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

Friday, March 20th, 2026
	Illinois film production expenditures reached record-breaking highs in 2025: Pritzker Film production expenditures in Illinois reached record-breaking highs in 2025. According to a release, expenditures reached $703 million and supported an estimated 18,000 in industry hires, a 25% increase since before the pandemic in 2019. Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and Illinois film industry leaders made the announcement. [...]
	Grants help Iowa expand biofuel infrastructure projects Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) Board approved 33 ethanol infrastructure grants during its quarterly meeting on March 11 to support new and expanded biofuel infrastructure projects at fuel retailers in 25 counties across Iowa. In the QCA, these retail E15 site projects received funding: Click [...]
	With 'Arirang,' BTS returns to a K-pop moment of its own making Four years ago, the boy band went silent — but not before setting off a chain reaction that would reshape the pop market, conquer the Grammys and prime the world for an inevitable comeback.
	Bettendorf Community Band hosts Spring Concert Welcome spring with a concert by the Bettendorf Community Band. The Bettendorf Community Band is holding its Spring Concert at the Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State Street, on Sunday, March 29 at 3 p.m. Over 50 musicians will perform nine songs at this free concert. “Come join us as we say farewell to the colder [...]
	Traffic alert: What to know before heading to sold-out HARDY concert in Moline Heading to the sold-out HARDY concert Friday night at Vibrant Arena? Here are some tips Moline city officials want you to know.
	Heavy traffic expected in Moline for Hardy concert Concert goers heading to Moline for tonight's sold-out Hardy show won’t be able to take their usual routes to the Vibrant Arena. River Drive is closed at the Arsenal Bridge overpass, between 15th and 17th Streets, and very heavy traffic is expected in downtown Moline. Fans are asked to use 6th Avenue to 12th Street [...]
	Moline music educator passes away Kermit Wells, served his tenure as director for boys choir for 54 years.
	Erie School District fundraises for Millie Moo Foundation started after infant’s cancer battle Students are stepping up to support families facing pediatric cancer through a weeklong fundraiser for the Millie Moo Foundation.
	The Last Picture House to hold event honoring Black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux The event will include screenings of "Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking" and Micheaux's silent feature "Within Our Gates."
	Davenport man arrested in connection with 2024 shooting at Yoshi's Bar A man wanted in Davenport in connection with a June 2024 shooting at Yoshi’s Bar has been arrested. The criminal complaint filed in the case said Davenport Police responded to the area of Yoshi's Bar and Filipino Canteen, 831 W. 3rd, on June 7, 2024 at about 2 p.m. for reports of shots fired with [...]
	Palestinians celebrate Eid in Gaza, making the most of a fragile ceasefire The ceasefire, in effect for the past six months, has brought some reprieve to Palestinians in Gaza despite continued hardship, displacement and Israeli restrictions on aid.
	‘Illinois farmers can feed Illinois’: State grant program offers assistance Illinois food producers and businesses can apply for a share of $3.6 million through the Illinois Department of Agriculture as part of a grant program to support local food infrastructure systems.
	Quad Cities River Bandits reveal 2026 promotional schedule The Quad Cities River Bandits have announced their lineup of 2026 promotions.
	Rock Island County State's Attorney announces new partnership to reduce violent crime Rock Island County is taking part in a nationwide effort to reduce violent crime, joining Davenport to make streets safer. Rock Island County State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal announced a new partnership with the Rock Island Police Department to implement and expand Group Violence Intervention on the office’s Facebook page. “Through a collaborative effort, the Rock [...]
	How fuel prices are affecting trucking and farms in the QCA and beyond As gas prices are on the rise nationwide, diesel prices are around $5 per gallon. Many are feeling the pinch at the pump, and Our Quad Cities News reporter Gavin Waidelich looks at the long-lasting effects fuel fluctuations could have on farms and trucking companies here in the QCA and beyond.
	Americans spend 13 times more time scrubbing toilets than on financial planning. Here’s the fix. Americans spend 13 times more time scrubbing toilets than on financial planning. Here’s the fix.The average American spends less than two minutes a day on their finances, like budgeting, saving, investing, or retirement planning. That’s less time than it takes to brew a cup of coffee, and 13 times less than the average American spends cleaning their home.According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, only 2.7% of Americans do any financial planning on a given day, and that number has been falling for two decades.For 1 in 4 Americans, the only thing that triggers financial planning is a financial stress event like an unexpected bill or a job loss, according to a Motley Fool Money survey of 2,000 U.S. adults in the United States. Simple steps, like opening a high-yield savings account or setting a monthly budget, can make a meaningful difference. As this article from Motley Fool Money shows, the gap between what Americans know they should do and what they actually do is surprisingly easy to close.Key PointsMinimal financial time: Americans spend less than two minutes daily on financial activities like budgeting or investing.Crisis-driven planning: About 25% of Americans only plan finances during stress events like unexpected bills.Simple steps matter: Actions like setting a budget or opening a high-yield savings account can significantly improve financial health.How does the average American spend their time each day?The average American logs nearly 10 hours a day on personal care, like sleeping and grooming, according to the latest BLS data.Another 5-plus hours a day go to leisure activities, like reading, socializing, watching TV, playing sports, and exercising.Work and work-related activities, like job searching and interviewing, claim over three hours per day.Financial planning barely registers. Motley Fool Money The average American spends 13 times more time cleaning their homes than managing their finances.Leisure and sports consume more than 5 hours a day — financial management gets 2 minutes.Only 2.7% of Americans do any financial planning on a given day, fewer than those doing laundry or playing video games, each at 15%.Banking and financial services engagement is even lower: roughly 1 minute per day across all Americans.How much time do Americans spend on financial planning?Among Americans who do engage in financial planning on a given day, they average about 1 hour and 4 minutes, per BLS data. But because the vast majority do none at all, the average across all Americans falls to under 2 minutes per day.Time spent on financial planning among those who engage in it has held relatively steady at around 45-55 minutes over most of the past two decades, though that figure has ticked up in recent years, reaching roughly an hour in 2024. Motley Fool Money How many Americans financially plan on a given day?The share of Americans doing any financial planning on a given day has been falling for two decades. It has nearly halved since 2004, from 4.7% to 2.7%.In the 2000s, more than 4% of Americans planned their finances on a typical day. That number is now below 3%. Use of professional financial services has declined even more sharply, from 4.2% in 2003 to 1.5% in 2024. Motley Fool Money What drives American financial planning habits?According to a Motley Fool Money survey of 2,000 adults, nearly half of Americans (46%) say they plan their finances on a regular schedule. But behavioral data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells a different story: Only 2.7% of Americans do any financial planning on a given day.Nearly 1 in 4 Americans engage in financial planning only when a crisis forces them to, such as a job loss, an unexpected bill, or an income disruption, per Motley Fool Money’s survey. Crisis budgeting is most common among Gen X respondents (30%) and least common among Gen Z and millennials (21%). Baby boomers are most likely to engage in financial planning on a regular basis (50%), while Gen Z is most likely to do so when making a large purchase or investment (37%). Motley Fool Money The financial pressure behind crisis budgetingThe fact that roughly a quarter of Americans plan their finances only under duress isn’t surprising given the state of household finances.Only 44% of Americans could cover a $400 emergency expense without using a credit card. Just 55% of Americans have three months of emergency savings — that’s down from 59%, according to Federal Reserve data.Average monthly expenses grew by roughly $100 from 2023 to 2024, and average household debt continues to rise.Financial planning by age and genderFinancial planning engagement varies significantly by age and gender, according to BLS data.Engagement rises with age, from just 0.8% of Americans aged 15 to 24, to 2.3% of those 65 and older. Motley Fool Money Retirement-age Americans have the most routine financial obligations, like fixed income, recurring bills, and required minimum distributions. Those obligations likely drive higher daily engagement.Women are slightly more likely to engage in financial planning on a given day — 3.0% vs. 2.4% for men.An example financial planning checklist for getting startedFinancial planning doesn’t have to happen every day, but it should happen.