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

Friday, April 17th, 2026
	Black Hawk College generates nearly $291M for regional economy, new report finds Most of that money comes from the 98% of Black Hawk alumni who live and work in the region after graduation. Here's how the college says it will shape future growth.
	New report: Black Hawk College generates nearly $291M for regional economy Most of that money comes from the 98% of Black Hawk alumni who live and work in the region after graduation. Here's how the college says it will shape future growth.
	Local company donates HVAC system to Kings Harvest Ministries homeless shelter Northwest Mechanical Inc. donated an HVAC system to Kings Harvest Ministries homeless shelter.
	MidAmerican Energy preparing for Friday night's severe weather Additional crews are on standby to assist with power outages and downed trees that might occur during forecasted storms.
	Civilian employees at the Arsenal working without union contracts amid Army’s realignment push impacting hundreds of employees The Army announced Thursday that it’s canceling the collective bargaining agreement with AFGE, citing President Donald Trump’s executive order stripping workers at 40 agencies of their bargaining rights. A representative from the AFGE claims the move is unprecedented in its nearly century-long history and that the union will take the Trump administration to court.
	Traffic Alert: I-74 East closed at Exit 54 Traffic is being rerouted to U.S. Highway 150 East and Illinois Route 97, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
	Wallace's Garden Center rebuilds greenhouse after fire in May 2025 On May 31, 2025, Kate Terrell stood just outside of Wallace's Garden Center in Bettendorf, watching the greenhouse full of plants become engulfed in large flames and a thick, dark smoke. It was Terrell's business, one she took over from her parents, that was on fire and at risk, but she didn't just stand around [...]
	New northwest Illinois film festival coming up on April 29 "Shorts-a-palooza" will feature a variety of short films produced by Illinois filmmakers.
	'Iowa is not for sale' Zach Lahn says while campaigning for governor in Davenport Zach Lahn, one of five Republicans running for Iowa governor, pledged to fight monopolies and consolidation in agriculture if elected governor during a stop in Davenport.
	6th annual Shorts-A-Palooza brings Illinois filmmakers to Morrison The free short film festival is returning on Wednesday, April 29 with a documentary, comedy, drama, suspense, animated short film and more.
	Netflix's 'Barbecue Showdown' star raises money for Family Resources in the QC Winner of season 2 of the Netflix show "Barbecue Showdown" Thyron Mathews was in Rock Island Friday to raise money for victims of domestic and sexual violence by selling some barbecue. The pop-up outside of Bent River Brewing in Rock Island is giving all tips received on sales to Family Resources. That money will go [...]
	Live updates: Storms expected in the Quad-Cities on Friday, April 17 The National Weather Service has issued tornado and flood watches for the Quad-Cities ahead of potential severe storms this afternoon and evening.
	Death Notice: Donald Rathjen A funeral service for Donald H. Rathjen, 90, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, April 20, at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge. Burial will be in Long Grove Christian Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, April 19, from 3-5 p.m. at the funeral home. Mr. Rathjen died Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Genesis MercyOne, Davenport. Memorials may be made to Holy Family Catholic Church to benefit the Blessing Box food pantry outreach program, or to Faith Lutheran Church of Eldridge. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the April 22 edition of The NSP.
	Project NOW to hold Kids Automobile Discovery Day The event gives kids the opportunity to explore several kinds of vehicles, including those used by first responders.
	Rock Island County Children’s Advocacy Center starts new endowment The Rock Island County Children’s Advocacy Center (RICCAC) has established an endowment fund with Moline Regional Community Foundation to ensure support for its mission of reducing trauma to children.
	Hundreds of power outages reported in eastern Iowa, western Illinois The entire News 8 viewing region is under a 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather on Friday. Here's a look at power outages.
	MidAmerican Energy announces severe weather preparation With active tornado warnings across the region, MidAmerican Energy announced preparation for the severe weather. According to a release, threats to the electric system include isolated tornadoes, high winds and frequent lightning. MidAmerican reports the following steps to respond: To report an outage, click here or use the MidAmerican Energy mobile app via the iOS [...]
	Death Notice: Patricia Fatty A Celebration of Life for Patricia Ruth (Alley) Fatty, 63, will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Maysville Community Center. The family will travel to Main this summer to lay Patty to rest. Ms. Fatty died Thursday, April 9, 2026. Memorials may be made to the Ohl Strong Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer or the Humane Society of Scott County in Davenport. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the April 22 edition of The NSP.
	Springtime means morel mushroom season is sprouting in the Quad Cities News 8's Emma Buker ventured out with a local morel mushroom expert on the hunt for a rare forest treasure known as morel mushrooms.
	Judge tells Jamison Fisher to stop filing motions without his attorneys The man accused of killing Trudy Appleby filed seven motions in March without consulting his defense team.
	LIVE BLOG: Strong to severe storms Friday afternoon into night The First Alert Weather Team is tracking strong to severe storms with threats of damaging wind and hail on Friday.
	Gasoline could drop below $4 in coming days Gasoline costs should start to fall soon, although a full recovery to pre-war prices is expected to take months. That's assuming that peace holds and traffic flows resume through the Strait of Hormuz.
	Friday - Tornado Watch issued for Quad Cities It's our THIRD Tornado watch of the week in the Quad Cities! This one goes until 8pm Friday and includes all of the Quad cities metro area. Severe t'storms will be capable of producing tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds this afternoon and evening. We will have frequent updates on television and at ourquadcities.com all [...]
	Burlington potato chips make Top 16 in 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa competition The top 16 will move on to a bracket-style tournament where Iowans will decide who advances, organizers said.
	State approves investment grants for four Quad-Cities area businesses Manufacturers across the state received Manufacturing 4.0 Technology Investment grants, including three in Scott County and one in Muscatine County.
	Iowa Supreme Court overturns ruling in State Auditor Rob Sand vs. City of Davenport case Iowa Auditor Rob Sand gets a setback in his attempt to subpoena City of Davenport closed city council session minutes and recordings related to $1.9 million in settlements of three employee harassment claims approved in 2023. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned a District Court ruling related to attorney-client privilege involving the minutes and recordings. The [...]
	Amboy woman accused of having meth, faces other drug charges An Amboy woman faces several drug charges following an investigation in Lee County.
	You can't fake this: 'The Christophers' is a witty film about forgery and friendship In Steven Soderbergh's new dark comedy, Ian McKellen plays a famous painter, and Michaela Coel is an art restorer hired to infiltrate his home by his greedy grown-up children.
	Iowa Supreme Court rules auditor can't access City of Davenport's private legal records The Iowa Supreme Court rules the state auditor cannot access Davenport’s attorney–client records during an audit, reversing a lower court decision.
	Jamison Fisher in court for pro se motions hearing The man accused in the 1996 murder of 11-year-old Trudy Appleby was in court this morning for hearings on motions he filed by himself. Court records show that Jamison Fisher appeared in Henry County Court in Cambridge this morning with his attorney for a hearing on several pro se motions he filed. The court reviewed [...]
	Gov. Reynolds signs 21 bills into law Thursday as end to the legislative session nears Gov. Kim Reynolds signed 21 bills into law Thursday, including one targeting fraudulent academic claims and another establishing an Iowa-Ireland trade commission.
	Lee County woman arrested for multiple drug charges An Amboy woman was arrested for multiple drug charges. According to a release, on March 13, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Amboy Police Department and Lee County Animal Control executed a search warrant in the 100 block of Provost St. after a narcotics investigation. An arrest warrant was issued for Laura Stroud, 61. Stroud was [...]
	Iowa Supreme Court rules for Davenport in case on auditor access to closed session records The State Auditor's Office is performing an audit on settlement payments to three former Davenport employees. The court concluded that the auditor does not have access to attorney-client privileged materials.
	Judge denies all of Jamison Fisher’s self-filed motions A judge denied all of the pro se motions saying they were improperly filed since Illinois does not allow hybrid representation.
	A new documentary on Lorne Michaels reveals plenty — except the man himself Morgan Neville's film is packed with access and celebrity voices, but avoids deeper questions about its subject.
	MercyOne Genesis opening new facility in Woodhull A new MercyOne Genesis facility is opening in Woodhull. MercyOne Genesis Woodhull Family Medicine, 220 SW Fifth Street, opens on Monday, April 20. This location replaces the former MercyOne Genesis Alpha Family Medicine that was located four miles away. Provider Ryane M. Passno, ARNP, and all colleagues from Alpha will be moving to the Woodhull [...]
	Putnam Museum launches big new society for big dig, big dinosaur The Putnam Museum and Science Center will officially launch its premier donor circle, the Putnam 1867 Society, at a cocktail reception, “Raise the Dinosaur,” on Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m.
