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

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026
	The Circus This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.I beg to differ with The New Yorker magazine. In their first issue in 1926, they announced that they were not writing…
	Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall but damage appears limited Storm damage is expected to be limited because the El Nino weather pattern will counter its worst effects But unusually warm waters in the Atlantic means the risk of destructive storms is still high.
	Trump has campaigned more so far in 2026 midterms than he did at this point in 2018 Heading to Georgia on Wednesday, President Trump is campaigning more often this year than he did in the same period for 2018 and has already rallied for a dozen candidates in toss-up races.
	States want to bring Medicaid behind bars. Federal changes make that harder Funding cuts and program changes required by President Trump's big budget law are forcing states to rethink bipartisan efforts to bring Medicaid into jails and prisons.
	Peptides get their regulatory closeup A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will meet this week to make recommendations on whether specialized pharmacies should be allowed to make some popular wellness peptides.
	Jessica VanDyke of Visit Quad Cities earns Forty Under 40 Award Visit Quad Cities has announced that Jessica VanDyke, business growth & sports manager for Visit Quad Cities, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Quad Cities Business Journal Forty Under 40 Award among others who have made a great impact in the region, a news release says. This annual recognition honors 40 emerging leaders [...]
	21st-Century Intolerable Grievances On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously adopted by the second Continental Congress of the 13 united states, and soon after sent to King George III to serve as notice of the 13 former colonies' separation from Great Britain, including future jurisdiction and all subsequent authorities of the Crown.
	Mamdani says New York City can't arrest Netanyahu but the federal government should New York Mayor Mamdani said the city would not be able to execute an arrest warrant issued by the top war-crimes court for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, but urged the federal government to do so.
	French lawmakers approve a sweeping social media ban for children under 15 The move makes France the first country in the European Union to pass a blanket ban on platforms as concerns grow worldwide over the harmful effects of digital content on kids.
Tuesday, July 21st, 2026
	Staying in a job for the health insurance? About 1 in 4 Americans do, a survey says About 24% of U.S. employees stay in unwanted jobs just for health insurance, a report out Wednesday finds. Up significantly since 2021, the uptick in "job lock" is a concerning sign for the U.S. economy.
	DMV services returning to Aledo Since the previous location's closure last year, Aledo residents have had to travel to DMV facilities in Silvis, Monmouth and Galesburg for in-person services.
	Coal Valley man accused of inappropriately touching two children A Coal Valley man has been arrested for allegedly inappropriately touching two children.
	Semi truck driver airlifted to hospital after crash that landed in Linn County creek According to an Iowa State Patrol crash report, the semi truck suffered a tire failure while traveling north on Interstate 380.
	After Silvis alderman's resignation, ethics commission holds hearing Former Alderman Craig Pirmann was accused of recording a closed-door City Council meeting.
	Woman found inside walls of Geneseo business pleads guilty Caleigh Gottsche pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of methamphetamine.
	House votes to extend government funding, aiming to avoid an election year shutdown Lawmakers are hoping to avoid a third shutdown since last September. The stopgap funding measure now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uncertain future.
	GIFT Gardens initiative, summer classes featured by ISU Extension Scott County Extension GIFT Gardens produce donation program and upcoming gardening events, including Breakfast in the Garden, the Summer Blooms Garden Walk and a Jumping Worm Awareness class is featured by ISU Extension, Scott County.
	New mural at MLK Park depicts Dr. King’s only visit to Davenport The Friends of MLK held a dedication ceremony Tuesday for the new mural at MLK Park.
	Bettendorf expanding park cameras after vandalism causes thousands of dollars in damage Kiwanis Park currently has three security cameras, and city officials are now planning to install additional cameras at other parks.
	New Martin Luther King Jr. mural dedicated in Davenport A new mural celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. was dedicated in Davenport. Local artist Isaiah "Zay" Williams started working on the mural in July. Speakers shared stories about Dr. King's only visit to Davenport and his impact on unity, culture and education. Williams said he's honored to keep King's legacy alive through his art. You [...]
	Houser Street closes temporarily after Muscatine sewer line collapse The City of Muscatine Department of Public Works will close North Houser Street at the intersection with Dawson Street beginning at 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, to conduct emergency repairs after a sewer line collapse, according to a news release. The Sewer Collection and Drainage Department team expects the closure to remain in place for [...]
	College for Kids at Black Hawk College prepares students for their futures College for Kids is in the midst of its 46th summer camp at Black Hawk College preparing kids for their futures. The opportunity to select three classes out of 30 allows kids to dive deep into something they find interesting or see as a career path. While a lot of the focus may be on [...]
	How control over Hero Street monument could change in Silvis The Hero Street monument set at the entrance to Hero Street, just a few houses down from Memorial Park, has been under care of a volunteer group for years. Now, that could all change as the City of Silvis is exploring the idea of taking control. Some say it is not sustainable to leave it [...]
	10th-largest Mega Millions jackpot up for grabs Someone could win a record-sized Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday.
	Bettendorf Parks and Recreation wants more cameras to help curb vandalism City officials said existing cameras are already working, capturing the moment a person vandalized new futsal courts at Kiwanis Park.
	USDA reversal on crop insurance change welcomed by farm groups Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins speaks in Fargo, N.D., on April 22, 2025. She was invited by North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, left. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reversing course on a change to a federal crop insurance policy to allow farmers to buy more protection if weather or field conditions prevent them from planting a crop. USDA had eliminated the option to buy additional prevented planting insurance going into the 2026 growing season. This raised concerns from growers in North Dakota, where the buy-up option has been a popular risk-management tool. In a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., asked Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins where the department stood on the policy. “We are 100% supportive of that and are moving forward to execute that buy-up option,” Rollins said. Farmers face greater risk with planting insurance option removed The change will restore the 5% buy-up option, which provided additional coverage for more than 67 million acres across the country in 2025. North Dakota accounted for 10 million of those acres, Hoeven said. Justin Sherlock, past president of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association and a director with the American Soybean Association, said restoring the buy-up option is welcome news, but that farm groups felt that USDA was required by law to offer it. He said defending crop insurance in general was the bigger issue. “It was the concern that this could be a bigger infringement upon the crop insurance program as Congress intended it.” While he was encouraged by Rollins’ comments, Sherlock said he would like to see the change noted in the Federal Register or in a formal statement from USDA. Prevented planting was not a major issue in North Dakota this year, but Sherlock did benefit from hail insurance on some land in Griggs County. “I wouldn’t be farming without it,” Sherlock said of federal crop insurance. Hoeven credited working with Chair Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark.,and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., of the Senate Agriculture Committee on emphasizing the need to return to the previous policy. “Given the challenges facing farm country, we worked very hard to restore this prevented plant buy-up option to provide our producers with an additional layer of protection when disaster prevents them from planting their fields,” Hoeven said in a news release. Reach North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach at jbeach@northdakotamonitor.com. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of North Dakota Monitor
	Illinois Tollway seeks public input on $26.5 billion plan Illinois Tollway users might face higher toll rates in 2027 under a $26.5 billion plan that officials said would rebuild infrastructure and modernize the system.
	Idaho’s Brownlee and Hells Canyon reservoirs under health advisory Cyanobacteria blooms occur when blue-green algae rapidly grows out of control. (Courtesy of Lorraine Backer/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health image library)Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare advised recreators to stay out of Brownlee and Hells Canyon reservoirs on Monday, after recent samples revealed high amounts of toxin-producing cyanobacteria. Monday’s advisory comes after the department issued the same warning for Crane Creek Reservoir in Washington County earlier this month. The advisories show the continuing effects of a harmful algal bloom season, which lasts the length of the summer. All three reservoirs tested for high levels of toxin-producing cyanobacteria, which can be harmful to people, pets and livestock. Summer heat can cause dangerous conditions, harmful algal blooms in Idaho’s rivers and lakes Contact with the water in the reservoirs, whether by humans or animals, should be avoided, according to the advisory. Cooking or drinking the reservoirs’ water is also advised against, as boiling or filtering does not remove toxins and may increase its toxicity. While the advisory does not restrict fishing in the reservoirs, it encourages washing hands after handling fish and cleaning fish thoroughly before consuming as cyanotoxins may build up in fish. Regardless of where they plan to recreate, the Department of Health and Welfare urged Idahoans to “evaluate water conditions before swimming, boating, or letting pets enter any lake or reservoir.” The department also urged Idahoans to watch for symptoms if they do end up in contact with the water, including rash, hives, diarrhea or headache. Dogs may become ill quicker than humans, and thus should be washed immediately after exiting the water. Increased levels of cyanobacteria are the result of rising temperatures, though the microorganisms are a native part of Idaho’s watersheds. Their populations bloom, releasing cyanotoxins, and present in a variety of different looks including mats, foam, or surface scum. The blooms are not always visible from the surface. For the latest information about health advisories in Idaho visit: https://www.gethealthy.dhw.idaho.gov/recreational-water-health-advisories?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. Courtesy of Idaho Capital Sun
	Man sentenced in connection to July 2025 Davenport shooting The 18-year-old pleaded guilty in connection with a July 2025 shooting, during which a bystander was struck by a bullet.
	Genesius Guild will wrap up 70th season with Greek comedy 'Women's Festival' The Genesius Guild is wrapping up its 70th anniversary season with two weekends of an updated Greek comedy by Aristophanes, a news release says. Performances of "Women's Festival" (previously staged under its Greek name "Thesmophoriazusae") will be July 25 and 26 and Aug. 1 and 2. The productions start at 7 p.m. All shows are staged in Lincoln [...]
	Silvis Ethics Commission holds hearing following alderman's resignation Former Alderman Craig Pirmann was accused of recording a closed-door City Council meeting.
	Questions swirl about ambulance services in Henderson County The Henderson County board is discussing having Burlington, Iowa provide ambulance services to the entire county.
	Iowa ACA health insurance premiums set to rise for thousands in 2027 Thousands of Iowans could see their health insurance premiums increase next year after five Affordable Care Act marketplace insurers proposed rate hikes, some reaching double digits, according to the Iowa Insurance Division.
	The Supreme Court got it right in T.M. v. University of Maryland Medical System The U.S. Supreme Court. Getty Images photo.The U.S. Supreme Court issued an important 5-4 decision in T.M. v. University of Maryland Medical System, affirming a basic but critical principle of our judicial system: Litigants should not be permitted to simultaneously challenge the same state-court judgment in federal district court while state appellate proceedings remain ongoing. The court held that the longstanding Rooker Feldman doctrine bars such duplicative federal litigation, even when a state-court judgment is still subject to appeal. While the legal issue before the Court was procedural, the implications for patients, physicians, hospitals, and the integrity of our judicial system are substantial. The Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi) joined the American Medical Association in filing an amicus brief because healthcare professionals and institutions depend on clear, predictable legal processes. Physicians make difficult decisions every day, often in emergency and behavioral health settings where patient safety, public safety, and individual rights must all be carefully balanced. Those decisions are already subject to extensive review through administrative proceedings, state courts, professional licensing oversight and established appellate processes. Your opinion matters Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@marylandmatters.org. We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from public officials, elected officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. Allowing parties dissatisfied with a state-court ruling to immediately seek a second review in federal district court before the state process is complete would create confusion, encourage forum shopping and dramatically increase litigation costs. It could also produce conflicting judicial decisions arising from the same underlying facts. The result would be uncertainty for patients and healthcare professionals alike. The Supreme Court recognized this concern. Writing for the majority, Justice Sonia Sotomayor concluded that federal district courts cannot serve as alternative appellate tribunals for state-court judgments simply because state appeals remain pending. The decision preserves the proper relationship between state and federal courts and reinforces the principle that litigants must follow established appellate pathways. Importantly, this ruling does not deprive individuals of access to justice. Parties remain free to pursue their claims through state appellate courts and, when appropriate, seek review by the United States Supreme Court itself. What the court rejected was an attempt to create parallel tracks of litigation that could undermine judicial consistency and finality. For Maryland physicians, this case arose from a particularly sensitive context involving involuntary psychiatric treatment and related judicial proceedings. These situations are among the most challenging encountered in medicine. Clinicians must often act quickly while balancing patient autonomy, safety concerns, medical evidence and legal requirements. When disputes arise, healthcare professionals deserve a judicial system that is orderly, predictable, and capable of reaching final resolutions. While MedChi is a close ally with UMMS, MedChi and the AMA did not participate in this case to advocate for any particular healthcare institution. We participated because the broader principle matters. Healthcare delivery depends on stable legal frameworks. Courts function best when each level of the judicial system respects the role of the others. By reaffirming those boundaries, the Supreme Court protected not only federalism and judicial efficiency, but also the ability of physicians and healthcare systems to operate within a coherent legal environment. The Court’s decision may not generate the headlines of more politically charged cases, but it reinforces a foundational principle of American jurisprudence: There must be one orderly path for appellate review. In T.M. v. UMMS, the Supreme Court got it right. Courtesy of Maryland Matters
	2-time heart attack survivor plans to walk in Quad-City Times Bix 7 Robert Farrington Jr. will walk the Bix 7 Saturday after surviving his second heart attack in April and completing cardiac rehab at UnityPoint.
