The Science Station & McLeod/Busse IMAX Theatre in Cedar Rapids has announced its potential closing. The attraction, which opened in 1986, needs nearly $1.3 million to continue operations, and unless a financial solution is found, the venue will cease operations on November 15, 2006. A series of financial setbacks over the past five years - including alleged embezzlement and unpaid pledges - have contributed to the venue's current debt, despite record attendance for this summer's children's programs. The Junior League of Cedar Rapids has committed to a two-year partnership to improve exhibit space, membership numbers, and retention; since the 2001 addition of the McLeod/Busse IMAX Dome Theatre, the Science Station has seen more than 250,000 visitors, with 600,000 people purchasing movie tickets. For more information, visit (http://www.sciencestation.org).
Ballet Quad Cities received a grant for $31,360 from the Adler Theatre Foundation to help offset the cost of renting the Adler for the organization's forthcoming productions of The Nutcracker on November 25 and 26, and The Nightingale and Blue River on April 21 and 22. Ballet Quad Cities is celebrating 10 years of professional dance this season, and information on the group is available at (http://www.balletquadcities.com).
The Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations (ISOSWO) recently recognized the waste commission of Scott County for its "Operation Medicine Cabinet" program. Scott County's Brian Seals and Keith Krambek were presented with the "Innovative Waste Management Project Award," given only when demonstrated excellence merits it. ISOSWO's members are public- and private-sector professionals who manage Iowa's landfills, solid-waste collection services, recycling facilities, and composting operations.
Trinity's 7th Street imaging department has added a new technology - the SecondLook system - to aid in the fight against breast cancer. The recently purchased system from iCAD, Inc. - a leading provider of computer-aided detection solutions for the early identification of cancer - is designed to assist radiologists in the detection of breast cancer during a mammography exam. Studies show that iCAD's SecondLook systems are able to detect up to 68 percent of actionable missed cancers an average of 15 months earlier than mammograms alone. As a second, computerized review after a radiologist's initial analysis, the SecondLook system searches for density patterns that might be associated with breast cancer, calling attention to subtle tissue changes that may indicate the presence of cancer, and highlight potential areas of concern.
Bethany for Children & Families has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and may even receive a total of $900,000, as funding is expected for two additional years. The grant is designed to build the organizational capacity of Bethany for Children & Families and its partnering faith-based and community organizations - Churches United of the Quad City Area, the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center, and the United Way of the Quad Cities Area - to better meet the needs of disadvantaged youth.
On Saturday, November 4, the Davenport Public Library will honor the late JoAnna Lund at the 20th annual "Salute to Authors" from 1 to 4 p.m.; Lund was the creator of Healthy Exchanges, a line of cookbooks that has sold more than 3 million copies since 1991. At the library's Main Street location, Alma Gaul, writer for the Quad-City Times, and DeWitt's Bill Homrighausen - both friends of the Lund family - will provide commentary on Lund's extraordinary life and writing career, while JoAnna's husband, Cliff Lund, will accept a special plaque in her honor; a similar plaque will grace the bookcase holding her works. "Salute to Authors" showcases area writers who have made an impact on the community, and more than 25 local authors will appear at Saturday's event, including Sean Leary and Twila Belk, who will autograph their latest books and provide information about writing careers. "Salute to Authors" is sponsored by the FRIENDS of the Davenport Public Library, and more information is available through the library's public-relations office at (563) 888-3371.
A public open house will be held at the new Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House on Saturday, October 28, from 9 a.m. to noon. The 16-bed house - designed to provide a home-like environment for the terminally ill, and operated by the Genesis VNA and Hospice - is located at 2546 Tech Drive in Bettendorf, and is the only facility of its kind between Joliet, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa. Funded entirely through the community, the $7.4-million hospice house will provide an alternative to hospice care in private homes, nursing homes, and hospitals, and is scheduled to begin accepting patients on Wednesday, November 7. A staff of more than 40 - including nurses, a chaplain, and a medical social worker - will be available to provide care and comfort for patients, families, and loved ones.