	Where manufacturers are succeeding with AI Where manufacturers are succeeding with AIThe AI train is already at the station.Right now, the doors are open. Tickets are cheap. There’s plenty of time to get on, find a good seat, and settle in. But the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to catch the train.And soon, instead of stepping on board, you’ll be sprinting to the next stop trying to catch up to competitors who are already comfortably seated and miles ahead.If you’re hesitating on AI due to cost concerns, you’re not alone. According to MaintainX’s State of Industrial Maintenance report, budget constraints and implementation costs topped the list of barriers to AI adoption.The good news is you don’t need a “smart factory” budget to get started, because the teams seeing real wins aren’t rolling out AI everywhere. They’re starting small and letting quick wins fund the next steps.MaintainX’s Nick Haase spoke about what effective AI actually looks like on the factory floor today. Read on to learn more about the shifts you need to make to start seeing real results from AI tools.AI needs the right fuel to learnOne useful analogy for AI is the technician who’s been on your floor for 40 years. It’s the person who can just hear a machine running and tell you if a bearing is about to fail.The difference is that instead of learning from a career’s worth of experience, AI learns from:Work orders and failure codesPM histories and parts usageOEM manuals and SOPsTechnician notes and photosThe catch is that if your factory still runs on sticky notes, whiteboards, and one-word work order descriptions, that “40-year technician” is flying blind.Before AI can help, you have to build the habit of capturing what’s already happening on the floor in a system that can learn from it.CMMS is an underrated launchpad for AIWith data capture in mind, one of the most overlooked starting points for AI is the tool you might already have: your computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).A modern CMMS is where your asset histories, work orders, parts, and procedures live. When you layer AI on top, that turns into:Instant answers from manuals and history: “What’s the torque spec on this motor?” “What usually causes this alarm?” An AI assistant can search manuals and past work orders and surface the steps in plain language.Better procedures, faster: Technicians can turn their notes or voice memos into standardized procedures and work orders. No more reinventing the wheel every time a job comes up.Higher-quality work orders: AI suggestions can help teams fill in missing steps, parts, or safety checks as they create or close work orders without more typing.AI is your competitive edge, not your competitionThe fear that “AI will take our jobs” is common on plant floors.The pattern that emerges is that the manufacturers using advanced technologies are taking business from those that don’t.One example: a machine shop in Michigan. They were at risk of losing millions of dollars in business to overseas competitors. Instead of cutting staff, they invested in automation. Robots handled repetitive machine tending to keep equipment running an extra six hours a night.In the end, because of this automation initiative, the shop kept the work, grew the business, and ultimately hired more people.That’s the pattern: Shops that adopt AI and automation are protecting jobs by protecting revenue.AI doesn’t have to be everythingOne big mistake on plant floors is teams thinking AI has to touch everything to be worth doing.They picture a multiyear project involving new platforms, new integrations, and new training. No wonder these projects stall out.Today, the most successful manufacturers are treating AI like a series of experiments. Adding a low-cost sensor to a critical asset, streaming that data into a CMMS, and using AI to surface patterns, like which shift drives the most downtime or which failure mode keeps recurring, is a practical starting point.You don’t need an IIoT rearchitecture to do that. You just need one workflow, one machine, one line, or one pain point to prove that AI can save your team time or prevent a few hours of unplanned downtime.Small steps will get you on the train.Where to start: Small wins that build momentumTo the point above, the most successful AI projects don’t start with robots on every line. Below are practical steps manufacturers are taking to see real wins with AI.1. Get your maintenance data out of the shadowsIf you want to “do AI,” step one is: Stop losing information on paper. Start using a CMMS to digitize the basics.Standardize your asset list: Stick to one record per line, machine, or major subsystem.Clean up work orders and failure codes: Make it easy to see what failed, why, and how you fixed it.Capture parts usage and time spent: Find out what work is actually costing you.Teams that make this shift see meaningful drops in unplanned downtime and better PM completion because they finally have data they can trust.2. Make downtime visible in real timeOnce your basic work and asset data are in a CMMS, you can layer in simple AI and automation. Here are some good first areas to look at.Downtime visibility:Connect a low-cost sensor or meter to a critical asset.Feed that signal into your CMMS so you can see runtime versus downtime by shift and asset.Use AI-generated summaries to highlight patterns like “this line goes down three times more on night shift” or “changeovers are your biggest downtime driver.”Scrap and OEE tracking:Digitize what’s on your whiteboards: pieces produced, scrap, and changeovers.Have your system flag out-of-range scrap events or a sudden OEE dip, and automatically create a work order to investigate.Over time, AI can surface “top five causes of scrap this month” without you living in spreadsheets.3. Turn tribal knowledge into digital proceduresOne of the biggest risks manufacturers face right now is experience walking out the door.AI can help capture and share that knowledge before it’s gone. Here’s how to get started:Have your best technicians talk through or take pictures of the steps for their most tedious recurring jobs.Use AI to turn those notes and photos into standardized procedures and work orders that live in your CMMS.Put those procedures in the hands of newer techs so they can execute right the first time, with checklists, photos, and safety steps.4. Make technicians’ lives easierIf AI tools add complexity or extra work for your technicians, they won’t get used. It really doesn’t matter how impressive the demo was.The teams seeing the best results take these steps:Focus on mobile-first tools so technicians don’t have to run back to a desktop to update information.Use AI to reduce admin, not add it. Tools like auto-time tracking, voice-to-text notes, and auto-filled forms are examples of admin-reducing tools.When AI removes hassles like digging through manuals, adopting it becomes common sense.Define what success looks like before you startA lot of AI projects go sideways when teams set big, vague goals for AI and digital transformation in general. Don’t just say you’re going to “improve reliability.”Instead, set small, precise targets tied to business value and maintenance reality:5% fewer hours of unplanned downtime on one line.10% reduction in repeat failures on a single asset family.10% more PMs completed on time on your pilot line.15 minutes faster average troubleshooting time on an asset.Start with one or two AI use cases, then prove the value there.Catch the train before it leaves the stationManufacturing teams need to stop seeing AI as the future, because it’s the present.The State of Industrial Maintenance report shows that intelligent maintenance tools are quickly becoming the norm, with roughly 65% of industrial maintenance teams expecting to use AI in some part of their program in 2026.You don’t need perfect data or a five-year roadmap to get started. You just need to pick one line, asset, or workflow and ask: “How could AI make this easier for my team next month?”Start where your data lives. This story was produced by MaintainX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Burlington's Sterzing's Potato Chips in top 16 'Coolest Thing Made in Iowa' DES MOINES, Iowa -- After a week of voting, a list of more than 50 is down to the Top 16 in the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa Competition, and Burlington's Sterzing's Potato Chips made the cut. Hosted by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and MidwestOne Bank, the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa [...]
	Walmart partners with OpenAI: The dawn of agentic commerce Walmart partners with OpenAI: The dawn of agentic commerceEarly last week, Walmart announced a new partnership with OpenAI meant to unlock a multi-media-filled, personalized, and contextual shopping experience. It marks the dawn of agentic commerce — or what some are calling AI-first shopping — where AI doesn’t just assist shoppers, it acts on their behalf.According to a CNN source, this new feature is expected to roll out later this fall. Through this partnership, users will soon be able to shop Walmart’s catalog directly in ChatGPT, transforming the way discovery and purchase moments occur.Walmart and OpenAI’s partnership is a glimpse into how AI will redefine the way shoppers discover, decide, and buy online, WebFX reports.ChatGPT as the new checkout counter for ecommerceConversational interfaces are designed to facilitate transactions. This approach reduces the need to navigate multiple applications or scroll through numerous products. The system provides a curated list of personalized products for direct purchase.Powered by ChatGPT’s new Instant Checkout feature, Walmart shoppers can bypass the traditional ecommerce sequence “search → browse → add-to-cart → checkout” — and instead move seamlessly through a new flow: “prompt → response → select → check out.”So, instead of opening multiple tabs or scrolling through endless product pages, a holiday shopper, for example, could simply type something like “Christmas gifts for 5-year-olds” in the chatbot. The AI-agent then curates a short list of super relevant items and presents them with a checkout button, allowing them to buy the perfect present for their favorite little person from Walmart directly through the ChatGPT conversation.How will Walmart’s AI-first shopping experience work? WebFX Walmart’s AI-first shopping experience will center around its new assistant, “Sparky,” which learns each customer’s preferences, anticipates upcoming needs, and helps with tasks like meal planning or restocking essentials — all while enabling shoppers to complete purchases directly within ChatGPT using Instant Checkout.AI will also ask follow-up questions and learn from users’ past purchases and behavior to make appropriate recommendations in the future. And as a result, Walmart buyers can use the Instant Checkout feature to plan meals and restock the house. Users will also receive timely reminders when it’s time to reorder essentials.Fresh foods won’t be available, but shoppers can always order packaged foods, apparel, devices, and other non-discretionary goods.The shift to agentic commerce: What it means for businessesAgentic commerce is the new era of online shopping, where AI agents act on behalf of consumers and redefine how and where purchase decisions are made.That’s why Walmart’s move to create an AI-first shopping experience isn’t just another AI integration. It’s a signal that the customer’s journey as we know it is being rewritten.Now, instead of starting the journey on Google or a retailer’s website, users will initiate conversations with AI agents, with the hope that they can also conclude them there.Now that Walmart has made it possible, it’s a wake-up call for every business owner.With agentic commerce, customers simply put in prompts such as “pet grooming services in my area” or “best running shoes for beginners,” and they get three to five hyper-personalized and relevant options to choose from.The agents are able to present them with tailored recommendations because they know their preferences, remember their last orders, and anticipate what they’ll need next. They can even buy on their behalf. No website hopping. No cart abandonment. Just instant decisions.This hyper-personalization will ensure that, more often than not, users leave the chat having made a purchase.So while Walmart’s move might sound big and far-off, it’s really a nudge for every business to start thinking AI-first.Why does this partnership matter beyond Walmart?Walmart is already seeing and feeling the impact of jumping on the biggest AI retail shopping experience yet! For starters, Walmart’s stock jumped 6% immediately after the announcement, marking its biggest single-day gain since April of this year.But the real impact goes beyond share prices. That’s why Walmart’s not stopping here. CEO Doug McMillon has hinted that the AI agent will soon handle reorders and returns — features that could make “one-chat shopping” the new norm.Other ecommerce giants are moving fast too: Stripe just partnered with Etsy and Shopify to enable AI-powered checkout for over a million merchants, including SKIMS and Spanx.For small business owners, that means one thing: AI is becoming the new storefront.Adopting an AI-first shopping experience will position your brand at the center of the next big thing in ecommerce. One where AI agents handle product discovery, decision-making, and even checkout.What should businesses do now?The next era of ecommerce will reward the businesses that show up early — and show up well. So, don’t wait until AI decides your competitors are the default choice.As consumer behavior shifts from traditional search engines to AI conversations, they'll be chatting with AI. That means your visibility depends on how easily AI can understand and trust your business data.Here’s how you should start optimizing your business for the new phase of ecommerce:Create conversational content: Your content has to talk back. That means the FAQs, service and product descriptions, and blog posts must provide users with real solutions. This will help AI tools know when to recommend you to clients.Add structured data: Structured data (like schema markup) tells AI exactly what your business does, where you are, and what customers think of you. The clearer your data, the more likely AI tools are to feature your products or services when people ask for them.Build a frictionless checkout: AI-driven shoppers expect instant decisions and easy transactions. That means mobile-friendly pages, one-click purchasing options, and seamless payment integrations. The fewer steps it takes to buy from you, the more likely they are to purchase and repurchase.Prioritize an AI brand presence: Make your business visible, trustworthy, and easy for AI systems to recognize and recommend.This story was produced by WebFX and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Iowa Supreme Court rules for Davenport in case triggered by Auditor’s investigation Auditor Rob Sand is investigating Davenport over nearly $2 million in settlement payments made to former employees
