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

Thursday, February 19th, 2026
	Trump gathers members of Board of Peace for first meeting, with some U.S. allies wary President Donald Trump will gather Thursday with representatives from more than two dozen countries that have joined his Board of Peace, for a meeting that will focus on the reconstruction of Gaza.
Wednesday, February 18th, 2026
	North Scott and Muscatine advance to Regional Semifinals North Scott and Muscatine girls basketball picked up wins Wednesday night to advance to the regional semifinals.
	Maquoketa and Assumption advance to Regional Championship Maquoketa and Assumption girls basketball picked up wins Wednesday night to advance to the Regional Championships.
	Northern Illinois native seeks Olympic gold with undefeated Team USA Tessa Janecke and Team USA take the ice one more time at 12:10 p.m. Thursday to try and finish their undefeated run to the gold medal.
	Davenport elementary students play in their own Olympic Games As the Olympics are set to wrap up, students at Garfield Elementary School are wrapping up their own lesson on the Olympics.
	Davenport considers joining IL-MABAS for specialized emergency response Davenport could join Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System District 43 to boost regional emergency response, joining six departments from the Quad Cities.
	Quad Cities faith leaders protest ICE The Walk for Peace and Dignity will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday at the Rock Island County Courthouse.
	Students at Harrison Elementary celebrate Black History Month Davenport Native and business owner Dailon Rush-Trice will also be holding a free book fair for students.
	Man killed in Clinton shooting First responders said they found an adult man suffering from a gunshot injury on Tuesday night. Though he was hospitalized, the victim eventually died of the injury.
	Large fire breaks out in rural Bureau County More than 100 acres were burned, but the only structure damaged was a home that had its back wall burnt.
	Man killed in Clinton shooting First responders said they found an adult man suffering from a gunshot injury on Tuesday night. Though he was hospitalized, the victim eventually died of the injury.
	One man dead in Clinton shooting incident Tuesday night Clinton police officers and firefighters were sent to the 500 block of 22nd Avenue N to investigate a report of a gunshot victim at about 9:02 p.m. Tuesday.
	Davenport glass-making nonprofit completes project for Clinton arboretum Construction surrounds the Bickelhaupt Arboretum as Clinton Community College leaders envision a modern look on a timeless home. The college broke ground on the project last May. Part of that project includes transforming an old pool into a brilliant display of color. "We decided that the best thing to do with this beautiful homestead is [...]
	Clinton Police investigate fatal shooting The Clinton Police Department is investigating an fatal shooting incident. According to a release, on February 17 at approximately 9:02 p.m., the Clinton Police Department and Clinton Fire Department responded to a reported gunshot wound in the 500 block of 22nd Avenue N. First responders found a victim and transported the man to MercyOne Medical [...]
	Why Illinois commercial driver's license program is at risk of losing funding Illinois could lose money after the U.S. Department of Transportation warns $128 million for the state is at risk. A federal review of the Illinois' commercial driver's license program indicates almost 20% of licenses were issued illegally. The federal agency says Illinois has 30 days to comply and revoke the illegal licenses or risk losing [...]
	Man dies after being found with gunshot wounds, police say A man has died after being found with gunshot wounds Tuesday night.
	Carbon monoxide scare in Moline highlights the danger of defective detectors Moline firefighters responded to carbon monoxide in a home Wednesday after a car ran in an attached garage. Officials warn symptoms can mimic illness.
	In legislative speech, Dan Sullivan reiterates support for Trump administration, denounces Democrats U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, leaves the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, after his annual address to state legislators. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)Facing a potentially difficult re-election campaign, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan came to the Alaska Legislature with praise for President Donald Trump’s administration and damnation for Democrats. The Republican senator endured a gauntlet of protesters before he delivered his annual address to state lawmakers, saying his theme was an “Alaska comeback” brought about by the change between the Democratic presidency of Joe Biden and Trump’s Republican administration. “We’re now beginning to see the beginnings of a real comeback and real progress on goals we’ve dreamed about collectively for decades,” he said, referring to the way the Trump administration has opened more parts of the North Slope to oil and gas drilling, and its stated support for a trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline. Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, leads U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, through a group of protesters in the Alaska Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Hoffman has endorsed Sullivan in this year’s U.S. Senate elections. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon) He reiterated his support for the Republican-drafted budget plan known as the Big, Beautiful Bill Act. It’s since been rebranded the “Working Families Tax Cuts Act.” That plan calls for multiple oil and gas lease sales in Alaska, new military and Coast Guard construction in the state, and large personal tax cuts. It also offered large one-time health care funding grants to compensate for a cut to Medicaid, cut federal food stamps and imposed work requirements for both programs. More Alaska-specific benefits in the Big Beautiful Bill were objected to by Senate Democrats and removed before the bill’s final passage, including a Medicaid increase that Sullivan had sought. In his speech, Sullivan repeatedly criticized Democrats in the U.S. Senate. “Alaskans should know who wants to help us and who wants to hurt us,” Sullivan said. One of the legislators listening in the audience was state Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage. “That was the most partisan speech I’ve ever heard a member of the congressional delegation give in the Alaska Legislature,” he said afterward. “There was no critique of what the Trump administration has done in canceling projects in Alaska. There was no critique of what Trump has done, whether it comes to rule of law or democracy,” Dunbar said. U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, receives applause from the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, during his annual address to state legislators. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon) Also listening was state Sen. George Rauscher, R-Sutton. Afterward, Rauscher said he always appreciates the volume of Sullivan’s speeches and the range of subjects. Did it feel like a campaign speech to him? “If it felt like that, there’s probably a reason,” Rauscher said. Until Sullivan was prompted by reporters and lawmakers, he didn’t address some of the nation’s most inflammatory issues, including the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers nationwide. The day before Sullivan’s speech, ICE agents detained a Soldotna family, including a mother, two teenagers and a five-year-old. Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage, asked Sullivan about the incident. He responded that he hadn’t heard about it. Answering reporters’ questions after his speech, Sullivan voiced soft disagreement with ICE policies nationwide, saying he supports deporting illegal immigrants with violent criminal records. “I think that should be the focus of the administration’s efforts,” he said. About ICE’s violent tactics in Minnesota, Sullivan said, “I put out statements, but also, importantly, weighed in with senior folks in the administration, saying, look, it’s really important to bring the temperature down on both sides — which ended up happening — and then very much that ICE needs to refine its techniques and tactics.” Sullivan said he doesn’t believe protesters killed by ICE agents are “domestic terrorists,” as the White House has claimed. “American citizens have the right to their Second and First Amendment rights, and I don’t think they should be targeted for that reason,” he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Quad Cities Muslims gather for Ramadan, emphasize faith and community For the next month, the focus is on fasting, faith and family for our QCA Muslim community, which now stands at more than 2,000 members and is growing each year.
	Iowa bill to regulate license plate readers advances A bill to regulate automatic license plate reader cameras use by law enforcement is advancing in Iowa. House File 2161 regulates how the the cameras could be used by law enforcement. Local governments would have to adopt ordinances to approve their use, and officers wouldn't be allowed to use the data from the readers after [...]
	Sundown towns: Examining a dark chapter in U.S. history during Black History Month Local experts and residents share testimony about communities that excluded Black Americans after dark
	Our Quad Cities News weather team visits Ekstrand Elementary in DeWitt After the kindergarten students at Ekstrand Elementary spent some time studying weather lately, it was a great day for Chief Meteorologist Andy McCray to pay a visit to the school! Andy talked about weather, severe weather safety and read a great kids' weather book to 4 separate classes! Here are some pics from Wednesday: And [...]
	Homeschool parents speak against Iowa tax credit bill Some parents who could receive thousands in tax dollars per year spoke out against a proposal to do that during an Iowa House subcommittee hearing Wednesday.
	Police say camera registry program is investigative tool Doorbell camera footage is playing an increasingly important role in criminal investigations, giving law enforcement valuable leads and helping piece together events, as seen recently in the Nancy Guthrie case.
	4 year old birthday girl Gynelle helps Andy with weather update It's another windy, warm and dry day around the Quad Cities - so the Red Flag Warning is in effect for a little while longer Wednesday evening. And Andy gets some help from a 4 year old birthday girl (granddaughter of one of our co-workers at Our Quad Cities News!) Check out the very entertaining [...]
	With a win over Sweden, the U.S. men's hockey team will play for an Olympic medal A thrilling overtime goal by defenseman Quinn Hughes puts Team USA through to a semifinal game against Slovakia. On the other side of the bracket, Canada had its own close call, but moves on to face Finland.
	Zuckerberg grilled about Meta's strategy to target 'teens' and 'tweens' The billionaire tech mogul's testimony was part of a landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles. The jury's verdict in the case could shape how some 1,600 other pending cases from families and school districts are resolved.
	Full text: Sen. Anderson’s letter to GOP leaders after abortion bill backlash The full text of Sen. Neil Anderson resignation from leadership posts in the Illinois Senate.
	Extreme Temperatures in History While we have been seeing temperatures over the past week very above normal, it has been leading to wonder where do we normally see temperatures like this? And while temperatures like these are certainly unusual, they are not impossible when looking over the history of records and seeing the vast difference between them. The Spring [...]
	Galesburg prepares to break ground on National Railroad Hall of Fame After nearly two decades of planning, Galesburg is preparing to break ground on the National Railroad Hall of Fame.
	Vegetation fire burns across eastern Iowa counties, 558 lose power Multiple grass fires are burning across several eastern Iowa counties Wednesday afternoon, with smoke visible from city cameras.
	QCA students earn a spot at FIRST LEGO League international STEM competition A team of 5th and 6th graders from schools in the Pleasant Valley School District made competitive robotics history. The Robogineers landed a spot to compete on the world's stage in April, but they need the community's help to get them there. The team members' ages range from ten to twelve years old, and they [...]
	The Trump administration is increasingly trying to criminalize observing ICE ICE officers often tell people tracking and watching them that they are breaking federal law in doing so, but legal experts say the vast majority of observers are exercising their constitutional rights.
	Crews extinguish field fire near Coal Valley homes A fire is threatening some homes and buildings east of Coal Valley Wednesday afternoon.
	Boil order issued following large water main break in Moline The City of Moline said that crews were still working to repair the large water main break as of 3 p.m. Wednesday.
	Davenport Fire Department considering joining mutual aid box alarm system "MABAS" is a group of local fire departments who commit to responding to large-scale incidents, disasters and special operations.
	Pritzker pitches $56 billion Illinois budget Illinois Governor JB Pritzker proposed his $56 billion state budget on Wednesday during his State of the State address. It includes new taxes on social media companies and a ban on cell phones in the classroom. Pritzker wants to implement a tax on social media companies to help balance the budget. Like the last two [...]
	March for Peace and Dignity set for QCA A news conference at the Rock Island County Courthouse previewed the March for Peace and Dignity set for February 20. Nine religions were represented at the announcement via Quad Cities Interfaith. Religious leaders said the intention is to present a united front and will protest federal immigration enforcement across the country. The march begins at [...]
	Muslims in the Quad Cities celebrate Ramadan Lisa Killinger with the QC Muslim Community joined The Current to speak about the significance of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.
	Designer creates custom gowns in Geneseo Illinois fashion designer crafts wedding dresses with precision and personal touch
	News 8 journalists describe emotional response at memorials for Renee Good, Alex Pretti At the end of January, WQAD's Ava Hedges and Cesar Sanchez spent the weekend reporting in Minneapolis. Here's what they saw on the ground.
	Large fire breaks out in Princeton, Illinois This is a developing story. News 8 will provide updates as they are made available.
	Help inspire success in the classroom with Junior Achievement of the Heartland Junior Achievement of the Heartland inspires and prepares young people for success both in and out of school. Haley Dohrmann joined Our Quad Cities News with more information on how you can get involved with Junior Achievement in the classroom. For more information, click here.
	Crews respond to field fire in Coal Valley Fire crews were called to a scene near the intersection of E. Seventh Street and E. 15th Avenue in Coal Valley on Wednesday. The scene is near homes and a farmhouse.
	Large portion of Moline under boil order after water-main break The City of Moline said a 16-inch primary distribution water main has broken.
	8 backcountry skiers found dead and 1 still missing after California avalanche Authorities say the bodies of eight backcountry skiers have been found and one remains missing after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in California. Six others were found alive.
	Multiple agencies fighting Coal Valley field fire Crews are on the scene of a field fire in the 1500 block of E. 7th Street in Coal Valley. Multiple agencies are on the scene, fighting the blaze. There is no word on injuries to residents or firefighters and no reports on any damages.
	FDA reverses course on Moderna flu shot The Food and Drug Administration's about-face comes a little more than a week after the agency refused to consider the company's application to market the new kind of influenza vaccine.
	Fire threatening homes, buildings east of Coal Valley A fire is threatening some homes and buildings east of Coal Valley Wednesday afternoon.
	News 8 journalists describe emotional response at memorials for Renee Good, Alex Pretti At the end of January, WQAD's Ava Hedges and Cesar Sanchez spent the weekend reporting in Minneapolis. Here's what they saw on the ground.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: GAGE GARDNER, 28, 5’10” , 230 pounds, black hair, hazel eyes. Wanted in Scott County for escape and probation violation on a prior drug [...]
	Birth to Five updates its action plan including progress on crisis nursery Birth to Five, an Illinois statewide agency focusing on early childhood, is making progress in its action plan for Region 49, which covers Rock Island County.
	CASI to host annual Blarney Bash on Feb. 26 in Davenport You can enjoy an evening of live music, Irish dancing and the speciality "Bad Betty Blonde" brew, all while supporting CASI's work with our local seniors.
	Iowans remember Rev. Jesse Jackson’s political impact Many remember how Iowa played a critical role in shaping Reverend Jesse Jackson's political legacy.
	Man charged after driving 107 mph, chase ending in crash Police say a Henry County driver clocked at 107 mph led officers on a late-night chase that ended in a crash and multiple charges, including a felony DUI-related count, while the passenger was released without charges.
	Pritzker proposes $56B budget with minimal new spending, tax on social media companies Gov. JB Pritzker is proposing a $56 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 with minimal new spending.
	Ranked: The cheapest and most expensive cars to insure in 2026. What’s driving the difference? Ranked: The cheapest and most expensive cars to insure in 2026. What’s driving the difference?A new analysis of more than 3,000 vehicle models finds that the annual gap between the cheapest and most expensive cars to insure is around $4,400.The analysis, conducted by CarInsurance.com, ranks vehicles from the most affordable to the most expensive to insure. The findings show a clear divide: Safe, affordable compact SUVs and crossovers are among the least expensive to insure, while luxury, high-performance models, especially BMW’s M-series, are among the most expensive.Your car’s make and model play a major role in how much you pay for insurance because insurers use that information to estimate future claim costs. They look at past data for each vehicle, including repair expenses, theft rates and safety ratings.In almost all cases, a vehicle’s overall risk profile matters just as much as its sticker price. Cars with strong safety ratings, lower repair costs and affordable parts are typically cheaper to insure and can help keep premiums in check. Understanding which vehicles carry lower premiums and why can help drivers make smarter purchasing decisions before they commit to a car. This CarInsurance.com analysis ranks vehicles from the most affordable to the most expensive to insure.Still uncertain? An online car insurance calculator can help estimate how much you can expect to pay in your state.Key findings: Cheapest and most expensive cars to insureThe BMW M8 Gran Coupe ($6,744), BMW M5 Touring ($6,708) and BMW M5 ($6,593) are the most expensive vehicles to insure.Subaru Crosstrek ($2,299), Jeep Wrangler ($2,307) and Honda CR-V ($2,316) are the cheapest cars to insure in 2026, according to CarInsurance.com’s data study.Car insurance rates vary by make and model based on factors such as repair costs, safety ratings, theft rates, crash statistics and performance, all of which help insurers estimate the likelihood and cost of future claims.The cheapest cars to insure typically have high safety ratings, lower horsepower and low theft rates. Comparing insurance quotes before buying and choosing a slightly older model can further reduce premiums.Cheapest cars to insure in 2026Some models consistently have lower insurance rates due to favorable safety records and low repair costs.These are the cheapest vehicles to insure and their average annual rates for full coverage car insurance:Subaru Crosstrek: $2,299Jeep Wrangler: $2,307Honda CR-V: $2,316Subaru Outback: $2,322Volkswagen Tiguan: $2,329Most expensive cars to insure in 2026Luxury and high-performance models often carry higher insurance premiums due to costly repairs and a higher theft risk.These are the most expensive vehicles to insure and their average annual full-coverage rates:BMW M8 Gran Coupe: $6,744BMW M5 Touring: $6,708BMW M5: $6,593BMW M8: $6,423Audi e-tron GT: $6,413These vehicles cost more to insure due to high-performance engines, expensive parts, higher theft rates and costly collision claims. The annual premiums for luxury and performance models often exceed $6,000.How much does insurance cost by vehicle make?Insurance costs can also differ significantly by vehicle make. The table below shows average monthly premiums across all models for major vehicle makes, based on CarInsurance.com’s 2026 rate analysis. CarInsurance.com Brent Buell, lead data analyst at CarInsurance.com, said that trim level is an often-overlooked factor in premium pricing.“Two versions of the same model can have very different insurance costs. A base-trim sedan and its high-performance variant may share a model name, but from an insurer’s perspective, they’re entirely different risk profiles,” Buell said. “The performance version has more horsepower, a higher MSRP and more expensive components to repair or replace.”Why do insurance costs vary by vehicle?The biggest factors insurers use to set rates are the type of vehicle, its repair or replacement costs and the driver’s risk profile.Key factors that drive cost differences include:Repair costs: Luxury brands have expensive parts and labor.Safety ratings: Vehicles with advanced safety features often net lower rates.Theft rate: Frequently stolen vehicles typically cost more to insure.Crash stats: Cars involved in more severe accidents may carry higher risk loads.Performance: Sports cars are often rated as high-risk.“There are many reasons why insurance rates vary from model to model and make to make,” said Brian Moody, senior editor at Autotrader. “The main consideration is the cost of repair. An insurance company has a responsibility to its customers and employees to make financially wise decisions. If an insured drives a Rolls-Royce, it’s logical that the cost will be higher for that customer because that specific car may be rare and expensive to repair. The expected availability of parts is also a factor.”Here’s how it works in actualityIf a vehicle is worth $10,000, it would cost much less to insure than a vehicle worth $60,000, because the cost of parts is higher for a higher-value vehicle.If a vehicle is totaled, replacing a $10,000 car versus a $60,000 car is a significant price difference, making insurance more expensive for newer, more expensive cars.How does a driver’s age affect car insurance rates by make and model?A driver’s age plays a major role in car insurance costs across all vehicles, with younger drivers paying the highest rates and middle-aged drivers the lowest. And the type of car you choose can increase the differences.For example, an 18-year-old with a Ford Escape might pay $7,710 for insurance, while a 40-year-old with the same car would pay $2,388.The table below shows how insurance premiums vary for the same cars depending on different drivers at ages 18, 25, 40 and 65. CarInsurance.com Choosing the first car for a teenWhen buying a teen driver’s first car, focus on safe and reliable models. Vehicles with strong crash-test ratings and readily available parts tend to have lower insurance costs, even for younger drivers. Avoiding high-horsepower trims and luxury features can help keep premiums manageable as teens gain experience behind the wheel.Insurance after retirementIf you are nearing or in retirement, picking the right car can help keep your insurance costs down as you get older. Cars with good safety ratings, fewer claims and lower repair costs often have the best rates for senior drivers. Switching to a practical, reliable car can lower your premiums without sacrificing comfort or safety.Insurance rates for America’s most popular car modelsBelow is a snapshot of estimated insurance costs for some of the best-selling vehicles in the U.S. — most of which are trucks — including the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 and Toyota Tacoma, among others. CarInsurance.com What is a car’s make and model?Think of a car make and model like your last and first names. The “make” is the car’s last name or brand name — Dodge, Lexus, BMW, Tesla, etc. The “model” would be your first name — the individual model of the vehicle, so this would be Camry (Toyota), Ram (Dodge) or Fusion (Ford).How to choose a car that’s cheaper to insureChoose models with high safety ratings (look at data from the IIHS or NHTSA).Avoid high-horsepower performance trims.Check theft history and loss data reports.Get insurance quotes before purchasing.Consider vehicle age — slightly older cars can be cheaper to insure and may not require full coverage.“A high-horsepower car will cost more, as will a specialty car. Factoring that in before making a purchase can really help manage costs,” Moody said.Chong Gao, director of product management, research and development at Mercury Insurance, agreed.“Carefully compare quotes from different insurers on the various vehicles you are considering,” Gao said. “Luxury and high-performance vehicles tend to cost more to insure, as well as larger vehicles that have the potential to cause more damage.”Additionally, if your vehicle is older, consider reducing your insurance coverage to liability only.“As the actual cash value of your car drops, it could be more cost-effective to replace or repair the vehicle yourself in the event of an accident instead of paying for comprehensive and collision coverages,” Gao said.How to use insurance rates by car to choose the right vehicleThe smartest way to avoid an unexpectedly expensive car that comes with high insurance rates is to compare quotes before you buy. Start with models you actually like, then use insurance data to narrow your choices.Simplify your car search1. Make a short list of three to five cars you’d genuinely be happy driving.2. Use the insurance rates by make and model calculator to compare full-coverage premiums in your state.3. Check age-based costs if the car is for a teen driver.4. Get quotes from multiple insurers for your exact driver profile.5. Adjust deductibles and coverage limits while maintaining adequate protection.Use the insurance rates by make and model calculator to narrow your options, then shop around and compare coverage details to make the final choice that fits your budget.Key takeaways: How car choice impacts insurance costsThe more expensive your car is, the more you’ll pay for car insurance. If cost is your main concern when shopping for a vehicle, make sure you buy a car that’s highly rated for safety, is not frequently stolen and is one of the cheapest cars to insure.Frequently Asked Questions:Which type of car is usually cheapest to insure?Midsize SUVs with high safety scores and low repair costs typically have the lowest premiums.Do newer cars cost more to insure?Not always. New cars with good safety features may qualify for discounts, but they can cost more to repair.Why do sports cars cost more to insure?Sports cars are driven faster, have higher accident rates and cost more to repair, raising insurance costs.How can I check insurance costs before buying a car?Use an online tool to get a car insurance estimate by model using your vehicle’s make, model and year.Does the car’s value affect insurance rates?Yes. Higher value often means more expensive repairs and payouts, increasing premiums.Can a car’s trim and body style affect your car insurance rates?Yes. Pricier trim levels that offer greater horsepower and luxury features can increase the vehicle’s MSRP, raising rates.How do safety ratings affect insurance rates?Safety ratings reflect how well the vehicle protects its occupants in a crash. This will be reflected in your personal injury protection/medical payments coverage, but it is only a small portion of the total cost.Does the color of your car affect car insurance premiums?No, the color of your vehicle is not a rating factor for determining the cost of your policy.MethodologyCarInsurance.com conducted a comprehensive analysis using billions of data points to provide accurate, insightful information on how the type of car you drive affects auto insurance premiums.To ensure consistency, calculations were based on the sample driver profile of a 40-year-old male driver (unless otherwise stated) carrying a full coverage policy with limits of 100/300/100 and $500 collision/comprehensive deductibles. The driver has a 12-mile commute, an annual mileage of 10,000 miles and maintains a clean driving record with no accidents or violations.This story was produced by CarInsurance.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Gas pump defect causing Corvette fires Gas pump defect causing Corvette firesChevrolet Corvette owners have faced a troubling safety issue that turns routine refueling into a potential fire hazard. Reports of fires igniting during or shortly after filling up at gas stations have raised serious concerns about a gas pump defect that Corvette models may experience.This hazard has affected thousands of vehicles and prompted investigations into the root cause of these frightening incidents, LawtonCates reports.Understanding the Corvette Gas Pump DefectThe gas pump defect Corvette owners have reported involves fuel spills while pumping gas, caused by the vehicle’s design that allows excess fuel to leak from the filler neck into nearby hot components. General Motors (GM), which owns Chevrolet, issued a recall (NHTSA 25V-536). The recall notice explains that spilled fuel or fuel vapors can be drawn into the engine bay by the left-side radiator fan, which runs after the engine shuts down. Once inside, the fuel can come into contact with ignition sources, such as the hot exhaust or radiator, creating a fire risk.Which Corvette Models Are Affected?The Corvette models affected by this recall are the C8-generation Z06 (2023–2026) and ZR1 (2025–2026) models. These high-performance supercars are among the fastest Chevrolet has ever made, and the recall impacts over 23,000 vehicles.Has My Corvette Been Recalled?General Motors has issued recalls for certain Corvette models due to concerns about the fuel system. However, owners should verify whether their specific vehicle is included in recall campaigns by checking their Vehicle Identification Number through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website or by contacting a Chevrolet dealer directly.Recall remedies typically involve a fuel-diverting shield to redirect spills away from the cooling fan and hot surfaces, not a replacement or modification of the filler neck itself.Even if your vehicle has been recalled and repaired, you may still have grounds for a gas pump malfunction lawsuit if you suffered losses or if the recall remedy proves inadequate.Why This Issue Is So DangerousThe Corvette gas pump defect is particularly hazardous because it combines flammable materials with ignition sources. Two incidents involved minor burn injuries.These fires also destroy expensive vehicles and can cause significant property damage to gas stations. At least two incidents resulted in total vehicle loss. Anyone affected should consult an attorney about a possible claim.This story was produced by LawtonCates and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Water main break impacting Milan water pressure Crews in Milan are currently dealing with a water main break in the village. A post on the village’s Facebook says there is a water main break in the 300 block of 1st Avenue W. “Currently, there is no boil order in effect, but some areas downtown may experience low water pressure,” the post said. [...]
