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

Thursday, February 5th, 2026
	Honey product recalled over undeclared ingredient Tadalafil, commonly found in erectile dysfunction medication, is only FDA-approved for use under medical supervision.
	Nike faces federal probe over allegations of discrimination against white workers The federal agency for protecting workers' civil rights revealed Wednesday that it is investigating sportswear giant Nike for allegedly discriminating against white employees.
	ICE can't make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there's risk of escape, judge rules U.S. immigration agents in Oregon must stop arresting people without warrants unless there's a likelihood of escape, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
	Moviegoers are fed up: The growing debate over theater etiquette Moviegoers are expressing frustration online about disruptive behavior in theaters, sparking a debate about whether theaters should enforce stricter rules or evolve with modern audience behavior.
	Pizza Hut to close 250 'underperforming' locations There's more bad news in 2026 for the struggling pizza chain.
Wednesday, February 4th, 2026
	Muscatine and Bettendorf prepare for game for first in MAC Muscatine and Bettendorf boys basketball are preparing for their second matchup this season for first place in MAC.
	Kewanee girls basketball defeats Orion 61-14 Kewanee girls basketball cruised to victory over Orion 61-14 to remain tied for second in the TRAC east.
	Trump's EPA issues record low legal actions against polluters, watchdog group finds The EPA enforced a record low number of environmental laws and regulations during the first year of President Trump's second term in office.
	Augustana falls to Elmhurst 81-62 Augustana men’s basketball fell short to Elmhurst 81-62.
	West Burlington senior, Garrett Nichols, plays first varsity game on Senior Night Team manager Garrett Nichols started in final home game eight years after having his right leg amputated.
	Programming Note: High school state wrestling to air on Cozi KWQC will air the Iowa high school wrestling state duels this weekend.
	Trudy Appleby murder suspect asks judge to move trial out of Henry County, additional witnesses added Attorneys for Jamison Fisher are asking a judge to move his murder trial out of Henry County. Prosecutors have also filed to add more witnesses to the case.
	Big Brothers, Big Sisters holds Putt-A-Round fundraiser The money raised will go towards Big Brothers, Big Sisters' one-on-one mentoring program.
	Abe Lincoln visits Rock Island Library Okay, maybe this isn't really Abe Lincoln, but it is a living history of the 16th president for audiences in Rock Island!
	Iowa bill would increase penalties for fleeing from police across state lines Proposed Iowa legislation would make crossing state lines while fleeing police a Class D felony, drawing support and concerns from law enforcement.
	Community comes together for Thyme and Spice move in Downtown Burlington A powerful moment of community pride unfolded recently in Downtown Burlington as neighbors, fellow business owners, and friends came together to support Thyme and Spice Company during its move, a news release says Captured on video, the scene shows local businesses lending a hand, neighbors carrying boxes, holding doors, and offering encouragement. The effort was informal, [...]
	Iowa Republican lawmakers move to end school vaccine requirements The bill would strike Iowa Code provisions requiring children enrolled in K-12 schools to receive a series of vaccinations.
	Muscatine mayor proclaims February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a national initiative focused on raising awareness about dating violence among teenagers and promoting healthy, respectful relationships. a news release says. Teen dating violence can include physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, or digital abuse. These behaviors may involve controlling actions, threats, harassment, or pressure and can have lasting impacts [...]
	Davenport, Humane Society to end animal control services contract after negotiations fail Davenport will need to come up with a new way to provide animal control services by the start of 2027.
	As anti-DEI laws spread, Augustana’s Black Student Union rises with new urgency Organizations offer support and connection for students of color
	North Scott athlete Behren Radech honored with scholarship award The Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association (IHSADA) has officially named North Scott Community District student Behren Radech as a student scholarship district award winner, a news release says. This honor is reserved for student-athletes who demonstrate a superior blend of academic prowess, leadership, and a commitment to excellence within their school and community. In [...]
	U.S. Senate confirms Aaron Peterson as Alaska’s newest federal judge Aaron Christian Peterson appears in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Nov. 19, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Screenshot)One of Alaska’s two federal judge vacancies has been filled. The U.S. Senate voted 58-39 on Wednesday to confirm state natural resources attorney Aaron Peterson to serve as the state’s newest federal judge. In a legal notice published soon after the vote, Peterson said he would be resigning immediately from the Alaska Department of Law. Alaska has three federal judgeships but has had only one sitting judge since Joshua Kindred resigned in July 2024 amid a misconduct scandal. Peterson, a registered Republican, will replace Judge Tim Burgess, who retired on the last day of 2021. That vacancy was one of the oldest unfilled seats in the entire U.S. federal court system. With only one full-time judge on staff, Alaska’s federal court has relied on judges from other states and semi-retired judges on senior status. The margin on Peterson’s confirmation was unusually bipartisan, with six Democrats joining most of the Senate’s Republicans in favor. All 39 “no” votes were from Democrats, and three senators did not vote. Among the Democrats voting “yes” was Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the ranking opposition member on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Durbin’s office did not respond to a question asking why he voted to confirm. Last year, answering questions proffered by Durbin, Peterson declined to say President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election and declined to opine on the legality of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, saying the issue could come before him as a judge. Carl Tobias, Williams Chair in Law at the University of Richmond School of Law, has been following Peterson’s confirmation process. “It wasn’t a party line vote. And so I think that means that some of the Democrats are signaling that if a person looks like he’s going to be competent, as I think Peterson will be, then they’re going to move forward and vote for that person,” he said. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, organized a committee that examined Peterson’s judicial application and forwarded it to President Donald Trump for official nomination. The committee bypassed the usual procedure, which relies on advice from the Alaska Bar Association. “I’m confident that he will be a great federal judge for our state,” he said in a prepared written statement. In an application reviewed by the Senate’s judiciary committee, Peterson said he applied for the job after a member of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s federal transition team encouraged him to do so. That team was formed during the changeover between President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. According to the information Peterson submitted to the U.S. Senate’s judiciary committee, he was born in Anchorage in 1981 and served in the U.S. Air Force from 2000 to 2003 before attending the University of Alaska Anchorage, graduating in 2007. He attended Gonzaga University School of Law and graduated in 2010. He was admitted to the Alaska bar that year. He returned to Alaska after graduation, serving first as a clerk to Judge Michael Spaan of the Anchorage Superior Court, then as a prosecutor with the Municipality of Anchorage. Peterson worked in the Anchorage District Attorney’s office starting in 2012, including on violent felonies, such as murder and sexual assault. He moved to the Department of Law’s office of special prosecutions in 2015 before beginning work with the Department of Law’s natural resources section in 2019. “Throughout his career, which includes military service, Aaron has demonstrated a commitment to the rule of law and federalism. Aaron is a lifelong Alaskan and knows and understands our great state and the unique federal laws that impact us,” Sullivan said. Tobias watched Peterson’s confirmation hearings from Virginia. “Watching his hearings and the discussion of him, it seems like —especially in Alaska — he does have that expertise on natural resource issues from pretty long experience, and so it seems like that’s a good match,” he said. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, didn’t participate in Peterson’s application process but offered her support after Trump nominated Peterson and voted for his confirmation on Wednesday. “I look forward to Mr. Peterson hitting the ground running to help an overworked court, while working to address and reform the culture of abuse and low morale that has permeated the District Court in recent years,” Murkowski said in a prepared written statement. “Mr. Peterson is a born-and-raised Alaskan with a strong record of legal practice in our state, including in natural resources and criminal and civil law, and his leadership will be invaluable to Alaska. We now turn our focus to filling the remaining vacancy as soon as possible.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Illinois native set to take the ice for Team USA in Milan A woman from northern Illinois will take the ice for Team USA in Milan, Italy for her first appearance in the Olympics
	West 2nd Street in Muscatine will be temporarily reduced to one lane West 2nd Street in Muscatine will be reduced to one lane of traffic between Pine and Chestnut streets starting at 7 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, according to a news release. Kelly Heating will use Bob’s Crane Service to set a roof unit in place. The restriction is anticipated to last for about an hour, weather [...]
	Galesburg Police K9 retires after 6 years The City of Galesburg announced Police K9 Zeus #184 has retired.
	Davenport to end agreement with Scott County Humane Society Officials with the city and Humane Society agreed a new long-term contract couldn’t be reached, according to a media release.
	Iowa experiencing ‘snow drought’ after quiet winter, state climatologist says After a snowy November, the QCA hasn't seen much snow. That could cause major problems this spring and into the rest of 2026.
	City of Davenport will end agreement with Humane Society of Scott County The City of Davenport will end its animal control and sheltering service agreement with the Humane Society of Scott County at t he end of 2026, according to a news release from the City of Davenport. After extensive negotiations , the city and the Humane Society "mutually agreed that a new long-term contract could not [...]
	Durbin, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and parents ask for social media companies to be held accountable Feb. 4, 2026 is the 30th anniversary of Section 230. In December, Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Lindsay Graham introduced the Sunset Section 230 Act.
	Muscatine Mobile Food Pantry fights hunger, stigma of food insecurity A line of cars wrapped around a small church, just on the outskirts of Muscatine. Right at the front of the line of cars was a dozen of volunteers working to pack boxes of food to hand out to those in need of the support. The line of cars often sat at ten or more [...]
	World Cancer Day highlights support beyond treatment in the Quad Cities World Cancer Day highlights how community and medical support work together in the Quad Cities to help patients and families navigate life with cancer.
	Des Moines School Board takes responsibility for hiring former superintendent arrested by ICE The chair of the Des Moines School Board told Iowa lawmakers Wednesday that the board takes responsibility for hiring Ian Roberts as superintendent, but said Roberts misled board members and the consulting firm hired by the board did not share warnings about his citizenship status.
	Iowa House advances bill to ban smoking in casinos Iowa lawmakers are once again weighing whether smoking should be allowed inside casinos, as a bill moving through the Iowa House would remove a long-standing exemption in the state’s smoking law.
	New law eases Medicaid access for sick children The law streamlines out-of-state Medicaid screening and enrollment for pediatric providers, helping kids get to specialists faster without weakening program oversight.
	New work requirements for SNAP eligibility must be met by May 1st New work requirements that determine SNAP eligibility went in effect earlier this week. The requirements include applying for and accepting jobs, as well as new set hours and age limits. People who rely on SNAP have until May 1st to submit necessary documentation to keep their benefits. "Snap benefits are the number one way that [...]
	Sentencing delayed for 2024 Galesburg fatal hit-and-run The judge rescheduled the sentence hearing because the driver didn't have a key witness present.
	Sentencing delayed for 2024 Galesburg fatal hit-and-run The judge rescheduled the sentence hearing because the driver didn't have a key witness present.
	Davenport, DeWitt students win Iowa songbird art contest The winners of the inaugural Iowa Songbird Art Contest will be honored at the 2026 state fair. Students had to research habitat and conservation before drawing.
	State climatologist says Iowa is in a snow drought. Here's what that means Aside from a few bouts of heavy snow right around Thanksgiving, the skies in the Quad Cities region have been relatively quiet.
	Researchers say no evidence of TikTok censorship, but they remain wary Posts have been going viral on social media accusing TikTok's new owners of suppressing content, but eight academics examined the issue and found no evidence to support the claims.
	Community raises money to cover surgery costs for Oneida the ornate box turtle Officials with Nahant Marsh said Oneida's surgery is all set to be scheduled now that the funding is secure.
	Opening date for Aledo aquatic center pushed back to summer While Aledo city officials were hoping for a May opening, they're now planning to open the new aquatic center in July.
	Knox College to add women’s flag football, competition to begin in 2026 The new Prairie Fire team will operate as a club sport in the fall of 2026 before transitioning to a full varsity team in 2027.
	Iowa AG wants formaldehyde rule change Brenna Bird is asking the Trump administration to ease restrictions on formaldehyde, arguing farmers need access to protect livestock from diseases and grow crops.
	Formaldehyde spill reported in surgery department at West Burlington hospital A formaldehyde spill was reported in a surgery department at a West Burlington hospital on Tuesday morning. One employee was treated; no patients were exposed.
	World Cancer Day highlights support beyond treatment in the Quad Cities World Cancer Day highlights how community and medical support work together in the Quad Cities to help patients and families navigate life with cancer.
	After a stretch of cold, warm weather is on the way After a long stretch of colder than average weather from last week, to end off the month of January, we finally have some warmth on the way. Some of the warmest days so far this year have reached the 50s on a few occasions with one instance of reaching the 60s. But as we look [...]
	Man accused of murdering Trudy Appleby asks judge to move trial out of Henry County Attorneys for Jamison Fisher are asking a judge to move his murder trial out of Henry County, arguing extensive media coverage makes a fair jury unlikely.
	1 taken to hospital after crash One person was taken to the hospital after a crash in Rock Island Wednesday afternoon.
	Discover a new way of living at 'The Illusion of Perfectionism: A Journey Toward Wholeness' If you're struggling with perfectionism, you're invited to discover a new way of living. Rev. Melinda Pupillo joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about 'The Illusion of Perfectionism: A Journey Toward Wholeness.' For more information, click here.
	How The Gray Matters Collective can help connect to mental health resources The winter season can bring feelings of depression, but a nonprofit in the QCA wants to inspire and become advocates for mental health and suicide prevention. Haley DeGreve joined Our Quad Cities News with information on how The Gray Matters Collective can help people connect to mental health resources. For more information, click here.
	Newly released court records reveal misconduct inquiry into federal judge A federal judge said he retired to speak out about threats to the rule of law. Newly released court orders suggest his exit coincided with a misconduct inquiry that ended when he stepped down.
	How to vote in Illinois in 2026: Early voting begins this week for most of the state Capitol News Illinois has launched its 2026 Election Guide to help voters navigate the election process and statewide races.
	Rock Island man sentenced on gun, drug charges Court documents show Lashawn Leroy Williams Jr., 24, was sentenced for false statements while buying firearms, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking.
	Governor Pritzker awards $2.4M to 34 companies through Innovation Voucher Program, Galesburg organization awarded Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced 34 awards totaling $2.4 million through the Illinois Innovation Voucher Program.
	Moltbook is the newest social media platform — but it's just for AI bots A new message board for artificial intelligence agents has prompted some strange conversations, and existential questions about the inner lives of bots.
	Profitable businesses to start in 2026 Profitable businesses to start in 2026These suggestions are based on recent business trends and do not guarantee a profitable outcome.Running your own business can be an appealing prospect. Working for yourself comes with a number of benefits, from setting your own schedule to seeing your income grow along with your business.But how do you decide on the best type of business for you? The good news is that, while having a passion project is great, you can pursue your entrepreneurial dreams even if you don’t have a specific obsession you’re pursuing. There are many different kinds of businesses that can be both enjoyable and profitable to run.SoFi shares several lucrative business ideas to help you find the one that fits your skill set and work style.Key points Starting a business may provide benefits like flexible schedules and income growth, with many profitable options available even if you’re not driven by a specific passion or obsession. Typically, profitability can occur when revenue exceeds operating costs. Service-based businesses can generate recurring income through repeat customers and can be some of the best businesses to buy or start. Online businesses require minimal startup costs, potentially needing only laptops, internet connections, and websites. Low-investment business ideas like vehicle detailing, reselling, carpet cleaning, landscaping, and senior home companionship allow entrepreneurs to start without substantial upfront capital.What Makes a Business ProfitableWhen your business is profitable, its revenue (meaning its gross proceeds) is higher than what you have to pay to run it, including operating costs, employee salaries, inventory, rent, and more. There are three types of profit that businesses may track:Gross profit: Revenue left after subtracting the cost of goods sold (COGS).Operating profit: This profit subtracts even more expenses from revenue, including operating expenses, depreciation, and amortization, as well as COGS. Net profit: This number gives you the amount of profit after all business expenses are deducted.It’s important to measure your business’s profitability regularly, both on an ongoing basis (like monthly or quarterly) as well as at the end of each year. This can help you assess the health of your company and let you know if you should make any changes to your business plan.Factors that Affect Business ProfitabilityThere are many things that can impact your company’s profitability. Here are a few of the most common ones you’ll come across when you’re considering the best business to buy. Operations: Both expenses and efficiency can impact business profitability. Increase your bottom line with helpful technology, streamlined processes, and employee efficiencies. Pricing structure: It’s important to strike a balance between being competitive and still maintaining profit margins that work for your business. Market: Not everything is in your control when it comes to profitability. There are also external factors to take into account, like the economy and taxes. The cost of financing also affects how much revenue stays in your business. Before borrowing any funds, either to buy or operate a company, consider using a business loan calculator to estimate your monthly payment and the total cost of the loan.Profitable Service-Based BusinessesStarting a small business that offers a service is often profitable because you can receive recurring income by repeatedly selling your service to the same customer base. That’s also why a service-based company may be the best business to buy, too. Some common types of service-based businesses are:Pest control servicesBarbershop/hair salonPet boarding and grooming servicesPersonal trainingHouse cleaningProfitable Online BusinessesOnline companies can be some of the most profitable businesses because the startup costs are often relatively small compared to brick-and-mortar models. You may be able to get started with as little as a laptop, a WiFi connection, and a website builder. Once you begin bringing in clients, get started on opening a business checking account, and you’re good to go. Online businesses include:Graphic designVirtual assistantSocial media marketingFreelance writingProfitable Small Businesses to Start From HomeIt’s entirely possible to launch a successful business from the comfort of your own home, even with minimal specialized skills. Options include:Dog walkingBookkeepingE-commerceDropshippingHandmade goodsProfitable Low-Investment Business IdeasMake your entrepreneurial dreams come true even without a cash flow loan or other type of small business financing. Below are some ideas that don’t require a lot of upfront funds.Vehicle detailingResellingCarpet cleaningLandscapingSenior home companionProfitable FranchisesTypically, it takes a substantial amount of capital to get a franchise started, whether you pay with cash or a startup business loan. If you’re interested in a franchise, here are some profitable business types.Automotive maintenance and repairsE-commerce/digital servicesEducation and tutoring servicesFast-casual and quick-service restaurantsFitness/wellness servicesHome services (landscaping, cleaning, home improvements)Pet care services (grooming, walking, daycare)Senior care and healthcare support servicesHow to Choose a Profitable Business IdeaWhat’s the best business to purchase or start for someone in your situation? Follow these guidelines to start your selection process.Consider your interests: It’s hard to sustain an entrepreneurial lifestyle if you’re not excited about the work you do. So don’t try to force an industry that doesn’t fit your skillsets or really appeal to you. Instead, pick something you’ll enjoy doing day after day.Determine your ideal business model: Everyone has their own goals for starting a business. Maybe you want to work from home to spend more time with family. Or maybe you have a product idea you can’t wait to launch in person. Choose a business that works for your lifestyle goals as well as your interests.Create a business plan: Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential business ideas, it’s time to research the market. A business plan can help you determine the steps it will take to launch and maintain your new company. Be sure to include challenges and opportunities you’re likely to come across on your journey. Estimate your upfront costs: The final step for choosing a profitable business is to estimate the costs and figure out how you’ll pay for them. Maybe you have enough savings to dip into, or maybe you’ll want to apply for a small business credit card. Just be realistic with your budget and plan for unexpected costs.Tips to Maximize Profit MarginsProfitability isn’t just one and done. Once you’ve found the best business to purchase — or you’ve got your brand-new business up and running — make sure you’re constantly tracking your profit margins (the difference between your company’s revenue and its costs of operation, expressed as a percentage) and identifying ways to improve your bottom line.Increase revenue: Offer new services or complementary products to existing customers.Scale back: You don’t need to keep underperforming services or products. Regularly assess what’s working and what’s not. Review your expenses: It’s easy for business budgets to creep up, especially as your company grows. Be sure to analyze your costs regularly and cut back on what you don’t need. It’s a quick and easy way to boost your profit margins.Common Mistakes that Hurt ProfitabilityOne major issue that impacts profitability for many companies is operating the business without a plan. You need both short-term and long-term goals in order to have a clear understanding of what success will look like for you in terms of both revenue and profitability.In addition to tracking your goals, make sure you track your finances as well. Reviewing revenue and expenses every month gives you full transparency into how well your company is performing. If you’re churning through cash without seeing revenue improvement, it may be time to adjust the company’s course.The TakeawayNo matter what route you take, a small business loan may help you achieve your goals and reach profitability faster. Fortunately, there are a variety of loans on the market to help with each stage of your business, whether it’s during its inception or as you scale for long-term growth.FAQWhat are some profitable small businesses?When you’re looking for the most profitable small business to run, a lot depends on your lifestyle, schedule, and interests. Dog walking, bookkeeping, and drop shipping are good low-investment options for a service-based business that you can fit around other obligations until you decide to scale. Alternatively, if you have access to capital, buying into a franchise may be a smart move.What businesses make money the fastest?If you need to make money quickly, you can look for a business that has low startup costs and meets an ongoing demand. This could be something as simple as junk removal, lawn care, or flipping products on Facebook.What is the most profitable business to start with little money?The key to having a profitable business is to determine what people need and are willing to pay for. Service-based companies often have low investment costs, but the kind that will work for you depends on your market and what you’re willing to do. Some potentially lucrative business ideas: If there are laundromats near you, you could consider offering a traveling laundry service. Alternatively, you could walk or watch people’s pets.How can I calculate my business’s profit margin?To calculate your profit margin, determine your company’s expenses and subtract them from your revenue. For example, if you’re selling scarves, subtract the cost of the goods sold and your operating expenses from your total revenue — the percentage of difference between that number and your revenue is your profit margin. For instance, if your profit margin is 25%, you’ve netted $0.25 for every dollar that came into your company.What industries have the highest profit potential?Scalable industries tend to have the highest profit potential. If you are drawn toward a specific niche, ask yourself how it could grow year to year. If you’re unable to answer that question, you may want to consider something else.This story was produced by SoFi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to find your bra sister size How to find your bra sister sizeBra sizing works by taking both cup and band into account. This results in a vast and varied range of bra sizes that can accommodate a broad scope of unique bodies. This also means that the differences between certain sizes can be quite slight and subtle. A sister size is when you go up in band size and down in cup size, or up in cup size and down in band size. Honeylove offers a guide to find out your sister size.When should you use a sister size?Sister sizing is used when the band is too tight or too loose, but you’re happy with the fit of the cup. In these cases, a full size jump up or down would be way too much. By using your sister size, you can solve for band fit issues.A common misconception is that if you are a D cup, you’ll be a D cup no matter the band size. When someone is wearing a bra that feels too small, their impulse may be to go up a full size (so, if you’re wearing a 32D, you would try a 34D). This method typically results in a pretty big jump in sizing, which may actually be an overcorrection. If you tried this and found you needed a smaller step up or down, that’s a great indicator that you should explore sister sizing.When you shouldn't sister sizeIf you are happy with your fit, there’s no need to sister size. While the sizes are similar, they’re not the same. So, if you typically wear a 32D and that size is sold out, you should not purchase a 30DD and expect it to fit your body the same. A 30DD has a shorter band, so the cross-bracing will be different. The band actually has a big impact on the way the cup fits your breast. For example, if the band is too big for you, you can experience gaping, and if the band is too small, you can experience digging. Only utilize sister sizing if you're happy with the volume of your cup, but need to go up or down a size in your band.How to find your sister sizeSister sizes are essentially one cup size up and one band size down, or one cup size down and one band size up. That can be hard to visualize in your head. Find your size on the chart: Your sister sizes are directly to the left and right of your size. You can also use a bra sizing calculator to find your sister size.Bra sister size chart Honeylove Which size should I choose?Now that you’ve seen the chart, your next most likely question is: Should I try the size to the left or the right? If you choose the size to the left, you’re going to have a slightly tighter band. If you choose the size to the right, you’re going to have a slightly larger band.This story was produced by Honeylove and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	New-year hobby planning drives uptick in DIY health and wellness projects New-year hobby planning drives uptick in DIY health and wellness projectsThe start of a new year is when millions of consumers try to make lasting changes in their lifestyles and habits, many aligning with their health and wellness ambitions.While not unique, this trend’s knock-on effects are felt across a number of industries and sectors.Furthermore, each generation sets its own health and wellness goals and is influenced by its own set of external pressures and expectations. So hobby planning around New Year’s resolutions is more diverse and changeable than you might expect.To understand this interplay in more detail, Magical Butter looked at the kinds of projects people are picking for their 2026 resolutions as a result.From New Year's Resolutions to Daily Rituals: How Gen Z is Redefining WellnessThe global wellness industry, which generates $2 trillion annually, is being reshaped by the habits and preferences of Gen Z and Millennial consumers, forcing brands and businesses within it to adapt, according to McKinsey.The most significant shift experienced in recent years is one of routine; while health and wellness-focused hobbies might be adopted as part of a plan for annual transformation at the start of the year, they now play out day by day. So, for instance, rather than a person pledging to improve their fitness by exercising once a week, this is more likely to be achieved through meaningful, mindful reconfigurations of daily habits.Diet is a particular focal point for hobby planning, because its impact on overall health—both in the short term and long term—is widely recognized by modern consumers. The weight management market is growing 9.94% a year, and the momentum it has achieved with younger people is reflected in other data sources.For example, the International Food Information Council’s 2024 survey found that 66% of Gen Z respondents had adopted at least one specific diet in the previous 12 months. Compared with the 50% adoption rate for Gen Xers and around 40% for Baby Boomers, it’s clear that wellness matters more to the under-40s.In terms of New Year’s goal-setting specifically, wellness habits continue to dominate resolutions made in different parts of the world. A January 2025 YouGov survey found that physical health improvements were the most common ambition, chosen by 52% of people for the following year.DIY as a Central PrincipleAnother facet of modern wellness trends that sets them apart from their predecessors is a return to the do-it-yourself ethos. In the past, a person planning changes for the new year might have gone all-in on preprepared meals to cut calories from their diet. Now, cooking at home is far more commonplace. Research shows that between 2003 and 2023, this rose from 36% to 52% in men and from 69% to 72% in women. The same study found that men are spending more time on food prep each day on average.That’s one of the reasons the kitchen gadgets market is expected to grow from $389.6 billion in 2025 to $582.3 billion in 2035. Consumers want to get involved in creating healthy dishes while still making it convenient. This is supported by the aforementioned McKinsey research, which shows that social media exposes Gen Z and Millennial consumers to more content designed to push them toward making wellness-related purchases than their older peers. As a result, although they account for just 25% of the market, they represent 40% of its spending power.Wellness brands have emerged to cater to this trend. Demand for gadgets in everyday cooking appeals to consumers who want to take more control over the food they prepare, rather than outsourcing wellness-focused diet changes to processed, preprepared food suppliers.The same principle applies to all areas of culinary hobbies and goal setting, whether that’s using hot air-powered popcorn makers to whip up a quick snack without relying on oil or adopting countertop air fryers to again reduce the reliance on fat in cooking, while also reducing energy usage in this context, tying in with sustainability goals.The Safety AspectThe rise in DIY kitchen-based health and wellness projects might speak to a generation-specific set of trends in New Year's goal-setting, but it comes with caveats. Chiefly, as consumers take food preparation into their own hands in greater numbers, the safety risks necessarily increase. For instance, according to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires in the United States.Also important: increased vigilance when using new and unfamiliar ingredients, especially with on-trend botanical infusions, which often require precise temperature controls and extraction times that can be hazardous if mismanaged. The use of precision gadgets in the DIY cooking process can help address this concern, provided it's combined with adherence to the manufacturersâ€™ preparation guidelines rather than a more slapdash, experimental approach.How DIY Health and Wellness Projects Could Change Further in the Future2026 looks set to be a year when consumers focus on the kitchen as their wellness hub. With DIY projects gaining traction, this will likely bring culinary skills to people who might not otherwise have developed them.Whether this will stick in the long term is another question, one that has always been asked of New Year’s resolution-related trends. For something to avoid becoming a flash-in-the-pan fad and actually stay the course, it takes a tricky combination of convenience, provable efficacy, and social relevance. Factors such as increasing prices for premade meals and restaurant eating experiences might be as much a cause of DIY food projects staying the course as any health and wellness goal-setting.This story was produced by Magical Butter and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Marion police confirm officer-involved shooting Wednesday morning KCRG-TV9 is reporting at the scene as Marion police officers are at Deer Valley Drive Wednesday morning.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: JOHNELL SMITH II, 36, 5’10”, 210 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Wanted by Iowa DOC High Risk Unit for two counts of probation violation [...]
