I had another interesting experience thanks to Deb Buttleman-Malcolm, the energetic, creative journalism teacher at Davenport Central High School. Over the years, Deb has partnered with the Reader on behalf of her students in an effort to expose them to real-world journalism issues, perspectives, and practices.
Mother's Day will prove difficult for my family this year due to the loss of my sister Gretchen in March. Reflecting on my parents' terrible ordeal, I have tended to focus on my father, whose relationship with my sister was an extraordinary one; therefore his loss has seemed paramount.
The political landscape is heating up with controversy over the war with Iraq, all in the name of freedom of speech and the First Amendment. It would be highly amusing if it weren't such a critical issue both in terms of our national esteem and the potential dangerous long-term consequences.
"Gretchen was a true individual who has the ability to relate to anyone in so many ways. Her honesty arose from the look in her eyes, humbleness from recognizing her own imperfections, and the love for life as she laughed from her innermost soul.
The Quad Cities experienced a devastating loss last week when prominent attorney and civic leader Bob Waterman unexpectedly passed away. Bob and his wife Kitty were neighbors for most of my life, and a good portion of my grandmother's.

When the loss of someone dear occurs, I can’t help but stop and reflect on how the measure of our lives is mostly defined by those unique and special humans that we love and are loved by. I find that the greatest blessings God bestows are the significant relationships that we enjoy throughout our lives.

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The notion that Davenport's City Council doesn't get paid enough to be professional politicians, and thereby is not entirely accountable for its actions as a council, especially on complex issues such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF), is ludicrous.
City leaders in Davenport claim that issuing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as an economic-development incentive to Ryan Companies for a six-story "Class A" office building in downtown Davenport is appropriate because it is image-altering.
It's no wonder that the three businesses located on Davenport's riverfront levee - Builders, River/Gulf Grain, and W.G. Block - are loath to give up the location. It is prime real estate that two of the three (Builders and River/Gulf Grain) lease for a song, complete with a spectacular view and centralized location.
It is curious the Bush Administration would be faulted, or credited for that matter, for the sluggish economy based upon the president's income- and estate-tax cuts that passed in 2001, because most of those cuts will not take place until 2005 and 2006.

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