DAVENPORT, Iowa -- July 10, 2015 -- Over the years, land at 10th and Gaines Streets in central Davenport has had at least a few names. On the good days it is called Goose Hollow. Other days it is called by a less-affectionate name, and referred to simply as "The Pit."

Until 2001, Goose Hollow was home to the Davenport Central High School tennis teams.  Central needed facilities closer to the school and decided to build courts directly across Harrison Street from the high school.  While the school district continued to maintain the Goose Hollow property for the next decade, liability issues and the burden of maintenance became too much for the district. The City of Davenport acquired the property in 2013.

The city now is working to improve the property.

The first improvement that the city is making is fixing a highly eroded slope on the east side of the property. This slope presents a safety issue to those walking or driving along Gaines Street. To fix this slope, the city will use approved fill consisting of soil, brick, and broken concrete to recreate the slope.

The fill is coming from Genesis Health System, which is working on a $138.5 million expansion and renovation of the hospital campus of 1227 E. Rusholme Street.

According to Ken Croken, Genesis Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations, Genesis will be providing the City of Davenport with 25,000 cubic yards of fill.

"That is enough to fill six-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools,'' Croken said.

Once the slope is completed, it will be topped with clean soil and planted with native vegetation to provide a prairie-style ground cover.

"Genesis is thrilled these materials from the Campus Optimization Project can be recycled and put to such good use for our city and our neighbors," Croken added.

FERRELL'S 7 NO-HIT INNINGS PUSH BANDITS PAST BEES

After the season's longest outing by River Bandits starter, Angel Heredia stems Burlington's late rally in 3-2 win

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 12, 2015) - River Bandits starter Justin Ferrell carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, striking out five and walking four, and the Quad Cities offense racked up double-digit hits for the third straight game in the series, as the Quad Cities River Bandits beat the Burlington Bees, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport.

Ferrell's career-best start of 7 1/3 innings was the longest by a River Bandit since Michael Feliz went eight innings last Aug. 5 aginst Burlington. The no-hitter to start the eighth inning Sunday was the deepest Quad Cities had carried a no-hitter since April 30, 2011, when Anthony Ferrara pitched seven no-hit innings against Cedar Rapids, before Boone Whiting allowed a one-out hit in the eighth inning of a 2-0, one-hit win.

Burlington right fielder Natanael Delgado ended the no-hitter with a double down the third-base line after Ferrell (2-2) began the eighth inning with a leadoff walk to catcher Wade Wass. With runners at second and third bases, Ferrell allowed a sharply hit single to left field by the next batter, first baseman Steven Mateo, to score the Bees' first run. Center fielder Michael Hermosillo then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, cutting the Quad Cities lead to 3-2. Ferrell was charged with two earned runs on two hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Right-hander Angel Heredia entered with the tying run at first base and one out in the eighth inning. Burlington shortstop Jake Yacinich and second baseman Erick Salcedo reached on consecutive singles to load the bases with one out, but Heredia shut the door, striking out third baseman Nick Flair and getting left fielder Trever Allen to pop out to second base to curb the rally and keep the Bandits ahead, 3-2. Heredia then retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the win for Ferrell and notch his fourth save of the season.

Quad Cities (11-7 second half, 56-30 overall) scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game on an RBI groundout by catcher Jamie Ritchie to score center fielder Bobby Boyd. Boyd had reached on a base hit to start the inning and advanced all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Burlington starter Keynan Middleton (4-6). Sean McMullen's solo home run in the second inning - his fifth of the year - extended the lead to 2-0. The lead became 3-0 in the seventh inning, after second baseman Kristian Trompiz doubled to left-center field to plate first baseman Ryan Bottger, who drew a leadoff walk to start the inning.

Burlington (6-12, 41-46) almost began the game with a hit, as shortstop Jake Yacinich lined a ball into right-center field that was caught by right fielder Ramon Laureano on a head-first dive. Third baseman Nick Tanielu also kept a hit off the board in the sixth inning, when he barehanded a ball bunted up the third-base line by Bees second baseman Erick Salcedo.

