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

Tuesday, August 4th, 2026
	Replacing income tax with sales tax helps the rich, hurts the rest If Iowans want a glimpse of their future, they might just look to the south. To Missouri. Republicans there are asking people to approve a constitutional amendment next month to eliminate the state income tax and authorize an expansion of the sales tax to make up for the lost revenue. This would be a big change — and not a good one. The Missouri Budget Project, which has been critical of the plan, said this tax swap would mean more than tripling the state’s general sales tax rate or significantly expanding its base, to include things like health care and childcare. This would hurt older and middle-class Missourians, while helping the rich, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. A coalition of opponents is fighting back. But big money — from somewhere — is supporting the proposal. The Kansas City Star reported this week that almost $10 million has been donated over the past two months to try to pass this tax swap. However, the newspaper reports the source of the money hasn’t been disclosed, “leaving voters in the dark about who is bankrolling the plan to overhaul the state’s tax structure.” Across the country, a number of states, mostly Republican-led, have been aggressively moving toward this kind of a tax swap. And they’ve been egged on by the Trump administration. In Iowa, we have already started down this road. Even as our leaders haven’t explicitly acknowledged it. Between 2019 and 2025, the state’s sales and use tax revenues rose by $1.3 billion, or an average of about $1,100 for a household of three. (About two-thirds of this was attributable to inflation.) Meanwhile, net income and corporate tax revenues went down during this period, with the biggest benefits going to the wealthy. Republicans call this a “pro-growth” tax code. Which is true in the sense that it grows the incomes of the rich. But for the rest of us, it simply shifts the tax burden for state government from the well off to the rest of us. And the rest of us weren’t doing so well in the first place. Reynolds would like to eliminate income taxes Real median household income under the Republican trifecta has grown by an average of just 1% per year. Meanwhile, the 10,000 state income tax filers making more than $500,000 per year were expected to reap a windfall of more than $320 million in 2026 from the change to a flat tax. Now, Republicans are seeking to protect those gains. They have put a proposed constitutional amendment on the general election ballot this November making it harder to raise income and corporate taxes than it is to raise the sales tax. Under the proposed amendment, an income tax increase would require a two-thirds super-majority in both houses of the Legislature to pass. A sales tax increase would still only need a simple majority. This is no accident. Reynolds has said she would like to eliminate income taxes in Iowa. And in April, Zach Lahn, the Republican nominee to replace her, said on the Iowa PBS program “Iowa Press” that he, too, wants to eliminate the income tax and rely on property taxes and sales taxes to pay the bills. Lahn has also said he doesn’t want to raise any tax, but jettisoning the income tax would undoubtedly mean an increase in sales and use taxes. It’s unavoidable. Income taxes and sales and use taxes are, by far, the largest revenue generators for the state’s general fund. Each of these two types of taxes raise roughly the same amount of revenue. Lose one and the other will go up. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn’t telling you the truth. Even if income taxes aren’t eliminated, making it easier to raise the sales tax is a sure-fire recipe for it to increase — especially in the event of a recession or some other budget calamity. When Iowa ran into budget trouble in the 1980s and 1990s, the Legislature raised sales tax rates, and it significantly broadened the base to cover online goods and subscriptions in 2019. The state also more than doubled the tax on gasoline over the last 40 years. The top income tax rate, on the other hand, peaked in 1975, and has dramatically declined since then. Another sales tax increase would be bad news for the average Iowa taxpayer. An $1,100 increase in the sales tax hurts households making $50,000 a year a lot more than it does the one making $500,000 per year. Here’s the truth: The special interests in Iowa are afraid voters will eventually demand that legislators revoke the hefty income tax breaks they gave to the wealthy a few years ago. So, now they’re trying to change the state Constitution to head that off, thus making it easier to raise the sales tax instead. But like in Missouri, Iowans can stand up to the special interests and fight. They can reject this disastrous amendment and demand we return to a fairer tax code. This column was originally published by Ed Tibbetts’ Along the Mississippi newsletter on Substack. It was republished by the Iowa Capital Dispatch through the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.
	Missed opportunity for a roundabout leads to traffic backups Eldridge city leaders are hearing complaints about the long lines at the intersection of LeClaire Road and 4th Avenue. On my motorcycle trips across Ireland, locals refer to stoplights as “ Those (expletive) stop and go lights.” Europeans are used to the efficiency of roundabouts. There are only two types of fuel in Ireland, and both are much more expensive than here. Their roads are designed with fuel costs and pollution in mind. The majority of traffic on that stretch of Leclaire Road is eastbound or westbound. Imagine an uninterrupted flow of traffic from Route 61 to First Street thanks to the efficiency of one roundabout. No lines of idling vehicles and exhaust emissions. Continuous rolling movement avoids the extra fuel required to accelerate a heavy vehicle from a complete standstill, reducing pollution at that intersection and nearby businesses’ parking lots. Roundabouts save fuel because accelerating from a complete stop uses significantly more fuel than maintaining a steady cruising speed. Vehicles entering LeClaire Road from 4th Avenue would easily blend into traffic. We missed an opportunity to save fuel and reduce pollution when we chose a traditional intersection over a more efficient one. Our community leaders should support the use of roundabouts in future development. James Turley Eldridge
	Obituary: Benjamin Mark Mink Memorial services for Benjamin Mark Mink, 84, of Eldridge, will be 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge. Inurnment will follow at Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery, Davenport. Family will greet friends on Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to service time at the funeral home. Mark passed away on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, at home. Mark was born on Jan. 11, 1942, in Davenport, the son of Edgar and Mabel (McNatton) Mink. He married Sharon A. Stenger in 1972 in Rapids City, Ill. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a letter carrier for 27 years, retiring in 1997. He then worked as a bus driver for North Scott Schools. He served in the U.S. Army. He enjoyed playing his guitar, music, woodworking, family, nature, reading, his faith and visiting his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Survivors include his wife, Sharon, his children, Cindy (Jim) Young, Traci (Stuart) Myers, Lisa (David) Martinolich, son, Stephen (Heather) Mink, 11 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and sister, Virginia Ball. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Vern Mink and James Mink, niece Jenny Ball, nephew Mike Ball and many other family and friends. Memorials may be directed to worldvision.org. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: Timothy Reickard Timothy Martin Reickard, 81, of Eldridge, passed away July 30, 2026, at the University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City. A Memorial Service will be Saturday, Aug. 8, at Eldridge United Methodist Church, Eldridge, at 11 a.m., with visitation from 9:30 to 11. Tim was born May 27, 1945, in Rock Island, the son of Harold and Colleen Reickard. His family moved to Davenport when he was young and he graduated from West High School in 1963, where he participated in music. He married Carolyn Thrasher in 1964. Together they had two sons, Richard Martin Reickard and Ronald Lewis Reickard. He married Linda Shanks in 1971. Together they had two sons, Chad Alan Reickard and Jared Scott Reickard. He worked for Alcoa after graduation and then started an apprenticeship with Local 387 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union and became a journeyman steamfitter in 1974. Besides working in the trades, he was an apprentice teacher for eight years and attended Purdue University for apprentice teacher training. He retired from Local 25 at the end of 2004 after 35 years in the trade. Tim was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader in Donahue and Eldridge. He accompanied scouts on many camping trips to Camp Loud Thunder, Camp Minneyata and the Boundary Waters. He volunteered at the local food pantry, the library, and the Eldridge United Methodist Church, where he was a church member and sang in the choir for many years. Tim loved reading, working crossword puzzles, gardening, canning, camping, fishing and working in his shop. Tim is survived by his wife of 55 years, Linda; sons Ronald, Phoenix, Ariz., Chad (Kristin) of Brooklyn Park, Minn., and Jared (Crystal) of Port Byron, Ill.; grandchildren Elliana, Jaevan, Aria, Jessamina, Kai, Jordan, Devan, and a step-grandson, Skylar (Jessica) Garcia; and sibling Joyce Gabriel, Broken Arrow, Okla. He was preceded in death by his grandparents; parents; his son, Richard; sisters Judith and Lynn; and grandchildren Kael and Tyler. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ronald McDonald House in Chicago, Ill., or the Eldridge United Methodist Church. Remembrances and condolences may be made to the family at McGinnis-Chambers.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: Helen Stubbe Helen Stubbe, 98, of LeClaire, formerly of Pleasant Valley, passed away on Friday, July 31, 2026, at her residence. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5 (today), at Trinity Lutheran Church, Pleasant Valley. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church, Pleasant Valley. McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Helen was born on Dec. 9, 1927, the daughter of Christian and Jean (Kerr) Schumacher. She graduated from Davenport High School and continued her education at Iowa State Teacher’s College. On Oct. 8, 1949, she married Lavern H. “Dudy” Stubbe in DeWitt. Helen taught elementary school for several years. She later worked as an administrative assistant to the superintendent at Pleasant Valley School District. She retired in 1993 after over 40 years of service. Helen was an avid Chicago Cubs fan, and enjoyed reading, jigsaw puzzles, and crosswords. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Pleasant Valley. Those left to honor her memory are her daughter, Jacque (Raymond) Andrews of LeClaire; daughter-in-law, Linda Stubbe of Davenport; grandchildren, Jennifer (Bob Overton) Stubbe, Christopher Stubbe, Anna (David) Heidenreich; and great-grandchildren, Miah Overton, Gavin and Paxton Heidenreich. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lavern; son, Douglas Stubbe; and siblings, Marge Shropshire and Dean Schumacher. Online condolences may be shared with Helen’s family at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: James Weibel James L. Weibel, 82, of Long Grove, passed away on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in DeWitt. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held Monday, Aug. 10, at 10 a.m., at Chambers Funeral Home in Eldridge. Visitation will be held on Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Jim was born Feb. 5, 1944, in Denver, Colo., the son of Frank & Gertrude (Swick) Weibel. After graduating high school, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University and later a master’s degree in art education. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968, Jim served as an infantryman in Vietnam in 1969. He was united in marriage to Ida M. Legner on Aug. 11, 1973, in Davenport. Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Ida; his sons and daughters-in-law, Matthew and Sarah Weibel of Cedar Rapids, Jason and Sarah Weibel of West Des Moines, and Aaron and Cassandra Weibel of West Des Moines; his foster son, Ho Tran of Rochester, N.Y.; his grandchildren, Brandon, Elizabeth, Kaitlyn, Seth and Felix; his brothers, John (Donna) Weibel of Manchester, Frank (Mary) Weibel of Ankeny, Phillip (Claire) Weibel of Gillette, Wyo., Paul (Kathy) Weibel of Claremore, Okla., and Glen (Karen) Weibel of Joplin, Mo.; his sisters, Rose (Ed) Snowbarger of Kirksville, Mo., Glida (Larry) Reamsnyder of Clovis, N.M., and Jo Ann (Bill) Smith of Huntsville, Ala.; and several nieces and nephews. During his life, Jim enjoyed being involved with his community by volunteering with many various youth activities. Jim volunteered as a soccer coach and referee for the Family Y Youth soccer program. He was involved with the Boy Scouts for many years as an Assistant Scoutmaster and later Scoutmaster for Troop 203. He was on the Long Grove Park Board for many years, where he constructed the disc golf course. In later years, he volunteered to construct and maintain off-road bike trails in Scott County Park and Westbrook Park in DeWitt. Jim enjoyed being in nature and visited many national parks. He loved to hike, bike, kayak, camp, rock climb and rappel. He competed in races, including the Bix 7, the Maquoketa triathlon, Dubuque’s B-rrry Scurry, and the Pikes Peak Ascent half marathon. He also rode RAGBRAI and many off-road bike trails. Jim loved his family and enjoyed sharing his love for the outdoors with his grandchildren. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and an infant daughter, Caroline. Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, Humility Homes & Services or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Jim’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: Gerald ‘Jerry’ Tobin Gerald Matthew Tobin, 52, a resident of Long Grove, passed away Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Jerry were held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Long Grove. Burial followed in St. Ann’s Cemetery. Visitation was held from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, at the church, with additional visitation on Tuesday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for an educational fund for his children or your favorite charity. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Jerry was born Dec. 28, 1973, in Davenport, a son of Matt and Inez (Gluesing) Tobin. He graduated from North Scott High School in 1992. On Sept. 3, 2011, he was united in marriage to Linsey Moffit in LeClaire. Jerry lived life with a big heart, a strong work ethic, and an unwavering love for his family. He spent many years working alongside his brother at Tobin Brothers Construction before returning to his true passion — farming the family homestead. Above all else, Jerry was a devoted father. Tate, Emery, and Gannon were the center of his world, and there was nowhere he’d rather be than cheering them on at their activities, riding around the farm in the side by side, and making memories together. Jerry was the person everyone could count on — the first to lend a hand, offer advice, or simply show up when he was needed. His genuine kindness, easy smile, and ability to make anyone feel like a friend meant he never met a stranger. When he wasn’t farming or spending time with those he loved, Jerry enjoyed golfing, hunting, and making the most of every moment with his many friends. Those left to honor his life are Linsey, his children: Tate Moffit, Emery and Gannon Tobin; his mother, Inez Tobin of Eldridge; his sisters, Dawn (Chris) Hinrichs of DeWitt and Karen (Jay) Lorenzen of Polk City; his brothers, Brian Tobin of Eldridge and Josh (Kelli) Tobin of Davenport; his nephews, Connell (Alyssa) Lorenzen and Drew Lorenzen, also-in-laws: Tom and Nancee Moffit of LeClaire; as well as many extended family members and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Matt Tobin, and his grandparents. Online tributes may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: Gary King Gary R. King, 74, of Eldridge, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at Fieldstone of DeWitt in DeWitt. Gary will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, loyal friend, and a man whose generous heart, infectious laugh, and welcoming spirit left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him. A service to celebrate Gary’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Faith Lutheran Church in Eldridge, where he was a longtime and faithful member. Visitation was from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Faith Lutheran Church’s Camp Scholarship Fund or to the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. Chambers Funeral Home of Eldridge is assisting the family with arrangements. Gary was born in Davenport on March 11, 1952, the son of Ralph and Jeanette (Wenndt) King. He earned his associate’s degree from Kirkwood College in Cedar Rapids and proudly served his country as a member of the Iowa Army National Guard. On June 28, 1975, Gary married the love of his life, Joni K. Beranek, in Shueyville. Together they built a life centered on love, family, faith, and hard work, sharing more than 50 years of memories before Joni’s passing on June 16, 2026. Their enduring love was an inspiration to all who knew them. Farming was never simply Gary’s livelihood — it was his passion. As a lifelong farmer in Lowden, he took great pride in caring for his land and especially his cattle. He also spent nearly three decades as a UPS delivery driver in Clinton, where his friendly smile and genuine kindness brightened the days of countless customers and coworkers alike. Gary had a gift for making people feel like lifelong friends. With his booming laugh, easygoing nature, and warm sense of humor, he truly never met a stranger. Whether visiting over a cold Pepsi, playing a spirited game of cards, or striking up a conversation with someone new, Gary’s presence made people feel welcome. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Gary faithfully cheered on the Iowa Hawkeyes football and basketball teams and remained a devoted Philadelphia Phillies fan. In his younger years, he enjoyed playing semi-professional baseball, and throughout his life he rarely missed the excitement of auto racing, especially NASCAR. No matter the event, Gary loved sharing those moments with family and friends. Above all else, Gary treasured his family. Nothing brought him greater joy than spending time with his children and grandchildren, celebrating their accomplishments, and creating memories they will carry with them forever. Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Kristi (Nick) Cummins of Newton; his son, Corey (Stacie) King of Montgomery, Ohio; his beloved grandchildren, Colin and Allyson Cummins, and Kylie, Hayden, and Tyler King; his sister, Vicky (Rick) Brunscheen of Wyoming, Iowa; along with many extended family members, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by knowing him. Gary was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joni, and his parents, Ralph and Jeanette. Though Gary’s family deeply mourns his loss, they find comfort in the countless memories he leaves behind — a life defined by unwavering faith, tireless work, steadfast love for his family, and friendships that spanned a lifetime. His laughter, kindness, and generous spirit will be profoundly missed but lovingly remembered by all whose lives he touched. Condolences may be expressed to the family by viewing his obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: Donald Brandt Donald LeRoy Brandt, 91, of Donahue, passed away at his home on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Don was born April 12, 1935, in Davenport, the son of LeRoy William Brandt and Zoa Lenore (Andresen) Brandt. He graduated from Davenport High School in June 1954 and served in the U.S. Air Force. Don married Janet Kay Cuppy in July 1958. Together, they built their family and life in Davenport, sharing 68 years of marriage. In 1970, he founded The Brandt Company. He was actively involved in many social, community and business organizations, and enjoyed the outdoors, antique toys, Model T automobiles, war and cowboy movies, and the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was known for his humor as well as his height. Above all, Don was a devoted husband, father of four, grandfather of three, and great-grandfather of five. He is survived by his wife, Janet Kay Brandt of Donahue; his four children, William Brian Brandt and his wife, Marcia (Woods) Brandt, of Davenport, Stacy Elizabeth Brandt of DeWitt, Marc Douglas Brandt and his wife, Susan (Simms) Brandt, of Ellijay, Ga., and Douglas Robert Brandt of St. Louis, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents, LeRoy William Brandt and Zoa Lenore (Andresen) Brandt, and his sister, Shirley Anne “Sis” (Les) Strohbehn. Visitation was held Sunday, Aug. 2, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Runge Mortuary. Funeral services were held Monday, Aug. 3, at 12 p.m. at The Runge Mortuary & Crematory in Davenport. Burial and military honors took place immediately following at Rock Island National Cemetery on Rock Island Arsenal. Reception was held at Runge Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Don’s name to Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org). Find the full obituary and share condolences at www.rungemortuary.com. Custom obituary
