QCA.news - Quad Cities news and view from both sides of the river

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024
	Gladstone woman convicted in crash that killed 2 construction workers on Great River Bridge sentenced A Gladstone woman who was convicted in March of fatally striking two construction workers on the Great River Bridge in October 2022 was sentenced.
	New Moline show proves it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird Almost a year after their home shuttered in the unfortunate collapse of the Davenport Hotel building (324 Main St.), The Mockingbird on Main is rising like a phoenix to present the play for which it was named. This Thursday, May 16, the itinerant company will open “To Kill a Mockingbird,” based on Harper Lee's 1960 classic novel, at Moline’s Black Box Theatre. It will run for two weekends at the 60-seat theater, 1623 5th Ave. Directed and designed by husband-and-wife team and Mockingbird founders Tristan Tapscott and Savannah Bay Strandin, the cast includes James Driscoll (Atticus Finch), Sophia Kilburg (Scout), Doug Kutzli (Heck Tate), Alisha Hanes (Calpurnia), Renaud Haymon (Reverend Sykes), Yvonne Siddique (Miss Maudie), Storm Marie Baca (Miss Stephanie), Jullian Tottan (Bob Ewell), Brenna France (Mayella Ewell), Tatum Kilburg (Jem), Will Emerle (Dill), Jayden Smith (Clerk/Townsperson), Wendy Czekalski (Mrs. Dubose), Tyler Henning (Mr. Cunningham/Judge Taylor) and Bradley Heinrichs (Mr. Gilmer/Boo Radley). The production design will feature the work of Circa ‘21 costume designer Bradley Robert Jensen and Circa lighting designer Emmett Boedeker. Keenen Wilson plays the pivotal role of Tom Robinson (who’s accused of raping a white woman, and is defended at trial by Finch), the fifth man to be cast in the Mockingbird role, after others quit for a variety of reasons. Keenen Wilson, left, as Tom Robinson and James Driscoll as Atticus Finch in the new "To Kill a Mockingbird." Wilson starred as Lola in the spring Music Guild production of “Kinky Boots,” which closed April 14. After other actors dropped out of “Mockingbird” rehearsals, Tapscott asked Wilson to play Tom on May 8, his first rehearsal was May 12, and the first performance is May 16. Tom is mainly just in the courtroom scenes, with a few monologues, Wilson said Monday. “Enough to make me nervous. I’m trying to get them memorized in time for the show,” he said. “I’ll be fine. I’m staying up late this week to run ‘em and run ‘em.” Wilson has performed in Haus of Ruckus at the old Mockingbird and at the Black Box. One show, he got a script a week or so before that went up. “I was a bad student and I didn’t read the book when it was assigned to me in high school,” Wilson said. “It is pretty new to me, but reading it the first time, I was mesmerized.” Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “To Kill a Mockingbird” opens in a 1935 sleepy Alabama town, in the midst of the Great Depression, where Scout and her brother, Jem, live with their widowed father, Atticus Finch. Reminiscent of a bygone era, the play immerses us in a simpler time as the children play outside in the summer, act out stories and muse about their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, according to a synopsis. Tatum Kilburg, left, as Jem; Will Emerle as Dill and Sophia Kilburg as Scout. The facade of the seemingly peaceful town begins to crack when a young black man is accused of a terrible crime. Driven by an unshakable moral conviction, local lawyer Atticus defends the man in a trial that sends violent waves through the community. Timeless and lingering, this hard-hitting work explores prejudice, compassion and the courage to do what is right. “Out of my comfort zone” Wilson ishonored to be part of such a classic story. Originally, he didn’t think he should audition (this past February) because it was outside what kind of theater he usually did. “I’ve been trying to push myself to do things that take me outside of my comfort zone, to help me grow,” Wilson said, noting the drag queen Lola was definitely one such role. “That was more a physical challenge with Lola more than anything.” Actually, the day of the Davenport building collapse (May 28, 2023), Haus of Ruckus was scheduled to rehearse there that day. The Mockingbird on Main operated at 320 Main St., Davenport, from July 2021 until the building partially collapsed on May 28, 2023. “I loved the space at Mockingbird,” Wilson said of the cabaret-style venue (40 seats at tables and chairs). “I think it was even more intimate at that space.” Driscoll had never been in or seen shows at Mockingbird. The last Black Box play he performed in was “Murder in Green Meadows,” in August 2021. “The intimacy here is fantastic; I like Richmond Hill because it’s in the round,” he said. “I like Playcrafters for that thrust stage, you’re right out there with the audience on three sides. I like Music Guild, playing to that many people all at once because it’s such a thrill.” Driscoll said he used to feel pressure in the smaller theaters, but as time went on, he’s gained confidence and tune the audience out. “I always worry about auditioning for iconic parts,” he said of Atticus Finch in “Mockingbird,” immortalized in the 1962 film by Gregory Peck. “It’s an American classic, a literature classic, mandatory reading for over 50 years,” Driscoll said. “When they announced the auditions, I couldn’t pass up the chance to be part of this production. You try and make the role your own and hope the audience doesn’t expect to see Gregory Peck on stage, because obviously I’m not Gregory Peck.” Richmond Hill did the play in 2000, the first production he ever saw there. Driscoll did his first QC show that year, at Playcrafters. Jerry Wolking played Atticus, and Renaud Haymon (who now plays Reverend Sykes) was Tom Robinson then. Jim Driscoll, left, and Doug Kutzli in "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the Black Box Theatre. “It was fantastic,” Driscoll recalled, noting he got to act with Wolking in “Twelve Angry Men” at Playcrafters. Driscoll had the role of Jessup in “A Few Good Men,” in 2015 at the former District Theatre, Rock Island (co-starring Tapscott); played George in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” at District in 2016, and has played both Biff and Willy Loman in the classic “Death of a Salesman” (the first at Playcrafters in 2001, and the lead at RHP in 2013). “I like the classics,” he said. Still relevant now Despite the “Mockingbird” story being 89 years in the rear-view mirror, its topics (racism, injustice, tolerance, compassion) are very much on the minds of many people today. “Those who can’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” Driscoll said. “I don’t think we want to go back to the 1930s, with lynchings and juries that ignore facts, and just convict based on the color of skin or country of origin.” “We can’t forget the things that this book and play present,” he said. “I think it’s better now; it’s not perfect today.” Driscoll as lawyer Atticus Finch in 1935 Alabama. “I hope people realize, this is a fictional story, but these things really happened often,” Driscoll said. “There’s still hate and bigotry.” “Telling stories like this, it’s important to remember the past so we can change the future,” Wilson agreed. Tom shows that even though he’s battered by racism, bigotry and unjust, untrue accusations, “he still leads with kindness,” the actor said. “He still has a beautiful heart. I feel he goes into the courtroom knowing what his fate’s gonna be.” “He is still respectful of people who wouldn’t even give him the respect he’s giving them,” Wilson said, noting he forcefully defends his innocence.” He has done Black Box plays a number of years ago, including “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” “Rock of Ages,” and “Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Wilson also will perform this summer in the musical “Songs For a New World” at Black Box. “A mistake some people make with the piece is they think it’s a racist piece,” Tapscott said of “Mockingbird.” “However, it’s really a story about injustice and it’s an anti-racist story, I think, because it’s showing this was wrong, it was happening and that it’s still happening. It’s also an important story; it’s got some language in it that might make people uncomfortable. “However, this piece should make people uncomfortable,” he said, adding he was respectful of the decisions of actors who dropped out during rehearsals. Tapscott has always been a fan of Wilson and is thrilled he’s finally gotten to work with him for this show. Same thing with Driscoll. “When Jim came to audition, it was a no-brainer. I’ve been a fan of Jim’s for years,” he said. “Him as Atticus Finch is the reason to come see the show.” “A challenging