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

Man wanted out of Davenport for kidnapping, arson arrested in California under alias

A man that has been wanted out of Davenport for the past 14-years was arrested on Tuesday in California.

Man arrested in San Diego in connection with 2012 Davenport kidnapping case

The U.S. Marshals have arrested a man in the Mission Beach area of San Diego who was wanted on several outstanding warrants from the Southern District of Iowa on charges related to a 2012 kidnapping case in Davenport, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service. Brian Anthony Williams, 50, was charged in [...]

House Speaker Mike Johnson joining Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for rally in Davenport

The event will be held at noon on Friday, Oct. 9. Anyone wanting to attend must RSVP online.

Former House Republican leader backs Pritzker for governor

Illinois’ former House Republican leader of 10 years isn’t switching affiliations, though he announced Monday he’s backing the Democrat in the race for governor.

Visit Quad Cities receives grants for local tourism efforts

Illinois is awarding $4.6 million from two tourism grant programs to 49 grantees around the state for local tourism efforts. The International Tourism Grant Program offers funding to target advertising toward specified markets like Mexico, Canada, Austria and other countries, with a goal of increasing international visits to Illinois. The Tourism Marketing Partnership Grant Program [...]

Turning Point USA event to be held at University of Iowa

Turning Point USA will be hosting an event at the University of Iowa on Thursday, October 8.

Library construction closes alleyway in Muscatine

An alleyway will undergo daytime closures during renovations to Musser Public Library in Muscatine.

Illinois state fairs attracted over 1 million visitors for second year in a row

Illinois’ two state fairs drew over 1 million combined visitors for the second year in a row, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.

Bettendorf leaders discuss traffic concerns at 7 Brew Coffee

A recent promotional day caused traffic to line up along Middle Road that officials said reached as far back as Palmer Hills Golf Course.

Local softball player soars in national competition

For Wilton student Harper Blieu, softball is more than just a hobby or her personal sport of choice. She says it’s something that can drive her to always improve and be better as both a player and a person. “Softball is a game where you need a lot of things to know how to do, but once you get the hang of it, it’s literally the best sport ever, in my opinion,” she said. While her family in New Liberty or her fellow Falcons Softball Club members in Louisa-Muscatine may already recognize her dedication to the game, Blieu has recently begun being recognized on a nation-wide scale through this year’s Youth Athlete of the Year competition. Held annually, the Youth Athlete of the Year competition focuses on recognizing hometown athletes for their achievements and their love for their sport, with the grand prize being $25,000 and an opportunity to be featured in a 3BRAND ad campaign with appearances on CBS and within Sports Illustrated. This year’s competition began in mid-August. Blieu shared that her mother was the one to nominate her. “I was really excited (to be nominated) and so happy,” Blieu said. In the weeks following, Blieu was able to make it through all previous rounds and was eventually named one of the competition’s quarterfinalists. At the time of writing, the competition’s polls had her in 5th place. Having already seen plenty of people from her team, her home community and beyond supporting her in this endeavor, Blieu thanked everyone who has voted for her or who has been cheering her on along the way. “It takes a lot to be able to get this high when you’re this young,” she said. “I really want to thank my mom, my dad, and my grandma (…) and I want to thank my teammates, my coaches, our head coach Avarie Eagle, and God, and all the people that have helped me get this far. They have all encouraged me to keep going after hard times.” She also wanted to thank Kaylee Sayler, another Midwest pitcher who is currently with Ohio University’s softball team, for her support, both during and outside of the competition. “She’s kind of my mentor. I learn everything I can from her, and I really want to give thanks to her, because she posted (my voting link) and told her followers, and now here I am,” Blieu said. Another player she’s inspired by, Blieu said, is Sam Landry, who plays for the Portland Cascade of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. “She just pitches like me, and I’m her biggest fan.” Although Blieu plays four different positions on the Falcons Softball Club team, the position she primarily focuses on is pitcher. She has been playing softball for at least six years, first beginning with T-Ball after her mother suggested it to her as a way to help with her boredom at the time. “After I played T-Ball, I immediately wanted to play more because it was so much fun,” Blieu said. Even after her mother warned her that she wouldn’t be playing with tees anymore, she still wanted to continue playing softball. “I just loved the game ever since.” One thing she appreciates about softball, Blieu said, is how it teaches her how to work with others together as a team. She recently saw an example of this during her team’s most recent tournament. “We won the whole tournament because we had great energy,” she said. “We played really hard, and I just really love that feeling of getting together with my friends and family to play the game that I love.” When reflecting on what Athlete of the Year qualities she has, Blieu said she always works as much as she can to get farther in her sport. She said she wants to continue improving in each practice and each game. “If I want to get to giving 100%, I need to work at it every day.” On the title itself, Blieu added that she’d be super happy to with Youth Athlete of the Year. Should she win, Blieu plans to donate a majority of the money to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. She would also want to donate some of the money to her softball team to help them purchase bleachers for a new softball field.

Rock Falls hosts Spooktacular golf cart/UTV parade

Rock Falls Tourism is holding its third annual Spooktacular Halloween Lighted Golf Cart & UTV Parade on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Rock Falls. The parade will start at Grace Avenue (Rock Falls High School, 101 12th Avenue), proceed to West 2nd Street, continue to 2nd Avenue, head to 1st Street and [...]

2 arrested in Lee County, Illinois, meth investigation, sheriff says

Deputies said the search was the result of a long investigation into methamphetamine being sold in Lee County.

Victims of boating accident near Dubuque identified

The three victims of a boating accident on the Mississippi River near Dubuque have been identified by the Iowa DNR.

North Scott Press — October 7, 2026

School administrators face off in Senate District 35 race

The voters of Princeton, Long Grove, Clinton County and Maquoketa face a difficult choice Nov. 3. Not because the options for their Senate district are so different—but because, at least on the surface, they seem so similar. Incumbent Mike Zimmer and challenger Joe Stutting are both school administrators, at or near retirement and well into middle age. They count themselves members of the same Rotary club and built their careers in neighboring school districts. They were briefly colleagues in eastern Iowa’s effort to improve career and technical education. They each list education as their top priority. Stutting, superintendent of North Scott schools, is a Republican. Zimmer, former Pleasant Valley principal and President of the Central DeWitt school board, is a Democrat.  Zimmer has two legislative sessions behind him in Des Moines, as well as 16 years as a high school principal and just more than a year as school board president. Stutting, a 21-year superintendent, said he still has the edge on experience. “We’re similar because we’re both educators, but he can’t list out his leadership experience and what I’ve done on economic development as superintendent of schools,” Stutting told the North Scott Press last week. As superintendent, Stutting pushed for construction of the North Scott Community YMCA and the Regional Innovation Center—the kind of economic development that Stutting argues is key to revitalizing rural Iowa and raising property tax base. Zimmer told the NSP that his fight was not with Stutting, but with Republicans’ decade of one-party rule. Republican control in Des Moines had sentenced public education to a “death by a thousand cuts,” he said. As Senator, he would vote to raise per-pupil funding, which has spent years lagging the rate of inflation. “It just seems like one-party rule—I don't care if you're in Illinois and it's Democrats running it, or if you're in Iowa and the Republicans run, it's not good,” Zimmer said. “If you don't have some checks and balances, you get some of the craziest stuff coming up out there.” Stutting preaches growth Joe Stutting has spent 21 years as superintendent, first in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and then at the North Scott School District. “I’ve always considered a superintendency a political position,” he said. “My job is to be a community leader, to help with economic development.” The Senate seat was a natural “next step” from his superintendency. A native of Camanche, Stutting graduated from Central College and started his teaching career in Lake City. He served as an alderman in Sturgeon Bay, and was recently president of the School Administrators of Iowa. Stutting said he believes in “smaller government and local control.” But as a resident of Princeton, he has watched small, local government struggle to provide basic services, like sidewalks and road sealing. In his view, economic development provides the solution: grow the economy, and you can grow government revenues without raising taxes. “You need to grow if you’re going to expand your budget. It’s all about growth in the state of Iowa now,” he said. Population growth helps shore up funding for public education, Stutting said. The Iowa state legislature allocates funding on a per-pupil basis, and increase funding through a mechanism called state supplemental aid. Annual SSA has been stuck at an average of 2.1% over the last decade—about a point below the rate of inflation. But Stutting said the “root cause of the funding issue is birth rate and population of kids. It’s not the 2%.” “Could we use more money? Of course. Everybody could always use more money,” he said. “But what really hurts us is when we have a 2% new money each year and you lose kids… Our budgets are generated by kids.” Growth is also key for state Republicans who hope to keep tax cuts passed over the last decade. “If we want to maintain a 3.8% flat [income] tax, and we want to continue to do the things that we’ve done over the last 10 years to help keep money in a person’s pocketbook, how then does the state generate more money?” he asked. “It’s grow our population and grow our jobs.” Stutting is light on specifics. “Until I get elected, there’s a lot I don’t know,” he said when asked what legislative programs could jumpstart growth. He noted that “public-private” and “public-public” partnerships, like the North Scott Y, are key to bringing young families to rural communities. “The cheapest place to start a young family and live is in rural Iowa. What they lack is amenities that attract young families,” he said. He suggested that state programs that benefit larger cities could be retooled for rural towns. The state could eliminate matching fund requirements for small-dollar grants, for instance. “We can’t continue to shuffle the deck or steal from rural Iowa to grow the Bettendorfs, the Ankenys, the Waukees. Because that’s basically what we’ve done over the last two decades,” he said. “The growth of our cities, our corridor areas, is really at the expense of rural Iowa.” Zimmer the bipartisan Mike Zimmer twice turned down Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart’s request that he run to fill his district’s vacant Senate seat. When he accepted, it was with state legislators’ “attack on public education” in mind. “We have been consistently behind” on funding for public education, Zimmer said, pointing to the gap between SSA and the rate of inflation. “Then when you combine that with the fact that the public school student population is going down, that’s a double whammy.” Zimmer grew up in Long Grove and graduated from North Scott High School. He began his career as an industrial arts teacher in Miles; he served briefly as North Scott principal before moving to Pleasant Valley, where he finished his career in 2023. In January 2025, Zimmer spent five weeks door-knocking in a hard-fought race for his Senate district. This summer he has knocked homes across Scott, Clinton and Jackson counties with a different approach. “I knock on a door, and I apologize for interrupting, but then I say, I'm State Senator Mike Zimmer. I represent you in Des Moines, and we finish the session in May. New laws went in effect July 1. Do you have any questions about the property tax bill that we passed, or school funding, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or veterans' benefits?” he said. “I can talk about it because I was there.” He gives out his personal cell and email address. Zimmer lists his top legislative priority as increasing SSA. But he is quick to note that while he may have a seat at the Capitol, he has little control over what legislators pass. “I think it's important for people to understand that when you're in the minority, you do not legislate,” he said. “You're a voice, but any bill and any amendment submitted by a minority member is automatically rejected.” Partisanship did not stop Zimmer from talking to his colleagues. He encouraged them to strengthen penalties for forged licensure, a push that followed the resignation of former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts. And he worked to halt a bill that would have made computer science classes mandatory to graduate from Iowa high schools. In each case, his work earned him recognition from Republicans in the Senate. “I was the only Democrat to be recognized by any of my colleagues for helping on a bill,” he said. Zimmer said that Senate Republicans had ostracized members of their own party who had broken ranks, like the 12 Senators who joined Democrats to oppose the use of eminent domain by the Summit pipeline in 2025. “The question would be, where would Mr. Stutting be? Would he have been with the leadership, or would he have been with the 12? That's what separates whether you're an independent thinker or you're not.” “Only he can answer for what he is,” Zimmer said of Stutting. “I just can’t say, unless I’m making the hypothesis that he’s going to just follow the party line.” On the campaign trail How does Stutting describe their relationship? “I would have said really good, up until my commercial came out and his flyers came out.” The commercial is a short TV spot paid for by state Republicans. A Clinton County woman places a 911 call, only for the operator to tell her that Maquoketa and Clinton hospitals have closed. It suggests that Zimmer is to blame The Jackson County Regional Health Center in Maquoketa and MercyOne Clinton Medical Center both remain open. Stutting said the commercial was meant to be a “fabrication.” “It was what could have happened,” he said. Meanwhile, a mailer sent by Democrats claims that Stutting “put his own school district in debt to increase his own pay.” He is “corrupt and untrustworthy,” the mailer reads. According to the North Scott Community School District Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for fiscal 2025, which was referenced in the mailer, the district’s current debt stems mostly from infrastructure projects. The report, also known as the district’s audit, is available on the district website. Stutting’s salary increase, which was 2% for the 2026-27 school year, was roughly in line with all district staff raises. Zimmer said the mailer came from the Iowa Democratic Party “without my knowledge, input or approval.” He said he had had a “very good” relationship with Stutting during their time as school administrators. Stutting said that “going negative” was “an unfortunate part of how politics work here, not only in Iowa but in this country.” “Mike’s a good guy. Mike and I have always gotten along well,” Stutting said.

Eldridge council finalizes vote to establish municipal fire department

The Eldridge City Council voted Monday to establish a municipal fire department, ending 18 months of discussion with the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company. The council voted unanimously to approve the third and final readings of two ordinances establishing the municipal department and adding the position of fire chief to the list of department supervisors. The first two readings of the ordinances were held in July. On Aug. 3, the council voted to table the ordinances when the EVFC agreed to move its deadline of Oct. 1 to transition to a municipal department to Dec. 31. The city and the EVFC also had a joint committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 9, where the parties discussed what their vision moving forward looked like. At that meeting, it was agreed attorneys for both sides would have further discussions and another joint committee of the whole meeting would happen on or before Oct. 5. According to Eldridge city attorney Allison Wright, she and the EVFC’s attorney, Dan Morgan, had two “substantiative” discussions in September regarding a potential 28E agreement between the city and the EVFC. Wright said Morgan offered to go to the EVFC and find out what their “non-negotiable red lines” were for moving forward. Morgan subsequently came back with a list, Wright said, which included: • A minimum three-year transition period • The volunteers would hire the chief • The volunteers would have operational control • The same budget as the department presented in July Wright said none of these items would be in alignment with the legally viable definition of a 28E agreement. “They’re asking for operational control and don’t want the city to provide performance standards or oversight, which is a requirement of 28E,” said Wright. “I cannot write a 28E agreement that’s consistent with 28E that provides that the city has no accountability or oversight for the fire protection services.” She said it was Morgan’s recommendation not to hold another joint committee of the whole meeting and said she confirmed this with Morgan during a conversation on Oct. 2. Council member Scott LaPlante said he’d walked away from the joint meeting on Sept. 9 feeling excited and hopeful about the future of discussions between the city and the EVFC. “That hope was extinguished last week when we learned of these red lines by the volunteer fire department,” LaPlante said. “We’re back to square one. “Now the city council is making a choice to move forward, as the people of Eldridge want us to do, because of the change of position by the volunteer fire department, that would only move this process backwards,” he continued. LaPlante said that moving forward with a municipal department would not change the importance of the volunteer corps, as the city intends for them to remain at the core of the operations. “It is time for us to get back to our core principle, to serve the people of Eldridge, so we can pay attention to other important issues facing our city,” said LaPlante. “To do this, we need to end this 18-month journey of debate, finger-pointing, and unhealthy social media posts by moving forward with a city-run fire department.” Council member Ryan Iossi said he had been in favor of pausing the process in August and coming back to the table to find some mutual understanding and compromise. “It didn’t work,” said Iossi. “And, respectfully, the fire department has made it clear with their red lines of what their willingness is to give and what they’re standing firm on. And I can’t take that away from them. But what I can do is sit back now and look at all the pieces.” Iossi said throughout this process, the city has gotten advice from legal and insurance, other cities who have been through a fire transition, professional fire consultants, and more. He said he wanted to avoid putting the city at more risk. “Out of all the people that I’ve named, city legal, city insurance, they are recommending against any sort of a proposal of a 28E agreement that is not legal and does not make the safest move for the city,” said Iossi. “I think every council member here wants to make sure that we’re reducing the risk as much as we can. So, at the end of the day, if we’re being advised that what is on the table as the final, red line proposal is not a safe move and is recommended not to do it, I take that with heavy consideration.” Council member Jeff Ashcraft agreed. “I just cannot support entering into an agreement that is not … a legally viable route,” he said. “I can’t do that knowingly, knowing that we’ve been recommended by our city’s counsel, that the county’s counsel has also recommended it, that our insurance carrier is not only watching, but our past insurers and potential future insurers are watching and are recommending against it. It’s very difficult for me to even consider thinking about moving into some sort of agreement knowingly that would put the city at risk is just unacceptable. As much as I would like to try to find some other avenue, it’s just not feasible for us to do that.” After Ashcraft and LaPlante moved and seconded to move forward with the vote, council member Brian Dockery suggested several amendments to the ordinance before the council to clean up some language. Mayor Scott Campbell also said, due to feedback from council members prior to the meeting, several sections of the ordinance would be stricken in their entirety, including a section regarding charges for services and consumption of alcoholic beverages on fire department property. As the council moved towards the vote, Campbell acknowledged that the process has been tough “for the fire department, for the council, for the community. It has been a tough road. And we can’t really go any further without thanking the volunteers. And we have said this numerous times over the past several months that we truly are fortunate to have a volunteer fire department like we have. They really are second to none. There is no question about that.” Campbell asked the members of the EVFC to “dig down deep and think hard about joining us and giving us a chance. Hopefully, there’s not going to be a lot of change. Yes, you will report to a new chief. But other than that, everything is going to be pretty much status quo. You’re going to report to the same station. You’re going to use the same equipment. You’re going to still get paid per call, and most importantly, you’re still going to get to serve your friends and neighbors and community like you have done so well for so many years. And I think that’s important to acknowledge what you guys have done. And I would ask you if this thing passes tonight that you would strongly consider to join us and just give the city a chance.” Dockery asked to confirm that between now and the EVFC’s deadline of Dec. 31, operations will remain as they have been. “Between now and then, everything’s pretty much going to be the same, other than we’re going to move towards transitioning behind the scenes with all the other stuff. So, Jan. 1, it will become a city department.” “That’s the plan with the ordinance,” confirmed Campbell. Dockery said the key to everything was hiring the right chief. “And we’ve got to have volunteers to make the business model work in our community.” “And we’ll have to have open discussion these next three months with them as we go through this transition,” said Campbell. Dockery said he has had sleepless nights since the agenda for Monday’s meeting came out last Friday. “I’m torn, as everybody knows. I tried to find other solutions. It’s a mess.” “It is,” agreed Campbell. “And I think everybody on both sides has done what they thought was best. I think, I know for a fact, on the council, everybody has done their due diligence.” He said he felt that the council had been given as much information as possible to make an informed decision. The vote on both ordinances was 5-0 in favor. Dockery said his vote to establish the municipal department came “with a heavy heart.” Following the vote, members of the EVFC and their supporters left the meeting quietly. The meeting opened with about 20 minutes of public comment, with support and opposition to the vote coming in roughly equal measure.  

Homecoming out of hand

Homecoming festivities began with a little too much of a bang last week. Eldridge police and North Scott school administrators said that dozens of teens took homecoming festivities too far, vandalizing property and lighting fireworks on residential streets. Videos circulating on social media showed teens dressed in black, wearing masks, lighting fireworks that exploded low to the ground across multiple properties. They also showed students placed in police cruisers. “Wearing black masks, toilet papering (TPing) homes, fireworks, trespassing, and damaging private property are not school-sponsored events, nor are they accepted school traditions,” a statement from the school district affirmed Thursday, Oct. 1. “These actions cause genuine fear among community members,” the statement continued. Students involved in off-campus “vandalism, intimidation, or disruptive behavior” would be barred from homecoming festivities and could lose the ability to participate in sports and other extracurriculars, according to the statement. Eldridge Police Chief Andrew Lellig told the city council Monday, Oct. 5, that “in 12 years being here, this was probably our worst year” for homecoming disruptions. He said officers responded to between 50 and 100 teens. Officers responded to at least 30 calls related to suspicious juveniles, acts of vandalism and other suspicious activities, the Eldridge Police log for the week shows. It would be up to homeowners to press charges, he said. He expected that several would. “We definitely support the homecoming traditions, as long as it's safe,” Lellig said. “This year, fireworks were thrown at houses. They were thrown at people.” “Residents are scared when they see people on their property wearing dark clothes and ski masks. They don’t know if it’s homecoming activities or something else,” he told The North Scott Press. Activities peaked on Monday evening, Sept. 28, according to police. The department authorized additional overtime in an effort to limit disruption through the rest of the week. Lellig said that police have some leads on who perpetrators are. He said officers were still taking damage reports from homeowners as late as Oct. 5. Lellig and School Resource Officer Garrett Jahns met with school and city officials to discuss strategies to limit homecoming disruption next year. He said that parents are going to be key going forward, educating kids about consequences and keeping an eye on them during homecoming week. “It was very encouraging to sit in that meeting with you and school administration last week, and you both were in lockstep, trying for a solution,” Mayor Scott Campbell said. “They were just as frustrated as you were, and they were very cognizant of our desire and our needs.” Campbell said he encountered a group of 17 teens in black, wearing masks at his home Monday, Sept. 28. “I was kind of taken aback by their brazenness in trying to converse with them,” he told the council.  

Rob Sand at the Starlite

Rob Sand isn’t a big fan of the two-party political system. That might come as a surprise to people who are peripherally aware of the Democrat’s campaign to be the next governor of Iowa. But it’s a message he emphasized as he brought his “Better and Truer” town hall tour to Davenport on Sept. 29. Sand spoke for about an hour to a crowd of more than 850 people who packed into the Starlite Ballroom at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. In addition to his stump speech, he also answered a few questions from the audience. But he began by addressing what he sees as one of the biggest problems in today’s political system. “Our political system is broken, and it’s broken basically because it’s run by two private clubs,” the Democrats and Republicans, Sand said. “A lot of the people in leadership of both of those parties are more interested in beating up on each other than they are in solving our problems,” he continued. “And they’ve realized that solving problems is hard. You’ve got to read things and learn stuff. You’ve got to talk to people that you don’t like talking to. You’ve got to compromise. “But because it’s just a two-choice political system, instead of doing all that tough stuff, you can just lie about and demonize the only other realistic option on the ballot. You can get elected that way instead … State government is supposed to represent us. Is that a fair description of politics these days?” That’s one of the reasons he believes in bringing Independent voters into the political fold. Sand said when he registered to vote as a teenager in Decorah, he originally was an Independent. However, he quickly discovered that Independents don’t have much power in a two-choice system. “Has anyone ever given you a good reason that we have to be Democrats and Republicans?” he asked the crowd. “There is no good reason. Giving people only two options is more about controlling them than it is about serving them. And I didn’t want to register with either party, because I want to think for myself. But then I realized that you sort of have to, right? If you want to vote in the primary in Iowa, you have to pick a party.” Sand said, in order to create a political system that serves the majority of people, “We shouldn’t tell independent voters that they’re less equal. We should give them an equal right to participate. We shouldn’t be forced to pick between the lesser of two evils when it comes to realistic options on the ballot.” That’s why he said he favors measures like an open primary, term and age limits for politicians, and mandatory town halls. He also enumerated bipartisan ways Iowa has worked to reform its system, including merit-based judicial selection and an independent redistricting system. And, in the spirit of bipartisanship, to “prove that Democrats, Independents and Republicans can work together,” Sand asked everyone in the room to sing the first verse of “America the Beautiful” together. Sand is pragmatic about what bipartisanship means, as he said he’s aware that if he becomes governor, he will almost certainly have to work with a Republican majority in the legislature. “The Republican Party has had healthy majorities in both chambers for 10 years. If I win, they’re still going to have a majority,” he said. “That means every bill that gets passed, every budget that gets passed, is going to have to be something that people in both parties can agree on. It’s going to be something where the parties are checking and balancing each other. That would be an improvement on where we are right now.” According to Sand, having one party in power for so long has led to corruption in Des Moines. “One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is one that has stood out to me my whole life,” he said. “And I know why it stuck out, because normally, the New Testament is love your enemy, love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, feed the hungry. Jesus, super nice guy. And I remember one time, he got angry. And it was when he noticed people in a position of trust and power abusing that trust and power in order to enrich themselves and their friends. It was the money changers at the temple. And he saw what they were doing. He flipped their tables over and he sent them packing. “Folks, there’s some tables that need flipping in Des Moines.” Listening to the crowd Midway through the town hall, Sand opened the floor to questions. Topics included: Education reform: An 11-year-old asked what Sand would change about education laws in Iowa. He said he would improve teacher pay. “Credit where credit is due: I’m glad (the legislature) increased pay for beginning teachers. But … they did it by cutting pay for experienced teachers,” said Sand. “Which is just ridiculous. Because – I know this is going to sound like common sense, but it’s proven out by the data – when teachers have been teaching a few years, they’re much better than they were in their first year. So, when we raised beginning teacher pay, but we cut pay for experienced teachers, we literally gave our better teachers a reason to start teaching in Illinois or Minnesota or Missouri.” His opponent: A Republican asked if there was anything about Zach Lahn’s campaign that Sand admired or would bring into his leadership. Sand said it was important for those who oppose Lahn to remember that he’s a human being, which could be applied generally to everyone involved in politics. In terms of similar policy positions, Sand said he and Lahn agreed sourcing food locally was a great way to “get young farmers out on the land and have more farmers out on the land. It’s also a great way to get beginning farmers to have an opportunity to get out there and start an operation with hopefully a long-term local foods contract.” Protection for legal immigration: A woman named Nicole asked Sand how he felt about protection of legal immigrants and ensuring safety for all Americans. Sand said he was a proponent of assimilation, but he noted that it can take generations. He said his hometown of Decorah had a Norwegian-language newspaper in print until 1979. As far as protecting immigration, Sand said he supported reform at the federal level for people attempting to come into the United States legally. “You have to have both the capacity for people to come here, but also the ability to limit them from coming here if they are not coming here in accordance with the law. And if you’re not doing both of those things, then you don’t have a very good immigration system.” He contrasted his position with Lahn’s, saying his opponent also wants to limit legal immigration. Iowa’s deficit: A woman asked Sand about Iowa’s deficit. “I guess I’m starting to worry,” she said. “Are we going to become like the state of Kansas, where we go broke?” Sand said, while Iowa has a surplus right now, “We are burning that surplus off at a rate right now of $1.3 billion every year. To understand the scale of this, please understand that our state budget is only about $9.5 billion a year to begin with.” He said the legislature is spending at a high rate but hasn’t done much to improve revenue. Sand also expressed concern about the Trump administration’s trade war with Canada. “Canada is responsible for about 30% of Iowa’s exports. So, this trade war is going to hurt our economy. When our economy gets hurt, our tax receipts will go down and our deficit will go up, which means we’re going to burn it off more quickly than we would have otherwise.” He presented several ideas for how Iowa could cut the deficit. “How about the wealthiest families in the state of Iowa, that were going to send their kids to private school anyway, could just pay to do it?” Sand also proposed regulating and taxing the use of cannabis for adults. “You guys probably noticed this, but the people that want it tend to be finding it anyway. A lot of them are just driving across the bridge. So, their money goes across the bridge, and it stays across the bridge, and it fuels the tax coffers of the state across the bridge instead of staying right here in Iowa.” He said he also supported data centers and other megaprojects paying their fair share of taxes. “If we string together enough of these things and we can cut that budget deficit in half right away, that gives us a much longer runway to figure out, OK, what do we do about the rest.” Protection for trans individuals: A woman named Abigail said she was born intersex and is a member of the LGBTQ community. She said that, while her family still lives in Iowa, she has moved out of state because of “Iowa’s several legislative attacks targeting trans and intersex people’s right to secure employment, healthcare and housing.” She asked Sand about comments he and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek made about trans and intersex women being kept out of women’s sports. She also asked if Sand would work to reinstate protections for trans people. Sand said his position on both issues came down to fairness. He said many people felt athletes like trans swimmer Lia Thomas competing against athletes who have identified as female since birth was unfair. That said, he felt the Iowa legislature revoking protections for trans people was also unfair, and he said he opposed that legislation. “We shouldn’t be in the business of re-legalizing discrimination against people.” While Sand told Abigail that he couldn’t promise that he could reinstate protections due to the divided government in Des Moines, he did say that “the culture war bills that hit my desk are going to get vetoed.” Healthcare costs: A 79-year-old man asked Sand about healthcare in Iowa, saying many people who could potentially work in the field were leaving the state. He also said he was concerned about Iowa becoming “an older state.” “The cuts that are coming from the Big Beautiful Bill are going to be brutal in Iowa,” said Sand. “We should have accountability for all the people who voted for that.” He said, while that was federal legislation, he could work to end the privatization of Medicaid. As state auditor, Sand said “Our audit found after the privatization of Medicaid, the number of illegal denials of care for people who need medical care went up by 900%. When we incorporated feedback from the Reynolds administration, because they didn’t like the way we ran the numbers, it was still an increase of 500%.” He said he also knew several healthcare centers, including mental health facilities, that had closed due to Medicaid privatization problems. Independents in politics: A young man named Connor, who identified himself as a senior at Bettendorf High School, asked Sand about the controversy surrounding the U.S. House District 1 debate, where Independent candidate Michael Bridgford said he was excluded from a debate between Christina Bohannan and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “What do you think about this exclusion and how do you think we should sort of get around this kind of thing so we can actually compromise in the future?” Connor asked. Sand said that he wasn’t fully aware of the specifics of the debate issue, because he was choosing to focus on his own race, but he did say it illustrated the problems of the two-choice system in politics. “You might like the idea of being an Independent, but at the end of the day, in a three-way race, whatever party you’re closer to, you’ll draw votes away from them. And the party that’s further away, that party will win.” He said he wanted to have a system with a single, open primary. He also favors a system that was adopted in Fargo, N.D., called “approval voting.” “I’m going to describe it in two sentences. You will understand it,” said Sand. “Here are four candidates. Vote for as many of them as you approve of, and the people with the most people approving them win the race.” Sand said this would not only allow more Independents the opportunity to advance in politics, it would also incentivize more politicians to work together to seek approval. As Sand wrapped up the event, he encouraged his supporters to volunteer and, if they went out door knocking, to actually talk to people, even if they disagreed. “Even if they started with something that you disagreed with, I bet by the time you listen to them a little bit, they’ll say something that makes you go, ‘Oh my gosh, we do agree.’ And more than anything else, I want people to understand that there’s a campaign out there that actually wants to hear from them and make them understand that they matter to their own government.” Sand also said he wants to get away from “blue” and “red” designations. “When you send your kids to school in the morning, you tell them the same thing: Be good. Do your best. Be kind. Tell the truth. These aren’t values that belong to one private club or another. If anyone’s telling you that, it’s because they’re desperate to maintain power so that they can keep picking your pockets for their friends. “The truth is that Iowans share their values, and they’re united more by the things that we believe in than by the differences that we have. And more than anything else, we know that if we actually sit down and work across our divides, that we can come to realizations that we never would have come to us if we had just sat there by ourselves or only talked to the people that we agree with.”      

