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

Saturday, October 10th, 2026
	LeClaire man arrested after being found with over 100 videos of child porn A LeClaire man was arrested on Friday after a search warrant found over 100 videos of child porn.
	The Kennedy Center names new artistic director, amid concerns The center's executive director has named an agent who has worked with ZZ Top and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee as the head of programming for the arts institution.
	At least 2 deaths attributed to Isaias after hurricane bashes Florida and Alabama Hurricane Isaias is blamed for at least two deaths, after the storm made landfall on the Florida coast and ran through Alabama. The are numerous reports of downed trees, with hundreds of thousands of people without power.
	Students can visit with representatives from dozens of colleges at College Night, Moline Black Hawk College will host its annual College Night from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Quad-Cities Campus, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, in Building 3 in the gym. In one evening, students can visit with representatives from dozens of colleges, universities and military branches. High school students, college students, parents and grandparents can get [...]
	Find deals at Antique Spectacular Vintage Market Find deals on antiques and other vintage items at the Antique Spectacular Vintage Market at the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Avenue in Rock Island, on November 6 -8. Expo hours are 4 – 8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is [...]
	Cancer Support Community to hold free creative art workshop in Moline Cancer Support Community Iowa and NW Illinois will host a creative art session workshop offered free at 6-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at Gilda’s Club Moline, 600 John Deere Road, Suite 101, Moline, a news release says. No prior art experience is necessary, only an open mind and a willingness to have fun. The participants [...]
	Three things to know about EICC's impact to the local economy The impacted counties include Clinton, Cedar, Jackson, Louisa, Muscatine and Scott.
	2 concerts will come to Bishop Hill Creative Commons, Bishop Hill Award-winning singer-songwriter Frank Viele will launch the 2026–27 indoor concert season at Bishop Hill Creative Commons on Friday, Oct. 16, bringing his powerful blend of blues, rock, folk, soul and Americana to Bishop Hill. Viele's is the first of two concerts. The Oct. 16 performance marks the beginning of Crossroads Cultural Connections’ indoor concert season, [...]
	Ongoing lawsuits allege GLP-1s can cause serious harm. But we don't know how often Scant data about serious adverse effects makes it harder to answer scientific and legal questions about how often the drugs might cause serious harm like blindness or pancreatitis.
	QC local government recap: Davenport city administrator resigns, council appoints replacement alderman Davenport city administrator resigns, replacement 2nd Ward alderman appointed, Eldridge votes to establish a city fire department, Moline breaks ground on a diverging diamond interchange, and other local government updates.
	Steering This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.St. Matthew may have known his lilies of the field when he advised us to be like them and "take no thought for the…
	After losing ground with Latino voters, Democrats are turning to influencers for help Democrats are hoping to win back Latino voters who have soured on both parties. They hope Latino content creators will bridge the gap.
	A year of ceasefire in Gaza through the lens of NPR's reporter It has been one year since Hamas released the remaining Israeli hostages and President Trump promised an end to the war, but Palestinians say the past 12 months have been a ceasefire in name only.
	16 cozy activities to add to your fall bucket list Carve a pumpkin? You can do better than that. Fun and unusual ways to celebrate the season, from writing a gratitude letter to making an ancestral altar.
	The Met puts a modern artist front and center (and there's some Jackson Pollock, too) In a blockbuster show, The Metropolitan Museum of Art places the work of two major 20th century artists side by side: the married couple Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock.
	India cracks down on youth protests as anger grows against Modi and election chief Indian authorities have launched a major security crackdown in New Delhi, detaining thousands of protesters who intended to hold a mass demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
	Major rebuild underway at I-74 and John Deere Road Interchange, Moline A major rebuild is underway at the I-74 and John Deere Road interchange in Moline. On Friday, the Illinois DOT, along with some elected officials, marked a major milestone in that construction with a groundbreaking. The first phase continues. That includes shoulder and drainage work, new lighting and traffic system updates. That work is expected [...]
Friday, October 9th, 2026
	New state could be on the horizon with proposal for secession in Illinois A new state could be on the horizon in Illinois. Some counties in rural Illinois want to break away from Chicago-- including a couple in the Quad Cities area. Some people in Illinois support a move to form a new state if 33 counties secede from the state of Illinois. The proposal is on the [...]
	Bettendorf Middle School students wrap up week of challenges with burst of color Bettendorf Middle School students wrapped up weeks of school-wide challenges with a burst of color on Friday. The BMS Color Run had students running, tossing colorful powder and celebrating with classmates and staff. The event also raised money for the WEB - Where Everybody Belongs - program. Students earned extra color through challenges, including a [...]
	LeClaire man arrested for allegedly possessing, trading child sex abuse materials A 30-year-old LeClaire, Iowa, man has been arrested for allegedly possessing and trading in child sex abuse materials.
	Part of façade of Masonic Temple, Muscatine, collapses Part of the Muscatine Masonic Temple’s façade collapsed Thursday night. City officials say a section of bricks near the roofline came down into an alley along Third Street. In a Facebook post, the Masonic Lodge says its building is structurally sound. An engineer is expected to inspect the wall as plans move forward to fix [...]
	Warren County identifies first human case of West Nile Virus in 2026 The virus is transmitted via mosquito bites and cannot be transferred person to person.
	Speaker of the House joins Miller-Meeks at Republican rally in Davenport Speaker of the House Mike Johnson joined Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks and other state and federal leaders for a Republican rally in Davenport. He said he's spent the past month traveling the country to support Republican candidates. Johnson calls this the most important midterm election of our lives, and says Republicans need to stand together to [...]
	Illinois DOT says new design for Moline's I-74, John Deere Road interchange is safer While construction has already started, city and state leaders gathered in Moline on Friday for an official groundbreaking on the project.
	Leclaire man charged with 10 counts related to child sex abuse material 30-year-old Austin Howland Dana was charged after police said a large number of images and videos were found on his devices.
	Little York man killed in Galesburg Amtrak collision John M. Glasgow was known for his work advocating for rural schools in Illinois and also nationwide.
	Stay Covered Stay Healthy QC launches new resource to help explain Medicaid changes The coalition brings together more than two dozen health care agencies across the Quad Cities to coordinate resources.
	Judge temporarily blocks Illinois assisted-suicide law for religious health providers A federal judge has temporarily blocked Illinois from enforcing its assisted-suicide law against many Catholic and Christian health care providers.
	IL lawmaker calls for action following State Farm homeowner insurance rate hike An Illinois Senate Democrat is furious that State Farm is raising homeowner insurance rates by 8% just months after massive insurance reforms were signed into law.
	Pritzker says ‘so much more to do’ in Illinois as he seeks rare 3rd term Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking a rare third term, which he said will focus on completing many initiatives he has already started.
	Cook review: 'Digger' is a contender for worst picture of 2026 Just in case you haven't heard the bad news: Embracing the latest Tom Cruise film is an impossible mission. It takes more than two hours to get through this nonsense, which has some of the characteristics of a Wes Anderson film and none of the entertainment value. In "Digger," Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil [...]
	Bettendorf High School plans donation drive, community resale event Bettendorf High School Student Council is turning gently used clothing and household items into an opportunity to give back through Bulldogs Bins, a donation drive and community resale event benefiting the Student Hunger Drive, a news release says. Community members are encouraged to clean out their closets, donate gently used items, and shop for great [...]
	Inaugural Field of Dreams Festival cancelled A new event set to debut in the coming days at the Field of Dreams is now cancelled.
	A very nice weekend ahead of us Despite some early morning rain for our Friday the beautiful weather continues on for us here in the Quad Cities for the weekend. Temperatures will be warming up back into the low to mid 80s for the next couple of days that will even linger into the early next week. After the sunny and warm [...]
	LeClaire man faces 10 counts of child pornography: Court records During the execution of a signed search warrant on Oct. 2, officers found a LeClaire man with more than 100 videos of child pornography on an electronic device, according to a Scott County arrest affidavit. Court records show Austin Howland Dana, 30, faces 10 counts of purchase/possess depiction of a minor in a sex act. [...]
	UIHC opens new family medicine clinic in fast-growing Tiffin, cites need to keep doctors in Iowa The University of Iowa Health Care recently opened a new family medicine clinic in Tiffin - the fastest-growing city in Iowa.
	Restaurant inspection update: Three food trucks temporarily shut down State, city and county inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past several weeks, including expired and moldy food.
	Building's facade partially collapses in downtown Muscatine It happened late Thursday night. City officials said moisture appears to have built up behind the facade.
	Road in Muscatine closed due to water main break Officials said to avoid the area.
	Classmates celebrate JJ, Hawkeyes Kid Captain This week, JJ is the Kid Captain for this week’s Hawkeye football game. To celebrate, Buffalo Elementary School held the assembly in his honor.
	Erie-Prophetstown, Riverdale compete in TRAC showdown in Week 8 of The Highlight Zone The KWQC Highlight Zone covers week eight of high school football matchups across the Quad Cities.
	HNI volunteers partner with City of Muscatine to plant trees More than two dozen community-minded employees from HNI Corporation rolled up their sleeves on Friday, Oct. 2, partnering with the City of Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department to expand the local urban canopy, a news release says. The volunteer group successfully planted four diverse varieties of trees (Honey Locust, Tulip, Crab Apple, and Ginkgo) at [...]
	Sheriff: Man awaiting murder trial assaults Knox County correctional officer David Nicholson-Klingerman Jr. is charged with murder after a woman was found dead in Galesburg last October.
	Lead(h)er celebrates 10 years of mentorship and gives 2026 Girl on Fire Awards Lead(h)er celebrated its 10th year of providing free mentorship to women across the Quad Cities at its annual Fuel the Fire Gala, where the organization announced its 2026 Girl on Fire Award winners. The sold-out celebration brought together supporters, mentors, mentees, community leaders, and partners to celebrate a decade of women lifting women up through [...]
	Mike Ditka, Bears Super Bowl-winning coach, dies at 86 Mike Ditka, remembered as one of the Chicago Bears’ all-time greats, has died. He was 86.
