It’s been said there are no coincidences. All actions, all events, are part of a lattice of connection that perhaps we can’t see, and of which we’re not aware, but that we all feel, consciously or unconsciously. That’s what it means when you say something feels right. It feels like it should be. It feels like it should be of our time. That seems to be true especially when it comes to entertainment. To be sure, at all times, there is popular entertainment. There is always something moving through the transom of our lives, of our consciousness, taking up the spotlight. But there are so few... Read More

After 40 years of drawing crowds to Walcott, Iowa, off I-80, the annual Truckers Jamboreee will be virtual this July 9-11, including an online Antique Truck Show; Super Truck Beauty Contest; Trucker’s Best Friend Pet Contest and free meals for drivers. “The good news is we will most definitely continue with our long-standing tradition of Celebrating America’s Truckers,” Heather DeBaillie, Vice President of Marketing for the Iowa 80 Truckstop, said in a recent release. “While we can’t host 45,000 people at Iowa 80 to celebrate, we will take the Jamboree virtual and still celebrate the... Read More

Connie Corcoran Wilson is giving away her horror e-book The Color Of Evil away free today on Amazon! Named both an E-Lit Gold Medal winner (Horror), a Silver Feather (IWPA) winner, and a Lucky Cinda winner while leading all books in recommendations for the Bram Stoker in the YA category (2012), THE COLOR OF EVIL: A Paranormal Thriller, is the first book in the young adult series by the same name (THE COLOR OF EVIL). From Connie, here’s a description of the plot: Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others,... Read More

Local cornbread aficionado Aiden Landman has been gifted with a golden honor. According to an excited and tasty post on Landman’s Facebook just moments ago, he was nominated by the NCCBA (National Council for Cornbread Awareness) for the 10 day favorite cornbread image challenge. Landman is the first Quad-Citian (that we’re aware of) to be nominated for the prestigious national award. In terms of food-related awards and image challenges, he follows in the footsteps of Tristan Tapscott, who was nominated for the 10 day favorite mojito challenge, Khalil Hacker, who was nominated for the... Read More

Art in the Garden will bloom Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 9 AM – 4 PM at Quad City Botanical Center, 2525 4th Ave., Rock Island. Local and regional artists including jewelers, photographers, painters, woodworkers, fabric artists, and others who are inspired by nature to create, will exhibit and sell their art pieces at this outdoor show. The handcrafted works will be on display in tents throughout the gardens and a variety of art price points are offered. $8 adults | $4 members and kids 5-15 Free for kids 4 and younger Pay at the door, no RSVP required The call for entry for artists is open here.  Read More

The Rock Island-Milan School District is holding Kindergarten Round Up virtual style! Children who will be age 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2020, are eligible to begin school for the 2020-2021 school year. To take a tour and learn more about our elementary schools visit here. Please fill out a short survey to let us know if you have a child that will be attending Kindergarten this fall. Parents can fill out the survey online or print a PDF and drop off at a meal distribution site from 9 – 11 a.m. (Rock Island Academy, Frances Willard, Earl Hanson, Ridgewood, Thomas Jefferson, Longfellow or Rock... Read More

Sara Barto was looking forward to her 40th birthday on Friday, March 13. She and her husband Dave were planning to go out of town for the weekend. The world had other plans. A bartender at the new Off Point Pub, on Davenport’s Hickory Grove Road, the Bettendorf woman went to the doctor that day after having side pain and nausea. After several tests, including an ultrasound and liver biopsy, Barto was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. She started chemotherapy immediately but lost her job soon after when the then-four-month-old bar had to close due to Covid-19. Barto was embraced with support... Read More

The Pokey LaFarge concert originally set for Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 8 PM – 11 PM at Codfish Hollow Barnstormers has been postponed. For more information, see the Codfish Hollow Facebook page.  Read More

Tonight the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation Facebook page will announce the RIHS Top Ten, Austin Academic Achievement Award Department winners, and the RIMEF Scholarship recipients! The 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗙 𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗔 & 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 video will be posted to this page at 6:30pm this evening. It’s a celebration of academic excellence at Rock Island High School! For more information, check out the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation Facebook page.  Read More

Galva’s summer music series will be postponed a year, and a virtual one will take its place soon, a trend which seems to be gaining momentum as the uncertainty of a summer under the cloud of Covid-19 looms before us. As part of the cascade of Covid-19-related closures, the third-annual Levitt AMP Galva Music Series this summer is canceled, and its organizer is working on creating a more compressed online series in its place. The 12 Sunday night concerts in Wiley Park, free to the public, were due to start May 31. John Taylor of Cambridge, president of the series and concert organizer, said it... Read More