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

Saturday, February 7th, 2026
	Little Aledo, Illinois gets its cinematic closeup in a big way The small Quad Cities area town of Aledo is getting lots of attention on the silver screen, thanks to two film projects from producer Christina Shaver.
	“Violins of Hope” Opening Event, February 17 This spring, Iowa will host one of the world’s most recognized Holocaust-era cultural exhibitions as Violins of Hope launches a rare, two-month residency spanning multiple Iowa communities, an opening event for the program taking place at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center on February 17.
	Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival will be at Augustana College, Rock Island Augustana College, Rock Island, will host its annual Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival on Saturday, Feb. 21, a news release says. The event, featuring guest artists John Sampen and Mark Bunce, will be held at Bergendoff Hall, 3701 7th Ave. All events are free and open to the public. The Shockingly Modern Saxophone Festival celebrates new [...]
	Moline firefighters extinguish fire early Saturday after truck crashes into home Firefighters responded to the 300 block of 23rd Avenue in Moline at about 2:46 a.m. Saturday, finding a home on fire and partially collapsed after a truck had run into it.
	Rivermont Collegiate student earns National Honor Society Scholarship recognition Rivermont Collegiate senior Stella Ashdown is a National Honor Society (NHS) Scholarship winner at the National Semifinalist level, a news release says. This prestigious recognition is awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, leadership, service, and character. Ashdown is one of only nine students in Iowa to earn this distinction and the only student [...]
	In this Icelandic drama, a couple quietly drifts apart Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason weaves scenes of quiet domestic life against the backdrop of an arresting landscape in his newest film.
	After the Fall: How Olympic figure skaters soar after stumbling on the ice Olympic figure skating is often seems to take athletes to the very edge of perfection, but even the greatest stumble and fall. How do they pull themselves together again on the biggest world stage? Toughness, poise and practice.
	QC Bicycle Club to host 'RAGRBRAI for Rookies' The Quad Cities Bicycle Club will host “RAGBRAI For Rookies” on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Eastern Avenue Branch of the Davenport Public Library, a news release says. The event, which is free and open to the public, is intended both for those planning to do the Register’s Annual Great [...]
	Art, Black History Month presentation featured at Black Hawk College, Moline The Black Hawk College ArtSpace Gallery is exhibiting “Metaphors, Mythologies, and a Bucket Full of Shadow” – photography by Randal Richmond – through Friday, Feb. 20. Everyone is invited to a closing reception from 4-5:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 with an artist talk at 4:15 p.m. The ArtSpace Gallery is on the first floor of Building 4, [...]
	Truck hits Moline home; starts fire, partial collapse One person was treated at the scene and transported to the hospital following an early-morning fire. According to a release, on February 7 at approximately 2:46 a.m., the Moline Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle crash in the 300 block of 23rd Ave. Crews were informed that a truck had struck a [...]
	They're cured of leprosy. Why do they still live in leprosy colonies? Leprosy is one of the least contagious diseases around — and perhaps one of the most misunderstood. The colonies are relics of a not-too-distant past when those diagnosed with leprosy were exiled.
	Aledo seeks public input on Lakeshore Recycling contract issues The City of Aledo seeks public input in a public hearing; weighs ending the contract with waste collection partner Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS).
	Job openings fewest since 2020: Feds The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Thursday reported the fewest job openings on the market since 2020.
	This season, 'The Pitt' is about what doesn't happen in one day The first season of The Pitt was about acute problems. The second is about chronic ones.
	Lindsey Vonn is set to ski the Olympic downhill race with a torn ACL. How? An ACL tear would keep almost any other athlete from competing -- but not Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old superstar skier who is determined to cap off an incredible comeback from retirement with one last shot at an Olympic medal.
	Civilized Indians This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.One day in February of 1834, four Winnebago Indians appeared in the little frontier mining village of Dubuque in what…
	UnityPoint Health offers Heart to Heart series UnityPoint Health is offering its first Heart to Heart Community Education Series of 2026. According to a release, the free in-person event is led by medical experts to help people get on the right track to living a more heart-healthy life. Heart to Heart is a free community educational series for those interested in learning [...]
	DVDs and public transit: Boycott drives people to ditch Big Tech to protest ICE A sweeping boycott has begun — targeting tech giants who participants believe are enabling President Trump and his immigration crackdown.
	The CIA World Factbook is dead. Here's how I came to love it The Factbook survived the Cold War and became a hit online. It mixed quirky cultural notes and trivia with maps, data, and photos taken by CIA officers. But it was discontinued this week.
	State Department will delete X posts from before Trump returned to office The policy change orders the removal of any post made by official State Department accounts on X before President Trump returned to office in 2025.
Friday, February 6th, 2026
	Women’s reproductive justice: Activists aren’t giving up the fight Abortion rights advocates speak out after oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court on abortion bans and the state's privacy clause. Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” – Simone de Beauvoir It’s not too far-fetched to look at the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2022 evisceration of Roe v. Wade as the canary in the coal mine. The high court’s reversal of this long-established legal precedent has roiled the lives and livelihoods of more than half America’s population. Since the ruling, far-right Republican policymakers have relentlessly peeled away what was thought to be an unalienable constitutional right for America’s women. These actions by Republican-led legislatures in at least 26 states have shattered the lives of childbearing-age women and their families in these states. In Florida, May 1, 2024, is remembered as the day that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ six-week abortion ban went into effect. Despite a robust struggle to blunt the effort, supporters of reproductive healthcare and access to abortion fell short when that year’s ballot amendment failed to reach the required 60%. In the aftermath, millions of Florida women had their reproductive healthcare protections snatched away. Even with this victory, DeSantis and the anti-abortion lobby continue to push against as many legal, political, and constitutional boundaries as they can while challenging, ignoring, or defying courts that try to rein them in. Florida’s six-week ban is creating insurmountable barriers to abortion care for many patients. Clinicians describe how the unworkability of the ban’s narrow exceptions and the “severe chilling effect on abortion provision caused by the sweeping criminalization of abortion from a very early stage of pregnancy are endangering patients’ health and survival and impairing clinicians’ ability to comply with their ethical obligations and medical standards of care,” according to a report by Physicians for Human Rights. The Florida ban replaced a 15-week ban instituted a month after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. “Anyone who performs or participates in the termination of a pregnancy faces a third-degree felony charge and up to five years in prison,” the report reads. “Unlike other states, Florida’s ban does not clearly exempt pregnant people themselves from prosecution.” While the law includes exceptions in cases of preterm rupture of membranes, gestational tumors, and ectopic pregnancies, the guidelines “lack medical clarity, further confusing clinicians,” the physicians group explained. Baptist News Global, in an alarming October 2024 article, warned that women were dying because of vague abortion laws. These deaths are exceptionally difficult to document because lawmakers have purposely chosen not to chronicle or make publicly available such information, but there are stories in Florida, Texas, Indiana, and elsewhere detailing the human costs of this onerous law. Doctors “described the serious and manifold harms the ban is causing pregnant people in the state who seek reproductive health care,” the article reported. “The six-week ban is unclear in its guidelines and introduces barriers to care, delays in emergency reproductive services, and deviations from standard medical care. Moreover, the steep penalties, particularly when combined with other laws, create intensified fear and confusion among healthcare providers who do not know in what cases they legally can or cannot provide abortion care, creating strain in the patient-clinician relationship and inducing providers and trainees to leave the state.” Health experts say Florida’s abortion restrictions, particularly the six-week ban, create significant health, economic, and social harm, especially for women facing barriers to essential care, increased health risks (especially for maternal mortality), financial setbacks (lost wages or education), and mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. Yet bans prevent adequate access to care while placing barriers to timely medical care even for miscarriages or life-threatening situations. ‘Nightmare’ The abortion ban is forcing Florida women to travel out of state for care and delay vital medical treatment, and imposes severe economic hardships on them, limiting education and workforce participation. These disproportionately affect Black women and survivors of sexual violence, who face complex proof requirements for exceptions. These restrictions increase unwanted pregnancies, leading to more poverty and harm to families, despite research showing that access to abortion improves women’s economic stability and well-being. According to Reproduction Justice For All, “2025 affirmed critical truths that will be at the forefront of our fight in 2026 — voters continue to reject abortion bans and support reproductive freedom champions at the ballot box; anti-abortion actors are escalating, not retreating, despite their proven unpopularity; and the human cost of abortion bans is mounting while the full damage is still untold.” And as the country moves into a new year, the Republican war against women shows no sign of abating. Twenty-five years since the FDA approved mifepristone — which has been rigorously studied and used safely by more than 7.5 million people — Trump and his MAGA allies are using every branch and level of government, including the courts, Congress, and administrative agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, to block access to mifepristone. Meanwhile, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill in the Senate to ban the mailing of mifepristone. House Republicans have introduced similar legislation. Reproductive justice advocate Jessica Valenti characterized the effect of the anti-abortion crusade as “a nightmare.” “[T]his impact isn’t only going to be felt in Florida, but across the South,” she wrote in her newsletter in April 2024, after the Florida Supreme Court upheld the six-week abortion ban. “Florida abortion clinics have been preparing” for the outcome, Valenti wrote, noting that groups like Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, for example, had “been strengthening their partnerships with providers in pro-choice states so they can refer people elsewhere.” Earthquakes Abortion and the reproductive justice providers made sure that there were all “the right people in place with scheduling, making sure we can fit as many patients in as possible. Education is the biggest part really, just making sure Floridians are educated about what’s about to happen come May 1,” when the six-week ban took effect. Reproductive justice advocates and other experts have likened the Florida and Arizona abortion bans to earthquakes that have significantly altered America’s abortion landscape. But that has not caused them to run away from the challenge. Valenti, Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and a phalanx of activists are fighting back, using a variety of methods to blunt this anti-woman assault. The methods vary: legal challenges, legislative advocacy, funding for abortion access, and direct action to protect clinics. Key strategies include supporting these organizations, funding patient travel and care, establishing buffer zones to prevent harassment, and passing state-level protections for reproductive rights. For reproductive justice advocates, this fight is far from over, as abortion opponents — aided and abetted by Trump, Republican members of Congress, and state legislators — continue to rachet up the stakes. Ms. Magazine encapsulates what American women face with the next prong of MAGA control of women: Project 2026, an extension of Project 2025 described as a group of people bent on reducing “the supply and demand for abortion at all stages.” “Project 2026 lays out a government redesigned to control women’s bodies, erase LGBTQ+ lives, dismantle civil rights protections and roll back decades of hard-won progress. Wrapped in the language of ‘family,’ ‘sovereignty’ and ‘restoring America,’ it is a direct attempt to impose a narrow, rigid ideology on an entire nation,” the magazine wrote. “Make no mistake: This is a plan for forced motherhood, government-policed gender and the end of women’s equality as we know it,” the article continues. “[We] know exactly what this means. A country where a woman’s future is no longer her own.” Courtesy of Florida Phoenix
	TMBC Lincoln Resource Center holds Black Excellence Fest On Saturday, the TMBC Lincoln Resource Center will host its Black History Month fashion show.
	Morrison native promoted to first-star general Morrison native Steven Rice was promoted to Brigadier General on Friday afternoon. Rice grew up hearing stories of his grandfather serving in the South Pacific during World War II - stories that would inspire three more generations of military members. "My father - his son - joined the active duty Air Force in 1968 during [...]
	Mercer County fundraiser reveals a different side of homelessness 13 teams slept in their cars in the VFW parking lot in Aledo, raising money for Mercer County Better Together.
	Davenport scrap yard reported stolen shopping carts, leading to arrests Davenport reports more than 2,500 thefts a year, and many stolen items end up at scrap yards, where owners work with police to stop repeat offenders.
	Highlight Zone: Week 5, girls state wrestling tournament, high school basketball It’s another week of The Highlight Zone.
	Researchers survey bald eagle night roost at the Milan Bottoms The team counted over 300 bald eagles spending the night at the Bottoms on Feb. 5, but a report from an environmental consultant claims the roost is no longer used.
	Mariah Carey, coffee makers and other highlights from the Olympic opening ceremony NPR reporters at the Milan opening ceremony layered up and took notes.
	MLK Jr. Center hosts 'Youth Voices on Display' exhibit by students The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center is hosting "Youth Voices on Display," aPhotoVoice exhibit created by students from the West End Revitalization High School Club atThurgood Marshall Learning Center, a news release says. The exhibit is now on public display in the MLK Center lobby at 630 9th St., Rock Island. "Youth Voices on [...]
	Moline to replace 4,900 water service lines over next decade Moline's new Lead Service Line Replacement program will replace 4,900 lead or galvanized water service lines in homes across the city. The proactive program will last a decade and will continue the city's efforts to replace those old service lines with copper. "It is simply to address pipes that are lead or galvanized," said Ashley [...]
	Davenport elementary students learn about Winter Olympics with opening ceremony celebration Students got to learn and experience the Olympics through a collaboration between multiple school subjects.
	Rock Line Studios is ready to break ground in the QCA; short $3 million A huge addition to the Quad Cities' film industry is $3 million away from breaking ground. The project known as Rock Line Studios originated from Rock Island's own Fresh Films. The project is expected to bring in significant economic growth in the area. "It's absolutely crucial to keep local talent here in the Quad Cities," [...]
	How people in purple shirts demanded changes for mobile home residents Mobile home residents want Iowa lawmakers to give them more rights against the out-of-state companies that own their land.
	Historic Cascade Bridge in Burlington set to receive $6M restoration More than a decade after closing, Burlington’s historic Cascade Bridge will undergo repairs after Iowa secured $6 million to preserve the 1896 structure.
	Researchers survey bald eagle night roost at the Milan Bottoms The team counted over 300 bald eagles spending the night at the Bottoms on Feb. 5, but a report from an environmental consultant claims the roost is no longer used.
	Among Alaska’s 16 candidates for governor is a ‘pissed off’ single mother of five Independent Alaska gubernatorial candidate Jessica Faircloth is seen in a photo distributed by the candidate on Feb. 5, 2026. (Campaign handout photo)The first independent candidate in Alaska’s 2026 gubernatorial election is a single mother of five who says she’s frustrated with the condition of Alaska’s fisheries, its economy and the Permanent Fund dividend. Jessica Faircloth filed her letter of intent in January, making her the 15th person to sign up for this year’s gubernatorial race. A 16th candidate announced his candidacy this week. She’s from Kasilof, a rural community on the Kenai Peninsula. Faircloth hasn’t held public office before, but she decided to run after one of her oldest children surprised her with the happy news that she’ll be a grandmother soon. “I was overjoyed,” she said, “but then I started thinking. My kids are the fourth generation of my family to live in (our) house, and they didn’t get to grow up in the same Alaska I did.” She recalls digging for clams, always having moose and caribou in the freezer — and then, there were the king salmon. “We caught so many kings when I was a kid, we turned them loose if they were too small, or they didn’t fight hard enough, or we caught them too early in the day, or they were a little pink,” she said. “I realized three of my five children have caught a king salmon, and only one of them was over 50 pounds, and they don’t remember digging clams,” she said. As she was contemplating the future her first grandchild might experience, she said: “It’s like a light bulb went on, and I started to see that Alaska is not being managed for Alaskans.” Governor candidates so far Former state Sen. Tom Begich (Democrat) Former state Sen. Click Bishop (Republican) Former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson (Republican) and Lt. Gov. candidate Josh Church (Republican) Former state revenue commissioner Adam Crum (Republican) Current state Sen. Matt Claman (Democrat) Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (Republican) Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries (Republican) Kasilof resident Jessica Faircloth (Undeclared) Anchorage podiatrist and state medical board member Matt Heilala Former state Sen. Shelley Hughes (Republican) Former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (Democrat) Author Hank Kroll (Registered Republican) with Lt. Gov. candidate Tommy Nicholson (Undeclared) Angoon resident and former teacher James William Parkin IV (Republican) Former Attorney General Treg Taylor (Republican) Palmer resident Bruce Walden (Republican) Businesswoman Bernadette Wilson (Republican) with Lt. Gov. candidate Mike Shower (Republican) The Permanent Fund dividend needs to be guaranteed in the Alaska Constitution, she said. Faircloth noted that some oil and gas companies have been able to use writeoffs and exemptions to reduce their taxes to zero. “If you look at our oil and gas, the tax structure allows zero tax years … and our Legislature hasn’t done anything to fix them,” she said. Fisheries are big in her mind, too. “The whole West Coast doesn’t have any salmon. I don’t have any king salmon. I love them more than anything in the world,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the PFD, our state budgeting — none of it, none of it, is being managed to benefit Alaskans. It’s benefiting outside corporate interests, mainly, and I am absolutely morally and ethically appalled and pissed off,” Faircloth said. Faircloth was one of more than 19,000 Alaskans registered as members of the Alaskan Independence Party when it dissolved last year. Now, she’s registered as “undeclared” and campaigning independently of any party. “I’m one of those people that doesn’t just sit back and complain … that’s the mentality I grew up with. You either do something or you stop complaining,” she said. Independent Alaska candidate for governor Jessica Faircloth is seen with a king salmon in this undated photo provided by the candidate. Preserving salmon runs is a major priority for the candidate. (Campaign handout photo) Faircloth’s policy positions don’t fit into the standard Alaska political boxes. She supports a constitutional dividend, something Republicans in the Alaska Legislature tend to champion. She also wants to see more support for public school teachers, a position typically held by legislative Democrats. “There’s no pension. There’s no benefits. It’s underfunded,” she said of the state’s public school system. “I just — I’m watching my teacher friends, especially some of the younger ones, and they are so discouraged,” Faircloth said. She’s a fan of the “Stop Alaskan Trawler Bycatch” Facebook page and supports anti-trawl appointees to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and other fishery regulators. “I understand that the governor actually has very little power (on fisheries), but the power that the governor does have is who they appoint as commissioners and on boards, and that is where the strength of Alaskan government comes from,” she said. Eight years ago, she voted for current Gov. Mike Dunleavy, but she’s soured on him. “I really believed, you know, that he was going to be able to get the dividend in the Constitution. And I just expected great things from him. And after eight years, I’m kind of let down,” she said. Dunleavy is term-limited and unable to run for a third term, a fact that has encouraged a large number of candidates to enter the race. So far, there are three Democrats, 12 Republicans and Faircloth. The deadline to register with the Alaska Division of Elections is 5 p.m. June 1. The four candidates who receive the most votes in the August primary election will advance to the November general election. “I’ve been a broke-ass single mom with a backbone and the ability to budget, and that is what our state needs right now,” she said. “Somebody to walk in there and say, ‘OK, listen, you’re not doing your job, and we’re all in this together. So I need everyone to step up and to do what they’re supposed to.’ I just think that Alaska should be managed for Alaskans first. And that’s not being done.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Lee Enterprises closes strategic investment, welcomes David Hoffmann as board chair Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, has announced that it has closed its previously announced $50 million strategic equity private placement, according to a news release on the Lee Enterprises website. The investment was led by David Hoffmann with participation from other existing investors in the company, "providing the company with committed capital and a strengthened financial and [...]
	Pleasant Valley High School students protest against ICE, decry enforcement operations More than 100 Pleasant Valley High School students showed up to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in American cities.
	New citizens welcomed at Iowa State Capitol naturalization ceremony Forty new United States citizens were welcomed at the Iowa State Capitol Friday during a naturalization ceremony representing more than a dozen countries.