Maxwell campaign subject to ethics board investigation

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board will investigate a complaint against Supervisor John Maxwell, alleging that he violated Iowa law by filming a series of short campaign videos on county property not open to the public. The board voted unanimously Wednesday, Sept. 30 to pursue the complaint, which was filed by Jerry Mohr of rural Eldridge, with an investigation. Maxwell, chair of the Scott County Board of Supervisors, is seeking a third, four-year term on the board. In September, he launched a series of social media advertisements he said were intended to promote the “positive things” that Scott County does for residents. Maxwell said he was alerted to the ethics complaint last week, and has since removed a video filmed at the county maintenance shop, which is closed to the public. He said he had spoken to ethics board staff and assured them he would take down any content called into question. Other ads feature Maxwell along the Mississippi River, at a local recycling plant and in the recorder’s office, among other locations. Under Iowa law, candidates for political office are forbidden from the “expenditure of public moneys for political purposes.” That includes the “use of public resources generally,” according to Iowa administrative code.  Mohr said the ad filmed in the county shop first caught his attention. “You can’t use public resources to do a political ad,” he told The North Scott Press. Mohr said he also had concerns about an ad filmed behind the counter at the county auditor’s office, which was still posted to Maxwell’s campaign page Monday afternoon. Maxwell told the NSP that he intended to comply fully with the ethics board investigation. He said it was now “clear” certain ads had violated provisions of Iowa code. “Thank you for bringing it forward—thank you Jerry Mohr,” Maxwell said Friday. “I was unaware. My intentions were to share the great things about Scott County, and I mistakenly did it in spots that are not open to the public.” He expected the complaint to be settled once he had removed all content in question. Under Iowa code, a complaint may be settled while under investigation.  

QC Veterans Outreach anniversary luncheon this Saturday, Oct. 10

The Quad City Veterans Outreach Center will celebrate its 10th anniversary at a luncheon to be held Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. All veterans and a plus-one are invited to attend. In addition to lunch, there will be a prize giveaway, special entertainment and more. The Quad City Veterans Outreach Center will also hold its Fall and Christmas Craft Show Oct. 17 and 18. Unique handmade gifts by local crafters will be available for sale, including holiday décor and something for everyone. There will also be a visit from Santa. For more information, visit qcvetsoutreach.com.

State Farm raising insurance rates 8% for Illinois homeowners, citing severe weather trends

State Farm is raising rates for customers by an average 8% for Illinois homeowners’ insurance coverage, citing rising costs associated with “more frequent and severe” weather trends.

Eldridge police now accredited

The Eldridge Police Department announced the achievement of a major milestone last week, having earned accreditation through the Iowa Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. This is the first accreditation in the history of the department. Chief Andrew Lellig announced the department’s intention to participate in ILEAP in November of 2025, calling the process a “long-term investment in our people, our professionalism and our partnership with the community.” He said the accreditation award will be presented during a future city council meeting. The department will also be recognized during the Iowa Police Chiefs Association annual conference in May. On Monday, the Eldridge City Council applauded the department’s accomplishment. “It was a big goal of mine to get that done,” Lellig told the council. “A lot of work, a lot of time went into that.” Lellig said there were 86 criteria the department had to meet in order to obtain accreditation, and they had to prove they were following the criteria. “Whether it’s through our police reports, our policies, we have to prove that we’ve done that and that we’re following that,” said Lellig. He expressed appreciation, not only to Officer Garrett Jahns, who served as the department’s accreditation manager, but to all members of the department. “It is because of them that we were able to get this accreditation,” said Lellig. “So, all my gratitude to them.” Accreditation through ILEAP represents a significant commitment to professional law enforcement, accountability, continuous improvement, and adherence to recognized best practices, Lellig said in a press release. The accreditation process required the Eldridge Police Department to voluntarily open its operations to an independent outside review. Evaluators examined the department’s policies, procedures, practices, documentation, training, and overall operations to ensure the department could demonstrate that it was meeting established professional standards and following recognized best practices. “Accreditation is about much more than receiving a certificate or recognition,” said Lellig. “We voluntarily opened our department to an outside perspective and allowed trained evaluators to take a close look at how we operate. That process requires confidence, professionalism, and a willingness to accept constructive criticism, identify areas for improvement, and prove, not simply say, that we are doing things the right way.” The process also provided the department with an opportunity to evaluate its existing practices, identify areas for continued improvement, and establish a framework for maintaining high professional standards into the future. “I could not be more proud of the men and women of the Eldridge Police Department,” Lellig said. “Our officers and civilian employee demonstrated tremendous professionalism and dedication throughout this process. I am equally proud of our supervisors and the leadership they provide every day.” Lellig also recognized Officer Garrett Jahns, the department’s accreditation manager, for his significant role in completing the accreditation process. “Garrett did an outstanding job leading this effort,” Lellig said. “His attention to detail, organization, persistence, and commitment were critical to our success.” The accreditation provides an additional level of assurance to the Eldridge community that its police department is committed to professional policing and maintaining recognized standards in its daily operations. “Our community can be assured that the men and women of the Eldridge Police Department take their responsibility seriously,” Lellig said. “Accreditation demonstrates our commitment to accountability, continuous improvement, and following recognized best practices every day. This is an accomplishment that belongs to our entire department, and I am extremely proud of what our officers and supervisors have accomplished.”

Eldridge among communities using Flock — for good, police say

With the rise of the use of automated license plate readers and Flock surveillance cameras across the United States, the technology has come under increased scrutiny. Privacy concerns, a lack of judicial oversight, and reports of misuse of information have led some members of the public to ask for municipalities to stop using the cameras. In mid-September, the Moline Police Department decided to pause its relationship with Flock Safety. Chief Darren Gault said the program does not provide the balance between public safety value and public confidence in the system that the department is looking for. “This is not a rejection of ALPR technology or its value to law enforcement,” Gault said in a press release on Sept. 15. “Our community expects us to use effective tools to prevent and solve crime and bring justice to victims. The public also expects thoughtful and responsible decision-making when law enforcement use technology capable of collecting and sharing information. I believe those interests can co-exist, but our responsibility is to continually evaluate where that balance should be.” The issue has come up at the state and national level, with both Iowa gubernatorial candidates weighing in. In August, Republican Zach Lahn told members of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, “Tech is way ahead of ‘how do we properly use the tech’ … We have real concerns here. So, the state level is where we should adjudicate these things. This is not a federal decision, in my opinion.” Democratic candidate Rob Sand has also weighed in on the issue, including in Davenport on Sept. 29. “I think the people who are concerned about Flock have a great point,” Sand told the media prior to a town hall event. “It’s clearly a company that was not at all concerned about privacy, was not at all concerned about the abuse of their system in a way that can be used for surveillance.”  Meanwhile, organizations like Get the Flock Out QC are among a national network of grassroots organizations aiming to stop the use of ALPRs and other surveillance cameras. According to Get the Flock Out QC’s website, East Moline was the first of the Quad Cities to begin using these devices, in 2022. The website reports that, as of July, more than 115 Flock cameras were in use in the greater Quad Cities area. Where does Eldridge stand? Recently, several Eldridge residents also expressed concerns to the city council about the community’s use of Flock cameras. At the Sept. 14 meeting, two residents directly asked council members to stop their use. “I’d like to recommend that the City of Eldridge take those down, based on many, many reasons that are in the news these days,” said Craig Gehrls, adding there were known abuses of the system across the country. He and resident Ginny Zink also said they were concerned about the costs to taxpayers. That cost is $3,000 per camera, per year, said Eldridge police chief Andrew Lellig. With six cameras in use around town, the total cost to taxpayers is $18,000 per year. Lellig also said that the department has not received much in the way of direct feedback about Eldridge’s use of the cameras. “Other than one individual who has contacted the department who does not reside in the City of Eldridge, the department has not received significant complaints or concerns,” Lellig said. “The other comments we are aware of were the couple of comments made during the most recent city council meeting.” While other parts of the Quad Cities have also seen vandalism to Flock cameras and ALPRs, Lellig said Eldridge hasn’t had any reports of damage to its cameras. “The locations of our cameras are considered areas of interest for the department, and officers routinely patrol those locations,” he said. “We obviously cannot prevent someone from intentionally damaging property, but we are aware of the issue and have taken reasonable steps to monitor the locations.” From the department’s perspective, Flock cameras and ALPRs are another tool for officers to use when attempting to solve crimes. “It does not replace traditional police work, investigations or officer discretion,” Lellig said. “It gives officers another source of information when investigating crimes and attempting to locate vehicles or suspects. “Our goal is to use the technology responsibly while maintaining appropriate safeguards and keeping the focus on public safety,” he continued. Lellig cited several recent examples of Flock’s usefulness to officers, including a situation in Salina, Kan., where law enforcement was able to use information gleaned from the cameras to locate a homicide suspect. But just because Flock cameras and ALPRs have helped with some investigations, it doesn’t mean there aren’t other concerns. “That does not mean that concerns about privacy, security or appropriate use should be ignored,” said Lellig. “Those concerns are legitimate issues for any law-enforcement technology, which is why we believe policies, access controls, audits and accountability are important.” That’s why the Eldridge Police Department has put restrictions in place regarding who can access the information gathered from the cameras, and what that information can be used for. Lellig said only authorized law-enforcement personnel are allowed access, and the information can only be used for "legitimate law-enforcement purposes.” He said department supervisors also conduct monthly audits of officer searches to make sure officers are conducting these searches appropriately and in accordance with department policies. Officers are held accountable for their use of the system, Lellig said. “No technology is completely immune from the possibility of misuse. That is true of Flock as it is with virtually any law-enforcement technology or database,” said Lellig. “What is important is having safeguards, accountability and auditing procedures in place to identify inappropriate use and address it when it occurs. “We have seen agencies across the country take disciplinary or criminal action when officers have improperly accessed or used license plate reader information,” he continued. “Those cases demonstrate that there are mechanisms in place to identify misuse and hold individuals accountable.” Lellig also shared that the department has a transparency portal within the Flock website: transparency.flocksafety.com/ia-eldridge-pd. There, residents can get more information on how the department is using its cameras. According to the portal, the Eldridge Police Department retains data for 30 days. As of Oct. 3, 16 searches had been conducted within the last 30 days. “We want to be transparent about how we use this technology,” said Lellig. “If residents have questions about our Flock cameras, what they are used for, or how the program operates, we encourage them to visit our public Flock transparency page. Rather than relying on social media comments or information circulating online, this gives residents a centralized resource where they can find information about the Eldridge Police Department’s Flock program.” For the time being, at least, it is Lellig’s understanding that the city intends to stay the course with Flock, although it’s ultimately a decision for the city council. “From my perspective, a significant change in state or federal law that prohibited or substantially restricted the use of this technology would be one obvious circumstance that could require the city to reconsider the program,” said Lellig. “The city could also evaluate the program in the future based on cost, effectiveness, legal requirements or other circumstances. “From the police department’s perspective, we believe the system provides a valuable investigative tool and enhances our ability to locate stolen vehicles, identify vehicles associated with criminal activity, and locate wanted individuals.”        

CANDIDATE GUIDE: Iowa House District 94

What motivates you to seek or return to office as a Representative?   Vondran: My motivation comes from my neighbors, friends, and businesses in the 94th district and all Iowans who reach out to me regularly with ideas and perspectives on how we can make Iowa even better. Iowans deserve lower taxes, strong schools and choices in education, safe communities where victims come first and more good paying jobs. Creating opportunities for Iowans to succeed motivates me too, we are seeing success on all fronts, but the work is not finished, and I am committed to represent the voice of the 94th district as we move forward. Roebuck: While voting in the June Primary, I noticed there wasn’t a Democrat running against the Republican incumbent. Last December Democrat Mike Zimmer won a special election and broke the Republican Senate supermajority. He showed that one seat can make a difference. I want to be part of the change and help break the Republican supermajority in the Iowa House. With Rob Sand as our next Governor, it’s important that we have a bipartisan government.   What relevant experience will you bring to the role?   Vondran: I’ve made a career of listening and learning to identify new opportunities and real solutions. As a small business owner, I know how to meet payroll and the importance of teamwork. As Founder of HAVlife, a nonprofit serving at risk youth, I appreciate the challenges of others, working to support their efforts to grow. As Chair of Public Safety, a member of Commerce, Ways & Means, and Justice Appropriations Committees, I’ve learned firsthand how legislative policy and funding decisions affect all Iowans. A commitment to listening and learning, focused on building a better Iowa for those I represent. Roebuck: I moved from Ohio to Davenport in 1993. I’ve built deep roots through consistent civic involvement. I serve on the Regional Development Authority Board (formerly Riverboat Development Authority), Illinois-Iowa Center for Independent Living Board, and Davenport Noon Optimist Board. My education experience spans K-12 teaching and subbing, academic advising at Scott Community College, and ESL Family Literacy. As an insurance agent, I assist people with diverse backgrounds, including Medicaid and Medicare recipients. I’m a regular person who cares about our community and remembers what Iowa used to be and can be again. I will be a voice for our community.   Iowa public schools’ national ranking has slipped over the past three decades. What caused the slip, and what would you do to reverse it?   Vondran: The windshield is larger than the rear view mirror for a purpose,  let’s focus on  moving forward. Iowa public schools have great strengths to build on. I will continue to support competitive teacher pay to recruit and retain great educators. Prioritize early literacy and math skills, grow career and technical opportunities, give local schools more flexibility with accountability. We must appreciate that one size does not fit all , supporting parental choice. Also focus on our rural districts and help those students who fell behind during Covid. Parents, teachers, and the legislature working together, for every Iowa child. Roebuck: Public education funding has failed to keep up with inflation and the issue is made worse by the private school voucher program. We’ve always had school choice in Iowa, but we now have underfunded public schools. I believe education is the foundation for everything. Communities are safer, healthier and economically stable when residents receive a quality education. Public dollars should be used to strengthen our public schools first, not private schools. I would vote to phase out the voucher program and require full accountability and transparency.   Automated license plate readers like Flock have spread across Iowa.  Would you place restrictions on these cameras? If so, what restrictions?   Vondran: As Chair of Public Safety, I can attest to the success of license plate readers. Crimes have been solved. Car thefts have decreased. Confused and disoriented seniors found. They have been a very helpful tool, however abuse has opportunity and we must address. I have asked law enforcement, in my role as Chair, to identify the primary areas of concern and present an action plan to improve and ensure the useful and ethical deployment of these cameras. I am hopeful that early in session we will have something to consider and implement statewide. Roebuck: Yes, I’m not an expert but it is important that we balance personal privacy with public safety.   Do you believe the Iowa legislature should welcome or restrict the construction of new data centers?   Vondran: Not in favor of restriction for sake of preventing construction. These projects can bring great construction jobs and local tax revenues to our community, both having long-term potential. However, we must be responsible in our efforts and take the time to listen and learn from both sides of the issue. As a member of the Commerce Committee, district 94 will have a voice in those discussions. I’ll work to represent all, making sure these projects, should they move ahead, pay appropriately for power, water and not drive up unnecessary expenses for Iowa families. Roebuck: There should be a moratorium to allow time to research short term and long term effects.   Many Iowans worry about worsening water quality and exposure to potentially carcinogenic agrochemicals. How would you address environmental health concerns like these?   Vondran: Clean water matters to all Iowans. I will continue to work with our community partners, farmers and all vested in improving water quality. I will continue to support sustained funding for proven conservation practices such as cover crops, wetland management, crop buffers, and back stronger water monitoring that way we can better track our progress. By working together with all stakeholders, we can protect all. Again, water quality matters to all of us, this is not a partisan issue. Roebuck: I believe in listening to the experts. There are experts all over the nation who specialize in water quality that we can consult with to address our worsening water quality with the goal of making all water safe for our consumption no matter where you are in Iowa.   What is one additional focus you would bring to Des Moines?   Vondran: The Iowa 94th district is unlike most in the sense it is comprised of urban, suburban, and rural voices. This brings a true Iowa perspective and insight to the capital. My weekly Saturday morning listening posts at the Tasty Café will continue year round, after all the best ideas can come from those gathered around the kitchen table. It is an honor and a privilege to represent all of these voices, from my neighbors, friends and local businesses, they will continue to be my motivation to serve. Roebuck: The Democratic platform on education, water quality and cost of living.

CANDIDATE GUIDE: Iowa House District 70

What motivates you to seek or return to office as a Representative? Mommsen: Many days when I am at the farm, I have the unique pleasure of having additional help. That would be I to 3 grandkids. Watching them build forts, play in the gluten pile with their Tonka toys or play with the livestock, it’s easy to see this is where the future of Iowa rests, our youth. My goal in the past and into the future is to create an environment in Iowa to keep our youth and draw others to this great state. Pickup: As a longtime Social Studies teacher, I spent many years teaching American Government and helping students understand how decisions made in Des Moines affect their communities. I often took my classes to the State Capitol and enjoyed seeing the lawmaking process firsthand. Now that I’m retired, I believe I can use my experience to help our communities and make sure their voices are heard in Des Moines. Education is a big reason I’m running. Our schools need to get back to where they were, and I’ll work hard to help make that happen, one day at a time.   What relevant experience will you bring to the role?   Mommsen: Iowa is an ag state. A large percent of our GDP comes from agriculture so how agriculture goes so goes the state. With my fulltime job being farming and having spent some years in agribusiness, I have a direct link to the heartbeat of the Iowa economy. If the issue of the day is the right to repair or maybe soil health, I have been personally affected by these issues and others. That helps me to see any possible unintended consequences from legislation. Too often legislation is introduced to fix one issue, but the sponsors fail to look beyond it. Pickup: I’ve never run for public office before. What I do bring is 39 years of experience in Iowa public education, including the last 17 years as a high school administrator at Central DeWitt. Throughout my career, I’ve led people, made difficult decisions, managed a budget, and worked with students, staff, parents, and the community. I’ve learned the importance of listening, communicating, and working together to solve problems. Not every decision was easy, but I believe those experiences have prepared me to represent our communities and work with others to get things done in the Iowa House.   Iowa public schools’ national ranking has slipped over the past three decades. What caused the slip, and what would you do to reverse it?   Mommsen: When comparing graduation rates across the United States, Iowa ranks 6th for freshmen that graduate in 4 years. Teacher pay has always been a priority. Recently beginning teacher pay was increased by the the legislature to 5th highest in the nation. Disruptive students have become an issue in many classrooms. This past year legislation was passed to protect and empower teachers when it comes to disruptive students. These changes plus the priority the state has been placing on education by dedicating almost 50% of your general fund tax dollars on k through 12 education will continue the state’s momentum. Pickup: I believe Iowa’s schools have slipped because we haven’t invested in them the way we should. The average increase in Supplemental State Aid (SSA) over the past decade has been less than 2.5%, which hasn’t kept up with inflation. I believe we need at least a 5% increase in SSA each year so schools can plan, keep class sizes manageable, update curriculum and technology, and give teachers the resources they need. Education is the key to opportunity for every Iowan.  Our schools, teachers, and students deserve better, and I’ll work to get Iowa’s public education system back on  track.   Automated license plate readers like Flock have spread across Iowa.  Would you place restrictions on these cameras? If so, what restrictions?   Mommsen: The legislature needs to place restrictions on Flock cameras.  I believe it is wrong to monitor everyone just in case someone somewhere may do something possibly illegal sometime.   We can already be tracked by our cell phones. Many stores and ATMs already have cameras, but we have a choice whether to go there or carry a cell phone. At the very least whomever has access to the data and how long it is held must be tightly controlled. My preference is that they are allowed only in high crime areas with strict restrictions on the data. Pickup: I believe we need to make our communities safer, but we can’t do that at the expense of people’s privacy. I also believe local communities should have the final say on whether they use automated license plate readers and how they are used. The state shouldn’t be telling every local police department what they have to do. We need common sense rules to make sure this technology isn’t abused, and people’s information isn’t misused. Local leaders know their communities best, and we need to trust them to make these decisions while protecting the privacy of their residents.   Do you believe the Iowa legislature should welcome or restrict the construction of new data centers?   Mommsen: Currently the decision on data centers rests with local officials with input from residents. For the legislature to get involved now without good reason would undermine our local officials. Pickup: I believe data centers can bring jobs and economic activity to Iowa, but the communities where they are built should have the strongest voice in the process. Residents and elected officials understand their water, farmland, roads, and utility needs better than Des Moines. I don’t believe the state should take that decision away from them. Each project should be looked at individually, and companies should be responsible for the costs they create. I trust local communities to make the decisions that are best for their people. Des Moines needs to respect local control and let communities have the final say.   Many Iowans worry about worsening water quality and exposure to potentially carcinogenic agrochemicals. How would you address environmental health concerns like these?   Mommsen: The State of Iowa implemented the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, a scientific approach to water quality in 2014. Since then, the legislature has continued to expand the strategy by increasing additional funding. Each year the use of cover crops, buffer strips and wetlands sets records. All possible carcinogens must be scientifically evaluated whether they are natural, lifestyle like tobacco and alcohol or industrial. The U of I is in the process of implementing an in-depth scientific study to investigate any possible environmental risks to Iowans. Pickup: Iowa is my home, and water quality and cancer are serious concerns to me. I don’t think Iowans should have to worry about whether their drinking water is safe or whether they can swim and fish in our lakes and rivers. We need more research into what is contributing to Iowa’s high cancer rates and take action on the environmental risks we know about. That includes protecting drinking water, reducing nitrate pollution, and holding companies accountable when their actions put public health at risk. I’m not against agriculture or business. I believe economic activity and clean water can coexist.   What is one additional focus you would bring to Des Moines?   Mommsen: A major focus of mine while in the legislature has been to promote products grown and made in Iowa. We have created a program connecting locally grown products with our schools and food banks. This will continue to be a focus of mine, but refinements are still necessary. As more Iowans get involved it is becoming apparent to me that regional food hubs are necessary to organize the distribution system. Pickup: One focus I would bring to Des Moines is rural healthcare and mental health. As a high school principal, I saw firsthand how difficult it could be for students and families to get the mental health support they need. We also need to attract and retain doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers in our rural communities. That means looking at Medicaid and state reimbursement rates, expanding mental health beds, and strengthening community based care. Rural Iowans deserve access to quality healthcare close to home, and we need to make sure our communities have the providers to make that possible.

$1.3M offer accepted on Eldridge Community Center

The Eldridge Community Center has an offer. On Monday, the Eldridge City Council voted to accept an offer and purchase agreement in the amount of $1,325,000 to KGRD Green Bay, LLC for the community center. The council voted in May to put the property up for sale after rejecting three requests for proposals to continue operating the facility as a community center and skating rink. The property officially went on the market this summer with Ruhl Commercial at an asking price of $1.5 million. According to assistant city administrator Jeff Martens, the offer includes a 60-day due diligence period. “Nothing’s a done deal until the end of the 60 days is up,” he said. “There’s a lot of things in the facility that they want to take a look at.” Further information was not immediately available. New K-9 begins training During his report to the council, police chief Andrew Lellig shared that Corporal Jacob Costas will begin training with the new K-9 on Oct. 12 at Tree Town Kennels in Forest City. The current K-9, Marty, is being medically retired. Lellig said the new K-9 is a Belgian Malinois, adding the department is very excited about the dog’s future with the department. “We look forward to introducing him to the community once the training is done,” he said. Council member Brian Dockery said, “It’s only fair to keep naming the dogs after past mayors.” He suggested giving the new K-9 the name “Frankie,” in honor of past mayor Frank King. In other department news, Lellig shared that Corporal Jack Schwertman completed another FBI-LEEDA training. LEEDA is the Law Enforcement Development Association. Lellig said Schwertman is working towards earning his FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award. “Developing our supervisors and future leaders in the department is important,” Lellig said. “So, this training is huge. I’ve been through it. It was great training.” Office Mahlan Sharf also began training as a firearms instructor this week and will become the second firearms instructor in the department.

North Scott senior named National Merit semifinalist

North Scott senior Jorge Azuela has been named a semifinalist in the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Azuela is among more than 16,000 semifinalists nationwide recognized for outstanding academic achievement. He will now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered in the spring. "We are immensely proud of Jorge for achieving this prestigious national recognition," said high school principal Andrew Lehn. "This accomplishment reflects extraordinary dedication and scholastic strength.” “Jorge is an intelligent, hardworking, and conscientious student who pairs a fierce, self-driven determination with an exceptionally kind heart,” said Anastasia Nikolopoulos, Jorge’s high school counselor.  “I have no doubt that the qualities he possesses will propel him toward continued excellence in his academic and professional future.” Azuela qualified for the honor due to his performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than 1% of all high school seniors in the United States and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. To advance to Finalist standing, Azuela and a high school official will submit a detailed scholarship application highlighting his academic record throughout high school; participation in school and community activities; demonstrated leadership ability and employment history; and honors and awards received. Azuela must also write an essay and have an endorsement or recommendation from a high school official, as well as confirming his SAT or ACT test scores. Finalists will be notified in February of 2027.    

Bill Otten wins this week's Football Contest

It was something of a rough week for our football prognosticators, but in the end, Bill Otten of Eldridge emerged victorious in the NSP Football Contest. Bill missed two, with a tiebreaker of 73, closest to the total number of points in Missouri’s 45-17 win over Florida. That will net him $50. Coming in second was David Claussen of Sun City West, Ariz. David also missed two, with a tiebreaker of 39, good enough for $25. Earning $10 in third place was Adam Claussen of Eldridge, who led the parade of those missing three, with a tiebreaker of 62. Others who missed three, and their tiebreakers, were Dick Erps (45), Dave Edmundson (58), Mike Clark (65), Kelly Johnson (47), Gary Hansen (55), Teresa Claussen (32), Charlotte Claussen (52), Eric Clark (60), Rryan Claussen (52), Kelly Janoski (56), Dan O’Flahrity (68), Reilly Kashmarek (49), Heidi Holst (55), Doug Michalek (56), Jack Michalek (49), Mark Tomsche (60) and Caitlin Kearney (54). Making up the honor roll were those who missed four: Kenneth Moss, Matthew Steinbeck, Troy Harmel, Alec Clark, Keaton Murphy, Marty Lillis, Chloe Lillis, Kendal Lillis, Bill Lillis, Judy Bergert, Maddox Drummond, Bryan Janoski, Jenni DeCook, Jeff Kress, Joan Claussen, Dennis Claussen, Lyn Claussen, Matt Torres, Al Pawloski, Tom Janoski, Andrew Kashmarek, Kathy Clasen, Payton Dieckman, Kyle Smith, Kurt Nagle and Margo Fox, Thomas Jungblut, Patrick O’Flahrity, Glen Naber, Kathy Straley, Joseph Beale, Steve Michalek, Mary Michalek, Natalie Chase, Stefanie Chase, Kamryn Kearney and Vicki Kearney. Twenty-nine missed five and 19 missed six. There were 123 entries. Games missed most frequently included Iowa State over West Virginia, Missouri over Florida, Kentucky over South Carolina, Baylor over Arizona State and Minnesota over Michigan. Other winners were Western Dubuque over North Scott, Burlington over Davenport West, Cedar Falls over Bettendorf, Assumption over Maquoketa, Air Force over Navy, Wisconsin over Michigan State, Ohio State over Iowa, and Georgia over Vanderbilt. Seven weeks remain in the contest, with a new slate of games in this week’s paper. Be sure to visit our sponsors to pick up your entry forms: Porter Insurance, DuTrac Community Credit Union, ORA Sports Medicine, Farm Bureau Financial Services – Tony Burkhart, First Central State Bank, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors – Nancy Billups, King’s Material, Eldridge Body Shop, Amhof Trucking, Iowa 80 Truckstop, and Steve’s Auto.    

