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

Thursday, August 13th, 2026
	New indictment alleges Nick Reiner was lying in wait before killing his parents A grand jury has indicted Nick Reiner on murder charges in the killings of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, and adds the allegation that he was lying in wait before attacking them.
	Millions crowd cities to see Spain's first total solar eclipse in over a century As the sky darkened, gradually at first and then quickly, people broke into applause and cheered. It was the Spain's first total solar eclipse in more than a century.
	3 men set for lethal injection on same day in Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma Three men in Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma are scheduled for lethal injection Thursday in a rare convergence of executions on the same day in the U.S.
Wednesday, August 12th, 2026
	High school football preview: United Township United Township’s football program enters the new season on the heels of one of its most significant campaigns having ended a 24-year playoff drought last year and finishing 5-5.
	Davenport schools selling property to Iron and Grain Coffee House The district bought the property where the coffee shop is located back in April.
	Eldridge to bring firefighters back for discussion before final vote on merger The Eldridge City Council took the latest step to turn the current volunteer fire department into a city agency. Aldermen approved the plan on second reading at a special city council meeting Wednesday night. All 20 volunteer firefighters threatened to quit on Oct. 1 if it happens. However, there could be a compromise to keep [...]
	Coal Valley board votes against re-zoning for proposed sports complex Re-zoning isn't permanently off the table; it could be added to a future agenda at any point.
	Eldridge community working to find compromise for future of fire department Eldridge Councilman Brian Dockery wants to sit down and hash something out over the upcoming weekend. Assistant Fire Chief Dave Engler plans to take him up on that.
	QC man sentenced to federal prison for escaping from custody A Quad Cities man was sentenced on Wednesday, Aug. 12, to three years in federal prison for escaping from custody, according to a news release. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Cedric Cornelius Shivers, 31, knowingly left a Davenport residential reentry center without authorization in October 2025. Shivers was required to [...]
	Clinton man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for drug, firearm charges A Clinton man was sentenced on Wednesday, Aug. 12, to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and possession of a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking, according to a news release. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Willie Devon Brown, 43, had nine pounds of [...]
	Davenport man sentenced to federal prison for gun, ammunition charges A Davenport man was sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 12, to 46 months - a little less than four years - in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and 18 months in federal prison for revocation of his supervised release, a news release says. According to public court documents and evidence presented at [...]
	QCA school board terminates principal's contract According to a statement from a spokesperson for the Rock Island-Milan School District, the principal of a school was terminated Tuesday at a school board meeting. The Board of Education approved the superintendent's recommendation to immediately terminate the contract and to discharge Mario Sherrell from employment "due to his job abandonment and insubordination," the spokesperson [...]
	Photos: See the best photos from the solar eclipse Millions of people in Europe stepped outside this evening to watch a spectacular sunset with a solar eclipse. The path of totality passed through portions of Greenland, Iceland and Spain,
	Rock Island-Milan school superintendent speaks about school closures during power outages Dr. Sharon Williams said that outages are a threat to the district's communication lines, and as a result, its security.
	New Quad City Arts director talks Alternating Currents The four-day celebration of creativity features over 230 events and more than 600 artists, with events taking place in Davenport, Bettendorf and Rock Island.
	Watermelon Stampede to take over Muscatine Saturday Runners and walkers will take to the streets of Muscatine Saturday for the 49th annual Watermelon Stampede.
	Missing Moline child found A child with disabilities has been located after Moline Police asked for help finding him Wednesday night.
	Moline police: Missing 9-year-old found UPDATE: According to a Facebook post from the Moline Police Department, after officers asked for help from the public to find a missing 9-year-old, the boy has been found. EARLIER: "We are requesting the community’s help in locating 9 year-old Liam," the post says. Liam was last seen in the 500 block of 17th Avenue [...]
	2026 butter cow: ‘Miles of Smiles’ is State Fair’s theme in celebration of Route 66 Gov. JB Pritzker unveiled the state’s annual butter cow on Wednesday, which will be on display in the Dairy Building throughout the fair.
	Quad Cities International Airport tests emergency response with mass casualty drill First responders in the Quad Cities conducted an FAA-mandated mass casualty exercise at the airport on Wednesday.
	Mass casualty drill held at Quad Cities International Airport The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires the airport to host a mass casualty exercise every three years.
	2 charged after shots fired at Kwik Star in Clinton Andy Glen Simmons told officers he shot into the windshield and driver's side door of a white Ford Excursion. Clinton police said there are no known injuries.
	Rock Island woman hit by tree damage for 3rd time A Rock Island woman is once again cleaning up after severe weather brought down a large tree in her backyard Wednesday morning.
	QCI Airport successfully practices emergency response drill for plane crash The Quad Cities International Airport had a busy morning on runway 13, where emergency responders from across the Quad Cities area flooded the runway for a drill. The crews are required to complete a mass casualty drill every three years by the FAA. This year's drill scenario was a plane crash with 70 people on [...]
	Meth, fentanyl, machine gun charges send 4 Illinois men to federal prison The men distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl across the Quad Cities area between 2023 and 2024, according to a media release.
	ICE plans to outfit officers with electric shock gloves The company that makes the gloves, Compliant Technologies, says they're a nonlethal tool to make individuals compliant during arrests.
	Clinton man sentenced to federal prison on drug, firearm charges Devon Brown, 43, will spend 15 years behind bars and will serve a five year term of supervised release.
	Quad Cities man sentenced to 3 years after escaping custody, injuring officer during arrest A Quad Cities man was sentenced to three years in the federal prison after escaping custody.
	Senators urge end to online bets on wildfires Lawmakers say wildfire prediction markets could encourage arson and profit from disasters, urging federal regulators to prohibit the contracts.
	Clinton city council to hold roundtable session on proposed data center ordinance The Clinton City Council agreed to hold at least one roundtable session with public input as it revises a proposed data center ordinance.
	Woman arrested in connection to Kwik Star shooting An additional person was arrested in connection to a shooting at the Clinton Kwik Star.
	Democratic strategist reflects on Wisconsin and Minnesota primaries NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Amanda Litman, co-founder of the PAC Run For Something, about the results from the Aug. 11 Democratic primary elections.
	MidAmerican Energy crews work to restore power to QC residents Severe weather in the Quad Cities this week has left thousands of residents and businesses without power. Utility crews began work this morning to clear debris, repair lines and restore service. Geoff Greenwood, media relations manager for MidAmerican Energy, spoke with Our Quad Cities News via Zoom to share how the company prepared for the [...]
	Trump sued over service selling faster access to Truth Social posts The federal lawsuit alleges that the service from the president's media company violates the Constitution. Meanwhile, Trump Media executives say they have signed up more than 10 customers.
	Trump administration urges Supreme Court to rule soon on limiting vote-by-mail in midterms The Trump executive order would limit vote-by-mail, the primary method of voting in several states, especially in the West.
	High school football preview: Sterling The Sterling Golden Warriors are preparing for the 2026 high school football season, returning several players with varsity experience from a 6-4 campaign that included a 5-2 record in Western Big Six Conference play.
	Controversial group wins $158M-contract to represent unaccompanied immigrant children Utah-based Our Rescue was founded by activist Tim Ballard. It was previously known as Operation Underground Railroad and it says it helps law enforcement perform sting operations and rescues human trafficking survivors.
	White House press secretary leaving Karoline Leavitt will continue to be an outside adviser, Trump said
	Illinois will not change child vaccine guidelines after Trump executive order The Illinois Department of Public Health is not adopting new federal child vaccine guidelines and will continue following recommendations by a leading pediatric medical group.
	Traffic Alert: Construction on 20th Street Utilities Project to begin in Rock Island Phase 1 of the 20th Street Utilities Project in Rock Island is set to begin Aug. 19.
	See damage in the QCs from morning thunderstorms Damage has been reported across the Quad Cities after this morning's storms. Cleanup is currently underway. Photos from Bettendorf, Rock Island and Moline show the aftermath and a photo from the Quad Cities International Airport shows a stunning shelf cloud.
	Study says co-parenting conflicts peak in August: 7 ways to get ahead of it Study says co-parenting conflicts peak in August: 7 ways to get ahead of itDivorce and family court filings do not spread evenly across the calendar. A University of Washington study that reviewed 14 years of filing data found that family-related court actions consistently peak twice a year, in March and in August, a pattern researchers linked to the end of major family holidays and summer vacations. The same study found a matching seasonal spike in guardianship filings, suggesting the pattern is tied to shifts in family routines rather than random timing.WSM Law, a family law firm that represents women in divorce and custody matters across several states, looked at seven ways families can prevent common co-parenting conflicts that typically arise in August.The August Peak in Child Custody ConflictsFor separated and divorced parents who already share custody, August has a related kind of pressure. It is the month when summer parenting schedules end, school enrollment decisions get finalized, and two households that ran on different routines for weeks suddenly need to sync up again. Court filing data does not measure day-to-day friction between co-parents directly, but that overlap of deadlines is a predictable source of conflict for separated households. WSM Law The number of families facing that collision is significant. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent report on custodial parents, roughly 13.9 million people in the United States were custodial parents in 2022, raising a combined 22.2 million children under 21 while the other parent lived elsewhere. That is more than 1 in 4 children in American families. Fewer than half of those custodial parents reported having any formal or informal child support agreement in place, a gap that hints at how much coordination between separated households happens informally, without a court order spelling out the details.School enrollment is one of the clearest flash points. Decisions about which school a child attends, along with major choices about health care and religious upbringing, generally fall under legal custody rather than physical custody. When parents share joint legal custody, both have to agree, and August is when that agreement either gets finalized or falls apart in front of a deadline.Much of the conflict that surfaces in August could be prevented with earlier planning. Here are seven approaches drawn from that research.1. Review the custody order before the first bell rings.Many parenting plans were written when children were younger or before the family moved, and some do not clearly address school choice, transportation, or after-school care. Reading the order in July, rather than assuming it still fits, gives both parents time to resolve gaps before they become disputes.2. Confirm who holds legal custody over education decisions.Legal custody, the right to make major decisions about a child's schooling, health care, and upbringing, is often confused with physical custody, which governs where a child lives day to day. Knowing which parent has the authority to make a final call, or whether both do, heads off arguments rooted in a misunderstanding of the order itself.3. Put information in writing.The Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, a regional organization of family court professionals, recommends that co-parents share information that is accurate, complete, and timely, particularly around school, health, and scheduling details. A shared written record, whether through email or a co-parenting app, reduces the chance that one parent is caught off guard by a decision the other has already made.4. Set a homework and routine policy that works across both homes.Children benefit from consistency between households when it comes to study time, screen limits, and bedtime during the school week. Agreeing on the basics before classes start prevents the back-and-forth negotiation that tends to happen once teachers start assigning homework.5. Address extracurricular costs and scheduling early.Sports, clubs, and after-school programs bring their own set of decisions about cost-sharing and whose parenting time they fall on. Settling how many activities a child will do and how the costs will be split, before sign-ups open, avoids a scramble once registration deadlines hit.6. Keep children out of the middle.One pattern shows up again and again in separated families: children being asked to relay messages, choose sides, or manage adult logistics. Children should not be the messengers for schedule changes, payment reminders, or unresolved disagreements between parents.7. Know when to involve a professional versus handling it directly.Not every disagreement needs a lawyer. Many co-parents resolve school-year logistics through direct communication or a written parenting plan addendum. But when disagreements are frequent, involve safety concerns, or repeatedly stall school enrollment or major decisions, it is worth seeking outside help before the school year is underway rather than after a conflict has already affected a child's routine.None of these strategies eliminates the seasonal spike identified in the University of Washington research, but they can reduce how much of that friction reaches a child. Many summer custody disputes stem from scheduling and vacation issues that could have been addressed earlier through advance planning and clear communication between co-parents.For families already managing separate households, August will likely keep functioning the way the data suggests it does: as the point where a summer's worth of loose ends either gets tied up or turns into a dispute. The difference tends to come down to how early parents start the conversation.This story was produced by WSM Law and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Boil order lifted for part of Silvis after water main break Officials said people can return to normal water use.
	Clinton to hold public meetings on proposed data center Clinton Mayor Scott Maddasion and members of the City Council reviewed the timeline for the proposed 1,100 acre hyperscale data center project ordinance for the city during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Council members supported devoting more time for study on the project, slowing down the process and providing additional opportunities for public input. [...]
	Bix Beiderbecke boyhood home has new owners, restoration planned After years of neglect and foreign ownership, the historic Bix Beiderbecke boyhood home is now under new ownership and faces a brighter future.