	Former Muscatine Trolley and Tours vehicle goes up for auction as public surplus The City of Muscatine, in coordination with the Department of Public Works (DPW), will open its next online public surplus auction on Tuesday, Oct. 13, a news releases says. Bidding will remain open through 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. The item in the auction were declared surplus by the Muscatine City Council on August 18 [...]
	Kalshi taps former FBI agent to fight against money laundering The prediction market company says it wants to prevent its platform from being abused by criminals. The company is facing mounting pressure over market manipulation and insider trading on the site.
	RI man sentenced to 17 years after Arsenal Bridge escape and river rescue Three Rock Island men have been sentenced to prison for multiple gun and firearm charges, including a man who had jumped from the Arsenal Bridge to escape police.
	What games we're watching for Week 8 of The Score Football Tune in tonight at 10:15 p.m. for local high school football highlights from across the region!
	Inmate charged after corrections officer assaulted, deputies say An inmate in the Knox County jail is being charged after deputies said he assaulted a female corrections officer.
	4th annual Concourse d'Quad Cities Car Show scheduled for Palmer Hills, Bettendorf Golfers will not be the only ones “driving” at a local golf course next weekend. The fourth annual Concourse d’Quad Cities Car Show is taking place on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the course at Palmer Hills Golf Course, 2999 Middle Road. “The Concourse D'Quad Cities is one of the [...]
	Coworkers of Davenport fugitive located in San Diego shocked by arrest 50-year-old Brian Williams was working as a chef under the name "Troy Williams."
	Dyersville cancer patient to drop the puck for weekend cancer center fundraiser Dubuque Fighting Saints hockey game 63-year-old breast cancer patient Lue Bockenstedt had her cancer caught early and just finished radiation therapy. MercyOne asked her to participate in its annual “Pink the Rink” fundraiser benefiting the Dubuque Cancer Center on Saturday, Oct. 10.
	United Way, community partners to offer free Halloween costumes for children in Muscatine The program is guided by the belief that every child should have the opportunity to enjoy Halloween.
	U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson rallies with Miller-Meeks in Davenport Speaker Mike Johnson called on Republicans to organize and support U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in one of the most competitive races in the country.
	New QC coalition launches to help adapt to Medicaid changes A new community resource is available to help Quad Cities residents and organizations navigate upcoming changes to Medicaid — Stay Covered Stay Healthy QC.
	Rep. Miller-Meeks holds campaign rally in Davenport with House Speaker Mike Johnson Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-1) was joined by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, for a campaign rally in Davenport.
	Fired OpenAI employees question the company's commitment to safety The three fired workers say OpenAI punished them for being outspoken about safety. The company disputes the claims and says they were fired over mishandling sensitive information.
	Little York man killed in Galesburg Amtrak collision was an advocate for rural schools John M. Glasgow was known for his work advocating for rural schools in Illinois and also nationwide.
	Trump says U.S. to get diesel from Russia, relaxing pressure on Moscow to ease prices before midterms Trump says the U.S. will obtain diesel from Russia, relaxing years of U.S. pressure on Moscow, to combat prices before midterms. He said he struck the deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call.
	Local youth band 7 Ark sweeps major awards at statewide music contest The QC Rock Academy youth band 7 Ark won the Band Division title and multiple individual awards at last month’s Iowa Rocks Youth Talent Competition in Okoboji.
	How to get your whole team fluent in generative AI (BPT) - Key takeawaysTraining only the leadership team in generative AI creates a bottleneck, because the wasted hours live on the front line.Free courses from the AI companies are worth taking, and each one teaches a single platform.AI products change month to month, so the timing of training matters as much as what it covers.Certification gives a client something visible to trust.A recent survey by Certified AI 360 found 84% of respondents said their company is not ready for AI. In most of those companies the tools are already paid for. The skills are the line item nobody budgeted.The AI skills gap describes a company's paid tools and the employees who lack the skills to use them. It opens in a predictable way. An owner and a couple of managers try ChatGPT, CoPilot, Claude or another model, find it useful, and everyone else keeps working exactly as they did before.Start with the people doing the workMost AI rollouts begin at the top, because that is where the budget sits. The bottleneck shows up a quarter later, when the only fluent people in the building are the ones furthest from customer calls and proposals.Sam Richter is co-founder and lead instructor of Certified AI 360, a Hall of Fame professional speaker who has trained more than 1 million business professionals worldwide."When two managers are the only ones trained, every AI idea in the building waits in line behind their calendars," said Richter. "The people writing the quotes and answering the phones know where the wasted hours are. Give them the skills and they will go find them."Are free AI courses enough to train a team?Free AI courses are a real starting point, and each one teaches a single platform. Anthropic opened Claude Academy with free courses on AI fluency and workplace rollout on Aug. 20, according to EdTech Innovation Hub. OpenAI Academy publishes free self-paced courses on applying AI at work, and every major AI company now offers instruction on its own product. Subscription libraries such as LinkedIn Learning add breadth, bill per person per month and run on pre-recorded video.An employee who finishes one of those courses knows one tool well. On a normal Tuesday that same employee may open Copilot in Outlook, Gemini in a shared document and ChatGPT on a phone.What to look for in team trainingWhen considering team training options, prioritize these four factors:Coverage of more than one platform, so people choose the right tool for the task at hand rather than the one the company happened to buy.An update schedule you can see. A course recorded a year ago teaches habits the tools have already outgrown.Lessons shaped like the job: a sales email that earns a reply, or a contract summarized before a Monday meeting.Proof at the end that a customer can actually see.Certified AI 360 is a whole-company AI training and certification program for small businesses, covering ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and every major AI platform. Training runs about 8 hours per employee. It's self-paced, the curriculum is updated weekly, and every employee who finishes earns an individual credential while company plans also earn a company badge."Eight hours is less than one workday, and any business can find that," said Richter. "What no business gets back is the customer who went with the competitor who answered faster and knew more."Take the free 10-question AI readiness assessment and see how whole-company certification works at www.certifiedai360.com.
	Where a legend began: Davenport to officially dedicate Roger Craig Stadium on Oct. 15 Davenport Community Schools will officially dedicate Roger Craig Stadium on Oct. 15, honoring the NFL legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer.
	Davenport man sentenced 5 years to federal prison on firearm charges Terry Lee Chance Jr., 33, of Davenport was sentenced to 5 years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon.
	Buffalo Elementary rolls out red carpet for Iowa football kid captain A red carpet, Hawkeye cheers and a gym full of support. Buffalo Elementary School gave first grader JJ Ward a celebration his family won't soon forget.
	4 Your Money \| Trick or Treat While markets can fluctuate at any time, the month of October has earned a scary reputation for the stock market. David Nelson, CEO of NelsonCorp Wealth Management, is here to share October's volatile history and why it is known as an unpredictable month on Wall Street.
	Stay Covered Stay Healthy QC launches new resource to help residents navigate Medicaid changes The coalition brings together more than two dozen health care agencies across the Quad Cities to coordinate resources.
	Death Notice: Viola Spinsby A funeral service for Viola Faye Spinsby, 92, of Davenport, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf. Burial will follow in Glendale Cemetery, LeClaire. Visitation will be Monday, Oct. 12, from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Spinsby died Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at Harmony Utica Ridge, Davenport. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the Oct. 14 edition of The NSP.
	From performance management to performance development: What helps leaders succeed Organizations have spent years redesigning performance processes to support employee development, strengthen talent decisions and improve business performance. The harder challenge is helping leaders consistently commit to those processes amid competing priorities.Performance management now asks leaders to provide ongoing coaching, support employee development, document performance throughout the year and connect individual contributions to business outcomes.Recent research points to continued shift from annual reviews toward continuous feedback, from annual goals toward shorter-term objectives, from objectives set by leaders toward co-creation of goals, and from evaluating past performance toward supporting future development. However, better outcomes have not always followed. Only one in five employees feel motivated by their company’s performance management system, and only 32% of executives believe their system enables high-quality talent decisions, according to May 2025 research from Cornell University's Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies.The shift towards continuous feedback reflects a broader recognition that employees develop through everyday work, not annual review cycles. Many performance processes, however, still require leaders to reconstruct months of activity after the fact instead of supporting development as work progresses. Getting performance development right is critical to strategic execution. In this article, BDO discusses how organizations can reap the benefits of this approach, with success hinging on practical support for leaders in three key areas.Key TakeawaysPerformance development works best when managers have clear expectations, strong role models and a shared understanding of what good looks like.Connected workforce, performance and business information helps leaders coach, develop and evaluate employees more effectively.Technology and AI can help managers focus on development by organizing information and reducing administrative effort.Simplifying performance processes and establishing ongoing two-way dialogue creates more time for meaningful coaching and development conversations.1. Define What “Good” Looks Like and How Senior Leaders Will Model ItOrganizations should give senior leaders a clear framework for setting expectations around performance development and demonstrating those behaviors within their own teams. They should also define the actions that show a leader is developing others and incorporate those expectations into leadership evaluations.Specific leadership behaviors include setting priorities, providing timely feedback, regularly discussing development, following through on commitments and creating opportunities for two-way feedback. Companies participating in a 2025 Cornell University working group emphasized the importance of giving employees clear, robust goals and priorities as a starting point for effective performance management. Leaders are more likely to model development behaviors when expectations are clear, reinforced consistently, and reflected in the evaluation of their own performance. 2. Use Technology and Data to Help Leaders See Clearly and Act EarlierCornell’s Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies identifies individual goals, KPIs and project deliverables as traditional performance measures and points to collaboration, teamwork, customer value, employee learning and development, well-being and engagement as emerging dimensions of performance.Technology can connect these additional dimensions with traditional performance measures across systems, giving leaders a more complete view. With better visibility into progress, patterns and emerging gaps, leaders can coach, develop and evaluate employees more effectively and address concerns before the formal review cycle. AI tools can support that effort. A May 2026 Harvard Business Review article suggests that generative AI’s greatest value to performance reviews may be helping leaders unearth evidence of employees’ decision-making, influence, mentoring and problem-solving from everyday work, providing a stronger basis for coaching, development and talent decisions.Organizations that were part of Cornell’s working group described using AI platforms to help managers track performance, manage the review cycle, and identify areas for employee improvement, while emphasizing that these tools cannot replace manager-employee conversations. 3. Enable Leaders Without Creating More WorkSupport for leaders should be built into day-to-day workflows, so performance development does not become another task on an already crowded agenda.The same Cornell working group identified transparency, trust and a safe environment for giving and receiving feedback as important conditions for successful performance development. Participating companies were also connecting frequent feedback with the broader review process, though consistent use depended on keeping the system simple and easy for managers to adopt. Cornell’s research highlights persistent challenges, including time-consuming processes, feedback arriving too late and difficulty capturing individual contributions. It also revealed that gaps in managers’ coaching and feedback capabilities further weakened performance development efforts. Organizations can address these challenges by helping leaders build coaching capabilities, establishing expectations for ongoing two-way dialogue between leaders and employees, and simplifying performance processes. Feedback captured throughout the year should flow into the annual performance cycle, allowing ongoing conversations to replace end-of-year reconstruction. Performance development depends on what leaders do every day. Clear examples of what success looks like, better information and simpler processes make that job easier and help turn development conversations into opportunities for employee growth, stronger talent decisions and better business outcomes. This story was produced by BDO and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Moline breaks ground on new diverging diamond intersection Prep work for the new traffic pattern has already begun, with the project expected to officially begin next year and take an estimated two years.
