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

Saturday, September 19th, 2026
	Special Weather Statement until SUN 1:00 AM CDT Strong Thunderstorms Bringing Gusty Winds Overnight
	Augustana falls to Illinois Wesleyan 17-10 Augustana football falls to Illinois Wesleyan 17-10. The Vikings are 1-2 on the season.
	No. 18 Iowa has three go over 100 yards rushing as Hawkeyes roll to 55-0 win over Northern Iowa Iowa had three running backs in Xavier Williams, Nathan McNeil and Braeden Jackson rush for more than 100 yards apiece as the No. 18 Hawkeyes defeated Northern Iowa 55-0 on Saturday.
	John Buford This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.If you have ever visited the Battlefield of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, you may have seen the statue of John Buford at…
	After preschool closes, Davenport church holds sale After nearly 50 years, the preschool at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 2363 W. 3rd St., Davenport, is closing, a news release says. Now the preschool items will be sold, with free books given away with every purchase. A large selection of items will include Sale hours: For more information, email here. Payment of cash, Venmo, [...]
	Saudi Arabia says Houthis tried to attack its capital Saudi Arabia on Saturday said that Yemen's Houthi rebels tried to attack Riyadh with a ballistic missile, the first time the Saudi capital has been targeted since the escalation in fighting with the Iran-backed rebels opened a new front in the Iran war.
	More heavy rain still for our Sunday After a lot of constant rain over this past week and for the start of the weekend, we are still not out of the woods yet. More heavy rain is expected through the rest of our Saturday night and more heavy rain moving in through Sunday morning with at least another inch of rain possible.
	Faith and Freedom Coalition rallies Iowa Republicans ahead of November election More than 1,200 people gathered in Des Moines for the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual banquet, where Republican leaders urged voters to turn out in November.
	It's 'nothin' but a good time' at Circa '21's 'Rock of Ages' musical Wrapping up the Rock Island theater's 49th season of live entertainment, Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse invites audiences to travel back in time to the 1980s in the Tony Award-nominated Broadway smash "Rock of Ages." This charming and energetic musical comedy was hailed by NY1 as “an irresistible, offbeat trip of a show that hits all [...]
	The Grove, the crowds, the rivalry: Football fans party together, and taunt each other, on LSU-Ole Miss game day OXFORD — A sea of red and blue tents filled the Grove at the University of Mississippi as tens of thousands of people converged on campus Saturday for the long-anticipated Top 10 game between LSU and Ole Miss. The longstanding rivalry became a grudge match after Lane Kiffin ditched his job as the Ole Miss head coach before the end of the 2025 season for a bigger paycheck in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss fans toted hand-lettered signs that mocked Kiffin, calling him a traitor and worse. ESPN broadcast its “College GameDay” from the Grove, and Ole Miss student James Whitehead won $1 million by kicking a field goal on air. Ole Miss student James Whitehead participates in Pat McAfee’s field goal challenge during “College GameDay” at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The freshmen won $1 million after a successful 33-yard field goal. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi Today Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman — a Mississippi native and resident, and frequent front-row fan at Ole Miss basketball games — served as the celebrity guest picker for the weekend’s college football games, wearing an Ole Miss baseball hat and choosing the Rebels to win. “If I go for what’s his name,” Freeman said, as the ESPN hosts said Lane Kiffin, “I will not be able to go home tonight.” READ MORE: Shakespeare could have written this LSU-Ole Miss football plot The vibe varied widely on campus. Some families and friends who have opposing allegiances shared food and drinks at tailgate parties. “I’m not going to show up and not wear purple and gold,” Brock McGoogan said, sporting the Tigers’ colors as he stood with his girlfriend, Summer Huerkamp, who is an Ole Miss fan An Ole Miss fan holds a homemade sign above his head during ESPN’s “College GameDay” at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today In other areas, Ole Miss and LSU fans shouted at each other — some of them, after getting their fill of chicken fingers, potato salad and beer or bourbon. As kickoff drew closer and the Mississippi heat beat down even harder, the crowd was elbow-to-elbow and many partiers grew rowdier. Ole Miss fans erupted in cheers as their team walked through the Grove on the way to Vaught Hemingway stadium. The Rebels were led by two star players who declined to transfer to LSU with Kiffin and are now being being promoted by Ole Miss as Heisman candidates — quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy. An homemade sign referring to Lane Kiffin’s dog, Juice, is held above the crowd at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Ole Miss fans crowd the Grove at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today The front page of the student newspaper, The Daily Mississippian, depicts LSU head coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, at the university in Oxford. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today The Williams and Seal families tailgate together at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Ole Miss graduate Justin Sabb, left, and LSU senior petroleum engineer Carson Gillespe talk with reporters in the Grove at The University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2026. Sabb and Gilespe grew up together in Georgia. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today LSU and Ole Miss fans taunt each other before a football game at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Football fans crowd the Grove at the University of Mississippi before the LSU-Ole Miss game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Ole Miss fans display a sign of previous head coach Lane Kiffin on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. From left, Ken Ford, Chris Kirk, Bo Jarrell and Timothy Ford. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy, in dark jacket, walks through the Grove at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, before the LSU-Ole Miss game. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss walks through the Grove at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2026, before the LSU-Ole Miss game. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss walks through the Grove at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2026, before the LSU-Ole Miss game. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour takes a phone call at the University of Mississippi on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, before the LSU-Ole Miss football game. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Fans fill the Grove at the University of Mississippi in anticipation for the LSU-Ole Miss football game on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Credit: Aaron Lampley/Mississippi Today Courtesy of Mississippi Today
	Hinson, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming highlight GOP tips, overtime tax cuts U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, running for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat, and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, right, listened to Jacob Carnes, a McDonald's manager in Ankeny at a campaign event held at Whiskey River in Ankeny Sep. 19, 2026, focused on tax changes made by Republicans through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)ANKENY — U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and U.S. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said Saturday that keeping Republicans in control of Congress was needed to ensure Democrats do not reverse changes made through the 2025 “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act like tax cuts to tips and overtime. Barrasso joined Hinson, a Republican who is running for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat, at Whiskey River in Ankeny, where they hosted a group of local business owners and workers to talk about the impact of the OBBB Act. The speakers, who included people in the food and hotel industries, as well healthcare, said they and coworkers have been able to keep more of their income because of the tax law changes made by Republicans in Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Jacob Carnes, a manager at a McDonald’s restaurant in Ankeny, said removing taxes on overtime has helped him pay for expenses as a college student at Des Moines Area Community College and begin to save money for long-term expenses and retirement. “I’m lucky enough where I’m able to get those hours, those overtime hours, and I’m able to keep all that money for myself,” Carnes said. “And trust me, when that paycheck hits, it’s so much nicer when I know my work is really paying towards helping me in my future. I can hopefully help other people down the road with that as well.” Barrasso told the group Democrats running for election in 2026 want to reverse these tax law changes. “What we do see, a number of the Democrats who are running this year, they want to end all of this stuff,” he said. “They want to end it immediately, which we think would be hurtful to the economy, take the money out of your pockets.” At the event, Hinson repeated claims that her opponent, state Rep. Josh Turek, a Council Bluffs Democrat, would support removing the OBBB tax cuts to tips and overtime if elected. Turek has said he agrees with President Donald Trump that “we should have no tax on tips and overtime,” but has also criticized the measure for making cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Hinson said she supports public assistance programs but wants to ensure the assistance is going to people in need. “We want some of these safety net programs to be … to be robust, right,” Hinson said. “And they’re for people who need them — keyword, ‘for people who need them,’ right? And if you look at some of the changes we’ve made to ensure the long-term integrity of these programs, including requiring a little bit of work or even volunteer hours every day. … Of course, we know there are people who need them, and that’s why we want them to be there. But we don’t want people gaming the system to the point that we have here.” A majority of people receiving public assistance are working full-time, according to the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office. Democrats argue that work requirements and other eligibility restrictions serve mostly to cut off qualified recipients due to burdensome red tape. Other speakers like Kathy Sullivan, a practitioner working in acute dialysis, said she had previously used SNAP for food assistance. When Hinson asked how she felt about people “fraudulently taking these benefits,” Sullivan said the situation was “infuriating.” “I was a single parent for so long, and when I needed the food stamps, I was so grateful — but I’m also very a little bit prideful, and I did not want to live on the system,” Sullivan said. “… You’re embarrassed that you have to (use) the food stamps, but they came at such a great time for me and the kids. So I got them, I used them, and then immediately was able to go to school and better myself and get off of the system. So, yes, I’m grateful that it was there, but not to live off of, and that people game the system by living off my hard work.” Sullivan said she was “worried about socialism” heading into the 2026 election. Hinson said she believed America was facing a problem with increased dependence on government assistance. “I worked hard, I got to the next thing, I got to the next thing, because I wanted to build that safety and security now for my family, and I did not want to rely on the government to do that,” Hinson said. “I think that’s an Iowa value — I actually think that’s an American value. … I do think that we value hard work, and we value being able to achieve the American dream the right way. Equity is not better than equality. I think it’s about, you know, everybody gets the shot, and that’s what our country is built on, is the shot.” Barrasso said the Iowans at the event shared the same values as Wyomingites. “In Wyoming, we have this thing called the Cowboy Code,” Barrasso said. “And by that, you’re all cowboys, which is, you live each day with courage, you take pride in your work, you do what needs to be done. So that’s what that’s what you’re all doing.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Iowa Capital Dispatch
	Here’s how VP Vance visit could help Iowa GOP candidates Vice President J.D.