	View the Scott County Sheriff's report from the Aug. 5 NSP! SUNDAY, JULY 19 8:01 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident near 60th Avenue and Interstate 80 West, Walcott. A vehicle driven by Jayne Marie Anderson, 55, Dayton, Ohio, made a left turn out of a parking lot and struck a vehicle driven by Jacqueline Marie Hiltl, 31, Davenport, that was southbound on 60th Avenue. MONDAY, JULY 20 1:01 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident near 240th Street and 240th Avenue. A vehicle driven by Joshua Michael Volk, 41, Davenport, experienced mechanical failure and became stranded in the roadway. Another individual attempted to help him tow the vehicle to the side of the roadway. A piece of the drivetrain on the vehicle then broke, causing the vehicle to roll into a ditch and come to rest in a cornfield. TUESDAY, JULY 21 6:14 p.m. — Austin Michael Ramirez, 29, no address given, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense and possession of drug paraphernalia, following an incident on 210th Street, Davenport. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 3:43 a.m. — Dale Lee Darland, 39, no address given, was charged with interference with official acts and cited for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, following a traffic stop near West 53rd Street and Appomattox Road, Davenport. THURSDAY, JULY 23 3:51 a.m. — Amy Jo Ruchotzke, 47, no address given, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (non-marijuana) – 3rd or subsequent offense and possession of drug paraphernalia and cited for improper use of registration, following an incident in the 900 block of West Kimberly Road, Davenport. 7:14 a.m. — Aisha Nicole Bovan, 26, no address given, was arrested on an outstanding intrastate warrant, following a traffic stop near West 49th and North Pine streets, Davenport. 7:36 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 600 block of Belmont Road, Bettendorf. A vehicle driven by Brittany Ann Gonzales, 32, Coal Valley, Ill., was backing off the side of the roadway to pick up some traffic cones. The vehicle struck a speed limit sign. FRIDAY, JULY 24 1:39 a.m. — Justin John Slightom, 42, no address given, was charged with 2nd degree theft and cited for driving while license denied, suspended, cancelled or revoked, following an incident in the 5200 block of Elmore Avenue, Davenport. 10:16 a.m. — Justin Thomas Pyles, 41, no address given, was charged with a probation violation, following an incident in the 400 block of Main Street, Davenport. 2:47 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 600 block of East 4th Street. 3:22 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 11300 block of 140th Street. 3:35 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint on Park Crest Court. 4:42 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury in the 2100 block of East River Drive. 5:48 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 300 block of South Juniata Street. 8:02 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury. 8:58 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a missing person in the 2100 block of Glenn Court. 10:24 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 400 block of North 6th Street. 10:30 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint. 11:26 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance. SATURDAY, JULY 25 12:33 a.m. — Deputies responded to a shots fired call near West 46th Street and Rodeo Court. 2:09 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 2100 block of Emerald Drive. 11:27 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury. 11:44 a.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 11000 block of 140th Street Place. 1:24 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2800 block of Hickory Grove Road. 3:47 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance. 7:53 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 3100 block of Rambling Road. 8:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint. 8:49 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fireworks complaint in the 500 block of Chestnut Street. 8:56 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 4600 block of Telegraph Road. 10:31 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 22700 block of 282nd Avenue. 10:39 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fireworks complaint in the 600 block of Davenport Street. 11:41 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 3100 block of West Kimberly Road. 11:59 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 3600 block of East 53rd Street. SUNDAY, JULY 26 12:08 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 600 block of North Highway 67. 12:41 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 400 block of 2nd Street. 1:18 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 400 block of South Dittmer Street. 1:21 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 400 block of 2nd Street. 4:23 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in in the 3600 block of West 83rd Street. 9:08 a.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 18800 block of 270th Street. 11:47 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 600 block of North Highway 67. 12:48 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 3500 block of North Plainview Road. 3:32 p.m. — Deputies responded to a weapons complaint in the 1900 block of Perry Street. 5:11 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 300 block of Concord Court. 5:17 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem. 6:09 p.m. — Deputies responded to a weapons complaint in the 4000 block of East 53rd Street. 7:01 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a juvenile problem in the 6100 block of 114th Street. 7:42 p.m. — Deputies responded to a weapons complaint in the 5200 block of Elmore Avenue. 8:52 p.m. — Deputies responded to a shots fired call in the 2100 block of Emerald Drive. MONDAY, JULY 27 12:26 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 600 block of North Highway 67. 1:30 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 300 block of East 15th Street. 2:29 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident near Highway 61 North and 210th Street, Davenport. A vehicle driven by Ronald Jason Molen, 48, Nancy, Ky., exited Highway 61. On the exit ramp, the vehicle left the roadway and struck a road sign. The vehicle then travelled down the embankment and onto the other ramp, which connects 90th Street to Highway 61. The vehicle travelled south the wrong way down the exit ramp before going onto 210th Street. The vehicle was then located driving southbound in the northbound lanes in the 6600 block of North Brady Street. Molen was charged with OWI – 1st offense and cited for striking fixtures upon a highway. 7:17 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem near 290th Street and Scott Park Road. 9:43 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury in the 25500 block of Valley Drive. 11:53 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 11600 block of 110th Avenue. 1:23 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 2300 block of McKinley Avenue. 3:03 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near Highway 67 and Fillmore Street. 4:59 p.m. — Deputies responded to a weapons complaint in the 1100 block of Jones Street. 10:36 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage. TUESDAY, JULY 28 2:50 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 6300 block of Brady Street. 8:15 a.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check. 8:41 a.m. — Robert Darnell Wise, 56, no address given, was charged with a sex offender registration violation – 1st offense, following an incident in the 400 block of West 4th Street, Davenport. 8:56 a.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 1100 block of East 15th Street. 9:15 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 1300 block of Eagle Ridge Road. 11:42 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 3700 block of West Locust Street. 12:43 p.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint in the 3200 block of South 16th Avenue. 1:14 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 100 block of East 55th Street. 3:01 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 18300 block of 110th Avenue. 3:54 p.m. — Deputies responded to a vandalism complaint in the 21500 block of Maysville Road. 3:56 p.m. — Lane Lelyn Walker, 23, no address given, was cited for driving while license denied or revoked, following a traffic stop near Manor Drive and 270th Street, Eldridge. 6:10 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 2900 block of Devils Glen Road. 6:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident near Maysville Road and 210th Street. A vehicle driven by Bryce Edward Jabanoski, 49, Davenport, attempted to pass a vehicle driven by Allan Bernard McCoy, 67, Walcott. Jabanoski’s vehicle sideswiped McCoy’s vehicle. Jabanoski was cited for failure to maintain control. 11:45 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 800 block of Stonebridge Circle. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29 10:03 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near Frontage Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway. 10:32 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 8300 block of Northwest Boulevard. 1:30 p.m. — Kathlene Marie Johnson, 47, no address given, was charged with a sex offender registration violation – 2nd or subsequent offense, following an incident in the 400 block of West 4th Street, Davenport. 2:29 p.m. — Aieshah Monique Castillo, 29, no address given, was charged with public intoxication – 1st offense, interference with official acts, disorderly conduct and prohibited area – state parks, following an incident in the 14900 block of 110th Avenue, Davenport. 2:42 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2300 block of West Locust Street. 7:21 p.m. — Deputies responded to a shots fired call in the 3400 block of West Kimberly Road. THURSDAY, JULY 30 2:07 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury near East River Drive and East 4th Street. 9:53 a.m. — Richard Brian Bailey, 23, no address given, was charged with intent to deliver marijuana under 50 kg, following a traffic stop near West 76th and North Division streets, Davenport. 10:56 a.m. — Deputies responded to a drug complaint. 1:15 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of harassing communications in the 28100 block of 215th Street. 1:21 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an assault in the 27700 block of 225th Street. 1:43 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check on Park View Drive. 2:02 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 13800 block of 118th Avenue. 4:59 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 200 block of South Kensington Street. 11:21 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a missing person. 11:24 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near 248th Avenue and Wells Ferry Road. FRIDAY, JULY 31 5:50 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 1000 block of Jefferson Street. 6:45 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage near 290th Street and 200th Avenue.
	View the Eldridge Police report from the Aug. 5 NSP! MONDAY, JULY 27 1:14 a.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 200 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. 1:32 a.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 9600 block of Harrison Street. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 2:08 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle in the 900 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. 4:00 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call on Highway 61. 5:21 p.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver near North Buttermilk and West LeClaire roads. Handled by officer. 6:42 p.m. — Assisted a subject near 180th Avenue and 230th Street. Handled by officer. 9:20 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of South 4th Avenue. Handled by officer. 11:08 p.m. — Erin Stanley, 34, of Eldridge, was arrested for driving under suspension and cited for no insurance and speeding, following a traffic stop in the 1400 block of East LeClaire Road. 11:53 p.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose in the 2700 block of East Daniels Court. Handled by officer. TUESDAY, JULY 28 12:58 a.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 9600 block of Harrison Street. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 4:46 a.m. — Assisted another agency with a traffic stop near South 1st Street and East Fisher Court. 5:23 a.m. — Report of a fire alarm sounding in the 900 block of Trails Road. False alarm. Handled by officer. 11:04 a.m. — Grant Golden, 36, of Des Moines, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for criminal mischief 4th degree – probation violation, following an incident near South 9th Avenue and East LeClaire Road. 9:26 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles ringing a door bell in the 100 block of South 8th Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 9:57 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious subjects in the 800 block of North 1st Street. Handled by officer. 11:01 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious subjects in the 200 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. 11:41 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 300 block of West Oak Street. 11:45 p.m. — Complaint of a disturbance in the 800 block of Stonebridge Circle. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29 12:52 a.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 21100 block of Scott Park Road. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 1:27 a.m. — Assisted another agency with an incident in the 700 block of North 1st Street. 2:22 a.m. — Assisted a resident in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive. Handled by officer. 2:42 a.m. — Complaint of a house being TP-ed in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive. Handled by officer. 7:30 a.m. — Report of a fire alarm in the 900 block of Trails Road. False alarm. Handled by officer. 10:42 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 300 block of East Donahue Street. 10:54 a.m. — Complaint of a carbon monoxide detector going off in the 300 block of North 6th Street. Handled by officer. 11:41 a.m. — Report of a parking complaint in the 400 block of South 9th Avenue. Handled by officer. 12:33 p.m. — Report of a parking complaint in the 1000 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. 2:03 p.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 2:45 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 3200 block of South 16th Avenue. 4:36 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 1600 block of Leonard Court. 5:05 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 200 block of North 6th Street. THURSDAY, JULY 30 12:49 a.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 200 block of South 16th Avenue. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 1:48 a.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 9:06 a.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 10:27 a.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle near West LeClaire and North Buttermilk roads. Handled by officer. 10:38 a.m. — Complaint of goats running loose near East Lincoln and South Scott Park roads. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 11:05 a.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 11:31 a.m. — Complaint of a gas leak in the 300 block of North 16th Avenue. The call was turned over to MidAmerican Energy. 1:50 p.m. — Report taken for an accident between two vehicles on Highway 61. 2:03 p.m. — Assisted another agency with a traffic stop on Highway 61. 5:52 p.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 6:16 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 24500 block of 170th Avenue. Handled by officer. 9:13 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 800 block of South Buttermilk Road. Handled by officer. 10:36 p.m. — Complaint of juveniles ringing a doorbell in the 500 block of West Prairie Vista Drive. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. FRIDAY, JULY 31 1:42 a.m. — Complaint of a watermain break near West Donahue and North 3rd streets. The call was turned over to public works. Handled by officer. 11:03 p.m. — Report taken for theft of property in the 300 block of West Torrey Pines Drive. 1:30 p.m. — Assisted another agency with a report of a civil issue in the 300 block of North 2nd Street. Handled by officer. 6:35 p.m. — Brandon Fullmer, 37, of LeClaire, was cited for an expired driver’s license, following a traffic stop near South 1st Street and Slopertown Road. 9:41 p.m. — Karla Higgins, 72, of Eldridge, was arrested for driving under suspension, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. 11:07 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious activity in the 700 block of East Pinehurst Drive. Handled by officer. SATURDAY, AUG. 1 10:57 a.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 5:49 p.m. — Lindsey Brower, 37, of Eldridge, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop in the 400 block of East LeClaire Road. SUNDAY, AUG. 2 12:52 a.m. — Complaint of loud music playing in the 800 block of North 1st Street. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 4:44 a.m. — Report taken for a vehicle striking a mailbox in the 400 block of South Scott Park Road. 6:40 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 400 block of North 3rd Avenue. 1:06 p.m. — Report of a parking complaint in the 1000 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer. 5:34 p.m. — Corey Adams, 42, of Port Byron, Ill., was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear – possession of a controlled substance, following a traffic stop in the 2200 block of South 1st Street. 6:34 p.m. — Assisted a resident in the 300 block of Country Club Court. Handled by officer. 9:41 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle near South 1st Street and East Lincoln Road. Handled by officer. 9:58 p.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose in the 2700 block of East Daniels Court. The owner retrieved the animal. Handled by officer. 10:54 p.m. — Complaint of suspicious subjects in the 100 block of East Iowa Street. Handled by officer.