process” “It’s been a challenging process, but in an interesting kind of way, it’s kind of poetic because of the difficulty we’ve had this past year even to get to here,” Tapscott said. “We’ve poured everything we have into it. The set is incredible; we have Circa lending a hand with lighting designers and costume designers. We’re kind of pulling out all the stops.” He also complimented Black Box co-founder and artistic director Lora Adams for letting other performing groups use the space. The musical revue “Big Rock Candy Mountain” by Mockingbird was done last August at Black Box. The cast of Mockingbird's "The Glass Menagerie" at Black Hawk College in July 2023. Just six weeks after the Davenport collapse, Mockingbird returned at the Black Hawk College theater in Moline with a new “The Glass Menagerie,” by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Mockingbird veteran Alexander Richardson, last July’s production featured Jackie McCall as Amanda, Jo Vasquez as Laura, Tristan Tapscott as Tom and Roger Pavey Jr. as Jim. They’re not having any success finding an affordable space for a new theater. “What people don’t realize is, people reach out to us all the time and say, we found this space. The problem is, you don’t think of the logistics of what you really need,” Tapscott said of dressing rooms and storage areas. They’ve also had trouble finding a building that “fit the vibe” of Mockingbird, he said. “After a year, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “We developed an audience for what we were offering. Now, after you’re gone for a minute, it’s hard. But at the same time, it’s hard to continue, ‘cause you can only do one or two projects a year in these kind of spaces. Is that enough to really sustain?” Moving on The Mockingbird on Main was founded in 2021 by Tapscott and Strandin (both veteran actors at Circa and other theaters) when they converted a dress shop on the ground floor of the historic Davenport Hotel building into an intimate cabaret-style theater. The arts organization was well-known for their commitment to new works, diversity initiatives and breathing life into classics. Mockingbird on Main founders (and spouses) Savannah Bay Strandin and Tristan Tapscott. After two years of struggling and at the height of what was going to be their most successful season, everything came crashing down. Literally. On May 28, 2023, the building partially collapsed, leaving three men dead, many homeless and forced the closure of three businesses -- one of them being The Mockingbird. While “The Bird” may never fully take flight again, they remain very thankful for their partnership with Lora Adams and The Black Box for providing a space to continue to tell stories, Tapscott said. The Mockingbird dedicates this performance to the memories of those lost in collapse -- Branden Colvin Sr., Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien. The former Mockingbird on Main in downtown Davenport during the building demolition. Tapscott and Strandin weren’t able to recover anything from the old theater before the building was torn down. From insurance, he’s had some items replaced – like sound and lighting equipment that’s in his basement. Mockingbird enjoyed the partnership with Black Hawk, but the college wasn’t interested in extending beyond “Menagerie,” Tapscott said Monday. “It’s a bummer, because that was a cool space to work in,” he said. Other commercial building owners in some local downtowns are asking between $3,000 and $5,000 in monthly rent, which is far beyond Mockingbird’s means, he said. “The show doesn’t make that. With the Mockingbird, we never made anything,” Tapscott said. “It cost us more than anything, which we were happy about. That’s not why we were doing it. We were doing it to create and bring new things to life.” “We love doing a classic, that’s why we’re doing ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ but we miss doing an original Alex Richardson piece, or an original Bradley Robert Jensen,” Tapscott said. “It’s hard to do those and plan for those, because we don’t know when we’ll have a space. God love Lora for what she’s doing for us.” Tapscott’s 10-year-old daughter Harper Leigh is named for the “Mockingbird” author. She hasn’t read the book, and her comment is, “Her name is spelled wrong,” she said of Harper Lee. Jim Driscoll and Sophia Kilburg in "To Kill a Mockingbird." “At the moment, she could read it,” Tapscott said of Harper. “It’s important for anyone to learn about, so they can learn from the past.” The play is very faithful to the book and “has a classic feel to it,” he said. Sophia Kilburg plays Scout, and she’s in Circa ‘21’s “Jersey Boys,” and got permission to miss two weeks of those shows (which run through July 6). “I’m a guy that is all about the pivot, and you know what? We will make it work by the deadline,” Tapscott said. “That’s what we did with ‘Glass Menagerie’; ‘Glass Menagerie’ opened on time, as scheduled, even though it was a different space. That’s something I was committed to, pivoting. That’s my whole life. We figure it out.” Performances will be at 8 p.m. May 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25, and 2 p.m. May 19 and 26. All tickets are $16, available HERE. For more information about Mockingbird on Main, click HERE.
	Area Substance Abuse Council introduces New Beginnings program for Clinton Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) says they’re excited to introduce their New Beginnings program in Clinton that will provide a partial hospitalization (PHP) level of care.
	Former Davenport Alderwoman Judith Lee responds to allegations made in Corri Spiegel's demand letter Spiegel's letter requesting millions of dollars from the City included allegations of harassment spanning years. Lee was named in the letter.
	QCAWC needs volunteers for pet clinics The Quad City Animal Welfare Center (QCAWC) needs volunteers at its health clinics for pets. These are just a few of the volunteer positions available: 1. Curbside Vaccine/Wellness Clinic Check-in/Check-out (Wednesdays and Saturdays): Volunteers will help organize and facilitate the check-in and check-out process for the curbside vaccine and wellness clinics so pet owners receive the necessary services efficiently. 2. Mobile Vaccine/Wellness Clinic (Occasional Fridays): Volunteers will support the mobile clinic by helping with check-in procedures and assisting pet owners during early afternoon sessions. 3. Surgical Recovery (Tuesdays and Thursdays): Volunteers are needed to provide post-surgical care and monitoring to animals recovering from spay/neuter procedures, ensuring their comfort and well-being. 4. Pack Room (Mondays and Thursdays): Volunteers will help organize and prepare supplies in the pack room, so everything is readily available for clinic operations. 5. Laundry/General Housekeeping (Monday-Friday): Volunteers will help keep the shelter clean and hygienic by overseeing laundry and helping with general housekeeping tasks daily. Experience isn’t necessary to be a volunteer and training will be provided for all roles. Anyone with a passion for animal welfare and a desire to contribute to a meaningful cause is welcome to volunteer. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please Contact the QCAWC Clinic Manager, Shayenne Stiegler at (309) 787-6830 Option # 3 Ext. # 39 or email shayenne@qcawc.org for more information or to volunteer. All inquiries will be returned within 48 business hours. For more on QCAWC, visit their website or Facebook page.
	Congress to vote on Rep. Hinson’s stillbirth prevention bill Congress is scheduled to vote Tuesday afternoon on legislation led by an Iowa nonprofit and sponsored by an Iowa Congresswoman that hopes to reduce the number of women who lose babies to stillbirth.
	Floatzilla readying for record-breaking raft For the 15th year, the event known as Floatzilla will attempt to set a record for the most paddlers in canoes and kayaks forming a giant raft at Sunset Marina in Rock Island.
	Construction updates for the Davenport schools The Davenport school district is nearing the final stage of phase one of its master facility plan.
	Iowa Attorney General to announce another lawsuit targeting President Biden Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird holds a news conference on another lawsuit versus the Biden administration on the day she returned after attending Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York.
	Fairview man wins $1 million in Illinois Lottery Kevin Weaver from Fairview won the top Illinois Lottery prize of $1 million on a scratch-off ticket.
	Overnight maintenance begins May 19 on I-80 Mississippi River bridge Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day until work is completed. It's expected to last one to two weeks.
