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

Wednesday, September 9th, 2026
	25 years later: Ceremonies and events across the Quad Cities region remembering the Sept. 11 attacks Community members across the region will come together to remember the lives lost and those impacted by the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
	Union president: Do more for Iowa teachers Pressure to do more for teachers in Iowa came from the president of the national teachers' union during a visit to the state. Princess Moss, president of the National Education Association (NEA), visited an elementary school in central Iowa. The NEA is the largest labor union in the country with three million teachers. Moss says [...]
	Quad Cities group hosting cleanup, outdoor activities at Credit Island The Rabbithole Outdoor Club is inviting people out to the island on Sunday, Sept. 13, for a morning of volunteering, outdoor recreation and community.
	Hampton Apple Fest celebrates 40-year tradition with new activities The annual event returns on Saturday, Sept. 19. It all benefits the nonprofit Hampton Historical Society and Hampton's iconic Brettun & Black Museum.
	How Quad Cities area is remembering 9/11 attacks on 25th anniversary Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, communities across the nation and right here in the Quad Cities area continue to honor the lives lost and reflect on how that day changed America forever.
	Annual Apple Fest benefiting Hampton museum Sponsored by the Hampton Historical Society, the festival helps the historic Brettun and Black Museum.
	These 61 organizations will receive $3.5M in Illinois local food grants Illinois will spend over $3.5 million to local food organizations in the state’s latest attempt to bolster local food infrastructure.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: MARCUS FERRELL, 40, 5’10”, 175 pounds, black eyes, black hair. Wanted by Iowa DOC 7th District High Risk Unit for probation violation on convictions [...]
	Rabid bat found in Macomb home The McDonough County Health Department said residents who find a bat in their home should contact them for guidance on potential rabies exposure and testing.
	27th Street bridge over I-74 to close for Moline bike path project The 27th Street bridge over Interstate 74 will close starting Sept. 9 as construction continues on a new bike path.
	Traffic Alert: I-80 East down to one lane for weigh-in motion sensor work Only one lane of I-80 East will be open for part of Thursday during sensor work in Rock Island County.
	Take in some of Illinois' most scenic roads at Tour of the Heartland Take a tour of some of Illinois' most scenic and lightly-traveled rural roads! Tina Reyes joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Quad Cities Bicycle Club's Tour of the Heartland. For more information, click here.
	12-year-old arrested for making threats to East Moline school A 12-year-old was arrested Wednesday for making threats to a middle school in East Moline, according to a news release. On Sept. 3, East Moline police were notified about a social-media threat referring to “violence” at Glenview Middle School, 3100 7th St., East Moline, received through the social media application Tik Tok. The threat implied [...]
	YWCA Quad Cities holding diaper drive The drive runs Sept. 14-20. YWCA officials said diapers are among the most requested items from community members visiting their Empowerment Center.
	Man killed in Bureau County crash was an Illinois National Guard soldier Spc. Aiden Mrotek was killed in an after-duty crash on Sunday night. He had been assisting with community outreach efforts in Kewanee and was on his way back home.
	East Moline Fire Department seeking $1.5 million in additional funding The funding would help pay for a new fire truck.
	Charges dismissed for Mercer County school workers accused of illegally accessing student medical records Charges were dismissed against the two Mercer County school workers who were accused last year of illegally accessing student medical records.
	Prosecutors: Alex Uthoff was on cocaine when he crashed his motorcycle, killing his passenger New documents detail Uthoff's speeding and drug use prior to a crash that killed his passenger
	12-year-old arrested for Glenview Middle School social media threat A student at an East Moline middle school was arrested Wednesday after a threat made on TikTok was reported to police last week.
	12-year-old arrested for making threat against Glenview Middle School Police said they do not believe the juvenile had the intent or means to act on the threat.
	Voters can learn about $33.7M Central DeWitt school bond referendum at community forums The multimillion-dollar general obligation bond will be on the November ballot. If approved, the money will help bring all students to the same campus.
	Thurgood Marshall Learning Center names new principal Thurgood Marshall Learning Center (TMLC) has a new principal. Timothy Wernentin has been named the new principal at TMLC. Wernentin served as principal of Rock Island High School and spent nine years as principal of Sherrard High School. He served 11 years as a building principal before taking the Sherrard High School job.
	Police: 12-year-old arrested for social media threat against Glenview Middle School A 12-year-old boy has been arrested in connection to a social media threat against Glenview Middle School.
	Getting to Know the #1 Pizza Ranch Fan: Jason Halkias Chief Meteorologist Andy McCray talks with familiar faces around the Quad Cities in the Getting to Know Podcast. Learn more about important people around our area and have a good time doing it. Each week will feature a new guest from restaurant owners, to area leaders, to Our Quad Cities News Staff. In this episode [...]
	Cincinnati man arrested on Knox County child sex abuse, exploitation charges A man from Cincinnati has been arrested after an extensive, multi-jurisdictional criminal investigation into allegations involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of juvenile victims, according to a news release from the Knox County Sheriff's Office. The investigation began after the Knox County Sheriff's Office received information about sexual misconduct allegations involving juvenile victims taking place [...]
	Ohio man charged with sexual assault, exploitation in Knox County He has been taken into custody and is being held without pretrial release, pending further court proceedings.
	Carl Sandburg College president to retire Dr. Seamus Reilly has been president of the community college in Galesburg for nine years.
	Illinois National Guard soldier killed in Bureau County crash Spc. Aiden Mrotek was killed in an after-duty crash on Sunday night. He had been assisting with community outreach efforts in Kewanee and was on his way back home.
	Illinois Army National Guard member dies in Bureau County crash An Illinois Army National Guard member was killed in a single-vehicle accident after supporting a community relations event in Kewanee. A news release from the Illinois Army National Guard said Spc. Aiden Mrotek, 21, was returning to his home in Carpentersville after helping with Illinois Army National Guard’s community outreach efforts in Kewanee. The Bureau [...]
	Davenport man charged with sexually abusing child more than a decade ago A Davenport man is charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse for allegedly sexually abusing a child more than a decade ago.
	Fold the phone: Apple's new CEO unveils a foldable iPhone New Apple CEO John Ternus announces the iPhone Duo, which folds like a passport and is the most radical iPhone design update in nearly 20 years.
	Special education head at Education Department abruptly resigns The leader of the Education Department's special education office told employees she is resigning less than four months in the role and as the agency overall is morphing and shrinking.
	YWCA Quad Cities hosting diaper drive during National Diaper Need Awareness Week National Diaper Need Awareness Week is September 14–20 and YWCA Quad Cities is raising awareness about diaper need in the Quad Cities. Buying diapers is a challenge for families across the country; one in two U.S. families struggle to provide enough diapers to meet their baby or toddler’s basic needs. The YWCA Empowerment Center is [...]
	Davenport man charged after allegedly fleeing to Mexico to avoid prosecution On Aug. 26, a Davenport man was arrested in Mexico and faces charges in Scott County District Court after police say he ran from felony charges for over a year.
	Andrew Tate is denied bail and will remain in jail during his extradition fight Prosecutors told the court that Andrew and Tristan Tate boasted about having multiple passports and flying on private jets. But the Tates' lawyers argued they were only playing a role for their fans.
	Davenport man arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a child A Davenport man was arrested on Wednesday for sexual abuse charges stemming from incidents between 2011 and 2013.
	30th anniversary of Trudy Appleby’s disappearance coverage to re-stream on KWQC+ KWQC’s special coverage of the 30th anniversary of Trudy Appleby’s disappearance will be re-streamed Wednesday.
	Mercer County man arrested after a man found dead in rural Aledo home A man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of homicide after a man was found dead inside his home in rural Aledo on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 8.
	Illinois National Guard member dead after crash in Kewanee An Illinois National Guard member died in a crash over the weekend in Kewanee.
	YWCA Quad Cities to host diaper drive The YWCA Quad Cities will host the drive from Sept. 14-20.
	Rock Island Arsenal hosting Oktoberfest Experience Oktoberfest at Rock Island Arsenal! Arsenal Oktoberfest will be held on Friday, Sept. 18, from 4–9 p.m. on the lawn of historic Quarters One. Admission is free and open to the public, starting at 3 p.m. Visitor passes are not necessary to enter Arsenal for the event, but guests must present a valid driver’s [...]
	Aledo man charged with homicide in Mercer County death An Aledo man has been charged in connection with a death in Mercer County Wednesday.
	After 15 years, Two Sisters Restaurant in Milan to transform into Flip's Pancake House The restaurant will remain open till Sunday, Sept. 13, with construction set to begin Monday.
	Aledo man arrested in connection with Mercer County death A man from Aledo has been arrested in connection with a death near Matherville, according to a news release from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. The Mercer County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from a residence in rural Aledo, near Matherville, regarding a death on September 8 at about 8:32 p.m. Deputies responded to [...]
	Programming Alert: News at 6 p.m. to stream on KWQC+ The news at 6 p.m. will be livestreamed on KWQC+ Wednesday evening.
	The 5 stages of a remodel: Keys to a successful project The 5 stages of a remodel: Keys to a successful projectOnce you’ve hired your remodeling team and signed the contracts, it’s time for the work to begin. A major renovation generally moves through five stages, although the schedule and sequence will vary by project. Understanding what happens at each stage can help you prepare for disruptions, ask informed questions and keep track of decisions, costs and deadlines. Digital tools can also make it easier to follow the project’s progress and stay informed along the way. This guide from Houzz explains what you can expect.1. PlanningThoughtful planning sets the foundation for a successful remodel, and it’s also the stage that has evolved most in recent years. With your remodeler, contractor, designer or architect, you'll define the scope, budget and priorities of the project. This may involve in-person meetings or — especially if you're collaborating from afar — video calls. It's important to be realistic about your goals, expectations and budget, including any wish-list items and must-haves. It can be wise to give your budget a 10% cushion to allow for unexpected changes.Struggling to picture the finished space is one of the more common early hurdles. In a 2025 Houzz survey of U.S. homeowners, 15% reported having difficulty visualizing their project's outcome before work began. That's where 3D floor plans, virtual walk-throughs and AI-assisted rendering tools now come in. Many designers use them to offer a realistic preview, so you can see layouts, finishes and lighting before a single change is made. Sharing inspiration images and ideabooks is a great way to convey your vision, and digital mood boards make it easy for you and your designer to stay aligned on products and materials in real time.Two other planning-phase pain points showed up repeatedly in the survey: 40% of homeowners said finding a pro they trust was a top challenge, and 32% said getting an estimate or proposal with enough detail was difficult. Both issues are pushing the industry toward more digital-first solutions. Online reviews and recommendations (cited by 67% of homeowners as among the most important factors in choosing a pro) now often shape the shortlist before a homeowner ever picks up the phone, while itemized, digital estimates are replacing handwritten quotes.Your pro will also establish a schedule at this point, though keep in mind that delays can happen, such as from unexpected inclement weather. A growing number of pros now manage schedules, selections and updates through project management software and client portals, which help keep all the details and any changes to the design or timeline transparent and easy to track for everyone involved. These connected tools don't just keep you informed as the homeowner, they also help your project team stay aligned, document decisions and keep the remodel moving forward with everyone on the same page.Key to success: Clear, increasingly tech-enabled communication2. PermittingNot every project requires obtaining permits. But depending on the type and scope of your project, you may need to secure permission from local government agencies (such as the department of buildings) for structural, electrical, plumbing or other work. Your pro will likely handle permitting for you, if needed, to ensure that all work completed meets the relevant building codes. A growing number of municipalities now offer online permitting portals, which can speed up submissions and status checks, though total review times still vary widely by location and project scope.If your project is small and fairly simple, permits might come through in as little as a week or two; bigger or more complex projects can take up to a few months.Key to success: Patience3. Site PrepDepending on the nature of your project, site prep may involve demolition, such as breaking down walls, as well as removing furniture, fixtures and flooring. It may mean grading or leveling areas, shoring up a foundation or cleaning. It likely also will involve determining where to store the project materials and setting up features for safety and comfort, such as sheeting to keep dust and debris localized to the work area.Think ahead of time about the disruption your project may cause to your daily life, such as noise, interruptions, and the shutting off of water and power, and plan for relocating any activities that you normally do in the area. For example, if you won't have access to your kitchen, consider setting up a microwave and an eating area in another room. For a major remodel, you may even consider staying off-site for a portion of the project. And if you have children and/or pets, work with your pros to figure out how to keep them safely out of the work zone.Keys to success: Adjusting living and working arrangements Houzz; Legacy Builders & Design Inc. 4. ConstructionIf you’re undertaking a major remodel, structural and framing work will typically come first, such as adding walls or support posts or enlarging doorways. Next, your pro will complete the rough-in phase for electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Elements such as cabinetry and flooring generally follow, along with finishing work like painting, sanding and staining, and time for materials to cure.As the work progresses, material availability, inspections, site conditions and design decisions may lead to scheduling adjustments. Clear, timely updates can make those changes easier to navigate. In fact, in the same 2025 survey, 44% of homeowners say timeline changes and staying on schedule can be challenging, while 21% have difficulty tracking the budget and expenses over time.Before approving a change order, talk with your pro about how it will affect both the schedule and the budget. Many pros use project management software to share updates, document decisions and give homeowners a current view of costs and timing throughout the project.Keys to success: Visibility and flexibility5. FinishingWith all the elements in place, you'll be very close to enjoying your newly redone space. As the project winds down and the team handles smaller details (finishing trimwork, touching up paint scuffs, adjusting alignments, etc.), create a punch list of any detail that may need more attention, no matter how small. The team will do a walk-through and have their own punch list, but recording everything can help ease your mind.The punch list meeting between you, your designer and any contractors will likely take place about a week or two before the finalization date, to allow time for handling any remaining tasks. As the project wraps up, your pro may also provide warranty information, care instructions, product documentation and other project records so you have everything you need to maintain your newly completed space. And after all the work is done, your remodeling team should handle cleanup; consider ahead of time where you will store or donate any extra materials such as paint, tiles or wood planks.Also, as you're immersed in your new space, consider leaving a detailed review of your experience for your team members. Per the 2025 Houzz survey, recommendations and reviews are among the most important factors homeowners weigh when choosing a pro, cited by 67% of respondents. And 83% of pros said referrals and word of mouth meaningfully contribute to their business. A specific, candid review can help other homeowners make a more informed decision.Keys to success: Attention to detail and building goodwillMethodology: Data for the 2025 Houzz survey was collected through a questionnaire emailed to registered Houzz users in June 2025. The 110-question survey was completed by 2,904 qualified respondents, all of whom reported being 18 or older, owning their home, and having completed a remodel or addition in the previous 12 months, currently working on one, or planning to begin one within the next three months. Final data were weighted to align with the Houzz user population, using weights derived from the annual Houzz & Home Study.This story was produced by Houzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Turf battle in the NFL: Natural vs. artificial grass Turf battle in the NFL: Natural vs. artificial grassAs the NFL season opens, the “grass vs. turf” debate is heated this year, especially after the World Cup required seven stadiums to replace their artificial turf with real grass for a few weeks of soccer matches this summer.For NFL players, the issue is safety.