Riley Johnson

What is Happening? A rare hantavirus outbreak is currently being investigated after multiple passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship became critically ill. Health agencies around the world, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are monitoring the situation. The outbreak looks to be linked to the Andes strain of the hantavirus, an unusual and rare strain that can spread from person to person. Current Numbers Reports...

In the depths of a suffocating summer heat, writers from across the Quad Cities metropolitan area gather on the top floor of the Rock Island Public Library to create, critique, and talk about all things writing. The Young Emerging Writers (YEW) Program is a paid internship dedicated to supporting young writers in the Quad Cities and beyond. Over the course of seven weeks—running Mondays through Wednesdays from June 8 to July 22—students collaborate to produce a new edition of The Atlas...

Living in Tornado Alley, we’re all familiar with what spring brings: tornado season. And with tornado season comes the urge to rewatch Twisters (2024)—or Twister (1996), if you prefer the classic—and imagine yourself chasing storms like Glen Powell. But what if you didn’t have to imagine? What if you could actually do it—right here in the Quad Cities? The National Weather Service (NWS) Quad Cities office offers Storm Spotter Training Sessions , giving everyday people the chance to safely and...

Alysa Liu is helping break the boundaries of what it means to be a figure skater. For years, the sport has been shaped by strict and conservative expectations of what a “figure skater” should look like and how they should behave. Through her self-advocacy, revolutionary mindset, and alternative style, Liu is paving the way for a new generation of athletes. Liu’s career is a comeback story for the ages. Winning Olympic gold in figure skating is a monumental achievement on its own. Winning it...

Canada’s @ Baddiesforlatinos and Russia’s @ A.guy.who.cares fought it out in the playoffs (The Lance comment section) last week. In the comment section of an article covering Bad Bunny’s halftime show , anonymous users on The Lance got involved in a heated debate over political opinions. In that article, I wrote an overview of the performance as well as provided cultural context to the show, such as translations or explanations I read about in interviews. Since its publication, the...

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance was more than a concert; it was a celebration of Puerto Rican culture and immigrants everywhere. Although the performance was entirely in Spanish, the viewership has broken records. According to reports from NBC Sports , Bad Bunny's halftime performance generated over 4 billion social media views within the first 24 hours, making it the most consumed halftime show on NFL social media platforms. Benito’s performance opened to fan favorite...

This past Monday, February 2nd was Groundhog Day. On this fateful day, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow when he was picked out of his burrow—which indicates six more weeks of winter. With an average accuracy of 35% , Phil is far from a reliable prophet. Calling him a prophet is even a bit far fetched since prophets typically tell the future. All that this lazy groundhog does is pop his head out of his burrow and get scared (or not scared) of his own shadow. A bit pathetic in my opinion. It’s...

Lewis Carrol’s beloved classic Alice in Wonderland has been adapted time and time again; now, it’s Lancer Productions' turn to give the beloved story a try as they set out to perform the musical Alice in Wonderland Jr. this January. Sophomore Addyson Yanke stars as Alice in this eccentric musical—her first leading role in High School. “It’s been really fun and really exciting to get to know everyone and get to know them. It’s also been helpful to expand my acting skills because there’s so...

As October begins, we inch closer to that harrowing night of ghosts and ghouls, mischief and mayhem—Halloween. But beyond the nonstop doorbell ringing from trick-or-treaters and the cheesy decorations at Walgreens, there’s something else to look forward to: North Scott Lancer Productions’ fall play, Clue . The production is based on the 1985 cult classic Clue , which itself was inspired by the renowned board game. The story follows six eccentric guests— Colonel Mustard (Kaden Timmerman),...

Nestled in the quiet community of Park View, Iowa, Daisy Lane is more than just a boutique—it’s a celebration of creativity, community,...