	Wedding travel trends and honeymoon ideas 2026 Wedding travel trends and honeymoon ideas 2026Weddings used to be all about The Big Day. But a major shift is underway.Instead of focusing on a single event and all its accompanying details, weddings have become a full-blown era that includes destination proposals, multi-day nuptials, and honeymoons that span multiple stops.Travel is increasingly central to how couples plan and experience this chapter of their lives. Rather than sticking to traditional rules and formats, they’re crafting immersive celebrations defined by intention, personalization, and place.For its first Wedding and Honeymoon Trend Report, Fora Travel gathered advisor insights and booking data to get a clearer sense of what these shifts mean in practical terms. Read on for an on-the-ground look at where couples are going, what they’re doing when they get there, and what these trends mean for you as a traveler.The biggest destination wedding trends right nowOnce a niche choice, destination weddings have become common for engaged couples of all ages, though each generation is taking a slightly different approach. Gen Z couples are more budget-conscious but still expect elevated experiences, often favoring micro-weddings, all-inclusives, and shorter planning timelines. Millennials remain the most experience-driven, prioritizing cultural immersion, multi-stop itineraries, and once-in-a-lifetime honeymoons planned well in advance. Meanwhile, Gen X couples (including those planning second marriages) are decisive and luxury-focused, gravitating toward bucket-list destinations and high-touch travel experiences over trend-driven moments.Across generations, travel advisors can play a pivotal role in bringing these experiences to life.1. Demand for destination weddings is still climbingMore than half (54%) of Fora Advisors have seen an increase in destination wedding inquiries. Domestic celebrations are gaining particular momentum, with 53% of advisors reporting a rise in U.S.-based destination weddings specifically. One likely reason? Keeping celebrations stateside can still feel like a genuine travel experience while providing a level of logistical and financial accessibility that makes it easier for guests to show up.2. U.S. destination weddings are having a momentWhen it comes to where couples are heading domestically, the range is striking. Over the past year, Western and desert destinations have seen significant growth, but New England is having a major moment, too. In the South, the Carolinas are the hands-down favorites. The appeal is practical as much as it is scenic, as couples seek cost-conscious, logistically simple celebrations that still feel transportive and personal.Western and desert destinationsThese dramatic settings draw those who want wide-open scenery and immersive experiences.Five states saw the biggest increase in bookings:Las Vegas: 145% increaseMontana: 143% increaseUtah: 113% increaseSedona: 88% increaseWyoming: 89% increaseNew EnglandThe Northeast region nails timeless coastal charm and easy guest access.Six areas showed the most growth:Martha’s Vineyard: 278% increaseRhode Island: 136% increaseMaine: 130% increaseConnecticut: 120% increaseCape Cod: 89% increaseVermont: 86% increaseThe CarolinasCharming architecture, Blue Ridge Mountain backdrops, and convenient travel infrastructure have made these 2026 Hot List picks a popular choice.Here’s how the growth shakes out in terms of Fora bookings:South Carolina: 157% increaseNorth Carolina: 141% increase3. Wellness is woven inWellness is being threaded through the entire wedding journey. Fora Advisors have seen bachelor and bachelorette celebrations evolve beyond all-out party weekends into holistic gatherings at hotels and destination spas, with yoga, Pilates, sound baths, sauna, and cold plunges becoming common inclusions.That ethos carries through into the wedding weekend itself. Couples are prioritizing hotels with strong spa and well-being offerings, and advisors are building itineraries around yoga and mindfulness classes, health-forward catering, and even full spa buyouts.Two notable examples among Fora bookings:Miraval Austin Resort & Spa: 73% increase year over yearWildflower Farms, Auberge Collection: 71% increase year over yearAlso growing in popularity are post-wedding brunches that serve as a finale, with recovery-focused touches like spa treatments and IV bars so couples and their guests can depart feeling refreshed.4. Weddings are going offshoreCouples are embracing cruise ships as the new all-inclusive venue—complete with onboard wedding planners and, in some cases, a captain to officiate. Fora Advisors say the appeal lies in seamless logistics and multi-destination experiences, whether a couple chooses a Mediterranean sailing with cultural excursions, an intimate Croatian yacht ceremony, or throws a Charleston bash followed by an Alaskan cruise.Luxury and lifestyle cruise lines are particularly well-suited to couples who want upfront pricing, built-in adventure, and a celebration that doesn’t feel like it ends at the reception.The four cruise lines seeing the largest year-over-year growth in Fora bookings:The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: 261% increasePrincess Cruises: 218% increaseNorwegian Cruise Line: 198% increaseVirgin Voyages: 101% increaseThe biggest honeymoon trends right nowHoneymoons remain one of the most meaningful travel investments couples will ever make. Nine in ten Fora Advisors say couples are willing to stretch their budgets for this once-in-a-lifetime trip, with 64% of clients spending $10,000 or more and 15% spending $20,000 or more.Still, maximizing value is important to travelers—likely a reason 64% of Fora Advisors have clients choosing off-season or shoulder-season travel.Below, a closer look at the three biggest shifts in honeymoon travel.1. Couples are breaking the traditional honeymoon formatMini-moons, pre-moons, and “elope-moons” are gaining momentum as more couples choose to take their honeymoon in phases, rather than all at once. Many are opting for shorter, immediate getaways after the wedding while postponing a larger, bucket-list trip for later, and a growing number are even traveling before the big day.At the same time, more couples are combining their elopement and honeymoon into one seamless experience, selecting a standout destination and hotel that can serve as both a ceremony backdrop and a romantic escape.What that looks like in numbers:59% of couples are opting for mini-moon trips and delaying their main honeymoon1 in 10 advisors say they’ve seen an increase in couples doing a pre-moon2. Safari honeymoons are booming—and more global than everDemand for safari honeymoons is surging across the board, both in the destinations you’d expect and some you might not. South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania lead the way among the classics, with Fora Advisors pairing time in the wild with beach escapes in places like the Seychelles, Mozambique, or Zanzibar. Two of the most popular options: Kenya with the Seychelles and Tanzania with Zanzibar.Asia is also gaining real traction. Sri Lanka stands out for leopard safaris in Yala National Park, as well as a broad slate of nature-forward experiences that feel genuinely off the beaten path.The safari destinations seeing the most growth in Fora bookings:Kenya: 295% increaseTanzania: 287% increaseSeychelles: 150% increaseSouth Africa: 112% increaseSri Lanka: 170% increase3. Off-peak travel is the new honeymoon hackMore couples are timing their honeymoons for the off-peak and shoulder seasons. The move comes with two big benefits: fewer crowds and better value.Europe’s perennial favorites are leading the way when it comes to off-season demand. In Italy, the Dolomites and Ischia are booming in spring and early summer, signaling a shift away from peak August travel, with April emerging as a standout month nationwide. In Greece, Paros, Antiparos, and Naxos are seeing especially strong shoulder-season demand.Elsewhere, Japan is defying cherry blossom expectations with fall (October–December) emerging as a honeymoon high season. Even long-haul destinations like New Zealand are gaining momentum in March and April, highlighting couples’ growing appetite for off-peak escapes.Here’s what those shifts look like by the booking numbers:Dolomites173% increaseMay: 800% increase YoYIschia94% increaseJune: 212% increaseSeptember: 118% increase increase YoYParos and Antiparos244% increaseOctober: 400% increase YoYNaxos450% increaseOctober: 400% increase increase YoYJapan178% increaseOctober: highest travel volume, followed by November, then DecemberNew Zealand62% increaseApril: 570% increaseMarch: 332% increaseThe new era of wedding travel is hereTaken together, these trends tell a consistent story: Couples are investing more in the travel around their wedding, not just the wedding itself. The celebrations are getting longer, the destinations more considered, and the experiences more personal for couples and their guests alike.What that means in practice is a lot of moving parts—destination research, vendor negotiations, room blocks, honeymoon itineraries, and everything in between.MethodologyThis report examined Fora booking data comparing March 2025 vs. February 2026, as well as results from a survey of Fora Advisors conducted in February 2026.This story was produced by Fora Travel and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Man accused of grooming, abducting Waterloo 12-year-old extradited to Iowa A Michigan man accused of grooming and abducting a 12-year-old Waterloo girl has been extradited to Iowa.
	Jamison Fisher due in court on pro se motions He is set to appear at 10 a.m. Friday on several pro se motions — motions he filed himself rather than through his attorneys.
	One person transported following Clinton house fire One person was transported to a local hospital following a house fire in Clinton. According to a release from the City of Clinton, the Clinton Fire Department was dispatched for a reported structure fire at 11:01 p.m. April 16 to the 300 block of S. 3rd St. Upon arrival, the fire was extinguished within 15 [...]
	4 Your Money \| Earning It The stock market hit another record high this week, continuing the strong performance of the last few years. James Nelson, Financial Planner at NelsonCorp Wealth Management, explains where the growth is coming from and why returns driven by real earnings growth are more sustainable.
	The customer experience era of delivery The customer experience era of deliveryDelivery is one of the most visible and emotionally charged moments in the shopper journey. From the customer’s perspective, delivery is the moment when a promise is fulfilled—or broken. That means delivery is no longer a purely operational concern. It’s where brands either reinforce trust or undermine it.This is why delivery has become such a critical touchpoint in modern retail. It’s the point at which operational execution and brand perception collide. Retailers are increasingly realizing that delivery is not just about moving goods. It’s about following through on commitments.This recognition is transforming how leading e-commerce companies approach shipping and fulfillment.This article from ShipStation shares insights from expert-backed sessions on e-commerce delivery, AI, sustainability, logistics, and more at The Delivery Conference 2026.The customer experience doesn’t end at checkoutCustomers don’t separate e-commerce into stages as retailers do. They don’t think of marketing, checkout, warehousing, and last-mile as distinct processes. The entire delivery and shipping experience—from checkout to the moment a package arrives, and even through returns—plays a major role in how customers evaluate a business.For many shoppers, delivery is the final step of the buying journey, and it often becomes the moment they remember most. Delivery performance reflects directly on the business. Reliable shipping becomes a key signal of trust. When customers believe a company will deliver what it promised, when it promised, they are much more likely to return and buy again.Many companies invest heavily in attracting customers but neglect the post-purchase experience, which is where loyalty often forms.“Businesses tend to optimize for the sale and then hope everything after checkout works,” said Tobias Buxhoidt, CEO of parcelLab, in the Beyond the Box session.Dependability is the new competitive advantageFast delivery may seem appealing to customers, but it’s not enough on its own. Businesses often compete on speed, but customers increasingly value predictability more.Speed still has value, especially in competitive markets, but predictability and reliability build confidence.“Speed doesn’t win loyalty, reliability does,” said Luke Batten, sales director at Relay, in the Speed Doesn’t Win Loyalty session. “A delivery that’s fast but unpredictable just creates faster disappointment.”An accurate, consistent delivery window allows customers to plan around it. When delivery times fluctuate, customers must create their own buffers. Companies that consistently deliver when they say they will earn a reputation for reliability.Customers remember broken promises more than slightly longer delivery times. A dependable three-day delivery often creates more satisfaction than a one-day promise that frequently fails.A slightly slower delivery that arrives exactly when promised is often preferred over a fast one.Many deliveries require coordination. A customer may need to be home to receive a package, schedule staff to unload inventory, or plan the installation of a product. If delivery times keep changing, customers must adjust their plans, or risk missed shipments. A predictable delivery window removes that stress. Even if the delivery takes slightly longer, customers appreciate knowing exactly when it will happen.“Some brands want to overdeliver. They say they’ll deliver on Monday, but they come on Saturday. But that might not be convenient,” said Clare Bailey, founder of The Retail Champion, in The Experience Emphasis session. “Exceeding expectations might be more inconvenient to the customer than just doing what you said you would do. We organize our lives around these things. If they ring the doorbell a day early, it’s quite uncomfortable.”Managing expectations is key. Customers may regularly track packages, contact support teams, or rearrange schedules when deliveries are delayed. Reliable delivery timelines reduce these problems and the costly customer service inquiries that follow. Customers spend less time worrying about their orders and more time focusing on how they will use the product.For many customers, reliability simply feels fair. They do not expect perfection, but they do expect honesty and consistency. In this way, predictability becomes a key part of the overall customer experience.When things go wrongDelivery can be a powerful experience, but also a fragile one. If the delivery goes smoothly, it reinforces the positive impression created during shopping. If it goes wrong, it can undermine everything that happened before.Unclear tracking, unexpected costs, and delays can overshadow even an exceptional product. Customers may forget the checkout process entirely—but they remember when there’s a problem.Even when retailers rely on third-party carriers, for example, customers rarely distinguish between the two. If there’s a problem, customers don’t blame the carrier. They blame the brand.