“The cost of doing nothing is paid for by players’ bodies,” Green Bay Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin posted on X. “Make grass mandatory. We’re #WorthTheCost.”“If stadiums can make grass work for the World Cup, they can make it work for NFL players,” Washington Commanders tackle Laremy Tunsil posted on X.LawnStarter has the story of how the NFL drifted to plastic, why football players are fighting to return to grass, and which stadiums use artificial turf vs. natural grass today.Key TakeawaysNational Football League Players Association (NFLPA) data shows players suffer 28% more non-contact lower-body injuries and 69% more foot/ankle injuries on turf than on grass.The 2026 World Cup forced seven NFL turf stadiums to install natural grass to meet FIFA's standards.The World Cup conversion renewed players’ call for permanent grass fields under the current #WorthTheCost campaign.Which NFL Stadiums Use Grass vs. TurfFor the 2026 season, NFL stadiums are split roughly evenly between natural grass and artificial turf.The seven World Cup stadiums that switched to grass for soccer have ripped that up, and the artificial turf is back for football. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills have a new stadium with natural grass, bringing to 16 the stadiums with grass vs. 14 with artificial turf.Is that grass natural, artificial turf, or some hybrid? On your big-screen TV, they look nearly identical, and you most likely cannot tell the difference.NFL players, though, can tell the difference. The debate over natural vs. artificial grass, and the growing pile of injury claims, has pushed players in favor of grass.Natural grass NFL stadiumsClimate and stadium design help determine which grass species and support systems crews use:Warm climates: Most natural-grass NFL fields use Bermudagrass because it’s dense, durable, and heat-loving.Cooler-climates: Stadiums install Kentucky bluegrass or a Bermuda/ryegrass blend to survive the fall weather.Hybrid natural grass: A small number of fields reinforce a living grass root zone with synthetic fibers, improving stability while retaining natural grass at the surface. LawnStarter Artificial turf stadiumsConcerts and other events are the main reason multi-use stadiums choose turf. It tolerates stage loads and foot traffic grass can't, but those same events compact infill, scuff fibers, and create spot repairs. LawnStarter How the NFL Drifted From Grass to TurfThe first sports artificial playing surface debuted on the infield of the Astrodome in 1966 after the Houston Astros learned in 1965 that grass would not grow well indoors.The AstroTurf infield looked green, but it had none of the forgiveness that grass did. Some players found that the artificial turf gave them more traction, but that traction came at the cost of the field’s surface being much harder.Both in baseball and football, knee and leg injuries spiked as teams transitioned from grass to artificial turf.Artificial turf and natural grass systems have both improved in the past half-century. FieldTurf and Helias Matrix turf are just two of the big names in artificial turf at NFL stadiums.Today’s synthetic systems are rated by speed and firmness, and makers say they’re easier on the body than older versions.The Injury Case Against TurfAt 2022’s Super Bowl, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the second quarter. The field was artificial turf.The injury raised concerns about the venue, the Rams’ SoFi Stadium. That’s because Beckham’s injury came when the cleats on Beckham’s left foot got caught in SoFi’s artificial turf. His ACL gave way.Artificial turf has a troubling history at all levels of play.Using the NFL’s own injury reports from 2012-2018, the NFL Players Association found players have a 28% higher rate of non-contact lower-extremity injuries on artificial turf, including a 69% higher rate of non-contact foot/ankle injuries.A 2019 study out of Cleveland-based University Hospitals said that high school players — boys and girls — playing sports on turf fields suffered 58% more injuries than those playing on natural grass fields.David Shoop, founder of Shoop, A Professional Law Corporation, in Beverly Hills, California, says that these injury discrepancies often become the center of product liability cases.“Injury litigation involving athletic surfaces often turns on the same mechanical questions: how much the surface grips an athlete’s cleats, how much force it returns to the body, and whether the field performs as intended under real playing conditions,” Shoop says.“Whether the product is synthetic turf, protective equipment, or another athletic surface, the legal analysis focuses on objective evidence: testing data, maintenance history, industry standards, and whether the risks were reasonably understood and addressed,” Shoop says.Players and Execs Make the Case for GrassIn 2022, grass seed maker Pennington took to the Super Bowl ad airwaves to make its case for a return to natural turf with a #FlipTheTurf petition. The campaign brought attention to the issue.While the company’s move would seem to be a good business ploy, the players’ motivation seems to come from self-preservation.For years, NFL players have been openly pleading for a return to grass. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle went on Twitter to write, “Artificial turf feels like playing on cement,” linking it with a #FlipTheTurf hashtag. Courtesy of LawnStarter Source: XThe NFLPA has made all-grass fields a priority. Management’s counter is practical: Artificial turf can be used more often and maintained more cheaply, especially in domes and multi-use stadiums.J.C. Tretter, the Cleveland Browns center who currently serves as the executive director of the NFL Players Association, plays home games on Kentucky bluegrass at Huntington Bank Field.“Our occupation is dangerous enough,” Tretter says, adding that a move to all-grass fields is one of the players’ key issues. Courtesy of LawnStarter Even some front offices agree with the players.Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan says the team’s new stadium is being built so it can have either a grass field or artificial turf. He says the preference is for grass, but the stadium isn’t expected to open until 2031.“If you're asking me today to bet, I feel pretty strongly that we're going to be playing on natural grass,” Donovan told ChiefsWire in late July.The #WorthTheCost Campaign#WorthTheCost is the latest NFL player-led message.The campaign surged this summer during the World Cup, when NFL players saw stadiums that normally use artificial turf install grass for the soccer matches. The NFLPA said the temporary fields showed that owners can provide natural grass when they decide it is worth the investment.Kittle also renewed his push during the tournament. He said the World Cup grass conversions showed the league could make grass work in any stadium, adding that players’ bodies are “their business” and that the NFL should choose to invest in them, according to ESPN. Courtesy of LawnStarter Source: XThe Cost of Artificial Turf vs. Natural GrassFor NFL owners, the hesitation to switch permanently largely comes down to cost and versatility:Natural grass costs: Maintaining a natural grass field runs $1 million or more annually with mid-season sod replacements adding $250,000 to $500,000 per swap.Artificial turf costs: Synthetic NFL fields require far less routine upkeep, running roughly $15,000 to $25,000 per year.Here's what each surface actually requires: LawnStarter Notes::NFL venues layer significant additional costs on top of this baseline including SubAir systems, hydronic heating, grow lights, and full-time grounds crew salaries.* Range reflects two different replacement scenarios found in LawnStarter’s sources: The low end is a carpet-and-infill-only replacement over an existing base, while the high end is a full new installation including base and drainage work. Actual cost depends on whether the base/drainage system is being reused or rebuilt.How the 2026 World Cup Changed the Playing FieldThe biggest grass requirement didn’t come from the NFL. It came from FIFA.Eleven NFL stadiums hosted matches this summer at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA required natural grass, meaning the seven host stadiums that normally use synthetic turf had to install temporary grass fields: MetLife Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AT&T Stadium, NRG Stadium, Gillette Stadium, and Lumen Field.The process demonstrated that grass can be installed in domes, covered stadiums, and heavily used venues. Depending on the stadium, organizers widened the playing area, removed or covered synthetic surfaces, and brought in specially grown grass systems for the tournament.Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, San Francisco’s Levi’s Stadium, and Kansas City’s GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium already used grass, so they didn’t need to convert from a regular artificial NFL surface.The post-tournament reality was less encouraging for players. AT&T Stadium and the other six began removing the grass as soon as the World Cup matches were over.Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team had “no belief that it’s any safer to play on a grass field or a turf,” adding that artificial turf improves the economics of hosting events, according to ESPN.That decision became a powerful talking point for the NFLPA: The league’s stadiums proved they could accommodate grass, but most reverted to turf for NFL use.Looking to the Future of Sports FieldsThe NFL has said every stadium will need a league-approved playing surface by the 2028 season. The NFL is creating a list of approved options that includes natural grass, hybrid, and synthetic systems.Teams will be free to choose any surface they want, as long as it is on that approved list.NFL field director Nick Pappas has described the league’s goal as finding surfaces that perform more like grass, with controlled traction, firmness, and energy return. The league has used laboratory and on-field testing to evaluate those traits.Players see the issue differently, and their position is simple: If owners can install grass temporarily for a global soccer tournament, they can install it permanently for the NFL players whose careers depend on those fields.For the 2026 NFL season though, the stadiums that had artificial turf before the World Cup have it back, and the Buffalo Bills have already replaced their new stadium’s grass field. That shows the challenges and costs of maintaining natural grass sports fields.This story was produced by LawnStarter and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The 5 stages of a remodel: Keys to a successful project The 5 stages of a remodel: Keys to a successful projectOnce you’ve hired your remodeling team and signed the contracts, it’s time for the work to begin. A major renovation generally moves through five stages, although the schedule and sequence will vary by project. Understanding what happens at each stage can help you prepare for disruptions, ask informed questions and keep track of decisions, costs and deadlines. Digital tools can also make it easier to follow the project’s progress and stay informed along the way. This guide from Houzz explains what you can expect.1. PlanningThoughtful planning sets the foundation for a successful remodel, and it’s also the stage that has evolved most in recent years. With your remodeler, contractor, designer or architect, you'll define the scope, budget and priorities of the project. This may involve in-person meetings or — especially if you're collaborating from afar — video calls. It's important to be realistic about your goals, expectations and budget, including any wish-list items and must-haves. It can be wise to give your budget a 10% cushion to allow for unexpected changes.Struggling to picture the finished space is one of the more common early hurdles. In a 2025 Houzz survey of U.S. homeowners, 15% reported having difficulty visualizing their project's outcome before work began. That's where 3D floor plans, virtual walk-throughs and AI-assisted rendering tools now come in. Many designers use them to offer a realistic preview, so you can see layouts, finishes and lighting before a single change is made. Sharing inspiration images and ideabooks is a great way to convey your vision, and digital mood boards make it easy for you and your designer to stay aligned on products and materials in real time.Two other planning-phase pain points showed up repeatedly in the survey: 40% of homeowners said finding a pro they trust was a top challenge, and 32% said getting an estimate or proposal with enough detail was difficult. Both issues are pushing the industry toward more digital-first solutions. Online reviews and recommendations (cited by 67% of homeowners as among the most important factors in choosing a pro) now often shape the shortlist before a homeowner ever picks up the phone, while itemized, digital estimates are replacing handwritten quotes.Your pro will also establish a schedule at this point, though keep in mind that delays can happen, such as from unexpected inclement weather. A growing number of pros now manage schedules, selections and updates through project management software and client portals, which help keep all the details and any changes to the design or timeline transparent and easy to track for everyone involved. These connected tools don't just keep you informed as the homeowner, they also help your project team stay aligned, document decisions and keep the remodel moving forward with everyone on the same page.Key to success: Clear, increasingly tech-enabled communication2. PermittingNot every project requires obtaining permits. But depending on the type and scope of your project, you may need to secure permission from local government agencies (such as the department of buildings) for structural, electrical, plumbing or other work. Your pro will likely handle permitting for you, if needed, to ensure that all work completed meets the relevant building codes. A growing number of municipalities now offer online permitting portals, which can speed up submissions and status checks, though total review times still vary widely by location and project scope.If your project is small and fairly simple, permits might come through in as little as a week or two; bigger or more complex projects can take up to a few months.Key to success: Patience3. Site PrepDepending on the nature of your project, site prep may involve demolition, such as breaking down walls, as well as removing furniture, fixtures and flooring. It may mean grading or leveling areas, shoring up a foundation or cleaning. It likely also will involve determining where to store the project materials and setting up features for safety and comfort, such as sheeting to keep dust and debris localized to the work area.Think ahead of time about the disruption your project may cause to your daily life, such as noise, interruptions, and the shutting off of water and power, and plan for relocating any activities that you normally do in the area. For example, if you won't have access to your kitchen, consider setting up a microwave and an eating area in another room. For a major remodel, you may even consider staying off-site for a portion of the project. And if you have children and/or pets, work with your pros to figure out how to keep them safely out of the work zone.Keys to success: Adjusting living and working arrangements Houzz; Legacy Builders & Design Inc. 4. ConstructionIf you’re undertaking a major remodel, structural and framing work will typically come first, such as adding walls or support posts or enlarging doorways. Next, your pro will complete the rough-in phase for electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Elements such as cabinetry and flooring generally follow, along with finishing work like painting, sanding and staining, and time for materials to cure.As the work progresses, material availability, inspections, site conditions and design decisions may lead to scheduling adjustments. Clear, timely updates can make those changes easier to navigate. In fact, in the same 2025 survey, 44% of homeowners say timeline changes and staying on schedule can be challenging, while 21% have difficulty tracking the budget and expenses over time.Before approving a change order, talk with your pro about how it will affect both the schedule and the budget. Many pros use project management software to share updates, document decisions and give homeowners a current view of costs and timing throughout the project.Keys to success: Visibility and flexibility5. FinishingWith all the elements in place, you'll be very close to enjoying your newly redone space. As the project winds down and the team handles smaller details (finishing trimwork, touching up paint scuffs, adjusting alignments, etc.), create a punch list of any detail that may need more attention, no matter how small. The team will do a walk-through and have their own punch list, but recording everything can help ease your mind.The punch list meeting between you, your designer and any contractors will likely take place about a week or two before the finalization date, to allow time for handling any remaining tasks. As the project wraps up, your pro may also provide warranty information, care instructions, product documentation and other project records so you have everything you need to maintain your newly completed space. And after all the work is done, your remodeling team should handle cleanup; consider ahead of time where you will store or donate any extra materials such as paint, tiles or wood planks.Also, as you're immersed in your new space, consider leaving a detailed review of your experience for your team members. Per the 2025 Houzz survey, recommendations and reviews are among the most important factors homeowners weigh when choosing a pro, cited by 67% of respondents. And 83% of pros said referrals and word of mouth meaningfully contribute to their business. A specific, candid review can help other homeowners make a more informed decision.Keys to success: Attention to detail and building goodwillMethodology: Data for the 2025 Houzz survey was collected through a questionnaire emailed to registered Houzz users in June 2025. The 110-question survey was completed by 2,904 qualified respondents, all of whom reported being 18 or older, owning their home, and having completed a remodel or addition in the previous 12 months, currently working on one, or planning to begin one within the next three months. Final data were weighted to align with the Houzz user population, using weights derived from the annual Houzz & Home Study.This story was produced by Houzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Friend remembers Hawkeye band member who died after collapsing at Iowa football game The community is remembering Derek Phillips, a University of Iowa student and marching band member who died Tuesday morning after collapsing at Saturday's Hawkeye football game.
