See Mercado on Fifth is an outdoor event from 5-10 p.m. every Friday on 5th Ave. between 11th and 12th streets in Moline. The weekly gathering features food trucks, produce/retail vendors, live entertainment and activities for children. Mercado’s 2023 summer season will run every Friday night from May 26 – Sept. 29. Mercado aims to attract more people to the Floreciente neighborhood and increase community involvement and pride by offering economic opportunities to small and minority-owned businesses. Patrons can enjoy cultural entertainment from area musicians, dance groups and artists. The... Read More

Attention all taco lovers! Get ready for the newest addition to the Quad Cities food and bar scene – Dam Tacos! This unique taco concept will be opening on Cinco de Mayo, Friday, May 5th, and it’s guaranteed to leave you saying, “I need some Dam Tacos!” Dam Tacos is a carry-out and delivery-only concept, with a full service bar specializing in all things tequila and more. The menu only consists of damn good tacos, each one packed with bold flavors and fresh ingredients. From classics like Carne Asada, Carnitas, and Boom Boom Shrimp to amazing Chicken options, our tacos are sure to impress. Dam... Read More

Western Illinois University has celebrated Minority Health Month in April since 2006. The national theme this year is, “Better Health Through Better Understanding.” This year’s theme focuses on improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN communities by providing them with culturally and linguistically competent healthcare services, information and resources. When patients are provided with culturally and linguistically appropriate information, they are empowered to create healthier outcomes for themselves and their communities. “WIU’s recognition... Read More

The good weather is back and with it comes the good news! That’s right, QuadCities.com teams up with KWQC-TV6’s “Paula Sands Live” to bring you positive news about great things and people in and around the Quad-Cities, and we’re springing back with a lot more upbeat stuff! Here’s the good news for this month: Rock Island Crossing Guard Repays Kindness Of Students Ben Dixon has stood at the corner of 30th street and 31st avenue for the last 14 years making sure Eugene Field students get to school safely. He’s become a staple within the Eugene Field School community. “Every day Ben... Read More

The Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR) is hosting its annual Citizenship Honors Dinner. This event will feature five speakers who will each share their inspiring stories of immigrating to the United States. Najib Habib, Yen Dao, Niyongabire Prosper, Juan Ortiz, and Mauricio Diaz will take the stage to recount their unique experiences of adapting to a new country and culture. In addition to the captivating stories, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy food from four local Quad Cities restaurants: Taste of Ethiopia, Mantra, Tamales for Hope, and Miss Phay Café. This... Read More

QUAD CITIES, Iowa / Illinois—Latino leaders in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas have a new resource for building their skills, knowledge, and abilities to succeed, lead, and maximize their impact on their community. This fall, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 10 in Davenport will host the first-ever cohort of the Quad Cities Regional LIDERAMOS Leadership Development Program. Part of the LIDERAMOS National Latino Leadership Alliance (NLLA) framework, the program will reach across generations and sectors with a culturally centered curriculum tailored to the needs... Read More

One of Project NOW’s newest fleet additions is literally a life saver. Project NOW’s new refrigerated box truck began hitting the streets last fall to help those facing food insecurity. The truck, which is grant funded, is being used as a mobile food pantry—providing food to areas that have been defined as “food deserts.” Those areas include the west end of Rock Island, the Floreciente neighborhood, East Moline, and Silvis. According to our Community Services Director, Ron Lund, we have already provided 40 tons of food (80,000 pounds) in the community through pop ups, drive-throughs,... Read More

As a 100% Hispanic-owned business, Group O was proud to partner with the Quad Cities River Bandits this baseball season to celebrate the Hispanic and Latino communities by sponsoring “Bandidos del Río de las Ciudades Cuádruples”, Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) “Copa de la Diversión” or “Fun Cup” series. During each “Copa Wednesday” home game, Bandits players wore a specialty “Bandidos del Río” uniform featuring Rascal wearing a sombrero and signature bandana in a serape-inspired design. These jerseys were auctioned off and raised $2,500 to be donated to a local charity... Read More

Believe it or not, 2003 was the last time when a girl from United Township High School won the Western Big 6 individual title in Cross Country. This year Rubi Tapia-Macias, a UT freshman, broke that spell and was also named MVP at the conference meet. Born and raised in the Quad Cities, Tapia-Macias started playing soccer and running when she was in elementary school. “I started running when I was 9 with the Girls on the run GOTR,” she said. Although soccer is something she greatly enjoys, running was what won her this prestigious title in the WB6. This year’s Western Big 6 Conference cross-country... Read More

The Quad City Chamber has launched a Black Business Council and a Women’s Business Council. Now, we are launching two more: an Immigrant/Refugee Business Council and a LGBTQ+ Business Council. We are actively recruiting business owners and leaders from across the region to join a council. Tell us about your business challenges and guide us in how we can be a resource and contribute to your success. Our goal is to foster equity and inclusion in our regional economy and help all businesses grow. “We’ve identified three major barriers for minority-owned businesses: access to funding, limited... Read More