	Counting down the best North Scott sports moments of 2025-2026 season What a wild 2025-2026 sports season for North Scott High School. You all kept me busy, that’s for sure. Over the past month, I’ve pondered ways to recap the year. It’s not something our paper typically does, outside of the ‘Year in Review’ pages around the holidays. This is the best I’ve got: a top 10 list. But I want this top 10 list to be different. I asked myself these questions: What moments can I not stop thinking about all these months later? Who are the people that made them so memorable? When did I have the most fun on the job this year? I’ll take you behind the scenes of what I was seeing, thinking and doing during some of the most exciting moments of the season, and why they still resonate with me today. After revisiting each North Scott Press sports section from the last 52 weeks, nominees were selected. They were cut, combined, reorganized and settled into a solid 10. A point of order: This is not an objective list. There is an association between success and placement, but it is not absolute. You can probably guess what No. 1 is. But No. 2 involves a crushing defeat. Four of the 10 don’t even occur at state tournaments. To whet the palate, here are some honorable mentions, listed in chronological order, that just missed my cut: I've always wanted to witness a basketball buzzer-beater. Naturally, the one time I leave town for a planned-months-in-advance vacation, Alaina Dreckmeier hits a fadeaway three-pointer to beat ninth-ranked Clinton at Yourd Gymnasium. At 9 a.m. the next morning, sitting on the airport floor and feeling awful, I did my ‘postgame’ interview with Dave Linnenbrink. He connected me with Dreckmeier, with whom I spoke the following afternoon by phone from my cruise cabin. Had I been in the gym, this moment almost certainly makes the list. Bowling doesn’t get big publicity, but its state meet experience is immaculate. Spectators pack into Cadillac XBC like sardines. It’s claustrophobic. The cracking sounds of crushed pins are neverending. It’s intense. The boys’ bowling team competed, and Lucas Persson and Skylar Shalack came away with individual medals. I still remember the look on Lindy Dhuse’s face when she realized she’d miss the knockout stage, ending her state title defense, by a few pins. Dhuse was graceful in defeat, and I was glad she joined Shalack and me for a recap interview. The boys’ soccer team provided great late-match theater this spring. Somehow, the drama always involved the goalkeeper. One got a red card in the final minute against Hempstead. Another broke his nose against Central. (The team’s emergency goalkeeper, Davis Hoeper, played the final 30 minutes of the latter). In the substate final, the Lancers nearly scored three unanswered goals in the second half to force overtime against North. The team gave fans a thrilling game seemingly every night. Golf is the most unique prep sport to cover. It’s the most intimate setting. I can’t blend in on a sideline or in the bleachers. If I’m there, everybody sees. As a result, I’ve gotten to know golfers and their families better than any other sport. I know the girls’ golf team wishes it qualified for state, but I was happy that Addison Eckhardt went as an individual. It closed an incredible chapter for her and the program; one I got to witness firsthand starting in 2023. It’s no secret that my favorite sport is tennis. I watch an unhealthy amount of the ATP and WTA tours. What great fortune that Maddy Jepsen and Lucas Persson arrived at North Scott at the same time I did and became the most accomplished tennis players in school history. Jepsen placed fourth at state singles in October. She and Persson joined forces at coed state in June. It was neat watching those two share the court one last time. No. 10 — Football defeats Clear Creek-Amana in overtime When I started at the NSP, Mark Ridolfi half-joked that I am allotted two exclamation points in headlines per year. I’m glad I saved them for the fall. I used exclamations in consecutive weeks in September, this story being the second. (You’ll see the first later on in this list). Out of every headline I’ve written at the NSP, ‘Great Scott!’ is one of the best. It wasn’t a buzzer-beater, but the excitement was the same. The Lancers walked off Clear Creek-Amana in Tiffin. Scott McCoy caught the game-winner in overtime in a truly bonkers football game. McCoy only had four career receptions entering the game. He ends up the hero. There were eight combined touchdowns in the game. Ryan Block had a kick return for six in the first half. CCA led by seven with just over four minutes left, and Miller Haedt rushed in for the game-tying score. It was one of those nights where I raced up and down the Lancers’ sideline. My notebook was a disaster zone of scribbles and arrows, trying to keep up. And, icing on the cake, the North Scott student section had its best performance of the season. They were trading barbs back and forth with the Clippers’ student section. My personal favorite was when someone in the North Scott section belted out ‘46 and 1!’ No. 9 — Jaxon Adkisson ties for second at state golf Literally the first shot I watched Jaxon Adkisson hit on day two of the state golf tournament, he holed out for eagle from 130 yards away. It was a harbinger of things to come. Adkisson started the day one shot off the lead. That eagle on the par-4 eighth hole put him two shots in front of the pack. After making sure I had at least one good photo of the other five Lancers playing, I stuck to Adkisson’s group for the final stretch. It was pretty surreal watching him walk off of the 18th green and become the leader in the clubhouse at 1 under. Andrew Johannsen of Johnston, son of former Lancer great Jeff Johannsen, birdied the par-4 17th hole to go to 2 under. Johannsen sank a six-foot par putt on the last hole to win the state title. I walked the final few holes with a Hyperion Field Club member and state meet volunteer, someone who knew the Johannsen family, as it was their home course too. In hindsight, I should’ve tried to have him help me find Jeff. That would have been a fun interview. For Adkisson, he won conference individual gold. He placed fourth at districts. He tied for second at state, officially third on cardback. It is the best season for a North Scott golfer in school history. No. 8 — Sage Dzeladini places third at state wrestling At every match, I could not believe what I was watching. In her first match at state, leading 9-2 in the third period, Sage Dzeladini got taken down, pinned and bumped into consolations. Dzeladini trailed 3-0 in her next match, but found a pin. Dzeladini trailed 11-0 (eleven to zero!) in her third-round consolation, but found a pin. In her fourth-round consolation, Dzeladini trailed 3-0, but found a pin against a South Tama girl who beat her twice at state last year. Same script in the bronze medal match. Dzeladini got taken down. She reversed. She pinned. I didn’t get a single good action shot of Dzeladini from state wrestling. At least, none made it into the paper. Dzeladini was in trouble for most of her time on the mat. The reaction shots, however, were perfect. Three made it in that week. Dzeladini and Aviea Holden both won regional titles the week prior. Khloe Hamilton won a win-or-go-home second-place match. Sierra Metcalf became the program’s first 100-win wrestler at regionals. It was a thrilling eight-day stretch. During this time, I received my first on-the-record f-bomb. I will keep the speaker anonymous. The phrase rhymed with ‘low ducking crowd.’ That about sums it up, doesn’t it? No. 7 — Boys’ wrestling beats Bettendorf, Assumption Speaking of reaction shots: There’s a reason why none were in the paper when the boys’ wrestling team beat Assumption in a MAC dual. I put my camera away when the final bout between Bryce Stewart and Maxwell Azzaline went into overtime. Assumption led by four team points. I thought it had clinched the dual. Rookie mistake. I didn’t know the rules. Mea culpa. Stewart’s sudden-death pin was the loudest crowd pop in a high school gym I’ve heard during my time here. The Lancer bench exploded. Drew Kelly, already on the mat, had a foot inside of the circle when the ref slammed his hand down. I whipped my phone out when I realized the ref would allowed Stewart a chance to pin. I shared the video on the social platform X. It is, to date, my most-viewed post on the site. This came just a month after Cole Bruck and Max Davis pinned a pair of Bulldogs to beat Bettendorf 37-35 in The Pit. This one was less dramatic, with both pins coming in the first period. It was no less meaningful as it was the team’s first dual win over Bettendorf in nearly four years. We are still not done with wrestling moments on the list. For now, another winter sport. No. 6 — Boys’ basketball substate at Bettendorf, Prairie At George Mason University, basketball is the culture. EagleBank Arena is where I cut my teeth for the student newspaper. No sporting environment fires me up as a reporter more than a capacity crowd basketball game, and my time in college helped foster that. (As an aside, if I were to do a top 10 list of my all-time favorite North Scott moments, the substate final from 2024 at the PowerHouse against undefeated Kennedy is probably in the top three). Likewise, the environments inside Bettendorf’s and Prairie’s gyms last winter were phenomenal. Crowds roared at every basket. The student sections were electric and downright mean at times with their chants. I loved it. The Bettendorf game was a pure rout. The Bulldogs did not have an answer all night. I felt the magic again at Prairie. The Lancers played great ball through three quarters. Prairie started to self-destruct in the fourth quarter with five personal fouls in two and a half minutes. The Hawks crowd vociferously booed the referees. By triple zeroes, it wasn’t meant to be. I’m often a big self-critic, but I really like the way I ended that story. It highlights the importance of traveling with the team and being present for the moment: “As the postgame press gaggle disbanded, (Shamus) Budde stuck around to thank the local media members. He did so amid a backdrop of Prairie players climbing up a ladder to one of the gym’s 10-foot hoops, scissors in hand. “Next year,” Budde remarked. “That’s us next year.” No. 5 — Six Lancers win medals at state track meet I get that North Scott has great track and field athletes. But do they have to be great at both high jump and discus? Can’t they just pick one? It’s becoming a real pain trying to be in two places at once. I thought 2024 was a one-off. Zach McMillian won discus, and Sydney Skarich and Natalie Nwatchock tied for third at high jump — two events going on at the same time on opposite sides of the state meet site. It happened again this spring. Alyssa Schroeder placed second in the high jump, and Behren Radech went from the No. 20 seed to seventh place in discus. Fun fact: I set my own PR in the 400-meter dash trying to get from the southern endzone to the northernmost grassy field at Drake Stadium. Maybe Joe Greenwood will give me a tryout next spring? Adalynn Johnson and Trey Feist medaled in shot put the next day, as did Kaylee Ervin in the long jump. Boys' shot put and girls' long jump started at the same time. Thankfully, I didn't have to leave the turf infield. Saturday afternoon, Micayla Ramirez capped off the meet with a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter dash. State track is my most demanding weekend of the year, more so than state wrestling because it’s outdoors. But with it comes tons of great story opportunities. Maybe it’s a good thing, after all, that the Lancers have great athletes. No. 4 — Girls’ soccer are state runners-up From the very first game, when North Scott crushed Independence 7-0, I could tell this team was different. Maybe not ‘19-match unbeaten streak’ different. But it was stark. That streak was strange. The Lancers didn’t have a ‘wow’ type of game, at least from my perspective, in the first 18. The Assumption win on senior night had a little bit of it. The team won fairly convincingly against Dallas Center-Grimes in teh state quarterfinals, too. North Scott beat every team they were supposed to during the regular season, but it tied all of the other top-ranked teams. There’s only so much one can write about a tie. The team must have been saving up for Norwalk. With about 10 minutes left, with North Scott trailing 1-0, I stood up from my spot near midfield on the spectators’ sideline and made the long walk around the field towards the team benches, brainstorming questions along the way. I did, in fact, learn my lesson from wrestling. I kept my camera out. The pictures of Julia Solis, who scored the winning goal, and Reese Barnett, who had the tying goal and winning assist, are two of my favorites from the year. I had ‘team of destiny’ vibes at that point. North Polk had other ideas in the final. It was still an incredible run spanning nearly three months. Between the boys’ team, girls’ team, and the World Cup, I found myself enjoying soccer to a degree I didn't think was possible. Goal-based games like soccer, hockey, lacrosse, etc., still lag behind many other sports in my personal power rankings. I don’t see the beauty in them that others do. But maybe there’s hope for me yet. No. 3 — Volleyball beats Pleasant Valley in five sets Deadline days on the news side of the NSP office are typically 12-hour shifts. On this particular Tuesday, feeling zombified and seeing the volleyball team get walloped in the first two sets against Pleasant Valley, I ordered food delivered to my apartment. When I arrived home over two hours later, I was no longer tired. And my food was cold. The Lancers had absolutely no business winning this match. I put this stat in the story: “North Scott had not scored fewer than 10 points in a first-to-25 set since October 11, 2016. And the Spartans pinned two on the Lancers in quick succession.” This came after North Scott got routined by Assumption the week prior. In that game’s post-match interview with coach Brian Schubert, he was quite unhappy with his group’s performance. I didn’t plan to stick around after the first two sets against Pleasant Valley. I'd just call him after the Saturday tournament, hoping it would go better. North Scott saved four match points and won the third set 29-27. It won the fourth set 26-24. It won the fifth set 15-11. Good thing Mediacom was there broadcasting the game. We have video evidence that it actually happened. Do the Lancers still qualify for state if they lose this match? Probably. Do the Lancers still win state if they lose this match? Not a chance. This was a season-defining win. It helped the team earn a piece of the MAC title. It helped them stay afloat in the rankings. It showed what was possible when the team appeared in a similar spot against Clear Creek-Amana in the state semifinals. More on that in a bit. No. 2 — Cole Green’s last gasp at state wrestling Sports journalists should not root for the teams and players they cover. We are to be objective in our coverage. One inevitability, which is human nature, is pulling for good people and good stories. Cole Green’s incredible season led him to the state semifinals, where he instantly dislocated his left shoulder. He wrestled with one arm for the rest of that match and his consolation semifinal Saturday, losing two technical falls by a combined 40-6 score line. He had a sizable black strap on his shoulder Saturday. He came back out for his last match, wrestling for fifth place, and was down 6-1 with 60 seconds left. I still don’t know how, and I couldn't find the video while researching for this column, but Green got two takedowns — his first two takedowns since getting hurt — and dragged the match into overtime. In the crowd behind me, I saw Green’s parents, Tim and Elisa, screaming their hearts out, trying to will their son over the finish line in the last match of his high school career. I’m sure younger brother Zach wasn’t far away. Green lost shortly into overtime. He left everything he had on the mat. It was the single gutsiest performance I saw this year. I was rooting for him to win. “That match for fifth, I’ve never seen anything tougher out of a kid,” coach Drew Kelly told me the next day. This wasn’t the first herculean effort from Green in his senior year. As essentially the fourth quarterback option for the varsity football team, Green and the Lancers got demolished by Xavier in week one. Six days later at Kingston Stadium, Green led the team to a 38-16 win against Cedar Rapids Washington, rushing for 159 yards and accounting for three touchdowns. Even into the spring, I was reminded of the toll that state wrestling took. I saw Green on the sidelines of a few boys’ soccer matches, wearing a shoulder support brace, supporting the team he could not play for. His perseverance and toughness are beyond admirable, and they’ll serve him well beyond the gridiron and mat. They are lessons all of us can learn from, too. No. 1 — Volleyball wins state championship Here in the NSP office, I am infamous for my terrible prep sports predictions. Whatever I say out loud, the opposite tends to happen. I’d like to defend myself by offering two notable exceptions: the 2023 state volleyball final and the 2025 state volleyball final. There was just a feeling I got after watching those two teams all season long, and how they won their semifinals, that they would get the job done in the championship. The 2023 team was notable for its sheer dominance, bludgeoning all the teams in its path. The 2025 team just, simply, never, ever, quit. Heck, I was ready to go home during the Pleasant Valley match. Who would’ve blamed the players, after getting embarrassed by Assumption the week prior, for feeling the same way? In the state quarterfinals, facing a Dallas Center-Grimes team it had lost to twice during the regular season, North Scott saved set points in the first frame and won in four. In the state semifinals, facing top-ranked Clear Creek-Amana, North Scott stood two points from elimination in the fifth set before rolling off five consecutive points to steal the win. In the state championship, facing No. 2 seed Sioux Center, North Scott lost the first set and trailed big in the third set. The Lancers stormed back to win their second state title in three years. 15 wins in a row to end the season. Simply remarkable for a team that finished the year with double-digit losses. It’s cliché, but this truly was the fairytale ending. 10 seniors ending their careers on top. That’s how you do it. It was neat for me as well, starting my fourth year on the beat, getting to know a bunch of the kids over the years, seeing them win the big one in their last rodeo. My first winter here, Kenzie Moeller played in 17 games for the varsity basketball team as a freshman. She’d go on to make three deep state runs with the soccer team, win two state volleyball championships, and be named all-tournament team captain last fall. To the North Scott Athletic Hall of Fame committee members in 2036: don’t wait too long. One of the first times I talked with Adalynn Johnson, in her freshman softball season, was after she crushed a stunning opposite-field go-ahead home run in the regional final at Cedar Rapids Xavier. Johnson had a hand in winning seven state softball tournament games. This year, she qualified for the Drake Relays and won that state shot put medal. I wish she got the chance to go back to Fort Dodge this summer, but it doesn’t take away from a fantastic career. I think on my unofficial list of ‘most interviews given,’ Moeller and Johnson are No. 1 and No. 2. Lucas Persson and Maddy Jepsen are probably No. 3 and No. 4. Those first three are graduated and probably happy to be rid of me. (Sorry, Maddy, you’re stuck until October). Special shoutouts go to Paige Coon, Addison Allen, and Ainsley Haedt as well. Coon was on those same soccer teams as Moeller starting her freshman year. One of the absolute nicest kids you’ll ever meet. Allen was there from year one, too, qualifying for state on the girls’ track shuttle hurdle team all four years. She made an incredible impact on the volleyball court, becoming North Scott’s single-season assists leader and No. 2 all-time. Haedt was a two-year volleyball starter, but I only first met her last fall for the team captains’ preseason interview. She was a brick wall on the hardwood and gave some great quotes. I ended that week’s story, from Aug. 26, with one. “We want to win it,” Haedt said. “We know how it feels to lose on the big stage. This year, we have some fire in our bellies.”
	Red, White and Boom! now set for Saturday, Aug. 15 Originally set to take place during the Fourth of July weekend, the event was postponed due to weather.
	NAACP, LULAC hosting Iowa legislative candidate forum Metrocom NAACP Unit 4019 and LULAC Council 10 invite Iowa voters to attend a nonpartisan Iowa Legislative Candidates Forum on Saturday, August 22, at the Eastern Avenue Library, 600 Eastern Avenue in Davenport. Voters will hear directly from candidates seeking election to the Iowa State Senate and Iowa House of Representatives representing Scott County. Two [...]
	Trinity Rock Island pick-up, drop-off locations change for road repairs Starting Tuesday vehicles aren’t able to access the main hospital or the Trinity Heart Center’s entrance due to road repairs, according to a media release.
	Texas Roadhouse coming to Moline Moline sold property to Texas Roadhouse at 3620 38th Ave., the road north of John Deere Road for $800,000.
	'It's just so fun to make people laugh,' says 'Hacks' star Jean Smart "The fifth and final season of the HBO Max series Hacks is nominated for 24 Emmys, including one for Smart as best actress in a comedy series. The writers "raised the bar every single season," Smart says."
	The soaring demand for Patriot missiles, from the Middle East to Ukraine The U.S. and its partners depend on Patriot interceptors to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles. But Russia and Iran are firing their weapons at rates far higher than Patriots can be produced.
	Quad-Cities area students sign for first cohort of manufacturing apprenticeship program They will be working at regional manufacturing companies such as LMT Defense, West Liberty Foods, Amcor and others.
	UnityPoint Trinity Rock Island lot partially closed due to road work This week, patients of UnityPoint Health — Trinity in Rock Island should be aware of road work ongoing in the lot and use the emergency entrance for pick up and drop offs until Aug. 7.
	Dobro master with Alison Krauss to return to Davenport for 9/11 anniversary Veteran dobro and lap steel guitar player Jerry Douglas will return to Davenport’s Adler Theatre with Alison Krauss & Union Station for a concert on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Sept. 11, 2026.
	Red, White & Boom to make a bang at Alternating Currents festival Red, White & Boom will now take place on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 9:30 p.m. during the Alternating Currents festival.
	Senate Democrats say banks turned blind eye to suspicious moves by Jeffrey Epstein A report from Senate Democrats accuses big banks of failing to report suspicious money transfers made by Jeffrey Epstein until after his arrest in 2019.
	New date announced for Red, White and Boom! There’s a new date for fireworks on the Mississippi River between Davenport and Rock Island. The annual Red, White and Boom! fireworks show has been rescheduled to Saturday, August 15, during the Alternating Currents festival. The fireworks start at 9:30 p.m., launching from two barges on the Mississippi River between downtown Davenport and Rock Island. [...]
	Person killed in crash outside of Tipton, Iowa One person died after a crash involving a car and a semi-truck Monday morning near Tipton. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating.
	1 person killed in Cedar County crash One person has died following a two-vehicle crash in Cedar County on Monday.
	Davenport man pleads guilty to trafficking in meth in plea agreement His sentencing hearing has been set for Nov. 18.
	Construction limits access to UnityPoint Health-Trinity, Rock Island Road repairs on the UnityPoint Health – Trinity Rock Island campus mean vehicles cannot access the main hospital or Trinity Heart Center entrance. Patients are asked to use the emergency department entrance for pickup and drop-off until repairs are complete. Visitor and handicapped parking lots remain accessible and the hospital entrance and emergency department remain [...]
	Europe heat wave fuels drought, fires and energy fears Europe's heat wave exposes buried history and new threats — Nazi-era wrecks emerge from the Danube, nuclear reactors face cooling risks, and Greece battles deadly wildfires.
	Davenport man wins record-breaking Iowa InstaPlay jackpot of over $545,000 Davenport resident Jered Sandry won a record $545,153 InstaPlay jackpot with a ticket purchased at the Kimberly Road Hy-Vee, the Iowa Lottery reports.
	Red, White and Boom rescheduled Red, White and Boom has been rescheduled to Aug. 15.
	Partial collapse stalls Davenport building project Work has been slowed on a project at 53rd Street in Davenport due to the partial collapse of a building under construction. Framing for a building in the 500 block of E. 53rd Street, next to what will become Granite and More, partially collapsed and will slow construction of buildings in the area. No injuries [...]
	Family establishes student support fund at UIS in memory of Porter McNeil The new endowment represents the first collegiate initiative of the Porter McNeil Public Service Foundation.
	Quad-City Times building sold The building was listed online in January for $4.2 million.
	Texas Roadhouse opening Moline restaurant Fans of Texas Roadhouse in the Quad Cities will soon be able to visit locations on both sides of the river. An email from the City of Moline says a new restaurant in the chain will be built at 3620 38th Avenue. No timeline has been announced for construction or an opening date.
	Quad-City Times building sold The building was listed online in January for $4.2 million.
	Police: Davenport man charged after armed robbery at Hilltop Grocery A Davenport man is accused of robbing Hilltop Grocery at gunpoint Monday morning before police found and arrested him later that day.
	'Country People' is a silly, satisfying midsummer romp Daniel Mason's new novel is a spin on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which academics collide with locals — and a few seductive fairies — in the woods of Vermont.
	3 Things to Know \| Quad Cities morning headlines for Aug. 4, 2026 The giant screen at the Putnam Museum is undergoing major upgrades, and construction is underway for the new Texas Roadhouse in Moline.
