When David Botsko received a letter from the Davenport Civil Rights Commission (DCRC) dated March 16, 2000, notifying him that a former employee was suing him for discrimination and harassment, he could not have predicted that, nearly five years and approximately $40,000 later, he would still be defending his claim of innocence against a system that appears to simultaneously endow the DCRC with the powers and authority of a prosecutor, judge, and jury.
United Neighbors announced last month that it raised $200,000 for its Davenport Real Estate Affordable Mortgage (DREAM) program, including a $100,000 challenge grant from Wells Fargo. For each dollar raised by United Neighbors from April 6 through October 6, Wells Fargo donated one dollar to the program, which helps low- and moderate-income individuals purchase and fix up homes.
• The number of ballots cast in Scott County in the November 2 election was 82,838, or more than 75 percent of the county's 110,168 registered voters, a not -unexpected number considering the nature of the campaigns.
Mr. Webster could have saved himself some trouble if, rather than defining the word "entertainer," he just ran a picture of Bobby Rush. The Esquire Lodge & Elite Temple BPOE #1265 (The Elks) will welcome back this consummate entertainer and legendary bluesman for a Saturday show at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Davenport, with proceeds benefiting local student scholarships.

Photo Synthesis

Welcome to a new feature, one that we plan to use to both showcase and prompt artwork. Periodically, we'll publish the photography of Scott A. McMeekan and ask readers to respond to his work in some form. We'll publish the best responses alongside the original photograph in a future issue.
• Scott County has set aside $114,138 for a new Mental Health Jail Diversion program that will serve as an alternative to police or hospital intervention in responding to situations involving the emotionally disturbed.
People don't get much more soft-spoken than Devin Hansen, and the proprietor of the Brew & View has a modesty that matches his voice. "I'm just filling a void here," Hansen said on the occasion of his business' second anniversary, which he's celebrating this weekend with a three-day music and movie festival.
Davenport in August became the first among the Quad Cities to implement red-light cameras at intersections. The City of Davenport has red light cameras at five different intersections: Kimberly Road and Elmore Avenue; Kimberly Road and Welcome Way; Kimberly Road and Brady Street; West 35th and Harrison streets; and West Fourth and Division streets.
• The Bettendorf Rotary Club has brought Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to elementary and middle schools in the Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley school districts - a $24,000 effort made possible with the help of generous donations and a successful program already in place at the Genesis Heart Institute.
• St. Ambrose University and Genesis Medical Center have entered into a preliminary agreement that could lead to the construction of a multi-million-dollar health-sciences education center on the Genesis West Campus in Davenport.

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