	Below normal so far in Feb, but not for long We're 6 days into February and 3 have had below normal highs so far. One day was right at average and that leaves 2 above normal days. But, we're about to go on another warmer than normal run starting Sunday! The warmest temperature we've had so far this year is 61° back on January 8th. [...]
	Scottish American Society invites public to celebrate the annual Robert Burns dinner Every winter, Scottish people all over the world celebrate the life and work of Scotland's most famous poet Robert Burns.
	Floating classroom showcasing jobs along the Mississippi sets anchors in the Quad Cities Living Lands and Waters sets anchors for its new floating classroom in the Quad Cities, showcasing jobs on the Mississippi River.
	Bird's-eye views from across the Quad Cities region for the week of Feb. 6, 2026 Sit back, relax and enjoy these scenes captured by the News 8 drone from across the Quad Cities region this week.
	Moline launching program to replace lead service lines Moline hopes to replace approximately 4,900 lead service lines over the next 10 years.
	Over 100 students at Pleasant Valley High School partake in walkout to protest ICE The students wanted to protest in front of the school and administration allegedly told them they needed to walk out in the back.
	It's that time of year! Expect to see Girl Scout Cookie booths throughout the QC Beginning Friday, Feb. 6, Girl Scout Cookie Booths will pop up in communities across eastern Iowa and western Illinois, a news release says. To find one near you, visit here and type in your zip code. A list of upcoming Cookie Booths, hosted by local Girl Scout Troops, will appear so you can stock up on your favorite cookies while running errands. At [...]
	Iowa educators, parents warn proposed school funding increase falls short Iowa educators and parents say a proposed 1.75% funding increase won’t keep up with costs, warning of staff cuts, larger classes and fewer programs.
	Pleasant Valley High School students protest ICE with walkout A large group of students at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf walked out of class Friday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Students there expressed their frustrations with the current administration and chanted "Abolish ICE" and "Melt the ICE." They also took turns speaking and sharing personal stories. The walkout lasted over 45 minutes. [...]
	Aledo seeks input at public hearing regarding waste collection contract The City of Aledo is weighing the cancellation of its waste contract with Lakeshore Recycling Services due to reported complaints.
	Much warmer than average for next week Temperatures are looking to continue the trend of warm weather for this weekend and especially into next week. While a cold front will be cooling us down on Saturday with temperatures dropping into the mid 30s, they will shoot back up into the mid 50s for Monday and Tuesday. When compared to normal it is [...]
	Portion of Village of Milan under boil order The Village of Milan said a water main break is causing some residents to be under a boil order.
	Quad Cities Scots, friends to gather for 48th annual Robert Burns Dinner You're invited to an evening of music, dancing and traditional Scottish food in Bettendorf on Saturday, Feb. 21. You do not need to be Scottish to attend.
	Girl Scout cookie booths arrive for the season Girl Scout cookie booths will be popping up in eastern Iowa and western Illinois starting Feb. 6.
	Moline launching program to replace lead service lines Moline hopes to replace approximately 4,900 lead service lines over the next 10 years.
	Iowa community colleges receive federal grants for military member CDL training Two Iowa community colleges are set to expand their commercial driver’s license training programs with federal funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
	Nature is the new thrill ride: Why wildlife is the travel moment Americans are chasing Nature is the new thrill ride: Why wildlife is the travel moment Americans are chasingThe sight of a whale breaching or the Northern Lights stretching across the Alaskan sky has become a vision many Americans hope to experience. These moments, once considered bucket list extras, now stand out as the experiences travelers say matter most.According to a new survey from Holland America Line, which has been exploring Alaska for nearly 80 years, wildlife encounters and outdoor experiences are ranking ahead of traditional theme park thrills. The survey found 43% of Americans say seeing wildlife in nature would be the most memorable family vacation experience, compared with about 12% who say meeting a character at a theme park would stand out most.Interest in these experiences is shaping destination choices, as more than two-thirds (67%) of Americans say Alaska is a top travel priority. Holland America Line The Destination Effect: Why Nature-Based Travel ResonatesNature-focused destinations stand out for offering rare, immersive experiences. When asked about the moments that left the strongest impression, more than 41% of Americans say a nature or adventure destination produced their most lasting family memories. For many travelers, those memories are tied to being immersed in nature, where wildlife sightings, open landscapes and time outdoors shape the experience in ways traditional vacations often do not.For families in particular, these trips offer something different than a traditional getaway, creating shared experiences that span generations and stand out as moments people remember most.Cruising with CuriosityTravel is not only about seeing new places. For many Americans, it is also a time to learn, explore and slow down. Cruises in particular appear to encourage that mindset.According to the survey, 62% of Americans say they are more likely to try new foods while traveling on a cruise. Nearly half (48%) say they discovered a new interest or hobby, including wildlife, food, history or culture.Not every moment is structured. Some Americans say downtime is part of the appeal, with 28% saying they read more during their trip. Holland America Line Memories Over Souvenirs: Why Experiences Last LongerFor many Americans, what stays with them after a trip is not what they bought but what they experienced. Nearly 67% say they value a core memory more than a physical souvenir after a vacation.Those memories often continue to resonate long after the trip ends. Eighty-six percent say they have revisited photos or videos from a past trip to lift their mood, and more than 90% say positive travel memories can improve their mood during difficult times. Holland America Line Family Time Reimagined: Shared Experiences Matter MostFor families, travel often creates time for bonding that daily routines do not allow. More than half (55%) of respondents say their best family memories occurred while traveling together, and more than 4 out of 5 (82%) say some of their strongest family bonding moments happened during a vacation or family trip.In addition to shared memories, more than 91% say travel has a positive impact on their mental and emotional well-being.There is No Time Like the PresentAs Americans look for relief from routine and overstimulation, travel experiences rooted in nature, learning and shared moments are gaining appeal. The findings reflect a growing pull toward trips built around lasting memories and emotional connection.MethodologyHolland America Line commissioned an online survey of adults in the United States, conducted in September, 2025. The sample included 1,539 adults ages 18 and older.This story was produced by Holland America Line and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Moline police and fire investigate arson The Moline Police Department and Fire Department are investigating alleged arson on a vehicle in January.
	St. Ambrose University applies to move athletic conferences The university said the move aims to strengthen the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of SAU athletics.
	Trump's harsh immigration tactics are taking a political hit President Trump's popularity on one of his political strengths is in jeopardy.
	A drop in CDC health alerts leaves doctors 'flying blind' Doctors and public health officials are concerned about the drop in health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since President Trump returned for a second term.
	St. Ambrose applies for full membership in Heart of America Athletic Conference St. Ambrose University announced its application for the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
	Parts of Milan under boil order There is a boil order in effect for parts of Milan. According to a post on the Village of Milan's Facebook page: Due to a water main break, a boil water order is now in effect for residents in the 400 to 500 block of West 12th Avenue and West 13th Avenue and the 1200 [...]
	Photos: Highlights from the Winter Olympics opening ceremony Athletes from around the world attended the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan.
	Which states have the longest (and shortest) commutes? Which states have the longest (and shortest) commutes?For millions of Americans across the country, the journey to work isn’t just a quick trip. It’s a daily grind that eats into time with family or friends, hinders personal well-being, and shapes where people can afford to live. These effects have been especially prominent in recent years, after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped work and more people switched to remote or hybrid roles.With return-to-the-office mandates in place and traditional commute patterns in flux, there are stark differences across different states and regions. Using census data, as well as recent commuting studies from sources including the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis World Population Review, and more, AnyWho outlines how geography, infrastructure, and work patterns influence the hours Americans spend in transit state-by-state.The state of American commutes: A post-pandemic reckoningAmerican commuting has certainly rebounded toward pre-pandemic norms even as hybrid and remote work stay a part of the workplace mix. According to census data gathered on average commute times from 2011 to 2024, with the exception of 2020, national times shook out as follows: AnyWho With an average one-way travel time to work of 27.2 minutes in 2024, commutes are beginning to approach pre-pandemic levels once again. This resurgence is likely reflective of several trends, including that many employers have asked workers to return to the office more regularly. This reduces the share of fully remote workers and helps to push commute volumes back up.Data from recruiting firm Robert Half found that job postings for hybrid and remote roles have begun to stabilize, rather than increase, indicating current commute times may be reflective of the new norm.Commuting isn’t just a number. It affects mental health, quality of life, housing decisions, and overall life satisfaction. Longer commutes can correlate to higher stress and less time for social and family life, and they’re often tied to escalating housing costs near job centers.The 10 states where commutes consume your lifeThe prevalence of in-person, remote, or hybrid roles is dependent on the type of companies operating in an area and the roles they have available. Each state is known for its specific dominant industries, and these types of workplaces can cause commute times to differ drastically from state to state. Data from the 2024 U.S. Census American Community Survey reveals the following: AnyWho The Eastern Seaboard, Southeast, and states scattered across the West significantly differ in commute times than counterparts in the Southwest and Midwest on an average basis. In particular, the following ten states have the longest commute times in the country:New York - 33.2 minutesMaryland - 32.3 minutesNew Jersey - 31.9 minutesMassachusetts - 30.6 minutesCalifornia - 29.7 minutesGeorgia - 29.4 minutesFlorida - 28.9 minutesIllinois - 28.3 minutesVirginia - 28.3 minutesNew Hampshire - 27.5 minutesLiving in one of these states, especially if near a major metropolitan center, means that living with a tough commute might just be part of your daily life. It’s also important to be aware of these areas if you are actively looking at moving. Long commutes aren’t just uncomfortable. Every minute you’re stuck on the road is time that could have been spent on family, health, or leisure.The other extreme: States where commutes are an afterthoughtAt the other end of the spectrum, states with more rural populations, lower density, and shorter distances between homes and workplaces tend to have the shortest commute times. Based on additional commute time data from World Population Review, North and South Dakota rank as the two shortest commute states with averages of 17.6 minutes and 17.3 minutes, respectively.Following closely behind are Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska, all featuring commute times under 20 minutes on average. These shorter commute times are reflective of different economic and spatial structures throughout the states. With employment centers typically closer to residences and fewer major metropolitan centers, heavy traffic congestion is far less common.The true cost: How commute time reshapes life decisionsLong commutes don’t just reshape your morning and evening. They influence where you choose to live, how you spend your free time, and even your mental and physical health to some extent. In fact, a comprehensive study from the University of the West of England on commuting and well-being found that longer commutes are associated with decreased job satisfaction and increased risks of mental health issues.Commute distance naturally factors into housing decisions. One household may trade off higher rent in a centrally located city for a more affordable home in the distant suburbs, only to incur the hidden cost of hours on the road each week.What the data reveals about America's commuting futureCommuting patterns will undoubtedly continue to evolve as shifts in remote work and housing markets continue. Remote and hybrid job postings are beginning to stabilize, so times may inch upwards slowly. High housing costs in major metro areas may continue to push existing workers farther from job centers, potentially resulting in increased commute times as people seek more affordable homes.Despite fluctuations, commute times will certainly remain a key metric of economic geography, one correlated closely with quality of life, housing affordability, and regional growth.Time well spent or time lost?When it comes to America’s commute crisis, place matters. Whether you live in New York, where daily travel to work is a major part of your life, or in the open spaces of North Dakota where shorter commutes prevail, the geography of mobility often reflects broader choices about housing, work, and communities. By understanding where time is most often lost — and gained — more informed decisions can be made by workers, employers, and policymakers as all strive to make daily life better.This story was produced by AnyWho and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	5 winter address trends: How people are changing where they live, work & receive mail in 2026 5 winter address trends: How people are changing where they live, work & receive mail in 2026For decades, an address was one of the most stable parts of the American experience. Defining where you lived, where your mail went, and where you made your home, an address used to be an anchoring point in the lives of all Americans. However, in the modern era of easy travel, one surprising phenomenon is quietly disrupting this idea — the wintertime. Seasonal migration, remote work, and rising concerns about physical safety and package theft are forcing people to rethink what their address actually needs to do.Home is less about a fixed location today and more about accessibility, flexibility and control. From snowbirds trying to relocate for warmer weather to remote workers relying on virtual mail services, winter has become a stress test for the traditional address system. ThatsThem has put together data from leading sources including ConsumerAffairs, Forbes, USPS, and more to outline a number of key behaviors seen in winter that reflect how Americans are now managing lifestyle, convenience and security when their lives aren’t anchored in one place.How winter is changing the way Americans think about "home" and mailing addressesWhether weather-related or situational, the colder months tend to see addresses begin to shift or become outdated. In particular, the below impacts are most prominent:1. Snowbird seasonal migrationsEach winter, millions of Americans, particularly retirees, relocate seasonally to warmer climates. Data from Reuters estimates that 1 million to 1.5 million people spend the colder months in Florida; other popular states for wintering include Texas, California and Arizona. This movement increases reliance on temporary change-of-address services rather than permanent relocation specialists. The distinction between temporary and permanent address changes matters more than ever for these individuals.2. Virtual mailbox services for remote workersWhile admittedly less of a winter-specific problem, remote work has untethered employment from geography. Winter can simply accelerate this freedom as many businesses choose to shut down for the holiday season. Digital nomads, remote professionals and small business owners are among those who increasingly use virtual mailbox services that scan, forward and digitize mail regardless of location. Forbes published an article last year outlining how all digital nomads should invest in a virtual mailbox to enjoy flexibility in staying up to date on mail without ever missing a deadline.3. PO boxes and private mailboxesTo enhance privacy and security, many people choose to invest in PO boxes or private mailboxes. Winter in particular sees this trend grow as package theft increases. Based on an October 2025 survey of 3,307 American adults conducted by home security site Security.org, package thieves stole an estimated $8.2 billion worth of online orders over the past year.As a result, PO boxes and private mailboxes are seeing renewed relevance as a form of secured mail delivery for when people aren’t home. This shift is less about convenience for many, and more about reclaiming control over personal information and privacy.4. Parcel lockers and out-of-home delivery optionsOut-of-home delivery options, such as parcel lockers, retail pickup points and smart locker systems, are becoming increasingly popular during the winter. Based on Market Growth Reports data focused specifically on the electronic parcel locker industry, the market has seen steady growth in recent years attributed to rises in e-commerce volume and consumer demands for flexibility on package deliveries. In the winter, investing in such an option can reduce weather exposure for packages and also eliminate the need to be physically “home” at delivery time, which is helpful for those who work full time.5. USPS informed delivery for address awarenessUSPS informed delivery has quietly reshaped how Americans interact with the mail. This service provides digital previews of any incoming mail, allowing users to track what specifically is arriving while they are away. With 72.9 million active users across 50.5 million households, it’s clear this is a popular way of staying on top of mail. During winter travel or seasonal relocations where your address shifts, this visibility offers reassurance and planning power. A user can decide whether something needs their immediate attention or can wait, causing “home” to be something you can monitor rather than just inhabit.Winter can make your home more flexibleWinter used to reinforce the idea of staying put given the poor weather. Today, however, it does the opposite for many. Seasonal movement, remote work and evolving delivery systems all help transform addresses from fixed markers into flexible tools. Americans are beginning to learn that their home doesn't have to mean the place of their primary address. It can instead mean continuity, access and control across many different addresses. As these trends continue to accelerate, address management will become less about geography and more about intentional design, with the winter season making the shift impossible to ignore.This story was produced by ThatsThem and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Tired of swiping? 7 dating app alternatives single Americans are using in 2026. Tired of swiping? 7 dating app alternatives single Americans are using in 2026.Dating app fatigue is real. A July 2025 survey by Forbes Health revealed that nearly 4 in 5 users report feeling burned out from dating apps “sometimes, often, or always.” Reasons cited include failure to connect, disappointment, and rejection.As easy as it is to communicate with others online, it’s never been more difficult to make romantic connections. Facing this realization, many Americans have decided to take a step back from generic dating apps and use alternative means to combat their loneliness. PeopleWin took a deep dive into seven ways people seek love in the modern era, including in-person methods like coworking spaces and online methods like meetup apps.1. Speed friending is the new speed datingIt’s harder than ever to find meaningful connections. The Pew Research Center found in 2023 that 8% of American adults reported having no friends at all. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services found in 2023 that, over the past two decades, time spent in person with friends has reduced dramatically. The young adult age group, in particular, reported a 70% reduction.To meet new people, many have turned to speed friending. These in-person events are very similar to speed dating but are designed for platonic connections. However, many people are relying on them as “feelers.” While they’re not explicitly looking to find a date, they remain open to the idea of meeting a potential suitor.2. Coworking spaces are hot spots for remote singlesThe workplace has always been a common place for finding a partner. In fact, Forbes Advisor reported in 2024 that just over 2 in 5survey respondents had married someone they worked with. In the age of remote work, it’s more difficult to find a mate at a job.Nowadays, many remote workers are utilizing coworking spaces. As of 2022, 1.08 million people used coworking spaces in the U.S., according to Zippia. That’s a lot of opportunities for meeting new people.3. There are fewer fish in the sea with niche dating appsOnline dating and dating apps are not completely dead. They’re just getting more specialized. Selectivity is important in dating. Niche apps are helping “weed out” people based on compatibility. These platforms allow individuals to get specialized dating inquiries with other like-minded people. Examples include MillionaireMatch, a website for high-net-worth individuals, and FarmersOnly, a site dedicated to farmers and people in rural communities.Personality similarities can be very important in a relationship. In 2023, Nature Human Behavior analyzed the frequency of shared personality traits among opposite-sex couples. The study found that, on average, 82%-89% of personality traits were shared. This research provides compelling insight into why people might pursue relationships on more niche dating apps.4. Finding mutual interests with meetup appsMany people have decided to join group meetup apps to find a partner, as they bring people with similar interests together. These apps help people bond over a common activity, such as hiking or board games, which can lead to relationship opportunities.Some apps like Meetup have expanded into singles groups, designed to bring single people together over activities like going out for drinks.5. Volunteer opportunities in the communityVolunteering is another way people are finding dates away from dating apps. Additionally, as AARP notes, it’s good for “staving off loneliness.” Volunteer organizations and events are a great way to meet other like-minded people who care about community involvement.6. At the gym and outdoorsAs Glamour reported in March 2023, “workout wooing” was the latest trend in dating. They reported on a study conducted by Bumble and Gymshark that found 22% of Gen Zers and millennials would prefer a date at the gym to one at the pub.Active first dates are 25% more likely to lead to a second date, according to a 2025 New York Post report citing data from matchmaking company Tawkify. People who enjoy activities like hiking may have more luck securing a long-term relationship if they stay off dating apps and coordinate dates in the real world.7. Finding love at cultural eventsFor people who enjoy intellectual pursuits and cultural events, destinations like museums can be a great way to meet people offline. Museums are full of exhibits that are great conversation starters. For instance, remarking on a painting to someone else who is enjoying the gallery can help break the ice.The world is full of dating opportunitiesIt’s easy to think that in today’s world, dating only takes place online. But people are increasingly burned out from the constant swiping and screen time required by dating apps.More people are taking to the streets to find alternative ways of finding a partner. Whether that’s at the gym, at a museum, or at coworking spaces, plenty of offline opportunities exist for singles. Online apps may make it easier to have an initial connection, but it takes real-world effort to find a relationship that will last.This story was produced by PeopleWin and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	4 Your Money \| On A Heater The stock market has continued a successful run the past several years. David Nelson, CEO of NelsonCorp Wealth Management, shares the bigger picture by looking at historical patterns and what this current run means for investors.