“Carrier selection is absolutely an extension of their customer experience,” said Morgan Rivers, district marketing director at UPS UK, Ireland, and Nordics, in The Psychology of Delivery session. “The customer doesn’t necessarily complain to UPS. It’s the retailer directly. So understanding that the carrier is a reflection of your brand is key.”There’s an emotional dimension at play. Digital interactions can feel abstract, but delivery is physical. Customers have paid money for something they cannot yet see or touch. The period between checkout and delivery is a sensitive one.Waiting for a package creates anticipation, and the moment it arrives becomes the payoff of the shopping experience. When delivery works well—on time, clearly communicated, and predictable—it produces satisfaction and even excitement. When it fails, the disappointment is equally strong.Retailers often overlook how emotional this moment can be. Customers want clarity, visibility, and real-time updates. Clear communication is essential. Silence creates anxiety. The goal isn’t just reactive communication—it’s proactive reassurance.“Around half of consumers actively track their parcels. They’re not tracking it because they’re super keen and can’t wait. They’re tracking it because they are uncertain. What we need to do is intervene quickly when something goes wrong,” said Batten.Some delivery failure is inevitable. When it happens, customers want three things: transparency, ownership, and resolution.Delivery is no longer just logistics. It’s brand experience.The e-commerce landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. From checkout to doorstep, delivery defines the brand experience.Retailers that understand this are redesigning their delivery strategies around customer expectations and preferences:Prioritizing reliability over speedImproving delivery communicationSimplifying shipping optionsGiving customers more controlInvesting in operational excellenceThis story was produced by ShipStation and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Perimenopause symptoms: What women 35 and up need to know now Perimenopause symptoms: What women 35 and up need to know nowFor women in the perimenopause years, normal is a complicated word. Normal means the pain is real, but nothing is showing up on the X-ray or MRI. It means you leave the appointment with no solutions, just a referral to yet another specialist. Or even worse, a narrative that the pain is all in your head.This article by Alma shares the language and know-how you need so you don't have to wait as long — or work as hard — to get the care you need.1. Perimenopause, not menopause, is the big transitionPerimenopause typically begins in the early to mid-40s, sometimes even the late 30s, and lasts on average 4 to 8 years. Clinically, perimenopause starts with the onset of irregular periods. It finally ends after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle, which is the point that officially marks menopause.So menopause is actually a single point in time that is identified only after it's happened. Perimenopause is the actual struggle—when many women face an unpredictable onslaught of whole-body symptoms.2. Fluctuating estrogen — not low estrogen — drives perimenopause symptomsDespite what you may have read or heard, the defining feature of perimenopause is not low estrogen, it's fluctuating estrogen. Estrogen levels during perimenopause do not steadily decline. They rise and fall like a rollercoaster, sometimes spiking higher than normal before crashing.And because estrogen receptors are spread out throughout the entire body, not just in the reproductive system, fluctuating levels can cause symptoms across every organ system, affecting the brain, heart, joints, muscles, bladder, skin, and hair.Stop and reflect: When you think about the dramatic shifts in your mood recently, have you attributed them to parenting stress, work pressure, or feeling out of sync with your partner?Those things may be real, but there is also a measurable, hormonal explanation worth looking into. You probably do not have lab work that shows you the full picture yet. Now might be the time to request it.3. Perimenopause “brain fog” is more serious than you might thinkEstrogen receptors are distributed throughout the brain, and many of the complaints that prompt women to seek mental health treatment during perimenopause can be traced back to fluctuating hormones.Researchers who have studied women in perimenopause have reported measurable changes in brain structure, connectivity, and energy metabolism throughout the transition.4. Perimenopause joint pain is real — and finally has a nameEstrogen receptors are present throughout joints, tendons, cartilage, skeletal muscle, and bone. As estrogen declines during the perimenopausal transition, it can lead to all of the following:Widespread joint painAccelerated muscle and strength lossIncreased tendon vulnerabilityCartilage degradationProgression of osteoarthritisUp to 71% of perimenopausal women experience these symptoms, and up to 25% will be disabled by them at some point during the perimenopause transition.In October 2024, researchers published a clinical review that officially gave a name to these collective effects: the Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause (MSM).Stop and reflect: What pain has come up for you that feels invisible? Has anyone in a medical appointment ever connected that pain to your hormones? Now you have the language to ask and the study mentioned above to share.5. Perimenopause mood changes and pain make each other worseMood problems and pain can not only co-exist, they both amplify and fuel each other.Research shows that:Chronic pain increases anxiety and depressionAnxiety lowers pain thresholds and heightens sensitivityDepression increases how intensely people perceive painGiven that, it makes sense that the prevalence of depression and anxiety among adults with chronic pain is approximately 40% — significantly higher than in comparison groups.Perimenopause mood issues and pain can also be due to something called allostatic load. Basically, your body has a measurable tolerance for how much stress it can take before systems start to break down. When you're in your late 30s or 40s, things like long work days, active parenting, chronic pain, and financial strain can push you over the edge.Research shows that chronic stress and high allostatic load are among the strongest risk factors for mood disorders during perimenopause, independent of hormonal levels alone.Clinicians often overlook allostatic load when diagnosing generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive episode, fibromyalgia, or somatization in perimenopausal women.Stop and reflect: Have you received a new depression or anxiety diagnosis in your 40s that you never had before? Has anyone had a conversation with you that connected your mood, your pain, and your hormonal status in the same appointment? If not, that conversation is overdue.6. Antidepressants are overprescribed during perimenopauseResearch has found that women ages 45 to 54 going through perimenopause experienced higher rates of common mental health diagnoses than men in the same age group. Women in this group were also prescribed more SSRIs and SNRIs than similar-aged men with the same diagnoses.At the same time, use of Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) among U.S. postmenopausal women dropped from 26.9% in 1999 to just 4.7% by 2020 due to a misrepresentation of findings in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI)'s 2002 study.The result is that women have been heavily medicated for mood and chronically undertreated hormonally.On the bright side, new guidelines make it clear that clinicians must identify women's menopausal stage and assess co-occurring hormonal symptoms before diagnosis and treatment. When hormonal symptoms are overlooked, treatments may provide partial relief, enough to feel helpful, but not enough to address the root cause of symptoms.Stop and reflect: Before you fill the next prescription, ask: Has anyone evaluated my hormonal status? Could what I am experiencing be perimenopausal in origin? Don't hesitate to ask for additional testing.7. Thyroid problems are harder to diagnose in perimenopauseSubclinical hypothyroidism, a condition where TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is mildly elevated but thyroid hormone levels appear normal, affects an estimated 6 to 10% of women during their reproductive years.The symptoms, which include fatigue, cognitive impairment, mood lability, and sleep disturbance, overlap so significantly with perimenopausal depression that the two are difficult to distinguish without more complete testing.A TSH value is a starting point, but including free T3, free T4, and TPO antibodies in lab testing tells a more complete story. If you are experiencing the symptoms listed above and have not found relief with standard treatment, ask if you can get a full thyroid panel.Stop and reflect: Has anyone suggested you do a full thyroid panel rather than just TSH? If not, it's time to be thorough; add it to your list of questions for the next appointment.8. Sedatives won’t work for perimenopause sleep disruptionIf you're in the age range for perimenopause, it's critical to consider hormones when evaluating sleep disturbance (aka you wake up after you've fallen asleep). Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone directly affect sleep quality, while vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) are documented contributors to nocturnal awakenings.What's happening in a nutshell: Your hormones are erratic, your body temperature is dysregulating in the middle of the night, and that is likely what's waking you up.Research findings also show that abnormal sleep in perimenopausal women — specifically lower sleep efficiency (how long you're in bed vs. how long you're asleep), increased wakefulness after sleep onset, and reduced REM sleep — are significantly associated with higher cortisol levels, which isn't the case for self-reported insomnia and sleepiness outside of perimenopause.This cortisol link is a vicious cycle: It’s caused by poor sleep and it actively prevents deeper, restorative REM sleep from happening. Taking sedatives will not break this cycle.For women also experiencing MSM, sleep disruption is also frequently pain-driven, and co-existing musculoskeletal disorders are documented contributors to sleep disturbance alongside vasomotor and mood symptoms.Stop and reflect: If you have been offered sedative sleep medication without anyone asking about your hormone levels, your pain, or whether you are waking up hot, you need a more complete assessment.9. Vitamin deficiencies in perimenopause can mimic mood disordersAlthough doctors seldom mention it in routine appointments, women in perimenopause are at significantly increased risk of deficiencies in specific vitamins and nutrients. And those deficiencies can produce symptoms that look nearly identical to a mood disorder.Low vitamin B6 is linked to cognitive decline, and mood disruption.Low vitamin B12 is associated with depression, cognitive impairment, and increased dementia risk.Vitamin D deficiency presents as fatigue, mood instability, immune dysregulation, and bone loss.Iron deficiency, which can accelerate during perimenopause when cycles become irregular and heavier before stopping, contributes directly to fatigue, brain fog, and low mood.Omega-3 fatty acids, which most of us are not consuming at adequate levels through diet alone, are linked to vasomotor symptom management, mood regulation, and sleep quality.Stop and reflect: Has anyone run a full nutrient panel for you recently (this means looking at B12, vitamin D, ferritin, omega-3 index, and iron)? If not, add those to the list for your next appointment.10. Wearable devices can help track perimenopause symptomsConsumer wearable devices like an Apple Watch, Oura Ring, WHOOP, or Garmin provide long-term continuous monitoring across sleep, rest, and activity. This data can provide a clinician with a helpful, longer-term picture of what's happening with your body.One thing to look for is heart rate variability (HRV), which is measurably decreased during perimenopause. Lower HRV correlates with more perimenopause symptoms.Stop and reflect: Do you currently have a wearable? Start tracking now. The data you collect may be the most useful thing you bring to your next appointment.11. HRT can significantly improve mood in perimenopauseResearch shows that for women whose depression and anxiety started during perimenopause (particularly those without a significant psychiatric history), antidepressant treatment alone is incomplete. 24Adding HRT can help. A study assessing the impact of transdermal estradiol (aka an estrogen patch) — with or without progesterone and testosterone — on mood symptoms in 920 peri- and postmenopausal women, found significant improvements across mood-related symptoms, with additional benefit in women who received both estradiol and testosterone.Stop and reflect: Has anyone ever asked whether your mood symptoms might be hormonally driven? Has the word estradiol ever come up in a mental health conversation? If not, bring it up with your medical provider.12. The right medical team makes all the differenceWomen in perimenopause are routinely undertreated for a host of reasons:Symptoms are distributed across the entire bodyImaging is often normalThe clinical picture does not fit neatly into any single specialty's laneMost providers have not been trained to assess hormonal patternsSo if you're experiencing symptoms that non-hormonal treatments aren't fully addressing, it's worth finding both mental health and medical providers with a passion for perimenopause.Medical providers can include a primary care provider, an endocrinologist, and a gynecologist.Counseling is also essential. A good mental health provider who understands this landscape can help you build language for medical conversations, process the grief of a body that is changing without warning, and hold the emotional weight while the medical picture gets sorted.One last fact: Perimenopause care isn’t equally available to everyoneAccess to hormonal evaluation, specialist care, and emerging options (like medical cannabis for pain) is not equally distributed across income, geography, or race. For example, it's well documented that Black women's concerns are dismissed more frequently compared to White women.If you have encountered barriers, delays, or dismissals, that experience reflects a systemic issue, not the validity of your symptoms. Keep advocating.This story was produced by Alma and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn holds townhall in Davenport Lahn is one of five Republicans running for governor.
