QCA.news - Quad Cities news and view from both sides of the river

Iowa congressional primary races take shape ahead of June election

JD Vance campaigns for Rep. Zach Nunn as Iowa voters prepare to choose nominees for the upcoming primary elections across the state's four districts.

Galesburg children's museum opens new experience that mimics Judy's Family Cafe

Little Judy's Cafe at the Discovery Depot is a play-sized version of the real deal and gives kids a chance to make "the best pancakes" like the social media star.

Annual MLK Jr. Food Drive returns to tackle food insecurity in the Quad Cities

Between May 6-20, food donation boxes will be available all over the QCA, including many Hy-Vee stores and libraries. All of the food will stay local.

No injuries reported after Kewanee junkyard fire

No injuries were reported following a junkyard fire in Kewanee. The fire started around 2:00 p.m. May 5 when workers inside a building at Cernovich Auto & Truck Wrecking on E. 6th St. were removing equipment, causing a spark to light some fuel. Eight fire departments, including Tulon, Kewanee, Wyoming and Galva and other agencies [...]

Davenport wastewater plant flood project gets nearly $3 million in federal funding

The federal funding will help fortify a plant that treats wastewater for Davenport, Bettendorf, Riverdale and Panorama Park.

$3M federal funds earmarked for Davenport flood mitigation, Miller-Meeks says

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks secured $3 million in federal funding to boost flood mitigation efforts and infrastructure in Davenport, Iowa.

Willard Elementary selects interim principal for next year

Willard Elementary School will have a new principal starting next year for its last year before retirement.

Muscatine Art Center receives $200,000 anonymous donation

The Muscatine Art Center received great financial news recently when an anonymous donor said they were making a $200,000 donation to make up for losing funding from the city. Mark Seaman, president of the Board of Trustees of the Muscatine Arts Center, spoke with Our Quad Cities News via Zoom to share the details of [...]

Interim principal named for Willard Elementary School in Moline

A new interim principal has been named for Willard Elementary School in Moline. According to a release, the Moline-Coal Valley School District announced the appointment of Jennifer Graves to the position for the 2026-2027 school year. Graves will succeed principal Doug Bodeen, who was appointed as principal of Hamilton Elementary School. Graves earned a Master [...]

Tuesday temps about 25° colder than Monday's - how long will it stay this way?

We hit 83° on Monday afternoon...and we won't even get close to 80° for several days now. In fact, we don't even warm up to 70° for a few more days. Average for a high right now is right at 70°. Tuesday afternoon temps are about 25° cooler than what we had Monday. We do [...]

Judy's Family Cafe and Discovery Depot Children's Museum team to bring more visitors to Galesburg

Two big attractions in Galesburg are teaming up to help bring more visitors to the city. Judy's Family Cafe is bringing their viral name to the Discovery Depot Children's Museum. They held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Little Judy's, a mock restaurant for the kids. Little Judy's adds to the rest of the town square [...]

PHOTO GALLERY: North Scott Educational Foundation Scholarships

The North Scott Educational Foundation held its annual Scholarship Night Wednesday, April 29, celebrating 40 years of presenting financial awards to North Scott students. This year, a total of $230,950 was presented, amounting to 161 scholarships given to 112 seniors. In the Foundation’s 40-year history, more than 1,600 scholarships, totaling more than $2.5 million have been presented.

Still unclear what the loud boom heard in Moline over the weekend was

News 8 is working to find out what caused a loud boom in the Quad Cities that many reported Saturday night.

Large fire breaks out at Kewanee junk yard

Kewanee police officials said there are no evacuations or road closures in the surrounding area, but they are asking community members to avoid the area.

Auxiliary lock at Locks and Dam 14 in Pleasant Valley to remain closed for the summer

In past years, the Army Corps of Engineers has operated the lock on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Americans might love Cinco de Mayo, but few know what they’re celebrating

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo doesn’t mark Mexican Independence.

International handball tournament coming to TBK Bank Sports Complex

Joan Kranovich with Visit Quad Cities joined The Current on News 8 to discuss the tournament's economic impact, as well as some other events coming to our area.

Man killed in April 16 Clinton house fire, suspect charged with arson

News 8 has obtained an incident report from the April 16 fire that shows a 64-year-old man was killed as a result of the fire.

Arc of the Quad Cities kicking off annual Martin Luther King Jr. food drive

Once again, the drive is being held in partnership with the Quad Cities Disabilities Awareness Coalition.

Still unclear what the loud boom heard in Moline over the weekend was

News 8 is working to find out what caused a loud boom in the Quad Cities that many reported Saturday night.

Take a swing at fighting crime at the Crime Stoppers Golf Outing

You can take a swing at fighting crime and enjoy a great day on the golf course. Detective Jon Leach joined Our Quad Cities News with details on the Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities' John Bell Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, click here.

Pennsylvania sues Character.AI over claims chatbot posed as doctor

State officials allege a Character.AI bot claimed to be a licensed psychiatrist and provided a fake state medical license number.

Crews respond to fire in Kewanee

Kewanee police officials said there are no evacuations or road closures in the surrounding area, but they are asking community members to avoid the area.

Two charged in connection with two-month car burglary string in Davenport and Bettendorf

In a joint investigation, the departments arrested 26-year-old Kevin De'Andre Cooks and 20-year-old Karmelo Tayshun Cooke on Thursday, April 30.

Scott Turow's latest real-life legal thriller: Suing Meta for copyright infringement

Five major publishing houses and the bestselling author are suing Meta and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly training its Llama generative AI models on millions of copyrighted materials.

Community input wanted as East Moline School Board begins search for next superintendent

The East Moline School District 37 Board of Education has started its search for a new superintendent.

Anonymous $200,000 donation to the Muscatine Art Center helps cover funding cuts

The center lost a significant portion of its funding while the City of Muscatine worked to make up a $700,000 budget shortfall.

Stolen AirPods tracked, leading to arrests in Quad-Cities burglary spree

Police in Davenport tracked a pair of stolen AirPods to an apartment where investigators say they found more items reported stolen in both Davenport and Bettendorf.

2 arrested following string of vehicle thefts in Davenport, Bettendorf

Both police departments noted an increase in vehicle thefts and burglaries during March and April. Two men have been arrested in connection.

Crews respond to fire in Kewanee

Kewanee police officials said there are no evacuations or road closures in the surrounding area, but they are asking community members to avoid the area.

Plume of smoke seen across Kewanee, Henry County

A large plume of smoke can be seen across Henry County Tuesday afternoon.

Two arrested by Davenport, Bettendorf Police on burglary, theft charges

Two men from Davenport have been arrested after a joint investigation by the Davenport and Bettendorf Police Departments into a series of vehicle burglaries and other offenses taking place in the two cities throughout March and April. A news release from the departments said Bettendorf Police noted a significant increase in vehicle thefts and thefts [...]

Kreator, May 18

Touring in support of this past January's Krushers of the World, the 16th studio album by the German thrash-metal outfit that debuted more than four decades ago, Kreator brings its latest North American tour to Davenport's Capitol Theatre on May 18, other recent smash hits for the band including Phantom Antichrist, Hate Über Allies, and 2017's chart-topping Gods of Violence.

How the Davenport Police Department's Good Neighbor Project is strengthening our community

In an effort to foster safety and connection, the Davenport Police Department is working with area partners through its Good Neighbor Project. Our Quad Cities News' Danielle Davis takes a look at how the partnerships are making a difference in our community. For more information, click here. To download the Good Neighborhood Project starter kit, [...]

John Corabi & Friends, May 16

Touring in support of his 2026 album New Day, a long-awaited release that The Rockpit said "may just be the best we have heard from John so far," legendary hard-rock singer/guitarist John Corabi and several gifted musician friends perform a May 16 concert event at Moline venue Rascals Live, Corabi revered as the frontman of The Scream during 1989 and of Mötley Crüe (during Vince Neil's hiatus) between 1992 and 1996.

Keenan TreVon, May 16

Hailed by Westword for his "catchy melodies and experimental production," R&B and soul singer/songwriter Keenan TreVon headlines a May 16 engagement at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the Colorado native lauded for such recent songs as “3 Days,” “11PM in Aurora,” and “She Goes by Denver.”

Fai Laci, May 20

Touring in support of the June 26 release of their album Elephant in the Room, the Boston-based alternative rockers of Fai Laci headline a May 20 engagement at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, the outfit praised by RIFF magazine for delivering "bold, in your face, balls-to-the-wall, good old-fashioned rock."

Earth Tongue, May 21

Touring in support of their recently released album Dungeon Vision that New Noise magazine deemed “easily one of the best heavy, riffy albums of the year,” the New Zealand-based alt-rockers of Earth Tongue headline a May 21 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, their latest also hailed by Tinnitist as a recording that "pulses with human energy, fuzz guitars, bone-battering drums, and hauntingly tuneful vocals."

“A Wicked Evening with Louise Dearman,” May 16

With the National Touring production of Wicked having played to sold-out crowds at the Prairie Alliance Theater in Peoria, Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre has its own hugely enjoyable, similarly themed performance in store with the May 16 national tour of A Wicked Evening with Louise Dearman, a showcase for the British talent who made history as the first (and, to date, only) actress to play both of that musical's lead roles, Glinda and Elphaba, full time under contract.

“Kenny & Dolly: Real Love,” May 16

On May 16, the magic of country music will come alive at Maquoketa's Ohnward Fine Arts Center, the touring presentation Kenny & Dolly: Real Love boasting the talents of two award-winning tribute artists who embody the charm, vocals, and onstage chemistry of the original duo of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

Ballet Folklórica del Rio Grande, May 15

Appearing as the final guests in Quad City Arts' 2025-26 Visiting Artist series, a residency that finds the talents leading educational workshops from May 11 through 15, the dancers' area tenure concludes with a Friday-night performance by Ballet Folklórica del Rio Grande, who will demonstrate their astounding athletic prowess and and grace in a full-length program at East Moline's United Township High School.

