Because many of us were once teenagers, we rely on those past experiences to help us understand and cope with the behavior of today's teens. That works only to a point. While many of the problems that plagued our post-pubescent years are similar to those of our children, the scope, depth, and intensity varies significantly with the times.

The times greatly contribute to the evolution of common issues that often overwhelm, confuse, and misdirect young people - more today than ever before.

On August 31, four outdoor locations in downtown Davenport will collectively house the traveling exhibit Coexistence, a series of 45 nine-by-15-foot panels - created by 43 international artists - exploring themes of compassion and empathy on a global level. Portions of the exhibit will be displayed in front of the Figge Art Museum, RiverCenter, and sky bridge, with the remainder displayed in LeClaire Park, and the exhibit is expected to attract 25,000 visitors - including more than 10,000 students - between August 31 and its close on September 27, 2007. Initiated by Jerusalem's Museum on the Seam in 2001 and sponsored by the Riverboat Development Authority, the artworks will be shown in conjunction with the Quad Cities' community-wide project "Coexistence: The Art of Living Together," and more information on the exhibit is available at (http://www.coexistence.art.museum). - Mike Schulz

What do a fortune cookie, a photograph, and a few missing letters have in common?

They're the Starting Points for the River Cities' Reader 2007 Short Fiction Contest.

The Rock Island Healthy Homes Program has received a $1.8-million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to assist in the risk-free removal of lead-based paint from homes in the Illinois Quad Cities. That money is enhanced by more than $2 million in additional leverage and matching funds. Households with lead-poisoned children will be referred to the program by the Rock Island County Health Department. People enrolled in a housing program operated by the City of Rock Island, the City of Moline, Project NOW. or the Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation will automatically be considered for this program if eligibility criteria are met. People not currently enrolled in a housing-rehabilitation program may contact the City of Rock Island lead-program manager for more information at (309) 732-2900.