Illinois Governor Rob Blagojevich recently announced $1.5 million in bicycle-path grants for communities in northern Illinois. The City of Rock Island received $200,000 to construct 1.2 miles of trail starting at Ben Williamson Park and ending at 31st Avenue.
Trinity Pathway Hospice will host a "candlelight service of remembrance" at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27, for community members to gather for reflection and remembrance of loved ones and friends who have passed away. Trinity Pathway Hospice Chaplain Doug Schoonover will lead the service at First Evangelical Free Church, 3321 Seventh Street in Moline. For more information, contact Schoonover at (563) 742-4707 or Bereavement Coordinator Cindy Pile at (563) 742-4708.
U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its joint conference committee with the House, has announced that the latter entity has approved $268,000 to expand affordable housing in Davenport. The funding will be included in the conference report of the 2008 Transportation, Housing, & Urban Development appropriations; the funding now needs final approval from the U.S. House and the Senate before making its way to the president, who has threatened to block the bill. Specifically, the report includes $268,000 to help the Scott County Affordable Housing Grant Pool & Revolving Loan Fund.
Western Illinois University and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will sign a memorandum of understanding targeted at environmental sustainability on Monday, December 10, at 1:30 p.m. at the WIU Quad Cities 60th Street campus in Moline. The signing ceremony is open to the public. For more information, contact Justine Barat at (309) 794-5204 or (Justine.A.Barati@usace.army.mil) or Darcie Shinberger at (309) 298-1993 or (DR-Shinberger@wiu.edu).
Recently, more than $14 million in Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) were awarded to 174 fire departments. This was the 14th round of Fiscal Year 2007 grants awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The goal of the AFG program is to meet the firefighting and emergency-response needs of fire departments and unaffiliated emergency-medical-services organizations. Locally, the Port Byron Fire Department received $24,548 for operations and safety.
The 2007 Student Food Drive announced the results of the 22nd-annual drive at its awards party. Students from 24 area high schools collected 837,541 pounds of food. This year's total amount of food is valued at $1,675,082. Since 1986, the Student Food Drive has collected more than 11 million pounds of food valued at $22,926,302. The food is distributed by the River Bend Foodbank to 120 pantries and shelters located in Scott, Clinton, Rock Island, and Henry counties.
The City of Bettendorf and Scott County hosted a Texas Hold 'Em Tournament on Friday, November 9, at the Bettendorf Holiday Inn. The event, with 234 players, raised more than $18,000 for United Way of the Quad Cities Area.
Churches United has announced the receipt of a $5,000 grant from the St. Vincent Home Corporation and a $3,000 grant from the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in support of its hunger ministry. The hunger ministry includes 24 food pantries that provide emergency food and three meal sites that provide prepared meals, both at no cost. Churches United has more than 300 volunteers and 90 faith groups volunteering with these ministries.
Iowa Public Radio and New Hampshire Public Radio have joined forces for a series of one-hour call-in specials called The Iowa/New Hampshire Exchange. Listeners from both states will be able to interact with guests in Iowa and New Hampshire on topics including the economy, social issues, and the environment. Upcoming programs will air at 1 p.m. Central on November 28 and December 12. Guests include Dean Spiliotes, a New Hampshire-based political analyst, and Dante Scala, author and associate professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Listeners can phone in during the program by calling (800) 892-6477.
The first episode of The Community Voice focuses on Art "Superman" Pennington, an 84-year-old Iowan who reflects about playing Negro League baseball in the 1940s and '50s. Community Producer Nathan Leach explores the role that African Americans played in baseball in Iowa. To watch the show, visit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9U9mpdnHEs).