	Davenport, DeWitt students win Iowa songbird art contest The winners of the inaugural Iowa Songbird Art Contest will be honored at the 2026 state fair. Students had to research habitat and conservation before drawing.
	Opening date for Aledo aquatic center pushed back to summer While Aledo city officials were hoping for a May opening, they're now planning to open the new aquatic center in July.
	The demand illusion: Why home prices are falling in these 9 growing US cities The demand illusion: Why home prices are falling in these 9 growing US citiesIn a normal housing cycle, “more people moving in” should mean “prices go up.” But the post-2022 market has produced a counterintuitive pattern in several large U.S. metros: Prices are sliding even while the headcount grows.This isn’t magic—it’s a math problem. When supply rises faster than effective demand, or when buyers can’t (or won’t) pay yesterday’s prices because financing, insurance, taxes, or job growth changed, prices can fall even with population inflows. House of Leon looks at what’s behind home prices declining in nine cities experiencing growth in the U.S.The metros where this paradox is most visible right nowZillow’s Home Value Index (ZHVI) shows the largest year-over-year declines in home values (as of Oct. 31, 2025) concentrated in the Sun Belt and a few big “pandemic boom” markets—exactly where population growth has also been strongest.Meanwhile, the U.S. Census Bureau’s metro estimates show these same metros posted large numeric population gains between July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024.Below is the cleanest overlap between “prices dropping fastest” and “population rising,” according to Zillow data:Austin-Round Rock–San Marcos, Texas: home values down about -6.1% YoY (ZHVI); population +58,019Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida: -6.09% YoY; population +50,482Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida: -4.79% YoY; population +123,471Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida: -4.55% YoY; population +75,969Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas: -4.02% YoY; population +177,922Jacksonville, Florida: -3.40% YoY; population +37,350Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona: -3.36% YoY; population +84,938San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas: -2.97% YoY; population +47,297Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia: -2.92% YoY; population +75,134Denver-Aurora-Centennial, Colorado: -2.92% YoY; population +31,748The biggest price drops are showing up in places that built (or listed) more homes into higher-rate demand.What’s actually causing prices to fall while more people arrive?1. Supply finally showed up—late, but forcefullyMany of these metros were construction leaders during the boom. New supply arrives with a lag: permitting decisions made in 2021-2022 can translate into completions and competition in 2024-2025. When listings rise, sellers lose leverage, and price cuts spread—especially in markets where buyers have lots of near-substitutes (new subdivisions, new multifamily, investor inventory).Austin is the poster child for this dynamic: Its boom was extreme, its pipeline was heavy, and its repricing has been unusually sharp (Zillow’s metro data and Austin’s own ZHVI page both show meaningful declines into late 2025).2. Population growth ≠ “buyer growth”This is where most takes go wrong.Population can increase because of:Renters, including international migration and young workers.Household consolidation (more roommates, multigenerational living).People who move in but delay buying because rates are high.Census explicitly notes that recent metro growth has been boosted by net international migration and improving natural increase, even as domestic migration patterns remain mixed. That kind of growth supports occupancy and rents more immediately than it supports purchase prices—especially at 6%-8% mortgage rates.3. The affordability ceiling is real—and rates lowered itIn 2020–2021, cheap money let buyers stretch. In 2024-2025, many households simply can’t qualify for the same payment, so sellers have to meet the market. That adjustment can happen even if more people want to live there.4. Sun Belt carry costs are rising (insurance, taxes, HOA, utilities)In Florida metros in particular, nonmortgage carrying costs (insurance and taxes) can change the affordability equation even if the sticker price looks down only a few percent. The marginal buyer may step back, turning in-migration into rent first.5. Investor demand cooled, and some inventory came backA meaningful share of Sun Belt demand in 2021-2022 was investor-driven (single-family rentals, short-term rentals, second homes). When yields compress and financing costs rise, investors stop being price-insensitive bidders—and sometimes become net sellers. That’s another way prices can fall while the metro keeps growing.Why these metros, specifically?A pattern jumps out from the overlap list:Pandemic-era “winner” markets (Austin, Phoenix, Tampa/Orlando/Jacksonville, Dallas) saw the biggest run-ups, which left the most room to mean-revert.They also experienced large population gains in the latest Census metro estimates (Table 2’s top numeric gainers).Zillow’s biggest price declines cluster in those same metros.That combination is exactly what you’d expect when a market goes from shortage: A building surge leads to higher-rate normalization.How to interpret this (so you don’t fool yourself)A falling price in a growing city is not automatically a “deal.” It can be:A healthy normalization after a bubble-ish run-up.A sign of oversupply in certain submarkets (new-build outskirts vs. established neighborhoods).A signal that “growth” is arriving as renters, not buyers.The practical move is to treat each metro as a set of micromarkets:If you’re investing: Focus on rent growth, concessions, and absorption, not just headline population.If you’re buying to live: Falling prices in a growing metro can be a rare window—but only if taxes, insurance and job stability pencil out.This story was produced by House of Leon and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Adoptable pet: Meet Bugs Bugs is a 9-week-old female and has a sibling named Bunny.
	Dixon restaurant earns second place in Illinois pork tenderloin competition River’s Edge in Dixon placed second in the Illinois Pork Producers Association’s first Breaded Pork Tenderloin Draft during October Pork Month.
	Trump appoints Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair: What it means for markets Trump appoints Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair: What it means for marketsThe surprise hawkish pick signals Fed independence and a market-first approach to monetary policyMany believe the Fed is the single most important actor in global markets. By setting interest rates for the world’s largest economy, the Fed influences the valuation of virtually every asset class.Range discusses what the appointment of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair could mean for markets.Who is Kevin Warsh?Warsh is a finance veteran who bridges the gap between Fed insiders, Wall Street, and Donald Trump’s inner circle.Former Fed Governor (2006-2011): He was the youngest governor appointed in Fed history and helped the central bank navigate the 2008 financial crisis.Wall Street veteran: Before the Fed, he was an investment banker, working at Morgan Stanley on mergers and acquisitions. After leaving the Fed, he went on to Duquesne Family Office, a macro hedge fund where he’s been a partner since 2011.Does Duquesne sound familiar? It’s the family office of Stanley Druckenmiller, the legendary investor who also mentored Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. With the Fed and Treasury led by market practitioners, the administration’s policy lens tilts toward real-time market signals over academic frameworks.Trump loyalist: Warsh is married to Jane Lauder, an heiress to the Estée Lauder cosmetics fortune. Her father, Ronald Lauder, has been a close personal friend of Donald Trump for decades and is a major Republican donor. Some reports say Ronald Lauder is the person who originally planted the idea in Trump’s head to buy Greenland.Warsh has served as a key economic advisor to the Trump transition team since his recent election, and he has been a regular presence at Mar-a-Lago, personally briefing Trump on capital markets and banking issues.What does he believe?Hawkish DNA: For most of his career, Warsh was perceived as “hawkish” — biased to keep rates higher to fight inflation, which he believes is the most destructive force in an economy. He has been a vocal critic of the Fed for expanding its balance sheet via quantitative easing and keeping rates too low, fearing it would cause inflation.However, recently—and likely reflecting alignment with Trump—Warsh has softened his hawkish tone, arguing that the Fed should thread the needle between inflation and growth concerns by shrinking its balance sheet while cutting rates at the same time.Market signals > academic models: Warsh doesn’t trust Ph.D.-driven models that have often dominated Fed policy. He believes the economy is a “very complex organism” and is likely to prioritize what the bond market is telling us more than the Phillips curve (the Fed’s usual north star, which plots the relationship between unemployment and inflation).AI as a key variable: Warsh is a believer in AI as a disinflationary force that could increase productivity and meaningfully change our inflationary trajectory.Regulators (Fed included) should “stay in their lane”: He believes the Fed has become too powerful and meddles in too many things. He’s argued strongly against the Fed becoming a tool for social policy or climate change regulation.Importantly, he also believes the Fed puts too much regulation on banks and that cutting red tape can drive economic growth.Why did Trump pick a hawk?We know Trump places immense value on image and presentation. As Trump himself said on Jan. 30, Kevin Warsh is straight out of “central casting” for Fed Chair. He’s polished, has a phenomenal pedigree, and is incredibly well respected in financial circles.Perhaps most importantly, this is an “anti-Powell” pick. Warsh has spent the last several years publicly criticizing the Fed for being “behind the curve” on inflation. If inflation is a problem on voters’ minds in the midterms, both Warsh and Trump have a common scapegoat: Jerome Powell.In terms of policy, there’s alignment on a key factor: reducing red tape and Fed scope creep. Warsh believes the Fed has lost sight of its primary mandate and has become too intrusive in the banking sector. He believes dismantling red tape will allow for higher growth without corresponding inflation.Importantly, Warsh is a “known entity” to Trump, and the president likely found comfort in knowing that Warsh will be aligned with the administration’s priorities. He’s earned Trump’s trust but also has the respect of key insiders in the administration, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.What does this mean for markets?Fed independence is secured (for now): The existential anxiety about “Fed independence” should die down. The market will scrutinize Warsh’s comments over his next few public appearances, but there’s no doubt that this is a good choice for Fed credibility. Trump picked a traditional “hawk” with a deep institutional pedigree, signaling a surprising respect for the central bank’s autonomy.This could be critical for long-term market stability.Support for the U.S. dollar: Fed independence is key to supporting the U.S. dollar, and the dollar bounced the morning of the Warsh announcement, indicating stabilization after two weeks of declines.Meanwhile, this curbs the flight away from the dollar to hard commodities like gold and silver, which are suffering their largest declines in months as of early trading.Rate cutting should continue: Despite Warsh’s hawkish DNA, some may suggest that it’s highly unlikely Trump would pick any candidate who didn’t assure him that short-term rate cuts were on the horizon.The market agrees, still expecting two rate cuts in 2026 totaling around 50 basis points. The two-year Treasury note was down the morning of Jan. 30.‍Long-term rates are more uncertain: Warsh is less in favor of using the Fed’s balance sheet—one of the central bank’s primary tools to influence long-term rates. The 10-year yield was up modestly on Jan. 30 while investors await clarity on the specific timing and magnitude of his balance sheet reduction plans.Despite a short-term jolt for investors expecting aggressive easing, the medium term path of rate cuts is unlikely to change. Importantly, the risk of destabilizing monetary policy appears to have diminished. With Fed credibility intact and the dollar firming, the recent speculative rush into commodities could cool. Receding uncertainty adds to a supportive policy backdrop for 2026, where the market’s focus can return to earnings and the economy.Disclosures:This communication contains forward-looking statements that reflect Range Advisory, LLC’s (“Range”) current views, expectations, beliefs and/or projections about future events or results. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties — including, without limitation, market conditions, regulatory changes, economic conditions — any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Range undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Recipients should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The views, opinions and analyses expressed by Range in this material are those of Range as of the date shown, and are provided for informational purposes only.This story was produced by Range and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	A monumental mess: The Antiquities Act is at risk A monumental mess: The Antiquities Act is at riskIn 2021, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts made an extraordinary statement in response to a case called Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association v. Raimondo, which challenged presidential use of the Antiquities Act to establish a huge marine preserve in the Atlantic Ocean: the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. Created in 2016 by President Barack Obama, this sanctuary protects 4,913 square miles of underwater geology and habitat that slant down from the continental shelf, about 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod.“Which of the following is not like the others,” Roberts began, “(a) a monument, (b) an antiquity (defined as a ‘relic or monument of ancient times’) … or (c) 5,000 square miles of land beneath the ocean? If you answered (c), you are not only correct but also a speaker of ordinary English. In this case, however, the Government has relied on the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate an area of submerged land about the size of Connecticut as a monument.”The Antiquities Act was designed largely to protect Native American archaeology and artifacts from looters, who were more of a problem in 1906 than they are now. Alluding to this goal, Roberts sniped that the very existence of Canyons and Seamounts demonstrates “how far we have come from indigenous pottery.” The monument in question, he said, “contains three underwater canyons and four undersea volcanoes. … The ‘objects’ to be ‘protected’ are the ‘canyons and seamounts themselves,’ along with ‘the natural resources and ecosystems in and around them.’”The immediate purpose of this statement was to tell the lobstermen and the public that the Court had decided against taking the case—which happened, Roberts stressed, due to technicalities originating in the court’s rules for procedure, not because the arguments lacked merit. His comments have been widely seen as an open invitation for somebody, somewhere to try again.If you’re somebody who happens to support the Antiquities Act and its legacy, should you be worried? Probably, since not one but two branches of the federal government—judicial and executive—now appear to be lined up against it, Re:Public reports. President Donald Trump made his views on the subject clear back in 2017, when he drastically reduced a pair of national monuments in Utah: Bears Ears (established in 2016 by Obama) and Grand Staircase-Escalante (Bill Clinton, 1996). He hasn’t done anything as dramatic this time around, but the pieces for rapid action are in place.Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation policy blueprint released in advance of Trump’s second term, called for the abolition of the Antiquities Act, arguing that the restrictions it places on activities like drilling, mining, grazing, commercial fishing, and motorized recreation are unfair to some user groups and a drag on the economy. Shrinking more monuments, its authors urged, could prompt a fresh round of litigation by Antiquities Act supporters—cases that could start winding their way toward the Supreme Court.Meanwhile, the chief justice has made his desires known. And while it’s impossible to predict whether he’ll get what he asked for, there are cases in the pipeline that could fit the bill. One is called Utah v. Biden, and it focuses on what may be the most fought-over national monument of our time: Bears Ears.For the past 120 years, the Antiquities Act has served as a powerful tool for conservation. Seventeen presidents—nine Democrats and eight Republicans—have used it roughly 180 times, creating or expanding more than 160 monuments, including many famous sites that later became national parks, such as Acadia, Carlsbad Caverns, Mount Olympus, and Wrangell-St. Elias. Over time, some have been abolished by Congress, like a small 1908 monument in Wheeler, Colorado, that became part of the Rio Grande National Forest in the 1950s.In the early 20th century, when the act was born, two of its biggest boosters were Iowa Congressman John F. Lacey and Edgar Lee Hewett, an anthropologist who worked all over the American Southwest. Traveling together in 1902, they saw places where plunderers had done lasting damage, and Lacey was inspired to sponsor legislation that gave presidents the ability to save threatened treasures that sit on federal land. Several sites that preserve indigenous ruins and objects have been set aside under the act, including Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Navajo National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument.But the act was always about more than just historic preservation, a point Roberts glossed over. It also gives presidents the power to protect places of “scientific interest,” a term that can cover a lot of different terrain. On the subject of size, it doesn’t set an upper limit, stipulating only that monuments should be “confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected.”The meanings of “smallest area compatible” and “scientific interest” have long been controversial, but Theodore Roosevelt, the first president to use the act, interpreted both in a typically robust way. While some of T.R.’s designations were small, he went big in 1908, protecting 808,120 acres of the Grand Canyon. Eleven years later, Congress merged most of that into one of our most popular national parks.Roosevelt was also expansive about what qualified for protection. Carla C. Mattix, a retired Interior Department attorney, discusses this in a forthcoming book called “National Parks and the Supreme Court,” which examines a number of cases that have shaped the trajectory of U.S. public lands management.“The first national monument was neither a ruin nor a relic,” Mattix points out. “On September 24, 1906, [Roosevelt] created Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming to protect a unique geological formation.” In all, she wrote, 12 of the 18 monuments T.R. established “consisted of objects of scientific interest.”For Roosevelt, the mention of science was key. His proclamation hailed the Grand Canyon as “an object of unusual scientific interest, being the greatest eroded canyon within the United States.” As other presidents have done, he decided that the “smallest” area required for protection of the canyon’s geology and ecosystems was, by necessity, quite large. This idea was challenged in a 1920 Supreme Court case, Cameron v. United States, that the federal government won unanimously.Among the many presidents who followed Roosevelt, Obama has used the act most often, designating 29 monuments and authorizing five expansions. His predecessor, George W. Bush, created the largest preserve to date: Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, which has grown to cover 583,000 square miles in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, an area twice the size of Texas. Among post-World War II GOP presidents prior to Trump, Dwight Eisenhower was the only other one to create any monuments—two of them, both small. Over time, the Antiquities Act has increasingly come to be seen as a policy tool for Democrats.Trump arrived on the scene with a level of hostility toward the act that hadn’t been seen in the White House before, even during the Sagebrush Rebellion heyday that accompanied Ronald Reagan’s presidency. In 2017, early in Trump’s first term, he issued an executive order calling for a review of any monument “designations or expansions” made since 1996 that involve more than 100,000 acres. As a result of this review, he downsized Bears Ears by 85% and Grand Staircase-Escalante by nearly half.President Joe Biden restored both in 2021, an action that Trump supporters would like to see reversed again—and then some.That hasn’t happened yet, but it could at any time. Last May, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel—which provides advice to the president and all executive agencies—issued an opinion labeled “Revocation of Prior Monument Designations.” It declared that presidents have the right to shrink or abolish monuments, reversing an opinion issued in 1938 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s attorney general.Environmental law expert Justin Pidot—a professor at the University of Arizona who worked for both the Obama and Biden administrations—wrote about the OLC’s action last summer in the Yale Journal on Regulation, using understatement when he said it has the potential to be “a big change.” He added, however, that in the short term it doesn’t do anything.“The OLC opinion will not be the last word and, indeed, it has no immediate legal effect,” he said. “Now, it’s up to President Trump to decide whether to abolish one or more national monuments …. If he does, litigation will surely follow, and courts will decide the meaning of the Antiquities Act.”The case known as Utah v. Biden dates back to 2021, when President Biden, newly installed, restored Bears Ears to its original size, inserting himself into an old and bitter dispute between Obama and Trump.Bears Ears sits inside southeastern Utah’s San Juan County, taking its name from two tall buttes—both around 9,000 feet high—that stand near the geographical center of the overall preserve, looking like a pair of rounded ursine ears rising from the horizon.These features are surrounded by rugged, beautiful landscapes and Puebloan ruins. To the south lies Cedar Mesa, a vast plateau famous for sites like Moon House, a multiroom cliff dwelling that dates back 700 years. Another popular area is the Valley of the Gods, 150 square miles of redrock backcountry. The Indian Creek Unit, which lies northeast of the monument’s center, is home to more pueblo ruins and world-class sandstone-crack climbing.Discussions about giving Bears Ears monument status date back to the early 1900s; the specific proposal that swayed Obama came from a group called the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, which includes the Hopi, Navajo, Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute, and Ute Indian tribes. Working with relevant federal agencies, including the BLM, they developed a collaborative plan for overseeing the monument.In 2016, Obama created Bear Ears National Monument at a total size of 1,351,849 acres. In 2017, Trump slashed it to 201,876 acres, a process that included adding 11,200 acres of previously unprotected lands. Biden revived the original monument and kept Trump’s add-on. Current acreage: 1.36 million.Biden’s actions prompted two lawsuits that have been consolidated into a single case. The plaintiffs include Zebediah George Dalton, a cattle rancher who says that three-quarters of his 730,000-acre spread now lies within Bears Ears, adding layers to the already complicated task of operating in accordance with all the federal regulations that govern his enterprise. Another affected constituency is the BlueRibbon Coalition, a group for off-roaders who say this will lose access to many trails that they have used in the past.Utah presents various objections to Bears Ears in its brief to the 10th Circuit, with size and land use at the top. “This case is about limiting the unlawful ‘trend of ever-expanding antiquities,’” the state argues, citing Roberts’s statement in the Lobstermen’s appeal. “Congress intended the Act to allow only ‘small reservations.’ But recent Presidents have, despite judicial reproach, ‘transformed’ the Act ‘into a power without any discernible limit to set aside vast and amorphous expanses of terrain.’”Both Obama’s and Biden’s proclamations had expended more than 5,000 words cataloguing the splendors of Bears Ears. “From earth to sky, the region is unsurpassed in wonders,” Obama’s version said. “The star-filled nights and natural quiet … transport visitors to an earlier eon. Against an absolutely black night sky. … Bears Ears has that rare and arresting quality of deafening silence.”Utah’s brief snorts at this sort of prose, in the same way Roberts did in his Lobstermen’s statement. By declaring “entire landscapes” to be “other objects of historic or scientific interest,” they write, Biden also “declared as national monuments ‘soil,’ ‘shrubs,’ ‘grasses,’ ‘bees,’ ‘bighorn sheep,’ ‘minnow[s]’ … ‘wheel ruts,’ ‘unimpeded views of the night sky,’ and hundreds of other random things.”Biden’s poetic list of Bears Ears wonders, the plaintiffs allege, ignores the needs of people who actually use the land. When he restored the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in 2021, they write, “he made it a crime for southern Utahns to go on land that they have lived and worked on for generations to turn over soil, do roadwork, prevent wildfires, remove invasive species, or care for wildlife.”The consolidated case has been litigated by lawyers with the state attorney general’s office in Salt Lake City, and a firm called Consovoy McCarthy, which has offices in Salt Lake City and Arlington, Virginia. According to CNN, this conservative firm has attracted notice in recent years for a high success rate in getting cases heard by the Supreme Court, including a landmark decision that restricts the use of race-based admissions by colleges and universities.In September of 2024, both sides—the state of Utah and the U.S. government—presented arguments to a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. Their decision is pending; lawyers who follow appellate courts say that it’s taken an unusually long time to come down. So far, it’s been 16 months.Chris Winter, the executive director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado School of Law, teamed up with 29 law professors around the country to file a friend of the court brief in Utah v. Biden that asked the court to reject Utah’s challenge. He says it’s not unusual for a circuit court to take a long time with a case like this, which “involves important and difficult issues regarding the proper role of federal courts in reviewing presidential actions.”One possible complicating factor, Winter says, is that Trump has signaled that he might shrink Bears Ears yet again. “If that were to happen, it might render Utah’s case moot or otherwise impact the litigation,” he says, adding that federal courts have sometimes been hesitant to rule on important issues of law in cases where different administrations take different positions over time.When the ruling finally arrives, will that put the Antiquities Act one step closer to its fateful date with the Supreme Court? Perhaps, but not necessarily. As lawyers like Mattix and Pidot point out, Utah v. Biden could even move in reverse, first getting sent back to the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City where it was originally filed. This would not prevent it from eventually finding its way to the Supreme Court.Utah v. Biden sets up what sounds like a vigorous debate that’s worth having, since it might settle fundamental questions. For example, whether there should be size limits on monuments, and whether the process of creating management plans for monuments sufficiently takes into account the impacts on user groups. Though ocean-based monuments aren’t at issue in Bear’s Ears, they are still a major point of contention.One of the quirks of this case, though, is that it never made it to the oral argument phase at the federal district court level, and the fundamental disputes were never litigated. In August of 2023, the presiding judge, David Nuffer, dismissed the case, saying that Biden’s judgment in “drafting and issuing the Proclamations as he sees fit is not an action reviewable by a district court.” In this matter, the judge said, Biden has sovereign immunity that a district court can’t question.So, who would be in a position to question it? Congress, for starters. In Nuffer’s decision, he mentioned that legislators have chosen on two occasions to “aggressively” respond when they thought a president had overreached with the Antiquities Act.The first happened in response to FDR’s 1943 establishment of Jackson Hole National Monument (210,950 acres), which has since been incorporated into Grand Teton National Park. His decision inspired fierce local opposition that led to a 1950 amendment to the act that prohibits creating or expanding any national monuments in Wyoming without Congressional approval. There haven’t been any since then.Over the years, bills have been introduced designed to introduce more restraints. In 2014, for example, the House of Representatives passed one called Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act. Among other changes, it would have limited the minting of new monuments to one per state per presidential term. Introduced by then-Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), it passed the House and died in the Senate.Utah’s Congressional delegation now seems to be challenging the act from a different angle. This January, the Government Accountability Office—acting at the request of Rep. Celeste Maloy (R.-Utah), a vocal opponent of the Antiquities Act—released a report concluding that the Bureau of Land Management’s land-use plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante could be treated as a “rule.” According to various advocacy groups, this means that the plan might be subject to the 1996 Congressional Review Act, which in theory could allow lawmakers to rescind the whole plan.As for Utah v. Biden, what happens next depends on what the appeals court does. Mattix, who has gamed all the possibilities, says that if the 10th Circuit reverses the district court, the case could go back there for full consideration of the issues raised by plaintiffs. If the 10th Circuit upholds the district court, then Utah could seek an appeal to the Supreme Court. As always, the odds of their case being heard are long.Meanwhile, there’s yet another case to keep an eye on. In 2017, when Trump downsized Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, several tribes filed a lawsuit in the federal district court in D.C., arguing that Trump (or any president) lacks the constitutional or statutory authority to dismantle monuments, period. Two other groups of plaintiffs filed similar suits. These have been consolidated into one case, which has been stayed until the 10th Circuit issues its decision in Utah V. Biden.Whichever direction Utah V. Biden goes, Trump has awarded himself the right to alter monuments in the here and now, and one can imagine a strategy that goes like this: He shrinks or abolishes several at the same time, touching off litigation that will eventually arrive at several different federal appeals courts.One person cheering Trump on is William Perry Pendley, a Wyoming attorney who headed the Bureau of Land Management during Trump’s first term, and who has long opposed what he calls “abuses of the Antiquities Act.” In 1997, as the leader of a Colorado public-interest law firm, he sued President Clinton over the creation of Grand Staircase-Escalante. He hopes for major change during this latest round of attacks on the law.“The purpose of the Antiquities Act was pretty clear: to protect items of antiquity in 1906, essentially from grave robbers,” he says. “But public land law is not what it was in the early 1900s—with passage, for example, of the Wilderness Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. I’d like the courts to restore its original intent and prevent these vast land closures by Democrat presidents. They have unilaterally created vast wilderness areas, ending economic uses of those lands, including recreation, that are important to local residents.”Mattix is a passionate supporter of the Antiquities Act, so when asked the obvious question: From where you stand, what’s the worst thing that seems likely to happen? She doesn’t seem especially worried that Trump or the Supreme Court will actually strike down the law. “The most realistic negative outcome I can see is the Court interpreting parts of the Act too narrowly,” she says.Under such a narrow interpretation, for example, Theodore Roosevelt could have only protected the relatively small portions of the Grand Canyon known at the time to contain indigenous artifacts. In theory, a president with Trump’s mindset could shrink Bears Ears drastically, or could abolish some land- and sea-based monuments outright.“If the Justices rely on dictionary definitions, as Roberts did in his Lobsterman statement,” Mattix says, “and don’t bother to fully understand the history of the development of the statute, I believe that would thwart the intent of the original visionaries.”Whatever happens next, one thing is clear: This law is still at risk.This story was produced by Re:Public and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	In-demand NYC composer to return for world premiere of work with QC Symphony Composer Angel Lam has spanned the globe to premiere her pieces, and her latest orchestral work will have its world premiere this coming weekend by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra.
	Galesburg police retire K9 Zeus after six years of service The Galesburg Police Department has retired K9 Zeus after six years of service, marking the end of a career that included major seizures and investigations.
	The 89-hour problem: How manual commissions drag on growth The 89-hour problem: How manual commissions drag on growthThree years after ChatGPT burst onto the scene, tedious, error-prone manual workflows are supposed to be a thing of the past. Yet new research shows that companies still spend an average of 89 hours a month managing incentive compensation.That figure, from CaptivateIQ’s 2025 State of Incentive Compensation Management Report, represents a structural drag on modern revenue teams and a growing opportunity cost for businesses.The study, which captured insights from more than 200 incentive compensation pros at mid- to large-sized corporations, identified core compensation behaviors and key industry trends.So why are half of all companies still relying on manual spreadsheets? In this article, CaptivateIQ examines the research.Part of it is because tools for sales performance, payroll, finance, and HR don’t play nicely together. You can’t use AI to automate workflows when the underlying systems aren’t compatible. Often, changes to data in one system aren’t reflected in others, which leaves AI to hallucinate answers.Since nothing is consistent, RevOps pros are left fiddling with pivot tables in manual spreadsheets to make the numbers make sense. Those wasted 89 hours a month represent time revenue leaders could be using to analyze sales performance, improve incentive plans, and shape the organization’s revenue strategy.Where Those 89 Hours of Manual Work GoCommission payouts look deceptively simple. But the 89 hours it takes to get there are spread across many manual actions that accumulate over the course of a month.Taken together, this is how commission management consumes more than two work weeks a month, over 1,000 hours a year, and nearly half of a full-time role, just to arrive at a single number on a pay stub.Establishing a Single Version of the TruthManaging commissions starts by answering the question: “What actually happened last month with sales?”The problem is that RevOps teams often find a different answer depending on which system they are looking at.The sales CMS may disagree with the billing system when each system has different ways of defining deals, or when there are edge cases. For example, a deal might show up in Salesforce as closed on the last day of a month, but not show up in NetSuite until the first day of the next month.To get around this, managers have to export data, trace deal IDs across systems, and resolve those discrepancies line by line.Spreadsheet MaintenanceWith no single system designed to hold all the data, RevOps teams fall back on spreadsheets. They put the data from each of the systems into different tabs, and then create formulas in those spreadsheets to manually apply different incentives. For example, they might have separate tabs for calculating base commissions, accelerators, and sales performance incentive fund formulas (SPIFF).All of these tabs need to be updated every time new roles are introduced or territories shift. As comp plans evolve, those spreadsheets get more complex, which means the calculations also break more easily. That’s how spreadsheet maintenance gets added to commission managers’ job descriptions.Cross-Checking and Approval CyclesBefore anything reaches payroll, RevOps teams need to validate the results. They check actuals against forecasts and compare their numbers to prior months to make sure the figures make sense.Payouts then move through approval workflows. Managers review statements, then pass the numbers off to finance for sign-off. Every clarifying question along the way ripples backward to the RevOps team, who have to go back and double-check their numbers. If they have to make even a small revision, the whole approval process restarts from scratch.Dispute CleanupOnce statements go out, questions from sellers come flowing back in. It’s understandable. Many incentive structures are opaque, and they change often. Plus, according to our research, almost half of participants say they have both overpaid and underpaid on commissions in the past year. So, mistakes do happen.Those questions from sellers force commission managers to pull deal records, reference comp plans again, and walk through the math step by step. Every time this happens, sellers become more distrustful of the process.Why This Number Matters for the BusinessCommission administration absorbs so much time that revenue teams have to sacrifice work somewhere.Usually, the first casualty is analysis.Say your revenue team implemented a new accelerator in your comp plan with a goal of pulling deals forward. Revenue leaders would much rather dig into the data to decide whether it worked. But the team is too busy validating what happened to examine why it happened.If the incentive is working, you should expand it and reap the gains. If it isn’t having any effect, then you should stop wasting money. Too bad you’re flying blind, and the easiest option is often not to iterate on the plan at all.The same pattern plays out in forecasting.Let’s stick with our example of the new accelerator. Finance might freak out when commissions come in higher than expected and ask RevOps to explain the variance. The team sees that the problem is the old forecasting model still reflects pre-accelerator assumptions. Unfortunately, rebuilding that model would take them hours they don’t have because payroll is due tomorrow.And overall data quality deteriorates when revenue teams are overwhelmed by admin. They get used to handling discrepancies with manual overrides and other one-off fixes to make the payout math work for this month. That keeps things moving, but it doesn’t fix any underlying problems with the system. Tweaking the number in Excel doesn’t fill the empty data field in Salesforce.There’s a human cost to all this as well. Commission administration is high-stakes, deadline-driven work. When it consumes too much of the revenue team’s time, it can lead to low morale and high burnout.What Those 89 Hours Could Produce InsteadSo, what could your team do with an extra 89 hours each month?In just one month, you might give your analysts the breathing room they need to step back and examine seller performance. They might examine why a region consistently misses quota, or why certain deal cycles are trending longer each quarter. They can identify risks to their sales forecasts and address them earlier. They can take a look at how their incentive strategy is shaping seller behavior.Across an entire quarter, those hours could be spent redesigning that incentive strategy to better meet the company’s long-term goals.That extra time benefits your company in smaller ways, too. When RevOps leaders regain time in their schedules, they can spend that time onboarding new sellers so they understand the incentive structure and how to maximize their earnings. Leaders can put together clearer documentation that answers common payout questions, saving RevOps time and building trust with the sales team.Ultimately, all that reclaimed time gives RevOps the chance to think instead of simply reacting to the next emergency. That way, they can better fulfill their promise to use incentive compensation as a lever for company growth.Reclaiming Time Is a Strategic Advantage, Not an Efficiency ProjectThe teams that reclaim those lost hours compound their competitive advantage. Month after month, they free up time that can now be spent on strategic planning, innovation, and accurate forecasting.Moving even a portion of those 89 hours from administration to strategy leads to better decisions and better revenue intelligence.This story was produced by CaptivateIQ and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	11 highest-paying construction jobs for independent contractors 11 highest-paying construction jobs for independent contractorsAccording to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities in the construction field are expected to grow faster than average by 2034, and create 649,300 new jobs. The median salary for construction workers is $58,360 (as of May 2024), which is higher than the median wage for all occupations at $49,500.If you’re an independent contractor working in construction and you want to increase your pay, or you are considering career opportunities in construction, ERGO NEXT has compiled the 11 construction jobs — from unskilled labor to specialized skills — with the highest pay potential.Two things to note when you’re looking at this list:What you earn in your city or state may be higher or lower than what’s listed here, as these wages are based on national averages. Construction worker salaries can vary based on many factors, including your skill level, experience and your local job market.All of these jobs require a high school diploma or equivalent. None of them require a college degree. Many of them will also require you to complete an apprenticeship program before you can get to work.1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers ($106,580)Those working in this field don’t just install, repair and perform routine maintenance. They also work on escalators, moving walkways and chair lifts. They’re responsible for ensuring the equipment is safe, working correctly and up to code.Many states require elevator installers and repairers to have a license.With a median salary of $106,580, elevator and escalator installers and repairers top our list of highest paying construction jobs nationwide. By 2034, opportunities are expected to grow by 5% — faster than the average of 3.1% expected for overall job growth.But if you’re not comfortable in small spaces, this profession might not be your best bet. Elevator installers and repairs often work in small, enclosed areas, such as crawl spaces, machine rooms and elevator shafts.It’s also important to consider that job opportunities can be limited in smaller communities without many multi-story buildings. But if you live within commuting distance of a major metro area, you’ll likely find more opportunities.2. Boilermakers ($73,340)Boilermakers install and repair boilers, vats and other large containers that hold liquid or gas. They test and inspect the machines to ensure they’re working correctly, clean the equipment, and repair and replace components.Boilermakers often work at construction sites and may travel away from home for extended periods. It can also be physically demanding, and it’s sometimes necessary to work in cramped conditions.While boilermakers earn a good living, job growth is projected to decline 2% in the next decade. However, there are still about 800 openings for this job projected each year on average.3. Construction and building inspectors ($72,120)Construction workers and building inspectors are some of the highest-paid contractors in the construction industry with a median salary of $72,120.Many state and local authorities require construction and building inspectors to have a license or other certification. Professionals in these jobs monitor construction projects to ensure that buildings, streets, bridges, sewer systems and other structures are up to code. They make sure construction adheres to zoning regulations and meets the contract’s requirements. And they typically submit their findings to project stakeholders and regulatory agencies once the project is complete.This isn’t the job for you if you’re just starting your career. Typically, this work requires several years of related work experience in the construction field. But if you’ve worked in the industry for a while, it could be a good opportunity for you to boost your earning potential.Though there is expected to be a 1% decline in these roles over the next decade, 14,800 job openings are projected each year to fill vacancies left by workers who retire or switch to other roles.4. Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters ($62,970)These professionals install and repair pipes, fixtures and related systems that transport water, gas and additional materials through homes and commercial buildings. They also clean out drains to prevent back-ups and other issues.Plumbers must be licensed and carry plumber insurance in most states. Many also attend vocational or trade school.Employment for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is expected to grow 4%, a little faster than average for all occupations. About 44,000 new jobs for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters are projected each year, on average.5. Electricians ($62,350)Electricians install and maintain the electrical systems, communications, lighting and control systems in residential and commercial buildings.Most states require you to have an electrician license before you can work in this field. Together with electrician insurance, these are usually prerequisites to a successful career.If you’re looking for a high-paying contract job with plenty of opportunities (approximately 81,000 openings projected yearly), this might be a good fit. From 2024-2034, the expected job growth for electricians is 9% — about three times the expected growth rate for all occupations.6. Ironworkers ($61,940)Ironworkers install iron and steel components during the construction of new buildings, roads, bridges and other structures. They also reinforce existing structures and assist with the demolition of older buildings.This job can be physically demanding. It’s often required for workers to work at great heights. However, if you’re interested in getting into this line of work, you often only need a high school diploma to get started. And you can learn on the job or through an apprenticeship.The construction of large projects such as high-rise buildings nationwide is expected to drive employment. Similarly, infrastructure maintenance and replacing of old buildings, roads and bridges will also likely contribute to job growth. From 2024-2034, ironworkers’ expected occupational growth is 4% — about average for all occupations.7. Sheet metal workers ($60,850)Sheet metal workers make or install products constructed from thin metal sheets, including steel, aluminum and alloyed metals.They’re responsible for choosing the right type of sheet to use based on a construction job’s requirements. Projects they work on include heating and cooling ducts, outdoor pipes, gutters and flashing.There won’t be as many opportunities for sheet metal workers compared to some of the other jobs on this list. Job growth in this profession is projected to be about 2% over the next decade, or about 10,600 jobs per year. However, almost every building requires sheet metal for ducts and other structural systems, so you might be able to find opportunities in your community.8. Carpenters ($59,310)Carpenters cut, shape, install and repair walls, floors, door frames and other structures made of wood, plastic, fiberglass and drywall.Carpenters are an integral part of many construction projects, including bridges, commercial buildings, residential properties and more. Currently, employment opportunities for carpenters is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034.Some states require carpenters or anyone working in carpentry to carry a carpenters license before they work. And they are often required to carry carpenter insurance due to the risk of injury and property damage on the job.9. Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers and tapers ($58,800)Drywall and ceiling tile installers place drywall panels over walls and ceilings. These panels cover insulation, electrical wires and pipes and help dampen sound. Tapers prepare the drywall for finishing.Like many construction-related jobs, the work can be physically demanding, and you need an eye for precision as you’re working on interiors. However, formal educational credentials are usually not required for this job, making it easier to enter for a beginner.There is a 4% growth projected from 2024-2034 (about the same as the average for all jobs), with more than 8,800 openings for drywall contractors projected annually.10. Construction equipment operators ($58,320)We’ve all seen heavy equipment on job sites, such as excavators, bulldozers and backhoes. Construction equipment operators drive and control these and other types of machinery used to build structures, roads and buildings.Operators can sometimes have irregular schedules; working at night is sometimes an essential for this profession. Job growth is expected to be 4% over the next ten years, which is about average for all occupations.11. Masonry workers ($56,600)What carpenters do with wood, masons do in stone. Masons use brick, block, stone and concrete to build structures. While they often work on buildings and foundations, their work encompasses much more. Masonry workers also build walkways and sidewalks, walls, and decorative finishes (including things like granite kitchen countertops and fireplaces).Masonry workers typically learn their trade through apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Similarly, many technical schools offer masonry programs. Depending on the state where you work, you may be required to have a masonry license and mason insurance.The demand for masons largely depends on overall demand for new buildings and road construction. Employment of masonry workers is projected to grow 2% through 2034, which is slower than average for all occupations. However, as brick and stone are very popular for interiors and exteriors, it’s likely that demand for this type of work will continue.This story was produced by ERGO NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Not my love language: Common phrases that are signs of romance scams Not my love language: Common phrases that are signs of romance scamsEvery relationship influencer and self-help podcaster worth their weight in clicks knows about red flags — narcissistic behavior, codependency, emotional unavailability, all the usual suspects. But we’re interested in a whole different kind of romantic red flag: the types of language and specific phrases romance scammers use to lure in their victims.As a grift that relies purely on one-to-one communication, language is one of the key signs of romance scams, Spokeo reports. And as a racket that costs victims about $1.14 billion per year, learning scammers’ love language (hint: it’s not quality time) is more than worth it — because there’s a whole lot more at stake here than splitting the check at a bad date.Key takeawaysRomance scams typically fall into the catfishing categoryAs emotional grifts, they rely on language to exploit connectionsSome key phrases can be essential red flagsThe Basics of Romance Scammer PhrasesBy and large, romance scams take the form of catfishing, which is the act of hiding behind a made-up persona and the blinders of long-distance communication, like texts or DMs, in order to manipulate someone into an emotional relationship. In rare cases, catfish are just sickos who like the thrill of the game, but most of the time, romance scammers catfish their victims to shake them down for money, or for valuable private info that will lead them to money. It’s an often long-term con that can do as much emotional harm as it can financial damage.Because catfishing relies on forming an emotional connection in order to make people vulnerable, language is at the heart of the scam. Speaking to CNBC, former White House chief information officer Theresa Payton says, “What people need to realize is that people behind these types of scams could teach a master class in human behavior. They know the different emotional trigger points that we all have, and that’s when they strike.”Keep in mind that not every romance scammer phrase is an immediate catfish red flag — some romantic clichés become clichéd for a reason, and they’re bound to pop up in a legit fling, too. What you want to look out for is when the signs of romance scams and the associated language start to stack up.Now let’s explore some categories and examples of those emotional trigger points before you get shot through the heart — and you’re to blame (if you don’t learn your scammer language red flags).Bright Red Flags: SecrecySome romance scammer phrases have become so ubiquitous that they should set off alarm bells immediately. Chief among them are calls to keep the relationship secret, or isolate the victim from their family, friends, and community (who might call the scammer’s BS). Be on high alert for catfish classics, or similar variations of these:“Let’s keep this relationship private.”