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

Quad City Storm to host annual Hockey Fights Cancer game

It will be a full house at Vibrant Arena at The MARK Friday night as the Quad City Storm prepares to host their annual Hockey Fights Cancer game.

Augustana’s Dick Maloney to retire after 53-year career

After more than five decades on the sidelines, Augastana College has announced that Dick Maloney will retire from coaching at the end of the month.

Legislation aims to improve pay and safety for federal prisons

Bipartisan legislation aims to raise pay for federal correctional officers and improve safety inside federal prisons, including facilities serving Illinois. A news release says the Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 (H.R.7033) would provide a 35% base pay increase for eligible Bureau of Prisons employees. The move is to address staffing shortages, mandatory [...]

FBI releases description of suspect, increases reward in Nancy Guthrie case

The FBI describes the armed man caught on Nancy Guthrie's camera as 5-foot-9-inches to 5-foot-10 and of average build. The 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie has been missing since Feb. 1.

Davenport teen donates Legos collected from massive holiday display to kids at Stead Hospital

Mildren said he began donating Legos when he learned that Legos can have a positive impact for children with autism.

Grow Clinton hosts Education/Business Symposium

Grow Clinton is hosting the third annual Education & Business Partnership Symposium on Thursday, March 5 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Northeast High School, 3690 IA-136 in Goose Lake. The symposium celebrates, strengthens and enhances relationships between local businesses and schools while giving students important workplace experiences throughout the bi-state region. The evening includes [...]

4 Your Money | The Uncertainty Puzzle

While there is significant uncertainty in the world right now, political and economic, it does not always translate to the markets. James Nelson, Financial Planner at NelsonCorp Wealth Management, compares sentiment data and reminds us that headlines should not drive investment decisions.

Black History Month: Black Business Expo

An organization called Together Making a Better Community (TMBC) at the Lincoln Resource Center in Davenport is behind a push to improve the QCA, hosting programs and events to enrich the community. Our Quad Cities News' Danielle Davis takes us to the Black Business Expo as we honor Black History. For more information, click here.

Miller-Meeks to address next steps in Cascade Bridge reopening effort

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks will speak at a press conference about funding for the long-closed, historic Cascade Bridge.

RICWMA offers tips to safely recycle batteries

National Battery Day is February 18 and Rock Island County Waste Management Agency (RICWMA) wants to remind residents about how to dispose of them safely. Lithium and rechargeable batteries of any kind should not be placed in a trash can or dumpster because they contain heavy metals that can damage the environment. They can become [...]

A familiar move with a new twist: Trump tries to cut CDC funds he just signed into law

A federal judge in Illinois quickly issued a restraining order after the Trump administration slashed more than $600 million in CDC grants to four blue states.

DCFS report leads to arrests in Kewanee newborn injury case

A Kewanee man is accused injuring his infant after police say his explanation didn’t match the severity of the infant’s condition.

2 arrested in Kewanee after DCFS report on injured newborn

Two people from Kewanee have been arrested in connection with a DCFS report about a severely injured newborn. A news release from the Kewanee Police Department says officers received a report on December 22, 2025 from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) about a newborn infant who had sustained severe injuries and [...]

Davenport crews respond to garage fire

Fire officials said with garage was fully engulfed when they arrived. No one was injured.

Kewanee man arrested after infant found with severe injuries

30-year-old Armando Rosas is charged with two counts of aggravated battery and one county of endangering the life of a child.

Judge grants motion to stay in Trump lawsuit against pollster J. Ann Selzer

Judge Scott Beattie ruled discovery and trial scheduling order are stayed, or paused, while the federal court rules on the press defendants' motion to dismiss.

Matherville firefighters respond to early morning structure fire

One person was in the home at the time of the fire. Officials say the person was flown to a hospital with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on their hands and face.

Kitty cats and cloud hands - how U.S. Olympic snowboarders keep calm in competition

U.S. snowboarders psych themselves up before competition with heavy metal and pop music, cat photos, and apparently many on the men's halfpipe team now do Qigong.

Bill to regulate homeowners insurance rates could reemerge this session

Illinois lawmakers are poised to make a second attempt at passing a bill that would give state regulators more authority to control the rising cost of homeowners insurance.