Webinar to discuss evictions, housing insecurity

Evictions are increasing in Iowa, creating challenges not only for people trying to remain in their homes but also for communities responding to housing instability. The Oct. 28 Community Matters Live webinar from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development will examine the recent increase in evictions in Iowa and the problems people are having in retaining their housing. Christopher Merkle, managing attorney of the Eviction Diversion Project at Iowa Legal Aid, will lead the session from noon to 1 p.m. Merkle will discuss factors contributing to those housing challenges and their impact on contract buyers, mobile home park residents and older adults. He will also explain the legal process involved in an eviction and discuss resources available to communities facing mass eviction events. The webinar has been approved for 1 hour of American Planning Association Certification Maintenance credit. Community Matters Live is a monthly webinar series for people involved in housing, planning, local government and community development. The series brings together Extension specialists, researchers and other experts to discuss timely topics affecting Iowa communities. The Oct. 28 webinar is free, but registration is required. For more information about the series, visit the Community Matters Live webpage or email cedcml@iastate.edu.

Crop condition dips slightly

After one of the wettest Septembers on record, corn and soybean conditions are dipping slightly as farmers have had scarce opportunities to harvest, according to the latest crop progress and condition report. Corn condition rated 72% good to excellent for the Sept. 28 through Oct. 4 reporting period, a 3 percentage point decline from the previous reporting period. Soybeans rated 70% good to excellent for the period, marking a 4 percentage point decline from the week prior. Iowa has had above-average precipitation levels for the past three reporting periods, two of which had fewer than two days suitable for field work. The latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed 1.2 days suitable for field work, meaning farmers have not been able to get out into the field to harvest even though 85% of corn acres had reached maturity during the reporting period and 81% of soybean acres were dropping leaves. As of the latest reporting period, 7% of Iowa corn acres had been harvested, which is just a 2 percentage point increase from the week prior and is 13 percentage points behind the five-year average. Due to the government shutdown last October, crop data from 2025 is not available. Soybean harvest, as of the reporting period, was 5% compared to a five-year average of 38%. With the wet conditions, there is a concern for mold or fungus growth on corn and soybeans, according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach professionals. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said farmers should be able to “make some progress in the field” this week as warmer, drier conditions are forecast. “After a historically wet September, we finally got a stretch of dry weather,” Naig said in a news release. “The warmer temperatures and sunshine are helping fields dry down, though some of the wetter areas are going to need several more days before equipment can roll.” According to the report, 45% of topsoil and 34% of subsoil had surplus moisture conditions. State Climatologist Justin Glisan reported a statewide average temperature for the reporting period of 61.8 degrees, which was 4 degrees above the climatological average. While the end of the reporting period had drier conditions, according to Glisan, the statewide precipitation average for the week was just under 2 inches and about 1.2 inches above the normal. Most of the state received 1.5 inches of precipitation or more, with Portsmouth in Shelby County logging the greatest precipitation for the week at 6.49 inches.

Construction accident draws helicopter to LeClaire Road

A gravel shoulder roller tipped over on E. LeClaire Road Tuesday afternoon, injuring a worker who was evacuated by helicopter for medical treatment. The North Scott Press could not confirm the name of the individual or where they were taken for treatment. The helicopter departed at approximately 2:45 p.m. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane said the injury was nonfatal. Eldridge Police, Eldridge Fire, Long Grove Fire, Medic EMS, University of Iowa AirCare, and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office were among agencies that responded to the scene.    

Who are the applicants for Davenport's 2nd Ward alderman?

See who the five candidates are who applied for a chance to serve as Davenport's 2nd Ward alderman. Tim Dunn resigned as 2nd Ward alderman on Sept. 17.

Minor injuries for North Scott student struck by car Thursday

A North Scott student sustained minor injuries Thursday morning after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of West Valley Drive and South 5th Street. According to a press release sent by the Eldridge Police Department, the incident happened at approximately 7:36 a.m. Thursday. The juvenile was evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel and returned home. The accident remains under investigation by the Eldridge Police Department, although no further information will be released at this time regarding the juvenile due to age and privacy concerns. The Eldridge Volunteer Fire Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Medic EMS assisted at the scene. Meanwhile, the North Scott School District sent out a message to families regarding the incident. The message, which was signed by superintendent Joe Stutting, junior high principal Chad Jones, and Ed White principal Stephanie Fahrenkrog, said classes at Ed White were slightly delayed Thursday morning to “prioritize our students’ emotional well-being.” School counselors and other staff support will be available to students. The district also sent out a reminder of safety procedures, including: Discuss at home: Please take time today to talk with your student(s) about emergency services. Remind them that first responders are here to help and that giving them space to assess situations safely is vital for everyone's well-being. Use Designated Crosswalks: Pedestrians should only cross the lane at designated crosswalks and where staff members are present to assist. Stay Alert and Unplugged: Drivers and pedestrians alike are asked to keep eyes up and put away mobile devices while in the parking lot and drop-off areas. Maintain Low Speeds: Please drive strictly at walking speed (under 5–10 mph) once on school grounds. Pull All the Way Forward: Drive as far forward along the curb as traffic allows before letting your child out of the vehicle on the curbside only. Follow Staff Directions: Please respect and follow the instructions of our morning duty staff and traffic monitors—they are there to keep your children safe.    

Auto swap meet Sunday in Monticello

The 42nd annual Fall Auto Parts Swap Meet and Cars for Sale Corral will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Fairgrounds Parking Lot, 700 N. Maple St., Monticello. Events are open to high performance, custom, stock and antique (domestic and foreign). Buy, sell, trade or browse from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. Swap spaces are for parts, cars, trucks, motorcycles, related items and services. Corral spaces limited to cars, trucks and motorcycles in running condition. Cruise in with your rod, rat, muscle, cruiser, antique, classic or motorcycle. For more information, visit www.autopartsswapmeet.net or call 319-465-5119.

Western annexation in the making

Rivaldd Farms, a property holding company, has asked the city of Eldridge to bring approximately 280 acres of farmland within city limits. The nine Rivaldd Farms lots lie along Slopertown Road west of present city limits, near the North Davenport industrial park that houses Sterilite, Kraft and Amazon. They total 280.93 acres. Eldridge City Council agreed last Monday, Sept. 28, to hire Des Moines law firm Ahlers & Cooney to manage the annexation. Assistant City Administrator Jeff Martens said he expected the council to review a detailed annexation plan in the coming weeks. The council further accepted as complete the latest street, storm sewer, and sanitary sewer construction at the Ivy Acres subdivision. “The punch list has been completed and inspected by city staff, and there is a letter recommending approval from City Engineer Zach Howell,” Martens said. In other business, the city council approved the first reading of an ordinance to strike redundant swimming pool building and inspection code from city codebooks. Martens said the redundant code had not been removed when the city adopted new swimming pool regulations in 2025. Following its brief public meeting, the council entered closed session to discuss future and pending litigation and the possible purchase and sale of real estate. The motion to enter closed session was approved 5–0.    

Main Street at BNSF crossing in Kewanee closing for repairs

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that Illinois 78 (Main Street) at the BNSF Railway crossing will be closed for repairs on Monday, Oct. 12, weather permitting. The crossing is between Fifth Street and Loomis Street. Work will remove and replace the at-grade crossing and repave the approaches and is expected to be completed [...]

Conservation field day Nov. 5

The Iowa State University Northern Research and Demonstration Farm, the Boone River Watershed Management Authority and conservation partners will host an edge-of-field conservation practices and cover crop tour on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 8:30 a.m-1 p.m. at the research farm, 310 S. Main St., Kanawha. The field day will begin with registration and refreshments at 8:30 a.m., followed by introductory comments and a brief farm update at 9 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., attendees will carpool to four edge-of-field conservation practice sites located within 12 miles of the farm: a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program wetland, a bioreactor, a saturated buffer and a restored oxbow. Participants can also view cover crops at the research farm. After the tour, participants will return to the farm for a complimentary lunch and a presentation by featured speaker Matt Helmers, professor and director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State. His talk, “Why we have a nitrate problem in our water and the need for edge-of-field practices,” will be followed by additional information and resources for getting started with conservation practices. Certified Crop Adviser continuing education credits for nutrient management and soil and water categories will be available. The tour is offered at no cost and open to everyone. Participants must register online by Oct. 30 to help organizers plan for lunch and materials. For more information, contact Angie Rieck-Hinz at 515-231-2830 or amrieck@iastate.edu, or Gentry Sorenson at 641-430-6715 or gentrys@iastate.edu.

First Central Grill for Charity is Friday

First Central State Bank continues its tradition of Grilling for Charity fundraisers. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at First Central State Bank in Eldridge. The proceeds collected from this fundraiser will benefit the OHL Strong Foundation, a group dedicated to support those affected by pancreatic cancer. The menu includes pork chop sandwiches, chips, a drink and a dessert for a donation. Business deliveries are also available by contacting the bank. The Eldridge branch of First Central State Bank is located at 500 East LeClaire Road. First Central State Bank started the Grilling for Charity fundraisers in 2010. Since its inception, the events have raised tens of thousands of dollars to local non-profits. Last year, First Central State Bank raised more than $22,000 through its Grilling for Charity fundraisers.  

Reporting on Princeton mobile home park is a challenge

It is not every day that I get a notice on legal letterhead, but it happened last week. The attorney for the city of Princeton had some concerns about my article last week, “Mobile home tenants must vacate by Oct. 30” (NSP 9/30). This is a difficult subject. It is both emotionally distressing and rather technical, involving a prolonged sequence of code violations, notices and enforcement. I have attempted to accurately report as many of the technical details as possible without letting them distract from more human concerns. As a reporter, my goal is to bring the story into focus, and that involves synthesis and judgment.    The first concern raised by Princeton’s attorney was that the article was unfairly framed. In the opening lines, I wrote that Mayor Travis had told tenants of the mobile home park to leave by Oct. 30, when the city would ask county inspectors to tag trailers uninhabitable for a lack of running water. This was how a range of sources characterized a Sept. 24 meeting between tenants, city officials and aid groups, which was closed to the public. Mayor Travis Volrath was one of my sources, and so were tenants at the park who attended the meeting. County officials involved in the process had the same understanding. Princeton’s attorney, however, wrote that Oct. 30 was “not a City-imposed deadline requiring residents to vacate their homes.” Instead, it was the date by which park owner Mary Diercks was required to restore water service, after which the city would ask county inspectors to mark trailers uninhabitable. The trouble here is that the NSP and members of the public have been told to expect that such actions will not be taken. That was the overriding message delivered at the Sept. 24 meeting, according to Volrath and to tenants. Oct. 30 may not literally be a deadline, but tenants have been asked to treat it as such. That is why it led the story. The article specified, further down, that Diercks has until Oct. 30 to “restore lawful, continuous, potable water service… or all residents must leave the affected homes.” The quote is from a notice handed to tenants on Sept. 24. It may be the case that some readers walked away from last week’s article with an unclear picture of how, exactly, code enforcement works. So, to clarify: Scott County provides building and health inspection services for the city of Princeton. The county has already notified Diercks and tenants of the park who own their trailers that, without running water, they are out of compliance with health codes. If they fail to restore water by Oct. 30, inspectors will mark trailers uninhabitable.    Princeton’s attorney raised one point of concern that we were happy to address, and that was the misuse of the term “eviction”. Residents of Rivercrest are not being evicted—that is a specific legal proceeding between landlord and tenant. Instead, residents will be required to vacate if mobile homes are deemed uninhabitable. After receiving the letter, I was glad to have a productive conversation with Princeton’s mayor about the piece. Travis agreed that the framing of the story was fair to our past conversations and the content of the meeting. He asked me to stress that the removal of tenants from Rivercrest came down to a question of whether trailers were habitable. If the mobile homes lacked running water, city code judged them uninhabitable. Many homes do not have basic sanitary necessities, like toilets, showers and sinks.  The mayor and the city of Princeton have faced a series of unenviable choices. Leaks at Rivercrest have stressed city pumps and let hundreds of thousands of gallons of water drain into the ground, city officials have said. Diercks has not paid a utility bill since April, likely costing tens of thousands of dollars. The city decided in August that it could not let the situation persist. It cut water service in September, one month after warning residents. Now inspectors will tag trailers without water uninhabitable, more than a month after severing water service. No one doubts that residents of Rivercrest have been placed in a far worse position that city officials. They have no water. Many are poised to lose the only wealth they have in the world: the trailers they own. By all accounts, they stand to lose their homes on Oct. 30. “To be honest, I really don’t know what we’re going to do,” resident Dawn Shadden told me. That human reality informed last week’s story. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum Last week, I gave the date for a supervisors’ candidate forum as Oct. 17. I was off by two weeks. The forum was this past Saturday, Oct. 3. The mistake is my own—a calendar error that set off a mad scramble (on my part) to prepare for the Saturday event and get the correct date out to as many readers as I could. Unfortunately, there may be some readers who did not receive that message by email or on Facebook. I sincerely apologize. Detailed coverage of the forum will appear next week, Oct. 14. My thanks go out to the six candidates who participated in the forum, as well as the Scott County Farm Bureau for cohosting and the North Scott FFA for volunteering. Tony Knobbe, my co-moderator, was a pleasure to work with and agreed with me that candidates deserved tough questions. He wanted to see how they think—an excellent idea. Thanks to the audience, as well, for taking time out of a beautiful Saturday to attend.   

2021: Eldridge council votes to fire city administrator

Oct. 7, 1976 • The North Scott School Board voted to purchased five acres in Eldridge at $10,000 per acre for a future administrative center. The land was located east of the high school and south of the Eldridge water tower. It had been held on option by the district since May. Construction would include the administration office, a bus garage, maintenance building and storage. The present administrative offices were located at 110 East LeClaire Road and were rented for $260 per month. • Eleven people met to form the Park View Businessmen’s Association, which would promote business in the area. Founding members included Jean Maddox, Fred Schwarz, Murlene Pierce, Gloria McElroy, Jean Keeney, Sylvia Tarchinski, Barb Bell, Bob Maynard, Verna Feldpausch, David Maas and William Bell. • Members of the North Scott Student Congress donated $5,000 to the tennis court project. President Donna Westphal presented the check to tennis court chair Dwain Swanson. Other members of the Student Congress included Bill Wilford, Kristie Keefe and Peg Geary. The donation was designated for the installation of lighting at the courts, and the money was raised through a variety of fundraising projects throughout the year. • North Scott High School formed a debate team for the first time, with members Sue Boeding, Betsy Fury, LuAnn Weis, Debbie Nieman, Mike Zimmer, Duane Amhof, Tammy Sandwick, Joe Fury, Roger Hoover and George Shreves. The team was sponsored by teachers Brad Colton and Judith Jacobs and the theme for the year was “Improving the Penal System in the United States.” Its first debate was set to take place against Davenport West, another school fielding a debate team for the first time. • The North Scott volleyball team defeated Camanche for the second time in the season. This upped the team’s conference record to 5-1. Linda Strobbe was named Player of the Week. Oct. 8, 1986 • Melissa Rindler was crowned North Scott’s Homecoming Queen. Presenting the crown was the 1985 queen, Yvonne Costello. • The Princeton City Council voted to establish a Riverfront Development Corporation to oversee improvements. Ideas included a marina, public parking and a “spruced up business area.” The group would help coordinate efforts for improvement and work to obtain state and federal grants. “We’re strictly in the dream stage,” said organizer Glen Suiter. • North Scott teacher Galen Howsare was honored by Gov. Terry Branstad for being selected to represent Iowa in a national awards program recognizing outstanding math and science teachers.  Howsare was chosen from 40 teachers from across the state. He received a trip to Washington, D.C., and the school received a $5,000 grant to support the math or science department.    • Former North Scott standouts Beth Tank and Tracy Moore were starting for the Northeast Missouri State University women’s volleyball team. Moore was a first-year member of the team, while Tank was a junior. • The North Scott girls’ cross-country team won the Delwood Invitational and came in second at the Clinton Class, just six points behind Bettendorf and 15 points ahead of Pleasant Valley. Poor weather made the course in Clinton muddy and wet, and the Lancers were nursing injuries and illness. Still, Connie Moore turned in a third-place finish, despite falling twice on the three-mile course. Tracy Schneckloth finished seventh, and Beth Wilson came in 15th. Oct. 10, 2001 • North Scott’s enrollment dropped for the fourth year in a row, according to the official count on Sept. 21. The official count of 2,886.9 was nearly 49 students fewer than in the 2000-01 school year. The reduction was largely because the kindergarten class was smaller than the number of graduates. North Scott graduated 230 students with the Class of 2001, while there were only 175 kindergartners to start the 2001-02 school year. Superintendent Tim Dose also reported that North Scott would gain 29 more students than it would lose through open enrollment, with 88 inbound and 59 outbound. • A bus accident left a group of Virgil Grissom students shaken but uninjured. The bus was stopped, waiting to drop off some students near McCausland, when it was rear-ended by another vehicle. The bus had its flashing lights activated, and the stop arm out, but the other vehicle was reportedly unable to stop in time on the gravel road. Grissom principal Jim Pfaff and operations director John Netwal commended emergency personnel, district officials and bystanders for their work at the scene. The other driver was cited for failure to maintain control and failure to provide proof of insurance. • The Eldridge City Council voted to reject two bids for the LeClaire Road Bike Path Project after they came in more than $38,000 higher than the engineer’s estimate. Council members sent the project back to the drawing board, as they also voted not to approve plans, speculations, form of contract and an engineer’s estimate for the work. • The new flagpole area at Ed White Elementary School was a team effort. Teacher Jerry Lensing wrote a grant for the project to the Scott County Regional Authority, while parent Tom Wilkerson designed the area and assisted with installation. Lensing and student Cory Peek also worked over the summer, while many other students, parents and staff helped with landscaping throughout the school year. School secretary Mary Bender coordinated the project, and the Ed White student council and district operations director John Netwal also lent assistance. When the area was dedicated in September, teacher Judy Kilzer raised the flag for the first time, with help from students Bailey Dockery and Angela Wiebel.  • Junior Eric Pohlmann made school history as he became the first North Scott golfer to medal at the state meet. He placed seventh at the meet, which was held over two blustery days at the Clinton Country Club. Pohlmann carded matching rounds of 77. “I thought I would be pretty nervous when I started playing, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he said. “Coming into the meet, I was just happy to be there.” Oct. 12, 2011 • In the wake of a contentious North Scott School Board election, where the top priority was the district’s long-range facilities planning, the board decided to go back to the drawing board during a special work session. “I think what we had in the election was a clear statement that the long-range facilities plan we had put out was not acceptable to the community,” said superintendent Jeff Schwiebert. Teachers, administrators and three school board members were set to form an ad-hoc committee to reexamine the district’s long-term needs before making a report in December. Among the main issues up for examination was sixth-grade class sizes. The district had already put three sections of sixth grade at the junior high due to a lack of space at Ed White. • Ryerson held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of its new facility in Eldridge. The company was a leading metals processor and distributor. Cutting the ribbon were Eldridge operations manager Aimee Nash and Midwest regional president Mike Burbach. They were joined by members of the Eldridge-North Scott Chamber of Commerce, Matt Briehl, David Schnorrenberg, Joy Schneckloth and Lynnette Olson, and Eldridge mayor Marty O’Boyle. • A fire destroyed the Lil’ Stop convenience store near Dixon. The Dixon Fire Department arrived and immediately called for mutual aid from New Liberty, Donahue and Maysville. Firefighters were on scene for about three-and-a-half hours and were called back when the fire rekindled. The cause of the fire was under investigation, and the building appeared to be a total loss. • North Scott elementary students raised more than $11,000 to help fight heart disease during the Jump Rope/Hoops for Heart event, which was held at the junior high. While all five elementary schools made significant fundraising efforts, Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong each raised more than $3,700. Physical education teachers Sara Braack, Brad Ward and Blake Hanna helped organize the event. Students pictured enjoying the event included Melanie Ewoldt, Dylan Engelbrecht and Olivia Wessel. • The North Scott football team defeated Davenport Assumption, 26-3. The team was currently sharing the top spot in the MAC with Bettendorf. Still, the Lancers weren’t resting on their laurels too much. “A win like this feels good,” said quarterback Louis DeFrieze. “We had a lot of confidence and more importantly, we had a lot of energy heading into this game. But the bottom line is that we have to keep getting better. We have to stay humble and hungry.” Oct. 6, 2021 • The Eldridge City Council voted 3-2 to fire city administrator Lisa Kotter, following an independent investigation recommended her termination. The investigation report detailed complaints from department heads saying Kotter was a bully who facilitated rumors and gossiped behind employees’ backs. However, the report also placed equal blame on Kotter and Eldridge mayor Marty O’Boyle for creating a chaotic and negative work environment at city hall. Further, the report found no evidence of gender discrimination gender bias against Kotter, and no evidence of Kotter’s claim O’Boyle had created a hostile work environment for her. The council also voted to initiate a settlement with Kotter following her termination. • Colin Engelbrecht’s Polish breed rabbit was named Best of Show at the Iowa State Fair in August. Colin had been in 4-H for just three years, but got started showing rabbits when his older sister, Caelan, needed help showing her rabbits. • The Scott County Board of Supervisors voted down a proclamation recognizing September as labor union month, with the three Republican supervisors rejecting it over claims it did not include non-union workers and that it was overtly political. “Your comment to me is you are anti-collective bargaining and anti-labor,” supervisor Brinson Kinzer, a Democrat, told his colleagues. The move angered labor officials, who walked out of the meeting. That included Quad City Federation of Labor president Dan Gosa, Tri-City Building Trades president Corey Bergfeld, International Brotherhood of Painter and Allied Trades Local 676 president Justin Roe, and AFSCME representative Earline Anderson, who represented most county employees and negotiated with the board. • Eldridge police officer Andrew DeNoyer resigned just prior to being arrested by Iowa State Patrol investigators on a felony sexual abuse charge. The charging affidavit alleged DeNoyer sexually abused a 14-year-old while on duty. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was handling the case. • The North Scott volleyball team was ranked No. 2 in the state and swept Davenport West, bumping their record to 20-4. “I’m honestly very pleased with how everyone is playing,” said coach Taryn Van Earwage. “I feel like we don't have one kid that we rely on, but multiple, which is good.”  

Change the team to stop Trump’s abuses

Our president has quite a list of accomplishments.  He's insulted nearly everyone, called people names, started a trade war with Canada, imposed multiple tariffs which raised prices for all Americans, weaponized the justice system to attack his enemies, called media "fake news" if he didn't like their reporting, started a war not approved by congress, tore up any agreement made by his predecessors, pardoned all Jan. 6 participants who attacked the capitol, razed part of the White House to build a ballroom without approval, put his name on the Kennedy Center illegally, disregarded a host of laws and the constitution, deported and imprisoned immigrants regardless of their status, constantly peddles favors for himself and his family, admires enemy dictators while showing disdain for allied leaders, and the list goes on. Meanwhile none of Iowa's legislators (Grassley, Ernst, Miller-Meeks, Hinson) have uttered a single objection to his lawless and egregious behavior.  Excusing the despicable behavior and grift of this man is inexcusable.  Iowans need to reject all of them. I support Christina Bohannan, Josh Turek, and Rob Sand.  I hope you will too.  Let's replace the dysfunctional dead weight with people who will put constituents first, not their political party.   Cecil Chapman Davenport

Go to the polls with veterans in mind

Korean War history is key for today.  The war began on June 25, 1950, when North Korea marched over the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. The US and United Nations intervened, in what became a three-year conflict. My father fought in the conflict, enduring very harsh weather and circumstances. This clash was for territorial respect, and the hope of democracy for South Korea.  Additionally, WWII was fought for these ideals. Learn history and know the truth.  Since benefits are being slashed for vets, vote for those who support tangible programs to assist our heroes!   Rebecca Oliver Moline

Share the road this harvest season

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is urging all drivers to use caution on Iowa’s roads this fall. Harvest season is underway, and large farm equipment is sharing the roads with everyday traffic. “Drivers are reminded to slow down and share the road with farm machinery this fall,” said Kapil Arora, field agricultural engineer with ISU Extension and Outreach. Large farm equipment, including combines, grain carts and tillage implements, have significant blind spots. Drivers should account for these blind spots and judge time and distance carefully before attempting to pass. Because farm equipment frequently slows on hills and around curves, drivers should reduce speed and keep a safe following distance. Drivers should also keep in mind that this equipment is often wide, long and unable to move fully onto the shoulder. Farm machinery operators share responsibility for road safety as well. Keeping lights, signals, reflectors and the slow-moving emblem free of dust helps equipment remain clearly visible to other drivers. When moving multiple pieces of equipment between farms, operators should space them out to support traffic flow and should avoid peak traffic hours. Iowans share the same roads and the responsibility to travel them safely. Staying alert, slowing down and taking precautions can help make this harvest season safe for everyone.