	Illinois treasurer returns $307.8 million in missing money to 567,000 residents Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs returned a record $307.8 million in missing money to more than 567,000 residents, businesses and organizations through the I-CASH program during Fiscal Year 2026, a news release says. “Our changes to I-CASH allowed us to return more money to more people,” Frerichs said. “We are proud to set records, but [...]
	Moline considering plans for future of Catfish Charlie's The riverfront restaurant closed in 2024.
	Iowa Department of Transportation updating speed limit signs The new limit on some Iowa highways and rural roads is now 60 miles per hour, instead of 55 miles per hour.
	Sterling man faces child sex-abuse material charges: Police Jason L. Erdmier, 47, of Sterling, Illinois was arrested on Tuesday, July 21, in the 600 block of 8thAvenue, Sterling, for two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, a Class 2 felony. Sterling police detectives began an investigation in May 2026 based on a cybertip received from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) [...]
	Main pool at YMCA Water Park at The Landing closes The main pool at the YMCA Water Park at The Landing has closed. According to a Facebook post by the YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley: The YMCA Water Park at The Landing is located at 2255 Middle Rd., Bettendorf. For updates, click here.
	Former JI Case building on Bettendorf riverfront being torn down The riverfront building in Bettendorf had been vacant for decades as plans to redevelop it went unrealized.
	Surveillance footage released after man accused of Bettendorf futsal court arson Surveillance video captures damage at Kiwanis Park days before the grand opening of the new futsal court.
	Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archives to hold grand opening of its new location The Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archives will hold its grand opening for its new location on Friday, July 24.
	Davenport dedicates new mural at MLK Park The park stage mural was created by local artist Zay Williams.
	Shock House QCA Halloween attraction to close A Halloween tradition in the QCA is coming to an end. After 14 seasons of scares, organizers of Shock House announced it will not return this fall to the QCCA Event Center. In a Facebook post, organizers say the decision came after years of work and changing challenges, including more regulations, fewer volunteers and the [...]
	Davenport chiropractor surrenders license after patient becomes paralyzed A Davenport chiropractor voluntarily surrendered his license after a patient became paralyzed while receiving care in 2024.
	State-ordered study says opioid settlement money should target treatment for incarcerated people An opioid rescue kit, which includes a naloxone kit inside, is stationed on the third floor of the South Dakota State Capitol, near the Senate chamber on June 3, 2026. The kit is next to an emergency defibrillator, which is used for cardiac arrests. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)South Dakota should spend opioid settlement money in the coming years to address the needs of people entering or leaving prisons and jails, according to an assessment prepared for the state Department of Social Services. The department commissioned the $325,000 statewide needs assessment to help guide the state’s investment of settlement dollars. The inadequacy of the programs and services for addicted people in the justice system was a major takeaway, the department secretary told members of the Legislature’s budget committee on Monday at the Capitol in Pierre. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US “This is a more intense addiction once you get to that level of opioid use disorder,” Secretary Matt Althoff said. “We still see, as is so often the case, the justice involvement. Laws get broken, they become incarcerated or they become prosecuted, and they are also struggling with addiction.” The money comes from the makers and sellers of opioid painkillers linked to spikes in addiction and overdose deaths. South Dakota is expected to receive about $99 million in settlement funds through 2038. The state’s collected $32.8 million so far, with 70% of the money tagged for statewide dispersal and 30% going directly to localities. Thus far, the state has awarded all but $2.7 million of its share through a three-tiered grant system, with awards ranging from $5,000 on the low end to more than $50,000 on the high end. The largest single award went to Avera Health, which is using its grant for an addiction-focused psychiatric residential treatment facility in Sioux Falls. Medication-assisted addiction treatment In the future, treatment for those released on supervision could involve the use of medications for opioid use disorder, a class of pharmaceuticals that, at therapeutic levels, deaden the craving for the drugs without producing the high or spurring a higher tolerance and a need for higher doses. The Department of Corrections already offers the medications inside its institutions, but it has concerns about the availability of the drugs and follow-up care on the outside, said Brenna Koedam, who leads the Department of Social Services’ Behavioral Health Division. The two departments have discussed where they might begin with a collaborative effort, Koedam said, which could be with eight outside prison locations for follow-up care to parolees using the medicines. South Dakota awards $7.8 million from opioid settlement to combat addiction The Department of Social Services and Unified Judicial System have also begun talks on the drugs’ possible use for people on probation, Koedam said. On Tuesday, court system spokeswoman Alisa Bousa said the state courts are interested in “any additional educational and engagement tools that would benefit the probationers.” At the legislative meeting, Koedam told lawmakers that a stigma and “misconceptions” still surround buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone, the three medications approved for opioid use disorder by the Food and Drug Administration. The department needs to “continue to get the education out there in regards to how effective these medications can be” when administered as part of an addiction treatment program, said Koedam. Rep. Terri Jorgenson, R-Piedmont, wanted to know how long people take the drugs, on average. “This isn’t a lifelong thing, is it?” Jorgenson said. Koedam told her the answer is complicated and depends on the individual. Some, she said, may use them long-term. Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, said she recognizes that reliance on a non-intoxicating medication is preferable to opioid use, but asked if “we’re trading one addiction for another addiction.” For some people, Koedam said, such medicines can be “maintenance” medications, not dissimilar to drugs for blood pressure or depression that people commonly take for a lifetime. Some people, she said, will remain on the anti-addiction medicines “for the course of their lifetime.” Sen. Red Dawn Foster, D-Pine Ridge, urged the department to prioritize “innovative” approaches to addiction for those inside institutions. “I know a lot of inmates are self-medicating, so this is some type of need,” said Foster, referencing the use of illicit substances in prisons and jails. Next steps for funding Questions of ongoing funding bubbled up throughout the meeting. Jorgenson said the settlement money is finite and noted the department’s mention that the award amounts will grow smaller as 2038 draws near. Howard, meanwhile, said “I’m seeing a lot of new programs,” and said she wasn’t convinced that taxpayers won’t be expected to keep paying for them. State revamps use of opioid settlement money by offering ‘transformative’ grants up to $2 million “When somebody comes and asks for this grant, have you considered saying, ‘I need your commitment that you aren’t going to ask for ongoing dollars from this,’” Howard said. The department denied a sizable stack of funding applications because it prioritized programs that wouldn’t need ongoing money from the state, Althoff said. “Why did we say ‘no?’ Because a lot of it was not sustainable,” he said. The next round of funding awards will prioritize applications in the mid-range of the department’s three-tiered grant system, which it calls “organizational” grants of up to $50,000. The small awards were designed for projects at the idea stage, Althoff said, while the large ones were more about developing infrastructure. Over the next year, the goal will be to get projects into the operational and sustainable stage. Near the end of the briefing, Sen. Paul Miskimins, R-Mitchell, praised the department’s willingness to take on opioid addiction. Miskimins, a retired dentist who said he tightened his approach to painkiller prescriptions as their addictive nature became clear, said he hopes lawmakers and the general public remember the human cost of the drugs behind the settlement money. “One of the finest ladies in my practice was arrested for stealing medications out of a medicine chest at a rummage sale because she was addicted and hiding it from everybody in the world,” said Miskimins. “She was a Sunday school teacher.” Opioid settlement dollars Opioid settlement spending information presented July 20, 2026, to the South Dakota Legislature’s Interim Committee on Appropriations. Courtesy of South Dakota Searchlight
	Smithsonian too focused on 'oppressors and the oppressed,' say House Republicans In a House DOGE subcommittee hearing, GOP representatives excoriated the director of the National Museum of American History, following a White House report earlier this month that also criticized her.
	6 arrested for Burlington robberies, 2 victims assaulted Six people were arrested following two robberies that took place in Burlington, Iowa.
	Ukraine's Zelenskyy fires his military chief after protests and names a new one President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces following days of protests demanding his removal. Zelenskyy appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new army chief.
	Cyclosporiasis outbreak surpasses 560 cases in North Carolina With cases of cyclosporiasis on the rises, North Carolina health officials recommend people thoroughly wash fresh fruits and vegetables. Cooking your produce can also kill the parasite. (Photo: Getty Images) North Carolina is reporting 561 cases of cyclosporiasis as of July 20, 2026, but the cause of the state’s growing outbreak remains a mystery. Dr. Carl Williams, state public health veterinarian for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, told reporters Tuesday that while some states were able to identify lettuce as the source for a significant proportion of cases, in North Carolina the outbreak may be caused by several sources. “Our thought is that it’s likely that there are multiple vehicles for cyclosporiasis. It’s not a single source or a single food product from a single company,” said Williams. While that can make it difficult to offer advice about what to avoid, Williams says that thoroughly washing fresh produce is a good first step to protecting yourself. Even if the packaging says the produce has been triple washed, that does not guarantee the parasite will be removed entirely. “[Cyclosporiasis] is shed in feces that could contaminate surface water. In other countries, that surface water may be used for irrigation or it may be used for the application of pesticides,” Williams explained. “That’s how it gets from the human to the surface water onto the surface of the fresh fruit and vegetable. These fresh fruits and vegetables come to the United States, they come to North Carolina, there’s no outward sign of a problem.” Williams says cases tend to increase in the summer months when more people are enjoying more fresh fruits and vegetables. Cyclosporiasis, like many foodborne illnesses, can be prevented by cooking foods to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. “If you cook it, you’ll kill it. But most people don’t want to cook their fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Williams. Cyclosporiasis is one of more than 80 conditions that is reportable to the state by law. Each case is carefully investigated by NCDHHS and local health departments as they work to identify the original supplier or source. Because most state public health labs cannot do the molecular work needed to trace specific strains of cyclospora, it’s up to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish any genetic linkages between specimens taken in North Carolina and specimens from another state. Williams says the CDC has been very responsive to NCDHHS, conducting calls twice a week with state health departments as they search for answers. The microscopic parasite can cause explosive diarrhea and intense stomach cramps that can last for days. That can be especially dangerous for certain segments of the population. FDA: Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sample produced a false positive for cyclospora “Certainly, you want to take extra care if you are immunocompromised or elderly,” Williams told NC Newsline. “Even things that may not be that big of a problem, you can get dehydrated. That alone can create serious problems.” Sixteen people in North Carolina have been hospitalized because of the parasite. Some school districts have made the decision not to serve fresh produce until more is known about the source of the outbreak. Durham Public Schools decided to serve frozen or canned vegetables until September. NCDHHS has been consulting with the NC Department of Public Instruction about the risks cyclosporiasis might pose for schools this fall, but has not issued any formal guidance. Courtesy of NC Newsline
	DMV services returning to Aledo, Illinois Secretary of State confirms Since the previous location's closure last year, Aledo residents have had to travel to DMV facilities in Silvis, Monmouth and Galesburg for in-person services.
	New DMV facility coming to Aledo Aledo is getting a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) facility again. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that his office has signed a lease for a new DMV facility in Aledo, returning local DMV services to the community. The previous location closed last year after unsuccessful lease negotiations with the former landlord. The new [...]
	6 arrested in connection with Burlington robberies, police say Six people were arrested in connection to two Burlington robberies, police say.