	WIU-QC close to opening new Moline day care More than two years after announcing its partnership with the city of Moline, Western Illinois University-Quad Cities is nearing completion of Rocky's Play Space, a Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab. The plan was announced in early 2022 to establish the facility in fall 2022 at vacant first-floor commercial space of the Enterprise Lofts building, 1871 River Drive, Moline. Lindsay Meeker, left, and Audrey Adamson of WIU-QC show off renovations for the new Rocky's Play Space, a Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab in Moline. But Western instead decided to renovate the building at 406 7th Ave., Moline, which the community may recognize as the former Boys and Girls Club. The current club is at 338 6th St., Moline. WIU-QC will be welcoming children into the early learning center this summer. Those driving by may notice a whimsical mural on the building depicting the bilingual alphabet that was done in collaboration with Quad City Arts and artist Sarah Robb. This mural was painted with the artist, a community volunteer team of parent mentors, WIU staff and faculty, local school district administrators, Women United members, and others. The outside of the new center at 406 7th Ave., Moline, is a mural painted by QC artist Sarah Robb with a volunteer team of parent mentors, WIU staff and faculty, local school district administrators, and Women United members. The renovations on the inside are moving along, and the nature-inspired playground will be coming to life later this month. This space will serve as a childcare and preschool, and a place for hands-on learning and modeling for WIU students and community early childhood workforce, a parent hub for conversation and growth, and a model classroom for birth-to-5 bilingual pedagogy, according to WIU. Outside the new center are pictured: (front row) Dr. Kristi Mindrup, left, Zainab Labrabet, Gaby Mendez, Fatima Azem and (standing) Audrey Adamson, left, and Dr. Lindsay Meeker. “WIU is proud to be a leader in early childhood teacher education in the region and recognizes the need for quality childcare in our communities,” university spokeswoman Alisha Looney said recently. “WIU has been fortunate to receive wonderful support from the philanthropic community to help bring this dream to reality, including Quad City Community Foundation, Moline Community Foundation, City of Moline, and the Ontiveros Family through Quad Cities Community Foundation Donor Advised Funds.” The lab site project has been a collectively funded effort using multiple grants, funds from the City of Moline Childcare initiative, WIU funds, as well as donor funds to create a beautiful, developmentally appropriate space. This endeavor included renovation to the indoor space, renovation to the playground, an outdoor mural, and curriculum and supplies for play-based learning and STEAM experiences. Half-million-dollar project The renovations to the building and playground area, also currently in progress, re estimated to cost approximately $522,000. More than half of the overall project has been financed through grant and donor funds. The center will be able to serve approximately 75 children 6 weeks to 5 years old during the primary daytime shift, with approximately 35-40 more students served during the evening and Saturday shifts. WIU also is working to come up with a plan to serve kindergarten-aged children after school, understanding that is a need in the local area. Lindsay Meeker (right), WIU visiting professor of early childhood education and director of the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education, talks about the plans for the new Moline childcare center. Additional information on enrollment will be provided to the community later this month with an expected enrollment sign-up released on June 3, and a family night of play will be offered at Rocky's Play Space on June 12 from 5-8 p.m. to introduce families and children to the space. There are steps with completing the center renovations, classroom set-up, staff training, and licensure that need to occur prior to opening the doors for childcare services. WIU is also exploring additional locations for expansion sites, including a downtown Moline site. Lindsay Meeker, left, talks about the QC Early Learning Center construction. The center is due to open for families this summer. serving children ages six weeks to five years. Families interested in more information on what they can expect at the WIU Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab site can reach out lc-dennison@wiu.edu for additional information.
	Muscatine adds temporary stop sign to busy intersection The City of Muscatine is taking steps to reduce accidents at a busy intersection. The city’s Department of Public Works is installing a temporary stop sign at the intersection of Bidwell and Leroy streets beginning Wednesday, May 15. After many complaints about the intersection and several recent accidents, the sign is being installed. The temporary stop sign will be on northbound Bidwell at Leroy Street. The traffic safety committee based the decision on a traffic county study that was completed in April. The northbound section of Bidwell and the eastbound section of Leroy are both uncontrolled and there have been several accidents at the intersection in the past, including one a few weeks ago. The committee may recommend making the sign permanent to the City Council, depending on its impact on traffic.
	Fulton County man plans Aruba trip, new minivan after $1M lotto win Kevin Weaver of Fairview won the top prize of $1 million on a scratch-off lottery ticket. He bought the ticket at County Market in Farmington, a town 20 miles west of Peoria and home to just over 2,000 residents.
	Sen. Joni Ernst announces latest VIP guest for her annual motorcycle ride fundraiser Senator Joni Ernst announced that Governor Kim Reynolds will headline her annual Roast and Ride fundraiser.
	INTERVIEW: St. Ambrose University Wine Festival Get ready to join local wine enthusiasts this weekend at St. Ambrose University for their wine festival wine tasting event. Wine festival committee member Ann McIntyre joined Our Quad Cities This Morning on Monday to tell us all about it. Watch the video above and click here to learn more.
	3 Things to Know \| Quad Cities morning headlines for May 14, 2024 Police in Moline are searching for a truck believed to have run into a fitness business, and Muscatine is testing its updated floodgate.
	Fundraiser being held Saturday for local pro wrestler battling cancer Fundraiser being held Saturday for local pro wrestler battling cancer
	Brooklyn chef shares love for edible insects at Augustana College As attendees ate food with insects cooked in, Chef Joseph Yoon taught them about the research behind edible insects and where the future lies with it.
	Muscatine crews to train on Flood Gate No. 2 this Tuesday This week, on Tuesday, May 14, the Department of Public Works will be exercising Flood Gate #2, located on 2nd Street at Mad Creek, as part of its training exercise and the flood preparedness plan.
	Muscatine County supervisors table rezoning issue Kevin Phillips has requested to rezone an 8.1 acre plot in Sweetland Township from agriculture to residential.
	Fired employee sues Scott County, alleging retaliation for complaints against sheriff, wife The county says it fired the employee for sending files to a private email address, but she says it was retaliation for complaints about the sheriff and his wife.
	Rock Island High School to host culture festival on Wednesday On Wednesday, Rock Island High School will host its second-annual Culture Fest to celebrate diversity across the school district and community.
	From Mother's Day celebrations to funerals: 4 dead after two weekends of violence in Rock Island County Four young men were killed in an eight day span in Rock Island County.
	Pending Death Notices for the Quad-Cities, May 14, 2024 Elizabeth Barton, 54, of DeWitt, passed away unexpectedly, in her home, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Arrangements are in the care of Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt.
	Teen philanthropy brings nearly $30,000 to local nonprofits This year’s cohort of area students in the Quad Cities Community Foundation's Teens for Tomorrow (T4T) program has awarded $29,500 to six local nonprofits.
	Geneseo considers additional space for special education students Geneseo administrators on Thursday gave the school board a presentation on the increased enrollment in special education.
	‘It’s a gun in there, sir’: Fifth grader tells story about finding gun during field trip to Rock Island police station An 11-year-old boy found a hidden gun in a holding cell during a field trip Friday to the Rock Island Police Department.
Monday, May 13th, 2024
	Quad Cities transportation: Free bus rides all week for bikers, Utica Ridge bridge over I-80 closed Bus riders who bring their bike can get a free ride with any of the Quad Cities bus systems. In addition, Utica Ridge Road over I-80 is closed for repairs.
	Rock Island City Council approves plans to repair Sunset Marina The improvements would include dock replacement, electrical upgrades and river dredging.
	Kate Martin makes Las Vegas Aces' opening day roster Martin is one of four second-round picks to make a roster as the league opens play Tuesday.
	Traffic Alert: Utica Ridge Road Closure Beginning Monday, Utica Ridge Road is closed at I-80 with a detour for drivers.
	Traffic Alert: Closure of eastbound right lane on East Locust Street The eastbound right lane of East Locust Street will be closed starting Monday.
	Illinois has new plan for public health emergencies The Illinois Department of Public Health unveiled its new plan for dealing with public health emergencies. In the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was confusion about the virus and how society could move forward while mitigating the risk. Illinois' Public Health director the new plan will put the state in a much better place than in 2020. Part of the plan involves revamping how the state trains its public health workforce. For more information, click here.
	Illinois bill could prevent accidents with trucks carrying hazardous materials After a crash caused an anhydrous ammonia leak, a new bill being considered in Illinois could prevent accidents with trucks carrying hazardous materials. As Our Quad Cities News Illinois Capitol Bureau correspondent Theodora Koulouvaris reports, the move isn't new for first responders. For more information, click here.
	Traffic Alert: CPKC crossing repair on Pettibone to start Wednesday in Muscatine The road closure on Pettibone Avenue between Stewart Road (X61) and 41st Street for the repair of a railroad crossing is set to begin after being delayed, according to the Muscatine County Road Department.
	For whom the bell tolls again: Downtown Davenport A sound that hasn't been heard for a very long time in downtown Davenport is regularly marking time again: Davenport City Hall's historic clock tower is tolling. (photo by Mike Colón) The hands that were frozen in time more than a decade ago are moving. The Tower Clock Company out of Ohio made the repairs, patched up some cracks and repaired other wear and tear on the tower. All the work cost about $50,000. Davenport Alderman Rick Dunn gave Our Quad Cities News a first look inside the tower on Monday. He says the bell almost was removed. Dunn and his brother, Alderman Tim Dunn, were among city employees who volunteered their time. Tom Warner, former city attorney, completed the lettering on the frame of the clock. Among the historical items workers discovered in the tower were the original instructions on how to run the clock and a bottle of tower clock oil from the 1800s. Alderman Rick Dunn inside the clock tower (photo by Mike Colón) "They were going to take the bell - that's 1874 - they wanted to take that bell and display it at the new Fire Station 3 in a display case. We had a little discussion. 'Hey, is it better to be on display or better to be heard.?' I thought, 'Better to be heard,'" Dunn said. The bell rings every half hour in the tower that was built, along with city hall, in 1895 bell. At the top of the hour, the bell indicates the time. (photo by Mike Colón) The company that fixed the clock also restored the clock tower on Arsenal Island.
