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

Thursday, June 18th, 2026
	Allegiant Airlines temporarily suspends popular Quad Cities to Phoenix-Mesa route for winter weeks Allegiant Airlines is temporarily pausing its popular route from the Quad Cities to Phoenix-Mesa for six weeks this winter due to fuel costs.
	Ukraine hits a Moscow oil refinery and other sites in a large-scale drone attack Ukraine launched a new wave of drone attacks on Russia early Thursday, amounting to one of the largest attacks on the Russian capital since the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.
	You're probably using too many skin care products. Here are the 3 essentials We asked half a dozen skin care experts: Which products do you really need to keep your skin healthy and attractive? Here's what they said.
	Sandburg Community Band hosting free concert July 2 Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at a free outdoor patriotic concert by the Sandburg Community Band on July 2 at 7 p.m. on the college’s Galesburg campus, 2400 Tom L. Wilson Boulevard. In case of inclement weather, the concert will take place in the theater (room F118). Residents can bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy [...]
	Auditor: School choice cost Iowans $258 million Auditor Rob Sand's report says taxpayers spent $258.7M on tuition for students already expected to go private, drawing heat from state officials.
	The head of the family is 17. Money is tight. The roof leaks. How did this happen? Three brothers say their mother and father died after losing access to their HIV medications. Now the boys are figuring out how to navigate life.
	These 3 brothers lost their parents to AIDS. Now they struggle to make it on their own Three brothers say their mother and father died after losing access to their HIV medications. Now the boys are figuring out how to navigate life.
	MercyOne Clinton unveils new surgical robot MercyOne Medical Center in Clinton unveiled its new surgical system. The clinic introduced a surgical robot on Wednesday, but the first robotic assisted surgery at the medical center was in early May. Patients have smaller incisions, less pain and recover faster from procedures using surgical robots. "One of our biggest, important factors is keeping patients local when we can,” said Dr. [...]
	Vandalism at newly built Princeton park prompts plea to community Princeton officials are asking for help after vandals dug holes and dismantled equipment at the newly built Zearing Park playground, causing hazards.
	Supreme Court sides with marijuana user who was barred from owning guns The court ruled that the law used to prosecute a marijuana user violated his Second Amendment right to bear arms and is unconstitutionally vague.
	Cook review: It's worth waiting for the unveiling in Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day' It's hard to imagine a more entertaining combination than director Steven Spielberg, a score by John Williams, and the topic of aliens for a summer movie. "Disclosure Day" isn't "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" or "E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial," but it's pretty close. It's not only about belief, but it's also about uncovering the [...]
	Star Spangled Sing Off contest winner to be announced Thursday The Quad Cities winner of the Star Spangled Sing Off is set to be announced during a live stream Thursday night on KWQC Plus as the search heads to Nashville.
	‘I thought I was going to die’: Tornado damages homes, farms in Allamakee County Families are cleaning up after a tornado damaged homes and farms in Allamakee County.
	Whitey's Cones for Kids supports Bethany for for Children & Families Enjoy a scoop of Quad Cities’ tradition and help local kids and families in need, a news release says. Whitey’s Ice Cream will donate half the sales of all cones sold on Monday, June 22, during Cones for Kids. “Bethany is a fantastic cause and the support shown by the Quad City community has been [...]
	Come meet the finalists for Clinton's city administrator The community is invited to a meet-and-greet event to get to know the finalists for the City of Clinton City Administrator position. The event will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday, June 22, in the City Hall Council Chambers. All residents are encouraged to attend and take this opportunity to meet the candidates, ask questions, [...]
	Cook review: 'Masters of the Universe' brings wacky humor to the big screen I admit it: I wasn't looking forward to "Masters of the Universe." I'm far too old to be in the demographic that played with/collected the toys that sprang from the animated series that began in 1980. In 1985, the first "Masters of the Universe" animated film - "The Secret of the Sword" - hit the [...]
	Storm damage 'pretty significant, pretty dramatic' in Monmouth Some cities are dealing with a lot of damage from Wednesday’s storms. Monmouth is one of them. Crews and residents spent all day recovering from downed trees, broken windows, displaced bricks and even a train derailment just outside town – all developing during an early morning storm. "Looking out our front door and it came [...]
	Star Spangled Sing Off contest winner to be announced tonight The Quad Cities winner of the Star Spangled Sing Off is set to be announced during a live stream Thursday night on KWQC Plus as the search heads to Nashville.
	Embedded: "We Keep Us Safe" from NPR, KUOW and The Seattle Times In the summer of 2020, sixteen-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to join the racial justice movement of his generation. He arrived in Seattle during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, known as CHOP. Less than a week later, he was shot and killed there. The case remains unsolved.
	Report: Russia's nuclear-powered 'Skyfall' missile is dirty and dangerous MIT researchers think they've worked out exactly how Russia's Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile flies. "It's almost certainly a terrible idea," one analyst said. "But it's not an impossible idea."
	Eldridge police officer honored for saving life Eldridge Police Officer Erik Johnson receives the department's lifesaving award for his swift response to a critical medical emergency this January.
	Caitlin Clark unveils new signature Nike sneaker Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark announced her long-awaited signature Nike sneaker on Wednesday.
	Muscatine man pleads guilty to federal child sex abuse material charges Federal prosecutors say a Muscatine man admitted guilt to two counts tied to uploads on the Kik messaging app.
	Burlington Civic Music Association honors board member for 20 years of service This month, the Burlington Civic Music Association is recognizing Barb “Babs” McRoberts for her extraordinary contributions to the organization after 20 years of dedicated service on its board of directors, including 15 years as program director and 12 years as board president, a news release says. McRoberts joined the Burlington Civic Music Association board in [...]
	Wednesday storm update and a look ahead Our severe weather was mostly wind and heavy rain Wednesday morning, but many tornadoes broke out yesterday afternoon just hours to our south. Here's what we can expect over the next seven days.
