The ultimate Christmas celebration happens this weekend in the Village of East Davenport! Christmas in the Village happens this Friday Nov 30 and Saturday Dec 1 from 6 – 9 p.m. both nights, throughout the Village of East Davenport. East 11th Street will be closed both evenings from Mound Street to Jersey Ridge Road. This festive event has been celebrated for more than 40 years and features live music throughout the Village and plenty of free family fun! Enjoy retro fire truck rides throughout the Village and even a chance to see Santa at the Village Fire House! He will arrive each evening at... Read More

To say Rock Islanders were a wee bit miffed about city officials blowing $15 million and getting stiffed by Walmart is like saying Bix Beiderbecke played around with music as a little hobby. The outrage has been justifiably hot. As I said in my last column, the city overspent by millions buying up decrepit properties on 11th street ostensibly to create space for a new Walmart which didn’t materialize. That money could’ve, and should’ve, gone to help already existing businesses owned by locals or to help local entrepreneurs looking to start up locally-owned businesses in the area. After all,... Read More

To say Rock Island made a colossal error in wasting $15 million to woo Walmart to 11th Street is a stunning understatement. But what’s perhaps saddest and most pathetic about it is its irony. Rock Island, like thousands of other cities across the country, will, at least once a year, pay lip service and throw promotional money at “small business weeks” and hollow pitches to “shop local.” City officials should’ve heeded their own advice in this matter. Aside from the property owners who were able to hit a stunning jackpot on selling their failed and crumbling 11th Street businesses at... Read More