	The $400K compliance cost: How sales tax complexity drains SaaS margins The $400K compliance cost: How sales tax complexity drains SaaS marginsCompliance is clearly mandatory, yet it’s rarely discussed outside of the finance team unless something breaks. It does not usually feature in product roadmaps or growth strategy conversations. Instead, it is treated as operational background noise that is important, but fundamentally tactical.As companies scale, this problem intensifies. Crossing state and country lines expands audit risk and introduces rule changes that are difficult to track manually. With CFOs entering 2026 and planning cycles under pressure to protect unit economics and extend runway, understanding the true cost of sales tax complexity has truly become a strategic imperative.Even relatively small SaaS companies can trigger tax obligations at a rapid speed through remote hiring, inbound sales, or enterprise contracts that can span multiple jurisdictions. Because these thresholds are frequently crossed without a clear internal signal, finance teams may not realize that compliance risk has already been created. By the time it becomes visible, remediation becomes more expensive. That’s why Anrok put together the key data points to help your business understand how to reap the benefits of tax automation.The 4.3% revenue drag (the "hard" costs)Sales tax is particularly challenging for SaaS companies because it was not designed with digital products in mind. Tax codes evolved around physical goods, not subscription software, cloud infrastructure, or usage-based pricing. As a result, definitions of what is taxable vary widely by jurisdiction. In one state, a SaaS product may be non-taxable. In another, it may be taxable only if bundled with certain support services. In a third, taxability may depend on where the customer accesses the software or where the servers are located. These small distinctions change frequently, and staying current requires constant monitoring. Invoicing practices can add another layer of risk. Some companies opt to receive bills at a centralized office in a state where SaaS is taxable, even though most of their users are located in states where it is not. In these cases, companies may inadvertently over-collect and remit sales tax based on their customer’s billing location, despite SaaS users being located in a different jurisdiction, where SaaS may not be taxable.Many finance teams will attempt to manage this complexity with spreadsheets or general accounting software. These tools may work in the early stages of growth. In the long term, however, they do not scale. As transaction volume increases and companies expand into new states, the likelihood of classification errors, late filings, and under-collection rises sharply.Over time, those errors can accumulate into meaningful financial exposure, which is then further amplified by the pace at which SaaS companies tend to expand. Unlike traditional businesses that can grow region by region, SaaS growth is more often nonlinear. A single successful marketing campaign can introduce customers in dozens of new areas simultaneously. Without automation, finance teams are forced into a reactive posture, attempting to then retroactively determine where obligations exist and how long they have been outstanding. This risk is heightened by economic nexus thresholds, which can be breached quickly as transaction counts or sales revenue spike, often without clear visibility. SaaS companies may unknowingly trigger sales and use tax obligations in new states long before compliance processes catch up.Anrok’s benchmark data, puts real numbers to the issue. Across digital businesses surveyed, sales tax liabilities and penalties average 4.3% of total revenue. For a company with $10 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), that represents $430,000 annually. This is capital that could otherwise be reinvested into product development, hiring, or even customer acquisition.Unlike payroll or infrastructure costs, sales tax liabilities do not always appear as a consistent line item. They surface intermittently through audits or remediation efforts. Remediation can be costly not only due to tax due, penalties, and interest, but also because of the internal time and external resources required (i.e., consultant fees, legal support, and significant tax team bandwidth) that can quickly add up. This makes them very easy to underestimate or entirely exclude from planning models. As companies trigger nexus in additional jurisdictions, these liabilities compound. A missed registration today becomes multiple years of exposure tomorrow, often with penalties layered on top.Because these liabilities are backward-looking, they also distort performance metrics. A company may appear to be operating efficiently on paper, only to see the margins corrected downward when compliance gaps are eventually resolved. This creates tension between reported performance and economic reality.There are some SaaS leaders who operate under the assumption that audits are highly unlikely. In reality, audit selection has become increasingly systematic. State tax authorities rely on data sharing and third-party analytics to identify noncompliant businesses, especially in the digital economy. When an audit does occur, it is rarely limited to just a single filing period. Multi-year lookbacks are common, and auditors often truly inspect product taxability, exemption documentation, and historical rate application. Penalties and interest can quickly turn these small errors into massive six-figure bills.The uncertainty surrounding audits also creates some planning challenges. Finance teams may hesitate to make long-term commitments or investments when unresolved tax exposure exists. This invisible drag can end up slowing down decision-making and introducing unnecessary budgeting processes.The operational toll: Why your finance team is burned outBeyond direct financial exposure, sales tax complexity imposes an operational burden on finance teams. According to Anrok’s benchmark findings, organizations spend between 25 and 30 hours per month on manual sales tax work. That time is consumed by sifting through compliance data, researching rates, validating product taxability, managing exemption certificates, and preparing filings.Individually, these tasks seem manageable. Collectively, they really add up. Over the course of a year, manual compliance can consume more than three full work weeks of finance time. This is real time that could otherwise be spent on a multitude of more essential functions.As companies scale, this burden rarely remains static. Each new jurisdiction adds incremental work, increasing the likelihood that compliance tasks will spill over into nights or close cycles. What would begin as a manageable administrative responsibility can gradually crowd out more of the strategic priorities.The cost of this time sink is magnified by who is doing the work. Finance professionals are one of the most expensive operational resources in a SaaS organization. Expectations for the function they provide continue to expand. Boards and investors increasingly rely on finance teams for insight, not just reporting. When experienced professionals spend significant portions of their month on repetitive compliance tasks, companies are effectively paying high strategic salaries for simple transactional output.Over time, this dynamic contributes to burnout and attrition. High-performing team members are less likely to stay in roles that are dominated by low-leverage work, which then forces companies to absorb recruiting costs and swallow the productivity loss.Manual processes also leave little margin for error. Sales tax compliance completely depends on accuracy across thousands of small decisions, whether that’s the correct rate, correct taxability determination, or the correct exemption status. A single mistake can invalidate an otherwise compliant filing. During an audit, these gaps can lead to otherwise valid exemptions being disallowed, increasing tax liability retroactively.The cost of inaction: A real-world calculationTo demonstrate how these costs add up, let’s consider a hypothetical Series B SaaS company. The company generates $10 million in ARR and sells subscription software nationwide, as well as managing sales tax internally using spreadsheets and basic accounting tools. The finance team is focused primarily on reporting and supporting leadership with forecasting. Sales tax compliance is handled manually as part of month-end and quarter-end workflows.Using benchmark averages, this hypothetical company faces potential sales tax exposure of $10,000,000 × 4.3%, or $430,000. This figure reflects penalties and interest accumulated across jurisdictions. In addition, the finance team spends approximately 30 hours per month on manual sales tax work. At a fully loaded finance labor rate of $100 per hour, that equates to $36,000 annually in wasted salary.Taken together, the company’s annual cost of inaction approaches $466,000. Importantly, this figure does not account for secondary costs such as audit preparation, external advisory fees, or even internal disruption during remediation efforts. In practice, the true economic impact is often much higher than the headline number suggests.Liability: $10,000,000 * 4.3% = $430,000 in potential tax exposureLabor: 30 hours/month * 12 months * $100/hr (fully loaded finance rate) = $36,000 in wasted salaryTotal Annual Exposure: ~$466,000In contrast, the cost of a modern sales tax automation platform is typically a fraction of this exposure. While automation does not eliminate tax obligations, it does significantly reduce the likelihood of penalties and inefficient labor spend. For many companies, the return on investment becomes absolutely clear within the first year, especially when avoided audit costs and reclaimed finance capacity are factored in.The impact of inaction extends beyond annual operating results. During fundraising or an acquisition, sales tax liabilities are routinely identified during due diligence. As BDO notes, these exposures are often deducted directly from valuation.Strategic planning for 2026: Reframing the budgetAs CFOs look toward 2026, the role of the finance function continues to evolve. Within this context, sales tax automation aligns quite naturally with the broader transformation initiatives. It reduces risk, improves data quality, and supports scalable growth.Rather than treating tax automation as optional spend, finance teams are beginning to budget for it as a form of insurance. Predictable compliance costs replace surprise assessments, which reduces volatility and improves forecast accuracy. This shift also simplifies planning conversations with executives and boards. When compliance risk is controlled, finance leaders can focus on growth scenarios rather than just contingency planning.Trends in tax technology suggest that automation delivers value beyond compliance alone. Faster closes and improved scalability all contribute to measurable returns, particularly for SaaS companies operating across multiple areas.The margin lever you can pull todaySales tax compliance is unavoidable for SaaS companies at scale, but margin erosion is not. Benchmarked data makes clear that manual approaches carry a real and compounding cost. By reframing tax automation as a strategic investment rather than an expense, finance leaders can reclaim margin and aim to protect valuation. As 2026 budgets take shape, the strongest SaaS organizations will be those that recognize compliance not as overhead, but as a lever that converts complexity into capital.This story was produced by Anrok and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	As school choice programs grow, parents are demanding better customer service As school choice programs grow, parents are demanding better customer serviceAs states continue to launch and expand private school choice programs, one of their biggest challenges is building online platforms that meet the overwhelming demand.Tennessee families experienced a bottleneck earlier this year as they waited hours online to submit applications for the state’s new Education Freedom Scholarship program. In July, the state told 166 parents that they had received a scholarship, only to alert them a few days later that the notification was a mistake.“It wasn’t the most ideal user experience,” said Heide Nesset, a senior fellow for the Beacon Center of Tennessee, a right-leaning think tank. But Nesset told The 74 there was a “tight runway,” about three months, to get the program off the ground.With state leaders hoping to serve up to 70,000 students next year, they’re now searching for a new vendor. Proposals are due Friday.But the rough start in Tennessee wasn’t an anomaly. All states with education savings accounts have struggled to some extent with ensuring smooth transactions for families, whether that’s paying a school on time or ordering a homeschool curriculum. Some say the solution lies in picking more than one company to handle the increasing demand and improve customer service.“If it’s one contract, I think the vendor is inherently trying to ensure that the state department has a really fantastic experience,” said Nesset, who is also the vice president of implementation at the Yes. Every Kid. Foundation, a school choice advocacy organization. “If you have more than one [vendor], then they start competing, and families have the opportunity to make choices.”Tennessee’s current vendor is Student First Technologies, which won a contract in 2023 to run a smaller ESA program in three counties. Earlier this year, the state expanded the contract with the Indiana-based company to manage the new statewide program, despite its problems in other states.In West Virginia, where Student First still operates the Hope Scholarship program, an ESA, homeschool families complain that they can’t access the platform on their phones and that approvals and denials for purchases are inconsistent. Arkansas canceled its contract with Student First last fall after it failed to deliver a “fully operational” system on time. The company paid the state a $300,000 fine.‘Get what they need’Eighteen states now have at least one ESA program. With a new federal tax credit scholarship system beginning in 2027, the demand for organizations to manage them will surely grow. The trick is delivering a system that runs smoothly for families while ensuring that they’re using the money the way the state intended.In a recent interview, Michael Horn, cofounder of the Clayton Christensen Institute, a think tank, talked with Jamie Rosenberg, the founder of ClassWallet. Still the biggest player in the market, the Florida-based company manages nine ESA programs.Prior to platforms like his, states had two options, he explained. They either issued debit cards, which made it hard to ensure parents spent the money on allowable purchases, or expected them to pay up front and request reimbursement — a significant obstacle for families on a tight budget.ESA vendors, he said, give families the “agency to get what they need but also the ease of knowing that what they’re doing and what they’re buying [complies with] program rules.”Adding more than one vendor to the mix could make the companies work harder to reach lower-income and unrepresented families who are less likely to use the programs, said Lisa Snell, a senior fellow at Stand Together Trust, which funds school choice initiatives.“Family outreach and satisfaction become the goal rather than the government as the customer to one vendor,” she said.Texas had the option to choose multiple vendors for its new ESA program, which launches next fall. The law allows the comptroller’s office to contract with up to five companies. But officials opted against it and awarded a two-year, $26 million contract to New York-based Odyssey, which currently runs programs in four other states.Joe Connor, Odyssey’s CEO, declined to comment on the state’s decision and referred The 74 to the state comptroller’s office. The office did not respond, but Amar Kumar, CEO of KaiPod Learning, a large national network of microschools, said the state likely felt multiple vendors would further complicate the process.“There was this huge question of the complexity of doing that,” he said. “How do you tell families which portal to go to or how will they decide who manages which part of the program?”‘Send a quarterly check’The vendor platforms include built-in tools to prevent misuse. Student First Technologies has an AI feature, called QuinnIQ, that reviews each expense, “assigns a confidence score” and flags anything that’s new or that the state hasn’t approved in the past.But Katie Switzer, a West Virginia parent using the state’s Hope Scholarship to homeschool her children, said it’s unreliable, sometimes approving purchases for some families and rejecting the same items for others. She thinks states should focus more on monitoring students’ academic progress than tracking every purchase.“It’s stupid in my opinion to micromanage down to like the $20 workbook level,” she said. “Honestly, I think it would be more cost effective to send a quarterly check to families.”That’s unlikely with such programs constantly under the microscope, and critics, especially in Arizona, pointing to high-end purchases, like diamonds and plane tickets, as examples of misuse. The state education department says it takes steps to prevent fraud and has referred cases to the attorney general’s office that have led to convictions.West Virginia officials said they’re pleased with Student First’s progress since October, when parents complained that delayed orders caused students to fall behind on lessons. Orders are now “generally” processed within two business days, said Assistant Treasurer Carrie Hodousek, and the company has added and trained staff to prepare for peak order times.Providers like KaiPod have their own concerns. School founders in the network have sometimes gone to the brink of eviction from their leased space because of late tuition payments, said CEO Kumar.“There should be a predictable schedule, but sometimes it can take weeks extra to get paid,” he said. “If you’re running a small business and you owe rent, you owe payroll and your state payment is delayed, that creates a huge amount of stress for founders.”For now, rebidding contracts for vendors is the strongest form of accountability, he said.“They ought to not feel safe once they’ve won a contract,” he said.Disclosure: Stand Together Trust provides financial support to The 74.This story was produced by The 74 and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Playful twists: How to spice up date night (BPT) - Date night doesn't have to mean reservations, candles or a big production. Sometimes all it takes is a small twist to make a familiar night in feel fresh again.A fresh take on date nightDate night is being reimagined, with staying in creating space for something different. With less pressure to perform, there's more room to play, experiment and enjoy rituals that don't always fit into a traditional night out.In moments like these, date night doesn't need more time or more effort. It just needs a spark. A small twist on the familiar, a little experimentation and a bottle that fits the mood can turn an ordinary evening into something memorable.Start with one of these ideas and see where the night takes you.Ready-made date night plansPartner portraits Channel your inner Picasso as you grab some paper and sketch each other, talent optional. With results usually more silly than serious, it's a playful, low-pressure way to break the ice and reset into date-night mode. Chardonnay from Bonterra Organic Estates, known for its commitment to organic farming, is a deliciously crowd-pleasing pour that keeps things light and lets the evening build a little spark of its own.Turn up the heat A little heat has a way of changing up the vibe. One of the simplest ways to spice up date night is with a Spicy Sauvy B, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with a subtle kick from a few slices of jalapeño or spiced rim. Bright, zesty, and unexpected, it wakes up the glass and brings instant lift to the moment. Bonterra California Sauvignon Blanc has the freshness and balance to make this twist feel anything but routine.Spontaneous stargazingGrab a blanket, step outside, and look up. Under a glittering night sky, crisp air sharpens the senses and shifts the mood, turning an ordinary night into something quietly electric. Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon brings bold flavor with notes of berry and spice, a natural companion for a date night that's cozy, connected, and just a little charged.Whether it's sketching across the table, stepping outside under the stars or adding a little spice to a familiar pour, these moments invite connection without pressure. That's where Bonterra fits in, making it easy to turn any evening into something worth lingering over.Date nights in don't need a big plan. They thrive on small twists, playful moments and the kind of rituals that linger. When the mood is right, even a simple night in can feel perfectly, unmistakably right for two.For more information, visit bonterra.com.Please drink responsibly. Learn more at Responsibility.org.