	Quiter day ahead for the Quad Cities The average highs this time of the year are in the mid-80s. The Quad Cities will enjoy a long stretch of below average temperatures. A few isolated showers are possible later today and we'll see a few more tomorrow, but a heavier rain event comes late in the weekend. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	Polyrhythms 3rd Sunday Jazz to feature Yogev Shetrit Trio in Davenport performance Polyrhythms Third Sunday jazz, in partnership with Common Chord,,will be featured at 5 p.m. June 21 with the Yogez Shetrit Trio in the Redstone Room, 129 Main St., Davenport, a news release says. Admission is $20 general admission, and $30 for reserved seating. Yogev Shetrit is an international composer and drummer who was born in [...]
	‘A legend’: Max Grigsby remembered as a mentor, father and friend Family and friends remember former Alleman High School band director Max Grigsby, who led the high school’s band from 1961 to 1987.
	The King of Rock Island This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Most cities in the United States feel slightly un-American if they can't boast at least one outlaw or crook of some…
	The Obama Presidential Center will be dedicated Thursday. Here's what to expect The Obama Presidential Center's grand opening ceremony will be a star-studded event. The center's museum highlights the legacy of the former president, but it is not a traditional presidential library.
	Poll: Most Americans have the summer blues about Trump and the economy A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds a record low share of Americans approve of President Trump's job performance and his handling of the economy heading into the summer before a key midterm election.
	What — and who — will be at the Great American State Fair? Here's a primer Several state governments have declined to participate in the 16-day event, though organizers say all U.S. states and territories will be represented by booths on the National Mall.
	As America turns 250, one museum makes history possible to touch Federal law requires most museums and other buildings to be accessible to people with disabilities. But access to what's actually inside is often still limited.
	All detainees from immigration facility 'Alligator Alcatraz' have been transferred All detainees at the detention center in the Florida Everglades, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," have been transferred to other facilities, the Department of Homeland Security said, citing concerns related to the hurricane season.
	Fans sold at TJ Maxx, Marshalls stores nationwide recalled over fire risk "The fan can overheat, posing a risk of serious injury or death from a fire hazard," the CPSC warned.
	New Yorkers are set to fete the Knicks with a ticker-tape parade New York is celebrating the Knicks in classic style Thursday, throwing a ticker-tape parade for the team that brought home the NBA championship longed for by generations of fans.
	FIFA hydration breaks have sparked criticism. But what do they actually do? For the first time in World Cup history, FIFA is mandating all soccer players take hydration breaks to protect them from the threats of extreme heat. But the new rule has sparked criticism.
	Over 1,000 people killed during Gaza ceasefire, Palestinian authorities say Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip have killed 1,005 Palestinians since a ceasefire was reached between Israel and the militant group Hamas last October, according to Gaza Health Ministry.
Wednesday, June 17th, 2026
	Clinton plays on new Field of Dreams field Clinton faced Western Dubuque Wednesday night at the new Field of Dreams field.
	River Bandits win game 2 against Timber Rattlers 3-2 Watch all the highlights from River Bandits game 2 win in the series against the Timber Rattlers 3-2.
	Red Cross' A Taste on the River fundraiser canceled due to weather issues The annual event was set to take place on Wednesday, June 17.
	Greg Behning sworn in as Davenport Police Chief Behning has served as interim chief since March, when former chief Jeff Bladel retired.
	Victim identified in East Moline homicide Early Tuesday morning, officers found 27-year-old Freddie Bass with multiple gunshot wounds at an East Moline apartment complex.
	Victim identified in East Moline homicide Early Tuesday morning, officers found 27-year-old Freddie Bass with multiple gunshot wounds at an East Moline apartment complex.
	DeWitt School Board approves master-plan updates with no property-tax increase The Central DeWitt Community School District Board of Education has unanimously approved an updated $54 million facility improvement master plan, according to a news release from the school district. The proposal, which aims to modernize aging infrastructure and consolidate all PreK–12 students onto a single connected campus, will be funded with no increase to the [...]
	Ollie’s Bargain Outlet to open Davenport store Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will open its new Davenport location Thursday.
	Juneteenth events in the Quad Cities area Communities in the Quad Cities area are holding events to celebrate Juneteenth.
	Illinois establishes Department of Disability Advocacy and Guardianship Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 862 into law June 17, creating the Illinois Department of Disability Advocacy and Guardianship (IDAG). According to a release: Through its three primary divisions, the department will continue to provide critical support to thousands of individuals with disabilities across Illinois. The Division of State Guardian will serve as guardian [...]
	Inside Iowa Politics: How Zach Lahn responds to being called ‘part-time Iowan’ by opponent Zach Lahn responds to criticism about whether he will be in Iowa enough to serve as its next governor.
	Rock Island appoints interim public works director A longtime city employee is stepping into a new leadership role. Luke VanLandegen will serve as interim public works director.
	VanLandegen named interim Rock Island public works director Rock Island City Manager Todd Thompson has named Municipal Services Superintendent Luke VanLandegen as interim public works director, a news release says. VanLandegen replaces Mike Bartels, who resigned his position this month after 13 years with the city. “Luke VanLandegen has the leadership, experience and knowledge necessary to lead the largest department in the City,” [...]
	MercyOne Clinton Medical Center unveils new surgical robot MercyOne Clinton Medical Center unveiled its new piece of cutting-edge technology on Wednesday.
	Iowa racers sweep top 3 positions at DIRTcar Summer Nationals, West Liberty Iowa racers swept the top three positions at the DIRTcar Summer Nationals event held Tuesday, at the half-mile West Liberty Raceway. All night long the Summer National Late model drivers were chasing Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa. Chris set fast time in qualifying with a lap of 18.165 seconds. He won his heat race and [...]
	MercyOne Clinton Medical Center acquires new surgery robot The DaVinci Surgical System has a lifespan of about 20 years.
	Sand: Iowa school voucher program to cost $330 million as private school enrollment surges Iowa’s school voucher program is expected to cost the state nearly $330 million this year as enrollment in private schools has surged past state expectations, according to a new report released today.
