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

Why one Iowa builder is adding extra water filters to new homes

A Central Iowa homebuilder is one of the first in the state to take an extra step to remove pollutants from home tap water.

Giraffe calf did not survive birth, Blank Park Zoo says

Blank Park Zoo shared that its giraffe on baby watch delivered a calf without a heartbeat.

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: MICKEAL BLOCH, 28, 5'10", 158 pounds, brown eyes, black hair. Wanted by Bettendorf Police Department for possession with intent to deliver marijuana, failure to [...]

Bishop Hill Heritage Association holding Dairy Building restoration fundraiser

The Bishop Hill Heritage Association (BHHA) is marking its 65th anniversary next year by raising funds for a new restoration project. The BHHA will start an exterior historic restoration of the 1854 Dairy Building in Bishop Hill next spring. Firmitas of Knoxville, Ill. will be the general contractor. The project includes stucco removal, brick replacement, [...]

Gut microbes followed migrating humans across continents, new study suggests

New research looks at the surprising similarities in the gut microbiomes of hunter-gathers in Tanzania and horticulturalists in Bolivia, and asks: What role do these bacteria play in human health?

Greetings from Lahore, Pakistan, whose high court offers an oasis for chatter and chai

The Lahore High Court is a near-perfect specimen of British South Asian colonial architecture and its main square is a pleasant spot shaded by banyan trees.

Crash shuts down part of I-74 in Knox County

Developing.

DIY fertilizer is a blessing as farmers face steep prices due to the Iran war

It's hard enough being a small-scale farmer. Then the Iran war drove up fertilizer prices. So farmers are using a traditional Asian recipe to make their own. They call it a "labor of love."

Three things to know: Oct. 7, 2026

A coast to coast relay to run through the Quad Cities, a new small business is set to open and a look at your forecast.

Residents invited to explore QC museums during October’s Museum Month

Quad Cities Museum Month is underway through Oct. 31, offering expanded time to explore more than 20 local museums, special events and a prize‑tracking check‑in program at QCMuseumMonth.com.

HVAC theft causes nearly $40K damage at The Grinder’s & Spaghetti House in Moline

Early Friday, Oct. 2, two individuals were captured on surveillance footage hauling away parts from the restaurant’s HVAC units.

Great fall weather for days to come

If you're loving the nice fall weather, it's going to stick around for several more days. Other than a random shower Friday, dry conditions will continue. Here's your full 7-day forecast.

Dick Drake Way to close for crossing replacement in Muscatine

Dick Drake Way in Muscatine will be closed to all traffic Oct. 12-19 to allow Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Railroad crews to replace the mainline rail crossing, a project requiring a full shutdown to ensure worker and driver safety, a news release says. The closure will run from U.S. Highway 61 to Stewart Road. Only local [...]

Who will win the 2026 Nobel Prize in economics?

A thinly traded prediction market offers a starting point. We explore potential winners and the big ideas that could earn them economics' biggest prize.

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai win Nobel Prize in chemistry

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for their discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.

Steamboat Food

This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of those fancy cloth-napkin restaurants you go to for anniversaries? If you…

On 'She's The Best,' Troye Sivan takes the party to unexpected places

The Australian singer-songwriter's last album earned him his first Grammy nominations, a global tour with Charli xcx and even an SNL parody. His new release, She's the Best, excavates a deeper layer of his desires.

3 years on, Israelis grapple with reports Netanyahu was warned before Oct. 7 attacks

On the three-year mark since the Hamas-led deadly attack, Israelis are grappling with reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was repeatedly warned by regional allies ahead of time.

Over 1,000 children are buried at juvenile detention centers nationwide

Researchers uncovered the graves of more than 1,000 children next to juvenile detention facilities in 29 states. At one Maryland gravesite, 230 Black boys are buried.

Here's the latest sticker shock: Borrowing for a mortgage -- or a car

It's not just mortgages being at their highest level in almost three years — but the cost of loans for cars and higher education are among the borrowing costs affected, too.

'Medicare for All' message attracts midterm voters buckling under medical bills

Midterm candidates are talking up Medicare for All, and in a poll 2 out of 3 Americans said they support it. The phrase speaks to a desire for radical change, though many don't really know what it is.

5 things civil rights data says about public schools

The federal Civil Rights Data Collection, for the first time in decades, tells us about the teacher workforce and reminds us racial disparities are still stark in American public schools.

An early flu season means it might be time to think about a flu shot

Flu season typically starts in October or November. But it looks like the flu started to pick up in September this year.

Former CIA official accused of stealing $40M in gold bars pleads guilty

A former senior CIA official pleaded guilty Tuesday to a charge that he abused his position to enrich himself by acquiring Florida real estate and hundreds of gold bars worth over $40 million.

Israelis mourn on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 as Palestinians grapple with war it sparked

Israelis are gathering Wednesday to commemorate the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people, and sparked a devastating war in Gaza that Palestinians still grapple with.

Bottoms, Jackson face each other for first, and likely only, time in Georgia governor’s race

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, and Republican Rick Jackson participated in a town hall-style debate Tuesday at the Atlanta News First studio. Pool photo via Atlanta News First/WANFDemocrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson clashed Tuesday night over healthcare, crime, data centers and election security in what will likely be the only opportunity for voters to see the two candidates for governor side by side.  The town hall-style debate, organized by Atlanta News First and Atlanta-based Gray Media, is the only forum where both candidates were expected to face each other. Bottoms challenged Jackson to more debates, but the Republican only agreed to the one meeting.  But because of the town hall format, Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, and Jackson, a healthcare executive, weren’t allowed to address each other and could only respond to questions from Georgia voters who were undecided before the debate. That didn’t stop either candidate from issuing attacks in their responses, though.  SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Bottoms introduced herself in the town hall as an advocate for Georgians. “While my opponent is running to enrich himself and be Trump’s favorite governor, I want to be yours, Georgia,” Bottoms said. Jackson pointed to his personal background growing up in public housing and foster care, something he does often on the campaign trail and in TV ads, before becoming a billionaire. “I know what it means to struggle. I know what it means to get a second chance, and I’m running for governor to make sure every Georgian has that same opportunity,” Jackson said. Healthcare, data center and election security were hot issues The debate did become contentious at times. Bottoms repeated her push to expand Medicaid while accusing Jackson of profiting from the current system through his healthcare companies. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, participates in a town hall-style debate Tuesday at the Atlanta News First studio. Pool photo via Atlanta News First/WANF “My opponent has made money off of this broken healthcare system. He has a staffing company that lures staff away from hospitals. It has sent many hospitals into closure because the personnel costs have skyrocketed,” Bottoms said to an undecided voter who said he did not have healthcare coverage. Jackson was previously against Medicaid expansion but announced last month that he would pursue “intelligent” Medicaid expansion. He said Tuesday night that he would expand Medicaid without losing “$4.5 billion dollars that we’re currently getting for the state,” but he was unclear how Georgia would lose that funding, and a spokesperson for his campaign didn’t immediately respond to a follow-up question seeking clarification. Jackson quickly shifted to his other proposals to make healthcare more affordable, such as cracking down on insurance practices that deny or delay care and negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to bring the cost of prescription down. “What we need to focus on – not only expanding Medicaid; that doesn’t solve the cost – we need to come up with solutions that actually reduce the cost of healthcare, and that’s what I’m going to do, or I’m not going to run again,” Jackson responded. Republican Rick Jackson participates in a town hall-style debate Tuesday at the Atlanta News First studio. Pool photo via Atlanta News First/WANF Jackson also repeatedly attacked Bottoms on her record as mayor of Atlanta, pointing to inflation and public safety in Atlanta during the pandemic. “This is the kind of policy that we cannot have in running Georgia, not having people feeling safe to go to work or go to the gas store. There’s no way this should happen as a governor,” he said to a voter who asked how the candidates plan to make living more affordable. But Bottoms pointed to her plan to provide tax relief, such as eliminating income tax for teachers and cutting taxes associated with car insurance. She also said she wants to allow local governments to have the option to suspend or eliminate sales tax on groceries. “The average consumer or household has two cars. That would be $140 per year in savings, and also through the homeowners insurance tax that’s currently passed on to consumers, also at around 2.25%. I want to make sure that that is going back into the pockets of consumers,” she said. Jackson offered his own tax cut pledge, saying that he has “committed to cut the income tax in half the first term, or (he) won’t run again.” The candidates also sparred over the growth of data centers in Georgia, which has become a defining issue of the race. Bottoms is calling for a statewide pause while pointing to Jackson’s investment in a data center in Texas.   “If he is an investor in data centers, if he builds data centers, he cannot be trusted on this, but I want a pause on all new construction until we create a path forward that best serves all of Georgia,” Bottoms said. Jackson pushed back, saying that Bottoms approved multiple data centers in Atlanta while giving them a tax break. But Bottoms said that the only data center she approved as mayor was one at Georgia Tech that “was not a hyperscale data center (and) it was not in the middle of a residential community.” Debate over data center growth in Georgia heats up race for governor On the issue of automated license plate readers, Bottoms said that she would support a moratorium on new devices being installed while policies are tightened up. Jackson disagreed with halting new installations, saying it would cause crime to go up, but both candidates agreed that there should be restrictions on their use and that their use can be helpful for law enforcement. When asked about how they would help Georgians who lost their jobs because of federal funding cuts, Bottoms took the opportunity to tie Jackson to the Trump administration, saying that she is “not running to be his favorite governor.” The Trump-endorsed Jackson, who compared himself often to Trump during the primary and who said repeatedly that he would be Trump’s “favorite governor,” has aligned himself more recently with Gov. Brian Kemp. “I don’t owe anybody anything. Nobody’s ever told me what to do. My number one priority is Georgians. It’s you, and I will stand up to anybody, just like Brian Kemp has done,” Jackson said. The candidates also tangled over election security. Bottoms accused Jackson of previously suggesting that the Georgia National Guard would be deployed to monitor Georgia’s midterm election, referring to audio obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But Jackson denied that happened. “I’ve never suggested that we have the National Guard to come in on this election. Period. That’s just a complete falsehood,” he said. But Bottoms maintained her stance. “He said that the National Guard would be called in. You all can pull the tape on that,” she said. Political observers, partisans offer initial reactions to the debate Josh McKoon. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Both political parties praised their candidates following the debate, with Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon saying that “the contrast on the television tonight could not have been more clear. “In Rick Jackson, Georgia will have a governor who is a problem-solver; a governor who actually has a plan and has the guts to own it,” McKoon said. Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey declared a victory for Bottoms, saying that she “dominated the debate stage by outlining her positive vision for Georgia.” Charlie Bailey. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder “Keisha held Slick Rick accountable for his long record of rigging the system against Georgians, forcing data centers on communities and pushing the president’s disastrous policies, no matter how much it hurts our families,” Bailey said. The race between Bottoms and Jackson is virtually tied according to recent polling. Jackson has pulled slightly ahead in a recent poll, but they remain within the margin of error. University of Georgia political communications professor David Clementson called the debate “relatively tame” compared to the negative advertising and rhetoric that is coming from both campaigns. But he said there were instances of them calling each other liars, which he said “can have the effect of further entrenching partisan viewers.” Clementson also pointed to their nonverbal communication. He said that Jackson may have connected better with viewers as he looked directly at the camera and used more gestures, but that he also “appeared somewhat jittery and tripped up on his words more.” He said that Bottoms looked away from the camera more and “seemed less animated.” “Their nice verbal answers were brought down by lousy nonverbals. They both offered empathic answers, sympathetic message content. But with cold delivery, monotonous tone, stiff body language,” he said. Zachary Peskowitz, a political scientist at Emory University, said that debates don’t usually determine the results of the election. But he said gaffs and mistakes can happen, which could “definitely could be consequential” given the tight margins seen in polling. “I think you know it could certainly affect some of those voters, and given how close it is, that could be a big part of the story for what happens in November,” Peskowitz said in an interview before the debate. Early voting for the November election starts Oct. 13. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Georgia Recorder

Man wanted in church burglary leads police on high-speed chases

A man wanted for burglarizing a Davenport church on Saturday led police on several high-speed chases before he was captured Monday.

Pickens, Stegner pledge policy changes in Idaho gubernatorial candidate forum

Idaho gubernatorial candidates Terri Pickens, center, and John Stegner, right, participate in a candidate forum Oct. 6, 2026, at South Junior High in Boise. (Photo by Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun)Democrat Terri Pickens and independent John Stegner pledged during a gubernatorial candidate forum Tuesday night to undo many of incumbent Gov. Brad Little’s policies if they are elected Nov. 3.  SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Little, a Republican, did not attend the gubernatorial candidate forum, which was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Idaho and other nonprofit organizations.  Officials with the League of Women Voters of Idaho said Little did not respond to their invitation to participate in the forum, though they left an empty chair open for him on the stage at South Junior High School in Boise in case he decided to participate.  Pickens, a trial attorney and small business owner, said her first action if she is elected governor will be to present a state budget that restores the tax revenue and many of the budget cuts that Little and the Idaho Legislature cut during the 2026 legislative session.  “It’s going to restore mental health funding,” Pickens said. “It’s going to restore Medicaid expansion. It’s going to restore full funding for public education, and that is critically important because the one thing I’ve heard across this state is Idaho families and the Idaho working class are hurting.” [Voter Guide: 2026 General Election Voter Guide: The candidates, the ballot measures, and the tools you need to cast your vote.] Stegner, a retired Idaho Supreme Court justice, said his first action in office as governor would be to repeal the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit, which Little signed into law as House Bill 93 in 2025.  “I think my first executive action would be to try to bring legal litigation against the vouchers as best I could,” Stegener said.  “I continue to believe that it’s unconstitutional that we are funding private school students and homeschool students when we’re not adequately funding our own public school students,” Stegner added.  John Stegner is running for governor in 2026. (Photo courtesy of John Stegner) Little, Pickens, Stegner, Libertarian Paul Sand, a Constitution Party candidate who legally changed his name from Marvin Richardson to Pro-Life and independent write-in candidate named Jacob Burnett are all running for governor in the Nov. 3 general election.  Tuesday’s candidate forum lasted 90 minutes and featured a question-and-answer format, with some questions submitted by audience members in attendance and others written by event organizers. “This is not a debate, it is a forum, an exchange of ideas, related to the issues confronting our beautiful state of Idaho,” League of Women Voters of Idaho President Jean Henscheid said at the beginning of Tuesday’s forum.  Pickens, Stegner agree on many policy and budget issues Pickens and Stegner largely agreed on several of the issues, from supporting Proposition 1, the ballot initiative seeking to restore the right to an abortion in Idaho, to unanimously opposing both of the Idaho Legislature’s proposed constitutional amendments, House Joint Resolution 4 and House Joint Resolution 6.  House Joint Resolution 4 would amend the Idaho Constitution so that only the Idaho Legislature could legalize marijuana, medical cannabis or other drugs. In doing so, House Joint Resolution 4 would also remove Idaho voters’ rights to run a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana, like voters in Oregon, Washington and several of Idaho’s neighboring states have done.  House Joint Resolution 6 would amend the Idaho Constitution to make English the official language of Idaho.   Pickens and Stegner said they will vote for Proposition 1 and implement it if it passes and will  vote against HJR 4 and HJR 6. Idaho gubernatorial candidate forum ends with shared history between two candidates During her closing remarks, during the final seconds of the forum, Pickens said a case she argued in front of the Idaho Supreme Court while Stegner was a judge had a huge impact on her.  Terri Pickens is running for governor in the 2026. (Photo courtesy of Terri Pickens) “In 2021 … in a published Idaho Supreme Court decision, I was called ‘brazen’ for making a legal argument that the judge disagreed with,” Pickens said, leading some members of the audience to audibly react. “Brazen.” “That decision had such an impact on my career that I wanted to give up the practice of law, and the person that wrote that position is sitting right next to me,” Pickens said, referring to Stegner.  Stegner had already completed his closing remarks when Pickens made the revelation, and did not get to respond.  Where do Democrat Terri Pickens and independent John Stegner stand on issues? Immigration enforcement and 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Pickens: “I don’t think we need to be providing them with state resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” Pickens said, saying as an attorney she is not convinced that ICE abides by the rules of due process. “For me, there won’t be any 287(g) agreements for us to be having these discussions as to how we can support and train these folks.” Stegner: “I would not have entered into the agreement with ICE had I been the governor,” Stegner said. “I think ICE has demonstrated in very real ways that it is a rogue agency right now. They are wearing masks, they are shooting individuals in the streets – murdering individuals in the streets – and not wearing body cameras. Unless or until they are reigned in, I would not have entered into the 287(g) agreement.” Where do you stand on the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus in Idaho and the requirement that states that host a nuclear campus accept out-of-state shipments of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste? Pickens: “The (Idaho National Laboratory) is a great neighbor to Idaho,” Pickens said. “They employ thousands of Idahoans, and they have been a great neighbor. They’ve been a great neighbor because of the 1995 agreement, basically negotiated by (former Gov.) Cecil Andrus and signed by (former Gov.) Phil Batt. That 1995 agreement is the guardrail of our protection of the East Snake Plain Aquifer.” “As soon as I am elected governor, the memorandum of understanding (to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus in Idaho) will no longer be,” Pickens added.  Stegner: “It’s 66 million pounds (of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste) that would be taken by Idaho (If Idaho takes one-third of the country’s spent fuel),” Stengner said. “Another thing they’re not really saying is that it might be more. You might get one-third, you might get two-thirds. You might get all of it if you don’t stop it at its inception. So I’m not a fan of the agreement.”  SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Idaho Capital Sun