Iowa 4-H names 2026-27 Agricultural Ambassadors

After a successful inaugural year, Iowa 4-H is expanding its statewide ambassador program to better showcase the wide range of opportunities in agriculture. Formerly known as the Iowa 4-H Animal Science Ambassador Program, the program has been rebranded as the Iowa 4-H Agricultural Ambassador Program, broadening its focus to include all sectors of agriculture while continuing to cultivate youth leaders, educators and advocates across the state. As the program enters its second year, a new class of ambassadors and a newly elected officer team will build on the inaugural cohort's successes while showcasing Iowa's agricultural industry. The Iowa 4-H Agricultural Ambassador Program brings together youth ages 16-20 from across Iowa to strengthen leadership and communication skills, connect with agricultural professionals, advocate for agriculture and 4-H, and engage younger youth through educational outreach and programming. “The transition [in name] shows the dedication we have as a 4-H program to supporting and promoting youth in agriculture in Iowa,” said Aiden Anderson, Webster County 4-H alum and newly elected vice president. “As someone who has had a passion for agriculture and 4-H throughout my life, I am proud to be part of a group that is allowing youth to take initiative, put the pieces together and help others learn about topics they care about. I look forward to being able to tie all the different aspects of agriculture together.” Building on a Successful First Year During the program's first year, the inaugural ambassador cohort helped establish the program as a platform for youth leadership, agricultural advocacy and career exploration. Throughout the year, ambassadors volunteered at statewide Iowa 4-H events, participated in a career mentorship program with agricultural professionals, developed education programming for younger youth and promoted agricultural literacy through outreach efforts across Iowa. One of the cohort's signature accomplishments was creating and implementing the first-ever Farm to Future Day Camp, a youth event designed for students in grades 5-8. Hosted on the Iowa State University campus, the event was entirely led by ambassadors. Ambassadors developed the concept, secured funding, managed the budget, planned logistics and created educational programming for participants. More than 40 youth from across Iowa attended the inaugural camp, where ambassadors taught four hands-on educational sessions focused on agriculture, animal science and career exploration. Participants also toured Iowa State University's Beef Nutrition Farm and Feed Mill, gaining firsthand exposure to agricultural research, feed production and career opportunities within the industry. For Sarah Dean, Fayette County 4-H alum, working directly with younger youth was one of the highlights of the year. "I especially enjoy working with youth, and helping with the day camp was one of the highlights of my year," Dean said. “It was rewarding to see the kids have fun, learn new things and develop an interest in agriculture.” Throughout the planning process, ambassadors developed skills in teamwork, communication, public speaking, financial management, event planning, problem-solving and leadership. They also expanded their professional networks through interactions with agricultural mentors and industry leaders. "Our ambassadors were challenged not simply to participate in a program, but to lead one," said Amy Powell, program advisor and animal science specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “They didn't just attend a day camp; they designed and delivered one. They didn't just learn about leadership; they put it into practice through service, collaboration and decision-making. They didn't just hear about agricultural careers; they built meaningful relationships with professionals working in those careers. By the end of the year, they had not only grown as leaders themselves, but had created opportunities for younger youth to learn, explore and see themselves as future leaders in agriculture.” Highlights from the program's first year included: Planning and delivering the inaugural Farm to Future Day Camp. Educating more than 40 Iowa youth through hands-on agricultural learning experiences. Securing grant funding and managing programming budgets and logistics. Teaching four educational workshops focused on agriculture and career pathways. Organizing educational tours of Iowa State University agricultural facilities. Participating in a statewide agricultural career mentorship program. Representing Iowa 4-H through service, outreach and leadership activities across Iowa. For returning ambassadors, one of the most rewarding aspects of the inaugural year was helping create a new program from the ground up. "The first year was a lot of experimentation and flexibility," said Megan Swartzendruber, Johnson County 4-H alum, who will serve as president for the coming year. “We were creating something entirely from scratch using our own personal experiences and goals. I think we learned a lot about teamwork and how to accomplish our goals.” Swartzendruber said the experience reinforced the value of collaboration and servant leadership. "During crunch time everyone was willing to help each other with each other's tasks," she said. “Seeing that level of teamwork taught me how important it is to lead by example and support others.” Anderson said the ambassador experience helped him grow both personally and professionally. "Being an ambassador has given me the opportunity to build my skills as an advocate for industry and youth, mentor others and network with others who share similar passions," Anderson said. “Representing and advocating for 4-H at 4-H Voices at the Capitol and working with sixth through eighth grade youth during our capstone workshop really helped me grow as a person and discover where my passions lay.” Dean said the program also helped her build valuable professional and personal connections with other youth who share similar interests. "This program has been a great opportunity to meet new people and build meaningful connections with others who share my passion for agriculture," she said. Developing Agricultural Advocates and Mentors In addition to developing leadership skills, ambassadors serve as advocates for agriculture and mentors for younger 4-H members. Returning communications officer and Montgomery County 4-H alumnae Ella Peterson said the experience challenged ambassadors to develop educational resources and connect with audiences in meaningful ways. "The program has helped me grow as a leader, communicator and advocate for agriculture by letting me help create lesson plans, implement activities and learn how to tailor each message to my target audience," Peterson said. As the program enters its second year, ambassadors are excited to continue helping young people discover opportunities within agriculture while sharing their own experiences. "I hope this program will help inspire youth to expand their knowledge of agriculture and consider careers in the field," Anderson said. “If we are able to help inspire a passion for agriculture in even a handful of youth that will take that passion and turn it into a career, I will say that we have succeeded.” The program's expanded focus reflects the broad range of interests and career pathways available within agriculture today. "I am incredibly excited to expand the program from an animal science focus to an agriculture-at-large focus," Anderson said. "There truly is something for everyone." Swartzendruber agreed that helping youth discover their interests remains an important goal. "Agriculture is such a big part of everyone's life," she said. "There are so many different places to belong. Don't be afraid to explore until you find a part of agriculture that interests you." Welcoming New Agriculture Ambassadors The program inducted its new cohort of ambassadors at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 21, representing varied agricultural interests, experiences and career aspirations. For Aubrey Olson, Winnebago County 4-H member, the opportunity provides a chance to expand her involvement in agriculture while bringing new opportunities back to her community. "I have been raising sheep for seven years and thought being part of the 4-H Agricultural Ambassador Program would allow me to expand my involvement in the agricultural community," Olson said. “I hope to develop more leadership and public speaking skills and use those skills to give more opportunities to others in my community.” Aaliyah Shimkus, Scott County 4-H member, said her passion for animals and future career goals inspired her to apply. "I applied to be an ambassador mostly for the love I have for animals and wanting to be able to teach others about 4-H, agriculture and how it impacts the world," Shimkus said. “Agriculture feeds the world and I want to be involved in that impact.” Other new ambassadors hope to use the program as a platform to support younger youth and strengthen agricultural awareness. "The agricultural community and the livestock industry are what first sparked my passion for agriculture," said Morgyn Nafziger, Washington County 4-H alum. “I want to help create experiences that allow every member to build valuable skills, gain confidence and reach their full potential.” Lilah Heinz-Wilson, Guthrie County 4-H member, said she is eager to give back to a program that has helped shape her own leadership journey. "I want to give back to a program that has shaped who I am while helping share the story of agriculture across Iowa," Heinz-Wilson said. “Through 4-H, I have gained confidence and leadership skills that have inspired me to become an advocate for an industry that plays such an important role in our state. Many people are becoming increasingly removed from agriculture, and I want to help bridge that gap by educating others, sharing positive stories about agriculture, and encouraging young people to become involved in 4-H.” Jena Peterson, Chickasaw County 4-H member, cited a passion for agricultural education and youth development as key motivations for joining the program. "I believe in the power of agriculture to help shape lives and I am passionate about sharing knowledge with others," Peterson said. “As someone passionate about the connection between teaching and agriculture, I am eager to represent 4-H, promote agricultural education and help inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders.” Hadley Moore, Emmet County 4-H member, said she looks forward to encouraging younger members as they explore their own interests and opportunities. "I hope to inspire younger members to find the same confidence, leadership and passion for agriculture that 4-H has helped me develop," Moore said. 2026-27 Agriculture Ambassadors The newly elected officer team for the 2026-27 program year includes President Megan Swartzendruber of Johnson County, Vice President Aiden Anderson of Webster County, Secretary Sarah Dean of Fayette County and Communications Officers Leah Hoffman of Palo Alto County and Ella Peterson of Montgomery County. Natalie Johnson of Page County and Lydia Longhorn of Boone County will return to serve another term as ambassadors and will help mentor new members while continuing to build upon the momentum. "Returning ambassadors bring valuable experience and perspective to the team," said Amy Powell, the program advisor and animal science specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Their experience developing educational programming, engaging with agricultural professionals and serving community audiences will help guide the next cohort of ambassadors as they begin their leadership journey.” New Ambassadors serving their first term include Jameson Johnson of Bremer County, Jena Peterson of Chickasaw County, Hadley Moore of Emmet County, Lilah Heinz-Wilson of Guthrie County, Samantha Tilley of Hamilton County, Wyatt Eekhoff of Hancock County, Cole S. of Johnson County, Aaliyah Shimkus of Scott County, Morgyn Nafziger of Washington County and Aubrey Olson of Winnebago County. Together, returning and newly selected ambassadors will continue developing educational programming, mentoring younger youth, advocating for agriculture and helping Iowa youth explore the many pathways available within the agricultural industry. "Agriculture needs people who can communicate, collaborate, think critically, solve problems and lead," Powell said. “This program gives young people opportunities to practice those skills while creating connections between communities, agricultural careers and future generations of leaders. We are excited to see this next group help shape the future of Iowa agriculture.” For more information about the Iowa 4-H Agricultural Ambassador Program, visit the program webpage or contact program advisors Amy Powell at ampowell@iastate.edu or Celine Beggs-Shoemaker at cmbeggs@iastate.edu.

Blackhawk Bank, Liberty Trust to merge

Blackhawk Bancorporation, Inc., the parent company of Blackhawk Bank & Trust, and Liberty Ban-corporation, the parent company of Liberty Trust & Savings Bank, have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Liberty Bancorporation will merge with Blackhawk Bancorporation. Upon completion of the transaction, Liberty Trust will merge into Blackhawk Bank, with Blackhawk Bancorporation and Blackhawk Bank continuing as the surviving entities. Blackhawk intends to retain Liberty Trust’s banking offices and employees and to continue serving the communities of Durant, New Liberty, and Tipton. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is subject to approval by Liberty Bancorporation shareholders, regulatory approvals and other cus-tomary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. Based on the companies’ most recently reported financial information, the combined institution is expected to have approximately $2.2 billion in total assets and 20 banking offices. Ronald Hansen, Chairman of the Board of Liberty Bancorporation, said, “Blackhawk Bank & Trust is the right partner to carry Liberty Trust & Savings Bank forward, and we are confident this transac-tion will benefit our customers, employees, shareholders and the communities we serve.  For the Hansen family, this is both a proud and bittersweet moment. Our family's connection to Liberty Trust has spanned 110 years of the bank's 120-year history, and we are deeply grateful for the role we have had in its stewardship. We are pleased to partner with an organization that shares our commitment to community banking and customer service, ensuring that the values that have guid-ed Liberty Trust & Savings Bank for generations will continue into the future. The success of this in-stitution has never been the result of any one family or individual. Rather, it reflects the hard work and dedication of generations of employees who have served our customers with integrity and commitment. On behalf of the Hansen family, our Board of Directors and our employees, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers, employees, shareholders, and community members for the trust and support they have given Liberty Trust & Savings Bank over the years. We are proud of what we have built together and excited about the future under Blackhawk Bank & Trust's leadership.” W. Gerard Huiskamp, Executive Chairman of Blackhawk Bancorporation, said, “For generations, Blackhawk and Liberty Trust have built their banks around the same things: strong relationships, doing what is right, taking care of employees, and supporting the communities we serve. We are very pleased to welcome Liberty Trust’s customers and employees to the Blackhawk Bank & Trust family. We have a great deal of respect for the bank Liberty Trust has built and the relationships they have developed over the past 120 years. We look forward to building on that legacy while con-tinuing to provide the personal service, local decision-making, and community commitment that have always been important to both organizations.” Eric Huiskamp Mutka, President & Chief Executive Officer of Blackhawk Bank, commented, “This combination represents an important next step for two organizations that share a very similar ap-proach to community banking. Liberty Trust is an excellent cultural and strategic fit for Blackhawk. Together, we will be better positioned to offer expanded capabilities, greater convenience, and the resources of a larger organization while preserving the personal service and local decision-making our customers value. We are committed to a thoughtful, seamless transition and creating long-term value for our customers, employees, shareholders, and communities.”  

Find conservation professionals near you

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has released the Iowa Conservation Professionals Map, an online resource that helps farmers and landowners easily connect with conservation professionals working in their local area. Conservation professionals walk landowners through the process of protecting their soil, water and habitat resources, including assessing what a farm needs, designing practices, getting them installed and finding funding to offset costs. Catherine DeLong, water quality program manager at ISU Extension and Outreach, noted that these hands-on relationships matter. “Research from Iowa State University shows regular contact with a conservation professional is the single strongest factor in whether a farmer adopts new conservation practices,” she said. “We want farmers and landowners to easily connect with conservation professionals so they can take the next step in their conservation journey.” The map primarily includes professionals from several public and nonprofit sources, many of whom hold titles such as watershed coordinator or project coordinator. It includes staff with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, counties, cities and various nonprofit organizations. It also lists conservation agronomists from the Iowa Soybean Association and agricultural cooperatives whose work centers on water quality. Iowans can find their conservation professional by entering an address or selecting a parcel of land on the map. Professionals are listed from the smallest service area to the largest. Every acre in Iowa is covered by at least one professional, and some areas have up to 10. For example, clicking a parcel in Plymouth County in Northwest Iowa shows five conservation professionals who serve the area, including staff from the Plymouth Soil and Water Conservation District, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, local agricultural cooperatives and the Iowa Soybean Association. Farmers and landowners can search for a conservation professional near them at Iowa Conservation Professionals Map, go.iastate.edu/FindMyCP. For more information, contact Catherine DeLong at crdelong@iastate.edu.

District Domination

Sports are all about peaking at the right time. North Scott’s boys’ golf team is doing just that. The top five Lancers all shot 74 or better Monday at Glynns Creek Golf Course to earn the program the district championship. Junior Andrew Vollbeer won district medalist honors with a 3-under 69, remaining steady while the rest of the field slid backwards on the final few holes. North Scott shot a 289 as a team, outpacing Pleasant Valley (292), Cedar Rapids Prairie (301), Central DeWitt (306) and Dubuque Senior (307) at the top of the leaderboard. “It was really good to see some depth today,” Lancer coach Mike Wuertz said. “The last few meets we’ve had two or three really good scores, and then our fourth score was not the best. Today, we had five really solid scores.” All five of the top-scoring Lancers placed inside the top 12 out of 84 competitors. Vollbeer won by two shots with his score of 69. Senior Jaxon Adkisson and freshman James Vollbeer tied for sixth at 73. Junior Luke Leverenz and sophomore Michael Phillips each posted 74s. Down the stretch, Vollbeer trailed first place by two strokes. He birdied the 15th and 16th holes to pull even. Golfers in his group from Pleasant Valley, Cedar Rapids Prairie and Dubuque Senior all finished at least two shots behind after failing to take advantage of the par-5 17th and par-4 18th. “It’s very satisfying to get the individual and the team wins. It’s a nice milestone moving closer to state,” Vollbeer said. “I had a really good front nine. I got to the back and made some mistakes early on the back nine, but I had a good finish. Getting ahead of Zander (Panek) and Henry (Sobaski) was nice.” Vollbeer, the MAC champion from nine days ago, is leading the Lancers into the state meet with gale-force winds at their backs. After struggling to best Pleasant Valley earlier in the season, North Scott has outplayed the Spartans in each of their last three rounds of golf. “It’s some really good momentum these last three rounds,” Vollbeeer said. “After the first day of MAC, we were in a really bad spot. Nobody was playing well. Since then, we’ve gone on a nice little run. Hopefully, we can move forward and do that at state too.” North Scott will head to state for the third year in a row, but this time with heightened expectations. The team has aspirations of a state title, and any one of Vollbeer, Leverenz or Adkisson can make a run at the individual gold medal. There are lessons from the previous two years, in which North Scott finished in sixth and fifth place as a team, and saw Adkisson win third as an individual, that the team can learn from to make this year its best effort yet. “If everyone can hang in there and post two solid scores each day, we’ll be hopefully right up there,” Wuertz said. “Of course, everyone is going to be more nervous. But everyone who plays at state is nervous. Every meet we go into it trying to shoot 280 or better. But at state, or in golf majors, scoring is way closer to even par. “The winning score is probably going to be around 600 because we’re playing at a really hard course. Plus the added pressure, if you get to three or four over par halfway through your round, you can’t pout about it. You have to keep fighting and try to post something around 75 to 78. 77 at the state tournament is like a 72 on a day like today.” North Scott will have a full week of preparation ahead of day one at Davenport Country Club next Monday, Oct. 12. The team plans for practices after school at Glynns Creek along with a preview round at the state site on Sunday. Play begins at 10 a.m. Monday with tee times off of No. 1 and No. 10. On Tuesday, tee times begin off of No. 1 and No. 10 at 9 a.m. Parking will be available inside the main lot at Davenport Country Club. Once that is full, fans may use the overflow lot at Pebble Creek Golf Club and take a shuttle to the course. Shuttle service will run every 20-30 minutes, according to the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s state golf tournament page.

Spartans defeat Lancers in team regional final

As one postseason tournament ends, another begins. North Scott reached the end of the line in team competition Saturday morning, falling to Pleasant Valley 5-0 in the regional final. Despite the shutout, North Scott delivered a much-improved performance against the Spartans. In the regular-season matchup, the Lancers won 26 games in singles. On Saturday, they won 34. Senior Victoria Samara at No. 3 singles and sophomore Kelsey Clayton at No. 5 singles both lost 7-5 sets, pushing their opponents much further than the previous matchup. Senior Maddy Jepsen was one point away from victory, leading 6-0, 5-1, 40-15 in a MAC gold medal rematch against Kaj Kabongo. However, the dual was called on match point once the Spartans reached their fifth team point, and Jepsen was unable to officially earn a win. North Scott reached the regional final by defeating Bettendorf 6-0 last Wednesday (Sept. 30). Three Lancers won match tiebreakers to clinch the dual. Samara won hers 12-10, Clayton won hers 10-7, and senior Ava Pins won hers 10-8 at No. 4 singles. Freshman Sloan Varner took a win at No. 6 singles, 6-4, 7-5. Freshman Claire Jepsen dominated at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-0. Maddy Jepsen cruised at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-1. Now, the Jepsen sisters will close out this fall tennis season at Byrnes Park in Waterloo for the state singles tournament. However, the road will be difficult as both girls got brutal draws. Despite not losing a set this season, Maddy got the No. 4 seed in the singles bracket, as voted by coaches who had regional singles champions. This sets Maddy up for yet another semifinal match against reigning state champion Addison Latta of Waukee Northwest, should those two advance that far. Adding to the difficulty is that Maddy must face fifth-ranked Vivian Kahler of Iowa City Liberty in the first round. Kahler was a regional runner-up and was placed randomly into the singles bracket. Maddy defeated Kahler in a pro set 8-3 earlier this season. This is their only meeting on the high school circuit. Maddy is seeking to become a four-time state medalist having place fifth, third and fourth in her first three years in high school. In the other half of the bracket, Claire drew last season’s bronze medalist Madeline Bellomy of Dubuque Senior. Bellomy defeated Maddy in the third-place match at state last year. The winner of this match will face the winner of ninth-ranked Clinton sophomore Tenley Cewe and Waukee Northwest’s Ruby Weber. Claire did not face Cewe this season as Cewe played at No. 1 singles for the River Queens. The No. 2 seed in state singles is last year’s runner-up and University of Northern Iowa commit Mackenzie Sagers of Cedar Falls. Other Mississippi Athletic Conference competitors include Clinton’s Elizabeth Grinnall and Pleasant Valley’s Chahana Katreddy, both of whom were regional runners-up. The first round and quarterfinals are played on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Consolation first- and second- round matches are also played on Wednesday. Thursday, Oct. 8 is reserved for all medal matches on the consolation side as well as the state semifinals, championship and third-place match.

Jack Bergert to celebrate 90th birthday Oct. 24

Jack Bergert Sr. will celebrate his 90th birthday on Saturday, Oct. 24. All friends and relatives are invited to join him from noon – 4 p.m. at DeWitt United Methodist Church, 222 12th St., DeWitt. Lunch will be provided.

Meet the candidates running for Iowa House District 70

Republican incumbent statehouse Representative Norlin Mommsen is running for its seventh term in office, representing District 70 since 2023. He is facing Democrat George Pickup, a retired teacher and principal.

Obituary: Janet Nelson

Janet “Jan” Nelson passed away peacefully Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, in DeWitt. Visitation will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, at DeWitt United Methodist Church at 9 a.m., with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m.  Lunch will be served at the church after the funeral.  Burial will be at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Altona, Ill. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jan’s name to the DeWitt Community Hospital Auxiliary or the DeWitt Referral Center. Arrangements are in the care of Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt. Condolences may be expressed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com.  

Extension offers tips on managing fall leaves

Gardeners don’t need to rake every leaf this fall. A more selective approach is often better for plants, wildlife, soil health and next spring’s growth, according to Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture extension specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. "One of the biggest misconceptions about fall cleanup is that everything needs to be removed before winter," said Steil. "Many leaves and plant stems provide important benefits during the winter months." Leave the leaves in garden beds In perennial beds and shrub borders, fallen leaves can stay where they land. They insulate roots, improve soil as they decompose and provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects. Likewise, most perennial foliage and seed heads can remain standing through winter. Exceptions include plants with significant disease or insect problems and species that spread aggressively by seed. Remove those materials after they die back and before they set seed. If leaves from other areas are added or they start to pile deep, they can be redistributed so plant crowns do not become buried or smothered. Keep leaves off the lawn A thick layer of leaves can block sunlight and damage turfgrass, leading to thin, patchy and weedy lawns next spring. Leaves should be removed when they completely cover the grass, but they don’t have to be hauled away. For many lawns, the easiest option is to mow leaves with a mulching mower. "Once you've finished, very little leaf material should be visible on the lawn surface," Steil said. Shredding leaves into small pieces allows them to fall between the grass blades, where they decompose and return organic matter to the soil.  Heavier accumulations may require multiple passes with the mower, or the leaves may need to be collected and removed. What to do with collected leaves Collected leaves can be composted, taken to a municipal composting facility or spread lightly in landscape beds as a source of organic matter. It is beneficial to keep leaves in the landscape when possible, but there are some situations that require their complete removal. Whole leaves can be problematic when used as a deliberate winter mulch around tender or marginally hardy plants because they tend to mat together and trap moisture. "Leaves are excellent for improving soil and providing a natural layer of protection, but they are not always the best material for intentionally covering plants for winter," Steil said. "For plants that need additional insulation, use straw, pine needles, or shredded leaves, which stay loose and are less likely to smother plants than whole leaves." Diseased plant material, insect-infested debris and plants loaded with seeds should be discarded or taken to a municipal composting facility. Most home compost piles do not consistently get hot enough to destroy plant pathogens, insect pests or weed seeds. "The goal isn't to remove everything," Steil said. "Focus on protecting lawn health, cleaning up plants with disease or pest issues, and leaving healthy leaves and perennial stems where they can benefit the landscape."

View the Scott County Sheriff's report from the Oct. 7 NSP!

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20 1:41 a.m. — Todd A. Sisel, 54, no address given, was charged with OWI – 3rd offense, carrying a weapon while intoxicated, and 1st degree harassment, and cited for violation of financial liability coverage, violating a one-way traffic designation and no valid driver’s license, following a traffic stop near West 35th and Harrison streets, Davenport. TUESDAY, SEPT. 22 1:11 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an assault in the 27200 block of 255th Avenue, Princeton. 1:49 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident on 240th Avenue, Princeton. A vehicle driven by Casey A. Green, 50, Camanche, was northbound on 240th Avenue. Green reportedly experienced a medical event while driving. The vehicle veered off the roadway and rolled into a ditch. Green was transported by Medic to Genesis East Medical Center. THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 2:01 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 20100 block of Wells Ferry Road. A vehicle driven by an unknown subject was southbound on Wells Ferry Road. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The vehicle was abandoned when deputies arrived, and no one was located in the area. FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 12:01 a.m. — Lemond Derrell Jones, 33, no address given, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense, driving while barred (habitual offender), interference with official acts and trespassing, following an incident in the 300 block of West Kimberly Road, Davenport. 1:09 a.m. — Benjamin Michael Doyle, 40, no address given, was charged with driving while barred (habitual offender) and driving while license denied, suspended, cancelled or revoked, following an incident near Interstate 280 and 140th Street, Davenport. 1:27 a.m. — Brias Jacob Latimer, 23, no address given, was charged with OWI – 1st offense and cited for failure to yield on a left turn, following a traffic stop near West 4th and Fillmore streets, Davenport. 1:41 a.m. — Joseph Michael Thompson, 22, no address given, was charged with OWI – 1st offense and cited for failure to obey a traffic control device, following an incident in the 1500 block of State Street, Bettendorf. 6:02 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 4200 block of State Street. 10:04 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near South 1st Street and East Blackhawk Trail. 11:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 19700 block of Wells Ferry Road, where a vehicle driven by Reece Lauren Klundt, 23, Port Byron, Ill., struck a deer that entered the roadway. SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 2:09 a.m. — Richard Lee Johnson, 46, no address given, was charged with failure to appear on a warrant and possession of a controlled substance (non-marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense, following a traffic stop in the 2800 block of West Locust Street, Davenport. 12:53 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint on Manor Drive. 1:11 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an assault in the 2800 block of North Plainview Road. 10:24 p.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 800 block of South 1st Street. 10:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 600 block of West Price Street. 11:35 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near 210th Avenue and 287th Street. 11:40 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance on Elmwood Drive. SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 12:14 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 24800 block of 190th Street. 9:37 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem on Elmwood Drive. 11:00 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident near mile marker 287 on Interstate 80 West. A vehicle driven by Oscar Fernando Porras Cruz, 32, Juarez, Mexico, was westbound on Interstate 80. His vehicle reportedly went into the other lane and struck a vehicle driven by Tommi R. Perez Jimenez. Porras Cruz was cited for failure to maintain control. The Iowa State Patrol assisted at the accident scene. 11:16 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near Highway 61 and East Blackhawk Trail. 5:38 p.m. — Louis Leo Claeys, 79, no address given, was cited for driving while license denied or revoked and driving while license denied, suspended, cancelled or revoked, following a traffic stop in the 18100 block of 270th Street, Eldridge. 6:25 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an assault in the 200 block of South Park View Drive. 8:05 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a missing person on Jacob Court. 8:17 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 19900 block of Wells Ferry Road. A vehicle driven by Courtney Marie Carter, 26, Camanche, was northbound on Wells Ferry Road. Carter reportedly swerved to avoid striking a deer that entered the roadway. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a road sign and a structural support pillar for the Interstate 80 overpass. Carter was transported by Medic to Genesis East Medical Center. 11:17 p.m. — Jacob Allen Stewart, 33, no address given, was charged with OWI – 1st offense and cited for failure to maintain control, after deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 500 block of Park View Drive, Eldridge. MONDAY, SEPT. 28 5:39 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance. 7:28 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2300 block of West Locust Street. 7:54 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem near Valley Drive and State Street. 8:48 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 500 block of 210th Street. 9:08 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 13200 block of 110th Avenue. 11:26 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance on Cobblestone Lane. 4:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury in the 900 block of Middle Road. 4:52 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 1200 block of West 76th Street. 5:30 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 300 block of Crest Road. TUESDAY, SEPT. 29 1:53 a.m. — Larry Dean Gibson, 59, no address given, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (non-marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense and possession of drug paraphernalia, following a traffic stop near East 53rd and Brady streets, Davenport. 6:01 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 600 block of May Street. 9:43 a.m. — Deputies responded to a weapons complaint in the 1800 block of Brady Street. 11:56 a.m. — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 400 block of West 4th Street. 1:53 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 6300 block of Crow Creek Road. 2:11 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 11600 block of 61st Avenue Place. 2:52 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a robbery/carjacking in the 4700 block of Devils Glen Road. 3:05 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 30300 block of 240th Avenue. 3:55 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 13500 block of 95th Avenue. A vehicle driven by Austin Michael Hines, 18, Blue Grass, was northbound on 95th Avenue. Hines reportedly lost control of the vehicle on the gravel road. The vehicle left the roadway and rolled into a ditch before coming to rest in a bean field. Hines was cited for failure to maintain control. 9:06 p.m. — Deputies responded to a vandalism complaint in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive. 9:18 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near Ridgeview Drive and North Pine Street. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 12:58 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 3500 block of Brady Street, Davenport. A vehicle driven by an unknown subject was northbound on Brady Street. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a concrete barrier in a business parking lot. The vehicle was abandoned when deputies arrived. 6:57 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of 3rd Street. 10:47 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 3200 block of Homestead Avenue. 2:31 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident near Kimberly Road and Elmore Avenue, Davenport. A vehicle driven by Haley A. Rowe, 22, Silvis, Ill., made a left turn on a green arrow at the intersection of Kimberly Road and Elmore Avenue. A vehicle driven by Kathren Sue Spinner, 69, Davenport, attempted to make a right turn on red from Kimberly Road to Elmore Avenue. Spinner failed to yield the right of way and struck Rowe’s vehicle. 3:08 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 1100 block of East 14th Street. 3:32 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with hit-and-run damage near mile marker 285 on Interstate 80 West. A vehicle driven by Nicolas Russell Brown, 28, Davenport, was westbound on Interstate 80, traveling in the left lane. A vehicle in the right lane swerved into the left lane and side swiped Brown’s vehicle. The other vehicle did not stop at the scene.  5:15 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 30300 block of 150th Avenue. 6:52 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 25800 block of 190th Avenue. 9:25 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fireworks complaint on Hillcrest Court. 10:05 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fireworks complaint in the 900 block of Fox Ridge Road. THURSDAY, OCT. 1 7:35 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near West Valley Drive and South 5th Street. 9:49 a.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 600 block of Belmont Road. 10:41 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem near 20th Avenue and 210th Street. 11:02 a.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 7000 block of Elmore Avenue. 4:22 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near Highway 61 and 267th Street. 5:18 p.m. — Deputies responded to a vandalism complaint in the 100 block of Hillside Drive. 5:24 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem. 5:57 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem. 7:55 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near Hickory Grove Road and North Fairmount Street. 8:08 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 100 block of Crest View Drive. 10:23 p.m. — Deputies responded to a shots fired call near Diehn Avenue and South Rolff Street.

View the Eldridge Police report from the Oct. 7 NSP!

