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

Friday, May 1st, 2026
	The Venice Biennale jury resigns amid tensions over awards ban, Russian participation The international jury of the Venice Biennale resigned Thursday amid tensions over Russia's participation and the panel's decision to bar prizes for countries accused of crimes against humanity.
	Zelenskyy says he's seeking details of Putin's May 9 ceasefire proposal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking details of a short-term ceasefire Russia proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump.
	Senate committee passes bill to protect prescription info for trans, abortion patients A bill to strengthen privacy protections for transgender and abortion patients passed a Senate committee Wednesday in a 9-4 partisan vote.
Thursday, April 30th, 2026
	Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds reflects on legacy, work during stop in Davenport Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds reflected on her legacy and the challenges and accomplishments of her tenure as governor.
	High school sports: April 30th Watch highlights from Riverdale vs Rockridge softball, Sterling vs United Township softball, and Bettendorf vs Pewaukee girls soccer.
	Rockridge defeats Riverdale 10-0, Rockets pitcher breaks school record Rockridge baseball defeated Riverdale 10-0 in six innings. Rockets pitcher Carsen Dekeyrel broke the school record for career strikeouts with 224.
	Pleasant Valley runner balances record-breaking relay with national science competition Dillon Krause ran on the Pleasant Valley boys 4x400 relay team that set a school record at the Drake Relays while preparing for a national science competition.
	Reynolds touts tax cuts, recalls disasters in final months as Iowa governor Reynolds was joined on stage by several members of the state’s Republican Party, and there was a tribute video from others who couldn’t make the trip to Davenport.
	'History Rocks' school assembly stops at Hayes Elementary The event includes speeches and games with questions about the American Revolution. Some are concerned about the conservative groups behind the event.
	St. Croix Hospice opens new location in Moline The facility has a 15-person staff and is available to serve patients on nights, weekends and holidays.
	Work on 3 Mississippi River bridges to begin May 1 All work is expected to be done by the end of July.
	Farm Bill passes in the House: Local legislators and farmers react The new Farm Bill is nearing completing the process to become law. It would be the first time since 2018 that a farm bill was signed into law. Typically, the bill is renewed every five years. This one is three years overdue, but an end is in sight. The bill passed in the U.S. House [...]
	IMEG, Rock Island, adds national director role IMEG has announced the addition of a new leadership role within its infrastructure group—further strengthening the firm’s ability to serve clients across transportation, water resources, utilities, and public works, according to a news release. Effective May 5, A. J. Loss will join IMEG as national director of infrastructure, based in the firm’s Rock Island office. [...]
	Hayes Elementary hosts "History Rocks!" and the U.S. Department of Education The U.S. Department of Education's "History Rocks!" civic tour visited Hayes Elementary in Davenport on Thursday, though it also drew some protestors.
	Viola Boyz Backroad Speedway, Viola, will feature go-kart races Viola Boyz Backroad Speedway, 686 240th St., Viola, Illinois will host week 2 in its 2026 point racing series of racing action. Hot laps will begin at 6 p.m., with racing at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for general admission, $20 for a pit pass, and $30 for driver entry. All drivers, teams, and spectators [...]
	Pancheros Mexican Grill, Burlington reopens after extensive remodel Pancheros Mexican Grill, has announced its third completed remodel in Iowa this year, this time in Burlington, according to a news release. Officially reopening to the public on Friday, the Burlington location at 1035 Lawrence Drive will boast an extensive remodel, including the addition of second-make line for online orders and streamlined operations, back-of-house updates, [...]
	Eddy the River Otter is new mascot for Iowa community college EICC officials say the River Otters give students across Clinton, Muscatine and Scott community colleges one name to rally behind.
	Turtle at Nahant Marsh, Davenport, continues recovery after surgery Her surgery was successful, she continues to improve, and now Oneida - an ornate box turtle at Nahant Marsh, Davenport - has had a bath. An update on the turtle is part of a news letter sent to Nahant Marsh supporters, "Oneida the ornate box turtle is doing well as we enter the month of [...]
	Iowa State poll: Only 22% of Iowa farmers use ag drones, but adoption expected to grow One Iowa State University Extension expert said that as farm drones gain popularity, they have the opportunity to get more non-farmers interested in agriculture.
	Body of man missing since April 13 found in Rock River near Sterling Police said London Thomas jumped into the river on Monday, April 13, in an alleged attempt to evade police. He had been missing ever since.
	Eugene Field Elementary School breaks ground on major addition A new 10,000 square foot addition will include five classrooms, a music room, a special education space and more.
	The Heart of the Story: Fossil fanatic Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. Anderson Taylor is a young man who's a [...]
	Common Chord announces first-floor move, summer concert series returns June 5 Common Chord will relocate from the second floor to a newly renovated, ground‑level space in the Redstone Building by late summer 2026, to improve accessibility, visibility and community flow. The Live at 5 summer kickoff party is happening June 5.
	Trump gives the go-ahead for a major new Canada-U.S. oil pipeline More state and federal approvals are needed for the 3-foot-wide Bridger Pipeline Expansion, which would stretch from the Canadian border with Montana down through eastern Montana and Wyoming, where it would link up with another pipeline.
	Illinois bill to help protect medical privacy A federal push to ban gender-affirming care has Illinois lawmakers considering changes to a state drug monitoring program. Senate Bill 4834 would remove estrogen, testosterone and other hormone medication from the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program. The bill would also purge the state's records of anyone who accesses any of the medication. Supporters say they're concerned [...]
	Artist Thomas Dambo reveals hidden fourth giant troll in Clinton In an exclusive interview with News 8, the man behind Clinton's giant new trolls talks about why they break his mold and what it took to bring all four to life.
	New precast concrete manufacturing facility set to open in DeWitt Iconic Precast is expected to create 25 full-time jobs.
	Couple more frosty mornings coming up this week We have more chilly nights ahead this week in the Quad Cities. Temps drop into the middle and upper 30s and that could lead the way to more frost in the Quad Cities area. This is possible Friday and Saturday morning. This isn't too out of the ordinary though. On average, we have our last [...]
	Death Notice: Dennis Johns A funeral service for Dennis A. "Coach" Johns, 90, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 14, at First Presbyterian Church, Davenport. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Buffalo. Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements. Mr. Johns died Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in League City, Texas. Online condolences may be made at www.WeertsFH.com. A full obituary will appear in the May 6 edition of The NSP.
	Pedestrian killed after being hit by train in Galesburg Several railroad crossings were closed while officials responded to the scene.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges unveil first districtwide mascot Eastern Iowa Community Colleges unveiled the River Otters as its first districtwide mascot April 30, uniting its three campuses under one identity.
	The Illinois DOT wants your feedback on reconstruction of the Illinois 84 and 92 corridor in Silvis A public meeting on the project will be held at The Bend Event Center in East Moline on Tuesday, May 12, from 1-6 p.m.
	EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Meet the artist behind Clinton's new giant trolls World-renowned artist Thomas Dambo builds massive wooden trolls all over the globe. Now, there are four of them in Clinton, Iowa.
	After ambulance loss, West Liberty Fire faces gaps in emergency response The West Liberty Fire Department lost one of its ambulances, leaving it with just one to cover a service area of over 100 miles.
	Trains halted at multiple Galesburg crossings after train-pedestrian collision According to Galesburg police, crossings affected include North Whitesboro, Chambers and Lincoln Streets.
	Illinois DOT holding open house regarding Centennial Bridge corridor project The open house will take place on Wednesday, May 20, at the Holiday Inn Rock Island - Quad Cities.
	New Iowa State study finds 22% of Iowa farmers use drones Of the farmers using drones for agricultural work, the majority hire other drone providers. Only about 26% of farmers using drones actually own one.
	Ben McCollum breaks down historic postseason run for Hawkeyes After leading Iowa the men’s basketball program to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987, momentum is quickly building for Ben McCollum’s Hawkeyes.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted by Rock Island police Brandon Kutzman, 44, is wanted by the Rock Island Police Department on a warrant for possession of a stolen vehicle.
	Woman stole $30K from multiple credit unions with fake IDs, officials say A woman stole $30,000 from credit unions in Moline, Milan and Bettendorf using fake IDs, officials said.
	Crime Stoppers of the QC to host golf outing Crime Stoppers of the QC is hosting a golf outing on May 18.
	A sneak peek into May With April wrapping up, May is now on our doorstep to bring in the signs of warmer weather and getting closer to the Summer season. Average temperatures range from 69-79 from the start to end of the month with the warmest ever being 104 degrees in 1934. The most rain we ever had was close [...]
	Make a positive impact at Friends of Long View Park's spring clean-up You can make a positive impact in our community and help beautify a beloved Quad-City park. Todd Linscott joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Friends of Long View Park's spring clean-up day. For more information, click here.
	House passes Farm Bill 224-200 mostly along partisan lines; Quad City area representatives explain their votes Farmers may soon see certainty with programs after the House voted to pass the 2026 Farm Bill, mostly along party lines, with moderate rural Democrats' support clearing the chamber in a vote of 224-200.
	Dixon man missing since April 13 found dead in Rock River near Sterling Police said London Thomas jumped into the river on Monday, April 13, in an alleged attempt to evade police. He had been missing ever since.
	211 service now available in all 102 Illinois counties The service through the state Department of Human Services provides resources to residents seeking assistance.
	Public invited to give input on U.S. 67 corridor project The meeting will be from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Rock Island-Quad Cities at 226 17th St.
	How monovision can fix the need for reading glasses Monovision can work using contacts, Lasik, or lens replacement for cataracts.
	Aledo seeks parade entries for America’s 250th anniversary celebration The City of Aledo will host a multiday celebration for America’s 250th anniversary, including a July 3 parade, July 4 festivities and a July 8 reading.
	Davenport man pleads guilty to 2 federal firearm charges Alexander Jessop pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful transport of firearms.
	Man sentenced for stealing vehicle, striking deputy James Barlett, 37, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to a 2024 incident.
	Learn about Centennial Bridge corridor project at public meeting May 20 The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Iowa Department of Transportation are hosting a public meeting for the U.S. 67 (Centennial Bridge) corridor project on Wednesday, May 20 from 3 – 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Rock Island-Quad Cities, 226 17th St., Rock Island. There will be no formal presentation, and the public is [...]
	Trains halted at multiple Galesburg crossings after train-pedestrian collision According to Galesburg police, crossings affected include North Whitesboro, Chambers and Lincoln Streets.
	Agentic AI and compliance: How autonomous agents are redrawing software risk boundaries Agentic AI and compliance: How autonomous agents are redrawing software risk boundariesFor decades, compliance in financial services has been a fundamentally human-led endeavor. Even as automation, as a result of technological advances, accelerated — whether via rules engines, robotic process automation, or machine learning — the final judgments around onboarding, monitoring, and reporting stayed with compliance teams.This balance is beginning to shift. A new class of systems known as agentic artificial intelligence is emerging across fintech and SaaS markets. Unlike more traditional automation or even generative AI copilots, agentic AI systems are designed to autonomously plan, execute, and adapt multistep workflows in pursuit of defined objectives.In compliance environments, this means AI agents can independently conduct customer onboarding checks, monitor transactions, escalate risks, and even draft regulatory documentation. All this can occur with limited human interaction.While human sign-off is almost always required, industry research and pilot programs are beginning to indicate that this shift could fundamentally change how compliance teams operate. Anrok took a deep dive into the data and research from leading sources, including FinRegLab, Amazon Web Services, Forbes, Salesforce, and more, to help SaaS and fintech leaders navigate this transition. From deploying agentic AI safely to proving control, explainability, and auditability, don’t leave any unknowns around for when regulators come knocking.Understanding agentic AI in a compliance contextAgentic AI is often discussed alongside generative AI, but the distinction between the two matters, especially in regulated environments. Generative AI systems, such as large language models, primarily respond to user prompts. They’re adept at generating text, summaries, or recommendations, but they don’t independently decide when or how to act. Agentic AI, on the other hand, is goal-oriented.When such an agent receives an objective, such as “complete customer onboarding while adhering to Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering rules,” it will determine the sequence of actions required. The model can pull data from multiple systems, evaluate outcomes, adjust approach in real time, and continue operating until the objective is either met or manually overridden.In terms of compliance, this autonomy is exactly what makes agentic AI both powerful and risky. As outlined by the nonprofit innovation center FinRegLab, an organization that tests new technologies to inform public policy, agentic systems can:Initiate and complete compliance workflows without constant supervisionDynamically adapt to new data or risk signalsCoordinate across tools such as transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and document verificationThis represents a unique change in traditional automation. Rule-based systems follow static logic, but even advanced machine learning models typically operate within narrow tasks such as flagging suspicious transactions. Agentic AI can stitch those capabilities together into an end-to-end decision-making loop.Multiple industry analyses, such as the write-up on agentic AI vs. generative AI compiled by Thomson Reuters, agree that agentic AI is not simply a more advanced version of generative AI, but instead a complete shift from assistive technology to semiautonomous tools in business systems. This means that, in terms of compliance, AI agents can automate the firm’s less strategic work, rather than just advising humans.Current use cases: Where agentic AI is deployed todayDespite online debates, agentic AI in compliance is not theoretical. Early deployments are already underway in high-volume fintech environments, albeit in a limited capacity, where speed and scale are essential. In particular, four business processes are part of this transformation:Transaction monitoring and anti-money launderingIn anti-money laundering compliance, agentic AI can continuously monitor transaction streams, correlate patterns across accounts, and adapt thresholds based on a consumer's behavior. Aelum Consulting, which offers implementation services for digital infrastructure, notes that agentic approaches can reduce alert fatigue by allowing automated agents to investigate context before escalating, rather than blindly flagging rule breaches.Ongoing risk assessmentSimilarly, rather than requiring periodic reviews, agentic systems can enable continuous compliance. Agents can reassess customer risk scores in real time based on transaction behavior, external data sources, or regulatory changes.Regulatory reporting and documentationSome institutions are experimenting with agentic AI agents to compile audit trails, draft documents, and prepare internal compliance reports. Final submission will still almost always rely on human approval, but leveraging agentic AI can reduce much of the heavy lifting and decrease manual effort and human error.Customer onboardingArguably, one of the most mature use cases of agentic AI is automated onboarding. Agentic systems can collect customer information, verify identity documents, screen against sanctions lists, assess risk profiles, and request additional documentation. If anomalies do appear, agents can escalate to a human reviewer. Salesforce outlines how agentic systems can be programmed to understand know-your-customer checks, so framing the use of AI as a capacity multiplier can be a strategic choice for businesses.All of the above use cases share a common theme: Agentic AI excels in workflows that are repetitive, data-rich, and time-sensitive. With that said, they stand apart from generative AI in that they can make judgment calls as well, but with human approval.Building governance guardrails for autonomous agentsOne of the biggest mistakes organizations today could face is deploying agentic AI without rethinking governance policies. Autonomy without control is not innovation; it is regulatory exposure. A strong governance policy can combat that risk by layering oversight: tasks requiring explicit approval stay human-in-the-loop, while tasks that agents handle independently still get continuous monitoring and human override capabilities.Implementing a human-in-the-loop and human-on-the-loop framework for various tasks, for example, would be one way to add additional guardrails. Tasks requiring the former require explicit approval. Tasks requiring the latter allow agents to operate independently with continuous monitoring and override capabilities from humans. Execution can be automated, but accountability will still remain human for the foreseeable future.Further, explainability is no longer an optional choice with the implementation of agentic systems. Regulators will likely increasingly expect financial services firms to explain why a decision was made, rather than simply asking what occurred. Fintech Open Source Foundation, a Linux Foundation project, outlines six key governance principles to adhere to:Complete decision documentation: Capture all factors, inputs, reasoning steps, and outcomes involved in agent decision-making processes.Explainable decision logic: Implement mechanisms to generate human-readable explanations of agent reasoning and decision factors.Regulatory compliance alignment: Ensure audit trails meet specific regulatory requirements for automated decision-making in financial services.Real-time decision tracking: Capture decision information as it occurs rather than relying on post-hoc reconstruction.Cross-session correlation: Enable correlation of related decisions across multiple agent sessions and interactions.Tamper-evident logging: Implement cryptographic protection and integrity validation for audit logs to prevent tampering.Following these recommendations will help your organization capture inputs, reasoning paths, confidence scores, and downstream actions in the event regulators come knocking. Auditability can often be the difference between regulatory acceptance and denial.Any agentic AI system implemented should also operate within predefined policy boundaries based on your business.Whether these limits are on data access, spending authority, escalation thresholds, or something else, having boundaries within the system is crucial. Governance is a policy that should be designed into the system and not after the fact.Critical risk areas in financial services and mitigation strategiesAny new technology comes with inherent risk, and agentic AI is no different. The Roosevelt Institute, a liberal think tank headquartered in New York, identifies four key risk areas to watch:Herding: When agents use similar algorithms and training data, they may begin to react to market conditions the same way, a behavior known as herding. These biases can incidentally result in certain financial products or services being favored without reason, and rapid, widespread customer movements can lead to bank runs or crashes.Systematic risk: Currently, there are only a small number of agentic AI system providers, creating a single industry fail point. A technical failure or security breach could lead to impacts on agentic AI systems that affect wide populations of consumers as a result.Reduced competition: Limited entrants to the market risk the natural formation of a monopoly. This can foster higher prices, more inequality, or even less incentive for service providers to update and develop the technology.Fiduciary conflicts: Finally, the term “AI agent” itself implies a sense of fiduciary responsibility on the technology, but it can’t be guaranteed that an AI will act in the true best interest of its licensee.Addressing all the risk areas is complicated for any business. Generally speaking, tactics such as implementing confidence thresholds in decision-making, running cross-validation, and requiring human review for low-confidence decisions can help counter some, but not all, issues. Regulations evolve, and models can drift, so continuously testing and updating agentic systems is a crucial protective step that businesses need to take.Further, businesses need to do their part in protecting the broader system by enhancing security and requiring authentication, monitoring agent behavior, and implementing kill-switch mechanisms for quick resolutions.Regulatory landscape: What US institutions must knowIn the U.S., regulators are not actively taking steps to ban agentic AI, but they are certainly watching it closely. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and banking regulators have all issued varying guidance emphasizing accountability and third-party risk management. Specifically, the 2026 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report, specifically notes that businesses should hold agentic AI to the same oversight standards that registered representatives of a firm are held to.The specific concerns that FINRA is keeping a close eye on include:Excessive autonomy without human validationAgents exceeding their intended authority or scopeLimited auditability and explainabilityImproper handling of sensitive dataMisaligned incentives or reinforcement logicAs a whole, regulators seem to be less concerned about whether AI is being used, given its prevalence, and more concerned about whether or not firms understand it and know how to control it properly to protect consumers. Before deploying agentic AI in compliance, there are seven questions all leaders should be able to vehemently answer “yes” to:Do we clearly define which decisions agents can make autonomously?Can humans override or halt agent actions in real time?Are all agent decisions explainable and auditable?Do we continuously test for bias, drift, and hallucinations?Is access to sensitive data strictly controlled and logged?Have we mapped regulatory accountability for AI-driven outcomes?Are vendors and third-party models properly vetted?If the answer to any of the above is “no,” your organization is likely not ready to meet the stringent standards that policymakers have laid out and are actively developing.From automation to accountable autonomy with AIAgentic AI represents a true inflection point for compliance in SaaS and fintech. When used with responsibility, the technology can reduce operational burden, improve data consistency, and allow human teams to focus on higher-value judgment and advisory work.When used recklessly, though, it can amplify risk at a remarkable speed. The path forward will likely not be fully autonomous compliance, but rather accountable autonomy.Hybrid models where AI agents execute, humans govern, and regulators can see clearly how decisions are made will potentially be widespread in financial services in the coming years. For finance leaders, this means taking action now by building the technology, setting governance guardrails early, and treating agentic AI as a system that must earn trust.This story was produced by Anrok and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Tariff reversals: Will SMBs see relief? Tariff reversals: Will SMBs see relief?The recent Supreme Court ruling might reverse some tariffs. However, that doesn’t mean that your business costs will drop anytime soon.When the tariffs went into effect in 2025, many small businesses were hit very hard. This affected import costs and vendor prices, and many SMBs were forced to absorb the increase or pass it on to customers. Neither is a great solution. Fast-forward to February 2026: A federal court ruled several of those 2025 tariffs illegal (subject to appeals and administrative action), and most business owners were eager for financial relief.Now, as of April, 2026, businesses can try to claim refunds for paid tariffs through a recently launched portal, the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE), administered by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The current expectation is that refunds will be processed in waves.However, that doesn't necessarily mean those refunds will impact prices for small business owners. The reality is that even with tariff rate reversals, prices may not return to where they were.According to the 2025 Q3 MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index survey, 46% of SMBs say inflation is their biggest challenge, and 75% say rising prices have significantly impacted their business over the last year. What is even more concerning is 34% say the cost of goods is their biggest barrier to growth, and 33% say high costs have stopped them from entering new markets. There are many reasons for the high costs, but tariffs have been a main contributor. Unfortunately, we're learning that even if reversed, vendors may not reduce their prices.Now the question is why. Why won’t pricing go down? Many suppliers have already gotten used to the tariff-era increases and added them into their long-term pricing, leaving them hesitant to lower their prices. On top of that, years of supply chain instability have left many SMBs wanting to keep their prices high to protect against future disruptions or preserve their margins.SMBs must now plan for the possibility that tariff relief won’t necessarily mean price relief. They will need to act strategically to renegotiate their contracts and document past increases.Rocket Lawyer examines why tariff reversals may not translate to lower prices for small businesses.Even if Tariffs Disappear, Vendors May Not Lower Prices1. Tariff-era price increases are now “normal” to many suppliersWhen tariffs originally raised costs, many vendors increased their prices to cover the difference. Now, those higher prices are embedded into new catalog rates, contracts, cost structures, and more. Vendors, like many SMBs, want to keep prices high to protect their profit margins.2. Inflation is already affecting prices post-tariffsRising costs are showing up in the form of material, labor, and shipping. Their rise outside of tariffs is due to the economic shifts our country is facing. Many suppliers are arguing that even without tariffs, they can’t reduce prices because inflation has overtaken costs. This is why SMBs shouldn’t expect immediate price drops. If relief does come, it may be slow or partial.3. Your vendor contracts might lock in higher costsMany small businesses had to sign agreements during tariff spikes. Some of those agreements have automatic renewal clauses at the same (or higher) pricing, while others require advance notice to renegotiate or cancel.Remember: Review your current contracts, as you may still be bound by old rates even if tariff costs drop today.Questions SMBs Should Be AskingTake the time now to review the real impact lower prices will have on your business by asking these questions:Did we absorb or pass on the tariff costs? Where did margins tighten, and will customers expect payment rollbacks?Are our vendor contracts still priced at high-tariff rates? Do they auto-renew? Do we need to renegotiate or give notice?Can we renegotiate pricing under new tariff conditions? What leverage or documentation supports a price review?If prices stay high even without tariffs, what do we do? Should we shift suppliers, inventory, or pricing?Should we revisit our overall pricing strategy? Are pricing, margins, and communication aligned with overall costs?Asking these questions or questions like these will help prevent you from budgeting based on hoped-for cost reductions that may never become reality.Next Steps: What to DoTo protect your margins and prepare your business for an uncertain pricing landscape, focus on your next steps:Review all current vendor agreements for renewal dates and pricing clauses. Identify which contracts can be renegotiated or need notice to avoid auto-renewal at higher rates.Document every cost increase tied to tariff or supply-chain issues. This will strengthen your position in negotiations and help you justify pricing adjustments in the future.Start conversations with suppliers about future pricing. Ask about their plans if tariffs unwind. Some may offer partial reductions or alternative terms if you initiate the discussion. But most won’t say anything unless you ask.Review contract language and flag opportunities for renegotiation. If you’re facing a major cost crunch or dispute, connect with a legal professional for more information.Asking the right questions and preparing now will help you stay ahead of rising expenses and protect your margins in the year ahead. Remember, tariff relief might help, but it won’t fix every cost challenge.This story was produced by Rocket Lawyer and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Will.i.am wants to future-proof a new generation The Black Eyed Peas co-founder turned entrepreneur is now teaching a class on "agentic AI" for Arizona State.
