The next session of the Illinois General Assembly will be convening in January 2005. At this time I ask all individuals in northwestern Illinois to contact their local senator or representative and express your desire to see funding for the opening of the Thomson prison included in the next budget in the state of Illinois.
Ten years ago, just before the 1994 Republican landslide, I thought that state Senator Patrick Welch (D-Peru) was in big, big trouble. The Republicans launched an expensive campaign against him, and they had a pretty good candidate.
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.
It's understandable if Illinois Republicans feel a little panicky right now. Their party's U.S. Senate candidate, Alan Keyes, was wiped out in the biggest Senate landslide in Illinois history. And they were stunned when longtime Congressman Phil Crane lost his seat to a Democrat.
Last week, the Channel 6 newscast managed perhaps one of the most irresponsible pieces of local journalism this editor has witnessed to date. The news item dealt with ex-police officer Phil Yerington and the "uncovering of his record" relative to his being fired several weeks prior.
Incredible! An arts miracle! That's the best wording I know to describe Ballet Quad Cities in its latest embodiment: A Night to Remember. Their celestial performance was devilishly difficult, a program complex enough to challenge even the most financially flush dance company.
Women House members from both parties have stuck together like glue for the past few years, uniting to form the bipartisan Conference of Women Legislators (COWL). The group has become a powerful force at the Statehouse, successfully pushing several woman-friendly bills and budget items.
Now that the election is over, citizens can re-focus on the more immediate local issues that require their attention. Most important is the looming yet-to-be-officially-proposed-but-secretly-discussed-with-elected-officials "concept" of an 11-story casino hotel on downtown Davenport's limited riverfront.
Mike LoGuidice's review of the art exhibit Big Fiber in the October 13-19 issue of the River Cities' Reader was a welcome review of a small but rich show in Rock Island's growing arts district. He captured well the master/apprentice origin of the relationship between the artists, and his descriptions of the works were well penned.
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.

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