The U.S. Midwest, including cities like Rockford, is experiencing a surprising population rebound as residents are drawn by affordable living and a resurgence in manufacturing jobs.

North Carolina basketball is currently projected as a No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region according to USA Today Sports' latest bracketology, indicating a challenging path in the tournament.

DoorDash reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images DoorDash has a key advantage over Amazon in grocery delivery, CEO Tony Xu said Wednesday. The delivery service offers a wider variety owing to its myriad partnerships with grocers, Xu said. Amazon is ramping up its grocery delivery, creating more competition for DoorDash and Instacart. DoorDash CEO Tony Xu says that his company's grocery offering has a key advantage over Amazon: choice. Amazon is doubling down on grocery delivery, especially perishables like produce and ice cream. The retail and tech giant said last month that it's expanding same- and next-day grocery delivery to more parts of the US this year, adding to the thousands of towns and cities it already serves — news that sent shares of Instacart and DoorDash tumbling at the time. DoorDash, though, has something that shoppers want and that Amazon isn't replicating, Xu said on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday. Unlike Amazon, which owns Whole Foods and several of its own food brands, DoorDash works with existing grocery chains. The delivery service has struck deals in recent years. Last year, it expanded its partnership with Kroger and signed new deals with regional chains, including Schnucks in the Midwest. Few customers complete all their grocery shopping at a single chain, Xu said. Many stop at multiple stores each week, especially to find specific fresh groceries, such as produce, meat, and seafood. "Consumers prefer choice," Xu said on the call, adding that he expects there to "continue to be very strong interest in the DoorDash product" as a result. DoorDash is also expanding its services for retailers, such as fulfillment through its DashMarts, convenience store-sized retail spaces designed for picking and delivering orders. Xu said DoorDash is "doing that for every single grocer so that they have the capability to compete against companies like Amazon." DoorDash shares rose as much as 14% in after-market trading on Wednesday, despite disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and guidance for 2026. The company's stock took its biggest one-day hit in November after it unveiled plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on tech improvements. While DoorDash has become known for restaurant deliveries, its gig workers are increasingly making grocery deliveries — many of which make more financial sense for DoorDash. Xu said DoorDash has attracted more big grocery orders from customers, not just small fill-in trips. That matters in the grocery industry, where grocers tend to make more money when customers buy a wider range of goods. "People use us for both the quick runs as well as the stock-up use cases," he said. Ravi Inukonda, DoorDash's CFO, said on the call that DoorDash's retail and grocery business expects to "be unit-economic positive" in the second half of 2026. Have a tip? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read the original article on Business Insider

Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. (NIC) has successfully completed its merger with MidWestOne Financial Group, finalizing the integration of the two financial institutions.

Pending home sales have fallen to a record low, with significant drops observed in the South and Midwest, as improving affordability has yet to stimulate buying activity.

I moved from the US to Brazil and have experienced some culture shocks along the way. Isaiah Reynolds After losing my job, I decided to move from Chicago to São Paulo, Brazil. I love my new home, but I've experienced some culture shocks during the transition. For example, I didn't expect to feel chilly in São Paulo, and the food is different (in a good way). After an incredible three weeks traveling around Brazil, I was on the first leg of my flight home to Chicago when I received a message from my director at work — a 15-minute "check-in" with an HR representative. Worried I might receive news of a layoff, I frantically deboarded the plane after landing in Rio de Janeiro and joined the call in a quiet corner of the duty-free section of the airport. There, I was informed that my role had been eliminated. Faced with the reality of returning home to the frigid Chicago temperatures with no job, I quickly changed my connecting flight and decided to hostel-hop around Brazil for another month. However, even that extra month didn't feel like long enough in the country I'd fallen in love with. Exploring beautiful destinations while practicing a new language every day was incredibly fulfilling for me. Once I went back to the US, I realized I was looking for ways to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had always wanted to live abroad, and my unemployment seemed like the perfect alignment to make that move to another part of the world. So, a few months after my original trip, I relocated from Chicago to São Paulo and was greeted by lots of surprises along the way. Coming from Chicago, I didn't expect to feel chilly in São Paulo The temperatures in São Paulo caught me by surprise. Cristian Lourenço/Getty Images Growing up in the Midwest, I've endured my fair share of snowstorms and wind chills so cold that I felt as though my eyelids would freeze together. So, I felt well-equipped for any kind of cold weather Mother Nature could ever throw my way. Even so, I wasn't prepared for just how chilly Brazil could feel — especially during a springtime cold front while living in an area without access to central heating. Although Brazil's springtime temperatures (which last from September through November) are similar to what I experienced during the Chicago fall, it was difficult to adjust to the lack of central heating. So, I found myself wearing multiple layers of T-shirts and the only hoodie I brought with me. Before I moved, I'd only visited Brazil during its smoldering summer months, so I had naively assumed the subtropical temperatures in São Paulo would be pleasant year-round. The food is different — and that's not a bad thing I've grown to love acarajé: stuffed black-eyed-pea fritters Isaiah Reynolds Between seeing unrefrigerated milk in grocery stores to trying vegetables I've never heard of, the day-to-day food in Brazil is a lot different than what I was used to in the States. For example, contrary to the common American adage, breakfast doesn't seem to be the most important meal of the day here; many Brazilians opt for bread or fruit instead of the hefty pancakes or sausage links I was accustomed to. For lunch and dinner, many locals seem to rely on a tried-and-true formula: arroz (rice), feijão (beans), some meat, and salad. Classic dishes like stroganoff (a creamy chicken or beef dish topped with crispy shoestring potatoes) or feijoada (pork and black bean stew) may enter the rotation. Still, the aforementioned combo is a popular default dish that I've grown to love. Although tavern-style Chicago pizza still holds a special place in my heart, my new Brazilian favorites include acarajé (stuffed black-eyed pea fritters fried in dendé oil), acerola (a sweet cherry fruit), and doce de leite (sweet caramelized milk used as a topping or filling). Plus, there's a pretty great international food scene here, too. While wandering around the city, I've come across a wide range of cuisines, from Lebanese and West African restaurants to Colombian and Venezuelan spots. Although I was initially worried about feeling welcomed, I can see myself putting down roots here One thing I've noticed since my first visit to the country is that Brazilians are very proud to be Brazilian. From football matches to the celebrations that occur when Brazilian films are nominated for Academy Awards, the people here seem to be the loudest and proudest fans in the room. Because of this, I was worried I might not feel as welcome as an outsider. Instead, I've found an endearing level of curiosity among many Brazilians I've met, who either want to practice English or ask how I'm enjoying their beloved country. This openness to connect has softened a lot of the original culture shock during my move. Although very different from my life in Chicago, I'm excited to continue building a life for myself in São Paulo. Read the original article on Business Insider

