13 Oct 2016

Poultry in Motion: Backyard Chickens Got the Nod in Moline, and Soon Could in Other Quad Cities

By Jeff Ignatius
Three-year-old Cole Petersen holding one of Moline’s newly legal chickens.

If you think about the type of person likely to raise backyard chickens in the Quad Cities, you might conjure a vision of somebody similar to Liz Smith. With philosophical and practical motivations and a love of animals, she did her research and educated her city’s leaders.

15 Mar 2016

What's Happenin': Thursday, March 17, through Wednesday, March 30

By Mike Schulz

Brushville @ RIBCO - March 19MUSIC

Thursday, March 17 – The Beggarmen. A St. Patrick’s Day concert with the Celtic musicians. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). 7:30 p.m. $10-15. For tickets and information, call (319)248-9370 or visit CoralvilleArts.org.

Friday, March 18 – Spring-Queening. Tribute concert to Queen featuring Alan Sweet as Freddie Mercury, Bret Dale as Brian May, David Abdo as John Deacon, and Erik Wilson as Roger Taylor, plus The Dawn delivering a David Bowie tribute. Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $16.75-20. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Friday, March 18 – Bucktown Revue. Celebration of Mississippi River Valley culture through music, storytelling, poetry and humor; with emcee Scott Tunnicliff and special guests. Nighswander Theatre (2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport). 7 p.m. $13 at the door. For information, call (563)940-0508 or visit BucktownRevue.com.

Saturday, March 19 – Brushville. Concert with the nationally touring country musicians. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. For tickets and information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.

Saturday, March 19 – Téada. Internationally touring Irish musicians in concert, with a performance by dancer Brian Cunningham. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). 7 p.m. $13-25. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.

Sunday, March 20 – The Billy Foster Quartet. A 6 p.m. concert in Polyrhythms’ Third Sunday Jazz & Matinée Series featuring pianist Billy Foster and vocalist Renee Miles-Foster, preceded by a 3 p.m. “Demystifying Jazz” workshop. Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). $10-15 concert, $5 workshop (free for kids). For information, call (309)373-0790 or visit Polyrhythms.org or RiverMusicExperience.org.

19 Feb 2015

A Free Market by Force? The FCC and Net Neutrality in (Mostly) Plain English

By Jeff Ignatius

This article was first published on February 19, 2015 as the cover story for that week's Reader. On February 26, 2015 "As expected, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed new net neutrality regulations. . . " On December 14, 2017 the FCC will vote to replace the "current Open Internet or net neutrality rules, which prevented Internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking or throttling legal content users sought to access, as well as preventing ISPs from accepting payment to prioritize some data.".

On February 26, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be voting on rules that would reclassify broadband Internet as a public utility. The stated goal is to give the commission the authority to enforce what's called "net neutrality."

Unless you're a rare breed, I've already frightened (or bored) you with a topic you're certain is arcane, technical, obscure, and confusing. You might also think it's irrelevant.

So to goose your interest, I'll note that John Oliver - the host of HBO's Last Week Tonight series - recommended replacing the dull "net neutrality" with "Preventing Cable Company F---ery."

My goal is to present a simplified (and in some cases over-simplified) explanation of net neutrality as a public-policy issue, specifically in the context of the FCC's impending vote. The proposed rules won't be made public before that meeting, but FCC Chair Tom Wheeler has sketched out the broad strokes - no blocking, no throttling, no paid prioritization.

07 Mar 2013

Speed Bump Ahead: Police and County Attorney Moved Too Fast to Prosecute Keith Meyer, While a Jury Trial Proved Common Sense Can Prevail

By Todd McGreevy
Photo used as evidence against Keith Meyer in Davenport, Iowa

(Publisher's Note: This article appeared in March 2013 in the Reader's printed and online edition. Given the disarray the courts and justice system is in locally, state and nationally, the lessons learned over 12 yeears ago are worth re-visiting again. It is also an example of why county grand juries should be more widely known and engaged as the backstop to governments gone wild.)

26 Aug 2011

When Martin Luther King Reached the Point of No Return

By John W. Whitehead
Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. MLK

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." - MLK

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