WVIK News

05/20/13 Buford General of the Month

Old State Capitol Historic Site in Springfield features General from Rock Island.

05/20/13 Viking Pup Graduate

A young woman and the dog she's been training since the Fall graduated from Augustana College yesterday. Sarah Adam received her diploma with her service dog-in-training, Bobo.

05/17/13 Augustana College Myanmar Graduate

This weekend, Augustana College's first international student from Myanmar will walk across the stage to receive his diploma.

05/17/13 Midwest Week 5/17/13

QC Times reporter Dan Angell talks about the Mallards' season.

05/17/13 Altar Crawl in Davenport

Hilltop Campus Village sponsors its first "altar crawl."

05/16/13 Iowa driver's licenses for some undocumented immigrants - LISTEN

While undocumented residents of Illinois wait until next Fall to start getting drivers licenses, hundreds of Iowa immigrants have already received theirs.

05/16/13 Bio Blitz in the Milan Bottoms

Environmental groups are looking for volunteers to help them find out if there are any endangered species in this area.

05/15/13 Monmouth College New Theater

An old downtown building will be renovated this summer.

05/15/13 Deere & Company is on track to break another annual earnings record

Deere & Company set another earnings record in the second quarter, and this time it's an all-time high for any quarter. Deere says net income totalled nearly 1.08 billion dollars for February, March, and April, or $2.76 per share, compared to $2.61 a year ago.

05/14/13 New Rescue Boat

Moline police and fire departments are learning how to use a new resue boat.

05/14/13 Central High School Workshops

Planning is underway for 2 major additions to Central High School in Davenport

05/14/13 Wooten Day in Rock Island

Thursday May 16 will be J. Donald Wooten Day in Rock Island.

05/13/13 New RI County GOP Chairman

Mike Steffen will replace Suzie Carpentier as party chairman

05/13/13 MidAmerican Rate Hike Request

Later this week the company will file a request affecting electric customers in Iowa.

05/13/13 RI Council - Audubon School

Should the vacant school be preserved as a historic landmark ?

05/10/13 05/10/13 Midwest Week - Gun Owners and the Gun Debate

WBEZ Chicago Public Radio reporter Alex Keefe talks about his recent series about gun owners and their view of the national debate.

05/10/13 Water Rate Hike Takes Effect

Today the Iowa American Water Company implemented an interim rate increase.

05/10/13 New Performing Arts and Student Center

U of Dubuque celebrates the completion of the Heritage Center.

05/09/13 Branding Research for the QCCVB

A look at how local residents and tourists rate the Quad Cities.

05/09/13 Bustos Bill on Pell Grants

Her bill would allow students to use Pell Grants for college all year, not just fall and spring

05/08/13 Iowa Anime Convention

Their enthusiasm for Japanese animation brought hundreds of people to the Quad Cities last weekend for Anime-zing!

05/07/13 Revised Davenport Casino Plan

The new plan is for a privately owned casino, along I-80.

05/06/13 Election Test in Scott County

A new way to check in voters at the polls will be tested Tuesday in Dixon, Iowa.

05/03/13 Credit Island Fire Damage

A look at the damage, one day after a fire at the Credit Island Lodge

05/03/13 Midwest Week - Improving Students' Reading Skills

QC Times reporter Steven Martens talks about his series on how local school are trying to improve students' reading skills.

05/03/13 VA Mobile Vet Center

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is trying to help more veterans by going directly to them.

05/02/13 Manor Homes Redevelopment

Permission received for the Rock Island Housing Authority to demolish Manor Homes, and replace with single family homes and duplexes.

05/02/13 Credit Island Lodge Fire (update)

Fire extensively damaged the lodge just 3 years after the city renovated it.

05/02/13 A historic building on Credit Island may be damaged beyond repair

Fire has damaged a historic building in Davenport. The lodge on Credit Island is smoldering with smoke billowing from the property, and firefighters are still spraying water on it to make sure it's out.

05/01/13 QC Arts Wins NEA Grant

The money will help support the 2013-14 Visiting Artist Series.