The ‘it’ cities are out in 2025: The 2025-2026 migration report

The ‘it’ cities are out in 2025: The 2025-2026 migration reportIn 2025, South Carolina topped inbound move searches compared to exits. And its coastal resort, Myrtle Beach, also won the city prize for the largest share of inbound searches in the country. But what other destinations are coming for the Palmetto State’s crown, and will they really threaten its dominance in 2026?MoveBuddha’s fifth annual migration report looks back on 2025 and analyzes half a million searches made in the moving cost estimator tool.Unlike Census data, which is often months or a year old, this data is forward-looking and indicates where people are planning to move and also where they are moving from. From this, moveBuddha analyzed high-level insights at the state and city levels — and also forecast what’s likely to come next in 2026.Here’s what moveBuddha found in 2025 and what that suggests for 2026 and beyond.Key FindingsMicrodestinations gain 10%+ in popularity in 2025. Don’t expect to see three or more in-moves for every exit anywhere in 2026.For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, no state pulls in double the number of in-moves as out-moves, but for a third year in a row, South Carolina is the #1 destination for in-moves compared to exits. It sees just shy of two newcomers for every exit.Alaska has seen the biggest percentage increase in interest in 2025, with its in-to-out ratio up 32.02% from 2024.With 3.28 in-moves per exit, #1 Myrtle Beach is a big part of South Carolina’s buzz, outpacing the state itself for in-moves versus out-moves.Five of the 10 most desirable cities of 2025 are in Florida, which lies outside the top 10 most desirable states. Ocala, Port St. Lucie, Palm Coast, St. Augustine, and Kissimmee, while its age-restricted enclave, The Villages, has seen the biggest decline in move interest.Goodbye ultratrendy cities, and hello to a sprawl of hotspots from Bellingham, Washington, to Port St. Lucie, cities that lie 2,680 miles apart.In 2026, moveBuddha forecasts Alaska’s north star will keep rising. It stands to pull in an average of 2.45 new neighbors for every Alaskan calling it quits. South Dakota will see the fastest-growing surge of interest.I. Moving Patterns: Americans Moved Less in 2025 — And Got PickierIn 2025, fewer Americans moved overall. Those who did found that there were no longer heavy-hitter destinations where “everyone” wants to go. Instead, the window is getting smaller, with less up-and-down swing as destinations find their trendiness evening out, spreading across a larger buffet of states.Microdestinations Gained 10% Popularity in 2025Today, microdestinations are beginning to edge out the big statewide winners. Think small cities and towns that attract lots of movers, even though their state is only middle of the pack.For instance, would-be movers are finding Fort Collins, Colorado, and Salem, Oregon, great places to buy a home (as well as catch a game).Cumming, Georgia, offers access to Lake Lanier lounging without suffering through Atlanta’s traffic.Georgetown, Texas, and Littleton, Colorado, offer big-city amenities nearby, with small downtowns and indie shops where breweries and small(er) town vibes reign.All these spots have grown in popularity by more than 10% in 2025. None of their states are in the top 10 for 2025 for in-to-out ratio.That means that, as popular Southern and Mountain West destinations get more crowded and unaffordable, newcomers are looking instead to replicate their favorite cities’ vibes in other places. And they’re more willing than ever to look out of state for that just-right destination. moveBuddha In-to-out move ratios aren’t necessarily getting lower; after all, when someone moves out of one destination, they put down roots in another, evening out the math of state-to-state moves. But move ratios are clustering closer together, with fewer states caught in the whiplash of extreme popularity (or facing an apocalyptic exodus).II. States – From South Carolina’s 3rd Year at the Top to Alaska’s Surge in 2025South Carolina keeps the crown for attracting the most interest from movers, followed by Idaho and North Carolina, while Alaska surges into the spotlight. Retirees, value seekers, and off-the-beaten-path trailblazers are steering state migration in 2025. Meanwhile, California and Illinois begin quiet comebacks, while Washington D.C. suffers the steepest decline in mover interest.What Were the Most Popular States for Movers in 2025? South Carolina, Idaho, and North CarolinaFor the third year in a row, South Carolina reigned supreme as Americans’ top move-to destination in 2025. Its staying power is remarkably stable, too. In 2024, just over twice as many movers flooded the state as left, while from 2020 to 2023, the number fluctuated between 1.9 and 2.11. moveBuddha So while South Carolina actually has a negative birth rate and limited appeal to international migrants, its population is growing due to migration from other states, leading to a housing crunch and mixed opinions on the costs of success.Its retirement climate is part of the appeal, with destinations best known among the golf-cart set surging strongest, and the percentage of residents over 65 rising from 13.75% in 2010 to 19.36% in 2024.While South Carolina holds steady, its 1.99 in-move ratio sits atop a national dampening of “trendy” moves: It’s the first year since the COVID-19 pandemic when no state saw double the number of in-moves compared to out-moves.Idaho takes second place in 2025, offering wide-open spaces, along with lower costs (compared to the home states of many movers who are looking to exit Washington and California markets).North Carolina ranks third. Like its southern neighbor, interest is highest among older generations. But locals note that affordability, economy, lifestyle, and remote work are also driving moves.New to the top 10 in 2025 are Alaska (debuting at #4), Delaware, and Alabama.They displace West Virginia, Wyoming, and Montana. moveBuddha What Were the Least Popular States for Movers in 2025? California, New Jersey, and ConnecticutCalifornia retains the #50 position, though it’s bleeding much less than in 2024; in 2025, 0.62 newcomers moved in compared to out — in 2024, that figure was 0.48. People are still leaving compared to arriving, but the gap is narrowing.New Jersey holds steady at #49, with comparable outflow to 2024. Along with California and New Jersey, 2024’s #47, Rhode Island, is one of the bottom states to see a lift in 2025.Seven of the bottom 10 wind up there due to worse performance in 2025. Take Connecticut, which takes a dip in 2025, landing in spot #47. In 2024, the state saw 0.72 in-moves for every move out, but in 2025, just 0.67 movers stayed for each outbound move.Other bottom states where more residents are heading out than in 2024, and which are all seeing more out-moves than newcomers, are Virginia, Massachusetts, Nebraska, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New York.Alaska Saw the Biggest Jump in 2025Alaska’s big surge is the largest positive shock of 2025. Moving from #13 to #4, its ratio has surged from 1.30 to 1.62, the largest jump in ratio in the whole dataset, more than doubling the gains that other states have seen (with a 32% increase in move ratio). The end result? Alaska isn’t a niche destination for hunters and fishing industry workers anymore but a legitimate refuge for adventurers tired of the lower 48.The shift follows years of decline and gels with the advent of widespread remote work and a growing emphasis on lifestyle over big-city career ladders. moveBuddha Meanwhile, longtime out-migration locales like Illinois and California are staging quiet comebacks. That’s saying something, since just 15 states saw any improvement in their move ratio in 2025.The comeback cohort includes 2024’s #48 Rhode Island. The tiny seaside state bounced back with a 15.36% improvement in move ratio in 2025 — second only to Alaska.Moving from #43 overall to #31, Illinois has logged the biggest rank improvement in 2025, with a ratio moving from 0.82 to 0.94 (an 11.61% improvement). It’s still losing people, but it’s much closer to breaking even.Also notable is California’s 14.11% improvement. While it’s the third largest improvement in the nation year over year, that hasn’t dislodged the Golden State from its #50 spot overall…but it’s a start.Washington DC Led the Nation’s Steepest Drop in 2025 Move InterestThe biggest face-plant of 2025 comes from Washington D.C. The District has flipped from a 1.01 ratio to 0.74, the most significant drop in rank in the dataset, down 27.36%.Part of a group of dense, expensive cities that see residents leaving in droves, D.C. also saw the pattern compounded by the loss of some 200,000 jobs in 2025. Analysts concluded that the District’s fortunes “took a nosedive” in 2025 due to federal job losses that ricocheted throughout the local economy.Perhaps displaced workers are throwing in the towel and heading to the Last Frontier.But it’s important to contextualize the surges and slumps.2025 has seen fewer move actions than in years past, with far fewer Americans uprooting to new states than they did during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic. So while Alaska searches shifted from 1.30 to 1.62 in-moves for each exit, and D.C. tumbled from 1.01 to 0.74, South Dakota once saw its fortunes change from 5.4 in-moves per exit in the third quarter of 2023 to 1.44 the next.Today, we’re seeing the top “surge” and “slump” rates sit around 25-35%. That’s a far cry from the 73% swings we saw at the height of the migration boom.III. Cities – Myrtle Beach and Florida Retirement Hubs Dominated Inbound Interest in 2025Movers favor Myrtle Beach and other Southern retirement destinations in 2025, yet momentum increasingly flows toward small and mid-sized metros that mix nature, culture, and careers. Roseville, Kissimmee, Georgetown, Santa Fe, Asheville, Bellingham, Boulder, and Raleigh are turning second-ring and college-town appeal into move-to hot spots. Bakersfield and several California metros lead for exits, and long-time hot spot The Villages sees a major cool-down but retains a spot in the top 10.Which Cities Were Most Popular in 2025? Retirement Havens are Only Part of the StoryWith a 3.28 in-to-out ratio, Myrtle Beach is helping South Carolina stay on top when it comes to new neighbors. And who wouldn’t want to throw off their flip flops and dig their toes into miles of Atlantic beaches in the human-sized resort community of ~43,000 residents?Well, young people, for one.The “Grand Strand’s” appeal is highest among older adults, making it the fastest-growing metro for Americans over 65 in the country.In a similar narrative, the top move destinations in 2025 are all in the South, where warm climes and single-story homes traditionally beckon to those hanging up their office lanyards and heading for the nearest fishing hole. move #2 Ocala, Florida, is known as a top retirement destination, while #3 The Villages, Florida, was developed as an age-restricted community where older adults must occupy most homes, and children aren’t typically allowed to live permanently.It’s fair to assume families aren’t moving to The Villages for the schools and job opportunities.But retirement destinations aren’t driving the entire list.Small artistic communities with stunning nature with broad appeal, like Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Asheville, North Carolina, also make appearances in the top 25. College towns with mountain access, like Bellingham, Washington, and Boulder, Colorado, are there, too. And those college towns turned big-city economic powers, like Raleigh, North Carolina, attract not only those in search of a mild winter but a long-lived career.In other words, while perhaps older adults are driving America’s current top move-to cities, a more nuanced narrative stands out just under the “big” numbers: The rest of America is developing a taste for small and mid-sized cities with outdoor cred across the country.Which Cities Did Americans Want to Leave the Most in 2025? So Long, SoCalWhere are they leaving in favor of scenic and creative towns? More than any other city, Bakersfield, California, felt emptier in 2025. With an in-to-out move ratio of 0.48, the San Joaquin Valley city joined three other California cities as some of the least popular real estate in the U.S.: Long Beach, Riverside, and Fresno see the highest move-out interest (compared to in-migration) in America in 2025. moveBuddha Which Cities Were Surging Most in 2025? A Storm of New Moves Hits Florida TownsWhile South Carolina is the nation’s most popular overall, it didn’t face a tough climb for the top spot. As it basks in its popularity, other cities are quietly charging up the ladder for the number-one spot. moveBuddha Ocala, Florida, wasn’t the nation’s favorite in 2024, but in 2025, its in-to-out ratio rose 74%, from 2.39 to an astronomical 3.09. Maybe that’s because it has landed on lists showcasing how to retire on a strict budget or because its prices remain affordable compared to other Florida cities.#2 Port St. Lucie, Florida, and #3 Palm Coast, Florida, have also seen 70%+ rises in their move ratios. In the case of Port St. Lucie, its ranking has skyrocketed up 113 places. What do all three of Florida’s most popular have in common? They’re retirement havens, affordable compared to nearby alternatives, and off the beaten path — none are truly commutable to Florida’s largest economic centers.Shooting up 147 places to #4, Roseville, California, shows that California still appeals to movers from out of state. Like Florida’s surging cities, Roseville is still a retirement haven, but it’s also ranked as the best place to raise a family in California.Overall, hot cities in 2025 have been “second ring” locations outside the grip of urban price tags: Roseville — along with Cumming, Georgia Kissimmee, Florida and Georgetown, Texas — give movers access to airports and hybrid work arrangements even as they allow breathing room from the hustle and bustle of America’s economic centers. And that’s been a winning formula for retirees — but also many families.Which Cities Were Cooling Off in 2025? 2024’s Hot Spots Were (Mostly) Still Net PositiveFunnily enough, Florida’s The Villages is the top falling city in America in 2025. Where 2024’s meteoric popularity made it #1, in 2025 its in-to-out ratio has plunged 86%, leaving it barely bruised at #3 in the nation. Still one of the most popular cities, with 2.79 newcomers for every move out, The Villages has seen the apex of its popularity.Just two of the cities losing the most popularity in 2025 have landed in negative territory — both nearby major urban areas: New York City (which went from 1.38 in 2024 to 0.79 in 2025) and North Las Vegas, Nevada (moving from 1.08 to 0.64).Other big “losers” that remain net positive are often formerly trendy spots that still hold some appeal for movers. For example, Cary, North Carolina, has dominated move-to lists for years, along with Savannah, Georgia, and Olympia, Washington. Their fall from grace is likely less about their desirability than about oversaturation and rising prices.What are movers to do today? Look for the same vibes in other locations that haven’t caught on yet.IV. 2026 Forecast: Hidden Corners Will Beat Headline StatesAlaska’s spot at the top of moveBuddha’s 2026 forecasts is less about everyone moving there and more about what it represents: Americans are willing to trade status cities for carefully chosen corners that just fit. Whether it’s in places like South Dakota’s small towns or Knoxville, Tennessee, the next generation of hot destinations will be defined less by state borders and more by places that genuinely feel like home.Where Will Americans Go in 2026? From Alaska Auroras to Dakota PaychecksOne place with plenty of room for newcomers is moveBuddha’s #1 2026 pick, Alaska. Remote workers living out their cabin dreams can catch more auroras and commune with moose, bear, and king crab.Movers are also forecasted to take advantage of South Dakota’s low unemployment rate, which continues to attract new workers hoping to capitalize on high wages with low costs.Even West Virginia, which saw its popularity plummet in 2025, is looking like it could stage a comeback in 2026. moveBuddha America’s moving story isn’t all about 2025. So while moveBuddha pulled 2025’s move searches, eager to learn who wants to go from where to where in 2025, we couldn’t help but wonder, as the years go by, what do these searches show us about the moves that haven’t even been searched yet, let alone completed?Forecasting tells us that by the end of 2026, we’ll be looking at top in-to-out move ratios in Alaska, Idaho, South Carolina, Maine, and Arkansas. None of these states is forecasted to see fewer than 1.68 new in-moves per exit at any point in 2026, with Alaska hitting nearly 2.5 newcomers per outmove by the end of the year. moveBuddha South Dakota is the state where inbound interest is rising the fastest, followed by Maine and Arkansas. moveBuddha *Higher slope means faster projected growth in mover interest from 2019 to 2026.*Meanwhile, we’ll see the most outflow from California, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Kansas. None of these least popular states is forecasted to see positive inflow in 2026, with these outflow states ranging from 0.61 to 0.72 new move-ins per exit across the year.We’ve already forecasted 2026’s most popular cities (Knoxville, Tennessee, is #1). Interestingly, none are predicted to be in the nation’s top five most popular states. That split suggests that the next wave of hot destinations isn’t about picking the best state — it will be about picking the right little corner inside states that otherwise fly just under the radar.Americans Headed North…and South…in 2025When it comes to moving, 2025 represented a Great Cool-Down and Spread-Out.While classic retirement destinations are still some of the most popular states and cities in the country, they’re clearly seeing less action.But the idea of smaller, cooler, and more affordable — with strong lifestyle perks — is here to stay. More Americans are trading big-city prestige for mid-sized metros and even college towns that offer a mix of jobs, decent schools, and outdoor recreation.Though “return to office” headlines are everywhere, American movers haven’t gotten the memo. They’re still favoring less dense destinations, even taking the idea to the extreme. They’re looking into remote corners of Alaska and retiree suburbs that are a 90-minute drive from the nearest major downtown.In 2025, the country’s heartstrings are pulling residents in multiple but also opposite directions. Some people are chasing snow, though many others are eyeing the white sand beaches of Florida or South Carolina. Others are settling into college towns, Southern suburbs, and exurban havens that haven’t been popular before.Behind each of those choices is the same shift: Lifestyle is winning out when Americans decide where to move.MethodologyThe data used in this report comes directly from moveBuddha’s Moving Cost Calculator.This analysis takes into account searches made from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 1, 2025.For state trends, moveBuddha only looked at state-to-state moves. For cities, moveBuddha limited the data to places with at least 100 inbound and 100 outbound move searches.Calculations used in this analysis include:In-to-Out Ratio In-to-Out = Count of Inbound Moves / Count of Outbound MovesRatios >1 indicate more inflow than outflow.Ratios <1 indicate more outflow than inflow.The in-to-out ratio is the proportion of inbound versus outbound moves for a city or state over the course of a calendar year.Ex: South Carolina in 2023 had a net migration ratio of 2.11 (also expressed as 211), meaning that for every 211 searches for moves in, 100 were searching to move out. In 2024, that ratio decreased to 2.05 (also expressed as 205), meaning that for every 205 inbound move searches, 100 were searching to move out.Ratio percentage-point change: Year-over-year in-to-out ratio percentage-point changePercentage-Point Change in Ratio = (In-to-Out Ratio 2025 – In-to-Out Ratio 2024) x 100Calculations based on year-to-year percentage-point change in migration were derived using the state migration ratio. This same method has also been used by LinkedIn data scientists and Bloomberg.A YoY percent-point change >0 indicates that there was an increase in the ratio of inflow from one year to the next.A YoY percent-point change <0 indicates that there was a decrease in the ratio of inflow from one year to the next.2026 forecast: MoveBuddha’s 2026 city forecasts were found using a random forest model.The model was trained on quarterly data from 2019 to 2025 that accounted for the last four quarters for momentum, the quarter of the year for seasonality, the calendar year for longer-term shifts, and a rolling 12-month average to smooth unusual spikes.QuestionsWhat are some hidden-gem U.S. cities that are starting to get a lot more attention from movers?MoveBuddha 2025 data points to a wave of smaller and mid-sized “second ring” cities quietly climbing the charts while big-name metros cool. A few standouts:Georgetown, TexasCumming, GeorgiaFort Collins, ColoradoSanta Fe, New MexicoAsheville, North CarolinaBellingham, WashingtonWhere are people moving in 2026?According to moveBuddha’s data forecast, the top city that will earn the highest ratio of inbound moves is Knoxville, Tennessee, and the top state is Alaska.Those predictions are based on moveBuddha’s mover search data collected using the Moving Cost Calculator. This provides insight into the cities rising and falling in interest, which can provide a math-backed answer to where people may be increasingly moving to and from in 2026.What actually drives where people are moving right now?While moveBuddha data doesn’t pinpoint motivation, the findings point to a simple truth: Most people move where they can make the money work. When looking at hundreds of thousands of moving cost searches, the strongest signals line up with jobs and housing costs, not bucket-list dream cities.Preference still matters, just not for everyone in the same way. Retirees with savings can chase warm weather and golf carts. Remote workers can prioritize mountain towns, coastal suburbs, or “hidden corner” cities with strong lifestyle appeal. Those moves show up in the rise of places like Myrtle Beach, Ocala, Alaska, and a spread of small and mid-sized metros. For the majority of movers, though, the first filter is simple: Can I find a job, and can I afford to live there once the moving truck pulls away?This story was produced by moveBuddha and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