	‘Like losing a family member’: Band member speaks out after bandmate dies The Hawkeye Marching Band is grieving the loss of Derek Phillips, a fellow section leader said.
	Wildfires could displace you for months. Is your insurance ready? Wildfires could displace you for months. Is your insurance ready?Catastrophic wildfires have dominated headlines over the past few years, most prominently the Southern California fires in early 2025 that decimated over 6,800 homes and damaged nearly 1,000 more. But it isn’t just Golden Staters and homeowners who live near forests and mountains who are at risk. Since 2025, wildfires have destroyed hundreds more residences in blazes from Oklahoma and Nebraska to Florida and Georgia and, in recent weeks, Oregon.Wherever you live, it’s crucial to have homeowners insurance that covers the costs of rebuilding or repairing your dwelling and replacing your possessions if a fire destroys them. Your policy should also provide loss of use coverage, also referred to as additional living expense (ALE), which pays you back when you have to pay out-of-pocket for things like temporary housing and food while you are displaced.The problem is, your ALE coverage may not be sufficient or clearly understood when you need it most. TheZebra.com took a closer look at why and what you need to ensure you and your family are properly covered.Alarming StatisticsAs of Sept. 4, firefighters have responded to 52,939 wildfires that have burned more than 8.2 million acres across the United States this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That means 2026 has already reached 125% of the 10-year average for fires in one year.What Loss of Use Coverage Actually Is (and Isn’t)ALE coverage helps pay for additional expenses you incur after your home becomes unlivable. This can include costs like a hotel or Airbnb stay, restaurant meals, transportation to work and school, and even pet boarding while your home is being rebuilt or repaired.“Most policies cap ALE as a percentage of the dwelling coverage limit, usually somewhere in the 20% to 30% range, although some carriers structure it as a separate flat limit instead,” explained Beth Swanson, insurance analyst with The Zebra. “ALE coverage generally kicks in once a covered peril makes the home uninhabitable, not simply inconvenient to live in. And time limits tend to be tied to a reasonable time to repair or rebuild, rather than a strict calendar cutoff, although some policies do include caps in the 12- to 24-month range.”Brandi Richard Thompson, a former Federal Emergency Management Agency official who now educates families about emergency preparedness, cautions that ALE is not a second income or a rent-free check.“It pays the difference between what your life cost before the fire and what your life costs after it, which means your ordinary grocery bills and utility bills aren’t covered – only the increase is,” Thompson explained.In other words, ALE only covers the extra expenses directly caused by your displacement. Normal, ongoing bills and costs remain your responsibility.When You Overextend Your StayDisplacement due to a fire can complicate ALE matters. That’s because the process of scoping (inspecting) a major fire loss by an adjuster (the professional assigned to investigate and resolve the insurance claim on behalf of you or your carrier) can often take several months, not including the time it takes to repair or rebuild.“Let’s say you have $500,000 in dwelling coverage and $50,000 in ALE coverage that’s capped to last 12 months,” said Jennifer Taylor, a public adjuster and CEO/founder of Claim Ready. “If your additional living expenses and costs to stay at a hotel total $5,000 per month, that $50,000 will only last 10 months. But if it takes eight months to agree on the scope and final rebuild estimate before reconstruction even starts, you may have already used a significant portion of your ALE. A major rebuild could take many months beyond that.”Once your ALE coverage expires or you’ve exhausted the maximum dollar cap, you’re responsible for paying all ALE-related expenses.The Mortgage Misconception Nobody MentionsMany homeowners are also surprised to learn that ALE protection won’t cover your mortgage payments, even though you won’t be living in your home during this time.“This can put your family in a tough spot because you may have to keep paying your mortgage while also covering a hotel or rental,” said Joy Aumann, a Southern California real estate agent who has represented families displaced by wildfires. “You may also have to pay certain costs out-of-pocket first and then get reimbursed by your insurance company later.”What Happens to Your StuffYour clothes, furniture, portable consumer electronics, and other belongings are typically protected under your policy’s coverage C (personal property), which is an entirely separate limit from ALE that often runs 50% to 70% of your dwelling coverage. Fortunately, spending down your ALE won’t affect this coverage.If your possessions are damaged in a fire, the amount you will receive depends on which option you chose, as listed in your policy: actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost. The former pays what the item was worth the moment before it burned, meaning replacement cost minus depreciation for wear and age; the latter pays what it costs to purchase a comparable new item today, which is why it’s preferred.“An ACV policy can leave a family tens of thousands of dollars short on contents alone,” Thompson added. “Let’s say you bought a sofa for $2,400 eight years ago. If you have ACV and your sofa is destroyed by fire, you might be reimbursed only $600 due to depreciation.”When Wildfire Smoke Makes Your Home UninhabitableImagine your home is completely spared from the flames but still suffers serious smoke and ash damage, making it unsafe and unlivable. That could lead to a dispute with your carrier over whether this qualifies as direct physical loss.“This is a tricky area because smoke and ash damage can be particularly complicated to evaluate,” Taylor noted. “How those losses are handled can depend heavily on the facts of the claim, the policy language, the adjuster, and the carrier.”ALE coverage in this scenario is commonly triggered when the home is uninhabitable from a covered peril, not by whether flames actually touched your house.“Many policies contain civil authority coverage that pays living expenses when a mandatory government evacuation order prohibits access to your home, but it is usually capped tightly, commonly two weeks to 30 days,” Thompson said. “Other deciding factors are habitability determination based on contamination, and medical necessity – documentation from a physician that a specific household member cannot safely occupy the residence.”What to Check Before Disaster Season EndsTo safeguard your financial interests, it’s best to be proactive now, before a potential fire may occur. The experts recommend these tips:Review your policy carefully. “Spend a few minutes reviewing your declarations page and loss of use section. Check your ALE limits and whether your belongings are covered at ACV or replacement cost,” Aumann advised. Then, increase coverage limits as needed, such as by opting for an extended ALE endorsement.Understand how your policy defines “uninhabitable.” Find the actual sentence in your policy, which may state something like the residence premises are “not fit to live in.” “Then, ask your carrier three questions,” Thompson said. “Does a mandatory evacuation order by itself trigger ALE, and for how long? Does smoke or ash contamination without structural burn trigger ALE, and what evidence do you require? And who makes the habitability determination, and will you accept an independent industrial hygienist’s assessment?”Know your fire risks. “If you’re in a high-risk area, or you know a disaster is bearing down, that’s a good moment to call your agent and ask them to walk through your ALE language in your specific policy,” Swanson suggested. “Ask questions about anything you don’t understand.”The Bigger Picture: Wildfire Risk Is SpreadingThe takeaway here isn't just about the fires making headlines. Wildfire activity has picked up well beyond the regions most people associate with it, which means your ALE coverage is worth a second look no matter where you live. The chart below shows how wildfire counts have shifted across U.S. regions over the past decade — and it's not just California driving the trend. TheZebra.com This story was produced by The Zebra and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The customer who never complains is costing you more than the one who does The customer who never complains is costing you more than the one who doesYour worst delivery experiences are probably not in your support queue. Instead, they are the “silent losses” that arise when customers churn rather than voice their complaints, ShipStation reports.“Some customers will let you know when they don’t receive a package. But then there are some who have a bad experience and never say anything—and those are the really dangerous ones, because when you never hear about it, you can’t do anything about it. That silent loss really hurts a business,” Brian Bianchetti, CEO of People’s Choice Beef Jerky, said at ShipStation Global’s Innovation Delivered.Every business has a support queue, a review page, and a rough sense of how often things go wrong. Almost nobody has a count of the customers who had a bad delivery, said nothing, and quietly moved on. They don’t churn loudly. They just stop appearing in your repeat-purchase numbers, and your dashboard reads it as normal attrition. That gap is the most expensive blind spot in the post-purchase customer experience, and it came up repeatedly in what ecommerce leaders told us about the state of delivery in 2026.The complaint is the most useful thing a customer can give youStart by reframing the customer who does reach out. That person is not the problem. They are still in the relationship.“They are now handing over not just their money to you as part of an order, but they’re handing you a bit of trust,” said Sham Aziz, Founder of thecxway, during the Turning Delivery Into a Brand Experience session. “They want to see that trust come back in the other direction. The question I have for brands is: Will you reinforce that decision, or will you make them regret it?”A complaint is one more chance to reinforce it, and recovery works better than most brands expect. Smart businesses use delivery as a competitive advantage. When things go wrong, they email customers the moment a parcel is predicted to run late, refund the delivery charge automatically, and assign a concierge from customer care.None of that is available with the silent customer. You can’t recover a failure you never learned about, and you can’t win back someone who never told you they left. So the complaint rate you find annoying is the only part of your failure rate you can act on. Treat it as a sample, not a total.Why the silent loss never shows up in your reportingMany brands measure delivery at the wrong level.“You often end up being either too macro and focused on overall brand: ‘Would you recommend our brand?’—or too micro, simply giving a score to the delivery experience,” said Aziz.Neither tells you whether the customer who clicked a broken tracking link for five days will come back.The damage rarely arrives as a single event. It builds as individual deviations go unnoticed because the evidence is scattered.“Sometimes the first thing that breaks isn’t actually shipping. It’s trust in the data. As brands scale, carriers, warehouses, and sales channels all start looking at different systems and getting different answers,” said Patrick Koehler, Founder and CEO of KD Global USA.The fix isn’t more reporting. It’s connecting the data that already exists. When exception data sits with logistics, reviews with marketing, and tickets with support, nobody sees the pattern connecting them.“The goal shouldn’t be more dashboards,” he said. “It’s about making sure everyone is working with the same version of reality.”Mine the feedback you already haveThe key to long-term success is turning your existing complaints into a diagnostic for the ones you never hear.“Start with the customers who’ve already told you there was a problem—the one- and two-star reviews mentioning shipping, poor NPS responses, and customer support tickets related to shipping,” said Dan Caldwell, Technology Partnerships at Klaviyo. “Go back and look at that customer’s messaging history. Did you message them proactively? Was that message received? Was it opened? What channel was it on?”Then sort what you find. If the customer never received the update, or got an email when they only read texts, that’s a fixable communication failure. If the delivery itself was bad, that’s a win-back list.The failures customers notice and never mentionSome breakdowns almost never generate a ticket. They generate a decision not to reorder.Consider the notification that fires before the package moves. A customer clicks a tracking link for five days before realizing the label had never reached the carrier. That notification should have been delayed until the parcel entered the mail stream, so the first click shows movement. Nobody writes in to report that. They just trust the next shipping email a little less—and every one of those emails is a brand touchpoint, not a system log.Carrier choice is quieter still. Bianchetti found that offering a choice of carrier, speed, and ship date moved retention, “because some customers genuinely dislike certain carriers. If that’s their only option, they’ll stop ordering from you.” They won’t explain that in an email.These are small breaches of an implied promise, and the customer quietly turns away.The signal hiding in your returns queueReturns are the one place an unhappy customer volunteers information, which means returns management is a growth tool rather than a cost line. It’s one of the reasons leading brands turn returns into revenue and loyalty.The queue itself is a diagnostic if you read it. Return reasons decode into specific fixes—size and fit complaints mean your guides are weak, quality concerns point at the product, “changed my mind” usually means your positioning oversold it, and damage means the packaging isn’t doing its job. This used to require forcing customers into structured reason codes and manually reading the results. Now the volume is the advantage.The payoff isn’t only diagnostic. A return handled well converts into an exchange, which means the customer stays and the revenue stays.That’s the whole argument for treating reverse logistics as a loyalty driver rather than a cost center: the customer who returns something is already deeply engaged with your brand. They browsed, bought, paid, received, and evaluated. Whether that engagement continues depends on what happens next.How to get started with surfacing silent churnClosing the gap starts with deciding who’s responsible for it, because in most organizations, nobody is.