The Quad-Cities Disaster Recovery Fund has now surpassed $1 million in contributions to support the community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund was activated by the Quad Cities Community Foundation six weeks ago with lead contributions from the Community Foundation, United Way of the Quad Cities, and Regional Development Authority. In the first week of the fund’s activation, United Way of the Quad-Cities Board Chairperson Linda Bowers stepped up with a $50,000 challenge gift to spur local, individual, and business giving to the fund. Now, she is gifting another $50,000 challenge... Read More

An outdoor summer tradition in the Quad-Cities will go on as planned, as the Freight House Farmers Market will expand Saturday in its operating hours and vendors, but with public-safety restrictions. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at 421 W. River Drive, Davenport, the market will have its first May day under the Covid-19 crisis. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on April 24 allowed farmers markets to open, despite a ban on large gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, with restrictions. Only farm products or food can be sold (including prepared hot food and baked goods) at such markets, and other goods... Read More

Like most others during this crazy Covid crisis, arts organizations locally and nationally are struggling to find financial help. Though four individual artists recently got some funding, no Quad-Cities arts groups – all reeling from the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic — were helped in the first round of $191,000 from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs (IDCA). The first relief grants this month were limited to artists and very small nonprofits, including Q-C artists Courtney Lyon (dance), Lojo Russo (music), Matthew Terry (visual art) and Pat Bereskin (art and art education). In... Read More

Remember the “cornchip” days? Recall those halcyon times of the ’80s when goth, new wave, synth pop, indie pop and other outlier music mixed with outsider status, skinny ties, funky haircuts, long coats and lots and lots of black? You wore black on the outside because black is how you felt on the inside, and life was as heavy as your thoughts you scrawled in your specially designed journal. And, if you lived in and around the Quad-Cities, you hung out at a little spot called Stage 2. If you still recall those days, you’re going to want to check out DJ Shane Brown’s... Read More

The Iowa Film group on Facebook, a collection of film fans and filmmakers in and around Iowa, will be scheduling a special Iowa Film Zoom round table with Alex Holdridge writer, producer, director, of “Meet Me In Montenegro” and “In Search of a Midnight Kiss” next week. Holdridge is a recipient of the Independent Spirit Cassavetes Award and various other critical acclaim. Look for more information on how you can participate in the discussion on Iowa Film.  Read More

The Planet is returning to local airwaves — along with one of the original voices of its galaxy. Dave Levora and Darren Pitra will return to the morning radio airwaves 5:30 to 10 a.m. Thursday on 93.9 FM with a new alternative rock format replacing that station’s eclectic Jack format. The alt rock playlist will echo that of Planet 93.5, the popular station that drew strong numbers during the alternative rock-ruled ’90s. Levora was recently fired from his gig as morning guy at WOC-AM, Pitra had been a free agent since being let go from Townsquare Media in 2016. Levora worked for... Read More

Four years ago this month, Lindsay Thul was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive type of breast cancer, at age 28. Less than 10 months later, she was dead. Lindsay’s mother, Diane Koster – owner of the Grape Life Wine Store & Lounge, 3402 Elmore Ave., Davenport – honors her life and aims to educate others in a new book, “Lindsay’s Legacy: A Mother’s Memories.” “It’s a story of hope and it’s a story of courage,” Koster said recently. “And it’s a story of a relationship between a mom and a daughter, and it’s very educational about that disease, the different steps... Read More

Local author Connie Corcoran Wilson is being honored among some pretty elite company. The area scribe’s novel Khaki=Killer, third book in The Color of Evil trilogy, was named one of the 100 Best Indie Novels in a competition sponsored by “Shelf Unbound” magazine that drew more than 120,000 entries. All three books in the series can be purchased from Amazon in both paperback and e-book versions. The books are currently being considered for feature films. Wilson recently completed screenplays of each and an agent has been pitching them around Hollywood to good reception, Wilson says. The... Read More

Earth Week is here! With the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day being Wed., April 22nd, the Faith Leaders Caucus of Quad Cities Interfaith, along with Living Lands and Waters, the Environmental Forum of PACG and others challenge you to help us plant 1000 trees in the QCA now! Red Oak, Burr Oak, White Swamp Oak and Persimmon tree saplings are available on a first come, first served basis. (See attachments above for information about each variety). The public is reminded to wear masks and use safe physical distancing when picking up their saplings. Even if you can only take one tree – please come and... Read More

In the face of invisible, insidious diseases that impact hundreds of thousands of people, Living Proof Exhibit (LPE) uses the arts to offer hope and inspiration. Since it was founded 10 years ago, the Quad-Cities nonprofit has provided therapeutic benefits of the arts to people affected by cancer, in a wide variety of settings and media. One of its latest projects is being postponed by the current coronavirus pandemic. In a partnership with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) and Augustana-based composer Jacob Bancks, Living Proof is rescheduling the world premiere of the commissioned opera... Read More