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

Thursday, March 26th, 2026
	DOJ admits ICE courthouse arrests relied on erroneous information Hundreds of immigrants have been arrested at immigration courthouses. It is unclear whether the federal government's admission could lead to some of those arrests being overturned.
	Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences awards scholarships to 89 students Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Friends of Trinity and Trinity Health Foundation recently awarded nearly $200,000 in scholarships to students seeking healthcare careers. The scholarships worth $191,925 were presented to 89 students during a recognition dinner at Rhythm City Casino in Davenport on Wednesday, March 25. The annual celebration honors the next generation [...]
	Sturgill Simpson pulls off an unusual chart feat The roots music maverick did something rare in the streaming era: landed an album that's only available on CD, cassette and LP — without his name on the sleeve — in the top five of the albums chart.
	Death Notice: Ruth Siebke A funeral service for Ruth A. Siebke, 97, of Walcott, will be held at noon on Wednesday, April 1, at Bentley Funeral Home, Durant. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, Private burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Siebke died Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf. Memorials may be made to Camp Courageous or the Walcott Fire Department. Online condolences may be made at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com. A full obituary will appear in the April 1 edition of The NSP.
	Davenport West High School evacuated Thursday morning due to bomb threat Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane said no objects of concern have been found.
	Davenport West High School evacuated for threats against building Davenport West High School has been evacuated due to threats against the school. According to a release from the Davenport Community School District, students were evacuated to the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. The Davenport Police Department received threats against the building. All students were evacuated and are safe.
	Crews working to clear semi crash on I-80 eastbound entrance ramp The I-80 eastbound entrance ramp at Northwest Boulevard is partially blocked due to a semi crash Thursday morning.
	Prophetstown man arrested on drug charges A Whiteside County man has been arrested in Kewanee after police said they found several kinds of drugs in his vehicle. A news release from the Kewanee Police Department said detectives with the Kewanee Police Department Street Crime Unit conducted a traffic stop in the 100 block of West McClure Street on March 25 at [...]
	Davenport West High School evacuated due to bomb threat Due to a bomb threat at West High School students have been evacuated.
	Army reshuffling its civilian workforce The Army is reorganizing where civilian employees work and how jobs are assigned.
	Summer gas fight: Yearslong ethanol policy standoff could cost Illinois drivers at the pump yet again Illinois retailers say they need to know soon whether to purchase ethanol-infused E15 gasoline for summer use.
	New car seat safety guidelines: What to know The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is updating federal standards to improve how car seats are tested.
	Yearslong ethanol policy standoff could cost Illinois drivers at the pump yet again Illinois retailers say they need to know soon whether to purchase ethanol-infused E15 gasoline for summer use.
	Rock Island Fire responds fire at Domino's Pizza Rock Island firefighters worked fast to put out a restaurant fire last night. A news release from the City of Rock Island said firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire at Domino’s Pizza, 3708 14th Avenue, on Wednesday, March 25 at 8:06 p.m. When crews arrived, they found and quickly extinguished a small [...]
	Bunny baskets and Seder staples: America’s Easter and Passover trends Bunny baskets and Seder staples: America’s Easter and Passover trendsWhen Easter and Passover arrive, shopping carts transform — filling up with chocolate bunnies, fresh florals, and time-honored holiday staples.This past year, Easter and Passover overlapped, creating one of the busiest and most festive shopping periods of the spring season. Instacart took a look at what customers added to their carts during Easter week (April 14-20, 2025) and the week leading up to Passover (April 7-13, 2025) to see how Americans celebrated.Here’s an overview from Instacart of what hopped to the top.Key Takeaways:Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs are the undisputed basket MVP. They ranked as the top-selling Easter candy nationwide for the fourth year in a row, leading Instacart’s Top 10 list.Jelly beans have their Easter moment. Jelly beans surged 863% above their yearly average during Easter week — one of the largest candy spikes of the season.Easter weekend doubles as a spring reset. Gardening categories like soil (up 128%), mulch (133%), annual plants (157%), and fertilizer (124%) all saw significant lifts, showing that many people use the holiday as a launchpad for spring refresh projects.Easter décor dominates the holiday surge. Easter décor, including items like Easter baskets, grass, and plastic eggs, skyrocketed 2,742% above its yearly average during Easter week, making it the single biggest seasonal spike.Passover prep is rooted in tradition. In the week leading up to Passover, matzah jumped 1,239% above its yearly average, while gefilte fish (742%), and matzo ball mixes (673%) also surged.Easter Week: Candy, Lamb — and a Side of MulchDuring the seven-day period ending on Easter Sunday, several categories surged far beyond their typical share of sales throughout the year. Easter dinner centerpieces had a major moment, alongside candy-filled baskets and playful toys. As families headed outdoors for egg hunts after a long winter, gardening supplies also surged, signaling the unofficial kickoff to green thumb season. Instacart Instacart It’s good news for the kiddos. The spike in sidewalk chalk and bubble wands signals that backyard season has officially begun. Instacart The Top 10 Easter Candies in AmericaWhen it comes to Easter basket-building, one candy reigned supreme.During Easter week, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs ranked as the top-selling Easter candy by item share for the fourth year in a row. Here’s the full Top 10: Instacart Chocolate clearly dominates carts, but the presence of Sour Patch Kids, Starburst Jelly Beans, and Nerds shows that sour and fruity favorites still hold their own.Reese’s Dominates — But Not Every State Agrees Instacart Perhaps unsurprisingly, when we mapped the top-selling Easter candy by item share in each state, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs topped the charts in 38 states, reinforcing its status as the undisputed MVP of Easter baskets.However, 11 states (plus Washington, D.C.) opted for something else.The Milk Chocolate LoyalistsStates along both coasts as well as the Dakotas showed their love for Hershey’s Milk Chocolate as their top candy:CaliforniaConnecticutDelawareMarylandNevadaNew JerseyNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaSouth DakotaThe Bunny BelieversIn Hawai‘i and Maine, customers favored the seasonal classic Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate.The Cup CrowdAnd in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina, customers preferred Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups over the popular Easter egg-shaped version. Either way, it’s clear Reese’s peanut butter perfection is key for holiday enjoyment. Where Jelly Beans and Chocolate Bunnies ShineBeyond overall top candies, we also looked at how strongly certain Easter staples over-indexed in each state compared to the national average, and two classics stood out: jelly beans and chocolate bunnies.The Jelly Bean Belt Instacart Jelly beans surged nationally during Easter week, up 863% above their yearly average, but some states embraced them even more enthusiastically.The biggest jelly bean fans were concentrated in the Midwest and Upper Plains:Iowa (39% over national average)North Dakota (37%)Minnesota (37%)Vermont (35%)Wisconsin (35%)Ohio (31%)Michigan (30%)In these states, jelly beans made up a significantly larger share of candy purchases than the national average, reinforcing their status as an Easter essential.Meanwhile, states like California (21% below the national average), Hawai‘i (22%), and D.C. (39%) purchased jelly beans at notably lower rates than the national average.Chocolate Bunny Strongholds Instacart Chocolate bunnies also saw clear regional differences. The biggest chocolate bunny enthusiasts included:Hawai‘i (68% above national average)Vermont (55%)Rhode Island (50%)Maine (50%)New Hampshire (31%)In these states, chocolate bunnies made up a significantly higher share of candy purchases compared to the national average.One of the more surprising findings was Hawai‘i topping the country for chocolate bunny purchases. The state typically under-indexes on highly seasonal purchases, so seeing it lead on such an iconic Easter item really stands out. What makes the trend even more interesting is that Hawai‘i ordered jelly beans less often than average — suggesting that in the Aloha State, chocolate bunnies are in and jelly beans are out.On the other end of the spectrum, Utah (31% below the national average), D.C. (30%), and Nevada (25%) ordered chocolate bunnies the least often, showing that while bunnies may be iconic, they are not equally beloved everywhere.Utah’s chocolate bunny demand also caught attention. The state is usually at the forefront of seasonal shopping trends, so its lower-than-average demand for chocolate bunnies is a notable departure. For a state that often embraces holiday moments, the inverse this year stands out.Passover Prep: Seder Staples SurgeLooking at the week leading up to Passover (April 7-13, 2025), traditional Seder essentials rose sharply compared to their typical yearly share with matzah (+1,239%), matzo ball mixes (+673%), gefilte fish (+742%), and horseradish root (+1,120%). Purchases of these key Passover staples follow a sharply seasonal pattern, with their most significant surge of the year occurring in the week leading up to Passover. Compared to their typical baseline, demand for these items skyrockets during the holiday, far outpacing any other point in the calendar year. While smaller lifts appear again around Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah, those increases are modest in comparison, underscoring Passover as the clear peak moment for these traditional foods. Instacart Baskets, Blooms and Seder Tables AwaitWith both holidays fast approaching, customers are leaning into the traditions and seasonal favorites that define spring.This story was produced by Instacart and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Discover how to rank in Google AI mode with these 10 optimization strategies Discover how to rank in Google AI mode with these 10 optimization strategiesWhen it comes to Google’s AI Mode, you have three options:Get cited.Get mentioned.Get locked out.And you don’t have to choose just one.Discover how to get cited and mentioned in AI Mode (and avoid being locked out of this AI search experience completely) with this mini-guide from digital marketing agency WebFX on how to rank in Google AI Mode.How to rank in Google AI ModeStart optimizing (and ranking) in Google AI Mode with these optimizations:1. Allow Google’s crawlersFirst, ensure Google’s crawlers can crawl, index, and serve your site in traditional search results. If you practice search engine optimization (SEO), you likely already have an optimized robots.txt file and XML sitemap.While there is some popularity behind creating an llms.txt file (which is a proposed standard for LLM crawlers like Google-Extended) for AI SEO, an llms.txt file is not needed or recommended for appearing in AI Mode.2. Deliver a great page experienceGoogle has pushed on webmasters for years to deliver a great page experience through several algorithm updates, including Core Web Vitals. Now, those changes come into play even more with AI Mode.When looking at page experience, consider the following questions:Does a URL display well across devices, like mobile vs. desktop?How long do users need to wait before being able to interact with a URL?Can users tell the difference between an ad vs. your content on a URL?Delivering a better page experience requires collaboration between specialties, from marketing to development to sales. The value is immense, though, because besides increasing your chances of appearing in AI Mode, these changes can also improve conversion rates.3. Produce people-first contentContent is one of the most important optimizations businesses can make when it comes to ranking in Google AI Mode. In a time when there is more content than ever, there is a greater need for people-first content.What is people-first content? People-first content:Gets specific with its recommendations, like “In the first week, do 15-20 reps.”Shares first-hand insights, whether through case studies, quotes, or stories.Speaks to its specific vs. general audience, like HVAC vs. accounting marketers.Organizes content using headings, lists, and tables to improve readability.Demonstrates E-E-A-T, like through awards, certifications, or history.Helps people solve their problem through well-written, easy-to-read content.With this level of content, it’s easier for businesses to get mentioned or cited in AI Mode because the content is specific to the user and their search intent, which is one reason users are so attracted to AI search experiences.4. Use relevant queries in prominent locationsKeywords aren’t dead — they’re redefined for AI search optimization.In AI Mode, Google uses a query fan-out technique, which is exactly what it sounds like. Google takes the user’s initial query and “fans it out” into related queries, which are then searched simultaneously to generate a response.Optimize your people-first content for the query fan-out technique by:Including the most relevant phrases in your title tag and headings.Incorporating other related and relevant phrases throughout the body copy.Enhancing content with details that address fan-out queries.This optimization aligns with best practices for keyword integration, which Google includes as one of its foundational SEO best practices, which are mentioned as being relevant to AI Mode appearances.5. Enhance content with visualsSearch is becoming multimodal, meaning users can search via:TextImageVoiceVideoYou can see an example below: WebFX Producing text-based, people-first content isn’t enough. Companies need to expand their content’s usefulness to users with multimedia, from video walkthroughs to concept graphics. WebFX Some examples of how businesses can do this include the following:Create 360° product views, unboxing videos, and image-based sizing guides.Generate audio summaries for guides or long-form blog posts.Build interactive or static timelines or data visualizationsProduce tools or templates to help users complete a taskWith AI Mode’s shopping experience, which allows users to try on clothes and purchase products, it’s vital for ecommerce stores to consider — and optimize for — a multimodal shopping experience.6. Use structured dataGoogle doesn’t just recommend structured data for appearing in AI Mode — it recommends businesses ensure their structured data matches their on-page content, signaling a common (and often unintentional) issue.When it comes to structured data, there are plenty of options, including:OrganizationServiceProductLocalBusinessFAQAnd moreA website plugin like Yoast SEO can make generating and implementing certain schema markups seamless. For others, there are free tools — like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper and even ChatGPT — for generating schema.In either case, test the markup using Google’s Rich Results Test. You can also check Google Search Console’s Enhancements reports for structured data issues, though this report won’t flag when the on-page content doesn’t match the structured data. For teams evaluating how to improve visibility in AI results, an accurate, on-page-matching schema is a low-effort, high-impact win.7. Maintain an up-to-date Google Business ProfileAcross AI Mode experiences, the platform will mention and link to brands using their Google Business Profile — as well as use that data to generate its answer. WebFX That’s why it’s critical to maintain your Google Business Profile’s:AddressHoursContact informationProducts or ServicesAmenitiesPhotos and/or videosSocial media linksIf you haven’t already, start by claiming (or creating) your Google Business Profile.8. Maintain up-to-date Google Merchant Center listingsWhen it comes to its AI search experiences, from AI Mode to AI Overviews, Google relies on its Shopping Graph to generate responses. That’s why it’s vital for ecommerce businesses to:Join Google Merchant CenterMaintain listing accuracy, from pricing to inventory WebFX AI Mode has a vast catalog to choose from when recommending products to users. Don’t let your products get overlooked by failing to update your listings.9. Build online mentionsMost AI Mode optimizations focus on elements within your control, from content quality to page experience, but Google’s AI search experiences are rooted in its core ranking algorithms, which makes off-page optimizations non-negotiable.Whether linked or unlinked, the following mentions can improve your chances of appearing in AI Mode responses:Best of list, like “best [your product] for enterprises”Forum response, such as a “buy it for life” product recommendationInterviewee and/or quoted personSocial media, like through an influencerYou can build these mentions naturally, such as:Providing an exceptional product and serviceProducing high-quality, people-first content and multimediaOutreach is another common option, too, such as partnering with a micro-influencer or connecting with a journalist at an industry-specific media site.10. Expand search channelsWhat else can businesses do to optimize for AI Mode? Expand.Search is changing. Even though generative AI traffic is less than 1% of the total traffic websites receive, it’s growing 165X faster than other channels, signaling a new opportunity for those that move the fastest.Don’t ignore Google (or AI Mode), but don’t ignore new search channels like:ChatGPTMeta AIPerplexityInstead, expand, and capture the eyes of your target market across generative AI search experiences, from AI Overviews and AI Mode to ChatGPT and Perplexity.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Semi rollover blocks part of Northwest Blvd. Our Quad Cities News has a crew at Northwest Boulevard in Davenport, where a semi truck rolled over on the on ramp to eastbound I-80. Traffic is blocked from southbound Northwest Boulevard to I-80 East. One lane heading north on Northwest Boulevard is blocked. A HAZMAT team is at the scene due to leaking fluid [...]