	Citing fraud, feds halt more than $1B in Medicaid money for California, Minnesota Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, speaks at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., in December. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Tuesday that they are freezing more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota in an effort to crack down on fraud. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it is freezing more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota in an effort to crack down on fraud. Medicaid is the public health insurance for people with low incomes, including some disabled and elderly people, jointly funded by state and federal dollars. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services deferred more than $867 million to California and $199 million to Minnesota. The feds say they need more documentation from those states to support some Medicaid claims for services that are at high risk for fraud. The freeze marks the latest round of withheld payments as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on suspected fraud in publicly-funded social service programs, mostly focusing on Democratic-led states. Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched a fraud task force to look into potential waste or abuse in publicly-funded benefits programs, explicitly naming states such as California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota and New York. The Trump administration has already deferred Medicaid payments in Minnesota twice this year, totaling nearly $400 million. The deferral process, under which the federal government can withhold funding when questioning claims already billed to Medicaid, had never been used to deny funding for entire service areas until a $243 million deferral in February, the Minnesota Attorney General noted. A letter delivered Tuesday from CMS to the Minnesota Department of Human Services stated that $195 million of the deferred $199 million comes from specific providers that CMS identified as high-risk for fraud or “aberrant billing practices” based on historical billing and analysis. The money comes from services delivered from January through March and has already been paid. States will have to provide documentation backing up the claims or be forced to reduce future billing to the federal government. The Trump administration has also threatened to withhold $2 billion in annual Medicaid funding to Minnesota in a separate process. The funding fight in Minnesota centers on 14 Medicaid services deemed high-risk to fraud and are largely designed to give long-term care for elderly and disabled people. But state officials have said that funding freezes could deliver a serious blow to the state’s Medicaid program more generally, which cost $18 billion in 2024 and covers other low-income Minnesotans. John Connolly, temporary commissioner and state Medicaid director for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, said in a statement that Tuesday’s deferral reflects the federal government’s “unprecedented and punitive ways as part of their war on Medicaid and its recipients.” “CMS touts their new fraud-detection capabilities, yet has not provided data or explanation on how the deferral amount was calculated or what it was based on. I respectfully ask the federal government to partner with us and share any information about their methods to identify potentially fraudulent providers in Minnesota,” Connolly said. The federal-state fight over Medicaid funding has affected thousands of Medicaid providers in Minnesota, who were abruptly cut off from funding as the state raced to reach a federal deadline to screen all providers in the “high-risk” services. Providers and their advocates said the process was rushed and left legitimate providers unable to get paid for delivering services to vulnerable Minnesotans. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the Trump administration’s goal is to strengthen the integrity of the Medicaid program and make sure federal funds are spent appropriately. “States that receive federal Medicaid funding must demonstrate that every dollar meets federal requirements,” Kennedy said in a news release on the deferred funds. “When they cannot, we will not release federal funds until they do.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called the withheld funds a “recycled political stunt” in a post on X, and said his state was being targeted for political reasons. Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz rejected the Trump administration’s framing of the situation in a post on X: “This isn’t about fraud — it’s about cutting your healthcare so that Trump can afford the tax cuts he gave to billionaires.” CMS said it identified unusually high growth in spending on certain in-home care programs in California, triggering the hold on that state’s funds. It has not provided proof of fraud. Newsom countered in his X post, arguing that California is saving taxpayer money “by keeping seniors and people with disabilities out of far more expensive nursing homes.” In Minnesota, a CMS review flagged expenditures that raised “potential eligibility or billing concerns.” “CMS is done trying to chase down stolen and misused funds after they’ve already left the building,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS administrator, said in a news release, adding that the deferred payments are part of a “proactive new approach to program integrity.” The pauses in funding don’t affect who is eligible for Medicaid, and they’re not permanent cuts. Alyssa Chen of the Minnesota Reformer contributed to this story. Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Stateline
	What would it take to end child marriage? There’s a new federal push to limit it. A participant holds a place card that reads "End Child Marriages!" during the Women's March gathering at a public park on March 8, 2025, in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. (Photo by Annice Lyn/Getty Images) This story was originally published by The 19th. Genevieve Meyer describes her childhood in the 1980s as being filled with “a lot of violence, a lot of volatility and a lot of instability.” She was raised in Southern California by a single mom who suffered significant mental health issues and, later, she had an abusive stepfather. She stopped going to school after sixth grade, never went to medical appointments and often fielded questions from social service workers called to the house. By 14, Meyer spent a lot of her free time wandering around the surrounding desert, avoiding her home. That’s how she befriended a neighbor, a divorced father with two children who was 28 years older than her. “He kind of started grooming me after he figured out that I didn’t want to be at home,” Meyer said. When her mom found out about the relationship, she called the police, who arrested the neighbor for “lewd sexual acts” — charges that were later dropped. Meyer insisted she was not sexually active, but her mom believed she was likely to become pregnant and that marriage was the only option. The neighbor agreed out of fear of losing custody of his children, and Meyer was told she would be allowed to return to school if she went along. “I thought, here’s my opportunity because that’s all I really wanted — I just wanted a normal adolescent life,” said Meyer, now 46. “I wanted to play sports, and I wanted to hang out with people my own age. I don’t think I really understood marriage. I think I saw it as just kind of a piece of paper and a get-out-of-jail-free card.” Meyer’s mom tried to get her daughter married in California, then Nevada and then Utah — all without success due to differing laws and one judge refusing because of the couple’s age difference. So Meyer’s neighbor borrowed an RV and drove her to Mississippi. With her mother’s written consent, the state’s only other requirement to obtain a marriage license was to get blood tests checking for sexually transmitted infections. No one asked Meyer any other questions before a judge in a courthouse read some words from a book and pronounced them married. In SC, 16-year-olds can get married. A bill would allow only adults to wed. She was 15. He was 43. A bill that aims to prevent child marriage like Meyer’s was introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate last week. The legislation — cosponsored by Democrats Reps. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois in the House and Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Brian Schatz of Hawaii in the Senate — was first introduced in 2024 and is the first concerted effort by Congress to condemn and prevent child marriage domestically. “I don’t think people realize that child marriages do occur in the United States, so I want to build awareness with this bill,” Moore told The 19th. “And also it’s just part of my wheelhouse of trying to stop violence against women. This is just yet another piece of that puzzle.” Under the U.S. Constitution, only individual states can set minimum age requirements for marriage. The federal government has no authority over family or domestic law, but it does have control over immigration laws related to spousal and fiancé visas. This bill — first shared with The 19th in an exclusive — would act as “a practical roadmap” for states to end child marriage, Moore said. “Our bill builds on the work of countless survivors and advocates across the country to ban child marriage in the United States,” Durbin said in a statement. “We must enact this legislation at a federal level to protect the future of hundreds of thousands of young girls who have been stripped of their independence.” About 300,000 minors — the vast majority of them girls — were legally married in the United States between 2000 and 2018, the year statehouses began taking action. Child marriage is defined as any marriage where at least one of the parties is under the age of 18. Prior to 2018, child marriage was legal in all 50 states. As of 2026, 17 states have passed bans while advocates continue to push lawmakers to end the practice in states and on the federal level. “I thought that what happened to me was just a random fluke, like a crack somewhere that only I fell through,” Meyer said. “But I was stunned to learn how many children were married. And it wasn’t the close-in-age teenage lovebirds. It was more like my situation with the big age gap and weird stuff.” Meyer, who said she was abused in that marriage, got a divorce after seven years. Now, she lives in Indiana with her third husband and consults on a statewide human trafficking task force and advocates for victims of gender-based violence and abuse. “There’s literally no good outcomes for child marriage,” Meyer said. “We legislate everything else: We decide when kids can stop going to school, when they can get their driver’s license, when they can smoke, when they can drink, when they can sign up for the military. But putting them between systems where there’s absolutely no protection, where they’re not going to get their coaches, their peers, their school, their doctor, child services — none of those support systems — and handing them over to an adult? It’s crazy.” The 19th spoke to half a dozen child marriage survivors and advocates who for years consulted with lawmakers, informing core provisions in the legislation and identifying loopholes to close. Here are some strategies laid out in the bill: Educate the public Casey Carter Swegman, the director of public policy at the Tahirih Justice Center, a nonprofit that serves immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, said she’s been working with Durbin’s office since 2019 on this legislation. “No matter how much outreach and education we think we’ve done, it feels like every week we still have a conversation with someone who is completely unaware that child marriage is happening in the United States and that it’s legal,” Swegman said. “And it’s happening to folks of all backgrounds, religious faiths, immigration status, socioeconomic status — it really does not discriminate.” Swegman said introducing legislation like this is first and foremost an education tool. “Children are being married in this country every day,” Swegman said. “And the more people learn about it, the more outrage we have, the more voices at the table, the more likely we are to make change.” Close an immigration loophole Currently, there is no minimum age for someone to sponsor a spousal or fiancé visa; there is also no minimum age for how old a foreign-born spouse or fiancé must be to be eligible for that visa. Swegman said Tahirih social workers and advocates have worked with thousands of young girls in America who are forced to marry and then sponsor the visas of older men from abroad, as well as thousands of children who are brought to the United States under the guise of spousal visas to marry men decades older than them. Between 2007 and 2017, more than 8,500 marriage-based visa petitions involving at least one child were approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to findings by a Senate committee. The majority of these involved adult men seeking to bring girls from overseas as brides or fiancées. The bill would require U.S. petitioners for spousal and fiancé visas to be at least 18 and to have been 18 or older at the time of marriage to a foreign visa beneficiary. It would also require beneficiaries to be at least 18 when the petition is filed except in limited circumstances. Naila Amin was 4 years old when she moved from a rural village in Pakistan to New York City. She was 7 when her auntie pinned her down to pierce her nose in preparation for a nath, the traditional nose ring worn by brides. She was 8 when she was told that she was engaged. “My dad told his oldest brother that he could have me for his son, who was 13 years older than me,” said Amin, now 36. “Like I was a piece of cow, like I was cattle or something.” Amin said because she had a U.S. passport, her family just saw her as a vehicle for her fiancé to get out of Pakistan. At the time, New York law said children had to be at least 14 with parental permission to get married. (New York officially banned child marriage in 2021 with the passage of Naila’s Law, named after Amin.) “Having the immigration piece (in this bill) is so important because we are literally laundering children through our U.S. immigration system,” Amin said. “It’s human trafficking.” Repeal the consummation requirement in proxy marriages In proxy marriages — ceremonies where one of the parties is not physically present — consummation is currently required to validate the union. This bill would repeal this condition, which advocates argue incentivizes rape, and instead require the parties to have met in person within two years before the wedding date. Sasha Taylor, a child marriage survivor and advocate, insisted that this provision was included in the bill. As an immigrant from Pakistan with American citizenship, she sees proxy marriages in a lot of Asian and other immigrant communities in the United States. Often, Taylor said the girl is not even present to consent to the marriage and someone else speaks on her behalf. When she was 15, Taylor was forced by her parents to marry a stranger seven years her senior because he needed her to sponsor his visa to stay in the United States. Her family’s reputation relied on her strict obedience and submission to the marriage — a phenomenon that she calls “honor-based violence.” “If they say you’re going to marry this person and you refuse, that’s going to break the honor of the family within a community structure,” Taylor said. “Girls can get viciously abused by the collective family, embarrassed in the community or she can even get killed for it. That is absolutely happening in immigrant communities in the United States.” Prohibit child marriage from occurring on federal property The bill would prohibit child marriage from occurring in or on property owned by or funded by the federal government, including military bases in the United States and abroad. Swegman said she is aware that child brides live on military bases, which she described as “some of the most isolated spaces for survivors that you can think of.” Use grant funding as an incentive The bill would provide states that end child marriage with increased grant funding from the Office on Violence Against Women. It would also establish grant programs for states that have not yet ended child marriage to create task force forces to support advocates and survivors. “Right now, we have survivors, advocates and others who are doing this work for free, who are doing child marriage advocacy work without funding and really pushing a very heavy boulder up a hill,” Swegman said. “Those state task forces would allow them to be focused and enable homegrown movements to make progress.” Point to a standard model The bill would instruct the attorney general to promulgate a model state statute that prohibits child marriage. Judy Wiegand, a child marriage survivor based in Kentucky and now advocate, said she was most excited that this provision was included in the bill because she would like to see standardized guidelines across different states. The reason, Wiegand said, is that families stymied by one state’s marriage laws simply find another destination. “They’re playing hopscotch with which state they can go to,” she said. Wiegand also said some states with existing bans, like Kentucky, need more direction on how to enforce them. In 2018, Kentucky raised its minimum marriage age to 18 with a loophole that allows 17-year-olds to marry with parental and judicial approval after Wiegand shared her story in front of state lawmakers. She was married at 13 after she was sexually assaulted. She got pregnant and was forced by her parents and small-town community to marry the person who assaulted her, who then became her abuser. Wiegand, now 62, said she was surprised to see that child marriages were still happening in Kentucky. About 141 cases of child marriage — more than a dozen of which were illegal — have reportedly occurred in the state since 2018. She said there are some county court clerks that are continuing to allow children under the age of 17 to obtain marriage licenses. “This is my understanding based on what I’ve seen this year,” Wiegand said. “Exceptions are being made without following any of the laws set in place, and they’re not being held accountable for doing so.” Establish a national commission to study the issue The commission would evaluate and report on eliminating child marriage in the country. The bill would also require the Government Accountability Office to examine the extent to which U.S. citizens and permanent residents sponsor foreign spouses who are under 18 at the time of marriage and make recommendations. Donna Simmons, a child marriage survivor in Kentucky, said more studies need to be conducted to better understand all of the factors that contribute to child marriage and perpetuate harms against girls and women. Simmons was a 14-year-old patient at a behavioral health facility when she met a 29-year-old mental health technician who worked there. He groomed her, they started a relationship and two years later, he paid her mom $1,000 to get married to avoid statutory rape charges. He went on to traffic her at strip clubs for years. Simmons, now 42, started advocating for other girls and women survivors and in 2018, helped Kentucky set the marital minimum age to 17. “Back in 2016, I started working in the advocacy space because I started realizing that it wasn’t just that I was a bad kid that bad things happened to,” Simmons said. “It was that the system had a huge responsibility in protecting me and failed at every angle.” Even though she was legally emancipated because she was married, Simmons was not qualified for many jobs, could not lease an apartment under her name and was even turned away from a domestic violence shelter because she was still a minor. She said she felt like she was stuck with her trafficker until she turned 18 — but didn’t leave him until she was 19 and finalized the divorce at 20. “One of the reasons that studies are so important is because we need to make sure that people understand, we need to humanize what child marriage actually means,” Simmons said. Girls who marry before they turn 19 are more likely to drop out of high school and four times less likely to graduate from college. (Simmons never finished her sophomore year.) They are associated with higher poverty rates in life and increased psychiatric disorders, and they have a greater risk of developing serious health conditions. And the risk lingers for following generations: Simmons’ own mother was 13 when she married an older man who had served in two wars and had two sons already. “If we ever want to stop these cycles of generational trauma, like ongoing poverty and chronic health conditions, we cannot possibly get there if we continue to sanction marriages that involve children and ultimately perpetuate these cycles,” Simmons said. Courtesy of South Carolina Daily Gazette
	David Lee Roth, July 31 With his larger-than-life personality and powerful voice that conveys all the energy, celebration, and hedonism of an all-night block party, music icon David Lee Roth brings his national tour to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on July 31, the rocker best known for his integral role in Van Halen’s meteoric rise to global dominance during the late ’70s and early ’80s, plus his massive successes as a solo artist.
