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

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

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

Are you an LGBTQ+ adult in the Quad Cities looking to stay connected to your community during COVID-19? Join The Project Quad Cities for a FREE virtual book club! Just fill out a quick RSVP form so The Project can collect an address to ship the book to. Reserve your spot by April 28. Please note there are only have ten (10) spots available. They will take registrations on a first come first serve basis. If they cannot accept your registration, they will inform you via email. Virtual meeting information will be shared with those who RSVP via email. Discussion Date: Monday, May 18 Discussion Time:... 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

Opera Quad Cities is having to watch their butterfly fly away into next year. The local arts group announced tonight that they must reschedule performances of Puccini’s opera, Madame Butterfly to June, 2021. Performances will remain at the Bartlett Performing Arts Center in Moline. More details will follow. Opera officials posted on Facebook: “The coming months will be difficult ones for all performing arts organizations. Our hearts go out to all of the artists impacted by this COVID-19 pandemic. Soon….music and the arts will be celebrated like never before!!” For more... 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

The dance has ended, for this year, at least. Ballet Quad-Cities, the only professional dance company in the area, has canceled its season. Ballet Quad-Cities CEO Joedy Cook released the following statement this evening: Greetings and good wishes for health and safety to all of you in this difficult time. For the safety of our community, dancers, staff and other team members we are cancelling the rest of our season, which includes The Sleeping Beauty and Ballet Under the Stars*. This was a heart-breaking decision, but have no fear – Ballet Quad Cities is made up of people that are resilient,... Read More