The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded two grants totaling nearly $1.3 million to Iowa fire departments. Included is the Davenport Fire Department, which received a $975,420 grant from the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response program. Funds under this program support the hiring of firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters to assure that communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

The Waste Commission of Scott County is sponsoring free "e-waste" disposal for all residents of Scott County through February 27 at the Electronic Demanufacturing Facility, 1048 East 59th Street in Davenport. The commission noted many residents will purchase new digital televisions over the holidays for the February switchover from analog to digital and will want to recycle an older set to make room for the new. The commission is providing free recycling for televisions and any electronic waste, or e-waste: anything with a circuit board or cathode ray tube. This includes items such as computers, monitors, VCRs, DVD players, stereos, cell phones, cameras, printers, and scanners. For more information about the Electronic Demanufacturing Facility and Waste Commission of Scott County, visit WasteCom.com or call (563) 381-1300.

 

A new coffee shop will open in early January at the Davenport Public Library's Fairmount Street location (3000 North Fairmount Street). Cams Coffee Shop is the new coffee vendor at the library, featuring Seattle's Best Coffee. Also featured at the shop will be fresh cinnamon rolls and cookies, Italian sodas, and other drinks. The shop will open Monday through Saturday at 7 a.m. and will close at the same time as the library. For library hours, visit DavenportLibrary.com.

 

Renaissance Rock Island last week hosted the 20th-annual "Hard Hat" celebration at Jumer's Casino & Hotel. The event recognizes investment in the community and thanks those who have helped strengthen Rock Island. Award-winners included Chippiannock Cemetery, Greenbush Neighbors, Keep Rock Island Beautiful, Handy True Value, Hughes Tire & Battery, Quad Cities Woodturners, Spirit Partners, Trinity Regional Health System, Virdi Eye Clinic, Jumer's Casino & Hotel, Phil Dennis, Anita Adams, and Mark Schwiebert. For more information, visit LiveRI.com/news.php.

 

Moline's Centre Station, located across from the i wireless Center in downtown Moline, has been recommended as the Quad Cities Amtrak Station. Based on this recommendation - part of a recently completed Metropolitan Rail Study - the proposed Amtrak route would start at Centre Station and end at Chicago's Union Station. The City of Moline will move forward in developing plans for the station. The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition is advocating on behalf of the region for restored passenger-rail service. Amtrak service from Chicago to the Quad Cities is the linchpin for an extended route being planned to Iowa City and Des Moines, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska. More information about the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition is available at QCRail.com.

 

AmeriCorps is working with the City of Davenport and surrounding communities to restore Nahant March and Credit Island to pre-flood conditions. At Credit Island, the team is in charge of repairs to picnic tables, the golf course, and debris removal. In Nahant Marsh, members are helping remove the old dock and build a new boardwalk once the new dock is installed. Other duties include restoring the trail system that runs through the marsh and removing invasive species. For information about AmeriCorps, call (800) 942-2677 or visit AmeriCorps.gov/nccc.

 

The Riverboat Development Authority Board of Directors approved $978,500 in grants to local organizations on November 19. A total of 48 grants were awarded to 44 different applicants. Among the largest recipients were the River Music Experience ($60,000 for "support for growth/expansion"), United Neighbors Inc. ($60,000 for Summer Park program), Davenport's Levee Improvement Commission ($50,000 for Union Station visitor center), DavenportOne Foundation ($40,000 for D1 Initiative), and the Family Museum of Arts & Science Foundation ($35,000 for QC Great Places Initiative). For more information on the Riverboat Development Authority, visit RiverboatAuthority.com. - Ashley Allen

 

On November 13, the Community Vitality Task Force released the second-annual Community Vitality Snapshot Report. The snapshot is an annual quality-of-life report used to highlight the Quad Cities' strengths and weaknesses, and it focuses on seven areas: economy and employment; health and society; environment and resources; education and learning; arts, culture, and recreation; neighborhoods, housing, and safety; and belonging and leadership. The report provides statistics for issues that are considered critical to the growth and success of the Quad Cities, such as the annual average unemployment rate, the percentage of people without health insurance, and the crime rate. The snapshot can be downloaded at GenesisHealth.com/pdf/qchi_2008_snapshot.pdf. - Ashley Allen

 

Area Maintenance Persons (AMPS) of Davenport will be recognized on Wednesday, November 12, at the Davenport City Council meeting for receiving the Iowa Governor's Volunteer Award. AMPS, a group of more than 150 Davenport residents age 50 and older, received the award for daily efforts to clean up litter. One of their recent projects was placing cigarette receptacles at the Davenport skate park and spending time there to educate users of the park about the importance of proper disposal of litter. For more information on AMPS and the award, visit ILiveHereQC.org.

 

The City of Davenport is hosting three public forums for the community to learn more about the work of the Promise Task Force and its recommendations to the city. The Davenport Promise program would provide college tuition, vocational training, or a post-military-service homestead grant to Davenport residents after high school. The forums are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 5, in the Genesis East Adler Educational Center (inside the Heart Institute Building); 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, at the Davenport downtown library; and 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 8, at Central High School in Davenport. For more information, visit DavenportSchools.org and click on "Davenport Promise."

 

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