A ghost town revival

A ghost town revivalOn the first Saturday of each December, a small miracle occurs in the extreme northeastern Oklahoma town of Picher.Around 8:00 a.m., the first vehicles start arriving in the parking lot of an abandoned auction house at the corner of Connell Street and East 20 Road. Pickups pulling flatbed trailers, classic cars, and ATVs from the Quapaw Nation.People spill out and get to work: decorating, catching up, sipping coffee from mugs and McDonald’s cups.More show up. Tractors, a group of Harleys, police cars, and fire trucks. When the parking lot fills, they line the street beside what were once the youth sports fields. The area is overgrown, and only a deteriorating concession stand remains.School buses from nearby Quapaw and Wyandotte arrive, and marching band members climb out, instruments in hand and Santa hats atop their heads.A block south, Paula Suman and her husband, Phillip, pull their white single-cab Chevy 2500 in front of the Gary Building, a community building that was once a pharmacy owned by Gary Linderman, known as the “last man standing” in this place before he closed up shop and passed away.Suman climbs a step ladder into the bed of the truck, sets a small speaker onto the toolbox, and plugs in a microphone.Before long, the spectators begin to arrive, pouring in from the north and south, where Highway 69 turns into Connell Street. They pull off the road and create parking spaces in front of empty lots and dilapidated buildings. They get out, bundled against the wind, holding donuts and cigarettes. The kids bring bags they hope to fill with candy.Just after 10:00 a.m., sirens pierce the cold air, the crowd eases closer to the street, and Suman starts talking through her makeshift sound system.The Coming Home for Christmas parade has begun.For the next hour-plus, Picher, Oklahoma, exists again. The mining companies never packed up and left. The abandoned mines beneath the crowd aren’t filled with toxic groundwater. The government never had to offer buyouts. The tornado never hit.For one morning each December, the former residents of Picher bring a ghost town back to life. The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Oxford American documented this annual tradition and the toxic legacy that scattered Picher's residents.The Tri-State mining district stretched along the southwestern flank of the Ozark Mountains, starting in Missouri, cutting across Kansas, and into Oklahoma. Production started in Missouri in the 1850s. While surface mining on the land along the Oklahoma-Kansas border produced lead shot during the Civil War, it wasn’t until 1913 that Picher emerged after a giant ore deposit was discovered on the property of Harry Crawfish, a member of the Quapaw tribe whose reservation sat on the land.Seemingly overnight, a town site was built around the workings and named Picher after O.S. Picher, the owner of Picher Lead Company.By the 1920s, the town had more than 14,000 residents, and Ottawa County was the world’s largest source of lead and zinc. After 1915, more than ninety percent of the ore mined from the entire district came from the Picher field.The field’s life was extended when, in the 1930s, modern mining practices, diesel trucks, and mechanized equipment reduced manpower costs. By 1950, the Tri-State district had surpassed $1 billion in total production.By 1967, however, all mining had ceased in Picher. What followed were a number of missteps that led to the town’s demise. More than 14,000 mine shafts remained, along with 70 million tons of mine tailings, creating a toxic sludge that sat below the streets and seeped into creeks and contaminated yards.The Tar Creek Superfund site was officially designated and added to the EPA’s National Priorities List in 1983. For years, Picher’s residents lived among one of the most toxic superfund sites in the nation. But in the 2000s, the government decided nobody should live there.Now in its 11th year, the parade unfolds like clockwork, crawling past the Gary Building where Suman announces each entry with the rural drawl that dominates this stretch of land between the Midwest and the South.Short, with wavy blonde hair and a kind smile, Suman is the unofficial face of the parade. She and a group of women planned the first parade through their now-nonexistent hometown in 2015. They call themselves the Chat Rats, a nickname that started as a kind of slur for those who grew up in Picher surrounded by the mountains of mine refuse, or chat, that towered over the town.When Suman was 6 months old, her family pulled a reverse Steinbeck and left California to come home to Oklahoma. She graduated from Picher High in 1984, the year the school football team became Oklahoma 1A State Champions. The winning season is memorialized by a large statue of a gorilla, the school mascot, that now sits across the street from the Gary Building as a monument to the town’s bygone days. After high school, Suman worked a handful of jobs, got married, and started a family. She went to work for the USPS and became postmaster for the Cardin office, just a mile down the road.The post office sat on the bottom of a handsome three-story brick building. A white lean-to was added to the east side to house the three cars used to deliver mail to the rural routes. The place was the focal point of the town.“It was where everyone came in the morning,” Suman said. “We didn’t have a coffee shop or anything. This was the anchor to the town. Everyone would come in and mingle and gossip.”By 2007, the postal service’s data showed it wasn’t feasible to keep the Picher or Cardin offices open. Federal buyouts had begun, but many Picher residents wanted to stay. They didn’t trust the government, and they didn’t think the hazards were great enough to leave their homes behind.But enough people had left. In 2009, both the Picher and Cardin postal branches would cease operations. Suman was tasked with holding a meeting to deliver the news. She stood under the fluorescent lights of the Picher Community Center on an early spring evening and felt dread. She had to tell the residents of Picher and Cardin—her friends and family—they’d no longer have their own post offices. Everything was being moved to Quapaw, the next town over. She looked at the faces in front of her, ones she’d known for years, and saw anger, sadness, confusion, uncertainty, and fear.“That’s what I remember the most, looking at these people and having to deliver yet another gut punch to them,” she said. “It felt like a big moment when people started to give up hope. Their own post office was all they had left.”Suman moved to the Quapaw office, where she served as postmaster for 15 years, retiring in September 2025. She lives just outside Quapaw too. One and a half miles from the lot where her house once stood. It’s the farthest she’s ever been from home.Decades of government missteps helped fuel Picher’s demise. The town’s empty streets now appear as warnings, as the Trump administration fast-tracks new mineral production projects. Dukas/Universal Images Group // Getty Images  In March, the administration issued the executive order Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production, a move intended to “facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.”Picher is a testament to the myriad human and environmental casualties of rapid and expansive mineral extraction. The town sits on the land where the Quapaw tribe was relocated when they were forced from their Arkansas home. Mining companies paid tribe members to mine beneath their land, or they relied on the Bureau of Indian Affairs to deem the landowners incompetent and sign over the rights.Today, not far beneath the parade route, not far beneath pretty much any block in Picher, are monstrous caverns. The dark, seemingly endless voids were left behind by room-and-pillar mining, a relatively inefficient form of mining used to remove countless tons of ore, creating rooms supported by large pillars of untouched material.After undercutting the lead and zinc, miners began blasting and drilling away the valuable material. The metals were shipped off to become, among other things, more than 75 percent of the bullets used by the United States military in World War I.The rooms left behind after the material was removed were vast. A photograph taken somewhere below the Oklahoma-Kansas border, likely in the 1950s, gives an idea.A miner, dressed in heavy denim, looks up, the wheat lamp on top of his mining helmet pointed nearly vertically. He stands next to a heavy jumbo extension platform, its base sitting on a set of tracks that reach the miner’s waist.Follow his gaze up 10 feet or so. Then another 10. And another. Keep going. Seventy feet up, standing on a small platform, is another miner, only his face and the light from his wheat lamp visible. He’s trimming the roof of the mine, extracting every last piece of usable material.Behind the machinery, dimly lit, is a mountain of refuse, dwarfed by the size of the room’s walls.In a perfect world, once the rooms were mined, those walls and pillars were left intact, with enough material to safely support the ground, and town, above. But Picher didn’t exist in a perfect world.When profits began to plummet after World War II, the mining companies bolted, leaving the shafts open and taking with them the sump pumps that kept the mines free of runoff water.Down came the rain and scavengers. The scavengers went to work on the pillars, chipping away any last dollar they could see and, along with it, the support that the town above relied upon. The rainwater and runoff began to fill the open rooms, all 14,000 of them.The water rolled through the caverns, around and over the 70 million tons of mine tailings and 36 million tons of mill sand and sludge. The oxidized minerals began to dissolve, mixing with the water to create an acidic solution that reacted with the surrounding rock, further deteriorating the walls and pillars.The concentrations of heavy metals—iron, lead, nickel, zinc—formed a soupy orange river that coursed through the mines.In 1979, it reached daylight, seeping from the ground near Commerce. It started spilling from mine workings, abandoned mine shafts, and boreholes.It came to the surface around the chat piles, themselves already a major health concern.It flowed into Tar Creek, killing most of the biota and staining the bottom of the creek red with ferric hydroxide deposits. The creek, described in 1903 by a Carmelite nun visiting the Quapaw reservation as “a spring of the finest and clearest water,” was now a stream of orange toxicity.By 1994, an Indian Health Service test showed that 35 percent of native children living in the area had levels of lead in their blood that exceeded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s threshold for health concerns.The evening before each year’s parade, with the sun hanging low in the west and the temperature dropping, Suman and the Chat Rats meet in the Gary Building to finalize parade plans and set up the merchandise they’ll sell the next day. Sweatshirts with “Chat Rats” across the chest, Christmas ornaments, and any kind of Picher-Cardin High School clothing you could imagine (all emblazoned with the school’s Gorilla mascot). Parade attendees usually buy most of it, with the proceeds going toward Picher’s all-school reunion and the next year’s parade. When tractor-trailers rumble by, the ground bounces just a bit, a reminder of the hollow caverns below. For years, trucks weighing more than twelve tons were banned from the highway over fears the ground would collapse beneath them.A 2006 Environmental Protection Agency report warned of more than 200 locations across the Tar Creek site that were in danger of collapsing.In the end, it was the instability that got to everyone. It’s what got to Suman.She and Phillip had decided in the early days of the buyout talks that they were staying in Picher. So they bought a small piece of land on the south edge of town and built their forever home. A 2,200-square-foot house. White with green shutters, custom countertops and cabinets, and tile in the kitchen. Just a few blocks away from Suman’s parents. Damn-near paid off. Staying was a foregone conclusion. But doubt started creeping in, threatening the foundation they’d put down on what had become unstable ground.The buyouts had begun with an emphasis on relocating families with kids under 6. Maybe 10 families moved away, and the effort to empty the town felt complete. The Suman’s had believed that normalcy would return.When another round of federal buyouts began, the EPA once again encouraged families with young children to relocate, pointing to a 2000 study by the agency showing that nearly 40 percent of Picher children had dangerous levels of lead in their blood. Another handful of families fled, leaving a sense of dread behind.For the Sumans, this departure felt different. They heard rumors that the whole town was on the verge of collapsing. It was all folks could talk about for a few weeks. If “the big one” ever hit the New Madrid fault—some 340 miles away in Eastern Missouri—the ground would open up, and Picher would disappear into a virulent orange lake.Officials began to warn that the town’s utilities were no longer a sure thing. They told Suman and the other residents gathered in the community building one summer Tuesday evening that they may not have electricity much longer. Also, they said, water and sewer services would likely be terminated. And wells weren’t exactly viable in a town where everything was built on hollow ground.The Sumans sat down at their kitchen table and talked it through. They wanted to stay, wanted to tell the government officials they were going to fight. But they felt beaten down—by rumors, threats, worry, and fear of the unknown. The loss of schools, the fire department, and the post offices. It was a snowball effect. The whole town seemed to be giving up.Suman looked at her husband. “We can’t win this anymore,” she said.They took the government buyout, only for the government to move the house three miles down the road and try to sell it back. What the Sumans had built for about $65 per square foot, the government was selling for $100 a square foot. They could rebuild for cheaper than that. Either way, they were falling back into debt.Two decades later, they’re still paying for the house in Quapaw, where they ultimately settled. Though Suman is happy where she is, the bitterness and pain of having to leave her hometown will never fully subside. “What I remember most is the sadness of it all,” she said. “The fear of the unknown. Losing everything. It was a whole lot of sadness. Just a lot of uncertainty around everyone.”By 2013, the municipality of Picher was officially dissolved. Many residents who were intent on staying ended up taking buyouts after a 2008 tornado hit the south end of town, destroying 160 homes and killing six people. The class of 2009 was the last to graduate from Picher-Cardin High School. All the remaining students were sent to Quapaw the next fall.Picher’s residents were scattered across the area. Some ended up in Commerce or Miami, just to the south. Some ended up across state lines, in Kansas or Missouri. Instead of daily conversations, they’d catch up when they ran into one another at Walmart.“People from the outside looking in didn’t know the kind of community Picher was,” Suman said. “You’d see someone at the store you hadn’t seen in a while, and you’d just hug and cry and ask them how their mother was doing.”A few years later, Suman and others started thinking of ways to keep Picher alive in spirit. The all-school reunion was great, but not everyone who lived in Picher went to Picher schools. That’s when the idea was first floated: What if we revive the Christmas parade?Suman and the Chat Rats began planning. Would it be a one-year deal? Who knew, but for one Saturday in December of 2015, at least, Picher was going to have a parade.The morning of the inaugural parade was as ideal as possible for December in the lower Midwest. Temperatures had dropped to the mid-30s overnight and hovered there as the committee gathered before dawn on North Connell Street to prepare. Clear skies began to take on light. Just a few clouds lingered.Bill Crawford didn’t have any tasks that morning. He’d turned 91 earlier that year and was there to mingle, observe, and support his daughter, Susie Jo Stone, one of the Chat Rats.Crawford, who died in 2019, was handsome, slender. A hard, square jaw sat below a face that looked almost youthful despite decades of hard labor. He stood straight with strong shoulders, solid as the rock he used to haul from beneath Picher. He wore what he did most every day—denim bib overalls over a blue plaid shirt. A navy-blue jacket shielded against the early morning air.He’d spent more than 50 years as a miner for Eagle-Picher, the company that operated the lead and zinc extraction facilities across the Tri-State district. He claimed he played a game of baseball with Mickey Mantle when the superstar returned to neighboring Commerce and worked the mines during the offseason.Crawford raised his family in nearby Cardin, an eight-block section on the southwestern edge of Picher that carried its own census designation. He built a house on one of the three lots he’d purchased with his mining salary. To protect against tornadoes, he and his wife dug a backyard cellar by hand.That house was home to Crawford until he finally buckled and accepted a government buyout after the 2008 tornado. He moved several miles south, past Commerce’s Mickey Mantle Boulevard, and settled in Miami. Every couple of weekends, he’d drive his blue Ford pickup to Cardin, just to walk the now-vacant lots he once owned.But he had somewhere to be that Saturday. He sat in a folding chair on a flatbed trailer as the inaugural Christmas parade committee scurried in the predawn light.Nobody knew how many people would show up. They’d gotten the band from nearby Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College to participate. Their bus would be pulling up at any moment. Law enforcement and first responders from Quapaw and Miami were there. A group of gray-bearded men representing Bikers Against Child Abuse had started to rumble in. Whether anyone else would show up to watch was still debatable.Stone, Suman, and the rest of the committee fought off nerves with busy work. They envisioned a grand procession crawling down an empty Connell Street, witnessed only by a few onlookers and the charred remains of businesses and scrubby lots.Stars still flickered in the western sky as a few wispy clouds on the eastern horizon caught the vibrant oranges that shine so brightly during a flatland sunrise.Suman had climbed onto the trailer to set up the PA system. Then, in her late 40s, she was the youngest member of the committee and the designated hype person and parade announcer. She was arranging speakers when Crawford slowly stood from his chair.“Just look at it,” he said, his eyes fixed southward toward the end of town, where Connell Street became Highway 69.“What is it, Bill?” Suman said, too busy to turn around.“Just look,” he said.The parade was still two hours away, but a string of amber headlights danced northward, toward Picher. A few at first, and then more, until the end of the line was too far away to see.Crawford’s eyes began to water in the cold air. “They’re coming home.”Co-published by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project’s James Ledbetter Fund and Oxford American.This story was produced by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Oxford American, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Garage destroyed by fire in Davenport

A garage was a complete loss in Davenport after a fire Friday morning. It happened before 10 a.m. in the 700 block of Farnam Street.

