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

Wednesday, March 11th, 2026
	Judy's Family Cafe closed for renovations The cafe posted on social media that breakfast will be served at its second location, Judy's Kitchen, in the meantime.
	Moline accepting Statements of Interest for council seat The City of Moline is accepting Statements of Interest to fill a vacancy on the City Council representing Ward 1. The vacancy comes after the resignation of Ward 1 Alderperson Debbie Murphy earlier this month. Pursuant to the Moline City Code and applicable Illinois law, the City Council will appoint a qualified Ward 1 resident [...]
	Severe weather outbreak ranks 7th highest warning day for NWS Quad Cities NWS issues 39 warnings March 10; two deaths reported in Indiana; damage surveys underway in Iowa and Illinois
	HIV myths leave women out — free testing, support available in Quad Cities Local organizations say women are often left out of HIV conversations, even though they make up a significant portion of people living with the virus.
	Garage collapses during fire on 17th Avenue in East Moline Firefighters responded to a structure fire in the 200 block of 17th Avenue in East Moline on Wednesday morning. Smoke was seen rising from the building.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: SHAWN JONES, 33, 5’8", 170 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Wanted by Iowa DOC for escape on conviction for burglary 1st degree. JASON SHEPPS-HUGHES, [...]
	Firefighters respond to East Moline structure fire Wednesday morning Firefighters responded to a structure fire in the 200 block of 17th Avenue in East Moline on Wednesday morning.
	School bus crash injures students; driver cited, investigation ongoing in Whiteside County A Prophetstown/Lyndon/Tampico School District bus was involved in a possible crash Tuesday afternoon in Whiteside County.
	Multiple departments respond to East Moline fire Our Quad Cities News has a crew on the scene of a fire in East Moline. The garage collapsed and smoke is showing from the home. 17th Avenue is closed from First Street to Kennedy Drive. East Moline Fire and Police, Moline Fire Department, Silvis Fire Department and MidAmerican Energy is on the scene. No [...]
	Bechtel Charitable Trust awards $50,000 to Girl Scouts Girl Scouts has received a $50,000 gift from the Bechtel Charitable Trust to support Girl Scout leadership programming throughout Scott County. The investment allows Girl Scouts to continue delivering high-quality, research-backed programming that empowers girls in Scott County to build confidence, develop essential life skills and grow into the next generation of leaders. “I support [...]
	On her new album, Kacey Musgraves returns home, to the 'Middle of Nowhere' Before making her upcoming sixth album, the country star returned to her small-town Texas home and discovered the power of in-between spaces. "I found a lot of clarity there," she says.
	Several passengers injured in Whiteside County school bus crash At approximately 3:55 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, the Whiteside County Sheriff's Office received notice of the crash. Deputies responded and located the bus at Tampico Elementary School.
	How the Iran war is disrupting air travel -- and advice if you're planning a trip The war in Iran is roiling jet fuel prices and airlines are beginning to hike prices, unsettling travelers far from the Middle East. If you're booking a flight soon, here are things to know.
	School bus accident in Whiteside County sends 4 to hospital with injuries Four people were taken to the hospital for evaluation after a Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico school bus carrying students was involved in an accident.
	Friendly House marks 130 years with April celebration Friendly House of Iowa is marking 130 years of dedicated service to the community with a special 130th Anniversary Celebration on Monday, April 27 from 3 –7 p.m. at Friendly House, 1221 N. Myrtle Street in Davenport. Community members, alumni, supporters and partners are invited to honor the organization’s longstanding commitment to enriching the lives of [...]
	Two injured in early morning Muscatine fire A news release from Muscatine says the Muscatine Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) received a 911 call on March 11 at about 12:57 a.m. for a mattress fire inside a residence in the 400 block of Spruce Street. When crews arrived, they found smoke coming from the residence. The incident commander called for additional alarms and [...]
	Whiteside County deputies respond to school bus incident A school bus driver was cited after an incident in Whiteside County yesterday afternoon. A news release from the Whiteside County Sheriff's Office said they received information on March 10 at about 3:55 p.m. about a possible crash involving a Prophetstown/Lyndon/Tampico school district bus. Deputies responded and found the bus at Tampico Elementary School. They [...]
	ChatGPT might give you bad medical advice, studies warn New research finds AI can point people in the wrong direction. And the quality of health information it imparts depends on how well you prompt the tools.
	Video shows Whiteside County school bus drive into ditch, jump back onto road Viewer video shows a Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico school bus enter a ditch and launch back onto the road during Tuesday’s incident.
	How to spot the latest Airbnb scams How to spot the latest Airbnb scamsWhile not every Airbnb is made equal in quality and service (or the occasional outlandish cleaning fee), Airbnb has created new and often improved accommodations for people or groups traveling who want a little more than a small room with a mini-fridge.But, as with any new and exciting service, it sadly didn’t take long for scammers to scheme up ways to take advantage of travelers who are simply looking for a place to stay. And while the company has worked hard to remedy these issues, scammers have only gotten more sophisticated in the types of scams — which range from the classic bait-and-switch to full-on phishing — they run on the platform. So, if you want to enjoy all the amenities that come with booking an Airbnb, but want to make sure you avoid dealing with extra headaches, Spokeo explains how to protect yourself against these common Airbnb scams.1. Bait-and-SwitchWhen you book an Airbnb, there’s always an element of blind trust that has to occur. Guests are booking based on photos and brief descriptions, banking on both of those things being honest and accurate. That unfortunately opens a window of opportunity for any dishonest hosts to use misleading or deceptive photos (think of it like the Airbnb equivalent of catfishing). This leads to travelers unwittingly showing up to their booking, only to discover a dirty or subpar house.Even if the pictures are fairly accurate, some seedy hosts will lie about certain amenities that are supposedly included in the booking. Whether it be a hot tub that doesn’t exist (or is often just broken), AC that’s actually just a standing fan, or any other lie or half-truth, bait-and-switch listings are high up on the common Airbnb scams.The worst part about bait-and-switch scams is that you often show up and have no choice but to stay and deal with the situation. While that’s never fun, try to contact the host to see if there has been an honest mistake, but if not, contact Airbnb immediately to try to rectify the issue.How to Stay Safe:Be extra wary of listings with under 100 reviews (especially if they’ve been listed for an extended period of time).Look up the address. While housing information sites or even Google Maps aren’t always up to date, you can use these types of services to confirm certain details, or even just get an idea of what the house/street looks like.BONUS: If you do unfortunately fall victim to an Airbnb bait-and-switch, report the issues to Airbnb so you can potentially get some form of compensation, and also to help protect future guests.2. Multiple BookingsYou’ve likely heard the horror stories; guests open up an Airbnb, only to find it already occupied with a different set of guests. And just as terrifying for people on the other side of the door, they’re staying at their Airbnb when the door opens, and a group of complete strangers comes pouring in.Multiple booking scams are a way for seedy Airbnb hosts to cash out on a listing in one go. They’ll list the property on as many sites as possible, hoping to collect on as many bookings as possible. Every once in a while, it can be a genuine mishap with Airbnb’s booking service, but either way, always reach out to Airbnb immediately should this happen to you.How to Stay Safe:Search the address before and after booking. Doing so should uncover any other sites that may have the same address listed, and if they remain up after you’ve booked for specific dates, contact Airbnb and find a safer listing.3. Bogus ChargesIt’s no surprise that some hosts find themselves burned by guests who abuse the Airbnb booking terms. While it’s often minor things, like smoking in a nonsmoking listing, there has been no shortage of incidents, such as guests throwing parties that cause significant damage.For the host, claiming damages is a time-consuming process that involves submitting several forms of proof to the Resolution Center and admitting claims specialists to conduct a review. Sadly, that doesn’t stop some crafty hosts from applying bogus charges for damage or breakage that wasn’t the guest’s fault. If this does happen, you are entitled to see receipts for any cleaning or repairs, and you cannot be charged a cleaning fee after you have left.How to Stay Safe:If you notice something broken or seemingly out of place, alert the host immediately. Creating documented communication can come in handy later should you find yourself facing unwarranted damage charges.If you feel like you’ve been hit with unfair charges, demand receipts for the repairs. Also, request documentation of the damages (such as pictures or even security footage).4. Requests for Off-App PaymentsAs with many things in the digital age, ease of access plays a big part in the services we use. Airbnb is no different. One of the highlights of Airbnb is how straightforward the service is. You go to the app or desktop site, find a place, and book directly through them. Easy as that. That’s why any communication or request outside of the app regarding booking or payment (such as a request to communicate via email or messaging service) should immediately register as a red flag.Legitimate hosts will never try to have you pay outside of the app, even if they promise reduced fees to get around Airbnb’s cut. If a house has an email or phone number directly on the listing that they want you to reach out to, immediately start looking for a different option, no matter how enticing things look.How to Stay Safe:Be on the lookout for listings that ask you to contact the host via an email or messaging service, rather than directly through Airbnb.If the host tries to communicate outside of the app, especially regarding payment, immediately stray away.5. Phishing ScamsPhishing scams are one of the most common on the internet, and a site like Airbnb that processes sensitive payment information is a prime target for potential phishing scams. To keep it quick, phishing scams will present you with a link that seems to be legit, but is in fact a fake version that takes you to a website that looks identical to the intended site. When you enter your login credentials, it will feed the information you input into the site directly to scammers instead of logging you into your account. Once they have your login credentials, they may have access to your credit card information (if you’ve saved it to your account), and — if you use the same or similar passwords across multiple sites — they may have access to a whole host of sensitive information. (Which is one of the reasons why it is a good idea to always use unique passwords for every account you open!)In the case of Airbnb, scammers will send you a link that appears to be a legit listing — or will try to convince you they have some other listing that’s a better deal you can view via the link — but the link is actually a trap.How to Stay Safe:Only book directly through the official and secure Airbnb app or desktop site. If booking through the site, make sure you go to the website directly, and not through any links sent to you.Never click on links sent to you from potential hosts. If you want to see something, go directly through the app.6. Fake ReviewsAt the core of running a successful Airbnb listing is the ability to secure a large number of positive reviews (Superhosts must maintain a 4.8 average rating). While listings with high scores are typically a great way to preverify the quality of your stay, some hosts will try to artificially build their reputation with fake reviews. It can be hard to differentiate between real and fake reviews, so the best general practice is to find places with a lot of reviews. It’s hard to fake a large number of reviews, so listings with a lot of good ratings should be at the top of your list.It’s worth noting that there are plenty of good Airbnbs that are newer, but it’s worth having an extra level of skepticism when booking these. Should anything feel out of place at any time, don’t ignore any signs.How to Stay Safe:Look for listings with a large number of high reviews.Apply an extra level of scrutiny when booking a newer listing.7. Hidden CamerasRecently, Airbnb has made headlines due to people discovering hidden cameras during their stays. While it’s more likely than not that your stay will be safe from hidden cameras, it is something that seems to be occurring more than it used to. Airbnb does allow exterior security cameras and cameras in common spaces (so long as the host is transparent about the cameras’ presence), but never hidden cameras or cameras in intimate spaces such as bathrooms or bedrooms.The intention of hidden cameras isn’t always clear, but it does open the potential for blackmail. Even if the footage isn’t used for gain, having one’s privacy compromised is still very unsettling and should never be acceptable.How to Stay Safe:Look for lens reflections in private locations.Inspect any odd-looking gadgets plugged into outlets. They can potentially be cameras disguised as something else (like a charging block, air freshener, etc.).If you’re really worried or travel often, look into getting a hidden camera detector that can speed up the process of looking for hidden cameras.This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Joe Donnelly will perform in Bishop Hill Crossroads Cultural Connections invites the community to an evening of live music and connection with touring musician Joe Donnelly on Sunday, March 15, at Bishop Hill Creative Commons, a news release says. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with an optional potluck dinner, offering guests the chance to gather and share food before the [...]
	Visit Quad Cities works to raise awareness of destination accessibility Visit Quad Cities is making it easier for people with physical challenges to learn how area attractions are becoming as accessible as possible, working with Wheel the World.
	Wednesday fire in Muscatine injures two residents, sends one to the hospital A mattress fire early Wednesday left two residents with minor injuries.
