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

Thursday, April 16th, 2026
	DeWitt mourns science teacher after car accident and house fire Trisha Brookins was a 7th grade science teacher at Central DeWitt Middle School.
	Army announces cancellation of collective bargaining agreements; legislators respond Union employees at the Rock Island Arsenal were feeling uncertain Thursday. That's after the U. S. Army announced the cancellation of collective bargaining agreements with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE.) AFGE Local 15 President Steve Beck says the executive order impacts two unions at the arsenal. The order could allow the Army to [...]
	Singer D4vd is arrested months after a teen's remains were found in his car The 21-year-old Houston-born singer, whose real name is David Burke, had been under a secret investigation by an LA County grand jury after a 14-year-old girl's decomposed body was found in his car.
	East Moline School District's new transportation zones raise safety concerns Transportation from the East Moline School District (EMSD) between Learning Tree and Bowlesburg and Ridgewood Elementaries will stop after this school year. "I have worked here since 1999. Ever since I have worked here, East Moline has stopped and picked up these kids," says Nicole Henry, Director of Learning Tree Child Care in Silvis, located [...]
	House approves Pritzker initiative to regulate social media algorithms The Illinois House voted on bipartisan lines to pass the Children’s Social Media Safety Act.
	The Heart of the Story: Maintaining the mussels Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. The race is on to save an endangered [...]
	Clinton County IT systems back online after security incident A third-party forensics team confirmed threat was caught in early stages.
	Order deadline nears for Safer Foundation’s annual lunch fundraiser You have until April 17 to place your $10 Safer Sacks order. All of the money stays local to help those with arrest and conviction records get back on their feet.
	Students and community members in Wayland, Iowa, come together for storm debris cleanup After a possible tornado passed through the WACO Community School District on Tuesday, students and members of the community came together to clean up.
	Illinois legislation would cap some prescription drug prices Price limits could be imposed on some of the most expensive prescription drugs in Illinois. Under House Bill 1443 and Senate Bill 66, medications that qualify would need to cost more than $60,000 a year or have acquisition costs that increase by more than $3,000 dollars a year. Some generic medications with significant price increases [...]
	Volunteers clean up trash in downtown Bettendorf Over 70 volunteers in downtown Bettendorf got together to clean up trash Thursday afternoon. It was all part of a clean up event that's hosted yearly by the Downtown Bettendorf Organization along with XStream Cleanup. The event came with a free lunch from Jimmy John's for volunteers willing to spend some time picking up trash. [...]
	AKWAABA QC to host first citizenship workshop for Quad Cities immigrants Organizers say it will be a "one-stop shop" for applicants seeking U.S. citizenship. Participants will leave with completed applications ready to be mailed.
	House passes bill extending protections for Haitian migrants in the U.S. Ten Republicans voted alongside Democrats, in a rebuke to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Should it pass the Senate, the White House said President Trump would veto the measure.
	Iowa Department of Transportation names bridges to rebuild using $65 million of federal funds The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) is partnering with counties and cities across the state to rebuild 67 bridges. The funds come from two grants within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed in 2021. The 67 bridges were picked due to cost-benefit analysis for traffic and length of detours and because those bridges were [...]
	River Action holding cleanup day at Indian Springs Park next Wednesday Participants should wear long pants and sleeves, as well as sturdy shoes. The cleanup runs from 9-11 a.m.
	Victims identified in fatal cash between train and truck in Savanna Carroll County officials said 50-year-old Benjamin Sandrock and his son, 21-year-old Connor Sandrock, were killed in the crash. Both were from rural Lyndon.
	Davenport activates flood plan as Mississippi River rises Davenport has activated the city’s flood plan as the Mississippi River rises following recent heavy rain.
	Illinois bill to regulate e-bikes advances A proposal to regulate e-bikes in Illinois is moving forward. Senate Bill 3336 would require e-bikes that can go up to 28 miles an hour to be registered and insured. Riders would need to be at least 16 years old and have a license. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says the changes are needed [...]
	One last round of severe weather It has been a long and active week of weather for us in the Quad Cities with severe thunderstorms and even a few tornadoes as well. While this Thursday has been a much-needed break, lots of clear skies and sunshine, it will not last long as we prepare for Friday. A level 3 - enhanced [...]
	Sale pending on Quad-City Times building in Davenport, could close in next few months A deal is pending for the Quad-City Times building in Davenport. A local developer is exploring plans to bring in multiple tenants.
	Rock Island-Milan School District names new dean of students at Rock Island High School Dr. Yolanda Grandberry-Pugh will step into the role next school year. She's currently the interim dean.
	Top five takeaways from Homeland Security budget hearings Lawmakers have been in a stalemate for over 60 days about funding the entire department, which includes agencies that oversee immigration enforcement, disaster relief, cybersecurity and the U.S. Coast Guard.
	Support affordable homeownership at Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities' Golf Fore Homes You can enjoy a great day of golf while helping to support affordable homeownership here in the QCA! Tom Fisher-King joined Our Quad Cities News with details on Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities' Golf Fore Homes. For more information, click here.
	Michael Bridgford, Bettendorf, announces Congressional run for 1st District Michael Bridgford, a Quad Cities small business owner raised on a seventh- generation family farm, on Thursday officially announced his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, according to a news release. Running as an independent, Bridgford seeks to represent the "exhausted majority" of voters who are tired of hyper-partisan [...]
	Speed cameras: What you should know before paying ticket Confused by a speed camera ticket? Discover the legal distinctions between camera citations often issued by private vendors and police-issued tickets.
	Akwaaba QC hosting first-ever citizenship workshop The nonprofit just got back from a trip to Springfield, Illinois, on Wednesday, where they talked with lawmakers about the state budget.
	The Quad Cities is drought free! After several months of below average rain fall in the Quad Cities, we have been under drought conditions for quite some time now. Most of the area has been under a moderate drought from the lack of rain but with the rain we have been getting for the past few weeks, things have been improving. [...]
	Davenport blood drive highlights closely-linked need for blood, organ donation During National Donate Life Month, ImpactLife and the Iowa Donor Network are emphasizing the importance of blood transfusions during organ transplant surgeries.
	Learn basic home maintenance skills at the the HANDY at HOME workshop series If you want to learn how to be a little more handy around the house, here's your chance to learn some basic home maintenance skills! Crystal Crayne from the Moline Community Development Corporation joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about the HANDY at HOME workshop series. For more information, click here.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted for escape, failure to appear Michael Schram, 41, is wanted by the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office for escape and failure to appear in court on a robbery charge.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted on both sides of the river for probation violation, failure to appear Frederick McKenzie is wanted by the Rock Island County Sheriff's Office and in Scott County.
	Do you know them? Help police identify 2 vandals Officials said two suspects were seen on camera damaging vehicles in Rock Island and Davenport.
	2 arrested in Dixon, Illinois, sex abuse investigation The investigation that led to the arrests of 35-year-old Edward Wilhite and 32-year-old Chelsea Morrison began in July 2025.
	Driver identified after fatal crash into rural DeWitt home Authorities say 46-year-old Trisha Brookins died after a vehicle crashed into a rural DeWitt home and caught fire following a medical emergency.
	Order deadline nears for Safer Foundation’s annual lunch fundraiser You have until April 17 to place your $10 Safer Sacks lunch order. All of the money stays local to help those with arrest, conviction records get back on their feet.
	Miller-Meeks, Sorensen split on Iran peace talks, shutdown strategy With a fragile cease-fire holding in the Iran conflict, two members of Congress who represent the Quad Cities region say the U.S. must keep pressure on Iran and restore stability in the Strait of Hormuz — but they differ on how the administration and Congress should proceed.
	These musicians are providing the soundtrack for anti-ICE protests in LA Los Jornaleros Del Norte play protest songs whose lyrics reflect the hopes and struggles of undocumented workers as they evade immigration agents patrolling the streets.
	Latin American history, pet custody bills advance in Springfield ahead of deadline Illinois lawmakers entered their final six-week stretch by moving dozens of bills from one chamber to the other.
	Trump nominates former Coast Guard doctor as CDC chief The nomination comes after months of interim leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	Warren County Courthouse to reopen after being closed for structural inspection The Warren County Courthouse will reopen Friday after being temporarily closed for a structural inspection.
	Davenport blood drive highlights closely-linked need for blood, organ donation During National Donate Life Month, ImpactLife and the Iowa Donor Network are emphasizing the importance of blood transfusions during organ transplant surgeries.
	Minnesota has charged an ICE officer with assault for alleged actions during immigration surge Hennepin County officials say these are the first charges filed against a federal immigration agent related to the crackdown that brought thousands of federal officers to the state. The widespread operation led to the shooting deaths of two American citizens.
	Traffic Alert: Central Avenue to close for next section of resurfacing project Central Avenue will be closed as crews continue the second section of the first part Central Avenue Resurfacing Project.
	George Foreman laid to rest in Northwest Iowa, fulfilling a long-held wish The former heavyweight boxing champion was buried in Sioux City in 2025
	How blood type could predict risk for disease A study shows people with certain blood types may be at higher risk for disease than those with other blood types.
	Win a Mother's Day prize package for your special mom! Deadline for entry is May 6th.
	Official rules for the Super Mom Sweepstakes 2026 Official rules for this sweepstakes
	The transformation of Terrace Martin After years spent as the go-to guy for a cross-pollinating L.A. music scene, the multi-hyphenate follows his spiritual mission inward for the sprawling series Love Is Louder Than The Algorithms.
	Find deals at Spring Community Garage Sale in Rock Island Find bargains and treasures at the Spring Community Garage Sale and Vendor Fair on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Upper Longview Park, 1300 17th Street in Rock Island. Over 50 vendors' booths and over 6,000 square feet of makers’ market, garage sale and craft vendors for toys, home décor, furniture, [...]
	Moline continuing 'Adaptive Park Pop-Up' program for children with disabilities Children will be able to enjoy arts and crafts, music and other outdoor activities that are adapted to their needs.
	A jury declared Live Nation a monopoly. But ticket prices won't drop just yet D.C. and 33 states now have to argue in favor of specific remedies and fines, which could be paused if Live Nation appeals. Experts say the long-term impact on ticket prices isn't clear either.
	'DJ's Law,' honoring Tampico teen killed in March 2024 crash, heads to Illinois Senate The legislation would increase penalties for young drivers who violate passenger restrictions and are involved in a crash resulting in serious injury or death.
	Nearly 1 in 4 people seeking abortions out of state chose Illinois. Here’s why. In the center of the map’s biggest sea of red is Illinois, outlined in green — showing it’s a state with strong abortion access — surrounded by several states that ban or severely restrict abortion.
	River Action hosting Earth Day Cleanup in Davenport Join River Action for an Earth Day Cleanup at Indian Springs Park, near the Village of East Davenport, on Earth Day, April 22 from 9 – 11 a.m. Volunteers are advised to wear long pants, sturdy shoes and long sleeves and bring their own bug spray and water bottles. Cleanup materials will be provided and [...]
	Tennessee Senate passes private-school voucher expansion despite budget concerns The Senate vote board displays how Thursday's debate on an expansion of Tennessee's private school voucher program played out. (Photo: Sam Stockard/Tennessee Lookout)The Tennessee Senate approved a private-school voucher bill Thursday expanding the program to 35,000 students, despite concerns it could drain the state budget and force school districts to collect students’ Social Security numbers. Checking children’s Social Security cards when they register for classes could lead to a legal challenge for potentially violating federal discrimination laws that require public schools to educate every child. The provision also puts a burden on school districts to manage students’ private information, opponents said. The program is expected to cost more than $270 million to nearly double the number of students receiving vouchers worth $7,500 each to enroll in private schools. The Senate voted 18-14 to pass a House version of the bill that was narrowly adopted in that chamber Monday night when it received two more votes than constitutionally required for passage. The measure heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law, wrapping up his main initiative over two terms in office, though the total number of vouchers approved was 5,000 less than he requested in the program’s second year. “We ought to stick with what we promised people,” said Sen. Joey Hensley, a Hohenwald Republican who voted against an expansion of private school vouchers. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who sponsored the bill for Lee, told lawmakers they would be taking up a $58 billion budget containing $9 billion for traditional K-12 schools. “We are committed to public education, making it the best it can be,” Johnson said. Yet he added that the Senate should satisfy its “constitutional obligation” to give parents the option to use state funds to send their children to private schools. Eight Republicans joined six Democrats in voting against the bill, including GOP Sen. Joey Hensley of Hohenwald. “We ought to stick with what we promised people,” Hensley said. When the legislature adopted the program last year, it contained a provision allowing it to expand by 5,000 students annually, subject to approval of funding. The law also required the state to pay school districts for lost enrollment. The new bill pays back districts only for students who take the voucher funds, but to receive the money districts will be required to check students’ Social Security numbers. Nashville Democrat, Sen. Jeff Yarbro, contended that the Social Security number provision doesn’t necessarily challenge Plyler v. Doe, a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision requiring schools to enroll all students regardless of immigration status. Yet he said it violates federal privacy laws in order to receive funds for students who leave the district. “This is just a phasing out of the ‘hold harmless’ statewide on a faster timeline,” Yarbro said, using the term used to describe efforts to keep school districts from hemorrhaging money. Democratic Sen. Heidi Campbell of Nashville warned colleagues that “a reckoning” is coming because of the burden the program will put on the state budget as it grows annually. Campbell and Democratic Sen. Charlane Oliver of Nashville argued that they’re spending more per student to fund private-school vouchers than to increase funding for public schools. Proponents of the expansion, though, said it is needed to keep children from being bullied and cutting themselves because of depression. “For the small percentage of parents who need something else, let’s give them that avenue,” said Republican Sen. Adam Lowe of Calhoun. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Tennessee Lookout
	Rock Island Library buildings closing for staff development Rock Island Public Library buildings will be closed all day on Thursday, April 23 for staff development meetings. Patrons will still be able to use online services and library book returns. The Rock Island Public Library Downtown, Southwest, and Watts-Midtown locations will re-open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Friday, April 24.