Early voting underway in Henry County

Early voting is underway in Henry County for the upcoming general primary election. Barb Link, Henry County Clerk/Election Authority, said in an email that early voting is underway in her office at the Henry County Courthouse, 307 W. Center Street in Cambridge Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The office will also [...]

Iowa could ban fluoride in drinking water

The Iowa House of Representatives introduced a bill that would ban fluoride in drinking water. House Bill 2395 would ban adding fluoride-based additives to public or private water sources. Iowa has been adding it since 1951 as a public health measure to prevent dental disease. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says it [...]

Iowa Bears? State senator speaks on Iowa's effort to attract the Chicago Bears

Talks continue to lengthen about where the Chicago Bears will build their new stadium and effectively call home for the foreseeable future. The city of Chicago and Illinois are still working together to keep the Bears in Chicago, or at least in the suburbs. While those talks have been slow, cities in Indiana have stepped [...]

4 date night movies to stream at home this Valentine’s Day

Staying home with your special someone or kicking back solo are perfect ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day — so long as you have a good movie to watch! Here are four streaming movies to keep your heart full this weekend.

Why have student test scores been declining for a decade in America?

Why have student test scores been declining for a decade in America?It’s hardly breaking news that American students are behind academically from where they used to be.But the specifics can get lost in a haze of headlines and data points. Chalkbeat reviewed multiple pieces of testing data to find out where U.S. students stand on learning loss and recovery.In sum: Test scores have been trending down for over a decade. There are some signs of recovery in math, but not many in reading. Learning declines are not a distinctly U.S. phenomenon and are not even limited to schoolchildren. Researchers are only just beginning to wrap their heads around the causes of this.Confident claims about what’s going on here are unwarranted, though policymakers can’t wait for perfect evidence to act.“We should resist the notion of trying to put our finger on the one thing we can change that will solve this problem,” says University of Virginia researcher James Wyckoff, who recently released a paper on declining achievement. “I think it really results from many things in and out of school.”Here are some key takeaways from the review of the data.Learning declines have been substantial and pervasive.Consider one example from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP: In 2013, 74% of American eighth graders scored at the basic or above level in math, the highest figure since the test started in 1990. In the most recent round that number fell to 61%, hitting levels last seen in 1996. Scores have fallen in other grades and subjects, too.Despite a small handful of relative bright spots, these declines have been remarkably widespread. Eighth grade math scores fell in almost every single state during this period; no states saw increases. Although schools that were closed longer during the pandemic tended to experience bigger declines, even those that quickly reopened have been hit hard by learning loss. Cherry Salazar // Chalkbeat  This trend started before the pandemic.Test scores, particularly in math, had generally been marching upwards for a few decades until about 2013. Then a period of stagnation and decline hit. The aftershocks of the Great Recession on families and school budgets may have been an initial cause. Yet even by 2019 there was still no sign of recovery. Then the bottom fell out further after the pandemic.Two groups have been hit hardest: low performers and girls.On a wide variety of tests, starting before the pandemic, the gap between the lowest- and highest-performing students has grown. That’s not because high performers have surged ahead but because low performers have fallen further behind.More recently, since the pandemic, girls’ scores have tended to fall more sharply than boys’.Some good news: Math scores are starting to trend up again.Every state with consistent testing data shows that more students are reaching proficiency in math now compared to 2021. Math results have also ticked up on the NWEA exam and on the fourth grade (but not eighth grade) NAEP. Still, most data indicates that these scores have not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.There’s been inconsistent recovery at best in reading.Reading and math results have followed curiously different trajectories. On the most recent NAEP, reading scores actually fell even further. On state exams, reading achievement has been all over the map. Pennsylvania, for instance, has had solid recovery in math, but reading scores have kept sliding downward. Thomas Wilburn // Chalkbeat  The U.S. is hardly alone in its achievement woes.Many other countries are grappling with falling test scores, too. This has shown up on an exam of 15-year-olds known as the PISA, as well as on the TIMSS, a math and science test of fourth and eighth graders. Relative to the rest of the world, the U.S. trends look a bit worse on TIMSS, but a bit better on PISA.The U.S. is unusual in its sharply growing gap between the highest- and lowest-performing students.Also, test scores may be lower among adults and very young children.Some data indicates that children who are just entering school are doing so with lower levels of readiness in reading and math. Another study of adult skills showed drops across the age distribution between 2017 and 2023 in literacy and numeracy.This adds a new wrinkle. “Factors outside of school might play a considerable role” in learning declines, writes Nat Malkus of the American Enterprise Institute in a report from last year.How concerned should we be? Pretty concerned!When children know more, as measured on tests, they tend to lead more productive lives. Countries with higher test scores tend to see stronger economic growth. These scores are incomplete measures of students’ skills, but they do matter.Test scores are not in entirely uncharted territory, though. A long-running test of 13-year-olds shows that math scores in 2023 were at the lowest point in recent decades but remain comparable to scores from the ‘80s and early ‘90s and higher than those in the ‘70s. Reading scores have dipped to levels last seen in the early 2000s.So what explains all this? Researchers aren’t quite sure.Two detailed analyses, by Wyckoff and Malkus, have tried to parse what is driving these trends. Neither concluded with definitive answers. “There is remarkably little understanding of the nature of either the sustained achievement gains prior to 2013 or the subsequent losses thereafter,” writes Wyckoff in his paper, titled “Puzzling Over Declining Academic Achievement.”That said, it’s very likely that the pandemic and its associated disruptions to life in and out of school played a significant role. Another theory is that easing off school accountability pressure — which research found drove learning gains in the early 2000s — has contributed to recent score declines.Perhaps the leading hypothesis is the proliferation of phones and screens, although Wyckoff notes that “direct causal evidence” on this question “is limited.” That’s beginning to change.One recent study linked school phone restrictions to better test scores.These learning challenges are not particular to American schools and may not even be largely caused by changes within schools. Yet they remain a challenge that schools and educators must confront.This story was produced by Chalkbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Everything you need to know about sticky bras

Everything you need to know about sticky brasWe're in an open-back epidemic. You know how it goes: You’re shopping for a dress to wear for an event, you find the perfect outfit, and then you click to see the back, and it's ... not there. If you need lift and support, these styles may seem impossible to wear.That's where sticky bras come in. For many people, these adhesive wonders can provide enough lift and coverage to get them through an evening in a special backless ensemble. If you've never tried one before, Honeylove shares everything you need to know.What is a sticky bra?A sticky bra, also known as an adhesive bra, is a backless, strapless bra made with special adhesive material that sticks directly to the breasts. Most sticky bras are made of silicone or polyurethane, which creates a smooth, invisible look under clothing.Key features of a sticky bra include:Backless and strapless design: The adhesive allows the bra to stay in place without traditional straps or bands.Skin-friendly adhesive: High-quality sticky bras use medical-grade adhesives that are safe and comfortable on the skin.Shaping and support: Despite their minimalist design, sticky bras provide lift and support to enhance your natural shape.Sticky bras are ideal for wearing with backless, strapless, or low-cut clothing when you want a seamless, invisible look. They're also a great option for anyone seeking a wire-free, lightweight alternative to traditional bras.Can everyone wear sticky bras?If you have a larger cup size, you may find that sticky bras don't provide enough support for all-day wear. In those cases, you might be able to get a similar effect with boob tape. Also, the adhesive can be irritating for those with very sensitive skin, so always patch test before you wear it.Before you get started, use this bra size calculator to find your bra size. Then, evaluate your outfit to ensure your adhesive bra style will work with the neckline you're planning to wear.How to apply a sticky braSticky bras can have a bit of a learning curve, but with a little practice, they can be extremely easy to wear. Here’s a step-by-step guide:Start with clean, dry skin that's free of any oils, lotions, or moisturizers, as these can interfere with the adhesive.Remove the protective film from the adhesive on the bra cups.Bend forward slightly, and position the cups on the bottom of each breast.Press the cups onto your skin, smoothing them from the bottom up. Make sure the edges lie flat against your skin.Adjust the placement of the cups as needed to achieve your desired lift and shape.If your sticky bra has a front closure, secure it at this point for extra support and cleavage.To remove your sticky bra, simply peel the cups away from your skin slowly and gently. Never rip or tear the bra off, as this can damage the adhesive and your skin.How to wash a sticky braWith proper care, a high-quality sticky bra can last for many wears. To keep yours in top condition, follow these tips:Hand wash only: After each wear, hand wash your sticky bra with mild soap and warm water. Avoid using harsh detergents or scrubbing too vigorously.Air dry: Allow the bra to air dry completely before storing it. Never put it in the dryer, as the heat can damage the adhesive.Reapply protective film: Once the adhesive is completely dry, place the protective film back onto the cups to prevent dust and debris from sticking to it.Proper storage: Keep your sticky bra in its original packaging or a clean, dry place when not in use.Replace your sticky bra after 30-50 uses, or when you notice the adhesive starting to degrade. With gentle use and care, you can extend the life of your bra and get the most value for your purchase.This story was produced by Honeylove and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

The city where free buses changed everything

The city where free buses changed everythingThe open-air central bus station in Dunkirk, France, feels like a Formula 1 pit lane. In the space of a few minutes, a dozen pink, green and blue buses speed in and out, with passengers descending and mounting through all available doors. The arrivals board, displaying destinations such as Grande-Synthe, Cappelle-la-Grande and Malo-les-Bains, ticks over so quickly it’s as if drivers are vying for a podium spot.As the C4 bus pulls in, a teenage girl with chunky headphones and a mother with a baby in a stroller are among those to board. But there are no beeps registering cards, nor the clink of coins used to pay for tickets. Because in this northern French city, no passenger pays.“It’s not bad, really not bad,” says Theo, a 23-year-old gardener in the city and a daily user of the service, in typical French understatement. “You never have to wait long. There’s less car traffic and less pollution because of it. And it’s free,” Theo tells Reasons to be Cheerful. Peter Yeung for Reasons to be Cheerful In 2014, Dunkirk made the decision to get on board with free public transit. Mayor Patrice Vergriete, who has a doctorate in urban planning, pledged during his election campaign that the city would become the largest in France to drop fares on local networks. Today about 150 vehicles — labeled “100% free bus, 7 days a week” — crisscross the city and its surroundings, giving 200,000 residents free access to 18 routes.“We made this decision to prioritize freedom [for residents] and really create a shock to improve mobility in Dunkirk,” says Jean-François Montagne, the deputy mayor of Dunkirk and head of the region’s ecological transition efforts.Proponents like Montagne say that making public transit free reduces carbon emissions, air pollution and traffic, and supports low-income households. They also argue that a funding model that relies on government subsidy rather than passenger fares is more resilient in the face of shocks like pandemics. But critics say that there are high costs linked to these policies — and that scaling them up to sprawling metropolitan hubs, just as New York City’s new Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pledged to do, is unlikely to be a smooth ride.In Dunkirk, it took four years — from 2014 to 2018 — for efforts to hit the road. First, authorities publicized the program in the media and on the streets, carried out surveys with residents, simplified and reworked timetables, improved the quality of vehicles, repositioned bus stops and increased the size of the fleet. In 2015, they launched free travel on weekends as a testing period, before rolling out the service seven days a week in September 2018.“You can’t just make buses free from one day to the next,” says Montagne. “If the service is underused, timetables not well understood, if buses are always late, and you don’t change people’s views of public transit, then it won’t work.”Central to Dunkirk’s strategy was reinventing the image of public buses, which were typically seen as overloaded, unclean and not particularly safe. Authorities now clean buses every day, and if a seat is broken, then it is replaced within a day. Each route, they decided, should have a scheduled arrival every 10 minutes. Smartphone applications also allow passengers to track where and how full their bus is.“These might seem like small details, but we worked a lot on this,” says Montagne.And just over a decade since Dunkirk kick-started its free bus program, the policy has hit top gear. According to Dunkirk city hall, the number of bus passengers has increased by 165% since the initiative was introduced.“In Dunkirk, it’s led to a huge rise in users, it’s revitalized the city and it works as a kind of social redistribution,” says Maxime Huré, a lecturer in political sciences at France’s University of Perpignan Via Domitia who has studied the program. Peter Yeung for Reasons to be Cheerful  A 2019 study by the Observatory of Free Transport Cities, an independent body, found that the policy has led to residents making more trips to the city center, that about half of the new bus riders were taking bus journeys they previously made by car, and that the attractiveness and image of the city has improved.Separate research in 2021 found that free buses are helping young people in Dunkirk shift away from the “idealized” image of private car ownership. Indeed, according to Montagne, city hall figures show that 10% of Dunkirk bus users have abandoned their cars since 2018, cutting use of city parking lots by 30%.Monique, a 75-year-old retiree, stopped driving two years ago with her weakening eyesight and the ease of the free bus transport as an alternative. She’s pleased that there’s even a standalone night service akin to a city-run Uber service that can be ordered on demand at 10 p.m., taking her directly home for just 2 euros when she goes to the theater.“I think it’s really super, it’s very well serviced,” she says.In France, where the transportation sector accounts for 34% of greenhouse gas emissions, a growing number of authorities are getting on board with free public transit. Today more than 45 local authorities have made some form of public transport free for all passengers, including Aubagne, Compiègne and Montpellier. In the latter, where the policy applies only to permanent residents, bus ridership increased by 27% in just one year and the number of people being overexposed to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to road traffic, fell by 90%.And while Dunkirk has introduced completely free transit, others have adopted other models, such as age-based criteria — in Lille and Strasbourg, for example, bus travel is free for those under 18. Free weekend travel, meanwhile, is offered for everyone in Nantes, Rouen and Nancy.But France is far from the only nation to have introduced free public transit.According to a 2025 report by Italian researchers, fare-free public transit has been rolled out in 100 places across the world, notably in the U.S., Brazil and European countries such as Poland. Estonia’s capital Tallinn introduced free transit to its 450,000 residents in 2013, and Luxembourg became the first nation in the world where all public transportation is free (except for first class on trains) in 2020.Some of the oldest examples of fare elimination trace back to the U.S. The California city of Commerce pioneered free buses in 1962. A 1974 federal law provided $40 million for pilots in Denver and Trenton, New Jersey. More recently, Iowa City eliminated bus fares in August 2023 — paid for with a 1% increase in utility taxes and doubling most public parking rates. The two-year pilot led to ridership exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 18%, with emissions dropping by 778 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year.Yet opinions are divided on whether a major city like Paris, London or indeed New York City could successfully implement a fare-free model.Some critics say that free transport systems lead to loss of public income and divert money away from infrastructure upgrades.A report published in September 2025 by France’s Court of Auditors found that free public transport in smaller cities led to ridership increases at a limited cost, but in larger, already well-used networks, the introduction of free transit is “very costly” because it is accompanied by significant losses in fare revenue and additional costs related to the necessary reinforcement of the existing network, which is under greater strain.The report found that, in Montpellier, free public transport has primarily led to a surge in short trips, more at the expense of walking and cycling than driving. In Lyon, in contrast, where public transit fares have increased — to 90 euros (about $105) for a monthly subscription — the additional funds have made it possible to finance a wider range of transport services and reduce car traffic.But Dunkirk authorities defend the scheme. Montagne says the 17 million euro (roughly $19.9 million) annual cost — out of the city’s 500 million euro annual budget — for running the free buses is an important social investment. “The money serves the population, it helps workers, but also families, for leisure, to attend healthcare.”“[The Court of Auditors] claim that it devalues the service, but it’s totally the opposite — we have fewer crimes and issues than before.”Surveys during Dunkirk’s 2020 municipal elections even found that 99% of respondents ranked the free bus service as the most important public policy.Huré argues that, given the percentage of transit network income that passenger fares represent is broadly falling, making buses free is far less radical than it seems: Fare revenue has been declining almost universally. “But politically, it’s presented as a rupture,” he says.But whether free buses can work elsewhere depends on other factors such as the capacity of networks to deal with an increase in passengers and funding sources, according to Huré. In France, public transit systems are already partly funded by the versement mobilité, or mobility levy, which relies on a percentage of social security contributions paid by French employers.“It could work in large cities, but it depends on the context,” he says.The road ahead appears to show even more places treating buses and mobility as a public good and not a paid privilege. On Jan. 1 of this year, buses and regional trains became free across France’s Lens-Liévin, Hénin-Carvin and Béthune-Bruay metropolitan areas, making it the largest fare-free public transport network in France. Perhaps New York Mayor Mamdani, whose city already sees 1.4 million bus journeys a day, could take the trend to the next level.“There is strong demand for free transit,” says Huré, “and I believe it will continue.”This story was produced by Reasons to be Cheerful and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