	No injuries reported in Davenport apartment fire Monday evening No civilian or firefight injuries were reported in a Davenport apartment fire on the night of Aug. 3.
	Davenport firefighters respond to Harrison Street structure fire Davenport firefighters responded to the 1500 block of Harrison Street on August 3 at about 8:17 p.m. for a report of a structure fire, according to a news release from the Davenport Fire Department. The first fire units arrived at 8:20 p.m. Firefighters entered the business through the front door and found light smoke inside [...]
	How international expansion builds more resilient e-commerce businesses How international expansion builds more resilient e-commerce businessesFor most of the globalized era, international expansion was seen as an initiative for ambitious enterprises and trade-savvy entrepreneurs. Businesses mainly entered foreign markets for the obvious reasons: expanding their reach, increasing sales, and accelerating performance.Today, the conversation is different.Economic volatility, unpredictable trade policies, and supply chain disruptions are highlighting an uncomfortable truth: you should never put all your eggs in one basket. A nationwide customer base offers little insulation against national or global shortages.Leaders are realizing that international revenue is no longer an optional initiative. Rather, it's a crucial aspect of modern business resilience strategies.While international trade's interconnectedness carries unique risks, it also presents opportunities. Expansions that once required large teams and larger investments are now achievable without adding staff.In a trade environment defined by constant change, traditional diversification isn't always enough. Multinational diversity is increasingly important for lasting resilience, and, with the right tools, it's more manageable than ever.Key TakeawaysRevenue concentration is risky.More consumers are shopping internationally.AI is lightening the workload associated with global expansion.Geographic diversification strengthens business resilience.Expanding into a few key markets is a cost-effective way to balance your geographic revenue.The Risks of Revenue Concentration in Domestic-Only CommerceWhen most or all revenue comes from one country, your business is highly sensitive to that country's economy, consumer trends, regulatory changes, and political developments.This works fine when everything is running smoothly, but it leaves your earnings exposed whenever events take a turn for the worse. A market downturn, new tariff levy, or consumer confidence shift will have a sharp impact on your overall performance.Recent years have provided numerous examples:Tariff volatility and supply chain disruptions have fueled inflation for both consumers and businesses, prompting a shift in inventory management strategies.Inflationary pressures have decreased consumer spending across many markets, including apparel, furniture, and luxury items.Regulatory changes, including phased-out de minimis thresholds, have made importing low- to mid-cost goods more expensive.While companies have traditionally focused on diversification across marketplaces, partnerships, advertising, and their immediate geographic region, these strategies alone are becoming less sufficient for a growing number of businesses. Among Passport cross-border merchants, brands generating revenue from multiple countries have generally recovered more quickly from regional disruptions than those concentrated in a single market, highlighting the value of geographic revenue diversification.The difference comes down to exposure. While no business is immune to economic or geopolitical uncertainty, expanding into multiple markets helps distribute risk rather than concentrating it in a single economy. Passport If every channel depends on the same regional economy, brands remain vulnerable to region-wide disruptions. A modern business resilience strategy should include multinational diversification. Serving customers across multiple regions reduces your dependence on any one market, creating a broad revenue base able to withstand widespread economic downturns.The Rise of Global ConsumersPart of what makes internationalization so valuable in modern commerce is that consumers are increasingly shopping on a world stage. Buying goods across borders is no longer a foreign concept.Consumers increasingly discover brands through social media, creator content, online forums, and digital advertising.Geography is less restrictive in the discovery process; the only question is where to target.This shift is visible in purchasing data. According to global ecommerce research, 59% of shoppers purchase from retailers outside their home country, demonstrating how comfortable consumers have become with cross-border shopping.The continued growth of global e-commerce is an open door for brands willing to think beyond domestic markets.Consumers are actively seeking products from around the world, often prioritizing quality, convenience, and uniqueness over geographic proximity.For many brands, the question is no longer whether global demand is within reach, but whether they are equipped to capture it.As global consumer spending continues shifting toward international e-commerce, brands that remain focused solely on domestic markets risk overlooking meaningful opportunities for diversification.AI Is Making Global Expansion EasierHistorically, international expansion required substantial investments in personnel, consultants, and infrastructure. AI has largely rewritten that equation.Pursuing international revenue involves a lot of busywork: market research, risk management, compliance measures, and other repetitive steps that AI thrives at.Translating your website into a different language, for example, used to be an enormous task that required expert assistance (or worse, sloppy transcriptions from Google Translate). Now, localization tools can make these adaptations accurately and instantly.Beyond your website, AI is a cost-effective support for every stage of your expansion—from product classification to marketing and customer support.Leveraging tech isn't just about cutting costs; it can reduce the complexity of international trade enough for small businesses to access the global market.With the right applications, AI can streamline the tasks that used to make cross-border expansion overwhelming.Other relevant uses include:Monitoring market indicatorsIdentifying emerging trendsEvaluating supply chainsSupporting scenario planningTracking regulatory developmentsImprove forecasting accuracyOptimizing inventory and fulfillmentThese capabilities lower the operational costs and effort associated with entering new markets, vastly improving geographic scalability.If you've previously avoided international expansion for its associated challenges, AI is reducing many of the barriers that historically made it expensive and complex.International Expansion: An E-commerce-Enabled Resilience StrategyBusiness resilience is an ongoing process, not a one-off policy.The simplest model of resilience strategy contains three steps:Awareness: Anticipating changes before they occur (e.g., contingency planning, financial modeling, risk analysis, etc.).Adaptation: Determining the best course of action for the present risk (e.g., redistributing inventory, switching fulfillment models, updating prices/rates).Action: Implementing your adaptation while minimizing operational disruption.Research on post-crisis growth strategies has highlighted how diversification and adaptability contribute to organizational resilience.Businesses that survive crises commonly:Pursue growth during the crisis—whether through marketing, expansion, or adaptation. This sounds risky, but slowing down presents its own risks.Embrace new technology to improve their flexibility, overcome barriers, and offset losses.Promote a culture of continuous learning. Businesses that stay the same in times of change are less likely to endure.Since digital marketplaces and AI are redefining retail commerce, forward-looking executives are taking the opportunity to internationalize their businesses.Rather than treating global growth as an optional initiative, they're integrating cross-border growth into broader risk management and resilience planning.Signs Your Brand Is Ready to Expand InternationallyInternational demand often appears before brands actively pursue global growth. If you're seeing several of these signals, it may be time to invest in new markets.Growing international website trafficHigh international cart abandonment ratesOrganic orders from overseasCustomer support inquiries from international shoppersStrong demand in global marketplacesDistributor or wholesale inquiries from other countriesHigh repeat purchase rates from international customersThe goal is not necessarily to operate in dozens of countries. In many cases, resilience can be achieved through a small number of carefully selected international markets that complement existing customer segments and product strategies.When revenue streams are distributed across several regions, platforms, and marketplaces, businesses gain greater flexibility in where and how they allocate resources. This dynamic allows companies to remain sustainable during global crises.Geographic diversification also works synergistically with other resilience-building efforts, including supply chain optimization, global revenue stability, and broadening brand recognition.Combined, these benefits build a stronger foundation that can outlast global downturns.Business Resilience in a Globalized EconomyThe brands that win over the next decade may not be those that corner a single market, but the ones that build revenue streams across continents.As economic uncertainty and technological advancement continue to reshape commerce, international revenue is an increasingly important component of business resilience strategies.While the complexity of international trade remains significant, AI and other advanced logistical resources are lowering barriers that once put global expansion out of reach for small- and medium-sized businesses.Frequently Asked Questions about Business Resilience in E-commerceHere are answers to questions on building resilience in the modern era.What is business resilience?Business resilience is a for-profit organization's ability to adapt to disruptions, manage risk, and operate effectively during periods of uncertainty or change.What are the components of a robust business resilience strategy?A good resilience strategy typically includes revenue diversification, operational flexibility, supply chain analysis, inventory allocation, and risk management.How does international revenue build business resilience?International revenue reduces your dependence on any one market. By generating sales across multiple regions, businesses can better withstand economic slowdowns, regulatory changes, or regional shifts in consumer demand.Besides international expansion, how else can I make my business more resilient?Other ways to improve resilience include diversifying products and sales channels, strengthening customer retention, improving supply chain visibility, maintaining operational flexibility, and investing in technology that supports productivity.Why is geographic diversification important for e-commerce brands?Geographic diversification helps reduce dependence on a single market by spreading revenue across multiple regions. This can make businesses more resilient to economic downturns, regulatory changes, shifting consumer demand, and other market-specific disruptions.How many international markets should a business expand into first?There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but businesses don't need to expand everywhere at once. Many successful brands begin with one or a few high-potential markets that align with existing customer demand, fulfillment capabilities, and long-term growth goals before expanding further.This story was produced by Passport and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What businesses can do to reduce ERP system friction What businesses can do to reduce ERP system frictionYour enterprise resource planning system holds essential business data, including financial records, inventory levels, customer information and operational metrics.Despite its importance, your ERP can cause more friction than flow. For example, complex interfaces force users to find workarounds. Likewise, custom modifications can streamline projects, but they often come with high costs and long timelines.When an ERP doesn’t centralize data, teams can struggle to communicate effectively. Roughly 70% of organizations report data silos in more than half of their business.The solution may not be replacing your ERP, but instead extending it. As this guide from Winfosoft explains, Microsoft’s Power Platform lets you build custom applications, automate workflows and visualize data without the cost and disruption of a full replacement. These low-code tools connect directly to your existing ERP, empowering your teams to work smarter.Why Extend Your ERP Instead of Replacing It?Modernizing your business systems doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Here’s why a targeted ERP extension that preserves your existing technology may make more sense than a full replacement.Delivers value quickly: Traditional ERP rollouts often take 12 to 18 months before users see meaningful benefits. By using low-code tools, your team can solve specific, high-priority problems in weeks rather than years. This approach connects your systems, directly addressing data silos.Prevents high replacement costs: A “rip-and-replace” project is a massive undertaking for any organization. On average, ERP implementation costs about $150,000 for a midsized company, but it can run into the millions. ERP extension offers a more cost-effective path that builds on what you have rather than starting from scratch.Empowers teams without complex training: You can design simple, intuitive interfaces tailored to specific tasks, such as field data entry or expense submission. With custom applications, non-financial users can interact with ERP data without needing a full ERP license or extensive training.What Is the Microsoft Power Platform?Microsoft Power Platform is a suite of low-code tools for analyzing data, building solutions and automating processes. It connects seamlessly to Microsoft Dynamics 365 and other systems, enabling you to add new capabilities without disrupting your core operations.The platform consists of three primary components that transform how your teams interact with business data.1. Build Custom Low-Code ApplicationsERP Power Apps allow teams to build custom applications with minimal coding experience. These applications provide a simple, user-friendly front end for complex ERP processes. Power Apps make it easier for employees across departments to access and update critical information.For developers looking to accelerate their work, Microsoft offers many resources to improve the user experience. For example, the Creator Kit streamlines app development with prebuilt components and design patterns.2. Automate Repetitive WorkflowsPower Automate connects different applications and services to simplify workflows across your organization. This capability removes manual work from your employees’ plates. For instance, your team can automate multilevel approvals, synchronize data across systems and send automatic notifications that keep stakeholders informed.3. Secure Real-Time Data InsightsPower BI is a business analytics tool that provides interactive visualizations. It connects directly to your ERP data with real-time dashboards and simple, user-friendly reports, giving your leaders the operational intelligence they need to make informed decisions.4 Practical Examples of ERP Extension in Action Winfosoft Power Platform business applications bring value in practical, real-world scenarios. Leading national companies like T-Mobile have successfully deployed these tools to improve their processes and customer interactions.1. Automate Invoice Processing and ApprovalsMany finance teams rely on labor-intensive invoice workflows. They receive invoices via email, print them, manually key them into the ERP and physically route them for approval. This process can take days and introduce errors at multiple points.Power Platform ERP extension transforms this process. A Power Automate flow monitors an inbox, uses AI to extract invoice data, creates a draft record and routes an approval request via Microsoft Teams or email.SLB, a global technology company, used Power Apps to streamline project life cycle management. With AI-powered discovery, SLB helped users quickly identify similar projects for consolidation.2. Mobilize Your Field and Warehouse TeamsTeams often struggle with outdated data entry methods. For example, field technicians may use disconnected spreadsheets that need manual reentry back at the office.Microsoft Power Apps ERP solutions allow for real-time, on-the-go data capture. Warehouse employees can use a simple Power App on a tablet for inventory counts. Similarly, field technicians can use a mobile Power App to enter service data, capture photos and get customer approval.For example, the Singapore Civil Defence Force developed an Interactive Troubleshooting App to support field efficiency. This application helps officers perform self-help vehicle maintenance through step-by-step guides, improving resolution times and operational readiness.3. Simplify Customer and Order IntakeSales teams often use emails or spreadsheets to record complex orders or customer information. The back-office team must then manually reenter and validate this data, causing errors and delays that affect customer satisfaction.A guided Power App supports data quality at the source. These applications have built-in business rules and can validate sales information before your team submits it to the ERP.Concentrix turned its time-consuming manual invoice process into an efficient, fully automated solution. Their team achieved 96% extraction accuracy with Power Automate, Power Apps and AI Builder.4. Streamline Employee Onboarding and RequestsHR departments manage several manual processes for new hire setups and employee requests. These often involve filling out PDFs and emailing different departments, with no visibility into completion status.Power Platform Dynamics 365 integration streamlines these workflows. An employee will submit a request through a single Power App, and it will simultaneously route tasks to the IT, HR and finance teams. Then, your team can automatically complete and track all necessary steps.For instance, Epiq’s Launchpad initiative seamlessly integrated with existing systems. Their team effectively eliminated manual tasks, reduced onboarding time and enabled rapid scaling for short-term projects.A Framework for Successful ImplementationWhile ERP tools are powerful, a strategic approach is essential for success. These principles ensure your investment delivers measurable returns.Start with a strategic business problem: Identify a high-impact challenge to solve, rather than building an application for the sake of doing so. Focus on processes that consume significant time, create bottlenecks or cause frequent errors.Define your success metrics: Secure buy-in from all relevant departments before development begins. Define what a win looks like in measurable terms. That could be reducing invoice processing time by 50% or eliminating manual data reentry. Clear metrics support accountability and long-term value.Choose a reliable implementation partner: Experience is vital for avoiding pitfalls. A trustworthy partner brings technical expertise and a proven process to ensure your project delivers real business value. They must understand how to integrate Power Platform with your specific ERP environment and guide you through transitional challenges.This story was produced by Winfosoft and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Grant applications open for Quad-Cities organizations looking to perform at Adler Theatre The grant application deadline is Monday, Aug. 31, at 5 p.m..
	Davenport district tours new $55M smart middle school ahead of upcoming school year Davenport school district leaders hosted a tour of the new smart middle school built to make students feel both comfortable and safe.
