For the new Davenport police headquarters, building green is a simple matter of economics. "Saving money was the main motivation," said Charles Heston, a project manager in the city's Community & Economic Development Department.

Among its features, the under-construction building will be heated with geothermal energy; some lighting will be automatically adjusted based on daylight; other lighting will be controlled by occupancy censors; and a "green roof" with soil and plants will prevent rainwater from running off into storm sewers and provide additional insulation.

The Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center (ATEEC) has teamed with several partners to develop a museum exhibit, and four learning modules, on sustainable energy. The "Watts Up with Energy" exhibit and modules were designed as fun and interactive ways to educate elementary school students about the importance of energy, energy conservation, and energy sustainability. An opening ceremony will be held at Bettendorf's Family Museum, 2900 Learning Campus Dr., on Saturday, January 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

 

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Teenagers and garbage ... and an art museum.

Matching those things sounds like a recipe for disaster. But for the Figge Art Museum, it could pay big dividends, particularly as a way to combat the perception that the institution is elitist.

This summer, in conjunction with its Artists Advisory Council (AAC), the Figge will host sculptures made from refuse and assembled by local artists with assistance from high-school classes.

WQPT's WQPT, the Quad Cities' PBS station, has announced that "Ready to Lead in Literacy," a series of public-service announcements produced and directed by Lora Adams and edited by Paul Magnuson, has won a prestigious CINE Golden Eagle award. Magnuson and Brad Mosier videotaped the project, with Dick Oberg shooting the still photography. This is WQPT's second CINE. The CINE Golden Eagle awards, distinguishing excellence in professional and amateur works, are recognized as symbols of the highest production standards in filmmaking and videography. The award was founded in 1957. CINE conducts two competitions each year, and the current one began in August 2006.

 

Martin Mull - Because of the generosity of artist and actor Martin Mull, 15 lucky bidders will own his original work following an auction that supports the Figge Art Museum. To see the artwork featured in the auction, schedule an appointment. Also, images of the works and details about each are available at (http://www.figgeartmuseum.org ) in the "Martin Mull auction" section of the home page. Submit bids by phone or e-mail to Mary Davidson at (563) 326-7804 extension 2046 or (mdavidson@figgeartmuseum.org ). Minimum bids range from $1,000 to $2,300 depending on the medium Mull used for each piece, its complexity, and its size. On the Figge Web site, initials of the bidder will be posted next to bid amount, and bids will be updated weekly. The auction ends January 21.

 

 

Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ, Ph.D., has been chosen as the next president of St. Ambrose University. Currently the president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana, she will be the first woman to lead the university in its 125-year history. Lescinski, who is also a noted scholar in English literature, will take office in summer 2007, succeeding Dr. Edward Rogalski, who will retire after 20 years as the university's president. For more information on the university's next president, go to (http://www.sau.edu/newpresident).

 

Eastern Iowa Community College District (EICCD) received more than $1.5 million to provide job training for people in the Quad Cities area. These funds were made available through the U.S. Department of Labor's Community Based Job Training Initiative. Although the job-training project was developed specifically for those working in the transportation and warehousing industries, the skills that will be taught are valuable for local workers in several other industries, including health care, food processing, wholesale/retail trade, and office services. These industries employ 45 percent of the Quad Cities area's available workforce. 

 

Reader issue #611 Near Wheatland, Iowa, sits the 200-acre Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat. It's roughly a 40-minute drive from the Quad Cities, and in one approach a car will go from a four-lane highway to a two-lane road to a dirt drive.

It's nearly a journey to the past, from the zipping traffic of modern times to a more primitive period, including an old farmhouse.

"Even the approach is a bit of calming, slowing down," said Sister Catherine Real, a retired member of the Davenport-based Congregation of the Humility of Mary (CHM) who volunteers as co-director of Our Lady of the Prairie. The retreat, she said, offers "a sense of God's presence" just a short drive from the urban grind.

The Waste Commission of Scott County, in cooperation with the City of Bettendorf, the City of Davenport, and Scott County, has produced the 2007 Garbage Guide, which will be delivered to residents' mailboxes over the next few weeks. The guide details solid-waste collection and processing for all 17 communities in Scott County. Solid waste includes garbage, recycling, bulky waste, electronic waste, yard waste, household hazardous materials, and home health waste. The guide also provides resources and information regarding storm-water, reuse, and beautification programs. For additional copies of the Garbage Guide, call the Waste Commission of Scott County at (563) 381-1300, or view it online at (http://www.wastecom.com).

 

Reader issue #610Emily Starr knows how to teach kids. A fourth-grade teacher in DeWitt, Iowa, she had an idea for a Web-based educational tool that would help schools, teachers, and parents reinforce core concepts in math and reading.

But Starr didn't know how to turn that idea into money - a viable business. "I had expertise in the content area," she said. "I didn't really know how you take a concept and develop it into a business."

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