The warning signs someone isn’t who they say they are online (or in person)

The warning signs someone isn’t who they say they are online (or in person)It was 2018. Laura Kowal, an Illinoisan and recent widower, was excited to start talking to potential romantic partners again, so she made a profile on Match.com, one of the most popular online dating websites. A few days later, “Frank Borg,” a financial advisor living in Sweden, started talking to Laura. Laura quickly fell for Frank and soon began a two-year flurry of financial activity that cost her an estimated $1.5 million.After Laura’s death (her body was found floating in the Mississippi River), the manner of which is still undetermined, her daughter found mountains of correspondence between her mother and Frank, a still-at-large scammer suspected to be operating from Ghana. Laura created fake LLCs and dating profiles, wired money to fraudulent companies, and even opened a line of credit against her mortgage—all under Frank's direction.Laura Kowal’s story is an extreme example of an all-too-common scheme known as romance fraud. It’s a $1.17 million-per-year problem, according to the Federal Trade Commission; true financial losses are undoubtedly more than what’s reported.The most common refrain from victims of romance scammers is a variation of “I never thought it could happen to me.” But victims cover every income bracket, educational level, race, sex, and age. That means it could happen to you, but a few tips and some crucial information about the practice can protect your heart and bank account. Here, PeopleFinders outlines the red flags to watch for and how to protect yourself.Looks Can Be Deceiving… and Sometimes Downright UntruthfulEven though “Catfish,” the popular TV show featuring online impersonators and romance scammers, has been around for nearly 14 years, romance scams remain prevalent. While many catfishers and romance scammers simply want attention or to live vicariously through a different avatar, others are after money.What these fraudsters have in common is the audacity to prey on rudimentary human emotions—love and belonging. Humans have been primed, after hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, to rely on others for support.Romance scammers often target people in emotionally vulnerable situations, such as recent widows and divorcees. After they get their victims emotionally invested in the “relationship,” they start asking for favors. Scammers might become increasingly aggressive over time to siphon more and more money. It’s little wonder that romance scams are, on average, the most financially devastating type of impostor fraud.5 Indications Your Online Flame Is a ScammerIt can be disheartening (at best) to realize the nice person you’re chatting with online may be a romance scammer. The earlier you find out, though, the better. Here are five red flags that often arise with romance fraud.1. They make a love declaration fairly early after the first message.Attraction between two people can happen rather quickly, but John Denver nailed it when he said that true love takes time. Early love bombing can signal that your online crush is much more interested in your finances than your actual self.2. Their messages persist no matter how disinterested you become.If the love bombing gives you pause, you might want to cool things off with your new friend. If they remain abnormally persistent in their efforts to worm their way into your heart or do not at least acknowledge your concerns, however, you should become even more skeptical. Romance scammers do not stop easily; fraud is their livelihood, after all.3. They continually decline video chats.Taking online chats to the next level usually involves live video calls. Seems natural, right?Romance scammers—especially catfishers—will make every excuse not to get on a video chat. Beware of someone whose video technology seems to always be “broken.” Extend the same skepticism to chatters who can never seem to find time to meet in person.4. The messages come out of nowhere.Nearly half of romance scams originate on social media. If a stranger flirtatiously messages you on Facebook or Instagram, proceed only with extreme caution. Although plenty of fraudsters go through dating sites, social media can be even more lucrative, as they lack many of the same verification procedures and safeguards.5. They ask for money or gift cards.More often than not, romance scammers are simply after your money. The variations on the I-need-money-desperately scam are endless, but they often coincide with a sudden emergency, such as legal trouble or a relative’s illness.3 Indications Your In-Person Date Is Up to SomethingSimon Leviev, more commonly known as the Tinder Swindler following Netflix’s popular 2022 documentary of the same name, represents one of the most extreme examples of in-person romance scams. Over the course of several years, he reaped nearly $10 million from dozens of people, mainly women he emotionally manipulated into believing he was their exclusive romantic partner.While relatively few romance scammers have the gall to meet their victims in person, you can never rule it out. Watch out for these behaviors.1. They seem overly eager about cohabitating.The more efficient romance scammers are, the more money they can pocket. If they believe they can get money out of you, they won’t waste any time moving the relationship to the next stage. Having easy access to your checkbook and other personal belongings makes the fraud that much easier.2. They change the subject when the talk turns to personal details.Romance fraudsters don’t want you to discover that (nearly) everything they’ve told you is untruthful. The more you dig into the details, the more their story falls apart. They’d rather talk about matters that can’t be verified—or not—online.3. They seem focused on investments or money-making opportunities.A common tactic in romance scams is to ask victims for financial help with fake investments. Scammers assure victims that the opportunities are sure bets and they’ll be able to repay them with the returns.Protecting Yourself From Romance ScamsUnfortunately, covering every known strategy used by romance scammers is not possible. Romance scammers will continue to evolve alongside technology, and constant vigilance is a must.Following these rules will give you a huge advantage over scammers, though:Don’t send money or personally identifiable information to people you’ve just met.If your chatting partner can’t come meet you in person, at least ask them to video chat. Constant refusals should raise your antenna for fraud.Ask a loved one for their opinion on your new friend; infatuation can sometimes cloud our logic.Verify their details using online people search tools.Reverse search their profile pictures online to find the images’ origins.Report suspected fraud to the FTC and your state attorney general.Guard Your Heart This Valentine’s DayTrue love, for most people, is worth risking a little heartache. Before you start spending your hard-earned money on someone else, though, it’s well worth searching up their name and verifying the information they give you.Scammers know how to take advantage of good-intentioned people and their natural longing for companionship. Fraud will always exist in some capacity, and it’s far better to understand the signs before it finds its way to your inbox.This story was produced by PeopleFinders and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

'Tot Time' at Musco Sports Center is fun for young kids

Muscatine families with young children have a new indoor place to play at a reasonable price. The Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department, along with the Musco Sports Center, is offering a new weekly drop-in program especially for young children and their families. “Tot Time” will be held every Tuesday from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. [...]

1 injured in Mercer Co. house fire

Developing.

How one state's hunters are taking aim at rural hunger

How one state’s hunters are taking aim at rural hungerOn the outskirts of Savannah, Georgia, a line of large chest coolers waits outside Wise Brothers Processing. Inside them, skinned deer lie packed in ice, ready to be cut into cubes, ground up, or made into sausage, depending on the customer’s order. Once ready, the meat is wrapped and placed in the freezer for the hunters to take back home.This is all pretty standard for deer hunters, the way animals they shoot become meat to feed their families. But a lot of this meat isn’t going back to the hunters who brought it — it’s bound for a soup kitchen in the heart of Savannah.“The charity that we use, they feed 250-plus people, three times a day,” said Debra Wise, who runs the business along with the rest of her family. They’ve sent 500 pounds of ground venison to Old Savannah City Mission so far this year, she told Grist.The Wises are taking part in the Georgia Wildlife Federation’s Hunters for the Hungry program. Georgia hunters are allowed to kill up to 12 deer in a year, but many don’t have the freezer space to keep them all or don’t need that much meat to feed their families. Hunters for the Hungry allows them to donate the extra. The state recently increased funding to $350,000 annually, allowing the program to expand from six processors to 56 and add freezer trailers to store additional meat. This year, the program has set a goal of collecting 140,000 pounds of donations, which the state Department of Natural Resources estimates can feed 560,000 people.“They reached out to us and asked us if we would be interested in accepting the deer for the hunter program, and of course we jumped right on it,” Wise said. “Anything to help someone out, we’re all about it.”Each processor donates the meat and distributes it within their local community. Hunters for the Hungry isn’t specifically designed to address rural hunger, and some meat — including the Wise Brothers’ — goes to city-based charities. But since most processors are located out in the country, where the hunting is, a lot of the donations end up staying there.Across Georgia, nearly 15% of families are food insecure, meaning they have limited or uncertain access to adequate food, according to Feeding America. Some of the highest rates are in rural counties. Rural Hancock County, nestled between Atlanta and Augusta, has the highest rate in the country of children facing food insecurity, at 47%. Nationwide, 86% of counties with the highest food insecurity rates are rural.The hunger rates in rural areas stand in contrast to the amount of food produced there. For example, in Georgia agriculture is the biggest industry. The state is first in the country for broiler chickens, hatching eggs, and peanuts, and produces significant amounts of beef, dairy, corn, and blueberries. But most of that food is produced at a large scale to supply the wider U.S. food system, going to processors and distributors before reaching grocery stores, which means the majority of people who grow food and farm animals have to rely on grocery stores to buy their food just like people in big cities.“Not every county or not every region has all these different products, so we rely on a food system that is able, through processing and retail, to combine all these products for the benefit of consumers,” said University of Georgia professor Vanessa Shonkwiler, who studies local food systems. “But then back to our rural food insecurity — this food system is not necessarily able to reach everyone.”Collective reliance on that system also means impacts of climate change — even in other parts of the country or elsewhere in the world — can further undermine food security by disrupting supply chains and making prices more volatile.“There’s not necessarily a recipe that we can apply here and there,” Shonkwiler said. Because people are so spread out in rural areas, she added, typical solutions like food pantries aren’t always effective.“One size doesn’t fit all. And it’s really the collaboration between different entities that makes it work or doesn’t,” Shonkwiler said.Nonprofits, churches, universities, and other groups have taken many approaches to rural hunger. Some of Shonkwiler’s students recently conducted feasibility studies of different models, including a small neighborhood grocery store and a mobile grocery truck. Some nonprofits actually run small grocery stores. Another organization Shonkwiler works with is preparing to try out a model that’s worked in Europe, in which a self-service grocery store is set up in a shipping container for people to access essentials without the added expense of staffing.The common thread to efforts that succeed, Shonkwiler said, is the level of buy-in from local leaders and the community, who need to be invested in the solution for it to work.But even working models are now struggling after the 43-day government shutdown halted funding that food-aid organizations count on. “It’s directly the survival of the nonprofit here that is at stake,” Shonkwiler said.Some have had to shut down stores or programs that serve rural Georgia, at least temporarily, so they can keep feeding people in the long term. Other federal funding cuts have hit rural food programs, too. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Childcare Access and Nutrition Systems grant program, for instance, funded a food bank, a farmers market, a mobile kitchen, and other programs in rural southwest Georgia — but it was canceled earlier this year, according to Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff’s office.For people in food deserts, living at least 10 miles from any supermarket and struggling to make ends meet, that means resources they’ve come to count on may not be available this holiday season.But rural Georgians are finding other ways to help each other out. Beyond the state-sponsored Hunters for the Hungry program, Wise Brothers Processing often donates meat to families in need. Recently, Wise said, a local church contacted them about a family with a sick child who needed some help. They’ve sent the family venison, and plan to send more soon.“That brings joy to our hearts, to know that we’re able to help someone else when we’ve had to have help before, too,” Wise said. “It’s just, you know, the Lord has blessed us and we’d like to bless in return.”This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR station.This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Impulse buying: Why it happens and 9 smart ways to curb it