	Davenport swears in new police chief The City of Davenport has a new chief of police.
	No signs of emerging New World screwworm threat in WA (Photo by Dusty Pixel photography via Getty Images)A parasitic fly that poses a deadly threat to livestock and pets has re-invaded the United States for the first time since 1968. Washington state agriculture officials say it’s unlikely that the New World screwworm will spread here. It doesn’t thrive in colder climates, and the state recently implemented new inspection requirements to help keep the flies out. The screwworm feeds on the tissue of warm-blooded animals and “screws” open a wound in flesh to lay its eggs. If left untreated, its larvae can be fatal. The pest has infected at least 12 animals in Texas and New Mexico, including cattle, goats, a sheep and a dog, in the span of two weeks. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it was funding $105 million of projects aimed at controlling and eradicating the pest. New World screwworm maggots can cause “painful, foul-smelling wounds” in people as well as animals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the CDC said earlier this month that the risk to people in the U.S. remains low. Livestock entering Washington state now must undergo a veterinary inspection within five days prior to travel, aligned with federal requirements. Before the detection of screwworms in the United States, that timeline was longer. No cases of the New World screwworm have been reported in Washington, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture. While the flies develop best in warm tropical regions, changing weather patterns could increase the likelihood of them surviving seasonally further north. Eastern Washington, in particular, may be more susceptible to temporary establishment due to the warm temperatures there during part of the year, according to a state Department of Agriculture spokesperson. The department’s greatest concern is the importation of infested animals into Washington, but there are several protocols in place to limit the risk. In addition to veterinary inspections before entering the state, livestock are also inspected by the Washington Department of Agriculture’s brand inspectors before leaving the state, during any change in ownership, before going to sale, and when entering a feedlot. At slaughterhouses, livestock are inspected by both state officials and federal officials with the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that the presence of the fly is not a food safety issue. States with infected animals have implemented “stop-movement controls, and no livestock has left an infested zone without oversight,” according to a Washington State Department of Agriculture spokesperson. The agency encourages owners to monitor their animals for unusual wounds and report concerns promptly. The parasite is not an infectious disease and doesn’t spread animal-to-animal, the agency said. There are preventative measures and treatments that can be used to keep animals safe from the screwworm. “At this time, Washington has strong animal health monitoring and response systems in place, and state officials continue coordinating closely with federal and industry partners to support preparedness and response efforts,” a state Department of Agriculture spokesperson said. Courtesy of Washington State Standard
	Wednesday storm damage widespread around Our Quad Cities area Wednesday got off to a loud start in the Quad Cities ...and surrounding areas. Severe t'storms packed winds up to 80 miles per hour across parts of Iowa and Illinois. Damage was widespread from the Quad Cities to Monmouth, Illinois.
	YOUR COVERAGE: Central Illinois hit by violent storms Wednesday Severe weather rolled through the Heart of Illinois on Wednesday. Here’s a compilation of the photos we’ve received.
	Online auction company hosting charity auction for Foster’s Voice The auctions run through June 22 on the MAC-BID website.
	Iowan among 8 killed in B-52 bomber crash at California Air Force base Maj. Brad Hovey was a pilot with the 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base.
	1 year in, Macomb's glass recycling program is proving wildly successful Over the last year, the community program has saved 41 tons of glass from Macomb's landfill. That's the weight equivalent of about 6 large elephants.
	Bureau County man wins 2026 Golden Tee World Championship From small-town bar to world champion, it's been a nearly 20-year journey for Ladd, IL's Jeff Lannen. But he's now the best in the world at the popular arcade game.
	Traffic Alert: Construction to begin on Gateway Bridge in Whiteside County Construction on the U.S. 30 Mississippi River Bridge, also known as the Gateway Bridge, is set to begin Thursday.
	Board mistakenly issues massage parlor a license, then imposes a $1,000 fine Asian Massage Therapy on Merle Hay Road in Des Moines. (Photo via Google Earth)After mistakenly issuing a license to a Des Moines massage parlor, state regulators have imposed a $1,000 fine against the company for doing business without a license. A woman who answered the phone at the business on Wednesday indicated she could not comment on the state’s actions but said the massage parlor was still open for business, was still accepting clients and was open until 9 p.m. that evening as it normally is. She said she’s unsure as to the current ownership of the business. According to the Iowa Board of Massage Therapy, Juan Xu of Flushing, New York, the owner of Asian Massage Therapy on Merle Hay Road in Des Moines, applied for an Iowa massage license on March 23, 2023, listing the Academy of Oriental Therapy as the school where she received her massage therapy education in 2014. The board issued the license four days later, on March 27, 2023. In either September 2023 or December 2023 — board records give two conflicting dates — the board rescinded the license, stating that it should not have been issued because the Academy of Oriental Therapy was not a board-approved educational institution. The board stated the school had its certification revoked in 2015 by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. The Iowa license was issued due to what the board now calls “a clerical error.” In November 2024, Xu reapplied for licensure, noting she was licensed to practice in the states of Connecticut, Texas and Virginia. The board says that as part of her application, Xu also provided a transcript from Ranier Massage Academy, which stated that in June 2024 she had graduated from Ranier Massage Academy in Seattle, Washington. According to both the National Certification Board and the Washington State Department of Health, Ranier does not have an approved massage therapy program, the Iowa board alleges, which is why, in February 2025, it denied Xu’s application for licensure in Iowa. There is no internet presence for a “Ranier” Massage Academy in Seattle. There are businesses with similar names, none of which appear on the Washington State Department of Health’s list of approved schools for massage therapy. Several weeks later, in May 2025, Xu reapplied for an Iowa massage therapist license, this time providing a transcript from American Massage Academy in Plano, Texas. Two months later, in July 2025, the board denied Xu’s application, noting that “in less than one year she completed two complete massage curriculums in two different states, which would be difficult to accomplish, if not impossible.” Recently, the board completed an investigation of Xu’s Asian Massage Therapy and issued a report of its findings. According to the board, investigators visited the business on Nov. 5, 2025, at a time when the board knew the business to be unlicensed. The board alleged Xu “held herself out to be a licensed massage therapist, and produced the Iowa massage therapy license” that was issued in error in 2023. “Xu was actively servicing a customer at the time investigators visited the establishment,” the board alleges. “Xu indicated that she currently worked alone, but that ‘more girls are coming after Thanksgiving,’ and that the girls were coming from New York … An internet search of the establishment conducted by investigators revealed advertisements of the business on multiple web platforms containing suggestive language and photos of Asian women in minimal clothing.” The board recently elected to impose a civil penalty of $1,000 against Xu and the business for practicing massage therapy without a license. Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to reach Xu for comment Wednesday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Litter of Pallas's cat kittens born at Niabi Zoo Niabi's litter is just one of two Pallas's cat litters born through the species' survival plan this year.