	Brad Paisley, August 4 With his professional laurels including three Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards, country-music superstar Brad Paisley headlines the first grandstand concert at this year's Mississippi Valley Fair, his August 4 engagement treating fans to such chart-topping smashes as "He Didn't Have to Be," "Mud on the Tires," "Water," and "Remind Me."
	Keith Urban, August 5 The recipient of four Grammy Awards, 13 CMAs (including two for Entertainer of the Year), 15 ACMs (including the prestigious Triple Crown for Best New Artist, Male Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year), three AMAs, and two People’s Choice Awards, country-music superstar Keith Urban headlines the August 5 grandstand concert at the Mississippi Valley Fair, the artist having also celebrated nine consecutive gold, platinum, or multi-platinum albums which, combined, have resulted in more than 11 billion streams.
	Davenport man facing drug charges after marijuana, meth found in boot deputies say A Davenport man is facing several drug charges after marijuana and meth were found in his boot, deputies say.
	Davenport teen charged in June incident, alleged to have chased, rammed vehicle A Davenport 18-year-old is accused of ramming a car in late June.
	Rock Island artist celebrated for completing new MLK Park mural Isaiah “Zay” Williams of Rock Island fulfilled a dream by painting a new mural of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., behind the stage at MLK Park, 501 N. Brady St., Davenport.
	Jessie Murph and Stella Lefty, August 6 With both artists having enjoyed top-10 Billboard successes (and songs in the horror smash Scream 7) over the past 13 months, ascending country-pop stars Jessie Murph and Stella Lefty jointly headline the Mississippi Valley Fair grandstand concert on August 6, the former's Sex Hysteria a popular and critical hit last July, and the latter's Is This Heaven? released to great acclaim this past May.
	“The Ultimate Elvis Experience,” July 31 Returning to Davenport on July 31 with three internationally revered tribute artists, The Ultimate Elvis Experience will deliver a thrilling celebration of Presley's music and magic with featured headliner Shawn Klush, this stage spectacle having spent numerous years captivating audiences around the globe.
	“To the Limit: The Ultimate Eagles Experience,” August 1 Paying homage to one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, the touring sensation To the Limit: The Ultimate Eagles Experience lands at Davenport's Adler Theatre on August 1, the band devoted to recreating the timeless sound and spirit of The Eagles, and capturing the essence of their music with remarkable precision.
	PHOTO GALLERY: All color, all day River Drive comes to life for Princeton Summer Fest. NSP photos by Erin M. Gentz and Noah Glasgow.
	Blackberry Smoke, August 1 Touring in support of their most recent album Be Right Here, a top-10 Billboard hit that Glide magazine said "goes far beyond mere toe tapping or foot stomping," the lauded country rockers of Blackberry Smoke bring their latest tour to Davenport's Capitol Theatre on August 1, Uncut adding that the group's latest recording is "a minor classic of the genre."
	Larry & Joe, August 3 Performing a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van, the unlikely yet wildly successful duo Larry & Joe headlines an August 3 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, their concert boasting a distinct blend of musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce.
	PHOTO GALLERY: Walcott flies the grand old flag Walcott Day brought hundreds to town Friday and Saturday. Festivities began with kids races and fireworks Friday afternoon. Adult races stepped off the next morning, followed closely by the Walcott Day parade. In the afternoon, hundreds of visitors gathered in Victory Park to watch outhouse races and tratcor pulls beneath Old Glory. Drinks, burgers and walking tacos proliferated. The pie auction saw 43 pies raise just shy of $50,000—an average higher than $1,000 per pie. Full results of the contest and auction are below. Photos by Noah Glasgow.
	Pippi & Daniel Music, August 2 On August 2 a lauded singer/songwriter and gifted pianist/composer will combine their talents at the Orpheum Theatre when Pippi Ardennia and Daniel Leahy perform in a special fundraising concert for the Galesburg venue, their Pippi & Daniel Music jazz project delivering electrifying, emotionally-charged performances that fuse jazz, soul blues, gospel, and R&B into one unforgettable sound.
	“Elvis: Reflections of the King,” August 1 Covering more than 20 years of the artist's musical career and recognized by Graceland as one of the top Presley tribute acts in the world, Joseph Hall brings his touring sensation Elvis: Reflections of the King to the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts on August 1, this salute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll led by the nationally lauded artist and a former competitor on America's Got Talent.
	“The 25th-Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” August 6 through 16 Lauded by the New York Times as “effortlessly endearing” and by Variety as “enormously satisfying,” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee closes the 2026 summer season at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, the show's August 6 through 16 run sure to demonstrate why composer William Finn's celebrated 2005 musical comedy received two Tony Awards and enjoyed a Broadway run of 1,136 performances.
	New mural to be unveiled at The River's Edge, Davenport Davenport Parks and Recreation is unveiling a new mural at The River’s Edge, 700 W. River Drive, on Friday, July 24 at 9 a.m. Apprentices from Quad City Arts spent the last month concepting, designing and painting the six eight -by - eight -foot panels that make up the mural, representing Davenport Parks and Recreation [...]
	Nicaragua's President Ortega says no more elections, extending his 20-year rule The announcement effectively canceled Nicaragua's next elections, originally scheduled for November 2027.
	“Roosevelt's Guns,” August 1 At the Davenport Public Library's Eastern Avenue Branch on August 1, the Rock Island Auction House's firearms historian Seth Isaacson will highlight a variety of firearms owned by or related to our 26th president in his program Roosevelt's Guns, exploring how, as a Rough Rider, hunter, and conservationist, Theodore possessed a deep interest in firearms, the technology advancing rapidly during his lifetime.
	2026 Mississippi Valley Fair, August 4 through 9 Returning to the area for its incredible 106th year, an eagerly awaited six-day festival boasting games, competitions, vendors, and concert sets by more than two dozen national and local acts returns with the 2026 Mississippi Valley Fair, its August 4 through 9 engagement at Davenport's Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds boasting, as always, grandstand performances by chart-toppers, multi-platinum sellers, and multiple-award winners.
	River Action's Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks, August 4 through 29 Delivering a blend of local history, environmental issues, education, entertainment, and fresh air, Davenport's River Action concludes its 2026 series of outdoor presentations in the annual Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks – weekly "Explore the River Series" programs that, from August 4 through 29, will address such topics as the Mississippi River landscape, the Kreiter Tree Farm, local barrio communities, and the Quad Cities' 3,500 acre wetland ecosystem.
	83% of peptide-aware Americans want the FDA to make peptides more accessible 83% of peptide-aware Americans want the FDA to make peptides more accessibleDays before an FDA advisory committee meets to consider whether seven widely used peptides — BPC-157, TB-500, KPV, MOTS-c, Emideltide (DSIP), Semax, and Epitalon — should become eligible for compounding, a new survey suggests that’s what Americans want.Among 2,491 U.S. adults familiar with peptides as a health and wellness tool surveyed by longevity care platform Hone Health in May 2026, 83% support allowing licensed compounding pharmacies to produce popular peptides with a physician's prescription.Abid Husain, M.D., a triple-board-certified physician specializing in peptide therapy who will be presenting at the meeting, says its outcome could open a safer pathway for consumers, many of whom are currently buying unregulated grey-market peptides online, which often contain the wrong dosage, harmful contaminants, or completely different substances.."Right now, most people can't get these compounds in a safe, controlled manner, so they get them however they can,” says Husain. “And that means putting themselves at exceptional risk."What Is the FDA Reviewing at the July 2026 Peptide Meeting?The Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) advises the FDA on which ingredients compounding pharmacies can use to make prescription medications.At its July 23 and 24 meetings, the committee will consider whether the seven peptides should be added to the 503A Bulks List. Inclusion would allow licensed pharmacists and physicians to use them in patient-specific compounded prescriptions.PCAC will make recommendations to the FDA, which will consider the committee’s advice as well as public comments before making a final decision.If the FDA moves these peptides to the 503A Bulks List, it doesn’t mean that they are approved as drugs. But it would allow physicians to prescribe them — both for the conditions discussed during the meeting, such as ulcerative colitis in the case of BPC-157, but also other uses when medically appropriate, such as athletic or cognitive performance."I'm anticipating we'll know where these peptides sit in the recategorization by November or December," Husain says. Hone Health Survey Data Show People Are Already Using These PeptidesHone's survey confirms that the peptides on the FDA’s agenda are already part of many Americans’ wellness routines, despite the lack of a clear prescription pathway. Hone Health The peptides under review are often sold online with labels such as “for research use only,” meaning they are intended for laboratory research rather than human use. Gray-market peptides may contain the wrong concentration, impurities, contaminants, or a different substance altogether, Husain says. Consumers may also be left to determine dosing and monitor side effects on their own."If someone experiences benefits or side effects, we don't know if they're from the peptide or because of impurities, endotoxins, or anything else that could be in there," Husain says.Those risks haven’t eliminated demand, but they may be discouraging some prospective users. Per Hone Health’s survey, 39% of peptide-curious Americans said FDA reclassification would be the single biggest reason they would try peptides or use them more often.What Would Physician-Supervised Access Change?If the FDA adds any of these peptides to the 503A Bulks List, eligible compounding pharmacies could prepare them for individual patients with valid prescriptions.Licensed compounding pharmacies add multiple safeguards. Licensed compounding pharmacies typically:source pharmaceutical-grade active ingredients from qualified suppliersprepare medications in sterile facilitiesfollow quality-assurance proceduresemploy licensed pharmacistsoperate under state oversight and FDA inspectionThat oversight also matters to consumers. In Hone Health’s survey, 9 in 10 respondents said physician involvement would significantly or somewhat increase their trust in peptides.Doctors could screen patients for contraindications, prescribe appropriate doses, and monitor treatment over time. They could adjust therapy based on a patient's response instead of leaving people to navigate peptide use through Reddit, AI, and other unqualified sources."There's a responsibility that physicians and other practitioners bring to using these medications," Husain says. "They have to be used in a therapeutic manner with attention to the indications, effects, and side effects."Hone Health surveyed 2,491 U.S. adults familiar with peptides as a health and wellness tool from May 8-11, 2026. The sample included adults ages 18 to 60+, with representation from all major U.S. regions. Sixty-one percent of respondents were female and 39% were male. Household incomes varied widely, with the largest share earning $75,000 to $99,999 annually.This story was produced by Hone Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Music & Makers Night: “Celebrating All Wonder Women,” August 6 On August 6, Figge Art Museum Co-Senior Curator Vanessa Sage will lead a special tour celebrating the creativity, strength, and influence of women in art during the Davenport venue's Music & Makers Night event Celebrating All Wonder Women, allowing guests to explore rhe works and stories that highlight remarkable women artists and inspiring subjects throughout the galleries.
	OneTable QC hosting session on avoiding burnout OneTable QC is bringing nationally recognized leadership and burnout researchers to the Quad Cities for a free conversation on sustaining people behind the nonprofits and avoiding burnout. OneTable QC will host From Burnout to Fortitude: Sustaining Nonprofit Leaders, a free community conversation on August 4 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Junior Achievement [...]
