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

Tuesday, August 25th, 2026
	Five lawsuits are among pending litigation before Scott County Supervisors The Scott County Board of Supervisors often enters closed session to discuss litigation pending against the county. Supervisor Maria Bribriesco has recently argued that the public should know which cases supervisors plan to discuss. So what litigation is pending before the county? Excluding a range of foreclosure and related property suits, which sometimes name the county as a defendant, supervisors face five lawsuits approaching trial or a possible settlement. They include: • A worker’s compensation suit filed by a former deputy sheriff, Travis Bulman. • A suit alleging that the county attorney’s office has failed to produce public records relating to the Davenport building collapse. • A negligence suit that seeks to hold the county responsible for injuries to a child at West Lake Park. • A wrongful termination suit filed by a former deputy sheriff, Josh Wall. • A suit from Riverstone Group over an asphalt recycling plant the board of supervisors refused to permit in Mount Joy. Travis Bulman v. Scott County Former deputy sheriff Travis Bulman has alleged that Scott County acted in bad faith when it refused to pay medical and disability benefits after he developed PTSD. According to court filings, Bulman was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after responding to an armed standoff at NorthPark Mall, a suicide at the Princeton gun range, and the death of a two-year-old at a Walcott Trailer Park fire, all in 2022. Deteriorating mental health led Bulman to be hospitalized four times between late 2022 and late 2023. He alleges that the county refused to pay disability benefits or the cost of treatment during this period. Bulman took his case to the state Worker’s Compensation Division, where a deputy commissioner ruled that the county had failed to properly investigate and respond to Bulman’s disability claims. The commissioner ordered the county to pay past claims and the maximum statutory fine. Now Bulman wants damages from Scott County. In court filings, the attorney’s office has argued that state law and previous judicial rulings exempt counties from paying damages on top of worker’s compensation. Bulman is represented by Bribriesco Law Firm. Supervisor Maria Bribriesco’s spouse and two sons work for the firm. Scott County has retained Simmons Perrine of Cedar Rapids as outside counsel. Jonathan Uhl v. Scott County Jonathan Uhl has sued the county for records related to the Davenport building collapse that he argues are public under Iowa law. Uhl has requested phone records from the county attorney’s office and a copy of a 2004 investigative report into the Davenport Building Inspection Department, known as the “Sweeney Report.” Uhl’s court filings allege that members of the county attorney’s office, including County Attorney Kelly Cunningham, have “stonewalled” his requests for over a year without clear grounds. In March, the Iowa Public Information Board ordered the county attorney’s office to sign an informal resolution stating that they had “failed to produce records in compliance with Iowa code” after Uhl requested but was denied a copy of a criminal investigation into the Davenport BID. Martin Eilers v. Scott County The family of a child injured on the inflatable obstacle course in West Lake Park has sued the county, County Conservation Board and County Health Department for negligence. In court filings, the family alleges that the county had failed to properly install, inspect and maintain the Wibit SportsPark, and to train staff to oversee and maintain safety aboard the inflatable, where their child was injured in 2023. The county has refuted the allegations in detail. The county paid the manufacturer to install the equipment, assigned lifeguards throughout the inflatable, mandated life vest usage, and capped users below the limit suggested by manufacturers, court filings report. The county argues that the plaintiff assumed the risk of injury and was the “sole proximate cause” of the accident resulting in injury. The county also argues that under Iowa law, Scott County should be named the soul defendant in the suit. Dates for a settlement hearing and trial have been set for next summer. Joshua Wall v. Scott County Former deputy sheriff Josh Wall has alleged that he was fired from the county in 2024 after raising professional concerns about Jennifer McAndrew Lane, a Department of Corrections employee and the wife of Sheriff Tim Lane. According to a petition filed earlier this year, Wall raised concerns about McAndrew Lane with County Human Resources Director Vanessa Wierman in June 2023, before relaying those concerns to State Sen. Chris Cournoyer in March 2024. McAndrew Lane kept a sex offender on probation despite the expiration of a court order and said she would appeal to the sheriff to “get her way” over other employees, Wall alleges in his petition. Cournoyer referred concerns to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, who relayed them back to Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham. Wall was fired shortly afterward in July 2024. “Sergeant Wall’s termination was in retaliation for his disclosures of ongoing violations of law or rule, mismanagement, and abuse of authority,” his petition alleges. An answer filed by Cunningham March 27 refutes Wall’s accusations in detail. Wall raised “interpersonal concerns” rather accusations of wrongdoing at a meeting with Wierman in June 2023, Cunningham’s filing argues. It denies that “any wrongful acts occurred which necessitated an investigation into McAndrew” but alleges that Wall improperly investigated McAndrew Lane, violating his responsibilities as a deputy sheriff. Cunningham’s filing repeatedly cites a Scott County Civil Service Commission decision which found Wall had conducted a “secret investigation” and been fired for “rogue investigatory behavior and improper reporting procedure.” The North Scott Press detailed the allegations in Wall’s petition on March 11. In April, Wall asked the court for a change of venue. The case is currently proceeding through Scott County courts. Riverstone v. Scott County Board of Supervisors Riverstone Group has sued the Scott County Board of Supervisors after they refused to permit an asphalt recycling plant in Mount Joy. Riverstone, which quarries and manufactures construction materials, purchased about $2.5 million worth of Mount Joy farmland in 2022 and 2023 after the county indicated a recycling plant would qualify for a special use permit, according to a petition the group filed later that year. The county denied the special use permit and has since denied, in legal filings, that it ever indicated the project would qualify for one. Riverstone continued to push the county to permit the plant in 2023, but faced several hurdles. The land was zoned for general agricultural use and set for annexation to Davenport, which indicated it would not permit the plant. And it was located near the Davenport Airport, raising concerns about dust the plant could produce. In a pair of decisions in late 2023 and early 2024, the county refused to rezone the parcel for industry or strip the parcel of plans for annexation. Neighboring landowners and aircraft operators, including the National Guard, supported the decision. Riverstone filed suit in response, arguing that the county treated Riverstone differently from neighboring landowners and illegally deferred to the city of Davenport’s opposition to the plant. Scott County has maintained that it was exercising its legal home rule authority in rejecting the request for a rezone. Attorneys for the county and for Riverstone are set to meet Sept. 16 to schedule a trial.
	Sadie Wagner promoted to city clerk in Eldridge Eldridge hired from within to find its newest city clerk. Sadie Wagner, who also serves as utility administrative manager, was promoted to city clerk/finance manager following the Aug. 17 city council meeting and Aug. 18 utility board meeting. Because Wagner will continue to perform utilities duties, 50% of her $92,746 salary will be paid by the utility board. Wagner will succeed the city’s previous clerk, Tracy Northcutt, who resigned in June. In a memo, city administrator Nevada Lemke wrote that the city chose this path in part because of Wagner’s existing institutional knowledge about Eldridge and city policies and procedures. “Throughout her tenure with the city, Sadie has gained extensive experience in virtually every clerk function performed within the city office,” Lemke wrote. “Her progression through multiple positions has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the city’s operations, financial processes, utility administration, customer service, records management, and interdepartmental coordination. Additionally, as part of her transition into the Utility Administrative Manager position, she successfully completed the city’s management training program. This investment has prepared her for increased leadership responsibilities and positions her well to assume the Finance Manager/City Clerk role.” Lemke also wrote that promoting from within would preserve “the positive workplace culture that has been intentionally developed over the past three years. Internal promotions reward dedication, encourage employee development, and demonstrate the city’s commitment to investing in its employees. An internal candidate also possesses invaluable institutional knowledge that cannot be quickly replicated through an external hire. This familiarity allows for a seamless transition with minimal disruption to city operations.” Further, Lemke said Wagner’s promotion will also lead to opportunities for assistant city clerk Tabbitha Kramer, who was hired earlier this summer. This will allow for cross-training, create a stronger internal succession plan, and allow the deputy clerk to take over some of the traditional duties of the city clerk. “Redistributing these duties creates a more balanced workload among administrative staff while allowing each employee to focus on areas of responsibility that align with their experience and career development,” wrote Lemke. As part of the transition, Lemke recommended holding off on hiring an additional employee for now as the city evaluates its staffing needs. “This approach will demonstrate the areas of greatest need based on the workload balance so we can appropriately define the duties that need to be fulfilled when we are ready to proceed with hiring.” Lemke’s recommendation was to eventually hire an entry-level clerk, which would allow the city to recruit an individual with “strong potential and develop them internally through progressively increasing responsibilities.” She said this would build institutional knowledge, strengthen employee retention and organizational culture and create a sustainable succession plan. Council rejects Townsend Farms drainage costs As construction continues on Townsend Farms 16th Addition on the south side of town, a drainage issue was discovered during earthwork. As the contractor began moving dirt on the South 5th Street extension to Lincoln Road, a low spot was found on the Townsend Farms trail, which caused standing water to accumulate on the trail. According to assistant city administrator Jeff Martens, speaking on behalf of city engineer Zach Howell, a temporary berm has been installed near the trail, which has alleviated some of the water. Meanwhile, the developer’s engineer came up with a plan to install drain tile, and updates to the construction plan, estimated at $12,190.50. The developer asked the city to pay half of the cost, as the engineering opinion determined the problem was caused by a combination of the construction and the subdivision design. Council members weren’t convinced. Jeff Ashcraft said he has ridden his bike along the trail several times since the problem was uncovered and he’s noticed the berm seems to be helping. He asked why the city had any responsibility. “Why was this not engineered properly and why are we accepting part of the cost, then, to repair?” Martens said it was his understanding that conditions in the area had changed since the city approved the engineering plan two years ago, and that risk was part of what the city accepted. He said that the city’s planning and zoning commission has been discussing making construction drawings valid for one year only. “If it’s not constructed within a year, they have to come back for reapproval. That way, we’d be more apt to catch something like this when conditions change,” said Martens. Council member Brian Dockery said when the engineering plan went through the approval process, it went through both city staff and the city engineer at Shive-Hattery. “When the bike path came in over the gas pipeline, I think our engineer missed that,” said Dockery. “So, I think they’ve got skin in the game also.” Dockery proposed the city pay a third, with the developer and Shive-Hattery paying the other two-thirds of the cost. “I don’t think it should all be on us,” he said. Council member Adrian Blackwell said he had also viewed the area. He said while the berm was working, it was only a temporary fix. “I don’t disagree with dividing it up in thirds, but whatever needs to be done, we need to make sure we do it right and not just a Band-Aid to fix, so the further this opens up, there’s no other issues when the rest of the subdivision gets built for possible additional flooding.” Council member Ryan Iossi said he didn’t believe the city had any liability. “When further land is developed, and Jeff, correct me if I’m wrong, but as an example, if you buy an undeveloped lot, and you’ve got a house on either side, your responsibility following code is to create your water runoff according to what’s already previously existing, right? And with that said, those houses to the north of the trail were existing already.” Iossi said, since the same developer did the previous addition, he questioned whether any of the cost should be borne by the city. “I’m just not in favor of paying for that,” Iossi said. He made a motion to deny the request and “let’s see what happens.” Dockery seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Winter decorating financial request also denied The council also denied a $2,440 request for the installation of seasonal greenery and solar string light displays during the winter months in downtown Eldridge. Lemke said she had spoken with Dave McCammant of MidAmerican Energy, who said this project would be eligible for a $500 community beautification grant. She said the rest could be paid for out of the hotel/motel tax fund, which also typically goes towards beautification projects. This fund also pays for flowers downtown during the summer. Dockery asked if the proposal was for an annual rate. Lemke said her understanding was this was a one-time project. “I know there’s an option to have them install again in future years. But I don’t know that the intent was for it to be a revolving proposal.” “I guess I’m not in favor of spending $2,440 for a one-time thing,” said Dockery. Ashcraft also asked if this was something the council typically paid for. Lemke said, while the council has paid for the summer flowers, it has not done any winter decorations. The Eldridge-North Scott Chamber of Commerce decorates the light poles. “I agree with Councilman Dockery,” said Ashcraft. “Considering the heftier things that we’re dealing with and trying to find funds to make sure we’re dealing with public safety. I know it’s only $2,440, but I think I’d pass.” Blackwell said he liked the festive decorations that go up downtown in the winter but asked if there was anything the city could do for beautification at a reduced cost. Lemke said she would talk with public works director Tony Rupe to see what his team could come up with.
	Donahue Pie Contest theme is apple Come celebrate Donahue Iowa’s Annual Frontier Days event on Sept. 6. Among many numerous events, food, and activities for all ages, there will be our Apple Pie baking contest. Everyone is invited to submit your baking creativity during the 20th anniversary of the contest. Pies must be made from scratch, double crust (lattice crust is acceptable) and baked in an 8 or 9 inch aluminum pan that will not be returned. Filling must be made with fresh or frozen APPLES. (No canned filling). All pies entered become the property of the Donahue Day Committee. The contest is open to juniors up to age 18 and (of course) seniors 19 and over. Please enter your pie after 10 a.m. and prior to 1 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Donahue Sportsmen’s Park on the south edge of town. Please include your name, address and phone number on the bottom of your pan and only one pie per person will be accepted. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd will be awarded in each age division. First place is $100; 2nd place is $75; and 3rd place is $50. All pies will be judged starting at 1 p.m. by three local judges. The pies will then be auctioned later that same afternoon. Among the bidders are local families, individuals and neighboring businesses. Proceeds are shared by the Donahue Fire Department and Donahue Sportsmen’s Club. For further information please call Linda Holdorf at (563) 370-2502 or Sandy Moeller (563) 529-2625.
	Crop report: Nearly half of Iowa corn in dent stage With 47% of Iowa corn acres in the dent stage, according to the latest crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the crop is nearing harvest season. The 2026 crop is 5 percentage points ahead of last year’s crop in terms of the share in the dent stage. Corn acres in the dough stage reached 90% during the Aug. 17 through Aug. 23 reporting period, which is 3 percentage points ahead of last year’s crop. One percent of corn acres had reached maturity as of the reporting period. Soybean acres setting pods reached 88% during the period, which is slightly behind last year’s crop. Soybean condition was 77% good to excellent during the period and corn condition was 78% good to excellent, according to the report. Iowa subsoil and topsoil had mostly adequate moisture conditions, according to the report which put subsoil moisture at 66% adequate and topsoil moisture at 70% adequate. Iowa had “unseasonably” dry weather during the reporting period, according to State Climatologist Justin Glisan, who reported the statewide average precipitation was just over two-tenths of an inch, while the normal is more than nine-tenths of an inch. The dry weather, however, followed a particularly wet week where Iowa’s statewide average, at 2.60 inches, was nearly triple the normal for the Aug. 10 through Aug. 16 reporting period. Glisan reported a “shift to more seasonal weather” for the most recent reporting period, when the statewide average temperature was 71.1 degrees Fahrenheit – less than 1 degree above the normal for the period. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the weather conditions were “beautiful” throughout the last week of the Iowa State Fair, which he said had “fairgoers turning out in record numbers.” According to the Iowa State Fair, 1,218,834 people attended the event in Des Moines over its 11-day run, beating the previous attendance record from 2024 by more than 36,000 people. “As students and families settle into the routines of a new school year, farmers are keeping an eye on the forecast as crops continue to mature,” Naig said. “Warmer temperatures and near-normal rainfall into early September should help keep the crops moving along as we inch closer to the busy fall harvest season.”
