Valley Bank‘s 2025 survey included 500 financial decision-makers from U.S. middle-market firms, including on Long Island.
92% rated their cash flow as good or very good in 2025, up from 79% the previous year.
Concerns about inflation, interest rates and geopolitical tensions increased among middle-market firms.
Only 22% of firms use their banker as a trusted advisor for major financial decisions.
Middle-market commercial and industrial businesses saw strong financial performance in 2025, but now face rising cost pressures and global uncertainty.
That’s according to Valley Bank’s second annual middle-market commercial and industrial survey, “Entering 2026 with Momentum.”
Looking ahead, businesses remain optimistic but are adjusting to shifting dynamics, including cash‑flow timing, rising costs and an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
“Middle-market businesses help drive the U.S. economy and the positive results in this survey indicate that many are entering 2026 in strong and stable positions,” Gino Martocci, president of Commercial Banking of Valley Bank, said in a news release about the survey.
“To maintain this momentum, leaders should focus on the basics, be selective in what they prioritize and those who focus on a few core areas and remain vigilant and adaptable, will achieve greater success in an evolving landscape,” Martocci said.
Conducted in December, the survey included 500 financial decision-makers at U.S. middle-market companies across Valley Bank’s footprint, including Long Island. Eligible participants were responsible for or played a leading role in financial decisions at firms with annual revenues between $5 million and $249 million.
Compared to 2025, respondents reported significant gains. Ninety-two percent rated their cash flow as good or very good, up from 79 percent the previous year. Productivity rose from 85 percent to 95 percent, as more companies reported operating more efficiently across their core functions. Profitability also climbed, increasing from 79 percent to 89 percent, reflecting improved financial results across the middle-market segment.
Still, concerns about difficulty managing inflation and interest rates rose to 57 percent, up from 45 percent, while 52 percent say they were concerned about geopolitical tensions and trade policies, up from 41 percent a year ago.
Survey respondents identified priorities that will drive their key initiatives for 2026. These include financial and operational efficiency, alongside efforts to enhance customer retention and loyalty. Strengthening pricing strategy and cost efficiency was also highlighted. Additionally, organizations plan to invest in AI and machine learning adoption. Data analytics and business intelligence were recognized as critical tools.
Yet there may be shortcomings in carrying out these initiatives, according to the survey. Only 40 percent of respondents report effective cash-flow management, and 39 percent express confidence in their budgeting and forecasting processes. Just 37 percent feel they are effective in controlling costs, while 36 percent report strong profit-margin management. Meanwhile, 35 percent indicate they are successfully integrating financial technology, and 30 percent believe they are optimizing working capital.
In addition, 30 percent say hiring remains difficult, and 17 percent report challenges in retaining top employees.
The survey also showed that only 22 percent say they use their banker as a trusted advisor for major financial decisions.
It also found that 39 percent implement fraud mitigation services, even though 68 percent recognize the need for stronger fraud protection. Additionally, just 57 percent rank data security among their top priorities.
“Fraud protection is not optional, it is foundational,” Martocci said. “Simple safeguards, real-time alerts, and clearly defined response protocols can dramatically reduce financial loss and business disruption.”
In the US, approximately 146 million tons of municipal solid waste are sent to landfills annually, which is incomprehensible. Globally, more than 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste are generated yearly. To make matters worse, waste generation is expected to increase by 70% or more by 2050, potentially reaching over 3.78 billion metric tons annually. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) states that these numbers are not sustainable.
So what’s the answer? While there is not one singular answer, transitioning to a circular economy should be one of our main priorities. Of course this is not going to happen overnight, but there are certain steps that we can make that will contribute towards that goal, starting with supporting organizations such as the Tool Library.
In 2024 and 2025 the Tool Library held 36 “Dare to Repair” cafés with 1,361 total participants, and successfully repaired 1,002 items, diverting 9,766 pounds of potential waste and saving $120,042 in replacement costs.
Each year, the Tool Library hosts a series of “Dare to Repair” cafés, where people bring their broken items to get fixed. These community fix-it events take place twice a month at libraries and community centers throughout Western New York. At the free events, people get a chance to work alongside a team of volunteer fixers to try to repair their broken items.
From a broken zipper, to a bike in need of a tuneup, to a broken lamp or appliance, there are plenty of items that can be fixed instead of trashed. Along with reducing waste, people can save money, while learning handy skills at the same time.
Click to enlarge
The upcoming Dare to Repair schedule is as follows:
Saturday, February 21st, 11:00AM-2:00PM @ Movement Leadership Institute (271 Grant Street, Buffalo, NY), 14213 – a People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH) location
Saturday, March 7th, 11:00AM-2:00PM @ Lancaster Municipal Building (5423 Broadway, Lancaster, NY 14086
Thursday, March 19th, 4:30PM-7:30PM @ West Side Bazaar (1432 Niagara St, Buffalo, NY 14213)
Saturday, April 11th, 11:00AM-2:00PM @ UB South Allen Hall (3485 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214)
Monday, April 20th, 5:00PM-7:00PM @ Northland Training Workforce Center (683 Northland Ave, Buffalo, NY 14211)
To confirm your attendance at one of the upcoming Dare to Repair Cafés, click here.
All the celebrities who showed up at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Well, Hannah Percy, can you believe you’re here? No, I can’t believe it at all. What’s the most surreal thing that’s happened so far? Meeting Snoop Dogg. Yeah, that was pretty surreal. That was very surreal. What was that like for you? Uh, I’ve never met *** celebrity before, so definitely *** unique experience. Like he’s just *** regular guy, but like he’s famous. But yeah, he was as cool as I’ve ever imagined, and there’s so much like attention on you guys when you get here too. Is that *** little different? Yeah, I’ve never had this many people like wanna video me ever in my life, so many cameras. What does it feel like that something has such *** big goal is actually happening? I can’t believe I’m reaching this humongous goal in my life at only 18. I, I feel like I’m like the youngest person on the bordercross team here, and so it’s just, it’s very surreal, and I don’t even, I haven’t even taken time to process how I’m feeling yet. I think you’re having *** good time. I’m definitely having *** good time. I will remember this forever.
All the celebrities who showed up at the 2026 Winter Olympics
DENVER — Every weekend, Denver7 compiles a list of some fun events you might enjoy. Here are our picks for the 7 best things to do in the Denver metro area and beyond this weekend. Have a fun event you’d like to showcase? Send an email to thingstodo@denver7.com.
1.Celebrate love at the 8th annual Loveland Sweetheart Festival
Bring the family or your sweetheart for free fun in the Sweetheart City, including a day full of live ice sculpting, fire and art demonstrations, musical and dance performances on a community stage and check out the Little Miss Valentine & Little Mister Cupid Contest at the Historic Rialto Theater. The festival is happening on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. More info. here.
2. Experience the holiday with your boo at “Love Bites: A Valentine’s Haunted House”
This Valentine’s Day, fall in love with fear at Denver’s 13th Floor Haunted House. What screams “love” more than holding your date close while being chased by the fanged fiends that lurk within the dark wall of this haunted attraction? “Love Bites” is open only this weekend, starting Valentine’s Day. Tickets and more info. can be found here.
3.Catch the magical creations of ice sculpting artists at the Cripple Creek Ice Festival
Didn’t catch the international Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge? You’ll have your chance to experience something similar during the Cripple Creek Ice Festival, which begins Saturday and goes through Sunday, Feb. 22. This event is free and open to the public. More info. here.
4.In the mood for music? Head to the Midwinter Bluegrass Festival in Northglenn
The Midwinter Bluegrass Festival, which has been going strong since 1986, will enthrall Coloradans once more with 15 bands that will showcase their talent to thousands of people at the recently renovated Delta Hotel by Marriott in Northglenn. The event starts Friday and goes through Sunday. Tickets range from $25-120. More info. here.
5.Have a laugh at the Telluride Comedy Festival this weekend
The 26th annual Telluride Comedy Festival at the historic Sheridan Opera House begins this Thursday and goes through Sunday. Between Locals’ Night, improv, sketch comedy and more, there will be tons to laugh out this weekend. Tickets and more info. can be found here.
6. Check out 2nd Saturdays at CSU Spur with special guest Daniel Tiger
The Colorado State University Spur campus comes alive every 2nd Saturday of the month for a day full of free, interactive, hands-on activities for the whole family to enjoy. February’s theme is “Be My Neighbor,” featuring Daniel Tiger in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS. Learn about the power of kindness with Tiger, view a new art mural that portrays Colorado’s past, present and future agricultural history, and join Wiz Kid’s storytime. The event, which is happening from 10 a.m. to 2 pm., is free of charge. More info. here.
