MOLINE, IL – Tyson Fresh Meats is partnering with Western Illinois University’s Quad Cities campus, WQPT and the Moline Rotary Club to give away 1,800 boxes of frozen chicken to the community, beginning at noon, Friday, Sept. 18. Volunteers will give one free 20-pound box of uncooked, breaded chicken tenders to each vehicle that arrives in the west parking lot on the WIU-QC campus, 3300 River Drive. Vehicles can access the lot from University Drive and there will be signage designating the entrance and exit locations. Chicken will be distributed until all boxes are given away and each box... Read More

MACOMB, IL – A Western Illinois University senior anthropology major spent her summer completing a remote internship at the Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory (TARL), in Austin. Heather Leonard, of Pflugerville, TX, who previously volunteered at TARL, spent her summer processing burial forms from the Ernest Witte site and entering information into TARL’s database for collections of human remains. “Through my internship, I learned in-depth about recording burials, care and curation of human skeletal collections and specialized software, and databases used in osteology and forensic... Read More

MACOMB, IL – The Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at Western Illinois University will host and facilitate an eight-week, online government contracting series for business owners. “GovCon 2020” will run weekly from Thurday, Oct. 29-Tuesday, Nov. 17. The deadline to apply for the free program is Monday, Sept. 7. Eligibility requirements include membership in the SBDC/PTAC network, two or more years in business and a verifiable business income. The cohort program promotes economic development by providing education and resources helping businesses work with federal,... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – A Western Illinois University–Quad Cities professor has been honored for making a difference to Mississippi River-related development in the Quad Cities region. Institute for Environmental Studies Director Roger Viadero received an Eddy Award from River Action for his work “beyond the classroom.” In addition to his academic work at WIU, Viadero works with River Action on the Upper Mississippi River Conference. He has brought scholarships to WIU, acquired a pontoon boat for student work and sensor equipment for wetland research. “One teacher can change a... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – For the eighth consecutive year, Western Illinois University has been listed among the best of the best, and one of the best colleges for student voting by the Washington Monthly. This year, WIU, ranked at number 12, is listed in the top 25 of “Best Bang for the Buck” Midwestern schools, according to the 2020 Washington Monthly College Guide, which is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition, WIU is also the highest ranked Illinois public master’s institution out of 614 nationwide in the Washington Monthly’s Top Master’s... Read More

The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline presents “Three Viewings” by Jeffrey Hatcher, opening on Thursday, September 24. “We decided to visit Jeffrey Hatcher again,” said co-founder Lora Adams. The Black Box opened the theatre four years ago with “Murderers” by Hatcher and recently produced “Turn of the Screw.” “Looking for pieces that allow us to follow safety protocols for both our actors and audience has taken some thinking and once again, Jeffrey Hatcher has provided the answer,” said Adams. “Like ‘Murderers’ this is a tryptic of monologues and they are both hilarious... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theater has announced they’ll be cancelling the rest of their 2020 season due to covid-19 complications and concerns. The Moline theater released the following statement on their website today: We at Playcrafters Barn Theatre must sadly announce that we are officially postponing the remainder of our 2020 season. The health and safety of our volunteers and patrons must always come first, and after much deliberation, we have concluded that it will not be possible for us to safely rehearse and perform the rest of this season’s shows while the coronavirus pandemic continues... Read More

Though the Actors’ Equity Association reached an agreement with Walt Disney World last month regarding Covid-19 testing, performers Nathan and Whitney Meyer still have not been called back to work. Disney and Equity were in discussions over the testing of cast members (as Disney employees are called) since late June; the four Orlando-area theme parks reopened to the public in mid-July. “We have been consistent that testing is an important part of ensuring a safe workplace for Equity performers, and today, I’m pleased to see that Disney World has agreed,” Kate Shindle, president of... Read More

MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University will celebrate U.S. Constitution Day Thursday, Sept. 17 both virtually and through channel 3. This year’s theme is “The U.S. Constitution: Applying the Enduring Document to Our Lives.” Constitution Day celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution in 1787. “This year’s Constitution Day celebration features a Zoom event with Dr. Heriberto Urby, and a panel discussion on WIU channel 3 with Dr. Keith Boeckelman and Dr. Rick Hardy, and Lt. Colonel Joan Sommers will serve as moderator,” said Honors College... Read More

Starting freshman year of high school can be a challenge for most kids, especially during a global pandemic. The transition is a bit smoother for 14-year-old Lucy Lareau, Moline, who is marking the imminent publication of her fourth graphic novel, written with her mother Liz. Lucy is on a mission to inspire elementary-school girls to raise their voices and make a difference, through her two-year-old series, the Geeky F@b 5.  Her new book, “Food Fight for Fiona,” which addresses student hunger and food production, will be published Sept. 15 by New York City-based Papercutz. “This book is... Read More