	Guide to transformer kVA ratings: How to determine what size transformer you need Guide to transformer kVA ratings: How to determine what size transformer you needIn many industries, including health care, manufacturing, electrical contracting, higher education and corrections, reliable, high-quality transformers are essential for keeping operations running efficiently. Large facilities and industrial processes require substantial amounts of power, and they need dependable transformers to convert the energy coming from the power plant into a form they can use for their equipment and building utilities.How do transformers help commercial and industrial facilities achieve these goals?Transformers convert energy from the source to the power required by the load. To use their transformers effectively, businesses need to know how much power their particular transformers can give them. A transformer’s rating provides that information.The transformer typically consists of two windings, a primary and secondary winding. Input power flows through the primary winding. The secondary winding then converts the power and sends it to the load through its input leads. A transformer’s rating, or size, is its power level in kilovolt-amperes.When a piece of electrical equipment malfunctions, the transformer is often the culprit. In that case, you’ll probably need to replace your transformer, and when you do, you’ll need to select one with the correct kVA (power level) for your needs. If not, you run the risk of frying your valuable equipment.How do you choose a transformer size? Fortunately, sizing your transformer is relatively simple. It involves using a straightforward formula to generate your kVA requirements from the current and voltage of your electrical load. This guide from Elsco Transformers explains in more detail how to calculate the required capacity kVA rating.How to Determine kVA SizeWhen figuring out kVA size, it’s helpful to have the terminology and abbreviations straight before you begin. You’ll sometimes see transformers, especially smaller ones, sized in units of VA. VA stands for volt-amperes. A transformer with a 100 VA rating, for instance, can handle 100 volts at one ampere (amp) of current. ELSCO Transformers The kVA unit represents kilovolt-amperes, or 1,000 volt-amperes. A transformer with a 1.0 kVA rating is the same as a transformer with a 1,000 VA rating and can handle 100 volts at 10 amps of current.How to Determine What Size Transformer You NeedTo determine your kVA size, you’ll need to make a series of calculations based on your electrical schematics.The electrical load that connects to the secondary winding requires a particular input voltage, or load voltage. Let’s call that voltage V. You’ll need to know what this voltage is — you can find it by looking at the electrical schematic. Say that the load voltage V must be 150 volts, for exampleYou’ll then need to determine the particular current flow your electrical load requires. You can look at the electrical schematic to determine this number as well. If you can’t locate the required current flow, you can calculate it by dividing the input voltage by the input resistance. Say the required load phase current, which we’ll call l, is 50 amperes.Once you’ve located or calculated these two figures, you can use them to figure out the load’s power requirements depending on the type of transformer. ELSCO Transformers Single-Phase kVA RatingsA single-phase transformer uses a single-phase alternating current. It has two lines of alternating current (AC) power. Below are a few common types:Encapsulated: A single-phase encapsulated transformer is useful for various general loads, including both indoor and outdoor loads. These transformers are common in industrial and commercial operations, including many types of lighting applications. If they wish, facilities can bank these units to create three-phase transformers. These transformers have relatively low ratings, often from about 50 VA to 25 kVA.Ventilated: A ventilated single-phase transformer is useful for multiple single-phase indoor and outdoor loads. These transformers are common in commercial and industrial applications, including lighting applications. They often have ratings ranging from about 25 to 100 kVA.Totally enclosed non-ventilated: Totally enclosed non-ventilated transformers may be single-phase or three-phase units. They are ideal for environments that contain high volumes of dirt and debris. Their ratings typically range from about 25 to 500 kVA.To calculate the kVA rating for a single-phase transformer, multiply the required input voltage (V) by the required current load in amperes (l) and then divide that number by 1,000:V * l / 1,000For example, you would multiply 150 by 50 to get 7,500, and then divide that number by 1,000 to get 7.5 kVA.Three-Phase kVA RatingsA three-phase transformer can take one of a few different forms. It typically has three lines of power, where each line is out of phase with the other two by 120 degrees.Compared with single-phase transformers, three-phase transformers come in similar types:Encapsulated: A three-phase encapsulated transformer is useful for numerous general loads, both outdoor and indoor and commercial and industrial, including lighting applications. These transformers often have ratings ranging between 3 and 75 kVA.Ventilated: A three-phase ventilated transformer is useful for many types of general indoor and outdoor loads, both industrial and commercial, including lighting applications. These transformers can have tremendous ratings, up to 1,000 kVA.Totally enclosed non-ventilated: As with single-phase units, these three-phase systems are ideal for environments with high volumes of dirt and debris. Their ratings typically range from about 25 to 500 kVA.The calculation for a three-phase transformer kVA is a little different from the calculation for a single-phase kVA. Once you’ve multiplied your voltage and amperage, you’ll also need to multiply by a constant — 1.732, which is the square root of 3 truncated to three decimal places:V * l * 1.732 / 1,000So if you’re working with a three-phase transformer, instead of multiplying the voltage by the amperage and dividing by 1,000 to get the kVA, multiply the voltage by the amperage by 1.732 and still divide by 1,000 to get the kVA.Start Factor and Specialty ConsiderationsStarting a device generally requires more current than running it. To account for this additional current requirement, it’s often helpful to add a start factor into your calculations. A good rule of thumb is to multiply the voltage by the amperage and then multiply by an additional start factor of 125%. Dividing by a power factor of 0.8, of course, is the same thing as multiplying by 1.25.However, if you start your transformer often — say more than once an hour — you may want a kVA even larger than your calculated size. And if you’re working with specialized loads, such as those found with motors or medical equipment, your kVA requirements may differ substantially. For specialized applications, you’ll probably want to consult a professional transformer company for advice on what kVA you need.Converting Kilowatts to kVATo convert the figure of a transformer from kilowatts to kilovolt-amperes, you’ll need to divide by 0.8, which represents the typical power factor of a load. Let’s say you know the transformer is operating at 7.5 kW. The equation would look like this:kVA = 7.5 kW / 0.8In the example above, you’d divide 7.5 by 0.8 to get 9.375 kVA. When you’re choosing a transformer, though, you won’t find one rated 9.375 kVA. Most kVA ratings are whole numbers, and many, especially in the higher ranges, come in multiples of five or 10 — 15 kVA, 150 kVA, 1,000 kVA and so on. In most cases, you’ll want to select a transformer with a rating slightly higher than the kVA you calculated — in this case, probably 10 or 15 kVA.Calculating AmperageYou can also work backward and use the known kVA of a transformer to calculate the amperage you can use for three-phase transformers:I = (kVA * 1,000 / V) / 1.732If your transformer is rated at 1.5 kVA, and you want to operate it at 25 volts, multiply 1.5 by 1,000 to get 1,500, and then divide 1,500 by 25 to get 60. Finally, divide 60 by the square root of 3 — which equals 1.732 — and you get 34.64 amperes. So, your transformer will allow you to run it with up to around 35 amperes of current.If the idea of performing calculations when you need to figure out kVA seems daunting or unappealing, you can always turn to charts. Many manufacturers supply charts to make determining the correct kVA easier. If you use a chart, you’ll locate your system’s voltage and amperage in the rows and columns and then find the kVA listed where your chosen row and column intersect.Standard Transformer SizesIt’s easy to talk about transformer size calculations in the abstract and come up with an array of numbers. But what are standard sizes for transformers that you might purchase?Standard transformer sizes refer to predefined and commonly available ratings of transformers that are on the market. These sizes are established by industry standards and provide a range of options to choose from. As a result, you can find a transformer that meets your specific needs without requiring custom manufacturing. Standard transformer sizes also facilitate compatibility and interchangeability, and allow for easy replacement of or adding to transformers in electrical systems without significant modifications.Standard sizes cover a variety of transformer kVAs, from smaller systems used in residential applications to larger ones for industrial settings. Especially for commercial buildings, the most common sizes for transformers are the following:3 kVA6 kVA9 kVA15 kVA30 kVA37.5 kVA45 kVA75 kVA112.5 kVA150 kVA225 kVA300 kVA500 kVA750 kVA1,000 kVA ELSCO Transformers When selecting a transformer, these standard sizes provide reliable and readily available solutions that have been tested and proven in various applications.When selecting a transformer, these standard sizes provide reliable and readily available solutions that have been tested and proven in various applications. For example, if you need a transformer size of 52.5 kVA to convert a system, you would select a 75 kVA transformer out of the available standard ratings since it has a better capacity than a 45 kVA transformer.If you work with specialized loads where your kVA requirements fall outside available standard sizes, custom transformers can be designed and manufactured to suit your specific needs.Calculating MVASometimes transformers are rated in megavolt-amperes, or MVA, to indicate the bigger size and capacity of the system. In other words, it is typically used when the ratings of electrical systems and equipment exceed the kVA range.What Is MVA?MVA stands for megavolt-amperes, and one MVA is 1 million volt-amperes.Like kVA, MVA is a unit used to measure the power capacity of large electrical systems and equipment. Since MVA represents the product of voltage and current on a very large scale, it is commonly used when dealing with high-power systems, such as: Power plantsSubstationsDistribution networksLarge industrial facilitiesRenewable energy sourcesHow to Convert kVA to MVAConverting kVA to MVA is a straightforward process if you remember the difference between kVA vs. MVA:1 MVA equals 1,000 kVA, which is the same as 1,000,000 VA1 VA equals 0.001 kVA, which is the same as 0.000001 MVASay you have a power rating of 3,750 kVA and want to convert this measurement to MVA. Since there are 1,000 kVA in one MVA, you will divide the kVA value by 1,000 to convert it to MVA. In this example, the equation would look like this: 3,750 kVA / 1,000 = 3.75 MVADepending on the level of accuracy required, you can round the converted value to the desired decimal places.How to Calculate MVATo calculate the MVA rating of a three-phase transformer, we’ll use the same numbers in the example that calculated the kVA size — the load voltage V is 150 volts and the load phase current I is 50 amperes.Calculate kilovolt-amperes: 150 volts * 50 amperes * 1.732 / 1,000 = 12.99 kVAConvert to megavolt-amperes: 12.99 kVA / 1,000 = 0.01299 MVAIn this example, it’s better to use the kVA rating to describe the transformer’s capacity rather than the MVA rating.How to Determine Load VoltageBefore you can calculate the necessary kVA for your transformer, you’ll need to figure out your load voltage, which is the voltage required to operate the electrical load. To determine your load voltage, you can look at your electrical schematic.Alternatively, you may have the kVA of your transformer and want to calculate the necessary voltage. In that case, you can adjust the equation we used above. Since you know kVA = V * l / 1,000, we can solve for V to get V = kVA * 1,000 / l.So you’ll multiply your kVA rating by 1,000 and then divide by the amperage. If your transformer has a kVA rating of 75 and your amperage is 312.5, you’ll plug those numbers into the equation: 75 * 1,000 / 312.5 = 240 volts.How to Determine Secondary VoltageThe primary and secondary circuits coil around the magnetic part of the transformer. A couple of different factors determine the secondary voltage: the number of turns in the coils and the voltage and current of the primary circuit.You can calculate the voltage of the secondary circuit by using a ratio of the voltage drops through the primary and secondary circuits, along with the number of circuit coils around the magnetic part of the transformer. We’ll use the equation t1/t2 = V1/V2, where t1 is the number of turns in the primary circuit’s coil, t2 is the number of turns in the secondary circuit’s coil, V1 is the voltage drop in the primary circuit’s coil and V2 is the voltage drop in the secondary circuit’s coil.Let’s say you have a transformer with 300 turns in its primary coil and 150 turns in its secondary coil. You also know that the voltage drop through the first coil is 10 volts. Plugging these numbers into the equation given above yields 300/150 = 10/t2, so you know t2, the voltage drop through the secondary coil, is 5 volts.How to Determine Primary VoltageRemember that every transformer has a primary and secondary side. In many cases, you’ll want to calculate the primary voltage, which is the voltage the transformer receives from a power source.You can determine the primary voltage by using the ratios of current and voltage from the transformer’s primary and secondary coils. Maybe you know your transformer has a current of 4 amps and a voltage drop of 10 volts through its secondary coil. You also know your transformer has a current of 6 amps through the primary coil. What should the voltage drop through the primary coil be?Let i1 and i2 equal the currents through the two coils. You can use the formula i1/i2 = V2/V1. In this case, i1 is 6, i2 is 4, and V2 is 10, and if you plug those numbers into the formula, you get 6/4 = 10/V1. Solving for V1 gives you V1 = 10 * 4/6, so the voltage drop through the primary circuit should be 6.667 volts.This story was produced by Elsco Transformers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	No snow, no problem? Inside Utah’s high-stakes plan for the 2034 Olympics. No snow, no problem? Inside Utah’s high-stakes plan for the 2034 Olympics.A tangled, white ribbon wrapped around brown hills and barren shrubs at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center on Tuesday, Jan. 27. It was a little more than a week before the start of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy. It was also exactly two weeks and eight years before Utah takes the stage to host its second Winter Games.Yet the prospect of hosting elite-level snowsport competitions here is difficult to fathom given the incessant lack of snow and persistent warm temperatures.That’s especially true at Soldier Hollow. At an elevation of 6,000 feet, it’s the lowest base among Utah’s 2034 venues, and most at the mercy of climate change. Local organizers acknowledge the fact, and a recent study said the venue — which is slated to host biathlon and cross country races — could be too warm to reliably host both Games in the near future.“We’ve gotten less than three inches of snow this winter, so that’s been interesting,” said Luke Bodensteiner, general manager at Soldier Hollow, which over the past three decades has averaged about 20 inches in January alone. “We’ve actually gotten more rain than snow this year,” he told The Salt Lake Tribune.No, the snow isn’t falling at Soldier Hollow. But neither is the sky.This warm, dry, brown winter is driving home the ripple effects a warming planet can have on the ski industry and the Olympics, said Fraser Bullock, the Utah 2034 president. Still, he said, he’s confident the state can weather similar conditions if they arise in 2034 and beyond. All it needs is state-of-the-art snowmaking, a flexible calendar and, maybe, a sprinkle of salt.Is snowmaking the answer?Like a slip peeking out under a skirt of snow, the brown and craggy rocks of the mountainside show on either side of the ski run. The scene could be at almost any of Utah’s ski resorts this winter. Instead, it was mid-January at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, the site of the women’s downhill ski competitions for the 2026 Olympics, which began Friday, Feb. 6.Like Utah, Italy has experienced an unusually dry and warm winter. It has been so dry that Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski Federation, voiced concern in early January that the ski courses wouldn’t have enough snow in time for the Olympics. He also blamed Italian officials for the shortage.Then Italy turned up its snowguns to full tilt.“We have been very lucky with the cold weather,” Eliasch said last week, according to a report by Barron’s. “Snow production has been able to commence and hit all the targets.”Artificial snow — or, as the International Olympic Committee refers to it, “technical snow” — has become a life raft for the Olympics. Sochi, Russia, could only host its 2014 Games thanks to snowmaking. The resort city along the Black Sea, which had some of the warmest temperatures ever for a Winter Games — hovering around 60 degrees Fahrenheit — manufactured 80% of its snow. When Pyeongchang, South Korea, hosted its Winter Olympics four years later, it needed to make 90% of its snow. By the time Beijing hosted in 2022, it was believed to have completely relied on artificial snow.The snowmaking process has been criticized for its intensive water and energy use. Nonetheless, it has become so omnipresent at ski and snowboarding competitions that many elite athletes now prefer manufactured snow, with its more predictable consistency, to the real stuff.Recent advancements that make snowmaking more efficient leave Bullock with no doubts Utah can host the 2034 Winter Games. What’s more, he believes the state can do it while meeting the IOC’s recent edict that, starting in 2030, every edition of the Games be climate positive.“This year, in particular, has been very disappointing in terms of snow coverage and snow received,” Bullock said. “[Yet] when we take a step back and look at: ‘How effectively can we still host the Games?’ We have tremendous confidence.”Utah 2034 organizers plan to replace existing snowmaking equipment — much of which was installed for the 2002 Olympics — at most venues. The new systems can use as little as half as much energy as their predecessors. They also allow mountain managers to take advantage of even 30-minute windows of ideal snowmaking conditions with the touch of a button, which proponents say makes them more water efficient.The IOC supports snowmaking at Winter Games venues, despite its environmental costs.“Climate change is already reshaping winter sport as we know it,” an IOC spokesperson wrote in an email to The Salt Lake Tribune. “Our ambition is to protect the Games and winter sports that so many people love; minimise its impact on the environment; and help safeguard winter economies that so many people rely on.”But what about when temperatures are too warm to make snow?Generally, snowmaking is only worthwhile if the wet-bulb temperature — a combination of humidity and heat — is 28 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Making snow at warmer temperatures is possible, but it is neither efficient nor economical.And as Utah skiers and snowboarders know, much of the 2025-26 season has been too warm for snowmaking, even at night. Only in recent weeks have temperatures dropped enough to allow resorts’ snowguns to fire with any regularity.But that’s the beauty of late winter in Utah, Bullock said. The state consistently sees cold temperatures in January and February, which lines up perfectly with the 2034 Olympic timeline of Feb. 10-26. Once the chill settles in, Bullock said, mountain managers will likely need less than a month to manufacture all the snow necessary to make an Olympic course competitive and safe.“The proper concentration of snowmaking equipment focused on our competition runs for a couple of weeks would certainly give us the preparation we need,” he said. “But we believe we’ll have far more (time) than that.”And if mountain managers don’t have enough time, or enough cold weather to make snow? Then, they’ll go old-school.Turning to tarps and trucksEven back in 2002, organizers of the Salt Lake City Olympics fretted over a potential snow shortfall during the Games.As a backup plan, Bullock said, snow was collected and stored under insulated tarps at Strawberry Reservoir, which sits at an elevation of 7,600 feet. Dump trucks were on call to haul the frozen gold to Soldier Hollow, 40 miles to the north, or to any of the four other outdoor competition venues.Bullock said that plan could be reinstated for 2034. In a pinch, he said, organizers might even cull from other high-altitude locations in the state. He chuckled, however, at the suggestion that snow might be brought in from other states, such as Colorado or California.“No, that’s too far,” he said. “We can make it here.”Bodensteiner, Soldier Hollow’s general manager, said he doesn’t expect even that effort to be necessary, though. Instead, he said the Nordic area — a Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation property that is funded by an endowment from the 2002 Olympics — plans to make enough snow in advance that it can pull from its own reserves. In fact, he said his snowmaking team is experimenting with blowing snow now that can be stored over the summer under insulated tarps. If it holds up, Soldier Hollow will use it to open in early November next season.“We know it’s viable,” he said. “But in 2034, rather than be prepared to truck snow down from Strawberry, we’re probably just going to make it the year before and store it on site here.”It would, he noted, likely be the more ecological and economical option.“Who wants to send 300 dump trucks up to Strawberry?” he asked.Once the snow is in place, Bodensteiner has some creative solutions for keeping it from melting.Like a sprinkle of salt.Soldier Hollow sits near the top of the International Ski Federation’s elevation threshold for Nordic races — basically, the sweet spot between having both snow and oxygen. So, even when temperatures are well above freezing — as they were during a 2024 biathlon World Cup stop — it’s not possible to move races to a colder, higher-altitude venue. As a result, Bodensteiner and his team had to develop a surefire cure for slush.The salt lowers the temperature at which the snow will melt, the same reason it is added to ice cream.“We will basically salt the trail by hand or pull an instrument at the end of a snowcat and spread salt on the trail,” he said, “and within five minutes, it turns from slush into really, really hard, kind of icy snow.”Such strategies could get Utah through 2034, even if that winter is as dry as this one. Yet if organizers want to host even more Winter Games beyond 2034, as they’ve said they do, even those solutions may not be enough.For when that time comes, local Olympic organizers have one more trick up their short sleeves. Trent Nelson // The Salt Lake Tribune A matter of timeUtah wasn’t on the chopping block, until it was.A 2018 study published in the journal Current Issues in Tourism found that fewer than half of the 19 sites that hosted the Winter Olympics between 1980 and 2010 would be cold enough to host again in 2050. Among those that made the cut was Utah.Last month, however, those same researchers published another study in the same journal that casts a less rosy glow on the event’s future in the state. This study looked at 93 past and potential hosts, as selected by the IOC, and evaluated whether they would be viable future hosts for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics without the help of snowmaking.“We wanted to … see how many reliable locations would there be left,” climate impact and tourism researcher Robert Steiger said, “if we would not have man-made snow or anyone would say, ‘No, we don’t want to have snowmaking because of ecological impacts.’”The study found that by 2030, without snowmaking, just two sites would be able to host both the Olympics and Paralympics as currently scheduled. One is in Russia and the other is in Japan.If emission levels remain high — or “business as usual,” as Steiger put it — the IOC’s choices will be limited even with snowmaking. The study found just 17 sites would be able to host by 2050 and a mere four by 2080.Of those four, the one in North America is not Utah. It’s Canada’s Lake Louise.The timing of the Paralympics is at the crux of the dropoff, according to the study. Typically, those Games are in March, when temperatures naturally begin to rise. Climate change is expected to make them rise higher, earlier.Most troubling for Utah, the report cast some doubt on whether the state will be able to provide enough snow and cold temperatures to host the Paralympics as soon as 2034.“While climate reliability is sufficient for the [Paralympics] in the French and Italian Alps in the 2030s,” the report said, “the risk of marginal conditions is higher for Salt Lake City.”Bullock said local organizers are well aware of the problem. He doesn’t believe the 2034 Paralympics, scheduled for March 10-19, will be in danger. Beyond that, though? In the absence of any major breakthroughs in snow alternatives or snowmaking, he said organizers have just one clear option.“The best solution,” he said, “is to look at the calendar.”It is likely that the dates of future Utah Olympics or Paralympics or both will have to be changed, Bullock said, in order to avoid bleeding into March.One option is to shorten the gap between the Olympics and the Paralympics. Typically, between two and three weeks separate the Games. Another option is to move up the start of the Olympics into the first week of February or even the last week of January. That would allow the Paralympics to fit entirely into the colder month of February while still allowing enough time to transition venues to the smaller Paralympic footprint.Organizers considered holding the Paralympics before the Olympics, but scrapped that idea because of logistical challenges.“I think it’s just easier,” Bullock said, “to move everything forward to accommodate the Olympic Games.”Changing the calendar comes with its own set of complications, though.For example, if the Olympic and Paralympic Games are held earlier in the year, the window in which athletes can qualify for their events will be abbreviated. In a winter like this one — which saw several early events canceled or moved for lack of snow, including the Freestyle Skiing World Cup at Deer Valley Resort — it could affect who does and doesn’t qualify.The sky wouldn’t fall, but Olympic dreams might.“If they move [the dates] up, too, and we have a year like this, it’s going to be really hard for them to get the snow in time,” said Charlie Mickel, a Park City resident whose performance two weeks ago at Waterville Valley Resort, which stood in for the Deer Valley World Cup, helped him clinch a spot on the Team USA moguls squad for the 2026 Olympics.“If they had a repeat year like this in 2034, like, I don’t know how. It would seriously be a disaster.”This story was produced by The Salt Lake Tribune and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rivermont Collegiate student wins National Honor Society scholarship Stella Ashdown, a senior at Rivermont Collegiate, won a National Honor Society scholarship at the National Semifinalist level.
