While the Riverssance Festival of Fine Art has something for just about everybody - food, music, wine, and other entertainment - the artwork should take precedence. And although there are many worthy local artists on the roster of 105 showing at this year's event, the Reader is giving some attention to artists less familiar to a Quad Cities audience.
Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Kraig Kenning has been a professional musician for going on 15 years, but it wasn't until his sixth CD - titled Mactub and released last year - that he was happy with what he put out.
• The Bettendorf City Council has unanimously approved establishing a stormwater utility to pay for a federally mandated stormwater- discharge permit. The federal government now requires municipalities to regulate the amount of pollution discharged in stormwater and monitor and inspect facilities that release stormwater.
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles being filed from Iraq by River Cities' Reader political columnist and Chicago-based journalist Rich Miller. Last week's story can be found at (http://www.
• The Habitat ReStore is now presenting an improved image to the community, thanks to the work of two young Quad Cities artists. Earlier this summer, Nancy Foster, a ReStore director, approached students employed in the Quad City Arts Metro Arts program.
Editor's note: River Cities' Reader political columnist and Chicago-based journalist Rich Miller is spending a month in Iraq. This is the first in a series of articles he's filing presenting an alternative viewpoint on the postwar effort there.
• The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has announced a scholarship program for students who have lost a parent to breast cancer. The program will award five scholarships of up to $10,000 annually for up to four years toward the completion of a baccalaureate degree.
• The State of Iowa has announced that the Bettendorf Public Library Information Center has met the conditions for state accreditation. The library will receive an official certificate of accreditation that is valid until June 2006.
Rock Island's $4.4-million Whitewater Junction debuted on May 17 with a week of special events, and then it opened to the public. Bad weather resulted in those first two weeks being "lackluster at best" in terms of attendance, said Bill Nelson, executive director of the Rock Island Park & Recreation Board.
Now in their fifth year, the Celtic Highland Games of the Quad Cities continue to expand. While the authentic Scottish athletic competition - seven events, one of them involving throwing a 12-foot-long, 100-pound pole - was the novel appeal of the event when it got started, the festival is fast becoming a celebration of all things Celtic.

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