	Crews respond to fire at Rock Island Domino’s Pizza location No injuries were reported, officials said.
	Cake walk and free dinner at Rock Island Easter egg hunt The Granny Grayson Outreach group will be hosting an Easter egg hunt this Saturday at Johannes Bus Service in Rock Island.
	Rock Island responds to fire at Domino's Pizza on 14th Avenue late Wednesday No injuries were reported among occupants or emergency personnel.
	12 spring supplements to refresh your wellness routine 12 spring supplements to refresh your wellness routineThere’s something about springtime that makes you crave a fresh start (spring cleaning, anyone?). The warmer weather and longer daytime hours make you want to crack open the windows, shed those bulky sweaters, and sweep away the dust. As you sort through the contents of your closet and mop from wall to wall, remember to spruce up your supplement routine, too.This isn’t just about stocking up on shiny new bottles: There’s actually a biological reason why you should reexamine your vitamin drawer in the spring, according to Michael A. Smith, MD, Life Extension director of education. “While your nutritional needs stay the same year-round, the transition to spring sheds light on specific health goals we should prioritize as we shake off wintertime,” he explained.Spending more time outdoors shifts our circadian rhythm and energy levels, and it also exposes us to environmental factors that make, for example, nasal support supplements, a good addition to your routine. Your health goals may change as well, as you shift from cooped-up-at-home workouts to adventurous, demanding hikes.So, which supplements are best to add in the spring? In this article, Life Extension has the information you need. Let’s get started.At a GlanceSpring is a great time to reboot your supplement routine.Many people have changes in their energy levels, sleep and skin during the spring.Pollen and other environmental factors can be challenging to deal with during springtime.Adjusting your supplement routine for spring with support for nasal comfort, immune health, bone and joint formulas, and skin care supplements can make the season more enjoyable.Immune health and nasal supplementsAs nature comes back to life—ah, birds singing and flowers blooming—so, too, does pollen, which sometimes our immune system interprets as a challenge. Dr. Smith recommends these four supplements to make it more enjoyable to stop and smell the flowers:1. ProbioticsYou may see probiotics and think gut health, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But probiotics can also support a healthy immune response to seasonal changes that come with spring. How? Certain types of probiotics help your body promote healthy immune activity, maintain comfortable nasal airflow and encourage production of secretory IgA (SIgA) (the primary antibody found in mucus, tears and saliva, and the immune system’s first line of defense), Dr. Smith noted. When choosing an immune support probiotic, look for Lactobacillus rhamnosus CRL-1505, a probiotic strain isolated from goat’s milk, which has clinical support for its positive impact on immune health.2. N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC)Taking advantage of daylight savings time has multiple mental and physical health benefits, but it also means more exposure to environmental challenges. Here’s where N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) supplements come in. According to Dr. Smith, NAC is a precursor to glutathione, a powerful antioxidant in the body that protects cells from free radical activity, which, in turn, supports a healthy immune response. What’s more, researchers have studied NAC for its immune health benefits, and have found that it supports bronchial and respiratory health.3. QuercetinFound naturally in fruits and vegetables like apples, red onions and kale, quercetin encourages heart health and supports a healthy immune response. Think of quercetin as an immune-supporting free radical scavenger that helps support a healthy immune response, Dr. Smith added. When shopping for a quercetin supplement, look for options with fenugreek fibers. Traditional quercetin supplements aren’t easy for the body to use—formulas with fenugreek fibers help enhance bioavailability, so the body can better use all of that good stuff.4. Bee propolisReady to “bee” your healthiest self? Bee propolis is a good option year-round, but it’s definitely a great way to take the sting out of spring inconveniences. Honeybees make propolis, or “bee glue.” It’s a wax-like resin made from plant compounds that bees use to build, seal, and protect their hive. What does bee glue have to do with you? A bee propolis supplement can have similar benefits for your respiratory immune health. As Dr. Smith explained, clinical studies have shown it helps with the frequency and duration of respiratory immune challenges.Energy supplementsSpring’s warmer weather might give you the urge to get out and play, which requires sustained energy. Make the most of the longer, sunshine-filled days, with energy management supplements. Dr. Smith recommends starting with these two cellular support stars.5. CoQ10Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is becoming more widely recognized for its pepping-up powers, and for good reason: Clinical research has shown that supplementing with CoQ10 regularly helps people combat general fatigue and has benefits for your heart and other high-energy organs. That’s because this coenzyme is crucial for producing cellular energy and acts as an antioxidant to protect cells from oxidative stress, Dr. Smith explained. The challenge with CoQ10 supplements is bioavailability, or how well they circulate in the body. Choose a bioavailable CoQ10 supplement for best results. 6. NAD+In the body, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) acts like a spark plug for cellular energy production. It’s a coenzyme that every cell in the body needs to make ATP (adenosine triphosphate), but levels naturally decline over time. You can help your body keep healthy NAD+ levels through exercise, diet, and NAD supplements—which contain precursors that the body can use to support NAD+ pathways. These precursors include nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).Pro tip: While this supplement is a great way to spring into spring, you might want to take it all year round.Active lifestyle and joint health supplementsYou’re out there hiking, biking, and making spring happen. Of course, you want your body to move comfortably so you can enjoy every moment. Dr. Smith recommends making your move and adding these two supplements to your spring routine: 7. Glucosamine and chondroitinTo keep your joints on point, add a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement to your spring mix. A natural compound in the body, glucosamine helps preserve joint structure and function and support cartilage health, Dr. Smith said. That’s because glucosamine and chondroitin are building blocks for healthy, comfortable cartilage. 8. CreatineAnother natural compound found in the body, creatine supports muscle function, promotes cellular energy, and encourages exercise performance and recovery. Even better? Creatine is one of the best-studied nutrients for lean muscle mass, strength, and power. It’s important for both professional and amateur athletes, and for anyone who follows a regular exercise routine. What’s more, as Dr. Smith explained, creatine supplements are also recommended frequently for women who naturally produce less creatine as they age. Choosing a high-quality creatine supplement—you can find them in powder or capsule form—is a proactive way to support strength and stamina inside and outside the gym.Sleep and relaxation supplementsIf you feel like the change in daylight has you tossing and turning at night, you’re not alone. Spring’s later sunsets and springing forward an hour can upset the brain’s internal clock, impacting the circadian rhythm (which regulates your sleep/wake patterns), Dr. Smith explained. Here are two supplements to help you relax and sleep better during the spring transition.9.GlycineYou won’t want to sleep on the amino acid glycine if you’re seeking restful slumber. According to Dr. Smith, clinical studies suggest the amino acid has been shown to have a calming effect on the brain. The sleep-supporting supplement is often used to promote relaxation and better rest. Some research suggests that taking a glycine supplement before bed may promote quality sleep without causing daytime drowsiness. It may also have positive impacts on mood and mental health.10. AshwagandhaAlso known as Indian ginseng, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb that has built a centuries-long reputation for helping relieve the effects of everyday stress, according to Dr. Smith. First used in Indian Ayurvedic traditions to promote healthy energy, emotional balance, and memory health, ashwagandha supplements are now a go-to for stress management.Skin and hair supplementsSeasonal changes can impact how your skin and hair look and feel, Dr. Smith said. It’s not surprising, really. Humidity, higher pollen count, hotter temperatures and more sunlight is a recipe for a bad hair (and skin) day. Don’t despair, there’s a supplement (or two) for that.11. CollagenCollagen is the most abundant protein in your body, and it’s the primary building block for hair, skin, nails, bones, and connective tissue, but its production declines as you age. Whether you prefer it as a drink, powder or even a soft chew, getting your daily dose of collagen is easy. With a collagen supplement in your corner, it’s easier to maintain a radiant complexion and shiny hair even when it’s hot and humid outside.12. CeramidesCeramides are another champion for skin. These well-known lipids actually help preserve your body’s own collagen integrity. If you’re upgrading your beauty routine for spring, don’t forget that beauty begins from within. That’s why we recommend adding a ceramide supplement to your lineup to nourish you from the inside out.How do I choose the right spring supplements for my health goal?It’s easy to fall for a new vitamin or supplement trend you may see on social media platforms. But remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to your nutrition, and any decisions you make should be based on your unique needs—and, of course, your doctor’s blessing.Here’s a quick chart showing how to match your supplements with your individual health goals: Life Extension Foundational supplements for every seasonRegardless of which spring supplements you (and your doctor) decide are best for you, some nutrients are non-negotiable. Consider these your baseline nutrients for year-round wellness.Vitamin D3: Keep your bones strong and your immune system healthy. A vitamin D supplement can help ensure you maintain healthy levels.Magnesium: The mighty mineral is essential for more than 600 biochemical reactions in your body, including memory and cognitive health.Fish oil: Omega-3s are essential for cognitive performance, cardiovascular health and more. A fish oil supplement can help support heart, brain and whole-body health.B vitamins: There are eight B vitamins, all of them essential for energy production, cellular and organ health. Choosing a B-complex supplement that delivers the active forms of B vitamins is a smart way to get all the "Bs" your body needs.Whether you want to support immune health to enjoy the fresh spring air, or healthy energy levels to make the most of sunny days, choosing the right supplement will help you enjoy your best spring yet.Key TakeawaysSpring cleaning should include updating what supplements you take.For specific health goals, such as immune support, supplements like NAC and bee propolis are great options to add to your daily lineup.Vitamin D, magnesium, fish oil, and B vitamins are non-negotiables that should be in your routine year-round.This story was produced by Life Extension and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How to choose the right gas cards for your business How to choose the right gas cards for your businessIn addition to mileage reimbursements, fuel is one of those business expenses that can quietly eat into margins every month without getting much attention. Whether your company is running three delivery vans or a hundred service trucks, the card your drivers swipe at the pump can mean the difference between earning cashback on every gallon or losing money to a program that doesn't fit how you actually operate. The right card can also give you visibility and controls that a loose expense policy never will.A 2025 survey of 260 U.S. fleet managers by Shell Fleet Solutions found that 62% already use fuel cards as their primary tool for tracking and managing fuel expenses, making them more widely adopted than dedicated fleet management software, mobile apps, or telematics systems. But adoption alone doesn't mean every business is using the right card for their situation. This guide from Brex breaks down the best gas cards for businesses, what separates fleet fuel cards from general business credit cards, and how to pick the right one based on your fleet size, credit profile, and spending habits.Business gas cards explainedA business gas card is any payment card designed to help companies manage fuel spending. The category sounds simple, but the products within it vary significantly in how they work, where they're accepted, what they cost, and what they give back. Picking the wrong type doesn't just mean leaving rewards on the table. It can mean paying fees for controls you don't need, losing visibility into driver spending because the card wasn't built for fleet management, or discovering mid-growth that the program you chose doesn't scale the way your business does.The decision also matters more than most business owners expect upfront. A small landscaping company with two trucks has very different needs than a regional delivery operation managing 50 drivers across multiple states, and neither of them is looking for the same thing as a startup that happens to have a field sales team putting miles on company vehicles every week. The right card type depends on your fleet size, how much you're spending on fuel relative to other business expenses, and whether controls and compliance matter more to you than rewards and flexibility. There are three distinct types worth understanding before you start comparing specific products.Types of business gas cardsThe right category of card shapes everything else about your program, from where your drivers can use it to how rewards are calculated and what controls you have access to. Understanding the differences up front saves you from switching programs six months in because the one you chose was built for a different kind of business than yours.Dedicated fleet fuel cardsFleet fuel cards are purpose-built for businesses with vehicles. They're accepted at a defined network of gas stations and often at maintenance shops, and they give you controls that general business credit cards can't match. You can restrict spending to fuel only, set per-driver limits, require drivers to enter odometer readings at the pump, and pull IFTA-ready reports at the end of the month. Cards like WEX, Fuelman, and Shell are in this category.The tradeoff is real. These cards usually don't earn rewards at the same rate as general-purpose cards, and some are only accepted at specific station brands, which creates problems for drivers who travel outside certain regions.Small business credit cards with gas rewardsGeneral small business credit cards often offer elevated cashback or points at gas stations, and several of the strongest options on the market earn at bonus rates across multiple spend categories rather than fuel alone. That flexibility is the main appeal. These cards are accepted wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted, they build business credit in a way that most dedicated fleet cards don't, and they tend to reward your full spending picture rather than activating only at the pump. They're a natural fit for businesses where fuel is a big line item but not the only expense worth optimizing.Corporate charge cards with broad rewardsIf you want to understand how corporate credit cards work before comparing them to fleet options, the short version is they earn points or cashback on all spend and integrate with accounting software rather than activating only at the pump. Corporate cards sit in a third category. They're not gas-specific, and for startups and growing companies, that means earning on fuel alongside software subscriptions, travel, and vendor payments without juggling multiple card programs or reconciling across different statements every month.Benefits of fuel cards for businessesThe case for a business gas card isn't complicated, but it's easy to underestimate how much the right program actually changes day-to-day operations. The benefits go further than savings at the pump. A well-chosen card tightens up spending controls, takes manual work off your finance team's plate, and gives you cleaner data than a reimbursement process ever will. Here's what that looks like in practice.Fuel cost savingsMany fleet cards advertise per-gallon rebates from about 3 cents to 10 cents or higher at participating or network stations, depending on the card, fuel type, and volume. Business credit cards generally turn spending into cash back, miles, or points that can be redeemed for travel, statement credits, gift cards, or similar rewards. For a fleet burning 10,000 gallons a month, a 5-cents-per-gallon rebate equals $500 a month and about $6,000 a year.Reduced fraud and unauthorized spendFuel cards significantly reduce the exposure that comes with giving drivers cash or a general-purpose card. Purchase limits, fuel-only restrictions, and automatic transaction alerts catch expense fraud before it becomes a pattern, and the paper trail makes