	The new lines of southern Lebanon The U.N. expanded the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's mandate 20 years ago to include monitoring adherence to a ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah — the militant group created in 1982 to counter a second Israeli invasion.
	Death Notice: Beverly McCreary Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Beverly "Bev" McCreary, 90, of Davenport, will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Davenport. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service on Monday at the church. Burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements. Mrs. McCreary died Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at MercyOne Genesis East, Davenport. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. Online condolences may be made at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. A full obituary will appear in the Sept. 23 edition of The NSP.
	CNN, MS NOW, Politico reporters denied access to White House following Trump ban Three reporters were blocked from the White House grounds Saturday morning, a day after President Trump said CNN, Politico, and MS NOW would be banned for reporting "FICTION and LIES."
	Donate, 'shop' for free art supplies at Rock Island Public Library The Rock Island Public Library will accept gently used or new art and craft items at all library locations now through Sept. 24, a news release says. Donated supplies will be available for free at the library’s 2nd Annual Studio Exchange Community Art Supply Swap on Saturday, Sept. 26. The free event runs from 10 [...]
	Free vaccine clinic for dogs to be held at St. Anthony's, downtown Davenport The Quad City Animal Welfare Center (QCAWC) and the Humane Society of Scott County are joining together once again to help keep dogs throughout the Quad Cities healthy and protected with Vax & Wags, a free vaccine clinic for dogs from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday, Oct. 3, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 417 N. [...]
	Dispose of hazardous waste at East Moline collection event The State of Illinois is hosting Fall Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) one-day collection events this year in eight communities throughout the state. These collection events give residents a way to safely dispose of unused or leftover hazardous products commonly found in homes at no cost. In the Quad Cities, Illinois residents can drop off HHW [...]
	Cancer Support Community at Gilda's Club to present session on biology of cancer The Cancer Support Community Iowa & NW Illinois at Gilda's Club invites the public to join - in-person or virtually - an informative and supportive workshop to discuss the biology of cancer. Join Russ Dunn for a discussion about universal aspects of cancer in the context of how cancer cells differ from healthy cells. Dunn [...]
	Mississippi oyster industry rebuilds as reefs show signs of growth PASS CHRISTIAN — Mississippi’s oyster reefs are showing signs of growth ahead of the 2026-27 season, but for fishermen like James Miller, rebuilding the industry also means finding enough buyers to make getting on the water worthwhile. “We’ve just got to get our market moving again,” Miller said. “It’s going to happen. It will take time.” At a Sept. 8 stakeholder meeting in Pass Christian, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources estimated there are just under 400,000 sacks of oysters across surveyed reefs in the Mississippi Sound, up from about 275,000 last year. The growth follows a roughly 50,000-sack harvest during the 2025-26 season, which MDMR said was the largest harvest in more than a decade. Joe Spraggins, executive director of MDMR, said Mississippi is moving in the right direction. “We’ve got big oysters. That’s what started last year, right? That’s all that’s in Mississippi,” Spraggins said. “We can get that reputation back by bringing in 100,000 sacks of market-sized oysters.” Reef health Mississippi’s oyster industry is still rebuilding from the effects of the 2019 Bonnet Carré Spillway openings, which sent large amounts of freshwater into the Mississippi Sound and caused salinity levels to fall. MDMR estimated oyster mortality across major reefs in the western Mississippi Sound at nearly 97% following the openings. Since then, the department has used reef monitoring, cult placement and other restoration efforts to rebuild oyster populations. Jason Rider, director of MDMR’s Shellfish Bureau, pointed fishermen toward Henderson Point and St. Joe, where population estimates increased and harvest pressure was relatively low last season. Fishermen and Mississippi Department of Marine Resources officials gather for an oyster stakeholder meeting Sept. 8, 2026, in Pass Christian, Miss. Jason Rider, director of the MDMR’s Shellfish Bureau, walks up the aisle prior to his 2026 reef report. Credit: RHCJC News “We’re seeing the growth across nearly every size class with the spats. That’s picking up significantly,” Rider said. “That’s really encouraging for us. That’s a really good, strong sign of growth.” Other reefs did not see the same gains. According to MDMR, the density of market-size oysters at Pass Christian Dredging declined from 19 oysters per square meter, or per 10.76 square feet, in 2025 to 8.2 in 2026. At Pass Christian Dredging, density dropped from 2.7 to 1.2 oysters per square meter. MDMR officials said Pass Christian Tonging, Pass Christian Dredging and Pass Marianne were among the areas affected by heavy rainfall and lower salinity this summer. Rider said the department will continue monitoring the reefs and investing in restoration efforts. This summer, MDMR placed limestone and shell, known as cultch, across 236 acres of oyster habitat. Much of that work was concentrated on reefs affected by the heavy rainfall. Managing the harvest MDMR plans to maintain a 30% harvest quota for individual reef areas this season. Because the quota is based on oyster population estimates, the number of sacks available for harvest can increase or decrease as populations change. During the 2025-26 season, harvest exceeded the 30% quota in several areas. MDMR reported harvests of roughly 41% at Pass Christian Tonging, 37% at Pass Christian Dredging and 34% at Pass Marianne. Henderson Point and St. Joe were much lower, at about 8% and 1%, respectively. A pile of oysters sits on the deck of the vessel Royster in Pass Christian, Miss. The stateestimates nearly 400,000 sacks of oysters across surveyed reefs in the Mississippi Sound ahead of the 2026-27 season. Credit: Justin Glowacki/RHCJC Miller said he believes individual reefs should be closed once they reach the 30% quota to prevent too much harvesting in one area. “They keep the reef sometimes open too long in areas,” Miller said. “Once they meet their quota, they need to shut it down.” The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center has reached out to Rider for more information about why harvest exceeded the 30% quota in some areas last season and how MDMR plans to manage the quota this season. Rider has not yet responded. MDMR also plans to maintain last season’s daily commercial limits of 15 sacks per tonging vessel and 20 sacks per dredging vessel. Those daily limits are separate from the 30% seasonal harvest quota. Miller supports keeping the daily limits in place. He said allowing fishermen to bring in more oysters would do little good if there are not enough buyers. “If you can’t sell them, why bring them in?” Miller said. Rebuilding the market The 2026-27 oyster season is scheduled to open Oct. 1, nearly two weeks earlier than last year’s Oct. 13 opening. Miller, a lifelong fisherman from D’Iberville, supports the earlier opening because he said lower rainfall in the fall can give fishermen more opportunities to harvest before river conditions lead to reef closures. He said the commercial market remains another challenge after years of limited Mississippi harvests. “When you’re off for five years, your market is slowly progressing, coming back,” Miller said. He said oysters from other Gulf states, including Louisiana and Texas, have filled some of the demand that Mississippi fishermen previously served. “We’ve got a kind of show that we do have a good oyster for them to buy, and we can boost our market back up,” Miller said. “It’s going to take time.” Operating costs are another concern. Miller said fuel costs have cut into his income from fishing and shrimping. He estimated he has recently spent $3,500 to $4,000 a week on fuel while working on the water. Still, Miller said he believes keeping harvest limits in place while Mississippi rebuilds both its oyster populations and commercial market is the best approach. “We had a good thing last year,” Miller said. “It’ll be a good thing this year.” Courtesy of Mississippi Today
	Airplane banner will take jab at Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith before big Ole Miss game Ole Miss fans nursing bloody marys in the Grove before Saturday’s LSU game may notice something unusual overhead: a plane towing a “Cindy High-Prices” banner. The nickname is one Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom has used for his Republican opponent, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. The plane is expected to fly over the Ole Miss campus starting at 10 a.m., then over Vaught-Hemingway Stadium from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. as more than 68,000 fans arrive for the 6:30 p.m. kickoff, according to a news release from public relations firm Downfield Strategies. It’s unclear who’s behind it, though it’s a third-party, likely a political action committee. A Colom campaign spokesperson said the campaign is not responsible. Nathan Calvert, communications director for the Hyde-Smith campaign, said the group behind the airplane is wasting their money just like Colom will “waste our tax dollars if he wins.” Courtesy of Mississippi Today
	Special Weather Statement until SAT 7:45 AM CDT Heavy Rain and Thunderstorms Causing Minor Flooding This Morning
	Students leave their mark on Earl Hanson Elementary’s cafeteria mural Earl Hanson students helped transform their cafeteria with a food-themed mural, building creativity, connections and a lasting school memory.
	OneTable QC launches nonpartisan ‘Quad Cities Votes Together’ campaign, voter toolkit QneTable QC has launched a nonpartisan campaign providing free tools to help local nonprofits share reliable voting information with the communities they serve.
	Our Big Fat Greek Festival returns to Rock Island this weekend St. George Greek Orthodox Church will host the annual event on Sept. 18–19 in Rock Island, featuring Greek food, music, dancing, cultural activities and a drive‑thru dining option, with admission set at $2 for adults and free entry for children 12 and under.
	Free Rock Island sessions help explain Medicare, Social Security "Understanding Medicare for 2027" will be offered at two places and times. Insurance specialist Kara Wolf will break down what enrollees need to know before open enrollment arrives in October. The free information sessions can help current or future Medicare participants make more informed decisions. Understanding Medicare presentations will be offered at 2 p.m. Thursday, [...]