Vice President JD Vance visits Iowa manufacturing facility

The vice president will visit Ex-Guard Industries with Republican Rep. Zach Nunn and deliver remarks.

“Shaped by Immigrants: Celebrating 250 Years of the United States,” May 16 through November 1

Over the past 250 years, German immigrants and their descendants, particularly in the Midwest, have helped develop, challenge, and improve the United States. The German American Heritage Center will consequently celebrate their history and accomplishments in Shaped by Immigrants: Celebrating 250 Years of the United States, on display in the Davenport venue from May 16 through November 1.

2026 Rock Island Arsenal Armed Forces Day Celebration, May 15 and 16

On May 15 and 16, the Rock Island Arsenal invites the public from the greater Quad Cities and beyond to join in the fun and tribute of the annual Armed Forces Day Celebration, a two-day event boasting live music, races, wrestling, food trucks, military displays, fireworks, and more at your island home for military history and heritage.

Dave Losso, May 17

Headlining a joyously untraditional night of comedy at the Raccoon Motel, touring standup sensation Dave Losso takes over the downtown-Davenport stage on May 14, the funnyman's Stand Up! Records album A Careless Whisper of a Man having reached number two on the iTunes comedy chart and number four on Amazon's chart.

Virtual Illinois Libraries Presents: “Babel-On with R.F. Kuang,” May 19

With her 2025 novel Katabasis lauded by the New York Times Book Review as a work that "shines with devastatingly real characters and absorbing world building," a bestselling, award-winning takes part in the May 19 virtual conversation Babel-On with R.F. Kuang, a thoughtful and entertaining look into the author's process hosted by Illinois Libraries Present, and offered through the Rock Island and Silvis Public Libraries.

Tuesday’s adoptable pet: Meet Gwen

Gwen has a lot of puppy energy. McRae said Gwen would be great for an active family that wants to take her places.

North Scott Press — May 6, 2026

Midwives saved his mom's life -- and inspired him to pursue the profession

May 5 is International Day of the Midwife. This year's theme is "one million more" — reflecting a shortage of midwives.

Celebrating 40 years of scholarships

The North Scott Educational Foundation held its annual Scholarship Night Wednesday, April 29, celebrating 40 years of presenting financial awards to North Scott students. This year, a total of $230,950 was presented, amounting to 161 scholarships given to 112 seniors. In the Foundation’s 40-year history, more than 1,600 scholarships, totaling more than $2.5 million have been presented. As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, an additional $40,000 was given out through the Elmer “Happy” and Evelyn Schlunsen Scholarship Fund. This ensured every student who completed an application this year received some form of scholarship. In addition to the additional $40,000 in Schlunsen scholarships, new scholarships this year included the Diana Vollbeer Memorial Scholarship and the Diana Vollbeer Community Scholarship, the Princeton Presbyterian Church Scholarship, the Grell Family Scholarship, the Enyeart Family Scholarship, the Double Barrel Drinkery Scholarship, the Marvin Feist Family Scholarship, the Stephens Music Scholarship, the Ann C. Kuehl Memorial Scholarship and the Jim Schneider Memorial Scholarship. As part of the ceremony, attendees and scholarship winners viewed a video featuring the very first NSEF scholarship recipient, Sara Stephens Kotrba, who received the lone $500 scholarship presented in 1986. She said her NSEF scholarship was “a lot of money back then, and it still is a lot of money. And it made a big dent in the bottom line of my college bill.” She attended Northern Illinois University to study music. While at North Scott, Kotrba was an All-State French horn player and played in the Quad City Youth Symphony. She described herself as a “band geek.” She was also president of the Student Congress and maintained a 4.0 GPA. Kotrba now lives in Eagan, Minn., and is a piano teacher. She and her husband Bill have two college-age children who received scholarships from a foundation similar to the NSEF in Eagan. Kotrba said she now also has the perspective as a parent of how important educational foundations can be. “I was very grateful for the generosity of the local businesses and individuals who had contributed to the fund.” She also said she was able to see first-hand how receiving the scholarships made her children feel, and she thought back to when she received the NSEF scholarship. “The scholarships made them feel as though their efforts were seen and appreciated. And I reflected back to my own experience in receiving an award. “I believe what made the biggest impact on me was that it made me feel like someone noticed all my hard work and had given me some credit. A lot of credit. What the money actually meant was, ‘You are seen and appreciated.’” Kotrba said that, although the financial impact of scholarships is important, “I think of equal importance for me as that 18-year-old who had worked her tail off for four years was the feeling of being seen. My efforts, dedication, sacrifices and contributions were acknowledged and appreciated. “This might be the biggest impact of the North Scott Educational Foundation: the way the gift of money makes students feel. They are valued as graduates of the North Scott School District.” More information on the NSEF, including more on how to endow a scholarship, is available at north-scott.k12.ia.us/district/north-scott-educational-foundation.

A legacy of generous giving

Elmer “Happy” and Evelyn Schlunsen gave an incredible legacy to the North Scott Educational Foundation. What began as a gift of $20,000 in stock to the Foundation in 2006, grew exponentially over the years and eventually culminated in a bequest of more than $1.9 million following Evelyn’s death. This year, the Foundation was able to present an additional $40,000 in scholarships to North Scott seniors, ensuring that every student who submitted a completed application received an award. But who were Elmer and Evelyn Schlunsen? Although they never had any children of their own, the Schlunsens were believers in community and education. That’s part of what drove Evelyn to make her initial gift. Elmer was born in 1912 in Cedar County and was employed as a bulk agent for Standard Oil for 27 years. Among his customers were area farmers as well as the nascent North Scott School District. Elmer, also known as “Happy,” delivered fuel to the school district from its formation in 1956 until his retirement 10 years later. He also worked for seven years at an Iowa Liquor Store. Meanwhile, Evelyn was born in 1917 on a farm in Muscatine County. Orphaned by the age of nine, she was raised by her sister and brother-in-law on their farm near Stockton. She achieved small fame in 1933, when she was honored as the 10 millionth visitor to the Chicago World’s Fair. She graduated from Davenport High School in 1935 and went to work as a teacher in one-room schoolhouses in Liberty and Cleona townships. Shortly before her high school graduation, she met Happy at a dance. “I was dancing with someone else and our eyes met,” she told The NSP in 2017. They were married Jan. 14, 1939, at the Blackhawk Hotel in Davenport and set up house in Eldridge. Their first home was on West Franklin Street, the building that now houses the 2 Sisters shop. Evelyn walked to work at her job as a switchboard operator at the telephone company, located at the east side of the intersection of West Franklin and North Second streets (now Folkinart Gallery). Happy was also a volunteer firefighter. After Happy’s retirement, the couple moved to Davenport, and later to Mesa, Ariz., in 1973. They traveled extensively, and summered in Rexburg, Idaho, for 18 years. But Happy suffered a stroke in 1995, and the couple returned to Davenport to be closer to family. Happy passed away on Jan. 6, 1998. Evelyn remained in Scott County, eventually moving for the final time to Silvercrest Garner Farms in Davenport. She maintained an active lifestyle and played cards with friends every day. Evelyn’s first gift to the Foundation was in 2006, $20,000 in stock. She set up an endowment that would allow for annual scholarships, with the promise that the Foundation would receive a gift after she passed away. “Happy took pride in delivering fuel to the buses and other district vehicles from the time the district was formed in 1956 until his retirement 10 years later,” Evelyn told The NSP in 2006. “Although we did not have children of our own, we always recognized the importance of education to be successful in this complex world. Many people do not get the opportunity to further their education due to rapidly increasing costs.” Evelyn took pride in presenting the scholarships every year, although she did temporarily pause giving in the 2010s after a student failed to send her a thank-you note. She continued to come to Eldridge to make the presentation until after she turned 100. She very much enjoyed making the presentations to students. Former Foundation board member Scott Campbell got to know Evelyn very well over the years. “She was just this neat old, young, lady, and very involved. She always let the Foundation pick (the recipients), but I can remember going out to her apartment in Davenport and talking to her about the kids. Every year, Jim (Tank), Diana (Vollbeer), Evelyn and I would have lunch at The Outing Club just to talk. And she’d get all gussied up to come and have lunch and talk about it.” Evelyn also kept a scrapbook that includes letters from Foundation members, as well as thank-you notes and senior photos from the recipients. Some families even sent her Christmas cards after their student received a scholarship. “It was very important to her,” said Campbell. “And there was a time that she got mad because there was one student who did not send her a thank-you. So, she quit giving for a year or two. It really hurt her that she didn’t get a written thank-you.” Evelyn Schlunsen passed away on Sept. 30, 2024, at Silvercrest at the age of 107. After Evelyn’s death, the Foundation received its promised gift, but board members were stunned by her generosity. “Every time we would talk on the phone, she would say, ‘It’s going to be more when I die,’” Campbell said. “I don’t think anybody, including me or even Jim Tank, probably had any idea how much that ‘more’ was.” Initially, they received a check for approximately $43,000. But as her estate was settled last summer, board members learned Evelyn’s total bequest came out to more than $1.9 million. Just after the estate was finally closed this year, the board received another few thousand dollars, bringing the total gift to nearly $2 million. As that gift is invested and continues to grow, it will ensure students in the North Scott School District will continue to benefit for years to come. Evelyn also bequeathed funds to the Eldridge Park Board and Long Grove Civic League for improvements in those communities, which will include new shelters and permanent restrooms at several parks in Eldridge. “She was just a very giving person,” said Campbell. “I always enjoyed every phone call I got from her. She was very sweet. North Scott is so, so lucky to have someone like that do what she did. And it’s a pretty humble story. Hap was the Standard Oil guy, and his whole thing was just driving around to the farmers. They lived a very unpretentious life here in Eldridge and they just invested very wisely in stocks, and that’s why we’ve got what we have today.”