	Exploring the benefits of in-home care vs. nursing homes Exploring the benefits of in-home care vs. nursing homesWhen an elderly loved one requires extra support, you have a big decision to make — do you go the in-home care or nursing home route? Both options have their benefits.We all want what’s best for our senior loved ones. While it’s a natural part of aging, senior care isn’t always something that families like to discuss. But having open discussions about care options can ensure quality of life for those who matter most.This guide by Village Caregiving explores the advantages of in-home care and nursing homes to help you make the best choice for your loved one. Learn more about the level of care, costs and independence associated with each option.Key TakeawaysIn-home care offers seniors personalized comfort and familiarity. Nursing homes provide larger staff volumes to support seniors with more pressing health issues.In-home care can provide more independence and flexibility. Nursing home care offers all-inclusive living, structure and customized accessibility.Nursing homes typically cost more. In-home care usually involves paying for the hours a family caregiver works.Choosing the right option for a loved one involves open communication, long-term care considerations and evaluating day-to-day care needs.Families will typically have more say and freedom with in-home care options, while nursing homes are more structured.Asking the right questions about emergency procedures, staff levels and hidden fees can ensure a good quality of life without unexpected extra costs.Understanding In-Home CareIn-home care allows seniors to age in place. It typically involves a family caregiver coming into the home and providing various care services for your senior loved ones. As remaining in one’s home offers a sense of familiarity, in-home care is often a top choice for seniors suffering from age-related diseases like dementia and other ailments.According to a 2024 study by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), 75% of adults aged 50 and above want to remain in their homes as they age. In-home family caregivers can perform many different duties to accommodate these needs.An in-home family caregiver’s role depends on the senior’s needs. For example, some seniors may have mobility issues and need assistance moving from one room to another. Others may live far away from their families and require companionship services to feel less isolated. Having the freedom to select services ensures your loved one receives the correct type and level of support.Benefits of In-Home Care AssistanceIn-home care offers many benefits for senior adults and their loved ones. Many of them are essential to long-term care and overall good health. Here are just some reasons why people may prefer to age in place and choose an in-home care assistance option:Personal relationships: In-home family caregivers work with senior adults one-on-one. This enables them to get to know your loved one and anticipate their needs. This is an important part of developing trust and familiarity, as a personal relationship isn’t just about assisting with tasks.Greater independence: You can customize the level of in-home care, which enables capable seniors to do some tasks unassisted. For senior relatives, this is a big part of remaining independent. Allowing seniors to hold onto their autonomy helps them experience a sense of purpose.Extra comfort: In-home care means seniors can continue to enjoy the comforts of home. They can sit in their favorite chair, surrounded by cherished belongings, and have the same neighbors and surroundings. Feeling at ease in their own home can reduce stress and anxiety.Flexibility: Family caregivers can adjust their level of care as the senior’s needs change. It may begin with just a few hours a week, but it can be comforting for families to know that there’s extra support available when needed.Effective home care requires open and honest conversations, with significant family involvement when weighing up options. What matters most is prioritizing your senior loved one’s needs and quality of life. Village Caregiving Exploring Nursing Home FacilitiesA nursing home provides round-the-clock care for seniors. Unlike in-home family caregivers, nursing home staff are generally qualified medical professionals, making it a good option for those with severe health issues that may continue to worsen over time. Seniors with conditions that require clinical monitoring with medical equipment are usually better suited to a nursing home.While it lacks the familiarity of in-home care, these facilities provide strong social structures. Seniors in nursing homes can stay in a shared or private room and receive all their meals. Individuals who enjoy regular social interaction value the company of nursing staff and other residents. The built-in community and regular social events with other residents may be more appealing to some seniors than living alone.Benefits of Nursing Home CareNursing homes often come at a higher cost but deliver several benefits. Many families choose this option if it means getting the right care for their loved ones. Knowing what to expect at these facilities is an important part of making that choice. Below are the main benefits of nursing home care:Comprehensive medical care: Nursing homes have the facilities and trained staff to assist with various health conditions. Those with chronic illnesses or advanced cognitive diseases will have access to the support they need.Assistance with daily tasks: Having round-the-clock care means fewer worries about your loved one having issues bathing or going to the bathroom. Seniors can enjoy a dignified experience where medical professionals are available constantly. While in-home care will also offer 24/7 support, it won’t have as many on-hand medical staff as a nursing home.Greater security: Nursing homes are secure and safe environments. The premises are typically built with accessibility in mind. Seniors can move at their own pace, with extra support from ramps and grab bars. If a senior person is prone to wandering, you may worry about their safety. Nursing homes often take great care to secure the premises.All-inclusive living: A nursing home takes care of meals, housekeeping and social activities. While in-home care may involve some of these things, nursing homes have staff teams that handle everything. This inclusive style of care can be personalized, offering private rooms, shared rooms and dietary accommodations.Peace of mind: Families can rest assured that their loved ones are getting 24/7 care. This can remove any worries about loved ones experiencing falls or forgetting to feed themselves.Discussing a potential move into a nursing home can be a sensitive topic. But the most important part of this choice is ensuring that those you love can age with grace and live comfortably.Senior Care Cost ComparisonsThe price of nursing homes and in-home care differs from state to state. The 2024 Cost of Care Survey reported on the average median costs for both options. The average monthly cost of in-home care is $6,292 for homemaker services like laundry and meal preparation. For nursing home care, monthly costs can range from $9,277 for a semiprivate room to $10,646 for a private one.Nursing homes will generally have higher fixed monthly costs but provide comprehensive 24/7 care. In-home care generally involves paying only for the time a family caregiver spends with your loved one. This expense can sometimes be broken down into a more manageable hourly amount for in-home visits.The level of care needed can also determine the overall cost of these services.How to Choose the Best Care Option for Your Loved One Village Caregiving There’s no single right answer — every family is different. The right option will depend entirely on what’s best for the seniors in your life. Making this choice can feel overwhelming at times. But keeping conversations focused on care, health and long-term solutions can reduce these worries.Here are some considerations when choosing the best care option for your loved one:Specific needs: Many families know their senior loved one better than they know themselves. This offers a unique perspective about their daily needs and care requirements. A senior may not admit to needing care at all — even if you know they have medical needs, such as specific medications or medical injections at set times.Long-term perspective: A loved one may just need some help with meal preparation and getting out of bed. However, it’s important to consider long-term care needs. It’s not easy to picture the decline in health of those who matter most. Having an idea of how their health may change over the next few years can help determine the right choice for their dignity and care.Considering variables: Cost is an understandably big part of making a choice. Potential payment options from Medicaid or Medicare insurance may help cover in-home care costs. It can also highlight what isn’t covered, providing practical cost-related insights to inform your decision.Open conversations: Making this choice is a responsibility. While done out of love, it’s still a decision that affects someone’s life. Take the time to sit and openly discuss options as a family. If it’s done with care and sensitivity, these conversations can form stronger bonds and inform the choice made.Some families prefer to test the water by trying in-home care on an intermittent basis. This reduces the chances of disruption if a permanent nursing home move doesn’t work out.Quality of LifeThe right senior living option can enhance a person’s quality of life. It’s the very least that seniors deserve. It ensures that they’re still able to feel good, active and socially included in activities or part of important decisions. A senior’s physical, emotional and mental needs can be met in different ways, depending on your choice of care.Both in-home care and nursing home facilities cater to seniors’ emotional needs through:Social activities: Nursing homes often facilitate activities like card games, crafts or tea in a shared space. In-home family caregivers have more freedom to tailor social activities to the person’s interests or hobbies.Independence: Nursing home costs often include transportation services, which allow residents to go to the shops, church or public parks. Seniors using in-home transportation services enjoy greater flexibility, as they can go where they want when they want.Companionship: Those living in nursing homes socialize with nurses, residents and other staff regularly. In-home companionship services allow seniors to choose how much social time they want.While both nursing homes and in-home family caregivers prioritize seniors’ social needs, in-home services give the person more control in these situations. Similarly, in-home transport services ensure greater independence. There’s no right or wrong choice. It’s about finding ways to stimulate seniors in care, while reducing families’ concerns for their well-being.Daily Life ConsiderationsAs people age, their families become increasingly concerned about their safety and care. With over 19% of the national population aged 65 or older, it’s something most people will experience with their loved ones. Comparing some serious day-to-day situations that seniors will experience and benefit from is important.Here are some areas of care that in-home caregivers and nursing homes regularly deal with, and what they involve.Safety measuresIn-home family caregivers gain a realistic idea of the safety hazards in a senior’s home. It’s natural to worry about your loved one’s safety — almost 319,000 seniors are hospitalized with fractured hips from falls each year, making safe environments an important part of any decision. Caregivers receive extensive staff training and are knowledgeable about emergency protocols. But living alone comes with other safety risks, like kitchen fires, crime and security.People who want to age in place have a set environment where safety hazards can be dealt with. A regular in-home family caregiver can put measures in place to reduce these safety risks around the home. Family caregivers are also required to undergo extensive training to respond quickly to emergency protocols. Nursing homes also prioritize safety. They have the resources to equip premises with closed-circuit television (CCTV), access gates and additional security personnel.Nutrition and mealsA good meal can mean a lot to a senior who struggles to make their own food. In-home family caregivers provide varying levels of assistance in meal preparation, allowing seniors to take more ownership of what they eat. Some providers offer individualized nutrition plans, ensuring your senior loved ones get all the nutrients they need.Nursing homes are mindful of dietary requirements and will customize individual menus accordingly. However, as these menus are more structured, there is less opportunity to tailor dinners to a person’s specific tastes.Respite careIt’s common for a family member to take up the bulk of in-home caregiving tasks. Yet, additional care can lead to burnout when relatives have their own families and work commitments.Respite care allows family members to temporarily shift care responsibilities to trained caregivers. It enables family members to take a break, go on holiday or simply take a step back from continuous care.In-home care providers allow you to take a break when needed. You can also book senior family members into a nursing home for short-term care, but there are often more requirements to meet for this approach.Family involvementSome people may prefer to have more family involvement in their loved one’s care. Others may prefer to rely on qualified experts to look after these matters. Either way, families may encounter some differences between in-home and nursing home care, including:Choice and voice: A nursing home will have a set roster of staff members. In-home options typically offer more say in choosing the right companion or family caregiver.Visiting and activities: Nursing homes have schedules for meals, care, activities and rest. This typically includes set visiting hours. Open visitation isn’t guaranteed for families who like drop-in visits and spontaneous activities.Communication: Nursing homes have robust staffing structures for peace of mind. However, this may mean a lack of communication between revolving staff and family, rather than speaking directly to an in-home family caregiver.Comfort: In-home family caregivers can work with the home’s furniture and surroundings to create a comfortable atmosphere. Families who visit loved ones in nursing homes will benefit from a high level of medical care, but may worry over how comfortable a senior relative feels in a more static-looking environment.These factors all contribute toward a decision that pleases all family members. It may be a matter of choosing staff numbers and expense over comfort, familiarity and personal care. But these aren’t mutually exclusive, and the right choice will likely include a little of both.Questions to Ask When Considering In-Home Care or a Nursing HomeWhen you’re close to making a decision, there will likely be several unanswered questions. These should be aimed at any potential in-home care agencies or nursing homes you’re considering. A trusted, experienced care company should have no issue answering these. Their answers can also help steer you in a direction that suits your senior loved ones and other family members.These are the questions to ask when considering in-home care or a nursing home:Staffing needs: What is the caregiver-to-senior ratio?Emergency procedures: What happens if there’s a medical emergency?Consistency in staff: Will we see the same people, or will there be different staff each day?Costs and hidden fees: Are there extra charges for laundry and weekend work?Care philosophy: How do you handle personalized requests or changes in routine?Personality and mood: What would you do if a senior were being difficult or aggressive?Asking these questions allows you to dig deeper into some realistic scenarios, deciding if the care provider aligns with your loved one and family’s needs.Making a Choice That’s Fair and DignifiedNo one should forget the human element of making this choice. Seniors need social interaction, independence and support to maintain a good quality of life. They also deserve it. Whether it’s aging in place or moving into a nursing home, this aspect of aging can be difficult.With communication, care and sensitivity, this process can be less stressful. Considering all of the above factors can lead to open conversations, where love and respect are priorities. In time, this can lead to the right choice for everyone involved.This story was produced by Village Caregiving and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How cities can unlock more housing, one stairway at a time How cities can unlock more housing, one stairway at a timeFire officials and pro-density urbanists are often at loggerheads. This is especially evident in notoriously car-centric Los Angeles, where a firefighters’ union spent six figures opposing active mobility measures. The two camps can have different ideas of acceptable risks and priorities.But Matthew Flaherty, a firefighter who has lived in L.A. his whole life, bridges the two worlds. He’s an advocate for affordable, transit-friendly housing. His struggle to find an apartment in a walkable neighborhood led him to become a member of the Livable Communities Initiative, a nonprofit group advocating for more walkable neighborhoods in L.A.“Cities shouldn’t be designed around the fire department,” Flaherty argues. “The fire department should be designed to deal with the infrastructure as it is. If you have a plumber design a house, the whole house is going to be a toilet.”One area of tension for fire safety advocates and density advocates is the requirement that most new apartment buildings have more than one stairway to facilitate resident evacuation and emergency responders’ access. In nearly all American cities, unlike in other parts of the world, developers are required to build double staircases into four- to six-story residential buildings. (Though definitions vary, these are often considered mid-rise buildings.)This extra staircase takes up about 7% of floor space and drives up costs by 6% to 13%, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. That extra cost could be enough to kill a project to build housing, says Stephen Smith, the executive director of the Center for Building in North America, a nonprofit organization focused on building code reform.Largely due to advocates like Smith and Flaherty, a movement is sweeping across North America, from Texas to Toronto, to relax restrictions on residential stairways. Over 30 locations have now considered such measures. As Next City examines in this article, the possibility of relatively rapid changes to local building codes, outside the national three-year cycle, is raising urgent conversations about density and safety as cities grapple with housing shortages.Seattle’s influenceSingle-stair apartment buildings (sometimes called point access blocks) are sprinkled throughout Seattle. Rents can start at around $1,500/month for studio apartments in such buildings. Walking around these apartments is a good way to get a feel for Seattle’s distinct neighborhoods.The unit styles vary as well, encompassing luxurious full-floor apartments, shareable student apartments, a striking cohousing complex, and nearly 30 apartments stacked next to another residential building. Some of these homes sit above ground-floor businesses.Seattle’s history with single stairways illustrates how attitudes toward housing have shifted over the decades. In the 1940s, amid suburbanization and rapid building, a multiple-stairway requirement was imposed on buildings of three stories and up. In the 1970s, a housing crisis led Seattle to allow single stairways in apartment buildings, without a height limit, but with a floor limit of four units per floor. During a backlash to development in the 1980s, the city instituted a limit of six stories to such buildings. Further fire protection requirements followed. In the 2010s, momentum started to build outside of the few American cities, like Seattle, that allowed for single stairways.New York City’s single-stair permission is older: It was changed in 1938 in recognition of the need for more housing on small lots. But Seattle has been even more influential in galvanizing the current momentum around similar reforms in other U.S. cities. In Smith’s analysis, New York is too much of an exception to the rest of the country to serve as a planning model. With the city’s scarcity of urban space, “we don’t have the room to build these buildings with giant hallways and two stairs,” says Smith, who himself lives in a five-story building in Brooklyn with a single stairway.Plus, “in the building and fire world, there is a deep distrust and disdain for New York City,” Smith believes. “Seattle, I think, has been more of interest because it’s a more typical American city,” down to the frequency with which wood is used as a building material. More broadly, “the places that have been most interested in [single-stair reform] recently have been the West Coast states with the more severe housing crises.”Seattle’s version of single-stair permission has been called the “Seattle special,” showing how much the city has become associated with a particular type of medium-density housing: an apartment building constructed on a small lot, with up to six floors and just one staircase. Each of those floors can have only four units, all of which must stay within 125 feet of the exit.The Seattle special represents a kind of compromise. It’s not a high-rise that might intimidate locals wedded to single-household homes, but it also allows for more density than a house or duplex. By allowing for infill development on land parcels where it might be difficult to construct other units, it can permit an efficient use of urban space. In Seattle, this includes corner lots and steep slopes.The single stairway is perhaps the ultimate compromise. It offsets the potential safety risk of losing another means of exit with other fire protection requirements like pressurization systems for smoke control (which admittedly can be expensive to maintain). It also seeks to balance that risk with the benefit of gaining more space inside the building.Mark Chubb, a Seattle-based building-code consultant who previously worked as a fire chief, explains that in various parts of the U.S., land-use reformers were realizing that just having the authority to build denser housing didn’t mean that in practice they could actually do so.“So that’s when they started looking for solutions and kind of stumbled over the Seattle provision. And they said, ‘Gee, wait a minute, it looks like Seattle solved this problem,’” Chubb summarizes. “We don’t have a lot of buildings that use single exit, but we have some fairly innovative buildings on some fairly small parcels that represent a large assortment of solutions.” Chubb believes the single-stair movement has not been driven by large moneyed interests, but by YIMBYs, activists and architects.L.A. lawmakers’ attempt to allow single stairways in residential buildings up to six stories appears to have stalled following a city council vote last year; the International Association of Fire Fighters called it one of the organization’s “key victories” in a “coordinated effort to stop these proposals before they become the new normal.” But within L.A., Culver City has gone further on single-stair reform than any other part of California. In September 2025, after three years of advocacy, it approved its own single-stair ordinance.“It is the single most impactful thing that I have done in all of my civic engagement,” says Travis Morgan, a cofounder of the Livable Communities Initiative.This group didn’t set out to become single-stair evangelists, Morgan explains. “It was more of a means to an end, and the end being this walkable, livable, engaged, community.” Their research suggested that without single-stair reform, it would be nearly impossible to build housing on small L.A. lots.Culver City’s new ordinance bears more than a passing resemblance to Seattle’s building code. That’s because “we modeled the ordinance after the city of Seattle,” Morgan says. In Seattle, “there’s been no fire deaths attributed to the single stairwell…and it really is sort of considered the gold standard.” Honolulu has also copied Seattle’s rules.Visualizing the spread of Seattle’s single-stair buildings has also helped influence debate in Denver, whose City Council approved a single-stair ordinance in November 2025.According to Denver architect Sean Jursnick, who created the Seattle single-stair map, it “was helpful when discussing single-stair reforms with officials locally because it illustrates how single-stair projects are integrated into neighborhoods across Seattle and could integrate into the similar urban fabric of Denver.”Fire safetyThe main argument for keeping a double-stair requirement is fire safety. Even nearly 50 years after allowing for single-stair buildings in Seattle, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) does not support the extension of the Seattle model elsewhere.According to Karen A. Grove, SFD’s fire protection director, the 1970s code change “was done in part due to the quick response times of SFD and the very good hydrant infrastructure in Seattle.” In other words, cities with fewer resources might find it harder to adapt. It can be difficult to compare these kinds of metrics across American fire departments, due to inconsistencies in data reporting and definitions.Allowing for just one stairway “puts a larger burden on the Seattle Fire Department, as without the second stair, we become the back up plan if the first stair is blocked or compromised,” Grove states. There is also a burden from regularly testing and repairing the smoke control systems that may become required in lieu of the second stair. SFD cautions fire departments elsewhere to consider extra needs for training and equipment, such as ladder access, if their jurisdictions remove the second-stair requirement.“It’s a very solvable problem,” Flaherty, the Southern California firefighter, says of the potential changes like updating fire trucks. As for the arguments for keeping a double-stair requirement, he believes that it’s not realistic that a mass of residents will crowd on the single stairway and impede firefighting, or that smoke will collect in a single stairway. Instead, in his experience, “sprinklers are what keep fires from getting out of control.”The evidence seems to bear this out for the U.S. Between 2017 and 2021, American buildings with automatic sprinkler systems had 90% fewer civilian fire deaths than buildings without those systems.Unlike in the rest of the world, new apartment buildings in the U.S. are often already required to have sprinklers. So an important fire protection measure has become widespread since the development of double-stair requirements, yet building standards often haven’t been updated to reflect the spread of sprinklers.And for the most part, “we don’t require sprinklers in single-family homes, and there’s no moral panic over it,” Flaherty points out. For some urbanists, this dissonance suggests that the rules around fire protection are essentially arbitrary.Detailed fire safety assessments are continuing. Minnesota published one in December 2025. California’s, which was just released, discourages lifting double-stair requirements. The National Association of State Fire Marshals has also opposed single stairways, stating, “Proper exiting, much like smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, is known to have saved thousands of lives and have been and remain the fundamental building blocks to life safety.”Complicating the situation is that unlike in some other countries, many American firefighters now spend a good chunk of their time not actually responding to fires. Flaherty estimates that 90% of the incidents he attends are medical. Firefighting bodies have argued that double stairways provide flexibility in responding to a variety of emergencies, including active shooters and natural disasters. These scenarios aren’t always incorporated into the design of building codes—or their amendments.What single-stair reform can and can’t doFor Cody Fischer, a bigger impediment than the costs of building a second staircase has been the rigidity. His company, Footprint Development, develops and manages low-carbon multi-household housing in Minneapolis. While working on his very first project, one of the barriers “ended up being this very obscure safety component in the model building code,” which sets standards for health and safety.Even in sought-after locations that were zoned for six-story buildings, it was tough just to find a site with the dimensions to accommodate a multi-stairway building. And if a site could be located, he would be restricted to one-or two-bedroom apartments, and “gross-feeling hallways” with limited windows. The impact of this single detail was eye-opening to Fischer: “Once you see it…it’s like the only thing you see.”Like Fischer, a number of single-stair supporters have been radicalized by their experiences of other countries, which don’t require second stairways and yet don’t suffer more from fires. In the case of the influential Seattle architect Michael Eliason, a stint working in Germany, seeing that his colleagues were designing an 11-story building with a single stairway, initially stunned him.Fire-protection and building-code expert Chubb worked for years in New Zealand, where he commonly saw single-stair apartment buildings. He also served as an expert witness regarding the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings. While American fire departments are nervous about having single exits in active-shooter situations, he says that mass shootings tend to take place outside of residential buildings.For Smith of the Center for Building in North America, spending part of his childhood in Romania, where his family hails from, normalized single stairways for him. Smith says he would even feel comfortable in a 30-story single-stair building in Switzerland. “In general, I think the limit should be higher, the higher your incomes are,” Smith reflects, because of the general link between higher GDP and better fire protection.Of course, a loosened policy won’t automatically lead to more construction. In Culver City, activist Morgan is hoping that newly allowed single-stair buildings will come into being within the next few years. But he acknowledges that this will require education, likely with some demonstration projects to prove that this type of housing can be both profitable for builders and affordable for residents.In Seattle, a kind of demonstration city, progress after single-city reform was initially sluggish. Chubb estimates that, in general, it could take eight years to actually see the effect of a building-code change. An analysis by Dartmouth student Albert Zhang concluded that following permission to include just one stairwell in 4- to 6-story buildings, an average of about 53 additional units were constructed per year in Seattle. This is a modest addition to the city’s housing.One reason may be that the structures themselves have to be modest, with no more than four units per floor. This limits the amenities, like gyms, that developers can bundle into large apartment buildings to increase their appeal.Another lesson is that code changes aren’t enough on their own. It’s only within the last decade or so that “the education component is starting to happen,” Eliason believes. Though a small but vocal group of architects like him has embraced the possibilities of single-stair design, even in architecture school “it’s hammered in our brains” that two modes of exit are needed, Eliason says.Some proponents have argued that single-stair reform can have a host of benefits even beyond increasing housing options, from fostering community-minded cohousing (by allowing more space for common areas) to encouraging climate adaptation (by allowing more ventilation). There are examples of these in Seattle, but it’s not a given.“Single-stair is not some silver bullet that’s going to create a utopia,” Flaherty, the L.A. firefighter, notes. But he calls it a necessary reform, on top of others like removing parking mandates, to ease the development of affordable housing.Seattle appears to reflect this. Jursnick, the Seattle-mapping architect, says that there was “an uptick of single-stair projects in areas like Capitol Hill about 10 years ago when parking minimums were lifted for areas near frequent transit.” So single-stair reform was a building block, which other reforms could build upon.The progress has been piecemeal in other ways as well. In the U.S., it has largely occurred one city or state at a time, through legislative changes that can be more politically complex than the slower but more uniform process of amending the model code set by the International Code Council every three years. (Despite its name, this body sets building standards mainly for the United States.)For the 2027 version of its International Building Code, which would influence standards nationwide, the council is considering allowing four-story buildings to have single stairways without smoke control systems. This would represent significant, if incremental, progress for the single-stair movement.Building-code debates can seem arcane. But at the sharp edges of these kinds of decisions are people like Gabbie Metheny, a mother of two renting a cramped apartment in L.A.“Building regulations that overly restrict how we use space are a huge factor in why folks leave L.A. for the suburbs when they start having families,” Metheny says. She’s unconcerned about fire risks in a single-stair building, and wonders if ditching the second staircase could allow for more affordable family-size apartments.“If there was a three-bedroom apartment in the city in my price range, I’d jump at the opportunity,” she says. But unfortunately, she says, that doesn’t exist.Support for this story was provided by The Neal Peirce Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting journalism on ways to make cities and their larger regions work better for all people.This story was produced by Next City, a nonprofit newsroom covering solutions for equitable cities, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Davenport man arrested on 26 child pornography charges A man from Davenport is in the Scott County Jail on a $200,000 cash-only bond after police arrested him on 26 charges related to child pornography, jail records show. According to the criminal complaints, detectives with the Davenport Police Department were assigned two NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) CyberTip reports made by [...]
