Along with the usual characters like Thomas the Train Engine, Elmo and Blue, you might see some familiar faces on PBS Kids this week. Local PBS station WQPT has debuted a new commercial playing between shows (technically called an interstitial) featuring a number of Quad-Cities kids doing a variety of activities during the past few weeks of coronavirus quarantine. “The idea for the spot came watching my neighbors’ sons riding their bikes on our frontage road,” said Lora Adams of WQPT. “They’re the only kids around and I saw them making their own fun as they played on their own.” With... Read More

Midwest Monster Fest 2020 is proud to announce it will be hosting C.J. Graham, who played Jason Vorhees in fan fav Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives, during the fest this Sept. 5-6 at The Rust Belt in East Moline! A 6’3″ former nightclub General Manager in the Los Angeles, CA market, C.J. Graham was spotted as a potential Jason Voorhees for Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives when he was playing Jason in a night club act, impressing the casting people from Reel Effects who were in search of a new Jason since the stuntman wasn’t coming across as imposing or powerful as they... 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

Well, you can forget about spring sports and concerts, and a whole bunch of other things you enjoy, unless you enjoy wearing masks, in which case YOU’RE IN LUCK! Illinois’ stay-at-home order has been extended to May 30, keeping a myriad of Quad-Cities businesses and activities closed through at least early June. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made the announcement this afternoon in an online press conference. Pritzker is also requiring residents to wear masks in public. The current stay-at-home order was through April 30th. “On our current trajectory, the state is projected to see a peak... Read More

Theaters in the Quad-Cities and nationwide are canceling spring and summer shows, due to Covid-19. The latest response to the global pandemic is the Augustana College-based Mississippi Bend Players (MBP), which is shelving its 2020 season. Jackie McCall is in her first year as MBP producing artistic director, and this was to be the fourth season for the professional summer-stock company. It planned to start rehearsals for Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound” June 7, with performances June 19-28 at Brunner Theatre Center, Rock Island. “When we just looked at ahead at what could happen,... Read More

According to an announcement just made by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, all Iowa schools will remain closed through the end of the school year, with distance learning via computer remaining in place through the end of the curriculum year. Chicago’s NBC 5 just broke the story, and QuadCities.com broke the story locally, that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker will be making an announcement at 2:30 p.m. today closing all Illinois schools through the end of the current curriculum year. According to the Iowa story posted by KWWL News 7 Iowa City, the state school districts will be required to continue... Read More

According to a story released a few minutes ago on Chicago’s NBC 5 affiliate, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker will be making an announcement closing Illinois schools for the remainder of the school year today at 2:30 p.m. The announcement will be part of Pritzker’s daily coronavirus briefing, which you can watch live here According to the story, distance learning via computer, which was put in place over the past week, will remain in effect through the end of this current school year. There was no information regarding graduation ceremonies, other events, or grading or other policies. The... Read More

Ice cream always makes everything better, unless you’re lactose intolerant, and so the news today that Whitey’s Ice Cream had selected their contest winner for their new flavor has been met with a welcome bliss from all but the lactose intolerant and their sadly intractable (literally) lactose-loathing stance. At any rate, earmuffs and eyemuffs, anti-lactites! Because here’s the big news: The flavor contest winner was MONSTER COOKIE submitted by Abby Barkema! Whitey’s released the following incredibly important information and quotage today on their Facebook page: “We... Read More

The One Human Family is forming a Care-A-Van of Thanks and Unity to our diverse health care workers of the Quad-Cities. On Wednesday, April 15 a Care-A-Van decorated with messages of thanks from Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Muslims and Humanists will make its way to four nursing homes on the Iowa side of the River   On Wed., April 22 beginning at noon, a similar caravan will make its way to four nursing homes on the Illinois side of the river. Rev. Rich Hendricks, One Human Family QCA says, “Our CARE-A-VAN of thanks and unity celebrates and honors our tireless and diverse health care workers... Read More