After an extensive nationwide search, The Figge Art Museum is pleased to announce that Michelle Hargrave will become Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the museum effective December 9, 2019. A museum professional with two decades of experience, Hargrave currently serves as the Deputy Director of the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, CT. “Her extensive background growing cultural institutions will serve her well as she continues the growth and success of the Figge,” said Ken Koupal, President of the Figge Board of Trustees.  “Her experience and leadership... Read More

The Quad City Storm has added Jake Toporowski to its hockey staff as an assistant coach.  Toporowski is the first assistant coach in the history of the franchise. A native of Bettendorf, Iowa, Toporowski hails from a hockey family and most recently played with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League.   He will continue to work as an area scout for his former team. “Jake will be a huge asset to our program,” said Storm head coach Dave Pszenyczny. “An extra set of eyes with his experience is invaluable and it will be great to have another individual to assist in the responsibilities... Read More

Dress for Success Quad Cities is proud to announce the hiring of Tyla Sherwin-Cole as the new Executive Director. Ms. Sherwin-Cole replaces outgoing Executive Director and Founder, Regina Haddock. Ms. Haddock had announced her planned retirement, and a search for a new Executive Director was underway, when the temporary floodwall of the Mississippi River failed, flooding Dress for Success Quad Cities’ location and forcing them to evacuate. The flood damage will cost the organization between $40,000-$50,000. Dress for Success Quad Cities moved forward with their planned search and hired Ms.... 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

The United Steelworkers negotiating committee released a much-awaited statement this morning, Friday Jun 28. “The USW and its locals at Arconic have reached a tentative agreement with the Company and will be returning home in the coming days to set up informational meetings and prepare for ratification. The Bargaining committee will be recommending to the membership that this agreement be accepted and the details will be reviewed with our members over the coming days and weeks. This is a good outcome for our negotiations and that is due to the unity, strength and solidarity that the local union... Read More

There’s a new Event Center in the Quad Cities, and you’re invited to attend the Grand Opening! The Bend Event Center (910 Bend Boulevard East Moline) will be celebrating their Open House and Ribbon Cutting this Thursday Jun 27 from 4 – 7 p.m. Come witness the ribbon cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Food and drinks will be provided, featuring The Bend’s in-house caterer: Bass Street. There will be giveaways from local Quad Cities vendors, entertainment and so much more! Opening in June 2019, The Bend Event Center is a state-of-the-art facility located at The Bend, on the Mighty Mississippi River.... Read More

The Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 25 in Rock Island regularly encourages apprentices to “Be Your Best Self.” In the union, it’s more than a slogan — it’s a way of doing business. And one plumbing apprentice in particular is living up to the motto. Carter Hagen, fifth-year plumbing apprentice, recently gained international attention during the United Association’s annual International Apprentice Contest in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Hagen competed against 32 of the top apprentices from across the United States, Canada and Australia to become the plumbing division champion, marking the... Read More

TEDxDavenport will be held at the Figge Art Museum (225 W 2nd Street Davenport) in the John Deere Auditorium on Wednesday Mar 27. The event will kick off at 12 p.m. sharp and run through 5 p.m. with a networking intermission and a local craft brewery social hour following the conference. The independently organized event, licensed by TED, will feature local voices and TED Talks videos under the theme of SOLVE FOR X. TEDxDavenport is unlike any conference or networking event you’ve attended. You’ll engage with other open-minded idea-seekers in a half-day exploration of powerful ideas and unique... Read More

Due to overwhelming popular demand, Charm Boutique, 2509 53rd Avenue, Bettendorf is expanding! The area’s premier shop for top trending upscale fashions and elite customer service will be expanding its lines of merchandise and including top-of-the-line designs for a wider array of sizes and styles. “We are extremely grateful to our customers and to the Quad-Cities for their terrific support of Charm,” said Ann Marie Mendel, owner and manager of the boutique. “It is consistently our goal to satisfy the needs and desires of our customers, and this expansion is in response to that. We have... Read More

It’s clear as glass that Local Union 25 has made a white-hot impact on one of the most unique art spots in the Quad-Cities, Hot Glass. The gallery at 104 Western Davenport, in the Davenport Printing Company building, will be celebrating its renovation and expansion with a grand re-opening featuring renowned glass artists John Miller and Alex Stisser from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, and a look around its amazing studio gives area art fans a mirror into the craftsmanship of the union workers that made this renewal a reality. “We’re just stunned and so grateful to all the folks from Local... Read More