it easy to address issues when they do occur.The depth of those controls varies by program. Dedicated fleet cards tend to offer the most granular restrictions, including merchant category locks, time-of-day limits, and PIN requirements at the pump. Corporate cards take a different approach, giving finance teams real-time visibility and per-employee spend limits that work across all purchase types, not just fuel. Either way, you end up with significantly more oversight than cash or a reimbursement process provides.Simplified accounting and reportingA 2025 Shell Fleet Solutions survey found that 1 in 4 fleet managers still tracks fuel expenses manually in a spreadsheet, and another 1 in 4 records them by hand on paper. Fuel cards eliminate that entirely by generating itemized transaction records that feed directly into your accounting software, turning what used to be manual data entry into automated expense reporting your finance team doesn't have to touch.That matters more as your fleet grows. When you're managing a handful of vehicles, a spreadsheet is inconvenient. When you're managing 20, it becomes a genuine liability. Clean, automatic transaction data means your finance team spends less time chasing receipts and reconciling statements, and more time on work that actually moves the business forward. It also means the numbers you're looking at are accurate, which makes cost-per-vehicle reporting and budget forecasting a lot more reliable.Better cash flow and driver convenienceBusiness gas cards give drivers a payment method without cash advances or out-of-pocket expenses, which eliminates the expense reimbursement cycle that slows down both drivers and finance teams. For growing businesses, payment automation through a card program is one of the more underappreciated operational improvements you can make. Drivers stay focused on their routes instead of tracking receipts, and your finance team closes the books faster because the data is already there.Building business creditIf you choose a business credit card with gas rewards over a dedicated fleet card, you can build business credit without using personal credit as a bonus alongside your fuel savings. Many small business credit cards report payment history to business credit bureaus such as Dun and Bradstreet, Experian Business, or Equifax Business, though reporting practices vary by issuer and not every card reports to all three. If you're unsure how your card choice could affect your personal finances, it's worth understanding how business credit cards affect personal credit before you apply. Consistent on-time payments gradually strengthen the credit profile you'll want when it's time to apply for a loan, a lease, or a larger credit facility.What to consider when evaluating business gas cardsOnce you've decided that a business gas card makes sense for your operation, the next step is knowing which details actually matter when comparing programs side by side. The differences between cards often come down to a handful of specific features that can significantly affect your total cost and day-to-day experience.Rebate structureNot all rebates work the same way. Some cards offer a flat discount at every qualifying station, while others tier their rebates based on how much you spend in a given month, meaning smaller fleets often receive the least favorable rates. It's also worth checking whether the rebate applies only at partner stations or extends to out-of-network locations, since a card that only saves you money at specific brands becomes less valuable the moment your drivers pull into a station that isn't on the list.Station coverageA high rebate rate means nothing if your drivers can't use the card where they actually fuel up. Coverage is typically expressed as a percentage of U.S. fueling locations, and the range across programs is significant. Wide-network cards like WEX and earnify fleet cover 95% of U.S. stations, while brand-specific cards from Shell are limited to their own locations. If your fleet covers rural routes or operates across multiple regions, coverage should be one of the first things you check before committing to a program.Volume requirementsMany dedicated fleet card programs reserve their best rebate tiers for accounts that hit minimum monthly gallon thresholds. If your fleet is small or your fuel spend is inconsistent month to month, you may never qualify for the rates that look attractive in the marketing materials. Before you apply, ask the provider exactly what volume you need to reach each rebate tier and compare that against what your fleet is actually burning.Purchase categoriesSome fleet cards restrict spending to fuel only, which is useful for businesses that want tight controls but limiting for operations that also need drivers to cover maintenance, repairs, or other vehicle-related expenses. Others extend coverage to service stations, repair shops, parking, tolls, and EV charging. If your drivers handle their own routine maintenance on the road, a card that covers those purchases under the same program simplifies tracking and reduces the need for separate reimbursement processes.Spending controlsThe depth of spending controls varies significantly across card programs. Basic programs let you set a monthly limit per card. More advanced platforms let you configure per-transaction limits, daily caps, fuel-only restrictions, and station-level controls that prevent drivers from using the card outside an approved network. Establishing a clear corporate credit card policy before cards go out makes the granularity of those controls much easier to enforce consistently across your team.Fraud protectionMost business card programs offer some form of fraud protection, but the specifics matter. Look for zero fraud liability policies, automatic transaction alerts, and the ability to block a card instantly from a mobile app or online portal. Fleet cards that require driver ID or PIN entry at the pump add an additional layer of protection that general business credit cards don't offer, and for operations with high driver turnover, that extra step can prevent a significant amount of misuse.Digital toolsThe quality of a card program's digital tools determines how much manual work your finance team has to do every month. This is where spend management software earns its keep, especially once transaction volume grows to the point where manual expense reconciliation becomes a real time drain. A mobile app that lets drivers find in-network stations, capture receipts, and flag transactions saves time at both ends of the expense process. Real-time alerts keep managers informed without requiring them to log in and audit transactions manually. Direct accounting integrations with platforms like QuickBooks or NetSuite are worth more than they sound.FeesThe fee structure on fleet card programs is easy to overlook until it starts adding up. Monthly card fees charged per program can quietly become a significant line item, and late payment fees can offset a meaningful portion of your rebate earnings if cash flow timing causes occasional delays. Replacement card fees matter for operations with high driver turnover. Read the fee schedule carefully before you commit, and factor those costs into your total cost of ownership calculation alongside the rebate rate.Which businesses benefit most from gas cardsAny company with recurring fuel spend can benefit from a business gas card, even if it only runs three or four vehicles. The question isn't whether there's value in having one. It's how much value relative to the effort of setting up and managing the program, and whether the card type you choose actually fits how your operation works.Delivery servicesDelivery services see some of the most immediate returns because fuel is a major variable cost that scales directly with order volume. Every percentage point you save at the pump compounds across thousands of gallons over the course of a year. The reporting tools add another layer of value by helping operations managers understand how fuel costs shift as route density changes, which makes it easier to price delivery contracts accurately and catch inefficiencies before they become budget problems.Trades businessesPlumbing, electrical, and HVAC companies run vehicles constantly between job sites. Tracking fuel expense by vehicle gives them a clearer picture of true job costs and leads to more accurate project pricing over time.Landscaping companies with crews spread across multiple locations gain similar visibility into where fuel money actually goes. With a reimbursement-based approach, that visibility simply doesn't exist, and the gaps tend to show up as unexplained variance at the end of the month rather than actionable data.Field services and mobile teamsMedical transport services, mobile sales teams, and field technicians all share a common challenge. They drive significant miles, fuel at different stations depending on their routes, and need clean records for employee mileage reimbursement, expense reporting, or client billing. A gas card handles all three requirements at once, which is why adoption in these segments tends to be high once businesses experience the difference between managing fuel through receipts versus a centralized card program.Seasonal businessesSeasonal businesses can still capture meaningful value even when fleet activity is uneven throughout the year. The key is choosing a program that lets you adjust card limits as demand shifts rather than locking you into a fixed structure. Scale up during busy season, pull back when vehicles sit idle, and avoid paying for a program that isn't earning its keep during slow months. Fleets running both gas and diesel also benefit from prioritizing wide station coverage so drivers aren't adding unnecessary miles to find the right fuel type.Solo owners and small operatorsEven solo owners who drive heavily for work find real advantages in using a dedicated gas card. Keeping business fuel spending separate from personal purchases simplifies bookkeeping, creates a clean paper trail for tax deductions, and removes the mental overhead of sorting through mixed statements at the end of the month. Solo owners who consistently track business expenses start to understand their actual cost of doing business in a way that cash or a personal card never reveals.How to choose the right gas card for your businessThe best gas card for your business depends on more than which one posts the highest rewards rate on a comparison website. A few key factors shape whether a card will actually work for how you operate day to day.Fleet size and fuel volumeIf you're running five vehicles or fewer, a business credit card with gas rewards often makes more practical sense than a dedicated fleet card. The rewards are flexible, the card builds business credit, and your volume probably isn't high enough to unlock the better rebate tiers that fleet programs reserve for high spenders. For fleets of 10 or more vehicles, dedicated fleet cards start to pay off because the controls and reporting tools match the operational complexity you're already dealing with.Acceptance networkA card that only works at one gas station brand is only as useful as your driversâ€™ ability to reach those stations. Before committing to a brand-specific card like Shell, look at where your routes actually go and map them against station locations in those areas. A wide-network card like WEX or earnify fleet is a much safer choice if your drivers cover rural routes or travel across multiple regions.Rewards structurePer-gallon discounts, percentage cashback, and points programs all deliver different value depending on your spending patterns. A flat 6 cents per gallon is easy to calculate and shows up on your statement. Points programs take more math but can deliver higher total value if you redeem them for travel rather than statement credits. The honest answer for most businesses is that the simplest rewards structure they'll actually use consistently beats a more complex one they'll never fully optimize.Credit requirements and liabilityDedicated fleet cards vary widely in what they require to get approved. Some rely on a business credit check only, while others require a personal guarantee from the owner, which puts the debt on your personal credit profile. Corporate cards and business credit cards with no personal guarantee from fintech providers often skip that requirement entirely, which is a meaningful advantage for founders who don't want personal liability attached to every business expense their team runs up.Fees and termsAnnual fees, monthly program fees, transaction fees, and late payment fees all factor into the real cost of a card program. A card with a $375 annual fee needs to deliver at least that much in rewards or operational savings before you're actually ahead, and a $59 monthly program fee needs the same scrutiny. Run the numbers using your actual fuel spend before committing, since the math doesn't always work out the way the marketing suggests.Ease of onboarding and setupSome fleet card programs require paperwork, a dedicated sales rep, and a few weeks to get approved and configured. Others let you sign up online in minutes and start issuing cards the same day. If you need cards in your driversâ€™ hands quickly, it's worth prioritizing programs that have invested in fast, digital onboarding.Employee count and card issuanceThink about how easy it is to give business credit cards to employees as your team grows. Some providers let you issue unlimited virtual or physical cards instantly from a dashboard. Traditional fleet card programs often have per-card fees or require manual requests to add new drivers, which creates friction when your headcount is moving quickly. If you're growing, easy card issuance matters more than it might seem upfront.Integration with accounting softwareThe best gas card for your finance team is the one that creates the least manual work after the transactions hit. Look for direct integrations with the accounting platform you're already using, whether that's QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, or something else. A few minutes of automated sync per day adds up to hours saved per month, which compounds as your team and transaction volume grow.How to apply for a fleet fuel cardApplying for a business gas card is straightforward, but the process varies depending on what type of card you're going after. The steps below apply broadly across card types, with a few notes on where the experience differs between dedicated fleet cards and corporate card programs.1. Gather your business informationYou'll typically need your EIN or tax ID, business legal name, address, date of formation, and estimated monthly fuel spend. Some applications also ask for bank account details or recent statements, particularly if the card provider is using your cash balance or revenue to determine your credit limit rather than running a traditional credit check. Having these documents ready before you start saves time and prevents you from having to stop partway through an application to track something down.2. Check your credit profileBusiness credit cards often require a personal credit check and a personal guarantee, which means the application will result in a hard inquiry on your personal credit report. Corporate cards take a different approach and may review your business bank balance and revenue instead, which keeps your personal credit out of the process entirely. Knowing which type you're applying for before you submit means you won't be caught off guard, and if you're applying for multiple cards at once, it's worth being aware that multiple hard inquiries in a short period can affect your personal credit score.3. Compare card programsUse the section above to narrow down to two or three cards that fit your fleet size, acceptance needs, and rewards goals. Most providers let you compare programs on their website before you apply, and the differences between programs are often clearer once you have your actual monthly fuel spend numbers in front of you. If you're on the fence between a dedicated fleet card and a general business credit card, the simplest test is to ask whether your drivers need purchase controls and odometer tracking at the pump. If the answer is yes, lean toward a fleet card. If you care more about earning rewards across all spend categories, a corporate card is probably the better fit.4. Complete the applicationKnowing how to apply for a business credit card before you start saves time, and most online applications take 10 to 15 minutes. Dedicated fleet card programs from providers like WEX or Fuelman sometimes involve a short conversation with a sales rep before approval, especially for larger accounts where the provider wants to understand your fleet size and monthly volume before setting credit limits. Corporate card applications are typically faster and fully self-serve, with approval decisions often coming within the same business day.5. Set up spending controlsOnce you're approved, take the time to configure per-driver limits, purchase category restrictions, and alert thresholds before you distribute cards to your team. This is the step most businesses skip in the rush to get cards into driversâ€™ hands, and it's also the step that prevents the most problems down the road. Decide upfront whether you want to restrict cards to fuel-only purchases, set daily or weekly spending caps, and determine which alert triggers make sense for your operation.6. Connect your accounting softwareLink the card to your accounting platform so transactions sync automatically. Most providers walk you through this during onboarding, and it's worth completing right away rather than letting a backlog of unmatched transactions accumulate over the first few weeks. If your accounting platform isn't directly supported, most card programs offer CSV exports that can be imported manually. But expense management