BREAKING: Things are going back to normal — for the most part — in the Illinois Quad-Cities. According to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in his daily press conference, the region including Rock Island County and the Illinois Quad-Cities has met the metrics to be moved to phase 4 in covid-19 mitigations. The move means that things can get much more back to normal, as restaurants and bars can accommodate groups of up to 10 at tables and gatherings such as meetings and weddings can have up to 50 people at one time. Youth sports, including basketball and soccer can resume, according to the... Read More

Davenport West High School is helping lead the way in providing future health care workers to fight national crises like the coronavirus pandemic. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) shows that the number of people in the U.S. entering medical school in 2020 reached a two-decade high, with a total of 22,239 enrolled students. The AAMC is a not-for-profit association that leads and serves the academic medicine community. At West High School – 3505 W. Locust St., in Davenport – the student Falcons are flying high to meet the massive medical challenge presented by the... Read More

If your mood is as gray as winter mornings and you feel as if you’re living the lyrics of a blues song, it may help to shed light on your daily life. An estimated 16 million Americans experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as the hours of available daylight are reduced in winter.  Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression that is highly treatable, according to Steve Kopp, Ph.D, family counselor and director of Genesis Psychology Associates, Davenport. Compounding the symptoms of SAD this year is the COVID-19 outbreak. As we stay inside more and are anxious about the virus, there... Read More

BREAKING: Due to covid-19 numbers getting better in the Quad-Cities Region 2, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Sunday that the region is moving out of Tier 2 restrictions and into Tier 1. Indoor dining at 25% capacity will now be allowed in all Region 2 counties, including Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, and Woodford. This marks the second Illinois region in two days to be moved to Tier 1, as Region 5 was moved to Tier 1 restrictions on... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University will continue to host numerous COVID-19 test dates during the Spring 2021 semester. In keeping with Tier 3 guidelines, which remain in place, employees are encouraged to work remotely when possible and should coordinate with their supervisor to determine appropriate arrangements. Visit wiu.edu/coronavirus for updates and information before returning to campus. For those on the Macomb campus, an appointment must be made by going to beuonline.wiu.edu. Individuals should arrive at the meter parking lot at the northeast corner of the University Union... Read More

Phases, tiers, mitigations… oh my! Many have seen a variety of terms used in regard to the precautionary measures put forth by the state of Illinois in its covid-19 protocols, as we all await word on how these mitigations are going to impact our lives as they change over time. As we at QuadCities.com have reported, the Quad-Cities area is scheduled to go from tier 3 to the less restrictive tier 2 on Friday. But what does that mean? Sure, I can say, according to the metrics put forth by Pritzker on Nov. 20, a region can move down to Tier 2 mitigations if it sees a test positivity rate less... Read More

BREAKING: As first reported on QuadCities.com, the Quad-Cities region will be reducing covid-19 mitigations starting Friday, as confirmed today during Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s press conference on covid mitigations in the state. “On Jan. 15, exactly one incubation period from New Year’s Day, any region that has met the metrics for a reduction of mitigations will be able to move out of Tier 3 of our mitigation plan,” Pritzker said. Illinois Region 2 — including Rock Island, Bureau, Stark, Henry, and Mercer counties — will step back from Tier 3 mitigations and move down... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University is scheduled to resume in-person classes on WIU’s Macomb and Moline campuses Tuesday, Jan. 19. As preparations for the Spring 2021 semester are underway, all members of the University community (faculty, staff and students) are encouraged to quarantine for a minimum 10 days and/or receive a COVID-19 test* before returning to campus. Free tests are available on the WIU-Macomb and Quad Cities campuses on select dates (see dates and information at bit.ly/WIUSpring21COVIDTestUpdate). Visit wiu.edu/coronavirus for additional return to campus information. Illinois... Read More

BREAKING: The Quad-Cities’ Region 2 is one of only two in Illinois which would be eligible at this point to leave Tier 3 covid-19 restrictions next week, according to statistics from the Illinois Department of Health. Nine of the 11 regions in Illinois fall short of the criteria to reduce Tier 3 restrictions, with only a few days to go to improve those numbers in order to be eligible for reduced mitigations. Nine of the regions have seen an increase in the percentage of positive covid numbers over the past week, as cases have begun to rise in the wake of the holidays. While the Quad-Cities... Read More

As previously reported on QuadCities.com, thousands of businesses statewide including a large number of Quad-Cities businesses, benefited from over $275 million in grants given by the state of Illinois to small businesses negatively impacted by covid-19. According to the business grant website, the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program was developed by Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to provide $580 million in economic relief for small businesses hit hardest by COVID-19. BIG – the largest program of its kind in the nation – leverages federal funding provided by the... Read More