Hanukkah is celebrated over eight nights and Christmas is honored over 12 days, ending today (on Epiphany), Jan. 6. It’s a major miracle that the first Miracle at the Freight House, 421 W. River Drive, Davenport, is being extended four weeks beyond its original end date. Though the worldwide Miracle pop-up bar franchise is meant to celebrate the Christmas season, who doesn’t need a miracle year-round? That’s exactly what Davenport co-owner Lars Rehnberg heard from customers who filled the temporary, but fully festive bar – as much as was allowed under state Covid restrictions. “We limited... Read More

One of the last remaining video rental shops nationwide, Family Video, will close their Quad-Cities locations and ALL of their over 250 remaining locations nationwide starting Wednesday. The 43-year-old company will sell off all its inventory online and in stores while they remain open. Most of the chain’s stores are expected to remain open beyond Wednesday while their inventory is sold. Family Video is encouraging people to visit their website to purchase movies, games, and other merchandise. “While we have flourished over the past 43 years (including the jump into a digital age) the pandemic,... Read More

Though long-awaited funding for live-music venues is part of the federal Covid stimulus bill recently signed into law, several Quad-Cities entertainment spaces are taking a “wait and see” attitude regarding the reality. Scott Mullen, executive director of Moline’s TaxSlayer Center, said the $15-billion “Save Our Stages” act that was approved had included language noting some venue owners and arenas like his “don’t qualify due to a requirement they put in that says that 70% of the venue’s events must be artist performances, so buildings with sports tenants are excluded due to the... Read More

Illinois is celebrating high times in regard to its recreational marijuana sales. It was a year ago, Jan. 1, 2020, when the state officially opened its first legal marijuana dispensaries, and there’s been plenty of green brought in by the green. According to data released Monday by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Illinois recreational marijuana sales topped $1 billion for the year. That total was lit up by sales hitting a new monthly high in December, and includes $331 million in medical marijuana sales and over $670 million in recreational sales. The... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University Board of Trustees Chair Polly Radosh announced that Martin Abraham will serve as WIU’s provost and academic vice president beginning January 2021. Abraham, who was originally hired as Western’s new provost in 2019, had served as acting/interim president since July 2019. Interim Provost Billy Clow will return to the dean’s post for the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC), while Interim Dean Buzz Hoon will return to the position of COFAC associate dean. Clow had served as interim provost since January 2019. “We are... Read More

The Raccoon Motel is coming back. Once a top hot spot in downtown Davenport and a haven for intriguing live music and performance in the Quad-Cities up through its closing in 2019, the Raccoon is re-opening in a new spot in downtown Davenport. The Motel’s founder and event promoter, Sean Moeller, will handle booking the acts for the new venue and is a partner in the venture. Moeller posted the following on social media: Thank you so much for your vibes and support! We can’t wait to be BACK, bigger and better than ever! Soon. Happy holidays! As we all continue to navigate this bummer... Read More

As two Western Illinois University School of Agriculture students graduated virtually over the weekend, both finished their undergraduate degrees knowing they have jobs in place, teaching agriculture together close to home. Brandon Livingston, of Marietta, IL, and Hannah Libby, of Oneida, IL, both received their degrees in agriculture-teacher education Saturday. In Fall 2021, both will be teaching in an expanded agriculture program in the Mercer County School District in Aledo, IL. They will be working alongside 2001 Leatherneck alumnus Aaron Heartt, who has been teaching at the school for 20 years. Livingston... Read More

It’s your last chance this weekend to help out local shops, keep your shopping local, and get some awesome area goods and services! The Iron and Grain Holiday Pop-Up Market runs through Monday, Jan. 4 at Iron and Grain in East Moline. Forget Amazon and Walmart this holiday season, let’s rally around our small businesses! Join us for a new take on pop-up markets as we feature 30+ Midwest Makers and the Iron + Grain Boutiques in East Moline this season. Join us through Monday, January 4th for local small business shopping. Per the state of IL, masks are required at Iron + Grain and no more... Read More

Join Davenport Public Library Monday, January 4th at 6:30 pm to learn how to use YouTube to grow your business. Get best practices for creating a YouTube Channel and compelling video content that promotes your products and services and drives engagement with your brand. This program will be presented virtually using GoToMeeting. No registration is required. We are offering this program in conjunction with Grow with Google. More information on how to join is listed below. Use YouTube to Grow Your Business Mon, Jan 4, 2021 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (CST) Join from your computer, tablet, or smartphone:... Read More

Augustana College in Rock Island had extra special reason to celebrate on New Year’s Eve, as the blue lights on the Old Main dome turned gold to mark the private school exceeding its $125-million fundraising goal. For its ambitious “AUGUSTANA NOW” campaign, Augie raised a total of $133,662,743. “We set an audacious goal, and it took the hard work and shared vision of literally thousands of people to surpass that goal by millions of dollars,” said Kent Barnds, executive vice president for external relations and the leader for philanthropy at Augustana. The public phase of the campaign... Read More