	Whether it’s yoga, rock climbing or Dungeons & Dragons, taking leisure to a high level can be good for your well-being What do collecting old editions of Dungeons & Dragons monster manuals, securing the same tailgate spot for over 20 years and mastering yoga postures have in common? They are all forms of “serious leisure.” These pursuits are different from casual hobbies in several ways. They require participation over longer periods, which makes people who practice them more skilled and more connected with the activity over time. The driving force for casual leisure is having fun; when a participant becomes more focused on accomplishment and improving their skills, the pursuit can gradually become more serious. I direct the Rehabilitation and Recreational Therapy Program at Florida International University. In my research, I study leisure pursuits and various contexts for serious leisure, with a focus on the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. I also work in recreational therapy, which helps people recover and return to their pursuits after injury or illness. The approach we use can work as well for someone starting out with a new hobby. The idea of serious leisure was coined in 1982 by sociologist Robert Stebbins, who described the unique characteristics of more structured leisure pursuits. The more we understand about why people do the things they do, the more they can benefit from their pursuits. Even fringe or supposedly nerdy activities like D&D offer insight into the connections people form when they delve into a nonwork activity. Executive coach Joe Casey explains the difference between casual leisure and serious leisure. Why so serious? People often associate leisure with ease and freedom. In contrast, serious leisure involves pursuing something for a long time and gradually developing the skills and knowledge required to excel at it. People have to push through barriers or setbacks to stay engaged and make progress. Over time, participants come to identify with the activity and to feel included in a subculture that has its own norms and values. In my work, that sometimes means developing elaborate characters who can battle beasts, dragons and giants. Dungeons & Dragons, which was developed in 1974, is a long-form game that takes place in multiple sessions that can last weeks, months or years. A Dungeon Master moderates the game and assumes the role of all monsters and non-player characters. The Dungeon Master narrates an adventure, aided by a Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual. Players create characters that possess certain traits and qualities. The outcomes of battles, decisions and interactions are determined by dice rolls. My study included convening focus groups with regular D&D players to determine whether their experiences playing the game represented serious leisure, as opposed to casual leisure associated with traditional board games. Players described developing their characters for years and acquiring knowledge and skills. They learned how magical items and weapons worked, made calculations and researched their character sheets. All of these practices are attributes of a uniquely D&D subculture. Participants also described the benefits they received from playing the game. For many of them, D&D offered a sense of community. It also was a safe space and a welcoming activity for those who might feel excluded by traditional leisure pursuits, such as sports and competitive games. From yoga to tailgating Prior studies have identified many other activities that can qualify as serious leisure, depending on the level of engagement. Some are in-person physical activities like yoga, sport clubs and rock climbing. Others include online pursuits like multiplayer online games and a virtual Harry Potter running club where members share running stories and experiences keyed to Harry Potter-themed discussion topics, such as logging miles in virtual races for their specific Hogwarts houses. Studies have explored game-based pursuits like tournament bridge, and even the social art of tailgating among serious football fans. In each case, researchers found that participants experienced hallmarks of serious leisure. For example, participants in multiplayer online games describe prolonged immersion in the activity. Yoga students pursued systematic training and skill development. And maniacally devoted Florida Gators fans scheduled family events around football season. In all cases, participants became increasingly involved over time, acquired knowledge and skills, and often forged shared identities and social connections. Joining a run club to master a challenging distance shows how serious leisure can foster social connections and a sense of belonging. Are you serious? How do you know if your favorite leisure pursuit has gotten serious? One indication could be spending a lot of time on it and expanding your related knowledge or skills. You may also personally identify with the activity and its associated norms or subculture. Perhaps you’re increasingly spending time with other participants, and even using shared lingo. Ideally, your serious leisure pursuit will give you pride and a sense of accomplishment. Belonging to a shared subculture can make it easier to express yourself, which promotes social interaction and a feeling of belonging. These benefits aren’t trivial. Studies show that Americans’ social networks are getting smaller and that people are spending more time alone. These trends are associated with increased risks for premature death, heart disease and stroke, anxiety and depression, and dementia. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on the loneliness epidemic that called for a national strategy to advance social connection. Leisure pursuits are a way to develop shared interests and social contacts. For example, dedicated bridge players describe a social world unique to champion-level players that involves hierarchies and relationships spanning decades. Serious participants in multiplayer online games describe feeling like part of a team and working together to share materials, skills and knowledge to help win challenges and battles. And serious football fans describe rites of passage associated with fandom, such as a solo performance of the team fight song on the tailgate of a truck. How to start Serious leisure doesn’t happen instantly, and not every practice needs to reach this level of commitment. Casual leisure has benefits too, so there is value in just getting started. But when a beginner gets obsessed with a new pursuit, it may start to take on the qualities of serious leisure over time. Starting a new hobby can be nerve-racking, especially when it takes place outside of our familiar home environments. Start small, go easy and match the level of challenge with your skill. You just may find yourself getting serious about it. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Emily Messina, Florida International University Read more: Why leisure matters for a good life, according to Aristotle When workers’ lives outside work are more fulfilling, it benefits employers too ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ became the surprise hit of 2023 by upending conventional wisdom about what gives video games broad appeal Emily Messina works for Florida International University.
	4 easy everyday habits to power a heart-healthy lifestyle (BPT) - February is American Heart Month, providing a timely reminder that there are many ways to support your heart health. Living a more heart-healthy lifestyle is easier than you might think, and it often comes down to small, everyday choices that can add up to improved well-being.To help you make healthier habits part of your routine, Registered Dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner shares easy-to-manage tips designed to optimize your heart health this February, and for the long haul.1. Manage daily stress through simple practicesStress is a part of everyday life, but small, intentional practices can help manage it more effectively. Even a few minutes of deep breathing, spending time outdoors and taking regular breaks from screens can support overall well-being. Practices like deep breathing, meditation and yoga have been shown to help lower blood pressure and stabilize your heart rate.2. Stay active in ways you enjoyWhile you may think you have to spend hours at the gym using various machines to be fit, being active does not have to be complicated. Any form of movement can provide benefits, especially when it fits naturally into your day. Walking, stretching or participating in social activities like group walks can make it easier to stay consistent over time. Finding activities you enjoy can help make movement feel like a regular part of your routine rather than a chore.3. Focus on small, sustainable habitsRather than making drastic changes all at once, starting with small, achievable habits — like taking the stairs, drinking more water or choosing a balanced meal during the workweek — can be easier to maintain over time."Choose a couple of these things to try, repeating them until they become a natural part of your routine," said Blatner. "This approach can help you see a lasting improvement for your heart health and overall wellness."4. Start each day with a nutrient-dense breakfastBeginning the day with a balanced, nutrient-rich breakfast can help support heart health from the very first meal. Choosing foods that provide high-quality protein and essential nutrients can help fuel your body and support overall wellness. Eggland's Best eggs provide more of the nutrients people need in their daily diet, including Omega-3s and Vitamin D, to help support heart health."Eggland's Best eggs also have 25% less saturated fat compared to ordinary eggs," said Blatner. "A diet lower in saturated fat supports healthier cholesterol levels."Eggland's Best eggs contain more than double the Vitamin B12, ten times more Vitamin E and six times more Vitamin D compared to ordinary eggs. Eggland's Best's superior nutrition is due to its proprietary all-vegetarian hen feed that contains healthy grains, canola oil and a wholesome supplement of rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp and Vitamin E.Eggland's Best continues to be a proud national supporter of the American Heart Association's Healthy for Good™ movement, which encourages people to take small steps every day to build lifelong healthy habits for themselves and for their families.Egg "Muffin" Cups with Turkey Sausage and MushroomsPrep Time: 5 mins; Cook Time: 35 mins; Yield: 6 servings; Serving Size: 2Ingredients7 Eggland's Best Eggs (large)Cooking spray1/2 tablespoon canola or corn oil1 onion (yellow preferred), finely chopped1 (8-ounce) package sliced white mushrooms1 (6.4-ounce) package frozen, nitrate-free turkey sausage links (thawed, chopped)1/4 cup fat-free milk1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1 cup shredded, fat-free cheddar cheesePreparationPreheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.In a medium nonstick pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the onions and mushrooms for 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.Meanwhile, warm the turkey sausage according to package directions. Chop the turkey into bite-size pieces. Stir into the onion mixture until well blended. Spoon into the muffin cups.In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups. Top with the Cheddar.Bake for 25 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly. To easily remove the muffins from the pan, run a knife around the edges of each muffin.Find more health tips, recipes and products at EgglandsBest.com.
	Free dental care available for kids at Bethany for Children and Families' mobile clinic Bethany for Children and Families is holding free dental cleanings and exams at a mobile clinic.
	Parents can opt their children out of LGBTQ-friendly storybooks. Can they opt out of vaccines? Parents can opt their children out of LGBTQ-friendly storybooks. Can they opt out of vaccines?What does the book “Pride Puppy!” have in common with a measles vaccine?Some religious parents don’t want their children exposed to either one.But is that position enough to overturn New York law and force the state to offer a religious exemption to Old Order Amish parents and others who say their faith does not allow them to vaccinate their children? That’s a question the U.S. Supreme Court recently told a lower court to consider.In its Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling in June 2025, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority found that Montgomery County Public Schools’ interest in having all children learn from an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum was not greater than parents’ rights to direct their children’s religious upbringing. Parents must have the ability to opt out, the court said.On Dec. 8, 2025, the Supreme Court vacated a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit upholding New York’s vaccine mandate, which does not allow religious exemptions, and told the lower court to reconsider it in light of the Mahmoud decision.Legal experts told Chalkbeat that doesn’t mean the Supreme Court is poised to require religious exemptions. It’s not unusual for the Supreme Court to ask lower courts to reexamine rulings in light of new decisions that have even a tangential connection, they said. Often, the outcome remains the same.But if the Supreme Court were confident Mahmoud had no bearing on vaccine law, the justices could have simply declined to take the case and let New York’s law stand, said Dorit Reiss, a law professor at the University of California, San Francisco, who has studied religious exemptions. Vaccine supporters should be concerned by the court’s decision not to take that course, she said.“At the very least, they think there might be something there,” Reiss said. “But how much they believe it is up in the air.”The case is playing out during a tenuous time for public health, and as the Supreme Court steadily expands the bounds of religious freedom. An investigation by NBC News and Stanford University found vaccination rates falling and the use of exemptions rising in many communities. A measles outbreak killed two unvaccinated children in Texas, and the United States is at risk of losing its measles elimination status.Many public health experts fear that under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the federal government is dismantling a vaccine infrastructure that saved countless lives and actively undermining public trust in vaccines. Thomas Wilburn // Chalkbeat In a Dear Colleague letter earlier this year, Kennedy warned states they risk their federal funding if they don’t allow religious exemptions.Most states already have religious or personal belief exemptions. Any change in the legal status quo would have limited effect. But it would take away a tool — narrowing or reducing exemptions — that has been shown to increase vaccination rates. Four of the five states without religious exemptions — California, New York, Connecticut, and Maine — tightened their requirements in recent years in response to disease outbreaks.“It adds worry at a time when we have a lot to worry about with vaccines,” Reiss said.Religious exemptions raise questions about sinceritySchool vaccine mandates go back to the 19th century, and the courts have repeatedly upheld their validity, even without religious exemptions.A 1970 measles outbreak in Texarkana underscored the role mandates could play in increasing vaccination rates — nearly all the cases occurred on the Texas side of the city, where there was no school mandate. Arkansas, in contrast, had a school mandate and had conducted mass vaccination campaigns. Along with federal incentives, the Texarkana example contributed to more widespread adoption of school vaccine requirements.Many states adopted religious exemptions, Reiss said, with the assumption that only very small religious minorities would use them. Most major faith traditions allow or even encourage vaccination. But over time, these exemptions became widely abused and hard to police, she said. The government could not make religious exemptions conditional on membership in a particular faith, nor could the government require, say, that a Catholic follow the Pope’s teachings, or that a Jewish person listen to their rabbi.But more significantly, Reiss said, people lie. Anti-vaccine Facebook groups coach nonreligious parents on what to say to obtain a religious exemption, and studies find that parents claiming religious exemptions often cite safety concerns when questioned.That dynamic contributed to states like California and New York removing religious exemptions. They now allow only medical exemptions.The Texas-based First Liberty Institute, which is representing the Amish parents, argued in its petition to the Supreme Court that because New York allows medical exemptions, the lack of a religious exemption amounts to discrimination.“Today in New York, if a vaccine would harm your lungs, you may be exempted; but if it would harm your soul, you may not,” attorneys wrote.While not all Amish families reject vaccines, no one doubts the religious sincerity of the families suing the state, Reiss said. That makes the case one to watch.“Yes our Almighty God wants us to fully put our faith + trust in Him,” Joseph Miller, one of the Amish parents suing New York, said in written testimony. “Which is in conflict to put our trust in vaccines. We are also commanded to not be conformed to this world.”West Virginia’s vaccine mandate, with no religious exemption, has been in place since 1905, and the state enjoys very high vaccination rates. Gov. Patrick Morissey, a Republican, issued an executive order allowing religious exemptions shortly after taking office in January 2025, but the state Supreme Court blocked the order from going into effect. The mandate remains in place for now.That shift highlights how views of vaccines are increasingly partisan, with support declining among Republicans. In a related development, vaccine legislation became nearly as partisan as abortion even before the pandemic, according to research by Kevin Estep, a sociologist and associate professor of health administration and policy at Creighton University.“The most dangerous thing right now, in my mind, is putting fuel on the fire of the idea that the government is infringing on parental rights,” Estep said. “That might create new vaccine hesitancy where there wasn’t before.”It’s unclear how expanding religious freedom affects vaccinesRichard Katskee, an assistant clinical law professor at Duke University, authored an amicus brief in support of the school district in Mahmoud, and he believes the case sets a dangerous precedent. But the justices were careful to stick to the curriculum, which could limit how widely it applies.“I still think there will be real wariness from the court to hurt public health,” Katskee said. “There has been a history of deference.”Douglas Laycock, a professor emeritus at the University of Texas and the University of Virginia, wrote a brief in support of the parents in Mahmoud. But he agrees that applying Mahmoud to vaccine exemptions could be a stretch.“One [case] is about asking kids to listen to these stories that are about topics that are pretty religiously sensitive,” Laycock said. “The other is about a medical requirement that protects every kid in the school from diseases that are at best a problem and at worst disabling or fatal.”Mahmoud isn’t the only Supreme Court decision potentially weighing on vaccine law.In Tandon v. Newsom, the Supreme Court overturned a California restriction on in-home gatherings during the depths of the pandemic that was challenged by a couple that held Bible study in their home. A federal judge in 2023 cited that case in ruling that Mississippi must allow religious exemptions to its school vaccine mandate.The reason Mississippi had no religious exemption at the time was that the state Supreme Court had struck it down in 1979. In that ruling, the justices could not believe that the First Amendment requires that “innocent children, too young to decide for themselves … be denied the protection against crippling and death that immunization provides because of a religious belief adhered to by a parent or parents.”Mississippi regularly boasted the highest vaccination rates in the nation. Now that religious exemptions are allowed, Mississippi still has high overall vaccination rates, but it’s no longer No. 1. Rates for children under 2 years old are now below the national average.This story was produced by Chalkbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Illinois Department of Public Health to follow American Academy of Pediatrics' vaccine schedule The Illinois Department of Public Health will be following the vaccine schedule set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The department says the guidance follows scientific evidence about the safety and effectiveness of childhood vaccines. The 2026 schedule is not different from the department's current recommendations. Gov. JB Pritzker ordered health officials to provide guidance, [...]
	Water main break reported in Kewanee The City of Kewanee said crews were working to repair a water main break in the 400 block of Ridyard Avenue.