7. Head to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts for the Colorado New Play Summit
Head to the DCPA for the 20th annual Colorado New Play Summit, where new works are shaped in real time. Your presence and response will help fuel the creative process of some of theatre’s most exciting voices as you experience four staged readings and two fully produced Theatre Company productions: the world premieres of Cowboys and East Indians and Godspeed, both of which were featured readings at the 2024 Summit. Tickets and more info. can be found here.
Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what’s right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
Puppy Bowl XXII returns on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, delivering its signature blend of heart-melting canine antics and feel-good storytelling as Team Fluff and Team Ruff, made up of 150 adorable rescue dogs from 72 shelters across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands, go paw-to-paw for the coveted “Lombarky” trophy. The three-hour Animal Planet event, simulcast across multiple networks and streaming platforms, pairs playful “gridiron” action with inspiring adoption stories, highlighting pups of all backgrounds and breeds as they chase toys, score “touchdowns,” and charm viewers into considering shelter adoption.
For 2026, Puppy Bowl adds fresh wrinkles to its beloved format, including a special halftime exhibition featuring senior dogs, Team Oldies vs. Team Goldies, and an expanded showcase of adoptable animals that underscores the benefits of welcoming both young and older dogs into loving homes. Beyond the adorable field play, segments spotlight special-needs dogs and personal rescue journeys, while celebrity cameos and enthusiastic commentary enhance the festive atmosphere. More than just televised cuteness, Puppy Bowl continues to serve as a powerful call-to-adoption that entertains fans of all ages in the lead-up to Super Bowl Sunday.
This is a great event that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
You can live stream the Puppy Bowl as well as the rest of the Super Bowl Sunday festivities with a subscription to either of these streaming services.
Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
From Bruno Mars and Zach Bryan, we break down the biggest shows — ones everyone will be talking about — set to come to Charlotte in 2026.
MATIAS J. OCNER
mocner@miamiherald.com
You know the drill: Either you or one of your friends finds out that a concert right in your collective wheelhouse is coming to a big stage in Charlotte, and someone starts a group chat.
“Did you see so-and-so is gonna play at such-and-such venue? What do you think — are we going?”
And if the answer is yes, that thread quickly turns into a full-blown plan involving dinner, drinks, Ubers and Venmo payments.
To be clear: We’re not breaking any news here — these shows have all been announced. What we’ve done instead is put together a carefully curated breakdown of the Charlotte-bound stadium spectacles, nostalgia-fueled reunions and TikTok favorites that will matter most in 2026.
The ‘all of your friends will be there’ shows
Zach Bryan — Saturday, April 18 at Bank of America Stadium: The “Something in the Orange” singer-songwriter-superstar is at the absolute peak of his powers. It’ll be fascinating to watch him adapt his DIY brand of country and Americana — which has always felt tailor-made for large nightclubs and small concert halls — for 70,000-plus fans. The last time he was in Charlotte? July 2021, when he played a benefit concert at The Fillmore that featured a guest appearance by then-Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey as his pianist.
Zach Bryan Jeff Siner jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Bruno Mars — Wednesday, April 29 at Bank of America Stadium: With no Taylor Swift stop on the calendar, this is about the biggest tour Charlotte could have hoped for in 2026. Few pop stars are as obsessed with live performance — from his band’s horn section to the throwback showmanship — and he’s one of the few artists here with a recent Top 10 hit (“I Just Might”). His last Charlotte appearance came in 2017, when he packed Spectrum Center with a hit-after-hit set that felt closer to a Vegas revue than a typical arena show.
Bruno Mars Live Nation
Post Malone & Jelly Roll — Monday, June 9 at Bank of America Stadium: Cowboy boots and face tattoos will be on proud display at this co-headlining mega-show, which teams up two of the most successful artists blending country, hip-hop and crossover pop. The tour was announced just hours after the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony, where Post Malone performed a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne alongside Slash and Chad Smith, and Jelly Roll walked away with three trophies — a reminder of just how far both artists have climbed.
Post Malone Benjamin Robson Charlotte
Megan Moroney — Monday, July 14 at Spectrum Center: In just a few years, she’s gone from viral breakout to one of country’s most dependable young headliners. The 28-year-old’s first show in our uptown arena will come just 10 months after she sold out Bojangles Coliseum. As with that show, expect coordinated outfits, pre-concert photo shoots and plenty of “We’ve-been-here-since-Day-One” energy. (Some fans still talk about her early club shows like they were secret discoveries.) Just be aware that this show is sold out, too, and secondhand prices are rising steadily.
Megan Moroney Mason Goodson
Ed Sheeran — Friday, Oct. 17 at Bank of America Stadium: One of pop’s most recognizable stars also remains one of the few modern artists who can fill a stadium without relying on massive production or backup performers. Armed with little more than a loop pedal, a guitar and a seemingly endless catalog of hits — “Shape of You,” “Perfect,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Bad Habits,” “Photograph,” “Shivers,” “Castle on the Hill,” to name a few — he turns his shows into giant sing-a-longs that feel closer to open-mic nights than blockbuster tours.
Ed Sheeran Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
For the TikTok and Gen Z crowds
bbno$ — Sunday, March 8 at The Fillmore Charlotte: The Canadian rapper has never been a major force on U.S. radio, but he’s become a cult hero in rooms like this thanks to fun, rowdy live shows built around viral, self-aware pop-rap hits like “Lalala,” “Edamame” and “it boy” — plus his absurdly funny cookbook giveaways. This sold-out Fillmore stop should be one of the loudest, loosest and most meme-able nights of the year.
TWICE — Monday, March 31 at Spectrum Center: For the uninitiated, this is one of K-pop’s most reliable hit machines, a group with a catalog that spans bubbly pop anthems (“Cheer Up,” “TT,” “Fancy”) and slicker recent singles (“The Feels,” “Talk That Talk”). But the nine-member South Korean girl group may be most familiar to some viewers through the animated Netflix hit movie “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” which features a remixed end-credits version of “Takedown” performed by members Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung.
TWICE JYP Entertainment
Zara Larsson — Wednesday, April 4 at The Fillmore Charlotte: The veteran-but-still-young (she’s 27) Swedish dance-pop star spent much of last year opening arena shows for Tate McRae’s mega-tour. Now Larsson gets her own chance to shine, doing so in a much clubbier setting built around dazzling, brightly colored outfits and eye-popping lighting. She’s never played a show in the Carolinas before — and it’s been sold out for months.
Zara Larsson Christina House TNS
Peso Pluma & Tito Double P — Friday, April 25 at Truliant Amphitheater: The “Dinastía Tour” arrives in Charlotte at a moment when regional Mexican music has fully crossed into the mainstream, with Peso Pluma leading the charge. Blending corridos — traditional narrative ballads — with trap and pop hooks, he has played a central role in turning what was once a niche genre into a streaming and touring powerhouse, while Tito Double P represents the next wave rising alongside him. (Dinastía, for the record, is Spanish for “dynasty.”)
Peso Pluma Eric Paul Zamora ezamora@fresnobee.com
Yungblud — Wednesday, June 4 at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre: Blending pop-punk, emo and confessional alt-rock, the UK-born singer has become a spokesperson of sorts for fans who grew up online and found connection through music — a role underscored by the Grammy recognition he’s earned in recent years. His 2024 single “Zombie,” which featured actress Florence Pugh in its remarkable music video, heralded a more vulnerable turn in his songwriting and is likely to serve as the emotional closer to his set.
Yungblud Angela Weiss AFP/TNS
Summer Walker — Tuesday, June 10 at Spectrum Center: The only previous time the Atlanta-born R&B singer has performed in Charlotte was in 2018, when she played The Fillmore after starting that year working as a house cleaner. This show — on one of the city’s biggest stages — marks a dramatic leap for Walker, who taught herself guitar by watching YouTube tutorials before breaking through with emotional hits like “Girls Need Love,” “Playing Games” and “Session 32,” and becoming one of modern R&B’s most influential voices.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise — Thursday, Sept. 18 at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre: Few modern indie bands have built as devoted a following as RKS, which formed — and got its famously random name — while its members were students at Appalachian State in Boone. The upper level of Spectrum Center was curtained off for their home-state stop here in 2024, but they should easily pack out this amphitheater with 5,000 fans who’ve fawned over the group’s blend of folk, alternative and pop-rock since the early days.
Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle & Stephanie Mills — Friday, Feb. 13 at Spectrum Center: “The Queens: 4 Legends, 1 Stage” is as much a summit meeting of soul and R&B royalty as it is a concert tour. Their catalogs are full of classics, from Knight’s “Midnight Train to Georgia” and Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody” to LaBelle’s “If Only You Knew” and Mills’s “Never Knew Love Like This Before” — songs that helped define multiple decades of music in those genres. Knight and LaBelle will both be 82 this year, a reminder of their incredible longevity and staying power.
Gladys Knight Derek Blanks KansasCity
Bow Wow, B2K, Jeremih, Waka Flocka Flame & more — Friday, March 7 at Spectrum Center: The ‘Boys 4 Life Tour’ features an alarmingly stacked bill that also includes Yung Joc, Crime Mob, Dem Franchize Boyz and Pretty Ricky, making for an impressive time capsule for fans who recall when ringtone rap, BET countdowns and burned CDs ruled. Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amerie is not a boy, but she’ll join the party as the lone female voice on a lineup built almost entirely on throwback hits.
Journey — Wednesday, May 20 at Spectrum Center: This celebration of the 1970s and ’80s rock band’s imprint on modern pop culture could conceivably mark its final Charlotte stop, as the group — fronted by Filipino singer Arnel Pineda — is marketing its 2026 “Final Frontier Tour” as a farewell to the road. But even if this really is the last time it tours live, songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms” and “Faithfully” will almost certainly keep showing up at weddings, sporting events and karaoke nights for years to come.
Journey Erik Kabik Photography/ erikkabi Erik Kabik Photography
AC/DC — Friday, July 11, at Bank of America Stadium: For those about to rock, we salute you — with an onslaught of rock anthems that should rattle teeth, if not the foundations of uptown’s skyscrapers. It’s a long-awaited return, with December 2008 representing their last time in Charlotte. We’re just as eager as anyone to hear live versions of “Thunderstruck,” “Highway to Hell,” “Back in Black” and “You Shook Me All Night Long” — and to see if lead guitarist Angus Young, who’ll be 71, can still pull off his classic duckwalk.
AC/DC Rachel Parker SPECIAL/RACHEL PARKER
Ne-Yo & Akon — Saturday, July 12, at Truliant Amphitheater: R&B throwback tours will continue to give classic-rock nostalgia a run for its money throughout the summer of 2026, and this double bill taps directly into the mid-2000s era when the genre dominated pop radio. On this night, that means slow jams and club bangers from Ne-Yo’s run of immaculately crafted heartbreak anthems (“So Sick,” “Closer,” “Miss Independent”) and Akon’s West African-influenced pop-rap hooks (“Smack That,” “Lonely,” “Don’t Matter”).
Ne-Yo Nathaniel Levine nlevine@sacbee.com
John Mellencamp — Thursday, July 30 at Truliant Amphitheater: The 74-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer behind ’80s staples like “Jack & Diane,” “Pink Houses” and “Small Town” is returning for what stands to be his biggest local show in more than two decades. (His last three appearances here — in 2015, 2019 and 2023 — were all staged at the 2,455-seat Ovens Auditorium.) Mellencamp has promised a career-spanning show that will dig deeper for rarities than usual, including songs he hasn’t played live in years.
John Mellencamp Jeff Siner jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Rush — Thursday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 22 at Spectrum Center: This is a notable outing for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, who are making their first Charlotte appearance since October 2012. It also marks their first tour since the death of longtime drummer Neil Peart in 2020. Understandably, fans will be eager to see how new drummer Anika Nilles fills in for one of rock’s most revered musicians on songs like “Tom Sawyer” and “Subdivisions.” They’ll also be ready to settle in: Rush shows famously stretch close to three hours.
Wildcard shows worth circling
Los Ángeles Azules — Tuesday, Feb. 25 at Bojangles Coliseum: They’re one of the most iconic Mexican cumbia groups of all time, with nearly 17 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a catalog of cross-generational staples that includes “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar,” “El Listón de Tu Pelo” and “17 Años.” They’ve also never played a show in the Carolinas before, meaning thousands of fans in Charlotte will get their first chance to take part in the joyful, spontaneous dance parties that are likely to break out all over the venue.
Los Ángeles Azules Cortesía EFE/Seitrack
Eric Church — Friday, April 4 at Spectrum Center: Another act with a strong connection to North Carolina, the country star grew up in Caldwell County and has never been shy about repping his home state on and off the stage. That bond was on full display in 2024, when he co-headlined the massive Concert for Carolina benefit at Bank of America Stadium, where he shined — often with just his acoustic guitar — during stripped-down performances of “Springsteen,” “Record Year” and “Drink in My Hand” in front of 80,000 fans.
Eric Church Khadejeh Nikouyeh knikouyeh@charlotteobserver.com
Cardi B — Saturday, April 12 at Spectrum Center: While her longtime rival Nicki Minaj has drifted into the political arena, Cardi remains firmly committed to the provocative, high-energy hip-hop lane she’s settled into over the past decade. Now a mother of four — she welcomed her latest child in November with boyfriend Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots — she recently previewed her live show on “Saturday Night Live,” delivering personal, confident and carefully staged performances of “Bodega Baddie” and “ErrTime.”
Cardi B SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP AFP via Getty Images/TNS
Mt. Joy — Thursday, April 17 at Truliant Amphitheater: The beloved modern-indie band’s sunny blend of folk, rock and pop makes the leap into full-fledged amphitheater-headliner territory almost exactly a year after a sellout show at the smaller Skyla, where the five-piece played two sets and an encore across more than 2½ sprawling hours. It’s wild to consider how far the group has come since filling Charlotte’s tiny Visulite Theatre in 2018 with Day One fans — and the soaring chorus of its anthemic “Astrovan” echoing through the room.
Mt. Joy Darin Oswald doswald@idahostatesman.com
Sting — Sunday, May 18 at Truliant Amphitheater: A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for his work as a founding member of The Police, he remains one of the rare rock stars whose solo career carries as much weight as his groundbreaking band’s legacy. This show — his first in Charlotte since playing here with The Police in 2007 — will bridge both of those identities. In some ways, it also serves as a makeup for his canceled co-headlining stadium gig with Billy Joel, scrapped due to the “Piano Man’s” health issues.
Sting Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com
Khalid — Sunday, June 15 at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre: Khalid’s rise happened so quickly in the late 2010s that it’s easy to forget how long he’s already been in the spotlight — and that he became synonymous with the streaming era’s softer, more introspective sound with songs like “Talk” and “Young Dumb & Broke.” This stop is his first in Charlotte since 2018, and while the venue may look like a step down from the much larger Spectrum Center, fans may also see it as a chance to catch him in a more intimate setting again.
Khalid Xavier Tianyang Wang xwang@mcclatchy.com
Five Finger Death Punch — Thursday, Oct. 16 at Truliant Amphitheater: No act on this list will deliver a heavier, higher-adrenaline live show than this one, which cranks out a blend of groove metal, hard rock and arena-ready hooks that has made it one of the genre’s most reliable touring forces. Every time they come to Charlotte, they draw one of the most intense crowds of the year, with songs like “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Wrong Side of Heaven” igniting full-throttle mosh pits. At the moment, it also serves as Truliant’s season finale.
Five Finger Death Punch TRAVIS SHINN PHOTOGRAPHY Travis Shinn Photography
Théoden Janes has spent nearly 20 years covering entertainment and pop culture for the Observer. He also thrives on telling emotive long-form stories about extraordinary Charlotteans and — as a veteran of three dozen marathons and two Ironman triathlons — occasionally writes about endurance and other sports. Support my work with a digital subscription
One change that probably won’t be seen often but will certainly have an impact is it will no longer be mandatory for the referee to issue a yellow or red card to a player on the defending team when awarding a penalty try. There seems to be an awful lot of guesswork around this at the moment in open play, with players carded being more unlucky than anything else, but the real positive is that it won’t result in a mess at scrum time.
Leroy Carter on the run for the Chiefs. Photo / Photosport
A dominant attacking scrum on an opponent’s line that results in a penalty try also meant that a defensive side’s prop would get binned, and therefore needed to be replaced at the next scrum. That in turn meant another player would have to go off to reduce the team’s numbers: if this happened late in a game, it would mean rolling players back on who have already been subbed off.