Impulse buying: Why it happens and 9 smart ways to curb itYou’re scrolling through social media, something catches your eye, and before you’ve really thought it through, it’s already on its way to your door.Beyond Finance explains impulse buying in plain terms — what it is, why it happens, the signs it may be a problem and nine practical ways to curb these habits.What is Impulse Buying?Impulse buying means making a purchase that you didn’t plan ahead of time. An impulse buy could be made online or in-store. It could be a small item like some Skittles from the gas station or something larger, like a $5,000 elliptical machine you spotted on eBay.While impulse buying is often associated with online shopping, research suggests it happens even more in stores. A 2022 Kantar survey found that nearly 8 in 10 shoppers made an impulse purchase in-store, compared to just 58% online — with store aisles being the biggest trigger.Some impulse buys are not a problem — you see toilet paper, remember you’re low, and make that necessary purchase. But if you’re making impulse purchases too much, it can be a sign of a larger problem.Why Does Impulse Buying Happen?There are a lot of psychological factors that play into an impulse purchase. Some of them are external, meaning they come from the environment surrounding the purchase, and some are internal. The internal factors come from within and relate to our own state of mind, history and inclinations.The Idea of Getting a DealImpulse buying sometimes occurs because a person feels like they don’t want to miss out on a deal. Sellers play on this feeling by putting a time limit on a sale item or a discount and making it seem like it’d be the end of the world if you missed out. Even if someone didn’t particularly need the product or service, this strategy creates a sense of urgency that’s hard to pass by.Instant GratificationIt can feel really great to make an impulse purchase. This is because gaining something new provides a hit of dopamine — a chemical that makes you feel good — to the brain. There’s always an internal conflict between short-term rewards (that dopamine hit) and long-term rewards (having more savings) and many times the short-term gratification wins out. But if you’re not careful, this wonderful feeling you get from buying things can become an addiction.External StimuliMarketers are experts at knowing how and where to place items so consumers are most likely to buy. Specific smells piped into stores, attractive window displays, background music — all of this is carefully designed stimuli psychologically proven to trigger purchases. Even the way online shopping is curated feeds into this consumer behavior.Your Own HistoryIt’s possible you picked up impulse-buying behaviors from your parents or other influential figures in your life. Or you may never have been instilled with a healthy financial mindset that values saving or being thoughtful in making purchases. This doesn’t mean you should blame your family or your parents. They themselves may be victims of the same cycle of unhealthy spending habits.Signs that Impulse Buying is Becoming a ProblemIf any of these things resonate, it could be a sign that impulse buying is becoming a larger problem:You’re shopping when you’re bored.You have too many things.You buy things to keep up with (or feel more important than) other people.Your finances are in trouble.You buy things to celebrate.You buy things to feel better when you’re sad.If any of these things sound familiar, check out the next section to learn how to curb your impulse buying.How to Control Your Impulse Buying1. Make a Shopping List and Stick to ItWhatever you’re shopping for — groceries, clothes, or anything else — make a list and only purchase the things on that list. Try not to wander the aisles. You’re on a mission. If it helps, make it a game to grab the items you need and get to the cash register as quickly as possible.2. Don’t Join Email ListsEmail lists tend to be marketing ploys to sell, sell, sell. Don’t set yourself up to fail by exposing yourself to these never-ending sales pitches.3. Wait 24-48 Hours Before Making a PurchaseOften when you give yourself time to cool off from that initial excitement about something, your enthusiasm for it can diminish. Even if you feel really sure that you want something, give yourself some time for the logic side of your brain to kick in and the dopamine to subside. This will help you to make sure it’s something you really want.4. Bring an Accountability Shopping BuddyIt can help to go shopping with someone who has your best interests at heart. They may be able to help you put unnecessary things back on the shelf, or their very presence may be reminder enough to stay focused.5. Budget Some Money for Fun SpendingWhile it’s unwise to continually make unplanned purchases, you shouldn’t deprive yourself of some retail therapy every now and then if it’s something that truly brings you joy. Also, being overly restrictive with your impulses can force those impulses out in unhealthy ways. Lay out a budget each month for fun stuff and let that impulsive buyer side out, guided by some boundaries.6. Limit Your Social Media IntakeMichelle Giordano, a counselor at Live Another Day, an organization that provides addiction recovery resources, says that “the commercial culture and advertising that frequently promotes the notion that material items will bring happiness or prestige are … factors that contribute to impulsive buying. In order to feel good about themselves, people feel under pressure to buy new goods all the time. This can lead to a cycle of consuming.”To avoid falling into this trap, keep the time you spend on social media to a minimum. This will help to get rid of the temptation of targeted ads, and it’ll keep you from comparing what you have to what other people have. A “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality will lock you into perpetual disappointment because there’s always going to be someone who has something that you don’t.7. Avoid Shopping When You’re EmotionalFinancial therapist Nathan Astle says that “impulse buying is not an issue of impulse most of the time — it’s an issue of dealing with uncomfortable emotions.” Astle adds that we often buy things because “we are tired, hungry, stressed, sad, frustrated or overwhelmed, and we don’t know how to regulate those emotions. So if we can start to name those emotions, we can look for what they’re actually telling us we need — a rest, a hug, a self-care break, a conversation with someone or a cry.”8. Bring Cash and Leave the Cards BehindIt’s just too easy to swipe a card and forget about the consequences of spending that money. Avoid impulse buying by bringing only the cash you need on shopping trips and leaving your debit and credit cards behind.9. Remember Your Financial GoalsDo you want to be able to pay off your debt? Purchase a home in a few years? Build up enough savings to retire early? Focusing on these important personal finance goals can help you keep your eye on the prize and recognize that each unnecessary purchase is further distancing you from your financial dreams.Final WordsEvery once in a while, indulging in a “treat yourself” purchase is totally OK. As long as these indulgences are not too frequent or affecting your financial bottom line, it can even be a healthy outlet.But if you notice that your impulse spending is getting out of hand, you should start doing something about it. Whether you opt to follow one or more of the tips above, or enlist the help of a mental health professional, it’s important to do the following:Recognize the problem.Figure out where it’s coming from.Take the necessary steps to unlearn this behavior.Future you will thank you for it.This story was produced by Beyond Finance and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Man awaiting trial in sex abuse case arrest for allegedly sexually abusing child

A 22-year-old Davenport man who is awaiting trial for allegedly sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl last year was arrested Thursday for allegedly sexually abused a child.

What is heart rate variability (HRV)?

What is heart rate variability (HRV)?As popular as the metaphor may be, a healthy heart doesn’t beat as regularly as a metronome. In fact, it changes its rhythm with each beat. Heart rate variability, or HRV, is a measure of the constant variation in milliseconds between your heartbeats.Some situations increase variation, leading to a higher HRV, while others cause the time intervals between beats to stay more consistent, leading to a lower HRV.While subtle, these variations reflect your heart’s ability to respond to different situations. HRV can react to stress and/or illness before your resting heart rate (RHR), which makes it one of your body’s most powerful signals—providing useful insights into your stress levels, recovery status, and general well-being.Here, Oura examines what HRV is and why it matters for your health. Oura HRV and Your Nervous SystemHRV is linked to your autonomic nervous system (ANS)—specifically, the balance between the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), also known as the rest-and-digest branch, and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), known as the fight-or-flight branch.By balancing the two forces, your ANS helps you respond to daily stressors and regulate some of your body’s most important systems, including heart rate, respiration, and digestion.Independently, your heart beats to its own rhythm thanks to a built-in pacemaker called the sinoatrial (SA) node. Your SA keeps your heart firing at around 100 beats per minute.However, your ANS greatly influences how your heart beats. Think of it this way: All the cells within your heart’s pacemaker have direct phone lines from both sides of your ANS. They give input, beat to beat, on a cellular level to your heart.The PNS, or rest-and-digest system, tells your heart to slow down, making room for variability between beats (higher HRV).The SNS, or fight-or-flight system, tells your heart to speed up, limiting space for variability (lower HRV).These two systems can be silent, active, or shouting over each other at any given time. That’s a lot of conversation, and it leads to a lot of variation.What Does Higher or Lower HRV Mean?As a rule of thumb:Higher HRV is associated with rest-and-digest, general fitness, and good recoveryLower HRV is associated with fight-or-flight responses, stress, illness, or overtraining Oura However, keep in mind that your HRV is highly unique to you. “High” and “low” HRV is relative for each person—it’s a very sensitive metric. Some individuals have steady HRV scores, while others fluctuate considerably.It’s normal to see daily and seasonal fluctuations in your HRV.Can You Improve Your HRV?Yes, you can improve your HRV by focusing on healthy lifestyle habits. However, there are certain factors outside your control, such as age or genetics.Factors You Can’t ControlGenetic factors: Your genetic makeup plays a significant role in determining your baseline HRV. Variations in genes mean you have a unique ANS, which leads to individual differences in HRV patterns. As a result, you may naturally have higher or lower HRV. While you can’t change your genetic predispositions, it can help you to understand your HRV baseline.Age: HRV changes with age. Generally, HRV tends to decrease as you get older. This decline is attributed to various age-related changes in the ANS and heart function. Nonetheless, even within specific age groups, individual differences in HRV exist.Hormone cycles: Hormone cycles, particularly in women, can influence HRV. Menstrual cycles and fluctuations in sex hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, can affect the ANS and, consequently, HRV. Changes in HRV during different phases of the menstrual cycle are not uncommon.Mental health and emotion: Positive emotions and relaxation have been shown to increase HRV, indicating a more flexible and adaptive ANS. Conversely, anxiety and stress can lower HRV, indicating a less resilient autonomic response.Illness: Certain illnesses and health problems, like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, or respiratory disorders, can impact HRV. During illness, HRV may decrease due to the body’s response to physiological stress.Factors You Can ControlSleep routine: Your internal biological rhythms, such as the circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle, can affect HRV. For example, a sleep-wake cycle that promotes adequate, restful sleep can result in better HRV, whereas sleep disturbances and sleep deprivation can lead to decreased HRV. The good news is that you can align your lifestyle with your body’s natural rhythm to enhance your sleep routine and, in turn, HRV.Environmental factors: Environmental factors, such as air quality, temperature, and altitude, can influence HRV.Medications and substances: Various medications and substances can influence the ANS and, consequently, HRV. For instance, substances like alcohol, caffeine, or certain drugs may increase sympathetic activity and reduce HRV.Lifestyle: Your lifestyle choices, including your physical activity, sleep quality, stress management, as well as hydration, and dietary habits, all contribute to your distinct HRV patterns. This means that you have some control over your HRV balance.What Is a Normal HRV?A normal HRV for adults can range anywhere from below 20 to over 200 milliseconds.* The best way to determine your HRV normal range is to use a wearable that measures your HRV in a controlled setting, like sleep, and establishes a baseline over a few weeks. Oura Is It Normal For Your HRV to Fluctuate?Yes, HRV is a highly responsive metric.While some explanations of HRV oversimplify it by asserting that a high number is always good and a low one is always bad, it’s far more complex.In fact, there are situations where low HRV is necessary and even desirable. For example, during strenuous exercise, low HRV is a reflection of your fight-or-flight system appropriately dominating to get your heart rate up for activity. Your HRV will rebound afterward, as your rest-and-digest system takes over to help you recover.These fluctuations occur throughout the day, as different daily stressors continuously challenge your system. Simply being excited or moving from the couch to the bathroom can change your HRV at any given moment.By measuring your HRV during the day, you’re capturing your body’s response to these fleeting changes. If you want to understand your chronic physiological state, the best time to measure HRV is while you sleep.At night, your body is in a consistent state, without any confounding variables (e.g., food, social interactions, changing environment). Some wearables take the apples-to-apples approach when it comes to your measurements. They fail to caveat that daytime measurements might mask your underlying ANS balance.Monitoring your HRV can help you reach peak productivity, manage stress, and fine-tune your training regimen.A single nightly HRV reading can provide insights, like:A higher HRV score that reflects a rest day, cool bedroom, or “mindful” low/moderate intensity activities such as hiking or yogaA lower HRV score that results from dehydration, alcohol, a late meal or exercise, illness, a high-intensity workout, acute stress, or a hot bedroomYou may notice that your HRV varies greatly from day to day. If you’re looking for patterns, what matters is your HRV trend.HRV: Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is HRV?HRV refers to the natural, millisecond-by-millisecond variation in the time between your heartbeats. It’s a key indicator of your nervous system’s balance, showing how well your body adapts to stress and recovers.What is HRV ms?HRV ms is simply the measurement of your heart rate variability and the number you see is expressed in milliseconds (ms). It reflects the tiny, healthy differences in time between each of your heartbeats.What’s a good HRV?There’s no single “good” HRV score since it’s highly personal. Healthy HRV levels can range widely from person to person. The most important thing is to track your own average over time. But if you’re wondering what HRV is good or what a healthy HRV is, know that generally speaking, a higher HRV indicates a state of rest and recovery, while a lower HRV can signal stress, illness, or fatigue.What factors affect my HRV?Many factors influence your HRV, including those you can’t control, like genetics, age, and hormone cycles. However, you can positively impact your HRV through healthy habits. Getting enough quality sleep, managing stress, exercising regularly, and staying hydrated all contribute to a healthier HRV.Why does my HRV fluctuate?It’s completely normal for your HRV to fluctuate throughout the day and from one day to the next. These changes are a reflection of your body’s natural response to different activities and stressors. For example, your HRV will drop during intense exercise and then rebound as your body recovers.*This HRV range is based on data that includes independent academic studies, as well as Oura’s proprietary data. Academic studies are typically restricted to smaller or less diverse populations and, therefore, may not be representative of the general population in isolation. Oura’s goal in providing this broader range is to reflect the largest and most representative dataset possible. While it may be more common for HRV averages to cluster around certain numbers (e.g., 50 ms), there are individuals whose averages may not appear as frequently in the population but still represent their personal normal (e.g., 18 ms). The most effective way to analyze HRV is to compare your values to your personal baseline.This story was produced by Oura and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