	Mortgage rates hit 18% in 1981. Here's how that compares with buying a home today Borrowers shopping for a 30-year fixed mortgage in the fall of 1981 saw rates peak at 18.63% in the week of Oct. 9. That still stands as the record in Freddie Mac's weekly survey of mortgage rates, which began in 1971. On Oct. 1, 2026, the average stood at 7.28%. That looks mild next to 1981. But over the 45 years since, home prices have outrun household incomes by a wide margin, so it's worth asking whether buying a home was really harder back then.Griffin Funding, a San Diego-based mortgage lender, analyzed federal data on mortgage rates, home prices, household income and inflation to compare the two eras. The comparison keeps the loan terms the same: 20% down and a 30-year fixed rate. The results describe a typical household rather than what any individual buyer paid or could qualify to borrow.So was buying a home harder in 1981? The answer depends on which cost you look at. Buyers in 1981 had the higher monthly payment, while today's buyers face the steeper price.An $83,700 home in 1981 would cost about $298,000 todayThe average new home in the U.S. sold for $83,700 in the fourth quarter of 1981, according to Census Bureau and HUD new-home sales data. Adjusted for inflation with the Consumer Price Index, that equals about $298,300 in August 2026 dollars.The average new home sold for $502,700 in the second quarter of 2026. That's about 1.7 times the inflation-adjusted 1981 price.Some of that gap comes from the homes themselves, since builders now sell bigger houses in different places and at different price points. To check whether size alone explains it, Griffin Funding also looked at the Federal Housing Finance Agency's house price index, which follows price changes on the same properties over time. Tracking the same properties limits the effect of shifts in what builders sell, though renovations and additions can still move it. It shows values rose about 6.7-fold from late 1981 to mid-2026, while consumer prices rose about 3.6-fold. A home worth $83,700 in late 1981 that kept pace with the index would be worth about $560,500 today.The 1981 payment took nearly two-thirds of a typical household's incomeTo compare affordability, Griffin Funding calculated the monthly principal and interest on each home, then measured that payment against median household income.A late-1981 buyer borrowing $66,960 at 18% paid about $1,009 a month. Median household income that year was $19,070, according to the Census Bureau's historical income tables. Before taxes and insurance, that payment alone ate up about 64% of gross income. In today's dollars, it equals about $3,600 a month.A buyer today borrowing $402,160 at 7.28% pays about $2,752 a month. Median household income in 2025, the most recent year available, was $87,460. Against that, the payment is about 38% of gross income. At 8%, the payment rises to $2,951, or about 40%. Griffin Funding Today's buyers face a much higher price tagIn late 1981, the average new home cost about 4.4 times median household income. Today it costs about 5.7 times. Measured by annual averages, the ratio peaked at 6.9 in 2022, when prices jumped before incomes caught up.The difference shows up most in the down payment. A 20% down payment in late 1981 was about $16,700, or about 10.5 months of median household income. Today it's about $100,500, or about 13.8 months, nearly a third more. Saving that much takes longer than those months suggest, since households are also paying rent and other bills along the way. For first-time buyers without equity from a previous home, that gap can matter more than the rate.Not every loan requires 20% down, but using it keeps the comparison consistent. Putting less down lowers the cash needed at closing. It also raises the loan amount and often adds mortgage insurance.What about taxes, insurance and smaller down payments?Most buyers don't put 20% down, and every buyer pays property taxes and homeowners insurance. Adding those costs raises the share of income in both eras. It doesn't change which era had the heavier payment.Property taxes took a bigger bite of home value in 1981. The median effective property tax rate was 1.09% that year, according to the Census Bureau's 1982 Census of Governments, compared with about 0.91% today. Homeowners insurance has moved the other way. The average annual premium on a single-family mortgage was about $2,405 in 2025, according to ICE, or about 0.48% of the average new home's price. No comparable national figure exists for 1981, so the comparison below leaves insurance out for 1981 and includes it for today. That tilts the results in 1981's favor.Low-down-payment options also looked different. In 1981, FHA's basic loan limit was $67,500, below the average new home price, so FHA could insure the average new home only in designated high-cost areas. VA loans allowed no money down, with no funding fee and no monthly insurance. Today, FHA's 2026 loan limit floor of $541,287 covers the average new home in every county, with 3.5% down. VA now charges a 2.15% funding fee for first-time use with no money down. Griffin Funding A buyer who puts nothing down today spends about 56% of median household income on the full monthly payment. That's still less than the 68% a 1981 buyer paid with 20% down.Rates would need to reach about 13.6% to match 1981At today's home prices and incomes, the 30-year rate would need to climb to about 13.6% for the payment to take the same share of income it did in late 1981.Still, today's market is far from easy. By the same measure, payments took about 23% of median household income in 2020, when rates averaged 3.1%. The share was about 38% in 2006 and 39% in 2023. Today's 38% sits near the highest levels since the early 1990s. Griffin Funding Why 1981 buyers caught a break laterBuyers in 1981 also got help after they closed.Incomes rose quickly. Median household income climbed about 31% between 1981 and 1986. The fixed $1,009 payment took 64% of income in 1981 and about 49% five years later.Rates fell, too. The average 30-year rate dropped to about 10.2% in 1986. A 1981 buyer who refinanced the remaining balance into a 25-year loan at that rate would have cut the payment to about $613 before refinancing costs, or roughly 30% of 1986 median household income.In hindsight, it's easy to see. Of course, nobody signing an 18% mortgage in 1981 knew that help was coming. Not every household's income kept pace, nor did every borrower qualify to refinance.Today's buyers can't count on the same help. Median household income rose about 29% from 2020 to 2025, a stretch of high inflation. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in the 12 months through August 2026. Mortgage rates have been rising, climbing from 6.76% on Sept. 10 to 7.28% on Oct. 1. And while lower rates would ease the monthly payment, they wouldn't shrink the down payment on a home whose price holds steady.MethodologyData were reviewed Oct. 3, 2026. Mortgage rates are from Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED series MORTGAGE30US). The 1981 comparison uses an 18% rate, near the fourth-quarter 1981 average of 17.74% and the Oct. 9, 1981, peak of 18.63%. Current figures use the Oct. 1, 2026, average of 7.28%, with an 8% scenario for comparison.Home prices are the average sales price of new houses sold in the U.S., from the Census Bureau and HUD (FRED series ASPUS), for the fourth quarter of 1981 and the second quarter of 2026. Results were checked against the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index (USSTHPI), which measures price changes on the same properties using sales prices and refinance appraisals.Inflation adjustments use the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPIAUCSL), comparing the fourth-quarter 1981 average with August 2026.Household income is Census Bureau median household income in current dollars. Figures for 1980 through 1983 come from the Census Bureau's historical household income tables, and figures from 1984 onward come from FRED series MEHOINUSA646N. Current figures use 2025 income, the latest available, without adjusting it forward to 2026.Except in the full-payment comparison, each payment is calculated based on a 30-year fixed loan with 20% down, and covers principal and interest only. Payments exclude property taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and closing costs, and they are not a lender qualification calculation. The late-1981 and October 2026 figures are point estimates. The historical chart uses annual averages instead, comparing each year's average new-home price and 30-year rate with that year's median household income.The refinance example assumes 60 on-time payments, then a new 25-year loan at the 1986 average rate, with no fees added to the balance.The full-payment comparison adds property taxes, homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance to principal and interest. The 1981 property tax rate is the median area effective rate from the Census Bureau's 1982 Census of Governments, Volume 2. Today's rate is the national effective rate from the 2023 American Community Survey, as calculated by the National Association of Home Builders. Today's insurance cost uses ICE's 2025 average annual premium on single-family loans. National 1981 figures for homeowners insurance and private mortgage insurance aren't available, so the 1981 figures exclude both. FHA terms reflect the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1979 for 1981 and HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23 for 2026. VA's funding fee was reinstated in October 1982, after the 1981 comparison period. Today's private mortgage insurance range uses Enact's published rate card for credit scores from 720 to 760 and above. Today's FHA and VA figures assume the upfront premium or funding fee is financed into the loan.This story was produced by Griffin Funding and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The U.S. last held a public execution in the 1930s. The Pentagon wants to change that The Pentagon says it will livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood, the site of his 2009 mass shooting. That would be the first public execution in the U.S. since the 1930s.
	Davenport couple arrested after alleged abuse of two children; mother instructed them not to tell A Davenport couple was arrested after two children were allegedly abused by their mother’s boyfriend and their mother advised them not to tell anyone.
	Wake Brewing to close its doors Sunday Wake Brewing announced it will permanently close this Sunday after serving the Quad Cities craft beer community since 2017.
	KWQC TV6 hosts annual coats and blankets drive Channel 6 will be hosting its annual coat and blanket drive on Friday, October 23 in partnerships with The Salvation Army and the Bettendorf Rotary Club.
	Davenport man charged with sex abuse of 5-year-old Cody Stallings faces felony second-degree sexual abuse charges in Davenport after investigators say he abused a 5-year-old child.