	Why now is a good time to check the interest rates you're currently paying Why now is a good time to check the interest rates you’re currently payingAs a lot of conversation happens around the potential effects of a 10% cap on credit-card interest rates, the debate brings up a critical point: What are the rates in your own life?Whether the topic is what you’re paying on your mortgage or car loan, or what you’re getting on your savings, these are extremely important numbers that are actively shaping what your future is going to look like.And yet, many people are not even aware of where they stand.“With all the talk about credit card rate caps, it’s a good reminder for people to check the rates across their financial life,” says Joon Um, a financial planner with Secure Tax & Accounting in Beverly Hills, Calif.“We usually suggest a simple annual review: What your cash is earning, what your debt is costing, and whether your mortgage rate still makes sense. Even small differences add up over time.”That’s the key point. Whatever your rates are currently, it’s very possible you could do even better — paying out less on debt, or earning more on savings — if you just put in the research, reports Current, a consumer fintech banking platform. Even small improvements, compounded over years, can be a game-changer for your retirement prospects.Since rates started drifting down with Federal Reserve cuts in 2025, borrowers now have a little breathing room. This year could potentially see three more quarter-point declines, estimates Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman, bringing the range down to 2.75-3% by the end of the year.To optimize your financial situation, you need to know your current rates. But according to one Bankrate report, 43% of people aren’t even aware of the rate on the balances they’re carrying. Among Gen Z, that figure rises to 50%.That should change, and now is an excellent time to do so: The so-called ‘Fresh Start Effect,’ which is behind the obsession with New Year’s resolutions, can offer powerful motivation to make our finances better than ever this year.Some areas where you would be wise to do a 2026 rate check:Mortgages. Thanks to the recent Fed campaign to trim interest rates, amidst moderating inflation, mortgage rates have finally begun to head south. The current average for a 30-year fixed was 6.12%, as of the end of January, the lowest level in more than a year. That’s roughly where they should stay for the rest of 2026, predicts Rossman.So if you took out a mortgage at a significantly higher rate than that, refinancing could now be an option. The general rule of thumb is that a differential of more than 1% makes it worth your while to refinance and reduce those monthly payments.Savings. Odds are you are earning less on your cash than you realize. The average savings account is offering just .61%. Large institutions often pay virtually nothing, at .01%. And interest-bearing checking accounts are also surprisingly paltry, at .07%. However, many online or mobile-only financial solutions offer significantly higher rates.Car loans. The average APR for new-car financing stood at 6.7% in 2025’s fourth quarter — down slightly, but still near historic highs, according to auto information source Edmunds. The result is that monthly payments on new cars are now at the highest levels ever recorded.Since auto-loan rates are still lofty, refinancing probably isn’t going to come to your rescue. The better strategy is to rein in your ambitions before you even sign on the dotted line: Consider a more modest vehicle, ideally used, with a large down payment so you’re not financing as much of the purchase.Credit cards. The idea of a 10% rate cap on credit cards may or may not ever take effect. But the current average is almost double that, at 19.62%, according to the latest data. Among store cards — the likes of which you are offered at the checkout at retailers — that rate soars even higher, to above 30%.These rates are so punishing that it can be difficult to make a dent in your debt, especially if you are just paying monthly minimums. One common response is to consider balance-transfer offers, where you can shift what you owe to another card and typically enjoy a 0% introductory rate.Another smart strategy is to shift to secured charge cards, which can boost your credit score while minimizing the risks of debt, as you can only spend the amount of money available in your account.Remember that it doesn’t take a lot of heavy lifting for your finances to improve dramatically. But it starts with knowledge — so that you can evaluate exactly where you are, and identify which rates can alter your monthly budget for the better.“Moving idle cash to high-yield savings, focusing on the highest-interest debt, and reassessing loans can quietly improve cash flow without major changes,” says Um. “Often, just avoiding the worst rates is the biggest win.”This story was produced by Current and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	10 mental health facts every employer needs to know in 2026 10 mental health facts every employer needs to know in 2026Information travels instantly. While this might help raise awareness and reduce stigma, it also means myths about mental wellbeing can spread just as fast as the truth. You might hear conflicting advice on social media or outdated ideas in the workplace that make it hard to know what to believe.To support your teams effectively, you need a foundation built on evidence. Spring Health compiled 10 facts about mental health that cut through the noise. These insights are designed to help you understand the reality of mental health conditions and take practical action.Fact #1: People living with mental health conditions can succeed at workA diagnosis does not determine a person's capability or potential for professional growth. Many successful leaders, creatives, and innovators manage anxiety, depression, or other conditions while performing at the top of their fields.Why it mattersWhen we assume that a diagnosis equals an inability to work, we fuel mental health stigma. This fear of judgment often drives employees to silence. They may delay seeking care or hide their struggles until they reach a breaking point, which ultimately leads to burnout or absenteeism. Judging performance based on health status rather than output deprives organizations of valuable talent.Fact #2: Mental health benefits can deliver measurable ROIBehavioral health isn’t just a well-being line item. When employees can access the right level of care quickly, and outcomes are tracked, mental health becomes a real lever for containing medical spend.Why it mattersA peer-reviewed JAMA Network Open study found 1.9× ROI (net of program fees), a 14% reduction in physical health claims, and $1,070 in net savings per participant in Year 1. That’s the core business case: Better mental health care doesn’t just increase behavioral health utilization, but it can reduce avoidable downstream costs in the rest of the plan.Fact #3: Mental health conditions are treatable. Many people improve with evidence-based care.Recovery and symptom management of mental health conditions are very possible. Effective treatments exist and allow people to regain control of their lives.Why it mattersIf people believe their suffering is permanent, they are less likely to seek help. Spreading the message of hope and recovery is critical. It shifts the narrative from "suffering" to "managing" and empowers individuals to advocate for the care that works for them.Fact #4: Prevention and early support can reduce the risk and severity of many mental health challengesProactive measures can prevent symptoms from becoming debilitating. Unfortunately, healthcare systems often focus on acute care, stepping in only when someone is in severe distress.Why it mattersAddressing stress, burnout, and early symptoms of anxiety or depression can significantly alter the trajectory of a person's health. Employees with untreated depression incur 149% higher annual healthcare costs than their peers. On the other hand, proactive behavioral health interventions can reduce physical health claims by 14% and drive $1,070 in net savings per participant in just the first year.Fact #5: Most people with mental illness are not violentThe truth is that people suffering from mental illness are accountable for only 3% to 5% of violent crimes and are, in fact, 10 times more likely to be the victims of violence.Why it mattersStereotypes deepen social exclusion and make discrimination more acceptable. It makes people afraid to seek help or disclose their condition to friends, family, or employers for fear of being viewed as a threat.Fact #6: Mental health affects every workplaceHalf of the world's population will experience a mental health disorder in their lifetimes. This is a widespread public health reality that touches every demographic and industry.Why it mattersIgnoring the prevalence of mental health challenges leads to presenteeism, where employees are physically at work but mentally disengaged due to illness. It also impacts organizational culture. When companies pretend these issues don't exist, they miss the opportunity to build resilience and engagement.Fact #7: Seeking mental healthcare shouldn’t put someone’s job at risk, and legal protections may applyIn many regions, including the U.S., laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities, including mental health conditions.Why it mattersThe fear of professional retaliation is one of the biggest barriers to care. Employees worry that if they use their benefits or take leave for mental health, they will be passed over for promotions or fired. This fear keeps people sick and prevents them from accessing the support they need to recover and return to full productivity.Fact #8: Mental health and physical health are deeply connectedMental health and physical health are deeply connected. They are not two separate systems. They constantly influence one another.Why it mattersWhole-person care is the correct approach. Stress can manifest as headaches, muscle tension, or digestive issues. Conversely, dealing with chronic pain or a serious diagnosis like diabetes can trigger depression. Recognizing this link encourages a more holistic approach to wellness.Fact #9: Mental health access is a real barrierWait times and provider shortages are common. Even when someone is ready to seek help, finding an available provider who takes their insurance can be incredibly difficult. "Just get help" is often easier said than done.Why it mattersWhen access is slow or confusing, employees don’t get “mild” support. They get late support. That delay:Increases acuityDrives more LOAs and crisis escalationsQuietly raises medical and pharmacy spend through comorbiditiesFor benefits leaders, access isn’t a nice-to-have feature of a network. It’s the difference between a preventive benefit employees actually use and a reactive system that only shows up when problems are already expensive and disruptive.Fact #10: Mental health leaves are a business continuity issueUnplanned leaves (especially mental health leaves) are often a downstream signal that something broke earlier: Workload strain, manager capability gaps, delayed access to care, or a fragmented support system.Why it mattersHR leaders track mental health leaves because they’re an operational shock to the business, creating coverage gaps, disrupted productivity, and reduced ability to deliver for customers. For benefits leaders, the goal isn’t to “reduce leaves” by discouraging them; it’s to build a clinically sound, employee-trustworthy pathway that supports timely evaluation, appropriate care, and a stable return to work, while giving leaders the visibility (at an aggregate level) to prevent repeat scenarios.10 steps you can take to improve organizational supportReduce friction to first appointment: Focus on a single entry point to care, with clear eligibility, fast booking, and a support path for dependents.Turn leadership modeling into a strategy: Equip executives and people leaders with specific, safe language that normalizes care without oversharing or pressuring employees. Then reinforce it through manager training and comms moments that matter.Measure and manage like a core business priority: Track utilization and outcomes by employee segment (frontline versus corporate, regions, managers), watch leading indicators like time-to-care and repeat engagement, and use those insights to target outreach before stress shows up as attrition, incidents, or leave.Strengthen clinical quality: Vet partners for measurement-based care, outcomes tracking, and provider quality standards.Design benefits that support continuity: Reduce drop-off with fast follow-ups, easy rescheduling, care navigation, and coverage structures that don’t penalize ongoing treatment when it’s clinically appropriate.Operationalize crisis-ready support: Confirm you have a clear escalation model (24/7 options, vendor protocols, and internal response roles), and train managers on what to do when someone may be at risk.Track leading indicators, not just crises: Monitor early signals (engagement/utilization, time-to-first-appointment, repeat visits, high-stress hotspots, and leave precursors) and use them to target interventions before issues escalate into LOA (leave of absence), emergency room visits, or productivity loss.Normalize support: Talk about EAPs and mental health benefits as openly as you talk about physical health insurance.Focus on output: Managers should evaluate team members based on their work performance and results, not on assumptions about their health.Offer accommodations: Simple adjustments, like flexible hours for therapy appointments or noise-canceling headphones for focus, can empower employees to thrive.This story was produced by Spring Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Quad City doctor offers care to U.S. Olympic Ski & Snowboard Teams It all started several years ago when Dr. Tom VonGillern vacationed from his practice at ORA Orthopedics in Moline to Copper Mountain in the Colorado Rockies.
	Red Flag Warning until WED 8:00 PM CST Critical Fire Weather Conditions Persist Until 8 PM CST
	Your data, their profit: How data brokers hijack your personal information and what you can do about it Your data, their profit: How data brokers hijack your personal information and what you can do about itEvery time you sign up for a loyalty program, download an app, browse a website, or even register to vote, you may accidentally be contributing to a largely invisible industry that trades in your personal information.Known as data brokers, companies collect, analyze, package, and then sell your consumer data to advertisers, insurers, lenders, and more. In some cases, this information may even fall into the hands of those who intend to commit fraud or identity theft.The scale of this issue is truly staggering. For that reason, Lifeguard analyzed data and reports from leading sources, including Javelin, Security.Org, LifeLock Norton, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and more, to show how millions of Americans experience identity fraud each year. Losses also reach into the tens of billions of dollars annually. Understanding how this system works is critical. Once you know how your information is gathered, sold, and exploited, you can take practical steps to protect yourself.This guide breaks down the data-broker ecosystem and explains how it contributes to fraud, providing actionable ways to reduce your data footprint and safeguard your identity.What are data brokers and how do they operate?Understanding the long-term impacts of losing your data starts with understanding what data brokers actually are. In short, these are companies that collect, aggregate, analyze, and sell personal information about individuals. Typically, this occurs without direct interaction or the person whose information is being sold's consent. Data collected by data brokers can vary but could include:Full names, addresses, and phone numbersEmail addresses and social media activityPurchase history and browsing behaviorFinancial data and income estimatesProperty ownership and public recordsLocation data from apps and devicesHealth and lifestyle indicatorsSome brokers specialize in marketing data, whereas others create detailed consumer profiles used in risk scoring, insurance pricing, or even background screenings. There is no way to know where your data may end up. Given the extent of an individual’s available personal information, the methods data brokers use to collect this data involve a complicated web of tactics.Here are a few key ways in which your data may be exposed:Public records: Anything from property filings, voter registrations, and court documentsCommercial transactions: Everyday retail purchases, subscriptions, and loyalty programsOnline tracking: Not disabling cookies, logged-on device IDs, and behavioral tracking softwareThird-party partnerships: Buying and selling datasets among companiesData brokers often combine hundreds of thousands of data points to create detailed profiles that predict behavior and preferences. This industry itself is worth billions of dollars annually.While many brokers operate legally, critics argue that transparency is limited and oversight remains inconsistent, especially considering how rampant identity theft has become. In March 2025, Javelin and Strategy Research, an independent financial research firm, reported that consumers lost an estimated $27.2 billion to identity fraud in 2024 alone, which was a 19% increase from the prior year.How data brokers fuel fraud and identity theftThe very same data that helps advertisers target consumers can also be weaponized by scammers. Stolen or purchased data often ends up on underground markets or on the dark web, where criminals can use it for nefarious purposes. This could be opening fraudulent credit accounts, filing fake tax returns, committing medical identity theft, conducting phishing and social engineering scams, taking over online accounts, and so much more.Identity thieves rarely need complete records. Rather, they can assemble profiles from multiple sources. Even partial datasets containing birthdates, past addresses, or family relationships could be enough to bypass a security check on a site that isn’t thorough with its cybersecurity.Once data is leaked or sold, there’s no surefire way to stop it from appearing on underground marketplaces. These sites can sell everything from email lists to full identity packages, including social security numbers, bank account credentials, credit card details, and more, all stolen from aggregated data collected via brokers.Recent enforcement actions and major settlementsThe potential ramifications of data brokers haven’t slipped by federal and state governments. In late 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed rules aimed at limiting the sale of sensitive personal data by citing concerns that the availability of large-scale data increases risks for identity theft and fraud. The proposed rule was meant to address the following:Treat data brokers just like credit bureaus and background check companies: Companies that sell data on income or financial tier, credit history, credit score, or debt payments are consumer reporting agencies required to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, regardless of how the information is used.Protect consumers' personal identifiers from abuse and misuse: When consumer reporting agencies collect information such as names, addresses, or ages for credit reports, any subsequent sale of that information is covered by the FCRA's protections.Require clear consumer consent for data sharing: Under the proposed rule, companies relying on consumers’ consent to obtain or share a consumer’s credit report would need separate, explicit authorization, rather than burying permissions in fine print.Ultimately, though, this measure was never passed. In mid-2025, the Bureau withdrew the proposed rule, finding it unnecessary and misaligned with the agency's revised interpretation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. There were also concerns about the broader enforcement and compliance expansion that would have been required, demonstrating that federal regulation is still evolving.Despite the disappearance of this proposed rule, state governments across the country have taken steps to try and protect consumers. California, for example, has implemented the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act, both of which were intended to restrict the breadth of data that brokers could collect.Even though all these efforts are in place, many experts still argue that enforcement gaps persist due to the complexity and global nature of data markets, as well as the industry’s relative newness.Step-by-step guide: Reducing your data footprintWith federal and state protections still evolving, the best defense for consumers is a proactive offense. Eliminating your digital footprint is nearly impossible, but you can significantly reduce your exposure. This can be done in four steps:Identify data broker listingsThe best way to start is to search for your name and common identifiers, as well as to use consumer resources that list the most well-known data brokers. Make a note of any of these sites and whether you use them now or have used them in the past. If you have used them in the past, you can opt out. If you have not used them before, write them down and avoid them in the future to protect your data.Submit opt-out requestsMost data brokers provide opt-out forms, although the process can be time-consuming. This results in many consumers just agreeing to allow their data to be used, since opting out typically requires verifying your identity, locating your profile, submitting the request, and confirming. However, if you have major concerns, it’s an effort well worth the time.Use state-specific tools to streamline requestsSome states offer services that allow you to streamline your opt-out request. For example, California offers its Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), which centralizes requests and reduces repetitive paperwork. It’s also free to use. Availability of such services varies by state, so start by checking your state government site.Limit future data collectionProactively reducing your data sharing is another excellent way to shrink your data footprint going forward. Simple steps like adjusting app privacy settings, limiting social media sharing, using privacy-focused browsers, avoiding unnecessary account registrations, and opting out of marketing lists wherever possible can help with this objective.Monitoring your ongoing data exposureReducing future exposure is only one part of identity protection, considering much of your data is likely already on the internet. Monitoring your ongoing exposure can help you identify and address problems early. To that end, there are some quick tips that can help you stay on top of your data:Check your credit report: Under federal law, consumers can obtain free credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com and via guidance from the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice Center. Reviewing your report can help you flag unfamiliar accounts or inquiries.Consider dark web monitoring platforms: Various companies continually scan underground forums for exposed credentials or personal data and can alert you if something is amiss.Evaluate identity protection services: If you choose to invest, compare offers based on the breadth of services, including credit monitoring coverage, insurance reimbursement policies, dark web scanning capabilities, and fraud resolution support.It’s nearly impossible to remove all of your data from the internet in today’s day and age, but catching a problem before it worsens can help you reduce monetary loss in the event of fraud.Key warning signs your data has been compromisedIdentity theft often begins with subtle signs, but they aren’t difficult to spot if you know what you’re looking for. Keep a close watch for any of the following:Unexpected credit card chargesBills or accounts you don’t recognizeCredit score drops without explanationDebt collection calls for unfamiliar accountsLogin alerts from unknown devicesMissing mail or account statementsTax returns rejected due to duplicate filingIf you notice any of these signs, it’s not a guarantee that your data or identity has been stolen, but it should be enough to raise an eyebrow and not overlook it. Should you believe your personal information has been exposed, take immediate steps to minimize the damage. Start by filing a report through IdentityTheft.gov, which will provide customized recovery plans and documentation.You should also place a fraud alert with all your lenders so that your identity is verified before any credit is provided. Similarly, consider a credit freeze that will block access to credit reports entirely. These may not prevent account takeovers, though, so implementing a credit freeze should be done in conjunction with other strategies.Next, contact banks, credit card issuers, loan providers, insurance companies, and other relevant entities to stop the approval of fraudulent charges. Finally, change all your passwords and ensure multi-factor authentication is enabled on all of your accounts, but especially banking apps, email accounts, and any account connected to payment services. For businesses, the Federal Trade Commission outlines a clear guide on how to respond to a data breach.Protecting your data in the 21st centuryThe modern economy runs on data, and data brokers sit at its center. While many data brokers operate legally, the massive circulation of personal information creates opportunities for scammers and identity thieves. Identity fraud is not poised to slow down, as personal data becomes more accessible and interconnected. It is important to stay vigilant. The good news is that consumers are no longer powerless and can make use of state tools to help tackle data theft.By understanding how the data-broker industry works, monitoring your digital footprint, and acting quickly when threats appear, you can significantly reduce your risk. Protecting your identity isn’t a one-time task, though, but rather an ongoing process. With the right knowledge and tools, you can turn the tables on data brokers and keep your personal information where it belongs: under your control.This story was produced by Lifeguard and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Water main break reported at 16th Street and 38th Avenue in Moline Drivers should avoid the area due to water flooding the roadway. Crews are actively working at the scene.