	Corporate gatherings emerge as key driver of employee retention Corporate gatherings emerge as key driver of employee retentionBusinesses looking to improve employee retention can make the mistake of attacking this problem with remuneration. The reality is that high pay won’t solve high worker turnover unless it’s combined with other strategies designed to improve engagement and build a stronger overall company culture that people actually want to be part of.Putting together a multifaceted retention strategy means looking beyond the day-to-day employee experience. If this is already heavily optimized for engagement and job satisfaction, and there is competition for a small pool of talent in a competitive market, other perks must be explored. Parlani Party Rentals, an event rentals provider based in Los Angeles, explored how corporate gatherings can play a vital role—with well-planned, regularly scheduled events—in enabling organizations to keep team members in the fold and build a collective identity that encourages productivity and loyalty in equal measure. Parlani Party Rentals Engaged Employees Perform BetterFigures compiled by Gallup from its historical research on employee engagement show that top-level profitability is 23% higher in organizations with engaged team members. Participation in the organization as a whole increases by 22% in this context, indicating that businesses with highly engaged workers can expect greater direct involvement from them beyond their basic duties.When employees feel emotionally invested in a company, they’ll be more likely to commit to extracurricular activities like retreats and parties. Gallup's insights find that employees who aren’t engaged will turn up if they’re obliged, but won’t be connected to what’s happening, either in the office or at an event. Those who are actively disengaged can be a disruptive force, damaging morale through overt resentment. Globally, Gallup pegs the cost of employees in these last two categories at $8.8 trillion, around 7% of the planet’s GDP.In-Person Events Establish Company CultureCompany culture is another valuable asset that can be reinforced at corporate gatherings, resulting in an upswing in employee retention. Data from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) demonstrates that 56% of employees feel their business has a good or excellent internal culture, while 21% of those who have quit a role in the past did so because of issues with in-house culture or politics.Globally, 57% of employees who feel their current employer has a poor culture say they’re on the lookout for another job. Conversely, engaged employees who have a positive view of the internal culture are far more inclined to trust the business they work for.The corporate gatherings companies host must align with company culture and values to have the desired effect. For instance, if a business conveys a culture of class and luxury, it is important that this is reflected in the level of prestige exhibited at company retreats. A company with a culture of cost-efficiency and frugality, or one that has gone through periods of financial uncertainty, should not spend on lavish events. Avoiding a disconnect between company culture and corporate gathering planning is crucial to reaping the full benefits in terms of employee retention.Corporate Gatherings Combat IsolationEven within optimized organizations, company culture can still experience erosion. The primary cause is the isolation employees feel due to the rise in remote and hybrid working arrangements.The SHRM report cited shows that employees want flexibility as a perk from employers, typically in the form of work-from-home opportunities and adjustable working hours to accommodate family schedules. But if not everyone is in the office at the same time, day in and day out, conveying and reinforcing company culture is that much harder.Academic research into this very issue reveals that workplace social isolation directly weakens the affective commitment, meaning the emotional attachment an employee has to their company, of newer hires. This structural detachment is one of the primary drivers of modern job-hopping and the degradation of company culture.Likewise, workplace integration, defined as a sense of communal connectedness and a view of the organization as a true community, is heavily dependent on regular, structured social interactions that remote tools cannot easily replicate.In-person corporate gatherings serve several purposes simultaneously. They enable a company to showcase and perpetuate its culture across entire teams. Furthermore, these events ensure new hires feel connected while allowing existing employees to refresh their understanding of business values. Businesses are heavily incentivized to follow this trend, reflecting the link between employee engagement and low team-member turnover, while profits rise.This story was produced by Parlani Party Rentals and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Is that food really made with 100% avocado oil? Likely not A new study finds that consumers who are paying a premium for foods advertised as made with avocado oil are probably not getting what they think they're buying.
	Summer scams are heating up: Here are the red flags people miss Summer scams are heating up: Here are the red flags people missAs you toil away at work or school through the cold winter months, it’s nice to have a vacation to look forward to. You deserve a relaxing getaway to a white, sandy beach or the crisp, refreshing air of the mountains.Here’s a hard pill to swallow, though: Scammers don’t take vacations.In fact, summertime is the peak season for some types of scams. PeopleFinders compiled a list of notable scams that spike every summer, a rundown of the ideal victim for scammers, and important ways to protect your finances.Temperature Isn’t the Only Thing Heating Up This SummerThe primary draws for scammers during the summer months are vacations and recreational opportunities. Why? Because both of these factors can involve travel, sharing personal information, and making purchases—all things that give scammers opportunities to swoop in and take the data they’re after.Consumer spending and impulse spending surge as people gear up for their summer escapes, and scammers are keenly aware of these seasonal trends. Whether they impersonate a vacation rental host, try to get you to make a fraudulent purchase, or straight-up steal your personal details, scammers know when and where to strike to get the best results.Luckily, by being aware of the scams that tend to spike during the summer, you can stay ahead of fraudsters and spot them for what they are.4 Scams That Spike Every SummerAlthough government data on summertime scam spikes are sparse, if existent, a few data points from nongovernmental organizations are available. Coupled with governmental advisories about the unique scam threats present during the summer, here are four scams you should be extra vigilant for in the present times.The authors of this piece used data from Norton software, the Federal Trade Commission, and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.1. Travel Imposter ScamsImpostor scams are already big business for fraudsters; collectively, Americans lost $3.5 billion to them in 2025, which is nearly three times the amount lost to them just five years prior. Impostor scams during the summer often involve people posing as travel agents, hotel workers, or others in the hospitality industry. According to Norton, imposter scams increase by up to 144% during the summer.How to spot it:A scammer calls you, claiming they have an exclusive, time-bound deal for a summer vacation.A relative calls or sends a panicked message about needing funds to get a plane ticket out of a foreign country.A caller asks you to send gift cards or a wire transfer in order to cash in on your vacation.What to do:Hang up the phone and call the verified phone number of the organization (or person) who purportedly contacted you.2. Gambling ScamsAs more U.S. states legalize sports betting, scammers are taking note and launching gambling schemes of their own. Plenty of scammers try to clone the websites of reputable sports-betting agencies to get victims’ credit card information, but others attempt even more elaborate schemes.How to spot it:A bookie or agent offers you a “winning slate” in exchange for money.An online ad doesn’t contain any fine print or disclaimers.An online ad contains nonsensical disclaimers.Websites charge you a withdrawal tax or levy to access your winnings.What to do:Only enter bets on verified, reputable websites. Report suspicious activity to the FTC.3. Claims of Unpaid Traffic TollsThis subset of imposter scams almost always increases during summer, when families hit the road to their vacation destinations. The premise is simple: A fraudster texts or emails intended victims and “informs” them of their outstanding toll balance. Unsurprisingly, immediate payment is requested to avoid catastrophic consequences, such as account suspension or even jail time.How to spot it:Generic greetings, such as “Dear toll road user” or “Hello E-Z Pass customer.”The phone number may come from outside your state or country.The link takes you to an unsecured website.What to do:Avoid giving out sensitive information if you are unsure about a message’s authenticity. Contact the toll operator’s main customer service line.4. Disaster Relief ScamsReady for something really nefarious? Enter natural disaster relief scams.As the summer months bring more volatile weather across the Americas—hurricanes, floods, heat waves, and wildfires—good-hearted people everywhere open their wallets to help those whose livelihoods have been affected. Scammers take advantage of this increased charitable activity and pose as workers from relief organizations. They then use any information gleaned from victims to their advantage.Relatedly, scammers may pose as government employees offering public aid to storm victims.How to spot it:The “nonprofit relief worker” will often demand payment in cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift cards.The fake government employee requests your banking details before giving you money.You receive an unprompted phone call about a relief application you never actually filed.What to do:Refrain from giving out sensitive information to strangers. Check the authenticity of a nonprofit or government website by calling a verified phone number connected to the organization.Who’s Most Likely to Be Scammed?Conventional wisdom holds that the elderly population is more vulnerable to impostor and financial scams than younger, tech-savvy generations. And while older Americans report more frequent scamming attempts than those under age 60, younger adults are actually more likely to lose money to scammers.These statistics show scammers’ ability to adapt to modern technology (such as generative AI) and tailor schemes to their intended audience. While scams can affect anyone, lower-income individuals and those with less formal education are more frequently targeted and, therefore, impacted at greater rates.How to Protect Yourself From Scammers Any Time of YearThe great news is that you have ultimate control over would-be scammers. Guard your identity and pocketbook with these preventative actions:Never send anyone your Social Security number or other sensitive personal information over the phone.Hang up on suspicious calls and contact trusted phone numbers to verify information.Use a people finder to reverse search emails, names and lookup phone numbers to double-check the identity of people who reach out to you.Have a secret word or phrase among family members for real emergencies.Report suspected scams to the FTC, your state attorney general, and, if necessary, your bank.You Can Have the Last Word on Summer ScamsThe summertime is a great opportunity for catching up on rest, relaxation, and recreation, but scammers are sure to be out in full force. Now is a great time to refresh yourself on the nuances of scams that tend to spike during the summer. A little extra vigilance could make a huge difference for you or your family this time of year.This story was produced by PeopleFinders and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Don't park in Historic Block Courtyard: Moline Police A post on the Moline Police Department’s Facebook page reminds motorcycle drivers about parking protocol in downtown Moline. “To our motorcycling friends that visit downtown establishments like Sins Tavern or the area of 1500 block of River Drive, please don't park your bikes on the Historic Block Courtyard that separates Sins from The River House.” [...]
	Eldridge votes to take over volunteer fire department Eldridge council votes unanimously to take over volunteer fire department.
	Nicole Cisne Durbin named CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois has a new Chief Executive Officer. Nicole Cisne Durbin has been announced as its next Chief Executive Officer. Cisne Durbin officially joins on September 8 and brings over 20 years of leadership experience focused on youth development, community engagement and strengthening organizations that serve children and families. [...]
	Everywhere on Earth, women outlive men. Except in one corner of Sardinia Everywhere on Earth, women outlive men. Except in one corner of SardiniaIn a cluster of Sardinian mountain villages, the longevity gap between the sexes all but vanishes. Men reach 100 at nearly the same rate as women, according to data from the UN World Population Prospects 2024. And in one village, they even edge ahead, something researchers have documented almost nowhere else. As gut microbiome testing company NB1 reports below, new research suggests part of the answer is hiding in their gut bacteria, including a microbe now at the center of the Ozempic story.Key takeawaysAt age 100, women outnumber men by as much as six to one across the developed world. In Sardinia's Blue Zone, the ratio is just 1.35 to 1.In the village of Villagrande Strisaili, men actually edge ahead, the one place on record where this reversal has been documented.Sardinian centenarians carry roughly 4.7 times more Akkermansia muciniphila, a longevity-linked gut microbe, than younger adults from the same region. DataPulse Research and NB1 Almost everywhere on Earth, the arithmetic of old age is lopsided. Women outlive men, and the gap only widens with age. The higher you climb, the more the ranks of the very old are filled by women. By the time you reach 100, the imbalance is stark: Among centenarians, women outnumber men by about 3 to 1 in the United States, rising to roughly 6 to 1 in Japan, with most developed countries somewhere in between. The skew holds across nearly every country with reliable records.Except in one place.In a band of mountain villages in central-eastern Sardinia, that gap almost disappears. Among the area's centenarians, there are roughly 1.35 women for every man, and in the village of Villagrande Strisaili, the count is so even that men actually edge slightly ahead. Men there reach 100 at nearly the same rate as women, something documented almost nowhere else.That anomaly is what first drew demographers to the island. As scientists have dug into what sets these communities apart, the search has led in many directions, including all the way down to the bacteria living in residents' intestines. To understand what that research actually shows, NB1 and the research experts at DataPulse Research reviewed the published evidence on Sardinian longevity, from demographic records to the latest gut studies.The Island Where Men Don't Fall Behind DataPulse Research and NB1 The discovery dates to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the Belgian demographer Michel Poulain and the Sardinian physician Gianni Pes, building on an earlier centenarian census led by Luca Deiana, set out to map exactly where Sardinia's long-lived people clustered. They drew concentric circles on a map around the highest-longevity municipalities, marking them in blue ink. The innermost circle became the world's first so-called "Blue Zone," a term now used for the handful of regions worldwide with extraordinary concentrations of very old people.The cluster sits in the mountainous Ogliastra and Barbagia areas of Nuoro province, in villages such as Villagrande Strisaili, Seulo, Talana and Arzana. Poulain and Pes ranked towns using an Extreme Longevity Index, the share of newborns who go on to reach 100. Villagrande Strisaili topped the island at about 10.8 centenarians per 1,000 newborns, meaning a baby born there had roughly a one-in-a-hundred chance of living a full century.The truly unusual signal was not the raw number of older people, but the men. Across the developed world, exceptional old age is overwhelmingly female. In Sardinia's Blue Zone, men nearly catch up. Researchers who scrutinized birth, marriage, and death records to rule out exaggerated ages confirmed the male-longevity finding held, making it one of the most carefully validated longevity facts in the field.What Scientists Found in Their GutThe genetics of an isolated island population, a physically demanding shepherding life and a traditional diet all play a role. But over the past decade, attention has turned to a less obvious suspect: the gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria that live in the digestive tract and influence everything from immunity to metabolism.In 2022, researchers at the University of Cagliari published one of the few studies to look directly inside the guts of Sardinian centenarians. They compared stool samples from 17 people aged 100 or older, 29 in their 90s, and 46 younger adults aged 40 to 60. DataPulse Research and NB1 One group of bacteria stood out as the signature of extreme age. The phylum Verrucomicrobia, and in particular, a species called Akkermansia muciniphila, was markedly enriched in the centenarians. In