In first debate, Zach Lahn and Rob Sand each pitch change

In the first debate in Iowa's governor's race, Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand each pitched themselves as the candidate who would bring change to Iowa.

East Moline Public Library celebrates Opal Lee's 100th birthday

Lee is widely known as the grandmother of Juneteenth.

2 arrested in connection to Rock Island shooting from May

18-year-old Jackson Hatungimana and 19-year-old Joseph A. Akins Jr. are both charged after a man was shot in the arm and leg back in May.

Illinois Quad Cities communities receiving $95,000 to boost tourism

The funding was announced by State Sen. Mike Halpin.

New exhibit at Figge Art Museum turns gallery into artwork

A new exhibit at the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, is turning the gallery itself into the art. "Amanda Burnham: Everything to Everyone" will feature hundreds of hand-drawn images collaged onto walls and structures. Burnham's vision is now taking shape at the Figge. She's working to depict the female figure embedded within the urban landscape. The [...]

Eldridge City Council approves purchase agreement for former community center

KGRD Green Bay LLC has 60 days to inspect the building and fully decide if they want to go through with the purchase.

For the sandwich generation: Finding help caring for a parent with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's

(BPT) - Key takeaways:Members of the sandwich generation are often challenged with the cost and concerns of caring for two generations at the same time.Caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's can bring stress, but caregiving also brings joy and connection with loved ones.Family caregivers need help from professional caregivers to understand the neurodegeneration and progressive nature of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases, and to help prevent burnout.Comfort Keepers provides professional in-home caregiver services so adult daughters or sons have a trusted partner for family respite, allowing them to spend more quality time and make joyful memories with their parent.By Sherri Snelling, gerontologist and Comfort Keepers spokespersonCaregivers from the sandwich generation perform a delicate balancing act: simultaneously caring for children and older parents, along with other obligations such as work. While stretching your time, energy and emotional resources thin, you have little "me time" for self-care. The good news is, although caregiving can be disruptive, it is also one of the most powerful expressions of love. The key is finding ways to connect joyfully with aging parents, and being proactive in getting help so you can enjoy your time together.In the 2026 National Day of Joy survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Comfort Keepers, 93% of aging adults say being cared for by an adult son or daughter has brought them closer together, and 96% of caregivers in the sandwich generation say family comes first. The strength of these familial bonds is clear, but that does not mean you do not need support as you try to meet the needs of your children, your parents and yourself.These pressures become even more intense and complex when a parent is living with progressive, degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Studies have found the intensity of dementia caregiving creates more stress, anxiety and depression. These caregivers also spend twice as long in their caregiving role: According to the Alzheimer's Association, dementia caregiving is an average of 9 years versus 4.5 years for other types of family caregiving, making it a marathon, not a sprint. During this marathon, professional help can support your physical and mental energy.How to support your well-being while caring for an aging parent Caring for yourself is one of the biggest challenges for family caregivers. The additional time needed to care for someone with dementia or a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's while maintaining work-life balance and raising children is very challenging. The sandwich generation dementia caregiver often ends up sacrificing their own social, emotional or physical health. In addition, the stigma of diseases affecting the brain can lead you to avoid social interactions and conversations, making you feel more alone.This isolation means many adult children carry the caregiving burden alone, feeling they cannot or should not ask for help. Dementia care can largely involve physical and administrative tasks like tracking medical appointments, medication reminders and administration, managing insurance paperwork, home safety, getting groceries and prepping meals. Small moments of joy that really matter get lost: things like enjoying a meal together, looking at old photos or sharing interests like music, nature or crafts that create quality of life for the older parent and the adult daughter or son.The key is finding ways to connect joyfully with aging parents, and being proactive in getting help so you can enjoy your time together.To help sandwich generation caregivers focus on what matters most, here are common myths around caregiving, and approaches that help families thrive.Myth 1: If Mom or Dad is safe, everything is OK.Reality: Quality of life matters. Caregiving is not just about physical tasks and safety, doctor appointments, fall prevention and personal care. Social and emotional health are equally important. Companionship, favorite routines and activities, conversation and sharing moments of joy help an older adult and the family caregiver feel connected and engaged.Myth 2: I should be able to handle this alone.Reality: Caregiver burnout is real, and creating your care team is critical. Many adult children assume care responsibilities gradually, until they are spending 20-40 hours a week on care tasks. This can lead to burnout and negatively impact your relationship with your parent. Professional caregivers, such as the in-home care specialists at Comfort Keepers, can become a part of your family's care team before a crisis happens. Professional help lets you take breaks to recharge and practice needed self-care, so you can be more focused on the emotional needs of your loved one.Myth 3: I will get help when I really need it.Reality: Waiting too long can lead to a crisis, but getting help before your parent's care reaches a crisis can make the caregiving journey easier for everyone. Progressive conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's can affect memory, communication, mobility, mood, personality, daily routines and activities including eating, getting dressed and bathing. Planning ahead gives families time for necessary conversations about long-term care, and to find the right professional caregiver, establish familiar routines and create a care plan that can evolve along with their parent's needs and family finances.Myth 4: All visits must be productive.Reality: Professional caregiving takes some everyday responsibilities off your shoulders, so time with your parent is not consumed by errands, household tasks and caregiving duties. By being "present," you enhance the emotional health of your parent and yourself. Sometimes the most important thing is simply being your parent's son or daughter.How can I maintain my relationship with my aging parent?Caring for a parent with dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's is emotionally difficult for family caregivers. Alzheimer's adults may forget your name or who you are, and they may become combative and physically lash out. Someone with Parkinson's may have frightening hallucinations and nightmares. All of this occurs in addition to declining physical and cognitive abilities.The Comfort Keepers survey reveals that daily joy for aging adults is rooted in the connection found during everyday life moments: sitting outside, enjoying morning coffee or engaging in meaningful hobbies such as reading, gardening, crafts and music. These moments foster consistency, independence and a sense of purpose. They also give family caregivers moments of calm in the midst of chaos.For someone living with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, these activities may need to be adapted as their condition progresses. A familiar song from their past, simplified gardening activity, short walk or time spent looking through family photographs can offer connection and comfort. The goal is not necessarily doing things exactly as before, but to find meaningful ways to meet the person where they are now.For adult children, joy is found in everyday connection with aging parents. In the survey, nearly 3 in 4 (72%) say simple conversations bring the most joy, followed by sharing meals (68%) and helping provide care for them (67%). A whopping 95% of adult children agree older adults play an important role in creating joy within their families.Where to begin finding a caregiverComfort Keepers understands the challenges families face when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's, particularly as their needs change. Specially trained caregivers can help them continue living safely and meaningfully at home through personalized care, familiar routines, companionship and activities tailored to their interests and abilities. Comfort Keepers can also educate families about their changing needs and provide support that engages them physically, mentally and emotionally.Comfort Keepers provides in-home services including:Personal careCompanionshipMedication remindersFamily respite careComfort360™: A Complete Circle of CareThere is no need to choose between being a good parent, partner, employee and caregiver as you juggle roles. Professional caregiving help from Comfort Keepers means better quality of life for your parent and for yourself, helping you remain your parent's daughter or son first.Visit ComfortKeepers.com to learn more.

Monmouth will end contract with Flock

Monmouth Police Chief Joe Switzer announced the decision to end the police department's partnership with Flock Safety at Monday's city council meeting. The police department had a two-year contract with the technology, with four cameras in operation around the community. Switzer said it wasn't concerns about privacy or data misuse that prompted his decision - [...]

City of Monmouth will not renew its contract with Flock

Monmouth's four Flock cameras will be removed. The police chief said the system did not provide enough measurable benefits to justify renewing the contract.

AI technology can help detect wildfires sooner

Public safety program Alert California is teaming up with Microsoft, which is providing AI tech that will process the data of nearly 1,300 cameras statewide.

Monmouth Police Department not renewing Flock contract

Monmouth will remove four Flock automated license plate readers. The police chief said the system did not provide enough measurable benefits to justify renewing.

Former Quad City Storm trainer Chloe Hinojosa joins PWHL's Minnesota Frost

The Kewanee native was named the 2025-26 SPHL Athletic Trainer of the Year. Now she's bringing her talents to the 2-time Walter Cup championship-winning Frost team.

USDA to increase research into U.S. seed stores, partner with DOJ to investigate seed industry

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, center, at a farm near Prairie City, Iowa, Oct. 6, 2026 speaking about USDA seed sovereignty program alongside Iowa Reps. Zach Nunn, front left, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, right. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) PRAIRIE CITY – The U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a program Tuesday to increase research and sequencing of the country’s seed collection and announced it was “strengthening” its agreement with the Justice Department to investigate competition in the seed industry.  Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made the announcement Tuesday at a farm near Prairie City, following a roundtable discussion with Iowa farmers.  USDA’s Seed Sovereignty initiative will invest in the National Plant Germplasm System, to sequence the country’s existing seed stores in an effort to “unlock the tremendous potential of the plant genetic resources the United States holds and identify critical gaps,” according to a USDA release. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Rollins said the U.S. has “significantly invested” in international seed collections, but has failed to invest in its own “robust” seed collection of more than 600,000 seeds from over 16,000 species.  She said the research will “protect” the genetic resources that underpin the food system “while also paving the way for new breakthroughs that are vital for our food security.”  Scott Hutchins, the USDA undersecretary for research, education and economics, said researchers will use the USDA funding and artificial intelligence to “quickly” sequence all of the seeds in the nation’s germplasm system. Sequencing the seeds, he said, will give the department a better understanding of its genetic resources. “If we know what we have, we also know what we don’t have, and we know what kind of dependency we might have with seeds from outside the United States,” Hutchins said. “That’s why we refer to it as seed sovereignty.”  He estimated that currently about 10% of the U.S. seed collection has been sequenced.  Hutchins said once the germplasm, or the genetic material, is understood, researchers can then see what traits those seeds hold – like drought or pest resistance – that can be helpful to farmers.  He said USDA will also use the Genesis AI initiative from the U.S. Department of Energy to “quickly find those traits and put them to work for our farmers.”  “While we do have treaties around the world to share seeds, those treaties do not extend to the sequencing and the genome information,” Hutchins said. “We intend to make that United States intellectual property, make it available to United States farmers for the benefit of United States agriculture.” Iowa Corn Growers Association President Steve Kuiper said seed technology is “at the very core of modern agriculture.” “Investing in research helps ensure Iowa farmers remain sustainable and profitable, while ensuring they have access to a competitive market to purchase their seed genetics,” Kuiper said. In August, USDA also announced it planned to fund several new research facilities, including the National Plant Germplasm System Centralized Distribution Center in Ames, toward which the USDA directed $12 million.  Investigating seed pricing  Rollins was joined by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, to announce an expanded memorandum of understanding between USDA the U.S. Department of Justice with a “new focus on seed markets.”  “The Department of Justice will be shining an even brighter light on seed pricing practices, on seed licensing, on seed relabeling and on barriers facing independent seed companies,” Rollins said. “So again, working very very hard to do everything we can to support our farmers and ranchers.”  Last year, the two departments announced they were working together to “protect competition in key agricultural markets such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods.” Farmers, lawmakers and independent agribusiness operators have said consolidation in these industries is one of the elements driving up input prices for farmers.  The Federal Trade Commission confirmed in May it had launched an antitrust investigation of the fertilizer industry and ag leaders, including the USDA deputy secretary, have been soliciting information from farmers and local dealers to help build the case.  FTC recently reached a $35 million settlement with Corteva over the seed and pesticide company’s loyalty program which the suit alleged meant the company was not fairly competing with other brands and generics.  Woodward noted the previous work of the DOJ, including a settlement to keep egg companies from coordinating to inflate prices. Woodward said in addition to bringing down prices for farmers, “Americans deserve answers” to how prices in the industry have risen.  USDA secretary urges states to allow on-road dyed diesel According to USDA data, the average price of crop seeds increased more than 270% between 1990 and 2020, at a rate “significantly faster” than the price that farmers received for their commodities. The USDA report shows that corn, soybeans and cotton seeds, which are typically genetically modified seeds, rose at an even faster rate, with an average increase of 463% in the 30-year time frame.   Rollins, citing the report, said “there’s got to be a reason for that.”  “It’s time to figure it out; and it’s time to do better for our farmers; and it’s time to look at the consolidation in the industry; it’s time to understand why we rely on China for a lot of our seeds,” Rollins said. “It’s time. And I’m honored to hopefully help lead that.”  Hutchins said the Seed Sovereignty initiative intends to make the information it gathers on the U.S. seed stores available to companies “on a licensing basis” and not an exclusive basis.  “It should open up more competition in that context, but the companies themselves have to be able to exist and be able to create an opportunity to put that germplasm into their portfolio,” Hutchins said.  Rollins said she was also announcing a $6 million grant to Iowa State University to expand its Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab. The funding is part of $125 million allocated in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for research facilities at land grant universities. Rollins said the grant would ensure that “ISU will remain a leader in cutting edge research and technology.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch

Amazon’s Walla Walla data center plan sparks tension between protesters, local officials

Roughly 40 people waved signs, chanted and marched during a Walla Walla demonstration demanding a data center moratorium. (Photo by Aspen Ford/Washington State Standard)WALLA WALLA, Wash. — More than four hundred Washingtonians across 19 locations took to the streets Sunday to demand a statewide moratorium on data centers.  In Walla Walla, where a $4.8 billion Amazon data center project is planned, the tension among opponents and local officials was palpable. “Some of you standing here today have been called extremists and communists for standing with us,” Ben Mattice, co-founder of the Walla Walla Anti-Data Center League said to a crowd of about 60. “You are not extremists for wanting transparency. You are not extremists for wanting clean drinking water.” The state, home to 130 data centers, offers tax breaks on labor and new computer equipment for data center operators. Washington ranks 10th in the country for the number of data centers in operation.  “It is our job to call on officials … to protect our communities and to, at the very least, put a pause on hyperscale data centers,” Mattice said. Shortly after the rally, roughly 40 people waved signs, chanted and marched to the office of Melissa Shumake, the county’s community development director. Shumake, who has served as director for less than a year, has the sole authority to require Amazon to submit an environmental impact statement regarding their proposed construction of 16 data center buildings. Members of the league say that Amazon’s development has been shrouded in secrecy. They’re fearful that Amazon will use more water than they’re allowed to, or worse, pollute aquifers. They point to what happened in Morrow and Umatilla County just across the Oregon border where earlier this year Amazon agreed to pay more than $20 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company’s data centers contaminated groundwater with nitrate.  Meanwhile, local officials are growing frustrated, saying Amazon has “outright” permission to develop its data centers in the Wallula Gap Business Park, some 30 miles west of Walla Walla. It’s been estimated that the project will bring in $5 million a year in personal property taxes for the county. It wasn’t until February that the Walla Walla Port Commission announced that Amazon Web Services was behind the 2024 purchase of some 500 acres in the business park.  The port commissioners, according to Executive Director Patrick Reay, signed a non-disclosure agreement with Amazon back in March 2023 – more than a year before Advance Phase LLC, a company owned by Amazon, purchased the land from the port. The agreement barred commissioners from stating the company’s involvement until this year, Reay said.  It seemed like the kind of deal the port couldn’t pass up. Nearly $5 billion of private capital investment would produce over 700 jobs throughout the four-phase development of the project, according to a 2024 report on the sale agreement. By comparison, the total assessed value of properties in Walla Walla County was around $10 billion that year.  “Where else could your assessed value raise by approximately 50% on 554 acres?” Reay said. “It was a real estate transaction for us that met our mission.” During each phase of development, Amazon has planned to construct four data center buildings, each about 215,000 square feet, according to the 2024 report, though the specifics listed are subject to change as the project develops, Reay said.  Amazon is currently jumping through the bureaucratic hurdles of permitting. The county has entered a public comment phase running through Oct. 12 on behalf of Amazon’s permit application.  Amazon said it is constructing three, not four, data centers in this first phase, which it anticipates building out over the next three years, according to a State Environmental Policy Act document submitted to Walla Walla County.  Amazon also stated its estimated annual water use is “considerably lower” than previous agriculture operators on the property. Annually, it’s estimated to use 18 million gallons of surface water for cooling computer equipment and 6 million gallons of groundwater for domestic use.  Amazon did not disclose how much energy will be needed to operate the data centers.  Back in August, after hearing local opposition, Amazon deliberately submitted an incomplete permitting application to the county so that it could “engage directly with the community,” according to a Frequently Asked Questions document Amazon made public regarding its Walla Walla data center project. It hosted an open house that drew around 300 attendees in Burbank.  “Since 2010, Amazon has invested over $400 billion in Washington including infrastructure and compensation to employees and has over 95,000 employees in the state,” according to a statement from Amazon. The company “is committed to responsible development and being a long-term, positive presence in the Walla Walla community.” The FAQ document said the company will annually use 14 million gallons of water to cool its server equipment, but in its SEPA checklist submitted to the county, it estimated using 18 million gallons. When asked about the difference between the two figures, Amazon did not immediately respond. Amazon recently launched the “Built Together” initiative, a program dedicated to serving communities near their data centers. It will fund community college and workforce development, energy efficiency upgrades for K-12 schools and other needs specific to the community.   Growing opposition Data center projects have become flashpoints in recent months at all levels of government. In Washington, for example, Seattle and Spokane passed data center moratoriums. Skamania, Benton, and Yakima, counties also enacted moratoriums, while neighboring Klickitat County, with just 24,000 residents, is seeing a growing movement against new development after six projects requested enough power to energize up to 6 million homes. Major data center projects in Utah and New Mexico have generated national headlines as they spawned large protest movements. In Washington D.C., the issue is scrambling usual party lines as the president backs data centers and a bipartisan coalition in Congress is calling for restrictions. Washington lawmakers tried but failed to pass a sweeping data center regulation bill in the last session. The bill’s sponsor Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, plans to bring the bill back next year with a provision to ban local officials from signing non-disclosure agreements with developers. A moratorium is “a short-term solution,” Doglio said. “I’m far more interested in putting in place guardrails to not only address future development of data centers, but also do a look back and make sure utilities have contracts in place that protect ratepayers.”  Ben Mattice, co-founder of the Walla Walla Anti-Data Center League, said the group’s strategy is to “make this entire county unpalatable for Amazon.” (Photo by Aspen Ford/Washington State Standard) Over the summer, the Walla Walla Anti-Data Center League garnered nearly 1,900 signatures on two separate petitions for a data center moratorium. Members of the league host town halls, meet with local stakeholders, table at community events and file public records requests to local government agencies, Mattice said.  The strategy is to “make this entire county unpalatable for Amazon,” Mattice said. The group is “[doing] as many things as we can to put rocks in the gears to slow the thing down in hopes that either the bubble bursts and they don’t need it anymore or they go elsewhere.” Each week, members of the league attend county commissioner meetings to ask for a moratorium and an environmental impact statement.  The county commissioners haven’t acted. Todd Kimball, one of three, said that even if the county placed a moratorium on data centers, it wouldn’t stop Amazon’s development.  “They have an application in. It grandfathers them into the old rules,” Kimball said.  Kimball, who has been in office for 10 years, has grown frustrated with some of the group’s claims about the county, saying it has been more transparent than ever. “We’ve done more to educate the public with this project than any other ever in Walla Walla County,” Kimball said. “The application is online, which we’ve never posted before.” Amazon’s 550-acre project is located in the heart of the Wallula Gap Business Park, an industrial-zoned property adjacent to Highway 12 and the Columbia River. The park offers electricity, potable water, natural gas and sewer lines to industries operating on its grounds.  The anti-data center group is pointing to Shumake, the county’s development director, to ensure an environmental impact statement is prepared, but she doesn’t think it will be necessary.  “If I determined that somehow there are impacts that cannot be mitigated, then I would potentially require them to do a full EIS,” Shumake said. “This is an industrial zone with a project that ultimately has a smaller impact than other projects in the same industrial zone,” Shumake said.  “We have to have data centers somewhere,” Shumake added. “And in an industrial zone without population centers nearby, where there’s existing water rights. Like, I can think of a lot worse places where this might go.” Earthjustice, an environmental law firm tackling data centers across the country, disagrees. The permitting application that Amazon submitted lacked specific details that are required to exempt an environmental impact statement, attorney Jan Hasselman wrote in a public comment to the county.  Courtesy of Washington State Standard

Scott County couple builds animal rescue and sanctuary, set to open in spring

Local couple in Scott county are one step closer to opening their animal sanctuary.

Death Notice: Randy Claeys

A celebration of life for Randy George Claeys, 38, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Runge Mortuary, Davenport. Interment with military honors  will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, Oct. 8, from 4-8 p.m. at the mortuary. Mr. Claeys died Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, in Bettendorf. Memorials may be made to the family. Online condolences may be made at www.rungemortuary.com. A full obituary will appear in the Oct. 14 edition of The NSP.

Teen arrested in connection with May shooting in Rock Island

Rock Island Police and Marshals Service arrested a teen wanted in connection with a May shooting in Rock Island that wounded one man.

Rollins talks beef prices, seed research funding during Iowa visit

Rollins joined Iowa farmers in Prairie City for a roundtable discussion on agriculture in the state, where the U.S. Department of Agriculture also announced a $180 million initiative to fund research into the genes of crop seeds.

Quad City Arts to celebrate new exhibit and 25-year employee on Friday

This Friday night, Oct. 9, will be a special one at Quad City Arts, 1715 2nd Ave., Rock Island, celebrating a new exhibit and a 25-year employee.

Dirt Stars will take to the track to close out Davenport Speedway racing season

Davenport Dirt Stars will race Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10, at the Davenport Speedway. Complete race programs will be held both nights. The two-night Dirt Stars event will close out the racing season at Davenport Speedway. This is the last chance for racers to put their cars in Davenport’s Competitive Concrete victory lane in 2026. [...]

Actress Eva Marie Saint, who won an Oscar for 'On the Waterfront,' dies at 102

Saint won an Oscar for her portrayal of Edie, a Catholic schoolgirl whose longshoreman brother is murdered. She went on to star in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest.

Kewanee native called to work with PWHL's Minnesota Frost

Chloe Hinojosa spent about two and a half years as the Quad City Storm's athletic trainer. Now, she's going to work in professional women's hockey.

Two men arrested in connection with Rock Island shooting

Two Rock Island men have been arrested on warrants in connection with a May shooting in Rock Island, according to a news release from Rock Island Police. Shortly after 5 p.m. May 28, Rock Island Police responded to the 700 block of 11th Street for reports of gunfire. Officers found multiple shell casings at the [...]

Field forecast looking great for farmers this week around the Quad Cities and all of Iowa and Illinois

After the heavy rain from last week, this is just what the weather doctor ordered! Plan on more sunshine with lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s and 80s through the weekend. This is great news for area farmers as the harvest of 2026 continues.

Davenport already has 6 candidates to fill 2nd ward city council vacancy

Tim Dunn announced his sudden resignation last month.

Davenport fugitive arrested in San Diego after 14 years on the run

50-year-old Brian Anthony Williams was located in the Mission Beach Area of San Diego on Tuesday and arrested without incident.

Eastern Iowa education foundation traveling to Nepal to assist with recovery efforts

The Rebuild Nepal Education Foundation is gearing up to fly to Nepal to support recovery efforts following a devastating avalanche and flash flooding in late August.

Two teens arrested in Rock Island shooting

Two teens have been arrested in connection with a Rock Island shooting.

2 arrested in connection with May Rock Island shooting

18-year-old Jackson Hatungimana and 19-year-old Joseph A. Akins Jr. are both charged after a man was shot in the arm and leg back in May.

Victim airlifted after shooting in Fulton

Police found a victim with two gunshot wounds Monday night in the area of 12th Avenue and 9th Street.

Davenport fugitive arrested in San Diego after 14 years on the run, U.S. Marshals announce

According to the USMS, 50-year-old Brian Anthony Williams was located in the Mission Beach Area of San Diego on Tuesday and arrested without incident.

‘There’s only so far I can take them’ – why teachers give up on struggling students who don’t do their homework

Whenever “Gina,” a fifth grader at a suburban public school on the East Coast, did her math homework, she never had to worry about whether she could get help from her mom. “I help her a lot with homework,” Gina’s mother, a married, mid-level manager for a health care company, explained to us during an interview for a study we did about how teachers view students who complete their homework versus those who do not. “I try to maybe re-explain things, like, things she might not understand,” Gina’s mom continued. “Like, if she’s struggling, I try to teach her a different way. I understand that Gina is a very visual child but also needs to hear things, too. I know that when I’m reading it, and I’m writing it, and I’m saying it to her, she comprehends it better.” One of us is a sociologist who looks at how schools favor middle-class families. The other is a math education professor who examines how math teachers perceive their students based on their work. We were curious about how teachers reward students who complete their homework and penalize and criticize those who don’t – and whether there was any link between those things and family income. By analyzing student report cards and interviewing teachers, students and parents, we found that teachers gave good grades for homework effort and other rewards to students from middle-class families like Gina, who happen to have college-educated parents who take an active role in helping their children complete their homework. But when it comes to students such as “Jesse,” who attends the same school as Gina and is the child of a poor, single mother of two, we found that teachers had a more bleak outlook. The names “Jesse” and “Gina” are pseudonyms to protect the children’s identities. Jesse can’t count on his mom to help with his homework because she struggled in school herself. “I had many difficulties in school,” Jesse’s mom told us for the same study. “I had behavior issues, attention-deficit. And so after seventh grade, they sent me to an alternative high school, which I thought was the worst thing in the world. We literally did, like, first and second grade work. So my education was horrible.” Jesse’s mother admitted she still can’t figure out division to this day. “[My son will] ask me a question, and I’ll go look at it and it’s like algebra, in fifth grade. And I’m like: ‘What’s this?’” Jesse’s mom said. “So it’s really hard. Sometimes you just feel stupid. Because he’s in fifth grade. And I’m like, I should be able to help my son with his homework in fifth grade.” Unlike Gina’s parents, who are married and own their own home in a middle-class neighborhood, Jesse’s mom isn’t married and rents a place in a mobile home community. She had Jesse when she was a teenager and was raising Jesse and his brother mostly on her own, though with some help from her parents. Her son is eligible for free lunch. An issue of equity As a matter of fairness, we think teachers should take these kinds of economic and social disparities into account in how they teach and grade students. But what we found in the schools we observed is that they usually don’t, and instead they seemed to accept inequality as destiny. Consider, for instance, what a fourth grade teacher – one of 22 teachers we interviewed and observed during the study – told us about students and homework. “I feel like there’s a pocket here – a lower income pocket,” one teacher said. “And that trickles down to less support at home, homework not being done, stuff not being returned and signed. It should be almost 50-50 between home and school. If they don’t have the support at home, there’s only so far I can take them. If they’re not going to go home and do their homework, there’s just not much I can do.” While educators recognize the different levels of resources that students have at home, they continue to assign homework that is too difficult for students to complete independently, and reward students who complete the homework anyway. Consider, for example, how one seventh grade teacher described his approach to homework: “I post the answers to the homework for every course online. The kids do the homework, and they’re supposed to check it and figure out if they need extra help. The kids who do that, there is an amazing correlation between that and positive grades. The kids who don’t do that are bombing. "I need to drill that to parents that they need to check homework with their student, get it checked to see if it’s right or wrong and then ask me questions. I don’t want to use class time to go over homework.” The problem is that the benefits of homework are not uniformly distributed. Rather, research shows that students from high-income families make bigger achievement gains through homework than students from low-income families. This relationship has been found in both U.S. and Dutch schools, and it suggests that homework may contribute to disparities in students’ performance in school. Tougher struggles On top of uneven academic benefits, research also reveals that making sense of the math homework assigned in U.S schools is often more difficult for parents who have limited educational attainment, parents who feel anxious over mathematical content. It is also difficult for parents who learned math using different approaches than those currently taught in the U.S.. Meanwhile, students from more-privileged families are disproportionately more likely to have a parent or a tutor available after school to help with homework, as well as parents who encourage them to seek help from their teachers if they have questions. And they are also more likely to have parents who feel entitled to intervene at school on their behalf. False ideas about merit In the schools we observed, teachers interpreted homework inequalities through what social scientists call the myth of meritocracy. The myth suggests that all students in the U.S. have the same opportunities to succeed in school and that any differences in students’ outcomes are the result of different levels of effort. Teachers in our study said things that are in line with this belief. For instance, one third grade teacher told us: “We’re dealing with some really struggling kids. There are parents that I’ve never even met. They don’t come to conferences. There’s been no communication whatsoever. … I’ll write notes home or emails; they never respond. There are kids who never do their homework, and clearly the parents are OK with that. "When you don’t have that support from home, what can you do? They can’t study by themselves. So if they don’t have parents that are going to help them out with that, then that’s tough on them, and it shows.” This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was originally published on September 26, 2022. It was written by: Jessica Calarco, Indiana University and Ilana Horn, Vanderbilt University Read more: Being a librarian isn’t just about books – it’s about helping everyone get access to information and resources Homework could have an impact on kids’ health. Should schools ban it? Here’s what you need to know about homework and how to help your child Jessica Calarco has received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305C050041-05 to the University of Pennsylvania and from the Networks, Complex Systems & Health Project Development Team within the ICTSI NIH/NCRR Grant Number UL1TR001108. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Contemporary Families. Ilana Horn currently receives funding from the National Science Foundation. In the past, her work has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Mindset Scholars Network, and the American Educational Research Association.