“Financial planning isn't just a one-and-done activity,” said Amanda Kish, CFA, CFP, Financial Planning Team Lead at The Motley Fool. “It requires dedicated time, and if you don’t actually put it on your calendar, it’s much less likely to actually happen. The first step is to establish a specific day and time when you’re going to sit down and do the work of tracking your financial life.”The following framework is a starting point. It is for educational purposes only and is not personalized financial advice.1. Define your goalsWrite down one to three short-term goals — things achievable within a year, like building a $1,000 emergency fund. Add two or three long-term goals, such as retirement or buying a home. Attach a dollar amount and a target date to each goal.2. Track your spending and budgetList all monthly income after tax and then all fixed monthly expenses, like rent, subscriptions, and auto loan payments. Track variable spending for 30 days, including food, entertainment, and transportation. Identify at least one category where you can cut back3. Build an emergency fundCalculate your monthly essential expenses, like rent, food, utilities, and insurance. Set a savings target of at least three to six months of those expenses, held in a dedicated high-yield savings account. Automate a monthly transfer to that account, even if the amount is small.4. Calculate your net worth.Make a list of all of your assets (savings accounts, retirement plan, house) and all of your liabilities (credit card debt, student loans, mortgage). Your net worth is simply your assets minus your liabilities. It’s okay if it’s negative for now — but part of improving your finances is understanding where you are today.5. Tackle debtList all debts with balances, interest rates, and minimum payments. Make at least the minimum payment on every account each month. Direct any extra funds toward the highest-interest debt first.6. Start saving for retirementCheck whether your employer offers a 401(k) or similar retirement plan. If there’s an employer match, contribute at least enough to capture it, if it fits your budget. Research whether a traditional IRA or Roth IRA might make sense for your situation.7. Schedule a regular money check-inPut a recurring “money hour” on your calendar, monthly at a minimum. Review spending against your budget, check progress toward your goals, and adjust as life changes.8. Consider professional financial planning helpIf planning feels overwhelming, look into fee-only financial advisors rather than commission-based ones. When evaluating credentials, CFP, which stands for Certified Financial Planner, is a widely recognized benchmark.Building routine is crucial, Kish added. “The key here is consistency and treating it like any other important appointment. If you’re thinking, is this really something that I need to schedule? I’d say the answer is yes, because without that type of structure, financial tasks become these things that we can push off sometimes indefinitely.”MethodologyMotley Fool Money surveyed 2,000 American adults via Pollfish on November 7, 2023. Results were post-stratified to generate nationally representative data based on age and gender. Pollfish employs organic random device engagement sampling, a statistical method that recruits respondents through a randomized invitation process across various digital platforms. This technique helps to minimize selection bias and ensure a diverse participant pool.This story was produced by Motley Fool Money and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The cold calling framework for outbound sales success The cold-calling framework for outbound sales successAre you tired of cold calling and seeing no results? Discover the simple framework that transforms cold calls into booked meetings—and how you can kickstart your cold calling strategy in five simple steps.Don't believe the "cold calling is dead" hype.Picking up the phone and dialing is one of the fastest ways to book a meeting. This proven framework was developed after transitioning to SaaS from a career of selling to governments and revisiting the cold-calling style.Apollo.io shares the steps to take for every cold call, from gaining consent to pushing toward the close.How to prepare for successful cold callsSuccess isn't an accident — it's the result of smart preparation. Before you even think about dialing, you need to do your homework. Spend five minutes researching your prospect on LinkedIn and their company website. What's their role? What are their company's latest announcements? This isn't about being a stalker; it's about being relevant. You should also have a clear goal for the call. Hint: It's not to close a deal. It's to book the next meeting. Knowing your objective keeps the conversation focused and drives the right outcome.The 5 C's of cold calling#1: ConsentForget that the cold call is some kind of "power transfer.” It isn't. A cold call by default is an interruption of someone's day, so why not be polite about it? One of the best ways to gain consent is by asking:"Hi {{first name}}, I know you're not expecting my call. Mind if I take a few moments to tell you why I am calling? Promise I'll be brief."This permission-based opener works 99 out of 100 times. It shows the prospect — right out of the gate — that you recognize their time is a gift and will continue to respect it.#2: ChallengeNext, identify and address the prospects' pain points.If you've been in sales for longer than a day, you have your own strategies for this—but one way to find particular success is by framing their pains by challenging the status quo and their preexisting ideas. Ask a specific, data-based question about a problem you know they have."Curious, when I speak to VPs of marketing like you, they're overpaying by up to 31% for their outsourced lead gen. What is your take on outsourcing versus doing in-house?"It's a sneaky way to present the inadequacies in their current solutions, pique their interest, and create a need for the solutions you're offering. You can also try something like:"According to Marketing Week, 72% of outsourced marketing campaigns don't generate enough leads for the sales teams to close—curious, what percentage of your marketing campaigns bring sales-qualified opportunities?"If they recognize it is a problem, then move to "convey.”#3: ConveyOnce the challenge is acknowledged, present your solution with a value drop.This is the short and sweet "pitch" of the cold call. Here are some favorite examples:"{{First name}}, we help {{your competitor}} avoid this problem by helping them achieve X business outcome, which solves {{impact of pain}}.""{{First name}}, we help {{your competitor}} avoid wasting 72% of their outsourced marketing spend, which leads to an approx 25% increase in MQLs converting to SQLs…"Remember, this is a cold call. The goal of this interaction isn't to close the deal—it's to book a meeting, a demo, or another follow-up action item.So don't get focused on the sale; focus on the next steps.If there is genuine interest, move to "close" that next step. If you're met with objections, you'll need to know how to effectively counter.#4: CounterThere are a few key strategies for responding to a prospect's disinterest.More often than not, a prospect who wants to dodge you will say one of three things:I'm all setI'm happy with my current supplierI'm not interestedEach of these requires a different response to get the outcome you need:If they say "all set,” you can say: "Sounds like you solved this problem, mind telling me what your secret sauce is?"If they say "I'm happy with my current supplier,” you can say: "Great! It seems like it's going well. What do you love about them/what would make you consider an alternative?"If they simply say "not interested,” you can say: "Most aren't when I call, and it seems like you don't have this challenge. How did you prevent/solve it?"#5: CloseThe mentality around the "cold-call close" should always be that you're creating a long-term relationship, not just booking a meeting or making a sale.The most successful cold callers give prospects a compelling reason to consider their offering, along with clear next steps and a glimpse into what a potential deal might hold for them."I'm creating a long-term relationship, not just booking a meeting or making a sale,” says Charlotte Lloyd, founder of Social Selling and Cold Outreach Made Easy.You can give them all of these things in two quick sentences:"Would it make sense to take a look at this tomorrow or later this week? You will know in the first 15 minutes if this is relevant or not."This line is also great because, again, it shows the prospect that you're honoring their time and willing to work around their schedule.Transform your cold-calling results with the right approachCold calling isn't dead; uninformed cold calling is. When you combine sharp preparation with a proven framework like the 5 C's, you stop interrupting and start engaging. You're not just making calls—you're building a pipeline. The final piece of the puzzle is arming yourself with the data to make every single call count.Frequently asked questions about cold callingWhat are the 5 C's of cold calling?The 5 C's are a framework for structuring effective cold calls. They stand for: Consent (getting permission to speak), Challenge (addressing a relevant pain point), Convey (presenting your value), Counter (handling objections), and Close (securing the next step).What is the 80/20 rule in cold calling?The 80/20 rule, or Pareto principle, suggests that 80% of your results will come from 20% of your efforts. In cold calling, this means identifying and focusing your time on the top 20% of high-potential prospects who are most likely to convert. Using a sales intelligence platform helps you pinpoint that top 20% with precision.Through sales training, sellers face many obstacles when they attempt to use outbound sales software for cold outreach. Here are the best tips on some of the most commonly asked cold-calling questions.What's the ideal time to make a cold call?It's always an ideal time! Block 60-90 minutes off in the a.m. and another block in the p.m. to hit everyone on your lists. (As long as the time is appropriate, try calling outside of normal business hours. It can get you better responses.)Should I follow up after a cold call? If so, how?Always! And always leave a voicemail if there's no pickup. Direct the prospect to the email that you've sent or mention the one you will be sending."Just called you" in the email subject line or a LinkedIn voice note works wonderfully for follow-ups.What metrics are the most important to track when analyzing your cold calls?To improve your cold calling (and any sales process for that matter), you need to vigilantly track the data. Look for patterns across:Calls to connectConnects to meetingsNo shows for the meeting bookedHow do I overcome rejection in cold calling?Do it more and do it often! It's the only way to get comfortable with rejection.This story was produced by Apollo.io and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Man arrested in connection with 2024 shooting outside of Davenport bar The shooting was reported at 1:59 a.m. on June 7, 2024.
	Moline Parks & Recreation offers public, private Easter Egg Hunts Moline Parks and Recreation is helping Quad City kids celebrate Easter with private and public Easter Egg Hunts. Stephens Park, 7th Street and 15th Avenue, is the site for the 2026 Moline Parks and Recreation’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. Children collect empty eggs and bring them to event staff in exchange for a goodie bag. [...]
	Foodie Friday: Plates & Pours You're invited to come hang out and grab something good for everyone in the family at Plates & Pours! Our Quad Cities News checked in with Lynn and Celine at Plates & Pours for Foodie Friday. For more information, click here.
