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By Times Staff | Thursday, May 10, 2007 1:13 AM CDT | () comments

Q: I’m interested in knowing about Cobblestone Place on 4th Street in Davenport. Seems a lot of money went into upgrading the building, however very little activity is happening. Who spent the money and what is the purpose of the building?

— Mike, Davenport

A: Cobblestone Place was built as affordable housing by John Lewis Community Services. Its 22 units all are occupied. It also houses nonprofit agencies. The $3.4 million project was funded with low-income housing tax credits from the federal government, low-interest loans from the city and state and commercial rate traditional financing.

Q: Do you have any information on specific rules for visiting the National Cemetery at Rock Island Arsenal, and are there regulations regarding decorations?

— Dorothy, DeWitt, Iowa

A: There are regulations for visiting the cemetery. Visitors must enter the island from the Moline or Davenport gates. Anyone 16 or older must have a photo identification. Visits must be during daylight hours.

As for decorations, only fresh-cut flowers are allowed until Oct. 10, with one exception. Artificial flowers may be placed on graves from May 25 through June 3 for the Memorial Day holiday. The flowers will be discarded June 4.

Q: I notice at VanderVeer Botanical Park, the City of Davenport has put up little posts containing plastic bags for dog droppings. The sign address “dog guardians.” Why do they call people “guardians” of their dogs instead of “owners?”

— Tom, Davenport

A: We thought that perhaps this could be political correctness run amok, but that’s not the case. “The intent is to clarify that whoever is walking the dog is responsible, whether that person is the owner, professional dog walker, friend, etc.,” said Dan Sherman, the city’s parks and recreation director.

Q: How many children or grandchildren does U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, D-Iowa, have in the military?

— John, DeWitt, Iowa

A: Chuck Grassley’s son, Lee, served eight years in the Army.

Other relatives who have served their country include Grassley’s brother, Gene, who served three years in the Army during the 1960s; his brother, Bud, who served three years in the Marines during World War II; his brother-in-law, Don, who served a total of 28 years in the Army and Army Reserves, and his brother-in-law, Ed, who served five years in the Army during World War II.

Q: How can I find the name of a local service person serving in Iraq who would be willing to accept a care package and distribute its contents to others in his or her unit?

— Phyllis, Quad-Cities

A: The best way to find local service people is to contact Bobbie Wheeler, president of Quad-Cities Families in Support of Troops, at (563) 391-6739. Wheeler’s group has been around for three years and has remained in contact with many service men and women.

Wheeler asks that all care package items and correspondence go through her group. She will not give out a service member’s address to anyone in order to avoid any possibility of “hate” mail. “Everything we get, we’re going to open it and read correspondence before we send it to a soldier.”

Q: Did Dwyer and Michaels move to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, or do they still live in the area?

— David, Davenport

A: The former morning radio duo still lives in the Quad-Cities and will be returning to these airwaves in July on 96.9 WXLP-FM. In the meantime, their fans can enjoy their blog at www.qctimes.com.