	Mr. Wings opens in Rock Island Mr. Wings serves southern style wings, catfish dinners, boneless and chicken tenders, chicken and waffles, sides and more.
	Public invited to attend QC Cycling and E‑Bike Connectivity event Visit Quad Cities will host AccelerateVQC on Sept. 22, a free public event at the Waterfront Convention Center featuring e‑bike demonstrations and a regional discussion on how cycling and shared mobility can improve connectivity across the community. It is set for 3:30 to 5 p.m.
	New ice cream store will open in East Moline Downtown East Moline is getting a new destination for ice cream lovers as Just Us & Treats celebrates the opening of its new shop at 820 15th Ave., a news release says. The community is invited to join Just Us & Treats and East Moline Main Street for an official ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. [...]
	Ancient teeth pose a mystery: What made those strange grooves? New research on ancient human remains suggests the habitual usage of betel nuts, a plant seed with mind-affecting properties that is popular in parts of Asia despite the health risks it presents.
	Betel nuts are a top mind-affecting substance. Now there's evidence of ancient use New research on ancient human remains suggests the habitual usage of betel nuts, a plant seed with mind-affecting properties that is popular in parts of Asia despite the health risks it presents.
	Here are 8 movies we loved at the Toronto International Film Festival A thoughtful comedy starring Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick, a haunting adaptation of Mrs. Dalloway set in Lagos, and a (possible?) swan song from acclaimed filmmaker Mike Leigh stood out at TIFF.
	An Alaska storm scattered artifacts. Archaeologists are racing to save what's left Last year, remnants of a typhoon damaged homes, infrastructure and an archaeological dig site. Now, archaeologists are trying to get as many objects out as possible before the next storm.
	Ever wonder how the Fed's interest rate actually works? We've got answers The Federal Reserve just raised interest rates this week for the first time this year. So how does it actually work? And what does it mean for the economy — and the rest of us? Here are some answers.
	Russia holds parliamentary vote in areas it seized from Ukraine in the war Russia's parliamentary election for the first time is being held in Ukraine's regions that Moscow illegally annexed after the start of its full-scale invasion more than 4 1/2 years ago.
	As Europe warms, Italy sees West Nile virus spread Italian health authorities see evidence that rising temperatures and longer warm seasons are helping mosquitoes spread West Nile virus across a wider area, during more months of the year.
Friday, September 18th, 2026
	US and Denmark reach deal to build US military presence in Greenland President Donald Trump says he has a deal with Denmark to bolster the U.S. military presence in Greenland. The announcement comes after months of threatening to take the island by force from the NATO ally.
	War Eagle vs. Itasca This is Roald Tweet on Rock Island.The most famous steamboat race ever chronicled on the Upper Mississippi River was between a tortoise and a hare in…
	Traffic alert: Section of 230th Street in Muscatine to close for paving project The project is expected to be completed by August 27, 2027, weather permitting.
	St. George Greek Orthodox Church holds 'Big Fat Greek Festival' It's a celebration of music, dance and cuisine. If you don't have time to stop in, you can pick up a great meal at the drive-through.
	Judy's Family Cafe opens 3rd location in Aledo The restaurant started as just one cafe in Galesburg and has now grown into three locations, mainly due to its owner's large social media presence.
	Davenport 2nd Ward Alderman Tim Dunn resigning from office The resignation is effective immediately, according to city officials.
	Newsom vetoes bill to loosen work-from-home rules for state workers In summary Many California public employees want more flexibility to work from home than Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office policy allows. He vetoed a bill that would have encouraged departments to set their own policies. Gov. Gavin Newsom held firm to his return-to-office mandate for California state workers and vetoed a union-supported bill that would have given state departments more authority to set their own telework policies. In some ways the governor’s veto of Assembly Bill 1729 was unsurprising: Despite protests from public employees who contend they’re just as effective working at home, Newsom has maintained that he wants them in the office. The bill wouldn’t have nullified his policy completely, but it would have chipped away at the blanket four-day-a-week in-office policy for state employees that went into effect in July. The bill would have required agencies to provide written justification if employees must work in-office, and the state’s Department of General Services would have had to create a dashboard to display the cost-effectiveness and other benefits of state telework programs. Newsom in his veto message wrote that he “fundamentally” believes “in-person collaboration is an essential part of a productive and effective workplace.” “This measure, by limiting departmental flexibility and encouraging telework to be the default work arrangement, takes the state’s telework policy in the wrong direction,” he wrote. Newsom embraced remote work for public employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, when tens of thousands of state workers abruptly shifted to working from home. He called them back to the office two days a week in 2024. Many state workers enjoyed the flexibility after the pandemic receded. They also stressed that telework saved taxpayers money. A 2025 audit found the state would save $225 million a year by allowing more telework. The telework bill “would save on office leases and parking, it would save and reduce commute times and vehicle emissions, it would maintain and improve productivity, and it would improve worker recruitment and retention,” said Sen. Angelique Ashby, a Sacramento Democrat. Newsom’s veto comes as state government’s largest union, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, is asking its members to authorize a strike. It represents about 100,000 workers and is at odds with Newsom over pay and remote work. “A blanket mandate does not work for all the jobs that our workers do,” Local 1000 President Anica Walls told CalMatters in July about Newsom’s return-to-office policy. “Let the departments decide.” Besides Newsom, about a dozen Republican and Democratic lawmakers also opposed the remote work bill. Sen. Catherine Blakespear said that shifting telework as the default policy by requiring state agencies to justify when workers must be in the office was “going too far.” “We had a tremendous upheaval and difficulty around remote classrooms,” said the Encinitas Democrat during the bill’s final Assembly floor vote in August. “The reality is that … people think that remote work will improve their mental health. But it substantially increases isolation and worsens mental health.” Courtesy of Cal Matters
	Editor Rose Friedman, who helped shape NPR's cultural coverage, dies at 38 Friedman was in her early 20s when she landed her first position as an editorial assistant at NPR. She became an editor and reporter, and a co-creator of the annual Books We Love reading guide.
	Arminio misgendering of McBride upends Republican ticket unity Why Should Delaware Care?Joe Arminio and Sarah McBride are the candidates that will be running for Delaware’s only seat in the U.S. House in November. Arminio’s misgendering of McBride, a prominent transgender lawmaker, has sparked new Republican Party divisions as it aims to become more competitive in statewide races. Just days after the primary election, the state Republican Party is in revolt over its two most prominent candidates following one’s dismissal from a forum after repeatedly misgendering U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride. During a candidate forum held Thursday by the Siegel Jewish Community Center in Wilmington, U.S. House candidate Joe Arminio twice misgendered the incumbent Democratic congresswoman, who is the first openly transgender member of Congress. He was subsequently forced to leave the forum by organizers, and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mr. Mike Katz, who was on stage at the time apologized for Arminio’s conduct, saying he didn’t condone it. In a statement late that evening, Katz called on Arminio to drop out of his race. “We can disagree strongly about policy, politics, and the direction of our country. We can debate those differences vigorously. That is part of our democracy,” he said.”But disagreement is not an excuse for disrespect. When someone seeking public office is given an opportunity to correct his conduct, acknowledges his mistake, receives an explicit warning, and then repeats that conduct, it raises serious concerns about the standards we should expect from those who seek to represent us.” The state Republican Party, which had hoped that a reformation of leadership, policy platforms and fundraising efforts could resuscitate the party’s chances in the midterm elections after a decade of failures, will now have to contend with a serious division at the top of the ticket. Arminio and the party, which endorsed the more moderate Katz overwhelmingly this spring but backed an opponent of Arminio’s, has yet to comment on the episode. Arminio and GOP Party Chair Gene Truono did not respond to requests for comment Friday from Spotlight Delaware. What happened at the forum? In a recorded video livestream, Arminio is heard using the terms “his” and “he” to refer to McBride and was corrected by the audience, who loudly booed. Arminio responded, asking the crowd to show respect to him as the speaker, but then shortly afterward referred to McBride as a man again, and then thanked the crowd for the correction. After Arminio finished his speech, moderator Ken Grant stepped up to the microphone and said,“ This is your final warning. If you fail to show respect to anyone else on this stage, you’ll be asked to leave.” During the answer to Arminio’s next question, he was able to acknowledge his error and said: “It’s not the first error I’ve made in this campaign or at any point in my future life.” But a few minutes later, as Arminio was discussing private healthcare debt, he pointed at U.S. Sen. Chris Coons and McBride, referring to them as “gentlemen.” “Gentlemen like the two here on this up here with me on the Democratic Party …,” he said. The crowd began interrupting and yelling at Arminio. The moderator can also be heard speaking over Arminio, saying to cut his mic and that he had been warned. Despite all the boos and commotion from the crowd, McBride intervened to allow Arminio to still have a chance to speak despite the slights. “Listen, I don’t want this gentleman to not be able to have the ability…” McBride said, before Katz stepped in to repeatedly call for Arminio’s removal. After being kicked out of the panel, the conversations between the candidates continued, with McBride explaining that she has been focused on Washington and not engaging in “petty stupid things, and who doesn’t engage in petty personal insults. But this was not the first time that Arminio, who was an underdog candidate in the primary race and largely made his campaign about economic issues, has insulted McBride. Less than a week earlier, during a candidate forum on the popular “Rich Jensen” radio show on WDEL, the host had to correct Arminio’s misgendering there too. Jensen told Arminio that the policy of his program is to refer to McBride as “she” and to continue doing so. Mike Katz was able to rally Republican support around his campaign in the general election, but new splits with voters over LGBTQ+ issues are emerging that could hurt his candidacy. \| PHOTO COURTESY OF KATZ CAMPAIGN Recoil against Katz By calling for his colleague’s departure from the party ticket, Katz has perhaps earned a modicum of respect from centrist Democrats and independents, but he has also angered many conservatives. The comment section of his statement on Facebook was flooded by commenters who expressed disappointment in the Senate candidate and said he has lost their vote. It exposed the new face of the Republican Party to the new level of fractiousness of the modern GOP in Delaware. John Shulli, the retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel who ran against Katz in the Senate primary this week and had lambasted Katz’s former affiliation with the state Democratic and Independent parties before recently becoming a Republican, jumped on the criticisms, calling his former opponent “the Benedict Arnold of Republicans” in a Friday video. “Katz is a Democrat, and a coward, and a traitor to the Republican Party of Delaware. He should either withdraw from the race or change his affiliation to Delaware,” he said. What impact the division over LGBTQ+ issues may have on Katz’s electoral chances remains to be seen, but he already faced a Herculean challenge. Coons held nearly $4.8 million in campaign cash as of Aug. 26, while Katz had less than $100,000, according to federal campaign finance records. The senior Democratic senator just captured 78% of the primary election vote in a year when Congressional incumbents are frequently being challenged by progressive challengers. He has never captured less than 55% of the vote in a Senate election and Republicans’ best finish yet against him was 42% of the vote. Those issues only come atop the fact that Democrats have a roughly 130,000-voter advantage over Republicans as of Sept. 1. The post Arminio misgendering of McBride upends Republican ticket unity appeared first on Spotlight Delaware. Courtesy of Spotlight Delaware
	Iowa vs Northern Iowa - Chance for showers and storms Saturday in Iowa City It's another big game in Iowa city as the Iowa Hawkeyes host Northern Iowa on Saturday (September 19th.) And it's another day with the chance for showers and storms in Eastern Iowa. The chance is highest in the morning, but still stands around 40% during the game. In between showers, the high will reach the [...]