	Greetings from a Shanghai temple where you can ward off bad luck in the Year of the Horse According to Chinese mythology, those born in the Year of the Horse will clash with Tai Sui, a heavenly general. Luckily, there are ways to appease Tai Sui, including amulets at Shanghai's Jade Buddha Temple.
	INTERVIEW: Support youth mentoring by buying plants Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley's annual plant sale is underway. This is the 37th year for the sale. Kylie Wise from Big Brothers Big Sisters and Mel Foster Co. President Lynsey Engels shared all the information with us.
	The big beautiful drill act The big beautiful drill actLate last year, three recreation groups with an interest in protecting the Maah Daah Hey Trail—a popular 144-mile singletrack route for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders that winds through the Badlands of western North Dakota—noticed something strange. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had started the process of selling lease rights to 23 oil and gas parcels in the vicinity of the trail, nine of which are right on top of it or very close. If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting, RE:PUBLIC reports.Since its creation in the late 1990s, the trail has earned a reputation as a premier outdoor destination. The Boulder, Colorado-based International Mountain Bicycling Association maintains a list of what it calls IMBA Epics—trails in North America and other parts of the world that it considers first-class routes. The Maah Daah Hey is the only trail listed in the Dakotas, joining singletrack gems like Utah’s Hurricane Rim Loop and the Aspen Snowmass Mega Loop. Last summer, “Outside” called it one of the seven best bikepacking routes in the U.S. The threat to the Maah Daah Hey is more than a local land dispute. It’s the clearest example yet of a fundamental reversal in how the federal government values public land—one in which recreation interests, more recently afforded equal footing alongside ranchers, loggers, and energy companies, have effectively been erased by the Trump administration’s aggressive push for oil and gas development. And with last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act stripping the BLM of its discretion to protect any area from leasing, few recreation destinations on federal land are safe from the same fate.In a letter to the BLM sent in early January, the three groups—the Outdoor Alliance (based in Washington D.C.), IMBA, and Public Lands Solutions (Moab, Utah)—objected to the sale. Citing “substantial risk of surface occupancy, road construction, flaring, lighting, noise, dust, and visual intrusion that would materially impair the trail’s recreational and scenic values,” the petitioners asked the BLM to hit pause unless it can “demonstrate enforceable leasing-stage protections adequate to avoid impairment.”“Surface occupancy” means well pads. Not all pads are alike, but a footprint on the larger side involves five to ten acres of cleared, packed ground that serves as the hub for drilling equipment, which can include wellheads, pump jacks, tanks, wastewater storage pits, trailers, and flare stacks. According to a 2020 Department of Agriculture document that discusses oil and gas development of the grasslands where the trail is located, drill pads are expected to involve four to seven acres of initial disturbance, which would be reduced to an acre or less as the site is maintained. Drill rigs would typically rise to 100 feet or more. “If surface occupancy is allowed, drillers would build roads wherever they think is most convenient,” says Ashley Korenblat, managing director of Public Lands Solutions and the CEO of a Moab-based guiding company called Western Spirit Cycling Adventures, which runs trips on the Maah Daah Hey. “The trail goes right through the proposed parcels, so it would be degraded or, possibly, completely destroyed. Maybe you could jump on an oil and gas road to get to another part of it, maybe not. But do you really want to camp next to a pump jack at a site that, for sure, will be leaking methane and other unhealthy gases? At some point, the recreation experience is gone.”That’s a drastic outcome, but it’s not inevitable. For one thing, companies that buy lease rights don’t always use them, a decision that’s influenced over time by the price of oil and gas. In addition, one of the available “leasing-stage protections” would be the use of modern directional drilling technology that could position well pads a mile or two away from the trail. In advance of a sale, however, BLM rules don’t require oil and gas companies to commit to a strategy like that, which can cost much more than straight-down drilling. The trail sits atop North Dakota’s famous Bakkan oil field, a 200,000-square-mile resource that covers parts of North Dakota, Montana, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Not surprisingly, drilling has been common in this region, and current trail users occasionally come into view of infrastructure from past projects, including rusty tanks and pump jacks. “The trail is 144 miles long, and there are probably six places where you can see signs of drilling operations,” says Shannon Straight, executive director of the Badlands Conservation Alliance, a Bismarck-based nonprofit that works to protect wild landscapes in North Dakota. Straight backpacked the entire trail in 2020, documenting industrial leftovers along the way. “When I see the photos I took of those places now,” he says, “my sadness is that there probably will be more.”As this situation plays out, it’s important to bear in mind a background reality: The lease sale’s parameters are in lockstep with President Donald Trump’s aggressive energy goals, which are laid out in his signature piece of legislation: H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.Among other things, H.R. 1 voided the BLM’s gatekeeping power in a sale like this. One Capitol Hill staffer who keeps track of the agency puts it this way: “Under H.R. 1, it actually doesn’t matter anymore if there are conflicts or other uses in an area where oil and gas companies want to drill. The bill takes away BLM’s discretion to decide where or whether to lease.”The groups that protested against the BLM aren’t alone in monitoring what this might mean on the ground. In late January, a group that includes the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and The Wilderness Society called attention to pending lease sales of 39 parcels that could affect, among other sites, Utah’s Dinosaur National Monument. Three of the proposed parcels, their letter pointed out, are approximately 10 miles from a visitor center at the monument’s southern entrance. New Mexico has seen a similar, long-running dispute about allowing drilling operations that close to Chaco Culture National Historical Park.“The administration is gaslighting the American public when they tell us they must open more public lands to oil and gas drilling because the U.S. is already the world’s largest producer of oil and gas,” says Jocelyn Torres, Chief Conservation Officer at the Conservation Lands Foundation. “The only winners in this full court press to sell off national public lands are billionaires and extractive companies.” For its part, the BLM isn’t commenting. In response to questions about the leasing plan—and objections from recreational users—a spokesperson said only that the agency is accepting public input on the proposed leases during a 30-day period that started on February 19. If the sale goes forward, it’s scheduled for April 28. Shannon Straight // Badlands Conservation Alliance Shannon Straight // Badlands Conservation Alliance Shannon Straight // Badlands Conservation Alliance Shannon Straight // Badlands Conservation Alliance Dedicated in 1999 after a multi-year planning process, the Maah Daah Hey Trail was a joint effort that involved cooperation among Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the U.S. Forest Service Dakota Prairie Grasslands, and North Dakota State Parks and Recreation. It connects three different areas of the park: the sprawling north and south units and Elkhorn Ranch, Roosevelt’s home base during his transformative years in North Dakota in the 1880s. In a lease offering for the third quarter of 2026, six parcels are listed that are within five miles or less of the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness Area, which is part of the national park’s north unit. Named for a Mandan word meaning “long-lasting area”—and known for rugged, demanding terrain that includes canyons, buttes, rolling prairie, and river crossings—the trail has been an economic boon to North Dakota. According to the North Dakota Outdoor Industry Association, public assets like the park and the trail are part of a statewide recreation economy that generates $3.1 billion annually and produces more jobs than mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction. Such benefits were part of the original vision. In the summer of 1999, when the trail debuted, Scott Fitzwilliams—a ranger with the Little Missouri National Grasslands who was central to its creation—said the trail reflected a major shift in management thinking in the U.S. Forest Service. “Nationwide, we are going through the biggest metamorphosis in the agency probably since Gifford Pinchot,” he told a local newspaper. The trail, he said, was emblematic of a change in which recreation interests were afforded the same importance as the interests of ranchers and oil executives.Right now, however, there’s no sign the Trump administration cares at all about recreational uses. In a marked departure from the administration of President Joe Biden, H.R. 1 doesn’t just allow, but requires, the BLM to conduct lease sales, mandating a minimum of four every year in nine oil-producing Western states: North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Nevada, and Alaska.The law also repeals a provision of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act that required oil companies to pay $5 an acre when they ask the government to consider offering new parcels for leasing. And it requires the BLM to offer up no fewer than 50% of nominated parcels as part of each quarterly lease sale, and to initiate the process of making a decision on all such nominations within 18 months.Finally, H.R. 1 bypasses a Biden measure called the Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule, under which the BLM was told to concentrate lease sales in areas that have proven drilling potential and existing infrastructure. The goal was to cut back on new sales that could harm what the Biden-era BLM called “critical wildlife habitat, cultural resources, and recreational values …” Such considerations were erased by H.R. 1.“The people who wrote the law wanted to severely restrict the BLM’s ability to defer nominated parcels from lease sales,” says Justin Meuse, government relations director for The Wilderness Society. “In the past, that has happened due to factors like potential conflicts with recreation and the need for habitat protection.”As Korenblat explains, there are several more stages in the process, including approval of the site’s Resource Management Plan (RMP), as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). “The land use plan is the first place where some limits can be placed on oil and gas leasing,” she says. These limits are called stipulations. One example of a stipulation would be requiring that the oil be accessed only through directional drilling.But it’s unknown what will happen during this and other steps. Over the past year, the Trump administration has used the Congressional Review Act—a 1996 law that allows presidents to overturn rules implemented at the end of a previous administration—to overturn several land use plans, including one written for a different area in North Dakota. Using the act, congressional Republicans undid an RMP for the entire state, which was passed during the Biden Administration. The Maah Daah Hey Trail is now covered under a 1988 RMP that was written before it even existed. “The ramifications of all this are extremely unclear,” Korenblat says. “Without an up-to-date resource management plan, all permits for any activity on public land are untethered to their authorizing legislation, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. Absolute worst case: This kind of work is intended to undermine the entire federal land system.”This story was produced by RE:PUBLIC and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The best cities for first-time homebuyers in 2026 The best cities for first-time homebuyers in 2026 First-time homebuyers are stepping into 2026 facing a market that’s shifting, but still far from easy.The end of 2025 saw mortgage rates dip to their lowest level in fourteen months, but they remain elevated by recent historical standards. At the same time, homeowners insurance premiums and property taxes continue to rise nationwide. When you layer in the persistent gap between wages and home prices, affordability remains a central pain point for new buyers, particularly first-timers who typically lack equity and funds for down payments and closing costs.Still, today’s market isn’t uniformly bleak. In many mid-sized metros, home prices have stabilized, commutes are manageable, and cost-of-living pressures are far lower than in major coastal hubs. These pockets of opportunity are where first-time buyers can find a realistic path to ownership without sacrificing quality of life. Neighbors Bank What Makes a City Great for a First-Time Homebuyer?A city earns a spot on Neighbors Bank’s list by excelling in two areas: affordability and quality of life.Affordability means that total monthly housing costs (mortgage principal and interest, PMI, property taxes, and homeowners insurance) stay below 35% of the area's median household income. Broader cost-of-living expenses, including utilities, food, transportation, and healthcare were also factored.To ensure these cities offered perks beyond just the sticker price, quality-of-life factors, including crime rates, unemployment rates, commute times, average childcare costs, home appreciation potential, and entertainment options, were also considered.Finally, every city on the list has a principal city population of at least 115,000, ensuring access to jobs, amenities, and community.Top 10 Cities for First-Time Homebuyers in 2026Here are the top 10 cities where first-time buyers can get the most long-term value from their housing dollars in 2026.1. Peoria, ILMedian Home Price: $161,868Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,492Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 25%Peoria tops the list by pairing some of the lowest cost-of-living scores with the strongest overall quality-of-life score in the study. Housing costs stay comfortably under the 35% threshold, giving buyers breathing room in their budgets. From 2022 to 2025, home values rose about 18.4%, a sign of solid momentum without runaway price growth. The unemployment rate changed only about +0.1 percentage points between January and August 2025, pointing to a relatively stable job market. Commutes are short for most residents, and childcare costs remain on the more affordable end of the top 10, making Peoria especially appealing for first-time buyers looking to balance day-to-day expenses with long-term stability.Jobs and Market SnapshotPeoria’s economy is anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, and professional services and major employers include OSF HealthCare, Caterpillar, and UnityPoint Health.Neighborhoods Worth KnowingWest Peoria: historic homes, river views, close to downtown.Germantown Hills: older homes, parks, convenient access to employers.East Bluff: affordable homes near riverfront amenities.North Peoria: newer subdivisions, shopping centers, strong schools. Cultural Hotspots Peoria Riverfront MuseumCivic Center and Theater DistrictWarehouse District (restaurants, breweries, art)Nature HighlightsForest Park Nature CenterGrandview Drive & ParkWildlife Prairie ParkPeoria Riverfront Trail2. Fort Wayne, INMedian Home Price: $246,963Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,880Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 33%Fort Wayne earns the second spot with a strong quality-of-life score and solid housing fundamentals. Monthly ownership costs push closer to the upper end of the affordability range, but buyers get a lot in return. From 2022 to 2025, home values increased about 15.5%, and the unemployment rate improved by roughly 0.3 percentage points between January and August 2025. Combined with relatively low childcare costs, that makes for a solid foundation. Commutes are short, and Fort Wayne’s expanding downtown and park systems give first-time buyers a chance to plant roots in a market with long-term upside.Jobs and Market SnapshotThe local economy is diversified across healthcare, advanced manufacturing, defense, logistics, and financial services. Parkview Health, Lutheran Health Network, General Motors, and Lincoln Financial Group anchor regional employment.Neighborhoods Worth Knowing West Central: historic homes, walkable, near downtown.Northside: established neighborhoods and parks.Historic Northeast: affordable homes, walkable, with easy access to shops.Aboite: suburban-style living with green space.Cultural HotspotsDowntown Arts Campus and Embassy TheatreThe Landing dining districtBotanical ConservatoryElectric Works redevelopmentNature HighlightsPromenade ParkFort Wayne Trails networkHeadwaters ParkFox Island County Park 3. Pittsburgh, PAMedian Home Price: $221,503Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,762Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 29%Pittsburgh gives first-time buyers access to a large metro at a manageable price point. Housing costs sit just under the 35% threshold, while cost-of-living metrics remain favorable compared to coastal job hubs. From 2022 to 2025, home values rose about 7.6%, reflecting steady appreciation rather than boom-and-bust swings. The unemployment rate edged up only about 0.3 percentage points between January and August 2025, suggesting a fairly resilient labor market.Major universities, including the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, drive innovation, medical research, and high-paying jobs.Pittsburgh’s identity also rests on its strong sports culture, with the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates fostering community and pride. Childcare costs are among the more affordable in the top 10, and the mix of research institutions, sports energy, and revitalized neighborhoods gives buyers a well-rounded urban option with long-term stability.Jobs and Market SnapshotPittsburgh’s economy is driven by healthcare, education, finance, and technology. Key employers include UPMC, Allegheny Health Network, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and PNC Financial Services. Neighborhoods Worth Knowing Shadyside: walkable, historic homes, boutiques.Lawrenceville: trendy, artsy, renovated rowhomes.Squirrel Hill: tree-lined, diverse dining, strong community amenities.Regent Square: walkable, great restaurants, tree-lined streets. Cultural HotspotsPittsburgh Cultural DistrictAndy Warhol MuseumButler Street dining and nightlifeStrip District markets and food hallsNature HighlightsPoint State ParkSchenley ParkFrick ParkThree Rivers Heritage Trail4. South Bend, INMedian Home Price: $221,658Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,738Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 32%South Bend ranks highly as an affordable college town with improving job trends and strong home appreciation growth. From 2022 to 2025, home values increased about 15.3%, giving buyers upside without extreme volatility. The unemployment rate improved by roughly 0.9 percentage points between January and August 2025, one of the better shifts in the top 10. The median housing costs land above some neighbors on the list, but childcare and commute scores fall in the middle of the pack, giving the region a balanced appeal. For buyers seeking a stable job base anchored by a major university ecosystem, this metro offers strong value.Jobs and Market SnapshotTop employers include the University of Notre Dame, Beacon Health System, AM General, and manufacturers throughout the South Bend–Elkhart corridor.Neighborhoods Worth KnowingRiver Park: historic homes located along the St. Joseph River.Sunnymede: historic homes, tree-lined, close to downtown.Downtown South Bend: walkable with river access, restaurants, and galleries.Twyckenham Hills: quiet, family-friendly, with access to parks.Cultural Hotspots Morris Performing Arts CenterDowntown South BendNotre Dame campusMishawaka event districtNature HighlightsEast Race WaterwayMishawaka RiverwalkRum Village ParkSt. Patrick’s County Park5. Davenport, IAMedian Home Price: $183,689Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,680Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 28%Davenport offers Mississippi River scenery, paired with a reasonable entry cost for first-time buyers. Housing costs sit well below the 35% threshold, and commute times outperform those of many other metros in the study. From 2022 to 2025, home values rose by about 7.6%, a slower but steady pace compared to some of its peers. The unemployment rate increased by roughly 0.5 percentage points between January and August 2025, reflecting some softening in the labor market. Childcare costs trend higher than the average, but the region remains a stable option, offering riverfront recreation and small-city accessibility.Jobs and Market SnapshotDavenport’s economy is anchored by manufacturing, defense, logistics, and healthcare. Major employers include John Deere, Rock Island Arsenal, and Genesis Health System.Neighborhoods Worth KnowingMcClellan Heights: historic homes, winding streets, hillside charm.Village of East Davenport: boutiques, dining, community events.Vander Veer Park: classic homes, tree-lined streets, near gardens. Hamburg Historic District: vintage architecture, quirky, walkable.Cultural Hotspots Figge Art MuseumAdler TheatreMoline CentreVander Veer Botanical ParkNature HighlightsMississippi Riverfront TrailsCredit Island ParkSylvan IslandBen Butterworth Parkway6. Rockford, ILMedian Home Price: $206,734Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,891Average Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 34%Rockford takes the sixth spot in the ranking thanks to a strong combination of housing affordability and quality-of-life metrics. From 2022 to 2025, home values climbed about 28.9%, the steepest appreciation in the top 10. Despite this, the median home price in Rockford stayed well under the national median of $360,727. The unemployment rate improved by roughly 0.1 percentage points between January and August 2025, and Rockford stands out for having the best childcare affordability in the top 10. Its share of short commute times also ranks well above average, giving first-time buyers both financial and lifestyle breathing room.Jobs and Market SnapshotRockford’s economy is rooted in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, and healthcare. Key industries include healthcare, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. Major employers: OSF HealthCare, Mercyhealth, Collins Aerospace, and Woodward.Neighborhoods Worth KnowingChurchill’s Grove: historic homes, walkable.Edgewater: riverside access, strong community feel.Signal Hill: character homes, convenient location.Rolling Green: affordability and active neighborhood association. Cultural Hotspots Downtown River MarketRockford City MarketEast State StreetSinnissippi RiverfrontNature HighlightsAnderson Japanese GardensRock Cut State ParkKlehm ArboretumSinnissippi Park7. Wichita, KSMedian Home Price: $214,523Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,939Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 34%Wichita pairs a relatively low cost of living with one of the stronger quality-of-life scores in the top 10. Housing costs sit high in the affordability range, but buyers benefit from extremely short commutes and a diversified job market anchored by aerospace and healthcare. From 2022 to 2025, home values rose about 13.0%, and the unemployment rate changed only about +0.1 percentage points between January and August 2025, suggesting a generally stable labor picture. Childcare costs fall in the mid-range. Overall, Wichita offers a strong blend of affordability, job access, and outdoor recreation.Jobs and Market SnapshotAerospace, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and energy drive the economy. Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation anchor the aviation sector.Neighborhoods Worth Knowing College Hill: historic homes, dining, parks.Riverside: charming homes, parks, museums, and riverside access.Maize Proper: family-friendly, top-rated schools, suburban. Delano District: walkable, entertainment near downtown. Cultural Hotspots Old Town DistrictMuseum of World TreasuresWichita Art MuseumINTRUST Bank ArenaNature HighlightsBotanica Wichita GardensArkansas River PathSedgwick County ParkChisholm Creek Park8. Toledo, OHMedian Home Price: $194,680Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,605Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 30%Toledo offers a balanced mix of affordability and amenities, with monthly housing costs landing well under the 35% threshold. Cost-of-living metrics remain favorable compared to larger Great Lakes cities. From 2022 to 2025, home values increased by about 15%, and the unemployment rate rose by roughly 0.5 percentage points between January and August 2025. Short commutes, strong parks, and an improving downtown make Toledo attractive for first-time buyers seeking value and access to major manufacturing and healthcare employers.Jobs and Market SnapshotToledo’s job market is anchored by manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, and materials. Major employers include ProMedica, Owens Corning, and automotive suppliers. Neighborhoods Worth Knowing Old West End: historic homes, arts community.Perrysburg: lofts, dining, riverfront events.West Toledo: established neighborhoods, schools.Point Place: waterfront access and coastal feel.Cultural Hotspots Toledo Museum of ArtHensville entertainment districtAdams Street nightlifeRiverfront eventsNature HighlightsToledo MetroparksOak Openings PreserveWildwood PreserveMaumee River and Glass City Metropark9. Lansing, MI Median Home Price: $238,495Median Monthly Housing Cost: $2,000Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 34%Lansing stands out for its stable job base and vibrant university-driven environment. Monthly housing costs approach the top of the affordability range, and the cost of living ranks higher than in any other city on the list. In return, buyers access healthy home price growth and strong employment anchors.From 2022 to 2025, home values rose about 13.8%, and the unemployment rate increased by roughly 0.4 percentage points between January and August 2025. Short commutes and a deep talent pool tied to Michigan State University and the state government offer long-term employment stability and cultural amenities.Jobs and Market SnapshotLansing’s economy is driven by state government, higher education, insurance, healthcare, and automotive manufacturing. Major employers include the State of Michigan, Michigan State University, Sparrow Health, Auto-Owners Insurance, and General Motors.Neighborhoods Worth Knowing Downtown Lansing: condos, riverfront living.Old Town: arts district, historic character.Okemos: walkable suburban center near MSU with a mix of home types.REO Town: revitalizing with cafés and creative spaces.Cultural Hotspots Wharton Center for Performing ArtsOld Town festivals and galleriesDowntown Lansing dining and breweriesMSU Museum and arts venuesNature HighlightsLansing River TrailHawk Island ParkFenner Nature CenterLake Lansing Park10.Wichita Falls, TX Median Home Price: $169,458Median Monthly Housing Cost: $1,666Housing Cost as Percent of Income: 31%Wichita Falls offers some of the shortest commute times and lowest living costs in the entire study. Housing costs sit below 35% of income, and day-to-day expenses remain relatively low. From 2022 to 2025, home values rose about 2.8%, a modest pace compared to other metros in the top 10, but that also helps keep entry costs accessible. The unemployment rate held essentially flat between January and August 2025, signaling a steady job market anchored by Sheppard Air Force Base. Buyers drawn to affordability, outdoor recreation, and small-city community life may find Wichita Falls a great fit.Jobs and Market SnapshotWichita Falls’ job base centers on military, healthcare, education, and manufacturing. Major employers include Sheppard Air Force Base, United Regional Health Care System, and regional manufacturing and service firms.Neighborhoods Worth Knowing Downtown Wichita Falls: lofts, historic buildings, events.Faith Village: established homes, parks.Eden Hills: affordable homes, quiet, tree-lined.Ninth Street: quiet, residential, close community feel.Cultural Hotspots Depot Square Historic DistrictWichita Theatre Performing Arts CentreKell House MuseumArts Council Wichita Falls eventsNature HighlightsWichita River Trail and Lucy ParkLake Wichita ParkRiver Bend Nature CenterNearby lakes and prairie landscapesMethodologyAll cities had to have an average housing cost (mortgage principal and interest, PMI, property taxes, and homeowners insurance) that did not exceed 35% of the area’s median household income. Neighbors Bank assumed a 30-year mortgage at a rate of 6.25% with a 10% down payment. PMI was estimated at 0.75% of the loan amount.After these requirements, cities were ranked using a combination of cost-of-living (COL) and quality-of-life (QOL) indices. The most recent reliable data was used whenever possible.Cost-of-Living Factors:Average Utility Cost Per Household By State (2024 to 2025)Average Food Cost Using the USDA Low-Cost Plan (2024)Average Transportation Cost including Auto Ownership, Auto Use, and Transit Use (2022 to 2023 values, inflated for 2025) Average Health Insurance Costs (2024)Average Childcare Costs (2022 to 2025) Cost-of-living factors were normalized and weighted into a composite COL Index.Average health insurance costs, childcare expenses, transportation costs, and food costs are assumed for a household with two adults and two children (ages 4 and 8).Quality of Living Factors: Change in Unemployment Rate (August 2024 to August 2025)Percent of Commutes Under 25 Minutes (2024)Median Home Appreciation (October 2022 to October 2025)Entertainment and Food Venues Per 10,000 People (2023)Reported Violent Crime Per Capita (2024)Reported Property Crime Per Capita (2024) Quality-of-living factors were normalized and weighted into a composite QOL Index.Population RequirementAll cities had to have a population of at least 115,000 residents. Data sources: Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and County Business Patterns (CBP), The Tax Foundation, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Move.org, NerdWallet. Home values as of Oct. 31, 2025.This story was produced by Neighbors Bank and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	The St. Patrick Society of the Quad Cities celebrates their 40th year The St. Patrick Society of the Quad Cities celebrates their 40th year.Julie Walton the Vice President of the St. Patrick Society and co-chair of St. Patrick Grand Parade.
	2 injured in early morning Muscatine house fire Two people were injured after an early morning house fire in Muscatine. One person was taken to the hospital.
	Why do I have heart palpitations after eating? Why do I have heart palpitations after eating?If you've ever felt your heart racing or pounding after a meal, you're not alone. This sensation is known as heart palpitations, and while it can be alarming, typically it’s not a threat to your health. This common condition is often linked to what we eat. Whether it’s a special occasion like a holiday feast, or a quick snack, the foods we choose can have a significant impact on our heart's response.In this article, Northwell Health explores the common causes of heart palpitations after eating and shares tips on how to manage them.What are heart palpitations?In medical terms, heart palpitations are when the heart speeds up or stalls briefly, leaving you with the sure sense that something’s wrong. You may feel like your heart is fluttering, racing, pounding or skipping a beat. You can feel palpitations in the chest, throat or neck.Heart palpitations can occur at any age, but they are more common in middle-aged and older adults. Women are generally more likely than men to report experiencing heart palpitations, often due to hormonal fluctuations during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause — the physiological changes that occur during these events all affect the cardiovascular system.The frequency and intensity of palpitations vary widely and are influenced by a variety of factors, from age and gender to lifestyle, food choices and even underlying conditions.Why does my heart race after I eat?There are several reasons you may feel heart palpitations after eating.Blood flow changes: When you eat, your body redirects blood flow to the digestive system to help process the food. This increased demand for blood can elevate your heart rate, leading to the sensation of palpitations.Increased blood pressure: Eating can temporarily raise your blood pressure. This is because the stomach requires extra blood flow to digest the food you eat — and the larger your meals, the more blood it needs. The effort to direct blood to the stomach can cause stress on the heart and is the reason it may beat faster and, in some cases, lead to palpitations.Food choices: Certain foods are more likely to cause heart palpitations after eating. Foods containing the following could contribute to this problem:Processed sugars and high carbohydrates: In addition to causing weight gain and other health issues, foods in these categories can cause heart palpitations in people with low blood sugar. Foods and drinks in this category include candy, soda and sweet pastries.High sodium: Consuming too much sodium increases your blood volume, requiring greater effort from your heart to pump. High-sodium foods include canned soup and cured meats.High-saturated fat: Saturated fat increases your cholesterol, which collects in the arteries. When that happens, your heart struggles to pump blood through the body — a problem that gets worse as arteries narrow due to this buildup. The added stress on the heart can cause palpitations. Whole milk and red meat are among the foods high in saturated fat.Capsaicin: Spicy foods contain something called capsaicin, a chemical responsible for the “burning” sensation that comes with certain foods. This can increase your heart rate and trigger palpitations. Chili peppers, mustard and wasabi sauce are all high in capsaicin.Caffeinated foods and drinks: Like capsaicin, caffeine increases your heart rate. Foods and drinks rich in caffeine include coffee, chocolate and black tea.Underlying health conditions: Certain medical conditions can also increase the likelihood of experiencing heart palpitations, including:Anxiety or stress: Stress can activate the body's fight-or-flight response, leading to increased heart rates and palpitations.Thyroid disorders: Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, can lead to an increased heart rate and palpitations.Heart conditions: Individuals with arrhythmias, heart disease, or a history of heart attacks may be more prone to palpitations.Respiratory issues: Conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can also contribute to palpitations, particularly during episodes of shortness of breath.Other reasons for heart palpitations after eating include:Low water intake: When there isn’t enough water in your system, pumping blood becomes more difficult for your heart, which compensates by beating faster and more intensely.Alcohol: Even moderate levels of alcohol consumption can damage heart cells, leading to heart palpitations, according to the American College of Cardiology. Binge drinking can lead to “holiday heart syndrome” — a significant interruption in your heartbeat that can lead to hospitalization if drinking persists over several days. Binge drinking is defined as more than five drinks in two hours for men or more than four drinks in two hours for women.Allergies: Many people live with food allergies and food sensitivity. Some react poorly to milk products; others can’t tolerate nuts, shellfish or certain fruits. This is because the immune system mistakenly identifies them as a threat, prompting an allergic reaction.As white blood cells rush to defend the body during this miscommunication, they release chemicals that are responsible for many of the symptoms associated with allergic reactions.In addition to hives, rashes and swelling, allergic reactions can also cause increased heart rate, palpitations, or a feeling of the heart racing. Heart palpitations in combination with other allergy symptoms, especially difficulty breathing or swelling, may be a sign of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Seek treatment immediately. If you think you have a food allergy, talk to your doctor.Heart palpitations after eating and lying downMany people like to lie down when they’re full after a big meal. Eating and lying down each cause a slight, temporary decrease in blood pressure. The drop they cause can be stark enough to trigger heart palpitations.How to prevent heart palpitations after eatingIf you’re plagued by unpleasant heart palpitations, try these steps to calm your heart.Moderate your intake of foods and drinks that trigger heart palpitations after eatingPractice stress-reduction strategies: If you’re already prone to palpitations due to stress, eating can trigger them more easily. Guided breathing, meditation and yoga can lower your stress levels and the likelihood you’ll have palpitations.Exercise: A study published in the journal PLOS ONE found a link between regular exercise and a reduction in the frequency of palpitationsDelay resting or lying down after eating: In addition to the blood pressure changes that come with lying down, eating at night is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Instead, taking even a short walk after eating, according to a study published in Sports Medicine, may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.Are palpitations dangerous?Palpitations may feel uncomfortable, but if they occur infrequently and end quickly, they’re usually not cause for alarm — especially when triggered by eating. But if your symptoms last weeks at a time, consider talking to a doctor.Palpitations occurring with any of the following symptoms warrant immediate medical attention, no matter their cause:FaintnessShortness of breathConfusionDizzinessContinuation beyond two to three minutesA pounding heart in tandem with any of these symptoms could be a sign of a heart arrhythmia, heart attack, or other significant medical conditions. For these individuals, palpitations may signal an exacerbation of their underlying condition. Your doctor may order a cardiac CT scan, a cardiac MRI or other heart tests to determine the problem.If the pattern of palpitations changes (for example, becoming more frequent, more intense, or occurring after minimal exertion), consult your doctor.This story was produced by Northwell Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Medicaid and CHIP reliance by state: 2026 study Medicaid and CHIP reliance by state: 2026 studyWith some Medicaid funds to Minnesota currently halted due to fraud investigations led by Vice President JD Vance and the White House, many individuals may be wondering if their benefits could be at stake next. Statistics show that up to 33% of the population in each state, including children, may be receiving Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) benefits as of October 2025. Even the most independent states from the Medicaid program are shown to have about 10% of their population enrolled in these benefits.With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked the U.S. states based on the percentage of the population enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP, based on comparing October 2025 enrollment statistics to the latest population figures.Key FindingsCalifornia and New York are the most dependent on Medicaid. Based on October 2025 figures and the latest Census Bureau population estimates, California is most dependent on Medicaid, with 33.1% of the population enrolled. New York follows with 32.7% enrollment. On average, 21.7% of a state’s population is enrolled.These states have the lowest rates of Medicaid enrollment. Only 9.5% of Utah’s residents are enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, the lowest rate nationwide. Wyoming (10.2%), New Hampshire (12.7%), North Dakota (13.2%), and Texas (13.3%) are also among the least dependent states.In Minnesota, 20.3% of the population is reportedly enrolled in Medicaid. Minnesota ranks 29th overall for the estimated rate of Medicaid participation, with 1,176,120 total beneficiaries as of October 2025. Managed care plans account for 83.3% of enrollees, and the average call center wait time for Medicaid services is just five minutes.Expect over an hour of Medicaid call center wait times in these states. Sorting out your Medicaid questions takes the longest in Nevada, where wait times average 71 minutes for the 22.7% of the population that is enrolled. In Idaho, those wait times also top out over an hour, with an average of 61 minutes, with 15.6% of the population is enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.About 3 in 4 Medicaid recipients use managed care plans. Across the states, the average managed care plan enrollment sits at 77.3%, with the remaining enrollees using Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans. On the extreme ends, Vermont, Hawai’i, and Nebraska have virtually full enrollment in managed care plans, while Idaho and Arkansas maintain roughly 95% of enrollees in an FFS plan.Medicaid and CHIP Reliance by StateStates are ranked based on the percentage of the population enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP programs as of October 2025. SmartAsset Medicaid and CHIP enrollment by StateStates are ranked based on the percentage of the population enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP programs as of October 2025. CaliforniaPercent of population enrolled: 33.13%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 13065328Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 96.0%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5New YorkPercent of population enrolled: 32.74%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 6504286Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 68.2%Average call center wait time, minute: 1New MexicoPercent of population enrolled: 32.27%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 687427Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 81.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 6LouisianaPercent of population enrolled: 30.91%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1421099Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 83.7%Average call center wait time, minutes: 3OregonPercent of population enrolled: 30.52%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1303752Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 97.7%Average call center wait time, minute: 12KentuckyPercent of population enrolled: 29.38%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1347898Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 89.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0AlaskaPercent of population enrolled: 28.62%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 211854Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 19West VirginiaPercent of population enrolled: 28.12%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 497764Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 76.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 4Rhode IslandPercent of population enrolled: 27.28%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 303480Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 84.1%Average call center wait time, minute: 11Hawai’iPercent of population enrolled: 26.96%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 389941Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 100.0%Average call center wait time, minutes: 42ArkansasPercent of population enrolled: 26.17%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 808325Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 5.3%Average call center wait time, minutes: 8North CarolinaPercent of population enrolled: 25.94%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 2865323Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 79.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0ConnecticutPercent of population enrolled: 24.81%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 911816Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 19MainePercent of population enrolled: 24.18%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 339689Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 10OklahomaPercent of population enrolled: 24.15%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 989060Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 54.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 31IllinoisPercent of population enrolled: 23.93%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 3041306Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 75.6%Average call center wait time, minute: 17VermontPercent of population enrolled: 23.48%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 152275Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 100.0%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2OhioPercent of population enrolled: 23.30%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 2768467Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 90.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 3IndianaPercent of population enrolled: 23.08%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1598204Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 81.