Volunteers at the fifth-annual Xstream Cleanup on Saturday, August 16, removed 142,566 pounds of debris from area waterways, illegal dumping sites, and flood-ridden areas. Cleanups were held at 39 locations in Bettendorf, Davenport, and LeClaire, Iowa, and Colona, East Moline, Milan, Moline, Rock Island, and Silvis, Illinois. More than 1,300 volunteers worked nearly 4,200 hours and collectively gathered 2,187 bags of trash, 2,416 tires, 36 appliances, and 54 bicycles. This represented 75,180 pounds of trash, 63,444 pounds of tires, 2,700 pounds of appliances, and 1,242 pounds of bicycles. Full statistics, a list of items removed, and photos of cleanups can be viewed at XstreamCleanup.org.
On August 26, Michael D. Elliott filed the necessary affidavit to run for Scott County auditor. Elliott is a small-business owner in west Davenport. He will be running against Republican Steve Ahrens and Democrat Roxanna Moritz.
U. S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has announced that Community Health Care, Inc. has received $150,000 to increase access to health services in Davenport. Harkin is the chairperson of the Senate Appropriations Panel that funds community health centers and included these dollars in the Fiscal Year 2008 comprehensive funding package.
The sleep centers at both Trinity at Terrace Park in Bettendorf and Trinity 7th Street in Moline recently received program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. To receive a five-year accreditation, a sleep center must meet or exceed all standards for professional health care as designated by the organization.
The community is invited to hear Professor Warren Blumenfeld of Iowa State University speak on "How to Create a Bully Free Community" at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 8, in the Davenport North High School Auditorium. A community-agency fair begins at 6 p.m.
The St. Ambrose University Web site is being re-designed, and visitors can follow the progress at the blog found at SAU.edu/redesign. A complete overhaul of the site's top levels is scheduled to go online in January.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a grant of $500,000 to the Iowa Department of Transportation. The funding will be used to promote the Rural Safety Innovation Program by upgrading software to a Web-based system, heightening awareness and interest in rural safety issues, and promoting the benefits of rural-safety countermeasures, which can reduce rural crashes and fatalities nationwide.
Illinois residents planning to start a small business can get help with Project NOW's Small Business Training Workshop. The workshop will cover writing a business plan, bookkeeping, and taxes. Classes run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on 10 consecutive Mondays starting on September 8 at the Rock Island Public Library, 401 19th Street. Class sizes are limited. To register, call Kris Downey at (309) 793-6391, or stop in to the Project NOW Outreach office at 418 19th Street in Rock Island and bring proof of income for 90 days, Social Security cards for all members of the household, and a photo ID.
It's possible to learn Spanish in the three days in the upcoming "Fluency Fast" course being offered through Eastern Iowa Community College's Continuing Education Department. The course will be held September 10 through 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is designed for the business and not-for-profit community. Courses will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1107 Tanglefoot Lane in Bettendorf. The cost of the course is $149 and includes materials and lunch for each of the three days. The course number is 55346. To register or for more information, call the Eastern Iowa Community College Registration Center at (563) 441-4100.
To observe the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Moline Public Library will host a viewing and discussion series on When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, the Spike Lee documentary chronicling the devastation of New Orleans. The programs will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the library's Bronze Meeting Room on September 9 (Act 1), September 16 (Act 2), September 23 (Act 3), and September 30 (Act 4). Registration is required; to sign up, call (309) 736-5737. More information about the film can be found at TeachingTheLevees.com.