“Marketing owns everything up to checkout, and then they’re done. The logistics team ships the parcel, and then they’re done. Meanwhile, no one is communicating with the customer,” said Rick Watson, Founder of Watson Weekly.Caldwell saw the same gap from the marketing side: “It is way too common for the teams responsible for logistics, marketing, and customer support to not be working closely enough together.” Assigning an owner to the post-checkout touchpoint costs nothing and usually surfaces problems within a week.Next, pull your last 90 days of shipping-related reviews and tickets and check each against what you actually sent that customer. Delay notifications until the first carrier scan. Give shoppers a carrier and speed choice. Route anyone whose package is late into a retention flow instead of a cross-sell. Make returns self-service before volume forces the issue. Then change what you report on: on-time delivery rate won’t tell you how the relationship is holding, but repeat purchase rate, net promoter score (NPS), exception clusters, and post-delivery contact volume will.That’s where a centralized view earns its keep. You still have to act on it. But you can’t act on what you can’t see, and the customers who never complain are counting on you not to look.This story was produced by ShipStation and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Wildfires could displace you for months. Is your insurance ready? Wildfires could displace you for months. Is your insurance ready? Catastrophic wildfires have dominated headlines over the past few years, most prominently the Southern California fires in early 2025 that decimated over 6,800 homes and damaged nearly 1,000 more. But it isn’t just Golden Staters and homeowners who live near forests and mountains who are at risk. Since 2025, wildfires have destroyed hundreds more residences in blazes from Oklahoma and Nebraska to Florida and Georgia and, in recent weeks, Oregon. Wherever you live, it’s crucial to have homeowners insurance that covers the costs of rebuilding or repairing your dwelling and replacing your possessions if a fire destroys them. Your policy should also provide loss of use coverage, also referred to as additional living expense (ALE), which pays you back when you have to pay out-of-pocket for things like temporary housing and food while you are displaced. The problem is, your ALE coverage may not be sufficient or clearly understood when you need it most. TheZebra.com took a closer look at why and what you need to ensure you and your family are properly covered. Alarming Statistics As of Sept. 4, firefighters have responded to 52,939 wildfires that have burned more than 8.2 million acres across the United States this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That means 2026 has already reached 125% of the 10-year average for fires in one year. What Loss of Use Coverage Actually Is (and Isn’t) ALE coverage helps pay for additional expenses you incur after your home becomes unlivable. This can include costs like a hotel or Airbnb stay, restaurant meals, transportation to work and school, and even pet boarding while your home is being rebuilt or repaired. “Most policies cap ALE as a percentage of the dwelling coverage limit, usually somewhere in the 20% to 30% range, although some carriers structure it as a separate flat limit instead,” explained Beth Swanson, insurance analyst with The Zebra. “ALE coverage generally kicks in once a covered peril makes the home uninhabitable, not simply inconvenient to live in. And time limits tend to be tied to a reasonable time to repair or rebuild, rather than a strict calendar cutoff, although some policies do include caps in the 12- to 24-month range.” Brandi Richard Thompson, a former Federal Emergency Management Agency official who now educates families about emergency preparedness, cautions that ALE is not a second income or a rent-free check. “It pays the difference between what your life cost before the fire and what your life costs after it, which means your ordinary grocery bills and utility bills aren’t covered – only the increase is,” Thompson explained. In other words, ALE only covers the extra expenses directly caused by your displacement. Normal, ongoing bills and costs remain your responsibility. When You Overextend Your Stay Displacement due to a fire can complicate ALE matters. That’s because the process of scoping (inspecting) a major fire loss by an adjuster (the professional assigned to investigate and resolve the insurance claim on behalf of you or your carrier) can often take several months, not including the time it takes to repair or rebuild. “Let’s say you have $500,000 in dwelling coverage and $50,000 in ALE coverage that’s capped to last 12 months,” said Jennifer Taylor, a public adjuster and CEO/founder of Claim Ready. “If your additional living expenses and costs to stay at a hotel total $5,000 per month, that $50,000 will only last 10 months. But if it takes eight months to agree on the scope and final rebuild estimate before reconstruction even starts, you may have already used a significant portion of your ALE. A major rebuild could take many months beyond that.” Once your ALE coverage expires or you’ve exhausted the maximum dollar cap, you’re responsible for paying all ALE-related expenses. The Mortgage Misconception Nobody Mentions Many homeowners are also surprised to learn that ALE protection won’t cover your mortgage payments, even though you won’t be living in your home during this time. “This can put your family in a tough spot because you may have to keep paying your mortgage while also covering a hotel or rental,” said Joy Aumann, a Southern California real estate agent who has represented families displaced by wildfires. “You may also have to pay certain costs out-of-pocket first and then get reimbursed by your insurance company later.” What Happens to Your Stuff Your clothes, furniture, portable consumer electronics, and other belongings are typically protected under your policy’s coverage C (personal property), which is an entirely separate limit from ALE that often runs 50% to 70% of your dwelling coverage. Fortunately, spending down your ALE won’t affect this coverage. If your possessions are damaged in a fire, the amount you will receive depends on which option you chose, as listed in your policy: actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost. The former pays what the item was worth the moment before it burned, meaning replacement cost minus depreciation for wear and age; the latter pays what it costs to purchase a comparable new item today, which is why it’s preferred. “An ACV policy can leave a family tens of thousands of dollars short on contents alone,” Thompson added. “Let’s say you bought a sofa for $2,400 eight years ago. If you have ACV and your sofa is destroyed by fire, you might be reimbursed only $600 due to depreciation.” When Wildfire Smoke Makes Your Home Uninhabitable Imagine your home is completely spared from the flames but still suffers serious smoke and ash damage, making it unsafe and unlivable. That could lead to a dispute with your carrier over whether this qualifies as direct physical loss. “This is a tricky area because smoke and ash damage can be particularly complicated to evaluate,” Taylor noted. “How those losses are handled can depend heavily on the facts of the claim, the policy language, the adjuster, and the carrier.” ALE coverage in this scenario is commonly triggered when the home is uninhabitable from a covered peril, not by whether flames actually touched your house. “Many policies contain civil authority coverage that pays living expenses when a mandatory government evacuation order prohibits access to your home, but it is usually capped tightly, commonly two weeks to 30 days,” Thompson said. “Other deciding factors are habitability determination based on contamination, and medical necessity – documentation from a physician that a specific household member cannot safely occupy the residence.” What to Check Before Disaster Season Ends To safeguard your financial interests, it’s best to be proactive now, before a potential fire may occur. The experts recommend these tips: Review your policy carefully. “Spend a few minutes reviewing your declarations page and loss of use section. Check your ALE limits and whether your belongings are covered at ACV or replacement cost,” Aumann advised. Then, increase coverage limits as needed, such as by opting for an extended ALE endorsement. Understand how your policy defines “uninhabitable.” Find the actual sentence in your policy, which may state something like the residence premises are “not fit to live in.” “Then, ask your carrier three questions,” Thompson said. “Does a mandatory evacuation order by itself trigger ALE, and for how long? Does smoke or ash contamination without structural burn trigger ALE, and what evidence do you require? And who makes the habitability determination, and will you accept an independent industrial hygienist’s assessment?” Know your fire risks. “If you’re in a high-risk area, or you know a disaster is bearing down, that’s a good moment to call your agent and ask them to walk through your ALE language in your specific policy,” Swanson suggested. “Ask questions about anything you don’t understand.” The Bigger Picture: Wildfire Risk Is Spreading The takeaway here isn't just about the fires making headlines. Wildfire activity has picked up well beyond the regions most people associate with it, which means your ALE coverage is worth a second look no matter where you live. The chart below shows how wildfire counts have shifted across U.S. regions over the past decade — and it's not just California driving the trend. TheZebra.com This story was produced by The Zebra and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Does rest or rust win out? What advanced NFL stats reveal about returning teams Does rest or rust win out? What advanced NFL stats reveal about returning teamsIn the NFL, wear and tear is incredibly prevalent, so teams that have more rest should be at an advantage.Topline numbers from the 2025 season do not bear that out, though, as teams were essentially .500 coming off a bye or entering a game with any significant rest advantage.Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll see that average performance does improve with rest league-wide, and at a level that makes the results incredibly confusing — possibly even misleading, SBD reports.NFL teams were near .500 both straight up and against the spread with a rest advantage in 2025EPA splits still showed better performance for teams coming off a byeElite teams and bottom feeders made the biggest jumps after long restThe NFL Post-Bye EPA vs. Record GapNFL teams were 17-15 coming off a bye in 2025. If you’re doing research before placing a wager on any NFL betting apps, that’s basically a toss-away number as it doesn’t show any trend.Final results show that basically all rest-advantage numbers from this past season resulted in a coin flip. SBD When it comes to EPA per play, teams, on average, drastically outperformed their season averages when coming off a bye, suggesting those baseline numbers should have been far different.For the season, the league average EPA +/-, or gap between their offensive EPA and EPA allowed, was -0.0008, or nearly flat. Coming off a bye, that league average number jumped to 0.09.NFL EPA Numbers Skyrocket Following ByeNineteen of the league’s 32 teams had a positive EPA per play plus-minus following their bye, suggesting they outperformed their opponent. That’s already an overperformance of the 17-15 record, although slight.But 21 teams overperformed post bye based on their season-long EPA plus-minus. That’s more than two-thirds of the league. SBD Biggest Post-Bye OverperformersThe teams that outpaced their season performance the most following their bye tended to fit in two categories: really good team or really bad team.The Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks were the No. 1, 3 and 5 overperformers after their bye. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, and Las Vegas Raiders also found themselves within the top-10.For the best teams, this makes perfect sense. Their overall strengths became stronger with rest, and were even more pronounced. For the bottom feeders, meanwhile, extra time was able to give them more opportunity to mask deficiencies.The Seahawks are an interesting case, as they kind of represent both sides. Their season-long offensive EPA was middle of the pack, ranked 14th in the league. But post bye, it was the best in the league, jumping from 0.036 to 0.45.There you have a team that’s elite on one side of the ball with deficiencies on the other, becoming elite on both. Kind of sounds like a recipe for a Super Bowl title following an extra week off.NFL Teams That Underperformed After the ByeNot every team improved with the rest, of course. Some actually got quite a bit worse.The Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals were the two biggest underperformers post bye, which isn’t all that surprising. Having the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars follow them, however, is.Minnesota actually matched its offensive output, but went from -0.087 per play defensively throughout the season to 0.25 after the bye. Cincinnati, meanwhile, stayed consistent on defense, but dropped from 0.012 to -0.18 offensively.For these teams, their supposed strength let them down while their flaws remained, well, flawed.Offenses Benefit Most From Bye WeekTeams improved on both sides of the ball, on average, after the bye. But the jump for offenses was immense, suggesting the extra time off advantages offensive play-callers.The league average jumped from 0.013 throughout the season to 0.074 after the bye.Post-bye defense also improved, going from 0.014 to -0.017, just not on pace with offensive overperformance.It’s mostly the best offenses getting better, too. The Bills, Bears, Rams, 49ers, Patriots and Packers were all among the top eight following the bye, and all were among the top eight throughout the season.What Do Bye Week, Rest Advantage Numbers Mean for NFL Betting?Blanket betting on teams to win or cover coming out of their bye this past season would not have been very profitable, as the top line records show.But the advanced stats do show there are opportunities to pounce with these trends:The best teams get better. With rest and extra preparation, elite teams are going overperform even their high standards, strengthening current strengths and finding ways to paper over or fix flaws.The worst teams get better, too. Extra time to prepare means extra time to mask deficiencies.Both sides of the ball get better, but offenses see a much bigger spike, especially offenses that are already among the best in the league.NFL Teams Playing the Most Games With a Rest DisadvantageEvery team gets just one bye, of course, so those numbers don’t factor in much for NFL futures odds.Unless, you look at it from the other side.The Los Angeles Chargers