Centene Corp. urged an Illinois federal judge Tuesday to grant it partial judgment in a proposed class action by patients alleging the company violated racketeering laws and cheated them out of billions with bogus policies, arguing the filed rate doctrine bars the refunds they seek for alleged overcharges.

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Multiple tow trucks grab cars on N. Milwaukee St. Photo by Jeramey Jannene. The City of Milwaukee’s new policy allowing officials to tow habitual parking violators without first catching them parked illegally is beginning to show measurable results. The policy, approved last summer and implemented after a November mass mailing, targets vehicle owners with five or more unpaid citations. A total of 28,874 warning letters were sent to habitual parking violators, giving recipients 60 days to pay or enter a payment plan before becoming eligible for immediate towing when spotted. After a six-week moratorium that began Nov. 1 to allow for outreach and technical coordination with the municipal court system, the first tow under the new rules occurred after the holiday break on Jan. 3, Parking Services Manager Peter Knox told the Public Safety & Health Committee on Jan. 29. “Our department’s hope all along is to get education out there. Towing is a last resort. We are focused on educating and making arrangements with payment plans,” Knox said. “That’s an ongoing goal, and I believe in that passionately.” Before towing began, 455 people paid off 1,872 citations. As of Jan. 29, a total of 986 people had come off the habitual violator list, including 531 in January alone. Together, they paid $218,902 to resolve 3,707 citations. Another 254 people have entered into payment plans covering 1,315 citations and $69,850 in debt. The plans allow violators to avoid future towing under the habitual violator policy by agreeing to monthly payments as low as $20. But enforcement has also begun. Between Jan. 3 and Jan. 29, the city towed 304 vehicles tied to habitual violators. Of those, 122 owners paid their citations, while 110 scheduled court dates to address the debt. The remaining vehicles stayed at the city tow lot. The average payment to resolve the citations at the tow lot has been $475, Knox said. Those opting to go through court are seeking to contest an average of $533 in citations. “Word of mouth does catch on really quick,” Knox said, suggesting early towing actions may be driving additional compliance. Under the new system, violators must pay the $150 towing fee, a $25-per-day storage fee and either pay or contest their citations to recover their vehicle. If they miss a court date or fail to follow through on payments, the vehicle can be towed again when located. While citations are tied to the vehicle owner, enforcement occurs through the license plate. Switching plates does not erase the debt, Knox noted, as the city can pursue income tax refund intercepts or send the debt to its collections agency. Knox acknowledged technical challenges integrating data between Parking Services and the Municipal Court, but said early trends are “encouraging.” “I really believe the effectiveness of this ordinance is using data to drive decision making,” he said. “Our goal is just find solutions… Time will tell how this all unfolds. There are a lot of good things that could come of this, and I think we just have to keep working at it.” Ald. Scott Spiker, who championed the change, said the early results show the policy is striking the intended balance. “Revenue isn’t the whole point, it isn’t the main point, but it is a strong win,” Spiker said. The broader financial context remains significant. Knox said approximately $42 million in parking citations remain uncollected, though only about $25 million is considered realistically collectible based on valid addresses associated with license plates. City leaders have repeatedly said the objective is compliance, not punishment. “There are always going to be people that have five or more [citations],” Knox said. “But what we’re really looking for is we want compliance.” Under the prior regime, in which the city could tow a habitual violator’s vehicle only if found parked illegally, about 4,000 tows occurred in 2024. Only 13% of those towed under the prior ordinance were repeat tows. Under the prior framework, an individual did not need to pay all of their citations or schedule a court date to claim their vehicle. The city tows many thousands more vehicles for other violations. Knox is expected to brief the Public Safety & Health Committee in future months.

First, it was ARN, extending Christian O’Connell’s Melbourne breakfast show into Sydney via GOLD, a clear signal that networking proven talent across markets was back on the table. Then Nova 96.9 confirmed what many in the market had anticipated, moving Ricki-Lee and Tim from Drive into Breakfast and formalising a reshuffle that had been building for months. With two major plays already executed in Sydney’s most commercially important timeslot, the question now is whether SCA could follow. That speculation isn’t new. When Luisa Dal Din and Jack Archdale stepped into Triple M’s national early Drive slot in May 2025, industry chatter quickly turned to their long-term trajectory. The duo, who built a strong following through their podcast We Mean Well and social content, were viewed by some as future breakfast contenders. Following Survey 5 last year, Mediaweek put that question directly to SCA’s Head of Broadcast Content – Audio, Matthew O’Reilly. At the time, he urged patience. “We need to give them more than two months – for their fairness and for ours as well. That said, I think the show sounds great. It provides a point of difference, and no doubt there’s a big future here for them. I just don’t think the time’s right now,” he said. He also pointed to tangible growth in the slot. Matthew O’Reilly “National figures are hard to move because they’re averaged across five markets, but they’ve gone from an 8.6 to a 10.4 in the 2-4pm slot,” O’Reilly said. Now, Lu & Jarch have addressed the Breakfast speculation themselves. Appearing on the Behind the Mic with Mike E podcast, hosted by Michael Etheridge, the pair were asked directly whether they would consider the shift. Archdale said: “It’s a tremendous compliment.” Dal Din added: “I mean, certainly, we wouldn’t say no to anything, but also I think people forget that our audience is nationwide.” When asked whether that would require a national breakfast format, Dal Din said: “I think if radio stations are listening, maybe start a national one.” Etheridge responded: “So we’d need to do a national breakfast?” Dal Din replied: “I think if radio stations are listening, maybe start a national one.” Etheridge said: “That would make sense.” Archdale added: “We’re really loving where we are and what we’re doing.” Dal Din concluded: “See what happens.” Lu & Jarch with Mike E. Source: Instagram External view: patience over promotion Not everyone in the industry expects an imminent move. Game Changers podcast co-host Craig Bruce said the duo’s current position may be strategically stronger than a jump into breakfast. “I don’t think Lu and Jarch will move into breakfast whilst they have their podcast. At the moment, they have the best of both worlds, and I just can’t imagine they’d be in a rush to do breakfast on either brand. “They’re young with plenty of time on their hands.” Bruce also suggested SCA is unlikely to make a near-term adjustment to its Sydney line-up. “Matt O’Reilly won’t rush the next 2Day move, if there is one, don’t expect to see any changes til the back end of the year, if at all.” A growing national profile Lu & Jarch were added to Triple M’s national afternoon line-up in May 2025, taking over the 2pm-4pm early Drive slot. Their appointment followed the growth of their podcast, We Mean Well, and strong engagement across social platforms. Following Survey 5 last year, SCA’s Head of Broadcast Content – Audio Matthew O’Reilly told Mediaweek the duo had delivered measurable gains. “National figures are hard to move because they’re averaged across five markets, but they’ve gone from an 8.6 to a 10.4 in the 2-4pm slot,” O’Reilly said. He also addressed speculation about breakfast at the time. “We need to give them more than two months – for their fairness and for ours as well. That said, I think the show sounds great. It provides a point of difference, and no doubt there’s a big future here for them. I just don’t think the time’s right now,” he said. Pressure points in Sydney 2DayFM’s Nath & Emma recorded a 2.9% share in the most recent survey. Across town, Triple M’s Beau, Cat and Woodsy delivered a 4% share. O’Reilly has previously urged patience on the Sydney rebuild. “I think it is very early, like I would say minimum 18 months before you can have a definitive read on how things are going. So yeah, very much consider it early days.” On 2DayFM’s refreshed music strategy, he added: “It’s the start of a rebuild.” With Nova elevating Ricki-Lee and Tim, and ARN expanding Christian O’Connell’s footprint into Sydney, the market structure has already shifted. For now, Triple M appears content to let the show build. But as Sydney breakfast restructures around reshuffles, networking and patience plays, the idea of a national breakfast product anchored by a growing, multi-platform duo no longer feels theoretical. The chairs are moving. And in Sydney breakfast radio, when one domino falls, the rest rarely stand still. Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox. The post Sydney breakfast shake-up: are Lu & Jarch the next play? appeared first on Mediaweek.