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5DelawarePercent of population enrolled: 23.08%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 242745Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 84.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2PennsylvaniaPercent of population enrolled: 23.03%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 3012566Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.3%Average call center wait time, minute: 11NevadaPercent of population enrolled: 22.71%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 742058Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 74.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 71ArizonaPercent of population enrolled: 22.69%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1720153Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 78.7%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5MichiganPercent of population enrolled: 22.58%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 2289229Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 97.8%Average call center wait time, minute: 1WashingtonPercent of population enrolled: 22.47%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1787864Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 84.0%Average call center wait time, minute: 1MarylandPercent of population enrolled: 22.43%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1404754Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 94.5%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2MassachusettsPercent of population enrolled: 22.36%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1595952Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 45.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2IowaPercent of population enrolled: 20.57%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 666800Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0MinnesotaPercent of population enrolled: 20.30%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1176120Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 83.3%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5MississippiPercent of population enrolled: 20.07%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 590816Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 74.2%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0MissouriPercent of population enrolled: 20.07%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1253398Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 83.6%Average call center wait time, minute: 13ColoradoPercent of population enrolled: 19.99%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1191047Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 6TennesseePercent of population enrolled: 19.64%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1419653Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 0VirginiaPercent of population enrolled: 19.14%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1686896Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.6%Average call center wait time, minute: 1WisconsinPercent of population enrolled: 18.87%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1124746Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 66.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5MontanaPercent of population enrolled: 18.55%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 210942Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 20New JerseyPercent of population enrolled: 18.38%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1745800Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 91.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 4AlabamaPercent of population enrolled: 18.23%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 940264Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 1South CarolinaPercent of population enrolled: 18.15%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 994159Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 60.0%Average call center wait time, minute: 1GeorgiaPercent of population enrolled: 16.74%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1872027Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 68.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 35NebraskaPercent of population enrolled: 16.63%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 333543Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 99.7%Average call center wait time, minutes: 6IdahoPercent of population enrolled: 15.63%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 312807Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 6.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 61FloridaPercent of population enrolled: 15.61%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 3648091Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 69.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 22South DakotaPercent of population enrolled: 14.81%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 136919Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 0KansasPercent of population enrolled: 13.52%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 401600Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 79.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0TexasPercent of population enrolled: 13.26%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 4148608Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.8%Average call center wait time, minute: 1North DakotaPercent of population enrolled: 13.24%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 105481Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 23.2%Average call center wait time, minute: 10New HampshirePercent of population enrolled: 12.65%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 178189Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 91.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 4WyomingPercent of population enrolled: 10.16%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 59714Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 1UtahPercent of population enrolled: 9.49%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 332621Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 78.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 9Data and MethodologyMedicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) data for October 2025 comes from Open Data from Medicaid.gov. Rates of Medicaid enrollment in each state is determined by comparing these figures to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, from the one-year American Community Survey for 2024. Other metrics like managed care plan enrollment versus fee-for-service (FFS) enrollment and call center wait times are also reported.This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Democratic candidates for Rock Island County sheriff share positions on ICE policy, staffing and community trust Two of the three candidates on the March 17 Democratic primary ballot talk about their platforms. The Republican candidate is running unopposed.
	Winter isn't done with the Quad Cities yet! While it'll be much cooler over the next few days compared to the warmth that kicked off the week, much colder weather is on the way. A few rain and snow showers are possible today, but there's the chance of accumulating snow late in the weekend. Here's your full 7-day forecast.
	In the face of rising demand for mental health services, therapists explore solutions to burnout In the face of rising demand for mental health services, therapists explore solutions to burnoutIn the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for mental health care in the United States has increased dramatically. Surveys from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health agencies showed steep rises in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress during the pandemic years, and many clinicians say those needs have not returned to pre-2020 levels. Instead, therapists across the country describe a sustained surge in patients seeking support for both long-standing conditions and newer forms of distress tied to economic uncertainty, social isolation, and long-term stress, Blueprint reports.At the same time, the number of available providers has struggled to keep pace with demand. Federal workforce analyses from the Health Resources and Services Administration indicate that many regions of the country remain designated mental health professional shortage areas. The American Psychological Association has also warned that shortages of behavioral health providers continue to affect both urban and rural communities.The result is a system under significant strain. Many therapists report that their schedules fill weeks in advance, while some practices maintain waiting lists for new patients. The cases clinicians encounter have also grown more complex, with individuals seeking help for overlapping concerns such as anxiety, trauma, substance use, and chronic stress.For therapists themselves, the sustained demand has reshaped daily work. Heavier caseloads and longer hours have become common in many practices. Professional organizations have also documented rising rates of burnout among behavioral health providers. Therapists often describe a sense that they are treating a prolonged national crisis, but without a corresponding expansion of the systems meant to support the profession.The Structural Pressures Behind BurnoutWhile the emotional intensity of therapy has always been part of the profession, many clinicians say that burnout today is driven less by the therapeutic work itself and more by the structure surrounding it.Administrative overloadDocumentation requirements have steadily increased in modern health care. Therapists must maintain detailed progress notes, track treatment plans, record diagnoses, and ensure that patient records comply with insurance and regulatory standards. These tasks are intended to protect patients and maintain continuity of care, but they also require significant time outside of sessions.Insurance compliance adds another layer of complexity. Clinicians must verify coverage, submit claims, and respond to occasional requests for additional documentation. These administrative responsibilities can consume hours of a therapist’s week. Many clinicians say that time spent charting and managing paperwork often rivals the time spent providing therapy itself.Financial squeezeFinancial pressures also shape the experience of running a therapy practice. Rent for office space has risen in many cities, while operational costs such as malpractice insurance, licensing fees, and continuing education requirements remain constant. Technology costs, which are now essential for running a practice, have added another layer of expense.At the same time, reimbursement rates for mental health services have been a point of ongoing concern among professional organizations. In federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, changes to reimbursement structures have sometimes resulted in reduced payments for certain services. Clinicians who accept insurance may also face denied claims or delayed reimbursements, which can create uncertainty for small practices.Technology as Both Solution and ExpenseTechnology plays an increasingly central role in therapy practices. Electronic health record systems help clinicians manage patient records and billing. Telehealth platforms allow therapists to see patients remotely. Secure messaging and scheduling systems help maintain communication between sessions.These tools have expanded access to care and improved efficiency in many cases. Yet they also come with costs. Many practice-management platforms operate on subscription models, requiring therapists to pay monthly fees for scheduling, documentation, telehealth, and billing tools. Additional features such as claim clearinghouses, analytics, or AI-assisted documentation may require separate add-ons.For large organizations, these costs may be absorbed across multiple providers. For solo therapists and small practices, however, each subscription represents a recurring expense. As overhead grows, many clinicians say the business side of therapy has become increasingly difficult to manage, sometimes overshadowing the clinical work itself.Efforts in 2026 to Support Therapists NationwideIn response to these pressures, a number of organizations and advocacy groups are working to address the structural challenges facing therapists. These efforts range from policy advocacy and workforce development programs to grassroots campaigns designed to raise public awareness.Professional associations have been particularly active in pushing for reforms related to reimbursement and administrative burden. The American Psychological Association has publicly advocated for improvements in insurance reimbursement rates for mental health services and has highlighted excessive administrative requirements as a barrier to care. The organization has also engaged in federal policy discussions surrounding Medicaid and Medicare funding for behavioral health services and has encouraged psychologists to contact lawmakers in support of mental health infrastructure.The American Counseling Association has made federal advocacy a central part of its policy agenda as well. Among its priorities are efforts to improve Medicare reimbursement conditions for counselors, enforce mental health parity rules that require insurers to treat behavioral health services on par with physical health care, and address long-term workforce sustainability.Other organizations are pursuing related goals through legislative initiatives. The National Board for Certified Counselors has supported policy proposals such as the Improving Access to Mental Health Act, which aims to expand provider recognition and address payment gaps affecting counselors and social workers. Meanwhile, the National Association of Social Workers continues to advocate for reimbursement policies that protect social workers’ ability to provide care through federal health programs.Alongside these policy efforts, workforce initiatives also aim to strengthen the pipeline of mental health professionals. Programs such as the National Health Service Corps offer loan repayment for clinicians who practice in underserved communities, while federal grants administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration support behavioral health workforce development. State governments have also introduced loan repayment incentives and scholarship programs designed to encourage clinicians to enter and remain in the profession.These programs attempt to address one of the most persistent barriers facing the field: the financial challenge of entering and sustaining a career in mental health care.Grassroots Advocacy and Public “Give Back” CampaignsBeyond formal policy initiatives, grassroots advocacy has also begun to raise awareness of the pressures facing therapists.In New York City’s Union Square, a recent gathering of therapists and mental health professionals used symbolic demonstrations to reflect the realities of modern clinical work. One performance installation featured individuals covered in paperwork as they moved slowly through the plaza, a visual representation of the administrative burden many clinicians say has grown alongside rising demand for care.Around the space, advocates held signs highlighting issues affecting the profession, including reimbursement challenges, documentation requirements, and the continued shortage of mental health providers across the country.Nearby, a small table invited members of the public to leave notes or tokens of appreciation for therapists in their lives. The installation formed part of a broader “pay it forward” style initiative intended to acknowledge the labor involved in mental health care while drawing attention to the structural pressures shaping the profession.What Structural Change Could Look LikeAlthough these initiatives take different forms, their goals often overlap. Whether through federal lobbying, statewide policy efforts, or grassroots campaigns, many advocates are focused on similar areas of reform.Reducing administrative burden is one recurring theme. Simplifying documentation requirements and insurance processes could allow therapists to spend more time on clinical care and less time on paperwork. Improvements to reimbursement structures are also widely discussed, particularly policies that better align payment rates with the rising costs of operating a practice.Lowering overhead costs is another area of interest. As technology becomes central to therapy practices, some clinicians and developers have begun exploring alternative pricing models that could reduce financial barriers for small practices. This includes tools designed to simplify billing workflows, improve scheduling systems, and incorporate artificial intelligence to assist with documentation tasks.Support for early-career clinicians is another important focus. Expanding loan repayment programs and training opportunities could help attract new professionals to the field while ensuring that experienced therapists remain in practice.Although the specific solutions vary, many advocates agree that meaningful reform will likely require coordination across multiple sectors, including policymakers, professional organizations, and technology developers.The Outlook for Therapy and TherapistsDemand for mental health care in the United States is increasing and will continue to go up. As awareness of mental health issues continues to grow, more individuals are seeking therapy and other forms of behavioral health support. This increased openness has the potential to expand access to care and improve outcomes for millions of people.At the same time, therapists themselves continue to face significant structural challenges. Administrative responsibilities and paperwork remain substantial parts of the profession, and many clinicians say these pressures will persist unless broader changes occur within the health care system.Advocacy efforts may influence future policy decisions, particularly around reimbursement rates and workforce support. Technological innovation could also reshape the profession in meaningful ways. Tools that assist with documentation or streamline administrative tasks may reduce some of the workload therapists currently face.Grassroots campaigns and growing public awareness may play a role as well. As more people recognize the complexity of the work therapists perform, conversations about how to better support the profession may gain momentum.For now, therapists remain on the front lines of a sustained mental health crisis, supporting individuals and families through anxiety, trauma, and uncertainty. The future of the profession may depend on whether the systems surrounding that work evolve quickly enough to support the people who provide it.This story was produced by Blueprint and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	AI security: How to protect your tools and processes AI security: How to protect your tools and processesAll the narratives about artificial intelligence seem to be centered around "doing more" with not as much consideration given to AI security. In fact, in a recent survey, over one-third of enterprise leaders said AI sprawl is increasing security and privacy risks for their business.AI security is a two-sided story. On one hand, AI can offer tremendous cybersecurity benefits by offloading a lot of stress on your analysts. On the other, it introduces a new cyber attack surface that needs protection.Here, Zapier explains why AI security matters and how you can ensure you're following best practices.What is AI security?AI security is the protection of artificial intelligence systems from cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and misuse, while also leveraging AI to improve cybersecurity measures, such as anomaly detection and threat prediction.The first aspect of AI security involves securing AI tools themselves from getting hacked, manipulated, or turned into weapons against you. This side of AI security includes protecting training data, locking down who can access the model, and making sure your employees aren't just casually uploading your entire customer database into ChatGPT because they wanted help writing a follow-up email. (Yes, people do this. People do this all the time.)It also means defending against AI-specific threats like prompt injection (where attackers try to manipulate a model into ignoring instructions), data poisoning (where bad data corrupts behavior), and model theft or abuse through exposed APIs.Then there's the second facet, which is using AI to make your company's cybersecurity better. Security teams increasingly rely on machine learning to spot patterns humans miss: unusual login behavior, suspicious network traffic, phishing attempts, and early indicators of compromise. AI can help triage alerts, prioritize incidents, and predict likely attack paths, particularly in environments where the volume of signals is overwhelming.So when we talk about AI security, we're really talking about two sides of the same coin. On one side, AI is an incredible tool that can help you catch hackers, detect fraud, and automate security workflows. On the other side, AI itself is a shiny new attack surface that needs babysitting, rules, and oversight. It's like getting a guard dog that's also a puppy and might eat your couch if you're not watching. Zapier Why AI security mattersRapid AI adoption has amplified risks we already knew existed, while introducing risks we haven't adapted to yet:Sensitive data processed at scale: AI often handles unfathomable amounts of customer information, financial records, proprietary business strategies, employee details, health data, purchase histories—you name it, AI is gobbling it up to "learn" and "improve." A breach or manipulated model here isn't a minor leak, but a full pipe burst with a massive blast radius.High-value targets for attackers: Cybercriminals intentionally target this sensitive data because of its value. And if they manipulate the models themselves, they get control over powerful systems and tools used by many businesses today.AI operates with minimal human oversight: Our "plug-and-play" trust in AI means a manipulated model can make costly, autonomous errors, and force poor decisions without us knowing. We're essentially blinded from the risk. The data backs up security concerns and just how rushed the adoption of AI has become. According to an AI-resistance survey, 38% of enterprise leaders lack trust in AI vendor security, while 81% feel pressure from competitors to speed up AI adoption.But here's the good news: This doesn't mean you should avoid AI. (That ship has sailed, my friend.) It's a reason to integrate it responsibly.Common AI vulnerabilities and security risksIf you want to protect your AI tools, you have to know what you're protecting them from. Here's how AI is keeping security professionals up at night, wondering if they should've gone into a less stressful field, like bomb disposal or lion taming.Data security risksAI models are trained on data, and lots of it. If that training data is poisoned, accessed without authorization, or is simply low-quality, the AI's outputs will be unreliable. You