	Know your rights when dealing with debt collectors Know your rights when dealing with debt collectorsDebt collectors have a reputation — and in some cases, a well-deserved one — for being unpleasant and intimidating. While the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was created to limit how far collectors can go, intimidation itself is still a common — and often intentional — part of the collections process.According to a former collections agent interviewed by Beyond Finance, creating pressure is the point.“At its heart, creditor intimidation is about trying to create as much overwhelming pressure as you can to get people to pay,” Anton Vogel, a former collections agent, said.Not all intimidation is illegal — as unfair as it may feel. But there are clear legal lines that debt collectors are not allowed to cross.This guide can help you understand your rights, identify common intimidation tactics and recognize when a collector’s behavior goes too far.False or Misleading RepresentationsDebt collectors are not allowed to lie about who they are or make false claims meant to scare you into paying. This includes pretending to work for the government or threatening legal consequences that aren’t real.Unfortunately, this kind of deception does happen. In one documented case, collectors were sentenced after falsely accusing people of fraud and threatening arrest and criminal charges for unpaid debts. Some even claimed to be working with federal and state agencies like the Department of Justice or the U.S. Marshals — claims that were completely untrue.Emotional Manipulation“Believe it or not, empathy is a huge part of creditor intimidation. We’d position ourselves as their ‘friend.’ You get people to open up and tell you about their hardships and why they fell behind on payments, and then you play on those things: ‘You seem like a great guy, and I’m here to help. We can make it right,’” Vogel said.Arrest ThreatsFederal debt collection law prohibits collectors from falsely claiming you’ve committed a crime or will be arrested if you don’t repay the money they claim you owe. Collection agencies cannot issue arrest warrants or have you put in jail. Failing to repay a legitimate credit card debt, mortgage, car loan, or medical bill won’t get you a jail sentence.Even when collectors don’t explicitly threaten arrest, they may rely on fear through implication.“There was the vague, uncertain threat, which tends to be far more terrifying than anything concrete: ‘This isn’t going to end well if you don’t pay,’” Vogel said.You cannot be jailed for owing a debt. But if a judge issues a court order related to that debt and you fail to follow it — such as not appearing in court — the judge may issue a warrant or hold you in contempt, which can lead to jail time.Publicizing Your DebtDebt collectors are not allowed to contact you by postcard, publish the names of debtors who refuse to pay them, or talk to anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney about your debt. Additionally, debt collectors should not try to publicly shame you into paying money that you may or may not owe.Some collectors push right up to these legal boundaries to increase pressure.“We didn’t disclose the debt to other people, but we’d make sure messages came through friends or family. And it worked. We’d come at them from all angles — the little old lady from next door might walk up the street with a note for you. When you got home from work, your boss would call and say, ‘Hey, I got a message from this guy to give him a call.’ Then your mother-in-law would call: ‘Hey, this guy called. His name’s Anton. He wants you to call him,’” Vogel explained.Debt collectors are allowed to contact third parties to try to track you down and ask for your address, home phone number, and place of employment — although they’re generally not allowed to contact such people more than once.Attempting to Collect Debt You Don’t OweIf a debt collector contacts you, they’re required by law to tell you exactly what they believe you owe — and who they believe you owe it to. They must send a written notice outlining the amount, the creditor, and how they’re asking you to pay within their initial communication or within five days of first contacting you.Mistakes happen more often than you might think. Sometimes collectors rely on outdated or incorrect information, such as trying to collect a debt that was already discharged in bankruptcy or one that actually belongs to someone else with a similar name.If something doesn’t look right, don’t panic — and don’t assume the debt is yours. You have the right to ask for more information or dispute the debt. Sending a written dispute by certified mail (with a return receipt) can help you get clarity and create a paper trail while you sort things out.HarassmentDebt collectors cannot:Threaten you with violence or harm.Use obscene or profane language.Call you repeatedly to harass you.Generally call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. without your permission.Call you at work, if you tell them your employer disallows the calls.Contact you at all — if you tell the collector, in writing, to stop contacting you altogether or to only contact your attorney.Collectors are allowed to contact you in limited situations — for example, to let you know they won’t be contacting you anymore, or to notify you that a legitimate lawsuit has been filed.It’s also important to know that much of today’s collector communication isn’t personal — it’s automated. Aggressive calls, emails, letters, and texts are often sent by systems that run on timers, which is why messages can keep coming unless you take formal steps to stop them. If you do exercise your legal right to limit or stop contact and the messages continue, it may be because the collector hasn’t properly updated their system.“Emails, letters, and texts are system-generated on a timer. Everyone in the system gets them, and they’re scripted to be as inflammatory as possible without violating guidelines,” Vogel said.A Note About In-House Collectors and LawsuitsIf you’re behind on a credit card and hear directly from the original lender, those in-house collectors are not covered by the FDCPA. The law generally applies only when a third-party collection agency or debt buyer is involved.And if you receive a court summons related to a debt, don’t ignore it. Some lawsuits are legitimate. When in doubt, verify the court’s contact information to make sure the notice is real — and take it seriously.The Bottom LineEven when it feels personal, creditor intimidation usually isn’t.“It’s a business to them, it’s not personal. All you are is an interest rate on a spreadsheet,” according toVogel.The protections discussed throughout this article come from the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which clearly outlines what debt collectors can and cannot do. You can also read detailed explanations of your rights on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) website.This article is intended to provide general information — not legal advice. If you believe a debt collector has violated your rights, you may want to consider filing a complaint with the CFPB, contacting your state attorney general’s office, or speaking with a qualified consumer rights attorney.This story was produced by Beyond Finance and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What does charged off as bad debt mean? What does charged off as bad debt mean?When it comes to personal finance, there's a lot to learn. Credit is an important—and sometimes confusing—topic.For example, you might know what a credit report is and why you have one. But you might not understand what it means when one of your accounts is marked charged-off as bad debt.If you've seen that phrase on your credit report, Achieve shares how to make sense of it.Key takeaways:Charged off as bad debt means a creditor has written off an unpaid debt as uncollectible.A charge-off on a credit report could hurt your credit score, and a debt collector may try to sue you for the unpaid amount.If you have charged-off debts, it helps to know you have options to manage your financial situation.What does charged off as bad debt mean?Charged off as bad debt means the creditor wrote off the debt because they don’t think they’ll get paid. This usually doesn’t happen until the payment is 90 to 180 days past due.Writing a debt off is not the same as forgiving it. It’s a tax strategy for the creditor. When a debt is charged off, you’re still responsible for repaying it.A charge off may be transferred to the creditor’s collection department or an outside collection agency, both of which could pursue you for payment (including filing a lawsuit against you). A charged-off debt is a serious negative mark on your credit report. It can remain on your credit report for seven years.What charged off as bad debt doesn't meanIf you see that one of your debt accounts has been charged off, it doesn't mean the debt no longer exists. It’s a debt you still owe.The original creditor could assign or sell the debt to a debt collection agency. The debt collector could then reach out to you to get you to pay up.You might get phone calls or emails with requests for payment. If those go unanswered or you file a cease and desist letter to request that they stop contacting you, the debt collector might file a lawsuit in your local court.When that happens, you'll get a summons that tells you when to appear in court, and you'll have a chance to respond before the court date. If the debt collector wins the case, they could take additional steps to garnish your wages or freeze your bank account.Charged-off debts don't go away when the statute of limitations expires, either.Each state has a law that tells creditors how long they are allowed to try and collect on unpaid balances. Once the statute expires, you can no longer be sued for the debt, but legally, you still owe the balance.How do charge-offs affect your credit scores?Creditors could report charge-offs for bad debt to all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These are the agencies that collect information about your credit and add it to your credit reports.A charge-off could lower your credit score because it's considered a derogatory indicator. In simple terms, that means negative information. If you have a charge-off, it means you have late payments on your credit history, which could also hurt your scores.Does it help your credit score to pay off a charged-off account? It could, though some credit scoring models weight charge-offs differently. Keep in mind that whether you pay or not, charge-offs and other negative items could stay on your credit report for up to seven years.What should you do if you have a charged-off debt?If you get a letter that says a debt you owe has been charged off or you see this listed on your credit report, it helps to know what to do next. Here's how to handle it.Validate the debt. Creditors and debt collectors are required by law to validate debts in writing. You should get a debt validation letter that explains the amount owed, the original creditor's name, and your rights if you don't think the debt is yours. Check your records. If you don't recognize the debt details in the validation letter, check your records. Look at your credit reports to see if the debt is listed or check your bank statements to see if you've ever made any payments to the original creditor. Review the SOL. If you think a charged-off debt is outside the statute of limitations, ask the creditor or debt collector to confirm the last date that a payment was made. Check the laws in your state to see if the SOL for the debt has expired so you know whether the debt collector could still sue.If you determine that the debt belongs to you, you'll need to think about what you want to do next.You could…Do nothing—but that doesn't eliminate your responsibility for the debt.Pay the debt in full, if it's doable for your budget.Work out a payment plan with your creditor or debt collector.File for bankruptcy protection to erase the debt.Negotiate the debt to pay less than what you owe.You might talk to a debt expert about which option makes the most sense. A debt expert could look at what you owe and your financial situation to offer solutions.For some people, bankruptcy is the best way out of debt. For others, it's better to resolve the debt and pay a reduced amount. The rest of the debt is forgiven, and it usually isn't taxable if you prove insolvency, meaning you have more debt than assets.And you could also think about how to avoid charge-offs in the future.If you don't have a personal budget in place, for example, you might want to sit down and make one so you know where your money goes. You could also set up calendar notifications or enroll in automatic payments so you never miss a due date. These are small steps, but they could pay off in a big way if they help you improve your financial health.This story was produced by Achieve and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Crews put out field fire off I-80 in Iowa A fire left a scorched path in a field off of Interstate 80 near the exit for Wilton, Iowa.
	Registration open for Little Bogey's Golf Classic Registration is now open for the 30th annual Little Bogey’s Golf Classic at Pinnacle Country Club, 11928 Knoxville Road in Milan. The event will be on Monday, May 11; check-in is from 10:30–11:45 a.m. and golfing starts at noon. Click here to register. The golf tournament unites golfers, sponsors and supporters to raise funds that [...]
	7 surprising medical expenses you can claim on your taxes 7 surprising medical expenses you can claim on your taxesMedical costs can add up quickly, especially if you need ongoing care or specialized treatment. Even with insurance, most people still pay for some healthcare expenses out of pocket.The IRS allows taxpayers to deduct certain qualified medical and dental expenses on their tax return as long as specific requirements are met. Many people are familiar with deducting common costs like prescription medications, eyeglasses, dental cleanings, and visits to healthcare professionals.But there are some eligible medical expenses that you may overlook. From vision correction surgery to medically necessary wigs, understanding which costs qualify and keeping proper records can help you save money during tax time. Below, GoodRx, a platform for medication savings, highlights seven commonly overlooked deductions and how to claim them.Key takeaways:You can deduct qualified medical expenses if you itemize deductions. But only the portion that exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income counts.In addition to common expenses like prescription eyeglasses and dental care, you may also be able to deduct costs such as wigs and medical transportation.Keep detailed receipts and supporting documentation for medical expenses you plan to claim. This may include proof of payment and documentation showing the expense was medically necessary.How do I claim medical expenses on my taxes?You can deduct medical expenses only if you itemize deductions on your tax return. If you take the standard deduction, you won’t be able to claim medical expenses.Itemizing deductions means listing all eligible expenses for the year instead of taking the fixed standard deduction amount based on your filing status. Only medical expenses, added together, that are more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) are deductible.If you itemize, then you can’t also take the standard deduction. You must choose one or the other.If you itemize, here are the steps you need to take to claim medical expenses:Add up your eligible medical expenses for the year. This includes expenses for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents.Compare your total itemized deductions with the standard deduction. If itemizing gives you a larger deduction, it may make sense to itemize.Report your qualified medical expenses. On Schedule A (Form 1040), enter your total unreimbursed medical and dental expenses on Line 1.Follow the instructions on Schedule A. Calculate how much of your medical expenses you can deduct after applying.Which medical expenses are tax-deductible?You can deduct qualified medical expenses if you itemize deductions, but only the portion that exceeds 7.5% of your AGI. Keep in mind that AGI is not the same as total income. It’s your income after certain tax adjustments, such as deductible HSA contributions. AGI is the number the IRS uses to calculate medical expense deductions.The IRS provides guidance on which medical and dental expenses qualify for a tax deduction. You’re probably familiar with deducting unreimbursed payments to healthcare professionals. But here are some deductible medical expenses that may surprise you.1. AcupunctureAcupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and is commonly used to treat or relieve pain associated with a variety of conditions. Since the IRS allows deductions for medical care to treat medical conditions, acupuncture can qualify as a deductible medical expense when it’s used for a medical purpose.Acupuncture may be recommended to help manage conditions such as:ArthritisFibromyalgiaTennis elbowSome health insurance plans cover acupuncture treatments. Without insurance, acupuncture can cost more than $100 per session. But if you have to pay out of pocket for acupuncture, you can include it as a medical expense on your tax return.2. In vitro fertilization (IVF)IVF is a medical treatment that can help people with fertility challenges get pregnant. The procedure comes with a high price tag, often $15,000 to $30,000 per IVF cycle, and the cost of medications can be an additional charge or included in the bundled price.Insurance may cover some IVF cycle costs. But you can deduct out-of-pocket costs of IVF procedures performed on yourself, your spouse, or a dependent. You can also include the costs of temporary storage for eggs or sperm.3. LASIK surgeryYou may already know that you can deduct the cost of prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses on your tax return. But you can also deduct LASIK surgery since it’s considered a vision correction procedure.On average, LASIK can cost over $4,000 for both eyes, depending on where you live and the type of laser used. LASIK is not considered medically necessary, so many health insurance plans won’t cover it. By deducting the out-of-pocket costs associated with LASIK on your tax return, you may be able to save some money.4. Service dogsYou generally cannot deduct pet expenses on your tax return. But you can deduct expenses related to a service animal, such as a guide dog. Service dogs can help make life easier for individuals living with mental or physical disabilities. You can deduct expenses associated with your dog’s care, such as:FoodGroomingTrainingVeterinary servicesFor expenses to be deductible, you must prove the following:The dog is medically necessary. A doctor’s prescription can serve as proof.The animal is trained to provide assistance for the specific medical condition.5. WigsYour wig may qualify as a tax write-off if certain medical requirements are met. The wig must be prescribed by a medical professional for hair loss related to a medical condition or treatment, such as:AlopeciaChemotherapyHead burnIf a healthcare professional recommends a wig because of your medical condition, your wig purchase becomes a qualified medical expense. Cosmetic wigs won’t count as tax-deductible expenses.6. Medical transportationGenerally, you can deduct the cost of traveling to a medical facility. For example, if you need to visit a healthcare professional for an appointment, you can deduct your travel costs on your tax return. Below are a few transportation costs you may be able to deduct:Ambulance service feesBus and train fareGasParking fees7. DenturesIf you’ve lost some of your natural teeth, you might consider dentures. But depending on the type of dentures you choose and your insurance plan, you could end up paying anywhere from $1,000 to $28,000.The amount you pay out of pocket for dentures can be deducted from your taxes. They are considered a qualified medical expense because they are a treatment designed to alleviate dental disease.Which medical expenses are not tax-deductible?Medical expenses generally aren’t tax-deductible unless they are medically necessary. You’re also not allowed to deduct medical costs unless your total qualified expenses exceed 7.5% of your AGI and you itemize deductions.For example, cosmetic surgeries are usually not deductible because they’re considered elective or not medically necessary. This often includes:Brazilian butt lift (BBL)FaceliftHair removalHair transplantLiposuctionCosmetic surgery may be deductible if it’s needed to treat a medical condition, an injury, or a deformity. In those cases, the procedure must be primarily medical instead of cosmetic, but this purpose needs to be supported by documentation from a healthcare professional.What qualifies as a qualified medical expense?In general, the IRS considers a medical expense “qualified” if it’s primarily used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or manage a medical condition. This includes costs related to the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.If you pay for medical care for any part of your body, the expense may qualify if it’s medically necessary and not reimbursed by insurance or another program. Expenses that are mainly for general health or personal well-being usually don’t qualify. For example, gym memberships are typically not deductible unless they are prescribed to treat a specific medical condition.Working with a qualified tax professional can help you determine whether a specific expense qualifies based on your situation.How do I prove medical expenses?It’s important to keep your receipts and documents for at least three years. These records help show that your medical expenses were eligible, unreimbursed, and paid out of pocket if the IRS ever audits your return.The bottom lineWhen you file your taxes, you may be able to deduct qualified medical expenses, such as dentures and medical transportation, if you itemize deductions. You can deduct only the portion of your expenses that exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income known as AGI. It’s a good idea to work with a tax professional to determine if you should itemize deductions and to find out which medical expenses qualify.This story was produced by GoodRx and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Why simple tax filers are leaving money on the table and how to fix it Why simple tax filers are leaving money on the table and how to fix itMillions of simple tax filers may be leaving money on the table — not because their returns are complicated but because uncertainty keeps them from claiming what they’re eligible for.New TurboTax survey research highlights a clear pattern: 44% of Americans are confused as to how new tax provisions apply to their income. That hesitation — not complexity — has real consequences: missed credits, overlooked contributions, and preventable tax bills.Max Your Retirement Contributions Before April 15Many simple tax filers overlook retirement contributions because they assume tax savings require complex planning.For W-2 filers who take the standard deduction, contributing to a traditional IRA before the April 15 tax deadline can still reduce taxable income for the prior tax year. Contributions reduce taxable income dollar for dollar, which can translate into meaningful savings depending on income level. For example, a $7,000 contribution — the 2025 limit for filers under age 50 — could reduce taxes by approximately $1,680 for someone in the 24% tax bracket or $1,540 for someone in the 22% bracket.Even smaller contributions can provide partial savings, making retirement contributions one of the few remaining ways to lower your tax bill after the calendar year ends.“Last-minute IRA contributions are generally one of the few remaining ways to lower last year’s tax bill after the year has ended. This strategy is often overlooked because people assume all financial deadlines for the tax year fall on Dec. 31, not realizing they have until the tax deadline to potentially increase their refund,” said Lena Hanna, certified public accountant and enrolled agent with TurboTax.Know Which Credits You May Qualify ForFear of making filing mistakes continues to prevent many Americans from claiming credits they may be entitled to. TurboTax data shows that 50% of filers worry about errors when claiming credits, even though credits directly reduce a tax bill or increase a refund. Unlike deductions, which reduce taxable income, tax credits reduce your tax dollar for dollar.This data suggests that hesitation outweighs clarity; even straightforward returns can result in missed savings.Commonly overlooked credits for simple filers include the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Saver’s Credit for retirement contributions. Many filers assume these credits do not apply to them based on income level or family status.Eligibility rules and income thresholds can change year to year, which makes assumptions costly. Many filers use tax software to help uncover credits they might otherwise miss by answering straightforward eligibility questions.Understand the New Tax ProvisionsNew tax provisions for 2025 may affect workers with W-2 income, particularly those who earn tips or work overtime. Despite these changes, the research shows that 44% of Americans are uncertain how updated rules apply to their income.Key updates include proposed exclusions for certain tip income of up to $25,000, along with enhanced deductions tied to qualified overtime income of up to $12,500, or $25,000 for married filers. These provisions are designed to help everyday and essential workers keep a large share of their earnings.For example, a restaurant worker who earned $15,000 in reported tips could see that entire amount deducted from their taxable income under the new rules, making eligibility checks especially important for filers who rely on tips or overtime pay.“These new rules are essentially a ‘tax-time raise’ for everyday workers because it allows them to keep a larger share of their hard-earned income. Even if the employer didn’t separate overtime premiums or tips on their W-2, the IRS allows taxpayers to use the last paystub of the year or similar documentation to enter the necessary amounts into tax software,” said Hanna.Don't Wait — File NowDelaying filing can reduce the time available to review information or correct mistakes. TurboTax research shows that 38% of Americans plan to file later than usual due to confusion about tax changes, even though waiting can limit the ability to fix errors or follow up on missing information, or make last-minute contributions.What to do now:Review last year’s return to spot missed credits or deductionsGather key documents early, including W-2s and 1099sCheck whether you can still make a retirement contribution before filingLeave time to address questions or correct errors if they come upFor filers expecting a refund, submitting sooner may also mean receiving funds earlier. Survey findings suggest that clarity — not just speed — can reduce tax-season stress, especially during periods of elevated financial pressure.The Bottom LineTurboTax survey research highlights a persistent gap: Tax filing uncertainty continues to prevent Americans from making informed money decisions — and that hesitation can translate into missed opportunities.For simple filers with W-2 income and standard deductions, maximizing a refund often comes down to clarity — understanding available credits, taking advantage of retirement contribution deadlines, recognizing new provisions, and filing with enough time to avoid last-minute errors.That data suggests the issue isn’t complexity — it’s confidence. When filers understand what applies to them — and when — they’re more likely to claim what they’re entitled to and move through tax season with greater financial control.About the Research: TurboTax commissioned Wakefield Research to conduct a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults on Sept. 19 and Sept. 28, 2025. The study examines American attitudes and behaviors around tax filing.This story was produced by TurboTax and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What is the Meta AI app? Everything you need to know What is the Meta AI app? Everything you need to knowThe Meta AI app is an all-in-one assistant that remembers your preferences, generates content, and continues conversations across devices—including Ray-Ban Meta glasses, phones, and desktops. It adapts to your workflow for personalized productivity.Launched in April 2025 and powered by Llama 4, the Meta AI app helps businesses with content ideation, customer support, and AI-driven insights, making it easier to create, collaborate, and engage with audiences. Here, WebFX breaks down what the Meta AI app offers and how businesses can use it.What is the Meta AI app?The Meta AI app is a free, standalone personal AI assistant app that allows users to engage in voice or text conversations to complete tasks, generate content, and get recommendations. Built on Llama 4 and enhanced with full-duplex speech technology, it creates a more natural, real-time voice experience for users.The app is Meta’s answer to other AI assistants like Siri, Google Gemini, and ChatGPT — but with an emphasis on personalization and social connectivity. It syncs with Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and offers features tailored to how users interact with content across these channels.Key features of the Meta AI appThe Meta AI app offers a mix of features designed to make digital tasks feel more natural and personalized. These capabilities make it easy to multitask on the go or find fresh inspiration for your content. WebFX How the Meta AI app supports business usersWhile this AI assistant app is designed for everyday users, using Meta AI for business holds potential — especially for marketing applications, customer service, and internal productivity.Thinking beyond casual use? Here’s how the Meta AI app can help your business, too:Quick content ideationStruggling to write a headline or social caption? The Meta AI app can suggest, revise, or optimize your content in seconds — perfect for marketers juggling multiple platforms.Productivity on the goUse voice commands while multitasking to brainstorm ideas, prep meeting notes, or outline blog posts. It’s like having a creative partner in your pocket.Customer service supportTrain the app for Meta AI to simulate customer inquiries so you can draft better responses. It’s a tool for small businesses without a full-scale support team.AI-powered research and insightsUse the Meta AI app to quickly synthesize topics, summarize articles, or generate images and insights using its existing knowledge base — saving time when you need fast, actionable takeaways.Quick Note: This AI app does not currently access real-time web data. It may also experience hiccups in voice recognition as Meta collects feedback to refine the tech.Training and onboarding supportCreate onboarding scripts, internal FAQs, or quick-reference guides for new team members. It’s an efficient way to scale internal knowledge.Attracting leadsThe Meta AI app’s Discover Feed isn’t just a place to explore fun prompts — it’s also a subtle tool for visibility and AI lead generation. By sharing unique use cases, creative prompts, or value-driven content, businesses and creators can spark conversations, gain followers, or even attract leads organically.Privacy and data: What you should knowWith personalization at the core of the Meta AI experience, it’s important to understand how your data is collected, processed, and stored. No matter how you use this AI assistant app — casually or for business — reviewing its privacy settings and controls can help you stay informed and protected.What Meta AI remembersMeta AI customizes responses based on data from your Facebook or Instagram profile (if connected). It may also recall things you’ve explicitly told it, such as your professional interests, recent purchases, or personal routines you’ve shared over time.Data transparency and controlsMeta AI keeps things visible — a microphone icon appears on-screen when voice input is active. You can also adjust whether Meta AI remembers personal details and even wipe your memory history.Potential concernsSome users worry about over-personalization and behavioral tracking. Since the AI draws from your Meta ecosystem activity, being aware of how your data is used is crucial. Businesses, especially, should weigh the convenience of personalization with responsible data use and AI ethics.Meta AI app vs. other AI assistantsHow does Meta AI compare to other AI assistants? WebFX The Meta AI app stands out for its full-duplex voice conversations, tight integration with Meta’s social platforms, and a Discover feed that lets users explore and share AI-generated content. These features amplify personalization and boost user engagement across devices.Considerations for useIf you’re curious about AI or already using other assistants, the Meta AI app is an option for both casual and business users.It is designed to be intuitive and helpful for various tasks. Just be mindful of what you share, especially if you manage sensitive data.For most users, the benefits of personalized support and content ideation are factors to consider alongside data privacy.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Moline responds to water main break at 38th Avenue, 16th Street Drivers in Moline are asked to avoid the area of 38th Avenue and 16th Street due to repairs to a broken water main. A post on the city’s Facebook page says the city’s Utilities Department is responding to the water main. Drivers are asked to avoid the area to give them space to complete repairs. [...]
	Traffic alert: Water-main break closes part of 16th St. in Moline A water-main break has closed part of 16th St., 36th Avenue in Moline.
