The Figge Art Museum in downtown Davenport will store and display much of the permanent collection of the University of Iowa Museum of Art and will also host some of its traveling shows and University of Iowa Museum of Art-organized exhibitions. With the exception of a selection of nearly 250 works of art that returned to campus in October, the collection has been in storage in Chicago since it was moved during the June 2008 flood. The University of Iowa Museum of Art staff is currently working to finalize plans to install a special exhibition of masterworks, including the museum's famous Jackson Pollock Mural, for public viewing at the Figge in April.

The forum "Democracy's Challenge: Reclaiming the Public's Role" will be held on Thursday, January 22, at 6 p.m. at the new County Extension Office, 321 West Second Avenue in Milan. It will address the issues of public engagement, why civic duty is important, and our role as citizens in the democratic process. The cost is $5 per person and includes an issue book produced by the Kettering Foundation. Programs are open to adults and high-school students. Register online at Extension.UIUC.edu/rockisland. For more information, call (309) 756-9978.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded two grants totaling nearly $1.3 million to Iowa fire departments. Included is the Davenport Fire Department, which received a $975,420 grant from the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response program. Funds under this program support the hiring of firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters to assure that communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

The Waste Commission of Scott County is sponsoring free "e-waste" disposal for all residents of Scott County through February 27 at the Electronic Demanufacturing Facility, 1048 East 59th Street in Davenport. The commission noted many residents will purchase new digital televisions over the holidays for the February switchover from analog to digital and will want to recycle an older set to make room for the new. The commission is providing free recycling for televisions and any electronic waste, or e-waste: anything with a circuit board or cathode ray tube. This includes items such as computers, monitors, VCRs, DVD players, stereos, cell phones, cameras, printers, and scanners. For more information about the Electronic Demanufacturing Facility and Waste Commission of Scott County, visit WasteCom.com or call (563) 381-1300.

A new coffee shop will open in early January at the Davenport Public Library's Fairmount Street location (3000 North Fairmount Street). Cams Coffee Shop is the new coffee vendor at the library, featuring Seattle's Best Coffee. Also featured at the shop will be fresh cinnamon rolls and cookies, Italian sodas, and other drinks. The shop will open Monday through Saturday at 7 a.m. and will close at the same time as the library. For library hours, visit DavenportLibrary.com.