	Virtual crisis care helps rural communities access mental health resources in emergencies Virtual crisis care helps rural communities access mental health resources in emergenciesIn rural counties where access to emergency mental health resources is limited, Virtual Crisis Care programs are giving law enforcement on-demand access to behavioral health professionals, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations or confinement in jail.Supported by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, Virtual Crisis Care has been active in South Dakota for over five years and adopted by more than 30 rural law enforcement departments. And in 2025, Wyoming launched a Virtual Crisis Care pilot program, The Daily Yonder reports.Through Virtual Crisis Care, law enforcement can connect people to behavior health professionals from the telemedicine network Avel eCare for video-based assessments, intervention, and stabilization. Clinicians guide officers through complex mental health situations, minimizing the need for costly holds, transports, and hospitalizations.Since Virtual Crisis Care was implemented in South Dakota in 2020, 86% of people encountering law enforcement through the program have been able to remain safely at home, accessing local follow-up care and successfully avoiding hospitalization or incarceration.Roberts County, South Dakota, was one of the first communities to pilot the program, first implementing Virtual Crisis Care in the summer of 2020.“Virtual access has been extremely beneficial in addressing rural service gaps,” said Roberts County Sheriff Tyler Appel. “In our rural communities there is just simply no possibility of getting mental health professionals on site.”Prior to the adoption of Virtual Crisis Care, Appel said Roberts County faced very limited access to mental health professionals, especially after hours. Deputies often had to make critical decisions alone and manage lengthy hospital or evaluation transports.The Virtual Crisis Care program gave deputies real-time clinical guidance, helping them make more informed decisions on involuntary holds and hospitalizations, leading to more tailored, long-term care and fewer individuals in crisis ending up in jail.“Having immediate access to mental health professionals has significantly enhanced de-escalation efforts by allowing individuals in crisis to speak directly with trained clinicians,” Appel said. “This often helps lower anxiety, build rapport, and reduce the adversarial nature that can sometimes occur when law enforcement is the sole responder.”Amber Reints, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and director of behavioral health at Avel eCare, is one of the clinicians who answers these crisis calls.“We will see patients wherever law enforcement is activated,” Reints said. “That initial call can come from inside someone’s home. It can come from within a jail, from a school, or from the side of the road—wherever law enforcement is present—and it can involve individuals of any age group.”When law enforcement encounters someone in crisis, they call the central hub, share basic information, and connect the individual to a clinician via tablet or a secure link for an immediate virtual assessment. Avel eCare nurses have, on average, 17 years of clinical psychiatric experience and answer calls from around the country. The clinician de-escalates, conducts a risk evaluation, creates a safety plan, and works with officers on next steps. Across the country, these services help about 80% of individuals remain safely in place rather than go to inpatient care.“As a clinician, I recently connected with a man in a very rural area who was using substances and experiencing suicidal thoughts after losing a loved one to an opioid-related death just a month earlier. We were able to de-escalate the situation and bring his mom into the conversation,” Reints said. “He was able to receive care right there in his home, without being put in a cop car, taken to a hospital, and left waiting in an emergency room, potentially losing the courage it took to reach out in the first place.”But Virtual Crisis Care isn’t just an emergency response, it’s designed to create sustained support through a network of community health centers that serve as critical local partners.“This program would not be as successful as it is, if not for the partnership of all of our community mental health centers,” Reints said. “When we go live [with a consultation], a step in that process is identifying who is going to be the connection point for this person who’s in crisis.”Avel eCare clinicians identify the designated, county-specific resources and after the virtual consultation, the nurse sends a confidential report to the patient’s local community health center, which follows up to connect the patient with local resources.Especially in rural areas with low call volumes, these community partnerships make telemedicine 24/7 crisis support possible while also delivering ongoing treatment locally.“That’s what I value most about this program: it meets people where they are in their most vulnerable moments,” Reints said. “As a clinician, I never lose sight of how courageous it is to ask for help, and as a system, we have to keep removing barriers so that when people do reach out, they’re met with both expertise and compassion.”Wyoming Pilots Virtual Crisis Care ProgramNow, a pilot Virtual Crisis Care program is underway in Wyoming. In 2025, The Helmsley Charitable Trust granted the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP) a $2.4 million grant to bring Virtual Crisis Care to the state.“People who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis need professional help, and Virtual Crisis Care gets them that help immediately,” said Walter Panzirer, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “In the simplest terms, Virtual Crisis Care saves lives, time, and money. We need more innovative models like VCC, especially in rural areas where there are limited behavioral health resources.”Allen Thompson, executive director of WASCOP, said Virtual Crisis Care is already transforming mental health services in rural Wyoming.“When I started my career 25 years ago, some of our jails across the state were the only option to place somebody in an emergency detention,” said Thompson. Since then, options have improved, but now, Virtual Crisis Care is both expanding on-demand access to clinicians through telehealth, and building more robust systems for local resources.“Through Virtual Crisis Care, we’ve built out this network of community mental health providers in Wyoming so that each county has an entity that is supposed to provide that mental health at the community level and provide outpatient services for people and be that [local] resource for them,” Thompson said.WASCOP recruited law enforcement agencies across Wyoming to join the Virtual Crisis Care pilot, aiming for 75% participation within three years and already reaching about 25% in the first year. WASCOP connected interested agencies to their local community mental health providers, provided a grant-funded tablet and data connection, and facilitated targeted training with Avel eCare. Agencies that are now actively implementing Virtual Crisis Care will have ongoing check-ins and data collection to track outcomes and measure the program’s impact over time.“I think if you look at serving in rural America, not only on the criminal side but on the mental health side, you deal with the same people over years and decades. If you can get someone struggling with addiction or mental health into treatment and help them change their life, then we’re not seeing them anymore on the law enforcement side of things,” Thompson said.While questions of sustainability remain beyond the three-year grant period, Thompson is committed to expanding early intervention and finding a path for long-term Virtual Crisis Care programming.“My long-term hope is that we can get in on the early side of mental health treatment and at the same time reduce the stigma that we’ve always fought with, especially in rural Wyoming, and get people into the right treatment that provides them with the best services,” Thompson said.This story was produced by The Daily Yonder and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Here's why millions of Americans are unable to sell their homes Here's why millions of Americans are unable to sell their homesIf you’ve typed “can’t sell my house” into a search bar recently, you’re in enormous company — and that’s not a coincidence. It reflects something very real: a housing market that has quietly frozen in place, even as spring brings fresh “For Sale” signs to every neighborhood.This situation isn’t about your house, paint colors or even your yard. It’s years of economic forces colliding at once, leaving millions of ordinary homeowners feeling trapped in the very homes they worked so hard to own.Finder paints the full, honest picture.Why are so many people searching ‘can’t sell my house’ right now?The spike in searches tells a story before even getting to the statistics. This isn’t 2008, when prices collapsed and buyers vanished. Today’s market is more maddening: Home prices are still historically high, but buyers are hesitant, homes are sitting longer and sellers are being forced into painful choices.According to Redfin, the typical U.S. home that sold in March 2026 spent 63 days on the market — the longest stretch in six years, and roughly a week longer than a year ago. Pending home sales fell 1.3% year over year. The market is stalling, not collapsing, but for a homeowner who needs to move, that distinction can feel meaningless.The invisible force freezing the marketTo understand why selling is hard right now, you need to understand the mortgage rate lock-in effect — arguably the most powerful force in American real estate today.During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fed slashed rates to near zero. Millions locked in 30-year mortgages at rates as low as 2.65%. Moving now means giving up that rate forever and stepping into a new rate in the low-to-mid 6% range. On a $400,000 loan, that’s roughly $700 more per month — over $8,000 a year.A February 2026 survey by Storable found that 73% of homeowners would consider moving if they could transfer their current rate. One in 4 with rates below 5% said no amount of money would convince them to give it up. Academic research estimates the lock-in effect reduced nationwide home sales by more than a million transactions and inflated prices 5% to 6% above where they’d otherwise be.The good news: According to The Washington Post, the market recently crossed a meaningful threshold. There are now more Americans with mortgage rates above 6% than below 3%. The lock-in effect is loosening — just not fast enough for the homeowner staring at a listing that won’t move.Your neighbor’s 3% rate is your problem tooHere’s something nobody talks about enough: Your neighbor’s rock-bottom mortgage rate might be good for them, but it’s actively hurting your sale.When the family next door locked in 2.9% in 2021, they may have had every intention of eventually moving to something bigger. Then rates doubled. Now they’re staying put, their home isn’t coming to market, and the buyers in your area have fewer options to choose from — which sounds like it should help you, but here’s the twist: Those same buyers are also stretched thin by high prices and high rates affecting whether they can afford a new mortgage. They’re cautious. They’re negotiating hard. They’re walking away from anything that feels overpriced.You’re caught in the middle: not enough seller competition to feel scarce, not enough buyer confidence to feel urgent. It’s the worst of both worlds, and it’s playing out in living rooms across the country right now.What the numbers actually sayHere’s where things stand, from the most trusted sources in housing:Mortgage rates (March 2026)Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate at 6.11% as of March 12, 2026, with rates hitting 5.98% on Feb. 26, 2026 — the first time in 3.5 years it dipped below 6%. A year ago, it averaged 6.65%. Mortgage rates are improving but remain a universe away from the 2.65% low of January 2021.Home pricesThe National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported a median existing-home sales price of $398,000 in February 2026. National forecasts project 1% to 4% price growth for the year, with the Midwest and Northeast seeing stronger gains and parts of the South and West going flat.InventoryThe NAR reported 3.8 months of supply, still below the four to six months considered a balanced market. Critically, much of the inventory growth isn’t from new sellers listing homes. It’s from homes sitting on the market longer.Sales volumeExisting-home sales decreased 1.4% year over year in February 2026, per NAR data. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun noted: “Housing affordability is improving, and consumers are responding. … Still, there is a long way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels of transaction activity.”Selling a house in 2026 vs. 2021: A tale of two marketsSometimes the best way to understand where you are is to see where you’ve been. Consider this: Finder The homes that sold in 2021 practically sold themselves. In spring 2026, sellers have to earn the sale with smart pricing, strong presentation and patience.Why buyers aren’t jumping eitherEven with rates dipping below 6% for the first time in years, buyers are hesitant. Redfin’s 2026 housing mood report describes them as taking their time, requesting inspections and negotiating — behaviors almost unheard of during the pandemic frenzy.The core reasons: Median home prices have risen roughly 25% since 2019, per U.S. Census data. Monthly payments on a median-priced home still run around $1,922 — about 22% of the typical family’s monthly income.And Storable’s survey found that 38% of would-be buyers say they need rates below 4.5% before they’d seriously consider buying. With rates in the mid-6% range, more than half of potential movers are waiting for a rate drop that most economists say isn’t coming anytime soon.What you can actually doPrice for the market that exists, not 2022. Overpricing is the single biggest reason homes sit. Delistings — sellers pulling listings rather than accepting lower offers — rose to 32% of new listings in January 2026, up from just 8% in January 2022, per Realtor.com. Sellers who start wrong almost always end up lower than they would have if they’d started right.Make it move-in ready. Buyers in 2026 are flagging repairs and walking away from homes that need work. A focused spend on cosmetic updates, such as paint, landscaping and minor fixes, can dramatically shift buyer perception.Explore your financing options. Bridge loans, home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, cash-out refinances or even personal loans for home improvement can give you the financial flexibility to make your next move without being held hostage by your timeline. If rates continue easing, the math on some of these tools is getting more attractive by the month.Know your window. Spring and early summer historically remain the strongest listing seasons. And with rates now under 6% and the NAR projecting existing-home sales could rise as much as 14% in 2026, the buyer pool is growing slowly.A final word: This is not your faultThe 2026 housing freeze is the result of a decade of underbuilding, two years of emergency monetary policy, three years of rate shock and a pandemic that reshuffled where Americans want to live — all colliding at once.But the freeze is thawing. Rates are falling. Inventory is improving. Affordability, per NAR’s own index, just hit its best level since March 2022. These are real signals.If you need to move now, you don’t have to wait for a perfect market. You need the right strategy for the market that exists. And if financing is part of that strategy, knowing your options is the most powerful first step you can take.This story was produced by Finder and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Martial arts star Chuck Norris dies at 86 Norris karate chopped and kickboxed his way through more than a dozen action films in the 1980s, before leaping to TV in Walker, Texas Ranger.