	Boiling milk and worrying about the Iran war: A New Year dawns in Sri Lanka In Sri Lanka, Buddhists and Hindus marked their New Year on Tuesday while a war thousands of miles away is making itself felt.
	46-year-old teacher killed after vehicle crashes into home, starts fire A 46-year-old woman is dead after crashing her car into a home Wednesday afternoon.
	Child care TANF grant bill tabled by state Senate An early education teacher participates in a coloring activity with children at Merrimack Valley Day Care in Concord on April 3. The New Hampshire Senate voted to table a bill that would seek funding for the child care workforce grant program. (Photo by Maya Mitchell/ New Hampshire Bulletin)Amid budget concerns and debates over the validity of guidance from the federal government, the New Hampshire Senate voted Thursday to table a bill that would have state officials seek additional clarification about federal funding for the child care workforce grant. House Bill 1566 would direct the state Department of Health and Human Services to “seek clarification” from the federal government again about the use of the state’s surplus Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, funds for the child care workforce grant program. It would also ask the department to request a waiver to use the funds, as it was determined to be a “prohibited use.” In the biennial budget, the Legislature appropriated $15 million of the state’s reserve TANF funds to pay for a workforce grant program aimed at improving New Hampshire’s child care capacity and availability issues. The recruitment and retention workforce program would provide programs with funding to cover current and future employees’ sign-on bonuses, health savings accounts, child care tuition discounts, and more. However, issues with the funding source arose after the federal government denied the use of TANF funds in October, stating that using TANF funds for child care recruitment and retention did not fall under the statutory uses of the TANF program. Since then, legislators have continued to attempt to fund the program with TANF dollars rather than state general funds, as the budget was written to use state funds if the federal government said no. The program started in 2023 with state general funds, but was funded in the budget with TANF funds amid statewide budget cuts. The bill’s committee recommendation was to send the bill to interim study — a motion that sends a bill to be studied further but kills the bill if it occurs in the second legislative year. It was placed on the consent calendar, a group of bills considered noncontroversial and acted upon in a single vote, but Democratic Sens. Rebecca Perkins Kwoka of Portsmouth and Suzanne Prentiss of Lebanon voted to remove it. Sen. David Rochefort, a Littleton Republican and chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said that after hearing testimony on the bill, Republicans on the committee expected the request to be denied by the federal government again and voted to send the bill to interim study. Senate Democrats, including Cindy Rosenwald of Nashua, argued to the committee that the bill is “pro-business, pro-family, [and] pro women’s financial security” because it would help address child care workforce issues and prevent parents, mostly women, from leaving the workforce. Prentiss said the bill is a “thoughtful step forward” without requiring the state to pay for it. Rochefort then motioned to table the bill, which was voted ought to pass in a voice vote along party lines. Courtesy of New Hampshire Bulletin
	Safely dispose of medications at National Prescription Drug Take Back Day People nationwide can safely dispose of unused or expired medication as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient and anonymous way to dispose of unused or expired medications while raising awareness about the risks [...]
	Missouri sets sights on establishing licensed cannabis research While the 2022 constitutional amendment allowed for research licenses, Missouri must pass administrative rules to get them off the ground. (Getty Images).Missouri is preparing to open up an unlimited number of licenses to allow for marijuana research in the state. The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation has filed proposed rules with the Secretary of State that describe what a research licensee would be authorized to do and outlines the application requirements and process for a marijuana research license. “Ultimately, it’s just exciting to make progress on marijuana research because we know that that’s been historically difficult,” said Rieka Yu, policy director for the division, which is housed within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The proposed rules will be published in the May 1 issue of the Missouri Register on the Secretary of State’s website, and the public will be able to provide feedback until May 31. When voters approved recreational marijuana in 2022, the constitutional amendment allowed the state to establish licenses to “facilitate scientific research or education.” The language leaves the door open for many research possibilities, said Amy Moore, the division’s director. “We’re all very interested in any research on cannabis and safety or its impact on the human body,” Moore said. “Certainly as a public health agency, we’re interested in health research, but it’s not limited to that. So it’ll be interesting to see what people want to propose once we get this established.” Yu is also interested in research on cultivation. New York passed marijuana rules to allow for research in 2023, and the state has approved studies to look at things like how to protect plants from viruses and how different light impacts plant growth. While the 2022 constitutional amendment allowed for research licenses, Missouri must pass administrative rules to get them off the ground. That process began in August, when the division published a draft of the rules, along with a host of others, asking for informal public feedback. Starting in May, the division will ask for another round of public feedback, in order to file the final version of rules for formal rulemaking this summer. From there, it will take about eight months to get through a legislative review and final publication of the rules. A national study last year found that 17 out of 38 states that have passed either medical or adult-use laws have legislation outlining a funding mechanism for cannabis research. Missouri is not among them. Of the 17 states that have legislation directing funding to research, the study found that 12 have allocated funding. Moore said the division had the option of creating limits or priorities in subject matter for the research studies, but without funding, it may be challenging to attract interest in the licenses. “Letting people decide right now seems advisable, since we’re just not seeing a lot of uptake in other states,” Moore said. “There’s just a lot of challenges still to getting this done.” Courtesy of Missouri Independent
	Federal waiver to provide Medicaid for a year to Kentuckians exiting incarceration Gov. Andy Beshear at the 2026 Fairness Rally on Feb. 25, 2026. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)Kentuckians leaving incarceration will be covered by Medicaid for one year and receive one month’s supply of any medications prescribed to them while in state custody under a federal waiver. Gov. Andy Beshear made the announcement Monday, saying “providing services like health care to adults and juveniles who have paid their debt to society will help reduce recidivism, decrease overdose deaths, boost our workforce and make our commonwealth safer.” The waiver was approved in 2024. Beth Fisher, the deputy communications director for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said “full implementation took time” since “the program involves multiple agencies working across complex systems, Medicaid eligibility changes, and technology alignments among correctional institutions.” According to Fisher, incarcerated Kentuckians can get pre-release screenings starting 60 days before their scheduled release. The 1115 Reentry Program waiver doesn’t have enrollment caps, according to Fisher, and is meant to help people who would have qualified for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which is a federal-state program serving people in the middle of Medicaid eligibility and being able to afford private insurance. According to Morgan Hall, the communications director for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Kentucky has 12,000 adults in state prisons and “nearly” 90 juveniles in a Youth Development Center. “While not all these individuals will qualify for Medicaid 60 days prior to release, the majority may, and the 1115 waiver will be another tool for successful reentry and reduction of the state’s recidivism rate,” Hall said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Kentucky Lantern
	New Mexico Primary 2026: New Mexico House of Representatives, District 27 (Democrats) Albuquerque Meadows Mobile Home Park is in House District 27. Both Democratic candidates in the upcoming primary say the state needs to enact additional protections for mobile home park tenants. (Patrick Lohmann/Source NM)Even in the heart of New Mexico’s biggest city, elderly residents wait too long for health care, and mobile home park tenants live constantly on the cusp of eviction, according to two Democratic candidates vying in the June 2 primary to represent New Mexico House of Representatives District 27. The district encompasses much of Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights, running east of Interstate 25 and south of Paseo Del Norte. Of the roughly 23,000 registered voters who live within the 6.5-square-mile district, 40% are Democrats, 34% are Republicans and 27% are “other.”SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Incumbent state Rep. Marian Matthews is seeking to keep her seat against opponent Abby Foster. Source NM posed several questions to both candidates about their races. Their answers below have been edited for clarity and concision. District 27 is the only New Mexico House race to feature both a Republican and Democratic primary. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will face either Jahnelle Louise Garcia or Robert Godshall, both Republicans competing in that party’s primary, in the November general election. (Source NM will publish a profile of that primary in the coming days) Abby Foster Abby Foster says health care access is a major issue in House District 27. (Courtesy Abby Foster) Abby Foster is a married mother of two kids, ages 6 and 8, who attend a public school in District 27. She is also a lawyer, representing adults with disabilities in guardianship proceedings, and has worked as a City of Albuquerque attorney. “I am running for this seat because I have little kids, and I want New Mexico to be a state where families can thrive,” she said. What is the most important issue facing HD27? We don’t have enough health care providers. It’s taking way too long for folks to get an appointment with their primary care doctor, let alone a specialist. And this is in Albuquerque. This isn’t in rural New Mexico counties, where the healthcare shortage is even worse. Housing is way too expensive. It’s pretty expensive in this district. It makes it hard for working families to afford housing or, if you can get an apartment, it makes it hard to save to buy a house, because the rent is so expensive. And in this district, there are a fair amount of seniors who are getting priced out of their housing. We have these mobile home parks, where the landlords are raising the rent on the land that the mobile home sits on, and pricing people out of their own mobile homes that they own. What is the most important issue facing New Mexico? I don’t think there’s one. I think there’s, like, three to five intersecting ones that all matter a lot. If we had more housing stock that was more affordable, then we’d also have an easier time recruiting professionals of all types. We talk about the health care shortage. And there are a lot of aspects to that, and part of it is that doctors graduate with a whole lot of debt, and we don’t pay doctors enough in New Mexico to pay down their student loans, and the housing is too expensive for how much they have in the bank. So, you know, it just doesn’t make sense, and that’s a significant part of why they don’t come here. If elected, what bill would you first introduce? There are several bills I’d love to sponsor. Mostly bills that my opponent voted against or was absent for. If I had to pick just one, it would be something health care-related, like requiring managed care plans to fully cover health services for New Mexico Medicaid patients without limitations. What is your top choice for committee service? House Judiciary, because I’m an attorney, and we need more people doing close reading of how the bills are actually written. I think we need more legislators who are going to get in the weeds, and that’s where I spend a lot of my time. What is your strongest skill that makes you the best candidate for the race? Close listening. Close reading. Do you support paying state lawmakers, and would you accept a salary? If we want a Legislature that is representative of New Mexico, we have to pay them. And I also believe that when we don’t pay the Legislature, then we get legislators who treat it like a hobby, and we have real challenges in this state. We need a Legislature that treats their work like the job that it is. Marian Matthews State Rep. Marian Matthews says she’d reintroduce a host of interstate medical compact bills if re-elected. (Photo courtesy NM Legislature) Marian Matthews, a retired lawyer and educator, has represented District 27 since 2020. She describes herself as a “big tent Democrat” who deserves to stay as state representative because of her proven track record of devising “solutions that actually work” with the help of fellow lawmakers, regardless of party. “I think there’s a tendency in certain parts of the party: ‘There’s only one way to think. We’ve got to do it this way or you’re not a real Democrat,’” she said. “Well, this is nonsense… To develop good law, to develop solutions to serious problems, it’s not one way or the highway.” What is the most important issue facing HD27? Healthcare. In District 27, we have a lot of older people, and when they’re not able to see doctors or other health care providers, for some of them, it’s like a death sentence. We started down the right path in the 30-day session. The change in [medical malpractice], HB 99 I think, was critical, but we got to put the system back together. We have several manufactured housing parks in the district, and these kinds of housing alternatives often don’t have some of the same either legal or market conditions that stabilize the pricing. With mobile homes, the landlord can increase the rent, and it’s not unusual for tenants to face three or maybe even more rent increases in a year. And again, a lot of these parks have a number of residents who are older and living on Social Security. What is the most important issue facing New Mexico? Water. I mean, this is becoming perilous in the last few years, with climate warming, with lack of rainfall. I have several ideas about what we should be doing. First thing: Albuquerque, back in — I think it was the early 2000s — we imposed a whole series of water conservation measures, which reduced the per person use of water in our city by like 30%. So there’s a number of things like that that we could implement across the state. We need to be mapping and refilling our aquifers. We need to continue the research as to what use we could make of brackish water. We need to think about so-called produced water, which is water that comes from oil and gas drilling. We just have to get serious about this, and we have to consider it as everybody’s obligation to do something to reduce water use. If elected, what bill would you first introduce? I’m going to go back to the compacts. What is your top choice for committee service? I’d like to stay on the [House Agriculture, Acequias and] Water Resources, because I’m very interested in water issues, and I’d like to stay on Commerce and Economic Development. I think it’s a great place to be innovative, but it’s also a great place to be practical. What is your strongest skill that makes you the best candidate for the race? I’m always willing to sit down, with bills that I’m working on, with people who are critical of them, and say, ‘help me make it better.’ Let’s figure out how we solve a problem. And I have done enough different things in my life, I have some ability to be able to hopefully perceive how something’s actually going to function. Do you support paying state lawmakers, and would you accept a salary? It’s a job. It’s hard work, and it should be compensated. I work as hard at this job as I had at any job I’ve ever had. And, yeah, I would take the money. Courtesy of Source New Mexico
	UnityPoint Health to lay off 207 in IT, unclear if Quad-Cities jobs are affected The layoffs affect 207 people in IT across UnityPoint Health systems. It is unclear if any of these are Quad-Cities jobs.
	A complex set of negotiations to end Israel's overlapping wars Lebanon ceasefire part of complex web of Mideast negotiations, from Iran to Gaza
	Pope Leo takes aim at 'handful of tyrants' spending billions on war amid tensions with Trump Pope Leo XIV condemns "tyrants" fueling war with billions. His calls for global peace during his Africa trip come amid rising tensions with President Trump.
	Warren County Courthouse closed Apr. 16 after structural concerns prompt inspection The Warren County Courthouse is closed April 15-16 after structural concerns prompted an inspection. The building was constructed in 1894
	More work on Central Avenue, Bettendorf, starts next week There’s more work on the Central Avenue Resurfacing Project coming next week, according to a news release from the city. Work moves eastward on Central Avenue, starting Monday, April 20, as Iowa American Water continues the first part of the Central Avenue Resurfacing Project. This part involves replacing the water main in some spots from [...]