	Quad City Bank & Trust Presents the Riverfront Pops' “The Best of the Who,” August 22 For this year's annual Riverfront Pops concert event in Davenport's LeClaire Park, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and Quad City Bank & Trust invite audiences to rock out with the talents of Jeans 'n' Classics and conductor Hisham Bravo Groover during the August 22 extravaganza The Best of the Who, a night under the starts featuring powerhouse hits including “My Generation,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Pinball Wizard,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
	A dying dream: How Trump targets immigrants who arrived as children A dying dream: How Trump targets immigrants who arrived as childrenAt 7 years old, JeanCarlos Fiallos Manzanares crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, hiding in the trunk of a taxi with his older sister. For more than a decade, he lived in the shadows in the United States. Salvation came, or appeared to, in his 20s, when President Barack Obama offered young immigrants like him protection from deportation.But last year, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement pulled him over near his mother’s house in Miami. Since then, he has been detained at the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico, some 1,944 miles away from his wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and their two young sons.The second Trump administration has eroded the hard-won protections of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, often called DACA, with some of those immigrants now being detained and deported. The administration wants to deport Fiallos Manzanares, 31, to his native Honduras.Trump slashed access to healthcare benefits and prohibited deferred action holders from obtaining or using commercial driver’s licenses. The Board of Immigration Appeals, controlled by the Department of Justice, ruled that having deferred action alone isn’t enough for a judge to halt a person’s deportation. And U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that approves applications for deferred action, began slow-walking renewals and work authorizations, immigrant advocates say: A process that previously took 15 days has stretched to six months or more, leaving recipients out of compliance and forcing people to lose their jobs.“It’s death by a thousand cuts,” said Janet Napolitano, the former secretary of Homeland Security under Obama, who, in 2012, created the deferred action program that provided work permits for undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children and shielded them from deportation.A Homeland Security spokesperson told The Marshall Project in an email that “DACA does not confer any form of legal status in this country. Any illegal alien who is a DACA recipient may be subject to arrest and deportation for a number of reasons, including if they’ve committed a crime.”As deputy director of advocacy for United We Dream, which seeks policies protecting immigrants brought here as children, Juliana Macedo do Nascimento began hearing stories about deferred action recipients getting detained during traffic stops last year. “That made us very concerned,” she said.As the detentions accelerated, United We Dream began tracking them.Around the same time, the Trump administration decided that detained immigrants should stay in jail while their cases proceed.The number of people protected by the deferred action program has dropped since Trump took office, according to federal data. More than 533,000 people held deferred action at the end of the Biden administration; a year later, the number had dropped to about 495,000.While some of the decline can be attributed to recipients moving to more permanent status, “in most cases, we think the decline is tied to the processing delays,” said Jennie Murray, chief executive of the National Immigration Forum, a nonprofit coalition of business, law enforcement and religious leaders advocating immigration reform.Hundreds of people who had been granted deferred action by the government have been detained since Trump took office, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Many of them have criminal records, which could disqualify them from protection. But at least 85 people without a criminal conviction or pending criminal charge have been deported, according to the department.Immigrants brought to the United States in childhood were once the poster children of the immigration reform debate — the one group that most Americans, regardless of political affiliation, could agree deserved protection.Even amid the current political polarization, numerous polls continue to show that Americans broadly support protecting immigrants who came here as children, Murray said.When Fiallos Manzanares was pulled over last year, he was driving with an expired license. He had faced criminal charges in the past, but they had all been dropped or dismissed, and he hadn’t lost his deferred action protections.“I’ve been here 25 years, and nothing ever happened like this,” he said. “I’ve always been protected by DACA since I got it in 2012.”He told the ICE agents that his DACA was valid and his renewal application was pending. They told him he would no longer qualify for the program if he was detained — then they detained him.In a video call with The Marshall Project using a detention center tablet in mid-June, he wore a trim beard and navy blue scrubs. Detained immigrant men milled about the long dormitory in the background.“If they are going to terminate my DACA, they have to have a reason, like if I had a conviction or a felony,” he said. “They have rules.”But those rules, which once seemed clear, have been changing under Trump.During his first term, Trump tried to revoke the deferred action program but was blocked by the Supreme Court. Now, the administration is chipping away at protections one at a time instead of ending the program outright, Napolitano said.“They can kill off DACA without saying they’re killing off DACA,” she said.Detaining recipients ignores the purpose of deferring action, said Michael Kagan, a law professor and director of the University of Nevada’s Immigration Clinic.“Your head can spin trying to understand what this means,” Kagan said. “Deferred action means ‘I’m not going to arrest you or detain you.’ Now it seems to be, ‘I’m not going to arrest you, unless I do arrest you.’”Deferred action recognizes that, historically, the executive branch hasn’t had the resources to enforce immigration law universally and that some immigrants deserve humanitarian consideration, Napolitano said.Trump has taken a different view.Andrew Arthur, resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for tighter immigration restrictions, said the Trump administration’s curtailing of protections is an effort to return to the letter of the law. President Joe Biden used enforcement discretion too liberally, he argued, allowing millions of immigrants into the country who had no lawful status.“We’re boomeranging back from a Biden administration that used prosecutorial discretion and deferred action for every law it didn’t want to enforce,” he said. “It’s a return to regular order.”Resources for enforcement are less of an issue now that the Trump administration’s immigration program is flush with $240 billion in funding through fiscal year 2029 — more immigration enforcement money than Homeland Security has ever had before.Kagan said curtailing the deferred action program is “self-destructive for our economy, community and families. It says, ‘Let’s take some people who are doing really well and let’s destroy their lives.’ It doesn’t seem like productive policy.”Lawmakers haven’t overhauled the nation’s immigration laws since 1996, when they voted to strengthen immigration enforcement mechanisms in such a way that all but eliminated the executive branch’s discretion, said Doris Meissner, who was head of the Immigration and Naturalization Service at the time.They soon regretted it.As the Clinton administration began to implement the changes, “we started to get pushback from members of Congress when deportation actions were issued to people in their district,” said Meissner, now director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan immigration research organization.“No matter how carefully you write a statute, you are never going to be able to cover every possible extenuating circumstance,” she said.Though deferred action dates back at least to President Richard Nixon, Meissner issued a memo in 2000 enumerating 13 factors that immigration agents should consider before deporting someone. They included past military service, family ties and length of residence in the U.S. More than a decade later, Obama’s deferred action program became the first that immigrants could proactively apply for.The use of deferred action “has gone through ups and downs,” Meissner said, “but it has endured.”Fiallos Manzanares grew up in Miami. He started a handyman business and got married.Two months after he was detained last year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — which, like ICE, falls under the umbrella of Homeland Security — approved Fiallos Manzanares’ application to renew his deferred action status.He could finally get back to his life, he thought.“I have nothing in Honduras,” he told The Marshall Project. “I don’t even have a home. My life is here. I have my two babies waiting for me.”But ICE didn’t release Fiallos Manzanares from immigration detention. When, weeks later, he remained jailed with no end in sight, he filed a petition for habeas corpus, asking a federal judge to order his release.Instead, an immigration judge ordered him deported to Honduras, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services rescinded the deferred action protections it had approved for him months earlier, reasoning it had acted by mistake.In an email, a Homeland Security spokesperson told The Marshall Project that Fiallos Manzanares “will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings” and highlighted his criminal history, which “includes resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, trespassing, aggravated assault and domestic violence.” Court records show that the charges against Fiallos Manzanares, stemming from arrests between 2017 and 2020, were dropped or dismissed.For more than a year, he has been fighting for the reinstatement of his deferred action and is waiting for a federal judge to decide whether he will be released.His spouse, Marie Castro Fiallos, told the federal court her husband’s incarceration has been devastating for their children.“Since the day my husband was detained, our lives have been turned upside down,” she said. “Our children ask for him constantly. Every day, they ask when their father will come home.”This article was published in partnership with Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald.This story was produced by The Marshall Project and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Polyrhythms' 12th-Annual Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival, August 21 and 22 With this year's musical guests including Nina Nicole Little, the Pippi & Daniel Music Experience, and Erech Bruce, Polyrhythms proudly presents the 12th-annual Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival at Rock Island's Martin Luther King Center and neighboring MLK Park, an August 21 and 22 celebration of cultural heritage in the Quad Cities named after the late musician, educator, and East Moline native lovingly known as “The Jazz Professor.”
	Art of the Brew: Lorrie Morgan and Suzy Bogguss, August 21 On August 21, Figge Art Museum visitors are invited to experience an evening of phenomenal country music and craft beer when music legends Lorrie Morgan and Suzy Bogguss, alongside special guest Angela Meyer, light up the night in the 2025 Art of the Brew, an exhilarating outdoor celebration held on the Figge plaza.
	Rufus Wainwright: “A Night of Gratitude,” August 23 Concluding 2026's Culture Bright Summer Series with a special August 23 evening of music, appreciation, and celebration, Common Chord presents an intimate performance by acclaimed singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright in the Davenport venue's newly reopened Redstone Room.
	Win Jump Passes and a $200 VISA Gift Card at Elevate Trampoline Park in Milan, IL Elevate Trampoline Park in Milan, IL, is hosting a summer contest with weekly jump pass prizes and a $200 VISA gift card grand prize. Enter by September 6, 2026.
	Sons of Legion, August 22 Hailed by Atwood magazine for delivering a “gritty blend of rock and soul that has a way of stopping people in their tracks,” the blues, Americana, country, and rock artists of Sons of Legion, Adam McInnis and Jack "Daddy Jack" Crenshaw, bring their “Soul to SØL World Tour 2026”to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on August 22, AllMusic adding that the artists have “pushed a vision of mystery and authenticity through their gritty country-rock tunes.”
	The Devon Allman Project, August 25 Lauded by Premier Guitar as an artist who “plays guitar with a high-gain edge and slashing tone,” a famed blues rocker brings his outfit to Davenport when the Devon Allman Project plays the Redstone Room at Common Chord on August 25, Americana Highways hailing the artist's 2025 album The Blues Summit as “an immersive tribute to the storied musical genre of the blues and a wonderful addition to Devon Allman's extensive catalog.”
	Josh Rouse, August 27 Hailed by Americana Highways as "a pro’s pro as a musician" and "a personable and warmly engaging performer," folk and indie-pop singer/songwriter Josh Rouse headlines an August 27 concert at Davenport's Redstone Room, AllMusic.com's Tim Sendra adding, “Like a baseball player who quietly hits 30 home runs every year or a golfer who regularly finishes in the Top Ten, Josh Rouse's continued streak of excellence is easy to ignore and maybe even downplay a little."
	The voracious, and thoughtful, musical appetite of the PUBLIQuartet The New York-based string quartet's new album Rhythm Nation teems with beats ranging from West Africa and Venezuela to jazz standards and Janet Jackson.
	How to improve skin texture and reduce large pores How to improve skin texture and reduce large poresIf you've noticed rough patches, visible pores or a bumpy surface when you look in the mirror, you're not alone. Uneven skin texture and enlarged pores are among the most common skin frustrations. They can make your complexion look dull, cause makeup to settle unevenly and leave you feeling less confident about your skin, especially when "glass skin" has set a new standard for flawless complexions.Pores are normal and essential for your skin to breathe, release oil and regulate temperature. While you can't erase them, you can improve their appearance and your overall skin texture with a simple routine built on the right habits and treatments. SkinSpirit's detailed guide shows you how to minimize the appearance of large pores and achieve smoother, healthier skin.What Causes Enlarged Pores and Uneven Texture?Several factors work together to influence how your skin looks and feels, including traits you're born with, natural aging and the daily habits that shape your complexion over time.1. GeneticsYour genetics determine your skin type and the appearance of facial pores. If you have naturally oily skin, your sebaceous glands produce more oil, making your pores more noticeable.While you can't change your genetic blueprint, understanding this foundation helps you set realistic expectations and choose the most effective treatments for your skin.2. Natural AgingCollagen and elastin form the structural support system that keeps your skin firm and taut. As you age, your body produces less of these essential proteins, causing these structural components to lose elasticity.When that structural support weakens, pore walls can sag or slacken, making them appear larger and more noticeable. This natural decline typically starts in your mid-20s and continues progressively over time.3. Chronic Sun ExposureUV radiation is one of the most damaging environmental factors for your skin. Over time, sun exposure breaks down collagen and elastin fibers, which leads to wrinkles and contributes to loss of firmness around pores.Research shows that sun exposure significantly degrades collagen, increasing the appearance of pores and creating uneven texture. This cumulative damage develops gradually, making daily sun protection essential for prevention.4. Excess Sebum ProductionOveractive oil glands can lead to a buildup of sebum (your skin's natural oils) on your skin's surface. When this excess oil combines with dead skin cells, it creates a sticky mixture that can clog pores and stretch them out. The more congested a pore becomes, the larger and more visible it appears.Excess sebum production is particularly common in people with oily or combination skin types, especially in the T-zone, where oil production tends to be highest.5. Improper Skin Care and Clogged PoresFailing to cleanse properly, using comedogenic (pore-clogging) products or skipping exfoliation can all lead to debris becoming trapped beneath the surface. When oil, dirt, makeup and dead skin cells accumulate in pores, they create visible blockages that make pores look larger and create a bumpy, uneven texture.This buildup can make your skin appear more textured. It can also trigger inflammation and breakouts if left unaddressed.6. History of AcneInflammatory acne, especially cystic acne or lesions that have been picked or squeezed, can cause lasting trauma to the pore and surrounding tissue. This damage can lead to permanent changes in skin texture, including sunken, pitted (atrophic) scars that create depressed areas on the skin's surface or pores that remain permanently stretched long after the acne has cleared.The severity and duration of acne often determine the extent of these lasting textural changes.How Can You Improve Skin Texture at Home? SkinSpirit Building a consistent at-home skin care routine is your first line of defense for improving skin texture. Daily habits like proper cleansing, sun protection and skin hydration are the foundation for healthier, smoother skin.1. Adopt a Consistent Cleansing RoutineWashing your face every morning and evening is a simple yet impactful step. Proper cleansing removes the daily buildup of makeup, excess oil, dirt and environmental pollutants that settle into pores and cause congestion.When these impurities pile up, they stretch pores and create textural irregularities that make your skin look rough and uneven. They also cause acne, which contributes to uneven texture.Choose a gentle cleanser that effectively removes debris without stripping your skin's natural moisture barrier. If you wear makeup or sunscreen, consider double cleansing in the evening, starting with an oil-based cleanser to break down products, followed by a water-based cleanser to remove remaining impurities.2. Incorporate Regular Chemical ExfoliationChemical exfoliants work by dissolving the bonds that hold dead skin cells to the surface, revealing fresher, smoother skin underneath. Unlike physical scrubs that can cause microtears, chemical exfoliants offer controlled, even results.The right exfoliant depends on your specific skin type and concerns:Beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs): Oil-soluble acids like salicylic acid penetrate deep into pores to clear out congestion, making them ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs): Water-soluble acids like glycolic, mandelic and lactic acid work on the skin's surface to smooth texture and improve radiance. Mandelic and lactic acid are gentler options that work well for sensitive skin or deeper skin tones.Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs): Gentle exfoliants like gluconolactone, lactobionic acid and galactose with larger molecules improve texture, tone and hydration without causing irritation. They're ideal for sensitive, dry or rosacea-prone skin, as they also strengthen the skin barrier.Your exfoliation schedule depends on your skin type, the acids you're using, their strength and the rest of your routine. Some people benefit from exfoliating once or twice weekly, while others can tolerate up to four times per week. Daily exfoliation is not recommended, as it can compromise your skin barrier and lead to irritation.3. Use Topical RetinoidsIf you're looking for a straightforward answer on how to improve your skin texture, start using a retinoid and stick with it. Retinoids are considered the gold-standard ingredient for skin renewal. These vitamin A derivatives speed up skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen production. This dual action helps clear pores and firm the skin, improving texture and the appearance of pores over time.With so many options available, starting a topical retinoid can be overwhelming. Here's how you can introduce retinoids for maximum benefits while minimizing the initial six- to 12-week purging phase commonly known as the “retinol uglies.”Start with over-the-counter (OTC) retinols: Use retinol serums from reputable brands, gradually building tolerance as you move up in strength. When you no longer notice results from retinols, you can transition to low-strength retinal (retinaldehyde), which is a stronger OTC vitamin A derivative, and slowly move up in strength.Use adapalene: This acne-specific retinoid provides excellent results, with some people reporting less irritation than with a prescription retinoid. Use it a couple of nights per week and build tolerance for nightly use to get maximum benefits.Begin with low-strength prescription retinoids: Start using tretinoin at 0.01% or tazarotene at 0.045% a couple of nights per week and build tolerance to using it nightly before increasing strength if needed.Try the sandwich method: You can reduce irritation by creating a buffer between the retinoid and your skin. Apply moisturizer, then retinoid, then moisturizer again until you build tolerance to apply retinoid directly.Whichever method you opt for, use retinoids only at night, as they can increase sun sensitivity. Consult a dermatologist to ensure you're using the right strength and method to avoid damaging your skin barrier, which can worsen texture.4. Prioritize Daily Sun ProtectionApplying a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily protects your skin from UV radiation, a major contributor to premature skin aging that can make pores appear more noticeable. Look for an option with at least SPF 30 for UVB protection and a high PA rating for UVA protection.There are two main types of sunscreen to consider.Chemical sunscreens: They feature organic or inorganic filters that absorb UV rays and convert them into heat, which is then released from the body. They don't leave a white cast, making them ideal for deeper skin tones.‍Physical sunscreens: They contain mineral filters like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Physical sunscreens are soothing due to the zinc oxide, making them ideal for acne-prone or sensitive skin. While old technology may leave a white cast, newer technologies are much more refined. Some are tinted to mitigate the white cast, but many of the no-show mineral sunblocks in the color science brand are almost undetectable.Both types come in tinted versions, though this is more common for mineral sunscreens to help mitigate the white cast. Tinted sunscreens feature iron oxides that protect against visible light, including blue light and UVA/UVB rays, preventing hyperpigmentation, melasma and photoaging. They're highly effective for reducing pigment-related issues in deeper skin tones.5. Maintain Skin HydrationWell-hydrated skin looks smoother and more even, giving the "glass skin" effect. Proper hydration can also help balance sebum production, which can help improve the appearance of pores in oily skin.To ensure adequate hydration, look for moisturizers or toners with humectant ingredients that draw moisture into the skin, like:Hyaluronic acidGlycerinAloe veraUreaHoneyPropolisGlycolsPanthenolSodium PCAIf you have dry skin or during winter months, your skin may benefit from moisturizers with emollients like ceramides, rosehip oil and argan oil to seal in hydration. For severely dry skin or very cold, dry climates, occlusives like petrolatum jelly, beeswax and mineral oil help lock in moisture.What Professional Skin Treatments Can Address Pores and Texture? SkinSpirit While at-home care is foundational, professional skin treatments like chemical peels, microneedling and laser resurfacing are advanced options that penetrate deeper than topical products, addressing concerns that don't respond to surface-level care.1. Chemical PeelsA chemical peel is a professional resurfacing treatment where a specialized acid solution is applied to the skin to remove damaged outer layers and stimulate cell turnover, revealing smoother, more radiant skin beneath.Trained, licensed skin specialists customize the strength and formulation of chemical peels to target specific concerns. Common options for improving texture include:Medium peels: These penetrate the epidermis and upper dermis to treat wrinkles, acne scars and moderate skin discoloration. They often result in redness and swelling, requiring one to two weeks of recovery.Deep peels: These intensive treatments fully penetrate the middle skin layer to treat deep wrinkles, severe sun damage and extensive scarring. Deep peels produce dramatic results but require two to three weeks of downtime. They are performed under sedation with medical monitoring.2. MicroneedlingMicroneedling is a collagen-induction therapy that uses a specialized tool with ultrafine, medical-grade needles. These needles create shallow puncture wounds in a controlled pattern across your skin. While this might sound uncomfortable, most people tolerate it well with a topical numbing cream.Your skin interprets these microscopic injuries as signals to start repairing itself, which means ramping up collagen and elastin development. The result is firmer, smoother and more even-toned skin.For more pronounced skin texture issues, radiofrequency (RF) microneedling combines micro-injuries that stimulate collagen with the delivery of radiofrequency energy deep into the dermis. The heat from RF energy causes additional controlled damage, which improves collagen remodeling and skin tightening.Most people see progressive improvement over several months as new collagen develops, with optimal results typically requiring a series of three to six treatments spaced four to six weeks apart.3. Laser ResurfacingLaser resurfacing skin treatments use concentrated beams of light energy to improve the skin's surface and stimulate collagen production. You can choose from three common types of laser treatments for uneven texture and pores:Ablative: Ablative lasers, like carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers, remove the outer layer of skin entirely. They deliver major results for severe texture issues, but require a longer recovery time.Non-ablative: These lasers heat the underlying tissue without removing the surface layer, offering gentler improvement with minimal downtime.Hybrid: Lasers combine both ablative and non-ablative wavelengths to deliver comprehensive results for tone, texture and pores with managed downtime. 4. Botox InjectionsBeyond its well-known use for minimizing wrinkles, neuromodulator injections like Botox can also improve texture through specialized techniques. The "Microtox" or "Baby Botox" approach involves injecting tiny amounts into the superficial layers of the skin rather than into deeper muscles.This technique can help control oil production by temporarily reducing the activity of sebaceous glands. It can also relax the tiny muscles attached to pores, making them appear smaller and creating a smoother skin surface. Results are subtle and temporary, typically lasting three to four months.How Do You Choose the Right Treatment?There is no single "best" treatment for everyone when it comes to minimizing pores and improving texture. The right choice depends on a combination of factors, including:1. Your skin type: You need to determine if your skin is oily, sensitive, dry, acne-prone or combination to find the right products. Additionally, some skin treatments can be more harmful than helpful for deeper skin tones. You'll need to consult a professional with direct, recurring experience with your skin tone.2. The reasons for your uneven texture and pore concerns: Your uneven texture can be caused by acne scarring, excessive oil production, age or even infected hair follicles (folliculitis). Each reason requires a different treatment approach.3. Budget: Skin treatments can be pricey, and you can't do them just once. You must decide how much you can invest in your skin to determine the best treatment option that will give you results without breaking your wallet.4. Tolerance for downtime: Some treatments require days or weeks of recovery, while others have minimal social downtime. If you don't mind staying indoors for long or have a high tolerance for strange looks, you may opt for more intense treatments.The only way to determine the safest, most effective treatment plan is to consult a qualified and experienced medical provider. During this consultation, they can perform a thorough skin assessment, discuss your goals and concerns and recommend a personalized approach that considers all these factors.How Can You Maintain Long-Term Results?You can maintain your smooth, even skin texture through small daily habits like sun protection and good sleep, as well as routine professional maintenance sessions. Achieving smooth skin is one part of the journey, but maintaining those results requires a long-term, strategic commitment.1. Commit to Daily Sun ProtectionDaily, consistent use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen is the single most important habit for maintaining skin health. It is your number-one tool for preserving the collagen you've built through treatments and preventing the damage that would reverse your progress.2. Simplify Your Skin Care RoutineAfter investing in professional treatments, it's often best to focus on a core maintenance routine. A gentle cleanser, a targeted treatment serum if recommended, a retinoid, a functional moisturizer and daily SPF are your core routine. Over-exfoliating or using too many products at once can compromise your skin's protective barrier, undoing the progress you've made.3. Adopt Healthy Lifestyle HabitsYour lifestyle choices support and enhance your skin health. Focus on hydration and eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet to provide your skin with the building blocks it needs for repair and regeneration. Managing stress helps regulate hormones that can trigger oil production and inflammation. Ensure you get adequate sleep so your body can complete its natural repair processes.4. Schedule Professional MaintenanceMany professional treatments deliver the best long-term outcomes with an initial series of sessions followed by periodic maintenance treatments. A maintenance plan, such as a facial or peel every few months, helps you stay ahead of texture concerns and keeps your skin functioning optimally. Your provider can recommend a maintenance schedule tailored to your skin's specific needs and how it responds to treatment.Your Path to Smoother, Healthier SkinImproving your skin texture and minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores starts with understanding what's causing these concerns in the first place. From there, a consistent routine built on proven ingredients like exfoliants, retinoids and daily sunscreen creates the foundation for visible, lasting improvement. When at-home care isn't enough, professional treatments offer more targeted solutions to address deeper texture issues and stubborn pores.The key is finding the right combination for your unique skin type, concerns and lifestyle. For the most effective results, seek guidance from a qualified skin care professional. They can assess your skin and recommend the best combination of at-home habits and professional treatments tailored to your goals.This story was produced by SkinSpirit and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Critter Kingdom Gift Shop & Pet Boutique opens Thursday; grand opening this weekend The new shop in Milan offers a mix of pet supplies and gifts for both pets and their two-legged companions. It is holding a grand opening event this weekend.
	The Band Loula, August 26 Lauded by DanDenney.com as artists who “possess a haunting quality laced with a yearning that mirrors the fragility of human connection,” the country-folk musicians of The Band Loula headline an August 26 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the group's 2025 debut EP Sweet Southern Summer hailed by Soundlink Magazine as “everything I want country music to be – raw, honest, haunting, and full of heart.”
	Ellis Bullard, August 27 His 2024 album Honky Tonk Ain't Noise Pollution praised by Metal Planet Music as “a damned fine slice of good ol' country music” that's “well-written, well-played, well-sung, and very well-produced,” Ellis Bullard headlines an August 27 concert at davenport's Raccoon Motel, the artist also lauded by Saving Country Music for “making country music that actually sounds country, while also making it cool.”
	G. Love & Special Sauce, August 22 Composed of bandleader Garrett Dutton on lead vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Chuck Treece on drums, and Jim Prescott on string bass, the touring talents of G. Love & Special Sauce headline an August 22 concert at Maquoketa's Codfish Hollow Barn, the group's hit songs including such Billboard charters as “Stepping Stones,” “Rodeo Clowns,” “Astronaut,” “Go Crazy,” and “Peace, Love, & Happiness.”
	Ms. Pat, August 21 Lauded by the Washington Post as "unforgiving and darkly hilarious" and the New York Times as "brutally honest and outrageous," comedian, author, podcast host, and actor Patricia Williams - better known by her stage moniker Ms. Pat - returns to Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Rhythm Room on August 21, the headliner beloved as the star of the Emmy-nominated The Ms. Pat Show and new web series Whiskin’ It All.
	North Scott Activities Calendar 2026-2027
	Tom Briscoe, August 22 Instructing and entertaining audiences on the art of “Old Manspaining,” touring comedian and popular radio presence Tom Briscoe brings his comedy show to Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on August 22, offering hysterical advice on maintaining agood marriage, raising daughters, empty nesting, and the fine art of unsolicited advice.
	Kim Sigafus: “Please Meet Singing Bird,” August 27 You’ve likely heard about the great Native American warrior Black Hawk who made the Rock Island area his home. On August 27, the Rock Island Public Library's Downtown Branch invites you to Please Meet Singing Bird, Black Hawk's less-memorialized wife whose life story is the subject of this presentation by Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Kim Sigafus.
	“The Mermaids,” August 21 through 20 Presented as the latest selection in the theatre's “Andy Bro Show New Works Commission,” the world premiere of composer Billy Reece's musical The Mermaids enjoys an August 21 through 30 run at Mt. Carroll's Timber Lake Playhouse, treating audiences to a debuting stage experience as the final show in the theatre's 2026 summer season.
	“Everyday Lives, Extraordinary Voices: Ruth Suckow's Iowa,” August 22 through November 15 Inspired by her upbringing at the turn of the 20th century and considered “Iowa’s first feminist writer,” Ruth Suckow was largely forgotten until researchers rediscovered her story in the 1980s. Consequently, the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association, with the support of Humanities Iowa, has developed a traveling exhibition celebrating the life and work of this Iowa novelist and short-story writer who lived from 1892 to 1960, the exhibit Everyday Lives, Extraordinary Voices: Ruth Suckow's Iowa on display at Davenport's German American Heritage Center from August 22 through November 15.
	Retirements, hirings and personnel news from Rock Island-Milan School District from July 28 The following personnel items are from the July 28 agenda of the Rock Island-Milan School District.
	“Ruth Suckow's Lost Story: Iowa's Great German American Writer,” August 23 Held in conjunction with the Davenport venue's new exhibition “Everyday Lives, Extraordinary Voices: Ruth Suckow's Iowa,” The latest event in the German American Heritage Center's popular “Kaffee und Kuchen” series, August 23's Ruth Suckow's Lost Story: Iowa's Great German American Writer, will find President of the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association Barbara Lounsberry exploring the extraordinary backstory of this too-little-known German-American writer.
	Rod Stewart cancels Iowa State Fair concert to recover from heart procedure The fair is working on finding a replacement act.
	Severe storms leave damage, power outages across Quad Cities Severe storms hit the Quad Cities for a second straight day, leaving thousands without power, closing roads in Moline, and downing power lines.
