The story of Thomas Chouteau is also partly the story of Father Edward Catich. The man who was the face of the St. Ambrose art department for four decades until his death 25 years ago was also Chouteau's instructor, and drew him into teaching at the Catholic school.
Jack Wilhoit Working for the Department of the Army, Jack Wilhoit of Davenport travels from country to country as part of his job. Through his traveling, he also pursues his interest of photography, and it's doors that often draw his lens, earning him the nickname "The Door Guy.
If public television and a beer-tasting event featuring craft- and micro-brewed beverages wouldn't normally seem like a good match, you'll understand the thinking behind WQPT's Brew Ha Ha, celebrating its fifth year on Saturday in Davenport's LeClaire Park.
When Blackhawk State Bank had its most recent examination for the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) last year, it took hundreds of staff hours: several people assisting the inspector three to four hours a day for nine weeks, plus a handful of people preparing reports before the actual evaluation.
Singer-songwriter Chris Smither has been around long enough that not much surprises him. His latest album, though, came together in a way he didn't expect. But his producer knew what he was doing, and that's the way the Smither prefers it.

The Agendas

While the visits to Davenport last week of President George W. Bush and chief political rival John Kerry were campaign events, their simultaneous appearances provided a good opportunity to compare the two candidates' proposals.

Bushed in Iowa

One thing is certain about the Republicans: When it comes to campaigning, they run a tight ship. I have never seen so many people moved in and out of a public forum so efficiently as I did last Wednesday when President Bush held a rally in LeClaire Park.
In the eyes of Jim Bowman, Moline's downtown is full of "sales waiting to happen." With the Mark of the Quad Cities and various John Deere-related tourist destinations, the city's downtown should be thriving.
Nobody expected it to happen this soon, but the Iowa Values Fund is up for its first performance evaluation, and the results are mixed. The program - which was supposed to attract high-paying positions in natural areas of growth for Iowa such as agriculture - has brought new jobs, but not nearly as many as promised.
As Rock Island and Davenport both undertake the issue of rental-property inspections, it will be worth following to see how similar - and different - their programs end up being. The issue is important because rental inspections are a major way a city can help maintain and even improve its housing stock.

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