22
Mar
2005
• Left Bank Art League has announced the grand opening of its newly acquired art gallery at 1629 Second Avenue in The District of Rock Island. The league shares the space with MidCoast Gallery West. On April 1, the gallery will be the site for special activities to commemorate the opening as well as the league's presence in the city's cultural plan. Left Bank Art League members will be available that day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. to meet and greet visitors. With the gallery opening, the league looks to expand upon its traditional activities, such as workshops, informal painting groups, and monthly meetings. The league has more than 100 members from in and around the Quad Cities. Gallery staff is planning ongoing events to drive traffic to the downtown Rock Island area. These will include special exhibitions, a "Have Lunch with an Artist" series, demonstrations, and themed exhibits. As part of Gallery Hop! on April 1, the gallery will offer refreshments and opportunities to meet with many of the exhibiting artists.
• Rick's House of Hope is accepting registrations for Camp Good Grief, which will be held July 25 through 29. Camp Good Grief is a weeklong day camp for youth ages five and older who have experienced the death of a loved one. Campers will participate with trained mentors in healing circles and outdoor recreation. Campers will also choose workshops to participate in, including puppet play, arts and crafts, music, reader's theater, and the creation of a memory book. Lunch will be provided. Rick's House of Hope is a division of the Spiritual Care Department of Genesis Medical Center. To receive a registration packet, contact director Robyn Plocher at (563)324-9580 or (563)421-7970. Camper registration is $20 for one child, or $30 for two children.
• The Rock Island Public Library at 401 19th Street now offers wireless Internet access. Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity) hotspots are so named because a Wi-Fi-enabled computer can send or receive data, indoors or out, within the range of the wireless base station. Users can connect to the Internet on their own computer devices - including laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and some cell phones - without wires. To access the Main Library's wireless connection, the user's computer must have a Wi-Fi certified radio card (also referred to as a PC card). The wireless base station range includes the second-floor Community Room and the study tables at the front of the first floor, before the stacks of bookshelves toward the back of the building. According to Jennifer Fowler, community marketing director for Rock Island, wireless Internet access is one of the city's top five priorities. The library's wireless connection is a free service from the City of Rock Island. Other Wi-Fi hotspots in downtown Rock Island include the council chambers in City Hall and the Sheraton Four Points Hotel.
• State Senator Maggie Tinsman (R-Bettendorf) has won Senate passage of legislation to improve the quality of child care in Iowa by creating a voluntary rating system for child-care providers. The legislation she sponsored requires the Department of Human Services to establish a voluntary five-level rating system for Iowa child-care providers. The ratings would include criteria such as staff experience, professional development, health and safety standards, family and community partnerships, curriculum, and administration. Under current law, child-care centers must be licensed, and home-based providers must be registered with the state. Providers also can receive a "gold seal" designation for achieving accreditation from a national organization. The Senate approved the bill, SF 305, by a vote of 47-3. It now moves to the House for consideration.
• Applications are now being accepted for 2005 grants from the Isabel Bloom Art Education Fund. The fund, established by Isabel Bloom, L.L.C., through the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, provides support for visual-arts programs in grades K-12 throughout Rock Island and Scott counties. The grants, ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, fund projects that would not otherwise be feasible for school-system art budgets. All public and private schools with at least 500 students enrolled in the system are eligible to apply. Applications must be received or postmarked by Friday, April 15. Applications can be found online at (http://www.cfgrb.org).
• American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will offer a new round-trip nonstop flight between Quad Cities International Airport in Moline and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) beginning June 9. The new flight will feature a 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jet. The return flight from DFW to Moline is timed to connect with flights arriving to the Dallas area from Latin America.
• The QC Elite Robotics Team returned to the Quad Cities on Saturday, March 12, after finishing second at the St. Louis Regional. The local robotics team initially placed eighth out of 44 teams and then advanced to the finals, in which they placed second. The team includes students from within the Davenport Community Schools district. The competition essentially involves programming and operating a robot that will complete a pre-set group of tasks in sequence and within the time allotted. The team also won the Daimler Chrysler Team Spirit Award for its year-round efforts at recruitment, community service, fundraising, and enthusiasm at the competition.
• Rick's House of Hope is accepting registrations for Camp Good Grief, which will be held July 25 through 29. Camp Good Grief is a weeklong day camp for youth ages five and older who have experienced the death of a loved one. Campers will participate with trained mentors in healing circles and outdoor recreation. Campers will also choose workshops to participate in, including puppet play, arts and crafts, music, reader's theater, and the creation of a memory book. Lunch will be provided. Rick's House of Hope is a division of the Spiritual Care Department of Genesis Medical Center. To receive a registration packet, contact director Robyn Plocher at (563)324-9580 or (563)421-7970. Camper registration is $20 for one child, or $30 for two children.
• The Rock Island Public Library at 401 19th Street now offers wireless Internet access. Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity) hotspots are so named because a Wi-Fi-enabled computer can send or receive data, indoors or out, within the range of the wireless base station. Users can connect to the Internet on their own computer devices - including laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and some cell phones - without wires. To access the Main Library's wireless connection, the user's computer must have a Wi-Fi certified radio card (also referred to as a PC card). The wireless base station range includes the second-floor Community Room and the study tables at the front of the first floor, before the stacks of bookshelves toward the back of the building. According to Jennifer Fowler, community marketing director for Rock Island, wireless Internet access is one of the city's top five priorities. The library's wireless connection is a free service from the City of Rock Island. Other Wi-Fi hotspots in downtown Rock Island include the council chambers in City Hall and the Sheraton Four Points Hotel.
• State Senator Maggie Tinsman (R-Bettendorf) has won Senate passage of legislation to improve the quality of child care in Iowa by creating a voluntary rating system for child-care providers. The legislation she sponsored requires the Department of Human Services to establish a voluntary five-level rating system for Iowa child-care providers. The ratings would include criteria such as staff experience, professional development, health and safety standards, family and community partnerships, curriculum, and administration. Under current law, child-care centers must be licensed, and home-based providers must be registered with the state. Providers also can receive a "gold seal" designation for achieving accreditation from a national organization. The Senate approved the bill, SF 305, by a vote of 47-3. It now moves to the House for consideration.
• Applications are now being accepted for 2005 grants from the Isabel Bloom Art Education Fund. The fund, established by Isabel Bloom, L.L.C., through the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, provides support for visual-arts programs in grades K-12 throughout Rock Island and Scott counties. The grants, ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, fund projects that would not otherwise be feasible for school-system art budgets. All public and private schools with at least 500 students enrolled in the system are eligible to apply. Applications must be received or postmarked by Friday, April 15. Applications can be found online at (http://www.cfgrb.org).
• American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will offer a new round-trip nonstop flight between Quad Cities International Airport in Moline and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) beginning June 9. The new flight will feature a 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jet. The return flight from DFW to Moline is timed to connect with flights arriving to the Dallas area from Latin America.
• The QC Elite Robotics Team returned to the Quad Cities on Saturday, March 12, after finishing second at the St. Louis Regional. The local robotics team initially placed eighth out of 44 teams and then advanced to the finals, in which they placed second. The team includes students from within the Davenport Community Schools district. The competition essentially involves programming and operating a robot that will complete a pre-set group of tasks in sequence and within the time allotted. The team also won the Daimler Chrysler Team Spirit Award for its year-round efforts at recruitment, community service, fundraising, and enthusiasm at the competition.