	North Scott honors longtime employees At last Tuesday’s North Scott employee appreciation event, superintendent Joe Stutting hailed the staff. “I think about how lucky I’ve been for the last 12 years. I really got blessed to be picked for the North Scott School District. And it’s really because of all of you. “It’s been wonderful seeing the success of our students. All of the championships, all of the theatre things our kids have done, it just goes on. And every time I think we can’t do better, we have another group that comes in, and I just shake my head,” he continued. “But it isn’t just because we have talented kids, and we have a great, supportive community. It’s because of the staff.” Stutting praised the behind-the-scenes victories staff have improving the lives of students, even the ones that never receive public attention or recognition. He said, “Every one of you have been a champion for a kid and has made a difference in their lives, and that’s what makes North Scott a special place.” At the event, longtime employees and retirees were honored, and new staff were welcomed. Prior to the event, attendees received snacks provided by First Central State Bank. The longest serving employee honored at the event was Virgil Grissom custodian Jerry Kruse, who has been employed at North Scott for 40 years. Retirees: Cindy Greve, Barb Hyde, Matt Harrison, Terri Kilburg, Deanna Reed, Kerry Madden, Connie Reese, Carrie Lane, Brenda Renken, Terri Stockbauer 40 years: Jerry Kruse 35 years: Jennifer Swoboda 30 years: Denise Frauen, Laura Jacobsen 25 years: Lisa Brunning, Shamus Budde, Joellen Desanto, Stacie Kintigh, Mike McMann, Al Nelson, Dawn Rheingans, Bill Stahmer 20 years: Cindy Beal, Sara Braack, Nicole Dodds, Melissa Fredericks, Traci Hardeman, Rita Hart, Terri Stockbauer, Katherine Walloch, Nancy Woode, Sarah Woode 15 years: Christine Baguss, Shane Stenson DeBourcy, Amy Harris, Kyle Harris, Boise Schoonover, Violet Talbot, Tammy Willerth, Ashley Knobloch 10 years: Kari Ginger, Sarah Graham, Karee Hodge, Madelynn Kennedy, Jennifer Lamont, Bri Lawrence, Eric Lenze, Amanda Ohsann, John Osen, David Sorensen, Ashton Temple, April Thurman, Taylor Venhorst, Kent Greenwood, Elise Ward 5 years: Sarah Lovett, Ashley DeWispelaere, Zachary Berry, Kathleen Kroeger, Ashley Rentmeester, Hailey Gingerich, Lauren Salas, Chelsea Tyrrel, Anna Maass, Melissa Klingaman, Spencer Shepherd, Mark Boland, Lisa Paxton, Teresa Rossmiller, Emily Gronewold, Heather Speed, David Haberkorn, Nicolas Propes, Kelsey Slagle, Sidney Tingle, Ashley Kuhl, Jessica Kirby, Stephanie Peterson, Holly Timm, Luciana Maxwell, Rachel Biehl, Tarisha Edwards, Alissa Bolles, Jordan Wagner, Amanda Hill, Trista Cronkleton, Fred Foreman, Jennifer Kuhn, Emily Kruse-Cain, Madison Knoche, Sarah Franco, David Helton, Mark Beno, Kimberly Wolf, Kinza Maclin, Katie Madden New Hires: Set Espinosa-Morales, Teresa Claussen, Megan Moore, Jessica Cox, Kayla Benson, Ashley Badtram, Jaiden Seifert, Cedrick Whitfield, Rachel Davis, Joshua Roe, Rachel Christensen, Chad Matthaidess, Emily Bowman, Anna Bross, Thomas Peppers, Jennifer Johnson, Kory Esbaum, Lisa Jones, Emma Crandall, Stacey Ruff, Audrey Eganhouse, Erin Hughes, Whitney Moss, Jillian Dircks, Elizabeth Kent, Jana Poirier, Allison Gandrup, Brittany Hoffmann, Kaitlyn Stych, Shalynn Spiller, Wayne Huntley, Kaitlyn Petty, Tricia Campbell, Lisa Boynton, Demi Phares, Shawn Smith, Lindsay Brinson, Neleigh Weinert, Tami Jewell-Labath, Kaylee Paulsen, Kendra Goplin, Jessica Hilliard, Lindsey Schwarz
	2001: Eldridge council debates number of election precincts Aug. 26, 1976 • Just moments before the Eldridge City Council was set to fill a vacancy created with the resignation of Larry Rauch, a group of residents presented a petition asking the seat to be filled by election. Judd Awkerman presented the petition, signed by 17 residents, mostly in the North 7th Street area. Only 14 signatures were needed to call an election under a new law that recently went into effect in Iowa – at least 2% of the number of residents who voted in the last city election. In the November 1975 election, 666 residents voted. Mayor pro tem Dave Stephens said he regretted that the seat would have to remain vacant until November, causing the council to have to work with only four members. If no candidates submitted their nominating petitions to city hall by Sept. 8, the council would be able to fill the vacancy by appointment. • The North Scott School Board stiffened its policy on free athletic and activities passes for teachers, saying they would only be given to staff members who worked these events in an official capacity. The new policy said free passes would only be given to past and present school board members and their spouses, senior citizens, the school physician, members of the media, and 25 “conference” passes which would be allotted at the discretion of the principal. The new policy was implemented after members of the public felt there were too many people getting into school events for free. • Four Scott County residents testified at a U.S. Senate subcommittee field hearing at the Long Grove Community Center. LeClaire mayor Clarence Norton, Long Grove mayor Jean Roush, Eldridge public works director John Miller and rural Davenport farmer Eldon Krambeck shared their thoughts on the effectiveness of federal rural development programs. The hearing was chaired by Iowa Sen. Dick Clark and Iowa U.S. Rep. Ed Mezvinsky. • Seventy family members and friends honored Loretta Hirl of Davenport at a family dinner celebrating her 80th birthday. Born in 1896, Loretta Adair married George Hirl in 1914. The couple farmed in Scott County until their retirement in 1948. • A team from Donahue won the “Anything Goes Almost” relays at the Dixon Sweetcorn Festival. The team included Mary Lou Engler, Marilyn Gronewold, Charlotte Keppy, Lori Moore, Jim Henzen, Jerry Wuestenberg, D.C. Kelly and Ron Stoltenberg. Teams participated in six relay events, culminating in a beer drinking contest. Each member of the team was given three glasses of beer to drink through a straw in 60 seconds. The remaining beer was measured to determine a winner. Meanwhile, at the dedication of the Dixon Bicentennial Recreation Center, Hugo Rock, 89, and Mrs. Winnie McCabe, 88, were honored as the oldest residents in town. Aug. 27, 1986 • Plans for a swimming pool in Eldridge were discussed by the North Scott School Board and the Eldridge City Council. At the school board meeting, members heard a presentation from the construction firm that hired to build a pool at Pleasant Valley High School. The board voted to go ahead with preliminary plans for a pool addition, pending voter approval. Meanwhile, Eldridge city administrator Deborah Nier told the council about information she gathered on pools in neighboring communities, including Wilton, Bellevue, Bettendorf, Clinton and West Liberty. • Steve Brehmer won a special election for a vacant seat on the McCausland City Council. Brehmer garnered 52 votes. • New teachers at North Scott included Nancy Sunday, Cindy Van DeWalle, Joyce Orcutt, Ann Lange, Teresa Heggen, Pat Schirman, Chris Fox, Jean Mayes, Mary Sue Ryan, Janet Steffensmeier, and Wilma Kambel. • Joe Proske of Blue Grass earned second place honors in the dairy judging contest at the 4-H Dairy awards ceremony at the Iowa State Fair. He also tied for first place individual honors in judging Milking Shorthorns. Scott Bernick of Walcott won the state Holstein award and received honors as the top individual in the Jersey judging contest. • Returning runners on the North Scott girls’ cross-country team included Connie Moore, Beth Wilson, Tracy Schneckloth, Chris Rosmillso and Sandy Lambert. Aug. 29, 2001 • The Scott County Library System hired an architect and a construction manager to oversee renovations that would turn the old Slagle’s supermarket into a new headquarters for the library in Eldridge. “There’s a great deal happening, but it’s just not showing in the building now,” library director Anne Conner told the Eldridge City Council. Major gift fundraising was set to begin in September, with a grassroots campaign slated for March. Construction was expected to begin in June of 2002. • Iowa state law dictated that all communities with a population of 3,500 or more be divided into at least two voting precincts by the end of August. Eldridge missed the deadline as members of the city council disagreed over whether the town should be split into two or three sections and how the community should be divided up. Therefore, the state would make the determination for the town. At a city council meeting, members reviewed an ordinance that would see the town split north and south, with LeClaire Road as the dividing line. Tom Knapper, supported by Brad Noel, proposed three precincts. Knapper said he believed the council would one day have ward representation, with three aldermen from wards and two at-large members, and this was the time to make that delineation. John Strazewski and Mark Brandt said two precincts fulfilled the state requirement and if residents wanted three precincts, they could petition for the change later. Brandt said the town could increase precincts if this became a “viable situation. This is a classic example of bureaucracy in a small town of 4,000 people. I’m beginning to think we’re Davenport! And it’s almost embarrassing.” • A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new hotel in Eldridge. Although construction hadn’t begun on the property, reservation requests were already coming in for the new Rodeway Inn, which was scheduled to open on Feb. 1, 2002. The three-story hotel would feature an indoor pool and whirlpool, a meeting and banquet facility, free continental breakfast, and more amenities, with rates starting at $49 per night. Owners Kirk and Teresa Foecking had pursued the idea of building a hotel on the same site five years earlier but decided the timing wasn’t right then. But now, “We decided if we don’t build it, somebody else will,” Kirk said at the groundbreaking. • Retirees honored at the North Scott employee appreciation event included Bob Rhinehart, Mary Ann Schanze, Ken Nevenhoven, Nancy Shilney, Deac Ryan, Pat Mason, Dean Bassett, Joyce Holland, Mary Sue Ryan, Dan Anderson and Loretta Barron. Employees with 30 years of experience included Mike Brown, Larry Haugland, Christie Nevenhoven and James Pfaff. • Captains of the North Scott football team included Tom Power, Adam Nolan, Jared Hamilton, Andy Wiese, Ben Anderson and Greg Green. Aug. 31, 2011 • Donahue planned to celebrate its 140th anniversary at Frontier Day. This was also the 40th anniversary of Frontier Day, as the original was planned to coincide with the town’s centennial in 1971. Plenty of activities were planned, including a memorial walk, a coed softball tournament and the annual Duck Race. • Representatives of the U.S. Postal Service planned to meet with McCausland residents to discuss the future of the town’s post office. The McCausland Post Office was on a shortlist being studied for discontinuation of service by the USPS because of a decline in service. If the McCausland Post Office were to be closed, customers with P.O. boxes would have the option of renting a box at the DeWitt Post Office. “DeWitt, from our post office to theirs, is about 10.8 miles, and that’s just one way,” said city council member Lloyd Claussen, who had spearheaded a previous campaign to save the McCausland Post Office. “The point is, how convenient is it for anybody?” • Rural Scott County mourned the loss of popular farmer Donavan Sievers in a tractor accident. Sievers was hauling hay near Plainview when the tractor rolled into a ditch. In an eerie coincidence, Sievers passed away just yards from where his grandson, Blake, had been killed in a similar accident six years earlier. “We take comfort that he’s with Blake,” said Sievers’ son, Lonny. “Dad loved him so much. They died within 100 yards of each other, and now they’ll be buried just as close.” • The North Scott volleyball team opened the season with a win over Pleasant Valley and took two of three matches at the MAC/MVC Challenge. After falling to Cedar Rapids Kennedy, the Lancers bounced back to sweep Cedar Rapids Prairie and defending state champions Iowa City West. “It is hard to get respect, but I think we earned some last week,” said coach Amy Schubert. • The North Scott football team won the opening game of the season, coming from behind to win in overtime, 26-20, over Pleasant Valley. Each team had four plays to score from the 10 in overtime. John Kinney picked off Spartan quarterback Grant Lang early in the extra period. With the ball back, Tanner Johnson lost a yard, followed by Louis DeFrieze bulldozing his way to a seven-yard gain. Johnson punched it in from four yards out to secure the win. Aug. 25, 2021 • North Scott schools saw an increase in the number of students, with 1,078 at the high school alone. Forty-five students selected online learning for the school year, compared to more than 600 the previous school year. “Every elementary class is bigger than the year before,” said superintendent Joe Stutting. “We are up kids in-seat in every single building. That’s a good thing.” • The New Liberty Fire Department was gearing up for its 40th annual steak fry, the main fundraiser for the department. In addition to the meal, there would be a car show, bags tournament, bounce houses and a performance by local band North of 40. • North Scott School Board incumbents Tracy Lindaman, Mark Pratt and Donn Wilmott announced plans to run for reelection as candidate filing opened. • The North Scott music department was well represented at the Bix Memorial Jazz Festival, with students Joe Drahozal (trombone), Nolan Blodig (alto sax), Lex Adkisson (guitar), Alex Upmeyer (tenor sax), Kyle Skinner (bass), Andrew Skinner (drum kit), and George Behnke (piano) participating in the Bix Youth Jazz Band. • Cross-country coach Amy Knoche was feeling optimistic about her girls’ team, and not just because they welcomed a new runner. Faith Nead, a transfer from Johnston, placed 37th at the last state meet. Knoche also welcomed back Bailey Boddicker, Kaitlyn Knoche and Reese Hilsenbeck, among others. “I think having Faith around is definitely going to help us,” said Boddicker. “And it’s good to have another running partner … We push each other at every practice, and we never know who is going to beat who.”
	Protecting Iowa public schools and tax dollars As State Auditor, I’ve been sounding the alarm on the unaccountable private school voucher program for years. Politicians who like to lie say it’s because I’m against private schools. That’s not true at all. What I am against is waste, fraud, and abuse of Iowa tax dollars, and the private school voucher program has been the second biggest invitation to all three since it was enacted. As it stands, the private school voucher system requires no accountability over how tax money is being spent. There are no audits to check. There are no limits on raising tuition, meaning that private schools can hike costs and make tuition as unaffordable as it was without the voucher, boosting their own bottom lines and once again blocking Iowa families from being able to afford it. There are no income limits, meaning the wealthiest Iowans are getting the same $7,500 per kid to send them to the schools they would most likely already send them to than low income or middle-class families. This year alone, the voucher program was estimated to cost $350 million in tax dollars. That’s money meant for our public schools being diverted to this unaccountable program. A report found that 80 percent of that money went to children that the Reynolds administration estimated would have been in private school anyway; meaning 80 percent of “school choice” funding isn’t giving a choice to anyone who didn’t already have it. As we face down a nearly $1.4 billion budget deficit, and as funding for our public schools is already not keeping up with inflation, we’re not in a position to turn a blind eye to the misuse of tax dollars. Insiders dub this program as “school choice,” but my question is: choice for who? There’s no “choice” for the families in rural areas, many of which don’t have a single private school in their district or within a reasonable distance to shuttle kids back and forth. There’s no “choice” for the families with students with special needs or disabilities, many of whom are turned away from private schools who cannot – or will not – serve their needs. Private schools are not mandated to take the public like public schools are. My thought there is pretty simple: if private schools want public money, then they should have to take the public. They should be audited and have rules for how the money is spent, like public schools. And we should put the income limits back on the program. I support Iowa families making the decision that’s best for their kids. For some, that might mean a private school. But we shouldn’t boost those private schools at the expense of our public schools and the hundreds of thousands of students they serve. This is personal to me. I grew up attending Iowa public schools when they were regularly ranked some of the top in the nation. Now, I’m sending my own two boys to Iowa public schools, and as a state we’ve landed somewhere in the middle of the pack. As governor, I’d work with members of both parties to enact common-sense accountability measures to protect tax dollars. Things like annual audits, limiting tuition increases, and implementing income limits are a few steps we can take to ensure Iowa tax dollars are being spent appropriately, and that we’re protecting funding meant for our public schools to get back to those top rankings in the nation.
	School choice: A fundamental freedom As an educator who’s spent years building a foundation for children, I believe that school choice is a foundational freedom that Iowans should have. Parents should be able to have more say over where their kids go to school and more say over where their tax dollars are spent. The Democrats like to frame this issue as though parental tax dollars belong to the Government–that any attempt by parents to take their kids to a better school is somehow robbing public schools. That’s false. Our goal as Iowans should always be to promote excellence in education, whether that’s at a public school or a private school–It just so happens that we can do both. The discussion around ESAs in Iowa needs to end the politics and prioritize the children. This is a distraction from the real issue, which is the decline of Iowa’s public education system that began before ESAs even existed. Attributing the failings of public education to ESAs is an attempt to divert attention from decades of decline. As governor, I will be the number one advocate for Iowa’s public school kids. In the 90s, Iowa schools were number one in the nation, and now they are 27th overall. Every child in this state deserves access to a world-class education, and my goal is simple: make Iowa’s public schools so strong that they can compete with any school, anywhere in the country. For too long, schools have been forced to teach to a test instead of teaching students to succeed. I will work to reduce excessive standardized testing, restore local control, and refocus education on mastery of reading, writing, math, science, and the skills students need to thrive. A classroom should not be a battleground for ideology. It should be a place for truth, discipline, wonder, and learning. I believe teachers should teach our children how to think, not what to think, and that political doctrine has no place in Iowa classrooms. Our public schools need more innovation. In the schools I’ve helped start, we start apprenticeships at age 11 or 12, where you’re out in the real world getting experience. There is more to education than just taking tests, and there’s no study guide for an apprenticeship. As public officials, we should be doing everything possible to improve education in public schools, while still providing the freedom for parents to decide where their tax dollars are going. Democrats arguing against school choice are completely ignoring the fact that our public education will still thrive, if leaders are actively advocating for it. As governor, I’ll do everything in my power to improve public education, and to make sure that kids in Iowa are receiving the best care that we can offer. Once again, we must cut out the politics and prioritize the children.
	City attorney airs Eldridge's "dirty laundry" At the Aug. 12, 2026, Eldridge special City Council meeting, there was quite a lengthy recitation by attorney Wright regarding the case against Keith Schneckloth. I have never seen such a disclosure of personnel matters made to the public by a municipality. I suppose the attorney felt that there were some public records related to the case against him, but still her diatribe was embarrassing. It would give me pause to think about working for a city that would disclose such personnel related details at a public meeting, on the City website, and on social media. The city attorney went so far as to threaten Mr. Schneckloth with the fact that the statute of limitations had not expired yet, and he could still face criminal charges. I don’t recall the City making such personnel matters so public when their city clerk stole tens of thousands of dollars from the Eldridge taxpayers or when other employees were terminated for far worse offenses. What is the City of Eldridge thinking when they allow their city attorney to behave publicly in such a manner? I feel sorry for all of the residents who are having to be disgraced yet again by city leadership as the City’s dirty laundry continues to make headlines in the Quad Cities and beyond. Judith Gilbert Eldridge
	Seniors suffer as Miller-Meeks keeps digging budget hole The same day the National Debt hit $40 trillion, Representative Miller-Meeks ran an ad celebrating her proposed bill, the Permanent Tax Relief for Seniors Act. The debt is accelerating faster than predicted, due in part to massive tax cuts under last summer’s Republican tax and spending bill, HR-1. HR-1 gave permanent tax cuts we couldn’t afford for the wealthiest Americans, directed a few temporary gimmicks toward workers and seniors, and hid benefit cuts until after the midterms. The “no-tax-on-tips”, “no-tax-on-overtime,” and enhanced standard deductions for seniors all expire in 2028. Miller-Meeks’ proposed legislation permanently extends the seniors’ $6,000 enhanced standard deduction. The revenue loss from HR-1 shortened Social Security Trust Fund solvency by one year. Unless Congress acts, the Social Security Trust Fund will only be able to pay 78% of scheduled benefits to all current and future beneficiaries by 2032. The average Social Security cut would be about $500 a month. Few would trade money on their monthly check for a year-end deduction. Especially when many retirees don’t earn enough to claim the full deduction and some beneficiaries - disabled workers, survivors, and dependents don’t qualify for the senior deduction. The longer Congress waits to address the Social Security Trust Fund shortfall and the deficit, the harder they are to fix. The solution requires tough choices. But Congressional focus is on winning elections, not solutions. So Miller-Meeks panders for the senior vote with the promise of making the enhanced senior deduction permanent. This would add $155.7 billion more debt over a 10-year budget window, but might win votes now. Interest on the debt is now one of the largest federal budget expenditures, more than annual Medicare spending. That’s money we don’t spend on schools, healthcare, roads and bridges, social safety nets, and making life more affordable. Increased government debt makes borrowing more expensive for everyone, including those with business loans, mortgages, student loans, credit card debt, vehicle loans, and more. Now we find ourselves with a $40,000,000,000,000 budget hole and a Representative who won’t stop digging. If Representative Miller-Meeks doesn’t understand budgets, she needs to find a different job. Kay Pence Eldridge
	Iowa measles outbreak grows to 17 cases, Illinois 5, health officials say Iowa public health officials confirm 17 measles cases with person-to-person spread across Bloomfield, Ottumwa, Clive, and Des Moines.
	Lancers show out at home meet, go shot-for-shot with state's elite If the first two tournaments are any indication, the team state tournament trophy is firmly up for grabs. The preseason rankings, which had North Scott at No. 3, Pleasant Valley at No. 2, and Dallas Center-Grimes at No. 1, had the teams pinned to the letter. Very little separated these three schools during the first week of the season, in which North Scott played within two strokes of both the Mustangs and Spartans in the first two meets of the year. North Scott shot a 296 last Monday at Glen Oaks Country Club, finishing behind Dallas Center-Grimes’ 294 and Dowling Catholic’s 295. Then, the Lancers set the school record on Wednesday at Glynns Creek Golf Course at 279 — only to be upstaged by Pleasant Valley’s own school-record-setting performance of 277. Despite falling short of gold team and individual medals, the Lancers are more than happy with their first week of action. “If you would’ve asked us before today that we’d shoot 279, we’d take it,” junior Andrew Vollbeer said after the Lancer Invite on Wednesday. “It’s a shame we got second. PV is really good, and we were right there. Obviously, we want to get first. It’s small margins.” North Scott smashed the school record by seven shots, 286, which it set at districts last October. Vollbeer and senior Jaxon Adkisson shot matching 4-under 68s at the team’s home meet, and placed second and third respectively. Junior Luke Leverenz posted a 2-under 70 and placed eighth in a logjam of cardbacks. Freshman James Vollbeer took the fourth scoring spot with a 1-over 73. He was followed by sophomore Michael Phillips’ 3-over 75 and senior Griffin Frank’s 6-over 78. “Today, we played awesome and came up just a bit short,” Lancer coach Mike Wuertz said. “73, if you take that as a fourth score, 99 percent of the time you’re going to win the meet. Overall, it was really solid golf today.” The scoring conditions were pristine with soft greens, low winds, and ideal temperatures. Pleasant Valley’s Dylan Everitt took advantage with his winning score of 5-under 67. Overall, 11 golfers were under par on Wednesday. Adkisson’s 68 matched high school career-best rounds from both his sophomore and junior seasons. Vollbeer beat his high school personal record by one shot. “I expected them to both play well. Jaxon works here, and Andrew is here all the time,” Wuertz said. “They put themselves in position to play really well. “I’m happy to see the top three play well. I think they are just scratching the surface at how good they can be. I think they can be even better.” The primary mission this season is to find a fourth scorer. As Wuertz said, they will take a 73 every single time. James Vollbeer was under par for most of his round. He totaled four birdies and 10 pars in his round. “He chipped in on his first hole and birdied No. 9, so he was two-under through five holes,” Wuertz said. “He was about even for a while, made a couple bogeys on 18 and 2, and made a long birdie putt to shoot 1-over. You can’t ask for much more from a kid who is a freshman and only hits it 220 (feet) off the tee. I’m very impressed.” Monday’s meet featured a 3 p.m. start and a 180-mile drive to Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines for the team’s season opener. Competing against 17 schools from as far north as Waterloo, as far west as Sioux City, and a large contingent representing the Des Moines metro area, this tournament was a great measuring stick for each team. Just two shots separated first place from fourth place, with Dallas Center-Grimes’ home course advantage being the difference. North Scott shot a 296, with Andrew Vollbeer placing fourth (even-par 71), and Leverenz tying for seventh (two-over 73) as individuals. “Glen Oaks was definitely a more challenging course, plus having to travel so far and it being our first meet,” Wuertz said. “We lost to that Dallas Center-Grimes team, ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings, and that is their home course. Most of them are members there. That was definitely an advantage for them, and we hung in there with them. They all played pretty solidly. It was a good showing out there.” Last week’s results only solidified the rankings. In Sunday’s refresh, the top three teams and top seven individuals stayed the same. Andrew Vollbeer got a one-spot promotion, going from No. 9 to No. 8. North Scott’s only meet this week came on Monday when the team went up to Peosta for the Western Dubuque Bobcat boys’ golf invitational at Thunder Hills Country Club. The Lancers’ next five tournaments are all hosted by Mississippi Athletic Conference schools, starting with the Assumption Invitational at Emeis Golf Course on Sept. 2. “We’re heading in the right direction. We still have a lot more golf to play,” Wuertz said. “We’re still trying to hone in on a few more things, and hopefully continue playing well.”
	Jo Daviess County Sheriff warns of new scams There's a new scam in Jo Daviess County and authorities want the public to be aware. Sheriff Klaus Kretschmer said the Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office has seen an increase in the amount of fraud claims. In one case, a scammer posed as a member of the Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office and requested payment [...]