will play six games against an opponent that has a rest advantage of at least three days, which is the most in the league. Three of those are against a team coming off a bye (Chiefs, Texans and Raiders).That might already be baked into the Chargers season win total number, as they’re listed at 9.5 by theScore Bet. Here are the teams with the most games against rested opponents in 2026, and their win totals, all from theScore Bet: SBD This story was produced by SBD using Sportradar data and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	First-time homebuyers are 'optimistic,' open to new paths to homeownership First-time homebuyers are ‘optimistic,’ open to new paths to homeownershipAffordability pressures are driving aspiring homebuyers to make significant tradeoffs on their path to purchase, according to an annual TD survey of Americans planning to buy their first home in 2026. With elevated interest rates, broader economic uncertainty, and limited inventory, first-time buyers are increasingly open to non-traditional financing and finding alternative funding sources to make homeownership a reality.Based on the survey of 1,003 U.S. adults who have never owned a house and plan to buy their first home in 2026, first-time homebuyers would consider the following financial strategies:Seventy-four percent would consider a 50-year mortgage.Seventy-eight percent of younger millennials and 74% of Gen Z would use their 401(k) for a home purchase if allowed.Fifty percent would buy a fixer-upper.Sixty-seven percent plan to receive financial support from family/loved ones (higher for younger millennials and Gen Z).As TD reports, first-time homebuyers are making financial sacrifices and focusing on budgeting to purchase a home.Interest rates (29%) and affordability (28%) are the top barriers to purchasing a home for first-time buyers.Thirty-one percent have reduced or stopped contributing to retirement accounts.Fifty-four percent anticipate spending between 26% and 35% of their monthly income on mortgage payments (up from 48% in 2025).Optimism, but on a delayed timelineA majority (81%) of first-time homebuyers remain optimistic about the market, and they are not backing down.However, the timeline for homeownership is shifting for today’s first-time homebuyers.Median age for first-time buyers is 40, but Gen Z aims for younger ages (46% expect to buy between 25-29).Eighty-one percent believe homeownership is a smart long-term investment.Fifty-eight percent expect to live in their home for more than 10 years (up from 51% in 2025).Credit as a financial-readiness indicatorFirst-time homebuyers are preparing more deliberately for their purchase than in previous years, taking steps to improve financial readiness and plan ahead. Many are increasingly focused on their credit report, using it as a tool to strengthen their financial foundation.Buyers are actively monitoring and improving their credit by making on-time payments (70%), checking for errors (59%), and paying down debt (57%). Fifty-five percent have created a homeownership budget (up from 48% in 2025).Guidance and trusted resources remain criticalMany first-time homebuyers said they need greater clarity on the home purchase process, highlighting the growing complexity of navigating today’s market.Buyers want more information on affordability, insurance, property taxes, and closing costs. Only 27% have spoken with a mortgage lender; only 22% have secured pre-qualification/pre-approval.Survey MethodologyThis CARAVAN survey was conducted by Big Village among a sample of 1,003 U.S. adults who have never owned a house and plan to buy their first home in 2026. Half of the respondents (N=501) reside in the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. In addition, 255 interviews were conducted among low- to moderate-income respondents, defined on a per-state basis as having household income within 50% to 80% of the median family income for that state.This story was produced by TD and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	When does refinancing a car loan make sense? 5 scenarios to consider When does refinancing a car loan make sense? 5 scenarios to considerFinancing a car can be a confusing experience, and it often leads drivers to choose a deal they later regret or overpay on. Refinancing their auto loan has emerged as a way for drivers to get some of that money back each month. The total value of refinanced car loans reached $3.4 billion at the start of 2026, up 79% from two years earlier, according to Experian, a sign that more Americans are catching on to the savings sitting in their driveway. But not everyone knows how refinancing works or whether it makes sense for them.Caribou breaks down five ways auto refinancing can support bigger financial goals. A lower monthly payment is often the first thing drivers think of, but it's just one of several possible outcomes. Depending on the offer, refinancing could help a driver reduce interest, pay off a car sooner, create more room in their monthly budget, or put money toward another financial goal.1. Reduce the cost of your car loanA lower annual percentage rate (APR) means less of each payment goes toward interest. Depending on your balance and remaining loan term, that could lower your monthly payment, reduce your total interest, or help with both.A better rate may also give you the option to choose a shorter term while keeping your payment close to what you pay today. That could help you finish the loan sooner without placing significantly more pressure on your monthly budget.2. Pay off your car soonerRefinancing isn’t only about finding the lowest possible payment. Some drivers use a lower rate to shorten their repayment timeline.That’s what Ohio driver Phillip Semple said was his motivation for refinancing. “My big thing was dropping the interest rate so I could pay off the loan faster, which will work out a lot better for me long term.”A shorter term could help you become debt-free sooner and reduce the amount of interest you pay. Compare the new payment with your current budget so you know the amount will remain manageable from month to month.3. Create room for everyday expensesCar payments compete with groceries, utilities, insurance, childcare, gas, and other regular expenses. Lowering the payment could give your monthly budget more breathing room. In Caribou’s 2026 survey of 2,000 auto loan borrowers, if they could save $150 a month on their car payment, 56% of respondents said they’d use it to cover everyday expenses like gas and groceries.The amount may feel small at first, but consistent monthly savings could make it easier to cover changing costs without relying as heavily on a credit card or dipping into savings.4. Put more toward higher-interest debtIf refinancing lowers your car payment, you could redirect the difference toward debt with a higher interest rate.For example, someone who saves $100 a month on a car payment could apply that $100 to a credit card balance. The car refinance doesn’t eliminate the other debt, but it could free up money to help pay it down faster.Omar Pena, a car owner from California, said a "beginner level" credit history meant he got a higher rate at the dealership. Now he's using the extra money from refinancing to tackle other debt and build his credit. “The savings will definitely help me pay off my other credit cards, which is going to help me reach my credit goals.”5. Build savings for what comes nextMonthly savings could also support a future goal. That might mean building an emergency fund, preparing for college costs, planning a trip, or saving toward a down payment on a home.Joshua Piechur, who refinanced his Hyundai Santa Fe, explained how he’s using the extra funds for travel. “I have plans to go to Peru next summer to do hiking, and the savings will be for the trip.”The key is to give the savings a purpose. An automatic transfer to a separate savings account could help turn a lower car payment into steady progress.When refinancing may not make senseRefinancing can be helpful, but it’s not the right choice for every borrower.It may not be worth it if you’re already close to paying off your loan. At that point, you may not have enough remaining interest to save much by refinancing.It may also be risky if you owe more than your car is worth. This is often called being upside down or having negative equity. If that’s your situation, lenders may be less likely to approve the refinance, or the new loan may not improve your financial position.Refinancing may also not make sense if the only way to lower your monthly payment is to stretch the loan much longer than you are comfortable. It can help in the short term, but it may increase the total amount you pay in interest.If you recently bought your car, timing can matter, too. Some borrowers may be able to refinance soon after purchase, but it helps to understand how soon you can refinance a car loan before applying.How to know if refinancing is worth itTo decide whether refinancing makes sense, compare your current loan with the new offer side by side.Look at:Current APR vs. new APRCurrent monthly payment vs. new monthly paymentRemaining loan balanceNew loan termTotal interest you’d payAny fees tied to the new loanThe lowest monthly payment isn’t always the best deal. A refinance offer may lower your payment by extending the loan, but that could mean paying more interest overall.To get a clearer picture, compare the full cost of the loan, not just the monthly savings. Use a refinance calculator to estimate how much you may be able to save on your car loan.Can you refinance with bad credit?It may still be possible to refinance with bad credit, but your options could be more limited. Lenders may offer higher rates, stricter terms or require certain vehicle and income qualifications.If your credit has improved even a little since you first got your loan, refinancing may still be worth checking. But if your credit has dropped, waiting and working on your score first may help you qualify for a better offer later.Look beyond the monthly paymentRefinancing your car loan may make sense if it helps you get a lower rate, lower payment, shorter term or better loan setup. It can also help if your credit has improved.But don’t make the decision based on the monthly payment alone. Compare the APR, loan term, fees and total interest before choosing a new offer. The right refinance should make your loan easier to manage without costing you more than necessary.This story was produced by Caribou and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Ben Leischner joins Moline Regional Community Foundation Board of Directors Moline Regional Community Foundation (MRCF) has announced that Ben Leischner is joining its Board of Directors. "Ben brings a wealth of personal and professional experience that will help guide the Foundation's vital philanthropic work throughout our community," said Paul Plagenz, President and CEO of MRCF. Leischner joined the Quad Cities International Airport (QCIA) as Executive [...]
	Top 10 states with the highest sales tax rates in 2026 Top 10 states with the highest sales tax rates in 2026Running a small business is thrilling, but navigating sales tax means crunching numbers and understanding regulations.You must calculate and charge sales tax for each purchase when your business sells something. The sales tax rates vary by state and by location within the state. While some states only have sales tax at a state level, others also have different rates depending on your city or county, leading to a higher combined sales tax rate.Sales tax rates vary significantly from state to state. Intuit QuickBooks compiled a list of the 10 states with the highest sales tax rates in 2026.1. LouisianaLouisiana currently holds the title for the highest average combined sales tax rate in the nation, at 10.11%. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the state rate increased to 5% as part of a broader tax overhaul, and this rate is scheduled to remain in place through 2029.Depending on your parish or city, customers may pay a significant local tax on top of the state rate. In many areas, such as Monroe and parts of New Orleans, the combined rate easily exceeds 10%, with some specific taxing districts reaching as high as 12.5% to 13.5%.Louisiana also has special local taxes that apply to specific transactions, including hotel occupancy, car rentals, and telecommunications. One of the most unique aspects of the state's system is its complexity. Rates can vary not just by parish, but by specific shopping centers or economic development districts.2. TennesseeTennessee's state sales tax is 7.00% but it has one of the highest combined tax rates. The local sales tax rate ranges from 1.5% to 2.75%, with the combined local and state rates reaching 9.75%.If you have a business in Tennessee, you may have to charge the highest combined sales tax rate, as most counties charge an additional 2.75% on top of the state taxes. However, some goods such as gasoline, textbooks, school meals, and health care products are not subject to sales tax.A key point of contention in 2026 is the grocery tax. Unlike many neighboring states, Tennessee still taxes groceries at a state rate of 4% plus local taxes. However, new legislative efforts like the "End the Grocery Tax Act" are currently being debated to provide relief to residents.3. WashingtonWashington is often a surprise for business owners because it carries the fourth-highest average combined sales tax rate in the country at 9.51%. While the statewide rate has remained steady at 6.5%, local jurisdictions have been increasingly active in raising rates to fund transit and local services.In many major hubs, the tax burden is even higher. For example, as of 2026, the minimum combined rate in Seattle is 10.55%. Because Washington does not have a personal income tax, the state relies heavily on these consumption-based taxes and the Business & Occupation (B&O) tax to fund its budget.Washington has also recently expanded its sales tax base. As of late 2025 and into 2026, several services that were previously exempt (including digital advertising, custom software development, and temporary staffing services) are now subject to retail sales tax, making it a critical area for business compliance.4. ArkansasArkansas currently holds the third-highest average combined sales tax rate in the country at 9.46%. While the state rate is 6.5%, the heavy reliance on local city and county taxes creates significant variation; in some municipalities, the combined total can reach as high as 12.625%.A major shift for 2026 is the implementation of the Grocery Tax Relief Act. As of Jan. 1, 2026, the state-level sales tax on unprepared food (groceries) has been removed, dropping from its previous reduced rate to 0%. Note that local jurisdictions may still apply their own taxes to these items, so the receipt tax total may not be exactly zero.For business owners in the agricultural sector, the state launched a new Farmers Sales Tax Exemption Card in January 2026. This