also expose your data anytime you run a prompt.Imagine a customer service AI trained on a company's entire support ticket history, including account numbers, payment info, contact details, and past purchases.This data, fed into AI to understand context, could be exposed in a breach. Worse, it could be used in a public model to further train the entire system for all users. So customers' private data could leak to others simply through the use of the right prompts.Best practices to reduce risk: To mitigate this risk, anonymize the data so it's stripped of any personally identifiable information (PII) and use data loss prevention (DLP) controls to scan and redact sensitive content before it's shared. You can also choose platforms with specific short retention periods (those that purge data after a certain period) and ensure that their privacy terms specify that data isn't used for training models.Adversarial attacksAI cybersecurity attacks are where things get sneaky. Cybercriminals can manipulate inputs for learning models to deceive the AI. Here's what it could look like:Data poisoning: Attackers can corrupt training data, causing the language model to learn incorrect information from the start. Although the AI may appear normal, its decisions are based on fundamentally flawed information, potentially leading to catastrophic outcomes like approving fraudulent transactions or denying legitimate customer requests.Prompt injection: This is basically social engineering for AI. Clever inputs can trick the AI into bypassing its safety guidelines and security policies, causing it to expose confidential data or perform unauthorized actions. It's like hypnotizing a security guard into opening the vault.Model stealing: Bad actors repeatedly query a learning model to reverse-engineer how it works, effectively stealing your proprietary AI tools. Industrial espionage, but make it algorithms.Best practices to reduce risk: In these cases, detection is a good mitigation practice. Monitor for response drift and use pattern matching to flag exfiltration prompts. Use "canary prompts" (unique, secret strings of text designed to detect jailbreak attempts) to see if your model is being manipulated. Implement output allow lists so your AI can only respond in pre-approved, safe formats. And apply use-case whitelists that restrict what your AI tools can actually do. Basically, put your AI in a very controlled, very supervised sandbox and don't let it out unsupervised.Operational threatsAdversarial attacks are when someone is actively trying to mess with your AI. But operational threats are the things that go wrong even when nobody's attacking you, and those problems can be just as dangerous as a hacker with a vendetta.All software comes with security vulnerabilities, and AI is no exception. It can have bugs in the code or security holes that can be exploited. Since AI systems are often absurdly complex, those vulnerabilities can be really hard to find and fix. An attacker might exploit a bug to access the underlying system, steal data, or take control of the AI entirely. And because AI is supposed to be this magical, self-improving thing, companies sometimes forget that it still needs regular security patches and updates just like any other software.AI models learn from data, and if that data is biased, the AI will be biased too. Flawed data or algorithms can intentionally create discriminatory, unfair outputs (disqualifying qualified job candidates or denying loan applications systemically). This isn't just a PR nightmare (although it definitely is that). It's a legal and ethical disaster, and the damage to your brand can be irreparable.And then there's reliability. AI systems can drift over time, meaning their performance degrades or changes as they interact with new data. Something that worked perfectly six months ago might now be making terrible decisions. And because we trust these systems to run autonomously, we often don't catch the problem until there's a full-blown crisis.Best practices to reduce risk: The fix here is constant vigilance. You should constantly monitor your AI models for bias. Look for patterns in their decisions, test them regularly against diverse datasets, and for high-stakes decisions, bring a human into the loop.Shadow AI risksShadow AI is when your employees—those lovely, well-meaning people you work with—use unapproved or unsecured AI tools (like public LLMs) for work tasks.The problem with shadow AI isn't that your employees are malicious. It's that they're human. They're overworked and looking for shortcuts, and they genuinely don't understand that feeding company data into public AI models is like shouting your secrets in a crowded mall and then being shocked when someone overhears. There's zero oversight, zero governance, and zero awareness of where that data goes or who can access it later. It's a data leak waiting to happen.Best practices to reduce risk: Reduce shadow AI risks by regaining control. Review employee logins and SSO logs to see what exactly they're using. You can also (and this might sound wild) ask people what they're using. Send out an anonymous survey and make it clear you're not trying to get anyone in trouble (even if you're internally screaming) and that you just want to understand the gaps in your current tech stack that are driving people to find their own solutions. Uncovering this info, combined with clear guidelines on approved tools, helps control AI use.AI security best practicesStay prepared and protect your business with these sensible AI data security best practices. They'll keep you from becoming the cautionary tale in next year's cybersecurity horror story anthology.Implement strong data protection processes: Anonymize or pseudonymize sensitive data before using it in AI workflows. Then, establish clear data governance policies with rules for users on what they can (and can't) feed into AI models. And don't forget to follow zero-trust security (by verifying access to every AI tool).Carefully vet AI vendors: Before you adopt any new AI platform or service, do your homework. What are their data privacy and retention policies? Do they have security certifications like SOC 2? Is the model public or private? Do they have a bug bounty program or a responsible disclosure process? Are they transparent about their security practices, or do they get weird and evasive when you ask questions?Integrate AI with existing security tools: Your AI shouldn't exist in a vacuum. So use AI-powered security by connecting it to your cybersecurity tools like endpoint protection software, identity and access management (IAM) systems, and security information and event management (SIEM) platforms. Use AI to track network and user activity, analyze behaviors, then auto-alert the security operations center (SOC) when something looks fishy. The more data your AI has access to (in a controlled, monitored way), the better it can identify patterns and spot threats.Perform regular AI tool audits: Review your AI usage on a regular basis—monthly or quarterly, depending on how many tools you're using and how critical they are. Check for shadow AI that's cropped up since your last audit and make sure all your AI tools still comply with your company policies and any relevant regulations.Leverage AI for threat detection and response: This is where AI becomes your friend instead of a liability. Use AI-powered security tools to monitor your network for anomalies, and automatically initiate responses like blocking a suspicious IP address or isolating a corrupted endpoint.Regularly test models for AI security vulnerabilities: Most companies just deploy an AI model and leave it running forever, assuming it's fine. (Stop doing this.) Your AI models need regular check-ups just like any other critical system. Audit for new vulnerabilities, biases, and performance drift to ensure they remain accurate and secure. Zapier Orchestrate AI securelyThe promise of AI providing effortless automation and nearly instant insights is powerful. But without a secure foundation curbing irresponsible AI use, you risk exacerbating security issues—adding new vulnerabilities that could result in data privacy issues.This story was produced by Zapier and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	How sports teams are turning fans into eco allies How sports teams are turning fans into eco alliesA thin haze veiled the pitch as the starting lineup took Virtue Field. The lingering smell was subtle but unmistakable: smoke, billowing from over 200 wildfires burning in Canada.A sold-out crowd of more than 2,500 fans filled the bleachers that June evening to cheer on Vermont Green FC, Burlington’s semiprofessional United Soccer League 2 club. Supporters, ranging from toddlers to grandparents, donned green, wildflower-themed jerseys, their collective presence in the stands resembling a blooming meadow. The bleachers rumbled with the stomps of raucous spectators as kickoff approached.Poor air quality from the wildfires—which are becoming more severe due to climate change and the burning of fossil fuels—wouldn’t stop these fans from supporting their team. To the contrary, it might further entrench their fandom. That’s because Vermont Green is no ordinary soccer team. It fights for climate justice. Its mission? To “be a powerful catalyst for a more environmentally sustainable and socially just world.”To that end, several climate and environmental groups engaged attendees at stands behind the bleachers: 350Vermont, two solar energy companies, and the Vermont River Conservancy. Even the porta-potties boasted sustainability initiatives: They were operated by the company Wasted*, which turns human urine into fertilizer to be used by local farms. (“Thanks for the donation,” the door read. “Pee you soon.”)Vermont Green FC’s leaders don’t claim to be climate experts. “Our real expertise is running a soccer team,” said team cofounder Patrick Infurna. “But being able to bring in the actual experts to go speak and use our platform, use our medium—that’s where we thrive as an environmental justice organization.”Infurna knows that sports alone won’t save us from climate change, but he believes they can help. That’s because people are more inspired to take action when issues are attached to the things they love. “And for us,” he said, “that became soccer.”And although Burlington—which has generated 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources since 2014 and is the home of progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders—is uniquely predisposed to supporting this type of team, Infurna thinks the model is replicable. “Humbly,” he said, “we hope that we can be an inspiration for any community anywhere in this country.”What if Infurna’s vision came to life? It’s arguable that with deep, systemic change, professional athletics could become a considerable force for climate good, Atmos reports. After all, sports are one of the most trusted advertising channels, which some researchers and environmental organizers insist can—must—be harnessed for climate action. Integrating climate action into the missions of sports teams would tackle the industry’s considerable fossil fuel problem, too. It would likely mean minimizing carbon-polluting airfare, ending fossil fuel sponsorships, and reining in its considerable carbon emissions, activists and organizers say. The potential is endless.Perhaps the biggest hurdle to a climate-healing sports world is that, unlike Vermont Green, most teams don’t have a mission to save the planet; they seek to put on a show—and to make money doing so. But Dr. Allen Hershkowitz—an environmental scientist who has advised the New York Yankees, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and more—said those missions share more in common than you think. Sustainability is “an essential corporate management obligation” for every team, he said. About 80 to 89% of the world wants stronger climate action, so negligence is a “branding liability.”That’s not to mention the troubling impact of climate change on sports. According to a 2023 survey from World Athletics, over three-quarters of track-and-field athletes believe climate change negatively affects sports. And athletes have been increasingly sounding the alarm about the risk that rising temperatures pose to their professions.Conversely, the climate world should care about sports, Hershkowitz added. Sports hold economic power. Their business affects every sector, from food and clothing to energy and transportation. “There are billions of dollars of advertising and market influence collectively that this sector influences,” Hershkowitz said.Then, there’s the social power. About 70% of Americans are sports fans, according to a 2023 poll. By some measures, athletes rank behind only parents as kids’ most-admired role models. Fans emulate their idols on and off the court. What if they mimicked their sustainable behavior, too—for example, biking to work like LeBron James did during his stint with the Miami Heat or adopting a plant-based diet like Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton?“If they advertise cars and pizza,” Hershkowitz asked, “why can’t they advertise environmental literacy?The market influence of sports is, unfortunately, most evident when viewed through the lens of climate change’s biggest perpetrator: fossil fuels. Fossil fuel companies currently spend an estimated $5.6 billion on sports sponsorships, from soccer and motorsports to badminton and handball, according to a 2024 report from the think tank New Weather Institute.Petrostates are also big spenders: Saudi Arabia, the world’s second-biggest oil-producing country, spends billions of dollars on “sportswashing”—the use of sports to distract from human rights abuses and other bad practices that could contribute to an unsavory reputation. The nation pays Argentinian soccer legend Lionel Messi $25 million to be its tourism ambassador, and it is slated to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.It makes sense that powerful interests would pour their coffers into sports, said Freddie Daley, a political economy researcher at the University of Sussex and campaigner with the climate groups Badvertising and Cool Down—the Sport for Climate Action Network. Sporting events are one of the most trusted and effective advertising channels. Why not use them to move public opinion—or to sanitize tarnished reputations? Tobacco did it last century, and President Donald Trump appears to have done it in the 2024 election, jetting to Ultimate Fighting Championship events and brandishing endorsements from many professional athletes.“Sport is like an advertiser’s and a marketer’s dream,” Daley said. “It’s got all the things that you want to be associated with, whether it’s peak physical performance, muscular bodies, human achievement, human flourishing—all these wonderful positive associations.”That power doesn’t have to be wielded for the planet’s detriment, Daley said. He envisions a world where that marketing sway is used for climate action rather than planet-heating fossil fuels.In fact, sports could be the very channel the climate world needs to engage one of its most reticent demographics: older, working-class, conservative-leaning men. This cohort has historically not been as deeply engaged with the climate movement, Daley said, and they are also a core constituency of the sports fanbase.“Unfortunately, we’ve experienced the mass politicization of climate action…Actions that are deemed woke are slapped back,” Daley said. “I think sport is a really effective tool at cutting through that.”Even for the climate-pilled, the pseudoreligious experience of fandom could combat one of climate action’s greatest hindrances: a false sense of isolation. Eighty-nine percent of people want stronger climate action, according to a study published last February. Yet they believe they’re part of the minority. Convincing climate-concerned folks that they’re in the majority could be a “powerful intervention,” those study authors write. What better way to unite the masses than through sports?Indeed, a study measuring fan heart rates published this June found sporting events and the rituals associated with them foster “emotional synchrony,” or what scientists call “collective effervescence.” Sports, the authors write, “form and reinforce shared identities.” Maddie Meyer // USSF / Getty Images for USSF Nelson Mandela observed this years ago. “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does,” he said in a speech in 2000. “Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”It is, of course, impossible to discuss climate action in sports without addressing the elephant in the room: Professional athletic leagues are considerable greenhouse gas emitters.A business-as-usual professional league involves long-distance flights; sponsorships from high-carbon businesses like airlines, fossil fuel companies, and cryptocurrencies; and the mass consumption and disposal of gear and merchandise. The global soccer industry alone has a carbon footprint equal to Austria, per a report by New Weather Institute published this year.Put plainly, Hershkowitz said, the sports industry isn’t just a consumer—“it’s an amplifier of the consumption message.”Dr. Jules Boykoff, a former professional soccer player who now studies sports and politics at Pacific University, said that sports must reduce their emissions if they are serious about galvanizing climate action. “All too often, there’s a customary chasm between word and deed,” Boykoff said, “between the claims around sustainability that teams and leagues make and the reality of their actual practices.”Some athletes, like Kelvin Beachum, are calling on sports leagues to minimize their climate impact. The 13-year National Football League veteran recently joined the Ocean Conservancy’s Protect Where We Play initiative, which aims to propel environmental protection through sports, music, and the arts.“I’m an offensive lineman, so I know protection better than most,” Beachum quipped.Beachum sees a world where all teams incorporate sustainability into their day-to-day operations. He pointed to Climate Pledge Arena, home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, which is powered by 100% renewable energy, offers free local public transit with every ticket, and recycles rainwater to create the ice in its rink.Scottish rugby player Jamie Farndale has also used his platform—and his master’s degree in sustainable leadership from Cambridge University—to advance climate action. The retired international captain’s graduate school thesis showed how low-carbon technologies could spread as “social contagions” through social collectives—sports fandoms being one of the largest of their kind in modern society. He’s now applying that research to his full-time work leading sustainability initiatives, including upending climate-polluting sponsorship models, for Hong Kong China Rugby. “If we want to spread uptake of these technologies that we need for net zero, that we’re not spreading fast enough, sport is the best connector,” Farndale said.Farndale added that sports hold massive global influence. He pointed to Pantheon, a project started by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which catalogs influential people throughout history. About half of the database’s entries before 1600 were politicians, followed by religious figures and writers. But in the twenty-first century, sports professionals have made up nearly 83% of entries. It would be a dereliction of duty not to use that influence for the greater good: “I think sport has to be political,” Farndale said.Boykoff praises the athletes and organizations taking stances on climate change. But he noted that louder and more obstructive powers can drown them out. Systems, structures, and the people that uphold them must change for these athletes to be heard. “It doesn’t matter how many [athletes] stand up and say, Conserve, baby, conserve, as long as you’ve got somebody in the White House saying, Drill, baby, drill,” Boykoff said.Elected officials, experts in other sectors, and sports leaders need to join those athletes to translate activism into action at the necessary scale, Boykoff said: “We’re racing against time here. We’re racing against whipsaw climate change.”Indeed, scaling is top of mind for Vermont Green FC. They’ve expanded and refined their operations for the 2025 season. Last year, the Green started a women’s team coached by American World Cup champion Sam Mewis. Team leaders have been discussing internally how they can translate their model into a fully professional, year-round team. (USL2 teams roster college players and play only in the summer.) “I don’t have the answer,” Infurna said, but the discussion is ongoing as the team eyes future growth.Infurna imagines a world where Vermont Green’s model was scaled to the high majors. Although some might see it as a pipe dream that NFL, NBA, or MLB teams could become significant forces for climate action, Infurna sees it differently: Not pursuing that goal is unfathomable. To illustrate, he pointed to the New York Jets’ and Giants’ MetLife Stadium, which seats some 82,500 fans.“Eighty thousand people all wearing the same shirt, all on the same page, all believing in this thing,” he said. “As I get older and observe the world in this quite dire moment that we’re in, I’m just like, man, could you imagine gathering 80,000 people together that are all in this collective thought process and not using that for something a little bit more?” Maddie Meyer // USSF / Getty Images for USSF That Vermont Green game in June ended in a 1–1 draw, bringing the team to a still-unbeaten 4-1-0 record on the season. The air was sucked out of the stadium as the opposing Boston Bolts equalized with under two minutes remaining in regulation. The result could be seen as disappointing: The Green led for over 80 minutes and staunchly defended their goal down a player after the referee issued a red card. But Infurna doesn’t see things that way—at least not entirely. When the team’s mission is to advance climate justice, packing 2,500 people into the stands to engage with the issue is a victory.“If you’re the type of person that’s going to get your whole mood derailed by a sports result, there’s always something to fall back on if your team has more meaning to it,” Infurna said.It’s hard to say how many Vermont Green attendees will install solar, canvas for 350Vermont, or attend a river cleanup. But it’s undeniable that every fan was engaged in community. “Just being together is, unfortunately, a bit radical these days,” Infurna said. “This world wants to isolate us, and sports can be a counter to that.”It’s also undeniable that the fans had a good time. Daley, for his part, sees value in this. Climate action needn’t be a burden or sacrifice. To the contrary. “Sport is fun,” he said, “and I think climate action should be fun, too.” This story was produced by Atmos and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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	Everyday People: Rock Island teen attending campaign stop wants to hear about the future Danny Hauskins says he cares about politics because he cares about the world that he and his peers will inherit.