It sure doesn't feel like February in the Quad Cities

Unseasonably warm spring-like temperatures will dominate the weather across the Quad Cities this weekend into the middle of next week. Rain chances are very slim not only this weekend, but into the early part of next week. Here's your full 7-day forecast.

Cook review: True-crime 'Investigation of Lucy Letby' is disturbing documentary

This isn't the first documentary about one of the most notorious cases in British history in recent years. But it's one of the most accessible and the most popular. "The Investigation of Lucy Letby" has become a recent hit for streaming viewers. True-crime aficionados - and I am one of them - have followed this [...]

Long-time Scott County Recorder Rita Vargas won’t run for reelection this fall

Rita Vargas has served as Scott County recorder for 24 years.

Iowa Court of Appeals upholds conviction in 2022 murder in Clinton

Trevor Ward was convicted in in 2024 of having killed Dustin "Dusty" Doran in March of 2022.

Geneseo honors business owner Ray Wirth, as well as two teenagers who saved a neighbor

Mayor Sean Johnson said the two teens set the standard for being a neighborly city and were an inspiration to everyone.

Clinton, Camanche, become Fiber-Connected Communities

Clinton and Camanche are now Fiber-Connected Communities after the completion of ImOn’s100% fiber Internet network in the area, a news release says. The completed network delivers fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-business Internet service tomore than 10,000 addresses in Clinton and 2,000 addresses in Camanche, with speeds up to 1 Gbps for homes and 10 Gbps for businesses. [...]

Aledo residents speak on trash troubles

The city received more than 600 complaints from residents about Lakeshore Recycling Systems.

Dispatches from Des Moines: Moments of reflection at the Iowa State Capitol

During the legislative session, the Iowa State Capitol is a bustling hub of state lawmakers, lobbyists, staff and reporters. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I remind myself to just look up.

Eight months on, investigation still 'extensive' after teens removed from Louisa County camp

In June, Iowa and Louisa County authorities took 88 minors into protective custody at a faith-based substance abuse recovery camp near Columbus Junction.

Britain's High Court says government illegally banned Pro-Palestinian group

In its ruling, the court said an earlier decision to ban the Pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization was "disproportionate."

Naming Iowa

This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.If Lieutenant Albert M. Lea had realized the trouble he would cause back in 1836, he might have never casually referred…

Spring Flood Outlook: Low Risk for Mississippi River

Good news for spring: Flooding risk is below normal this year

On their way! 4 people on NASA Crew-12 mission launch to International Space Station

The four people are set to dock with the I.S.S. on Saturday, returning the orbital lab to its full complement of seven. NASA's last mission, Crew-11, left a month early due to an ill crew member.

'Wuthering Heights' celebrates mad, passionate excess — but lacks real feeling

Emerald Fennell's extravagant adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic cares little for subtlety. Ultimately, this love affair is more photogenic than it is deeply moving.

Can you medal in quiz? Go for the gold!

Plus: more Olympics, the Super Bowl and some monks.

Goldman Sachs' top lawyer to resign after emails show close ties to Jeffrey Epstein

Kathy Ruemmler, a former White House counsel to President Obama, says she will resign from Goldman Sachs after emails between her and Jeffrey Epstein showed a close relationship between the pair.

Trump pardons 5 former NFL players for crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking

Those pardoned include ex-NFL players Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry and the late Billy Cannon.

Judge blocks Trump admin from rescinding health grants to Democratic-led states

The ruling temporarily blocks the Trump Administration from cutting $600 million in public health grants that had already been allocated to four Democratic-led states.

Bangladesh National Party claims victory in first election since student uprising

There are three Friday the 13ths to look forward to in 2026

Friday the 13th usually only occurs once or twice per year. But 2026 is the (somewhat) more rare exception.

Illinois considers school mobile panic systems

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois lawmakers are considering a proposal that would set statewide standards for emergency panic alert systems in schools. State Sen. Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) is sponsoring Senate Bill 2948 which would task the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with developing the regulations. The systems, also known as “Alyssa’s Alert,” would allow staff [...]

Aledo residents speak on trash troubles

The city received more than 600 complaints from residents about Lakeshore Recycling Systems.

Morrison track state champion Brady Anderson commits to UNI

Brady Anderson announced his college decision to run for the University of Northern Iowa Panthers next season.

High school basketball: February 12th

Watch highlights from Galva vs A-town, Morning Star vs Unity Christian boys basketball and Assumption vs Clinton girls basketball.

Help Fight Religious Distortion

(NewsUSA) - Religion is many things to many people, but it should never be a justification for hate and violence, and a little-known but impactful non-profit organization is hard at work to fight against the misrepresentation of religious beliefs.The Pave the Way Foundation (www.ptwf.org), a non-profit organization not affiliated with any religion, works to confront the distortion of religious beliefs with the truth, based on documented texts. “Across the world, extremists twist sacred texts, falsify history, and weaponize faith for power, money, and control,” according to PTWF’s leaders, whose slogan “Embrace the Similarities and Savor the Differences” says it all.PTWF analyzes core religious texts to identify the core principles and show how they contradict many examples of violence and hate and have been mistranslated to justify malevolent behavior and actions. Some of these examples include:-Documented covenants of protection for Christians and Jews issued by the Prophet Muhammad; this has been denied or ignored by some Muslims.-Documented proof against false scholarship attacking the actions of the Vatican during World War II. Distorted information paints Pope Pius XII as “Hitler’s Pope,” but in truth he was a hero whose actions saved countless lives.-Rebuttal of inaccurate information about governments seizing churches, closing seminaries, and persecuting pastors.-Denouncing the persistent targeting of religious minorities across continents.-Countering false propaganda designed to divide Christians and Jews.PTWF builds trust between faiths and shares the truth, while engaging in philanthropic activities across all faiths. Significant PTWF activities including the gift of the Bodmer Papyrus, the most important manuscript in Christianity, to the Vatican Library, then arranging the first loan in history of Maimonides manuscripts from the Vatican Library to the Israel Museum, publishing primary sourced WWII documents and eyewitness testimony to exonerate the Vatican from perceived inaction during WWII, and spotlighting the inappropriate use of the Keffiyeh (Palestinian scarves) and Palestinian flags in university and international protests worldwide in the days after the invasion of Israel in October 2023.Other key activities undertaken by the PTWF include supplying baby food & medications to Syrian Christians being sheltered and rescued in Israel from persecution, interceding to end illegal seizure of Catholic bank accounts in Israeli cities by uninformed mayors, and helping the Vatican serve the poor.“Most people don’t know our name, but our historic work is reshaping interfaith truth worldwide,” according to the PTWF leadership.Religion shapes hearts, but malevolent manipulators can shape religion. PTWF exists to stop them, but the organization needs your help. Visit www.ptwf.org to learn more.

Aledo residents fed-up with lack of trash pickup

Over 600 complaints from various community members have been logged at Aledo City Hall.

Federal judge rules against feds, orders overhaul of treatment of detainees at Whipple Building

The Whipple Federal Building, the base of operations for federal agents in Minnesota and the site where federal detainees are held. (Photo by Henry Redman/Minnesota Reformer)A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump issued a pointed ruling Thursday, ordering the federal government to overhaul how detainees are treated at the Whipple Federal Building to ensure their constitutional right to counsel is honored. “The Constitution does not permit the government to arrest thousands of individuals and then disregard their constitutional rights because it would be too challenging to honor those rights,” wrote U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel. The order, which is in effect for 14 days, came in response to a lawsuit alleging that the constitutional rights of detainees at Whipple are routinely violated. Brasel is requiring the government to provide people detained there access to in-person visits with their lawyers seven days per week, as well as “free, private, and unmonitored” telephone calls to counsel and family within one hour of their detention and prior to being transferred out of state. Previously, the Star Tribune reported on detainees living in inhumane conditions inside Whipple, including a Muslim woman shackled at the ankles and kept for 24 hours inside a bathroom with three men. The ruling is just one of many rebukes federal judges have leveled against the Trump administration in recent weeks, from jurists appointed by Republican and Democratic presidents alike. Patrick J. Schiltz, chief judge of the federal district court in Minnesota and a former clerk to conservative icon Antonin Scalia, ripped the Trump administration for ignoring dozens of court orders in a ruling last month. Last week, Federal District Judge Jerry Black Blackwell, an appointee of President Joe Biden, lambasted the government’s penchant for ignoring court orders: “The DOJ, the DHS, and ICE are not above the law. They do wield extraordinary power, and that power has to exist within constitutional limits.” Brasel’s order came down hours after the federal government said it was winding down Operation Metro Surge, which brought 3,000 immigration enforcement agents here starting in December. Courtesy of Minnesota Reformer

Scott County Board shoots down new power plant ordinance

If approved, the ordinance would have allowed power plants to be built on prime farmland.

Bill honoring Trudy Appleby would extend statute of limitations for aggravated kidnapping

The three-year statute of limitations for aggravated kidnapping limited prosecutors when seeking an indictment against Jamison Fisher.

Aledo considers ending contract with waste collection provider after hundreds of complaints

Aledo city staff and residents stood together Thursday night, adamant that the current waste collection provider, Lakeshore Recycling, is not fulfilling its services. A handful of people voiced their frustrations during a public hearing at the Mercer County Junior High School in the band room. "One day I was stepping out my back door and [...]

Bettendorf man’s sex charges dismissed; pleads guilty to child endangerment

He has a sentencing hearing scheduled for May 5, according to court documents.

Controversial new power plant rejected for rural Scott County

The Scott County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to reject an ordinance change that would allow construction of a new natural-gas power plant proposed for prime farmland east of Maysville, Iowa.

Israel accuses two of using military secrets to place Polymarket bets

The Tel Aviv indictment is the first publicly known instance of people being accused of leveraging military secrets to place bets on the popular prediction market.

Figge Art Museum presents new Preston Singletary immersive exhibition

This winter, the Figge Art Museum presents "Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight," an immersive exhibition that brings ancestral storytelling into the present through glass, sound, and light. On view February 14 through Aug. 2, the exhibition invites visitors to step inside an Indigenous creation story that continues to shape how people understand [...]

Joe Moreno named to Running USA Hall of Champions

Joe Moreno was 15 years old when he was given a pair of white Nike Cortez shoes with a vibrant red Swoosh on the side. Those white shoes would last him countless hours and guide Moreno to find his life's love and passion, eventually landing him a spot in the Running USA Hall of Fame. [...]