05/01/13 Work resumes at the water plant in Davenport

After a two week flood delay, construction workers have resumed building permanent flood protection for the Iowa American Water treatment plant in Davenport. Construction of the concrete flood wall began about one-and-a-half years ago.

04/30/13 Iowa American Water Rate Hike Request

The company asks for a 19.4 % rate hike.

04/29/13 Flooding and Public Health

Health department advice for flood victims.

04/29/13 QC group wants to help disenfranchised residents get construction jobs

Local congregations want to help minorities, women, and low income residents learn the skills they need to get good jobs in tranportation. Tonight, Quad Cities Interfaith will host a meeting with Ann Schneider, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.

04/26/13 Police Memorial

Officers who died in the line of duty will be honored this weekend.

04/26/13 Humane Society Groundbreaking

The Henry County Humane Society-Geneseo is building a larger shelter.

04/25/13 WIU-Quad Cities Riverfront Expansion

More detailed plans were presented Wednesday for the new addition to the Western Illinois University Riverfront campus in Moline.

04/24/13 SAU provides more than just an education

A new economic impact study shows it contributes hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in business spending. Mike Poster, V.P. for Finance, says St. Ambrose hired a Des Moines company to help identify what the school, 600 employees, and 3,600 students add to the Quad Cities economy.

04/24/13 Off the Air Tonight (wed.)

WVIK will be off the air beginning at 7 pm for transmitter work.

04/24/13 Audubon School in RI

Should the the 90 year old school be designated a city landmark ?

04/18/13 Rock Island County coordinates flood preparation with emergency personnel

Rock Island County is getting ready to help cities, towns, and villages fight high water on the Mississippi and Rock rivers. Board Chairman, Phil Banaszek, has declared an official emergency, and employees are coordinating their efforts with the Rock Island County Emergency Management Agency.

04/17/13 Rising Rivers

Heavy rainfall is pushing up the levels of area rivers.

04/16/13 Delta will test mainline jet service in the QCs

This summer, Delta Air Lines will offer passengers a daily flight on a newer, bigger jet at the Quad City Airport. Today, Director of Aviation, Bruce Carter, announced it will be the first time in the airport's history that Delta flies a mainline jet here, instead of smaller regional planes.

04/16/13 Top attorney gives details about how sequestration will affect Arsenal Island

Defense department furloughs on Arsenal Island this spring will cost about 4,000 civilian employees two weeks pay, but soldiers around the world won't notice any difference in the supply chain. That's according to Kathy Szymanskee, Chief Counsel for the Army Sustainment Command, and other defense agencies.

04/15/13 Galesburg groundbreaking starts long process of renovating the high school

A multi-million dollar renovation project at Galesburg High School kicked off on Friday. Phase one of the project includes construction of a new sports facility slated to begin next month. Superintendent Bart Arthur says physical education is important for students' mental and physical health.

04/15/13 EICC Tuition

Tonight trustees will discuss raising tuition for next fall.

04/12/13 Midwest Week - the QC's Forgotten Prison

QC Times features writer Alma Gaul talks about the prison for Dakota Indians in Davenport in the 1860's.

04/11/13 Lincoln Laureates for 2013

The Order of Lincoln will be presented this weekend to six people with ties to the Quad Cities.

04/11/13 America's Music Quad Cities

A six week celebration of American music kicks off today in the Quad Cities.

04/11/13 Cordova Refuel Outage

Both reactors at the Cordova nuclear plant are back in full operation after one was shut down for a month.

04/10/13 New WQPT General Manager

Later this month, Mary Pruess will take over at the QC public television station.

04/10/13 RI County Referendum Fails

Voters turned an attempt to expand the authority of the public building commission

04/10/13 RI Election Results

Mayor re-elected along with two new members of the city council

04/09/13 PGA golf tournament hopes to raise more than $6.7 million for charity

Hundreds of nonprofits in northwestern Illinois and eastern Iowa are getting ready for a big fundraiser. Tuesday morning, the John Deere Classic kicked-off its 2013 Birdies for Charity campaign.