So, it’s not bad at all from the officials who have put all this together in order to get some free-flowing rugby going.
The only issue, and it’s not a new one, is that this is all for Super Rugby Pacific only. Once July rolls around, those changes don’t apply for test matches and the effects of that may well be playing a part in why the All Blacks have struggled in the last few seasons.
It’s not that the players can’t snap back into playing a tighter game plan, they are professionals and should be able to do that easily. Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie have both shown they can run the ball out of their 22 from February to June, then kick it more often than not when they’re in a black jersey.
But the problem isn’t at their end. Speeding the game up and presumably reducing kicking means players coming through at the other won’t be exposed to as many repetitions as their foreign counterparts. The average back-three player won’t have had to field anywhere near as many bombs, track across the field chasing kicks or simply position themselves on-field as often an English or South African of the same age. Meanwhile, props won’t have as many scrums, halfbacks won’t box kick as often, and so on.
It’s offset somewhat by the fact that by the business end of the competition, Super Rugby is played in colder conditions, with more on the line, so therefore the gameplans will adjust accordingly. One look at last year’s final can attest to that, but the fact still remains that Super Rugby Pacific is the tier below a test rugby landscape that’s moved far closer to repetitive scenarios decided by fine margins than off-the-cuff play.
Again, that’s not new. It’s just that those fine margins seem to be far more in the favour of who the All Blacks are playing.
One thing is for sure with Super Rugby Pacific, though: they’ve stayed committed to reducing the role of the TMO in general play, with the man upstairs only allowed to intervene unprompted if the referee has overlooked an act of serious foul play or some other massively obvious error when a team scores a try.
This is bound to be popular and hopefully it catches on in test rugby, because while we should all be mindful of how difficult the officials’ jobs are these days, no one likes watching them talk to each other all that much.
Recognition highlights solutions that empower educators, strengthen instruction, and drive meaningful student progress
Charlotte, NC (Thursday, January 29, 2026) — Multiple Discovery Education solutions have been named winners in the Tech & Learning Best of 2025 Awards.
“Being recognized by Tech & Learning with a Best of 2025 Award of Excellence is a powerful affirmation of our mission to inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning,” said Brian Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Education. “It’s a testament to the incredible work our teams do every day to support teachers with solutions grounded in instructional excellence and help students engage deeply with rigorouslearning that sticks.”
The following Discovery Education solutions are honored in the Tech & Learning Best of 2025 Awards:
Discovery Education Experience (Primary category) Experience is the essential companion for engaged classrooms, pairing captivating cross-curricular lessons with impactful educator-tested strategies.
Career Connect (Secondary category) Available to all users of Discovery Education Experience, the award-winning Career Connect fosters student engagement by connecting classroom learning to real-world applications and potential careers. Educators request virtual classroom visits from industry professionals from organizations and select from an array of job types, industries, languages, and locations to further personalize interactions.
DreamBox Math (Primary category) DreamBox Math is a K-8 online program backed by third-party research to boost math achievement through adaptive, standards-aligned instruction in an engaging, gamified environment available in English and Spanish.
The Best of 2025 Awards celebrate educational technology that has excelled at supporting teachers, students, and education professionals. Judged by a panel of industry experts, winning an Award of Excellence is more than just acknowledgment from Tech & Learning’s editors; it’s a recognition of products going above and beyond to contribute to the education sector.
The Tech & Learning editorial team shared that: “The awards brought a huge number of high-quality entries. Our panel of industry experts judged the winning products to be those that were most impactful in helping schools improve teaching and learning during 2025. Every winner should be really proud of their accomplishments — a well-deserved congratulations from the entire awards team.”
Learn more about the Tech & Learning Best of 2025 Awards here.
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About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12 digital solutions help educators engage all students and support academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education enables educators to deliver powerful learning experiences in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and across 100+ countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.
Finalists will receive one-to-one mentorship with a 3M scientist, national recognition, and a chance to win top prize: $25,000 and title of “America’s Top Young Scientist”
St. Paul, Minn. and Charlotte, NC. (Jan. 21, 2026) – 3M (@3M) and Discovery Education today announced that the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge (#YoungScientist) is now open to entries. The annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge is the nation’s premier middle school science competition.
“Every year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge showcases what’s possible when students combine imagination with scientific thinking,” said Dr. John Banovetz, chief technology officer, 3M. “We’re proud to support a program that helps young learners gain confidence, explore new possibilities, and imagine a brighter future.”
Challenge details
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge invites students in grades 5-8 to use science to solve everyday problems and improve the world around them.
Students compete for an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist, a $25,000 grand prize, and the chance to earn the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
The contest will name 10 finalists, four honorable mentions, and up to 51state merit winners nationwide and in Washington, D.C.
Competition entries are accepted at YoungScientistLab.com until the deadline on April 30, 2026.
How to enter
To enter, students in grades 5-8 submit a brief video explaining their original idea to solve an everyday problem using science.
Submissions are evaluated for their communication skills, creativity, and scientific knowledge.
Categories include robotics, home improvement, automotive, safety, AR/VR, and climate technology.
Next steps
Mentorship: In June 2026, 10 finalists will be chosen to participate in an exclusive summer mentorship program, during which they will work closely with and learn from a 3M scientist.
Final event: Each finalist will then compete in the final event at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, Oct. 12-14, 2026. This event will include hands-on challenges, presentations, live judging, and the grand prize winner announcement.
Previous winners
Previous challenge finalists and 3M scientists have collaborated to create solutions for a wide variety of real-world problems, including food safety, cybersecurity, coral reef health, water conservation, alternative energy sources, energy consumption, air pollution, transportation efficiency, and many more.
The 2025 winner – 13-year-old Kevin Tang from Hacienda Heights, California – created a novel fall detection device that can accelerate emergency responses to falls among older adults at home, even in the dark. Kevin created an algorithm that analyzes video input to identify falls and triggers alerts to loved ones via a smart phone application. His new solution advances current offerings on the market through the ability to capture imagery at night and provide around-the-clock monitoring. The device can also detect irregular movements while the individual is walking, which could be a symptom of a stroke.
Now in its 19th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challengecontinues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions. America’s Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and exhibited at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have also been named TIME Magazine’s first Kid of the Year, featured in The New York Times Magazine, Forbes, and Business Insider, and appeared on national television programs such as Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and more. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge finalists, winners, and mentors who take part in networking opportunities and more.
“All across the United States are powerful young minds with incredible ideas. The 3M Young Scientist Challenge offers middle school students an unparalleled opportunity to turn creative ideas into world-changing solutions,” said Catherine Dunlop, senior vice president of corporate partnerships at Discovery Education. “With a blend of innovation, mentorship, hands-on learning, and creation, this challenge offers students a unique opportunity to deepen science skills and make an impact on everyday lives.”
To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, including entry details, and to find supporting resources, visit YoungScientistLab.com.
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About 3M 3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12 digital solutions help educators engage all students and support academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education enables educators to deliver powerful learning experiences in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and across 100+ countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.
Charlotte, NC (Wednesday, January 21, 2026) — High school educators now have access to free professional development credential courses focused on AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy through IBM SkillsBuild, IBM’s free global technology education program. Through the IBM and Discovery Education collaboration, educators gain free access to practical, workforce-aligned learning experiences and industry-recognized credentials designed to support instruction in emerging technologies. Over the next two years, the initiative is expected to reach up to 100,000 high school educators through Discovery Education’s professional learning network, with content structured to integrate seamlessly into existing professional development programs.
Research from the Education Insights Report 2025-2026 reveals that only about half (53%) of teachers are optimistic about AI’s potential to support teaching and learning due to lack of clear guidance and professional development. Drawing on IBM’s leadership in technology and workforce development, IBM SkillsBuild offers accessible learning pathways that combine interactive content, real-world applications, and credentials. These pathways enable educators to strengthen their understanding of AI and related technologies while building confidence in applying them in the classroom.
Through this collaboration, educators teaching grades 9-12 will gain access to:
Free, self-paced learning modules in AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy, all intentionally designed to fit into busy schedules.
Industry‑recognized credentials from Credly and documentable professional development hours.
Classroom-ready lesson plans grounded in real‑world applications and aligned to educator needs across an array of disciplines.
