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

Wednesday, June 5th, 2024
	Taste of Ethiopia to close as owners retire, new restaurant opening Several of the restaurant's signature dishes will be preserved when Iowa City-based African restaurant "I Love FuFu" takes over the location.
	Supporters react to Davenport street conversion concerns The Davenport City Council hesitated on the two-way street conversion project, which has spent years in the planning process, and now the Downtown Davenport Partnership says delaying the street conversion even more could waste federal dollars and affect all other roads needing work in the city. New Davenport City Council members let their voices be heard regarding the two-way street conversion project on 3rd and 4th streets downtown. "Maybe that business on 3rd is going to suffer," Tim Dunn, Davenport's 2nd Ward Alderman, said. "Or 4th is going to suffer in two-way traffic. I just don't think it's a good idea." Despite concerns from new city council members, Downtown Davenport Partnership's Executive Director Kyle Carter says the project is very far in the process, with multiple federal grants helping the conversion happen. "If this is to get re-litigated all over again, it could potentially risk a lot of time and a lot of money if we drag this back through the process again," Carter said. Grants awarded to the two-way conversion project were connected through a package of road improvements, including road resurfacing and flood mitigation projects. Since the federal government awarded the city for all aspects of the package and not just the two way conversion aspect, the risk the city could take if deciding not to continue would be the potential loss of grant money and time wasted on the project. "We can appreciate that there's concern," Carter said. "There has been since day one. This has never been a topic that everyone is going to agree on, and that's okay. But, the decision was made. To try and undo the decision at this point is going to create a lot of other chaos that people need to understand the impact of. It's not as simple as oh, we're just not going to do that." Other city council members who've been elected for more than two years tried to explain the importance of the project Tuesday night. "That's seven years it's taken to get to this point," Marion Meginnis, Davenport's 3rd Ward Alderman, said. "I would hate to see anything to happen to this process, that would delay that start. I would be very concerned if anything happened to that, and we said oh we're not going to 3rd and 4th street because it's not that simple." A workshop will be held June 15, where the Downtown Davenport Partnership hopes to educate council members who are hesitant and get the project back on track.
	ELECTION 2024: Iowa primary turnout lowest so far in 21st century Turnout for Tuesday’s primaries was especially low, with only 8.3% of registered voters showing up to the polls. Turnout is usually in the 20% range for a primary election, and hasn’t been this low so far in the 21st century.
	Season underway for Clinton LumberKings baseball team News 8's Shelby Kluver sat down with the team's new general manager to find out what deals and fan experiences are coming up this summer.
	Davenport Community School District launches summer meal program Davenport schools will be offering free meals to kids around the district this summer.
	Davenport North student selected to attend 6-week Broadway camp Reece Riewerts will be able to sharpen his singing, dancing and acting skills alongside guest Broadway performers.
	ADM plant evacuated in Clinton Wednesday morning due to fire Officials say it started around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5.
	Man convicted of attempted murder fails to return to Davenport correctional facility Authorities are searching for a man convicted of attempted murder who failed to report back to the Davenport Residential Corrections Facility.
	John Deere Classic scores $70M in QC economic impact The John Deere Classic has an economic impact of over $70 million on the Quad Cities, according to estimates compiled by Visit Quad Cities and the PGA Tour event. Visit Quad Cities uses the Destinations International Event Impact Calculator (EIC) and visitor profile business intelligence via Datafy to analyze event performance. Sepp Straka poses with the trophy after winning the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run on July 9, 2023 in Silvis, Ill. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) “The John Deere Classic produces on a lot of levels for the Quad Cities region,” Dave Herrell, Visit Quad Cities president/CEO, said Wednesday by email. “The impact on tourism, our brand identity, our community’s reputation, and positioning, along with the local pride the JDC instills in all of us is vital to how we advance the Quad Cities forward. Being on a global stage is of high value and our regional economy is the better for it. “We are activating the QC, the visitor economy and hospitality industry are thriving, and the quality of vibrancy our community experiences through this signature event is a win any way you want to dissect it,” he said of the tournament, which tees off July 1-7, 2024 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis. “Hosting impactful events can transform places and the JDC and the billion plus people we reach (on broadcast channels) is simply an opportunity to continually leverage.” The Classic (which originally launched in 1971) was last studied for its economic impact in 2015, and JDC tournament director Andrew Lehman said Wednesday 2023 was picked to get new data as it has gained ground since the pandemic. There are no exact attendance figures available (since most volunteers are not counted, and there were nearly 2,400 volunteers in 2023), but total indirect and direct economic impact grew from $63.2 million in 2015 to $70.9 million in 2023, Lehman said. 2023 economic impact numbers for the John Deere Classic. Of total paying guests to the tournament, an estimated 47 percent stayed overnight last year. Of the 2023 numbers, they found: $3.7 million was spent on food and beverages $4.1 million on retail $5.6 million on hotels $5.6 million on recreational activities $2.9 million on transportation For 2023, $23.1 million was spent in direct impact, $33.7 million in indirect impact, and $14.1 million in the Birdies for Charity program benefitting nonprofits in the region. The 2023 analysis also found that QC hotel occupancy was up 10.1% compared to the JDC week in 2022, and overall hotel revenue increased 29% from the previous year. “John Deere brings about 900 to 1,000 guests from around the world who are here. We've got all of our guests. We work with our hotel partners,” Lehman said Wednesday. “The impact report reflects the numbers based on the data that was given to the folks who did the study from all the partners involved.” The direct economic impact is the money that's spent as a direct result of the event, while the indirect impact is for dollars “being reinvested in the community, whether it's restaurants hiring staff, hotel people, that's where that number is driven from,” Lehman said. “It's growth in those businesses based off of the fact that that event is happening from the direct economic impact. It's when those businesses are then reinvesting in their product to be bigger and better.” Record growth for Birdies Birdies for Charity contributions (included in the direct economic impact) grew from $8.9 million in 2015 to $14.1 million last year. Since Deere became title sponsor of the golf tournament in 1997, 99 percent of all Birdies donations have been received over that time, Lehman noted. Birdies for Charity formally started in 1993. JDC tournament director Andrew Lehman “We live in an area where people understand the nonprofit sector and how vital it is to our marketplace. We've got so many nonprofits that are doing such wonderful work in our community,” he said. “It's a correlation from the business community, and it starts in my estimation, it starts with John Deere. They're very civic minded and philanthropic as a company.” The JDC is by far the number-one charitable contributor per capita on the PGA Tour, for several years running, Lehman said. “I think Phoenix this year, the WM Phoenix Open, I think they did right at about $17 million, which is an awesome, awesome number that they should take a ton of pride in. But you're also comparing, you're comparing a market of 5 million to a community of 380,000,” he said of the QC metro area. Supporting nonprofits is also built into the Classic’s DNA. The 2023 Birdies for Charity total -- $14.1 million -- broke a single-year record, and brought the program's 30-year total contributions to over $173 million. “Our mission is pretty simple. It's five bullet points,” Lehman said. “It's to contribute positively to the quality of life in our community; provide a growing annual financial contributions to nonprofits in our region; promoting volunteerism -- which last year we had a record number of volunteers, I think we're about 2,393; provide a positive economic impact to the community and then contribute to a more inclusive community and attract a diverse population to the game of golf.” The generosity of the QC was reflected even in the height of the pandemic, in 2020, when there was no tournament, but people still contributed $12.2 million to the JDC. “Then we saw growth in 2021 from the pandemic number, but we were still in very uncertain times,” Lehman said. “Even though people are struggling to put groceries in their pantry and refrigerator and food on the table, people are still supporting their favorite nonprofits.” Birdies is what drives the JDC staff, even more than putting the tournament on, he noted. “The athletic contest and tournament week is a blast and we should all take a ton of pride in having a professional sporting event here,” Lehman said. “But when we give charity money away in October, that's why our staff gets up and goes to work every day. (birdiesforcharity.com) “None of us in this office are John Deere employees, but they trust us with presenting a John Deere experience for the community, for guests from around the Midwest who are coming here,” he said. “The concerts have certainly changed the attendance numbers. It's just so important because all these nonprofits, whether they're getting $2,500 or they're getting $800,000 whatever that number is to that organization, is important to them.” Last year was the first time that the Classic offered post-play Concerts on the Course, on Saturday and Sunday, featuring Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton. This year, Counting Crows will perform Saturday, July 6, and Lainey Wilson on Sunday, July 7, both concerts starting at 5:45 p.m. Boosting the Bonus Fund The Birdies goal this year is $14.25 million, and they will determine the amount of 2024 bonus to nonprofits (at least 5 percent) in September, Lehman said. “We're always striving to do better than we did the year before,” he said. “Of the 481 nonprofits that were active last year, Micaela and Anika and our small team is in contact with those groups. We want to make sure that we're doing everything that we can to maximize their benefit.” Micaela Booth is the Birdies director, and since this past January, Anika Martin is the first full-time employee to focus on growing the Birdies Bonus Fund. Anika Martin at the John Deere Classic tournament office, on Coaltown Road in East Moline (photo by Jonathan Turner). “As the tournament has grown, we needed her to focus on selling our assets of tournament week, whether it be marketing or advertising or corporate hospitality,” Lehman said. “She’s a trained development person who’s had a long history of success here in the Quad Cities and is no stranger to the John Deere Classic. It's all about focusing positive momentum and growth on the Bonus Fund side so we can continue to maximize the impact on these nonprofits.” Last year, JDC raised a record $14,102,833 through its Birdies for Charity program and paid a 7.5% bonus to all participating charities. That fund is seeded each year by a $325,000 donation by John Deere. Moline-based Deere also underwrites all Birdies administrative costs, to ensure that participating charities receive 100% of all donations and pledges designated to their organization. Every year, the PGA gives the most engaged community award and JDC has won it eight times, including in December 2023. Patrick Cantlay, the No. 9 golfer in the world, is among the players committed to this summer's JDC, July 1-7, 2024, at TPC Deere Run, Silvis. Factors taken into consideration for “Most Engaged Community” include spectator attendance, volunteer support and how well the community is weaved into the overall flavor of the tournament. Next month, the JDC is excited to welcome Patrick Cantlay, who’s ranked the 9th top golfer in the world, has nabbed eight PGA Tour wins and over $45 million in PGA Tour winnings over his career. For more information on the tournament, click HERE.