automation through a native integration will save significantly more time over the course of a year, especially as your transaction volume grows.7. Train your teamMake sure drivers know which stations are in-network, how to handle any required PINs or odometer prompts at the pump, and who to contact if a card gets declined. This step is easy to underestimate, but a driver who doesn't know the card requires a PIN entry will get stuck at the pump, and a driver who doesn't know which stations are in-network will end up at one that doesn't accept the card. A short briefing before cards go out prevents the kind of friction that makes drivers distrust a new program from day one.Earn rewards on your fuel expensesIf your business is running vehicles alongside broader company spending, a single card program that covers fuel, travel, software, and vendor expenses is usually more practical than managing a dedicated fleet card program separately. Separate programs mean separate statements, separate reconciliation processes, and more time spent by your finance team every month just to get a clear picture of where money is going.This story was produced by Brex and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	How packaging QR Codes turn retail customers into owned contacts How packaging QR Codes turn retail customers into owned contactsA shopper picks your brand’s shampoo off the shelf at Target. Pays. Walks out.The sale is complete, but what happens next is invisible to your brand. Target knows who bought it because the purchase is tied to a loyalty account that tracks every return visit. Your brand does not see any of that unless you pay for it.If you want to reach that customer again, you pay the retailer. Target, Amazon, or Walmart owns the relationship with the customer. You just rent access to it. Retail media networks have become multibillion-dollar businesses, funded in part by brands paying to reach customers who already bought from them.For years, brands could work around this through digital retargeting, including cookies and third-party data that followed customers after checkout. But the infrastructure is disappearing. Privacy regulations and platform changes are killing off the workarounds, leaving brands more dependent on retail access than ever.Meanwhile, the product is sitting in someone's bathroom right now. Used daily. Trusted enough to be part of a routine. The brand still doesn't know who that customer is.Packaging is one of the few things that survives the retail handoff. It stays with the product, shows up at the moment of use, and isn't controlled by any retailer. A QR Code on that packaging creates a direct line from product to customer, right when they're actually using it. That's where an anonymous transaction becomes a relationship you own.In this article, Uniqode examines how brands can use packaging QR codes to build direct customer relationships.Why this moment matters for packaging QR CodesQR Codes are now part of everyday behavior. According to The State of QR Codes 2026, around 70% of consumers scan QR Codes monthly, and product packaging is the third most common place they scan, after restaurants and websites.Packaging’s value as a direct channel shows up after purchase, when the product is in hand, and the brand has a rare, uninterrupted presence.Despite this, brands have been slower to adapt. According to a marketer survey part of the same report, only 16.8% treat QR Codes as central to their strategy. Nearly 1 in 4 (24.2%) brands still use static QR Codes that cannot be updated once the packaging is printed, and 35.5% provide clear calls to action only sometimes, leaving scan intent unclear when it matters most.This creates a visible gap. Consumers approach scans with intent, while brands often deploy packaging QR Codes as an afterthought. Between the scan and a customer connection sit barriers many brands haven’t cleared.The three barriers between scan and relationshipThese barriers appear after the scan, when customer intent is present, and the next steps shape how the engagement unfolds. Together, they determine whether a single scan remains transactional and one-time or becomes an ongoing connection with the brand.Barrier 1: The information gapSeventy-five percent of consumers scan QR Codes to get more information. A 2024 GS1 US survey found that 79% of shoppers are more likely to purchase products with a QR Code that provides information they want. Product packaging has limited space, and regulatory requirements take priority. QR Codes extend what the label cannot include.Many brands, however, route these scans to generic product pages that focus on marketing copy, high-level features, and brand positioning. That often misses the reason the scan happened.At the point of scan, customers are looking for details tied to the product they already bought or are seriously considering buying, such as instructions, ingredient clarity, sourcing, or verification. For example, someone scanning a supplement bottle at home is not looking for the brand story. They want dosage instructions or confirmation that the product is legitimate.When the scan destination does not resolve that need, the interaction stops.Barrier 2: The trust deficitAccording to the consumer survey part of the same report, 55% consumers say they scan only in environments they trust. Packaging has a natural advantage here: the product is already in the consumer's hand, and the QR Code appears within an existing interaction with a brand they chose to buy. That context creates baseline trust that web ads or unsolicited emails don't have. Uniqode However, that advantage depends on the scan experience holding together. Improper scans are the most common QR Code-related complaint, cited by 36% of consumers. When a QR Code fails to load or leads to a broken destination, the interaction ends before any information is consumed. If someone tries to access setup instructions and the link is dead, they’re not scanning your next product.Barrier 3: The transparency gapEighty-three percent of consumers say they are willing to share data in exchange for rewards, personalized offers, or support. That willingness, however, is conditional. Forty-two percent of consumers said they will share data only with explicit consent, and 41% will share data only if they can opt out later. Uniqode Marketers see this opportunity, and about 94% agree that QR Codes capture first-party data. The breakdown appears at disclosure. Only 34% explain data practices clearly at the point of scan, while 33.2% bury disclosure in privacy policies. Another 28.6% either don’t disclose how scanned data is handled or are unsure of their own practices.This gap shows up at the moment of conversion. Customers arrive for information. Brands either ask for data before delivering value or defer disclosure to a generic privacy policy. In both cases, conversion rates drop and few customer relationships form.What the 3 barriers revealThe barriers come from a single moment. Brands collapse relevance, trust, and permission into a single moment. A scan intended to answer a practical question turns into a data request. A trusted context leads to a broken link. A willingness to engage is undermined by unclear disclosure practices. Each break prevents the next step from forming.Packaging QR Codes function as a persistent customer channel, enabling repeated interactions beyond the point of sale. The brands that clear these barriers separate information delivery from data collection. They answer the question first, build trust through reliability, and ask for permission only after delivering value. Each step unlocks the next.Unlike ads or campaigns, packaging stays with the product over time, which makes it possible to separate information delivery from engagement and engagement from data collection.Progressive profiling, which is collecting data gradually across multiple interactions rather than all at once, increases form completion rates by an average of 35% and reduces abandonment by up to 45%. The principle applies directly to dynamic packaging QR Codes: match what you ask for to the value you’ve already delivered.Stage 1: Anonymous value deliveryThe first job of a packaging QR Code is to answer the question that triggered the scan. Someone scans a product they just bought because they need help using it.Asking for an email before showing setup instructions adds friction at the wrong moment. The scan itself is the request for information, and it needs to be met immediately. High-performing brands treat this moment as only information delivery, and not lead capture. No gates. No forms. No asks.For example, Ocean Spray uses packaging QR Codes to route customers to recipe ideas tied to the product they just bought. The scan leads directly to practical usage inspiration and not a generic brand page. This resolves the information gap by addressing the reason the scan happened. Uniqode Even without collecting contact details, the interaction generates actionable data: scan volume by geography (revealing strong versus weak markets), time-of-day patterns (showing when customers use the product), and repeat scan behavior (indicating product satisfaction or confusion).Most importantly, it establishes the brand as helpful and trustworthy, setting expectations for what comes next.Stage 2: Lightweight opt-inOnce immediate value has been delivered, some customers are open to continuing the interaction. At this stage, the scope of exchange stays narrow: ongoing utility in return for a single identifier. Not a full profile. Just an email or a phone number.Effective offers feel like upgrades to what the customer already found useful, such as refill reminders, product-care tips, and periodic usage ideas tied to the item in hand.When you ask matters as much as what you ask for. Someone who just used a setup guide or troubleshooting page is far more likely to opt in for follow-up content than someone who was asked before receiving value.This step clears the transparency barrier by making both the ask and the benefit explicit. The scan moves from anonymous to known without requiring more commitment than the moment (and value delivered) supports.Stage 3: Deepened engagementMore detailed data collection makes sense only after establishing a customer relationship. At this stage, the customer has already opted in and engaged. Additional information is requested only when it clearly enables something in return.For example, loyalty programs rely on preferences to offer relevant rewards. Warranty registration requires purchase details. Personalized recommendations depend on product usage history.This progression unfolds over time, and each new data point unlocks tangible benefits for the customer, such as point tracking, extended coverage, or early access to new products. For the brand, it means owned customer relationships that drive repeat purchase without paying retail media networks for access.Progressive profiling only works when earlier stages have built trust consistently. Skip steps, and the system breaks.From retail dependency to relationship ownershipAs retail media networks expand and privacy rules narrow digital targeting, brands face a choice: continue paying intermediaries to stay visible to customers they already converted, or use the touchpoints they already control to build direct relationships over time.The three-stage approach with QR Codes on packaging works. Deliver value first, request opt-in after trust is established, and deepen engagement when the relationship justifies it.Brands building direct customer channels from packaging are pulling ahead. Everyone else is renting access to customers they already won.This story was produced by Uniqode and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	Spring lawn care: Start now for a greener year ahead Spring lawn care: Start now for a greener year aheadMarch is a turning point for lawns across the United States. As soil temperatures rise and grass wakes from winter dormancy, the actions taken now set the stage for how turf will handle the heat and stress of summer.TruGreen shares how early spring lawn care decisions influence turf performance throughout the growing season and outlines best practices for ensuring a healthy lawn in 2026.Why early spring lawn care mattersTurfgrass is one of the most widely cultivated plantings in the country, covering more than 40 million acres, and early spring care plays a powerful role in strengthening roots, improving density and building resilience for the growing season ahead.“Spring lawn care is the foundation of a healthy, vibrant lawn all year long,” said Brian Feldman, senior director of technical operations and agronomy at TruGreen.“Giving your lawn early attention helps strengthen root systems, setting it up to withstand summer heat and fall stress. In spring, the focus is on jump‑starting growth, reviving grass, clearing away winter debris, and improving soil health,” said Feldman.That means March, the beginning of spring, is the time to begin lawn care for the season ahead. However, exact timing depends on region and climate.Planting zones in the United StatesBecause of the country’s large and diverse geographic area, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created the “plant hardiness zone map,” the national standard by which gardeners determine when and what they can successfully plant in their local area. The zone map divides the country into 13 plant hardiness zones.The USDA updated the zone map in 2023, the first update in more than a decade, in part because of the warming climate; the average temperature in 2023 was 2.5 degrees F warmer than in 2012.For turfgrass, the zones are less specific.“The United States features three primary lawn zones: north, south and transition,” said Feldman.Knowing your zone helps determine which turfgrass is best for your region.States Favoring Cool-Season Grass Growth: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Northern California, Ohio, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, ColoradoStates Supporting Both Warm- and Cool-Season Grass (The Transition Zone): Tennessee, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, New MexicoStates Predominantly Growing Warm-Season Grass: South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Southern California, Arizona, TexasBest practices to prepare for the growing seasonMarch is the best month to begin lawn maintenance, but timing varies by zone. The hot zone, which is rarely affected by snow and frost, is ready in early March. For transition and cold zones, lawn preparation can begin in earnest once the snow has completely melted and the ground has thawed. This may be as early as mid-March, or as late as late March or even early April for particularly harsh winters.Here is a step-by-step guide to follow:Spring Cleanup: There is one vital first step that you cannot skip when it comes to lawn care: spring cleanup. Once the ground has thawed and there is no more chance of snow, rake up all leaves, twigs and debris that have accumulated on the lawn during the fall and winter months to improve airflow and reduce disease pressure. Also, remove any lawn furniture or wood piles that are preventing patches of lawn from getting the sun it needs to grow and thrive.Weed prevention: Unchecked weeds can dominate a lawn. Be proactive and apply preemergent treatment to prevent annual weeds before they take root.“In most areas, a spring application targets summer weeds like crabgrass, foxtail and goosegrass,” said Feldman. “These usually start germinating once soil temperatures reach about 55 degrees F for several days in a row, so applying a preemergent just before then gives you the best results.”Fertilization: Fertilizer provides key nutrients to a lawn and keeps it looking lush and green. Once you know your turfgrass zone, choose a fertilizer that is best for your lawn type and use a spreader for even coverage.Lawn mower prep and the first mow of the season: Lawn maintenance is not only about the lawn itself; it’s also about the equipment used to care for the lawn. Early spring is the time to check your mower to make sure it’s in good working order and the blade is sharp. Sharpened blades reduce turf stress and susceptibility to pests and disease. Wait to mow for the first time until the ground temperature is in the 50s and active growth (green grass) has begun.Early-season irrigation: Consistent watering, about one inch per week, is a key component to a healthy lawn. However, unnecessary watering or watering too early can cause damage to turfgrass. In the cold zone, when the ground is still saturated from snow melt or the region is experiencing regular spring rain, regular watering may not be necessary yet. For warm-season and transition zones, beginning in March is key.