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Illinois Quick Hits: Champaign business owner charged with COVID relief fraud
(The Center Square) – A Mahomet man has been charged with fraud and failing to pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
John Galliano's Met Gala 2027 exhibit canceled after backlash
Fashion designer John Galliano pays the price, again, for racist outbursts that upended his career more than a decade ago. His Met Gala 2027 exhibit has been canceled.
China’s AI Health Care Ambitions Hit Hard Business Questions
A state-backed push is raising the question: Who pays?
Politicians paying influencers for support — some without disclosing: Report
Unbiased Politics News
Rising health care costs could take a bigger bite out of workers’ paychecks
Otto Graham says the increased costs of medication and rise in utilization are driving the potential effect for workers.
Clashing Convictions Of Taliban And The West Is Costing Afghan Lives
Two sets of dogmas contend in Afghanistan: those of the Taliban and the West. Neither side pays the real price for their beliefs. Ordinary Afghans do with
Rising health care costs could take a bigger bite out of workers’ paychecks
Otto Graham says the increased costs of medication and rise in utilization are driving the potential effect for workers.
Sacoa powers cashless payments at new Saudi entertainment venue
Sacoa Cashless System has supplied the technology infrastructure for BOLTS, a new social entertainment venue in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, according to a press release. The installation includes 38 Spark RFID readers, three point-of-sale stations with readers, RFID cards, customer relationship management and online sales modules, and the Sacoa Mobile App. The integrated platform enables guests to access attractions and make cashless transactions while providing the venue with tools to manage payments and track customer activity.
Proposed Medicaid Cuts Could Cost Maternal and Children’s Health Care Billions
An estimated $19.7 billion in Texas health care funding is at stake under proposed changes to Medicaid payments. The proposed rules from the Centers for
This new North Jersey vet has unlimited visits for a monthly fee
Snoots in Clifton has unlimited visits for dog and cat care. Family Care Physical Therapy opened in Butler. PayMore Electronics is in West Orange.
Pennsylvania senator prepares for push to bring single-payer healthcare to the state
Sen. Nikil Saval, representing the commonwealth’s first district in Philadelphia, circulated a letter to colleagues last week announcing his plan to introduce legislation to bring universal healthcare coverage to every resident of the state.
Former Broncos Tight End Out in Raiders Roster Deadline Adjustment
Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos could do themselves a favor by taking a flier on old friend Albert Okwuegbunam. The post Former Broncos Tight End Out in Raiders Roster Deadline Adjustment appeared first on HEAVY.
Rising health care costs could take a bigger bite out of workers’ paychecks
Otto Graham says the increased costs of medication and rise in utilization are driving the potential effect for workers.
Ravens hit with prediction that Lamar Jackson won't like
The Baltimore Ravens need to pay attention to this.
Recruiter places ‘phoenix’ firm into liquidation just months after repurchase erased millions in debt
New company reportedly quickly fell behind with promised repayments to administrator
NC health officials warn of possible rabies exposure tied to petting zoo goats
Health officials are investigating a potential rabies exposure after several baby goats from a mobile petting zoo tested positive for the virus.
Is Swansea City's attacking transfer business already paying off?
Swansea fans were keen to see signings on the wing, and on the evidence of the first three Championship games, the additions have paid dividends.
Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices
Hey all, Jason here. When this hits your inbox, I should be en route to the airport — not to go anywhere myself, just to pick up my better half. I must admit, it’s been strange to be home alone (well, with two dogs) for two weeks! Really lets me “optimize” to spending more time on reading/writing/working, whether that’s healthy or not! Looking forward to getting back into a (somewhat) more balance routine. Subscribe or Support by Upgrading Compare Notes With the People Who Built Modern Fintech Partner content: Remitly CEO Sebastian Gunningham. Increase founder Darragh Buckley. Linda Du, Co-founder & President at Valon. They’ll unpack the decisions behind building and scaling major financial products: what they got right, what broke, what they would do differently, and how AI and new infrastructure are changing the operator playbook. Most events tell you where fintech is going. NerdCon puts the people who built the present in the room and asks them what comes next. Expect an operator-led conversation grounded in real products, real trade-offs and lessons earned the hard way. Fintech Business Weekly readers save 20% on Regular tickets with code FBW20 before standard pricing ends September 11. Meet the Builders Things To Know & Other Good Reads Advent and Stripe Abandon $50 Billion Pursuit of PayPal (Bloomberg) Trump Family’s New Crypto Bank Is Backed by Abu Dhabi Sheikh (Wall Street Journal) The multiplying risks of financing data centres (FT) Let the Bond Market Speak (Wall Street Journal) Did we waste a crisis? Modest proposals to reform deposit insurance. (Fintech Takes Banking) Untangling Guggenheim: How Private Credit Built Its Own Universe (Net Interest) The Hater’s Guide To Circular Financing — Part One (Ed Zitron) Fiat Ventures Rebrands to FGV Capital, Announces $35M Oversubscribed Fund II (BusinessWire) Socure Announces Strategic Growth Investment at $5.2B Valuation and Acquires Agentic Operations Platform Fravity (Socure) Listen: When Consumer Protection Disclosures Work Too Well (Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast) Colorado Sues EarnIn For “Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive and Unscrupulous” Business Practices When Andreessen Horowitz led EarnIn’s $39 million Series B in 2017, Alex Rampell, a partner at the storied venture capital firm, described EarnIn’s small-dollar advance product as “free,” relying on “entirely on voluntary contributions instead of fees.” Rampell favorably compared EarnIn’s approach to typical payday loans, writing, “Payday loans historically have had the potential to be a slippery slope for consumers into financial distress: opaque systems and steep fees that are hard to repay and set individuals back further than where they started. For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, that kind of slide into debt can be extremely difficult to recover from.” But EarnIn’s product — which, the company says, isn’t a “loan,” legally speaking — ends up being anything but free for most users. While it is technically possible to take a no-fee advance from the company, most users incur “Lightning Speed” (instant funding) fees and/or ostensibly optional tips that combined can equate to annualized percent rates that can reach over 1,000%. With an average term of 9.77 days, even fees and tips that are small on an absolute dollar basis are equivalent to high APRs on an annualized basis. A lawsuit filed last week by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against EarnIn describes the company and its product and business practices quite differently than Andreessen’s Rampell; “EarnIn’s business practices are unfair because they are immoral, unethical, oppressive and unscrupulous,” the complaint, filed in District Court in Denver, Colorado, says. EarnIn’s marquee product, Cash Out, isn’t a loan, the company says, as Cash Out is not “[f]orward [l]ooking” because “[t]he money is transferred based on earnings to date,” does not carry a mandatory fee to access funds, and is “non-recourse,” meaning EarnIn cannot pursue recovery from users who don’t repay advanced funds. EarnIn is sometimes referred to as an “Earned Wage Advance” service. Though, unlike some others in the broader category, EarnIn does not integrate with employers’ payroll or time and attendance systems. Rather, EarnIn attempts to verify a user’s income and employment, by examining direct deposit transaction data in their linked external bank account, by using GPS location and Bluetooth data to estimate a user’s time spent at work, if they work in a fixed location, and/or by having a user provided a work email address. While repayment is theoretically optional, as EarnIn would have no recourse, such as reporting non-payment to the credit bureaus or a collections agency, this is anything but clear to users of the EarnIn app, Colorado’s complaint argues. During the process of taking a Cash Out, users must agree to a preauthorized debit of the amount advanced, plus any expedited funding fee and/or tips. Though users technically can revoke this ACH authorization, the fact that they have this right isn’t presented to users during the Cash Out process, but rather is included in linked terms and conditions few users are likely to actually read. And users who do wish to revoke their ACH authorization must do so three or more days before the scheduled transaction date by emailing EarnIn’s customer support. Similarly, EarnIn’s marketing claims that it carries “no interest” and “no mandatory fees” is technically true, but is not the reality for many of the app’s users, the Colorado complaint argues. Further, EarnIn has extensively marketed to users the ability to “access your pay today,” to get “instant” funds, and to get funds “the same day you work” — when, in reality, this speed of access was only possible by paying the additional, undisclosed Lightning Speed fee. The Colorado complaint highlights this contradiction specifically, noting: EarnIn tells consumers that they can ‘Make any day payday with EarnIn’ and that there no ‘hidden’ or ‘mandatory fees.’ For a consumer to access their pay on the same day requested, they would have to pay the Lightning Speed fee. In the fine print of the advertisement EarnIn discloses that ‘[f]ees apply to use Lightning Speed,’ a direct contradiction to the larger text of the advertisement, and a fact that would not be immediately understood by a consumer as ‘Lightning Speed’ is not defined nor explained. Like other small-dollar lending services, rather than explicitly charge interest, EarnIn collects a markup on the optional Lighting Speed fee, which, given the nature of the transactions, many users opt for, as well as offering users the option to leave “tips.” EarnIn leverages either Real-Time Payments (RTP) rails or push-to-card via debit rails if a user opts for the optional Lightning Speed. But while these capabilities cost EarnIn, on average, $0.075 or $0.20 per transaction, respectively, EarnIn charges users significantly more. Initially, EarnIn charged as little as $1.99 for Cash Outs up to $24. But EarnIn has hiked these fees multiple times, and now charges $4.99 for Cash Outs up to $75 and $6.99 for those over $75. According to the Colorado complaint, EarnIn leverages “dark patterns” to manipulate users and to make it more difficult to avoid tipping. Examples of these “road blocks” highlighted in the complaint include: As of 2023, in the EarnIn app, a consumer attempting to get a loan under the default settings had to make at least eighteen separate taps to complete the transaction and reduce the tip to $0. There is an alternative method to leave a $0 tip, via the “Custom tip” feature, but EarnIn made this option difficult to access by visually deemphasizing it and positioning it near devices’ “home” button. Using language and imagery such as “Tip to pay it forward,” “Your generosity supports the service + helps,” “Your tips make a difference,” and “[t]he APR for this cash out is 0%. Your tips help support us.” While Lightning Speed and tipping are, in theory, both optional, in practice, users nearly always ended up paying something. According to the Colorado suit, users were charged either a tip or an expedite fee for more than 92% of transactions, with an average APR of nearly 388%. And, although the advances are “non-recourse,” EarnIn successfully collects on nearly all transactions — 99.18%, according to the complaint, which, Colorado argues, “demonstrat[es] that EarnIn’s advances function as high cost loans, not voluntary payments.” The share of EarnIn users incurring fees — despite the product being marketed as 0% APR — is hard to reconcile with Andreessen investor Rampell’s favorable description of EarnIn vs. “opaque systems and steep fees” associated with payday loans, which, Rampell says, can be “extremely difficult” for borrowers to extricate themselves from. According to Colorado’s suit, EarnIn’s Cash Out product “trapped many consumers in extreme cycles of high-cost reborrowing.” The suit gives an example of one consumer in the state, who took out a whopping 1,151 loans, paying a total of $4,038.50 in Lightning Speed expedited funding fees on loans that averaged the equivalent of 1,421% APR. Another Colorado user, the suit says, took out 1,033 loans, paying $8,561.22 in tips and fees at an average APR of 1,539% . These types of usage patterns demonstrate “the severe and repeated financial harm caused by EarnIn’s illegal lending model,” the Colorado complaint argues. In aggregate, from January 2023 through July 2025, EarnIn extended 3.1 million loans to 56,778 users in Colorado — an average of nearly 55 transactions per person during the time period. EarnIn lent more than $300 million and collected more than $16 million from Colorado users in Lightning Speed fees and in tips. Ultimately, the Colorado complaint argues that “EarnIn’s Cash Outs are loans under Colorado law, and EarnIn’s contention that its product is not a loan based on its disclaimer of any legal repayment obligation lacks any real-world significance given how the Cash Out transactions actually operate in practice.” Colorado further argues that “EarnIn was not working with companies here in providing consumers with funds but acted as a third-party lender and charged illegally high rates, used deceptive design strategies to extract some charges, and trapped consumers in repeat borrowing. Colorado will continue to stand up for consumers and hold companies accountable when they violate our credit laws or attempt to evade them through misleading practices.” Colorado’s suit alleges EarnIn assesses finance charge in excess of that permitted by Colorado law, that EarnIn failed to make legally required disclosures to Colorado borrowers, that EarnIn made supervised loans to consumers without obtaining the requisite license, that EarnIn violated the state’s Deferred Deposit Loan Act, that EarnIn engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, and that EarnIn made false or misleading statements concerning price. The suit seeks a court order enjoining EarnIn from violating relevant Colorado laws, for EarnIn to refund amounts charged in excess of state law, fees, costs, and penalties, and other relief the court deems to be just. Fintech Business Weekly is made possible by the generous support of paying subscribers — bringing you independent analysis of banking, fintech, and crypto without fear or favor. You can support my work by becoming a paying subscriber if you aren’t already. Paying subscribers enjoy: access to the entire archive of nearly six years of newsletters extended versions of the weekly newsletter, with additional content and analysis and (for founding member tier) quarterly personal 1:1 fintech Q&A / strategy calls with me, tapping into my unparalleled knowledge of the intersection of banking and