	Rock Island man who jumped into Mississippi River in attempt to evade police gets 17-year prison sentence Darryl Benard Shears III was sentenced Thursday to 204 months in federal prison for his role in a drug-trafficking operation.
	Muscatine breaks ground on first utility-scale solar farm Construction is underway on Muscatine’s first utility-scale solar farm.
	U.S. working to reverse an Egyptian man's third-country deportation to Africa The Trump administration's effort to return Ahmed Soliman to the U.S. come after an Arizona judge said his deportation violated due process.
	Bettendorf man charged with stalking after GPS tracker found on woman’s car Police arrested Ramses Moreno Medina of Bettendorf overnight Friday, and charged him with felony stalking using an electronic device.
	El dispositivo bioportátil que ayudó a un hombre a ganar confianza para controlar la diabetes (BPT) - Erik Lofstrand nunca imaginó que un examen de rutina cambiaría su vida. Sin embargo, cuando le diagnosticaron diabetes tipo 2, Erik de repente tuvo que aprender a afrontar una enfermedad que cambiaría su vida."Pasé por todas las etapas del duelo", comentó Erik. "Al principio, me negaba a aceptar la situación. "Pensaba que si hacía más ejercicio y comía más saludable, simplemente desaparecería".Aunque hizo cambios saludables en su estilo de vida, aún sentía que para controlar el nivel de glucosa tenía que hacer conjeturas. Los tradicionales pinchazos en el dedo solo proporcionan información puntual, lo que le impedía comprender con claridad cómo sus decisiones diarias influían en los niveles de glucosa."No quería hacer conjeturas, quería información que pudiera utilizar de verdad", afirmó Erik.Erik se sentía frustrado porque, a pesar de mantener una alimentación saludable y hacer ejercicio, no encontraba las respuestas que necesitaba. Como la tecnología forma parte de todos los aspectos de su vida y su trabajo, comenzó a investigar otras herramientas; así conoció los monitores continuos de glucosa (CGM).Mientras buscaba opciones, Erik comprendió que necesitaría una receta y conversar con su médico para determinar si un medidor continuo de glucosa (MCG) era adecuado para él. Con esta información, pudo mantener una conversación fundamentada y concreta con el médico sobre sus objetivos y el control de la diabetes. Juntos decidieron que el sensor FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus de Abbott era la opción más adecuada, ya que le permitía controlar los niveles de glucosa en tiempo real y comprender cómo la alimentación, la actividad física y los hábitos diarios influyen en dichos niveles.Erik tomó la iniciativa de consultar sobre la tecnología del MCG, lo que le permitió asumir un papel activo en su atención médica y mantener una conversación fundamentada y colaborativa con su médico. Su experiencia refleja una barrera frecuente: según las investigaciones, una de cada cinco personas con diabetes considera que necesita que su médico le sugiera o recomiende nuevas herramientas, en lugar de sentirse con la confianza necesaria para consultar sobre esas opciones por iniciativa propia1.¿Qué es un CGM?Un medidor continuo de glucosa (MCG), como el sensor FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus de Abbott, es un pequeño sensor discreto que se coloca en la parte posterior y superior del brazo que mide de forma continua los niveles de glucosa cada minuto, tanto de día como de noche2. Envía las lecturas de glucosa directamente a una aplicación para teléfonos inteligentes compatible3 o a un lector4, lo que permite obtener información y conocer las tendencias en tiempo real.En lugar de depender de una única medición de glucosa obtenida mediante métodos anteriores, como los pinchazos en el dedo, CGM ofrece una visión completa sobre cómo las comidas, la actividad física y los medicamentos afectan los niveles de glucosa con el paso del tiempo.¿Por qué cambiar a un dispositivo de CGM?Para Erik, ver esas tendencias, en lugar de observar solo valores individuales, le permitió obtener la información que necesitaba para hacer cambios en su rutina diaria que tuvieron un impacto significativo."Tener acceso a estos datos me da más autonomía. Me permite controlar la diabetes de manera proactiva y evitar situaciones que podrían desestabilizar todo mi día", dijo Erik. "Mi MCG es una de las principales razones por las que me siento más seguro y tengo más control sobre mi salud".Según las investigaciones, la tecnología de CGM tiene cada vez más beneficios. En un estudio reciente, se observó que las personas con diabetes tipo 2 que utilizaban un MCG redujeron su HbA1c, un indicador clave de los niveles de glucosa en sangre, un 0,6 % más que quienes usaban mediciones tradicionales mediante pinchazos en los dedos. Además, pasaron alrededor de 2,5 horas adicionales al día dentro de un rango saludable de glucosa6.Al igual que Erik, muchas personas con diabetes consideran que contar con información continua sobre sus niveles de glucosa les permite comprender mejor cómo la alimentación, la actividad física y otros hábitos cotidianos afectan esos niveles, lo que les ayuda a tomar decisiones con más información5.Cómo hablar con su médico sobre los MCGSi usted o un ser querido tiene diabetes tipo 2, considere hablar con un médico sobre las opciones disponibles y la posibilidad de utilizar un CGM. ¿No sabe cómo iniciar la conversación? Consulte estos consejos útiles:Infórmese: conozca las opciones de MCG disponibles, incluidos los sistemas Libre de Abbott para poder hacer preguntas fundamentadas y comprender mejor cómo funciona esta tecnología.Conozca cómo funcionan los MCG:pregúntele a su médico sobre el valor que aportan los MCG y cómo pueden ayudar a comprender mejor los patrones de glucosa.Comparta sus objetivos: hable con su médico sobre lo que quisiera lograr, ya sea comprender cómo afecta la alimentación a los niveles de glucosa, reducir la cantidad de pinchazos en los dedos o sentirse con mayor confianza en sus hábitos diarios.Comente sus dificultades: hable con franqueza sobre las dificultades que enfrenta actualmente para controlar los niveles de glucosa y pregunte por la cobertura del seguro, además de los programas de apoyo disponibles.Encuentren juntos la solución más adecuada: el control de la diabetes requiere un trabajo conjunto. Hable con su médico sobre si un CGM se adapta a sus necesidades individuales, a sus objetivos de tratamiento y a su estilo de vida.Para Erik, dar el primer paso y preguntarle a su médico sobre un MCG cambió su manera de vivir con diabetes. "Hablar con mi médico sobre un MCG fue una de las mejores decisiones que tomé después del diagnóstico", afirmó Erik. "Ahora estoy más saludable que nunca. No puedes controlar lo que no puedes medir. Los datos te dan poder. Cuanto más comprendes tu diabetes, más puedes tomar las riendas de tu vida".Para obtener más información sobre los MCG y los sistemas Libre de Abbott, haga clic aquí.Las opiniones expresadas no deben utilizarse para diagnosticar o tratar enfermedades ni como sustituto del asesoramiento médico profesional. Los síntomas, las situaciones y las circunstancias individuales pueden variar.Datos en los archivos de Abbott Diabetes Care.Se requiere un período de calentamiento de 60 minutos después de colocar el sensor.Las aplicaciones del sistema FreeStyle Libre solo son compatibles con determinados dispositivos móviles y sistemas operativos. Consulte nuestro sitio web para obtener más información sobre la compatibilidad de los dispositivos antes de utilizar las aplicaciones. El uso de las aplicaciones de los sistemas FreeStyle Libre puede requerir registrarse en LibreView.Para los residentes en EE. UU.: las aplicaciones de los sistemas FreeStyle Libre y los lectores de los sistemas FreeStyle Libre tienen funciones similares, pero no idénticas. Se deben realizar mediciones mediante pinchazos en los dedos para tomar decisiones sobre el tratamiento si aparece el símbolo Comprobar la glucemia en sangre o si las alarmas y las mediciones de glucosa del sistema no coinciden con los síntomas o con lo esperado.Fokkert, Marion y otros autores. "Improved Well-Being and Decreased Disease Burden After 1-Year Use of Flash Glucose Monitoring (FLARE-NL4)." BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care 7, no. 1 (2019): e000809. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000809.Wilmot EG. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(26)00076-8Para residentes en EE. UU.: información importante sobre seguridad. Producto de venta exclusiva con receta médica. Para consultar información importante sobre seguridad, visite FreeStyleLibre.us.ADC-2697391 v1.0
	'Stay Covered, Stay Healthy' helps Medicaid recipients manage changes United Way Quad Cities is launching a new effort to protect access to Medicaid for QCA recipients. Ryan Sempf, Chief Impact Officer at United Way Quad Cities, spoke with Our Quad Cities News via Zoom to talk about the new program and how it will help Medicaid recipients. “Stay Covered, Stay Healthy is an initiative [...]
	Did Russia play by the rules in reporting lab worker's death? A global treaty signed by 197 countries — including Russia — requires reporting any death that could be a sign of an outbreak to come.
	Three things to know: Oct. 9, 2026 Groundbreaking for I-74 interchange, Bettendorf Middle School Color Run and a look at your forecast.
	Five children are taken from their parents in 'Fjord,' which won top prize at Cannes Cristian Mungiu's latest film takes place in a small Norwegian town, where a recently arrived couple stands accused of abusing their children — but in Fjord, the truth is never quite clear.
	How the oil industry is preparing for Hurricane Isaias Hurricane Isaias is this season's first Atlantic hurricane, and is on a path to hit the northern Gulf Coast. How is the oil industry preparing?
	Steel and Sears Dams on Rock River won't be removed The Illinois DNR studied safety modifications after a 5-year-old girl drowned in 2018. But it recommended to remove both dams.
	Speaker Johnson and Rep. Miller-Meeks to rally in Scott Co. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks are holding a rally in Davenport on Friday.
	Legionnaires’-causing bacteria found at Trinity Rock Island hospital; surgery center shut down UnityPoint Health – Trinity Rock Island has shut down its surgery center after the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease was detected in the air conditioning system.
	Concourse d’Quad Cities Car Show raises funds so kids can participate in Bettendorf Parks & Rec programs Car enthusiasts will gather at Palmer Hills Golf Course, 2999 Middle Road in Bettendorf, for the fourth annual Concourse d’Quad Cities Car Show on Saturday, October 17 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Click here to register. The entry fee for the show is $25 in person or online. The event is free for spectators, [...]