Over the years, I've seen passengers making some basic mistakes and social faux pas on train rides. sculpies/Getty Images I've been riding trains across the US for over 26 years, and it's one of my favorite ways to travel. After hundreds of trips, I have a running list of some of the worst things passengers do on board. Avoid bringing too much luggage and taking up more than your fair share of space on board. Train travel can be an adventure. Whizzing by different terrain and meeting new people are all part of the trip. However, a ride can also be frustrating or a bit chaotic, especially if other passengers are doing things that irritate you. After more than 26 years of riding trains up and down both US coasts and across the Midwest, here are seven things I wish passengers would stop doing. Talking your seat partner's ear off As is the case on most public transportation, you risk encountering talkative seatmates on trains. Being stuck in a conversation for a multihour train ride can be exhausting, especially since many people choose this form of transit because it's considered a leisurely and relaxing travel option. I don't usually mind having brief conversations with people near me — it's a shared experience after all — but not everyone wants to be social. When it comes to chatting on board, consent from both parties is key. Bringing too much luggage There probably won't be tons of storage space on the train. Daniel J. Macy/Shutterstock Similar to air travel, trains have limited space in front of the seats and in the overhead bins. Try to stick to your fair share of luggage, or plan in advance to check it when you board. On Amtrak, most reservations allow you to bring one bag and two carry-on items. You may be able to bring more if you book a private car or upgrade your ticket. People are getting on and off at every stop, so even if your train car looks empty when you board, you should still be mindful of how much space you're taking up. Spreading your belongings (or body) out across a row of seats Speaking of taking up too much space: Spreading all your things across a row or more of seats is annoying for fellow passengers. Since there isn't much extra space on trains, I wish people were more mindful about taking too many seats, blocking the middle aisle, and knocking into the people around them when they need to unpack something or resituate their luggage. This also goes for lying down across multiple seats. If you need to stretch out, go to the café car or observation space, where there's usually a little more room to move around. Leaving trash and spills for others to clean A lot of people think they don't have to clean up after themselves on trains and planes. It's especially annoying because there are trash receptacles throughout the train, making it easy to organize your space as you go. I usually find them near stairwells, in restrooms, in the dining car, or at the end of the passenger cars. Your trash is your responsibility — the same goes for anything you spill during the trip. Trapping people on the stairs or between cars Try not to stand in front of doors for too long. Dogora Sun/Shutterstock Don't stand in the way of people in the space between cars or on the narrow, sometimes winding, stairwells. Space is limited, and if you trap someone for too long, they may start to feel unsafe or uncomfortable. It's sometimes unavoidable to momentarily block people as they get on and off the train, but otherwise, be mindful and stay aware of your surroundings. Taking your shoes off When you're in a public place that's not a pool or spa, taking your shoes off probably won't elicit a pleasant reaction. This is especially true when you're trapped in what's essentially a metal tube for hours. Keep your shoes on to avoid bothering your fellow train riders. I personally wouldn't want my feet touching the floor of a train anyway. Watching videos or listening to music without using headphones If you want to avoid irritating everyone around you, reduce your noise pollution. You might be fascinated by the cooking video you found on YouTube, but the rest of the passengers probably aren't. And no matter how amazing your taste in music is, use headphones while on the train. This also applies to phone calls — no one wants to hear your whole conversation on speakerphone. This story was originally published on November 10, 2024, and most recently updated on February 20, 2025. Read the original article on Business Insider

New Michigan Football DT coach Larry Black is expected to significantly boost recruiting, particularly in the Midwest and Ohio, due to his strong reputation on the recruiting trail.

Midwestern State hosted Lubbock Christian for a Lone Star Conference softball doubleheader. The Chaps beat the Mustangs 3-2 in game one and 5-0 in game two.