Western Illinois University IT Manager/Director of Web Services Jeremy Merritt has been named the Al and Elaine Goldfarb Civil Service Employee of the Month for March. Merritt began working at WIU in May 2001, as a microcomputer support specialist I in University Housing and Dining (UHDS), then was reclassified by audit to microcomputer support specialist II in May 2002. In July 2014, Merritt became the webmaster for UHDS and in February 2009, he accepted a position as instructional technology systems manager in uTech. He was promoted to assistant director of uTech’s Computer Center in May... Read More

Beginning Monday, March 15, Western Illinois University will begin offering to Macomb faculty, staff and students the SHIELD Illinois fast-turnaround saliva-based COVID-19 tests created by the University of Illinois. “While we have had great success with our nasal and saliva based tests that we’ve used since the Fall 2020 semester, we’re proud to collaborate with the University of Illinois to provide a new test option to faculty, staff and students that was created by one of our Illinois public higher education partners,” said Joe Roselieb, executive director of auxiliary... Read More

The Bettendorf Public Library and Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House have teamed up to give the community another installment of  Time for Art. On Saturday, March 13th, Carol Ehlers will give a virtual art talk at 3:00 PM via GoToMeeting. This live presentation will feature artists showcased in the Figge Art Museum’s current exhibit “For America: Paintings from the National Academy of Design.” Registration is required to attend this free event and can be made by visiting http://events.bettendorflibrary.com/event/4837461 or by calling the Bettendorf Public Library at 563-344-4179. This... Read More

With the retirement of Western Illinois University Professor Emeritus of Theatre Jeannie Woods, and the recent dissolution of The Starry Night Repertory Theatre she created, two important donations have been made to the WIU Department of Theatre and Dance and the Performing Arts Society (PAS). Woods has donated her theatre equipment to the PAS, and has established The Starry Night Repertory Theatre Award in Directing, a $300 prize to be presented to a junior or senior actively directing in studio, or on mainstage. The first directing award was presented to senior theatre major Audrey Gniech, of... Read More

There’s an old saying that you shouldn’t blame the messenger when you receive bad news. However, that saying is reliant on the messenger being a neutral party. When the messenger is merely the one bringing you the message, it’s without blame. For example, when we at QuadCities.com, give you a story featuring covid statistics, we’re passing along information we’ve gleaned from an official source. We also attribute that source, so that you know where we got that information. We have no part in creating that information. We do not make up the statistics. We do the duty of what the media... Read More

Partners of Scott County Watersheds will be hosting a special free webinar on fertilizer application and water quality management on Friday, March 12 from 12-1pm. Jake Vossenkemper, Agronomy Lead with Twin State, Inc./Liqui-Grow will present “Agronomic Measurement Factors for Preserving Water Quality in Corn-Soybean Cropping Systems in the U.S. Midwest.” Conservations practices in agriculture are more relevant today than they ever have been in human history. Join this free webinar to learn about practical management factors that farmers can employ to preserve water quality and store carbon... Read More

The Quad City Playwrights’ Festival is now accepting submissions for 2021. The festival will be held virtually this year. Submissions must be an original work, 10-minutes in length, a maximum of 10 pages, authored by one individual who resides in the Quad Cities area or is an Augustana student or graduate. No adaptions or excerpt scripts from larger works will be accepted. The script may be any genre. As virtual plays have become an established medium, both scripts written to be performed online and those meant for the stage are welcomed. A committee will adjudicate submissions and a select... Read More

Local musician Josh Duffee has long been an advocate for keeping the legacy of legendary jazz musician — and former Quad-Cities resident — Bix Beiderbecke alive and well. Now Duffee is advocating to keep Bix’s childhood home alive as well. Duffee has been monitoring the situation as Bix’s former abode has fallen into a state of disrepair year after year, and now he’s taking action to preserve it. Duffee posted on his Facebook page today, “I made a call to the City of Davenport yesterday on Bix’s birthday after I was home from visiting the house and grave... Read More

Several Western Illinois University students were honored during the Illinois Residence Hall Association (IRHA) Virtual Leadership Conference Feb. 20-21, hosted by Northern Illinois University. The conference is made up of Illinois schools, and the weekend is dedicated to showing school spirit, attending and presenting programs and showcasing and learning what other schools around the state are doing. WIU students who attended include junior nursing major Brooke Barnes, of Plainfield; freshman University advising major Jon’a Levi, of Bettendorf, IA; freshman art major Rivers Ashton, of Lincolnton,... Read More

Join Kevin Braafladt, the Army Sustainment Command Deputy Historian at the Rock Island Arsenal, and the Army Sustainment Command History Office on Wednesday, March 10th at 6:00 pm in exploring the history of World War I through a discussion of the United States mobilization and training for the war. Delve deeper into First World War history by learning about Quad Cities and Rock Island Arsenal historical ties. This program is scheduled to be held virtually. More information will be posted closer to the program date here: https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/event/7315863 Keep up with our virtual... Read More