“An Introduction to Germany's Imperial Rhine: Part II,” May 17

With the second part of presenter Richard Baldner's program, guests of Davenport's German American Heritage Center will be treated to An Introduction to Germany's Imperial Rhine on May 17, a fascinating exploration of Western Europe's second-longest river interpreted and illustrated within the context of historic imperial Germany, and delivered as part of the venue's popular "Kaffee und Kuchen" series.

Giving the gift of education

The beginnings were humble. The results have been immeasurable. This year, the North Scott Educational Foundation celebrated 40 years of presenting scholarships to graduating seniors, handing out 161 scholarships to 112 students totaling $230,950. The Foundation has certainly come a long way from its earliest days, when it could only afford to hand out a single scholarship. But since 1986, the Foundation has now handed out more than 1,600 scholarships worth more than $2.5 million. Scott Campbell served on the Foundation board from 1991 until his retirement last year, making him the longest serving board member in the Foundation’s history. “What a blessing it is for our community to have the Foundation,” he said. “The number of lives that have been touched is just immeasurable.” Campbell served on the scholarship committee from his start on the board. “It’s just been a tremendous blessing for me to be able to evaluate the students and go through the process of choosing scholarships. And to see how many we give out today, it’s just awesome. There’s a lot of deserving kids. I know there are people who would not have been able to go to college without a North Scott Educational Foundation scholarship.” Planting the seeds The first seeds for what would become the North Scott Educational Foundation were sewn in the early 1980s. An ad hoc committee that included school board members Kathy Porter, Rex Masterson and Jim Tank was formed in March of 1984 to study forming a non-profit educational foundation. At that time, the stated purpose was to raise funds for the schools, in a manner similar to a university development office. In a memo to the school board recommending the formation of a foundation, then-superintendent Dr. Robert “Bear” Stevens wrote, “The foundation structure is separate from the governing structure of the school district, which gives it the ability to independently argue the financial case for the district. The foundation structure is a time-tested vehicle for mobilizing community support and providing a forum for active participation. The foundation signals a commitment to an active program that can appeal to potential donors.” By the end of 1984, the committee moved forward with plans to form a foundation, now with the express stated purpose of providing scholarships for seniors, as well as staff development programs and educational programs not offered by the district. The first official meeting of the board of trustees was held in October. The 12 original trustees represented every area of the district and were chosen by a school board committee. They included: Chris Rembold of Long Grove; Karen Collins of rural Davenport; Jack Darland of Eldridge; Jeanette Keppy of Eldridge; Dotty Seyfried of rural Walcott; Rev. Gordon Bohlmann of Eldridge; David McLaughlin of Princeton; Jim Tank of Eldridge; Clarence “Butch” Richlen of Dixon; William Flenker of rural Long Grove; Harland Rohlk of Donahue; and Gene Schneckloth of rural Eldridge. “At the inception of the Foundation, the founding members wanted to look at representation from the entire district, and all of the cities and towns that encompass the whole school district to make sure there was a voice and ears and acknowledgement from the district as a whole, not just the central location,” said current NSEF co-president Leah Lahann-Allen. “And although that’s not a strict part of our by-laws, that’s always kind of in the back of our mind – where is the representation coming from and is there a voice for the whole district.” Superintendent Doug Otto, who took over leadership of the district at the start of the 1984-1985 school year, said, “To me, the big advantage of a foundation is that there are many people who do want to see a personal gift go toward education. “It is an organization that’s there for those people that really do believe in providing additional funds for the district.” Just getting started Butch Richlen said fundraising was slow going in the early days. “It was a little difficult. We were just starting, and it was the thought of, well, this is just another organization. “We said, in our first meetings, that we would not hold any benefits to interfere with anything with North Scott High School and their fundraisers. And we didn’t. We advertised and got money that way.” Slowly but surely, funds began to come in. The Foundation awarded its first scholarship of $500 to Sara Stephens in the spring of 1986, with Harland Rohlk making the presentation. The following year, the NSEF gave out two scholarships, worth $200 and $300, and by 1992, it was able to present four $500 scholarships and a $300 award. Behind the scenes, board members were starting to build relationships with community members to solicit donations. Richlen said Jim Tank was a force on the board from its earliest days. “You talk about somebody that worked his rear off,” said Richlen. “He did so much for that Foundation. “I would say he’s the father of the Foundation.” Tank was a longtime banker, working for years at Central Trust & Savings Bank in Eldridge. When CTSB was bought out, Tank later went to work for Northwestern Mutual. One of the earliest relationships Tank formed with regards to the Foundation was with Alfred and Helen Arp. The Arps, who farmed in the Eldridge area, had a long relationship with Tank, going back to when he was with CTSB. In 1986, Tank and Alfred Arp had a conversation that would change the Foundation’s path. They discussed ways Arp could give back to the community, and Tank suggested the NSEF. This lit a spark in Arp, and he made a substantial donation, although he asked that he remain anonymous until after his death. Alfred Arp died on Feb. 7, 1992, and in his will, he left a mutual fund, then valued at more than $320,000 to the Foundation, which would continue to be invested. Tank told the school board that, if the fund continued to earn about 6% interest annually, there would be at least $20,000 available for scholarships per year. Tank also further explained Arp’s gift to the school board. “Although he and Helen had no children, he has always been very interested in young people and their future. Further, he always regretted not having a more formal education of his own, although he was obviously a very intelligent person, with excellent business judgement through the years and a great deal of common sense. “My suggesting that he may do something in a substantial way for young people in this community seemed exciting to him, and leaving a bequest to North Scott for scholarships to needy students to further their education is something he decided to do.” Ruth Arp-Pollard, a longtime friend of the Arps, also explained that Alfred had been unable to attend high school and had often wondered what might have happened if he’d been able to further his education. Campbell agreed with Richlen about Tank’s impact. “Without Jim Tank, this Foundation would not be where we’re at today. We wouldn’t have the Arp Scholarship; we wouldn’t have the Zabel Scholarship; we wouldn’t have the Mickey McArthur Scholarship. We definitely wouldn’t have the Evelyn Schlunsen Scholarship.” It was also thanks to Tank and Evelyn Schlunsen that the NSEF reached a major milestone in 2014, giving out its “Millionth Dollar Scholarship,” a one-time, $7,500 award presented to Abby Nass. Schlunsen gave an additional $5,000 that year, combined with $2,500 from the NSEF endowment. While it took 33 years for the Foundation to reach the $1 million mark for giving, it took less than half that time to produce the second million in awards. The visionaries Campbell said Tank had a passion for North Scott and Eldridge, and the Tank family has a long and storied history in the North Scott area thanks to their connection with CTSB. “Jim was the lifeblood of the Foundation,” said Campbell. “He was not hesitant about talking to people. One of the benefits for him, after he left the bank, he went to work at Northwestern, and he helped people with estate planning and that type of thing. So, it was natural for him to mention to people, have you thought about this, have you thought about that?” Tank also cultivated relationships with residents like Mickey McArthur, who helped create the Bear Stevens Scholarship, and later a scholarship in his own name. Tank also was a major driving force in the donation that would eventually become the Elmer “Happy” and Evelyn Schlunsen Scholarships (see separate story). Diana Vollbeer was another major driving force for the Foundation. “For as influential as Jim was in cultivating the financial part of the Foundation, Diana was truly the one that took it to the next level,” said Campbell. Vollbeer was president of the Foundation board when Campbell joined in 1991, and they served together for more than 20 years. “I had a great relationship with her,” Campbell said. “She was very giving, very organized, and just did a great job of making the Foundation run smoother. She thought of things people wouldn’t think about and she had a vision. She never got paid for it, but it was almost a full-time job for her. It was truly a passion, and the Foundation would not be where it’s at today without her. “The running joke was, who’s going to take over when Diana decides to walk away? Who’s going to do this? Because they knew no one would be able to. She handpicked Debbie Shannon to be her replacement. And Debbie did a wonderful job of filling Diana’s shoes. No one was totally going to fill her shoes, and Debbie would be the first person to say that, but Debbie just kept us on the same path that Diana would have wanted us to stay on.” Lahann-Allen describes Tank and Vollbeer as founding fathers of the Foundation. “They really had a communal aspect to their foresight and the future, and making North Scott – not only the community, but this strong Foundation and a school district that promotes the growth and sustainability of our community for years.” “I think as Leah and I have dived into the work and have had the opportunity to look back at the documents and the work that was done originally, those early leaders were very visionary,” said current NSEF co-president Shelli Engelbrecht. “They started small. I mean, to think that it was just one scholarship, and it was a group of people who just had a common goal, a common belief in the importance of this work.” Working for the students As the Foundation continued to grow throughout the rest of the 1990s and into the 2000s, it also began to see more memorial scholarships formed. “Tragedy always makes people think differently,” said Campbell. “And when you lose people, it’s a great way to honor the memory of somebody. That’s what a lot of our scholarships ended up being. And, unfortunately, there was a time when North Scott had a tremendous amount of tragedy. It was a very dignified way to honor someone’s memory by starting a scholarship. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.” Butch Richlen and his wife formed a scholarship in honor of their son, Mike, who was killed in a work-related accident in 1989. Like other donors, they keep a scrapbook of the recipients that includes thank-you notes and senior photos. But through tragedy, and the expansion of the Foundation’s work, more people began to see the benefits to the students, and that encouraged more donations. Lahann-Allen said there are many reasons people choose to give to the Foundation, and the organization is starting to get more donations from alumni now, too – “those that want to give back, that have been successful in their careers and want to give back to the community where they began.” Her family also endowed a scholarship in memory of her father, Barry, a longtime educator who also served as principal at Alan Shepard Elementary School for many years. “It was just very fitting and appropriate for me to continue that legacy and my parents’ passion for education,” she said. Barry Lahann was also a longtime member of the Foundation board. “We are a way that individuals, families, businesses, organizations can have an impact,” said Engelbrecht. “We’ve received community support from different businesses that may make a one-time donation or support a scholarship and find a way to have a greater impact than what they’re already doing. I think we are slowly becoming more recognized as a place where that can happen.” Continuing the good work Richlen said the board’s members go a long way towards the Foundation’s success. “The thing that makes it so unique is, nobody gets paid. And they all work their butts off to do it.” He said the board is changing rapidly right now. One of the major changes to the scholarship process this year was a move to computerized evaluations from all paper forms. In recent years, the Foundation has also moved from written essays to video essays for all students, although some community scholarships still require additional written essays. “The board is pretty set on what they want to accomplish,” said Richlen. “And we’ve always been that way. We’ve always gotten people on there that do that.” Campbell said there’s also an exciting energy to this board. “With Shelli and Leah, both of them being North Scott grads, it’s just really awesome. They’ve brought a whole new energy. It’s the next generation, and it was time for the next generation to do that. “It was really difficult for me to decide to resign from the Foundation, because I loved it, and I loved leading the scholarship committee. I loved that process. I really loved the connection that I had with the kids, and I really vacillated back and forth what to do. But when I decided to run for mayor, something had to give and unfortunately, that was it.” While Campbell still gets called on from time to time for his institutional knowledge, he said the Foundation is in “such good hands” right now. “If I didn’t feel that way, I probably wouldn’t have walked away, but it is in such good hands. “There are wonderful, wonderful people on that board,” he said. “They have a real heart and a passion for what they do. Serving on the board is truly an honor, when you think about the number of lives that it touches.” “I think we have a great group of people who have such an appreciation for the Foundation, and we are meeting that with being open to change,” said Engelbrecht. “Being open to the fact that the Foundation has grown and post-high school education and training look very different than they did when the Foundation started. I think everyone comes to the board already willing to serve in some way, and I think it’s the unique backgrounds all coming together for that common purpose, appreciating the history that came before us, with the idea of, let’s continue, but let’s also figure out how we can make it even better. What else can we do to continue the legacies and how can we continue to grow? “I think we just have a great group of people right now that come together in that way, and we each bring something different to the table, and it all works. That’s just a little piece of the beauty of what’s happening right now in the Foundation.” Campbell said the board is sound, both financially and in terms of the people on the board right now. “It is set up for the long haul. There will always be a North Scott Educational Foundation because of that. But I am just so impressed with the leadership that they have now, and the people that are on that board. I believe they are all dedicated. They’re all on it for the right reasons; not just to put a feather in their cap. It’s all because they believe in the Foundation and they believe that they really want to help kids. “And with those three things, with the financial stability, with the wonderful leadership that they have, and with this new generation of young leaders, I think the sky is just the limit for the Foundation.” And the current leadership said there are still changes that will need to be made to ensure the success of the nearly $5 million endowment the Foundation currently holds. “It’s changed immensely over the last two years, with basically doubling our assets,” said Lahann-Allen. “The future does need to continue to change, whether it be just a different way of looking at operations. I think we’re going to have to do that in order to manage these funds effectively. And I think we’re going to have to look at our options for future growth.” “We recognize that with an increased endowment, increased scholarships, comes more work,” said Engelbrecht. “And even though we currently have a full board of directors, we donate a tremendous amount of time to make all this work. I think we have to continue to look at ways to get our name out there. We want to continue to grow, and we want to continue to impact as many people as possible. And just be open to whatever will make that happen in the most efficient way possible.” Campbell calls the Foundation North Scott’s best kept secret. “I don’t think North Scott realizes how lucky they are because they have an organization like this. And for Jim Tank and Butch Richlen and the people back in the 80s to have this vision, and for them to think where it’s at today – I don’t think any of them had any idea where we’d be at.” Lahann-Allen said the Foundation also makes North Scott a stronger community. “I think about the families that raise their kids here in North Scott and then how powerful this Foundation is. It just makes it a great place to work and live and raise a family. It’s a piece of a bigger puzzle, but it makes North Scott a pretty cool place to live.” She also said the gift of being able to give back to the students drives the board year after year. “The power of sitting in that auditorium on awards night is so impactful. To the board, to me. And that’s what I reflect on, and it’s kind of what carries you through the year. It’s just a cool event to be a part of, and you see how many lives you touch, and you look at how much money is dispersed in the community that supports it. I think that’s what gives fire to the board and passion to the board.” “I was very, very proud to be a part of starting it,” said Richlen. “And I’m still proud. I think I could walk into that board and sit down and listen to what they have to say and be proud to have been part of it.” “To think that it started in such a humble place and has grown,” said Engelbrecht. “I would love for the founders to see what it has grown into, because I just can’t imagine that they would have had any idea, really, of the growth and impact their work has had.”  