04/08/13 What Rock Island County voters will not vote on Tuesday (AUDIO)

In tomorrow's election, Rock Island County voters will decide whether to expand the power of the Public Building Commission. Currently it only has authority over the jail and justice center.

04/08/13 People from all over the world helped pick names for Liberty & Justice's eaglets

We don't know what Liberty and Justice think, but online viewers have chosen "Glory" and "Honor" for the names of their two eaglets.

04/05/13 Bustos Visits Community Colleges

She wanted to find out how Congress can help support the colleges and job creation.

04/04/13 Durbin Reaffirms Support for Rock Island Arsenal (Audio)

Despite military budget cuts and sequestration, the commanding general of the Army Sustainment Command plans to make sure soldiers continue to have everything they need. This morning (wed) on Arsenal Island, Brigadier General John Wharton told Illinois US Senator Dick Durbin what the command needs to be prepared for war even during peacetime.

04/04/13 Illinois River Otters

The first trapping season in more than 80 years for river otters just finished up this week. The once endanged species has since seen a population boom.

04/03/13 Baseball is Back

The new season begins Thursday for the Midwest League and QC River Bandits.

04/03/13 Quad Cities Hosts Statewide Arts Conference

For the first time, the Quad Cities will host an Illinois state conference to celebrate the arts.

04/03/13 Chief Judge Retires

Bobbi Alpers steps down after leading the 7th Judicial District in Iowa for 6 years.

04/03/13 Humility Shelter Fund Drive

Humility of Mary homeless shelter in Davenport has begun a year-long fund drive.

04/03/13 Spring yard waste collection in Dubuque includes food scraps

Collection of yard waste and food scraps began Monday in Dubuque, and other cities in eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. Each year, Dubuque's weekly curbside pickup program runs from April through November.

04/02/13 Medal of Honor

Today Sylvia Rich of Moline received a new Medal of Honor to replace the one earned by her brother Melvin Brown during the Korean War.

04/02/13 Eaglet Naming Poll Underway

Two new residents of Riverdale will be named this month, and you can help. Their parents are bald eagles, Liberty and Justice, who live high up in a tree at Alcoa's Davenport Works. A camera above the nest is focussed on the family, providing video and audio on the internet for fans all over the world.

04/01/13 Augustana College Choir alumni mourn former conductor

A choral music "legend" in the Quad Cities has died. 81 year old Don Morrison directed the Augustana Choir and Handel Oratorio Society. He died on Friday in Rock Island.

04/01/13 Deere Lawn Div. 50th Anniv.

50 year ago the company began making lawn and garden equipment.

03/29/13 A local church remembers Good Friday

Every Good Friday, members and friends of Gloria Dei Presbyterian Church remember the death of Jesus by walking with a cross from downtown Rock Island to their building on 12th Street. Today, they gathered outside City Hall and sang a hymn.

03/29/13 Midwest Week - Tracing Firearms in Iowa (audio)

Following up on a recent investigation by Erin Jordan from the Cedar Rapids Gazette

03/28/13 QC Rises in National Rankings

QC economy continues to gain economic strength.

03/28/13 Drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants should improve road safety - AUDIO

Illinois State Police and local driving instructors run into non-English-speaking drivers a LOT. And both say a new law allowing undocumented residents to get drivers licenses will help make Quad Cities streets and roads safer.

03/28/13 Tree Wrapping

Volunteers needed for the Million Trees Project

03/26/13 CHC Opens in EM

Community Health Care has opened its newest clinic for residents of upper RI County

03/26/13 Ironing Board Art

A new art exhibit has opened at Augustana College

03/21/13 Furloughs Delayed

Department Defense postpones issuing furlough notices

03/20/13 BHS Performing Arts Center Feature (audio)

A tour of the new performing arts center at Bettendorf High School

03/19/13 BHC Housing

Construction begins on first student housing at BHC campus in Moline.

