Visit Quad Cities and local tourism leaders are mourning the loss of a Q-C champion and cheerleader. Joe Taylor, 65, of Hampton, Ill., died Thursday, Dec. 3 in a Cedar Rapids hospital. He was the longtime former president and CEO of Visit Quad Cities, then-Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB). “On behalf of our Board of Directors and team, we are incredibly saddened by the news of Joe Taylor’s passing,” Dave Herrell, current president/CEO of Visit Quad Cities, said Friday. “A leader and accomplished veteran of our industry, Joe’s love, passion, and contributions to the... Read More

A chance for local school children to learn more about music of the Big Band-era will premiere in the coming weeks as part of Western Illinois University’s Youth Performing Arts Series (YPAS), despite the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A 25-minute video, featuring WIU’s Jazz Studio Orchestra (JSO) and singers from WIU’s jazz studies program, performing live songs from the 1930s and 40s, will be played in the music programs of local schools. The video is narrated by radio disc jockey Eddie Dupree, also known as WIU Professor of Music John Cooper, and was created... Read More

For the third time in three years, a team of Western Illinois University students have finished high in the CME Group Trading Challenge, a four-week, international electronic trading competition. This year’s team was made up of Cooper Bounds, a master of business administration (MBA) graduate student from Taneytown, MD; Amy Johnson, a senior agriculture major from Cambridge, IL; Matthew Swanson, a senior agriculture major from LaHarpe, IL; and Arthur Wasilowksi, a master of business administration (MBA) graduate student from Des Plaines, IL. The team finished in the top 8 percent of the competition,... Read More

UPDATED: Iowa covid-19 cases and deaths continued to have a massive surge after the Thanksgiving holiday week, tripling the number in Illinois, which continues to experience a rise in cases of its own. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there were 30,328 new confirmed and probable cases of covid-19 in Iowa on Dec. 3, with 258 deaths reported; and even more cases and deaths Dec. 4, with 30, 629 cases and 340 deaths. The numbers dwarf those in the larger neighboring state of Illinois. The Illinois Department of Public Health today reported 10,959 new confirmed and probable cases of... Read More

To say it’s been a difficult year for creators in the local, and national, arts scene is a massive understatement. All of us have lost money, jobs, our careers and found our artistic outlets severely curtailed. Any of us within the live performance and audience interaction area — from live music to theater to book signings — have had our livelihoods completely decimated. One local creator, however, Kristin Bruchmann, is looking to help out. She told me recently, “I’ve been quite concerned about the number of folks in the Q-C arts scene who have lost their livelihoods... Read More

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 10,959 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 192 additional deaths. Some data reported to IDPH is delayed from the weekends, including this past holiday weekend. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 759,562 cases, including 12,830 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.  Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 106,778 specimens for a total 10,806,364.  As of last night, 5,653 in Illinois were reported... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: UnityPoint Health – Trinity is modifying its current visitor limitations to only allow one designated visitor per inpatient, during visiting hours throughout the length of the patient’s hospitalization. This change is effective Monday, December 7, and until further notice. This temporary modification creates added protections for our patients and health care workers while allowing hospitalized patients an opportunity to have a designated family member or loved one visit. We recognize there are times when having a visitor or family member present is crucial. In these cases, a... Read More

There are just 28 days left in this nightmare of a year. But will 2021 really be much better? Yes, but we’ll need to be patient, according to an economic forecast Thursday presented by the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce. “Pivot and acceleration are two new favorite words in our dictionary,” Paul Rumler, chamber president/CEO, said before the formal virtual presentation, done online. “The Quad Cities Chamber has pivoted very aggressively this year to meet the increased demand,” he said. “We are so gratified to hear about your resiliency and determination to fight through 2020, and be... Read More

Western Illinois University Theatre Professor Emeritus Jeannie Woods was recently presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who. Woods retired from WIU in May 2018, after serving as an actor, stage director and theatre historian and chair of WIU’s Department of Theatre and Dance for more than a decade. “Of course, it is wonderful to be so honored, but I must say that the support and encouragement from my husband, Dan Woods, and my colleagues in theatre and education were essential ingredients in my success,” said Woods. “I... Read More

It’s time to hustle for a great local charity when you get your hustle on with the Festival of Trees Holiday Hustle through Dec. 5 — location optional! That’s right, you can do the walk or run or combo of each from anywhere! Get the details here. Rock River Hospice & Home is hosting a Festival of Trees Holiday Hustle Virtual 5K Walk/Run. The idea is to set your own goal of doing a 5K and do it at your own pace, completing your goal within a week. Walk around your house, the neighborhood, favorite park or on your treadmill, while maintaining social distancing and still have... Read More