	Trains halted in Galesburg after train/pedestrian crossing Trains in Galesburg are currently halted at the N. Whitesboro, Chambers and Lincoln Street rail crossings while officials respond to a train-pedestrian collision near Chambers and Peck Street, according to a news release from the city. Residents are asked to avoid the area and use local underpasses to navigate around stopped trains until the incident [...]
	Train stopped in Galesburg for collision with pedestrian Galesburg officials said the train is stopped at North Whitesboro, Chambers and Lincoln Street rail crossings.
	Trump pulls Casey Means' stalled surgeon general nomination, announces new pick President Trump says he's nominating former Fox News Channel contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier for surgeon general after Dr. Casey Means' path forward stalled in the Senate over questions about her experience and her stance on vaccines.
	9 insights from America's top coworking space markets 9 insights from America's top coworking space marketsFor decades, the American office ran on a single assumption: Sign a long-term lease, build it out, and fill it five days a week. That is no longer the case.Seventy-four percent of companies worldwide have adopted some form of hybrid or flex work model, according to The Instant Group. CBRE's 2025 occupier survey found that 73% of tenants hit full capacity on peak days but only 34% occupancy on average, meaning most companies are paying for space that sits half-empty several days a week. The response? More than half of global corporations now use flexible office solutions.Software engineer Brad Neuberg opened the first coworking space at Spiral Muse in San Francisco's Mission District in 2005, coining the name. WeWork’s SoHo location—a venture that would raise $12.8 billion and reach a peak valuation of $47 billion—hard-launched coworking as a category that institutional capital could not ignore.As the traditional lease loses ground to hybrid and flexible office solutions, New York and San Francisco are prototyping a workspace at scale that borrows more from boutique hospitality than commercial brokerage. In today’s market, a desk and Wi-Fi won’t move the needle. A hospitality-grade environment with curated programming, wellness amenities, and a community manager who knows your name will.In New York, San Francisco, and the U.S. as a whole, the coworking market closed 2025 with 8,854 locations, yet that still represents just 2.2% of total office inventory. The runway is enormous—especially for Dallas; Nashville, Tennessee; Denver; and dozens of other fast-growing metros that can learn from the frontrunners.Here, CANOPY shares nine insights from New York and San Francisco that herald the New American office.1. The Building Is the ProductThe most important decision a coworking operator makes isn't the furniture, but the building and location. Nearly 48% of NYC's coworking inventory now sits in Class A or A+ buildings, up from 44% a year earlier, according to Hubble. Class A locations captured 62% of U.S. coworking revenue in 2024. As CBRE's Mike Watts, president of investor leasing in the Americas, told Development Magazine: “Demand isn’t just for premium finishes but also for convenience, accessibility, and locations that align with workforce needs—even newly constructed offices can sit empty if they fail to meet these criteria.”The smartest buildings embed coworking inside mixed-use ecosystems. Since 2022, the number of coworking spaces inside live-work-play developments has grown 60%—from 35 to 56 nationwide—according to CoworkingCafe. New York leads with 119 such developments in the past decade. In San Francisco, the dominant operators cluster in premium corridors like the Financial District, SoMa, and Jackson Square. When members can live, eat, work out, and shop in the same neighborhood or building where they work, the last friction keeping them home disappears.The takeaway: The building is the product, the strategy, and the business model. Developers should include coworking from day one. Operators should choose buildings where the address and ecosystem do half of the marketing.2. Your Real Competitor Has a Kitchen and No Commute, So Beat Them With Experiential DesignThe primary competitor for every coworking space in New York and San Francisco is the home office. New York is the only major U.S. market where office attendance has actually returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels—visits in July 2025 exceeded July 2019 by 1.3%, according to Placer.ai data cited by the NYC Comptroller's office. Nationally, attendance still lags by 22%. Yet even in this strongest-recovery market, coworking inventory keeps expanding. That’s because the demand reflects where and how people want to work when they show up.The spaces losing members aren't losing them to a rival brand. They're losing them to any alternative—home, a coffee shop, a hotel lobby—that offers a better daily experience than a generic desk. When Spacebring surveyed more than 300 operators, those thriving were the ones giving people a reason to leave the house through programming, community, design, and service that can't be replicated at a kitchen table. The takeaway: When attendance is voluntary, workers need reasons to choose the office. If a kitchen table and good Wi-Fi can replicate what your space offers, you don't have a product; you have a commodity. Build the reason to show up.3. Wellness Isn’t a Perk; It’s Integral to the ProductCold plunges, red light therapy, guided breathwork, and infrared saunas aren't appearing in premium coworking spaces as afterthoughts. They're aspects of the core offering—wellness integrated into the workplace to empower high-performing professionals to better manage stress, energy, and focus.In New York, Blender Workspace on Madison Avenue in NoMad—a 15,000-square-foot space in a converted turn-of-the-century garment building—delivers a boutique hotel experience built around a full-service café, Danish modern furnishings, and managed hospitality for creative, fashion, wellness, and lifestyle brands. Across the river in Williamsburg, The New Work Project occupies a former foundry and has built biophilia, skylights, and distinct task zones directly into the design, incorporating member feedback that prioritized wellness and productivity through the physical environment. Cofounder Fanny Abbes described the process as designing for "wellness and productivity through collaboration," not just aesthetics.The takeaway: Wellness isn't a line item in your amenity budget. A cold plunge and a guided breathwork session before a 10 a.m. meeting qualifies. A free drip coffee does not. Curated health and wellbeing programming is the reason a growing segment of your most valuable prospective members will choose your space over staying home—or over the competitor down the street who skipped it.4. Dollar for Dollar, a Coworking Membership Beats a Lease by a Long ShotTake two 10-person teams in Manhattan. Team A signs a lease. Before anyone sits down, build-out requires furniture, IT infrastructure, legal fees, permitting, and so on. A fitout in San Francisco—the most expensive U.S. market—averages $228 per square foot, according to Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 fit-out guide. For a modest 2,000-square-foot space, that's $456,000—and a multiyear commitment. If the team grows to 20, the space is too small. If it shrinks to five, they're still paying for 10.Team B buys coworking memberships. In San Francisco, this runs $235 per month, per person (CoworkingCafe, Q4 2025). For 10 people, that’s roughly $2350 a month, and bundles workspace, meeting room credits, reception, Wi-Fi, printing, breakfast, cleaning, and shared amenities into one line item. There is no build-out or capital outlay, and you have the freedom to add memberships as you hire and cancel them as needed.CBRE's 2025 Americas Occupier Sentiment Survey puts the reduction in capital outlay for flex at 60%, but notes “ironically, one of the biggest obstacles to the use of flex space is cost.” Flex can look more expensive at first glance, but the membership fee is inclusive of rent, services, operating expenses, and build-out depreciation—costs a traditional lease scatters across a dozen budget lines that are easy to undercount at signing.The takeaway: Don't pitch price per desk. Pitch total cost of occupancy, zero build-out timeline, and the ability to scale without penalty.5. The Best Location Might Be 20 Minutes From DowntownSuburban coworking square footage across the U.S. grew 58% between 2023 and 2025, according to NAIOP, while urban coworking grew just 4%. In New York, the same dynamic is playing out at the borough level: outer-borough coworking locations grew 8% in a single year, rising to 121 locations, according to Hubble data reported by Commercial Observer, noting a "vast majority" of new coworking offices are now opening outside central business districts.That tracks. Workers in the office three days a week don't want to commute an hour each way on those days; they want a professional space close to home. The hub-and-spoke model—a lean headquarters downtown plus satellite flex spaces near where employees actually live—has become standard corporate real estate strategy. In San Francisco, this plays out across the Bay Area: While the city proper offers around 150 coworking spaces, flex operations are increasingly extending into the Peninsula, East Bay, and Marin.The takeaway: The highest-margin opportunity in your metro might not be the Class A tower downtown. A well-designed satellite space in a prosperous suburb, anchored by walkable shopping and dining precincts, could outperform a premium CBD location on both occupancy and retention.6. Design for an Inclusive, Diverse, Gender-Parity Workforce (Or Cap Your Own Growth)Nearly half of all coworking members globally are women, and Millennials make up 61% of them, according to Allwork Space's 2026 industry report. Gen Z adoption is rising fast, alongside growing representation from nondegree-holders. Educational attainment remains high—about 80% hold a college degree, per the same findings—but that figure is declining. The coworking population is broadening, which means spaces that don't adapt are shrinking their market by default.High urban pricing already creates economic barriers that hit marginalized communities hardest. Marketing that centers on a narrow demographic—young, able-bodied, white-collar—sends unintentional signals about who belongs. Spaces that lack accessibility features, gender-neutral facilities, quiet rooms for neurodivergent members, or mothers' rooms aren't just failing on principle—they're leaving revenue on the table. For instance, one Gallup survey on the subject found that 16.5% of respondents “were categorized as having a neurodivergent condition.”New York and San Francisco have incubated models that take this seriously. Impact Hub serves entrepreneurs and activists with programming built around social impact. The Hivery, in Mill Valley and Fort Mason, builds community specifically around women and creativity.The takeaway: Every pricing tier, floor plan, and community event either widens or narrows who shows up. Build for the full spectrum of the American workforce, and you capture the most durable demand.7. Build a Space and Brand for CommunityBoth New York and SF show the same pattern: spaces that are either big and efficient or specific and personal are thriving. GCUC's 2026 megatrends report—published by the leading U.S. coworking conference—found that community categories matured significantly in 2025 while corporate demand became the dominant growth force.San Francisco runs the niche playbook better than almost any market in the country. The Center for New Music in the Tenderloin provides artists and musicians access to instruments, sheet music, and performance space, alongside coworking desks. Eco-System in SoMa partners with a nightclub and an art gallery to fuse entertainment, creativity, and workspace into a single membership. New York does it differently but lands in the same place. The Farm, across SoHo, Nolita, and NoMad, leans into rustic Americana and attracts a specific entrepreneurial sensibility.The takeaway for other markets: "We're a coworking space for everyone" is a positioning statement that positions you nowhere. Pick a sector, a sensibility, or a community, and then frame every design decision, event, and membership tier around it.8. Hospitality Isn't a Gimmick. It's the MarginPer CoworkingCafe, monthly coworking membership prices have flattened, quarter to quarter. Manhattan's median held at $339 through Q4 2025; Brooklyn, $320. The national median is $220. Meanwhile, CBRE's 2026 Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights report found that 68% of employees say collaboration is the primary reason they come into the office. Put those two findings together, and the strategic question for operators becomes clear: if you can't grow revenue by raising rates, and your members are showing up for the experience rather than the desk, where do you invest?The operators who design that experience around hospitality principles are the ones capturing the premium. In New York, Convene runs farm-to-table culinary programs, TED Talks, and wine tastings across its locations. Industrious provides a dedicated member experience manager at every site, along with daily breakfast and craft coffee.The takeaway: Hire from hospitality, not just real estate. The community manager who greets members by name and connects them with the right people in the network is worth more than another phone booth.9. 2.2% Penetration Means the Real Buildout Hasn’t Started, So Now Is the Ideal Time to Invest in CoworkingCoworking represents just over 2.2 percent of total U.S. office inventory. Let that sink in. Every trend in this story—the hospitality shift, the suburban expansion, the institutional capital, the corporate adoption—has played out while flex workspace occupies a sliver of the total market. JLL predicted that 30 percent of all office space would be flexible by 2030. Some industry observers now call that estimate conservative.It’s the same story in San Francisco and New York. Manhattan's three major business districts hold more than 433 million square feet of office space, according to the NYC Comptroller's office. Manhattan's coworking sector accounts for 12.5 million square feet across 299 locations, per CoworkingCafe—roughly 2.5% of total leasable office space. In San Francisco, flex inventory reached 3.8 million square feet across 150 locations by late 2025. Earlier in the year, flex accounted for roughly 2% of the city's total leasable office space. Both markets have enormous room to grow, and both have already demonstrated the tenant demand and economic viability that other cities need to see before they commit.For operators and developers in Dallas; Nashville, Tennessee; Denver; Austin, Texas; and every other fast-growing metro, the window to establish a premium coworking brand is wide open.The takeaway: The playbook is written. The data supports it. Better execute, before everyone else does.This story was produced by CANOPY and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	May events expected to bring more than 9,000 participants to Quad Cities Visit Quad Cities said events include the NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Golf Championship, NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship, a farm business conference, wrestling duals and more.
	U.S. House primaries in Louisiana are suspended after Voting Rights Act ruling Louisiana suspended its upcoming primaries for the U.S. House, following Wednesday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state's congressional map is an "unconstitutional racial gerrymander."