03/19/13 Wanna get rid of Asian carp? Eat 'em AND export 'em (AUDIO)

The head of Kentucky's Fisheries Division says it'll take a combination of help from governments, fishing companies and the restaurant industry.

03/18/13 Kentucky hosts "Carp Madness" to rid lakes of invasive fish (AUDIO)

Like Illinois, the State of Kentucky is trying to get rid of Asian carp. So, last week, its Fish and Wildlife Resources department hosted a tournament to see who could net the largeset haul of the invasive species.

03/15/13 Bettendorf Performing Arts Center

The school district celebrates the completion of a new theater, updated library, and administration center.

03/15/13 Midwest Week - New jobs and business investment for Clinton (audio)

Katie Dahlstrom from the Clinton Herald follows up on last week's announcement.

03/14/13 St. Patrick's Day in the QC

The St. Patrick Society will hold its annual celebration this weekend.

03/14/13 Fridley opens new movie theater in Muscatine

People who went to the movies in Muscatine yesterday only had four films to choose from, but today they have at least twice as many. R. L. Fridley Theatres, based in Des Moines, closed the "Plaza Four" at the mall, and today opened The Palms Theatres.

03/14/13 First Army Change of Command

The commanding general of First Army leaves for his next assignment.

03/14/13 Kickoff for 39th Annual Bix 7

Details announced for this summer's race.

03/13/13 Village of East Davenport Master Plan

Public meeting to review a draft development plan for the east village.

03/13/13 Minor to major flooding continues in the QC area

Flood warnings are in effect for rivers in eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

03/13/13 Virtual fundraiser helps buy real food

Foodbanks in Iowa will benefit from a new fundraising campaign. The Iowa Foodbank Association, the AARP, and a Des Moines company called, Spindustry Digital, are sponsoring a virtual food drive on the internet.

03/12/13 WVIK Newsroom picks up 3 awards in Illinois contest

Yesterday, the Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association announced WVIK News Editor, Michelle O'Neill, won three awards in its 2012 Journalism Excellence Contest in the Downstate Illinois Radio category. She won first place for Best Investigative Report, "Cameras and Mics in Iowa Courts."

03/11/13 First Army Leader is Leaving

Lt. Gen. Mick Bednarek will relinquish command this week

03/11/13 Niabi Zoo Opens

The new season begins today for the zoo in Coal Valley

03/08/13 Old trailer park to become home to RI businesses

Four years after a big project fell through, Rock Island and new developers have broken ground at a major entrance to the city. The new project will also make way for WalMart to build a store on 11th Street.

03/08/13 Bodies Revealed Opens

New exhibit about the human body at the Putnam Museum

03/07/13 Dick Weeks, who led the QC's through the farm crisis, has died (AUDIO)

A man who helped popularize the term "Quad Cities" has died. His company, Quad City Port Services, says Dick Weeks was 77 years old. He worked for the Iowa Development Commission before he became president of the Quad City Development Group in 1971. He stepped down in 1988 to start his own business.

03/07/13 Visitors can use Marriott Rewards at Hotel Blackhawk

Visitors from around the world who need a place to stay in downtown Davenport can now make reservations through Marriott hotels. Yesterday, Hotel Blackhawk announced it's become an Autograph Collection hotel, a new Marriott "brand" launched in 2010.

03/06/13 Elliott Aviation Expansion

With a local tax break, the company will expand and add jobs in Moline.

03/05/13 First Army Sequestration Preparation

First Army civilian employees in the QC could receive furlough notices later this month

03/04/13 Don't drive snowmobiles drunk

Late winter snow storms have been good for snowmobiling. But it's also resulted in an unusually high number of crashes. The Illinois DNR says last month in northern Illinois, eight snowmobile crashes sent drivers and passengers to the hospital with serious injuries, and a man from the Quad Cities was killed.

03/01/13 Uke-a-Palooza

The QC Ukulele Club celebrates its first anniversary by organizing Uke-a-Palooza

03/01/13 The Artful Office opens

Rock Island's downtown retail incubator welcomes another tenant

02/28/13 Rock Island County Facilities Committee

County board chairman appoints a group to study the courthouse and other buildings.

