While their equipment may have been resting, growers have hardly been sitting on their hands all winter. Agriculture is still a full-time job, even after the crop has been harvested and delivered. The hours may be nominally shorter, but there’s still maintenance and Farm Bureau meetings, economic outlook meetings and seminars to attend. And growers have got to take some time to meet with their team: a myriad of folks selling seed, equipment, chemicals and more. It’s all in pursuit of the big goal: How can I get just a few more bushels than last year? That comes down to the right source, right rate, right time and right place. In other words, agronomy. Agronomy is the science of soil management and crop production. It’s about growing crops efficiently, sustainably and profitably, while protecting the soil and the environment. It integrates everything from pest control to soil health to seed hybridization. And Shane Dierickx and Corbin Suiter could spend all day talking about it. Suiter is an agronomist/applicator at Liqui-Grow in Eldridge. He got his start interning with the company while he was a student at North Scott High School and Muscatine Community College, where he earned a degree in agricultural business. A member of the North Scott FFA, Suiter received his American Degree last fall. And it was in FFA that he first became interested in agriculture sales. That’s how he met Dierickx and eventually stepped into Dierickx’s place at Liqui-Grow. Dierickx is also a North Scott alum, and graduated from Iowa State University in 2020, also with a degree in ag business. He said he’s at least a fourth-generation farmer and now works with his dad Pat on the family farm, Pride of the Wapsi, in rural Long Grove. He said he learned a lot from his dad, whose career in ag started during the farm crisis of the 1980s. As Pat worked through the difficulty of trying to find a place in farming, he also went to work in sales, starting for what would become FS in Eldridge. Throughout his career he also worked for Garst, Bayer and finally AMVAC. After Pat retired from AMVAC in October, Shane took over his sales territory. But before that, Dierickx worked for Liqui-Grow. About four years ago, North Scott FFA instructor Emily Kruse asked him to come in and help prepare students for an ag sales competition. Dierickx agreed and had the students present their sales pitches to him so he could provide feedback. Suiter was the last to present. “He did a phenomenal job,” said Dierickx. “I couldn’t hardly say no. Honestly, he was so good. I literally said, word for word, I don’t want to have to sell against you, so I want you to come work for Liqui-Grow.” Suiter started at Liqui-Grow the summer after high school and continued during the two-year program at Muscatine Community College, which has built-in opportunities for internships. Following his internships, Suiter was hired as an applicator and now is shifting into an ag sales job. After Dierickx left for AMVAC, Suiter took on about half of his accounts. How agronomists help growers Suiter said agronomy can help growers increase yields and use tools like fertilizer and water more efficiently, as well as manage pests and diseases. All of this helps maintain soil health and protect the land. Dierickx said helping growers be good stewards of the land is one of the most important factors of agronomy. “It’s really the science of producing plants – whether that plant is corn, beans, cotton. Or if it’s pumpkins or sunflowers, peppers, tomatoes, you name it. So, while we do that, we have to make sure that we put the nutrients back into the soil that we’re taking out.” There’s even a historical component to agronomy – consider the Dust Bowl of the 1920s. The drought at the time was compounded by poor farming practices, where the ground was overworked and overfarmed, and the soil wasn’t properly taken care of. Farming practices changed dramatically in the wake of the Dust Bowl, and growers are now more forward-thinking. And that’s something that Suiter keeps in mind. “Another big thing is just protecting the land for future generations, too. Because, a lot of farmers, as they get older, in 10 or 20 years, they won’t be doing this anymore. Someone has to take over that farm. Keeping the soil in good health is something that, for a lot of farmers, is very important to them.” Dierickx said that’s one of many lessons he’s learned from his dad over the years. “He always instilled in me that being a good steward of the land is wanting to make sure that there’s land to farm if I have kids or grandkids and they want to farm.” Suiter is working with a customer in the Princeton area. While his children aren’t so interested in farming, he has a grandson that has become interested in agriculture as a potential career. “We have to make sure that there’s land to farm, so that if Carter wants to farm, he can,” said Dierickx. But as growers consider their land, they also have to balance being a good steward with profitability for their farm. “We could go out and recommend 10,000 treatments, and they could grow 1,000 bushel corn or 500 bushel beans, but if they’re only making 10 cents per acre because of all those treatments, it just doesn’t end up panning out unless they are an astronomically large farmer,” said Dierickx. “And even then, not so much.” “A big thing is balancing those outputs with inputs,” said Suiter. “I think success in my job is very much correlated to the farmer’s success. If I’m out here pushing all these fufu juices and everything else and making them spend a lot more money on things that maybe aren’t going to help increase their yield, then they’re not going to be able to make a profit. “Seeing the farmer succeed means that I’m doing my job well.” Working on goals The winter months can be just as important as crop season for growers. Economic impact summits give an outlook on the potential global marketplace over the next 12 months. This can also help determine what crops get planted. Growers also spend a lot of time looking at their yields from the recently ended harvest and determining what methods may have worked better than others. Suiter said he often finds himself having sit-down meetings with many of his customers. “There’s always a conversation had after harvest, going over everything – what worked, what didn’t work, what do we need to do next year? That’s kind of the big overview conversation, and then during those winter months, it’s where you talk about, ‘Hey, this is kind of new. Are you interested in trying it?’” Dierickx said the winter months are also about building relationships. “You get to hear about the family; you get to hear about their kids or their grandkids. Because, what’s the average age of a farmer anymore? Sixty something? So, you get that opportunity to build the relationship with these guys and learn – ‘Hey, I was shooting for 210. We got 208, really close to the goal. But that two extra bushels could have gotten me the opportunity to spend a little more time with my kids.’ And then you get to understand, why is the yield goal 210.” “That’s one of the best parts of doing what we do,” agreed Suiter. “We get to meet all of these people and it’s just all of these relationships that you get to build and grow throughout the years. It’s not always just about selling things. It’s about building that relationship, learning about people, and developing friendships and relationships through it all.” Taking the time to build relationships pays off during the busy days when the crop is in the field. “It’s a lot of teamwork, too,” said Dierickx. “When these guys go into busy season, it’s Execute Mode only. You have to have the trust built between you and your customer, you and your applicator, you and your manager, any other kind of co-workers. And if they haven’t properly used that time in the winter to build this relationship and that trust, things can get tough. It does get tough. Because you’re working for, honestly, 54 days straight. No rain in the forecast, there’s always work to be done.” “Working 17-plus hours a day. It gets really tiring,” added Suiter. He described the Eldridge Liqui-Grow location as “kind of a family. Everybody looks out for each other; everybody helps each other out. If I have a breakdown, then I know when I get back, the guys are going to be waiting there with all the tools out, ready to help fix it. It’s not every man for himself. It’s one big team. “And that’s something that I tell growers, too. Yes, I’m the face that you’re going to see when somebody comes out and talks. But when you’re working with me, or you’re working with another salesman, you have an entire team behind us that’s looking out for you as well. It’s definitely them family kind of feeling that I get in the relationships with my co-workers and everything. And it makes me excited to go back to work every day, because I know that we’re going to have fun together. We’re going to make the most of it. Yeah, it sucks and we’re all going to get tired, but we’re all going to look out for each other and help each other out.” New technology advances One technology that ag manufacturers have been working on is the seed tube. “The seed tube delivers the seed from the planter box down to the furrow, which is the V cut into the ground, where the seed goes before it gets covered up,” explained Dierickx. He said a factor that manufacturers like Deere, Kinze and Case are all trying to work on is how to get the corn planted so the pointed part of the seed (the tip cap) goes in facing down. “That’s what’s going to give the quickest emergence, and the best opportunity for your coleoptile to go up and your radicle to go down,” said Dierickx. “Because your radicle becomes your roots, and your coleoptile becomes your actual plants and leaves, specifically for corn. And they’ve found that if you can get that to happen, it’ll emerge from the ground 24 hours faster than if you got it planted upside down. “Where do the next 10 bushels come from? That’s the question. How do you take this ground from 200 bushel ground to 210, without costing yourself the equivalent of 12 bushels.” Crop mapping is also a technology that has been emerging within the last five years. While there are several companies exploring the technology, Suiter has been specifically working with John Deere equipment. He and a grower go out into a field on a side-by-side and record boundaries and waterways. That information is sent to John Deere Ops Center from their computer, and a map is