	Small business statistics and trends every owner should know in 2026 Small business statistics and trends every owner should know in 2026The U.S. small-business landscape is locked in a striking paradox: Despite severe headwinds from rising inflation and dampened market optimism, entrepreneurship remains remarkably durable as new business applications continue to surge. This ongoing wave of formation, coupled with the fact that nearly 40% of microbusiness owners maintain a highly positive outlook, underscores an economic climate defined by a profound and “cautious resilience.”Small-business statistics reveal how the nation’s entrepreneurs are faring. The following analysis from SoFi pairs federal research from the Small Business Administration (SBA), the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Reserve, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) with proprietary SoFi survey data on the people running America’s smallest businesses.Here’s what the numbers are saying in 2026.Key TakeawaysAccording to the SBA, the U.S. is home to 36.2 million small businesses, which make up 99.9% of all American firms and employ nearly half of the private-sector workforce.Census data shows that new business formation remains elevated over past years, with roughly 524,000 business applications filed in May 2026 alone.Access to capital remains a barrier, as only 42% of small business applicants received all the financing they sought in the latest Federal Reserve survey.Artificial intelligence adoption is accelerating, with SoFi research finding that 75% of small business owners report they have adopted at least one AI tool.Rising costs are the top financial pressure, yet owners stay resilient. SoFi research finds that nearly 40% of microbusiness owners feel very positive about their future.Women-owned businesses keep growing while facing distinct funding and networking challenges, according to a SoFi survey.The State of Small Business in 2026Small business statistics from the SBA tell a story of resilience under pressure. The U.S. has about 36.2 million small businesses, which represent 99.9% of all firms and employ 62.3 million people, or 45.9% of the private-sector workforce. Together, they’re estimated to generate about 43.5% of the total gross domestic product (GDP). SoFi But behind those totals, owners are working in a tougher operating environment. Inflation and higher input costs top the list of financial challenges, borrowing costs remain elevated, and finding qualified staff is a persistent strain. Many owners are balancing growth ambitions against tighter margins, while technology and AI in particular are reshaping how even the smallest firms operate.The SBA describes the current climate as one of cautious resilience, marked by stable employment and continued business formation alongside real headwinds from inflation and economic uncertainty.That mix of ambition and constraint is why benchmarking is important. Most small business statistics are national totals, but comparing your revenue, financing, and staffing against countrywide data helps separate business-specific issues from industry-wide trends.Whether you are scaling an established firm or starting a small business, the figures that follow offer a grounded baseline for decision-making and understanding whether a slow quarter is an issue with your business or the broader economy.Business Formation LandscapeOne of the clearest small business growth statistics is how durable entrepreneurship has become.New business applications remain well above pre-2020 levels, with about 524,000 applications filed in May 2026. (SBA and NFIB)Of the 36.2 million small businesses in the country, 82.3% (29.8 million) are nonemployer firms with no paid staff, while 17.7% (6.4 million) have employees. (SBA)The nonemployer segment has nearly doubled since 1997, when it stood at 15.4 million. (SBA)The number of small employer firms, meanwhile, has grown every year since 2011. (SBA)Formation is broad-based across industries, with retail trade, professional services, and construction among the sectors drawing the most new applications, according to the Census Bureau. First-time founders sizing up where to start can look into ideas for small businesses against this formation data to see where the opportunity is strongest.Small Business Survival Rates and Failure StatisticsStrong formation numbers tell only part of the story. The most useful small business success statistics track what happens after launch. About 67.7% of new businesses survive at least two years, 49.2% reach five years, and 33.9% make it to a decade, according to the SBA.Survival odds improve with time. Among businesses that reach the five-year mark, 69.5% go on to reach 10 years. Turnover remains a normal feature of the economy, with about 1.3 million establishments opening and 1.2 million closing in 2023. SoFi Failure is rarely about a single misstep. The Federal Reserve reports that rising costs, thin cash reserves, and difficulty reaching customers rank among the most common pressures owners report. That’s why planning, funding, and adaptability matter so much. Understanding the reasons small businesses fail can help you spot warning signs early and adjust before problems compound.Employment and Economic ImpactSmall businesses employ 62.3 million people, equal to 45.9% of all private-sector workers. But their contribution to job growth is even greater. Between 1995 and 2024, the SBA reports that small businesses created 20.7 million net new jobs, compared with 13.2 million at large businesses, accounting for 61% of net new job creation over that period.The economic footprint extends beyond payroll. Small firms generate 43.5% of the GDP and account for 38.7% of private-sector payroll, or about $3.5 trillion. They also dominate certain corners of the economy, making up 97.2% of exporters.Financing and Capital Access StatisticsCapital access impacts nearly every other small business growth statistic, as it determines whether a firm can hire, expand, or simply weather a slow quarter. SoFi According to the Federal Reserve:Nearly 2 out of 5 (38%) small employer firms applied for a loan, line of credit, or merchant cash advance in the prior year.Owners most often sought funding to cover operating expenses (56%) or to pursue expansion (46%).Approval gaps persist, and just 42% of applicants received all the financing they requested, while 36% got some and 22% received none.The share turning to online fintech lenders climbed from 17% in 2020 to 29% in 2025.SoFi’s research underscores how uneven access can be. Only 18% of women business owners used a business or SBA loan to launch, relying instead on personal savings. Among Hispanic-owned businesses, 40% report needing a second job to make ends meet.Banking and Cash Flow StatisticsDay-to-day small business stats reveal where the strain of managing cash shows up. Rising costs of goods, services, and wages were the most common financial challenge owners reported in the Federal Reserve’s 2026 survey, and more than 2 in 5 also cited higher tariff-related costs, with 77% reporting one or both.SoFi’s microbusiness research paints a similar picture, with 46% of owners naming rising costs as their toughest problems of the past year and 37% naming economic uncertainty. To stay afloat, many lean on personal resources, evidenced by the 40% of Hispanic business owners who say they work a second job to make ends meet.The encouraging counterpoint is resilience. Despite the numbers above, nearly 40% of microbusiness owners told SoFi they feel very positive about their future, and most respond to pressure by adjusting prices or hours rather than retreating.When revenue lags expenses, tools like working capital loans or a business line of credit can help owners cover expenses without stalling growth.Demographics of Small Business OwnersOne of the more striking small-business growth statistics is how steadily entrepreneurship keeps diversifying across the United States. SoFi Census Bureau data on business owners shows:Women own roughly 14.2 million businesses, about 39% of all U.S. businesses, while also accounting for 42.3% of nonemployer firms.Veteran-owned businesses totaled around 1.6 million of all U.S. businesses, and 261,000 of those have at least one paid employee.Hispanic and Latino entrepreneurs are among the fastest-growing groups, with SoFi’s research showing roughly 5 million businesses nationwide. One-third of those owners launched amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Support and funding challenges persist, though. In SoFi’s research, 68% of women business owners named networking and finding a mentor as their top challenge, more than twice as hard as securing funding.For owners weighing how to structure or fund a new venture, looking into the different types of business structures and small business grant applications are useful starting points.Mompreneurs and Business-Owning ParentsSome of the most striking small business success statistics come from parents who build companies around their families. In SoFi’s survey of business-owning mothers, 66% said creating generational wealth for their children was a major reason they launched. Nearly half (48%) expect their children to take over the business one day.The path is not always smooth. More than 60% of these owners said they felt judged for pursuing entrepreneurial goals while parenting.Yet many credit parenthood with sharpening the skills that running a business demands. Respondents said being a parent improved their problem-solving (60%), multitasking (51%), and resilience (46%).The takeaway is that for many parents, entrepreneurship is less a trade-off with family life than an extension of it, offering flexibility, autonomy, and a legacy to pass on.AI and Technology Adoption Among Small BusinessesFew small business statistics have moved as fast as AI adoption. According to SoFi data, 75% of small businesses reported using at least one AI tool, citing efficiency gains alongside security concerns.Federal Reserve data shows how that adoption translates into daily work. Among employer firms, 46% currently use AI, most often for writing or marketing (83%), individual productivity (61%), and planning or analysis (51%). The payoff is concrete, with 71% of AI users reporting increased productivity and 31% pointing to higher sales. SoFi Concerns temper the enthusiasm. Owners cite accuracy and the effort of adapting tools to their needs as leading obstacles, and data privacy remains top of mind.For owners deciding where AI fits into their own business, grounding the decision in business fundamentals can help differentiate practical use cases from hype.Small Business Sentiment and Economic ConditionsThe broadest statistics about small businesses capture mood as much as money. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index stood at 95.9 in April 2026, below its 52-year average of 98 for a second straight month.Specific worries dominate. Labor quality was owners’ single most important problem at 18%, followed by taxes and inflation, and 34% reported job openings they could not fill. Expectations have cooled, too, with the Federal Reserve noting that owners’ outlook for future revenue and employment growth fell to its lowest level since 2020.More than a Statistic: What Small Business Owners Mean for the Future of AmericaTaken together, these small business statistics describe an economy still powered by its smallest players. Formation remains strong despite uncertainty, owners continue to adapt through technology adoption and operational efficiency, and millions of new applications each year are a sign of continued confidence in the idea of building something independent.The challenges are just as clear: Capital access, cash flow, and long-term planning remain the levers that separate businesses that merely survive from those that grow. Owners who benchmark their numbers against national data and line up funding before they need it are in a good spot for what comes next.Small businesses are the employers, innovators, and community anchors that shape local economies across the country. Behind every statistic in this piece is an owner making decisions about how to grow, hire, and stay resilient.Disclaimer: Figures reflect the most recent releases available as of June 2026; survey vintages vary by dataset.This story was produced by SoFi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	In one of many maternity deserts across the US, a midwife offers prenatal care In one of many maternity deserts across the US, a midwife offers prenatal careBetween her two young toddlers, her work as a seaweed farmer on Humboldt County’s coast, and a third baby on the way, Leslie Booher doesn’t have a lot of spare time.But her prenatal appointments with her midwife, Laura Doyle, give Booher the opportunity to really focus on the pregnancy.“For me, feeling more informed and curious makes you feel much more empowered in your body,” she told KQED and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.Unlike the typical 10- to 15-minute OB check-up, Booher and Doyle spent a full hour together in early March, chatting on a comfortable sofa at Moonstone Midwives Birth Center in Eureka, California. The cozy room where they met has kids’ toys in one corner, calm pastel-colored paintings on the wall, and feels more like a friend’s living room than a clinic.Doyle listened to the baby’s heartbeat, took Booher’s blood pressure, and reviewed her blood test results. The midwife also asked about Booher’s stress levels, whether she’s exercising, and if she’s getting enough time to herself.“In prenatal care, what I am learning the most is who this person is,” Doyle said. “Yes, I look at blood work. Yes, I’m feeling babies and their growth. More importantly, I’m like: ‘Who are you? What are the relationships like in your life? Are you supported? Are you fearful?’”She continued: “Every little story I get out of somebody is like telling me so much about how they are, and often, how their birth will be.”Across California, and across the U.S., there are now fewer places in which to give birth. Hospitals — facing rising costs, staff shortages, and falling birth rates — are closing maternity wards.Rural parts of the state are especially impacted: Many women in these regions must travel for hours in labor to give birth, which can cause serious complications for moms and babies, including a higher risk of preterm births, C-sections, and infant deaths. In California, the maternal mortality rate is higher in rural communities than in urban areas.In Humboldt and other northwestern parts of the state, two hospitals have closed their labor and delivery units in the past five years, leaving the entire county with just one hospital in which to give birth, Providence St. Joseph in Eureka.“People are coming from a couple hours [away] to have their babies,” Doyle said. “We only have one hospital that is doing deliveries for hours in every direction. It’s super stressful.”Abundant research has shown that midwifery care is associated with better outcomes in many cases. As medically trained healthcare professionals, midwives offer a different kind of care that can help fill some of these gaps in care. They can place IVs, do sutures, and give antibiotics — but they don’t administer epidurals or perform C-sections.“Doing unmedicated birth means we’re relying on preventative care, so good nutrition, really good sleep, low stress, and getting these babies in an optimal position,” Doyle said. “Unfortunately, standard medical practice doesn’t have time for that.”And they offer women longer prenatal appointments, birth care outside a hospital setting for appropriate patients, and regular postpartum check-ups — a crucial time, because most pregnancy-related deaths occur in the postpartum period.But the vast majority of people may not be able to afford midwifery care. Midwives are not covered by most insurers, and incredibly low reimbursement rates mean that most midwives also can’t accept low-income clients on Medi-Cal. Holly Smith, a midwife and colead of Midwifery Access California, estimated that Medi-Cal reimburses around $3,000 per birth.“Midwives across the state have told us that the minimum they need is $7,000-$8,000 per birth, in order to sustain their practice,” said Smith, adding that the actual cost is around $14,000-$15,000.Doyle has found a way to serve low-income families in Humboldt, where the median household income is about 60% of the state median.“I always say, we’re all working hard to be poor,” Doyle said. “The stress is real for most people in this community.”After a year of meetings, Doyle was able to negotiate a better deal with the local Medi-Cal payer in Humboldt, Partnership HealthPlan. This makes her birth center one of the very few in California able to accept low-income families. Around 75% of current Moonstone clients are on Medi-Cal.“It’s so frustrating to know that you can only have this if you can afford it,” said Doyle. “That is just wrong. Everybody should have access to good midwifery care. It’s really been the motivator of my career: people should be empowered in their birth experience, no matter who they are.”Moonstone is located opposite Humboldt’s last remaining labor and delivery ward, at Providence St. Joseph, so that if a birthing person wants an epidural, needs surgery, or the baby has to go to the NICU, the transfer is quick and easy.“We’ve always been able to reach out to doctors and consult with them,” Doyle said of the hospital staff. “We’ve built that rapport; they trust us, and we trust them.”Community midwives, meaning those who don’t work in a hospital, attend around 1% of births in California — but research has shown that more birthing people are interested in this kind of care.Some women seek midwifery care because they’ve had a difficult experience in the hospital. Claire Henderson gave birth at Mad River Community Hospital nearby in Arcata, before it closed its maternity ward in 2024.“They had three birthing rooms, and at that time I think nine babies were being born, or were just born, so there was no room for me,” Henderson said. “But I was in full labor, so they stuck me in this little exam room we called a ‘closet,’ and that’s where I had my baby.”Henderson said she felt unheard by the hospital staff, who kept offering her medicine she didn’t want. Even though her baby was born healthy, she felt overwhelmed — so when she got pregnant a second time, she knew she wanted a midwife instead.“I believe in hospital births, but I knew I wanted a natural, physiological birth,” she said, “uninterrupted as much as possible, and to have everything calm down.”At Moonstone, Henderson gave birth in a birth suite with the lights dimmed low. “I was very present in my body and brain. The midwives checked the baby here and there, but I wasn’t on continuous monitoring — they left us alone a lot of the time. I was laughing in between contractions. It felt so natural.”Even so, Henderson said, “Birth is really hard. It was still one of the most intense pains of my life. But I didn’t need anything for [it]. I just needed to feel secure and safe — and that was my team and the environment.”Doyle said she gave birth to her first baby at home in a very remote area, supported by midwives.“The most impactful thing was their patience, and [the way they] really listened to me,” she said.Doyle trained as a midwife herself, and after many years of attending home births, she opened Moonstone with co-owner Calista Young in 2014. It’s still the county’s only birth center.“I think we have a really unique culture in Humboldt,” she said. “I always call it the ‘707 culture.’ It’s like a different way of being, and a lot of it was driven by the outlaw culture of marijuana growing.”Doyle believes that mindset has influenced birthing people’s approach to their healthcare.“A lot of these women are like, ‘No, I’m not doing that. I’m declining this, I’m declining that,” she said. “‘I want to do it this way.’”On a typical day at the birth center, pregnant women will come in for their check-ups or group prenatal classes, while new moms can join postpartum support groups. Moonstone has two birth suites which resemble hotel rooms: comfy queen beds and large tubs for water birth.Occasionally, a mom will drop by with her newborn and a box of cookies or muffins for the midwives, as a little token of thanks. Doyle has lost count of how many babies she’s delivered, but estimated she’s passed the 1,000 mark.“You can tell that’s what’s happened when I’m going through the grocery store,” she said, laughing, “because I see everybody and it’s hard to get anywhere, which is the sweet thing about being in a small town.”Co-published by the The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and KQED.This story was produced by The Economic Hardship Reporting Project and KQED, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: SHANE MONTGOMERY, 51, 5'10", 200 pounds. Wanted by IDOC 7th District High Risk Unit for probation violations and absconding supervision. LESTER TABOR, 45. Wanted [...]
	How much do your district’s teachers make? A breakdown of QC schools Both states are working to attract new teachers.
	Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine announces 2026-27 Board of Directors “We are grateful for this talented team of visionary leaders who provide strategic insight, multi disciplinary expertise, and dedication,” Foundation President Charla Schafer said.