	AI overviews in healthcare: What a study of more than 130K health queries reveals AI overviews in healthcare: What a study of more than 130K health queries revealsGoogle’s AI Overviews is reshaping the search space, and for healthcare, the shift isn’t subtle. It’s seismic.In 2024, Google introduced AI Overviews directly into its search engine results pages (SERPs), surfacing concise summaries for users without requiring a click. While every industry felt the tremor, one vertical saw the ground move more than any other: healthcare.WebFX’s analysis of over 130,000 health-related search queries found that AI Overviews now appear in 51% of healthcare searches. That’s double the average across all industries.That means when someone searches for symptoms, treatment options, dietary advice, or diagnostic terms, there’s a good chance they’ll see Google’s AI Overviews answering the question first before your content even has a chance.For those navigating the healthcare information space, this poses an urgent question: How does information visibility change in a world where Google answers for you?This breakdown walks you through:Why healthcare tops all industries for AI overviewsHealthcare is the epicenter of Google’s AI Overview rollout, and the numbers prove it.In WebFX’s broader analysis of 2.37 million U.S. search queries, health-related searches had the highest AI Overview rate of any industry (51.6%). That puts healthcare firmly at the top of Google’s generative AI priorities, ahead of trust-heavy verticals like finance, education, and family services.AI Overview rates by industry WebFX To deepen that finding, a focused study of 130,070 health-related queries showed that AI Overviews appeared in 51% of searches. This reinforces the industry’s outsized exposure to AI-generated answers across the board.Bottom line: Healthcare is ground zero for AI Overviews.Why is healthcare at the top?Google has made one thing clear: AI Overviews are built to provide fast, reliable answers for complex queries. Healthcare checks every box:High trust threshold: Users expect accurate and reputable sources when searching for health information. Google elevates authoritative answers quickly.Educational search behavior: Many healthcare queries are informational in nature (e.g., symptom explainers, treatment comparisons).Life-impacting outcomes: When the stakes are high, like understanding a potential diagnosis, Google prioritizes instant clarity through generative AI in healthcare SERPs.For those in the healthcare industry, this shift marks a pivotal change in how patients discover information. Pages that once generated thousands of visits for condition overviews or “what-is” articles may now compete directly with AI-generated summaries.Which query patterns put healthcare content in the danger zoneWhen it comes to AI Overviews in healthcare, not all queries are treated equally. Some get bypassed entirely. Others are prime real estate for Google’s generative AI to step in and answer before a user ever clicks through to your site.What triggers AI Overviews in healthcare?The data reveals that two factors skyrocket the chances of your content being superseded by AI Overviews: WebFX Long queries = High AI riskHealthcare queries that are seven words or longer trigger AI Overviews nearly three out of four times (73.9%).That’s a massive leap from the one-to-two-word range, where AI Overviews appear in 35.8% of health-related searches. In short, the more specific and educational your content, the more likely it is to be preempted by Google’s AI.Here’s how likely AI Overviews get triggered depending on the length of health queries: WebFX Long-form queries (which traditionally signal high intent and informational value) are now deep in the AI danger zone. That “how-to” blog post you’ve optimized? Google might summarize it before the user ever gets to you.Real examples from the dataset WebFX These aren’t fringe topics. They’re high-volume, health-sensitive queries where AI in the medical field is stepping in with answers at the top of the SERP.Informational intent gets hit hardestAI Overviews don’t just follow query length. They also chase search intent. And in healthcare, informational searches are the most vulnerable by far. WebFX Google seems to be drawing a line:Informational = AI Overviews handles itNavigational/transactional = Let the SERP surface brands, maps, or adsReal examples of high-risk informational queries WebFX Common query types in the AI danger zoneCertain archetypes of healthcare content are frequently targeted by AI Overviews.Here are the ones getting hit the hardest: WebFX Many of these were top performers for content marketing in previous years. But in today’s SERPs, they’re the ones most often answered by generative AI in healthcare.AI Overviews in healthcare aren’t replacing all queries, but they’re consistently claiming the most educational, trust-heavy, and SEO-optimized ones. Hence, if your content portfolio is heavy on:“What-is…” and “How-to…” explainer articlesSymptom guides and patient FAQsComparison content (treatment types, vitamins, wellness plans)…then you’re competing directly with AI for SERP visibility.How local and brand modifiers protect healthcare searchesNot all healthcare queries are equally exposed to AI Overviews. In fact, some types of searches (particularly those with local or branded modifiers) are significantly less likely to trigger AI-generated summaries.This suggests that healthcare organizations focusing on brand authority, local SEO, or specific intent content may maintain higher organic visibility, as these search types still frequently result in clicks.Modifier impact on AI Overview ratesIn WebFX’s health-specific dataset of 130,070 queries, here’s how different modifier types affect the likelihood of triggering an AI Overview: WebFX Data suggests that adding brand or location to content may reduce zero-click exposure and maintain user engagement.Why these modifiers matterModifiers like brand names and locations significantly impact search results by adding intent and signaling trust, which can reduce the likelihood of content being summarized by AI.Here’s why each one provides an edge: WebFX The data indicates that general informational content is more susceptible to AI summarization. Strategies to maintain visibility include:Location pages optimized for high-intent searches (e.g., “urgent care near [city]”)Branded FAQs (e.g., “How does [Your Clinic] treat migraines?”)Navigational blog content (e.g., “What makes [Brand]’s approach to weight loss unique?”)How the healthcare industry is adapting to search changesGoogle’s AI Overviews are changing the landscape of health search and the patient journey.Industry experts suggest several ways to adapt to these changes:1. Focusing on content quality and credibilityE-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) isn’t optional in healthcare. It’s table stakes. AI Overviews are pulling answers from sites that demonstrate clear expertise and trust. That means:Publishing content written or reviewed by medical professionalsCiting reputable sources (Mayo Clinic, NIH, peer-reviewed journals)Including clear author bios, medical disclaimers, and content review datesIn the dataset, health queries with medical brand and location modifiers were less likely to trigger AI Overviews, suggesting Google’s AI favors independent, authoritative sources over brand-biased content.2. Utilizing long-tail, question-based contentThe data is clear: longer, more specific queries are more likely to trigger AI Overviews. Healthcare marketers should pivot toward:Answering patient questions clearly and conciselyStructuring content with FAQs, headings, and schemaUsing long-tail keywords, conversational phrases, and natural languageQueries with seven or more words had a 73.9% AI Overview rate (the highest of any query length).3. Maintaining brand strategy through local and branded searchEven though brand and location queries are less likely to appear in AI Overviews, they signal strong intent. And these searchers still see traditional results and map packs. Your next steps:Optimize for branded search (e.g., “St. Clare Hospital cardiologist”)Maintain local SEO health (GBP, citations, local landing pages)4. Implementing structured data and AI-friendly formattingMake your content easier for Google’s AI to summarize:Use short, punchy sentencesAdd bullets, numbered lists, and direct answersImplement schema markup (FAQPage, MedicalCondition, etc.) wherever relevant5. Monitoring AI visibilityTracking AI visibility involves monitoring how often pages appear in AI Overviews and analyzing performance metrics. This includes tracking:Branded versus nonbranded traffic shiftsClick-through rate (CTR) changes in high-AI verticalsFeatured snippet and People Also Ask (PAA) performance over timeData sources and methodologyThis analysis examines 130,070 U.S. healthcare search queries, a focused subset of the broader analysis of 2.37 million U.S. keywords across multiple industries, to quantify AI Overview prevalence and identify high-risk query patterns. Data were collected in July 2025.Search results were collected programmatically using a third-party SERP data provider to detect AI Overviews at the query level. Queries were categorized by length, search intent, and modifier type (including brand and location) to evaluate how generative AI impacts healthcare visibility.Key considerations:AI Overview rates in healthcare may shift faster than other verticals due to Google’s quality and safety updates.Intent classification is interpretive, particularly for mixed informational-commercial queries.Personalization and local pack behavior may affect individual search results.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Biotech stocks and longevity investing: Trends to track Biotech stocks and longevity investing: Trends to trackIn 2025, biotechnology stocks had their best year since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the market sector’s two major indexes — the SDPR S&P Biotech ETX (NYSE: XBI) and iShares Biotech ETF (NYSE: IBB) — returning between 28% and 36%, more than double the S&P 500’s roughly 18%. That came after three consecutive years of underperformance. Was biotech’s strong 2025 a fluke or part of a sustained rebound? The Motley Fool shares a few key trends that might offer direction.As biotech stocks staged their comeback in 2025, private investment in longevity science more than doubled, hitting $8.49 billion across 325 deals. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 50 new drugs in 2024 and 46 in 2025, including the first drug class that researchers have labeled potential longevity therapeutics. Big pharma spent more than $65 billion acquiring biotech companies through October 2025, surpassing full-year totals for 2024, 2022, and 2021, according to BioSpace.Demographics serve as a strong foundation for potential growth in biotech and longevity. The global population aged 60 and older will reach 1.4 billion by 2030, according to the World Health Organization. The number of people aged 80 and older will nearly triple by 2050. The patients are here, and more are coming — and biotech stocks are increasingly the companies building the treatments they will need.Biotech stocks staged a 2025 comebackAfter three years of flat or negative returns, biotech stocks broke out in 2025. The biotech trends discussed above and throughout suggest that reversal could be more structural, meaning driven by lasting forces like an aging population and a mounting patent cliff, rather than cyclical, meaning just a temporary bounce.Biotech indexes outpaced the S&P 500 by a wide margin in 2025. The SDPR S&P Biotech ETX returned 35.9%, the iShares Biotech ETF returned 28.0%, and the Nasdaq Biotech Index (NASDAQ: NBI) gained 31.5%, compared to the S&P 500's 17.9%.Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity more than doubled 2024 levels. Biopharma M&A deal value through October 2025 hit $65 billion to $70 billion, exceeding full-year totals for 2024, 2022, and 2021. At least seven deals topped $8 billion.Big pharma faces a patent cliff. More than $300 billion in branded drug revenue faces patent expiration between 2025 and 2030, according to Evaluate. When a patent expires, cheaper generic versions can enter the market. When that happens, the original drug's sales can collapse quickly, so large pharma companies try to replace that revenue before it disappears. Biotech companies develop more than 70% of newly approved drugs, up from around 50% a decade ago, which makes acquiring a biotech one of the fastest ways to fill that gap, according to the Association of Investment Companies. The Motley Fool Biotech stocks were genuinely cheap coming into 2025 after three consecutive down years. Recoveries from that starting point, with strong underlying trends, have the potential to last longer than hype-driven rallies.Which parts of biotech had the best 2025 for investors?Broad biotech funds only tell part of the story. Beyond the headline returns, different parts of the sector performed very differently in 2025. The differences show where individual investors might see the most compelling long-term cases.The following returns reflect year-to-date performance in 2025 for thematic ETFs, used as subindustry proxies. Ten-year compound annual growth rates (CAGR), which are the average annual returns over a 10-year period, reflect each fund’s full available history.Clinical-stage biotech was the biggest winner in 2025. The Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF (NYSE: BBC) returned 63.7%, nearly double the broad XBI, as smaller biotech companies with drugs still in trials got a major boost from stronger FDA approval rates and aggressive acquisition activity from big pharma. The ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF (NYSE: SBIO), which holds similar companies, gained 55.1%.Oncology and genomics also outperformed. The Tema Oncology ETF (NASDAQ: CANC) gained 42.9% in 2025. The ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (CBOE: ARKG), focused on gene editing and genomic medicine, returned 23.0% after a steep 28.2% decline in 2024. The Global X Genomics and Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ: GNOM) gained 18.7%.Over a decade, the gap between commercial-stage and clinical-stage biotech is stark. Clinical-stage companies are still testing their drugs in human trials and have no products on the market yet. The Virtus LifeSci Biotech Products ETF (NYSE: BBP), which holds commercial-stage companies — those with at least one FDA-approved drug on the market — returned 10.85% annualized over 11 years. XBI, the broad equal-weighted biotech index, returned 6.46% annually over the same period. Genomics-focused ARKG returned just 3.60% annualized despite some explosive individual years, a reminder that early-stage science can be a bumpy ride even when the long-term thesis is compelling. The Motley Fool Smaller biotech companies with drugs still in clinical trials are what big pharma is trying to buy, with acquisition offers coming in above 60% to 120% of the stock prices, even though companies don’t have drugs on the shelves, according to Vision Life Sciences. For investors who held shares in those acquired companies, that has meant seeing their stock jump by more than half overnight. There is no guarantee future deals will look the same, but the pace of acquisitions in 2025 suggests large pharma's appetite for biotech pipelines is not slowing down.Longevity investment: Where science and capital are goingLongevity is an investment category forming around the science of aging, and private capital, research, and the FDA are moving quickly.Private investment in longevity science more than doubled in a single year. Global investment in longevity science reached $8.49 billion across 325 deals in 2024, up from $3.82 billion in 2023, according to Longevity. Investment.GLP-1 drugs are expanding from weight loss into longevity territory. GLP-1s are a class of drugs that includes semaglutide, sold as Wegovy and Ozempic, and tirzepatide, sold as Zepbound and Mounjaro. Originally approved for diabetes and obesity, they have since received FDA approval for cardiovascular risk reduction, obstructive sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and oral obesity treatment. A Swiss Re model estimates that GLP-1 drugs could reduce all-cause U.S. mortality by 6.4% by 2045, making it the first drug class with implications at that scale. The GLP-1 market alone is projected to grow from $55 billion today to $150 billion by 2030, according to JPMorgan.The FDA formally recognized lifespan extension as a valid clinical goal for the first time. In February 2025, Loyal's LOY-002, a drug for aging dogs, became the first treatment to clear that regulatory bar, marking a milestone for the longevity field's credibility with regulators.The drugs making some of the most money in biotech right now, like GLP-1s, cancer immunotherapies, and gene medicines, are the same ones showing early signs of potentially extending healthy life. Longevity investing used to mean putting capital behind unproven science. Increasingly, it means owning companies that are already generating revenue, like Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO), whose GLP-1 drug Wegovy is already one of the bestselling drugs in the world, according to industry publication Drug Discovery and Development.What investors tracking biotech and longevity should watchBiotech stocks enter 2026 with real momentum. The industry is still recovering from a brutal three-year run leading into 2025, big pharma is paying a significant premium to acquire pipeline companies, which are companies with drugs under development, and the FDA is approving new drugs at near-record rates. The sector is grappling with patent expirations as longevity science is gaining traction.Demographics create a demand floor that isn’t a forecast — the population data is set and is difficult to ignore. Adults 65 and older represent 17% of the U.S. population but make up 37% of all healthcare spending, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Individuals aged both 60+ and 80+ will make up a growing share of the global population in the coming decades, according to the UN. That means each passing year brings a larger, older cohort of patients who need treatment for chronic conditions that affect 95% of adults over 60, as well as greater demand for longevity drugs. The Motley Fool For individual investors tracking the intersection of biotech stocks and longevity, the data points in the same direction across many angles: drug performance, new-drug pipelines, private capital, government support, and demographics. The question is no longer whether longevity is a viable investment theme but how much of the opportunity is already priced in and how much is still ahead.FAQsWhat are biotech stocks?Biotech stocks are companies that use biological science to develop products, most commonly drugs and medical treatments. They range from small companies with a single drug in clinical trials to large commercial businesses with multiple approved products on the market.What is longevity investing?Longevity investing involves investing in companies developing treatments, therapies, and technologies to extend healthy human life. The category increasingly overlaps with mainstream biotech, as drugs originally developed for diabetes, obesity, and cancer begin showing evidence of broader life-extension effects.Why did biotech stocks perform well in 2025?After three years of underperformance that left the sector trading at historically cheap valuations, biotech stocks rebounded in 2025 on the back of near-record FDA drug approvals, a surge in acquisition activity from large pharma companies racing to replace revenue before key patents expire, and growing investor interest in longevity science.This story was produced by The Motley Fool and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	4 Your Money \| Out of Gear Investors often focus on the major indexes like the S&P 500. David Nelson, CEO of NelsonCorp Wealth Management, is here to explain what investors can learn by looking at individual stocks beneath the market surface especially with the upcoming Federal Reserve leadership change.