The Australian creator economy is now worth well over a billion dollars and continues to expand rapidly. At the forefront of this maturation is AiMCO and its Managing Director, Patrick Whitnall. Whitnall recently shared his time with Mediaweek for our CMO Spotlight, to discuss the vital work being done to safeguard child influencers, why the distinction between brand and performance is fading in creator marketing, and the very real threat of unethical AI. Protecting child influencers Mediaweek: What’s the piece of work from the past 12 months that best captures how your brand wants to show up right now? Patrick Whitnall: The initiative I am most proud of is the Child and Family Influencer work we launched last year. It originated from a very deliberate place. As a sector, we needed to proactively ask how we protect children when they feature in family social media accounts involving brand partnerships. While protections already exist across film, television, and photography, those safeguards become far less clear when the set is a family home. Rather than waiting for regulations to update or reacting to negative headlines, we brought our members together to think deeply about what responsibility actually looks like here. That process took around 18 months. It involved brands, agencies, talent managers, and creators working through some genuinely complex issues. Given the broader public conversation around kids and social media, it felt like the perfect time for the industry to take the lead. I am incredibly proud of the working group and the fact that we chose to step forward instead of sitting back. Alongside that initiative, our annual awards continue to capture what the best work in this space looks like. They serve as a highly useful barometer of how creator marketing is evolving and what world-class thinking looks like in practice. The end of brandless performance MW: Where is your marketing budget working hardest today? PW: As a not-for-profit industry body, our marketing budget remains quite limited. That naturally forces clarity. Instead of paid activity, we rely heavily on relevance, trust, PR, and word of mouth. Our growth comes entirely from members seeing genuine value in the work and choosing to participate. From a broader industry perspective, brands consistently tell us that their investment in influencer and creator marketing is working exceptionally hard. Even during tighter economic conditions, marketers are seeing real impact from their spend in this space. We are seeing growth across both brand consideration and performance outcomes, which proves this is no longer just a niche or experimental channel. MW: What’s changed most in how you balance brand and performance? PW: I am not entirely sure that distinction makes as much sense as it once did, particularly within creator marketing. Originally, influencer work focused purely on word of mouth and consideration. It then evolved into UGC-style content and reviews. Now, we are seeing creator work deployed directly within performance budgets as creative that successfully converts. Simultaneously, growing evidence shows that creators are building brands, not just driving performance. Research from System1 demonstrates that creator-led work delivers many of the same brand-building effects traditionally linked to long-term advertising, including high emotional engagement, memorability, and distinctive brand assets. This matters because it fundamentally reframes the creator’s role. Brands are borrowing trust and creativity, not just reach. Creators build audience familiarity over time, carry cultural meaning, and compound that emotional connection. When brands integrate creator content into paid activity, the results easily justify further investment. Ultimately, there is no such thing as “brandless performance” when creators are involved. Creativity and the AI challenge MW: Which channel, platform or partnership is currently over-delivering for you? PW: Creators themselves remain the channel that continues to overdeliver. Brands keep investing in creator marketing because it generates results, and they increasingly want to help shape what “good” looks like in the space. That is precisely why many choose to engage directly with AiMCO. For us, partnerships matter the most when they extend beyond standard membership and move into shared responsibility. We place massive value on our relationships with government departments, regulators, and other industry bodies. The collaborative work we have done with organisations like the ACCC, ATO, and TGA helps our members understand expectations and reduces market uncertainty. MW: What role does creativity play in your commercial strategy right now? PW: Creativity forms the absolute foundation of the creator economy. Brands approach creators specifically for their ability to connect with audiences and produce resonant work. As creators increasingly operate like standalone media publishers, that creativity becomes even more critical. Without it, you cannot build or sustain an audience. And without an audience, you have no performance. MW: How are you using data, tech or AI in a way that genuinely improves the work? PW: We hear a lot of noise around AI right now, making it easy to focus on headline-grabbing elements like virtual influencers. Our position remains quite simple: transparency, IP protection, and disclosure matter above all else. Consumers deserve to know when AI is used, and creators deserve the confidence that their work, likeness, and ideas remain protected. One major risk we hear about from creators involves the unethical repurposing of past campaign content. We are seeing original scripts, concepts, or entire videos recreated using AI actors or synthetic faces. Often, platforms struggle to recognise this as a violation, leaving creators exposed and frustrated. AI should never become a shortcut that undermines trust or erodes creative IP. When used poorly, it damages the whole ecosystem. Used responsibly, it genuinely improves how we operate. Partnerships and professionalisation MW: What does a good agency partner look like for you in 2026? PW: Good partners simply show up. They contribute their time and strategic thinking. They actively participate in working groups, councils, events, and education initiatives. They help push the entire industry forward, rather than just driving their own commercial agendas. Brands increasingly seek partners who help mitigate risk and uphold strong governance, rather than those who just deliver basic execution. Creator marketing is no longer unregulated. It is highly professional, completely accountable, and increasingly complex. The best agency partners understand that reality and lean right into it. MW: What’s the toughest call you’ve had to make as a CMO? PW: One of the tougher calls involved evolving the AiMCO Awards into a full-day Summit. As a not-for-profit, we must carefully weigh any decision that increases our cost and complexity. Events carry significant financial, operational, and reputational risks. Ultimately, it felt like a necessary evolution. The industry demanded more depth, learning, and connection, rather than just a celebration. Backing that decision meant investing ahead of certainty, but it was vital if AiMCO wanted to grow alongside the industry rather than trailing behind it. MW: What’s one misconception about your brand or category that your team is actively trying to unpick through marketing? PW: The biggest misconception we still encounter is the idea that influencer marketing remains the ‘Wild West.’ While that may have been true several years ago, it no longer reflects our reality. The industry has matured significantly. Governance, compliance, and professionalism sit at the absolute centre of how we work today. A persistent misconception also remains that being a creator is an easy or unskilled job. In reality, creators run sophisticated businesses, manage large audiences, balance brand partnerships with strict ROI requirements, comply with complex regulations, and produce high-quality work at scale. MW: Looking ahead, where will your next big marketing bet come from? PW: In the short term, we are focusing heavily on the Awards and Summit as premium platforms for learning, connection, and industry leadership. Looking further ahead, our biggest bet relies on collaboration. We plan to work much more closely with industry bodies, regulators, and global partners to continue professionalising the creator economy. That means heavily investing in education, data, research, and confidence-building measures. We want to support creators as legitimate businesses while helping brands navigate the space responsibly. That is where we will see the greatest long-term impact. Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox. The post CMO Spotlight: AiMCO’s Patrick Whitnall on why the creator ‘Wild West’ is dead appeared first on Mediaweek.