	Using healthy boundaries to protect your mental health Using healthy boundaries to protect your mental healthOne of the biggest misconceptions about boundaries is the idea that they should shape other people’s behavior. For example, let’s say you have a family member who’s a night owl. They tend to call you after you’ve already gone to bed. But since you have to wake up early for work, you silence your phone and ignore their calls.In this case, the boundary is the choice you’re making for yourself: not getting on the phone after a certain hour. It’s a decision that prioritizes your well-being and honors your need for rest. The boundary here isn’t designed to keep your loved one from calling (although setting clear expectations is important, and it’d be OK to make that request).As Rula explores here, boundaries are the personal limits people set for themselves, not others. Depending on the situation, they can be fixed or flexible, and they can also evolve over time.Key TakeawaysBoundaries are the personal limits you set for yourself — not an attempt to control another person’s behavior.Healthy boundaries can help protect your overall well-being and improve your relationships.You can become better at setting boundaries by learning assertiveness, remembering that it’s OK to say “no,” improving your self-esteem, and seeking professional help if needed.Why boundaries matter for mental healthBoundaries can help protect your mental health in several ways. They do this by:Helping you feel safe and secure around others and in your environmentAllowing you to set and communicate expectations and limits in relationshipsHelping you be yourself instead of adapting to others’ wishesProtecting you from harm and helping ensure that your needs are metAt the same time, not having healthy boundaries can negatively affect your mental health in many settings. For example, research shows that a lack of boundaries at work can lead to:Reduced happinessEmotional exhaustionDifficulty maintaining a healthy lifestyleLimited ability to detach from workIncreased conflict in relationshipsTrouble focusing and maintaining productivityWhat different boundaries can look likeEveryone has different needs in relationships. Your boundaries might vary significantly from others’ and will likely change depending on the environment (i.e., at work, in relationships, for physical space, etc.). The following examples can help you brainstorm your personal boundaries so that you feel safe, secure, and respected in your relationships.Social boundaries: You get exhausted easily in social situations, so you limit the time you spend at in-person gatherings. This helps you truly enjoy the time you share with friends and loved ones.Work-life boundaries: You’re an hourly remote employee, and your shift ends at 5 p.m., so you promptly sign off at that time each day to have a clear separation between work and home life.Digital boundaries: Spending too much time scrolling on social media negatively impacts your self-image, so you’ve placed specific limits on your screen time.Physical boundaries: You get uncomfortable with close physical contact, especially with people you don’t know well. When someone tries to hug you, you take a step back and say, “Oh, I’m not much of a hugger,” and extend a hand instead.Emotional boundaries: One of your friends has been having a very rough year. Every time you talk to them, they’re in crisis mode, and you notice yourself feeling depleted after speaking with them. You let them know how these conversations are affecting you, reassure them that you care, and encourage them to seek professional help.Conflict boundaries: When your family starts talking about politics, it devolves into conflict quickly, so you let them know you’re not willing to discuss those issues and physically remove yourself from the conversation when tempers flare up.Dietary boundaries: You’ve recently committed to a plant-based diet for your health. During a potluck at work, your boss pressures you to eat the chicken casserole they prepared. You tell them you appreciate the offer but politely decline due to your dietary restrictions.Workload boundaries: A colleague asks you to complete several tasks that aren’t part of your job. You let them know that you’re at capacity and offer to help them delegate or reprioritize their existing workload. Setting and enforcing your boundariesIf you’ve ever had trouble setting boundaries, you’re not alone. Many of us didn’t grow up with healthy examples of boundary setting, and it can feel scary to think that we might let someone down or hurt their feelings.However, with the right approach, you can set boundaries that honor your commitments to yourself while also being kind and respectful to others. You can do this by:Knowing the difference between assertive and aggressive communication: Assertive communication sounds something like, “When you do X, I feel Y, so, in response, I will Z.” It’s not about insulting anyone or making demands. Assertive communication can help you clearly convey your expectations and what will happen if they aren’t respected.Remembering that “no” is a complete sentence: You have the right to say no to anyone any time you feel your boundaries are at risk. You also don’t owe anyone an explanation about why your boundaries exist.Improving your self-esteem: When you love and respect yourself, you’re more likely to safeguard your well-being with boundaries. To build your self-esteem, focus on being kind to yourself, setting small goals, and recognizing your achievements. Challenge negative thoughts, and remind yourself of your strengths.Asking for help when you need it: If you’re struggling with boundaries and it’s negatively affecting your mental health, relationships, or daily functioning, talking to a therapist can help.Clinician’s takeBrandy Chalmers, licensed professional counselor, says, “Setting healthy boundaries can help you protect your emotional well-being by allowing you to prioritize your needs, reduce stress, and build more balanced, respectful relationships.”This story was produced by Rula and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Back-to-school budgeting: 6 ways parents can keep costs under control Back-to-school budgeting: 6 ways parents can keep costs under controlBack-to-school season can bring a concentrated wave of expenses, including supplies, clothing, technology, transportation and activity fees. Deloitte's 2026 Back-to-School Survey found that parents plan to spend an average of $557 per K-12 student. Half of respondents said they plan to cut back on other expenses, including dining out and entertainment, to make room in their budgets.Below, CreditFresh provides simple tips to help families separate must-have school costs from optional purchases and spread spending across the weeks before classes begin.1. Small Savings Make a Big DifferenceWhether you keep a box or a bank account for loose change or spare dollars, don't minimize the value of small savings. Find a way to put money aside that works for you in a way that lets that money grow. The two most important steps are putting the money aside and not touching it for random purposes. These small steps can help you start saving toward an emergency fund or your financial goals.Consider setting aside a small amount each week in a dedicated school fund. Even modest contributions can help cover costs such as field trips, replacement supplies, activity fees or new shoes later in the year.2. Create a Budget for the Full School YearBack-to-school costs do not end after the first day of classes. In addition to supplies and clothing, parents may need to plan for school lunches, transportation, field trips, sports, extracurricular activities, technology, class photos and other fees that arise throughout the year.Start by listing the school-related expenses you already know about and estimating what each one may cost. Separate immediate purchases from expenses that are likely to come later, then decide how much you can reasonably set aside for each category.Review the budget throughout the school year and adjust it as new costs come up. A plan that accounts for the full year can help prevent smaller school expenses from becoming unexpected financial pressures.3. Stock up on Basics and Necessities During SalesStocking up on basics can be useful, especially for school supplies and other shelf-stable, back-to-school essentials that are likely to be needed later in the year. Compare prices and use a school list to avoid buying duplicates or items that may not be required. The savings can be significant depending on the item.The Deloitte survey found that 71% of parents surveyed would switch brands if their preferred brand was too expensive, while 60% plan to shop at more affordable retailers.Birthdays and holidays come every year. Buy the paper goods and decorations when they are on sale and put them away in a closet or drawer. It might be a financial stretch in the moment, but in the long term, you save money.4. Manage your Due DatesYou may be able to call credit card companies and utility companies and ask about changing your due dates. If you have too many bills coming due around the same time each month, contact the vendor and see what your options are. Spreading out your billing due dates can significantly ease your monthly financial stress.5. Be More Thoughtful about Spending on Non-Essential ItemsMany people are surprised by how well they do and how much they save during a no-buy challenge. It is not about depriving yourself of a necessity but encouraging you to be more intentional about spending money.Maybe you set a dollar and time limit — for example, anything over $50 requires sleeping on it before making a decision. Anything other than necessities requires discussion, and you can figure out what might work for you and your family to bring down spending on non-essential items. This can help you stay mindful and focused on what really matters.6. Buy-Nothing and Free-Cycle GroupsLook into local buy-nothing and free-cycle groups. They are an online resource for items, typically household items, that have a longer lifespan than one user. Whether these are kids' toys, furniture, clothing, books, sports equipment, or the boxes these things came in, people are getting rid of items they no longer need that are typically in good condition or better.Local buy-nothing groups, parent groups and community exchanges can be useful places to find backpacks, uniforms, books, calculators, musical instruments and sports equipment.These groups are also a good way to get rid of your own excess stuff. Often, these groups have brand-new items.Review Your School Budget Throughout the YearA school budget should change as the year progresses. After the first few weeks, compare what you actually spent with what you planned. Review which categories cost more than expected and set aside room for upcoming expenses such as field trips, winter clothing, sports registration and year-end activities.There are many different ways to learn about budgeting for parents:Check online for financial tips.Talk to your friends to find out how they budget.Find a money mentor. This can be a friend, a relative, or part of a community group.Check if your public library has resources and programming. Some libraries offer free financial programs with professional speakers.Check whether your local community has classes on budgets and personal money management. These classes are usually inexpensive and can be well worth the cost.Disclaimer: Information in this article, including references to third parties, is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement or individualized financial or legal advice.This story was produced by CreditFresh and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Woman who fired gun at Davenport police enters guilty pleas to weapons, drug charges A woman who fired a gun at police investigating a domestic disturbance at her home and then was wounded by return fire has pleaded guilty to several weapons charges.
	MercyOne Genesis, Davenport, on emergency power due to outage MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center, 1227 E. Rusholme Street, is currently operating on emergency power because of a temporary power outage. The hospital is coordinating with MidAmerican Energy to resolve this issue. MercyOne will continue to provide all care. The hospital will send out a news release once it has been reconnected to MidAmerican Energy.
	What you need to know to stay safe during power outage? Over 20,000 Quad Cities residents are without power after high winds; here are essential Red Cross safety tips to protect your food and home.
	Grief counseling in the workplace: What HR should have ready Grief counseling in the workplace: What HR should have readyGrief counseling in the workplace matters because grief does not arrive at work as a neat, visible event. It shows up as:The employee who was once responsive and now goes quiet for days.The manager who keeps rescheduling one-on-ones because every conversation feels too heavy.The high performer whose deadlines start slipping after a loss nobody on the team fully understands.The employee who is physically back at work after bereavement leave, but still carrying the fog, exhaustion, and isolation that grief can bring.For HR leaders, grief creates both a human need and an organizational risk. When employees do not have timely support, grief can affect focus, attendance, communication, engagement, and performance, Spring Health reports. It can also overlap with deeper mental health challenges that are harder to see until they begin showing up in workforce data.Key takeawaysGrief is a workforce mental health issue, not just a short-term leave event.Spring Health research found that employees who selected grief as a top mental health challenge were twice as likely to also report depression or mood-related concerns, 2.2 times as likely to report isolation or disconnection at work, and 1.7 times as likely to be experiencing burnout.Grief can affect focus, energy, connection, communication, attendance, and performance, even when it is not visible to a manager.HR leaders should have clear policies, manager guidance, flexible return-to-work options, and mental health support in place before an employee experiences loss.What the data says about grief and other mental health needsSpring Health’s 2026 Workplace Mental Health Annual Report revealed how connected grief is to other workplace mental health concerns. Employees who selected grief as a top mental health challenge in the past year were:2 times as likely to also report depression or mood-related concerns.2.2 times as likely to report isolation or disconnection at work.1.7 times as likely to be experiencing employee burnout.Grief may begin with a death, a miscarriage, a divorce, a health diagnosis, a pet loss, or another life change, but it rarely stays contained to the moment of loss. It can change how employees relate to their work, their managers, their colleagues, and themselves.Bereavement leave helps employees step away when loss is immediate. A stronger grief support strategy helps them continue getting care after they return. That means clear policies, trained managers, flexible return-to-work options, and a mental health benefit that can connect employees to the right support when grief changes what they need.What does grief look like at work?Grief at work can look like lower focus, withdrawal, missed deadlines, emotional swings, exhaustion, or a sudden change in how someone communicates. It can also look like nothing at all, because many employees try to keep functioning while privately carrying a major loss.Common signs include difficulty concentrating, low energy, withdrawal, irritability, tearfulness, missed work, changes in performance, or increased anxiety. These signs do not prove someone is grieving, and managers should not diagnose. They should notice changes, check in with care, and connect the employee to available support.What is disenfranchised grief?Some grief is visible and socially recognized. Some is not. Disenfranchised grief describes grief that is minimized, dismissed, or not openly acknowledged by others. In the workplace, this can happen after losses that do not fit a traditional bereavement policy, including pregnancy loss, estrangement, the loss of a former partner, or pet loss.Pet loss grief counseling is a good example of where an employee’s needs and workplace policy can be misaligned. For many people, a pet is part of the family. If an employee loses that relationship and feels embarrassed to acknowledge the loss at work, they may be less likely to ask for support.Can grief affect performance?Yes. Grief can affect attention, memory, motivation, sleep, and emotional regulation. It can also increase workplace isolation and mental health concerns when employees feel their loss is invisible or misunderstood. Performance conversations should make room for support before moving straight to correction.Why is bereavement leave alone not enough?Bereavement leave is important, but it often covers the first few days after a loss. Grief can continue for months or years. Employees may also need schedule flexibility, workload adjustments, manager check-ins, peer support, and access to therapy, coaching, or other mental health resources.What employees need when they are grievingEmployees need support that is timely, flexible, and respectful of how personal grief can be. They may not know what they need right away, so HR should make the path simple before the moment arrives.At a minimum, grieving employees need:Time away from work without having to over-explain.Flexibility as they handle practical responsibilities.A manager who checks in without prying.Clear guidance on leave, accommodations, and benefits.Confidential access to mental health care.Support that recognizes different kinds of loss.Grief support should also account for cultural, religious, family, and personal differences. Some employees may need time for rituals or travel. Some may want privacy. Some may want colleagues to acknowledge the loss. Some may be grieving something their workplace does not usually name.This is where manager training matters. Many managers want to be kind, but they worry about saying the wrong thing. Mental health training for managers can help them respond with care, stay within their role, and connect employees to resources.What HR leaders should have in place before grief happensHR leaders should have a grief support system that combines policy, manager guidance, and fast access to mental health care. Waiting until a loss happens forces the employee, manager, and HR team to improvise during an already painful moment.A strong workplace grief support plan includes five parts.A bereavement policy with room for different kinds of loss. Define what leave is available, how employees request it, and where managers have flexibility. Consider how the policy handles pregnancy loss, chosen family, close friends, and other losses that may not fit narrow family definitions.A manager playbook for grief conversations. Give managers simple language for check-ins, guidance on what not to say, and clear instructions for when to involve HR. The playbook should remind managers that their role is support and connection, not diagnosis.Flexible return-to-work options. Employees may benefit from reduced hours, remote work, lighter meeting loads, adjusted deadlines, or temporary workload changes. For some employees, grief may also intersect with mental health leave or accommodations.Confidential mental health support with fast access. Grieving employees should not have to search through provider directories, make repeated calls, or wait weeks for care. They need a simple path to therapy, coaching, medication management when clinically appropriate, and other support matched to their needs.A culture that validates grief without forcing disclosure. Employees should know that grief does not have to be hidden to be respected. This is especially important for disenfranchised grief, including pet loss, fertility loss, estrangement, or the end of a relationship.FAQWhat is grief counseling in the workplace?Grief counseling in the workplace is confidential mental health support that helps employees process loss while staying connected to care, work, and daily life. It may include therapy, coaching, or other services, depending on the employee’s needs and the benefits their employer offers.Should employers offer pet loss grief counseling?Employers do not need a separate benefit for every kind of loss, but they should make mental health support broad enough to include pet loss grief counseling when an employee needs it. The most helpful approach is a confidential, flexible mental health benefit that lets employees seek support without proving their grief is “serious enough.”How can HR leaders support grieving employees without overstepping?HR leaders can support grieving employees by offering clear leave options, flexibility, manager guidance, and confidential mental health resources. They should avoid asking employees to share personal details they do not want to disclose. Support works best when employees can choose what they need.What should managers do when grief affects performance?Managers should start with care and curiosity before performance correction. They can name the change they have noticed, ask what support would help, and connect the employee to HR or mental health resources. If performance expectations need to shift, document the plan clearly and revisit it regularly.This story was produced by Spring Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	ChatGPT ads aren't just for big brands anymore: What small businesses should know ChatGPT ads aren't just for big brands anymore: What small businesses should knowFor most of the year, ChatGPT Ads have only really made sense for massive companies with large budgets. They could run the ads and learn the ins and outs of the platform, but there was almost no way to know if any of it actually led to conversions. The ads may have gotten a click, but that was about the extent of what advertisers could see. Bigger brands didn't mind much because they were just paying to get in early, not necessarily to see a financial return off the bat.For this reason, it was difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to make a case for spending advertising budget on this channel. But as of July 2026, a more robust infrastructure is in place, making it a much easier sell to decision makers, Floodlight reports.TL;DR: In July 2026, ChatGPT Ads rolled out a new update that includes better targeting, real conversion tracking, and more flexible daily budgets. Thanks to these new updates, small and mid-sized businesses finally have a reason to join the platform instead of writing it off as “too new to trust.”What Changed in the ChatGPT Ads Update?The focal point of the update is the addition of conversion-optimized cost-per-click bidding (oCPC). Advertisers now have the ability to set a goal, and the platform leans toward showing ads to people likely to actually convert, while still billing per click. More of that process will now be handled automatically.Another main perk of this update is that daily budgets are changing to an average daily budget model over a rolling seven-day period. This gives campaigns a bit more room to vary spend around demand instead of hitting a specific daily ceiling. The advertisers who are already running Meta or Google Ads will recognize this format immediately.Product ads also picked up pricing and star ratings directly in the unit, which is a minor change, but a very useful one. SearchEngineLand reported that the Ads API now handles asynchronous bulk creation and updates across campaigns, ad groups, and ads. This isn’t a feature that moves the needle for smaller businesses running a handful of ads, but it’s a huge step forward for agencies and large advertisers running high volumes of campaigns at once.Why Better Attribution MattersBusiness owners don’t want to commit significant ad budget without some proof that it's doing something.As platforms collected more data, they got smarter. ChatGPT Ads has only been running as an ad platform since early 2026, so it's been working with a much thinner dataset than platforms like Google and Meta. This update begins to close that gap a bit more.While this update doesn’t launch flashy new ad types, it helps propel the platform forward on the technical side. It may not look different at face value, but these new features make ChatGPT Ads easier to compare against Google and Meta since they now have better targeting, better tracking, and campaigns that don't take nearly as much manual work to manage.In layman’s terms, this update means that a business running a campaign can really start to see which conversations, clicks, and interactions actually turned into leads or purchases. Whereas before, businesses were relying on impressions and just hoping for the best. Having actual data moves ChatGPT Ad budget from ‘a test’ to a real media investment.How Do The New Tracking Tools