The four-game series between Burlington and the River Bandits wraps up Monday at 7 p.m., as right-handers Justin Anderson (5-6, 3.10) of Burlington and David Paulino (1-1, 1.80) of Quad Cities square off on the mound.

UP NEXT: Gates open at 6 p.m. for the ADA 25th Anniversary Celebration, which will include a pregame parade of ADA athletes. The 7 p.m. game is Military Monday presented by Performance Food Group, 97X and ESPN 93.5. All veterans and active military can show their military ID at the box office to purchase $1 bleacher tickets for themselves and up to three guests. Individual tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office and online at riverbandits.com. Ticket plans of 12 to 70 games - which include free parking, reserved seats, merchandise discounts, and guaranteed giveaways - are available by calling 563-324-3000.

BEES USE LATE UNEARNED RUNS TO BEAT BANDITS

Eight River Bandits collect hits, but Quad Cities matches a season high by committing four errors

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 11, 2015) - Every player in the starting lineup had a hit for the Burlington Bees, who used a five-run second inning and three unearned runs over the seventh and eighth innings to break a 5-5 tie and defeat the Quad Cities River Bandits, 8-5, in front of 3,216 at Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night.

With a chance to move their overall record 27 games above .500 for the first time in five seasons, the River Bandits (10-7 second half, 55-30 overall) scored in each of the first three innings and had eight players contribute to outhitting Burlington, 13-11, but the home team also committed four errors, matching a season high set April 28 against Cedar Rapids.

In each of the first two games of the four-game series, the team scoring first has lost. Quad Cities took the lead in the first inning Saturday against Bees right-hander Austin Robichaux. A leadoff walk by center fielder Bobby Boyd and single to left field by shortstop Alex Bregman put runners at first and third bases. Bregman stole second base, before first baseman Nick Tanielu lifted an RBI double toward the right-field corner. Boyd scored, and Bregman went to third base, with right fielder Ramon Laureano grounding out to score Bregman. Robichaux went only one scheduled inning, allowing two earned runs on two hits and one walk with no strikeouts.

River Bandits right-hander Brandon McNitt took a 2-0 lead to the mound in the second inning, when the Bees began with six straight hits. Third baseman Zach Houchins doubled down the left-field line, before catcher Wade Wass and first baseman Steven Mateo homered to the Modern Woodmen Berm in left field on consecutive pitches to give Burlington a 3-2 lead. Left fielder Erick Salcedo then put a bunt single down the third-base line and went to third base when center fielder Michael Hermosillo doubled to right-center field. Second baseman Tim Arakawa capped the six-hit streak with a two-run single to right field, giving his team a 5-2 lead. After a double play, designated hitter Nick Flair single to right field for the inning's seventh hit - a single-inning high against Quad Cities this season.

The River Bandits answered in the bottom of the inning against Bees right-hander Michael Bolaski (5-6). Third baseman Luis Reynoso drew a two-out walk, followed by consecutive singles from Boyd and Bregman to make it 5-3. In the third inning, Laureano hit an infield single to third base, and left fielder Jason Martin launched his sixth home run of the season over the ribbon board in right field to tie the game. Bolaski scattered four singles over the rest of his five-inning outing, in which he was charged with three earned runs on eight hits.

McNitt held Burlington scoreless for the final four innings of his second straight six-inning start. He was charged with five earned runs on nine hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Left-hander Michael Freeman inherited the 5-5 tie to start the seventh inning. Bees shortstop Jake Yacinich drew a one-out walk, went to second base on a wild pitch and third base on a groundout, before scoring when Bregman dropped a ground ball on the grass in front of second base. In the eighth inning, Mateo walked, and Bregman missed a ground ball by Salcedo that went into left-center field, from where Martin overthrew second base for the play's second error. Mateo scored, and Salcedo reached third base, eventually scoring when Arakawa collected his game-high third RBI on a single to left field off Freeman, his college teammate at Oklahoma State. Freeman was charged with three unearned runs on one hit and two walks with two strikeouts in two innings.