	Davenport School Board approves high school field upgrades Davenport School Board members moved forward with upgrades to high school sporting fields. The school board accepted a bid of more than $11 million from Bill Bruce Builders. The money will go to building new practice and playing fields for Davenport Central High School where the bus barn is now by Brady Street Stadium. Turf would be added to those fields and the soccer fields at Davenport North and Davenport West high schools along with the soccer field at Brady Street Stadium. Eight years of annual maintenance for the turf is included in the bid.
	Davenport Fire Department responds to porch fire, 1 left displaced The Davenport Fire Department said they responded to a house fire early Monday morning that left one person displaced. No injuries were reported and the Red Cross is assisting the resident.
	QC Community Foundation's Teens for Tomorrow program awards over $29K to area organizations The program has been putting young people in the driver's seat of philanthropy for over two decades.
	Spiegel describes 'workplace hostility' in letter accusing Davenport leaders In a letter to Davenport Mayor Mike Matson and the Davenport City Council, former city administrator Corri Spiegel accuses multiple elected officials of harassment and describes why she should have a $1.6 million payout. "Late last year, I decided that I was no longer willing to tolerate the workplace hostility and the pervasive violation of my rights as a person and employee," she wrote in the letter, which is dated Sept. 15, 2023, and which her attorney provided Our Quad Cities News. In the letter, Spiegel includes: An accusation that, in one instance, then-Mayor Bill Gluba "with an angry and elevated voice" said 'listen here little girl'" to Spiegel when she was interim city administrator. An accusation that then-mayor Frank Klipsch, in Spiegel's section of his evaluation notebook wrote "looks" to "describe my skills and experiences as a candidate" (for city administrator) An accusation that then-Alderman Derek Cornette's behavior "began to transition from noticeably under the influence to noticeably under the influence and actively engaging in harassing behaviors." An accusation that former Alderman Tim Kelly used foul language in her presence. An accusation that Alderwoman Judith Lee "has been engaged in a persistent effort to defame me, violate my rights, inflict emotional distress and separate me from my employment." "The persistent violation of my rights has gone unabated for the past eight years," Spiegel says in the letter. "I shouldn't have to leave a professional position and work that I love, or leave behind so many wonderful employees that I respect and care for, but the failure of my supervisors to maintain a work environment free of harassment and illegal behavior has led to this juncture." In exchange for an amicable transition, Spiegel requests: Two years of total compensation Two years of health insurance at Spiegel's then-current coverage level The right to enroll as a retiree on the city's insurance plan after her current/negotiated coverage concludes $1 million compensation for the damage to her physical health $1 million compensation for the damage to her emotional well-being $500,000 compensation for the damage to her professional reputation One year of city-covered ICMA (International City/County Management Association) and IEDC (International Economic Development Council membership dues The ability to complete her doctoral program under the city's "Learning Partner" status with Columbia Southern University. The letter is part of lawsuits involving the City of Davenport, state investigators and Davenport residents who want to see the document. The letter in its entirety is here: Spiegel-letter-1Download
	Convoy wants answers in missing Iowa trucker's death ROCKWELL CITY, Iowa --- On the day when Lake View trucker, David Schultz, was laid to rest, some from the trucking community took to the roads to make a couple of points. One, to respect Schultz and his family. The other, was to raise the question as to the mystery surrounding his death. Schultz was reported missing last November. His truck, cellphone, and keys were left in his truck loaded with pigs, in the middle of the road. In April, his body was found in a field not far from where the truck was left. "It’s just about, you know coming together on important things and all the circumstances around David’s case. I mean, the man deserves a proper sendoff," said Mitchel Riesgraf, of Iowa CDL Drivers Unlimited. "We don’t even know how he passed away so tragically and all the repercussions for his family. You know our hearts go out to him." A handful of trucks were there for the convoy starting at three. More trucks joined in as the afternoon went along. "He was a good friend of mine," said Larry Wilkerson, a trucker from Odeboldt. "I’ve known Dave for probably, 8 to 9 years, talked over the radio a few times. He's a real nice guy. I enjoyed talking to him. I wanted to pay respect to him and the family out here.". Truckers here expressed concern over not knowing how he died and if life on the road as a trucker is really safe. "They say there’s no foul play, but everybody else that looks into this case knows otherwise," said Riesgraf. "Who’s responsible? What’s responsible? We just want to know. We’re trying to help figure out what happened to our brother of the highway." "Message to the public is, just watch what you’re doing out there. Don’t stop for anybody that you don’t know or if you don’t have lights on them," said Wilkerson "Make sure you get to a well -lit area. If it’s a cop, make sure you get to a well-lit area so that way you know you can see what’s going on." The initial autopsy showed no signs of foul play, according to the Iowa Division of Crimminal Investigation. “We are waiting until we receive the full autopsy report before we release any additional information," said Sac County Sheriff, Ken McClure on Friday. A special part of Friday's convoy was that they brought David Schultz's truck to the event for the whole group to pose for a picture with that vehicle.
	Why you may get another chance to see the northern lights soon (NEXSTAR) – The northern lights defied expectations over the weekend by appearing in night skies as far south as Florida and Hawaii. We have solar storm activity to thank – and that activity isn't done just yet. Solar flares and eruptions will likely increase as we reach “solar maximum,” explained Nicola Fox, the director of NASA’s heliophysics division. The current solar cycle, No. 25, began in December 2019. "During the Sun’s natural 11-year cycle, the Sun shifts from relatively calm to stormy, then back again," said Fox. "At its most active, called solar maximum, the Sun is freckled with sunspots and its magnetic poles reverse." Northern lights: What causes the colors that we see — and don’t see? All this activity sparks coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, which are essentially explosions of plasma and magnetic material shooting out of the sun. When they hit Earth’s magnetic field, currents send particles flowing to the North and South Poles, and that's what causes the aurora, or northern lights, to appear in our skies. The stronger the geomagnetic storm, the further south the phenomenon is visible. The peak of this solar cycle is predicted to happen somewhere between November 2024 and March 2026. The best guess we have from NOAA's space weather modeling is July 2025, but it could happen months sooner or later. Solar storm 2024: What should you do to prepare? As we approach that solar maximum, we can expect more geomagnetic storms to pop up. The scientists at the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) keep a close eye on active regions of the sun to try and predict broadly what might happen over the next several days or weeks, but it's hard to tell exactly when and how CMEs will hit Earth when they're coming from 90 million miles away. Once they reach about 1 million miles from Earth, scientists can take much more accurate measurements and make good predictions – but the lead time is small, about 15 to 45 minutes. The severe, G5-level storm that hit Earth Friday night and Saturday morning was the strongest to reach us since 2003. Strong geomagnetic storms can cause more than just pretty lights in the sky – they also can create issues for power infrastructure, communications and navigation. According to the SWPC's scale, a minor G1 storm can bring the aurora to Maine and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula while a moderate G2 storm can bring them into New York and Idaho. When a storm reaches G3 status, aurora can be viewed as far south as Illinois and Oregon. Should it reach G4 strength, those living in Alabama and northern California may have a chance at seeing the northern lights. Solar activity that causes a G5 storm, like the storm we saw Friday, has been known to make aurora appear in Florida and even southern Texas.
	Lisa Bluder's legacy: From humble beginnings to leading Iowa women's basketball Bluder's coaching career started at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. At the time, she made $2,500 a year. She made $1.4 million in her last season at Iowa.
	Former Hawkeye star Kate Martin officially a part of the Las Vegas Aces The defending WNBA champions announced the opening day roster Monday afternoon, with Martin making the cut.
	National Bike to Work Week underway in the Quad Cities National Bike to Work Week is this week and QCA community members are encouraged to utilize public transit in conjunction with bikes to get to work.
	Local high school senior launches initiative to reconnect community with nature A local high school senior is hoping to make a difference in her community with a project aimed at reconnecting people with nature.
	Survey shows 98% of Monmouth College's 2023 graduates are either working, in school Director of the college's Center for Career, Leadership and Fellowships Marnie Steach says the rate is back to pre-pandemic heights.
	Crews respond to overnight house fire in Davenport Shortly after 12:30 a.m. Monday, firefighters responded to a house on 49th Street after a neighbor called 911 reporting a porch was on fire.