	Niabi Zoo joins nationwide pilot program to reduce wildlife trafficking Niabi Zoo is just one of 24 zoos across the nation to be a part of the new Wildlife Confiscations Network, which helps care for and house smuggled animals.
	Iowa business, political officials respond to recent John Deere layoffs in the state The President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry said the recently announced changes are likely the result of trade and supply chain issues.
	Tasty trivia and deals for Pizza Hut's Hut Day! June 5 is Hut Day, and to celebrate, we found some tasty trivia about Pizza Hut! 🍕 Pizza Hut was founded by brothers Dan and Frank Carney, still in college, when they borrowed $600 from their mother in 1958 to open a pizza place while attending Wichita State University. 🍕 Before the red roof logo was adopted in 1969, Pizza Hut had a cartoon mascot, Pizza Pete, who also served as its logo. Pizza Pete was still used in the 1970s on bags, cups, and advertisements, but was eventually phased out. 🍕 Pizza Hut once offered a limited-edition perfume that smelled like "fresh dough with a bit of spice." The packaging for the perfume, originally only available through promotional contests, looked like mini pizza boxes. A few surfaced on eBay for as much as $495. 🍕 A hot item in the 1970s were Pizza Hut Easy-Bake ovens. Kids could use the toy to bake tiny Pizza Hut pizzas under a 60-watt light bulb. 🍕 Pizza Hut used star power in their commercials. Celebrities like Elijah Wood, then 11, Ringo Starr, the Monkees and former Soviet statesman Mikhail Gorbachev all appeared in Pizza Hut ads. 🍕 Pizza Hut's Book It! program is 40! Kicked off in 1984, the program encouraged kids to read by rewarding them with "praise, recognition and pizza." 🍕 Pizza Hut was early to online ordering. In 1994, Pizza Hut and The Santa Cruz Operation created PizzaNet, a then-unique program allowing computer users to place orders via the internet. 🍕 Pizza Hut pizza has been to space! In 2001, Pizza Hut became the first company to deliver pizza into space. The pizza recipe had to undergo "rigorous stabilized thermal conditions" to ensure it would be edible when it got to the International Space Station. 🍕 Pizza Hut accounts for 3% of U.S. cheese production. The company uses over 300 million pounds of cheese each year and is one of the largest cheese buyers in the world. To make that much cheese, 170,000 cows are used to produce an estimated 300 billion gallons of milk. To celebrate Hut Day, Pizza Hut locations owned and operated by Flynn Group LP (FG) are offering a one-day-only BOGO deal exclusively on Wednesday, June 5. Guests who purchase any large menu-priced pizza will receive a large one-topping pizza for free by using the promo code FREEPIZZA. Hungry for more about Pizza Hut? Click here.
	Sheriff after K9 dies: Spike, we’ll take the watch from here The Scott County Sheriff’s Office said that retired K9 Officer Spike was laid to rest Wednesday by his handler.
	Therapy dogs visit Davenport nursing home The canines brought smiles to seniors at The Ivy.
	Woman in custody for trying to bite, kick Davenport officer A 43-year-old Davenport woman was in custody Wednesday after police allege she tried to bit an officer, according to court records. Lisa Dahnke faces a felony charge of possession of contraband in a correctional institution and serious misdemeanor charges of assault on persons in certain occupations and possession of a controlled substance - methamphetamine - first offense, a news release says. Lisa Dahnke (Scott County Jail) Shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday, Davenport Police responded to the 100 block of East 3rd Street for a disturbance, according to arrest affidavits, which say Dahnke "did knowingly obstruct the duty of a police officer by ignoring the lawful command of a fully uniformed, visibly marked Davenport Police Officer to stay back from the room Officers were in." Dahnke was told three times to stay back, but did not, affidavits say, and "did assault a fully uniformed, visibly marked Davenport Police Officer ... kicking an Officer in the leg, and later trying to bite an Officer on the arm." Dahnke "possessed a total amount of 6.1 grams of methamphetamine on her person/in her purse," affidavits show, saying she "knowingly (brought) 5.55 grams of methamphetamine into the Scott County Jail. The methamphetamine was in a small plastic bag concealed inside her bra." Dahnke was being held Wednesday on $7,000 in Scott County Jail, and is set for a preliminary hearing June 14 in Scott County Court.
	Trial date set for former Dubuque priest accused of sexual abuse The trial for the former Dubuque priest accused of sexually abusing altar boys in the 1980′s is set for July 30.
	Niabi Zoo joins nationwide pilot program to reduce wildlife trafficking Niabi Zoo is just one of 24 zoos across the nation to be a part of the new Wildlife Confiscations Network, which helps care for and house smuggled animals.
	Iowa Association of Business and Industry reacts to John Deere layoffs Mike Ralston said the issues likely stem from trade and supply chain issues impacting companies around the world.
	KWQC schedules tower work early Thursday morning Tower work at the KWQC tower may cause outages to some of our viewing area overnight.
	Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds visits Davenport for ABI conference Governor Kim Reynolds was the guest speaker at the Iowa Association of Business and Industry held at the River Center in Davenport.
	Illinois man gets life in prison for killing of Iowa grocery store worker A Jo Daviess County man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing an Iowa grocery store worker in November 2023.
	Have you seen these suspects? Crime Stoppers wants to know! Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities wants your help catching two fugitives. It’s an Our Quad Cities News exclusive. You can get an elevated reward for information on this week’s cases: JUSTIN PULFORD, 45, 5’10”, 145 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes. Rock Island County warrant for failure to appear on charge of delivery or possession with intent to deliver meth. DEMETRIUS WALKER, 31, 5’11”, 390 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Rock Island County warrant for failure to appear on charge of delivery or possession with intent to deliver meth. Scott County warrant for probation violation on charges of possession of a weapon by a felon and controlled substance violation. Justin Pulford (L) and Demetrius Walker (Crime Stoppers) You have a week to contact police for an elevated reward. Call the tip line at (309) 762-9500. All tips are anonymous.
	News 8 viewer captures cicada sounds in Geneseo "Jon & James said they haven't heard or seen any cicadas yet in yesterday's newscast....turn up the volume and enjoy." Credit: Jarrod & Gloria Miller - Geneseo, IL
	Part of ADM plant in Clinton catches fire Thursday morning Officials say it started around 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 5.
	No injuries in fire at ADM in Clinton There were some tense moments at ADM in Clinton this morning after employees found a fire during a demolition project, according to a news release from the company and the Clinton Fire Department. During the demolition of a mill scrubber near ADM’s corn processing complex on Beaver Channel Parkway in Clinton, ADM staff discovered a fire that originated from materials inside the mill scrubber on Wednesday, June 5 at about 10:15 a.m. Employees were evacuated as a precaution while plant officials called the Clinton Fire Department. A fire at ADM in Clinton, Iowa on June 5, 2024. (Contributed by Kim Hardison to Our Quad Cities News) A fire at ADM in Clinton, Iowa on June 5, 2024. (Contributed by Kim Hardison to Our Quad Cities News) A fire at ADM in Clinton, Iowa on June 5, 2024. (Contributed by Kim Hardison to Our Quad Cities News) The Clinton Fire Department, Clinton Police Department and the Camanche Fire Department responded to the scene. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze and there were no firefighter or ADM employee injuries. Damages are still being assessed and the investigation into the cause is ongoing.