	A vineyard manager’s deportation shattered an Oregon town. Now his daughter is carrying on his legacy A vineyard manager’s deportation shattered an Oregon town. Now his daughter is carrying on his legacyAlondra Sotelo Garcia saw the same headlines as everybody else. Masked immigration agents making increasingly bold arrests. Community members disappearing without warning.As the middle child of immigrants, she feared for her parents. She started tracking her father’s iPhone location, put in her two weeks’ notice at her job, and told her father she wanted to start working at the vineyard management company he founded after decades in the wine industry.“Hey, I think I need to step in now with you, Dad, and help you and learn,” Alondra says she told her father. “If something happens, are you just gonna leave nine people without a job?”Just days later, he called from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland. His message was simple: “You know what to do.”“We’re on it. We’re taking care of it,” Alondra told her father.“I know you are,” he replied.Her father, Moises Sotelo, was detained in June. A pillar of the Oregon wine industry, Sotelo’s arrest sparked a national outcry and a flood of community support. But that wasn’t enough to stop Sotelo from being deported to Mexico in July. Alondra’s mother, Irma, soon voluntarily left to join him.Since then, she’s stepped up to take over her father’s business, finalize his affairs and help her parents set up a new life in Mexico. She’s also navigating a new life on her own, without the family she once had.Alondra is just one of many Americans who saw their immigrant parents deported this year during the Trump administration’s relentless immigration crackdown, The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and The Guardian explain. She and others have been left to stitch their families together again and carry on the legacy of what their parents built, often at a moment’s notice.She will enter the new year with a raft of challenges: a freshly split family, a business to run and bills to pay — for herself, her brother and her parents. She straddled the two worlds this holiday season, first flying down to Mexico the week before Christmas to surprise her parents, and then back up to Oregon in time for a Christmas dinner at her aunt and uncle’s, and late-night TV and gifts alone with her brother at their usually packed house.After her father was detained, Alondra left her remote job helping with shipping logistics for a dental supply company, as well as an apartment that she rented with a close friend. She moved back to her family home in Newberg, a town of just more than 25,000 people in Oregon’s wine country, and took the reins at Moises’s company. In the face of a global wine industry downturn, and with just months of her own experience in the wine business to replace her father’s decades-long career, it won’t be easy.“Sometimes I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing with work,” Alondra said this winter. “I haven’t been doing this for 30-plus years like Dad has. I’m not going to bring 30 years of experience into three months.”The job itself is never far away. The family home doubles as the office, with workers coming and going. Alondra runs the show hand in hand with a former mentee of her father’s, who helps with the ins and outs of field work, as well as an office administrator. She credits the two with keeping the business above water during the darkest months of her year.The vineyards operate on an exhaustive schedule, with each season bringing new and painstaking work. Pruning off old growth in the winter. Training shoots one by one to grow vertically in the spring. Peeling leaves away from grapes to prevent mildew. Donning hazmat suits and spraying sulphur in the heat of summer to keep the mildew away. Laying netting against birds. Harvesting each bunch of thin-skinned grapes with care to avoid bruising.Every vine. Every row. Acre by acre. Vineyard by vineyard. All by hand.Alondra isn’t shying away.“I’m not going to leave this work and lay it to the ground and leave it for dead, because that would be very unfair for him,” said Alondra.Although ICE previously alleged that Moises first entered the country in 2006 and had a DUI conviction in Oregon’s Yamhill county, the county’s district attorneys told local outlets in June that they had no record of a DUI, and a vineyard owner interviewed by the Guardian said that he had worked with Moises as early as the mid-1990s. Alondra said that both of her parents had submitted immigration cases to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in early 2025.In early June, masked ICE agents took one of the company’s employees as they were on the way to work. A vineyard manager, who was in the car at the time, told the Guardian in June that the agents refused to identify themselves and threatened her with an assault charge for asking questions. Alondra described the moment as a “a wake-up call.”A week later, her father was taken. She hasn’t caught a break since.Tracking her father through the underbelly of ICE detention meant a trip to a facility in the Arizona desert, where, upon arrival, employees told her that her father wasn’t there – but they didn’t know where he was. Eventually, she was able to visit her father in Mexico post-deportation, on a trip that she described as “me and Dad against the world”, and she tagged along with him as he acquired a new Mexican ID and all the other pieces that go into laying the groundwork for a new life.“I don’t think I’m gonna ever get these moments with Dad back,” Alondra thought at the time. “Anywhere he went, I went with him.”Her work didn’t end there. Helping her mother, deep in depression, leave the country to join her husband. Overseeing the money from the GoFundMe she posted after her father’s detention and arranging the family finances to buy a house in Mexico for her parents, in a country they hadn’t lived in in three decades. This comes with a brand new set of bills as well.“This house had just about nothing,” Alondra said. “We have to have electricians, we have to have plumbers, we have to have construction workers.”Alondra hopes that her parents can find a silver lining in the upheaval by retiring in Mexico, and letting Alondra send money from the U.S. to cover the costs. She expects this to be a hard adjustment for two people used to pulling near-12-hour workdays (“Let’s see how that goes” was their response), but has hope they will accept her help. They did the same for her grandparents, and Alondra sees “history repeating itself again”.With her younger brother freshly 18, and her older brother with five children of his own, the newfound responsibility, for now, falls on Alondra. The wine industry, where she’s earning her stripes and paychecks, is facing a tough time in Oregon, and around the world. However, the relationships her father built over the last few decades are helping carry her through.Dave Specter, co-owner of Bells Up Winery, worked with Moises for years. “Here was a guy who was a dad and a business owner and an employer and an elder in his church,” Specter said. “This is the kind of guy that you want your children to grow up to be. So when we lose those people it does nothing but make our society worse.”Wine sales around the globe are at their lowest level since 1961, which paints a grim picture for Willamette Valley’s saturated market of more than 700 wineries. And the food industry as a whole has been upended by ICE raids. In August, an Oregon cherry farmer told CNN that he lost about a quarter of his crop. In California, crops went unpicked in the fields.Bubba King, a Yamhill county commissioner speaking on his own behalf, said that the raids have affected not just the wine industry but the whole region.“It will affect every piece of our community the longer this goes. I know kids that are afraid to go to school,” he said. “I know parents that are having to stay home from work because their kids are too young to stay at home by themselves, and they’re afraid to go to school.”Miriam Vargas Corona, executive director at Unidos Bridging Community, a local non-profit, also sees a harsh economic impact down the line.“All of these actions are going to have a ripple effect on our local economy, because families are focusing on their safety and survival,” she said. “Businesses and industries that make Yamhill county vibrant depend on the full participation of our immigrant and Latinx community members.”Meanwhile, Alondra’s concerns are far from over. This fall, she laid off an employee due to the lack of work. Weeks later, the former employee’s wife and brother-in-law were deported.“It just absolutely tore me apart,” she said.Lately, she’s been finding a sort of bleak solidarity with her friends. She recently invited a friend over for dinner whose father was taken by ICE on a Sunday morning when headed out for grocery shopping. Alondra gave her friend advice—the same advice playing out at many kitchen tables across the country—as children of immigrants step up to fill their parents’ shoes.“I kept telling him,” Alondra said, “unfortunately, this is where you really have to step up for your dad and be strong for your dad.”Co-published by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and The Guardian.This story was produced by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and The Guardian, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Here’s why elections in this swing state city are always viewed with suspicion Here’s why elections in this swing state city are always viewed with suspicionFor nearly two weeks following Election Day in 2024, former U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, a Republican, refused to concede, blasting “last-minute absentee ballots that were dropped in Milwaukee at 4 a.m., flipping the outcome.”But, just as when Donald Trump blamed Milwaukee for his 2020 loss, Hovde’s accusations and insinuations about the city’s election practices coincided with a surge of conspiratorial posts about the city. Popular social media users speculated about “sabotage” and “fraudulently high” turnout.Hovde earlier this year told Votebeat that he believes there are issues at Milwaukee’s facility for counting absentee ballots, but he added that he doesn’t blame his loss on that. He didn’t respond to a request for comment in December for this article.In Wisconsin’s polarized political landscape, Milwaukee has become a flashpoint for election suspicion, much like Philadelphia and Detroit — diverse, Democratic urban centers that draw outsized criticism. The scrutiny reflects the state’s deep rural-urban divide and a handful of election errors in Milwaukee that conspiracy theorists have seized on, leaving the city’s voters and officials under constant political pressure.That treatment, Milwaukee historian John Gurda says, reflects “the general pattern where you have big cities governed by Democrats” automatically perceived by the right “as centers of depravity [and] insane, radical leftists.”Charlie Sykes — a longtime conservative commentator no longer aligned with much of the GOP — said there’s “nothing tremendously mysterious” about Republicans singling out Milwaukee: As long as election conspiracy theories dominate the right, the heavily Democratic city will remain a target.Milwaukee voters and election officials under constant watchMilwaukee’s emergence as a target in voter fraud narratives accelerated in 2010, when dozens of billboards in the city’s predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods showed three people, including two Black people, behind bars with the warning: “VOTER FRAUD is a FELONY — 3 YRS & $10,000 FINE.”Community groups condemned them as racist and misleading, especially for people who had regained their voting rights after felony convictions. Similar billboards returned in 2012, swapping the jail bars for a gavel. All of the advertisements were funded by the Einhorn Family Foundation, associated with GOP donor Stephen Einhorn, who didn’t respond to Votebeat’s email requesting comment.Criticism of Milwaukee extends well beyond its elections. As Wisconsin’s largest city, it is often cast as an outlier in a largely rural state, making it easier for some to believe the worst about its institutions — including its elections.“One of the undercurrents of Wisconsin political history is … rural parts versus urban parts,” said University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee political scientist and former Democratic legislator Mordecai Lee. As the state’s biggest city by far, “it becomes the punching bag for outstate legislators” on almost any issue.“People stay at home and watch the evening news and they think if you come to Milwaukee, you’re going to get shot … or you’re going to get run over by a reckless driver,” said Claire Woodall, who ran the city’s elections from 2020 to 2024.Election officials acknowledge Milwaukee has made avoidable mistakes in high-stakes elections but describe them as quickly remedied and the kinds of errors any large city can experience when processing tens of thousands of ballots. What sets Milwaukee apart is the scrutiny: Whether it was a briefly forgotten USB stick in 2020 or tabulator doors left open in 2024, each lapse is treated as something more ominous.Other Wisconsin municipalities have made more consequential errors without attracting comparable attention. In 2011, Waukesha County failed to report votes from Brookfield when tallying a statewide court race — a major oversight that put the wrong candidate in the lead in early unofficial results. In 2024, Summit, a town in Douglas County, disqualified all votes in an Assembly race after officials discovered ballots were printed with the wrong contest listed.“I don’t believe that there is anywhere in the state that is under a microscope the way the City of Milwaukee is,” said Neil Albrecht, a former executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission.Black Milwaukeeans say racism is behind scrutiny on electionsMilwaukee grew quickly in the 19th century, built by waves of European immigrants who powered its factories and breweries and helped turn it into one of the Midwest’s major industrial cities. A small Black community, searching for employment and fleeing the Jim Crow South, took root early and grew substantially in the mid-20th century.As industry declined, white residents fled to the suburbs, many of which had racist housing policies that excluded Blacks. That left behind a city marked by segregated schools, shrinking job prospects, and sharp economic divides. The split was so stark that the Menomonee River Valley became a shorthand boundary: Black residents to the north, white residents to the south — a divide Milwaukee never fully overcame.The result is one of the most segregated cities in the country, a place that looks and feels profoundly different from the overwhelmingly white, rural communities that surround it. That contrast has long made Milwaukee an easy target in statewide politics, and it continues to feed some people’s suspicions that something about the city — including its elections — is fundamentally untrustworthy.The Rev. Greg Lewis, executive director of Wisconsin’s Souls to the Polls, said the reputation is rooted in racism and belied by reality. He said he has a hard enough time getting minorities to vote at all, “let alone vote twice.”Albrecht agreed.“If a Souls to the Polls bus would pull up to [a polling site], a bus full of Black people, some Republican observer would mutter, ‘Oh, these are the people being brought up from Chicago,’” he said. “As if we don’t have African Americans in Milwaukee.”After former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes — a Black Milwaukeean and a Democrat — lost his 2022 U.S. Senate bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, Bob Spindell, a Republican member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, emailed constituents saying Republicans “can be especially proud” of Milwaukee casting 37,000 fewer votes than in 2018, “with the major reduction happening in the overwhelming Black and Hispanic areas.”The message sparked backlash, though Spindell rejected accusations of racism. Asked about it this year, Spindell told Votebeat he meant to praise GOP outreach to Black voters.Milwaukee organizer Angela Lang said she finds the shifting narratives about Black turnout revealing. “Are we voting [illegally]?” she said. “Or are you all happy that we’re not voting?”History of real and perceived errors increases pressure on cityThe scrutiny directed at Milwaukee falls on voters and the city employees who run its elections.Milwaukee’s most serious stumble came in 2004, when a last-minute overhaul of the election office contributed to unprocessed voter registrations, delayed absentee counts, and discrepancies in the final tally. Multiple investigations found widespread administrative problems but no fraud.“It was hard coming in at that low point,” said Albrecht, who joined the commission the following year, saying it gave Milwaukee the reputation as an “election fraud capital.”In 2008, the city created a centralized absentee ballot count facility to reduce errors at polling places and improve consistency. The change worked as intended, but it also meant Milwaukee’s absentee results — representing tens of thousands of votes — were often reported after midnight, sometimes shifting statewide margins.That timing is largely a product of state law: Wisconsin is one of the few states that prohibit clerks from processing absentee ballots before Election Day. For years, Milwaukee officials have asked lawmakers to change the rule. Instead, opponents argue the city can’t be trusted with extra processing time — even as they criticize the late-night results all but unavoidable under the current rule.That dynamic was on full display in 2018, when former Gov. Scott Walker, trailing in his reelection bid, said he was blindsided by Milwaukee’s 47,000 late-arriving absentee ballots and accused the city of incompetence.Proposals to allow administrators more time to process ballots — and therefore report results sooner— have repeatedly stalled in the Legislature. The most recent passed the Assembly last session but never received a Senate vote, with some Republicans openly questioning why they should give Milwaukee more time when they don’t trust the city to handle the ballots with the time it already has.“The late-arriving results of absentee ballots processed in the City of Milwaukee benefits all attempts to discredit the city,” Albrecht said.Without the change, to keep up with other Wisconsin municipalities, Milwaukee must process tens of thousands of absentee ballots in a single day, a herculean task. “The effect of not passing it means this issue can be kept alive,” said Lee, the UW–Milwaukee political scientist.Some Republicans acknowledge that dynamic outright. Rep. Scott Krug, a GOP lawmaker praised for his pragmatic approach to election policy, has long supported a policy fix. This session, it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.Krug said a small but influential faction on the right has built a kind of social network around election conspiracy theories, many focused on Milwaukee. Because the tight counting window is part of the fuel that keeps that group going, he said, “a fix is a problem for them.”2020 marked the shift to ‘complete insanity’Albrecht said that while Milwaukee had long operated under an unusual level of suspicion, the scrutiny that followed 2020 represented a shift he described as “complete insanity.”That year, in the early hours after Election Day, Milwaukee released its absentee totals, but then-election chief Woodall realized she’d left a USB drive in one tabulator. Woodall called her deputy clerk about it, and the deputy had a police officer take the USB drive to the county building. The mistake didn’t affect results — the audit trail matched — but it was enough to ignite right-wing talk radio and fuel yet more conspiratorial claims about the city’s late-night reporting.The scrutiny only intensified. A joking email exchange between Woodall and an elections consultant, taken out of context, was perceived by some as proof of fraud after Gateway Pundit and a now-defunct conservative state politics site published it. Threats followed, serious enough that police and the FBI stepped in. Woodall pushed for increased security at the city’s election office, saying that “there was no question” staff safety was at risk.A similar dynamic played out again in 2024, when workers discovered that doors on absentee tabulators hadn’t been fully closed. With no evidence of tampering but anticipating backlash, officials zeroed out the machines and recounted every ballot. The fix didn’t stop Republicans, including Johnson, from suggesting something “very suspicious” could be happening behind the scenes. Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.Meanwhile, errors in other Wisconsin communities, sometimes far more consequential, rarely draw similar attention. Take Waukesha County’s error in 2011 — a mistake that swung thousands of votes and affected which candidate was in the lead. “But it didn’t stick,” said UW–Madison’s Barry Burden, a political science professor. “People don’t talk about Waukesha as a place with rigged or problematic elections.”In recent years, there was only one substantiated allegation of serious election official wrongdoing: In November 2022, Milwaukee deputy clerk Kimberly Zapata was charged with misconduct in office and fraud for obtaining fake absentee ballots.A month prior, she had ordered three military absentee ballots using fake names and sent the ballots to a Republican lawmaker, an effort she reportedly described as an attempt to expose flaws in the election system. Zapata said those events stemmed from a “complete emotional breakdown.” She was sentenced to one year of probation for election fraud.“We didn’t hear as much from the right” about those charges, Woodall said.More recently, the GOP has raised concerns about privacy screens — a curtain hung last November to block a staging area and, earlier this year, a room with frosted windows. Republicans seized on each, claiming the city was hiding something.Paulina Gutiérrez, the city’s election director, told Votebeat the ballots temporarily kept behind the curtain “aren’t manipulated. They’re scanned and sent directly onto the floor,” where observers are free to watch the envelopes be opened and the ballots be counted.But the accusations took off anyway. Even Johnson, the U.S. senator, suggested the city was “making sure NO ONE trusts their election counts.”This story was produced by Votebeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Davenport high school students receive John Deere scholarships Some Davenport high school students got a big surprise when they found out they're getting full-ride scholarships to the University of Iowa through the John Deere Scholars Program. The money comes from a partnership between the John Deere Foundation and the University of Iowa. The scholarships cover 90% of the total cost to attend the [...]
	Trump posts racist meme of the Obamas — then deletes it Trump's racist post came at the end of a minute-long video promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
	Iowa bill to drop required vaccines for students moves forward The Iowa House Education Committee advanced a bill that would drop required vaccines for K-12 students. The measure would remove the need for vaccines to enroll in school. HF2171 strikes state requirements for immunizations against diseases like diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, rubeola, rubella, varicella, hepatitis B. It also takes away reporting, exemption and communication requirements [...]
	The 'right to wind in your hair' The ‘right to wind in your hair’As soon as John Seigel-Boettner invites passengers onto his black trishaw, a three-wheeled electric bicycle with two extra seats upfront, downtown Santa Barbara seems to smile. Pedestrians wave and call out greetings. Children stop midstride. With his silver mustache, a cheerful “Mr. Rogers” t-shirt and his favorite motto on his chest — “Believe there is good in the world” — Seigel-Boettner is a familiar sight in this coastal city.He has been coordinating the local chapter of Cycling Without Age (CWA) since 2019. Effortlessly charming and still ferociously fit at 70 years old, he gives rides at least twice a week. Though the people who ride upfront don’t pedal, he doesn’t call them “passengers” but “riding partners” to emphasize the program’s spirit of companionship.“Cycling Without Age is about connection,” Seigel-Boettner tells Reasons to be Cheerful. “It’s about the conversations between pilot and partner and the connection with everyone we meet along the way.”On this particular morning, his front-seat companion is 97-year-old Elizabeth Wright, a spry and witty resident of a local senior home who has been riding with him for many years. “My name means I’m always right,” she says as she introduces herself. Winding past palm trees, through a leafy neighborhood, and out toward the beach, she waves to her favorite street musician and recalls moments from her long life as a caregiver, activity coordinator, poet and writer.“This is where I bartended,” she says with a broad grin, pointing to a coastal pub, and tugs her blanket close in the morning breeze, her thin hands knotted with age. The ocean glints ahead. For a moment, she seems to fold into her younger self.CWA was born in Copenhagen in 2012, when Danish management consultant Ole Kassow borrowed a rickshaw on a whim and offered an elderly gentleman from a care home a ride. Kassow had watched his father, who lived with multiple sclerosis, grow increasingly isolated. As his formerly extrovert father’s world shrank, so too did his sense of connection. When Kassow later worked in a care home, he saw a lot of the same issues his dad had been struggling with.“Elderly people come into a nursing home,” Kassow says, “and their world gets smaller and smaller and smaller, until they just sit inside within their four walls.”From that one act of kindness a movement spread, first across Denmark and then across the world. Today the nonprofit CWA spans more than 3,600 chapters and 50,000 volunteers in 41 countries, including in 25 U.S. states. It works in bike-friendly Copenhagen as well as in New York City. Each chapter operates somewhat differently according to local needs, but all share five guiding principles: Generosity, slowness, storytelling, relationships, without age. A visually impaired passenger called the initiative the “right to wind in your hair.”The trishaws cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 each, some modified to fit wheelchairs. “When you consider the impact of one trishaw and think about how much money people otherwise spend on elder care — beds and wheelchairs and what not — it’s actually not a lot,” Kassow points out. He calls each ride “a bubble where magic happens.” Some chapters operate with support from their municipal communities, but most depend entirely on local fundraising and volunteers.While anybody can ride for free, CWA prioritizes riders with limited mobility. Seigel-Boettner’s youngest rider was a 5-year-old boy on a feeding tube who wanted to ride to school with his friends. “We provided that,” he says, “and it made him very happy.” Courtesy of Cycling Without Age He remembers the first time he brought a trishaw to Wright’s senior home. “The owner waved me into his office and asked me if he could purchase a trishaw for the home,” Seigel-Boettner recalls. “He said it was the first time he ever saw some of the residents giggle and laugh.”Seigel-Boettner loves cycling so much that he spent his honeymoon cycling with his wife, and he pedaled his newborn sons home from the hospital. He used to be a middle school teacher and took his students on long bike rides across the country. At least once a week, he still pairs a middle schooler with a senior for a ride on a trishaw, to spark conversations across generations that wouldn’t otherwise happen: “They talk about life, music, what’s changed. The bike isn’t the end. The bike is the means to see the world from the riding partner’s perspective.”Now he doesn’t consider himself retired but “rewired for new experiences.” While people might think he’s feeding his karma bank by doing something good, he explains, “I come back from each ride completely changed. Society is missing a bridge between older people and everyone else — and this,” he says, tapping the trishaw frame, “is that bridge.”Sometimes, his riders have lost their ability to speak at all. When Seigel-Boettner rides with someone experiencing memory loss, the words might fade away, but not the emotional resonance. The vibrations, the breeze, watching the passing world together become their shared language. “They see a flower, or the ocean, or a bird, and suddenly a memory surfaces,” Seigel-Boettner says.CWA is much more than a lovely idea. A 2020 study found that participants experienced measurable improvements in mood and well-being after rides. In Canada, a 12-week observational study of long-term care residents showed that cycling significantly increased immediate happiness and maintained overall quality of life without causing fatigue or pain. Another evaluation in Scotland of a pilot program linked CWA rides with reductions in social isolation and noted benefits for both residents and volunteers.The most comprehensive evidence comes from the When Movement Moves study, a three-year multimethod evaluation by the National Institute of Public Health and the University of Southern Denmark. Researchers measured a striking shift in before-and-after self-rated life satisfaction — an improvement greater than that of the world’s happiest nations. The study also noted lasting gains in emotional resilience, social connectedness and sense of purpose.Beyond data, thousands of personal stories reveal the program’s subtle transformations, cross-generational exchange and renewed agency.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Seigel-Boettner trained caregivers to become pilots, ensuring residents could still feel the sun on their faces. Some care homes have since incorporated rides into their regular activities. “It changed their relationships,” Seigel-Boettner attests. “Caregivers became companions again and also experienced much more appreciation from the families.”CWA has since participated in memorials, weddings and Christmas parades. The trishaws roll wherever community life unfolds.As Seigel-Boettner navigates a gentle stretch of coastline road and divulges a local’s secret spot for buying the freshest fish, Wright leans forward, her blue eyes bright. A soft wind tugs at her white, chin-length hair under her straw hat. A jogger gives her a thumbs-up; a toddler waves. “I had my birthday picnic on the beach here,” she remembers, pointing to the sand. She is no longer bound to her walker, but flying along the coast, reconnecting with her own narrative.Seigel-Boettner pedals steadily, electric-assist humming beneath his seat. He listens as she talks about a childhood holiday in her native Illinois, her children and grandchildren. The city drifts by in slow motion, laughter from a passing cyclist, birdsong, the surf’s distant roar.In this unhurried space, conversation flows across decades. The pilot becomes a companion; the rider a storyteller. The trishaw excursion is a chance to be seen again, not as a diagnosis but a person, not a burden but a being alive in the world. For pilots, each ride is a mirror, a reminder of what it means to age, to hope, to connect. For both, it’s a moment when time loosens its grip.At the end of the ride, Seigel-Boettner helps Wright from her seat. She lingers at the threshold, turning to him. “Thank you,” she says. “That was the best part of my day.” He waves and she waves back before she heads inside.For Seigel-Boettner, the ride was the best part of his day, too. “I’ve ridden through downtown 5 million times, but with Elizabeth it was completely new,” he says. “Carpe diem — seize each day like it’s your first.”This story was produced by Reasons to be Cheerful and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	John Deere in Waterloo recalling about 150 workers 146 workers are being called back to four John Deere Tractor Operations Facilities in Waterloo. The company says this is because of increased production demand and ongoing factory needs.