“In March, watering in the morning allows the water to soak into the soil before the sun causes evaporation, while also preventing disease-promoting, overnight dampness,” said Feldman. “Watering works hand-in-hand with mowing, fertilization and weed control.”What you do in March, from cleanup and weed prevention to fertilizing and watering, shapes how lush and resilient your turf will be all year. Establishing a strong spring foundation means fewer weeds, better summer survival and steadier growth into fall.Start strong now, and your lawn will thank you later.This story was produced by TruGreen and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	Why higher education needs digital infrastructure now Why higher education needs digital infrastructure nowHigher education has entered an era of intensifying competition for each student. While the widely discussed “demographic cliff” — or “enrollment cliff” — may not peak for several years, the window to act continues to narrow. The population of traditional college-age freshmen will diminish in waves. After a brief uptick early next decade, projections by higher education consulting firm Ruffalo Noel Levitz show that by 2039, there could be roughly 650,000 fewer 18‑year‑olds per year than today. As Georgetown’s Jeff Strohl explains, a loss of “a few hundred thousand per year” compounded over a decade creates significant economic and institutional impacts.TouchNet looks at what institutions can do to future‑proof operations, improve student satisfaction and protect revenue. One of the most effective and often overlooked strategies is modernizing the digital experience where students feel the most friction: financial processes and campus transactions.What modern campus payments technology looks likeWhen students describe a good digital experience, they consistently ask for solutions that are instant, accessible and reliable. They expect to engage through web, text, chat or phone without stepping into an office. When systems time out during peak payment windows or when students must cross campus to fix a basic billing issue, institutions create avoidable frustration and risk.Recent research on student financial experience highlights what’s at stake. Large shares of students in the U.S., the U.K., Australia and Canada surveyed by TouchNet in 2025 report that managing tuition, refunds, holds and account tasks requires moderate to very high effort. That effort pulls time and attention away from academics and well‑being. Administrative friction directly threatens student persistence or retention.An online account center can bring electronic billing, consent management, real‑time balances and activity, statements, deposits and scheduled payments into one secure environment that posts in real time to your enterprise resource planning (ERP). One centralized hub with clear permissions, role‑based access and end‑to‑end visibility gives staff and students full transparency. This foundation removes bottlenecks, reduces calls and walk‑ins and improves payment visibility through real-time account updates.When you invest in improving your student payment experience, your business office also benefits. Student account centers help you:Reduce cost‑to‑serve. Fewer in‑person visits and manual interventions lower staffing load during peak cycles.Accelerate receivables. Real‑time posting reduces reconciliation delays and strengthens cash forecasting.Lower risk. Centralized consent and secure payment profiles strengthen compliance and reduce risk and PCI exposure.Build a mobile‑first infrastructure students will actually useStudents already live their financial lives on their phones. They use mobile devices to pay for food, entertainment or recurring bills. Paying by phone is the new normal. Recent student financial experience data from the TouchNet survey shows 67% of students prefer using mobile phones to manage personal financial information. Roughly half already use digital student IDs. Many rely on mobile payments for everyday purchases and recurring bills. They expect payment reminders, easy refunds, instant notifications and autopay to come standard.How a mobile ID transforms the campus journeyA mobile ID does more than replace a plastic card. It serves as a secure, unified key to both physical and digital campus experiences.Access and attendance. Tap-to-enter buildings, labs, residence halls, class and event check‑ins. Institutions eliminate lost cards and reprints.Payments. Tap‑to‑pay for dining, printing, parking, recreation and ticketing using declining balance, stored value or payment profiles.Services and support. Scan to authenticate at service counters, unlock self‑service kiosks and trigger context‑aware help, with guiding phrases like, “You have a refund pending — choose deposit method.”Security and risk. Control credentials in real-time, enable freeze and unfreeze functionality, require step‑up authentication for sensitive actions and apply geofenced permissions for critical spaces.Faculty and staff benefit as well. Mobile IDs reduce badge management overhead, improve reporting and space utilization, streamline secure printing and equipment checkout and simplify after‑hours access. When integrated with ERPs, credentials can auto‑provision by role, reducing manual work orders and ticketing volume.Modernizing the administrative side: simplify the real workload students carryStudents manage a complex mix of financial responsibilities. They track grant and scholarship timelines, apply for institutional aid, coordinate family contributions and manage income from employment. After securing funds, they must align payment schedules with disbursements and pay periods to avoid penalties or holds.The TouchNet survey found more than 90% of U.S. students rely on multiple funding sources to finance their education and that reliance continues to shift. Institutional financial aid usage alone increased from 45% to 57% year over year. The bottom line? Students carry a workload that extends beyond the classroom.When financial ecosystems force students to navigate multiple portals, manual forms and visit offices for routine actions — like setting up a payment plan, adding an authorized payer or selecting a refund method — institutions increase cognitive load and risk. Students consistently report that financial management tasks demand substantial effort and often distract from academics, reinforcing the link between administrative burden and overall well‑being.The power of centralization — one platform, many winsStudents say modernizing tuition, financial aid systems and course registration would most improve campus life. Meet that expectation by consolidating your tech stack. Fewer systems increase efficiency and give students and staff clearer visibility.Centralization delivers immediate benefits. With one login for billing, payment plans and refunds, students manage their finances in one place and resolve issues independently. Real-time balance updates keep them informed, while itemized activity reduces anxiety and errors. When major financial deadlines approach, timely notifications and reminders help prevent missed payments and downstream holds.Strengthen institutional operations with a consolidated payments ecosystem that bursars, business offices, financial aid departments and IT departments can use.Fewer tickets and walk‑ins: Cut routing questions and manual requests with clear workflows and self‑service tools.Cleaner data and faster close: Minimize reconciliation issues with real-time ERP posting and sharpen forecasting.Limit failure points: Simplify monitoring and security with one platform with defined uptime SLAs.Policy agility: Central configuration for fees, payment windows, and holds accelerates response to any regulatory or market changes.Digital experience isn’t part of the student experience — it is the student experienceLeaders continue to warn about the enrollment cliff: Fewer traditional‑age students will enter colleges, and the ripple effects on local economies and institutional viability are already emerging. But the response doesn’t have to be reactive cuts. Institutions can make smart digital investments that target the friction points students feel most.The pandemic proved how quickly conditions can change. Institutions that adapted digital tools quickly did more than maintain continuity — they discovered durable efficiencies and improved student satisfaction. As the student pipeline tightens, that lesson becomes a strategy. Going digital, especially in payments, student IDs and student account management, strengthens operations and reduces risk.Institutions that recognize that digital experience defines the student experience position themselves to outperform competitors and exceed expectations.This story was produced by TouchNet and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Parent voices concerns at school board meeting following bus crash The crash sent four students to a local hospital for evaluation after a Whiteside County school bus went off the road and into a ditch.
	How overstretched HR teams can improve the recruiting process How overstretched HR teams can improve the recruiting processInternal HR professionals are under pressure to complete a range of tasks to support a business. From helping existing employees in their roles to maintaining compliance, HR schedules can quickly become strained.Overseeing the hiring process of new staff members is another considerable responsibility. Fitting in enough time to sift through resumes, schedule interviews and facilitate new-hire paperwork is a consistent struggle.Other responsibilities, such as maintaining employee retention and engagement, can feel like a second thought amid the effort to hire new talent. This guide from Emerge Talent explores the benefits of outsourcing recruiting support to speed up time-to-fill and help you with busy workloads.The Hidden Costs of an Overwhelmed HR DepartmentBeyond the impact of a never-ending to-do list and a full inbox, overworked HR teams are at risk of hiring unsuitable talent due to being stretched too thin. Inexperienced new hires can significantly affect company culture and, over time, take a toll on a company’s financial health.The hidden costs of an overburdened HR team can emerge in the following areas:Admin EfficiencyTypically, HR professionals can spend approximately 57% of the workday on new recruit administrative tasks. These tasks include screening job applications, setting up interviews and collating candidate feedback for successful and unsuccessful candidates.Understandably, vetting potential new hires is an integral part of the role. However, it takes up a large portion of your time, leaving little for other responsibilities, including supporting existing staff in their roles.The demands of recruitment can leave you feeling burned out while juggling your other responsibilities.Cost of Filling VacanciesThe longer a vacancy is left open, the more productivity and revenue a company loses. It takes around 44 days to fill a role, which translates to approximately six weeks of lost revenue for a company. HR teams face pressure to fill vacancies as quickly as possible.Hiring costs are a further consideration. For example, the average cost of a new hire is $4,700, including time, advertising and onboarding expenses. Some industries, such as engineering and cybersecurity, may incur larger new-hire costs due to staffing shortages. Unsuitable hires may cost your company approximately 30% of the hire’s first-year salary.Hiring for Specialized RolesAlongside your other duties, hiring for roles in specialized industries, including financial technology (fintech), requires you to uphold industry knowledge. The intricacies of these sectors can be challenging, especially when learning about candidate requirements and average industry salaries.Recruiting for these roles without industry knowledge can lead you to put forward unsuitable candidates. Recruiters with industry-specific knowledge have the experience to hire for specialized roles.3 Signs Your Business Needs Dedicated Recruiting Support Emerge Talent Recruitment surges are an exciting time for any company. However, the overload of recruiting tasks to fill your schedule may feel like a mountain to climb. The strain can easily take its toll on your team. Below are three indicators your team needs recruiting support to get you on the other side of the mountain:1. The Rise of GhostingInterestingly, a survey showed that 70% of job seekers in the U.S. felt it was fair to ghost recruiters and potential employers during the recruitment process. A probable reason is that another job offer has come through. However, other overlooked factors could be poor communication and an inadequate interview procedure.A heavy workload dedicated to supporting existing employees in day-to-day operations, such as payroll and compliance, may leave little time for recruitment. By the time you get around to responding to candidates, they may lose interest and decide to accept employment elsewhere.2. Rapid Growth MeasuresA recruitment drive is a promising sign of stable company growth. However, rapid growth also indicates ambitious hiring targets. There may be goals to reach, such as securing between five and 10 specialized hires in a 60-day time frame, which adds considerable pressure alongside your general responsibilities.Introducing a subscription-based recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) or a flat-fee partner for support during recruitment surges is a valuable resource. The partner can deliver a personalized solution that aligns with your goals and helps you meet recruitment targets.3. Low-Quality HiresWith high recruitment drives comes the possibility of rising staff turnover. A high volume of open positions can increase pressure to fill them without the attention to detail needed to vet candidates. When an employee leaves your company after a short time, the hiring process to fill the vacancy must start from the beginning.Outsourcing recruitment support enables you to rely on experienced recruiters with the tools and time to vet candidates and find suitable fits.Different Types of Recruiting Support for Overstretched HR TeamsDeciding to outsource recruiting support is the first step toward securing suitable candidates. The support you require depends on various factors, including the number of vacant positions and the time frame to fill them.Transactional StaffingIf you need to fill a particular position under a tight deadline, working with a transactional staffing agency is a viable option. Transactional staffing is beneficial when urgency is the key driver to filling a position. However, urgency and a speedy recruitment process leave you vulnerable to unsuitable talent.The outsourced recruiter is responsible for filling your vacancy as soon as possible. Urgency may lead to a less thorough evaluation of candidates against your company culture and their skill sets, such as skipping vital skill-based questions. Additionally, using a transactional staffing solution multiple times due to unsuitable candidates increases your costs.Embedded Recruitment PartnersTo build an ongoing relationship with experienced recruiters, seeking an embedded recruitment partner offers reassurance in finding the right candidates. When you integrate the recruitment partner into your email and applicant tracking system (ATS), the partner can help maintain brand consistency when interacting with potential candidates.An embedded recruitment partner typically operates as a monthly subscription or flat-fee service based on open positions. The recruitment process focuses on vetting quality candidates rather than filling vacancies by a deadline.Consultancy and StrategyIf you’re in a position where guidance on finding candidates is a more valuable tool, expert advice can steer you in the right direction. A consultant provides support on methods for finding talent and improving your internal recruitment process. These improvements may include changing the advertising channels or refining job descriptions.Consultancy allows you to implement the improvement points without outsourcing the work. A consultant can advise on how to speed up recruitment without compromising quality and stretching workloads.Improve the Recruiting Process With Embedded SupportOutsourcing your recruitment, especially during peak hiring periods, is priceless for securing competent candidates for your roles. All parties involved, from your HR team to the company and the candidates themselves, benefit from a seamless experience. Below are the reasons why embedded recruitment support makes a difference:Boosts speed: When you have a recruitment partner handle the time-consuming tasks of screening and scheduling candidates for interviews, your schedule becomes less daunting. Your recruitment partner has the time and tools to ensure you’re filling vacancies efficiently while maintaining quality.Flexible scalability: Adopting a flat-fee or monthly-subscription partner offers scalable pricing based on the number of vacancies. When your company experiences high recruitment demand, the recruitment support increases to meet this demand. During slower periods, the level of support can decrease to align with your goals.Access to premium talent: Enlisting a recruitment partner is an opportunity to tap in to a highly skilled network. Recruiters with specific industry knowledge have passive professional contacts that exceed the reach of posting a job advertisement on generic job boards. These partners have years of experience in particular industries, reducing the risk of low-quality hires.Better vetting techniques: Particularly for specialized roles, a recruitment partner can seek advice from industry professionals on required skills and qualifications. Reaching out to their contacts for guidance is a valuable tool to ensure you’re targeting the proper criteria and offers confidence when onboarding talent.Consistency for candidates: Frequent communication with potential candidates is a consistent issue for internal HR teams due to increasing workloads. Integrating with your ATS and email domain allows recruitment partners to maintain timely communication about application updates, interviews and offers.How to Move From Hiring to Talent AcquisitionThe goal for any HR team is to prioritize talent acquisition during the recruitment process. Instead, the pressure of securing candidates within a time frame to hit targets takes over. Talent acquisition is achievable through a strategy of focusing on the long-term benefits.Focus on RetentionOutsourcing recruitment efforts to a partner with experience and knowledge of your industry leaves you free to work on retention of existing talent. Changing the course of the day-to-day by improving the employee experience allows existing workers to feel valued and keeps your workforce motivated.Finding ways to keep existing employees engaged positively impacts productivity and shapes a proactive workplace culture.Build a Long-Term PartnershipFostering a mutually beneficial relationship with an embedded recruitment