	John Deere lays off 120 workers in Moline plus 123 workers in Iowa This week John Deere announced multiple location layoffs in Iowa and Illinois totaling 243.
	Young QC banker honored in national magazine An executive from Northwest Bank & Trust Company is among this year’s 40 Under 40: Community Bank Leaders, in Independent Banker magazine, the award-winning monthly publication of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). The sixth-annual award recognizes community bank innovators, collaborators, educators, strategists, advisors, and civic servants and Adam Pelzer, Northwest Bank’s 33-year-old executive vice president was named to this year’s list. “ICBA congratulates Adam Pelzer on this well-deserved recognition,” ICBA president and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said in a Wednesday bank release. “Adam exemplifies the talent, dedication, and community spirit that define our industry. We commend his outstanding contributions and look forward to his continued growth and success as a community bank leader.” The feature story in the June issue of Independent Banker highlights how the 40 Under 40 honorees have navigated challenges and remained innovative while staying true to the guiding principles that make community banking special, the Northwest release says. Chosen from hundreds of entries, candidates were judged on their character, leadership, community involvement, and innovation. The magazine wrote that “Pelzer embraces innovation with an open mind in his work at Northwest Bank & Trust Company. His scientific problem‑solving approach and eye for unique acquisitions have helped the community bank establish and grow its subsidiary tax and accounting firm to over $4 million in revenue—an increase of over 500% in just three years.” “Including Adam among this distinguished list of community bank leaders is well-deserved public recognition of what those of us at Northwest Bank & Trust Company already know,” Joe Slavens, president & CEO of Davenport-based Northwest Bank & Trust, said. “Adam delivers extraordinary value to our team, our customers, our shareholders and our Quad Cities community.” “Being named to ICBA Independent Banker’s 40 Under 40 is a tremendous honor,” said Pelzer. “I’m proud to be a community banker. Thanks to Joe and the opportunity at Northwest Bank, I am surrounded by an excellent board of directors and team throughout our organizations. His leadership has created immeasurable opportunities and has given me a world-class education on the business of banking.” Pelzer is originally from Tipton, Iowa. He graduated from Brown University with honors, earning a bachelor’s with a concentration in Business, Entrepreneurship & Organizations, before starting his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at William Blair. He joined Northwest Bank in 2016 and was promoted to senior vice president and elected to the board of directors in 2017. He was named executive vice president in 2022. In addition to serving as the bank’s chief financial officer and cashier, Pelzer also oversees Centennial Tax & Accounting, a bank subsidiary. For more information on Northwest Bank, click HERE.
	Retired Scott County K9 officer dies A former Scott County Sheriff’s Department K9 officer has answered his last call. K9 Spike (82-14C) was laid to rest in the care of his handler, Sgt. Greg Hill (82-14) on Wednesday, June 5 at about 11 a.m. K9 Spike served with the Sheriff’s Office from 2013 to 2021 with distinguished service. An honor procession took Spike from Eldridge to Bettendorf today. “The final inspection is not the end; it is the beginning of a K9’s eternity of service, continuing to watch over their human partners from above,” the news release from the department said. K9 Spike (Scott County Sheriff's Office) The radio traffic broadcast over Scott County/Davenport Police Department and Bettendorf Police Department was as follows: “82-14C…. Dispatch to 82-14C… There is no answer from 82-14C, K9 Spike. K9 Spike was laid to rest this morning in the care of his handler, Sgt. Hill. K9 Spike served the citizens of Scott County from 2013 to 2021 as a Narcotics and Patrol Canine. K9 Spike made an invaluable mark on our community, assisting in finding thousands of pounds of illegal narcotics, assisting in numerous search warrants, and helping catch numerous criminals. Spike will be deeply missed by many. Chase all the tennis balls and get all the bad guys, Spike, we’ll take the watch from here.”
	News 8 viewer captures blaze at ADM plant in Clinton Kim Hardison sent in video of a fire at the ADM plant in Clinton Thursday morning.
	QC premiere of 'Tarzan' to swing in Moline The four-year wait for “Tarzan” at Moline’s Spotlight Theatre is finally over. The rock musical based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1999 film of the same name, with music and lyrics by Phil Collins, book by David Henry Hwang – will open Friday, Sept. 7 at 1800 7th Ave., Moline, in its QC area premiere. "Tarzan" at Spotlight Theatre features Kirsten Sindelar, Tommy Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt and Bruce Duling. The musical follows Tarzan, who is raised by gorillas in West Africa. He meets Jane, a young English naturalist, and falls in love, unknowing that Jane's entourage plans to kill the gorillas. The original Broadway production opened in 2006, and ran for 486 performances. Director (and Spotlight co-owner) Brent Tubbs was supposed to direct “Tarzan” in 2020, and it had been cast – starring Chase Austin as Tarzan and Lily Blouin as Jane. This year, auditions were held in early March, now with Tommy Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt in the title role and Kirsten Sindelar as his teacher and eventual love interest. Sara Tubbs (as Kala) and Bruce Duling (as Jane’s dad) are the only crossovers from the original 2020 cast. Sara Tubbs, left, and Marlo Reed in "Tarzan." This is the first Spotlight mainstage show from the Disney catalog, since its first in fall 2018, “Hunchback of Notre Dame.” “We are huge Disney fans, too,” Tubbs said this week. “They tend to be much larger shows.” “Right before we were supposed to do it in 2020, David Henry Hwang – who did the book for this show – did a talk at Augustana, and so we got to meet him,” Tubbs said. “It was so cool. He knew we were doing the show…We got him to sign one of the scripts for us, and got a picture with him. He was super nice.” Brent and Sara Tubbs with playwright David Henry Hwang at Augustana College, February 2020. In the huge Spotlight Theatre (which seats 540), the director extends the jungle-themed set and action far beyond the actual stage. “With this show, I want everything to feel completely immersive,” Tubbs said. There’s a long green-netted canopy across the length of the theater, extending to the top of the proscenium. There’s a small catwalk they used to attach it. Like other Spotlight shows, performers occasionally will be scattered close to the audience, including apes swinging on vines. Tubbs also designed the sprawling set, which extends out onto the floor (which other Spotlight shows also have done). He also uses projections in the backdrop, and a live band behind the set. Another Disney orphan The story starts off the West African coast, a young English couple and their newborn son barely survive a shipwreck and land in Africa. They build a tree house for their son before being killed by a leopard named Sabor. In the African Jungle, Kerchak, the leader of a tribe of gorillas admires his new infant son with his mate, Kala. Sabor suddenly appears and kidnaps the newborn baby gorilla. Joel Vanderbush and Sara Tubbs in Spotlight's "Tarzan." Kala goes off to find her son but finds the human boy instead and names him Tarzan. She mothers him and raises him despite Kerchak's refusal to treat Tarzan as his son. “It’s a super fun cast,” Tubbs said, noting there’s a good age range among the actors. Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt (like Tarzan, in impossibly good shape) started prepping for this show last September. “Looking at the script, I found so many commonalities between me and Tarzan,” he said, leading with the fact that he was also adopted. “When Tarzan was swept up as an infant, and raised with apes, I could really connect with – this is my mom and dad.” “The more rehearsals went on, it’s like why wouldn’t I have auditioned for this show?” he said. “I thought since this was an area premiere, to be the Quad Cities’ first exposure to it, we’re already setting the bar so unbelievably high, why wouldn’t you audition?” “My family is my family – I couldn’t have chosen a better one,” Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt said. Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt and Sara Tubbs in "Tarzan." Since September, he got back to taking voice lessons, ran an average of nine miles a day, went to the gym an average of 3-4 times a week, did lots of yoga, and gave up alcohol. “It helps my voice, it helps my stress,” he said of abstaining from drinking. “It was wonderful waking up in the morning and not having a headache. Now I can say this is a dream role. My husband said, ‘If you land it, awesome, your hard work paid off, but if not, that’s OK and you’re in fantastic shape.” Tommy’s last leading roles before this were Bobby in “Company” (2021) at Black Box Theatre, and Joseph in Countryside’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (2022). The latter featured Sindelar as one of the Narrators. Hillary Erb, left, Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt and Sindelar in Countryside Community Theatre's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in summer 2022. That was their second show together, after “Little Women” at Black Box in 2019. “Tarzan” is just Tommy’s second stage role at Spotlight, after “Puffs” last summer. “People my age, who saw the movie, they can hear an entire score of Phil Collins. People my parents’ age who like Phil Collins, and obviously for kids, to see a show based on a Disney movie with a ton of kids in it,” Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt said. “In every Disney film, there are lines that only adults are going to understand,” Sindelar said. A veteran Circa ’21 Bootlegger, she is also a huge Disney fan. The Disney connection As a teen, her first show at Sherrard High School was Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” as a Silly Girl. “That’s what drew me into theater, Disney musicals,” she said. Bruce Duling, left, Kirsten Sindelar and Jackson Grubbs in "Tarzan." “Believe it or not, this is my first lead in a Disney musical. As often as I dress up as Disney princesses and mermaids, I’ve never actually been in a Disney musical,” Sindelar said. She did try out for “Little Mermaid” at Countryside this summer, and for the same show when Music Guild did it (2017), but was not cast in either. At Spotlight, Sindelar has performed major roles in “The Producers” (fall 2022) and “Oliver!” (spring 2023). Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” is her second dream role, after Elphaba in “Wicked.” She actually went to try out for one of two “Wicked” North American tours a couple weeks ago in downtown Chicago, among about 700 others. Sindelar, right, and Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt in "Tarzan." “This is my dream show, and I’m just gonna try and I don’t care what happens,” Sindelar said. “I’m really proud of myself for trying and doing it.” She stood in line for five and a half hours to sing eight bars a cappella. “It was totally worth it. I got seen and that was good,” Sindelar said, noting she sang from “Waitress” (“I Didn’t Plan It”). She hasn’t heard back yet. “I was number 669. It was very exciting.” For “Tarzan” at Spotlight, she was cast in 2020 as the leopard. “I had done ‘Cats’ before at Music Guild, so I have been a cat before,” Sindelar said. Jane is not a dance-heavy part. “This one has a lot more dialogue, than Nancy and Ulla put together,” she said of her roles in “Oliver” and “The Producers.” “I have a lot of one-sided conversations,” she said of “Tarzan.” True partners Tarzan is kind of like the male land version of Ariel, with a lot of inner monologue, Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt said. “When he speaks to Jane and the humans, it’s very broken – ‘Jane go,’ or ‘I go with you’.” He noted they were kind of tired and defeated before “Tarzan” auditions, and asked each other about trying out together. Sindelar had auditioned unsuccessfully for Spotlight’s “Legally Blonde” and “Anastasia,” and Music Guild’s “Kinky Boots.” “What is going on here?” she recalled. Tommy said they auditioned for “Tarzan” on the last day. “We showed up and I walked up to her and said, ‘This is your show; I know it is, I can feel it,’” he recalled, adding he was thrilled to learn they were both cast in “Tarzan.” Sindelar was shocked when she found out she got Jane. “How could it be anybody else but you?” Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt said. “Nobody else.” “There are so many commonalities with Jane and Kirsten,” he said. “Jane is very patient, very diligent, she wants to learn. Kirsten is just as patient, like with me confiding stuff to her. Like you can do this, we can do this together. I keep replaying in my head, like who else could it be? And she makes it so easy for me to be Tarzan.” Tommy Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt and Jorge Mendez in "Tarzan." “She talks and is waiting there, learning and showing me stuff, as I’m jumping up and down, doing cartwheels, doing handstands,” Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt said of the story, learning to speak and become a human. After being rejected in other auditions, Sindelar’s confidence was definitely shaken, then restored after landing Jane. “You just gotta keep pushing, keep going, and somehow all that hard work will pay off,” she said. “It was so huge.” Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt loves the Spotlight set, which he likened to a jungle playground. “Even though my body isn’t 10 years old anymore, I literally feel like a kid,” he said. “Brent said, you can swing from the vines, go wherever you want. All right.” Sara Tubbs, left, Marlo Reed and Dalton Carls. Tubbs gave him freedom to get from point A to B in certain scenes. Interaction with the audience makes it feel like patrons will be in the jungle with them, Sindelar said. “He has literally brought it out into the house,” Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt said. “You’re literally walking in the jungle, that’s what it is.” Tubbs, left, Ratkiewicz-Stierwalt and Jorge Mendez in "Tarzan." Sindelar next will be in the Circa ’21 production of “The Addams Family," opening in early September. “Tarzan” will be performed at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (June 7, 8, 14, 15) and 2 p.m. Sundays (June 9 and 16). Tickets are $20, available HERE.
	John Deere to lay off more than 120 at Seeding and Cylinder Operations in Moline The company already announced 34 layoffs at the Cylinder Works last month.
	Clinton's Highway 136 bridge to undergo cleaning It’s time for bridge cleaning in Clinton! The Iowa Department of Transportation says in an email news release that bridge cleaning on the North Bridge (Highway 136 bridge) will start the week of June 10. Cleaning the bridge runs from 8 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Cleaning will not take place on Fridays and Saturdays. There will be intermittent nighttime lane closures on the bridge during cleaning. The project is expected to be completed by June 21.
	East Moline looks for input on 15th Avenue project East Moline is making improvements, and they need the public’s input on the best ways to connect the city to The Bend. The City of East Moline is holding a second public meeting for the Greater Downtown East Moline Revitalization Project on Tuesday, June 18. Residents and community members are encouraged to attend the open house public meeting to discuss downtown branding, view proposed improvements to 15th Avenue, talk with the project team and ask questions. The meeting will be at the Whiskey Stop, 726 15th Avenue, and participants can stop by between 5 - 7 p.m. East Moline is working with a design and engineering team to make 15th Avenue more pedestrian-friendly, accessible and connected to The Rust Belt and The Bend. The 15th Avenue project area is between Sixth Street and 13th Street in East Moline. Streetscaping improvements, including pedestrian-friendly amenities, improved accessibility, new landscaping and wayfinding signage that enhance and connect the community are among the improvements to be discussed. “This is an opportunity to shape 15th Avenue into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly asset in our community,” said Mayor Reggie Freeman. “I encourage residents to get involved and share their thoughts. Together, we can build a greater downtown that reflects the spirit of East Moline and enhances our quality of life.” Click here for more information on the project, sign up for updates, and express comments and questions via the online comment form. The project is financed by a $23.7 million federal RAISE grant, which will build upon the City’s 2020 Master Plan to improve connectivity, safety and accessibility between 15th Avenue, The Rust Belt and The Bend. The first public meeting for the Greater Downtown East Moline Revitalization Project was held in February 2024 to discuss proposed improvements to The Bend. Additional public meetings this year will discuss specific improvements for 12th Avenue and Seventh Street at The Rust Belt, as well as the eastern portion of The Bend. The project team will use public comments to refine proposed improvements and develop final designs by the end of 2024. The city hopes to begin construction in 2025.
	John Deere laying off over 120 employees at its Moline Seeding and Cylinder operations All employees work in production and will placed on an indefinite layoff effective June 28.
	Fire at Clinton ADM plant contained Officials say the fire started around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. The fire's cause is yet to be determined.
	Collect nature data at BioBlitz at Amôwa Forest Preserve Help scientists and naturalists collect data on local habitats at the 2024 BioBlitz. The Bi-State Conservation Action Network (Bi-CAN) encourages residents to take part in this year’s BioBlitz at Amôwa Forest Preserve from 2 p.m. on June 21 to 2 p.m. on June 22. A BioBlitz is an intensive survey of all plant and animal species within a specified area during a 24-hour period. The goal is collecting basic taxonomic data and highlighting the value of local habitats. Members of the public who participate in the study of local biodiversity learn more about the natural world in their community. Public activities will be held at Amôwa East, adjacent to I-80 on Hubbard Road. The Amôwa Forest Preserve BioBlitz is a rare chance to work with over 25 scientists and naturalists from around the region as they survey mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, plants, insects and more on the 179-acre mixed habitat preserve in East Moline. Participants can borrow insect nets to chase dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and other insects in the prairie. They’re encouraged to bring cameras or smartphones to document the species they encounter. The iNaturalist app will be used to record findings for the 2024 BioBlitz. The online “2024 Bi-CAN BioBlitz at Amôwa Forest Preserve” project can be used within the preserve boundaries during the 24-hour period.“We are thrilled to be hosting yet another BioBlitz here in the Quad Cities,” said Brian Ritter, Nahant Marsh Executive Director. “The dozens of experts and volunteers that will be exploring the newly acquired preserve will help determine how many different species live there. It will create a baseline that we can compare to in the future. This is exciting because it will be our first look at this largely unexplored piece of land. The BioBlitz is a fun way for the public to explore the preserve with experts while assisting with important data collection.”Guided hikes, educational displays and other hands-on programs allow the public to become more involved in the project. They will be available on Friday from 7 - 10 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Past BioBlitz events include Loud Thunder Forest Preserve, Nahant Marsh Education Center, Blackhawk State Park, Illiniwek Forest Preserve, Milan Bottoms, and Sunderbruch Park. Thousands of plant and animal species in the area have been documented at prior BioBliltz events. Click here for more information or to sign up. Amôwa Forest Preserve is located along Interstate 80 and Illinois 92 and is part of the Rock Island County Forest Preserve. The park works to preserve biodiversity and protect natural environments. “Amôwa” (pronounced uh-MOE-wah) is the Sauk word for “bee.” The name honors the Sauk people and the park's mission to provide and conserve a biodiverse habitat for the region's native species, including vital pollinators. The Amôwa Forest Preserve offers approximately 179 acres of protected land for visitors to explore and habitat for species that are in rapid decline due to loss of quality habitat. Quality habitat loss is a significant contributing factor for the decline of pollinators like the endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee and vulnerable American Bumblebee. Click here for more information on BiCAN.