Bees right-hander Jordan Piche allowed Quad Cities to load the bases with two outs in the eighth inning, but right-hander Jacob Kopra got Tanielu to ground into a fielder's choice. Right-hander Eduardo Paredes pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 13th save.

BANDITS BASH 13 HITS, HOLD BEES TO UNEARNED RUN

Quad Cities posts six-run sixth to support Christian Powell's season-high six-inning start

DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 10, 2015) - River Bandits shortstop Alex Bregman had a bases-clearing double as part of a six-run sixth inning, and three Quad Cities pitchers combined to hold Burlington to one run as the Quad Cities River Bandits defeated the Burlington Bees, 9-1, in front of 6,401 at Modern Woodmen Park Friday night.

Quad Cities right-hander Christian Powell (2-0) only allowed an unearned run in a season-high six innings, and the River Bandits scored their most runs in a week to match a season-best mark of 26 games above .500 (55-29 overall, 10-6 second half).

The three runs batted in for Bregman is a career high for the 2015 No. 2 overall pick, who made his professional debut with the River Bandits June 26. With Quad Cities already leading 5-1 in the sixth, Bregman lined a ball down the left-field line to score second baseman Alex Hernandez, left fielder Jason Martin, and catcher Jamie Ritchie, extending the River Bandits' lead to seven runs. Bregman scored on an RBI single by center fielder Ramon Laureano against Burlington reliever Gaither Bumgardner to make the score 9-1.

Burlington (40-45, 5-11) jumped out in front in the first inning on a rally started by a Hernandez fielding error that allowed second baseman Tim Arakawa to reach. After being bunted into scoring position by shortstop Jake Yacinich, Arakawa scored the game's first run on a two-out single by left fielder Trever Allen. Powell buckled down from there, not allowing another runner past second in his six innings, finishing with five hits allowed, no earned runs, and three strikeouts.

The River Bandits answered in the bottom of the first inning against Bees starter Jake Jewell (4-5). Third baseman Nick Tanielu doubled home Ritchie and Bregman, who reached on a single and a hit-by-pitch, respectively. The two-run, two-bagger by Tanielu - his 15th of the year - was enough for Quad Cities, which got shutout relief pitching from Riley Ferrell and Ryan Thompson, who combined to allow just one hit in the final three innings of the game.

Quad Cities added a fifth-inning run when left fielder Jason Martin had his first of two singles and stole second and third bases on the next two pitches to Ritchie, before scoring on Ritchie's single to right-center field for a 3-1 lead.

The sixth-inning rally for the River Bandits began against reliever Jason Hoppe with a single by designated hitter Trent Woodward, who had two hits on the night. Right fielder Sean McMullen followed with a hit of his own, and with first baseman Ryan Bottger batting, both runners advanced on a passed ball by Bees catcher Brandon Gildea. On a wild pitch later in the at-bat, Woodward scored and McMullen moved to third base. Bottger flied out to right field, just deep enough for McMullen to tag and slide in safely at the plate in front of the throw by right fielder Natanel Delgado. Hitting with the bases empty and one out, Hernandez and Martin each singled, and Ritchie walked, knocking Hoppe out of the game, and setting up the bases-loaded matchup between Bregman and Bumgardner.

BANDITS FINISH MARTES' STRONG START IN CLINTON

Quad Cities draws a season-high 11 bases on balls to remain unbeaten in road series this season

CLINTON, Iowa (July 9, 2015) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Francis Martes retired the first 13 batters of the game but nearly lost a three-run lead, before two late-inning double plays and a ninth-inning, three-run home run by left fielder Sean McMullen sealed the visitors' 6-2 win over the Clinton LumberKings at Ashford University Field Thursday night.