	How to build a routine that sticks when life speeds up (BPT) - Key takeawaysA shift in pace, whether it's a new season, a busier week or a trip, offers a natural checkpoint to recommit to a routine.Anchoring a new habit to something you already do makes it easier to stick with, even when life gets busier.Wanting to shake up a routine doesn't have to mean an overhaul. Look for products backed by third-party validation to shop your values with confidence.As summer's relaxed pace gives way to a busier season — after-school extracurriculars starting again, longer commutes as offices fill back up and one last trip before the weather turns — daily routines are often the first thing to slip.The instinct when a schedule gets busier is often to overcorrect, whether it's a whole new morning routine or a completely different approach to meals. However, it's more effective to keep to a few things that work.Anchor new habits to something you already doThe easiest way to make a new habit stick is to tie it to one that already happens on autopilot, such as taking vitamins right after your morning coffee or reviewing the next day's schedule while getting ready for bed. Pairing a new habit with an existing one makes it feel automatic instead of like one more thing to remember.Refresh your routine without reinventing itSometimes a shift in pace comes with the itch to try something new, and small swaps are a way to add some freshness to a routine without overhauling it. Swapping in a new product or everyday essential is one of the easiest ways to do that without adding an extra step.Toothpaste is one of the simplest swaps to make, and it's an easy way to shop your values while you're at it. Keep an eye out for brands backed by third-party certifications like the B Corp Certification, awarded by the nonprofit BLab, which verifies a company's social, environmental and governance impact every three years. In plain terms, it's how you know a brand is committed to responsible business practices that benefit people and the planet, not just shareholders.Tom's of Maine is a certified B Corp. From sourcing naturally derived ingredients to dedicating 10% of its annual profits to protecting nature, the brand holds itself to the high standards B Lab sets because it believes business should be a genuine force for good."Being a Certified B Corp reflects the standards we've held ourselves to for more than 50 years — from the ingredients we source to how we treat our people and our communities," said Michelle Waring, Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good at Tom's of Maine. "For anyone trying to make more thoughtful choices, it's a reliable signal that a company's impact has been independently verified."Plan ahead for busy daysTravel, early mornings and packed weeks are when habits are most likely to fall off, often because of convenience. The easiest way to keep a routine going while traveling is to stick with products that are simple to pack and go. Tom's of Maine's toothpaste and deodorant are designed to travel just as easily as they fit into an everyday routine, so there's no need for another purchase before heading out the door.A busier season does not have to mean starting over. With a few small, consistent choices, the routines that already work can keep working, no matter how packed the schedule gets.To learn more about Tom's of Maine's natural personal care products, ingredient sourcing and safety standards, visit www.tomsofmaine.com and www.tomsofmaine.com/pages/our-mission.
	Officials break ground on I-74 interchange Officials are breaking ground on Friday on the I-74 interchange at John Deere Road reconstruction project.
	Tiffin man charged for posting threat to Clear Creek Amana School District Jameson Cummings, 18, is charged with Threat of Terrorism.
	Kalshi leads prediction markets’ $3 million effort to fight off state regulations As prediction markets have exploded in popularity over the past two years, they have also become increasingly controversial, setting off a lobbying-fueled power struggle for regulation of the platforms. Amid allegations of insider trading, bets on military operations, and deceptive marketing practices, some states are seeking to sue or ban prediction markets. But the federal government has taken an unusual role in the legal battle, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission suing states that seek to enforce their gambling laws against prediction-market platforms.Prediction market companies contend they are offering financial transactions known as swaps — which are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a federal agency — while many states argue they are gambling operations, akin to sportsbooks and casinos. Gambling is regulated by the states. Several lawsuits addressing whether state law applies to prediction markets have advanced to federal courts, but because judges have split on their rulings, the question is still unsettled and moving towards the Supreme Court. Although market leader Kalshi argues it should be regulated at the federal level, the company’s lobbying and spending demonstrates a push to gain state-level influence, especially in the states spearheading regulation, as OpenSecrets reports below. So far in 2026, Kalshi, its competitor Polymarket and the Coalition for Prediction Markets have spent at least $3 million on lobbying and campaign contributions across the federal and state levels. Kalshi directs political spending to governors and state AGsState attorneys general are leading the regulatory fight against prediction markets — and the majority are united in the opinion that CFTC regulation should not preempt state gambling laws. In July, a coalition of 44 state AGs signed onto a letter to the CFTC arguing that prediction markets are a “new form of casino.” But just as attorneys general and prediction markets appear to be battling each other, Kalshi is pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the two major political organizations dedicated to electing and supporting AGs. According to IRS filings reviewed by OpenSecrets, in the first half of 2026, Kalshi gave $147,500 to the Republican Attorneys General Association and $170,000 to the Democratic Attorneys General Association. Kalshi has also donated directly to some attorneys general, including the super PAC supporting Ken Paxton’s run for Senate in Texas and the campaigns of Vermont’s Charity Clark, Oregon’s Dan Rayfield and Florida’s James Utheimer. In response to the contributions, Rayfield and Clark told local news outlets they are not influenced by political donations. A spokesperson for Paxton’s super PAC told Politico that Paxton “has fought at every turn to hold big corporations accountable.”The New York Times reported in August that Donald Trump Jr., who serves as a strategic advisor to Kalshi and Polymarket, told Republican state AGs not to fight prediction markets. Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm is invested in Polymarket and he has an equity stake in Kalshi.The head of Kalshi’s state relations, Blake Bee, was previously director of the National Association of Attorneys General’s Center for Leadership Development, where he worked directly with state attorneys general. Kalshi also donated $100,000 to the Republican Governors Association and $150,000 to the Democratic Governors Association in the first half of 2026. “Like many U.S. regulated companies, we support candidates on both sides of the aisle,” Dani Lever, a spokesperson for Kalshi, wrote in a statement to OpenSecrets.Kalshi hires dozens of new lobbyists, focusing on California and New YorkKalshi has ramped up state-level lobbying in the past several months. As of September, the company has at least one registered lobbyist in 41 states, nearly all of them brought on board since April. OpenSecrets Kalshi appears to be spending the most on lobbying in California and New York, though many states do not require financial disclosure by lobbyists. In California, Kalshi spent $62,000 on lobbying in the first half of 2026. Disclosure reports reviewed by OpenSecrets show that Kalshi is lobbying on three assembly bills and the “Attorney General’s and Governor’s offices re: prediction markets.” Kalshi’s California lobbying has so far been handled by Redwood Public Affairs. Redwood’s co-founder and principal was formerly the legislative director and chief of staff for state Attorney General Rob Bonta. On Aug. 12, Kalshi registered another California-based firm, the Weideman Group, to begin lobbying. In New York, Kalshi recently reported that it would increase its payment to lobbyists at Brown & Weinraub Advisors from $10,000 monthly to $25,000 monthly to work on legislation relating to prediction markets. Kalshi is spreading its Empire State work around, also committing to pay $25,000 monthly to the Mirram Group in a contract running until July 2027. Additionally, Kalshi has registered Blake Bee as its in-house lobbyist in New York. Bee will lobby the office of the governor and the state assembly through December 2026, according to the registration. Between its payments to both lobbying groups and Bee, Kalshi is currently projected to spend over $400,000 on lobbying in New York through July 2027. Through its state-level lobbying efforts, Kalshi may be positioned to deal with a flood of new laws if the Supreme Court rules that prediction markets should be regulated by the states as gambling. “Most state gambling laws are designed for sporting events, poker, casino games, but they mostly clearly cover gambling in whatever form or packaging,” said Benjamin Schriffin, director of securities policy at Better Markets, a nonprofit that advocates for financial reform. “I don’t think anybody ever conceived of having to pass a law that’s going to prevent people who are watching ‘Survivor’ at home on a Wednesday night from betting on who’s going to win. So you could see states thinking, ‘We need to clarify our gambling laws for all these new ways that people have now found to gamble on prediction markets.’”Polymarket has not yet registered any lobbyists at the state level. Kalshi continues federal lobbying, spending nearly $1 million in the first half of 2026As it expands its state presence, Kalshi is also continuing its federal lobbying by spending nearly $1 million through June 30. In January, Kalshi opened a Washington, D.C., office headed by John Bivona, who served on Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and as the Department of Homeland Security’s White House liaison during the Biden administration. In addition to its in-house federal lobbying team, Kalshi has hired six outside firms. Kalshi relies most on Miller Strategies, which it has paid $240,000 during the first half of 2026. Miller Strategies is headed by Jeff Miller, who served as finance chair on President Donald Trump’s second inaugural committee and has grown his shop into the fifth-highest-grossing lobbying firm in the first half of 2026.Kalshi has also reported $120,000 in lobbying expenses to Lincoln Policy Group, founded by former Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.). While in the Senate, Lincoln chaired the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, the CFTC’s authorizing committee.As a lobbyist for Kalshi, Lincoln is now arguing directly against stances she took as chair. In 2010, Lincoln said the CFTC should be empowered to “prevent derivatives contracts that are contrary to the public interest because they exist predominantly to enable gambling through supposed ‘event contracts.’” In 2025, Lincoln submitted a public letter to the CFTC arguing that Kalshi should be permitted to offer sports bets in all states.Kalshi has disclosed lobbying on three Senate bills: the Prediction Market Act, which would create stronger federal regulations on events contracts, the Protect College Sports Act and the National Defense Authorization Act. The Protect College Sports Act would create federal rules around athlete payment, transfers and conference alignment. Although lobbying disclosures do not specify Kalshi’s stance in its lobbying, the NCAA, which supports the bill, has previously stated its “vehement opposition” to prediction market contracts related to college sports. The Senate passed the bill on Monday and it now awaits action in the House of Representatives.Kalshi’s lobbying on the NDAA is likely related to sections 1081, 1082, and 1083, which would ban “covered transactions” involving prediction market contracts, prevent Department of Defense personnel from trading on prediction markets, and ban all bets regarding military operations.In addition to those three bills, Kalshi’s lobbying disclosures also reveal its focus on the CFTC, the Executive Office of the President, the Securities and Exchange Commission and both chambers of Congress.The director of the CFTC has been explicitly pro-prediction market, both through public statements and the commission’s legal action against states attempting to regulate the platforms.Brad Lipton, director of the Roosevelt Institute’s corporate power and financial regulation program, said the CFTC suing states is “unprecedented.”