	North Scott returns nearly all offensive starters for highly-anticipated football season “Heeeeere come the Lancers!” From the vocal cords of Dave Struckman to the hearts of their opponents, the hype surrounding this year’s Lancer football team is deserved. One look around state media sees the Lancers as a consensus top-five team in Class 4A. One look at the roster, and you’ll see why. From last fall, North Scott returns: it’s top passer; it’s top two rushers; it’s top two receivers; two all-district linemen; it’s top two tacklers; and two starting defensive backs. More than half of this year’s roster, 31 of 58 players, are seniors who are looking to blast far past just the first round of the playoffs achieved last year. “We’re coming with a different intensity this year,” senior quarterback Miller Haedt said after last Wednesday’s practice. “We have a lot of experience this year, which helps. This year, we have a ton of leaders from last year, which makes practice go by so much faster. “When we get out here, we emphasize being quick and efficient. So far, it’s going well. Some days we’re off. Some days we’re on. It’s been good so far.” Second-year head coach Tony Stewart echoes those same sentiments about his team’s training camp efforts. “It’s been pretty good. It’s just like everything else. Some days are good ones and some days aren’t so great. There are two big things we’re talking about: don’t let your highs get too high, and don’t let your lows get too low. It’s never as good as it seems, and it’s never as bad as it seems,” Stewart said. “Yesterday wasn’t so great in my mind. Today, I thought they did a great job. That’s the way it goes. Now, we’re trying to be consistent.” Much like his players on the field, Stewart and his coaches learned lots from their first seasons in new roles last fall. There are no changes to the varsity coaching staff this year, leading to a much more streamlined offseason. “I feel like we’re ahead of schedule from where we were last year, from a team standpoint and coaching staff cohesion,” Stewart said. “I had a little more time to prepare and plan. Have a better transition on my end. “We’ve always trusted our coaches, but making sure we’re on the same page with things. It’s that cohesion, learning to communicate with each other more. Our practices have changed a little bit with how we do certain things. That’s how we learn and adapt and try to get better.” The cohesion and connection are similar at the player level, too. “This team is close. We’re a lot closer than we were last year,” Haedt said. “The coaches are pushing that a lot more, and it’s working. This year, our seniors are a lot closer with the freshmen and sophomores because they practice with us. We build a lot of good relationships with them.” “It’s a big deal. It all starts with the seniors,” Stewart added. “We’re going to need everybody, whether it’s in practice or on the field. It can’t be ‘us against them.’ It has to be ‘we.’ We talk about competing with each other rather than against each other.” Getting the gang back together Haedt, an all-district honoree in 2025, enters his second year as a full-time starting quarterback, and his third overall in the varsity quarterback room. Between his sophomore and junior seasons, Haedt completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 1,303 yards with 14 touchdowns. On the ground, he toted the ball 111 times for 458 yards with seven touchdowns. Haedt says the rushing threat remains in the playbook this year, and he’s seeing the benefits of all his reps. “The game was really fast at the beginning of the year. Throughout the year, it slowed down,” he said. “I learned a lot about staying in the pocket, too. Your reads are a big thing. At the varsity level, the defensive ends are quicker. You have to be a leader on the field, too. That comes with time.” Stewart is thrilled to have Haedt, who led the team in passing and rushing last year, back under center. “He’s embraced the role. I see him coaching up the younger guys. He’s been a good leader for us,” Stewart said. “He has a better understanding of what he’s looking for. We talk about ‘are you coming back a year older or a year better?’ He’s a year better.” Junior Conlan Panther is set to back up Haedt. After suffering a summer injury last year, taking him out of the equation for football season, Panther is finally able to show what he can do on the gridiron. “We’ve had some really good quarterbacks. He has one of the best arms I’ve seen in the last 18 years,” Stewart said. “From an arm strength standpoint, maybe the mechanics aren’t great, or he’s throwing off his back foot, but he’ll throw it 45 yards down the field on a rope. He’ll see the field for sure.” Senior running backs Gage Wagner and Jonas Schlichting were thrust into action last year following a season-ending injury to the Lancers’ starter. Wagner led all Lancer backs with 68 rushes, 279 yards and three touchdowns. Schlichting added efficiency on less work with 5.9 yards per carry and four touchdowns. “Some of the adversity we had last year, Evan (Kruse) with his knee, that threw Jonas and Gage into real-time reps,” Stewart said. “Gage Wagner, last year on the Monday of Xavier week, was our third-string running back. And he started. Now, it’s not new to him.” Junior Ethan Wheeler and senior Vincent Hugaert, the latter of whom features as a tight end option, have also taken reps at running back in training camp. North Scott has one returning all-state player this season. He got on the team as a returner, but senior Ryan Block butters his bread at receiver. Block caught 46 balls for 632 yards and five receiving touchdowns to go along with the two kickoff return scores he had last year. Last year’s No. 2 receiver, senior Ryder Maher, is also back and primed for a big season. He came on strong at the end of the year and finished with 26 catches for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Both Stewart and Haedt talked up junior Landon Gronewold as a player to watch, as well, filling out a wide receiver room with senior Mason Anderson, junior Evan Kuhn and sophomore Finnegan Carlson. The area on the field with the most transition is in the trenches. North Scott lost the services of two all-state linemen and two more all-district linemen to graduation and players not returning. The team is not lacking for bodies, however, as many different linemen got reps last season. The most pedigreed of the bunch are senior Bryce Stewart and junior AJ Huber, both of whom were all-district selections. “We lost some key guys, but I like who we have back,” Stewart said. “The nice thing is, talking about working while you wait, we had some juniors last year who didn’t get as much playing time. They took the JV reps and games seriously and got better. This year, it’s their turn.” Seniors Carson Pike, Carter Laughlin, Keaton Schneckloth and Logan Ruth, and juniors Christian Keppy and Drake Reitz will be among the top prospects for time along the offensive and defensive lines. “Quite a few (will play both ways),” Stewart said. “Coach (Dale) Tuftee’s philosophy is to rotate guys a lot to keep them fresh. We’ll probably roll seven different guys on the d-line. Most of them, except for Christian Keppy, will play offensive line. Christian is a tight end.” With all of the pieces North Scott brings back on offense, the temptation is there to open and expand the playbook. There will certainly be some new wrinkles, Stewart says, but he emphasized making sure the team’s foundation is rock solid. “My staff reminds me enough where we need to stay simple. That’s what I’ve really learned,” Stewart said. “If you’re not simple, the kids don’t understand deeply. Are there some things that are new and different? Yes. But what I see is getting our base concepts, maybe some different looks, and having our kids understand how they are supposed to be run.” ‘We have coaches on the field’ The position group on the entire team that got Stewart the most excited is his linebacker duo of Hugaert and senior Christian Perez. Hugaert and Perez led North Scott in tackles last year with 35 and 34, respectively. “Our defense runs through them. They are two of the most passionate guys we have. They love football. Thinking about how much they care about this team, and how good they want to be, I couldn’t ask for two better guys,” Stewart said. Both were all-district selections last fall. On the peripherals, Hugaert forced one fumble and recovered two. Perez added one sack, three forced fumbles and one recovery to his resume. “We have coaches on the field,” Stewart said. “I hate scrimmaging because every time we get into a formation, Christian knows exactly what we’re doing. If he can figure it out, defenses will figure it out.” Behind them, Maher and Kuhn will lead the defensive backs unit. Maher tied for the team lead in passes defended, and the two each had one interception last year. The team will have two new starting safeties in the form of senior Tommy Schlichting and junior Landon Leppert. Look for seniors Renan Lewison, Keaton Smeltzer, Tayshaun Tirrell and Carlson to work their way into the rotation as well. North Scott will run its special teams by committee this season after Cole Green handled both the punting and kicking duties last year. Keppy figures to handle kickoffs while junior Scott Hartin works his way into PAT and field goal situations. “(Hartin) is a soccer player. He came out this year, and he’s got a great leg,” Stewart said. “I’m excited about him. We just have to get that ball going straight instead of hooking it like a soccer ball.” Hartin, as well as Haedt, will handle punts to start the year. State champs on deck This Friday, North Scott opens its season on the road against the defending Class 4A champions from Cedar Rapids Xavier in a game that will draw eyeballs from every corner of the state. Xavier is the consensus No. 1 team in Class 4A. North Scott is No. 2 in a handful of preseason polls, including the Saints’ hometown paper, The Cedar Rapids Gazette. The Saints return a whole host of starters, chief among them first-team all-state quarterback Cash Parks. Last year’s game at Lancer Stadium, which Xavier won 31-0, was not a fair fight given the large number of North Scott players who were ineligible for the game. The vibes in the Lancer locker room are completely different 51 weeks later. “What I love is that our kids are excited for that challenge,” Stewart said. “Xavier is a great team, a great program. They’re rated No. 1. We tell our kids not to read your own press; don’t read anybody else’s press. I’m stealing from Curt Cignetti, who stole from Nick Saban: There are no self-imposed limitations ever. When you go against an opponent, and you mentally have a self-imposed limitation, you have no shot. I’m excited, and they’re excited.”
	Obituary: James Fletcher James “Jim” William Fletcher, 88, born March 4, 1938, in Davenport, passed away peacefully on Aug. 16, 2026. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. at Our Savior Presbyterian Church in Argo. Visitation was Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 4-7 p.m. at The Runge Mortuary in Davenport. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park. Please share condolences with the family at www.rungemortuary.com. Jim was born in Davenport in 1938 to Eldon and Helen (Wooder) Fletcher. He graduated from DeWitt Central High School and began his career at Alcoa shortly after graduation. He enlisted in the Army and proudly served for four years. After completing his military service, he returned to Alcoa, where he worked in the Roll Shop until his retirement. He also owned and operated his own business, Argo Sewer Service. He was united in marriage to the love of his life, Janet Hover, on Sept. 6, 1969, in Rock Island. Together, they raised their children: Anne (Glenn) Curtis, Davenport; Daniel Fletcher, Mt. Vernon; Sandi (Bill) Spurrell, North Liberty; and Melissa (Curtiss) Carter, Davenport. He was also the father of three children from a previous marriage: Jim (Divina), Fall River, Wis.; John (preceded in death by his wife, Wendy) Fletcher, McCausland; and Juliee Fletcher Beaver, Houston, Texas. Each of his children held a special place in his heart throughout his life. Jim had many passions, including collecting Japanese swords, studying historical memorabilia, carving unique walking canes, and teaching his children to fish while sharing his love of the outdoors. His Christian faith guided his life, reflected in his strength, kindness, and willingness to help others. He also loved to sing, using his gift of music to bring joy and people together. In addition to his children, he is survived by his special friend, Sue Solomon, East Moline; grandchildren T.J., Ashley, Steven, Ryan, Ethan, Chase, James, Megan, Colin, Heidi, Mari, Ripley, and Ryland; 18 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sister Judy (Mark) Flaherty; and brother Dave (Jim) Fletcher. He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet; grandson Michael “Mikey” Farrell; brother Duane; his parents; and his beloved cat, Paddy. Custom obituary
	“Part of the community”: Brothers Towing donates fire truck This past weekend, Brothers Towing of Stockton announced it would be donating a fire engine to the New Liberty Volunteer Fire Department. During the presentation of the truck, Josh Little of Brothers Towing spoke briefly about his and his team’s reasons for donating such a large gift, with them understanding how it takes a community to support something like a local fire department. “I know the heart and soul of volunteer fire departments is donations and community help,” Little said. “We might not be from New Liberty, but we’re from Scott County so we’re close enough.” Little also thanked the department for all the hard work they do. Following this, it was shared by the New Liberty Fire Department that the fire engine would primarily be used to help with mutual aid instances as well as with training other surrounding departments.
	View the Scott County Sheriff's report from the Aug. 26 NSP! SATURDAY, AUG. 8 10:40 p.m. — Izaiah Elijah Brown, 21, no address given, was charged with public intoxication – 1st offense and interference with official acts, after deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 2800 block of West Locust Street, Davenport. SUNDAY, AUG. 9 8:47 p.m. — Jamie Allen Ralston, 51, no address given, was cited for OWI – 1st offense, possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 1st offense, an open container violation and possession of drug paraphernalia, following a traffic stop near Highway 61 and 267th Street, Long Grove. THURSDAY, AUG. 13 12:59 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident near Valley Drive and 249th Avenue. A vehicle driven by Lillie Grace Voges, 18, LeClaire, was southbound on Valley Drive. Voges reportedly slowed in anticipation of turning. She was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Benjamin Jacob Hulshizer, 18, LeClaire. Hulshizer was cited for failure to maintain control. FRIDAY, AUG. 14 8:05 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 3600 block of East 53rd Street. 10:12 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 4600 block of Cheyenne Avenue. 10:24 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 1000 block of Valley Drive. 10:55 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 15900 block of 107th Avenue. 11:11 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance. SATURDAY, AUG. 15 5:47 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 21000 block of Napsinekee Drive. 7:19 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 500 block of Walker Street, Walcott. An individual was served a lifetime notice of no trespassing for the property. 9:16 a.m. — Stephanie Ann Watkins, 65, Davenport, was charged with 5th degree theft, following an incident in the 2300 block of West Locust Street, Davenport. 10:41 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2300 block of West Locust Street. 1:32 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident in the 2900 block of North Plainview Road, Walcott. A vehicle driven by Anthony Lamont Wilson, 55, Manvel, Texas, was southbound on North Plainview Road. Wilson reportedly attempted to change lanes and turn into the driveway of a business. He struck a vehicle driven by Eduard Oster, 64, Center Point. Wilson was cited for failure to maintain control. 3:04 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 500 block of West Scott Drive. 4:01 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a missing person in the 400 block of South 14th Avenue. 4:23 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem. 5:21 p.m. — Autum Renee Blieu, 23, no address given, was charged with driving while barred (habitual offender) and possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 1st offense and cited for violation of financial liability coverage and driving with suspended/denied/revoked license or registration, following a traffic stop in the 300 block of North Downey Street, Walcott. 6:31 p.m. — Nancy Pearl Robbins, 58, Lilburn, Ga., was charged with dominion/control of a firearm or offensive weapon by a felon, after deputies responded to a report of an assault in the 500 block of Walker Street, Walcott. 7:29 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a missing person in the 3600 block of East 53rd Street. 8:48 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint on Apache Court. 8:56 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance. 11:53 p.m. — Lisa Ann Lewis, 42, no address given, was charged with domestic abuse assault – 1st offense and making a false report to law enforcement authorities, after deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 15900 block of 107th Avenue, Davenport. SUNDAY, AUG. 16 1:01 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 3600 block of West 83rd Street. 1:11 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 1100 block of Mound Street. 1:22 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 2800 block of West Locust Street. 1:50 a.m. — Deputies responded to a fireworks complaint in the 700 block of Davenport Street. 2:15 a.m. — Deputies responded to a weapons complaint in the 2600 block of West Locust Street. 9:43 a.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check near 200th and North Main streets. 10:05 a.m. — Deputies responded to a vandalism complaint in the 500 block of Belmont Road. 11:04 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 13100 block of 83rd Avenue. 2:07 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 7100 block of West 60th Street. 4:43 p.m. — Shelica Simone Clifton, 37, no address given, was cited for possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 1st offense and a window tint violation, following a traffic stop on Grove Road, Eldridge. 6:18 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 700 block of West Walcott Road. 8:41 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near Devils Glen Road and 53rd Avenue. 10:31 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance near Hillandale Road and West 60th Street. MONDAY, AUG. 17 7:29 a.m. — Bret Matthew Greenslade, 53, Davenport, was charged with a controlled substance violation, a drug tax stamp violation, possession of a controlled substance (non-marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense and possession of drug paraphernalia, following an incident in the 600 block of Paul Revere Place, Davenport. 8:37 a.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 15900 block of 107th Avenue. 10:07 a.m. — Clint James Kutcher, 55, Walcott, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) – 1st offense, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 1st offense, following an incident in the 300 block of East Flagg Street, Walcott. 11:36 a.m. — Deputies responded to a shots fired call in the 18800 block of 270th Street. 12:06 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 17900 block of Great River Road. 1:19 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 1400 block of West Front Street. 3:05 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 700 block of West Walcott Road. 3:57 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 1400 block of West 12th Street. 7:23 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 100 block of South Park View Drive. 8:29 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 17800 block of Great River Road. 9:45 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance on Park View Drive. 10:40 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a juvenile problem on Park View Drive. TUESDAY, AUG. 18 2:02 a.m. — Timothy Jon Keister, 59, Davenport, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense and possession of drug paraphernalia, following a traffic stop near West Locust and Brown streets, Davenport. 3:04 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 1900 block of West 40th Street. 7:32 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident near Main Street and Walcott Road, Walcott. A vehicle driven by Chelsea Marie Preston, 20, Davenport, was stopped at a stop sign, waiting to make a right turn. She was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Jeremie Michael Brandenburg, 44, Walcott. Brandenburg was cited for failure to stop within the assured clear distance. 10:46 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 17900 block of Spencer Road. 10:59 a.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 100 block of Elmhurst Lane. 11:23 a.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 3200 block of South 16th Avenue. 1:54 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance near West 4th and Gaines streets. 2:11 p.m. — Deputies responded to an indecency/lewdness complaint in the 500 block of Fillmore Street. 2:27 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance near Ripley and West 9th streets. 5:19 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 14500 block of 61st Avenue. 5:49 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near Clay and Washington streets. 6:15 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 2800 block of North Plainview Road. 8:46 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 100 block of South Park View Drive. 11:44 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 20300 block of 300th Street. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19 12:32 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 400 block of North Juniata Street. 1:56 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance on Park View Drive. 2:05 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 2500 block of North Zenith Avenue. 2:51 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2300 block of North Division Street. 8:49 a.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 400 block of West 4th Street. 8:57 a.m. — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 400 block of West 4th Street, Davenport. 10:01 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 300 block of West 3rd Street. 11:14 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 11600 block of 140th Street Place. 11:18 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an assault in the 200 block of North Cody Road. 2:13 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near North 15th and Holland streets. 2:22 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 17900 block of Spencer Road. 2:36 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 200 block of Myrtle Street. 4:39 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 17500 block of 70th Avenue. 4:42 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 600 block of Douglas Court. 5:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 11300 block of 140th Street. 7:42 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 6300 block of Brady Street. 11:41 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 3700 block of West Locust Street. THURSDAY, AUG. 20 7:05 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2300 block of West Locust Street. 7:05 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2200 block of West Kimberly Road. 7:06 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 1800 block of East Kimberly Road. 10:04 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance on Greystone Court. 10:37 a.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 400 block of West 4th Street. 3:13 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 400 block of East LeClaire Road. 8:59 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near 280th Street and 140th Avenue. FRIDAY, AUG. 21 3:00 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 2100 block of West 58th Street. 10:37 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near 238th Street and 284th Avenue.
	Girls' tennis team gets quality wins from all over its lineup By Ross Shinberg NSP Sports Editor After facing a brutally difficult slate of opponents, a few waves of clarity have washed over North Scott’s girls’ tennis team. Last week saw North Scott face the No. 3, No. 5 and No. 7 ranked teams in Class 2A and come out the other side with some quality individual wins. It all starts at the top with Maddy Jepsen who entrenched her spot at the top of the sport. The senior went 9-0 in sets last week without losing more than three games in any set. Her highlights came from Thursday’s dual against Pleasant Valley, where she defeated seventh-ranked Kaj Kabongo 6-0, 6-0. She then teamed up with freshman sister Claire to beat the Spartan No. 1 doubles team 6-4, 6-1. The Jepsen sisters have yet to lose as a doubles team. This week, they also beat the No. 1 duos from Iowa City Liberty (8-4), Muscatine (6-0, 6-0) and Dowling Catholic (8-0). “Since we know each other so well, we know what each other is going to do. It just works out, us being a doubles pair,” Claire Jepsen said, minutes after defeating the Spartan pair of Grace Hall and ninth-ranked Chahana Katreddy Thursday evening. “We complement each other well,” Maddy Jepsen added. “I play offensively, and Claire keeps it deep and has good drop shots. I feel like we were good out there. We work well together even when things aren’t going our way.” These Lancers came back from down an early break in the first set against Pleasant Valley, and then rolled to victory in the second set. Despite being sisters, the Jepsens only started playing doubles competitively a few months ago. “(I played tennis) once a month when I was younger, and then I stopped for a while. But I started again this year,” Claire Jepsen said. “The first time we actually played doubles together was this summer. We had one tournament, and then it’s been (the high school season).” So far, so good. Overall, the duo is 7-0 in matches, 11-0 in sets, and 72-11 in games won/lost. Plus, they haven’t once fought on court. “Not yet,” Maddy Jepsen joked. “Our chemistry out there is pretty good. We had some tough teams like Liberty, Hempstead, PV and Clinton. I think Clinton (a 6-0, 6-1 win) was probably our best match we played. We went out there with good singles matches under our belt, and we knew doubles, we could handle that match. On the whole, North Scott went 1-4 as a team during the week. It swept Muscatine 9-0, lost close duals to Iowa City Liberty 5-4 and West Des Moines Valley 6-3, and fell 7-2 to both Pleasant Valley and Dowling Catholic. Still, the team showed its improved competitiveness with these top schools compared to last season. “All the girls competed well this week and stepped up their game against tough competition,” Lancer coach Emily Jepsen said. “Tori (Samara), Ava (Pins), Kelsey (Clayton) and Sloan (Varner) competed well against these quality teams this past week, and I am looking forward to continuing their progress.” Varner had the best week of the bunch, going 3-2 at No. 6 singles. She defeated Iowa City Liberty’s Reese Christoph 8-3, Muscatine’s Rosalie Aguilar 6-2, 6-2, and West Des Moines Valley’s Izabela Motoyama 6-4, 6-3. “Sloan has secured her spot at No. 6 with those wins — great wins against quality opponents,” Emily Jepsen said. “She is so brand new to the game but is incredibly coachable and a hard worker. I look forward to seeing her growth by the end of the season.” Claire Jepsen also had two great wins in singles, beating Iowa City Liberty’s Addison Bollier 9-7 and emerging from a match tiebreaker against West Des Moines Valley’s Kaitlyn Nguyen 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8). “What’s helpful has been Claire coming in and pushing everybody down (one lineup spot). It gives players like Tori and Ava, and Kelsey and Sloan, success in their spots,” Maddy Jepsen said. “This team wants to improve. At the beginning of the season, we’re not winning all of the meets, but we’re having a lot of close matches. We’re looking for that improvement. Once (the conference tournament) hits, we could be a competitive team.” North Scott has one more busy week before a reprieve starting in September. On Monday, the Lancers went up to DeWitt to resume their rain-suspended dual with the Sabers. On Thursday, the team traveled to Brady Street for a meeting with Davenport Central. After this, assuming North Scott is awarded a singles/doubles state qualifying site as it typically is, the Lancers won’t play on the road until team regional competition at the end of September. North Scott’s courts will host the Assumption Invitational on Saturday, conference meets with Davenport North on Aug. 31, Davenport Assumption on Sept. 3, Bettendorf on Sept. 10, and the conference tournament on Sept. 16 and 17.