MONDAY, SEPT. 28 6:31 a.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61.  Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 10:34 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 500 block of West Davenport Street. 4:53 p.m. — Complaint of a vehicle in a ditch in the 3200 block of South Buttermilk Road. The vehicle was towed. Handled by officer. 5:18 p.m. — Complaint of a stolen package in the 1000 block of South 5th Street. Handled by officer. 6:25 p.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose in the 300 block of North 3rd Street. Handled by officer. 8:51 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles on property in the 500 block of South 5th Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 9:08 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 500 block of West Valley Drive. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 9:15 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles near South 5th Street and West Lincoln Road. Handled by officer. 10:13 p.m. — Complaint of a house in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive being TP-ed. Handled by officer. 10:26 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles shooting off fireworks in the 1000 block of South 8th Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. TUESDAY, SEPT. 29 4:01 a.m. — Complaint of a fire alarm sounding in the 1100 block of West Scott Court. The call was turned over to the fire department. Handled by officer. 9:56 a.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of South 5th Street. Handled by officer. 12:23 p.m. — A juvenile was charged with possession of a controlled substance, following an incident in the 500 block of South 5th Street. 2:07 p.m. — Assisted another agency with an EMS call in the 18200 block of 240th Street. 3:02 p.m. — Report taken for theft of property in the 200 block of East Franklin Street. 8:15 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 8:18 p.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 8:22 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious juvenile in the 300 block of Country Club Court. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 8:37 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles near South 8th and West Hickory streets. Handled by officer. 8:53 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious subject in the 500 block of South 5th Street. Handled by officer. 9:02 p.m. — A juvenile was cited for person under 21 using tobacco/vapor product – 1st offense, following an incident in the 600 block of Fox Ridge Road. 9:02 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles shooting off fireworks in the 600 block of Fox Ridge Road. Handled by officer. 9:58 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 200 block of South 5th Street. Handled by officer. 10:17 p.m. — Complaint of a house in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive being TP-ed. Handled by officer. 10:30 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles egging a vehicle near Wiese Court and South Tombergs Drive. Handled by officer. 10:49 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 600 block of South 5th Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 11:20 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles near West Sheridan Drive and South 1st Street. Handled by officer. 11:25 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles harassing employees in the 600 block of East LeClaire Road. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 11:27 p.m. — Report taken for damage to property near West Hickory Street and South 10th Stret. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 12:58 a.m. — Complaint of a smoke alarm sounding in the 1800 block of Redbud Circle. Handled by officer. 8:22 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 900 block of West Pinehurst Drive. 4:18 p.m. — Complaint of fraudulent activity in the 1600 block of Leonard Court. Handled by officer. 8:47 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 800 block of West Hickory Street. Handled by officer. 9:22 p.m. — Complaint of a pig in the roadway on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 9:29 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles near East Pinehurst Drive and Fox Ridge Road. Handled by officer. 10:05 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles shooting off fireworks in the 900 block of Fox Ridge Road. Handled by officer. 10:18 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 500 block of South 5th Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 11:35 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles shooting off fireworks near South 8th Street and West Pinehurst Drive. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. THURSDAY, OCT. 1 7:35 a.m. — Report taken for a pedestrian vs. vehicle accident near West Valley Drive and South 5th Street. 2:17 p.m. — Complaint of a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive. Handled by officer. 3:23 p.m. — Report taken for an assault in the 200 block of South 1st Street. 4:51 p.m. — Brandon Ragusi, 38, of Davenport, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop near South 1st Street and West Sheridan Drive. 7:57 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 200 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. 9:09 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 200 block of South 1st Street. Handled by officer. 10:15 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles near Fox Ridge Road and Muirfield Circle. Handled by officer. 10:51 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 100 block of East LeClaire Road. Handled by officer. 10:57 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 200 block of South 9th Avenue. Handled by officer. FRIDAY, OCT. 2 3:29 p.m. — David Vens, 78, of Eldridge, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop in the 400 block of East LeClaire Road. 4:02 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 6:09 p.m. — Report taken for a hit and run damage to a parked vehicle in the 200 block of East Price Street. 11:06 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles TP-ing and egging a house in the 500 block of South 8th Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. SATURDAY, OCT. 3 12:22 a.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 6:20 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle near South 1st Street and East Lincoln Road. Handled by officer. 7:25 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of North 1st Street. Handled by officer. 7:38 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 500 block of South 2nd Street. Handled by officer. 10:40 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious juveniles in the 200 block of West LeClaire Road. Handled by officer. 11:16 p.m. — Complaint of an assault in the 200 block of South 1st Street. Handled by officer. SUNDAY, OCT. 4 1:47 a.m. — Caleb Corley, 23, of Eldridge, was arrested for OWI – 1st offense and driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway, following an incident on Highway 61. 4:36 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 700 block of North 1st Street. 8:30 a.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose in the 500 block of West LeClaire Road. The call was turned over to animal control. Handled by officer. 11:51 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 500 block of North 3rd Street. 12:24 p.m. — Report of a parking complaint in the 400 block of West Oak Street. Handled by officer. 4:52 p.m. — Complaint of a disturbance in the 200 block of East Price Street. Handled by officer.

Bobcat blowout spoils homecoming game

The script felt far too similar. Western Dubuque had all the fun at North Scott’s homecoming game, turning a seven-point halftime lead into a 31-0 blowout Friday night at Lancer Stadium. North Scott’s offense struggled again, generating just 198 yards of total offense. North Scott was shut out for just the second time since the 2023 season. “The first thing (Western Dubuque head coach Justin Penner) said is that you guys are extremely physical. That’s what we wanted to be. That is a very large, very good team, and our guys didn’t back down,” Lancer coach Tony Stewart said. “They played their tails off. As always, I’m proud of our kids.” North Scott hung in the game early but was stunted by its own miscues. On the third play of the game, on the Bobcats 43-yard line, the Lancers’ shotgun snap went through the legs of quarterback Conlan Panther, resulting in a loss of 22 yards and an eventual punt. During North Scott’s third drive of the game, on a third and one from the Bobcats 26-yard line, the snap went past Panther again for a 14-yard loss. The Bobcats scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession, the only points of the first half. “We were moving the ball exactly like we wanted to. Running it, running it, throwing it when we needed to. We just shot ourselves in the foot,” Stewart said. “I’m not blaming anyone. It’s the team. It’s on us as coaches. We need to fix that. We can’t have second and 25 multiple times when you’re driving.” Out of the halftime locker room, it took the Bobcats just three plays to score their second touchdown. Western Dubuque added a field goal with 92 seconds left in the frame to set the score at 17-0. North Scott’s first two possessions in the fourth quarter ended in a turnover on downs and an interception. Western Dubuque’s first two possessions in the fourth quarter ended with endzone celebrations. Whether it be Grant Glausser from a few years ago or Drew Bergfeld in the previous two, Western Dubuque has a winning formula. The Bobcats rushed 31 times for 242 yards against North Scott Friday night, equating to 7.8 yards per carry. They then opened up the deep passing game in the second half. Quarterback Brady Rissman threw for touchdowns of 35 yards and 20 yards. On the other side of the ball, Panther was limited to just 108 yards passing on 20 attempts. The Lancers had a better running game with 26 team carries for 90 yards, led by senior Jonas Schlichting’s 14 carries for 45 yards. North Scott was notably healthier in this game, welcoming back seniors Miller Haedt and Ryder Maher. Maher caught two balls for 16 yards. Haedt was a flex option for the North Scott offense and did not throw a pass. He earned four touches resulting in 23 yards. “(Haedt is) a dynamic athlete. We want to put him in positions like we did against Washington,” Stewart said. “There are things we didn’t do tonight because we weren’t sure how much Miller would play based on how he would feel. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.” As was the case last season after losing to Western Dubuque, North Scott will be playing playoff games for the rest of its season. At 2-4, the Lancers cannot afford another regular season loss. North Scott will play its last home game of the season on Friday against Clinton. The River Kings are 3-3 this season and are an improved group from years past. They are led by senior running back Ethan Carpenter, who is averaging 6.5 yards per carry on 150 carries. North Scott and Clinton have one common opponent so far this season. Whereas North Scott defeated Cedar Rapids Washington by 18, the River Kings got run over, losing by 42 at home. “We’ll get our guys ready to go next week,” Stewart said. “I know it didn’t feel great. Every game is a playoff game now. We still have an opportunity to make the playoffs. We have a Clinton team that will be hungry to get one next week. They’ve got a good young group and some talented seniors. It will be a good battle.”

'It's just volleyball at the end of the day'

The North Scott volleyball team maintained its spot in the top half of the Mississippi Athletic Conference standings last week with a clean sweep over Davenport West. Last Tuesday’s (Sept. 29) 25-23, 25-16, 25-12 win over the Falcons helped to serve as a palate cleanser after a tough five-set loss to Central DeWitt in the Lancers’ prior game. “Coming off of the loss to DeWitt, I felt like we were in that match. Kind of the same in the first set here. We were playing timid and not ourselves,” Lancer coach Taylor Ingram said. “We realized we could relax, and we played a much better set two. We remembered it’s just volleyball at the end of the day.” 14 of the 16 players on the varsity roster logged time in this match, and plenty of new faces are showing their ability to impact winning. “Kaylee (Ervin) did awesome tonight,” Ingram said. “I’m interested to see where she ended up with blocks and kills. I know she led us in efficiency.” Coach’s intuition right after the game was spot on. The sophomore did not make an error on any of her 12 attacks and tied with junior Brinley Schroeder for the team lead with nine kills. Ervin also led the Lancers with four blocks. Another player who has earned much more court time over the past few weeks is junior Kenna Kibler. Sharing the setting duties with senior Eisley Weinert, Kibler posted 18 assists on Tuesday with Weinert earning 15. This season, Weinert has 258 assists for a 53 percent share of the team’s total assists. Kibler is up to 174 assists and a 36 percent share of the overall number. “(Kibler has) found her rhythm and her home with some of our hitters,” Ingram said. “She’s phenomenal at spreading the floor and finding that consistency. It’s another look for teams. Honestly, she’s up there in digs with some of our liberos. She’s too good to keep off of the floor.” Other statistical leaders in North Scott’s 15th consecutive win over Davenport West include junior Adelyn Temple and senior Kamilah Eller, who had eight and seven digs, respectively. Temple was also the team’s best server on the night, landing all 10 of her deliveries with two aces. North Scott got back to .500 after this game at 11-11, with a 4-2 mark in MAC play. The team has just four more events before regionals begin. North Scott plays 5A No. 7 Pleasant Valley, 5A No.13 Bettendorf, and Clinton in conference matches, as well as one final invitational hosted by 4A No. 5 Clear Creek-Amana. North Scott’s difficult schedule is helping to prepare this group for the postseason. “We are growing and, by the end of the season, we are where we want to be,” Ingram said. “We’ve played some really tough teams over the past couple of weekend tournaments. No. 1 in the state (Davenport Assumption). No. 4 in the state (Ankeny). Competing with them is something we’re proud of. “Our mental toughness (has greatly improved). When we are in system, we are phenomenal. When we are down, it’s a matter of who has the fire, who has the fight. We found that a little bit later than I had hoped, but it’s nice to finally see it. “This break is a good mental reset for us. Coming back and honing in on some personnel that we can develop as people and as volleyball players. Going into our next match, we have PV. It’s a big match that we have to prepare for. There are a lot less distractions. We have one singular goal.”

Swim season hits the midway point

There is no better feeling than swimming in friendly waters. The Lancer girls’ swim team hit the pool at the North Scott YMCA last Tuesday (Sept. 29) for its second of three home meets this season, welcoming Muscatine and Burlington for a triangular. It’s still just the fifth-ever home meet for the Lancer swim program, and the team enjoys every minute of it. “It’s so much fun. All the girls have the best time; we always make it a party,” Lancer senior Madelyn La Plante said. “I love double duals because we get to meet more people from other teams. It’s so great to see everybody.” The reviews are in — the girls gave a five-star performance in front of their home crowd. “It went really well. They definitely showed up tonight,” Lancer coach Joni Paulsen said. “All through warm-ups, their attitude throughout the meet, it really all came together tonight. All of our swimmers swam so great. They did exactly what was expected of them, and they knew right away what we need to focus on to get better.” The 200-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay were consensus hits, and the team highlighted a bevy of individual events as favorites on the night. “Both of the relays did really well. I was impressed with everybody,” La Plante said. “We get to see everybody’s talent in different ways. I usually swim the backstroke in the medley, but I swam butterfly today. It was fun mixing it up.” On the individual side, sophomore Madyson Sparkman hit a season-best time in the 500-yard freestyle (6:24.40) as did three swimmers in the 100-yard backstroke. Those girls were freshman Jessenia Webb (1:24.71), freshman Rylie O’Flahrity (1:25.53) and sophomore Julie Enlow (1:40.79). La Plante, who had the top time on the team at 1:19.24, was within one second of her season-best backstroke time. “The 500 was really fun with Madyson showing up and utilizing her fundamentals and her kick,” Paulsen said. “She’s learning multiple different strategies for that, for the 100 butterfly, and everything. Seeing those trainings translate and grow to the next level, it is tough to do. “I loved the 100 backstroke. They dropped time on it. Everything was working. It was fun to watch them go kind of head-to-head, but we’re all cheering together.” The Lancers have hit a lull in their schedule. After bouncing around from invitational to invitational in September, the team has just four meets in October, three of which are conference duals. “It’s nice because we had a little bit of time (before this meet) because we didn’t have a meet last Tuesday. It was nice to, in midseason, have a bit of a harder week (in practice) to where they can swim hard and not be so sore,” Paulsen said. “When you go from meet to meet, it’s hard to overcome that midseason. They got to focus on fundamentals and building that endurance up in practice, and become more mentally tough. “We’re not quite to a taper yet. A big thing is kind of pushing it. A lot of them are swimmers but are new to high school swim. I have their starting times from the beginning of the season. I can show them, ‘This is where you started, this is where you’re at, now is not the time to let up. Now is the time to push even more.’ “I say how you practice is how you compete, so that’s what we focus on to get more mentally tough. We know we’re not done yet.” North Scott will head to Pleasant Valley’s pool on Thursday, and then head to Williamsburg for an invitational the following Monday. The Lancers and Bettendorf Bulldogs will have a home-and-home set to conclude the regular season. North Scott will host senior night at the YMCA on Thursday, Oct. 15, and then head south on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

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Running wild at the Williamsburg Invitational

New course, same Lancers. Tuesday (Sept. 29) was yet another good outing for the North Scott cross-country program, from both a team and individual standpoint, at the Williamsburg Invitational. This was North Scott’s first time at this event, which greatly expanded in recent days and weeks to accommodate teams impacted by the recent deluge of rain. 1,623 runners from 38 schools across junior high, junior varsity and varsity sections ran around the Williamsburg Soccer Complex. The Lancer varsity runners ran in the ‘large school’ sections, which had 136 runners in the girls’ race and 140 runners in the boys’ race, making for a tough meet not just in terms of quality of competition but also the sheer number of people on the course at once. “With a meet this size, you have to use some strategy and be aware of your positioning throughout the race,” Lancer coach Amy Knoche said. “There were a lot of bodies and footsteps on the course. At the start, the runners only had about 100 meters to funnel down into an area roughly 20 feet wide, so getting out well and putting yourself in a good position early was important. “The course itself was fairly flat, but there were some deceiving hills and inclines that could sneak up on you. There were also quite a few sharp turns. With that many runners around you, you have to plan ahead and put yourself in a good position before those tight corners. You also have to be able to adjust your pace, speeding up and slowing down as needed, without getting caught behind people. It was a good opportunity for our kids to learn that racing isn’t always just about running hard; sometimes you have to race smart and put yourself in the right position.” After all the jockeying, North Scott ended up in seventh place out of 20 scoring schools in the boys’ race, as well as 10th place out of 19 scoring schools in the girls’ race. Combined, North Scott had two runners place inside the top 20, and six runners place inside the top 45. “Our kids continue to learn how to adapt,” Knoche said. “We had a new course, different competition, and even the start times were moved up to noon. Those are all things that can potentially affect a race, but our kids did a really good job of taking everything in stride and focusing on what they could control. Cross-country doesn’t always go exactly as planned, and learning to adjust when things change is a big part of the sport. I was proud of how our kids handled the different circumstances and stayed focused on competing.” The boys’ team was down two starters on Tuesday in an effort to preserve health for the upcoming conference and state qualifying meets. The rest of the team stepped up, and the team’s senior stalwarts in Parker Hamly (17:25.99 — 18th place) and Ben Clayton (17:38.58 — 25th place) continued their solid seasons. Coming in third on the team was junior Zeke Skyles, taking 31st place overall and knocking on the door of a personal record with a 17:52.24 race. After running a 17:56 in Dubuque two weeks ago, Skyles is rounding into form at the end of the season. “Zeke has always been a really strong second-half-of-the-season runner, so it’s not a huge surprise to see him starting to come on at this point in the year,” Knoche said. “I think a big part of it is confidence. He’s getting more comfortable starting the race a little faster and then trying to hang on. Typically, Zeke has been more of a runner who starts a little slower and tries to negative split the race. He’s experimenting with a different racing strategy now, and I think he’s gaining confidence with it. He’s learning that he can put himself in the race earlier and still finish strong. It’s been fun to watch that confidence grow over the last couple of meets.” Sophomore Cooper Esch and freshman Jeremiah Stanley both scored for the team with races of 18:43.20 and 18:50.66, respectively. Freshman William Crawford (19:09.09) and senior Nate Holst (20:53.02) rounded out the boys’ lineup. The girls’ team remained steady with junior Natalie O’Flahrity (21:12.13 — 19th place), senior Khloe Hamilton (21:30.57 — 27th place) and sophomore Vivian Ohsann (22:04.19 — 45th place) pacing the team once again. Ohsann continues to make her way closer to the top two Lancers. The 34-second gap between her and Hamilton is the smallest so far this season. “Those three girls have been really consistent for us, and they did a nice job of putting themselves in position to have a good race,” Knoche said. “Natalie and Khloe have a lot of experience at this point in their careers, and they know how to manage a big race and stay focused on competing. Vivian continues to gain confidence and experience, and being just one second off of her PR was a really good sign. “It was encouraging to see the gap between Vivian and Khloe continue to shrink. That shows the progress she is making. When you have three girls competing that close together in a meet this size, it gives us a really good group to build around as we head into the final part of the season.” North Scott will head down the home stretch this week, starting with Thursday’s Jim Hetrick Invitational hosted by Central DeWitt at the Grace Lutheran Church Campgrounds. Bettendorf will host the Mississippi Athletic Conference championships this year at Crow Creek Park on Wednesday, Oct. 14. No MAC school was awarded a Class 4A state qualifying meet site, so the Lancers will load up the buses for what they hope is their penultimate race on Oct. 21. Dubuque Senior and Iowa City High are the two eastern Iowa hosts. North Scott, along with the rest of the state, will learn their fate this week.

Reynolds signs law allowing $1.4B in tax incentives for steel mill project

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Friday a measure changing a state’s economic development program that could provide nearly $1.4 billion in tax incentives for a $15 billion steel mill project planned in southeast Iowa. “Today, we advance the most consequential economic development project ever to come to our state,” Reynolds said. The governor signed House File 2801 just hours after lawmakers approved the proposal during a special session Friday, convened for the sole purpose of considering the legislation. The Iowa House approved the bill in a 75-17 vote, and the Senate approved the bill in a 28-19 vote. The proposal would modify the state’s Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program to include further incentives for businesses within rural areas, a targeted change to benefit the Mesabi Metallics project planned in Lee County. At a news conference Monday, President Donald Trump announced the steel plant was a $15 billion project. When operational — with a goal of 2030 — the steel mill is estimated to create 1,750 permanent jobs paying an average of $48 per hour, alongside 6,000 temporary construction jobs as the facility is built, state and business officials said. Rep. Matt Rinker, R-Burlington, said the project would be a major victory for southeast Iowa and was the culmination of years of work from local, state and federal officials alongside Mesabi Metallics. During his time at the Burlington City Council and as a state legislator, Rinker said he has thousands of conversations with members of his community about what was needed to bring success to the area. He told the House, “I’m proud to say that what everyone has been asking for has finally arrived.” “Our vote today isn’t just about a change to something that already exists, or just about incentives for a steel plant, or just about bringing a new industry to Iowa,” Rinker said. “It’s about mortgage payments, grocery bills, dance lessons. It’s about infrastructure and public safety. It’s about opportunities for Iowans and growing our communities while also supporting them at the same time. It’s about thousands of new homes. It’s about the revitalization of a region of our state that has experienced its fair share of tough times.” As she signed the measure into law, Reynolds thanked “everybody who helped pave the way for this moment,” including local southeast Iowa leaders, companies and workers who advocated for the business to locate in Iowa. “We don’t do this without you, so thanks for being bold and believing in this state and believing that in America we build things, and we are really going to build things right here in Iowa,” Reynolds said. “And then again, I just want to thank Mesabi Metallics for this opportunity. And we really truly look forward to a very long partnership with them and what this means for our state.” Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, who voted against the bill, called it the “largest corporate giveaway in the state of Iowa’s history.” He also warned the change to the tax incentive program for Mesabi Metallics would influence any future negotiations between the state and companies considering bringing their facilities to Iowa, “because the ceiling now becomes the floor.” “Incentives are supposed to make a good deal better, not a bad deal good,” Dawson said. “So to all my colleagues, I know you’ve been put in a difficult position. And you’ve been put into position by people and entities who, frankly, do not care. If they did, you wouldn’t be jammed with this bill in front of you today.” The bill would allow the Iowa Economic Development Authority to authorize a tax credit for a business up to 10% of the business’ qualifying investment in a rural county — an increase from the 5% tax credit currently allowed under the MEGA program for projects representing $1 billion or more in capital investment. According to analysis from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, the net impact of changes to the MEGA program’s Investment Tax Credit made by the bill would result in estimated revenue decreases to the state’s general fund of $575 million from fiscal year 2029 through 2041 — on top of the $575 million that would come under the current MEGA program structure. The MEGA program’s sales and use tax refunds and withholding tax credits are not changed by the legislation, but under the current program, Mesabi Metallics would be eligible to claim $215 million in tax incentives from FY 2028 through 2041. IEDA Director Debi Durham said this investment will provide greater benefits for Iowa through later revenue to the state, as well as an expansion of jobs and economic value to the region. “The state’s portion on the deal that is before you today (is) a 1 to 5.6% return,” Durham said. “So that means for every dollar that we invest as a state, that we get that return back. And when you think of manufacturing, it is the largest part of our gross state product — there is a multiplier of jobs attached to manufacturing, anywhere from three to five jobs will follow. When you happen to talk about a (project) as complicated as this, and as many investments, the investment being made, it is a 5-to-1 job ratio as well, meaning, for every job that they hire, there’s a follow-on job that will occur in our economy.” Rep. Carter Nordman, R-Adel, floor manager for the bill in the House, said the change is not an increased tax incentive for the MEGA program — created with wide bipartisan support in 2024 — but a way to combine the two 5% MEGA program investment tax credits that IEDA can currently offer. The IEDA has not previously awarded any MEGA program tax incentives. “The reality is we are not reinventing the wheel here,” Nordman said. “All we are doing is modernizing and combining two existing incentive programs into one, so Iowa is not on the sidelines, but actively competing on the national and global level for large projects. When creating those incentives of packages a couple years ago … this body could never have imagined the possibility of a $15 billion investment landing here.” Dawson said this was a fundamental misunderstanding of the original intent of MEGA program — a measure Dawson said he helped negotiate when it was approved in 2024. “To be clear, the intent was never 5% plus 5% equals 10%,” Dawson said. “And that the intent was never that we throw the entire farm into one basket, and it could be a ‘one and done’ proposition. We wanted to see this spread throughout Iowa.” Durham told lawmakers increasing the tax credit to 10% was necessary for Iowa to bring the steel plant to Iowa. “We basically do have to be competitive in the marketplace,” Durham said. “So, we look at deals all across the country with this type of industry, and I will say 10% is is a national average of what these businesses are getting.” Supporters say MEGA program change needed to compete against other states for steel mill The IEDA director said the states of Arkansas and Kentucky were also competing for the steel mill project, with Arkansas being “our biggest competitor.” Dawson said Senate Republicans were told Arkansas lawmakers were expected to meet in a special session called by the governor to create an offer providing “cash up front” to the company by modify their state’s recycling tax credit and funding the tax credit change by borrowing against the Arkansas teacher pension fund. He said officials who knew about the Arkansas proposal told him Arkansas officials walked away from these negotiations, “because the companies seemed to lack equity and could never locate where the equity would come from and the paperwork that they provided to the state.” “While I respect Governor Reynolds’ deep desire to bring a MEGA site to the state of Iowa before her term ends, because she wasn’t willing to walk away from this deal, it’s my belief she negotiated against herself,” Dawson said. “Because Arkansas, I do not believe, was ever actually at the table seriously. And by negotiating against herself, she negotiated against the Iowa taxpayer.” Durham also emphasized the bill is written to ensure the state will not provide tax incentives to the Mesabi Metallics if the project is not completed. The measures states the tax credit will not be issued to a business until the business begins operations, or until “a designated portion of the project” has been placed in service, and until at least half of created jobs — which must meet a qualifying wage threshold — associated with the project or a designated portion have been added to the payroll. The legislation also states the 10% tax credit will be remitted over the course of a decade. Some Democrats had questions about portions of the bill which allow the tax credit to be transferred to another person or entity. During the House subcommittee meeting on the bill, Jacoby shared concerns from a constituent that the state would not be able to claw back tax credits “against the buyer if the project goes wrong” — a statement Durham said was incorrect. “We will have not only oversight into the transferability, we will have approvals over the transferability, and so that is not correct,” Durham said. “We will be fully protected even with the transferability.” Opponents express concerns about Mesabi Metallics past Iowa GOP leaders have praised the planned steel mill, with Reynolds saying, “this opportunity will fundamentally change the economic trajectory of our state and the entire region for decades to come.” But others are cautious about the project, saying there are concerns about Mesabi Metallics’ commitment to finishing and opening the plant given the company’s history as it also seeks to open an iron ore mine in Nashwauk, a city in the Minnesota Iron Range.   The mine has not yet officially started operation. The project began in 2008, under the India-based Essar Group’s company Essar Steel Minnesota, the Des Moines Register reported. The Essar Group was founded by brothers Sashi and Ravi Ruia, and expanded to include the Minnesota company as well as a Essar Steel Algoma in Canada. Essar Steel Minnesota filed for bankruptcy protection in 2016, blocking the Minnesota governor’s attempt to revoke its mineral lease. Investors took control of the company and rebranded it as Mesabi Metallics in 2017 and came out from bankruptcy protection, before Essar Group took over the project again in 2019 under its new name. Marshall Singer, a local activist from Des Moines, shared these details about Essar Group during subcommittee meetings on the proposal. Singer also highlighted Essar Group and associated companies had received loans from a VTB, a Russian state owned-bank, according to the Guardian. VTB has been sanctioned by the European Union and other countries following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. “Iowa’s economic incentive law bars the state with providing tax credits and refunds to a business tied to a foreign adversary,” Singer said. He also added, “This will cost every taxpayer $866, and this is irresponsible when we are running a $1.4 billion dollar deficit.” Joe Broking, president and chief executive officer of Mesabi Metallics, addressed some of the comments by Singer about the Minnesota project and Essar Group. He said “there was a global commodity price collapse that happened in 2015, and there were hundreds of companies globally that went through restructurings,” not just Essar Steel Minnesota. He also said the delays of the mine construction were in part due to “certain activities by a competitor to try and stop development on the Iron Range.” Broking’s comments referenced allegations that fellow steel company Cleveland-Cliffs committed antitrust violations. Mesabi Metallics sued the company for in 2025 in a pending case. Additionally, Broking said Mesabi Metallics has “completely rebuilt all of those relationships” with Minnesota public officials, including Gov. Tim Walz, state legislators and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He also added Mesabi Metallics has “invested close to $3 billion to complete this project, and we’re about to start it now.” “And Essar Group and the Ruia family have been a fantastic partner, an absolutely wonderful partner,” Broking said. “They’ve met that commitment the entire time. They’ve invested $2 billion of their family money to complete this project, and like I said earlier, we are on the precipice of doing this.” Answering questions from Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, Durham said she believed the company would be able to complete the Iowa project. Durham said based on the company’s “capital stack,” financing from the Export–Import Bank of the United States and what it has been able to accomplish in Minnesota after “missteps,” she felt confident supporting the project. “When you see where they are today, and when you see what their business plan is, and when you see the people that are coming in and supporting them, I absolutely have no hesitation to say that they will (do) what they say,” Durham said. “And if they don’t, then we’re going to hold them accountable. But I believe that this project is a good project for the state of Iowa, and I do believe that they have the ability to pull it off.” But several lawmakers said they were not as confident as Durham in the project’s viability. Bisignano criticized how Republican leaders and the company brought about the legislation, saying it was concerning that many state legislators did not know about the proposal — or the steel mill project in general — a week before the special session. As Trump and many state leaders have touted the project as the “biggest thing to come to state of Iowa,” Bisignano said there should be more time for legislators and the public to review the project and MEGA program changes. “This should be one of those occasions where — if this is the biggest thing to come to the state of Iowa — that we as a group ought rejoice, with no suspicions, with full knowledge, with defendability when we go back home and we’re asked, ‘why are you giving away a billion and a half of my tax earnings,” Bisignano said. “… I would love to embrace a job creation, of 1,700 jobs with good wages and good benefits that’s going to help a small community that’s been struggling. Who wouldn’t? … Again, we failed. We failed to be transparent with the public, and so they also could rejoice in something like this coming to the state of Iowa.” Timing of special session, budget impacts questioned Bisignano also questioned the timing of the special session, which came just shy of a month before the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. Iowa is situated to play a key role in deciding control of Congress with several competitive U.S. House races, in addition to contentious elections for U.S. Senate and Iowa governor. This is a major change from previous recent elections where Republicans saw decisive victories. Heading into the midterms, all members of Iowa’s federal delegation are Republicans, and there are GOP majorities in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature. There were also questions about the Trump administration’s presentation of the steel mill plan. At the White House announcement, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said, “I think this deal is done” when a reporter asked if the project was contingent on approval of state or local tax breaks. Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines asked Durham “why are we here and putting more of their taxpayer dollars on the line” if the deal was finalized. “Senator, I was surprised by that comment as well, because this is not a done deal,” Durham said. “As we said, you have to pass legislation. It still has to go through the final negotiation. So, I don’t know why that that was stated. I can’t speak to that.” Nordman said he believed the comments made in the Oval Office were “more about the Minnesota mine rather than the plant itself.” While the measure was approved by both the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, the two chambers had differing views of the bill. The House committee approved the measure with bipartisan support — a 20-5 vote — while the Senate committee only narrowly passed the measure with a 10-8 vote as all Democrats, alongside Dawson and Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, voted against the measure. The majority approval from Senate Ways and Means only came after two Senate Republicans — Sens. Jeff Taylor and Dawn Driscoll — were replaced on the committee by Sens. Tim Kraayenbrink and Dan Zumbach, who voted in favor of the bill. Taylor voted against the the measure on the Senate floor. When the Iowa Senate debated the measure, Senate Democrats introduced two amendments calling for certain protections for labor unions and organizations to be codified in the legislation. Both proposals failed. Schultz said during debate he was voting against the legislation, saying, “I’m worried about paying for it, I’m worried about our budget, I am worried about the the situation we’ll find ourselves in in January.” He said the Republican trifecta at the Iowa Legislature chose to the state income tax in previous sessions with the understanding “that the key to tax cuts is controlling spending.” “As we go through, and I look back on my years in the legislature, for all of this time, tax credits have been counted against revenue as an expenditure,” Schultz said. “As we authorized additional tax credits, they were against the tax plan, as I see it, and puts us in a difficult situation where we are spending — in advance — revenue.” Iowa Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, said the package amounts to a cost of roughly $3,000 per household. “What I do want Iowans to know is this: Today is not a ribbon cutting,” Jacoby said. “… We do not have men and women in hard hats and carrying lunch buckets, ready to go to work. This truly is a concept plan right now, a concept plan with many questions. … But sadly, this is a concept that is sorely needed in our great state of Iowa.” Jacoby said he was voting in support of the bill with the hope that “this plan is real.”