created. The data from the map is then input and sent to sprayer rigs using Exact Apply, which is individual nozzle control. “There’s 71 nozzles on a sprayer,” said Dierickx. “Say you’re driving through a waterway, and the waterway is at an angle and you’re driving into it square. It’ll shut off the nozzles individually as you get into the waterway, and as soon as you get out of the waterway, it’ll turn them back on.” Nozzle technology has also improved significantly over the years. Dierickx said it used to be that the nozzles on the entire boom had to be turned off. But gradually, more precision has been added. “A lot of what these machines are capable of doing when they get into these mapped fields is, they no longer have to outline waterways,” said Suiter. “If you have Roundup or something and you spray it through those waterways, you’re going to kill it and you’re going to make the farmer pretty mad. Before Exact Apply, and the machines that aren’t equipped, you’re driving around these waterways and outlining them, which is less efficient. “Then, when you’re going around the waterways, you have to run over a little bit of crop going around it – which, the farmer understands that’s what has to be done – but now you can reduce running over crop with just being able to go straight through waterways, because it’ll shut off automatically.” “It decreases your overspray,” said Dierickx. “It also decreases your time in the field, which ends up decreasing the amount of diesel burned, which decreases your emissions. There’s a lot of good things. Because I can confidently tell you, no one wants to use more of anything if they don’t have to, because it becomes more expensive.” Suiter said Liqui-Grow is also working on technology to maximize fertilizer efficiency, by promoting uniform application of chemicals. “Putting the fertilizer where the crop needs it, not just blanket, throwing it all out onto the field. Really trying to put a concentrated band of fertilizer where the crop needs it.” That system is Exact Strip, which also uses GPS to exactly locate where chemicals need to be sprayed. John Deere also has a system called See and Spray, which uses artificial intelligence to help distinguish weeds from plants. Dierickx said there’s also a greater push for environmental protection to help preserve vital ecosystems. “These retailers and these growers are listening. They are doing those things. Especially around here, split applying nitrogen. Nitrogen can come in a lot of forms, but it all ends up in the nitrate form, which is what gets in the water system. Split applying it helps a tremendous amount … not only does it help keep it from going in the water, it’s better for the plant. “These guys are trying to be good stewards of the land, not just because the government says so. Because it ends up returning better money for them and because they want to see this world continue to grow.” Getting back in the field With last week’s snow melting away, growers were aiming to start getting back in the fields this week – Suiter estimated March 23. Dierickx said the snow might have actually helped get some additional subsoil moisture back into the ground. With the wet ground and the soil starting to warm back up, “We want to get out there, put our spring fertilizer on and get geared up to put our pre-emerge chemical on,” said Suiter. Once the crop goes in the ground, a strict timeline starts to emerge with the plants. Certain chemicals can’t be sprayed once the crop starts growing or reaches a certain height. While the optimal soil temperature for corn and soybeans is between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit at two inches deep, they can germinate at a minimum of 50 degrees, if the soil has been that temperature for at least three days. Crops can be planted in colder soil, but they can go into what Dierickx described as a “hibernation mode” and won’t germinate until the soil warms up adequately. “The longer a plant stays in the ground, its yield can go down,” he said. “The faster you can get it up and out of the ground and evenly emerged.” Youth in agriculture As younger ag professionals, Dierickx and Suiter have also gotten a first-hand view of some of the challenges faced by the industry. But that’s not a bad thing, they say. “You get quickly exposed to real world challenges that farmers face, and you get to find solutions to them,” said Suiter. “The culture tends to be collaborative … so even as somebody new, or somebody young, you get to learn from experienced agronomists, all over, at different locations. You get to pick their brains, and you get to bring your perspectives to the table as well.” He said there are some generational differences with growers now. “If I go out and talk to a grower who’s 65 or 70 years old, we’re going to have a different conversation than when I talk to a new farmer who’s maybe in their 30s. There’s that generational gap. People from different generations expect different things.” He and Dierickx pointed to the emergence of agricultural influencers on social media. “A 70-year-old farmer isn’t going to be influenced by TikTok videos or YouTube videos,” said Suiter. “Liqui-Grow puts out their L.E.A.D. Academy videos, and maybe somebody who is in their 30s is going to be more receptive to that. It just kind of goes into the way that you’re going to work with your growers and understanding that there’s going to be generational gaps and what they tend to prefer when it comes to their farming practices or the way to reach out to them and how to work with them is a little bit different.” Dierickx said there’s also a lot to learn about the ag industry, and there’s a certain amount of pressure knowing that farming is an expensive endeavor. “As inputs go up, you’re dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars for one person … as inputs continue to go up, millions of dollars for one person. And the amount of stress that can go with that, because if you make a wrong decision – you spray your bean treatment too late, you kill the whole field. That could be $100,000 for one field. So, there’s a lot of pressure to get it right every single time. There are just so many things you have to keep track of, and you’re going 1,000 miles per hour.” Suiter said that’s what’s helpful about working in a collaborative environment, especially where he can rely on other agronomists and ag professionals. “Nobody wants to see you sink or fail. Everybody wants to watch you succeed as well. And so, they’re going to do what they can to help.” “You can’t understate the community aspect, the family aspect of people that just want to watch you succeed,” said Dierickx. “It can be pretty nerve-racking when you’re working with a fourth or fifth generation farmer and you make a mistake that could bankrupt them. Especially in the next three years – I don’t think it’s going to get any easier in the next three years. But the fact that you have people that want to see you succeed is a silver lining in the cloud.” Dierickx and Suiter said now is a great time for a young person to consider going into agriculture. Suiter said there are tremendous learning opportunities in all facets of the industry. “All of these older people that are farming, at some point, they’re going to retire, and we’re going to need a new flood of young agronomists, young farmers to take over and be educated and knowledgeable about farming practices, and have an understanding of how to use new technologies that are coming in. There’s that incentive of just so much to be able to learn – whether it’s how to run a sprayer or how to run a planter or a combine, or learn the basics of the chemistries of the chemicals or fertilizers and what it takes to grow a good crop.” Dierickx pointed out the opportunities at the Regional Innovation Center in Eldridge, including the rapidly expanding diesel mechanics program through Eastern Iowa Community College. Between new farming equipment and the trucks to haul grain and chemicals, diesel mechanics is another opportunity for young agricultural professionals. Then there are new opportunities for applicators, drivers and other, lesser-known facets of agriculture. Suiter said he sees agriculture going towards a more precise, sustainable and data-driven future. “Growers are increasingly looking to maximize efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.” That means integrating new technologies, such as precision nutrient management and soil health monitoring. There is also growing interest in plant nutrition, and tailoring specific crop needs to local conditions. “Whether that’s soil types or nutrient removal rates for specific crops. The products and fertilizers, like the ones we develop at Liqui-Grow, allow farmers to respond to crop stress by putting on uniform fertilizer and bands, or using our new technology, Exact Strip, to optimize yields and improve overall plant health.” Looking ahead, Suiter said he also sees a blend of innovative plant nutrition solutions, advanced digital tools and sustainable practices leading the way in agriculture. “Ultimately, it’s about feeding a growing world efficiently, while protecting the resources that agriculture depends on, like soil, water and the environment.” “I feel like every new year, there’s a new thing where you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s part of agriculture? Join the club,’” said Dierickx. “Because I think back in the day … my grandfather grew up in the 1920s. He grew up hooking up plows, a two-bottom plow, to horses. And he got to watch John Deere come out with tractors. The original combine was a pull-behind on an open cab tractor for one, maybe two rows. And then you get to watch Kinze out in Williamsburg come out with their brand of planters … there’s so many different parts. There’s R&D, there’s agricultural engineering, agricultural business, agricultural studies, there’s so, so many things. “It’s all about getting the next 10 bushels, or the next one pound a day rate of gain, or the next more efficient engine, or the strongest 135-foot boom on a sprayer. It is a really, really cool time.”
	King's Harvest Ministries needs bottled water donations Temperatures may be slowly starting to rise, but King’s Harvest Ministries is addressing the critical need for bottled water now. A post on the King’s Harvest Ministries’ Facebook page says the group needs donations of bottled water to help care for the many people they serve each day. Water is crucial for maintaining wellness and [...]