	Forecast: US job market poised for improvement in Q3, especially for certain experienced workers Forecast: US job market poised for improvement in Q3, especially for certain experienced workersThe US job market is showing signs of stabilization after several years of uneven hiring and uncertainty, according to a new Q3 job forecast. Published in a job market report from professional services company Toptal, the forecast projects conditions for several key areas of the U.S. labor market: all nonfarm job openings, professional services job openings, and information services (i.e., technology) job openings.Because the company’s talent network of 30,000 professionals is fully distributed and focused on experienced workers, the report also includes a dedicated forecast for this segment of workers.All U.S. jobs: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows that overall job growth has declined at an average rate of 3.5% per quarter over the past several years. Toptal’s model suggests that trend will reverse in Q3, with the market showing slightly positive job growth.Professional services jobs: Job growth in professional services sectors like accounting, legal services, and marketing has also been declining by an average of 4% per quarter across the same time period, according to BLS data. The forecast suggests that the decline will level off during Q3, leaving job growth essentially flat.Information services (technology) jobs: Technology job growth has declined at an average rate of 5.5% per quarter in recent years, according to BLS data. The forecast suggests a notable shift from that pattern of contraction for Q3, projecting moderately positive job growth.Experienced remote and hybrid professional services and technology jobs: The BLS doesn’t track this segment of the market, so historical trend data for this group comes from the labor analytics firm Lightcast. That data shows that job growth for distributed professionals with five or more years of experience has increased by an average of 3.2% per quarter over the past several years. According to the forecast, that pace is expected to accelerate in Q3, with job growth rising more than the historical average.Several factors may be contributing to the improving outlook. The report points to easing energy prices, relative resilience in the U.S economy, and the release of pent-up hiring demand after a period of elevated uncertainty. Toptal In technology, employers are also gaining a more practical understanding of where AI delivers value and where human expertise remains essential, leading to renewed hiring as organizations refine their workforce strategies.The Model Behind the ForecastToptal’s predictive model draws on 16 years of remote and hybrid job posting data from Lightcast, alongside several macroeconomic indicators that have historically tracked labor market performance.One of those indicators is the U-6 unemployment rate, which captures both unemployed and underemployed workers. Unlike the more widely cited U-3 unemployment rate, the U-6 includes people working part-time for economic reasons and those who have stopped actively searching for employment but still want work, providing a broader measure of labor market conditions.The model also incorporates high-yield credit spreads, hiring rates, and inflation-adjusted GDP. Together, these indicators help capture shifts in business confidence, employer hiring behavior, and overall economic activity.The resulting projections are then compared against several years of Toptal’s own client demand for experienced remote and hybrid professionals. According to the report, distributed hiring often serves as an early signal of broader labor market movements, because companies frequently use remote talent to address immediate needs or launch new initiatives before expanding to permanent hiring.The report cautions that the projections should be viewed as directional rather than definitive. Although the model accounts for historical labor market relationships and current economic conditions, the U.S. job market remains uncertain, and hiring outcomes will continue to be influenced by factors not captured in the analysis. It also notes that while remote and hybrid hiring patterns have shown a strong correlation with broader market movements, additional research is needed to better understand the relationship between those trends.MethodologyThe forecast uses an ordered logistic regression model, which takes a set of input variables and uses historical data to estimate the relationship between those inputs and a particular outcome. The model’s directional projections are then compared against Toptal’s own client demand data for remote and hybrid professionals, providing a cross-check between modeled signals and observed market activity. Inputs include 16 years of remote and hybrid job posting data from Lightcast, the U-6 unemployment rate, high-yield credit spreads, hiring rates, and inflation-adjusted GDP.This story was produced by Toptal and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	5 cybersecurity regulations healthcare organizations can't afford to overlook in 2026 5 cybersecurity regulations healthcare organizations can't afford to overlook in 2026As AI and automation increasingly become embedded into healthcare operations, securing these technologies becomes critical, especially for organizations managing protected health information (PHI), which are frequent targets for cybersecurity threats such as data breaches and unauthorized access.‍To safeguard this sensitive data, regulatory agencies like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enforce strict cybersecurity and privacy regulations under HIPAA. On the other hand, standards bodies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provide comprehensive cybersecurity frameworks and best practices widely adopted in healthcare and other regulated industries.‍A common dilemma organizations face is knowing which regulations and industry standards to prioritize. Since there are several that may apply, you'll typically need to consider factors like business size, data classifications and related processing activities, and the maturity of your security program.‍Vanta, an agentic trust platform, examines five widely adopted cybersecurity frameworks in the healthcare space and helps you identify which are worth investing in.Key cybersecurity frameworks and regulations in healthcareWhile the compliance landscape has many options, the following five stand out as industry-leading frameworks that have shaped the data protection standards in healthcare:NIST CSFHIPAAHITECHHITRUSTISO/IEC 270011. NIST CSFThe NIST cybersecurity framework (NIST CSF) is designed to help organizations adopt a structured approach to assessing and managing cybersecurity risks. It provides comprehensive guidance with enough flexibility to integrate with security processes across industries.NIST CSF is considered a strong industry standard for cybersecurity, with compliance being crucial for U.S. public sector engagements. Additionally, many healthcare organizations adopt NIST CSF voluntarily to build robust security foundations and facilitate compliance with other regulations like HIPAA, sharing common requirements in areas like risk management, incident response, and staff training.2. HIPAAThe Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the foundational law for protecting PHI in the U.S. healthcare system. This federal data privacy and security regulation establishes national standards for protecting PHI using comprehensive physical, technical, and administrative safeguards, specifically outlined for electronic PHI (ePHI).‍HIPAA applies to covered entities, including healthcare providers, healthcare clearinghouses, and health plans, as well as business associates, which include organizations such as service providers that handle PHI on behalf of covered entities. Compliance with HIPAA is mandatory for all in-scope entities—noncompliance can result in severe financial penalties or legal escalations, depending on the severity and the intent of the violation.Since its introduction in 1996, HIPAA has evolved through additional standards, called "rules." Although each rule is significant, the Security Rule, Privacy Rule, and Breach Notification Rule serve as the foundational pillars outlining essential data protection and reporting requirements. In January 2025, HHS proposed the first major update to the Security Rule in over a decade, including requirements for mandatory ePHI encryption and multi-factor authentication. Key requirements include:Implementing robust access control policiesConducting risk analysis and establishing a formal risk-management processDeveloping data protection proceduresCreating breach notification plans within strict timeframesDefining the content of business associate agreements (BAAs)‍Organizations have flexibility in determining how to implement HIPAA's “addressable” safeguards based on their specific data protection needs, though all "required" safeguards are compliance requirements that must be fully implemented. Many of these requirements overlap with other data protection frameworks such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and HITRUST.3. HITECHThe Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, with two primary goals:‍Incentivizing the Meaningful Use of electronic health records (EHRs) among Medicare and Medicaid-eligible healthcare providersStrengthening HIPAA’s Security and Privacy Rules‍HITECH’s privacy, security, and breach notification provisions are mandatory for all HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates.Although HIPAA and HITECH are technically separate regulations, HITECH introduced provisions that enhance HIPAA compliance, strengthen criminal and civil enforcement, and expand the scope of the Security Rule to include business associates.HITECH also established the Breach Notification Rule, now a core component of HIPAA compliance.‍Key requirements under HITECH include:Business associate accountability: Covered entities must sign BAAs with their business associates, which outline their responsibilities for protecting PHI and hold them liable for breaches. HITECH established direct liability for business associates and mandated that BAAs explicitly reflect these responsibilitiesRestrictions on PHI disclosures: Organizations must adhere to stricter guidelines for disclosing PHI related to marketing and fundraisingBesides HIPAA, HITECH requirements are also closely related to HITRUST.4. HITRUSTReleased in 2007, the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) is a standard designed to help organizations strengthen their security posture as well as meet the requirements of other frameworks through a single, certifiable program.Achieving HITRUST certification isn’t mandatory, but many organizations in high-risk, regulated environments pursue it to streamline compliance with mandatory regulations. It was initially designed for the healthcare sector and has since evolved to support other sectors, such as finance and technology.One of HITRUST’s biggest benefits in healthcare is its prescriptive approach. While HIPAA broadly outlines what must be done, it doesn’t clarify how to do it. HITRUST addresses this gap with clear recommendations on how to meet expectations.The framework’s control set is organized into 19 domains, including common ones such as:Risk ManagementAccess ControlCryptographic ControlsAudit and AccountabilityIncident Response and Management‍HITRUST shares a significant overlap with SOC 2 and ISO 27001, and draws inspiration from other industry-leading frameworks such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS.5. ISO/IEC 27001ISO 27001 is a global cybersecurity standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The framework guides organizations through creating and maintaining an information security management system (ISMS) to protect sensitive data and IT assets.‍A key benefit of ISO 27001 for healthcare organizations is its risk-based approach, which helps prioritize and implement strong security measures such as access controls, data encryption, and clear handling procedures that are also especially important for managing PHI.While not mandatory, compliance with ISO 27001 is considered an industry best practice. Achieving certification signals dedication to data security, potentially boosting stakeholder confidence and leading to better patient outcomes.‍ISO 27001 overlaps with other well-known security standards, most notably SOC 2 and NIST CSF.ISO 27001 compliance can also help address certain GDPR requirements, which can be highly relevant for healthcare organizations that provide care to EU citizens or residents. Under GDPR, patient information is considered personal data if it can be used to identify the EU data subject or individual. This means its security and privacy provisions apply, such as:Lawfulness, fairness, and transparency: ensuring data processing is ethical, legal, and clearly communicatedPurpose limitation: collecting data only for specific, explicit purposesData minimization: limiting data collection to what is necessaryIntegrity and confidentiality: implementing appropriate security measures to protect dataData subject rights: embedding rights such as access, rectification, erasure, and portability into daily operationsBreach notification: creating data breach reporting procedures to detect, report, and investigate personal data breaches within required timelinesMany GDPR requirements include industry-standard data protection practices, so there is overlap with frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2.Which frameworks and regulations should you pursue?Implementing any compliance framework requires significant time and resources, making it near impossible to pursue every framework or regulation. Instead, organizations may consider evaluating their needs and strategic goals to find the most effective combination. Evaluating the best compliance management software for your organization can help streamline multi-framework adoption.“One of the most critical factors organizations should consider when determining which frameworks to pursue is the sensitivity of their data and the associated risk; the type of data your organization manages should directly inform compliance objectives. For example, organizations handling Protected Health Information (PHI) should prioritize compliance with regulatory frameworks like HIPAA,” Faisal Khan, GRC solutions expert at Vanta, said.Here’s a brief overview of the frameworks discussed so far—presented in a table to help you make a comparison:‍ Vanta ‍*Note: Mandatory frameworks and regulations only apply if you fall within the scope.Essential compliance practices for healthcare organizationsRegardless of the frameworks you pursue, achieving compliance in the healthcare space takes considerable effort and resources. You can streamline the process by adopting the following practices:Provide regular workforce training: Workforce training is a critical part of securing sensitive patient information. Conduct frequent sessions focusing on breach outcomes to help your teams understand how to secure PHI and what happens if it’s compromised.Collect documentation and evidence: Maintaining detailed documentation of workforce training, internal audits, incident responses, and audit logs related to PHI access is essential for HIPAA compliance. Comprehensive records facilitate external audits, demonstrate compliance efforts, and support ongoing risk management.Establish continuous monitoring: Implementing ongoing monitoring is essential to ensure that you quickly detect and react to security and compliance failures. Real-time insights can help you realign your procedures and controls to compliance requirements faster.Leverage automation: Compliance in healthcare requires repetitive workflows, such as monitoring access and tracking staff training. HIPAA compliance software can help perform these tasks, reducing manual efforts and speeding up compliance.Cross-mapping control evidence: Many healthcare-relevant frameworks share overlapping requirements for data privacy and security. Cross-mapping your evidence across different framework requirements with leading GRC software helps you reuse the common ones and minimize duplicate workflows.Navigating healthcare compliance in a multi-framework landscapeNo single framework covers every aspect of healthcare data protection, but the overlap between them works in an organization's favor. HIPAA and HITECH establish the regulatory baseline, NIST CSF and ISO 27001 provide structured approaches to managing risk, and HITRUST bridges the gap between broad requirements and specific implementation guidance. Organizations that map their compliance efforts across these frameworks—rather than treating each as a separate initiative—can reduce duplicated work while building a stronger, more resilient security posture. The key is choosing the combination that matches your data sensitivity, operational scope, and the regulatory expectations your stakeholders demand.This story was produced by Vanta and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Better Health Foundation hosting online session on grants Nonprofit organizations in the QCA are invited to join the Better Health Foundation for a virtual information session on Wednesday, August 12 from 11 – 11:45 a.m., to learn more about fall grant opportunities. The Better Health Foundation will award Capacity Building and Service Strengthening grants in ranging between $10,000 - $100,000 for programs and [...]
	International Clown Week: International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center August 1-7 is International Clown Week! From the circus to vaudeville and the silver screen to TV screens, we're celebrating clowns and clown characters as they entertain and make people laugh. Our Quad Cities News takes a look back as we visited the International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center and executive director Greg [...]
	QC Black Authors Forum, book fair will be part of Bill Bell Jazz, Heritage Festival Now in its fifth year, the Quad Cities Black Authors' Collective will present the QC Black Authors Forum and Book Fair on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21 and 22, at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 630 9th St., Rock Island, a news release says. The weekend events are also a part of the Bill [...]
	Record heat and dewpoints recorded across Iowa July ended with hot temperatures and record high dew point temperatures, according to a weekly weather report from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
	Iowa Pork Producers to hand out 1,776 pork chops for America 250 The Iowa Pork Producers Association will distribute 1,776 free pork chops on Sunday, Aug. 16, in Des Moines to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.
	Lahn clarifies position on privatized Medicaid, defends attack ad against Sand Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn defended his Medicaid stance Saturday at the Hancock County Fair in Britt, expressing a need to continue Gov. Kim Reynolds’ healthcare policy.
	Don’t take your car battery for granted this summer and beyond (BPT) - Nearly one in four vehicles on the road today needs a new battery — most without warning signs of upcoming failure.Extreme summer heat can quietly weaken your car's battery long before you notice any issues, putting today's vehicles at increasing risk. And the 12-volt battery in every vehicle, full electric, gas and hybrid, meets more power demands than ever before.Many drivers associate cold temperatures with dead batteries, but summer heat has a large impact on battery health. Hot temperatures can cause internal battery components to break down, shortening the battery life, according to experts at Clarios, the Wisconsin-based maker of one out of every three car batteries worldwide.Today's vehicles are essentially rolling advanced computers, which rely on the 12-volt battery to power them. Two decades ago, a luxury vehicle might have a simple computer system, power windows and a few electronic modules. Nowadays, most vehicles have more than 50 electronic control units to run large infotainment screens, advanced driver assist technologies and multiple cameras.All this computing power makes the summer heat even harsher on a car battery.To help drivers keep up with the growing demands on today's vehicles, Clarios battery experts offer four simple tips to avoid heat-related battery issues:PARK SMART: Park in the shade to reduce heat exposureCHECK SECURITY: Ensure your battery is securely mountedWATCH FOR DAMAGE: Inspect for bloating or leakageCHOOSE THE RIGHT BATTERY: Consider whether your battery is designed to handle higher temperatures and increasing electrical demands. Options such as AGM batteries are well-suited for more demanding conditionsAn AGM ("Absorbent Glass Mat") battery holds electrolytes in glass mats. In traditional "flooded" batteries (EFB) the electrolytes move around freely in a casing, while AGM technology is spill-proof and maintenance-free. This design can offer advantages as vehicles place higher demands on battery performance, particularly in more extreme conditions such as heat, and are ideal for vehicles with higher electrical demands, frequent short trips or idling, harsh environments and start-stop technology.Battery maintenance tips As vehicles integrate more electronic features and power-hungry functions, the role of the 12-volt battery continues to expand. The requirements for a traditional car battery have evolved beyond starting the vehicle to support safety critical and convenience features including advanced driver assistance systems. The low-voltage battery provides reliable and dependable power, protecting against failures that could put occupants at risk.Clarios experts recommend not running accessories with the engine off and avoiding short trips whenever possible. Additionally, drivers need to heed dashboard warning signs. Yet even without obvious signs of battery degradation, vehicle owners should seek a professional battery test if their battery is more than three years old. One easy thing to do is make sure you mark your calendar when you get a new battery.Selecting the right battery and proper maintenance can make for a summer of fun without worrying about diminished vehicle performance or worse, a dead battery somewhere down the road.For more battery tips and informative videos, visit AutoBatteries.com.