	Judy's Family Cafe opens new location in Aledo, Illinois After becoming a social media star, Judy Wang has been looking to expand her restaurant to cities other than Galesburg. Judy's Family Cafe opened on Friday in Aledo, at 1600 SE 3rd St. "We are super excited to be part of this community," said Wang. "Our goal is very simple: Make great food and good [...]
	Trailblazers in school desegregation will give free presentation in Muscatine Carlotta Walls LaNier of the Little Rock Nine and Dr. Leona Tate of the New Orleans Four are coming to Iowa for three evenings of conversations in October. Six-year-old Ruby Bridges is the most well-known child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South. On Nov. 14, 1960, she integrated William Frantz Elementary in [...]
	Riverside Park in Muscatine to have restricted parking during cruise ship stop The city of Muscatine will temporarily close a boat launch and parking lot from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
	Care Animal Center, Davenport, to hold food drive to help QCA shelters, rescues Care Animal Center, 1502 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, will hold a Furry Friends Food Drive from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, a news release says. The 13th annual food drive will help support Quad Cities shelters and rescue groups. "Our shelters are at full capacity and are desperately seeking help from our community members [...]
	Moss Landing battery storage fire flares up again, raising new safety fears in California The burned remains of the Moss Landing Power Plant battery energy storage facility caught fire again Friday morning, prompting Monterey County officials to issue a shelter in place order — less than two years after it became one of the largest battery storage facility fires in history. Workers for Vistra, the plant’s Texas-based operator, noticed a flare-up early Friday morning against the wall of a building that burned in the initial January 2025 fire. The cause: roughly 1,500 inaccessible battery modules, still charged, spontaneously ignited, said Chief Jess Cortez with the North County Fire Protection District. “They’re in the smoldering stage right now,” Cortez said at a briefing Friday afternoon, adding that at that point there was no active fire. “The incident is very dynamic. There could be possible flare-ups.” The fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant in Moss Landing on Sept. 18, 2026. Photo via Cal Fire Local authorities lifted the order to shelter in place later Friday afternoon. Still, the flare-up reignites fears about battery storage facilities — even as California comes to increasingly rely on them. The state now has “the nation’s largest battery energy storage fleet,” the California Energy Commission announced in August. “If we had only known the worst-case scenarios of how not to build batteries, we wouldn’t have built Moss Landing,” said Dustin Mulvaney, a professor at San Jose State University in the school of planning, policy and environmental studies. “Because it keeps coming back to haunt us.” The incident also sharpens the tension between Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to shortcut permitting for energy and other projects, and the communities hosting these facilities. Fire, rekindled In January 2025, residents watched large plumes of smoke and ash spewing from Vistra’s 300-megawatt battery energy storage facility at the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County. It was the facility’s fourth safety incident, the third on the Vistra property, since 2019, according to a letter Assemblymember Dawn Addis, a San Luis Obispo Democrat, sent state regulators last year. The fire continued for days before crews could control it, then rekindled briefly a month later. Newsom called for a state investigation. The California Public Utilities Commission began with a site visit that month. Nearly two years later, that investigation is ongoing, with a root cause analysis underway in coordination with Vistra and an independent consultant, said Terrie Prosper, a spokesperson with the Public Utilities Commission. Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church expressed frustration about the delay. “Why it takes a year and a half to come up with an answer when everything is just about near the end of being cleaned up, I don’t know,” he said. Before the state approves any more of these facilities, he said, “It’s a good idea to know what’s causing these fires.” Safety rules, too late Unlike facilities built more recently, the Moss Landing site was built in an enclosed, aging building with older battery technologies crammed closely together — allowing fires to spread quickly, Mulvaney said. Denise Grab, the Clean Energy Law & Leadership project director for the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, agreed: The site is “one of the earlier battery storage facilities in the state and in the country, even. And the design is not up to par with current safety designs.” Battery plants still carry less overfall harm than fossil fuel plants, Grab added. “There are risks from other types of energy generation as well, particularly fossil fuel,” Grab said. “Asthma, premature death, heart attacks, lung disease from fossil fuel plants is significant, and (battery plants pose) a different kind of risk.” California passed a series of safety laws both before and after the January 2025 fire, including several laws from State Sen. John Laird, a Santa Cruz Democrat, aimed at better planning for — and preventing — fires. A 2022 law by then-Sen. Ben Hueso required the California Public Utilities Commission to set new standards for battery storage facilities and boost oversight of their emergency plans. But the commission didn’t bring its proposal for implementing Hueso’s law to a vote until after last year’s Vistra fire. “We should have never built Moss Landing the way we did,” Mulvaney said. “We were too late with coming up with the standards and certifications, which make batteries much safer today.” Environmental health controversy Vistra says that the cause of last year’s fire is still unknown. The energy company commissioned a study finding that chemical concentrations in nearby soil or water posed no risk to humans or the environment. “As a result, no further human health or ecological risk evaluation related to the (Moss Landing fire) event is warranted,” the report read. But scientists’ findings and resident accounts suggest otherwise. As the fire blazed for days in January 2025, residents reported wheezing, coughing, headaches and eye irritation. Researchers presented additional findings at a symposium last month, including evidence from one UC Santa Cruz researcher of elevated exposure to battery-related materials in hair samples. Scientists with the San Jose State University’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratories have found high levels of nickel, manganese, and cobalt in soil around the facility. Ivano Aiello, the scientist who led the study, said Vistra’s recent report examined potential contaminants months after the fire was contained. The long-term health impacts of potential exposure remain unclear, and researchers continue studying the incident. Richard Stedman, an Air Pollution Control Officer with the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, said regulators placed four monitors at the fence line around the Vistra facility, and two more nearby: None detected unhealthy levels of particulate matter as of Friday’s briefing. Brian Roeder, founder of the community group Never Again Moss Landing, said the public’s trust in regulators and politicians who are meant to protect them continues to erode. “We’ve had 20 months to prepare for this,” he said. “Here we are again, right back where we were before, knowing this could happen.” Courtesy of Cal Matters
	Where do Alaska’s four governor candidates stand on data centers? Former Attorney General Treg Taylor, at right, speaks at a Sept. 9. 2026, forum held by the Last Frontier Republican Club at the Petroleum Club of Anchorage. Next to him, from left, are two of the other three gubernatorial candidates: former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, and former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)On the day that his campaign announced it had accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from employees of a California-based artificial intelligence company, Democratic governor candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins said that if elected, he will seek to temporarily ban new computing data centers in Alaska. As Americans grow frustrated with artificial intelligence software and concerned about the side effects of data centers, they have become a major issue in this year’s midterm elections. Alaska’s gubernatorial race is no exception, particularly since the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority announced plans for a development that could include data centers in Southcentral Alaska. All four candidates — Republicans Dave Bronson, Treg Taylor and Bernadette Wilson and the Democratic Kreiss-Tomkins — have staked out different policy positions before Alaskans vote this fall. Data centers need reliable connections to the internet, cheap electricity and a cooling method. Currently, the North Slope is the most promising location for all three. One $500 million proposal on the North Slope intends to burn local natural gas for power and use the natural cold air of the Arctic. Another shipping-container-sized plan involves a gas-powered data center processing Bitcoin. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. Current Gov. Mike Dunleavy has backed data centers, saying they could be an economic driver — they would create construction jobs and demand for infrastructure that would enable further development. Dunleavy is term-limited and cannot run again this year. Four candidates remain in the race to replace him. “I’m a big believer in data centers. I know that might be unpopular with some folks here,” said Bronson at a candidate forum hosted by Commonwealth North in Anchorage on Thursday. A former Anchorage Mayor, retired Air Force pilot and former director of the state’s largest airport, Bronson said he sees economic opportunity if data centers are built in Alaska, and he would like to encourage them. “The logistics (are) minimal, and there’s a lot of money in data centers, but you’ve got to deal with the noise. You’ve got to deal with the cooling, and you’ve got to deal — certainly — with the electricity. And the groups that I’m talking to, they said we’re not going to take your electricity because it’s not reliable. … We will produce our own, and we will move, and we will build our own data centers. That’s good for us. That’s a very strong revenue source,” Bronson said. At a Sept. 8 forum in Anchorage, Taylor — the state’s former attorney general — offered a similar perspective. “I think we need to embrace it,” he said of data centers. “We have all the makings of a great place for a data center to thrive and produce good-paying jobs for Alaskans,” Taylor said. He added that electricity costs are his biggest concern. Any data center must “bring their own energy,” he said, and if a data center then sells excess power it generates, it could be a benefit to Alaskans if it is cheaper than other power available nearby. “It doesn’t have to drive up costs if you do it correctly. It can produce a net savings to the ratepayers in Alaska,” he said. Bronson and Taylor each said they see data centers as the future and fear that Alaska will miss out if it doesn’t embrace them. “It’s a service everybody’s using and everybody has to adapt to and use, or you’re going to get left behind,” Taylor said. Kreiss-Tomkins is advocating a temporary pause on data center development in the state. “I support a moratorium on data center development in Alaska until the Legislature can pass a comprehensive regulatory framework for that development in Alaska,” he said during a Sept. 8 forum in Anchorage. Any limits on development would be decided by negotiations between himself and the Legislature, he said. While Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign has received large donations from people employed by the AI company Anthropic, those employees have tended to recommend restrictions on AI development as well. This year, the Alaska Senate voted 14-5 to pass a data center bill, but the House failed to take it up before the end of the legislative session. That bill would have regulated how data centers can use electricity from public utilities and would have required them to create decommissioning plans. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, will return to the Legislature next year, and the coalition majority that passed the bill is also likely to return, meaning that the next governor will likely be confronted with similar legislation. Kreiss-Tomkins has also endorsed legislation that would ban AI-generated fake images intended to mislead the public and a bill that would require political advertisers to disclose AI-generated content. Wilson, asked about her position by text message, criticized Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign for accepting large contributions from AI company employees. “Unlike Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins — better known as Chat JKT — our campaign is not funded with hundreds of thousands of dollars from California AI companies hoping to own our governor and exploit our state,” she said before explaining her position. “Our administration will make independent decisions that are in the best interest of Alaska, not big donors from the Lower 48. I will never allow Alaska to be littered with hyperscale data centers that take our resources and spoil our lands. Our natural beauty, environment and quality of life matter to every person who calls Alaska home and my job is to represent them, not big tech liberals.” SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Alaska Beacon
	Veterans will leave on 67th Honor Flight Dozens of Quad Cities-area veterans are headed to Washington, D.C., on the Hy-Vee sponsored 67th flight of the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities, a news release says. On the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 22, about 80 veterans will take a chartered flight from the Quad Cities International Airport to the nation’s capital. They will [...]
	State Police remind drivers, farmers to practice road safety during fall harvest As farmers continue harvesting their crops this fall, Illinois State Police remind you to stay alert and safe on the road.
	Two Davenport men enter pleas in connection with shooting that wounded bystander Two men involved in a July 2025 shooting incident in Davenport, during which a bystander was wounded, have tendered pleas in the case.
	FULL REMARKS: Vice President JD Vance speaks in Council Bluffs The vice president spoke in Council Bluffs on Friday, Sept. 18, campaigning for gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn ahead of the midterms.
	Concussion treatment is changing as football season gets underway Doctors emphasize concussion awareness as football season begins, highlighting misconceptions about CTE and changing treatment approaches to aid recovery.
	Geneseo 10-year-old throws out first pitch at Wrigley Field Cubs superfan Callen Moe not only loves watching baseball, he's also a gold-medal-earning adaptive athlete who competes in softball, track, tennis and sled hockey.
	Woman arrested after stolen trailer recovered A woman has been arrested after a trailer reported as stolen was recovered.
	Annual ‘Our Big Fat Greek Festival’ returns to Rock Island church The festival continues until 10 p.m. Friday and runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
	Doctors discuss proper concussion treatment in sports Treatment of concussions is changing over time. Doctors no longer encourage concussion patients to sit in a dark room while they recover.
	Highlight Zone: Week 5 Week 5 of Highlight Zone
	Getting to Know the Man Behind Knight's Pizza: Caden Knight Chief Meteorologist Andy McCray talks with familiar faces around the Quad Cities in the Getting to Know Podcast. Learn more about important people around our area and have a good time doing it. Each week will feature a new guest from restaurant owners, to area leaders, to Our Quad Cities News Staff. In this episode [...]
	Davenport 2nd Ward alderman submits resignation Davenport 2nd Ward Ald. Tim Dunn submitted a one-line resignation letter Friday, Sept. 18.
	Prosecution seeks contempt of court charge against Jamison Fisher Jamison Fisher is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in Trudy Appleby's 1996 disappearance.
	Geneseo 10-year-old throws first pitch at Chicago Cubs game Callen Moe of Geneseo threw out the first pitch at the Chicago Cubs game on Sunday. The Cubs superfan also competes in four sports, all from his wheelchair!
	Judy's Family Cafe opens in Aledo The cafe, which began in Galesburg, has become a social media sensation.
	Hancock County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Cato dies after training accident Cato “sustained a fatal neck injury after striking a glass door.”
	Greater Muscatine Chamber will present Pearl City Vintage Market The Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry will present the sixth annual Pearl City Vintage Market along Muscatine’s Riverfront from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. The market will feature vendors with a variety of handmade, vintage, repurposed, and curated goods. The free event will feature live music from, a fall-inspired bar, kids craft [...]
	Alaska's salmon-feasting bears face off in biggest Fat Bear Week ever This year's single-elimination tournament will see 16 competitors face off, compared to 12 in past years. Officials report more cubs in Katmai National Park than they've seen in recent memory.
	4 Your Money \| Paid To Wait The Federal Reserve raised interest rates this week, marking its first rate hike in more than three years and signaling a shift in monetary policy. James Nelson, Financial Planner at NelsonCorp Wealth Management, joins us to discuss what that means for everyday investors and if they should be moving money into cash right now.
	Death Notice: Patricia Hansen A funeral service for Patricia Hansen, 89, of Eldridge, will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Cornerstone Church, Eldridge. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service on Tuesday at the church. Private family inurnment will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge, is assisting the family with arrangements. Mrs. Hansen died Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Grand Haven Retirement Community, Eldridge. Memorials may be made to Cornerstone Church or Empowering Abilities (HDC). Online condolences may be made at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. A full obituary will appear in the Sept. 23 edition of The NSP.
	Trump says he is banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House The president chalked the ban up to what he called unfavorable coverage, and he threatened that bans on other media companies could be coming.
	Davenport 2nd Ward Alderman Tim Dunn resigning The resignation is effective immediately, according to city officials.
	Defamation lawsuit investigation underway for claims against Whiteside County Animal Control director A defamation lawsuit investigation is underway for claims made about the Whiteside County Animal Control Director James Garcia.
	Illinois’ 13 Division I Athletic Directors support Protect College Sports Act in letter to U.S. Senators In support of the Protect College Sports Act, Illinois’ 13 NCAA Division I Athletic Directors have sent a letter to the U.S. Senators from Illinois.