	Deere: 120 workers laid off at Moline plant John Deere is laying off more than 120 workers at its Seeding and Cylinder plant in Moline. The agricultural giant also confirmed it is buying land in Mexico for a new plant that will take on some work that is now done in Dubuque.
	Crews respond to fire at ADM in Clinton Wednesday Developing.
	John Deere to lay off 120+ employees at its Seeding and Cylinder operations John Deere confirmed with News 8 that over 120 production workers will be placed on indefinite layoff effective June 28.
	New art gallery opens at The Rust Belt There’s a new amenity in the busy Rust Belt complex in East Moline, but one that didn’t require any building expansion. The new “Art on The Bend” gallery is open at The Rust Belt, 533 12th Ave., East Moline, in the flexible event space between the concert venue and Midwest Ale Works. Two paintings by Tony Cavallo adorn walls at the Rust Belt flexible event space, as seen Friday, May 31, 2024 (in advance of a Moline High graduation party). It’s coordinated by artist Atlanta Dawn, who has painted in the Rust Belt complex, and the first featured artist is 40-year-old Tony Cavallo of Davenport. She picked him for the new gallery since Dawn saw a post from him saying he was trying to get rid of some of his work. “He posted photos of his work, laying against the walls and it broke my heart,” she said recently. “This is cool, because we’re working together on this,” Cavallo said. “I wanted the experience to be the best for him,” Dawn said. “He inspired me. I was like, you need a really cool space to hang his work and I had remembered Larry reached out to me once before, saying he wished there was art in this room. I was like, let’s make this happen,” she said of building owner Larry Anderson. The event space is between Midwest Ale Works and the rust Belt concert venue (photo by Jonathan Turner). “It adds so much character to this event right now,” she said of a Moline High graduation party that took place Friday night, May 31. “I think it just looks more finished, and hopefully they can sell something,” Anderson said. “It’s not hurting us and Atlanta is into the art.” For big shows, like Trace Adkins, artists sell their merchandise in the space, Anderson said. The gallery will feature a different artist every month, with Regan Hatfield next in July. There’s no charge for artists to put up their works. An opening reception will be Thursday, June 6 (from 6 to 9 p.m.), and another one June 22. Dawn plans a consistent first Thursday of the month for the opening reception. “I hope they appreciate that it’s there, that it’s not a blank wall and it’s really cool,” Dawn said. “Hopefully, it encourages them to buy some art.” John Deere regularly uses the space for events. Art for sale by Tony Cavallo of Davenport (photo by Jonathan Turner). There are 10 spots in the room where artists can hang their work, and some wall space could accommodate more than one smaller piece. Dawn is encouraging more larger works, since it’s a big space. “It has that industrial, New York City kind of feel,” Dawn said of the exposed brick walls and silver duct work. Painting ‘wild’ things Cavallo was inspired to become an artist after seeing an art book in 3rd grade, particularly struck by the Hieronymus Bosch painting “Garden of Earthly Delights,” an oil triptych (three panels) painted between 1490 and 1510. Hieronymus Bosch, "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (1490-1510), 81 in × 152 in, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain. He remembered asking his teacher, “Do you mean to tell me that you can spend your life painting the wildest things you can imagine?” he wrote for his bio displayed at Rust Belt. “This question set the course for his future.” For the next 30 years, Cavallo dedicated himself to studying philosophy and painting techniques of the masters, often working in near isolation. A painting by Tony Cavallo at The Rust Belt, East Moline (photo by Jonathan Turner). “Realizing he couldn’t begin to call himself an artist without seeing the masters work, he traveled with little money to L.A. and New York to see the greats with his own eyes,” his bio says. “Struck by the smufato ‘smoke’ techniques of Da Vinci, the realism and perspective of M.C. Escher and the horrific beasts of Hieronymus Bosch, Cavallo is developing his own vision of dark mastery.” “I just wanted to be left alone to make art,” Cavallo said. “It’s all this messed-up stuff that isn’t real,” he said of the Bosch. “He uses his imagination – torture, all religious metaphors.” A painting by Tony Cavallo at The Rust Belt, East Moline (photo by Jonathan Turner). “It’s wild and it’s done – if you look at the quality and style of painting, it looks like it was done now,” Cavallo said. “It’s pre-Renaissance.” He went to Bettendorf High School, and then to Muscatine High to play baseball, and dropped out. Cavallo has moved around a lot – to Los Angeles, then Waverly, Iowa, Chicago, then Eldridge, and some time in New York. He liked the big cities, but said they’re too expensive. He rents an old house in the Village of East Davenport, where he paints. Many of his artworks at the Rust Belt reflect dark, disturbing characters, many in human form but twisted to make them surreal and haunting. Cavallo is very influenced by Francis Bacon (1909-1992), who also is deeply unsettling. Paintings by Tony Cavallo of Davenport (photo by Jonathan Turner). “That guy was a maniac,” he said. “I like that he was extreme, very extreme. A tortured life, pushed to the limit. His life was terrible. He was a repressed gay man; he was violent. All kinds of crazy stuff was going on in his world.” Just a picture of his chaotic studio was inspiring to Cavallo, and he aspires to make his own studio looks like Bacon’s. “He just has crap everywhere, like a landfill. There’s nowhere to stand. The only open space was where he put his feet.” “That clutter is actually a shield from the outside world,” he said. “You don’t want any trace of the outside world while you’re in there. You have to get into a zone to do stuff. You have to play the character, set the right mood.” ‘In a war’ Cavallo strives to be imaginative and unique. “I’m kind of in a war of trying to replicate things exactly and do them very quickly and not care at all – and see which one gets the better result,” he said. “I spent all night on something and it sucked…It’s about knowing when to throw the paint and when to be very calculated.” Cavallo has done some purely abstract art. He says you can’t separate realism and abstract. “If you zoom in on realism, what is it? It’s abstract, so they’re intertwined,” Cavallo said, noting he also admires Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh. A painting by Tony Cavallo (photo by Jonathan Turner). “I also like early 1900s advertisements,” he said. “Very detailed. Those dudes could draw.” Cavallo was the primary artist who painted the historic Capitol Theatre at 3rd and Ripley in downtown Davenport. After a three-and-half-year renovation, the Capitol Theatre had its grand reopening in July 2023. “That was the only job I had that was any good,” he said. Cavallo has worked in factories and call centers, and has done stand-up comedy. He hopes to do some at the June 22 Rust Belt reception. “As soon as I looked at it, I said, ‘This is pretty cool, I want to do this,” Cavallo said of the Capitol, which was built in 1920 and closed in 2010. He knew about the famous Buddy Holly concert there in 1959, just days before he died in a Clear Lake, Iowa plane crash. “That was the motivation to get into it, that would be cool,” Cavallo said, noting he had to match colors on the walls, “like doing an oil painting.” An interior view of the Capitol Theatre in Davenport, Jan. 5, 2023 (photo by Jonathan Turner). “I touched about every square surface in there,” he said. “The walls were like dead leaves – you’d run your hand along the wall, and the paint chips would fall off.” Cavallo said he did the vast majority of all the theater painting. “It’s my hometown,” he said of his pride in the landmark. “I tried to make it look really nice. I put a lot of time into it.” Alternating Currents Dawn reached out to him last year to paint new murals during Alternating Currents (in an alley south of 2nd Street, off Pershing Avenue), and Cavallo’s studio had recently been robbed. They took all his electronics (computers, projectors, camera) and personal stuff, but didn’t take any art. Tony Cavallo's mural for Alternating Currents, done in August 2023 on garages in an alley off 2nd Street and Pershing Avenue, Davenport (photo by Jonathan Turner). The five artists were asked to paint along the Alternating Currents theme (to be done during the four days of the fest), including music, comedy and film. “It’s a relief to know you only have so much time, so you know you have to get it done in that amount of time,” Cavallo said of painting it within four days. “They do look good down there.” He didn’t base his gorgeous painting of a woman with guitar on anyone specific, but more an AI musician image. “It’s more for other people,” Cavallo said. The Rust Belt pieces are more unreal, dark and twisted. “Because he has that feel with his art, he’s going to be our October artist again,” Dawn said. “Let him get just as crazy as he wants.” Cavallo has been painting a lot, and all the pieces are from this year. He’s glad to have his art in such a high-traffic area at Rust Belt, including the first Tree0Nine Fest on June 28-29. This year’s Alternating Currents murals (to be painted during the August festival) will be along the black fence outside Armored Gardens in downtown Davenport. Dawn plans to have three artists this time, and she led selection for last year’s murals with fellow artist Heidi Sallows. The Rust Belt gallery will be open the same hours as Midwest Ale Works – 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 3 to 10 Wednesday; 3 to midnight Thursday and Friday; noon to 1 a.m. Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Cavallo’s pieces sell from $300 to $2,000. DJ Sweartagaud will provide music for the June 6 reception, he said. Dawn also is renovating a neighboring vacant space for a new studio, to paint more canvases (she mainly has done public murals and windows). Her current studio is in her basement at home, and she hopes to move in this fall. “I want to do more work like this in a gallery setting,” Dawn said. “My idea behind curating this is to learn. I am jumping feet first in.” She hung the cables to put up Cavallo’s paintings. To learn about upcoming Rust Belt events, click HERE.