In their final regular season game in Clinton, the River Bandits (9-6 second half, 54-29 overall) split the four-game, split-city series with the LumberKings (5-10, 31-53) and split two games at Ashford University Field to remain unbeaten in road series this season.

After scoring four runs over the first three games of the series, Quad Cities scored twice in the first inning off LumberKings All-Star right-hander Lukas Schiraldi (4-6). Center fielder Bobby Boyd hit a leadoff single to left field and stole second base with All-Star catcher Jamie Ritchie batting. Ritchie ended a seven-pitch at-bat by lining a single to right field to score Boyd with the River Bandits' first run in their last 14 opening innings. Shortstop Alex Bregman lined to first baseman Pat Leyland, who doubled Ritchie off first base to clear the bases with two outs. All-Star third baseman Nick Tanielu restarted the rally with a single to right field, and right fielder Ramon Laureano walked, before designated hitter Jason Martin grounded an RBI single into center field for a 2-0 lead.

In the third inning, Tanielu and Laureano hit back-to-back one-out singles to start another rally. Martin flied out to center field for the second out, but Schiraldi walked McMullen to load the bases before throwing a wild pitch to score Tanielu for a 3-0 lead. Schiraldi was removed after three innings, in which he allowed three earned runs on six hits and four walks with one strikeout.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Martes (3-2) finally allowed his first baserunner, as LumberKings designated hitter Chantz Mack drove a double to the left-center field wall. Martes then struck out third baseman Joe DeCarlo to extend his scoreless streak to 16 1/3 innings, before right fielder Taylor Zeutenhorst broke the string by grounding an RBI double down the first-base line to make it 3-1.

Martes retired the next five batters before Leyland singled to right field with one out in the seventh inning. Mack then singled through a shifted infield to the right of second base, and Martes threw a wild pitch to move Leyland and Mack into scoring position. After hitting DeCarlo with a pitch to load the bases, Martes exited for right-hander Angel Heredia. Zeutenhorst greeted Heredia by ending the reliever's nine-inning hitless streak with a single to left-center field to score Leyland and make it 3-2. With one out and the bases loaded, catcher James Alfonso hit a soft line drive to Bregman, who threw to second baseman Kristian Trompiz to double off DeCarlo and end the inning.

Heredia allowed a leadoff walk in the eighth inning, before getting center fielder Austin Cousino to ground to Bregman for a double play, which began a stretch in which he retired the final five batters of the game for his third save in three opportunities this season.

After Schiraldi, LumberKings right-hander Thyago Vieira worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings, and right-hander Hawtin Buchanan followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings. In the ninth inning with a 3-2 deficit, Clinton put Zeutenhorst on the mound, replacing him in right field with All-Star Estarlyn Morales. Zeutenhorst began by walking Laureano and Martin, before McMullen hit a 1-1 pitch to the Lumber Lounge in right field for his fourth home run of the season and a 6-2 lead. Zeutenhorst, who drove in both Clinton runs earlier in the game, retired the next three batters to finish one inning. The River Bandits drew two walks off Zeutenhorst and had a season-high 11 walks Thursday.

The River Bandits open their final scheduled four-game series of the season Friday at 7 p.m. against Burlington at Modern Woodmen Park. River Bandits right-hander Christian Powell (1-0) is scheduled to face Bees right-hander Jake Jewell (4-4).

Comptroller moves forward with paying state employees

CHICAGO - Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger released the following statement Thursday in response to a Circuit Court verbal order authorizing her office to process state payroll:

"Today's Court ruling gives my office the authorization it needs to begin processing payroll for all state employees. It is a welcome development that advances my goal of complying with federal mandate and doing everything in my power under law to compensate workers for the services they are already providing the state. It also ensures that Illinois will rightly continue to pay those who are on the front line in assisting our most vulnerable residents. While there will most certainly be additional legal action, I am confident that the Court will ultimately determine that paying state employees for their work is the right, and legal, thing to do."

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