“IBM SkillsBuild is central to IBM’s commitment to skill 30 million people worldwide by 2030,” said Lydia Logan, Vice President, Global Education and Workforce Development at IBM. “Educators play a critical role in preparing students for the future of work. Through this collaboration with Discovery Education, we’re helping teachers build practical, workforce-aligned skills in AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy that can translate directly into classroom instruction and expanded opportunity for students.”
The collaboration leverages Discovery Education’s trusted reach and professional learning expertise to help scale access to IBM SkillsBuild across the K–12 ecosystem, expanding opportunities for educators to engage with high-quality, relevant professional development and credentials.
“Emerging technologies, such as AI, have the potential to support educators in delivering excellent instruction with long-lasting impact for students” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “Educators need and want guidance, and that’s why this collaboration offers educators industry‑recognized credentials and practical insights. Together with IBM, we are creating a powerful bridge for educators between transformative technologies and the daily realities of K-12 instruction.”
To access the IBM SkillsBuild professional development content, please visit skillsbuild.org.
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About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12 digital solutions help educators engage all students and support academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education enables educators to deliver powerful learning experiences in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and across 100+ countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.
According to new LS&Co. research, Gen Z leads the thrifting movement but 41% report no clothing repair skills; this is the gap the Wear Longer Project is designed to close.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — January 14, 2026 — Today, Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) announced the launch of theLevi’s® Wear Longer Project, a new community engagement initiative designed to help young people take fashion into their own hands. The program will equip them with the skills and confidence to repair, refresh, and reimagine their clothes—so they look better and last longer.
Gen Z is driving the resurgence of thrifting, repurposing, and creative self-expression in fashion. Yet, many youth were never taught the skills needed to repair and customize clothing — skills once passed down through generations or taught in schools. A new survey conducted by LS&Co. in the U.S. found that 41% of Gen Z report having no basic repair knowledge, such as fixing a tear or sewing a button, which is nearly double the rate of older generations. At the same time, 35% of young people say they would keep their clothes longer if they knew how to fix them. This highlights a meaningful opportunity to reduce clothing waste when the average American throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing each year1, which leads to more than 2,100 pounds of textile waste entering U.S. landfills every second2. Equipping young people with the skills to extend the life of their clothing reinforces LS&Co.’s efforts to use its scale, reach and platform to drive toward a more sustainable, less resource-intensive apparel industry.
The Levi’s® Wear Longer Project introduces free resources primarily aimed at students in grades 9 through 12. Developed in partnership with global edtech leader Discovery Education and aligned with national K-12 education standards, the program teaches young people hands-on life skills such as how to repair and customize their clothes, from sewing a button to patching a hole or tailoring a hem.
“At Levi Strauss & Co., we’ve spent more than 170 years designing clothes to be worn and loved for as long as possible. The Levi’s®Wear Longer Project builds on that legacy by giving young people the confidence and tools to extend the life of what they already own,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co. “By building up repair skills within the next generation and emphasizing the idea of durability, we’re helping spark a culture of creativity, sustainability, and pride in taking care of the things we value.”
Beginning with high school students, the curriculum is now available to educators and students nationwide on the free platform. LS&Co. employees will also serve as volunteer ambassadors, bringing hands-on instruction into schools and local communities. In addition, schools using Discovery Education Experience, the cross-curricular supplemental resource, can integrate Levi’s® Wear Longer Project directly into classroom instruction.
“Our partnership with Levi’s® reflects the growing demand in schools for curriculum that connects academic learning with real‑world, future‑ready skills. Through the Wear Longer Project, students gain hands‑on experience that builds confidence, creativity, and practical life skills while deepening their understanding of complex topics such as supply chain and resource management. This initiative helps prepare students to be thoughtful, capable problem-solvers,” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education.
Launching first in its hometown of San Francisco before expanding globally, the Levi’s® Wear Longer Project will educate local youth through regular opportunities to build core repair skills. The program will begin with a Wear Longer Project workshop for San Francisco high school students at the LS&Co. Eureka Lab. Additional trainings and workshops will continue throughout the year, including activations during Super Bowl weekend in San Francisco.
“Programs like Levi’s® Wear Longer Project resonate because they meet students where they are—hands-on, creative, and rooted in real life,” said Ginny Fang, President of Spark, San Francisco Public Schools. “When students can learn practical skills like repairing and caring for their clothes, they’re not only embracing sustainability, they’re gaining confidence, independence, and a sense of pride in what they can create and maintain themselves.”
As the Wear Longer Project grows, LS&Co. will scale its curriculum through community-based partners and select retail initiatives, creating more entry points for young people and employees to engage in repair education. This approach reinforces LS&Co.’s commitment to responsible consumption and encourages employees to invest in their own skills, so they can then teach others. These initiatives will build upon LS&Co.’s legacy of crafting durable, quality clothing designed to last a lifetime, empowering young people everywhere to care for, customize, and extend the life of the clothes they love. To learn more about the Wear Longer Project, please visit levistrauss.com/values-in-action/wearlongerproject.
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About Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi’s®, Levi Strauss Signature™, Denizen® and Beyond Yoga® brands. Its products are sold in approximately 120 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,200 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.’s reported 2024 net revenues were $6.4 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com, and for financial news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com.
About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12 digital solutions help educators engage all students and support academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education enables educators to deliver powerful learning experiences in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and across 100+ countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.
1, 2 Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling: Textiles Material‑Specific Data,” https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data.
Next-generation K-5 offerings debut alongside comprehensive enhancements, including AI integration that transforms insights into instruction
Charlotte, NC (Thursday, January 8, 2026) — Today, Discovery Education unveiled bold innovations to power progress in K-12 schools for the 2026-2027 academic year. New solutions will modernize classrooms in essential ways, such as strengthening instruction and saving educator time, to support learning that sticks in every subject.
For elementary educators, Discovery Education will release two groundbreaking offerings: the all-new Science Techbook and Social Studies Essentials. Both solutions blend research-backed pedagogy with cutting-edge technology and are complemented by notable updates across AI-driven personalization, career-connected learning, and more.
“At Discovery Education, we believe excellent teaching and learning occurs when students are deeply engaged, and educators have the right resources at the right moment,” said Brian Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Education. “In 2026, we are bringing the real world to classrooms, deepening personalization, and delivering unique, new solutions that educators can trust to move learning forward.”
Product releases for the 2026 back-to-school season build on Discovery Education’s foundation as a trusted partner to educators for research-backed teaching and learning technologies. The latest updates include:
New K-5 Science Techbook Simplifies Teaching and Builds Skills Delivering three‑dimensional, phenomena‑driven lessons that capture student interest and reinforce essential scientific and cross-disciplinary learning, the new Science Techbook offers:
Flexible Teacher-Ready Lessons: Ready-to-teach resources that simplify planning with point-of-use guidance and embedded scaffolds. The lessons blend hands-on investigations and standards-aligned content in a fully editable format to elevate rigor without adding to a teacher’s workload.
Inquiry-Based Learning that Reinforces Literacy and Math: Strengthen students’ cross-curricular skills through active reading, writing, data analysis, and discourse integrated into every science investigation.
Assessments That Inform Instruction: Monitor progress and tailor instruction with high-quality formative and summative assessments designed to inform teaching and improve outcomes.
New K–5 Social Studies Essentials Brings History and Civics to Life Discovery Education Social Studies Essentials (K-5) is a new inquiry-based supplemental solution grounded in the C3 Framework, making it easy for teachers to deliver impactful lessons in history, civics, geography, and economics. Social Studies Essentials deepens learning through meaningful real-world connections and features, including:
Structured Inquiry That Strengthens Understanding: Five units per grade with compelling questions and developmentally appropriate sources, including assessments for students to demonstrate understanding of key concepts and skills.
Teacher-Friendly Design: Ready-to-teach slideshow lessons with clear standards, scaffolds, and instructional guidance.
Flexible Design for Engaged Learning: A mix of hands-on activities, inspiring primary resources, and immersive multimedia to differentiate learning and foster critical thinking.
Adaptable Pacing and Supports: Embedded guidance and customizable delivery to ensure confident instruction for every teacher.
Adaptive Math and District-Powered Pathways Personalize Teaching and Learning Updates to DreamBox Math offer increased adaptivity, district-enabled personalization, and progress tracking. The latest updates for 2026 grow the impact of DreamBox Math as the premier K-8 supplemental solution accelerating student progress in math:
Alignment to District Priorities: Instructional sequences focus on personalized, priority standards for end-of-year success. Districts have the flexibility to select specific standards for students to focus on first or prioritize standards that are directly mapped to end-of-year assessments. Students receive targeted, personalized lessons aligned to outlined priorities, alongside prerequisite lessons, just-in-time support, and individualized feedback needed to progress.