	Iowa Supreme Court grants help local groups offer legal services The Iowa Supreme Court approved $870,244 in grants to nonprofit programs that help low-income Iowans with civil legal problems. The court awarded grants to 13 different organizations throughout the state. The grants are funded by the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. Since the program began in July 1985, the Supreme Court has awarded more than $26 million in IOLTA grants. Muscatine Legal Services will receive $25,000 to maintain an existing civil legal assistance program for low-income residents in Muscatine County. World Relief Quad Cities in Davenport will receive $10,000 to fund legal services for low-income immigrants and refugees in immigration law matters in Scott, Muscatine, Lee and Henry counties. Grant funds come entirely from interest earned on certain pooled trust accounts held by Iowa lawyers. Lawyers practicing law in Iowa must deposit clients' funds that the lawyers hold in interest-bearing accounts. When the funds are so small in amount or held for such a brief period that it is not possible for the funds to benefit the individual client economically, court rules require that lawyers deposit the funds in pooled interest-bearing trust accounts. The IOLTA program is managed by a seven-member committee that reviews grant applications and makes award recommendations to the Supreme Court. In the 40-year history of the IOLTA program, the Supreme Court has awarded most of the grants to organizations that assist low-income Iowans with civil legal problems such as divorce, domestic abuse, unsafe housing, and illegal evictions. The court has also presented grants to law-related education projects. IOLTA grants do not support criminal legal defense. Click here for more information on the IOLTA program.
	Backwater Gamblers cancel tonight's show The Backwater Gamblers waterskiing group is canceling the show for this evening, June 5, due to an unforeseen situation. Their next scheduled show is o Sunday, June 9th at 6:30pm. at 5000 44th Street in Rock Island. Click here for more information on the Backwater Gamblers, including a schedule and ways to volunteer.
	Davenport pools open for season The City of Davenport has announced the 2024 summer season schedule for the Annie Wittenmyer and Fejervary Aquatic Centers, according to a news release. Annie Wittenmyer Aquatic Center, 2828 Eastern Ave., and Fejervary Aquatic Center, 1900 Telegraph Road, will offer public and lap swims on an alternating schedule June 3-9 then transition to seven days-a-week beginning June 10 running through Aug. 18. The Learn to Swim program will continue to be offered Monday-Thursday and Saturdayssimultaneously at Annie Wittenmyer and Fejervary aquatic centers. Centennial Spray Park and the splash pads at Cork Hill Park, Goose Creek Park, and PetersonPark opened on Memorial Day and will be open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily through Labor Day (weather permitting). Visit here for more details about swim lessons, hours of operation, and pricing specials.
	3 Things to Know \| Quad Cities headlines for Jun. 5, 2024 Bettendorf Police are seeking help in car break ins, John Deere is moving jobs from Dubuque to Mexico, and Rock Island-Milan school district is offering free meals.
	Deere moving some production from Dubuque to Mexico by 2026 John Deere is moving manufacturing of skid steer loaders and compact track loaders from a facility in Dubuque to Mexico by the end of 2026. Jen Hartmann, a spokesperson with Deere, released a statement from the company about the move. “Friday’s announcement at Dubuque Works reflects John Deere’s commitment to evolving its business model, products and processes to address rising manufacturing costs and improve operational efficiencies. This includes optimizing our factories for future products, making our operations more efficient and taking advantage of locations in the U.S. and globally, with a growing labor force. To that end, John Deere is in the process of acquiring land in Ramos, Mexico to build a new facility. When the facility is operational in 2026, production of mid-frame skid steer loaders and compact track loaders will be relocated from Dubuque Works to Ramos. This move adds manufacturing flexibility for John Deere’s Construction & Forestry business by establishing a new, globally competitive manufacturing operation. Deere expects to begin ramping down production of the mid-frame skid steer loaders and compact track loaders in Dubuque in early 2026 and complete the transition to Ramos by the end of 2026. Dubuque Works will continue to manufacture large-frame skid steer loaders and compact track loaders; backhoes; utility, construction and production class crawler dozers, crawler loaders and knuckleboom loaders. The exact number of employees impacted by the moves will depend on overall Dubuque Works production levels when mid-frame skid steer loader and compact track loader production ends, attrition over the next two years, and reassignment opportunities for employees.”
	Developing \| Officers in Bettendorf are investigating a string of break-ins These incidents have occurred in two neighborhoods east and west of Devils Glen Road in Bettendorf. Police are searching for five potential suspects in this case.
	Patriot Fest set for LeClaire levee The third annual Patriot River Fest will be Saturday, June 8, according to a news release. Gates open at 9:45 a.m. Admission is by donation at the gate until 4 p.m. After that, it's $10 for beer, food and music. Free registration for a kids' fishing derby will be 7-7:30 a.m., with fishing from 7:30-9:30 a.m. A flag ceremony will be 10 a.m. A beer tent will be open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Registration for a poker run will begin at 10 a.m., with "kickstands up" at noon. Bands will include True Day at 11 a.m.; Bottom Shelf at 1 p.m.; Cheap Trix, 3 p.m.; Just Cuz, 5 p.m.; Got Your Six, 7 p.m.; and Big Hair Mafia at 9:30 p.m. A Kid Zone will include bounce houses and games. More than 30 vendors will be featured at a craft market from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. All money stays in the Quad Cities for veterans' and other organizations. For more information, email phriverfest@gmail.com
	Iowa Department of Corrections seeks man who failed to report back to work release A man failed to report back to a work release facility in Davenport and authorities need your help finding him. A news release from the Iowa Department of Corrections says Kamario Corleone Hill, who was convicted of attempting to commit murder in Scott County, did not report back to the Davenport Residential Corrections Facility as required on Monday, June 3. Kamario Hill (Iowa DOC) Hill is a 22-year-old Black man who stands 6'2" and weighs 255 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on February 21 of this year. Anyone with information on Hill's location is asked to contact their local police department.
	Government bridge closing for maintenance on Saturday Another bridge in the Quad Cities is undergoing maintenance this weekend. The Government Bridge and Rock Island Viaduct will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, June 8 from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. for roadway sealing and maintenance. Pedestrian, railroad and river traffic will not be affected. Employees and residents entering and exiting Arsenal Island must use the Moline Gate during the closure. The Moline Bridge will have intermittent single lane closures for roadway sealing but is not expected to cause delays due to low weekend traffic numbers. Signage will be used to warn and direct traffic during all activities.
	North Scott graduate named to '40 Under 40' list of professionals LBM Journal, the leading media company serving the lumber and building materials industry, announced its 2024 “40 Under 40” inductees - including a North Scott graduate - to spotlight the next generation of leaders in the industry. Now in its second year, the 2024 class was chosen from more than 100 nominations fromacross the U.S., ranging from large companies to smaller, family-owned dealers. Nomineeswere reviewed and narrowed to a list of finalists by members of the inaugural 2023 “40 Under40” class. Sara Tomasson Sara Tomasson, marketing manager, Seiffert Building Supplies, is among the finalists. Publisher and Executive Editor Rick Schumacher congratulated each of this year’s inductees,adding that each of the inductees is featured as the cover story in this year’s June issue. Seethe full story here. “We’re honored to present a new class of young professionals who are making a difference inthe roles every day,” Schumacher said. “Our goal with this program is to celebrate the growingclass of young, strong leaders in the LBM community. This program recognizes LBM pros underthe age of 40 who demonstrate leadership and exemplify commitment and excellence inservice to their companies, customers, and communities.” Each of this year’s inductees has been invited to attend the LBM Strategies Conference 2024,which will feature educational sessions and panels tackling some of the industry’s biggestissues, as well as speakers, including some from this year’s class. See more about this year’sconference here.