partner allows them to build on their growing knowledge of your company. Communication with candidates becomes a streamlined process to offer a consistent experience, such as adopting your company’s tone of voice.Secure Your Financial HealthTime-to-fill costs can rise and accumulate when you’re working with a recruitment agency that charges unpredictable percentages. Seeking a partnership with a flat-fee or monthly-subscription outsourcing partner provides quality and a cost-effective solution to finding new talent.Levels of support may vary depending on demand. However, subscription and flat-fee models provide financial predictability and are well-suited to HR budgeting.7 Tips to Choose a Recruitment Partner Emerge Talent Recruitment partnerships are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Before reaching out to the first recruitment partner you find, it’s essential to conduct due diligence and find the right partnership for your HR team. The following seven tips will help you in your search:Investigate industry experience: Knowledge about your industry makes a difference to recruitment efforts. Primarily, if you’re recruiting for specialized roles, a recruiter must uphold a working knowledge of the industry to understand what you’re looking for in candidates. Vetting candidates is a more straightforward process with a knowledgeable recruiter.Ensure recruitment alignment: The optimal starting point for conversations is outlining what you need from a recruitment partner. For example, relay your business goals and clearly explain what you hope to achieve from the partnership, including scalability and quality. A reputable partner tailors their approach to meet your expectations.Discuss recruiter responsibilities: Multiple recruiters working on your account confuses the recruiters and your team. Clarify how the setup works with the partnership and whether it’s possible to assign particular individuals. Having the same people handle your recruitment delivers consistency and a better candidate experience.Learn the vetting process: An experienced recruitment partner has a tried and tested screening method to find suitable candidates. Discuss the evaluation of a candidate’s experience and how the screening aligns with your company’s culture.Set communication targets: Candidates expect timely communication throughout the recruitment process. Without consistent updates, candidates are likely to look elsewhere for employment opportunities. Assess a recruitment partner's typical response times and communication templates for updates to candidates and hiring managers.Analyze costs: Evaluate the costs carefully to determine what a subscription or flat fee includes. Consider the level of ongoing support in a partnership and the value it brings, rather than expensive percentage models.Confirm brand representation: The recruitment partner is responsible for liaising with candidates and contacts on your behalf. Discuss how the partner establishes your tone of voice and values across all correspondence.Scale Your Team Without the StressThe time and effort required to screen candidates, facilitate interviews and organize onboarding put significant strain on an HR team’s calendar. Recruitment is an integral part of HR, but the administrative effort needed to secure the right talent can take its toll.The repercussions of an overworked HR team can lead to growing concerns across multiple areas. For example, poor-quality hires and reduced support for existing employees affect retention rates. The option of transactional staffing leaves your HR team in a pattern of repeating the same mistakes with reactive hiring.Building a firm relationship with an embedded recruitment partner provides the support you require to fill vacancies confidently. Flexible support and predictable costs allow you to scale your team, meet long-term objectives and maintain financial stability.Experienced recruiters have the knowledge to oversee time-to-fill and help you onboard the right candidates.This story was produced by Emerge Talent and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	8 tax deductions DIY landlords most commonly miss 8 tax deductions DIY landlords most commonly missAs tax season approaches each year, many rental property owners focus on the obvious numbers: total rent collected, mortgage interest paid, property taxes due. But the more meaningful story often lives in the details — specifically, the deductions DIY landlords forget to claim.For small and mid-sized rental owners, missed deductions typically aren’t the result of aggressive accounting or gray areas in the tax code. More often, they stem from inconsistent recordkeeping, unclear categorization, or expenses paid from the wrong account, all of which is easily forgotten months later.RentRedi shares eight of the most commonly missed deductions for rental owners, as well as tips for stronger recordkeeping and real-time accounting habits that can prevent rental owners from leaving money on the table at tax time.1. Repairs vs. Improvements: A Critical DistinctionOne of the most misunderstood areas of rental property taxes is the difference between a repair and a capital improvement.Repairs (like fixing a leak, patching drywall, or replacing a broken window) are typically deductible in the year they’re paid.Improvements (like replacing a roof, remodeling a kitchen, or installing new HVAC systems) usually must be capitalized and depreciated over time, often over 27.5 years for residential rental property.Misclassifying these expenses can trigger problems. Deducting a full roof replacement as a repair could raise audit flags. On the other hand, failing to deduct legitimate repairs in the current year can mean paying more tax than necessary.Better records help landlords:Store invoices that clearly describe the work performed.Track when the work was completed and placed in service.Separate maintenance from capital expenditures in their books.Clear documentation gives tax preparers the context they need to classify expenses correctly.2. Travel and Mileage: Small Trips, Big TotalsAnother area frequently overlooked is travel. DIY landlords routinely drive to rental properties for showings, inspections, maintenance checks, and meetings with contractors. They make trips to hardware stores and supply centers. Each of those business-related miles may qualify for a deduction, provided they are properly documented.The issue isn’t eligibility — it’s documentation. The IRS requires a log noting the date, destination, business purpose, and miles driven. Reconstructing that information from memory at the end of the year is unreliable, and many landlords simply forgo the deduction rather than attempt to recreate it.Over the course of a year, those small trips can add up to a meaningful tax offset. Keeping a simple (but consistent) log in real-time keeps this deduction defensible.3. The Overlooked Home OfficeFor DIY landlords who manage their properties from home, the home office deduction is another frequently missed opportunity.If a portion of a home is used exclusively and regularly for rental business, a percentage of expenses such as mortgage interest or rent, utilities, insurance, and internet service may qualify as deductible business expenses.Many mom-and-pop landlords do not think of themselves as operating a business, even though rental activity is generally treated as one for tax purposes. The key to claiming this deduction is keeping clear square footage calculations and records that demonstrate exclusive business use.4. Property Management Tech FeesModern rental operations increasingly rely on digital tools: property management software, tenant screening services, rent collection platforms, accounting subscriptions, and document storage systems.These expenses are typically considered ordinary and necessary costs of operating a rental business and may be deductible. Yet because they are often paid monthly through automatic billing, they can be easy to overlook, especially if they are charged to a personal credit card rather than a dedicated rental account.A dedicated rental bank account and categorized expense tracking can prevent these fees from slipping through the cracks, especially if you stay on top of downloading invoices and keeping payment confirmations.5. Insurance PremiumsInsurance premiums are also sometimes underreported. Landlord policies, liability coverage, and umbrella policies tied to rental activity generally qualify as deductible expenses. Annual premiums paid in a single installment may be forgotten if records are not carefully maintained.Keeping renewal statements and proof of payment ensures that all premiums tied to the rental property are captured and ready to be included in tax preparation.6. Professional Service FeesIndependent landlords often hire professionals such as real estate attorneys, bookkeepers, and accountants for tax preparation. Fees for these services that are directly related to the rental property are typically deductible.Mixed invoices (i.e. if an accountant handles both personal and rental taxes) require allocation. Only the rental portion qualifies. Clear invoicing and organized records make it easier to separate deductible costs from personal expenses.7. Utilities Paid on Behalf of TenantsIn properties where landlords cover the costs of water, trash, gas, or electricity as part of the lease agreement, those payments are typically deductible operating expenses. But when utility bills are paid informally or from mixed personal and rental accounts, tracking becomes murky.Again, using a dedicated bank account and recording these expenses will clarify what qualifies as a deduction. Just be sure to properly record reimbursements from tenants to avoid creating inconsistencies between income and expense reporting.8. Depreciation: Powerful but Often MishandledDepreciation remains one of the most significant tax benefits available to rental property owners, yet it is frequently misunderstood.A residential rental property generally depreciates over 27.5 years, based on the value of the building, not the land. Errors can occur when purchase prices are not properly allocated between land and structure, when improvements are not added to depreciation schedules, or when a primary residence is converted into a rental without recalculating the basis correctly.Because depreciation affects both annual tax liability and eventual capital gains calculations at sale, accurate records from the time of purchase are critical.Why Real-Time Accounting Changes the EquationMore rental owners are shifting toward real-time accounting because capturing expenses when they happen and categorizing them immediately keeps income and documentation organized throughout the year. Instead of rebuilding books at year-end, tax season becomes a review of clean, current records.Real-time tracking offers several advantages:Nothing slips through the cracks: When receipts are logged the day a repair happens or supplies are purchased, deductions are preserved.Profitability stays visible: Property-level profit and loss reports update throughout the year, showing which units are performing and where costs are rising.Cash flow is clearer: Small recurring expenses, shared purchases across properties, and mileage are accounted for accurately—preventing inflated “on paper” profits.Decisions improve: Up-to-date financial data helps landlords determine when to raise rents, refinance, reinvest, or adjust operations.Audit readiness becomes automatic: Clean, consistent documentation supports tax filings, insurance claims, lender reviews, and contractor reporting.In practice, real-time accounting often includes connected bank feeds, automatic transaction imports, receipt capture via mobile apps, mileage tracking as trips occur, and expense categorization aligned with Schedule E. The result is less work and scrambling later.Most importantly, real-time accounting directly protects deductions. When expenses are recorded as they occur, they’re categorized correctly, tied to a specific property, and supported by documentation. That makes it far less likely that mileage goes unclaimed, software subscriptions are forgotten, utilities are underreported, or small repair costs get lost. Instead of guessing at totals or overlooking legitimate write-offs, landlords file with confidence that their numbers reflect the full scope of their rental business activity.When accounting runs continuously in the background, tax preparation becomes a byproduct of good operations, rather than a once-a-year fire drill.Disclaimer: Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Rental business owners should consult an attorney or qualified tax professional for complete guidance on tax laws, reporting requirements, and compliance specific to their situation.This story was produced by RentRedi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Severe weather possible later Thursday in the Quad Cities A strong cold front will move through Iowa and Illinois today and bring some strong to severe storms this afternoon and this evening. After a very warm Thursday, that front will bring much cooler weather Friday. Here's your complete 7-day forecast.
	“Muscatine & the Civil War,” through May 30 Guests of the Muscatine Art Center are invited, through May 30, to explore powerful local stories of sacrifice in the exhibition Muscatine & the Civil War, with an April 18 event enabling patrons to experience special Civil War programs featuring a portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, a presentation on Iowa’s first soldiers, a book signing with Dr. Randee Fieselmann, and a live-music performance by Bob and Kristie Blake.
	Iowa Supreme Court hears arguments in case between Davenport and state auditor At issue is whether the Iowa Auditor's Office can subpoena closed session meeting minutes and recordings in its audit of the city's handling of nearly $2 million in settlements
	Southeast Asia turns to nuclear as Iran war disrupts energy supplies Analysts say the Iran war energy crisis is also adding momentum to nuclear interest and action in the region.
	Cesar Toscano: A eulogy for my childhood playground Education Reporter Cesar Toscano discusses how his childhood playground has changed over the years.
	Quad-Cities mom invents Helmet Fresh, a sanitizing spray for cranial helmet care When her son needed a cranial helmet, Paige Beswick invented a spray to help deodorize and sanitize it in between uses.
	Muscatine Public Works only doing one round of curbside leaf collection this spring Muscatine Public Works will only be doing one round of curbside leaf collection this spring.
	Bootcamp This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Whenever I watched the encampments of Civil War reenactors at McClellan park in the Village of East Davenport, it was…
	Israel and Iran ramp up attacks as Trump insists Tehran wants a deal The war in the Middle East ramped up on Thursday as Israel launched a wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, and Iran fired rounds of missiles at central Israel.
	Trump's attacks on offshore wind could hurt infrastructure spending across the economy President Trump has tried to kill offshore wind's future in the U.S. But industry analysts say the attacks could hurt business confidence across the U.S. economy.
	It's Equal Pay Day. Women have lost ground for the second year in a row The annual observance marks how far into the new year women must work to make what men earned in the previous year. This year, it's March 26, a day later than it was in 2025.
	Free vocal recital Thursday night at Figge part of Violins of Hope New York City-based soprano Lily Arbisser and pianist Dimitri Malignan, with violist Deanna Petre, will present a special free concert Thursday, March 26 at 6 p.m. at the Figge Art Museum.
	Airport wait times now at record-highs, TSA says: 'A dire situation' TSA officials said Wednesday that airport wait times are now at all-time highs, and the agency may be forced to temporarily close some airports due to the partial government shutdown.
	UN calls for reparations to remedy the 'historical wrongs' of trafficking enslaved Africans The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling for reparations.
Wednesday, March 25th, 2026
	Crews respond to Rock Island Domino’s Pizza location for report of fire No injuries were reported, officials said.
	Burlington to replace 130-year-old Cascade Bridge A nearly $11 million project looks to replace the over 400-foot bridge.
	Burlington names new superintendent Nathan Marting is the current principal of Burlington High School. It approved, he'll replace Superintendent Rob Scott.
	Woman sentenced to 14 days in jail for 2024 Galesburg fatal hit-and-run Eric McKinney was hit and killed on July 4, 2024, while biking away from the fireworks show at Lake Storey.
	Woman sentenced to 14 days in jail for 2024 Galesburg fatal hit-and-run Eric McKinney was hit and killed on July 4, 2024, while biking away from the fireworks show at Lake Storey.
	Muscatine Fire Department restores full ambulance fleet after crash The Muscatine Fire Department (MFD) is officially back to full strength with the arrival of a new 2025 Ford F‑550 ambulance, delivered last week and placed into service after final outfitting, a news release says. The new unit—now designated Ambulance 354—responded to its first call on Monday, March 23, marking an important milestone in the [...]
	State panel puts Iowa GOP gubernatorial candidate Eddie Andrews on ballot Iowa Republican gubernatorial candidate Eddie Andrews will be on the primary election ballot after a state panel Wednesday rejected a challenge to his nominating signatures.
	Moline-Coal Valley celebrates groundbreaking for Robert Ontiveros Elementary School Moline-Coal Valley School District will have a new elementary school in the next few years after the district broke ground on Robert Ontiveros Elementary on Wednesday.