	Ayotte says state will ‘keep doing what we’re doing’ regarding Northeast Public Health Collaborative Gov. Kelly Ayotte, shown here talking to reporters on Oct. 15, said the state will stay the course regarding its relationship with the Northeast Public Health Collaborative. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)Gov. Kelly Ayotte said New Hampshire will continue to be involved with the Northeast Public Health Collaborative but will not formally join the group. Her comments Wednesday come weeks after a Bulletin investigation revealed New Hampshire officials had been privately meeting with the collaborative and the state was, behind the scenes, a full-fledged member. At the same time, officials were carefully crafting messaging to appear uninvolved. In September, health departments from 10 Northeastern U.S. states and New York City came together to form the Northeast Public Health Collaborative. New Hampshire was the only state in the region not to publicly join. The health bloc was established in response to major changes and reductions under President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy. Mass layoffs and budget cuts within federal public health agencies and Kennedy’s elevation of vaccine skeptics and the rejection of major medical organizations’ guidance made the group necessary, health officials say. Massachusetts Health Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein, a leading figure in the group’s formation, told the Bulletin in September the collaborative was created to “backfill if parts of CDC start to fail and augment where CDC maybe wasn’t doing a good job in the first place.” At the time, he said the collaborative was “actively communicating” with New Hampshire officials about the initiative and “having real conversations” with multiple “red states.” He said those red states “appreciate what we’re doing and lean on what we’re doing, and also, they can’t politically be the ones who are publicly coming out with the guidance.” New Hampshire is the only state in the Northeast with a Republican trifecta — House, Senate, and governor — in power. The extent of the group’s communications with New Hampshire was previously unknown. However, the Bulletin obtained and, in late March, published a series of emails and documentation showing that New Hampshire officials were deeply involved in the collaborative, attending meetings and brainstorming ideas, and that their peers considered them a full member. On Wednesday, Ayotte told reporters that “we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing.” She described the state’s backroom involvement as “pretty typical” and “pretty traditional.” “We communicate when it comes to issues of public health all the time with our neighbors,” she continued. “And I have a lot of confidence in Dr. Chan (the state epidemiologist) and his team and all those that work at Public Health on their recommendations in terms of how we protect the people of New Hampshire and enhance our public health. But it’s really common for us to communicate with our neighbors, because when you have a public health issue, especially if you have a disease that can spread, or something like that, you have to know what’s happening.” Asked what went into the decision to not join publicly and to keep communications in backdoor channels only, Ayotte said: “Health and Human Services runs the public health area. Again, we’re always going to communicate openly, but New Hampshire is going to take its own positions based on what we think is best for the people of the state. We’ll continue to do that, but we’re also going to continue to communicate and implement best practices, and I can tell you how I make my conclusions. It’s based on what Dr. Chan, his team, and Public Health recommends to me.” The emails obtained by the Bulletin show New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services officials carefully crafting messaging to obscure their involvement. In September, as the state health officials were preparing to officially announce the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, New York Deputy Public Health Director Eli Rosenberg wrote in an email to New Hampshire Associate Health Commissioner Patricia Tilley: “We’ve gotten a media inquiry asking which states are participating in the Northeast Collaborative. New Hampshire was excluded from some earlier coverage of the Providence meeting, since you all didn’t attend, but obviously we think you’re valued members at whichever level of participation is feasible. Are you comfortable if we name that New Hampshire is participating?” Tilley responded, “The following is what we’ve been sharing with media when they ask about New Hampshire’s participation. Feel free to use any part of that that makes sense that highlights that we participate in information and learning with our neighbors. New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services shares expertise and collaborates with neighboring states and regional partners to ensure Granite Staters have access to accurate information and public health recommendations that best serve New Hampshire.” Later that month, as the group was putting together its first official public announcement, Rosenberg asked Tilley: “This release will name the participating jurisdictions, but not describing the degree of participation so I just wanted to clarify whether you think we should be including or excluding New Hampshire at this point?” Tilley wrote back, saying, “For now, please do not include New Hampshire,” though she said state health officials “will continue to participate on leadership calls, as we are welcome and able.” Courtesy of New Hampshire Bulletin
	RFK Jr. defends his health agenda and Trump's proposed budget cuts in hearing In his first appearance this year, the health secretary is taking questions on his record on health, including his controversial moves on vaccines.
	Iowa State to add women’s wrestling program, change up leadership Iowa State University will be adding a women’s wrestling program and moving around some of its leadership.
	Young cancer survivor breaks ground on family housing for children in treatment at Duke Hospital Harper Harrell (left) and Heather Hindin discuss their new housing project. (Photo: Greg Childress/NC Newsline) It would be an understatement to say that Harper Harrell has a smile that lights up a room — it lights up all of the outdoors. That was evident this week when the 12-year-old cancer survivor’s smile lit up her Durham backyard as she buzzed about, sharing with all comers her plans to build safe, free housing there for families with children in treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital. Harrell was treated at Duke for more than two years after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2021 at age eight. She traveled to the hospital more than 100 times and spent more than 50 days hospitalized. During that stretch, Harrell took comfort in knowing that after chemotherapy and related medical care, home was only a short drive away. That wasn’t the case for many other patients she met at Duke. “We were able to come into our own house every single time I got out of the hospital, and not everybody had that privilege,” Harrell told NC Newsline. “We wanted to help everybody else that we possibly could feel that way.” Harper famously rang the bell signaling the end of her cancer treatment during a Duke University basketball game in February 2024. Cancer patients are generally considered cured or cancer-free if they remain in remission for five years after treatment. Harrell shared plans for the new housing during a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday that was attended by dozens of friends, donors, Duke Hospital staffers and other supporters. A photo of an artist’s rendering of the Harper’s Home project. (Photo: Greg Childress/NC Newsline) Those plans call for two duplexes and two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to be built in the family’s extra-large backyard on Strebor Street, less than two miles from the hospital. The project will provide free housing to as many as six families when completed in 10-15 months. The first phase of construction will include two buildings serving up to three families at a time, with full kitchens, in-unit laundry, and space for families to remain together throughout treatment. Through Harper’s Home, a nonprofit founded by her mother Heather Hindin and inspired by Harper, the mother-daughter duo already provides free housing for families receiving treatment at Duke at its project in Durham’s Northgate Park neighborhood. Those rental properties are just under four miles from the hospital. To date, Harper’s Home has provided more than 300 nights of housing to families that traveled more than 40 miles for care. The nonprofit began housing families in Northgate Park in September. The new project will allow them to serve many more patients and families. And the need is growing: according to information provided by the nonprofit, more than 3,200 families traveled more than 40 miles for care at Duke Children’s Hospital in 2025, a 33% increase from the previous year. “When a child is in treatment, families need more than a place to sleep,” Hindin said.“They need to stay together, hold onto a sense of normalcy, and remain close to the care their child depends on.” Hindin said she and Harper were touched by the families they met at Duke who were struggling with the “financial and emotional strain” of finding stable housing near the hospital. “When we got through kind of the thick of things, we had been thinking about how we could help those families, and we just happened to have a big piece of property.” Low-income renters in North Carolina far outnumber affordable housing units Matthew Rougeux, vice president for general services at Duke University Hospital, was at the groundbreaking. He said Harper’s Home’s new project will provide welcome support. “We are blessed to be in an area like this, where we have world class children’s care, right here in our backyard, but that’s not true for a lot of our state. It’s not true for a lot of our country,” Rougeux said. “We rely on community partners and this is one good example of how someone turned their personal story, their own journey, into something that’s going to bless our community and our patients.” Rougeux noted that other options exist for out-of-town families traveling for care, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle, which provides housing at three sites across the Triangle. Families are not charged to stay at Ronald McDonald House, but are asked to make donations at a suggested rate of $10 per day. According to Harper’s Home, the nonprofit has raised most of the funding needed for the first phase of the project and is working to close the remaining $275,000 of its approximately $800,000 goal. To learn more or support the project, visit www.harpershomenc.org. Courtesy of NC Newsline
	Commission of Fine Arts votes to move ahead with Trump's proposed victory arch The seven-member body, whose ranks are composed of Trump appointees, was expected to approve the arch. The proposed monument strongly resembles Paris' Arc de Triomphe, but almost 100 feet taller.
	How homeowners are turning home equity into retirement paychecks How homeowners are turning home equity into retirement paychecksFor many Americans, their biggest asset isn’t the money in their retirement accounts, but the equity in their homes. The latest data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows that Americans hold more than $34 trillion in real estate equity, up significantly from past decades.If you’ve paid down some or all of your mortgage, the equity in your home could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more). While it isn’t generating any income where it currently sits, there are ways to turn that equity into cash, which can be especially beneficial during retirement.In this article, Wealth Enhancement shares what you need to know.Quick answer: the 5 main ways to create retirement cash flow from home equityDownsizing or relocating could be a good option if your home is larger than you need and you want to lower your overall cost of living.A HELOC—short for home equity line of credit—allows you to tap into your home equity as needed, making it a solid option as an emergency backstop or short-term bridge.A cash-out refinance offers the shared benefit of pulling cash from your home and lowering your existing mortgage payment and/or interest rate.A reverse mortgage, specifically designed for seniors, converts your existing equity into a source of income when you’re aging in place.Renting out some or all of your home can generate ongoing income to help support your lifestyle during retirement.First, confirm your starting pointBefore you can settle on the right home equity strategy, it’s important to get clear on your numbers and figure out where you’re starting from. By skipping this step, you risk choosing the wrong tool for your goals or tapping into your equity at the wrong time.Estimate usable equity and your monthly income gapNot all of the equity in your home is necessarily usable. First, it’s important to leave a buffer in your budget for your other housing expenses, including maintenance, taxes, insurance, and surprise costs. It’s important to make sure you can add an additional home equity payment while staying under an ideal debt-to-income ratio (DTI).Additionally, lenders will set limits on how much of your home equity you can access. For example, according to the Federal Trade Commission, many lenders prefer that you not borrow more than 80% of your home equity—and that includes your current mortgage and any home equity financing combined.Set the goal for the moneyBefore you pull equity from your home in the form of cash, know exactly what your plan for it is. The right financing option will be different depending on whether you need to fill a regular monthly income gap, create backup liquidity for market downturns, or cover a one-time need, like a home remodel or an unplanned expense like a new roof or a large medical bill.Decide what matters most (stay vs. move, predictability vs. flexibility, heirs)Identifying the right home equity option requires identifying your priorities. For example, is it more important to:Stay in the home or create liquidity by moving?Create predictable cash flow or flexibility?Leave the home to your heirs or maximize your lifetime spending?As you read on, you’ll understand how these priorities will affect your choice of home equity tools.Option 1: Downsize (or relocate) and convert equity into investable assetsHow it works in retirementMany people choose to downsize or relocate during retirement. This strategy may help you convert some of your equity into investable assets and free up monthly cash flow, depending on whether you choose to buy or rent and how much you spend on your new home.Best-fit situationsDownsizing may be a good fit if your home is larger than you need for retirement. For example, if you have children who have grown and moved out, you may have unused rooms in your home that you no longer need. Downsizing is also beneficial as you age, as it can help reduce your household maintenance, which could be especially important if you plan to remain in the home long-term.Finally, consider this option if you want to lower your housing costs during retirement, including moving to a lower cost-of-living area or moving to a state with more favorable tax treatment for retirees.Watch-outsSelling your home comes with some real financial implications, including transaction costs and potential capital gains taxes. You could also face market risks if you plan to move when it’s a buyer’s market. Buying a new home presents even more financial implications, including the closing costs you’ll pay there.While renting can help reduce your home maintenance and help keep more of your largest nest egg from your home sale, you’re then at an increased risk of your housing costs rising each year.Option 2: HELOC (home equity line of credit) for flexible accessHow it works in retirementA home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a revolving line of credit. It’s similar to a credit card, but it’s secured by your home equity, just like your mortgage is. It starts with a draw period, usually 5-10 years, during which you can borrow as you need, repay, and borrow again. In the draw period, you’ll only pay interest on the portion of the HELOC you’ve actually used.Once the draw period ends, you’ll enter a repayment phase during which the balance must be paid down, usually over a period of 10-20 years.Where a HELOC can fitA HELOC can serve as a replacement for an emergency fund, allowing you to tap into it when needed to cover financial emergencies. It can also be effective as a short-term bridge.For