The Quad Cities Mississippi River Project Office's new administration building was recently opened in Pleasant Valley, Iowa, near Lock and Dam 14. It is the largest project office in the Rock Island District and the largest U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presence in Iowa. The roughly $2-million facility will serve as the planning and operations center for 314 miles of the Mississippi River from Cassville, Wisconsin, to south of Hannibal, Missouri. It will be responsible for managing roughly 300 federal employees and more than 96,000 acres of federal land, including 55,000 acres of natural floodplain forest, 12 lock-and-dam sites, and 26 recreation sites.
Mayoral and aldermanic candidates from East Moline, Moline, Rock Island, and Silvis responded to the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Municipality Candidate Questionnaire. These responses are currently available on the Chamber's Web site, QuadCityChamber.com. The general election is April 7.
Many older Americans depend on television for critical news and safety information, and may face significant challenges when television signals become exclusively digital. In conjunction with an ongoing education campaign, AARP has established a toll-free phone number consumers can call. Individuals can call (877)698-8068 to speak with a trained operator who can answer their digital-television questions. For more information about AARP and the digital-TV transition, visit AARP.org/dtv.
The Figge Art Museum is organizing a motor-coach trip to the Field Museum in Chicago on Saturday, March 28, to visit the special exhibition The Aztec World. The Field Museum has assembled nearly 300 artifacts from museums across Mexico and the United States. The trip fee is $75 for Figge members and $85 for nonmembers, and covers transportation and a ticket to The Aztec World. The registration deadline is February 28. To register, contact Heather Aaronson at (563)326-7804 extension 2045.
The Quad City Wind Ensemble will hold the second concert of its 2008-9 season on March 15, joined by guest soloist Ronald Romm as it presents music on the theme "Dance With Me." The concert will be held in the Moline High School Auditorium and will start at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors, and student admission is free. For more information about the Quad City Wind Ensemble and upcoming concerts, visit FreeWebs.com/quad-city-wind-ensemble.
Every Wednesday, job-seekers can take advantage of Scott Community College's Career Resource Services. The services include both workshops from 1 to 1:30 p.m. and access to its resource computer lab from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The informal workshops will cover such topics as choosing a career, writing a résumé, and interviewing. The sessions will be held in Room 1109 at Scott Community College, 500 Belmont Road in Bettendorf. For more information call (563)441-4020.
Trinity Regional Health System's pastoral care department will offer a "Befriender" training course on Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. March 3 through May 5. Befrienders provide a listening ministry especially attuned to spiritual concerns. They also give patients information on spiritual-care services, check church affiliation information, and make referrals to chaplains. The 30 hours of training are offered free of charge in exchange for one year of service to the hospital or Hospice. For more information or to arrange an interview, call Chaplain Lynn Batcher at (309)779-2991 or the pastoral-care office at (309)779-2989.
The Muscatine Fire Department received $178,920 from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. The program helps Iowa communities purchase firefighting equipment, improve facilities, and implement health and wellness programs.
Rivermont Collegiate has announced the opening of a Junior Kindergarten program for the 2009-10 school year. After a curriculum analysis over the past two years, Rivermont is re-naming its pre-kindergarten program Junior Kindergarten to more accurately reflect its scope and mission. Junior Kindergarten is an academically focused program designed specifically for four year olds, and is a vital link between preschool and the start of a child's formal education in kindergarten while fulfilling the academic, social, and emotional needs of each child. For additional information, contact Cindy Murray at (563)359-1366 extension 302 or murray@rvmt.org.
Piano Celebration, hosted by Piano for a Richer Life, is looking for piano players of all levels to perform. Last year more than 400 local celebrities, student pianists, and piano enthusiasts of all ages performed at NorthPark Mall in Davenport with a dual purpose: to raise funds to support Ronald McDonald House and get the message out that piano study equals brain development. Iowa City Ronald McDonald House serves the families of thousands of children suffering from critical conditions. The event will take place on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 19, from noon to 5pm at NorthPark Mall. Contact Lynn Kroeger at (563)285-8421 to schedule a performance time or to give a financial contribution.
