Rock Island, Moline, Davenport, Bettendorf and throughout the Quad-Cities, ice cream fans aren’t going to be able to get the malts, or get the shakes. Whitey’s Ice Cream, a sweet institution throughout the area, will be temporarily closing all their stores starting Friday. The announcement came today, via Facebook: “As of ‪Friday, April 3 at 10:00 p.m.‬ all Whitey’s stores will be closing temporarily. As much as we would love to stay open and continue serving the Quad Cities, we are closing out of an abundance of caution to ensure that our employees are staying healthy... Read More

DAVENPORT — Like many of his fellow musicians who are airing videos on Facebook and working to raise money during the Covid-19 pandemic, Don Gustafson is using the social-media platform for good. The 49-year-old Davenport man makes his living as a full-time musician – as bassist in the Q-C band Funktastic Five, assistant music director at Davenport’s St. Paul Lutheran Church, and adjunct music teacher at Black Hawk College, offering private piano, guitar and bass lessons. In response to the coronavirus, which has closed bars and restaurants, and put musicians out of work, Gustofson... Read More

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” His voice, usually brash and loud, is quiet and cracked. “I mean, I’m depressed. Obviously, it sucks, because the money is a big thing. It’s not just me playing out. My wife is a waitress and bartender, and I’m a bartender a couple nights a week. That’s just extra. But we need it.” They have a couple of kids. They have five jobs between them. Or, well, they used to. Now they have one. His. His “day job,” he used to call it. Now it’s their only lifeline to an income that was way too small for them all to live on, but which now has to... Read More

Miss getting out on the dance floors at clubs? DJ Shane Brown, the man behind the boards at Billy Bob’s in the Rock Island District, as well as the former DJ for such hot spots as 2nd Avenue and the Stockade in the Village, has come up with a new mix for you to blast in the glorious realm of your own social distancing spot. Shane dropped the new mix this evening, which you can check out here, along with the following note, on his Facebook: “So here’s what I’ve been up to in the basement the past couple of days. This is, without doubt, the most ridiculous, silly, stupid mix... Read More

T.S. Eliot had it all wrong. In “The Waste Land,” the poet wrote “April is the cruelest month.” Well, five days before we can kick it into the dustbin of history, it’s safe to say that dishonor now belongs to March. At least March 2020, which has seen one bone-crushing loss after another for many around the world, me especially. Just one of the latest is from our beloved Quad-Cities theater community – of which I’ve been honored to share as longtime arts reporter for the Dispatch/Argus (and later Quad City Times), as well as piano accompanist and occasional stage performer. The singular... Read More

Sunday, March 22, was an important day — and not only because it was the 90th birthday of legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, whose moving ballad “No One Is Alone” carries extra weight nowadays. In this crazy, continually changing time of Covid-19, this past Sunday was the first I can remember our church ever canceling its worship service. I have been piano accompanist at Davenport’s Zion Lutheran Church since 1999; performing each week and becoming close to many of its members have been highlights of my life. Among religious congregations nationwide that closed their doors,... Read More

Hey, let’s face it, we all know this is a troubling time. With all of the precautions, panic and precarious situations surrounding the coronavirus, it’s gotten very difficult to maintain a positive outlook. However, no matter how negative things may get, there are always people out there helping, there are always people out there trying to do the right thing, there are always people out there being kind and trying to make the world a better place, and those people and their actions are all the more significant and impactful now. That’s why this column, and the live segment on KWQC-TV6’s... Read More

One of the tragedies of the coronavirus situation is that many children have been going without school lunches that they and their families may have relied upon to help. A couple of local restaurants are stepping up to give those kids and their families an option, and to help them out in this time of need. Due to school closings, the Chief’s Bar and Grill family would like to offer FREE kids meals for K-12 grade for Silvis and East Moline students from March 16th – March 30th. Receive kids meal with proof of school ID or adult present with area documentation. We are not encouraging to leave... Read More

Get ready for even more streaming and Blu Rays. The Moline movie theater is shutting down due to the coronavirus. According to an e-mail release sent out tonight, Regal Cinemas, which operates 543 locations in the United States, will be shutting down all of its movie theaters starting Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic. The release from the company states the following: “Starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all Regal theatres will remain closed until further notice as a precaution amid the current circumstances. It’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees... Read More

Jonathan Turner lives in Bettendorf and was a longtime reporter for The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus. He holds degrees in music from Oberlin College and Indiana University, and served as assistant music director for Music Guild’s production of “The Secret Garden.” Jonathan recently joined the QuadCities.com team and will review theater and performance and offer commentary and reporting on the local arts scene. His first story for our site details his experience with “The Secret Garden,” which was among the many local arts offerings devastated by the cancellations due to the... Read More