	Home improvements with the most ROI Home improvements with the most ROIWant to increase your home’s value while improving your day-to-day quality of life? According to the Journal of Light Construction’s Remodeling 2025 Cost vs Value Report, minor kitchen remodels can recoup up to 83% of their cost, making them one of the most strategic investments for homeowners.Renovations can enhance your lifestyle now while supporting long-term financial value, especially when funded with built-up equity. In this guide, Splitero breaks down the top home improvement projects for 2026 and explains how to plan and fund your projects to get the highest possible return on investment (ROI).Key TakeawaysRenovations should generally follow the 30% rule, keeping costs below about 30% of the home’s value to avoid overspending.Minor kitchen and bathroom updates deliver top ROI.Exterior projects like entry doors and siding improve curb appeal and resale potential.Multiple funding options, including HEIs, HELOCs, or home equity loans, and government incentives, offer flexibility in financing renovations and managing cash flow.How to increase home value through smart renovationsHomeowners often consider renovations for two main reasons: immediate lifestyle improvements and long-term resale value. While upgrading your home can make it more enjoyable to live in, selecting projects strategically ensures that the investment adds a measurable financial benefit. Renovations that improve functionality, curb appeal, and energy efficiency are most likely to deliver the strongest possible return, according to the JLC 2025 Cost vs Value Report.When you’re considering home improvement projects, it’s important to balance aesthetic upgrades with practical improvements. Minor kitchen and bathroom remodels, carefully chosen exterior enhancements, and energy-efficient updates appeal to the broadest range of buyers if you plan to sell in the future. Even if you are not selling soon, thoughtful renovations can increase your equity while also improving your day-to-day comfort.It’s also important to stay within the 30% rule, which advises against spending more than 30% of your home’s value on renovations. Following this guideline helps avoid overinvesting and preserves capital for high-return improvements.Lisa Patterson, a top-1% nationally ranked realtor at Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty with over 30 years of experience in the Charleston market, notes that high spend doesn’t always translate into high returns. "The best returns don’t come from spending the most—they come from making the right decisions,” says Patterson. “If I had to give one piece of advice I repeat constantly, it’s this: don’t renovate in a vacuum. Renovate with your future buyer in mind, even if that buyer is years away.”Top home improvement projects for 2026Not all renovations deliver the same value, and in 2026, projects that improve daily living, energy efficiency, and curb appeal are the ones that offer the strongest ROI. Some lower-cost versions of these projects, including DIY-friendly updates, can still deliver measurable value while keeping expenses manageable.For example, painting kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them entirely or installing new light fixtures instead of completing a full electrical overhaul can improve appearance and functionality without breaking the bank.Selecting the right projects also depends on your goals. Are you renovating primarily for personal enjoyment, resale, or a combination of both? Understanding the purpose behind each project helps prioritize improvements that provide the largest return per dollar spent, ensuring you stay within the 30% rule and maximize your equity growth.Exterior ImprovementsFirst impressions matter. Entry doors, garage doors, and siding replacements offer over 200% ROI, while smaller projects like trim, paint, or landscaping can be low-cost additions that elevate curb appeal. Additionally, simple landscaping projects or painting shutters can often be DIY touches that still contribute meaningfully to your home’s overall value.Even small exterior improvements can dramatically enhance your home’s perceived value and make it more appealing to a wide range of buyers.Kitchen RemodelsThe kitchen is the most visible space in a home for high-impact home improvements, with returns ranging from 36% to 113%. Minor remodels focusing on cabinets, countertops, flooring, and lighting often provide higher ROI than major overhauls. Homeowners can achieve a modern look with cost-effective options like refacing cabinets, installing quartz or butcher block countertops, or updating hardware and lighting.John Gluch, founder of the Gluch Group at eXp Realty in Arizona, notes that “kitchen updates, not full gut renovations, but cabinet repaints, hardware swaps, and countertop upgrades, reliably return more than they cost in this market.”Prioritizing functional, widely appealing upgrades over high-end customization can help you maximize both usability and resale value. Gluch also adds that renovations in kitchens and other high-use spaces make for good long-term investments on value: “Kitchens and primary bathrooms hold value better than anything else over time because they’re the rooms buyers emotionally connect with.”Bathroom RemodelsBathrooms are functional spaces that benefit from even small updates, yielding returns of up to 80%. Updating fixtures, finishes, and lighting can boost value, and adding aging-in-place features such as walk-in showers or grab bars broadens the appeal. Affordable upgrades like replacing faucets, resurfacing tubs, or painting cabinets can yield strong ROI while being DIY-friendly.Thoughtful bathroom upgrades can turn a routine space into one that feels modern and inviting, giving buyers and homeowners alike a noticeable boost in satisfaction and value.Decks, Patios, and Outdoor Living SpacesOutdoor living areas expand usable space and provide an added attraction to prospective buyers. A basic deck or patio can be installed without extensive customizations and still deliver high returns (up to 95% ROI). Using sustainable materials or simple modular designs can minimize costs while increasing appeal.Not all outdoor projects carry the same return, though, and some can actively work against a sale. Gluch has seen this play out specifically with pools. “In Arizona, you’d think a pool is automatic value, but a significant portion of buyers with young kids or dogs see liability, not luxury,” says Gluch. “I’ve watched sellers lose buyers specifically because of a pool.”Focusing on versatile, low-maintenance designs ensures that outdoor spaces are enjoyable now and attractive to future buyers.Energy-efficient UpgradesUpgrades like high-efficiency windows, insulation, or HVAC systems reduce costs and appeal to eco-conscious homeowners, with returns of 60%–75% of their value, depending on the project. Even smaller interventions, such as sealing leaks or adding smart thermostats, can improve efficiency and offer tax incentives.Josh Qian, COO and cofounder of LINQ Kitchen in City of Industry, California, notes that these “invisible” improvements can outperform their flashier counterparts. “Instead of spending money on aesthetic interior finishing materials, spend it on energy-efficient window replacements and attic insulation,” says Qian. “Both of these ‘invisible’ improvements will help significantly lower operating expenses by reducing heating and cooling bills and creating a better insulating barrier around your home.”Energy-efficient improvements often provide long-term savings through lower utility costs and can be a part of an overall green remodeling approach to increasing your home’s value. “A new backsplash may look nice, but a home that maintains its own temperature and runs efficiently offers an actual, measurable return on investment that will appeal to savvy buyers and their inspectors during the negotiation process,” says Qian.Strategic ways to fund your home renovationRenovations don’t have to create burdensome monthly debt. Homeowners with equity in their home have multiple funding options, each with different implications for cash flow, taxes, and long-term financial planning. Starting with a home appraisal can help you understand how much equity is available and how much your renovations could increase your home’s value.Here are some common ways to fund renovations, along with what to consider for each:Home equity investments (HEI): Access equity upfront without monthly payments, allowing you to complete larger improvements or multiple high-ROI projects while preserving cash flow.HELOCs or home equity loans: These options allow for flexible access to funds with potential tax-deductible interest if used for qualifying renovations. They require repayment planning and careful monitoring of interest rates.Cash reserves: Using savings avoids monthly payments but may limit the scope of projects and affect liquidity.Government incentives or tax credits: This route can reduce the upfront or overall cost of qualifying renovations, especially those that improve energy efficiency. These programs typically don’t require repayment, but eligibility rules, timelines, and savings vary, so it’s important to confirm what applies to your specific project.Knowing how these funding options fit your financial situation and renovation goals helps you choose the approach that makes the most sense for both your home and your long-term plans.“The advice I give constantly right now: stop overimproving for your neighborhood ceiling,” says Gluch. “I’ve seen people drop $80,000 in renovations on a home in a $400,000 neighborhood. The market won’t give it back.”Accessing home equity can provide flexibility and liquidity, but it can also impact long-term housing costs, repayment obligations, and your equity position. Carefully evaluating each option’s structure and consulting a financial expert can help you determine the approach that best supports your renovation goals and broader financial plan.Leveraging your home equity doesn’t have to mean replacing your mortgage or giving up your low rate. An HEI lets you fund high-ROI renovations or updates while keeping your current mortgage and avoiding added monthly payments.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat adds value to a home most in 2026?Minor kitchen and bathroom remodels, energy-efficient upgrades, and exterior enhancements like siding or entry doors offer the strongest ROI. Projects that improve functionality and curb appeal often outperform luxury features.Is a major kitchen remodel worth it for resale?Major remodels can increase value, but minor updates typically return a higher percentage of investment. Focus on cost-effective improvements first.What is the 30% rule for renovations?The 30% rule advises spending no more than 30% of your home’s current value on renovations. Overspending can reduce overall ROI, even for high-value projects.What devalues a house the most?Overcustomization, neglecting maintenance, or adding low-demand features can lower resale value. Choose updates that appeal broadly and integrate features that support long-term functionality and sustainability.This story was produced by Splitero and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The CRM and email marketing software metrics that actually connect to revenue The CRM and email marketing software metrics that actually connect to revenueOn average, businesses garner an email marketing ROI of $10 to $36 per $1 spent, according to a 2025 study by Litmus. That’s why email marketing is widely considered the driver of the highest rate of ROI across digital marketing channels. The funny thing is that, despite reaping the benefits, most teams fail to actually prove their ROI.This metric and KPI framework guide, created by Nutshell, will help teams measure the gains that modern CRM and email marketing software make possible. The guide will shed some light on why the dashboard metrics most teams track won’t tell you the whole story and what to analyze to get the full picture.Key takeawaysMost teams measure the impact of their email marketing campaigns with metrics that show audience engagement instead of metrics that show the impact on revenue.Integrating CRM with email marketing software provides a way to access and analyze a deep layer of measurement data linking campaigns to pipeline progression and sales revenue.To get a holistic overview of campaign performance, teams should employ a three-tier metrics framework, which combines engagement, pipeline, and revenue metrics.What does CRM email marketing analytics actually measure?CRM email analytics typically measure how your email recipients engage with your messages, tracking opens, clicks, and unsubscribes. This data is useful, but it doesn’t tell you what happens after your audience engages with your email. Open and click-through rates don’t tell you whether a recipient became a lead, moved through the pipeline, or converted to a customer.An integrated CRM and email marketing software system takes those engagement metrics a step further. This system allows your email campaign data to flow into your CRM, connecting the data with contacts, deals, pipeline stages, and outcomes.That means your open and click figures are no longer a dead end. Instead, they become a vital foundation to a much broader story that includes revenue, pipeline velocity, and customer lifetime value.When teams make that analytics shift from engagement data to outcome-based data, it becomes easier to identify the campaigns that work.Why aren’t open and click rates enough?Open and click rates give you information about the actions your audience took when they received your email, but not much else. And, unfortunately, this is what many marketers focus on. But you can’t tie opens and clicks directly to revenue-related outcomes, which means you need additional metrics to see the full picture.A 2024 report by Litmus indicated that 72% of marketers don’t know exactly what their email campaign ROI is. This is largely due to their focus on tracking opens and clicks, and being left to guess the actual impact of the campaign.Teams that track metrics beyond these engagement basics often still fail to cast their nets wide enough. In its 2024 State of Email and Automation study, Ascend2 reported that 45% of marketing leaders focus on revenue generated as a measure of email campaign success. The study also highlighted that only 22% of marketing decision-makers actually consider customer lifetime value as part of their campaign success equation.Teams often lean into metrics that provide little to no insight into email marketing campaign success, but continue to track them because they feel comfortable with them.A more effective CRM email metrics frameworkOrganizing your CRM email marketing metrics into three tiers helps teams distinguish between measurements that answer different questions. As a result, teams end up using the correct metrics to analyze and report on the data and outcomes they relate to. Nutshell Tier 1: Engagement signalsMeasuring open, click-through, and click-to-open rates is useful, but only for specific purposes. If you want to know whether your campaign is hitting the mark when it comes to subject line, sent time, and content relevance, these can all be reliable indicators.The problem is that you won’t be able to use these figures to determine if the engagement translated into leads or conversions. You can use these metrics to diagnose and refine email content, but they’re not going to help you with performance reporting.Tier 2: Pipeline metricsThis is where teams begin to see the value of CRM and email marketing software integration. The key pipeline metrics are as follows:Email-to-lead rate: Tracks the percentage of email campaign recipients that convert to leads.Campaign-to-opportunity: Shows the percentage of those leads that have evolved into active deals.Deal stage touch points: Analysis of pipeline stage touch points to determine which email sequences result in leads progressing through the pipeline faster.Setting up custom campaign tags inside your CRM is the best way to track these metrics. To ensure accurate pipeline attribution, you’ll need a source label linked to specific contacts and deal records for each email sequence.Tier 3: Revenue metricsOne of the key metrics gained from an integrated CRM email marketing system that heavily impacts decision-making is the revenue per email sent. Dividing your total campaign revenue by the number of emails sent gives you a real outcome-based figure that leadership can sink their teeth into.In fact, Litmus data from 2025 tells us that 41% of marketing leaders measure the contribution of email marketing to overall business goals using direct revenue attribution.But we can take email marketing success metrics a step further. With the customer lifetime value metric by campaign source, we can determine which email acquisition and nurture strategies resulted in the customers that stuck around the longest.How to connect email activity to revenue in your CRMLinking email campaign engagement to revenue comes down to your setup and disciplined tracking management.Tag each campaign at its sourceTeams need a unique identifier for each email campaign sequence, such as a UTM parameter, campaign-specific tag, or custom CRM source field. The idea is for this identifier to mark and follow the contact from the point of engagement through the pipeline. It’s the best way to ensure attribution doesn’t break when the lead is assigned to your sales team.Map touch points to pipeline stagesHere, you’ll reverse engineer the pipeline journey, starting from closed deals back to engagement to narrow down the touch points that appeared most often. Any good CRM should be able to surface this data through basic reporting. But bear in mind that the objective is to find the connections before optimizing.Define your attribution windowEach lead will likely follow a different path from email to conversion to close, affecting how you track and report on attribution. That’s why determining whether you want to measure first-touch, last-touch, or multi-touch is crucial. Once teams are clear on this, they must apply it consistently across the board to ensure accurate and meaningful reporting.Set a regular review cadenceEstablish a review cadence that makes sense for the metrics you’re collecting. For instance, it’s best to analyze your Tier 2 and 3 numbers on a quarterly or campaign basis, because outcomes are determined over a longer period for these. Attempting to measure pipeline and revenue outcomes in real time will prove a painful process.Benchmarks worth measuring againstGetting the metrics right and comparing them against your own historical data and forecasts is useful. Casting your eye toward broader industry benchmarks paints a clearer picture of your position in the market.Here are a few worthwhile benchmarks to reference based on original research.Automated email sequences: Although these account for only 2% of the total email send volume, research by Verified Email indicates that automated email sequences typically deliver about 41% of a business’s total email revenue.Marketing segmentation: Litmus’s email trends report highlights that 90% of email marketers who segmented audiences for more targeted campaigns saw an increase in campaign performance.ROI by industry: A Litmus post based on research they’ve done regarding email marketing ROI describes a wide ROI range across various industries of 10:1 to 50:1. For example, the average ROI for businesses in the media and publishing industry is 32:1. And the average ROI for businesses in retail and commerce is 45:1.Linking email activity to revenue attribution allows teams to make informed, data-driven decisions about segmentation, sequencing, and budget.Revenue attribution starts with CRM and email marketing software integrationThe key to closing the gap between understanding whether email campaigns are performing well and knowing how those campaigns have impacted business revenue is the integration between CRM and email marketing software.Building a three-tier measurement framework is the first step toward optimizing for outcomes instead of engagement. Implementing this fundamental shift typically results in an improvement in campaign metrics across the board.This story was produced by Nutshell and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Eugene Field Elementary in Rock Island holds groundbreaking for $6M renovation, addition On Thursday morning, the Rock Island-Milan School District celebrated a series of renovations at Eugene Field Elementary School with a groundbreaking event.
	Olivia Rodrigo's 'drop dead' goes to No. 1 — and helps The Cure return to the charts Olivia Rodrigo's third album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, doesn't come out until June. But it's already off to a tremendous start on this week's Billboard charts.
	The anatomy of a scam: How AI and the dark web fuel financial schemes, and ways to stay safe The anatomy of a scam: How AI and the dark web fuel financial schemes, and ways to stay safe In our increasingly digital world, the primary target for scammers isn’t always your bank’s advanced systems. It’s often you, the consumer. “Scammers prey on your trust, your emotions, and your wallet,” said Wells Fargo’s Sarah Gosler, a globally recognized cybersecurity leader and expert in human-centric defense. She’s known for reverse engineering human behavior to outsmart adversaries. Her team focuses on empowering customers to be their own best defense against online threats because, as she noted, “consumer awareness is a critical component of strong cybersecurity.”With the rapid evolution of AI and deepfake technology, scams are becoming incredibly sophisticated and harder to distinguish from reality. Imagine realistic fake videos or voices that perfectly mimic someone you know or a company you trust. Understanding how these impersonation scams operate is the most crucial step you can take to protect yourself and truly outsmart the criminals.Below, Gosler shares these insights and scam prevention tips.Key takeawaysThe rapid evolution of AI and deepfake technology has made financial scams incredibly sophisticated and harder to distinguish from reality.Scammers deceive their targets using fake emails, texts, or calls that look or sound legitimate.Cybercriminals build a profile on their targets by collecting personal data from social media, public records, and the dark web to build convincing attacks.Emotional triggers like fear, urgency, or the promise of a reward are used to pressure people into acting hastily.Because they don’t have access to secure banking systems, malicious actors impersonate banks and trusted organizations using data collected from the dark web, relying on tricking individuals into voluntarily providing personal information or account access.What are scams and how do they typically begin?At their core, scams are deceptive schemes designed to steal your money, your identity, sensitive personal data, or gain access to your accounts. “Scammers are master manipulators. They exploit natural human responses like urgency, distraction, fear, or even the promise of a big reward,” Gosler said. “They want to pressure you into making quick decisions before you have a chance to think clearly or verify.”These attacks often begin with cybercriminals building a profile of their targets by meticulously piecing together digital breadcrumbs of your information that they’ve collected in various ways.Fake emails, texts, or calls that look or sound incredibly legitimate. They’re designed to trick you into clicking harmful links or sharing private, sensitive details.Deepfakes and synthetic media. Fraudsters use AI to create fake videos or voice recordings that perfectly impersonate people you know and trust, like family, friends, or your bank.Credential theft. If they steal your login for one website, they’ll try it everywhere, like a master key. “This is why using unique, strong passwords for every online account is absolutely vital,” Gosler stressed.Combining old and new tactics. They might use traditional methods like mail theft to steal physical documents such as checks or utility bills. Then, they combine that with AI-driven data scraping. This helps them mine even more information and build a comprehensive target profile.Where do scammers collect and use your personal information?Cybercriminals are constantly assembling bits of personal data from various sources to build convincing attacks. From social media, they might extract birthdays or names of family members and pets, details often used in passwords or to personalize phishing attempts. Public records can reveal your address and property ownership, which may help impostors bypass identity checks. These fragments of information make scams feel alarmingly personal and authentic, all designed to gain your trust and catch you off guard.Unfortunately, the cycle of scams and fraud is fueled by stolen personal data. According to Javelin Strategy, 7 in 10 victims who lost money to a scam were also tricked into handing over personally identifiable information. Top stolen information included email addresses (43%), phone numbers (38%), and banking details (28%).What is the dark web?Think of the dark web as a hidden part of the internet that’s not indexed by regular search engines. It’s where stolen personal and financial data from various data breaches is anonymously bought and sold. “Scammers frequent these hidden marketplaces to acquire vast amounts of personal details: names, addresses, email addresses, passwords, purchase histories, and even Social Security numbers,” said Gosler. “In many cases, this stolen data from the dark web is the starting point of the sophisticated scam attempts we see today.”Malicious actors impersonate banks and trusted organizations using data they’ve collected from many sources, including the dark web, not because they have access to secure banking systems. “Your financial institution is almost never the source of the scam,” Gosler said. “Scammers’ entire strategy relies on tricking you into voluntarily providing more personal information or account access.”Note: References to the dark web are for education only. Do not access, monitor, or engage with content on the dark web, since doing so may introduce financial cybersecurity risk.How is the scam presented?Once scammers have gathered enough personal data, they launch their attack. You might receive a call, text message, email, or social media message generated with sophisticated tactics that make the message appear to come from a legitimate source:Spoofed caller IDs. The number on your phone might display your bank’s name or a familiar contact, but it’s fake. In fact, phone calls were one of the top reported contact methods for fraud in 2024.Look-alike email addresses. These may differ by just one character from a real email address, making them hard to spot at a glance.Fake websites. These are meticulously designed to mimic real login pages of banks or other services.AI-generated voices or videos. These can sound like real customer service agents or even your friends and family. They’ll often reference those real details they collected about you, like your address, a recent transaction, or a family member’s name, which makes them sound incredibly convincing.Scammers use emotional triggers like fear (“Your account is locked!”), urgency (“Act now to avoid fees!”), curiosity (a simple text that says “Hi”), or the promise of a reward (“You’ve won a prize!”) to pressure you into acting hastily. Their goal is usually to trick you into:Giving up more sensitive information.Sharing a one-time security code.Clicking a malicious link.Downloading a harmful app.Handing over your debit or credit card.Making a money transfer.These actions can give criminals direct access to your accounts, your funds, or your devices.What are some red flags to watch for?Staying vigilant is your best defense. When it comes to AI-generated voices or videos, pay close attention to:A voice that sounds robotic, flat, or strangely paced.Movements in videos that seem jerky or where the lip movements don’t quite match the words being spoken.Requests to send or transfer money or hand over your debit card under the guise of “protecting your account” or “keeping your money safe.” Your bank, a government agency, or the police will never ask you to do this.Some additional scam prevention tips include:Wait and validate: Verify all requests and offers independently before taking action.Don’t share personal information: Be cautious of unsolicited requests for sensitive personal and financial information such as username, passwords, PIN numbers, or one-time passcodes.Don’t be quick to click: Malware can be embedded in links. Don’t click on unsolicited links.Use strong passwords: Don’t reuse passwords across sites. Use a password manager if needed.Monitor accounts: Set up account alerts and two-factor authentication.Beyond technology, Gosler believes “an informed customer is the strongest defense. Ultimately, your vigilance and awareness remain our strongest partnership in this fight since no system can guarantee complete protection.”“Stay informed, stay skeptical,” said Gosler. “And always remember, while scammers and their technologies are constantly getting smarter, so are we, especially when we work together. By understanding their tactics, we can collectively outsmart them and protect what matters most.”This story was produced by Wells Fargo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to build the business case for AI SEO that wins buy-in How to build the business case for AI SEO that wins buy-inTo build the business case for AI SEO, quantify how AI search is impacting your organic visibility, estimate the revenue at risk, model the upside of AI visibility, and present a structured ROI framework that leadership can approve. This approach shifts the conversation from experimentation to measurable business impact.Building the business case for AI SEO starts with three questions your leadership team needs answered: How much revenue depends on organic search? Where is AI already eroding that visibility? And what does it cost to protect that revenue before competitors lock in the advantage? Once you quantify those answers, the budget conversation shifts from “why” to “when.”WebFX outlines how businesses can build a data-backed case for AI SEO and evaluate its potential impact on revenue and visibility.How to build the business case for AI SEO in 5 stepsBuilding the business case for AI SEO comes down to one thing: translating visibility risk into financial terms your leadership team can evaluate. This five-step framework gives you the structure to do exactly that: WebFX Step 1: Quantify how much revenue organic search drivesOpen Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or your customer relationship management (CRM) system and pull the actual revenue, leads, and pipeline value that organic search generated over the past 12 months.If organic search drives $5 million in annual revenue for your company, that number becomes the anchor for every calculation that follows. If it drives $500,000, that still matters. The point is to ground the conversation in currency your CFO already tracks.Step 2: Identify where AI already affects your search visibilitySearch your core keywords on Google. Count how many trigger an AI Overview at the top of the results page. Then open ChatGPT and Perplexity and ask the questions your buyers ask. Note which competitors show up in those AI responses and whether your brand appears at all.Look for three warning signs:AI Overviews appearing on your highest-value keywords.Competitors getting cited in ChatGPT or Perplexity for queries you should own.Declining click-through rate (CTR) in Google Search Console without corresponding ranking drops.If you spot even one of these, your buyers are already getting answers from someone else.Step 3: Model a conservative revenue-at-risk scenarioThe data on click erosion is hard to argue with. Ahrefs analyzed 300,000 keywords in a 2025 study and found that AI Overviews correlate with a 58% lower click-through rate for the top-ranking page.You don’t need to model the worst case. Even a conservative 15% to 20% erosion scenario over two to three years creates real exposure. This aligns with research showing how AI search affects organic traffic as AI-generated answers reduce click-through rates. If organic drives $5 million and you project a 15% decline, that’s $750,000 in revenue at risk. That number gets attention in a boardroom.Step 4: Compare protectable revenue against AI SEO investmentNow put the investment in context. A comprehensive AI SEO program typically runs $3,000 to $12,000 or higher per month, depending on scope. That’s $36,000 to $144,000 per year. Compare that against the revenue you identified at risk.The AI SEO return multiple formula(Revenue at Risk x % Mitigated) ÷ AI SEO Investment = Return MultipleHere’s an example:Revenue at Risk: $5,000,000 organic revenue x 15% projected decline = $750,000 at risk% Mitigated: 50% conservative estimate of erosion preventedAI SEO Investment: $60,000/yearThe math: ($750,000 x 50%) ÷ $60,000 = 6.25x returnIn this scenario, every $1 invested in AI SEO could help protect an estimated $6.25 in organic revenue. You can also validate performance using proxy KPIs for AI visibility ROI to track early impact before revenue fully materializes.Frame this as capital efficiency. You’re spending a fraction of the exposed revenue to protect a significant portion of it. That’s actual risk management, not a mere experiment.Step 5: Frame the ask around protection, not experimentationThis is the difference between a request that gets approved and one that gets tabled. Leadership teams don’t fund experiments when budgets are tight. They fund strategies that protect existing revenue streams and create competitive separation. This is similar to how teams demonstrate SEO value to leadership using financial impact and risk reduction.Position AI SEO as a margin preservation and an efficient allocation of marketing dollars. If organic search already works for your business, AI search optimization helps it keep working as search behavior shifts.Bring this business case for AI SEO checklist to the leadership meeting:Organic revenue, leads, and pipeline value from the past 12 months.Target keywords where AI Overviews or competitor citations currently appear.A 15%-20% revenue erosion scenario with the dollar amount at risk.Your AI SEO return multiple calculation using actual company numbers.A one-page summary framing AI SEO as revenue protection, not just an experiment.What is AI search optimization, and how is it different from SEO?AI search optimization is the process of engineering your brand’s digital presence so that AI systems recognize, trust, and surface your business in their responses. Platforms like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot all decide which brands to recommend based on authority signals, content structure, and entity clarity.Traditional SEO gets your pages ranked. AI SEO helps your brand get cited, mentioned, and surfaced in AI-generated responses. Both matter, and they work best together. Here’s how they compare: WebFX AI SEO amplifies the SEO foundation already in place. It expands your visibility into the AI-driven channels where more and more buyers start their research.What happens if you do nothing?The click erosion is already measurable. Pew Research Center tracked 68,879 Google searches by 900 U.S. adults in March 2025 and found that CTR dropped from 15% to 8% when AI summaries appeared on a results page. Similarweb reported that zero-click searches grew from 56% to 69% between May 2024 and May 2025. Ahrefs’ December 2025 study put the CTR decline at 58% for the number-one ranking position when an AI Overview is present.These numbers represent traffic that used to flow to your site and no longer does, even when your rankings haven’t changed. And the impact compounds. Less organic traffic means less brand exposure. Less brand exposure means lower familiarity with buyers. Lower familiarity drives up your cost per acquisition (CPA) as you rely more heavily on paid channels to make up the difference.Meanwhile, the competitors who invest in AI SEO today are building citation authority across every major AI platform. That authority compounds, too. The longer they hold those positions, the more expensive it becomes to displace them. Every quarter you wait doesn’t just maintain the status quo. It widens the gap.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rock Island’s Eugene Field Elementary breaks ground on expansion A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday morning for an addition to Eugene Field Elementary School.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges announce new mascot Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) has a new mascot. The colleges introduced the EICC River Otters on April 30, the last day of Community College Month. The River Otters give students across Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges a visible symbol of pride, momentum and community. Eddy, EICC’s River Otter mascot, is described as being [...]