example, you could use it as a source of cash flow while you’re waiting for your Social Security benefits or another income source. It may be especially beneficial for this purpose if the market is down and you want to avoid selling assets until the market recovers.Watch-outsHELOCs typically have variable interest rates, meaning a sharp rise in interest rates could increase the cost of your repayment. Even without an interest rate increase, there’s often a repayment shock when you move from the draw period to the repayment period, as payments switch from interest-only to principal and interest. It’s important to make sure your income down the road will be sufficient to cover it.Finally, qualifying for a HELOC can be a challenge if you’re retired and have a limited income.Option 3: Cash-out refinance: Reset the mortgage, pull equityHow it works in retirementA cash-out refinance is a loan that replaces your existing mortgage, just like any other refinance. The key feature of this type of refinance is that your new loan is larger, and you receive the difference in cash. You get the benefit of still having just one loan and one monthly payment, as well as an influx of cash to go with it.When it can make senseThe cash from a cash-out refinance can be used for nearly any purpose, including investing, covering a major expense, or simply holding as a reserve.A cash-out refinance might make sense if you can land a lower interest rate on your new loan and you plan to stay in the home long enough to recover your closing costs. Depending on your loan balance, you could end up with a lower payment, even with the cash-out component of the loan.Watch-outsA major downside of a cash-out refinance in retirement is that you’re resetting or extending your debt late in life. If you refinance to a 30-year mortgage, there’s a risk you’ll never pay it off and that your heirs will inherit the debt along with the house. Many homeowners aim to be mortgage-free in retirement, and that may not be possible if you refinance. While shorter payment terms are available, they come with higher monthly payments.Cash-out refinances also have some costs of their own. For example, you’ll pay closing costs, just like you did when you initially got your mortgage. You also face interest rate risk, especially if interest rates today are higher than when you got your existing mortgage.Important: If the interest rate you could get today is higher than your current mortgage rate, consider a HELOC or home equity line of credit instead of a cash-out refinance. You can still pull cash from your home, but without increasing your entire mortgage cost.Option 4: Reverse mortgage (HECM) for retirees who want to stay putHow it works in retirementA reverse mortgage is an option exclusively available to those ages 62 and older. As the name suggests, it works in reverse of a typical mortgage. Eligible homeowners can pull cash out of their homes without making monthly mortgage payments.Instead of you paying the mortgage lender each month, the lender pays you (either in monthly payments or a lump sum), and the balance grows over time.The loan becomes due when you sell the home, move out, or pass away. In many cases, this means your heirs will have to choose between repaying the loan balance or selling the home to pay for the loan. Keep this in mind if you’re considering this type of loan and want to leave your home to your family.The federally-insured reverse mortgage program is known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs for Seniors). While there are other types of reverse mortgages on the market, this is the most popular and safest.Ways retirees receive fundsReverse mortgage borrowers have several different options for how they receive their loan funds, including:Line of credit: Similar to a HELOC, you have access to a line of credit you can borrow against at any time.Monthly payments: You’ll receive a fixed monthly payment, either for a set term or until you no longer live in the home.Lump sum: Instead of receiving the money in increments, you can receive the full amount at once.Combination: You aren’t necessarily committed to just one of these options—you can use a combination, such as one smaller lump sum followed by monthly payments, or monthly payments with access to a line of credit.Borrower responsibilities (where people get hurt)While you won’t have a mortgage payment with a reverse mortgage, you’ll still have some expenses. For example, you’ll continue to owe property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, and any HOA fees you’re subject to. The home must be kept in good repair and must remain your principal residence.Failing to meet any of these obligations could trigger your loan to become payable immediately, and you could end up having to sell the home to cover the cost.Counseling requirement and consumer protectionFederal law requires homeowners to complete a session with a HUD-approved counselor before getting an HECM. This requirement protects borrowers against the complexities of these loans, ensuring they fully understand what they’re getting into.Impact on benefits and taxes (keep factual and scoped)The money from a reverse income may feel like income, but it’s considered a loan advance. The good news is this means you won’t pay income taxes on the money, and it won’t affect your eligibility for federal benefits (though any that remains in your bank account would affect Supplemental Security Income eligibility).Fraud and bad-fit warningsReverse mortgages are a legitimate financial tool, but they’re also often the target of scams against older homeowners. For example, common scams include contractors who suggest reverse mortgages to cover renovation work (which is then often inflated) or salespeople who suggest a reverse mortgage, and then convince you to invest it in another financial product, such as an annuity.If you ever feel pressured to get a reverse mortgage, use the required counseling session to discuss your concerns and critically think through your decision.Option 5: Turn the home into an income asset (renting strategies)How it works in retirementYou can turn your home into an income asset by renting out some or all of your space. This can create a recurring source of income that could provide significant cash flow in retirement, especially if you’ve already paid off your mortgage.Common approachesThere are a few key approaches to consider if you’re planning to rent out your home:If you have the space, consider renting out just one bedroom, a basement suite, or a detached ADU (short for accessory dwelling unit).If you live in a popular vacation area, consider renting out your home during part of the year while you travel or stay elsewhere. You can even do this for one-off rentals if there are big events happening in your area that draw tourists.If you’re moving, instead of selling your home, you can rent it out and use the rental income as a source of cash flow to cover your costs in your new home.Watch-outsAs a landlord, you’re responsible for screening tenants, managing your leases, and doing timely maintenance and repairs on the property. It’s also important to understand your state’s landlord-tenant laws. And that’s all on top of the emotional burden of dealing with tenants.Additionally, it’s important to educate yourself on the financial responsibilities. Your existing homeowner’s insurance policy likely won’t cover rental activity. You’ll need landlord insurance.Another financial component to renting out your home is the tax burden. Your rental income is taxable income, while your expenses are deductible. Working with a CPA or another tax professional can help ensure you’re properly filing your tax return.Comparison table: Which option fits which retirement goal? Wealth Enhancement Planning checklist: 12 questions to answer before tapping home equityBefore committing to any strategy, work through these questions, ideally with an advisor, to decide on the best fit for your situation to help with the best transition to retirement.Do I need ongoing monthly income, one-time liquidity, or a reserve I can draw on if needed?How long do I plan to stay in this home, and how might that change if my health declines?What happens if I or my spouse needs long-term care or passes away earlier than expected?How does my home equity plan affect my heirs and my estate plan?Am I trading market risk for housing risk or interest rate risk, and is that a trade I want to make?What are my total current housing costs, and how do they fit into my budget?What are the total costs of the home equity strategy I’m considering, and do they make sense for me?How does this equity strategy affect my tax situation and benefits, including Medicare premiums?Is this strategy something I can reverse or adjust if my health or financial situation changes?Does this strategy leave room for flexibility in case my income situation or interest rate changes?Do I have a power of attorney in place in case I become unable to manage the loan or property obligations myself?Does this equity strategy fit into my broader retirement plan?Tapping Your Home’s Equity for Retirement FAQsAre reverse mortgage proceeds taxable income?No. Reverse mortgage proceeds are loan advances, not income. They won’t be subject to income taxes and won’t appear on any 1099s or other tax forms.Will a reverse mortgage affect Social Security or Medicare?A reverse mortgage doesn’t count as income as it relates to Social Security or Medicare. However, if you’re participating in any needs-based programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), any proceeds left in your bank account may count against you.What is a HECM and why does counseling matter?HECM (short for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) is the federally insured reverse mortgage program. It requires HUD-approved counseling to ensure you understand the full consequences of this type of lending product and to make sure it’s the right choice for you.What are my responsibilities if I take a reverse mortgage?If you take out a reverse mortgage, you’ll still be responsible for property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, and HOA fees. You’ll also still bear the costs of home maintenance, and your loan agreement likely requires you to keep the home in good condition.If I downsize, will I owe taxes on the sale?You may owe capital gains taxes on your home sale, depending on your unique situation. The IRS allows you to exclude up to $250,000 (or $500,000, for married couples) of capital gains from taxation when you sell your home. This exclusion requires that you’ve owned and lived in the home for at least two of the past five years.Other considerationsMany retirees plan to rely on their home equity if they outlive their investment assets or face long-term care needs and using that equity without a coordinated strategy can create unintended gaps later in life. Home equity can absolutely play a meaningful role in retirement, yet it isn’t always the most efficient first source of cash flow—especially if tapping it now could limit the resources available for future care or major expenses.That’s why it’s essential to have a plan showing how all your assets work together, including how and when to draw from home equity alongside your retirement accounts. A thoughtful withdrawal strategy can help ensure you’re using each resource—your portfolio, tax-advantaged accounts, and your home—in a way that supports tax efficiency, market flexibility, and long-term protection. Coordinating these decisions early can help you avoid pulling from equity at the wrong time and ensure you preserve the options you may need later in retirement.Next steps: how to evaluate the best strategy for your planHome equity can serve as a valuable resource during retirement, but it’s just one part of your overall plan. It’s important to look at all of your key numbers, including your home value, mortgage payoff, spending gap, and other income sources. From there, you can see how these home equity tools fit into your overall retirement strategy and which is best for your unique situation.Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.This story was produced by Wealth Enhancement and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Lockdown lifted at MercyOne Genesis Davenport Officials told KWQC the hospital is on lockdown due to an event in the community.
	Burlington man charged with attempted murder after Davenport apartment shooting A Burlington man is charged with attempted murder after a shooting at a Davenport apartment complex.
	Louisiana Medicaid might add coverage for popular obesity treatment drugs Louisiana’s Medicaid program could expand access to popular weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound for obesity treatment starting in January. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)Louisiana’s Medicaid program could expand access to popular weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound for obesity treatment starting in January. The state Senate Health and Welfare Committee moved forward Wednesday with Senate Bill 433, which would allow adults with a body mass index of 35 to 39 to access what are known as GLP-1 drugs for obesity if they have another chronic condition, or comorbidity, including prediabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, said in an interview he brought the proposal at the request of the American Diabetes Association. A body mass index of 35 is the equivalent of a person who is 5 feet 11 inches tall weighing 250 pounds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. A 5-foot-11 person would have to weigh 272 pounds to have a body mass index of 39. Medicaid recipients in Louisiana can already access GLP-1 drugs, which are also marketed under the brand names Monjauro and Ozempic, if they have a few chronic conditions such as diabetes. But Medicaid coverage for obesity treatment has been extremely limited, in part because of the cost of the drugs. Seth Gold, Louisiana’s Medicaid director, said at the legislative hearing on Boudreaux’s bill the annual treatment for one patient costs around $16,000, and around 145,000 Medicaid enrollees would meet the requirements laid out in the bill to receive the medication. He estimates the expanded coverage could cost as much as $189 million for the first six months of 2027, at least $35 million of which would have to come from the state. During the 2027-28 fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2027, it would cost $296 million, including $55 million in state funding. The balance of those bills would be paid by the federal government. But thanks to a new GLP-1 savings program President Donald Trump negotiated, the price tag could end up being far lower for Louisiana. Gold said the state might only have to pay as little as $7 million for the first six months of 2027 and $11 million the following fiscal year because of the president’s efforts. “We know that this is a blockbuster drug. We know for many people that it is an absolute life changer,” said Louisiana Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein, who added that the state will apply to participate in Trump’s program to lower GLP-1 costs.SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Douglas Dunsavage, a lobbyist with the American Diabetes Association, said expanding access to obesity treatment will help health care providers prevent chronic illness. “Importantly, obesity is not simply a matter of personal choice or willpower,” Dunsavage said. “It is a chronic relapsing disease” that deserves modern medical treatment. Dr. Katie Queen, who specializes in treating children with obesity, urged lawmakers to consider expanding qualifications for receiving the obesity medication to children. The federal government approved the use of GLP-1 drugs for children starting at age 12 four years ago, she said. Loosening the criteria for weight-loss drug access in the Medicaid program could end up costing the state more money, however. Other states with Medicaid programs that cover obesity drugs have already started scaling back access over concerns about the expense. At least four of the 13 states that offered weight-loss medication for obesity in their Medicaid programs in 2025 have already eliminated the benefit because of financial pressures, according to a KFF report from January. Greenstein said Louisiana needs to make sure it can sustain coverage for obesity-related treatment. “The only thing worse than not starting the program is to start it and then have to stop it” because the state can no longer afford it, he said.SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Louisiana Illuminator
	New Davenport speed cabinets ticket more than 200 people a day The city of Davenport added four speed cabinets to their Automatic Traffic Enforcement (ATE) program on February 2 of this year.