	5 ways debt can affect your mental health 5 ways debt can affect your mental healthLiving with debt is as much an emotional burden as a financial one and the weight of it can impact your self-esteem, relationships and even sleep.Research shows that debt can take a serious toll on mental health. That’s why Beyond Finance took a closer look at five data-backed ways debt may be affecting your well-being — and what to watch for if you’re carrying debt.It Can Trigger or Affect Depression and AnxietyDebt doesn’t just trigger mental health struggles; it often acts as an anchor that prevents you from getting better. Data shows that people struggling with both depression and problem debt are 4.2 times more likely to still be depressed 18 months later compared to those without financial stress. It’s hard to heal your mind when you’re constantly navigating financial stress.It Can Lead to Brain Fog and AvoidanceFinancial strain creates a “mental load” that makes it physically harder to think clearly. Studies show that 63% of people with mental health challenges find it significantly harder to make financial decisions when they are stressed. They may lose track of bills easily, or avoid them altogether. In some instances, impulse spending may be a way to cope with stress but then the consequences are too much to confront. This can lead to a “vicious cycle where the anxiety of debt causes “avoidance behaviors (like not opening mail) which can make debt worse long term.It Can Negatively Affect Your SleepLosing sleep over money is a clinical reality for millions. In a recent national survey, 43% of adults reported that money worries negatively impact their mental health, causing anxiety, stress, worrisome thoughts, loss of sleep, depression and other effects. In this study, credit card debt and everyday expenses were the primary reasons for poor sleep. This chronic exhaustion then drains the willpower you need to tackle your debt during the day.It Can Show Up As Physical SymptomsThe mental burden of debt eventually shows up in your body. Beyond just high blood pressure, modern data shows that financial stress leads to people cutting back on essentials like heating and healthy food to make ends meet. This “health gap” contributes to systemic inflammation and increases the long-term risk of cardiovascular issues, proving that debt is a legitimate public health concern.It Can Lead to Isolation and Damage Your RelationshipsDebt often leads to social withdrawal. High percentages of adults report being consumed by money worries, which often manifests as “financial shame” and the urge to hide your situation from friends and family. This isolation is dangerous because it cuts you off from the very support systems and professional help that could help you find a way out.The Emotional Benefits of Paying Off DebtWhile results vary, borrowers who take steps to pay off debt, including through debt consolidation options, describe emotional benefits alongside financial progress:Less day-to-day anxiety with a defined repayment planRenewed confidence as balances declineImproved communication at home as financial tension easesBetter sleep and focusDebt consolidation does not eliminate financial challenges. But for many borrowers, adding structure to repayment reduces uncertainty, and that can ease emotional strain.This story was produced by Beyond Finance and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	"What's new?": Local drivers say prices at Quad-City's pumps not shocking An informal survey conducted Thursday morning found gas prices varied wildly throughout the Quad-Cities area. See what drivers had to say about the cost.
	Should you open a joint bank account with your partner? Should you open a joint bank account with your partner?Sharing a meal is one thing, but sharing finances? That’s a big step. If you’re thinking about opening a joint bank account with someone, you probably have some questions. You may be considering a joint account as you plan your wedding or maybe as you move in together. Before you start merging your money with anyone else, Ally Financial recommends considering these questions to determine whether a joint account makes sense for both of you and your financial goals.What is a joint bank account?A joint bank account is any account that’s shared by two or more people. Typically, you might open one with a spouse or partner, but that’s not a necessity. Other types of joint accounts are generally referred to as survivorship accounts, because they map out how funds should be allocated in the event of the owner’s death. These kinds of joint accounts are most common in estate planning.Joint accounts can make it easier to manage debt, bill payments and other shared expenses.How do joint bank accounts work?Any joint account essentially works the same as an individual account — just with two or more owners. If you have a joint checking account, you can:Deposit fundsMake debit paymentsWrite checks (if that’s your style)Do anything else you would be able to do with your own accountThe only difference, functionally, is that you and your account co-owner(s) have equal access to the account, so you’re both in control of the funds in the account.Who can you open a joint bank account with?You can open a joint bank account with just about anyone. You don’t have to be married or partnered to open a joint account. Each co-owner just has to be 18 or older. Business partners can decide to open an account together, and even close friends might find it practical to have a joint account — for instance, if they’re roommates and share utilities.If you’re looking for everyday money management with a partner or spouse, you might find that having both joint checking and savings accounts is the right fit for you.The main takeaway is that you should fully trust the person or people you’re considering opening a joint account with because you’ll have equal access to the funds.What are the pros and cons of a joint bank account?Having a joint account offers plenty of benefits, but sharing your money can present challenges as well. To determine the right fit for your financial needs, consider:Pros:Easier to track and manage your money in one placePotential for increased FDIC coverage up to the maximum allowed by lawSave faster together by earning more interestCons:Lack of privacy — others can see your spending activityAll owners share liability over debts and legal issuesCould cause conflicts over money managementWho owns the money in a joint bank account?All owners own the money in the account. Each of the owners of a joint savings account can view balances, contribute money or withdraw funds. For instance, in a checking account, all owners can use the account to make purchases and payments.How do you open a joint bank account?At most banks, you can open a joint account online with a few clicks and some personal information provided by each account holder. You can open a new account together, or you can add an owner to an existing account.Is a joint bank account right for you?What you do with your money is a very personal decision. Gone are the days when couples were expected to combine their finances. It’s about finding the right fit for you. If you like the convenience of pooling your money for shared expenses, go for it. If you’d rather maintain financial independence, that’s OK, too. An open, honest discussion will keep you both on the same page, whether or not your money is in the same account.This story was produced by Ally Financial and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Roscoe Avenue in Muscatine will temporarily close to through traffic Roscoe Avenue in Muscatine will close to through traffic between Van Horne Street and West Fulliam Avenue beginning Monday, March 23, weather permitting, as Langman Construction resumes Phase 6C of the West Hill Sanitary and Storm Sewer Separation Project after the winter shutdown. Over the next two months, crews will install curb and gutter on [...]
	Historic beer caves now open to public as event space For the first time since they were discovered nearly three years ago, people are now able to utilize the space.
	Petition to reinstate Iowa State women’s gymnastics gathers thousands of signatures An online petition to reinstate the Iowa State University women’s gymnastics program has gathered more than 3,700 signatures as of Thursday.
	Bodies of Iowa soldiers killed in Iran conflict return home Major Jeffrey O’Brien and Sergeant Declan Coady were killed in an Iranian attack in Kuwait on March 1.
	He's one reason why aid cuts weren't as dire for the HIV population as predicted Harerimana Ismail of Uganda is a community health worker who checks on kids with HIV. He lost his salary after the Trump administration's aid cuts but he keeps doing his job.
	Spring arrives Friday and it's definitely going to feel like it Unseasonably warm weather Thursday in the Quad Cities melted much of the snow from the early week blizzard. We hit 70° and it's going to be much warmer Friday and Saturday. While there was some slight improvement in this week's drought monitor update, very little rain is expected over the next week. Here's your full [...]
	Orion to try new plan with kindergarteners, giving more time before finalizing classes Also, the school board was asked to consider the purchase of a Luxedo gym floor projection system.
	Kewanee man sentenced to 18 years in prison for attempted murder, arson He pleaded guilty to three counts of Class X felony attempted murder and one count of Class 1 residential arson.
	How did Rock Island, Mercer and Henry counties vote in Illinois' statewide primaries? Rock Island, Mercer and Henry counties went for the winners of the Republican primaries on Tuesday, while splitting from the statewide winners in the Democratic primary.
	Ryan Gosling and a cute alien team up to save humanity in 'Project Hail Mary' The story is fundamentally hopeful, just like Andy Weir's The Martian.
	Israel launches more strikes on Tehran as Iran continues attacks on Gulf oil facilities The latest strikes come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel would "hold off on future attacks" on Iran's energy infrastructure, following Trump's request.
	Rock Island County to implement violence prevention program State's Attorney Dora Villarreal said Group Violence Intervention connects people to resources before they might commit a crime.
	Gateway to Heaven This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Had Rock Island been a little less jealous of other Illinois cities back in the 1890s, she might have taken in a…
	From mall to torture site: The debate over El Helicoide's future in Venezuela Once a futuristic shopping mall, El Helicoide became one of Venezuela's most feared prisons. Now, as the country changes, so does its fate — erase it, rebuild it, or remember what happened inside.
	Sorry, the quiz is SO GROSS this week. You'll see What could be more delightful than cannibal invertebrates and food-related weather events? A lot of things!