	Bureau County man wins Golden Tee World Championship Jeff Lannen has been playing Golden Tee for 25 years. What started as an after-hours hobby at work has now taken him to the world stage.
	Henry County Health Dept. finds first West Nile Virus of 2026 in specimen bath The Henry and Stark County Health Department reports that its first mosquito pool of the year to test positive for West Nile virus (WNV) was a specimen batch collected and tested on June 5, according to a report from the Henry and Stark County Health Department. “The news of the first batch of mosquitos carrying [...]
	Pa. bills would tie data center tax break to transparency, sustainability Data centers in Umatilla and Morrow Counties dot the landscape along the Columbia River Gorge on May 18, 2026. (Phot by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)Data center developers would be required to pledge transparency in Pennsylvania communities where they want to build in order to get a sales tax break on computer equipment, under legislation aiming to prevent secrecy around the massive computing hubs. Rep. Joe Ciresi (D-Montgomery) said the builders of one such project in his district approached local officials with a request to sign a non-disclosure agreement earlier this year. Limerick Township leaders ultimately declined to sign, but the fact that developers sought it in the first place doesn’t sit well, Ciresi said. They also refused to name the company that would ultimately occupy the 1.5 million square foot facility planned for vacant land near the nuclear power plant in Limerick, Montgomery County.. “You should know who’s developing it, as a good neighbor, and I should have a right to come out and speak for or against that same company,” Ciresi said. “And we’re seeing this all over the commonwealth.” Data centers are on the ballot — this Pa. candidate won her primary keeping them top of mind Ciresi’s House Bill 2359 passed Wednesday in the House Energy Committee with a 23-3 vote and now heads to the full chamber for consideration. It was one of three data center bills that headed to the House as officials across the commonwealth try to balance the promise of jobs and tax revenue against impacts many fear will change their communities for the worse. Simultaneously, lawmakers in the House Local Government Committee unanimously voted to allow municipalities to “pause” all data center considerations for 180 days, giving local officials time to draft rules while still allowing companies to submit proposals. “We are told that these facilities can bring economic opportunities and investment. However, they can also present unique challenges related to land use, energy consumption, water resources, infrastructure, emergency services and communities,” said sponsoring Rep. Paul Friel, (D-Chester). “The reality is that many local governments are being asked to evaluate these proposals before they’ve had sufficient time to understand their impacts or develop zoning ordinances tailored to this rapidly evolving industry.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE And in the Finance Committee, lawmakers voted 15-11 to advance legislation that would codify Gov. Josh Shapiro’s framework for sustainable data center development called the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Standards. House Bill 2650, introduced on Tuesday by Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montgomery), would establish benchmarks for energy affordability, community engagement, supporting workforce and economic development and protecting the environment. They would replace the current sales tax exemption, requiring data center developers to obtain certification from the state to claim it and other tax incentives, the Shapiro administration said. Ciresi’s bill, originally dealing exclusively with NDAs, was amended to include language that ties the transparency requirement to the state’s sales tax exemption on computer equipment for data centers. The five-year-old tax exception is projected to cost the commonwealth $517 million annually by 2030. Rep. Paul Friel (D-Chester) introduces legislation to allow municipalities to “pause” data center considerations for 180 days. (Photo by Whitney Downard/Pennsylvania Capital-Star) While some lawmakers have proposed repealing the exception, calling it a handout to big tech, Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware) said he expects that companies building hyperscale data centers such as Google and Meta will simply pass on the tax break. “I believe they’ll say, ‘Take your tax break, we’re good, we’re just not going to comply with any of your requirements,’” Williams said, noting that some in the industry didn’t bother to comment on the bill. Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) said he opposes placing conditions on the tax exception, calling it a “bait-and-switch” that could cost jobs and opportunities. He noted the reclamation of former mine sites in western Pennsylvania for data centers has remediated environmental catastrophes and returned tax revenue to municipalities and schools. “These data centers are doing in our communities things that we were never able to achieve at all, and now we want to tug at the rug underneath them and tell them, ‘If you don’t comply with these additional requirements that aren’t placed upon them from other states, we are going to cost you millions of dollars,’” Nelson said. Township supervisors across Pa. urge colleagues to adopt zoning for data centers Local Government Committee considers applicability to existing data centers Friel emphasized that municipalities would have a choice to pause data center applications under House Bill 2496 and weren’t required to do so. Amendments specified that the pause would apply to hyperscale projects and take effect immediately. Some lawmakers questioned how it might affect projects already in progress. “If someone has already submitted an application for a land development process, can the General Assembly — after the fact — come in and say we’re changing the timeframe?” Rep. Brett Miller (R-Lancaster), the ranking Republican member of the Local Government Committee, said. “I’m in favor of this, but I don’t want it to run afoul of the Constitution,” Miller continued. “I do believe municipalities would be very wise to be working on this right now, but the other thing is applicants have lawyers. And they will sue … I just don’t want to see that crushing burden on a municipality.” Friel said he’d drafted the language to start the 120-pause once a meeting agenda was posted in order to capture any developers trying to submit in the short window before a vote. But future amendments could be added to clarify whether it applied to existing applications. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Rep. Tarah Probst (D-Monroe) said she thought any new zoning standards should apply retroactively. “There are some really good actors and there’re some really bad actors when it comes to data centers. And the real bad actors are the ones that are going into these little municipalities and just steamrolling over them,” said Monroe. “(Companies) have gone everywhere and put applications in everywhere to catch people with their pants down — sorry about the reference, but they did. They absolutely will have to follow whatever the new zoning will be in that district,” she continued. Municipalities can regulate the locations and aesthetics of data centers, but can’t ban them outright. Chester and Montgomery county planning commissioners jointly developed a guide to drafting data center regulations that’s a resource available to municipalities across the commonwealth. Courtesy of Pennsylvania Capital-Star
	Las Culturistas Culture Awards take the elitism out of awards shows NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang of the Las Culturistas podcast about their tongue-in-cheek "Culture Awards" broadcast.