	Illinois Farm Bureau, congressional and gubernatorial representatives push for year-round sale of E-15; water quality expert claims it’ll harm environment and public health As the war with Iran continues driving up the costs for fossil fuels and fertilizer, bipartisan calls are growing for the year-round sale of E-15 to ease gas prices and boost farmer profits. An environmental advocate claims the year-round sale will increase air pollution. They also state the focus on corn and soybeans is deteriorating the state’s soil quality and adding nutrients to waterways, adding to a growing dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
	How to avoid event ticket scams in 2026 How to avoid event ticket scams in 2026Buying tickets for an event should be a straightforward, easy process. But for many consumers, an increase in scams can quickly turn the process into a nightmare. The FTC has accused ticket brokers of bypassing purchase limits to buy and resell hundreds of thousands of event tickets, which is one example of how consumers can be affected by fraud and price inflation in the ticket market.To identify common patterns, SmartCustomer analyzed its database of reviews from customers who believed they’d bought legitimate tickets for events but found out the hard way they’d been scammed. The analysis reveals common patterns, such as testimonials from consumers and red flags that may signal a scam, and concludes with a checklist of steps to follow before any ticket purchase.Markups and Price GougingA pattern of markups and price gouging is the most common complaint reported by SmartCustomer reviewers. Buyers repeatedly describe paying two to three times a ticket’s face value, often without even realizing they were using a secondary marketplace. The platforms claim there are limited quantities of tickets, which pressures consumers to act quickly and discourages comparison shopping. Extra service fees are then added to already inflated prices.For example, one reviewer noted a company was charging up to three times the cost of tickets when the actual venue was selling the tickets at face value. Another reviewer hastily purchased tickets for an ice hockey game because the site claimed the event was selling out — only to find out upon arrival that they’d paid nearly four times what they should have for a sparsely attended game.Warning signs:Tickets are listed at two to three times their face value, even when identical seats are still available from the venue at the original price.A platform emphasizes limited availability with warnings like “tickets almost sold out” or “limited tickets remaining,” even though there might be plenty of tickets available on other platforms.Buyers are not aware they are using a secondary marketplace until after checkout.Fees are added to already inflated base prices.Duplicate or Fake TicketsAnother pattern involves fraudulent tickets. Sometimes a seller provides a ticket barcode that has already been scanned or is a duplicate of a real ticket. Or the ticket might be entirely counterfeit. Unfortunately, the buyer doesn’t find out the ticket isn’t legitimate until they’ve arrived at the venue.To understand why this pattern happens, it’s helpful to know how reseller platforms are structured. A reseller marketplace doesn’t typically sell tickets directly. Instead, it connects consumers with a third-party seller (for example, a season ticket holder or a professional broker). Unfortunately, many ticket brokers don’t rigorously vet sellers.Some sellers set prices for and list tickets on the platform and fulfill the orders themselves. Some use automated bots to list tickets in bulk. Some post hypothetical listings for tickets they don’t yet own, intending to acquire them through presales or other channels before the event. The platform collects its fee regardless of whether the ticket is valid. This means the seller shirks all responsibility, and buyers bear the consequences.For example, one reviewer purchased tickets for a basketball game, only to find out at the gate that the tickets were duplicates of authentic ones that had already been used. Similarly, another reviewer found out at the venue that a $3,000 ticket was fake and never received an apology or a refund.Warning signs:The platform explicitly states (or buries it in fine print) that ticket validity can’t be confirmed until the day of the event.Tickets are delivered as bare PDF files or image attachments instead of through a controlled transfer system tied to the venue’s official ticketing platform.The barcode on a ticket matches the format of an authentic ticket but can’t be verified through the issuing platform’s app before the event.The reseller claims to offer a “replacement or refund” guarantee for invalid tickets; however, it doesn’t provide a means to get a replacement or refund before the event begins.Tickets are somehow still available for a sold-out event.Fake Ticketing SitesAnother common pattern is fraudulent ticketing sites. Unfortunately, these sites are growing increasingly sophisticated. Fraudulent ticketing operations typically take one of three forms:Impersonator sites copy the logos, layouts, and domain names of legitimate platforms closely enough to trick a consumer who makes hasty decisions. They may swap a letter or add a hyphen to a legitimate website’s URL, or use terms and language like “official,” meant to falsely reassure customers.Ghost storefronts are accessed through paid advertising on search engines and social media, list real events with convincing seat details and pricing, process a payment, but then go silent. These fraudulent platforms provide fake tickets and no recourse.Counterfeit ticket operations deliver a PDF or mobile barcode that looks authentic. But the codes are either duplicates of real tickets already in circulation or are simply counterfeit. Either way, buyers typically don’t find this out until they arrive at the venue because the tickets won’t scan at the door.Warning signs:The site’s domain and the domain of the official venue or platform don’t match exactly. For example, one character in the domain or the domain’s extension might be different. A site ending in “.net” or “.co” when the official platform uses “.com” is a common red flag.The site appears on social media or at the top of search results as a paid advertisement, but little can be found about the site on the internet. Fraudulent sellers frequently buy search ads for high-demand event keywords to target and attract buyers looking for official sources.The site only accepts payment by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, Zelle, Venmo, or gift card and denies requests for more secure payment methods, such as credit cards. Note: Legitimate ticketing platforms accept standard credit cards.Even though the event is sold out, tickets are somehow still available at face value or cheaper on the platform.The site has no independent review history, or its only reviews are very recent and overwhelmingly positive but offer either minimal or no specific details.Incorrect Event Information Provided by AIA more recent pattern that wastes both consumers’ time and money involves automated systems that provide incorrect details about events. For example, one reviewer received a notification that a concert was in the afternoon, even though the start time on the ticket was later in the evening. Once the reviewer’s group arrived at the venue, they realized the notification was incorrect, and the concert did indeed start hours later. Because of this misleading information, several of the reviewer’s guests ended up missing the concert because they couldn’t make the trip a second time. Similarly, when another reviewer bought tickets for a game, the family didn’t find out until arriving at an empty stadium that they had bought tickets to a game that had already happened.Warning signs:The information displayed on the ticketing platform doesn’t match the information on the official event website.The time or date shown in a platform notification is different than what’s shown on the ticket.The platform's listing hasn’t been updated to reflect a publicly announced schedule change.An automated message about event timing doesn’t appear to be from the official venue or promoter.Tickets Delivered Very Late or Not at AllAnother pattern involves delivery delays. A consumer might receive confirmation after paying for tickets, but then waits — and waits some more — for the tickets. According to the analysis of SmartCustomer reviews, many of these consumers’ tickets never arrive. Some sellers hold tickets until the last possible moment because of secondary-market transfer rules. Others simply fail to deliver them and blame third-party systems.One example of this pattern is a reviewer who bought tickets for an event from a site that promised but failed to deliver the tickets before the event. Another reviewer who bought tickets for an overseas event (and paid for the flight to and hotel in Europe) never received the tickets and couldn’t get a hold of customer service while abroad, despite multiple attempts. Ultimately, the site’s response was potential “wallet credit,” not a refund.Warning signs:The platform’s delivery policy notes that tickets may arrive as late as the day before the event, and there is no option for earlier delivery.Tickets aren’t delivered immediately after purchase, and customer support’s response to questions is noncommittal assurances but no concrete delivery date.A seller makes direct contact with the buyer, asking to meet at the venue entrance instead of transferring the tickets digitally.A site’s delivery promises at checkout are later contradicted by messages citing third-party transfer restrictions or vague technical issues.When the transfer link in a confirmation email leads to an error, the platform offers inconsistent and varied explanations.Misrepresented SeatsAnother common pattern is when platforms offer misleading and misrepresented ticket information. These frustrating experiences happen when tickets don’t match what consumers believed they were buying. Buyers who pay premium prices for front-row or assigned-seating listings might arrive at the venue to find they actually have general admission floor tickets. Or they find that they are seated in completely different sections than what was listed on the site.For example, one SmartCustomer reviewer bought expensive tickets that the site claimed were for the venue’s “first row,” only to find out at the event that all seats at the venue were general admission. Similarly, another reviewer bought tickets for seats that the site described as the “first row,” which ended up having an obstructed view. The response to this reviewer’s 20 calls to customer service was simply that the issue was being escalated. A third reviewer explained that the tickets from the site were outright false and misleading because they didn’t match the venue’s seating map. This reviewer’s subsequent attempts to reconcile the problem with customer service were fruitless.Warning signs:A listing uses terms such as “row 1,” “front area,” or “floor seats” but doesn’t list a section number that corresponds to the official venue’s seating chart.The seat type listed doesn’t appear in or match the venue’s published seating map.The ticket lists a different section or row than the information shown at checkout.When a customer reports a mismatch, customer service’s response is that the delivered seats are “comparable” to what they purchased and never acknowledges that they don’t match the original listing.Ineffective AI-Enabled Customer ServiceAnother common pattern involves a platform’s overreliance on AI for customer support, which results in unresponsive and/or inadequate customer service. Chatbots might provide scripted and vague assurances instead of helpful, concrete customer support. By the time a consumer realizes the automated system can’t or won’t resolve their problem, they’ve often missed the window to dispute the charge or make alternative arrangements.One example of this pattern is the reviewer who was falsely reassured by a site’s AI chat that the tickets would be available at the venue. But when the person tried to contact customer service, the listed phone number didn’t work and, even worse, the AI chat required proof from the venue that the tickets weren’t provided. Another reviewer noted that the AI chat simply stopped providing needed support to them, and the listed phone number only led to hang-ups and unanswered calls.Warning signs:Chatbots provide false promises that tickets will arrive or falsely claim that problems were resolved.Customer support offers generic scripted responses that don’t address the actual issue.Consumers can’t reach a human customer service agent.Automated systems avoid escalation or trap buyers in policy loops.Customer support delays and doesn’t resolve issues.Refund Barriers and A Lack of RecourseAnother pattern involves platforms’ frustrating or misleading refund policies. Refund policies might fail to work as advertised, even when tickets are never delivered or event circumstances change. Buyers might be offered “wallet credit” instead of refunds or, citing loopholes in the policy’s fine print, told their situation didn’t qualify. Sometimes refund requests for undelivered tickets might never be resolved — or are ignored entirely.For example, one reviewer was issued “wallet credit” instead of a promised refund. When this reviewer submitted a refund request to their credit card company, the site not only didn’t honor the refund but went one step further and revoked the bonus credit. Another reviewer bought tickets from a site that claimed to offer full refunds but only actually did so under particular and limited circumstances.Warning signs:The platform’s headline uses language meant to reassure buyers (such as “buyer guarantee” or “100% protection”); however, the actual policy has many caveats (for example, no refunds for rescheduled or postponed events).The stated policy for refunds is either wallet credit or vouchers — not a refund to the original payment method.Policy language includes such phrases as “at our sole discretion” or “subject to verification,” which gives the platform authority to deny claims without explanation.Billing Irregularities and Unexplained ChargesAnother disturbing pattern involves unexplained and unexpected billing charges. Charges might appear on buyers’ accounts after a checkout that appeared to fail, or a platform might impose additional charges without a clear explanation or justification. In short, customers lose money, and the platform denies any responsibility.For example, after multiple error messages and no confirmation email, one reviewer assumed a ticket purchase didn’t go through. Two days later, when this reviewer reached out to customer service about a charge for the tickets on their bank account, they never received a response. Another reviewer discovered a site had charged an additional $500 to their account, and when they reached out to customer support, the response was that they were “annoying” and to stop calling them.Warning signs:Checkout ends with an error or timeout, and there is no confirmation email; however, a bank record shows a pending or completed charge.An additional charge appears on a bank account after the original transaction, with no corresponding order update or explanation from the platform.The platform disputes that a charge occurred or attributes it to a failed transaction, despite a clear bank record of a completed payment.Customer support becomes dismissive or stops responding when a consumer reports a billing discrepancy.Your Prepurchase Checklist: The Most Important StepsThe single most effective protection against ticketing scams is vigilance. Review this checklist before any ticket purchase, especially when using an unfamiliar platform.Buy direct whenever possible. Check the official venue box office and the promoter’s own website first. Direct purchases eliminate the risk of counterfeit seats. The official ticket platforms also typically offer better customer support and clearer refund terms than resale sites. Read reviews of the platform before purchasing tickets. Search for the platform name on independent review sites before entering your payment information and purchasing tickets. If you find multiple complaints describing similar problems, that is cause for concern. Determine the exact type of platform you are using. Take the time to identify whether the platform is a primary seller or a secondary resale marketplace. Secondary resellers often charge above face value and hold tickets longer before transfer. They also tend to apply much stricter no-refund policies. If you can’t clearly identify which type of platform you are on from the homepage, that is a red flag. If you use a reseller, carefully read their policies before purchasing tickets. Carefully study a reseller’s policies before any purchase. Specifically, look for the following tells: how late the platform is permitted to deliver your tickets; what happens if the event is postponed or rescheduled; whether refunds are issued to your original payment method or only as “wallet credit” or vouchers; and under what conditions their “buyer guarantee” actually applies. In the analysis of reviews, many buyers discovered these limits only after something went wrong. If the refund policy only covers cancellations and not rescheduled events, plan accordingly. If your situation changes and you need to sell or return your tickets, determine whether the platform allows that before you purchase. Verify event details independently. Confirm the information about the event (date, time, venue) directly through the official source before making travel or accommodation plans. Don’t rely solely on what the ticketing platform displays. Automated systems sometimes provide outdated or incorrect information, and consumers might bear the cost of making plans based on incorrect event data. Check the venue seating map before buying tickets. Look up the specific venue’s official seating chart. Confirm that the seat information (for example, row, section, seat type) described in the listing actually exists as described. Many buyers have found that language such as “Row 1” and “front area” on resale sites means something very different from what they assumed. Always pay by credit card. Credit cards carry chargeback rights under consumer protection law that alternative methods don’t. If a platform fails to deliver your tickets, issues tickets that don’t match what was advertised or promoted, or charges you without authorization, a credit card dispute is often your most reliable path to refunding your money. Act quickly if something goes wrong. Chargeback windows are typically 60 to 120 days from the transaction date, depending on your credit card issuer. If your tickets haven’t arrived within the platform’s official timeframe before the event, contact the platform in writing and open a card dispute simultaneously. Don’t give the platform extra time if their automated support offers empty promises and vague or conflicting answers but doesn’t ever fix the problem.The Bottom Line: Be Proactive and VigilantBefore purchasing any tickets, be proactive and vigilant. The most effective protection is to prevent fraud by doing your research. Ensuring that platforms are legitimate and scrutinizing policies and disclaimers might mean investing a bit more time upfront but will ultimately save money and frustration. In addition, always pay by credit card and document everything. Remember that your chargeback rights exist independently of the platform’s own guarantee language.This story was produced by SmartCustomer and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Kansan shares personal story with U.S. Senate about life-altering veterans treatment court U.S. Army veteran Corey Schramm of Johnson County testifies to the U.S. Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on the value of a veterans treatment court in Kansas that helped him heal from three deployments to Iraq. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Senate)TOPEKA — U.S. Army veteran Corey Schramm’s three deployments to Iraq left him with post-traumatic stress disorder that consumption of drugs and alcohol couldn’t mitigate. His transition to civilian life after a decade in the Army was marked by impulsive behavior, violent outbursts and confrontations with law enforcement. He was on and off probation. He hit bottom in 2020 during a scary five-hour episode at home involving a weapon. He has no memory of the incident that prompted a felony charge. “I didn’t know whether I would be welcomed back at home,” Schramm said during testimony Wednesday in front of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee exploring ways to help veterans avoid incarceration. Schramm said a recovery specialist told him about the Johnson County Veterans Treatment Court. “When I showed up at veterans treatment court, I thought I was just going to play the system and go through the motions. Boy, was I wrong,” he said. “The program keeps you accountable. Veterans treatment court is not a shortcut. The programs are rigorous. They demand honesty, discipline and a willingness to change, but they work.” The voluntary, 12- to 24-month program in Johnson County was established in 2016. It’s open to veterans who fell into the criminal justice system for engaging in behavior linked to military service. The alternative to incarceration include treatment, supervision and mentorship for people grappling with PTSD, substance abuse or other barriers to reintegration. Interaction with a district court judge and community-based resources don’t have the adversarial feel of a typical criminal courtroom. Schramm graduated after two years in the program, which he attributed to changing his life and those of his wife and children. He earned a degree in addiction counseling and began working as an adult care manager with Johnson County Mental Health Center. “Behind every statistic is a veteran like myself, who struggled and who, with the right combination of support, can find their way back,” he said. U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican who chairs the Senate’s veterans committee, said more should be done to support men and women having difficulty transitioning out of the military who ended up in the criminal justice system. He pointed to reports indicating 31% of veterans were arrested at least once in their lives compared with 18% of the general population. Another report said veterans with PTSD or traumatic brain injuries were at 50% greater risk of entering the law enforcement system, he said. “We need to make certain the veterans who carry scars, with wounds — visible and invisible — are not forgotten,” the senator said. “When left untreated, these can lead or contribute to veterans’ involvement with the criminal justice system.” Moran said evidence showed justice-involved veterans benefitted from interaction with experts who understood their military experiences. He said he was committed to pressing for federal funding of veterans courts as chairman of the Senate veterans committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The panel addressing the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee included former Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He retired in 2019 from the Supreme Court to devote more time to veterans affairs, including a quest to expand availability of these courts. “A combat veteran told me he would have been better off being killed in Afghanistan instead of coming home and being arrested for committing a violent crime,” Nuss said. “He described his shame to me (as), ‘I went from hero to villain.'” Clyde “Butch” Tate, a retired U.S. Army major general, spent 31 years in the Army before retiring in 2014. The graduate of the University of Kansas law school now serves as chief counsel to All Rise, an organization providing training and assistance at local, state and national levels to improve substance abuse and mental health services for military personnel, veterans and their families. He said the majority of veterans returned to civilian life without serious complications, but others found sights, sounds, trauma and memories of military service too great to overcome. “My experience is you won’t find a veteran in Veterans Treatment Court with just one problem,” he said. “You will find layers of problems, all of which led to that unfortunate intersection with law enforcement.” Courtesy of Kansas Reflector
	19-year-old facing 10 charges after Wednesday evening shooting in Davenport The shooting happened in the 1900 block of East 38th Street at 6:31 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15.