	North Scott returns its three fastest runners and 19 cross-country seniors The story entering the season is the seniors. From only eight in 2025 to 19 this fall, North Scott’s cross-country teams are filled to the brim with experienced leaders and fast runners. It’s a season that Lancer coach Amy Knoche has been waiting for since they were rookies. “When you look at a team coming in as freshmen, sometimes you can say, ‘they get it’ as far as leadership,” Knoche said. “I think this year’s seniors, when they were freshmen, were wise beyond their years. I think their experience and their leadership are top-notch. “We had a small group of seniors last year. This year, we have a pretty big group. They are really good with the younger kids. To have the combination of leadership and work ethic is special. It creates a culture where it really brings the younger kids along.” The whole team has put in work this summer, running three times a week starting in the middle of June and going every day since turning the calendar to August. Top runners are hitting 40 to 45 miles per week, with the team’s newest runners targeting 20 miles per week. “If you’re not out there every day putting in the miles, it’s going to show,” Knoche said. “It’s about consistency and buy-in. (Cross-country) is just a grind-it-out sport.” Every mile counts this summer as there is real excitement on the trails, particularly in the girls’ camp as the Lancers return five of their top seven runners from a year ago. This includes senior Khloe Hamilton and junior Natalie O’Flahrity, the team’s top two runners from 2025. O’Flahrity posted North Scott’s fastest girls’ 5K time in her freshman and sophomore seasons. She placed first on the team in every race last season until state qualifying, when Hamilton took over the top spot and missed the state cut by one spot. Both girls have their sights set on a first-career appearance at the state race in Fort Dodge. “Khloe and Natalie are looking pretty tough right now,” Knoche said. “At districts, Khloe was the first one out that didn’t make it to state. I think that sparked something inside her. This summer, she’s been pretty focused. “At practice, those two are shoulder-to-shoulder in every workout. They are running up with the guys. They are pushing each other. They are both competitors; neither one of them wants to lose. That makes it fun for us as coaches to know what’s possible. I think it makes it fun for them, too.” The girls’ cross-country team, which has placed fourth at the conference meet in consecutive seasons, took a hit during track season when Sophi Schneckloth suffered a foot injury. It has lingered into the summer and looks to keep one of the most consistent Lancers over the past three seasons out of the lineup. “She’s a captain. But realistically, I don’t know that she’s going to compete for us,” Knoche said. Schneckloth posted North Scott’s fourth-fastest time last year. The third-best belonged to Zoey Ayers, who enters her second season. Alongside Vivian Ohsann, who is new to the program, these two sophomores are poised to be the No. 3 and No. 4 runners in the lineup. Senior Emma Reif returns the team’s fifth-fastest 5K from 2025, and senior Brylee Rathe was consistently inside the team’s top seven varsity runners. Sophomore Amelia Bowers, who ran in a handful of varsity races last season, and freshman Kayla Stortz will compete for the final varsity spot. There won’t be much shuffling back and forth between varsity and junior varsity teams for the girls — there are only 11 healthy runners on North Scott’s roster. “We are thin in numbers, but we will be pretty decent competitive-wise,” Knoche said. Seniors lead Lancer boys The Lancer boys aren’t as fortunate as the girls, graduating two of their top three runners from a season ago. However, the team’s top runner is back. Senior Parker Hamly hit his personal record of 16:54.4 at last season’s Iowa City meet, and he is poised to lead the Lancers once again. “We lost Carter (Unwin) and Jack (McCarthy). That’s a hit, both in our leadership and team score. But Parker had a great year last year,” Knoche said. “He got our ‘MVP’ honors. To bring him back, he’s a pretty outspoken kid. Fun to be around. People gravitate towards him. To have him as our No. 1 runner is good.” Fellow senior Ben Clayton, as well as freshman Jeremiah Stanley, have separated themselves from the pack to join Hamly in the top three. “Ben is a super leader. He’s been grinding all summer putting in the miles,” Knoche said. “Jeremiah is running right with those two. I think those three will be pretty consistently our top three — maybe interchangeable. For the early season, I see Parker being our No. 1. Jeremiah is on his shoulder though, and Ben doesn’t want to lose to him.” Clayton had the team’s fourth-fastest time last season. The Lancers’ fifth-fastest runner, senior Tim Regan, is working his way back into form after completing an internship this summer. Junior Zeke Skyles returns and will be in contention to score for the team each week. Other runners to keep an eye on throughout the season include senior Nate Holst, juniors Obadiah Hagedorn, Trevor Matthaidess and Alexander Simmons, sophomores Bryton Dougherty, Cooper Esch and Miles Unwin, and freshman Will Crawford. ‘Trauma Bonding’ in Indiana The 2026 North Scott cross-country preseason trip to Indiana Dunes three weeks ago won’t be forgotten anytime soon. “It was quite an adventure,” Knoche said. “A shorter trip than what we usually do. It was wet. The kids learned a lot about adaptability and resilience because their tents got flooded. Our sleeping arrangements on the second night were creative. But that’s what makes memories. They’ll remember it forever.” The program’s adventures over the years have taken it to Indiana twice, Colorado twice, West Virginia twice, and Wisconsin. It’s more than just a vacation. They build bonds and strengthen the team culture. And, of course, do a little bit of running. “We do something challenging physically. A lot of the kids call it ‘trauma bonding,’” Knoche said. “We usually do some sort of hard, epic run. When we go to Colorado, we run 40 minutes straight up a mountain. In Indiana, it’s called the ‘three dune challenge.’ There are some steep sand hills out there. You take one step up, and you go two steps backwards in the sand. “We do a lot of team bonding. ‘Forced family fun.’ We do a lot of get-to-know-you type of games. In general, spending time together. The closer-knit you are, the more you are willing to lay it all on the line for each other on race day.”
	Roster refresh comes to Lancer volleyball on heels of state championship season North Scott volleyball is used to the underdog mindset. It propelled the team to a pair of state titles in the past three years. This fall, the team enters a new chapter. One that, it hopes, continues where the previous one left off. Two-thirds of last year’s title team tossed their caps into the air at Vibrant Arena in May. A whole new crop of players aims to prove they still belong at the state tournament. 2026 will test the fortitude of its players and coaches, as well as the growth of North Scott’s volleyball development system. According to coach Taylor Ingram, the pool of talent is overflowing. So much so that the team had to add more tryout dates to get everybody time on the court. “This is the first year we had to make cuts because we had so many good players,” Ingram said. “We extended tryouts an extra couple of days to make sure we had the right selections. I think we have great depth with the girls we do have. The younger classes coming up will be ready to go.” The final tally: 16 players made varsity this year. There are eight seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Just five players were on last year’s varsity roster, all of whom are seniors this year: Kamilah Eller, Katie Moeller, Alyssa Schroeder, Sydney Soppe and Eisley Weinert. “Obviously, there’s going to be growth with a new program and losing a lot of starters from last year,” Ingram said. “The girls understand that, and that we still have expectations to uphold. I think they are meeting challenges pretty well. “A conversation we had last night at practice was — we are going to make mistakes. I would rather make mistakes early, work through them as a team, and fix those problems now, than be in the postseason and make the same mistakes. I’m seeing a lot of coachable moments that were taken with grace, but we’re also making adjustments. It’s really nice to see.” Those last points — learning from mistakes and being coachable — are cornerstones of preseason practices, and those factors will carry into the first weeks of the regular season. “I started out with, ‘There is no expectation of who is going to be on the court for what time,’” Ingram said. “You could be a senior, a junior, a freshman. It doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is the ability to grow and learn from mistakes. “With it being a rebuild year, we have to be humble. We have to understand we’re going to look ugly at first. As long as we are OK with that now, and this is our starting point, we’ll be in a good place by the end of the season.” North Scott brings back some key contributors from last year’s championship team, primarily Schroeder and Eller. Schroeder started 33 matches last season and led the team with 55 blocks. She tied with fellow middle hitter Paige Coon with seven solo blocks. Additionally, Schroeder had 80 kills at a great .252 kill efficiency. “Coming from last season to this season, you can see the growth with Alyssa,” Ingram said. “She was a key component in the middle. Seeing the difference in the work she put in in the offseason is incredible. I am excited. She is hungry.” Eller was fourth on the team with 127 kills. She did a bit of everything with 17 blocks and 36 digs, and her versatility will be important all around the floor. “Kamilah was a three-rotation player last year. This year, we’re seeing her a little deeper on that serve-receive line. She wants to be a six-rotation player,” Ingram said. “Having the other outside’s we have, pushing her to be better, is only going to pay off. “We have a few others pushing for that ‘OH2’ spot. Right now, it’s a tough dance in who is going to be there and on what night. It keeps everyone working to be on the court.” Another attacking option is Soppe, who will see her role massively expanded from last year. She played in only 28 sets, recording 16 kills, 17 digs, five blocks and three aces. “I think she is a six-rotation player. She is coming lights out this year,” Ingram said. “She may be undersized, but she can put the ball away. I know she was wanting to see the floor a bit more last year. That is driving a spark for her this year. She’s done a fantastic job of senior leadership. She’s been at a lot more of the open gyms, a lot of lifting, driving the girls to be better.” The biggest changes this season come in the form of a completely new back line. The Lancers lost their all-state setter and libero, Addison Allen and Ainsley Haedt, both of whom started in those positions for two years. North Scott’s newest assist wizards will be Weinert and junior Kenna Kibler. While this is Kibler’s first year on varsity, Weinert played in two-thirds of North Scott’s sets last year, primarily as a serve specialist. She had 23 aces, the fourth-most on the team. She also had 28 digs and 24 assists. The team hasn’t settled — pun intended — on an offensive system yet. The program has experience running a 5-1 with Allen over the previous two seasons, and a modified 6-2 during its 2023 state championship season. “Having two fantastic setters, pushing each other to be better, whether we run a 5-1 or 6-2 rotation, having that depth and ability to plug-and-play is going to give teams trouble,” Ingram said. Any number of girls could be wearing the off-colored libero jersey in the first few weeks of the season. “We have so many liberos,” Ingram joked. “I think it’ll be a matter of who wants it that night. Our senior leadership is taking over, but we have some hungry juniors who want to see the floor. “(Senior) Olivia Graham has been phenomenal so far. We have (junior) Adelynn Temple. We have (junior) Emilee Odegaard and (senior) Annika Krambeck. They are pushing each other to be better. There are no off days when you want to see the floor.” The fluidity and uncertainty in North Scott’s roster and player roles, while initially scary, can be viewed as both a disadvantage and an advantage. While the Lancers might not know where the ball is going, and which players start the process, their opponents won’t know either. “No one player is a set player for a position,” Ingram said. “That will be interesting when we play some teams like Pleasant Valley, Assumption, Bettendorf. We have players that can move around. They’ll see things a bit different. I’d say don’t be complacent when you play us.” Only Pleasant Valley (5A No. 8) and Davenport Assumption (4A No. 12) cracked the preseason top 15 lists. As much as anything can be inferred from preseason rankings, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union expects the Mississippi Athletic Conference to be down this year. Don’t tell that to Ingram, who sang the praises of the team’s conference rivals after seeing them at the MAC scrimmage two weeks ago. “We see Muscatine right away, which will be good,” she said. “Bettendorf is going to be really good this year. Assumption is a little young, but they have a lot of talent. Pleasant Valley is always a strong contender. I’m seeing some growth out of West and North and Central. Their programs are starting to turn ahead, which is nice to see. Clinton as well. We have such a deep conference. North Scott still has a conference championship to defend. The Lancers won it outright in 2023 and 2024, and shared the honors with Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley last fall. “Maybe no three-way ties this year,” Ingram said with a smile. And, of course, North Scott has a state championship to defend. But both this year’s team and this year’s competition in Class 5A are completely different. There is pride in wanting to show the state what North Scott volleyball has become, and what it is still capable of. “There’s always pressure coming off of a state title win. Coming into 5A, expectations are going to be raised,” Ingram said. “Coming into that, with the understanding that we are going to be the underdogs, I don’t doubt the girls are going to rise to that challenge. “They’re buying into it. They seem hungry, which is good. New roles, new season, new class. To be hungry and want it, you can see the fire in them. “Coming off of last year, I think everybody learned the lesson of ‘Don’t count us out too early.’ I’m hoping to continue that.”
	View the Eldridge Police report from the Aug. 26 NSP! MONDAY, AUG. 17 3:28 p.m. — Assisted a customer in the 100 block of South 14th Avenue. Handled by officer. 6:51 p.m. — Report of a parking complaint in the 400 block of West Pinehurst Drive. Handled by officer. 8:52 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 400 block of East LeClaire Road. Handled by officer. TUESDAY, AUG. 18 2:10 a.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 800 block of East LeClaire Road. Handled by officer. 9:02 a.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 1:24 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 3200 block of South 25th Avenue. 2:45 p.m. — Adrianna Schroeder, 26, of Davenport, was cited for an expired driver’s license, following a traffic stop near South 1st Street and West Slopertown Road. 3:40 p.m. — Lynn Soltau, 43, of Bettendorf, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop near South 1st Street and Slopertown Road. 9:18 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 200 block of East Franklin Street. 10:58 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 200 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19 6:20 p.m. — Report taken for a recovered stolen vehicle in the 3600 block of South 1st Street. THURSDAY, AUG. 20 12:47 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 1500 block of South 2nd Street. 3:41 p.m. — Derrick Madden, 50, of Davenport, was cited for a registration violation, following a traffic stop in the 500 block of South 1st Street. 4:43 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 300 block of West Oak Street. Handled by officer. 7:09 p.m. — Report taken for theft in the 100 block of West Spring Street. 10:05 p.m. — John Rubio, 67, of Davenport, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. 10:07 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious activity in the 2400 block of West Slopertown Road. Handled by officer. FRIDAY, AUG. 21 12:38 a.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 3400 block of South 11th Avenue. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 1:55 a.m. — Complaint of a gas leak in the 300 block of North 16th Avenue. Handled by officer. 7:25 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 300 block of West LeClaire Road. 8:26 a.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 10:12 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 500 block of South 4th Street. 11:09 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 400 block of West Sheridan Drive. 1:49 p.m. — Drake Harris, 17, of Eldridge, was arrested for driving under suspension and no insurance, following a traffic stop near Fox Ridge and East Lincoln roads. 4:39 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 2100 block of East LeClaire Road. 6:17 p.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 200 block of South 16th Avenue. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 6:20 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 500 block of West Valley Drive. 10:17 p.m. — Michele Duschsen, 57, of Davenport, was cited for no driver’s license, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. SATURDAY, AUG. 22 1:54 a.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 800 block of East LeClaire Road. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 7:14 a.m. — Assisted another agency with an incident in the 300 block of West Pine Street. Handled by officer. 12:37 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle near West Lincoln and South Buttermilk roads. Handled by officer. 6:36 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 200 block of East Franklin Street. 7:46 p.m. — Shannon Spindler, 31, of Clinton, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. 9:39 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious activity near North 5th and West Donahue streets. Handled by officer. SUNDAY, AUG. 23 1:38 a.m. — Zachary Johnson, 25, of DeWitt, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. 1:51 p.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver in the 600 block of South Scott Park Road. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 2:03 p.m. — Complaint of a disturbance in the 700 block of West Donahue Street. Handled by officer. 3:10 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 6:43 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 1800 block of Redbud Circle. 10:52 p.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer.
	Butterworth Center Porch Party Sept. 20 Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House is celebrating its 70th anniversary as an arts and culture community center, and will host their annual Porch Party on Sept. 20, from noon to 5 p.m. The community is invited to join in the festivities and tour all four buildings on the Deere-Wiman and Butterworth properties, including the tunnel that connects the Deere-Wiman House to the Carriage House. An interactive digital scavenger hunt sponsored by QCPastPort will take participants across both properties with clues from the historic site’s rich history. There will be a family zone with swag and lawn games, as well as a photo booth with props in the rose garden. Guests are invited to bring a lawn chair and enjoy a lineup of music provided by Tewanta & Good Company (jazz), Shaun Easton (eclectic acoustic), Mo and Alex, Subatlantic (indie rock), and Jed Poust, who will play the historic Butterworth organ. The event is free and open to the public. A variety of food trucks will have food and beverages for purchase, including a beer garden at Butterworth Center. The public is invited to celebrate the organization’s 70th anniversary with a free slice of cake. The full lineup of activities and events may be found at www.butterworthcenter.com/services and on the Butterworth Center - Deere-Wiman House Facebook page. “This year’s Porch Party theme, Reunion of Friends, celebrates our 70th year of opening our doors to the community for open houses, tours, and cultural events,” stated visitor services director Susan Anderson. “With family-friendly activities, live music, a beer garden, and more, Porch Party really does have something for everyone.” “The Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House honors our heritage by supporting service, culture and education in the Quad Cities community,” said executive director Heather Calvert. “The Porch Party is the perfect opportunity for the community to celebrate and learn about our local history.” The event is sponsored by the William Butterworth Foundation, which was founded by Katherine Deere Butterworth to honor her late husband, William. A number of community groups will be present with demonstrations and giveaways, including the Daughters of the American Revolution and Children of the American Revolution with an exhibit on Revolutionary War activity in the state of Illinois. Other community groups will represent a range of interests, including arts and crafts, astronomy, classic cars, and plants and conservation. The William Butterworth Foundation manages and funds both Butterworth Center, 1105 8th St, Moline, IL 61265, and Deere-Wiman House, 817 11th Ave, Moline IL 61265. These historic homes, once residences of Deere, Butterworth, and Wiman family members, now function as community centers that provide educational and cultural programming, free family events, historic tours, scholarships, and complimentary meeting space for other not-for-profit organizations. For more information, go to www.butterworthcenter.com.
	Moline police searching for missing 13-year-old boy The Moline Police Department is asking for the community’s help locating a 13-year-old boy.
	Rock Island leaders discuss expanding downtown liquor control district Rock Island leaders are considering a 1,000-foot buffer zone expanding alcohol sales restrictions downtown. The proposal passed its first council reading.
	Job fair targets former Tyson workers in Geneseo Hammond-Henry Hospital and the Geneseo Chamber host a Tuesday job fair to support displaced Tyson workers and area job seekers.
	Davenport Community School District surprises board director with cafeteria named after him The Davenport Community School District announced the naming of its Sudlow Middle School cafeteria in honor of school board director.
