Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) voted to pass the Right to Contraception Act – legislation to protect access to birth control in the wake of the Supreme Court’s assault on reproductive rights. The legislation would guarantee the right to obtain and use birth control as established in Griswold v. Connecticut,  including oral contraception, emergency contraception and IUDs. The bill would also grant the Attorney General the ability to take civil action against any state or government official that implements or enforces legislation preventing access to these contraceptives. “There is nothing... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — The Western Illinois University Counseling Center (UCC) has been accredited for the 30th consecutive year by the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS), Inc., the premier leader in setting the benchmark for the full range of professional counseling services on college and university campuses. Western is one of five universities in Illinois with an IACS accredited counseling center. According to UCC Interim Director Cara Cerullo, following a recent evaluation by IACS, the Center was recognized for its outstanding professional services to its clientele,... Read More

Western Illinois University will pay tribute to members of the armed forces, along with two of its own fallen soldiers, Capt. Derek Dobogai and Lt. Col. Robert Baldwin, Saturday, Oct. 8 as part of the 11th annual Fallen Soldiers 5K Run/Walk. The event will begin with a ceremony at 8:30 a.m. in the Donald S. Spencer Student Recreation Center, with the race beginning at 9 a.m. in front of Western Hall on University Drive. Since 2012, the WIU Fallen Soldiers 5K Run/Walk has raised $171,400 for the WIU Fallen Soldiers’ Scholarship Fund, which honors the two alumni who were killed in the line... Read More

Western Illinois University Computer Science graduate student Gbubemi Tuoyo saw a hole in the marketplace and has developed an app for his WIU peers, Spotlight Junkie, to buy, sell and trade items with other students on the WIU campus. Created for WIU students, Spotlight Junkie helps students list items or services for sale and conveniently communicate with potential buyers or sellers through the built-in chat system. “Whether it’s a regular or special item, you can find everything from household items to your next ride or bed on Spotlight Junkie,” said Tuoyo. This idea came from... Read More

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act – legislation to enshrine marriage equality for same-sex and interracial couples into federal law. The bill would also formally repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and provide additional legal protections for marriage equality. Despite national support for marriage equality reaching record high levels, 157 House Republicans voted against the measure. “In our country, freedom is sacred. And that includes the freedom to marry the person you love,” said Congresswoman Bustos. “While the vast majority... Read More

A new monthly support group is being formed in Rock Island for families and friends of those incarcerated. The group is called 1 By 1 Foundation and its founder, Deacon Tim Granet, is inviting anyone who has a loved one behind bars to attend the first meeting—see attached flyer. The meeting is being held Saturday, July 23 from 9 to 11 am at St.Pius Catholic Church (McCarthy Hall) in Rock Island. Granet says the group was formed after hearing stories from people who had family members imprisoned and then their friend group disappeared. “Many people feel alone and isolated when a family member... Read More

Visit Quad Cities announces its full slate of officers and board members for fiscal year 2022-2023. “I’m honored to serve as the next chairman of Visit Quad Cities and continue working alongside engaged community leaders to push the Quad Cities forward,” said Benjamin Leischner, A.A.E. “Dave and his team have made tremendous progress putting the Quad Cities on the map as a destination for tourism, conferences and major events. I believe the pathway between visitors and residents is directly connected when people visit our region and see how family-friendly and affordable it is. Whether... Read More

Join the UTHS coaching staff and players for the Future Panther Soccer Camp! Camp starts tomorrow from 6-7:30pm at Panther Pitch, for all girls and boys going into grades 2-8. You can signup and pay tomorrow at Panther Pitch before camp starts! This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, interact with the high school players, and have fun playing soccer! The flyer is attached for all the details!  Read More

The IowaWORKS.gov website that was recently impacted by a website outage has been restored, Iowa Workforce Development announced. The outage, caused by a cyberattack on third-party vendor Geographic Solutions Inc. (GSI), was resolved after close coordination between GSI and the state. Iowans can utilize the IowaWORKS.gov website to search for a new job and record their work search activities. The delivery of unemployment benefit payments was not impacted by the outage, but the need for unemployment claimants to report reemployment activities on IowaWORKS.gov was temporarily suspended. As a result... Read More

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to strengthen U.S. national security. The package will develop new technologies, improve coordination between America’s global network of allies and partners and support our country’s democratic values and the servicemembers and families who form the foundation for America’s defense. The 2023 NDAA also includes a provision in which Congress formally recognizes the contributions of women who served in the Cadet Nurse Corps during... Read More