GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN (October 26, 2023) — BISSELL Pet Foundation announced 19,415 pets found loving homes during its Fall National "Empty the Shelters" reduced-fee adoption event from October 1–15, 2023. More than 345 organizations in 42 states participated in the nation's largest-funded adoption event by offering reduced adoption fees of $50 or less to make adoption more affordable and help as many pets as possible go from shelter kennels to the couches of loving homes.

DAVENPORT, IOWA (October 26, 2023) — The Quad Cities Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is hosting a cocktail party in honor of National Philanthropy Day on November 15, 2023, at Rhythm City Casino, 6:30-8:30PM. During the party, five local philanthropists will be honored and named as winners of annual National Philanthropy Day awards.

DES MOINES, IOWA (October 25, 2023) — Governor Kim Reynolds held a press conference to signify the safe return of 109 Iowa National Guard soldiers and 31 Department of Public Safety (DPS) law enforcement officers from their deployment to the US Southern border as part of Texas’ Operation Lone Star. The Iowa National Guard deployed from August 2 through September 1, 2023, and the DPS deployed from September 1 through October 2, 2023.

ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (October 25, 2023) — Nineteen Augustana College students recently completed SCUBA certification, with many planning to put their new skills to work during a Janaury Geology course in the Caribbean, diving in the topical waters and reefs of Bonaire.

Susan Wolf, Augustana's educational programs coordinator, said students trained for weeks and challenged themselves in completing the SCUBA training.