	The rise of road rage: Where drivers lose their cool the most The rise of road rage: Where drivers lose their cool the mostOn a crowded highway, the difference between a close call and a catastrophe can be a few seconds of impulse control. Researchers have long examined the risky behaviors that often come with aggressive driving. This involves speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and confrontational gestures. These driving behaviors trigger angry responses and escalate tensions between motorists. One category of these encounters, however, has proven easier to quantify than most: incidents in which road rage involves a firearm.To better understand where and how road rage is most likely to occur, Temple Injury Law, a personal injury law firm, examined publicly available transportation and safety data to identify the areas with the highest number of road rage incidents across the United States.Road rage is common. Measuring it is hard.Ask drivers if they’ve witnessed aggressive behavior on the road, and most will say yes. In a 2025 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report, 96% of drivers surveyed reported engaging in aggressive driving or road rage behaviors at least once in the prior year.But “road rage” is a squishy category. Many confrontations never become police reports, let alone crashes. Even in fatal-crash data, the National Safety Council notes that only incidents involving crashes get counted: just 1.2% of vehicles involved in 2023 fatal crashes were linked to “road rage” in crash surveillance data.That data gap is one reason firearm-involved road rage has become a proxy for understanding where driving anger turns especially dangerous: gun incidents are more likely to draw official response and media attention, creating a clearer paper trail than insults, horn-blaring, or intimidation.Where drivers “lose their cool” most oftenBecause road rage can look different from one incident to the next, there isn’t a single perfect scoreboard for where it’s “worst.” But gun-involved road rage incidents provide measurable data from The Trace’s analysis.By total incidents, the most populous states leadWhen you simply count the number of gun-involved road rage incidents between 2014 and 2023, the nation’s most populous states rise to the top: Chip Brownlee // The Trace Texas recorded 741 gun-involved road rage incidents.Florida recorded 488 gun-involved road rage incidents.California recorded 321 gun-involved road rage incidents.Other states can jump to the frontTo account for population differences, The Trace calculated an average annual rate of armed road rage incidents per 1 million residents. By that measure, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Wisconsin also recorded the highest rates of armed road rage, while New Jersey, New York, and Iowa had the lowest rates.In other words, the “most incidents” map and the “highest rate” map aren’t the same, and a state can rank high on one and not the other. Chip Brownlee // The Trace Hotspots can be local, not just statewideThe Trace also identified city-level concentration. Houston had the most gun-involved road rage incidents and shooting victims among cities analyzed: 214 incidents and 206 people killed or wounded from 2014 to 2023.That kind of clustering is a reminder that “where road rage is worst” may be less about state lines and more about specific metro areas, roadway design, enforcement patterns, and the daily grind of congestion.What’s fueling the angerResearchers and safety agencies point to a mix of personal stressors and roadway conditions. AAA’s 2025 report emphasizes that aggressive driving and road rage are evolving social behaviors influenced by multiple factors: driving patterns, lifestyle changes, and technology.There’s also the reality that everyday driving creates ripe conditions for conflict: a blocked goal (getting where you’re going) plus the anonymity of a vehicle can lower inhibitions. The Trace, citing expert research on aggression, notes that frustration can push behavior toward hostility—especially when drivers feel their progress is being impeded.And then there’s speed. While speeding isn’t the same thing as road rage, it’s one of the clearest measurable signals of high-risk driving. NHTSA reports that speeding killed 11,775 people in 2023 and was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities that year.In practice, the same road conditions that increase speeding, congestion, time pressure, and aggressive passing also tend to increase interpersonal conflict.The road aheadRoad rage stories often arrive as isolated headlines, but the data shows something closer to a pattern, one that varies sharply by state and spikes in specific metro areas. And because so many non-crash incidents go uncounted, the statistics that do exist may reflect only the most visible tip of a broader problem.For traffic safety officials and policymakers, the question isn’t just where road rage is most common, but how to prevent routine frustration from turning into something far more dangerous. And for drivers, the data underscores a quieter reality of modern roadways: most trips end without incident, but the margin for error in heated encounters has narrowed.This story was produced by Temple Injury Law and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Women's heart health demands unique attention Women's heart health demands unique attentionThe medical community oversimplified cardiac care for too long: A heart was a heart, regardless of whether it beat in a man or a woman.Embedded in decades of research and clinical practice, this male-centric perspective has had profound, often tragic, consequences for women's heart health, Northwell Health reports. It’s time to fully acknowledge and act upon the critical differences that define the female cardiovascular system.Historically, heart disease research has predominantly focused on menFrom the 1940s through the 1970s, the vast majority of studies identifying heart disease risk factors and developing treatment strategies included only male participants. The assumption was that findings from men could simply be applied to women. This oversight meant that women's unique physiological responses, symptoms, and disease presentations were largely ignored. While the Framingham Heart Study did include women, its early, limited data wrongly suggested that women didn't really get heart disease, further hindering progress.The true cost of this historical blindness became terrifyingly clear in the mid-1980s. As advanced treatments like stents and statins began to significantly lower heart disease mortality rates for men, women's rates remained stagnant. Then, shockingly, they started to climb. More women than men were dying of heart disease for the first time, and the gap continued to widen. This undeniable disparity was the ultimate wake-up call, forcing us to ask: "Does biological sex matter?"Women's heart attack symptoms can differ and may be less obviousThe classic "Hollywood heart attack"—crushing chest pain radiating down the arm—is often a male presentation. Women, however, frequently experience chest pain, along with more subtle symptoms, such as shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, or discomfort in the jaw, back, or arm. In the past, these were termed "atypical" symptoms and were too often dismissed, leading to delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, or even being told "it's all in your head." We also learned of "silent MIs," where heart damage is seen on an ECG even without the woman experiencing overt symptoms.Many women experience heart attacks without traditional coronary artery blockagesHistorically, heart attacks were equated with completely blocked coronary arteries. Yet large, international studies like TIMI IIIB revealed that a significant percentage—up to a quarter—of women diagnosed with myocardial infarction had no obstructive lesions in their major arteries. This groundbreaking discovery challenged the very definition of a heart attack and showed that diagnostic gold standards were insufficient for women. It pointed to different underlying mechanisms of disease, such as microvascular dysfunction, a form of non-obstructive heart disease in which tiny coronary arteries fail to properly widen, reducing oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart muscle.Risk factors and disease mechanisms often impact women uniquelyWe now understand that biological sex influences cardiovascular health in myriad ways. Women with diabetes, for instance, have a markedly different risk factor profile than men with the same condition. Women are two to three times more likely to experience migraine with aura, a known risk factor for ischemic stroke. Even the most common mechanisms of sudden cardiac death differ between sexes, and women face a significantly higher mortality risk from certain chronic conditions.The question has evolved from "Does biological sex matter?" to "How does it matter?" This must become the foundational principle guiding all future research, clinical practice, and medical education. It means asking how sex hormones impact cellular function, how to better include women in clinical trials, and how to tailor prevention, diagnosis, and treatment based on sex-specific differences.This isn't just about scientific curiosity; it's about saving lives. Men should be more than allies; they need to be advocates, and even accomplices, in this crucial mission, recognizing that when we truly understand and address women’s unique health, we elevate care for both men and women. Every woman deserves the most precise, gender- and sex-specific care modern medicine can offer.This story was produced by Northwell Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	ChatGPT Ads: Everything you need to know ChatGPT Ads: Everything you need to knowThe internet has changed how people look for information. Rather than scrolling through links, millions now type full questions into AI chat tools and expect direct answers. With more than 800 million weekly active users, ChatGPT sits at the center of this shift, and it has become a default destination for everyday decision-making. That level of attention has not gone unnoticed by advertisers or by OpenAI itself. Here, Floodlight, a programmatic ad solutions provider, breaks down how ChatGPT ads work and what users and brands should expect.TL;DR: On Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, U.S. users on the free and Go ($8/month) tiers of ChatGPT began receiving ads inside the conversations. OpenAI has committed that ads do not influence answers, user data will not be sold, and personalization is optional. However, there is no public ad platform yet.When Will ChatGPT Introduce Ads?On Feb. 9, 2026, OpenAI launched ads inside ChatGPT. The ads appear for logged-in U.S. adults using the free tier or the $8-per-month ChatGPT Go tier. Higher-paid plans (Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise) will remain ad-free.Ads will appear separately from the chatbot's responses and will be clearly labeled as sponsored content. These ads will sit at the bottom of answers when there is a relevant product or service.Why This Shift Happened So QuicklyChatGPT launched publicly in late 2022 and quickly became one of the fastest-growing consumer applications in history. Today, it processes hundreds of millions of daily prompts. This growth reflects a behavioral change: People now rely on AI chat tools for tasks they once handled through search engines like Google and Bing.OpenAI has raised roughly $64 billion from investors but generated only a fraction of that in revenue last year. Running AI systems at this scale is expensive, and most users never pay. The majority remain on the free tier, creating a need for sustainable monetization. From a financial perspective, rolling out ads within ChatGPT makes sense.Why Helpful Tools Rarely Stay FreeThe U.S. advertising market is enormous. In 2024, advertisers spent more than $258.6 billion on digital ads. Platforms like Google and Meta built their businesses by monetizing user attention through targeted advertising. When a platform attracts hundreds of millions of active users, advertisers are sure to follow.This pattern repeats: Advertising follows attention, and platforms need revenue to scale. Unlike social media feeds or search results, AI chat tools feel more personal. Users share specific questions, preferences, and goals, making advertising potentially more relevant than simply giving ad space to whichever brand pays the most to be shown.How ChatGPT Ads Will WorkAds will be tied to conversation context. If a user asks about dinner recipes, they might see a grocery delivery ad. The system matches ads to topics at hand rather than building long-term user profiles.Ads will be clearly labeled and separated. OpenAI has stated repeatedly that ads will not influence the chatbot's answers. They will appear in marked sections below the responses. ChatGPT’s priority is to give useful information, so if you’re asking for tips on how to remove acne, ChatGPT will generate a helpful, summarized answer, but an ad for facial moisturizer may pop up at the bottom of the screen in a clearly defined section.What Users Will See (And Not See)Ads only appear for logged-in adults on free or Go tiers. Premium subscribers don’t see ads. This creates a division: Those who can afford premium access avoid advertising, while those relying on free or low-cost options encounter it.Ads do not appear in certain contexts. Conversations involving sensitive topics (health, mental health, or politics) will remain ad-free. OpenAI uses age-prediction technology to exclude users under 18 from ad targeting.OpenAI has emphasized user control. The system allows people to dismiss ads, provide feedback, and turn off personalization. Users can clear ad-related data at any time without affecting other ChatGPT features.The Privacy and Data Aspect of Ads Within ChatGPTOpenAI's approach differs from platforms like Google and Meta. The company has stated it will not sell user data and that conversations remain private. Advertisers cannot access personal details like age, location, or browsing history. Instead, advertisers will see aggregate metrics such as impression counts and click rates.Ad targeting relies on current conversations rather than long-term profiles. The system matches context to relevance without building persistent advertising identities. Questions remain about what data OpenAI retains to enable contextual relevance.The Importance of Trust and NeutralityAdvertising inside ChatGPT raises a fundamental question: Can the platform remain neutral when it has a financial incentive to favor certain brands?OpenAI has addressed this directly. ChatGPT’s ad announcement states that "ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you." The company's principle is that advertising must remain separate from the chatbot's core function.Whether users believe this depends on how the system operates. If ads consistently align with recommendations, trust could erode quickly. OpenAI's credibility depends on maintaining a clear boundary between organic suggestions and paid placements.Google has faced similar scrutiny as ads became more prominent in search results. People ask ChatGPT for help, not product pitches. If the line blurs, the platform risks losing trust.Why There Is No Clear Way for Everyday Brands to Run Ads on ChatGPT YetDespite the announcement, everyday brands cannot simply start advertising. As of writing, OpenAI's ad system has restricted access to a small group. There is no public ad platform, no formal buying process, and no timeline for broader access.Agencies have reached out seeking information, only to receive vague responses. OpenAI told one agency there is "no wait list" right now. Overall, there aren’t many answers from OpenAI at this point.This restraint reflects the stakes. OpenAI is rolling out ads slowly to avoid missteps that plagued Perplexity, which launched ads before hitting pause in late 2025. Building a functional ad system takes time… pricing models need testing, partnerships need vetting, and user reactions need monitoring.For now, the answer to "How can I run ads on ChatGPT?" is simple: Everyday brands generally cannot. All brands should watch for updates but not expect immediate access.What Ads Mean for ChatGPT UsersWe’re still in early innings, but ads currently resemble standard search ads (simple, labeled, and relatively unobtrusive). Over time, the format may evolve.One possibility is more interactive ad experiences. Rather than static links, users might engage with ads directly by asking follow-up questions or comparing options. This would make ads feel more like tools than interruptions, though it would blur the line between assistance and promotion.AI chat tools are changing how people search for information. Questions are replacing keywords. Conversations are replacing clicks. Whether platforms can monetize that attention without compromising trust remains to be seen.For users, the key will be whether ads feel relevant and respectful. If they do, advertising inside ChatGPT may become normalized. If not, users may migrate to competitors or demand stricter boundaries.Final ThoughtsChatGPT's introduction of ads marks a turning point, and whether this works depends on trust.OpenAI has committed that ads do not influence answers, user data will not be sold, and personalization will remain optional. If these promises hold, advertising inside ChatGPT may become accepted. If they falter, OpenAI could face serious backlash.If people who once used ChatGPT in their daily life are now riddled by unrelated ads, the platform's value diminishes. If it enhances the experience by surfacing relevant options without compromising neutrality, it could set a new standard that benefits both users and brands alike.For now, OpenAI is proceeding carefully. This restraint may frustrate advertisers, but it signals the company understands what is at stake. Once trust is lost, it’s extremely difficult to rebuild.As AI chat tools reshape how people interact with information, advertising will follow. What matters is how it arrives, how it operates, and whether it serves users as much as brands.This story was produced by Floodlight and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Olympic bobsledder Steve Mesler on vulnerability, depression and redefining mental health for elite athletes Olympic bobsledder Steve Mesler on vulnerability, depression and redefining mental health for elite athletesElite athletes are often praised for their resilience, grit and mental toughness. But Steve Mesler, 2010 Olympic gold medalist in the bobsled, explains how those same qualities can quietly become barriers to mental health support.In a recent episode of LifeStance Health’s Convos from the Couch podcast, Mesler shared candid insights into why vulnerability is so difficult for elite athletes, how depression nearly cost him his life and how he is now working to support future generations through the non-profit organization Classroom Champions.Why vulnerability feels unsafe at the Olympic levelAt the highest level of sport, competition is relentless and vulnerability can feel risky. Mesler described elite athletics as a true meritocracy, where athletes are constantly evaluated and replaced if they appear weak.“When you're at that level, the concept of vulnerability as an athlete is dangerous,” Mesler explained. “If you're going to ask for help, it means you need help. It means you need something.”In bobsledding, where team selection includes subjectivity, Mesler knew there were dozens of athletes waiting for his seat.“There were 20 guys that would've done anything to be in my seat, and I knew that. So, the concept of vulnerability was something that was just foreign.”Subsequently, this fiercely competitive environment conditions athletes to suppress pain, especially mental and emotional pain.“If you were sick or if you were hurt, the sharks would circle,” he said. “From a mental aspect, you didn't let it go there.”While this perseverance and masking of emotions can drive performance, they may also create long-term harm. Mesler emphasized that athletes are rarely taught which mental skills serve them in sport and which ones need to be re-examined once competition ends. The result is a culture where asking for help feels incompatible with success, even when mental health challenges are mounting beneath the surface.Living with depression after Olympic successDespite achieving an Olympic gold medal, leadership roles, professional success and a growing family, Mesler found himself facing severe depression after his athletic career.He shared that he reached a point where simply getting through the day felt impossible. The inner drive that once fueled his athletic success had gone quiet. His sense of purpose flattened. Even activities that once brought energy and joy no longer did. At the worst point of his depression, he even contemplated suicide.“I've competed in the Olympic Games with six guys. I've had to bury two of them from taking their own lives,” he said. “And then I myself have been five steps from stepping in front of a train.”In sports fashion, Mesler described depression as an injury that affected his brain just as a torn muscle would affect the body. Yet unlike physical injuries, mental health struggles don’t automatically remove expectations or responsibilities. He continued working, leading and showing up in his post-Olympic life, even as he felt broken internally.What helped Mesler heal from depressionWhat ultimately helped Mesler begin to heal from his depression was a combination of professional support and intentional life changes:Therapy and prescription medication: Working with a counselor helped him personally understand what he was experiencing and gave him tools to support his recovery. Medication, taken as prescribed, played an important role during his healing process too.Reconnecting with people: He intentionally deepened relationships, reached out to friends and allowed himself to have more honest conversations, which was something he had rarely done as an athlete.Reclaiming purpose and achievement: Mesler recognized that humans need goals and pursuits beyond a single identity. He reintroduced daily physical activity, learning and personal growth into his life. “I needed something that I was chasing and pursuing,” he explained. “I needed to find achievement again. Waking up every morning and working out helped.”Managing the inner monologue: One of Mesler’s most powerful insights in his personal mental health journey was recognizing the impact of self-talk. He learned to interrupt negative thought spirals and consciously reframe them. He now shares these concepts with younger athletes, impressing his personal perspective that, “Being critical of yourself is okay, but if you do that all the time, the negativity that will come back to you is overwhelming.”Learning and curiosity: By committing to learning something new regularly, he reengaged his curiosity and sense of vitality.Advice for today’s Olympians and athletesFor athletes, Mesler offers guidance rooted in both experience and compassion.Worth is not defined by performance or medals. Goals are important, but identity should not be singular. In Mesler’s experience, athletes benefit from pursuing other interests and passions alongside sport, not as distractions, but as protective buffers for mental health. For Mesler, limiting himself to “I am an Olympian,” was harmful once the Games ended. He recommends shifting to a humanistic identity perspective like, “I am a person who does hard things,” so it can apply to multiple areas and experiences.Pay attention to inner dialogue. The way athletes speak to themselves matters, especially over time. Learning to reframe setbacks, balance self-criticism with self-support and recognize emotions as tools rather than threats may make a meaningful difference.Use vulnerability intentionally. Mesler emphasizes that vulnerability is not something athletes must abandon forever. Instead, embrace it and use it thoughtfully. Knowing when to be tough and when to ask for help is part of long-term resilience.Supporting the next generation through Classroom ChampionsToday, Mesler channels his experience into impact through Classroom Champions, a nonprofit he co-founded to support students and educators across the U.S. and Canada.Classroom Champions connects elite athletes with classrooms through a structured, research-based curriculum focused on goal setting, emotional regulation, perseverance, teamwork and leadership. Rather than one-time motivational talks, the program creates ongoing mentorship relationships that allow students to see what pursuing a dream (with challenges included), really looks like.“Kids learn through people they trust,” Mesler explained. “And technology allows us to create an ongoing relationship between athletes and classrooms.”By engaging athletes in meaningful work beyond competition, Classroom Champions also supports the athletes themselves. Mesler believes having purpose outside of sport strengthens mental health and ultimately enhances performance rather than detracting from it.“When you give athletes something else they can pursue, it actually makes all these other parts of their life better,” Mesler said.Through this work, Mesler is helping redefine success not just for students, but for athletes who are learning that strength and support can coexist.A new definition of strengthSteve Mesler’s story challenges longstanding assumptions about mental toughness in elite sports. His message is clear: Vulnerability, when understood and used wisely, is often a pathway to sustainability, connection and healing.By speaking openly about depression, identity and recovery, Mesler is helping create space for athletes and all high achievers to seek support without shame. In this way, Mesler is helping normalize mental health conversations that were once unthinkable at the Olympic level.The experiences shared in this article reflect one individual’s personal story and may differ from those of others. Approaches to care, including therapy and medication, should be considered and used only in partnership with a qualified provider. This information is intended for general understanding and is not a substitute for professional medical guidance.This story was published by LifeStance Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Quad Cities Honor Flight expands to Reserves and National Guard veterans In the past, the Honor Flight has taken about 6,000 veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials honoring their service.
	5 hospitalized after carbon monoxide exposure in Moline home A running vehicle in an attached garage caused carbon monoxide exposure in a Moline home. Three occupants, one officer and one firefighter were hospitalized.
	NM Legislature approves resolution for lawmaker pay, sending question to voters on November ballot New Mexico Sen. Angel Charley (D-Acoma) is one of five sponsors of House Joint Resolution 5, which seeks to give salaries to state lawmakers The New Mexico Senate on Feb. 17, 2026, approved the resolution. Next, voters will have to approve the measure via a ballot question during the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. (File photo)The New Mexico Senate late Tuesday approved a resolution that would allow state lawmakers to receive a roughly $68,000 salary if voters approve the measure via a constitutional amendment during the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. New Mexico remains the only Legislature in the country that does not pay its lawmakers a salary, though lawmakers do receive per diem payments for travel reimbursement during the legislative session and for interim committee meetings. House Joint Resolution 5 would make lawmakers eligible for salaries equal to the state’s median household income, which a fiscal analysis of the bill calculates as $67,800. For 112 state lawmakers, the annual cost to taxpayers will be about $7.6 million. During the Senate floor debate Tuesday, sponsors Sens. Cindy Nava (D-Albuquerque) and Angel Charley (D-Acoma), said lawmakers like them require salaries to balance family obligations with careers in public service. “We should not limit who can be here. But when we do not provide a salary, we do,” Charley said. “And so if we believe that we rise together, then our Legislature should look more like New Mexico.” Advocates rally to put NM lawmaker pay on 2026 ballot During the two-hour debate that ended shortly before midnight Tuesday, the Senate struck down proposed amendments from Republicans who opposed the measure, including 16-year term limits for lawmakers and the elimination of per diem payments for meetings within 50 miles of legislators’ homes. Sen. Larry Scott (R-Hobbs) blasted the measure as rewarding lawmakers despite their apparent failure to solve New Mexico’s myriad problems. “All we gotta do is show up and write the checks,” Scott said about what his job as lawmaker entails. “Doesn’t take any expertise, doesn’t take any knowledge, doesn’t take any frugality, doesn’t take anything but cashing the check.” Senators passed the resolution by a vote of 23-19. Four Democrats joined Republicans in opposition. One Republican, Sen. Joshua Sanchez (R-Bosque), voted in favor. of it. The resolution requires voters to weigh in on salaries for lawmakers in 2026 during either a special election or the Nov. 3 general election. Lindsey Bachman, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office, confirmed to Source NM Wednesday in an email to Source NM that the constitutional amendment question will be on the November ballot. Courtesy of Source New Mexico
	HIPAA authorization requires more than a cookie banner HIPAA authorization requires more than a cookie bannerFor many healthcare organizations, website consent appears to be a settled issue. A cookie banner is displayed, a privacy policy is linked, and users are given basic choices about tracking. On paper, this approach may seem sufficient.Under HIPAA, however, that assumption does not always hold.By the end of 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had recorded at least 642 large healthcare data breaches affecting 57 million individuals.As healthcare providers, insurers, and digital health companies expand their online presence, regulators and privacy experts have raised concerns about how patient-related data is collected and shared through websites. In particular, the use of analytics and tracking technologies has drawn increased scrutiny, exposing a gap between standard cookie consent practices and HIPAA’s authorization requirements.HIPAA authorization is a specific legal concept. It applies when protected health information is disclosed to third parties for purposes beyond treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. Unlike general website consent, authorization must be explicit, informed, and documented.Cookie consent tools, by contrast, were largely developed to address consumer privacy laws governing online tracking and advertising. They are designed to manage cookies and similar technologies, not to capture HIPAA-specific authorization related to healthcare data.Clym explains this distinction, which has become more significant as healthcare websites increasingly rely on third-party services for analytics, marketing, and user experience optimization.When Website Tracking Can Involve Protected Health InformationHIPAA is often associated with electronic medical records and patient portals, but privacy specialists note that website interactions can also involve protected health information, depending on context.An IP address combined with visits to condition-specific pages, appointment scheduling tools, or symptom-related content may reveal information about an individual’s health interests. When that data is transmitted to third-party platforms, even unintentionally, HIPAA authorization considerations can arise.Regulators have emphasized that the focus is on the data itself, not the medium through which it is collected. Whether information is collected through a form, a tracking pixel, or an analytics script, the same principles apply.Why Simple Cookie Banners Often Fall ShortMost standard cookie consent banners are not designed to address these scenarios. They typically provide broad disclosures and generic acceptance options, without distinguishing between marketing consent and authorization to share health-related data.Privacy professionals point out that cookie consent tools generally lack:HIPAA-specific authorization language.The ability to separate healthcare authorization from other consent types.Audit-ready records of authorization decisions.Controls to prevent tracking until authorization is granted.As a result, organizations may believe they have addressed consent requirements while still leaving gaps in how health-related data is handled online.Healthcare organizations are beginning to recognize that HIPAA authorization cannot be treated as a policy-only issue. It requires technical controls that go beyond traditional cookie banners, particularly when web tracking is involved.Rethinking Consent for Healthcare WebsitesThe growing complexity of healthcare websites has prompted a broader conversation about consent design. As sites incorporate more tools and integrations, manual controls become difficult to maintain.Privacy specialists argue that healthcare organizations should evaluate whether their consent management approach can:Capture HIPAA authorization distinctly from general consent.Prevent tracking until authorization is granted.Record authorization decisions in an audit-ready manner.Apply user choices consistently as websites evolve.Websites operating in healthcare and related sectors increasingly need consent management tools that account for HIPAA Authorization requirements. As tracking and analytics expand in regulated environments, organizations increasingly need consent workflows that reflect healthcare-specific expectations, not just general privacy rules.This story was produced by Clym and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Common Chord names new development director Common Chord has a new development director. The group announced that Margo Day will be the new development director. She will lead the organization’s efforts to develop resources that advance its mission to improve the community through music. Day started in her new role on Feb. 4, joining the staff in this newly created position [...]