	In real-world test, an AI model did better than ER doctors at diagnosing patients Researchers evaluated how well an AI model could diagnose and make decisions about patient care.
	GLP-1 side effects: What 400,000 patient reports reveal GLP-1 side effects: What 400,000 patient reports revealGLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) have become some of the most prescribed medications in the country. Millions of people take them for Type 2 diabetes and weight management, and for good reason — the clinical results are striking. But new research suggests that what patients are actually experiencing day to day may go beyond what the official trial data captures.A study published in Nature Health by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used AI to analyze more than 400,000 Reddit posts from nearly 70,000 users over more than five years. The goal was simple: Find out what real people were reporting about GLP-1 side effects, and compare that to what showed up in clinical trials and regulatory filings. What they found is worth knowing if you or someone you care about is taking one of these drugs.Doctronic examines what real-world patient reports reveal about GLP-1 side effects and how they compare to clinical trial data.Key TakeawaysA University of Pennsylvania study used AI to analyze over 400,000 Reddit posts about GLP-1 medications and identified side effects not well-captured in clinical trials.Menstrual irregularities and temperature-related complaints like chills and hot flashes emerged as two major underreported symptom categories.Fatigue ranked as the second most common complaint among real-world users, despite being poorly flagged in most clinical trial summaries.If you are experiencing unexpected symptoms on a GLP-1 medication, they may be worth discussing with a clinician, even if they are not on the standard side effect list.What Are GLP-1 Medications?GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of drugs that mimic a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1. This hormone helps regulate blood sugar by stimulating insulin release and slowing digestion. In doing so, it also reduces appetite and promotes a feeling of fullness, which is why these medications have become central to both diabetes management and weight loss treatment.The two drugs at the center of the UPenn study are semaglutide and tirzepatide. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic (approved for Type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (approved for weight management). Tirzepatide works on two hormone receptors — GLP-1 and GIP — and is sold under the names Mounjaro and Zepbound. Both are given as weekly injections and have demonstrated significant results in clinical trials.Well-documented side effects from clinical trials include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. These are the symptoms most patients are warned about before they start. But the new UPenn research suggests that the full picture may be more complex, particularly around hormonal and temperature-related symptoms.What the AI Study FoundThe UPenn research team, led by senior author Sharath Chandra Guntuku of UPenn Engineering and co-author Jena Shaw Tronieri of UPenn's Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, used large language models to map patient-reported social media posts onto standardized medical terminology. This allowed them to process data at a scale that would have been impossible with manual review.Two categories of symptoms stood out as underrepresented in clinical trial data.The first was reproductive symptoms. Women using GLP-1 medications frequently reported menstrual irregularities, including changes in cycle timing and flow. These symptoms appeared in the Reddit dataset at a frequency that was not matched by the reporting thresholds in most published clinical trials.The second was temperature-related complaints. Users described chills, feeling persistently cold, hot flashes, and feverlike sensations that did not appear to be linked to illness. Like the reproductive symptoms, these complaints surfaced consistently enough in real-world reports to suggest they may be worth systematic study.Fatigue also emerged as a significant finding. It ranked as the second most commonly reported complaint among Reddit users, despite reaching formal reporting thresholds in relatively few clinical trials. For a symptom that can substantially affect quality of life, this gap between patient experience and clinical documentation is notable.The researchers were careful to note that the data does not prove these symptoms are caused by the medications. However, given that GLP-1 drugs are understood to engage the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that regulates hormones, appetite, and body temperature, the biological plausibility is real. As co-author Tronieri noted, this does not confirm causation but suggests these reports are worth studying more systematically.Importantly, well-known side effects like nausea also showed up clearly in the social media analysis, which the researchers say validates the approach. If the method picks up known signals accurately, the signals it finds that are not well-documented clinically deserve attention.Why Some Side Effects Go Unreported in Clinical TrialsClinical trials are designed to detect outcomes under controlled conditions, which is one of their great strengths. But that design comes with limitations. Trial populations tend to be more homogeneous than the real-world patient population. Trials run for defined periods. And the data collection tools used in trials, like standardized questionnaires and adverse event checklists, may not capture the full range of how patients describe what they are feeling.Social media analysis flips that dynamic. Patients write in their own words, without being guided by a checklist. They describe things like "feeling freezing cold all the time" or "my period completely stopped" without being prompted. Aggregated across hundreds of thousands of posts, those descriptions can surface patterns that formal trial structures might miss.The UPenn team used large language models to translate informal descriptions into standardized medical vocabulary, enabling large-scale pattern recognition that would be impossible manually. This represents a meaningful advancement in how post-market drug safety can be monitored — and it is exactly the kind of AI-supported insight that may become more common as these tools improve. For people interested in how GLP-1 receptor agonist side effects are being tracked and discussed, this study is a useful entry point.What This Means If You Are Taking a GLP-1 MedicationIf you are on semaglutide or tirzepatide and have noticed symptoms that do not appear on the package insert, you are not alone, and those experiences are not automatically irrelevant. The UPenn study suggests that real-world patient reports can surface clinically important signals that standard trial structures may undercount.For women in particular, the menstrual irregularity findings are worth noting. Semaglutide has already attracted interest in the context of hormonal conditions like PCOS, where the relationship between body weight, insulin sensitivity, and reproductive hormones is well established. Whether GLP-1 medications have direct or indirect effects on the menstrual cycle independent of weight loss is a question researchers are now better positioned to study, in part because of work like this.Fatigue is another area where the gap between trial data and patient experience is meaningful. If you are experiencing persistent tiredness while taking one of these medications, understanding whether it is a direct medication effect, a response to caloric changes, or something else entirely matters for how you manage it. There is growing discussion around fatigue and Mounjaro specifically, including how the body's adjustment period plays a role.None of this means these medications are unsafe. GLP-1 receptor agonists have a well-established safety profile and significant clinical benefits for the conditions they treat. What this research adds is a more complete picture of how patients experience them in the real world, which is valuable both for clinicians monitoring patients and for patients advocating for themselves. If you have questions about Ozempic interactions or medication management, speaking with a licensed provider is always the right next step.As always, outputs from AI health tools are informational and do not replace clinical judgment. If you are experiencing new, worsening, or concerning symptoms while on a GLP-1 medication, confirm with a licensed clinician, especially if symptoms are persistent or affecting your daily life.FAQsQ: Are menstrual irregularities a known side effect of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy?Menstrual irregularities are not currently listed among the primary side effects in prescribing information for semaglutide or tirzepatide. However, the UPenn study published in Nature Health found that women in a large real-world dataset reported menstrual changes with enough frequency to suggest the topic warrants more systematic research. The hypothalamus, which GLP-1 drugs are understood to engage, helps regulate reproductive hormones, making biological plausibility real. If you are experiencing irregular periods on a GLP-1 medication, discuss this with your prescribing clinician.Q: Why is fatigue not well-documented in GLP-1 clinical trials if so many patients report it?Clinical trials use standardized tools to capture side effects, and fatigue may not consistently meet formal reporting thresholds in those frameworks. Real-world patients, by contrast, describe their experience in their own words, and when thousands of people independently mention similar symptoms, that pattern becomes visible in aggregate analysis. The UPenn study found fatigue ranked second among Reddit user complaints, suggesting it may be more common than trial data reflects. Fatigue can also have multiple causes in people taking GLP-1 medications, including reduced caloric intake, which makes attribution complex.Q: Do temperature-related symptoms like chills or hot flashes mean something is wrong with my medication?Not necessarily. The UPenn researchers noted that the hypothalamus, which GLP-1 medications interact with, plays a role in regulating body temperature alongside appetite and hormone function. Temperature-related complaints like chills and hot flashes appeared consistently enough in real-world reports to be notable, but the study does not establish that these symptoms are caused by the medications. If you experience persistent or disruptive temperature changes, it is worth mentioning to your doctor so they can evaluate the full clinical picture.Q: Is it safe to continue taking a GLP-1 medication if I am experiencing unexpected side effects?That depends on the nature and severity of the symptoms. Mild symptoms that are manageable and improving over time may not require any change in treatment. Symptoms that are severe, persistent, or affecting your quality of life warrant a conversation with your prescribing clinician, who can determine whether the benefits of continuing the medication outweigh the discomfort. This is not a decision to make based on social media research alone. A licensed provider can help you weigh your individual situation.Q: Can AI really be trusted to identify drug side effects from social media posts?The UPenn study used large language models to map informal patient language onto standardized medical terminology from the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). As a validation step, the method successfully identified well-established side effects like nausea, confirming it picks up real signals. The researchers are clear that this kind of analysis generates hypotheses that require further study, not conclusions. That said, AI-assisted social media analysis is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for real-world pharmacovigilance, filling gaps that formal trial structures leave behind.The Bottom LineGLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide have changed the landscape of diabetes and weight management treatment. But the full range of how patients experience these drugs in the real world is still coming into focus. New AI-powered research analyzing 400,000 patient posts suggests that menstrual irregularities, temperature-related symptoms, and fatigue may be more common than clinical trial data alone would indicate. None of this changes the established safety profile of these medications, but it does underscore the value of listening to patient experience and taking unexplained symptoms seriously.This story was produced by Doctronic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	RAWtools South turns guns into garden tools in the mountain south RAWtools South turns guns into garden tools in the mountain southOn a chilly spring morning in downtown Spruce Pine, North Carolina, a town of around 2,400 in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a double line of tents stood parallel to the railroad tracks, filled with people working at forges and anvils. The air reverberated with the hiss of gas forges and the rhythmic clanging of hammers striking metal. This was the 2025 Fire on the Mountain festival, an annual celebration of the art of blacksmithing.Standing under one of the tents was Scotty Utz, a blacksmith with the organization RAWtools South.“As my son says, blacksmithing is boring,” said Utz. “It’s just tap, tap, tap all the time.”But Utz is anything but boring. A natural teacher, he hammered a cooling piece of metal around the tip of an anvil, and explained his process to the crowd. “I’ve got this lengthened out about as much as I want it. I was just stretching it out a little bit using the horn and the peen,” Utz said. Sarah Melotte // The Daily Yonder On a nearby table was a display of jewelry and garden tools, all made from parts of discarded guns. Standing behind the table was Stan Wilson, a pastor and the coordinator of RAWtools South, which is based in nearby Asheville.“We have kind of an unusual niche,” said Wilson. “We take unwanted guns and turn them into garden tools and art.”In the United States, people have a complicated relationship with guns. For some, they’re associated with family traditions, like hunting. For others, they’re reminders of pain and violence. RAWtools South aims to reduce gun violence by bringing together gun owners, faith communities, and blacksmiths to transform guns into new objects, The Daily Yonder reports.Wilson joined forces with Utz and his blacksmith skills to start RAWtools South back in January of 2024. It is a spinoff of the original RAWtools, which began in Colorado Springs, Colorado.“We work with folks who have been affected by gun violence or who have an old shotgun in their house. It doesn’t operate safely anymore, and they don’t need it around,” Wilson said.RAWtools South gets its guns from safe surrender events where the public can give up their guns to be deconstructed. Wilson partners with churches, community organizations, and local volunteers to facilitate these surrender events.A Well-Choreographed Event Rebecca Williams At a gun surrender in downtown Asheville, Wilson and Utz greeted a group of 40 volunteers in a church parking lot. Wilson stepped into the cluster of volunteers and called out to get people’s attention.Some folks were holding clipboards and handouts, others were wearing plastic goggles and leather gloves. Utz gave everyone their assignments.“So our greeters are going to be down at that orange tent down there where we, thank goodness, have some cars lining up right now,” Utz said. “Amen?”“Amen,” the volunteers responded.As cars continued lining up in the driveway, Wilson reminded the group of their shared purpose: “Let’s take a few seconds in silence to recognize those who are at the center of our concern, who’ve been affected by gun violence.”After the moment of silence, the volunteers went to their stations. It was a well-choreographed event. But a noisy one. The low drone of generators accompanied a chorus of buzzing chop saws and grinders.Several people discussed why they had come to surrender their guns. San, who asked that only her first name be used, was at the head of the line. She explained what drew her there.“I was in church a couple of weeks ago, and they were giving out flyers for this program,” San said. “So I decided to come up here and bring an old piece of equipment that I inherited. And I really didn’t want it.”San stayed in her car as volunteers unloaded the gun and took it to the chop saw station. Utz instructed one of the volunteers as they placed the gun on a grinder. “This is the rear end of our receiver,” Utz said. “So we need to cut here through our triggering mechanism.”“And what do you call out?” prompted Utz. “Cutting!”“Cutting,” echoed the volunteer as the grinder cut into the metal gun.Once the gun was cut into three pieces and could no longer be used, the parts were separated into bins.Wilson reflected on the challenge of bringing people together to transform gun violence in the United States.“Gun violence is a difficult conversation to have,” Wilson said. “Just having the conversation takes a little bit of courage. To be out here to receive these gun donations. That takes a little bit of courage. And courage is contagious. Let it catch. May it catch.”A Kind of AlchemyAfter each gun surrender, Utz brings the chopped-up gun parts back to his blacksmithing shop in Weaverville, about 10 miles north of Asheville. The shop is a converted garage beneath Utz’s house. There were buckets filled with gun parts on the tables and floor. Utz pointed out the contents of each container.“Here’s a bucket of springs. These are little pistol barrels that I turn into split crosses,” Utz said.This is the material he uses to make the jewelry and garden tools that they sell to fund their work.Utz pointed to more white plastic buckets crowded with long metal cylinders. “These are all barrels from rifles in this bucket. This bucket over here is all shotgun barrels.”Most of the time Utz works here alone. But sometimes, he and Wilson work together at the forge, along with family members who have been affected by gun violence. And that is how they connected with Teresa Schracta in 2024.“My son, Lance Corporal Alexander Schrachta, was active duty in the Marine Corps and we lost him to suicide while he was on the barracks,” Schrachta said. Alex was 19. “I was informed that I would receive that firearm. And I was horrified by that thought.”Schrachta lives in Memphis, Tennessee. She remembered a gun surrender event held there a few months earlier and contacted the organizers. That was how she found Utz and RAWtools South. “I told Scotty my story. He put together this beautiful, I would call it a ceremony,” Schracta said.Schrachta and her three remaining children drove to Weaverville, North Carolina, and met Utz and Wilson at the shop. Utz had the gun on an anvil.“I went in very gung-ho on destroying it,” Schrachta said. “So I went in first with the hammer and I was pounding on it. And I loved it, you know, I got out a lot. I was happy to pound on that thing and take everything out on it.”For Schrachta, it was cathartic to destroy the gun. And while the process began with the gun’s destruction, eventually work became gentler and more creative. “By the end, we were transforming it into jewelry and different pieces of art,” Schracta said. “My daughter came in and had to take over because she had to be soft and delicate with it.”Schrachta’s two daughters made heart pendants. Her youngest son turned the gun’s slide into a dog tag, stamped with an olive branch. And Schrachta wears a cross made from the barrel of Alex’s gun.To turn parts of a gun, like a barrel, into something else, you have to heat the metal in the forge until it changes form—until it’s not solid anymore.“It’s so symbolic,” Schrachta said, “It’s this hard thing that goes in and it comes out soft and you can transform it into something different. Rebecca Williams In his shop, Utz reflected on the value of RAWtools South’s work. Not as many guns were surrendered at the church this time compared to last year’s event. But Utz said there are lots of ways to measure progress.“It’s so much easier to get a gun than to get rid of a gun in our country,” Utz said. “The healing that can happen for folks as they work on transforming these guns into something else, but also transforming their own experiences and trauma into something else [is] healing.”Surrendering a gun, cutting or smashing it, or heating parts of it up in a forge isn’t going to erase anyone’s experience with gun violence. But it might just change it. It’s a kind of alchemy, to take something hard, used for harm and transform it into something to be worn as a reminder. Or thrust into the earth to plant something green.This story was produced by The Daily Yonder and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Lifted Energy opens a second location on Friday in Silvis Lifted Energy to hold a grand opening from 6-9 a.m. at their second location in Silvis on Friday.
	Congress ends record shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security Thursday's vote in the House provides funding for DHS after a more than two-month shutdown, but does not include dollars for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
	Elementary school closing in Salem, IA The decision follows pushback from parents and community members in March who have opposed the closure.