	Watch out for tractors this planting season As farmers prepare to go back into the fields, they’ll be driving their equipment again, too. That means tractors on roadways. And that means drivers should be mindful and careful of traffic. “There have been lots of times, and times in this community, where things have happened. They are very unfortunate, and we’ve lost really good people,” said Shane Dierickx. “So, as we go into this warmer time period, there’s going to be a lot of people that are going to want to be on the road because they want to ride motorcycles, they want to ride four-wheelers, they want to get out and walk.” “Road safety is so important, when you’re going to have tractors, planters, sprayers, all out on the road,” said Corbin Suiter. “Just leave an extra five minutes early or something like that, because, at the end of the day, we just all want to get back to our families as well.” “Every day there’s a beautiful sunrise; let’s make sure we see the next one, because you’re going to be sharing the road no matter what,” said Dierickx. “Whether that’s with motorcycles and four-wheelers – because they’re already hard to see – but you’re going to be sharing with planters, tillage tools, sprayers, you’re going to be sharing whether it’s a tender truck or a semi truck that could be hauling grain or a fertilizer or chemical. Just keep your eyes open.” He said accidents frequently happen when drivers become frustrated and rush to get around farm equipment. Suiter said that it is often difficult for machine operators to see other traffic, because there are many blind spots on the equipment. “God forbid, you could run the sprayer off the road, or, God forbid, you go around, and you don’t see a car coming and you have a head-on collision. I’ve almost seen that numerous times.” “Whether it’s grown or made, pretty much everything came from a plant or an animal. So, we just need to make sure that we’re taking the time to have the reverence these big machines deserve,” said Dierickx.
	Congress loses a flying perk as DHS shutdown continues Delta Airlines is temporarily suspending specialty services to member of Congress due to resource constraints from the ongoing shutdown of DHS.
	Wilton builds for the future Olivia Sippy, agriculture education teacher at Wilton High School, doesn’t have a classroom. “I’m mobile,” Sippy explained on a recent visit. Her old classroom has been cordoned off as Wilton undertakes an ambitious, $4 million expansion of its agriculture and industrial technology building. Sippy said that new facilities—a lab, classroom, and dedicated agricultural mechanics workshop—will give the give students “hands-on opportunities, on campus, on site.” Any given semester, Wilton’s agriculture education program enrolls a quarter of the 7–12 student body in classes that range from animal nutrition to tractor mechanics. Since Wilton transitioned to tight, 40-minute class periods, Sippy said the program has struggled to bring students to the learning farm south of town. And as interest in ag mechanics has grown, the program has fought for space with industrial technology classes. The new facility will solve both problems, giving students the space they need to work with animals and large machines right on campus. “I just think it's going to give our teachers, and ultimately, the students, more opportunities to do things they currently can't do in the facilities that exist,” Superintendent Joe Burnett said. Sippy said they should be in the building by the start of the next school year. Project managers told the Wilton School Board earlier this month that the project was on schedule and on budget. A walk through the design Architect David Dobson began designing the expansion that year. That process began with “listening to the space needs of the staff,” he said. “Really, they know the best use of space to promote teaching and learning,” Dobson said. From the outset, the project would expand the existing agriculture and industrial technology building and connect it with the school. In the final design, a new agriculture laboratory, classroom, and storage spaces abut a corridor that runs from the Wilton cafeteria to the existing classrooms. A left turn at the end of that corridor leads to an entirely new agriculture mechanics shop, complete with eight welding booths. Dobson said that bringing all of the school facilities under one roof was a “secure approach to teaching and learning.” Sippy said that while school security hadn’t motivated the project, it was a consideration throughout the design process. Dobson said the design was practical and cost-effective, meeting staff and students’ needs without becoming a costly “Cadillac.” The laboratory, just across from the school cafeteria, will include a ramp, overhead door and animal wash station to allow students to work on animal handling on campus. Lab work can be carried out on six stainless steel tables. “Bringing animals in will help so much, because in our classes, we talk about animals so much, but we never really get the opportunity to bring them in,” Wilton senior Myli Geigle said. And you will not have to be in the room to participate in its activities. A large viewing window will give younger students, especially Wilton’s elementary schoolers, a chance to safely observe animals and older students. A dedicated prep space separates the lab from the new agriculture classroom which leads, by vestibule, to the existing greenhouse. It will keep plants and supplies safe from transport through cold weather, Sippy explained. The largest room of the expansion is the mechanics workshop, with doors large enough to bring in a combine head, and dedicated space for smaller tractors and other equipment. In addition to classrooms, laboratory and workshops, the expansion adds private offices for Sippy and mechanics teacher Gabe Boorn as well as men’s and women’s restrooms. Opportunities for students The project is designed to improve opportunities for students, and they are excited about it. Wilton junior and FFA officer Clara Schneider shows animals and loves to work with plants in the school greenhouse. She said the new lab space will allow her to “do more with growing seeds,” “doing things with a germinator,” and genetically modifying plants. “That's something Clara really wants to do,” Sippy added. “She wants to learn how to genetically modify or breed some plants of her own.” The new laboratory will make that possible. Not with more technology, but with more space. “Being able to have some dedicated lab space, where she can kind of put her stuff… we just don't have any room for that right now,” Sippy said. With the new building, Wilton’s agriculture program will be able to offer a supervised agricultural experience class. Sippy described it as an independent research project where advanced students get to “choose their own adventure.” “That is something that every ag kid is supposed to have. It's giving them an opportunity to put the knowledge into practice,” she said. More space will be key for students involved in mechanics, too. Boorn has “two tractors that have been donated,” Sippy explained, and “he wants to take a couple of kids and build those tractors up, restore them from the ground up.” “We have an eight row planter that our kids, with his instruction, have completely revamped, fixed,” she added—proof of instructional concept. But the old space could not handle a tractor. Freshman Gage Maurer comes from a Wilton farming family. He said that the new mechanics space would prepare him for a return home. “My end goal is to come back to the family farm,” he said. “I need to know what I’m doing somewhat for mechanics… being able to have the bigger ag space, we can work on bigger machinery, and know more of what's going on, like in the engine, and how to troubleshoot some of that stuff.” The mechanics space will also open up new room for the school’s industrial technology program, which shares its shop with the agriculture education. Although senior Geigle will never take class in the new building, said she is excited to stop in for a visit or two next year. “I'll be gone next year when the building is finally in place, but I'm really excited. A lot of us seniors, when we graduate, we're still very involved, whether we're showing animals or we're just coming every now and then to help,” she said. Funding the space Superintendent Joe Burnett said that when planning for the project began in 2024, Wilton approached the local Herb Townsend Foundation, begun by a late Wilton farmer. Dwight Glenny is Townsend’s nephew and chair of the foundation. Townsend “loved the town of Wilton and the people in it,” Glenny said. “He loved kids. He just wanted to do things that were good for kids and good for the community.” An expansion of Wilton’s ag program fit the foundation’s mission, and it agreed to pay for a $4 million expansion. “We’re pretty excited about it,” Glenny said. “Back in the 70s, when I was an ag student and an ag teacher—the ag programs have changed a huge amount since then.” “It isn’t just Wilton, it’s the whole state. FFA is growing,” he said. Equipping the next generation Burnett said the project’s goal was “to get kids excited about agriculture.” “Being in Iowa, we want to promote that as much as we can. We need young people going into the agricultural fields,” he said. “In today's world, we understand that there are a lot of pathways to success, and a four year, four year liberal arts degree is not the only pathway,” Burnett said. “We want to give kids opportunities to sample vocational offerings, so they can make a better decision on a career choice post–high school.” Sippy said the agriculture program, like a sprout in springtime, was always ready to grow. “I think that we can always grow. That's not necessarily adding classes ... It's just enhancing what we have,” Sippy said.
	Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll highlights rising concerns about soil compaction Farm equipment such as tractors, combines, grain carts and self-propelled sprayers have become larger and heavier in recent years, and concern about soil compaction and its impacts on crop yields has increased apace. The 2025 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll, conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, surveyed 945 farmers and found that they are increasingly concerned about soil compaction and that their views on management approaches are changing over time. To examine evolving farmer perspectives on soil compaction, the 2025 Farm Poll survey included questions previously used in the 2013 Farm Poll, allowing researchers to compare responses over time. In terms of concerns, 80% of respondents agreed that they are concerned about the impact of soil compaction on the land they farm, up from 70% in 2013. Similarly, 81% agreed that they are concerned about the impact of heavy agricultural machinery on soil health, an increase from 75% in 2013. “Farms are getting larger while fieldwork windows are shrinking due to changing weather patterns, and equipment is getting bigger and heavier in order to plant and harvest faster,” said J. Arbuckle, director of the Farm Poll, professor and extension sociologist at Iowa State. “The results suggest that these changes are leading to increased worries about soil compaction and its impacts on yields.” There are many ways that farmers can manage soil compaction, and some are more effective than others. The survey repeated several items from the 2013 survey and added new ones to reflect recent developments in compaction management. Among the repeated items, consideration of soil moisture when planning fieldwork garnered the most agreement at 92%, nearly identical to the 91% found in 2013. Similarly, agreement that wheel traffic control is an effective means of compaction management was 65% in both years. “There were also some important changes in perspectives,” said Mehari Tekeste, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State. “Agreement that use of no-till, which can improve soil structure and help mitigate compaction, is an effective compaction management practice increased from 57% to 63%.” The two new items included in the 2025 survey asked farmers about the use of cover cops and machinery with tracks rather than wheels as compaction management strategies. “Substantial majorities of farmers agreed that use of machines with tracks and planting of cover crops can help reduce soil compaction,” said Tekeste. “That said, for both items, 38% indicated uncertainty, which points to opportunities for additional outreach regarding these strategies.” “The finding that 56% of farmers agreed that cover crops can reduce soil compaction is important given that, in addition to compaction management, cover crops can also improve soil fertility and water quality by keeping nutrients in place,” Arbuckle added. “As farmers prepare for the 2026 planting season, it’s important that they consider compaction management strategies to maintain potential productivity,” said Tekeste. Farmers can review the ISU Extension and Outreach publication, “Understanding and Managing Soil Compaction,” to help with fieldwork planning. For more information, contact Arbuckle at arbuckle@iastate.edu. About the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll Conducted annually since 1982, the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll gathers insights from farmers statewide to inform research, extension programs and policy decisions. This report and previous reports are available through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
	Reflecting on a childhood back home on the farm In 2009, my parents bought the Massachusetts dairy farm where I grew up. Leased one, really, for 30 years, and bought the five acres which held a farmhouse, barn, and field where they planted an orchard. Growing up, the farm seemed endless. Every road, trail, barn, field and garden had a name, most of which were inherited from previous owners. Wandering through them, my brother and I were adventurers rediscovering some lost territory. And it had been lost, shuttered in the 1980s when dairy farms died throughout the northeast. The previous owners had ridden horses. My brother and I had no neighbors our age, so there was a spareness to our days. We did not understand that our parents had overthrown their lives and entered the fight for an extinct way of living with the world. The earliest farm memories I have consist of logging, my cleanshaven father and a crew of men trimming trees that had been left to rot or to creep at the edges of the field. Big piles of dirt sat across the farm throughout my childhood, evidence of the fight to remake the landscape. My brother and I slid down barefoot and increasingly toothless; I can still taste the dirt. I remember my mother scraping it out from underneath my black nails. The fact that my father tracked mud or manure into our house sparked bitter fights. He was asked to do his laundry in the barn, with the farmhands. The farm taught us lessons. They were cruel ones which ended in death: a duck frozen, a chicken left headless by a racoon, piglets crushed, cows lamed, bulls shot for an ornery turn in old age, an ancient elm finally dying to Dutch Elm’s Disease. Death became ordinary. My mother worried that I saw too much of it. When I was 10 we had a barn fire, the product of an overheated dishwasher and a failed breaker. It was hot enough to melt the steel frame of our creamery. It made the sky glow orange at three in the morning, and it lit a field of police and firemen who stood watching, waiting for it to cool. Nobody knows the difference between trying to change the world and keeping still within it. Everything that you make must be kept; the enemy is time and chance. The farm had to turn over in death and sweat, and laugh at the notion of victory. Robert Frost wrote of the abandoned homestead, “a belilaced cellar hole, / Now slowly closing like a dent in dough.” Nature is beautiful, flexible, and remorseless. The world will wake you up from every dream. * * * Surrounding the farm were three- and four-acre properties, most of them summer homes with yards tastefully wooded. In the 1980s, the farm had been put into a trust that required lessees to keep it in agricultural use, at least by cutting hay and upkeeping the barns. So it became undevelopable and stuck in time. This was a part of both the magic and the futility of the place. For these summer homes, the farm provided an excellent view and an impression of place. Often as not the impression was hostile to real farming: the ugliest battle my parents ever fought was with a neighbor over a greenhouse they built, which obscured a multimillion-dollar view. Farming is a struggle against mindless forces of nature, an immediate and necessary reality. It does not make time for impressions. Farmers acquire a taste for the real world, like a taste for gin or dark chocolate. Bitterness the only worthwhile flavor. Farming remains the heart of American culture because it so well symbolizes the randomness and tragedy of real life. Sometimes I worry that farming will suffer an extraordinary fate: death to the idea of itself. Preservation always holds that risk. Perhaps I am a kind of fossil, the child of preserved land and stubborn parents. Frost again, at the beginning of the poem: “Back out of all this now too much for us / Back in a time made simply by the loss / Of detail”. But we cannot languish in simplicity. What could be more joyous than living! Frost insists. “This was no playhouse but a house in earnest.”
	War in Middle East causes further stress on U.S. farmers Corn farmers in the U.S. are bracing for even higher fertilizer prices as conflict in the Middle East impacts the globally traded commodity, according to leaders with the National Corn Growers Association. Corn farmers are approaching a fourth year of negative yields, due to low corn prices and high input costs, including fertilizers. The growers association renewed its call on Congress to legalize year-round, nationwide E-15, a higher blend of ethanol fuel, and for the removal of duties on fertilizers from Morocco. Lesly McNitt, vice president of public policy for National Corn Growers Association, said there is not enough domestically produced fertilizer to meet demand, which means imported fertilizer is vital to farmers. McNitt, speaking during a press conference Wednesday, said duties on phosphate from Morocco and Russia that were put in place in 2020, have “kept phosphate prices high” and caused “availability issues and lack of competitive options for farmers.” A study from the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University found that the countervailing duties increased the cost of phosphorus by about $6.9 billion for the 2021 to 2025 growing seasons. “Now the conflict in the Middle East has further complicated access to critical fertilizers,” McNitt said, noting the U.S. typically imports about 40% of phosphate products from Saudi Arabia. “When these fertilizers can’t be transported through the Strait of Hormuz, there are real implications for availability and price, and there is a global market impact,” McNitt said. Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, an approximately 30-mile-wide channel that connects major Middle Eastern oil, natural gas and fertilizer producers to the Arabian Sea, in response to joint attacks on the country from the U.S. and Israel. The Fertilizer Institute said in a news release that closure of the strait could impact ammonia, urea, sulfur, phosphates and natural gas markets. “Supply disruptions in one part of the world can ripple across the trade routes and affect availability and price in other regions,” The Fertilizer Institute said. “While the United States is both a fertilizer producer and importer, those same global supply dynamics play a role in determining input costs for American farmers.” McNitt said the duties imposed on countries like Morocco further restrict farmers’ abilities to search for other options. National Corn Growers Association sent a letter, along with other national and state farm groups, including Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Soybean Association, to domestic fertilizer producers Mosaic and J.R. Simplot, urging them to withdraw their support of countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco. The duties were imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce following a petition from Mosaic. Other fertilizers like nitrogen—which corn farmers on the call said is the fertilizer that is most difficult to go without—have greater domestic production, but are still part of the global fertilizer market. McNitt said the nature of the market means that “a shock anywhere, impacts prices everywhere.” Matt Frostic, first vice president with NCGA and a Michigan farmer, said the cost of nitrogen fertilizer coming into U.S. ports currently would raise his production cost by about $90 per acre. U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated 2025 corn production had crop production costs at around $890 per acre, and the department projects the average cost of production for corn farmers in 2026 will be $917 per acre. Frostic said that while farmers have the option to lock in fertilizer rates earlier in the season and prepay for some of those inputs, those decisions are often difficult to make, especially coming off several hard years. “Many farmers didn’t necessarily lock in some of those prices, or they didn’t have the finances to do so,” Frostic said. “… There will tend to be a lot of producers out there that have not locked in that price, so we’re going to be a victim to the high cost of fertilizer.” Blocked passage in the Strait of Hormuz is also responsible for the global jump in fuel prices. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had year round, nationwide, E-15 right now?” McNitt said during the call with reporters. According to the association, the higher blend of ethanol fuel saves consumers between 10 cents and 30 cents per gallon at the pump. National and state agricultural organizations have urged Congress to allow for the year-round sale of the fuel across the nation, but the measure has not been passed, despite bipartisan support and calls for the legislation from President Donald Trump. McNitt said that while the association hopes that a “permanent fix” is coming from Congress, the association is also calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue summertime E-15 waivers that allow the fuel to be sold throughout the summer in states that have not enacted their own year-round sales laws. Iowa and California have year-round E-15 laws. Mark Mueller, the president of Iowa Corn Growers Association, said the state association will continue to be “extremely outspoken” about the need for the passage of year-round E-15 and legislation that looks at consolidation in the fertilizer industry. “We have come close to achieving wins on both issues, but we call on Congress for action to officially get them across the finish line,” Mueller said in a news release. “Iowa corn farmers need and deserve the stability that comes with these wins—we cannot afford to slip back into the 1980s.”