	Former City Administrator Corri Spiegel's $1.6 million letter alleges harassment from former mayors, council members Former Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel alleged she was harassed by at least two former mayors and three council members in her nine years of working for the city.
	QC role models and leaders honored with Women of Influence Awards The Quad Cities Regional Business Journal is launching the Women of Influence Awards for women who have made their mark in the QCA as role models and leaders. Jennifer DeWitt with the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal dropped by Our Quad Cities News to talk about the Women of Influence Awards. For more information, click here.
	Davenport firefighters investigating Monday afternoon house fire No one was injured in the blaze.
	90-year-old Burlington man killed after Friday night crash Allen Heisel was killed after his pickup truck was allegedly hit by a 19-year-old.
	Golfers help early education programs at Little Bogey's Golf Classic Golfers teed off to help kids with early education. SAL Community Services hosted the 28th annual Little Bogey's Golf Classic at Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley. Almost 150 golfers competed for team and individual prizes. All of the money raised will benefit early education programs. For more information, click here.
	Lisa Bluder retiring as Iowa women’s coach after Clark-led teams reached last 2 NCAA title games Head coach Lisa Bluder was 528-254 at Iowa, including 65-12 the past two years with Clark leading the way, and 716-359 including her 10 seasons at Drake.
	Authorities identify man killed Saturday in Rock Island The man accused of the killing remained in custody on Monday in Scott County pending extradition to face a first-degree murder charge in relation to the shooting.
	Moline police searching for driver after vehicle crashes into QC All Fit Friday morning Police say the driver was in a silver Ford four-door truck and fled the scene.
	Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announces retirement, Jan Jensen named head coach Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announced her retirement Monday after 40 years as a collegiate head coach, including 24 at the University of Iowa. Shortly after, officials said Jan Jensen was named the new head coach.
	Celebrate National Salvation Army Week in the QCA National Salvation Army Week is May 13-19, and you can help the Salvation Army Quad Cities commemorate more than a century of helping people in the QCA. Maj. Robert Doliber spoke with Our Quad Cities News about how you can celebrate National Salvation Army Week here at home. For more information, click here.
	Spiegel demand letter unveiled: Former city administrator accuses 2 former Davenport mayors of harassment News 8 has obtained the demand letter from former Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel that ultimately led to a $1.6 million settlement agreement.
	Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announces retirement, Jan Jensen named head coach Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announced her retirement Monday after 40 years as a collegiate head coach, including 24 at the University of Iowa. Shortly after, officials said Jan Jensen was named the new head coach.
	Allegations that led to $1.6M settlement with former Davenport City Administrator revealed in letter News 8 has obtained the demand letter from Corri Spiegel where she accuses numerous city officials of inappropriate conduct and harassment.
	Mockingbird on Main to perform 'To Kill a Mockingbird' nearly a year after losing their home theatre The cabaret-style theatre lost its home in the Davenport building collapse; now, they're back with a new performance at the Black Box Theatre.
	Utica Ridge Road bridge over I-80 closed The Iowa DOT said work is expected to wrap up by midsummer.
	Mockingbird on Main to perform 'To Kill a Mockingbird' nearly a year after losing their home theatre The cabaret-style theatre lost its home in the Davenport building collapse; now, they're back with a new performance at the Black Box Theatre.
	Iowa Attorney General attends Trump trial in New York On Monday, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird held a news conference in New York City vocalizing her support for former President Donald Trump in one of his ongoing criminal court cases.
	Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announces retirement Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder announced her retirement Monday.
	Lisa Bluder announces retirement Shocking, shocking news coming out of Iowa women's basketball. Head coach Lisa Bluder has stepped down after 24 seasons. Bluder signed an extension last off-season and will now leave the program as the winningest coach in its history. She released this statement: Dear Hawkeye Nation: It is with a range of emotions that I share with you today that I have decided to step down from leading the Iowa women’s basketball team after 24 memorable years. I informed President Wilson and Director of Athletics Beth Goetz of my decision and I am grateful for their unwavering support and offered them my assistance in any manner in the future. It has been the honor of my career to be a part of the Iowa Hawkeye family, and to lead a women’s basketball program filled with so many talented and remarkable young women, who have gone on to do great things in their careers and, more importantly, in their lives. There is no denying that this past season was incredible for so many reasons, and we could not have accomplished our achievements without all of you. After the season ended, I spent time with our student-athletes and coaches reviewing the season and preparing those moving on for what comes next. With that also came personal contemplation about what this journey has meant to me, how to best champion this program, and what the future looks like for my family and me. After then taking some time away with my husband, David, it became clear to me that I am ready to step aside. There is never an ideal time to retire and I am sure this fall that I will miss the games, the practices, the road trips, the atmosphere, the tremendous fans and, most importantly, the players. But my belief in the foundation of this program, knowing that success is now an unrelenting component of women’s basketball at the University of Iowa gives me comfort as I transition to become the program’s biggest champion. I want to thank each and every young woman who believed in our program and in our values for nearly a quarter of a century, and who proudly wore the Black & Gold. I want to thank Presidents Coleman, Skorton, Mason, Harreld and Wilson for their unequivocal support of our program and Directors of Athletics Dr. Christine Grant, Bob Bowlsby, Gary Barta and Beth Goetz for their unrelenting partnership. I want to thank my assistant coaches and operations and support staff who each played an integral role in our journey. I specifically want to acknowledge the work of Jan Jensen and Jenni Fitzgerald whom I have had the pleasure of working alongside for the past 32 years. I want to thank the incredible fans for believing in what we were doing and how we were doing it, creating the greatest home court advantage in all of women’s basketball. And finally, I want to thank David and our children, Hannah, Emma and David, Jr., for supporting me while I pursued my dreams and for their own sacrifices along the way. It is my hope that now with more time and energy, I can be an asset to our basketball program and this athletics department in any way that I am able. With Love and Gratitude, Lisa For more Hawkeyes coverage, follow @BlakeHornTV and @HawkeyeHQ on Twitter and Facebook. You can find Hawkeye Headquarters at HawkeyeHQ.com all season.
	Augustana Prison Education Program will celebrate its first graduate Augustana College's prison education program will have its first graduate this year. He's trying to clear his name while studying for finals.