Man wanted out of Davenport for kidnapping, arson arrested in California under alias

A man that has been wanted out of Davenport for the past 14-years was arrested on Tuesday in California.

Man arrested in San Diego in connection with 2012 Davenport kidnapping case

The U.S. Marshals have arrested a man in the Mission Beach area of San Diego who was wanted on several outstanding warrants from the Southern District of Iowa on charges related to a 2012 kidnapping case in Davenport, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service. Brian Anthony Williams, 50, was charged in [...]

House Speaker Mike Johnson joining Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for rally in Davenport

The event will be held at noon on Friday, Oct. 9. Anyone wanting to attend must RSVP online.

Former House Republican leader backs Pritzker for governor

Illinois’ former House Republican leader of 10 years isn’t switching affiliations, though he announced Monday he’s backing the Democrat in the race for governor.

Visit Quad Cities receives grants for local tourism efforts

Illinois is awarding $4.6 million from two tourism grant programs to 49 grantees around the state for local tourism efforts. The International Tourism Grant Program offers funding to target advertising toward specified markets like Mexico, Canada, Austria and other countries, with a goal of increasing international visits to Illinois. The Tourism Marketing Partnership Grant Program [...]

Turning Point USA event to be held at University of Iowa

Turning Point USA will be hosting an event at the University of Iowa on Thursday, October 8.

Library construction closes alleyway in Muscatine

An alleyway will undergo daytime closures during renovations to Musser Public Library in Muscatine.

Illinois state fairs attracted over 1 million visitors for second year in a row

Illinois’ two state fairs drew over 1 million combined visitors for the second year in a row, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.

Bettendorf leaders discuss traffic concerns at 7 Brew Coffee

A recent promotional day caused traffic to line up along Middle Road that officials said reached as far back as Palmer Hills Golf Course.

Local softball player soars in national competition

For Wilton student Harper Blieu, softball is more than just a hobby or her personal sport of choice. She says it’s something that can drive her to always improve and be better as both a player and a person. “Softball is a game where you need a lot of things to know how to do, but once you get the hang of it, it’s literally the best sport ever, in my opinion,” she said. While her family in New Liberty or her fellow Falcons Softball Club members in Louisa-Muscatine may already recognize her dedication to the game, Blieu has recently begun being recognized on a nation-wide scale through this year’s Youth Athlete of the Year competition. Held annually, the Youth Athlete of the Year competition focuses on recognizing hometown athletes for their achievements and their love for their sport, with the grand prize being $25,000 and an opportunity to be featured in a 3BRAND ad campaign with appearances on CBS and within Sports Illustrated. This year’s competition began in mid-August. Blieu shared that her mother was the one to nominate her. “I was really excited (to be nominated) and so happy,” Blieu said. In the weeks following, Blieu was able to make it through all previous rounds and was eventually named one of the competition’s quarterfinalists. At the time of writing, the competition’s polls had her in 5th place. Having already seen plenty of people from her team, her home community and beyond supporting her in this endeavor, Blieu thanked everyone who has voted for her or who has been cheering her on along the way. “It takes a lot to be able to get this high when you’re this young,” she said. “I really want to thank my mom, my dad, and my grandma (…) and I want to thank my teammates, my coaches, our head coach Avarie Eagle, and God, and all the people that have helped me get this far. They have all encouraged me to keep going after hard times.” She also wanted to thank Kaylee Sayler, another Midwest pitcher who is currently with Ohio University’s softball team, for her support, both during and outside of the competition. “She’s kind of my mentor. I learn everything I can from her, and I really want to give thanks to her, because she posted (my voting link) and told her followers, and now here I am,” Blieu said. Another player she’s inspired by, Blieu said, is Sam Landry, who plays for the Portland Cascade of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. “She just pitches like me, and I’m her biggest fan.” Although Blieu plays four different positions on the Falcons Softball Club team, the position she primarily focuses on is pitcher. She has been playing softball for at least six years, first beginning with T-Ball after her mother suggested it to her as a way to help with her boredom at the time. “After I played T-Ball, I immediately wanted to play more because it was so much fun,” Blieu said. Even after her mother warned her that she wouldn’t be playing with tees anymore, she still wanted to continue playing softball. “I just loved the game ever since.” One thing she appreciates about softball, Blieu said, is how it teaches her how to work with others together as a team. She recently saw an example of this during her team’s most recent tournament. “We won the whole tournament because we had great energy,” she said. “We played really hard, and I just really love that feeling of getting together with my friends and family to play the game that I love.” When reflecting on what Athlete of the Year qualities she has, Blieu said she always works as much as she can to get farther in her sport. She said she wants to continue improving in each practice and each game. “If I want to get to giving 100%, I need to work at it every day.” On the title itself, Blieu added that she’d be super happy to with Youth Athlete of the Year. Should she win, Blieu plans to donate a majority of the money to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. She would also want to donate some of the money to her softball team to help them purchase bleachers for a new softball field.

Rock Falls hosts Spooktacular golf cart/UTV parade

Rock Falls Tourism is holding its third annual Spooktacular Halloween Lighted Golf Cart & UTV Parade on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Rock Falls. The parade will start at Grace Avenue (Rock Falls High School, 101 12th Avenue), proceed to West 2nd Street, continue to 2nd Avenue, head to 1st Street and [...]

2 arrested in Lee County, Illinois, meth investigation, sheriff says

Deputies said the search was the result of a long investigation into methamphetamine being sold in Lee County.

Victims of boating accident near Dubuque identified

The three victims of a boating accident on the Mississippi River near Dubuque have been identified by the Iowa DNR.

North Scott Press — October 7, 2026

School administrators face off in Senate District 35 race

The voters of Princeton, Long Grove, Clinton County and Maquoketa face a difficult choice Nov. 3. Not because the options for their Senate district are so different—but because, at least on the surface, they seem so similar. Incumbent Mike Zimmer and challenger Joe Stutting are both school administrators, at or near retirement and well into middle age. They count themselves members of the same Rotary club and built their careers in neighboring school districts. They were briefly colleagues in eastern Iowa’s effort to improve career and technical education. They each list education as their top priority. Stutting, superintendent of North Scott schools, is a Republican. Zimmer, former Pleasant Valley principal and President of the Central DeWitt school board, is a Democrat.  Zimmer has two legislative sessions behind him in Des Moines, as well as 16 years as a high school principal and just more than a year as school board president. Stutting, a 21-year superintendent, said he still has the edge on experience. “We’re similar because we’re both educators, but he can’t list out his leadership experience and what I’ve done on economic development as superintendent of schools,” Stutting told the North Scott Press last week. As superintendent, Stutting pushed for construction of the North Scott Community YMCA and the Regional Innovation Center—the kind of economic development that Stutting argues is key to revitalizing rural Iowa and raising property tax base. Zimmer told the NSP that his fight was not with Stutting, but with Republicans’ decade of one-party rule. Republican control in Des Moines had sentenced public education to a “death by a thousand cuts,” he said. As Senator, he would vote to raise per-pupil funding, which has spent years lagging the rate of inflation. “It just seems like one-party rule—I don't care if you're in Illinois and it's Democrats running it, or if you're in Iowa and the Republicans run, it's not good,” Zimmer said. “If you don't have some checks and balances, you get some of the craziest stuff coming up out there.” Stutting preaches growth Joe Stutting has spent 21 years as superintendent, first in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and then at the North Scott School District. “I’ve always considered a superintendency a political position,” he said. “My job is to be a community leader, to help with economic development.” The Senate seat was a natural “next step” from his superintendency. A native of Camanche, Stutting graduated from Central College and started his teaching career in Lake City. He served as an alderman in Sturgeon Bay, and was recently president of the School Administrators of Iowa. Stutting said he believes in “smaller government and local control.” But as a resident of Princeton, he has watched small, local government struggle to provide basic services, like sidewalks and road sealing. In his view, economic development provides the solution: grow the economy, and you can grow government revenues without raising taxes. “You need to grow if you’re going to expand your budget. It’s all about growth in the state of Iowa now,” he said. Population growth helps shore up funding for public education, Stutting said. The Iowa state legislature allocates funding on a per-pupil basis, and increase funding through a mechanism called state supplemental aid. Annual SSA has been stuck at an average of 2.1% over the last decade—about a point below the rate of inflation. But Stutting said the “root cause of the funding issue is birth rate and population of kids. It’s not the 2%.” “Could we use more money? Of course. Everybody could always use more money,” he said. “But what really hurts us is when we have a 2% new money each year and you lose kids… Our budgets are generated by kids.” Growth is also key for state Republicans who hope to keep tax cuts passed over the last decade. “If we want to maintain a 3.8% flat [income] tax, and we want to continue to do the things that we’ve done over the last 10 years to help keep money in a person’s pocketbook, how then does the state generate more money?” he asked. “It’s grow our population and grow our jobs.” Stutting is light on specifics. “Until I get elected, there’s a lot I don’t know,” he said when asked what legislative programs could jumpstart growth. He noted that “public-private” and “public-public” partnerships, like the North Scott Y, are key to bringing young families to rural communities. “The cheapest place to start a young family and live is in rural Iowa. What they lack is amenities that attract young families,” he said. He suggested that state programs that benefit larger cities could be retooled for rural towns. The state could eliminate matching fund requirements for small-dollar grants, for instance. “We can’t continue to shuffle the deck or steal from rural Iowa to grow the Bettendorfs, the Ankenys, the Waukees. Because that’s basically what we’ve done over the last two decades,” he said. “The growth of our cities, our corridor areas, is really at the expense of rural Iowa.” Zimmer the bipartisan Mike Zimmer twice turned down Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart’s request that he run to fill his district’s vacant Senate seat. When he accepted, it was with state legislators’ “attack on public education” in mind. “We have been consistently behind” on funding for public education, Zimmer said, pointing to the gap between SSA and the rate of inflation. “Then when you combine that with the fact that the public school student population is going down, that’s a double whammy.” Zimmer grew up in Long Grove and graduated from North Scott High School. He began his career as an industrial arts teacher in Miles; he served briefly as North Scott principal before moving to Pleasant Valley, where he finished his career in 2023. In January 2025, Zimmer spent five weeks door-knocking in a hard-fought race for his Senate district. This summer he has knocked homes across Scott, Clinton and Jackson counties with a different approach. “I knock on a door, and I apologize for interrupting, but then I say, I'm State Senator Mike Zimmer. I represent you in Des Moines, and we finish the session in May. New laws went in effect July 1. Do you have any questions about the property tax bill that we passed, or school funding, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or veterans' benefits?” he said. “I can talk about it because I was there.” He gives out his personal cell and email address. Zimmer lists his top legislative priority as increasing SSA. But he is quick to note that while he may have a seat at the Capitol, he has little control over what legislators pass. “I think it's important for people to understand that when you're in the minority, you do not legislate,” he said. “You're a voice, but any bill and any amendment submitted by a minority member is automatically rejected.” Partisanship did not stop Zimmer from talking to his colleagues. He encouraged them to strengthen penalties for forged licensure, a push that followed the resignation of former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts. And he worked to halt a bill that would have made computer science classes mandatory to graduate from Iowa high schools. In each case, his work earned him recognition from Republicans in the Senate. “I was the only Democrat to be recognized by any of my colleagues for helping on a bill,” he said. Zimmer said that Senate Republicans had ostracized members of their own party who had broken ranks, like the 12 Senators who joined Democrats to oppose the use of eminent domain by the Summit pipeline in 2025. “The question would be, where would Mr. Stutting be? Would he have been with the leadership, or would he have been with the 12? That's what separates whether you're an independent thinker or you're not.” “Only he can answer for what he is,” Zimmer said of Stutting. “I just can’t say, unless I’m making the hypothesis that he’s going to just follow the party line.” On the campaign trail How does Stutting describe their relationship? “I would have said really good, up until my commercial came out and his flyers came out.” The commercial is a short TV spot paid for by state Republicans. A Clinton County woman places a 911 call, only for the operator to tell her that Maquoketa and Clinton hospitals have closed. It suggests that Zimmer is to blame The Jackson County Regional Health Center in Maquoketa and MercyOne Clinton Medical Center both remain open. Stutting said the commercial was meant to be a “fabrication.” “It was what could have happened,” he said. Meanwhile, a mailer sent by Democrats claims that Stutting “put his own school district in debt to increase his own pay.” He is “corrupt and untrustworthy,” the mailer reads. According to the North Scott Community School District Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for fiscal 2025, which was referenced in the mailer, the district’s current debt stems mostly from infrastructure projects. The report, also known as the district’s audit, is available on the district website. Stutting’s salary increase, which was 2% for the 2026-27 school year, was roughly in line with all district staff raises. Zimmer said the mailer came from the Iowa Democratic Party “without my knowledge, input or approval.” He said he had had a “very good” relationship with Stutting during their time as school administrators. Stutting said that “going negative” was “an unfortunate part of how politics work here, not only in Iowa but in this country.” “Mike’s a good guy. Mike and I have always gotten along well,” Stutting said.