	As rate cuts loom, retirees rethink income strategy As rate cuts loom, retirees rethink income strategyWhen interest rates move, markets react in seconds. Retirees feel the impact over months and years.After the fastest series of rate hikes in decades, attention has shifted to when the Federal Reserve might begin cutting rates. For investors, it is part of the economic cycle. For retirees living on a fixed income, it can feel far more personal.A new survey from John Stevenson highlights that tension: 74% of retirees believe the Fed’s rate decisions primarily benefit Wall Street rather than average retirees.As this article from John Stevenson reveals, the results show that interest rate decisions are closely linked to retirees’ sense of financial stability.Key Findings40% of retirees rarely or never follow news about the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decisions.61% have very little to no trust that the Fed considers retirees and savers when setting rates.58% say lower interest rates are detrimental to people who have saved responsibly.45% fear inflation will outpace their income if rates fall and yields decline.59% are not confident they understand how interest-rate changes affect new annuity payouts.Among retirees earning $150,000 or more, 42% own an annuity.26% feel compelled to take on more risk than they are comfortable with to make their money last.A Growing Trust Gap Around Federal Reserve PolicyMany retirees are not closely watching Fed announcements. In fact, 40% rarely or never follow rate decisions. Still, that distance does not mean they are unconcerned. John Stevenson 61% say they have little to no trust that the Fed considers retirees and savers when setting rates. That perception matters.The past few years have been unusually volatile. After a long stretch of near-zero rates, the Fed raised rates at the fastest pace in decades to fight inflation. Now, markets are watching for potential cuts. Rapid policy swings can make retirement planning feel unstable, especially when income strategies are built to last decades.Why Lower Interest Rates Feel Like a Setback for SaversLower interest rates can stimulate borrowing, but for retirees, they often mean smaller income streams.When rates decline, newly issued CDs and Treasuries typically offer lower yields. Retirees who locked in strong returns last year may face noticeably smaller payouts when reinvesting. John Stevenson That helps explain why 58% of retirees say lower interest rates hurt people who saved responsibly. Many spent years building conservative portfolios designed to generate stable income, and falling yields disrupt that expectation.Inflation compounds the worry. While price growth has cooled from recent peaks, everyday expenses remain higher than they were a few years ago. Nearly half, 45%, fear inflation will continue to outpace income gains if rates fall.Without employment income to offset rising costs, small yield changes can have outsized effects on monthly budgets.Annuity Timing and Interest Rate UncertaintyInterest rates directly influence annuity payouts. Prospective buyers often review projected income scenarios using annuity calculators to understand how different rate environments may affect payouts. As rates climbed in recent years, payouts improved, drawing attention to the importance of timing. John Stevenson Even so, understanding remains limited. 59% of retirees say they are not very confident in how rate changes affect new annuity payouts. Among female retirees, that figure rises to 65%.Annuities come in many forms, including fixed and indexed structures. For some retirees, the range of choices creates hesitation. 39% cite selecting the wrong annuity product and regretting the decision as their greatest concern.Timing adds another layer. One in five Gen X retirees (20%) say they would wait several months if they believed payouts might increase within the year. That reflects a growing awareness that interest rate policy can shape long-term guaranteed income.Changes in interest rates can influence when retirees choose to lock in guaranteed income.Income Differences Shape How Rate Cuts LandInterest rate changes do not affect all retirees the same way. John Stevenson Among retirees earning $150,000 or more, 42% own an annuity. Just 9% of this group say none of their income comes from interest or dividends, compared to 53% of retirees earning under $50,000.Higher-income households tend to hold more interest-sensitive assets. For retirees evaluating how a lump sum might translate into monthly income, reviewing example payout scenarios at different investment levels can provide useful context. That makes them more responsive to rate shifts.Recent years have seen record inflows into high-yield money market funds during periods of elevated rates. Reflecting that pattern, 25% of higher-income retirees report moving more money into CDs, Treasuries, or money market funds in the past year.If yields fall, behavior may shift again. 30% say they would move into higher-risk investments if safe income were to drop.The Pressure to Take More Risk in RetirementRetirement income has changed over time. Traditional pensions have declined, and many households now rely on personal savings, Social Security, and defined contribution plans.Social Security data shows that Americans are living longer than previous generations, extending the average length of retirement. Healthcare remains one of the largest unpredictable expenses. As each year passes, income stability tends to become a greater priority over time in retirement. John Stevenson Still, 26% of retirees say they feel compelled to take on more financial risk than they are comfortable with just to make their money last.The data suggest an ongoing tradeoff between stability and return. Retirement is meant to reduce uncertainty. Yet rate shifts and inflation pressures can make conservative strategies feel less secure.When Monetary Policy Meets Retirement RealityThe Federal Reserve sets interest rates to guide inflation and economic growth. Retirees experience those decisions in more personal terms.For many, interest rates influence income built over decades of disciplined saving. When rates rise or fall quickly, that income can shift in ways retirees cannot control.Financial markets interpret rate cycles through economic indicators. Retirees experience them through changes in income.That difference helps explain the survey’s findings.MethodologyTo understand how Americans approach interest rate policy and retirement income decisions, John Stevenson surveyed 1,000 retirees across the country via Pollfish in February 2026. Participants answered a series of questions about their views on Federal Reserve rate changes, annuities, fixed-income strategies, and financial risk in retirement. Responses were analyzed by income, age, and gender to identify trends, differences, and areas of uncertainty.This story was produced by John Stevenson and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Young auctioneers are-ready-to-go-like-never-before Whether it be on stage behind the microphone or behind the scenes making sure all items, bids, and payments are accounted for, a live auction requires plenty of people to keep it running smoothly and successfully. When it comes to filling these roles, Donovan Yoder of Eastern Iowa Auctions has been more than willing in recent years to give local FFA students and other members of the younger generations to give these jobs a shot, learning what skills they require and exploring what it means to be part of the auctioneering community. “As it goes now, (the next generation) is getting into it younger and younger. I started just going to auctions and enjoying them growing up as a kid, so I got into it early,” Donovan said. Events such as the Iowa Auctioneering Association’s FFA bid calling competition, which recently declared West Liberty student Miles McConnaha as its 2026 Rookie Bid Calling Champion, have also helped drive up interest in auctioneering for students, Donovan added, giving more exposure to the different parts of the auctioneering industry and allowing students to try these parts of it sooner than ever before. “They can try it out earlier than when I was growing up,” he said. “It was a bit harder to get into it; There were more sales around, but unless you had some experience, it was hard for somebody to kind of give you a shot to get going.” Although the students he works with are still learning how to work at an auction, Donovan says he’s happy to support them as they explore the different roles. For bid calling especially, he views it as a valuable experience for both him and the students he’s giving the opportunity to. “I think it’s great seeing the younger guys get up there,” Donovan said. “You take them with you to go to auctions, and us experienced guys have seen enough mic time that the people know us and know what we’re doing, but there’s a little bit of added excitement when you put one of those younger guys up there.” With these young auctioneers still being so new, Donovan knows they can sometimes stumble a bit when they’re first trying it out. Still, he wants to encourage them, even though he knows there will still be the occasional mistake. “It’s not perfectly consistent all the time, but nobody really cares just for the fact that the kids are getting out there and giving it a shot, exposing themselves to being in front of that many people at that amount of time.” Donovan says he also appreciates these students at least giving it a shot and being willing to take a risk in front of a large crowd of people. “I mean, really it’s just kind of a generalized, large comparison to a public speaking event, and it’s something they can show off their talent a little bit with.” Meeting the new generation For Grady Claussen and his brother, Sawyer Claussen, auctioneering was always part of their family. “My dad’s an auctioneer, so we’ve been around it our whole lives,” Grady said. “When he started working with Donovan, Donovan asked us to help. So, we started helping.” In the years since, Grady has learned how to handle the team’s skid loader, loading up goods after they’ve been auctioned, as well as how to call bids. “I’m big on working behind the scenes. I like the money aspect of it—I just think the books are really interesting—but I really enjoy calling bids too.” While he doesn’t see himself becoming a professional auctioneer in the future, Grady said he is still interested in helping behind the scenes at auctions, handling the goods coming in and deciding what goods go into each the sale. In this aspect, he would be using much of what he’s already learned about how much goes into putting on an auction. “You’re spending a lot more time gathering your goods and figuring (the value) and talking on the phone and to people about the goods than you ever are selling them,” Grady said. “We had a lot of help from Donovan, and he still is very helpful. He kind of helps guide us on what to do, telling us what needs to be done in a learning aspect.” “(The Claussen brothers) are absolute excellent ring men, and they’re with me all the time setting up sales,” Donovan said. Someone who has also gained an interest in the financial side of auctioneering is Donovan’s own son, Blake Yoder. While he was also familiar with the industry at a young age, Brady said what drew him into it himself was all the action and energy that came with running an auction. “I just really love doing stuff like that,” he said. Since first starting behind the scenes at local auctions about five years ago, Blake has learned to be a ring man and helps with other aspects such as driving the company’s truck and helping keep track of all previous bids prior to the sale. “All three of those boys are pretty well at every one of my sales, doing everything that an auction needs to make it go,” Donovan said. Blake has also enjoyed the community he’s found within auctioneering, saying, “I love how all the farmers all come out to our meeting spot, just having them all there and showing us in the younger generation what they did as kids too.” Reflecting