2026 Bishop Hill Civil War Day, May 16

To honor America’s 250th birthday this year, the Bishop Hill Heritage Association will be hosting a variety of activities that look at various aspects of early U.S. history in the 2026 Bishop Hill Civil War Day, the May 16 events including an artillery demonstration, a speech by Union General John Logan, a Civil War music concert, an evening Civil War-era Ball, and, of course, a staged battle.

“The Last to Fall from Hero Street,” May 21

Presented as part of the library's long-running Community Connections series, a May 21 screening of The Last to Fall from Hero Street will find local Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films sharing their moving documentary at the Bettendorf Public Library, this fifth work in the Rundles' acclaimed Hero Street series followed by a question-and-answer session with the area talents.

Stew Gillmor: Lancer, Hawkeye, Champion

On a state champion per capita basis, Donahue has a case to be called the wrestling capital of Iowa. Home of the John Glenn Patriots, this town of not many more than 300 people certainly punches above its weight. Of North Scott’s seven individual state gold medalists, five of them called Donahue home: Dave Kluever, Sean Stender, Mitch Bowman, Wyatt Wriedt, and Stew Gillmor. “There’s a certain amount of tradition from that town,” said Gillmor, who won the third North Scott individual championship in 2007, after Kluever in 1971 and Stender in 2000. “It’s just happenstance the way it’s worked out. It’s neat to have that little area have so much success in the history of the wrestling program.” Kluever and Stender are already in North Scott’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Bowman and Wriedt’s time will come. This year, it is Gillmor who earns his rightful spot among the Lancer legends. “It was a very pleasant surprise,” Gillmor said of learning of his induction. “When you look back at the culmination of what you’ve done for your home area, your community, to be honored like that makes you step back. It’s pretty humbling. “Donahue and North Scott are places that I’m always going to consider home. When you are honored by your peers and your hometown like this, it means the world.” Gillmor was a two-sport athlete as a kid, but baseball yielded to wrestling by the time he entered high school. Both Stew and his younger brother Walt grew up on the mats, and both found success at the youth level. Stew qualified for the AAU state tournament five times, medaled three times, and won it in his eighth-grade season, 2003. One year later, Walt joined him as an AAU state champion. “I started (wrestling) in kindergarten. We took it slow. Each year, we got a little bit better and liked it more and more,” Gillmor said. “When I got into high school, I knew it was what I wanted to do. There was a good chance to get to the next level, to college, in my mind.” Gillmor had the right man for the job to teach him the ways of the grappler. Dan Mashek was his head coach for all four years of high school. “I remember when we got word we were getting Dan Mashek — I wasn’t quite in high school yet — I remember my dad telling me it was a really big deal,” Gillmor said. “He was fantastic. When you understand everything he did at Don Bosco, and what he built North Scott into, you felt like you were being led by somebody who was top-notch.” After a rough start to his freshman season, Gillmor rounded into form after Christmas break. He went on to win the first of his four Mississippi Athletic Conference championships. To this day, Gillmor is the only Lancer to win MAC gold all four years. The biggest factor in the adjustment to and early success at the high school, he says, was improvements in his technique. “When you go from middle school to high school age kids, and those upperclassmen are bigger and stronger than you, learning how to deal with that was big,” Gillmor said. “The whole experience, the weight cuts, training with better guys. Once you have a taste of success, you start to have more belief.” Later that season, Gillmor qualified for the first of his four state tournaments. When Gillmor graduated, only he and Greg Green wrestled at Des Moines’ big dance all four years of high school. The next winter, in his sophomore season, Gillmor won his first of three medals at the state tournament. It was another feat he and only one other Lancer — Sean Stender — had accomplished by the mid-2000s. Gillmor placed eighth at that state tournament. “In a weird way, it was bittersweet. I had an unfortunate loss on the consolation side, and I thought I could have climbed higher,” he said. “On one hand, it’s a sense of accomplishment. On the other, a sense of disappointment that I could have finished better. Sometimes, those setbacks lay the groundwork for what’s to come in the future. It drives you.” Each year of high school, Gillmor bumped up one weight class: 130, 135, 140 and 145. And each season, he got one step closer to his ultimate goal. In his junior season, Gillmor reached the championship semifinals for the first time. There, against Phil Sexton of Cedar Rapids Prairie, somebody Gillmor had beaten every single time they ever wrestled, the Lancer lost a 5-4 decision. This loss quashed Gillmor’s title run and ended a multiyear-long dream. “After my freshman year, my goal was to become North Scott’s first two-time state champion,” Gillmor said. “It was very heartbreaking losing that match… Losing that goal as well hurt a lot. You feel like you’re on the cusp, and to have a loss like that really stings.” In 2007, it was now or never. Gillmor actually took more losses in his senior year than in his junior year. However, Gillmor felt fresher and in better shape heading into February. “Maybe the peak was happening at a better time,” he said. In the first round at state, ranked fourth at 145 pounds, Gillmor got tested right away. He won a 15-10 barnburner of a decision. “It woke me up. It kind of scared me,” Gillmor said. “It was a wrestler I was very familiar with. I don’t think I was in danger of losing, but it was much closer and wilder than what I was expecting… Coming out of that match, gutting it out, blowing my lungs out, it got all those nerves out of me.” His quarterfinal was a straightforward 11-1 major decision win. It led into a semifinal match against Daniel Twito of Cedar Falls, and a hurdle Gillmor had yet to clear. “I remember all through my high school years, Daniel Twito was always around my weight. It seemed like we wrestled a fair amount my senior year. I had lost a few times to him in close matches,” Gillmor said. “He was a very defensive wrestler. I knew if I could get a takedown and maybe some points, make him become the aggressor, I could win more comfortably.” Gillmor put Twito on the back foot immediately by winning a scramble and earning back points. Gillmor got in control of the match and ground out a 7-3 decision. It meant one final match as a Lancer. Six more minutes. For all the marbles. “Thankfully, Coach Mashek, being the legend he is and having the experience he did, was able to talk to me. With his guidance, he helped me prepare,” Gillmor said. His opponent in the Class 3A 145-pound final was Sioux City North’s Blaze Gill. One year ago, at this same tournament, Gillmor beat Gill twice — once in the championship first round and again in the consolation semifinals. “Mentally, I felt like I was the better wrestler. I knew how to wrestle him,” Gillmor said. “If I wrestled the way I wanted to, got to my offense, I felt like I could control the match. “When you get to the finals, sometimes crazy things can happen. It doesn’t always go to plan. I felt like I controlled him, except for giving up that escape at the end of the first period.” The Lancer senior still led 2-1 after two minutes. Gill won the flip, deferred, and Gillmor chose bottom. He escaped with 25 seconds left in the period, and was awarded points for a takedown after the buzzer sounded. “Scoring there at the end of the period, making it 5-1, I wasn’t counting my chickens, but it felt really good with the way that sequence went,” Gillmor said. Gill chose bottom position to start the third. He escaped almost immediately, but Gillmor kept the rest of the period on the feet. Both wrestlers put their hands on their heads as the final whistle blew. Gillmor put both arms into the air, pointed them into the stands, and got his right arm raised as a champion. “It was the culmination of everything I’ve done,” Gillmor said. “Even from childhood growing up, you think of those moments. To have it happen, it’s just satisfying. I was over the moon. “Being Dan Mashek’s last state champion was cool. It’s something I think about from time to time. Being able to celebrate that with him, I feel like I ended the right way.” 145 wins as a Lancer tied Gillmor for second-most in school history at the time of his graduation. All of his accolades, achievements and abilities earned him a spot on the University of Iowa’s men’s wrestling team. “Growing up in Iowa, and seeing the (Dan) Gable years, that’s a very high pedestal. You don’t think you can get there,” Gillmor said. “My goal was to wrestle at Division I, but I thought Iowa was out of reach. When they recruited me, it was a no-brainer. The pull of being an Iowa kid, even if you’re not the most decorated recruit or a long shot to see time, that pull is there.” Gillmor was a three-year letterwinner at Iowa, and compiled 21 wins in the gold singlet. His freshman year roommate was Lancer teammate Brodie Ambrose. In 2010, Walt joined the team. Stew and Walt became the 38th set of brothers to wrestle together as Hawkeyes. However, the best outcome of attending Iowa, Gillmor said, had nothing to do with wrestling. In Iowa City, Gillmor met his wife, Christi. Together, they have three children aged four and younger. The Gillmors put down roots in Marion, IA, but they will travel to Eldridge to see Stew’s old stomping grounds. They will reminisce on a wrestling program that has grown leaps and bounds since Gillmor’s days. At times in the 1990s and early 2000s, North Scott might only see one or two state qualifiers — sometimes none. In recent seasons, the Lancers have been qualifying close to a dozen wrestlers with state podium placers becoming an annual occurrence. “You love to see your hometown have continued success. There is a bar that has been set,” Gillmor said. “If guys aren’t making those runs, you are shocked. There is a standard to North Scott wrestling that has been established. “We’ve never recruited anybody. It’s always homegrown kids from the district. We have a great youth program set up. It feels like we’ve done it the right way.”

