If you visit the Quad City Botanical Center by the end of May – and you certainly should – you’ll see a portrait of an artist as a young man. A very young, talented man indeed. Eight-year-old Levi Folker of Davenport is the youngest artist ever to have his own exhibit in the 23-year-history of the QCBC, with 28 of his deeply colorful, imaginative paintings on the walls in the main hallway. They’re on display for all of April and May. “I like painting because it makes me happy,” Levi, a second-grader at Adams Elementary, who’s been homeschooled this past year, said recently. “I like... Read More

THE MANNY LOPEZ BIG BAND IS BACK! We are thrilled to announce that, after a year, the big band is back at the Rock Island Speakeasy! We will resume shows on the second Friday of every month beginning April 9. These shows will be with a reduced seating capacity. Tables will be spread out and everyone is required to wear masks in the theater when you’re moving around. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 the day of the show. We have changed the schedule of the show. Doors now will open at 6 and the concert will be from 7 to 9 p.m. We will have our normal food items available for the concert. The... Read More

Nearly six years after launching the Q2030 regional action planning process, leaders of Q2030 are creating a new stand-alone nonprofit organization. They’re seeking its first executive director, to start this summer, and raising $400,000 to implement the long-range plan. The new organization – announced Thursday — includes a diverse board representing the business, government, nonprofit and education sectors within the Quad-Cities. The first four champion organizations – Quad Cities Chamber, Quad Cities Community Foundation, United Way Quad Cities and Visit Quad Cities – have strengthened... Read More

The Quad-Cities theater company Genesius Guild was wearing masks in performance for decades before it was fashionable or medically recommended. After it had to cancel its 2020 summer season at Rock Island’s Lincoln Park Classic Theatre due to Covid, Genesius will be back this summer, with three scaled-back productions in June and July, including an ancient Greek tragedy in mask to close the abbreviated season – ensuring it will all be safe for cast, crew and audiences. The 2021 season will consist of: June 19, 20, 26 and 27: William Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure,” adapted and abridged... Read More

If you get your Covid vaccine at the Rock Island County mass vaccination clinic in Milan between April 14 and May 20, there will be something special that’s literally music to your ears. Taking inspiration from famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s recent impromptu performance during his Covid vaccine observation period, the Rock Island County Health Department and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) are partnering to bring live music to the mass vaccination site at Camden Centre in Milan. “Vaccine Variations” is an initiative that arranges for one-hour performances by QCSO musicians starting April... Read More

April 4 through 10th is National Library Week, when the nation celebrates libraries, library workers, and the use and support of libraries. The 2021 theme is “Welcome to Your Library.” The Rock Island Public Library kicked off their Grow a Reader giving campaign this week to welcome young users back to the library. Grow a Reader donation “trees” are on display at the Rock Island Downtown and Southwest Libraries. Each display contains tags with an account balance of over $5 or more for an anonymous young person between 6 and 18 years of age with an active library card. Donors can choose... Read More

For the first time ever, the American Cornhole League (ACL) will hold an event in the Quad Cities with the ACL Open #7 on April 9-11, 2021. The ACL promotes and develops cornhole as a sport for any age and any skill level.  Their tournaments are regularly seen on ESPN.  There are 15 conferences across the U.S. and the Midwest Conference is home to one of the largest player bases in the country. “We are thrilled that the American Cornhole League (ACL) will help the Quad Cities make history by hosting their first event in the QC and at the Bend XPO,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: In a surprisingly clean-fought yet vigorously challenged campaign, Mike Thoms has won re-election for Mayor of Rock Island over energetic and impressive challenger Thurgood Brooks. According to official results, Thoms won 52-48 percent with a little over 5,000 votes cast. This is Thoms’ second term. He won over a number of challengers in an open field in 2017 after then-mayor Dennis Pauley decided not to run for a third term. The Thoms/Brooks contest was marked by its vigorous intellectual and political debate, with the more centrist Thoms facing off against a decidedly more... Read More

BREAKING: Organizers for the Dawn and On has announced plans to return to Rock Island’s Schwiebert Park for their 6th Annual Music Festival on Saturday July 10.  Last summer’s festival was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19.  This will mark the fest’s second year at Schwiebert after the previous 4 years in Moline. Festival Co-founder and Marketing Director Mike Mathews is excited to be able to move forward with a 2021 event. “It’s great to get back to some normalcy.  Our first year at Schwiebert was amazing so we’re looking forward to picking up where we left off.  The park is... Read More

Ryan Wille, a former marketing manager of Quad City Botanical Center, has been chosen next executive director of the Rock Island-based nonprofit, succeeding Ami Porter. A 2009 graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, Wille was the marketing manager at QCBC (2525 4th Ave., Rock Island) from March 2016 to October 2018, and since then has been development manager of the Humane Society of Scott County. “Ryan, he is a great leader. He is a wonderful person,” Porter said Tuesday morning. “He is very passionate about the gardens. He cares very much about the success of the gardens and he’s... Read More