Eldridge council finalizes vote to establish municipal fire department

The Eldridge City Council voted Monday to establish a municipal fire department, ending 18 months of discussion with the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company. The council voted unanimously to approve the third and final readings of two ordinances establishing the municipal department and adding the position of fire chief to the list of department supervisors. The first two readings of the ordinances were held in July. On Aug. 3, the council voted to table the ordinances when the EVFC agreed to move its deadline of Oct. 1 to transition to a municipal department to Dec. 31. The city and the EVFC also had a joint committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 9, where the parties discussed what their vision moving forward looked like. At that meeting, it was agreed attorneys for both sides would have further discussions and another joint committee of the whole meeting would happen on or before Oct. 5. According to Eldridge city attorney Allison Wright, she and the EVFC’s attorney, Dan Morgan, had two “substantiative” discussions in September regarding a potential 28E agreement between the city and the EVFC. Wright said Morgan offered to go to the EVFC and find out what their “non-negotiable red lines” were for moving forward. Morgan subsequently came back with a list, Wright said, which included: • A minimum three-year transition period • The volunteers would hire the chief • The volunteers would have operational control • The same budget as the department presented in July Wright said none of these items would be in alignment with the legally viable definition of a 28E agreement. “They’re asking for operational control and don’t want the city to provide performance standards or oversight, which is a requirement of 28E,” said Wright. “I cannot write a 28E agreement that’s consistent with 28E that provides that the city has no accountability or oversight for the fire protection services.” She said it was Morgan’s recommendation not to hold another joint committee of the whole meeting and said she confirmed this with Morgan during a conversation on Oct. 2. Council member Scott LaPlante said he’d walked away from the joint meeting on Sept. 9 feeling excited and hopeful about the future of discussions between the city and the EVFC. “That hope was extinguished last week when we learned of these red lines by the volunteer fire department,” LaPlante said. “We’re back to square one. “Now the city council is making a choice to move forward, as the people of Eldridge want us to do, because of the change of position by the volunteer fire department, that would only move this process backwards,” he continued. LaPlante said that moving forward with a municipal department would not change the importance of the volunteer corps, as the city intends for them to remain at the core of the operations. “It is time for us to get back to our core principle, to serve the people of Eldridge, so we can pay attention to other important issues facing our city,” said LaPlante. “To do this, we need to end this 18-month journey of debate, finger-pointing, and unhealthy social media posts by moving forward with a city-run fire department.” Council member Ryan Iossi said he had been in favor of pausing the process in August and coming back to the table to find some mutual understanding and compromise. “It didn’t work,” said Iossi. “And, respectfully, the fire department has made it clear with their red lines of what their willingness is to give and what they’re standing firm on. And I can’t take that away from them. But what I can do is sit back now and look at all the pieces.” Iossi said throughout this process, the city has gotten advice from legal and insurance, other cities who have been through a fire transition, professional fire consultants, and more. He said he wanted to avoid putting the city at more risk. “Out of all the people that I’ve named, city legal, city insurance, they are recommending against any sort of a proposal of a 28E agreement that is not legal and does not make the safest move for the city,” said Iossi. “I think every council member here wants to make sure that we’re reducing the risk as much as we can. So, at the end of the day, if we’re being advised that what is on the table as the final, red line proposal is not a safe move and is recommended not to do it, I take that with heavy consideration.” Council member Jeff Ashcraft agreed. “I just cannot support entering into an agreement that is not … a legally viable route,” he said. “I can’t do that knowingly, knowing that we’ve been recommended by our city’s counsel, that the county’s counsel has also recommended it, that our insurance carrier is not only watching, but our past insurers and potential future insurers are watching and are recommending against it. It’s very difficult for me to even consider thinking about moving into some sort of agreement knowingly that would put the city at risk is just unacceptable. As much as I would like to try to find some other avenue, it’s just not feasible for us to do that.” After Ashcraft and LaPlante moved and seconded to move forward with the vote, council member Brian Dockery suggested several amendments to the ordinance before the council to clean up some language. Mayor Scott Campbell also said, due to feedback from council members prior to the meeting, several sections of the ordinance would be stricken in their entirety, including a section regarding charges for services and consumption of alcoholic beverages on fire department property. As the council moved towards the vote, Campbell acknowledged that the process has been tough “for the fire department, for the council, for the community. It has been a tough road. And we can’t really go any further without thanking the volunteers. And we have said this numerous times over the past several months that we truly are fortunate to have a volunteer fire department like we have. They really are second to none. There is no question about that.” Campbell asked the members of the EVFC to “dig down deep and think hard about joining us and giving us a chance. Hopefully, there’s not going to be a lot of change. Yes, you will report to a new chief. But other than that, everything is going to be pretty much status quo. You’re going to report to the same station. You’re going to use the same equipment. You’re going to still get paid per call, and most importantly, you’re still going to get to serve your friends and neighbors and community like you have done so well for so many years. And I think that’s important to acknowledge what you guys have done. And I would ask you if this thing passes tonight that you would strongly consider to join us and just give the city a chance.” Dockery asked to confirm that between now and the EVFC’s deadline of Dec. 31, operations will remain as they have been. “Between now and then, everything’s pretty much going to be the same, other than we’re going to move towards transitioning behind the scenes with all the other stuff. So, Jan. 1, it will become a city department.” “That’s the plan with the ordinance,” confirmed Campbell. Dockery said the key to everything was hiring the right chief. “And we’ve got to have volunteers to make the business model work in our community.” “And we’ll have to have open discussion these next three months with them as we go through this transition,” said Campbell. Dockery said he has had sleepless nights since the agenda for Monday’s meeting came out last Friday. “I’m torn, as everybody knows. I tried to find other solutions. It’s a mess.” “It is,” agreed Campbell. “And I think everybody on both sides has done what they thought was best. I think, I know for a fact, on the council, everybody has done their due diligence.” He said he felt that the council had been given as much information as possible to make an informed decision. The vote on both ordinances was 5-0 in favor. Dockery said his vote to establish the municipal department came “with a heavy heart.” Following the vote, members of the EVFC and their supporters left the meeting quietly. The meeting opened with about 20 minutes of public comment, with support and opposition to the vote coming in roughly equal measure.  

Madison attorney Phil Buffington announces run for state auditor

Audio articles are automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story; however, this audio has not been reviewed for accuracy and may contain errors. Read more about how we use AI to increase access to our reporting. Phil Buffington, a Madison attorney involved in conservative politics and chairman of the Mississippi Tort Claims Board, announced on Tuesday that he will run for state auditor next year in the Republican primary.  Buffington, a partner at Balch and Bingham LLP, advises financial institutions throughout the country. He said in a news release that he plans to campaign on fraud prevention, regulatory accountability and stronger cybersecurity standards for state financial systems. Phil Buffington Credit: Special to Mississippi Today “I’m running for Mississippi state auditor because I believe the people of Mississippi deserve a person who wants to make sure your tax dollars are not wasted or stolen and a government that is transparent, accountable, and responsible with every taxpayer dollar,” Buffington said.  Current Auditor Shad White has said he’s considering running for governor and not planning to seek reelection as auditor.  Sen. Daniel Sparks, a Republican from Belmont, and former Rep. Nick Bain, a Republican from Corinth, have also said they’re running for auditor. No Democratic candidate has announced a run. Party primaries for statewide offices will take place in August 2027.  Buffington graduated from the University of Mississippi and Mississippi College School of Law, now Mississippi Christian University School of Law. He serves on the Mississippi Republican Party State Executive Committee and the Madison County Republican Executive Committee.  Candidates who have announced they are running for state office in 2027 include:  Governor:  Lynn Fitch (R) Andy Gipson (R) Philip Gunn (R) Priscilla Williams Till (D) Lieutenant governor:  Michael Watson (R) Secretary of state:  Shuwaski Young (R) Attorney general:  Sean Tindell (R) State auditor:  Nick Bain (R) Phil Buffington (R) Daniel Sparks (R) Courtesy of Mississippi Today

Homecoming out of hand

Homecoming festivities began with a little too much of a bang last week. Eldridge police and North Scott school administrators said that dozens of teens took homecoming festivities too far, vandalizing property and lighting fireworks on residential streets. Videos circulating on social media showed teens dressed in black, wearing masks, lighting fireworks that exploded low to the ground across multiple properties. They also showed students placed in police cruisers. “Wearing black masks, toilet papering (TPing) homes, fireworks, trespassing, and damaging private property are not school-sponsored events, nor are they accepted school traditions,” a statement from the school district affirmed Thursday, Oct. 1. “These actions cause genuine fear among community members,” the statement continued. Students involved in off-campus “vandalism, intimidation, or disruptive behavior” would be barred from homecoming festivities and could lose the ability to participate in sports and other extracurriculars, according to the statement. Eldridge Police Chief Andrew Lellig told the city council Monday, Oct. 5, that “in 12 years being here, this was probably our worst year” for homecoming disruptions. He said officers responded to between 50 and 100 teens. Officers responded to at least 30 calls related to suspicious juveniles, acts of vandalism and other suspicious activities, the Eldridge Police log for the week shows. It would be up to homeowners to press charges, he said. He expected that several would. “We definitely support the homecoming traditions, as long as it's safe,” Lellig said. “This year, fireworks were thrown at houses. They were thrown at people.” “Residents are scared when they see people on their property wearing dark clothes and ski masks. They don’t know if it’s homecoming activities or something else,” he told The North Scott Press. Activities peaked on Monday evening, Sept. 28, according to police. The department authorized additional overtime in an effort to limit disruption through the rest of the week. Lellig said that police have some leads on who perpetrators are. He said officers were still taking damage reports from homeowners as late as Oct. 5. Lellig and School Resource Officer Garrett Jahns met with school and city officials to discuss strategies to limit homecoming disruption next year. He said that parents are going to be key going forward, educating kids about consequences and keeping an eye on them during homecoming week. “It was very encouraging to sit in that meeting with you and school administration last week, and you both were in lockstep, trying for a solution,” Mayor Scott Campbell said. “They were just as frustrated as you were, and they were very cognizant of our desire and our needs.” Campbell said he encountered a group of 17 teens in black, wearing masks at his home Monday, Sept. 28. “I was kind of taken aback by their brazenness in trying to converse with them,” he told the council.  

Rob Sand at the Starlite

Rob Sand isn’t a big fan of the two-party political system. That might come as a surprise to people who are peripherally aware of the Democrat’s campaign to be the next governor of Iowa. But it’s a message he emphasized as he brought his “Better and Truer” town hall tour to Davenport on Sept. 29. Sand spoke for about an hour to a crowd of more than 850 people who packed into the Starlite Ballroom at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. In addition to his stump speech, he also answered a few questions from the audience. But he began by addressing what he sees as one of the biggest problems in today’s political system. “Our political system is broken, and it’s broken basically because it’s run by two private clubs,” the Democrats and Republicans, Sand said. “A lot of the people in leadership of both of those parties are more interested in beating up on each other than they are in solving our problems,” he continued. “And they’ve realized that solving problems is hard. You’ve got to read things and learn stuff. You’ve got to talk to people that you don’t like talking to. You’ve got to compromise. “But because it’s just a two-choice political system, instead of doing all that tough stuff, you can just lie about and demonize the only other realistic option on the ballot. You can get elected that way instead … State government is supposed to represent us. Is that a fair description of politics these days?” That’s one of the reasons he believes in bringing Independent voters into the political fold. Sand said when he registered to vote as a teenager in Decorah, he originally was an Independent. However, he quickly discovered that Independents don’t have much power in a two-choice system. “Has anyone ever given you a good reason that we have to be Democrats and Republicans?” he asked the crowd. “There is no good reason. Giving people only two options is more about controlling them than it is about serving them. And I didn’t want to register with either party, because I want to think for myself. But then I realized that you sort of have to, right? If you want to vote in the primary in Iowa, you have to pick a party.” Sand said, in order to create a political system that serves the majority of people, “We shouldn’t tell independent voters that they’re less equal. We should give them an equal right to participate. We shouldn’t be forced to pick between the lesser of two evils when it comes to realistic options on the ballot.” That’s why he said he favors measures like an open primary, term and age limits for politicians, and mandatory town halls. He also enumerated bipartisan ways Iowa has worked to reform its system, including merit-based judicial selection and an independent redistricting system. And, in the spirit of bipartisanship, to “prove that Democrats, Independents and Republicans can work together,” Sand asked everyone in the room to sing the first verse of “America the Beautiful” together. Sand is pragmatic about what bipartisanship means, as he said he’s aware that if he becomes governor, he will almost certainly have to work with a Republican majority in the legislature. “The Republican Party has had healthy majorities in both chambers for 10 years. If I win, they’re still going to have a majority,” he said. “That means every bill that gets passed, every budget that gets passed, is going to have to be something that people in both parties can agree on. It’s going to be something where the parties are checking and balancing each other. That would be an improvement on where we are right now.” According to Sand, having one party in power for so long has led to corruption in Des Moines. “One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is one that has stood out to me my whole life,” he said. “And I know why it stuck out, because normally, the New Testament is love your enemy, love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, feed the hungry. Jesus, super nice guy. And I remember one time, he got angry. And it was when he noticed people in a position of trust and power abusing that trust and power in order to enrich themselves and their friends. It was the money changers at the temple. And he saw what they were doing. He flipped their tables over and he sent them packing. “Folks, there’s some tables that need flipping in Des Moines.” Listening to the crowd Midway through the town hall, Sand opened the floor to questions. Topics included: Education reform: An 11-year-old asked what Sand would change about education laws in Iowa. He said he would improve teacher pay. “Credit where credit is due: I’m glad (the legislature) increased pay for beginning teachers. But … they did it by cutting pay for experienced teachers,” said Sand. “Which is just ridiculous. Because – I know this is going to sound like common sense, but it’s proven out by the data – when teachers have been teaching a few years, they’re much better than they were in their first year. So, when we raised beginning teacher pay, but we cut pay for experienced teachers, we literally gave our better teachers a reason to start teaching in Illinois or Minnesota or Missouri.” His opponent: A Republican asked if there was anything about Zach Lahn’s campaign that Sand admired or would bring into his leadership. Sand said it was important for those who oppose Lahn to remember that he’s a human being, which could be applied generally to everyone involved in politics. In terms of similar policy positions, Sand said he and Lahn agreed sourcing food locally was a great way to “get young farmers out on the land and have more farmers out on the land. It’s also a great way to get beginning farmers to have an opportunity to get out there and start an operation with hopefully a long-term local foods contract.” Protection for legal immigration: A woman named Nicole asked Sand how he felt about protection of legal immigrants and ensuring safety for all Americans. Sand said he was a proponent of assimilation, but he noted that it can take generations. He said his hometown of Decorah had a Norwegian-language newspaper in print until 1979. As far as protecting immigration, Sand said he supported reform at the federal level for people attempting to come into the United States legally. “You have to have both the capacity for people to come here, but also the ability to limit them from coming here if they are not coming here in accordance with the law. And if you’re not doing both of those things, then you don’t have a very good immigration system.” He contrasted his position with Lahn’s, saying his opponent also wants to limit legal immigration. Iowa’s deficit: A woman asked Sand about Iowa’s deficit. “I guess I’m starting to worry,” she said. “Are we going to become like the state of Kansas, where we go broke?” Sand said, while Iowa has a surplus right now, “We are burning that surplus off at a rate right now of $1.3 billion every year. To understand the scale of this, please understand that our state budget is only about $9.5 billion a year to begin with.” He said the legislature is spending at a high rate but hasn’t done much to improve revenue. Sand also expressed concern about the Trump administration’s trade war with Canada. “Canada is responsible for about 30% of Iowa’s exports. So, this trade war is going to hurt our economy. When our economy gets hurt, our tax receipts will go down and our deficit will go up, which means we’re going to burn it off more quickly than we would have otherwise.” He presented several ideas for how Iowa could cut the deficit. “How about the wealthiest families in the state of Iowa, that were going to send their kids to private school anyway, could just pay to do it?” Sand also proposed regulating and taxing the use of cannabis for adults. “You guys probably noticed this, but the people that want it tend to be finding it anyway. A lot of them are just driving across the bridge. So, their money goes across the bridge, and it stays across the bridge, and it fuels the tax coffers of the state across the bridge instead of staying right here in Iowa.” He said he also supported data centers and other megaprojects paying their fair share of taxes. “If we string together enough of these things and we can cut that budget deficit in half right away, that gives us a much longer runway to figure out, OK, what do we do about the rest.” Protection for trans individuals: A woman named Abigail said she was born intersex and is a member of the LGBTQ community. She said that, while her family still lives in Iowa, she has moved out of state because of “Iowa’s several legislative attacks targeting trans and intersex people’s right to secure employment, healthcare and housing.” She asked Sand about comments he and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek made about trans and intersex women being kept out of women’s sports. She also asked if Sand would work to reinstate protections for trans people. Sand said his position on both issues came down to fairness. He said many people felt athletes like trans swimmer Lia Thomas competing against athletes who have identified as female since birth was unfair. That said, he felt the Iowa legislature revoking protections for trans people was also unfair, and he said he opposed that legislation. “We shouldn’t be in the business of re-legalizing discrimination against people.” While Sand told Abigail that he couldn’t promise that he could reinstate protections due to the divided government in Des Moines, he did say that “the culture war bills that hit my desk are going to get vetoed.” Healthcare costs: A 79-year-old man asked Sand about healthcare in Iowa, saying many people who could potentially work in the field were leaving the state. He also said he was concerned about Iowa becoming “an older state.” “The cuts that are coming from the Big Beautiful Bill are going to be brutal in Iowa,” said Sand. “We should have accountability for all the people who voted for that.” He said, while that was federal legislation, he could work to end the privatization of Medicaid. As state auditor, Sand said “Our audit found after the privatization of Medicaid, the number of illegal denials of care for people who need medical care went up by 900%. When we incorporated feedback from the Reynolds administration, because they didn’t like the way we ran the numbers, it was still an increase of 500%.” He said he also knew several healthcare centers, including mental health facilities, that had closed due to Medicaid privatization problems. Independents in politics: A young man named Connor, who identified himself as a senior at Bettendorf High School, asked Sand about the controversy surrounding the U.S. House District 1 debate, where Independent candidate Michael Bridgford said he was excluded from a debate between Christina Bohannan and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “What do you think about this exclusion and how do you think we should sort of get around this kind of thing so we can actually compromise in the future?” Connor asked. Sand said that he wasn’t fully aware of the specifics of the debate issue, because he was choosing to focus on his own race, but he did say it illustrated the problems of the two-choice system in politics. “You might like the idea of being an Independent, but at the end of the day, in a three-way race, whatever party you’re closer to, you’ll draw votes away from them. And the party that’s further away, that party will win.” He said he wanted to have a system with a single, open primary. He also favors a system that was adopted in Fargo, N.D., called “approval voting.” “I’m going to describe it in two sentences. You will understand it,” said Sand. “Here are four candidates. Vote for as many of them as you approve of, and the people with the most people approving them win the race.” Sand said this would not only allow more Independents the opportunity to advance in politics, it would also incentivize more politicians to work together to seek approval. As Sand wrapped up the event, he encouraged his supporters to volunteer and, if they went out door knocking, to actually talk to people, even if they disagreed. “Even if they started with something that you disagreed with, I bet by the time you listen to them a little bit, they’ll say something that makes you go, ‘Oh my gosh, we do agree.’ And more than anything else, I want people to understand that there’s a campaign out there that actually wants to hear from them and make them understand that they matter to their own government.” Sand also said he wants to get away from “blue” and “red” designations. “When you send your kids to school in the morning, you tell them the same thing: Be good. Do your best. Be kind. Tell the truth. These aren’t values that belong to one private club or another. If anyone’s telling you that, it’s because they’re desperate to maintain power so that they can keep picking your pockets for their friends. “The truth is that Iowans share their values, and they’re united more by the things that we believe in than by the differences that we have. And more than anything else, we know that if we actually sit down and work across our divides, that we can come to realizations that we never would have come to us if we had just sat there by ourselves or only talked to the people that we agree with.”      