on their experiences within the industry, both Blake and Grady believe it’s important for members of the younger generations to continue playing a part in keeping auctioneering alive, regardless of what that part may end up being. “I think it’s pretty important that we’re kind of adding to the numbers and trying to get (auctioneering opportunities) out to all the younger kids,” Blake said. “I think auctions are a very important aspect of selling stuff. They can be very enjoyable for people to go to, and you can get more money for your goods if you have an auction than just pricing them to a person,” Grady said. To any other students who may be curious about the industry, Grady added, “Just reach out to the people that are doing it because they’re definitely willing to help you learn if you want to learn.” A new point of view Just as every person on an auctioneering team has a part to play, each person also has their own perspective. For his youngest team members, Donovan feels they’re bringing in a new point of view as well as some different styles of how to perform different tasks and jobs within the auctioneering industry. One of the biggest pieces of know-how the younger generation is bringing to live auctions is their knowledge of the Internet and various social media sites such as TikTok. “They bring in some of that, whether it’s on the marketing aspect or how to get the word out or broadcast what you’re doing at the time that you’re doing it, getting it out to more people. They’re bringing a lot of that stuff in,” Donovan said. In general, Donovan feels the new generation is also bringing a new sense of energy and excitement into the industry. “Some of us would’ve been doing (auctions) for a long time, it’s kind of the same old same old and we go through the motions when we do it,” he said. “But when you see those younger guys get up there with sweaty palms and a little bit of cracking in the voice, it brings a little more of a personal level for the people that are there to watch the auction. There’s that little bit of magic in it, when somebody’s first off doing it, I guess.” Looking to the future, Donovan says he hopes the younger generation continues realizing the importance of live auctions. “An auction is pretty much the original bluebook of any type of item that you’re trying to sell, and for them to see that, it gives you a true value on something.” He also wants more of the younger generation to see just how entertaining and fun an auction can be. “I’d sure hate to see a live auction die off,” Donoban continued. “A lot of stuff is going to online only, and it takes the personal relationships and the personal contacts out. For us personally, we still offer online bidding, but all of our sales are live in-person. You get to physically interact and shake hands with people, you get to have a real life conversations at the auction site, and there’s something to that that this newer online style just can’t get you.” While he still encourages the younger generation to use the modern tools at their disposal, Donovan also wants them to appreciate the contacts they make in-person on a day-to-day basis through being in the live auctioneering industry, making sure never to forget the value of those connections. “We can buy something online or get it on Facebook Marketplace or any of those types of deals, but it’s still the personal contact and the relationships that you make that make our business what it is and keeps us in business,” he said. As for those who are in FFA or who have an interest in the industry, Donovan wants them to at least give auctioneering a shot. “Whether they’ve never been behind the mic before or have never bid called, just give it a shot if you have any inkling on wanting to do it. There’s a lot of good local auctioneers that are more than willing.” Understanding the fear and bashfulness that can come from bid calling for the first time, he also wants students to know the auctioneering community is behind them all the way. “All the local auctioneers around here that I know will do anything that they can to help that new generation get started. We’ll put them behind a mic, we’ll put them to work, and we’ll see what we can do to get them at least involved in the industry – and if you love it and your passion for it continues to grow, then great! Proceed in it, and if you give a shot and really don’t like it, then you’re not out anything.” Donovan and the rest of his Eastern Iowa Auctions team will be at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds on March 28 for its Spring Consignment Sale at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds, with the Claussen Boys, Blake, and McConnaha all expected to be there doing their part.
	Deere combine in Sweet 16 for ‘Coolest Thing Made in Illinois’ With nearly 80,000 votes cast, the field of contenders competing in the seventh annual “Makers Madness” contest has been narrowed to the Top 16. The competition celebrates the work of manufacturers across Illinois, a long time backbone of the state’s economy. Manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product, [...]
	More than just honey While most apiarists start beekeeping as a hobby, the practice could offer some family farms a diversified stream of revenue. Jars of sticky, sweet local honey are the obvious way to profit from honeybees, but State Apiarist Andrew Joseph said beekeepers can also profit by selling bees, or by moving their bees during the winter season to agricultural areas that need the pollinating work of the bees. “With some years of experience and a little finger crossing … it doesn’t take much to take that hobby … and at least turn it into something that’s got some wind behind its sails, that pays for itself, and in a good year, might help out with some of your other bills,” Joseph said. Joseph spoke to a group of farmers Thursday in a webinar hosted by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation about diversifying the family farm. Zach Brummer, the farmer education program manager with the Farm Bureau, said beekeeping has “manageable” start-up costs and only requires a small amount of land, which makes it an attractive option for farmers and landowners looking to diversify their operations. “Given the current challenges in the ag economy, farmers have shown a growing interest in practical, value-added agriculture opportunities to diversify income, and beekeeping provides a very intriguing opportunity to explore,” Brummer said in a news release about the webinar. Joseph, in addition to leading the apiary program at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, keeps about 300 hives around the Des Moines area. This he said is above the hobby level, but is “nowhere near commercial beekeeping level” where beekeepers will have several thousand hives. At this scale, Joseph gets the rewarding tasks of harvesting honey in the late summer, but is also able to migrate his hives to local orchards and as far west as California to help pollinate various food crops. Iowa does not require a registration of all of the hives and beekeepers in the state, but Joseph said his “best guess” is that there are around 4,500 beekeepers in the state. Of those, Joseph said maybe two dozen are commercial beekeepers that have a thousand or more colonies. Joseph said it’s “very common” for larger and midsized beekeepers like himself, to keep their bees in Iowa during honey season and then truck them to places like California during the cold season to facilitate the pollination that is necessary to grow many food crops. “The more we change the environment, the bigger scale we operate our – specifically agriculture – on, the more reliant we become on honeybees as pollinators,” Joseph said. He said an almond tree farm in California, for example, blooms around Valentine’s Day and has a pollination window across the whole farm during mid-February. “If we were going to rely on wild pollinators to get that job done, it simply wouldn’t,” he said. “Those trees are nearly 100% dependent on a beekeeper to bring in about two hives per acre, drop those down there in the middle of winter, hit that pollination window, do what bees do, and then get them back out of there before they have to come in with their sprays and treatments, fungicides, insecticides, things like that, to protect their crop.” Almonds are just one example of crops that are pollinated by visiting honeybee hives. Even local orchards can benefit from a load of honeybees during their flowering season. Honeybee regulations are “very minimal” in Iowa, Joseph said. Most rules have to deal with protecting bee health. Notably, Iowa implemented the “bee law” in 1979 to help protect honeybees from pesticides that are toxic to the insects. This law has been updated several times since, but in essence, allows beekeepers of any size to register their hives in an online platform that then informs commercial pesticide applicators of nearby hives. Commercial applicators in those areas then have to apply pesticides that are labeled as toxic to honeybees during certain times of days when honeybees are typically in their hives rather than flitting about collecting pollen. “This isn’t perfect, you know, you can shoot holes in this bee rule, but it’s existed for a long time, and I’m one, certainly, that feels like it helps,” Joseph said. “It helps bridge that gap of communication between the beekeeper that’s trying to protect their bees and their neighbors.” Small batch honey, sold directly to consumers in one pound jars, will profit beekeepers between $8-$9 per pound of honey, according to Joseph. On average, he said Iowa beekeepers get about 60 pounds of surplus, or removable, honey per hive in a season. But honey is not the only product from the hive. Producers can also sell the beeswax for a small profit, or can split up their hives and sell them to other beekeepers. Joseph said a “nuc” or nucleus colony that has an established colony and accepted queen, can sell for around $200 apiece. “Once you get good at wintering your bees, it’s not difficult to make up for any losses that you’ve had, and then still have excess bees to either increase your numbers or sell,” Joseph said. And, beekeepers can also get paid at varying rates per hive, for bringing their hives to areas that need pollinating. Getting started The biggest cost to beekeeping is buying the multilayer hives, which Joseph said typically cost between $400 and $500. It’s better to double that cost as most beekeepers, Joseph included, will recommend newbies start with two hives. He said beekeeping is “all about learning the way that things should look” and having two hives allows beekeepers to compare and contrast what looks right and what’s wrong in a hive. Plus, he said elements from one hive can be taken over to the other hive to help repair certain issues. New beekeepers will then need to find some bees to put in their hive, including the all important queen bee that is vital for a functioning hive. Several bills have been introduced in the Iowa Legislature to remove the sales tax on honeybees – which would bring them in line with other livestock in the state – but the measures have not made it to the governor’s desk. Then, beekeepers will want to make sure they have certain tools, like a smoker, hive tool and some protective gear to avoid getting stung by the buzzing pollinators. While this might be some people’s biggest concern with getting into beekeeping, Joseph said that protective gear becomes more minimal as beekeepers learn to move in tandem with their bees. “Beekeeping is, I think, a more pleasant experience as you learn how to work those bees calmly, with well intended, fluid movements that aren’t setting them off,” Joseph said. “You know what you can and can’t do, and you can work with them instead of hiding from them.” Joseph also recommended joining the Iowa Honey Producers Association, or other local beekeeping groups because much of beekeeping, he said, is tied to the local area. “Oftentimes, it is not just you on an island, it’s you surrounded by beekeepers wherever you are here in Iowa,” Joseph said.
