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.
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition and its local members are working with a number of groups to sponsor a town-hall meeting on an economic-recovery plan. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 10, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Scott County Administration Center (600 West Fourth Street in downtown Davenport). Local leaders will summarize and make recommendations on the mortgage and credit crises, neighborhood and youth issues, and employment and training options. Local elected officials will be available to listen and respond following the brief presentations.
The Trinity Center for Advanced Surgery is inviting the public to a free hands-on demonstration of its new Da Vinci Surgical System robot from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, December 12, at Trinity's West Campus, 2701 17thStreet in Rock Island. Located in the Jardine Auditorium, the open house will give attendees a firsthand look at how the robot works. The new system allows doctors to use a special console with hand and foot controls to manipulate tiny robotic arms and a 3D camera eye to perform intricate procedures that are beyond the current limitation of human performance. For more information about robot-assisted surgery, visit TrinityAdvancedSurgery.com.
The German American Heritage Center is hosting its annual Christmas Zither & Bell Choir Concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 14, at the Scott County Family Y, 606 West Second Street in Davenport. The event will feature the German American Heritage Center Zither Ensemble, along with the Milan First Presbyterian Church bell choir. Admission is free for members of the German American Heritage Center and $5 for nonmembers.
Casting is now underway for the Iowa-based, non-union feature The Offering, which will shoot primarily in the Iowa City area beginning in January. For information on how to audition, visit PMSCasting.com/casting-offering.html.
The North Family YMCA is hosting "A Very Merry Zumba Event" on Tuesday, December 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 624 West 53rd Street in Davenport. Admission is one new toy to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign. Zumba uses fun Latin dance moves and music to get you moving and ultimately working out without even realizing it. For more information, call (563) 391-7771.
A total of $662,370 has been awarded to Iowa organizations to support counseling and other assistance to homeowners in danger of losing their houses. These funds were made available from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development's Neighborworks Program. Recipients provide free assistance, helping clients to understand the complex foreclosure process and identifying possible courses of action so they can make informed decisions and take action.
The cardiopulmonary department at Genesis Medical Center's Illini Campus will be offering free pulmonary-function screenings to promote respiratory-disease awareness on Thursday, December 11. The screenings will be available from 9 a.m. to noon in the Illini Campus lobby. The screening requires only a deep breath into a device that measures the effectiveness of respiration. Pulmonary-function screenings can provide an indication of respiratory health and the risk of asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Information will also be available about respiratory disease and smoking cessation.
The Davenport Fire Department received $272,000 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for Vehicle Acquisition. For more information, look at FireGrantSupport.com/AFG.
Bettendorf volunteer Tom Mooney and Davenport volunteer Ray O'Neal were among the 10 statewide 2008 Andrus Award nominees to be recognized by AARP Iowa. The Andrus Award is the highest honor AARP gives annually to recognize community-service excellence.