In 2026, could UPS run all their ground delivery operations using 1965 Dodge A100 vans?Sure they could. They could hire a whole new cadre of specialized mechanics to maintain the old girls. They’d need some place in the desert to keep a bunch of non-roadworthy A100s for spare parts, since many of those parts have not been manufactured in decades. For those parts that cannot be found, they can pay someone exorbitant prices to build replacement parts no one else but UPS needs. They could then create entire facilities where every so-many-thousands of miles, the A100 will be stripped down to the frame and rebuilt so they’d be, “as good as a new build” and go right back out there delivering the goods.They could…but why don’t they? Simply, they have leadership with a deeper understanding of cost, utility, and effectiveness.The USAF would be so lucky.It is one thing for me to rant on X once a quarter to remind everyone, we do not currently have enough strategic airlift or sealift for the fight we know is coming.We do not have any strategic airlift presently under production or even in a program of record.Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway over at TWZ have a simply superb interview with General Mike Minihan, USAF (Ret.) that touches on all the right notes.It is a thorough and wide-ranging interview, so make sure and read it all—but for the discussions we’ve had here, this is what deserves to be heard far and wide.This is not a USAF-centric or partisan take. This is a serious set of national security problems that simply must be met.Let’s start with the workhorse of freedom: the C-17,Q: The C-17 Globemaster III heavy lifters have been supporting one crisis after another it seems. Have the hours accumulated faster on those airframes? What do you think should replace them and when?A: All the things I was concerned about while I was in uniform, I remain concerned about right now. The options on the table are service life extension programs [SLEP] that the C-17 is already a candidate for. There was talk late last year about the KC-135 Stratotanker receiving another [SLEP]. You know, those types of things are concerning to me. At the end of the day, I think this nation needs to pay for the Air Force it needs, and the Air Force that it needs has a modern, capable mobility fleet. It’s not just old stuff that keeps getting patched up to get older. That’s the reality. So I’m concerned.…and if I hear one more word from people about the C-5A in the boneyard…Q: How are the C-5M Galaxy cargo jets doing? Are readiness rates improving? Will we need a direct replacement of something its size when their time finally comes to head to the boneyard? Was the M upgrade program successful?A: I’m a year and a half out of the conversation. The last data point I got was from U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) commander Gen. [Randall] Reed‘s congressional testimony, where he said that the mission reliability rate, I believe, had fallen to 46%. So, if that’s true, then it’s still an enormous concern. I don’t know any part of your life where you tolerate a critical capability operating less than half the time when you need it. So C-5s are an enormous concern for me.I think there are options out there when it comes to large-volume aircraft that exist, that are being worked now, that can help us get capability quickly. And then I think there are concepts out there, like the commercialization of the C-5 fleet, that need to be taken seriously as well and apply commercial standards, commercial supply chain to increase the readiness of it. And between a combination of those two, I think that you can sustain what America needs to project large volume lift, but also get much higher than a 46% mission reliability rate.Q: Do you see the need for a similar sized cargo aircraft to replace the C-5 when it’s finally time for them to retire?A: I do. I think building large, colossal aircraft is one of the hardest things to do on the planet, when you think about it. I need someone to help fact check me on this, but I don’t think more than 250 large aircraft have ever been built. You know, when you include the Hughes aircraft, include the C-5, include the Russian Antonovs, the fleet has been small because it’s hard. At the same time, it does things that nothing else can do. You don’t have to condemn your cargo to sea lift only. You can move things very quickly – large volume things, critical capabilities. And so we need to have this capability.We are so short of what we need…and we know it.Q: What were the biggest lessons learned by Mobility Guardian and our readiness to meet the challenge China poses in the Pacific?A: We’ve got to explode into theater very quickly. We’ve got to be able to explode into theater in numbers and volumes and challenges that we’ve not experienced in any of the modern…operations. We’ve got to put the entire joint force in place. We’ve got to do it quick enough that it gives an enormous deterrent value and also be able to provide that decisive victory, should it get to that.We’ve got to transition from a deploy to an employ phase very quickly. So that’s establishing hubs and spokes. And then the last thing I’ll say – this is about maneuver. We have got to maneuver at a tempo required to win. So we got to put America’s unique and amazing capabilities in a position of advantage, and then once they’re in that position of advantage, we’ve got to be lethal, and that requires logistics, sustainment, supply maneuver, all the things that have to come together in the joint force to be lethal have to be there, and we need to work extremely hard to do that.So Mobility Guardian was really a rehearsal, and we demonstrated that we couldn’t explode into theater. We demonstrated that we could go from deploy to employ. But we also learned some hard lessons, and to get it to the scale and the volume of the tempo that we needed to be, we’ve got work to do.We are sleepwalking into early culmination because too many people think like a child that logistics is unsexy.Q: What were the biggest lessons learned by Mobility Guardian and our readiness to meet the challenge China poses in the Pacific?A: We’ve got to explode into theater very quickly. We’ve got to be able to explode into theater in numbers and volumes and challenges that we’ve not experienced in any of the modern…operations. We’ve got to put the entire joint force in place. We’ve got to do it quick enough that it gives an enormous deterrent value and also be able to provide that decisive victory, should it get to that.We’ve got to transition from a deploy to an employ phase very quickly. So that’s establishing hubs and spokes. And then the last thing I’ll say – this is about maneuver. We have got to maneuver at a tempo required to win. So we got to put America’s unique and amazing capabilities in a position of advantage, and then once they’re in that position of advantage, we’ve got to be lethal, and that requires logistics, sustainment, supply maneuver, all the things that have to come together in the joint force to be lethal have to be there, and we need to work extremely hard to do that.So Mobility Guardian was really a rehearsal, and we demonstrated that we couldn’t explode into theater. We demonstrated that we could go from deploy to employ. But we also learned some hard lessons, and to get it to the scale and the volume of the tempo that we needed to be, we’ve got work to do.There is an answer here: priorities.This is all about money. You can say everything you want. You can say all the things are important. You can say ‘you’re right, General Minihan, we agree with you,’ but if it’s not followed up with resourcing, then it’s meaningless, you know? So at the end of the day, this is all about resourcing. Can we decide to be the Air Force, the joint military that puts the resourcing behind what it means to decisively defeat a near peer adversary? Or do we wait until another December 7, or another September 11 event to finally get all the things pulled together that we need to pull together. So I get it. This is expensive.We’ve got a chance of a century right now, I believe, with this administration. When you line up the executive orders, when you line up the acquisition reform, when you look up the possibility of a $1.5 trillion defense budget, you know those things come together means that we can move faster and move differently than we’ve ever done but we’ve got to be ready to do it.We are a maritime and aerospace power. I will keep saying it over an over until everyone understands this. We have to resource this correctly.As I mentioned at the top of the post, this is a wide-ranging interview. Get a fresh cup of coffee and give it a full read.Leave a commentShareThis Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Wisconsin Welcomes You sign. Photo by Andreas Faessler, (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons A new report by the Urban Institute shows how poorly Wisconsin has done compared with most states in growing the average household income. It also blows away a lot of hot air and stale theories on what actually drives higher incomes in America. The study looks at the growth in inflation-adjusted median household income between 1970 and 2023. It shows