2002 Softball: At last, state champions

There is a saying in life that nothing is perfect. The 2002 North Scott softball team is as close as it gets. 55 wins and one defeat. Conference champions. Regional champions. State champions. The top-ranked team in Class 3A the entire summer fulfilled its destiny and ended a four-year-long journey to the top of the mountain. It was a team filled to the brim with all-state talent: Anne Wylie and Angie Hartwig in the circle, Mindy Heidgerken and Lindsey Schneckloth roaming the outfield, and Allison Erichsen, Lisa Kirby and Nikki Ferden holding down the infield. There were the Suiter’s, Kendra and Brittany; the Glunz’s, Natalie and Kara; and the Schnack’s, Leslie and Michelle. With Eden Olsen, Courtney Pennel, Ashley Schwarz, Sarah Kilen and Stephanie Leibold complementing the roster, and coaches Lori Osterberg, Lea Rains, Jay Chelf, Christy Dalton and Nancy Shannon watching over them, it made for the summer of a lifetime. “I remember the intensity and excitement surrounding the games,” Anne (Wylie) Armstrong said. “I remember how well our team played together. The camaraderie and trust we had in each other was truly special. That’s not always the case for all teams, and I think that’s what helped us be successful.” For this group, this summer, there was no other option but to win a state championship. The previous four seasons, North Scott qualified for the state tournament and finished fourth, third, second and second. “Coach Osterberg had a poster that said, ‘I hate second place,’” Kendra (Suiter) Brink recalls. “That was kind of our motto going in. Our coaches helped prepare us and challenge us, and they believed in us.” This was Osterberg’s first year as head coach, taking over for the legendary Dennis Johnson. Osterberg played on North Scott’s 1993 state championship softball team under Johnson. “The transition was seamless,” Armstrong said, who played for Johnson the previous two seasons. “She played under Johnson, and she knew his style and approach. Coach Chelf, too. They both knew how to push us and challenge us individually and as a team.” “To have (Osterberg) as a coach, you are kind of star-struck,” Brink said. “She’s a genuine, kind-hearted, wonderful leader and a person on and off the field. We all looked up to her and knew she had incredible experience. She puts us up at a higher level and set high expectations for all of us. We wanted to be better because of her leadership.” In addition to a first-year head coach, this North Scott team only had two senior players: Armstrong and first baseman Lisa Kirby. Their leadership of the team played a significant role in the success of the season. “They were the best,” Allison (Erichsen) Huffman said. “You couldn’t tell what grade anybody was in. We meshed so well together. The coaches, the whole team, on and off the field, we worked so well together.” From day one, the Lancers were the team to beat. And they started the season on a 15-game win streak. The one and only blemish on the resume came from a doubleheader nightcap loss to Burlington, 3-0, in one of the first conference games of the season. The Lancers had defeated the Grayhounds 8-0 in the first game of the set. “That was just a dumb loss. Why did we lose that game?” Armstrong joked. “It’s one that we should have beaten them.” Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. Without the prospect of an undefeated season looming over their heads, the Lancers were able to focus on their sole mission. “Otherwise, you start building up that pressure of having to keep (a perfect record),” Natalie (Glunz) Amhof said. “Whereas if you lose one, it’s not as big of a deal. We are still in it to win it.” For the remaining 33 regular-season games, the Lancers ran rampant. The North Scott offense averaged 7.21 runs per game. Armstrong and Hartwig were untouchable in the circle, throwing 26 shutouts during the regular season. The team finished 16-1 in Mississippi Athletic Conference play and won the conference title for the third time in four seasons. In regional play, the Lancers breezed past Dubuque Senior 10-0, but had to sneak by Dubuque Wahlert 2-1 to get back to state. In Fort Dodge, the Lancers had the difficult assignment of playing the hometown Dodgers in the quarterfinal. The result was one of the most memorable days in program history. North Scott and Fort Dodge were deadlocked for most of the game, and it took the teams into extra innings tied at two. Uncharacteristic errors from the Lancer defense allowed the Dodgers to score twice in the top of the eighth, putting North Scott’s tournament on life support. “When we were trailing, I do remember having a conversation in the dugout: ‘We are not losing this game. We will not lose this game,’” Armstrong said. “I usually didn’t get particularly intense, but I do remember that moment. We were not going out in the quarterfinals. We are not letting this go. And that’s really what we did. We battled, and battled, and we would not let up.” North Scott was down to its final out in the eighth inning when Leslie Schnack blooped a single into the outfield between three Dodger defenders. She advanced to second base on the play. With Kirby at third base, Schnack represented the tying run. The next batter, Schneckloth, smacked a base hit to center field and tied the game at four. It took until the 12th inning to break the tie. Heidgerken became the hero, walking off Fort Dodge with an RBI single. “At the state tournament, you let it all out. I don’t care if there’s two outs and nobody on and you’re down two runs. You make it happen some way,” Osterberg said after that game. “We stayed focused. We never stopped believing. When you pop up and everyone’s packing their bags, and the ball drops, you know you’re meant to win the game.” Heidgerken was later named the Class 3A all-tournament team captain. During the state tournament, she drove in three runs, had three hits, including a double and a triple, and scored two runs herself. To boot, she was later named a first-team all-conference and first-team all-state selection as North Scott’s center fielder. “She was awesome to play with in the outfield,” said Amhof, the team’s starting right fielder. “She was a great leader out there. She could cover ground like nobody I’ve ever played with. She was center field, but she probably covered about 75 percent of the outfield.” In the semifinals, North Scott found a familiar foe in Bettendorf. The Lancers welcomed facing the Bulldogs, who had not defeated the scarlet and silver in softball since 1979. “It’s a school that we play all the time. You have to keep up the pace and keep winning,” Huffman said. “It’s hard to go out of town and play a team you play all the time. But it’s also not as difficult knowing their hitters and how they play the game.” This year was no different than the previous 23. North Scott defeated Bettendorf 6-1, featuring a dominant outing from Armstrong in the circle. She threw five shutout innings, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out two. Hartwig came in relief in the sixth inning and put up a zero. Kilen finished the Bulldogs in the seventh, sending North Scott to its third consecutive title game. There, it met sixth-ranked West Des Moines Dowling. It didn’t take long for déjà vu to settle in for North Scott. The Maroons no-hit the Lancers through four innings and led 2-0 at the halfway point. North Scott was not going to waste another championship opportunity. “I remember feeling this level of confidence that we were going to win this game. It fueled us to keep fighting,” Armstrong said. “I recall this sense in the dugout of ‘we got this.’ However long it takes. I knew we were facing a very good opponent, and we had a lot of respect for them. But we were going to make this happen.” That the Lancers did. A four-run sixth-inning rally flipped the scoreboard in North Scott’s favor. Ferden, Heidgerken, Kirby and Schneckloth all reached and circled the bases. The lineup card turned over, and the Lancers were now in the driver’s seat. Dowling put two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but could not convert. The Lancers started to feel it. “In the seventh inning, we had two outs,” Huffman said, “and I remember looking at Eden, who was our shortstop at the time. We just kind of pointed at each other. Like, once we get this out, that’s it. We’re going to win.” A groundout to Huffman at second base got the Lancers their long-awaited 21st out. “Just overjoyed,” Brink said. “Tears, laughter and relief all at once.” “I remember the dogpile,” Amhof said. “I remember crying. Every photo I have from that game, everyone is in tears. It was very exciting.” Armstrong provided context: “I remember the previous two years we had tears of sadness for losing. That final year, it was tears of joy. That was a neat experience. The hugs and the jumping and all of that was an incredible experience because of how tough all those games were leading up to that and how hard we had to battle to get that win.” The Lancers celebrated the way champions do — jumping into the hotel pool and riding back into town on top of a firetruck. A Clydesdale-drawn wagon gave the other players a ride through town. It’s the type of celebration only the most supportive and loving of communities could give. “All I knew was going to North Scott schools. Living in different places and being able to reflect on that — what a blessing to live in such a great community that really supported the softball team,” Armstrong said. “I probably didn’t have the appreciation for it at the time. Now, looking back, I can say that was really neat. “To have a community that supported us game after game, they were there and they supported us. They brought energy to the games. They supported us when we went to state. They supported us when we lost two years in a row. The community aspect of it was really special. I appreciate that now more than I did at the time.” What has not been lost, either, is the institution that softball is in Eldridge and its surrounding towns. There were state championships before 2002, and the success has not stopped in present day. The current crop of Lancer softball players has qualified for four straight state softball tournaments, and they played in the championship game in 2023. “I remember going to the softball games when I was a girl,” Armstrong said. “I grew up idolizing those players. That is what I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to play at that stage. I love that the community has continued to draw people and inspire girls to work hard, inspire them to accomplish those goals. “It’s a unique community to be able to provide that support. I love that it’s continued to be a strong program and keep that legacy going… Johnson was a huge part of that. He got it going, and I’m so thankful that it’s continued.”