	Utah Fits All school voucher program’s review is up: Here’s how $94.7 million were spent Students work in a math class at Wasatch Junior High School in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)When John Arthur, a Democratic representative from Holladay, read a recent report on how the Utah Fits All funds were spent last school year, he let out a big sigh. Utah’s school choice program is one of the issues that has deeply split the state Legislature. And for him, it’s an issue that’s very close to home. A report that Odyssey, the program manager for Utah Fits All, filed to the Legislature this month discloses how $94.7 million the state allocated for the program was spent during the 2025-2026 school year. After lawmakers approved tweaks to further limit the expenses families could cover with the scholarship dollars, the report looks different than last year, when items like ski passes and chaperone expenses for field trips were allowed. Arthur, also an elementary school teacher, acknowledged the program has become more restricted. Still, he says the purchases are extravagant, especially when he pays for some supplies for his classroom out of his paycheck. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. “On a personal note, it kills me as I go through this report and I look at the things that the money was spent on and and then I look at my own personal budget and look at the money that I spend on Kleenex boxes and food and other supplies that I bring into my classroom for my students,” Arthur said, “while this money is just going straight from the legislature either into private schools and religious schools or into the homes of the people who are receiving it.” According to the report, 14,522 students used the program. About $57 million was spent on tuition and fees in private schools and about $27 million on educational goods, like software and applications, supplies, electronics and textbooks, among others. Utah Fits All voucher program will continue until Utah Supreme Court rules on its constitutionality Some of the largest specific expenses for goods were for art supplies (about $1.9 million), learning manipulatives ($2.5 million), STEM kits ($2.3 million), curriculum textbooks ($2.2 million), laptops ($2.3 million), tablets ($1.3 million) and 3D printers ($1.1 million). For Arthur, the electronics purchases are one of the things that make him most concerned about the program, especially since the Legislature has started efforts to keep children off screens, including a default ban on cellphones during the school day. Also, he said, because other students in the state don’t have the same opportunities. “There’s $468,000 listed here for headphones. I had to do a donation drive to get headphones that had microphones into my classroom, so that my multilingual learners who have to take the WIDA test (an English language proficiency assessment program) every February can practice with headphones that have microphones. I had to ask for charity. I had to ask friends to donate to that fund,” he said. “Meanwhile, you’ve got the Utah Fits All voucher program using tax dollars to buy people headphones that they just get to keep.” However, program proponents like Utah House Majority Whip Candice Pierucci, a Republican from Herriman, see the report under a much more positive light, especially since the Legislature made substantial changes to ensure expenses “have a clear nexus and tie to education.” With reduced scholarship for homeschool students, Utah Fits All update poised to become law “There is no other education program in our state that we audit annually and have it meet such rigid financial requirements. So, in this program we are certainly being mindful of taxpayer dollars, and we also recognize that not every child is going to fit into one system,” Pierucci said. “We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. We believe in empowering parents to make decisions that are best for their kids.” Last year, lawmakers reduced the annual scholarship amount for homeschool learners, from $8,000 to $4,000 for students 5 to 11 years old. Students 12 to 18 years old could get $6,000, while private school students are still eligible for $8,000 a year to help cover their tuition or other expenses. That led to a change in the proportion of students who use the vouchers for homeschool education. About 80% of recipients last year were homeschooled. This year, that number went down to almost 48%, while the remaining 52% of students went to private schools. There was also a 20% cap for extracurriculars and physical education, and the clear exclusion of ski passes, furniture, musical instruments, apparel and other items from the allowable expenses. Amid the fracturing debate in the Legislature, Pierucci finds the notion of the Utah Fits All program taking away from public schools disingenuous, she said. “Over the past five years, the state legislature, we in the majority caucus, have increased state funding for public education by 1.8 billion, which is a 44.2% increase. So we have increased education funding, despite the fact that enrollment is declining as fertility rates start falling,” she said. She also contested a major argument program detractors make: that not all Utah children have access to it. She said that any family in the state can apply for the scholarship, and that regular school districts offer similar programs, like speech therapy, art or gym classes. “I’m not seeing the disconnect here on kids in this program getting something different than kids whose families are choosing to go to a district or charter school,” she said. Let us know what you think... That question is expected to be answered in court, when the Utah Supreme Court makes a decision on the program’s constitutionality. A 3rd District judge declared last spring Utah Fits All was unconstitutional, saying it was a “program within the public education system that is not free and is not ‘open to all the children of Utah,’” and diverts constitutionally appropriated funds from already underfunded public schools. The program was allowed to continue as Republican state leaders appeal that decision and wait for a final say from Utah’s highest court. Utah’s largest teacher union, which filed the lawsuit against the program, didn’t comment on the report’s content. But, leaders said they hope to prevail in court. “Public money belongs in public schools. Last year, Utah’s Third District Court ruled the state’s voucher program unconstitutional and we will continue defending that ruling,” UEA President Renée Pinkney said in a statement. “Our tax dollars should support public schools, where more than 90% of Utah students attend.” Apart from tuition and goods, over $10.6 million of the scholarships were used for services, including after-school or summer programs, educational therapies and tutoring services. Under Odyssey, the cost of administering the program for the 2025-2026 year was $4.8 million, about half of the $9 million the Utah State Board of Education awarded last year to ACE Scholarships, the past Utah Fits All program manager, before terminating the company’s contract “for convenience” after just one year. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Courtesy of Utah News Dispatch
	Football head injuries may cause low testosterone years later During NFL season, millions of viewers tune in to watch the monster tackles. Most know those hits can cause brain damage known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Less well known is that big, brain-bruising concussions (and smaller, repeated cranial collisions) can also damage the pituitary, a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain that regulates hormones including testosterone.In some men, pituitary damage can contribute to fatigue, mood changes, sexual problems, and other symptoms long after the injury itself appears to have healed.In a 2019 survey of nearly 3,500 former NFL players in JAMA Neurology, 18.3% had been prescribed medication for low testosterone, and 22.7% reported the same for erectile dysfunction, a common symptom of testosterone deficiency. Players who had the most concussion symptoms during their career had more than twice the odds of reporting low testosterone as those with the fewest symptoms.Hone Health examined how head injuries from contact sports like football can cause men to have decreased levels of testosterone years later. Hone Health The concern extends beyond professional football. About a million American teens play high school football each year, and hormone problems related to head trauma may not become apparent until years later. Researchers don’t yet know how often football-related concussions or repeated smaller hits cause lasting pituitary problems, but endocrinologist Dr. Steven Wise believes that “probably 20%” of men he sees in his practice, especially men in their 30s and 40s with low hormone levels, had some kind of injury to the pituitary or the hypothalamus during high school or even earlier.By the time they come in, Wise says, low testosterone symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, low libido, and mood changes may be mistaken for ordinary aging rather than traced back to the old head injury.How a Hit to the Head Can Lower TestosteroneTestosterone production starts in the brain. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland, which releases luteinizing hormone (LH), which in turn tells the testes to produce testosterone. Damage anywhere along that signaling pathway can cause testosterone levels to fall.The pituitary gland is especially vulnerable to sports-related head injuries because of its position at the base of the brain. “When you look at the pituitary gland, you’ve got a gooey little gland sitting on a thin stalk with a fragile blood supply down in a bony hole with sharp edges,” said Wise. “When the skull stops moving, the brain keeps moving forward until it can’t anymore. The thin stalk attached to the pituitary gland can stretch as the brain lurches forward. That can damage the stalk, the pituitary gland, or both.”Head trauma can also disrupt blood flow and trigger inflammation that reduces the pituitary’s ability to secrete hormones, adds neuroendocrinologist Dr. Maria Fleseriu. The resulting hormonal disruptions, she says, can mirror the symptoms of concussion recovery."After a concussion, people may still have fatigue and trouble concentrating. They can't sleep. They have mood changes and low energy," Fleseriu said. "All of these symptoms could have come from a hormonal deficiency, so which is the cause — that or the concussion?” Hone Health How Often Do Head Injuries Lead to Low Testosterone?Researchers can’t give an exact risk for football players or for someone who has experienced a routine sports concussion. However, studies on traumatic brain injury (TBI) suggest that roughly 28% to 32% of people with head trauma develop some form of pituitary dysfunction. More severe injuries generally carry greater risk: One meta-analysis found hormone disruption in more than 35% of severe TBI cases, compared with around 11% of moderate cases and 17% of mild cases.“Not every concussion is going to cause hormonal problems, especially mild ones,” Fleseriu said. “But if it’s a significant one, we should check.”Wise believes that smaller, repeated head injuries may have a similar effect. “If you pull kickboxers, football players, people with repeated trauma to their head in a random sampling, you will find subtle changes in pituitary function,” he said. “The more injuries you get on top of other injuries, the more trouble you have.”Although some of the damage may resolve on its own, often within a year, that can be a long hormone disruption for teens going through puberty. If a young athlete takes a significant hit and puberty or growth seem to stall, Fleseriu recommends an evaluation with an endocrinologist around six months postinjury.What to Do If You Have a Head Injury HistoryHormone disruptions from head injury can take years to surface — and don't always follow a predictable pattern. "Some people take a couple of years to develop problems,” Wise said. “Others develop problems right away and then heal over a few years."If you played a contact sport and are now experiencing fatigue, low motivation, brain fog, mood changes, or weight gain, Wise recommends telling your doctor about any head injury history. These symptoms have many possible causes, but an old injury may be a relevant part of the picture.“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen who were tired or who lost their motivation or who were moody, irritable, fatigued, have brain fog or weight gain, and doctors were dismissive, saying, ‘Yeah, welcome to being 50,’” he said.Blood tests can’t prove that an injury from years ago caused low testosterone, but they can show whether pituitary signaling is impaired. A hormone test looks at markers like free testosterone, total testosterone, and LH.If testing suggests low testosterone or a hormone imbalance, a physician will determine whether treatment with testosterone replacement therapy is appropriate. "You can give people a low dose of the hormone you think they're missing, as long as you're keeping them in the normal range, and see if they get better," Wise said.This story was produced by Hone Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Judge rules EPA illegally ended $7B solar program for low-income Americans The Trump administration illegally terminated a $7 billion Solar for All program intended to make solar power accessible to more than 900,000 lower-income Americans, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled Friday. The Environmental Protection Agency rescinded the Solar for All funds in August 2025 after President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending law passed in Congress a month earlier, with Administrator Lee Zeldin calling the Biden-era grant program a “boondoggle.” District Judge Mary McElroy wrote in the ruling that Congress clearly intended the EPA to continue administering the Solar for All grants that were already obligated. The EPA acted contrary to this intent and without any other statutory authority when it terminated the program, McElroy wrote. She vacated the termination. The EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. The lawsuit filed in Rhode Island by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO labor organization and others — including the public interest law center Rhode Island Center for Justice and the nonprofit Solar United Neighbors — highlighted the importance of the program for local workforces and lower-income communities seeking access to clean-energy project funding. Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, called the decision “a big victory” for states across the country. “If and when the program does get up and running, there will be thousands and thousands of union jobs created across the United States,” he said Friday. “We were proud to be the lead plaintiff.” Clean, affordable power like solar shouldn’t be a luxury, said Alex St. Pierre, vice president for environmental justice at Conservation Law Foundation, one of the nonprofit legal advocacy groups representing the plaintiffs. “Communities have waited long enough,” St. Pierre said in a statement. “Nearly every family is looking for ways to cut their energy bill. These dollars should go where Congress intended: toward lower energy bills, less climate pollution, good jobs and cleaner air.” In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal. The Trump administration has targeted a host of programs and policies dedicated to clean energy. The $7 billion Solar for All program was part of the $27 billion “green bank,” formally known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. It was established in the Democratic-backed climate law passed in 2022 under former President Joe Biden. The attorneys general of more than a dozen states also sued over the canceled solar program funding. A federal judge in Washington dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction in June. The plaintiffs have appealed. The other $20 billion, also canceled by the Trump administration, was slated for eight community development banks and nonprofit organizations for tens of thousands of projects to combat the effects of climate change, such as residential energy efficiency projects to larger-scale investments such as community cooling. A divided federal appeals court said last month that the Trump administration improperly terminated the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, handing a win to a coalition of nonprofits picked to run the effort. Courtesy of CT Mirror
	When Trump and Xi meet they will discuss AI. 'Track Two' talks are already buzzing An informal network of dialogues at think tanks and universities is bringing together experts from the U.S. and China to talk about the shared perils of AI — and possible paths forward.