	How a retired Metra locomotive will help expand Railroading Heritage of Midwest America's reach A diesel locomotive that once served Metra riders in Chicago has made its way to the Quad Cities through a donation to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA). When the Metra decided they would donate the first and last of the F40C diesel locomotives, the RRHMA stepped right in. "Said hey, we'd like to [...]
	Black Hawk Career Fair, Moline, will be open to the public Visit dozens of employers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at the 2026 Career Fair at Black Hawk College, a news release says. The fair will be at the college’s Quad-Cities Campus, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, in Building 3 in the gym. Participants should park in Lot 3 off 34th Avenue, dress professionally, and [...]
	Iowa families push for pediatric cancer research funding Families are pushing for a bill that would allocate $3 million for pediatric cancer research in Iowa, as lawmakers weigh budget decisions in the final weeks of the legislative session.
	‘Here we go again’: Parents react to new resentencing in Adrianne Reynolds' 2005 murder One of the people convicted in the 2005 murder of 16-year-old Adrianne Reynolds will return to court this summer. Her parents say it never gets easier.
	Up and down March temperatures to continue through end of month We've some cold temps and some record highs this month as well...and the roller-coaster ride isn't going to stop before the end of the month! Highs will be in the upper 70s Thursday...before cooling to the upper 40s and lower 50s on Friday! This weekend sees a rebound though, with readings back into the 60s [...]
	Up 587%: How the YWCA Empowerment Center is handling increased need Demand for food and other services provided by the YWCA Empowerment Center in Davenport increased by 587% last year. One volunteer is trying to make a difference by offering recipes to anyone who comes through the door. Our Quad Cities News reporter Riley Hemmer shows how the new approach to their food pantry is making [...]
	TV6 Investigates gets bills cleared for Galena cancer survivor Lincare sent the Stegalls a certified letter apologizing for their bills.
	Road work planned for Colona Both on and off ramps to I-80 eastbound at the Cleveland Road exit will close, along with intermittent lane closures on Cleveland.
	Gas prices could go higher under Iowa proposal Iowa lawmakers are considering a gas tax increase as part of an overall property tax reform package.
	Traffic Alert: Road work to begin on I-80, Bureau County The Illinois Department of Transportation will begin roadwork on I-80 in Bureau County on Monday.
	Black Hawk College to host career fair Black Hawk College will host a career fair this week.
	Groundbreaking held for new Ontiveros Elementary School in Moline Dozens of students, staff, school board members, district leaders, and many others gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the planned much larger new school at 1015 16th Ave., Moline.
	Knox County man faces predatory criminal sexual-assault charge: Sheriff's office Detectives with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office have arrested Blaine A. McKinney, 34, of Dahinda, Illinois, on an active warrant related to an ongoing criminal investigation, according to the Knox County Sheriff's Office. McKinney has been charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and was being held Wednesday without pretrial release. McKinney was [...]
	Police investigating crash on West Locust Street Davenport police said they are investigating a crash on West Locust Street.
	News 8's James Zahara shares his heart health journey James was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat last Christmas. Now, he's sharing his story to help others.
	Whitey's Shake Madness tournament reaches final round The finalists duking it out at Oreo and chocolate chip cookie dough. Whitey's will announce the winner on Friday.
	Sandburg adds engineering courses this fall Students will be able to take a four-course engineering sequence designed for transferring to a bachelor's program.
	EICC recognizing Community College Month with free classes in April The classes will run from April 1-30 across Eastern Iowa Community Colleges' area of service.
	Iowa wildflowers beginning to bloom You can track blooms using the Iowa DNR's weekly wildflower reports.
	Traffic Alert: Work to resume Monday on Davenport 4th Street improvements Improvements to 4th Street will be kicking off the construction season on Monday.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: JKEL BRITT, 19, 5’7”,130 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. A $500 reward is offered. Wanted by Rock Island Police on a warrant for aggravated [...]
	Nathan Marting will serve as next Burlington School District superintendent The Burlington Community School District Board of Education has selected Nathan Marting to serve as the district’s next superintendent, pending board approval at its regular board meeting on Monday, March 30, a news release says. Marting is the current principal of Burlington High School, but his administrative experience withBurlington CSD also includes service as an [...]
	Burlington Community School District announces next superintendent The Burlington Community School District Board of Education has announced the next superintendent.
	Knox County Sheriff’s Office arrests man for predatory criminal sexual assault of child A man is under arrest and charged with sexually assaulting a child.
	Kwik Star gets a new mascot Red the rooster will be hitting the road, popping into stores and children's hospital across the Midwest, including in the Quad Cities!
	What to know for tomorrow's incoming storms As we head to the second half of our work week, we are getting ready for some incoming rain during the evening for Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a slight risk of severe weather for the Quad Cities with our most Eastern areas under an enhanced risk. The big risks from these storms [...]
	Musser Park playground to be temporarily closed A Muscatine park’s playground will be temporarily closed for repairs.
	No Kings protests returning to the Quad Cities region this weekend The third round of the protests against the Trump administration will take place on both sides of the Mississippi on Saturday.
	Ballet Quad Cities presents Violins of Hope Ballet Quad Cities is putting the Holocaust into perspective in the QCA. Courtney Lyon and Joseph Chonto joined Our Quad Cities News to talk about Ballet Quad Cities' partnership with Violins of Hope. For more information, click here.
	New high school/career center coming to Davenport Oakmont Education has announced that Great Oaks High School & Career Center Davenport Campus, a new tuition-free public charter high school located at 3560 N. Brady Street, is expected to open in time for the 2026 – 2027 school year. The school will serve students ages 16–21 and gives them a supportive pathway to earn [...]
	Doctors worry about FDA scrutiny of RSV shots to protect babies The antibody shots are about 80% effective at preventing babies from ending up in intensive care because of RSV. The drugmakers behind them maintain they're safe.
	Beatification of Central Illinois’ Archbishop Fulton Sheen set The first major step on the path to sainthood has been set for Archbishop Fulton Sheen.
	Travelers are facing the longest TSA wait times in history Wait times are exceeding four hours at some major airports, leading TSA officers to call out at rates of 40 to 50%, according to TSA Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill.
	Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse nominated for 'Best Dinner Theater' in the country by USA TODAY People can vote once per day until voting closes on Monday, April 13, at noon.
	Violins from the Holocaust are being played at concerts across Iowa this spring Violins of Hope, a project built around a private collection of over 70 restored instruments connected to Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust, is currently touring the state.
	Train blocks crossings in Camanche Drivers heading through Camanche might have trouble getting around town due to a train blocking several railroad crossings. A post on the City of Camanche’s Facebook page says the railroad is aware of the problem and is working to resolve it. Anyone who has been at these crossings below that have been blocked by a [...]
	Stephen Colbert's next epic quest? Writing a new 'Lord of the Rings' movie The film will focus on chapters in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring that were left out of the first movie in the trilogy.
	The social pressure pandemic: Teens, body image and the surge in eating disorders The social pressure pandemic: Teens, body image and the surge in eating disordersThe socioeconomic landscape for Gen Z and Gen Alpha has undergone a noticeable shift since 2020. We already know how the pandemic disrupted schools and first jobs, but a secondary, more persistent health crisis is now coming into focus. Beyond the broad economic headlines, the data is signaling a sharp surge in behavioral health struggles—specifically in how adolescents are handling the mixture of social and academic pressure.At the center of this is the rising prevalence of eating disorders. It’s a trend that reflects a compounded risk profile for today’s teenagers, one where old-school peer pressure is supercharged by algorithmic tech and a hyper-competitive “always-on” academic culture.Treatment provider Victory Bay takes a look at the data behind this shift and why this “social pressure pandemic” is finally starting to lose its invisibility.Rising DiagnosesThe phenomenon of rapid increases in eating disorders is both national and global. Data from the Journal of Pediatrics shows that in the wake of COVID-19, prevalence among 6- to 18-year-olds rose by approximately 40%. Eating disorders can not be discussed without mentioning that they have one of the highest mortality rates of all psychiatric diagnoses.At the population level, around 7.8% of people have an eating disorder. Among those aged 18 and under, the proportion is 22.36%, and it is continuing to grow. According to a 2025 meta-analysis of 52 studies, health care utilization for eating disorders increased by 54% during the pandemic. Public health researchers estimated that in 2025, there were roughly 250,000-300,000 encounters related to eating disorders among adolescents aged 12-18 in the U.S.Another impact of this trend is that there is greater demand for dedicated treatment for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Data from treatment providers confirms a surge in patient admissions, highlighting the operational strain on recovery services as they scale to meet this demographic shift. Treatment centers are stepping in to meet this demand. However, it’s clear that while tackling eating disorders on an individual level is possible, the broader social pressure exerted upon teens must be addressed with a wider response.Rampant Peer PressurePeer comparison drives eating disorders, and has been doing so for decades. However, teens are now exposed to a vastly more intense form of this, with social media acting as a lightning rod for all their insecurities and anxieties around body image.Seeing idealized posts from friends is bad enough. The pervasiveness of influencer culture, where unrealistic standards are the norm and a lack of regulatory oversight compounds the problem, exposes vulnerable young people to content that catalyzes the spread of eating disorders.Again, there is clear evidence to support this. Internal testing from Instagram parent company Meta, as covered by Reuters, indicated that algorithmic recommendation engines disproportionately serve “eating disorder adjacent” content to users with pre-existing body image concerns, accounting for 10.5% of the content shown to them, compared with 3.3% for teens who are happier with their bodies.Eating disorder adjacent content is not the only harmful content social media algorithms push towards children with body image issues. The collective proportion of potentially damaging content in their feeds accounts for 27% of the total, again according to Meta’s own testing. Their more self-assured peers are exposed to just 13.6% by comparison.Social media usage has its own relationship with body image concerns. Teens using these platforms for 4 hours a day or more are at the greatest risk of developing body dissatisfaction and dysmorphia (BDD). It is important to note that roughly 1 in 3 people with body dysmorphia will also develop an eating disorder. The correlation between high-platform usage and clinical symptoms is increasingly documented.Stress and AcademicsOutside of social media and influencer culture’s hold over eating disorder trends, there’s also a correlation between the social pressure of expected academic excellence and dietary dilemmas. Students face continuous performance pressure throughout their educational careers. Now that the job market is even more competitive post-graduation, this pressure ratchets up higher.Again, there’s research showing this link. Nineteen percent of students sit at the highest end of the perceived stress scale (PSS), and their food intake suffers as a result. Poor dietary choices and disordered eating behaviors are disproportionately prevalent in this group. Moreover, 65% of students exhibit moderate stress, so there’s clear pressure felt by the majority, even if the minority have proven eating issues as a result.Addressing an Invisible PandemicIt’s apparent that the proliferation of eating disorders, especially since 2020, has serious implications for young people today, and for society as a whole, as they move from education into the world of work and beyond. Conditions such as anorexia and bulimia pose both acute health problems and leave longer-term marks, influencing everything from mental health to fertility. Failing to contend with this modern phenomenon is not an option.Given the circumstances surrounding the rise in body image issues and disordered eating, there can be no silver bullet solution. Regulation of social media, particularly algorithmic content recommendations, is increasingly necessary. Legislative responses, such as the enforced age-gating in Australia and the proposed “duty of care” standards in the UK, represent a global shift toward platform accountability.Academic stress is a niche-specific problem that can hopefully be managed sensitively by the institutions involved. Although again, top-level regulations could prove the best option here.Whatever action is taken, paying close attention to the data when changes get rolled out is just as important. This is the only way to ensure that teen eating disorders don’t continue to climb.This story was produced by Victory Bay and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Spring break 2026: Travel season risks spread of measles across U.S., state officials say Spring break 2026: Travel season risks spread of measles across U.S., state officials sayThe spring break travel season is underway, with tens of thousands of people every day clogging U.S. airports in their quest for sun, surf, theme parks, big city excitement, and other getaways.It’s a scene that worries public health officials amid another bad year for measles across the country — and the potential for increased spread of the highly contagious disease during this busy travel period.“It feels like whack-a-mole right now,” said Scott Thorpe, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Public Health Leadership. “Just as the numbers are dying down in South Carolina, you see this big jump in cases in Utah. Then you see cases starting to pop up in other places across the South.”State health department officials in multiple states — including California, Utah, Colorado, Georgia, and South Carolina — told Healthbeat they are concerned about spring break travel and the potential for measles to spread within and between states. In this article, Healthbeat outlines the state officials’ perspective for the upcoming spring break travel season.Driving those concerns: Spring break is happening with the United States on a trajectory to exceed last year’s record-breaking number of measles infections — the worst since 1992.This year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already logged 1,362 confirmed cases of measles across the country through mid-March, mostly among unvaccinated children and teens. In less than three months, that’s more than half of the 2,284 measles cases confirmed during all of last year.Since January, there have been at least 14 new measles outbreaks identified across the country, including in Florida, California, Washington state, Texas, and Colorado. These are in addition to ongoing outbreaks that began last year in South Carolina, Utah, and Arizona. Across the country, 30 states have reported at least one measles case this year, CDC data show. Thomas Wilburn // Healthbeat Measles, which is one of the most contagious viruses for humans, is transmitted through the air when an infected person breathes or coughs. The virus can linger in a room for up to two hours.The disease is preventable with vaccination. Two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella shot are 97% effective in preventing measles; one dose is 93% effective.Most of those being infected with measles aren’t immunized. Nationwide, about 92% were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to CDC data.“As vaccination rates have just broadly declined across all these communities, it’s just incredibly hard to stop. And that’s just going to get worse,” Thorpe said. “Short of something crazy happening, we’re absolutely going to blow through what our numbers were for last year.”The contribution of spring break exposures to these national measles case counts won’t be known for several weeks.After a susceptible person is exposed to the virus, it can take one to three weeks for them to start falling ill with initial symptoms that may seem like a cold or the flu. By the time the hallmark measles rash appears, they will have been infectious for four days — potentially spreading the virus to even more people.