fintech and experience working in the sector, including helping to launch Goldman Sachs’ retail bank Marcus Support Fintech Business Weekly You can also support Fintech Business Weekly by sponsoring a newsletter or podcast, putting you in front of 93,000+ of the most influential decision makers in banking, fintech, and crypto. Learn more about sponsor opportunities or request a media kit by dropping me an email. Q2 Quarterly Banking Profile: Five Quick Takeaways The FDIC released its quarterly banking profile, which is always worth a read, for the second quarter. The profile provides an aggregate snapshot about the overall health of the 4,238 institutions whose deposits are insured by the FDIC, who, collectively, hold more than $26 trillion in assets and saw a total net income of more than $90 billion in the second quarter. Net income was up 12% vs. Q1 2026, with lower provisions and realized gains on securities helping to drive the improvement, somewhat offset by increases in non-interest expense and applicable income taxes. Overall net interest margin was basically flat quarter over quarter (up 1 basis point vs. Q1 2026), though community banks saw NIM grow by 10 basis points, to 3.81%. Unsurprisingly, given that interest rates haven’t changed, unrealized losses on securities changed little, edging up slightly to $326.7 billion vs. $325.1 billion in Q1 2026. Aggregate credit quality has remained benign, with asset quality actually improving slightly in Q2. Overall, institutions reported a 9 basis point decline in their past-due and non-accrual rate, to 1.44%. Net charge off rate also declined by 2 basis points, to 0.57%. And finally, the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund stands at $161.1 billion, making the DIF reserve ratio 1.48% — above the statutory minimum of 1.35%, but still below the designated target reserve ratio of 2%. [Paid Subscriber Exclusive] Nissan Withdraws ILC App, State Associations Plan BankChain Alliance, FDIC Defines “Unsafe or Unsound Practice” For First Time Automaker Nissan withdrew its application to charter a Utah industrial loan company and its corresponding application to the FDIC for deposit insurance last week, on August 19th. Nissan’s application had been outstanding for more than a year, as it originally applied in June 2025. Recent applications to the OCC to form national banks have been decisioned, one way or the other, substantially more quickly than has historically been the case.
Syria continues to normalize with international business fair as credit card payments are back
More than 60 countries attended the fair, including key regional allies Saudi Arabia and Iraq, while Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that credit cards are available again.
Gaylord — you never check in, but still pay
I go to a lot of conferences, often in beautiful cities I never actually see. Friends hear where I’ve been and ask depressing questions like, “Did you visit the famous museum?” No. I saw Ballroom C, the lobby bar and took out a loan to buy a Caesar salad. Having experienced some of the world’s […]
Federal cuts lead to growing burden on Cook County health system, taxpayers
Cook County’s sprawling safety net health system is counting on the county board to fill a budget gap of $40 million this year or face potential service cuts.
Late payments threaten business license of Chicago body removal contractor
The small funeral home company that holds the lucrative contract for the city’s body removal services may soon be dissolved due to its failure to pay business license fees to the state.
Medicare's pilot GLP-1 discount program has a catch. Some sick patients don't qualify
Medicare launched a pilot program that could streamline the process to get GLP-1s, with some seniors paying just $50 a month. But many people with the most serious illnesses won't get that discount.
RB Leipzig set to sign Morocco international from Roma
RB Leipzig have agreed a deal to sign Neil El Aynaoui on loan from AS Roma, according to Sky Germany.The two clubs reportedly reached a verbal agreement on Saturday night, with Leipzig set to pay €4...
Minnesota Supreme Court rejects Mike Lindell’s bid to recount GOP gubernatorial primary
Lindell, a longtime 2020 election denier, previously said he would pay $825,000 to cover a full hand recount of his lost GOP gubernatorial primary in Minnesota.
What we know about Trump's deal giving U.S. access to vast oil reserves in Venezuela
The answers to questions such as how soon the reserves could be drilled and who will pay to make it happen were not immediately clear. No text of any agreement has been released.
3.2K views · 13 reactions | Our media and politics reporter Ken...
Our media and politics reporter Ken Bensinger examines how political campaigns in the U.S. are increasingly paying social media influencers for support, though the ties are not always clearly...
Liza Minnelli pays tribute to friend Dolly Parton
Liza Minnelli mourned the loss of her longtime friend Dolly Parton on Friday. Parton died at the age of 80 on Aug. 25.
Gamescom Says Exhibitors Have To Protect Against Theft
Gamescom's official statement noted that while they treat the theft 'very seriously and understand the frustration of affected exhibitors,' there's also options to pay extra for 'individual stand security'
Amazon Offers Early Savings on 2026 Mac Mini, Plus Record Low on AirTag 2
Apple introduced the M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini this week, and Amazon currently has the first pre-order discounts on these models ahead of their September launch. Below, we're also tracking a new record low price on the AirTag 2 during Amazon's Labor Day event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Goodyear burning rubber and cash as turnaround plan continues
The tire maker has an ongoing turnaround plan as the company tries to restructure its business, refinance and pay down years of debt.
