As a parent, I know what you’re feeling in regard to New Year’s Eve — you want to do something fun with your kiddos, but there’s no way they’re making it to midnight, so you’re looking for cool things to do during the day. Fortunately, there are some spots in the Quad-Cities which have NOON Year’s Eve events for families. And we at QuadCities.com are here to give you a rundown of a couple of them. Here’s what we’ve got… have fun, and Happy NOON, I mean, NEW Year! HyVee Virtual Noon Year’s Eve Allows Families To Celebrate New Years... Read More

The storms can be more than an inconvenience to some — they can pose a real danger. A winter storm can mean extended interruptions of power and heat in your home.  Here are tips from Genesis emergency department physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stay safe and comfortable in severe winter weather. In Your Home Plan an alternative source of heat for your home during a power outage.  Secure dry wood for a fireplace or wood stove or kerosene for a kerosene heater.  Do not use outdoor grills for heat or cooking inside your home.  Put together an emergency box. ... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — Western Illinois University has extended the $30 application fee waiver for undergraduate, graduate, and international students who apply to WIU (wiu.edu/apply) through Dec. 31. Graduating high school seniors and transfer students, dual enrollment students, graduate students and international students, as well as those applying through the Bachelor of General Studies(BGS) program, who apply for admission to Western for the Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 semesters, will have the application fee waived through 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31. In addition, the WIU Office of UndergraduateAdmissions... Read More

If you tune in to the Food Network TONIGHT, you might see a familiar face! Quad-Cities teenager Trey Gordon will be competing at 8 p.m., as the Davenport 13-year-old will be a contestant on the Food Network’s Kids’ Baking Championship! Trey shared the awesome news on his Facebook page, saying, “I have a huge announcement! I am so excited I’m able to tell you guys this.  I am going to be on Kids Baking Championship, season nine, with Food Network. Tune in on December 28 for a two-episode premiere!” You can check out a preview video of Trey’s episode here. Even... Read More

The Western Illinois University Department of Art and Design recently hosted its annual High School Art Exhibition and Awards, with work submitted by students from 10 regional high schools. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition was held virtually and was judged by WIU Professor Emeritus Julie Mahoney. She chose 100 works for the show from more than 270 entries, submitted by more than 100 students. The competition is sponsored by Blick Art Materials in Galesburg, the WIU Bookstore, the WIU Department of Art and Design and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. The winners of the... Read More

The following is a guest column from Craig Cooper, Senior Communications Specialist for Genesis Health System. QuadCities.com welcomes fact-based guest columns from healthcare professionals regarding health topics of interest. Message Sean@QuadCities.com for more information. Fear, shock, rising death numbers, mask requirements and reluctance to wear them, and recommendations of only limited public gatherings. This isn’t only a description of the relentless global COVID-19 crisis. We have been here more than once before as a country. Consider Christmas 1918 and the Spanish Flu pandemic. The pandemic... Read More

MACOMB, MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University Assistant Director of Residence Life Jessica Butcher has been named the Al and Elaine Goldfarb 2020 Civil Service Employee of the year. Butcher was awarded an engraved clock and a $500 stipend from the WIU Foundation. She was also named the Employee of the Month for November. Butcher started at WIU in July 1998 as a residence hall director in Auxiliary Facilities Systems. In July 2005, she was promoted to assistant director of Student Development and Orientation, and in July 2010, she was promoted to assistant to the vice president for student... Read More

Eleven cultural organizations and three artists in the Quad-Cities were among those to receive a share of $7 million in new grants announced Tuesday by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. A total of 267 cultural organizations and 152 artists serving 118 Iowa communities will get funding, made possible by the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, on Dec. 2. The department launched the Iowa Arts & Culture Recovery Program the same day and received more than 550 requests totaling more than $36 million by the Dec. 11 deadline. The list of recipients includes some of Iowa’s... Read More

Hannah Holman, principal cellist with the Quad City Symphony, got an early Christmas present this month – the keys to the historic Deanery at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Davenport. She’s had a longtime dream to start a new music school, which she did online in September, and she is Executive Artistic Director of the Quad City Music Academy. Following months of negotiations between the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral’s Vestry and her academy’s Board of Directors, Holman now has a 15-year lease on the 90-year-old building and the QCMA will rename it The Deanery School of Music. “It’s so... Read More

Holiday and end-of-year holiday closures for Rock Island Public Libraries are as follows: Rock Island Downtown and Southwest Library locations will be closed Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25 for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Locations are open from 9:00 am to noon on Saturday, December 26. Rock Island Library locations are closed Thursday, December 31, and Friday, January 1 for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Library locations are open from 9:00 am to noon on Saturday, January 2, 2021. Mobile Library2Go routes run as scheduled Monday, December 21 through Wednesday, December... Read More