card simplifies the process of claiming exemptions at the point of sale for essential items like tractors, seed, and fertilizer, reducing the administrative burden on local producers.5. AlabamaAlabama ranks high due to aggressive local taxation. While the state rate is just 4%, heavy city and county additions push the average combined rate to 9.46%, with some areas exceeding 11%.To simplify compliance, out-of-state sellers can use the Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT). This program allows eligible remote businesses to collect a flat 8% tax on all Alabama sales, regardless of the local jurisdiction's specific rate.For 2026, Alabama has introduced significant relief on essentials. The state sales tax on groceries dropped to 2% in late 2025. Additionally, a temporary state tax exemption is currently active through 2028 for baby supplies (diapers, formula) and maternity clothing.6. OklahomaOklahoma climbs into the top 10 with a combined average rate of 9.06%. While the state’s base rate is a relatively low 4.5%, Oklahoma is known for significant local surcharges. In certain municipalities, the combination of city and county taxes can push the total rate as high as 11.5%.The most significant change for 2026 is the full stabilization of the state’s grocery tax elimination. As of late 2024, Oklahoma eliminated the 4.5% state sales tax on food and food ingredients.However, much like in Kansas, this relief only applies to the state portion; local jurisdictions still have the authority to levy their full sales tax rates on groceries. Business owners should also note that this exemption does not cover prepared foods, alcoholic beverages, or dietary supplements.Oklahoma follows a destination-based sourcing rule, meaning sales tax is calculated based on where the product is delivered. For remote sellers, the state maintains a straightforward economic nexus threshold: You must register and collect tax if your taxable sales into the state exceed $100,000 in the current or previous calendar year.Notably, Oklahoma does not use a transaction count (like the 200-transaction rule) to trigger nexus, simplifying compliance for low-cost, high-volume sellers.7. CaliforniaCalifornia holds the highest base state sales tax rate in the country at 7.25%. This base rate is a combination of a 6% state levy and a mandatory 1.25% local rate that supports city and county operations. Because of this high floor, no location in California has a tax rate lower than 7.25%.Local jurisdictions frequently add district taxes for transportation, public safety, or housing, pushing the average combined rate to 8.99%. In highly populated areas like Los Angeles and Long Beach, the total rate reaches 9.75% to 10.5%, with some specific cities peaking at 11.25%.A significant update for 2026 is the introduction of the Covered Battery-Embedded (CBE) Waste Recycling Fee. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, retailers must collect a 1.5% fee (capped at $15) on products with nonremovable batteries, such as certain smartphones and small electronics.Additionally, small businesses in San Francisco may see relief as new local rules have increased the gross receipts tax exemption threshold to $5 million.8. IllinoisIllinois is a complex state for business owners because it uses a destination-based tax system for most sales. While the base state rate is 6.25%, local additions in cities like Chicago push the combined rate to 10.5%, among the highest in the country.A major shift for 2026 is the total elimination of the 1% statewide grocery tax as of Jan. 1. However, many municipalities have opted to keep their own 1% local grocery tax to maintain revenue. This means that, depending on the city, you may see a tax decrease on groceries, or the rate may remain exactly the same but be reclassified as a local tax.Another key 2026 update is the removal of the 200-transaction threshold for economic nexus. Remote sellers now only need to track if they exceed $100,000 in gross retail sales to Illinois customers. If you cross that dollar amount, you are required to collect and remit taxes at the local rate of the delivery address.9. KansasKansas remains a high-tax state with a combined average rate of 8.78%, though this can fluctuate significantly depending on your specific district. While the state rate is 6.5%, some local areas can see total rates climbing above 11%.The biggest change for 2026 is the full implementation of the Axe the Food Tax legislation. As of Jan. 1, 2025, the state-level sales tax on groceries (food and food ingredients) was reduced to 0%. It is important to remember that this is a state-level reduction only; cities and counties can still levy their full sales tax rates on a grocery bill.Kansas is also unique in how it treats digital products. While many states are moving to tax streaming and cloud services, Kansas generally treats software as a service (SaaS) and custom software as exempt. However, if you sell "prewritten" software that is downloaded or delivered on a tangible medium, it remains fully taxable at the combined rate.10. New YorkNew York often surprises business owners because while the state rate is a low 4%, local surcharges are significant. The average combined rate sits at 8.54%, but in New York City and surrounding counties, the rate hits 8.875%. This includes a 0.375% surcharge for the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD).As of 2026, New York continues to treat SaaS and prewritten software as taxable tangible property. However, it's one of the few high-tax states where most digital goods, like e-books or streamed music, are tax-exempt unless you sell them in tangible form.New York is also famous for its "clothing threshold." Clothing and footwear sold for less than $110 per item are exempt from the 4% state tax year-round. While many counties follow this lead, some still collect their local portion of the tax on these items, so it's vital to check the specific jurisdiction.Find peace of mind come tax timeAfter looking at the 10 states with the highest sales tax rates, you can see that sales tax rates vary widely across the U.S. To ensure your business stays compliant with sales tax laws, review the regulations in your area, apply for a sales tax license, and file them on time.This story was produced by Intuit QuickBooks and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Locked out: How the housing affordability crisis is reshaping life plans Locked out: How the housing affordability crisis is reshaping life plansIn a new survey of 1,000 U.S. adults commissioned by Independent Lending, 70% said housing costs have forced them to delay or change at least one major life decision. Marriage, children, careers and even pets are being rescheduled around a purchase that keeps sliding further away.The finding lands in a market where the typical first-time buyer is now 40 years old, the oldest on record according to the National Association of Realtors. It echoes what Harris Poll research for Coldwell Banker found among aspiring homeowners last year. The delay itself is no longer news to anyone living it.What’s new is where respondents point the finger. Asked who bears the most responsibility for the affordability crisis, 38% named the federal government, while the explanation housing economists cite most, restrictive zoning, drew just 10%. The public and the experts are working from different diagnoses, and any proposed fix has to contend with that gap before it can contend with prices.Key findings 70% of adults surveyed have delayed or changed a major life decision because of housing costs12% have turned down or avoided a job that would have required relocating63% are not confident they can buy a home within the next two years30% don’t expect to ever own a home, and 73% see homeownership as distant or impossible69% have cut back on something to save for a home60% say housing affordability is a significant or enormous source of financial stress, rising to 71% among parents with children under 1838% hold the federal government most responsible for the affordability crisis, while explanations favored by housing economists barely register The most common response is staying put Independent Lending When housing costs collide with life plans, the result is usually inertia rather than a dramatic pivot. The single most common consequence in the survey: 37% of respondents have stayed in a living situation they’re unhappy with because moving costs too much.Another 25% have moved in with family or friends to save money. And 15% decided against getting a pet because of housing restrictions or costs, a small decision that says something large about how thoroughly rent and home prices now govern daily choices.This is part of why the life-plan freeze gets less coverage than price charts do. A canceled move doesn’t show up in transaction data. Someone staying in an apartment they’ve outgrown looks, from the outside, like stability.Housing costs are quietly taxing the labor market Independent Lending One in eight respondents, 12%, have turned down or avoided a job that would have required relocating, specifically because of housing costs.That’s a job-market problem wearing a housing costume. Workers who can’t afford to move can’t chase better wages, and employers in expensive metros lose access to candidates who would otherwise come. Add the 25% who moved in with family or friends, and housing costs are visibly redrawing the map of where people can live and work. Confidence has collapsed, and not where you’d expect Independent Lending Asked how confident they are about buying a home within the next two years, 63% of respondents say they are not very confident (28%) or not confident at all (35%). Just 12% call themselves very confident. Few splits in the data run wider. Among White respondents (n=521), 73% lack confidence in buying within two years. Among Black respondents (n=276), the figure is 47%, a 26-point difference. The survey measured confidence, not the reasons behind it, but the size of the split stands out in a dataset where most demographic differences run far narrower. For nearly a third, the timeline now ends at never Independent Lending Asked at what age they realistically expect to buy their first home, 30% of respondents answered that they don’t expect to ever own one. Another 43% expect to buy at 41 or later. Combined, 73% see homeownership as either distant or out of reach entirely. Only 6% expect to buy before 30.The share saying never climbs with age: 42% of Gen X respondents don’t expect to ever own, against 20% of Millennials. Each year of waiting appears to harden into expectation. NAR’s record-high first-time buyer age of 40 gives that expectation a real-world anchor. Saving for a home means cutting into the present Independent Lending Chasing a down payment has a price of its own. Fully 69% of respondents have cut back on or delayed something to save for a home. The most common sacrifices are the extras: dining out or entertainment (43%), travel or vacations (39%) and buying or replacing a vehicle (30%).The strain shows. Sixty percent say the housing affordability crisis has affected their financial stress significantly or enormously over the past year, and 29% call it one of the biggest sources of stress in their life. Parents carry the heaviest load: Among respondents with children under 18, 71% report significant or enormous stress, compared with 50% of those with adult children living in the home.The public blames Washington. Economists mostly don’t. Independent Lending Respondents were told that Federal Housing Finance Agency data shows U.S. home prices rose approximately 61% from late 2019 through early 2026, then asked who they hold most responsible. The single largest share, 38%, named the federal government. The ordering holds across income groups, with the federal government drawing between 38% and 39% in every income band large enough to report.The explanations housing economists most often cite sit near the bottom of the list:State and local governments and zoning policies: 10%Real estate developers: 6%Wall Street and institutional buyers: 6%The Federal Reserve: 4%Homeowners who oppose new construction: 4%Combined, all five drew 29%, less than the federal government alone. Another 34% declined to single anyone out, choosing “multiple groups equally.”That ordering runs against other recent polling. The America First Policy Institute’s January 2026 housing survey asked voters to rank six groups by responsibility, a different question format. State and local government bureaucrats came out on top: 28% ranked them first, the highest of any group tested. The public’s diagnosis and the policy debate aren’t happening in the same room. Any durable fix will have to close that gap first.Summary The American Dream of homeownership hasn’t been abandoned. It’s been rescheduled, and for a growing share of people, indefinitely. Seven in 10 adults surveyed are living some version of a postponed life: the apartment they’ve outgrown, the job they didn’t take.What the data captures is a generation of decisions being made in the waiting room. People are still cutting back and still organizing their lives around a purchase they may never complete. That persistence is its own finding.The desire to own hasn’t dimmed nearly as much as the belief that owning is possible, and the distance between those two things is where the next chapter of this story will be written.MethodologyTo understand how Americans approach homeownership in today’s market, Independent Lending surveyed 1,000 adults across the country via Pollfish in August 2026. Participants answered questions about how housing costs have shaped their life decisions, savings habits, stress levels and expectations around buying a home. Responses were analyzed by demographic groups to identify trends and disparities. The sample is 69.5% female and skews lower-income, with 45% reporting household income under $25,000. Findings represent survey respondents rather than a weighted general-population benchmark.This story was produced by Independent Lending and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Robert Townsend reschedules show in Galesburg The Orpheum Theatre has announced that the upcoming performance of Robert Townsend’s "Living The Shuffle," originally scheduled for Oct. 3, 2026, has been rescheduled toSaturday, April 17, 2027, a news release says. The schedule change comes as Townsend accepts a directing role for a new feature film.Production on the feature begins in September and is [...]
	Greetings from Paris, where the 2024 Olympics balloon rises again The floating Olympic cauldron, held aloft by a giant glowing balloon, is still making regular appearances two years after the 2024 Paris Games, showing up all summer long in the nighttime Paris sky.
	A new Anthropic model seeks to test how AI could impact the U.S. economy Will artificial intelligence nibble around the edges of the economy or upend it altogether? A new, interactive model from Anthropic lets people tests their assumptions.