that nationally, the average household income grew 32%, from $58,930 to $77,719, in real dollars. That would seem to be very good news. Only one state, West Virginia, saw its average household income decline during that half century. Of the 49 states that saw an increase in household income, Utah led the way, with the highest increase — 78% — in household income. It went from ranking 35th in the country in 1970 in average household income to ranking eighth in 2023. Ranking second through fifth in household income growth were Colorado, New Hampshire, California and Arizona. Substantial gains in household income “occurred in New England, the West, the Mountain West, Texas, and Florida,” the study noted. “The Midwest had relatively little increase.” Indeed, five of the bottom 10 states in household income growth over this period were Midwestern, including Michigan (49th worst), Indiana (47th), Ohio (45th), Wisconsin (43rd) and Iowa (42nd). All grew far slower in household income than the national average, dropping Michigan from the seventh-highest household income in 1970 to 38th in 2023. America’s heartland is in serious decline. Wisconsin saw its average household income grow less than 19%, compared with the national average of 32%, rising from $62,885 in 1970 to $74,631 in 2023. As a result, Wisconsin went from ranking 13th in average household income in 1970 to 26th in 2023. Our average household income is now $3,088 lower than the national average. The Midwest’s decline is perhaps the study’s most striking finding. The report suggests the decline of manufacturing in the five Midwestern states helped cause the lower growth in household income, while the Northeast had begun to suffer from the loss of the textile industry beginning in the 1920s and had adapted by the 1970s. The relative decline of states like Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania (which ranked 46th in average household income growth, dropping it from ninth-highest in household income in 1970 to 28th by 2023) might help explain why all four states backed Donald Trump in the shocking election of 2016. But the solutions now being pursued by Trump are undercut by this study, which looked at factors that did — and didn’t — contribute to a rise in household income. “Several factors conventionally thought to promote economic development—lower taxes, warmer temperatures, and population growth—did not significantly correlate with income growth,” the study found. “In fact, lower average annual temperature and higher state property taxes were slightly associated with higher state median household income.” While cautioning that correlation is not the same as causation, the study found two factors had a strong correlation with household income growth: educational attainment and immigration. “The states with larger increases in residents with bachelor’s degrees tended to be those with larger increases in median household income. There are several potential explanations,” the study noted. “Increasing educational attainment could lead to increased incomes for state residents, higher-paying jobs could attract those with higher educational attainment into these states, and strong collegiate programs could draw out-of-state students who stay after graduation. The seven states with the greatest increase in residents with a bachelor’s degree over this period were Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Colorado, Virginia, New Hampshire and Maryland. These states ranked first, 17th, second, ninth, 11th, fourth and third in median household income in 2023, respectively.” “An increasing share of a state’s population that is foreign born is also positively associated with income growth, after controlling for other factors,” the study found. “This could reflect that immigration leads to economic growth, that immigrants seek out areas that have demonstrated high economic growth, or both.” Wisconsin fits the pattern: it ranks 23rd in the percentage of residents who have a college degree or better, at 32.5%, which is below the national average (34.9%), and ranks 38th in the percentage of foreign-born residents in the state, at 5.2%. And its growth in household income has trailed most states. Yet the Trump administration has done all it can to attack education and immigration in the U.S. On the education front, it has withheld previously appropriated funds and canceled existing federal grants for universities, including for teacher training programs, pushed for significant cuts in funding for scientific research and tried to shut down the federal Department of Education. It has been even more aggressive about reducing immigration and detaining and deporting foreign-born residents, many of whom had lived in and contributed to the economy in communities across the country for many years. The administration has combined its anti-education and anti-immigrant policies by revoking thousands of student visas and increasing scrutiny of international students, which critics argue undermines academic research. One major caveat about this study: While it documents what looks like a healthy increase of 32% in average household income for the entire nation over the past century, it’s worth noting that this is only the average. Within that average is a yawning wealth gap. A 2022 Pew Research study looked at a comparable period, 1970 to 2020, and found the share of aggregate income held by middle-income Americans declined from 62% to 42% over this half century, while the percentage of aggregate income held by upper-income Americans rose from 29% to 50%. In essence, the U.S. went from a predominantly middle-class nation to one where the upper-income group, which includes just 21% of Americans, gets the majority of the nation’s aggregate income. Whatever the changes in the relative income of various states — and the data is important and instructive — they are overshadowed by a massive increase in the wealth gap that is transforming the entire nation.

Two Milwaukee Police Department block N. Richards St.. on April 23. Photo by Jeramey Jannene. A Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) officer was charged with using the department’s AI-powered network of Flock surveillance cameras to track the movements of his girlfriend and her former lover. Officer Josue Ayala faces one count of misdemeanor misconduct in public office. The advanced surveillance network is capable of scanning and storing license plate images, and Ayala allegedly used the system to search their license plates more than 100 times. Flock cameras, produced by Flock Safety, collect images of every vehicle or person that moves past them. Photos are maintained in a database searchable by law enforcement for up to 30 days, according to a presentation in 2025 by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. Ayala’s alleged actions were discovered when one of the alleged victims searched their license plate on a website that publishes records of Flock “network audit logs” from law enforcement agencies. A network audit from March 26 to May 25, 2025, found Ayala searched the license plate for his partner’s ex 55 times. They filed a misconduct complaint against Ayala, and on Dec. 15 a case was opened. Investigators found he searched his partner’s license plate 124 times. When officers use Flock, they are supposed to provide a reason for their search. For all his searches, Ayala simply put “investigation.” “I am extremely disappointed to learn about the incident and expect all members, sworn and civilian, to demonstrate the highest ethical standards in the performance of their duties. If a member violates the code of conduct, they will be held accountable,” Chief Jeffrey Norman said in a statement. “I want to remind the public that everyone is afforded the right of due process under the law, and as such, are innocent until proven guilty.” Norman has directed MPD to create additional auditing mechanisms that were “swiftly implemented within the department,” according to the department. Recent changes to Flock’s transparency policies would keep Ayala’s alleged actions hidden if they were committed today. Flock recently started redacting identifying information in network audit logs, according to a January statement made by Flock’s VP of Solutions Chris Colwell. The private company no longer reveals which officers are searching the surveillance database or what they’re searching for. “The accusations made against Milwaukee Police Officer Josue Ayala exemplify just how easily Flock cameras can be turned against the very people the technology purports to protect,” said Jon McCray Jones, a policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, in a statement. The incident in Milwaukee is part of a growing pattern of law enforcement officers abusing public surveillance tools for personal use, often against women, McCray Jones said. A police officer in Menasha was recently charged with illegally using the camera system to track the movements of his ex-girlfriend. “Cases like these demonstrate why we can’t afford to allow Flock’s ALPR system — or any other surveillance tool law enforcement has at its disposal — to operate without proper oversight or safeguards to protect against misuse,” McCray Jones said.