	Why scientists are nervous about fungi They can pose a threat to human health — yeast infections are but one example. Scientists say not enough attention is paid to their ability to develop resistance to medications that treat them.
	How state and local anti-discrimination laws are expanding worker protections How state and local anti-discrimination laws are expanding worker protectionsAcross the United States, state and municipal governments are increasingly passing anti-discrimination laws that extend protections beyond federal requirements, reshaping the legal landscape for workers and employers alike.Twenty-four states and Washington D.C. now enforce anti-discrimination laws that protect a broader range of personal traits than federal law requires, and the 2026 legislative session is pushing that number higher.As those laws evolve, they are broadening how discrimination is defined and giving workers, in many jurisdictions, access to legal remedies that do not exist under federal law.For many American workers, the protections available on the job increasingly depend not only on national standards but on where they live and work.Phillips & Associates examines how state and municipal anti-discrimination laws are expanding beyond federal requirements and what those changes mean for workers and employers.Federal Anti-Discrimination Law as the BaselineThe legal foundation for workplace anti-discrimination in the United States begins at the federal level. Three laws form the core of that framework. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 extends those protections to workers with physical or mental disabilities, requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations. And the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 protects workers 40 and older from age-based treatment in hiring, pay, and other employment decisions.Federal law also shields workers from retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint or participating in an investigation, and these protections apply regardless of whether a worker is full-time, part-time, or a non-citizen.The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces these standards nationwide, establishing a common legal baseline that applies across every state.The Growing Role of State and Local GovernmentsState and local governments are playing a larger role in defining workplace protections. By early 2026, some jurisdictions had expanded anti-discrimination laws to cover hair texture and natural hairstyles associated with race, along with housing status, height and weight, immigration status, and justice-impacted status, meaning protection for people with arrest or conviction histories.Those laws are also widening how discrimination is understood. Some now address AI-assisted hiring, protections tied to how employers respond to immigration enforcement, and limits on disciplining workers for lawful political activity outside the workplace.Enforcement is changing as well. Employers in certain jurisdictions are now required to give workers formal notice of their rights, maintain written anti-discrimination policies, conduct audits of certain workplace practices, or submit information to government agencies.These requirements place more responsibility on employers to demonstrate how policies operate in practice rather than relying only on complaint-driven enforcement. In this way, state-level policymaking continues to function as a testing ground for how workplace protections develop across the United States.Municipal Leadership in Worker ProtectionsLarge municipalities have pushed this trend further by writing anti-discrimination rules that are more detailed and, in some cases, more accessible to workers. New York City offers one of the clearest examples.The New York City Human Rights Law protects a wide range of traits, including caregiver status, height, weight, immigration or citizenship status, arrest or conviction record, and sexual and reproductive health decisions. The city also directs that the law be read liberally so that federal and state law serve as a floor, not a ceiling.That matters because city law can cover more protected groups, make it easier for workers to challenge discriminatory treatment, and create additional avenues for enforcement and remedy through local agencies or the courts.Other cities have followed a similar path. Philadelphia enacted protections in late 2025 prohibiting discrimination based on menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause.Pittsburgh amended its anti-discrimination ordinance that same year to broaden the city’s definition of protected class, adding coverage for traits such as pregnancy-related conditions, protective hairstyles and hair texture, citizenship or immigration status, preferred language, medical marijuana patient status, and housing status.These municipal frameworks show how cities are continuing to move beyond the baseline set elsewhere in employment law.Why Local Protections Are ExpandingThe expansion of local protections reflects a workplace that has changed faster than federal law often does. As expectations around fairness have broadened, more workers and advocates have pushed for rules that speak more directly to how discrimination now appears on the job.That pressure tends to land first at the state and local level, where lawmakers are often closer to the industries, communities, and disputes shaping public debate. Regional priorities add another layer, since a city or state may respond more quickly to the concerns that feel most immediate within its own workforce.Advocacy groups have helped carry that process forward by identifying gaps in older legal frameworks and pressing local officials to close them. Local law has therefore become one of the clearest places to watch how workplace protections are being redefined.What These Changes Mean for Workers and EmployersFor workers, one practical effect of these changes is access to more legal protections depending on where they live and work.In some states and cities, the law now covers more types of discrimination, gives workers more time to file a claim, and makes it easier to bring certain cases forward. Awareness has grown alongside those changes, especially around retaliation, as more workers understand that the law protects them when they report unfair treatment.As Jessica C. Rosales, an attorney at Phillips & Associates, a New York-based employment law firm tracking these developments, has observed: “The increase in discrimination and retaliation filings reflects a workplace where employees are more aware of their legal rights and more willing to challenge unfair treatment.”For employers, the challenge is less about any one rule than the growing variation from one jurisdiction to another. A company operating across multiple cities or states may face very different standards depending on location.The Future of Employment Law in the U.S.Looking ahead, employment law in the United States is likely to become more layered, with states and cities continuing to add protections where federal law is narrower or has not yet acted. That includes areas such as paid leave, workplace safety, and rules for emerging technologies.Federal law will remain the foundation, but it is now operating alongside a growing body of state and local legislation that is shaping workplace rights more directly in many parts of the country.Over time, those local laws may do more than address immediate needs. They may also help influence future national policy by creating models that spread beyond the jurisdictions where they began.This story was produced by Phillips & Associates and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Widespread severe weather likely Friday afternoon and evening We've already seen two nights with severe weather across the Quad Cities area this week. Severe weather is likely this afternoon into early tonight and this event is looking to be more widespread. After a very warm Friday, much cooler air moves in this weekend. We'll see frost and a possible freeze Saturday night and [...]
	Leaders urge for restraint as 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire takes effect Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, acknowledged the ceasefire, but did not say whether it would abide by it and urged people displaced by war in Lebanon to refrain from heading home.
	The U.S. blockade continues despite Iran's announcement the Strait of Hormuz is open Iran's foreign minister declared the Strait of Hormuz is open, following the start of an Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. President Trump swiftly responded that the U.S. naval blockade on Iran will continue.
	Crews battle house fire in Clinton About 1 a.m. a KWQC crew could see first responders working in the 100 block of South Third Street.
	Picking up pet waste protects water quality, community health in Muscatine Picking up after your pet isn’t just about courtesy — it’s about protecting the environment and public health. Every time you scoop, bag, and trash your pet’s waste, you’re helping keep Muscatine’s parks, sidewalks, and waterways clean and safe for everyone. according to a news release from . Why pet waste matters Dog and cat [...]
	Mary Ellen Chamberlin remembered as a force who shaped the Quad-Cities Mary Ellen Chamberlin helped launch Jimmy Carter out of the caucuses, brought riverboat gambling to Iowa to revive the economy, and connected more than $50 million in grants to nonprofits.
	Cesar Toscano: Celebrating National Poetry Month with another Quad-Cities high school poet This is Education Reporter Cesar Toscano's second of four columns featuring a student poet for National Poetry Month, this time with Pleasant Valley senior Josephine Schurke.
	NEST Café marks 4 years serving the Quad Cities pay-what-you-can meals Four years in, NEST Café is busier than ever. The pay-what-you-can restaurant in Rock Island reflects growing need and strong community support.
	DeWitt mourns science teacher after car accident and house fire Trisha Brookins was a 7th grade science teacher at Central DeWitt Middle School.
	The Flatboat This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Looking for an idea to spice up your next garage sale? Have I got an idea for you, fresh from the first farmers who…
	Partial intersection closure ahead at Mt. Joy roundabout It's an Our Quad Cities News traffic alert. According to a release from the Scott County Secondary Roads Department, a partial intersection closure is scheduled beginning Monday, April 20 for approximately six weeks, weather permitting. The roads involved are the intersection of 210th St. and N. Brady St. in Mt. Joy. The release says both [...]
	Road work will affect access to Eagle Heights Elementary School, Clinton The City of Clinton, in coordination with the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), has scheduled a temporary road closure on Main Avenue next week that will affect access to Eagle Heights Elementary School, a news release says. Main Avenue will be closed to through traffic from Mill Creek Parkway to North 3rd Street beginning [...]
	Who says they have no fear of the Trump administration? The quiz knows Also: If you know what Eric Swalwell looks like, you'll get at least one question correct.
	The Labor Department wants to teach you to use AI more. Here's what we found The short course provides solid basics for using AI. But it also misidentifies AI products, links out to bad advice and raises ethical concerns about the products it promotes
	Cook review: 'You, Me & Tuscany' is a serviceable rom-com Here's a romantic comedy that's pretty to look at, with an engaging ensemble. It's not hard to figure out what will happen in "You, Me & Tuscany." But if you want to see nice-looking people enjoying life in the beautiful environment of Italy, this might be just the film for you. The talented Halle Bailey [...]
	Trump rails against court decision that once again stalls his White House ballroom project The federal judge's decision continues to block above-ground construction on the $400 million White House ballroom, allowing only below-ground work on a bunker and other "national security facilities" at the site.
	House extends surveillance powers for 10 days Earlier in the morning GOP leaders had pushed for either a five-year renewal or the 18-month renewal President Trump had demanded, but both votes tanked.
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
	DeWitt mourns science teacher after car accident and house fire Trisha Brookins was a 7th grade science teacher at Central DeWitt Middle School.
	Army announces cancellation of collective bargaining agreements; legislators respond Union employees at the Rock Island Arsenal were feeling uncertain Thursday. That's after the U. S. Army announced the cancellation of collective bargaining agreements with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE.) AFGE Local 15 President Steve Beck says the executive order impacts two unions at the arsenal. The order could allow the Army to [...]
	Singer D4vd is arrested months after a teen's remains were found in his car The 21-year-old Houston-born singer, whose real name is David Burke, had been under a secret investigation by an LA County grand jury after a 14-year-old girl's decomposed body was found in his car.