	Lancer archery stays on target In archery, consistency is the name of the game. North Scott's squad is as reliable as they come in Iowa. And heading into this year's state tournament, the team is aiming high. Regularly ranking in the upper echelon of schools around the state, this year is no different for the Lancers. Out of 56 high school teams in the state, “We are going in ranked 15th,” Lancer archery coach Troy Bendickson said. “We’ve gone in as high as top 10 a few times. The highest we’ve ever finished was seventh. So, we’re not far off. Most of our years, we’re right in that 14-17 range, so we are pretty consistent.” Of the approximately 90 archers on North Scott’s roster, 35 are heading to Des Moines this Friday, Saturday and Sunday to shoot at state, located at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The program, which is in its ninth year, closed its 2026 regular season surging. At North Scott’s penultimate meet of the season, the Lancer February Bullseye Tournament on Feb. 28 in The Pit, the team shot its first team score over 3,300 since 2024. That tournament was significant for another reason — the school’s record score for an individual came crashing down. North Scott has been led all season by juniors Aaron Raleigh and Anthony Vatnsdal. Raleigh tied the school record of 293 (out of a possible 300) at the Central DeWitt Bullseye Tournament, the team’s second tournament of the season, on Jan. 17. Then, late last month, Vatnsdal posted a 294 to set the new peak performance, surpassing the mark set by Raleigh and, before him, Dylan Orcutt. Raleigh and Vatnsdal are two of the best archers to come through the Lancer archery program. “Their form is excellent. Their gripping is good. And they don’t get flustered,” Bendickson said. “The key to being an archer is nothing can bother you. You can’t get caught up in it. Everybody is capable, even them, but they are able to negate that and handle the mental side of things. They deal with a bad arrow, they deal with a bad round, they do not get caught up in it.” With nearly 1,000 Iowa high school boys recording at least one score this season, Vatnsdal’s 294 score is tied for the fourth-best individual tournament score. Raleigh, and his 293 score, is tied for eighth-best. As individuals, Vatnsdal has won three tournaments this season, and Raleigh has won two. The archers have combined for 10 top-three finishes in the past two months. What has helped North Scott boost its standing toward the end of the season is its female scores. At an archery tournament, teams create a roster of 24 archers who are eligible to contribute to the team score. Of those 24, 12 archers have their scores counted: the top four boys, the top four girls, and then the next four highest scores regardless, of gender. “Early on, on the female side, we weren’t getting the scores that supported our team score. That has drastically changed over the last three or four weeks,” Bendickson said. “We’ve had several girls really improve and find their groove. Now, we are scoring five or six girls.” At the Lancer February Bullseye Tournament, the top three girls’ scores all had personal records: Zoe Schwien at 280, Vivian Oshann at 278, and Anna Heiting at 269. “The teams that are going to be at the very top are those that consistently have both girls and boys leading the team,” Bendickson said. “Early on in the career of our team, it was the girls who led it, and for quite a while. It switched over to the boys for the last many years.” Now, North Scott heads to state for a three-day archery extravaganza. The tournament itself operates much like a regular-season meet. All archers get the same number of arrows and opportunities to rack up a score. The difference comes in the size and the magnitude of the event, which is exponentially larger than a traditional meet. “Normally, when we shoot in the gym, there are 40 or 45 people shooting with you. At the state meet, there will be 150 people per line,” Bendickson said. “It’s a really massive building. You have a lot more people watching. A lot more people shooting. (The Department of Natural Resources) runs it, so you literally have DNR officers walking around, and they are armed and in uniform. “It’s over three days. We get kind of spread out, and we shoot at several times throughout the weekend. It is, as it should be, a bigger environment… There are a lot of people watching, but they are all watching the one kid that they’re there for. That’s it. They can’t see what people are scoring. Just relax and shoot.” North Scott has ambitions of qualifying archers for Nationals. Raleigh and Vatnsdal are squarely in contention, so much so that the team made a point for them to shoot in second-to-last flight on Sunday afternoon. “They need to be physically available in case there is a shoot-off. Dylan (Orcutt) had to make a shoot-off one year to go to Nationals,” Bendickson said. Along with Raleigh and Vatnsdal, one of Bendickson’s sons, Oliver, is highly ranked in the junior high division. Oliver is ranked 17th among the junior high boys with a season-best score of 287. The top 10 shooters in each classification qualify for Nationals. Troy says that if Oliver can shoot close to his high score at state, it will put him in the conversation. No matter how the tournament goes, it is more than just about hitting targets. Bendickson said, “The weekend is honoring a year of hard work and a year of good scores. It’s a fun environment; I love it.” Practice makes perfect North Scott’s archery team typically shoots three times per week — twice during practices on Tuesday and Thursday and once at a weekend tournament. The team draws significant numbers from the surrounding high school, junior high and homeschool communities. In the team’s first year, 2017, there were 26 kids on the roster. This year, it is around 90, with a peak participation number of 115 in years past. “We love watching the kids come in and enjoy being together,” Bendickson said. “We do all of our training and mechanical form work, and then it’s hands off and we watch. They socialize and enjoy themselves. The experience is always really good. The kids always come out in lots of numbers, so we’re always proud of that.” The archers feel that warm environment too. “It’s a very well-structured program,” Raleigh said. “They do a fantastic job. Troy, you know all these coaches. It makes it feel like family. It’s a very inviting atmosphere. Having friends here is nice. The coaches allow you to joke around and mess around with your friends.” As a club sport run through the high school, kids can get out what they put into the sport, no matter their skill level or desire to shoot. “If you want to take it competitively, you can. Or you can just shoot to shoot,” Vatnsdal said. “It’s not something you have to go all-in with. You’re only here twice a week, and you don’t have to do tournaments. It’s more considered a hobby rather than anything else.” The Lancer archery program, which is run in conjunction with Heart Shot Ministry, works with archers of all skill levels. The coaching staff has seen it all, and they have their improvement process refined. “Early on, it’s all mechanics,” Bendickson said. “We start with bands, red tubing, rubber bands basically. We break the mechanics down into 11 steps, just to give them something to be thinking through the whole time. Early on, we want them to think through every one of those steps. As you progress, you want them to stop thinking about that and do it instinctively. You have to set those patterns. “We spend those first many days on trying to instill habits. You don’t even talk about aiming. You can’t worry about aiming if you can’t repeat the process.” Once the fundamentals are solid, the sport becomes almost entirely mental. “The only thing that an archer can be concerned about is the arrow that’s on their bow. That’s it,” Bendickson said. “Whether they shoot a 10 or a zero, you have to quickly forget about it. You can’t get too high or too low. “We also encourage them to not score their arrows as they go. The elite archers can’t help it. They’re shooting almost perfect scores every time, so you can just subtract from 300 very easily and know right where you stand. Other kids will look back at their parents and tell them the score. We really do our best to say that’s not what we want, because then you’re getting caught up in results.” By the end of the season, it’s all about maintaining consistency and keeping the good habits built up throughout the year. And it isn’t all about arrows. Sometimes, it truly is about the friends you made along the way. “Archery is such a wonderful sport because it’s you versus you. Everyone wants you to succeed, even the other team,” Raleigh said. “You meet fantastic people on the line every day. Just going to all the different places with our time, it’s nice to meet all these different coaches and people. It’s a wonderful opportunity for socialization.” Raleigh and Vatnsdal have been shooting since seventh grade, finding the program through Heart Shot. Both are soccer players as well, so they spend lots of time with Bendickson throughout the middle-to-late parts of the school year. They say Bendickson, who has led the archery program since its inception in 2017, is a big part of the reason for its success. “Me personally, it’s just his attitude. He cares,” Raleigh said. “He consistently shows up. He just has the commitment and drive, and you can feel it. It makes you want to match his level and participate because he shows his passion.” Bendickson’s favorite part of the job, he says, is watching archers break through their own barriers on the line. “Watching kids persevere, and sometimes they have to persevere for several seasons. We’ve had many do it,” he said. “When they finally start getting the scores they want, that’s really, as a coach, what you really love to see.” As the team looks toward completing its ninth season and soon enter its tenth, changes are in the air. North Scott archery is moving out of its home in a renovated building on the Cornerstone Baptist Church property in Eldridge. Bendickson says he’s having good conversations with other locations, and he has a goal of keeping the program in town. “There will be a Lancer archery program next year, and we’re looking forward to announcing where that will be,” Bendickson said. What the program will always be looking for are more shooters. There are many ways to get involved, whether through Heart Shot, North Scott, or just as a recreational activity. “I found archery interesting as a sixth-grader. So, I went to their summer camp,” Vatnsdal said. “It’s a very diverse sport. You don’t have to be fit, you don’t have to be tall, you don’t have to be anybody.” When asked what his sales pitch would be for interested prospective archers, Raleigh added, “I feel like I wouldn’t say anything — I’d go out there and show them. “I’m going to be honest; I’ve never found the appeal of watching archery. It’s hard to get into if you’re just watching. But if you’re actually shooting, and you get your first ever 10, or your first ever 50, the high is just wonderful.”