Maxwell campaign subject to ethics board investigation

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board will investigate a complaint against Supervisor John Maxwell, alleging that he violated Iowa law by filming a series of short campaign videos on county property not open to the public. The board voted unanimously Wednesday, Sept. 30 to pursue the complaint, which was filed by Jerry Mohr of rural Eldridge, with an investigation. Maxwell, chair of the Scott County Board of Supervisors, is seeking a third, four-year term on the board. In September, he launched a series of social media advertisements he said were intended to promote the “positive things” that Scott County does for residents. Maxwell said he was alerted to the ethics complaint last week, and has since removed a video filmed at the county maintenance shop, which is closed to the public. He said he had spoken to ethics board staff and assured them he would take down any content called into question. Other ads feature Maxwell along the Mississippi River, at a local recycling plant and in the recorder’s office, among other locations. Under Iowa law, candidates for political office are forbidden from the “expenditure of public moneys for political purposes.” That includes the “use of public resources generally,” according to Iowa administrative code.  Mohr said the ad filmed in the county shop first caught his attention. “You can’t use public resources to do a political ad,” he told The North Scott Press. Mohr said he also had concerns about an ad filmed behind the counter at the county auditor’s office, which was still posted to Maxwell’s campaign page Monday afternoon. Maxwell told the NSP that he intended to comply fully with the ethics board investigation. He said it was now “clear” certain ads had violated provisions of Iowa code. “Thank you for bringing it forward—thank you Jerry Mohr,” Maxwell said Friday. “I was unaware. My intentions were to share the great things about Scott County, and I mistakenly did it in spots that are not open to the public.” He expected the complaint to be settled once he had removed all content in question. Under Iowa code, a complaint may be settled while under investigation.  

QC Veterans Outreach anniversary luncheon this Saturday, Oct. 10

The Quad City Veterans Outreach Center will celebrate its 10th anniversary at a luncheon to be held Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. All veterans and a plus-one are invited to attend. In addition to lunch, there will be a prize giveaway, special entertainment and more. The Quad City Veterans Outreach Center will also hold its Fall and Christmas Craft Show Oct. 17 and 18. Unique handmade gifts by local crafters will be available for sale, including holiday décor and something for everyone. There will also be a visit from Santa. For more information, visit qcvetsoutreach.com.

State Farm raising insurance rates 8% for Illinois homeowners, citing severe weather trends

State Farm is raising rates for customers by an average 8% for Illinois homeowners’ insurance coverage, citing rising costs associated with “more frequent and severe” weather trends.

Eldridge police now accredited

The Eldridge Police Department announced the achievement of a major milestone last week, having earned accreditation through the Iowa Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. This is the first accreditation in the history of the department. Chief Andrew Lellig announced the department’s intention to participate in ILEAP in November of 2025, calling the process a “long-term investment in our people, our professionalism and our partnership with the community.” He said the accreditation award will be presented during a future city council meeting. The department will also be recognized during the Iowa Police Chiefs Association annual conference in May. On Monday, the Eldridge City Council applauded the department’s accomplishment. “It was a big goal of mine to get that done,” Lellig told the council. “A lot of work, a lot of time went into that.” Lellig said there were 86 criteria the department had to meet in order to obtain accreditation, and they had to prove they were following the criteria. “Whether it’s through our police reports, our policies, we have to prove that we’ve done that and that we’re following that,” said Lellig. He expressed appreciation, not only to Officer Garrett Jahns, who served as the department’s accreditation manager, but to all members of the department. “It is because of them that we were able to get this accreditation,” said Lellig. “So, all my gratitude to them.” Accreditation through ILEAP represents a significant commitment to professional law enforcement, accountability, continuous improvement, and adherence to recognized best practices, Lellig said in a press release. The accreditation process required the Eldridge Police Department to voluntarily open its operations to an independent outside review. Evaluators examined the department’s policies, procedures, practices, documentation, training, and overall operations to ensure the department could demonstrate that it was meeting established professional standards and following recognized best practices. “Accreditation is about much more than receiving a certificate or recognition,” said Lellig. “We voluntarily opened our department to an outside perspective and allowed trained evaluators to take a close look at how we operate. That process requires confidence, professionalism, and a willingness to accept constructive criticism, identify areas for improvement, and prove, not simply say, that we are doing things the right way.” The process also provided the department with an opportunity to evaluate its existing practices, identify areas for continued improvement, and establish a framework for maintaining high professional standards into the future. “I could not be more proud of the men and women of the Eldridge Police Department,” Lellig said. “Our officers and civilian employee demonstrated tremendous professionalism and dedication throughout this process. I am equally proud of our supervisors and the leadership they provide every day.” Lellig also recognized Officer Garrett Jahns, the department’s accreditation manager, for his significant role in completing the accreditation process. “Garrett did an outstanding job leading this effort,” Lellig said. “His attention to detail, organization, persistence, and commitment were critical to our success.” The accreditation provides an additional level of assurance to the Eldridge community that its police department is committed to professional policing and maintaining recognized standards in its daily operations. “Our community can be assured that the men and women of the Eldridge Police Department take their responsibility seriously,” Lellig said. “Accreditation demonstrates our commitment to accountability, continuous improvement, and following recognized best practices every day. This is an accomplishment that belongs to our entire department, and I am extremely proud of what our officers and supervisors have accomplished.”

Eldridge among communities using Flock — for good, police say

With the rise of the use of automated license plate readers and Flock surveillance cameras across the United States, the technology has come under increased scrutiny. Privacy concerns, a lack of judicial oversight, and reports of misuse of information have led some members of the public to ask for municipalities to stop using the cameras. In mid-September, the Moline Police Department decided to pause its relationship with Flock Safety. Chief Darren Gault said the program does not provide the balance between public safety value and public confidence in the system that the department is looking for. “This is not a rejection of ALPR technology or its value to law enforcement,” Gault said in a press release on Sept. 15. “Our community expects us to use effective tools to prevent and solve crime and bring justice to victims. The public also expects thoughtful and responsible decision-making when law enforcement use technology capable of collecting and sharing information. I believe those interests can co-exist, but our responsibility is to continually evaluate where that balance should be.” The issue has come up at the state and national level, with both Iowa gubernatorial candidates weighing in. In August, Republican Zach Lahn told members of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, “Tech is way ahead of ‘how do we properly use the tech’ … We have real concerns here. So, the state level is where we should adjudicate these things. This is not a federal decision, in my opinion.” Democratic candidate Rob Sand has also weighed in on the issue, including in Davenport on Sept. 29. “I think the people who are concerned about Flock have a great point,” Sand told the media prior to a town hall event. “It’s clearly a company that was not at all concerned about privacy, was not at all concerned about the abuse of their system in a way that can be used for surveillance.”  Meanwhile, organizations like Get the Flock Out QC are among a national network of grassroots organizations aiming to stop the use of ALPRs and other surveillance cameras. According to Get the Flock Out QC’s website, East Moline was the first of the Quad Cities to begin using these devices, in 2022. The website reports that, as of July, more than 115 Flock cameras were in use in the greater Quad Cities area. Where does Eldridge stand? Recently, several Eldridge residents also expressed concerns to the city council about the community’s use of Flock cameras. At the Sept. 14 meeting, two residents directly asked council members to stop their use. “I’d like to recommend that the City of Eldridge take those down, based on many, many reasons that are in the news these days,” said Craig Gehrls, adding there were known abuses of the system across the country. He and resident Ginny Zink also said they were concerned about the costs to taxpayers. That cost is $3,000 per camera, per year, said Eldridge police chief Andrew Lellig. With six cameras in use around town, the total cost to taxpayers is $18,000 per year. Lellig also said that the department has not received much in the way of direct feedback about Eldridge’s use of the cameras. “Other than one individual who has contacted the department who does not reside in the City of Eldridge, the department has not received significant complaints or concerns,” Lellig said. “The other comments we are aware of were the couple of comments made during the most recent city council meeting.” While other parts of the Quad Cities have also seen vandalism to Flock cameras and ALPRs, Lellig said Eldridge hasn’t had any reports of damage to its cameras. “The locations of our cameras are considered areas of interest for the department, and officers routinely patrol those locations,” he said. “We obviously cannot prevent someone from intentionally damaging property, but we are aware of the issue and have taken reasonable steps to monitor the locations.” From the department’s perspective, Flock cameras and ALPRs are another tool for officers to use when attempting to solve crimes. “It does not replace traditional police work, investigations or officer discretion,” Lellig said. “It gives officers another source of information when investigating crimes and attempting to locate vehicles or suspects. “Our goal is to use the technology responsibly while maintaining appropriate safeguards and keeping the focus on public safety,” he continued. Lellig cited several recent examples of Flock’s usefulness to officers, including a situation in Salina, Kan., where law enforcement was able to use information gleaned from the cameras to locate a homicide suspect. But just because Flock cameras and ALPRs have helped with some investigations, it doesn’t mean there aren’t other concerns. “That does not mean that concerns about privacy, security or appropriate use should be ignored,” said Lellig. “Those concerns are legitimate issues for any law-enforcement technology, which is why we believe policies, access controls, audits and accountability are important.” That’s why the Eldridge Police Department has put restrictions in place regarding who can access the information gathered from the cameras, and what that information can be used for. Lellig said only authorized law-enforcement personnel are allowed access, and the information can only be used for "legitimate law-enforcement purposes.” He said department supervisors also conduct monthly audits of officer searches to make sure officers are conducting these searches appropriately and in accordance with department policies. Officers are held accountable for their use of the system, Lellig said. “No technology is completely immune from the possibility of misuse. That is true of Flock as it is with virtually any law-enforcement technology or database,” said Lellig. “What is important is having safeguards, accountability and auditing procedures in place to identify inappropriate use and address it when it occurs. “We have seen agencies across the country take disciplinary or criminal action when officers have improperly accessed or used license plate reader information,” he continued. “Those cases demonstrate that there are mechanisms in place to identify misuse and hold individuals accountable.” Lellig also shared that the department has a transparency portal within the Flock website: transparency.flocksafety.com/ia-eldridge-pd. There, residents can get more information on how the department is using its cameras. According to the portal, the Eldridge Police Department retains data for 30 days. As of Oct. 3, 16 searches had been conducted within the last 30 days. “We want to be transparent about how we use this technology,” said Lellig. “If residents have questions about our Flock cameras, what they are used for, or how the program operates, we encourage them to visit our public Flock transparency page. Rather than relying on social media comments or information circulating online, this gives residents a centralized resource where they can find information about the Eldridge Police Department’s Flock program.” For the time being, at least, it is Lellig’s understanding that the city intends to stay the course with Flock, although it’s ultimately a decision for the city council. “From my perspective, a significant change in state or federal law that prohibited or substantially restricted the use of this technology would be one obvious circumstance that could require the city to reconsider the program,” said Lellig. “The city could also evaluate the program in the future based on cost, effectiveness, legal requirements or other circumstances. “From the police department’s perspective, we believe the system provides a valuable investigative tool and enhances our ability to locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles associated with criminal activity, and locate wanted individuals.”        

