T.S. Eliot had it all wrong. In “The Waste Land,” the poet wrote “April is the cruelest month.” Well, five days before we can kick it into the dustbin of history, it’s safe to say that dishonor now belongs to March. At least March 2020, which has seen one bone-crushing loss after another for many around the world, me especially. Just one of the latest is from our beloved Quad-Cities theater community – of which I’ve been honored to share as longtime arts reporter for the Dispatch/Argus (and later Quad City Times), as well as piano accompanist and occasional stage performer. The singular... Read More

Sunday, March 22, was an important day — and not only because it was the 90th birthday of legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim, whose moving ballad “No One Is Alone” carries extra weight nowadays. In this crazy, continually changing time of Covid-19, this past Sunday was the first I can remember our church ever canceling its worship service. I have been piano accompanist at Davenport’s Zion Lutheran Church since 1999; performing each week and becoming close to many of its members have been highlights of my life. Among religious congregations nationwide that closed their doors,... Read More

Hey, let’s face it, we all know this is a troubling time. With all of the precautions, panic and precarious situations surrounding the coronavirus, it’s gotten very difficult to maintain a positive outlook. However, no matter how negative things may get, there are always people out there helping, there are always people out there trying to do the right thing, there are always people out there being kind and trying to make the world a better place, and those people and their actions are all the more significant and impactful now. That’s why this column, and the live segment on KWQC-TV6’s... Read More

One of the tragedies of the coronavirus situation is that many children have been going without school lunches that they and their families may have relied upon to help. A couple of local restaurants are stepping up to give those kids and their families an option, and to help them out in this time of need. Due to school closings, the Chief’s Bar and Grill family would like to offer FREE kids meals for K-12 grade for Silvis and East Moline students from March 16th – March 30th. Receive kids meal with proof of school ID or adult present with area documentation. We are not encouraging to leave... Read More

Get ready for even more streaming and Blu Rays. The Moline movie theater is shutting down due to the coronavirus. According to an e-mail release sent out tonight, Regal Cinemas, which operates 543 locations in the United States, will be shutting down all of its movie theaters starting Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic. The release from the company states the following: “Starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all Regal theatres will remain closed until further notice as a precaution amid the current circumstances. It’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees... Read More

World Labyrinth Day will be held Saturday, May 2, as people from around the world, including those in the Quad-Cities, will participate in the event. Sponsored by The Global Labyrinth Society, the idea is that around the world, people will walk a labyrinth for peace at 1 p.m. in their time zone. Thirty eight countries, and many places across the U.S. participated last year. Locally, participants will walk at First Presbyterian Church, which is at 777 25th Avenue East Moline.  It is a grass surface, across the street from the church, and generally takes about half an hour to walk. People will be... Read More

If you’ve ever dreamed of having your wedding catered by Quiznos, then getting hammered on free booze and sharing Olive Garden desserts during the reception, then this year’s Leap Year Day is your lucky day. This Saturday, Feb. 29, marks 2020 as a Leap Year. It also offers you the opportunity to cash in on some free promotional deals from companies looking to get a little extra publicity for their generosity. So, allow me to oblige them and inform you of your chance to get everything from free beer to free desserts to free catering for your wedding. Freebie deals on Saturday, Feb. 29: Miller... Read More

If you’re looking for a way to add more bacon to your diet — and let’s face it, who isn’t? — Dunkin Donuts has just the option for you with a new, literal bucket o’ bacon. Yup, for those of us who feel that bacon and eggs would be so much better without those pesky eggs, DD has debuted the new Snackin’ Bacon, which features eight strips of bacon in a little paper bucket. According to the Dunkin Donuts website, “Our Snackin’ Bacon starts its journey smoked with natural cherrywood. It’s then treated to our sweet and savory blend of brown sugar and... Read More

Looking to check out some colorful artworks? Quad City Arts Art @ the Airport presents encaustic paintings by Cindy Lesperance (McHenry, IL), color reduction woodcuts by Cathie Crawford (Peoria, IL) and mixed media sculptural work by Dawn Wohlford (Bettendorf, IA) March 3 to April 28. Cindy Lesperance’s work will explore the abstractness of the earth when viewed from an aerial perspective. Lesperance uses encaustic medium (wax with pigment) to create smooth polished sections of color and then adds her signature drop technique to provide interesting textural areas. Each work becomes a composition... Read More

In celebration of National Safety Month, the ILLOWA Construction Labor and Management Council awarded 31 area contractors with safety excellence awards during a recent luncheon at the Milan Camden Community Center. Five of those contractors are signatory to the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 25. Since the late 1990s, ILLOWA has gathered statistics on the number of hours worked and the number of site incidents during the prior calendar year. Each year, awards are presented to the contractors who achieve the lowest injury/illness incidence rate. “This year was by far our largest group of... Read More