Work in ChatGPT Ads?Two new integrations, AppsFlyer and Adjust, let app-based businesses track installs and in-app activity the same way they'd track it on any other ad channel.On the website side of things, OpenAI shared that Automatic Advanced Matching will now use hashed customer data to improve conversion attribution information (this can be enabled directly under Tools > Conversions > Data Source inside the Ads Manager). Let’s say someone browses on a phone during lunch, but makes the purchase later on their laptop. It’s now possible to track this conversion in ChatGPT Ads.While this is all a great starting point, it’s important to keep in mind that the platform currently only measures click-through attribution. Although advertisers can customize the length of that attribution window to fit their sales cycle, view-through attribution (meaning crediting a conversion to someone who saw an ad but didn't click it) isn't supported on the platform just yet. This is crucial for businesses running top-of-funnel (TOFU) and awareness campaigns because some conversion credit won't show up in reporting. Hopefully, this capability is on the horizon for ChatGPT Ads.Should SMBs Start Testing ChatGPT Ads Now?These new updates finally give advertisers a way to focus on actual sales and leads generated instead of just clicks alone. Finally having the ability to bid toward real customers and accurately track where they came from is how to convert a small marketing test into a permanent line item in the marketing budget. Overall, these tracking tools give ChatGPT Ads a much stronger case to businesses, because the last thing they want to do is pay for ads they can't prove are working.Businesses considering the channel should treat it the way they'd treat any new platform:Start with a modest budget (as low as $10 per day can be a great starting point for certain industries).Confirm tracking is set up correctly through Advanced Matching and the app integrations.Set a click-through attribution window that matches how long the sales cycle actually takes.Account for the fact that view-through activity won't yet show up in the numbers.While these updates are a great stepping stone in the right direction, ChatGPT Ads only launched several months ago and is still a much newer entrant compared to giants like Google and Meta. Its conversion-tracking infrastructure is still being built out, so businesses that pair it with a broader media strategy will likely see more reliable results than those running it alone.This story was produced by Floodlight and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Report: 82% of new small businesses have insurance, but many SMBs remain at risk Report: 82% of new small businesses have insurance, but many SMBs remain at riskSmall businesses founded in the past year are more likely to have insurance than those that have been operating longer, according to a new survey of small business owners by ERGO NEXT.Today’s entrepreneurs are thinking about protection earlier, but buying insurance and being adequately protected aren’t always the same thing.The survey also found that many entrepreneurs still struggle to determine what coverage they need, leaving critical risks exposed.This report explores why underinsurance persists even as more businesses are getting insured — and what that says about the changing nature of small-business risk.Below, learn more about what the report means for small businesses and the potential risks they face when they don’t have the right protection.Key findingsThe survey of 501 small business owners reveals:Eighty-two percent of small businesses in their first year of operation have insurance, compared with 67% in their first two to five years of operation.Seventy-three percent of small businesses have no insurance or less coverage than they need.Twenty-five percent of small businesses don’t have insurance.Sixty-four percent of small businesses with coverage are underinsured.Fifty percent of small businesses without insurance say it’s too expensive, and 20% say it’s too confusing.New entrepreneurs are prioritizing protection earlierWhen is the best time to buy business insurance? The data suggests that many entrepreneurs invest in protecting their business early.Among businesses in their first year, 82% report having business insurance, compared with 67% of businesses that have been operating one to five years. ERGO NEXT The higher insurance adoption rate among newer entrepreneurs may reflect a combination of economic realities and changing business habits.The last 12 months have brought economic uncertainty and an expanding range of business risks, especially cyber threats, that make insurance a more pressing consideration from day one.At the same time, digital-first business tools have made purchasing insurance easier than ever. Entrepreneurs who are accustomed to opening bank accounts, running payroll and managing finances online can now research, compare and purchase insurance through similar digital channels.But while it’s encouraging that more small business owners are prioritizing insurance, significant protection gaps remain.73% of all small businesses are underinsuredA business is considered underinsured when its coverage doesn’t adequately protect against the most significant risks it faces.Coverage gaps can leave business owners financially responsible for unexpected costs after liability claims, property damage, cyber attacks or other types of disruptions.The data highlights just how common these coverage gaps have become. A quarter of small businesses (25%) don’t have business insurance, and nearly two-thirds of those who do (64%) say they’re not covered for all major risks. Of these, 14% aren’t sure what their policy covers.So overall, 73% of all small businesses either have no insurance or less coverage than they ideally need.At a time when 33% of entrepreneurs worry about their business closing on a weekly basis, having the right coverage in place can provide peace of mind for small business owners when challenges arise. Digital tools and online options make access easier than ever.Why are most small businesses underinsured?The findings point to three factors driving underinsurance among small business owners:Compliance requirementsCost pressureUncertainty about coverage needsIt’s likely these reasons are interlinked: Entrepreneurs unsure of what insurance they truly need may default to buying the minimums required by law. ERGO NEXT It also makes sense that compliance and cost go hand in hand. More than a third of small business owners (37%) say maintaining steady cash flow is a top source of stress.When resources are limited, coverage beyond the minimum required can be difficult to prioritize alongside expenses that directly support day-to-day operations and business growth.Eighty-four percent of small business owners say they have prioritized other expenses over business insurance in the past six months.So what are they spending on instead? Most are investing in activities directly tied to business growth and operations, such as inventory and equipment (38%) and marketing efforts (36%). ERGO NEXT When coverage isn’t required, and resources are limited, many entrepreneurs feel forced to make difficult decisions about which risks they can afford to address.Insurance confusion can lead to coverage gapsCost and legal requirements aren’t the whole picture. For many entrepreneurs, understanding what coverage they need and whether they already have it can be a challenge in itself.Nearly a third of small business owners who are underinsured (32%) say it’s too confusing to identify and address coverage gaps, while 27% say it’s too hard to compare providers. Twenty-two percent say it’s too time-consuming. ERGO NEXT The survey results point to a common challenge for growing businesses: Risk exposure evolves, but insurance coverage doesn’t always keep pace.Despite that reality, only 37% of small business owners strongly agree that they regularly review and update their coverage as their company grows. As a result, policies that fit at launch may no longer align with the business’s current risks.”Businesses evolve constantly, but insurance coverage doesn’t automatically keep pace, says Phil Natoli, vice president and chief actuary at ERGO NEXT. ”As companies add employees, adopt new technologies or expand into new markets, their risk exposure changes. Reviewing coverage regularly is one of the simplest ways to make sure protection keeps up with the business.”MethodologyERGO NEXT Insurance surveyed 501 U.S. small business owners, founders and sole proprietors about their business risk profiles. The respondent pool consisted of 250 entrepreneurs in their first year of business and 251 entrepreneurs in their first two to five years of business. The survey was conducted April 29-May 12, 2026.Frequently asked questions about small business insuranceWhat percentage of small businesses are underinsured?A 2026 ERGO NEXT survey found that 73% of small businesses are underinsured, and 64% of insured small businesses are not covered for all major risks they face.Why are small businesses underinsured?The most common reasons include concerns around insurance costs, lack of legal requirements, difficulty identifying coverage gaps and confusion about what policies are needed to protect the business.Why don't some small businesses have insurance?ERGO NEXT found that among businesses without insurance, 54% say coverage is not legally required, and 50% say it costs too much. Other business owners report uncertainty about what coverage is needed.How often should a small business owner review insurance coverage?Insurance coverage should be reviewed any time a business experiences meaningful growth, adds employees, purchases equipment or expands operations. Regular reviews can help prevent coverage gaps from developing over time.Are recent startups more likely to have business insurance?Yes. ERGO NEXT found that 82% of businesses in their first year have insurance coverage, compared with 67% of businesses that have been operating for one to five years.This story was produced by ERGO NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	MidAmerican assessing after storms knock out power to thousands As of 9 a.m., service to nearly 26,000 customers was impacted by the storm.
	Severe weather leaves more 24K without power The First Alert Weather team is tracking severe storms on Wednesday.
	Inflation eases in July as gasoline and grocery prices fall Consumer prices in July were up 3.4% from a year ago — a smaller annual increase than in May or June. The news makes it less likely the Fed will feel the need to raise interest rates in September.
	Sleep is important, so why do so few people get help for sleep problems? Sleep is important, so why do so few people get help for sleep problems?Sleep has entered health conversations with the same seriousness given to diet and exercise, yet concern about rest often ends before a healthcare visit begins. Even so, a 2026 Resmed survey of 30,000 people found that 53% ranked sleep as the most important behavior for a long and healthy life.Such strong awareness should make ongoing sleep problems harder to dismiss, but the same survey found that only 23% of respondents had sought professional help. This low rate of professional consultation reflects what Sleeping.com has observed: Many people live with sleep problems for years without receiving a diagnosis. This is particularly true for people with sleep apnea—one of the most common sleep disorders.Other sleep disorders can also go untreated when rest and recovery keep falling behind work or family demands. With poor sleep repeatedly pushed aside, many people wait until exhaustion begins interfering with daily life before asking a healthcare provider for help.Sleep Has Become a Mainstream Wellness TopicHealth trends compete for attention every year, but sleep has become part of everyday conversation through watches, phone apps, and wellness media. And much of that attention comes from technology that gives people a nightly score and keeps restfulness visible after morning begins.An American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey found that 48% of U.S. adults had used a sleep tracker, up from 35% during 2023. AASM spokesperson Shalini Paruthi said these devices help people see that sleep quality deserves the same attention given to nutrition and exercise.Her comment reflects how sleep has become a primary factor in health decisions, with some people changing their routines after reviewing their data. Even so, increased attention to sleep does not always help individuals recognize when poor rest has become a chronic issue in their daily lives.Why So Many People Normalize Poor SleepSleep often becomes the first sacrifice when work runs late or family demands take over the evening. Harvard sleep researchers note that many people treat rest as a luxury, believing extra waking hours offer more value than time spent asleep.However, that belief makes exhaustion easier to excuse the next morning, especially when a busy schedule appears to be the obvious cause. While sleeping in on Saturday may offer brief relief, fatigue often returns as soon as the workweek begins.Sleep experts also warn that loud snoring and poor concentration are frequently blamed on stress or age, allowing them to continue unaddressed. After months or years of the same routine, waking up tired can begin to feel ordinary, even when the poor sleep behind it has never been explained.The Cost of Ignoring Sleep ProblemsIgnoring ongoing sleep problems carries a cost that often manifests long before the cause is recognized. The CDC notes that staying awake for 17 hours impairs performance about as much as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%, making focus and reaction times noticeably slower during everyday tasks.Stanford Medicine's Dr. Andrea Goldstein-Piekarski says sleep and mood are closely connected, helping explain why chronic sleep disruption so often overlaps with anxiety and depression.The American Academy of Sleep Medicine also links sleep deprivation to high blood pressure, heart disease, and lasting changes in brain function as the years pass.And all of those individual effects add up across the workforce, with WorldHealth.net reporting that poor sleep costs the U.S. economy an estimated $428 billion to $867 billion in lost productivity each year.The Barriers Preventing People From Seeking HelpRecognizing a possible sleep problem still leaves many people unsure of how to proceed. A 2025 American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey found that 45% of adults had never discussed sleep with a healthcare professional, meaning many concerns never lead to a clinical referral.Part of that silence stems from brief primary care visits, where more immediate complaints often fill the appointment before sleep is ever mentioned. Even if a patient raises the issue, the next step may feel daunting, especially if they expect an evaluation to require an expensive overnight stay in a sleep laboratory.For many people, getting evaluated and treated for a sleep disorder is not a straightforward process. Access to care can be limited, particularly in communities with few sleep specialists. Sleep epidemiologist Dayna Johnson has reported that some patients face wait times of several months before they can even be seen by a provider.Even after receiving a diagnosis, additional hurdles can delay treatment. Insurance coverage and reimbursement requirements often vary by health plan, sometimes requiring separate claim forms, receipts, or prescriptions. Misconceptions about treatment can also discourage people from moving forward. While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines for sleep apnea are still widely associated with being loud and uncomfortable, modern devices are designed to operate quietly and automatically adjust air pressure throughout the night. Together, these logistical and perception-based barriers can make it harder for people to access the care they need.How Sleep Medicine Has EvolvedSleep care begins very differently for many patients now than a generation ago. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine now recognizes home sleep apnea testing as an option for certain adults with symptoms, allowing their breathing to be recorded from their own bed under medical guidance.AASM President Dr. Ilene Rosen has called home sleep testing a valuable part of the evaluation process, while emphasizing that a board-certified sleep physician should interpret results within the context of a patient's overall health. This clinical approach has also become easier to access through telehealth, allowing consultations and follow-up visits to occur remotely rather than requiring a trip to a specialist.Remote appointments may shorten the path from early concerns to a professional evaluation, especially where local sleep services are limited. And the experience itself has changed alongside that progress, with smaller machines and quieter operation replacing much of the bulk associated with earlier generations of equipment.Even primary care has started bringing sleep questions into routine visits, helping some patients enter the evaluation process before symptoms linger for years. Together, these changes have made the first step toward reliable answers easier to understand and begin.Awareness Is Only the First StepSleep may not guarantee perfect health, but Harvard sleep experts say it gives cells and tissues time to recover from daily wear, while supporting repair throughout the body.Growing medical attention to those functions is bringing sleep closer to routine preventive care, where clinicians look for problems before they become harder to manage. And public health researchers are also pressing for earlier conversations about ongoing sleep concerns, since many disorders remain undiagnosed for years.Wider screening during regular medical visits could help more patients reach an evaluation before poor rest begins, directing how they work or feel each day. And that earlier conversation often begins with specific symptoms, including persistent loud snoring or daytime sleepiness that continues without a clear reason.Bringing those symptoms to a healthcare provider may help explain why the hours after waking feel harder than they should, from the energy needed to begin the day to the focus required to get through it.This story was produced by Sleeping.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	America's love for pets is fueling creative naming America's love for pets is fueling creative namingPet ownership has increased significantly in the U.S. over the past 30 years, with data from the American Veterinary Medical Association showing a 45% rise. The combined population of domestic cats and dogs now tops 163 million.Many pet owners invest deeply in their animals—not just financially, but emotionally. The evidence is in the data: creative, elaborate pet names signal how some Americans view their animal companions, not as accessories but as family members. For pet insurance companies, retailers, groomers, and veterinary services, this presents a market opportunity: passionate pet owners likely to expect premium experiences and willing to pay for them. Understanding what drives these naming choices—whether humor, cultural references, or status signaling—provides businesses insight into customer psychology and the emotional drivers that shape the multi-billion-dollar pet care industry.Analysis carried out by Spot Pet Insurance, a provider of pet insurance plans for dogs and cats, evaluated active policies nationwide by pulling the ten longest pet names by character count across every U.S. state and Washington, D.C. — creating a focused dataset of 510 names. This analysis reveals two key findings: Pet owners are picking extraordinarily long pet names and pop culture-inspired choices.A Preference for Long, Elaborate NamesPeople who are into creative naming of their pets and take the path of picking a title that’s as long as possible tend to do so for humorous reasons. The more words, letters and honorifics included, the sillier the juxtaposition between the haughtiness of the name and the cuteness of the creature. The longest names typically include prefixes and suffixes, as evidenced by the overall winner, Queen Beatrice Lenore of Westchester, aka Beaty Bop, which totals 50 characters and belongs to a dog living in the state of Virginia.That top-ranked name for length is up for debate, however, because Beaty Bop’s full name technically contains the name and a pseudonym. The second-placed name, with 49 characters, doesn’t trip over this technicality. Marshmallow Papi Jabarkus Barkabious Barcelona Ra, a dog from Georgia, is not only extravagantly long but also avoids the trap of including an honorific. It’s pure creative naming, with unbridled expression of the pet parent’s personality, as much as the animal’s.Third place is shared by The Duchess Jasmine Katya Bergamot of House Moss, a cat from Washington, D.C., and Chairman peewee briefcase dumptruckpotatobottom, a dog from California. Within this 510-name dataset of state-by-state record holders, the shortest entry to qualify among a state's top ten longest names was Deathclaw vom Crescent, belonging to a dog in Arkansas. At 22 characters, it represents the lower boundary of the dataset's longest names while remaining significantly more creative than traditional names like Fido or Max.Giving Pets the Royal TreatmentRoyal and aristocratic titles, calling a pet Queen or Duke, conveys importance and reflects how deeply Americans value their animals.Virginia is the place with the highest proportion of pets with royal titles. Sixty percent of the names in the list of the longest in that state had some form of high-ranking honorific, including Lord, Lady, Duchess, and the simply chivalric Sir. Meanwhile, in Arkansas, the largest proportion of the pet population has an alias, with all three of the longest names from the state including an “aka.”It’s worth noting that these names come from official insurance policy documentation. Pet parents not only use them at home but also in formal contexts—showing how deeply they identify with their creative choices.Geographic Patterns in Pop Culture Pet NamesLonger pet names that go beyond basic options don't always originate with pet parents. Names either directly taken from or heavily inspired by pop culture references are commonly found in the insurance data, with over 451 examples identified. The most common single source of inspiration is George Lucas’ space opera classic “Star Wars,” with furry alien Chewbacca from the original trilogy being listed as a name on 67 policies. Obi-Wan featured in some capacity in 30 pet names, while Princess Leia came close behind at 28.The most notable non-“Star Wars” point of inspiration comes from DC Comics, with Harley Quinn appearing 34 times across policies nationwide. The erratic yet lovable personality of this antihero may be something that connects well with certain pets.Interestingly, within this 451-name pop-culture dataset, clear geographic concentration emerged. Zero pop-culture or celebrity names appeared in the sample entries for Washington, D.C., Montana, and Oklahoma. Conversely, California, Florida, and Texas represented the primary hotbeds for celebrity-inspired naming, with California’s ties to entertainment culture potentially driving higher adoption of pop-culture names.Pet Naming Trends as a Window Into Customer Spending BehaviorThe country’s animal obsession will continue playing out in rising pet ownership levels and the reflection of people’s passion for their pets in the creative names they choose for them. This will result in more households having to budget for the additional costs that come from looking after a pet, from daily food to vet bills. The fact that people are choosing to give their pets long, involved, culturally relevant and human-like names suggests that they’re equally willing to foot any bills and treat them as true members of the family.MethodologyPrimary Longest-Name Dataset: Spot Pet Insurance analyzed active policy records nationwide, extracting the ten longest pet names by character count across all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. (510 total entries).Secondary Pop-Culture Dataset: A separate sample of 451 active policies featuring celebrity-, character-, and pun-inspired pet names was evaluated to track geographic distribution and pop-culture trends.Evaluation Metrics: Names were evaluated based on total character count (including formal titles, prefixes, suffixes, and pseudonyms) and categorized by regional origin and thematic elements.This story was produced by Spot Pet Insurance and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Silvis seeks $800,000 in federal funding for 1st Avenue $8-million water main project Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorenson (IL-17th) is seeking $803,000 in federal Community Project Funding to support critical water infrastructure improvements along the Silvis 1st Avenue corridor.