	License renewal processes to change for senior drivers in Illinois July 1 Drivers license renewal processes will change for seniors in Illinois. Under the Illinois Road Safety and Fairness Act, drivers 79 through 86 will no longer be required to take a behind-the-wheel test because of their age, but they will still have to renew the license in person and pass a vision screening test. Drivers 79 [...]
	Macomb celebrates 1 year of glass recycling program Residents have kept more than 41 tons of glass out of landfills. That's the weight of almost six large elephants!
	Severe weather update for the rest of the night After a very active morning with lots of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Quad Cities, things have began to calm down for the evening. Heavy rain dropped on the Quad Cities leading to flash flood warnings and severe thunderstorms producing 70-80 mph winds, causing damage like downed trees, and even a toppled train car [...]
	NC lawmakers seek tighter rules for autism therapy in push to eliminate Medicaid fraud The grand staircase at the NC Legislative Building (Photo: Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline) North Carolina legislators over the past few months have sought to lower healthcare costs, especially those caused by fraud and abuse within the Medicaid system. Now they’re taking on the skyrocketing costs of an increasingly popular therapy for autism. State and federal Medicaid spending on applied behavioral analysis therapy, known as ABA, surpassed $505 million in 2025, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, an exponential increase from $1.9 million just five years prior. The steep jump in cost has happened at the same time as ABA providers in other states started offering telehealth services in North Carolina and billing them to Medicaid, although some local providers and advocates say the remote services may not be as effective for all patients. A rewritten version of House Bill 34 aims to rein in the growth of spending on ABA by adding new requirements for providers. It passed the Senate Health Care Committee without debate Wednesday. NC legislators, alarmed over increasing cost of autism therapy, search for ways to control it Sen. Benton Sawrey (R-Johnston) said the measure incorporated suggestions from DHHS and law enforcement to strengthen compliance with Medicaid. “The other big piece of this bill that we’ve had some conversations about is closing the network for peer support, community support, and our ABA services,” Sawrey said while presenting the bill. “Closing networks in the best interest of making sure that our local providers get those services to the patients is needed.” Under a closed network, providers would need to provide credentials and meet certain requirements to be eligible for reimbursement. “There’s a threshold they have to meet in order to gain enrollment,” Sawrey told NC Newsline. David Laxton, communications director at the Autism Society of North Carolina, thinks the bill will improve the quality of ABA therapy in the state. He said he sees the measure as a necessary step to “ensure quality and sustainability” for the treatment. “If we address some of the long-term sustainability issues, then that means access to the service is going to continue to be there for the folks that need it,” Laxton told NC Newsline. “It doesn’t mean that some people may have fewer options, but it means that the quality and the ability to continue offering the service would be there.” However, Autism Speaks Vice President David Sitcovsky expressed concern about adding barriers to treatment. He said Medicaid serves as a “lifeline” for many autistic people and their families, since it provides access to ABA and other essential services. “As states consider changes to strengthen accountability, they should take a careful, targeted approach that addresses these concerns while protecting access to medically necessary, high-quality care,” Sitcovsky said in a statement. “Efforts to prevent fraud or improper billing should not create new barriers or disrupt services for autistic power and families who rely on qualified providers.” Courtesy of NC Newsline
	Central DeWitt school board approves updated master plan for improvements, includes no property tax increases District officials hope to put a $33.7 million bond referendum on the November ballot to help fund the plan, but it would only extend current levy payments.
	Here's how much the the Iran war cost -- and how its effects will linger More than three months after the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran, the costs and aftereffects are felt around the world.
	Here's how much the Iran war cost -- and how its effects will linger More than three months after the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran, the costs and aftereffects are felt around the world.
	Spend your Father's Day weekend at the Geneseo Music Festival Spend your Father's Day weekend enjoying live music, parades, food trucks, tractor displays and so much more! Lindsie Akers joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Geneseo Music Festival. For more information, click here.
	Longtime Freight House vendor publishes ‘City Farmers’ Market’ for young readers Scott Smith — known to families as “Mr. Homegrown” — has released a new children’s book, City Farmers’ Market, inspired by his decades at the Freight House Farmers Market and aimed at teaching kids about fresh produce, farming and local food.
	Iowa native, U.S. Air Force Maj. Brad Hovey, killed in B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base One of the eight B-52 bomber crash victims at Edwards Airforce Base in California this week was an Iowa native.
	Calming down Wednesday evening with quiet weather into Father’s Day weekend First Alert Day issued as a strong weather system brings damaging hail, gusty winds and isolated tornado potential through Wednesday evening
	A Taste on the River in East Moline cancelled While we are disappointed to cancel this beloved event, the safety of our guests, volunteers, chefs, sponsors, vendors, and community partners remains our highest priority, a media release said.
	J.T. Poston, Ben Griffin commit to 2026 John Deere Classic field The two players are currently in the top 40 of the World Golf Rankings.
	New local history mural completed at Davenport’s MLK Park A new colorful mural by nationally recognized artist and muralist Cbabi Bayoc is done, next to the Martin Luther King Jr. Interpretive Center, 501 N. Brady St., Davenport.
