MERCER COUNTY, Illinois—As school districts across the region consider how education will be delivered this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two largest school districts serving Mercer County students in Illinois will continue their pursuit to ensure every single student has access to technology. The Looser-Flake Foundation, a private foundation administered through the Quad Cities Community Foundation, is awarding $212,000 in grants to promote equity in access to learning through technology. This is not the first time that the Looser-Flake Foundation has provided technology support to... Read More

MACOMB, IL – For more than two decades, Western Illinois University’s annual spring performance of “The Vagina Monologues” has existed to serve two purposes: to stop violence against women and girls and to raise fund for the Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency (WIRC-CAA) Victim Services. Recently, WIU presented the WIRC-CAA Victim Services with a check for $1,270.50 from the Spring 2020 performance. “The Vagina Monologues” is part of V-Day, a global activist movement, stemming from playwright Eve Ensler’s award winning play and other artistic... Read More

MACOMB, IL – As first generation students, Western Illinois University Sociology Professor Emeritus and WIU Board of Trustees Chair Polly Radosh and Jeff Radosh struggled financially as they completed their college education. To help other first generation students and those with financial need, the Radoshes have established the Radosh Sociology Endowed Scholarship at WIU. Polly, who is the retired chair of Western’s former Department of Women’s Studies, began her teaching career at WIU in 1984 in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. During her 24-year tenure, she taught... Read More

Join the German American Heritage Center on Sunday, July 26th at 2pm for Midwifery In Early Scott County, a virtual program presented by Kathryn Kuntz, Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Supervisor. Mid to late 19th century brought many families to eastern Iowa and Scott County. Growing families required expertise and skill of safely bringing infants into the world. In this presentation, we will explore how midwifery, one of many occupations, was brought with German immigrants to their new homeland. Midwifery was a commonplace occupation predominantly performed by women. We will learn about... Read More

MACOMB, IL – The Western Illinois University Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic has openings for speech diagnostic evaluations from Tuesday Aug. 4-Friday, Aug. 21. There will be additional openings throughout the fall semester. The services are free to the WIU and Macomb communities and are used to determine whether or not a child or adult may be eligible for speech and/or language therapy services. The evaluations also play a significant role in educating WIU’s graduate students as they prepare to begin their careers as speech-language pathologists. For more information about the testing,... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Two Western Illinois University professor emeriti who have worked extensively on cultural diversity issues and programming have compiled a comprehensive reading list to deepen understanding of the pervasive racism that has repeatedly led to violence against the Black community. “Given all that has been going on in the USA related to the treatment of African Americans the past few weeks, not to mention the previous 400 years, we would like to provide resources to the WIU community that further awareness and understanding of the systematic oppression and racism that is... Read More

Though Illinois allowed indoor museums to reopen June 26, the Covid-19 pandemic still rages across the nation. Museums, historic homes and gardens in the Quad-Cities have taken differing approaches to reopening. As of that Friday in late June, with phase 4 of Illinois’ reopening implemented, very few museums on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River were open to the public. As of today, most have reopened, with attractions remaining closed include the John Deere Pavilion in Moline and Colonel Davenport House on Arsenal Island. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all major Deere tourist facilities... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – To keep the Western Illinois University community apprised of the search process for WIU’s 12th president, a presidential search website has been created. The site will provide updates to the search, including the search timeline, position announcement and more. The site can be accessed from a tab on Western’s homepage, in the News/Events section. The direct link for the presidential search website is wiu.edu/presidentialsearch. The search committee is co-chaired by WIU Board of Trustees Chair Polly Radosh and Faculty Senate Chair Christopher Pynes. The full committee... Read More

On Friday, you can gaze up at the summer night sky and watch the stars in wonder. Join well-known local storyteller Brian “Fox” Ellis this Friday, July 24 at 8 p.m. for a fun, family-oriented evening of American Indian Star Stories at The Twinflower Inn, 110 N. Olson Street, Bishop Hill. Safe social distancing guidelines will be in effect. Fox is an author and storyteller of Cherokee heritage. There will be drumming songs and a chance to sing long. Patrons are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, bring a snack, and bring a friend. The evening is sponsored by the Twinflower Inn and Fox Tales International.... Read More

Rock Island Public Library (RIPL) has vastly expanded its selection of digital magazines available through RBdigital, a service of Recorded Books (Prince Frederick, MD.)  After a year on the RBdigital platform, RIPL moved from a basic subscription of just 50 magazines to an unlimited subscription offering access to 3,200 magazines. RBdigital features full-color, digital magazines for instant desktop reading, mobile streaming, and mobile-app download, available anytime with an internet connection. Rock Island Public Library patrons can add new and back issues to their personal reading libraries... Read More