	Why it's so hard for world leaders to bring down oil and gasoline prices From waiving the Jones Act to rerouting oil through the Red Sea, governments are doing their best to make up for the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, but prices are still rising.
	10 tried-and-true methods to stay off your phone, according to our readers We asked our audience to share the creative ways they limit their own phone use. They range from the practical (keep your phone in another room) to the creative (pair your phone with a fun paperback).
	An immigration court few have heard of is quietly shaping policy behind the scenes President Trump has slashed the number of people on the Board of Immigration Appeals and stacked it with his appointees, tightening the due process available for immigrants, an NPR analysis shows.
	Over 170 million units of disinfecting pads recalled because they may not be sterile A medical supply product distributed nationwide is being recalled as it may not be sterile due to microbial contamination.
	A Mexican teen migrant dies in a Florida jail holding ICE detainees Royer Perez-Jimenez is the second person to die in ICE custody this week.
	174K gas ranges sold nationwide recalled after 30 burn injuries More than 174,000 Frigidaire gas ranges sold across the country have been recalled due to a malfunction that left dozens of customers injured.
	Cuba readies for first Russian oil shipment of the year as energy crisis deepens Cuba is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russian oil this year, just days after the government announced it was operating on natural gas, solar power and thermoelectric plants as severe power outages continue to hit it.
	FCC approves merger of local television owners Nexstar and Tegna as two lawsuits seek to block it The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday said it had approved the merger of local television giants Nexstar Media Group and rival Tegna, the same day that two lawsuits trying to block the deal were announced.
	U.S. Mint can begin to produce Trump commemorative gold coin The vote by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members are supporters of the Republican president, clears the way for the U.S. Mint to begin production on the coin, whose size and denomination are still under discussion.
Thursday, March 19th, 2026
	Iowa State’s experience hopes to fuel deep NCAA Tournament run Iowa State men’s basketball says their experience brings confidence to the NCAA Tournament.
	Iowa prepares for first NCAA tournament appearance since 2023 Iowa men’s basketball is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2023 and the first under head coach Ben McCollum.
	Trump is dismantling democracy at 'unprecedented' speed, global report finds Three major new studies on democracy and freedom all find the U.S. is slipping further away from democracy. Leaders of two of those studies say President Trump's goal is to rule as an autocrat.
	City of Moline seeks input for Environmental Resilience Plan The City of Moline is developing an Environmental Resiliency Plan to guide Moline to address environmental challenges and protects natural resources. A virtual community conversation will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 26. Topics include: This virtual meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the plan and share your input on environmental priorities, [...]
	Zero-Click Searches Are Rising — What It Means for Your Website (NewsUSA) - For years, digital marketing strategy revolved around a simple objective: rank high in search results and attract clicks to your website. But a quiet shift in search behavior is changing that equation.A growing percentage of online searches now end without a click. Known as “zero-click searches,” these queries are answered directly on the search results page through featured snippets, local map listings, knowledge panels, and quick-answer boxes. While convenient for users, the trend is forcing businesses to rethink how they approach visibility online.According to analysts at iLocal, zero-click searches are becoming a defining factor in how customers discover local businesses — especially in service industries where users want immediate answers.What Zero-Click Searches Look LikeA zero-click search occurs when a user gets the information they need directly from the search results page without visiting a website.Examples include:A homeowner searching for “emergency plumber near me” and calling a business directly from the local map listing A user checking business hours from a knowledge panel A quick answer appearing at the top of results for a question like “how long does roof replacement take” In each case, the search engine delivers the information before the user ever reaches a company’s website.While this may seem like a loss of traffic, it actually reflects a deeper shift in how digital discovery works.Visibility Now Happens Before the ClickBusinesses used to think of search results as a gateway to their website. Today, the search results page itself has become a critical part of a company’s digital presence.Listings in the local map pack, review ratings, photos, and business details often form the customer’s first impression. In many cases, they also determine whether a user makes contact immediately.For service businesses, that contact may happen through a phone call directly from the search listing — bypassing the website entirely.This means that a company’s visibility strategy must extend beyond website rankings alone.The Importance of Structured InformationSearch engines rely on structured data and clearly organized information to generate quick answers and business summaries. Companies that maintain accurate listings, structured service descriptions, and consistent contact information are more likely to appear in these enhanced search features.For local businesses, this often includes:Fully optimized business profiles Consistent name, address, and phone number data across platforms Structured website content that clearly explains services Customer reviews and updated business details These elements help search engines confidently display a business in quick-answer results.Traffic Is No Longer the Only MetricAs zero-click searches grow, businesses are beginning to shift how they measure digital success. Instead of focusing solely on website visits, many are evaluating visibility metrics such as calls from search listings, direction requests, and map interactions.In other words, engagement may occur before the user ever lands on the website.For companies that depend on inbound inquiries, this shift requires new tracking methods and a broader view of digital performance.Adapting to the New Search LandscapeThe rise of zero-click searches doesn’t mean websites are becoming irrelevant. In fact, they remain critical for credibility, detailed information, and conversion.However, businesses must now recognize that discovery often happens earlier in the search process. The companies that succeed are those that treat the entire search ecosystem — not just their website — as part of their customer journey.In a digital environment designed for instant answers, visibility isn’t just about attracting clicks anymore.It’s about being the answer users see first.To learn more, visit https://ilocal.net
	Palmer Hills Golf Course opens Friday This will mark Palmer Hills' 51st season. The course was named the Iowa Golf Association's 18-hole Course of the Year in 2024.
	Rock Island County to implement violence prevention program State's Attorney Dora Villarreal said Group Violence Intervention connects people to resources before they might commit a crime.
	Funeral to be held Friday for Kermit Wells, longtime director of Moline boys choir Wells lead the choir for over 50 years.
	‘I felt joy and peace when I would just wave at him’: Davenport’s “Mayor of Gaines Street” passes away Vern Carpenter passed away Monday at the age of 70.
	From childhood curiosity to career: Inside a QC storm chaser’s world Justin Cardamone is one of the storm chasers our News 8 team relies on when weather turns severe. He tells us about the largest EF-5 tornado he's ever chased.
	Iowa bill to make higher education more accessible does not advance A bill in Iowa to make higher education more accessible will not be advancing. House File 2649 would have allowed some community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees. Our Quad Cities News correspondent Teodora Mitov looks at what that will mean for Iowa community colleges. For more information, click here.
	New apartment complex provides transitional housing in Muscatine The Muscatine Center for Social Action has opened a 21-unit housing complex aimed at helping people experiencing homelessness, offering support services on-site.
	Nexstar secures merger with TEGNA after FCC, DOJ approval The deal will give Nexstar control of local newscasts in more than 70 percent of households across the country.
	Easter Egg Hunts & Events happening in the QCA KWQC has compiled a list of Easter activities families can enjoy.
	Cue sports tournament held at Bend XPO Center You can get free spectator admission through Sunday.
	Parents push back on proposed elementary closure in Iowa Parents are speaking out against a proposal to close Salem Elementary as part of the Mount Pleasant Community School District’s plan to address ongoing budget challenges.
	The science behind how the Storm Track 8 team tracks storms With the spring severe weather season upon us, we sat down with Meteorologist Morgan Strackbein to see how much work goes into tracking tornadoes and wild weather.
	Cook review: Real-life 'Eden' was no paradise, but it makes for a heavenly thriller Director Ron Howard has directed some of the most interesting films I've ever seen. The 2025 "Eden" is among them. The movie played on the big screen in the Quad Cities for only a few days, but now that it's steaming, I hope it gains the viewership it deserved in its brief theatrical release. The [...]
	Catching an escaped killer: How police tracked down Johnell Smith III TV6 Investigates learns how your phone can be a tool to track you down and even listen to your calls
	Verizon users experiencing network disruption According to the Verizon website, the company is aware of the issue and are working on a solution.
	Quad Cities drought update. Have we improved? We finally got some much-needed rain from that rain shower/blizzard event from Sunday into Monday. Looking at the rain totals we are now at 2.29 inches of rain so far for the Month of march, which is more than almost the past 3 months of rain combined. However, there is still a long way to [...]
	Gathering of the Green celebrating John Deere's American legacy The event runs now through Saturday at the RiverCenter in Davenport.
	Multi-million dollar affordable housing complex opens in Muscatine A multi-million-dollar affordable housing project opened in Muscatine today. The Muscatine Center for Social Action (MCSA) is a housing stability agency. It offers wraparound services to the community - and soon, to the people of Ries Harbor Apartments. The new apartment complex in Muscatine means more than just another affordable housing option. The apartment complex [...]
	Meet longtime Quad Cities area storm chaser, Justin Cardamone Our Storm Track 8 team works with local storm chasers and spotters to help us know what's happening on the ground in our hometowns.
	Voodoo Lily now in bloom at the Quad City Botanical Center The flower only blooms once each year and is notoriously bad-smelling.
	How meteorologists track severe weather systems As the temperatures warm up, so does spring severe weather. Storm Track 8's Morgan Strackbein talks about how we track these storms.