“Dawn of the Dead,” May 15

Presented by Time Travelers VHS Cinema and the Latchkey Movie Club, one of the most iconic zombie films of all time, if not the most, enjoys a May 15 screening at Rock Island venue Rozz-Tox, George A. Miller's 1978 horror classic Dawn of the Dead famously hailed by Rober Ebert with a four-star review and his certainty that it was “one of the best horror films ever made.”

Gas prices on the rise in the QCA and beyond

The price of diesel, meanwhile, is more than $5.64 as of Monday, nearly 20 cents higher than a week ago, according to AAA.

Aaron Huber: The family tradition continues

Athletic Hall of Fame genes run in the Huber family. A photo of Barry Huber, an all-state baseball player in 1983, hangs in the halls of Maquoketa Valley High School. His daughter, Shari Huber, was inducted into North Scott’s Hall of Fame two years ago for her softball prowess. Now, one of Barry’s sons gets a turn in the spotlight. Whether he was on the court, the gridiron, or the diamond, Aaron Huber was front and center and in big, bold letters in opponents’ scouting reports. Huber is a two-time Mississippi Athletic Conference Player of the Year, a two-time all-state honoree, and is a record-holder in multiple sports at North Scott. Part of the Class of 2011, Huber did not have to wait long to hear his name called. “My sister got in a couple of years ago, so I wanted to catch her,” Huber joked. “I figured it was coming eventually; I was excited that it was earlier. My son is born now, so he can be a part of it. “It means a lot. It’s something I strived for from a young age. I saw my dad get inducted into the Hall of Fame at Maquoketa Valley. I remember being little and seeing how cool that was. Seeing all the pictures, different names, and striving for that, to finally have it come to life is really special.” As kids, Shari, Aaron and youngest brother Eric played every sport under the sun. Shari told The NSP two years ago that “everything was competitive. It was usually not for fun. We were always keeping score.” This year, Aaron went one step further: “It still is that way.” Both credited their dad and their siblings for helping foster a love for sports. “My dad coached us in everything,” Aaron Huber said. “He was running around coming to everyone’s games. If my brother had a game, my sister and I were playing catch on the side. If I had a game, they were doing the same thing. It was constantly running around with each other and competing against each other.” Whether it was organized leagues or backyard brawls, the Hubers all got after it. “It was usually my sister and I versus my dad and my brother,” Huber said. “My sister is not the tallest person, so by about sixth grade, I was physically able to compete with her more.” Huber’s high school career started taking shape in his sophomore basketball season, where he appeared in all 23 games and was the team’s fourth-leading scorer. Huber credits head coach Shamus Budde for unlocking his full potential that season, paving a path for future success. “I have great memories playing for Coach Budde. He definitely helped me a lot with believing in myself,” Huber said. “I’m typically a shy person and not confident. Coming in my sophomore year, Coach Budde knew I had it in me and he brought it out of me, whether I liked it or not.” By his senior year, Huber made the first-team all-conference list and finished with 660 career points. Huber got to play both basketball and baseball with Eric, who is the younger brother by two years. “(Eric) says my stats are padded because I used the better bats,” Aaron joked. “Being on the same teams are something I’ll never forget. “I loved summer baseball. Playing baseball with my friends, being competitive, we had some great seasons.” Padded stats or not, it takes serious skill to rack up the numbers Huber did on the dirt. As a senior slugger, Huber earned MAC Player of the Year honors. At the time, he was just the second Lancer to do so. Huber batted .462, clubbed 11 home runs and drove in 62 runs, the latter of which still stands as a school record. He was second-team all-state as a shortstop and helped lead the Lancers to a 26-win season and the second-most conference wins in program history. Huber made even more history on the football field in his senior campaign, both as an individual and for the North Scott program as a whole. With Huber as their star running back, the 2010 Lancers won the first playoff game in team history. North Scott defeated Iowa City West in a 31-0 rout, with Huber rushing 29 times for 145 yards and three touchdowns. This victory also marked just the third time in team history that North Scott football won nine games in a season. “We had a really strong team,” Huber said. “We had a great offensive line: Dylan Gorsh, Robert Copley, Grayson Schmidt, Travis Dierickx and others. Yeah, we were a very strong team. I would say we should have made it further. We wanted to go further than (the second round), but it was definitely the first stepping stone.” Huber was first-team all-state and the conference player of the year that fall. He rushed for 1,301 yards at 6.3 yards per carry, and 20 touchdowns. He still owns school records in touchdowns in a game (five), touchdowns in a career (34) and total points scored in a career (210). In Huber’s freshman season, Kevin Tippet took over as head coach of the football program. While Huber did not play on varsity until his junior year, Tippet was always in his ear. “He was also my homeroom teacher in high school, so I’d get coached every day,” Huber said. “Playing for Coach Tippet was great. He had lots of energy, lots of excitement, and big goals. We got to be the team that won the first playoff game in history. We broke that glass ceiling.” Surprisingly, Huber did not get much attention from football or baseball college recruiters. However, the basketball coaches were all over him. Sometimes, multiple coaches would be in attendance for his games. The biggest decision point was which school to pick. He settled on Luther College, where Shari was slowly becoming a Norse legend. “She was part of the reason I want to Luther,” Huber said. “I’d go to her softball games, and she’d come to my basketball games. It was more exciting going to those softball games.” At Luther, the Norse won the American Rivers Conference championship in 2013, and Huber was named team captain his senior season. Huber is still local, working in leadership positions for Happy Joe’s Pizza in Davenport as a Controller. He even brought some pies to the Lancer football team last season and attempted a rousing speech. “As you can tell, I’m not the greatest speech giver,” he joked. Since his graduation, both the Lancer football and basketball teams have won state championships and are consistent threats at state tournaments. It’s no surprise, he says, given the leadership and environment the teams have. “It’s great to see the success and how it’s grown,” Huber said. “And not just the programs but the facilities too. The LAB (Lancer Athletic Building), all that is cool to see. I wish I had that when I was there. “Coach Tippet, Coach Budde, they are great coaches. And now with Coach (Tony) Stewart too, I don’t see a reason why he can’t continue on that great success.”

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The hugely popular prediction market was shut down by U.S. regulators in 2022 and re-opened in Panama, where it has benefited from tax and legal benefits for years.

Tattoo artist leaving her mark in downtown Rock Island

Appointment bookings at the Alchemist Art Studio have been steady in its first month. Owner Grace DeVrieze is seeking artists to decorate the studio located at 1623 2nd Avenue in downtown Rock Island.

“Master Class,” May 15 through 24

Hailed by the New York Times as "rich, vivid, satisfying theatre," Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning Master Class makes its long-awaited area debut at Moline's Black Box Theatre May 15 through 24, this opera-themed comedy a show that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "will be talked about for years to come whenever people point to theatre experiences that genuinely deserve to be labeled by the overused word ‘great.’”