the study's data, the Akkermansia genus was several times more abundant in the 100-year-olds than in the younger controls. The people in their 90s had their own marker, a bump in Bifidobacterium, while the youngest group leaned more heavily on Bacteroides.In other words, the oldest residents did not simply have "more bacteria." They had a distinctive microbial fingerprint.This pattern, however, is not unique to Sardinia, and the study's authors stress this themselves. An enrichment of Akkermansia has already been described in earlier research on centenarians in other regions. What this Sardinian study contributes is therefore not the discovery of a special regional microbiome, but the confirmation of a recurring longevity marker, here among Sardinia's centenarians.One thing the data cannot settle, though, is whether these bacteria help people reach 100, or simply reflect a lifetime of healthy eating. The studies show correlation, not causation: a pattern, not proof of cause and effect.The Ozempic ConnectionAkkermansia muciniphila has had a remarkable few years. Once an obscure resident of the gut's mucus lining, it is now one of the most talked-about microbes in metabolic medicine, because researchers have linked it to GLP-1, the same hormone that drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are designed to mimic.Laboratory studies have shown that Akkermansia and the proteins it produces can stimulate cells to release more GLP-1, the hormone that signals fullness and helps regulate blood sugar. That research is still mostly at the cell and mouse stage, not a human longevity trial, so the science here is about a plausible mechanism rather than a proven cure. But it has been enough to turn Akkermansia into a commercial product: biotech companies now sell live-Akkermansia capsules, some marketed explicitly around their potential to support the body's own GLP-1.The neat coincidence is that the same microbe enriched in people who naturally live to 100 in a Sardinian mountain village is the one biotech is now bottling for its metabolic effects. Whatever Sardinia's centenarians are doing, they appear to have been cultivating it the slow way, through a lifetime of eating, long before anyone could buy it in a jar.What They Actually EatThe traditional Sardinian shepherd's diet is not exotic, and it is not complicated. It is plant-heavy and fiber-rich: sourdough and barley breads, including the thin flatbread pane carasau; beans and legumes eaten almost daily, such as fava beans and chickpeas; minestrone thick with garden vegetables; pecorino cheese from grass-fed sheep; fennel, tomatoes, and almonds; and a modest daily glass of the local Cannonau red wine. Meat is occasional, not central. DataPulse Research and NB1 What ties this back to the gut is fiber. The bacteria enriched in the Sardinian centenarians are those that thrive on plant fiber and the mucus layer of the intestine, producing the short-chain fatty acids associated with a healthy gut barrier. The same Cagliari study found that the centenarians' microbial profile tracked with adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet. No single food has been shown to "grow" Akkermansia on demand, but the broad pattern is consistent: a fiber-forward, largely plant-based way of eating feeds exactly the kind of bacteria these long-lived people carry.That is the most actionable takeaway. You cannot move to Sardinia or borrow its genes. You can eat more of what its centenarians eat.A Necessary CaveatBlue Zones have drawn skepticism. A 2024 analysis argued that some longevity hotspots may reflect record-keeping errors or pension fraud rather than genuine clusters of very old people, and the debate is ongoing. It is worth saying plainly. But Sardinia is the best-defended case: Its male-longevity data was independently validated against multiple historical records, and a coalition of demographers publicly pushed back on the broad-brush critique in 2024. The microbiome study, for its part, is small and observational, so its findings describe bacteria associated with extreme age, not a proven cause of it.None of that erases the core anomaly. In one corner of one island, men live almost as long as women, they carry an unusual set of gut bacteria, and they eat in a way that happens to feed those bacteria. Each thread is documented. Together, they make Sardinia one of the most intriguing natural experiments in human longevity.What It Means for the Rest of UsFor most of the world, the longevity gap between the sexes is a fact of life, and centenarian wards are overwhelmingly female. Sardinia is the reminder that the gap is not a law of nature. Genetics set part of the stage, but daily habits, including how we eat and what we cultivate in our gut, write much of the script.The science itself is also moving. Most of the studies above use 16S rRNA sequencing, an older method restricted to identifying bacteria, mostly at the genus level. Repeating this longevity research using newer shotgun-metagenomics sequencing would unlock much deeper insights. Because shotgun technology reads all genetic material simultaneously, it expands the view beyond bacteria to capture viruses, fungi, and archaea. Furthermore, it resolves these microbes down to the specific strain and reveals the metabolic genes they carry. This transforms our understanding from a simple roll call of bacteria to a functional map of what the entire microbiome is actually doing to promote health.The science of the microbiome is young, and no stool sample will hand you a guaranteed century. But understanding what is actually living in your gut, and how it compares to the patterns seen in the world's longest-living people, is no longer the stuff of remote research labs. It is something anyone curious about their own health can now begin to measure.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhy do men live as long as women in Sardinia's Blue Zone?No single factor explains it. Researchers point to the genetics of an isolated island population, a physically demanding shepherding life, and a traditional plant-heavy diet, and more recently to an unusual gut-microbiome profile. The male-longevity finding has been independently validated against birth, marriage, and death records, but the full causal picture is still being studied.What is Akkermansia muciniphila?It is a species of gut bacterium that lives in the mucus lining of the intestine. In the 2022 University of Cagliari study, it was markedly enriched in Sardinian centenarians compared with younger adults. It has become a widely discussed microbe in metabolic medicine because researchers link it to GLP-1, the same hormone that drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy mimic.Is the Ozempic link proven?No. Laboratory studies show that Akkermansia and the proteins it produces can stimulate cells to release more GLP-1, but that research is still mostly at the cell and mouse stage, not a human longevity trial. The science describes a plausible mechanism, not a proven cure, and no probiotic is a substitute for medication.Can diet change your gut bacteria?A fiber-forward, largely plant-based way of eating feeds the kind of bacteria these long-lived people carry, and the 2022 study found that the centenarians' microbial profile tracked with Mediterranean-diet adherence. That said, no single food has been shown to "grow" Akkermansia on demand, and the findings describe bacteria associated with extreme age, not a guaranteed route to it.MethodologyThe cross-country comparison of centenarian sex ratios uses a single source, the UN World Population Prospects 2024, so the figures are directly comparable; Sardinia's "Blue Zone" ratio is a sub-national figure from the AKEA study, shown to illustrate the anomaly rather than as a like-for-like national comparison.Findings on the gut microbiome are associations reported in published studies, not proven causes of longevity, and the link between Akkermansia muciniphila and GLP-1 is based on cell and animal research. All sources are linked throughout.This story originally appeared on NB1, was produced in collaboration with DataPulse Research, and was reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Federal agencies kick off youth sports, wellbeing initiative in Indianapolis U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, second from left, holds a signed memorandum on youth sports in the Indianapolis Colts practice facility on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (Photo by Jack Forrest/Indiana Capital Chronicle)Four federal agencies are collaborating on connecting sports to academic success, health and job opportunities, particularly for youth living in public housing. Flanked by members of the Warren Central High School girls flag football team Tuesday inside the Indianapolis Colts practice facility, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, who played eight seasons in the NFL, signed the memorandum of understanding with officials from other agencies. “It’s one thing to tell young people, ‘Go outside and play, go do this,’” Turner said. “But it’s another thing to provide them with the tools that they need to lead a healthy lifestyle and to be successful.” The plan among HUD and the federal education, labor, and health and human services departments seeks to identify areas where underserved families live to implement youth sports programming that advances “life skills and financial literacy development,” educational engagement and career prep. The agreement doesn’t identify specific planned areas, programs or goals. HUD Great Lakes Regional Administrator Duey Stroebel told reporters that getting “as many (kids) as we can” to participate in the program would be a sign of success. Football will be one sport emphasized, he said, but also “all athletics.” “It brings working as a team, discipline, time management, whatever sport you’re talking about,” Stroebel said. “Those are just great life skills to impart at a young age for our youth that hopefully they can carry on to other aspects of their life.” The partnership aims to make progress using existing federal systems, like youth and local workforce development programs, as well as with local and private collaborations. It doesn’t require any additional financial commitment from the partner agencies, either. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Courtesy of Indiana Capital Chronicle
	Man dies in motorcycle crash in Bureau Co. Man dies in motorcycle crash on Highway 29 near DePue.
	What is a manufacturer’s goodwill repair to a vehicle, and can it be trusted? What is a manufacturer’s goodwill repair to a vehicle, and can it be trusted?A manufacturer’s warranty covers vehicle repairs for a defined period after you buy. Once that period ends, most owners assume they’re on their own. However, sometimes manufacturers will offer to cover repairs after the warranty period, at no cost or at a discounted rate for the owner. This is called a goodwill repair. LawtonCates explored how getting a goodwill repair offer can feel like a win, but it comes with limitations worth knowing about.Understanding Manufacturer Goodwill RepairsA goodwill repair is a repair a manufacturer or dealer performs at its own expense after your vehicle’s warranty has expired. Unlike with a warranty repair, there’s no contractual obligation. Every goodwill repair is a discretionary decision made on a case-by-case basis. These offers can sound like a welcome solution, but they come with real limitations.Why Manufacturers Offer Goodwill RepairsManufacturers don’t offer goodwill repairs out of charity. The motivation behind them is almost always business-driven. A customer whose transmission fails two months after the warranty expires is a potential source of negative reviews, social media complaints, and long-term brand defection. Goodwill repairs cost manufacturers far less than losing loyal customers or attracting unflattering press coverage. In short, these offers exist because car dealers and manufacturers want to maintain customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.When Are Goodwill Repairs Approved?Manufacturers weigh several factors before approving goodwill repairs. These factors include your history as a loyal customer, how recently your warranty expired, and whether the failed component has a documented pattern of premature failure. Internally, dealership service managers typically submit goodwill repair requests to manufacturers’ regional representatives, who decide whether to authorize repairs. The process is informal and inconsistent. Two owners in identical situations can have very different experiences when it comes to requesting goodwill repairs.What Is Typically Covered Under Goodwill Repairs?Goodwill repairs tend to focus on high-cost components where the manufacturer has a financial incentive to maintain goodwill and where a failure would be dramatic enough to damage their reputation. Common examples of covered items include:Engine components and internal engine partsTransmission and drivetrain componentsTransfer cases and differentialsTurbochargers and superchargersFuel injection systemsHigh-voltage battery packs (in hybrid and electric vehicles)Infotainment and advanced electronics systemsCatalytic convertersWater pumps and timing systemsSuspension components with documented premature failureRoutine maintenance items, like brakes, tires, filters, and belts, are rarely covered under goodwill repairs. Manufacturers design goodwill programs to address unexpected failures, not predictable wear. Manufacturers typically treat the replacement of these items as a cost of ownership rather than a quality concern worth addressing at their expense.Limitations of Goodwill RepairsEvery goodwill repair is entirely discretionary. No law requires manufacturers to offer one, and no contracts obligate them to follow through. Even when a manufacturer does approve a repair, the coverage is often incomplete. For example, some manufacturers agree to cover the cost of parts but expect owners to pay for labor. Others do the opposite. There’s little room to negotiate, and a manufacturer can withdraw the offer or change its terms at any time with no legal consequences.Can You Trust a Goodwill Repair?The work of any goodwill repair itself is generally performed by authorized technicians using OEM parts, so the quality of the repair is usually comparable to a standard warranty repair. The bigger concern is what happens afterward. A goodwill repair typically carries no secondary warranty of its own. So, if the same component fails again six months later, the manufacturer has no obligation to cover it again. A goodwill repair may also jeopardize the customer’s ability to file a lemon law claim.Goodwill Repair vs. Warranty vs. RecallGoodwill repairs don’t offer the same protections as warranties or the urgency of recalls. Each of these represents a distinct type of manufacturer obligation or, in the case of goodwill, the absence of one:A warranty is a legal contract between a manufacturer and a vehicle owner that obligates the manufacturer to repair covered defects within a set period. If a manufacturer refuses to honor a valid warranty claim, the owner has enforceable legal rights under the warranty and federal law.A recall is a safety-driven mandate, typically initiated by the manufacturer or required by federal regulators. Recalls address defects that pose a risk to public safety. Manufacturers must repair recalled components at no cost to the owner, regardless of vehicle mileage or age.A goodwill repair is a voluntary gesture by a manufacturer or dealer, offered at their discretion and with no legal requirements attached. There is no contract, no regulatory mandate, and no guaranteed right to a goodwill repair, even if a situation seems to merit it.How to Request a Goodwill RepairThere’s no formal application process for a goodwill repair. It’s a judgment call made by the manufacturer. Here are some steps you can take to make that judgment call as easy as possible:Compile your complete vehicle service history, particularly records from authorized dealerships.Contact your dealership’s service manager directly and make your request in writing.Be polite but persistent. Follow up if you don’t receive a timely response.Clearly mention your history as a loyal customer or repeat buyer of the brand.If the dealership declines, escalate to the manufacturer’s corporate customer service line.Document every conversation, including dates, representative names, and discussion points.Ask for any offer or denial in writing before you agree to anything or walk away.Consumer Rights and Legal OptionsConsumer protection law doesn’t stop applying just because a manufacturer extends a goodwill offer. If a goodwill repair fails and causes additional damage to your vehicle, state consumer protection statutes may give you grounds for a legal claim. A federal law called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act may also come into play depending on the specifics of your warranty history.Should You Rely on Goodwill Repairs?If your car manufacturer or dealer offers a manufacturer repair outside warranty, treat it as a best-case scenario, not a guaranteed fix. When these offers work out, they can save you significant money. However, they don’t come with enforceable protections, and they can leave you in a worse position if the repair fails.This story was produced by LawtonCates and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	UnityPoint Health Trinity receives American College of Cardiology award for achievement UnityPoint Health – Trinity Bettendorf and Rock Island have received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Performance Achievement Award for 2026. UnityPoint Health – Trinity is the only hospital in the Quad Cities to receive this national achievement award. UnityPoint Health – Trinity Rock Island received the Platinum Performance Achievement [...]