	Victim in East Moline homicide identified as Moline 27-year-old Officials have released the identity of the man killed in Tuesday morning’s shooting in East Moline. Another man has been arrested in connection with the shooting.
	Auditor examines Iowa’s Education Savings Account program State Auditor Rob Sand says the state’s Education Savings Account program cost taxpayers nearly $330 million dollars this school year.
	Multiple train cars on ground after derailment near Ormonde KWQC is working to learn more about a train derailment near Ormonde Wednesday morning.
	Victim in East Moline shooting identified A 21-year-old Rock Island man was arrested on a murder charge after a shooting in East Moline Tuesday.
	Lawmakers, stakeholders are ready for summer of data center negotiations Data centers, labor and environmental stakeholders say they’re ready to meet at the negotiating table as soon as possible because uncertainty is holding communities and projects in limbo.
	When a scam call turns into a real conversation: 6 verification steps and how a quick phone lookup fits in When a scam call turns into a real conversation: 6 verification steps and how a quick phone lookup fits inEvery year, billions of unwanted phone calls are placed to unsuspecting Americans. In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost more than $12.5 billion collectively to fraud, a 25% jump from the prior year.Imposter scams accounted for nearly $3 billion of that total. Among people who reported losing money to a scam that started with a phone call, the average loss per person was $3,690.The numbers are alarming, and what has actually changed is the sophistication of the scams behind them. The old generation of phone fraud featured an immediate ask, barely coherent script, and obvious pressure to take action. Now scams are more patient. A calm voice from what appears to be a real company number, a plausible reason for phoning, and a willingness to hold a conversation before making any type of ask.The standard advice of “just hang up” no longer applies. Instead, today’s consumers need a short sequence of steps that take just about two minutes and actually help determine whether the person calling you is a scammer.Spokeo has assembled this list using data and advice from leading institutions including the Federal Trade Commission, AARP, the Better Business Bureau, and the Federal Communications Commission to help you avoid becoming a victim to a fraudulent call.Why "just hang up" isn't enough anymoreBefore diving into the roadmap, it’s worth outlining why the strategy of old doesn’t hold up today. The short answer is that the advice made sense for a simpler era. When calls followed the same structure of pressure, bad script, and quick ask, it all took about 30 seconds. Typically, callers would demand you wire money to avoid arrest, in order to quickly cause an emotional reaction in the hopes you agree and don't think.The scams of today work differently. The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel data identifies imposter scams, where callers pose as representatives of businesses, government agencies, or employers, as the most commonly reported fraud category. It’s also the second-highest source of financial loss.Modern scam calls are designed to sustain a conversation as opposed to ending it quickly. After all, a caller impersonating a utility company’s billing department wouldn't demand payment right away. They would first establish context, confirm information they seemingly would have if they are who they say, and create a subtle problem that needs to be solved over multiple interactions. This makes just hanging up difficult for anybody, since it sounds plausible and could be real.Artificial intelligence has also accelerated the professionalization of these scam scripts. A CBS News report outlined how Americans are now getting 2.5 billion robocalls a month. AI tools help scammers generate call scripts from aggregated data breaches and create personalized approaches that potentially even utilize real data like the last four digits of your account number.The friction that used to separate fake calls from real ones is disappearing. What hasn’t changed is the underlying structure of the scam, and this playbook can give you the tools you need to identify what is real and what isn’t.Step 1: Listen for pacing and pressure cuesThe first 30 seconds of an unfamiliar call will contain more information than you think. While the content of what a caller says is easy to script, the pacing and emotional register of the call are harder to fake. Scammers work on a quick volume. They can’t actually spend a large amount of time on the call, which means the pressure to move towards an ask is usually detectable in how quickly they try to establish urgency or discomfort.A real business call will not require you to make a decision during that call. It’s meant to convey information and offer ways to follow up. A scammer needs you to stay on the line and comply before you have time to think more about the situation. The urgency is always the tell.Tip: Let the caller finish their opening statement without interrupting them. Then, follow up and ask for their name and the best number to reach them if you get disconnected. A real caller will answer without hesitation, but a scammer may resist a callback question.Warning Sign: Any suggestion that you need to act right away, have to stay on the line, or avoid hanging up to keep your account in good standing is a pressure tactic. Legitimate callers don’t require you to stay on an active call to receive what they’re offering.Step 2: Ask the caller to verify one detail about youThis is arguably the single most effective in-call verification step you have, but almost nobody thinks to use it.The idea is extremely simple. Rather than being the one to answer all the questions and providing information, reverse the direction of the conversation. If a caller claims they represent your bank, employer, insurance company, or any organization you’re affiliated with, ask them to confirm something personal about you.For example, ask questions like “What was the last transaction on my account?” or “What is the service address associated with this account?” While they may still be able to access the information as a scammer, it can give you a leaning indicator of whether they’re real or not.The FTC’s 2025 guidance on fighting impersonation scams calls this point out directly. They state that government agencies, banks, and utilities will all generally have your account information ready to go and can verify it with you, but they shouldn’t need to confirm information they’re expected to already have.Tip: Make the verification question something only your actual account would reflect. A recent payment amount, a specific service date, or a reference number from a prior interaction are all good options. Avoid asking for confirmation or information that the caller could have sourced from publicly available sites.Warning Sign: If the caller says they can’t access the information you’re requesting or pivots to asking you to confirm your details instead, end the call right away.Step 3: End the call and search the number directlyWhether or not the immediate call goes well, your next step should always be the same. End the call and search the number independently before taking any action the caller recommended. This step helps to remove you from the pressure of the live call and gives you a few minutes to think and research before deciding how to proceed.Even a basic Google search of the full phone number will often surface complaint reports, forum threads, or more. The BBB Scam Tracker is an excellent public resource where consumers file reports on numbers associated with scam activity. A number that has generated multiple recent complaints is a reliable indicator of fraud. Neighbor spoofing, when a scammer uses a number with the same area code as our own, is often detectable with this method.Tip: Search the exact number in quotation marks to force