	Davenport natives back to make beautiful music Listening to how two famous composers wrote for both the voice and violin are on a new program for Chamber Music Quad Cities, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18th at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Davenport. The concert will feature music by Debussy, Beethoven, Reena Esmail, and Kurt Weill. Reena Esmail (born 1983) is a female Indian-American composer who is on the Quad City Symphony’s 2024-25 season twice (in chamber music and Masterworks series programs). Indian-American composer Reena Esmail Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence. She holds degrees in composition from The Juilliard School (2005) and two masters and a doctor of musical arts degree from the Yale School of Music. Her piece for CMQC (called “When the Violin”) opens the program, a meditation on the violin itself, Tom Sauer (an acclaimed pianist and co-artistic director of CMQC) said in a Monday interview. “It uses a lot of open strings and it's a very nice concert opener and that's how it will appear -- welcoming people into the world of the violin,” he said. "The point of the concert is to compare how composers write for the voice versus how they write for the violin and the piano,” Sauer said, noting the two here are Ludwig van Beethoven and Claude Debussy. Pianist and Davenport native Thomas Sauer “With Debussy, we're doing three early songs that are very accessible and lovely, at first hearing, they make perfect sense to the listener,” Sauer said. “And then there's one much more complex and abstract song where Debussy himself wrote the text.” His violin sonata (to be done after the songs) is also a more abstract, later composition, a more developed style. In the case of Beethoven, his individual songs are not well-known, despite the fact that he wrote many of them, Sauer said. The vocal music will be performed by soprano Lily Arbisser. “His instrumental music has such a big profile that the songs have a little bit gotten lost over the years or something,” he said. “These three songs, they show a very kind of sweet side of Beethoven, a very tender side of Beethoven and the violin sonata that we're playing is much more people's stereotypical version of Beethoven -- the quite dramatic and stormy Beethoven, except that the middle movement has some of the same tenderness that the songs do.” “He wanted to write for the voice all along, but he felt he didn't have the knack for it,” Sauer said. Right before intermission, Arbisser also will perform three songs by Kurt Weill (1900-1950): “Complainte de la Seine,” “Berlin im Licht,” and “I'm a Stranger Here Myself.” Coming home to play Both Sauer and Arbisser are Davenport natives who have made their careers based in New York City. They collaborated in a March 2022 CMQC concert at Asbury United Methodist Church in Bettendorf, and Arbisser returned that fall for the QCSO performance of a Holocaust-themed opera, "Two Remain." Lily Arbisser and Tom Sauer at rehearsal May 13, 2024. She mainly frequents oratorio and operatic stages, and she is also dedicated to art song performance in both salon-style house concerts and traditional recitals. A snapshot of Arbisser’s broad repertoire includes Spanish, German, French, Italian, Russian, Yiddish, and Hebrew songs, music of contemporary American composers, and 12-tone compositions. She is enjoying a busy performance schedule this year, which began with a self-curated recital titled “Of Dreams” in Lenox, Mass., last month given alongside conductor/pianist Noah Palmer, featuring music of Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Wieck-Schumann, Weill, Debussy, Fauré, and contemporary American composers Nathan Shields, Emily Cooley and Sally Wyche-Coenen. Soprano Lily Arbisser graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University with a bachelor's in art and archaeology and a certificate in vocal performance. She also holds a master's degree from Mannes College. Arbisser also will present multiple recitals with pianist Dimitri Malignan and his “Missing Voices” project, dedicated to introducing audiences to the music of Jewish composers who were persecuted in the Holocaust and reclaiming space for these important works on the concert stage. Sauer is highly sought after as soloist and chamber musician in a wide range of repertoire. Recent appearances include Carnegie Hall, St. John’s College, Oxford, and the Chamber Music Societies of Lincoln Center, Boston, and Philadelphia. With his long-time duo partner Colin Carr, Sauer has appeared at the Wigmore Hall (London), the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston), and Da Camera (Houston). He has performed with members of the Juilliard String Quartet at the Library of Congress and given many concerts with the Brentano String Quartet. Arbisser said it’s always special coming back to sing in her home city. “It can't be overstated. There's nothing like getting to go to your hometown as a professional to share what you've been working hard on,” she said Monday. “There’s just nothing like getting to share with the people who helped make you who you are. Like, what you've been working on far away for quite some time every time,” she said. “I get to come home, there's progress, there's new confidence and new ideas that I have to bring to the stage and it's really exciting to get to come, and put those in front of people who I have these long-term relationships with.” Violinist Kyu-Young Kim The CMQC concert also features violinist Kyu-Young Kim, artistic director and principal violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, who’s widely recognized for his dynamic performances as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. This won’t be the last time Arbisser and Sauer (both based in New York) will be performing together this month. At the end of May, they’ll perform at a private book launch in New York for a friend of hers (Spencer Reece) who’s releasing his third book of poetry. It’s a new song based on one of his poems. Tickets for the May 18 concert (at 3707 Eastern Ave., Davenport) are $20, available HERE.
	ACLU files lawsuit against Black Hawk County Sheriff for ‘jail fees’ The ACLU says that the money is then being spent on a multitude of non-jail-related expenses.
	No injuries from early morning Davenport fire Davenport Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 3000 block of 49th Street at 12:34 a.m. Monday morning.
	Rock Island homicide victim identified He was arrested Sunday in Davenport, police said.
	Noa's Arc: “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” Considering that nearly all of its performances are motion-capture ones, I didn't expect to spend so much time at Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes marveling at the nuances of naturalistic human acting.
	I-80 bridge washing starts next week Spring cleaning continues at the I-80 bridge in Rock Island County. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced in a news release that overnight maintenance to wash the Interstate 80 Mississippi River bridge in Rock Island County will start on Sunday, May 19, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 8 p.m. each evening to 6 a.m. the following morning. The work is expected to be completed in one to two weeks. A second bridge washing is scheduled for this fall. Bridge washing is vital to the longevity of Illinois’ infrastructure system, while ensuring safety. Drivers can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Use alternate routes when possible to avoid the work area. Drivers should pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, avoid using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. For more IDOT District 2 updates, click here.
	Spiegel accuses former mayors of harassment in demand letter TV6 has obtained a copy of the demand letter from Corri Spiegel, the former Davenport city administrator.
	Overnight fire damages home in Davenport On Monday, May 13, 2024 at approximately 12:34 a.m., the Davenport Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 3000 block of 49th Street. The DFD responded with five apparatus and one Incident Command vehicle to the incident for an initial response of 16 personnel, according to a Monday release. Scott County Emergency Communication Center received a 911 call from a neighbor of the involved structure advising the front porch was on fire. Upon the arrival of the first fire company, it was noted that front deck had considerable fire and was spreading to the attached structure, the fire department said. Crews advanced a hose line and quickly extinguished the deck and moved to the interior of residence to check for fire extension. The sole occupant was able to get out of the structure prior to fire department arrival. The home sustained substantial damage by fire, smoke and water which left the home uninhabitable at this time. Crews remained on scene for approximately two hours to ensure the fire was out and had not extended further into the home. There were no injuries to the occupant or firefighters reported with this incident. MidAmerican Energy assisted with securing utilities. The Red Cross was notified to assist the occupant. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Any additional information related to this incident will be released by the Fire Marshal.
	Rock Island National Cemetery Memorial Day in need of volunteers for flag placement The volunteers will place American flags at the headstones of fallen service members.
	Unclaimed InstaPlay jackpot worth $30k will expire in August If you bought an InstaPlay lottery ticket at a Davenport gas station recently, the clock is running on collecting the $30,000 jackpot. Someone bought a ticket that turned out to be worth $30,851.35 at a Kwik Star in Davenport for the May 10 drawing. The winner(s) have until August 8 to collect the winnings. The prize must be claimed at an Iowa Lottery office; click here to find the closest office. Call the lottery at (515) 725-7900 or email wmaster@ialottery.com if you think you are a winner or have questions. Click here for more on the Iowa Lottery and its games.
	Rock Island Parks and Rec introduces new Spring Market Fest The Rock Island Parks and Recreation Department announced the new Spring Market experience at the riverfront on May 19. Admission is free!
	Rock Island County Sheriff's Office steps up seatbelt enforcement ahead of Memorial Day Sheriff Darren Hart said Illinois had 300 fatalities involving passengers not wearing their seatbelts in 2022.
	Burlington man dies in Lee County crash The Iowa State Patrol said that a 90-year-old Burlington man was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Lee County on Friday.
	Victim identified in fatal Rock Island shooting The victim was identified as 21-year-old Omari Braxton, of Rock Island. A man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection to the case.
	Pet(s) of the Week - Birdie and Chuck \| May 13, 2024 News 8 and the Quad City Animal Welfare Center partner each week to help pets find their forever homes.