	How can you recover financially after a summer of spending? How can you recover financially after a summer of spending?If summer spending left your budget stretched thin, you're not alone. Whether it was a water park, an outdoor concert or sporting event, or some air conditioning at the movie theater, summer fun costs money. Heading into the summer, research from PwC found that on average, Americans planned to spend $2,800 on travel alone. Tack on a dinner out here and a boat rental there, and it's easy to see why fall feels like the right time to tighten things up.Five small financial challenges can help you reset this fall, reports Current, a consumer fintech banking platform. Each one is a specific, achievable action rather than a total overhaul, so you can rebuild your savings without feeling like you're limiting yourself too much. They are:Canceling one subscription you're not usingFinding a way to earn a higher savings rateTrimming $30 to $100 from your spending with a revamped budgetBoosting your 401(k) savings rate by 1%Maxing out your Roth IRA contributionsHow much could canceling one subscription save you?Nowadays, many of us pay monthly subscriptions for everything from food delivery apps to streaming services to gym memberships. But if you’re not careful, those subscriptions can add up quickly — and you may not even be taking advantage of all of them. CNET recently found that adults in the US are wasting $252 annually on subscriptions they’re not using.Take a few minutes to look over your last credit card statement and identify one subscription that you’re either not using, don’t need or could downgrade for a lower price.How can you earn a higher rate on your savings?Growing your balances doesn't necessarily mean spending less. You can also move your money into savings products that pay higher yields than wherever your cash sits now."With rates being higher than we were accustomed to over the past decade, your idle cash should be earning a competitive interest rate," says Trenton Leffingwell, an investment advisor at Titleist Asset Management. "While it may not be an ideal time to take out a mortgage or new car loan, at least you can take advantage of the idle cash you have sitting in savings rather than the bank giving you pennies on the dollar."You have several options, including purchasing short-term Treasuries, or opening a certificate of deposit (CD) or high-yield savings account.How do you trim $30 to $100 a month with a revamped budget?Now that summer is over, you may want to spend your money differently. If you haven’t been budgeting, putting a cap on your “fun money” — money you spend on discretionary items such as theater tickets and happy hours — is a good place to start.You can revamp your budget simply with a pen and paper or spreadsheet by going through your bank statements to determine how much you’re currently spending, and then making adjustments. Plenty of banking service providers come with budgeting tools online and in their apps), or you can use a budgeting-specific app if you need some extra help. Even managing to lower your spending by $30 per month will add up to $360 by the end of the year. Cut $100 per month from your spending and you’ll save $1,200 throughout the year.Why should you boost your 401(k) savings rate by 1%?Even a 1% increase to your 401(k) or a similar employer-sponsored retirement plan can make a meaningful difference over time. Retirement may not feel like a priority when you're decades away from saying goodbye to your day job, but saving now and letting that money grow is key."Many investors underestimate how powerful incremental savings increases can be," says Brian Carlson, partner and financial planner at Summit Investment Advisors. He offers this example: a 30-year-old who contributes just $25 more per week to their 401(k) is investing an additional $1,300 per year. Assuming an average annual return of 7%, those small additional weekly contributions could grow to approximately $180,000 by age 65."Consistently raising your contribution by 1% whenever you receive a raise can potentially add hundreds of thousands of dollars to your retirement nest egg while helping offset inflation and future spending needs," Carlson says. Plus, the money never hits your bank account, which makes it much easier not to spend.Are you maxing out your Roth IRA contributions?If you're contributing to a Roth individual retirement account (IRA) on top of a 401(k), that's great. But many people make a common mistake, Leffingwell says: They treat their Roth IRAs as if they're on "auto-pilot" and never raise their contributions as the IRS limits increase.A lot of people still have contributions aligned with IRS limits from previous years, such as $500 per month based on when there was a $6,000 annual limit, Leffingwell says. The limit has since increased, and you can now contribute $7,500 per year, or $625 per month."The extra $125 per month might not seem like much, but compounded over 30 years makes a significant difference," he adds.This story was produced by Current and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Who would win the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards if the data decided? Who would win the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards if the data decided?The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will take place Sept. 27 in Los Angeles, with fans voting for winners across categories including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. Voting is open now, with fans able to cast up to 10 votes per category each day.The VMAs are usually decided by fans, but what if the numbers had the final say?Viberate, a music analytics platform, analyzed the nominees in the three aforementioned categories to see who would win if music performance data determined the outcome. Instead of relying on votes, the analysis used streaming, audience, social, radio, and playlist data behind this year's nominees, available through Aug. 30, 2026, to see which artists and songs are performing strongest.How the nominees were rankedEach VMA category used a separate 0-to-100 score.The Artist of the Year category was determined by combining 12-month Spotify streams, YouTube views, and radio airplay with current audience size and 30-day audience growth.Song of the Year was determined by measuring the nominated recording rather than the artist behind it. The score combined 12-month Spotify streams, YouTube views, and airplay with recent monthly performance and current Spotify playlist exposure.Best New Artist was determined by a current-footprint model because comparable historical data was unavailable across the full nominee field. Current Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram audience accounted for 60% of the score. Spotify playlist reach and active playlist presence made up the remaining 40%, using an average from Aug. 27 through Aug. 30.Large-scale metrics were log-transformed and normalized across each nominee field. Metrics without consistent coverage for every nominee were excluded.Artist of the Year: Taylor SwiftTaylor Swift leads the Artist of the Year ranking with a score of 77.7, followed by Bruno Mars at 68.5 and Ariana Grande at 66.2.Swift's advantage came from the 12-month performance portion of the model. She generated about 19.4 billion Spotify streams, 3.6 billion YouTube views, and 6.4 million radio spins during the period analyzed.Grande had much stronger recent audience growth. Her Spotify monthly listeners increased by roughly 6.1 million during the latest 30-day period, while her TikTok following grew by about 1.8 million.The result shows the difference between sustained performance and short-term momentum. Swift did not lead every recent-growth measure, but her year-long streaming, YouTube, and radio totals gave her a much larger performance base. Mars landed between those two profiles, pairing strong annual consumption with more positive recent audience movement than Swift. Viberate The analysis therefore indicates Taylor Swift is the front-runner for Artist of the Year.Song of the Year: “Golden”The Song of the Year ranking is closer, though “Golden” (popularized by the movie “KPop Demon Hunters”) by HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI still finishes first. The track scored 84.5, ahead of Olivia Dean's “Man I Need” at 79.9 and Ella Langley's “Choosin' Texas” at 79.6. All three are among the seven official Song of the Year nominees.“Golden” generated about 1.46 billion Spotify streams, 1.57 billion YouTube views, and 1.1 million radio spins across the 12-month analytical window.The other leading tracks reached similar final scores in different ways. “Man I Need” had the strongest Spotify discovery score, including playlist reach of nearly 200 million. “Choosin' Texas” led the recent-momentum portion of the model.That contrast is important to the ranking. “Golden” did not need to lead every subcategory because its consumption performance was strong across several channels. “Man I Need” benefited more from current playlist exposure, while “Choosin' Texas” gained ground through recent performance. Viberate Based on the analysis, “Golden” would take Song of the Year under the data-only model.Best New Artist: CORTIS edges out Malcolm ToddThe Best New Artist category produced the closest result.CORTIS scored 76.85, only 0.28 points ahead of Malcolm Todd at 76.57. Sienna Spiro placed third with 73.74.CORTIS had the strongest cross-platform audience footprint among the nominees. As of Aug. 30, the group had approximately 5.4 million Spotify followers, 6.7 million YouTube subscribers, 16.9 million TikTok followers, and 15.7 million Instagram followers.Malcolm Todd led several Spotify measures. He had about 39.5 million monthly listeners, the highest total in the nominee field, while his average Spotify playlist reach during the final four-day measurement window was roughly 175.5 million.The narrow result shows how differently the two artists are performing. CORTIS has the larger fan footprint across social and video platforms, while Todd has the stronger Spotify listening and playlist profile. Because the model gives 60% of the score to current audience and 40% to discovery, CORTIS finishes ahead by a fraction. Viberate The data gives CORTIS a narrow Best New Artist lead, though the result is less decisive than the other two category predictions.The data picks Taylor Swift, “Golden,” and CORTISAcross the three categories, the strongest candidates reached the top in different ways. Swift's lead rests on a sustained year-long scale, “Golden” leads through broad song consumption, and CORTIS wins a much closer contest built around current audience and discovery.Under Viberate's models, Taylor Swift leads Artist of the Year, “Golden” leads Song of the Year, and CORTIS finishes just ahead of Malcolm Todd for Best New Artist.The official VMAs will still be decided by fans rather than streaming or audience metrics. Voting remains open ahead of the Sept. 27 ceremony, which will air on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+This story was produced by Viberate and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Whatever happened to the measles outbreak that shocked a country this year? Bangladesh has seen over 50,000 confirmed or suspected cases of measles this year. The death toll among children just surpassed 1,000. How are officials trying to bring the outbreak under control?
	Simple Swaps to Stretch Your Dollar Further on Everyday Essentials (BPT) - As costs steadily rise, navigating today's economic landscape requires a fresh look at how households handle their daily expenses. New research from AARP reveals just how central family support has become in managing everyday essentials — almost half (41%) of all grandparents actively step in to help cover basic necessities like groceries, clothing, and other household items. This averages to $2,654 annually, which is more than the average monthly retiree Social Security benefit of $2,071."Navigating a new economic era doesn't mean sacrificing life's simple pleasures or connection with loved ones," says Trae Bodge, lifestyle and shopping expert. "It's about being strategic with your monthly expenses. By leveraging discounts and loyalty programs for everyday needs like groceries, dining, gas, wireless, and even travel, you can quietly save hundreds of dollars a year that can be reinvested into the things you love most."While the financial impact can be felt across entire family ecosystems, small, intentional adjustments to recurring expenses can create significant relief for every generation.Leveraging Your LoyaltyCommuting, school drop-offs, and family visits can quickly rack up gas expenses, but you can leverage smart fuel loyalty programs as an effortless way to lower costs. By linking an AARP membership with Exxon Mobil Rewards+™, you'll earn extra points on everyday fuel purchases, convenience store items and car washes. Plus, members are awarded double points on dedicated member day, which convert directly into cash savings at the pump. For a limited time, new Exxon Mobil Rewards+ app users can earn up to $10 in points. Earn $5 on your first in-app fuel purchase and $5 on your second in-app fuel purchase.Making Your Money Travel FurtherIt's not always about where you go, but who you get to travel with along the way. As travel costs continue to rise, your travel budget can quickly become derailed. Save up to 35% off base rates with Avis when you choose to Pay Now or Pay Later at the counter — giving you the perfect combination of savings and flexibility. Book by September 30, 2026, and enjoy travel flexibility that fits your plans. Use AWD #A359824 to unlock your savings.When you plan ahead, you can save up to 20% off the Standard Rate at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts depending on how you book. Perfect for travelers looking to save on their last summer trips. Planning Labor Day travel? For a limited time, book with Choice Hotels® and receive 15% off two or more night stays during the annual holiday weekend.Connecting Without the Extra Cost Staying in touch with those closest to you is essential, but high cellular bills don't have to be. Families can find immediate relief on monthly wireless bills through Consumer Cellular, which offers AARP members two lines of unlimited talk, text, and data for just $55 per month with no contract required.Beyond staying in touch, you shouldn't have to stress your wallet over gathering for a family meal. When dining out, look for family-friendly restaurants that offer discounts. AARP members enjoy 15% off food and non-alcoholic beverages at participating Denny's, making weekend breakfasts or casual dinners even more budget-friendly. Or get something to go. McAlister's Deli offers 10% off in-store, in-app and online orders.Premium Products Without Premium CostsAs we all know, kitchen appliances can break down or become dated and need replacement from time to time. Fortunately this doesn't have to break the bank. AARP members save 10% or more on the full line of GE Appliances online at the GE Appliances Store, including GE®, Profile™, Café™, Monogram®, Haier and Hotpoint® major appliances, as well as everyday need categories including refrigeration, laundry, cooking, clean-up, and small appliances. Plus, you also receive in-home delivery, installation, and haul-away services.Navigating the economy is easier once you start taking full advantage of available resources. To explore all the ways you can save on everyday essentials, visit aarp.org/save.
	Yelp advertising costs: How much should you budget in 2026? Yelp advertising costs: How much should you budget in 2026?Yelp advertising costs start at $150 per month, or roughly $5 per day, though your total can include up to three components. A Yelp Ads budget covers clicks, the optional Upgrade Package runs $180 per month on its own, and management costs whatever you pay an internal team or an agency to run it.Those published prices tell you what it costs to open a Yelp campaign, but they do not tell you what your market needs to produce enough activity for a decision.WebFX broke down Yelp ad costs, what moves cost per click, what a realistic budget looks like when working backward from what a customer is worth, and whether you are locked in once you start.How much does Yelp advertising cost?Yelp ad costs start at $150 per month, and your total depends on which products you buy and how much you spend on clicks. Here is what Yelp publishes for local businesses: WebFX Yelp notes that minimum budgets can change, and these prices apply to self-serve local business accounts. Larger brands, multilocation advertisers, and agency-managed campaigns may operate under different pricing structures.One thing the table makes clear is that advertising and page enhancements are separate purchases. Yelp Ads buys you placement in search results and on competitor pages, while the Upgrade Package changes how your own page looks when someone lands on it.Why the bundle costs less than buying bothYelp Ads at $150 plus the Upgrade Package at $180 comes to $330 per month. The bundled version starts at $270, saving you roughly $60 compared to the same two products separately.That matters more than a discount usually would, because the two products solve different problems. Ads get people to your page, while the Upgrade Package gives them a reason to call when they arrive and keeps competitor ads off your listing while they decide.Buying ads alone means paying for clicks that land on a page where your competitors can advertise.How does Yelp Ads pricing work?Yelp Ads runs on a pay-per-click advertising (PPC) model, so you pay when someone clicks your ad rather than when it appears. You set an average daily budget, Yelp converts it to a monthly maximum, and your spend cannot go past that ceiling.Daily spend fluctuates. Some days your ads get more clicks than others, so Yelp treats your daily figure as an average instead of a hard cap. The monthly maximum is the number that actually controls what you pay.During setup, Yelp shows an estimated cost per click and an approximate click volume for your category and targeting. Those estimates shift over time as demand and competition change in your market, and you can raise or lower your budget whenever you want.How your monthly budget turns into clicksDivide your monthly budget by your average cost per click, and you get the number of clicks that budget buys.A $600 monthly budget at an average cost per click of $6 works out to about 100 clicks. If your average rises to $10, the same $600 buys about 60. These numbers illustrate the math rather than any Yelp benchmark, since your actual cost per click depends on your category and market.That math is worth doing before making any commitments, because 60 clicks in a month is a small sample for judging anything.Does Yelp charge per click or per lead?Yelp charges for clicks. Calls, messages, quote requests, booked jobs, and revenue all sit downstream of the click, and none of them affect what you pay.That gap is where most of the frustration with Yelp’s budget usually starts. Your cost per click can look reasonable while your cost per booked customer quietly fails, and Yelp’s standard dashboard tracks