CANDIDATE GUIDE: Iowa House District 94

What motivates you to seek or return to office as a Representative?   Vondran: My motivation comes from my neighbors, friends, and businesses in the 94th district and all Iowans who reach out to me regularly with ideas and perspectives on how we can make Iowa even better. Iowans deserve lower taxes, strong schools and choices in education, safe communities where victims come first and more good paying jobs. Creating opportunities for Iowans to succeed motivates me too, we are seeing success on all fronts, but the work is not finished, and I am committed to represent the voice of the 94th district as we move forward. Roebuck: While voting in the June Primary, I noticed there wasn’t a Democrat running against the Republican incumbent. Last December Democrat Mike Zimmer won a special election and broke the Republican Senate supermajority. He showed that one seat can make a difference. I want to be part of the change and help break the Republican supermajority in the Iowa House. With Rob Sand as our next Governor, it’s important that we have a bipartisan government.   What relevant experience will you bring to the role?   Vondran: I’ve made a career of listening and learning to identify new opportunities and real solutions. As a small business owner, I know how to meet payroll and the importance of teamwork. As Founder of HAVlife, a nonprofit serving at risk youth, I appreciate the challenges of others, working to support their efforts to grow. As Chair of Public Safety, a member of Commerce, Ways & Means, and Justice Appropriations Committees, I’ve learned firsthand how legislative policy and funding decisions affect all Iowans. A commitment to listening and learning, focused on building a better Iowa for those I represent. Roebuck: I moved from Ohio to Davenport in 1993. I’ve built deep roots through consistent civic involvement. I serve on the Regional Development Authority Board (formerly Riverboat Development Authority), Illinois-Iowa Center for Independent Living Board, and Davenport Noon Optimist Board. My education experience spans K-12 teaching and subbing, academic advising at Scott Community College, and ESL Family Literacy. As an insurance agent, I assist people with diverse backgrounds, including Medicaid and Medicare recipients. I’m a regular person who cares about our community and remembers what Iowa used to be and can be again. I will be a voice for our community.   Iowa public schools’ national ranking has slipped over the past three decades. What caused the slip, and what would you do to reverse it?   Vondran: The windshield is larger than the rear view mirror for a purpose,  let’s focus on  moving forward. Iowa public schools have great strengths to build on. I will continue to support competitive teacher pay to recruit and retain great educators. Prioritize early literacy and math skills, grow career and technical opportunities, give local schools more flexibility with accountability. We must appreciate that one size does not fit all , supporting parental choice. Also focus on our rural districts and help those students who fell behind during Covid. Parents, teachers, and the legislature working together, for every Iowa child. Roebuck: Public education funding has failed to keep up with inflation and the issue is made worse by the private school voucher program. We’ve always had school choice in Iowa, but we now have underfunded public schools. I believe education is the foundation for everything. Communities are safer, healthier and economically stable when residents receive a quality education. Public dollars should be used to strengthen our public schools first, not private schools. I would vote to phase out the voucher program and require full accountability and transparency.   Automated license plate readers like Flock have spread across Iowa.  Would you place restrictions on these cameras? If so, what restrictions?   Vondran: As Chair of Public Safety, I can attest to the success of license plate readers. Crimes have been solved. Car thefts have decreased. Confused and disoriented seniors found. They have been a very helpful tool, however abuse has opportunity and we must address. I have asked law enforcement, in my role as Chair, to identify the primary areas of concern and present an action plan to improve and ensure the useful and ethical deployment of these cameras. I am hopeful that early in session we will have something to consider and implement statewide. Roebuck: Yes, I’m not an expert but it is important that we balance personal privacy with public safety.   Do you believe the Iowa legislature should welcome or restrict the construction of new data centers?   Vondran: Not in favor of restriction for sake of preventing construction. These projects can bring great construction jobs and local tax revenues to our community, both having long-term potential. However, we must be responsible in our efforts and take the time to listen and learn from both sides of the issue. As a member of the Commerce Committee, district 94 will have a voice in those discussions. I’ll work to represent all, making sure these projects, should they move ahead, pay appropriately for power, water and not drive up unnecessary expenses for Iowa families. Roebuck: There should be a moratorium to allow time to research short term and long term effects.   Many Iowans worry about worsening water quality and exposure to potentially carcinogenic agrochemicals. How would you address environmental health concerns like these?   Vondran: Clean water matters to all Iowans. I will continue to work with our community partners, farmers and all vested in improving water quality. I will continue to support sustained funding for proven conservation practices such as cover crops, wetland management, crop buffers, and back stronger water monitoring that way we can better track our progress. By working together with all stakeholders, we can protect all. Again, water quality matters to all of us, this is not a partisan issue. Roebuck: I believe in listening to the experts. There are experts all over the nation who specialize in water quality that we can consult with to address our worsening water quality with the goal of making all water safe for our consumption no matter where you are in Iowa.   What is one additional focus you would bring to Des Moines?   Vondran: The Iowa 94th district is unlike most in the sense it is comprised of urban, suburban, and rural voices. This brings a true Iowa perspective and insight to the capital. My weekly Saturday morning listening posts at the Tasty Café will continue year round, after all the best ideas can come from those gathered around the kitchen table. It is an honor and a privilege to represent all of these voices, from my neighbors, friends and local businesses, they will continue to be my motivation to serve. Roebuck: The Democratic platform on education, water quality and cost of living.

La conexión entre la salud bucal y la salud cardiovascular: 4 consejos para proteger tus dientes, encías y corazón

(Feature Impact) Muchas personas piensan que los dentistas y los médicos son profesionales de la salud completamente independientes: uno se encarga de los dientes y la boca, mientras que el otro se ocupa del resto del cuerpo. En realidad, los distintos sistemas del cuerpo humano están estrechamente interconectados, y la salud bucal no es la excepción, lo que convierte a los dentistas en una parte fundamental de tu equipo de atención médica.   La salud bucal y la salud del corazón tienen una conexión particularmente estrecha, y la inflamación es la clave de esa relación. Cuando las encías están inflamadas, las bacterias resultantes pueden pasar de la boca al torrente sanguíneo, lo que puede contribuir a que los vasos sanguíneos se estrechen o se obstruyan. Esto, a su vez, puede obligar al corazón a trabajar más y elevar la presión arterial, lo que aumenta el riesgo de enfermedad cardíaca y accidente cerebrovascular. Más del 46 % de los adultos en EE. UU. tiene presión arterial alta, y más del 40 % de los adultos de 30 años o más se ve afectado por la enfermedad periodontal (de las encías).   Para ayudar a abordar estos problemas, la iniciativa Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts de la American Heart Association, en colaboración con Delta Dental of California, está alentando a los equipos dentales a adoptar una perspectiva integral del cuerpo con sus pacientes. Pasos sencillos, como la medición de la presión arterial durante los chequeos, pueden ofrecer una visión más completa de la salud general de una persona. Si en tu próxima cita un miembro de tu equipo de atención dental saca un tensiómetro, es una buena señal.   “La boca es una puerta de entrada al cuerpo y a menudo puede revelar más sobre la salud general de lo que uno imagina”, afirmó Daniel Croley, D.M.D., director de odontología de Delta Dental of California and Affiliates. “Los profesionales de la salud bucal tienen una gran oportunidad de integrarse más al equipo de atención médica colectivo de sus pacientes, más allá de proteger sus dientes. Al conectar la salud bucal con la salud del corazón, esta iniciativa ayuda a los dentistas a identificar riesgos a tiempo y a orientar a los pacientes hacia una atención que puede mejorar e incluso salvar vidas”.   Cuida tus dientes, encías y corazón al mismo tiempo con estos consejos de los expertos de la American Heart Association.   Sigue una rutina de cepillado y uso de hilo dental Una buena salud dental comienza con una rutina diaria. Si no quieres sentir vergüenza la próxima vez que el dentista te pregunte por tus hábitos, cepíllate los dientes al menos dos veces al día y usa hilo dental al menos una vez al día para eliminar las bacterias que forman placa. Los dentistas recomiendan usar pasta dental con flúor y cepillar los dientes y las encías a fondo, pero con suavidad, ya que aplicar demasiada presión puede desgastar el esmalte y causar retracción de las encías.   Sigue una dieta saludable y limita el azúcar La mayoría de los niños están acostumbrados a escuchar que el azúcar les dañará los dientes, y eso no es solo una táctica de los padres para alejar sus manitos del frasco de golosinas. El azúcar alimenta a las bacterias dañinas en la boca, que producen ácido y pueden causar caries y enfermedad de las encías. Para seguir una dieta que tanto tu corazón como tus dientes agradecerán, prioriza las verduras, las proteínas magras, los carbohidratos complejos y las grasas saludables, mientras limitas los azúcares añadidos y los carbohidratos refinados.   Evita fumar y el uso de productos de tabaco La relación entre fumar y las enfermedades bucales está bien documentada: los fumadores enfrentan riesgos significativamente más altos de desarrollar enfermedad periodontal, perder dientes o recibir un diagnóstico de cáncer oral. Los cigarrillos no son la única forma de tabaco de la que hay que preocuparse. Vapear, así como el tabaco de mascar o para inhalar por la nariz, también pueden dañar la salud dental al resecar la boca y restringir el flujo sanguíneo hacia las encías. Dado que estos productos también son perjudiciales para la salud del corazón, dejarlos o evitarlos ofrece numerosos beneficios que vale la pena aprovechar. Busca apoyo si necesitas ayuda para dejar el hábito.   Comunícate con tu equipo de atención médica Dado que los sistemas de tu cuerpo están conectados entre sí, es útil hablar con tu dentista sobre tu presión arterial y con tu médico sobre tu salud bucal. Empieza a pensar en tu dentista como un miembro clave de tu equipo de atención médica integrado. No temas compartir tu historial médico, comentar los efectos secundarios de los medicamentos que tomas y pedir recomendaciones personalizadas para cuidar tus dientes, encías y salud general.   Para obtener más información sobre cómo mejorar tu salud bucal y cardiovascular, visita Heart.org/OralHealth.     Fotos cortesía de Shutterstock

CANDIDATE GUIDE: Iowa House District 70

What motivates you to seek or return to office as a Representative? Mommsen: Many days when I am at the farm, I have the unique pleasure of having additional help. That would be I to 3 grandkids. Watching them build forts, play in the gluten pile with their Tonka toys or play with the livestock, it’s easy to see this is where the future of Iowa rests, our youth. My goal in the past and into the future is to create an environment in Iowa to keep our youth and draw others to this great state. Pickup: As a longtime Social Studies teacher, I spent many years teaching American Government and helping students understand how decisions made in Des Moines affect their communities. I often took my classes to the State Capitol and enjoyed seeing the lawmaking process firsthand. Now that I’m retired, I believe I can use my experience to help our communities and make sure their voices are heard in Des Moines. Education is a big reason I’m running. Our schools need to get back to where they were, and I’ll work hard to help make that happen, one day at a time.   What relevant experience will you bring to the role?   Mommsen: Iowa is an ag state. A large percent of our GDP comes from agriculture so how agriculture goes so goes the state. With my fulltime job being farming and having spent some years in agribusiness, I have a direct link to the heartbeat of the Iowa economy. If the issue of the day is the right to repair or maybe soil health, I have been personally affected by these issues and others. That helps me to see any possible unintended consequences from legislation. Too often legislation is introduced to fix one issue, but the sponsors fail to look beyond it. Pickup: I’ve never run for public office before. What I do bring is 39 years of experience in Iowa public education, including the last 17 years as a high school administrator at Central DeWitt. Throughout my career, I’ve led people, made difficult decisions, managed a budget, and worked with students, staff, parents, and the community. I’ve learned the importance of listening, communicating, and working together to solve problems. Not every decision was easy, but I believe those experiences have prepared me to represent our communities and work with others to get things done in the Iowa House.   Iowa public schools’ national ranking has slipped over the past three decades. What caused the slip, and what would you do to reverse it?   Mommsen: When comparing graduation rates across the United States, Iowa ranks 6th for freshmen that graduate in 4 years. Teacher pay has always been a priority. Recently beginning teacher pay was increased by the the legislature to 5th highest in the nation. Disruptive students have become an issue in many classrooms. This past year legislation was passed to protect and empower teachers when it comes to disruptive students. These changes plus the priority the state has been placing on education by dedicating almost 50% of your general fund tax dollars on k through 12 education will continue the state’s momentum. Pickup: I believe Iowa’s schools have slipped because we haven’t invested in them the way we should. The average increase in Supplemental State Aid (SSA) over the past decade has been less than 2.5%, which hasn’t kept up with inflation. I believe we need at least a 5% increase in SSA each year so schools can plan, keep class sizes manageable, update curriculum and technology, and give teachers the resources they need. Education is the key to opportunity for every Iowan.  Our schools, teachers, and students deserve better, and I’ll work to get Iowa’s public education system back on  track.   Automated license plate readers like Flock have spread across Iowa.  Would you place restrictions on these cameras? If so, what restrictions?   Mommsen: The legislature needs to place restrictions on Flock cameras.  I believe it is wrong to monitor everyone just in case someone somewhere may do something possibly illegal sometime.   We can already be tracked by our cell phones. Many stores and ATMs already have cameras, but we have a choice whether to go there or carry a cell phone. At the very least whomever has access to the data and how long it is held must be tightly controlled. My preference is that they are allowed only in high crime areas with strict restrictions on the data. Pickup: I believe we need to make our communities safer, but we can’t do that at the expense of people’s privacy. I also believe local communities should have the final say on whether they use automated license plate readers and how they are used. The state shouldn’t be telling every local police department what they have to do. We need common sense rules to make sure this technology isn’t abused, and people’s information isn’t misused. Local leaders know their communities best, and we need to trust them to make these decisions while protecting the privacy of their residents.   Do you believe the Iowa legislature should welcome or restrict the construction of new data centers?   Mommsen: Currently the decision on data centers rests with local officials with input from residents. For the legislature to get involved now without good reason would undermine our local officials. Pickup: I believe data centers can bring jobs and economic activity to Iowa, but the communities where they are built should have the strongest voice in the process. Residents and elected officials understand their water, farmland, roads, and utility needs better than Des Moines. I don’t believe the state should take that decision away from them. Each project should be looked at individually, and companies should be responsible for the costs they create. I trust local communities to make the decisions that are best for their people. Des Moines needs to respect local control and let communities have the final say.   Many Iowans worry about worsening water quality and exposure to potentially carcinogenic agrochemicals. How would you address environmental health concerns like these?   Mommsen: The State of Iowa implemented the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, a scientific approach to water quality in 2014. Since then, the legislature has continued to expand the strategy by increasing additional funding. Each year the use of cover crops, buffer strips and wetlands sets records. All possible carcinogens must be scientifically evaluated whether they are natural, lifestyle like tobacco and alcohol or industrial. The U of I is in the process of implementing an in-depth scientific study to investigate any possible environmental risks to Iowans. Pickup: Iowa is my home, and water quality and cancer are serious concerns to me. I don’t think Iowans should have to worry about whether their drinking water is safe or whether they can swim and fish in our lakes and rivers. We need more research into what is contributing to Iowa’s high cancer rates and take action on the environmental risks we know about. That includes protecting drinking water, reducing nitrate pollution, and holding companies accountable when their actions put public health at risk. I’m not against agriculture or business. I believe economic activity and clean water can coexist.   What is one additional focus you would bring to Des Moines?   Mommsen: A major focus of mine while in the legislature has been to promote products grown and made in Iowa. We have created a program connecting locally grown products with our schools and food banks. This will continue to be a focus of mine, but refinements are still necessary. As more Iowans get involved it is becoming apparent to me that regional food hubs are necessary to organize the distribution system. Pickup: One focus I would bring to Des Moines is rural healthcare and mental health. As a high school principal, I saw firsthand how difficult it could be for students and families to get the mental health support they need. We also need to attract and retain doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers in our rural communities. That means looking at Medicaid and state reimbursement rates, expanding mental health beds, and strengthening community based care. Rural Iowans deserve access to quality healthcare close to home, and we need to make sure our communities have the providers to make that possible.