“I don’t trust your family.” / “I don’t trust your friends.”“It can be our little secret.”“I don’t trust anyone but you.”“Keep this between us.”Love BombingDeployed by scammers and IRL emotional abusers alike, love bombing is a form of psychological abuse in which the bomber goes way overboard with affection in order to manipulate you into a relationship with them. Excessive flattery, over-the-top praise, and immediate, highly committed plans for your relationship’s future are just some love bombing tactics that romance scammers love to use — after all, it’s a perfect tactic for a scam that relies on manipulating victims into faux relationships.Some love bombing romance scammer phrases might include:“I’ve never felt this way about anyone else.”“You’re perfect.”“I feel like I’ve known you forever.”“I’ve never met anyone like you before.”“You’re the only one for me.”“You complete me.”“I can’t imagine my life without you.”“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”“I can’t wait to build a life together.”“I want to spend every waking moment with you.”“You make my life so much better by being in it.”“I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re always on my mind.”“You’re my soulmate.”“This is fate.”“We’re meant to be together.”Pressure, Deflection, and Other TacticsA lot of romance scammer language falls into the category of, obviously, romance. But that’s only part of the ploy, mainly designed to lure victims into dropping their guard. To get what they really came for, the catfish will eventually ask for money or private information. And that phase of the phony relationship often involves pressure tactics, where you might hear nuggets like this:“If you love me, you’ll help me.”“I’m in a difficult situation and need your help.”“I’m having a medical emergency.”“I’m stranded and need funds urgently.”“My family is in trouble.”This part of the scam can take the form of pretty much any story the catfish can cook up, but there are some stories and themes they love to use. Military jobs, working at sea, or working internationally are lies that can help bolster an emotional connection while providing a convenient excuse for never meeting in person. Give phrases like this the side eye:“I’m a soldier stationed overseas.”“I’m constantly travelling internationally for work.”“I’m stuck in [foreign country] because of my family.”“I work on an oil rig.”And of course, catfish will come up with any excuse they possibly can to avoid video chatting or meeting in person. Here’s some of that deflecting language:“I’d love to meet, but I’m overseas/in another country.”“I’d love to FaceTime, but I’m working in a remote area and the internet’s bad.”“Once I finish this job, we’ll be together.”“Something came up.”“My phone camera/webcam isn’t working right now.”“Let’s take this to WeChat/WhatsApp.”Frequently Asked QuestionsSo now that you’re at least partially fluent in catfish, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to romance scammers and romance scammer phrases.Will a romance scammer meet you in person?As a rule of thumb, a romance scammer will not meet you in person. In fact, most catfish and romance scammers will make up every excuse under the sun to not meet in person – though they’ll very often string you along with promises to meet, and a litany of excuses for why they couldn’t, for as long as they can.What questions should I ask a romance scammer over text?On the flip side of romance scammer phrases, there are some things you can say to help weed out potential catfish if you’re suspicious. Ask them for a video call or for a photo of them doing whatever they claim to be occupied with at the moment. Always ask for their social media, and gauge how they respond (or don’t) to specific personal questions (“what was your first pet?,” “what’s your most vivid childhood memory?,” “what’s your least favorite book?”). And put their name, phone number, or email address into a people search.How long does it take for a romance scammer to ask for money?There’s no rule here — depending on the scammer, they might make the ask just a few DMs into the flirtation, or they might string you on for months at a time.How can I tell if someone is a romance scammer?Alongside all the romance scammer phrases we’ve gone over, be wary of common catfish tactics like:Rushing into emotional intensity, serious commitment, or plans for your future together way too quickly (see also: love bombing).Inconsistencies in their story.Attempts to isolate you from your friends, family, or social groups.Pressure to keep the relationship a secret.Photos that have been stolen from social media profiles or other online sources, or that are AI-generated.A tendency to deflect conversations away from themselves and avoid answering personal questions.This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Schools are increasingly telling students they must put their phones away – Ohio’s example shows mixed results following new bans Cellphones are everywhere – including, until recently, in schools. Since 2023, 29 states, including New York, Vermont, Florida and Texas, have passed laws that require K-12 public schools to enforce bans or strict limits on students using their cellphones on campus. Another 10 states have passed other measures that require local school districts to take some kind of action on cellphone usage. Approximately 77% of public schools now forbid students from having their phones out during class – an increase from the 66% of schools that forbade students from using phones at school in 2015. Schools across the country are finding different ways to enforce no-phone policies. Some schools have students lock their phones in pouches that only open at the end of the day. Others use simple classroom bins or lockers. Some research shows that spending a lot of time looking at phones instead of people’s faces can make it harder for children and teenagers to get the basic human skills they need for developing and maintaining friendships and other relationships. As a scholar of educational leadership, I believe that school is about more than just classes – it’s where young people learn how to get along with others. When phones are put away, students actually start looking at each other and talking again. School hallways and the lunchroom turn into spaces where students learn to resolve conflicts face-to-face and make human connections. A high school senior shows how to unlock a magnetic pouch that holds her smartphone at University High School Charter in Los Angeles in March 2025. Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images via The Conversation Putting phones away in Ohio Ohio is an example of a state that has clamped down on students’ cellphone usage over the past 18 months. In May 2024, Ohio went from suggesting some cellphone guidelines for different schools to adopt to requiring that all public districts limit students’ phone use during class. School districts could choose to allow phones at lunch or between classes. Many schools began using lockable pouches, plastic bins or lockers to keep phones out of sight. They still needed to allow some students to have phones for medical reasons, like monitoring blood sugar on an app. Ohio then adopted an even stricter cellphone use policy in 2025. This new law required all Ohio public school boards to adopt policies by Jan. 1, 2026, that prohibit phone use during the entire school day, including lunch and the time between classes. A needed break In the fall of 2025, I surveyed 13 Ohio public school principals from rural, urban and suburban districts. Principals reported that the partial phone bans increased students’ social interactions and reduced peer conflicts: • 62% of principals described more verbal, face-to-face socializing during recess, at lunch time and between classes. • 68% noted that students can stay on one task for more than 20 minutes without seeking a quick digital break. • 72% observed a shift from heads-down scrolling to active conversation in common areas such as the cafeteria. • 61% reported fewer online social conflicts spilling over into the classroom. A tension for students In late January 2026, I also surveyed and spoke with 18 Ohio high school students about the new phone bans in place at their schools as part of research that has not yet been published. Their responses revealed a complex tension between understanding the need for the phone ban and feeling a significant loss of personal safety and autonomy. A few students said they felt safe knowing a phone in the main office is available for emergencies. Some students said they felt anxious about not being reachable if there is an emergency – like if a relative were in an accident, or if the younger siblings they care for required their help. Finally, 13 out of 18 students argued that they should be learning the self-discipline required to balance technology with focus. Students said that phone bans made them feel as though they were children who could not make responsible decisions – rather than young adults preparing for professional environments. Some students also said that not having their phones made it impossible to fill out college and scholarship applications during the school day, since many application systems require multifactor authentication and require phones to log in. An eighth grader unlocks her cellphone from a pouch at Mark Twain Middle School in Alexandria, Va., in March 2025. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images via The Conversation Lessons from Ohio Rules are more likely to be respected when students feel they have a voice in the boundaries that affect their daily lives. I think that school leaders could address students’ safety and security concerns in different ways, including by establishing a dedicated family emergency hotline that people can call. Principals could designate supervised areas where more senior high school students can briefly use their phones for multifactor authentication. School leaders could also offer a specific time window for students to check messages on their phones, or an easy way for the school’s main office to deliver them messages from family. While these insights from Ohio students and principals offer a helpful starting point, they are just one part of a much larger conversation. More research is needed to see how these bans affect different types of schools and communities across multiple states. Because every district is different, what works in one town might cause unexpected challenges in another. By continuing to study these effects and listening to everyone involved, especially the students, researchers like myself can figure out how to keep classrooms focused and students interacting without making students feel less safe or less prepared for the adult world. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Corinne Brion, University of Dayton Read more: We surveyed 1,500 Florida kids about cellphones and their mental health – what we learned suggests school phone bans may have important but limited effects School smartphone bans reflect growing concern over youth mental health and academic performance How to tell if your digital addiction is ruining your life Corinne Brion does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
	Galesburg Police Department's K9 Zeus retires The City of Galesburg announced the formal retirement of Police K9 Zeus. K9 Zeus's retirement was effective February 2. Zeus, 8, entered active duty in November 2019 after completing certification alongside his handler, Officer Jake Taylor. According to a release: Over the course of his career, Zeus became a cornerstone of the department’s K9 Unit, [...]
	Reclaiming water from contaminated brine can increase water supply and reduce environmental harm The world is looking for more clean water. Intense storms and warmer weather have worsened droughts and reduced the amount of clean water underground and in rivers and lakes on the surface. Under pressure to provide water for drinking and irrigation, people around the globe are trying to figure out how to save, conserve and reuse water in a variety of ways, including reusing treated sewage wastewater and removing valuable salts from seawater. But for all the clean water they may produce, those processes, as well as water-intensive industries like mining, manufacturing and energy production, inevitably leave behind a type of liquid called brine: water that contains high concentrations of salt, metals and other contaminants. I’m working on getting the water out of that potential source, too. The most recent available assessment of global brine production found that it is 25.2 billion gallons a day, enough to fill nearly 60,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools each day. That’s about one-twelfth of daily household water use in the U.S. However, that brine estimate is from 2019; in the years since, brine production is estimated to have increased due to the continued expansion of desalination plants. That’s a lot of water, if it could be cleaned and made usable. A short explanation of reverse osmosis, the leftover dirty water is known as brine. How is brine disposed? Today, most brine produced along the coastline is released into the ocean. Inland cities without this option typically leave brine in ponds to evaporate, blend it with other wastewater, or inject it into deep wells for disposal. However, most of these methods require strict environmental protections and monitoring strategies to reduce harm to the environment. For instance, the extremely high salt content in brine from desalination plants can kill fish or drive them away, as has happened increasingly since the 1980s off the coast of Bahrain. Evaporation ponds require specialized liners to prevent the brine from leaching into the ground and polluting groundwater. And when all the water has evaporated, the remaining solids must be promptly removed to prevent them from blowing away as dust in the wind. This happens in nature, too: As the Great Salt Lake in Utah dries up, salty windblown dust has already contributed to significant air pollution, as recorded by the Utah Division of Air Quality. Brine injected into the earth in Oklahoma, including into wells used for hydraulic fracking of oil and natural gas, was one of several factors that led to a 40-fold increase in earthquake activity in the five-year period from 2008 to 2013, as compared to the preceding 31 years. And wastewater has been documented to leak from the underground wells up to the surface as well. Plumes of dust rise from the bed of the Great Salt Lake in Utah in January 2025. Utah Division of Air Quality Emerging treatment technologies Researchers like me are increasingly exploring brine’s potential not as waste but as a source of water – and of valuable materials, such as sodium, lithium, magnesium and calcium. Currently, the most effective brine reclamation methods use heat and pressure to boil the water out of brine, capturing the water as vapor and leaving the metals and salts behind as solids. But those systems are expensive to build, energy-intensive to run and physically large. Other treatment methods come with unique trade-offs. Electrodialysis uses electricity to pull salt and charged particles out of water through special membranes, separating cleaner water from a more concentrated salty stream. This process works best when the water is already relatively clean, because dirt, oils and minerals can quickly clog or damage the membranes, reducing the performance of the equipment. Membrane distillation, in contrast, heats water so that only water vapor passes through a water-repelling membrane, leaving salts and other contaminants behind. While effective in principle, this approach can be slow, energy-intensive and expensive, limiting its use at larger scale. A trailer containing a small water reclamation system. Mervin XuYang Lim, CC BY-SA A look at smaller, decentralized systems Smaller systems can be effective, with lower initial costs and quicker start-up processes. At the University of Arizona, I am leading the testing of a six-step brine reclamation system known as STREAM – for Separation, Treatment, Recovery via Electrochemistry and Membrane – to continuously reclaim municipal brine, which is salty water left over from sewage treatment. The system combines conventional methods such as ultrafiltration, which removes particles and microbes using fine filters, and reverse osmosis, which removes dissolved salts by forcing water through a dense membrane, alongside an electrolytic cell – a method not typically employed in water treatment. Our previous study showed that we can recover usable quantities of chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid at one-sixth the cost of purchasing them commercially. And our initial calculations indicated the integrated system can reclaim as much as 90% of the water, greatly reducing the volume of what remains to be disposed. The cleaned water in turn is suitable for drinking after final disinfection using ultraviolet or chlorine. We are currently building a larger pilot system in Tucson for further study by researchers. We hope to learn if we can use this system to reclaim other sources of brine and study its efficacy in eliminating viruses and bacteria for human consumption. We have partnered with other researchers from the University of Nevada Reno, the University of Southern California and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help communities in the Southwest secure reliable water supplies by safely reusing municipal wastewater to serve everyday water use. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Mervin XuYang Lim, University of Arizona Read more: As the Colorado River slowly dries up, states angle for influence over future water rights Data centers consume massive amounts of water – companies rarely tell the public exactly how much How to provide reliable water in a warming world – these cities are testing small-scale treatment systems and wastewater recycling Mervin XuYang Lim receives funding under Cooperative Agreement Number W9132T-23-2-0001 with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACE ERDC-CERL).
	The quiet tech powering the world’s most resilient supply chains The quiet tech powering the world’s most resilient supply chainsGlobal supply chains are showing signs of fatigue, and the consequences are more than logistical headaches. Over the past 50 years, extreme weather events have increased fivefold, according to the World Meteorological Organization. As the climate becomes more volatile, so do the economic disruptions that follow, Trackonomy reports.For example, when Hurricane Helene hit, it didn’t just disrupt the Gulf; it shut down the country’s largest manufacturer of IV fluids, triggering hospital shortages nationwide.In China, torrential flooding brought Nissan’s production facilities to a standstill. Meanwhile, blistering heat in Greece sidelined port equipment and sent workers home, grounding shipments across the Mediterranean to a halt.But these climate disruptions are just the surface layer. Beneath them lies a growing digital threat. Between 2021 and 2023, cyberattacks targeting supply chains surged by 431 percent. Something as routine as a software update now carries the risk of paralyzing entire operations.The CrowdStrike outage made that clear. With one system failure, freight operations across continents came to an abrupt stop. These kinds of digital threats aren’t isolated; they’re unfolding alongside rising geopolitical tensions that are redrawing global trade routes in real time.Ships that once crossed the Red Sea in days now navigate weekslong detours around the Cape of Good Hope. Each additional mile adds cost, delays, and unpredictability to already strained logistics.And those costs don’t just hit companies. In small island states, volatile freight prices are driving inflation at a rate five times higher than the global average.At the same time, global tariffs introduced in 2025 have prompted a major strategic reset. According to the Pew Research Center, 91 percent of operations leaders are now rethinking how their supply chains are structured, top to bottom.Labor shortages continue to limit throughput, while new sustainability mandates are forcing companies to overhaul how they source materials and move goods. It’s no longer just a matter of shipping products; it’s about re-engineering the systems that support them.These converging forces have exposed a foundational weakness. For decades, supply chains were built around a single doctrine: efficiency. The goal was speed and cost reduction, with networks trimmed lean for just-in-time delivery. It worked, so long as the world stayed stable.But that stability has fractured.Now, only one in five companies reports having enough resilience to weather disruption. The game has changed. The new competitive advantage isn’t speed. It’s adaptability. It’s the ability to absorb shocks, pivot in real time, and keep the wheels turning when legacy systems falter.“The defining weakness of traditional supply chains isn’t cost or speed…it’s fragility,” says Michelle Jacob, marketing specialist at Trackonomy. “Resilience is no longer a contingency plan; it’s becoming an engineered capability.”The ‘Quiet Tech’ RevolutionThe solution to today’s supply chain strain isn’t flashy. It doesn’t come with a product launch, a keynote, or a viral moment. Instead, it’s unfolding quietly, through foundational technologies that do their work behind the curtain of global commerce.This category, often referred to by insiders as “quiet tech,” isn’t about grabbing headlines. They’re purpose-built systems designed to tackle specific operational challenges. Things like transparency, forecasting, and adaptability. And while they don’t make much noise, they’re becoming essential to how the modern supply chain stays alive.This marks a shift in how companies think about infrastructure. For years, supply chains ran in a reactive mode. A disruption would hit, and teams would scramble to respond. But with AI-powered predictive analytics, that model is fast becoming outdated.Algorithms now comb through years of procurement data, weather trends, and shipping patterns, not just to explain what happened, but to predict what’s coming next.In large manufacturing networks, these systems are even more advanced. They can simulate alternate supplier options or flag inventory gaps weeks in advance. A decade ago, this level of foresight would have sounded like science fiction.And with each data cycle, these platforms get smarter. They refine their forecasts, adapt to new conditions, and catch anomalies that human analysts might never see. But predictive analytics is only one layer of the architecture.Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring systems are expanding this intelligence across the physical world, but the newest generation has moved beyond simple “tracking.”Smart devices now ride alongside cargo, acting less like passive recorders and more like active agents. Instead of just measuring temperature or shock and sending an alert to a dashboard no one is watching, these systems are capable of local decision-making. For example, a pharmaceutical shipment can now autonomously flag itself as “compromised” and lock its own digital manifest, preventing a spoiled product from ever reaching a patient.The International Data Corporation reports that 70 percent of edge deployments now use this kind of local decision-making. The shift is profound: Technology is no longer just “seeing” the problem; it is starting to solve it.Alongside that, advanced simulation technology is giving companies a way to rehearse disasters before they happen. Rather than relying on static models, leaders can now run “war games” on their supply chains, stress-testing how their networks would react to a port strike in Rotterdam or a freeze in Texas.Edge computing makes these simulations even more powerful by feeding them with “Ground Truth” data from the physical world. This ensures that the model reflects reality, not just theory, allowing decisions to happen instantly while goods are in motion.Finally, cryptographic verification adds the necessary layer of trust. In a fragmented supply chain, “he said, she said” disputes cost millions. New verification technologies create an immutable audit trail generated directly by the device itself.This means companies can prove exactly where a product has been, who handled it, and whether it stayed within compliance, not because a form was signed, but because the physical asset itself generated the proof. IBM researchers call this convergence a way to turn data into something measurable, verifiable, and intelligent. In other words, it transforms transparency into resilience.But these systems can’t function in silos. Their power lies in integration. As McKinsey notes, the combination of advanced robotics, predictive analytics, and IoT has the potential to reshape supply chain performance and dramatically improve customer satisfaction.Together, these systems don’t replace human oversight; they extend it. And as uncertainty becomes the default setting of global trade, the companies leaning into these invisible upgrades are quietly setting the new standard for what resilience actually looks like.Real-World ImpactTheory means little without execution, and quiet tech has already proven itself on factory floors, distribution networks, and field operations around the world. The data now emerging from early adopters confirms what industry analysts predicted: These technologies deliver returns substantial enough to reshape competitive dynamics.A 2024 joint report from Reuters and Siemens found that 20 percent of global organizations have already rolled out industrial AI for energy optimization and predictive maintenance. That figure rises steeply when you factor in planned adoption.More than 60 percent say they’re either deploying or preparing to deploy these tools in the next three years. Their focus: streamlining supply chains, improving real-time decisions, and tightening production efficiency.And the financial performance tracks the enthusiasm. A 2022 McKinsey survey showed supply chain management delivered the highest cost savings of any AI application.Companies at the front of the curve are trimming logistics costs by 15 percent, tightening inventory by 35 percent, and boosting service performance by 65 percent. In that same survey, 70 percent of CEOs said their AI investments were paying off strongly.What sets these results apart is the type of work being transformed. Christian Pedersen, chief product officer at enterprise software company IFS, puts it plainly.Industrial AI isn’t trying to write emails or mimic conversation. It’s built for companies dealing with hard assets and physical complexity. “You have 30 percent of the workforce behind a desk,” he says, “while 70 percent out there getting their hands dirty.” That, he explains, is what separates industrial AI from the buzzier tools grabbing headlines.And that orientation toward physical operations and frontline workers shapes where these technologies create value.Ericsson’s smart factory in Lewisville, Texas, is a case in point. Opened in 2020, the 300,000-square-foot facility produces 5G gear and advanced antennas for the North American market.Since opening, worker productivity has more than doubled compared to traditional setups. Energy use is down nearly 24 percent. Water consumption has dropped by 75 percent. And the entire site runs on renewable energy.These results challenge a long-held assumption: that the best way to lower costs is to offshore production to wherever labor is cheapest. But when robots and intelligent systems handle the repetitive work, location starts to matter less for wages and more for proximity to customers.As automation scales, reshoring and nearshoring no longer look like premium options. They look like a smart strategy.The steel industry offers another snapshot of how quickly entire industries can pivot. After Russia invaded Ukraine, European producers were forced to rethink their dependence on unstable supply routes.Many were already modernizing, but the crisis kicked plans into high gear. ArcelorMittal, the world’s second-largest steelmaker, has rolled out Industry 4.0 systems and 5G infrastructure across its plants to improve safety, consistency, and performance.Newer players are going even further. H2 Green Steel in Sweden plans to deliver Europe’s first commercial green steel by the end of 2025 using hydro and wind power. In France, GravitHy is building a hydrogen-powered facility set to open in 2027.Meanwhile, German giant Thyssenkrupp has committed to carbon-neutral production across all locations by 2045. Each of these efforts hinges on tech that can juggle efficiency, complexity, and environmental accountability at once.But this revolution isn’t confined to factories. It’s also rewriting the playbook for field operations, especially in sectors where labor constraints and logistical complexity have long limited output.One global facilities management firm, responsible for more than 5 million service calls a year, was falling behind on client commitments. The culprit: a shortage of technicians.To fix it, leadership deployed AI algorithms that analyzed technician schedules, customer profiles, travel routes, and even electric vehicle charging patterns. The result: Field productivity jumped 40 percent.Recycling tech company TOMRA offers another look at how quiet tech sharpens performance. The company continuously collects data from recycling machines installed at customer locations, then runs anomaly detection models to guide maintenance decisions.Before implementation, field engineers resolved issues correctly on their first visit 84 percent of the time. After deploying industrial AI, the success rate reached 97 percent.Daniel Basile, who leads field operations for TOMRA in North America, says simulation capabilities have transformed planning. “It essentially offers you a test environment right within production, which saves weeks, if not months, in assessing the impact of different potential changes,” he explains.The company has also used AI to compress training timelines, cutting onboarding duration by half. Basile points to knowledge capture as a key benefit: “Rather than an employee needing 30 minutes or an hour to sift through the information of an 800-page manual, they can ask a question and in seconds the AI will return the answer.