	Storm brings power outages to QCA This morning’s storm has led to multiple power outages in the Quad Cities. MidAmerican Energy’s Outage Map says there are 27,218 customers currently without power. The Iowa Quad Cities has 11,783 customers without power and the Illinois side has 13,034 customers without power. A power outage led to the Rock Island-Milan School District canceling classes [...]
	Greetings from a surreal expanse of sand dunes dotted with freshwater lagoons in Brazil The pristine white sand dunes of the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park are bordered by thick jungle on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Thousands of lagoons fill up after the rainy season.
	Power out at 3 RIMSD schools There are no classes today for students at three schools in the Rock Island-Milan School District. A notification from the district says there is no power at Rock Island Academy, Frances Willard Elementary and Rock Island High School. “Scholars at these schools are excused from attendance today,” the notification said. The district will provide updates [...]
	1 in 3 older adults feel lonely. Here's how pickleball may be helping 1 in 3 older adults feel lonely. Here's how pickleball may be helpingPickleball has become America's fastest-growing sport, drawing millions of new players over the past few years, with a particularly devoted following among older adults. It’s also the subject of “The Dink,” the new Apple TV+ comedy about a sidelined tennis pro who trades his racquet for a paddle and finds himself taken in by a group of older players. Writer Sean Clements said the film grew out of his own experience getting "adopted by a whole crew of older women" at pickleball mixers.That detail points to something bigger about the sport: Pickleball is as much about the people you meet on the court as the game itself. With about 1 in 3 adults ages 50 to 80 reporting loneliness, the connection it offers may be part of why it’s so good for well-being later in life.LifeStance Health explains how a backyard game became a national obsession, and what the research says it may be doing for mental health.How pickleball became America's fastest-growing sportPickleball was invented in 1965 by two neighbors on Bainbridge Island, Washington, using random sports equipment to entertain their children. While the children eventually moved on, the adults kept playing. For decades, it remained an under-the-radar favorite, passed along by friends, neighbors and word of mouth.When the pandemic hit, many people went looking for something they could do outdoors, and pickleball found its moment. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), participation grew from 4.2 million players in 2020 to more than 24 million in 2025, making it the fastest-growing sport in the country for five years running.But perhaps pickleball stuck because of what came with it: a standing game, a rotating cast of partners and easy conversation between points. What looks like a game may actually be community.5 ways pickleball supports well-being later in lifeMost people take up pickleball for the exercise, but a growing body of research suggests its biggest payoff may be mental, and the benefits may be strongest later in life.1. It helps fight loneliness.In a 2025 national survey of 825 U.S. adults over the age of 50, published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, those who had never played pickleball were about 1.5 times as likely as current players to report feeling lonely. Pickleball players, both current and former, also reported more social connections than those who never played. Part of it may be the court itself: At roughly 30% the size of a tennis court, it keeps players close enough to talk and laugh throughout a match.2. The more you play, the better you tend to feel.A 2025 study of 1,667 players in Frontiers in Psychology found a dose-response relationship between pickleball and mental well-being. Those who played three or more times a week, and for longer sessions, reported higher well-being scores. The effect was strongest among older adults, particularly those ages 63 to 77. A 2023 systematic review came to similar conclusions, associating pickleball with improvements in life satisfaction along with lower stress and symptoms of depression.3. It keeps the mind engaged.Pickleball asks a lot of the brain at once: tracking the ball, reading opponents and adjusting shots quickly. Researchers call this kind of dynamic and reactive play open skill exercise, and a growing body of evidence suggests it may benefit the brain more than closed skill activities like running or swimming. While this research spans racquet sports broadly rather than pickleball specifically, it points to why a fast, strategic game may do more for the mind than a repetitive one.4. It can pull you into the moment.A 2026 study in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that adults 60 and older who played recreational doubles pickleball reported stronger flow states, or feelings of total concentration and losing track of time, than other activities. Pickleball may offer a welcome mental break from the day's worries.5. It offers routine and a sense of purpose.Beyond the numbers, a 2025 qualitative study in the Journal of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing found that older pickleball players described the sport as a source of autonomy, purpose and belonging, with many prioritizing community and connection over competition. A standing game gives the week a rhythm and something to look forward to, weaving movement and connection into everyday life rather than leaving them to chance. That kind of built-in structure can matter most in retirement, when the routines and relationships of work tend to fall away.Pickleball isn't a cure-all or a replacement for mental healthcare, but perhaps the game itself was never really the point. What seems to keep people coming back is each other, and that connection is worth showing up for.This story was published by LifeStance Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Wildfire misinformation is mutating online, thanks to AI slop Wildfire misinformation is mutating online, thanks to AI slopOntario is grappling with one of the worst wildfire seasons in recorded history, which has put thousands of people, especially those in the province’s north, at risk. Last month, two Indigenous communities — Namaygoosisagagun First Nation and Whitewater Lake First Nation — were burned to the ground. The scale of the crisis has made headlines around the world and prompted a blaze of posts on social media.But many of those posts contain misinformation, both AI-generated and hand-crafted: maps that purport to show Ontario wildfires labeled with communities that don’t exist; false information about air quality and evacuation alerts; captions with conspiracy theories about 15-minute cities and arson.Look closely, and you might see clues about what’s real and what isn’t. One viral AI-generated graphic purports to show the location of Ontario wildfires, but directs people to a nonexistent Ontario government website. Another claims 10,000 people in Alberta were under evacuation orders as of July 16 (not true), and includes a map where Jasper National Park appears to cover most of the province. One map puts Ontario on the west coast, Quebec over the southern United States and Alberta up around Alaska — and includes a made-up province called “Onjebio,” where the wildfire situation looks pretty bad.But often, it’s hard to tell fact from fiction. And it’s getting harder. In May, Statistics Canada reported 43% of Canadians find it more difficult to distinguish between facts and misinformation online, compared to three years ago. Those with less trust in news media reported even more difficulty.Each year, it seems, the onset of wildfire season in Canada is accompanied by the onset of wildfire misinformation season on social media. As AI-generated content becomes more ubiquitous — and often tougher to spot — across social media, it presents new challenges to Canadians looking for trustworthy information about unfolding crises across the country. Wildfires are getting worse because of climate change. But what’s driving the escalation of misinformation? Below, The Narwhal explores that question.SummaryThe 2026 wildfire season in Canada, which has been particularly severe in Ontario, has prompted significant interest on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.Many of these posts contain misinformation, including AI-generated maps with incorrect details on the locations or severity of fires across Canada, or conspiracy theories linking wildfires to lasers, 15-minute city initiatives or eco-terrorism.Many posts focus on mismanagement and place blame on Canadian governments, which complicates valid critiques of wildfire response and funding with destabilizing misinformation.2023 marked a shift in online wildfire misinformationGwen Roley, a digital verification journalist covering Canada for the international outlet Agence France-Presse, recently reported on some of the AI-generated maps spreading across social media platforms. “The labels on it were really wonky, and the symbols for the wildfires didn’t make sense,” she says. Roley has covered wildfire misinformation extensively, and there are certain trends that come up each year — eco-terrorists, directed energy weapons, also known as lasers — but this year’s maps struck her as a new trend.Roley has been debunking wildfire misinformation since 2023 — a “really superlative year, as we all remember,” she says. In addition to being the worst year for wildfires in Canada so far, there were also devastating fires in Hawaii. “These were almost like never-before-seen events, very scary events, where people are looking for explanations,” she says. In some parts of Canada, wildfires are familiar, even if the scale of recent years is not. But when wildfires rage in New Brunswick or the Northwest Territories or Hawaii, they may prompt more fear — and more speculation — than usual. When something that feels extraordinary happens, people are inclined to look for extraordinary explanations. Even back in 1954, residents of Bellingham, Washington, became convinced that hydrogen bomb tests or space rays were responsible for a sudden rash of damage to car windshields.Climate change denial, likewise, is not a new phenomenon. Chris Russill is an associate professor in the school of journalism and communication at Carleton University, where he’s also an academic director of Re.Climate, a center focused on public engagement and climate communication. He says denial or skepticism of climate science dates back decades.But he agrees 2023 was an inflection point for wildfire misinformation online. Some of that was because of what was happening in the real world, such as the impact of Canadian fires on American air quality.But many were linked to shifts happening on major social media platforms: “Elon Musk had just bought Twitter,” he recalls. The Canadian government had passed the Online News Act, an attempt to make foreign social platforms pay to share news. Instead, Russill remembers, “Meta was refusing to negotiate with journalists around the News Act and stripped out Canadian journalism” from its platforms Facebook and Instagram. It was also the first wildfire season since the widespread adoption of generative artificial intelligence; within two months of its release in November 2022, ChatGPT had more than 100 million monthly active users.That chain of events is definitely still reverberating today. Though Canadian news has been banned by Meta since 2023, a majority of Canadian users still don’t know that, according to a June 2026 report by the Media Ecosystem Observatory at McGill University. Of 1,518 Canadians surveyed for the report, only one in four Instagram users knew that news outlets in Canada could not publish on Meta platforms. Many people believe they’re seeing news on Facebook and Instagram when what they’re seeing is misinformation and conspiracy theories. And users searching Google for wildfire updates are shown AI-generated summaries, which launched in Canada in October 2024, and may contain inaccuracies. Over the August long weekend, a Narwhal editor looking for air quality information at a lake in the B.C. Interior was shown a summary that incorrectly stated the lake was closed — the information was pulled from social media posts about two different places that were closed.Russill also attributes the 2023 sea change to the post-pandemic atmosphere of suspicion. “There was a more adversarial, conspiratorial way that climate was being dragged into other culture-war type issues that were becoming more and more salient through the [COVID-19] period,” he says.This year, once again, Canadian wildfire smoke is impacting the United States, triggering posts from President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform and AI-generated graphics that distort the impact of smoke on Americans.Who benefits from wildfire misinformation on social media?As much as they complain about it, Russill says American politicians are also finding an opportunity in the effects of wildfire smoke on air quality.“The U.S. politicians, MAGA politicians, definitely have an interest in leveraging narratives — misinformation, conspiracies, false and misleading content — around wildfires to pursue a narrative they have about Canada as a bad neighbor, and leveraging that for trade and security,” he says. In a post on July 17, Trump threatened that the “cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.”Researchers call this “participatory disinformation,” in which political leaders and influencers seed disinformation across platforms, and it’s then amplified and reproduced by ordinary users, in this case shaping online narratives about extreme weather events. Disinformation is distinguished from misinformation by the intentions of the person sharing it. While people may unintentionally share misinformation, disinformation is false information shared on purpose.The McGill report on Canadian news notes, “When journalism loses visibility on social media, it is not replaced by nothing — it is replaced by content that serves a different function.” Conspiracy theories and images that distort the reality of wildfires get engagement, and a real crisis presents a fertile opportunity for content generation.Ad revenue from Google and other ad exchanges is another motivating factor, the Media Ecosystem Observatory also reported in June. It’s the push behind a coordinated, international network of Facebook accounts pushing “news slop” — AI-fabricated stories — onto Canadian users.It’s easy for everyday users to get caught up in spreading untruths, too. Across social media, engagement is currency, which may provide an incentive to use the most dramatic or striking images without checking or caring about accuracy. “You can find a real map that you can very easily take a screenshot of that is using real data,” Roley says. But the real maps aren’t as dramatic as the AI-generated ones, “where it looks like all of Ontario has been burnt to a crisp, or one of the videos I saw where it looks like the wildfires are visible from space.” And lingering on those images — even if you’re skeptical of them — rewards the algorithm.As Russill points out, it’s “faster, easier and cheaper than ever before to generate fake and misleading content with AI.” It’s also easy to see what does well with your audience, and react accordingly, he says. “Like, let’s make the smoke bigger. Let’s put a fleeing polar bear in there. Who knows, right?” Some people may be diehard believers in climate conspiracies, and others might be deliberately seeding disinformation, but some are almost certainly agnostic to the culture wars; they just want the engagement.Whether users want to gain followers or further a political agenda, Russill says, they have “almost nothing to lose.” While AI posts may be flagged and removed on some platforms, it’s easy to replace them. “In these moments like wildfire evacuations and emergencies, this surges forward because it’s a real high engagement opportunity,” he says.This happened in 2025, he adds, prompting the BC Wildfire Service to warn of AI-generated images circulating on social media. And it’s happening this year, too.From climate change denial to ‘mismanagement’: the narrative online has shiftedMisinformation typically downplays or denies the role of climate change in worsening wildfires, and displaces it onto other, implausible explanations. A few years ago, it was space lasers and 15-minute cities.But no part of the world’s media ecosystem is free of Trump’s influence, including reporting on wildfires. After the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, which killed 31 people, the president blamed mismanagement of California forests. Experts attributed the disaster to climate change, prolonged drought and southern California’s high winds, which spread the fire rapidly.“So the impacts people were seeing were a result of government mismanagement, not climate, not other types of things,” Russill says. The same argument is now being directed at Canada; in July, a Michigan senator posted on X, “Unless you want to become the 51st state, learn to manage your forests.” Such a task would be impossible in Canada, which has 369 million hectares of forest — covering more than a third of its landmass — 260 million of which is boreal forest in the sparsely populated north. Much of these forests have never been “managed,” but are experiencing more severe and frequent wildfires because the planet is getting hotter, a crisis that cannot be solved with rakes.In part, this is a problem of our own making. In 2023, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dodged a question about climate change and wildfire by pivoting to arsonists. And she’s not the only Canadian leader minimizing the severity of the climate crisis, while pushing more fossil fuel investments. “As politicians everywhere have gotten more quiet about climate, it becomes more difficult for people to understand why these situations are becoming much more unmanageable,” Russill says.The question of government responsibility is legitimate, he adds. There are valid criticisms of the Ontario government’s response to recent wildfires, or its habitual underfunding of emergency wildfire response. But in a news ecosystem rife with disinformation, it can be hard to balance valid criticism with simply undermining Canadian authorities. “It’s being leveraged as a frame in which to challenge and create distrust of authorities during these moments of crises in a more substantive way,” he says.Wildfire misinformation can bring real-world risk to Canadian firefighters — and everyone elseAI-generated images are annoying and are possibly being weaponized to destabilize democracy. What researchers don’t know yet is whether they are also putting individual lives at risk.“One of the things I would be curious to know is how it’s impacting people’s understanding of wildfires,” Roley says. “Like, is someone fleeing from their home because they saw this AI-generated map? I have no idea.”Wildfire agencies are now also spending precious time and resources combating misinformation or pushing back on AI-generated images — especially when it targets them. Russill says that degrades trust that is already wearing thin. “In B.C., you know, BC Wildfire is not trusted by every rural community that experiences wildfire, so they already have that issue to deal with.” The effect of untruths and conspiracy theories on public trust is just one of the mental health stresses faced by frontline firefighters.Russill adds people might also be overly reliant on AI overviews to check for news on evacuation orders, park access or campfire guidelines. “But I think more likely it’s inducing a sort of widespread cynicism or distrust or confidence in people.”Online misinformation is a problem without a simple solution. Providing facts is important, but there is a depressingly robust body of research suggesting they’re not enough to change people’s minds or strongly-held beliefs.“Certainly around moments of crisis like this, [providing fact checks] can introduce friction into the ways people are engaging with content,” Russill says. “Maybe they share a little less. Maybe they reset and ground-truth on something that’s happening, as opposed to letting their feelings start to overwhelm them.”Wildfires are still at their worst during hot, dry seasons; misinformation can burn all year long. At least for now, you can still limit your exposure to one of those risks by closing an app.This story was produced by The Narwhal and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	LIVE BLOG: Severe weather Wednesday The First Alert Weather team is tracking severe storms on Wednesday.