	East Moline School District's new transportation zones raise safety concerns Transportation from the East Moline School District (EMSD) between Learning Tree and Bowlesburg and Ridgewood Elementaries will stop after this school year. "I have worked here since 1999. Ever since I have worked here, East Moline has stopped and picked up these kids," says Nicole Henry, Director of Learning Tree Child Care in Silvis, located [...]
	Washington state awards $56M for child care facility projects (Photo by Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images)Washington is pouring $55.8 million into early learning facilities across the state. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced the competitive grant awards Thursday. The funds will create about 2,000 new child care spaces and support renovation projects in over 50 jurisdictions, according to the governor’s office. The grants are from the state’s Early Learning Facilities program, administered by the Department of Commerce. The 74 recipients include local governments, school districts, commercial properties and in-home child care facilities. “With these grants, we are working to build more capacity — literally — for our child care and early learning providers,” the governor said. The grants provide funding to plan, expand, remodel, purchase, or build early learning facilities and classrooms. Recipients include Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program contractors and Working Connections Child Care providers — two programs open to lower-income families. In November, the Ballmer Group committed to funding up to 10,000 more Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program slots over the next decade. The investment could end up totaling more than $1 billion. The philanthropic group was founded by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie. “Thanks to the generosity of the Ballmer Group, we’re on track to provide early learning to thousands more kids over the next decade,” said Ferguson. The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program serves students from families who earn less than 36% of the state median income, students who are homeless and students with disabilities. The Department of Commerce received 325 applications for the Early Learning Facilities grants, requesting a total of $277 million. Priority was given to facilities that serve children from low-income families and that are located in rural areas. Commerce has awarded more than $235 million from the Early Learning Facilities Program since 2017. Release of the grant funding follows a cut to another early learning program, Transition to Kindergarten. Designed to prepare students in need of extra support for kindergarten, the program took a 25% reduction in funding under legislation that state lawmakers and Ferguson approved this year. State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said last week that in his 30 years in education, he has never seen “a more ill-advised and damaging cut to education.” That reduction in funding will lead to about 2,000 fewer Transition to Kindergarten spots. Courtesy of Washington State Standard
	House approves Pritzker initiative to regulate social media algorithms The Illinois House voted on bipartisan lines to pass the Children’s Social Media Safety Act.
	The Heart of the Story: Maintaining the mussels Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. The race is on to save an endangered [...]
	Clinton County IT systems back online after security incident A third-party forensics team confirmed threat was caught in early stages.
	State Budget Committee approves toll road hikes, child care boost From left: Adam Alson, the director of the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, and Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Mitch Roob speak during a State Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)A panel of state officials on Thursday green-lit a deal letting the Indiana Toll Road’s private operator raise rates twice annually — in exchange for a $700 million windfall — and the governor’s request to spend $200 million expanding a frozen low-income child care program. The Indiana Finance Authority on Tuesday approved a resolution authorizing increases twice a year on all vehicles traveling the 157-mile northern Indiana Toll Road, but it couldn’t take effect without State Budget Committee approval, Public Finance Director James McGoff said. Class 2 passenger vehicles currently pay $16.21 for a full-length trip, with Class 5 trucks paying $87.49, with tolls rising once a year by 2% — or by the rate of inflation, if it’s greater. Indiana Toll Road deal would trade twice-annual hikes for $700M Bears stadium-related windfall The amendment to the 75-year road lease allows ITR Concession Company to hike rates by 1.5%, or by inflation, every Dec. 31 and June 30. The increase this December will be 1.6%, according to slides McGoff presented Thursday. The operator will pay the Indiana Finance Authority, which issues debt and finances projects for the state, a total of $700 million in cash over the next two years. The money will go to a transportation and infrastructure fund for use in the seven counties through which the road runs — including Lake, the prospective host of a new Chicago Bears stadium. If the Bears decide to relocate, spending would start in Lake County, on stadium-related infrastructure, McGoff said. In that case, Lake and Porter counties would increase local tourism taxes and the money would be distributed among the other Toll Road counties. That way, all seven “will share in the modification to the lease,” McGoff said. If the Bears stay put, the funds will stay in the agency’s account until lawmakers appropriate it. Public Finance Director James McGoff speaks during a State Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Despite the money’s connection to the stadium, McGoff said that negotiations on changing the lease began about a year ago — before Hoosier leaders launched their campaign to woo the franchise. And although the funds will directly benefit the Toll Road counties, McGoff said the state as a whole could benefit indirectly. “Theoretically, it gives the ability for (the Indiana Department of Transportation) to reprogram their transportation projects to other counties,” he told the committee, “because these towns would be the beneficiary of the funds that are restricted for infrastructure and transportation.” Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, thought that was unlikely. “So the county is going to spend its money … in a way that saves INDOT money? I’m waiting for that day,” DeLaney told reporters. “They’re not going to do that. They’re going to spend it on whatever they think is useful.” DeLaney — an alternate who served as the only voting Democrat on the committee — unsuccessfully proposed a motion to remove the item from the panel’s agenda for approval, but it was not seconded. He complained that he had requested the amendment ahead of the Thursday vote but hadn’t received it. Administration plans to increase budget for child care Also on the State Budget Committee agenda was Gov. Mike Braun’s request to push $200 million from the state’s General Fund through the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth fund to reopen admissions for a key child care program. The money would bring about 14,000 Hoosier children off a waitlist of those seeking vouchers. About 21,000 would remain, though. “The Senate kickstarted this funding discussion by unanimously passing Senate Enrolled Act 4 during the 2026 legislative session, which allows the state to spend money from the FROG fund on CCDF,” said Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, in a statement Thursday. Mishler, who chairs the State Budget Committee and authored the new law, said he’s “pleased to see that the Senate’s efforts are paying off, and we will continue to work on this program as we begin to prepare for the 2027 budget session.” The Child Care and Development Fund currently provides vouchers to about 43,000 needy children, as long as their parents meet income and work requirements. It has been closed to new enrollees for more than a year as officials worked to curb state spending. About 4,000 seats will be set aside for certain groups. The Family and Social Services Administration, which administers CCDF, released the numbers in slides presented Thursday. From left: Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka, and Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, listen during a State Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The set-asides include 1,500 slots for foster and kinship care children; 1,000 for special needs kids; 800 for those being served by the Department of Child Services; 300 for homeless kids; 200 for the children of child care workers; and 100 for referrals from Ivy Tech Community College. FSSA will also prioritize other groups: the siblings of current voucher-holders, infants, toddlers and 3- to 5-year-olds. The agency will begin enrollments in late May, but the rollout will take months, said Adam Alson, FSSA’s director of Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning. That’s because the agency can only process about 3,000 applications a month, per slides. That works out to about 18 weeks, even if the first 14,000 applicants are all determined eligible. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US The move will kickstart the Braun administration’s efforts to provide consistent funding, officials said. “We are funding this for one year, but … it will create a multi-year obligation for the state of Indiana,” Alson told the committee. He said the line item for early childhood learning in the next two-year budget “will reflect the commitment to maintaining funding for CCDF vouchers, and to increase the baseline from $39 million to at least $239 million” of state dollars, on top of base federal funding. DeLaney was skeptical child care providers would be able to “bet on that” and make business decisions despite unknown future state funding. “The governor has every intention of including a sustainable budget for CCDF vouchers in his budget,” State Budget Director Chad Ranney said. “… The governor is certainly committed to continuing this.” Closing out the waitlist — if everyone on it is eligible — would take about $350 million, according to Family and Social Services Secretary Mitch Roob. The State Budget Committee agreed, by unanimous voice vote, to adopt its agenda — approving all the items listed. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Indiana Capital Chronicle
	Order deadline nears for Safer Foundation’s annual lunch fundraiser You have until April 17 to place your $10 Safer Sacks order. All of the money stays local to help those with arrest and conviction records get back on their feet.
	Students and community members in Wayland, Iowa, come together for storm debris cleanup After a possible tornado passed through the WACO Community School District on Tuesday, students and members of the community came together to clean up.
	Socioeconomic status a key factor in understanding Alaska test data, lawmakers hear An empty classroom at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé in Juneau, Alaska (Photo by Lisa Phu/Alaska Beacon)A professor at Furman University told the Alaska Legislature Task Force on Education Funding Wednesday afternoon that standardized test results might not be the most appropriate set of data on which to base education policy decisions. During a routine presentation on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, Paul Thomas backed a principle that legislators should not make decisions about students and schools based on a single standardized test. “The key to understanding test data in Alaska is the information on poverty,” Thomas said. Alaska’s NAEP scores of fourth- and eighth- grade Alaskans ranked lower than the national public in mathematics and reading in 2024. According to the Nation’s Report Card, approximately 69% of students performing below the 25th percentile are economically disadvantaged while economically disadvantaged students make up 48% of Alaskan students. “Education policy and socioeconomic policy are really strongly connected,” Thomas said. “Test scores are a reflection of the socioeconomic status of the students.” State education officials led legislators through a practice test of the Alaska System of Academic Readiness, commonly referred to as the AK STAR. Each fall, winter, and spring, Alaskan students in grades 3-9 take the MAP Growth assessment and each spring, Alaskan students take the AK STAR. Kelly Melin, who works for the Department of Education and Early Development’s Assessments and Standards Administration, said the state’s standardized tests are designed to satisfy federal requirements set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act. “We’ve taken the power of an interim assessment and the need for a summative assessment as was dictated through ESSA and connected those to come up with what we have as AK STAR,” Melin said. Kelly Manning, the department’s Director of Innovation and Education Excellence, said that the purpose of assessments is to measure the state’s ability to close the achievement gap and measure students’ ability to read at grade level by the third grade. Statewide, about 33% of students tested at or above grade level expectations in language arts and 32% in math in 2025. Students in ninth grade demonstrated the greatest need for support in language arts and math. The esting window for Alaska students closes on May 1. AK STAR results will be available to school districts in July and statewide in the fall. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Illinois legislation would cap some prescription drug prices Price limits could be imposed on some of the most expensive prescription drugs in Illinois. Under House Bill 1443 and Senate Bill 66, medications that qualify would need to cost more than $60,000 a year or have acquisition costs that increase by more than $3,000 dollars a year. Some generic medications with significant price increases [...]
	Volunteers clean up trash in downtown Bettendorf Over 70 volunteers in downtown Bettendorf got together to clean up trash Thursday afternoon. It was all part of a clean up event that's hosted yearly by the Downtown Bettendorf Organization along with XStream Cleanup. The event came with a free lunch from Jimmy John's for volunteers willing to spend some time picking up trash. [...]
	AKWAABA QC to host first citizenship workshop for Quad Cities immigrants Organizers say it will be a "one-stop shop" for applicants seeking U.S. citizenship. Participants will leave with completed applications ready to be mailed.
	House passes bill extending protections for Haitian migrants in the U.S. Ten Republicans voted alongside Democrats, in a rebuke to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Should it pass the Senate, the White House said President Trump would veto the measure.