	Barkitecture: 12 dog-friendly landscaping ideas for your backyard Barkitecture: 12 dog-friendly landscaping ideas for your backyardCreating a dog-friendly backyard doesn't mean sacrificing a beautiful landscape. With the right design choices, you can protect your lawn and plants while giving your dog a safe, engaging space to run, sniff, dig, and relax.That approach now has a name: Barkitecture, the growing trend of designing outdoor spaces around how dogs naturally use them. Lawn Love put together 12 dog-friendly landscaping ideas to help you pull it off.Key Takeaways:Barkitecture means designing your yard around how your dog actually uses it (running, digging, sniffing, cooling off) so it protects your lawn and gives your dog safe ways to play.Barkitecture’s defining features include zoomie tracks, sniff gardens, and digging pits.What is barkitecture (and why it's trending in 2026)Barkitecture started as a playful term for stylish doghouses, but today it refers to designing an entire backyard around your dog's needs. That means choosing pet-safe plants, shady places to rest, and spaces where your dog can naturally run, sniff, dig, and play.It's also becoming a bigger focus for homeowners. Americans are expected to spend more than $165 billion on their pets in 2026, according to the American Pet Products Association, and the TurfMutt Foundation has named barkitecture one of the year's top backyard trends, predicting that pet-friendly design will become a primary consideration in outdoor spaces.The idea is simple: Instead of trying to stop your dog's natural behaviors, design your landscape to work with them.“Every dog is unique, from the breed habits down to the individual. So when you’re thinking about your space, think of how you and your dog want to use it,” says Jamie Viebach, horticulture educator at the University of Illinois Extension.“Some dogs need lots of space to chase a ball or disc, while others want to lounge in the shade.”Designing with your own dog's habits in mind is one of the core ideas behind barkitecture.Here's how to incorporate barkitecture into your backyard.12 dog-friendly landscaping ideas Jeff Herman // Lawn Love 1. Add a splash pad or doggy poolSummers are extra hot under a fur coat. A shallow splash pad or recirculating water feature lets your dog cool off after a game of fetch. On a budget, a low-cost hard-plastic kiddie pool works. Skip the inflatable kind, which won't survive Spot's claws.That said, this is one of those backyard upgrades where you really need to know your dog. Some dogs hate anything related to water, so a splash pad or doggy pool would be a waste of time, money, and yard space. But for water-loving dogs, it can be one of the easiest ways to make summer playtime more comfortable.Set your splash pad or doggy pool a few inches into the ground for stability, and change the water often to prevent bacteria. For a polished look, a shallow pond of smooth (not jagged) stone creates a stylish landscaping feature.2. Plant a sniff and sensory gardenDogs experience the world through scent, and a dedicated "sniff station" of dog-safe herbs gives your dog the same mental enrichment as a walk. To build a sensory garden for dogs, fill a raised bed or border with dog-safe herbs and flowers that invite exploration.“Some pet-safe annuals include celosia, snapdragons, hollyhocks, marigolds, petunias, and nasturtiums,” Viebach says. She also recommends pollinator-friendly flowers such as violets, coneflowers, sunflowers, coreopsis, bee balm, black-eyed Susans, and liatris.“Roses are also safe from a toxicity standpoint, but the thorns are a consideration, and you may want to avoid them for that,” she says.Henry Rouhana of Sure-Fix Remodeling in Easton, Pennsylvania, says sniff gardens can provide valuable mental enrichment because the variety of scents keeps dogs engaged."One Easton project turned a plain lawn into a sensory path with layered plants that the owners said reduced indoor restlessness," he says.3. Build a digging pitIf your dog digs, it will dig somewhere — so give it an approved spot in your yard. A designated digging pit saves your landscaping beds and your lawn. Here's how to build one:Dig a pit 8-12 inches deep, large enough for your dog to lie down in.Line it with a thin layer of fast-setting concrete, poking a few drainage holes in the bottom; let it dry.Fill with playground sand (Lowe's or Home Depot).Keep your digging pit slightly damp in summer — dogs dig to find a cool place to lie down, and a damp pit beats your flower bed. Bury a toy or two to encourage use.Rouhana has found that designated digging pits work best when they're incorporated into the overall yard layout."In another remodel, I guided the owners to place (the digging pit) near the zoomie track so the dog naturally shifted focus without damaging the rest of the yard," he says.4. Create a zoomie trackMany dogs naturally follow the same route around the yard, wearing down the grass into “dog paths.” They also tend to take the shortest, most direct route. So if the easiest way from the porch to the fence cuts straight across your lawn, that’s probably where they’ll go every time.Instead of fighting it, design the path on purpose — a deliberate perimeter loop of pavers, pea gravel, or cedar mulch. It channels the zoomies, protects your plantings, and looks intentional.Tip: Light-colored stones stay cooler underfoot than dark ones, so they're easier on paws on a hot afternoon.5. Install a dog windowIf you have a solid wood or vinyl fence, a dog window — a small panel of clear, shatter-resistant plastic — lets your dog watch the world while staying safely inside. A more entertained dog is usually a less destructive one.Build and install your own, or have a contractor do it. Either way, test that the panel is solid enough that Fido can't push through.6. Create a designated dog zoneIf your dog spends hours outdoors, consider giving your pup a dedicated area of the yard. Fencing off one section helps protect the rest of your landscape while giving your dog a space to run, play, and relax.Include fresh water, shade, comfortable ground cover, and a few favorite toys. A designated dog zone can also be a great place for a digging pit, agility equipment, or a splash pad. Jeff Herman // Lawn Love 7. Build your own dog agility courseIf your pup loves the agility course at the dog park, build a backyard version. Keep an active dog busy (and out of the garden) with jumps from PVC pipe, balance beams and ramps from a few 2x4s, and an inexpensive tunnel ($30–$40 online).Better yet, these features can double as attractive landscape elements when incorporated into your backyard design.8. Design for shadeMore shade can mean less digging. Here’s why: Dogs cool by panting and seeking shade, and a dog that digs holes to lie in is often just trying to cool off.Layer your shade by combining tall trees (native species are best for long-term coverage), pergolas or awnings for immediate relief, and a shaded doghouse. For regions with really hot summers (the Southeast and Southwest in particular), design for shade across the whole day, not just one hour.But don’t make your entire yard one big shaded area. Many dogs love having a sunny spot where they can lie down and sunbathe.The goal is to give your dogs options: cool shade when they need relief, and a safe sunny patch when they want to stretch out.9. Use garden barriers and raised bedsProtect your plants from digging, trampling, and urine with low wood, stone, or wire edging around flower beds that will also give your landscape a clean, finished look.Prefer not to put edging around your plants? Raised garden beds lift plants above digging-and-urine-marking height while adding structure to the yard.10. Swap toxic plants for dog-safe onesOne of the most important steps in creating a dog-friendly landscape is choosing plants that are safe for curious pets."Some plants that are commonly found in home landscaping are toxic to dogs," Viebach says. Plants poisonous to dogs include English ivy, sago palm, and hydrangeas.Poisonous plants aren’t the only ones to exclude from your dog-friendly landscaping.“Barberry isn’t toxic, but it’s known to be a favorite hangout for ticks (plus it’s invasive), so you’ll want to avoid planting those,” she says.She recommends keeping tempting but potentially harmful plants, such as ornamental alliums, in areas your dog can't access if they're prone to chewing on vegetation. Remove or fence them off, and replace them with safe, good-looking alternatives.You can use the table below for pet-safe plant swaps: Lawn Love Pro Tip: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website also has information on common plants that are toxic and nontoxic for dogs.11. Choose paw-tough ground coverYour dog can't ruin grass that isn't there. In high-traffic spots, replace grass with durable, low-maintenance ground cover. Some dog-friendly options include:White clover: soft underfoot, drought-tolerant, self-repairing, and less likely than traditional grass to develop urine spots.Creeping thyme: fragrant, low-growing, and well-suited for planting between stepping stones or pavers.Irish moss, Labrador violet, and silver carpet: low-maintenance alternatives for areas that see lighter foot traffic.For mulched flower beds, choose materials that are safe if curious dogs decide to investigate. Viebach recommends undyed arborist wood chips, cedar, or cypress mulch over cocoa mulch, which contains theobromine (the same compound that makes chocolate toxic to dogs).She also advises avoiding rubber mulch, since it isn't beneficial for plants and may pose a hazard if chewed or ingested.12. Reseed with a dog-tough grassCan't part with a real lawn? Reseed your dog's favorite zones with a damage-resistant grass type:Tall fescue develops deep roots and wide blades that withstand heavy traffic well.Zoysiagrass and Bermudagrass, common warm-season grasses, recover quickly from wear and thrive in warm climates.Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are also popular choices for active backyards, especially in cooler regions.FAQsWhat else should I consider when creating a dog-friendly backyard?Beyond choosing pet-safe plants and durable landscaping materials, don't overlook everyday maintenance.“If you compost, you’ll want to make sure it’s secured so dogs and other critters can’t access it,” Viebach says.Moreover, “While you should provide a source of fresh water for dogs if they’re going to spend any time outside in the heat, you should also make sure to remove standing water like empty buckets, children’s toys, wheelbarrows, etc., so that it doesn’t breed ticks (a major vector for heartworm) and other nasties, like Giardia,” she says.Does a pet-friendly yard add home value?It can. Durable fencing, low-maintenance ground cover, and well-designed outdoor space appeal to a broad pool of buyers, not just pet owners.Is rock salt safe for dogs?Not always. Rock salt and ice melt products can irritate your dog's paws and, if licked or ingested, may cause stomach upset or more serious health problems.Viebach recommends using salt sparingly."A standard coffee cup holds enough salt to cover a 10-by-10-foot section of driveway," she says.After the snow melts, sweep up any excess salt and dispose of it in the trash to help protect your pets, plants, and local waterways.Build your barkitecture with your dog in mindA dog-friendly yard with bespoke barkitecture features is easier to plan than to build. The right plants, surfaces, and layout take work (and a little know-how).Not everything on this list works for every dog. Take the dog window, for example. If your dog is reactive, anxious, or easily worked up by people, cars, or other dogs passing by, a fence window may do more harm than good.The whole point of barkitecture is to improve your backyard for your four-legged friend and protect your plants and grass. Use this list as your inspiration.This story was produced by Lawn Love and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Can your home help you feel better? Inside the wellness home trend Can your home help you feel better? Inside the wellness home trendWellness has become a priority for millions of consumers, influencing everything from the products they buy to the way they design their homes. According to McKinsey & Company’s 2025 Future of Wellness survey, Americans spend an estimated $500 billion a year on wellness-related products and services, with 84% of consumers saying wellness is a top priority. And this health-focused mindset is becoming a priority in people’s living spaces.Homeowners still appreciate beautiful finishes and designs, but they also want their surroundings to support their quality of life. The result is the rise of wellness homes, which enhance day-to-day routines with built-in features such as filtered air, circadian lighting and cleaner, fresher-tasting water.The interest in health-focused living spaces extends across North America and beyond. The global wellness real estate market, which includes homes, offices, hotels and other developments, is expected to double over five years from $584 billion in 2024 to $1.1 trillion by 2029.Wellness is no longer just something to plan, like a trip to the spa, but a philosophy woven into day-to-day living. The good news is that a wellness home is more accessible than you think, and doesn't always require major renovations. As Culligan reports, a few thoughtful adjustments to your space can go a long way toward improving comfort, health and peace of mind.Why home wellness matters more than everIt's natural for people to think about how their surroundings and wellness are connected, considering the average American spends roughly 90% of their time indoors, where concentrations of some pollutants can be two to five times higher than outdoors. So much of life happens at home: It’s a place where you eat, drink and sleep, but also work, study, watch movies, exercise and relax.With homes playing an expanded role in people’s lives, many homeowners are looking beyond traditional interior design to focus on healthy, functional spaces. Aesthetics still count, of course. You can create calm, restorative surroundings with natural materials, soothing colors and clean, uncluttered layouts. But people are also installing systems that work behind the scenes to create indoor environments aimed at helping them feel better.What homeowners want in a wellness homeWellness homes are no longer a niche trend, with 73% of homebuyers saying health factors into their property decisions. Those priorities are becoming part of how buyers think about comfort, quality of life and long-term value. Below are some of the features gaining attention.Air purificationWhole-house air purifiers can help reduce airborne particles such as dust, pollen and pet dander. Ventilation and humidity control can also make indoor spaces feel more comfortable.Water filtrationWater filtration systems are the most important home feature for personal wellness, according to 70% of respondents in the 2025 America at Home study. Beyond taste and convenience, filtration offers peace of mind by helping to reduce certain contaminants in tap water.Circadian lightingCircadian lighting adjusts the intensity and color of a home's lighting throughout the day. Brighter daytime light and softer evening light can help the home feel better aligned with daily routines.Nature-inspired spacesMany wellness homes embrace biophilic design, which focuses on integrating natural elements into built environments to help create stronger connections to nature. Natural light, greenery, wood, stone and other organic materials can make rooms feel calmer and more inviting.Sleep optimizationSleep is another major part of the wellness conversation, with consumers saying better sleep is one of their top priorities for well-being, according to the McKinsey Future of Wellness survey. Smart climate controls, blackout window treatments, improved ventilation and quieter bedrooms can create a more comfortable setting for rest.Why water quality is essential to home wellnessWater touches nearly every part of daily life, from drinking and cooking to showering, laundry and cleaning. Because water is used so often, even small improvements in water quality can noticeably improve everyday comfort. That's one reason more homeowners are viewing water treatment as part of a healthier-feeling home, alongside cleaner air and better lighting. Between 2021 and 2025, there was a 35% increase in households using water treatment systems, reports the Water Quality Association. And these solutions have become important to daily routines, with 91% of users saying they planned to continue using them. These can include filtration, which can upgrade the taste of your water along with protecting against potentially harmful impurities, and softening, which prevents excessive mineral content from building up around your home, as well as on hair and skin.Since water quality can vary significantly from one community to another, a professional water test is often the best first step toward understanding what improvements, if any, make sense for your home. Ultimately, the right water treatment depends on how you want your home to support your comfort. Installed filtration can provide treated water on demand and reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles. Pitcher and refrigerator filters may be convenient, but they are limited in the contaminants they can reduce compared to more comprehensive installed systems. Finding the right fit comes down to understanding what’s in your water and how you use it every day.Air, light and sleep as key components of home wellnessA wellness home isn't defined by one feature. Much like water quality, air quality is another fundamental element of a wellness home. Air moves throughout your living space each day as you work, rest, exercise and play. Simple solutions such as air purification, proper ventilation and humidity control can help create a fresher, more balanced environment.Lighting can also influence how energized or relaxed your home feels. Circadian lighting systems gradually shift throughout the day, helping indoor spaces better reflect natural daylight patterns. One study found that nearly half of homes had bright enough evening light to suppress melatonin by 50%, which can affect wakefulness. Swapping out fixed lighting for circadian systems may better support your internal clock.As the day winds down, your bedroom should help you disconnect, instead of stimulating your senses. A darker, quieter and comfortably cool room can make it easier to relax and prepare for a good night's sleep. Design the space to minimize disruptions, whether that means reducing noise, blocking outside light or maintaining a comfortable temperature. The result is a living space that’s not just four walls but rather a complement to how you rest and recover.Creating a wellness home, one step at a timeThe conversation about wellness is expanding from lifestyle choices such as nutrition and fitness to the place you spend the most time: your home. It is influencing how people design living spaces for comfort, calm and everyday well-being.Creating a wellness home doesn't have to happen overnight. Small changes, such as improving water quality, adding air purification, incorporating natural materials or upgrading lighting, can add up over time. The goal isn't perfection but creating a home that supports your health, comfort and everyday routines.This story was produced by Culligan and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	13 new books in August will get you through the dog days of summer This month brings riveting novels about dogs, Hollywood stars, small towns and characters with bigger woes than just the sweltering summer heat and humidity.
	How much does memory care cost? A complete state-by-state guide How much does memory care cost? A complete state-by-state guideThe national average cost of a memory care facility is about $6,999 per month, according to proprietary data from A Place For Mom. Costs vary by state, location, and care needs, but that monthly rate often includes housing, meals, 24-hour supervision, safety features, and specialized dementia care. Some communities charge one all-inclusive fee, while others adjust pricing as care needs change. Understanding these costs can help families plan with greater confidence during a challenging transition.Key TakeawaysThe national average cost of memory care is about $6,999 per month nationally, but prices vary significantly by state, community, and care needs.Memory care typically includes housing, meals, 24-hour supervision, medication management, safety features, and specialized dementia care in the monthly rate.How a community prices memory care matters because some charge one all-inclusive monthly fee while others increase costs as care needs change. Reduce out-of-pocket costs by comparing pricing models, asking about incentives, and exploring Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, or advisor guidance.Monthly memory care costs by stateDepending on the state, the average cost of memory care ranges from about $5,250 to $11,314 per month, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data.Location and cost of living are two of the biggest factors affecting memory care costs. For example, a community located in a large metropolitan area, near a desirable destination, or in an area with a higher cost of living is often more expensive.The table below provides the average monthly cost of memory care in each state. A Place for Mom The most and least expensive states for memory careMemory care costs vary significantly across the U.S. due to factors such as availability and differences in the cost of living. The most expensive state for memory care is Vermont, while the least expensive state is South Dakota.See the 10 most expensive and 10 least expensive states for memory care below. A Place for Mom A Place for Mom What’s included in the price of memory care?While features and amenities vary, the base rate for memory care typically includes:HousingThree nutritious meals a day, plus snacks24-hour care and supervision with a low resident-to-caregiver ratioSafety protocols, including gated entrances, video surveillance, and systems to monitor residents for wanderingEmergency response systems (for medical emergencies)Housekeeping and landscaping services (to reduce resident stress and responsibility)Assistance with bathing, dressing, and other activities of daily livingMedication managementTransportation to medical appointmentsMemory-enhancing therapies and social activitiesAre memory care fees all-inclusive?Most communities that provide only memory care charge an all-inclusive fee. Residents and their families pay one monthly fee for all available services and amenities. Because dementia can be unpredictable, these communities typically allow residents to receive more specialized services as care needs increase without charging more in monthly fees. However, in some communities, a few advanced care services or amenities may cost extra.How does the cost of memory care compare to costs for other types of senior living?According to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data, the national average cost of memory care is about 20% more than assisted living and about twice the average cost of independent living. Compare the average cost of memory care with other types of care below. A Place for Mom Memory care offered within assisted living communitiesSome assisted living communities include dedicated memory care units, which can affect how memory care is priced. These communities often allow residents to age in place, with costs increasing as care needs grow. Within A Place for Mom’s nationwide network, about 14% of communities provide memory care only. Many partner communities offer memory care alongside assisted living and independent living on the same campus.When memory care is provided within communities that offer multiple types of care, it’s common for residents to be charged more as they age and their care needs increase.In such arrangements, the community will charge a base rate for standard amenities and services. Residents will then undergo a care assessment upon admission to determine what other services are needed. The community will perform additional assessments at regular intervals to identify changing needs and ensure the resident’s care plan meets those needs. The total monthly cost equals the base rate plus any add-on services identified during the assessment. For example, common add-on services include:Diabetic injectionsIncontinence careOn-site salon services (haircuts, manicures, and other spa treatments)Pet feesInternet or cable serviceSpecial outingsTips to save on memory care costsTouring multiple communities, asking the right questions, and ensuring your loved one lives in the most appropriate area of a community that offers multiple kinds of care can help reduce costs. That is, paying one fee to live in the memory care unit of a community may be more cost-effective than paying for the same services as add-ons in the assisted living area.Mark Young moved his mom from assisted living into memory care within the same community. He says the transition ended up saving them money. His mom was receiving level 5 care (the highest level) in the assisted living area, resulting in a higher cost. However, in the memory care part of the community, his mom’s care needs were only considered a level 3 (an intermediate level). This move helped Young’s family save almost $1,000 per month while ensuring his mom receives the specialized care she needs.Public programs, such as veterans benefits and Medicaid, can also help lower the out-of-pocket cost of memory care. During his search for his mom’s care, Young learned that many residents use savings and pensions from their working days to fund memory care. Because those funds may be limited for some, he recommends that anyone searching for memory care ask whether communities accept Medicaid. He cautions that you never know when your loved one may exhaust private funds and need it.Expert Tips: How To Save On Memory Care CostsConsider a roommate. For seniors who prefer companionship, splitting the cost of a room with another memory care resident can almost cut the price in half.Move at the right time. Communities often set move-in goals, so check in at the end of a month, quarter, or year for lower prices.Ask for a deal or move-in incentive. Prices can be looked at as a starting point for negotiation. Some communities will let you know of upcoming incentives or offer veteran discounts. They may even work with families who are just shy of affording the asking price.Why is memory care more expensive than other types of care?Several factors make memory care more expensive than independent living or assisted living.Specially trained staffDementia care requires specific skills and ongoing memory caregiver training, says Niki Gewirtz, a training manager at A Place for Mom. Gewirtz has been helping families find the right long-term care setting for more than 20 years.