	Medicare nightmares and how to avoid them Medicare nightmares and how to avoid themWhether it’s something not being covered or a bill you weren’t expecting, healthcare surprises are absolute nightmares. Unfortunately, Medicare Advantage nightmares are all too common. The good news is that many Medicare Advantage issues can be avoided. This article from Chapter explains more about the most common Medicare Advantage nightmares and how you can avoid them.Unable to afford care due to high out-of-pocket costsMedicare Advantage plans have varying out-of-pocket costs. If you’re on a plan with a high deductible and high coinsurance amounts, you may find yourself unable to afford your share of healthcare costs.How to control your out-of-pocket costsIf you need frequent or expensive treatments, pairing a Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plan with Original Medicare is generally the best way to save. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford Medicare Supplement plan premiums. You’re also not always guaranteed acceptance into a Medicare Supplement plan.If you can’t afford the premiums that come with Medigap plans, you should look for Medicare Advantage plans with low annual deductibles, coinsurance amounts, and out-of-pocket maximums. This will help reduce your costs.Delayed care due to prior authorization requirementsReceiving the care you need in a timely manner matters. While Original Medicare doesn’t require prior authorization for covered services, Medicare Advantage plans often do. Unfortunately, prior authorization denials are common, and this is one of the biggest drawbacks of Medicare Advantage plans.If authorization is denied, you may experience a delay in care—or end up foregoing treatment entirely. In some cases, this can cause serious consequences to your health.One Medicare Advantage enrollee shared a story that illustrates how prior authorization can have serious consequences. This woman had experienced multiple strokes and had undergone brain surgery. She had ongoing health issues, and her neurologist wanted to perform a diagnostic procedure. The procedure was denied by her Medicare Advantage plan provider. When she appealed the denial, she discovered that the request was denied due to an administrative error. The approval didn’t come until four months later, at which point her health condition had worsened.When dealing with serious medical conditions, stress is high, and delays matter. This is just one example of how prior authorization can have serious consequences.How to ensure you receive the care you need when you need itIf you’re on Original Medicare, you won’t need prior authorization for covered services. If you prefer Medicare Advantage, you can enroll in a plan with an insurance company that’s less likely to require prior authorization.Preferred healthcare providers aren’t coveredWhen you’ve been going to the same doctor, dentist, or hospital for years, it’s normal to want to stick with those healthcare providers. Change can be scary in any part of your life, but when it comes to your healthcare, sticking with the people and places you trust can provide necessary comfort. One of the common issues people face with Medicare Advantage plans is that only certain plans have networks that include all their healthcare providers.How to ensure you can see your preferred providersWhen you’re enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, have a list of all your preferred providers handy so you don’t forget any of them. Your Medicare agent should ask you for your doctors’ information to ensure they’re only looking at plans that have your doctors in their network.If you have a lot of doctors and specialists, Original Medicare may be a better option to ensure you can see the doctors you know. With Original Medicare, you can see any doctor who accepts Medicare. This remains true if you add a Medicare Supplement plan to Original Medicare.A specific treatment or piece of equipment isn’t coveredEspecially if you have a chronic condition, you may have specific prescriptions or equipment that you’ve been using. For example, if you have diabetes, while all prescription coverage options will cover insulin, not every plan will cover the specific type of insulin you’ve been using. And, even if a plan covers your type of insulin, it may be more expensive.How to ensure your specific needs are metAlways check that all of your healthcare needs are met by the plan you choose. If you prefer a certain brand-name drug, make sure to mention that to your Medicare Advisor to ensure you aren’t surprised by the cost of your prescriptions or complete lack of coverage.A plan’s extra benefits are unclear or not worth itOne of the reasons Medicare Advantage enrollees choose to enroll in these plans is to get the extra benefits that come with them. Original Medicare doesn’t cover dental, vision, and hearing care—but Advantage plans usually do. Unfortunately, due to aggressive advertising tactics and variance between plans, the extra benefits you’re receiving are often confusing. In many cases, the value of those benefits isn’t what people expect. In other cases, with benefits like Medicare OTC cards, claiming your benefits can be confusing. Finally, in the worst scenario, by prioritizing these extra benefits, you may end up paying more for the healthcare and prescriptions you need.How to ensure you get the best value from your coverage and benefitsAsk questions. Especially once you’ve narrowed your plan options down to one to three, ask what each comes with and make sure your most important healthcare priorities are met.Avoid confusion and Medicare nightmares with help from an agentMost Medicare Advantage nightmares are avoidable! When enrolling in Medicare, it’s important to understand the key differences between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare. You should also understand your other Medicare coverage options: Part D (prescription drug coverage) and Medigap plans.This story was produced by Chapter and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	7 states pushing to eliminate property taxes in 2026 7 states pushing to eliminate property taxes in 2026Property taxes have long been one of the most frustrating ongoing costs of homeownership. You buy a house once, but the tax bills never stop coming in. Even long after you’ve paid off the mortgage, your local government has you on the hook year after year.Think about it: What other major purchase do you fully pay for, then keep paying taxes on until the day you sell it?Take New Jersey as an example. With an average home value of $569,411 and an effective property tax rate of 1.88%, the typical homeowner pays about $10,705 in property taxes annually. Typically, their only recourse is a property tax appeal, which merely shrinks the bill — though it can backfire. Over the course of a 30-year mortgage with modest appreciation, those fees will amount to between $350,000 and $450,000 in property taxes alone. And though the Garden State ranks as the country’s most tax-disadvantaged state, these costs still stifle homeowners nationwide by driving up the long-term cost of ownership.With so many Americans frustrated by annual property tax bills that keep rising with every reassessment, it’s no wonder that in 2026, several states are considering drastically overhauling or eliminating property taxes altogether. In this article, TurboTenant breaks down what property taxes typically cover, why states are rethinking them, the seven states leading the charge, and how they plan to replace the lost tax revenue.What property taxes typically coverMillions of American homeowners and real estate investors dutifully pay property taxes to their local government year after year, but how often do they stop to consider where that money actually goes? With an average property tax bill of around $3,000 nationally, the breakdown is definitely worth a closer look.Property taxes pay for essential services that people rely on every day, including:Public schools: Teacher salaries, school operations, and classroom resources.Police/fire departments: Emergency response services, staffing, and public safety operations.Roads and infrastructure: Road maintenance, repairs, bridges, and transportation systems.Local government services: Administrative functions, courts, and essential municipal. operationsParks and community services: Public parks, recreation programs, and community facilities.Without tax levies, local governments would face major funding gaps or need to rely on alternative revenue sources, making any changes to the system far more complex than they appear.So, why is there a growing push to overhaul property taxes?Funding for essential services has to come from somewhere, so why are states now pushing to eliminate one of the most reliable sources of that revenue? Here’s what’s driving the movement.Property taxes are a life sentence: If you own property, you’ll pay taxes on it indefinitely. Unlike other large purchases, such as college tuition, home renovations, or furniture, the tax bill for a property never ends until you sell it. In today’s high-inflation, low-affordability environment, that’s a morale-zapping reality for most homeowners.Property tax assessments have grown rapidly: Over the last 10 years, home values have increased by roughly 5% annually nationwide, meaning a homeowner who bought a $300,000 home in 2016 may now be taxed on a home valued at nearly $500,000 in 2026. While that appreciation builds equity, it also increases the annual tax bill, often faster than many homeowners budgeted for.Property taxes are highly visible: Unlike smaller, incremental taxes like sales tax, property taxes arrive as large, lump-sum bills that can blindside owners due to increased property valuations. That visibility is impossible to ignore and creates friction, which often leads to stronger public outcry for reform.State governments see this as an opportunity: Lawmakers are responding to growing public frustration by pushing overhauls to outdated systems. In some cases, that includes proposals to restructure or even replace property taxes with alternative models they argue would be more efficient and equitable for taxpayers.With momentum building and pressure mounting, several states are now moving beyond discussion and toward real proposals to overhaul or eliminate property taxes. Here are seven of the most notable.TexasTexas has taken aggressive steps to slow the rise in property taxes across the state, including boosting the homestead exemption to $100,000 and limiting how quickly cities and counties can increase tax revenue without voter approval. Cities and counties must also seek voter approval if property tax revenue exceeds a set threshold, helping to slow the pace at which tax bills rise along with home values.While these reforms are already in place, Texas lawmakers continue to revisit property tax policy in each legislative session. Additional relief measures, tighter limits on local tax growth, and further increases in homestead exemptions remain on the table. In fast-growing areas like Austin and Dallas, rising home values keep the heat on lawmakers to keep pushing for more reform.FloridaFlorida already limits how fast its property taxes can rise through the Save Our Homes Amendment, which caps annual increases for primary residences at 3%. Beyond that, lawmakers have continued expanding relief through higher homestead exemptions and additional proposals aimed at easing the overall tax burden. Some policymakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, have also explored slashing property taxes in favor of consumption-based revenue, though some critics remain skeptical.Any serious effort to eliminate property taxes would require replacing tens of billions in local funding, particularly for schools. In fast-growing markets like Miami, Tampa, and Orlando, where home values have surged, rising assessments are quickly offsetting much of that relief.GeorgiaGeorgia has shifted from discussion to action, with lawmakers advancing major property tax reform proposals in 2026. Measures like SB 33 and HB 1116 would cap annual assessment increases at the lesser of 3% or inflation, giving homeowners more stability as property values rise.In addition to capping assessments, HB 1116 would allow local governments to adopt a 1% sales tax to offset or reduce property taxes, shifting much of the burden away from homeowners. Supporters say this protects households, especially seniors on fixed incomes, while critics warn that it could shift costs to renters and lower-income residents.While full-scale elimination is highly unlikely, Georgia is now among the more aggressive states pushing deeper property tax reform.OhioOhio homeowners are feeling the impact of recent reappraisals, where rising home values have pushed tax bills higher almost overnight. In response, lawmakers have introduced relief proposals, including expanded exemptions and measures to limit reassessment-driven increases. Some Ohioans also point out that rising property taxes don’t just harm homeowners, as landlords and businesses often pass those costs along to renters.These discussions are still ongoing. But pressure is building as more homeowners face higher bills tied to updated valuations. Recent proposals have focused on short-term relief for those most affected by sharp increases. While full elimination is unlikely, Ohio is attempting to make its property taxes more predictable, even if that means shifting some of the financial burden elsewhere.IndianaIndiana already limits property taxes through its “circuit breaker” caps, which restrict property tax bills to 1% of a home’s assessed value for primary residences. Even with that protection, rising home values have pushed tax bills higher in many areas. In response, lawmakers have explored adjustments to assessments and targeted support for homeowners facing steeper-than-average increases.Lawmakers are now advancing recent proposals that would slow the growth of local tax revenue from about 5.3% to 3%, while delivering roughly $200 in average annual relief to homeowners. The plan also includes additional credits for seniors and veterans, but has raised concerns about reduced funding for local governments and schools. While phasing out property taxes altogether remains a long shot, Indiana is actively working to make its system more balanced.KansasKansas has focused on slowing the rate at which property taxes rise rather than eliminating them outright. Laws like the state’s Truth in Taxation system require local governments to notify taxpayers and hold public hearings before increasing revenue beyond prior levels. In areas where home values have climbed quickly, that transparency is intended to reduce surprise increases and give residents more insight into local tax decisions.While these measures have surely helped, they haven’t eliminated the pressure. On April 8, Gov. Laura Kelly pushed for additional relief, emphasizing that “Kansans deserve real property tax relief, and they deserve the truth about how such relief can be accomplished.” While no sweeping overhaul has come to fruition yet, the focus in Kansas remains on limiting sudden property tax spikes, even as local governments work to maintain funding for schools and essential services.NebraskaNebraska homeowners face some of the highest property tax burdens in the country, with effective rates around 1.5% to 1.7% of a property’s value. That pressure has increased in recent years as both farmland values and home prices have continued to rise. In response, lawmakers have introduced proposals to reduce reliance on property taxes by increasing state support for schools and expanding consumption-based revenue sources.Some of the most notable proposals would cut school property taxes by half or more and replace the lost revenue with expanded state funding, marking a major shift in how local governments finance education statewide. These ideas reflect a coordinated push to reduce reliance on local property taxes, even if that requires expanding sales taxes or significantly increasing state-level funding.How will these states plan to collect lost revenue from eliminated property taxes?Replacing property tax revenue is no small task, and any state considering doing so must find alternative sources of funding for schools, infrastructure, and local services. Here are a few broad approaches states are considering.Raise sales taxes: In states like Texas and Florida, one option is raising sales taxes. That could mean higher costs at checkout, whether you’re buying groceries in Houston or dining out in Miami.Adopt consumption-based tax systems: Some states are exploring broader consumption taxes that expand the scope of what is taxed and by how much. That could include services like home repairs or gym memberships, spreading out the burden across everyday spending.Streamline government spending: In places like Indiana or Kansas, lawmakers may look to cut costs by reducing administrative overhead, consolidating services across departments, or slowing the pace of budget growth to limit the need for replacement revenue.Any pivot away from property taxes would likely involve a mix of these strategies. While some homeowners and landlords may benefit from the reductions, the overall tax burden will never disappear.How far can these 7 states really go?While momentum is building in certain states, eliminating property taxes is nearly impossible. These essential revenue streams fund local schools, fire departments, and basic services people rely on every day. Across the country, that funding supports fast-growing communities already stretched thin, as populations and home values continue to boom, driving up assessments.The appeal of eliminating property taxes is clear. No more yearly bill tied to a property you already paid for feels like a win for homeowners and DIY landlords. But as seen in Texas and Florida, most reforms have focused on tax relief rather than outright removal. Not to mention, rising home values in hot real estate markets still push tax bills higher, even as rates drop lower.In the end, the funding once collected by property taxes won’t simply disappear; it’ll have to come from somewhere else. Whether it shows up in higher sales taxes, new fees, or tighter local budgets, someone will still foot the bill. The real dilemma across America is deciding exactly where the burden lands and who it hits the hardest.This story was produced by TurboTenant and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	The top 10 states with the longest life expectancy, and what that means for your life insurance coverage The top 10 states with the longest life expectancy, and what that means for your life insurance coveragePeople in the United States are generally living longer — and that means if you’re shopping for a life insurance policy, it may be a good idea to plan for a longer coverage duration, Everly Life reports.This is especially true if you live in one of the top 10 states ranked by longest life expectancy. While the average lifespan of an American currently sits at 79 years (men at 76.5 years; women at 81.4 years), the populations of these states tend to live longer than the national average for a variety of reasons, including better access to healthcare, stronger public policies, and greater emphasis on physical activity.And with all that longevity may come the need for a life insurance policy that can keep up.The Top 10 States with the Longest Life ExpectancyAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following states ranked the highest for longest life expectancy in the United States:1. Hawai‘i: 80 years (77.1 years for men; 83 years for women)2. Massachusetts: 79.8 years (77.4 years for men; 82.2 years for women)3. New Jersey: 79.6 years (77.1 years for men; 82 years for women)4. New York: 79.5 years (76.9 years for men; 82.1 years for women)5. Connecticut: 79.4 years (76.8 years for men; 82.1 years for women)6. California: 79.3 years (76.7 years for men; 82.1 years for women)7. Minnesota: 79.3 years (77 years for men; 81.6 years for women)8. Rhode Island: 79.2 years (76.6 years for men; 81.8 years for women)9. Utah: 79 years (77.3 years for men; 80.9 years for women)10. New Hampshire: 78.7 years (76.5 years for men; 81 years for women)CDC state-based life expectancy data is from 2022, the year for which this specific data set is last available.So why do these states have longer-than-average life expectancies? Research shows a combination of the following factors tends to have a positive influence on a state’s lifespan.Public policy: Policies that focus on better access to early childhood education, affordable housing, employment protection laws, and income support tend to have a notable impact on life expectancy.Access to quality healthcare: Research shows that easier access to healthcare systems — such as hospitals and clinics — as well as quality healthcare coverage through insurance and Medicaid can positively contribute to a state’s average longevity.Encouragement of active lifestyles: Living in regions where there is more opportunity for physical activity — for example, urban neighborhoods, walkable communities, and recreational areas like state parks and beaches — can significantly influence lifespan.It’s not just these states experiencing an overall boom in life expectancy; a recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that lifespans in the United States are increasing, hitting an all-time high of 79 years in 2024 since tracking began in 1900. This growth can be attributed to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a steep drop in drug overdoses across the nation.What That Means for Your Life Insurance CoverageGiven that people are living longer than previous generations, how should we think differently about how we approach buying life insurance coverage?Understand the key differences between policy optionsTerm life insurance usually offers more affordable pricing, but coverage ends after a certain period. Permanent life insurance can be pricier but may offer more security for individuals concerned about outlasting their coverage.Plus, with life expectancy continuing to grow, it may be a good idea to find a policy with a longer coverage period. That way, your policy won’t retire before you decide to.Find a policy with flexible featuresThe needs driving your life insurance purchase now might look different in 10, 20, or even 30 years. Focus on finding a policy with features that can adapt as your life changes; for example, you can get a policy that builds cash value for retirement or one that allows you to lower your death benefit when you’re older so you’re not overpaying for coverage.Living longer is something to celebrate, but with increasing lifespans comes the need to keep them protected with life insurance coverage that keeps up.This story was produced by Everly Life and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The state of sending money in 2026: Widely used, not fully trusted The state of sending money in 2026: Widely used, not fully trustedSending money is now as effortless as sending a text. Whether you’re splitting a dinner tab or paying the sitter, digital apps are the new way to hand over cash. But just because we’re using these apps every day doesn’t mean we’re entirely comfortable with them.To understand our evolving relationship with these platforms, SoFi surveyed 800 adults in January 2026. The results reveal a landscape where convenience is king, but apps still have work to do to earn our complete confidence, especially for higher-stakes transfers.Key Survey Takeaways73% of users trust payment apps as much or more than traditional banks, while 27% trust apps less or not at all.30% of respondents would switch from their usual app to a more traditional payment method for a $1,000 transfer.Hidden or unclear fees are the most common frustration people report when using payment apps.23% of users have been victims of digital payment scams.Nearly a quarter of users have accidentally sent money to the wrong person.The Shift to Routine Digital ExchangesSurvey responses show that digital payments are woven into everyday social life. From birthday money to holiday gifts, these apps have become a routine way to handle informal financial exchanges, including supporting family members and paying small businesses.59% of respondents say they use payment apps to send gifts to friends and familyFor many, sending money digitally has replaced the traditional “check in a birthday card.” It’s the top reason people use these apps, followed closely by supporting family members financially (48%), paying for goods and services from small businesses (47%), and splitting bills/expenses (37%). SoFi Trust Is High, But Concerns LingerWhile payment apps have become a staple of daily life, users still weigh convenience against security. The survey shows that while digital trust is growing, traditional banking habits and safety concerns continue to influence how people move their money.73% of respondents trust payment apps as much or more than traditional banksSurvey responses suggest that for most people, payment apps now feel just as secure as traditional banks. Still, not everyone is fully convinced. A quarter say they trust apps less than banks, and that caution is disproportionately concentrated among older respondents. Among those who say they trust banks more than apps, 73% are age 55 or older. SoFi 69% of respondents are at least “a little” concerned about sharing financial data with payment appsDespite widespread use, many people worry about the security of digital payment apps. Nearly 70% of respondents say they are somewhat-to-extremely concerned about data breaches and hacking, while only 30% feel neutral or unconcerned.Interestingly, intense concern isn’t concentrated among older users. Younger and middle-aged respondents are just as likely, and in some cases more likely, to say they are very concerned about digital security. SoFi 30% of respondents say they would switch to a different method for a $1,000 transferEven though these apps are prized for their speed, convenience doesn’t always translate into confidence for larger transactions like rent or significant gifts. While payment apps feel effortless for small costs — like splitting a pizza — users become more cautious as the stakes rise. The survey shows that while 70% would stick with their primary app for a $1,000 payment, nearly a third would switch to a more traditional method, such as an ACH transfer.Mistakes and Fraud Aren’t UncommonSpeed is a major advantage of digital payments, but it also leaves little room for error. Accidental transfers and scams are risks that users have to navigate carefully.Nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) have accidentally sent money to the wrong personIt’s a common mistake — typing a username too quickly and hitting “send” before double-checking. For 14% of those affected, the story ended well, and they were able to recover the funds. But for 10%, the money was never returned. These results highlight how a simple user error can lead to a costly loss. SoFi 40% of respondents have been targeted by digital payment scamsDigital fraud is a widespread issue, with approximately 4 in 10 respondents reporting exposure to scams. Specifically, 23% have fallen victim to fraud while sending money digitally. Among those affected, 54% successfully recovered their funds or blocked the transaction, while 46% suffered a permanent financial loss.Notably, the risk isn’t equal across age groups — younger and middle-aged individuals are more likely to report fraud exposure than those aged 55 and older. SoFi Top User Grievances With Payment AppsA full 80% of respondents have at least one complaint when it comes to using payment apps, including hidden fees, slow transactions, poor support, confusing interfaces, and low transfer limits.24% of respondents cite hidden or unclear fees as their top frustrationNothing kills a seamless user experience like a surprise charge. Whether it’s an instant transfer fee or an undisclosed “service charge,” hidden costs remain the primary complaint for users. In fact, 1 in 4 respondents reported being hit with fees that weren’t clearly disclosed up front. Still, 1 in 5 users of payment apps say they have no major complaints at all. SoFi 36% of respondents say they will only use free options offered by a payment appSpeed is appealing to users of payment apps, but not at any price. While 36% insist on free transfers, another third say they’re comfortable paying a few dollars to ensure a money transfer arrives instantly. Only a small minority (5%) of respondents are willing to pay whatever it costs. SoFi What Motivates Users to Switch Payment AppsEven if people are comfortable with the apps they already use, that doesn’t mean they’re locked in. Survey responses suggest that price and incentives can motivate people to switch services.45% of respondents say lower or zero fees would make them switchLower fees top the list of reasons for switching to a new payment service. Financial incentives like sign-up bonuses and stronger security guarantees also rank highly. Speed and integration matter, too, but fewer respondents say those factors alone would drive them to change apps.Notably, more than a quarter say nothing would make them switch, suggesting that convenience and familiarity still create strong habits. SoFi The Knowledge Gap in Digital PaymentsPayment apps may be easy to use, but that doesn’t mean everyone fully understands how they work. From tax reporting requirements to basic app features, many users are still figuring out the rules and where to turn when they need help.Only 15% of respondents are “extremely confident” that they understand the tax rules for payment appsWhile 22% report being “somewhat confident” navigating tax compliance, nearly a quarter admit they aren’t confident at all, highlighting a widespread need for clearer guidance on how these apps intersect with tax obligations. SoFi When confusion arises, 34% of respondents favor search engines over in-app help menusWhen questions come up about any aspect of using a payment app, many people simply “Google it.” Search engines are the most common starting point when respondents need help with a payment app. Still, the app’s own help center isn’t far behind. About 30% say they go directly to the app itself for answers, while bank websites (15%) and AI assistants (10%) trail further back. SoFi The State of Global Money TransfersSending money internationally has traditionally been slower and more complicated than domestic transfers. While fintech apps have streamlined the process, survey data reveals that the market remains fragmented, with users relying on a mix of traditional providers and newer digital platforms.29% of International Senders Rely on Western UnionDespite the surge of digital-only competitors, legacy brands maintain a strong foothold. Only 18% of respondents reported sending money abroad in the past year. Within that group, the majority opted for traditional banks or services like Western Union; fewer than 30% utilized digital-first platforms such as Wise, Xoom, Revolut, or MoneyGram. SoFi 66% of respondents prioritize speed when sending money overseasWhen people send money internationally, how quickly it arrives appears to matter more than anything else. In the survey, speed ranked ahead of exchange rates and low fees as the top consideration when choosing a transfer service.Convenience also plays a role. About 46% say they value being able to manage everything within their primary financial app, while 33% say they prioritize using a well-known brand they trust. SoFi Is Crypto the Future of Peer-to-Peer Payments?While cryptocurrency frequently dominates the news, it hasn’t yet replaced traditional ways of settling a lunch tab. For personal transfers to friends or family, most consumers still prefer familiar payment methods.57% of respondents are “very unlikely” to use crypto for payments in 2026Many still view cryptocurrency as a digital asset rather than a functional payment tool; overall, 70% of respondents are unlikely to use it for personal transfers.However, a significant generational divide exists. While roughly half of those aged 25-34 are open to using crypto for