Nature’s Treatment of Illinois (NTI) has done so well in Milan that it wants to fly the coop and a build a bigger nest in Rock Island. Local environmentalists are keeping an eagle eye on a $12-million-plus development plan next to Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel to ensure that wildlife and wetlands are protected.

Like the romantic sweep of a Rachmaninoff concerto, Marian Lee's passion for music is visionary, powerful, and awe-inspiring.

Whether one head-banged with Rob Zombie and Black Sabbath in the 1990s, enjoyed dinner and a Broadway musical downtown in the 2000s, or busted a gut at a John Crist tour stop in 2024, the experience inside the Adler Theatre on show night always begins on a positive and classy note thanks to the heretofore unheralded volunteer usher corps.

2024 was a tumultuous year for the country (myself included), and it’s a gift to be able to look back at arts and culture highlights I was able to witness, while looking forward to some 2025 events that are sure to be on my calendar.