"Do we build attractions to lure tourists or create opportunities for the community's own enrichment?"

That's the question asked by one of the workshops for the recently announced Upper Mississippi River Conference to be held August 21 through 23 at the i wireless Center.

The answer is "both," and this may be the summer Quad Citians can do both - being a tourist by enjoying all our great attractions and by developing a deeper appreciation for our quality of life.

As it moves toward the biggest reinvention of the city since the creation of The District in 1992, Rock Island is also working to make itself Artist Central in the Quad Cities.

When Governor Chet Culver in his January 15 "Condition of the State" address proposed reworking Iowa's container-deposit law - popularly known as the "Bottle Bill" - his core idea was strong.

To the backers of the Davenport Promise initiative, the developer of the model on which it is based has some words of caution:

The Promise is not a sure thing. It's not a silver bullet. And it needs to be part of a larger community-improvement push.