	With tax rate flat, Princeton works to reign in budget Princeton will tighten spending, pull from reserves, and forego savings to balance its annual budget after Mayor Travis Volrath and the council promised not to raise the city tax levy. The city council also plans to take out a one-day loan so that it can spend general obligation (GO) debt reserves on short-term street improvements first discussed at a February work session. A push to increase property taxes by nearly 50% last spring, to fund the reconstruction of River Drive, led to public backlash and a promise from the mayor and council to keep the levy flat. Among spending cuts, the city will pare its annual contribution to the fire department operating budget down to $6,741. The city will still cover $25,973 in department insurance costs, and Mayor Travis Volrath promised to fundraise reserve money that would go towards the department’s next vehicle purchase. Rural benefit fire district no. 14 will contribute the bulk of the department’s operating budget, approximately $73,000. Trimming the budget Princeton City Council has looked to trim costs across departments in recent budget meetings. A $50,000 sum initially budgeted for community center improvements has dropped to $6,000. The original sum would have provided the match funds for a cost-sharing grant requested from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). City Clerk Kisa Tweed said the city could not afford to reserve that money before the grant had been awarded. “We don't know if we're doing to get the grant yet, so we're not going to budget to spend it,” she said. The council could pass a spending amendment later, she suggested. Police Chief Freddy Almanza will draw $30,000 from the salvage fund to pay wages for officer Brian Carstens, who has returned to the force full time. Department expenses have risen over 40% year-to-year. The salvage fund has collected revenue form the city’s salvage title inspection program, Tweed said. Years of savings will cover this year’s expenses, but the council would have to find a new revenue source to meet the department’s new budget, she confirmed. Vehicle reserves for public works, police and fire will receive no new funding. In previous years, they have received an annual $5,000 contribution. The fire department requested a $25,000 contribution as it looks to replace its main fire engine in the next five years. Volrath said the city could not commit that sum. “I just don't think we can afford to do it, whether it's right, wrong or different,” he said. “We just can’t.” Councilman Kevin Kernan said other city projects had to take precedence. “There are a lot of roads in town that need to be fixed too,” he said. “That's my concern… We can save for trucks, but if we don't keep the roads where the trucks can get to the places that are on fire, we have a problem.” Other council members suggested a reserve sum below the $25,000 requested, but Kernan insisted the money was better spent elsewhere. “The city’s always going to have the fire departments back, in my mind,” he said. “I just don't think setting $20,000 aside right now is feasible.” Other council members agreed to drop reserve contributions to zero. “I'm not for cutting the budget for public safety that much, in my opinion, but I also know we have other projects,” Councilman Brandon Forristall said. “And this isn't like we're cutting the budget. We're just cutting future expenses for new trucks.” “I agree with Kevin that we have so much other stuff that needs attention,” Councilwoman Lori Maher said. Debt will pay for streets Tweed told the council Thursday, March 19, that they could finance short-term improvements to River Drive and Lost Grove Road out of GO reserves raised last year in anticipation of major street reconstruction. City law firm Dorsey and Whitney confirmed that a one-day loan, borrowed and immediately paid with reserve funds, was legal practice, she said. That will give Princeton access to approximately $210,000 to complete road work. Tweed recommended the council spend no more than $180,000. Early estimates had put that number significantly lower, at approximately $84,000. That figure scraped together road use reserves, capital improvement rollover, and the $60,000 the city budgets for regular road maintenance. Princeton Public Works Director Chris Rindler had said that committing that money to improvements on River Drive or Lost Grove Road would break the city’s regular five-year road maintenance cycle for residential streets. But a quick debt spend would allow regular maintenance to proceed. L. L. Pelling quoted the city $108,115.40 for a complete tar-and-chip resurfacing of River Drive. Rock shoulder estimates for Long Grove Road came in at $25,652.50 and $34,660. City Planning and Zoning Board member Wyatt Klavon recommended that the city pursue that work in-house. Maher presented those estimates Thursday, March 12. Neither includes engineering work that would be required to make them eligible for debt spending. Volrath suggested that the city use GO debt reserves to fund tar-and-chip work on only River Drive, and take the results to voters next year. “We've already levied the taxes, done the hard part,” he said. “So now, if we can get some stuff done with it before next year, when it's time to levy taxes, then we can tell people—look at what we did with that money.” Volrath said he planned to meet with the county to see whether they could borrow equipment to complete in-house work on Lost Grove Road without dipping into debt reserves. Fire department concerns The city decision to pull back funding from the fire department has drawn pushback from Chief Josh Luckritz and other members of the department. Luckritz said that over 70% of department calls are within the city, leaving rural taxpayers to subsidize city services. “That’s going to really look bad to the County taxpayers,” he told the council March 12. But the council has raised mirrored concerns about the fire department and its spending habits. The city assumed control of the department’s bank account this year, after audits regularly noted that the department failed to bring out-of-budget purchases before the council. The department also used $60,000 in reserve funds, rather than a surplus in its operating budget, to purchase a brush truck chassis last year. That left $67,654 unspent—over half of the department’s $122,000 operating budget—when the city assumed its accounts last July. The city council agreed March 12 to commit that money, as well as some additional reserves, to paying off a $73,000 loan taken out on the brush truck. The decision will save approximately $7,300 owed in the coming years, the council estimated. The 2026–27 fire department operating budget breaks down into $34,696 for building expenses; $28,600 for equipment; $7,400 for life-saving supplies and operations; $6,175 for training and memberships; and $12,600 for vehicle expenses. That includes a $4,000 sum for new station computers and $6,500 for new turnout gear. Costs increase The budget crunch is driven in part by fixed costs rising against a flat tax levy. Insurance is among those costs. Budgeted spending on worker’s comp insurance at the fire department will rise from $1,900 this fiscal year to $5,000 in the next. Property insurance at the fire station will rise from $13,790 to $20,973. The city’s garbage contract will also rise, from $73,928 to $82,890. Library expenses will rise over $2,500, to $40,909.

Wednesday, March 25th, 2026

Tuesday, March 24th, 2026