Midwest
Ohio mom uses social media, side hustles to make ends meet during government shutdown: ‘No days off’
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Natalie Folino is making ends meet for her family.
The stay-at-home mom of three from Dayton, Ohio, is harnessing the power of social media and side hustles to get her family through the federal government shutdown.
“Currently, my husband is an essential employee for the Department of Defense, which means that he is still going to work every day,” Folino told Fox News Digital in an interview. “He’s commuting 40 minutes every way, but we are just not receiving a paycheck, which is a little problematic for a family like mine, who is a single-income family.”
Folino was already growing her social media brand before the shutdown, but now her side hustles are taking on a whole new significance. Due to the shutdown, her family has been without her husband’s income for 29 days and counting.
HERE’S WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO DO TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE SHUTDOWN
Natalie Folino is doing other people’s laundry, walking dogs and documenting her journey on her growing social media platforms. (Natalie Folino / Instagram)
To help keep her family afloat this month, Folino has taken on numerous side hustles and is documenting them on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, where she has amassed nearly 200,000 followers combined and more than 2 million likes on TikTok alone.
Her goal for October is to earn $5,000 — an ambitious target. (Spoiler alert: she did it!)
“I have to earn $160 every single day. No days off, we have just a couple of days to go,” Folino told Fox News Digital.
SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN IS LEAVING OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES HIGH AND DRY
Folino isn’t new to earning extra cash on the side. She began documenting her side hustles about two and a half years ago to help pay for her children’s increasingly expensive soccer activities. Over time, her experience juggling odd jobs has primed her with skills for financial emergencies like the one her family is facing this month.
“Overall, we are dipping into our savings,” Folino said. “I know that we are in a more blessed position than lots of people, so nothing for our family has actually changed other than the fact we’re kind of moving my earnings around a little bit.”
Folino has showcased a variety of side hustles, including laundry services, dog walking, social media monetization, coaching calls and even affiliate shopping links. In her videos, she notes charging $70 for two bags of laundry and $25 for dog walking.
SHUTDOWN FIGHT CASTS A SHADOW OVER JOBS AS TRUMP PREPARES FOR LARGEST FEDERAL RESIGNATION IN US HISTORY
In her videos, Folino said her earnings have ranged from as high as $431 on some days to as little as $22 on others. She noted that she could have earned even more this month, but because she lives in a large Air Force community, some of her clients have also been affected by government furloughs and layoffs, further exacerbating the strain on the local economy.
While families with government employees can’t control the federal shutdown, Folino said people can control how they respond to challenges.
“There may be circumstances that are entirely out of your control. But there are a couple of things that I think that you can control,” she said.
Natalie Folino, a mother of three daughters ages 12, 10, and 9, completes a laundry service side gig at her home in Dayton, Ohio. (Natalie Folino / Instagram)
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“I think that you could control your attitude and your outlook and I really think that you can control your work ethic. I am definitely a pull yourself up by your bootstraps-type mentality and I think that if you set a goal, and you’re willing to just really work and put yourself out there, there’s really no limit to it.”
In a video posted on Thursday, Folino shared an update with her followers on her efforts to earn $5,000 in the month of October, saying not only did she hit her goal, but she surpassed it by $224.
A visibly emotional Folino thanked her followers for their support and revealed that she will donate her earnings from the last two days of October to those in need in her community.
“Anything is possible,” she said.
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Illinois
Illinois Wesleyan to Launch First-of-its-Kind Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Quantum Science and Engineering Program
Fisher Center for Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering positions Illinois
as a leader in next generation quantum education
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University today announced the creation of the Fisher Center for
Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate
program that brings together multiple areas of study to better prepare students for
careers in this emerging field.
The Fisher Quantum Center will make Illinois Wesleyan the first undergraduate liberal
arts university in the United States to offer an interdisciplinary quantum program,
positioning both the University and the state as leaders in the quantum space.
The Fisher Quantum Center is supported by a founding gift from Ann ‘82 and Alan Fisher,
providing the resources to establish the center and launch programming. Ann is a graduate
of Illinois Wesleyan University and serves on the university’s Board of Trustees.