	How to maintain weight loss after using a GLP-1 How to maintain weight loss after using a GLP-1Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are now widely used for weight loss. If you’re one of the millions of people in the U.S. taking one, you may be wondering what happens next. Do you need to keep taking it? What happens if you stop?Here’s what experts say about maintaining weight after GLP-1 treatment, reported by GoodRx, a platform for medication savings.Key takeaways:Most people need to keep taking GLP-1 medications to prevent regaining the weight they lost.The maintenance dose for GLP-1 medications varies by person and medication. Some people lower their dose. Other people adjust how often they take it.Long-term success also depends on habits like regular exercise, a nutritious and balanced diet, and getting enough good-quality sleep.Should you keep taking GLP-1s after reaching your weight goal?Probably. Most people regain weight after stopping GLP-1 medications. These include medications like semaglutide (Wegovy), liraglutide (Saxenda), as well as tirzepatide (Zepbound), which targets both GIP and GLP-1 receptors.Most experts recommend GLP-1 therapy continuation for a couple of reasons.Maintaining your goal weightWeight regain after stopping GLP-1 treatment is common.In clinical trials, researchers continued to monitor people for months after the initial study period of 20 weeks. Those who continued taking semaglutide kept losing weight. But those who stopped regained almost 7% of their body weight.Other studies suggest people regain up to two-thirds of the weight lost within a year after stopping GLP-1 medications.Health benefits beyond weight lossGLP-1 medications don’t just support weight loss. For many people, they also treat ongoing health conditions.In some cases, stopping the medication may mean not being able to manage these conditions.Here’s where GLP-1 medications help beyond “just” treating excess weight:Type 2 diabetes: Medications like Ozempic and Rybelsus lower blood glucose levels and are often used as long-term treatment for Type 2 diabetes.Heart health: Semaglutide reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in people with Type 2 diabetes or excess weight and heart disease. These heart benefits can begin early in treatment, before significant weight loss.Kidney health: Semaglutide can help slow the progression of kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes.Sleep apnea: Tirzepatide (Zepbound) is FDA-approved for obstructive sleep apnea related to excess weight. It’s not yet clear what happens if treatment is stopped.Metabolic liver disease: Semaglutide (Wegovy) is FDA-approved for certain cases of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Longer-term outcomes are still being studied.For these reasons, expert groups like the American Diabetes Association and the American College of Cardiology recommend continuing the medication.What is a typical GLP-1 maintenance dose?There’s no single maintenance dose. It depends on the medication and how your body responds.Most experts recommend using the “lowest effective dose” or the lowest amount that helps maintain your weight and health goals.This may mean:Lowering the dose, in the same increments as when you started taking it.Spacing out your dose, for example, every other week instead of weekly.But no studies have compared these methods, so it’s difficult to say if one is better than the other. Spacing out your dose is also not part of standard prescribing guidelines — although your prescriber might recommend it.It’s best to work with your healthcare team to figure out the best strategy for you. This might mean more frequent check-ins with them until you find the best maintenance schedule for you.Who shouldn’t keep taking GLP-1s?The decision to continue or stop treatment is personal. What makes sense for you may not make sense for others, and vice versa. Just because experts recommend continuation in general, that doesn’t mean you’re required to do so.There are many reasons why people stop taking GLP-1s. These include:Out-of-pocket costsInsurance changesSide effectsChanges in appetite or nutritionChanges in life circumstances or personal preferenceIf you’re thinking about stopping, talk with your healthcare team first. They can help you taper safely and/or find an alternative treatment if needed. And if cost is an issue, know that there are ways to save.Is it safe to keep taking GLP-1 medications?It’s normal to worry about long-term safety with any medication. GLP-1 medications are generally considered safe for long-term use. But they can have risks.Rare but serious side effects include:Gallbladder problems like gallstones or gallbladder inflammationBowel obstructionWorsening eye conditions that affect visionSerious problems are rare, but they can and do happen. Your care team can help you weigh the potential benefits of GLP-1 medications against the risks for your unique situation.What are the best ways to maintain your weight after GLP-1s?If you’ve been prescribed and have been on a GLP-1 medication, continuing on the medication is the most effective way to maintain weight loss. But lifestyle habits still matter — especially if you stop treatment.Weight maintenance is hard work. To help prevent weight regain, focus on:Regular physical activityGood nutritionSleep quality and quantityStress managementOngoing support from your friends or familyExperts also recommend behavioral strategies, like:Structured goal settingCounselingRegular check-ins with a coachIt sounds like a lot, and it is. But research finds that having a comprehensive approach like this is the best way to keep a healthy and comfortable weight.Weight maintenance requires ongoing effort. It can feel impossible at times. Support from professionals, peers, or your community can make it more sustainable. And be gentle with yourself: Your health is much more than just your weight.The bottom lineGLP-1 medications can lead to significant weight loss. But many people regain weight after stopping them.Because of this, long-term treatment is often recommended. If you’re considering stopping or changing your dose, speak with your healthcare team first. They can help you make a plan that’s safe and sustainable based on your health and individual goals.This story was produced by GoodRx and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to save money on any budget How to save money on any budgetWhen you’re already living paycheck to paycheck, learning how to budget to save money can feel out of reach. Rent, groceries, gas—it all adds up quickly. In fact, about one-third of U.S. adults say they’re living paycheck to paycheck, and more than 40% spend their paycheck within the first three days of receiving it.But don’t despair. Even if your budget is stretched thin, you can still start saving."The most common thing I hear from people I work with is, ‘I’m just not good with money,’" says Sheryl Kosovski, a money and business coach based in Chicago. "But managing money is a skill anyone can learn—it’s about mindset and habits, not how much you make."So, where do you begin when your financial wiggle room feels microscopic? Right here. This guide from Fifth Third breaks down seven ways to save and create a budget, no matter your income level or financial challenges.1. Shift your money mindset and form better money habitsOne of the biggest saving myths? That you need to stash away hundreds of dollars at once. Not true. Don’t underestimate the power of small steps—they’re the foundation of long-term financial change."Small amounts matter," says Sandra Verthein, a personal finance coach. "Start by saving $5, $10 or $20 whenever you can." Even $5 a week adds up to $260 a year. That might cover a car repair or a month’s worth of groceries. The goal isn’t to save a huge chunk right away; it’s to create a consistent habit you can build on.Pro tip: Don’t forget to celebrate your progress. Did you resist the urge to order takeout? Cancel an unused subscription? Walk instead of paying for a rideshare? That’s a win. "By celebrating the wins we have, we bring positivity to our finances," says Verthein. This keeps us emotionally invested in our financial goals.2. Establish short-term goalsSpeaking of financial goals, when saving feels overwhelming, it helps to have a clear sense of why you’re saving in the first place. Are you hoping to build an emergency fund, so surprise expenses don’t derail your budget? Save for a future trip? Set aside money for the holidays?Write down your financial goals—big or small—and the time frame you’d like to reach them in. Then break those down into manageable steps. For example, if you want to save $300 in six months, that’s only about $12 per week.A few more tips for saving money while making your goals stick:Be specific. "Save money" is vague. "Save $500 for car repairs by September" gives you a better target.Prioritize. If you have multiple goals, rank them by urgency. Focus on one or two first so you don’t get stressed out and discouraged.Visualize it. Tape a photo of your goal to your fridge or set a reminder on your phone with the reason you’re saving. These small cues help keep your "why" front and center.And remember, your savings goals aren’t set in stone. Life happens, and priorities shift. It’s OK to adjust your goals along the way. What matters most is that you’re working toward something that’s meaningful to you.Pro tip: The SMART strategy is a great goal-setting framework that can help you keep your goals (S) specific, (M) measurable, (A) achievable, (R) relevant and (T) time bound.3. Create a conscious spending plan and follow a monthly budget templateA budget doesn’t have to feel restrictive—it’s about building a road map for your money that reflects your needs and values. "I like to use the term ‘spending plan’ rather than ‘budget,’" says Kosovski. "You’re planning how to spend your money."Start with your income. Write down how much money you bring in each month, including your paycheck, side gigs, child support, government benefits or any other income sources. If your income varies, look at the last few months and use the average to stay on the safe side.Next, list all your essential monthly expenses—the things you absolutely need to live and work—and tally the costs: rent or mortgage, utilities (electric, water, gas), groceries, transportation (gas, public transit, car payments), insurance, childcare and minimum debt payments.Your total income minus those essentials is how much you have left over to potentially save. Unless, of course, your nonessential expenses—the "nice to haves"—have been eating away at that remaining fund. How much, on average, are you spending on things like streaming services, takeout, entertaining and shopping each month? Could you cut back just a little to free up some money for your savings?Pro tip: Use a monthly budget calculator to help you with the math.4. Open a traditional savings accountWhen you’re working hard to save, why let your money sit idle? A savings account can help it grow faster. And keeping your savings separate from your everyday spending is key: A dedicated savings account gives your money a purpose and helps prevent accidental overspending.Pro tip: Nickname your savings account after your goal—like "holiday travel" or "emergency fund." Seeing your goal in writing every time you log in can be a powerful motivator—and earmarking it like that may discourage you from spending those savings on something other than your goal.5. Set up automatic savings transfersOnce you’ve opened a dedicated savings account, the next step is to make saving a regular, consistent habit. One of the easiest ways to build that consistency? Automate it. Setting up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account means you don’t have to remember to do it—or find the willpower to move the money each month.Just follow these steps:Pick an amount that feels doable. Even just $5 or $10 a week is enough to start.Choose the right timing. Align transfers with your payday so you’re saving before you even have a chance to spend that check.Make it recurring. Most banks let you schedule recurring transfers through their mobile app or online banking portal.Think of these transfers as paying yourself first. It’s one of the most effective ways to build momentum with your finances—especially when your income is tight, or your spending feels unpredictable.Pro tip: Schedule an occasional calendar reminder to revisit your transfer amount. If your income grows, for example, you can increase how much you’re saving.6. Reduce dependence on credit cards—and pay down credit card debtCredit cards can be a convenient financial tool, but relying on them too heavily—particularly for everyday expenses—can lead to debt accumulation and financial stress. Here are several strategies to reduce credit card dependence and regain control over your finances:Transition to cash or debit for daily expenses. This approach encourages mindful spending and makes it easier to track your expenses. Some people find success with the envelope method: Decide how much you can spend each month on key categories, like groceries and gas, and place that exact amount of cash into separate envelopes labeled for each purpose. When an envelope is empty, that’s your signal to stop spending in that category until next month.Pay more than the minimum payment. Paying only the minimum due on your credit card can lead to prolonged debt and substantial interest charges. Experts recommend paying more than the minimum to reduce your balance faster and save on interest.Prioritize high-interest debt. The debt avalanche method involves paying off debts with the highest interest rates first, which can save you money in the long run. Alternatively, with the debt snowball method, you pay off the smallest debts first, providing psychological motivation as you eliminate balances. Both methods have their merits; choosing the one that aligns with your financial goals and mindset is crucial.Consolidate debt. If you have multiple high-interest credit card balances, consolidating them into a personal loan with a lower interest rate can simplify payments and reduce overall interest costs. This strategy can make debt repayment more manageable and help you stay on track. Pro tip: Use a debt consolidation calculator to see if this is the best option for you.Reduce impulse spending. When you feel the urge to make an unnecessary purchase, give yourself 24 hours to think it over. Once the excitement fades, you may realize you don’t need the item after all.7. Find ways to bolster your incomeSometimes, no matter how carefully you plan, budget and reduce your spending, your monthly expenses still surpass your income. Increasing what you’re bringing in each month can help bridge the gap and free up more money for you to save.Do you have existing skills you can leverage? Maybe you’re proficient in writing, graphic design or social media management. If so, consider offering freelance services after hours or on the weekends. Other flexible side hustles include food delivery services, pet sitting or tutoring. If your time is already accounted for, consider selling unused items online or renting out spare space in your home.Remember, saving money is a journey, not a sprint. Every small step you take adds up, and over time those little efforts will build the financial security and peace of mind you’re working toward. Stay consistent, celebrate your progress and keep focused on your goals.Three things to do next:Discover more saving and budgeting resources to help you on your journey.Understand the differences between savings accounts and CDs—and then open one.Follow these seven steps to take control of your finances.This story was produced by Fifth Third and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Rock Island Arsenal will dedicate pergola to honor survivor families The Rock Island Arsenal Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) will host a ceremony to dedicate a project to honor surviving families at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at the MIA/POW Memorial Site on Rodman Avenue, a news release says. The project was the vision of Holden Burns, a military family member, as his Eagle Scout project. [...]
	NPR receives $113 million in charitable gifts "My hope is that this commitment provides the stability and the spark NPR needs to innovate boldly and strengthen its national network," says Connie Ballmer, who gave $80 million of the $113 million.