Sharon Hunter, who moved to the town of Wausau in the 1970s, stepped in as clerk after a series of resignations left the position vacant. She plans to decide later this year whether she will run to remain in the role. (Alexander Shur / Votebeat) Inside the mostly empty town hall in the town of Wausau on County Road Z last week, a handful of voters cast ballots in wooden booths for a school board race. The biggest question on the minds of local election officials wasn’t who would win — it was who would run elections next year. After two clerks left within a year, longtime town supervisor Sharon Hunter stepped in because no one else would. Hunter’s term ends in April 2027. Nomination papers for a potential successor are due in January 2027, but local officials still don’t know who comes next. “Sharon’s not going to do 29 years,” Deputy Clerk Amy Meyer said, referring to the long tenure of the clerk who resigned in late 2024, setting off the cascade of brief replacements. Hunter, 72, laughed. “I’d be over 100 years old,” she said. “I don’t think you want me here with my walker.” Hunter’s decision to step up in a town of 2,200 may seem insignificant. But Wisconsin’s election system — one of the most decentralized in the country — depends on people like her. The state requires each of its 1,850 municipalities to run its own elections. That means hundreds of local clerks are needed to keep the system running. By contrast, Texas, a state with nearly five times Wisconsin’s population, relies on county-level election offices and has about one-sixth as many local election officials. That structure leaves Wisconsin unusually dependent on small-town clerks. Between 2020 and 2024, more than 700 municipal clerks here left their posts, the highest turnover by raw numbers in the nation. As rural communities age and fewer residents are willing or able to take on an increasingly complex job, replacing them has become harder — raising questions about how long the state’s hyper-local model can hold. The system can absorb one vacancy. It strains under dozens. Elections get stitched together, paperwork piles up, and the quiet machinery of local government — licenses, payroll, meeting notices — shifts its weight onto whoever is left. The town of Wausau municipal building is pictured Feb. 17, 2026. The town has had three clerks in the past year and struggled to keep the position filled until Sharon Hunter stepped in, giving up her vote as town supervisor. (Alexander Shur / Votebeat) Meyer, 55, understands why people don’t want the job — she doesn’t want it either. Like her mother, she has worked elections in town for much of her adult life. She considered becoming clerk, but it wasn’t the right time. She doesn’t want residents coming to her house with ballots or questions, as they once did under the longtime clerk. “There comes a point in the day where I want to turn my phone off,” Meyer said from the town hall, situated at the center of loosely stitched county roads dotted with ranch homes and small farms, some of them no longer in operation. “I don’t want to hear that your garbage didn’t get picked up, or your neighbor’s dog is barking,” she said. “I just don’t.” In a small town, the clerk is often the first call for everything from election deadlines to everyday complaints — and the learning curve is steep. “It’s going to take you practically the first year to learn everything,” Meyer said. “Now, we have somebody new in it, and we have spent half the term relearning.” Older residents have long filled these roles, but clerks say the job has grown more demanding, with little added support. It is often thankless work for modest pay. In Wausau, the clerk earns about $27,000 a year with no benefits. Even so, many residents remain committed to keeping elections at the town level. Hunter said preserving local control was her biggest reason for stepping in, though she has not decided whether to seek another term. “But we do need to have someone coming after me,” she said. “Because I am old.” In an aging town, succession is unclear The rural town of Wausau sits just east of the city of Wausau, a community of about 40,000 that began as a logging town in the 1830s and now centers on manufacturing and a burgeoning ginseng farming industry. As the city has grown, the town has increasingly become a bedroom community, as its lower property taxes attract commuters. A handful of farms remain, but the town is less agricultural than it once was. Its population is slowly growing — and steadily aging. That’s because retirees also make up a large and growing share of the town’s residents. Its median age has climbed by roughly a decade since 2000 and now hovers around 50 — a decade older than the statewide average. The town still must run elections, issue licenses and post meeting notices. What’s less certain is who will do it. Here, as in many communities nationwide, the responsibility will likely fall to older residents. Nationally, nearly 70% of chief election officials are 50 or older, according to the Elections & Voting Information Center. In Wisconsin, that share climbs to almost 80%, with the oldest officials concentrated in the smallest jurisdictions. One poll worker, knitting pink yarn during a lull between voters, said at 71 she was too old to take on the clerk’s job. She had encouraged a younger neighbor to consider it, she said, but the woman had just given birth. Wausau’s shift reflects a broader reality in rural Wisconsin: The state built a system that depends on hundreds of small-town clerks and their deputies — a structure rooted in an era when farms were multigenerational, churches were full, and civic roles widely shared. That foundation is thinning. About a quarter of Wisconsin’s farms closed between 2002 and 2022, and churches are aging and shrinking. Volunteer fire departments and other local services report persistent staffing shortages. There is no sweeping rural exodus. Rural counties are mostly growing, largely because retirees are staying or moving in. Wisconsin’s population is projected to age most rapidly in its rural communities, according to UW-Madison’s Applied Population Lab. Voter check-in materials sit on a table during a school board election that affected only part of the town of Wausau. Turnout remained slow throughout the day. (Alexander Shur / Votebeat) Originally from nearby Birnamwood, Hunter moved to the town of Wausau in the 1970s and has worked in public service ever since. For four decades, she wrote federal grants and helped low-income youth map out their futures through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Her entry into town government came by accident. Upset over a town decision to pave the ends of some residents’ driveways, but not hers or her neighbors’, she ran for town treasurer. What began as frustration became a career: She spent 10 years as treasurer and two decades as a supervisor. Her path shifted again after the former town clerk, Cindy Worden, retired after 30 years on the job. Supervisors appointed a replacement, but she left after two weeks because of a terminal cancer diagnosis. The next clerk resigned within months, overwhelmed by balancing the duties with a full-time job and raising a family. As the town searched for a clerk, Hunter and fellow supervisor Steve Buntin, a retired auto mechanic, filled in. Supervisors listed the job on Facebook and the town website. Potential candidates declined. Some didn’t want the scrutiny of elections, and others resisted the administrative grind. At one point, county officials offered to step in to run elections and charge about $1,000 per election. That was Hunter’s turning point, though stepping into the role meant giving up her vote on the town board — a sacrifice she did not take lightly. “After you start, you kind of get hooked,” Hunter said. The residents might be “ornery most of the time,” but helping them navigate difficult choices is public service. “It’s in your blood.” She can return to being a supervisor if someone else steps up as clerk, but, as Buntin put it, “nobody seems to be knocking down the door.” Last April, the town asked voters to allow clerks to be appointed rather than elected, which would have permitted hiring someone from outside town limits. The referendum failed narrowly. A new state law has since made it easier for small municipalities to switch to appointments, but the town has yet to make the jump. “You still have to have somebody come forward who wants to be a clerk,” Meyer said. “Just because the state law changed doesn’t make it all that easy.” Clerks are hard to recruit, and harder to retain Wausau sits in Marathon County, home to about 130,000 people. To run elections for that population, the county depends on roughly 60 municipal clerks — one in each city, village and town — layered beneath its elected county clerk. In most similarly sized counties elsewhere, such as St. Joseph County, Indiana, or Frederick County, Maryland, a single county office oversees elections for everyone. There’s little appetite to abandon Wisconsin’s structure. Local clerks argue decentralization limits errors and keeps elections in familiar hands. But filling dozens of posts — and keeping them filled — is no easy task. Of the 13 new municipal clerks who have taken office in Marathon County since the April 2025 election, including Hunter, four resigned within months, County Clerk Kim Trueblood said. Since then, a fifth clerk — in the city of Wausau — has also stepped down. Trueblood attributes part of the churn to recruitment practices that understate the job. Town and village chairs often approach potential clerks by describing the work as little more than taking meeting minutes. “Then they get into a job, and it’s the elections, it’s all of the financial reporting, the liquor licenses, everything that they have to do — it’s just overwhelming,” she said. “And people who work a full-time job and have families, I don’t know how they do it.” The pay rarely offsets the demands. In the town of