“They’re being super aggressive, and it’s sort of a head scratcher as to why they’re being so aggressive,” Lipton said. “It’s because they’re so committed to helping out prediction markets, is really the only explanation.”Beyond its corporate spending, Kalshi’s co-founders Tarek Mansour and Luana Lopes Lara have donated to federal political campaigns and political action committees. Mansour and Lopes Lara have collectively given about $1 million to both Democratic and Republican recipients this cycle, according to FEC filings. Polymarket has spent $180,000 on federal lobbying in 2026, hiring Advocus Partners. Advocus is a collaborative advocacy group whose members include BGR Group, one of the leading lobbying firms. Polymarket’s lobbyists include Keaghan Ames, a former senior policy advisor at the CFTC.Coalition for Prediction Markets brings in other playersIn December 2025, Kalshi joined Robinhood, Coinbase, Crypto.com and Underdog — which all offer exchange betting in their apps — to launch the Coalition for Prediction Markets. Polymarket is not a member.The coalition’s bipartisan leadership includes a pair of former House members. President Sean Patrick Maloney represented New York as a Democrat before serving in the Biden administration, and senior adviser Patrick McHenry was briefly the acting speaker of the House while he represented North Carolina as a Republican.In July, the coalition named former CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz as a senior advisor and has brought on a pair of lobbying firms to work at the federal level. As of June 30, the coalition had paid $100,000 to four Invariant lobbyists and registered two Determinant lobbyists. The coalition has also spent $50,000 lobbying in California through Redwood Public Affairs, the same lobbying firm used by Kalshi. The coalition’s crypto members are some of the biggest political spenders in the current election cycle. Crypto.com’s parent company, Foris Dax, is the largest donor to MAGA Inc., the main super PAC supporting President Donald Trump. Coinbase is the 10th largest political donor in this election cycle. The coalition follows a pattern of unified advocacy seen in other lines of business, much like that of the sports betting and gambling industry, which has spent millions on lobbying and industry-specific super PACs this year. Lipton said the current battle for regulatory control of prediction markets is an “existential question” for the platforms, likely motivating their attempts to increase their political influence.“It’s not at all clear to me that their business model can compete if they are going to comply with state law,” Lipton said. “They’re really trying to create a situation, I think, where they have enough political power to overcome the legal deficiencies in their arguments.”This story was produced by OpenSecrets and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	What landlord-friendly states have in common, and why investors are paying attention In rental real estate, “landlord-friendly” is not an official legal category. It is a shorthand investors often use for states where rental housing rules are predictable, rent setting is less restricted, and property owners have clearer pathways to handle lease violations, nonpayment, and turnover.That does not mean these states are free of regulation. Landlords are still bound by federal fair housing laws, state landlord-tenant statutes, local codes, lease requirements, and court procedures. But for investors comparing markets, state policy can influence how quickly a property can be leased, how easily rent can adjust to market conditions, and how much uncertainty surrounds long-term returns.To better understand the traits investors often consider when comparing rental markets, Faranesh Real Estate and Property Management, a Nevada property management company, reviewed U.S. housing and population trends alongside publicly available state rental policy information.Population growth is often the first signMany states considered favorable to landlords are also places where more people are moving in than leaving. Rental demand depends not only on legal rules but on whether households are forming, jobs are growing, and newcomers need places to live before they buy. Press Release Number: CB24-213 // United States Census Bureau Texas and Florida posted the largest numeric population gains in the country from 2023 to 2024, adding 562,941 and 467,347 residents, respectively, according to the Census Bureau. North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and South Carolina also ranked among the top 10 states for numeric growth during that period. Press Release Number: CB24-213 // United States Census Bureau The fastest-growing states by percentage also included many markets that frequently appear on investor watchlists. Florida grew 2.0%, Texas 1.8%, South Carolina 1.7%, Nevada 1.7%, Idaho 1.5%, North Carolina 1.5%, and Arizona 1.5% from 2023 to 2024.For rental owners, that growth can create a larger pool of potential tenants. It can also increase competition for available housing when construction does not keep pace with new demand.Fewer rent-setting restrictions can create predictabilityAnother common feature in landlord-friendly states is limited local authority to impose rent controls.Rent control generally refers to state or local government actions that restrict rent increases or service fees charged to tenants. In markets where rent controls are restricted or preempted, investors may have more confidence that rental income can adjust with taxes, insurance, repairs, and financing costs.Florida is one example. State law says municipalities, counties, or other local government entities may not adopt or maintain measures that impose controls on rents.Arizona law also gives landlords and tenants broad latitude to set rental-agreement terms, including rent and lease length, so long as those terms are not prohibited by law.That does not mean owners can ignore habitability standards, fair housing rules, lease terms, or court procedures. It does mean rent-setting authority is more likely to remain part of the private rental agreement than a city-level price-control system in some of these states.Lease-enforcement timelines are another investor concernInvestors also pay attention to how states handle rent nonpayment and lease violations. The question is not only whether an owner can remove a tenant for nonpayment, but also how clearly the process is defined.In Florida, if a tenant fails to pay rent when due and the default continues for three days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after written demand for payment or possession, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement.Arizona law gives tenants five days after written notice to pay unpaid rent before a landlord may terminate the agreement by filing a special detainer action.Those timelines are not the whole eviction process. Court schedules, local practices, service rules, tenant defenses, and emergency protections can all affect how long a case takes. But from an investor’s perspective, statutes that specify notice periods can make operating risk easier to evaluate.Investors are watching the Sun Belt for more than one reasonThe connection between investor activity and landlord-friendly markets is especially visible in single-family rentals.After the 2007-2009 financial crisis, institutional investors bought many foreclosed homes and converted them into rentals, especially in southern states, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. GAO found that by June 2022, institutional investors accounted for a large share of the single-family rental market in many cities, particularly in Sun Belt states.The same report noted that studies have found mixed effects. Institutional investors may have contributed to rising home prices and rents in some markets, but data limitations make it difficult to measure their effects on homeownership opportunities, tenant outcomes, or eviction rates.Investor attention does not automatically mean a market is healthy for renters, and a state’s legal environment is only one piece of the decision. Investors also evaluate insurance costs, property taxes, construction pipelines, wage growth, vacancy rates, and whether renters can afford the rents being charged.The Census Bureau’s Housing Vacancies and Homeownership program tracks rental and homeowner vacancy rates, which are widely used to evaluate the need for housing programs and to gauge the current economic climate. Low vacancies can point to a tight housing supply, while rising vacancies may weaken rent growth or increase concessions.Affordability pressures are part of the same storyThe same conditions that attract investors can create pressure for renters. Fast population growth can increase demand for apartments and single-family rentals. Limited rent regulation can allow prices to move more quickly with the market. Faster enforcement timelines can reduce owner risk but also make housing instability more urgent for tenants who fall behind.HUD generally defines affordable housing as housing that costs no more than 30% of gross income, including utilities. By that measure, nearly half of renter households with calculable rent burdens were cost-burdened in 2023, according to census data reported by Reuters.That creates a tension in many fast-growing states. Investors may see strong fundamentals: rising population, growing rental demand, and legal systems that are easier to model. Renters may experience the same trends as higher competition, fewer low-cost options, and greater difficulty saving for homeownership. What these states have in commonThe most landlord-friendly states tend to share several traits rather than a single defining law. They often have growing populations, especially from domestic migration. They tend to leave more rent-setting power to rental agreements. They spell out notice periods and lease-enforcement procedures in state law. They often sit in regions where institutional and smaller investors have already shown interest in single-family rentals, build-to-rent communities, and small multifamily properties.But the strongest markets are not simply the ones with the fewest tenant protections. A state can be landlord-friendly on paper and still be difficult for owners if insurance premiums rise, property taxes increase, job growth slows, or too many new units hit the market at once. The most durable investor interest tends to appear where legal predictability overlaps with population growth, employment opportunity, and enough housing demand to keep units occupied.For renters and communities, the policy question is different: whether those markets can add enough housing to accommodate growth without forcing everyday households to spend more of their income on rent. That balance between owner certainty and renter affordability is becoming one of the central housing debates in the states that investors are watching most closely.This story was produced by Faranesh Real Estate and Property Management and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The hidden costs of cheap security solutions As a business owner, you’re constantly under pressure to cut costs, and when it comes to security, the allure of a low up-front price can be powerful. The choice between a budget-friendly option and a premium integrated system may seem simple on the surface, especially if you’ve experienced little to no crime. However, this decision is about more than the one-time cost. It needs to take into account your company’s stability, safety, and future.Opting for a cheaper security solution may seem smart at first, but it often introduces a flood of hidden costs, operational disruptions, and vulnerabilities that can far outweigh any initial savings. To make a sound financial decision, you must look beyond the sticker price to understand the total cost of ownership and the long-term value of any security strategy. This guide to business security costs from AMAROK explores the true price of cheap security and offers a framework for making a smarter, value-based investment to protect your property and profitability.Why Does Cheap Security Seem Like a Smart Choice?Budget constraints, competing priorities, and the absence of immediate threats may push you toward decisions that favor short-term savings over long-term protection.1. The Allure of Short-Term SavingsFinancial pressures drive many security decisions. When you’re reviewing quarterly expenses or annual budgets, the tangible cost of a security system stands out clearly. The immediate savings of a cheap option are concrete and measurable, while the potential losses from theft, vandalism, or security failures remain abstract and uncertain.Normalcy bias will pull you toward the cheap option. If your facility hasn’t experienced a major incident yet, it’s easy to assume you’re not truly at risk. You might convince yourself that your business isn’t a target or that your location is safe enough without needing to make a significant investment. 