02/26/13 Goldman Family Block

Rock Island celebrates the completion of renovations to a downtown block.

02/26/13 First Flood Outlook

The National Weather Service releases its first forecast for the Miss. River and its tributaries.

02/25/13 Moline wants QCs residents' input for riverfront

Moline wants to know what Quad Cities residents would like to do and see along the city's riverfront and a couple of other areas. This morning, the city, Moline Foundation, WQPT, Western Illinois University, and Renew Moline kicked off "River Vision 2020."

02/22/13 Longfellow School Award

Rock Island elementary school one of most improved schools on last year's ISAT

02/22/13 QC Restaurant Week

A new effort to encourage local residents to dine out

02/21/13 Cold Case Concluded

Moline police solve a 25 year old murder case

02/20/13 Upper Mississippi Studies Center

Augustana College opens a new center focused on "sustainability science."

02/19/13 Bustos Loebsack Sequestration

Two members of Congress tour a QC defense contractor to show their opposition to sequestration

02/19/13 Midwinter Bald Eagle Count

For the 4th year in a row, lower numbers reported for our area

02/18/13 Hats Off to Clinton

Portraits of local residents are featured in the windows of Clinton businesses

02/18/13 CCC Wall of Honor

A display honor veterans is now up at Clinton Community College

02/15/13 Fox Hollow Opens

The Family Museum in Bettendorf celebrates the opening of its new exhibits.

02/14/13 Davenport Ferris Wheel

Plans have been approved to build a ferris wheel on the Davenport riverfront

02/14/13 Deere & Co. posts record earnings for the 11th quarter in a row

Deere and Company set another earnings record in the first quarter, and that's the eleventh quarter in a row. The company reports net income totalled 650 million dollars, a 22 percent jump from the same quarter a year ago, as it sold more farm machines at higher prices.

02/13/13 2013 Lincoln Laureates

This year's recipients of the Order of Lincoln have ties to the QC

02/12/13 New River Bandits GM

The QC River Bandits introduced their new general manager

02/11/13 Rocky on Parade

Fiberglass bulldogs will be decorated for a public art project in Macomb.

02/07/13 Kone wins another contract with busiest airport

Some employees in the Quad Cities will help modernize the busiest airport in the world. This week, Kone announced it's won a contract with Atlanta's airport to replace 29 escalators and people movers.

02/06/13 Bustos First Bill

She's introduced the Government Waste Reducation Act

02/05/13 Girl Scouts May Sell Camps

Council considers selling four camps

02/05/13 Thomson Prison Update

The village board meets with its contact at the US Bureau of Prisons

02/04/13 Great Swedish Adventure

Swedish Americans can apply to be cast in season 3 of a Swedish reality show

02/01/13 Genesis Medical Center Aledo

Genesis officially takes ownership of former Mercer County hospital and nursing home

01/31/13 Roudebush Retires

After 9 years, the director of the Davenport Library retires.

01/31/13 Wall of Honor at CCC

Student group at Clinton Community College collecting veterans' names for a wall of honor

01/30/13 Site of former factory in East Moline will feature a hotel, park & fountain

Tonight, developers of the old CNH property in East Moline will announce plans to build a hotel, homes and stores as part of the project. The owner of the site, River Eagle Investments, is working with a Chicago-based company, Beitler Real Estate Services, which is calling it "Fountainhead Quad Cities."

01/30/13 Consider Women for Harkin's Seat

A bi-partisan Iowa group says there are many qualified women to run for the open seat next year.

01/29/13 Bird Window Collisions

Research into why birds fly into windows.

01/28/13 Fender-bender leads to a story about immigrants and driving (AUDIO)

Illinois Governor Quinn signed a new law over the weekend to allow undocumented immigrants to get temporary drivers licenses. Lawmakers made their decision late last year. And, coincidentally, WVIK's Michelle O'Neill was involved in a fender-bender with a driver who spoke very little English.