	The Pour N’ Moor now open in Low Moor, Iowa The Pour N’ Moor now open in Low Moor, Iowa
	IowaWORKS hosts Davenport job fair to help QC schools with staff shortages IowaWORKS will host an educational hiring event to assist area school districts in hiring staff for the 2024-2025 school year. The event will be 9 a.m. until noon Thursday, June 6, at IowaWORKS, 1801A E. Kimberly Road, Davenport. School districts participating include Bettendorf, Davenport, Diocese of Davenport, Morning Star Academy, North Scott, Pleasant Valley and Rivermont Collegiate. "Area schools are not just looking for teachers," said Rick Ernst, operation manager at the IowaWORKS Davenport - American Job Center. "There are many other opportunities for job seekers like security officers, custodians, classroom assistants and more. We want to offer this opportunity to everyone that is currently looking for a job and also help with staff shortages in some of our local schools." Jobs that are in demand include: bus drivers, substitute teachers, secretaries, food service workers, nurses, athletic coaches, para-professionals, custodians, technology technicians, lunchroom supervisors and volunteers. All jobs are listed here. IowaWORKS offers the following services to job seekers Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.. and 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays: Resume assistance, job search, registered apprenticeship, soft skills training, mock Interviews and virtual workshops. Job seekers can stop by the center in Davenport, or call 563-445-3200, OPTION 2 to schedule an appointment. All services are at no cost to the job seeker. For additional information call 563-445-3200, Extension 43346 or 43328.
	Muscatine's John Dabeet meets with U.S. Secretary to discuss American foreign policy abroad Last month, on May 17, Muscatine professor John Dabeet had the opportunity to meet with Secretary Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington D.C., where he and others discussed the newly formed Arab-American agenda.
	Illinois Works apprenticeship prep program expands to Rock Island, Henry and Mercer counties Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program for building and construction trades has expanded to Rock Island, Henry and Mercer counties.
	Red, White and Boom! set to go off in Davenport, Rock Island The annual bi-state Red, White and Boom! will be held on July 3 in both Davenport and Rock Island, a news release says. Family-friendly activities will take place that evening in downtown Davenport and Rock Island. At 9:30 p.m. fireworks will be shot, in sync to music broadcast on 97X, from two barges in the middle of the Mississippi River. Red, White and Boom (redwhiteandboomqc.org) Spectators can watch from free viewing areas along the riverfront including LeClaire Park in Davenport or Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Rock Island. Bring your own lawn chair. There will be plenty of activities on both sides of the river for families to enjoy ahead of the fireworks display. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. DAVENPORT Free live music 6- 9:30 p.m. - LeClaire Park Band Shell. Back by popular demand, Identity Crisis will jam on the band shell stage playing classic rock. Food vendors 6-9 p.m. - Beiderbecke Drive. Enjoy tasty treats from various food vendors including barbecue, funnel cakes, energy drinks and more while listening to live music. Kids Zone activities 6-8:30 p.m. - LeClaire Park. Davenport Parks & Recreation has put together a full lineup with plenty of free activities to keep children entertained before the fireworks start. Quad Cities River Bandits game Starting at 6 p.m. - Modern Woodmen Park. Buy tickets for the ball game, watch the River Bandits take on the Cedar Rapids Kernels and after the game enjoy the fireworks from your seats. ROCK ISLAND Food vendors Starting at 5 p.m. - Schwiebert Riverfront Park. No need to worry about dinner, food vendors will serve up delicious bites all night long, ensuring you stay fueled for the festivities. Live music 6- 9 p.m. - Schwiebert Riverfront Park Stage. Groove to the beats of Class of '82 as they take the stage with live music that will keep you dancing. Kids Zone activities 6-8:30 p.m. - Schwiebert Riverfront Park. Kids can unleash their creativity with face painting, marvel at balloon artists' creations and explore the playground. In Davenport, parking will be free from 5 p.m.–midnight in city parking ramps downtown (Redstone, River Center and Harrison Street ramps). In Rock Island, parking on the street and in the city parking lots will be free.
	Alabama man accused of East Moline killing could claim self-defense in court An Alabama man accused of a killing on May 4 in East Moline told police after his arrest that the man he is accused of killing pointed a gun at him.
	Thomas Gibbs and incumbent Tim Lane face off for Scott County Sheriff Thomas Gibbs received 69% of the votes during Tuesday's election, while Tim Lane got 77% of the votes.
	Pending Death Notices for Muscatine, June 5, 2024 Ione Irma Nelson, 90, of Eldridge, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at her residence surrounded by family. Cremation will be directed by Mississippi Valley Cremation & Direct Burial, Moline.
	Bettendorf man accused of filming sex acts with 16-year-old girl A Bettendorf man has been arrested for allegedly making a video of a 16-year-old girl performing sex acts on him, Walcott Police said.
	Pending Death Notices for the Quad-Cities, June 5, 2024 Jerry Lee Ballard, 55, of Davenport, Iowa, died Monday, June 3, 2024, at UnityPoint Health – Trinity Bettendorf. Funeral arrangements are pending at Trimble Funeral Home & Crematory, Moline.
	Republican candidate Marianette Miller-Meeks set to face off against Christina Bohannan Miller-Meeks took 56% of the votes cast during Tuesday's primary election. A statement from Christina Bohannan says in part: "I will always fight for Iowans."
	Some Davenport aldermen unsure of two-way street plan for downtown Construction is planned to start next month, but some newer council members think the change could be problematic.
	Car crashes into power pole in Milan, causing power outage An overnight single-vehicle accident caused a power outage in the Milan area early Wednesday morning.
Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
	‘It looks like a war zone’: Local food truck travels to Greenfield to help ongoing relief efforts Days after a violent tornado tore through Greenfield, operators of Toni’s Smokin’ Grill from East Moline gathered donations and took their services to western Iowa.
	Results from the 2024 primary elections in Scott County See results for contested races in Scott County in Tuesday's primary election.
	Miller-Meeks wins 1st Congressional District Miller-Meeks will now face former state Rep. Christina Bohannan, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
	Mariannette Miller-Meeks wins GOP nomination for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District Miller-Meeks, who is seeking her third term in Congress, will face off against Iowa State Rep. Christina Bohannon in the General Election in November.
	Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane to face Thomas Gibbs in November election Incumbent Tim Lane won the Republican primary for Scott County Sheriff on Tuesday, and Thomas Gibbs won the Democratic primary, according to unofficial results Tuesday night.
	Plan to reconstruct Davenport streets hits a bump in the road The plan would turn 3rd and 4th streets in downtown Davenport into two-way streets.
	Incumbent Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane wins Republican Scott County Sheriff nomination, Thomas Gibbs wins Democrat nomination in Iowa primary Incumbent Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane faced off in the primary against Chris Laye for the Republican Scott County Sheriff nomination and came out on top. Sheriff Lane will be on the ballot in November as the Republican candidate.
	Economic Growth Corporation holds groundbreaking for new early childhood center in Mt. Carroll The Economic Growth Corporation is investing millions into Shimer Square, which is located at the former Shimer College in Mt. Carroll, Illinois. The Economic Growth Corporation held a groundbreaking for its new Early Childhood Development Center project.
	Galesburg taking first steps to clean up vacant lots downtown The vacant lots off Main Street are contaminated with chemicals from an old laundromat.
	Incumbent Kerri Tompkins wins Republican primary for Scott County Auditor Incumbent Kerri Tompkins defeated David Mark Nelson in the primary for the Republican nomination for Scott County Auditor, according to unofficial results.
	Mariannette Miller-Meeks wins Republican nomination for U.S. House in Iowa 1st Mariannette Miller-Meeks has won the Republican nomination for U.S. House in Iowa's 1st Congressional District. The Associated Press called the race for Miller-Meeks at 10 p.m. with 74% of precincts reporting, a 13% lead and Scott County results not yet posted. See all of the election results as they come in by clicking here.
	MidAmerican Energy reports several hundred without power in Iowa QCA, Bettendorf MidAmerican Energy reported several hundred power outages in the Iowa Quad Cities Area Tuesday evening and into the night time hours.
	Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks fends off David Pautsch in Iowa's 1st District GOP primary Mariannette Miller-Meeks fended off challenger David Pautsch for the Republican nomination in Iowa's 1st Congressional District.
	Bettendorf approves widening Devils Glen Road The Bettendorf City Council unanimously approved widening a section of Devils Glen Rd. The area of the road from Forest Grove Dr. to Crow Lake Dr. will go from two to four lanes. The expansion is slated to cost about $500,000 and includes a sidewalk. The eventual plan is to widen Devil's Glen Rd. to four lanes all the way to 53rd St. For more information, click here.
	Kewanee community mourns loss of Detective Sergeant James Mock The City of Kewanee is morning the loss of Detective Sergeant James Mock.
	Geneseo man charged for allegedly possessing child porn, illegal firearm A 72-year-old Geneseo man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly possessing child porn and an illegal firearm, police said.
	Endangered Missing Person Advisory (EMPA) canceled for previously missing Galesburg man An Endangered Missing Person Advisory (EMPA) was canceled for a previously reported missing Galesburg man.
	After 74 years, Korean War soldier finally laid to rest with full military honors in Rock Falls After more than seven decades, a young soldier from Whiteside County, Illinois, who went missing during the Korean War is finally coming home.
	Wisconsin Dells is now home to nation’s largest water slide The slide stands at a whopping145 feet tall.
	QCA reaction to order to control number of migrants President Biden's new executive order to control the number of migrants crossing into the United States comes in response to pressure from Democrats and Republicans for action at the border. Our Quad Cities News reporter Jackson Rozinsky brings us reaction from the QCA as Quad Cities Interfaith criticizes the move.
	Plan to convert streets from one- to two-way in Davenport hits roadblock The plan to convert Third and Fourth streets in downtown Davenport from one-way to two-way hit a roadblock Tuesday afternoon. Two new city council members led an effort to hold another hearing about it. That comes a couple of months after the city awarded a contract for part of the project. At a Davenport Management Update and Mayor/Council Discussion, the council members said that a lot of people oppose the plan, despite its support from the Downtown Davenport Partnership. "My constituents ... don't want this. They want to leave it one ways so I would like to bring it back for discussion," said Fourth Ward Ald. Jane Burkholder. "I just talk about my constituents - the Second Ward - and they're not fans of it. I'm not a fan as far as fire, police, EMS. I don't see where it's going to work," said Second Ward Ald. Tim Dunn. A workshop about Third and Fourth streets is now scheduled for June 15. The city council intends to discuss whether to continue with the project.
	4 Your Money \| The Death of Total Return Over the past few years, we've witnessed a significant shift in the bond market with total return strategies losing their luster. David Nelson, CEO of NelsonCorp Wealth Management, is here to elaborate on what is driving this change and if there is anything investors should do to adapt their approach when investing.
	Red, White & Boom coming to Davenport and Rock Island You can watch the fireworks from either side of the river in LeClaire Park or Schwiebert Riverfront Park.
	Kewanee Police Department mourns loss of one of its own The Kewanee Police Department (KPD) announced the death of Det. Sgt. James Mock. According to a a news release from the Kewanee Police Department, Mock died in the early hours of Sunday, June 2. Described in a news release from the Kewanee Police Department as a dedicated member of the force, pillar of the law enforcement community and devoted fiancé, father and friend, Mock was recognized for his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the residents of Kewanee. Det. Sgt. James Mock (Kewanee Police Department) Mock had 16 years of service to the United States Coast Guard as Chief Boatswains Mate andlocal law enforcement. He transferred to the Kewanee Police Department in 2020 and was named the KPD Officer of the Year. In 2023, Mock was promoted to Sergeant and took over the role of Investigations Supervisor. He led the KPD’s Drug Alcohol Addiction Response Team (DAART) and was selected as a Task Force Officer (TFO) with the FBI to address high-level criminal elements in the area. Calling hours for Mock will be Friday, June 7, 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Rux Funeral Home, located at 313 Market St., Galv. The funeral service is Saturday, June 8, 10:00 a.m. at the same location. Burial will follow with military honors accorded at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, located at US-34, Kewanee.
	Kewanee Police Department releases statement after officer's death Detective Sergeant James Mock passed away on Sunday, June 2.
	WIU names future performing arts center The facility will be named in honor of former university president Alvin Goldfarb.
	Galesburg taking first steps to clean up vacant lots downtown The vacant lots off Main Street are contaminated with chemicals from an old laundromat.
	Fourth of July events in the greater Quad Cities region It's almost time to break out the red, white and blue as we approach one of summer's biggest holidays.
	QCA's Boetje’s Dutch Mustard named best in the world for classic hot mustards A true Quad-City original has been ranked as the best in the world. Boetje’s Dutch Mustard, made in Rock Island, was awarded gold in the category of Classic Hot Mustards at the 2024 World Mustard Competition. The awards in that category were as follows: GOLD: Boetje's Dutch Style SILVER: Bornier Dijon BRONZE: LissElla's Fin Boetje's also received an award in the category of honey mustards: GOLD: Linden's Gourmet Hot and Sweet Honey Mustard SILVER: Boetje's Dutch Style Honey Mustard BRONZE: Mrs. McGarrigle's Honey Tarragon Mustard The rest of the categories went as follows, according to a release from the National Mustard Museum: SWEET HOT MUSTARDS GOLD: Inglehoffer Sweet Hot Mustard SILVER: Kökarsenap BRONZE: LissElla's S-Special MILD MUSTARDS GOLD: MasterFoods Mild English Mustard SILVER: Raye's Sweet & Spicy Mustard BRONZE: Pine Ridge Mustard Sauce CLASSIC DIJON MUSTARDS GOLD: Arytza Mostaza Tipo Dijon SILVER: Maille Dijon Originale BRONZE: Pommery Dijon COARSE GRAIN MUSTARDS GOLD: Bornier Whole Grain SILVER: Silver Spring Stone Ground BRONZE: Caplansky's Deli Old Fashioned Mustard WHOLE SEED MUSTARDS GOLD: Raye's Fall Harvest Mustard SILVER. Doux South Drunken Mustard BRONZE: Maille Wholegrain Mustard PEPPER MUSTARDS - MILD TO MEDIUM GOLD: Minorcan Mike's Datil Pepper Mustard SILVER: Caplansky's Deli Spicy Mustard BRONZE: Inglehoffer Sweet Hot Pepper Mustard PEPPER MUSTARDS - HOT! GOLD: Pommery Fireman's Mustard SILVER: Angry Irishman Corrosive Pepper Mustard BRONZE Price's Macho Extra Hot Mustard The Grand Champion of the competition was the Arytza Mostaza Tipo Dijon from Argentina. For more information, click here.
	QC Animal Welfare Center sets low-cost mobile vaccine clinics The Quad City Animal Welfare Center will hold a low-cost mobile vaccine clinic 2-4 p.m. Friday, June 7, at Zion Lutheran Church, 1216 W. 8th St., Davenport. The QCAWC will hold another low-cost mobile vaccine clinic from noon until 2 p.m. Friday, June 14, at the East Moline Library, 745 16th Ave., East Moline. (Quad City Animal Welfare Center) For a list of vaccines and preventative products for this mobile clinic visit here. Cats must be in a carrier and dogs must be on a leash. The Quad City Animal Welfare Center Adoption & Education Center is at 724 2nd W. Ave., Milan. The Quad City Animal Welfare Center Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic is at 612 1st W. St., Milan.
	Scott County voters cast ballots in Iowa primary With competitive primaries for Congress and Scott County offices, Republicans had turned out about three-to-one compared to Democrats on primary day as of 11 a.m.
	Rock Island residents can now file police reports online Rock Island residents have a new way to report crimes to the local police department.
	MidAmerican Energy reports several hundred without power in Iowa QCA MidAmerican Energy reported several hundred power outages in the Iowa Quad Cities Area Tuesday evening.
	Classes begin at EICC's new CDL expansion program in Muscatine The CDL certification course takes from 4-7 weeks to complete. Experts estimate the U.S. is short thousands of truck drivers and that the problem is growing.
	Celebrate the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge's 100th birthday The Refuge is hosting a 100th anniversary celebration at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
	Eastern Iowa Community Colleges celebrates expansion of CDL training program in Muscatine The program hopes to address a growing shortage of truck drivers in the country.
	Tenants push for 'rent abatement' policy in Davenport, hold session on Iowa City program Tenants are pushing for Davenport to adopt a rent abatement ordinance, which would allow the city to order a landlord not to collect rent until serious code violations are resolved.

Wednesday, June 5th, 2024

Tuesday, June 4th, 2024