2. The “Good Enough” FallacyThe belief that any security is better than none can drive you toward cheap options. On the surface, this reasoning seems logical. A visible security measure, even a low-quality one, should deter at least some criminals. However, this perspective overlooks a critical reality. Below a certain quality point, security systems stop preventing threats altogether. Criminals can often identify cheap equipment by its appearance, mounting quality, or visible brand. They know which systems are easy to disable or avoid, which means a cheap security option will not deter them.3. The Information GapYou understand your industry, your operations, and your customers, but you’re not a security expert. Security is a specialized field with its own terminology, technologies, and best practices. Without this knowledge, it’s difficult to assess what level of protection your business actually needs.This information gap extends to the hidden costs of inadequate security. You might focus solely on the purchase price, overlooking maintenance contracts, monitoring fees, replacement costs, and the operational impact of system failures. By the time these expenses become obvious, the cheap system is already installed and failing. AMAROK What Are the Hidden Costs of Cheap Security?The initial price tag of a security system is just the tip of the iceberg. The real financial impact reveals itself over time through numerous, often unexpected, expenses like replacement costs, losses from crime, system failures, and a loss of customer trust. These hidden costs can accumulate quickly, turning what appeared to be a smart budget decision into a significant drain on resources. The potential risks of choosing cheap security options include: 1. A Vicious Cycle of Repair and ReplacementLow-quality hardware fails frequently. Cheap cameras develop image problems, weather seals deteriorate, and sensors malfunction. Plastic housings crack in temperature extremes. Each failure creates a security gap that leaves your property vulnerable until repairs are complete.The recurring costs add up quickly. Service calls can be costly, even for minor issues. Replacement parts for budget systems are often hard to find, forcing you to replace entire units rather than fix them. Some manufacturers discontinue support for older models within just a few years, leaving you with equipment that you can’t repair.2. Unrecoverable Losses Many cheap security systems act as passive witnesses rather than preventive measures. Professional thieves can identify vulnerable systems by their appearance, positioning, or lack of visible monitoring, then devise a plan to defeat them easily. The costs of theft can be staggering. Supply chain crime incidents alone resulted in nearly $725 million in losses in 2025, a 60% increase from 2024, according to Verisk. For businesses with high-value assets such as vehicles, heavy equipment, copper wiring, and bulk inventory, losses from theft can be difficult to recover from. 3. Insurance ComplicationsInsurance providers assess risk carefully. When they review your security measures, they’re determining how likely you are to file a claim. A non-certified or unreliable security system signals a higher risk, which can translate into higher premiums. The impact extends beyond premiums. When a theft or vandalism incident occurs, insurers scrutinize your security measures during the claims process. If your system is found inadequate or improperly maintained, they may dispute the payout or reduce the settlement amount. The process of filing an insurance claim after a theft can be complex and time-consuming, requiring detailed documentation that many low-cost systems lack.4. Business InterruptionBeyond stolen items, a security breach costs you time. Following an incident, operations grind to a halt while you file a police report, deal with insurance adjusters, handle cleanup, and manage repairs. Key personnel spend hours or days away from their core responsibilities.The downtime managing the direct aftermath of a crime is a small portion of the business interruption cost. Additional expenses include:The costs of overtime pay for cleanupRush fees for replacement equipmentThe loss of revenue due to project delays5. Poor Integration and ScalabilityBudget security systems typically operate as stand-alone units. They don’t integrate with your access control, inventory management, or building automation systems. They exist in isolation, generating information that never reaches the people who need it.This lack of integration creates operational problems:Your team can’t correlate security footage with transaction data to investigate internal theft.You can’t automate responses based on security triggers.Your system can’t expand when your business grows.You face costly rip-and-replace scenarios when upgrading.6. Erosion of Customer Trust and Brand ReputationA security incident affects how customers and partners perceive your business. When news spreads that your facility was robbed or vandalized, stakeholders begin to question your competence and the safety of their assets within your premises.Reputation damage is difficult to quantify but easy to observe. Potential customers choose competitors they perceive as more stable, while existing ones start asking questions about your business continuity plans. In industries where trust is vital, a single incident can cost you relationships that took years to build. 7. A Decline in Employee Morale and SafetyYour employees notice when security is inadequate. They see the cheap cameras with blurry footage. They notice when intrusion alarms fail or trigger false alerts so frequently that everyone ignores them. These inadequate security measures can make them feel unsafe and undervalued.The consequences extend beyond morale. Employees who feel unsafe can be less productive, less engaged, and more likely to seek employment elsewhere. High turnover incurs additional costs for recruitment, hiring, and training, as well as the loss of institutional knowledge.8. Compliance Failures and CostsIf your business operates in industries like healthcare or finance, you face strict regulations for securing data, assets, or facilities. A cheap security system may fail to meet these standards. When regulators audit your facility, insufficient security can result in fines, mandatory upgrades, legal fees, and potential liability if a breach occurs. The costs of noncompliance often exceed the amount you would have spent on proper security in the first place.How Do You Calculate the True Return on a Security Investment?Moving beyond the sticker price requires you to analyze security spending through the lens of a long-term investment rather than viewing it as a necessary evil or a pure expense. 1. Shifting from an Expense to an Investment MindsetThe language you use shapes how you think about security. When you call it an expense, you naturally look for ways to minimize it. When you recognize it as an investment, you begin asking different questions:What returns will this generate?How does it protect revenue?What risks does it eliminate? This shift helps you see that your security has measurable benefits, including:Protecting revenue by preventing theft lossesReducing the number of insurance claims made annuallyMinimizing downtime by deterring incidents before they occurEach outcome has financial value that can be compared directly against the system’s cost.2. Understanding Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)TCO includes every expense associated with a security system throughout its useful life. When calculating TCO, include: The up-front purchase priceInstallation feesOngoing monitoring chargesAnnual maintenance contractsStaff training costsSoftware license renewals Hardware replacement cyclesTechnical support costsFor cheap systems, TCO often exceeds that of premium solutions. Over the system’s typical lifespan, multiple replacements and installation labor can exceed the cost of a commercial-grade security solution that lasts significantly longer and delivers better performance.3. Calculating the Cost of InactionRisk analysis provides another framework for security decisions. Annualized loss expectancy (ALE) quantifies your potential monetary loss from security incidents in a single year. To calculate it, multiply the estimated loss per incident by the probability of that incident occurring annually.For example, if a theft incident would cost your business a significant amount in stolen inventory and lost operations, and you estimate a moderate probability of such an incident occurring annually, you can calculate your baseline ALE. A professional security system that substantially reduces your incident probability creates measurable risk reduction value that you can compare against the system’s cost to determine the payback period.What Steps Should You Take to Choose the Right Security Solution?To make an informed security decision, you must schedule a risk assessment, know your primary security goals, and assess your options strategically. Rather than shopping by price or relying on vendor marketing claims, follow this structured process to align your security investment with your actual business needs. AMAROK 1. Conduct a Professional Risk AssessmentStart with a professional risk assessment of your property. Security professionals can identify vulnerabilities you might overlook. They consider factors like your facility’s location, the nature of your business, local crime patterns, and the specific assets you need to protect. This assessment provides a foundation for every other decision. Without understanding your specific risks, you can’t determine what level of protection you need or allocate resources effectively.2. Define Your Primary Security ObjectivesSecurity systems serve different purposes. For example, medically safe electric fencing is designed to provide a visible deterrent and help prevent unauthorized access. Other solutions focus on detecting intrusions and triggering rapid responses. Some systems delay intruders long enough for law enforcement to arrive. Your business needs to prioritize the right security measures. If you operate in a high-theft area with valuable portable inventory, deterrence and detection are critical. If you handle sensitive data or proprietary information, access controls and audit trails are priorities. An integrated security solution detects, deters, and delays intrusions, offering complete protection against external threats. 3. Evaluate the Technology’s Effectiveness and ReliabilityLook beyond marketing claims to assess the actual performance of security system options. Camera resolution matters, but only if the video surveillance system also has proper lighting, correct positioning, and sufficient storage for usable footage. Sensor accuracy is meaningless if false alarms are so common that everyone ignores them.Evaluate solutions thoroughly by:Asking for references or reviews from businesses similar to yours.Requesting data on system uptime, mean time between failures, and response times.Reviewing independent testing results rather than vendor specifications.4. Scrutinize Service, Support, and WarrantyThe relationship with your security provider goes beyond the initial sale. It’s important to evaluate their services beyond purchase and installation. Key questions to ask include:What’s the response time when equipment fails?Are software updates included, or are they charged annually?Does technical support offer 24/7 availability?What are your warranty terms, and what do they cover?5. Prioritize Scalability and IntegrationYour business will change. You may open new locations, expand existing facilities, or add new capabilities. Choose security systems that can grow with you, such as the ability to monitor multiple locations on a single platform or support for emerging technologies like AI-powered analytics.Integration capabilities extend your security system’s value. When security data flows into your business intelligence platform, you can identify patterns that inform operational decisions and automate employee access management to reduce the chance of internal theft. Look Beyond Sticker Price to Protect Your ProfitabilityYour security solution is more than a one-time purchase. It’s an investment in your business’s stability and future. When you understand the total cost of ownership, calculate what inaction could cost you, and choose integrated solutions that match your real needs, you’re better positioned to avoid many of the expensive problems that can come with cutting corners on security. This story was produced by AMAROK and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Nerdtober Con brings celebrities, collectibles, and cosplay to RiverCenter this weekend Nerdtober Con will bring more than 100 pop culture vendors, celebrity guests, and wrestling legends to the RiverCenter in downtown Davenport on Oct. 10-11.
	Davenport man sentenced to federal prison for possession of a firearm as a felon A Davenport man was sentenced on October 8, 2026, to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing show that Terry Lee Chance, Jr., 33, was in possession of a .40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number as he drove through Davenport. [...]
