QUAD-CITY AREA BRIEFS

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| Thursday, May 10, 2007 | No comments posted

QUAD-CITY TIMES

Davenport

Big Brothers/Big Sisters to sell plants

Big Brothers/Big Sisters will hold its annual plant sale from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today through Saturday in the parking lot of the Northwest Bank Tower at the corner of Kimberly Road and Welcome Way, Davenport.

There will be annual bedding plants such as begonias, pansies, marigolds, petunias, snapdragons and roses. The plants are organized in flats and ready for planting.

Proceeds will benefit youth mentoring services in eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois. Big Brothers Big Sisters screens and trains adult mentor volunteers to serve as role models and friends for children ages 6-16 who need a little extra attention in their lives.

For more information on how to be a mentor, call Big Brothers Big Sisters at (563) 323-8006 or (888) 222-2447.

Durant, West Branch

Towns land money

for road improvements

DES MOINES — The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved grants for road improvements in Durant and West Branch through the RISE program.

Up to $448,804 will be made available to assist with intersection improvements at Cedar County Road X-30 and Sauer Boulevard in West Branch, and ramp terminal improvements at the Cedar County Road X-30 and Interstate 80 interchange. The grant will widen the interchange and expand a city street to pave the way for a new wind turbine factory to move its products.

Acciona Windpower of Spain has begun a $23.6 million conversion of the former hydraulics plant in West Branch into a factory for making large wind turbines. Cedar County Economic Development spokesman Steve Lacina said that without the road improvements, the company would be unable to ship the turbines from the plant.

The 50 metric-ton turbines must be hauled on special nine-axle trailers. The project will enable the trailers to get to the highway.

In Durant, up to $558,336 will be made available to grade and pave a 1,723-foot extension of West 2nd Avenue in the Durant Industrial Park South.

Wapello, Iowa

Housing development seeks match for grant

Plans by a developer to build new elderly housing apartments in Wapello, Morning Sun and Grandview could hinge on receiving city match support for a proposed grant application.

Dan Eberhardt, a housing specialist with the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, Burlington, told the Wapello City Council that the Iowa Department of Economic Development likes to see cities assist with Community Development Block Grants.

He said support could come by providing land, tax abatements or other non-cash support.

Wapello officials said they were interested in the proposal and tentatively agreed to hold a May 16 work session with the developer to discuss the proposal. In other action, the council approved the second reading of a proposed ordinance that would prohibit tobacco use inside any city-owned building. According to the proposed ordinance, tobacco use would be allowed on city property outside of the buildings. The proposal must pass a third reading.

— Jim Rudisill

Quad-Cities

Youths collect $12,000 for United Way

This year’s United Way Student Campaign and Youth Day of Caring events collected about $12,000 for the organization. More than 200 students participated, for an increase of more than 100 percent over last year.

They completed almost 20 community improvement projects, helping prepare transitional housing units for new families, assisting in pre-school and day care classrooms, painting facilities and more.

Davenport Central High School collected more than $3,000 and will receive United Way’s Platinum Award for its efforts.

Bettendorf

Baseball tickets help leukemia patient

Bryce Boettcher, a sophomore at Bettendorf High School and member of the school baseball team, was diagnosed with leukemia and is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Staff and students are “Going to Bat for Bryce” by hosting a benefit baseball game to raise funds to help offset the cost of his medical expenses.

Bettendorf High School Activities Office is selling box seat tickets for the Swing baseball game against West Michigan at 7 p.m. May 17. The tickets are $7.50 each. Two dollars of each ticket purchased will go to the medical fund. Only tickets bought at the high school will benefit the cause.

For those unable to attend the game, the Activities Office also will accept donations. For more information, call (563) 332-4516.

Moline

Seniors to go fishing

in lagoon May 17

The Senior Fishing Derby will be from 8-11:30 a.m. May 17 at Riverside Park Lagoon in Moline.

The Quad-City Conservation Alliance will stock the pond with catfish. About 150 seniors participate each year.

Quad-Cities

Illinois governor’s award applications are available

Applications are being accepted to honor Illinois’ volunteers with the Governor’s Home Town Awards.

Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the awards are presented in several categories. Applications may be submitted by local governments, schools, community organizations, chambers of commerce and more. Categories include youth involvement, senior citizen involvement, veteran involvement, parks and recreation, cleanup/beautification and general.

The deadline to apply for the awards is June 15. For more information or to receive an application, contact Lou Ann Williams at (217) 558-2838, (800) 785-6055 or LouAnn.Williams@illinois.gov

Davenport

Celebration set for Armed Forces Day

An Armed Forces Day celebration will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 19 at Brady Street Stadium, Davenport. The event will include participation from all branches of the military, local reserve components, military associations, veterans’ organizations and junior ROTC programs from Quad-City area high schools.

The celebration will feature equipment displays, live performances, presentations and table displays. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase.

Bettendorf

Fundraiser scheduled for Boys and Girls Clubs

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley will host their steak and burger dinner and charity auction at 5:30 p.m. May 22 at the Isle of Capri, Bettendorf.

The guest speaker will be Stacey Walker, the current National Youth of the Year. He has been a five-year member of the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids.

The cost is $60 per person or $500 for a table of eight adult and two youths. For more information, contact Mary Stewart, development director, at (309) 757-5777, Ext. 204, or mstewart@bgcmv.org.

Davenport

IMAX selling summer passes for $25

The Putnam Museum IMAX Theatre in Davenport is selling $25 passes for unlimited movies from June 1 to Aug. 31.

Movie topics include the bayous of Louisiana, the ocean’s depths and dinosaurs. Blockbusters such as “Spider-Man 3” and the newest Harry Potter movie also will be shown.

For more information, go (563) 324-1933 or go to www.putnam.org.