Dynamic Student Experience: New and updated lessons, including in-lesson vocabulary support and adaptive feedback, keep students motivated and progressing in interactive, age-appropriate learning environments that build understanding, skills, and confidence.
Streamlined Teacher Workflows Meet Career Exploration in Experience Fresh innovations in Discovery Education Experienceelevate its role as the essential companion for engaged classrooms, helping educators deliver rigorous, relevant Tier 1 instruction. With a continuously refreshed library of curriculum-aligned resources that build background knowledge, reinforce key concepts, and integrate career-connected learning as part of instruction, updates include:
Time-Saving Educator Experience: Simplify daily planning with faster search, cleaner workflows, and expanded curriculum alignments. Updates make it easy for teachers to find accurate, standards-aligned, ready-to-teach resources quickly from Discovery Education Experience’s high-quality library of carefully curated multimedia content, lessons, and activities across K-12 subjects.
Robust Career Exploration and Connected Learning: Career Connect now offers access to more inspiring professionals, and new features such as K-5 mini-quests, career-based story cards, and a career finder, allowing educators to embed real-world relevance and career exploration into daily instruction. These enhancements provide early exposure to career pathways, develop essential skills, and provide context and readiness for students of all grade levels.
AI-Powered Recommendations to Empower Teaching Discovery Education and Otus have expanded their partnership, bringing AI-powered search and recommendations from the Discovery Education library of products directly into educators’ workflow, saving time and enabling targeted instruction. Qualified districts and school partners can now join the Early Access program to gain key features such as:
Targeted Support for Learners: Data-driven recommendations that help educators differentiate and identify instructional next steps based on student learning needs.
Instruction without Interruption: Educators can use the secure engine to access a comprehensive, district-vetted library sourced from Discovery Education Experience, Science Techbook,Social Studies Techbook, and other solutions while reviewing results and streamlining planning in one frictionless interface.
Responsible, District-Ready Innovation: The integration upholds strong privacy and security practices while increasing the accessibility of existing resources.
Learn more about what’s coming in 2026 from Discovery Education here.
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About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12 digital solutions help educators engage all students and support academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education enables educators to deliver powerful learning experiences in 45% of U.S. K-12 schoolsand across 100+ countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com.
RTD Chief of Police Steve Martingano pointed Denver7 to a growing police force, stronger fare enforcement and the addition of an in-house detective bureau as key drivers for the change.
Denver7
Steve Martingano, chief of the RTD Police Department.
“One of our big wins [in 2025] was our formation of our detective unit,” Martingano said. “We had to rely a lot on our outside police agencies … having our own detective unit has been really beneficial.”
Martingano said increased fare checks not only help recover revenue, but also boost visibility and officer presence.
“By having individuals check fare, we’re having more visibility on our trains and our buses, on our platforms, so you’re seeing a lot more of our security and police personnel that are out there,” he said. “Our criminal incidents, and our drug incidents have gone down. And I think a lot of that, again, is, you know, if you have somebody in uniform, they’re there within the system, people are going to be less likely to … engage in that type of behavior.”
RTD
RTD Police Department’s monthly activity report for January 2025.
RTD reported year-over-year decreases in security-related calls for almost every month of 2025, with the most recent data available through November 2025. Drug-related incidents dropped an average of 58% over the past year.
In 2026, RTD plans to open two new police substations — one in Boulder and one in south Denver — aimed at cutting incident response times.
“We’re going to try these two substations, and I’m sure we’re going to see a huge success. So that will give us the opportunity to move to other areas,” Martingano said.
Frequent rider Frederic Moreno said past trips sometimes meant delays caused by disruptive passengers.
“You work a long day and you’re trying to go home, and then the train has to stop and let everybody out because somebody’s doing something they’re not supposed to be doing,” he said.
Denver7
RTD rider Frederic Moreno.
Moreno said more officers on trains have made a difference for him and others.
“It’s peace of mind,” he said. “Yeah. I can feel safer on the train … I think they’re getting the idea, you know, more security, more cops around Union Station.”
RTD is also encouraging riders to download and use its “Transit Watch” app to report crimes or safety concerns in real time. Officials say those tips help them respond faster and improve security across the system.
Related coverage:
Denver7
Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Colin Riley
Denver7’s Colin Riley is a multimedia journalist who tells stories impacting all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in reporting on transportation and our state’s population of older adults. If you’d like to get in touch with Colin, fill out the form below to send him an email.
Traffic backup on Interstate 5 north. (Image from CalTrans camera)
The California Department of Motor Vehicles Friday announced several new laws which motorists should be aware of in the new year.
The new laws include:
AB 366 (Petrie-Norris): Extends the statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program, a breathalizer preventing a vehicle’s ignition from starting with the presence of alcohol on the breath, for DUI offenders to Jan. 1, 2033.
AB 1087 (Patterson): Increases the term of probation from two years to between three and five years for those convicted of vehicular manslaughter or gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
AB 382 (Berman): Lowers the school zone speed limit from 25 to 20 mph to help reduce speeding.
AB 1085 (Stefani): Makes it an infraction with a fine of $1,000 to manufacture in California a product or device that obscures, or is intended to obscure or interfere with the visual or electronic reading of a license plate.
SB 586 (Jones): Classifies an “off-highway electric motorcycle” or “eMoto” as an off-highway motor vehicle, thereby requiring them to follow OHV rules, including displaying a DMV-issued ID plate or placard.
SB 766 (Allen): Requires a dealer to provide customers a three-day right to cancel the purchase or lease of a vehicle under $50,000.
AB 1299 (Bryan): Authorizes local governments to waive or reduce parking penalties if a person is unable to pay and requires the provision of a payment plan if requested, helping prevent escalating fines, vehicle towing and lien sales that can disproportionately impact low-income individuals.
Another year down, another one rolling in whether we’re ready or not. 2026 has officially arrived, bringing fresh memes, familiar feelings, and the same internet energy we all know and love.
The calendar may have flipped, but the memes are already doing what they do best, reacting to resolutions we haven’t kept, plans we haven’t finished, and vibes we’re still figuring out.
This gallery is a welcoming committee made entirely of memes. Some optimistic, some sarcastic, and some just here to acknowledge that time is moving way too fast.
Whether you’re stepping into 2026 fired up, cautiously hopeful, or simply along for the ride, these memes set the tone for what’s ahead. New year, same scroll, and somehow that feels right.
2026 is shaping up to be another big year for video games. The next 12 months are set to bring massive sequels like Forza Horizon 6, Resident Evil Requiem, and Gears of War: E-Day. There are also some smaller games we’re excited to get our hands on, like Bubsy 4D, Mouse: P.I. for Hire, and Slay The Spire 2. And of course, there’s Grand Theft Auto 6, which, assuming it doesn’t get delayed again, will close out 2026 with a big, industry-shaking bang.
There are so many games to be excited about in 2026 that you might have forgotten about some of them. So we here at Kotaku have created this handy list of 31 games we’re excited to play in the new year. Now, place your bets for how many will actually launch in 2026 and how many will instead be delayed to 2027 or beyond.
