The federal Senate Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee approved $1 million for a flood-control project in Davenport in its Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations bill. The legislation is expected to be approved by the full Senate Appropriations Committee by the time you read this. It will then need to be passed by both the House and Senate before it becomes law. The funds will be used to complete pre-construction engineering and design activities and to initiate construction to provide flood protection to a water-treatment facility in Davenport.

"You got a minute?" Drink Small asked me during our phone interview.

"Yeah," I said.

"All right," he said. The bluesman left the phone. A television was audible in the background.

After a few seconds, the man who for 35 years has called himself the "Blues Doctor" returned with his guitar and played a song about the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival - how he wants to the meet the mayor of Davenport, how he played the event 10 or 12 years ago. "I can do the same thing," sang Small, who returns to the festival this weekend, "but I can do it better at the age of 74."

The Damon Fowler Group, 5 p.m.

Smokin' Mojo Kings, 2 p.m.