“Staff in memory care communities know how to meet residents where they are and provide exactly what they need. From helping a resident take a shower to helping them feel successful in whatever they do, memory care staff use a person-centered approach to care,” says Gewirtz.Memory caregivers are also trained in redirection techniques and specific communication methods to help manage common dementia behaviors, such as confusion, anxiety, and aggression.Low resident-to-staff ratiosMemory care communities have lower resident-to-staff ratios, says Gewirtz, because people who have dementia often require more attention and support — and more frequently than residents in other settings.“Staff in memory care communities must pay close attention and become very familiar with what each resident needs. That costs more,” explains Gewirtz.As dementia progresses, people tend to need more help with feeding themselves, and incontinence is more common.“More staff are needed in dining rooms and housekeeping,” Gewirtz says.Enhanced memory care facility designMemory care facilities or communities offer a safe and secure environment to help prevent wandering while providing a secure environment. Advanced security systems, locks, unique building layouts, and special design features that reduce confusion and support wayfinding cost more to build.Person-centered care and programmingMemory care activity programs include unique social events and therapies that are highly personalized to accommodate the unique needs of seniors who have dementia. Activity schedules are usually designed to help residents eat, sleep, and exercise better, and they accommodate residents’ capabilities, according to Maureen Bradley, a former executive director of a memory care community, who now works at A Place for Mom.12 questions to ask about memory care costsFamilies can ask the following questions so they can clearly understand what memory care costs are in their area and avoid surprises later on:1. What’s the base monthly price? While the base rate mentioned above will likely apply, specific care charges can change month to month depending on factors like time of year, vacancy, and staff availability.2. What’s included? What’s not? Many communities charge an all-inclusive monthly fee, but some communities set different prices based on care needs. Be sure to clarify the care and services included in the price.3. How much do the various floor plans cost? Most memory care communities have studio or shared room options. Some may offer one- and two-bedroom units for a higher price.4. Does the price increase annually? Memory care prices typically increase 3% to 8% each year. Ask prospective communities about previous rate increases and their policies for communicating these changes to residents.5. Is there a community fee or deposit? Many communities charge a one-time community fee. The national average memory care community fee is $3,000, according to A Place for Mom’s proprietary data. This fee covers the extra services and one-on-one time needed to help a new resident adjust to the community.6. Are there any move-in incentives? Many communities offer discounts, such as:End-of-year rates. Deals are common around the holidays, when fewer people want to move.Rate lock-ins. Some communities may offer to freeze their rate — called a rate lock — for two years or more.Waived community entry fee. This initial payment may be eliminated as an incentive.7. What’s the maximum amount of care offered? Your loved one’s care needs will be evaluated as part of the move-in process. However, care needs may change over time. Knowing the maximum price and care options available can help your family plan accordingly.8. How often are care plans reviewed? If your loved one goes to the hospital, or if their health changes, they may need different services and treatments. A plan outlining required care is important to your loved one’s health, and it can affect the total cost.9. What happens if our family can no longer pay? Is there a grace period if unforeseen financial difficulties arise? Does the community provide any resources? “In most cases, the family and community will monitor financial resources together,” says Lynn Moore, a senior living advisor at A Place For Mom. “If the family is spending down during the look-back period, additional options may be presented. When funds are exhausted, the loved one may need to be relocated to a community that accepts public assistance, like Medicaid.”10. Are there activities and amenities included in the cost? Some communities may offer additional specialized activities in addition to those regularly scheduled on their events calendar. Your family may have to pay extra for services such as golf outings, aqua therapy, or more extensive crafts.11. If your loved one chooses a nonprofit community, is there a foundation that can help if their funds run out? Sometimes, nonprofit communities partner with organizations or foundations that can help long-term residents cover their care costs. Check with a prospective community to see what options may be available.12. Will we need to purchase any specialty items? Ask if there are any items related to your loved one’s care that you’ll need to pay extra for.“Many communities still require you to pay for personal items like incontinence supplies and personal hygiene items,” Moore notes.FAQsCan I negotiate the cost of memory care?Yes, you may be able to negotiate memory care costs in certain circumstances. Some communities will lower the price if the cost is just shy of your budget.How can I be sure my loved one and I understand the total cost of memory care?Ask for a breakdown of the community’s base cost versus fees for additional services and amenities. For example, some memory care facilities may charge an additional fee for community maintenance.Can my siblings or I be held responsible for paying our parents’ memory care costs?No, you typically can’t be held responsible for paying for a parent’s memory care costs. However, if you signed their lease as a guarantor or if you misappropriated their funds, you may be responsible, according to The Chamberlain Law Firm. If you have any concerns, it’s best to talk to an attorney.This story was produced by A Place for Mom and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Children's online privacy looks different this school year, even without COPPA 2.0 Children's online privacy looks different this school year, even without COPPA 2.0American students returning to classrooms this fall are logging into an online environment governed by a children's privacy framework that has changed substantially in the past year, even though Congress has yet to complete its biggest proposed overhaul.Clym reviewed federal legislation, FTC rulemaking, enforcement actions, and education technology data to examine how children’s online privacy protections are changing for the 2026-27 school year.School districts accessed an average of 2,982 distinct educational technology tools during the 2024-25 school year, nearly 9% more than the previous year, according to LearnPlatform by Instructure. That scale helps explain why privacy rules written for an earlier internet are being reconsidered as students move between classroom platforms, apps, games and other digital services.Congress has been debating one answer. On March 5, 2026, the Senate unanimously passed the Children and Teensâ€™ Online Privacy Protection Act, commonly called COPPA 2.0. Sen. Edward Markey's office described it as the most significant proposed update in more than 25 years to the federal privacy framework for young people. But as the 2026-27 school year approaches, the measure still has not become law.COPPA currently stops at age 13The existing Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted in 1998, applies to covered websites and online services that collect personal information from children under 13. COPPA 2.0 would expand federal protections to teenagers ages 13 to 16, creating a broader privacy framework for minors.Among other provisions, the Senate bill would restrict individually targeted advertising using minorsâ€™ personal information and create an "eraser button" that would allow children and teens, or their parents, to request correction or deletion of personal information. The Senate bill text also broadens the federal framework beyond the under-13 threshold that has defined COPPA for decades.The House has not moved at the same pace. Its companion measure, H.R. 6291, was forwarded from an Energy and Commerce subcommittee to the full committee in December 2025, but has not advanced to a House vote. Congressional records show no later committee action on the bill as of July 2026.The rules for children under 13 have already changedCOPPA 2.0's delay does not mean federal children's privacy regulation has stood still. The Federal Trade Commission finalized major amendments to the COPPA Rule in 2025, with most new requirements taking effect in 2026. The FTC's amended rule expanded the definition of personal information to include biometric identifiers and requires covered operators to obtain separate verifiable parental consent before disclosing children's personal information to third parties for targeted advertising and certain other purposes.The updated rule also places tighter limits on how long covered companies can retain children's personal information. Those changes apply to the existing COPPA framework for children under 13, rather than extending the law to teenagers in the way COPPA 2.0 would.Enforcement has continued under current law as well. In December 2025, a federal judge approved an order requiring Disney to pay $10 million to settle FTC allegations that the company allowed personal data to be collected from children viewing child-directed YouTube videos without the parental notice and consent required by the COPPA Rule. The FTC case summary says the settlement also requires Disney to comply with COPPA and establish a program for reviewing whether videos posted to YouTube should be designated as made for kids.Schools sit at the intersection of multiple privacy rulesThe expansion of classroom technology adds another layer because student information can be governed by more than one federal privacy framework.The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, protects the privacy of studentsâ€™ education records at schools and educational agencies covered by the law. The U.S. Department of Education notes that schools may use third-party contractors and online services under certain conditions, including requirements governing the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from education records. Department of Education guidance specifically addresses software, apps, and web-based tools used as part of school activities.COPPA, by contrast, focuses on covered online services that collect personal information from children under 13. The two laws can overlap in school settings, but they regulate different relationships and types of data. That can make privacy responsibilities more complicated when schools introduce outside technology providers into classrooms.The debate is increasingly about teenagers, not just childrenThe central gap COPPA 2.0 is designed to address is the period after a child turns 13. A 12-year-old and a 14-year-old can use the same social platform, game or educational service, but the federal protections available to them under COPPA are not the same.That distinction matters more as digital services become embedded in school, entertainment and social life. It also helps explain why lawmakers have repeatedly returned to proposals that would extend privacy protections to teens, limit targeted advertising to minors and give young users more control over information already collected about them.States have also continued to develop their own youth privacy and online safety rules, creating a patchwork that can give minors different rights depending on where they live. The result is a children's privacy landscape increasingly shaped by federal law, FTC regulation, state legislation and the practices of individual technology companies.What students are returning to this fallCOPPA 2.0's unanimous Senate passage shows broad agreement that the federal privacy framework written in 1998 does not address every way children and teenagers now interact with digital services. What remains unresolved is whether the House will agree on the same approach and how a new federal law would interact with state rules.For students heading into the 2026-27 school year, however, children's online privacy is already changing without a new act of Congress. The FTC has tightened the rules for services covered by COPPA, schools are managing thousands of digital tools under overlapping privacy obligations, and teenagers remain at the center of an unfinished federal debate over how far online privacy protections should extend.This story was produced by Clym and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Heart of Hope and salon offer free back-to-school braids, boost of confidence Heart of Hope Ministries and Ace of Braids partner to offer students free back-to-school hairstyles, easing financial burdens for Quad Cities parents.
	YWCA Quad Cities expands preschool to meet childcare demand YWCA Quad Cities is opening two new preschool classrooms to help forty local families who are searching for dependable childcare and learning options.
	Crayola Makes 2026 the Most Colorful (& Washable) School Year Yet (BPT) - Back-to-school season is buzzing with possibility. New backpacks, fresh supplies, colorful moments — and for parents and teachers, a long to-do list and rising costs. That's where Crayola, the #1 brand preferred by parents and teachers, steps in.The Freedom to Create Without LimitsCrayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers give kids — and parents — permission to create with confidence. Proven across hundreds of washability tests to clean easily from hands, clothes, desks, and painted walls, these nontoxic markers deliver vibrant color for everything from coloring books to school projects. Perfect for bold, colorful learning at home and in the classroom — with cleanup you can trust. Innovative Clicks Beyond washability, there's another frustration that derails creativity: lost caps, dried-out markers, and endless sharpening. Crayola Clicks solve these obstacles with retractable design.Clicks Colored Pencils need zero sharpening with 2.0mm retractable lead with 24 refills included. Clicks Markers feature retractable tips so there are no caps to lose and no markers drying out by tomorrow. Clicks Highlighters deliver smooth, consistent color that washes easily from skin and clothing. Available in Classic, Bold & Bright, New Pastel, and New Neon.Empowering Essentials for All Students Did you know that 5.1 boxes of Crayola Crayons sell every second during back-to-school season? They're the 13th fastest-selling item at retailers — sandwiched between bananas and water on the essentials list.From endless creative possibilities at home to classroom masterpieces, 24-count Crayons deliver primary and secondary colors, plus the beloved Dandelion yellow, permanently restored by popular demand.And when the whole class is ready to create, Crayola has teachers covered. To help educators ensure they have plenty of tools for all the kids in their classrooms this fall and throughout the year, consider gifting one of these class packs of essential school supplies like Crayons, Colored Pencils, and Markers.Bulk sets ensure that more students will be set for creativity during the entire school year, making them a top choice for teachers setting up classrooms, community donation drives, whole group activities, and collaborative projects that put every student's imagination to work.Ready to get the new school year started? You can find all these back-to-school necessities, plus plenty more supplies to fuel your kids' creativity at Crayola.com and retailers nationwide.Source: TeacherList.com (Sept. 2025)**Source: Numerator TruView// USA Retail (Jul. 2025)
	AI is now very good at diagnosing health problems, but doctors are still better at weighing treatment options AI is now very good at diagnosing health problems, but doctors are still better at weighing treatment optionsA father is worried about his toddler, who has been running a fever for two days and pulling at one ear. A 65-year-old woman has been getting winded on her morning walks and feeling more fatigued than usual. Both reach for their phones and type their symptoms into an AI chatbot.“Your child likely has an ear infection,” the father learns. “Your symptoms could indicate a cardiac condition,” the woman reads.Those are helpful answers, and there’s a good chance they’re correct. Artificial intelligence is approaching, and in some cases exceeding, doctors’ ability to make accurate diagnoses.Dr. Andrew Parsons, associate professor of medicine at the University of Virginia, examines the data for The Conversation to see how AI compares with human doctors in the diagnosis and treatment planning for health problems. Parsons is a doctor and medical educator studying how doctors make these decisions, a process known as management reasoning, and how doctors in training develop this ability.An April 2026 study found OpenAI’s o1 model had a 78% accuracy rate on complex diagnostic cases published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It also outperformed experienced doctors when diagnosing actual emergency room patients. Similarly, ChatGPT, working on its own, outperformed physicians in diagnosing complex cases, a 2024 study found, even when the physicians were able to use ChatGPT themselves.Making a correct diagnosis, though, is only half a doctor’s job. The other half is knowing what to do about it — in other words, deciding how to manage a patient’s health condition.For clear-cut health concerns, an AI diagnosis may be enough for someone to get the care they need: a little numbing cream for a baby’s gums, say, or an appointment with a cardiologist.But uncertainty is common in clinical practice. Often, knowing what ails a patient is necessary but not sufficient for determining how to care for them. And how to manage a patient, even after the diagnosis is settled, is a complex question.Diagnosis categorizes, but management prioritizesExperienced doctors do not assess each patient from scratch. Over years of practice, they build mental shortcuts called illness scripts.Illness scripts are more than symptom checklists. They capture what a disease typically looks like, who tends to get it and how it most often progresses. When a doctor sees a new patient, they match what they observe against these mental scripts: a process of categorization and pattern recognition.When a patient appears with a familiar pattern of signs and symptoms, a doctor calls up the matching mental script almost without thinking. This frees them to notice elements that don’t quite align: a symptom that doesn’t fit, or a detail in the patient’s history, such as a recent trip abroad or an unusual exposure at work, that points toward a different diagnosis.It’s not surprising that AI is good at this pattern-matching process. Large language models like ChatGPT work in a similar way. They predict what word should come next in a sentence based on patterns learned from enormous amounts of text, including the medical literature. In that literature, the word “pneumonia” reliably follows certain symptom patterns: fever, say, combined with a cloudy patch on a chest X-ray. Pattern matching, at this level, is essentially the same thing a doctor does when fitting a patient’s symptoms to an illness script.But deciding what to do next — what tests to run, what treatments to try, what to monitor and what to follow up on — works differently. Instead of one right answer, a doctor faces multiple reasonable options. The art of medical management is prioritizing which among these options is best for the patient in front of you.The human advantageSo how does a doctor go from diagnosing a patient to figuring out how best to care for them? The answer is almost always, “It depends.”Consider two men, Marcus and Tomás, both 68, both just diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. Their biopsies show the same thing: a slow-growing tumor confined to the prostate.Both are offered the same two management options. Treat now, with surgery or radiation, accepting the risks of urinary incontinence and changes to sexual function. Or monitor closely with regular tests and biopsies, treating only if it grows. A study that followed more than 82,000 men with early-stage prostate cancer for 15 years found that fewer than 3 in 100 died of their prostate cancer regardless of which path they chose, though men who chose monitoring were about twice as likely to see their cancer spread.AI can present both options alongside those statistics. What a doctor brings is knowledge of the person sitting across from them.Marcus has no other significant health conditions. His doctor knows this and knows Marcus well enough to know that uncertainty sits badly with him. For a patient without other pressing health concerns, a slow-growing tumor has time to progress and become something more serious. Both management paths are genuinely reasonable, but Marcus cannot live with waiting. Knowing cancer is in his body, watched but untreated, is not something he can set aside. He chooses treatment.Tomás has advanced heart failure, something his doctor has been managing alongside him for years. She knows that his heart condition poses a more immediate threat to his health than this slow-growing tumor does. She knows, too, that he watched a friend go through radiation and come out diminished. Treating aggressively would mean bearing real costs for a benefit that may never arrive. She recommends active surveillance. For Tomás, it is the right answer and a relief.Different management decisions are the norm in medicine. The right path for any patient depends on who that patient is and what they value, and on a doctor’s judgment about where the evidence is reliable and where genuine uncertainty remains.Judging risk and uncertaintyTo decide how to manage a patient’s condition, a doctor first considers evidence from the medical literature and then applies the available management options to the patient’s particular circumstances. This requires honest communication, shared decision-making, jointly navigating risk and acknowledging uncertainty.Some risk can be measured. For chest pain, doctors use scoring tools that estimate a patient’s short-term likelihood of a heart attack based on their symptoms and test results. AI can likely work through those numbers faster than most doctors.But risk and uncertainty at the bedside or in the clinic are difficult to measure. Scoring systems and practice guidelines are designed for the average patient: an idealized person who does not exist. And both doctors’ and patients’ sense of risk and uncertainty are shaped by their experience. For many patients, this includes a long and justified history of mistrust in the healthcare system.AI does not know what you have been through or what risk trade-offs you are willing to accept. It cannot acknowledge uncertainty the way a good doctor can, returning to it with you as your circumstances change.This is where diagnosis and management part ways. The father of the feverish toddler probably got a useful answer: AI has seen enough feverish toddlers in the medical literature to make a reasonable call. But knowing what to do next, including when to stop watching and start worrying, is a conversation best had with your doctor.This story was produced by The Conversation and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The solopreneur’s guide to getting your first users The solopreneur’s guide to getting your first usersGetting your first customers is one of the hardest parts of building a business. Since your business is new and you’re still figuring things out, there’s no momentum yet — no word of mouth, no testimonials. So where do you even start?In this guide, Mercury, a fintech platform that offers business and personal