exact-match results on it. Scam numbers typically appear buried in forums with slight formatting differences, so quoting it will pull more results.Warning Sign: A number with no web presence, business registration, or search results is a warning sign. Real businesses should have a searchable digital footprint, and a number with no result at all has likely deliberately been kept clean.Step 4: Use a reverse phone lookup to cross-check the numberA basic web search will tell you what other consumers have reported about a number. A reverse phone lookup will add another layer to the result. This search checks the number against business registrations, carrier records, and contact profiles. This result will let you know whether the number is registered to the company the caller claims to be from.If the lookup shows the number associated with a real business at a matching address, it’s a green flag. However, this is not conclusive. Caller ID spoofing can still route a call through a legitimate-appearing number. The FCCs STIR/SHAKEN framework is a call authentication protocol that’s been implemented by major carriers and has reduced the ease of basic spoofing. However, full implementation across smaller carriers is still incomplete.Tip: Use the reverse lookup as a cross-check, not a verdict. A number that comes back clean isn’t necessarily safe as spoofed calls can pass through registered numbers. Simply use it to flag discrepancies rather than to clear calls you’re not sure about.Warning Sign: A number the caller attributed to a major company that comes back as being related to a different business, residential address, or unrelated organization is a major indicator of spoofing or an impersonation.Step 5: Call the company back through its verified main lineThis step is the most reliable verification method on this list. A direct callback to a company’s published number creates a clean channel that can’t be spoofed or manipulated.Utility impersonation scams are among the most common and the highest-volume imposter scams tracked by the BBB and Utilities United Against Scams coalition, and finding their real business number is possible with a simple Google search.When you call back through the verified line, ask specifically whether a representative called you and what the subject was about. Most large organizations log outbound call activity and will be able to confirm whether the call happened.Tip: Find the verified number before you actually need it. Add all the customer service numbers of your bank, utility company, and employer to your contacts. In a high pressure moment, having the numbers ready to go can remove one more step.Warning Sign: Never use a callback number that the caller gives you and never use a number that appears in the contact line of the person calling you. Always find the number independently from the company’s official website.Step 6: Report the number to the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business BureauIf your verification process confirms, or at least strongly suggests, that the call was fake, reporting it is a quick and easy process that can save others. The FTC’s ReportFraud site collects government complaint data that federal and state law enforcement use to identify fraud patterns, prosecute operations, and issue consumer warnings. A number that gets a large amount of complaints will trigger investigative attention that it otherwise may not have received.Similarly, the BBB Scam Tracker site is a consumer-facing complement. By reporting data to both platforms, you can maximize the reach of your complaint.Tip: When going to file the report, include as much detail as possible, including the full number, the date and time of the call, the name and company the caller claimed to be from, and the nature of the request.Warning Sign: If you provided any financial information during a call you think was fake, contact your bank right away before filing a report. The report documents the scam, but your bank can stop any immediate damage.Build the habit before you need itThese recommended steps take less than five minutes end to end, and the precautions that take the most time are the ones that matter the most. The challenge is to keep your cool during scam calls that are designed to pressure you into taking quick action.The best defense against imposter scams is to build the verification habits before you’re under any pressure. Run through the steps on a benign unknown call, such as a robocall from an insurance company, so the sequence feels automatic. Most victims of phone fraud acknowledge that something felt off on the call, but they didn’t know how to respond.Scam volume isn’t going to decrease anytime soon. What consumers have that scammers don’t is the ability to pause. You can always end the call and check before responding. That small pause, when applied consistently, can provide you with actual protection.This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What football managers’ cliché phrases reveal about communication under pressure What football managers’ cliché phrases reveal about communication under pressureA new AI tracker built for the world’s biggest football tournament is measuring clichés that fill the press conferences surrounding every match. The overused phrases that define these communications reveal a pattern that isn’t unique to sport.Every four years, the world's most-watched sporting event creates a singular form of pressure: the pressure to say the right thing at exactly the right moment, in front of an audience of billions.For the managers of the 48 national teams competing, that pressure plays out at the pre- and post-match microphone. Say something bland and you lose the room. Say the wrong thing and you risk losing something more lasting: trust.For brands communicating with customers during high-stake business moments, the challenge is the same, and it plays out in every notification, campaign, and customer message.The more pressure, the more clichésCreated by cloud communications provider Sinch specifically for the 2026 tournament, the AI-powered tracker is built on a 205-phrase dictionary of football clichés spanning six languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Arabic.Each phrase appears repeatedly in major tournament press conferences, regardless of the match context, and would be immediately recognized by fans as a well-worn fallback — phrases like "we take it one game at a time," "the boys gave 110%" and "there are no easy games at this level."The tracker, called the xC Tracker, borrowing the naming logic of football's xG (expected goals) metric, monitors every pre- and post-match press conference across the tournament and ranks all 48 managers on how often they default to stock phrases rather than offering something insightful and specific. Sinch The cost of empty wordsCataloguing football clichés is entertaining in its own right. But the patterns it uncovers go well beyond the sport.Every organization that communicates at scale faces a version of the same challenge. When the volume is high and the pressure is on, the notification that could have been relevant and timely can quickly become a templated, delayed message. The campaign that could have felt personal can arrive at the wrong moment and read like noise rather than valuable information. The customer support response that could have made a customer’s day can arrive too late, be too generic, and fail to address the issue entirely.During high-stakes moments — a Black Friday shopping rush, a platform service outage, or a flight cancellation wave — the cost of saying the wrong thing at the wrong moment is even higher. Messages compete not just against other brand messages but also against genuine stakes, and sometimes genuine frustration. These moments are when customers’ tolerance for anything that feels scripted is at its lowest.When a football manager tells reporters "we gave everything" after a defeat, the message lands the same way whether it was a tight loss to the tournament favorites or a humiliating