“Still, no amount of optimization matters if companies can’t see their own supply chains. And most can’t. A 2021 survey found that only 2 percent of organizations could trace suppliers beyond the second tier. That means most businesses are flying blind beyond their direct vendors, leaving them vulnerable to surprises they can’t predict or prevent.AI-powered mapping tools are starting to close this gap. Altana, a startup focused on supply chain intelligence, has built a generative AI platform that synthesizes public records and proprietary data to chart supplier relationships across multiple levels.Its language model interface lets users ask plain-language questions and get precise answers from complex network data.Amazon is testing a similar approach through AWS Supply Chain. The platform draws real-time data from fragmented sources and uses machine learning to help businesses forecast demand and manage inventory more accurately.Of course, it’s not just digital blind spots that threaten operations. The physical world is just as volatile. In 2021 alone, the United States recorded 20 separate climate disasters. Hurricanes, wildfires, and floods forced plant shutdowns and clogged supply routes. To stay ahead, companies are turning to geographic intelligence.With 5G and edge computing, companies can now overlay their supply networks onto live risk maps. They can track port congestion, monitor warehouse conditions, and get real-time alerts as transit disruptions unfold.And the payoff is becoming clear. A recent survey by IFS found that 91 percent of U.K. companies using industrial AI reported improved profitability. Ninety-five percent said they expected stronger environmental outcomes. These aren’t projections; they’re operational metrics from companies already running at scale.Usman Ikhlaq, AI program manager at techUK, summarizes the pattern this way: “Organizations are seeing tangible results by implementing robust cybersecurity measures, enforcing strong data governance, investing in workforce upskilling, and aligning AI initiatives with strategic business objectives.”That alignment between technology and business strategy, as Ikhlaq describes, is no longer optional. It’s becoming the core competency for the next generation of supply chain leadership.Future OutlookAs quiet tech matures and scales, its reach is expanding well beyond factory floors and freight corridors. The next era of supply chain architecture is taking shape around systems built not only to withstand volatility, but to see it coming and shift course before the impact hits.This isn’t a matter of layering tech onto old infrastructure. It’s a complete structural rethink, driven by the growing recognition that resilience, flexibility, and foresight are now prerequisites for global competitiveness. For the first time, operational agility is being treated not as an advantage but as an obligation.Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, framed the stakes bluntly at a recent UN roundtable. “These challenges are not the exception,” he said. “They are here to stay. We have to be ready to live with them and overcome them as they arise.“His message echoed across regions and industries: Resilience must be engineered into the system, not stapled on after the fact.That system is being built, piece by piece, through unlikely partnerships. Engineers, data scientists, warehouse supervisors, and government ministers now share a common blueprint. They’re connecting risk models to sensor networks. They’re turning procurement data into a predictive strategy. And they’re investing in infrastructures that can bend without breaking.India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said it plainly: “We are willing to pay that extra buck to be able to have resilience in our supply chains.” That willingness is no longer a trade-off. It’s the entry point for a new kind of supply chain; one powered quietly, but decisively, by the technologies making resilience possible.This story was produced by Trackonomy and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	State seals, decoded: The motifs that symbolize each state across America State seals, decoded: The motifs that symbolize each state across AmericaEvery state seal across the U.S. tells a story. Sometimes these stories are proudly literal, other times they're more poetically symbolic. Beyond their official purpose, state seals act as miniature windows into what each state values most. Resilience, liberty, abundance, or even a good harvest are just a few motifs from states around the country.ThatsThem has compiled of the most standout motifs in each state seal. From agricultural to industrial, with a splash of eccentricity, every state seal is a snapshot into how communities around the country define themselves. They are a blend of aspiration and nostalgia that preserves what each region wanted the world to notice first about them. The next time you happen to see a state seal embedded on a document or carved onto the wall of a government building, you’ll now know more about the major motifs within.50 standout motifs in state sealsAlabamaMotif: The outline of Alabama itself, uniquely featuring only the state’s rivers. This motif is meant to highlight Alabama’s deep connection to its waterways, which were instrumental in shaping its geography and commerce near its foundation. The design mirrors the official Great Seal of the State of Alabama, featuring a map of the state with its principal rivers that reflect the state’s early reliance on its river systems for transportation, trade, and settlement.AlaskaMotif: A miner with a gold pan and rays of the Northern Lights. Reflecting Alaska’s famous gold rush heritage, this motif also pulls in the natural wonder of the state to emphasize the beauty of the land. The rays represent the aurora borealis above Alaskan mountains, as depicted in the state’s official seal adopted in 1910 and retained at statehood. The miner element ties in with the smelter and mining imagery also present on the seal, capturing Alaska’s centuries-long economic role in mineral extraction and frontier settlement.ArizonaMotif: A miner and a pickaxe reflecting mining history, with a saguaro cactus. This imagery is meant to honor the mining roots that Arizona has, along with the barren beauty of its desert landscape. The miner and tools reference the 19th-century mining boom for copper, gold, and silver that the state saw and which shaped many of the early towns and economy, while the saguaro cactus visually anchors the entire motif to the state’s unique desert flora and landscape.ArkansasMotif: The Angel of Mercy holding a sword and a scroll. Blending compassion and justice, this symbol is a key to the founding ideals of Arkansas. In the current state seal, a figure inscribed “Mary” stands beside a sword inscribed “Justice”, all around a shield and eagle which embodies the balance of these principles in governance. The angel figure underscores the emphasis on mercy and kindness in state symbolism, whereas the sword reflects Arkansas’ commitment to law and order.CaliforniaMotif: The Roman goddess Minerva, symbolizing statehood gained without federal territorial status. The presence of Minerva in the motif symbolizes California's unique entry into the Union as a fully formed state. Minerva appears fully grown on the state seal in reference to this. Surrounding her, a grizzly bear, wheat, grape vines, and shipping imagery illustrate the state’s early agricultural wealth, wildlife, and commercial ambitions. All of this ties the motif into many of California’s foundational industries.ColoradoMotif: The all-seeing eye inside a triangle. This symbol represents divine guidance and the watchfulness over a state that was founded on lofty ideals. The “Eye of God” enclosed in a triangle with rays of light that are positioned above the shield signifies a higher providence watching over the state’s affairs. The inclusion of miner’s tools, snow-capped mountains, and the motto “Nil Sine Numine” further anchor this motif into Colorado’s identity.ConnecticutMotif: Three grapevines, linked to early English settlements. This symbolizes the first three colonies, Windsor (established in 1633), Wethersfield (1634), and Hartford (1635) that grew into the original state. These grapevines are placed above the Latin motto “Qui Transtulit Sustinet” which translates to “He Who Transplanted Still Sustains”, acknowledging the roots of Connecticut’s colonial heritage and the settlers’ belief in divine sustenance after transplanting to a new land.DelawareMotif: A sheaf of wheat, signifying agricultural heritage. It also signifies Delaware’s long-standing role as a leading farming state. This sheaf of wheat, along with an ear of corn and an ox, represents specifically the agricultural vitality and animal husbandry that the state’s early economy was known for. It also features a sailing ship, reinforcing the idea that trade and shipping complemented farm production as commerce within the state developed.FloridaMotif: A steamboat with a Seminole woman scattering flowers. This scene is meant to reflect the blend of Native heritage and 19th-century commerce that the state has. Specifically, it merges Florida’s maritime and river commerce through the steamboat, the state’s indigenous roots through the Seminole figure, and the natural beauty of the state via palm trees and the sun’s rays.GeorgiaMotif: Three pillars and a ”Constitution” arch supported by “Wisdom, Justice, Moderation.” These pillars are meant to directly support the three branches of government as guided by the core values of Georgia. More specifically, the arrangement symbolizes both the trial of governing and the ideal of ethical underpinning of the very same process. The arch itself represents strength and support that is provided by the Constitution of the state, turning the entire thing into a visual expression of Georgia’s foundational principles.Hawai’iMotif: King Kamehameha I, a rare appearance of a real person. His likeness honors the monarch who unified the Hawaiian Islands and stands as a symbol of leadership, unity, and the islands’ enduring sovereignty. His efforts in the late 18th and early 19th centuries resulted in the consolidation of separate island kingdoms into the unified Hawaiian kingdom, forming a central leadership structure for the land. It stands as a reminder that Hawaii’s identity includes both its indigenous royal past and its status within the U.S.IdahoMotif: The only U.S. state seal designed by a woman, Emma Edwards Green in 1891, featuring a miner and female symbolizing justice. The inclusion of the minder is meant to represent labor and the extraction of natural resources, whereas the female figure with scales and a staff serves to highlight the balance between work and law. The historical significance of being the only seal designed by a woman adds an additional layer of importance concreting inclusion and recognition of contributions that Idaho had in its early days.IllinoisMotif: An eagle holding a banner with “State Sovereignty, National Union.” Capturing the balance between state pride and federal unity, it is arguably one of the more known state motifs. This imagery serves, particularly during the Civil War era, as a reminder of Illinois’ commitment to the broader country. The eagle itself also underscores dual identity as being proud of the state yet part of a larger union.IndianaMotif: A sycamore tree and a rising sun, with a bison in the foreground. The imagery depicts the growth of Indiana along with the natural abundance on the frontier at the time of its incorporation as a state. Evoking its pioneer heritage, the rising sun suggests a new beginning for the land as it became a state, with the sycamore serving as a reminder of the enduring natural landscape. Together, they represent both opportunity and the wilderness that land settlers first encountered.IowaMotif: A citizen soldier with a flag, rifle, and a liberty cap. Through the rifle and cap, this motif symbolizes the defense of freedom and the patriotic spirit that the state has. Standing amidst a field of wheat and a lead furnace, though, it also represents both agriculture and mining. This underscores Iowa’s identity both in the context of civic duty and economic enterprise.KansasMotif: A sunflower and a settler’s wagon crossing the plains. Meant to celebrate westward expansion and the agricultural prosperity of Kansas, this motif is unmistakable. The sunflower itself is the official flower of the state, further representing the vast plains and abundant agriculture of the state. The covered wagon, on the other hand, dives deeper and references the state’s role as a gateway for westward migration via trails like the Oregon and Santa Fe routes.KentuckyMotif: Two friends — one in buckskin interpreted as a pioneer and one in a suit interpreted as a gentleman — shaking hands. It reflects the unity between a frontier and civilized life, a balance which was often seen in Kentucky’s early history. This imagery is also placed in the middle of the state motto of “United we stand, divided we fall.”, further symbolizing this meshing of frontier ruggedness and social refinement.LouisianaMotif: A mother pelican feeding her young with her own blood. The pelican symbolizes self-sacrifice and the care it has for the people of Louisiana, nurturing society even in hardship. This symbol has been used in the state for over a century, and is also a reference to an ancient Christian and heraldic symbol, standing as an emblem of care and resilience.MaineMotif: A tall pine tree flanked by a farmer and a seaman. The tree represents Maine’s vast forests and timber industry, while the figures symbolize the state’s dual reliance on agriculture and maritime trade. Together, they reflect the balance of natural resources and human enterprise central to Maine’s identityMarylandMotif: Two heraldic figures — a farmer and a fisherman — flank a shield based on the Calvert family coat of arms. The seal honors the colonial founders and coastal livelihood that the natives of the state are proud of. Additionally, the imagery recognizes the state’s origins in proprietary colonial governance as well as its relationship to agriculture and Chesapeake-Bay fishing that defined its economy.MassachusettsMotif: A Native American figure with a downward-pointing arrow and the Latin motto, “Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem”, meaning “By the sword we seek peace.” The symbolism reflects how the state balanced negotiation and self-protection during the colonial and revolutionary eras, linking liberty and peace through strength.MichiganMotif: An elk, moose, and bald eagle together on one shield. The three animals combined signify strength, unity, and the protection of Michigan’s wildlife and natural resources. The elk and moose specifically symbolize the state’s rich northern timberlands and game, whereas the eagle conveys the state's connection to the nation itself and the protection of its resources given the bird's protected status. Together, these symbols evoke the unique combination of wilderness, commerce, and national identity.MinnesotaMotif: A Native American figure on horseback passing a farmer plowing. The scene signifies the state’s layered history of native presence and later agricultural settlement. By depicting both figures, the motif also acknowledges the preexisting indigenous peoples of the land along with the 19th-century Euro-American farming communities that transformed much of the state’s landscape.MississippiMotif: A bald eagle with a shield, stars, and the motto “In God We Trust.” The eagle imagery signs Mississippi with national symbols of patriotism and federal unity. Further, the shield, stars, and motto itself emphasize trust, faith, and the state’s place in the country, all while reflecting the common 19th-century heraldic language that was used by many states.MissouriMotif: Two grizzly bears supporting a circular shield. These bears symbolize bravery and strength, particularly in reference to protecting the sovereignty of Missouri. Framing a central shield, the bears also point to the frontier character of the state at its founding and the imagery as a whole emphasizes feelings of vigilance, courage, and stewardship at the heart of the state’s interests.MontanaMotif: A plow, pick, and shovel with the motto “Oro y Plata.” The agricultural and mining tools point to the state’s primary historical economics of farming and ranching along with mineral extraction. “Oro y Plata” is also a Spanish motto that means “Gold and Silver”, further highlighting the central importance of mining to Montana’s settlement and economic development in the 19th-century.NebraskaMotif: A blacksmith with hammer and anvil, symbolizing industry and labor. This motif emphasizes the hard work that was required to build up Nebraska’s economy. Surrounded by other agricultural motifs on the seal, it also strikes a balance between farming, trade, and skilled labor that were seen in the state’s early days.NevadaMotif: A silver miner and quartz mill with sun rising over snowy mountains. The scene is meant to showcase Nevada’s lengthy mining legacy and bright future. Specifically, the mountainous backdrop and sunrise suggest both the rugged terrain where the mining in the state took place along with the promise of prosperity that helped drive settlers West.New HampshireMotif: The warship USS Raleigh. This ship honors the shipbuilding history of the state as well as its role in the Revolutionary War. The USS Raleigh also happened to be one of the first U.S. naval vessels built in the state, further emphasizing its importance to the state’s maritime craftsmanship and early patriotic service.New JerseyMotif: Two female figures — Liberty and Ceres — flank a blue shield. Liberty personifies freedom and the Republican government, whereas Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, represents abundance and the farming heritage of the state. Together, they capture the dual economic and civic character that New Jersey is known for: productive land and an unwavering commitment to liberty.New MexicoMotif: An American eagle shielding a Mexican eagle. This symbol represents the blending of Native, Spanish, and American heritage that is reflective in the state. By showing a protective relationship between the two eagles, the motif also acknowledges the layered cultural, legal, and territorial transitions that shaped the state.New YorkMotif: Liberty and Justice support a shield with a mountain sunrise. Liberty and Justice personify core civic ideals of the state, including freedom and fair governance, while the rising sun suggests hope, renewal, and even the varied geography of the state. All of this combined represents the aspiration of balancing individual rights, rule of law, and opportunity that New York has become known for.North CarolinaMotif: Goddesses Liberty and Plenty, each holding symbolic items. Reflecting freedom and abundance as well, these ideas are central to the identity of the state. Liberty is featured with a pole and cap, representing civil rights, while Penty symbolizes abundance via a cornucopia, acknowledging both the political ideals and economic resources of North Carolina.North DakotaMotif: A tree and sheaf of wheat amid agricultural symbols. This honors the state’s foundation in farming, especially grain farming, and its natural prairie resources. It underscores the central role of farming, settlement, and resource use that was required to develop the state in its early days.OhioMotif: A sheaf of wheat and a bundle of arrows in front of a rising sun. This combination pays homage to peace, agriculture, and process. The wheat specifically signifies agriculture and abundance, the arrows symbolize readiness and defense, and the rising sun denotes the progress towards new beginnings. All in, it reflects Ohio’s importance as a breadbasket and its civil vitality while growing as a state throughout the 19th century.OklahomaMotif: A five-pointed star, each point representing a Native Nation. Paying tribute to the Indigenous heritage of Oklahoma, this motif sits at the heart of the state’s story. In broader state symbolism, the star also echoes unity and the blending of cultures that characterize the heritage of the state.OregonMotif: A covered wagon heading west, flanked by mountains. The motif is meant to commemorate the pioneer spirit and journey towards new opportunities that the state’s people are known for. Specifically, it commemorates the opening of the Pacific Northwest to settlement. It also evokes memories of the state’s landscape and the perseverance that was required of settlers.PennsylvaniaMotif: A ship on water with a plow and sheaf of wheat. The trio highlight commerce, agriculture, and hard work. These elements together emphasize Pennsylvania’s diverse economic base from colonial times onward, including ports, farms, and early industrial enterprise.Rhode IslandMotif: An anchor below the word “Hope.” The anchor and message are meant to stand for steadfast faith and optimism. Rooted in Rhode Island's seafaring and religious-freedom origins, the motif has become something of a compact expression of resilience and aspiration.South CarolinaMotif: The palmetto tree symbolizes South Carolina’s resilience and victory during the Revolutionary War. It stands tall over a fallen oak, representing the defeat of the British fleet at the 1776 Battle of Sullivan’s Island, where the fort’s palmetto-log walls absorbed cannonball impacts from the oak-built British ships.South DakotaMotif: A river steamboat surrounded by agriculture and industry. The steamboat points to river commerce that ended up opening the region to trade and settlement. Celebrating progress through trade, natural resources, and industry, this motif is another well-known one in the United States.TennesseeMotif: Roman numerals “XVI” denoting its order of statehood. While simple, this motif shows Tennessee's pride in being the 16th state in the country.TexasMotif: A Lone five-pointed star encircled by olive and live oak branches. The “Lone Star” signifies Texas’s independent spirit and history as a republic, while the olive and live oak branches symbolize pace and strength. All combined, these items symbolize independence, strength, and peace, further reflecting Texas’s enduring identity as the “Lone Star State.”UtahMotif: A beehive and Sego lily, symbols of industry and peace. The beehive represents cooperative labor and community industry, which is a key Mormon pioneer ideal, whereas the Sego lily symbolizes peace and survival given that its bulbs were historically used as food. The imagery reflects Utah’s inherent values of hard work and harmony.VermontMotif: A sheaf of wheat, a cow, and a pine tree — classic rural iconography. These elements highlight the agricultural and natural beauty of Vermont. Together, they underline the state’s rural character, self-sufficiency, and reliance on timber and farming.VirginiaMotif: Roman goddess Virtus standing over a fallen tyrant. Celebrating victory of oppression and the triumph of liberty, Virginia’s motif is one of the most powerful of all. The image dramatizes independence from oppression and honors the leadership that Virginia had during the Revolutionary War era, along with its legacy of military and civic virtue.WashingtonMotif: The portrait of George Washington — the only state with the face of a president. Using his likeness honors the state’s namesake and the leadership that he represented. The portrait itself emphasizes ideals of integrity and national leadership while also distinguishing the state visually through its direct reference to the first president.West VirginiaMotif: Two frontiersmen with crossed rifles amid a rock inscribed “June 20, 1863.” The date marks statehood during the Civil War and the spirit of Independence. The image also further evokes frontier resilience, the contested political moment of statehood, and the rugged individualism of the region.WisconsinMotif: Tools and symbols of industry with a badger above the shield. The seal honors labor, mining, and the industrious spirit of Wisconsin. The badger itself references the early lead miners, many of whom were nicknamed badgers, further celebrating labor.WyomingMotif: A woman holding an “Equal Rights” banner between a miner and a stockman. It commemorates Wyoming’s status as the first state to grant women the right to vote. By placing a female allegory of equal rights between male symbols of labor and ranching, the imagery further foregrounds the state’s early commitments to gender equality.This story was produced by ThatsThem and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The Supreme Court lets California use its new, Democratic-friendly congressional map The Supreme Court has cleared the way for California to use its new congressional map for this year's midterm election. Voters approved it as a Democratic counterresponse to Texas' new GOP-friendly map.