	DNR proposes boost to bobcat trapping quota; add weapons The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is proposing to boost the state's bobcat hunting and trapping quota to 400 bobcats this season. (Photo courtesy of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources)The Indiana Department of Natural Resources intends to boost the state’s bobcat trapping quota and allow hunters to use weapons to kill the animals and counter Indiana’s growing bobcat population. A permanent rule proposed by DNR would permit licensed hunters and trappers to harvest 400 bobcats from 40 Indiana counties — a 60% increase from last season’s 250 quota. The rule would expand permitted methods from just traps to include hunting with a bow and arrow, crossbow, shotgun, handgun, rifle, muzzleloading long gun or handgun, and certain air guns. Trappers may use a cage trap, permitted foothold traps or a snare trap with a relaxing snare lock to trap a bobcat, same as last season. The rule would also prohibit recreational hunters from using a dog to chase a bobcat, with exceptions made for authorized federal and state wildlife management workers. DNR will accept public comment on the proposed rule change through May 19 ahead of the 2026 hunting season. The season begins Nov. 8 and concludes Jan. 31, or until the quota is met, whichever is sooner. This will be the second legal bobcat harvest since lawmakers directed the DNR to establish a trapping season for the once-endangered species. The first trapping season closed Dec. 6, one month after it started. Behind the move DNR says the initial harvest went smoothly, so the agency is now seeking to update its quota and rules to “responsibly manage Indiana’s bobcat population and decrease negative interactions with bobcats across the 40 counties with high-quality bobcat habitat, while still maintaining a strong bobcat population in Indiana,” communications director Holly Lawson said. She said data shows the bobcat population has grown in the 40 southern Indiana counties where trapping is permitted. This has led to an uptick in bobcat collisions with vehicles and higher costs for Hoosiers whose property is damaged by bobcats, she said. Lawson said hunters asked the agency to include them in the upcoming season. Meanwhile, she said landowners are asking for more permits to take bobcats that are killing livestock. The Natural Resources Commission, a 12-person civilian commission that traditionally reviews rules for DNR, authorized the initial bobcat trapping quota last year. The rule garnered 3,000 public comments, mostly negative. DNR Director Alan Morrison submitted the proposed rule change to increase the quota and include licensed bobcat hunting without NRC’s input this time — a new protocol for the agency that drew condemnation from several NRC members. The panel essentially has little input now on the rule and can only approve or deny it. The proposed quota is already generating criticism from the Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society of the U.S. The group is urging Hoosiers to submit public comments opposing the rule ahead of the May 19 deadline. “Last fall, Hoosiers were horrified to see images of terrified bobcats in strangling neck snares, steel-jawed leghold traps and cage traps on social media,” said Samantha Chapman, Indiana state director of the animal rights group. “Hoosiers never wanted bobcats killed in the first place, and now this shady rule — which would drastically increase the number of bobcats killed and add more killing methods — is being pushed with absolutely no scientific justification and could drive them back to extinction in Indiana,” she said. “It’s a shame that special interests are trying to pull strings to dictate wildlife policy in our state.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Indiana Capital Chronicle
	Cities and transit agencies are finally getting on board with bus stop data Cities and transit agencies are finally getting on board with bus stop dataIt was the most snow that New York City had seen in a decade — but the city was ready. This winter, the NYC Department of Sanitation took a new approach to clearing snow for bus riders and pedestrians. After January flurries blanketed the city, DSNY created its own app, geotagging every unsheltered bus stop and crosswalk.“It’s literally dots on a map, and the dot is color-coded based on whether it’s been certified clear or not,” Joshua Goodman, spokesperson for the department, told Next City.This new app allowed DSNY to rapidly clear bus stops and crosswalks. The department has cleared pedestrian infrastructure in the past, but not kept track of its work in any systematic way, despite being a data-driven enterprise.“The idea of not having data about, for example, when trash has been collected on a given block is ridiculous and upsetting to us,” says Goodman. “And yet, for this, it really took that big storm and the fresh eyes of the new administration to push us forward.”In New York, as in many other cities, adjacent property owners are responsible for sidewalks and curb ramps, meaning that responsibility for unsheltered bus stops (usually just a pole with a sign) is split across thousands of different people or businesses.A patchwork of responsibility can mean a patchwork of accessible and inaccessible sidewalks and bus stops.“What we’re really focused on is just making sure that New Yorkers can get where they need to go when they need to go there,” says Goodman.It’s not just snow. Cities and transit agencies can use data to make bus stops safe and accessible. Transit agencies, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, are working to standardize data for bus transit amenities, including shelters, bathrooms, escalators, and lighting, which could mean a better, more consistent experience for bus riders.For the MBTA, bus stop data started with accessibilityAlmost a decade ago, Laura Brelsford and her team started on an ambitious project to rigorously catalog all of roughly 7,000 bus stops in the MBTA system.“We didn’t just look at the bus stop proper,” says Brelsford, assistant general manager of system-wide accessibility. “We looked at [questions like], do you have an accessible crossing to get from one side of the street to the other to reach the bus stop? What are the curb ramps like adjacent to the bus stop?”Through this process, the MBTA was able to identify and remedy most of the 280 stops identified as completely inaccessible.It wasn’t easy. The majority of bus stops — 99% — fall outside of the MBTA’s jurisdiction.“We use that data to try to identify where we needed to invest in upgrades and where we needed to push municipalities to make improvements to their infrastructure,” says Brelsford.Importantly, the agency has made accessible bus stops a priority, investing its own capital improvement funds into upgrades, with funding also coming from state grants and fair share tax revenue.Cataloging bus stops can be the first step to prioritizing and implementing improvements — but what if the data could be shared with bus riders planning their trips?Since 2018, the MBTA has been publishing data on facilities within the system, with the focus mostly on train station accessibility.“You could search for a train station and see, okay, what kind of platform is this? Is this platform low level? Is it high level? Depending on my accessibility needs, will it work for me?” says Josh Fabian, deputy director of transit technology for the MBTA.The industry-wide standard for transit data, GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification), allows transit agencies and trip-planning apps to speak the same language about schedules and stops. But so far, GTFS hasn’t included information about station or stop amenities: Is there a bathroom? Does the bus stop have a place to sit down? Is the train platform accessible?While many transit agencies have been tracking and maintaining that data for their own purposes, there is currently no uniform way to share that data via GTFS. Now, Fabian and other transit data experts are working to integrate new parameters that would allow transit agencies to provide this data to riders through apps like Transit or Google Maps.The effort to incorporate bus stop and transit station amenities into the data standard is still in the early stages.GTFS is open source, and adding new parameters is a community effort. Stephen Miller, policy lead at Transit, explains that in order for new parameters to be adopted, there must be a producer (transit agency) creating the data and a consumer (an app) that will use the data.“You have to have both a producer and a consumer demonstrate that it works, that it’s live, and then the community votes to say, ‘Okay, do we want this to just be kind of like a test, or do we actually want to integrate this into GTFS?’” Miller says.Adding this feature could improve the customer experience by alerting transit riders to the presence of bus shelters or bathrooms, for example, while also making it easier for transit agencies and cities to maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure.Bus stop data as a two-way streetIn some transit systems, bus riders themselves are providing valuable data to help local governments address accessibility and maintenance issues.In Santa Monica, California, Big Blue Bus riders can use Transit’s Rate-My-Ride feature to alert the agency when bus stops are dirty.“We were able to identify, OK, what are the top stops that are consistently getting people saying, there’s litter and trash here. And the city of Santa Monica sent out crews to those stops to clean them up,” says Miller. “It’s about temperature-taking, as opposed to somebody being so mad or having enough time to be mad to fill out the form or call 311.”It’s worth noting that there’s an unusual overlap between Big Blue Bus, the transit agency, and Santa Monica, the city, which might explain this level of service. And it’s not just transit agencies and cities that are leveraging data to improve the bus rider experience. In Vancouver — where TransLink has used Rate-My-Ride answers to identify which bus stop poles need solar-powered lights —bus bench activists are using Transit data to push cities to add more seating at bus stops.So far, 19 transit agencies out of 180 transit partners are using the app’s Rate-My-Ride feature. And while cities are also interested in partnering with Transit, no partnerships have yet been formalized, Miller says.Transit has, however, been working with transit agencies like the MBTA to integrate stop amenity data into GTFS. In the future, the app could also share crowd-sourced data using the same standard.“We started producing crowdsourced data about stop amenities. The MBTA had already put together its own inventory. So, those discussions started to come together,” says Miller.The goal, according to Miller, is not to have one data standard for all city infrastructure — to lump bus shelters with curb ramps, for example — but to make it possible for different stakeholders within the public right-of-way to share and integrate data.The politics of bus stop dataNew York City’s pedestrian infrastructure app shows that cities don’t have to wait to make streets safe and accessible for people walking, rolling, and taking the bus. But in a landscape where the city manages bus stops, not the transit agency, passing the buck can become the norm.“Since bus stop amenities and sidewalk rights-of-way are controlled by local municipalities, Metro does not currently use this information as part of operations,” LA Metro told Next City in an emailed statement, noting that city planners can use Google Street View to visualize a better bus stop as part of its Bus Stop Builder tool. Although the agency conducted an analysis of all 12,000 bus stops in its system, that data is not publicly available.Bus riders don’t care who controls a bus stop — they care about getting where they need to go. To prioritize the bus rider experience, cities, transit agencies and tech companies must work together to fix obstacles, Miller believes.“If the city’s orientation only exists to please the whims of various councilmembers who have political power, or the transit agency is oriented around, ‘We need to get the buses out, get the buses back,’ and that’s it, then they’re not going to be aligned to solve those issues,” he says.Historically, bus riders have been treated as second-class citizens, meaning fewer amenities like shade and lighting. Some cities, like Los Angeles, have allowed homeowners and city council members to block or remove bus shelters.Creating a unified data standard won’t force transit agencies and cities to prioritize the bus rider experience — but it’s a start.In California, lawmakers have introduced a bill to create a statewide data registry for transit stops.“What we have now is fragmented and inconsistent data, and that’s not fun for anyone,” said Eli Lipmen, executive director of Move LA, addressing the California State Assembly Committee on Transportation. “Transit stop names, locations, identifiers can vary across different agencies, across different datasets, and it creates confusion.”Title VI of the Civil Rights Act dictates that transit agencies must provide equal access to transit amenities across the system. Integrating data standards could help compare transit stop amenities between agencies and neighborhoods, highlighting gaps.Coordination between transit agencies and cities is still a “work in progress,” says Brelsford. “It’s not always clear to riders who should be doing what and what to expect.”This story was produced with support from the Solutions Journalism Network’s How Government Responds Innovation Fund.This story was produced by Next City, a nonprofit newsroom covering solutions for equitable cities, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Inside the minds of 500 AI users: Adoption, trust and everyday habits Inside the minds of 500 AI users: Adoption, trust and everyday habits100% know it, 80% like it, and 25% pay for it. AI has shifted from emerging technology to an essential part of the digital stack.Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot have become staples in modern search and everyday workflows — right alongside Google search, email, and productivity apps.To see how this shift is playing out, WebFX surveyed 500 people on which AI tools they know, which ones they actually use, and how they feel about them.The results reveal a shift from early experimentation to broader adoption and clearer expectations for performance. Here’s an overview of the key patterns and behaviors shaping today’s AI landscape.AI usage shifts from novelty to necessityOver half of respondents engage with AI weekly (at a minimum).The frequency of use shows just how deeply AI has become embedded in daily life:37% of respondents use AI multiple times per day.30% turn to AI a few times per week.12% use it once per day.With nearly four in 10 people using AI multiple times a day, these tools have become part of users’ daily tech stacks.Takeaway: As AI becomes more ingrained in daily habits, the focus is shifting from whether people use AI to how they integrate it into their discovery and decision-making processes.Today’s go-to AI tools for usersWhile usage frequency shows AI’s stickiness, the real competition comes down to which tools earn the most loyalty. On the surface, there’s a crowded field of options, but usage favors a few leaders. WebFX When asked to name a primary tool, loyalties sharpened:53% chose ChatGPT.32% chose Gemini.12% chose Copilot. WebFX The pattern echoes other tech adoption waves, where a long list of players eventually narrows into a few dominant brands.Takeaway: As AI adoption grows, loyalties are focusing on a few leaders. ChatGPT and Gemini dominate everyday use, while tools like Copilot, Perplexity, and Claude have more niche followings for tasks like complex reasoning or enterprise integrations.Research dominates AI use casesWhen it comes to what people actually do with AI — research and fact-finding emerged as clear winners. Users lean on AI to search, sort, and make sense of information.Other top uses include: Brainstorming ideas, personal tasks (like recipe searches and trip planning), and writing/content creation. WebFX Takeaway: AI is being used primarily as an information engine, competing with traditional search engines for discovery. This suggests a shift in how users seek and consume summarized information.Trust and accuracy: AI tools at the forefrontFor most users, AI no longer feels like uncharted territory. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) say they are confident or very confident using AI tools, and 80% report they’re satisfied with their primary platform.But beneath that comfort lies a trust gap. When rating qualities like accuracy and trustworthiness, many respondents landed in the middle. AI unlocks new levels of productivity, but users don’t always trust outputs enough to fully rely on them.Across measures of trust, accuracy, and fastest-improving tools, two clear leaders emerge: ChatGPT and Gemini.Most Trusted: ChatGPT (47%), Gemini (33%), Copilot (14%)Most Accurate: ChatGPT (45%), Gemini (37%), Copilot (11%)Fastest Improving: ChatGPT (46%), Gemini (36%), Copilot (10%) WebFX Takeaway: AI adoption is outpacing trust. While users engage with these tools daily for speed and helpfulness, fewer than half find them highly trustworthy, creating a gap between utility and confidence.AI trends in monetization: Why users payWhile most users stick to free plans, 25% have upgraded to a premium AI tool in the past year.The market leaders in monetization mirror the leaders in usage, with ChatGPT Plus and Gemini Pro topping the list, followed by Copilot Premium.Why do people pay? Paid users value performance over novelty, wanting faster, more capable tools that fit into their daily workflows. WebFX Takeaway: Paid adoption is gaining traction, with one in four users upgrading to remove friction in their daily workflows. People aren’t paying for novelty — they’re paying for speed, features, and reliability. This shift signals that AI is moving from curiosity to utility, with performance becoming the real driver of loyalty.5 big-picture trends from 500 AI usersBeyond the stats, the research highlights five big-picture trends shaping AI adoption and trust in 2026.AI is reshaping information discovery: AI’s role as a research companion signals a shift in the information discovery process, putting AI tools in direct competition with search engines.Brand loyalty is strengthening: Users are starting to settle on “go-to” tools with ChatGPT and Gemini leading the charge.Trust gap remains, despite adoption: User confidence and satisfaction outrank trustworthiness and accuracy, reflecting a market where people use AI but still second-guess outputs.AI usage is shifting from exploration to performance expectations: The conversation is evolving from “what can AI do” to “how well can it do it,” where paid upgrades hinge on faster, more accurate outputs.AI is changing the metrics of digital success: As AI tools summarize and recommend content directly, the traditional reliance on search engine clicks is evolving into a model based on AI citations and recommendations.Methodology:This research is based on an August 2025 online survey of 500 U.S. respondents, ages 18–64. The sample included a balanced mix of genders, roles (analysts, managers, consultants, administrative staff), and industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, education, manufacturing, government, and professional services. Companies ranged from small businesses to enterprises with 5,000+ employees.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	USC hospitality students learn the business of beer, launch their own brewery brand Hospitality students at the University of South Carolina are learning how to brew, market and distribute their own beer. The college officially launched its own brand — Spur City Brewery — Wednesday, April 15,2025, with a celebration at Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce. The first beer released is an amber beer, which the students named the Garnet & Black Lot Lager. (Photo courtesy of USC)COLUMBIA — Hospitality students at the University of South Carolina are learning how to brew, market and distribute their own beer. The college officially launched its own brand — Spur City Brewery — Wednesday evening, with a celebration at Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce. “Spur City was created by students,” said Olivia Mitchell, a senior hospitality management major. “Those students will share it with their classmates and family members. It brings a community because we decided to base the name on what we connect to: USC.” Crowds gathered Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce to celebrate the launch of the University of South Carolina’s own beer brand: Spur City Brewery. Beers brewed under the label will be the recipes of University of South Carolina students. (Photo courtesy of USC) The first brew released is an amber beer, which the students named the Garnet & Black Lot Lager. “We think it’s a beer people will enjoy sipping while tailgating or just at home,” professor Scott Taylor said. The beer launch was the culmination of three semesters of collaboration and hands-on learning, according to Taylor and chef instructor Robby Lybrand. Last spring, Taylor started a competition in his beverage marketing and sales class, challenging the roughly 40 students to come up with a brand name, graphics and other marketing materials and pitch their ideas to a faculty panel. Then, this past fall, the school’s inaugural craft beer production and sales class came up with the beer recipe. The class, limited to students who are 21 years old or older, participated in every step of the brewing process, from milling the grain to putting it in the fermentation tanks at the school’s beverage education lab. The class tried out half a dozen beer recipes over the course of the semester. The amber lager rose to the top. “We had a couple that just didn’t work out,” Taylor said. “Luckily, one did and it worked out really well. We’re proud of it.” There’s a science to the brewing, Taylor said. And from a sales perspective, the students learned about creating flavors that would appeal to a broad customer group. “I love how we get to experiment and come up with new recipes,” Lybrand added. “We collaborate together with ideas of what type of beer everybody likes and then develop the grain bill and the hop profiles and things like that so that we come up with something unique.” SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Beyond just brewing, the students are taught about distribution and how laws governing alcohol vary across all 50 states. For those considering a career in restaurant management, they learn about how to get access to the newest products and how to set proper menu prices, Taylor said. The school is contracting with Steel Hands to brew, can and keg the Garnet & Black Lot Lager on a commercial basis. A portion of all sales of the beer at the Steel Hands tap room will go back to USC’s hospitality college for student scholarships. “We’re hoping to have this beer distributed out to the public,” Taylor said. “Some local hotels, restaurants have already been saying they want it. We’re also going to see if we can get it into some of the bottle shops in town.” In the future, Taylor hopes to do similar projects for wine and coffee, as well as beer. The brewing class also is growing in popularity. The first class had four students, but Taylor expects more to enroll the next semester it’s offered. Eventually, Taylor and Lybrand hope to have about 20 students with multiple brew teams in each class. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of South Carolina Daily Gazette
	Man arrested in connection with shooting that left 1 in critical condition Travyzz Binion, 19, is charged with attempted murder, a Class B felony.
