Of the 70,312 registered voters in Davenport, only 15,961 (22.7 percent) voted in the March 3 election for Ward 2 alderman and the citywide Local Option Sales Tax/Davenport Promise referendum. Of those who voted on the referendum, 6,235 (39.1 percent) voted yes, and 9,717 (60.9 percent) voted no. For more information on the election, visit ScottCountyIowa.com.
St. Ambrose University is offering its students and the community the opportunity to learn more about the Peace Corps from National Peace Corps Association President Kevin F.F. Quigley. On campus March 16 to 20 as this year's Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, Quigley will speak to several classes and present a public lecture. Quigley's lecture, "Liberal Arts & Public Service: The Peace Corps as a Case Study," will be held Thursday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the Rogalski Center, located at the corner of Ripley and Lombard streets, one block west of Harrison Street. The lecture is free and open to the public.
A majority of students in Iowa public schools failed to meet proficiency levels in fourth- and eighth-grade mathematics and reading, and SAT and ACT scores stagnated, according to a new report by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Using nationally recognized test results, the ALEC Report Card on American Education ranked the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Minnesota placed first, Washington, D.C., was last, Iowa was 10th, and Illinois was 31st. For more information, visit ALEC.org.
Rivermont Collegiate will host "College Night at Rivermont: Selecting a Major" on Wednesday, March 11, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Becherer Hall auditorium on the Rivermont campus. Guest speaker Jeremy Reed, director of the Career Center at Augustana College, will answer questions and provide guidance to students as they prepare for college. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate or College Night, contact Cindy Murray at (563)359-1366 extension 302 or murray@rvmt.org.
The Figge Art Museum is seeking volunteers to assist in museum operation. Volunteer opportunities are currently available in the areas of education, curatorial, technology, marketing, events, and development. A volunteer information and training session will be held on Sunday, March 15, at 2 p.m. at the museum. The session includes an introduction of volunteer and internship opportunities, registration, and potential scheduling. To register, contact Jennifer Brooke at (563)326-7804 extension 2048.
The Quad Cities Shelter & Transitional Housing Council has announced the awarding of a $987,940 Continuum of Care grant from the U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The grant announced on February 19 will assist agencies such as Community Health Care, the DeLaCerda House, Family Resources, Humility of Mary Housing, Humility of Mary Shelter, the Salvation Army Family Service Center, and Vera French Housing Corporation to provide permanent and transitional housing and the supportive services needed by people who are homeless.
Nearly $19 million in funding from the Economic Recovery Package has been released to Iowa from the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Justice. The State of Iowa will receive $11.8 million, the City of Davenport $905,000, Bettendorf $62,000, and Scott County $22,000.
The Iowa Senate Committee on Human Resources is considering Senate File 293: the Medical Marijuana Act of 2009. As introduced, the legislation states that state-authorized patients and their caregivers "shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penalty or disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensing board." You can follow the bill at http://www.legis.state.ia.us.
U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is accepting applications for nomination to the United States' military academies for the class entering in the summer of 2010. Harkin will nominate up to 10 Iowans for every opening he has at each academy, with final selection for admission made by the individual academy. Nomination applications can be found at Harkin.Senate.gov. For more information, contact Tom Larkin at (319)365-4504.
Randy Wayne White, New York Times bestselling mystery and adventure author, will speak about his work and sign books at the Moline Public Library (3210 41st Street) on Sunday, March 22, at 1 p.m. White is a 1968 graduate of Davenport Central High School who now lives on Pine Island, Florida. The soon-to-be-released Dead Silence is the 16th book in his Doc Ford series (DocFord.com). To register, call (309)736-5737.
