The Rock Island Healthy Homes Program has received a $1.8-million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to assist in the risk-free removal of lead-based paint from homes in the Illinois Quad Cities. That money is enhanced by more than $2 million in additional leverage and matching funds. Households with lead-poisoned children will be referred to the program by the Rock Island County Health Department. People enrolled in a housing program operated by the City of Rock Island, the City of Moline, Project NOW. or the Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation will automatically be considered for this program if eligibility criteria are met. People not currently enrolled in a housing-rehabilitation program may contact the City of Rock Island lead-program manager for more information at (309) 732-2900.
In a project facilitated by the Figge Art Museum, students from three Davenport schools will help develop designs for a new Davenport riverfront space. Students in art clubs at Central High School, J.B. Young Intermediate School, and Lincoln Academy of Integrated Arts will work with student-project coordinators Sheila Mesick, Diane Franken, and Clint Balsar to develop designs. The coordinators will facilitate a design workshop for the students on Saturday, March 31, at the Figge Art Museum. No design consultants will be used to develop the conceptual plans for the expansion of LeClaire Park.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is seeking nominations for its annual History Teacher of the Year Awards. The History Teacher of the Year Award is designed to promote and celebrate the teaching of American history in classrooms across the United States. It honors one exceptional teacher of American history from each state and U.S. territory. The state winner will receive a $1,000 honorarium and will be in the running for the National History Teacher of the Year award to be selected this fall. His or her school library will receive a core archive of history books and materials. The deadline for nominations is April 15. For more information, visit (http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/student8.html).
The Organic Endurathon, a one-man, 260-mile run across Iowa, goes live this Earth Day. Steve Shriver, founder of Cedar Rapids-based Eco Lips Organic Lip Balm, conceived the idea to raise awareness of the importance of organic and sustainable living. Shriver will run 10 marathons in 10 days totaling 260 miles over Earth Day week (April 12 through 22) starting in Ames and ending in Iowa City. Shriver and his support crew of cyclists will be clothed in organic and recycled performance wear and will eat only organic foods and beverages along the way. For more information, visit (http://www.organicendurathon.com).
Project NOW Head Start is accepting applications for the 2007-8 school year. Applications may be submitted from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Project NOW Head Start office in East Moline. Interested parents are asked to call (309) 792-4555 to schedule an appointment. Project NOW serves 360 Head Start children in Henry County, Mercer County, and parts of Rock Island County.
Iowans with disabilities will contact statewide decision-makers at Advocating Change Day 2007 at the Iowa Capitol on Wednesday, April 4. As part of this year's event, people with disabilities from all over the state will meet at the Capitol complex to develop advocacy skills, rally, and communicate directly with legislators. Governor Chet Culver will serve as the keynote speaker for the event. Advocating Change Day is a free event, and all Iowans with disabilities, family members, and advocates are encouraged to attend. Participants must pre-register and can do so online at (http://www.sos.state.ia.us) or by calling (866) 432-2846. To obtain a paper copy of the registration form, contact Brad Burnquist at (515) 281-8993.
Trinity has been honored as one of the nation's top 100 hospitals. This honor, the first of its kind in the Quad Cities region, is based on Trinity achieving excellence in clinical outcomes, patient safety, financial performance, efficiency, and growth in the number of patients Trinity serves. The "2006 Solucient 100 Top Hospitals: National Benchmarks for Success" study appears in the March 12 edition of Modern Healthcare magazine. The top 100 hospitals are selected from among all hospitals in the nation. In Iowa, just one other hospital received the award, while in Illinois, eight were honored. Trinity is one of only three Illinois hospitals outside of the Chicago area to be recognized.
The Iowa Department of Transportation is receiving more than $50,000 for the Job Access & Reverse Commute (JARC) program. JARC funds are used to provide expanded transit routes or service hours to help people get to and from work. Specifically, these funds will provide operating assistance for River Bend Transit. River Bend Transit serves Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine, and Scott counties, as well as the Illinois Quad Cities area.
Programs and projects for the enhancement of the City of Rock Island are eligible to apply for grants from the Rauch Family Foundation. Applications are now available for the 2007 cycle and are due by May 1. Applications are available at the Rock Island Public Library or by calling the Rauch Family Foundation office at (309) 788-2300.
U.S. Senators Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley of Iowa have introduced legislation to name the Des Moines Federal Building as the "Neal Smith Federal Building" and the Davenport Federal Building as the "James A. Leach Federal Building." The legislation has been introduced as two separate bills, but the senators expect them to be considered in tandem. The bills will be referred to the Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee.