	How to find the right deodorant for smelly armpits How to find the right deodorant for smelly armpitsYou know that split-second hesitation before you lift your arms—just hoping you don’t catch a whiff of something… off? Smelly armpits can sneak up on you, even when you’re using your usual deodorant. One minute you’re fresh; the next you’re doing a quick underarm check and wondering, “Wait, is that me?” So what’s going on? And more importantly, how do you stop it? Degree breaks down why body odor happens—and how to choose a deodorant that can help manage it.Why are my armpits so smelly all of a sudden?Life's a journey, and sometimes, your body throws a curveball. Sudden changes in body odor can be due to a variety of factors. Hormonal shifts (hello stress, periods, pregnancy, or menopause), dietary changes (think spicy food, alcohol, high-protein diets), or even switching to a natural deodorant can throw things off. Your sweat itself isn't the culprit; it's the bacteria breaking it down that causes the odor. Understanding this is the first step in reclaiming your confidence.What deodorant stops you from smelling?Not all deodorants are created equal. Some just mask the odor. Others go in like a full-blown SWAT team to stop sweat before it starts and neutralize odor-causing bacteria. You need a powerhouse that can keep up with your lifestyle.Antiperspirant deodorants are formulated to provide long-lasting protection by helping to reduce sweat. It’s not just about masking the smell; it’s about helping prevent it from developing in the first place. Whether you’re working long shifts, chasing kids, lifting weights, or sweating through presentations, these formulas are designed to keep you confident throughout the day.Ingredients that mean businessWhen it comes to tackling odor, you need more than just a temporary fix. You need a deodorant that understands your lifestyle and adapts to it. Different deodorant and antiperspirant formulas offer options designed for different needs. Here's a breakdown of some key ingredients and how they work:Aluminum compoundsAluminum compounds are the sweat busters in antiperspirants. They help control sweat at the source, reducing the amount of sweat that reaches your skin. Less sweat means less odor-causing bacteria.Trisodium EDTAThis ingredient helps to stabilize the formula and enhance its effectiveness. It makes sure that the active ingredients are delivered efficiently to where they're needed most.Cyclopentasiloxane and DimethiconeThese help the formula glide on smoothly and help protect the skin barrier. Ideal if your underarms are sensitive or prone to irritation.Fragrance technologySome deodorants are designed to release scent as you move, meaning the more active you are, the more noticeable the fragrance becomes. Not magic, just science.Aluminum-free optionsIf you’re steering clear of aluminum but still want odor control, some deodorants use plant-based ingredients or antibacterial agents to help keep underarms smelling fresh—even when you’re sweating.Why do some people smell more than others?It's not just about how much you sweat; it's about the composition of your sweat. Genetics, diet, and stress levels can influence how your body odor develops. Some people naturally produce more sweat, while others might have a higher concentration of certain bacteria. It's all part of what makes you unique.Top deodorant options for smelly armpitsReady to take control? Here are types of deodorant and antiperspirant products that can help keep smelly armpits in check:1. Long-lasting antiperspirant deodorant sticksBest for: Those dealing with smelly armpits who need long-lasting sweat protection.Why it works: Extended protection, activity- or motion-activated fragrance systems, and a clean scent that can become more noticeable as you move. It’s no-nonsense and ultrareliable.2. Extra-strength antiperspirant deodorant sticksBest for: Those who want tough odor control with a classic, crisp scent.Why it works: Combines aluminum-based sweat control with activity-responsive fragrance systems. Works overtime without needing to reapply.3. Dry spray antiperspirant deodorantsBest for: People who hate sticky residue and love feeling dry ASAP.Why it works: Quick-drying spray format that’s strong on odor and sweat, but lightweight on skin.4. Clinical-strength antiperspirant deodorantsBest for: All-day protection.Why it works: This powerhouse formula offers max-strength wetness protection and long-lasting odor defense. It’s made for those high-pressure, high-sweat days when only the strongest will do—without irritating your skin.5. Whole-body aluminum-free deodorant sticksBest for: Total-body odor protection, beyond just armpits.Why it works: Designed for underarms, privates, chest, thighs, and more. This aluminum-free formula helps keep odor in check without leaving residue. The scent is usually subtle, the texture is smooth, and the coverage is everywhere you need it.Alleviate smelly armpitsIf you’re doing all the right things—showering regularly, wearing breathable fabrics, staying hydrated—and your underarms are still strong-smelling, try this:Exfoliate your underarms a couple of times a week to get rid of dead skin and bacteria buildup.Shave or trim regularly. Hair traps sweat and bacteria, which can make odor worse.Wash thoroughly with an antibacterial soap. Sometimes a quick rinse doesn’t cut it.And finally, switch up your deodorant. Bodies change. Hormones fluctuate. Life gets stressful. The stick that worked two years ago might not be doing enough today.If you’re suddenly noticing stronger underarm odor or your regular deodorant isn’t working anymore, don’t stress—it’s more common than you think. From changes in your lifestyle to shifts in your body’s chemistry, odor can creep in fast. But with the right deodorant (and a little ingredient know-how), you can handle it.It’s not just about smelling good—it’s about feeling confident and comfortable every single day.This story was produced by Degree and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	10 European cities offering good career pathways for US students in 2026 10 European cities offering good career pathways for US students in 2026Choosing where to study abroad is a strategic career decision. For U.S. students planning for 2026, the most forward-thinking destinations in Europe offer more than a degree. They combine hands-on work experience during studies with clear, supportive visa policies that make it possible to stay, work, and build a career after graduation.This guide from HousingAnywhere highlights 10 European countries where leading universities, strong industry links, and favorable immigration rules create an unmatched environment for turning your education into a global career.1. GermanyGermany offers one of Europe’s strongest and most structured student-to-career pathways, particularly renowned for its engineering, technology, and research sectors. Key student hubs like Berlin for startups, Munich for engineering and tech, and Frankfurt for finance offer diverse opportunities.International students can work up to 20 hours per week, enabling early industry exposure at companies ranging from global automotive giants to innovative Mittelstand firms. A wide network of public universities in Germany offers low tuition fees and numerous English-taught master’s programs. Students across the country can access generous scholarship opportunities in Germany, including the prestigious DAAD funding. The integrated education model ensures students regularly secure paid internships in Germany that are often part of the curriculum.After graduation, the 18-month post-study residence permit allows ample time to find full-time work, with a clear transition to the EU Blue Card for long-term residency. This end-to-end support system is what makes studying in Germany a premier strategic choice.2. NetherlandsThe Netherlands provides a highly international, English-proficient environment with robust opportunities for professional development. Cities like Amsterdam for tech and business, Rotterdam for logistics and maritime, and Eindhoven for high-tech engineering are prime destinations. Non-EU students can work without an additional permit, gaining immediate experience in the country’s dynamic startup scene, agri-tech sector, and corporate hubs.Dutch universities are known for their problem-based learning and strong ties to industry. To support students, numerous scholarship opportunities in the Netherlands are available from both universities and the government. Gaining practical experience through valuable internships in the Netherlands is a standard part of academic life.The career pathway is solidified by the Orientation Year Visa, granting graduates 12 months to find a highly skilled job, making the transition from studying in the Netherlands to a Dutch career remarkably seamless.3. IrelandIreland stands out as a primary English-speaking gateway to the European Union, with a world-class concentration of tech and pharmaceutical corporations. Dublin is the undisputed hub, though Cork and Galway offer strong regional ecosystems in pharma and medtech.Students benefit from flexible work rights, allowing part-time employment during term and full-time during holidays, providing vital local experience. Leading universities like Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin offer globally recognized programs. Financial support is accessible through various scholarship opportunities.The country’s major advantage is its unparalleled access to high-caliber internships within multinational headquarters. This professional immersion is capped by Ireland’s generous Third Level Graduate Scheme, offering a 24-month stay-back period to secure employment, cementing the exceptional long-term value of studying in Ireland.4. DenmarkDenmark is celebrated for its exceptional work-life balance, innovative culture, and leading positions in sustainability, life sciences, and cleantech. Copenhagen is the vibrant capital for most opportunities, with Aarhus offering a strong, intimate student community. Students are permitted to work part-time, facilitating integration into a collaborative and project-driven business environment.Danish institutions offer high-quality English-taught programs and foster close collaboration with industry. A range of scholarship opportunities is offered to attract top international talent. The country’s focus on applied learning means securing impactful internships during your studies is both common and encouraged.After graduation, Denmark offers a generous post-study residence permit, allowing graduates up to three years to work under the Positive List scheme for in-demand professions. This makes building a long-term, meaningful career after studying in Denmark a tangible and supported reality.5. EstoniaEstonia is the world’s first digital republic and a pioneer in e-governance, offering a uniquely tech-forward education. Nearly all opportunities are concentrated in the compact, innovative capital of Tallinn, which functions as the nation's classroom and tech hub. International students can work full-time during holidays and part-time during semesters, seamlessly integrating into one of Europe’s most vibrant startup ecosystems.Institutions like Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) offer innovative programs in cybersecurity, software engineering, and e-governance entirely in English. Students can apply for various scholarship opportunities. Estonia’s digital-first ecosystem provides direct access to hands-on internships in tech companies and startups.After graduation, Estonia offers a post-study visa allowing graduates to stay for up to 9 months to seek employment, with a straightforward path to a long-term residence permit for skilled professionals. This makes pursuing higher education in Estonia a direct entry into Europe’s most advanced digital economy.6. FranceFrance is a global leader in luxury, aerospace, engineering, and gastronomy, offering a prestigious and culturally rich educational experience. While Paris is the major international hub, cities like Lyon for biotech, Toulouse for aerospace, and Grenoble for tech offer excellent, often more affordable, alternatives.International students are allowed to work up to 964 hours per year (approximately 20 hours per week), facilitating early entry into the job market. The country’s system of Grandes Écoles and public universities provides industry-focused education with strong corporate ties. Significant (scholarship opportunities in France), including those from the French government and the Eiffel Scholarship, are available.France’s strong industrial and research networks facilitate excellent paid internships in France, which are often a mandatory part of degree programs. The post-graduation APS visa provides 12 months to find a job in your field, creating a defined professional trajectory that makes studying in France a sound and rewarding investment.7. PortugalPortugal has emerged as one of Europe’s most welcoming and affordable tech hubs, known for its stunning landscapes and collaborative startup culture. Lisbon is the bustling capital of startups and digital nomads, while Porto offers a more intimate, engineering-focused community, and Coimbra provides a historic student city experience.Students can work part-time alongside their studies, allowing for seamless economic integration. The University of Porto and the University of Lisbon are leading institutions with a growing number of English-taught courses.The lower cost of living is complemented by accessible scholarship opportunities in Portugal. Portugal’s thriving tech and tourism sectors provide hands-on opportunities for impactful internships. The government supports graduates with a 12-month post-study residence permit to seek work, a policy designed to attract and retain skilled talent. This powerful combination of opportunity, affordability, and official support makes the experience of studying in Portugal an exceptionally smart and sustainable choice.8. SpainSpain combines a renowned quality of life with a rapidly growing reputation in entrepreneurship, tourism, and technology. Student-favorite cities include Barcelona for tech and design, Madrid for business and finance, and Valencia for a lower-cost, innovative lifestyle. Student visa holders can work up to 30 hours per week, allowing for deep professional integration alongside studies.Universities in Spain are expanding their portfolios of English-taught Master’s programs. Students can explore dedicated scholarship opportunities in Spain to fund their education. The dynamic economic landscape provides plentiful opportunities for internships in Spain in fields like digital marketing, engineering, and hospitality management.Following graduation, Spain offers a 12-month post-study visa to seek work or start a business, providing a clear and supportive pathway to turn the experience of studying in Spain into a sustainable career under the Mediterranean sun.9. ItalyItaly is the historic heart of design, fashion, and automotive engineering, where academic excellence meets centuries of artisan tradition. Milan leads in business and fashion, Turin in automotive, and Bologna and Rome for a classic university atmosphere. Students are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week, gaining early exposure to the country’s prestigious industries.Top universities in Italy such as Politecnico di Milano and Bocconi University offer globally-ranked programs in English. Financial support is available through competitive scholarship opportunities in Italy, including government and regional funds. The Italian economy provides direct access to prestigious internships in Italy within the luxury, automotive, and culinary sectors.After your degree, you can obtain a permit to stay for up to 12 months to find work in your field, allowing you to leverage your academic investment into a lasting Italian career through studying in Italy.10. AustriaAustria serves as a stable, high-quality hub at the crossroads of Europe, renowned for its culture, engineering, and international organizations. Vienna is the grand central hub for opportunities, with Graz known for engineering and Salzburg for a smaller, cultural student life. Student visa holders can work up to 20 hours per week, facilitating professional development in a robust economy.Institutions like the University of Vienna and TU Wien offer a wide array of programs in English. Austrian universities and public agencies provide various scholarship opportunities for qualified international students. The country’s stable economy offers structured paths to valuable internships, particularly in technology, tourism, and green industries.Post-graduation, Austria’s “Red-White-Red Card Plus” serves as a 12-month job-seeker visa, with a clear points-based system for transitioning to long-term residency. This makes studying in Vienna a strategic and stable choice for building a durable European career.The right study destination offers more than a strong academic experience. It provides a supportive ecosystem for your professional future. When comparing options, focus on countries where national visa policies actively support the transition from student to working professional, and where internships are embedded in the academic culture. In these destinations, your degree is a recognized asset in the local job market, allowing you to move more easily from graduation into employment. Choosing a country with clear professional pathways means you are not just planning time abroad, but laying the foundation for an international career.This story was produced by HousingAnywhere and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Trump would like the government he leads to pay him billions President Trump is asking the federal government for billions of dollars in damages, putting his own Justice Department on the spot and creating an unprecedented ethical morass.
	Australia bans a citizen with alleged IS links from returning from Syria The Australian is among a group of 34 women and children who had planned to fly from Damascus to Australia on Monday but were turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj detention camp due to procedural problems.
	Mississippi Bend AEA, Regional Office of Education hosting teacher job fair Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency and the Regional Office of Education are hosting a teacher job fair on Monday, March 2 from 3:30 - 5 p.m. at the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency, 729 21st Street in Bettendorf. The job fair is free for educators to attend. The Teacher Job Fair is a vital bridge between school districts who are [...]
	Pritzker to present 8th budget as Illinois faces federal funding uncertainty Gov. JB Pritzker will present his eighth budget on Wednesday and outline a plan to deal with limited revenue growth and significant uncertainty over the future of federal funding for the state.
	The history and culture of casinos The history and culture of casinosLike telling stories and making music, playing games and gambling are activities that humans in every corner of the world have enjoyed for thousands of years. But until relatively recently, people would only gamble between friends and family, or they would gamble in unlicensed institutions.The introduction of casinos changed everything. From the spectacular setting and additional entertainment to the range of games and strict regulations, casinos allow people to enjoy gambling to the fullest.However, casinos have changed since their inception, and are likely to evolve further. To explore the history and culture of casinos, as well as what the future may hold, Tachi Palace Casino Resort has put together this guide.History of Casinos Tachi Palace Since the first casino, these institutions have had a large impact on society. But the origins of casinos go back well before the first one was actually built.Ancient GamesEvidence indicates that gambling was practiced thousands of years before casinos were invented. However, the games that these gamblers played may well have laid the foundations for the casinos we know today.Some of the earliest records of gambling are evidence of tile games in China that date back to 2300 B.C. The ancient Greeks were known to play gambling games, too, which were often associated with social events and festivals.In ancient Rome, the first emperor, Augustus Caesar, was known to hold raffles during banquets. He even played what may have been an early form of backgammon called Alea. Emperor Claudius was a known dice player, and Caligula enjoyed gambling so much that he converted his palace into a gambling house.It wasn’t just the upper class who enjoyed gambling. The Romans may have invented an early form of craps, played by people of every station. Some historians believe that Roman soldiers would use shaved-down pig knuckles (hence knucklebones) as dice, and their shields as a table.During ancient times, gambling houses were common in many societies, although these were unregulated and usually illegal institutions.Medieval TimesWhile empires rose and fell, gambling games continued in various forms. Although the exact origins of playing cards are debated, the effect they would eventually have on gambling is undeniable. Games such as baccarat, blackjack and poker were invented in the following centuries, providing people with completely new games to gamble on.It was during this time that gambling started to become more organized and written about. Alfonso X of Castile and León reigned in the 13th century, but his love of games led him to pen the first known guide to gambling. Titled “The Book of Games,” it mostly covered board games such as chess. However, it also described a game called Hazard, another early form of craps.Birth of the Modern CasinoIt wasn’t until 1638 that the first legal gambling house, known as a casino, was opened. This casino, Il Ridotto, was a result of the Venetian government’s goal to quell illicit gambling in the city and make a profit at the same time.Besides the legality of the institution, Il Ridotto was different from the previous illicit gambling houses in many ways. This casino was opulent and glamorous and offered far more than just games. It also provided high-quality food and music, allowing patrons to enjoy the casino without having to gamble. It catered to the city’s elite, with all the games played with high stakes. All players were also expected to follow the casino’s dress code, adhere to its customs and even order certain items off the menu.Eventually, Il Ridotto closed due to the church’s influence and pressure, but it paved the way for the modern casino. Following the success of Il Ridotto, casinos began to appear elsewhere.Casinos in the 21st CenturyThanks to new technology and evolving player habits, casinos have adapted their offerings since the turn of the century. Digital technology has been incorporated into modern casino culture to provide even more ways for customers to gamble, from virtual roulette to digital slot machines. Many casinos now offer online gambling, too, where their customers can often choose from dozens of games to play.This increased accessibility has allowed casinos to grow globally. Today, there are more than 5,000 casinos in operation, over 1,000 of which are in the United States. This global expansion means the industry continues to grow, particularly online. In 2024, the casinos and online gambling industry reached $305.8 billion, and in the same year, the U.S. gambling industry had a record-breaking annual revenue of $71.92 billion.The History of the Largest Global Casino HubsTo fully appreciate the history of casinos, you need to know the history of the most famous casino hubs in the world.Las VegasLas Vegas is synonymous with casinos and gambling. Almost half of all American casinos are found in Nevada, and more than 150 of those are located in Las Vegas alone.Gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931, coinciding with the start of the Hoover Dam construction project. With thousands working on the project just miles away, Las Vegas benefited massively. Each month, thousands of workers would travel to Las Vegas to gamble their earnings, bringing revenue into the small town. During the Second World War, a magnesium plant opened and had a similar effect. Within a few years, the town’s population boomed, and it started to take shape as a gambling capital.In 1941, El Rancho Vegas opened its doors. Widely regarded as the first hotel-casino in Vegas, it stood along Highway 91, which would later become known as the Strip. As the town expanded, it attracted mobsters like Guy McAfee, who helped shape its gambling industry. McAfee had a lasting impact on Las Vegas, as he’s credited with naming Highway 91 “the Strip” and opening the Golden Nugget casino.Mobsters helped the town grow in other ways. Their national connections and influence meant they were able to bring celebrities and other high rollers to Las Vegas, helping boost the town’s reputation.As other locations like Atlantic City began to compete, Las Vegas expanded its offering to nongambling attractions. Shows, sports events and luxury hotels continue to attract tourists today. Despite this, Vegas is still predominantly associated with gambling and takes the top spot on many gamblers’ bucket lists.MacauOne of the largest gambling hubs in the world and the largest in Asia, Macau has a rich history of casinos and gambling. From the 16th century, tourists were able to visit Macau and gamble, although it wasn’t legalized. However, Hong Kong was transferred to Britain in 1842, after which it became a large trading hub that competed with Macau. To create a new revenue stream, Macau legalized gambling in 1847.In 1930, the Hou Heng Company won exclusive gambling rights, giving it a monopoly in Macau. Over the following years, the company built opulent and modern casinos that offered more than just gambling. They held free opera performances and offered complimentary food, cigarettes and even ferry tickets. This casino revolution led to Macau gaining a reputation as the gambling capital of Asia.In 1961, Macau decided to focus on tourism and gambling as its main source of revenue. It declared itself a low-tax region to encourage more visitors to the area.At the start of the 21st century, the monopoly law was abolished. Other casinos soon opened, and today, dozens of casinos can be found in Macau. Between 2011 and 2013, 63% of Macau’s GDP came from gambling, highlighting how much of an influence casinos have on the area. In recent years, there’s been a push to diversify Macau’s revenue streams, with the top six gambling operators forced to collectively pledge $12.5 billion to develop nongambling infrastructure.Monte CarloSituated in the tiny country of Monaco, Monte Carlo is one of the country’s four quarters and the place to go to gamble in Europe. Its most famous casino, the Monte Carlo Casino, was built in 1878 by Prince Charles III of Monaco. The casino faltered at first, struggling to entice gamblers.However, after François Blanc, who had overseen one of the prince’s previous casinos, took over, the casino’s fortunes changed. Soon, it was so successful that the town of Monte Carlo sprang up around it and was named in honor of the prince and his casino.From the 1960s, the government took over the casino company’s operations. Today, the gambling industry in Monaco is heavily regulated. A law from the 19th century banning residents of Monaco from gambling is still in effect, meaning only visitors to Monte Carlo can gamble in the casino. However, residents still benefit from the town’s gambling, as the revenue created by the industry means that the government doesn’t require residents to pay any income tax.Culture of CasinosThe casino culture has both affected society and provided a reflection of it.How Casinos Reflected Social HierarchyFor many years, casinos were only accessible to wealthy patrons who could afford the high stakes set by the house. They also had to meet the dress code and be seen to order food and drink, all of which cost money too. As such, being seen in a casino was a sign that you were a person of wealth and success. Less wealthy gamblers would visit unlicensed gambling houses instead.Today, this divide isn’t quite so obvious. Some casinos still have dress codes and higher minimum bets than others, but many casinos pride themselves on their inclusiveness, setting low minimum bets to cater to anyone with a few dollars to spend. Online casinos have made gambling even more accessible, allowing anyone with an internet connection to access casino games.How Casinos Have Shaped Modern Entertainment and NightlifeCasinos have had an impact on how we play games and enjoy nights out. They provide a luxurious space for people to socialize, enjoy a rush of adrenaline and perhaps even make a profit.Millions of Americans visit casinos each year, with 53% of American adults visiting one in 2025. However, only 56.6% of those visitors gambled, highlighting how casinos can offer plenty more than just gambling. Shows, restaurants and entertainment are common in many casinos, giving visitors plenty to do.How Casinos Have Influenced Popular Culture and EntertainmentCasinos have another, less direct impact on how we have fun. The high stakes of a casino make it the perfect setting for a story, which is why they often feature in popular culture.From books like “Casino Royale” by Ian Fleming and “The Gambler” by Fyodor Dostoevsky, to films such as “Rain Man” and “Ocean’s Eleven,” these media are still widely known and loved years after they were made. Other notable films involving casinos and gambling