	From City Streets to Housing Developments: Drones are a Game Changer for a Legacy Land Survey Industry (BPT) - Every construction project, property transaction, infrastructure upgrade and urban planning project begins with one essential requirement: accurate data about the land. That's where land surveys usually come into play. Think of it like a map with legal power — it turns unclear lines on paper into precise measurements on the ground. Surveyors measure and map terrain features, determine property boundaries, calculate elevations and define spatial relationships that guide critical decisions. Without a land survey, decisions are based on assumptions. With a land survey, you have clarity and legal protection.Yet, despite its essential role in modern development projects, land surveying has traditionally remained a "low-tech" industry dominated by a tripod-mounted measurement tool popularized in the 1980s called a "total station." As a result, land surveys can often be time-consuming, hazardous and limited in the type and amount of data they provide. On larger sites or hilly terrains, surveyors usually require multiple days or even weeks to complete a job, and teams frequently operate in risky conditions or difficult-to-access areas: near traffic, on active construction zones and on rooftops. This increases the risk of injury for surveyors while also limiting the efficiency and precision of data collection.Innovation does exist in the surveying industry, but adoption of modern technologies remains uneven due to costs, difficulty of drone-captured data conversion and regulations. Drone as a Service (DaaS) is changing that by introducing a new variable in the equation: accessibility.With a fast-growing network of 23 locations across the United States and Europe, DaaS provides commercial and government clients with drone-powered land surveying services. But rather than simply selling drones to customers and letting them deal with the rest, DaaS delivers a fully turnkey solution that modernizes land surveying, while eliminating the barriers that have historically slowed innovation. DaaS users do not need to worry about investing in costly equipment, training pilots or getting the right certifications. From the drones themselves to the licensed pilots and data processing, DaaS handles drone-based land surveys from end to end for customers across industries. By suppressing these key barriers to technology adoption, DaaS opens the door to a new area of efficiency and innovation in the land survey industry.Faster, safer and more precise: Drones as the key to modernizing land surveyingLeveraging drone technology enables DaaS to dramatically improve speed, precision and safety in land surveys. With the help of drones, what once required days or weeks of fieldwork can often be completed in a fraction of the time. Drone-based surveys conducted by DaaS can map large sites up to 80% faster than traditional ground methods. Instead of waiting sometimes weeks for fragmented insights, stakeholders receive precise deliverables within 24 to 48 hours. For industries operating on tight margins and aggressive timelines, this level of responsiveness can create a decisive competitive advantage.Beyond speed, drone-based surveys provide more complex and detailed data on the nature and features of a site. DaaS drones are equipped with advanced, interchangeable onboard technologies, including LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), multispectral sensors, thermal sensors and photogrammetry systems. These tools allow surveyors to collect high-resolution aerial imagery, detailed 3D models, volumetric measurements and detailed terrain analyses. The result is more comprehensive site intelligence with minimal blind spots and significantly reduced potential for human error. Executives and decision-makers are provided with the insights they need to improve processes, cut costs and meet their targets on time.From a safety perspective, drone integration represents a significant step forward for the land surveying industry. Rather than exposing surveyors to high-risk environments for extended periods of time, drone surveys can capture full-site coverage quickly and safely. Beyond protecting workers, this reduction in field risk translates into lower liability exposure and fewer unforeseen operational expenses. By minimizing time spent in dangerous work conditions while maximizing data coverage, DaaS enhances both safety and financial performance.A cross-industry solution built for scaleFrom commercial buildings and real estate to construction sites and local government public works, many industries rely on land surveys as a basis for their operations. Depending on each project's size, location and specific needs, a survey can take many different forms. In construction, developers rely on accurate topographic, volume and as-built surveys to maintain timelines and budgets. In real estate, boundary and ALTA surveys support transactions and compliance, while local governments and urban planning agencies depend on elevation certificates, right-of-way surveys and wetlands delineation to guide infrastructure and environmental decisions.DaaS's strength lies in its scalability and adaptability. With 23 locations globally and a diverse drone fleet, the company delivers a broad spectrum of land surveying services, tailoring each survey to site size, terrain conditions, required data outputs and project timelines. Because drones can efficiently scale from small sites to expansive developments across varied terrain, DaaS offers a solution that grows with its customers.Democratizing the use of drones to drive innovation in "low-tech" industriesDrone as a Service is a business division under parent company ZenaTech. Shaun Passley, Ph.D., the company's CEO, expects to expand the portfolio of drone-based services to include precision agriculture, power-washing, inspection services and warehouse inventory management."The extensive capabilities of drones and advanced data, AI and autonomy benefits make them ideal transformation tools for a lot of these traditionally low-tech industries," Passley said. "From inspection and mapping to logistics and improving crop yields, DaaS is at the forefront of this innovation, solving the issue of dull, dirty or dangerous jobs while providing smart data."The company is leading the way in a global drone services market that's growing at over 36% annually and expected to reach $355 billion by 2032, according to Pragma Market Research. Following the acquisitions of 23 land survey firms in North America over the past year — in Florida, Virginia, California, Oregon, North and South Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Illinois and Washington State — the company is growing its network of AI-powered drones in the United States. Combining the decade-long expertise of professional surveyors with drone capabilities, DaaS actively drives innovation in the land surveying industry, and it won't stop there.By delivering a turnkey, scalable and accessible Drone as a Service model, DaaS is not only modernizing land surveying but also reshaping how essential industries approach data, safety and operational efficiency.Learn how DaaS can transform your business at DroneAsAService.com.
	Moline-Coal Valley School District names K-12 program coordinator Moline-Coal Valley School District has announced the promotion of Lynsy Oswald to coordinator for K-12 instructional programs at the Moline Education Center for the 2026–2027 school year, a news release says. The board of education approved the administrative recommendation at its March 9 meeting. Oswald has served as the principal of Hamilton Elementary School since [...]
	Last Picture House, Davenport, ready to show 35mm movies with "2001" as the first The Last Picture House will launch its 35mm film screenings next week, marking the theater as only one of two cinemas in Iowa with the capabilities of projecting film prints (and one of fewer than 350 such theaters in the United States.) The inaugural screening will be Stanley Kubrick’s "2001: A Space Odyssey" on March [...]
	Marty Crunchwrap Supreme and more menu ideas for your 2026 Oscars party You're inviting folks over to watch the Oscars, but you want to serve them a bill-of-fare that reflects this year's idiosyncratic slate of best picture nominees. We can help with that.
	Davenport council wants more resources to go to repairing neighborhood streets Dedicating more money toward fixing low-traffic neighborhood streets is a major theme that has cropped up during city council work sessions.
	Scott County expected to give elected officials 3.5% raise Four of the five Scott County supervisors said they would support raising the pay of the county attorney, sheriff, treasurer, recorder and auditor by 3.5%. A vote will come Thursday.
	Two Types of Spring Flooding Threaten Quad Cities, Here’s What You Need to Know Spring brings two completely different flooding threats to the Quad Cities, and they don’t behave the same way at all.
	New East Moline auto shop plans to offer more than just car repairs Open Bay Auto plans to open in May in the former Augustine Motors building in East Moline.
	Minnesota News This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.Like most of the other 500 residents of St. Anthony Falls in the territory of Minnesota, Elmer Tyler had emigrated from…
	US attacks Iranian mine-laying vessels near Hormuz on Day 12 of war Attacks and counterattacks continued throughout the Middle East Wednesday. Two cargo ships were struck in the Gulf, as some lawmakers in Washington pressed for answers on the war's rationale.
	U.S. attacks Iranian mine-laying vessels near Hormuz on Day 12 of war Attacks and counterattacks continued throughout the Middle East Wednesday. Two cargo ships were struck in the Gulf, as some lawmakers in Washington pressed for answers on the war's rationale.
	Movies and TV shows casting across the US guruXOX // Shutterstock Movies and TV shows casting across the US The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey.Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you. Backstage compiled a list of projects casting right now across the U.S., and which roles they're looking to fill. KinoMasterskaya // Shutterstock 'The Unravelling' - Project type: feature film- Roles: --- Vivienne (lead, female, 23-40)- Roles pay up to: AU$10,000- Casting locations: Worldwide- Learn more about the feature film here Grusho Anna // Shutterstock 'Let's Make A Deal' Season 18 - Project type: reality TV- Roles: --- Contestant/s (real people, all genders, 18+)- Casting locations: Los Angeles, CA; San Diego, CA; Palm Springs, CA- Learn more about the reality TV show here Grusho Anna // Shutterstock Amazon MGM 'CTTS' - Project type: feature film- Roles: --- BG Pedestrians (background / extra, 18+)--- KIDS AGES 6-15_BACKGROUND ROLES LOCAL TOWNIES, AVAIL TBD MID FEB-MARCH, HUDSON VALLEY AREA NEW YORK STATE (lead, 6-15)- Roles pay up to: $224- Casting locations: New York, NY; Kingston, NY; Saugerties, NY; Newburgh, NY- Learn more about the feature film here Grusho Anna // Shutterstock 'Let's Switch Spots!' (WT) - Project type: reality TV- Roles: --- Family Member (real people, all genders, 30+)- Roles pay up to: $10,000- Casting locations: nationwide- Learn more about the reality TV show here Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock Talkshow about Communication - Project type: reality TV- Roles: --- Couples (real people, 18+)- Roles pay up to: $750- Casting locations: Los Angeles, CA; San Diego, CA; Riverside, CA; Long Beach, CA; Pasadena, CA- Learn more about the reality TV show here Grusho Anna // Shutterstock 'Tokyo Vagrant' - Project type: feature film- Roles: --- Angela (lead, female, 18-29)--- Alex (lead, male, 18-29)--- Andrew (lead, male, 30+)- Casting locations: Worldwide- Learn more about the feature film here Grusho Anna // Shutterstock 'Vice Cops' - Project type: scripted show- Roles: --- Officer Carter (lead, male, 24-40)--- Officer O'Neil (lead, female, 24-40)--- Sergeant Sanders (lead, 30-50)- Roles pay up to: $1,458- Casting locations: Boston, MA- Learn more about the scripted show here Tikkyshop // Shutterstock Long-Term YouTube Character - Project type: vertical series- Roles: --- Bully (supporting, male, 16-22)--- Class Clown (supporting, male, 16-22)--- Unhinged Guy (supporting, male, 16-22)- Roles pay up to: $900- Casting locations: Los Angeles, CA- Learn more about the vertical series here Media_Photos // Shutterstock 'Minivan,' High School Play Audience Members (Non SAG Covered) - Project type: scripted show- Roles: --- High School Play Audience Members (background / extra, 18+)- Roles pay up to: $187- Casting locations: New York City, NY; Rye, NY; Yonkers, NY; Purchase, NY; Pearl River, NY- Learn more about the scripted show here Media_Photos // Shutterstock 'Blood Doesn't Make You Family' - Project type: vertical series- Roles: --- Teen Brandon (day player, male, 13-18)--- Young Alice (day player, female, 6-44)- Roles pay up to: $250- Casting locations: Los Angeles, CA- Learn more about the vertical series here Dpongvit // Shutterstock Mango Skin'' - Project type: scripted show- Roles: --- Tremaine (Trey) (lead, male, 18-30)--- Angela (supporting, female, 30-50)--- Kacie (lead, female, 30-40)- Roles pay up to: $200- Casting locations: Worldwide- Learn more about the scripted show here Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock 'Wired: The Future of Dating,' Single Women 25-35 - Project type: documentary series- Roles: --- Single Woman 25-35 (real people, female, 25-35)- Roles pay up to: $250- Casting locations: Brooklyn, NY; New York, NY; Manhattan, NY; The Bronx, NY; Queens, NY- Learn more about the documentary series here Media_Photos // Shutterstock 'Wired: The Future of Dating – AI Relationships' - Project type: documentary series- Roles: --- People Interested in Dating AI (real people, all genders, 18+)- Roles pay up to: $250- Casting locations: Brooklyn, NY; New York, NY; Manhattan, NY; The Bronx, NY; Queens, NY- Learn more about the documentary series here Grusho Anna // Shutterstock Amazon Prime's Competition Show "Fallout Shelter" - Project type: reality TV- Roles: --- Single Men and Women (real people, 21+)--- Professional Actor (lead, 21+)--- Professional Model (models, 21+)- Casting locations: Worldwide- Learn more about the reality TV show here muratart // Shutterstock 'Out The Kitchen' - Project type: scripted show- Roles: --- Featured Criminal Who Is An Extremist Organization Member (SAG-AFTRA Covered) (background / extra, male, 25-45)--- Featured Criminal With A Drug Addiction (SAG-AFTRA Covered) (background / extra, male, 25-55)--- Teens Dealing Illegal Drugs 18+ (SAG-AFTRA Covered) (background / extra, male, 18-21)- Roles pay up to: $234- Casting locations: New York City, NY- Learn more about the scripted show here This story was produced by Backstage and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Federal oversight protects student borrowers. Some of it has stopped, watchdog says Without this Education Department oversight, borrowers could "be placed in the wrong loan repayment status, billed for incorrect amounts" and more, the U.S. Government Accountability Office says.
	Americans are split on wanting the National Guard to monitor voting, a new poll finds Nearly half of Americans support the National Guard monitoring November's elections, potentially signaling an openness to the sort of nationalizing of elections that President Trump says he wants.
	The Trump DOJ is giving guns back to felons, including one alleged fake elector The Department of Justice is quietly restarting a decades-dormant program to restore gun rights to felons. One of them was an alleged fake elector in 2020.
	Bam! Heat's Adebayo scores 83 points, 2nd only to Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history Bam Adebayo had a night for all time on Tuesday, with a point total second to only Wilt Chamberlain in the NBA record books.
	Prosecutor says Rihanna, family were home when woman charged with attempted murder fired Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky, their three children and her mother were all at home when a woman now charged with attempted murder is alleged to have fired at the property, a prosecutor said.
Tuesday, March 10th, 2026
	A Bedtime Classic for the Whole Family: How Sleep Helps Households Thrive (NewsUSA) - If your family’s daily routine is feeling a little harder, seems more stressed and frazzled, or maybe even falls short of goals you’ve set at home and beyond, the missing link could be something obvious you’ve never thought about: your children’s sleep, a powerful and often overlooked part of how smoothly a home functions.Prioritizing sleep health as a family can make a meaningful difference towards a happier and healthier household. National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) 2026 Sleep in America® Poll showed 86% of parents say good sleep improves their child’s mood and behavior, which helps build a better family environment.Hidden Power of SleepHealthy sleep is critical for everyone, especially children and teenagers, yet 44% of American children are not getting the recommended amount of sleep for their age. That’s a big number, with potentially big consequences. Sleep is the time when their brains consolidate memories for learning, their bodies release growth hormone for healing and development, and they even strengthen their immune system. Getting good sleep can also help them regulate their emotions.Domino Effect of Poor SleepOne family member’s sleep can affect the entire household. In fact, nearly all parents (95%) agree that good sleep is essential to overall family function. Where’s a good place to focus? Children: nearly seven in ten parents say poor sleep negatively affects their child’s mood and daytime functioning. School performance may decline, tensions between parents and children can rise, and minor sibling disagreements can escalate.Four in five parents say their own sleep suffers when their child sleeps poorly, so one family member’s sleep can set off a domino effect. This can fuel a cycle of exhaustion that impacts family dynamics, physical and mental well-being, and even performance and safety inside and outside the home.Build a Best Slept® Family So, how can sleep be prioritized more in households?Many parents (74%) think about their children’s sleep every day, and these parents spend an average of more than two hours per day mulling it over. But results from the same NSF study show nearly half of parents rarely or never talk with their children about the importance of sleep. How can parents close this gap?It’s never too late for parents to take the opportunity to engage with and talk to their children about healthy sleep habits that help build a Best Slept® Family. When parents model consistent, healthy practices, children are far more likely to adopt them. That means making sleep a priority for everyone in the family. After setting norms and routines in the household that are designed for good sleep, families often can see improvements not only in energy and mood, but in their general well-being.Small steps can make a big difference. These NSF-recommended tips can work for the whole family, like starting the day with bright light, planning physical activity, and having consistent mealtimes. Avoiding late-night eating and using regular wind-down routines for adults and children—ones that allow for consistent bedtimes and waking times to get the recommended amount of sleep—are important nighttime practices. Think about making the hour before bed a low-stimulation zone for everyone. From keeping bedrooms cool, dark, and quiet, to making sure alerting electronics and screens are put away 1-2 hours before bed, parents can set up a friendly place for sleep.Remember, healthy sleep habits built today can be carried across generations, helping families to thrive in and outside of the home for years to come. Learn how to prioritize and support your children’s sleep with helpful resources for the whole family at theNSF.org.###There’s only one National Sleep Foundation (NSF). NSF is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990, the NSF is committed to advancing excellence in sleep health theory, research, and practice. In its 35 years, NSF has promoted sleep health through expert recommendations, consensus guidelines, tech standards, and easy-to-use tips and tools to improve sleep.