	Why sleep changes with age Sleep at 50 or 70 may look different from sleep at 25. Bedtime may creep earlier, morning may arrive sooner, and stretches of uninterrupted sleep may become shorter. The National Institute on Aging notes that factors, including insomnia, menopause and sleep apnea, can affect older adults' ability to get the sleep they need.That does not mean poor sleep is an inevitable part of getting older. Sleep is increasingly part of the broader conversation about healthy aging, and resources such as BetterSleep provide information about sleep and overall well-being. Aging can bring predictable shifts in when and how people sleep, but persistent insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness or other disruptive symptoms may have causes beyond age itself.How Sleep Changes Throughout AdulthoodSleep does not suddenly change at a particular birthday. According to a 2018 study published in the journal Sleep Medicine Clinics on sleep and aging, sleep timing and structure change progressively across adulthood, with considerable variation among individuals.Older adults tend to experience lighter and more fragmented sleep. Research on normal aging shows changes including less deep slow-wave sleep and more time awake during the night.Falling asleep and returning to sleep after an awakening can change, too, although not always dramatically. Research suggests that increases in sleep latency are modest, and healthy older adults may retain much of their ability to fall back asleep even as nighttime awakenings become more frequent.Circadian rhythms — the roughly 24-hour biological processes that help regulate sleep and wakefulness — also change with age. Research suggests that earlier sleep timing is a common feature of aging and that changes in the circadian system can contribute to differences in sleep timing and structure.These patterns are averages, not rules. Health, environment, daily routines and individual biology can all influence how sleep changes over a lifetime.Do Older Adults Actually Need Less Sleep? One of the most persistent misconceptions about aging is that older people simply need less sleep. Difficulty obtaining continuous sleep, however, is not the same thing as needing less of it.The National Institute on Aging says older adults generally need about seven to nine hours each night, similar to other adults. What may change is the ability to get that sleep in one uninterrupted stretch.A person could spend eight hours in bed but wake repeatedly, struggle to return to sleep or wake earlier than intended. In that case, sleep opportunity and actual sleep may differ significantly. Sleep needs also vary among individuals, making daytime functioning and sleep quality important parts of the picture rather than relying on a single number.Why Sleep Becomes More Complicated With AgeBiology is only part of the story. As people get older, more factors may compete with a full night of continuous sleep.Changes to the circadian system can lead to earlier sleepiness and waking, while aging is also associated with less robust circadian rhythms. These biological changes can interact with health, routines and environment rather than operating in isolation.Medical conditions and medications can affect sleep, while chronic pain or discomfort may make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. The National Institute on Aging identifies medications and health conditions among factors that can prevent older adults from getting the sleep they need.Daily life changes matter, too. Retirement, for example, can alter schedules that previously helped determine sleep and wake times. A longitudinal study published in Sleep found that the transition to retirement was associated with changes in sleep duration, bedtimes and wake times. Changes in physical activity, stress and major life transitions may further affect sleep by altering routines and the circumstances surrounding rest.Nighttime bathroom trips can be another source of interrupted sleep. A 2024 review published in BMC Geriatrics found that nocturia is associated with poorer sleep quality and duration among older adults.Sleep disorders also become an important consideration in later life. The National Institute on Aging provides guidance on conditions including insomnia and sleep apnea, highlighting that a problem that appears to be “just aging” may instead deserve evaluation.The Connection Between Sleep and Healthy Aging Sleep supports processes important throughout adulthood, from cognition and emotional regulation to physical recovery and immune function. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains that sleep helps support healthy brain and physical function, while insufficient sleep can interfere with attention, decision-making and emotional control.Sleep also interacts with cardiovascular, immune and metabolic function. Ongoing sleep deficiency can affect how the body reacts to insulin, alter the body's defenses against infection and interfere with processes that help maintain cardiovascular health.Those effects can matter to everyday functioning as people age. Getting enough quality sleep helps people function well throughout the day, while sleep deficiency can slow reaction time, reduce productivity and increase mistakes.None of this means that improving sleep guarantees disease prevention or longevity. Sleep is one part of healthy aging alongside medical care, physical activity, nutrition, social connection and other factors.When Is a Change in Sleep Worth Discussing?An earlier bedtime or occasional restless night does not necessarily signal a problem. Persistent symptoms that interfere with daily life deserve more attention.That includes ongoing difficulty falling or staying asleep, significant daytime sleepiness, frequent unexplained awakenings or regularly waking unrefreshed despite having adequate opportunity to sleep. The National Institute on Aging advises people who feel tired and unable to function for more than a few weeks to speak with a healthcare professional.Loud, disruptive snoring, gasping or pauses in breathing during sleep can be signs of sleep apnea. The National Institute on Aging identifies sleep apnea as one of the sleep disorders that can prevent older adults from getting sufficient sleep.A sustained change in sleep that affects mood, concentration, energy or normal activities is also worth discussing. Rather than assuming a new sleep problem is an unavoidable consequence of getting older, a healthcare professional can help determine whether lifestyle, medication, another health condition or a sleep disorder may be contributing.Aging Doesn't Have to Mean Giving Up on Good SleepSleep naturally evolves across adulthood. People may become earlier sleepers, spend less time in deep sleep or wake more often than they once did. Those changes can be part of normal aging without making chronically poor or unrefreshing sleep inevitable.Understanding the difference can make changes in sleep patterns far less mysterious. Healthy aging is not about recreating exactly how someone slept decades earlier. It is about recognizing what the body needs now — and knowing when persistent changes are worth a closer look.This story was produced by BetterSleep and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Delayed voter applications highlight the difficulties of registering in Texas, experts say Texas’ backlog of at least 200,000 voter registration applications and updates, which election officials must now process in the weeks before the critical midterm elections due to state error, is highlighting just how difficult it can be to register to vote in Texas, voting rights experts said.Texas is one of just eight states that don’t have universal online voter registration, and it severely restricts voter registration efforts. Texans with driver’s licenses can use the state Department of Public Safety’s web portal to register to vote or update their voter registration. But that’s the only online option for registration — and it was ordered by a judge after a six-year-long legal battle. More than 6 million voters have used the portal since it launched in 2020.But in September, Votebeat and the Texas Tribune reported an untimely flaw in that system: DPS failed to send counties thousands of voter registration applications and updates submitted through that web portal, dating back to October 2025. The agency blamed the error on a software update. The problem has sparked bipartisan calls for an investigation into what went wrong, and state officials so far have provided few details.“We live in a system that has been designed to make things harder for voters,” Sarah Chen, the senior supervising attorney at Texas Civil Rights Project, told Votebeat for this article. “We don’t have online voter registration, except for this teeny little carveout, and because of the teeny little carveout, now we have these technical glitches resulting in this backlog.”On top of the backlog of unprocessed applications, county election officials had to process hundreds of applications submitted in person and mailed in by Oct. 5, the voter registration deadline. Officials have promised every record will be processed, but advocates such as Chen are worried some voters could be disenfranchised if they aren’t added to the rolls in time.On Sept. 25, the Texas Secretary of State’s Office told counties it would offer grants to reimburse “costs incurred above your routine operational expenses related specifically to the increased number of DPS voter registration applications,” though it isn’t clear how much money is available or where the funds come from.Some local election officials say they had noticed a slowdown in the flow of applications from DPS and flagged it to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office over the summer, but weren’t sure of the cause. Trudy Hancock, the elections administrator in Brazos County, said her staff noticed they’d receive a handful of applications through the state system one day, none for a couple of days, and then several the next.It didn’t make sense, Hancock said, “especially those days when we wouldn’t get any applications. Our local DPS office has a line of people out the door every day, so how come there were days where we weren’t getting any applications from DPS?”The Texas Secretary of State’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.Affected voters ‘did everything right’When asked whether he was concerned about the error or whether he had offered DPS specific direction on how to handle it, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office referred questions to the agency and the Texas Secretary of State’s Office. At a press conference on Sept. 24, he said DPS had told his office the issue was “fully resolved.” He also said county election officials were already working to process the applications.In an emailed statement in late September, DPS said it proactively noticed the problem, investigated and found that the issue was connected to an October 2025 software update by “a third-party vendor, whose software handles these batch transactions.”Emily French, Texas Policy Director at Common Cause, said the state should find a way to reach out to all impacted voters, especially since several statewide races on the Nov. 3 ballot are expected to be close.“That should be step one,” French said. “Tell every affected voter you’re eligible, you did everything right. You will be registered to vote — tell every affected voter they can vote a provisional ballot.”State officials said voters who don’t appear on the rolls because of this error can still ask to cast a provisional ballot, and election officials will count it once they confirm the voter had registered via DPS by the appropriate deadline.But there are concerns that having to fill out a provisional ballot unexpectedly will cause confusion at polls, which members of the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus highlighted in a Sept. 25 letter to Abbott.State senators sent the governor a list of questions, including “What safeguards failed?” and “What support will the state provide to counties?” They also want to know how many of the applications and updates that languished were submitted before the March primary.State Rep. Mihaela Plesa, a Democrat who sits on the House Elections Committee, said that she’s going to push for tighter protocols in the upcoming legislative session to ensure that future errors are caught earlier.“I’m going to be looking at ways to require fast alerts and repairs,” Plesa said. “Notify the secretary of state of any affected county, notify applicants about what’s going on, and definitely protect the voters’ original submission.”Members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson of Texas and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California, both Democrats, have also called for investigations. So have key Texas Republicans, including state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who has championed legislation on election administration and voter list maintenance for years, and state Rep. Matt Shaheen, the chair of the Texas House Elections Committee. Shaheen said he has spoken with DPS officials and is investigating what exactly went wrong to ensure it does not happen again.“I’m going to personally make sure whoever is responsible for the mistake is held accountable,” he said. But Shaheen said the problem is dissuading him from supporting online voter registration.Election officials cite ongoing technical challengesTexans who submitted voter registration applications or updates via the DPS portal had no way of knowing something was wrong unless they checked their voter registration status.County election officials who flagged an issue, including Hancock, told Votebeat they initially assumed the problem was related to issues with the state’s voter registration and election management system, which is known as TEAM.The state in July 2025 overhauled its voter registration system using Louisiana-based election technology vendor, Civix. Election officials have since raised ongoing concerns about how the system works.Kristin Miles, the Bastrop County elections administrator and current president of the Texas Association of County Election Officials, told Votebeat that the way TEAM works is making it harder for officials to get through the backlog of voter registration records.For instance, TEAM only allows county officials to see 30 records at a time on their screen, and they have to be sorted through one by one, before officials can see additional records. Miles and her staff of four are working through more than 2,200 records.In late September, the secretary of state’s office told election officials they’re trying to prioritize a fix for that issue.This story was produced by Votebeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

Saturday, October 10th, 2026

Friday, October 9th, 2026