	When is it the right time for organizations to evaluate their mental health solutions? When is it the right time for organizations to evaluate their mental health solutions?Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) were once the gold standard for supporting employee mental health. But as workforce needs have evolved, and as mental health has become a business priority, the traditional EAP model hasn’t kept up.In a survey of 500+ HR professionals across five countries, Spring Health found that exactly half of all HR professionals are "very satisfied" with their EAP or mental health solution. But that also means another 50% are less than "very satisfied."If you’re a benefits decision maker and your current EAP is underutilized, lacks transparency, or fails to deliver measurable outcomes, it’s time to ask: How can our organization feel very satisfied with its solution? Is our mental health solution still working for us? Or are we simply checking a box?What makes a good mental health solution?Modern mental health solutions should deliver care that’s:Personalized: Matches employees to the right level of care based on their needs, preferences, and severity.Accessible: Offers timely appointments, easy digital entry points, and providers who reflect employees’ language and cultural needs.Measurable: Tracks engagement, clinical outcomes, and business-relevant metrics so organizations can evaluate impact.Comprehensive: Supports a wide range of needs, from everyday stress and burnout to higher-acuity conditions such as depression, trauma, and substance use disorder.Localized for global workforces: Delivers a consistent experience across regions while accounting for local language, culture, provider availability, and care norms.That expectation is also shaping talent decisions. Spring Health also surveyed 1,500+ full-time employees across five countries, and 69% said mental health benefits are very or extremely important to their job decisions.Why your mental health solution might be falling shortMany organizations are experiencing rising healthcare costs and increased burnout, despite offering a mental health benefit. That’s often a symptom of a traditional EAP not built to solve today’s challenges.Key shortcomings of traditional EAPs include:Long wait times and scheduling delaysLack of provider diversity or specializationLow employee awareness and trustNo return on investment (ROI) or outcomes reportingInability to address moderate-to-severe needsThe result: Employees either avoid care altogether or seek expensive, out-of-network treatment through the health plan, which can drive up employer healthcare costs.When is it time to evaluate your mental health solution?One of the key findings from Spring Health’s research is that the likelihood of an HR professional saying they were "very satisfied" with their mental health solution increased dramatically if they had recently evaluated its effectiveness.Among those who had evaluated their mental health solution in the past year, 60% described themselves as very satisfied. Among those who had gone three years or more since they last evaluated their mental health solution's effectiveness, only 34% said they were very satisfied with it.That means now is a great time to evaluate your mental health solution. But these factors might also encourage an organization to evaluate their mental health solution sooner rather than later:Your healthcare costs are rising faster than benchmark.Your disability and leave claims have increased.Your workforce is showing signs of burnout, disengagement, or turnover.You can’t measure the ROI or impact of your mental health benefits.Your mental health solution still operates in a reactive, analog model.A few questions to help with your evaluationStart by asking the right questions of your mental health solution, benefits consultant, or carrier. When possible, ask for the following to be benchmarked against other similar-sized organizations in your industry or location.What is our actual utilization rate?What’s the average wait time for care?Do employees have access to culturally competent, diverse providers?Are you tracking symptom improvement (e.g., depression, anxiety)?Do you offer independently verified ROI data?Can we tie mental health usage to claims reduction or productivity gains?Can you identify behavioral health-related pharmacy claims?Are high-cost claimants receiving behavioral health support?Do you provide real-time crisis support?Can you support comorbid and complex conditions?This story was produced by Spring Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What's a robo advisor, and is it right for you? What's a robo advisor, and is it right for you?From smartphones to smart homes, technology is continually redefining the way we live. Even with finances, automated investing with a robo advisor has changed the way some investors manage their portfolios.Ally Financial explains what robo-advisors are to help you decide whether you need one.What's a robo advisor?A robo advisor is an investment account that typically uses a combination of software, algorithms and human input to create and manage investment portfolios. Think of it as an automated way to invest, often at a lower cost than traditional human advisors, since there's less hands-on support required. After you input your goals, risk tolerance and timeline, a robo advisor does the primary work of creating and managing your portfolio. That gives you the freedom to check on your investments at your leisure.How do robo advisors work?Getting started with a robo advisor is straightforward.Share your financial profile: You'll complete a quick survey about your investment goals, time horizon and how much risk you're comfortable taking. Your chosen platform might allow you to choose between a core, income, tax-optimized or socially responsible portfolio.An algorithm customizes your portfolio: Based on your input, the platform recommends a diversified portfolio. These portfolios often consist of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Why ETFs? Because they, like stocks, trade on a market. But unlike individual stocks, they offer more exposure to the market.Set up automatic contributions: You can often link a bank account to set up regular, automatic transfers, making it easy to consistently add to your portfolio.Automation does its work: Once set up, the robo advisor handles ongoing management, including automatic rebalancing to keep your portfolio aligned with your target allocation and risk tolerance. Some even offer tax optimization strategies. Continue to regularly monitor the account and make any updates needed if your goals, timeline or risk tolerance change.The benefits of using a robo advisorRobo advisors offer several benefits that help make investing more accessible and efficient.Cost-effective: Generally, robo advisors have lower fees compared to traditional human financial advisors, which can save you money over time.Accessibility: Robo advisors prioritize being user-friendly, making them an easier entry point for beginners and a simple addition for the more experienced or hands-on investor.Diversification: Robo advisors typically create diversified portfolios across various asset classes, such as ETFs and mutual funds. This helps mitigate risk.Potential drawbacks of robo advisorsIn addition to the benefits, it’s also important to understand the potential downsides of robo advisors.Lack of personal interaction: If you prefer in-depth discussions about your specific financial situation or need complex advice, a purely digital platform might feel less personal. However, many robust robo advisors do employ human financial professionals who oversee recommendations and can provide some support.Customization constraints: Robo advisors typically offer preset investment strategies based on your profile. While diversified, robo portfolios might not suit every investor's unique needs or niche strategies.Market risks: Like all investments, those managed by robo advisors are subject to market fluctuations and the risk of loss. There's no guarantee of returns.Are robo advisors safe?Reputable firms prioritize the safety and security of your investments and personal information. They typically come with security, encryption and fraud alert features. When choosing a platform, verify the specific safeguards in place.Beyond digital security, robo advisors contribute to investment safety through features like portfolio rebalancing. This helps keep your portfolio aligned with your initial risk tolerance and diversification strategy. While robo advisors help manage your portfolio, it's still wise to monitor your investments regularly — don't completely "set it and forget it."Choosing the right robo advisor for youDeciding if a robo advisor is the right fit involves considering your personal preferences and financial circumstances. If you're new to investing and want a simple, cost-effective way to build a diversified portfolio, a robo advisor can be a valuable tool.Here are some factors and questions to ask yourself.Factors to considerCosts: Compare fees and minimums across different platforms. Are they a percentage of assets under management or flat fees?Investment types: What types of portfolios are offered? Do any of them align with your priorities? With some platforms, you can select a core, income, tax-optimized or socially responsible portfolio.User experience: Is the platform intuitive and easy to navigate? Is customer support readily available when you need it?Personal circumstances: Do you have a complex financial circumstance (e.g., estate planning or tax strategies) you'd prefer to discuss with a human advisor?Ultimately, a robo advisor is a tool that makes investing more accessible and manageable to a wider range of people. By learning how they work, you can decide if a robo advisor is the right choice for you.This story was produced by Ally Financial and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Pay It Forward \| Kicking off success for kids across the Quad Cities Ismael Ojeda founded the Quad City Wolves soccer team to help kids of refugees have an expressive outlet, earning Ojeda the Pay It Forward award.
	Lane of I-80 east reopened after semi crash At 6:54 a.m. a KWQC crew could see a semi with damage blocking the left lane of eastbound I-80. Traffic was passing in the right lane.
	Spring Vehicle Maintenance Checklist (NAPSI)—There’s no time like spring for some preventive vehicle maintenance. Seasonal inspections help address winter wear and prepare vehicles for warmer weather and summer travel. “Winter takes its toll, even if it doesn’t snow where you live, and a reset is good for you and your vehicle before the summer travel season,” said Darren Bradshaw, senior vice president of Mopar North America. “Also, Mopar knows that preventive maintenance keeps vehicles on the road longer and saves money in the long run.”The experts at Mopar, the global parts and service brand of Stellantis, suggest these checks to be road ready:Tires: Check air pressure, including the spare. The proper PSI is listed inside the driver’s door jamb. Inspect both tread and sidewall for uneven or irregular wear.Engine Belts, Hoses and Fuel Filter: Prevent breakdowns or serious engine damage by replacing belts and hoses at recommended intervals. Replacing the fuel filter keeps the engine running well and maximizes fuel economy.Brakes: A thin layer of the brake pad disintegrates every time brakes are applied. Replace pads or shoes before drums or rotors become damaged. Inspect calipers, fittings, brake hardware and the parking brake to ensure proper performance.Oil: Engine oil should be checked regularly and changed according to service recommendations.Air Filter: The air filter protects the engine from contaminants. Restricted airflow hinders performance and may lead to greater fuel consumption.Fluid Levels: Vehicle fluids and lubricants—coolant, power steering, brake fluid—should be checked and changed at factory-recommended intervals.Battery: Look for corroded terminals and a cracked or bulging case.Shocks and Struts: They’re vital to a smooth ride and may affect handling. Look for signs of leaking fluid.Wiper Blades: Critical for a clear view. Mopar all-season wiper blades are made from an all-metal superstructure for durability and reliable performance.Lights: Inspect and test all exterior lamps, including turn signals and hazard lights.Learn MoreTo help you with all this, the experts at Mopar offer numerous spring service specials and rebates.To check out available service coupons, scanor go online to https://www.mopar.com/en-us/service-coupons-and-offers.html#coupons-section or for more information, scanor go online to www.mopar.com. Word Count: 349
	Cook review: 'Jay Kelly' is a wonderful character study of an aging actor "Jay Kelly," an excellent character study of an aging actor and those close to him, should have earned more recognition than it did at awards time. The titular character, played by George Clooney in one of his finest performances, is the story of an actor who looks back on his past with some regrets and [...]
	Brew, Bourbon, & Wine Bash returns for its 3rd year. The Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds hosts the 3rd Annual Brew, Bourbon, & Wine Bash. General Manager Shawn Loter explains what to expect this year.
	City of Moline launches summer early through an adaptive park program There are three open house sessions for families to attend and learn more about the adaptive park program.
	A Polymarket trader made $300,000 betting on Biden's pardons, a new analysis shows In the final hours of President Biden's term, an anonymous prediction market trader placed lucrative bets on who would be pardoned even as the odds were nearly zero.

Thursday, April 16th, 2026