	Home gardeners can boost soil health with cover crops Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulture specialists have shared a new publication designed to help gardeners improve soil fertility, structure and the overall garden microbiome. “Cover Crops for Home Vegetable Gardens” is available on the ISU Extension Store at no cost. Continuous vegetable gardening can deplete soil productivity over time. Publication authors Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture specialist, and Ajay Nair, professor and chair of the Department of Horticulture and extension vegetable production specialist, note that while traditional gardening focuses on the harvest, cover crops are grown specifically to maintain and improve the soil, as well as manage weeds, pests and diseases. “A lot of cover crop information is written for agricultural producers. We wanted a resource specifically for home gardeners that answers practical questions about timing, species selection, management and where to find seed in quantities that are practical and achievable for backyard gardeners,” said Steil. The guide details several ecological advantages for the home landscape, including: Soil building: Cover crops add organic matter that enhances water retention and supports beneficial soil microbes. Natural fertilizer: Specific crops, such as clovers, can "fix" nitrogen from the atmosphere, enriching the soil for future vegetable plantings. Erosion and weed control: These crops stabilize soil during the off-season and compete with weeds for light and space. Pest management: Integrating cover crops into rotations can help break pest and disease cycles. A unique focus of the guide is the “exit strategy,” or termination. To prevent cover crops from becoming weeds themselves, they must be managed properly. For beginners, the guide recommends “winter-kill” species that naturally die off during cold winter temperatures. For more experienced gardeners, the guide provides instructions for advanced termination methods. The publication also outlines specific schedules to help gardeners maximize benefits. To simplify the transition to cover crops, the guide includes a list of reputable seed sources that provide smaller quantities and specialized mixtures best suited for home-scale gardening. To access the publication, visit the ISU Extension Store.
	Moline Police seek information on missing boy Police in Moline are asking for the public’s help to find a missing child, according to a post from its Facebook page. Manzan Kouadio is a 13 year old boy who was last seen in the 4600 block of 48th Avenue A in Moline at about 6 p.m. on August 24. He is 5’9” and [...]
	Watch as people speak at a protest on the Tyson plant in Joslin closing Party for Socialism and Liberation organizer Kanai Johnson spoke Friday, Aug. 21, during a protest outside Tyson Foods in Joslin, Illinois.
	Candidate packets available for Monmouth city elections Monmouth residents thinking about running for a city elective office can now pick up candidate packets. Anyone considering running for a City of Monmouth elective office in the Consolidated Election and who has been a resident of the city for one year before the April 6, 2027 election date may pick up candidate packets at [...]
	Scott County candidates answer voter questions at Davenport library forum MetroCom NAACP Unit 4019 and LULAC Council 10 hosted a non-partisan candidate forum Saturday for Scott County voters at Davenport Public Library.
	Davenport rappelling event raises $125,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters Participants rappelled 11 stories down the Hotel Blackhawk in Davenport on Saturday, raising $125,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley.
	Watch as a Tyson worker talks with a reporter on efforts to stop the plant from closing Hundreds of Tyson Foods workers attended Friday's protest outside the beef processing plant in Joslin, Illinois.
	Davenport man sentenced in 2022 death of his 2-month-old daughter After injuring his 2-month-old daughter in 2022, causing her death, a Davenport man has been sentenced in Rock Island County Circuit Court to serve 18 years in prison.
	Davenport man sentenced to 18 years after the 2022 death of 2-month-old daughter Bryson A. Hall of Davenport has been sentenced to 18 years for the 2022 death of his 2-month-old daughter.
	Vote for best pizza in Quad Cites in online competition Get ready to vote for the best pizza in the Quad Cities! The64.com is launching Best Pizza competitions in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Las Vegas and the Quad Cities on August 27, giving fans the final say on which pizzeria deserves to be named the best in their respective markets. Click here to see the [...]
	Travel constipation is real. A doctor explains how to prevent it. Travel constipation is real. A doctor explains how to prevent it.Constipation during travel is widely reported and thinly studied, and an obesity medicine physician says most of its causes are set in motion before the traveler leaves the house."We hear about this all the time and we know it's real," said Dr. Jessica Duncan, an obesity medicine physician and the chief medical officer at Ivim Health.Duncan said two forces act at the same time, and neither necessarily begins at the destination. One is physical, involving the connection between the gut and the nervous system. The other has to do with the loss of a daily routine that most people never think about until it is gone.The published research is thinner than the familiarity of the problem suggests. Estimates of how many travelers are affected vary widely, and the studies that have measured it are small, old, or reliant on self-reporting.Why it happensThe gut does not operate independently of the rest of the nervous system, which is why it registers changes in schedule and environment."The gut is part of the nervous system, and it's very sensitive to change," Duncan said.Travel stress compounds the effect by engaging the wrong branch of that system. "The general anxiousness and stress around travel activates the sympathetic nervous system, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system is what's needed for the digestion process," Duncan said.Routine accounts for much of the rest. Bowel habits are among the most fixed daily patterns people have, and they do not always transfer well to a hotel room."Going to the bathroom is personal. It's a routine. It's typically done at the same time every day for most. It's in your own bathroom where you feel comfortable," Duncan said. "Even those who normally go at work tend to have a particular bathroom that they use, even the same stall. It's part of that natural routine."Several ordinary habits also change at the same time. Travelers drink less water, move less and eat more processed food than they do at home. Not everyone is affected, Duncan said, and the people who are tend to be the ones whose routines were most consistent to begin with."Normally you're on a steady routine with how you hydrate, how you move your body, what you're eating. All of that is completely thrown off," Duncan said. "Even if you try your best to control it, chances are you're eating more processed foods than you typically do at home. Chances are you're not drinking as much, or moving as much."The risk is higher for patients taking GLP-1 medications, Duncan said, and for two reasons that compound each other."Somebody on a GLP-1 is already at higher risk for experiencing constipation," she said. The second reason has less to do with the drug than with the person taking it."Someone who's on a GLP-1 has probably adapted a pretty consistent routine with how they're eating, how they're supplementing, how they're moving," Duncan said. "So when they travel, there's a pretty good chance that gets disrupted. Those two things come into play at the same time."Duncan said the first day may determine the pattern for the rest of the trip."In my personal experience, and from what people have told me, that first day of travel sets the tone," Duncan said. "If you struggle on day one, it's so much harder to get back on track."She described the sequence that starts it. "If you typically wake up at seven and by eight you have a bowel movement, and you're in the car or airport catching an early flight, you may not get to go to the bathroom at your normal time," she said. "Now you're sitting on an airplane and maybe you're not comfortable using the airplane bathroom, and then by the time you deplane, you don't have the urge anymore."What to do about itDuncan's advice comes down to three things, and two of them start before departure.1. Fiber, beginning a few days beforeThe shift toward higher-fiber food is the step Duncan said travelers tend to skip and the one she treats as fixed for herself."About three days before travel I'm making sure my diet is focused on fiber-rich foods," she said. "The greens and other fruits and vegetables that have a high fiber content, like kiwis, and also fiber-rich whole grains."She continues the pattern on the road where the food allows and supplements where it does not, though she is clear about the ranking. Asked whether a fiber-rich diet or a supplement works better, Duncan answered in six words: "Diet is always going to be the way to go."Foods she looks for while traveling include kiwi, pears, lentils, black beans and chia seeds. Green peas made her list on the merits and rarely on availability. Berries are a great choice too, especially raspberries, and may be easier to find. Kiwi comes with instructions attached."Kiwi is fantastic," Duncan said. "Many don’t know that the skin is edible and increases the overall fiber content, so I always remind people to eat it with skin on for the extra fiber."She does not expect travelers to eat the way they do at home, and recommends substitution over restriction."It's very natural for people to choose both higher carbohydrate and higher content of ultra-processed foods when they're traveling," she said. "Sometimes with travel food becomes about convenience or availability." Her advice is to think about a swap rather than a sacrifice. "For exmaple, if you have a potato option, a sweet potato is going to have a bit more fiber than a white potato."2. Hydration, beginning the day beforeAdded fiber only works with the water to move it. "If you're increasing your fiber, you have to be even more mindful of your water," Duncan said.That means hydrating before departure rather than at the gate. Her floor is at least 16 ounces of water before boarding a flight or setting out on a drive, on top of a well-hydrated day before."Before you even leave your house, you should already be hydrating," she said. "Even better, be sure you had a good day of hydration the day before."Order matters at the airport. "Some people reach for coffee. They'll be more concerned that they're going to get their coffee. I don't worry about that," Duncan said. "I can always get a cup of coffee on the plane or when I'm at my first rest stop if I'm on a road trip. Water comes first."She adds electrolytes to her own water while traveling, with a caution. "I particularly like to add electrolytes to my water when I'm traveling, but of course you would need to consult your doctor and make sure that's safe for you to do," she said.Alcohol works against all of it, and through more than one mechanism. Dehydration is only the first. "It's not just that the alcohol itself is dehydrating. It's also that when you're drinking alcohol, you're not drinking water, most likely," Duncan said. It also slows digestion.The third mechanism is the one she said travelers underestimate. "I don't think people really have a full appreciation for the impact of alcohol on the gut microbiome," Duncan said. "You're in that fine-tuned balance of the healthy bacteria that are in your gut, and alcohol changes that composition to some extent."She stopped short of recommending abstinence. "I think it's unrealistic to tell people who enjoy drinking on vacation not to drink," Duncan said. "My advice would be a one-to-one ratio on the alcohol to water."3. Movement, every day of the trip"Intentional movement every day. I prefer walking," Duncan said."A nice walk is going to actually aid in digestion," Duncan said. "It also helps with some of the blood sugar spikes after eating. That's why I prefer to walk after a meal."And she builds it into the travel day itself. "I intentionally get to the airport early. I walk to the furthest terminal and then back to my gate," Duncan said.Twenty minutes on arrival counts too, she said, as does a loop at a rest stop where it is safe to walk. "You have to be intentional and plan your movement every day when you're on vacation," Duncan said. "Most types of travel allow you to at least get that in every single day."If it has already startedDuncan's first intervention for constipation already underway requires nothing more than a hotel room kettle or lobby restaurant."Warm lemon water is a great go-to. Almost like tea, but with no tea," she said. " Warm water may help things move along and, added bonus, it helps you meet your hydration goals too."Availability is why it ranks first. "Pretty much no matter where you are, you can get some warm water with lemon," Duncan said.Her second recommendation is the one she said travelers almost never think about. There are great online resources for pelvic floor exercises or massage for constipation relief that can be done in a hotel room."There are great exercise and massage techniques out there," Duncan said. "I’ve had a few friends who’ve texted me while traveling and in the throes of vacation constipation and this has worked wonders for them."She set expectations directly. "It may not be instant relief, but it can be very helpful," she said.Duncan builds her advice around what works when no pharmacy is nearby. For a travel kit, she suggests packing electrolytes or a magnesium supplement."Magnesium can work well for constipation relief, but you should check with your doctor to make sure it’s a safe option for you," she said.This story was produced by Ivím Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Survey: Workers trust a chatbot with the stress they hide from their boss Survey: Workers trust a chatbot with the stress they hide from their bossNearly 9 out of 10 (87%) human resources professionals agree that organizations have a responsibility to support the workforce’s mental health needs, according to SHRM’s 2026 Mental Health Snapshot. But confidence in the ability to actually meet those needs is slipping. Currently, 62% of HR pros feel prepared to support employees’ mental health needs, down from 65% in 2025 and 70% in 2024.Even though mental health is almost universally recognized as a priority, new data echoes HR’s decreasing confidence. Most workers don’t feel they can be honest with bosses, HR, or company leaders about the stress and other well-being issues they face, and they’re more likely to turn to artificial intelligence instead.The 2026 Workplace Well-being Report by Founder Reports, a business insights and research platform, reveals that workers are nearly four times more likely to talk through work stress with an AI chatbot (42.6%) than to use the mental health support available through their company (10.7%). And perhaps more significantly, increased frequency of work stress closely correlates with greater trust in AI and reduced comfort in going to a boss.Where workers turn when they’re stressedBased on a survey of 2,000 U.S.-based adult workers, the Workplace Well-being Report found that 62.4% of respondents said work impacts their well-being at least monthly, and nearly half (47.4%) said it happens daily or weekly. Yet, only 10.8% said they have talked to a manager within the past year about what they’re going through.Among the survey respondents, 42.6% admitted to using an AI chatbot to talk about work-related stress. Another 19.7% haven’t used AI in this way yet, but have considered it. In total, 62.3% are open to using AI to deal with work stress. Meanwhile, only 10.7% have ever used the mental health support and benefits offered by their employers.AI use for mental health isn’t limited to workplace stress, and the trend has been confirmed by other sources as well. The American Psychological Association’s 2026 Chatbots and Mental Health Survey found that 77% of psychologists say patients have talked to them about using AI.The Workplace Well-being survey also asked participants who they feel they can be completely honest with when work hurts their well-being (respondents could select multiple answers). More respondents said they can be honest with an AI chatbot (20.9%) than their manager (17.2%), an HR rep (4.5%), or company leadership (3.5%). Founder Reports Why a chatbot feels saferGleb Tsipursky, a behavioral scientist and author of The Psychology of AI Adoption at Work, said, “AI can feel psychologically safer because it does not carry the same social risk as telling a manager or HR representative that you are struggling.” Stressed workers often turn to AI instead of talking to people within their organization.As workplace stress rises, workers are more likely to trust an AI chatbot and less likely to feel like they can be honest with their manager. Among respondents who said their job never impacts their well-being, 26.6% said they can be completely honest with their manager, and only 9.2% trust an AI chatbot. But among those who experience daily strain, the numbers are reversed, with 28.9% trusting AI and only 12.3% saying they can be honest with their manager. In other words, the workers with the most pressing need to talk to someone are the least likely to feel that they can confide in their manager. Founder Reports Why mental health benefits go unusedThere are a few reasons why only 10.7% of workers have utilized the mental health benefits offered by their employers. A 2025 National Alliance on Mental Illness survey found that only 53% of workers actually know how to access the mental healthcare available through their employer-sponsored plan.Amy Mosset, MPCC, RPC, the founder of Interactive Counselling, also credits two additional reasons: the effort required to use the benefits and concern over who will notice. She says that tapping into mental health benefits forces employees to do more administrative work at the times when they have the least capacity for it. And more significantly, workers worry about privacy and perception. “Employees won’t use benefits that are technically confidential but socially conspicuous,” she observed.Mosset believes the fact that workers would rather confide in a chatbot than a human provided and paid for by the employer indicates that the human options don’t feel safe or accessible.The reality of confiding in AIWorkers often avoid their company’s mental health support because of privacy concerns. The irony is, the alternative channel most people choose comes with far fewer protections. Turning to AI can feel like a safer, more private option than opening up to someone within the company, but that privacy may be more assumption than fact.Viktor Bulanek, founder of Penetrify, an autonomous penetration testing company, points out that most workers are unaware of the potential consequences of using AI for something intended to be personal and confidential. He emphasizes that administrators can generally access employees’ conversations with the company's AI tools or those integrated into company platforms. This data may be retrieved for litigation or HR investigations. “Nothing improper has to happen for that to occur,” he said. “It’s just how enterprise data governance works, and most employees are unaware.”Additionally, Bulanek states that people should also avoid using consumer chatbots on work laptops or phones for conversations they wish to remain private. He says corporate certificates on these devices typically allow data loss prevention systems to read any data that leaves the device.Bulanek points out that human alternatives provided through a company’s mental health benefits typically “have protections the chatbot does not.” Employee assistance programs usually come with promises of confidentiality, unlike talking to a chatbot. Conversations with a chatbot are “simply data, and data is discoverable, subpoenable, exportable and searchable,” he said.AI can’t get to the root of the problemTsipursky noted that AI "can help a worker frame a concern, but it cannot change workload, resolve a conflict, or impact company policy." A chatbot might help someone deal with a situation, but it cannot solve the underlying problems, so the real issues remain unresolved.Companies also have a lot to lose if employees only turn to AI and do not address issues through channels provided by the company. When workplace well-being statistics show that only about 1 in 10 workers tells a manager or HR that they’re struggling, it’s clear that many problems will not surface. Instead, issues persist and often impact entire teams or departments.Tsipursky expects workers will continue turning to AI even more for help with work stress because it’s readily available and feels like a low-friction option. However, he sees a healthier version of it ahead, working "as a bridge to better human conversations rather than an end point."Today, employers face an important question. How many employees feel safe enough to use the mental health benefits available to them?Survey MethodologyFounder Reports’ Workplace Well-being Report is based on a survey of 2,000 U.S.-based working adults, 18 years and older. All respondents were screened for employment status. The survey was conducted in July 2026, and the data was cleaned to remove incomplete responses. The survey used a neutral title with no reference to AI, mental health, or stigma to avoid priming respondents toward any particular answers.This story was produced by Founder Reports and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Galesburg grocery delivery driver arrested for alleged sexual abuse during delivery A Galesburg grocery delivery driver was arrested on Saturday after allegedly sexually abusing a person during a delivery.
	Zach Lahn calls for state regulation of data centers, Flock cameras Iowa GOP governor candidate Zach Lahn calls for state-level regulations and a temporary pause on new data centers during a West Des Moines forum.
	Grocery delivery driver accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with a resident in Knox County Knox County deputies arrest grocery delivery driver after he allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a resident in Gilson.
	Canada announces retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. as the countries' trade fight deepens The measures come after President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods and threatened more after trade talks broke down on Friday.
	Record-breaking attendance at Iowa State Fair generates millions in economic impact A Common Sense Institute report estimates that the fair contributed $199 million to Iowa’s GDP.
	Has sleep replaced diet and exercise in wellness? Has sleep replaced diet and exercise in wellness?“I’ll sleep when I’m dead” once reflected a culture that praised long hours and treated rest as time that could be sacrificed. But that attitude has become harder to defend as more people connect a poor night of sleep with how they feel and function the next day.Many now wake up and check how they slept before checking the weather, which shows how deeply rest has entered everyday health routines.A 2026 global survey of 30,000 people found that 53% ranked sleep above diet and exercise as the most important habit for living a long and healthy life. And that growing attention often begins with daytime tiredness, but it can also lead people to notice signs that point to a more serious sleep problem.CPAP reports that 80% of people with sleep apnea do not know they have it, while sleep scientist Dr. Daniel Gartenberg says consumer wearables can be used to warn someone of possible breathing problems that require medical testing.With sleep now treated as seriously as nutrition and exercise, people expect proof of a good night, and technology has spent the past decade learning how to deliver it.Why Sleep Has Become a Wellness MetricPeople have tracked calories and steps for years, using daily numbers to compare their habits from one day to the next. But once smartwatches and rings were able to track sleep patterns, sleep joined the same routine people already used to monitor food and exercise. An American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey of 2,007 adults found that 48% had used a sleep tracker, while 55% changed their behavior after reviewing the data.AASM spokesperson Dr. Shalini Paruthi said the devices help people give sleep length and quality the same attention already paid to nutrition and exercise. With those numbers available each morning, someone may move bedtime earlier or reduce a planned workout after restless sleep.Still, sleep medicine specialist Dr. Brian Chen explains that trackers estimate sleep through movement and heart rate, so the information cannot confirm sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.A medical sleep study records brain activity and breathing, giving clinicians the information needed to identify what is happening overnight. But even with those limits, a tracker can draw attention to repeated interruptions that someone may decide to discuss with a doctor.Recovery Is Replacing HustleAmerican work culture spent years praising the grind, with late nights and five hours of sleep worn as signs of ambition. But years of constant pressure left more workers exhausted, making the cost of overwork harder to dismiss.The World Health Organization calls this burnout and defines it as an occupational phenomenon caused by workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Once burnout entered health discussions, recovery began receiving more attention as part of staying effective over a full career.Sleep researcher Dr. Michael Grandner told TIME that sleep is probably easier to change than diet or exercise, and that it may hand back a faster reward by helping someone get through the day. His explanation gave workers a practical reason to get to bed early before an early meeting or a demanding shift.Health professionals also began speaking more openly about treating rest as part of preparation rather than something workers earned after finishing everything else. As more people began treating recovery as part of working well, companies saw a growing audience willing to spend money on better rest.The Business of Better SleepPeople looking for a better night of sleep are now willing to spend money far beyond a new mattress.According to the Global Wellness Institute, products and services tied to sleep and personal surroundings formed a $77.3 billion market, as spending spread to digital subscriptions and bedroom products. Hotels followed the same demand by offering rooms built around rest, while travel companies began selling entire stays centered on sleep.TJ Abrams, Hyatt’s vice president of global wellbeing, told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that sleep tourism reflects how much attention travelers now give their well-being. And with guests paying for those experiences, Grand View Research projects that sleep tourism across North America will reach $331.2 billion by 2030.Employers and insurers have also moved part of this spending into workplace benefits, adding sleep programs alongside other health support. And with money now moving through homes, hotels, and workplaces, scientific research offers a closer explanation of why sleep supports such a large business.What Science Says About SleepScientists have studied sleep for decades, and their findings now explain why a poor night affects far more than morning energy.Johns Hopkins neurologist Dr. Mark Wu says sleep helps the brain process new information and store memories, while researchers also believe it helps remove waste from brain cells. Without enough rest, the brain has less time to complete that work, leaving people slower to focus and more likely to forget what they learned the day before.Sleep also gives the body time to rebuild tissue after physical effort, supporting recovery during the hours spent getting rest. And part of that overnight work involves controlling how the body uses energy, including how efficiently it removes sugar from the blood.Research on 11 healthy men found that six nights of restricted sleep reduced glucose clearance by about 40%. After less than one week, their bodies were already having more difficulty moving sugar out of the blood. The effects also appear in emotional control.A review covering more than 50 years of experimental research found that sleep loss reduced positive emotion and increased feelings of anxiety. With thinking and emotional responses both affected, healthy eating and regular exercise cannot replace the hours the body spends asleep. And trying to protect those hours may also create new pressure.The American Academy of Sleep Medicine notes that worrying too much about sleep can interfere with getting enough rest, which is an issue researchers often call orthosomnia. So pressure to meet a perfect bedtime or morning score can then make the effort to sleep well feel like another daily goal that has to be completed.Conclusion: Looking Beyond OptimizationSleep is essential, yet trying to make every night perfect can add pressure that makes rest harder to achieve. Sleep physicians advise looking beyond a poor score when someone wakes feeling rested and able to handle the day.AASM spokesperson Dr. Shalini Paruthi has warned that tracking should support healthy sleep without creating more stress around it. Her advice keeps the focus on habits that hold up over time, including a regular wake time and a consistent bedtime routine.Even so, feeling rested does not rule out every sleep concern, and some symptoms deserve professional attention. Loud snoring or waking up gasping may signal a sleep problem that requires medical testing, especially since many people with sleep apnea remain unaware of it.Better sleep comes from using data as guidance while still paying attention to how the body feels after waking. Treating sleep as a daily priority leaves room for imperfect nights while protecting the energy and patience people carry into the next day.This story was produced by CPAP and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Police: Suspect used BB gun to rob Muscatine bank, got away with thousands of dollars Newly released court documents show the Muscatine bank robbery suspect used a BB gun to rob U.S. Bank on Monday.