	The $10 trillion handoff: What happens when Boomer business owners are ready to sell, and younger buyers aren't prepared The $10 trillion handoff: What happens when Boomer business owners are ready to sell, and younger buyers aren't preparedRoughly 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every single day. By 2030, the entire generation will have crossed into traditional retirement age.That reality is colliding with another: Boomers control about 2.34 million small businesses in the United States, which collectively employ more than 25 million people and hold an estimated $10 trillion in assets. Those assets are expected to transfer over the next decade.However, too few of these Boomer owners have successors.More than 58% of these owners have no documented transition plan. And most have never obtained a professional valuation, even though their business often represents nearly all of their personal wealth. As the supply of sellers grows, the pool of ready buyers remains shallow, especially among younger generations reluctant to inherit the demands of ownership.This disconnect has become one of the most overlooked economic transitions of our time, with generational wealth, millions of jobs, and the stability of local economies all hanging in the balance.Why is this business transition wave different from past generations?Baby Boomers control roughly 41% of privately owned businesses in the United States, a concentration unprecedented in American economic history. That sheer volume creates pressure across sectors and regions, beyond what smaller generations could generate.And longevity has intensified the pressure. Many Boomers work past traditional retirement age, stacking up delayed exits and needing larger nest eggs. Yet many discover their businesses are worth less than they expected."America has never seen so many people reaching retirement age over a short period, and well over half of them will find it challenging to meet their needs through their retirements, let alone maintain their current standard of living," said Robert J. Shapiro, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs.Passing the torch has also become harder. Many small businesses are built around the founder's personal systems, outdated technology, and hands-on relationships, which makes them more complex and harder to step into quickly. With so many owners retiring at once, there are not enough prepared successors to absorb them all.Why aren't younger generations stepping in as expected?Part of that shortage stems from lived experience. Many Gen Xers watched their Boomer parents sacrifice personal time and well-being to keep their businesses running, often working long hours into their seventies. Because of this, they learned to be wary of that kind of all-consuming ownership.Millennials, on the other hand, are more optimistic: 61% believe owning a business offers more job security than working for someone else.So why aren't more of them pursuing Boomer-owned companies? For many, it comes down to resources. Millennials carry substantial student loan debt and often lack the capital to buy an existing business.They also gravitate toward tech startups and remote-first ventures rather than the retail, construction, and food-and-beverage firms many Boomers built.There's also a cultural shift at play. Younger founders increasingly view business ownership as a flexible chapter, not a lifelong commitment. That leaves a growing mismatch between what Boomers hope to pass down and what next-gen buyers want."This isn't just a retirement wave. It's a structural economic transition,” said Yuliya Pearson, director of product at InCorp Services Inc. “When millions of owner-led businesses change hands at once, the outcome affects jobs, local tax bases, and regional stability. The real risk isn't that owners want to exit; it's that too many exits are happening without a plan."The preparation gap: why so many owners are unreadyEven when a sale feels inevitable, preparation often lags. For many Baby Boomers, the business is more than an asset; it reflects decades of work, reputation, and personal sacrifice, which makes planning emotionally difficult.As consultant Julie Keyes told CNBC, "Boomers are the worst at this because their business is so ingrained in their identity." Letting go often feels premature, even as retirement approaches.That attachment can distort expectations. Many owners overestimate what their companies are worth, especially if they delay formal valuations or rely on informal feedback. CNBC notes that few founders assign hard numbers until retirement is imminent, leaving little time to adjust.Daily operational demands add to the inertia, especially in firms running on outdated systems that require constant owner oversight.And despite the pressure, many still hold out hope for the perfect buyer. "You want someone who will continue your legacy and take care of your employees, your customers, and others," said Rajiv Jain, who sold his global firm in 2018. "But there are no certainties." That belief can lead to hesitation, as owners keep kicking the can down the road until their choices quietly disappear.What happens when businesses fail to transition successfully?When transitions fall through, the impact reaches far beyond the owner. Some firms close altogether. Others sell under pressure at discounted prices, often to out-of-state buyers with little interest in preserving local jobs or operations.And those exits compound over time. Jobs vanish. Institutional knowledge walks out the door. And communities lose tax revenue, services, and economic anchors that took decades to build.In other cases, the company survives only on paper as private equity or corporate buyers consolidate locations and cut staff, reshaping once-local enterprises into distant portfolio assets.Without a transition plan, the options narrow. And what could've been a successful handoff becomes a missed opportunity, both for the owner and the community left behind.Why succession is more than a retirement issueSuccession is often framed as a private retirement decision, yet the stakes reach far beyond any single owner. Each successful handoff keeps teams employed, preserves expertise, and gives workers a clearer future, which makes succession a workforce stability issue as much as a leadership one.In fact, those same handoffs also help neighborhoods keep their storefronts, services, and local tax base, so continuity quickly becomes a measure of community resilience. For founders whose net worth is inside the company, preparation can spell the difference between preserving family wealth and watching it erode during a rushed exit.Scaled across millions of Boomer-led enterprises, those choices influence regional growth, public revenues, and wealth distribution, which is why more policymakers and investors now treat succession as a macroeconomic concern rather than a private milestone.Forward-looking perspectiveThe coming decade marks a narrowing window for owners and communities to shape how the $10 trillion handoff unfolds.If preparation gaps persist, many firms will face rushed exits, with fewer buyers and lower valuations. Others may shift to ownership models that were once uncommon, not by design but because time runs out to pursue traditional sales.Analysts at the World Economic Forum note that this shift is creating room for new structures, including partial exits where founders retain some equity, internal transitions that elevate long-serving employees, and employee ownership strategies that keep companies rooted in their communities.Each pathway alters who ultimately leads these businesses and how they continue contributing to local economies.This transition goes far beyond a routine generational shift. It will shape workforce stability, regional strength, and how wealth moves through communities. Whether it becomes a success story or a cautionary tale will depend on how effectively stakeholders respond to the pressures surrounding it.Disclaimer: This content is intended for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. Every effort is made to keep the information current and accurate; however, laws, regulations, and guidance can change, and no representation or warranty is given that the content is complete, up to date, or suitable for any particular situation. You should not rely on this material as a substitute for advice from a qualified professional who can consider your specific facts and objectives before you make decisions or take action.This story was produced by InCorp and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Deere invests $30M in Seeding Works, company's oldest factory John Deere recently invested $30 million into Moline’s Seeding Works, its oldest factory, as part of the company’s push to stay innovative and competitive in a fast-changing market. It recently called back nearly 100 workers to its Dubuque and Davenport Works facilities, who are expected to be back at work later this month. Jen Hartmann, [...]
	Reporter's notebook: A peek inside the Olympic Village NPR reporters visited the Milan Olympic Village in the days before the opening ceremony to investigate the dining hall dessert situation and other pressing questions.
	Resident displaced after kitchen fire When crews arrived, firefighters could see smoke coming from the one-story home, officials said.
	Why small businesses should pay attention to the next shift in online advertising Why small businesses should pay attention to the next shift in online advertisingIf you run paid campaigns in the U.S., you already know online advertising is getting more competitive. Advertising costs are rising across Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and platforms increasingly rely on automation and AI to decide where budgets go. Recent 2025 Google Ads benchmarks show cost-per-click increases across most industries, confirming what many advertisers are already experiencingAt the same time, a major technical shift is already underway in Europe, one that hasn’t fully reached the U.S. advertising market yet but is shaping how platforms think about data, measurement, and optimization. Clym explains why U.S. businesses should prepare now.Europe Shows the Direction Platforms Are MovingIn Europe, advertising platforms now expect websites to send verified consent signals to maintain reliable campaign measurement. While this shift was initially driven by privacy regulations, it quickly evolved into a technical requirement for ad performance.For example, Google introduced Google Consent Mode V2, which allows Google Ads and Google Analytics to adjust measurement and optimization based on user consent instead of losing visibility altogether. Microsoft followed a similar path with Microsoft Consent Mode, enabling tools like Microsoft Clarity to respect user choices while still supporting aggregated insights.At the same time, regulators and browsers are increasingly recognizing Global Privacy Control (GPC) as a universal opt-out mechanism, requiring websites in certain jurisdictions to automatically honor user opt-out signals without manual interaction. Together, these changes reflect a broader move toward standardized, machine-readable consent signals that platforms can rely on globally.This already affects many U.S. businesses. Any company running ads that reach European users must meet these standards in order for campaigns to be delivered accurately, reach the right audiences, and measure conversions properly. Without verified consent signals, targeting and reporting for European traffic can be limited or distorted.Platforms like Google and Meta operate on global systems. Once a technical standard proves necessary in one region, it often becomes the baseline elsewhere. While U.S. ad platforms are not yet enforcing the same requirements nationwide, the foundation is already being laid.Why U.S. Businesses Are Already AffectedSeveral U.S. states already require websites to honor opt-out consent signals under state privacy laws, including California’s California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act privacy requirements, Colorado (Colorado Privacy Act), Virginia (Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act), and Connecticut (Connecticut Data Privacy Act). As a result, many businesses already need a system capable of recording user choices and acting on them correctly.The infrastructure required to manage these opt-outs is the same infrastructure advertising platforms rely on to understand and process user data. Treating privacy compliance and advertising performance as two separate problems often leads to fragmented tools, manual work, and unreliable reporting.One Infrastructure, Two Problems SolvedA properly implemented consent management platform does far more than display a banner. It records and stores user choices, applies them consistently, blocks or enables scripts based on regulation and visitor preferences, and sends structured consent signals to advertising and analytics platforms.With this foundation in place, platforms can adapt measurement responsibly instead of losing visibility altogether. This model is already standard across Europe and closely mirrors how U.S. state privacy laws are evolving.Digital compliance companies note that as state-level regulations continue to follow GDPR-style frameworks, consent handling is increasingly becoming part of the technical infrastructure behind advertising systems, not just a legal requirement.The Bottom LineThis isn’t about fixing broken campaigns today. It’s about preparing for how advertising platforms are changing.U.S. businesses already need consent infrastructure to meet state privacy laws. Choosing a solution that also supports advertising signals reduces manual work, avoids future retrofits, and helps protect long-term campaign efficiency.This story was produced by Clym and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Davenport man indicted on federal sexual exploitation, child sex abuse material charges Officials said Gillum coerced a minor to perform a sexual act so he could take photos or videos between February 2023 and May 2025.
	Formaldehyde spill reported in surgery department at West Burlington hospital A formaldehyde spill was reported in a surgery department at a West Burlington hospital on Tuesday morning. One employee was treated; no patients were exposed.
	10 European cities for US students in 2026 10 European cities for US students in 2026Choosing where to study abroad is one of the biggest decisions you can make. For U.S. students looking at 2026, it is not just about picking a country. It is about choosing the right city, a place that becomes your classroom, your community, and the launchpad for your career. The best student cities blend top-tier universities with vibrant culture, clear job pathways, and a lifestyle that makes every day rewarding.This guide from HousingAnywhere walks U.S. students through 10 top European cities, highlighting leading universities, key scholarships, valuable internships, local living costs, and the unique culture that makes each city a place to truly thrive.1. Munich, GermanyMunich, Germany, is a powerhouse of education and industry, home to over 150,000 students. The city’s population of around 1.5 million is balanced by a large international community, with students from across Europe and beyond drawn to institutions like the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU). Researching the leading universities in Germany, like these, is the first step to accessing their industry-integrated programs. This direct link to corporate giants like BMW and Siemens then creates unparalleled access to paid internships in Germany, often integrated directly into study curricula. For those needing financial support, organizations like the DAAD provide generous scholarship opportunities in Germany specifically for international candidates. This ecosystem makes studying in Germany from Munich a strategic long-term investment in a career at the heart of Europe's strongest economy.2. Amsterdam, NetherlandsAmsterdam, Netherlands, is a historic center alive with a young energy, fueled by a student population of over 125,000 in the metropolitan area. The city is a true melting pot, where nearly half the students at the University of Amsterdam come from outside the Netherlands. Daily life is defined by cycling along canals, exploring world-class museums, and a famously open social scene. The widespread use of English in both lectures and daily conversation makes settling in remarkably easy. To gain local work experience, the dynamic startup scene offers plentiful opportunities for internships in the Netherlands, especially in tech and creative fields. This practical experience perfectly complements the innovative, problem-based teaching methods you will experience while studying in the Netherlands.3. Stockholm, SwedenStockholm, Sweden, seamlessly blends cutting-edge innovation with pristine nature. The capital is home to nearly 95,000 university students, with a significant and growing international cohort at schools like Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Student life balances intense, collaborative study sessions with the essential Swedish tradition of fika (coffee breaks) and easy escapes to the surrounding archipelago. The city’s focus on sustainability permeates campus culture. For hands-on learning, Stockholm's thriving tech and green sectors provide a clear pathway to impactful internships in Sweden. This professional exposure is a cornerstone of the advanced, applied education you receive while studying in Sweden.4. Manchester, United KingdomManchester, in the United Kingdom, is a city built on industry and reinvented through creativity. It hosts a vibrant student population of over 100,000 in the Greater Manchester area. The city’s spirit is infectious, known for its legendary music history, fierce sporting pride, and a thriving, affordable arts scene. Beyond its cultural grit, Manchester is a serious U.K. tech and media hub. To fund your education here, it is wise to explore dedicated scholarship opportunities in the U.K., which are offered by both the government and the universities themselves. This financial support enhances the overall value of studying in the U.K. from this more accessible and community-driven northern powerhouse.5. Dublin, IrelandDublin, Ireland, combines historic charm with a hyper-modern tech economy. The city has a massive student presence, with approximately 75,000 students enrolled in higher education. A large proportion are international, creating a fantastically social and English-speaking environment. Student life buzzes between the historic campuses of Trinity College and the modern tech campuses in the Silicon Docks, with traditional pubs serving as common ground for networking. The concentration of global tech and pharmaceutical European headquarters means relevant part-time work and graduate roles are abundant. This professional ecosystem makes the transition seamless after studying in Ireland, with clear visa pathways to launch your career directly from this friendly capital.6. Barcelona, SpainBarcelona, Spain, offers a student experience drenched in Mediterranean light and culture. The city is a major academic hub for approximately 165,000 university students, with a large and lively international crowd drawn to popular universities in Spain like Pompeu Fabra and the University of Barcelona. Life extends far beyond the campus to sun-drenched plazas and world-famous beaches. A key advantage is the lower cost of living in Spain, which allows your student budget to stretch much further on housing, food, and social activities. To apply your classroom knowledge, the city's dynamic design, business, and tourism sectors offer vibrant internships in Spain. Gaining this local experience is a core part of studying in Spain and building a life in this vibrant, creative city.7. Lyon, FranceLyon, France, is the country's gastronomic capital and a rising star for students seeking a refined yet manageable French life. With a student population of about 145,000 in the metropolitan area, the city has a youthful, energetic vibe without the overwhelming scale and cost of Paris. Student life revolves around exploring the UNESCO-listed Old Town and the famous bouchons. It is a major hub for engineering and biotech, hosting prestigious Grandes Écoles. These strong industry connections provide excellent opportunities for internships in France, particularly in research and development. Securing such a placement is a significant advantage of studying in France from Lyon, offering a more accessible and concentrated taste of French academic and professional excellence.8. Zurich, SwitzerlandZurich, Switzerland, is a global center for finance and innovation, offering a pristine, efficient, and intellectually stimulating environment. It is home to approximately 45,000 university students, with ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich attracting a highly international and ambitious cohort. Student life is a blend of rigorous academic pursuit and unparalleled outdoor access, with Lake Zurich and the Alps providing a stunning backdrop. The city’s concentration of leading research institutes and multinational corporations creates a direct pipeline for competitive internships and graduate roles. This direct link from academia to high-performing industries is the defining benefit of studying in Switzerland and earning a degree that carries global prestige.9. Milan, ItalyMilan, Italy, is the nation's cosmopolitan engine, a global capital of fashion, design, and business. The city hosts approximately 185,000 university students across major universities in Italy, like Bocconi University and Politecnico di Milano. Life is fast-paced and stylish, moving from historic lecture halls to cutting-edge design studios. It is a city where academic theory meets real-world enterprise. This environment is ideal for securing valuable internships in Italy within the luxury, marketing, and finance sectors. To help finance your stay, you can explore various scholarship opportunities in Italy, which are offered by the government and private foundations. This support enhances the rewarding experience of studying in Italy in this dynamic, forward-looking metropolis.10. Porto, PortugalPorto, Portugal, is an emerging European gem, combining stunning beauty, a warm climate, and outstanding value. The city’s student community includes approximately 45,000 university students, centered around the University of Porto and creating a lively, youthful atmosphere in its historic streets. The international student community is tight-knit and welcoming, drawn by affordable living costs and a famously friendly local population. The growing tech and startup scene provides new professional pathways for graduates. This combination of opportunity and lifestyle makes the experience of studying in Portugal in Porto both personally enriching and a smart investment in a promising European future.Choosing where to study is the first step in designing your future. The right city does not just host a university. It becomes your home, connects you to your first job, and shapes your worldview. Start by researching the programs and urban life that excite you. Look into visa requirements and funding early. And remember, finding your place in a new city is the greatest adventure. With the right preparation, your study abroad year can be the start of everything that comes next.This story was produced by HousingAnywhere and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How the unprecedented redistricting war is affecting election officials, politicians, and voters How the unprecedented redistricting war is affecting election officials, politicians, and votersThe redrawing of states’ congressional districts typically happens only once per decade, following the release of new Census data. But the U.S. is now up to six states that have enacted new congressional maps for the 2026 midterms; that’s more than in any election cycle not immediately following a census since 1983-84, Votebeat reports. Even more are expected to join the fray before voters head to the polls next year. Ultimately, more than a third of districts nationwide could be redrawn, threatening to confuse and disenfranchise voters.The truly unusual thing, though, is that four of those states passed new maps totally voluntarily. Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina all redrew their districts after President Donald Trump urged them to create more safe seats for Republicans to help the GOP maintain control of the House of Representatives next year, and California did so in order to push back against Trump and create more safe seats for Democrats. (The other two states redrew for more anodyne reasons: Utah’s old map was thrown out in court, and Ohio’s was always set to expire after the 2024 election.) To put that in perspective, only two states voluntarily redistricted in total in the 52 years from 1973 to 2024, according to the Pew Research Center. Nathaniel Rakich // Votebeat So the current “redistricting wars” are truly unprecedented in modern politics — and that’s had some chaotic consequences. In Texas, for instance, voter advocacy groups sued over the new map, arguing that it discriminated against Black and Latino voters. They scored a temporary win on Nov. 18 when a panel of federal judges struck down the new map and reinstated the old one. That ruling, though, came less than three weeks before Texas’s Dec. 8 filing deadline, sending candidates and election officials scrambling to readjust their plans.But that wasn’t even the end of the story: The state appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court, which, for two weeks, left Texans hanging about which map would be in force. Finally, on Thursday — four days before the filing deadline — a majority of the justices stayed the lower-court ruling, putting the 2025 map back in place for the midterms.Meanwhile, in Indiana, lawmakers considered whether to pass their own new map under the less-than-ideal conditions of threats to their physical safety. A proposal to eliminate the state’s two Democratic-held seats passed the state House, but there was genuine suspense over whether the plan could pass the state Senate, where at least 14 Republicans are against mid-decade redistricting. It ultimately failed.The pressure on these GOP holdouts was intense, with Trump calling out several of them by name on social media and threatening to support their primary challengers. But in the last few weeks of the debate, things got much darker: 11 state senators — most of them redistricting opponents or fence-sitters — were the targets of swatting attempts, bomb threats, or other threats. Although it’s not confirmed that the threats were motivated by redistricting, many of the lawmakers receiving them decried them as intimidation tactics meant to make them toe the line.Finally, of course, the push to draw more congressional districts scrupulously engineered to vote a certain way threatens to make Congress less representative of the electorate.On the day before Thanksgiving, a panel of federal judges declined to issue a preliminary injunction against North Carolina’s new congressional map, clearing the way for its use in the 2026 election. Although the judges did not find sufficient evidence that the Legislature had drawn the map with the intent to racially discriminate, they did come away convinced that the map would have a “disparate impact on black voters.”That’s because the map’s goal is to flip the 1st District from the Democratic to the Republican column, and since race and partisanship are so closely correlated in the South, that meant watering down its Black population. Since 1992, the northeastern North Carolina-based 1st District has been configured to enable Black voters to elect the candidate of their choice, but the new map decreases the district’s Black share of the voting-age population from 40% to 32%. As a result, there are no longer enough Black voters in the district to reliably pull their candidates over the finish line. A political scientist attested in the case that Black voters’ preferred candidate would have carried the new 1st District only seven times in 63 recent statewide elections.None of this, though, may run afoul of the law. Federal courts have set a very high bar for proving racial gerrymandering claims — and in 2019, they decided to stop trying to umpire partisan gerrymandering altogether. That, as much as anything else, has opened the door to the rash of mid-decade redistricting we’re currently experiencing. Virtually all of the states that have taken the plunge so far have drawn maps with extreme partisan biases that make congressional elections less responsive to the will of voters. For an unprecedented arms race that has caused no shortage of angst, that could be the most indelible impact.This story was produced by Votebeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Dish TV users may experience KWQC signal interruption KWQC is having no transmitter issues. The problem appears to be on Dish TV’s end.
	Ver las posibilidades: vivir con baja visión (Family Features) Millones de estadounidenses viven con baja visión, una discapacidad visual que puede convertir momentos cotidianos como reconocer la cara de un amigo al otro lado de la calle, leer una receta o revisar un mensaje de texto, en desafíos inesperados. La baja visión no es una parte natural del envejecimiento, aunque las afecciones que la causan se vuelven más comunes con la edad. Ya sea que la baja visión le afecte a usted o a un ser querido, el Mes de Concientización sobre la Baja Visión es el momento perfecto para examinarse los ojos para detectar signos de enfermedades oculares y tomar medidas para hacer la vida diaria más fácil. Tenga en cuenta esta información del Instituto Nacional del Ojo para aprovechar al máximo su visión y mejorar su calidad de vida. Comprender la baja visión Es posible que tenga baja visión si no puede ver lo suficientemente bien para leer, conducir, reconocer caras, distinguir colores o ver pantallas con claridad. Muchas afecciones oculares diferentes pueden causar baja visión, pero las causas más comunes son la degeneración macular relacionada con la edad, las cataratas, el glaucoma y la retinopatía diabética, una afección que puede causar pérdida de visión en personas con diabetes. Los tipos más comunes de baja visión son: Pérdida de la visión central (no poder ver cosas en el centro del campo visual) Pérdida de la visión periférica (no poder ver cosas desde las zonas laterales de sus ojos) Ceguera nocturna (no poder ver con poca luz) Visión borrosa o nublada Diagnóstico de la baja visión Su médico puede revisar si tiene baja visión durante un examen de los ojos con dilatación de las pupilas. Este examen es sencillo y no duele. Él o ella le pedirá que lea letras que estén cerca y lejos y revisará si puede ver cosas en el centro y en los bordes de su visión. Luego se utilizan gotas para los ojos para dilatar las pupilas y detectar otros problemas oculares, incluyendo afecciones que podrían causar baja visión. La baja visión suele ser permanente, pero el uso de gafas, medicamentos o cirugía pueden ayudar con las actividades diarias o retrasar su progresión. Vivir con baja visión Si tiene baja visión, no está solo. Hay medidas que puede tomar para hacerle la vida más fácil. En caso de pérdida leve de la visión, le puede ayudar hacer ajustes simples como utilizar luces más brillantes, usar gafas de sol con antirreflejo y usar lupas. Cambiar la configuración de su teléfono y computadora para aumentar el contraste, agrandar el texto o hacer que el dispositivo lea en voz alta también puede ayudar. Si su pérdida de visión le impide realizar sus actividades cotidianas, consulte a su oftalmólogo sobre la rehabilitación visual. Estos servicios pueden brindarle habilidades y recursos para ayudarlo a administrar su vida diaria y mantener su independencia. Algunos ejemplos incluyen: Empleo y formación laboral Modificaciones ambientales, como mejorar la iluminación y el contraste Dispositivos y tecnologías de asistencia, como lupas, filtros y lectores de pantalla Estrategias adaptativas para la vida diaria y entrenamiento de habilidades para la vida independiente Apoyo emocional, como asesoramiento o grupos de apoyo Transporte y servicios domésticos Encontrar los servicios y el apoyo de rehabilitación visual adecuados puede llevar tiempo, pero trabajar en colaboración con su oftalmólogo o su equipo de atención médica es un primer paso importante. Hable sobre sus necesidades y objetivos para vivir con su discapacidad visual para que puedan ayudarlo a identificar los mejores servicios para usted. Para obtener recursos e información adicionales sobre la rehabilitación de la visión, visite nei.nih.gov/espanol/RehabVisual. Foto cortesía de Shutterstock
	Search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie, enters 4th day Police in Arizona believe Nancy Guthrie, 84, was taken by force from her Tucson area home this weekend. So far, no suspect or person of interest has been identified.