Resident Evil Requiem – Feb. 27
I was already excited for a new mainline Resident Evil game arriving in early 2026; you didn’t need to add Leon Kennedy. But I’m very grateful. -Zack Zwiezen
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight – 2026
We ain’t getting a new Arkham game anytime soon, so this Lego spin on the formula will have to do. Luckily, it looks rad as heck. – Zack Zwiezen
Forza Horizon 6 – 2026
The follow-up to one of the best Xbox games ever made, and it’s set in a gorgeously dense open-world recreation of Japan. Yup. That’s going to be goooood. – Zack Zwiezen
Control Resonant – 2026
Remedy’s 2019 Control was a wonderful and creepy paranormal shooter. I’ve desperately wanted a sequel, and that’s finally arriving next year. – Zack Zwiezen
Mouse: P.I. for Hire – March 19
Mixing a boomer shooter with classic black-and-white cartoons is an odd choice, but the final product seems awesome, and we don’t have to wait long to play. – Zack Zwiezen
007 First Light – March 26
IOI, the people behind Hitman, seem like the perfect studio to make a James Bond game. Hopefully, it all comes together in the spring. – Zack Zwiezen
Bubsy 4D – 2026
I didn’t have “Excited for a new Bubsy game” on my bingo card for 2026, but here we are. What can I say? Bubsy 4D looks good. – Zack Zwiezen
The Duskbloods – 2026
FromSoftware’s upcoming eight-player online action RPG sounds like a great idea now, after Nightreign proved to be a huge hit and a great game. Hopefully, the Switch 2 is able to handle it. – Zack Zwiezen
Gears of War: E-Day – 2026
I’m sad that Gears 5’s story isn’t moving forward. Still, it should be fun seeing Marcus and Dom back together in this upcoming prequel to the OG Xbox 360 trilogy. – Zack Zwiezen
Star Wars: Galactic Racer – 2026
So many Star Wars games are RPGs, shooters, or action-adventure experiences. That’s fine, but I’m happy to see someone making a racing game set in my favorite sci-fi universe. – Zack Zwiezen
Marathon – March 2026
The it’s over/we’re so back graph has been all over the place on this one, but with a series of post-alpha test tweaks, including the addition of proximity chat, I’m once again looking forward to seeing Bungie’s take on the extraction shooter, especially if they can weave as much of the background sci-fi lore into a Destiny-style aspirational end-game as I’m hoping they can. – Ethan Gach
Grand Theft Auto 6 – November 19
At this point, I feel like I’ve written so many words about the upcoming GTA 6 that I’m not sure what else to say. You know what this game is. You are probably excited for it. Let’s hope Rockstar lands this sucker. – Zack Zwiezen
Marvel’s Wolverine – 2026
Insomniac’s Spider-Man games have been joyous open-world treats that feel great to play. So people are understandably excited for the studio’s upcoming Wolverine game that looks fun and very, very bloody. – Zack Zwiezen
Saros – April 30
Returnal will always have a special place in my heart, but I’m looking forward to seeing Housemarque branch off into a more forgiving roguelike arcade shooter structure with a robust metagame progression that gives more players more footholds, which will hopefully see more of them hang on and stick it out for the whole ride. – Ethan Gach
Mina the Hollower – 2026
Following a brief delay, I can’t wait to see the Shovel Knight team’s take on Castlevania meets The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. I’m looking forward to a retro homage that pushes the genres it’s playing with to new heights. – Ethan Gach
Replaced – March 12
This game looks incredible. Looking at it will be enough. Playing it will hopefully feel extra special. – Ethan Gach
Forbidden Solitaire – Q1 2026
Forbidden Solitaire is ostensibly about you finding and playing a spooky ‘90s CD-ROM solitaire game—think The 7th Guest but, y’know, solitaire—and getting way more than you bargained for. I have no idea what that means in gameplay terms, but I can’t wait to find out. – Carolyn Petit
The Blood of Dawnwalker – 2026
Ex-Witcher 3 devs make a vampire immersive-sim RPG. Enough said. – Ethan Gach
Danganronpa 2×2 – 2026
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is getting a fancy remake, but it’s also getting a new “what if” scenario in which different victims and killers manifest in its murder mystery. So hey, even if the new storyline isn’t great, we’ll get to play Danganronpa 2 again. – Kenneth Shepard
Pokémon Champions – 2026
Pokémon Champions is the new competitive platform for the series moving forward, and it’s going to integrate several mechanics, such as Mega Evolution and Z-Moves, into one place, meaning it has the potential to completely transform the competitive space, and free up the main games to no longer be beholden to a particular way of doing things. – Kenneth Shepard
Mario Tennis Fever – February 12
The world needs more fun tennis games. Thank you, Mario and company, for hearing these calls and showing up so early in 2026 to deliver a game that looks like it’ll be exactly what folks want. – Zack Zwiezen
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis – 2026
Sure, another remake of the first Tomb Raider game seems a bit silly. But, hey, it looks great and will hold fans over until 2027’s Tomb Raider: Catalyst. – Zack Zwiezen
Pokémon Pokopia – March 5
Pokémon Pokopia appears to be Pikachu and friends’ take on an Animal Crossing-style life sim, but it also seems to have a dark, post-apocalyptic setting that might keep it from being as cozy as other games in the genre. Intriguing! – Kenneth Shepard
Pragmata – April 24
New AAA franchises are so few and far between, it’s a special treat whenever we get one, especially out of Japan. It’s not 3D Mega Man but it might be the next best thing. – Ethan Gach
Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls – 2026
When it comes to anime fighters, you don’t bet against Arc System Works. Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls is a 4v4 fighting game with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on the roster, and it looks pretty rad. – Kenneth Shepard
Scott Pilgrim EX – 2026
It’s about time we got a new Scott Pilgrim beat em up, and this time, it’s coming with a brand new story by series’ creator Bryan Lee O’Malley set after the events of the Scott Pilgrim Takes Off anime. – Kenneth Shepard
Demon Tides – February 19
Demon Tides is a modern-day PS2-style mascot platformer that manages to nail the middle ground between pinpoint precision and free-flowing, fast-paced action that so many others in the genre can’t quite inhabit. – Kenneth Shepard
Nocturne – June 30
I had to get at least one rhythm game on this list, and Nocturne, a rhythm RPG inspired by science fantasy games of the ’90s, is basically Guitar Hero meets Final Fantasy. – Kenneth Shepard
Slay the Spire 2– March 2026
I slept on the first Slay the Spire when it initially launched. I will not make that mistake again. With most sequels I want a little bit more than just “bigger and better,” but with Slay the Spire 2 that will be more than enough. – Ethan Gach
Halo: Campaign Evolved – 2026
Like Tomb Raider, it’s a bit silly that we are getting yet another remake of the first Halo, but this one is coming to PlayStation 5, and I wish I could go back in time and tell 12-year-old Zack that fact. It would blow his dumb pre-teen mind. – Zack Zwiezen
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book – 2026
This ain’t the Nintendo platformer I was hoping for in 2026, but it looks cute, and for folks who love the Yoshi games, well, here’s another one for you. – Zack Zwiezen
The Main Street Bridge on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Construction on the 1.5 mile bypass channel that will cut underneath the Main Street Bridge is expected to begin summer of 2026.
Amanda McCoy
amccoy@star-telegram.com
Dirt might finally start turning on Panther Island in 2026, roughly a quarter of a century after its inception.
The idea to revitalize the Trinity River began in 2001, with plans for an 800-acre district north of downtown emerging years later. The idea was to reconnect the community to the river after it was cut off when the earthen levees were built following the 1949 flood.
It then became a flood control project to improve the Trinity River levee system by connecting two sections of the river north of downtown.
The Main Street bridge on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Work is expected to start on the north channel of Panther Island in 2026. Christopher Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com
It has since split into two projects to distinguish between the flood control work being done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the development work being done by private developers in coordination with the city of Fort Worth and Tarrant Regional Water District. Officials haven’t updated the cost of the project since 2018, when they put the price tag at $1.17 billion.
The project has faced repeated setbacks, from changes in the plans, to construction delays on the bridges, to a block in funding during the first Trump administration. In 2022, the project received $403 million from the 2021 Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act.
The Main Street bridge on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Work is expected to start on the north channel of Panther Island in 2026. Christopher Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com
Meanwhile, the city of Fort Worth and Tarrant Regional Water District have been busy preparing the island for development to go hand in glove with the Army Corps’ flood control work. A March 2024 consultant’s plan envisions a 338-acre island, with a walkable business and entertainment district.
There is a lot of work to be done, both on flood control and development, but the island may finally begin to take shape in 2026.
The flood control bit
Construction is expected to begin this summer on the most visible part of the project — the 1.5 mile bypass channel. Work will start on the northern portion near the Main Street Bridge and is expected to take three years, Kate Beck, the water district program director, said during a Nov. 6 meeting of the Trinity River Vision Authority board.
This map shows the new bypass channel that follows a straighter path than the natural bend in the river at downtown. HR&A consultants
The southern half is still in the design phase. It will run under the Henderson Street and Westside Drive bridges before opening onto a section of the Trinity River across from City Hall.
The Corps has enough money for the design portion, but will need more for construction. The same is true for the Samuels Avenue dam, a pump station and three floodgates.
The Corps will also start work to restore some of the ecosystem of the Ham Branch stream in Harmon Park. The park is one of several so-called “valley storage” sites meant to hold back floodwater.
The restoration includes planting trees, grasses, and transforming an urban waterway into a natural channel, according to a project page on the Army Corps’s website.