	Davenport's Roger Craig elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame Davenport Central's Roger Craig was the lone pick for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class among seniors, coaches and contributors. Craig was the first player ever to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, which happened in 1985, and he led the NFL with 2,036 yards from scrimmage [...]
	Aledo to hold public input hearing on future of contract with waste collection partner The public is invited to share feedback online at any time or in person at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Mercer County Junior High Band Room, according to a media release.
	Deere brings back 150 workers in Waterloo after laying off 1,200 since 2024 The call backs represent less than 12% of the workers laid off in Waterloo since April 2024.
	Hyperpop, poetry, BDSM or a Moroccan rave allegory? Choose your own cinematic adventure Charli xcx is on more screens this weekend while Pillion tells a sweet BDSM story.
	Empiece el año nuevo con el pie derecho: los 5 puntos principales en la lista de tareas de atención médica de las personas mayores (BPT) - Por el Dr. Ali Khan, director médico de Aetna® Medicare y médico internista certificado por la junta en ejercicioUna vez inscrito en su plan Medicare Advantage para 2026, es posible que se olvide de este. Sin embargo, el nuevo año es el momento ideal para dar prioridad a su salud. Hablo con mis pacientes a diario sobre la importancia de la atención preventiva para mantener el bienestar y evitar que problemas de salud menores se conviertan en problemas más graves. Por desgracia, a menudo se la pasa por alto entre los adultos mayores. Para 2050, se proyecta que la población de adultos mayores de 50 años que viven con al menos una enfermedad crónica casi se duplicará, lo que hace que la atención preventiva sea aún más importante.Gracias a la atención preventiva y los exámenes regulares, su médico puede detectar áreas inquietantes con mayor facilidad y a tiempo, de modo que los problemas de salud se puedan tratar con mayor eficacia o incluso, en algunos casos, prevenirlos.Para empezar, aquí tiene cinco maneras de aprovechar al máximo sus beneficios, priorizando su bienestar en sus propósitos de Año Nuevo.1. Entienda su planTómese su tiempo para familiarizarse con el plan de este año. ¿Hay beneficios que podría haber utilizado el año pasado, pero que por alguna razón no aprovechó? No deje de explorarlos en 2026. Por ejemplo, su plan podría incluir cosas como acceso a programas de acondicionamiento físico y asesoramiento nutricional diseñados para adultos mayores.Si tiene un plan Aetna Medicare Advantage, puede escanear el código QR en su tarjeta de identificación con su teléfono inteligente, lo que lo llevará directamente a la información sobre su plan específico. También puede ponerse en contacto con los Servicios para Miembros. Están preparados para responder a sus preguntas, guiarlo a través de sus beneficios o incluso unirse a una llamada con su proveedor para ayudarlo a programar citas y responder preguntas sobre facturación.2. Programe sus citas ahoraLa mayoría de los planes cubren las visitas anuales de bienestar, las vacunas y los exámenes médicos básicos, así que programe citas para estas visitas cruciales de inmediato. Para algunas personas, programar citas en la misma fecha cada año facilita recordarlas.Los planes Medicare Advantage suelen ofrecer copagos de $0 para exámenes físicos anuales, colonoscopias, mamografías y exámenes oftalmológicos y auditivos de rutina. Algunos planes también incluyen copagos de $0 para consultas de atención primaria y análisis de laboratorio y copagos de $0 para ciertas vacunas. Esto facilita la asistencia a estas citas médicas vitales cada año.3. Priorice su visita anual de bienestar y su examen físico de rutinaSu visita de bienestar establece su hoja de ruta para el año. Le da la oportunidad de hablar con su médico de atención primaria y elaborar un plan de prevención. Durante esta visita, su médico usará sus respuestas a un cuestionario para crear un plan de atención médica personalizado que usted pueda seguir.Además, deberá programar su examen físico de rutina para obtener un panorama general de su salud. Durante esta visita, su médico le hará un examen completo que incluye análisis de sangre, pruebas de laboratorio y vacunas. También ordenará los exámenes preventivos que correspondan. Al identificar las enfermedades de manera temprana, la atención preventiva mejora las opciones de tratamiento y reduce tratamientos y hospitalizaciones costosos, lo que le permite a las personas y a sus seres queridos administrar los gastos y concentrarse en lo que realmente importa: su bienestar.4. No olvide la vista y el oídoUtilizar sus beneficios auditivos y oftalmológicos es importante para su bienestar. Incluso si no usa lentes correctivas, los exámenes oftalmológicos son clave para identificar condiciones como el glaucoma y las cataratas. Y, tenga o no dificultades auditivas, también son vitales para su salud general.Como médico internista certificado por la junta en ejercicio que atiende a personas mayores, animo a todos a priorizar los exámenes de enfermedades comunes relacionadas con la edad, como los oftalmológicos y auditivos. Son fundamentales para detectar signos de enfermedades más graves, como la demencia, y permiten una intervención precoz.5. Descargue la aplicación Aetna HealthSMAdemás de asegurarse de tener una nueva tarjeta de identificación para 2026, también puede descargar la aplicación Aetna HealthSM para aprovechar al máximo su salud. Aetna le facilita el control de su salud al ofrecer recursos educativos, como una videoteca con información básica y beneficios de Medicare, para que se mantenga informado y aproveche al máximo su plan. En el sitio web de Aetna y en la aplicación, también puede acceder a herramientas y recursos adicionales disponibles las 24 horas para encontrar médicos de la red, hacer seguimiento de sus reclamaciones e incluso imprimir una lista de sus medicamentos para llevar a sus citas.Maximice su plan para un 2026 más saludableLa atención médica puede parecer complicada, pero no tiene por qué serlo. Aetna Medicare Advantage proporciona acceso a un equipo de Servicios para Miembros para que respondan a sus preguntas y un programa de Administración de la atención que ofrece un administrador de casos dedicado a los miembros que los ayuda a coordinar médicos, apoya la recuperación en el hospital y los guía en las decisiones de atención avanzada para ciertas condiciones médicas. Los miembros que cumplan los requisitos también pueden acceder a un programa de Administración de terapias con medicamentos para obtener una revisión personalizada de las recetas. Incluso hay una Línea de enfermería disponible las 24 horas* que conecta a los miembros con enfermeros titulados para que obtengan respuestas rápidas a sus preguntas de salud, de día o de noche.Interactuar con su plan a principios de año le ayuda a maximizar sus beneficios. Aetna facilita el acceso a su plan a través de su sitio web seguro para miembros, donde puede ver beneficios, hacer seguimiento de las reclamaciones, encontrar atención dentro de la red y ver recetas, todo en un solo lugar. También puede acceder a una videoteca con información básica de Medicare para mantenerse informado y aprovechar al máximo su plan.En 2026 priorice su salud. Encuentre más información y empiece el año con el pie derecho en AetnaMedicare.com.* Aunque solo su médico puede diagnosticar, recetar o dar consejos médicos, la Línea de enfermería disponible las 24 horas puede proporcionarle información sobre diversos temas de salud.Consulte la Evidencia de Cobertura para obtener una descripción completa de los beneficios, las exclusiones, las limitaciones y las condiciones de cobertura del plan. Las funciones y la disponibilidad del plan pueden variar según el área de servicio. Los proveedores de atención médica participantes son contratistas independientes y no son agentes ni empleados de Aetna. No se puede garantizar la disponibilidad de un proveedor en particular, y la composición de la red de proveedores está sujeta a cambios.Este material es solo para fines informativos y no constituye asesoramiento médico. Los programas de información médica proporcionan información general sobre la salud y no sustituyen el diagnóstico o tratamiento por parte de un médico u otro profesional de la salud. Póngase en contacto con un profesional de la salud si tiene preguntas o dudas sobre necesidades de salud específicas. Los proveedores son contratistas independientes y no agentes de Aetna. La participación de los proveedores puede cambiar sin previo aviso. Aetna no presta servicios de atención médica y, por lo tanto, no puede garantizar ningún resultado. La disponibilidad de un proveedor concreto no puede garantizarse y está sujeta a cambios. Se considera que la información es exacta en la fecha de producción; no obstante, está sujeta a cambios. Para obtener más información sobre los planes de Aetna, consulte nuestro sitio web.Y0001_NR_7002354_2026_C
	The 'Cupid Tax': The weight of rising commodity prices in 2026 The ‘Cupid Tax’: The weight of rising commodity prices in 2026The era of the "Cupid Tax" is here. Total Valentine's Day spending is projected to reach a record $29.1 billion, driven by the "Liberation Day" tariff policy, multi-year volatility in the global cocoa market, and a surge in precious metal prices.Key takeaways:Tariffs on diamond-set gold jewelry jumped from 5% to 25%, adding an estimated $1 billion to Valentine's Day spending in 2026 — the largest single component of the "Cupid Tax."Due to the "Liberation Day" proclamation, import duties on finished gold jewelry with diamonds increased by 400%, immediately raising the "landed cost" and final retail price.The average price for a dozen long-stemmed red roses in the U.S. has reached $93.07 in 2026Love is in the air, and so, it seems, is inflation – especially when it comes to Valentine's Day. If your wallet feels a little lighter this February 14th, you're not alone. Welcome to the era of the "Cupid Tax."In early 2026, total Valentine’s Day spending is projected to reach a record $29.1 billion, representing a substantial increase from the $27.5 billion recorded in 2025 and the $25.8 billion in 2024.This upward trajectory is due to a convergence of factors, including the “Liberation Day” tariff policy, a multi-year volatility cycle in the global cocoa market, currency exchange rates, and a surge in precious metal prices, OANDA reports.The exchange rate paradox and the U.S. dollarTo understand the 2026 “Cupid Tax”, one must first analyze the disconnect between global currency strength and domestic retail prices. Historically, a strong U.S. dollar acts as a deflationary force on imported goods, as it increases the purchasing power of domestic firms against foreign suppliers.However, in the current cycle, this advantage has been systematically neutralized by two primary factors: the integration of aggressive import duties and the localized "holiday surge" pricing mechanisms employed by retailers to recoup annual margins. While the U.S. dollar remains robust on international exchange markets, the domestic "landed cost" of romantic staples has risen due to the structural changes in trade policy enacted during the previous year.The primary catalyst for this shift was the "Liberation Day" proclamation on April 2, 2025, which introduced a comprehensive two-tiered tariff strategy. This initiative established a 10% universal baseline tariff on nearly all imports, excluding Canada and Mexico, and a series of "reciprocal" tariffs on approximately 60 nations deemed to have unfair trade practices, with rates as high as 25% or more for key trading partners.For the 2026 Valentine’s season, these duties have moved beyond the initial implementation shock and are now fully embedded in retail supply chains. Economic data from late 2025 indicates that the retail pass-through of these tariffs reached approximately 24%, adding roughly 0.76 percentage points to the all-items CPI.For highly seasonal, import-dependent goods like roses and chocolate, this pass-through is significantly higher, as manufacturers and florists have exhausted their pre-tariff inventory cushions and are now pricing based on the new replacement costs.The cost of tariffs on romanceThe "Cupid Tax" is easiest to spot when you look at how new import taxes have raised the price of classic Valentine’s Day gifts.The current administration's trade policy has basically set a new, higher starting price for luxury items brought in from other countries. By the end of February 2026, these extra fees are expected to add a total of $2.5 billion to what Americans spend on Valentine’s Day products compared to previous years. Credit: Zain Vawda // OANDA Source: https://www.progressivepolicy.org/extra-tariff-costs-for-valentines-day-in-2026-2-5-billion/ The mechanism of the “Cupid Tax” relies on the concept of "landed cost." When a florist in Miami or a jeweler in New York pays a tariff to Customs and Border Protection, that cost is not merely added to the final price; it is often used as a new baseline for the standard retail markup. For example, if a piece of lingerie sees a tariff increase from 23.5% to 43.5%, the final register price can rise by as much as 46% due to the compounding effect of wholesale markups and inventory risk.This structural change explains why a dozen roses, which once served as a manageable romantic gesture, now commands a price point comparable to a week of groceries for some households.The cocoa market: Volatility and the chocolate luxury pivotThe chocolate/confectionery industry has gone through a wild ride with prices recently, and we are still seeing the effects in stores today.In April 2024, global cocoa prices reached a record peak of over $12,000 per metric tonne, driven by a catastrophic supply deficit of nearly 500,000 metric tonnes in West Africa. While the market has seen a sharp correction, trading at approximately $4,165 per tonne as of February 1, 2026, this "stabilization" remains nearly double the long-term historical average.Retail trends: "Shrinkflation" and the luxury rebrandingIn response to the $12,000 cocoa peak, the chocolate industry underwent a massive wave of "shrinkflation" in 2025. Consumers observed that chocolate bars became smaller, or that high-cocoa-content dark chocolate was replaced by products with higher sugar and dairy volumes.By early 2026, as raw material costs stabilized, manufacturers like Mondelez and Hershey have indicated that while the need for further price hikes has eased, the reduced product sizes are likely to remain standard. Credit: Zain Vawda // OANDA. Source: https://www.convenience.org/Media/Daily/2025/November/3/1-Cocoa-Prices-Expected-Stabilize_Sustainability In 2025/2026, chocolate prices jumped by 8% to 35% depending on the brand. For the 2026 Valentine’s season, the industry is rebranding chocolate from a mass-market staple to a "premium indulgence." This shift allows manufacturers to maintain high margins even as raw material costs decline, further entrenching the "Cupid Tax" on confectionery gifts.Roses are red, prices are highBeyond chocolate, other classic Valentine's Day gifts are feeling the pinch. A dozen roses, once a relatively affordable gesture, can now set you back a considerable sum. Florists, facing increased costs for transportation, labor, and even the blooms themselves (often imported), are passing these expenses onto consumers.In 2026, the average price for a dozen long-stemmed red roses in the U.S. is $93.07, which is about 3% higher than last year. However, prices can be very different depending on where you live. This is mostly because it costs more to ship flowers to some areas than others, and some cities simply have a much higher demand for roses than others. Source: FinanceBuzz The steakhouse squeezeValentine’s Day is a critical date for the restaurant industry, ranking at the top for traffic and reservation volume. Industry reports consistently show that over 20 million Americans dine out on February 14th, with many restaurants generating a significant portion of their annual profits in one evening.In 2025, full-service restaurants experienced a 34% jump in overall revenue on Valentine’s Day compared to an average Friday, driven by higher guest spending and increased foot traffic.To manage the logistics of a fully booked dining room and to protect margins against rising food costs, most upscale restaurants in 2026 have moved exclusively to fixed price menus. These menus allow kitchens to optimize for "Classic Romance" items like steak and wine, which see sales increases of 99% and 38%, respectively, on February 14th.The "Cupid Tax" in the dining sector is expressed through the "Valentine’s Premium." A typical three-course prix-fixe menu in 2026 might cost $85–$150 per person, nearly double the average check size at the same establishment on a non-holiday evening.This pricing reflects not just the cost of ingredients, but the high demand for "romantic ambiance," which many consumers are willing to pay a premium for as a visible expression of thoughtfulness.Jewelry and luxury goods: The high cost of the "bling"The surge in metal prices between early 2025 and February 2026 has fundamentally changed the cost of Valentine’s Day jewelry. While the market saw a sharp "flash crash" in the first few days of February 2026 due to changes at the Federal Reserve, the overall cost of raw materials remains significantly higher than it was a year ago. Source: TradingView. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Besides the significant increase in the price of raw materials (gold and silver), "Cupid Tax" is perhaps most burdensome in this category due to the 20% reciprocal tariff on finished gold and diamond pieces.As a result of this, the 2026 jewelry market is experiencing a ‘great divide’. High-net-worth individuals continue to drive demand for natural diamonds and high-carat gold, largely unfazed by the impact of tariffs.However, middle-income consumers are increasingly pivoting toward lab-grown diamonds and sterling silver "designer" pieces (still cheaper than gold) to maintain the tradition of gifting while avoiding the steepest price hikes.Potential ways to navigate the changes in the romantic economyRecent data in the lead-up to the 2026 Valentine’s period, along with new consumer surveys, highlights several patterns that provide insights into the evolution of the romantic economy.Earlier shopping cycles: To mitigate the risk of tariff-driven price hikes and inventory shortages, over 87% of shoppers now plan to start their holiday shopping significantly earlier. This has forced retailers to move their "peak" seasons forward, leading to a "holiday creep" that begins immediately after the New Year.Supply chain rebalancing: The tariff pressure on Chinese and European imports is encouraging brands in the apparel and jewelry sectors to reshore production or seek "friend-shoring" partners in Latin America and Vietnam.The rise of the AI shopper: In 2026, consumers are increasingly using AI-driven comparison tools to find the best value across florists and restaurants. This "technological arbitrage" is putting pressure on retailers to justify their premium pricing through improved service or unique "limited-edition" offerings, which 68% of couples say still influence their choices.Resilience of premium brands: Despite the "Cupid Tax," brands with strong market positioning and clear value propositions are maintaining their margins. Consumers are becoming more selective, opting for one high-quality, memorable gift or experience rather than several lower-quality items.To sum upThe chances are high that 2026 is going to see a significant shift in consumer psychology. A survey of 3,004 couples reveals that 54% believe inflation has fundamentally changed how they plan the holiday.Spending is expected to remain resilient, estimated at $29.1 billion however the manner in which the funds are spent is becoming increasingly tactical in nature.This paints an interesting picture, even though costs are rising, folks still want to celebrate; they are just being more careful with their budgets and picking options they can afford.This story was produced by OANDA and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How a species of bamboo could help protect the South from future floods How a species of bamboo could help protect the South from future floodsIn early 2024, Michael Fedoroff trekked out to Tuckabum Creek in York County, Alabama. The environmental anthropologist was there to help plant 300 stalks of rivercane, a bamboo plant native to North America, on an eroded, degraded strip of wetland: a “gnarly” and “wicked” area, according to Fedoroff. If successful, this planting would be the largest cane restoration project in Alabama history. He and his team got the stalks into the ground, buttressed them with hay, left, and hoped for the best.A few days later, rains swept through the area and the river rose by 9 feet. “We were terrified,” Fedoroff told Grist. He and his team raced back to the site, expecting to find bare dirt. Instead, they found that the rivercane had survived — and so, crucially, had the stream bank.Rivercane used to line the streams, rivers, and bogs of the Southeast from the Blue Ridge Mountains down to the Mississippi Delta. Thick yellow stalks and feathery leaves reached as high as 20 feet into the sky, so dense that riders on horseback would travel around rather than venturing through. In the ground underneath cane stands, rhizomes — gnarled stems just below the soil surface — extended out to cover acres.When Europeans settled the land that would become North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Alabama, they ripped up trees and vegetation to make way for agriculture and development. Pigs ate rivercane rhizomes and cows munched on developing shoots. Now, thanks to this dramatic upheaval in the landscape, more than 98% of rivercane is gone. Of those plentiful dense stands, called canebrakes, only about 12 are left in the whole nation, according to Fedoroff.But as the Tuckabum Creek project demonstrated, rivercane was an essential bulwark against the ravages of floods. That vast network of tough underground stems kept soil and stream banks in place more effectively than other vegetation, even when rivers ran high. And as the South faces mounting climate-fueled disasters, like Hurricane Helene last year, a small and dedicated network of scientists, volunteers, Native stakeholders, and landowners is working to bring this plant back.During Helene, the few waterways that were lined by rivercane fared much better than those that weren’t, said Adam Griffith, a rivercane expert at an NC Cooperative Extension outpost in Cherokee. “I saw the devastation of the rivers,” said Griffith. He had considered stepping back from his involvement in rivercane restoration, but recommitted himself after the hurricane. “If the native vegetation had been there, the stream bank would have been in much better shape,” he said. Adam Griffith These enthusiasts are ushering in a “cane renaissance,” according to Fedoroff, who directs the University of Alabama program that hosts the Rivercane Restoration Alliance, or RRA, a network of pro-rivercane groups. The RRA and its allies are replanting rivercane where it once flourished, maintaining existing canebrakes and stands, and educating landowners and the general public on cane’s benefits. In addition to those rhizomes saving waterways from devastating erosion, rivercane also provides crucial habitat to native species, such as cane-feeding moths, and filters nitrate and other pollutants from water.