The student-run Western Illinois University Food Pantry will open next week for the first week of the Spring 2021 semester. The pantry, located in Horrabin Hall, room 10, will be open from noon-5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, and from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 23. Until then, the pantry is open from noon-3 p.m. on Tuesdays during the holiday break. This semester’s co-presidents of the food pantry are junior dietetics and nutrition major Brittany Van Tine, of Macomb, and senior sociology major Davora Buchanan, of Chicago. For more information about the pantry, email Van Tine at BN-VanTine@wiu.edu,... Read More

Restaurants around the Illinois Quad-Cities opened their doors for indoor dining today for the first time in months, as customers began to slowly return, wearing masks and being careful, but happy for the opportunity. Today, the Illinois Quad-Cities, and its surrounding Region 2, was moved up to Tier 1 covid mitigations, meaning that indoor dining is allowed in restaurants at 25% capacity in the Quad-Cities and all Region 2 counties, including Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell,... Read More

Harris Pizza is looking for a few good pizzamakers. The popular Quad-Cities pie emporium posted the following on their social today: Harris Pizza needs YOU to help us make “The Finest Pizza in the World!” We know so many of you are out of work and in our ongoing effort to give back to this community, we are offering something few companies are…. JOBS! That’s right: JOBS! Let us put YOU back to work! We can’t make this magic without YOU! Full time and part time positions available in all areas! Please apply within at Rock Island and Bettendorf locations! Visit HarrisPizza.com today!  Read More

Maybe this is why 2021 has started off feeling so off? Because Whitey’s has waited this long to name its SHAKE OF THE MONTH!!! Well, you can rest easy, because the famous ice cream shop has finally, FINALLY, named its coveted Shake of the Month honor. And the Village People approve, which, really, is what’s important here, people. And that Shake of the Month is… Hot Chocolate. So, here’s what the good folks at Whitey’s had to say about this Very Special shake, and how things are going to SHAKE out over the next month… or two: Sorry we are a... Read More

As previously reported on QuadCities.com, thousands of businesses statewide including a large number of Quad-Cities businesses, benefited from over $275 million in grants given by the state of Illinois to small businesses negatively impacted by covid-19. According to the business grant website, the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program was developed by Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to provide $580 million in economic relief for small businesses hit hardest by COVID-19. BIG – the largest program of its kind in the nation – leverages federal funding provided by the... Read More

Hanukkah is celebrated over eight nights and Christmas is honored over 12 days, ending today (on Epiphany), Jan. 6. It’s a major miracle that the first Miracle at the Freight House, 421 W. River Drive, Davenport, is being extended four weeks beyond its original end date. Though the worldwide Miracle pop-up bar franchise is meant to celebrate the Christmas season, who doesn’t need a miracle year-round? That’s exactly what Davenport co-owner Lars Rehnberg heard from customers who filled the temporary, but fully festive bar – as much as was allowed under state Covid restrictions. “We limited... Read More

Illinois is celebrating high times in regard to its recreational marijuana sales. It was a year ago, Jan. 1, 2020, when the state officially opened its first legal marijuana dispensaries, and there’s been plenty of green brought in by the green. According to data released Monday by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Illinois recreational marijuana sales topped $1 billion for the year. That total was lit up by sales hitting a new monthly high in December, and includes $331 million in medical marijuana sales and over $670 million in recreational sales. The... Read More

If you tune in to the Food Network TONIGHT, you might see a familiar face! Quad-Cities teenager Trey Gordon will be competing at 8 p.m., as the Davenport 13-year-old will be a contestant on the Food Network’s Kids’ Baking Championship! Trey shared the awesome news on his Facebook page, saying, “I have a huge announcement! I am so excited I’m able to tell you guys this.  I am going to be on Kids Baking Championship, season nine, with Food Network. Tune in on December 28 for a two-episode premiere!” You can check out a preview video of Trey’s episode here. Even... Read More

Don’t even think about it. Yeah, you, the fruitcake. Don’t EVEN think about it. Khalil’s Covid Christmas Special premieres December 20, and will be a Christmas Special for the ages — but no fruitcake will be spared in its wake! You saw what this guy can do with donuts, you really don’t want to miss this! Join your hosts, Khalil Hacker and Tristan Tapscott as they wrap up this dumpster fire year the only way they know how… with a Christmas special! Filled with surprise guest stars, a fruit cake eating contest and many laughs! Shot safely in the beautiful Renwick Mansion... Read More

BREAKING: Chick-Fil-A may be coming to Rock Island in 2021, according to a source who asked not to be named, but who has knowledge of the situation. The source mentioned that the popular chicken chain was looking at at least two locations in Rock Island, one on the corner of 38th Street and 18th Avenue, across from Aldi, and the other one on 24th Street next to the new Dollar Tree store at 2252 24th Street. The franchise is seriously looking at the city for a new spot due to the massive, and somewhat unexpected, success of their pop-up stands they ran in the city over the summer, most notably in... Read More