Researcher warns higher vape tax could drive people back to cigarettes

As states increasingly implement taxes on alternative smoking products, research from a Des Moines University professor showed the policies could lead people to reach for cigarettes instead — impacting more than just themselves. Des Moines University Assistant Professor of Public Health Jason Semprini found in a study of state taxes on items like vapes and e-cigarettes and secondhand smoke exposure that increasing the tax by $1 on average increases a child’s chances of exposure to secondhand smoke by 16%. “As vape taxes went up, exposure to cigarette smoke in the house also increased, so, kind of a negative consequence to this well-intentioned policy,” Semprini said. “Unfortunately, we have to consider both intended and unintended consequences.” Semprini’s report, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, states that electronic nicotine delivery systems like e-cigarettes and vapes have contributed to declines in smoking cigarettes and “although not without risks or health concerns, contain fewer toxicants than combustible cigarettes.” However, taxes and regulations on the products “appear to inadvertently increase smoking rates.” Where previous research in this area has shown that policies aimed at vaping reduce the practice while pushing some people back to smoking cigarettes, Semprini said no one before him had focused on nonsmokers who live with people who smoke or vape. Using data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, Semprini said he compared trends of smoking in the house to instances of vape tax implementation and increases. The correlation he found between tax increases and smoke exposure was only present among households where the adults do not have an education beyond high school. “It’s children who live in a house of lower-educated adults or parents who are bearing the major burden of this vape tax policy,” Semprini said. According to U.S. Census data, more than 44% of Iowans hold at least an associate’s degree, and the American Lung Association reports a smoking rate among Iowa adults at 14.7%. Taxation policies vary between the more than 34 states with taxes on electronic nicotine delivery systems, according to an article from the Tax Foundation showing taxes by state as of January 2026. Semprini said states can have multiple reasons for taxing these products, from wanting to curb use among young people to seeking a new revenue stream from sales. In Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law in May imposing a 5-cent tax on vapes and other alternative nicotine products, with revenue going to the state’s healthcare trust fund and to pediatric cancer research. Semprini said the 5% tax is “really unlikely to change behavior,” but if the Iowa Legislature and state governor ever decide to increase that tax, he would expect to see a similar response in the state that he’s seen nationally through his research. “It kind of adds to the regressiveness of these types of taxes,” Semprini said. “Lower-income people have to pay more out of their own pockets relative to their income if they don’t change their behavior, and then it’s those people who are of lower socioeconomic status, lower education, their children who are bearing the negative effects of secondhand smoke exposure, which is a major predictor of future cigarette smoking.” The researcher’s next focus in this area is on older adults and reducing smoking among the population, Semprini said. Lung cancer will cause the highest number of cancer deaths in Iowa this year out of all cancer-caused deaths, according to the 2026 Cancer in Iowa report. Semprini said that in Iowa, where radon measurements are higher, those who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke see their risk of developing lung cancer go up 20 times compared to those who don’t smoke. “It’s really important knowing our cancer rates, knowing that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in Iowa, to not inadvertently cause people to go back to smoking cigarettes,” Semprini said. “We should be doing the opposite, and we should be doing that through the lens that it’s not just people who smoke, but also people who are exposed to smoking.”

France's police fire tear gas and water cannons as school protests sweep the country

More than a quarter of a million people rallied nationwide to support school students demanding more education funding, according to government figures, with thousands of arrests.

Victims identified in Mississippi River boat crash

Authorities have identified the victims of a drowning following a boat collision over the weekend on the Mississippi River near Dubuque.

REVIEW: Collected Stories at Richmond Hill Players Barn Theatre in Geneseo

Collected Stories continues at Richmond Hill Players Barn Theatre in Geneseo, Thursday through Saturday, October 8 through 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Bettendorf 7 Brew traffic concerns discussed by city leaders

Traffic backups at 7 Brew near Middle Road and Devils Glen Road have Bettendorf city leaders looking at ways to prevent future problems.

Man airlifted to Iowa City after being shot twice in Fulton

A man was airlifted to Iowa City after being shot twice in Fulton late Monday night. Fulton police are investigating and believe the incident to be isolated.

Girl Scouts kick off fall product sales program

Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois is kicking off its 2026 Fall Product Program! The program gives Girl Scouts an opportunity to practice entrepreneurial skills. Snack & Shop events were held at the council’s Bettendorf and Cedar Rapids shop locations on Saturday, October 3, allowing Girl Scouts and their families to try some [...]

Eldridge finalizes creation of new city-run fire department

The previously volunteer fire company will officially become a city department in January.

What you need to know to reduce the risk of a house fire

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'Here I am, my full, authentic self': Murray Hill charts his own course in 'Showbiz!'

Hill co-starred in HBO's Somebody Somewhere and has hosted drag king shows and queer cabarets. "This is my mantra … if you don't see yourself represented, go out and represent yourself," he says.

Fulton Police Department investigating shooting

The Fulton Police Department is investigating a report of a shooting that took place in the area of 12th Avenue and 9th Street in Fulton, according to a news release from the department. Officers responded to a report of gunshots on Oct. 5 at about 11:18 p.m. When they arrived, they found a man seated [...]

New tax credit scholarships start in 2027. Could your child qualify?

If you’re raising a child with disabilities, keeping up with all the education news is important. But it can also be overwhelming, especially when there are changes to rules or funding. The Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC), which takes effect in 2027, is a new policy that you should know about. Understood provides the details.Key takeawaysThe Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) launches in 2027. It gives individual donors up to $1,700 in federal tax credits for gifts to K–12 scholarship organizations.Families who qualify can use EFTC scholarships to pay for things like tuition and fees, tutoring, and specialized services.Two competing bills related to EFTC — one to repeal the credit, one to expand it nationwide — show how uncertain its future still is.Here’s the basic idea. The EFTC lets people donate to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). These are nonprofits that fund scholarships for school tuition, fees, and other education-related services and products. In return, donors get a federal tax credit of up to $1,700. Married couples filing jointly can donate up to $3,400 and claim the credit. That means every dollar they give, up to that amount, is one less dollar they owe in federal taxes. The EFTC isn’t only about private schools. It’s also part of a bigger conversation about public school funding.If your child receives special education services, you probably have specific questions about what this means for your family. Here’s what to know so far, as we continue to learn more about how the credit and scholarships work.How the new tax credit worksTo understand the EFTC, it helps to know where it came from. Congress created it through H.R. 1, known in the media as the One Big Beautiful Bill — a major tax bill. The EFTC comes out of that same bill.Stephanie Malia Krauss, a former school principal and education policy analyst who wrote How We Thrive: Caring for Kids and Ourselves in a Changing World, says it’s often pitched to families as a “financial pathway” — a way to help families afford a private school for their child. But the tax credit is for the donor, not the family. Here are the basics, according to Janet R. Decker, PhD, JD, professor of education law at Indiana University Bloomington:A donor gives money to an SGO. That gift lowers the donor’s federal tax bill, dollar for dollar, up to $1,700 for individuals and $3,400 for married couples filing jointly. The SGO uses the donations to fund scholarships for eligible K–12 students. A few limits to know:The credit can reduce a tax bill to $0, but it can’t create a refund. Any credit a donor doesn’t use can carry forward for up to five years. Contributions above the applicable $1,700 or $3,400 (if filing jointly) credit limit may qualify for a federal charitable tax deduction.   Which states are participatingStates choose whether to take part. As of publication, according to the IRS:30 states have opted in. New York has announced plans to join but hasn’t finalized them. Two states’ governors — in Wisconsin and Arizona — have vetoed participation. Four states have declined: Hawaii, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Oregon. As a donor, you can still claim the federal credit even if you live in a state that hasn’t opted in. You just have to donate to an SGO in a state that has. Who qualifies for the scholarshipsA lot of families could technically qualify. A report from the American Federation for Children, one of the advocacy groups that pushed for the tax credit, estimates that more than 51 million students — about nine in 10 students nationwide — are eligible for a scholarship under the EFTC’s income rules. The tax credit has an income limit of 300 percent of the area median income, adjusted for family size. Depending on where a family lives, that’s roughly $234,000 to $500,000 a year for a family of four. No matter what, you must live in a state that has opted into the program to receive a scholarship.But being eligible doesn’t guarantee a scholarship. SGOs may choose their own additional priorities, like a family’s financial need or where they live. Or they may decide to give scholarships only for qualified expenses related to specific subject areas, like science or math. It’s up to the SGO, and states can’t make rules to limit their giving beyond what the regulations already say. But SGOs must give priority to students who got a scholarship the previous year, along with their siblings. Under the proposed rules, SGOs will verify a student’s household income directly. They’d use documents like pay stubs, tax returns, IRS transcripts, W-2s. Or they’d verify through credit agencies or commercial data sources. Some families won’t have to prove their income all over again. Under the proposed rules, the Treasury Department wants to make it easier for certain families to show they qualify, without extra paperwork. This simpler process would apply if:Your child is in foster care Your household is already enrolled in certain income-based assistance programs Your child is already receiving special education or tutoring services through their school in a low-income area, like a Title I school Decker says the income limit alone could make about 90 percent of families eligible. That means the real decision comes down to the SGOs, not the income cutoff. As she puts it: “It will be a very low bar to be eligible for a scholarship. But the gatekeepers for who actually receives scholarships will be the SGOs ... there could be serious inequities that arise around who receives scholarships.” For example, she says that since SGOs make the decisions, they could choose to give $500 to one student but $50,000 to another.How qualifying families use the scholarship money The program covers more than just private-school tuition. You can use the scholarships to cover K–12 education expenses if your child is enrolled in a public, charter, religious, or private school. Homeschools and microschools may qualify, depending on how your state legally classifies them. Covered expenses include:Tuition and fees for private schools, subject to the priorities and conditions adopted by the SGO  Tutoring Books and supplies Online classes Special education servicesHow much you actually get can vary a lot. There’s no minimum or maximum scholarship amount set by the rules so far, so some scholarships may be too small to cover a big expense like tuition.The federal rules determine which schools and expenses qualify. States can’t narrow that down any further by adding their own extra restrictions — like limiting which schools you can choose or which expenses the scholarships can cover. But the rules on which services actually qualify are still thin. For example, there’s no clear definition yet of what counts as a “tutoring program,” one of the expense categories listed above. More details on qualifying expenses are expected by the end of 2026.SGOs have to exist firstNone of this money is available to you until an SGO exists to give it out. Dovi Geretz, founder of eftccredit.com, says that supply is the real bottleneck right now: “The biggest constraint is supply, not demand. A donor can’t claim the credit unless there’s an SGO on a state’s list to receive the gift, and most of the organizations that will do this work are still being formed.” Not just any organization can become an SGO. To qualify, an SGO has to:Be a registered charitable nonprofit Meet its state’s rules for accepting charitable donations Follow any other state rules that apply to nonprofits in general Register with the IRS through a separate online portal built for SGOs States that participate have to send the U.S. Department of the Treasury a list of every SGO in their state that meets these requirements. States can’t pick favorites — if an SGO qualifies, it has to be on the list.One more thing worth knowing: An SGO isn’t limited to the state it’s based in. The same SGO can operate in more than one state.What it could mean for kids with disabilitiesIf you’re raising a child with disabilities, scholarship funds could help cover: Specialized tutoring Afterschool programs Educational therapies Assistive technology Specialized curriculaPrivate schools designed for specific learning needs The most important point for families of kids with disabilities is this: Private schools don’t have to follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). That means if you send your child to a private school using EFTC funds, your child won’t have the same legal protections or services as they did in the public school. What the experts are sayingSupporters say that the EFTC could give families more control over where and how their kids learn. They also point out that the scholarships aren’t just for private schools. “Students don’t have to leave public education to benefit from it,” says Thomas Arnett, senior research fellow in education at the Clayton Christensen Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization. He explains that most voucher and education savings account (ESA) programs require students to leave public school to qualify. The EFTC doesn’t. It can cover expenses your child might have while attending public schools, too.But other experts have serious concerns about access, oversight, the effects on public schools, and which families will benefit.Decker says critics have already given the credit a blunt label: a “national private school voucher program funded through tax breaks for the wealthy that threatens to dismantle our system of public schools.”She’s concerned about where the money comes from and where it goes. She worries the credit gives the federal government a strong financial incentive to take funding away from public schools and toward private ones — funding she says could be “detrimental to students with disabilities and our democratic society.” One specific worry she has is segregation. “Private schools do not have the same legal obligations to enroll or serve students with disabilities,” Decker says. She’s concerned that the credit could push more students with disabilities into religious and disability-specific private schools instead of general public ones. Krauss shares a related concern about how the program will be carried out: “There’s such a lack of transparency and planning and capacity building connected to this going into effect, and how the dollars actually get to kids and families who need them.”Other bills that could change how EFTC worksCongress isn’t done shaping the EFTC. Since it passed, lawmakers have introduced two more bills that would push it in opposite directions.One would end the program entirely before it even begins. Senators Mark Kelly and Mazie Hirono introduced the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act (S. 4297) in April 2026. It’s supported by more than 150 education and advocacy groups, including the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. As of publication, it’s been sitting in the Senate Finance Committee since it was referred there in April. There’s no hearing or vote scheduled.The other bill would expand EFTC. Representative Adrian Smith introduced H.R. 10412 in September 2026. It would eliminate the rule requiring states to opt in. If this bill becomes law, students in every state would be eligible for the scholarships, no matter what their state decides. Neither bill has passed as of publication. But together, they show just how unsettled the EFTC’s future still is.What families should do nowThe Treasury Department’s proposed rules to get the program started are open for public comments until the end of November 2026. Here’s the general timeline:The program starts January 1, 2027. States must decide to join by then.  States that opt in must finalize their list of SGOs by February 15, 2027. But SGOs that already meet the requirements and have completed their paperwork can accept donations starting January 1, 2027. Donors won’t get their tax credit until 2028. The final regulations won’t be in place until 2028. Congress could still change or repeal the program at any point. Here’s what you can do now to stay ahead of it:Check whether your state is participating and follow updates on your state’s status. Watch for which SGOs get approved, how applications work, which expenses qualify, and when scholarship applications open. Decker also suggests watching for SGOs that show interest in providing scholarships for students with disabilities. Share your opinion during public comment periods. Follow other education news — like how the Trump administration is changing federal oversight of special education — to understand the bigger picture around this tax credit.If you care about how this could affect your child’s education, staying informed now is the best way to be ready for whatever happens next.This story was produced by Understood and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Man shot 2 times in late night Fulton shooting

A man was shot two times Monday night in Fulton, according to the Fulton Police Department.

Greece’s Golden Visa approvals nearly doubled in 2025 as applications fell

Enterprise Greece reported 8,879 initial Golden Visa permits in 2025, nearly double its published 2024 count of 4,535. The Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s December 2024 monthly table sums to 4,536, a one-permit difference that does not change the year-over-year picture.The rise in approvals did not come with a rise in new investor applications. The ministry’s latest tables put new investor applications at 7,021 in 2025, down from 9,372 in 2024. That is a fall of about 25%. Approvals climbed because officials were deciding cases already in the system, including applications lodged in earlier years. As Aegalis reports below, the people approved in 2025 were not necessarily the people who applied in 2025.Applications measure new files entering the system, while approvals count initial permits issued. A large queue allows the two measures to move in opposite directions.Officials worked through older filesThe ministry reports Golden Visa decisions by the month in which a permit decision was issued. Its December 2025 report recorded 620 initial approvals in January, 640 in February and progressively larger monthly totals through much of the year. July was the busiest month, with 916 initial permits approved.The pace slowed in August, then rose again. October produced 875 initial approvals, while December added 828. Together, the 12 monthly figures produced the 8,879 total highlighted by Enterprise Greece.Those numbers were not limited to applications submitted during 2025. The same report showed 9,958 initial investor applications still pending at year-end, including 4,437 filed in 2024 and 4,846 filed in 2025.The queue has since fallen. By July 2026, the ministry reported 6,315 pending initial investor cases, with 1,902 dating from 2024 and 1,965 from 2025. That is consistent with a higher case-clearing volume, not proof that every file was being processed faster or that new demand was accelerating. The Aegalis processing and backlog tracker compiles the official monthly counts without turning them into a national processing-time estimate, which the ministry does not publish.The underlying tables are live administrative records and are revised as cases are updated. A January 2026 edition, for example, revised several of the 2025 monthly totals and lifted the calendar-year count to 9,017. Enterprise Greece’s February newsletter retained the 8,879-versus-4,535 comparison. The small discrepancy is a useful warning against treating a rolling permit database like a fixed census.Turkey gained ground, while China remained the largest groupNationality figures answer a different question. They show the stock of active initial investor permits at a point in time, not how many people from each country were approved during the year.At the end of 2025, Chinese nationals held 9,926 active initial investor permits, or 47.9% of the total. Turkish nationals were second with 3,291, equal to 15.9%. Lebanon, Iran, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States followed.The year-over-year changes were large. Turkey’s count rose from 1,268 in December 2024 to 3,291 in December 2025, an increase of about 160%. Israel rose from 332 to 636, up 91.6%. China increased from 6,457 to 9,926, up 53.7%, while Iran rose 52.5% and the United States 49%.The trend continued into 2026. By July, Chinese nationals held 12,485 active initial investor permits, and Turkish nationals held 4,975. China’s share was 47.5%, while Turkey’s had reached 18.9%.The nationality table records active permits, not approvals issued during the year. Turkish nationals held 3,291 active initial permits at the end of 2025. The table does not provide an annual flow of approvals by nationality.Family permits also sit outside the main-investor count. At the end of 2025, the ministry listed 40,902 active initial permits for investors’ family members, compared with 20,732 for investors themselves. Combining the two without a label would more than double the apparent size of the investor population.Why applications fell after a record 2024The 2024 application surge came as Greece changed the property rules and closed a transition window for purchases under the previous thresholds. Applicants who met the transition conditions could retain the older terms. The deadline likely encouraged some applicants to bring qualifying transactions forward, contributing to the 2024 filing surge.Under the current property framework, the standard minimum is 800,000 euros in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and Greek islands with more than 3,100 residents. It is 400,000 euros elsewhere. The 250,000 euro property route is limited to qualifying commercial-to-residential conversions and listed-building restorations; it is not a nationwide price tier for an ordinary apartment.The standard 400,000 euro and 800,000 euro routes require one property with at least 120 square meters of main space. Short-term letting and subleasing are prohibited for a property used to qualify for the permit. Eligibility still depends on the route, asset and evidence in an individual file.What the 2025 figures actually showThe strongest conclusion is about administrative volume. Greece issued far more initial investor permits in 2025 than it had in 2024, while about 25% fewer new applications entered the system. By July 2026, the stock of pending initial investor applications was lower than at the end of 2025.The nationality data shows a second change. China remained the dominant source country, but Turkey’s share rose quickly and continued to increase in the first seven months of 2026. Israel, Iran and the United States also recorded sizable gains in active initial permits during 2025.What the data does not establish is why any individual applied, which property was purchased or whether the higher approval count will persist once older cases are cleared. Those questions require different evidence.This story was produced by Aegalis and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Eldridge moves forward with fire department takeover after talks collapse

Eldridge city officials vote to make the volunteer fire department city-run after negotiations with firefighters collapse.

Preparing for health emergencies: Your financial readiness

Health events rarely come with warning and often bring medical bills, income disruption, and time‑sensitive financial decisions. Wells Fargo professionals share strategies for how to prepare for and respond to a medical emergency financially.Key takeawaysHealth emergencies often create both medical costs and income disruption, making liquidity just as important as insurance coverage.Using insurance first, then backup resources like emergency savings, health savings accounts, and lines of credit can help stabilize finances during a crisis.Income protection tools such as short‑ and long‑term disability can help provide a critical financial bridge when you’re unable to work.Clear legal documents and shared decision‑making plans can help your family act quickly and avoid added stress during emergencies.What to do during a medical emergencyWhen a health crisis happens, the first few days bring a rush of decisions. The following steps can help stabilize your finances while you and your family focus on care.Use your insurance firstYour health insurance is typically your first line of defense for hospitalizations, emergency room and urgent care visits, tests, and treatments. “Insurance should not be underestimated in terms of its value,” said Bob Petix, private wealth strategist with Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management.Health emergencies can hit at any age, so it’s important for younger family members to understand how protections like short‑term disability and supplemental insurance can help reduce long‑term financial disruption.“For people in their 20s who don’t think they need or can afford insurance — especially if they’re between jobs or don’t have steady income — all it takes is one health event, like breaking a leg skiing or an appendectomy, to see why it matters,” said Lorilee Mills, a family dynamics, education, and governance consultant with Wealth & Investment Management.Access backup funds to cover immediate costsEven with strong coverage, medical emergencies often create immediate out‑of‑pocket needs: deductibles, copays, prescriptions, travel for treatment, child care, and other support.This is where an emergency fund becomes essential. Having readily available cash helps you cover urgent costs without disrupting your longer‑term financial plans.If you have one, you can also tap your health savings account (HSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), or flexible spending account (FSA), all of which are designed to help pay for qualified medical expenses with built‑in tax advantages.If you need an additional source of cash, consider using an existing line of credit. As Petix explained, a line of credit isn’t just for borrowing. “It’s a protective tool,” he said. “Having it in place gives you flexibility to absorb an unforeseen event without devastating your situation.”Consider family support for uncovered medical expensesFamily members may be willing to help cover medical expenses. And, under current tax rules, when they pay medical providers directly, that support may be tax‑free.“Parents helping with medical bills is gift‑tax-free if the payment goes directly to the provider,” said Petix. “And there’s no limit to the amount.”Health emergency financial safety checklistKeep insurance current: Review health, disability, and long-term care coverage for any gaps.Build or maintain your emergency fund: Keep fast‑access cash for deductibles, medications, travel, or short‑term care.Fund your health savings account: Contribute regularly so you have tax‑advantaged dollars available for qualified medical expenses.Set up backup credit: A home equity line of credit (HELOC) or securities‑backed line of credit offers flexibility without pressure.Organize essential documents: Store powers of attorney, directives, and beneficiary information where your trusted people can find them.Meet with your advisor team: Review “what if” scenarios regularly to prepare for costs, decisions, and liquidity needs.Activate income protection if you can’t workIncome protection isn’t just about replacing wages; it’s about buying time. A serious diagnosis or accident may require follow‑up appointments, rest periods, or caregiving duties that make it difficult for you to return to normal working hours right away, so it’s important to have a strategy for replacing lost income.Your employer’s short‑term or long‑term disability coverage can help if you’re the one who’s ill or recovering. You may also be eligible for parental leave, time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), or Critical Caregiving Leave. Whichever route you take, filing as early as possible may enable you to have money coming in during the first days and weeks.If you’re self-employed, consider individual disability coverage. “For people whose income depends on their hours, a health emergency isn’t just about medical care costs,” said Mariana Martinez, family dynamics, education, and governance consultant with Wealth & Investment Management. “It’s that you’re not working, which means you’re not earning.”Pause before making snap decisionsBefore draining a savings account or selling assets under pressure, take a moment to weigh the trade‑offs. If you’re feeling a strain on your overall financial picture, you could be on your way to financial overextension.Together, emergency savings, tax‑advantaged accounts, lines of credit, and income protections can create a bridge during recovery and help protect your long‑term goals, even when your ability to work is temporarily interrupted.How to build financial resilience before a medical emergencySome of the most difficult financial decisions during a health crisis can be avoided with planning done well in advance. Taking time to understand your coverage, organize key documents, and clarify who can act on your behalf can help ensure you and your family aren’t scrambling later.Mills encourages clients to run what‑if scenarios, asking what happens if they’re unable to work for several weeks or months, and how that disruption would affect their family.Know your coverage before you need itResearch your medical plan ahead of time to confirm which providers and services are in network, since costs are typically lower when you stay within your plan’s coverage. Even a single out‑of‑network charge, such as an ambulance ride, can result in a bill for thousands of dollars.Prepare legal documents before you need themPowers of attorney and advance health directives allow trusted individuals to make decisions or move funds on your behalf if you’re unable to do so. “Without these documents, no one can move money during your emergency,” said Martinez.A health crisis doesn’t always affect only the patient. When a parent or family member needs care, the financial impact can extend to adult children who may need time away from work or help covering costs. Clarifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations early, especially among siblings, can help reduce stress and prevent conflict during already difficult moments. “Really putting together a game plan can help prevent havoc, in my view,” Mills said.Ensure someone can access accounts and make decisionsIn some situations, a family member may need to step in to handle bills, speak with providers, or access accounts. If important permissions aren’t already in place, you may need to grant temporary access or share critical documents so care decisions aren’t delayed.If a crisis becomes long‑term or escalates, family members may need access to your accounts or documents. Clear instructions and advance planning help reduce stress and prevent delays.Insurance optimization: Understand your protectionReviewing your insurance regularly can help you understand where you’re protected and where gaps could create surprises.Health insurance: This is your primary protection. Know how your plan handles network care, deductibles, and emergency services so you’re not paying the full cost out of pocket.Short‑term disability: Financial protection designed to maintain income stability during recovery.Long‑term disability: Offers income replacement for serious or prolonged medical events.Critical illness insurance: Pays a lump-sum cash benefit directly to you (not to your providers) if you’re diagnosed with a covered serious condition, commonly cancer, heart attack, or stroke. Funds can be used for any expense.Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D): Pays a lump-sum cash benefit directly to you (not to your providers) if you die or suffer certain serious injuries, such as losing a limb, sight, hearing, or speech, as the result of an accident.Long‑term care insurance: Helps cover ongoing in‑home support, assisted living, or nursing care if daily activities become difficult due to chronic illness, disability, or cognitive impairment.Hospital indemnity insurance: Pays a fixed cash benefit when you’re hospitalized, regardless of your actual costs. You can use the money for anything you need: deductibles, copays, transportation, child care, lost wages, or other unexpected expenses during a medical emergency.Medicare is a federal health insurance program mainly for people 65 and older, as well as certain younger people with disabilities or end‑stage renal disease. It helps cover hospital care, doctor visits, prescription drugs, and other medical services, but typically requires premiums, deductibles, and cost‑sharing.Health emergencies can unfold quickly, so knowing where to turn is crucial. Understanding your coverage, having access to emergency funds and ways to protect your income, and putting the right documents and permissions in place can help you and your family focus on care. Working with a financial advisor can help you prepare for these moments.FAQWhat financial preparations should I make for unexpected medical bills?Build up your emergency savings, put money into an HSA or FSA if you have one, and make sure any supplemental policies like hospital indemnity or critical illness are up to date so you’re not caught off guard.How do I manage caregiving costs if my own health crisis overlaps with caring for parents?Create a shared budget, talk openly about responsibilities, and plan together so caregiving costs don’t fall on one person.What insurance policies should I review to protect myself and my spouse?Take a look at your health insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability coverage, long‑term care insurance, and any supplemental policies that help with hospital stays, accidents, or serious illnesses.How do I protect my estate if a health crisis becomes long term?Keep powers of attorney, advance directives, and beneficiary designations current, and work with your advisor and CPA on a plan for liquidity if you need access to funds over an extended period.Are there tax advantages for medical emergency planning?HSAs and FSAs offer helpful tax benefits, and in some cases family members can pay medical providers directly without triggering a gift tax. A tax professional can help you understand what applies in your situation.This story was produced by Wells Fargo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