Evan Hundley Swalla: A splash of success

The bylaws of the North Scott Hall of Fame state that athletes only gain eligibility 10 years after their graduation. This winter, as part of the Class of 2015, Evan (Hundley) Swalla’s name appeared on the shortlist. Suffice it to say, there was not much need for deliberation. She was a first-ballot, no doubt about it, selection. Swalla makes history as the first swimmer to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A three-time relay state champion and the main cog in a state championship team leaves little debate about her place in Lancer lore. “It’s pretty exciting. It’s a surprise; it was not anything on my radar,” Swalla said on learning of her induction, and admitting she wasn’t sure the day would ever come. “It is an honor to be recognized. Knowing that we don’t have a big history of swimming, I was one of the first to trailblaze that with Pleasant Valley. “There were people like Kelli Gollinghorst who had done it before. We had people going over there to swim. When we won senior year, I thought maybe someday just because I was able to have a lot of success in a sport that we didn’t have at our school.” From an early age, Swalla knew that swimming was her sport. As an eight-year-old, she placed first in the 8U division at the Iowa State Swimming Championships, and she was second in overall high points. Swalla swam with the Bettendorf Dolphins club team, which eventually merged with the Pleasant Valley Stingray club team to become the present-day Piranhas. By the time she entered high school, swimming and school had turned Swalla’s parents into full-time chauffeurs. “I swam year-round from basically the time I was 12 years old. My parents put a lot of miles on the car,” Swalla said. “My dad would take me to practice in the mornings. My mom would come pick me up and drive me back to the junior high. I’d go to school, get picked back up, go back to Pleasant Valley and Bettendorf to swim on my club team. “The best thing, when we started doing it for school, was we had a good group from North Scott that was doing it. Lauren Goeser was one of my best friends. Her twin sister, Courtney, also swam. We had a foreign exchange student from Spain, Andrea (Saez Yague), and she did it one season.” Not only did Swalla have friends from North Scott in the pool, but she also had supporters from North Scott in the stands. Even if it meant cheering for Pleasant Valley, members of the North Scott administration consistently showed up. “I just really appreciate the opportunity North Scott gave and how supportive they were,” Swalla said. “We had Joe Stutting, Shane Knoche, Jason Schroder; they all came to our senior day, and they would all come to a meet every year. They’d recognize us when we had full school assemblies. They were really supportive of us even though we weren’t representing North Scott.” There was a lot to cheer about with those Pleasant Valley swim teams. Swalla qualified for 16 state events in high school, four each year, all of which were freestyle individual and relay events of varying distances. She placed in the top five in all but one, taking home 15 medals from state meets. “I was always the long axis strokes, freestyle and backstroke,” Swalla said. “I was more of a distance swimmer, middle distance to distance, growing up. When I moved into college, I became more of a sprinter just as I started lifting more.” As a Spartan freshman, Swalla took home three bronze medals from the state meet. In her sophomore season, she won gold twice on the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay, the latter of which set a state record. That relay team featured Swalla and Gabbie Stecker, a future swimmer at the University of Illinois, who was one of Swalla’s best friends. In her junior season, Swalla finished as the runner-up in the individual 200-yard freestyle, marking her best state finish in a non-relay event. It set the stage for a magical and history-making senior campaign when Swalla led the Spartans to Pleasant Valley’s first state swimming team title in school history. Swalla had a hand in a team-high 105 points as top-ranked Pleasant Valley made good on its top-dog status. The Spartans dethroned four-time defending champion Ames, 301-293. “It was awesome. Everybody jumped in the pool. We pushed our coaches in. It’s one of my favorite memories,” Swalla said. The meet could not have started any worse for Pleasant Valley. The team was celebrating a state record in the first event, the 200-yard individual medley, when word came down that it had been disqualified for an early start on the final leg. “I remember hearing that call, and I had to get up and swim (my first event),” Swalla said. “I was like, ‘Alright, the pressure is on.’” Swalla went on to place third in the individual 100 and 200-yard freestyle events. She helped the Spartans win the 200-yard freestyle relay, too. The state championship came down to the final event, one of Swalla’s, the 400-yard freestyle relay. She swam a 51.76-second split and climbed out of the Marshalltown YMCA pool a state champion. “To start the meet off with that, and still finish it out, definitely made it more worthwhile knowing we were able to overcome some adversity,” Swalla said. “Knowing the team we put together, it would have been devastating expecting to win going into it and lose on a disqualification. “(Winning Pleasant Valley’s first state championship) adds to the history and the memory of it. Not being from Pleasant Valley, it probably meant more to my teammates. I would have loved to win one for North Scott. It’s cool that I was able to be a part of it.” Swalla still helped unlock core memories wearing the scarlet and silver on the basketball court. A two-time first-team all-MAC selection and a two-time all-state honoree, Swalla was a feared post player for the North Scott girls’ basketball team. She averaged double-digit points and more than two blocks per game in her sophomore and junior seasons. Despite being a better swimmer than basketball player, Swalla said she enjoyed the sport of basketball more. “It’s just a more exciting sport,” she said. “I love the team aspect of basketball. In swimming, you have relays but you’re only in the water one at a time. The unpredictability of basketball and really not knowing if you’re going to win or lose was much more exciting to me.” Swalla said her best skills on the court involved playing defense, blocking shots, and getting into foul trouble. She left the scoring to teammates like Rachel Edmundson, Karly Soy and Karli Rucker. However, in her 2014 junior season, a put-back bucket by Swalla made for one of the all-time Lancer basketball moments. Under first-year head coach TJ Case, the Lancers shocked Cedar Rapids Xavier in the regional final. Swalla’s only basket of the game sent the Lancers to state for the first time since 2003. “Yeah, I can remember exactly what happened. I watched that video a thousand times,” Swalla joked. “It was my fault we were in that situation. I got fouled on our previous offensive possession, and I missed the front end of my one-and-one. They went down and hit a three. I was feeling terrible. “(Case) drew up this play. I don’t even think we did the play he drew up. Karly Soy tried to make something happen. She drove in on that right side and put up a shot. As a post, you’re taught to go to the opposite side to draw the defense away. It also puts you in a good position to get the rebound. I happened to be in the perfect spot, and I put it back up. Made it right before time expired. After that, it’s all just a blur.” Late in her senior campaign, Swalla fractured her left pinky finger in a practice and missed the rest of the season. “I had already committed to Iowa State for swimming, so I knew that was the last time I was going to play basketball seriously. We were holding out hope that if we made it to state, with a couple week break, I could come back in some kind of brace,” Swalla said. Swalla did get to end her career on the court when she, Soy and Edmundson played in the annual Iowa/Illinois Senior All-Star Game. “I did get to play basketball one last time. That gave me some closure on the sport,” Swalla said. “It would have been tough if I had never played another game again.” In the fall of 2015, Swalla’s career moved into the Big 12 Conference as a Cyclone. Swalla balanced swimming 20 hours per week with her industrial engineer career track. At the Big 12 conference meet in her senior season, Swalla and the Cyclones set two school records in the 200-yard medley and the 400-yard freestyle. While the 400 record fell a few years ago, the 200 record still stands. Swalla ranks top 20 in the school individual record books for 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, and she was named the Big 12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year in April 2019. “I think we had six of us start freshman year, and only two of us made it. To make it to senior year is not all that common,” Swalla said. “Just being able to make it through all four years, improve all four years and to keep my passion for the sport all four years was a highlight.” While at Iowa State, Swalla met her husband, Hank, who has his own North Scott connection. Hank wrestled at Ames High School and was coached by Drew Kelly for two seasons before Kelly went from Little Cyclone to Lancer. It is connections like those, with special people in their lives, that will make this welcome back celebration so sweet. “It’s fun to look back and, you know, we were able to do some cool things. To do it at two schools, make friends at both schools, that’s what I look back on the fondest,” Swalla said. “It’s the people I was able to meet. Winning the state meet, I remember the people I did it with and not necessarily the fact that it happened. “I have nothing but fond memories of all the people who were there along the way. The friends I made, all the support from the school, overall, I had such a great experience at North Scott.”

Popular potato chips recalled over salmonella concerns: FDA

Utz Quality Foods is issuing a voluntary recall for certain varieties of potato chips sold nationwide, the FDA announced on Monday.

