GRAND CHAMPIONS! Congratulations to the Pride of Rock Island as they won best guard, 1st place in class 4A, and overall Grand champion of the entire show of 20 bands at their state competition for marching bands on Saturday night! What a way to end a great season. #ThisHouseRocks  Read More

Diversity in the arts is the latest hot topic on the Quad-Cities arts scene, and it’s certainly a welcome one, as the discussion has long been overdue. There is a definite shortage of minority voices across the arts spectrum, and that needs to be corrected. The only way it will be corrected is by it being acknowledged and addressed. Some groups have certainly been doing so, and deserve credit for it. Tristan Tapscott’s The Mockingbird On Main has been one of the most forward thinking theaters on the subject, with casts and shows that have distinctly featured minority performers and... Read More

Three of the buzziest buzzwords nationwide now are diversity, equity and inclusion. Everyone it seems wants to do better in those key areas (be it in their workplace, nonprofit or volunteer organization), and that includes the Quad-Cities theater community. Thanks to a Quad City Arts grant and two professional facilitators, the 73-year-old Quad City Music Guild hosted a 90-minute discussion on these issues Saturday at the Prospect Park theater in Moline – led by the quote: “The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.” It was attended by about 45 people (fewer than 10 of whom... Read More

The Rock Island High School Student Council is holding a student hunger drive to raise food for the hungry TONIGHT at the Rock Island vs. Quincy game at Rock Island Stadium at 6 p.m. The council will be collecting canned goods. People can get into the game for free with three canned goods (for children/students), and five canned goods (for adults). Help fill the truck with food for a great cause and watch a fun football game TONIGHT!  Read More

The Quad Cities Chamber announced the launch of Leadership QC, a program for experienced community leaders and innovative thinkers who want to enhance their individual leadership skills. Leadership QC participants will work collectively to develop business-oriented solutions to challenges that impact our region’s workforce. Applications are now being accepted for this 9-month leadership program that will begin in January 2022. “Leadership QC will bring together a diverse group of our region’s leaders, that maybe wouldn’t normally work together or collaborate, to discuss and resolve issues... Read More

Western Illinois University Academic Advisor Tim Johnson has been named the Council of Administrative Personnel (COAP) Employee of the Month for September. According to Johnson’s nominator, he has delivered “exemplary academic services to his students,” coming up with innovative ways to provide assistance. “Tim also came to me with the idea of opening a satellite advising office in the residence hall,” said his nominator. “He adjusted his office hours to meet freshmen where they were at, and when it was most convenient, which was in the evenings.” Johnson... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! Over two weeks in summer 2019, Alejandro Martinez literally had the whole world in his hands. A Mexican immigrant who made a living as a painter in his home country, he was asked by World Relief Quad Cities director Laura Fontaine to paint a world map mural on one wall of their conference area, at 1852 16th St., Moline, Martinez’s daughter Alejandra – who graduated from... Read More

The Quad City Strikers Warriors 2008 boys soccer team is the top-ranked squad in all of Iowa! The team, coached by Juan and Christian Nuci, is undefeated at 15 wins, zero losses and one draw, and has been ranked number one in the state at the 2008 boys level since the beginning of the fall season in all but one week. They’ve played the top-ranked teams in Iowa and Nebraska in various tournaments over the past months, defeating them all. Last weekend, they played some of the top-ranked teams in Illinois, and remained undefeated, beating Peoria 4-0 and Millenium 5-0 before winning the championship... Read More

The Back That Up Tour show featuring Ginuwine, Juvenile, and Chingy originally slated for Saturday night at East Moline’s Rust Belt has been postponed. Due to a Ginuwine scheduling conflict, The Back It Up Tour show with Ginuwine, Juvenile, Chingy & Random Tanner has been moved to April 2, 2022, at The Rust Belt. All purchased tickets will be valid for the new date.  Read More

Juliet Christenson knows how to win friends and influence people, both on the job and off. Director of Product Strategy and Development at Rock Island-based Royal Neighbors of America, she will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 13 as a Woman of Influence by Women Lead Change (WLC) for the 2021 Leadership Awards, as part of the WLC Quad Cities Conference at the Waterfront Convention Center, Bettendorf. The Women of Influence honorees are one of two new categories along with Emerging Leaders. The 2021 award winners are: ATHENA Leadership Award Honoree, sponsored by Bank of America — ** Elaine Kresse,... Read More