How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space? – Henry D., age 7, Cambridge, Massachusetts Whether you use a hole in the ground or a fancy gold-plated toilet, on Earth, gravity pulls your waste down and away from you. For astronauts, “doing their duty” is a bit more complicated. Without gravity, any loose drops or dribbles could float out of the toilet. That’s not good for astronauts’ health, nor for the sensitive equipment inside the space station. I study volcanoes on other planets, and I’m interested in how people can work in extreme environments like space. So how do you go to the bathroom in space or on the International Space Station? Carefully – and with suction. The new toilet is more comfortable, easier to use for both men and women, and lighter. NASA/James Blair via Wikimedia Commons A bathroom vacuum In 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space. His trip was supposed to be short, so there was no plan for pee. But the launch was delayed for over three hours after Shepard climbed into the rocket. Eventually, he asked if he could exit the rocket to pee. Instead of wasting more time, mission control concluded that Shepard could safely pee inside his spacesuit. The first American in space went up in damp underwear. Fortunately, there’s a toilet on the space station these days. The original toilet was designed in 2000 for men and was difficult for women to use: You had to pee while standing up. To poop, astronauts used thigh straps to sit on the small toilet and to keep a tight seal between their bottoms and the toilet seat. It didn’t work very well and was hard to keep clean. So in 2018, NASA spent US$23 million on a new and improved toilet for astronauts on the International Space Station. To get around the problems of zero-gravity bathroom breaks, the new toilet is a specially designed vacuum toilet. There are two parts: a hose with a funnel at the end for peeing and a small raised toilet seat for pooping. The bathroom is full of handholds and footholds so that astronauts don’t drift off in the middle of their business. To pee, they can sit or stand and then hold the funnel and hose tightly against their skin so that nothing leaks out. To poop, astronauts lift the toilet lid and sit on the seat – just like here on Earth. But this toilet starts suctioning as soon as the lid is lifted to prevent things from drifting away – and to control the stink. To make sure that there is a tight fit between the toilet seat and the astronauts’ behinds, the toilet seat is smaller than the one in your house. Russian Progress spacecrafts bring supplies to the ISS and take on trash and waste, which is then burned up in the atmosphere with the spacecraft. NASA/Wikimedia Commons After the deed is done Pee is more than 90% water. Since water is heavy and takes up a lot of space, it is better to recycle pee rather than bring up clean water from Earth. All astronaut pee is collected and turned back into clean, drinkable water. Astronauts say that “Today’s coffee is tomorrow’s coffee!” Sometimes, astronaut poop is brought back to Earth for scientists to study, but most of the time, bathroom waste – including poop – is burned. Poop is vacuumed into garbage bags which are put into airtight containers. Astronauts also put toilet paper, wipes and gloves – gloves help keep everything clean – in the containers too. The containers are then loaded into a cargo ship that brought supplies to the space station, and this ship is launched at Earth and burns up in Earth’s upper atmosphere. If you’ve ever seen a shooting star, it might have been a meteorite burning up in Earth’s atmosphere – or it might have been flaming astronaut poo. And the next time you have to pee or poop, be thankful that you’re doing it with gravity’s help. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.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: Tracy K.P. Gregg, University at Buffalo Read more:Curious Kids: Can people colonize Mars?Colonizing Mars means contaminating Mars – and never knowing for sure if it had its own native lifeSpace Force sounds like a joke thanks to pop culture – that could be a problem for an important military branchTracy K.P. Gregg 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.

How do scientists hunt for dark matter? A physicist explains why the mysterious substance is so hard to find

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Can we generate a way to interact with dark matter with current technology? – Leonardo S., age 13, Guanajuato, Mexico That’s a great question. It’s one of the most difficult and fascinating problems right now in both astronomy and physics, because while scientists know that the elusive substance called dark matter makes up the majority of all matter in the universe, we’ve never actually observed it directly. Dark matter is so difficult to interact with because it’s “dark,” which means it doesn’t interact directly with light in any way. I’m a physicist, and scientists like me observe the world around us mainly by looking for signals from different wavelengths of light. So no matter what type of technology scientists use, they run into the same issue in the hunt for dark matter. It’s not completely impossible to interact with dark matter, though, because it can interact with ordinary matter in other ways that don’t involve light. But those interactions are generally very weak. What we call dark matter is really anything that we can see only through these weaker interactions, especially gravity. How we know dark matter exists One way that dark matter can interact with ordinary matter is through gravity. In fact, gravity is the main reason scientists even think dark matter exists at all. For decades, scientists have been observing how galaxies spin and move throughout the universe. Gravity acts on stars and galaxies, in the same way it keeps you from floating off into space. Heavier objects have a stronger gravitational pull. At these huge scales, researchers have spotted some unexpected quirks that gravity alone can’t explain. For example, almost 100 years ago, a Swiss astronomer named Fritz Zwicky studied a cluster of galaxies called the Coma Cluster. He noticed the galaxies inside it were moving very fast, so much so that they should have flown apart many millions of years ago. The only way the cluster could have stayed together for so long is if there was much more matter holding it together with gravity than the telescope could see. This extra matter necessary to hold the galaxies together became known as dark matter. About 40 years after Zwicky, an American astronomer named Vera Rubin looked at the individual stars moving around the centers of spiral galaxies as they rotated. She saw that the stars at the outside edges of the spiral were moving much faster than you’d expect if only the gravity from the stars you could see was keeping them from flying off into intergalactic space. Just as with the galaxies moving around the cluster, the motion of the stars around the edges of the galaxies could be best explained if there was much more matter in the galaxies than what we could see. A rotating spiral galaxy in the Coma Cluster. NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScl/AURA); Acknowledgement: K. Cook (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) More recently, scientists have combined optical telescopes that observe visible light with X-ray telescopes. Optical telescopes can take pictures of galaxies as they move and rotate. Sometimes, galaxies in these images are distorted or magnified by gravity coming from large masses in front of them. This phenomenon is called gravitational lensing, which is when the gravity around a very heavy object is so strong that it bends the light passing by it, acting like a lens. X-ray telescopes, on the other hand, can see the clusters of hot gases that surround galaxies. By combining these two telescopes, astronomers can see galaxies as well as the gases surrounding them – all the observable matter. Then, they can compare these images with the optical results. If there’s more gravitational lensing seen than what could be caused by the gas, there must be more mass hiding somewhere and causing the lensing. The picture combines optical images of the galaxies with X-ray images. The region in the pink shows the area where the X-ray telescope sees the distribution of gas around the galaxies, and the blue area shows the region where gravitational lensing can be observed. There is blue in places where there isn’t pink, so lensing is showing that there’s something else heavy there. Dark matter is again the best explanation. NASA, ESA, CXC, M. Bradac (University of California, Santa Barbara), and S. Allen (Stanford University) How we might be able to see dark matter Unfortunately, all this tells astronomers only that dark matter must be there, not what it really is. The evidence for dark matter is all based on how it interacts with gravity at very large scales. It’s still “dark” to scientists in the sense that it hasn’t interacted directly with any measurement devices. The good news is that light and gravity aren’t the only forces in the universe. A force called the weak force might be able to interact directly with dark matter and give scientists a direct signal to observe. Most of the ideas about what the dark matter might be include the possibility of it interacting through the weak force, converting energy into signals that are visible. The weak force is not observable at normal scales of distance. But for objects the size of an atom’s nucleus or smaller, it can change one type of subatomic particle into another. The weak force can also transfer energy and momentum at very short distances – this is the main effect scientists hope to observe with dark matter. These processes might be extremely rare, but in theory they should be possible to see. Most experiments looking to see dark matter directly are searching for signals of rare weak interactions in an underground detector, or for gamma rays that can be seen in a special gamma-ray telescope. In either case, a signal from dark matter would likely be very faint, resulting from an interaction that can’t be explained any other way, or a signal that doesn’t seem to have any other possible source. Even if the effect is faint, it might still be possible to observe, and any such signal would be an exciting step forward in being able to see the dark matter more directly. In the end, it may be a combination of signals from experiments deep underground, in particle colliders, and different types of telescopes that finally lets scientists see dark matter more directly. Whichever technology ends up being successful, hopefully sometime soon the matter that makes up our universe will be a little less dark. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.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: David Joffe, Kennesaw State University Read more:How are dark matter and antimatter different?When darkness shines: How dark stars could illuminate the early universeThe Vera C. Rubin Observatory will help astronomers investigate dark matter, continuing the legacy of its pioneering namesakeDavid Joffe receives funding from NASA through a grant from the Georgia Space Grant Consortium.

Scott County board shoots down new power plant ordinance

If approved, the ordinance would have allowed power plants to be built on prime farmland.

Rock Island High School to lose school resource officer due to police staffing shortage

Rock Island Police Department Chief Timothy McCloud said in a statement that Officer Thomas Danof is needed "on the street" for patrol duties.

Scott County Board rejects thermal-energy zoning proposal

Supervisors voted against a proposal that would change zoning rules and allow thermal-energy plants to fall under “special permitted uses,” with one member abstaining to vote.

Stewart Road railroad crossing temporarily closed, detour in place

A traffic alert for drivers in Muscatine.

Inside Iowa Politics: Whether EV makers can sell vehicles in Iowa

Iowa legislators face an upcoming deadline if they want to change the law to allow electric vehicle manufacturers to sell directly to consumers in the state.

James Van Der Beek's death sparks QCA conversations on early cancer screening

Cancer before the age of 50 is rare diagnosis - but one that's increasing, according to findings from the American Association for Cancer Research. It suggests within the last year, colorectal cancer is becoming more common in young people. Actor James Van Der Beek announced he was being treated for colorectal cancer in 2024. He [...]

Woman pleads guilty in child sex abuse case

A Davenport woman has pleaded guilty for her role in a child sex abuse case.

Valentine’s at Niabi Zoo: Love takes many forms

We set out to find the cutest lovebugs in the QCA. At Niabi, that includes a fennec fox family, inseparable otter sisters, singing dogs & pining pallas's cats.

Stewart Road, Muscatine, railroad crossing closed temporarily

Stewart Road in Muscatine is closed at the GPC railroad spur crossing, located just north of Dick Drake Way, because of emergency repairs on a broken section of rail discovered early Thursday, a news release says. The City of Muscatine closed the crossing Thursday morning. The contractor performing the repairs expects the crossing to reopen [...]

The Heart of the Story: Harvesting a story

Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. A children's book author from the QCA takes [...]

Man charged with using hidden camera to get videos of a minor pleads guilty to federal charges

A man accused of using a hidden camera to capture several videos of a minor has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Scott County Supervisors reject ordinance that would have made way for power plant

Residents in rural Scott County organized against the power plant, citing concerns over air quality, resident health, the environment and taking prime farm ground out of commission.

Quad City Chordbusters to deliver singing Valentines

A singing Valentine’s Day tradition is returning to the Quad Cities Area for another year.

Man sentenced after pleading guilty to grooming, enticing a minor

A Davenport man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to grooming and enticing a minor.

Iowa House subcommittee discusses bill banning vaccine mandates during health emergencies

Iowa lawmakers in the House of Representatives discussed vaccine mandates and what previous safety precautions should be allowed in a future public health disaster.

Man sentenced after pleading guilty to chatting online with undercover officer posed as teenager girl

A Mount Pleasant man who pleaded guilty to chatting online with an undercover officer who was posing as a teen girl in Scott County has been sentenced.

Pregnancy complications may signal future heart, diabetes risk, researcher says

Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes or other complications could put you at a higher risk for chronic diseases. Here's how to keep your heart as healthy as possible.

Iowa House committee advances bill limiting local anti-discrimination ordinances

A Republican-led Iowa House committee has moved forward a bill that would prevent cities and counties from enacting their own anti-discrimination ordinances for groups not protected by the state.

Much warmer weather and potential record high

After already seeing much warmer than normal temperatures throughout this week here in the Quad Cities, more of it is to come. By the end of the week and this upcoming weekend, temperatures are looking to warm up even more reaching the mid to upper 50s. Not only are temperatures will be near 60s by [...]

Local health experts urge young people to watch for colorectal cancer symptoms

While doctors recommend getting screened for colon cancer around age 45, people with an increased risk or early warning signs should think about getting screened sooner.

1 Rock Island High School student faces misdemeanor charge after fight

Police were called this week to a fight that broke out at Rock Island-Milan High School.

Upper Iowa University relocates to Scott Community College Bettendorf campus

Upper Iowa University has announced that its Quad Cities location has relocated to Eastern Iowa Community Colleges - Scott Community College, 500 Belmont Road, Bettendorf, a news release says. Upper Iowa University is in Room 1203 on the Scott campus. "This move strengthens Upper Iowa University's long-standing partnership with Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and reinforces [...]

School Resource Officer to leave Rock Island High School

Officer Thomas Danos, the school resource officer at Rock Island High School, will be leaving his position at the school after Friday, Feb. 13. That's according to a letter obtained by Our Quad Cities News that was sent to Rock Island High School parents on Feb. 6. It was confirmed by Rock Island Police Deputy [...]

Family Resources urges teens to recognize dating abuse , ahead of Valentine’s Day

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and advocates say unhealthy relationship behaviors often begin earlier than many people realize.

Upper Iowa University adding location at Scott Community College

University officials said Upper Iowa will accept up to 78 transferred credits from community college partners.

Fight at Rock Island High School injures teen a day after school board discusses safety

A 17-year-old faces a misdemeanor charge of battery in the incident, according to police.

RIMSD employees placed on paid administrative leave

Rock Island Milan School District's Deputy Superintendent, Jeff Dase, is on paid administrative leave after an allegation of inappropriate conduct was brought against him. That's according to a letter obtained by Our Quad Cities News. The decision to place Dase on leave while an investigation is conducted was made in late January. This is the [...]