BREAKING NEWS: At long last, an over $900 billion covid stimulus deal has been reached by Congress, and will be finalized and voted on within the next 24 hours, according to various reports. According to reporting from CNN, as well as direct video on CSPAN, YouTube and other sources, House and Senate Democratic and Republican leaders have announced the deal will be voted on in the House tonight, and is expected to be passed by the Senate tonight or tomorrow and signed into law by the president by tomorrow at the latest, allowing direct stimulus payments and programs to go into effect immediately,... Read More

Galesburg – While the building at 1215 Monmouth Blvd. isn’t trash, it’s definitely another man’s treasure. IHMVCU was approached by United Way of Knox County to consider donating the building and property. The goal is to consolidate all their operations, including administrative offices, the After School Supper meal program and Teen Court, under one roof. “We’ve been looking for options and the Monmouth Blvd property fits the bill,” said Laun Dunn, United Way of Knox County Executive Director. “It’s a good location on a bus route, there’s plenty of parking and it’s close to... Read More

You ever wonder what happened to Strawberry Shortcake? You know, Strawberry Shortcake, the cartoon ginger who has had her artificially-scented life documented by various cartoons/animated reality TV shows over the past couple of decades before they got sent to the reeking dumpster of cancellation? Her friends were Lemon Meringue, Blueberry Muffin, Orange Blossom and Raspberry Torte, and they all had their own sickly sweet and sour personalities, but Strawberry Shortcake was the leader. Strawberry Shortcake debuted in 1980 as a child in the cartoons, so she’d be in her forties now. And like many... Read More

Goodwill of the Heartland on Friday announced a significant donation of $10 million from billionaire writer and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott as part of a generous gift presented to 384 organizations across the nation. This is the largest single gift to Goodwill of the Heartland in its 55-year history, the nonprofit said in a release. The investment comes at a time when more than 10 million Americans are unemployed and urgently need help finding their next jobs. This gift will enable Goodwill of the Heartland to expand and deliver its mission in the 19 counties that it serves (including the... Read More

The YWCA Quad Cities is celebrating a surprise holiday gift this week. It is among 384 charities throughout the United States that have received a donation from MacKenzie Scott, a 50-year-old American novelist, billionaire, and venture philanthropist. She has donated $4.1 billion to nonprofit organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and the YWCA is just one of two recipients that serve the Quad-Cities – the other is Goodwill of the Heartland. “These 384 carefully selected teams have dedicated their lives to helping others,” Scott explained in a Dec. 15 post on Medium,... Read More

Despite the 2019 flood and 2020 pandemic, the Quad-Cities’ Lopiez Pizza is growing by leaps and bounds – to open their third location next month at Analog Arcade Bar, 1405 5th Ave., Moline. Analog – which opened New Year’s Eve 2018 – is itself a sister bar to the first Analog Arcade Bar in downtown Davenport, which opened in 2015 at 302 Brady St. The Moline location has about 80 games, including pinball machines and old-school arcades, with a 36-foot bar and 20 beers on tap. It’s temporarily closed due to Illinois Covid-19 restrictions, but Lopiez co-owner Andrew Lopez said Wednesday... Read More

Today is yet another great day for the future of YWCA Quad Cities. “One of the biggest challenges that we deal with more often than not, is WANTING to provide bigger and better programming, but NOT having the funds available to do it,” says Julie Larson, President and CEO.  “Well, today that changes!” YWCA Quad Cities is 1 of 384 charities throughout the United States that has received a donation from MacKenzie Scott, American novelist, billionaire, and venture philanthropist. Ms. Scott worked with a team of advisors to help her accelerate her 2020 philanthropic giving through... Read More

With the first shipments of the covid-19 vaccine hitting Quad-Cities and U.S. hospitals yesterday and today, people began to see a slight ray of hope at the end of the tunnel of covid-19 and 2020. However, that light has been pushed further away by the Federal Government, with no reason given. In his public address Wednesday, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said the next two shipments of the new Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to Illinois and other states have been “significantly reduced” by the federal government, and that the government and Pfizer “gave no reason” for the... Read More

Quad City Arts is seeking applications for its annual Arts Dollars grants for the 2021 cycle. Applications are welcome from individual artists, K-12 schools, and non-profit organizations partnering with artists. All art forms are eligible. Since 1990, Quad City Arts has supported the local art community by awarding more than $1 million in grants to local artists, non-profit organizations, and schools. As in past years, this year Quad City Arts will grant $85,500 to local artists and organizations. The application process is competitive, and applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline... Read More

Western Illinois University Agriculture alumnus Bryon Kirwan considers it a source of personal pride to give back to his alma mater and its School of Agriculture, including helping with research at the Allison Organic Research and Demonstration Farm. The 1980 graduate was recently named a national economist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). He had been serving as the state economist in Illinois, but his new position allows him to oversee work in 15 states. It will also necessitate him commuting between his home... Read More