payments, only 6% of respondents aged 55 and older say the same. In fact, three-quarters of the 55 and over demographic remains extremely unlikely to adopt the technology for this purpose. SoFi The TakeawayDigital payments have secured the lead in the battle for convenience, handling everything from birthday gifts to reimbursing friends to sending money to family members. However, as these apps become a permanent fixture in everyday life, users are looking for more than just speed.The future of money movement may be decided not only by which app is the fastest, but by which one is the most transparent. Faced with surprise fees and sophisticated scam tactics, users now demand that digital services protect their data and assets as reliably as traditional banks do.About the SurveyThese findings are based on self-reported data from an online survey of 800 U.S. adults (ages 18+) conducted Jan. 12-18, 2026. Due to rounding and multi-select questions, percentages may not total 100%. The sample skews older, with 61% of respondents aged 55 or above.This story was produced by SoFi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	9 myths about HRT doctors say are harming women’s health 9 myths about HRT doctors say are harming women’s healthWhat you’ve heard about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is probably wrong — and it may be costing you.If you're a woman in perimenopause or menopause considering HRT, there's a good chance you heard or read something about it that isn't true. In a recent survey of more than 200 Hone Health physicians, the majority said up to 75% of women come to their appointment with at least one major misconception about HRT.Much of the confusion around HRT, also called menopause hormone therapy (MHT), can be traced to a single study from 2002 that was widely misinterpreted as linking HRT to increases in breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke. "Many women are making life-altering decisions about their health based on information that the medical community moved past years ago," says Jim Staheli, D.O., Medical Director at Hone Health. “These misconceptions are likely lowering their quality of life and possibly even shortening their lifespan.”Nearly 1.3 million American women enter menopause each year, and the majority will experience symptoms — from hot flashes and sleep disruption to mood changes, brain fog, and sexual dysfunction — that can persist for years. Longer term, midlife estrogen decline may increase a woman’s risk of osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.Here are the top nine misconceptions about HRT that Hone physicians say they encounter most often, ranked from most to least common — and what they wish you knew instead.Myth #1: HRT Dramatically Increases Breast Cancer RiskFear of breast cancer is the No. 1 driver of HRT avoidance, and it can be traced back to the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study, which was misinterpreted and highly publicized.Headlines about the study claiming HRT increased breast cancer risk by 26% triggered widespread panic and large-scale abandonment of HRT by both women and their doctors. But subsequent analysis of the same data showed that the absolute increase in breast cancer risk for women using combination HRT (estrogen + progesterone) was only 8–9 extra cases per 10,000 women per year. And breast cancer rates were actually lowered by 23% in women taking estrogen-only HRT, compared to placebo.Even in high-risk populations, including women who carry BRCA gene mutations, no research has shown HRT to significantly increase breast cancer risk. Doctors are even starting to consider HRT for survivors of certain types of breast cancer.Myth #2: HRT Causes Weight GainWeight gain during menopause is common, but HRT isn't the cause. As estrogen declines, so does muscle mass and resting metabolic rate, and this metabolic slowdown drives the changes most women notice on the scale. A meta-analysis of over a million women found that metabolism changes in menopause were linked to a nearly 3% increase in body fat, plus increases in waist circumference and visceral fat, the deep fat around your internal organs — all independent of whether they used HRT.In fact, HRT has been shown to lower visceral fat and BMI compared to non-users, and to preserve lean muscle mass, which is important because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does. One study found that women on estrogen-plus-progestin therapy lost significantly less lean mass over three years than women on a placebo. HRT also improves insulin sensitivity, which matters because insulin resistance accelerates during and after menopause and is one of the primary drivers of both weight gain and metabolic syndrome.Myth #3: Bioidentical Hormones are Safer than Conventional HRTThere’s no scientific evidence that bioidentical hormones are safer than conventional HRT or that they do a better job of managing menopause symptoms."Bioidentical" refers to hormones that are structurally identical to those our bodies produce. They’re also sometimes called "natural hormones," since they’re derived from plant sources rather than synthesized in a lab. But many commercially manufactured hormone treatments — including certain estradiol patches and progesterone tablets — already use bioidentical, plant-derived hormones, so in that respect, they’re not meaningfully different.Myth #4: HRT Increases Heart Disease RiskDeclining estrogen levels during perimenopause can directly impact your heart health, and for decades, HRT has also been linked to heart risks. However, for most women, the opposite is true — HRT is cardioprotective if started before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause.Women starting HRT after 10 years post-menopause may face different cardiovascular risks. The DOPS trial (Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study), one of the few randomized controlled trials to examine HRT initiated early in menopause, found that women who began HRT shortly after menopause had significantly lower rates of heart failure, heart attack, and cardiovascular-related death after 10 years — with no increase in cancer or stroke risk. A large meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal similarly found that women who started HRT under age 60 had reduced risk of coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality compared to non-users.HRT improves cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which contribute to arterial damage and plaque buildup. It also reduces insulin resistance and lowers type 2 diabetes risk, addressing two of the most powerful drivers of cardiovascular disease after menopause.These benefits are closely tied to what clinicians call the “window of opportunity” — the period within 10 years of menopause onset, or before age 60, when estrogen's cardioprotective effects are most pronounced. Women who initiate HRT more than 10 years post-menopause, or who have significant pre-existing cardiovascular disease, should undergo individualized assessment before starting therapy.Myth #5: You Can’t Start HRT After 60There is no strict age cutoff for starting HRT. Whether it's right for you depends on your health history, symptoms, and lifestyle. That said, women who start after 60 or more than 10 years past menopause may have a different benefit-risk profile than those who start earlier.The myth about age limits was driven largely by the 2002 WHI study, which showed that estrogen plus progestin didn't prevent heart attacks in women over 60, and that risks appeared to increase with age and long-term use. Those findings were applied to all women regardless of age or timing, leading many doctors to stop prescribing HRT to older patients altogether. Later reanalysis showed that the elevated risks in the original trial were concentrated in a much older, less healthy population than most menopausal women seeking treatment.Today, most evidence supports an individualized approach. If you're over 60 and considering HRT for the first time, work with your physician to find the right type, dose, and delivery method for your specific health profile.Myth #6: You Must Stop HRT at 65For healthy women who still have symptoms, continuing HRT beyond 65 is a reasonable option — ideally with low-dose or non-oral formulations, and with regular physician monitoring. The Menopause Society states explicitly that there is no general rule for discontinuing HRT based on age, and the latest research backs that up.A large 2024 study published in Menopause, based on the records of 10 million senior Medicare women, found that continuing HRT beyond 65 was associated with reduced risk for a striking range of serious health outcomes. For women on estrogen alone, continuing beyond 65 was associated with reduced risk of mortality, breast cancer, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and dementia. For women on combination therapy, breast cancer risk was modestly elevated but can be mitigated by choosing low-dose transdermal or vaginal formulations over oral.Women may want to stay on HRT longer if they’re still experiencing menopause symptoms. Research shows that symptoms like hot flashes can persist for seven to 12 years, and 42% of women between the ages of 60 and 65 still report experiencing them.Myth #7: HRT Causes Blood ClotsHRT delivered transdermally (via patch) does not increase the risk of blood clots in most healthy women. In fact, both transdermal and lower-dose HRT may decrease the risk of stroke and blood clots when started before age 60.That said, oral estrogen may carry a slight increase in blood clot risk because the hormone passes through the liver first, increasing production of clotting factors, the body’s defense against blood vessel injury.Myth #8: Blood Tests are Required to Diagnose PerimenopausePerimenopause is a clinical diagnosis, meaning it's based on what you’re experiencing, not what your labs show. Hormones are so unpredictable during this transition that a single blood test can't tell the whole story. And what looks normal on paper is just normal for your age group, so a woman in her 40s or 50s, when hormone levels are naturally lower, can have perfectly unremarkable results and still be in perimenopause. That said, if doctors see two follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) readings above 25 IU/L taken about a month apart, that does support the diagnosis. “It's a useful data point, just not the whole picture." says Staheli.That said, perimenopause testing still has real value. Blood work can rule out conditions that mimic perimenopause, such as thyroid dysfunction or low iron; establish baseline hormone levels that help guide treatment decisions; and flag menopause-related shifts in cholesterol, insulin, and inflammation that often creep up before symptoms appear. Catching these changes early means they can be managed before they become serious.Myth #9: HRT is Only for Hot FlashesHRT is considered the most effective treatment for hot flashes, but it also addresses changes in mood, sleep, energy, cognitive function, and sexual function. HRT has been shown to improve sleep by reducing night sweats and sleep disturbances and also improve mood and cognition.HRT also treats a cluster of symptoms clinicians call genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), including vaginal dryness and irritation, painful intercourse, urinary urgency, increased frequency, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Many women suffer through these symptoms for years without connecting them to menopause or knowing that treatment exists. For GSM specifically, low-dose vaginal estrogen is highly effective, and the effects stay local in the body, making it an option even for some women who aren't candidates for systemic therapy.Beyond symptom relief, HRT confers meaningful long-term health benefits, including shoring up bone density and reducing the risk of fractures, including hip fractures, which carry a higher mortality risk than most people realize, and significantly reducing the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular-related death.This story was produced by Hone Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What does ADA compliance mean for websites? What does ADA compliance mean for websites?Most people think of the Americans with Disabilities Act in terms of physical access, such as wheelchair ramps, accessible parking, or elevator buttons with braille. What many business owners don't realize is that the ADA also applies to websites, and the legal exposure for ignoring that has been building for years.Over 4,000 lawsuits were filed in federal and state courts in 2024 by individuals alleging that company websites and mobile apps failed to comply with Title III of the ADA. According to AudioEye's 2026 Accessibility Advantage Report, 52% of business leaders have already faced an accessibility-related lawsuit or legal threat. AudioEye also found that almost 4 in 10 businesses that were sued in 2025 already had some form of accessibility solution in place.The numbers suggest that for many businesses, the legal exposure is already there, whether they've thought about it or not.What the ADA actually says about websitesThe ADA was signed into law in 1990, years before most businesses had a website at all, so it doesn't mention the internet by name. But courts and the Department of Justice have consistently read Title III, the section covering places of public accommodation, to include websites and digital services.One of the most referenced cases in this space is Robles v. Domino's Pizza. A blind customer sued after he couldn't order food through the company's app using a screen reader. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2019 that the ADA applies to Domino's digital properties because they function as an extension of a physical place of business, and Domino's reached a settlement in 2022 after six years of litigation. It's widely cited as a turning point for how courts think about digital accessibility.If your business has a website and serves the public, it's reasonable to treat ADA compliance as something that applies to you.What WCAG has to do with itWCAG is the technical framework that courts and regulators use to measure whether a website is actually accessible. It's developed by the World Wide Web Consortium and sets specific standards for how content should work for people using screen readers, keyboard navigation, captions, and other assistive tools.The guidelines essentially ask four questions about your site: Can people tell what's on it? Can they use it? Can they understand it? And does it hold up across different devices and assistive tools? In practice, that means things like providing alt text for images, making sure videos have captions, ensuring a site can be navigated without a mouse, and using enough color contrast that text is readable for someone with low vision. For businesses, this matters because it means accessibility isn't subjective. There's a documented standard, courts know about it, and when someone sues over an inaccessible website, WCAG is usually how they prove it.What non-compliance actually looks likeThe part that surprises most people is just how common accessibility problems are. Research from WebAIM's annual review of the top 1 million websites found that 94.8% of home pages have detectable WCAG failures. The most common issues include missing form labels, low-contrast text, images without alt text, and links that use vague or duplicate descriptions, the kind of barriers that make it genuinely difficult for someone who is blind or relies on a keyboard to use a site at all.AudioEye's own research found that 59% of business leaders believe their organization would be at legal risk if their site were audited today.How businesses should approach thisThe most effective path combines automated scanning with expert human review. Automated tools can quickly and consistently catch and resolve a large percentage of issues, but they don't replace the judgment required to fix more complex problems. Experts close the remaining gaps, addressing the barriers that technology alone can't reliably solve. However, neither works as well on its own. Automation without human review leaves critical issues unaddressed, and manual work alone can't keep pace with sites that update constantly.That challenge only continues to grow, especially as AI-powered coding tools have made it possible for smaller teams to build more and launch faster, which means accessibility gaps can appear more quickly than ever. According to AudioEye's 2025 Digital Accessibility Index, the average web page still contains 297 accessibility issues, even among organizations actively investing in compliance.What hasn't held up legally is the overlay approach, tools that add a toolbar to your site and promise instant compliance. AudioEye found that 38.5% of businesses sued in 2025 already had an accessibility solution in place. Most were relying on widgets that promised instant compliance but couldn't fix the things that actually matter in court, like forms, checkout flows, and navigation. That's because widgets operate at the presentation layer, a floating toolbar that lets visitors adjust font size or contrast for themselves without ever changing the underlying code. Real accessibility solutions work at the structural level, evaluating a site's code and fixing issues before a user ever interacts with the page. Widgets sell surface-level changes as structural fixes, and plaintiffsâ€™ attorneys know exactly where to look.People with disabilities and their networks represent $18 trillion in global purchasing power, according to the Return on Disability Group, which means a more accessible website isn't just a legally safer one. It's one that more people can actually use. For most business owners, that tends to be the framing that sticks long after the legal risk stops being the only thing on their radar.Where to startFor businesses just getting started, the most practical first step is understanding your site's accessibility, or lack thereof. A free accessibility site scan will surface the most common and most legally significant issues. Businesses have had to make their physical locations accessible for decades, and the same standard is now catching up to their websites. The ramp out front got built because the law required it, and today, nobody thinks twice about it. The same shift is happening online, except the door isn't made of glass or steel. It's a homepage, a checkout flow, a contact form. The organizations that get ahead of it tend to find that keeping those doors open was never just a legal requirement anyway.This story was produced by AudioEye and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Firefighters respond to trucking facility A KWQC crew could see emergency crews outside the business at about 10 a.m. in the 13200 block of US 150.
	Why the best adventure trips also revolve around food Why the best adventure trips also revolve around foodFor many travelers, adventure travel used to mean pushing physical limits: long hikes, mountain summits, or cycling climbs that left little time to think about anything else. Increasingly, though, the most memorable trips aren’t defined solely by the activity itself. They’re shaped by what happens afterward—often around a table.Across many destinations known for hiking, cycling, and other outdoor pursuits, food plays a central role in how travelers experience a place. Meals aren’t simply a break between activities; they’re part of the cultural rhythm that makes the adventure meaningful.That shift reflects broader changes in how travelers think about adventure. According to the 2025 Adventure Traveler Report from EF Adventures, 77% of travelers say cultural immersion is extremely or very important when booking an active trip, signaling that many now see physical activity as a way to better understand a destination.From café stops along cycling routes in Spain to mountain lunches in the Alps, the best trips blend physical exploration with local cuisine that reflects the landscape travelers have just moved through. EF Adventures Catalonia, Spain: The midride café stopIn Girona, professional cyclists don’t start their training rides from a parking lot. They start from a café. A double espresso, something small to eat, and then the road. Somewhere midride, they’ll stop again—lean the bike against a wall, order another coffee, and continue on.The café stop is part of the ride, and it always has been. Girona has become a training ground for professional cyclists from around the world, not just because of its challenging climbs but because of the culture that surrounds the sport.Later in the day, wandering Girona’s Gothic Quarter often means encountering one of the city’s most beloved pastries: the xuixo, a deep-fried, cream-filled pastry said to have been invented locally by a traveling circus performer. It has been sold on these streets for more than a century. After exploring the city’s medieval alleys, the pastry feels less like a snack and more like a continuation of the experience. EF Adventures Japan: The meal that earns its momentIn Japan, the connection between physical experience and food is often deliberate.One example comes at Konpira Shrine on Shikoku, a sacred site reached by climbing 1,368 stone steps. The climb has protected travelers and seafarers for centuries, and the effort required to reach the shrine is part of the pilgrimage itself.Later, in the remote Iya Valley, dinner might take the form of kaiseki—a traditional multicourse meal where seasonal ingredients are prepared and presented across small plates. Each dish reflects careful attention to seasonality, presentation, and balance.After a physically demanding day, the meal takes on a different significance. The experience of reaching the table shapes how the food is received.Elsewhere in the country, Japan’s food culture can look entirely different. In Osaka—widely considered the nation’s street food capital—the philosophy of kuidaore roughly translates to “eat yourself into bankruptcy.” In neighborhoods like Dotonbori, the neon glow of the streets accompanies a seemingly endless supply of takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and other local specialties. Here, food is less about quiet reflection and more about joyful excess. EF Adventures The Alps: Altitude, fontina, and a vineyard above the lakeIn the Alps, the relationship between landscape and cuisine becomes especially clear.In Switzerland’s Lavaux Vineyard terraces above Lake Geneva, walking through rows of vines offers an immediate connection between the landscape and the wines produced there. That connection between movement and reflection is part of what draws many travelers to active trips in the first place. According to the Adventure Traveler Report, 66% of adventure travelers say they’ve taken a trip specifically to recover from a major life moment, treating travel less like a vacation and more like a reset.Farther south in Italy’s Aosta Valley, charcuterie boards and local wines reflect centuries of Alpine food traditions designed to sustain life in mountainous terrain.Then there’s the classic mountain lunch: a simple meal at a high-altitude rifugio. Dishes like fontina cheese and polenta take on a new character when eaten outdoors after miles of hiking, with peaks like Mont Blanc looming nearby. EF Adventures Portugal: The farm at the end of the rideIn Portugal’s Alentejo region, adventure often unfolds across gently rolling landscapes dotted with vineyards, olive groves, and cork oak forests.Cycling routes wind through rural countryside and historic villages like Monsaraz, a medieval hilltop town overlooking one of Europe’s largest artificial lakes. The region is known for its agricultural traditions, and many experiences naturally end where those traditions begin: on farms and at wineries.After a day spent riding through the countryside, meals often highlight the very ingredients grown nearby—from olive oil tastings to regional wines produced on the surrounding land.It’s the kind of moment where the meal makes sense because of everything that came before it.Why food matters on active tripsMeals provide a pause to reflect on the journey, but they also offer something deeper: a cultural connection to the places travelers move through.Whether it’s a café stop during a cycling ride, a mountain lunch after a long hike, or a multicourse dinner following a day of exploration, food often becomes the moment where the adventure fully lands.This story was produced by EF Adventures and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	95% of parents say nature is essential for kids. So why are families stuck inside? 95% of parents say nature is essential for kids. So why are families stuck inside?American parents aren't confused about what their kids need. They're just not doing it.A new national survey from Westgate Resorts found that 95% of U.S. parents believe nature and outdoor experiences are a nonnegotiable part of childhood development. But that's not the surprising number. What's surprising is how little it translates into action. Only about a third of those same families actually get outside together multiple times a week, and nearly 13% are down to once a month or less.The study surveyed 1,000 American parents in March 2026 across a range of demographics, and the picture it paints is one of a country where intention and behavior have almost nothing to do with each other. Westgate Resorts Two-Thirds of Parents Had a Completely Different ChildhoodThis one won't shock anyone who's spent five minutes on a parenting forum. There are whole online movements dedicated to recreating a "90s childhood" for kids today, fueled by parents who remember riding bikes until the streetlights came on, drinking from garden hoses, and not coming home until dinner. That nostalgia isn't just vibes. The data backs it up.Two in 3 parents (66.5%) say they spent significantly more time outside as children than their own kids do now. Among Gen X parents, that jumps to 75.1%. Among Baby Boomers, it's 78.6%. Only 1.5% of parents say their children actually spend more time outdoors than they did growing up.The shift isn't really a mystery. Kids’ free time is taken up by structured activities and school pressure. And the entire entertainment economy is engineered to keep eyeballs indoors. What makes this stat sting, though, is that the parents who lived an outdoor childhood are the same ones who can't figure out how to recreate it.Kids Are Spending More Time on Screens Than Most Adults Spend at WorkAt least 1 in 4 (27.1%) American children log five or more hours of recreational screen time on a typical weekday. Within that group, 11.8% are clocking seven-plus hours. To be blunt: A kid racking up seven hours of daily screen time is spending more time in front of a device than the average American worker spends at their desk. Westgate Resorts And only 6.2% of children get less than one hour of nonschool screen time per day.This isn't just Westgate Resorts finding living in isolation, either. A 2025 Common Sense Media report found that screens have become embedded in children's daily routines from birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked four or more daily hours of nonschool screen time to worse outcomes in physical activity, sleep, weight, and mental health. Screens aren't just competing with the outdoors. They've already won most of the available hours.Predictably, this creates tension at home. 53.5% of families argue about screen time at least a few times a month. In the Northeast, 21.7% of families fight about it every week. The screen time debate isn't abstract for these households. It's a recurring argument at the dinner table.Parents Feel Guilty, And It's Changing How They Book Vacations.Nearly 3 in 5 (57.5%) parents say they feel guilty or frustrated about their children's lack of outdoor time; 30.3% call it straight-up guilt. Another 27.4% describe frustration because they want to fix it but can't. Only 14.3% of parents say they're satisfied with how much time their family spends outside.And that guilt appears to be showing up in how families plan their vacations.Nearly 7 in 10 (69.6%) parents have booked a vacation specifically to make up for the nature their kids aren't getting at home. Nearly a third have done it more than once. What's emerging here is a new category of family travel: the guilt-driven outdoor trip. These trips can range from weekend camping getaways to adventure theme parks to beach vacations, but they're all booked by parents who feel like they owe their kids something that daily life keeps failing to deliver.The pattern is strongest among younger parents. About 2 in 5 (37.9%) Gen Z parents have actually skipped a vacation entirely because they couldn't find a family-friendly outdoor destination. For Gen X, that drops to 26.4%. Younger families want the outdoor trip but face the widest gap between what they want and what's available.The Biggest Barriers Are Time and Money, Not MotivationNearly 3 in 5 (56.7%) parents say work and school schedules are the number one reason their families don't get outside more. And it makes sense that this pressure scales with income. Among households earning $100,000 to $249,000, 63.6% cite packed schedules as the top barrier. These are the families most likely to have kids in travel sports, music lessons, tutoring, and a dozen other structured activities that eat up every free afternoon and weekend. Westgate Resorts Then there's cost. More than half (52.9%) of parents say the biggest motivator to spend more time outside would be affordable options that don't require expensive gear. For families earning $25,000 to $49,000, that figure hits 59.7%. Nature is supposed to be free, but between equipment costs, transportation, park fees, and the sheer time investment of planning an outdoor day, it doesn't feel free at all for a lot of families.And layered underneath all of this is a knowledge gap that nobody really talks about. One in 4 Gen Z parents say they don't even know where to take their kids outdoors or what to do once they get there. That's more than three times the rate among Gen X parents. A generation that largely grew up indoors is now raising the next one without a reference point for outdoor life.The ‘Want-to-Be Outdoorsy’ FamilyMaybe the most telling number in the entire survey: 45.4% of American parents describe their family as "want-to-be outdoorsy." That's the single largest self-identification category, outpacing families who actually consider themselves outdoorsy at 28.1%. Fewer than 4% say they're indoor people and perfectly fine with it. Westgate Resorts So the problem isn't that families have given up on the outdoors. It's that the outdoors has become something aspirational rather than automatic. Time, money, logistics, and a built world that defaults to indoor living have created a gap between who families think they are and how they actually spend their days.But the data makes one thing pretty clear: families know exactly what they want. They want trails within walking distance. They want affordable options without specialized gear. They want destinations that shrink the distance between the front door and the forest. Whether anyone's building for that demand is a different question.MethodologyThe survey was conducted via Pollfish, targeting 1,000 U.S. adults with children. Respondents answered questions covering outdoor habits, screen time, barriers to nature exposure, vacation decisions, and attitudes about childhood development. Results were broken down by generation, household income, education level, gender, and region.This story was produced by Westgate Resorts and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	'Baby Reindeer' creator Richard Gadd on his new show 'Half Man' and toxic masculinity Baby Reindeer was an unexpected hit on Netflix in 2024. Now its creator and star is back, with a series about two boys who become brothers after their mothers fall in love in 1980s Scotland.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges unveil first districtwide mascot Eastern Iowa Community Colleges unveiled the River Otters as its first districtwide mascot April 30, uniting its three campuses under one identity.