Development on the island
The Tarrant Regional Water District put out a call on Oct. 16 looking for developers to purchase land around a section of the island’s internal canal system.
The district owns about 36 acres on the island that can be developed without waiting for the bypass channel. This initial section will focus on an area bordered by North Main Street to the west, Northwest Fifth Street to the north, Northwest Fourth Street to the south and the levee to the east.
However, the district wouldn’t turn down developers in areas outside that first canal zone, said Susan Alanis, the waster district program director.
The area in the initial phase will have all the necessary water, sewer and drainage pipes in place, so it’ll be easiest for developers to work there first, she said.
The water district set aside $12.4 million in its 2026 budget to build a section of canal in that area. It expects to start by the middle of 2026, according to water district documents.
The site of the Coyote Drive-In will be turned into a park. The pavilion will stay, but the rest of the area will be turned into a park, according to water district documents.
The levee along the West Fork of the Trinity River near the Main Street Bridge on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com
The pavilion is a real asset for the water district, Alanis said. It has a beer garden atmosphere, and will create the kind of fun atmosphere the district is looking for on the island, she said.
The city is still working on more sweeping updates to zoning rules on the island, but those won’t get a public airing until sometime in 2026, assistant city manager Dana Burghdoff said in the Nov. 6 meeting.
The canal will be near a 1.5 acre parcel owned by Austin-based developer Seco Ventures. The company bought 26 acres on the island in 2023, making it the island’s largest private landowner.
Seco started land planning for a 300-unit apartment complex at 508 N. Main St., which, once completed, will usher in a new era for Panther Island, founding partner Josh Needham said in an email the Star-Telegram.
He praised the work of the city and the water district to lay the groundwork for development on the island, saying it has created a clear path for Seco to secure the needed funding for its project in the coming year.
Seco is working with the city and other government agencies to set up a special taxing district to fund improvements on the island, Needham said.
“Panther Island is a place rich in history and character; we’re simply bringing that legacy back to life,” he said.
Beyond 2026
In the coming years, Panther Island will lean into its strengths around river and trail access and along with the new canals and future parks, Seco’s Needham said.
“With those advantages, our task is to build spaces that enable the lifestyle they make possible,” he said.
The company hasn’t released details for how it plans to develop those properties, but Needham shared a concept rendering from Lake Flato Architects showing a mixture of hotels, apartments, offices, a music venue and a grocery store.
Panther Island: District Concept Massing by Lake Flato Architects Courtesy of Seco Ventures
The construction of the other phases of the flood control project are still up in the air except work in Rockwood Park and along University Drive.
The Army Corps plans to dig out a section of Rockwood Park along the Trinity River for another valley storage site.
The road will be raised 12 to 15 feet to act as another buffer against floodwater escaping the river. The section is at risk during a major flooding event, so this will stop the road from being washed out.
Construction on the section of University Drive is expected to take 18 months, and is expected to start sometime in 2029 to line up with the completion of the northern section of the bypass channel.
In the meantime, the city plans to build a new access road to help traffic bypass the construction site.
The access road will curve behind the businesses that sit on the blocked section of North University Drive and dump traffic out onto Jacksboro Highway just north of the Super Star Car Wash, according to a presentation at the Nov. 6 TRVA board meeting.
Construction of the access road will start in 2026, and take about a year to complete.
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what’s going on.
January is shaping up to be a busy month for K-drama fans, with a fresh lineup of shows. From time-travelling judges and soul-swapping thieves to undercover inspectors and unexpected love stories, the new releases promise a mix of everything. Here’s a look at the upcoming Korean shows set to premiere in January 2026.
The Judge Returns
The Judge Returns is a legal drama that follows judge Lee Han-young, who regains consciousness after his death and returns to the past to deliver justice on his own terms and alter his destiny. It stars Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon, Won Jin-ah, and Baek Jin-hee among others. It will premiere on MBC TV on January 2, 2026.
To My Beloved Thief
To My Beloved Thief is an upcoming historical series set in the Joseon era. The story centres on Hong Eun-jo, a noblewoman who secretly lives as the righteous thief Hong Gil-dong. She steals from the wealthy to support the poor. Her actions draw the attention of Yi Yeol, a royal prince assigned to track her down. As his pursuit intensifies, a soul exchange upends both their lives, forcing them to step into each other’s worlds. It stars Nam Ji-hyun, Moon Sang-min, Han So-eun and Hong Min-gi, and is scheduled to premiere on January 3, 2026.
Spring Fever
Spring Fever follows a woman who returns to a small town after a painful heartbreak in Seoul and slowly finds her life shifting in unexpected ways. Guarded and emotionally distant at first, she gradually begins to soften after crossing paths with Seon Jae-gyu, a man who encourages her to open her heart once again. The drama stars Ahn Bo-hyun, Lee Joo-bin, Cha Seo-won, Cho Jun-young, and Lee Jae-in and will premiere on January 5.
No Tail to Tell
No Tail to Tell is an upcoming South Korean series starring Park Chan-young and Jo Ah-young. It centres on Eun-ho, an unconventional gumiho who enjoys blending into the human world while carefully avoiding good deeds in order to preserve her immortality.
Content with eternal youth, she indulges in life’s pleasures without concern for consequences. However, a twist of fate involving Kang Si-yeol, a globally celebrated footballer, turns Eun-ho into a regular human. Stripped of her powers, she is forced to confront human emotions, vulnerabilities, and responsibilities.
The drama is set to premiere on SBS TV on January 16, 2026 and will be streaming on Netflix as well.
Can This Love Be Translated?
Can This Love Be Translated? stars Kim Seon-ho, Go Youn-jung, Sota Fukushi, Choi Woo-sung, and Lee Yi-dam.
The drama follows Ju Ho-jin, a multilingual interpreter who starts working as a personal interpreter for top actress Cha Mu-hee. Despite having contrasting perspectives on love, they grow closer. It will be released on Netflix on January 16.
Undercover Miss Hong
Undercover Miss Hong is a workplace comedy drama starring Park Shin-hye, Go Kyung-pyo, Ha Yoon-kyung, and Cho Han-gyeol. The narrative revolves around Hong Geum-bo, an inspector at the Financial Supervisory Service, who is assigned an unusual mission. The 35-year-old has to go undercover as a 20-year-old junior employee at a securities firm flagged for suspicious financial activity.
Thrown into the chaos of entry-level office life, Geum-bo struggles to pass as an inexperienced rookie while secretly tracking financial irregularities from within. Her double life leads to a series of awkward situations and workplace drama. It will be released on January 17.
Positively Yours
Positively Yours is based on Lee Jung’s popular Naver Webtoon of the same name and stars Choi Jin-hyuk, Oh Yeon-seo, Hong Jong-hyun, and Kim Da-som. The story revolves around two people who were firmly against the idea of marriage. Their carefully planned lives take an unexpected turn after a one-night encounter changes everything, forcing them to confront responsibilities, emotions, and choices they never anticipated.
Industry analysts have identified a list of the top ten sports betting events that are expected to drive record breaking handle and fan engagement throughout 2026.The primary highlight is the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This tournament is undergoing a historic expansion to forty-eight teams, creating a massive increase in the total number of matches available for wagering. Early odds suggest Spain, England, and France are the current favorites, while the United States remains a long shot.
In February, Super Bowl LX will take place at Levi’s Stadium in California. The championship game remains a cornerstone of the wagering calendar, consistently drawing the highest volume of single game bets in the country. This will be followed closely by the Winter Olympics in Italy, where international team and individual events provide a diverse range of markets for bettors over several weeks.
College athletics will also make up a hefty portion of the sports betting events this year. March Madness is expected to remain a dominant force in the spring, with thirty-two games scheduled over the first two days of the tournament alone. Analysts noted that the transfer portal and roster shifts continue to create unpredictable outcomes that attract significant public interest. Additionally, the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami will serve as the first major betting milestone of the year.
The spring and summer will feature traditional staples such as the Kentucky Derby and the Masters. At Augusta National, early favorites Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are already drawing attention from the golf community. Meanwhile, the World Baseball Classic returns in March, pitting stars like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani against one another in a tournament that has grown rapidly in betting popularity.
Professional leagues will round out the year with the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals in June. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Colorado Avalanche are currently positioned as frontrunners in their respective sports. These diverse sports betting events represent a mixture of annual traditions and rare international spectacles that are expected to define the financial landscape of the legal gambling industry in 2026.
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