	North Scott Press — July 22, 2026
	Eldridge council votes for city-run fire department After more than a year of discussion, a decision regarding the Eldridge Fire Department has been made. Monday, the Eldridge City Council voted unanimously to move towards making the Eldridge Fire Department a city-run entity. Council members said they wanted to see a hybrid-style system, where the city owns the apparatus and provides oversight, while still relying on a volunteer corps. But what that hybrid looks like, and if there will even be any Eldridge volunteers remaining after Monday’s meeting, remains unclear. The vote came after more than an hour of discussion at the meeting. Three Eldridge residents spoke during the public comment portion, with Judith Gilbert and Jan Sebastian voicing strong support for the volunteers. Gilbert asked the council to consider the three-year funding model supported by the department. “With this option, we have a highly experienced, certified and committed fire department, as well as an already established 501(c)(3) organization.” Gilbert also cautioned the council, saying a city-run department would cost more in the long run. “Many residents believe the city is already poorly managed and would not be able to rebuild the fire department, or manage it effectively, or provide the services that residents want.” Resident Scott Case also spoke, inviting residents and first responders to attend an appreciation event at Eldridge United Methodist Church at 9 a.m. on Aug. 2. As the meeting turned to the matter of the fire department, Mayor Scott Campbell opened the discussion, thanking members of the fire department for attending the committee of the whole meeting on July 13. He said the council was able to get “a strong sense of their frustration, for what they perceived was a major delay on the city’s part, and the burnout was very evident in their faces. “Numerous times during the hour-plus meeting, several of them asked us to just make a decision. They said they didn’t care what that decision was, but to decide something, so everybody could move forward. “And no matter which direction the five gentlemen at this table decide to go, I hope that path will be in lockstep with members of the fire department as we continue discussions to do what’s best for the citizens of Eldridge in the future,” Campbell concluded before opening the floor to council discussion. Council member Jeff Ashcraft opened by attempting to clarify comments made by council member Brian Dockery regarding Park Board funding at the July 13 meeting. Police chief Andrew Lellig also spoke. Campbell said Lellig sent the council a letter last week addressing concerns he had regarding information being shared online, comparing the fire department’s budget to the volunteer fire department. Lellig said his officers had become frustrated with comments saying the department’s $1.6 million budget is excessive. “Comparing the operations and budget of a full-time police department to a volunteer fire department is not just inaccurate, it’s fundamentally misleading,” Lellig said. He said his department operates 24 hours every day of the year. “A volunteer fire department, while incredibly valuable to the community – don’t get me wrong – operates on an entirely different model. They are primarily on-call and response is to specific incidents when dispatched. “That is not a criticism. It is simply the reality of how volunteer services function. But it is not comparable to the constant, around the clock demand placed on law enforcement.” Lellig said the majority of the department’s budget goes towards salaries and benefits for the 11 officers and one administrative assistant, while the rest supports equipment, training, vehicles and more. He said volunteer departments save significantly on personnel costs and “often rely on part-time staffing, grants and donations.” He also provided comparisons of the EPD’s budget with other similarly sized communities across the state. For instance, Knoxville (population 8,000) has 16 full-time officers and a $2.6 million budget, while Maquoketa (population 6,100) has 11 full-time officers and a $1.9 million budget. “If we’re going to have an honest conversation about budgets, then that needs to be grounded in facts, not perception. And the facts clearly show that the Eldridge Police Department is not overfunded,” said Lellig. Assistant city administrator Jeff Martens also provided a lengthy timeline of the negotiations between the city and the fire department, saying one of the first things he was tasked with when he began working for the city in 2022 was a report on fire departments across the state that had transitioned to paid or hybrid departments. Martens closed his comments by suggesting that the Eldridge Fire Department had a management problem, not a money problem, as the FEMA SAFER grant it received was supposed to assist with volunteer recruitment and retention. The crowd reacted negatively to this comment. Council discussion Council member Scott LaPlante, joining the meeting via telephone, advocated for a hybrid department, which he said would help continue to assure services were being met as the population grows. Dockery said he also supported a hybrid. “I still think, as taxpayers, we can’t afford a 100% paid fire department with a population of 7,000 people. So, it’s got to be a hybrid. The only question that comes in is, who hires the chief?” Dockery said he would like to see, long term, the city take over the building, the trucks and the apparatus, while continuing the let the volunteers do their job. Council member Ryan Iossi began by thanking the volunteers. He was unable to attend the July 13 meeting after suffering a medical emergency in the days prior and said Eldridge volunteers had responded to his home. “There is nothing more important than what you guys do.” Iossi said he rewatched the July 13 meeting several times. He said that he understood that the department has been “running lean” for years, but he didn’t necessarily agree with the large increase the department was asking for now. Iossi said he was certain that Eldridge will need additional paid staff over the coming years, but, “My biggest concern is that this is the taxpayer’s money and that budget, tripling in size, I’m not comfortable without that taxpayer money having financial oversight.” He said that he also supported a hybrid department. Council member Adrian Blackwell said he believed the city would have to be involved with the fire department at some level regardless of the future of fire protection. And he said he believed the city needed to move forward. “I hope that the community respects our decision or whatever vote that will look like.” He asked city attorney Allison Wright about the potential legal risks moving forward. Wright asked to clarify what was meant by a hybrid department. “Do you mean a city department that is partially paid and partially volunteer?” Campbell said that had been his understanding as the negotiations went on. Wright said that the most common model in a hybrid situation is for the city to have oversight, and paid staff are subject to the city’s policies and accountability measures, while there is also a staff of volunteers. She said it would be the city’s responsibility to choose and hire the chief. Iossi and Campbell said, during negotiations, it had been discussed that if the city were to hire the chief, they would want someone from the fire department on the hiring committee, as well as someone from the county. Dockery asked Wright if it was possible to have a city-owned department with 100% volunteers. She said it was possible with city oversight. Dockery asked who would hire the chief. Campbell said if it was a city department, the city would hire the chief. Wright added that the city would be able to set its own hiring committee. Ashcraft said, after a year of discussions, he believed they’d still arrived back at the same conclusion that was reached last May. “The conclusion is, this community needs professional leadership, administrative support, long term planning and a strong corps of volunteer firefighters.” He said that the discussion at the July 13 meeting seemed to point toward a hybrid model. “I believe this challenge has become bigger than any one of us,” said Ashcraft. “Any single council member, any firefighter, any social media post, or any disagreement from this past 14 months. Those things have consumed a hell of a lot of attention and energy. That’s not what this decision is about. This decision is about creating the absolute best fire and EMS service for the City of Eldridge. “If we all truly care about our community, then success will require commitment from all of us. The city, the fire department and the community as a whole. And if we move in this direction, past hurts, past disagreements, all the social media stuff has to be put aside. It has to, because it’s going to take all of us working together to make it be successful.” Ashcraft then made a motion to instruct city staff to move towards a city-run department, with a chief that reports to the city, and that is staffed by volunteers. He also encouraged the immediate formation of a transition team, that would include city staff, council members and members of the fire department. He also said that part of the transition would require buildout of the upper level of the fire station. After several more minutes of attempting to ensure everyone had the same understanding of what a hybrid department entailed, Iossi seconded the motion. He asked Ashcraft about the proposed timeline for the transition, and whether it would be the Oct. 1 deadline the department had previously asked for. “I think we have to assume that’s the case,” said Ashcraft. Blackwell reiterated that any transition will require input from the volunteers. Ashcraft also said there will need to be continuous, ongoing communication. Dockery asked to ensure that Ashcraft’s motion included a provision to ensure the buildout of the upstairs. Ashcraft agreed and Campbell called for a roll call vote. The vote was unanimous in favor of moving towards a city-run department. Immediately after the vote, volunteers and members of the public began to file out, even as Campbell called for a sense of cooperation. “We just ask you guys to give us a chance. You said last week you couldn’t trust us. We really want to work with you. We can’t do this without you. The City of Eldridge can’t do it without you. Our citizens can’t do it without you … We need to do this together for the citizens of Eldridge. Just give us a chance to work through this.” Campbell said one of the first steps would be bringing forth the ordinance to make the department city-run at the first meeting in August. Three readings are required.
	Princeton City Council votes to tear down Presbyterian Church Princeton will use funds from a state grant to tear down the Presbyterian Church building and sell the lots for private development, the council decided Thursday, July 17. Princeton received the church building as a gift from the Presbytery of Eastern Iowa last summer. Church officials asked the city to make an effort to put the building to use. On Thursday, Mayor Travis Volrath said contractors had put the cost of restoration well beyond the city’s resources. “The deal was, they would like to see us use the building… But if we got into it and we found out that it was too much work or too much money and we just couldn’t afford it, then at the end of the day they wanted it to benefit the city,” Volrath recounted. Princeton City Council voted 4–0 to commit an Iowa Department of Natural Resources grant—initially intended to restore the church roof—to building demolition. It approved a low bid of $65,300 from Holst Trucking & Excavating to carry out demolition work. Councilman Kevin Kernan was absent. The decision came less than a month after the council voted 5–0 to sell Boll’s Community Center for $200,000. Volrath and members of the council had previously said that the proceeds of that sale would go towards transforming the church building into a community center and possible city hall. The recent decisions leave Princeton without a community center, at least in the short term. Volrath and Councilman Brandon Forristall expressed optimism that the combined value of Boll’s sale and the sale of the church property would pay for the construction of a new community center at Woomert Park. “I think if we want a community center, the best spot for it would be up there behind the ball field. And if we're while we're building a building, I think we need to look at one with some public works space in it too, to put it all in one spot,” Volrath said. Volrath and Forristall estimated the value of the church property, 1 acre spread across two parcels, at $150,000. Proceeds from both sales would total $350,000. City grant writer Angie Bloomfield noted that the city could leverage a range of grants to boost that sum if they move to build. The DNR will reimburse up to 70% of the $65,300 demolition cost. The percentage reimbursement is linked to the share of the building’s total weight that is diverted from a landfill, Volrath said. Princeton must divert at least 30% of the building weight to qualify for the grant. That would provide a 30% reimbursement. Volrath said he hoped the city could divert between 50% and 70% of the building from landfill by donating furniture and scrapping the aluminum roof and siding. He also noted that the building foundation, which counts towards it weight, would remain on site. Volrath said he expected demolition to occur by mid-fall. Construction bids shared with The North Scott Press reveal that mold remediation for the church basement had been quoted at $45,393.06 by ServPro. Frontline Services of Woodridge bid roof reconstruction at $86,114.81, and estimated that steeple teardown would cost an additional $50,000 to $80,000. Evenhouse Roofing quoted roof reconstruction between $70,000 and $125,000.
	Balloon festival delights, despite poor conditions Hot air balloons never left the ground at this year’s Quad City Balloon Festival, but for pilot Tom Klitz of Payson, Ill, the weekend still offered a chance to share the fascination that has kept him flying for more than two decades. “I volunteered to crew for [a hot air balloon] at a skydiving convention and I had so much fun. I said, ‘I wanted to do this,’ and I have never looked back,” Klitz said. Klitz said he has been flying for 26 years and has logged more than 600 flight hours. After decades in the air, he said every flight offers something new. “[The flights] are all different. They are all, all different,” Klitz said. Klitz and a volunteer said operating a hot air balloon is far more complex than most people realize. “It’s regulated just as much as a commercial airplane,” a volunteer said. “You have to have annual inspections, meet certain FAA requirements and you need an FAA license,” Klitz said. “If you want to buy [the basket] new you are looking at $50,000.” Although flights were off the table due to wind and storms, teams inflated several balloons, giving visitors a close-up look at the aircraft and an opportunity to learn how ballooning works from the people who fly them. One team set up an inflation demonstration for festivalgoers. Balloons are first inflated using a gasoline-powered fan, allowing the envelope to fill with enough air before burners are used to raise it upright. During the demonstration, visitors were invited to step inside the partially inflated balloon for a closer look. Several balloons were inflated throughout the weekend, showcasing their colorful designs and sponsor branding. “Balloons are a marketing statement but then [businesses] realize it’s serious money,” a volunteer said. Although weather kept balloons grounded, inflation and burner demonstrations gave visitors a rare opportunity to to stand beside, and inside, the colorful envelopes, talk with pilots and crews, and see firsthand what goes into preparing a hot air balloon for flight.