	Is Utah short behavioral health beds? ‘Word on the street’ is yes, but audit says state lacks data People congregate outside the Lantern House homeless shelter in Ogden on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)<a href='#'><img alt=' ' src='https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Ut/UtahBehavioralHealthBedDashboard/MapDashboard/1_rss.png' style='margin-bottom: 10px; max-width:100%;' /></a> As Utah state and local leaders continue to look for ways to improve services for Utahns in need, a panel of lawmakers on Thursday reviewed a legislative audit focused on one piece of the puzzle: behavioral health. Even though legislative auditors set out to answer the simple question of whether Utah has enough behavioral health beds to meet demand, they ran into a problem. “Unfortunately, we found that no one could actually answer that question,” Madison Hoover, an audit supervisor with the Office of the Legislative Auditor General, told the Legislative Management Committee. Utah homeless leaders look to focus funding on ‘high utilizers’ while not ‘backing away’ from campus She said there’s no one entity responsible for collecting that information from all the various facilities across the state — including between the private and public sectors — so there’s no comprehensive information available on how many beds exist, how often they’re available, or where capacity may fall short. So, the audit report released Thursday instead declared “Utah does not know its behavioral health bed needs.” To fix that problem, auditors recommended lawmakers focus on creating a statewide bed registry to show where needs are or aren’t met, and to designate a “central authority” to better coordinate the system and its varying types of behavioral health facilities. “This lack of information is really important, because behavioral health beds are the mechanism that allow patients to move through the system,” Hoover said. “And when patients can’t access the appropriate level of care — whether that’s in a residential treatment facility like First Step House or an acute care wing of an Intermountain hospital — congestion builds, and those ripple effects are really seen across the continuum.” Hoover said auditors tried their best to contact all 600 facilities across the state that offer some type of behavioral health services “because we wanted to at least work to start assembling as much of that picture as we could,” but they could only get information from some of them. “That exercise itself exposed, again, the core issue here. Without authority, coordination and standardized reporting, understanding this system is extraordinarily difficult,” Hoover said. However, “to show that systemwide visibility is actually possible,” she said auditors built a dashboard to showcase the information they were able to collect. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX That dashboard shows (based on available information) that Salt Lake County has the lion’s share of the state’s behavioral health beds, with at least 2,623. Utah County has 1,460; Davis County has 336; Weber County has 262; and Washington County has 390. <a href='#'><img alt=' ' src='https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Ut/UtahBehavioralHealthBedDashboard/MapDashboard/1_rss.png' style='margin-bottom: 10px; max-width:100%;' /></a> Leah Blevins, audit manager, said the dashboard isn’t updated in real time, so the numbers and availability can fluctuate, “but we do think it does show how important it is to have this information — for the hospitals … and especially for you as decision-makers.” And it reflects the “most complete information that anyone gathered to this point,” she said. “The word on the street is there’s not enough beds, and we’re not questioning that,” Blevins said. “But we don’t have the data to back that up. So if the Legislature is deciding whether to spend more money on beds, it’s very difficult for policymakers to make those decisions based on the lacking information that we have.” So Hoover said auditors aren’t issuing an immediate call to “add more beds,” but rather a call to “actually understand the system before we make additional investments.” “Without the systemwide visibility, capacity, availability and demand, Utah is going to be making decisions with significant blind spots,” she said. “So understanding these resources across the continuum is a foundational step towards improving access, reducing delays, and ensuring public dollars are directed at the areas of greatest need.” House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, expressed support for the recommendation for a statewide bed registry, calling it a “really good option” for lawmakers to consider. With funds for 670 homeless overflow beds running out, board OKs $1 million to ‘bridge’ the gap Blevins also said the state’s already established Behavioral Health Commission is a “great first step” to help coordinate existing efforts, but the state lacks a final decision-maker, which is why auditors recommended a central authority to govern the system. In response to the audit’s recommendations, Tonya Hales, deputy director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services’s health care administration, said she thinks the DHHS is “in a really good position to be a central authority” over behavioral health for the state. However, Hales said “one thing we lack right now is the ability to engage with the private sector,” so she suggested that’s one thing lawmakers could consider to help implement the audit’s recommendations. Eric Tadehara, director of DHHS’s office of Substance Use and Mental Health, also told lawmakers that a challenge facing state officials is identifying what types of behavioral health beds are or aren’t needed. “From a general perspective, I think we know that we are short on beds,” Tadehara said. “I think the level of bed is going to be where it’s hard to quantify.” For example, he said there already have been recommendations to increase capacity at the Utah State Hospital, but there have been challenges determining what other types of beds are needed. “Are we discussing specific residential beds for all populations? Are we talking specifically for youth, for adults, or for substance use and the like?” he said. “I think it’s very difficult to quantify, and this has been one of the challenges.” Schultz pointed to lawmakers’ recent move to set aside $125 million to expand Utah’s prison capacity in Gunnison to help better meet the state’s growing population, and he applauded efforts to do something similar for behavioral health. “Having a system in place for the Legislature to look at and work collaboratively with your agency to determine what that looks like going into the future would be very beneficial,” the House speaker said. After reviewing the audit, the Legislative Management Committee voted to refer it to the Health and Human Services interim committee for further review and consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Utah News Dispatch
	Iowa Department of Transportation names bridges to rebuild using $65 million of federal funds The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) is partnering with counties and cities across the state to rebuild 67 bridges. The funds come from two grants within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed in 2021. The 67 bridges were picked due to cost-benefit analysis for traffic and length of detours and because those bridges were [...]
	River Action holding cleanup day at Indian Springs Park next Wednesday Participants should wear long pants and sleeves, as well as sturdy shoes. The cleanup runs from 9-11 a.m.
	Victims identified in fatal cash between train and truck in Savanna Carroll County officials said 50-year-old Benjamin Sandrock and his son, 21-year-old Connor Sandrock, were killed in the crash. Both were from rural Lyndon.
	Davenport activates flood plan as Mississippi River rises Davenport has activated the city’s flood plan as the Mississippi River rises following recent heavy rain.
	Illinois bill to regulate e-bikes advances A proposal to regulate e-bikes in Illinois is moving forward. Senate Bill 3336 would require e-bikes that can go up to 28 miles an hour to be registered and insured. Riders would need to be at least 16 years old and have a license. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says the changes are needed [...]
	One last round of severe weather It has been a long and active week of weather for us in the Quad Cities with severe thunderstorms and even a few tornadoes as well. While this Thursday has been a much-needed break, lots of clear skies and sunshine, it will not last long as we prepare for Friday. A level 3 - enhanced [...]
	Idaho governor, state superintendent promote conservative group in high schools Gov. Brad Little signed a proclamation encouraging students to start Club America chapters during an event on April 8, 2026, at the Idaho Statehouse. (Brad Little via X) Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on April 16, 2026 Spokespeople for Gov. Brad Little and state superintendent Debbie Critchfield say there’s a difference between promoting political ideologies in the classroom and promoting “extracurricular” and “student-led” political activities outside the classroom. But you might have to squint to see where the line is drawn. Little and Critchfield’s offices defended the Republicans — both running for reelection this year — after they caught flak for promoting “Club America,” Turning Point USA’s campaign to equip and educate conservative activists in high schools. Last week, Little signed a proclamation encouraging Idaho students to form Club America chapters at their schools. Republican governors in Arkansas and South Carolina recently signed similar proclamations. Critchfield also spoke in support of the program, and Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke attended the event at the governor’s office. Leaders of another youth organization, Babe Vote, picked up on the irony. Idaho Republicans for years have rooted out so-called “woke” and “leftist” influences from public schools, colleges and universities — critical race theory, DEI, gender ideologies, etc. — under the guise of keeping classrooms politically neutral. Now, the governor and the state’s top education leader are encouraging students to join an overtly ideological group. “The hypocrisy of this partnership is staggering,” said Babe Vote’s statement condemning the proclamation. “…This move by the governor and superintendent proves that their concern isn’t about removing politics from schools — it’s about ensuring only their politics are allowed.” Last year, Little signed into law House Bill 41. The law prohibits public school teachers from hanging classroom flags and banners that represent “political ideologies” in order to “maintain a neutral and inclusive environment for all students.” Critchfield’s Idaho Department of Education is responsible for enforcing the law. Teachers, for instance, are not allowed to hang the “Everyone is Welcome Here” poster that spurred debates on classroom politics after West Ada School District administrators ordered former teacher Sara Inama to take it down. The poster’s “rainbow colors and progressive symbols” made its “political purpose unmistakable,” according to Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador. Whether a poster representing inclusion has a “political purpose” is debatable. But there’s no mistaking where Turning Point USA (TPUSA) stands. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX What is TPUSA? The late activist Charlie Kirk founded TPUSA in 2012 to counter liberal influences on college campuses. The group in 2016 launched a “watchlist” of professors who “advance leftist propaganda.” It later published a similar database for public school trustees. Today, TPUSA is an influential political organizer in the conservative movement, hosting annual conferences with high-profile Republicans. In 2024, the nonprofit raised $85 million, according to ProPublica. Club America, which launched last year, extended the group’s campus efforts to high schools, offering student leaders a framework, resources and incentives for activism. Before Kirk was killed by a gunman at Utah Valley University last year, he hoped to establish Club America chapters at 25,000 high schools across the country, said TPUSA chief field officer Andrew Sypher, who spoke at last week’s Statehouse event. “(Kirk) was a man with a vision, a man that believed one day we could have a presence in not only every high school and college in America, but that we could take over the American culture,” Sypher said. “We could influence American culture to show that conservatism is not just a left-right thing, but it is an American ideology, one that will prevail nationwide.” Idaho Gov. Brad Little takes questions from an Idaho News 6 reporter after his State of the State Address on Jan. 12, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Club America chapters already exist in 15% of Idaho high schools, Sypher said. A “chapter constitution” says the mission of clubs is to “educate students on the importance of freedom, free markets, and limited government — while building a strong network of trailblazers ready to lead in their schools and communities.” Aiden Shingler, a Boise high schooler and Club America member, thanked the governor for his “willingness to stand with students like me.” Shingler said his club has faced protests and intimidation from fellow students and discouragement and delays from school administrators. “When activism is encouraged in one direction but discouraged in another, it certainly sets a tone,” Shingler said at last week’s event. “…This selectivity is not neutrality, and selectivity in education does not create informed students.” Little, Critchfield offices defend proclamation Little and Critchfield didn’t mention TPUSA’s politics while discussing the governor’s proclamation at last week’s event. They framed it as supporting free speech and civic engagement — and this is mostly what the proclamation itself covers. But only one student organization was mentioned. “I encourage any student who is interested in leading or joining a Club America or Turning Point USA chapter to do so,” the proclamation says. So where’s the line on political neutrality in schools? Joan Vargas, Little’s press secretary, drew it here: “Encouraging students to participate in extracurricular activities on their own time is fundamentally different from promoting political viewpoints in the classroom,” Vargas said by email. “Gov. Little’s proclamation underscores the importance of ensuring students can exercise their First Amendment rights in a safe and respectful environment, and he supports students’ ability to join clubs that reflect their individual interests and beliefs.” A spokeswoman for Critchfield made a similar contrast. Club America is a “student-led extracurricular … similar to others on campuses, including those that might be described as ‘liberal activism,’ such as Gay-Straight Alliance, Babe Vote, and BLM (Black Lives Matter),” Andrea Dearden, chief communications officer for the Idaho Department of Education, said by email. “The line is drawn when one viewpoint is promoted over others or to the exclusion of others,” she said. Dearden also distanced Critchfield from the classroom flag and banner restrictions, noting that IDE “has not been involved in policymaking” on the issue. Asked whether teachers and administrators should also encourage students to join Club America, Dearden said: “We encourage all students to lead and participate in activities and organizations that matter to them, and we see that happening in many forms across the state. As long as clubs operate within state and federal guidelines, districts and charter schools may host them regardless of focus or affiliation.” Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield enters the House of Representative chambers to listen to Gov. Brad Little give his State of the State Address on Jan. 12, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) National network offers resources, incentives to conservative students Ultimately, Club America is a volunteer organization, and students can choose whether it’s right for them. The club’s resources clearly appeal to students interested in conservative politics. Club America’s website includes a library of videos, presentations, games and activities organized into Gen Z-coded “activism themes” covering topics like “taxes are shady,” “socialism kinda sus” and “big gov scares.” Club members can also order “activism kits,” which include posters and stickers with messages like “strengthen America’s borders,” “America First” and “protect our kids, arm our schools.” An online handbook lays out the ground rules for maintaining an active chapter: Each club must have a student leadership team, sign an agreement with TPUSA and organize at least one “activism initiative” per semester while communicating with a Club America field representative “on a regular basis.” The handbook prohibits chapters from endorsing political candidates or aiding in political campaigns. Chapters must obtain approval from Club America headquarters before hosting a speaker on campus, according to the handbook. TPUSA also offers incentives to student activists who complete “noteworthy activism,” according to the group’s website. “Patriot rewards” include free swag along with “VIP experiences” at TPUSA’s national conferences. While Club America may be an “innocuous” student group, it also draws students into TPUSA’s broader political organization, said Liz Yates, program director at Western States Center, a nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon, that researches “anti-democracy actors.” Roughly one-third of the 31,000 attendees at TPUSA’s AmericaFest convention last year were students, Religion News Service reported. Speakers at the event included mainstream Republicans like Vice President J.D. Vance and fringe figures in the conservative movement, like Christian nationalist theologian and pastor Doug Wilson of Idaho. Among other controversial takes on politics, Wilson has advocated against women’s suffrage, arguing that the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote was part of a “war on the family.” “This is the kind of person that you are exposed to through the TPUSA network,” Yates said. “Clubs at schools are one thing. This is a pipeline into a much bigger ecosphere that I think many, many parents would have a lot of concerns about.” Courtesy of Idaho Capital Sun
	Sale pending on Quad-City Times building in Davenport, could close in next few months A deal is pending for the Quad-City Times building in Davenport. A local developer is exploring plans to bring in multiple tenants.
