Area residents can safely dispose of old medications, exchange mercury thermometers for a digital, pick up and drop off sharps containers, and have data-sensitive documents shredded free of charge during Operation Medicine Cabinet from September 18 through 20. Operation Medicine Cabinet will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations: Thursday, September 18, Medic EMS Facility, LeClaire Road and Highway 61, Eldridge; Friday, September 19, Bettendorf Fire Station, Middle Road and Crow Creek Road, Bettendorf; Saturday, September 20, Scott Area Recycling Center, 5640 Carey Avenue, Davenport. Residents can call the Waste Commission of Scott County at (563) 381-1300 or visit WasteCom.com for additional information. Last year's event yielded 11,780 pounds of material, which included approximately 1,245 pounds of pharmaceuticals, 660 pounds of sharps, 39 pounds of mercury thermometers, and 9,836 pounds of documents for shredding.
The Rock Island Fire Department urges parents and caregivers to make sure their child-safety seats are properly installed in their vehicles at the second annual "National Seat Check Saturday" on Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Central Fire Station, 1313 Fifth Avenue. As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, certified technicians will be available to provide free child-safety-seat inspections.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley is currently accepting applications for adult volunteers to mentor children through its school-based mentoring program. Volunteers are "matched" with elementary- or middle-school-aged children referred to the agency by teachers and counselors. The mentor and child meet two to four times a month, during the child's lunch. The organization's goal is to mentor 525 children over the coming year. For more information, call Big Brothers Big Sisters at (563) 323-8006 or visit BBBS-MV.org.
Augustana College will have seven-day access to all MetroLINK bus routes. This is an expansion of a District route started early this year that drew more than 5,000 riders over three months. The Augustana College community can catch as many as five different routes around campus throughout the day and night by showing an Augustana ID. For additional information about services, including text messages on arrival times or trip planners, visit QCMetroLINK.com.
Mayors around the Quad Cities are proclaiming September 20 to 27 as DollarWise Week, and to kick off the local focus on financial education, they are participating in the third-annual QC DollarWise Mayor's Financial Literacy Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 18, at Johnny's Metro Banquet Room in Moline. The breakfast event brings together members of the QC DollarWise community coalition, other educators, community-service agencies, financial services, and social action groups who want to help create a more financially healthy Quad Cities. To attend the breakfast, e-mail dollarwisecoordinator@earthlink.net.
The first installment of Scott County property taxes is due Tuesday, September 30. Property-tax information may be obtained online at IowaTreasurers.org or by calling (563) 326-8670.
The Scott County Sheriff's Department has received $121,975 from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Secure Our Schools Grant Program. The money will cover 50 percent of the cost of installing metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other equipment that can help deter crime. The grants can also be used to cover 50 percent of the cost of security assessments and training.
The Quad Cites Greyhound Adoption reunion will be held rain or shine on Saturday, September 20, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Maysville Community Center. All fun-loving, well-behaved greyhounds and their humans are invited. There will be food, raffles, vendors, greyhound games, and more. For more information, vist QCGreyhoundAdoption.com/reunion08.html.
The Youth Services Department of the Davenport Public Library has announced the Teen Tech Lab. Teens are invited to the Fairmount Street Library (3000 North Fairmount Street) at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month through May to learn about new technologies. For more information, contact Christie at (563) 326-7893 or visit http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/teens.
The City of Rock Island's Commercial/Industrial Revolving Loan Fund turns 25 years old in 2008. To date, 225 loans have been made totaling more than $10.2 million. The loans have assisted with project developments of nearly $80 million. Approximately 2,200 jobs have been created as a result of the program, and 1,581 jobs have been retained. This revolving loan fund started with $348,000 in 1983.