banking services, breaks down how to get your first users by following actionable, scrappy strategies, all designed for when you’re building solo.Redefining what ‘first users’ actually meansGetting your first customer is harder than getting your hundredth. But those first users are also the most important. That’s because those early customers can give you critical insights that can shape the trajectory of your business.As a founder, when you are researching strategies for how to get your first 10 customers, you’re often thinking about growth. But before you start trying growth tactics, you’ll need to get clear on what you’re trying to accomplish. At this stage, learning is the primary goal.Your first users will help you:Validate that people will actually pay for what you’re offeringGet clear on who your ideal customers really areGather feedback that helps you improve your product or serviceBuild relationships with early adopters who might refer othersGet testimonials or social proof that lend credibility and build trustTake time to clearly understand your first users, including what drew them to your product or service, why they decided to pay for it, and what problems it solves for them. Use this knowledge to inform how you approach customer acquisition. When you go in with the intention of learning and improving, the entire process can feel less daunting.Start where your users already areOne of the big traps founders can fall into is trying to “create” demand for their product or trying to build an audience from scratch. Unfortunately, this takes up a lot of early time and energy. The fastest way to find your first customer is to go where they’re already spending time. Here’s what that could look like.Communities and forumsReddit, Slack groups, Discord servers, and Facebook communities are great places where people in specific industries, roles, and professions gather to discuss problems and seek advice. One of the fastest ways to get in front of your ideal clients is to join the conversations in these communities and forums and be genuinely helpful. When you answer questions, offer feedback, and celebrate your peers, people will notice, and you have the chance to develop relationships, which have the potential to turn into new customers.Industry-specific and niche groupsDigital networks and platforms that focus on specific industries, hobbies, and demographics often are gold mines where you can find an audience that’s already looking for a solution like yours. Indie Hackers groups for founders, Product Hunt groups for early adopters, GitHub communities for developers, and LinkedIn groups for specific roles (like consultants or realtors, for example) are all great places to find your ideal clients.The key is to show up consistently and to participate and contribute first before you pitch. When you’re genuinely focused on learning, helping, and building a network, you may naturally generate interest in your offering and potentially foster the first few leads.Direct outreach that actually worksAt some point, you’ll be doing direct outreach, a sales approach that new founders may not have practiced with. But when done right, it can be one of the most effective ways of getting your first users. Here are a few tips to make direct outreach work for you.Cold DMs and emailsStrive for relevance, not volume. Generalized and templated messages often get ignored. Instead, start by identifying 10 to 20 people who are a great fit for what you’re building, and write each of them a personalized note.In your message, reference something specific about their work, like a post they wrote, a webinar they spoke at, or a problem they’ve talked about. But don’t ask for a sale up front. Ask for feedback instead or pose a genuine question, like “As a business owner, have you ever struggled with X?” You can also ask to set up a 15-minute chat to talk about their struggles in a specific area and what solutions they’ve tried, without pitching your product as a solution. This could not only give you valuable customer insights to include in your own product roadmap and marketing plan, but it also helps to build more warm connections.On platforms like LinkedIn or Substack, you can warm up connections by being active and sharing comments and feedback on your ideal prospects’ posts. This way, when you eventually send a direct message, you’re not a total stranger.Warm introsOne way to increase your chances of getting a response is to try to get an introduction via someone your prospect already knows. Ask friends, colleagues, or other founders if they know anyone who fits your target profile. You can make it easier for them by drafting an email they can forward to their contact. Building a few genuine connections like this can outperform 100 generic messages.Build in public as a distribution engineBuilding in public — sharing what you’re working on, your wins, what you’re learning, and what’s working (and what’s not) — can help you attract people who are interested in the problem you’re solving. As people watch your progress and cheer you on, they’ll begin to trust you. And when you launch, these may be the first people to buy from you or at least recommend you to connections, since they feel like they’ve been part of your journey.This strategy works especially well on platforms like LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter), as well as in groups like Indie Hackers. Your first users may come from those who have been following your story as it unfolds.Turn early adopters into momentumYour first few users can help you unlock momentum that helps you grow your business. Here are a few things to focus on.Feedback loopsYou don’t just want to make a sale and call it a day. Your early users can offer you essential feedback that can improve your offering — and this is incredibly valuable. Ask them what they love about your product, as well as what’s confusing and what’s missing. This input can help you to quickly improve your product and reduce guesswork. Once you refine your product based on real feedback, it’s easier to get your next 10 users.ReferralsHappy users can often be your best growth channel. Most people are more than willing to refer you to others if they have a good experience with you. Make it easier for them by asking directly, “If you know someone else dealing with [problem], I’d love an intro.”Testimonials or case studiesSocial proof can build substantial momentum and trust. Even one good testimonial can help you close your next customer. And a more detailed case study outlining the problem they were struggling with and the results they’ve seen since using your product can boost credibility and confidence in your offering even further.Ask early users if they’d be willing to share their feedback or story publicly. Assure them that nothing will be published without their review and permission.Simple channels that work early onAt the early stages of building your business, you don’t need a complex marketing stack. A few simple channels that are easy to execute and put you in front of your ideal clients can go a long way. Here are a few channels to focus on.MarketplacesListing your product or services on relevant marketplaces can help you get in front of the right audience and drive some sales. Depending on your offering and vertical, this could be platforms like Etsy (for physical or digital products you’ve designed and/or made by hand), Upwork (for freelance or consulting services), Amazon (for physical or digital products), Gumroad (for digital products), Creative Market (for design assets), Payhip (for digital downloads and courses), GitHub marketplace (for developer tools), app stores (for tools), or Product Hunt and AppSumo (for SaaS products).DirectoriesIn addition to marketplaces, directories that list products in your category can also be particularly helpful in widening your reach. Examples of directories include SaaSHub, SoftwareSuggest, AlternativeTo, GetLatka, Startup Stash, and others.Social proof platformsIf you’re able to get some good reviews and mentions on review websites like G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and SourceForge, this can help drive early users. Even reviews on Google business pages can be quite useful.What to avoid at this stageJust as important as knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. Here are a few things that don’t work very well when trying to land your first few users.Paid adsAt an early stage, you probably don’t have your messaging dialed in yet. You also might lack a clear understanding of your customer acquisition costs and conversion funnels. So running ads at this stage can be a waste of money.OverautomationTools and services that promise to automate your outreach or to contact hundreds of customers a day may sound appealing, but usually don’t work for founders of early-stage businesses. Personal interaction is typically what drives early users to adopt your offering. Automation and outsourcing can’t replace that.Premature scalingYou don’t need complex funnels, outsourced advertising, more team members, or a large marketing budget when you’re first establishing your business. And don’t try to scale too fast.Turning first users into repeat usersGetting your first users feels like a big milestone when starting your business. But retaining those users is what will actually build your business. To do so, make your customers feel special. Give them an exceptional experience and deliver on your brand promise. Also, be sure to respond quickly to any communication, fix any problems they encounter, and iterate based on feedback.Be clear and transparent about pricing to avoid pricing confusion that can erode trust. Show your customers you care about them and their success, not just money. That’s how you’ll develop great relationships that turn into repeat customers and your earliest advocates.Traction before tacticsGetting your first users happens through building traction with consistent, focused effort deployed in the right places. So, don’t worry too much about having the “perfect” marketing plan. Your tactics will evolve as your business grows. But if you’ve got the foundations right — understanding your customers, being genuinely helpful, building relationships, and adjusting based on what you learn — you’ll be well positioned to build from there. Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.This story was produced by Mercury and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Mandatory meeting set for urban bow hunters in Muscatine The City of Muscatine will again participate in Iowa’s Deer Management Zone Program during the 2026-2027 urban bow hunting season. Approved by the Muscatine City Council on July 21, this year’s season will run from Sept. 19, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027, a news release says. Muscatine has partnered with the Iowa Department of Natural [...]
	Arrest made in connection with Spokane, Washington, wildfires A 37-year-old man was arrested in connection with one of three wildfires that have burned more than 700 structures.
	Adonis Beauty & Wellness opens in Silvis Adonis Beauty & Wellness is dedicated to skin health, selfcare and natural confidence.
	More heavy rain and storms heading to the Quad Cities A few scattered showers and isolated storms are possible across our northern hometowns today. However, heavier and more organized rain is on the way starting tonight. It'll be warmer and more humid today, but rain will hold highs down the next two days. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	They're a world leader in using drones for healthcare. But drones can't do it all Drones carrying medical supplies constantly crisscross the skies of Rwanda. The Trump administration is giving a major grant to the effort — and at the same time cutting aid to the country.
	2nd seasonal quilt exhibition opens in Geneseo The second seasonal show of quilts made by members of the Geneseo Quilt Guild is on exhibit at the Geneseo Quilt Gallery, according to a news release. At 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, a Geneseo Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting will honor this new creative gallery in Geneseo. Members of the Geneseo Quilt Guild will [...]
	Authorities arrest arson suspect in connection with wildfires in Spokane The suspect was arrested in connection with one of three wildfires in Spokane, Wash., that have destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced nearly quarter of the city's residents.
	Authorities arrest an arson suspect in connection with wildfires in Spokane The suspect was arrested in connection with one of three wildfires in Spokane, Wash., that have destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced nearly a quarter of the city's residents.
	Gretchen at Work: Caring for animals at Niabi Zoo The Niabi Zoo has been a staple in Coal Valley since 1959.
	The sneaky economics of healthwashing Why food companies love labels like "organic" and "high protein," why our brains are misled by them — and how to avoid paying extra for marketing.
	Mom and Pop This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.In 1856, Rock Island became a battleground in the transportation wars. In May of that year, the tracks of the Chicago…
	A veteran was detained by the National Guard in her front yard. Now she's suing Military veteran and D.C. resident Anna King has filed a $3 million lawsuit against the Idaho National Guard, saying three guard members assaulted her while detaining her in front of her home.
	Primaries in the Midwest have become a high stakes proving ground for progressives Democratic primary elections in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota have made the Midwest a test case for whether progressive candidates can win in competitive states and what electability really means.
	Medicaid work rule leaves homeless people in the cold Conservatives who have long pushed for Medicaid work requirements often said vulnerable people would get a pass. But the federal government's list of exemptions left off homeless people.
	Playcrafters Barn Theatre presents "Murder By Poe" Playcrafters Barn Theatre presents "Murder by Poe." According to a release from Playcrafters, "Murder by Poe" by Jeffrey Hatcher is an adaptation of several Poe favorites delivered in an eerie, humorous way. Murder by Poe is about an enigmatic traveler who discovers a dark residence where she encounters figures with haunting accounts. These stories—drawn from [...]
	Nauru, the world's 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.
Monday, August 3rd, 2026
	Fire volunteers will resign Oct. 1 All 20 members of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company will resign effective Oct. 1, it was announced at Monday’s city council meeting. Reading a statement on behalf of the EVFC during the public comment portion of Monday’s meeting, member Bryan Yanke said all members were “formally declining consideration of appointment as a member of the City of Eldridge Fire Department. Collectively, our membership represents 165 years of experience, not one of whom has opted to accept an appointment to the City Department.” This decision imperils the vote of the city council on July 20 to move forward with a hybrid paid/volunteer department model. While the city voted Monday to begin the hiring process for a full-time, paid chief, as the EVFC’s statement read, “The City will not be able to operate this department by hiring a single paid employee.” The statement said the department’s commitment to serving the people of Eldridge has not changed. Rather, their lack of confidence in the administration led to the decision of all members to resign. “This administration has signaled, through both its decisions and its public comments, that it intends to move forward without the operational leadership and infrastructure necessary to sustain fire and EMS services in this community,” Yanke read. “That gap will not fill itself, but will be filled by whoever is able to show up, which in a hybrid-volunteer model without adequate support, that burden falls heaviest on the volunteer members and the families who sacrifice alongside them.” The statement read that the EVFC presented the city with a detailed budget request, outlining the department’s needs, supporting information on those needs, and a solution to address current staffing shortfalls. The EVFC says the city has yet to present a budget plan, a significant transition strategy or a long-term vision for the department. “For an entity that has, by their own words, been planning to take this department over since May of 2025, they appear to be woefully underprepared for the task ahead, and we view this as a clear demonstration that the City does not fully grasp, nor appreciate, what it’s taking on,” the statement continued. “We are not willing to demand our members carry the consequences of that incompetence, nor ask our families to absorb the cost of it at home.” Mayor Scott Campbell and members of the council were taken aback by the announcement. As the meeting moved towards business matters involving the establishment of the city-run fire department, Campbell acknowledged public comment at the meeting asking the council to either reconsider or slow down the process of transitioning. “We had a lot of public comment tonight … and I do believe that everybody here has heard what you guys have to say. I don’t think any of those comments were taken lightly at all,” he said. “But it’s really clear to me that we have to find a path for working together. We can’t be hostile. We can’t be at each other’s throats. We have to be able to have conversations about this. We have to have open minds, and that’s what I’m trying to figure out over the last couple of weeks, why this hasn’t happened. “Two weeks ago, we were told that 10 members would leave. Last week, I had a conversation with a firefighter – he said we’d be lucky to have three, and maybe one member of the leadership team. Tonight, we learned they’re all going to walk away,” Campbell continued. “And it’s disheartening. It’s just disheartening and it saddens me.” Campbell said he regretted comments he made at the June 15 meeting. “Everybody has said things they regret. At least I do. I’m the first to admit that. And I wish I wouldn’t have said back in June that it’s all about the money. Absolutely. Those words were said in frustration, but they didn’t need to be said.” However, he also said he believed the path chosen by the council was still the best path forward and said he had confidence in city staff to see the transition through. Campbell also said that he had offered to meet with members of the fire department privately and had received no response. Members of the EVFC took umbrage to this comment, countering that they had told Campbell they would prefer to meet publicly. As the statement read, “We offered to meet publicly so that all council members and the community could remain informed. That offer stands, as we have nothing to hide.” Following the meeting, fire chief Keith Schneckloth said the EVFC was still open to having an open conversation with the council. “We’d love to have a sit-down conversation. We encourage a committee the whole meeting to have discussions about this. I can’t speak as to if there be an ability to ratify where we’re at today but as we have said the whole time, we’re very transparent, very open, and we’d love to have conversation about it.” Schneckloth also emphasized that the members of the EVFC remain committed to the citizens of Eldridge. “We will fulfill our responsibilities to serving them” Campbell agreed that he wants to keep the lines of communication open with the EVFC. “We’ve communicated that we still want to communicate with them, have discussions with them, and they will be part of the process of hiring a new chief when it comes to that. So, we will start the hiring process tomorrow, or the next day. We’ll post a position and see what happens.” Campbell also said he believed the search for a chief will be productive. “We believe we’ll have good candidates, and we had great candidates when we looked for a police chief several years ago, and I think the same is true here,” he said. Council member Ryan Iossi, who has served on the negotiating team with the fire department for the last year, said now was an opportunity for the volunteers to be a part of making a new department. “Now that we’re moving forward, if they want to be involved in it, now’s their chance. And as a former paramedic and firefighter, you just don’t hang that up and walk away. It’s not what’s in you. So, while they’re all upset at this point — and I can understand that — I’m hoping that they sit back and take a couple breaths and rethink the situation. Because I do think, personally, that if they were involved with the hiring of the chief and the processes of building this as a partially city-run department, I think that they might see some excitement in it. I think they might realize some opportunities that they did not have before.” Iossi said a lot of how the transition plays out will depend on how much the EVFC wants to be involved. “My other hope is that if they were involved and helped hire a chief, or if they decided not to be involved when we hired a chief, that they would then realize and reconsider that Oct. 1 deadline to help the citizens and Eldridge do the transition.” Noah Glasgow contributed reporting
	'This was a monster': Families return to devastation after Washington fires Some Spokane residents returned to their neighborhoods to find their homes in ruins or covered in ash after the fires.
	Rock Island County prosecuting first case involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material 36-year-old Bjorn Boydston was arrested in July on 10 felony charges.
	Eldridge City Council passes first reading of ordinances to absorb fire department The vote followed an announcement by the nonprofit volunteer department that, were the city to continue with the process, the 20 volunteers would resign effective Oct. 1.
	Eldridge volunteer firefighters say they’ll walk if city takeover proceeds All 20 members of the Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company have formally declined to join a new city-run fire department, as the city council advances an ordinance to take over the department ahead of an Oct. 1, 2026, deadline.
	Rock Island County prosecuting first case of AI-generated child sexual abuse material 36-year-old Bjorn Boydston was arrested in July on 10 felony charges.
	Davenport man wins largest Instaplay jackpot to date Jered Sandry won $545,000 with his winning ticket.
	Cinemark swings into record domestic weekend box office with 'Spider-Man' Cinemark Holdings, Inc. has announced that July 31-Aug. 2 was the biggest domestic weekend box office of all time for the company, propelled by the opening of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," with additional contribution from "The Odyssey’s" strong holdover performance, a news release says. Cinemark has a multiplex in Davenport, Additionally, the web-slinging success of "Spider-Man: Brand New [...]
	RIBCO closes for reorganization; owner commits to 'keep my dream alive' The owner of RIBCO confirmed Monday night with Our Quad Cities News that RIBCO is closed, but only temporarily for a reorganization. "My first commitment is to make RIBCO work and keep my dream alive," Zach Edwards said in a phone interview from Seattle. He said he is experiencing some health issues and is seeing [...]
	Free, four‑day Alternating Currents festival set for Aug. 13–16 Alternating Currents returns Aug. 13–16 with more than 200 free music, film, comedy and art events across downtown Davenport, Rock Island and Bettendorf.
	Bettendorf man sentenced to probation on child sex abuse materials, drug charges A Bettendorf man has been sentenced after he pleaded guilty to possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act and possession with the intent to deliver marijuana.
	Davenport police warn of growing scam losses Americans lost a record $16 billion to fraud in 2025, with imposter scams leading the way, according to the FTC. Davenport police warn against pressure tactics.
	Sewer overflow discharges into Mississippi River Residents are asked to avoid the area around 13th Street and Waverly Road.
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	Death Notice: Benjamin Mark Mink A memorial service for Benjamin Mark Mink, 84, of Eldridge, will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Inurnment will follow at Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Mr. Mink died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, at his home. Memorials may be made to worldvision.org. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the Aug. 5 edition of The NSP.
	Iowa nursing home inspections now meet federal standards, audit shows Iowa is inspecting nursing homes more frequently and is now meeting federal standards for the first time in years, according to a report released Monday by State Auditor Rob Sand.
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	Muscatine building collapse disrupts traffic and local businesses Update on the Muscatine building collapse.
	19th Century cemetery gets state grant to help with upkeep 10 Illinois cemeteries were chosen to support projects aimed at revitalizing burial grounds.
	Man charged with recklessly driving in Davenport with 4 children in his vehicle Police allege 23-year-old Leo Eckholm of Des Moines was conducting burnouts, and the children were were nearly thrown out of his vehicle.

Tuesday, August 4th, 2026

Monday, August 3rd, 2026