	Art, poetry, and music to fill Figge concert A varied, unique, collaborative concert is in store next Sunday in the next Quad City Symphony Orchestra “Up Close” chamber music series. The program at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 19, at the Figge Art Museum (225 W. 2nd St., Davenport) spotlights Marc Zyla, principal horn for the QCSO and director of community engagement for WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. The May 19 concert features horn player Marc Zyla, left, pianist Marian Lee and spoken word artist Aubrey Barnes. The host of the public radio station’s weekday “Allegro Molto” (6 to 9 a.m. at 98.3 FM), Zyla has certainly assembled an engaging program, with partners pianist Marian Lee, poet and spoken-word artist Aubrey Barnes and Rock Island painter Zay Williams. “One of the really cool things about the Up Close series is it's an opportunity for the musicians of the Quad City Symphony to perform, but also to program,” Zyla said in an interview Thursday, May 9. “This is a fun opportunity to both come up with the concept of the performance, choose the music and of course, perform it for the Quad Cities.” Zyla is in his late 30s and has been feeling philosophical about life. Among the quartet of pieces on the May 19 concert, he chose a 1996 sonata by Margaret Brouwer (born 1940) because he played it during his senior recital in 2007 at West Virginia University, after it was recommended by his professor Virginia Thompson, who passed away at 59 in 2015. Composer Margaret Brouwer was born in 1940. “A very interesting point about her is that she's a native of Davenport, she performed in the Youth Symphony growing up,” Zyla said, noting Thompson became assistant principal horn for the QCSO while she was a doctoral student at University of Iowa. “In my relationship with the Quad Cities being from West Virginia, I wasn't really aware of the Quad Cities,” he recalled. “When I came to audition, that’s when I first kind of engaged with this area. And so as soon as I won the audition, my first call is always my wife, second call is always my dad and my third call was Virginia. I had no idea that she was a native of here. Marc Zyla is the principal horn player for the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. “So it was kind of this really cool, like full-circle moment with the two of us that, I'm kind of like in her old stomping grounds,” Zyla (who moved to the QC in 2011) said. “When I was an undergraduate student, really like playing Mozart and totally accessible music, I wasn't really all that interested in solo repertoire, so I didn't really dig much into it, but when it came time to choose my senior recital stuff, Dr. Thompson said, dude, you can't just play Mozart and stuff for the rest of your life.” The Brouwer is “really quite beautiful and takes you on quite a musical journey and I think that last movement it really does make you feel like you're flying through the clouds. So, it's a piece I really like to play,” he said. Based on a spiritual Three of the four pieces on the program were penned in the 20th century, including Frederick Tillis’s Spiritual Fantasy No. 7 (1982), that the African-American composer wrote based on the spiritual, “Calvary.” “It’s a challenging piece in the sense that he creates a lot of space within the music. And so there are times in which the piano and the horn are really working together and there are times in which the horn and the piano seem as if they're distant,” Zyla said. Zyla, second from right, with the horn section of the QCSO at a recent concert. “It's a really cool way to express some people's experiences with spirituality and definitely an expression of my own,” he said. Tillis was a very unassuming person and “he liked to gift pieces to folks,” Zyla said. “And so this was a gift to the horn professor at the school where he taught.” Text and poetry are a key part of the May 19 program, including the Gustav Mahler “Songs of a Wayfarer” (1884-85), with poetry written by Mahler. “What I've always identified with Mahler is that everything that happened in his life or every emotion that he felt was at like 110 percent and I really think that the poetry within ‘Songs of a Wayfarer’ is like kind of akin to the way that it felt when you broke up with your first girlfriend or something like that,” Zyla said. “Like, am I ever gonna love again? “I've kind of been that guy throughout my life and I'm in this kind of mode right now of being just extremely grateful as to how my life has turned out.” In the Paul Hindemith Sonata for Alto Horn and Piano (1943), there is a “Post Horn” poem written into the piece. “The horn is this call back to simpler times and nature and I love that piece,” Zyla said. “I’ve played it maybe three or four times now. And I'm excited to play it with Marian and I'm excited to play it for the Quad Cities for the first time, which is cool.” Aubrey Barnes was among the Rock Island Citizens of the Year for 2023. (City of Rock Island) He’s including Rock Island poet and spoken word artist Aubrey Barnes in the Sunday program to recite the poetry, since they’ve gotten to know each other in the past few years. “His spoken word is really captivating and I love it. I think it's quite amazing,” Zyla said, noting Barnes also has been on his WVIK podcast, “What’s Happening QC.” “I can't think of a better person to both present the text of the works, but also he's written reactionary pieces to the work,” he said of the music. “I'm really excited to see what he's come up with. It is a little bit of a unique way to present a solo recital…But if you know me, I like to try to do things a little different.” Art created on the spot The multidisciplinary aspect of the concert is further extended by including a live painting by Rock Island artist Zay Williams, whom Zyla also has featured on his podcast. Zay Williams and his portrait of artist Frida Kahlo. “He has a very vibrant social media presence and the thing that I liked about his art is that it’s extremely colorful,” Zyla said. “It's very diverse, from doing figures of notable people and presenting those in certain ways, to abstract things.” He recalled while he lived in Evansville, Ind., Zyla played with the Owensboro Symphony (Kentucky) and during a concert of Debussy, they featured a live painter, doing a canvas inspired by the music. “I asked Zay if he'd like to do that, and he thought it sounded awesome,” Zyla said. “Because we're at the Figge, it feels good to make some art.” “I am all about this community and I am all about taking these opportunities to introduce people to new artists in their own community, but also showcase the artists that folks know,” he said. “People know me, and people know Aubrey and Zay, but they don't know the three of us together. Rock Island artist Zay Williams and one of his paintings. “And so like to me, it's an exploration of what is possible when Quad-City artists get together and say, you know, what does this concert speak to you and how might you add to that value? “So I'm excited to see how it all comes together because in my brain, it seems amazing,” Zyla said. “So I really think it's gonna come together in a really cool way.” Tickets for the 5 p.m. concert are $25 for adults, and $10 for students, available HERE.
	Spring Preview of Homes unveils latest trends in home design The 2024 spring preview of homes kicked off on Saturday May 11, offering a glimpse into the latest trends in home design and construction.
	Illinois treasurer returns more than $20 million to residents in April 16,622 Illinois residents benefited from the I-Cash money program
	Victim in Rock Island homicide identified 21-year-old Omari Braxton was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Maple Ridge Apartments.
	DeWitt childhood cancer survivor giving back through golf outing fundraiser The fundraiser will be held later this month.
	This Week: Iowa Secretary of State on record-breaking small business growth Paul Pate said more than 30,000 new businesses have been founded in Iowa in the last year.
	QC Community Foundation awards scholarships to 74 area students Dozens of Quad City area students are getting help funding higher education as the Quad Cities Community Foundation has announced the recipients of $578,600 in scholarship awards. The scholarships are possible by the generosity of donors to scholarship funds at the Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation and the donors we work with are dedicated to investing in our local students,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Along with our staff, board, and scholarship committee, I am incredibly proud of every recipient and cannot wait to see what they do next.” This year, 74 scholarships were awarded. Over half of these awards are renewable, which means students will receive ongoing financial support throughout their academic careers. Awards were given to students of all ages and educational paths, from community colleges and four-year universities to trade and technical schools. “Donors contribute to these awards for many reasons,” said Hafkemeyer. “Some represent memorial funds honoring a loved one, others are returning the generosity that helped them when they were a student. In any case, their generosity is funding a bright future for our region. These scholarships are supporting the future of our region.” Changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) took place as the Community Foundation’s application process was underway. “Those changes caused several logistical challenges for students, parents, and counselors,” said Kelly Thompson, Community Foundation vice president of grantmaking and community initiatives. “Our staff responded quickly and flexibly so that we could provide options for applicants and ensure these awards would be delivered on time.” Members of the public who are interested in starting a scholarship for area students can call the Community Foundation at (563) 326-2840. These students received scholarships for the 2024-25 school year:• Ali Aljanabi—Rock Island High School—Herman & Sarah Segal Scholarship• Julian Anderson—Augustana College—Jerry and Martha Taylor Memorial Scholarship• Elexa Andybur—Davenport Central High School—Central High School Scholarship for Teacher Education• Elexa Andybur—Davenport Central High School—Sophia N. Hapke Scholarship• Joachim Arul—Moline High School—Richard J. Collins Scholarship• Skyler Beck—Louisa-Muscatine High School—Eastern Iowa Angus Association Oliver Hansen Memorial Scholarship• Rylee Bedford—University of Iowa—Tana and Gerry Odean Scholarship• Alexus Beebe—Fort Madison High School—Lt. Col. William T. Cooper Scholarship - Citizenship• Isabelle Bolton—Camanche High School—Great River Bend Cyclone Award Scholarship• Megan Bowlyou—Sherrard High School—Clifford and Louise King Scholarship• Megan Bowlyou—Sherrard High School—Morency