Negocios Now, a national award-winning publication focused on Hispanic business, has included Group O CEO Gregg Ontiveros to its annual list of the 50 Most Influential Latinos in the Chicago region for 2020. The list includes top Hispanic executives in business, nonprofits, government, healthcare, and other areas where Latinos are making a clear difference in this country. Ontiveros was recognized for turning Group O from a $50M business in 1999 into the $900+M diversified services firm it is today thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit and can-do philosophy. Ontiveros leads with a hands-on approach,... Read More

Impact Athletic Performance has graciously partnered with Christina Kelly with Healing Compass for a GRAND OPENING to celebrate Christina’s new massage venture at Healing Compass, 610 Maiden Ln, Muscatine from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. There will be plenty of room for social distancing and we will require masks to be worn. Join us to learn about the different massage and healing services Christina offers. There will be a Grand Opening special you won’t want to miss out on. There will be demos on sports massage, trigger points, lymphatic drainage massage and cupping. There will be crystals... Read More

Imagine it’s Super Bowl Sunday, pre-covid. You’re in your home, minding your own business, watching TV, having a couple beverages with a number of friends, having a good time. Across the street, you see lights on in your neighbors’ houses. You see cars out front. They have guests too, and all of you are enjoying a weekend night. Suddenly, the evening is split by the flashing lights and squeal of two police cars, and an ambulance in tow, roaring down your street and pulling up to your neighbor’s house. Everyone is looking out the windows to see what’s going on. You all see your neighbor... Read More

Rock Island Public Library and Prairie State Legal Services will host a free virtual presentation on the criminal record expungement process at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 3. The presentation will be offered via Zoom, and registration is required. Kevin Hempy, the Equal Justice Works Fellow for Prairie State Legal Services, will provide a brief overview of Prairie State’s service area, types of cases, and how to apply for their services. Attendees will learn about record expungement, sealing of criminal records in Illinois, and other forms of criminal records relief. To register, visit the calendar... Read More

Several Western Illinois University students were honored during the Illinois Residence Hall Association (IRHA) Virtual Leadership Conference Feb. 20-21, hosted by Northern Illinois University. The conference is made up of Illinois schools, and the weekend is dedicated to showing school spirit, attending and presenting programs and showcasing and learning what other schools around the state are doing. WIU students who attended include junior nursing major Brooke Barnes, of Plainfield; freshman University advising major Jon’a Levi, of Bettendorf, IA; freshman art major Rivers Ashton, of Lincolnton,... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University will host an All Major Career and Internship Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday, March 9. The event will be held on the Handshake platform and is open to all current WIU students, alumni and other regional college and university students. Participants can register in advance on Handshake, at joinhandshake.com, and sign up for virtual one-on-one sessions and 30-minute group meetings with the over 50 organizations that will be in attendance. Local and regional employers offering internships, part-time and full-time positions in business, government,... Read More

On Friday, United Way Quad Cities announced it has awarded $275,000 in grants to local organizations to help reduce and prevent racial inequities in education, income and health. The new “United for Equity” grants will help 25 nonprofits, grassroots organizations and social entrepreneurs provide access and opportunity to people of color in the Quad Cities by focusing on three primary goals — empowering the next generation, strengthening families, and educating and equipping the community. “In these turbulent times, issues of racial equity and social justice have been magnified. And, our... Read More

EXCLUSIVE: Controversy erupted with the ferocity of a barroom brawl on social media Monday night after the Rock Island City Council voted 4-3 to indefinitely maintain a 2 a.m. closing time for bars in the downtown Rock Island District area. It’s worth noting that one of the people voting against the measure was alderman Dylan Parker, whose ward includes the District. The other two were Ivory Clark and Dave Keenan. It’s also worth noting that Parker’s vote against the continued closure is representative of the opinions of his constituency, the bar owners, which were hoping that the council... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — COVID-19 surveillance testing is underway at Western Illinois University and will continue as the semester progresses. Additional open appointment times may be added periodically for those who would like to be tested,but have not been selected as part of the surveillance test population. In addition, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has added select dates for free test clinics on the WIU-Macomb campus (see below). Each week, approximately 700 students, faculty and staff* will receive an email encouraging them to get a free COVID test provided by Beu Health... Read More

During the COVID-19 pandemic, creative, intelligent people are being asked to find new ways to meet unexpected challenges. That was the case when West High School teachers Greg Smith and Jason Franzenburg received a request from TJ Schneckloth, Superintendent of Davenport Community School District, back in June 2020. At that time, Schneckloth needed a reliable source of face shields for District employees. Smith and Franzenburg, industrial technology instructors, teach Project Lead the Way Engineering and Career and Technical Education. “TJ was looking for an efficient, creative way to take care... Read More