include:“Casino”“The Cincinnati Kid”“The Sting”“21”“The Hangover”“Now You See Me”While casinos may only feature briefly in some of these films, their inclusion as a place of splendor and high stakes is what makes them so effective in storytelling.What Is the Future of Casinos? Tachi Palace It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what future innovations might reshape casinos. What is certain is that as technology advances, casinos are likely to create new and improved ways to gamble.It’s also expected that casinos will focus more on millennial and Gen Z gamblers. As such, incorporating digital and online aspects into the casino experience is increasingly important. It may also mean adapting casinos to be more friendly to casual gamblers by offering different types of games to bet on, such as esports.Casinos may also have to offer more:Games that rely on skill as well as luck.Opportunities for social interaction on the casino floor.Personalized experiences.Responsible gambling tools.A Rich History and CultureCasinos have a history dating back to the 17th century, although many of their features date back millennia. Since the first casino, pioneers have evolved the way we enjoy them, making them more accessible and affordable for a larger audience. Today, just about any adult can gamble in a casino, either in person or online. This has led to an increased impact on global culture.The future of casinos is unclear, but since they continue to grow in popularity, it’s likely they’ll successfully cater to gamblers for years to come.This story was produced by Tachi Palace and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	T-accounts: What they are, how they work, and examples to learn from T-accounts: What they are, how they work, and examples to learn fromT-accounts are one of accounting's most useful visual tools, and they've stuck around for good reason. Named for their simple T shape, these diagrams split a ledger account into two sides. Debits go on the left, credits go on the right. Every financial transaction hits at least two accounts, which is the whole point of double-entry bookkeeping. One account gets debited, another gets credited, and the books stay balanced.What makes T-accounts so valuable isn't their complexity. It's the opposite. They strip away the noise and let you see exactly how money moves through a business. Whether you're a first-year accounting student or a seasoned controller closing the books on a billion-dollar quarter, the T-account format helps you think through transactions clearly. Brex walks through what T-accounts are, how debits and credits actually work, real examples including accounts payable, and why this centuries-old concept still matters when most of us haven't touched a paper ledger in years.What is a T-account?A T-account is the visual layout of a single general ledger account. Picture a capital letter T drawn on a page. The account title sits above the horizontal line. The left side of the vertical line is where you record debits. The right side is where you record credits. Each T-account tracks everything happening in one specific account, whether that's cash, sales revenue, accounts payable, or any other line item in your chart of accounts.It's essentially a simplified version of a ledger page. You can see at a glance what's been added and what's been subtracted, and you can calculate a running balance by totaling up each side. One thing worth noting early on is that debits and credits don't automatically mean "increase" or "decrease." Their effect depends entirely on what type of account you're looking at. But the format itself never changes. Debits always go left; credits always go right.Accountants often use T-accounts as a thinking tool. Before entering a complex journal entry into the system, it helps to sketch out the T-accounts involved and make sure the transaction makes sense. You'll see them on whiteboards during team discussions, in training materials for new hires, and in the margins of workpapers when someone is troubleshooting a reconciliation issue. Modern accounting systems don't literally display T-shaped diagrams, but the term persists because the concept is baked into every ledger, every ERP system, and every set of financial statements you'll ever encounter. The T-account is the mental model that makes double-entry bookkeeping click.Double-entry bookkeeping basicsT-accounts exist because of double-entry bookkeeping. This is the standard accounting method that requires every financial transaction to be recorded in at least two accounts. One entry as a debit, one as a credit. The approach has been around for centuries, and it remains the foundation of modern accounting for a simple reason. It works. It preserves the accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity), and it catches errors that single-entry systems would miss entirely.In a double-entry system, the total debits across all accounts must always equal the total credits. If they don't, something is wrong, and you need to find it before the books can close. This is where T-accounts become especially handy. Each T-account represents one account in the ledger. When a transaction occurs, one T-account gets debited, and another gets credited. Sometimes multiple accounts are involved, but the principle holds. Debits and credits must balance.Consider a company that purchases equipment on credit. The equipment account, which is an asset, gets debited to reflect the new item the business now owns. At the same time, accounts payable, a liability, gets credited to reflect the obligation to pay for that equipment later. Recording this in T-account form immediately shows both sides of the transaction. You can see the increase in one account and the corresponding increase in the opposite account type. This mirrored recording is what keeps the whole system consistent.Double-entry bookkeeping ensures that for every value received, an equal value is given up or owed. That's why the sum of debits always equals the sum of credits across the entire general ledger. The T-account layout visually enforces this rule by pairing debits and credits for each transaction. If something doesn't add up, the imbalance is obvious. You don't have to go hunting through a spreadsheet to find the problem. The T-account shows you right where things went sideways.How debits and credits actually work in T-accountsEvery T-account has a debit side on the left and a credit side on the right. That part is simple and never changes. What trips people up is figuring out whether a debit or a credit means an increase or a decrease. The answer depends entirely on the type of account you're working with.For asset accounts, such as cash, accounts receivable, or inventory, a debit entry on the left side increases the account. A credit on the right side decreases it. When a business receives cash from a customer, it debits the cash account to reflect more money in the bank. When it pays out cash, it credits the cash account to show the reduction. This feels intuitive for most people because we naturally associate debits with "getting" and credits with "giving."But the rules flip for liability and equity accounts. For accounts like loans payable, accounts payable, common stock, or retained earnings, a credit on the right side increases the account. A debit on the left side decreases it. This makes sense when you think about it. Liabilities and equity represent claims on assets. When those claims grow, whether through new debt or additional investment, the account increases on the credit side.Revenue and expense accounts follow similar logic. Revenue accounts behave like equity because revenues ultimately increase equity. A credit increases revenue, and a debit decreases it. Expense accounts behave more like assets because they reduce equity. A debit increases an expense, and a credit decreases it. So when you record a rent payment, you debit rent expense to reflect the cost incurred and credit cash to show the money leaving the business. Both sides of the transaction are captured, and the books stay balanced.There's a handy mnemonic that many accountants rely on to keep this straight. DEA-LER. Dividends, expenses, and assets increase with debits on the left side. Liabilities, equity, and revenue increase with credits on the right side. It's not the most elegant acronym, but it works when you're staring at a set of journal entries at midnight during month-end close.One more thing worth emphasizing. The words "debit" and "credit" carry no moral weight. A debit isn't bad. A credit isn't good. They don't strictly mean "cash out" or "cash in" either. Their meaning is entirely dependent on the category of account they're applied to. The T-account format helps avoid confusion here because it physically separates the two sides and labels them for each account. Debits go left, credits go right, and the account type tells you what that entry actually does.Recording a transaction with T-accounts in practiceThe best way to understand T-accounts is to walk through an actual transaction. Let's say a company sells $20,000 worth of goods for cash. Two accounts are affected here. The cash account, which is an asset, will increase by $20,000. The inventory account, also an asset, will decrease by $20,000 because those goods are no longer sitting in a warehouse. They've been sold.Using T-accounts, the company would record a $20,000 debit on the left side of the cash T-account. That reflects the inflow of money. Then it would record a $20,000 credit on the right side of the inventory T-account. That reflects the reduction in stock on hand. Both entries happen simultaneously, and they mirror each other perfectly. $20,000 in, $20,000 out. The books remain balanced.After posting this entry, you can look at both T-accounts and immediately see what happened. Cash went up by $20,000 on the debit side. Inventory went down by $20,000 on the credit side. The company essentially traded inventory value for cash value. No net change in total assets, just a shift from one asset type to another. The visual layout makes this crystal clear without needing to dig through a journal entry narrative or a transaction log.Now let's layer on a second transaction. Suppose the same company pays $5,000 for rent. This time, the rent expense T-account gets a $5,000 debit on the left side, increasing the expense. The cash T-account gets a $5,000 credit on the right side, decreasing the asset. Again, two accounts are affected, and the debits equal the credits. If you were tracking both transactions in the cash T-account, you'd now see $20,000 on the debit side from the sale and $5,000 on the credit side from the rent payment, giving you a net debit balance of $15,000.This is why T-accounts are so practical for working through entries. You can map out any transaction, no matter how complex, by identifying the accounts involved, determining which side each entry falls on, and then verifying that debits equal credits. It's a built-in accuracy check that takes just seconds when you're comfortable with the format. And once you've confirmed the entries make sense in T-account form, you can post them to the accounting system with confidence.T-accounts for balance sheet accountsBalance sheet accounts are usually where people first get comfortable with T-accounts, and that makes sense. Assets, liabilities, and equity are the building blocks of the accounting equation, and seeing how they move in T-account form makes the whole system feel tangible.Asset T-accounts typically carry debit balances because assets have what accountants call debit-normal balances. When a company acquires something new, whether that's inventory, equipment, or office supplies, the increase gets recorded as a debit on the left side of that asset's T-account. When the asset decreases, maybe because it's been used up, sold, or written off, that reduction gets recorded as a credit on the right side. For example, if a company buys $1,000 worth of office supplies, the supplies T-account gets a $1,000 debit. If some of those supplies are consumed over the month and need to be expensed, you'd credit the supplies account to bring the balance down. Simple and clean.Liability T-accounts work in the opposite direction. They normally carry credit balances because liabilities represent what the business owes. Take loans payable as an example. When the company borrows money, it records a credit on the right side of the loans payable T-account. The liability goes up because the company now owes more. When the company makes a payment on that loan, it records a debit on the left side of the loans payable T-account to reduce the obligation. At the same time, the cash T-account gets a credit to reflect the cash going out the door. After posting both entries, the loans payable T-account shows exactly how much debt remains. No guesswork required.Equity T-accounts follow the same pattern as liabilities. Credits increase equity, and debits decrease it. If a company issues new stock, it credits the common stock T-account on the right side to reflect the increase in ownership equity. If the company pays dividends to shareholders, it debits the retained earnings or dividends account on the left side to reflect the reduction. These entries track the flow of value between the business and its owners, and the T-account format keeps everything transparent.Here's where it all comes together. After posting every transaction to the appropriate T-accounts, the sum of all asset account balances should equal the sum of all liability and equity account balances. That's the accounting equation in action. Assets = Liabilities + Equity. If those two sides don't match, something went wrong somewhere, and the T-accounts will help you find it. Any discrepancy signals a missed entry, a duplicate posting, or an amount recorded on the wrong side. The T-account format serves as a visual checkpoint that the fundamental equation holds true at all times.T-accounts for accounts payableAccounts payable (AP) is one of the most active liability accounts in any business, and it's a great example of how T-accounts help you keep track of obligations that are constantly changing. AP represents the money a company owes to its suppliers and vendors for goods or services purchased on credit. At any given moment, the balance in this account tells you how much the business needs to pay out in the near future.Because accounts payable is a liability, its T-account normally carries a credit balance. The right side of the AP T-account reflects outstanding obligations, and under normal business operations, that side tends to be larger than the left. When the company buys something on credit, whether it's raw materials, office supplies, or professional services, a credit entry gets posted to the right side of the accounts payable T-account. At the same time, the corresponding asset or expense account gets debited to reflect what was received. Each new purchase on credit adds to the right side of the AP T-account, building up the total amount owed.When the company pays a bill, the entry goes on the left side of the accounts payable T-account as a debit. This reduces the liability because the obligation has been settled. The cash T-account gets credited simultaneously to reflect the outflow of money. Over the course of a month, you might see dozens or even hundreds of entries flowing through the AP T-account. Credits accumulate as new invoices come in, and debits reduce the balance as payments go out.The beauty of tracking AP in T-account form is that you always have a clear snapshot of where things stand. The difference between total credits and total debits in the accounts payable T-account equals the remaining amount owed to vendors. Finance teams monitor this balance closely because it represents real cash commitments. This visibility into outstanding obligations is also what makes an accurate accounts payable forecast possible, helping businesses anticipate upcoming cash outflows and plan accordingly. Following accounts payable best practices, like reconciling vendor statements regularly, matching invoices to purchase orders, and reviewing aging reports, helps ensure those balances stay accurate and payments go out on schedule. When the T-account is well maintained, and these practices are in place, there are fewer surprises at close and stronger vendor relationships over time.T-accounts also make it easy to catch errors in the AP process. If a payment was recorded but not properly matched against the right invoice, or if a credit memo from a vendor was missed, the imbalance will show up in the T-account. You'll see debits and credits that don't reconcile cleanly, which is your signal to investigate. In a busy AP department processing hundreds of transactions, this kind of visibility can save hours of troubleshooting later. The AP T-account grows with credits for new payables and shrinks with debits for payments and adjustments, always reflecting the current liability sitting on the company's books.Recording accounts payable transactions step by stepWalking through a few AP transactions in T-account form makes the whole process concrete. Let's start with a common scenario. A company purchases $1,500 worth of office supplies on credit from a vendor. Two accounts are affected. The office supplies account gets a $1,500 debit on the left side of its T-account because the company now has more supplies on hand. The accounts payable account gets a $1,500 credit on the right side of its T-account because the company now owes the vendor for those supplies. At this point, the AP balance has increased by $1,500, and the transaction is fully recorded.A week later, the company pays the supplier $1,500 in cash to settle the bill. Now the accounts payable T-account gets a $1,500 debit on the left side, reducing the liability back down. The cash T-account gets a $1,500 credit on the right side, reflecting the money leaving the bank account. After posting both entries, you can look at the accounts payable T-account and see that the $1,500 credit from the original purchase has been fully offset by the $1,500 debit from the payment. For that particular vendor transaction, the AP balance is back to zero. The obligation has been met.But business is rarely that clean. Let's add a wrinkle. Suppose before paying the bill, the company discovers that $250 worth of the supplies were defective and returns them to the vendor. This creates another entry. Accounts payable gets a $250 debit on the left side because the company no longer owes that portion of the original amount. The supplies account gets a $250 credit on the right side because those supplies are no longer in the company's possession. The AP balance for this vendor transaction drops from $1,500 to $1,250.When the company finally pays the remaining balance, it debits accounts payable for $1,250 and credits cash for $1,250. Looking at the full picture in T-account form, you can trace every step of this transaction. The original $1,500 credit for the purchase, the $250 debit for the return, and the $1,250 debit for the final payment. Credits minus debits equals the outstanding AP balance at each point in time.This is exactly the kind of transparency that makes T-accounts so practical for managing payables. You don't have to wonder where a number came from or why a balance looks different than expected. Every entry is right there, organized on the appropriate side, telling you what happened and when. This transactional clarity is also what makes accounts payable reporting trustworthy, because every number on an aging report or vendor summary can be traced back to specific debits and credits in the T-account. A paperless accounts payable process makes it even easier to maintain this level of transactional transparency because every invoice, approval, and payment is captured digitally and automatically mapped to the correct accounts. There's no risk of a paper invoice getting lost in a stack on someone's desk or a manual entry being keyed into the wrong field. For AP teams juggling dozens of vendors and hundreds of invoices, being able to reconstruct the story behind a balance is invaluable. It simplifies accounts payable reconciliation, supports audit trails, and gives finance leaders the confidence that the liabilities on the balance sheet are accurate.The benefits of T-accountsT-accounts might look simple, and that's precisely why they're so useful. Behind that basic format are several practical benefits that finance professionals rely on daily, whether they realize it or not.Visual clarity that speeds up decision-makingT-accounts give you a clear visual representation of how transactions flow through the books. By laying out debits and credits side by side, you can trace the impact of any entry in seconds. This is especially valuable during the month-end and year-end close when accountants are preparing adjusting entries. Sketching out an adjustment in T-account form lets you see immediately how it will hit both the expense account and the corresponding liability or asset account. If you need to record accrued salaries or depreciation, the T-account shows you exactly what the entry will do before you post it. There's no guessing, no hoping the numbers will work out after the fact. You can validate the logic up front and move on with confidence.Built-in error detectionImbalances in T-accounts are impossible to ignore. If your debits don't equal your credits for a given transaction, something is wrong, and the T-account format makes that gap visible immediately. This is one of the most practical benefits for day-to-day accounting work. Rather than waiting until a trial balance reveals a problem, you can catch mistakes at the transaction level before they cascade into bigger issues. Good accounts payable management relies on exactly this kind of early detection, catching discrepancies when they happen rather than discovering them during an audit or a vendor dispute weeks later. A set of T-accounts can function as a worksheet for building your trial balance, since you can list all the ending debit and credit balances and verify that they match. When they don't, you know exactly where to start looking. This kind of vigilance saves significant time during reconciliation and prevents the frustration of chasing errors through hundreds of entries.A powerful teaching and communication toolT-accounts are one of the best ways to explain accounting concepts to someone who isn't an accountant. Senior finance professionals use them regularly to walk junior team members through journal entries, and they're equally helpful when explaining financial impacts to colleagues in operations, sales, or leadership. The format clearly shows both sides of every transaction, which makes the logic of double-entry bookkeeping accessible without requiring a deep accounting background. Instead of describing entries in abstract terms, you can draw a quick T-account and show someone exactly where the money went. This makes T-accounts valuable not just for recording transactions, but for building financial literacy across an entire organization.Keeping the accounting equation in checkAt the end of the day, every accounting system exists to maintain one fundamental truth. Assets must equal liabilities plus equity. T-accounts reinforce this discipline with every entry. Because each transaction requires equal debits and credits across accounts, the T-account format ensures that the accounting equation holds after every posting. If you total up all your asset T-accounts and compare that sum to the total of your liability and equity T-accounts, the numbers should match. If they don't, the T-accounts give you a clear trail to follow back to the source of the discrepancy. This ongoing balance check is what makes double-entry bookkeeping reliable, and T-accounts are the visual expression of that reliability.Supporting the close process and adjusting entriesT-accounts prove their worth most during the close process. Adjusting entries can be tricky because they often involve accruals, deferrals, and allocations that don't correspond to obvious cash movements. Using T-accounts to map out these entries helps accountants verify that expenses are being matched with the correct revenues for the period, which is the core principle behind accrual accounting. You can see at a glance whether a prepaid expense has been properly amortized, whether accrued liabilities are recorded accurately, and whether revenue recognition entries make sense. This level of verification before finalizing the books reduces the risk of material misstatements and gives the finance team a stronger foundation for producing accurate financial statements.T-accounts in the age of accounting softwareNobody is drawing T-accounts on paper ledgers to run a business anymore. Today's accounting happens inside ERP systems, cloud platforms, and specialized software that automates journal entries, reconciliations, and financial reporting. But here's the thing: Every one of those systems is built on the exact same logic that T-accounts illustrate. The software just does it faster and at scale.When an accountant enters a journal entry into an ERP system, the software is doing exactly what a T-account does on paper. It's posting a debit to one or more accounts and a credit to others. The user might never see a T-shaped diagram on their screen, but if you were to look at the underlying ledger database, it's essentially a massive collection of digital T-accounts for every account in the chart of accounts. The debits and credits are all there, organized the same way, following the same rules. The format hasn't changed. Only the medium has.Automation has dramatically reduced the need to manually sketch out T-accounts for routine transactions. Software handles the repetitive work, applies rules consistently, and flags exceptions automatically. But understanding T-account logic remains critical for the people configuring and overseeing these systems. When something goes wrong, and it inevitably does, thinking in terms of T-accounts is often the fastest way to diagnose the problem. If a balance doesn't look right or a report shows unexpected numbers, an accountant who can mentally walk through the T-accounts involved will find the issue faster than someone who just stares at the software output, hoping for an answer.Many finance platforms take this a step further by embedding double-entry logic directly into every workflow. Some are designed with an accounting-first architecture, meaning that every transaction, whether it's a card purchase, a bill payment, or an employee expense reimbursement, automatically triggers the correct debit and credit entries in an integrated sub-ledger. AP automation is a great example of this in action. When a platform automatically processes an invoice, matches it to a purchase order, routes it for approval, and posts the payment, it's executing the same sequence of debits and credits to accounts payable and cash that an accountant would map out in T-account form. The difference is that it happens instantly and at scale, with the underlying double-entry logic handled behind the scenes.The result is that accountants can trust the software to maintain the integrity of the books while they focus on higher-value work like analysis, forecasting, and strategic decision-making. But that trust is only warranted when the people running the system understand the principles underneath. Configuring account mappings, setting up automation rules, and interpreting the reports that come out of these platforms all require a solid grasp of how debits and credits flow through T-accounts. In a world increasingly shaped by AI and automation, T-accounts remain the conceptual model that ensures financial data is organized, accurate, and meaningful. Technology changes. The logic doesn't.Why T-accounts are the foundation your finance team can't ignoreT-accounts aren't glamorous. They won't impress anyone in a boardroom presentation, and no one is building a startup around them. But they are the foundation that every reliable financial system is built on. The simple act of splitting an account into a left side and a right side, and requiring that every transaction touch at least two accounts, is what keeps the entire discipline of accounting honest and verifiable.Finance professionals at every level still depend on the logic of T-accounts, even if they rarely draw one out by hand. Whether you're closing the books for a multinational corporation, reconciling AP for a mid-market company, or teaching a new hire how journal entries work, the T-account is the mental framework that ties it all together. It connects every transaction to its impact on assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, and expenses. It enforces the discipline of double-entry bookkeeping in a way that's easy to see, easy to verify, and hard to get wrong.As accounting software grows more sophisticated and automation takes over more of the routine work, the people who understand T-accounts will be the ones who can configure those systems correctly, interpret their output with confidence, and troubleshoot problems when the numbers don't add up. The tools will keep changing. The underlying logic won't. T-accounts are the backbone of organized accounting, and that's not going to change anytime soon.This story was produced by Brex and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Russia's hybrid warfare rattles Poland and NATO Russia is stepping up covert attacks across Europe — rail sabotage, drones, cyber strikes — testing NATO. Polish officials warn "disposable agents" are sowing fear and weaken support for Ukraine.