	Syrian regime planned American journalist's kidnapping for weeks New reporting finds the abduction of journalist Austin Tice was planned by the Syrian government for weeks.
	Davenport second ward alderman resigns Davenport’s Second Ward Alderman Tim Dunn resigned on Thursday.
	Pedestrian killed after being hit by a train Thursday night in Davenport First responders were called to the intersection of West 5th and Warren Streets just after 8 p.m. on Thursday.
	Tim Dunn resigns at Davenport 2nd ward alderman Davenport Alderman Tim Dunn, representing the city’s second ward, submitted his resignation to Mayor Jason Gordon, effective immediately, according to a news release from the city. Dunn’s resignation letter read: “Mayor Gordman, Please accept this as my formal letter of resignation from my position as 2nd Ward Alderman effective September 17, 2026.” More information on [...]
	Davenport 2nd Ward Alderman Tim Dunn resigns Davenport's 2nd Ward Alderman Tim Dunn has abruptly resigned, the city announced Friday.
	Resurfacing project may reduce lanes on 130th avenue, Scott County Starting Monday, September 21, 130th Avenue in Scott County may be reduced to one lane of traffic between 210th Street and 240th Street for a Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) resurfacing project, according to a news release from the Scott County Road Department. Flaggers and a pilot car will maintain traffic. Drivers should be prepared to [...]
	Driver found dead after single-vehicle crash in Cascade A deputy came across the car shortly after 3 a.m. in the 2900 block of Goose Hill Road.
	Construction worker dead after incident at ContiTech facility in Mount Pleasant A construction worker died recently after an incident at the ContiTech facility in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
	Take simple steps to prevent falls (BPT) - Falls are a common cause of injury throughout life, but as you age, they become both more common and more serious. About 1 in 4 older adults reports falling each year, and falls are a leading cause of injuries for people 65 and over.The good news? Many falls can be prevented. From staying active to making your home safer, a few simple steps can reduce your risk.Stay active. Regular physical activity builds strength, balance, flexibility and mobility, which can reduce your risk of falling. Walking, gardening, dancing, swimming and strength training are just a few ways to keep moving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week for optimal health benefits, but every step counts!Talk with your healthcare provider. Some conditions increase your risk of falling. Ask about your personal risk factors and steps you can take to reduce them during your annual Medicare Wellness checkup.Review your medications. Some prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines can cause dizziness, drowsiness or other side effects. Talk to a provider or pharmacist about your falls risk and read the label on your medicine to learn about precautions and potential side effects.Stay hydrated. Drink fluids regularly throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty. Not drinking enough can cause dizziness, weakness and confusion, increasing your risk of falling. Women should aim for about nine cups per day and men about 13 cups, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Take care of your vision. Seeing clearly helps you avoid obstacles and navigate your surroundings safely. Nightlights and motion detector lights can help light the way indoors and out. Get your vision checked regularly and keep your prescriptions up to date.Make your home safer. Look for things that could cause you to trip or lose your balance. Keep walkways clear, improve lighting, secure or remove loose rugs, and install grab bars where you need extra support. A rubber tub mat, ideally with suction cups that create a firm seal against the floor, can help keep slippery feet on the ground.Find a local program. Falls prevention classes and programs can help improve strength, balance and mobility while teaching you practical tips to reduce your risk of falling.You don't have to do everything at once. Start with one or two steps that make sense for you and build from there.Visit the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration for Community Living, to help you find falls prevention programs and other services in your area or call 800-677-1116.
	New K-9 officer for Rock Island Police Department The Rock Island Police Department has a new K-9 officer. A post on the department’s Facebook page says the new K-9, Dex, is a one year old Belgian Malinois from Cedar Creek Kennels. Starting in October, Dex will be training with his new partner, Officer Andrew Eagle. A private donation and a partnership with the [...]
	Person hit and killed by train in Davenport A person was hit and killed by a train on Thursday in Davenport.
	Judy’s Family Cafe opens Aledo location Judy’s Family Cafe held a ribbon-cutting for their Aledo location on Friday.
	Turning 55 and leaving your job? What to know about the IRS rule of 55 Whether you planned for early retirement, need to stop working for health reasons, or are facing an unexpected layoff, leaving your job before traditional retirement age comes with countless complications. After all, the earliest you can claim Social Security is age 62, Medicare doesn't begin until age 65, and a 10% penalty will apply if you want to access your 401(k) before age 59 1/2.While you can't accelerate Social Security or Medicare eligibility, there is good news around retirement account withdrawals. An IRS provision known as the Rule of 55 allows for penalty-free distributions if you leave your job in or after the year you turn 55. However, it's not available in all situations, and it's easy to disqualify yourself without realizing it. To help you make informed decisions, here, The Retirement Group outlines what the rule says, how it works in practice, and common missteps to avoid.What is the Rule of 55 for 401(k) Withdrawals?Under IRS rules, until the age of 59 1/2, a 10% penalty will apply if you withdraw funds from certain retirement accounts, including a 401(k) and 403(b). However, there are several exceptions to these rules, including one that applies to a separation from service during or after the year in which an employee reaches age 55.Commonly called the Rule of 55, this exception removes the 10% penalty for early withdrawals, no matter why you leave your job. Retirement, resignation, layoff, and termination can all qualify, as long as you meet the rule's requirements.How Does the Rule of 55 Work?Before you rely on the Rule of 55, there are certain things you need to understand.Your Plan Must Allow ItTo take advantage of the Rule of 55, your employer-sponsored 401(k) must allow in-plan distributions that line up with the IRS exception. Some plans restrict withdrawals until 59 1/2, 62, or another plan-defined age. Others allow withdrawals only under certain conditions, such as requiring a single lump-sum distribution rather than partial withdrawals. Before you make any withdrawals, be sure to check with your plan administrator to confirm your plan's rules.It Only Applies to Your Current Employer's 401(k)The separation from service exception only applies to the plan associated with the employer you're separating from at age 55 or older. If you have a 401(k) from a previous employer, it won't qualify for penalty-free withdrawals before the age of 59 1/2.IRAs Don't QualifyThe Rule of 55 applies to 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and similar employer-sponsored plans. It doesn't extend to IRAs, including rollover IRAs. This is a key point to understand: If you move your 401(k) balance into an IRA after separation, you'll lose access to the exception.You Still Owe Income TaxWhile the Rule of 55 eliminates the 10% early withdrawal penalty, it doesn't make your distribution tax-free. That means you'll need to pay ordinary income tax on any withdrawals you take.Your Separation from Service ChecklistBefore you resign, accept a severance package, or make any decisions about your 401(k) when leaving a job, it helps to go through this list of common missteps:1. Leaving your job before 55 and trying to claim the exception later. To qualify for penalty-free withdrawals, your separation from service has to take place in or after the calendar year in which you turn 55. If you leave your job at a younger age, you can't simply wait until 55 to start taking withdrawals. What matters is when you separate, not when you start withdrawing.2. Rolling your 401(k) into an IRA and then trying to use the rule. When you separate from employment, a common option for your 401(k) is to roll the funds over into an IRA. Doing so, however, would disqualify you from using the Rule of 55. Before you make any rollover decisions, think through whether you'll need penalty-free access to your funds before age 59 1/2.3. Trying to use the rule with a previous employer's plan. If you have an old 401(k) from a previous job, you can't simply apply the separation from service exception when you turn 55. That's because the exception is tied to the plan of the employer you separate from at or after age 55.4. Assuming a new job cancels the exception. Taking another position after you separate doesn't automatically undo an earlier qualifying separation, but it also doesn't extend the exception to your new employer's plan. If you’re not sure how your specific situation will be affected by returning to work, consider consulting with a financial advisor in advance.5. Not accounting for other income in the same year. Severance pay, unused PTO payouts, and unemployment benefits are all taxable. If these amounts come into your income in the same calendar year as a Rule of 55 withdrawal, it could push you into a higher tax bracket. This isn’t a disqualifying mistake, but it’s a costly one to overlook.Confirm with your plan administrator that your specific plan allows for Rule of 55 withdrawals, and ask what form they can take (e.g., ongoing withdrawals, a lump sum, or something else).Make sure your separation from employment happens in or after the calendar year you turn 55.Don’t roll your 401(k) into an IRA before you determine if you’ll need penalty-free access to the money. Once it’s rolled over, the option is gone.Assess the opportunity cost associated with an early withdrawal. Any money you take out of a retirement account could set back