The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to grow in phases and will expand its curriculum,
facilities, and partnerships over time.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a defining step forward as the first undergraduate
interdisciplinary quantum program. Quantum is reshaping industries and the way we
solve complex problems, and this complexity is an ideal fit with Illinois Wesleyan’s
cross-curricular approach to undergraduate education. We are especially grateful to
Ann and Alan Fisher for their generous gift that is making this distinctive program
possible,” said Illinois Wesleyan University President Sheahon J. Zenger.
What is Quantum?
Quantum science studies how matter and energy behave at the smallest scale, where
the differences can be used to create new, more powerful technologies. Because of
this, quantum has a wide variety of real-world applications and is poised to transform
everyday lives and revolutionize industries ranging from computing and cybersecurity
to healthcare, finance, and agriculture.
Most quantum programs are primarily offered at the graduate level and focus on a single
area of study. The Fisher Quantum Center takes a fundamentally different approach
by focusing exclusively on undergraduate education and bringing together physics,
chemistry, computer science, mathematics, biology, business, philosophy, and engineering
into one holistic curriculum. Instead of separating these fields and narrowing the
focus, it connects them to better reflect the broad applications of quantum. This
first-of-its-kind approach prepares students not only with the technical skills for
these emerging careers, but with an understanding of the economic, ethical, environmental,
and societal implications of quantum technologies.
and instrumental performance (euphonium). He has also conducted research on the ethical
implications of quantum computing.
Students will be able to engage with quantum in multiple ways, including through individual
courses, certificates, concentrations, hands-on experiments, projects, faculty-mentored
research, and internships. The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to be flexible, inclusive,
and accessible to undergraduate students from all areas of study to create a gateway
into quantum for students who might not otherwise encounter the field. It will also
serve as hub for visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty to collaborate
on strengthening undergraduate quantum laboratories and infrastructure.
“We are proud to support the creation of the Fisher Quantum Center and the unique
opportunity it creates for students coming to Illinois Wesleyan. The Fisher Quantum
Center will open the door for students from many different backgrounds to engage with
quantum in a way that is accessible and better prepares them for future careers. We
are excited to see how this program grows and the impact it will have on Illinois
Wesleyan students, the university, and the broader community,” said Ann and Alan Fisher.
The first courses through the Fisher Quantum Center will be available in Spring 2027,
alongside enhanced quantum lab space, with programming expanding throughout the year.
Beyond the classroom, the Fisher Quantum Center will support outreach initiatives
to engage high school teachers and students to strengthen pathways into quantum and
STEM fields. Beginning in Summer 2026, Illinois Wesleyan will host a fully funded
Quantum Day Camp for high school STEM teachers and counselors from surrounding counties,
with a residential Quantum Camp for high school students anticipated for Summer 2027.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a first-of-its-kind program that will create
new opportunities for students to engage with quantum across disciplines while preparing
them for the high-quality jobs of the future. Quantum technology is already shaping
the future of the global economy, and Illinois is positioning itself as a global leader.
To compete, we need to continue building a strong workforce pipeline, and Illinois
Wesleyan is playing a critical role by giving students the skills and training needed
to fill these emerging jobs and help keep Illinois at the forefront of innovation,”
said Gov. JB Pritzker.
At a time when Illinois is emerging as a national hub for quantum innovation, the
Fisher Quantum Center will play a critical role in developing the next generation
of talent, expanding awareness of quantum careers and opportunities, and ensuring
the state remains competitive in this rapidly evolving field.
“Developing the next generation of talent is essential to maintaining Illinois’ momentum
in quantum,” said Illinois Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Christy George. “Illinois Wesleyan’s new program creates opportunities for students in high demand
fields while helping build the workforce pipeline Illinois industries need. The Fisher
Center reflects the forward-thinking approach that has helped position Illinois as
a growing hub for quantum innovation and emerging technologies.”
For more information about the Fisher Quantum Center, visit www.iwu.edu/fisher-quantum-center.
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
MONONA, Iowa (KCRG) – One person was injured and a suspect is dead after a stabbing in Monona Wednesday night.
Monona police responded to a report of a stabbing in the 200 block of South Page Street at 7:37 p.m.
Officers found a person outside a residence suffering from multiple stab wounds. The person was taken to a local hospital with a tourniquet applied.
According to investigators, the suspect barricaded himself on the second floor of the residence, where he had access to several firearms. The Clayton County CERT Team was called in after several attempts to get the suspect to exit the residence failed.
The suspect was found dead from what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
This is an ongoing investigation. No further information has been released.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
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