	Rock Island hosting Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit The Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit (IES) has announced that the 2026 IES Quad Cities Regional Summit will be on Tuesday, September 1 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Rock Island, 226 17th Street. The summit will gather entrepreneurs, small business owners, community leaders, resource providers and supporters across the Quad Cities region [...]
	Cybersecurity solutions for legal practices Cybersecurity solutions for legal practicesReputable legal practices don’t just offer legal protection, guidance and support to their clients. They also offer a place to store privileged communications, financial data and extremely sensitive information. However, with cybercriminals targeting law firms to gain access to this data, organizations face a difficult challenge in finding the right methods of online protection.The first step in strengthening cybersecurity for law firms is understanding which threats to be aware of and how to prevent them. To help reduce the risk of losing sensitive data and breaching data protection guidelines, here’s Frontline Managed Services’ guide to the types of cybersecurity solutions for legal practices.Common Cybersecurity Threats Facing Legal Practices Frontline Managed Services While the specific costs of cybercrime will depend on each organization, the industry they operate in, and their location worldwide, the average global cost of a data breach is around $4.35 million. Legal practices handle sensitive and private data every day, which can make them a prime target for cybercriminals and subsequent breaches.Understanding the risks organizations face is the first step to ensuring cybersecurity for law firms. The following are some common cybersecurity threats facing legal practices:Phishing and social engineering: This tactic involves impersonating clients or colleagues to gain unauthorized access. It can result in an employee divulging sensitive data or wiring money to a fake account. Modern phishing attacks are sophisticated, and it can be challenging to distinguish them from real people.Ransomware: This involves cybercriminals attempting to use emails, social engineering and software vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive data. This data is then encrypted before cybercriminals demand a ransom to be paid for its return. For law firms, this can lead to an inability to serve clients while having to pay a ransom for files that may never be recovered.Data breaches: Software vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers, who then steal client and business data. The compromised data can lead to financial penalties, legal ramifications and significant damage to a legal practice’s reputation.Business email compromise (BEC): Similar to a social engineering scam, BEC involves an attacker using social engineering. However, during a BEC scam, an attacker impersonates a leading figure within the law firm to convince employees to make large financial transactions without real authorization.Malicious insider threats: Not all cybersecurity threats come from external forces. Some legal practices may be vulnerable to insider threats from employees who steal sensitive client data to commit fraudulent acts.Cybercrime can cause a wide range of problems for law firms. These combined threats can cause legal practices to breach contracts and lead to claims of negligence against clients.How to Assess Your Law Firm’s Cybersecurity RiskAs industries worldwide look for solutions to online threats, the cybersecurity market continues to grow to reflect this need, predicted to reach $262.29 billion by 2030. To ensure that budgets aren’t spent on the wrong areas, it’s essential to understand which security measures will work for your organizational needs.Knowing how to assess your law firm’s cybersecurity risk can help you improve vigilance and make the most cost-effective decisions. You can achieve this goal by:Identifying sensitive data assets, which typically include financial data, case files and client information.Considering where those assets are stored, such as cloud software, servers or employee laptops.Internally checking where systems and processes are weakest, like poor awareness training or outdated security measures.Determining the threat and impact — consider which threats apply to your legal practice and evaluate the potential outcomes in terms of financial loss and fines.You should also assess your law firm’s risk regarding any regulatory obligations. For example, if your firm is subject to GDPR, HIPAA or Bar Association laws that need to be adhered to, it can play a role in determining which cybersecurity solutions work for you.Choosing the Right Types of Cybersecurity for Law Firms Frontline Managed Services Knowing how to choose the right cybersecurity solutions for your legal practice can be the difference between preventing a cyberattack and losing confidential data. And with cyberattack threats continuing to grow through sophisticated artificial intelligence crimes, cybersecurity is a vital part of any business strategy.Below are the most important types of cybersecurity for law firms to protect their reputation, data and clients.Incident Response PlanningIt doesn’t matter how big or reputable a legal practice is. Every firm is susceptible to cybercrime. Even organizations with robust defenses in place can experience a cybersecurity incident. To mitigate the damage of a potential cybersecurity risk, it’s essential to have an incident response plan (IRP) in place. Think of it as a guideline that explains a step-by-step response plan for when a security issue occurs.Having an incident response plan gives your legal practice an effective blueprint. It means your team can respond immediately to a security incident by removing the threat, minimizing damage and helping restore standard operations as quickly as possible.Some key details of a strong incident response plan include:Specific instructions for each phase of a cybersecurity incident, from threat detection to data recovery.Clearly defined roles with designated team members as points of contact.Clearly defined responsibilities for colleagues.Clear instructions on the priority data and systems to recover.Guidance on how to access current data backups.Implementing these steps alongside drills and regular training can ensure every colleague understands what’s expected of them. It also offers an opportunity to reassess any weak areas of an IRP. While regulations on data breaches vary, most laws, including GDPR and some U.S.-specific sectors, require a data breach to be reported within 72 hours of discovery. However, this will not always be the case, as there are many jurisdictions to consider depending on your specific practice.Regular Cybersecurity AuditsCybercriminals depend on legal practices becoming complacent with their online security. By conducting regular security audits, you can stay one step ahead of these risks by constantly measuring your preventive measures against the latest threats. Some cybersecurity audits can even pinpoint data breaches that a law firm didn’t know about.A robust audit will include a deep dive into your operational systems, software and data storage to find those vulnerable areas in your networks. Vulnerability management is a key part of a more secure network, as constantly scanning and patching systems helps narrow down those unexpected security gaps.Secure Remote AccessTechnological advancement and post-COVID-19 work culture have seen a significant rise in remote working over the years. While this offers a more flexible working schedule for law firms, it presents a new set of cybersecurity risks to contend with.Workers conducting business at home may unintentionally use a Wi-Fi network that’s not secure enough to protect client data. Or, an employee may use a personal device to share or discuss sensitive client information, leading to a lack of compliance.Secure remote access tools can help maintain the same safety practices in-office and at home, including:Managed cloud monitoring: This helps reduce configuration overload and simplify solutions for mitigating risk in cloud systems for legal practices.Endpoint detection and response (EDR): This takes security measures past standard antivirus solutions to check computers, laptops and other endpoints for suspicious activities.Firewalls and network security: A well-managed firewall can block or flag suspicious network traffic and implement a companywide secure VPN for remote workers.These small remote access measures can lead to a more secure remote security system, giving clients another reason to trust you with their most precious information.Secure Email PracticesEmail communications are an essential part of modern legal practices. However, the constant demand to converse with clients and colleagues via email can lead to poor habits and a lack of vigilance. While choosing the right types of cybersecurity for law firms isn’t always easy, an email security policy plan is critical for any law firm.Secure email practices can be simple, but their effectiveness can’t be overlooked. Some key components of secure email practices involve implementing software that helps filter out spam and phishing communications, or using multi-factor authentication (MFA).MFA can provide your firm with that extra level of security by asking for more than one form of login verification. This can include sending a code to your phone or a fingerprint scan, which helps prevent a full-scale security issue even if a hacker does manage to obtain your password.Cybersecurity Awareness TrainingIt’s not just about technical security. Cybersecurity for law firms should also include regular awareness training. Technological advancements move fast, and working in the legal industry is complex enough. Many colleagues aren’t aware of the latest online threats that businesses should be on the lookout for.There are many benefits of a robust cybersecurity awareness training plan for legal firms, team members and clients, including:Clients: Telling clients that their data is safe isn’t the same as showing them. Awareness training tells existing and potential clients that your organization is serious about protecting their data.Legal firms: Having cybersecurity awareness training in place can contribute to compliance with any regulatory bodies, and reduces wasted time and disruptions in the event of a breach.Staff members: Employees who receive security training can quickly spot potential risks, respond more effectively to problems and contribute to minimizing any reputational or financial damage.A law firm’s cybersecurity training program can create a “risk-averse” culture, where team members across all levels of your legal practice remain vigilant. By keeping this security training as part of a regular schedule, good practices will soon become habitual, and potential risks will be easier to spot.Managed IT ServicesFor many organizations, legal or otherwise, cybersecurity risks are better handled by enlisting the help of managed IT services. By outsourcing IT requirements, legal firms entrust their security with experts who understand the complexities of the legal industry to deliver client satisfaction, disaster recovery procedures and long-term security measures aligned to business objectives.Managed IT services can provide expert support through a wide range of offerings, including:Network monitoring: Managed IT services with network monitoring in place helps reduce downtime through early risk detection and 24/7 support. It can also involve simplifying risk reports to meet specific industry standards, and automate some of the general security tasks involved with in-house IT to save costs.IT engineering support: This support, when implemented as part of a managed IT services initiative, ensures that business-related IT projects run without issue and adhere to technical requirements. IT engineering support solutions can also help unify clients, project team members and stakeholders to work in tandem, reducing time and labor costs.Legal practices that work with managed IT services can stay ahead of technology trends. This not only helps deliver client security but also offers a competitive edge when clients are considering which law firm to do business with.Managed Financial OperationsThere are some strategic security and administrative measures to consider when it comes time to assess your law firm’s cybersecurity risk. While managed financial operations may seem unrelated to cybersecurity, they’re both commonly used in legal practices, which presents a “wild card” opportunity for organizations.Utilizing managed financial operations that conduct due diligence checks for financial abnormalities can be cross-referenced with online security. For example, conflicting payments or suspicious payment activities may be traced back to potential cybersecurity breaches that went unnoticed.Building a Secure and Resilient Legal PracticeHaving a proactive and robust security plan in place isn’t so much a choice, but a modern expectation from a client and regulatory perspective. For industries like law, where lots of sensitive data and case files are shared on a daily basis, having the right support can streamline processes and show clients how trustworthy your business is.When determining what cybersecurity solutions will work for your organizational needs, considering potential areas of weakness, communicating with colleagues and teaming up with managed IT services can make a world of difference.This story was produced by Frontline Managed Services and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	'Forget about going back': 9 years on, Rohingya crisis enters dangerous phase The world largely moved on from the Rohingya crisis. But the exodus has not stopped, aid is shrinking and a generation of refugees is growing up with little prospect of going home.
	Several states will decide voter ID ballot measures this year Voters in at least six states will soon decide ballot measures related to voter ID — the largest number of voter ID measures in a single year. The tally includes three prominent swing states.
	Suspect used BB gun to rob Muscatine bank, got away with thousands of dollars Newly released court documents show the Muscatine bank robbery suspect used a BB gun to rob U.S. Bank on Monday.
	States with the most auto repair shops per capita States with the most auto repair shops per capitaTake a wild guess at the state with the most auto repair shops. If you said California, you’d be wrong.Here’s what the data shows.California has the highest number of repair shops, at 20,998, but compared with its population of 39,355,309, the state ranks No. 24.Wyoming has 494 establishments, but with the population count of 588,753, it’s all the way at the No. 1 position.Texas has the second-highest number of auto repair shops, 14,614, but ranks No. 42 due to its population of 31,709,821.Mississippi lands close to the middle with a population of 2,954,160 and 1,573 repair shops.Arizona sits at the other end. Its population of 7,623,818 is more than 12 times Wyoming’s, but with only 3,230 shops, it lands at No. 50, the lowest-ranked state.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 176,403 automotive repair and maintenance establishments were operating in the U.S. as of the fourth quarter of 2025.To see where those 176,000-plus shops actually are and where they’re scarce, Way.com pulled state-level data from BLS’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) for NAICS 8111, Automotive Repair and Maintenance, and measured the shop density relative to each state’s population. Way.com National average: establishments/population x 100,000 = 51.6 per 100,000.District of Columbia is included in the table above for reference but is not a state. Puerto Rico (853 establishments) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (16 establishments) are not included.What the table showsThe top three states—Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana—have two things in common: They are all large in land area and sparsely populated. In places like these, you need a car to get by and a shop nearby for repairs. These are also states where residents log some of the highest vehicle miles, suggesting that the density can reflect how dependent they are on cars in their daily life. For instance, the FHWA’s Traffic Volume Trends 2025 report shows that Wyoming logged 742 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in November 2025 alone. That is a high traffic volume for a state of under 600,000 people.There’s also a larger reason why the number of auto repair shops matters, wherever you live in the U.S. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the total number of registered motor vehicles in the U.S. in 2024 was 297,525,836. Vehicles are also getting older, with the average age being 12.8 years, and the price of buying a new car has gone up, too. Kelley Blue Book reports that the average price paid by a driver was $49,814 in November 2025, which is 1.3% more than a year earlier. At the same time, repairs cost more than they used to. As per the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ consumer price index tracking, vehicle maintenance and repair prices were up 5.4% year-over-year as of December 2025, and roughly 51% higher than they were in January 2019.From this, we can assume that Americans are clearly holding on to their cars longer, and when something goes wrong, most drivers aren’t trying to fix it themselves. Instead, they’re calling a mechanic, but where you live decides how many options you have when it’s finally time to book an appointment.What does this mean for you?Shop ownerHiring will be the biggest challenge you’ll face, as roughly 70,000 technician and mechanic job openings are expected across the states every year until 2034. The number of shops per 100,000 people alone won’t tell you whether a market is worth doing business in, but it’s a good place to start. Just make sure to consider the local labor rates and shop rent prices as well.DriverThe shop density will affect your choices and prices. A state with a low shop density means you’ll have fewer choices nearby, and the wait times will be longer during high-demand seasons. On the other hand, if you live in a high-density state, you’re likely to have more options with more affordable pricing. It’s important to keep in mind that not every shop is equal. It’s worth checking the reviews and asking around before you decide to book.This story was produced by Way.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Why unified commerce is replacing traditional e-commerce operations Why unified commerce is replacing traditional e-commerce operationsBuying now often starts before a shopper goes looking for a retailer, since a short video can put the product and the buy button on the same screen. AP reported in 2023 that TikTok Shop brought that behavior into the U.S. mainstream with a Shop Tab and affiliate videos, turning social content into a path toward checkout.The same article cited Insider Intelligence’s estimate that social commerce had grown into a $69 billion U.S. market at the time, showing how much shopping activity had already moved onto social feeds. But the harder work starts after the tap, since the order still has to match real inventory and customer records.Shopify’s enterprise commerce analysis explains that disconnected commerce systems add coordination work each time a business adds another project. And fulfillment operators see that strain around orders and inventory as brands try to keep newer buying habits from breaking older e-commerce operations.With each added channel, retailers are moving toward unified commerce to keep the order tied to the same inventory record after the shopper leaves the screen. AMS Fulfillment examines the rise of unified commerce in e-commerce operations.From Omnichannel to Unified CommerceSelling through many channels is now standard for brands, from websites to store shelves. Retail analysts call that setup omnichannel, where the same brand appears in each place but often runs on separate software.Josh Sevcik, lead commerce strategist at CDW, told BizTech Magazine in 2025 that omnichannel was “really about connecting all of the dots,” while unified commerce creates “that continuous, uninterrupted experience.”Separate systems may refresh only after a delay, so a product can sell out in-store while the website still lists it, or a sale can start online while the register still charges full price. Unified commerce reduces those errors by keeping every selling path tied to the same record.Bain and Aptos surveyed more than 300 retail executives for its 2023 State of Unified Commerce report. Nearly all tied a well-run unified commerce strategy to stronger profitability and sales. One chief operating officer surveyed described “unified commerce” as “one unified view of the inventory,” letting a brand sell the same stock from any channel.Why Consumers Expect One Seamless ExperienceShoppers now treat each buying step as part of the same retailer, even when the work behind it moves through different teams. So a price checked on a phone should match the store shelf, and an order placed online should show the same status when customer service looks it up.More than half of B2C customers use three to five channels during a purchase or service request, according to McKinsey research from 2022, and those cross-channel shoppers shop 1.7 times more often than single-channel shoppers.And more frequent buying gives the customer experience a larger role in repeat sales. Salesforce Research found that 80% of customers consider a company’s experience as important as its products and services.Retailers hear the same standard inside their own companies. In Bain’s State of Unified Commerce report, a chief operating officer said customers “just expect” a unified retail and online experience. If a retailer falls short of that standard, an inconsistent price or missing order update makes the company appear to have lost track of the sale.Inventory Visibility Is the FoundationRetail researchers are now tying store choice to a simple question shoppers ask before they buy: whether the product is actually available.Recent McKinsey and ICSC research found that 37% of surveyed consumers ranked in-stock reliability among their top three reasons for choosing a retailer. The same concern shows up most clearly in pickup and delivery, since a shopper often trusts the stock count on screen before leaving home.Retailers are investing to mitigate that risk as well. The Bain and Aptos research found that about 80% have already invested in real-time inventory management and visibility. And that investment starts with a live count, giving teams a current answer before an order is assigned, while an old count can keep selling stock already gone.But the problem can run the other way too, with sellable stock sitting unseen at another location. Better visibility closes that blind spot by giving teams the current information they need to send the order to the right place the first time.The Fulfillment Network Has Become More ComplexRetail’s physical side has become a puzzle with more pieces: An individual order is a decision that can follow several possible paths. Bain and Aptos research notes that buying online and picking up at a store requires both a shared view of stock and a flexible way to fill the order.Older e-commerce ran more simply, with a brand keeping stock in one warehouse and shipping website orders from one place. But sales now come from a brand site and an online marketplace, while wholesale accounts draw from the same goods.Operators who run this work see the squeeze daily, since a website shopper may want one item shipped today while a retail partner needs a full pallet on a set date. And sending that pallet out can empty the inventory that the website relies on. Keeping every path supplied now takes more planning than it did when goods left one door.Unified Data Leads to Better Business DecisionsConnected data now sits behind the business calls retailers make every day, from what to reorder to which products need a price change. Disconnected data leaves retailers working with inaccurate inventory and lost sales.But inside daily retail work, one inaccurate number can send a merchant toward the wrong order or the wrong markdown. IHL Group described the same risk in blunt terms, saying “bad data just gets you faster bad results.” Better decisions start when shopper behavior and sales activity are viewed together, rather than split by channel.Even Bain and Aptos research connects that fuller view to better retail decisions, noting that retailers are more likely to succeed when they use data analytics to understand shopper behavior across physical and digital channels.With that information in one place, a merchant can see where demand is building before buying more stock or cutting prices. It also keeps one channel’s numbers from steering a decision that affects the whole business.Technology Is Making Unified Commerce PossibleRetail technology now has a more practical job, giving the systems behind a sale the same numbers before teams make the next move. That job now sits near the center of unified commerce, with retailers naming inventory management and order-management tools among the most important technologies supporting it, according to the Bain and Aptos research.A warehouse system handles the physical side of that work by showing the location of goods, while an order system uses the same information to determine where a purchase should move.Cloud commerce platforms keep the shared information usable beyond the warehouse, holding product records and prices ready for the teams selling the item. And APIs carry those numbers between systems built separately, so a sale on one screen does not leave another team working from an old count.According to Gartner research, 91% of retail IT leaders have prioritized AI as the top technology to implement in 2026. AI depends on that connected base before it helps adjust pricing or guide store associates during a sale.Together, the tools turn unified commerce into daily work that a retailer can actually run, with fewer handoffs left to people copying numbers from one screen to another.Why Unified Commerce Is Becoming the New Retail StandardChange has always been part of retail, but the pressure now comes from how quickly buying habits move across channels. Operators who handle omnichannel fulfillment note that shoppers rarely stick to a single channel now, so serving people across all of them has become the everyday job.Older e-commerce setups have less room to hold up under that job, since separate