Family Scholarship - IL• Grace Brandt—Davenport Central High School—Paul and Beverly Eckert Scholarship• Kimbree Callahan—Bettendorf High School—Dr. & Mrs. Yang Ho Rhee Scholarship• Kimbree Callahan—Bettendorf High School—Morency Family Scholarship - IA• Vamsi Challa—Pleasant Valley High School—Jayne Lee Andreesen Memorial Scholarship• Nathaniel Cheesman—Davenport North High School—Gustav A. & Gerda H.C. Anderson Scholarship• Angela Chen—Davenport North High School—Donna Jean Arzberger Memorial Scholarship• Angela Chen—Davenport North High School—James W. Victor Scholarship• Angela Chen—Davenport North High School—Jane & Clem Werner Scholarship• Addison Cook-Gibbs—Moline High School—Morency Family Scholarship - IL• Mykedra Craig—Black Hawk College—William H. Kleinschmidt Scholarship• Banks Dieckman—Moline High School—Don E. & Charlotte Williams Scholarship• Sarah Eckert—University of Iowa—Paul & Barbara Yamber Memorial Stem Scholarship• Lucas Fehlberg—Annawan High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Catalina Fernandez—Bettendorf High School—Quad Cities Mexican American Organization Scholarship• Gunner Garvin—Wilton High School—Loren and Tammy Bockwoldt Family Scholarship• Gunner Garvin—Wilton High School—Mike Condon Memorial Scholarship• Gunner Garvin—Wilton High School—V. Warren Kurth and Norma Kurth Scholarship• Aubrey Gradin—Davenport West High School—Dearrel Bates Memorial Scholarship• Gabriel Graetz—University of Wisconsin- Parkside—Don E. & Charlotte Williams Scholarship• Rebekah Hartsuch—Assumption High School—Sophia N. Hapke Scholarship• Brandon Hu—Rivermont Collegiate—Dr. & Mrs. Yang Ho Rhee Scholarship• Brandon Hu—Rivermont Collegiate—Jane & Clem Werner Scholarship• Autumn Huizar—United Township High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Nieve Kane—University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire—Don E. & Charlotte Williams Scholarship• Ian Keeney—Davenport West High School—Clem Werner Walcott Scholarship• Kelsey Kiefer—Philip Simmons High School (SC)—Don E. & Charlotte Williams Scholarship• Isabella Lunsford—Bettendorf High School—Kelly Marie McQuate Memorial Scholarship• Asa Mahn—Rock Island High School—Rock Island High School Class Of 1956 Scholarship• Isabella Martens—University of Northern Iowa—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Leah Martinez—Davenport North High School—Morency Family Scholarship - IA• Luke Mattson—Davenport West High School—Verna Kaucher Scholarship• Taylor Mayhue—Iowa State University—Edwin R. Adland & Ruth H. Adland Scholarship• Mei Lin McDermott—Moline High School—PEO Chapter Blanche Wood Music Award• Kyleigh Meier—Bettendorf High School—Corky Kress Golf Scholarship• Dylan Mejia—Iowa State University—Morency Family Scholarship - IA• Addison Miller—Davenport North High School—Verna Kaucher Scholarship• Samantha Morrison—Mercer County High School—Bryant-Holmes Scholarship for Mercer County High School• Makynzii Murley—Rockridge High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Nathan Musal—Pleasant Valley High School—Don E. & Charlotte Williams Scholarship• Nathan Musal—Pleasant Valley High School—John R. Kiley Memorial Scholarship• Kaycee Newman—North Scott High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Stoyota Nguyen—Davenport West High School—Jane & Clem Werner Scholarship• Grace O'Connor—Central DeWitt High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Cael Pairrett—Davenport North High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Holden Phillips—Davenport North High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Natalie Pothoven—University of Northern Iowa—Elise Brett Scholarship• Teegan Rice—United Township High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Eli Riedesel—Calamus-Wheatland High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - Automotive/Trade School• Elsie Rogers—Bettendorf High School—Jane & Clem Werner Scholarship• Nina Ruetenik—Davenport Central High School—Jane & Clem Werner Scholarship• Khadija Sakho—Rock Island High School—Morency Family Scholarship - IL• Rhett Schaefer—Assumption High School—Bill & Hilda Macomber and Alta Kahl Scholarship• Mazah Sherif—United Township High School—Gene S. Duke Scholarship• Mazah Sherif—United Township High School—Louis F. Bulechek Memorial Scholarship• Cole Storm—Columbus Community High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Jack Stremlow—Davenport Central High School—Mariah Becker Memorial Scholarship• Nya Tarpein—Pleasant Valley High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship• Antonio Vazquez—Assumption High School—Sophia N. Hapke Scholarship• Lieland Weske—Wauwatosa East High School (WI)—Don E. & Charlotte Williams Scholarship• Mia Winquist—United Township High School—Ligino Family Scholarship• Isabelle Yoder—Maquoketa High School—Paul & Barbara Yamber Memorial Stem Scholarship• Jake Zazvrskey—Palmer College of Chiropractic—Dr. G. O. & Arlene Schmiedel Scholarship• Richard Zillmer—Bettendorf High School—Quad City Regional Auto Show - College/University Scholarship
	Car crashes into Moline business Molin police say a car crashed into QC All Fit and fled from the scene just a few blocks away from Moline High School on Friday morning.
	This Week: Illinois State Treasurer on the role of his office Michael Frerichs discussed legislation making its way through the statehouse and how his office is working to help students with college savings plans.
	Get goodies at Rock Island spring market The Rock Island Parks and Recreation Department is set to invigorate the riverfront with an exciting addition to its lineup: Revive Rock Island: Spring Market Fest. The event will take place Sunday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Schwiebert Riverfront Park downtown. Admission is free. Revive Rock Island: Spring Market Fest will take place Sunday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Schwiebert Riverfront Park. “After the overwhelming success of our Fall Market Fest, we couldn’t resist expanding our offerings to include a spring shopping experience,” Dan Gleason, special events and fundraising manager, said in a city release Monday. “The enthusiasm from both vendors and attendees has been inspiring. We’re looking forward to creating another memorable day in the park filled with spring and summer treasures for everyone to enjoy.” The event will feature more than 40 diverse vendors showcasing an array of handmade crafts and goods, vintage wares, unique gifts, candles, soaps, sweets, jewelry, apparel, accessories and much more. For a sneak peak of participating vendors and their offerings, visit the Facebook Event Page. Attendees can enjoy various food concessions options including Wolfe It Down Pizza and grilled delights from the Parks Department. Cool Beanz and Bent River Brewing Company will have drinks available for purchase. For more information, contact Dan Gleason at gleason.daniel@rigov.org or call 309-732-7275, ext. 1.
	Man charged in fatal shooting at Maple Ridge Apartments in Rock Island He was arrested Sunday in Davenport, police said.
	Officials: Gun found inside holding cell at Rock Island Police Department during elementary school tour Students at Eugene Field Elementary School were kept safe during a school tour of the Rock Island Police Department when a gun was discovered inside of a holding cell, according to a media release from the City of Rock Island. Staff was immediately alerted and at no time did any student physically see or touch the gun, officials said.
	Bettendorf’s Street Resurfacing Program begins Monday Officials said the first site to be constructed is Weindruch Road from State Street to Devils Glen Park.
	Inside Iowa Politics: New way to make sure your neighborhood has enough drinking water? A dozen local water utilities have formed a new regional water entity in central Iowa and could become a model for other communities.
	Local man who fell victim to online scam hopes his story can help others It all started with a seemingly innocent Facebook message.
	QC teens work to give out nearly $30K in grants Nearly $30,000 has been awarded by a group of local teenagers to six Quad Cities nonprofits, through the Quad Cities Community Foundation’s Teens for Tomorrow (T4T) program. This year’s group of students from area high schools has now awarded $29,500 to six local nonprofits. This total includes $18,500 the students raised through their direct work with donors. “The T4T program gives young people an opportunity to lead real change right here in our community,” Sue Hafkemeyer, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO, said in a Monday release. “This cohort did exactly that. They worked together, met with donors, learned from nonprofits, and ultimately made some big decisions that will positively impact our community.” The group of high school students in this year's Teens for Tomorrow of the QC Community Foundation. The T4T program provides a supportive space for idea-sharing and mentoring between its students and Community Foundation leaders. Teens learn about the logistics of fundraising and the realities of running a nonprofit and have opportunities for leadership training and public speaking, the foundation said. After a focused nine-month period of grant application reviews, site visits, interviews, and donor visits, students selected six final grant recipients. The organizations awarded grants are focused on various causes, from food insecurity to healthcare access. Local high school students met over nine months to decide how to disburse $29,500 in grants to six area nonprofit organizations. “This year’s cohort was deeply committed to providing as much full funding and operational support as possible,” said Kaleigh Trammell, grantmaking specialist at the Community Foundation. “Throughout the process, even when that commitment was difficult, they reminded each other of their goals and made it happen. They also focused on ‘upstream’ solutions, which influenced their decisions with these grants.” The following six nonprofits received Teens for Tomorrow funding this year: Bethany for Children & Families: Give Kids a Smile Mobile Dental Clinic Support - $5,000 Project NOW, CAA: Project NOW General Operating Support - $6,500 River Bend Food Bank: River Bend Food Bank School Backpack Program - $2,000 Salvation Army - Quad Cities: Hygiene/Household Supplies Program Support - $3,000 Tapestry Farms: Tapestry Farms program support - $5,000 World Relief Quad Cities: World Relief Quad Cities general operating support - $8,000 The Community Foundation is now accepting applications for next year’s T4T program. Teens interested in learning about philanthropy and driving positive change in their community — and donors who would like to support the T4T program’s continued operations — can learn more HERE.

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

Monday, May 13th, 2024