	Breasia Terrell's killer charged with 2003 assault of 5-year-old in Clinton County Henry Dinkins is accused of enticing a 5-year-old from her Clinton home and assaulting her in a cornfield near Grand Mound in 2003.
	3 spring novels star trad wives, grown-up boy band fans, and a pregnant septuagenarian Looking for a read that's complicated, gutsy and entertaining? Maureen Corrigan recommends Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke; American Fantasy, by Emma Straub; and Enormous Wings, by Laurie Frankel.
	Inside the coming era of AI agents that handle customer service on behalf of brands Inside the coming era of AI agents that handle customer service on behalf of brandsAI is changing the operating model for customer communications. Conversations are no longer limited by agent capacity or business hours. That shift fundamentally changes what customer conversations can achieve, and the value they create for each individual consumer.But many brands have not adjusted to that reality. Businesses often use AI to optimize for speed and scale, handling more inquiries, ending interactions faster, and reducing costs. The underlying mindset has not changed, even though the technology has evolved. Too often, many brands treat conversations as something to manage rather than moments that can strengthen relationships.The problem with this approach is that scale without context creates false confidence. When AI scales interactions without intent, it automates low-value engagement. Customers get answers, and they may even get resolution, but they do not get progress or relevance. In 2026, that is no longer sufficient.The next phase of AI in customer communications will not be defined by how many conversations brands can have. It will be defined by whether brands meet customer expectations in every interaction. This perspective builds on themes explored in Sinch's Predictions 2026 on customer communications, looking more closely at what those shifts mean for how conversations are defined, measured, and valued.How AI is changing what a customer conversation meansIn 2026, consumers expect that their conversation history is carried forward to all their interactions with a brand. If they checked an order status over chat yesterday and then called today to update their delivery time, they expect the brand to connect those moments. They also expect the brand to anticipate what they need next, without being made to start over.Sinch's State of Customer Communications 2025 report found that 59% of consumers say it is important that information flows between channels like email, text, chat, and voice. That context is the difference between a conversation that is useful and one that is forgettable.A customer conversation has evolved into an ongoing thread that carries context, memory, and intent across the relationship. And when it does not, the experience breaks down quickly: 81% report a negative reaction when they are forced to repeat information, with many citing frustration and lost trust.The problem is that most organizations are not set up to meet those expectations. According to Vandita Arora, group product manager at HubSpot, even when a business has multiple channels in place, fragmented data prevents conversations from feeling continuous or coherent."What still feels fundamentally broken is the isolation of data ... even though you have all these channels, the context is not shared, and every interaction starts from zero again," Arora said.Consumers expect conversations that recognize who they are and remember what has already happened. Once conversations become continuous and contextual, success cannot be measured by how quickly they are shut down.Why efficiency metrics no longer tell the full truthMost of the metrics used to measure customer conversations were designed for a world of scarcity. There was more inbound demand than available agents, and more conversations than time. In that environment, metrics like average handle time (AHT) and deflection made sense. Speed was the only way to keep up.AI changes that equation. As conversations become less constrained by capacity and more connected across channels, optimizing purely for speed misses the point. AI can shorten interaction time, but that does not always make interactions successful. In many cases, it does the opposite by compressing conversations that actually need more time and context.And that gets to the heart of why legacy efficiency metrics no longer hold. When AI is used primarily to drive deflection or reduce handle time, teams may hit their numbers while missing the outcome entirely. A quick interaction that ignores context can feel efficient internally while creating friction for the customer.What matters more now is whether a conversation creates progress: Did it move the customer forward? Did it reduce uncertainty? Did it reinforce that the brand understands where the customer is and what they need next? Did it create more opportunities for growth?Measurement has to evolve accordingly. Not toward more metrics, but toward better questions. Instead of asking how fast a conversation ended, leaders need to understand whether it created continuity, trust, and long-term impact.From cost center to growth engineWhen conversations are designed to create progress, the role of customer service starts to change. Service interactions stop being treated as costs to minimize and begin to shape how customers feel about the brand long after the issue is resolved.A well-handled conversation can restore confidence after a problem or help a customer make a better decision. It can also surface opportunities that genuinely benefit the customer, like a timely reminder to reorder something they rely on or a recommendation for a plan that better fits how they use the service. That carries value even when no immediate sale is involved.Over time, those moments compound, influencing loyalty, retention, and long-term value. That is the shift from volume to value, where success is defined by what each conversation contributes to the relationship. Seen this way, service becomes a growth engine because it consistently earns trust by acting at the right moment, one conversation at a time.Agent-to-agent communication: The next inflection point most brands are not planning forOnce brands start thinking of service as a driver of long-term value, the question will stop being how conversations perform and start being who those conversations are actually between.Today, most customer communications are designed around a person reaching out on one side and a company responding on the other, whether through a human agent or a basic chatbot. That model is already starting to change. The next inflection point will be the shift toward agent-to-agent communication.In these interactions, the customer initiating the conversation will not be a person at all, but a personal AI assistant acting on their behalf. Instead of a customer checking an order status, following up on a missing package, or comparing options themselves, their AI assistant will handle it. The assistant will contact the relevant brand or delivery systems, exchange information, and return with a clear answer. The consumer never has to navigate multiple touchpoints again because their assistant does it for them.And even though these conversations happen machine-to-machine, the outcome still directly affects how a person experiences and trusts a brand. This has meaningful consequences for businesses. When AI systems interact directly with other AI systems, brands need to be explicit about their responsibility. A brand's AI agent will need to know what information it can share, what actions it is allowed to take, and when a situation requires human involvement.Over time, this points toward an emerging "internet of agents," where AI assistants begin to directly interact with brand systems in controlled ways. Some brands will manage those interactions themselves, while others will participate through defined interactions and permissions. In both cases, how an AI agent behaves becomes a core design decision.Early signals of this shift are already visible in open-source projects like OpenClaw’s AI assistants that can interact directly with other AI systems, exchanging information and acting on a user’s behalf without human involvement. Just as importantly, these projects highlight how important security and clear guardrails are for agent-to-agent interactions to be safe and trustworthy at scale.The brands that succeed in this next phase are the ones that define authority early and set clear boundaries for their AI agents. In an agent-to-agent world, trust will be earned through predictable behavior and systems that act responsibly on a brand's behalf. Brands that start planning for this now will be far better positioned as these interactions become part of everyday customer journeys.What leaders should focus on nextAI is changing how customer conversations happen. The next step for leaders is deciding how those conversations are meant to perform. As interactions become continuous and increasingly automated, success needs to be defined around outcomes.Leaders need to understand whether conversations create progress, reduce uncertainty, and build confidence over time. That is only possible when context is preserved. Speed and efficiency still matter, but without context, they only show how fast conversations end, rather than whether they create continuity, trust, and meaningful outcomes.And as AI agents take on a larger role, they will begin to represent the brand in every interaction. Their responses are shaped by the context they are given, and directly impact trust. Their decisions have consequences. Clear intent, boundaries, and accountability are required to ensure those interactions remain consistent and reliable as volume grows.The challenge ahead is managing growth without losing control, and scaling conversations without eroding trust. Leaders who approach AI with that discipline will be better positioned for what comes next.This story was produced by Sinch and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to find summer jobs: Earn money and gain experience online How to find summer jobs: Earn money and gain experience onlineSummer is a great time for students — or anyone with some free time — to explore new jobs, build their resume, learn new skills, and gain experience. While summer offers a variety of opportunities as businesses work to meet seasonal demand, some of those opportunities are more valuable than others. A stress-free job at a local ice cream shop may make lasting memories, but finding a summer job in your field may be an important first step in your budding career.In this article, Upwork, an online marketplace for hiring skilled freelancers, offers tips to find the right summer job, and provides 10 ideas for great summer jobs you can do from anywhere with an internet connection.Decide what kind of job you'd likeThe first step in finding a summer job that’s good for you is to decide the kind of job you’d like. If you have a clear idea of the type of career you want, that's great. If you don't know what you want to do long-term, that's okay, too. One of the great things about summer jobs is their mix of low stakes and high value in growing your career.To help you find the summer job that’s right for you, first answer these questions:How many hours can I work each week?When am I available to work?How much flexibility do I need in my schedule?Do I want an in-person or remote job?Do I have any summer plans that would conflict with a set schedule?What interests me?What hard and soft skills do I currently have?What skills do I want to learn and develop?What do I enjoy doing?What do I find boring?What am I looking to gain (other than money)?Get a personal or job reference on your resumeBefore you start applying for jobs, you’ll want to update your resume. Or, if you don't have one yet, create one using a resume builder.If you don't have a lot of experience, a personal recommendation or job reference can go a long way with potential employers. A personal reference could be from a professor or mentor whom you feel comfortable asking. You could ask a former manager to write a recommendation if you've had past jobs or volunteered.If you don’t have any relationships where you feel comfortable asking for professional references, you can grow them easily and quickly by freelancing.As you develop professional relationships with clients, you can ask them for references, testimonials, and recommendations.Begin the search as soon as you canOne common mistake students make is waiting until summer starts to start looking for jobs. Finding a good summer job takes time; if you want to work at a bigger company, you might need to start applying as early as December. Smaller companies tend to look for summer students and seasonal workers in the spring, well before school lets out.You want to have an idea of what you're looking for before it's time to apply for jobs. Once you know what you want, you can start looking at job boards and reaching out to companies. You may need to do a few rounds of interviews with a company before getting an offer. Giving yourself enough time lets you pick the best job for you, rather than waiting too long and having to take the first offer you get.If you want to freelance full-time during the summer, you can start building your portfolio now. With freelancing, you can work throughout the school year whenever you have a break or lighter coursework.Try looking within your own networkWhile your first thought may be to scour the job boards, remember to consider your own network. Let your friends and family know you'll be looking for a summer job a few months ahead. You could post on your personal social media channels and see if you get any leads. A friend of a friend may know of a position that hasn't even been posted yet.Learning how to network is an essential skill that will help you throughout your career. It may feel awkward at first, but you never know where a good lead will come from. You could send a few emails to people in your network who are well connected or work in an industry that interests you. They may even be able to refer you to a summer job at their company.Connect with recruiters and temp agenciesAnother option is to reach out directly to recruiters and temp agencies. Instead of waiting for the company to post a job, you could find their recruiter, send them your resume, and let them know you're interested in a summer job. Recruiters know the ins and outs of the job market and can be helpful resources.Temp agencies are also great for finding seasonal work, like a summer job. They work with companies to fill their short-term hiring needs. If you don't have the time to look and apply for jobs, you could have a temp agency do the heavy lifting. Once you give them your information and what you're looking for, they'll work to find job openings that suit your skills.Try looking on social mediaSocial media can be a helpful tool for job hunting. Before you start using social media to find a summer job, review your public accounts and see if you need to clean anything up. Your personal brand is important; you want to make sure there are no red flags on your profile that an employer might see. If you aren’t already on LinkedIn, create a professional profile, as this is a popular platform for networking and finding jobs.Follow the brands and companies that you’re interested in working for. They may post jobs and announce position openings on their social media channels. You can also use hashtags like #remotework #hiring #summerjob or get more specific with the job title like #projectmanagerjobs to filter posts. Or, you might send direct messages to the hiring managers and recruiters on social media.10 summer job ideasAre you ready to start your summer job hunt but still not sure what you want to do? Check out these summer job ideas that can help you earn extra money while building marketable skills that you can use later in your career.1. Project managementProject managers develop strong leadership, organization, and communication skills. They lead projects from start to finish, making sure that everyone has what they need and that projects stay on schedule and under budget.Working in project management, you could get your foot in the door of a major company and gain experience as a project coordinator or assistant project manager. Assignments would likely include using project management software to organize projects, assign tasks, and help ensure deliverables stay on track. You could also work as a freelance project manager, taking on clients in a variety of industries.Project management is a valuable skill and can turn into a profitable career down the road. Project managers can make around $19-$45 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week over the summer in a project management role, you could make $1,530-$3,600 per month.2. Medical writerWorking as a freelance medical writer could be a great summer job if you're in a pre-med program or taking a science-heavy course load. This type of technical writing focuses on medical resources, from journals to sales brochures, and can also include editing and proofreading.As a medical writer, you could work on the patient side, taking highly technical and scientific research and turning it into easy-to-understand healthcare information for the general public. You could also work in research and document findings for scientific publications and medical journals.A background in medicine and healthcare is helpful to find work as a medical writer, and you can also get a medical writing certificate from the American Medical Writers Association.Medical writers can make around $23-$50 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week as a medical writer over the summer, you could make $1,840-$4,000 per month.3. Sales consultantIf you're interested in sales, you could work as a freelance sales consultant during the summer. Learning how to sell is a valuable skill that can carry over into different career paths, like marketing and account management, if you don't want to stay in sales directly.Sales consultants are the intermediaries between a company and its customers. They pitch products and services to potential customers, earning an hourly wage and sometimes a commission. As a sales consultant, you represent the company and must have strong communication skills and knowledge of the product or service to answer customer questions.Beginner sales consultants can typically make around $10 per hour, but as they gain experience can earn around $24 per hour at the intermediate level. Expert and advanced sales consultants can make $88 per hour or more. If you work as a sales consultant for 20 hours per week over the summer, you could make $800-$1,920 per month, potentially even more as you build your experience and skills.4. Operations managementOperations managers oversee the day-to-day activities of the companies or teams they work with. They help ensure their teams are functioning correctly, looking at operational processes, quality control, compliance, and safety and efficiency in different departments to prevent or eliminate bottlenecks.Operations management could be an especially beneficial summer job for students studying business. You need strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills to succeed as an operations manager. Working an entry-level operations management job, you may be analyzing data, identifying areas of opportunity for a business, overseeing project areas, or implementing six sigma methodology.The average hourly rate for an entry-level operations manager is around $26 per hour, according to Glassdoor. If you work 20 hours per week as an operations manager over the summer, you could make $2,080 per month.5. TutorTutoring is a popular summer job for college students who feel like they've mastered a subject and can help others with homework and test prep. Working one-on-one with students virtually or in person, you can review lessons and homework problems. It’s a job that requires patience, as you may need to find different ways to explain a concept, and to explain a concept more than once. You should only tutor in subject areas that you feel really comfortable with.Tutoring is a great summer job especially for those looking to gain experience in teaching. You could work remotely and freelance, connect with parent groups, or work in person for local schools and in your community. Schools may be hiring part-time tutors during the semester so you can gain experience working a couple of hours per week. If you want to work more hours during the summer, you can work with more than one student at a time.The average hourly rate for a tutor is about $26 per hour, according to Salary.com. Working with multiple students at a time is an easy way to get more hours per week; if you work 20 hours per week tutoring during the summer, you could earn an extra $2,080 per month.6. TranscriberIf you're a fast and accurate typist, transcribing is a summer job with flexible hours that can be done remotely. Companies and even individuals hire transcribers to type audio and video recordings into Word documents or Google Docs. They typically send the files digitally and then ask you to transcribe them within a set timeframe.Colleges also use transcribers to help students with visual or auditory disabilities during classes, typing out lectures, class discussions, questions, and other important information. If you're interested in transcription jobs, you can search for work-from-home options or see if your college is looking for on-campus transcribers.While you can get a transcription certification through the Transcription Certification Institute, transcribing is often an entry-level job that you can do part time and work on building your skills and efficiency. A client may ask that you type out what you hear word for word, unedited, including filler words like “um,” or you may need to edit as you go and correct grammar, depending on the type of transcription.Transcribers can make around $12-$22 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week as a transcriber during the summer, you could make $960-$1,760 per month.7. Software developmentWorking as a software developer could be a great summer job. Front-end developers work in languages like JavaScript and HTML to develop the user-experience side of software. Back-end developers work behind the scenes, building the framework and functionality using Python, PHP, and Java.If you're starting out, you could work as a junior developer and learn from those with more experience on your team. Having a few programming projects and IT or software classes on your resume can be helpful for getting interviews. If you’re already comfortable with multiple coding languages, you could freelance and accept more advanced projects, building your portfolio.Software developers can make $10-$100 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week as a software developer during the summer, you could make $800-$8,000 per month. While software developers at every level are in demand, the highest rates are typically reserved for senior developers with years of experience.8. Content marketingBrands use focused content marketing to spread their messaging, grow awareness, find leads, and generate sales. Content comes in many different types, from copy to videos. The job of a content marketer is to figure out what content a brand needs and then find the best channels to use and promote it.As a content marketer, you could work on planning and strategy, using content calendars to find the best times to put the right content in front of the right audience. Or, you might work on the creative side, generating pictures, images, and videos, and writing copy that resonates with the audience for websites and social media outlets. A third aspect of content marketing is data analytics — using metrics to make better-informed decisions.Content marketers can make around $15-$40 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week during the summer as a content marketer, you could make $1,200-$3,200 per month.9. Freelance graphic designerIf you enjoy art and design, you could work as a freelance graphic designer during the summer. Graphic design can be a very rewarding career, allowing people to work in a creative field while earning a respectable income. As a skill-based job, a strong design profile and portfolio are important for winning proposals and projects.In addition to graphic design, other types of design include website, user experience, and interior design.Depending on your design skills and the programs you're comfortable using, you could provide a variety of design services to clients.Graphic designers can make around $15-$35 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week as a graphic designer over the summer, you could make $1,200-$2,800 per month.10. BookkeepingIf you're studying accounting, finance, or economics, bookkeeping as a summer job can help you gain experience and build your accounting skills. You could work for a company during the summer as a bookkeeper or offer your services to clients as an independent professional. Depending on the client or employer, you may start with data entry but work your way up to financial analysis and reporting.Bookkeeping, an aspect of accounting, is typically entry level. It focuses on the administrative side with payroll, data entry, and updating and organizing ledgers and other record keeping. A bookkeeper should have a background in finance, be comfortable working with numbers, and know how to input data correctly into spreadsheets and run reports. You could work in spreadsheets or specific software for accounting and bookkeeping like QuickBooks or ADP.Bookkeepers can make around $11-$25 per hour. If you work 20 hours per week as a bookkeeper over the summer, you could make $880-$2,000 per month.FAQs about how to find summer jobsWhat are the best summer jobs for students?The best summer jobs for students will depend on your schedule, interests, and goals. Traditional options like retail and food service offer steady hours and customer-service experience. If you’re looking for more flexibility, freelance work — such as writing, graphic design, social media management, or virtual assistance — can be a great alternative.How can I find a summer job with no experience?You can find a summer job without prior experience by focusing on transferable skills like communication, organization, and reliability. Many entry-level roles — both in-person and online — don’t require a formal background.You can also start building experience and developing a portfolio through small freelance projects. Creating a strong profile and applying to beginner-friendly roles can make it easier to get started.Are online or remote summer jobs legitimate?Yes, online and remote summer jobs are legitimate — but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t also bad actors who try to abuse the system. Scammers have been known to offer jobs in an effort to steal their victims’ bank account or personal information, and you should know what to look for to spot an online scam on a work platform.To start, look for opportunities on trusted platforms, check reviews or client history, and avoid roles that require upfront payments or seem too good to be true. Using established marketplaces with built-in protections can help reduce risk.How can I make more money during the summer?To make more money over the summer, consider combining multiple income streams — such as a part-time job with freelance work. You can also focus on developing in-demand skills like content writing, data entry, customer support, or social media management.Freelance work often allows you to set your own rates and take on multiple clients, which can increase your earning potential over time. Exploring different types of opportunities can help you find the best fit for your goals.Can freelancing be a good summer job?Yes, freelancing can be an excellent summer job if you’re looking for flexibility and the chance to build real-world skills. You can choose projects that fit your interests and schedule, work remotely, and gain experience that’s valuable for your future career.Many beginners start with simple projects and gradually take on more complex work as they build confidence, a portfolio, and long-term relationships with clients.When should I start applying for summer jobs?You should start applying for summer jobs between January and March, especially for competitive roles like internships or structured programs. However, many employers continue hiring into late spring and early summer — so you can still make an effort even if you get a late start.Freelance and gig-based opportunities are available year-round, so you can work as soon as you’re ready and take a break if your class load gets too heavy. Learning how to search effectively can help you find opportunities faster.This story was produced by Upwork and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	If your phone number has one of these 10 area codes, never get rid of it 10 of the most prestigious area codes in America: Where three digits signal statusIn the digital age, a phone number is more than just a way to connect — it’s a reflection of where you come from, who you are, and sometimes, what you’ve achieved.Certain area codes have become status symbols, signaling affluence, influence, and regional pride. Whether it’s a Manhattan 212 number or a Beverly Hills 310 number, these codes carry weight. In this story, Spokeo explores 10 of the most prestigious area codes in the U.S. and why they matter.212 – Manhattan, New YorkAs one of the original North American area codes (1947), 212 now exclusively serves Manhattan. Renowned for its perceived prestige, businesses report that it boosts marketing effectiveness — direct mail featuring 212 numbers sees a 15-20% higher response rate than other NYC codes. In comparison, listings with 212 numbers are easier to remember and more clickable online.310 – Beverly Hills / West Los Angeles, CaliforniaCreated in 1991 from a split with 213, 310 covers affluent coastal communities, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Malibu. A 2005 Los Angeles Times feature noted that actors and agents actively seek 310 numbers “because 310 is synonymous with the area of Santa Monica, Brentwood, Beverly Hills … When you have that 310 number, it says something about you.” Furthermore, the Los Angeles Almanac adds that 310 holders “are seen as one to be admired… connected to Hollywood.”415 – San Francisco, CaliforniaAlso among the original codes from 1947, 415 remains emblematic of San Francisco and the broader Bay Area, used by many large, influential tech companies. With companies like Google, Facebook, and Apple residing in this area code, its credibility is strengthened.617 – Boston, MassachusettsOne of the 1947 original area codes, 617, still covers Boston. Its long-standing association with the city’s academic, financial, and historical institutions is well-established, though not as frequently backed by data.202 – Washington, D.C.The sole area code for D.C. since its inception in 1947, 202 has never been split, helping it retain a formal connection to federal agencies, lobbying firms, media outlets, and political organizations.312 – Chicago, IllinoisIntroduced in 1947, the 312 code was split in 1989 to focus on downtown Chicago. It still signals a prominent business presence, as confirmed by telecom data indicating it remains central to core Chicago operations.305 – Miami, FloridaMiami’s original area code, 305, has existed since 1947 and is strongly linked to the city’s beach culture, nightlife, and Latin-American commerce, according to local telecom overviews.404 – Atlanta, GeorgiaAssigned in 1947 to Atlanta and still serving the metro core, 404 is the default for many major companies and headquarters in the region.213 – Downtown Los Angeles, CaliforniaIn 1947, the 213 was launched as California’s first area code and remains iconic within downtown Los Angeles. Legacy 213 numbers are highly desirable and iconic.646 – Manhattan, New York (Overlay)Introduced in 1999 as an overlay with 212 over Manhattan. While it lacks 212’s cachet, 646 still signals a Manhattan presence without the premium, and is now common among local businesses and residents.Why These Area Codes MatterAll ten codes are tied to some of America’s major economic, cultural, or political centers. Their longevity and geographic exclusivity help signal trust, status, or regional identity:Businesses benefit from perceived credibility and geolocal branding.Individuals may gain implied prestige or societal alignment, even without residing locally.In a digital-first world, these numeric identifiers continue to reflect influence, community identity, and aspirational lifestyle, making them more than mere dial codes. In fact, for anyone trying to reconnect with someone from a specific place — say an old friend with a Manhattan or Beverly Hills number — a people search can make that process a little easier.This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Craig Venter, pioneering human genome decoder, dies at 79 Pioneering scientist J. Craig Venter has died at 79. His "whole genome shotgun method" helped genome sequencing become faster and cheaper.