clicks and leads without showing whether each lead became a booked customer. Closing it takes call tracking and reporting that follows a lead from first contact through to completed work.Can you change or cancel Yelp Ads?Yelp lets self-serve advertisers adjust, pause, or cancel at any time, with no term contract and no cancellation penalty, and your campaign will not exceed the monthly maximum you set.One thing to check separately: If you hire an agency, its management agreement is its own contract with its own terms. Yelp’s flexibility does not carry over to it, so read both before you sign either.What affects your Yelp advertising costs?Competition in your category and location drives most of your cost per click, while your targeting, season, and the number of locations you run affect your overall spend. WebFX Your industry and service categoryCategories where a single job is worth thousands, like roofing or heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) installation, attract more advertisers and higher per-click costs than categories with smaller tickets. Before you blame your cost per click, check your category list, since businesses that select every category they technically qualify for end up bidding against advertisers in adjacent trades.Your geographic marketDense metro areas carry more advertiser competition, so the same service can cost noticeably more per click in Chicago than in a town two hours away. Small markets cut both ways, though, because a low cost per click looks good until you find there are not enough searches in your category to spend a meaningful budget.Your targeting choicesYelp has no match types, so your categories, blocked services, and radius do the work that keyword match types would do in Google Ads. Start tighter than feels comfortable, because adding categories later is easy, while a month of clicks from work you do not want is money you cannot get back.Seasonality and demandCosts move with demand, which means HVAC competition spikes during the first heat wave, roofing surges after a storm, and tax services climb near filing deadlines. Compare your costs year over year rather than month over month, since a November-to-July comparison tells you about the calendar and a November-to-last-November comparison tells you about your campaign.Your number of locationsA business with six locations needs six budgets instead of one budget split six ways. If you cannot fund every location at a competitive level, fund fewer of them properly, because six underfunded campaigns generally produce less than two with enough budget to compete.Why did your Yelp cost per click go up when you raised your budget?Yelp ad costs move for several reasons, and a budget increase is not always one of them. Raising your budget does not automatically raise your cost per click, because your budget controls how much Yelp can spend on your behalf, while your cost per click reflects what the clicks available to your campaign are going for.Advertisers do sometimes see their average climb after a budget increase, and several things can cause that at the same time:Competitors raised their own budgets or entered your category.Customer demand shifted in your market.Your campaign started reaching clicks that it was previously priced out of.Someone changed targeting, categories, or radius.The two periods you are comparing fell in different seasons.The mix of services generating your clicks has changed.How to tell what actually changedBefore you conclude the budget caused it, line up the two periods and compare five things:Date range and season: Are you comparing equivalent months, or a peak month to a slow one?Targeting settings: Did categories, blocked services, or radius change between the periods?Geographic coverage: Did your service area expand?Click volume against average cost per click: A higher average alongside far more clicks is a different situation than a higher average at flat volume.Lead quality and booked work: A rising cost per click that produces better jobs is not the same problem as one that produces worse ones.Often, the answer sits in one of the first three. If all three held steady and your average still moved, increased competition is the likeliest explanation left.What do Yelp Ads cost per booked job?Cost per click tells you what traffic costs. Cost per booked job tells you whether the channel works.One HVAC company’s Yelp Ads produced paid-attributed jobs at roughly $120 in ad spend each during the first half of 2026, and Yelp Ads drove 90% of its Yelp-attributed jobs.That reflects one client, one market, and one six-month stretch, so treat it as an example of how the math works rather than a benchmark for your category. Your own number depends on your job values, your close rate, and how quickly your team responds to leads.What makes a figure like that usable is that someone tracked it. A dedicated call tracking number on the Yelp page, campaign-level URL tagging, and revenue attribution reporting connect each lead to the job it produced, which is the difference between knowing your cost per click and knowing your cost per customer.How much should you spend on Yelp Ads?Your Yelp budget should buy enough clicks to judge lead quality and booked work in your market. Yelp’s $150 minimum can support a first test, but it is not the right number for every business.Check demand in your category and marketLook at how much search activity your category gets in your service area, how many competitors already advertise there, and how their review profiles compare to yours.Treat that as a planning input instead of a forecast. Category breadth changes what those numbers mean, since a business listed under six categories sees different volume than one listed under two.Use Yelp’s estimated cost per click, not an internet averageThere is no reliable average cost per click for Yelp Ads, and any single figure you find online is averaging across categories and markets that have nothing to do with yours.The estimate Yelp shows during setup is scoped to your category, your targeting, and your location. That number is worth more than any published benchmark you will find online.Work backward from what a customer is worthMultiply your gross profit per customer by your close rate on qualified leads, and you get the most you can afford to pay for a lead. A business earning $1,500 in gross profit per customer that closes 20% of qualified leads breaks even at $300 per lead. Aim below that, because break-even leaves nothing for overhead or profit.Run this before you set a budget. It tells you whether Yelp needs to deliver leads at $50 or $250 for the channel to work, which is the difference between a viable test and an expensive one.Fund a real test periodJudging a Yelp campaign after two weeks tells you about those two weeks, not about the channel. Plan on testing the platform for roughly 90 days before performance and optimization trends give you something reliable to act on.The key is to budget accordingly, as a number you can sustain for a quarter beats a larger one you pull after five weeks.How much does it cost to manage Yelp Ads yourself versus hiring an agency?Managing Yelp Ads yourself costs you time instead of a fee, while hiring an agency adds a management cost on top of your ad spend, with partner insights, campaign management, and revenue attribution handled for you.Here is what each path actually includes: WebFX The honest trade-off is time against visibility. A self-managed campaign can work if someone on your team will genuinely check it weekly, prune categories, and follow up on every lead. Most contractors who try this discover the account gets attention in month one and then drifts.The management fee only makes sense if it buys back more than it costs. Work out your break-even cost per lead, then ask whether better targeting and attribution would produce enough additional booked jobs to cover the difference.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Trump officials propose sweeping changes to the census that would reshape voting maps A Trump census proposal would stop asking about race and exclude millions of U.S. residents from a count that the 14th Amendment says must include the "whole number of persons in each state."
	Death investigation underway in rural Mercer County Deputies were called to a home in rural Aledo Tuesday night.
	Former Rocky principal selected to lead Thurgood Marshall Learning Center Timothy Wernentin was the previously the principal for Rock Island High School from 2011 to 2016.
	Muster on the Maquoketa returns to Jackson County Fairgrounds with Civil War living history, battle reenactments The 2026 Muster on the Maquoketa will bring Civil War living history to the Jackson County Fairgrounds, featuring battle reenactments, encampments, demonstrations and educational programs for students and the public. This year's event runs Sept. 11 to 13.
	The Trails at Silver Creek, a new residential development, to hold groundbreaking Thursday in DeWitt The development features 17 single-family residential lots, ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 acres, many with direct trail access and future water-view opportunities.
	Coal Valley Deputy Fire Chief recalls memories of being a firefighter in training on Sept. 11, 2001 On Sept. 11, 2001, Greg Marty was a young firefighter attending fire school at the University of Illinois. What happened that day in New York changed fire service forever.
	More much-needed rain for the Quad Cities It's been a dry start to the month of September, but that changed overnight. Moderate to heavy downpours are likely Wednesday morning. The rain will hold highs down to around 80° today. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	Everyday People: On trial before the trial? Is media impacting the prosecution of Jamie Fisher? The man accused of the 1996 killing of Trudy Appleby claims the jury pool in Henry County is tainted — while he speaks to the media.
	Cargo jet tried to abort unsteady landing before Miami crash, flight data indicates Flight data suggest an Amazon cargo plane tried to abort an unsteady landing at Miami International Airport before smashing into a van and killing five people inside, according to information investigators released Tuesday.
	National Guard member arrested in DC, accused of drawing gun on fellow Guard member A member of the Georgia National Guard deployed in Washington, D.C., as part of a task force to fight crime, has been arrested for pulling a gun on a fellow Guard member in an alleged dispute over regulation haircuts.
	TSA brings back gate access for some people without plane tickets 25 years after 9/11 The move is a start toward reviving a tradition that largely disappeared after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks 25 years ago this week.
	U.S. military says it destroyed 5 Iranian oil tankers after attacks on Navy warship The U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday in response to the latest attacks on its warships and American targets in Jordan, the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes.
Tuesday, September 8th, 2026
	The Steadfast Dog This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.If you passed through fourth grade any time before 1947, you, too, memorized Eugene Field's poem, "Little Boy Blue."…
	Rejuvenate Housing finishes 6th renovated property The nonprofit aims to revitalize legacy neighborhoods in the Quad Cities.
	Bettendorf breaks ground on new police station Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2027.
	How Davenport Police use training and co-responders to handle mental illness episodes Davenport Police Chief Greg Behning says a scene needs to be safe before a mental health co-responder can intervene.
	Davenport police arrest 7 people in illegal gun bust Police said they recovered five illegally possessed firearms, some of which had been modified.
	4 injured after school bus crashes in rural Stockton According to the Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Office, the injuries are believed to be minor.
	Sterling City Council approves moratorium on data center applications The 180-day moratorium included a temporary pause on applications for battery energy storage systems as well.
	How Davenport Police use training and co-responders to help with mental illness episodes Davenport Police Chief Greg Behning says a scene needs to be safe before a mental health co-responder can intervene.
	Police responding to scene in rural Mercer County Officials with the Mercer County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing, and no details can be shared yet.
	Rob Sand questions how much opponent vetted running mate following news of criminal investigation Rob Sand questioned whether his Republican opponent for Iowa governor, Zach Lahn, property vetted his running mate.
	Police responding to scene in Aledo Officials with the Mercer County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing, and no details can be shared yet.
	How a simple sandwich recipe represents hope (BPT) - A sandwich is an easy lunch you can quickly make in the morning as you help your kids get ready for a new school day. But the real beauty of a sandwich is that it's infinitely customizable. The only limit is your child's imagination. That's why this back-to-school season, Nature's Own — the nation's No. 1 selling loaf bread brand — and Make-A-Wish are inviting families to bring a little more creativity to the daily school lunch ritual with its Sandwishes campaign.The campaign features one-of-a-kind sandwich recipes as unique as the wish kids behind them. Whether your child prefers a fresh and savory sandwich like Olivia's Bright Harvest Bacon Bite, a sweet treat like Eliana's Banana Boost Super Swirl or a cheese-forward lunch like Luke's Mediterranean Magic Melt, the digital cookbook has plenty of creative recipes to try. The spark behind the campaign is simple yet profound: Sandwiches may use the same ingredients, but no two are the same, just like wishes. It's the combination of ingredients like a smear of avocado, a surprising pop of berry jam or slices of crisp apple that takes an ordinary lunch and transforms it into an extraordinary meal.A wish comes together in the same way. When you combine a child's imagination with care, coordination and community support, what may seem like a typical request to visit a theme park, meet a celebrity or travel to a tropical location becomes a treasured memory that has a lasting impact beyond the day the wish is granted."When I found out my wish was being granted, I had just gotten out of a six-week stay in the hospital and PICU," said wish kid Elizabeth, the creator of the Berries N Cream Dreamwich. "I had missed competing at cheerleading worlds and was facing a life-changing diagnosis, so having my wish granted gave me hope and something to look forward to. Being part of Make-A-Wish still reminds me of that."Isabella, the chef behind the Jam-Packed Joywich, was inspired by her wish to give back to the community that gave her hope."As I got older, I discovered a love for volunteer work and working with charities," she said. "As I moved into high school, I found a career that would allow me to do that: corporate social responsibility. Now a junior in college, and after completing my internship with Make-A-Wish, I'm pursuing the dream of giving back so I can share the same hope I received with other kids and families."A slice of hope for the back-to-school season The partnership between Nature's Own and Make-A-Wish isn't limited to sandwiches. The bread brand has committed $500,000 to support Make-A-Wish through 2026, helping fund life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. The Sandwishes campaign builds on this financial support by giving families a simple way to be part of the mission by exploring wish kids' recipes and learning how they can help bring more wishes to life."We're grateful to Nature's Own for helping bring our wish kids' creativity to life in such a joyful, accessible way," said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "Through the Sandwishes campaign, families can connect with the imagination behind each wish while helping Make-A-Wish deliver hope and joy to children with critical illnesses. Partnerships like this make it possible for us to reach more children and families with the life-changing power of a wish." To explore more delicious wish kids' recipes that you can sample this school year and learn more about the campaign, visit NaturesOwnBread.com/Wish.
	What's ahead for the race for Illinois governor? Election Day is only 56 days away, and the numbers are clear: Darren Bailey's campaign for Illinois governor hasn't gotten the same push it did in 2022, and the campaign is changing strategies by going out of state for support. Our Quad Cities News Illinois Capitol Bureau chief Alex Whitney tracks campaign 2026 for Your [...]
	Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band member dies after sudden cardiac arrest University of Iowa third-year student and member of the Hawkeye Marching Band Derek Phillips died Tuesday morning. Phillips suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during the Hawkeye football game on Saturday, according to a statement by his family. Phillips spent time in intensive care unit at a University of Iowa hospital. His family said in the [...]
	Severe t'Storms rolling through Iowa city Tuesday night Severe storms have erupted and moved across Iowa this evening. As of 9 p.m. those storms are pushing through Iowa city. There's a severe t'storm warning in effect for Johnson County until 9:15. There's also a tornado warning in effect for the Cedar Rapids area until 9:15. The storms are producing winds of around 60 [...]
	Rejuvenate Housing celebrates restored Davenport home, and new $1-million grant At a special open house Tuesday afternoon at 613 W. 13th St., Davenport, Rejuvenate Housing was rejuvenated itself with a $1-million grant from the John Deere Foundation.
	Crisis co-responder couldn’t leave squad car during Davenport shooting, chief says Davenport's police chief says a mental health clinician couldn't leave the squad car during an Aug. 31 shooting because the scene wasn't safe. A man remains hospitalized.
	Free petting zoo, book bash, will come to Longview Park, Rock Island The Petting Zoo in the Park will bring farm animals from Miller’s Petting Zoo to Rock Island’s Longview Park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. .at 1300 17th St., on Saturday, Sept. 12. Free and open to anyone, the event is supported by grants from gold sponsor Rock Island Township and silver sponsor South Rock Island [...]
	Sterling City Council approves temporary ban on data center applications The 180-day moratorium included a temporary pause on applications for battery energy storage systems as well.
	Rejuvenate Housing announces three-year, $1 million grant from John Deere Foundation Rejuvenate Housing announced a new three-year, $1 million grant from the John Deere Foundation to renovate homes in Davenport on Tuesday, while showing off its latest renovated house.
	3 kids, 1 adult hurt in Stockton bus crash All the students and kids on the bus have been accounted for.

Wednesday, September 9th, 2026

Tuesday, September 8th, 2026