	LLC tax rates: Comprehensive guide for tax year 2025 LLC tax rates: Comprehensive guide for tax year 2025If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur with a limited liability company (LLC), you have to understand your tax rate. The tax rate for LLCs depends on their structure, income level, and state of registration.This guide covers LLC tax rates for tax year 2025, which applies to returns filed in early 2026 (by March 15 for multi-member LLCs and April 15 for single-member LLCs). Ramp will explain how LLCs are taxed at both the federal and state levels, outline the self-employment tax burden, and provide actionable tips to minimize your LLC’s tax liability.What is an LLC, and how are LLCs taxed?An LLC combines the personal liability protection of a corporation with the flexible taxation of a sole proprietorship or partnership. As an LLC owner, you benefit from personal asset protection that shields your personal assets from business debts or legal issues.Your LLC tax burden depends on its structure.1. Single-member LLCA single-member LLC is treated as a sole proprietorship for income tax purposes. The LLC does not pay taxes as a separate entity. Instead, the owner reports the LLC’s expenses and business income on their personal income tax return, typically using Schedule C of Form 1040. The LLC’s profits are taxed at the individual’s personal income tax rate, and the owner also pays self-employment tax on the profits.The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%, covering Social Security (12.4%) and Medicare (2.9%) taxes. For the 2025 tax year, Social Security tax applies to earnings up to $160,200, and Medicare tax applies to all net earnings, with an additional 0.9% surtax on earnings over $200,000 for individuals.2. Multi-member LLCA multi-member LLC is typically taxed as a partnership, meaning the LLC itself does not pay federal income tax. Instead, business profits and losses pass through to the members, who report them on their personal income tax returns.Each member receives a Schedule K-1, which details their share of the LLC’s income, deductions, and credits. Members are also responsible for paying self-employment tax on their share of the LLC’s net income unless the LLC elects S corp taxation.3. LLC taxed as an S corpAn LLC can elect to be taxed as an S corp to reduce self-employment taxes. With an S corp, owners must take a reasonable salary, which is subject to payroll taxes. The remaining business profits can be distributed as dividends, which are not subject to self-employment tax.To qualify for S corp status, the LLC must meet specific IRS requirements, such as having no more than 100 members and only one class of stock.4. LLC taxed as a C corpAn LLC can opt to be taxed as a C corp by filing Form 8832. This changes the tax treatment, making the LLC subject to the corporate income tax rate, which is currently 21%. This results in double taxation: The LLC pays taxes on profits, and then dividends distributed to owners are taxed again at the individual level.This structure may offer advantages, such as the ability to reinvest profits at the corporate tax rate, but the double taxation can be a drawback for many small business owners.2025 federal tax brackets for LLC ownersBecause LLC taxes are passed through to its members (unless you elect to be taxed as a C corp), the federal income tax rate effectively becomes the functional tax rate for LLC owners. These are marginal tax rates, meaning your income is taxed at different rates as it rises. As such, not all of your income will be taxed the same.Here are the 2025 IRS tax rates for LLCs: Ramp However, federal income tax isn’t all you need to file for and pay as an LLC owner. Depending on your LLC’s structure, you may also have to pay:State income tax or feesSelf-employment taxPayroll taxSales taxState tax obligations vary significantly depending on where your LLC is based. Some states charge state income tax on LLC profits, while others impose franchise taxes or annual LLC fees.States with high LLC taxesCaliforniaCalifornia charges an annual LLC tax of $800. In addition, LLCs earning over $250,000 in gross receipts are required to pay an additional fee based on their income. This fee ranges from $900 to $11,790, depending on the LLC’s gross receipts.California is known for its complex tax environment, with a state income tax rate that can reach up to 13.3% for high-income earners. As a result, LLCs operating in California may face significant tax burdens, particularly if they generate substantial income.New YorkNew York imposes state income tax on LLC profits. The state tax rate varies based on the LLC’s income bracket, and in some cases, the rate can go as high as 10.9% for certain business structures.LLCs in New York are also required to pay an annual filing fee, which is determined based on the LLC’s gross income. For LLC owners in New York, the state income tax and additional fees make it essential to plan strategically for state-level tax obligations.Tip: Choosing the right state for your LLC can significantly impact your tax burden.California and New York offer excellent business infrastructure and legal protections, but their high LLC taxes and additional fees may increase your overall costs. If you plan to expand nationally or internationally, consider balancing tax rates with other business advantages, such as access to markets, resources, and funding opportunities. Consult a tax professional to determine the most tax-efficient state for your LLC's long-term growth.States with low or no LLC taxesFloridaFlorida is one of the most popular states for LLC formation because it has no state income tax policy for LLCs. However, businesses in Florida are still subject to an annual franchise tax based on gross receipts. Florida’s tax environment is favorable for LLC owners looking to avoid state income tax, but it's important to factor in the franchise tax when budgeting for operating costs.TexasTexas also has no state income tax on LLCs, which can significantly reduce the tax burden for business owners. However, Texas has a gross receipts tax known as the Texas franchise tax, which applies to LLCs that generate income above a certain threshold. The tax is based on the business's gross receipts, not net income.This means LLCs in Texas may still face tax obligations, even if they’re not earning a profit. The Texas franchise tax is calculated using a marginal rate based on revenue, with a standard rate of 0.375% for most LLCs.States with mixed or moderate LLC taxesDelawareDelaware is famous for its business-friendly environment, including favorable tax laws for LLCs. While Delaware doesn’t impose a state income tax on LLCs that don’t operate within the state, LLCs that conduct business in Delaware are required to pay a franchise tax based on their authorized shares or assumed par value capital.The annual franchise tax fee is relatively low compared to other states, making Delaware a popular choice for LLC formation, especially for those seeking to raise capital or keep their operations flexible.NevadaLike Florida and Texas, Nevada does not impose a state income tax. However, businesses in Nevada must pay an annual business license fee and may be subject to a modified business tax based on gross wages paid to employees. Nevada is known for its corporate-friendly policies, making it an attractive state for entrepreneurs looking to reduce their state tax exposure.Additional taxes for LLC ownersBeyond income taxes, LLC owners may face other tax obligations, such as the self-employment taxes mentioned above, payroll taxes, and sales taxes.Payroll taxesLLCs with employees must pay payroll taxes, including:Social Security and Medicare taxes: These are shared by the employer and employee. The current rate for Social Security is 12.4% on wages up to $160,200 (for 2025), and the Medicare rate is 2.9% on all wages. There’s also a 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages over $200,000 for individual taxpayers.Unemployment taxes: These fund unemployment benefit programs for workers who lose their jobs. The federal unemployment tax rate is 6% on the first $7,000 of each employee’s wages. However, this tax may be offset by state unemployment taxes, which vary by state.Employers must also withhold income taxes from their employeesâ€™ wages and remit these to the IRS. To report and pay these taxes, you will need to use the following forms:Form 941: Filed quarterly, this form reports income taxes withheld from employee wages, as well as the Social Security and Medicare taxes paid by both the employer and employee.Form 940: Filed annually, this form is used to report federal unemployment taxes and must be filed by Jan. 31 of the following year.Sales taxIf your LLC sells taxable goods or services, you must collect and remit sales tax to the appropriate state and local authorities. Sales tax rates vary widely by state, and some states even have local sales tax rates that apply in addition to the state rate. For example, California imposes a 7.25% statewide sales tax, but local jurisdictions can increase this rate, resulting in higher overall sales tax rates in certain areas.Many states tax physical products, but they may not tax digital goods or services. States like Texas and Florida are known for having broad sales tax provisions that apply to a wide range of goods and services, while states like Delaware don’t have a state sales tax at all.Another important consideration is sales tax nexus, which refers to a business’s connection to a state that requires it to collect and remit sales tax. This nexus can be established by having a physical presence in the state, such as an office or employees, or by reaching a certain threshold of sales within the state.For example, California requires businesses to collect sales tax if they have $500,000 or more in sales within the state, even if the business is located outside California.Once you’ve determined that you need to collect sales tax, you’ll need to:Register with the state’s revenue department.Collect sales tax on all taxable transactions.Remit the collected sales tax to the state at regular intervals, which can be monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on sales volume.How to prepare and file taxes as an LLCFiling taxes as a small business or LLC doesn’t have to be stressful. Using smart accounting software and taking advantage of e-filing are just some ways to make your life easier once tax season comes around.Here are five simple steps to prepare and file taxes as an LLC.1. Monitor business spending throughout the tax yearMonitoring and recording business expenses throughout the tax year is crucial to ensure you file accurate taxes as an LLC. Using an automated expense management platform gives you instant, easy access to organized business expense records by:Automatically collecting and matching receipts to transactions made on connected corporate cards.Eliminating the need for manual data entry and the human error it creates.Instantly sorting business expenses by category, department, and employee.Integrating with your accounting and tax-filing software to update tax documents on a rolling basis.On top of making filing taxes as an LLC a breeze, Ramp supplies unlimited corporate cards so you never have to use your personal card for business again.Not only does using a business credit card affect your personal credit and help build business credit, but all business-related fees and expenses are tax-deductible. As a result, using a business credit card could lower your tax bill as an LLC member.2. Collect your financial recordsThe biggest mistake most LLCs make is putting off collecting and organizing financial records until just a few days before the filing deadline. Important documents and information to collect beforehand include:Your taxpayer identification number.Business and personal bank account statements.Personal and business credit card statements.The tax returns your business filed the previous year.Your business and personal accounting records.3. Identify the proper tax forms to fileThe type of LLC you own and how it’s taxed will determine the forms you need to file with the IRS. The required forms for each LLC type are listed below.Single-member LLC:Form 1040Schedule CSchedule SE (conditional)Schedule E (conditional)Multi-member LLC:Form 1065Form 1040Schedule K-1Schedule SE (conditional)Schedule E (conditional)LLC taxed as an S corp:Form 1120SForm 1040Schedule E (conditional)LLC taxed as a C corp:Form 1120Form 1040Form 9414. Maximize your tax deductionsLLC and small business tax deductions can reduce your taxable income and save your business money in the long term. Common tax write-offs to remember include:Business insuranceCommercial property rentVehicle expensesOffice supplies and equipmentBusiness mealsBusiness travel expensesAdvertising expenses5. File your tax returns on timeIt’s important to file and pay income tax on time. If you don’t, the IRS can impose stiff penalties for every month they’re overdue.Depending on the type of LLC you own, your tax returns will have varying due dates. Familiarizing yourself with these deadlines will make sure you either meet them or apply for an extension in time.Single-member LLC: April 15Multi-member LLCs, LLCs taxed as S corps, and LLCs taxed as C corps: March 15Additionally, LLCs with employees may need to file and calculate quarterly taxes to stay on top of employment and unemployment tax payments and avoid penalties for underpaying. Ramp This story was produced by Ramp and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to ensure data security with online registration software How to ensure data security with online registration softwareIf your company handles registrant data in any way, you need robust practices in place to ensure sensitive and personal information is protected. From automated reporting to integrated payment processing, numerous features of online registration software help secure your registrants’ data.This guide from Regpack explores how you can ensure data security with online registration software, covering what makes data security important, ways to leverage registration software for ultimate data protection, and more.Why Is Data Security Important for Registration?For any company that receives, stores, or utilizes customer data, it is imperative that data security protocols are in place. Data breaches can pose a range of common security threats to registration systems, impacting both your company and registrants, including financial losses, severe reputational damage, and a loss of consumer trust.Here’s why ensuring data security is paramount. Regpack Protect Sensitive Client InformationData security protocols aim to protect the sensitive information of your registrants and customers, including personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, biometric data, business-sensitive data, and personal attributes information.Online registration software should integrate security measures that can help you protect sensitive information and:Prevent identity theft: Many registration forms require personal and personally identifiable information, which, when accessible to cybercriminals, can be used to commit identity theft. Identity theft can cause significant financial and emotional issues for your registrants.Reduce the risk of financial fraud: When registrants share their card details and financial information through your online forms, their data must be comprehensively protected to avoid unauthorized transactions.Limit emotional distress: When inadequately protected, clients’ sensitive information can be used in ways that cause stress and impact their emotional well-being.Build trust: If your organization can effectively protect client information, you are more likely to build trust with your consumers and foster lasting relationships.Comply With Legal and Regulatory RequirementsIf your company deals with personal or sensitive data in any way, you will need to comply with the relevant legal and regulatory requirements, many of which pertain to data security.Most online registration software is built to help you adhere to compulsory requirements, which can help your company:Avoid penalties: You must comply with state and federal regulations that mandate how personal data should be collected, stored, and communicated. For example, businesses that handle health care-related data must comply with federal HIPAA regulations. Failure to comply with data security and management regulations can result in substantial fines and public reprimands.Clarify requirements for users: Most online registration software enables you to choose how to make compliance regulations clear for consumers. For example, most software offers features such as consent pop-ups, privacy policy integration, and explicit opt-ins.Although online registration providers can assist you in your business’s compliance management, it is ultimately your responsibility. To ensure you fully understand and fulfill your obligations, you must assess your local, global, federal, and industry-specific regulations. For example, California alone has more than 25 state privacy and data security laws that its businesses must adhere to.Protect Your Company’s ReputationFailure to provide adequate data protection can result in breaches, which can damage your reputation and business success. Data breaches can lead to:Negative publicity: In the data protection sphere, news of data breaches can spread fast and furiously, and your business can quickly be deemed untrustworthy.Stifled growth: If past or current registrants have a negative experience and cannot trust you to protect your data, future ones won’t either.Competitive disadvantage: Data breaches put your company at a major competitive disadvantage. Being able to protect your clients’ data is considered the bare minimum for companies that handle sensitive information, and an inability to do so makes you far less appealing than your competitors.Support Operational ContinuityDealing with data breaches and their subsequent fallout can disrupt your operations. Having robustly secured data can:Reduce disruptions: Data breaches can halt operations. As you react to a breach, investigate its cause and work to resolve subsequent issues, your operations may be severely disrupted.Divert resources: The more time and resources you spend on dealing with a breach, the more valuable resources you are diverting that could otherwise be dedicated to advancing operations, enhancing your products and services, and more.Avoid Financial LossesIssues with data security can cause a host of financial difficulties. Data breaches can lead to financial losses through:Loss of customers: If your business experiences a data breach, you are likely to lose customers and see a decline in business.Invested resources: You will need to dedicate resources to investigating and resolving the breach and rectifying any issues it has caused.Litigation fees: If your data breach is due to negligence or noncompliance, you could be liable and may need to resolve issues legally. Any legal processes will incur attorney and court fees, and could even lead to client settlements.Maintain Ethical IntegrityBeyond the success or finances of your business, you have a moral obligation to protect your clients’ right to privacy and to ensure the complete safety of their personal information. Ensuring data security helps you uphold your moral duties as a business and maintain ethical integrity.How Can You Ensure Data Security With Online Registration Platforms?Online registration platforms provide the tools and features you need to ensure data security throughout the registration journey. Discover what makes online registration software secure, and how different registration software features ensure data security. Regpack Advanced EncryptionWhen you choose an online registration platform that meets the global benchmark of advanced encryption protocols, user data should be stored securely both in transit and at rest. Most platforms align with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which protects data as it is transferred and stored online. Encrypting data makes it unreadable should it be compromised, protecting it from being stolen or changed.Encryption in transit protects your data as it actively moves from one place to another online, while encryption at rest protects data as it is being stored in databases. Encryption is a key component of data security as it minimizes cybercriminals’ ability to decipher it, so even if unauthorized access occurs, the data is unusable.To comply with the AES, all data exchanged between the user’s browser and the registration software’s servers must be encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS).AutomationOnline registration software automates many steps involved in the registration process, including:Payment processingForm creationCommunication and notificationsReporting and analyticsEncryptionCompliance checksAutomation can drastically improve data security by:Minimizing human error: When data is processed manually, there are more opportunities for mistakes. Manual data processing can lead to accidental exposure, input errors, incorrect data placement, and more. When the registration process is automated, data is automatically transferred from the registration form to online storage databases without error.Enforcing continuous security measures: Automated security protocols include encryption, regular backups, real-time threat monitoring, and streamlined compliance efforts.Integrated Payment ProcessingOne of the primary benefits of online registration software is its integrated payment processing.With integrated payment processes, you can avoid the risks associated with manual payments, such as cash exchange, paper checks, and offline exchanges of financial information. For a safe method of taking bank and payment details, choose an online registration platform that integrates online payments.Look for a platform that supports multiple currencies and a range of payment types, such as credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallets.Data Analytics and ReportingMost online registration software is data-driven and benefits from integrated reporting dashboards, which can help you understand your company’s data storage and use.Access to real-time data can provide important insights to make data-driven safety decisions and identify any potential risks early on. Having an overview of all your company’s data helps you see the bigger picture, and such advanced features are not available with in-person or manual registration processes.Look for the following features when choosing an online registration platform:The ability to filter by event, region, audience type, industry, and any other custom fields you need.Real-time dashboards with useful metrics such as payment status and registration count.Real-time threat detection with continual network monitoring.Enterprise-Grade Secure Data StorageThe leading providers of online registration software utilize the most advanced cloud operations, which adhere to the highest security standards.Common safety standards include:High network security: Enterprise-grade security measures include advanced firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and intrusion detection systems (IDS).Physical security: Software providers store your data in data centers that have multiple layers of physical security, such as 24/7 surveillance, security guards, and biometrics.Automated backup and recovery: Many online registration platforms provide frequent or continuous automatic backups to protect your data should any network issues occur and to minimize data loss.CAPTCHA or similar: Your chosen registration software should incorporate an additional layer of security, such as CAPTCHA, or something similar, to prevent bots from accessing the platform, compromising data, or submitting spam entries.Advanced Privacy and Compliance FeaturesYour online registration software must adhere to legal compliance and regulatory standards related to data privacy, security, accessibility, and financial transactions. Different industries, locations, and business types have different requirements, so it is essential to choose a provider that suits your business’s unique needs.Advanced compliance features of online registration software include:Granular consent management: The best registration platforms enable registrants to explicitly give their consent on how their data is used and stored, with clear checkboxes. It is also beneficial for your company to have a record of when and how registrants' data-related consent was given.PCI-DSS compliance: Any online platform that receives, stores, or uses credit or debit card information must adhere to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), regardless of the volume of data in action, company size, and your business’s industry.While online registration software can streamline your privacy and compliance features, it is still your responsibility to follow cybersecurity best practices to optimize the privacy of your registrants’ data.Additional Benefits of Online Registration SoftwareAlongside strengthening your data protection, having the right online registration software can help you streamline your operations, boost user experience, and more.Additional benefits of online registration software include:Registrants feel protected: Integrated, secure payment options enable registrants to feel protected when they share sensitive information.Enhanced user experience (UX): The best registration software should allow you to customize your registration process, making it more appealing to today’s consumers. Plus, integrated features minimize extra steps and therefore reduce the risks of registrant drop-off.Helps drive strategic decisions: Access to data can help drive strategic decisions and determine trends, such as how registration numbers compare across regions, products, or event types.Accessibility on multiple devices: Your chosen software should be optimized for different devices so registrants can enter their information seamlessly wherever they are, whatever device they are using.Instant confirmation: Automated online processes enable quick processing and order or registration confirmations.Reduces manual workload: Automated processes reduce your company’s manual workload. This not only diminishes the risk of human error, but also enables your workforce to contribute their efforts to more important tasks.Leverage Online Registration Platforms to Protect Sensitive DataIn today’s digital landscape, protecting registrant information is not just an advantage — it is nonnegotiable.As online platforms become the most common forum for participant registration, organizations must make strategic decisions that prioritize data security and reduce the risk of breaches.That is where online registration platforms come in. Platforms that offer advanced data security features and adopt cybersecurity best practices can streamline your approach to data protection. Through optimized processes like automation, secure payment processing, and automatic system audits, online registration platforms are equipped with multiple layers of protection to safeguard private data.When you choose online registration software that is right for your company, you can stay up to date with the ever-evolving compliance and cybersecurity sphere, and protect your registrants’ data with confidence.This story was produced by Regpack and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	'Let them shower in hotels': Johannesburg Premier faces backlash amid water crisis In South Africa, as taps run dry in Johannesburg, Africa's richest city, a tone deaf remark by a senior politician there unleashes fury.