The 5 states leaving billions in gambling money on the table

California could plausibly support a regulated online gambling market worth roughly $12 billion a year. That would bring in more than $1 billion in tax revenue for the state every year. But California doesn’t have a regulated online gambling market. Neither does Texas, at an estimated $9.5 billion. Between them, two of the country's largest states are not participating in a regulated market that would rank among the biggest in America, and both have repeatedly declined to build one.For this analysis, Bodog took actual 2025 revenue from states with mature regulated gambling markets, adjusted for population, and applied that rate to states missing the same products.Building the EstimateFour states anchor the model: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Connecticut, all of which report full-year online casino and online sports betting revenue. In 2025, New Jersey generated $2.91 billion in iGaming revenue and $1.18 billion in sports betting revenue, a combined $4.09 billion. Pennsylvania posted roughly $2.93 billion in iGaming revenue and $867.8 million in sports betting, per the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Michigan cleared $3.77 billion combined, and Connecticut posted $973.4 million.Divide each figure by the state's estimated adult population, using 78% of total population as a standard adult-share estimate drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, and a pattern emerges. New Jersey generates about $552 per adult, Michigan $477, Pennsylvania $331, and Connecticut $339.The four-state average comes to roughly $435 per adult. To avoid overstating potential demand in states without established online markets, the analysis discounts that figure by about 10%, using a conservative benchmark of $390 per adult. Bodog Multiply a state’s adult population by the benchmark, and you get a rough estimate of what a regulated market there could support. States missing both online casino and online sports betting get the full combined rate. Florida is the exception: It already has legal mobile sports betting through the Seminole Tribe's compact, so it only gets the lower, casino-only rate. Bodog Florida's position says as much about the model as it does about Florida. Georgia and Minnesota have zero regulated online sports betting or online casino products at all, and yet Florida, despite already running legal mobile sports betting, still lands ahead of both simply because its population includes roughly 18 million adults.Georgia's House rejected a sports betting constitutional amendment in March, with just 63 lawmakers voting for it, far short of the 120 votes required.Texas hasn't passed anything either; its legislature adjourned in June 2025 without advancing a single gambling bill, and the next real shot isn't until 2027.Minnesota (at roughly $1.8 billion) narrowly grabs the final spot. Despite a population approaching six million, the state still has no regulated online sportsbook or casino market. Minnesota has gone further than many holdouts, targeting offshore gambling and sweepstakes operators while also passing a law aimed at prediction markets. Under this population-based model, that leaves roughly $1.8 billion in potential annual regulated online gambling revenue on the table.South Carolina (roughly $1.7 billion), Alabama (roughly $1.6 billion) and Utah (roughly $1.1 billion) sit just outside the top five. In Utah, the state constitution bans gambling outright. Hawaii, the other state with zero legal gambling, lands at around $440 million, showing how the model scales down as population shrinks.Prohibition Doesn't Mean People Aren't GamblingNone of this money simply disappears. The American Gaming Association's own research puts illegal and unregulated gaming revenue at $53.9 billion nationally, costing states more than $15 billion in lost tax revenue every year. Offshore and bookie-run sports betting alone accounts for an estimated $84 billion in handle, or amount wagered, and roughly $5 billion in revenue, according to the same AGA analysis.Sweepstakes casinos, which operate in a dual-currency model that sidesteps most state gambling statutes, remain available in Texas, Florida and Georgia even though none of those states regulates real-money online gambling. California is the outlier there, too, having banned sweepstakes-style platforms outright starting January 1, 2026.Prediction Markets Make the State Border Even BlurrierFederally regulated prediction markets add a genuinely new wrinkle. Kalshi and Polymarket self-certify under Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight rather than state gambling law, which means residents of Texas, California, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama can already trade contracts on the Super Bowl, the World Series, or a presidential race without their state ever legalizing a single sportsbook.How Much Tax Revenue Could Be at Stake?Revenue and tax revenue aren't the same thing. At a conservative 10% tax rate, California's estimated $12 billion market would generate roughly $1.2 billion a year in state tax revenue; at 20%, that climbs to $2.4 billion. Georgia's proposed lottery-run model and South Carolina's stalled bill haven't settled on final tax rates, so scenario ranges are more appropriate than a single number here. Bodog The Limits of This ModelThis estimate is simple, while the states in question are anything but. So many factors are at play when a state considers legalizing betting, including licensing fees, number of available licenses, land-based tethers, tax models, and more. Plus, demand for gambling is uneven.Tourism-heavy states, existing tribal casinos, neighboring-state access, and market maturity all push real numbers up or down from a flat per-adult rate. Nevada's proximity effect alone probably suppresses Utah's true demand below what a population-only model would suggest, and Florida's tribal gaming footprint complicates its own online casino math in ways a simple benchmark can't capture.States Can Ban Gambling, But Not Gambling DemandA state can decline to regulate online casinos or sportsbooks, and several of the country's largest states have done exactly that, repeatedly, for years. None of them can guarantee that residents will stop gambling, considering offshore books, sweepstakes platforms, and now federally regulated prediction markets.MethodologyThese figures apply the roughly $390 combined per-adult benchmark (or the roughly $300 casino-only rate for Florida) to each state's estimated adult population, derived from 2024 Census population estimates at a uniform 78% adult share. This article reflects gambling revenue reported by the American Gaming Association for 2025. Bodog took the numbers provided by the AGA for states with mature gambling markets, adjusted for population, and extrapolated that rate to the biggest states with no legal gambling.These are estimates based on a simple model and should not be taken as forecasts.This story was produced by Bodog and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

State Farm raising Illinois homeowners insurance rates by 8%

It may not cause the sticker shock of last year’s whopping increase, but State Farm is set to raise homeowners insurance rates in Illinois by another nearly 8% this fall.

Here are the finalists for the 2026 National Book Awards

Three-time National Book Award finalist Edwidge Danticat and debut novelist Morgan Thomas are up for the fiction prize. Nonfiction books cover the prison system and music, and queer parenthood.

What is the difference between R-value and U-factor in garage doors?

R-value and U-factor are metrics used to determine a garage door's insulation effectiveness and efficiency. These garage door insulation standards are not universal rules; the values vary depending on climate and usage. This guide from Clopay explores how to choose the right garage door based on R-value and U-factor.What Is R-Value in Garage Doors?R-value is the metric most homeowners recognize when shopping for building materials. You may see it displayed on the rolls of fiberglass insulation at hardware stores. It's also frequently highlighted in garage door marketing materials.What Does R-Value Measure?R-value measures thermal resistance, indicating how well a material, such as the polyurethane or polystyrene foam inside a garage door panel, resists the flow of heat. This tells you how well a garage door maintains indoor temperatures — keeping a garage warm when it’s cold out and cool when it’s warm out.Understanding Thermal ResistanceThe “R” in R-value stands for resistance. This metric focuses on how difficult it is for heat energy to move from one side of a material to the other. A higher number indicates greater resistance, which translates to better insulating power.Think of R-value like the thickness of a winter coat. A thin windbreaker offers minimal resistance to the cold, representing a low R-value. A thick, down-filled parka creates a substantial barrier that traps body heat and prevents cold air from reaching your skin, representing a high R-value. In a garage door, a higher R-value means the insulation core is more effective at slowing heat transfer.How R-Value Is CalculatedIt's important to understand that R-value typically applies to the insulating material inside an installed garage door rather than the entire door. Garage door manufacturers often use the “calculated door section R-value." This calculation is based on a door's insulation and the steel skins at a single point in the center of the door section.This method estimates the insulating value of a door section but does not account for the complexities of the full assembly. It assumes heat only travels through the single insulated point. It does not account for heat that might escape through the metal stiles, joints between sections or the perimeter of the door.What Constitutes a Good R-Value?The ideal R-value for your home primarily depends on the climate where you live and your home's construction. Here’s how R-values can vary:Detached garages: If your garage is a stand-alone structure that isn’t heated or cooled, a lower R-value of R-6 or R-9 may be sufficient. The primary goal is to add rigidity to the door and dampen noise rather than maintain strict temperature control.Attached garages: If your garage is attached to your home, shares walls with a living space or has a bedroom above it, a higher R-value is recommended. R-values between R-12 and R-18 or higher can significantly reduce the thermal load on your home.Extreme climates: Homes in regions with extremely cold temperatures or intense summer heat typically require maximum R-values. Higher R-values prevent garages in harsh climates from becoming a thermal liability.While R-value is a useful baseline for comparing the quality of insulation foam, it's not the only piece of the puzzle. For a complete picture of energy efficiency, you also need to consider a door's U-factor.What Is U-Factor in Garage Doors?U-factor is the standard National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) rating for windows and doors. It provides a more complete view of how a product performs in real-world conditions.What Does U-Factor Measure?U-factor measures thermal transmittance. Rather than measuring resistance like R-value, U-factor indicates how quickly heat flows through a material or assembly. This is particularly important for garage doors, which have multiple components. U-factor accounts for all of those components rather than focusing on a single insulated point within the door section.Understanding Thermal TransmittanceA garage door's U-factor indicates how much heat escapes per hour. Since it measures the rate of heat loss, a lower number is better. A U-factor of 0.10 represents slow heat loss and high efficiency, while a U-factor of 1.00 represents rapid heat loss and low efficiency.A helpful analogy is to think of wearing a winter coat and shorts in a snowstorm. A high R-value is like a warm winter coat, while U-factor represents the entire outfit. Even with a winter coat, you wouldn’t be warm wearing shorts in a snowstorm.Similarly, a high R-value paired with a high U-factor won’t keep you warm in cold temperatures. A door with a high R-value and low U-factor offers the greatest temperature control and efficiency.The Tested Assembly DifferenceManufacturers must determine the U-factor by testing the entire door assembly, not just the center panel. This testing process involves placing the entire garage door into a thermal chamber and testing all of its components, including:WindowsTracksHardwareSealsSectionsThe thermal chamber maintains a specific temperature difference between the inside and outside of the door. Sensors then measure exactly how much energy is required to maintain that temperature difference. This means the U-factor accounts for:Thermal bridging: Thermal bridging is the path of least resistance for heat to flow. For garage doors, this can occur through metal-on-metal contact.Joint leakage: Joint leakage refers to heat that escapes through the horizontal sections of the door.Perimeter seals: Energy may escape around the edges where the door meets the jambs and header.Glazing: Glazing refers to the windows installed in the garage door. Windows can be a significant point of thermal transfer because glass and framing typically have lower thermal resistance than insulated solid sections. Untreated glass sections can facilitate heat gain during summer and heat loss during winter.Building scientists and energy codes widely consider U-factor to be an accurate performance metric for an entire door system because it accounts for traditionally weaker points in a door's construction. However, it is less commonly advertised in residential brochures than R-value, which can make comparison shopping more difficult.If a door's U-factor isn’t listed, you can typically find it on the manufacturer's website. You can also check the door's NFRC label for the U-factor.R-Value vs. U-Factor: A Direct ComparisonWhen comparing different garage door models, it helps to evaluate R-value and U-factor simultaneously. While they are related, each value reports on different aspects of performance. Their primary differences are:Measurement focus: R-value measures a door's resistance to heat flow, while U-factor measures the rate or speed of heat transfer.Direction of efficiency: A higher R-value indicates better insulation. Conversely, a lower U-factor indicates better energy efficiency.Scope of rating: R-value in garage doors typically refers to the calculated insulation value at a single insulated point on a door section. U-factor refers to the tested performance of the entire door assembly, including the frame and rails.How Do R-Value and U-Factor Affect Energy Costs?Understanding how R-value and U-factor affect your energy costs is the next step toward choosing the right garage door. A garage door's thermal performance can affect your monthly energy bills, especially if you have an attached garage.The Buffer Zone EffectAn attached garage serves as a buffer between the outdoors and the temperature-controlled space inside your home. If the door is poorly insulated, with a low R-value and a high U-factor, the temperature inside the garage can fluctuate significantly. In winter, a cold garage can draw heat from your home through the shared walls and the access door. In the summer, a hot garage can radiate heat into your home and force your air conditioner to work harder.Installing a door with a high R-value and a low U-factor can help moderate your garage's indoor temperature and reduce the thermal strain on your home's heating system, potentially lowering energy bills.The "Room Above the Garage" ConsiderationA garage can also affect your energy costs if your home has a living space, such as a master bedroom or bonus room, directly above the garage. In these designs, the bedroom's floor is also the garage's ceiling. If the garage is cold, the floor of the room above it can become an energy sink.A well-insulated garage door can help stabilize the temperature inside the garage. This can make the living space above it more comfortable, and may reduce the runtime of your furnace or air conditioning system.Air Leakage and DraftsWhile door section insulation is an important part of thermal efficiency, it becomes irrelevant if gaps allow cold air to flow into your garage. A well-sealed garage door helps prevent heat loss in the winter and cool air in the summer.What Else Affects a Garage Door's Ratings?The following variables can impact a garage door's ratings:Thermal BreaksA thermal break is a critical feature in metal garage doors. Steel is highly conductive. Without a thermal break, the steel on the exterior of the door touches the steel on the interior. This creates a “thermal bridge” that allows heat to bypass the insulation entirely and flow through the metal.Highly energy-efficient doors use a thermal break, which is typically a strip of rigid composite or rubber. This break separates the interior and exterior steel skins, forcing heat to travel through the insulation.Weatherstripping and SealsHeat or air conditioning can escape through any area where air infiltrates a door, regardless of its insulation. The vital components of a weather sealing system include:Bottom seal: The bottom seal is a heavy-duty, flexible vinyl or rubber strip at the bottom of the garage door. It should conform to the floor to effectively block drafts and water.Perimeter seals: Perimeter seals are vinyl stops mounted to the door jambs. They seal the top and sides of the door when it's closed.Section joints: Your garage door's section joints are where the individual horizontal panels meet. They are connected by hinges and feature either panel weatherstripping or meeting rail seals to block air. Some doors feature built-in thermal gaskets with tongue-and-groove joint designs.Door Material and ConstructionA door's construction method plays a significant role in longevity and sustained performance. You can find garage doors in the following designs:Sandwich construction: Sandwich construction features insulation between two steel panels. The steel backing serves as a rigid, airtight panel that protects the insulation from potential damage.Foam insulation: In a foam-insulated garage door, manufacturers inject polyurethane insulation into a panel. The foam expands and fills every crevice of the panel, bonding to the steel skins. This typically yields a higher R-value per inch compared to Styrofoam-polystyrene sheets that glue into place.Windows and GlazingWhile windows enhance a garage door's curb appeal, they can also lower its overall energy efficiency. Choosing windows carefully is essential if you want to maximize energy efficiency.An insulated glass package offers the most energy efficiency, with two panes of glass separated by a sealed airspace. This design is similar to the energy-efficient windows installed on homes. Standard, single-pane glass offers less thermal resistance and allows conditioned air to escape faster.How to Choose the Right Insulated Door for Your HomeNow that you understand the mechanics and metrics, you can decide which type of door is right for you. There is no single ideal R-value or U-factor for all homes. Use the following tips to choose the best door based on your location and lifestyle:1. Assess Your Climate ZoneYour home's geographic location is one of the most important factors when choosing a garage door. Consider which types of insulation are best for the following climates:Northern climates: Northeast states, Midwest states and mountain regions typically have harsh winters. If your home is in a northern area, prioritize a high R-value and low U-factor for optimal efficiency. Look for doors with polyurethane insulation and thermal breaks.Moderate and southern climates: It's also important to look for a high R-value and low U-factor in the South, as doors with these ratings help keep cool air inside during hot summers.You can also check where your location falls on the U.S. Department of Energy's map of climate zones to determine your ideal R-value.2. Determine the Garage TypeIs your garage attached or detached? If your garage shares walls with your house, consider investing in the highest thermal performance your budget allows.Insulation is less critical for stand-alone garages, unless you plan to heat the space. A lower R-value and a higher U-factor are acceptable if your garage is detached and used only for parking.3. Consider Garage UsageModern garages are often more than spaces to park cars. You might use your garage as a workshop, laundry room, home gym or play area. Comfort is essential in these cases, so it's best to opt for a door with a high R-value and low U-factor. A well-insulated door is also necessary if you use the garage to store temperature-sensitive items such as paint, food supplies or electronics. This helps prevent freezing and overheating that could lead to damage.Insulation may not be a high priority if you only use your garage to park your car or store items that are not sensitive to temperature fluctuations. In these cases, you can opt for a door with a low R-value and high U-factor.Finding the Right Balance of Performance and StyleNavigating the technical details of R-value and U-factor is the first step toward greater home efficiency. While R-value reveals a door's section insulation quality and thickness, U-factor provides a more comprehensive view of the entire door's ability to seal your garage. Both numbers indicate how much comfort, efficiency and long-term savings you can expect from a door.The best garage door for your home is one that balances insulation with style and durability. Look beyond the surface and evaluate the thermal properties of the entire opening. This ensures your investment improves the look of your home while also enhancing its feel and function.Once you determine the ideal R-value and U-factor for your home, you can focus on finding the color and design that match your vision. Modern garage doors come in a wide variety of styles and finishes to enhance your home's curb appeal.This story was produced by Clopay and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Small business cybersecurity: The low-cost basics that stop most attacks

For many small business owners, cybersecurity sits somewhere below invoices, payroll, and the customer waiting at the counter. With so much going into running a business, investment in cybersecurity often falls to the back burner.But cybersecurity can often be cheaper and easier than owners think. Below, Xero explores how the highest-return cybersecurity controls are typically free or low-cost, yet adoption remains a problem.Why attackers target small businessesBusiness owners may think they’re too small to matter, but this idea isn’t actually true. Small and medium businesses record nearly four times as many confirmed breaches as large organizations, according to the Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR). Attackers like easy targets, and businesses with 20 or fewer staff usually have fewer defenses than large enterprises.The good news: Most incidents are rarely business-ending. Hiscox found that while 56% of U.S. small businesses had at least one cyber attack between mid-2024 and mid-2025, only 25% said it threatened their business viability. The risk is real, but most of the time it’s survivable.The rare attack can cause lasting damage. According to a recent IBM report, a data breach averages $10.22 million in the U.S. That’s usually for larger companies. Small businesses likely won’t see a bill that large, but when cash flow is your lifeline, any unexpected costs can feel huge. While most attacks are survivable, the rare bad ones can threaten a business, which makes a strong case for closing the easy gaps first.Low-cost defenses most owners skipThe protections that block most of these attacks are cheap or free, but they often don’t get used. Take multi-factor authentication (MFA), for example. This is a system requiring a second check before logging in, most often found with software that includes financial or sensitive data. According to JumpCloud, only 27% of businesses with 25 or fewer employees use MFA, even though it’s one of the highest-return controls a small team can turn on.The same gap shows up in other places. According to Guardz 2025 SMB Cybersecurity Report:Only 34% of small businesses have a written incident response plan (what to do when a cyberattack happens)Twenty-seven percent have no cyber insuranceMost owners improvise when an attack happens, which is the worst time to figure out a planThis gap is how attackers get in. Stolen passwords were the primary action in 33% of small-business breaches, per the Verizon DBIR report, which is exactly what MFA blocks off.How AI is changing the threatWith the rise of AI tools, cyber attacks are increasing. AI-generated text in spam emails doubled over two years, according to Verizon’s DBIR research. The old advice of watching out for typos and clumsy grammar is no longer sufficient. AI models can write clean, personalized phishing at scale and mimic the tone of a supplier or manager. This makes phishing and ransomware campaigns cheaper for cyberattackers to run. Deepfake impersonation of a voice or face adds another layer of false credibility.This changes what defense and protection around cybersecurity needs to be in the age of AI. Verification should be at the forefront of this plan. Before any money moves or passwords change, actually verify who’s asking. Call the number you know, or confirm through a separate channel. Trust the person, not the message.A cybersecurity checklist to run this weekFollow these high-return steps to protect against cyber attacks:Turn on MFA everywhere it’s offered, starting with email and banking.Use a password manager so every account gets a long, unique password.Keep software and devices updated, and switch on automatic updates where possible.Back up critical data on a regular schedule, and test that it actually works.Add a verification step for any change to payment details or supplier bank accounts.Train the team to treat urgency and pressure in a message as warning signs.Write a simple incident plan that names who to call and what to do first.These small steps can result in a huge payoff, and a lot of them are just habits.Attacks on small businesses are common and rising. The defenses that actually work are simple. The only real step is turning on the basics.This story was produced by Xero and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Legendary filmmaker John Waters isn’t running for president. But he does want to take over the world — with humor

John Waters has been called many things: the king of camp, the Pope of trash, obscene. But one thing he can’t be called is boring. The trailblazing filmmaker behind the cult classics Pink Flamingos and Hairspray will be gracing the Englert Theatre stage in Iowa City on Friday for his latest live comedy show.

School vaccination rates reveal hidden measles outbreak risks. But access depends on where you live.

As Pennsylvania’s growing measles outbreak gets closer to her community on the west side of the state, Amanda Clear is taking actions to assess the risks to her son Dylan.One of her first stops: A new state website that lets anyone look up the student vaccination rates at individual Pennsylvania schools. That’s how she learned that about 86% of the students at Dylan’s school are vaccinated against measles. That’s well below the 95% that’s considered necessary to prevent an outbreak of the highly contagious virus, Healthbeat reports.“Having that data point is very informative to help parents decide what they need to do,” Clear said. Even though Dylan, 9, is vaccinated, he has an immune disorder that makes her worry he could be at increased risk for a breakthrough infection.But across the country, not all parents can easily get access to this information. In some states, even public health officials don’t routinely know the vaccination rates at individual schools.That’s despite research highlighting the importance of this data nationally in assessing the risks of outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases within local communities.Here’s what I found.What the research showsSince measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, CDC scientists have found that outbreaks involving more than 50 people have largely involved close-knit communities that for varying reasons have chosen not to get vaccinated. In the past few years, declining vaccination rates have contributed to these outbreaks spreading further within communities.A prime example was the recent record-setting measles outbreak in South Carolina, which centered on a vaccine-hesitant Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking community in Spartanburg County and resulted in 997 documented infections by the time it ended in April. Most of those infected were school-age children and teens, and measles exposures that occurred at 33 schools resulted in 874 students being asked to quarantine at home for up to 21 days.Yet across the country, data about childhood vaccination rates is often reported at a county or state level – averaging the vaccination status of kids over a broad geographic area.It’s an approach that obscures localized pockets of unvaccinated people who live near each other, send their children to the same schools, and often share the same cultures, traditions, and beliefs, including about whether to vaccinate their children. In some cases these clusters may indicate shared barriers to accessing healthcare, such as transportation or language.By analyzing South Carolina’s school-level immunization data, Clemson University researchers have identified clusters of undervaccinated students and their geographic relationship to measles exposures during the state’s recent outbreak.As Clemson research associate Emily Serman mapped the data, it revealed that the risk from measles wasn’t spread evenly across Spartanburg County, which has one of the state’s lowest childhood vaccination rates.“It’s really concentrated in the northern half of Spartanburg County,” she told Healthbeat. The Clemson team’s findings suggest that the geographic clustering of undervaccinated students may pave the way for outbreaks.At the national level, researchers from Cornell University warned in the journal Nature Medicine last month that county-level vaccination averages can appear high enough to protect against measles spreading, yet still hide dense clusters of unvaccinated children that can fuel outbreaks.How states compareKnowing how many children are — and are not — vaccinated at individual schools is a powerful indicator of local outbreak risks, these researchers say. Yet whether parents, researchers, or even health departments have routine access to that information varies significantly by state.Some states post easily accessible, up-to-date maps and data. Others require a public records request or suggest the public seek the information from school districts, which might also require a public records request. Some don’t collect it until an outbreak strikes.Texas: Neither the public nor the state’s health department have routine access to school-level vaccination data. State law only requires school districts to report student vaccination rates at an aggregated district-wide level, said Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, which posts an annual report of the information it receives. The report includes some information about individual private schools. Legislation to require reporting at the individual school level failed amid concerns from some legislators that it could result in students and families being harassed.“In the event of an outbreak in a particular school or area, public health can get campus-level data from schools,” Van Deusen said.Minnesota: The state’s health department has posted vaccination rates for individual schools and school districts since 2014, said Ben Christianson, senior epidemiologist in the department’s vaccine preventable disease section. The department uses the data to identify at-risk areas and its public availability has helped make school and childcare leaders better aware of immunization coverage in their local areas, Christianson said. It’s also reduced the department’s workload responding to data requests, he said.Florida: Obtaining school-level data doesn’t appear to be easy. The Florida Department of Health — which last month announced a proposed rule that would reduce the number of required school vaccines — only posts aggregated county-level data for the state’s kindergartners and seventh graders on its website.Isabella White, the department’s press secretary, said by email that “school-specific rates are not publicly available unless requested directly from the relevant health department or school district.” Does the state collect school-level data so it can prepare for and respond to outbreaks? White wouldn’t say. Two school districts — Broward County Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools — told Healthbeat they only submit aggregated district-wide data to the state health department. Neither district makes its school-level data public without a public records request.South Carolina: During the state’s recent measles outbreak, the state health department began posting school-level data on its website that shows the percentage of children who were up-to-date on all of their required school shots, but not by individual vaccines. The department told Healthbeat that the data helps it prioritize outreach to schools with low vaccine coverage and that it plans to continue posting updated data online each winter. Previously the state had only published school vaccination data at the county and regional level.California: While the state health department posts school-level vaccination data on its website, it’s outdated — in some cases by several years, Healthbeat found. The most recent data displayed by the state’s interactive database and map is from the 2021-2022 school year. Elsewhere, the department posts some more recent, but still outdated, spreadsheets with school-level data for kindergarteners during the 2024-25 school year, plus some older data for seventh graders. Health officials have access to current data, the department told Healthbeat, and the 2025-26 school reports and data will be posted online over the next year.“In the meantime, parents and members of the public may check with their school or local health department about coverage,” a department spokesperson said by email. School-level data can be found on at least some county health department websites, such as these for Los Angeles County and San Diego County.Pennsylvania: This summer, the state’s health and education departments launched a new interactive website that details vaccination rates in key grades at individual schools. “Pennsylvania parents deserve clear, accessible data about the health of their children’s schools,” Dr. Debra Bogen, the state’s secretary of health, said in announcing the tool. The data will help families and local leaders work to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, she said.Why it mattersKnowing the percentage of children immunized in individual schools can inform where and how health officials focus their resources, whether that’s for deploying staff to do contact tracing during an outbreak, assessing barriers to immunization, or conducting focused communication campaigns, the Clemson research team told Healthbeat.“What the analysis did was it took a massive state-level problem and broke it down into several big, but more manageable, areas,” said Lior Rennert, a professor and director at the Clemson Center for Public Health Modeling and Response. “If you want to do an intervention, you now have targeted areas where you could do that.”For the public, the data can provide a way to gauge outbreak risks in their immediate area. This can be especially useful for people at higher risk from certain diseases, such as pregnant women, infants, and young children who have not been vaccinated, and people with compromised immune systems, such as Dylan Clear.After looking up Dylan’s school and learning not enough students were fully vaccinated against measles to prevent the virus spreading, his mother has begun working with school officials on a specialized plan in case he needs to miss school should Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak reach their area.“If you have the knowledge,” Amanda Clear said, “you know how to respond appropriately rather than out of fear.”What to watchWith the U.S. experiencing another record-breaking year for measles and outbreaks becoming a new norm, Pennsylvania and South Carolina this year made school-level vaccination data more transparent. We’re watching whether:The resurgence in measles prompts other states to reconsider what information they make visible about vaccination coverage in local schools.Parents and communities push for greater access to information about the outbreak risks at individual schools.This story was produced by Healthbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