your retirement goals.Keep records of your separation date and plan communications in case you need to document your eligibility later.Talk to a financial advisor or tax professional before you finalize anything, especially if you expect to receive severance, unused PTO, or other income in the same tax year.When Rule of 55 Withdrawals May Not Make SenseEven when you’re eligible, taking withdrawals under the Rule of 55 may not make sense for you. For instance, if a large withdrawal pushes you into a higher tax bracket, you may end up owing more taxes than you expect. That’s a particular concern if your plan requires you to withdraw your entire balance in one lump sum. Beyond increasing your tax burden, this type of lump-sum payout also means losing the benefit of continued tax-deferred growth.Similarly, if you have other resources to bridge an anticipated income gap after leaving your employer, consider using those first. Termination from employment is precisely the type of scenario an emergency fund is designed to cover. Withdrawing funds from an after-tax brokerage account is also an option as it won’t trigger penalties. Using these alternate sources of income will allow the money in your 401(k) to keep growing on a tax-deferred basis until you reach 59 1/2 or start a new job.Other Options for Penalty-Free WithdrawalsWhile the Rule of 55 gives you penalty-free access to your 401(k) if you qualify, other exceptions are also available. Depending on your situation, those options may include:Substantially equal periodic payments (SEPP), an IRS exception that allows penalty-free withdrawals from a 401(k) or IRA, even if you haven’t separated from service, provided you commit to a fixed payment schedule for a set number of years.Total and permanent disability, or terminal illness.Withdrawals used to cover certain unreimbursed medical expenses above a certain threshold of your income.Qualified disaster distributions in certain federally declared disaster situations.Qualified birth or adoption distributions, up to a statutory dollar limit.Not surprisingly, each of these exceptions has its own rules and qualifying criteria, so consider speaking to a financial advisor to understand which may work best for you.Frequently Asked Questions About the Rule of 55Does the Rule of 55 apply if I was laid off instead of retiring?Yes. The exception applies to any separation of service. What matters is the timing, not your reason for leaving.Can I use the Rule of 55 to withdraw from an old 401(k)?No. This exception only applies to the plan connected to the employer you separate from in or after the calendar year in which you turn 55. Accounts from earlier jobs don’t qualify, even after you turn 55.What happens if I roll my 401(k) into an IRA by mistake?Once the funds are in an IRA, the Rule of 55 no longer applies to that money. IRA withdrawals before 59 1/2 are subject to the standard 10% penalty unless you use a different exception, like SEPP. This is why it’s worth pausing before agreeing to any automatic rollover.Will I still owe taxes on the withdrawal?Yes. The Rule of 55 eliminates the 10% early withdrawal penalty, but the distribution is still subject to tax at your ordinary income tax rate in the year you receive it.Bottom LineThe Rule of 55 can be a useful option if you leave your job between the ages of 55 and 59 1/2 and need access to your retirement savings. However, it’s easy to accidentally disqualify yourself by separating too early, rolling your 401(k) into an IRA, or assuming your plan allows these withdrawals when it doesn’t.This story was produced by The Retirement Group and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
	Person killed after being struck by train in Davenport A person was pronounced dead on the scene after being struck by a train in Davenport late Thursday evening.
	Pedestrian struck by vehicle on Avenue of the Cities in Moline The Moline Police Department responded to a traffic crash involving a pedestrian Thursday evening.
	10 ways Gulf Coast and Florida households can prepare for late-season hurricanes (BPT) - Just because the Atlantic has been quiet doesn't mean that hurricane season, or the risk of losing power, is over. In fact, late-season storms have produced some of the region's most damaging hurricanes on record, and with them, some of the longest home power outages households have faced.Just two years ago, Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region in late September and became the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina. Nearly two weeks later, Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 hurricane, made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, and became the most intense hurricane of the 2024 season.Don't let a quiet fall catch you off guard. Use these 10 steps to help you prepare your household for the rest of hurricane season, power outages and beyond.1. Know your evacuation zone before you need itAre you in a hurricane evacuation zone? If you don't know, take a quick look at your county's zone map. If you're in an evacuation zone, plan where you'll need to go and how to get there should a hurricane land. A little preparation now can remove the guesswork later when every moment counts.2. Keep essentials running without a gas generatorGas generators require you to keep gas cans on hand, and if you run out during an evacuation or extended outage, it won't be easy, and sometimes impossible, to get more. Plus, gas generators are noisy, produce fumes and put you at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Home battery backup systems and portable power stations, on the other hand, are ideal power sources that run quietly, produce no fumes or carbon monoxide risk, and require no fuel or refueling.During an outage, two things matter most: keeping food safe and staying connected. A Jackery portable power station for a refrigerator can run for hours to days depending on capacity, protecting groceries and medication from spoiling while the grid is down. The same unit can keep a WiFi router and modem powered, too, so your household can keep receiving emergency alerts, checking storm updates and staying in touch with family even if cell service gets spotty.Home solar generators like Jackery's Explorer 5000 Plus and HomePower 3600 Plus simply need to be charged in advance, which can be done in a variety of ways, including through portable solar panels or a traditional wall outlet. Both models can also connect directly to home circuits via a Smart Transfer Switch for the former and a Manual Transfer Switch for the latter, providing essential home backup for essentials across multiple rooms: from the fridge and WiFi to lighting and other essential devices.3. Build a two-week pantry, not a two-day oneGrid power and road access can take time to restore after late-season storms, limiting your ability to purchase necessities. Take stock of your pantry now, make a list of items you're missing and store enough to last you for two weeks. Some supplies you should consider stocking include:Shelf-stable food itemsWaterPet foodDiapersBaby formula4. Protect the paperwork that's hardest to replaceInsurance policies, IDs and property documents are difficult to replace if lost or damaged. Store these documents in a waterproof folder and scan and store them in the cloud, so you can rest easy knowing you'll always have access to them.5. Download what you'll need offlineYour phone won't help you if you can't connect to a network. In case service drops, download important information that you'll need during an evacuation. This can include maps, contact numbers and local alerts.6. Fill the tank earlyOnce a storm is confirmed, people will be rushing to the pumps to fill up their tanks. Instead of waiting for the lines to get long, fill your gas tank early. Remember, a half tank two days out beats an empty one the night before.7. Charge your portable power station while it's calmA portable power station like the HomePower 1000 Plus V2 is incredibly useful if your household is under an evacuation order, but only if it's fully charged. Don't wait until a storm watch is issued to top it up. Instead, get into the habit of charging your home battery backup year-round, so you'll always be ready if a hurricane or anything that causes an unexpected home power outage is on the horizon.8. Bring the outdoors inPatio furniture, planters and other outdoor items can become dangerous projectiles in high wind conditions. If a hurricane is in the forecast, make sure to store large items like patio furniture and planters in the garage, and smaller items inside your home.9. Check in with neighborsDuring a storm, it's important to protect each other, including your neighbors. A quick text to someone nearby, especially anyone living alone, costs nothing and matters most in the first hours after a storm passes.10. Prepare once a season, not once a decadeReview this checklist each fall to stay prepared for late-season hurricanes and the home power outages that often follow. A five-minute refresher will help your household remember these important tips and can help you keep your home battery backup plan current as your household needs change.Late-season hurricanes can escalate quickly, but preparation now, with a reliable portable power station or solar generator on hand, can help your household respond to an outage with greater confidence. To learn more about hurricane preparedness and home battery backup systems, visit Jackery.com.
	Will even one of the U.N.'s 17 'sustainable development goals' be met by 2030? The 17 goals agreed upon by world leaders are incredibly ambitious. Are we even close to achieving any of them? If we don't, is the project a failure?
	Bicyclist airlifted with serious injuries after crash with car in Rock Island A bicyclist was airlifted after a crash with a car in Rock Island on Thursday.
	Man hospitalized after being struck by vehicle in Moline A man was taken to a local hospital after being struck by a vehicle in Moline on Wednesday night.
	The Heart of the Story: A range of mentoring Our Quad Cities News is partnering with award-winning journalist Gary Metivier for The Heart of the Story. Each week, Gary showcases inspiring stories of everyday people doing cool stuff, enjoying their hobbies, and living life to the fullest. Stories that feature the best of the human condition. Whether it's on the range or for a [...]

Saturday, September 19th, 2026

Friday, September 18th, 2026