Effective Monday, Aug. 2, Sarah Stevens has been named interim CEO of The Project of the Quad Cities. After nearly five years with the organization, outgoing CEO Andrea Meirick has accepted a new opportunity in Cincinnati, Ohio. “I am so sad to be leaving The Project and all its wonderful employees and clients,” Meirick said Monday in a Facebook post. “But I am certain the organization will continue to thrive as it adopts a health care model focused on eliminating the health inequities faced by the folks we serve.” Since 1986, The Project has served people living with HIV/AIDS with remarkable... Read More

U.S. Bank Foundation today announced a $1 million investment to 20 nonprofit organizations, including Moline-based Mercado on 5th Inc. – “driven by a diverse group of exceptional emerging leaders who are focused on creating effective community-led solutions toward the increasing economic disparities,” according to a Wednesday release from Mercado. Organizations are in both rural and metro communities and are focused on support for entrepreneurs and small business owners, workforce development programs and financial inclusion efforts for individuals and families as solutions to wealth building. Specifically,... Read More

EXCLUSIVE: Rock Island Mayoral candidate and community organizer Thurgood Brooks lost in a surprisingly close election to incumbent Mike Thoms earlier this year. Since then, Brooks has been working to put together a commission to increase communication between law enforcement and citizens, working on various community initiatives, and contemplating his political future after an impressive debut. In an exclusive and candid conversation, Brooks spoke with me for the first time since being narrowly defeated for the top political spot in the city in my latest episode of my podcast, QCUncut. We talk... Read More

BREAKING NEWS (UPDATED): At an invitation-only event Thursday night, the Figge Art Museum unveiled seven new acquisitions and a newly created Art Diversity and Equity Fund intended to combat the systemic inequality in the art world. The fund is supported by a lead gift from locals Jim and Michelle Russell of Russell Construction. According to a 2019 published research journal by the Public Library of Science, the diversity of artists in major U.S. museums illustrates the urgent need to focus on collecting and preserving the works of artists from marginalized communities. The study found that 85.4%... Read More

If you’re puttin’ on the ritz and looking to celebrate Taco Tuesday tonight, why not shop local and get some delicious Mexican food from the variety of awesome local restaurants here in the Quad-Cities? If you’re down for some south-of-the-border eats and wondering which local hot spots are still open for delivery, carry-out or curbside, well, wonder no more, QuadCities.com has got you covered, with our spicy list of local Mexican restaurants open and ready to take your orders for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, margaritas and more! Here, we offer you a list of local Mexican restaurants, bars... Read More

Pulling upto COYA’S CAFE , I see a grown man in the parking lot sitting quietly in his work truck. He catches my attention because I see him with a half unwrapped burrito in his hand, and tears streaming down his face. I’m genuinely concerned, but I’ve yet to eat today and he looks like he wants to be left alone. Inside Coyas it’s like part candy store part kitchen of magical offerings. I ordered the Carne Asada Burrito and Carne Asada Tostadas. Monday’s for meat eaters. A glass bottle of Mexican Coke, and an order up later I’m back in the parking... 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! Celebrating the Fourth of July is more than barbecues, fireworks, flags and parades. It’s about honoring where America came from, where we are now, and how we can continue to form a more perfect union – together as one nation. That’s part of the invigorating, animating force of the first Civic Season – a national effort about expanding the lens, making space for more... Read More

A disgruntled conductor might say leading an orchestra is like herding cats. In a new partnership, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra is bringing an “Instrument Petting Zoo” to Mercado on Fifth in downtown Moline, starting Friday, July 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. “The QCSO has been really doubling down on our private lesson effort and group lesson effort,” Marc Zyla, the orchestra’s director of education & community engagement, personnel manager and principal horn player, said Wednesday. The QCSO has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley, and the weekly... Read More

Members of the teen LGBTQIA community and teen allies are invited to join Miss Amber on Zoom for the 2nd Annual Teens Read with Pride to celebrate books from all across the rainbow! On Thursday, June 24th at 3:30 pm, we will be hanging out, playing online games to win prizes, and sharing new and classic books that give us all the feelings. Teens only (ages 11-19) and registration required at: http://bit.ly/dpl-teensreadwithpride. Keep up with our virtual programming on our Virtual Branch Calendar of Events at https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/calendar/virtual. This event is FREE and open to the... Read More

A 2005 Rock Island High alum, JUNO the Artist has toured the world as a guitarist and has played with everyone from Bruno Mars to Camila Cabello to Lizzo, plus Lady A at the June 9 CMT Awards in Nashville. But the exuberant, 34-year-old Chicago native had not returned to the Quad-Cities until Covid hit in March 2020, and she moved back to her aunt and uncle’s Rock Island house, where she recorded her debut album, “Help Is Not on the Way.” JUNO will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday as part of the Quad Cities Juneteenth Festival, at the Lincoln Center, 318 E. 7th St., Davenport. “Now coming back... Read More