“Everybody’s on high alert,” said Pat Endsley, president-elect of the National Association of School Nurses.Top spring break destination Florida is No. 3 for measlesDr. Rana Alissa, president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told Healthbeat she’s very concerned about the potential for spring break travel to spread measles infections — especially in her home state, which already has measles cases in several communities, plus a large outbreak linked to a university.Florida — with 116 confirmed measles cases since January — ranks No. 3 in the nation for 2026, behind South Carolina and Utah, which continue to battle outbreaks that began last year, according to the latest CDC data.“Everyone wants to come to Florida,” Alissa said. “It’s always crowded. Orlando is going to be crazy, Daytona Beach, Clearwater, Miami.”With these crowds comes an increased risk that some of the people are carrying measles. “It is very scary,” said Alissa, who is advising unvaccinated infants and children, as well as people with weakened immune systems, to avoid crowded areas because of the risk of measles.Besides a fever and rash, measles can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening complications, including pneumonia and dangerous swelling of the brain, as well as “immune amnesia,” which increases a person’s susceptibility to other diseases in the future. Pregnant women and their babies are also at increased risk of complications from measles.In addition to being a top state for measles this year, Florida is a perennial spring break hot spot. Cities throughout the state continue to be among the nation’s top spring break destinations, according to 2026 booking data from AAA and Booking.com.At Tampa International Airport, the spring break travel surge is underway, with about 75,000 to 80,000 passengers a day expected through April 13. The biggest travel day, the airport predicts, will be this coming Sunday, when 90,000 travelers are expected to pass through the airport.In Orlando, airport officials expect this week to bring some of their highest passenger volumes of the spring break period, with nearly 212,000 passengers arriving and departing last Sunday, plus another 205,000 passengers on Monday. Healthbeat Florida health department won’t discuss large measles outbreakOfficials with the Florida Department of Health did not answer questions from Healthbeat since March 6 about the risks posed by spring break travel to and from the state, and what kinds of measles prevention and control activities the department is performing.The department’s top official, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, last fall announced plans to end all school-age vaccine requirements in the state, a move that has faced resistance in the legislature. In 2024, during a measles outbreak at a South Florida elementary school, Ladapo sent a letter to parents allowing them to keep sending their unvaccinated children to class, despite their risk of infection.Most of Florida’s measles cases this year are part of a large outbreak linked to Ave Maria University in southwest Florida’s Collier County, about 35 miles northeast of Naples. At least 98 confirmed and suspected measles cases have been diagnosed in the county through March 7, according to state health department data. Five of those cases were reported during the first week of March, the data indicate.Despite repeated requests, officials at the Catholic university did not respond to Healthbeat’s questions, including about the current status of the outbreak and any actions being taken to address the potential health impact of the school’s Easter break, scheduled for April 2-6.Florida’s health department also wouldn’t discuss the university’s outbreak or answer Healthbeat’s questions about other locations in the state where ongoing spread of measles may be occurring, and how many people statewide are in quarantine because of measles exposures. While such information — which doesn’t involve identifying specific patients — is routinely made public in other states, the Florida health department’s media relations team said it was unable to discuss ongoing epidemiological investigations because of state confidentiality statutes.The department’s data show at least 12 other Florida counties have reported confirmed or probable measles cases since January. They include the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, where six cases have been diagnosed in Pinellas County, and two more in Hillsborough County. In the Jacksonville area, Duval County has reported six cases; in the Pensacola area, Escambia County has identified five cases; and in South Florida, two cases have been diagnosed in Broward County and one in Miami-Dade County.Concerns about measles extend beyond spring break hot spotsIn response to interview requests and questions about rising U.S. measles cases and spring break travel sent earlier this month to the CDC, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services emphasized the risk of measles being imported from other countries.“The risk of measles remains low for most of the United States due to high population-level immunity from MMR vaccination,” press secretary Emily Hilliard said in an email Tuesday night to Healthbeat. “That said, anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk if exposed. Since measles is common in many countries, unvaccinated travelers can bring measles to the United States at any time, and it can spread to other people who are not protected against measles.”Hilliard said the CDC is supplying technical support and funding to states dealing with outbreaks and that vaccination is the best protection, “especially if you plan to travel internationally or to a place with a measles outbreak.”While international travel can play a role in U.S. measles cases, according to CDC data, only nine of the 1,362 confirmed U.S. measles cases since January involved international visitors; last year just 25 of the 2,284 confirmed cases were international visitors. In both years, most of the measles cases across the country have involved outbreaks where the virus has spread from person to person within U.S. communities with low vaccination rates, such as those that have occurred in South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and other states.As a growing number of states are already dealing with measles cases this year, officials at several state health departments expressed concerns about the risks posed by spring break travel.This year California has had three outbreaks of measles — the first outbreaks in the state since 2020. Some of these California cases are linked to an unvaccinated toddler who had recently traveled to a measles outbreak area in South Carolina.As of Monday, California has had 29 confirmed cases of measles; two have been hospitalized, according to the California Department of Public Health.“International or domestic travel during spring break carries a risk of transmitting measles to Californians,” the department said in an email. “CDPH continues to closely monitor measles and to work with medical and public health partners to limit its spread during and after the spring break travel season.”Georgia Department of Public Health spokesperson Nancy Nydam Shirek said that while people who are not immunized against measles are at high risk any time they are exposed to the virus, “that risk increases if they visit crowded tourist destinations, travel through airports, or go to areas with ongoing measles outbreaks.”Two cases of measles have been reported this year in Georgia. One involved a baby too young to be routinely vaccinated who became infected during international travel. State health officials said they don’t know how the other case, a resident of Bryan County near Savannah, became infected and they cannot rule out unrecognized spread of the virus within the state, Healthbeat reported earlier this month.In Utah, the spring break travel surge comes at a precarious time in the state’s measles outbreak, which began last year and has resulted in 443 reported infections as of Tuesday.“What is concerning to me is we are seeing spread of this disease through our entire state,” Dr. Leisha Nolen, Utah’s state epidemiologist, said at a media briefing earlier this month. “For a while it was really limited to the southern part of the state, but it is now expanding, and we are having people diagnosed in every part of our state. And these are not just mild infections.”Measles infections in Utah have resulted in more than 120 people going to emergency rooms, 31 needing to be admitted overnight, and three needing treatment in an intensive care unit, she said.While the disease has spread in a variety of settings, Utah officials said cases involving school activities are noteworthy.“We have definitely seen people get infected with measles from wrestling events, from dance-drill teams and from basketball. So we really encourage people to protect their children,” she said. “The measles vaccine is the best thing to protect your child. It is how we can stop this infection.”In Colorado, where as of March 19 12 cases of measles have been identified along with multiple locations where infectious people potentially exposed others, state health officials said they are working to raise public awareness through media campaigns and provider webinars. The department also is doing direct outreach to families whose children are overdue for their MMR vaccines. In 2025 and 2026, this outreach resulted in 48% of the contacted families getting their children immunized, the department said.South Carolina shows how holiday breaks can fuel outbreaks“Measles is spread very easily to anyone who is susceptible,” said Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist in South Carolina, where officials worry spring break travel could reignite an outbreak that has sickened nearly 1,000 people since last fall.The outbreak has slowed to a trickle in recent weeks. After months of tracking cases, quarantining exposed people, and urging vaccination, the state health department announced Tuesday just one new measles case, bringing the total to four cases identified in the past week.“The risk of spread is increased by the number of people exposed,” Bell said, “so things like air travel and people visiting tourist attractions during holiday breaks are a concern.”It’s a risk South Carolina officials watched play out in mid-January, when measles cases surged to hundreds of cases a week after the winter holiday break period where gatherings with families and friends fueled the spread of the disease – not only within South Carolina, but to other states. The department’s measles control efforts were further hampered because outbreak investigators couldn’t get contact information from schools during winter break closures, delaying the quarantine of exposed students, an issue the department is trying to fix for spring break.As infected South Carolina residents traveled the country during the winter break period, internal health department records show they exposed others to measles at travel convenience stores in Georgia and Florida, at a hotel and a youth conference in Kentucky, and at a hospital and a hotel in Florida, Healthbeat revealed last month.Many schools in Spartanburg County, the epicenter of South Carolina’s outbreak, are scheduled to close for spring break the week of April 6-10.State officials remain concerned there could be another surge in cases.“It is far too early for us to let our guard down,” Bell said on March 18. “We will see what happens with spring break.”The problem is there are still many more unvaccinated people in South Carolina and across the country for the virus to infect.To stop measles from spreading within local communities, 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated. But in most states, statewide vaccination rates among kindergartners have fallen below that “herd immunity” level, according to CDC data. And even where vaccination rates may seem high on a statewide or countywide level, pockets of unvaccinated children and adults within localized communities can still fuel outbreaks, experts said.This story was produced by Healthbeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How algorithm changes are reshaping digital marketing strategies How algorithm changes are reshaping digital marketing strategiesThe traditional discovery economy—built on the multidecade dominance of search engine results pages (SERPs)—is undergoing a tectonic shift into the answer economy. For digital marketers, visibility is no longer guaranteed by keyword density or domain authority; it is now dictated by the generative response layer of AI models. According to research from McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, as much as $750 billion in annual U.S. revenue is projected to funnel through AI-powered search by 2028.For brands, this represents a fundamental crisis of reach: Organizations that fail to adapt to this new architecture risk losing between 20% and 50% of their organic traffic as AI summaries replace traditional link-based browsing.This transition from search engine optimization (SEO) to generative engine optimization (GEO)—also known as answer engine optimization (AEO)—requires a systemic revision of content architecture. Social Market Way examines how the goal is no longer to rank in a list, but to be cited as a primary source by large language models (LLMs). Social Market Way From Indexing to Influence: The Mechanics of GEOThe functional obsolescence of keyword-only indexing has forced a transition toward generative engine optimization (GEO). While traditional SEO focused on matching a user’s search term to a webpage, GEO focuses on ensuring content is structured so that large language models (LLMs) can ingest, interpret, and cite it as a definitive answer. This shift requires a move away from fragmented keyword targeting and toward entity-based content that provides comprehensive context for AI agents.The move to AEO necessitates a fundamental revision of brand architecture. Instead of optimizing for a list of blue links, brands must now optimize for the generative response layer.This involves utilizing structured data and technical schema that allow cutting-edge algorithms to easily rephrase brand information into conversational answers. The alternative is an inevitable deterioration in online visibility, which directly impacts customer acquisition costs and long-term brand equity.The Rise of Conversational IntentA primary driver of this shift is a change in user behavior. Users are increasingly moving away from the shorthand keyword approach of the late ʼ90s and leading with complex, conversational questions. Research conducted April 2022 to March 2023 by the Capgemini Research Institute—the specialized research arm of the global consulting firm Capgemini—found that 73% of consumers now trust generative AI for product recommendations and top-level research, such as evaluating financial services or comparing hardware specifications.AI search algorithms prioritize content that resolves these specific natural language queries. This requires a greater degree of granularity and personalization than traditional search permitted. In an AI-first environment, a user might provide specific parameters—such as a need for a smartphone with high-end optics and specific battery capacity—and receive a bespoke recommendation.For brands, the goal is to be the data anchor for that recommendation. By aligning on-page content with these anticipated conversational queries, companies can zero in on high-intent niche audiences with a precision that mirrors traditional long-tail keyword strategies but at a significantly higher conversion potential.The Synthetic Content Saturation and the Trust GapAs digital marketing teams increasingly adopt generative AI for content production, search algorithms—both traditional and generative—are struggling to filter the resulting surge of synthetic content. This saturation of minimally edited, AI-generated text has created a trust gap in the search ecosystem. Consequently, a core strategic priority in the GEO era is the establishment of digital provenance and authoritative expertise.It is important to note that while GEO is ascending, traditional search models remain a critical counterweight. For high-stakes transactional decisions—where the risk of AI hallucinations or accuracy errors is high—users still default to the high-fidelity provenance of primary-source websites. To solve for this, industry thought leaders emphasize a pivot toward E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness).By integrating user-generated content, verified reviews, and expert-authored analysis, brands can provide the human signal that AI search tools require to validate their own citations. The old adage that “content is king” remains relevant, but the metric of success has shifted from keyword volume to information fidelity.A Change for the Better?The fundamental question is whether the transition to an answer economy represents an improvement for the broader marketing ecosystem. The net impact remains a subject of intense industry debate.For users, the prioritization of AEO should result in a more efficient, bespoke discovery experience. For brands, the battle for share of citation within AI summaries will likely become more competitive—and more expensive—than the historical contest for top SERP positions.We are already seeing the emergence of a new revenue model within the generative layer. As companies look to amortize the massive capital expenditures required to build and maintain these models, advertising content is being integrated directly into AI summaries via sponsored citations and native ad units.This shift signals a transformation in digital priority, moving from a model of “rented” attention on traditional search pages to one of “earned” authority within the AI index. In an era of algorithmic uncertainty, the only guarantee is that digital strategy must evolve to meet the specific requirements of the generative era.This story was produced by Social Market Way and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Camanche railroad crossings blocked by train, crews working to solve issue Several railroad crossings are blocked by a train in Camanche, according to the city.
	Crews respond to house fire on 14th Street in Moline Fire crews from multiple departments responded to a house fire in Moline, with firefighters seen on the roof working to contain the flames.
	Next phase of work begins for Lake Storey walking path project The next phase of work has begun at Lake Storey for the walking path expansion project.
	Greetings from Turkey's border with Iran, where Iranians let loose on the dance floor Iranians escaping hardship and war are shaking it off to Persian, Arabic and Turkish tunes in this disco in eastern Turkey.

Thursday, March 26th, 2026

Wednesday, March 25th, 2026