	Fire consolidation study details challenges ahead A statewide study on the county-by-county consolidation of fire departments highlights just how difficult that move could be. Elected officials and fire professionals from across Iowa’s four largest counties assembled the study over the past year. Scott County State Sen. Scott Webster championed the study in the 2025 legislative session, arguing it would identify how fire department could save money as costs rise and volunteer rates dwindle. The study report, issued in June, notes that consolidation could save money on equipment procurement and shared services—but faces costly administrative hurdles. Scott County Emergency Management Director Brian Payne served on the study’s committee. He said the report outlines “the things that need to be considered” if state legislators look to regionalize fire service. For instance, Iowa’s career fire departments are split between two different pension systems: the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System, or IPERS, and the Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System of Iowa. Pensions are not transferrable. Consolidation of departments on different pension systems would be difficult. Meanwhile, some counties have multiple dispatch and 911 centers—some of which serve areas that cross county lines, as in suburban Des Moines. Those centers are “inextricably tethered to emergency response and as such further complicate consolidation,” the report reads. State Rep. Mike Vondran chairs the Iowa House Public Safety Committee and also served on the study committee. “I think the big conclusion is that we have a lot more questions to ask,” Vondran said. “Everything here was done with the intention of: how can we look to improve public safety, not just in Scott County but across the state?” One of the report’s few clear recommendations is expanding or modifying provisions in Iowa law that allow for the creation of “emergency response districts,” which have the ability to levy taxes in support of fire and emergency medical services. The report notes that legislators could review whether to allow for emergency responses districts that are not contiguous with existing cities and counties, and instead span contiguous service areas where efficiencies from consolidation could be more easily realized. Those districts could have their own governance boards, the report suggests. The report does not recommend what some early critics had feared: that legislators ram through a consolidation program to save costs. Donahue Mayor Ken Schoenthaler served as the committee’s representative of towns under 5,000 people. He said that regional fire districts could provide support in some areas—but only add “another layer of bureaucracy” in others. “As the majority party in the state is anti-bureaucracy-leaning, putting together another level of bureaucracy… would be unusual for them,” Schoenthaler noted. He worried that a shift towards a top-down system could alienate rural volunteers, and deserved discussion outside the study’s small committee. “Anything that’s going to change anything substantially needs a large public hearing,” Schoenthaler said. “It’s important that people see what might be coming down the pike.” Vondran said there was no recommendation likely to lead to short-term legislation. Instead, he said the report marks the beginning of a conversation between legislators and emergency professionals about how to best renew support for their efforts. “Primarily, I think a lot of it is going to come down to what sort of funding can we develop to create sustainable fire protection for everybody, urban or rural,” Vondran said. Payne said that most fire departments were not yet at the “critical junction where something needs to happen right now.” But the study will help prepare for when that moment comes. Vondran praised the fire professionals and officials who volunteered their time on the study. “We are very fortunate in this state that we have true professionals who take on this role, who aren’t thinking about themselves every day. They just aren’t. When they, speak we listen,” he said. Webster did not respond to request for comment.
	County will oppose power plant before state board Scott County supervisors will intervene against Central Iowa Power Cooperative’s request to site a natural gas power plant outside Maysville. CIPCO has petitioned the Iowa Utilities Commission, a state board, for a permit that would allow construction of the controversial project to advance despite zoning restrictions in Scott County. Scott County decided last week, July 16, to protest that request at a hearing before the IUC, scheduled for November 17. In February, county supervisors denied CIPCO’s request to amend local zoning to accommodate the proposed plant. “I think we need to be consistent with what we decided in February and proceed with an intervention,” Supervisor Jean Dickson said at a board meeting Tuesday, July 14. “We need to intervene —not only so that we can assert our home rule right, but [so that we can] have our attorney marshal the facts that uniquely support our vote from February 12,” Supervisor Maria Bribriesco added. The November 17 hearing will see Scott County lawyers marshal a case for why the IUC should defer to local zoning authority rather than allow the plant to advance. The Concerned Citizens of Scott County, a group of neighbors opposed to the project, has also filed to intervene. Supervisors briefly discussed whether to retain outside counsel to help make the case against CIPCO. Supervisors Dickson, Ken Beck, and Ross Paustian each said the board should rely on in-house counsel. A draft resolution by Bribriesco would have authorized the county attorney’s office to retain outside counsel. “I would not support the hiring of outside counsel,” Dickson said. “Certainly that could be revisited at some other time… I think that's an additional cost to the taxpayers that's not needed.” “I think that we need to keep it simple,” Beck agreed. Bribriesco said that while County Attorney for Civil Affairs Kristina Lyon was “an excellent attorney,” the filing before the IUC was “a little bit outside her lane.” “It's very important that we that we put our best arguments forward,” Bribriesco said. She noted that the county attorney’s office has the authority to retain up to $25,000 in outside counsel on any case, without the board of supervisors’ approval. Bribriesco ultimately joined other supervisors in approving a motion that directed Lyon to intervene but did not grant express permission to retain outside counsel. Board Chair John Maxwell said the board would reconsider the question of outside counsel when the hearing date neared. The county had not filed to intervene when this paper went to press Monday evening. Local opposition builds online Dozens of Scott County landowners and project neighbors have filed letters protesting the proposed power plant in an online portal hosted by the IUC. Many of them follow a format developed by the Concerned Citizens of Scott County, requesting that “the Iowa Utilities Commission hold [CIPCO] accountable to all local zoning requirements and deny the certificate… unless the project can be reconciled with local land-use plans.” The letters also express concerns that have followed the power plant since plans debuted last summer, including noise pollution and water use. “It feels like we are being run off our properties,” a letter from Angie Flenker of Princeton reads. Sometimes, the letters are quippy. “I heard Alligator Alcatraz is for sale,” Penny Milbrandt of Donahue’s objection reads. “Go there.”
	Coussens honored with state Heart of the Fair award The Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network, in partnership with Wyffels Hybrids and the Iowa State Fair announced the five recipients of the 2026 Heart of the County Fair Award. Richard Coussens, a board member of the Mississippi Valley Fair, was Iowa’s southeastern district winner. “The Heart of the County Fair Award was created to honor those whose dedication, leadership, volunteerism and passion help strengthen the traditions and community spirit that make county fairs such an important part of rural Iowa,” Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network wrote in a press release. Coussens has served on the Mississippi Valley Fair Board for 21 years and said being recognized came as an honor. “It's really an honor to be on the board, there is camaraderie and people who know what they are doing,” Coussens said. Helping organize one of eastern Iowa’s largest county fairs is a year-round effort, Coussens said, requiring board members to juggle the expectations of exhibitors, fairgoers, vendors and entertainers while continuing to build on the fair’s traditions. “The hardest part is balancing everything to keep everyone happy. We can’t keep everyone happy all the time but we do our best,” Coussens said. Looking back, Coussens said the fair has changed significantly since he attended as a child. While many aspects of the event have evolved, he said he still enjoys seeing the work put in by young exhibitors. “I want to see more of that,” Coussens said. As the fair continues to evolve, Coussens said adapting to changing interest and expectations is part of keeping the event relevant for future generations. “People have changed a lot since I was younger. Getting the fair ready is a lot but it’s different every time because people are different. You have got to keep changing,” he said. While Coussens is receiving the award for his years of work, volunteerism and passion, he credited the many volunteers and board members whose efforts make the fair possible. “[The award] is a great honor, but I’m not the only one. A lot of people deserve a lot of credit for keeping the fair going each year,” he said.
	Long Grove council orders dog removed from city Long Grove City Council has ordered a dog that a bit a neighbor’s child removed from city limits. The council told dog owner Darren Twigg that despite his defense of the animal’s character, city ordinances were clear: it was “unlawful” to keep a dog that had bit someone in Long Grove. The dog, a five-year-old border collie, ran onto the lawn of neighbors of Tina and Eric Kalainoff April 24 while their daughter was hauling sticks. She was bitten in the leg and taken to a hospital for medical treatment. Long Grove ordinances state that “it is unlawful for any person to harbor or keep a vicious dog or cat within the city.” An animal is deemed vicious once it has “attacked or bitten any person without provocation, or when propensity to attack or bite persons exists and is known or ought reasonably to be known to the owner.” Councilman Mike Boddicker said the ordinances left the council with little choice. “So, did the dog bite a person? Yes. Is the kid carrying sticks to a burn pile considered provocation? No,” Boddicker said. “Unfortunately, I think by the word of our ordinance, the dog meets the definition of vicious.” The council voted 4–0 Tuesday, July 14 to order the dog removed. Councilman Ryan Christensen was absent. Twigg protested that the collie, named Tucker, was “not a vicious dog.” He said that trainers and relatives had not reported any problems. “A bite doesn’t mean ‘vicious,’” he argued. The Kalainoffs said the dog was often outdoors without a leash and had attacked their dog on two previous occasions. They had asked Twigg to erect a fence or keep a closer eye on his animals, they reported. Twigg denied that his dog had attacked theirs and said that he was in the process of erecting a fence. Tina Kalainoff said it was too little, too late. “We have given plenty of opportunity for a fence to be put up, and it is just now happening three months after the attack,” she said. “I personally want the dog removed from the city.” Councilwoman Nancy Herrin said the city needed to establish a clear precedent. “There are a lot of people who are not careful with their dogs and they let them run, and you never know what's going to happen. If some kid is playing in his own yard with a stick or a toy or something, and a dog comes over and bites him, that's not okay,” she said. Twigg argued that the council was enforcing the ordinance too strictly. “I am here to uphold the ordinances of this town,” Boddicker said. “That's the entire purpose of my position.” Twigg asked if the council would enforce other ordinances as exactingly. “If it meets the definition of any ordinance, I will uphold it, whether it means costing me my job or not,” Boddicker replied. Other business In other news, the council: • Agreed to assume approximately $3 million in debt to fund construction of its new water treatment plant. It will issue $1 million in private bonds and borrow about $2 million from a state revolving fund. The council drew up the funding plan in April and May and opened it to discussion at a public hearing June 9, but received no comment. • Agreed to hire Nicole Adams of Long Grove as the new assistant city clerk, for 20 hours per week at a rate of $20 per hour. • Heard from City Engineer Jason McKenzie that the water tower—its exterior recently repainted—would soon be back online, once disinfection was complete.
	County pushes ahead with rural repaving projects Manatt’s of Camanche will repave stretches of three county roads later this year for $1.7 million. The roads include: • 257th Avenue and Wisconsin Street from Territorial Road south and east to LeClaire city limits. • 170th Avenue from 290th Street north for 0.6 miles. • 130th Avenue between 210th and 240th Streets. Manatt’s low bid arrived 25% below the engineer’s estimate. Supervisors approved it July 16. Supervisors also approved the purchase of a tandem-axle plow truck chassis and body for the county Secondary Roads crew, at a combined cost of $320,789.22. The new vehicle will replace a new plow truck totaled in a June 1 accident. Scott County Secondary Roads employee Bridget Hillyer was killed in the accident. County Fleet Manager Mark Garrow said the body would not arrive until late 2027. The county will be able to use an older vehicle to preserve its current plowing and road maintenance fleet size, he said. Some plow equipment has been salvaged from the damaged truck. The truck chassis will cost $169,656 from Ascendance Truck Centers. The body and additional plow equipment will cost $151,133.22 from Henderson Products. Both bids were secured from Sourcewell, a catalogue of standing bids for delivery of government vehicles. Supervisor Ross Paustian noted that Ascendance previously surcharged the county more than $14,000 on a pair of tandem-axle trucks—including the one totaled—after several delivery delays. Garrow said that Ascendance is the approved International dealer for the Quad Cities area. The county maintains a fleet of International vehicles. Supervisors approved two agreements with the Iowa Department of Transportation which secure federal dollars for local bridge projects: replacement of an 85th Avenue bridge over Hickory Creek, and a Y4 bridge over Rock Creek. Federal funds will reimburse the full $1-million cost of the 85th Avenue bridge and up to $748,000 of the $935,000 cost of the Y4 bridge, County Engineer Angie Kersten reported. Both projects are scheduled for 2027. Assisted Outpatient Treatment program approved A new Scott County Community Services program aims to help individuals with severe mental illness break out of “a repeated cycle of homelessness, hospitalizations, and incarcerations.” Community Services Director Lori Elam told the board of supervisors last week that court-ordered Assisted Outpatient Treatment, or AOT, will help a group of 15 individuals connect with medical care and housing. A group of 17 individuals have cost local law enforcement, courts, hospitals and mental health providers $7.1 million dollars over the last five years, Elam reported. Most of them refuse medication and mental health care. One of the 17 has died and another has been sentenced to life in prison for a “heinous crime,” Elam said. “The other 15 people are still out in our communities and are not doing well,” she said. “They're causing problems for businesses in the downtown area. They're causing problems along Locust Street for businesses. They're not getting proper care. They're not eating well. They're not taking medication.” AOT will pair them with Community Services Case Manager Beth Stover as well as a court representative, defense attorney and “peer supporter” to develop a court-ordered treatment plan. Stover will connect individuals with services like food stamps, Medicaid, housing, mental health care and medication. “Hopefully they'll be able to stay in their apartment, breaking that repeated cycle,” Elam said. “Then hopefully—and it's going to take some time—we can get them stable and on the road to recovery.” The program will come at no cost to county taxpayers. The Iowa Behavior Health Administrative Service Organization will provide $148,462, the bulk of program funding. The judicial district will provide an additional $86,600 and Vera French Community Mental Health Center will provide $33,000. The program will begin with just three individuals, and growing by three individuals on a monthly basis, up to 15 total. Other news In other business, the board: • Heard from administrators at the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra and St. Ambrose University, who have asked the county to pledge $120,000 towards construction of a $24 million dollar music building in downtown Davenport. The pledge would help the QCSO and St. Ambrose secure a $1 million state tourism grant. Supervisors appeared favorable to the ask, which they have up to a year to consider. • Renewed the county contract with Election Systems & Software for $51,229.33. The software hosts all county elections, Auditor Kerri Tompkins said. • Held the second and final reading of an ordinance rezoning a 37–acre agricultural parcel outside Blue Grass for commercial use. Supervisor Maria Bribriesco cast the lone dissenting vote against the reading. • Agreed to start the county’s new risk manager one week before outgoing risk manager Rhonda Oostenryk retires. • Raised lieutenant sheriff salaries in accordance with new state laws. • Approved routine liquor license renewals and posted routine financial disclosures.

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026

Tuesday, July 21st, 2026