	Vernon Carpenter, the 'Mayor of Gaines Street' has passed away Carpenter became a fixture of the Davenport community for greeting passersby from his porch on the corner of 15th Street and Gaines Street.
	19-year-old dead after vehicle crash in Muscatine County The Muscatine County Sheriff's Office reports the car struck a raised concrete island before rolling several times in the ditch along Highway 61.
	DeWitt man arrested for machine gun possession Police allege 20-year-old Clyde Bell possessed a Glock 22 caliber pistol modified with an illegal device that made the gun automatic.
	Rock Island Public Library's seed library now open There's no cost or library card required, and households can pick up to five packets of seeds per month.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted by the Iowa Department of Corrections for escape Shawn Jones, 33, is wanted by the Iowa Department of Corrections for escape on the conviction of first-degree burglary.
	Crime Stoppers: Police search for stolen car Police responded to a car theft on Feb 25 in the 100 block of 41st Avenue.
	Crime Stoppers: Man wanted in Scott County for probation violation Cody Hinden, 29, is wanted in Scott County for a probation violation on convictions of second-degree theft and second-degree criminal mischief.
	The Heart of the Story: Ring of honor 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. A gym in Clinton is not just teaching [...]
	Federal student loans will move to Treasury, further shrinking Education Department The Trump administration announced a three-phase transition that will eventually include management of most federal student loans as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
	Who can benefit from specialty ‘hard’ contacts It's an option for people with keratoconus, severe astigmatism, dry eye or post-surgical complications.
	Davenport man charged with allegedly sexually abusing 7-year-old He was arrested Wednesday and faces three felony counts and an aggravated misdemeanor.
	Ribbon-cutting held for new apartment complex offering services for low-income residents A ribbon-cutting and open house was held Thursday for a new 21 unit apartment complex in Muscatine.
	Davenport Central’s Central Singers earn grand champion honors at FAME Orlando Davenport Central’s Central Singers won grand champion and multiple top awards at the FAME Orlando show choir competition.
	Planned Parenthood chapter settles with EEOC over treatment of white employees The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says Planned Parenthood of Illinois will pay $500,000 to end an investigation that found the organization's DEI practices violated federal civil rights laws
	Iowa Army Ammunitions Plant pause continues The plant paused operations on March 12 for a safety review.
	FDA backs off stricter tanning bed rules with RFK Jr.'s support Health officials with the Trump administration have backed away from an effort to more heavily regulate indoor tanning — despite protests from medical groups that warn of the dangers of skin cancer.
	'Mayor of Gaines Street' dies The “Mayor of Gaines Street” has died. Scott Searle, a friend of Vern Carpenter, confirmed the news to Our Quad Cities News. He said Carpenter had experienced health issues last week and was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals for treatment. He experienced seizures during a procedure that left him in a coma. Family [...]
	Taste of LeClaire returns this weekend The event is from 1 - 3 p.m. on Saturday.
	19-year-old dead after vehicle crash in Muscatine County The Muscatine County Sheriff's Office reports the car struck a raised concrete island before rolling several times in the ditch along Highway 61.
	Trump's mediators offer Hamas formal proposal to give up its weapons in Gaza NPR has learned that mediators have quietly given Hamas a proposal to hand over all its weapons to ensure Gaza's reconstruction.
	Discrimination claims are rising: Here’s what that means for workers and employers in 2026 Discrimination claims are rising, and here’s what that means for workers and employers in 2026Workplace discrimination is not new, but the legal and regulatory framework surrounding it is entering a period of recalibration.Recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) data shows a sharp rise in discrimination charges, with federal litigation reaching its highest level in years. That increase comes amid notable federal developments, including the commission’s 2026 decision to rescind prior harassment guidance, a move that has introduced fresh uncertainty into workplace compliance efforts.That federal uncertainty sits alongside a different trend entirely, as stronger state protections and new Supreme Court interpretations encourage employees to contest unfair treatment more often than they might have in previous decades.For anyone responsible for managing a modern workforce, this rise in discrimination and retaliation claims signals that the era of passive compliance has ended, Phillips & Associates reports.What does the national data show?According to EEOC data, the number of new discrimination charges rose to 88,531 in fiscal year 2024, a 9.2% increase that marked the third consecutive year of growth.This upward trend followed 81,055 charges in 2023, which was already a significant jump from the lower numbers seen during the pandemic. While the final totals for 2025 and 2026 are still being processed, the most recent federal filings show that these numbers are climbing steadily rather than leveling off.This consistent rise in claims has allowed the agency to secure nearly $700 million for more than 21,000 individuals in fiscal year 2024, the largest annual recovery reflected in recent EEOC reporting. Much of this activity is concentrated in retaliation claims, which now make up nearly half of all filings.Disability and pregnancy-related claims have also drawn increased scrutiny, with the Commission filing its first enforcement actions under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.Additionally, while religious accommodation claims fluctuated after the pandemic, Bloomberg Law indicates that EEOC leadership has signaled plans to increase religious discrimination litigation, particularly in cases involving Sabbath observance and workplace religious expression.As EEOC General Counsel Karla Gilbride noted, these efforts focus on a clear goal: "making workplaces safer and fairer for everyone."Why might reporting patterns be shifting?The rise in claims reflects a complex mix of cultural and structural forces rather than a single trigger. Many employees now possess a more developed understanding of workplace rights, fueled by social media and the lingering impact of global social justice movements.That heightened awareness has reduced the stigma associated with reporting misconduct, particularly as retaliation protections have become more widely understood. For many workers, fear of workplace consequences carries less uncertainty when legal safeguards are clearer and more visible.This shift in mindset coincides with the expansion of hybrid and remote work, which has reshaped how workplace conduct occurs and how concerns are documented.Furthermore, with communication now happening through digital platforms, employees have new ways to document exclusion or harassment. Yet, these same tools introduce challenges like "proximity bias" and questions about how traditional protections apply in a home office.Layered onto these changes are the lingering effects of pandemic-era disputes over religious and health accommodations, along with expanded state-level discrimination statutes. Together, these developments point to evolving expectations about accountability rather than a simple rise in misconduct.How are courts and regulators reshaping the landscape?Courts and regulators are actively redefining how workplace discrimination standards are applied. A central development is the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, which clarified that Title VII plaintiffs need only show “some harm” related to employment terms rather than a materially significant injury.While the ruling did not directly rewrite the hostile work environment doctrine, several lower courts are testing whether that reasoning extends further, potentially allowing more claims to advance toward trial. Federal interpretation is also evolving.The EEOC’s January 2026 rescission of its 2024 harassment guidance removed a consolidated compliance framework, even as Bostock v. Clayton County remains the binding precedent protecting sexual orientation and gender identity.This shift has reduced centralized interpretive direction at the federal level, placing greater practical weight on state law developments. In response, states such as New York and California have continued to codify broader harassment and accommodation standards, including expanded protections for pregnancy accommodations and religious expression.These legislative changes demonstrate how state-level statutes are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping workplace accountability across jurisdictions.What does this mean for employers?For employers, the shift reflects a transition from baseline compliance toward more structured risk management.With centralized federal interpretive guidance reduced following the EEOC’s rescission of its 2024 harassment framework, organizations may need to look more closely to court decisions and state statutes to define their obligations, making precise documentation and regularly updated policies increasingly important.However, because the Supreme Court clarified in Muldrow that certain Title VII claims require only a showing of “some harm,” some discrimination cases may face fewer procedural barriers at early stages of litigation.Managing exposure now depends in part on consistent internal reporting systems and training that reinforce clear behavioral standards aligned with both state and federal law.What does this mean for workers?For workers, the current landscape provides clearer recognition of certain workplace rights while remaining legally nuanced.In several states, expanded statutes have strengthened protections related to pregnancy accommodations, religious accommodations, and sex discrimination. Supreme Court precedent continues to reinforce core protections under Title VII, including those recognized in Bostock.Although federal agency interpretations may shift, the underlying prohibitions against discrimination and retaliation remain intact. Employees now operate within a system that offers defined statutory protections and established reporting mechanisms, even as enforcement approaches and outcomes may vary across jurisdictions.A Modern Recalibration of Workplace RightsThree consecutive years of rising discrimination charges and record EEOC recoveries suggest that the current landscape is not experiencing a temporary disruption. Instead, these trends signal a workplace accountability framework that is being renegotiated from multiple directions at once.With retaliation leading all categories for seventeen straight years, the friction between employees who speak up and organizations that respond poorly remains a constant. Remote and hybrid work have only added layers to this complexity, changing how misconduct occurs and how it is documented.What the data ultimately reflects is a fundamental recalibration. Workers are more informed, legal thresholds are shifting, and regulators are signaling that workplace conduct carries measurable consequences.As EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal noted during the January 2026 rescission vote, the stakes touch every corner of the workforce, from religious and disability protections to racial harassment.For 2026 and the years ahead, discrimination law is positioned to remain one of the most consequential and actively evolving areas of American employment policy, requiring precise attention as federal and state priorities continue to diverge.This story was produced by Phillips & Associates and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Friday, March 20th, 2026

Thursday, March 19th, 2026