Wausau, the clerk makes $27,628 per year plus a $1,000 mileage stipend, with no benefits. The job can require 10 to 20 hours a week — and far more around elections — covering everything from meeting notices and licenses to payroll and ballot administration. Other municipalities in Marathon County pay far less. Kelley Blume, the clerk in the town of Marathon who’s also a deputy clerk for the county, earned just over $10,000 for her town role in 2025. During election seasons, she said, the hours stretch late into the night. When she was first approached for the job about 10 years ago, she said town officials told her it would only be a couple of hours per week. “It’s not a couple hours,” she said. “I feel bad for all of these new clerks that think it’s going to be easy.” She is considering stepping down. The added responsibilities have grown heavier each year, she said, and she wants to spend more time with her children and grandchildren. Waiting for the next name on the ballot Hunter says she stepped in to preserve something she believes is worth protecting: the idea that elections should be run by people who know the roads and the names on the ballot, who know which farm sits beyond the bend and which houses were built last year. To her, local government isn’t an abstraction. It’s a neighbor answering the phone. “I do feel local government is critical, and I would hate to see that be taken away from the residents,” Hunter said. “It’s important they have a voice, and it starts at their local government.” She knows the structure is imperfect, but pride in local control runs deep here, even as the pool of residents willing to shoulder the work grows thinner. Ultimately, she said, the town may have to bend. Communities could share clerks or other services, even if that means loosening borders that have long felt fixed. She’ll decide later this year whether to run again. If she doesn’t, she said, the town may take another vote on hiring clerks outside of town limits. In the meantime, she has no regrets about stepping up — even if nobody in town seems ready to follow her lead. “It’s my civic duty,” she said. Alexander Shur is a reporter for Votebeat based in Wisconsin. Contact Shur at ashur@votebeat.org. This coverage is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Sign up for Votebeat W

This article is part of a four‑part series that draws from insights in our forthcoming book, Exemplary, Strong Black Marriages & Families (Routledge, in press). For decades, African American leaders and scholars have echoed Proverbs 17:22 that “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Consider W.E.B. Du Bois, the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard and cofounder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who famously said, “I am especially glad of the divine gift of laughter: it has made the world human and lovable, despite all its pain and wrong.” Civil Rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr. is often quoted as having said, “It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart.” Indeed, African Americans have long used humor to cope with the ills of slavery and the unfairness of discriminatory practices. Research suggests that humor can fortify racial identity and cultivate optimism, hope, and resilience among Black Americans. Yet, humor seems to contribute even more than this. We interviewed 46 Black married couples, nominated by their clergy as exemplary. Our American Families of Faith research team found that positive humor contributes to strong marriages and families in vital ways. In this article, we highlight three types of humor featured in exemplary Black families. Humor in Coping with Racism Using humor to cope with racism (and other forms of stress) was common among the exemplary Black families we interviewed. Dean, a Catholic husband, said: Blatant racism happens to this day. We talk about it with each other. We use humor as a way to deal with it, as a coping mechanism. You can either cry or laugh. We know who we are, what we are, and Whose we are … [God’s]. Gwen, a quick‑witted and candid wife, explained with a twinkle in her eye how she turned the hurt of racism over to God and trusted that justice would someday be fulfilled. Glimpses of her humorous attitude were apparent: [The] bottom line was we both knew that [changing the heart of a certain person at my work] was a job for God. … I just said to the Lord, “You just need to help me with this, because this person has a problem.” … So, I think the Lord just … whooped them up a little bit and then kicked them out! (Laughter) So, it was just one of those things where, yes, you will encounter [racism], and I know I will, until Jesus comes and gets me out of here. But … I can’t become bitter about it … because God is not going to put up with that. So, if they want to spend eternity in hell burning … because they won’t accept me, because my color is a little different than theirs, then that’s their problem. So, I have to just rest in the Lord on that one. Joelle, a Christian wife, also discussed racism: To me, it’s not personal, it’s their ignorance. I have never doubted who I am or how important I am and how much I deserve to be on this earth. See, they’re wrong for misunderstanding, and I really believe that God loves me the most. (Laughter) Humor was a coping device for racism and other pain points, but humor was also used as a positive lever for navigating and strengthening the marriage relationship. Humor in Marriage After being prompted for advice they would give to other African American couples, Amber and Duane both talked about the importance of humor. Amber listed four tips for a successful marriage: communicate, be equally yoked, forgive, and keep a sense of humor. Duane concurred, that a “good sense of humor [is important] … for it to be a good marriage.” Many participant couples shared humor-laced stories that highlighted how they used laughter to help their marriages flourish. Gwen said, [I]f there’s something [a wife] needs to say to [her husband], … she should do so when things are calm. … Perhaps it’s a screen door that’s quite annoying because all he has to do is just repair it quickly with the screwdriver, something which she doesn’t know [how to do], and she tells him the first time about it, and he doesn’t do anything. Then, any other time she thinks about it, she needs to tell God, because God will whoop him up. (Laughter) … God can let him have it. An African Methodist wife from Massachusetts named Joann said: [L]et me just deal with God and wait for Him to change Gary over to my point of view, which is the correct point of view. …[B]ut usually when I’m waiting for God to change Gary, then [God] will be changing me! [God is] sneaky. Annie and her husband Al shared how humor and having fun were crucial to their marriage. Annie: You have to … make a decision to love and have fun. See, I was determined that this house was going to have some fun and that we were going to laugh and … be happy. Not only was I going to be happy, but we were going to be happy. Everyone was going to be happy. At the beginning, I had to [help] make Al be happy. ‘Cause you weren’t used to being happy. [Don’t] you think, [Al]? Al: [No]. That’s why I married you. … I consciously made a decision [that] she’s going to bring joy into my life. [I decided], I can’t let her get away. Al and Annie shared the following moment elsewhere during their interview: Al: This woman is strong, resolute, focused … . [S]piritually [and] physically, she’s been there. She’s been there. A great comfort. A great thing for a marriage. Annie: Like old shoes. (Laughter) Al: [No], like a mighty mountain. A towering edifice — a little … more grandiose than an old shoe. [To the interviewer: [It ain’t all been] fairy-tale perfect, but we got 30 years in, … [and we’re] still smiling about it.” Annie: [We are] still laughing, [and I am] still laughing at him. He cracks [me] up! Several couples also shared warm sentiments while teasing each other. Joann, an African Methodist, described how their marriage has gotten better as time has gone on: “Things change; we are not the same people that we were when we were married. … [Actually], I think he’s gotten a lot better. [Thank heaven] (Laughter).” In like manner, Jefferson, a Christian husband from Louisiana shared, “We are each other’s friends. And, believe me, she advise[s] me every day, whether I want it or not. (Laughter)” Our participant couples repeatedly noted that they found joy in playfully teasing and sharing laughter with those they love. This reportedly held true in parenting as well as in marriage. Humor in Parenting The use of humor among participants was not confined to the marriage relationship; many families also showed humor in their interactions with their children. Jefferson, a Christian father from Louisiana, shared the following story of his responsibilities as a father: We had three girls [in a row and] after we decided to have another child, I told my wife, “If this child is a boy, you don’t have anything to worry about. … I’ll do the … midnight feeding and change and wash the diapers.” Back then, we had cloth diapers. And sure enough, along came Shaun, and I had forgotten that I had made this promise. … But believe me, [Sierra] didn’t! She said, “‘Your baby is crying in there … . It’s time to feed [him] and change the diapers!”’ Jason, a Baptist father from Georgia, was asked if his children had influenced his religious involvement, he joked, “Some of them keep us on our knees (laughter)!” Joann and Gary, who were also interviewed with their teenage daughter, Jasmine, shared a humorous moment when Gary discussed how his religious views and parenting were entwined: Gary: [There] will be times when we’ll have a blow [up], and Jasmine will come up later and just say, ‘I’m sorry, Dad.’ And, probably not as often as I should, I’ll go down and tell her, ‘Yeah, I blew it.’ But … I always believe that God has created a wonderful child, and He may not yell at her, so He wants me to. Jasmine (daughter): Yeah, right! Joann (wife): I don’t think that’s in the Bible (Laughter). Jasmine: No, that’s the “Gary” Revised Version. Humor in Religion Many families conveyed that parenting, humor, and (often) religion worked together for a healthy family life. Jason said: I believe Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” … Then, I’ve got to see that there is some good in this stress. So, I try to find the good in it, and [I ask], “Okay God, what are you trying to tell me in this?” More often than not, the simple message is, “You forgot, and you needed to be reminded.” [And I say], “‘Well, Lord, couldn’t you have been a little more subtle?”’ Joelle explained that she prayed about everything, even picking good oranges at the grocery store. She shared: My mother-in-law, before she passed, she used to laugh at me and say, “You know why God answers your prayers [so fast]? Just so he can have a moment of silence. Because you pray about everything!” (Laughter) James, whose beloved wife Betsy was struck by a drunk driver and was in a coma for several weeks, was able to express humor in the face of life’s pain. After the accident, Betsy “flatlined” and was resuscitated 13 times. Following this ordeal, which ended in Betsy’s miraculous improvement that eventually allowed her to return home in James’ care, he said, “At least I know my wife ain’t no cat, because a cat only has nine lives.” For nearly 19 years since the accident, James has provided full-service care for Betsy, who lost both of her legs in the accident. For James, humor and an indomitable will and faith have lifted heavy loads that self-pity could not budge. We conclude with a report that seems to capture the ebullience, the faith, the passion, and the shared joy of life amongst our interviewees. Destiny, a Christian wife from Oregon, served up this gem eliciting explosive laughter and delight from her husband: He is my lover and he’s an awesome lover. [Laughter] … And our children, we always said to them … “If you want to know what’s going on [in our bedroom], Mama and Daddy are just keeping Jesus happy.” Bonding Humor as Healing Medicine To date, our American Families of Faith research team has identified and published studies on numerous strengths in the exemplary Black families we have interviewed including faith, prayer, unity, egalitarianism, and serving others. The present study adds positive humor or “bonding humor” to the list. Some forms of humor (e.g., profane humor, ill-intentioned sarcasm) are explicitly incongruent with many religious beliefs and principles, but the exemplary couples who taught us present evidence that religion and positive humor can both play important and vital roles in building strong marriages and families. Hearkening back to Proverbs, these strong Black families echoed the value of that healing medicine to address life’s challenges in their words and lived experiences. Their examples offer much to contemplate. The post The Power of Positive Humor in Strong African American Families appeared first on Public Square Magazine.Continue reading at the original source →

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High Protein Sherbet I grew up eating Sherbet as a little girl so when a woman named Rachel mentioned creating a high protein sherbet recipe during my support weekly challenge meeting, I had to create the perfect recipe! Rachel mentioned how I could use the Orange Breakfast Shake recipe from my book The Art of Fat Loss, but I tried it and it was good, but I like this version even better! HOW TO MAKE HIGH PROTEIN SHERBET To make my high protein sherbet, I used Orange Salt LMNT! LMNT is often used as a drink mix—but incorporating it into recipes (broths, savory snacks, carnivore treats, marinades, and even baked keto items) turns everyday food into a functional electrolyte delivery system. Because electrolytes regulate hydration, nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and metabolic efficiency, using LMNT in recipes supports the body far beyond taste alone. LMNT provides: Sodium (the primary electrolyte most people are deficient in) Potassium Magnesium No sugar No fillers or artificial sweeteners This makes it especially well suited for: Ketogenic diets Carnivore diets Fasting protocols Low-carb and metabolic healing approaches 1. Improves Hydration at the Cellular Level Electrolytes are required for water to actually enter cells. When LMNT is added to recipes: Fluids are better retained Cells hydrate more effectively Less water is lost through urine Why this matters Drinking plain water without electrolytes—especially on low-carb diets—can worsen dehydration. Using LMNT in foods helps maintain steady hydration throughout the day, not just when sipping drinks. 2. Supports Energy, Muscle Function, and Performance Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are essential for: Muscle contraction Nerve signaling Physical performance Preventing cramps and weakness Adding LMNT to recipes helps: Reduce fatigue Improve workout recovery Prevent exercise-related cramping Support strength and endurance This is especially valuable for active individuals or those experiencing “low-carb fatigue.” 3. Reduces Keto Flu and Adaptation Symptoms Low-carb diets increase sodium loss through the kidneys. Without replacement, people experience: Headaches Dizziness Fatigue Brain fog Heart palpitations Using LMNT in recipes (soups, bone broth, sauces): Provides consistent electrolyte intake Prevents large drops in sodium Makes adaptation smoother and more sustainable Most “keto flu” symptoms are electrolyte deficiencies—not carbohydrate withdrawal. 4. Enhances Flavor Without Sugar or Carbs LMNT’s sodium content enhances flavor similarly to salt—but with added minerals. In recipes, it: Boosts savory depth (umami) Reduces need for sauces or sweeteners Makes simple carnivore or keto foods more satisfying This improves adherence by making nutrient-dense foods more enjoyable, not more restrictive. 5. Supports Blood Pressure and Circulation (Context Matters) In insulin-resistant or low-carb individuals: Sodium restriction can worsen fatigue and low blood pressure Adequate sodium improves circulation and stability Using LMNT in recipes helps: Prevent lightheadedness Improve blood volume Support healthy blood pressure regulation in low-insulin states Sodium needs are context-dependent, not universally high or low. 6. Supports Digestion and Stomach Acid Production Sodium is required for: Hydrochloric acid (HCl) production Proper digestion of protein Mineral absorption Including LMNT in meals can: Improve protein digestion Reduce bloating related to low stomach acid Support nutrient absorption This is particularly helpful on high-protein carnivore diets. 7. Helps Stabilize Appetite and Reduce Cravings Electrolyte deficiencies can trigger: Cravings “False hunger” Fatigue-driven snacking Adding LMNT to recipes helps: Normalize appetite signals Reduce stress-driven eating Support satiety between meals Many people mistake electrolyte depletion for hunger. 8. Makes Electrolyte Intake Effortless and Consistent Using LMNT in recipes: Removes the need to remember separate supplements Spreads electrolytes throughout the day Reduces digestive upset from large bolus doses Improves long-term compliance Consistency is what prevents symptoms—not occasional correction. Who Benefits Most Using LMNT in recipes is especially helpful for: Keto and carnivore eaters Fasting individuals Athletes and active people People with low blood pressure or dizziness Those prone to cramps or fatigue Anyone struggling with hydration despite drinking water Conclusion: Electrolytes Are a Foundation, Not an Add-On LMNT in recipes transforms food into functional nutrition. By supporting hydration, nerve signaling, muscle function, digestion, and metabolic stability—without sugar or fillers—it helps the body perform better and feel better on low-carb and carnivore lifestyles. When electrolytes are adequate, everything else works better. CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE SAMPLE OF LMNT WITH YOUR ORDER! Print High Protein Sherbet Course Dairy Free, Nut Free, PSMF RecipesKeyword ice cream, LMNT Prep Time 5 minutes minutes Servings 2 servings Calories 114.5 Equipment1 ninja creami maker Ingredients1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or water)1 scoop Vanilla Equip Protein Powder1 packet LMNT orange salt1 large eggOPTIONAL:1 teaspoon stevia glyceriteGet Recipe Ingredients InstructionsPlace 1 cup unsweetened low fat coconut milk or water into the ninja creami container. Add the Equip Prime Protein, Orange Salt LMNT, egg and sweetener if using. Use an immersion blender to combine the ingredients. Add more unsweetened coconut milk or water until you reach the fill line. Stir with a spoon. Taste and if desired, add more stevia glycerite or allulose. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. When ready to consume, allow to sit on the counter for 10 minutes or sit in hot water for 2 minutes). Making sure it doesn't get too liquidy yet soft.Place in the Ninja Creami on the “lite” setting. This will spin for about 3 minutes. Check consistency and if you desire a creamier texture, run the mixture on the “gelato” setting. Depending on your desired texture, will determine your settings. Enjoy! VideoNutritionCalories: 114.5 | Fat: 4.5g | Protein: 13.2g | Carbohydrates: 3.2g | Fiber: 0g | P:E Ratio: 1.7 TESTIMONY OF THE DAY “Keto is giving a life I longed for. Off all medication! Lived as a prediabetic for 20 years until I started Keto. 17 months down, a lifetime to go! Biggest regret. Waiting until I was 48 and had Grandchildren. I wish my children could have seen this version of me when they were young!” -Angie Most people I consult are doing keto totally wrong. Get fast results with the my Mind-blowing Keto School! Click HERE to check out my supplement plans! The post High Protein Sherbet appeared first on Maria Mind Body Health.

Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez announces resolution asking for civil rights review of state funding. Photo by Graham Kilmer. Wisconsin State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez was criminally charged Wednesday with disorderly conduct for statements she made about a colleague in the Legislature last year. A criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Wednesday alleges Ortiz-Velez leveled “personal attacks” against another state representative “that were outside the bounds of political response. The statements were indecent and tended to disrupt the good public order.” Ortiz-Velez allegedly threatened to tell the press “negative things” about State Rep. Priscilla Prado “engaging in inappropriate personal actions,” according to a criminal complaint filed by a Wisconsin Capitol Police detective. The charges stem from a dispute last summer over joint resolutions in the Wisconsin Assembly honoring Hispanic Heritage Month and another honoring Hispanic veterans. The detective interviewed three witnesses who are not identified in the complaint. The first witness is identified as a state representative who offered the joint resolutions that angered Ortiz-Velez. Prado was the author of the resolution, as previously reported by the Wisconsin Examiner. Ortiz-Velez is not a member of the Hispanic Caucus, which Prado leads. Prado did not involve Ortiz-Velez in drafting the heritage month resolution or a resolution honoring Latino veterans, according to the criminal complaint. Ortiz-Velez’s late husband was a U.S. Army veteran. Prado told investigators she knew this and excluded her anyway, according to the complaint. Ortiz-Velez allegedly told others “her feelings were hurt” by the exclusion and “expressed anger” to Prado. Ortiz-Velez allegedly told another individual, identified as Witness 2, that “she would go to the press with negative things about Witness 1 if she did not rescind her resolution.” The witness told the state investigator Ortiz-Velez said, “‘I’m going to call the press and tell them [Witness 1]’ is engaging in inappropriate personal actions.” Another witness reported “ongoing animosity” between Ortiz-Velez and Prado “regarding the Hispanic Caucus and different bills,” according to the criminal complaint. This witness also told investigators about a phone call with Ortiz-Velez where she allegedly said ‘”They are going to do what I want them to do or I’m going to x, y, z.”‘ When Ortiz-Velez was asked to elaborate, she “made comments about [Prado’s] personal life, as well as comments about [Prado] and other legislators.” “During that call, Ortiz-Velez stated, “They are going to do what I want them to do, or I’m going to x,y, z.” When Witness 3 asked what x,y, and z were Ortiz-Velez made comments about Witness 1 personal life, as well as comments about Witness 1 and other legislators.” Under Wisconsin state law, disorderly conduct can include actions that occur in a private or public place, and when an individual is “engaged in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance,” according to the criminal complaint. The maximum penalties for disorderly conduct include a fine up to $1,000 or up to 90 days of imprisonment. Ortiz-Velez did not respond to a request for comment. Circuit court records show she has retained Attorney Michael Chernin. The criminal charge against Ortiz-Velez is the latest legal flareup over the two resolutions. In September last year, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer alleged Ortiz-Velez made a violent threat against other Democrats. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos later said Capitol Police determined the threat was not credible. Ortiz-Velez is currently running for re-election and faces a primary challenge from political newcomer Ismael Luna.

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP has blasted as premature a bid from drugmakers in Pennsylvania federal court calling for the firm to cover the fees and costs of a special master who alleged the firm committed misconduct in product liability actions over the morning sickness drug thalidomide.

For decades, McDonald’s has been the undisputed king of St. Patrick’s Day treats. Is it really the month of March if you don’t have a Shamrock Shake or four? Last year, Ronald McDonald and his pal brought back Uncle O’Grimacey to hard-launch the shake’s return. A few years back, Gold Arches expanded its green options with the Shamrock Oreo McFlurry. If you thought McDonald’s was the only game in town for a minty green ice cream treat, we’re about to blow your mind. The Costco Food Court now features a Double Chocolate Mint Sundae treat just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Friends, we are shamrock shook! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Costco Buys (@costcobuys) The Costco Food Court Ice Cream Treat Has a Pretty Decent Price Point We all know the famous $1.50 hot dog and soda deal at the Costco Food Court, and the new shake is in line with that value. For less than $3, fans can get soft-serve mint ice cream layered with cookie crumbles and chocolate sauce, Food & Wine reports. Instagrammer Costco Buys shared a video of the new ice cream treat, and we’re in! “This NEW Double Chocolate Mint Sundae is at Costco, and it is NOT playing around! Mint ice cream layered with cookie crumbles and rich chocolate sauce, all stacked up in that clear cup so you can see every swirl,” they wrote. “I had this, very minty and good. The cookie crumble bits are perfect. Quality is top notch,” a follower commented. “Had one today as my treat for finishing my marathon this weekend. Truly. Amazing,” another person agreed. Are you going to try the new Costco food court mint ice cream treat or are you sticking with the Shamrock Shake? We can’t lie, we’re going to have to do a taste test. Just to be sure. This Story’s Featured Image is by Steve Heap via Getty.

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Tickets are required for admission to sessions of general conference in the Conference Center. Music and the Spoken Word is part of the Sunday morning session, and tickets are required. United States and Canada Members of the Church who live in the United States and Canada should contact their ward or branch leaders to inquire about the possibility of obtaining tickets for general conference. Tickets are distributed electronically to stakes and districts. Stake leaders can reference this guide to learn how to access their account and distribute tickets to stake members. Outside the United States and Canada Members who live outside the United States and Canada may request tickets through their stake or district president. Ticket requests should be made well in advance. Due to the large volume of requests, tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot always be guaranteed. Tickets should only be requested for members who have plans to attend general conference. Stake and district presidents are expected to only submit ticket requests for individuals that currently reside within the boundaries of their stake or district. Members who used to live within your boundaries, including university and exchange students, who now live in the United States or Canada may obtain tickets through their current stake or district president. Stake and district presidents should have received a notice from the Church with a link to order tickets. Tickets are no longer distributed at the Conference Center Ticket Office. What is General Conference General conferences are the semiannual worldwide gatherings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church members gather to receive guidance and encouragement from Church leaders about living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ticket Guidelines A ticket for a session of general conference ensures the ticket holder a seat in the Conference Center until 30 minutes before that session begins. After that time, seats may be made available to those waiting in the standby line. Doors open 90 minutes before the beginning of each session. Children under the age of eight years, including infants and babies, will not be admitted. Standby seating is available on a first-come first-served basis. The standby line began 90 minutes before each session at the Tabernacle. Safety and Security Security measures have been established at the Conference Center for the safety of conference attendees. No backpacks, packages, food and drink, weapons (including pocketknives), or cameras are permitted. The post Tickets for LDS General Conference April 2026 first appeared on LDS365: Resources from the Church & Latter-day Saints worldwide.Continue reading at the original source →