collapse against the lowest-ranked team in the competition.When a retailer sends a generic ‘your order has been canceled’ notification to customers whose holiday purchases can't be fulfilled due to a stock shortage — instead of a proactive text that lets them reply and pick an alternative — the relationship the brand took months or years to build can unravel in a single send.One bad experience is all it takes: Sinch research shows 75% of consumers would switch brands because of it.The universal challenge of peak-time communicationWhat makes pre- and post-match communication interesting as a case study is its constraints. A football manager has minutes, sometimes less, to say something valuable at the microphone after the final whistle.Brands operate under similar constraints during high-stakes moments. When sending updates or campaigns to millions of customers during a major event, they have a narrow window in which they can make that message matter — and do so at scale. If they miss it, the opportunity has passed. If they rush it with something generic, customers notice. Research from McKinsey in 2021 found that more than 70% of consumers expect brands to personalize their communications, and Sinch research found that a third say they're frustrated when those messages are irrelevant. Sinch The most meaningful communications, in football and in business, have two things in common: specificity and reliability.A manager who offers a precise tactical observation after a match is adding something that couldn't have been said about any other match. The best communicators do it consistently, regardless of the circumstances, and players and fans take confidence from it.During peak moments like Black Friday, if a retailer sends a ‘biggest deals of the year’ email to someone who bought full price the day before, or a ‘last chance’ text that arrives after the deal has already ended, the messages fail on both counts. A brand message informed by today's context, rather than scheduled six weeks ago, requires infrastructure built to handle that volume, complexity, and scale — and a layer of AI to make it relevant to every recipient. This is how it earns its place in the moment it arrives.There are no easy messages at this levelMost people default to clichés under pressure too. The difference is nobody's keeping score. For brands, the audience always is. And it's in those moments — when the stakes are highest and timing and relevance matter most — that customer trust is won or lost.This story was produced by Sinch and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Board: Respiratory therapist billed for services provided when the patient was dead The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing administers and oversees many of Iowa's state licensing boards. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images; logo courtesy the State of Iowa)A Des Moines respiratory therapist accused of fraudulently billing a patient for respiratory services delivered after the patient had died has been sanctioned by the state. In December 2025, the Iowa Board of Respiratory Care and Polysomnography charged respiratory therapist Bethany Jane Vore of Des Moines with knowingly making misleading, untrue, or fraudulent representations in the practice of the profession or engaging in unethical conduct that could be harmful to the public. The board alleges that Vore, 27, “remotely checked a patient’s ventilator multiple times, including after the patient expired.” According to the board, she then “falsified the patient’s chart and fraudulently charged the patient for services rendered after the patient had expired.” The board has not publicly disclosed when or where the alleged conduct took place. To resolve the disciplinary case without a hearing, Vore and the board recently agreed to a settlement that calls for Vore’s license to be suspended for two years. Vore must also complete 24 hours of educational training on patient care, recordkeeping and ethics. Board records indicate Vore has been an Iowa-licensed respiratory therapist since October 2021. The Iowa Capital Dispatch was not able to reach Vore for comment. The Iowa Board of Respiratory Care and Polysomnography recently reported taking action against two other Iowa licensees: — Philip A. Kester, 42, of Ames, who was charged last year by the board with habitual intoxication or addiction to the use of drugs, negligence, and failure to cooperate with a board investigation. The board alleges that at some unspecified time in the past, it fielded a complaint alleging Kester was under the influence of alcohol while at work — although the board has not disclosed where Kester was working at the time. According to the board, Kester’s blood-alcohol level was checked while he was at work, resulting in a reading of roughly .130% — well over the legal limit for driving. Board records indicate Kester and the board recently agreed to settle the matter with the voluntary surrender of his license. Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to locate Kester to request comment. — Sarah Alice Lamb, 32, of Des Moines, who was charged late last year with obtaining, possessing or administering controlled substances without any legal authority; failure to notify the board of a criminal conviction within 30 days; and violating a state or federal regulation or law that relates to the practice of respiratory care. According to the board, Lamb was arrested for drug possession at some unspecified time in past after a routine traffic stop while on her way to work. Lamb subsequently tested positive for marijuana use, the board alleges. She and the board agreed to settlement that calls for her license to be placed in probation for two years. The agreement also calls for her to complete nine hours of educational training on professionalism and ethics. Lamb’s attorney, F. Montgomery Brown, said Tuesday “the matter has been successfully resolved to mutually agreeable terms and Ms. Lamb is looking forward to the continuation of her career.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Rare Pallas’s cat kittens born at Niabi Zoo mark conservation milestone Three rare Pallas’s cat kittens born at Niabi Zoo boost North American conservation efforts after storm recovery and habitat rebuild.
	Red Cross' A Taste on the River fundraiser canceled due to weather The annual event was set to take place on Wednesday, June 17.
	Tips to keep your brain healthy, Coal Valley daycare investigation: News 8 This Week - June 14, 2026 June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. We speak with Dr. Michael Stockman on how to take care of your brain. Plus, more on a News 8 investigation.
	Friends of Muscatine Art Center host Ice Cream Social The Friends of the Muscatine Art Center is hosting its annual Ice Cream Social on Sunday, June 28 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Art Center, 1314 Mulberry Avenue. The free, family friendly event encourages residents to an afternoon of art, music, history and fun. The Friends organization will have slices of pie, brownies, [...]
	Scott County Recorder Rita Vargas to retire after all, withdraws name from ballot Rita Vargas will have served 24 years as Scott County recorder, elected first in 2002. Democrats will nominate a new candidate at a special convention this week.
	Severe weather across the QCA causes power outages Severe weather conditions across the QCA has caused power outages in our region. To keep track of coverage, use the following links: MidAmerican Energy Ameren Alliant Energy For more weather information, click here.
	Here’s where Davenport’s mobile speed cabinets will be through late June Heads up, Quad Cities drivers! Here’s where Davenport’s mobile speed cabinets are located June 15 - 21 and June 22 - 29.
	'Pride at Wake' returns with 2 drag shows supporting LGBTQ+ organizations You can enjoy a full day of food, auctions, vendors and performances on Saturday, June 20 at Wake Brewing in Rock Island.

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