“When people grow to accept cane into their hearts, beautiful things happen,” said Fedoroff, whose team now has a $3.8 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to work on rivercane projects in 12 states throughout the Southeast.Large restoration projects like this often involve collaboration with many major stakeholders: The Tuckabum Creek project, for example, looped in the RRA, the lumber and land management company Westervelt, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Rivercane enthusiasts stressed that consulting with and including tribes is essential in returning this plant to the landscape. Not only does rivercane bring ecological benefits, it also holds a cultural role for tribes — one that’s been lost as the plant declined.Historically, Native peoples in the Southeast used rivercane to make things like baskets, blow guns, and arrows, but nowadays, many artisans have turned to synthetic materials for these crafts, said Ryan Spring, a historian and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.When Spring started his job at the tribe 14 years ago, no one knew much about rivercane ecology, he said. Now, Spring is actively involved in recentering rivercane in the cultural and ecological landscape. “We’re building up community, taking them out, teaching them ecology,” Spring said. “A lot are basket makers, and now they’re using rivercane to make baskets for the first time.” EBCI Cooperative Extension There are challenges to the dream of returning rivercane to its former prolific glory in the Southeast. One is education: For example, rivercane is often confused for invasive Chinese bamboo, which means that landowners and managers generally don’t think twice before removing it. Another barrier to restoration efforts is the cost and availability of rivercane plants. They’re not easy to find in nurseries, and can run between $50 and $60 per plant or more, according to Laura Young of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.But Young has found a way around this problem. She does habitat and riverbank restoration in southeastern Virginia, and six years ago, she wanted to plant a canebrake along a river near the tiny town of Jonesville. The cost was prohibitive, and so Young pioneered a method now known colloquially as the “cane train.” She gathered pieces of cane rhizome, planted them in soil-filled sandwich bags, then started a canebrake with the propagated cuttings — all for $6.Fedoroff pointed out that the cane train method has one major drawback: Different varieties of rivercane are better suited for, say, wet spots or sunny spots, so transplanting cuttings that thrived in one area could result in a bunch of dead plants in another. At his lab, researchers are working on sequencing rivercane genomes so they can compare different plants’ traits and choose the best varieties for different locations. But, Young added, while the propagation method is imperfect, it’s cheap, easy, and better than nothing. Out of the 200 plants in her initial project, 60 took off.“Rivercane is kind of like investing,” she said. “It’s not get-rich-quick. You just need to invest time and money every year, and then it exponentially pays off.”The cane train also offers a low-investment way for volunteers and private landowners to get involved in stabilizing stream banks. Yancey County, North Carolina, is home to numerous streams and creeks that suffered major erosion damage during Hurricane Helene. This spring, the county government, in partnership with several state and local groups, led a cadre of volunteers in a rivercane restoration project. They harvested thousands of rhizomes, contacted landowners along the county’s devastated waterways, and planted almost 700 shoots, a process they’ll repeat in 2026. “The county really showed up,” said Keira Albert, a restoration coordinator at The Beacon Network, a disaster recovery organization that helped lead the project.That’s part of the power of a solution like planting rivercane: It’s an actionable, easy way for ordinary landowners and volunteers to heal the landscape around them. “There’s a lot of doom and gloom when we think about climate change,” Fedoroff said. “We become paralyzed. But we’re trying to take a different approach. We can’t get back to that pristine past state, but we can envision a future ecology that’s better.”This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	City of Moline launches lead service line replacement program The city will replace about 4,900 service lines over the next 10 years.
	Muscatine police see 8% drop in police calls: Here's the 2025 annual report Muscatine police release 2025 annual report showing decrease in calls for service, retention of officers.
	Iowa LGBTQ+ school discussion bill advances A bill to ban anything related to gender identity and sexual orientation from being brought up in kindergarten through high school classrooms moved forward in the Iowa Legislature. The Education Committee approved expanding the 2023 ban. Supporters say the bill would"preserve family values." Opponents say it's counterproductive and that the ban would hurtLGBTQ+ students. HF2121/SB2003 [...]
	AI, quantum and clean tech investment trends 2026 AI, quantum and clean tech investment trends 2026The investment landscape is undergoing a transformation as emerging technologies transition from experimental concepts to commercially viable opportunities.Recent market developments highlight accelerating momentum across artificial intelligence infrastructure, quantum computing, renewable energy systems, and biotechnology platforms.Meanwhile, quantum computing equities have experienced gains exceeding almost 1,900% over 2025. These developments signal a pivotal moment for investors seeking exposure to next-generation innovations that are reshaping global markets and economic structures, Plus500 reports.TL;DRAI infrastructure spending by major technology firms is driving structural economic shifts, with the generative AI market projected to reach $400 billion by 2031The quantum computing sector has witnessed extraordinary growth, with specialist firms posting 1,900% in 2025 gains despite limited commercial applicationsRenewable energy additions reached record levels in 2024 at 858 terawatt-hours, with solar efficiency improvements to 25-30% through perovskite-silicon technologyGene therapy platforms are expanding from $2.18 billion (2024) to a projected $9.05 billion by 2034Green hydrogen economy attracts $2.5-$11.7 trillion in projected investment by 2050, though European projects face near-term commercial challengesArtificial Intelligence: From Hype to Infrastructure RevolutionAI data centre expansion reshapes economic fundamentalsThe AI infrastructure buildout represents one of the most substantial capital expenditure cycles in modern economic history. Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon are collectively investing tens of billions in data centre infrastructure, fundamentally altering U.S. economic growth patterns. Some analysts believe that AI infrastructure has emerged as "a new pillar of economic growth," with capital deployment creating measurable impacts on employment, industrial production, and regional development.The generative AI market alone is forecast to expand from $59.01 billion in 2025 to $400 billion by 2031, representing a compound annual growth rate of 37.57%. This growth trajectory extends beyond software applications into physical infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, and power generation capacity specifically designed for AI workloads.Market valuation concerns and profitability questionsDespite robust growth metrics, market observers are evaluating whether current AI valuations reflect sustainable business models or speculative excess. BlackRock's analysis addresses concerns about an AI bubble by examining three critical factors: real profits, capital efficiency, and mass adoption rates. The investment manager notes that, unlike previous technology bubbles, leading AI companies are generating substantial revenues and positive cash flows, though questions remain about the timeline for smaller AI-focused firms to achieve profitability.Morningstar's November 2025 stock market outlook emphasises that "AI mega-caps drive valuation surge," suggesting that whilst large technology firms with diversified AI capabilities command premium valuations, investors should scrutinise which companies can "utilise AI to improve their products and services" rather than simply participate in AI-related marketing narratives.Quantum Computing Stocks: 1,900% Gains and Investment RisksExtraordinary market performance with limited commercial deploymentThe quantum computing sector has experienced unprecedented investor enthusiasm, with Rigetti Computing and D-Wave Quantum posting gains exceeding 1,900% over 12 months despite having "few real-world applications and not being close to generating a profit.” This disconnect between market performance and commercial readiness illustrates both the transformative potential of quantum technologies and the speculative nature of early-stage innovation markets.Rigetti Computing announced in September 2025 that it secured purchase orders totaling approximately $5.7 million for two 9-qubit Novera quantum computing systems, representing tangible commercial traction albeit at modest scale. Meanwhile, Xanadu projects significant technological advances with up to 100,000 physical qubits and 1,000 logical qubits in development for fault-tolerant quantum computing systems.Investment case and risk considerationsMcKinsey projects the quantum computing market could exceed $100 billion in total value, driven by applications in drug discovery, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, financial modelling, and logistics optimization. A J.P. Morgan survey of 500 business leaders found that approximately three in five enterprises are exploring quantum opportunities, particularly in quantum AI applications.However, the sector presents substantial risks. Current quantum systems remain extremely sensitive to environmental interference, require temperatures near absolute zero, and have yet to demonstrate "quantum advantage" for commercially relevant problems at scale. Investopedia characterises the recent market rally as driven by speculators rather than fundamental business performance, noting the absence of near-term profitability for pure-play quantum firms.Renewable Energy Investments: Solar and Wind Market Growth 2025-2026Solar and wind additions reach historic levelsRenewable energy capacity additions achieved unprecedented scale in 2024, with new installations contributing a record 858 terawatt-hours of useful energy output. Solar technologies incorporating perovskite-silicon cells have pushed conversion efficiencies to 25-30%, though deployment at a commercial scale remains in early stages.The International Energy Agency's latest World Energy Outlook confirms that renewable energy, led by solar power, "will grow faster than any other major source in the next few years," driven by declining costs, policy support, and grid integration technologies. KPMG research indicates that 72% of investors are accelerating energy transition investments, with 64% focusing on energy efficiency and 56% on renewable energy systems.Investment patterns and market dynamicsDespite renewable energy's growth trajectory, investment patterns remain complex. The same KPMG survey reveals that 75% of investors maintain positions in fossil fuel assets, reflecting diversification strategies and recognition that energy transition timelines extend over decades rather than years. Clean energy investments are projected to reach $2.2 trillion globally in 2025, though progress remains "mostly stuck in carbon capture, hydrogen fuels, and heavy industry" applications.Moreover, some sources suggest that maintaining current solar growth rates whilst "stepping up on wind" represents the critical challenge for meeting tripling targets established under international climate commitments.Green Hydrogen Investment Outlook: $2.5-$11.7 trillion Market OpportunityTrillion-dollar opportunity with commercial hurdlesThe green hydrogen economy is attracting substantial long-term capital commitments, with projected cumulative investment between $2.5 trillion and $11.7 trillion by 2050. Plug Power reported third-quarter 2025 revenue of $177 million, "driven by continued strength in Plug's electrolyser business" and volume growth in hydrogen fuel sales.The company has commenced installation of a 5-megawatt electrolyser system for H2 Hollandia, positioned to become the largest green hydrogen initiative in the Netherlands and marking Plug's first commercial electrolyser deployment in that market.Reality check for European projectsDespite progress indicators, reports revealed that hydrogen developers in Europe are "reckoning with reality check," with nearly 18 gigawatts of renewables-powered electrolytic hydrogen production projects at advanced stages as of Q2 2025 facing economic and regulatory challenges. McKinsey's energy transition assessment confirms that hydrogen fuels remain among the technologies where "progress is mostly stuck," indicating significant technical and commercial obstacles to widespread adoption.Biotechnology and Gene Therapy: Personalized Medicine RevolutionMarket expansion and technology advancesThe global gene therapy platform market was valued at $2.18 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand to $9.05 billion by 2034, driven by "advancements in CRISPR and personalized medicine.” More specifically, the AAV (adeno-associated virus) gene therapy market was estimated at $2.75 billion in 2024 and is expanding at a 15.24% compound annual growth rate through 2034.SNS Insider projects the gene therapy platform market will reach $7.50 billion by 2032, attributing growth to "rapid advances in CRISPR and viral vector technologies" that enable more precise genetic modifications for treating inherited disorders, certain cancers, and rare diseases.Investment and development dynamicsThe regenerative medicine sector more broadly is experiencing rapid demand growth "due to its personalized treatment approach, which provides more effective management of conditions" ranging from orthopaedic injuries to degenerative diseases. However, Bio-Techne's presentation at the UBS Global Healthcare Conference highlighted both opportunities and "hurdles" in navigating growth amid sector challenges.Voyager Therapeutics' report indicates strategic prioritization decisions, noting that "investment in the SOD1-ALS gene therapy and anti-Aβ antibody gene therapy programs has been deprioritized to focus on the new discovery programs.” Such portfolio adjustments reflect the capital-intensive nature of biotechnology development and the need for focused resource allocation.Investment Implications and Strategic ConsiderationsEmerging portfolio diversification patternsDeloitte's 2026 investment management outlook identifies several structural shifts reshaping portfolio construction: "ETFs surge, hedge funds pivot, and private capital repositions as industry lines blur and product models evolve.” Schwab Asset Management's 2025 "ETFs and Beyond" study found that 62% of ETF investors "can envision putting their entire investment portfolios into ETFs," with half indicating such transitions could occur within five years.World Finance Informs identifies "key trends shaping institutional investment strategies in 2025 include digital assets, private markets, AI innovation, and diversified portfolio approaches.” This convergence of traditional and emerging asset classes reflects institutional recognition that next-generation technologies require exposure across multiple investment vehicles and risk profiles.Due diligence and risk management frameworksInvestors evaluating next-generation technology opportunities should consider several factors:Technology readiness levels: Distinguish between laboratory-stage innovations, pilot deployments, and commercially scalable solutions. Quantum computing and certain gene therapies remain in early commercial phases despite market enthusiasm.Revenue generation vs. addressable market: Evaluate whether companies demonstrate actual revenue growth or primarily present total addressable market projections. The disparity between quantum computing valuations and current revenues exemplifies this consideration.Capital requirements and burn rates: Next-generation technologies often require sustained capital investment before achieving profitability. Assess runway adequacy and financing access.Regulatory pathways: Gene therapies, hydrogen infrastructure, and AI applications face evolving regulatory frameworks that can significantly impact deployment timelines.Competitive positioning: Determine whether firms possess defensible intellectual property, strategic partnerships, or operational advantages that justify premium valuations.Next-Gen Technology Investment Outlook: Key TakeawaysThe convergence of artificial intelligence infrastructure, quantum computing advances, renewable energy deployment, green hydrogen development, and biotechnology breakthroughs creates a complex landscape for investors seeking exposure to next-generation innovations. Market data from November 2025 confirms substantial capital flows into these sectors, with the generative AI market alone projected to reach $400 billion by 2031 and clean energy investments exceeding $2.2 trillion in 2025.However, extraordinary valuations in specific segments, particularly quantum computing's 1,900% gains and concerns about the formation of an AI bubble, necessitate rigorous due diligence and realistic assessments of commercialisation timelines. While solar and wind energy demonstrate proven deployment capabilities, hydrogen technologies and advanced biotechnology platforms remain in earlier development stages, despite having compelling long-term potential.Investors should adopt diversified approaches across technology maturity stages, recognizing that revolutionary innovations typically require extended periods to achieve mainstream adoption and sustainable profitability. The distinction between transformative technological potential and investable commercial reality remains critical for portfolio construction in this dynamic environment.This story was produced by Plus500 and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	City of Moline launches lead service line replacement The City of Moline is implementing its Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Program, which replaces lead and galvanized water service lines. According to a release, the move comes from the Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act as the city will replace approximately 4,900 service lines over the next 10 years. While Moline’s water [...]
	First-Ever Gubernatorial Republican Primary Forum Held in Scott County Was Educational and Substantive On January 22, 2026, the Scott and Muscatine GOP county parties co-hosted a 2026 Gubernatorial Primary Candidate Forum live in Eldridge, Iowa. The event was the first of its kind in Iowa's history and the first time any substantive questions were presented to Republican want to be governor candidates in a primary race in more than 20 years.
	Tapestry Farms selling Dubai Chocolate bars for Valentine's Day Known for its combination of smooth chocolate, pistachio cream, and delicate crunch, it’s a decadent, gift-worthy treat—perfect for Valentine’s Day.

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