	Google’s click signals: How user behavior drives rankings Google’s click signals: How user behavior drives rankingsFor years, the SEO community debated whether Google actually uses click data to determine rankings. Google’s public messaging was deliberately ambiguous. Then came a wave of hard evidence: sworn antitrust trial testimony, a landmark API leak, patent literature, and now deeper analysis from leading industry voices like Cyrus Shepard of Zyppy Signal, who recently published a detailed breakdown of the five core click signals Google tracks and how they influence organic rankings and AI answer generation.The debate is over. The question now is “What do you do about it?”Here, Intero Digital explains how Google uses click signals to evaluate content performance and influence search rankings.The 5 Google Click Signals You Need to KnowHere’s what Google is actively measuring every time a user interacts with your search result.Impression: Your result appeared for a query. This is the baseline denominator: meaningless alone but essential for calculating everything else. After all, a page with 10 clicks from 10 impressions is performing very differently from one with 10 clicks from 10,000 impressions.Click: A user selected your result. This is where real measurement begins. Google contextualizes clicks against ranking position, device, location, and query type. Raw click counts without this context tell an incomplete story.badClick: A user clicks through to your page but then quickly returns to search results. This is a clear signal that your content failed to match intent. Accumulate enough of these, and NavBoost will demote your ranking. This is a direct, enforced consequence, not a theory.goodClick: A “long click” indicates that the user stays on your page for a meaningful period before returning to search results or doesn’t return at all. Google’s patent literature describes a long click as “indicative of a good page.” The ratio of goodClicks to total clicks can trigger reranking, sliced by query, device, country, and more.lastLongestClick: This is the gold standard. The user clicks your result, stays for an extended session, and doesn’t return to the SERP. Their search journey ends on your page. This is the strongest single positive signal in the NavBoost system, as it’s evidence that your content resolved the query.NavBoost: The Algorithm Tying It All TogetherThese five signals feed into Google’s NavBoost system: a click-based ranking mechanism that Google’s vice president of search, Pandu Nayak, confirmed under oath during the 2023 DOJ antitrust trial as one of Google’s “most important” ranking signals.NavBoost has been active since at least 2005. It memorizes 13 months of user interaction data, creating a rolling, constantly updated picture of how users respond to each result for each query. That data is “sliced” and weighted by position, device, geographic location, and other contextual factors. So a click from position 1 doesn’t carry the same signal weight as one from position 7.The leaked API documentation also revealed specific demotion signals: navDemotion (tied to poor on-site navigation or UX) and serpDemotion (for pages that consistently produce bad clicks), as detailed in Hobo Web’s mapping of Google updates to leaked ranking signals. Google is rewarding good user experiences, but it is also actively downranking pages that demonstrate poor ones.One more thing worth internalizing: NavBoost includes a “squashing” function that normalizes signals and reduces the influence of noisy, manipulated, or outlier click patterns. Google has built multiple layers of detection into NavBoost to identify and neutralize artificial click behavior. Attempting to inflate goodClicks artificially is both detectable and ineffective. The only sustainable path is genuine user satisfaction.The 3-Step Formula That Actually Moves RankingsCyrus Shepard distills his findings into a principle every digital marketing team should have top of mind.Earn the click = Engage the user = Satisfy intent better than anyone elseHe wrote in his LinkedIn post on the topic that this has “likely worked this way for 20+ years” and that the antitrust trial and API leak have simply given the industry a clearer view into mechanisms that were always present. Here’s what each step actually requires.Step 1: Earn the click. Your snippet is a conversion page.Every element of your SERP snippet is competing in a zero-sum attention auction before a user ever lands on your page. Shepard breaks snippet relevance into three layers in his Zyppy Signal framework.Brand signals communicate who is providing the answer. Your favicon and site name work like a trust badge. Users recognize familiar brands before they read a single word of your title. Hobo Web’s NavBoost analysis describes every search as “an aided awareness test” and notes that brand familiarity generates a compounding click advantage: more clicks = stronger NavBoost signal = higher ranking = more clicks. Every piece of top-of-funnel content your brand produces makes users more likely to click on your result for higher-intent queries later.Intent signals tell the user what they’ll find. Your URL breadcrumbs, title tag keyword alignment, and meta description all confirm you’ve understood the query, even before the user has committed to a click. When these misalign with actual page content, you generate badClicks. When they genuinely reflect what’s on the page, you start earning goodClicks from the first second.Promise signals (rich features like star ratings, price ranges, return policies, and review counts) tell users how you’ll satisfy them. These make the difference between a result someone thinks might be relevant and one they know is worth clicking.Stop treating title tags and meta descriptions as SEO boxes to check. They are conversion copy. A/B-test them. Analyze click-through rate by query in Search Console. Treat every SERP snippet like a paid search ad because, in terms of NavBoost signal, a low-CTR snippet is functionally equivalent to a losing one.Step 2: Engage the user. Turn clicks into goodClicks.A click is just the beginning. The question Google is actually asking: Did that click turn into a goodClick? The goodClicks ratio (goodClicks divided by total clicks) is a reranking signal that Google slices across query, device, country, and other dimensions. Shepard’s framework identifies five practical drivers of that outcome.Remove barriers to the answer. Fast load time, no intrusive pop-ups, no ad clutter above the fold. The leaked API documentation includes a “clutterScore” metric that directly measures intrusive on-page elements and a violatesMobileInterstitialPolicy flag that punishes interstitial abuse. These aren’t soft guidelines. Instead, they’re algorithmically enforced.Confirm placement immediately. Your page title, navigation, and breadcrumbs should instantly verify to the user that they’ve arrived at the right place. Any uncertainty about where they’ve landed drives immediate click-backs.Answer the main question early, then expand. Put your primary answer near the top, not buried after a lengthy introduction. The counterintuitive truth is that users who find the answer quickly tend to stay longer. The page that answers fast and provides depth is the page that converts clicks into goodClicks.Offer relevant internal links. Contextually relevant next pages to explore increase session depth and signal a high-value content ecosystem.Use visual breakpoints. Images, callout boxes, embedded tools, charts, and videos reduce the visual bounce probability and signal content depth. Dense, unbroken text tends to be a badClick generator.Step 3: Satisfy intent. Earn the lastLongestClick.The lastLongestClick is the end state every page should aspire to. SEO Stack’s NavBoost analysis describes it as likely “the single most valuable signal in the entire model,” capturing both satisfaction (long dwell) and finality (search journey ends here). A page that consistently earns lastLongestClicks across thousands of sessions is demonstrably resolving queries in a way competitors are not.Four tactics drive this outcome.Answer related questions. Most queries have satellites, or follow-up questions, that the user will naturally want addressed once they’ve found your primary answer. Addressing these on the same page removes the incentive to return to Google. You’re collapsing multiple searches into one satisfying session.Show your evidence. A “how we tested” or methodology section isn’t just an E-E-A-T play; it gives users a reason to trust your answer, making them less likely to seek a second opinion elsewhere.Provide what’s needed to complete the journey. Real user reviews, comparison data, rating breakdowns, and interactive tools give users concrete, decision-enabling information that reduces the need to consult additional sources.Suggest clear next steps. Guide users forward rather than leaving them at a dead end. A well-placed CTA serves the user, but it also keeps the session active and signals to Google that your page was a meaningful destination, not a brief pit stop.The AI Search Connection: Why Click Signals Now Drive AI Answers, TooHere’s what changes the strategic calculus in 2026: Click signals don’t just influence traditional blue-link rankings. They now feed into Google’s AI answer systems as well.As Shepard notes, Google grounds its AI Overviews and AI Mode using an algorithm called FastSearch (built on RankEmbedBERT) that incorporates 70 days of search logs, including click data, combined with human quality rater scores. AI answers often summarize top-ranking organic results, and those results were surfaced, in part, using NavBoost click signals.The pages most likely to be cited in AI Overviews and AI Mode answers are the same pages that have already demonstrated strong click performance.What This Means for Your Content StrategyThe strategic implications are straightforward but easy to under-execute on in practice. You need to take the following steps.Audit for badClick risk. Pages that rank but generate quick bounces are actively accumulating a negative NavBoost signal. Use heatmaps and session recordings to diagnose the first-10-second experience on your most important pages. If a user can’t immediately confirm they’re in the right place and find what they need, you’re generating badClicks at scale, and those signals persist for 13 months.Treat your snippets as conversion copy. Stop optimizing title tags purely for keyword insertion. Optimize them for clicks. Test different angles, emotional hooks, and specificity levels. The snippet that earns the click determines whether the NavBoost feedback loop starts working for you or against you.Build for the lastLongestClick, not just the keyword. The best content doesn’t just answer a query. It collapses an entire search journey into one session. Ask yourself: If a user came to this page with this question, what would they want to know next? What evidence would make them trust the answer? What action would complete their intent? Answer all of that on the same page, and you’ve built a lastLongestClick machine.Think about the brand in every content decision. NavBoost research is consistent: Familiar brands get more clicks, which generates more positive signals, which increases visibility, which generates more brand recognition. Every piece of content you produce, even if it never ranks No. 1, is building the brand recognition that makes future clicks more likely.Google has been watching what users do after they click for at least two decades. The API leak and antitrust trial revealed the mechanism behind something the best SEOs had long suspected was true.The formula itself hasn’t changed: Earn the click, engage the user, satisfy intent better than anyone else. What’s changed is that we now have a much clearer picture of exactly how Google measures all three and how those measurements feed not only organic rankings, but also the AI answers that are reshaping search as we know it.The irony Shepard points to is worth sitting with: The rise of AI search, which threatens to reduce clicks, is itself dependent on click data to function accurately. That means the discipline of building content that genuinely earns and satisfies user intent is becoming the price of admission.This story was produced by Intero Digital and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	98% greenwashing: Big Meat follows in Big Oil’s footsteps 98% greenwashing: Big Meat follows in Big Oil’s footstepsIn 2024, two major meat companies, Tyson Foods and JBS, faced unprecedented legal scrutiny over unsubstantiated claims each made about cutting their climate impacts — in other words, they were greenwashing. JBS was sued by New York’s attorney general over deceptive marketing for its pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. The company had only documented plans to increase production, which would increase its carbon footprint, not decrease it. The case resulted in a $1.1 million settlement, and JBS had to revise language around its climate commitments — though the company did not admit any fault.Similarly, Tyson was sued by the Environmental Working Group over its promise to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, in addition to its so-called “Climate-Smart” Brazen Beef Program. Tyson’s net-zero commitment and climate-friendly beef claims could not be substantiated. Without admitting fault, Tyson agreed to stop making such claims unless independently verified. Brazen Beef is currently unavailable for purchase.But this issue is not exclusive to JBS and Tyson. Baseless sustainability claims are widespread among top meat and dairy producers worldwide, and according to new research published in PLOS Climate, 98% of those claims made by 33 of the top meat and dairy companies could be classified as greenwashing.Big Promises, Small ActionsMany meat and dairy companies have launched sustainability initiatives promising to cut climate emissions. This comes in response to growing environmental awareness, particularly among consumers and investors concerned about the industry’s disproportionately high contribution to greenhouse gas emissions compared with other food producers. According to the latest research, though, these companies “provide very little supporting evidence” of meaningful climate action.Rather, the industry conveys an appeasing but misleading message to the public. “It has said, ‘We don’t need to worry about the present. We’re going to solve this by 2040. This will all be cleaned up.’ And they’re not making actual progress,” Jennifer Jacquet, one of the study authors and professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami, tells Sentient.Evidence suggests that 98% (or 1,213 out of 1,233) environmental claims made by meat and dairy companies in public sustainability reports and on websites “could be classified as containing indicators of greenwashing,” according to the report. Greenwashing “involves policies or practices that appear environmentally friendly but have little meaningful impact.”Greenwashing can include promises about the future, or future-washing, “particularly when there is no clear effort to achieve such a promise,” like in the 2024 cases against Tyson and JBS. Another example of greenwashing includes vague claims that may not have metrics, making it difficult for researchers or consumers to tell if initiatives have any meaningful climate impact. Only 356 (29%) of the total environmental claims offered any supporting evidence, such as studies or internal pilot programs. “More than two-thirds of environmental claims lacked any evidence, making it difficult to assess their credibility,” according to the analysis.Some of the global companies included in the analysis were Perdue, Smithfield, Cargill, Nestle, Danone, and Hormel. The majority of the claims (68%) were related to climate, and Danone had a particularly high number at 106.The prevalent climate angle indicates that “climate change now functions as the primary lens through which meat and dairy companies present ‘sustainability,’” write the researchers, “and other environmental issues are relatively peripheral.”Jacquet says that consumers are being told by meat and dairy companies they “don’t need to scrutinize what they’re eating because the companies are on it. And what we’re showing is, no, they’re just on the rhetoric. They’re not on the action.”Some of the meat and dairy companies highlighted environmental improvements, such as replacing a boiler or adding solar panels, as evidence of climate action. The study states these minor changes can distract from the company’s largest sources of emissions — farming animals. The actions some companies took toward sustainability were often negligible compared to their sustainability goals. For example, U.K.-based Arla Foods launched a “regenerative agriculture pilot” on 24 farms. According to the report, Arla is the world’s fourth-largest dairy company and a cooperative of over 12,700 farmers. This means that the pilot represents only 0.0019% of its total operations. The company also reported installing solar panels on a single cheese packing facility. “Such a narrow, site-specific practice is small relative to the scale of its overall environmental footprint,” write the researchers.A Page Out of Big Oil’s BookThe study also draws a direct parallel to the fossil fuel industry, noting that the meat and dairy sector may be employing similar tactics as Big Oil, which has used greenwashing over the last several decades to delay meaningful climate action.A 2024 report by Changing Markets Foundation, a European research organization that focuses on exposing corporate greenwashing and environmental harm, found that the livestock sector has been adopting methods long associated with the fossil fuel industry, including a “delay, distract and derail” strategy to slow climate action. It states that major meat and dairy companies use Big Oil tactics, such as greenwashing and selective science, to obscure emissions and avoid regulation. “Instead of investing in proper plans and trajectories to cut emissions, the report reveals that companies prefer to invest in the science that suits their agenda,” including downplaying the impact of methane emissions and leaning on narratives about regenerative agriculture.The authors of the PLOS Climate study point out that, like the oil industry, many of the agricultural companies with net-zero commitments are also partially owned by BlackRock, an American multinational investment company and the world’s largest asset manager. “In a sample of 69 U.S. oil companies, net-zero commitments were more common specifically in cases when BlackRock held some ownership,” the researchers observe. “Consistent with this pattern, BlackRock owns shares in nine of the 17 meat and dairy companies with net-zero commitments in our sample.”Concern for ConsumersGreenwashing can shape how we view the livestock industry and its relationship to the environment. Creating a false sense of progress “can lead consumers and policymakers to believe these polluting industries are more environmentally friendly than they are,” while allowing the industry to continue practices that “undermine climate mitigation and sustainability goals,” warn the study authors. In turn, this perception can spread confidence across multiple audiences, and “translate to continued support by investors, consumers, governments, corporate customers, and the public,” even when meaningful environmental improvements aren’t really happening.So what can be done? “There are all sorts of mechanisms for accountability here that aren’t being currently leveraged,” says Jacquet. “Litigation is one angle,” like in 2024 with Tyson and JBS. “But of course, there could be more shareholder accountability. There could be more consumer concern. And so we thought a study of this nature might bring other stakeholders.”Ultimately, Jacquet says, if consumers have doubts about the authenticity of the actions that these companies are taking to address their environmental harms, they can choose to eat foods that are less greenhouse gas-intensive. “Consumers make the decision about what to eat three times a day at a minimum,” she says. And as the research confirms, meat and dairy are the top emitters.This story was produced by Sentient and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	German American Heritage Center plans Volkswagen show The German American Heritage Center & Museum, 712 W. 2nd St., Davenport, will present its Volkswagen show from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Admission is free. On display will be air-cooled and water-cooled Volkswagen models and an exhibit of German-American culture. The show will be presented by the Bi-State VW Club, with Beetles Westfalia [...]

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