5 Boring Small Business Ideas with Customers Who Pay Month After Month
These small business ideas may not have the most glamour, but they have something better: recurring revenue.
Political Campaigns Are Quietly Paying Influencers to Support Candidates
Their videos have proliferated on social media, but the payments are frequently hidden from viewers.
Jersey private patients pay more but health misses income targets
New figures show how may patients opt for private care and how much money it raises.
Pennsylvania lawmaker to propose bill establishing universal healthcare within the state
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — State Rep. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) plans to introduce legislation that would establish a universal single-payer health care system in Pennsylvania. In a memo circulate…
Canadian tariffs and the business impact
The U.S. trade war with Canada is hitting Tampa Bay's manufacturing industry. The 50% increase on aluminum means local companies are having to pay more and those costs have to go somewhere. FOX 13's Briona Arradondo reports.
Report: New Yorkers paying $5,000 for everyday essentials
A new report from the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee – Minority finds New Yorkers are paying $5,000 more on everyday goods and services as of July 2026.
Apple TV raises prices without offering an ad tier, testing how much viewers will pay
Apple TV, the streaming service known for series like “Ted Lasso” and “Severance,” is raising its prices, effective immediately.
Lions Projected to Target Outside Help After Roster Cuts
The Detroit Lions‘ offensive line is far from resolved. So much so that there is a chance one or two names get cut or traded from the roster, making their own 53-man roster moves end up on the Lions. Mike Payton of A to Z Sports predicted just that in his latest 53-man roster projection. […] The post Lions Projected to Target Outside Help After Roster Cuts appeared first on HEAVY.
‘Like at McDonald’s’: Sports nurse practitioner sold opioids to athletes like ‘you gotta pay for your burger,” DEA investigation finds
Joan Rubinger had a client list that included hundreds of athletes—but the DEA found she doled out thousands of illegal prescriptions.
LGBTQ people struggle to get needed health care and pay for it, study finds
LGBTQ+ people spend much more on health insurance than the rest of the population, according to a new study.
A million Americans dropped health coverage. Now everyone else is paying for it
Health insurance costs keep rising as healthier customers exit the marketplace. A decades-old collapse pattern is repeating in real time
AHA recommends changes to home health payments, provider enrollment provisions in CY 2027 proposed rule
The AHA provided comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Aug. 28 on its calendar year 2027 home health prospective payment system proposed rule, focusing on two specific concerns.
Payton Takes On Talking Head Who Criticizes Bo Nix
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton found time to pick a media fight yesterday as he went after Geoff Schwartz.
Sandia Science & Tech Park bringing new companies, higher-paying jobs
The Sandia Science & Technology Park continues to expand its footprint and economic impact, bringing new companies and higher paying jobs to the Albuquerque area.
Apple's M6 Mac Mini Gets First Pre-Order Discounts at Amazon
Amazon today has introduced the first cash discounts on Apple's brand new Mac mini, with discounts including two of the M6 models as well as the M5 Pro model. All of these deals are pre-order discounts on the 2026 Mac mini, which officially launches on September 22. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Sony Bravia 9 II TV Review: The Best RGB LED TV I’ve Tested, but Here’s What to Buy Instead
It’s a great performer with excellent color reproduction — the next best thing to an OLED — but you’ll pay for it.
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Edges Toward Positive Free Cash Flow Is Its Debt Strategy Reframing the Story?
Earlier this week, AMC Entertainment Holdings said it is edging closer to sustained positive free cash flow, estimating it needs an industrywide domestic box office of about US$10.40 billion to reach that goal, helped by record adjusted EBITDA, stronger per-patron profitability, and lower interest costs. An important angle is that AMC’s recent refinancing and debt-repayment efforts are expected to cut annual cash interest expense, meaning the box-office level required to support ongoing...
Radiologists urge CMS to quash proposal that would slash pay for 2nd services delivered in same visit
Outlined in the 2027 proposed physician fee schedule, Medicare wants to pay 50% of full price in certain scenarios where patients visit an office and receive a second service on the same day.
Viral dashcam video leads to prison for insurance scammers
Four people pleaded guilty to charges related to the incident and two other staged crashes for big insurance payouts.
The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science
“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. 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