As covid-19 numbers decline overall statewide, some parts of the state are seeing numbers spike up again and some are in the high risk transmission area that could see local officials tell those Illinois residents to mask up again. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has ruled out returning to a statewide mask mandate as long as covid numbers remain at low levels. However, he has said it’s at the discretion of area officials if they want to implement a mandate in their counties. More than 90 percent of the U.S. is now at medium or low risk for covid, and in those areas, the Centers for Disease Control... Read More

Western Illinois University’s School of Computer Science hosted the 2022 LeatherHack training and cybersecurity competition in February. A selection committee chose 11 students out of 58 applicants to participate in the competition, based on their experience and interest in cybersecurity. Computer Science faculty conducted training sessions in a Cybersecurity lab. Six of the participants advanced into the finals and competed as two teams, Team Kali and Team Phoenix. The final competition was held Feb. 23. Professor Binto George coordinated training and competition activities. A panel of judges,... Read More

Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $10 million for the Quad Cities Manufacturing Lab and $400,000 for small business-focused programming at Western Illinois University’s (WIU) Quad-Cities campus in a major funding package. The package has passed the House and will be voted on by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden in the coming days. “As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, my top priority is bringing taxpayer dollars back home to support our communities,” said Congresswoman... Read More

This past Fall QC Strikers soccer club acquired new jerseys thanks to some tremendous help from our sponsors at Vibrant Credit Union. During that process some very thoughtful club parents presented an opportunity to repurpose our old jerseys and held a “cleat drive” toward a donation to children in Haiti. Many thanks to all involved for nurturing the love of the game in the Quad Cities area and beyond!  Read More

Exciting announcement! Thanks to a major corporate gift from Quad City Bank & Trust, the Figge Art Museum has added The Everyday by artist Latoya Hobbs to its growing permanent collection. The gift was inspired by the Figge’s Diversity and Equity Art Fund, established last year to combat the systemic inequality in the art world. The Everyday is part of a series done by Hobbs which centers “modern matriarchs” and reinforces the artist’s belief that Black women are the preservers of their families, communities, and culture. – Image Credit: The Everyday Medium: Acrylic and... Read More

Whitey’s Ice Cream has unveiled its eagerly awaited Treat of the Month. So what is it? Drumroll please…. The March Treat of the Month is a Lemon Bar Shake! Made with Graham Central Station Ice Cream, lemon and cake batter flavoring and topped with powder sugar, this refreshing shake is the perfect way to (hopefully) welcome the spring months. Looks delicious!  Read More

Construction on the Atomic Coffee along John Deere in Rock Island looks to be nearly complete, as the facade and decor are done, and vehicles carrying internal mechanisms, coffee machines and the like have been seen there this week. Earlier, it was reported that Atomic  would be opening in Rock Island around March. Well, will you look at the calendar… Could we all be hitting them up for some energy drinks and the like next week as the temperatures get better? We’ll see… Let the long lines begin! Atomic Coffee Bar, known for their signature energy drinks, friendly drive-thru... Read More

The Mayors Quad City Young Adult Hiring Fair will be taking place tomorrow, March 2 from 12 – 5 pm at the TaxSlayer Center. The event will introduce high school and college students to local businesses looking for entry-level and summer employees. Mayors will gather at noon to open the event and will be available for interviews afterward. Representatives from the QCA Young Adult Hiring Fair Committee will be available to speak with the media about the impact this event has on the young workforce and local businesses. More than 30 local businesses will be in attendance, and they will give students... Read More

New funding and resources for entrepreneurs and startups are coming to the QC as The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative, Inc. (NewBoCo) expands. In addition, ISA Ventures, the first multi-stage venture capital studio in Iowa, plans to expand into the QC region by building a local syndicate network of investors to support regional entrepreneurs on both sides of the river. NewBoCo, a Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit, launched the Iowa Startup Accelerator (ISA) in 2014 that has assisted 67 Iowa businesses by providing entrepreneurs with the knowledge, expertise and more than $6 million in direct... Read More

Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced that she has nominated five Illinois students for admission to United States Service Academies for the class entering in the fall of 2022. Each year, Congresswoman Bustos has the honor of nominating qualified young people from Illinois’ 17th Congressional District for attendance at four service academies: the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Nominees must now be accepted by the academies... Read More