30
Aug
2005
• Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has signed a law that could pave the way for the relocation of Casino Rock Island. The legislation allows the Illinois Gaming Board to approve the relocation of any casino on the Mississippi River. House Bill 1919 was sponsored by Representative Patrick Verschoore (D-Rock Island) and Senator Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline), who hope the bill will allow Casino Rock Island to relocate from downtown Rock Island to a new site where the casino can expand. With the approval of HB1919, the gaming board will be able to officially act upon the Casino Rock Island relocation. If the move is approved, Casino Rock Island will move to a location of the city near Interstate 280. The proposal is expected to create 600 new jobs for the region. Additionally, plans are being discussed to convert the current downtown location of the riverboat into a park that could include elements such as a beach and viewing piers, with the goal of encouraging boating, hiking, and biking while also accommodating festivals.
• Continuing through the end of the year, Chippiannock Cemetery is offering a brochure to commemorate 150 years of service to the Quad Cities. In 2004 the cemetery began creating a special annual self-guided walking tour by offering free brochures to visitors of the cemetery. In 2005, area citizens were asked to select their favorite 10 characters from past years' award-winning "Epitaphs Brought to Life" events to form the basis of the new exhibit. Brochures are available at 12th Street entrance to Chippiannock or by calling the cemetery office at (309)788-6622. This year's exhibit again features special gardens planted by area landscapers or master gardeners. Most of the tour is visible from the roadways. The cemetery grounds are open from 8 a.m. until sunset.
• Hayman's Westside Ace Hardware of Davenport has been named SCORE's Small Business of the Year for 2005 in the Quad Cities. Given honorable mention by SCORE Chapter 432 for their excellent business practices were: Back to Back Chiropractic and Froelich Cakes & Pastries of Moline, and Brew & View of Rock Island. The awards were presented at the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce Morning Network breakfast on August 17. The Quad Cities' SCORE Chapter has been providing Business of the Year Awards since 1997 to successful businesses that have been started in the previous five years, have been counseled by SCORE, and follow good business practices. For more information, look at (http://www/qconline.com/business/score).
• The Family Museum of Arts & Science received an Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS) Museum Assessment Program (MAP) Grant in the amount of $3,820, to be matched by the Family Museum for use in the fall of 2005. The IMLS MAP Grant will be used to conduct a "public dimension study" among the Bettendorf museum's colleagues to assess the operations and public-relations efforts of the Family Museum. A final evaluation and presentation will assist the Family Museum with future planning, identity issues, marketing efforts, and all-around better operations. The MAP grant program will commence this fall and run through the spring of 2007. For more information on the museum, visit (http://www.familymuseum.org).
• The Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) has received a $644,800 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue its Lighthouse for School Reform project. The Lighthouse school-reform project currently has three goals: to create three to five district examples of high and equitable student achievement resulting from a district-wide improvement effort; to create a statewide dissemination of a district-wide model of school improvement, originating at the board/ superintendent level, which can sustain achievement gains over time; and to define a new role for the IASB and other state-level associations in supporting and sustaining school-improvement efforts resulting in improved student achievement. The project is based on the results of a study in 2000 that found that school boards in high-achieving districts and those in low-achieving districts differ significantly in their knowledge and beliefs. This difference appears to carry through among administrators and teachers throughout the districts, according to results of a research study released in September 2000 by the IASB.
• Quad City Arts has announced a partnership with Target for the arts organizaiton's Visiting Artist Series with the receipt of a grant that will be used to produce study guides for the program. These study guides will be sent to educators in schools where the Visiting Artists will perform, benefiting approximately 55,000 area students. The Visiting Artist Series has offered community members the opportunity to see world-class and world-renowned performers. From jazz to dance to world music to classical music, audiences experience performances on a par with those available in major cities such as Chicago, L.A., or New York. Since 1973, dancers musicians, writers, actors, and visual artists in 301 residencies have reached more than 1.9 million Quad Cities children and adults through the Visiting Artist Series. For more information, take a look at (http://www.quadcityarts.com).
• Continuing through the end of the year, Chippiannock Cemetery is offering a brochure to commemorate 150 years of service to the Quad Cities. In 2004 the cemetery began creating a special annual self-guided walking tour by offering free brochures to visitors of the cemetery. In 2005, area citizens were asked to select their favorite 10 characters from past years' award-winning "Epitaphs Brought to Life" events to form the basis of the new exhibit. Brochures are available at 12th Street entrance to Chippiannock or by calling the cemetery office at (309)788-6622. This year's exhibit again features special gardens planted by area landscapers or master gardeners. Most of the tour is visible from the roadways. The cemetery grounds are open from 8 a.m. until sunset.
• Hayman's Westside Ace Hardware of Davenport has been named SCORE's Small Business of the Year for 2005 in the Quad Cities. Given honorable mention by SCORE Chapter 432 for their excellent business practices were: Back to Back Chiropractic and Froelich Cakes & Pastries of Moline, and Brew & View of Rock Island. The awards were presented at the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce Morning Network breakfast on August 17. The Quad Cities' SCORE Chapter has been providing Business of the Year Awards since 1997 to successful businesses that have been started in the previous five years, have been counseled by SCORE, and follow good business practices. For more information, look at (http://www/qconline.com/business/score).
• The Family Museum of Arts & Science received an Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS) Museum Assessment Program (MAP) Grant in the amount of $3,820, to be matched by the Family Museum for use in the fall of 2005. The IMLS MAP Grant will be used to conduct a "public dimension study" among the Bettendorf museum's colleagues to assess the operations and public-relations efforts of the Family Museum. A final evaluation and presentation will assist the Family Museum with future planning, identity issues, marketing efforts, and all-around better operations. The MAP grant program will commence this fall and run through the spring of 2007. For more information on the museum, visit (http://www.familymuseum.org).
• The Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) has received a $644,800 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue its Lighthouse for School Reform project. The Lighthouse school-reform project currently has three goals: to create three to five district examples of high and equitable student achievement resulting from a district-wide improvement effort; to create a statewide dissemination of a district-wide model of school improvement, originating at the board/ superintendent level, which can sustain achievement gains over time; and to define a new role for the IASB and other state-level associations in supporting and sustaining school-improvement efforts resulting in improved student achievement. The project is based on the results of a study in 2000 that found that school boards in high-achieving districts and those in low-achieving districts differ significantly in their knowledge and beliefs. This difference appears to carry through among administrators and teachers throughout the districts, according to results of a research study released in September 2000 by the IASB.
• Quad City Arts has announced a partnership with Target for the arts organizaiton's Visiting Artist Series with the receipt of a grant that will be used to produce study guides for the program. These study guides will be sent to educators in schools where the Visiting Artists will perform, benefiting approximately 55,000 area students. The Visiting Artist Series has offered community members the opportunity to see world-class and world-renowned performers. From jazz to dance to world music to classical music, audiences experience performances on a par with those available in major cities such as Chicago, L.A., or New York. Since 1973, dancers musicians, writers, actors, and visual artists in 301 residencies have reached more than 1.9 million Quad Cities children and adults through the Visiting Artist Series. For more information, take a look at (http://www.quadcityarts.com).
