• MidAmerican Energy and the Davenport Community School District have teamed up to reduce the district's energy costs by 24 percent the last two years. The energy savings are the result of a revitalization of the school district's energy-efficiency programs, behavior modification, and equipment upgrades. MidAmerican Energy Company and its energy consultants provided a guide for energy-efficient equipment for the district to consider and offered a total savings of nearly $200,000 with equipment rebates through its EnergyAdvantage programs. The Davenport school district distributed posters, energy-efficiency tips, and Energy Efficiency World booklets supplied by MidAmerican to encourage students and staff to do their part. During the last two years, the district has saved $593,719 on its energy costs. The district also boasts a median cost of energy per student of $88.46, compared to the national median cost of $181.53. In addition to turning off the lights in unused rooms, students and staff have reduced or discontinued the classroom use of coffee pots, refrigerators, electric space heaters, and fans when they are not necessary for the curriculum. To provide incentives for schools in the district to reduce energy use by changing habits and behaviors, Davenport Community Schools awarded 10 computers per year for the last two years to schools with the greatest energy savings.
• The Quad Cities will play host to the 18th National Trails Symposium from October 19 to 22 at the RiverCenter in downtown Davenport. The four-day event - sponsored by American Trails, Deere & Company, and the Riverboat Development Authority - includes 64 educational sessions that will inform attendees on how to design trails and advocate for them. Other events include mobile workshops such as biking along the Mississippi River Trail in Iowa and Illinois; canoing along the Mississippi River; and hiking through the Maquoketa caves. The Quad Cities are the junction of two of the largest trails in the United States: the American Discovery Trail (which runs from Maryland to California) and the Mississippi River Trails (which run from Minnesota and Louisiana). A registration booklet and online registration will be available in June. For more information about the event, go to (http://www.americantrails.org) or call (530)547-2060. - Jesse Virgil
• The holding companies for THE National Bank and Metrobank on March 20 announced a merger of the Quad Cities institutions. National Bancshares Inc., the holding company of THE National Bank, will purchase all outstanding common stock of Metrocorp Inc. the holding company of Metrobank, for $79 million ($67 per share). "The combination of THE National Bank and Metrobank will create the largest community-owned and -operated bank in the Quad Cities area," said John DeDoncker, president and CEO of THE National Bank, in a press release. Combined, the two banks have more than $1 billion in assets and operate 30 branches. The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2006.
• The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County, operator of the Quad City International Airport, announced at its monthly board meeting that a record February was achieved. Last month, 33,480 passengers were enplaned, which exceeds the previous record of February 2004 by 1,478 passengers.
• Genesis Health System is now providing wireless Internet access for patients, families, physicians, and visitors at all four hospital campuses. Genesis is offering wireless Web access throughout the Genesis Medical Center campuses in Davenport, DeWitt, and Silvis. Anyone with a laptop computer with a wireless card is able to access the Genesis wireless network and log on to the Internet without plugging into a phone jack or cable line. There will be no charge for the service.
• The Coca-Cola Company and Live It! representatives awarded a $5,000 first-place prize to Bettendorf Middle School through a health and fitness initiative designed to help students build healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity as part of their daily lives. Schools nationwide participating in the Live It! program submitted entries describing how they implemented the program and the degree of participation. The schools that demonstrated the most integrated, creative, and comprehensive implementation were awarded contest prizes. Out of the more than 120 national contest entries, Bettendorf Middle School received the grand prize of $5,000 to be used for promoting healthy and active lifestyles. For more information on Live It!, visit (http://www.liveitprogram.com).
• Applications are due May 1 for the 2006 granting cycle of the Doris & Victor Day Foundation. The foundation awards grants to not-for-profit organizations for programs in support of disadvantaged and disempowered citizens. Since 1987, the foundation has awarded more than $11 million in grants. A total of $800,000 will be awarded in the current cycle. The majority of grants range between $2,000 and $10,000. A list of 2005 grants is posted on the foundation's Web site. Grant applications are available at the Rock Island, Davenport, Moline, and Bettendorf libraries, at (http://dayfoundation.org), or by calling (309)788-2300.
