Davenport has been awarded $2.3 million under the Department of Housing & Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships programs. The $1.7 million awarded to HOME will provide formula grants to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or ownership or provide direct assistance to low-income people. The $644,670 awarded to CDBG will be used develop viable communities by providing housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.
Modern Woodmen of America and WQAD announced their sponsorship of "Plant a Tree Quad Cities," which will donate 125 trees to nonresidential areas to replant following the damage of the July 21 storm. The locations will be chosen through an online vote at (http://www.wqad.com). The trees (valued at up to $150 each) will be distributed and planted in the fall.
Artists interested in applying for the Illinois Arts Council's Fiscal Year 2009 Artists Fellowship Program are invited to attend an informational workshop at Quad City Arts Center (1715 Second Avenue in Rock Island) on Wednesday, August 6, beginning at 5 p.m. in the second-floor large conference room. For more information, contact Teresa LaBella at (309) 793-1213 extension 114 or (tlabella@quadcityarts.com), or Encarnacion Teruel at (312) 814-6753 or (encarnacion.teruel@illinois.gov). Artists Fellowship Program guidelines and an electronic application are available from the Illinois Arts Council Web site at (http://www.state.il.us/agency/iac).
Rachel Wilkinson, a student at Pleasant Valley High School, was selected as a finalist in the costume-design category of the National Individual Events Showcase at the 2008 International Thespian Festival, and the school's Aaron Hewitt was a finalist in the short-film category. The showcase took place on Friday, June 27, on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The program offers students an opportunity to receive constructive feedback on prepared performances and technical design, allowing them to pinpoint their talents, identify strengths and weaknesses, and grow as theatre artists.
Trinity Regional Health System has hired Michael J. Patterson as the new campus administrator for its West Campus hospital facility in Rock Island. Patterson will oversee day-to-day operations at Trinity's 338-bed facility in Rock Island. He will also assume responsibility for the surgical service line, imaging services across all three of Trinity's hospital locations, patient support services, and the Trinity Ambulance Service.
KONE Inc. has announced plans to consolidate its current Moline-based administrative and call-center operations into a state-of-the-art high-rise building to be built two blocks from its existing location. The site is located within the $30-million Bass Street Landing development.
The third-annual Lower Wapsipinicon River Cleanup Project is seeking volunteers ages 10 and up to participate in a canoe trip to clean up 19 miles of the Wapsi from Allen's Grove Park north of Donahue, Iowa, to Walter's Landing near McCausland. (Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.) The event will take place August 22 through 24. For more information, contact Melisa Jacobsen at (309) 737-9016 or (coordinator@lowerwapsicleanup.org), or visit (http://www.lowerwapsicleanup.org).
River Action has partnered with area organizations to install a bioswale at the Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island that captures runoff from the two main parking lots near the lodge. In June, Gerould Wilhelm of Conservation Design Forum assessed Black Hawk Natural Historic Site and found that the area has a high quality of native plant diversity. The bioswale should increase this diversity.
On June 1, MidAmerican Energy Company began extending its energy-efficiency programs to its Illinois customers. The programs are available to residential and nonresidential customers in Illinois where MidAmerican delivers electricity or natural gas. For detailed information on the rebates and incentives available for furnaces, insulation, windows, etc., call (800) 894-9599 or visit (http://www.midamericanenergy.com/html/energy1_1.asp).
West Family YMCA will be holding a community-wide Back-to-School Garage Sale August 7 through 9. Staff will be accepting gently used items such as clothing, furniture, and household appliances, along with new school supplies, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the week of July 28. Items that are being dropped off must be clean and in good condition. Proceeds from this sale will benefit the dozens of children who utilize the youth-leadership-development programs at the YMCA. The West Family YMCA Back-to-School Garage Sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Thursday, August 7, through Saturday, August 9, in the gymnasium at 3503 West Locust Street in Davenport. For more information, call (563) 386-4414.