	Chlamydia falls, new HIV cases rise in latest Rhode Island sexually transmitted infections data A digitally colorized scanning electron microscope image shows HIV-1 particles on the surface of a human lymphocyte. (Photo by C. Goldsmith, P. Feorino, E. L. Palmer, W. R. McManus/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)During National STI Awareness Week, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) had some good news to share: An assortment of sexually transmitted infections seem to be entering a period of decline after years of upward movement. The most promising downward trend can be found in chlamydia, which dropped to 4,681 cases in 2024 — the lowest since 2015, and a marked difference from the peak of 5,717 cases documented in 2019. The latest state data from 2024 was compiled and released by the state health department during March in its annual STI surveillance report. The data, which is reported on a year lag, “represent the most accurate, comprehensive, up-to-date snapshot we have of HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and TB [tuberculosis] in Rhode Island,” according to the report’s opening note from Director of Health Dr. Jerome Larkin. Disparities linger, however, in the distribution of STIs. Take newly diagnosed cases of HIV. Overall, there were 94 documented cases of newly diagnosed HIV in Rhode Island in 2024, the highest number since 2015. That spike was highest among Rhode Island’s Black and African-American population. From 2020 to 2023, the number of cases in this demographic dropped by 63%, for a total of about 12 cases diagnosed in 2023. But in 2024, this statistic shot up nearly fivefold to about 57 cases, which the RIDOH report noted was “18.9 times higher than among the non-Hispanic White population” and “observed across multiple risk groups.” The average number of cases in recent years has hovered around 70 per year. Over the past decade, the population most commonly exposed to HIV are gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), which the RIDOH report says have accounted for 66% of newly diagnosed cases where the exposure type was known. HIV diagnoses dropped in 2020 during the pandemic, but the health department report says that, from 2021 to 2023, this number returned to levels compared with the pre-COVID era. The 2024 data saw a 34.3% increase above the average number of diagnoses in these years. Larkin noted in his introduction, however, that preliminary data for 2025 does not seem to hold the same trend. “I am pleased to report that we did not continue to see an increase in cases in 2025,” Larkin wrote. “Rhode Island’s counts of newly diagnosed HIV cases in 2025 are below our 10-year average of 70 cases per year.” The state has also seen success in treating people with HIV, with an estimated 76.4% of people living with the virus receiving treatment and 94.1% of those engaged in care achieving viral suppression, Larkin wrote. The health department estimates there are 2,851 living with HIV in Rhode Island. Age also plays a factor in STI acquisition, with teens and young adults in the age range of 15 to 24 continuing to show higher rates. Chlamydia, for example, had a rate of around 427 infections per 100,000 people in the general population. Among the 15-24 age group, the rate was 1,827 per 100,000 people. That was still an improvement over last year, with people in this age range having approximately 2,030 infections per 100,000 people. A similar situation played out with gonorrhea, whose case-per-population ratio in the 15-24 group was more than twice that of the general population.The state health department promoted its RIght to Know app alongside its announcement about falling STI rates. The platform is designed to provide adolescents and young adults with “accurate information about sexual and reproductive health, as well as places across Rhode Island to access resources like care and condoms,” according to the health department’s press release. Also highlighted in this year’s STI report: Chlamydia’s 4,681 recorded cases in 2024 were the lowest annual total since 2015. But the disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis remains concentrated among younger people, with the highest rates since 2020 observed among Rhode Islanders ages 20 to 34. Gonorrhea continues to climb, even if it experienced a slight dip this year. The health department counted 1,622 cases in 2024, down from 1,672 cases in 2023, but still far above the 580 cases in 2015. The report says rates have risen consistently over the last five years among people ages 20 to 34. Infectious syphilis dropped to 161 cases in 2024 — down from 190 the year prior, and less than half the peak of 328 cases recorded statewide in 2021. More alarmingly, the health department noted it recorded 12 cases of congenital syphilis from 2020 to 2024, when no cases had been reported in more than a decade. Viral hepatitis has seen strong progress over the last decade, with the number of inpatient hospitalizations tied to a diagnosis of hepatitis C declining from more than 2,700 such cases in 2015 to under 900 in 2024. In 2023 and 2024, there 15 cases of hepatitis B and 41 cases of hepatitis C. Monkeypox, or Mpox, was first observed by health departments around the world during its initial outbreak in 2022. Aggressive vaccination efforts quickly suppressed the virus’ spread for the most part, but Larkin wrote that the state saw “a slight uptick in cases in 2024 and 2025.” A health department dashboard shows there have only been 104 cases recorded in the Ocean State as of Feb. 2026, with less than 10 in both 2024 and 2025. And what about TB? While tuberculosis is not a sexually transmitted infection, it’s combined with the surveillance of other diseases in the annual report. Larkin wrote that rates of this consumptive illness were “higher than expected in 2023 and 2024, but preliminary 2025 data showed a decline to pre-2023 levels.” There were 23 cases recorded in 2024, still higher than the past decade’s low of just seven cases in 2020. Pre-pandemic, the state was still considered “low-incidence” and regularly documented under 20 cases in its annual counts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of Rhode Island Current
	Rock Island-Milan School District names new dean of students at Rock Island High School Dr. Yolanda Grandberry-Pugh will step into the role next school year. She's currently the interim dean.
	Grand Forks County reports first measles case of 2026 as Pembina County outbreak ends One of the symptoms of measles is a red, blotchy rash. (iStock/Getty Images)Grand Forks County reported its first measles case of 2026 on Thursday, increasing North Dakota’s total measles cases to 33 for the year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The new Grand Forks County measles case involves a person who was likely infected within the state and did not report any recent out-of-state or international travel, state officials said. The department also declared the measles outbreak in Pembina County as resolved on Wednesday after no additional cases were reported in that county for 42 days since the onset of the last case. People traveling to Pembina County are recommended to follow routine immunization guidelines, the department said. Of the state’s 33 cases this year, 23 were reported in Pembina County, six in Ransom County, and additional single cases in Grand Forks, Traill, Walsh and Williams counties. Five people who contracted measles needed to be hospitalized, according to the HHS measles dashboard. Of those who contracted measles, 27 people reported being unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. The agency recommends anyone traveling to Grand Forks County to ensure they are vaccinated against the disease. Health officials also recommend any children in Grand Forks County older than 6 months should receive their first dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The department is continuing to investigate the source of the measles exposure in Grand Forks County, but also updated its list of possible exposure sites. Anyone present at an exposure site should quarantine for 21 days and monitor for symptoms. People with at least one dose of MMR vaccine, or those born before 1957, do not need to be quarantined, but should monitor themselves for symptoms. Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and eye irritation, followed by a widespread rash, according to the department. People can transmit the disease for up to four days before a rash develops, according to HHS. People who believe they may have contracted the measles should contact their health care provider before arriving at a medical clinic to ensure precautionary measures can be taken to protect other patients and medical staff. As of April 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 1,714 measles cases across 32 states in 2026. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Courtesy of North Dakota Monitor
	Top five takeaways from Homeland Security budget hearings Lawmakers have been in a stalemate for over 60 days about funding the entire department, which includes agencies that oversee immigration enforcement, disaster relief, cybersecurity and the U.S. Coast Guard.
	Support affordable homeownership at Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities' Golf Fore Homes You can enjoy a great day of golf while helping to support affordable homeownership here in the QCA! Tom Fisher-King joined Our Quad Cities News with details on Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities' Golf Fore Homes. For more information, click here.
	Michael Bridgford, Bettendorf, announces Congressional run for 1st District Michael Bridgford, a Quad Cities small business owner raised on a seventh- generation family farm, on Thursday officially announced his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, according to a news release. Running as an independent, Bridgford seeks to represent the "exhausted majority" of voters who are tired of hyper-partisan [...]
	Speed cameras: What you should know before paying ticket Confused by a speed camera ticket? Discover the legal distinctions between camera citations often issued by private vendors and police-issued tickets.

Friday, April 17th, 2026

Thursday, April 16th, 2026