$1.3M offer accepted on Eldridge Community Center

The Eldridge Community Center has an offer. On Monday, the Eldridge City Council voted to accept an offer and purchase agreement in the amount of $1,325,000 to KGRD Green Bay, LLC for the community center. The council voted in May to put the property up for sale after rejecting three requests for proposals to continue operating the facility as a community center and skating rink. The property officially went on the market this summer with Ruhl Commercial at an asking price of $1.5 million. According to assistant city administrator Jeff Martens, the offer includes a 60-day due diligence period. “Nothing’s a done deal until the end of the 60 days is up,” he said. “There’s a lot of things in the facility that they want to take a look at.” Further information was not immediately available. New K-9 begins training During his report to the council, police chief Andrew Lellig shared that Corporal Jacob Costas will begin training with the new K-9 on Oct. 12 at Tree Town Kennels in Forest City. The current K-9, Marty, is being medically retired. Lellig said the new K-9 is a Belgian Malinois, adding the department is very excited about the dog’s future with the department. “We look forward to introducing him to the community once the training is done,” he said. Council member Brian Dockery said, “It’s only fair to keep naming the dogs after past mayors.” He suggested giving the new K-9 the name “Frankie,” in honor of past mayor Frank King. In other department news, Lellig shared that Corporal Jack Schwertman completed another FBI-LEEDA training. LEEDA is the Law Enforcement Development Association. Lellig said Schwertman is working towards earning his FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award. “Developing our supervisors and future leaders in the department is important,” Lellig said. “So, this training is huge. I’ve been through it. It was great training.” Office Mahlan Sharf also began training as a firearms instructor this week and will become the second firearms instructor in the department.

North Scott senior named National Merit semifinalist

North Scott senior Jorge Azuela has been named a semifinalist in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Azuela is among more than 16,000 semifinalists nationwide recognized for outstanding academic achievement. He will now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered in the spring. "We are immensely proud of Jorge for achieving this prestigious national recognition," said high school principal Andrew Lehn. "This accomplishment reflects extraordinary dedication and scholastic strength.” “Jorge is an intelligent, hardworking, and conscientious student who pairs a fierce, self-driven determination with an exceptionally kind heart,” said Anastasia Nikolopoulos, Jorge’s high school counselor.  “I have no doubt that the qualities he possesses will propel him toward continued excellence in his academic and professional future.” Azuela qualified for the honor due to his performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than 1% of all high school seniors in the United States and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. To advance to Finalist standing, Azuela and a high school official will submit a detailed scholarship application highlighting his academic record throughout high school; participation in school and community activities; demonstrated leadership ability and employment history; and honors and awards received. Azuela must also write an essay and have an endorsement or recommendation from a high school official, as well as confirming his SAT or ACT test scores. Finalists will be notified in February of 2027.    

Bill Otten wins this week's Football Contest

It was something of a rough week for our football prognosticators, but in the end, Bill Otten of Eldridge emerged victorious in the NSP Football Contest. Bill missed two, with a tiebreaker of 73, closest to the total number of points in Missouri’s 45-17 win over Florida. That will net him $50. Coming in second was David Claussen of Sun City West, Ariz. David also missed two, with a tiebreaker of 39, good enough for $25. Earning $10 in third place was Adam Claussen of Eldridge, who led the parade of those missing three, with a tiebreaker of 62. Others who missed three, and their tiebreakers, were Dick Erps (45), Dave Edmundson (58), Mike Clark (65), Kelly Johnson (47), Gary Hansen (55), Teresa Claussen (32), Charlotte Claussen (52), Eric Clark (60), Rryan Claussen (52), Kelly Janoski (56), Dan O’Flahrity (68), Reilly Kashmarek (49), Heidi Holst (55), Doug Michalek (56), Jack Michalek (49), Mark Tomsche (60) and Caitlin Kearney (54). Making up the honor roll were those who missed four: Kenneth Moss, Matthew Steinbeck, Troy Harmel, Alec Clark, Keaton Murphy, Marty Lillis, Chloe Lillis, Kendal Lillis, Bill Lillis, Judy Bergert, Maddox Drummond, Bryan Janoski, Jenni DeCook, Jeff Kress, Joan Claussen, Dennis Claussen, Lyn Claussen, Matt Torres, Al Pawloski, Tom Janoski, Andrew Kashmarek, Kathy Clasen, Payton Dieckman, Kyle Smith, Kurt Nagle and Margo Fox, Thomas Jungblut, Patrick O’Flahrity, Glen Naber, Kathy Straley, Joseph Beale, Steve Michalek, Mary Michalek, Natalie Chase, Stefanie Chase, Kamryn Kearney and Vicki Kearney. Twenty-nine missed five and 19 missed six. There were 123 entries. Games missed most frequently included Iowa State over West Virginia, Missouri over Florida, Kentucky over South Carolina, Baylor over Arizona State and Minnesota over Michigan. Other winners were Western Dubuque over North Scott, Burlington over Davenport West, Cedar Falls over Bettendorf, Assumption over Maquoketa, Air Force over Navy, Wisconsin over Michigan State, Ohio State over Iowa, and Georgia over Vanderbilt. Seven weeks remain in the contest, with a new slate of games in this week’s paper. Be sure to visit our sponsors to pick up your entry forms: Porter Insurance, DuTrac Community Credit Union, ORA Sports Medicine, Farm Bureau Financial Services – Tony Burkhart, First Central State Bank, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors – Nancy Billups, King’s Material, Eldridge Body Shop, Amhof Trucking, Iowa 80 Truckstop, and Steve’s Auto.    

Webinar to discuss evictions, housing insecurity

Evictions are increasing in Iowa, creating challenges not only for people trying to remain in their homes but also for communities responding to housing instability. The Oct. 28 Community Matters Live webinar from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development will examine the recent increase in evictions in Iowa and the problems people are having in retaining their housing. Christopher Merkle, managing attorney of the Eviction Diversion Project at Iowa Legal Aid, will lead the session from noon to 1 p.m. Merkle will discuss factors contributing to those housing challenges and their impact on contract buyers, mobile home park residents and older adults. He will also explain the legal process involved in an eviction and discuss resources available to communities facing mass eviction events. The webinar has been approved for 1 hour of American Planning Association Certification Maintenance credit. Community Matters Live is a monthly webinar series for people involved in housing, planning, local government and community development. The series brings together Extension specialists, researchers and other experts to discuss timely topics affecting Iowa communities. The Oct. 28 webinar is free, but registration is required. For more information about the series, visit the Community Matters Live webpage or email cedcml@iastate.edu.

Crop condition dips slightly

After one of the wettest Septembers on record, corn and soybean conditions are dipping slightly as farmers have had scarce opportunities to harvest, according to the latest crop progress and condition report. Corn condition rated 72% good to excellent for the Sept. 28 through Oct. 4 reporting period, a 3 percentage point decline from the previous reporting period. Soybeans rated 70% good to excellent for the period, marking a 4 percentage point decline from the week prior. Iowa has had above-average precipitation levels for the past three reporting periods, two of which had fewer than two days suitable for field work. The latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed 1.2 days suitable for field work, meaning farmers have not been able to get out into the field to harvest even though 85% of corn acres had reached maturity during the reporting period and 81% of soybean acres were dropping leaves. As of the latest reporting period, 7% of Iowa corn acres had been harvested, which is just a 2 percentage point increase from the week prior and is 13 percentage points behind the five-year average. Due to the government shutdown last October, crop data from 2025 is not available. Soybean harvest, as of the reporting period, was 5% compared to a five-year average of 38%. With the wet conditions, there is a concern for mold or fungus growth on corn and soybeans, according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach professionals. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said farmers should be able to “make some progress in the field” this week as warmer, drier conditions are forecast. “After a historically wet September, we finally got a stretch of dry weather,” Naig said in a news release. “The warmer temperatures and sunshine are helping fields dry down, though some of the wetter areas are going to need several more days before equipment can roll.” According to the report, 45% of topsoil and 34% of subsoil had surplus moisture conditions. State Climatologist Justin Glisan reported a statewide average temperature for the reporting period of 61.8 degrees, which was 4 degrees above the climatological average. While the end of the reporting period had drier conditions, according to Glisan, the statewide precipitation average for the week was just under 2 inches and about 1.2 inches above the normal. Most of the state received 1.5 inches of precipitation or more, with Portsmouth in Shelby County logging the greatest precipitation for the week at 6.49 inches.

Construction accident draws helicopter to LeClaire Road

A gravel shoulder roller tipped over on E. LeClaire Road Tuesday afternoon, injuring a worker who was evacuated by helicopter for medical treatment. The North Scott Press could not confirm the name of the individual or where they were taken for treatment. The helicopter departed at approximately 2:45 p.m. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane said the injury was nonfatal. Eldridge Police, Eldridge Fire, Long Grove Fire, Medic EMS, University of Iowa AirCare, and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office were among agencies that responded to the scene.    

Who are the applicants for Davenport's 2nd Ward alderman?

See who the five candidates are who applied for a chance to serve as Davenport's 2nd Ward alderman. Tim Dunn resigned as 2nd Ward alderman on Sept. 17.

Minor injuries for North Scott student struck by car Thursday

A North Scott student sustained minor injuries Thursday morning after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of West Valley Drive and South 5th Street. According to a press release sent by the Eldridge Police Department, the incident happened at approximately 7:36 a.m. Thursday. The juvenile was evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel and returned home. The accident remains under investigation by the Eldridge Police Department, although no further information will be released at this time regarding the juvenile due to age and privacy concerns. The Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Medic EMS assisted at the scene. Meanwhile, the North Scott School District sent out a message to families regarding the incident. The message, which was signed by superintendent Joe Stutting, junior high principal Chad Jones, and Ed White principal Stephanie Fahrenkrog, said classes at Ed White were slightly delayed Thursday morning to “prioritize our students’ emotional well-being.” School counselors and other staff support will be available to students. The district also sent out a reminder of safety procedures, including: Discuss at home: Please take time today to talk with your student(s) about emergency services. Remind them that first responders are here to help and that giving them space to assess situations safely is vital for everyone's well-being. Use Designated Crosswalks: Pedestrians should only cross the lane at designated crosswalks and where staff members are present to assist. Stay Alert and Unplugged: Drivers and pedestrians alike are asked to keep eyes up and put away mobile devices while in the parking lot and drop-off areas. Maintain Low Speeds: Please drive strictly at walking speed (under 5–10 mph) once on school grounds. Pull All the Way Forward: Drive as far forward along the curb as traffic allows before letting your child out of the vehicle on the curbside only. Follow Staff Directions: Please respect and follow the instructions of our morning duty staff and traffic monitors—they are there to keep your children safe.    

Auto swap meet Sunday in Monticello

The 42nd annual Fall Auto Parts Swap Meet and Cars for Sale Corral will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Fairgrounds Parking Lot, 700 N. Maple St., Monticello. Events are open to high performance, custom, stock and antique (domestic and foreign). Buy, sell, trade or browse from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. Swap spaces are for parts, cars, trucks, motorcycles, related items and services. Corral spaces limited to cars, trucks and motorcycles in running condition. Cruise in with your rod, rat, muscle, cruiser, antique, classic or motorcycle. For more information, visit www.autopartsswapmeet.net or call 319-465-5119.

Western annexation in the making

Rivaldd Farms, a property holding company, has asked the city of Eldridge to bring approximately 280 acres of farmland within city limits. The nine Rivaldd Farms lots lie along Slopertown Road west of present city limits, near the North Davenport industrial park that houses Sterilite, Kraft and Amazon. They total 280.93 acres. Eldridge City Council agreed last Monday, Sept. 28, to hire Des Moines law firm Ahlers & Cooney to manage the annexation. Assistant City Administrator Jeff Martens said he expected the council to review a detailed annexation plan in the coming weeks. The council further accepted as complete the latest street, storm sewer, and sanitary sewer construction at the Ivy Acres subdivision. “The punch list has been completed and inspected by city staff, and there is a letter recommending approval from City Engineer Zach Howell,” Martens said. In other business, the city council approved the first reading of an ordinance to strike redundant swimming pool building and inspection code from city codebooks. Martens said the redundant code had not been removed when the city adopted new swimming pool regulations in 2025. Following its brief public meeting, the council entered closed session to discuss future and pending litigation and the possible purchase and sale of real estate. The motion to enter closed session was approved 5–0.    

Main Street at BNSF crossing in Kewanee closing for repairs

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that Illinois 78 (Main Street) at the BNSF Railway crossing will be closed for repairs on Monday, Oct. 12, weather permitting. The crossing is between Fifth Street and Loomis Street. Work will remove and replace the at-grade crossing and repave the approaches and is expected to be completed [...]

Conservation field day Nov. 5

The Iowa State University Northern Research and Demonstration Farm, the Boone River Watershed Management Authority and conservation partners will host an edge-of-field conservation practices and cover crop tour on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 8:30 a.m-1 p.m. at the research farm, 310 S. Main St., Kanawha. The field day will begin with registration and refreshments at 8:30 a.m., followed by introductory comments and a brief farm update at 9 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., attendees will carpool to four edge-of-field conservation practice sites located within 12 miles of the farm: a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program wetland, a bioreactor, a saturated buffer and a restored oxbow. Participants can also view cover crops at the research farm. After the tour, participants will return to the farm for a complimentary lunch and a presentation by featured speaker Matt Helmers, professor and director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State. His talk, “Why we have a nitrate problem in our water and the need for edge-of-field practices,” will be followed by additional information and resources for getting started with conservation practices. Certified Crop Adviser continuing education credits for nutrient management and soil and water categories will be available. The tour is offered at no cost and open to everyone. Participants must register online by Oct. 30 to help organizers plan for lunch and materials. For more information, contact Angie Rieck-Hinz at 515-231-2830 or amrieck@iastate.edu, or Gentry Sorenson at 641-430-6715 or gentrys@iastate.edu.

First Central Grill for Charity is Friday

First Central State Bank continues its tradition of Grilling for Charity fundraisers. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at First Central State Bank in Eldridge. The proceeds collected from this fundraiser will benefit the OHL Strong Foundation, a group dedicated to support those affected by pancreatic cancer. The menu includes pork chop sandwiches, chips, a drink and a dessert for a donation. Business deliveries are also available by contacting the bank. The Eldridge branch of First Central State Bank is located at 500 East LeClaire Road. First Central State Bank started the Grilling for Charity fundraisers in 2010. Since its inception, the events have raised tens of thousands of dollars to local non-profits. Last year, First Central State Bank raised more than $22,000 through its Grilling for Charity fundraisers.