	10 steps to lower your electric bill this year: A home energy shopping checklist 10 steps to lower your electric bill this year: A home energy shopping checklistThe average American household spent around $150 per month on electricity in 2024. That adds up to over $1,800 annually. According to the Census Bureau, just under 42% of American households use electricity for their home’s heat, meaning for many families, monthly electricity costs are much higher. What most homeowners still don’t know is that a significant portion of their electricity spending is controllable. The challenge is knowing where to start.Whether you live in a state with electricity choice like Pennsylvania, Texas, or Ohio, or you are stuck in a regulated market where your utility sets the rates, there are concrete steps you can take to reduce what you pay. This checklist from Shipley Energy covers 10 actionable items—such as shopping for better rates and simple efficiency upgrades—that can help you take control of your electricity costs this year.1. Know If You Have an Electricity Choice Shipley Energy Before you can shop for electricity, you need to know if your state allows it. The following states have deregulated electricity markets that give residential customers the power to choose their supplier.States with residential electricity choice: California (limited), Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia (limited), and Washington D.C.If you live in one of these states, you’re not stuck with whatever rate your utility charges. You can shop among licensed suppliers for a rate that fits your budget. Even in deregulated states, your local utility still delivers the power, reads your meter, and responds to outages. Switching suppliers only changes who generates and sells you electricity.2. Pull Out Your Current Electric Bill Shipley Energy You can’t shop smarter until you know what you’re currently paying. Grab a recent electric bill and find these key pieces of information:Your current rate (price per kilowatt-hour, or kWh).Your average monthly usage in kWh.Your current supplier (either your utility’s default rate or a third-party supplier).The “Price to Compare” if it’s listed; Pennsylvania and Ohio include this on bills as a benchmark to quickly compare what the utility is charging.This information is essential for comparing offers and calculating potential savings.3. Use Your State’s Official Comparison Tool Shipley Energy State utility commissions maintain free comparison tools so you can see all licensed suppliers at once. These aren’t promotional sites — they’re regulated resources designed to help you make informed decisions.Texas: PowerToChoose.org, managed by the Public Utility Commission of TexasPennsylvania: PAPowerSwitch.com, managed by the PA Public Utility CommissionOhio: EnergyChoice.Ohio.gov, the PUCO’s “Apples to Apples” comparison toolIllinois: PlugIn.Illinois.gov, the Illinois Commerce Commission’s official siteNew Jersey: NJPowerSwitch, managed by the NJ Board of Public UtilitiesEnter your zip code and utility, and you’ll see a list of available plans with rates, contract terms, and supplier information. It takes about five minutes to compare your options.4. Compare Rates and Take Action Based on Your GoalsThe lowest advertised rate may not always be the best deal. When comparing electricity plans, pay attention to what matters to you.Fixed vs. variable rates: Fixed rates stay the same for the contract term, giving you price stability. Variable rates can change monthly based on market conditions, sometimes dramatically.Budgeting: Does the rate allow you to meet your family’s budget and goals? This can be calculated by taking the sum of your total annual usage, multiplying by the rate, and dividing by 12 to get your monthly supplier expense.Contract length: Common terms are six, 12, or 24 months. Longer contracts may offer lower rates but less flexibility.Rewards and incentives: Many suppliers offer rewards or incentives to sign up with them. If a supplier offers 3% back in rewards on the rate, this could effectively lower your price and make the overall offer better.Early termination fees: Not every plan has an early termination fee, but if they do, they typically range from $50 to $200 if you cancel before your contract ends.Monthly service charges: Some suppliers add recurring fees that aren’t reflected in the per-kWh rate.Green or sustainable electricity: If your household wants greater control over the source of its electricity, you need to look beyond the utility. With a supplier you can find 100% green electricity products to power your home versus staying with the utility’s default generation mix.Introductory vs. standard rates: Watch for promotional rates that spike after a few months.Freedom to choose: Exercising your legal right to choose who supplies your electricity expands commerce, drives down prices, and creates competition in the market for everyone to get benefit.Look broadly at your household’s needs and goals to inform how you choose your electricity plan. In doing so you may find that the cheapest price isn’t always the best offer.5. Understand That Switching Doesn’t Change Your ServiceMany homeowners hesitate to switch suppliers because they assume it’s complicated or risky. It’s neither. When you switch electricity suppliers:Your local utility still delivers power through the same lines.There’s no equipment to install and no service interruption.Your utility still responds to outages and reads your meter.Billing may stay consolidated with your utility or come separately from your supplier, depending on the state.In essence, switching changes who sells you electricity, not who delivers it. The electrons flowing to your home are the same regardless of the supplier.6. Consider Renewable Energy OptionsIf reducing your environmental footprint matters to you, many suppliers now offer plans powered by 100% renewable energy sources like wind and solar. These plans are often competitively priced with traditional options.When evaluating green energy plans, look for those backed by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which verify that the energy was generated from renewable sources. Some plans offer partial renewable content (such as 50% wind), so read the details if 100% renewable is your goal.7. Set Your Thermostat Strategically Shipley Energy Heating and cooling account for nearly half of home energy use, making your thermostat one of the most powerful tools for reducing your bill. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% annually on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours a day.Practical settings to aim for depend on the season.Winter: 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re home and awake, and lower when sleeping or away.Summer: 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re home, and higher when you’re away.A programmable or smart thermostat makes these adjustments automatic. You set your schedule once, and the thermostat handles the rest with no daily effort required.8. Audit Your Energy VampiresElectronics on standby draw power even when they appear to be off. Common culprits include TVs, gaming consoles, cable boxes, phone chargers, and computers. This phantom power draw can add 5%-10% to your electricity bill over the course of a year.The fix is simple: Use power strips for clusters of electronics and flip them off when not in use. When it’s time to replace appliances or devices, look for the Energy Star label. Certified products meet strict efficiency standards and use less power in both active and standby modes.9. Check for Utility Rebates and Assistance ProgramsBefore making any efficiency upgrades, check if your utility offers rebates that could offset the cost. Many utilities provide incentives for:Smart thermostatsENERGY STAR appliancesLED lighting upgradesHome weatherizationAdditionally, if your household is experiencing financial hardship, programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and state-specific assistance programs may help with bill payment. Pennsylvania, for example, offers multiple assistance programs through the Public Utility Commission.A quick call to your utility’s customer service line or a visit to their website can reveal savings opportunities you didn’t know existed.10. Set a Calendar Reminder to Review Your Rate AnnuallyElectricity markets change, better rates become available, and fixed-rate contracts expire. Putting a reminder on your calendar 30 days before your contract ends is an easy way to make sure you evaluate your options annually. Spending 15 minutes reviewing current offers and either lock in a new rate or renew with your current supplier if they’re still competitive. This simple habit can save you hundreds of dollars over time.Alternatively, if you’re looking for convenience, find a supplier who can provide a worry-free renewal process that renews you to a competitive fixed rate at the end of each term. This can be beneficial when choosing a supplier for multiple energy products, or when pairing with rewards programs as your benefits continue to compound over time.Taking ActionYou don’t need to tackle all 10 items at once. Start with the steps that apply to your situation. If you’re in a deregulated state like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, or Illinois, shopping for a better electricity rate is the single biggest lever you have—and it takes less than 15 minutes using your state’s comparison tool. Combine rate shopping with efficiency habits like thermostat management, and you could meaningfully reduce your annual electricity costs.Pick one item from this checklist to complete this week. Small steps compound into real savings.This story was produced by Shipley Energy and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	10 steps to lower your electric bill this year: A home energy shopping checklist 10 steps to lower your electric bill this year: A home energy shopping checklistThe average American household spent around $150 per month on electricity in 2024. That adds up to over $1,800 annually. According to the Census Bureau, just under 42% of American households use electricity for their home’s heat, meaning for many families, monthly electricity costs are much higher. What most homeowners still don’t know is that a significant portion of their electricity spending is controllable. The challenge is knowing where to start.Whether you live in a state with electricity choice like Pennsylvania, Texas, or Ohio, or you are stuck in a regulated market where your utility sets the rates, there are concrete steps you can take to reduce what you pay. This checklist from Shipley Energy covers 10 actionable items—such as shopping for better rates and simple efficiency upgrades—that can help you take control of your electricity costs this year.1. Know If You Have an Electricity Choice Shipley Energy Before you can shop for electricity, you need to know if your state allows it. The following states have deregulated electricity markets that give residential customers the power to choose their supplier.States with residential electricity choice: California (limited), Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia (limited), and Washington D.C.If you live in one of these states, you’re not stuck with whatever rate your utility charges. You can shop among licensed suppliers for a rate that fits your budget. Even in deregulated states, your local utility still delivers the power, reads your meter, and responds to outages. Switching suppliers only changes who generates and sells you electricity.2. Pull Out Your Current Electric Bill Shipley Energy You can’t shop smarter until you know what you’re currently paying. Grab a recent electric bill and find these key pieces of information:Your current rate (price per kilowatt-hour, or kWh).Your average monthly usage in kWh.Your current supplier (either your utility’s default rate or a third-party supplier).The “Price to Compare” if it’s listed; Pennsylvania and Ohio include this on bills as a benchmark to quickly compare what the utility is charging.This information is essential for comparing offers and calculating potential savings.3. Use Your State’s Official Comparison Tool Shipley Energy State utility commissions maintain free comparison tools so you can see all licensed suppliers at once. These aren’t promotional sites — they’re regulated resources designed to help you make informed decisions.Texas: PowerToChoose.org, managed by the Public Utility Commission of TexasPennsylvania: PAPowerSwitch.com, managed by the PA Public Utility CommissionOhio: EnergyChoice.Ohio.gov, the PUCO’s “Apples to Apples” comparison toolIllinois: PlugIn.Illinois.gov, the Illinois Commerce Commission’s official siteNew Jersey: NJPowerSwitch, managed by the NJ Board of Public UtilitiesEnter your zip code and utility, and you’ll see a list of available plans with rates, contract terms, and supplier information. It takes about five minutes to compare your options.4. Compare Rates and Take Action Based on Your GoalsThe lowest advertised rate may not always be the best deal. When comparing electricity plans, pay attention to what matters to you.Fixed vs. variable rates: Fixed rates stay the same for the contract term, giving you price stability. Variable rates can change monthly based on market conditions, sometimes dramatically.Budgeting: Does the rate allow you to meet your family’s budget and goals? This can be calculated by taking the sum of your total annual usage, multiplying by the rate, and dividing by 12 to get your monthly supplier expense.Contract length: Common terms are six, 12, or 24 months. Longer contracts may offer lower rates but less flexibility.Rewards and incentives: Many suppliers offer rewards or incentives to sign up with them. If a supplier offers 3% back in rewards on the rate, this could effectively lower your price and make the overall offer better.Early termination fees: Not every plan has an early termination fee, but if they do, they typically range from $50 to $200 if you cancel before your contract ends.Monthly service charges: Some suppliers add recurring fees that aren’t reflected in the per-kWh rate.Green or sustainable electricity: If your household wants greater control over the source of its electricity, you need to look beyond the utility. With a supplier you can find 100% green electricity products to power your home versus staying with the utility’s default generation mix.Introductory vs. standard rates: Watch for promotional rates that spike after a few months.Freedom to choose: Exercising your legal right to choose who supplies your electricity expands commerce, drives down prices, and creates competition in the market for everyone to get benefit.Look broadly at your household’s needs and goals to inform how you choose your electricity plan. In doing so you may find that the cheapest price isn’t always the best offer.5. Understand That Switching Doesn’t Change Your ServiceMany homeowners hesitate to switch suppliers because they assume it’s complicated or risky. It’s neither. When you switch electricity suppliers:Your local utility still delivers power through the same lines.There’s no equipment to install and no service interruption.Your utility still responds to outages and reads your meter.Billing may stay consolidated with your utility or come separately from your supplier, depending on the state.In essence, switching changes who sells you electricity, not who delivers it. The electrons flowing to your home are the same regardless of the supplier.6. Consider Renewable Energy OptionsIf reducing your environmental footprint matters to you, many suppliers now offer plans powered by 100% renewable energy sources like wind and solar. These plans are often competitively priced with traditional options.When evaluating green energy plans, look for those backed by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which verify that the energy was generated from renewable sources. Some plans offer partial renewable content (such as 50% wind), so read the details if 100% renewable is your goal.7. Set Your Thermostat Strategically Shipley Energy Heating and cooling account for nearly half of home energy use, making your thermostat one of the most powerful tools for reducing your bill. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% annually on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours a day.Practical settings to aim for depend on the season.Winter: 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re home and awake, and lower when sleeping or away.Summer: 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re home, and higher when you’re away.A programmable or smart thermostat makes these adjustments automatic. You set your schedule once, and the thermostat handles the rest with no daily effort required.8. Audit Your Energy VampiresElectronics on standby draw power even when they appear to be off. Common culprits include TVs, gaming consoles, cable boxes, phone chargers, and computers. This phantom power draw can add 5%-10% to your electricity bill over the course of a year.The fix is simple: Use power strips for clusters of electronics and flip them off when not in use. When it’s time to replace appliances or devices, look for the Energy Star label. Certified products meet strict efficiency standards and use less power in both active and standby modes.9. Check for Utility Rebates and Assistance ProgramsBefore making any efficiency upgrades, check if your utility offers rebates that could offset the cost. Many utilities provide incentives for:Smart thermostatsENERGY STAR appliancesLED lighting upgradesHome weatherizationAdditionally, if your household is experiencing financial hardship, programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and state-specific assistance programs may help with bill payment. Pennsylvania, for example, offers multiple assistance programs through the Public Utility Commission.A quick call to your utility’s customer service line or a visit to their website can reveal savings opportunities you didn’t know existed.10. Set a Calendar Reminder to Review Your Rate AnnuallyElectricity markets change, better rates become available, and fixed-rate contracts expire. Putting a reminder on your calendar 30 days before your contract ends is an easy way to make sure you evaluate your options annually. Spending 15 minutes reviewing current offers and either lock in a new rate or renew with your current supplier if they’re still competitive. This simple habit can save you hundreds of dollars over time.Alternatively, if you’re looking for convenience, find a supplier who can provide a worry-free renewal process that renews you to a competitive fixed rate at the end of each term. This can be beneficial when choosing a supplier for multiple energy products, or when pairing with rewards programs as your benefits continue to compound over time.Taking ActionYou don’t need to tackle all 10 items at once. Start with the steps that apply to your situation. If you’re in a deregulated state like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, or Illinois, shopping for a better electricity rate is the single biggest lever you have—and it takes less than 15 minutes using your state’s comparison tool. Combine rate shopping with efficiency habits like thermostat management, and you could meaningfully reduce your annual electricity costs.Pick one item from this checklist to complete this week. Small steps compound into real savings.This story was produced by Shipley Energy and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	City of Davenport set to hear construction proposals at major roadways Multiple contracts are being pitched on the Eastern Avenue Bridge and West 15th Street to improve existing infrastructure.
	The impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on HSA and FSA benefits The impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on HSA and FSA benefitsThe One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) significantly reshapes U.S. healthcare savings. It makes the most substantial update to health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) benefits in over a decade. The OBBBA revises eligibility, contribution limits, and plan design for employers, brokers, and benefit administrators. It also expands access and flexibility for employees amid rising healthcare and dependent care costs.Here, The Difference Card explains the OBBBA's impact on HSA and FSA benefits. Find out how this creates new opportunities for tax-advantaged savings, especially for families managing child care costs and individuals relying on telehealth or nontraditional care models.How the OBBBA Is Impacting HSA and FSASigned into law in late 2025, the OBBBA broadly addresses healthcare affordability by updating multiple account-based programs. This includes expanded HSA eligibility and a permanent increase in the dependent care FSA reflecting modern child care and eldercare costs.At a high level, the law focuses on three goals. First, it removes barriers that exclude people from using telehealth and alternative care models. Second, it recognizes lower-cost insurance options as compatible with an HSA. Third, it increases tax-advantaged savings for working families.Legislatively, the OBBBA amends the Internal Revenue Code sections governing HSA and FSA benefits. IRS Notice 2026-5 clarifies implementation details, provides operational guidance, defines key terms, and offers transition relief. Employers should review both, as the notice addresses practical questions the statute leaves unanswered. The Difference Card Here are the key changes as of Jan. 1, 2026.Telehealth services: Regardless of deductible status, telehealth services no longer disqualify HSA eligibility.Primary care: Specific direct primary care arrangements may coexist with an HSA, subject to particular limitations.HSA compatibility: Bronze-level and catastrophic plans on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace are HSA-compatible.Contribution limits: The dependent care FSA annual contribution limit increases and becomes permanent.Document changes: As of the plan year beginning in 2026, employers must amend plan documents to reflect the new limits and eligibility rules.This scope redefines how employers design benefit plans, how producers advise clients, and how administrators configure systems. Expanded eligibility increases participation, potentially shifting contribution patterns and testing outcomes for annual nondiscrimination FSA testing. While higher dependent care limits increase FSA value, they also elevate compliance stakes. It is crucial to ensure the plan does not disproportionately benefit highly compensated employees in terms of eligibility and participation rates.The OBBBA encourages a shift in benefits philosophy from merely offering standard plans to designing a holistic ecosystem. This shift means prioritizing employee well-being through integrated preventive, virtual, and primary care options. It can become a significant differentiator in talent acquisition and retention.As you move into the specific provisions, it becomes clear that the OBBBA is not a simple adjustment. It is a structural update that rewards proactive planning and penalizes inattention.Expanded HSA Eligibility Under IRS Notice 2026-5One of the most significant elements of the OBBBA is the expansion of HSA eligibility. In the past, strict rules limited access based on plan design and first-dollar coverage. IRS Notice 2026-5 relaxes several of those constraints while preserving the core principle that HSA benefits pair with high-deductible coverage. The notice focuses on three core areas:Direct primary care (DPC)TelehealthHealth plan designThe notice clarifies that specific services and plan types no longer disqualify individuals from HSA contributions. This change illustrates the growth in care delivery, particularly since 2020. It also acknowledges that affordability does not always mean higher deductibles alone.Expanded eligibility means more employees can open and fund an HSA. It also means employers must reassess who qualifies, how they communicate eligibility, and how payroll systems track these contributions.Direct Primary Care IntegrationDPC, an alternative to traditional fee-for-service models, historically raised HSA eligibility concerns due to monthly fees potentially being disqualifying coverage. Now, individuals remain HSA-eligible even if their health plan offers first-dollar coverage for telehealth services, regardless of the preventive care relationship.The OBBBA introduces a new rule that allows limited DPC integration in HSA benefits. IRS Notice 2026-5 permits DPC arrangements that meet criteria such as a capped monthly fee or a defined scope of services. DPC cannot provide coverage beyond primary care services, and the monthly fee must remain within statutory limits. While it may cover:Primary care visitsPreventive servicesBasic diagnostic servicesAncillary services, such as labs or imaging, and hospitalization are still subject to the deductible to preserve HSA eligibility. For example, a DPC arrangement capped at $150 a month may cover unlimited primary care visits, in-office labs such as strep tests, and basic health screenings. However, advanced diagnostics such as an MRI, specialist consultation, or emergency care still fall under the high-deductible health plan (HDHP) deductible.The caveat is documentation. Employers and administrators must confirm that DPC arrangements meet IRS criteria. Without that diligence, participants risk losing their HSA eligibility.This change opens the door for innovative plan designs. Employers can offer DPC with high-deductible plans to boost access and satisfaction. Producers should help clients carefully review vendor contracts to avoid unintended disqualification.Telehealth Safe Harbor PermanencyTelehealth coverage was a recurring issue for HSA eligibility. Temporary relief measures allowed pre-deductible telehealth without disqualifying participants, but those measures required repeated extensions.The OBBBA establishes telehealth as a permanent safe harbor. According to IRS Notice 2026-5, plans can offer pre-deductible telehealth services — including behavioral health and primary care consultations — without affecting HSA eligibility. This provides employees with straightforward early access to telehealth, without sacrificing HSA contributions, while giving employers long-term certainty in virtual care plan design.Individuals remain HSA-eligible even if their health plan offers first-dollar coverage for telehealth services, regardless of whether these services relate to preventive care. This change reflects how people access care, as telehealth is often the first point of contact for:Mental health servicesChronic condition managementNonurgent care visitsThis permanency also supports cost control, as telehealth often replaces higher-cost visits, diverts from emergency care, reduces associated costs, and saves on time away from work. By pairing telehealth with HSA benefits, plans encourage early intervention while preserving tax advantages.Bronze and Catastrophic Plan EligibilityAnother notable expansion involves insurance plan design. Previously, only certain high-deductible health plans qualified for HSA benefits. The OBBBA recognizes that some bronze and catastrophic plans function similarly from a cost-sharing perspective.According to IRS Notice 2026-5, specific bronze and catastrophic plans qualify as HSA-compatible if they meet the revised deductible and out-of-pocket expense criteria. This change acknowledges the role of lower-premium plans in the individual and employer markets. For employees, it means more choice. You can select a lower-cost plan and still enjoy HSA contributions. For employers, it creates flexibility in offering tiered coverage without excluding HSA participation.This expansion may increase HSA adoption among younger or generally healthier populations. Over time, broader participation can strengthen the overall value proposition of an HSA as a long-term savings vehicle.Dependent Care FSA: The $7,500 LeapWhile HSA benefits get a lot of the attention, the dependent care FSA (DCFSA) update may have the most immediate impact on working families. The OBBBA permanently increases the annual contribution limit to $7,500 per household, a significant leap from the previous cap.This change reflects the rising costs of child care, after-school programs, and eldercare. A higher limit lets families set aside more pre-tax dollars to cover essential expenses. While the DCFSA offers immediate pre-tax savings, the dependent care tax credit may be more beneficial for lower-income families or those with significant care expenses that exceed the FSA limit. A quick calculation based on your household income and care costs during open enrollment can help you determine the optimal choice.Unlike temporary increases, the new limit is permanent. Employers can design plans with confidence, and employees can plan contributions without worrying about future rollbacks.Economic ImpactThe $7,500 limit increase reduces taxable income, boosting take-home pay. This offers substantial savings for higher-tax-bracket families and helps moderate-income households offset rising care costs.From a workforce perspective, access to affordable care closely ties into:Employee retentionReduced absenteeismImproved productivityThe FSA increase also signals employer commitment to family-friendly policies. It gives employers a tangible way to support working parents and caregivers without increasing wages.Administrators can expect higher participation rates. As the benefit grows more valuable, more employees will enroll. Employers may need to improve communication and enrollment tools.Consider conducting an internal audit of the existing benefits communication strategy to ensure all employee segments are reached effectively. A targeted approach, using a combination of short videos, interactive FAQs, and personalized emails, can help employees fully understand these changes and make informed decisions.Tax Credit InteractionThe dependent care FSA increase also interacts with the dependent care tax credit. Employees must choose how to allocate expenses between the FSA and the credit, as the same costs cannot be used for both. IRS Notice 2026-5 reiterates the coordination rules and emphasizes the importance of education. Employers and producers play a key role in helping employees understand trade-offs. In many cases, maximizing the FSA yields greater immediate savings — however, individual circumstances vary.Clear guidance reduces confusion and prevents adverse tax outcomes. Simple examples and calculators can help employees make informed decisions during open enrollment.How the OBBBA Is Impacting HSA and FSA AdministrationThe OBBBA reshapes HSA and FSA administration by shifting how employers govern plans, manage risk, and communicate with participants. While IRS Notice 2026-5 offers crucial guidance, the dynamic nature of healthcare legislation means plan sponsors should remain vigilant for potential future clarifications or amendments, especially as new care models emerge or economic conditions shift, and as contribution limits change. The Difference Card Even when eligibility rules are clear, administration becomes more complex as flexibility increases.Critical governance: With broader participation, employers face greater scrutiny from regulators and auditors. Plan sponsors must strengthen internal controls to ensure contributions, reimbursements, and eligibility determinations are applied consistently. This includes tighter coordination among HR, finance, and external administrators to prevent errors.Vendor management: The OBBBA accelerates third-party administrator reliance. Employers must confirm vendors can operationalize new rules accurately and on time. This involves reviewing service agreements, testing system logic, and clarifying the responsibility for compliance failures. If a system error results in excess contributions or incorrect reimbursements, the employer may still be liable.Data integrity: Higher contribution limits and more participation increase the risk of data errors. Inaccurate eligibility data, delayed updates, or misaligned payroll feeds can lead to incorrect tax reporting. Employers may need to implement more frequent reconciliation processes and establish stronger audit trails to support IRS reporting and employee tax filings.Structured elections: As accounts become more valuable, election errors carry higher stakes. Employers should reassess enrollment timelines, mid-year change processes, and substantiation workflows to minimize participant confusion. Clear documentation and decision-support tools help protect both employees and plan sponsors.OBBBA-era administration requires continuous monitoring as regulatory guidance and participation trends now demand regular review to avoid compliance drift over time. In practice, the OBBBA pushes HSA and FSA administration from a transactional function into a governance discipline. Employers who invest in stronger processes, more transparent accountability, and proactive oversight are better positioned to manage risk while delivering meaningful benefits to employees.Navigating 2026 ComplianceThe OBBBA and IRS Notice 2026-5 bring both opportunity and responsibility. They expand access to HSA benefits, provide meaningful relief for dependent care costs, and modernize the rules governing benefits. At the same time, they demand careful implementation with ongoing education.For producers, the changes reinforce the value of strategic guidance. Clients need clear expectations, realistic timelines, and hands-on support with plan design and amendments. Making small adjustments early can prevent costly corrections later and help employees feel confident in using their benefits.The 2026 transition is a shift to align benefits with the way people live and work today. With the right professional support, the OBBBA can strengthen benefit strategies while helping families manage healthcare and care-related expenses with confidence.This story was produced by The Difference Card and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Game Day Hosting Made Easy with Crowd-Pleasing Snacks Ready in Minutes Sorry, but your browser does not support the video tag. var bptVideoPlayer = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayer"); if (bptVideoPlayer) { var cssText = "width: 100%;"; cssText += " background: url('" + bptVideoPlayer.getAttribute("poster") + "');"; cssText += " -webkit-background-size: cover;"; cssText += " -moz-background-size: cover;"; cssText += " -o-background-size: cover;"; cssText += " background-size: cover;"; bptVideoPlayer.style.cssText = cssText; var bptVideoPlayerContainer = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayerContainer"); if (bptVideoPlayerContainer) { setTimeout(function () { bptVideoPlayerContainer.style.cssText = "display: block; position: relative; margin-bottom: 10px;"; var isIE = navigator.userAgent.match(/ MSIE(([0 - 9] +)(\.[0 - 9] +) ?) /); var isEdge = navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Edge") > -1 \|\| navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Trident") > -1; if (isIE \|\| isEdge) { fixVideoPoster(); } }, 1000); } var bptVideoPlayButton = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayButton"); if (bptVideoPlayButton) { bptVideoPlayButton.addEventListener("click", function () { bptVideoPlayer.play(); }, false); bptVideoPlayer.addEventListener("play", function () { bptVideoPlayButton.style.cssText = "display: none;"; }, false); } var mainImage = document.getElementById("mainImageImgContainer_sm"); if (mainImage) { mainImage.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var mainImage = document.getElementById("photo-noresize"); if (mainImage) { mainImage.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var assetGallery = document.getElementsByClassName("asset_gallery")[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var assetGallery = document.getElementsByClassName("trb_article_leadart")[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } var assetGallery = document.querySelectorAll("[src='https://d372qxeqh8y72i.cloudfront.net/654a5217-b2b8-48e5-a3c2-a9d4fe5b6d2f_web.jpg']")[0]; if (assetGallery) { assetGallery.style.cssText = "display: none;"; } } function fixVideoPoster() { var videoPlayer = document.getElementById("bptVideoPlayer"); var videoPoster = document.getElementById("bptVideoPoster"); fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster, true); window.onresize = function() { fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster); }; videoPoster.onclick = function() { videoPlayer.play(); videoPoster.style.display = "none"; }; videoPlayer.onplay = function() { videoPoster.style.display = "none"; }; } function fixVideoPosterPosition(videoPlayer, videoPoster, display) { setTimeout(function () { var videoPosition = videoPlayer.getBoundingClientRect(); videoPoster.style.position = "absolute"; videoPoster.style.top = "0"; videoPoster.style.left = "0"; videoPoster.style.width = videoPlayer.offsetWidth + "px"; videoPoster.style.height = (videoPlayer.offsetHeight + 20) + "px"; if (display) { videoPoster.style.display = "inline"; } }, 1010); } (BPT) - As game day approaches, many hosts are rethinking how they feed a crowd. Instead of complicated cooking or all-day prep, the focus is on having the right snacks on hand — ones that you pop in the air fryer, serve hot and ready, and will keep everyone happy from kickoff through the final play.That's where Farm Rich®, a leader in frozen snacks and appetizers, comes in. By keeping Farm Rich snacks stocked in the freezer, hosts can serve hot, crispy, crowd-pleasing favorites in minutes, whether guests arrive early, show up mid-game, or ask for seconds at halftime.Chef Jamie Gwen says this approach is changing how hosts think about game day food."Game day food should feel familiar and easy," Gwen said. "When you have snacks stocked in the freezer that you can prepare in minutes that come out hot and crispy, hosting feels effortless and you can actually enjoy the game."That approach often includes shareable appetizers like golden Breaded Mozzarella Sticks or Loaded Potato Skins served with your favorite dips, as well as easy-to-make recipes like Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Peppers. Designed for casual grazing, these fan-favorite snacks go from freezer to air fryer or oven in minutes — no prep, no mess, just big flavor everyone will love.Instead of spending the game in the kitchen, hosts are choosing snacks that are easy to keep stocked and ready in minutes — so they can stay part of the action and enjoy every moment with their guests.For more Big Game inspiration, follow @FarmRichSnacks on Instagram, Facebook and all other platforms to keep up with their game day social content series, packed with recipes, hosting hacks and prep ideas to help fans feel confident and ready before kickoff. Find Farm Rich products near you by visiting FarmRich.com.