01/25/13 Phone Call to Space

QC kids talk live with astronauts on the International Space Station

01/25/13 Star Block Redevelopment

A gift will help start the redevelopment of some old buildings in downtown Rock Island

01/25/13 FAFSA and the Davenport School District

Davenport encourages high school seniors to apply for federal student aid

01/24/13 Trinity Expansion in Rock Island

Trinith Regional Health System announces expansion plans for its west campus

01/24/13 Casa Guanajuato Parent Mentors

A new program to connect parents with their children's schools.

01/23/13 Davenport's budget proposal for next year is relatively flat

Davenport aldermen have started working on next year's budget. The past two Saturday's, the city council discussed the budget and capital improvement program for 2014.

01/21/13 Moline's State of the City

Mayor Welvaert delivers his 8th, and last, state of the city address.

01/17/13 Augustana Construction Update

Construction on the new Center for Student Life at Augustana College is on schedule.

01/17/13 Two Developers Plan Hotel Projects in Moline

Moline has found a couple of companies to develop new hotels in historic downtown buildings. Next week, the city council will consider agreements with the Amin Group and the Moline Hotel Group.

01/16/13 WIU-QC Phase 2

Construction will start this spring on phase 2 of WIU's new campus in the QC

01/16/13 Rock Island County's courthouse is "collapsing from within"

Rock Island County is stuck with a "completely antiquated and dilapidated" courthouse. That's according to Jeffery O'Connor, Chief Judge of Illinois' 14th Judicial Circuit. After hearing from him Tuesday night, the county board approved a referendum that might pave the way for building a new courthouse.

01/16/13 Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard

Local restaurants, hotels, museums, businesses, and other attractions are preparing for hundreds of guests this weekend. It'll be the 12th year the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau has sponsored "Be a Tourist in Your Own Back Yard."

01/15/13 Red Kettle Success

The Salvation Army's holiday fund-raising campaign surpassed its goal.

01/14/13 Anti-Fluoride Activist

A retired professor of chemistry brings his campaign against fluoride in drinking water to the QC

01/13/13 QC Vigil for Newtown

Rotary Clubs will sponsor a vigil Monday night to remember victims and show support for survivors.

01/11/13 Young Artists Exhibition

The 7th annual Young Artists at the Figge opens Saturday

01/11/13 Bald Eagle Days

The 26th annual celebration of our national symbol in the QC

01/10/13 Deere Cleared

An SEC investigation into illegal payments to foreign officials is over.

01/09/13 Habitat ReStore Anniversary

The ReStore in Davenport is celebrating its 10th Anniversary

01/08/13 Rock Island's annual State of the City address

Listen to excerpts from Mayor Dennis Pauley's State of the City address

01/07/13 New Director at Muscatine Art Center

Melanie Alexander returns to Muscatine to lead the Muscatine Art Center

01/04/13 Bustos on Ag Committee

Illinois 17th District Congresswoman Cheri Bustos has been assigned to the House Ag Committee

01/04/13 Mallards Retire Stewart's Number

The QC Mallards will honor their all-time leading scorer by retiring number 18

01/04/13 Students will study the Alcoa eagles this winter

As eagle parents in the Quad Cities prepare their nest, students in Bettendorf, Geneva, Illinois, North Carolina, and the Netherlands are getting ready to study them. Last year, the Alcoa Foundation gave the Bettendorf School District a grant to create the new curriculum, called "Alcoa Eagle Cam: An Eagle Eye to the World."

01/04/13 Bustos begins her new job in nation's capitol

The new Congress was sworn in yesterday, and one of the new members is Cheri Bustos from the Quad Cities. The democrat from East Moline was elected in November to represent Illinois' 17th district.

01/03/13 New President for the QC Mallards

The Central Hockey League has hired Bob McNamara to lead the Mallards front office.

01/02/13 Banished Words and Phrases (with audio)

Spoiler Alert - instead of "kicking the can down the road," here's WVIK News Guru Herb Trix with the "trending" list of banished words and phrases. "Double Down" and listen to today's WVIK News Focus.