	The U.S. and India Anchor Their AI Partnership (NewsUSA) - For both India and the United States, leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies will impact not only domestic prosperity and resilience, but also their ability to establish their values and systems to define the global digital order, according to a new report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and ORF America.The report includes insights from a pair of recent meeting in Washington, D.C., and New Delhi, India, in which more than 150 leaders from industry, government, academia, and the civilian sector shared insights and developed a plan for how the two countries can translate their shared strategic interest in AI into a long-term advantage for both.The report focuses on four core pillars of action—applications, infrastructure, talent, and policy—with recommendations for how the U.S. and India can work together to ensure the development and adoption of trusted AI around the world.Applications. Priorities for partnership in AI applications include establishing a public-private U.S.-India AI Coalition to prioritize commercial and dual-use applications in areas of impact; streamlining cybersecurity cooperation by encouraging U.S. and Indian agencies to develop joint threat-sharing protocols for AI-related cyber threats; strengthening Digital Public Infrastructure by creating an integration portal for U.S. firms to deploy data security solutions; and integrating AI into defense dialogues, capabilities development, and joint military exercises to align operational concepts and reinforce deterrence.AI Infrastructure. To stay at the leading edge of AI and technology innovation, the report calls for establishing a comprehensive U.S.–India Full-Stack AI Infrastructure and Technology Program to identify and export integrated capabilities. Other key actions include connecting the digital and industrial foundations of AI stacks to grow respective, domestic infrastructure capacities in order to stay at the leading edge of AI and technology innovation. Key actions involve establishing and synchronizing U.S. and Indian semiconductor policies to ensure supply chain resilience and remove investment hurdles; mobilizing a Joint AI Infrastructure Financing and Investment Program to secure capital for trusted projects; creating a Single-Window Clearance Mechanism under Invest India for fast-tracking project permitting approvals; and instituting a supply chain program to export mid-life U.S. GPUs to India for population scale AI use cases.Talent. To create the mutually reinforcing high-skill ecosystems to meet the demands of emerging industries, the report’s recommendations are to conduct yearly Joint AI Labor-Market Mapping to align education and training programs with workforce needs. Other goals include establishing a standardized certification process for AI talent to set globally recognized benchmarks; creating a Binational AI Training & Apprenticeship Network linking U.S. and Indian institutions for hands-on AI skills; and launching a Joint U.S.-India Research and Innovation Accelerator to align funding, capital, and intellectual property protections for joint research and development projects.Policies. The report calls for aligning policy foundations to improve cooperation between both countries and deepen the interoperability, trust, and resilience of the U.S. and India’s respective AI and technology ecosystems. Policy actions include establishing a standing U.S.-India AI Standards Council to identify critical standards needed to enable AI cooperation, synchronizing them, and creating a pathway for mutual recognition of certification of AI models and applications.Visit scsp.ai to learn more.
	All clear in the Quad Cities - storms quieting down late Tuesday night After a stormy Tuesday night things are looking much better now (as of 10:30 p.m.) We had dozens of hail reports and a few strong winds reported earlier this evening. There were several tornado warnings as well, but we are yet to hear of any official tornadoes on the ground in our area. The radar [...]
	Meet Julie Bickelhaupt, Republican primary candidate for Illinois' 17th Congressional District Bickelhaupt is a seventh-generation farmer raising cattle in Mount Carroll. Her campaign centers on faith, family, farming and future.
	Visit Quad Cities teams up with Wheel the World to evaluate tourism accessibility Wheel the World is visiting nine Quad Cities locations to review accessibility and help travelers with disabilities better plan trips.
	Several employees injured after being exposed to chemicals at Byron Clean Energy Center According to the Ogle County Sheriff's Office, all injuries are believed to be minor.
	Report: Scott County Jail staff failed to provide medical attention to woman experiencing mental health crisis The Iowa Office of Ombudsman released a 42-page report that jail staff failed to intervene and dismissed a woman's mental health crisis when she was detained.
	RI school board member defends district on reports of student behavioral issues A Rock Island-Milan School Board member defended the school district regarding the number of students causing fights during tonight's board meeting. It comes two weeks after a different board member said the high school was dangerous. Board Member Tracy Pugh says the current administration improved the schools' attendance, teacher retention and graduation rate. He also [...]
	3 connected to drug trafficking in Galesburg area after investigation Three men connected to the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Galesburg area have been convicted or sentenced in federal court after an investigation conducted by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with a Task Force Officer assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force (TOC West). A news [...]
	Visit Quad Cities teams up with Wheel the World to evaluate tourism accessibility Wheel the World is visiting nine Quad Cities locations to review accessibility and help travelers with disabilities better plan trips.
	What's being done to address food insecurity in Iowa? The Iowa Food Bank Association published a new survey, finding that over 70% of Iowa residents think food insecurity is a concern that isn't being taken serious enough. Our Quad Cities News correspondent Teodora Mitov takes a look at steps being taken to get more healthy food to those who need it most, through House File [...]
	Severe Thunderstorm Warning until TUE 9:45 PM CDT Severe Thunderstorm Warning with Quarter-Size Hail Until 9:45 PM CDT
	Quad Cities biking legends to be honored with riverfront sculpture For more than 40 years, Deb and Dean "Bareback" Mathias have advocated for safer trails and better biking access. Now, money is being raised for a statue of them.
	Several employees injured after being exposed to chemicals at Byron Clean Energy Center According to the Ogle County Sheriff's Office, all injuries are believed to be minor.
	Severe Thunderstorm Warning from TUE 8:59 PM CDT until TUE 9:45 PM CDT Severe Thunderstorms with Quarter-Size Hail Moving East Through Northwestern Illinois and East Central Iowa
	Judy's Family Cafe looks to turn social media fame into a franchise restaurant Since it went viral in the fall of 2025, Judy's Family Cafe has exploded in popularity - so much so that the Galesburg breakfast joint is trying to expand into a franchise. To do that, the owners need to set the norm for what the restaurants will look like. That means the original Judy's Family [...]
	Severe Thunderstorm Warning until TUE 7:45 PM CDT Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail Threatening Areas Near Iowa City
	Severe Thunderstorm Warning from TUE 6:57 PM CDT until TUE 7:45 PM CDT Severe Thunderstorms with Hail Expected in East Central Iowa Until 7:45 PM CDT
	Multiple people exposed to chemicals at Byron Nuclear Plant Emergency crews were called to the plant for reports of people with chemical exposure.
	2 Galesburg men found guilty in federal court for meth distribution Two Galesburg men were found guilty in federal court of distributing methamphetamine.
	Iowa event loses headline speaker, Sen. Markwayne Mullin U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin will no longer headline an event political event in May.
	Davenport native Kevin McKee and Team USA sled hockey team win preliminary match The USA beat China 7-1. The Americans will not go on to play in the semifinals on Friday morning.
	Whitey's has once again released its flavor bracket You can join the fun by voting on your favorite flavor. Voters can find the poll at wqad.com.
	Get ready: officials urge people to prepare as severe storms move into QCA As strong storms move into the area, Bureau County emergency officials are urging residents not to rely solely on tornado sirens when severe weather hits.
	Former Eldridge man arrested for allegedly molesting girl and woman A former Eldridge man has been arrested for allegedly molesting two females, one child for about eight years, and one adult for about 3 1/2 years, authorities said.
	QC Bicycle Club makes efforts to build statue to honor local biking fixtures, Dean and Deb Mathias Dean is known for riding a bike without a seat, logging more than 8,500 miles a year and competing in dozens of RAGBRAIS.
	Breaking down the science of predicting severe weather The most vulnerable period on Tuesday night is predicted to be between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
	Report: Scott County Jail staff failed to provide medical attention to woman experiencing mental health crisis The Iowa Office of Ombudsman released a 42-page report that jail staff failed to intervene and dismissed a woman's mental health crisis when she was detained.
	Death Notice: Larry Suppan A funeral service for Larry Paul Suppan Jr., 66, of Eldridge, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, March 20, at North Ridge Community Church, Eldridge. Burial will follow at Rock Island National Cemetery, where military rites will be conducted by American Legion #26 of Davenport. Visitation will be Thursday, March 19, from 5-7 p.m. at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge. Mr. Suppan died Saturday, March 7, 2026, at his home. Memorials may be directed to REA. Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the March 18 edition of The NSP.
	West Liberty school board talks annual budget In the last week of February, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill establishing a 2% per pupil State Supplemental Aid (SSA) rate increase for the 2026–27 school year. With this important rate now set, the West Liberty School District has begun preparing its budget for the new year. During its March 2 school board meeting, district business manager Abby Ortiz presented a preliminary plan for the district’s FY27 budget, which will be officially decided upon next month following further review and input from the community during a scheduled public hearing. Ortiz began the presentation by looking at the district’s two main budget amendments for its FY26 budget. The first amendment came from its instruction budget, which rose from $13.01 million to $13.76 million due to technology and curriculum purchases made by the district. The other amendment made was due to spending on total support services, which rose from $6.18 million to $6.48 million. Ortiz attributed these additional costs to the district’s contract with Solution Tree, which led to an increase in professional development costs. This development also included several teachers attending summer conferences for further training, as well as elementary playground improvements made later in the year. Looking to FY27, with the SSA set to rise 2%, Ortiz reported the district’s new money trend to be at an estimated $196,405. “Obviously we would want to see more, as this doesn’t really keep up with the cost of everything from salaries and benefits to just supplies,” Ortiz said. With a district cost of $8,148 per student, the expected Regular Program Cost for FY27 will be $10,079,891. This rose from the previous fiscal year’s cost of $9,883,486. Beyond SSA rate increases, enrollment continues to be a primary driver of the funding that West Liberty receives, Ortiz stated. “If we don’t have any big classes coming in, we’re going to see those numbers decline a little bit, and I don’t know if we’ll get to where we’re averaging 85-90 kids per class,” Ortiz said. “There’s some promising developments downtown that hopefully will bring in new families with children, that’ll at least help us stay consistent instead of dropping off in the next few years.” For open enrollment, Ortiz stated that while these numbers continue to be at a net negative, something the district has been seeing since FY22, the net open enrollment numbers overall have continued trending in a positive direction, rising from the numbers reported in FY25 and FY26. Ortiz attributed the rise to the district’s focus on continuing to develop and invest in its infrastructure and what services it is able to offer families. “Hopefully that only helps us,” she said. With the slow rise in open enrollment, the funding received through open enrollment will also rise. Moving onto the valuation overview, Ortiz stated the FY27 total property tax rate is recommended to be set at roughly $13.43, rising slightly from the FY26 rate of roughly $13.10. Ortiz reminded the board that this rate can be lowered at a later date, but it cannot rise after being submitted to the county auditor’s office for public notice. Ortiz also noted that while it is not possible to do this year, the board will likely have to discuss setting up a cash reserve levy for FY28, as it will be this year when the district’s fund balance solvency ratio is expected to be below 20%, which is considered an unhealthy ratio. For its management fund levy, total expenditures are expected to increase to $783,654.44 primarily due to insurance costs rising. Ortiz reported the district’s estimated beginning fund balance for FY27 at $612,551. With an estimated tax levy revenue of $725,000 plus other miscellaneous revenue, FY27’s total available funds will be $1.343 million. Ortiz also reported that FY25 was the first full fiscal year without ESSER funding. With this, the district’s Unspent Authorized Budget (UAB) is forecasted to drop once those funds have been fully utilized, especially if enrollment either stays consistent or drops and if SSA continues to remain at low rates. Ortiz hopes to keep the district’s UAB at $3.6 million each year, but understands that this is a tricky balance to keep. “We continuously monitor this number as it is the single most important indicator of a District’s financial health,” Ortiz said within her report. “We have been proactive in reducing costs where it makes sense through attrition instead of waiting until we have to eliminate a large amount of expenditures within a single year. We will continue discussions on where we are able to cut costs for FY27 so that we don’t see as big of a drop in UAB. Sustainability is very important (…) but getting there in a financially sustainable way is the key.” Following the presentation, it was announced that the first public hearing for the FY27 budget is scheduled for March 16 during that evening’s school board meeting. Other business In other news, the board: • Approved the 2026/27 school calendar. • Reviewed the 28E Agreement with Mid Prairie CSD, which allows homeschooled students within Mid Prairie to still participate in West Liberty School District activities. • Approved the AEA 28E purchasing agreement for food service. • Approved the district’s participation in the agreement between it and the Iowa Local Government Risk Pool Commission. The total premium for July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027, is $57,717 for a year’s worth of natural gas usage. Payment will come out of the district’s management fund. This is the District’s fourth year in the program. • Held a first reading for Board Policy 506.1 • Accepted resignations for Dual Language teacher Milton Moctezuma, 8th grade literacy teacher/head varsity girls wrestling coach Chayse Schultz, elementary paraprofessional Itzhel Gutierrez, and varsity assistant baseball coach James Walter. • Approved Katelynne Macias as its new elementary paraprofessional.
	Tornado Watch issued for areas SE of Quad Cities - March 10th, 2026 The National Weather Service has now issued a Tornado Watch for areas South and East of the Quad Cities. this watch (pictured below) is in effect until 11 a.m. Some intense thunderstorms are expected shortly and they pose the threat of not only producing tornadoes, but strong tornadoes at that. In the Quad Cities we [...]
	Invest in education at Black Hawk College Foundation's Black & Gold Celebration Investing in education and help students chase their dreams! Zenaida Landeros joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Black Hawk College Foundation's Black & Gold Celebration. For more information, click here.
	Report: Scott County Jail staff response questioned in Christmas Eve detention An Iowa Ombudsman report says a detainee in mental distress was not properly monitored or given timely medical/mental health care at the Scott County Jail on Christmas Eve 2024, prompting recommendations for policy, training, and facility upgrades.
	Hamilton principal to become new coordinator for K-12 instructional programs for Moline-Coal Valley Lynsy Oswald will be the new coordinator for K-12 Instructional at the Moline Education Center.
	2 dead after vehicle hits concrete in ditch, Sheriff says Two people died after a vehicle hit several large pieces of concrete in a ditch, according to the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.
	HARDY, March 20 Touring in support of his 2025 recording Country! Country! that Country Swag deemed "raw, reflective, rowdy, and rooted in his Mississippi upbringing," chart-topping singer/songwriter Michael Wilson Hardy – better known by his singular moniker HARDY – brings his national tour to Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK on March 20, Rolling Stone classifying the artist as "simultaneously the chest-thumping id of masculine country and a fun-house mirror poking fun at the whole enterprise."
	Jake Owen, March 20 A chart-topping American Country Award and Academy of Country Music Award winner currently touring in support of his 2025 album Dreams to Dream, singer/songwriter Jake Owen headlines a March 20 concert event at Davenport's Capitol Theatre, his most recent recording inspiring Saving Country Music to rave, "It’s like nothing you ever heard from Jake Owen, or really any current or former mainstream country music before."
	“Motown & Friends Tribute,” March 21 Many of the most exciting songs from one of the most thrilling sources of American music will be celebrated at Davenport's Adler Theatre on March 21, with Breath of Encouragement presenting its Motown & Friends Tribute, a fun-filled and deeply soulful evening with unforgettable hits sure to bring back happy memories galore.
	That Arena Rock Show, March 20 With their long list of celebrated rockers including Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, and Guns N Roses, the tribute musicians of That Arena Rock Show bring their tour back to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on March 20, the rockers famed for their trips back in time that turn venues of all sizes into arena stages for a night.
	The Beaker Brothers Band, March 20 Delivering a blues-rock tribute to legendary musicians of the past, Iowa City's ever-popular ensemble The Beaker Brothers Band returns to the Quad Cities for a concert at Davenport's Gypsy Highway Bar & Grill, the March 20 show one of the last touring stops the beloved ensemble will make before signing off as a publicly performing band at the end of 2026.

Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026