New report: 78% of families would pay more for accessible travel

Families are traveling together across generations, and many have someone in their group who needs some type of accommodation, whether it’s a wheelchair ramp, an itinerary that’s easy to navigate with a walker, a gluten-free menu, or an autism-friendly kids’ camp. More than half of families (55%) planning a multigenerational trip say someone in their group needs some sort of accommodation. Most (78%) of those families say they would pay more to make sure those needs are properly met.In July and August 2026, travel company Fora surveyed 1,359 Fora travel advisors (including 910 who have booked accessible travel) and a nationally representative sample of 2,592 consumers, asking about accessibility needs, spending, and experiences booking travel. The findings show demand is significant and growing. But the travel industry is still catching up.Key takeawaysA large majority (67%) of Fora advisors have booked a trip for a client with an accessibility need, and 18% of those say it’s now more than a quarter of their business.According to the consumer survey, more than half (55%) of families planning a multigenerational trip in the next three years say someone in their travel group would have an accessibility need.Seventy-eight percent of families planning a multigenerational trip and requiring an accommodation would be willing to pay more to ensure the trip meets everyone’s accessibility needs.Forty-four percent of Fora advisors say their largest accessible booking in the past year was $10,000 or more.Ninety percent of Fora advisors say online info about accessibility can be incomplete, outdated, or contradictory—and nearly half (46%) say it’s often or always off base.Accessible travel isn’t a nicheFor many travel advisors, accessible travel is routine work. Two-thirds of Fora advisors surveyed (67%) have booked a trip for a client with an accessibility need. Of those advisors, 34% say these trips now make up more than 10% of all their bookings, and 18% say it’s more than a quarter of their business.What are those accessibility needs? The most common needs advisors plan for are limited walking endurance or stamina (75%), food allergies or dietary restrictions (68%), and mobility or wheelchair access (55%).Multigenerational travel is accelerating the demandSixty-two percent of consumers have taken a multigenerational trip, with 30% taking one at least every few years. And more are on the way: 35% are planning or considering a multigenerational trip in the next three years, rising to 52% among households earning $150,000 or more a year.Accessibility needs will be built into many of these trips. More than half (55%) of consumers planning a multigenerational trip in the next three years say someone in their group will need an accommodation.Advisors are feeling the shift as well: Almost half (48%) say demand for multigenerational trips with accessibility needs has grown compared with last year. And multigenerational groups are the ones they’re booking accessible trips for most often—67% of advisors have planned one, compared to 57% who have booked for a couple and 38% for parents with children. Fora Consumers who say their families have accessibility needs for a multigenerational trip they’re planning or considering report a wide range of issues, with the most common being limited walking endurance or stamina (48%), food allergies or dietary needs (37%), or medical equipment or medication (36%). Among these, 68% have multiple accessibility needs in their group. Mobility or wheelchair access ranks fifth on this list, behind where advisors might expect it. Although wheelchair access may be less common than other needs, it demands more planning expertise when it does come up. Fora Seniors aren’t the only ones with needsAs one might expect, older travelers often show up in accessible trips. But they don’t dominate them: 55% of advisors say less than half of their accessible bookings involve a traveler 65 or older.Consumers say that family members of all ages need accommodations. Adults 65 or older have accessibility needs among the majority (64%) of those respondents saying they need accommodations for a potential trip. More than one in three (36%) say a parent or another adult (age 18 to 64) in their group would need an accommodation, and almost one in four (23%) say a child or teenager would. These needs span multiple generations: 20% of these families would have more than one generation with a need in their group. Fora Travelers are willing to pay more to have accessibility needs metU.S. travelers with disabilities spend nearly $50 billion a year on travel, and more than $100 billion once their companions are included, according to a 2024 Open Doors Organization and Harris Poll study. The data shows that not only are these travelers willing to spend, they’re willing to spend more.More than four in 10 (42%) of those who have taken or are planning or considering a multigenerational trip say they’d be willing to pay more per person for a multigenerational trip compared to a typical vacation. Add someone who needs an accommodation, and the figure jumps: Among those planning or considering a multigenerational trip (for which they will need at least one accommodation) within the next three years, 78% would pay more for a trip that properly meets everyone’s needs.Peace of mind has a priceSixty percent of consumers planning or considering a multigenerational trip and requiring an accommodation say they feel excited about creating shared memories. But almost a third (31%) feel stressed about whether a hotel or other lodging will actually meet their group’s needs, and nearly as many (29%) are anxious about finding accurate information beforehand. Fora These feelings aren’t mutually exclusive. Seven in 10 report at least one positive emotion, more than six in ten (63%) report at least one negative one, and many feel both. Fora ‘Accessible’ doesn’t mean ‘budget’Advisors frequently book high-value accessible trips: 52% have booked a cruise for a client with accessibility needs, and 48% have booked a luxury hotel for a client with accessibility needs. No matter what the accommodation, these are not low-cost trips: 44% say their largest accessible booking in the last 12 months topped $10,000—several times the average booking value. And 78% say accessible trips generate the same or higher spend than the average trip. Fora Booking these trips drives loyalty. Fifty-five percent of advisors say clients with accessibility needs are more likely than their average clients to become repeat clients.Travelers also find working with an advisor helpful for these high-touch trips. Among consumers with an accessibility need in their group for an upcoming trip who have previously worked with a travel advisor on an accessible trip, 90% say they’d use that advisor again, nearly matching the 93% for multigenerational trips and well above the 68% for other kinds of trips. Fora Accessibility details are challenging to findEighty-six percent of travelers say it would be important to them to confirm details about accessibility before booking lodging or activities. But that can be difficult, if not impossible—even for the experts. Ninety percent of Fora advisors say online info about accessibility can be incomplete, outdated, or contradictory—and almost half (46%) say it’s often or always off base.Advisors call ahead, confirm details in writing, and double-check their research—it’s the job. And still, almost a third (31%) have had a client show up at a property to find a promised accessibility feature missing or unusable.Details can be elusive even for basicsSome topics are harder to research than others. Excursions and activities top the list: 47% of advisors call it one of the hardest topics to find clear, trustworthy information on (and 48% say it’s a part of the trip suppliers are least prepared to support). But nearly as difficult to research are travel fundamentals like hotel room and bathroom details (44%) and on-property access (41%)—crucial for determining whether a room and property can work for a traveler. Fora A bigger budget doesn’t make an accessible room easier to find. Among advisors who work with luxury clients, 41% say it’s difficult to source luxury options that also meet accessibility needs.The problem doesn’t ease with experience. Among advisors whose accessibility bookings make up 10% or less of their business, 43% say it’s difficult to find accommodations that truly meet a client’s needs. Among advisors for whom those bookings make up more than half their business, that number jumps to 73%. That suggests the problem isn’t training, but rather the infrastructure and information advisors have to work with.Signs of progressNearly half of advisors (47%) say the industry’s accessibility efforts have improved over the past two years. Hotels get the most credit: 40% of advisors name hotels as the segment that’s improved the most, followed by cruise lines at 25%. Fora Although hotels get credit for most-improved, cruise gets the most love: When advisors were asked, “What is your favorite hotel, resort, cruise line, or experience to recommend when accessibility really matters?” 40% of those who answered named a specific cruise line, vs. 31% who named a specific hotel or resort brand.Among advisors who say accessible travel is more than 10% of their business, Royal Caribbean Group brands took the top spots among cruise, with Royal Caribbean (26% of cruise mentions) praised for wheelchair- and mobility-accessibility, service-animal handling, and autism/sensory accommodations; sister brand Celebrity Cruises (21%) came in second. Norwegian Cruise Line (14% of cruise mentions) and Viking (12% of cruise mentions) were third and fourth, with Disney Cruise Line (9%) rounding out the top five.Disney led the pack in hotel/resort recommendations, with 40% of those mentioning a specific brand recommending Disney. Hilton (14%), Marriott (12%), and Hyatt (7%) also earned kudos, while Sandals/Beaches (7%) was specifically called out for its handling of autism and sensory-specific needs.What’s next?Hotels and suppliers are already chasing multigenerational travel groups in their marketing and their product offerings. As this report shows, most of these travelers will have someone with accessibility needs in their group—and they’re willing to pay to have those needs met.MethodologyConsumer dataFora commissioned YouGov to poll 2,592 Americans 18 or older. The survey was carried out online from July 24 through July 28, 2026. The results have been weighted to be representative of all U.S. adults.Advisor dataFora surveyed 1,359 Fora advisors at the Certified level or above (Certified, Advanced, Pro, and Fora X). Respondents below Certified were excluded from all results in this report. The survey ran online from August 5 through August 17, 2026.Except for the finding that 67% of advisors have booked a trip for a client with an accessibility need, every other advisor statistic in this report is based only on the 910 of those advisors who have booked a trip for a client with an accessibility need, not the full 1,359 surveyed.All percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole percent. Totals may not equal 100%.This story was produced by Fora and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

How to wake up without caffeine: 7 natural ways to feel more alert

Iced latte. French pressed. Nitro. Cold brew. Americano. Matcha. Chai. Earl Grey. Iced tea. Energy drinks. Soda. Cacao. Guarana. Whatever way you take it, caffeine has become a staple in many people’s morning routines.There’s a reason people reach for it: caffeine is a stimulant that can temporarily make us feel more awake and alert. But when your morning coffee turns into an afternoon coffee, an energy drink, and maybe another pick-me-up just to make it through the day, it can be worth looking at what’s driving that fatigue in the first place.If you’re wondering how to wake up without caffeine, you don’t necessarily need a complicated morning routine. Habits like getting morning light, moving your body, staying hydrated, and prioritizing consistent sleep can all support daytime alertness without relying entirely on caffeine. Below, Naturepedic covers those strategies and explains how caffeine works, how much may be too much, and how it can affect your sleep.How to Wake Up Without Caffeine: Key PointsMorning light helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, signaling to your body that it’s time to be awake and alert.Movement can provide an immediate mental and physical reset, whether that means exercising, stretching, or simply taking a walk.Hydration and regular meals can support steady energy, especially if thirst or hunger is contributing to sluggishness.Caffeine temporarily reduces feelings of sleepiness, but it does not replace the restorative benefits of adequate sleep.For most healthy adults, the FDA cites 400 milligrams of caffeine per day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects, although individual sensitivity varies.How to Wake Up Without CaffeineYou don’t need caffeine to give your body every cue that it’s time to start the day. Your sleep schedule, exposure to light, physical activity, hydration, food, and morning routine can all influence how awake you feel.1. Drink Water When You Wake UpYou go several hours without drinking while you sleep, so starting your morning with water is a simple way to rehydrate. Keep a glass or bottle nearby, especially if you tend to wake up thirsty or start your day with coffee before drinking anything else.2. Get Morning LightLight is one of the strongest environmental signals regulating your circadian rhythm. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, light and darkness help your internal clock determine when you should feel awake and when you should feel sleepy.Try opening the curtains soon after waking or stepping outside for a morning walk. Regular daytime light exposure can help reinforce the distinction between daytime and nighttime for your body clock.3. Move Your BodyMovement can help shake off morning sluggishness or an afternoon slump. You don’t necessarily need a full workout, either. Stretch, take the stairs, walk around the block, or spend a few minutes moving between periods of sitting.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that physical activity can provide immediate benefits and can also support better sleep over time.4. Eat a Balanced Breakfast If You’re HungryCaffeine can temporarily mask tiredness, but it doesn’t provide the nutrients your body gets from food. If you wake up hungry, choose a breakfast that combines foods you enjoy with sources of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. The goal isn’t to find a meal that somehow “beats” caffeine. It’s to give your body steady fuel for the morning ahead.5. Use Cold Water for a Quick Sensory ResetA cool shower or splash of cold water on your face may feel refreshing when you’re groggy. Think of it as a quick sensory cue rather than a substitute for sleep or a proven way to create lasting energy.6. Try a Caffeine-Free Morning DrinkIf part of caffeine’s appeal is the ritual of holding a warm drink while you start your morning, you don’t necessarily have to give that up. Caffeine-free herbal tea, decaffeinated coffee, warm water with lemon, or another favorite caffeine-free drink can fill the same place in your routine.Just remember that “decaf” does not always mean completely caffeine-free, so check the label if you are trying to avoid caffeine entirely.7. Prioritize Consistent, Restorative SleepNo caffeine-free morning hack can fully compensate for regularly not getting enough sleep. Keeping a relatively consistent sleep and wake schedule, giving yourself enough time for sleep, and creating a dark, quiet, and comfortable sleep environment can help address daytime tiredness at its source.If mornings consistently feel difficult despite getting enough time in bed, or excessive daytime sleepiness is interfering with everyday life, consider discussing it with a health care professional.Why Does Caffeine Make You Feel Awake?Caffeine is a stimulant that increases alertness largely by interfering with adenosine, a chemical involved in the body’s drive for sleep. Adenosine builds up while you’re awake and contributes to increasing sleep pressure throughout the day. Caffeine can temporarily block adenosine receptors, making that sleepiness feel less noticeable. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains that this process is one reason caffeine can make you feel more awake.Caffeine occurs naturally in plants and ingredients, including:Coffee beansCacaoKola nutsTea leaves and budsYerba mateCaffeine can also be produced and added to products such as sodas, energy drinks, supplements, and other packaged foods and beverages.Beyond the stimulant effect, caffeinated drinks can become part of a routine. Coffee, for example, may be appealing for its aroma, flavor, warmth, or simply the ritual of making it each morning. With regular caffeine use, however, the body can develop tolerance, meaning the same amount may produce a less noticeable effect over time.How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?There isn’t one caffeine limit that applies equally to everyone. How strongly caffeine affects you can depend on factors such as individual sensitivity, medications, certain health conditions, and how much caffeine you regularly consume.For most healthy adults, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cites 400 milligrams of caffeine per day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects. That’s roughly the amount in two to three 12-ounce cups of coffee, although caffeine content can vary significantly by beverage, serving size, and preparation method.Some people may need a different limit. During pregnancy, for example, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends keeping total caffeine intake below 200 milligrams per day. If you have a health condition, take medications that may interact with caffeine, or have questions about your individual intake, talk with your health care provider.Signs and Side Effects of Too Much CaffeineHow do you know when you’ve had too much? The answer can be different from person to person. According to the FDA, signs that caffeine intake may be too high can include:Insomnia or disrupted sleepJitters or restlessnessAnxietyFast heart rateHeart palpitationsUpset stomach or nauseaHeadachesIf caffeine regularly leaves you wired, anxious, uncomfortable, or tired but unable to sleep, that may be a sign to reconsider how much you’re drinking or when you’re drinking it.Extremely high amounts of caffeine can be dangerous. Highly concentrated or pure caffeine products, in particular, can make it easy to consume much more caffeine than intended, so follow product directions and seek medical attention if you experience serious symptoms after consuming caffeine.How Caffeine Can Affect Sleep and Next-Day EnergyThe same mechanism that makes caffeine useful when you want to stay awake can work against you when you’re trying to sleep. Because caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine, consuming it too close to bedtime may make it harder for your natural sleep pressure to do its job.Research reviewed in the Journal of Sleep Research in 2022 found that caffeine consumed close to bedtime can increase the time it takes to fall asleep and reduce sleep efficiency.That can create a frustrating cycle. You’re tired, so you use caffeine to stay awake; caffeine interferes with your sleep; and then you wake up tired and reach for more caffeine the next day.Timing matters alongside quantity. Because people metabolize caffeine at different rates, there isn’t one universal cutoff that works for everyone. If caffeine seems to interfere with your sleep, experiment with moving your final caffeinated drink earlier in the day and see whether your sleep changes.There are plenty of other factors that can affect sleep, too. Try being mindful of what you consume before bed, limiting bright light and screen exposure in the evening, paying attention to your natural signs of sleepiness, and maintaining a dark, quiet, and cool bedroom. Getting light earlier in the day can also help reinforce your circadian rhythm.Your sleep setup can affect comfort, too. Your mattress should provide the support and comfort you need to rest without unnecessary disruptions.How to Cut Back on Caffeine Without Going Cold TurkeyIf caffeine is an everyday habit, you don’t necessarily need to stop drinking it overnight. In fact, the FDA recommends cutting back gradually because caffeine withdrawal, while generally not considered dangerous, can be unpleasant.Try reducing your intake a little at a time:Know where your caffeine is coming from. Coffee and energy drinks may be obvious, but tea, soda, chocolate, supplements, and some medications can contain caffeine, too.Reduce your serving size. Try a smaller coffee rather than eliminating your usual morning cup immediately.Swap one drink at a time. Replace an afternoon coffee or soda with decaf coffee, herbal tea, water, or another caffeine-free option.Move caffeine earlier. If caffeine is interfering with sleep, start by cutting back on your latest serving of the day.Give your body time to adjust. Headaches, fatigue, and irritability can occur when regular caffeine intake drops suddenly, which is another reason a gradual approach may feel more manageable.You may discover that you don’t need to give up coffee or tea entirely. The goal is simply to understand how caffeine affects you and decide whether it’s helping your energy or compensating for something else your body needs.Better Energy Starts With More Than CaffeineCaffeine can be a useful tool, but feeling awake isn’t only about what’s in your mug. Morning light, movement, hydration, regular meals, and consistent sleep all play a role in how alert you feel throughout the day. If you enjoy caffeine and tolerate it well, there may be no reason to eliminate it completely. But if you’re relying on it just to feel functional, improving the habits that support your sleep and daytime energy may make your next cup feel more optional than essential.This story was produced by Naturepedic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Forget the AI labs: This is where hiring is actually booming

Ask most people where the hiring boom is right now, and you'll likely get the same answer: a handful of AI labs in San Francisco. While that is definitely true, the fastest-growing job markets aren’t just AI labs. They're in the industries around them that are getting reshaped by the AI boom.Below, based on analysis of its real-time compensation database of more than 9,000 companies, Pave explains where headcount is actually accelerating.Physical AI and RoboticsWhile software-only AI hiring gets most of the attention, companies building physical AI and robotics (the hardware side of the AI boom) have been adding headcount at a pace that consistently outruns the rest of the tech sector. This one makes sense. A software AI company can grow revenue without significantly growing its team. A robotics company can't do the same, since every new product or operation requires more engineers, manufacturing, and people in the field.Headcount at robotics and physical AI companies is up 210% since mid-2024. The rest of tech grew 68% over the same stretch. That's roughly three times. This isn't a recent spike, either. The gap between robotics hiring and general tech hiring has been widening steadily for well over a year, suggesting sustained demand rather than a short-term hiring sprint. Pave Aerospace and defenseHiring in aerospace and defense doesn't move in a straight line. Hiring here comes in fits and starts as it’s largely driven by securing contracts. But zoom out, and the trajectory is steep: Headcount is up 158% since mid-2024, more than double the rest of technology.While U.S. universities produce around 140,000 engineering graduates each year, Manpower estimates that only about 60% of those grads are qualified for aerospace roles upon graduation. Roles that need a security clearance or specialized technical training are especially tough to fill. Venture capital also plays a big part here: Andreessen Horowitz alone put more than $1 billion into its American Dynamism fund, which backs companies building drones, autonomous boats, and missiles.The roles seeing the most action include supply chain and procurement, general software engineering, security and government/defense clearance roles, embedded and firmware engineering, and forward-deployed or field engineering. Pave Data centers and clean energyIf aerospace and defense hiring is uneven, the data centers and clean energy sector is the opposite: Its hiring curve has been getting steeper, especially in the past several months. The companies building and powering AI infrastructure have the steepest hiring curve of the group, with headcount up 218% since mid-2024.It's not a coincidence. Big tech has spent the past two years signing nuclear power deals to keep data centers running, including Microsoft's agreement to restart Three Mile Island.Most of the jobs in this sector have nothing to do with building models and everything to do with building and running the physical infrastructure underneath them: project managers, warehouse associates, project engineers, production supervisors, and quality engineers. Pave HealthcareHeadcount in healthcare is up 188% since mid-2024, nearly triple the broader tech benchmark. Most of that growth shows up in health tech, biotech, and pharma companies rather than traditional hospital systems. Drug discovery, digital health, and health data companies are hiring aggressively right now.Pharmaceutical giants like Eli Lilly have been inking dozens of AI drug-discovery partnerships, so the increase in hiring in this sector makes sense. Pave Venture capital and private equityThe biggest hiring growth isn't in tech at all. Based on the analysis, VC and PE firms grew headcount 381% since mid-2024. That's more than five times the rest of tech, and the largest jump of any industry in the analysis.VC and PE firms aren't usually a hiring-boom story; they're lean by design. One plausible explanation is that the capital pouring into AI has to be deployed and managed by someone, and firms are staffing up to do so. Pave Taken together, these five sectors make one thing pretty clear: the AI hiring story isn't really about who's building the models. It's about everyone else: the industries building around AI, powering it, funding it, or just growing on their own timeline regardless of what's happening in San Francisco.This story was produced by Pave and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Here’s what you need to know before KWQC’s Iowa Governor debate

The Iowa Gubernatorial Debate between Rob Sand and Zach Lahn starts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Nearly half of U.S. adults who need mental healthcare don't know how to find it. Here's where to start

You've decided to seek help for your mental health. You may have thought about it for months. Or a hard week may have led you to seek care. Either way, you have taken an important first step, and what happens next shouldn't be the hard part. But for many people, it is. And where you live may make that search easier or a lot harder.According to Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2025 State of Mental Health in America report, access to mental healthcare varies widely by state. The rankings place Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts at the top while Alabama, Texas and South Carolina are at the bottom. LifeStance Health explores why access varies by state, how online care may help and offers steps you can take to find mental healthcare.Why mental healthcare access varies by stateMHA's rankings score states across 10 measures. These include how many adults do not get the care they need, how many cannot afford care and whether enough mental health providers are available. A state's ranking reflects a mix of personal and structural factors.Cost and uncertainty can keep people from getting care. According to MHA, nearly 6 in 10 adults (60%) who needed mental healthcare in 2023 said they did not get it because they thought it would cost too much. Others weren't sure where to start. Nearly half didn’t know how or where to get care, and about 4 in 10 (41%) couldn't find a healthcare provider they wanted to see.Where someone lives may shape how easily they access care. Rural areas are more likely to have fewer mental health providers than cities, and many rural communities are at least 30 minutes from a mental health facility. But that’s changing. There are more ways to access mental healthcare today than ever before, and online care is helping people reach treatment no matter where they live.How online mental healthcare is helping reach rural and underserved areasOnline care isn't a fix for every barrier. But for people who live in rural areas and have access to a reliable connection, virtual care has helped improve access by removing the need to travel to a provider’s office.Many people use online care for their mental health. According to FAIR Health, mental health was the most common reason for telehealth visits among people with private insurance in early 2026. This was true in every U.S. region and age group. This consistent demand for virtual mental healthcare matters most in places where reaching a provider in person was never realistic to begin with.But increased access only matters if people improve once they’re in treatment. New research from LifeStance Health offers some encouraging evidence. A 2026 study tracked more than 139,000 patients across parts of the country with more rural populations. Two common questionnaires were used: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety. No consistent pattern was found between how rural or urban a region is and how much patients improved. Overall, 3 in 4 patients (75%) with at least moderate depression or anxiety experienced significant improvement in their symptoms, no matter which region they were in.The LifeStance research suggests patients can experience meaningful improvement regardless of whether they live in more rural or urban areas. Online care is helping make care more accessible, but it doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Many people benefit from a mix of both in-person and online care, and finding the right mental health provider often matters as much as the format.How to find mental healthcare1. Start with your insurance plan, doctor or employer. If you have insurance, use your plan’s provider directory to find covered care. You can also ask your primary care doctor for help. Your doctor can rule out any physical health issue that could cause your symptoms and refer you to a mental health provider. If you have a job, ask whether your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP may provide a limited number of free, private counseling visits.2. If you don’t have insurance, you still have options. Federally funded community health centers serve people even if they cannot pay the full cost. The amount you pay may be based on your income. Most offer virtual care, and mental health needs make up 40% (4 in 10) of all telehealth visits at these centers. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) FindTreatment.gov is a free, private way to search licensed, low-cost and sliding-scale facilities by zip code.3. Care matching tools can help you find the right care for you. Rather than scrolling through dozens of provider bios to guess who's the right fit, many practices now offer care matching tools. These tools will ask about your needs, age, insurance and whether you want online or in-person care. The tool will then show you providers who may meet your needs that you can book with, making a long list easier to review.4. Learn about different types of providers. Provider titles can be confusing. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medication. A psychologist, LCSW or licensed counselor provides therapy, and many individuals end up seeing more than one as part of their coordinated care plan.5. Treat the first appointment as a conversation, not a commitment. A first session often lasts 45-60 minutes. The provider will ask questions to learn about you and your needs. It is a conversation to see if they are the right fit, not a test. You may not feel comfortable with the first provider you meet. In fact, 4 in 10 adults report being unable to find a provider that felt like the right fit, according to the MHA report. Know that you can switch providers or try a matching tool again with updated preferences. It’s common, and you won’t be starting over from scratch.The important thing is to keep moving forward until you find care that meets your needs.This story was published by LifeStance Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

One rare CD feature would tip 77% of savers toward locking in

In a unanimous vote in mid-September, the Fed raised the target range for federal funds to 3.75%-4%, a quarter of a percentage point from what it was.Five months earlier, back in April, when the Fed rates were steady, Credit One Bank asked 1,000 U.S. consumers what they wanted in terms of savings products, namely certificates of deposit. Only 9% said they would regret or feel frustrated locking in if rates fell. Yet over three-quarters (77%) of respondents said they would be more likely to open a CD if it had a one-time rate-bump feature. It seems that savers are more worried about missing a rate increase than locking in before a drop. That scenario is real, and it just happened.Commitment Looks Like ProtectionWhen asked if a one-time rate bump would make savers more likely to open a CD, the majority of respondents responded positively. Twenty-eight percent said the feature would make them much more likely to open a CD while another 49% said they would be somewhat more likely. Less than 3% said it would make them less likely, and 20% said it wouldn’t change anything. Credit One Bank The interest is there, but the survey doesn’t actually show if people are signing up for these accounts. What’s stopping them?Most Would Pick Shorter TermsAlthough most said “more likely” to a rate-bump feature, it seems that respondents are still uneasy about long-term lock-ins. Credit One Bank Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) of respondents said they would prefer a nine- to 12-month term, while 28% would choose 18 to 24 months. Only 4% would choose a long-term product, which in this case is four to five years.Both features (rate-bump and short terms) offset the risk of being locked into an unappealing CD rate, and survey respondents seem to want both.Better Rate vs. a Quick ExitThe survey then asked which mattered more, a higher rate or a penalty-free exit. Four in 10 stated that a higher rate and the ability to exit mattered equally. More than a third (37%) said a higher rate was more important, and nearly a quarter (22%) said the flexible exit was what mattered most. Credit One Bank While there are no-penalty options, these likely offer a lower APY than standard locked CDs. So early exits exist, and higher rates exist, but not normally at the same time.The Deposit Gap Differs Between GendersWhen asked about the first deposit, the answers varied by gender: 44% of women said a deposit under $5,000 would feel realistic, compared to 32% of men. At the higher end, 26% of men said $25,000 or more feels realistic, compared to 16% of women. Credit One Bank This question measures what respondents feel is realistic, not actual account balances. And the survey makes it clear respondents feel that lower deposits are more realistic.Nearly 8 in 10 respondents say a first deposit under $25,000 feels realistic, with just 2% saying the same for a deposit of over $100,000. Additionally, 3 in 10 said starting with a small amount to test the CD would make the product feel safe.The Fed’s projections point to another possible hike this year with a meeting scheduled for Oct. 28.MethodologyThis survey was commissioned by Credit One Bank via Pollfish in April 2026. The 1,000 participants answered questions about CD ownership, terms, and products, and the sample leaned toward people who are familiar with CDs. No margin of error or weighting was reported, and all responses are stated intentions and hypotheticals, not accounting for behavior.This story was produced by Credit One Bank and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Eldridge votes to establish city fire department, going against volunteer wishes

The Eldridge City Council voted to establish a city fire department and hire a chief, going against the wishes of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company, which wanted to remain independent.

'Avengers: Endgame' takes the box office crown back from 'Avatar'

Endgame and Avatar have been jockeying for the title for years now.

‘BBQ Chris’ opens CC&B Kitchen at Beertini’s

Grandmother’s brother founded the well-known Jim’s Rib Haven bringing that experience to a new location inside Beertini's Bar and Grill.

What to know about nationwide protests in India over voter list changes

The campaign is led in part by India's "Cockroach" youth movement, which previously forced the education minister to resign.

Vietnamese police arrest 12 suspected of prowling city streets at night, snatching cats for meat

State media cited investigators who said the network recruited people to ride motorcycles through neighborhoods at night, trapping up to 10 cats a night.

Growing young musicians: Quad City Symphony Orchestra expands educational programs, and with it, youth artistry

For decades, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra has dedicated money and resources to growing youth musicianship in the Quad-Cities through robust education programs.

Colona family raising money for adaptive van for 4-year-old

Grey Senteras, a Colona 4-year-old, was born with a severe form of spina bifida, and a slew of other health problems that make travel difficult.

Launch Lab Baseball & Softball to open 24/7 facility in Davenport

The nearly 4,000-square-feet space will offer 24/7 self-serving batting cage rentals, one-on-one lessons, team practice spaces, camps and clinics and more elite instructors.