• Staff from the Family Museum of Arts & Science in Bettendorf is now available to make presentations to clubs, organizations, and other groups. There is no charge for this service. The Family Museum can provide professional presentations on experiential learning, science education, art education, exhibit design, and more that can be tailored to the special interests of service clubs and other groups. A speaker may be scheduled by contacting Amber Mussman at (563)344-4169 or (amussman@bettendorf.org).
Anyone who shows their library card at the Mark box office can purchase discounted Mallards tickets for the April 2 and April 9 home games. During the games, a few library cardholders will be chosen to compete in special on-ice promotions, and can win a chance to ride on the Zamboni. For more information, contact a local library or call (563)888-3371.
• The Quad Cities will play host to the 18th National Trails Symposium from October 19 to 22 at the RiverCenter in downtown Davenport. The four-day event - sponsored by American Trails, Deere & Company, and the Riverboat Development Authority - includes 64 educational sessions that will inform attendees on how to design trails and advocate for them. Other events include mobile workshops such as biking along the Mississippi River Trail in Iowa and Illinois; canoing along the Mississippi River; and hiking through the Maquoketa caves. The Quad Cities are the junction of two of the largest trails in the United States: the American Discovery Trail (which runs from Maryland to California) and the Mississippi River Trails (which run from Minnesota and Louisiana). A registration booklet and online registration will be available in June. For more information about the event, go to (http://www.americantrails.org) or call (530)547-2060. - Jesse Virgil
• The holding companies for THE National Bank and Metrobank on March 20 announced a merger of the Quad Cities institutions. National Bancshares Inc., the holding company of THE National Bank, will purchase all outstanding common stock of Metrocorp Inc. the holding company of Metrobank, for $79 million ($67 per share). "The combination of THE National Bank and Metrobank will create the largest community-owned and -operated bank in the Quad Cities area," said John DeDoncker, president and CEO of THE National Bank, in a press release. Combined, the two banks have more than $1 billion in assets and operate 30 branches. The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2006.
• The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County, operator of the Quad City International Airport, announced at its monthly board meeting that a record February was achieved. Last month, 33,480 passengers were enplaned, which exceeds the previous record of February 2004 by 1,478 passengers.
• Genesis Health System is now providing wireless Internet access for patients, families, physicians, and visitors at all four hospital campuses. Genesis is offering wireless Web access throughout the Genesis Medical Center campuses in Davenport, DeWitt, and Silvis. Anyone with a laptop computer with a wireless card is able to access the Genesis wireless network and log on to the Internet without plugging into a phone jack or cable line. There will be no charge for the service.
• The Coca-Cola Company and Live It! representatives awarded a $5,000 first-place prize to Bettendorf Middle School through a health and fitness initiative designed to help students build healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity as part of their daily lives. Schools nationwide participating in the Live It! program submitted entries describing how they implemented the program and the degree of participation. The schools that demonstrated the most integrated, creative, and comprehensive implementation were awarded contest prizes. Out of the more than 120 national contest entries, Bettendorf Middle School received the grand prize of $5,000 to be used for promoting healthy and active lifestyles. For more information on Live It!, visit (http://www.liveitprogram.com).
• Applications are due May 1 for the 2006 granting cycle of the Doris & Victor Day Foundation. The foundation awards grants to not-for-profit organizations for programs in support of disadvantaged and disempowered citizens. Since 1987, the foundation has awarded more than $11 million in grants. A total of $800,000 will be awarded in the current cycle. The majority of grants range between $2,000 and $10,000. A list of 2005 grants is posted on the foundation's Web site. Grant applications are available at the Rock Island, Davenport, Moline, and Bettendorf libraries, at (http://dayfoundation.org), or by calling (309)788-2300.
• Staff from the Family Museum of Arts & Science in Bettendorf is now available to make presentations to clubs, organizations, and other groups. There is no charge for this service. The Family Museum can provide professional presentations on experiential learning, science education, art education, exhibit design, and more that can be tailored to the special interests of service clubs and other groups. A speaker may be scheduled by contacting Amber Mussman at (563)344-4169 or (amussman@bettendorf.org).
Anyone who shows their library card at the Mark box office can purchase discounted Mallards tickets for the April 2 and April 9 home games. During the games, a few library cardholders will be chosen to compete in special on-ice promotions, and can win a chance to ride on the Zamboni. For more information, contact a local library or call (563)888-3371.