	His wedding guests gave $6k to fund a health startup. Now it's won a $3 million prize Dr. Raj Panjabi founded Last Mile Health to bring healthcare to people living in remote areas. The group is the 2026 recipient of the Conrad H. Hilton Humanitarian Prize.
	What are unsettled funds? What are unsettled funds?Before online trading platforms were available, owning a stock meant possessing a physical stock certificate, and it took several days to complete a trade. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) created settlement periods to allow time for buyers and sellers to physically exchange their respective halves of the trade.While it no longer takes days to transfer money, settlement periods are still a factor in securities trading, creating the concept of unsettled funds, Ally Financial reports.What are unsettled funds?The proceeds created by selling a security are considered unsettled funds from the time you place a trade order until the end of the settlement period, when the sale is considered completed. As of May 28, 2024, stocks have a one-business-day (T+1) settlement period, so proceeds generated by selling stock in a cash account are considered unsettled for one business day following the trade date.What are settled funds?After the settlement period has ended, the proceeds from the sale become settled funds. Similarly, cash you deposit or wire into your brokerage account to use for trading is considered settled. Let's look at an example: Ally Financial What is a settlement period?A settlement period is from the date the trade is executed on the market to the date on which the trade is finalized — a one-business-day period (T+1). By the end of the settlement period, a buyer must have paid for the trade completely and the seller must have delivered the security.For example, if a stock is sold on Monday, the trade is settled on Tuesday. ETFs and option trades follow the same rules as stocks and have a T+1 settlement period.Can you buy other securities with unsettled funds?While your funds remain unsettled until the completion of the settlement period, you can use the proceeds from a sale immediately to make another purchase in a cash account, as long as the proceeds do not result from a day trade.Depending on your brokerage, the cash you can use to buy securities may be referred to as your “cash buying power" or “cash available to trade." It combines settled cash and unsettled proceeds.If you purchase a security in a cash account with either insufficient funds or unsettled funds, you must hold that security until either you pay for it fully with a new deposit, or the settlement date of the trade that generated the funds for the purchase.When you use unsettled sale proceeds to purchase another security, you agree in good faith to hold the new purchase until the funds from the original sale settle.Can you withdraw unsettled funds?While you can use unsettled funds to make another purchase in a cash account, you typically cannot withdraw unsettled funds. Only when they are fully processed and settled can you withdraw the funds.What are the settlement violations?If you trade using unsettled funds in good faith, you should be aware of these potential settlement violations:Cash liquidation violation: Occurs when you don't have sufficient cash to cover the cost of a trade.Freeride violation: Occurs when you purchase a security in a cash account with insufficient funds and sell the same security before paying for it in full by the settlement date.Good faith violation: While unsettled funds may be used to purchase a security in good faith, you cannot sell any part of the newly purchased security before the funds have settled.Can you sell a stock before the settlement date?The key is knowing if you bought the stock using settled or unsettled cash. If you bought it using settled cash, you can sell it at any time. But if you buy a stock with unsettled funds, selling it before the funds used to purchase have settled is a violation of Regulation T (aka a good faith violation). If you commit a violation, you'll be penalized with a 90-day restriction on your account.Settle down and trade onWhile stock trades don't require the in-person cash handoff they did in the past, settlement periods still remain. Understanding unsettled funds and how you can and cannot use them will help you keep your trades in-line.This story was produced by Ally Financial and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	‘I’m not giving up so easily’: After 4 months in detention, an asylum fight begins ‘I’m not giving up so easily’: After 4 months in detention, an asylum fight beginsAndrea Pedro-Francisco feels like part of her is still trapped in a nightmare — back in the crowded, windowless cell block of the Texas detention center she left weeks ago.“My mind is halfway here, thinking ‘Yes, I’m back,’ but the other half feels like I’m still there,” said Pedro-Francisco, a migrant from Guatemala who was among thousands of people detained during the winter immigration crackdown in Minnesota.Her account, reported by the Minnesota Reformer, provides a rare glimpse into the Trump administration’s deportation machine, which as of July holds more than 65,000 people in detention, about 70% of whom have no criminal convictions.Few whose fate remains in limbo have shared their stories publicly, fearing reprisals from the federal government against themselves or their family. Others who vanished overnight from their communities have remained invisible to the outside world.Pedro-Francisco’s experience was particularly hellish because she was dealing with a potentially life-threatening ovarian cyst while in custody, an ailment that drew the attention of members of Congress, who ultimately got her a temporary reprieve from deportation in June.The likelihood that Pedro-Francisco would ever return to her family in Minnesota was vanishingly small. Immigrants without legal status seldom get out of detention under the Trump administration — unless to be deported.Chained up in TexasPedro-Francisco, 24, has a slight frame and long black hair. Speaking to the Reformer in Spanish from her second-floor apartment in Burnsville, her soft voice was at times drowned out by the lawn mower running outside.She sat still on the sofa with her hands folded in her lap — moving still causes her pain. Her loose black pants barely hid a heavy ankle monitor.Pedro-Francisco arrived in the United States in 2019 when she was 16 years old, presenting herself at the border with her mother to seek asylum. They traveled from Guatemala’s Western Highlands, a region long marked by poverty and violence against Indigenous people like them; Spanish is their second language after their native Mayan language.They made their way to Minnesota with virtually nothing and took on significant debt throughout the journey, but quickly built a new life. They found jobs cleaning houses, moved into a small apartment in the suburbs and joined a church, where Pedro-Francisco sang in the choir and played the bass guitar. Her mother had two more children, a boy and a girl, in the United States.When thousands of federal immigration agents arrived in Minnesota this winter, they tried to keep a low profile. But they couldn’t afford not to work.On Feb. 5, at the height of Operation Metro Surge, Pedro-Francisco and her mother were stopped by immigration agents on their way to a job. The agents released her mother after she pleaded with them to let her return to her 5- and 1-year-old children who have no one else to care for them.Pedro-Francisco, who at the time was scheduled to have surgery for the cyst in less than a week, was taken to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, and then put on a plane to El Paso, Texas — before a lawyer could challenge her detention.She was taken to Camp East Montana, a troubled tent prison at Fort Bliss where the federal government once held Japanese Americans detained during World War II. Paul Ratje for The Texas Tribune It’s now a well-worn path for immigrants arrested in Minnesota. More than 2,300 of the roughly 3,500 people detained in Minnesota during three months of Operation Metro Surge were sent to Camp East Montana. Most were eventually deported, according to a Reformer analysis of data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement obtained by the Deportation Data Project.The detention center, the country’s largest, has been beset by reports of inhumane conditions since being hastily constructed last year to hold upward of 5,000 people in five massive tents.Pedro-Francisco was kept in a room with about 60 people except for about an hour a day, when they were chained together and taken outside.“They chain us up as if we had committed a very serious crime,” Pedro-Francisco said in an interview with the Reformer while in detention in March. “They treat us like animals.”Medical emergencies pervade ICE detentionWithin days of Pedro-Francisco’s arrival, there was an outbreak of tuberculosis and COVID-19. Later that month came an outbreak of measles that led the facility to close to visitors and attorneys for weeks.Detention is no place for the sick. Pedro-Francisco said she lost around 15 pounds because the food was inedible. The roof leaked when it rained. She froze at night under a thin blanket while lying on a hard mattress.Within a couple of days she was taken to a hospital, where a doctor confirmed the cyst, yet declined to operate. While her doctor in Minnesota had prescribed opioids for the pain, Pedro-Francisco said she received only Tylenol and ibuprofen in ICE custody.As the weeks passed and Pedro-Francisco grew sicker, her family and attorneys worried her life could be at risk. Large ovarian cysts can rupture, leading to deadly infections, or twist, cutting off blood supply to the ovary and causing infertility.More than 50 immigrant detainees have died in federal custody since the beginning of Trump’s second term — a fifth of them suicides — according to an investigation by the Associated Press.One of Pedro-Francisco’s attorneys, Asra Syed — who was connected to her through the informal network of volunteer lawyers that sprang up during Operation Metro Surge — reached out to members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, seeking help.Craig, pictured below, put in inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security, hoping to leverage her position to secure medical treatment, but she said she was ignored. Nicole Neri // Minnesota Reformer Instead of medical care, ICE offered Pedro-Francisco another solution: self-deportation. Every two or three days, she said, ICE officials entered their room to ask people to sign forms agreeing to voluntary removal.Immigration attorneys and human rights advocates say ICE is intentionally making living conditions unbearable and withholding treatment to coerce people to voluntarily leave.The American Civil Liberties Union and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a federal lawsuit against ICE in May alleging that the conditions inside Camp East Montana amount to “unconstitutional punishment” with widespread medical neglect, physical and sexual abuse by officers, inadequate food and lack of access to attorneys.ICE spokesperson Leticia Zamarripa, in response to requests for comment on Pedro-Francisco’s treatment, shared a statement boasting of the agency’s “comprehensive medical care.”“This is the best health care that many individuals have received in their lives,” the statement said, a claim belied by Pedro-Francisco’s story as well as the government’s own assessments.Pedro-Francisco was moved to the El Paso Processing Center in March, a low-slung tan stone building next to the airport. No one explained why she was moved, though she said it seemed like the sickest detainees were held there. The conditions were only marginally better.Faith in freedomDuring the months Pedro-Francisco spent locked up, she often turned to the Bible, finding her faith growing that God would help her.She turned to Psalm 91:15, in which God promises protection to the faithful: “When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”She read and reread Acts 12, which tells of an angel freeing the disciple Peter from prison, throwing off his chains and leading him past the guards and iron gates.Suddenly, Pedro-Francisco herself was freed.It came weeks after her lawyers and advocates had exhausted seemingly every available avenue to free her.A federal judge in Texas rejected Pedro-Francisco’s habeas corpus petition challenging the legality of her detention without bond. ICE rejected her request for humanitarian parole so she could receive surgery.U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, who had seen news coverage of Pedro-Francisco’s case, first reported by the Reformer, called a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security. About a week later, on June 3, Pedro-Francisco was called for a meeting after dinner, and a detention official told her that they were letting her go. She thought he was joking.“It was such a huge surprise,” Pedro-Francisco said. “I can’t even explain how I felt that day because I thought there was no hope — I’d been turned down so many times.”When she got back to the housing unit, no one else could believe that she was being released that very day, not even the guard.ICE strapped a monitor to her ankle and dropped her off at a shelter for migrants, Annunciation House, which has become a waypoint for immigrants arrested in Minnesota who are allowed to return home. Nicole Neri // Minnesota Reformer She spent two nights in the shelter and then flew back to Minnesota with a ticket paid for by a donor — four months to the day after she was arrested.Home for nowPedro-Francisco underwent surgery to remove the cyst within days of returning to Minnesota.During the operation, doctors found another mass they believe was caused by endometriosis — a condition in which uterine-like tissue grows outside the uterus, causing pelvic pain, sometimes leading to serious health complications.She said she’s feeling better since the surgery, but still has pain and struggles to sit up for long periods. She hasn’t been able to pick up her bass guitar to play again.Doctors want to wait to see how the condition progresses before deciding if another surgery is necessary.By then, Pedro-Francisco could be in Guatemala.Her asylum case has been transferred from Texas to Minnesota, and it’s unclear how soon an immigration judge will decide whether to grant her asylum, said her attorney Ruby Powers.She faces the possibility — the likelihood, really — of deportation as she pleads for asylum before an increasingly restrictive immigration court system.Unlike regular federal courts, immigration courts are part of the executive branch, and the Trump administration has reshaped them to pursue its goal of mass deportation.Just 0.2% of asylum claims were granted in Minnesota in the first two months of the year, down from 13% in early 2024 before Trump took office, according to a Minnesota Star Tribune analysis of data from Mobile Pathways.Pedro-Francisco has been coming to terms with the prospect of being sent back to Guatemala — to the place where she says she no longer has a home. And yet, she’s keeping the faith that sustained her through detention.“In my heart I’ve always felt like I still have to fight,” Pedro-Francisco said. “Come what may — good or bad — I accept it, but I’m not giving up so easily.”She remains connected to the El Paso Processing Center through a woman she became close to there, who was also detained in Minnesota.Pedro-Francisco talks to her on the phone and sends some money, though she has little to spare.The donations that poured in for immigrants in Minnesota during the surge have largely dried up even as ICE ramps up its deportation goals.“The people (in detention), it’s like they’re part of me now, because I know the situation now — I’ve gone through the same thing,” Pedro-Francisco said. “I’m here, but I’m always thinking about them.”Madison McVan contributed translation.This story was produced by Minnesota Reformer and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	UPDATE: Over 20,000 in Quad-Cities without power, weather warnings and school delays issued The Quad-Cities region is experiencing power outages affecting more than 20,000 MidAmerican customers due to severe thunderstorms Wednesday morning.
	The latest on Tuesday's derecho The Storm Prediction Center confirmed that the damaging winds that started early in the morning over northern Iowa was a derecho. More severe weather is possible today. Here's your full 7-day forecast.

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