	Rock Island man sentenced to federal prison for false statements during firearms purchases, possession with intent to deliver cocaine A man from Rock Island was sentenced to seven years in federal prison on January 28 for false statements during purchases of firearms, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. Public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing show that Lashawn Leroy Williams, Jr., 24, [...]
	Galesburg firefighters respond to kitchen fire Galesburg firefighters quickly extinguished a kitchen fire yesterday, according to a news release from the fire department. The Galesburg Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 1800 block of Grand Avenue on February 3 at about 3:55 p.m. All three fire stations responded with 11 personnel on duty. Crews arrived and found smoke [...]
	The 10 benefits of automated invoice processing that businesses should know The 10 benefits of automated invoice processing that businesses should knowAutomated invoice processing refers to using software and AI to handle accounts payable workflows with minimal human intervention. This includes tools like OCR data capture, electronic approvals, and integrated payment systems that transform paper-based accounts payable into a streamlined digital workflow. You might also hear it called AP automation, invoice automation, or digital invoicing.For modern CFOs and finance teams, automating invoice processing isn't just about convenience. It's a strategic move to improve efficiency, accuracy, and overall spend management. Manual invoice processing is time-consuming and error-prone, draining staff productivity and increasing costs. Consider that most companies still enter invoice data manually, at an average cost of between $15 and $40 per invoice. This traditional approach wastes resources and can lead to late payments, missed discounts, and fraud risks.The numbers tell the story clearly. Over 56% of organizations using manual invoicing spend more than 10 hours a week on it. Those with full automation? Less than one hour.In this article, Brex covers 10 distinct benefits of automated invoice processing that address these challenges. From time savings and cost reductions to improved accuracy and faster approvals, each benefit gets its own section with supporting data. By the end, you'll have a clear picture of how invoice automation can transform your finance operations.1. Time savings through automationTime savings is one of the most immediate benefits of automated invoice processing. Automated software drastically reduces the time required to process each invoice by eliminating manual data entry and paperwork. Invoices that once took days or weeks to handle can now be processed in minutes. Organizations with an AP automation process invoice roughly 85% faster on average than those using manual methods.Manual AP workflows involve countless hours of data entry, hunting down approvals, and correcting errors. An automated invoice workflow uses tools like OCR invoice processing to instantly capture invoice data and routes invoices to the right approvers in real time. This speeds up the entire accounts payable cycle and frees finance staff from tedious tasks. Companies with automation process 64% more invoices per month per employee than those without. That means teams can handle higher volume without overtime or additional hires.AP teams often spend more than 10 hours per week on manual invoicing. Automation cuts this dramatically. With invoice automation, some firms have cut processing time from roughly 15 minutes per invoice down to around three minutes. CFOs can reallocate this saved time to higher-value activities. Finance teams can focus on analysis, cash management, or strategic projects instead of paperwork.2. Reduced manual errors and reworkAutomation greatly improves accuracy in invoice processing, virtually eliminating the manual errors that plague traditional AP. With automated invoice processing, data is captured and validated by software, reducing typos, miskeyed figures, and duplicate entries. This minimizes the costly rework of fixing errors and prevents problems like overpayments or duplicate payments. Manual processing typically has an error rate of around 5% or more. Automation can cut invoice error rates to under 1%, roughly a 90% reduction in errors.Every error in a manual system requires time to investigate and correct. An extra zero in an amount or a wrong vendor code can delay payments and create disputes. These mistakes can also lead to compliance issues down the line. Automated accounts payable systems use technologies like OCR and AI validation to ensure invoice data matches purchase orders and receipts. They catch discrepancies instantly. Automated two-way flag mismatches so incorrect invoices don't get paid.Common manual error issues include duplicate invoices that result in double payments, incorrect amounts or account coding, and lost invoices. Automation's duplicate detection can virtually eliminate this risk. When companies implement invoice automation solutions, they often go from reprocessing dozens of invoices a month due to errors to virtually zero data entry mistakes.Reducing errors doesn't just save embarrassment. It has a direct financial impact by preventing overpayments and avoiding labor spent on corrections. It also improves trust in financial reports.3. Lower processing costsCost reduction is a major benefit of automated invoice processing. By cutting out paper, manual labor, and process inefficiencies, companies can significantly lower the cost per invoice. With automation, organizations spend far less on processing each bill. This includes labor hours, office supplies, and storage. The savings add up quickly at scale. Processing an invoice by hand costs around $15 on average and can exceed $30 in some cases. Automation can reduce this to just $2 to $5 per invoice. That's roughly an 83% reduction in processing costs.These savings come from several areas. Paperless accounts payable eliminates printing costs, mailing invoices, and storing paper files. They reduce labor costs because fewer hours are spent on data entry and chasing approvals. They also help avoid late payment fees by ensuring on-time payments. And by capturing early payment discounts, automation actually creates positive cost benefits. All these factors mean the accounts payable process becomes much more cost-efficient.Consider a mid-sized business processing 500 invoices a month. That company would spend around $150,000 per year on AP if done manually. With automation, that annual cost could drop by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Best-in-class AP departments, often those using automation, pay about 50% less per invoice than companies relying on manual methods. Manual invoice processing also has hidden costs like late payment penalties and missed discounts. Automation helps avoid those, directly improving the bottom line.Digital invoicing and automated workflows reduce overhead in other ways too. Less need for file cabinets and storage. Fewer postage and printing expenses. Many companies see a fast ROI on AP automation projects, often recouping their investment in under a year. 4. Faster invoice approvalsSpeeding up invoice approval cycles is a key benefit of automation. Automated invoice processing accelerates approval workflows, ensuring invoices get reviewed and authorized in a fraction of the time compared to manual routing. In traditional processes, an invoice might sit in someone's inbox or on a desk for days waiting for sign-off. Automation removes these bottlenecks by electronically routing invoices to approvers instantly and sending reminders or escalations as needed. Companies can cut approval times by 70% to 80% on average. Organizations have reduced approval cycles from about five to seven days down to one to two days with automated workflows.Here's how AP workflow automation works for approvals. Invoices are automatically forwarded to the appropriate managers based on preset rules like invoice amount or department. Approvers get digital notifications and can approve with one click, often even via mobile app. No more signing papers or sending emails back and forth. If someone is out of the office or delays, the software can escalate to an alternate approver to keep things moving. This means no more invoices lost in email chains or waiting until a manager returns from travel.Faster approvals have multiple benefits. They prevent late payments since invoices are approved in time to pay before the due date. They improve supplier satisfaction and help improve cash flow management by allowing finance teams to forecast cash needs more accurately. Automated AP software shortens invoice cycle times by up to 75%. A company that used to take two weeks to approve and pay an invoice can now do so in a couple of days. This agility is especially crucial at month’s end or year’s end when backlogs used to occur.5. Improved cash flow managementAutomated invoice processing directly improves cash flow management for finance teams. With real-time invoice tracking and payments scheduled optimally, CFOs get a clearer view of outgoing cash and can manage working capital more strategically. Automation ensures timely payments, preventing cash leakage via late fees. It also enables companies to take advantage of early payment discounts. Both of these positively impact cash flow. Having up-to-date visibility into all pending payables allows for more accurate cash flow forecasts and smarter decision-making. This makes cash flow more predictable and efficient, which is crucial for any mid-sized or large company.Automated AP software can provide real-time dashboards or reports of all outstanding invoices, their due dates, and payment status. This means no more surprises during the month-end close process. The finance team always knows how much is owed and when it's due. They can answer the CFO's question "How much do we owe right now?" with confidence at any point. This level of insight transforms cash flow planning from reactive to proactive.Late payments tie up capital and often incur fees, often 1% to 2% per month on overdue invoices. Automation virtually eliminates late payments by speeding up processing and sending alerts for upcoming due dates. On the flip side, many vendors offer early payment discounts, typically 1% to 2% off if paid in 10 days. Paying with business credit cards can also extend your effective payment terms while still capturing those discounts. Automated invoice processing makes it practical to consistently hit those windows. Companies with AP automation tend to capture three times more early-pay discounts on average. These discounts can add up to hundreds of thousands in savings on millions of dollars of spend.Cash flow clarity is a top concern for CFOs, and invoice automation delivers it. When payables are handled efficiently, companies maintain better control over their cash position. 6. Enhanced vendor relationshipsPaying vendors on time and accurately through automated processing leads to paying vendors on time and accurately through automated processing leads to better supplier relationships. Automation strengthens vendor management by helping organizations become a reliable paying partner. Invoices are processed faster and with fewer errors, so suppliers get paid correctly and punctually. This reliability builds trust and goodwill with vendors. It can result in favorable treatment such as priority service, flexible terms, or vendor discounts. Automating AP turns accounts payable into a relationship-building tool rather than a source of friction.Late payments are one of the biggest complaints vendors have. By automating invoice approvals and payments, companies dramatically reduce late or missed payments. Vendors notice the difference when they consistently receive payments on or before due dates. Automation ensures that no invoice falls through the cracks. Features like automatic reminders, scheduled payments, and purchase cards for routine vendor payments mean suppliers aren't left waiting. This avoids late fees and penalties as well, contributing to cost savings.Because automation minimizes errors like overbilling or paying the wrong amount, there are fewer payment disputes with vendors. Suppliers appreciate receiving the correct payment the first time rather than having to chase corrections or credits. With digital invoicing and an electronic audit trail, any discrepancies that do arise can be resolved quickly. The finance team can easily pull up the invoice, PO, and receipts in the software they are using. This transparency further strengthens trust. Vendors may reward timely payers with better terms. A supplier might extend net 45-day terms instead of 30 once they see consistently on-time payments, which improves your cash flow.For CFOs, maintaining healthy vendor relationships is important for the supply chain and business operations. No CFO wants a critical supplier to put them on credit hold due to chronic late payments. Automation helps ensure that the scenario doesn't happen. 7. Better spend visibility and controlAutomated invoice processing gives CFOs and finance teams greater visibility and control over spending. With a centralized AP software, all invoice data is available in real time. This allows for full oversight of where money is going. No more blind spots in company spending. Finance can see every invoice status, approval, and payment in one place. Automating accounting processes also comes with built-in spend controls, so companies can enforce budgets, approval limits, and policy compliance systematically. Improved visibility and control lead to smarter financial decisions and stronger governance.Most AP automation solutions provide dashboards that show key metrics updated continuously. Total invoices pending. Total amount due this week. Spend by vendor. This level of transparency is a game-changer. Finance teams can monitor spending trends or spot anomalies early. If spending with a particular vendor spikes or if a certain department is trending over budget, they will see it immediately rather than discovering it at the month’s end. The consolidation of data means CFOs can get answers fast. A question like "How much did we spend on software licenses this quarter?" can be answered with a few clicks. Manually, that might take days to compile.Automated software solutions allow you to embed spend policies and approval hierarchies into the workflow. You can set spend controls, such as requiring certain approvals for invoices above a threshold or blocking payments that don't match a valid purchase order. These controls help prevent unauthorized or wasteful spending. Integration with budgets means that if an invoice would cause a budget overrun, the software can flag it. This ensures greater financial discipline. Every invoice is visible and must follow the predefined process.8. Audit-ready compliance and recordkeepingAutomated invoice processing inherently improves compliance and recordkeeping, making the finance team audit-ready at any time. Every action in an automated AP software solution is recorded. Who approved what? When they approved it. What changes were made? This creates a detailed audit trail for each invoice. The benefit here is twofold. Easier audits and compliance checks. And reduced risk of noncompliance. Rather than scrambling to collect documents during the financial close process, finance can retrieve any invoice and its approval history in seconds. This level of organization helps satisfy internal controls, external auditors, and regulators.With online invoicing software, all invoices and related documents are stored electronically in a centralized repository. Purchase orders, approvals, and business receipt management all live in one centralized software. There's no need to dig through filing cabinets or email archives. A simple search brings up what you need. This not only saves time but also ensures the completeness of records. Automated workflows ensure that every invoice goes through the proper approval steps and gets logged. This aligns with accounts payable best practices and is critical for SOX compliance or other financial controls. The process can generate audit reports showing all invoices over a certain amount, who approved them, and how they tie back to purchase orders. This integration of purchase order management with invoicing simplifies audit preparation.Companies with automated AP can handle audits or inquiries much faster. Auditors often ask for documentation on samples of transactions. With automation, finance can provide the requested support in minutes rather than days. This includes the invoice image, approvals, and payment confirmation. Organizations with AP automation can be 100% audit-ready in real time. Manual processes might require weeks of preparation to gather files. By reducing the effort to prepare for audits, the finance team can save countless hours and reduce audit costs.9. Fraud prevention and risk reductionAutomated invoice processing can reduce fraud risk and enhance security in accounts payable. By introducing systematic checks and controls, automation helps prevent common AP fraud schemes. These include fake invoices, duplicate payments, and payments to unauthorized accounts. In a manual environment, AP fraud can go undetected more easily. An automated system flags anomalies and enforces strict workflows, acting as both a deterrent and a detection mechanism. Businesses lose an estimated 5% of revenue to fraud on average each year. This benefit is extremely valuable to CFOs focused on risk management.Several types of fraud can occur in AP. Fraudulent invoices from fake vendors. Employees rerouting payments to personal accounts. Duplicate billing schemes. These often exploit weaknesses in manual processes, like a lack of verification or oversight. A fraudster might send a fake invoice for services never rendered, hoping it slips through in a high-volume manual process. Or an internal employee might approve an illegitimate payment if proper segregation is not in place.Automation addresses these risks in several ways. Many AP automation tools perform two-way matching between the invoice and the purchase order to ensure legitimacy. A fraudulent invoice without a matching purchase order would get flagged and halted. Automated systems also often incorporate vendor verification. If a vendor's business bank account details are changed, the system can trigger an alert or additional approval to prevent fraudsters from diverting payments. Duplicate invoice detection is another feature that prevents paying the same invoice twice, whether due to error or fraud.According to AFP research, 79% of organizations were hit by payment fraud attempts in 2024. That highlights the prevalence of the risk. AP automation can help mitigate this by implementing touchless fraud controls. Electronic payments through an AP platform are also more secure than paper checks, which are prone to check fraud. Automation reduces dependence on checks, closing that risk vector.10. Scalability and future-proofing finance operationsAutomated invoice processing is highly scalable, which future-proofs finance operations as the company grows. In a manual process, handling a higher volume of invoices usually means hiring more AP staff or working overtime. With automation, the existing system can absorb increasing invoice volumes with minimal additional cost or delay. CFOs can support business growth, acquisitions, or seasonal spikes without a corresponding spike in AP workload. Adopting automation also sets up the finance team to easily integrate new technologies and remain competitive. It makes accounts payable management future-ready.As companies expand with more suppliers and more invoices, an automated AP system can scale up to handle the load. Whether you process 1,000 invoices a month or 10,000, the software can manage it by simply processing faster. This is especially true for cloud-based solutions with elastic capacity. Finance teams don't have to keep increasing headcount linearly with invoice growth. One company experiencing a three times increase in invoices over two years was able to manage it without adding any AP clerks after implementing automation. The system handled the extra volume by automatically ingesting and routing the invoices as they came in.For industries with seasonal swings like retail or hospitality, or project-based spikes like construction or events, automation is a lifesaver. These businesses can handle end-of-quarter or holiday season invoice surges efficiently. Manual processes might buckle under pressure, but automated workflows adjust to the influx without compromising speed or accuracy. Critical payments still go out on time even during very busy periods.Automated invoice processing systems often integrate with ERP and other finance software, which is key for the future. As a company upgrades its ERP or adds new tools, a good AP automation solution will connect with them via APIs or built-in integrations. The invoice process remains streamlined across the tech stack.Make manual invoicing a thing of the pastFrom the above, it's clear that the benefits of automated invoice processing are wide-ranging and impactful. It saves time and money. It reduces errors. It speeds up approvals. It improves cash flow. It strengthens vendor relationships. It increases visibility. It ensures compliance. It reduces fraud risk. And it scales effortlessly. Each of these 10 benefits highlights a distinct advantage, and together they make a compelling case for AP automation.If your AP team is still bogged down by manual invoicing or if you're experiencing late payments and high processing costs, it may be time to explore an automated solution. Adopting AP automation is not just a tech upgrade. It's a strategic move that can free up finance talent for more strategic work, turning AP from a cost center into a value driver. Many finance teams are already making this shift, and you don't want to be left behind.This story was produced by Brex and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Davenport men arrested; accused of scrapping Sam's Club carts Two men from Davenport are in the Scott County Jail after police say they stole 60 shopping carts from Sam’s Club and scrapped them. The criminal complaints filed in both cases say Davenport Police detectives were called to investigate two thefts that took place on January 3 and January 10 at Sam’s Club, 3887 Elmore [...]

Thursday, February 5th, 2026

Wednesday, February 4th, 2026