systems slow the work behind each order.Unified commerce answers by running every channel as one operation. It treats omnichannel selling and unified operations as two halves of one promise, with fulfillment built to support how people already shop.This story was produced by AMS Fulfillment and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Stress may be aging you faster, but you can slow it down Stress may be aging you faster, but you can slow it downAfter a stressful day, it’s tempting to crash on the couch, switch on the TV, and scroll through your phone until bedtime. It feels like stress relief because it’s mindless, but that’s exactly why it doesn’t work.Stress is a top factor impacting mental health, according to a 2026 American Psychiatric Association poll of 2,201 adults. Nearly half of respondents said they feel more anxious now than a year ago, up from 43% in 2025.Human bodies were built to handle short bursts of pressure. In fact, humans need some stress to respond to challenges, grow, and adapt. But chronic, unmanaged stress speeds up aging in multiple systems in the body the way stop-and-go traffic ages the engine and brakes on a car. A single season of stress can advance your biological age — how well your cells, organs, and systems are actually functioning — by years.Chronic stress drives the low-grade inflammation linked to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline. It shortens telomeres (the protective caps on chromosomes), impairs the mitochondria that power cells, and turns damaged cells into inflammatory “zombie” cells. Chronic stress may even alter how your body reads genes involved in repair. “Stress literally reprograms your DNA,” said Dr. Lanna Cheuck, D.O., a board-certified urologic surgeon and global longevity expert.Stress isn’t going anywhere, so what matters is finding time and space to recover effectively. "That's what your body needs to take on a healthy amount of stress and stay protected from cellular damage," said Michelle Larivee, founder and CEO of WTHN, a holistic wellness studio in New York City.Hone Health shows how stress can speed up aging and the scientifically backed stress recovery methods that will slow it down. Hone Health Unwinding Isn’t the Same as RecoveringGlobally, the average person spends more than three hours a day watching TV and more than two hours scrolling social media — nearly six hours of what most people would call "unwinding." But this kind of passive rest doesn’t actually relieve stress, and it often makes things worse.A 2025 study in BMC Public Health found that greater binge-watching frequency was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. An analysis of 141 studies found the same consequences for passive social media use. And when scrolling tips into doomscrolling, anxiety compounds — the more you scroll to soothe discomfort, the worse you feel.What Does Work to Relieve StressTrue stress relief and recovery actively shift your nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode and back into a relaxed state that supports digestion, sleep, immune balance, and cellular repair.The best recovery tools are ones that reliably change your physical or mental state and that you can build into your regular routine.These recovery tools are all backed by scientific evidence.Get moving. Exercise temporarily activates the body’s stress response, but regular physical activity can lower cortisol, boost mood, improve stress resilience, and reduce perceived stress over time. Cardio, strength training, yoga, qigong, and tai chi can all help, but consistency trumps any specific workout. “You can’t brush your teeth once a month and expect results,” said Larivee. “It’s the same with exercise.”Protect your sleep. Sleep resets cortisol, regulates hormones, and gives the brain and body time to repair. Yet about 1 in 3 U.S. adults gets fewer than seven hours a night. Aim for seven to nine hours in a cool, dark room, keep sleep and wake times consistent, and get sunlight first thing in the morning to reinforce your natural sleep-wake cycle.Eat a calming diet. No food can switch off stress, but a Mediterranean-style diet built around whole foods, protein, fiber, leafy greens, and omega-3-rich fish, can lower stress-induced inflammation. How you eat matters, too. “Try to make it a moment in your day when you can really relax,” said performance chef Dan Churchill. “Getting away from your desk gives your body a chance to shift into the parasympathetic ‘rest-and-digest’ state.”Measure what stress is doing to your body. When stress accelerates biological aging by disrupting reproductive hormones, inflammation, blood sugar, and cardiovascular risk, comprehensive blood work can detect those changes — or uncover other reasons for symptoms like fatigue, poor sleep, or low mood. Reviewing the results with a physician and tracking them over time can show whether your overall health is moving in the right direction.Meditate and slow your breathing. Meditation and breath work directly interrupt the body’s stress response, lowering cortisol and inflammation and easing anxiety and depression. Slow breathing activates the vagus nerve, which can produce a calming effect within minutes and improve nervous-system regulation over time.Release tension with acupuncture or cupping. Acupuncture may help shift the nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode, while cupping can improve circulation and ease muscle tension. After starting regular acupuncture to ease chronic pain, Larivee said, “I was sleeping better, I was less stressed, and I was getting sick less often.”Prioritize social connection. Loneliness hikes cortisol and inflammation, harming your health as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. On the flip side, social ties have been linked to longevity. In an analysis of 148 studies, people with stronger relationships had a 50% greater likelihood of survival over time than people with weaker social ties. This story was produced by Hone Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The unofficial state dishes in the US most fiercely defended by locals The unofficial state dishes in the US most fiercely defended by localsAsk any American what they think the best dish is, and you’ll likely get an emphatic response about some local joint that makes top-tier food. It could be a regional delicacy that you just have to try or a local comfort food you won’t find anywhere else.Every state has a dish uniquely their own, but very few actually have an official state food. Most of the must-try dishes are prepared in local kitchens, are debated in Reddit comment threads, are judged as entries at county fairs, and are the topic of many family arguments at cookouts.Spokeo set out to separate the legally official foods from the dishes popular in the court of public opinion. Each state’s most fiercely argued dish was identified by leveraging online search interest, U.S. Department of Agriculture food consumption data, academic research on regional food identity, and a state-by-state check of legislative and trademark records.Most importantly, a follow-up to the key question of whether or not certain states have a legal claim to that food was identified.Why regional food identity runs so deepFood identity is rarely about what food each state actually produces. Research out of Michigan State University’s Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics has found that the food people identify as being central to their state’s identity are usually vastly different from what that state’s economy was built on. They also found that consumers will pay more for foods tied to that identity regardless of whether their state’s local production was involved.Mississippi leads the country in farm-raised catfish production, for instance, but has no official dish tied to it. And New Mexico built their entire civic identity around a single pepper. In 1996, the state legislature made “Red or Green?” the official question of the state, asking people their chile preference. It is the only such designation in the entire country.Every state approaches their local favorites differently. Some have legal ties to their food and others don’t, but the one constant across the board is that state residents vehemently defend their food of choice.Data methodology explainerTo identify each state’s dish of choice for arguments, Spokeo combined Google Trends data on each specific food search with USDA Economic Research Service figures on regional food spending and consumption patterns. This data was then cross-referenced against published academic research on food and regional identity, including social media engagement surrounding pride of food.In order to narrow down the actual legal standing for state foods, legislative records for official food designation were checked. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records for trademarks and certification marks were also referenced, along with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for federal marketing order.A dish only counts as being legally protected if a trademark, certification, or marketing order restricts who can use its name. If it’s named in statute, it simply means a state has designated it as an official symbol without any enforceable restrictions. Anything else is just a cultural claim with no legal ties whatsoever.What your state fights about versus what it can actually proveTwenty states can actually point to something as being an official food, whether through statute or legal enforcement, while the rest have nothing officially tied to the food at all.The takeaway is clear: Legal defensibility and cultural intensity are not highly correlated, meaning residents of a state choosing to fight for a dish says almost nothing about its true state significance. Spokeo One of the more interesting findings comes from Pennsylvania. They don’t have anything on the books at all and have never codified a single word about Philly cheesesteak despite there being decades of Pat’s-vs.-Geno’s mythology fueling a great food rivalry.Ohio is another interesting case. They have an official beverage in tomato juice, but absolutely zero legal claim to Cincinnati chili, which is one of the most argued dishes of all time.The three marquee rivalriesResidents across the country are proud of their food, that much is true. However, there are three cases and rivalries that stand out:1. Cincinnati chili (Ohio) — Culture Only, and Proud of ItCincinnati chili has no state law backing it up. It’s purely a cultural fondness, but perhaps that’s what makes it so well known. Over the decades, countless restaurants have competed to perfect their chili.The debate had a spotlight shined on it in 2026 when Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bank acquired Texas-based Comerica, resulting in the mixture of two chili cultures. The CEO of Fifth Third has stated himself that it’s created something of a fun internal civil war among employees about which chili is better. No statute has settled it, and it doesn’t appear one ever will.2. Red vs. green chile (New Mexico) — The One State That Legislated Its ArgumentNew Mexico accomplished what no other state has: They turned cultural defense into law. When their official state question was drafted and ratified in 1996, it provided legal backing to food choice. Beyond the symbolism itself, New Mexico’s chili labeling law gave the claim real teeth by restricting which peppers could be marketed as New Mexico chile.3. Old Bay vs. J.O. seasoning (Maryland) — Trademark Pride, Kitchen RealityOld Bay is a seasoning that many Americans know. One may even notice it tattooed onto calves and stocked heavily in Maryland grocery stores. However, per an Associated Press report, a number of regional crab houses actually season their crabs with J.O. No. 2, which is a smaller, family-run company. The trademark protection belongs to Old Bay, but the kitchen habit belongs to J.O., creating a unique rivalry in the state.What this says about American identityThese 50 entries all show that food pride and legal recognition run on different tracks. States pass legislation where it’s easy, but the foods people actually argue about are often too contested or too regional to do anything about. New Mexico stands as the only exception, proving that if a food argument is important enough to put into law, it will be. Everywhere else, the fight remains a matter of debate.This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Time to check in: How are you doing on your yearly financial goals? Time to check in: How are you doing on your yearly financial goals?You probably kicked off 2026 with some big New Year’s Resolutions: Maybe financial goals like saving more, spending less, paying down debt, or improving your credit score.It seems money is top-of-mind for many of us right now: Among 2026 resolutions, nearly everybody — 97% — had financial goals on that list, according to a Wells Fargo survey.It’s now more than halfway through the year. So, how exactly is that progress coming along?At some point in the year, it is important to reassess, regroup, and either recommit yourself to this year’s resolutions or even create some fresh ones.“The mid-year is a great time to check in on your financial goals and resolutions,” says Michael Espinosa, a financial planner in Salt Lake City. “There's still time left in the year to make meaningful progress.”If you delay those goals until next Jan. 1, you’ve wasted a few precious months that could have put you back on course. Current, a consumer fintech banking platform, shares a few key tactics to give your financial life a summer overhaul.Review your rates. The economic climate has been so volatile recently, that interest rates can change significantly within a few short months. As one example, the current average on a 30-year fixed mortgage has now risen to over 6.6%, as of mid-August, after dipping to 6% not long ago.That means it would be wise to check in on what rates you are paying and receiving. As of Aug. 11, the national average interest for savings accounts stands at 0.62%, according to financial information site Bankrate.Target tiny fees. Small monthly charges are insidious because they don’t seem like much at the time, but over the course of a year, they can make a massive difference to family balance sheets.Perhaps your bank account comes with a monthly maintenance or minimum balance fee, for instance. Or you’re paying overdraft fees. Paying these is completely unnecessary. Many spending accounts do not charge overdraft or maintenance fees, and have no minimum balance requirement.Or you signed up for more streaming services than you realize: U.S. adults are throwing away $250 a year on unused subscriptions, according to a new survey from CNET.“Review subscriptions, investment expenses, insurance premiums, and high-interest debt,” says Nathan Sebesta, a financial planner in Artesia, New Mexico. “Eliminating unnecessary costs is one of the few guaranteed ways to improve your finances.”Supercharge savings. The harsh reality of the modern economy is that 48% of Americans say they are living paycheck-to-paycheck, according to a 2025 NerdWallet survey. The key to more financial and emotional stability is to give yourself a cash buffer, so that you’re not always living on a knife’s edge, and look for a higher-yielding savings account.So build up your emergency fund with a few months’ worth of expenses, and max out retirement accounts if you’re able, suggests Sebesta. A cash reserve will then snowball in a positive way when that money is put to work in the right account.“Make sure your emergency fund still reflects today’s expenses and current interest rates,” he says. “Many people are earning far less than they could on idle cash.”Boost your credit score. The reality of the credit-scoring system is that progress takes time. Even if you pay off all your outstanding debts today, that doesn’t mean your score is going to leap right away. Lenders want to see consistent, responsible borrowing behavior over long periods.So to rack up significant, measurable progress by the start of 2027, you should begin right now. As a rough target, a score of 670 is considered good, while 740 is very good, according to credit agency Experian.One way to get there is with a secured charge card, which can help you build your credit history with on-time monthly payments, and minimizes the risk of debt as you can spend only the amount of money available in your account. You’ll want to look for one with a low or no required security deposit and that reports to the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion).Beyond just these four strategies, a mid-year checkup can be used for even more than that, says Espinosa: This includes checking your tax withholding, or setting up a dedicated fund for your Christmas vacation, or updating beneficiaries on your financial accounts.Think of all these moves as a critical restart of your financial engine. Instead of seeing your 2026 resolutions continue to peter out, you can regain money momentum over the next six months and enter 2027 running at full speed.This story was produced by Current and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Where sellers cut home prices the most this summer Where sellers cut home prices the most this summerSellers at the top of the market are conceding six figures to find a buyer, according to an analysis of listings data on real estate portal Movoto by Lower. Cheaper homes get cut more often, but the deepest discounts, in dollars and in percentage terms, are landing on the most expensive listings. Movoto by Lower Key takeaways35.4% of listings in 17 major markets were priced below their original list price as of July 14, 2026.High-priced listings take the deepest cuts in 12 of 17 metros, and the median high-end markdown reaches $150,000 in both Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA, and Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY.Most frequent cuts are at the bottom of the market: In 16 of 17 metros, listings in the low price range are the most likely to be priced below original ask, topping out at 49.3% of low-range listings in West Palm Beach, FL, 49.0% in Tacoma, WA, and 48.5% in Fort Worth, TX.How much are sellers cutting prices in 2026?Sellers are giving ground this summer. The pattern is consistent with a market still adjusting to years of elevated mortgage rates. Buyers shop based on a monthly payment, and asking prices may be starting to reflect what buyers can afford in today’s rate environment. At the entry level, where budgets are tight and every rate move hits hard, price cuts can help keep a home within a buyer’s search range. At the top, where asking prices are higher, a six-figure concession may be what it takes to attract qualified buyers.Across 17 major metros, 68,372 homes were priced below their original asking price, according to a July Movoto analysis of active listing data. That means 35.4% of all active listings had price cuts.In some markets, that share was closer to 50%.But the analysis revealed deep discrepancies across active listings. More expensive homes saw deeper cuts, while more affordable homes were more likely to see cuts overall.The deepest cuts are on the most expensive homesThe more expensive the home, the more dramatic the price cut.In Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, CA, which covers Orange County, the median price cut among reduced high-range listings was $150,000, but that came against a median original ask of $2,750,000 in that range.Long Island’s Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY, matches the dollar figure on a smaller base: a $150,000 median cut on a $1,888,000 median original ask, a 7.9% concession.New York-Jersey City-White Plains follows at $125,000, and Rockingham County-Strafford County, NH, which covers New Hampshire’s Seacoast region, posts the steepest high-end cut relative to price of any metro at 8.6%, a $120,000 median markdown.For a buyer, cuts of this size change the monthly math. At the Freddie Mac average 30-year rate of 6.69% for the week of August 6, with 20% down, a $150,000 price cut lowers the monthly principal and interest payment by roughly $774. Even Nassau County’s metro-wide median cut of $54,000, the deepest overall cut in dollars of any metro in this analysis, is worth about $278 a month on the same assumptions. Movoto by Lower In Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Tacoma, the three metros at the top of the chart, more than two of every five homes on the market have already come down from their original asking price. For a buyer, that’s visible negotiating room. And the spread matters, since a listing in Fort Lauderdale is more than twice as likely to have been cut as one in Lake County-Kenosha County at the bottom of the ranking.Which metros have the most price cuts?South Florida has the highest share of listings with price cuts, and its cheapest homes are also getting some of the biggest markdowns in the analysis: among entry-level listings that took a cut, the typical reduction is 8.8% of the asking price in Fort Lauderdale, 7.1% in Miami, and 7.0% in West Palm Beach. Only Detroit’s entry-level cuts run deeper. Movoto by Lower Reading the columns against each other tells the regional story: Florida and Texas sellers cut most often, but the cuts stay modest. New York-area sellers cut least often and give up the most, in dollars and as a share of the asking price.The New York area shows the opposite shape: Cuts there are less common than in Florida or Texas, but when sellers move, they move big. Nassau-Suffolk’s $54,000 median cut is the deepest metro-wide cut in dollars of any market in the analysis, and New York-Jersey City’s $46,000 ranks close behind, with only Orange County ($51,000) and Los Angeles ($50,000) in between. Both New York figures work out to around 6% of the original ask.The two shapes point to different kinds of pressure. In South Florida, cuts show up at every level of the price ladder, which is what a market looks like when sellers up and down the range are competing for the same buyers. In the New York area, most inventory holds its ask while repricing concentrates at the top, where dollar figures are largest. The data can’t prove a cause, but the first pattern reads as broad competition among sellers, and the second as a standoff that only the most expensive homes are breaking.Which housing markets are repricing the fastest?The share of listings below original ask builds up over each listing’s whole run on the market, so it favors metros where cuts have been accumulating for months. A second measure catches what is happening right now: the share of all active listings that took a price cut within the past 30 days.By that measure, the Pacific Northwest is repricing faster than anywhere else in the analysis. In Tacoma, 27.8% of all active listings, more than one in four, took a cut in the 30 days before the pull. Seattle is next at 24.5%. Whatever repricing wave the Northwest is in, it is happening right now. Movoto by Lower The middle of this table is as telling as the top. Detroit’s northern suburbs (23.2%), Fort Worth (23.0%), and Dallas (21.4%) are all repricing at more than one in five active listings a month, so the pressure is not confined to one coast. At the other end, Miami’s 8.7% and New York-Jersey City’s 12.1% say most of the repricing on the books in those metros happened earlier in a listing’s run, not last month.What does this mean if you’re buying? In Tacoma, Seattle, and Fort Worth, sellers are cutting prices right now, with more than one in five listings dropping its price in the past month alone. So if a home you’re watching feels overpriced, there’s a real chance the seller comes down if you wait a few weeks. Miami is the opposite: Most of its price cuts happened months ago, so waiting around for a drop there is much less likely to pay off.Which price range is absorbing the cuts?This analysis splits each metro into three price ranges: a mid range spanning the metro’s median list price plus or minus 30%, a low range below that band, and a high range above it. The split turns up the report’s most consistent finding.In 16 of 17 metros, the low range has the highest share of listings priced below the original ask. Entry-level listings are the ones most likely to come down from their first ask, most dramatically in West Palm Beach (49.3% of low-range listings cut), Tacoma (49.0%), and Fort Worth (48.5%). The lone exception is Nassau-Suffolk, where high-range listings are cut slightly more often than low-range ones, 33.8% versus 30.1%.Depth runs the other way. In 12 of 17 metros, the high range shows the deepest cut relative to its asking prices of the three ranges, led by Rockingham County-Strafford County at 8.6%, Nassau-Suffolk at 7.9%, Lake County-Kenosha County at 7.8%, and Miami at 7.7%. The five exceptions cluster where homes are cheapest or the market is softest: Detroit’s low range has a 10.7% median cut, the deepest tier cut in the entire analysis, and Fort Lauderdale’s low range runs 8.8%. In those markets, the bottom is absorbing both the most cuts and the biggest ones. Movoto by Lower Movoto by Lower Notes on the dataFindings come from an analysis of Movoto by Lower listing data pulled on July 14, 2026, at the metro level. The pull covers active MLS listings of single-family homes, condos, and townhomes priced between $10,000 and $10,000,000, in metros with at least 500 active listings; that threshold prevents small samples from skewing rankings. A listing was counted as reduced if its current asking price is below its original list price, defined as the price at initial listing, not the price before the most recent change. The share cut in the last 30 days counts listings that are below the original list price and took a cut within the 30 days before the pull date. Each metro was divided into three price ranges: the mid range spans the metro’s median list price plus or minus 30% of that median, the low range is everything below that band, and the high range is everything above it. Ranges are defined per metro, so dollar boundaries differ across markets. Percentage-cut figures divide a group’s median price cut by its median original list price; they are a ratio of two medians, not the median of each listing’s individual percentage reduction.The source pull covered 17 metros. Monthly payment figures assume Freddie Mac’s average 30-year fixed rate of 6.69% for the week of August 6, 2026, a 20% down payment, and a 30-year term, principal and interest only. Movoto’s price-cut measure is cumulative over each listing’s time on the market; published measures from other listing sites typically count reductions within a monthly or trailing window, so the figures are not directly