	Fear over farmland loss is slowing renewable energy development in rural areas Fear over farmland loss is slowing renewable energy development in rural areasWhen Chad Raines took over his family’s Texas cotton farm in 2008, he thought the going would be easy. That’s because their first year was relatively profitable — but the success was short-lived.“The next 11 years was just loss after loss after loss,” Raines said in a Daily Yonder interview. “We just kept digging our hole deeper.” Raines soon began to question whether he should continue running the farm, or pivot to something else.Then came a third option, one in the form of solar panels and sheep: a type of farming called agrivoltaics. Now, he raises 3,000 head of sheep on about 8,000 acres throughout west Texas, and all under solar panels.Raines is contracted by the solar companies to graze his sheep under their panels, keeping the vegetation short and feeding his sheep at the same time. He is one of a growing number of farmers leasing out their own land to renewable energy companies or grazing livestock on land already in use for solar or wind.Scientists say widespread renewable energy development — the vast majority of which will be located in rural America — plays a key part in decreasing the country’s carbon emissions, but pushback from the Trump administration has stalled progress on many solar and wind projects.In August of 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding to loan programs that supported solar projects on farmland. The agency pointed to rising farmland prices as its primary reason for shutting down these projects.“Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with green new deal subsidized solar panels,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a press release. The USDA defines prime farmland as land with the “best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops.” These characteristics include a region’s growing season, soil properties, and water supply.“Subsidized solar farms have made it more difficult for farmers to access farmland by making it more expensive and less available,” Rollins said.Whether this claim is true is up for debate. Land use experts say the real threat to farmland is urban sprawl into rural areas, not solar development.“Thousands of acres [of farmland] are going to [urban development], and that’s completely taking it out of commission,” said Jeff Risley, executive director of a new organization called the Renewable Energy Farmers of America. The group helps farmers negotiate land leases with solar and wind companies.Once an area is turned from farmland into parking lots or apartment buildings, the likelihood of it returning to agricultural land is extremely low. “Solar and wind, it’s a 30 to 40 year commitment, but it can also go back to agriculture land at the end of that time,” Risley said.Over the next two years, solar is projected to be the fastest-growing power generator in the country, according to a January report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. An estimated 83% of solar projects are expected to be built on farmland by 2040, according to projections from the American Farmland Trust published in 2022.While the estimated amount of farmland to be converted to solar is just a small fraction of the total farmland available in the U.S., for some rural residents, the transition is an unwelcome wave on the horizon.In upstate New York, Alex Fasulo has spent the last year organizing against a solar project in the town of Fort Edward that would have an estimated 530-acre footprint with solar arrays, access roads, power lines and a substation. She’s garnered more than 600,000 followers on Instagram alone, posting videos opposing the project, which is being conducted by the Canadian energy company Boralex.For Fasulo, the solar development threatens the rural way of life she was looking for when she first moved to the area in 2023.“I knew I was going to be surrounded by houses, farmhouses, and farms,” Fasulo said. “But [had I known] a commercial industrial complex would be able to come into this rural zoning, I would’ve bought land next to a Walmart [instead]. I didn’t sign up for this.”This sentiment is shared by many neighbors of utility-scale solar projects, especially in states like New York where there are more small communities interspersed with farmland, making solar development a lot more noticeable than in a state like Texas, where hundreds of acres of contiguous land can be developed far from any town.“When solar comes into a place like that, it can feel like, ‘oh my gosh, it’s taking over all of our land,’” Risley said. He tries to encourage the communities he works with to see solar projects as an opportunity rather than a threat to rural lifestyles. Risley recommends the use of a community benefit agreement, which is a contract between the solar developer and the town that can guarantee the building of a new grocery store or community center.“On top of taxes that they might earn locally, you can also think about what does our community need, and could this development help us achieve it?” Risley said.Solar development on farmland could also help mitigate rural America’s carbon footprint. A 2025 report by the philanthropy organization called the Rural Climate Partnership found that 38% of the country’s total carbon emissions come from rural America, despite being home to less than 20% of the total population.That’s because carbon-intensive industries are located in rural places, like agriculture, which accounts for 10.5% of the total U.S. emissions. One way to shrink this footprint is through the widescale deployment of renewable energy projects, which the report said could create more rural jobs, provide tax revenue to local communities, and diversify farmers’ incomes.“If you are used to looking at farmland that’s been growing corn or soybeans, I will not deny that replacing those crops with solar panels is a significant aesthetic change,” said Scott Laeser, senior working lands advisor for the Rural Climate Partnership.“It’s a concern that we see raised, but I think that also assumes that our farmland has always been used the way that it’s used today, even though we used to have much more pasture and crop diversity in our agricultural landscape.”To Laeser, introducing solar panels into the mix is just the latest in an ever-changing farm landscape.“I think that as we build more solar projects and as developers incorporate design efforts… like trees and bushes along the edges of the projects to reduce the abrupt visual change, and people design projects based on topography as well, it can help minimize some of those concerns,” Laeser said.But progress could be slow for at least the next three years because of the Trump administration’s attempts to limit solar development on farmland. This includes halting funding to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which provides grants to farmers and rural small business owners to install solar panels and make energy efficiency improvements to their operations.“It’s really unfortunate because many of those [REAP] projects are not large, and so they’re not being built on prime farmland generally,” said Alex Delworth, senior clean energy policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs. “They’re taking up a pretty small project size.”The current status of REAP funding is unclear. In the same August announcement about ending funding to renewable energy loan programs, the USDA said it would ensure that “American farmers, ranchers and producers utilizing wind and solar energy sources” could install units that are “right-sized for their facilities.” No explanation was provided for how the USDA decides what is “right-sized” or not, and as of Feb. 9, 2026, there’s been no announcement for a new REAP grant cycle.Regardless of what happens at the federal level, solar development is still underway in many parts of the country. Texas, where Chad Raines grazes his sheep, is projected to overtake California in solar production by 2030, according to research from the Solar Energy Industries Association. Much of this development will happen on farmland if current trends continue — and it could be one of the only ways farmers can make a living.“If you want farmers or landowners to stop taking farmland out of agriculture and putting it into renewable energy, then the first thing that needs to be fixed is the farming landscape,” he said. Competing with large agribusiness has become a nearly impossible venture for most small and mid-size producers.“It needs to be more profitable for farmers to be able to make it,” Raines said.This story was produced by The Daily Yonder and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Why one geologist thinks we should all pay more attention to rocks Why one geologist thinks we should all pay more attention to rocksMarcia Bjornerud loves rocks. Not just under a petrographic microscope, but as animated entities with properties and personalities born from their long, eventful lives. “I’ve reached a point in my career where I’m not going to hold back from talking about rocks in an affectionate way,” she said.Bjornerud, a professor of geology at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, has spent years studying the intricate processes that shape our planet and its deep history. From the smallest grains of metamorphic rock to tectonic plates that span continents, she argues we have much to gain from better understanding the building blocks of the place we call home. It’s why she wrote her newest book, “Turning to Stone,” which examines the ways in which rocks keep the planet functioning. The book is, in many ways, a love letter to rocks—and to the possibility of reconnecting with Earth’s deep wisdom. Rocks, she says, are storytellers, archivists that hold clues to Earth’s histories. Understanding their narratives could inspire us to act with both the patience and foresight that life on this planet demands.Never has this been more urgent. The climate crisis is fuelled by our misconception that we exist apart from nature, that we dominate it rather than belong to it. But understanding our place within Earth’s long and intricate history could shift this perspective, argues Bjornerud in her earlier book “Timefulness.” In an age of short-term thinking and quick-fix solutions, Bjornerud posits that contextualizing our existence within geological time, which spans billions of years, offers both perspective and hope.Here, Bjornerud speaks with Atmos about the scale—and wonder—of Earth’s foundations, the spiritual costs of binary thinking, and why time literacy is essential for creating an equitable climate future.Daphne Chouliaraki Milner:How can the study of geology help us appreciate the interconnectedness of micro and macro systems on Earth?Marcia Bjornerud:Having taught geosciences for more than 30 years, I’ve realized that the most essential thing we can teach our students is the capacity to zoom in and out of scales in time and space, to look at a rock sample under the microscope and make inductive inferences on a regional scale. The geologic mindset requires this polyfocal capacity because all Earth systems are operating at these scales, too. Feeling comfortable traveling back and forth across scales is really central to the geologic worldview.DCM: I love the word “polyfocal” because it also accurately describes the work that we’re trying to do at Atmos. Climate storytelling has for so long been restricted to one focus, but to fully understand the climate crisis, we need to nurture intersectional, polyfocal thinking. What’s an example of a seemingly small geological process that has a profound macroscale impact on our planet?MB: Microbes are in charge of global biogeochemistry. The Earth is, in many ways, a microcracy. It’s ruled by the very tiny. We, macroscopic creatures, think we’re the top of the food chain. But the reality is that we are not in charge. The pandemic made that very clear.Another example—which is perhaps the most important in all of our planet’s history—would be that microbes changed the atmosphere. In the first two and a half billion years of Earth, the atmosphere was dominated by volcanic outgassing. Then, some early single-celled organisms learned to photosynthesize. And by around a couple of billion years ago, they had been doing that long enough that oxygen started building up in the atmosphere. That changed all the geochemical rules and made it possible for different strategies of metabolism to be possible. It changed what kinds of minerals could form on Earth because oxygen allows for different ways of combining elements into new minerals.There were many, many, many billions and trillions of very tiny microbes. Collectively, they achieved global revolution.DCM: In your latest book, “Turning to Stone,” you reflect on the ways in which rocks intersect with our lives. I wondered whether you could describe some of those intersections and some of the most surprising overlaps that you’ve discovered?MB: One of my motivations for writing the book is that our Western attitude toward nature is at the root of our environmental problems: this idea that nature is the passive backdrop for the real action; that we’ve invented the world; that the world is limited to human commerce and culture; that nature’s inert, insensate. This habit of mind has come to us, sadly, from the sciences, alongside the idea that we need to objectify anything we’re studying, that we need to be dispassionate and analytical.As a scientist, I realize I can’t do that anymore. I care about the things I study. And actually, I think that’s true for most scientists. We wouldn’t stick with it if we didn’t love our subjects. So why are we pretending that these things are separate from us? That we can be dispassionate and detached from them when, in fact, we do care about them?I have thought a lot about the Western attitude toward the natural world and wondered at what point we began to think we had outsmarted it. I think it was the Enlightenment, and though I can hardly speak ill of the Enlightenment, that new mindset combined with the industrial revolution started a process of seeing nature as a resource rather than something with its own deep wisdom. There are environmental consequences, but I would say there are also spiritual consequences. If we think the world is only what we’ve made, then that’s terrifying. The world is a mess, but there is a much richer and wilder and older natural world out there that we’ve forgotten about.DCM: I agree, and I think that this binary thinking is reflected in our language, too. In the West, the narrative we have developed around rocks is that they are static and inanimate. It’s even embedded into our language—stone dead. Even describing someone as a rock implies that they are immobile, unmoving. I wonder, from your experience, how studying geologic processes can help us rethink some of these narratives.MB: My field is structural geology, which has to do with rock deformation—rocks literally changing shape. We use the approaches of fluid mechanics to study tectonics, mountain building, fault zones.Rocks, even in the solid state, can be considered fluid—not as a state of matter, but as something that flows. Plates move. Mountains grow. They’re ephemeral things. They haven’t always been there. They form, and then they erode away. Rocks are literally animate things in the science that I study. So it’s not too difficult for me to think of them that way. It’s just they’re moving in ultra-slow motion most of the time, until they lurch in an earthquake.DCM: In “Turning to Stone,” you make the case that rocks have eventful lives. How might our lives be enriched by understanding their histories and our heritage on this very old planet?MB: I’m perhaps in the minority, but I do find solace in knowing that the Earth is old and that the rocks around me have been here for a long time. Some people find that diminishing, but to me, it’s comforting. I would be terrified if we lived on a 6,000-year-old Earth, as some of the young Earth creationists say, that hasn’t been tested and shown to be as resilient as it is.There are many different kinds of rocks, and to me, they have different personalities. They also literally have different properties in the way that they respond to wind, rain, or ice. It’s like a pantheon of ancient gods in that I can look at these different rock types that, in some way, personify different personality characteristics. I’ve become less embarrassed to talk about that.DCM: Have you got a favorite type of rock?MB: I do have an affinity for metamorphic rocks. They’re the ones that formed in one environment and then found themselves, usually through tectonic upheaval, somewhere else, maybe deep in the crust. So, a sedimentary rock might find itself deep in the guts of a mountain belt, which causes it to transform into something else because of the extreme pressure and temperature. If we want to read something from that, these rocks teach us about the capacity to adapt and change and become something new under difficult circumstances.DCM: In “Timefulness,” you emphasize the importance of understanding and respecting Earth’s deep geological time. You describe a timeful mindset in the book as broadening our sense of timescales through an awareness of Earth’s geological billion-year history. How can we adopt such a mindset? And how might it reshape the way we understand our relationship to the past and the future?MB: Our technologies keep us trapped in the moment in a consumptive cycle of the next briefly famous meme. Corporations benefit from making us never-satisfied consumers of short-lived content. I don’t think this is the normal way that humans have experienced time in human history. It’s an aberration—and I would say, a pathological one.In the past, I think people were more acutely aware of mortality, more comfortable with acknowledging the finitude of lives, and keenly aware of the importance of remembering ancestors. They cared about leaving a legacy into the future. Today, many of us in the West are narcissistic about our time. We somehow feel that the past doesn’t matter, despite the knowledge that terrible colonial crimes were committed. In the process of detaching from our histories, we’ve also detached ourselves from this sense of continuity.We can start repairing our relationship with the past by recognizing that we live in geologic time—and that there isn’t a disjunction between the past and now or the past and the future. In fact, there’s great comfort in being able to read a landscape and understand the rocks around you as records of earlier versions of the place. It’s not that everybody should become a geologist or even take a geological class, but the habit of remembering that this now is just one of many nows is important.DCM: We talk a lot about historical literacy, cultural literacy, media literacy, and political literacy—and with good reason. But what I don’t think we discuss enough is the importance of time literacy—the awareness and understanding of time in both its short-term and long-term dimensions—and why it’s imperative that we understand ourselves as a continuity of our ancestors. Why is time literacy so crucial in today’s world?MB: That’s a wonderful point. One reason is that people have no sense of proportion about, say, our carbon dioxide emissions. Many [climate skeptics] say, “Well, Earth’s climate has changed dramatically in the past.” Yes, that’s absolutely true. Long before humans, there have been high amplitude climate changes. But the point is we weren’t there. And during the last 10,000 years, the Holocene has been unusually stable, and that’s the time during which human civilization has risen. We’ve been the beneficiaries of that stability.So, just understanding what our little 10,000-year timeline looks like, relative to earlier times of climate instability, is one very specific example of why time literacy matters. Understanding the rates of change—for instance, the asymmetry between how quickly we can consume groundwater from a given place versus how long it takes that groundwater to recharge. But people don’t have any conception of groundwater flow rates. It’s considered obscure.There should be a focus in schools on understanding temporal proportions about events that happened in the geologic past relative to the rapidity of change today. That’s why I wrote “Timefulness.” So often, there’s this tendency to crunch and condense everything that came before us into the category of “prehistory,” which is a ridiculous idea. People have no depth of field, no understanding of how long ago different historical and natural events happened, and no idea of how long phenomena like the mass extinctions of the past took—and how long it took to recover from them. These are timescales that we don’t like to contemplate too much, but we should.DCM: How can a timeful mindset, one that connects a deep understanding of the past with a thoughtful awareness of the future, challenge the short-term thinking that is driving so many crises, specifically the climate crisis?MB: I don’t know if it can. I’ve become more pessimistic, sadly, since I wrote that book, given what’s happened in the U.S. again.One of the points I make in “Turning to Stone” is that we’re in a golden age in geosciences. Today, we can understand the climate system in pretty high resolution at the 100,000- to million-year timescale. It’s a real frustration that, in this time when we know more about the way the Earth’s system works than ever before, our political and economic systems are not designed for long-term thinking.In other words: We’ve got the science now, but the implementation is thwarted by the incentive systems of the economy and the political realm. Two to four years is about the best we can hope for, at least in this country. We keep getting jerked back and forth. One administration put climate policies in place, but then they are reversed by the next one. Long-term planning is not baked into the way we make societal decisions. I have to think that part of the answer is education and cultural change. But that’s very slow.All I’m trying to say is we need to think on longer timescales. We need to be infusing that everywhere: into education, into policy, into the economy.DCM: How does storytelling, in books like “Turning to Stone” and “Timefulness,” enhance the accessibility of geology to a broader audience? And why do they matter?MB: I hope they do enhance accessibility. Unfortunately, the Earth sciences are not well-represented in most school curricula, certainly not in the United States.It’s a tragedy that the average Earthling never gains a rigorous understanding of the place they’re going to spend their lives. I and other people who are trying to break open the Earth sciences to ordinary people are trying to make up for that gap in our educational system, which is at the root of so many of our problems. I have to think that if more people really understood the implications of their individual and collective actions, then we could’ve held fossil fuel companies accountable much earlier for what they are doing. We would’ve insisted, before everything became so politicized, on government policies that would steer us in a different direction.The fact is the Earth is complicated. It’s not something that can be reduced to a quick, superficial, soundbite-like story. That’s why we need to find stories that have some resonance, that have some kind of arc that people can relate to.DCM: I want to go back to something that you said at the beginning of our conversation. You said that the West’s construction of humans and nature as a binary has a spiritual cost. What exactly is that spiritual cost? What does it look like?MB: Loneliness. This feeling of being bereft of something we cannot even articulate. To me, that’s the greatest cost.When we don’t see ourselves as embedded in nature, we focus so much on strife between ourselves. But when we see ourselves in miniature, in the context of nature, looking down on the human collective, then we say, “Now I’ve got everything back in proper proportion.” That may be a simplistic explanation, but I’m describing that sense of seeing yourself as you really are and not this narcissism—both individual and collective—that we’re stuck in. It’s toxic, and it’s making everybody sad and mean-spirited.I’m a deeply agnostic person, so I don’t have a glib religious answer, but I think that there is some kind of spiritual connection to nature that has been corroded for most people, and they really yearn for a way back.DCM: What is the most profound piece of wisdom that you’ve learned from studying rocks? What can they teach us about our interconnectedness and what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves?MB: The main lesson I would say is that we live on a creative, resilient, generous planet.Interestingly, we didn’t appreciate just how unique our planet is until we looked out in space and started getting detailed information about our near neighbors in the solar system: Venus and Mars and the moon. Now we’re looking out into deep space and seeing exoplanets and finding that actually, Earth-like planets are extremely rare.I’m currently teaching a course about Mars. I’m asking my students to write an open letter to Elon Musk about how Earth and Mars diverged developmentally more than 3 billion years ago, and the hubris in thinking anyone could ever make Mars even marginally habitable in a matter of a couple of human generations. Our planet has a uniquely innovative nature: ceaseless in experimentation and invention of so many different creatures, rocks, landforms.In the arc of my own career, I’ve seen a change in the narrative—even in hard-nosed, scientific journals—from Earth being seen as an ordinary, middle-sized planet around a middle-sized star that’s just one of billions out there, to Earth being seen as quite unusual. It has all this water, it has a plate tectonic system, and it has maintained habitable conditions for billions of years. The amazing thing is not that Earth happened to start with the right conditions, but that it maintained them over those timescales. That is extraordinary on a galactic scale.This story was produced by Atmos and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Why Utah’s Silicon Slopes hiring feels like it’s at a standstill: ‘It’s taking a toll.’ Why Utah’s Silicon Slopes hiring feels like it’s at a standstill: ‘It’s taking a toll.’Cody Scott’s foray into the tech sector began at Snow College, where the then-football player and some of his friends built an app to help fellow students find events and parties. The startup went on to get early accolades, and it planted a seed for Scott.He found he was good at this type of work, designing software and products for real people, “being very empathetic to the problems that the user’s facing.”He knows it sounds “cheesy,” but he started to see tech as a relatively quick way to earn a high salary, support his family and achieve the American dream.“As long as you have the skillset and you understand how to work within that culture, you can sort of climb the ladder,” he said, “which is what I’ve been doing.”As he jumped to different tech jobs over the years, his income provided everything for his wife and their two kids, he said.Until November 2024, when Scott lost his remote job as a senior product designer and spent more than a year searching for another. His wife, who was studying nursing, had to get a job. They had to work with their mortgage lender to pause payments so they didn’t lose their home.“We were OK,“ he said, “but we were literally just scraping by throughout the whole year.” Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune It’s not just Scott. Many others told The Salt Lake Tribune a similar story — filing job application after job application, seemingly into the void. Hiring and job growth are slowing nationwide as economic uncertainty remains high, and the national unemployment rate increased to around 4.4%, according to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, up a tenth of a percentage point from November. Utah’s is lower at 3.6%, but still up from a year ago.The tech industry has been hit particularly hard, all as artificial intelligence proliferates and the torrent of investments that once flooded the field have slowed with higher interest rates. Christopher Cherrington // The Salt Lake Tribune Utah’s Silicon Slopes region is no outlier. The state’s tech hub had been steadily growing until a recent slump “amid a slowing economy and increased funding costs,” Gwen Kervin wrote in a 2024 paper about the state’s tech employment. The Utah nonprofit also called Silicon Slopes, which empowers local startups and businesses, declined comment.Kervin, a senior economist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, said there are signs of recovery.And Madison McCord, chief human resources officer at Domo, the Utah-based business intelligence company, said the situation is “really a sign of durability,” and the “natural effects of success.”“We see this moment less as a slowdown and more as a reset toward sustainable growth, one that strengthens the local ecosystem. And at the same time,” McCord added, “it is creating room for the next wave of scrappy startups.”When the search starts to wear people down For many displaced workers, though, a rebound doesn’t feel realistic. It’s not unusual in the tech sector to weather layoffs and restructuring. But Scott is one of many who have struggled to find work in this particular period of disruption. “I stopped counting my applications around 500,” Scott said in January. He estimates he submitted about double that number.As the search dragged on, Scott said, he started to think — despite his qualifications and years of experience — that he was the problem.Was he not talented enough? Had he not developed enough new skills, what the industry refers to as “upskilling”? He wondered whether he’s not the type of Black guy people might “want him to be” — “entertaining,” like “Kevin Hart, Will Smith,” instead of the “laid back and chill” person he is.“It’s like, that’s ridiculous. I can’t even believe I was thinking it, but it does it to you, when you’re being told no over and over again,” he said. “You’re just searching for answers.”Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst, said social media is full of posts from people feeling dejected.“All it takes is spending 30 seconds on LinkedIn to see the frustration that is out there among job seekers,” Schulz said.The ones who spend months, a year, or more looking for work aren’t just struggling financially, he said. “It’s taking a toll on them emotionally, and they’re trying to keep their hopes up,” Schulz said. “It isn’t easy.”Right now, there just aren’t enough Utah tech jobs for the amount of people seeking them, according to “Hold My Fry Sauce,” a popular Silicon Slopes parody and gossip-gathering Instagram account with more than 7,400 followers.The person who runs the account told The Tribune that they have worked in Utah’s tech industry for years. They fear revealing their identity could lead to retaliation from employers, and The Tribune has agreed to not use their name.They said they’ve heard from people who are “well-connected” who have gotten jobs within months — giving credence, they said, to the idea that it’s less about what you know than who you know.But they’ve also heard from well-connected people who spent nearly a year searching before eventually taking other “transitional” jobs to make ends meet.Hiring managers are also feeling the pressure, the “Fry Sauce” admin said, adding they’ve heard that some roles have received 500 to 800 applications within a week of being posted.“I don’t think most companies are intentionally excluding people; it’s more that the sheer volume of applicants has broken the traditional hiring process,” they said. “Combined with risk-averse hiring, budget freezes, and fewer open roles overall, it creates a system where a lot of good candidates are effectively invisible.” Greg Green lost his job at Oracle in March, after more than 20 years with the company. While job hopping can be a good thing — and can lead to higher wages and career advancement — Green stayed at Oracle because he needed security. Bethany Baker // The Salt Lake Tribune Green, 58, has diabetes. He and his wife also have three children, two of whom are permanently disabled and dependent on them. He needed to make sure he didn’t lose health insurance or other benefits and could take care of himself and everyone else. The remote aspect of his job was also important.“Because I could stay at home and take care of my daughter, and I could also get insurance, and get my job done, and be appreciated for that,” he said, “but it wasn’t enough.”Since he was laid off, Green has applied to hundreds of jobs. And nearly as many times, he’s heard some version of this same refrain: We appreciate the time that it took to complete this application. Due to the overwhelming number of applicants, we’ve decided to continue with other applicants for this role.Or, he said: We regret to inform you that the role was filled. Good luck.“It’s just over and over,” he said.At Domo, managers haven’t “slowed hiring,” according to McCord.“But we have gotten more intentional about it,” she continued.“As the business has matured,” McCord said, “we’ve focused our hiring on roles that directly support customer value and long-term growth strategy.”For Domo, that means hiring developers and salespeople with experience that aligns with their cloud partnerships with Snowflake, Databricks and Google. Is AI to blame?At least part of the industry’s slowdown is because of artificial intelligence.The proof was in a chart projected around the Grand America’s ballroom in January, where lawmakers and business leaders gathered ahead of the legislative session to discuss the economic outlook and weigh the impact of public policy.As the graph indicated, the rollout of ChatGPT in late 2022 coincided with the slowdown job seekers are seeing.“Like every tool that’s ever been invented, it can be a positive,” Gov. Spencer Cox said about AI. Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who joined Cox in a panel discussion, pointed to AI benefits for public safety, such as using it to time street lights or guide first responders to emergencies. But it also comes with disruption.“AI will take some of our jobs,” Cox continued. “And what’s a little different about this disruption, or this evolution, that we’re seeing right now is historically, when we’ve had new tools, the disruptions have really affected the blue-collar workers.” “Plumbers,” Cox said, “are going to do really well in this evolution.” Christopher Cherrington // The Salt Lake Tribune But AI isn’t the only force contributing to the slowdown. High interest rates and economic uncertainty also play a role. Years of overhiring during the pandemic-era tech boom, followed now by a shift to investing in data centers, are also factors, said Mary Hall, director of the University of Utah’s Kahlert School of Computing.White-collar workers faced similar challenges when the personal computer, the internet, the cellphone and cloud computing were invented. Despite earlier challenges, those technologies all led to new industries and jobs, she said.“There may be a transition period now,” Hall said, “but we expect this to follow that same pattern, with normalization and then another period of growth.”Right now, the tech industry seems to want people with more experience as AI takes over tasks typically reserved for junior engineers. At Domo, McCord said, “AI is definitely part of what is reshaping the talent market, but for us it’s not about replacing people, it’s about changing how work gets done.” She said the company has created an “AI council” to evaluate how the technology is used internally. “The goal is to help teams work smarter while keeping humans firmly in the loop when it comes to judgment, context, and accountability,” she said. Reasons for optimismYounger workers new to the labor market are having the most trouble finding jobs. The unemployment rate for those age 20-24 is well above the national rate, at 8.2%, according to federal data. Since at least 2001, a gap like that has existed, but it’s widening.“The current no-hire, no-fire labor market — and the prospect of a jobless expansion — is an enormous challenge for members of Gen Z who are just now entering the labor force,” according to a November research briefing from Oxford Economics.These workers are “more vulnerable to economic downturns,” the briefing continued, because they haven’t yet accumulated wealth. That means a “weak labor market can have a lasting negative impact on wage growth and earning potential.”Job seekers are also getting trapped by an increase in so-called ghost jobs, according to NPR, where a listing is posted but no one is ever hired, either because it’s fake or because a company posted for more open positions than needed. For every two job postings, one doesn’t get filled, NPR reported.Employers are implementing AI to help filter the large pool of applicants they get, too, which can cull good candidates in the process. Some candidates are using AI to fight back and send out hundreds of applications.Hall said her school is updating its curriculum to help better prepare students. They’re adding a new minor in AI this fall, as well as AI pathways within their majors and additional courses on cloud computing and data centers. Professors are also coaching students to look beyond traditional tech jobs, she said.There’s some good news on the horizon: The percentage of Utah businesses that planned to add new employees in the coming months was higher than the percentage who expected to cut staff, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s December jobs report.Schulz, with LendingTree, said a downturn in Utah’s tech industry would be “a big deal” for the state.“This data doesn’t suggest that, though,” he said, adding that “I think, in all, that bodes well for Utah.”Utah’s own jobs report also had promising signs, Kervin said.That report, released about a week ago, shows the state added 21,800 jobs in a year — a 1.2% gain compared to national growth of 0.3%.Growth in the information sector was even higher, Kervin said, at 6.3%. “I’m not seeing, in Utah, what is perhaps happening in the rest of the United States,” she said. Utah has made attracting tech companies a priority, she said, and the state’s efforts — and talent pool — are paying off.“It looks like Utah’s growth in this sector is outpacing what we see in the rest of the United States,” Kervin said, especially in software development, data processing and data warehousing. Whether that holds true, she said, is harder to say. The state will release its annual projections in the spring.Green, whose severance ran out six months after he was laid off, is still holding out for a tech role. He thinks this AI “hype bubble” will eventually pop. “If I can survive that long,” Green said, “I might get a job coming off the end of that.”In the meantime, he said, he stopped taking medications that helped control his blood sugar to cut costs. He also recently tapered off his antidepressants, both to save money and to avoid the potential side effects of stopping cold.Thanksgiving and Christmas, he said, were hard. “I don’t feel very hopeful about the future,” he said. Scott did end up landing a job — 13 months after his search began. It pays less than he hoped and it’s not remote, requiring him to come into an Orem office, but it’s a job. “Even though I landed on my feet, like, it’s not without some collateral damage,” he said, “and it’s just like, I just have a sour taste in my mouth to this industry.”He said when he got started in tech about eight years ago, there seemed to be more of an “entrepreneurial spirit.” Jobs allowed more autonomy and the culture felt more optimistic and exciting, where the “best idea wins.”Now, Scott said, it feels like there’s less interest in solving problems or creating new ways to do things.“It’s more [about] creating shareholder value,” he said, “and whatever’s best for the bottom line.” This story was produced by The Salt Lake Tribune and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Interview: Celebrating National Drink Wine Day with Wide River Winery There's double reason to raise a glass today. It's Wine Down Wednesday and National Drink Wine Day. Liz Quinn shares what's new at Wide River Winery.
	Fire danger high again today across the Quad Cities Strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures are creating another day with a high threat of wildfires spreading across the Quad Cities. Some much-needed rain is on the way, but it won't be much. Along with the rain, some storms and snow are possible, too. Here's your full 7-day forecast.

Thursday, February 19th, 2026

Wednesday, February 18th, 2026