I want to thank all those who have called, written, and e-mailed me to express your thoughts, support, and encouragement of our efforts to inform the public about the 11-story hotel/convention facility/parking ramp the Rhythm City Casino wants to erect on downtown Davenport's precious riverfront.
It is expected that Hargreaves Associates' "RiverVision Final Report 2004," which is a collaborative plan for the Mississippi riverfronts of Rock Island and Davenport, will be considered for approval by Rock Island's city council on August 9, and Davenport's council on August 18.
Every year, weather permitting, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival is held in downtown Davenport's LeClaire Park. The setting is one-of-a-kind, a picturesque complement to our notable location - the only place where the Mississippi River runs east and west.
From the beginning, I have been a strong supporter of gambling in Iowa. I believe that the financial structure of gaming licenses, which provides for a percentage of revenues to be set aside for community reinvestment, came when Iowa needed it most.
Who knew that on any given Thursday evening, you could pack a bag at 6 p.m., board a plane around 10 p.m., and be in Las Vegas by midnight, all in plenty of time to enjoy the flash and sizzle that defines the Las Vegas Strip? Last week, members of the Quad City International Airport (QCIA) staff, associates, and other Quad Citians making the most of $89 one-way fares celebrated AirTran's inaugural nonstop flight direct from Moline to Las Vegas, fondly deemed the "Red Eye for the Fun Guy.
Increasing Davenport city-council terms from two years to four years has some merit in terms of stability, especially when it normally takes at least that long to implement substantial capital-improvement projects.
Many Quad Citians are familiar with Bettendorf High School superstar coach Merv Habenicht and his better half Evelyn. One might think Merv gets his superstar status because of the five state championships claimed by Bettendorf's football team under his leadership, or the 10 regional conference victories during his watch, or the 15 times Bettendorf advanced to the playoffs, or his induction to the Iowa High School Hall of Fame.
The Reader recently enjoyed the privilege of interviewing the chairperson of the Federal Election Commission, Bradley Smith, who spoke at Augustana College's commencement last week. (See feature story, page 7.
It is no secret that I am a big fan of Dan Carmody. And with good reason. His leadership as president of the Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation (RIEGC) and its sister organization, the Development Association of Rock Island (DARI), over the past decade has resurrected Rock Island's downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, placing Rock Island on top for successful, innovative community revitalization, which includes the historic residential Broadway District just south of the renowned downtown entertainment District.
Kudos to Davenport City Administrator Craig Malin for his eloquent and creative response (Issue 474, April 28-May 4, 2004) to my editorial regarding the newly renovated John O'Donnell Stadium (Issue 473, April 21-27, 2004).

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