comparable. Listing data reflects asking behavior, not closed sales, and a single-date snapshot.This story was produced by Movoto by Lower and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Wildfires are no longer just a Western US problem. Here's what every American should know. Wildfires are no longer just a Western US problem. Here's what every American should know.Wildfires are evolving in the United States, becoming increasingly intense, frequent, and destructive in the built environment. For those who live outside wildfire-prone states, understanding the origins and impact of these blazes can be difficult.Yet, wildfire awareness is increasingly a national priority, especially in the wildland-urban interface, also known as WUI — where the built environment meets undeveloped land. When wildfires reach the WUI, the combination of fuels from vegetation and structures can make them more challenging to control than structure fires or fire burning in the wilderness.To help separate fact from fiction, UL Research Institutes compiled a list of nine things every American should know regarding WUI wildfires.1. Wildfires are not exclusive to forested regions like the Pacific Northwest.Wildfires can also occur in the WUI. And from 1990 to 2010, the WUI was the fastest-growing land-use type in the continental U.S. By 2020, more than 44 million homes were located in the WUI — or one-third of the nation’s population. The Maui wildfires in 2023 were WUI wildfires.2. Wildfire season is getting longer.High temperatures, strong winds and dry conditions accelerate wildfire growth. Changes in timing and duration of winter snowmelts, rainy seasons, and extreme heat has resulted in “wildfire season” now including much of the year in several parts of the country.3. Wildfires are not always naturally occurring weather events.While extreme weather plays a role in creating conditions ripe for intense and prolonged wildfires, an average of 89% of wildfires between 2018 and 2022 were triggered by human activity.4. Burning vegetation is not the only source of wildfire fuel.Wildfires need three things to get started: fuel, heat, and oxygen. WUI fires are fueled by both natural vegetation and synthetic materials. Office buildings, homes, and vehicles all provide flammable fuel for growing wildfires.5. Some materials fuel wildfire flames faster than others.The amount of synthetic, electronic, and chemical materials within a home or building can increase the speed at which things catch fire. Research has revealed that rooms with contemporary furnishings can reach flashover, or near-simultaneous ignition, in just under five minutes, while rooms furnished with natural materials like hardwood, cotton, and ceramic take more than six times longer.6. Wildfires can spread in multiple ways.Radiant heat from flames can ignite nearby materials without direct contact, while wind-borne embers, often referred to as firebrands, can travel long distances to spark new fires. These two mechanisms, along with direct flame contact, can drive structure-to-structure fire spread in developed areas.7. A wildfire’s size does not always correlate with its level of destruction.The combustible materials within an urban area can increase the destruction caused by wildfires, meaning smaller fires in denser areas like the WUI can cause more structure loss than larger fires in rural areas.8. Containment strategies vary from wildfire to wildfire.Topography, infrastructure, population density, and weather conditions can all complicate emergency response efforts and wildfire containment, which is why the best way to address these disasters is to prevent them.9. Safeguarding against wildfires is a community effort.Education is the first step toward wildfire prevention. Understanding relevant building standards, preparing your structures and property, as well as properly maintaining green spaces can help build resilience against fire spread in your area.This story was produced by UL Research Institutes and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Mind the gap: The basics of vehicle GAP coverage Mind the gap: The basics of vehicle GAP coverageYou probably know that car insurance can help pay for car repairs or part replacements in the case of an accident or other damage. But what if your car gets totaled or stolen?Your auto insurance may cover the cash value of your vehicle prior to the damage or loss, but it won’t necessarily cover the total outstanding balance of your lease or finance contract. This could leave you with a gap that can potentially translate into a hefty bill. With GAP, you can help protect yourself financially and boost your peace of mind, Ally Financial reports.What is GAP protection?Guaranteed Asset Protection, or GAP, is a debt waiver product that helps protect a buyer or lessee in the case of total loss. Simply put, it helps bridge the gap between how much you owe for the vehicle and how much the car is worth if it is totaled or stolen.This gap occurs because insurance typically pays the cash value of your vehicle at the time of loss. Because cars depreciate, it’s possible that your vehicle’s value will be less than what you still owe on your loan.Do I need GAP coverage?Unlike other forms of auto insurance, GAP is optional, add-on coverage that isn’t required. However, some lenders or lessors may require it as part of your auto loan or car lease.GAP coverage is a good option for drivers who owe more on their car loan than the vehicle is worth, or will be worth, after depreciation. Accidents happen, and it’s important to keep in mind that if you have a total loss of your vehicle, your primary insurer’s settlement payment may not cover the entire amount you owe.If your car is not financed, you don’t need GAP.How to know if you already have GAPGAP coverage may be automatically included in your terms if you have an auto loan or are leasing your vehicle from a dealer. It may also be included in your current auto insurance plan. Check your plan or call your insurance provider to confirm.GAP coverage for new vs. used carsRegardless of whether your vehicle is new or used, if you owe more on your vehicle than it is currently worth, GAP protection can be valuable in the event your car is totaled or stolen.How GAP protection works on leased carsGAP could be required if you lease your car, since your car’s value will depreciate over the length of your lease. Check your lease agreement for details. Even if it’s not mandatory, this type of insurance is frequently recommended for leasers, especially if you have a long lease term or made a low down payment.Where do I get GAP coverage?You’ll have a few options when it comes to purchasing GAP. If you’re buying a vehicle, you can typically include GAP coverage at the time you sign the lease or finance contract papers. You also may be able to get GAP through your auto insurance company, the lender that’s financing your vehicle or an independent GAP provider.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Can I add GAP insurance after I buy a car?Yes, you can typically add GAP insurance after purchasing a car, but you must do so within a specific timeframe, usually within the first year or before the loan balance exceeds the vehicle's value. For example, if you financed a new car and realize a month later you skipped GAP at the dealership, many insurers will still let you add it as an endorsement as long as you’re within their window.Can you buy GAP insurance on your own?Yes, you can purchase GAP insurance independently from your auto insurance company or other providers rather than through your dealership or lender.Can I get GAP insurance through my insurance company?Yes, most major auto insurance companies offer GAP insurance as an optional add-on to your existing policy. GAP coverage is designed to help if your car is totaled or stolen and your insurance payout is less than the amount you still owe on your loan or lease. For example, if you owe $22,000 on your vehicle but your insurer determines the car’s actual cash value is $18,000, GAP insurance may help cover the $4,000 difference.Do I need GAP insurance if I already have full coverage?You may still need GAP insurance even with full coverage because standard auto insurance only pays the current market value of your vehicle, not what you owe on your loan. If you made a small down payment or have a long loan term, your loan balance likely exceeds your car's value, creating a "gap" that full coverage won't pay.What is typically not covered by GAP insurance?GAP insurance does not cover your insurance deductible, extended warranties, carry-over balances from previous loans or any additional charges like late payment fees. The coverage specifically covers the difference between your vehicle's actual cash value and the remaining loan balance at the time of total loss. For instance, if your payoff includes a service contract or past-due fees, GAP typically won’t reimburse those amounts even if the vehicle is totaled.This story was produced by Ally Financial and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rock Island honors nine Citizen of the Year Award recipients Rock Island honored nine Citizen of the Year recipients during Monday's city council meeting.
	Matchbooks provide history lesson, will be part of Davenport antique show Lying on the kitchen table in Merle Vastine’s Davenport home are six ringed binders bulging with colorful matchbooks, small paper folders that were given away through the years by various businesses as a form of advertising.
	Author, CEO of 'Leaving MAGA' to speak in Quad-Cities Author and CEO of Leaving MAGA Rich Logis is coming to Rock Island on Friday to discuss his book as part of Quad Cities Civic Conversations.
	Mostly rain-free week ahead Our week got off to a great start Monday and Tuesday looks equally as nice. While there are some rain chances this week, it won't be a wash out. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	6 simple yet effective ways to prevent a lithium-ion battery fire (BPT) - You may not know what a lithium-ion battery is by name, but you likely have more than a few in your home and use them every day. These rechargeable batteries power smartphones, laptops, e-bikes, electric vehicles, power tools, toys and even home energy systems.Lithium-ion batteries store energy more densely than traditional batteries, and they're quite powerful. However, this same power source can put your home at risk. When damaged, improperly charged or overheated, lithium-ion batteries can enter thermal runaway and spark, explode or catch on fire.Fortunately, you have the power to protect yourself and your loved ones from these risks. All you have to do is take charge of battery safety.Protecting your household, one step at a timeUL Research Institute's Fire Safety Research Institute understands the specific risks lithium-ion batteries present when handled incorrectly. That's why it has created Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety, a public safety education campaign that highlights six research-based ways to prevent lithium-ion battery fires. These steps may sound simple, but each small action you take can help create a safer home, reduce your risk of a lithium-ion battery fire, and protect your family today and tomorrow.1. Choose certified productsPrioritize your safety by selecting lithium-ion battery-powered devices that are certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to ensure they meet key safety requirements.2. Handle lithium-ion battery-powered devices with careAlways follow manufacturer guidelines and use the provided charger for lithium-ion battery-powered devices. Avoid modifying batteries or chargers and charge your devices in safe environments away from extreme temperatures, direct sunlight and flammable materials.For larger devices, such as e-bikes, charge in a location that does not block your exit path from your home and away from sleeping areas. Ideally, you should charge e-bikes outside of your home. Refrain from overnight charging of large devices.3. Always stay alert for warning signsRegularly inspect devices for any signs of damage, such as swelling or punctures. Be aware of unusual sounds like hissing or popping. Watch out for excessive heat or a strange odor. White or gray wispy smoke indicates there is immediate danger of fire. If you notice any of these warning signs, stop using the device immediately.4. Recycle devices and batteries properlyResponsibly dispose of old or damaged batteries and devices by taking them to a designated battery recycling center. Never discard batteries, chargers or battery-powered devices in regular trash bins.5. Get out quickly if there's a fireFrom the first sign of a problem, you could have less than one minute to escape a fire from a large lithium-ion battery-powered device. Know the warning signs to look and listen for and get out if you see or hear them. Follow your home fire escape plan to leave immediately, closing doors behind you as you exit and call 911.6. Educate others on safe practicesHelp protect your friends and loved ones by sharing how they can Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety, so that others can identify potential risks and charge safely.Are you ready to take charge?The power of Take C.H.A.R.G.E. is that it is an easy way to remember fire safety actions that you can adopt in your everyday life. By implementing these guidelines in your home, you can significantly reduce risk and create a safer environment for your whole family. For more information on lithium-ion battery safety, visit BatteryFireSafety.org.
	How the AIDS crisis helped create a multibillion-dollar death-speculation market Investors will buy your life insurance policy today — and collect the payout when you die.
	Epigrams This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Until 1961, Rock Islanders could get a free education in one of two ways: they could spend their half hour a day…
	Can Trump's economic war against Iran do what airstrikes and negotiations couldn't? What a new round of U.S. sanctions could mean after nearly six months of war with Iran — and years of economic pressure on the country.
	Reconstruction of 35th St. in Moline begins August 28 It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. According to a release from the City of Moline, reconstruction of 35th St. between 37th and 38th avenues begins Friday, August 28. The roadway will be closed to through traffic during construction, with work anticipated to be completed in late October. The approximately $300,000 project includes:• Removal [...]
	At least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, study finds Playing football has long been linked to the brain disease known as CTE, but how prevalent it is is still unknown. A new study of former NFL players who died recently found that at least 25% had CTE.
	When is suspending students discrimination? Education Dept. renews an old fight President Trump's Education Department is telling schools to stop considering race when it comes to school discipline.
	Dog food recalled over potential contamination Fromm’s wet canned dog food and Oma’s Pride food were recalled last week, according to a notice from the FDA.
	FDA approves new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for a new test for Alzheimer's disease, marking the fourth time such a blood test has been approved in less than two years.
	Indonesians brave choking smoke to pray for rain as country battles wildfires Huge blazes in central and western regions of Indonesia have scorched wide areas of forests and peatland, creating a choking haze that blanketed some cities.
	The UK will help Ukraine make long-range missiles by sharing classified tech information Burnham, who was in Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day, said defense firm MBDA will release details on U.K.-made parts for the SCALP missile to Ukraine to help the country assemble the weapons.
Monday, August 24th, 2026
	US set for largest mass visa revocation in history targeting up to 200,000 foreigners, officials say The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States.
	Rule Changes to Federal Research Grants Could Cost America Its Technology Lead (NewsUSA) - Proposed rule changes at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) could weaken the research enterprise that underpins American technology leadership, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative that makes recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in emerging technologies.OMB has proposed the most sweeping revision in years to the regulations governing federal grants and research awards. SCSP has filed formal comments urging the agency to revise the rule before finalizing it.Accountability for taxpayer dollars is not optional, and SCSP supports OMB's stated goals of transparency, research integrity, and stewardship, said Ylli Bajraktari, president of SCSP, in a recent article. Political accountability and scientific expertise are not enemies. But applied without clear limits, the rule risks damaging the innovation engine that has been the backbone of America's scientific success, he said.The new regulations contain several concerning provisions, said Bajraktari. Specifically, "Senior political appointees would review every discretionary award, reviewers would be directed to weigh presidential policy priorities, peer review would be explicitly downgraded to 'advisory,' and agencies could terminate active research awards simply because priorities changed after the work began," he said.The stakes are measurable, according to SCSP's 2026 Tech Competition Scorecard, which found that China holds a decisive overall lead in robotics for advanced manufacturing, and that the narrow U.S. lead in quantum is eroding under Beijing's coordinated, state-backed strategy. Meanwhile, the federally funded share of national research and development dropped by nearly one-third between 2010 and 2019, and federal AI research spending remains far below the $32 billion annual level recommended by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence. America already faces a funding gap, Bajraktari said, and should not compound it with a confidence gap.The proposed changes take their cues from a termination-for-convenience model of government contracting, but research grants are different, Bajraktari emphasized. A research grant supports multiyear experiments, doctoral researchers, and laboratory partners using custom equipment and generating data over time. Stopping that work midstream destroys value that reimbursement cannot recover. The losses also reach companies, investors, national labs, and startups that make decisions based on whether federally funded research is stable and merit-driven."When award decisions look political rather than technical, or when a grant can vanish because priorities shifted, private partners hedge, talent looks elsewhere, and the whole geometry of innovation weakens," said Bajraktari.SCSP's comments ask OMB to consider four points before finalizing any changes to how research grants are handled.• Keep merit at the center. Scientific and technical merit, evaluated by qualified experts, should remain the primary basis for selecting research proposals. Senior appointees have a legitimate oversight role in compliance, security, and program fit, but should not substitute their judgment for expert evaluation of scientific quality, and any override should be documented in writing against published criteria.• Make awards durable. Competitively awarded research grants should not be terminable simply because policy priorities changed after the fact. Reserve termination for legal violations, security concerns, or performance failures, and give recipients a chance to respond and to wind down responsibly.• Account for the private sector. Before changing how research awards work, agencies should ask whether the change will deter co-investment, interrupt commercialization pathways, or push globally mobile talent toward America's competitors.• Assess the competitive impact. OMB's own analysis counts only paperwork costs and calls them modest. Forgone discoveries and deterred capital are real national security costs even when they never appear as a line item, so major changes to federal research policy should come with a technology-competitiveness impact assessment.SCSP also urged OMB to slow down. An October 1 effective date would impose new selection and termination frameworks on fiscal year 2027 awards before agencies have built the procedures to implement them well, Bajraktari said.Visit scsp.ai to learn more.
	Zach Lahn proposed this change for data centers Zach Lahn, a Republican running for governor in Iowa, told a business group that he wants changes with future data centers.
	Tariffs and rising costs causing issues for Bent River Brewing Company The general manager says business costs have risen 15 to 20% in the last year, in part due to the Trump Administration's tariffs.
	Davenport man arrested after allegedly hitting a person with an axe 47-year-old Matthew Cheatheam was charged with willful injury causing bodily injury and going armed with intent.
	Bent River Brewing Company feeling impacts of tariffs and rising costs The general manager says business costs have risen 15 to 20% in the last year, in part due to the Trump Administration's tariffs.
	Rock Island City Council considers time limits for downtown liquor sales The Rock Island City Council moved forward Monday to expand restrictions on alcohol sales in more parts of the city. Council members approved the ordinance's first reading. Alderman Dylan Parker said he believes the ordinance would cut down public intoxication and litter in the downtown. Convenience and liquor stores in the green area on the [...]
	I-74 interchange at John Deere Road set for major transformation A major redesign is coming to the I-74 and John Deere Road interchange in Moline, with construction beginning and completion expected by 2028.
	Illinois to shield some hospitals from assisted suicide law Illinois has agreed to abide by a federal injunction to shield some Catholic hospitals from a new assisted suicide law. State lawmakers passed the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, also known as Deb's Law or Senate Bill 1950, passed last year. It lets adults who are terminally ill choose to end their lives. [...]
	School board member surprised when Sudlow's cafeteria is named after him A Davenport School Board member got a surprise during Monday night's meeting. The school board announced Sudlow Middle School's cafeteria will be named after Bruce Potts.Potts was the school's principal until he retired and was later elected to the school board. Potts said he had no idea about it before the announcement. Construction is underway [...]
	Davenport schools name Sudlow cafeteria after school board director The Davenport Community School District announced they were naming the cafeteria in honor of school board director Bruce Potts Monday evening.
	Sudlow Middle's cafeteria to be named after board member, former principal Bruce Potts was Sudlow's principal for 16 years before retiring and joining the board.
	How schools plan to offer more locally-grown food Schools have begun the new year, and students' lunches could soon look a little less processed and a lot more local as the Trump administration rolls out the Harvest to Hallways initiative to invest in child nutrition programs and put more American-grown food on lunch and breakfast trays. Our Quad Cities News NewsNation correspondent Reshad [...]
	Part of 35th Street to close for reconstruction The road will be closed to through traffic between 37th and 38th avenues, according to a media release.
	City of Muscatine celebrates Water & Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week The City of Muscatine is joining communities across the state to celebrate Water and Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week now-29, a news release says. This special week honors the dedicated professionals who work around the clock to provide clean drinking water and protect local natural resources. Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed an official proclamation declaring this appreciation [...]
	Community Health Care receives $3 million to expand services in Rock Island Community Health Care Inc. opened its Rock Island building back in 2012. Now, the facility is starting to show its age, not just through general maintenance, but mainly because of the growing need in the community. They're ready for an upgrade, an upgrade that will be funded by Illinois through a $3 million grant. "Health [...]
	9th annual Clinton overdose vigil aims to break addiction stigma The Overdose and Addiction Awareness Vigil will return on Monday, Aug. 31 from 4-7:30 p.m. at the Riverview Bandshell. This year more than 30 vendors are expected.
	Sauk Valley farm tours return for second year with a locally sourced dinner On Thursday, Sept. 10, you can tour several local farms, get a behind-the-scenes look at the operations, meet the makers and then enjoy a locally-sourced dinner.
	Burlington woman charged with arson after house fire 36-year-old Crystal Armstrong with second degree arson following an Aug. 13 house fire.
	Davenport man arrested after allegedly hitting a person in the skull with an axe 47-year-old Matthew Cheatheam was charged with willful injury causing bodily injury and going armed with intent.
	Man to spend 18 years in prison for death of 2-month-old A man will spend 18 years in prison for his role in the death of his two-month-old.
	Rock Island considers expanding restrictions on packaged alcohol sales Rock Island officials are considering expanding restrictions on packaged alcohol sales beyond the city’s current downtown district, a proposal one local business owner says could significantly hurt his business.
	Davenport police urge drivers to slow down as students return to school Davenport officials urge drivers to slow down and stay alert as students return to school, highlighting new safety measures.
	Six months on, U.S. Navy families who evacuated Bahrain remain in limbo When the U.S.-Iran war began, more than 1,000 dependents of U.S. Navy personnel in Bahrain were ordered to evacuate. After six months in temporary conditions, they want to know what the plan is.
	Woman charged with arson after Burlington house destroyed by fire A woman was arrested on Saturday in connection to a house fire in Burlington.
	Davenport man charged after hitting person in the head with axe, police say Matthew T. Cheatheam, 47, is accused of hitting another person in the skull with an axe.
	25 animals recovered from pair of animal cruelty cases in Illinois 15 of the rescued dogs are puppies.

Tuesday, August 25th, 2026

Monday, August 24th, 2026