Three set to join North Scott Hall of Excellence next week

The North Scott Hall of Excellence returns this year and welcomes three new members. Kathy Shannon Henningsen (Class of 1968), Dustin Henningsen (Class of 1994) and Sara Boeding (Class of 2004) will be inducted during a ceremony on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the North Scott Fine Arts Auditorium. This will be part of the annual Academic Honors Aud and National Honor Society induction night. Kathy Henningsen is well-known as a volunteer in the community. She helped form the Southern Wapsi Girls Softball League more than 50 years ago and tirelessly worked with the organization over the years as a coach and on the board. This was one of the earliest opportunities for young girls to play organized sports in Scott County. One of the diamonds in Long Grove is named in her honor. A former special education teacher at Alan Shepard, she has also been a longtime volunteer for Special Olympics and she and her husband Harvey have also worked to design adaptive equipment for the North Scott special education classes. She is also heavily involved at St. Ann’s Catholic Church and was a constant presence in The Pit for 27 years, serving at the scorer’s table until her retirement this winter. Following his graduation from North Scott, Dustin Henningsen served in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Japan on the USS Dubuque. After four years in Japan, he went to work for the Iowa State Patrol as a state trooper. During his time with the ISP, he worked on a tactical team, as a fatality investigator and an academy drill instructor. He spent 14 years in Keokuk County and then returned to Scott County, where he worked undercover as a vehicle theft investigator. He later transferred to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and is a special agent homicide investigator. He frequently volunteers for career events at North Scott, including the sophomore career fair and speaking to forensics classes. Sara Boeding had an illustrious academic career at North Scott and was one of eight students in the nation to be accepted into the National Academy of Arts, Science and Engineering (NAASE) at the University of Iowa. She graduated as a valedictorian and received a National Merit Scholarship. Boeding continued at the University of Iowa, where she graduated with a degree in psychology, minoring in Spanish. She went on to receive a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina. She put that degree to work and is now employed at the VA Hospital in Durham, N.C., where she helps veterans living with conditions such as PTSD and depression. She also serves as the assistant division chief of specialty outpatient mental health, which involves program management of the trauma recovery program, women’s health program, substance use disorder program and post-9/11 program. Boeding also has expertise in couples’ therapy and co-authored a book on cognitive behavior couples’ therapy for therapists. In that capacity, she has provided workshops and consultation in the U.S. and England for professionals learning to become couples’ therapists. Profiles of all three inductees will appear in the May 13 NSP. The North Scott Hall of Excellence was founded in 2001 as a companion to the North Scott athletic Hall of Fame. To be inducted into the Hall of Excellence, nominees must be graduated from North Scott High School for a minimum of 10 years and must have fulfilled at least one of the following criteria: • Demonstrated academic excellence • Demonstrated outstanding success in their career • Demonstrated significant accomplishments in business or professional life • Made a significant contribution to the community or society • Demonstrated distinguished human service Any community member may make a nomination. Nominees who were not accepted for induction this year may still be considered for induction in the future. The Hall of Excellence committee is also looking to replenish its membership. Any community member may serve. Interested individuals may contact North Scott High School associate principal Aaron Schwartz at aaron.schwartz@north-scott.k12.ia.us or 563-285-3277.  

Big changes coming to Chamber of Commerce

There are big changes on the horizon for the Eldridge-North Scott Chamber of Commerce, as executive director Tabbitha Kramer and member engagement coordinator Heather Khoury both announced Friday they’ll be leaving to pursue other endeavors. However, they want to be clear: the Chamber has never been in better shape. And they’ve already got Kramer’s successor lined up. As the announcement of Kramer and Khoury’s departures went out, they also announced Deanna Jensen-Valliere will be joining the Chamber staff. Valliere, a 12-year resident of Eldridge, has more than 20 years’ experience in the tourism and chamber of commerce industry, including several years with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce. She’s also active in the North Scott community and is serving as the president of North Scott Rotary this year. Kramer served as Chamber director for eight years, but following her departure on May 29, she’ll officially take on the role of deputy city clerk for the City of Eldridge. Khoury, who has been with the Chamber for six years, will be retiring, and her last day will be June 5, coinciding with the annual Chamber Golf Outing at Glynns Creek. Khoury and Kramer said the timing of their departures was entirely coincidental. “Heather and I had talked about how our lives are changing. My kids are getting a little bit older, and I just felt like it was time for a change,” said Kramer. “We’re a really, really good team, and I’ve always kind of said, ‘I don’t want to be here without her,’” added Khoury. “She didn’t want to be here without me.” Khoury has also had a lot of big changes in her life recently. Both of her daughters are now in college. She and her husband also moved to Rock Island a little more than a year ago, and Hany Khoury was appointed as a judge in Illinois. “It’s kind of a haul to supposedly have a part-time job and be driving an hour a day. My parents are elderly, and my kids are coming home from college for the summer – I don’t know how much longer that will be happening.” For as fun as working at the Chamber is, it can also be stressful with only a two person staff. But even so, Kramer and Khoury both said they have had an amazing experience. “We still love the Chamber,” said Kramer. “Nothing went wrong with the Chamber,” agreed Khoury. “The Chamber is in the best shape.” They said the board is “amazing,” and the Chamber remains in sound financial shape, with more members and promotions than ever.  “We just didn’t want it to appear that we’re both leaving at the same time, so something must be wrong,” said Khoury. “It was just an unfortunate, the stars aligned moment. “We were both very upset about the prospect of us both leaving,” she said. “It took me a long time to decide. It took (Tabbitha) a long time to decide.” But the stars also aligned to bring Valliere on board, as she just recently left the Quad Cities Chamber. After learning that, Khoury put in a call. Valliere said she got chills when she learned about the opportunity. “She loves this community. She has plenty of experience,” said Khoury. “We got her in here last week and started training her.” “She’s taking everything in stride,” added Kramer. “That was fast, too.” “We sat in here on Friday, and they were like, ‘When can you start?’” said Valliere. “It’s interesting. You talk about the planets aligning – I was not actively looking for something,” she said. “I knew it was going to have to be the right fit for me at this stage of my life. And I think that was part of the chills. I can’t think of a better place to be. I can walk down the street to my house.” “We’ve already had a lot of fun,” said Khoury. “We’re learning a lot. We’re throwing a lot of stuff at her, but she fits right in.” Just days after starting at the Chamber, Valliere has already been thrown into the deep end, as the busy summer season begins. Following the Golf Outing on June 5, there will be the Summer Concert Series in June, July and August, and the Eldridge Summer Festival and Moonlight Chase July 10-11. The concerts have already been booked, with The Blackstones on June 17; The Tailfins on July 15; and Class of ’82 on Aug. 23. All concerts will be held from 6-9 p.m. at Sheridan Meadows, and classic car cruises are also planned for each date. “We’re trying to get as much knocked out and basically be able to hand her a clipboard and a checklist, so she can hit the ground running,” said Khoury. “We’re throwing a lot at her and she’s running with it,” she said. “And it seems like everybody we have told about the changes, and we’ve said that it’s Deanna is coming on board, they’re like ‘Oh, I love Deanna.’ “Everybody has jumped on board. She’s a perfect fit. They love her; they know her. It just couldn’t have worked out any better.” While Kramer begins her job with the city, she’ll also still be doing some part-time work at the Chamber, and Khoury said she’ll also be coming in for a couple of hours a few days a week until Valliere is completely oriented. “We know she’s going to do great, but we’re still going to be around to support her,” said Kramer. As they prepare to leave the Chamber, Kramer and Khoury said they’ve appreciated having the opportunity to build relationships with their members and the community. “Also, we felt very acknowledged and appreciated,” said Khoury. “Because we took a lot of ownership,” said Kramer. “We did. It felt like it was our own business,” agreed Khoury. “People are just very nice to us, and appreciative of the hard work in pulling off events,” she continued. “Often, events just happen, and you don’t know who runs them or how they happen … And our members are great. We’ve made a lot of friends.” Among the many friends they’ve made is Heather Link, a financial advisor with Ameriprise in Bettendorf, and a longtime Chamber member. “Tabbitha and Heather have provided outstanding leadership to the North Scott Chamber over the past several years,” Link said. “Their genuine commitment to local businesses and to the success of the Eldridge community has been evident in everything they have done. As a Chamber member and resident, I have greatly appreciated their thoughtful approach to community engagement and their ongoing efforts to create meaningful opportunities that support both businesses and residents.  “They are ethical, dedicated, and hardworking professionals whose contributions will be sincerely missed. I am grateful for their tireless service and the positive impact they have made, and I wish them both the very best in their future endeavors.” Looking forward to the future The Chamber is also actively looking to hire a second staff person. “It’s got to be the right fit. Ideally, somebody that Deanna feels really comfortable with,” said Khoury. “It’s got to be this,” said Kramer, gesturing between herself and Khoury. The ideal candidate, Khoury said, would be someone who already loves the community, has great customer service skills and the ability to multitask. Creativity and sales experience is a plus, as are forward thinking ideas about how to help local businesses. Interested individuals should send their resume to info@northscottchamber.com. “That person is out there,” said Khoury. “Hopefully local, so that they know the community, they’re involved in the community, and they’re invested in the community.” Khoury has big plans for retirement – including a bit of summer travel, which she hasn’t been able to do much during her time at the Chamber due to the timing of the Eldridge Summer Festival. She also has plans for working around her new home in Rock Island, spending time with family and reconnecting with old friends. As for Kramer, she’s looking forward to her new job with the city, saying, “They also seem very excited, because we’ve worked hand in hand with the city on so many things. Local people always think we’re part of the city – which we’re not. And they’ve been really flexible with me, making sure the transition goes smoothly. They’ve been really good.” City administrator Nevada Lemke confirmed they’re pleased to welcome Kramer to City Hall. “We are excited to have this new role for the City of Eldridge and look forward to what it means for succession planning and ensuring that we are preparing the city for future stability, consistency, and responsible fiscal management. “We are equally excited to have Tabbitha join us as the first to fulfill this newly created position. We believe her skillset and background will serve her well in this role and that she will be a great fit for our team. We’ve witnessed her strength in building relationships within the community throughout her time as the Eldridge-North Scott Chamber executive director and we believe that is a valuable asset that she will bring with her to the city.” Valliere said she’s excited about serving the community she loves, and as well as small, local business owners. “Local is extremely important to me. I’m going to try to find whatever I’m looking for locally before I do something else. “And I’m not going to lie – I love the fact that I can walk to and from work. That’s pretty awesome.”      

Cinco de Mayo food deals: How to get free burritos, tacos and more

Here are 25 restaurants offering Cinco de Mayo food deals.

A legal scholar and 'Backtalker' defends critical race theory -- a term she helped coin

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw helped name two contested ideas in U.S. politics — intersectionality and critical race theory. Her memoir chronicles the personal and legal framework for her thinking.

The Iran war sent jet fuel prices sky-high. Here's what air travelers should know

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Walcott's Coach Johns dies—but football field will carry name forward

Longtime Walcott football coach and athletic director Dennis Johns died last Tuesday, just two weeks after the Davenport school district announced Walcott K–8 football field would be renamed in his honor. The beloved “Coach Johns” was 90. “Our father was deeply touched by the naming of the field and scoreboard and appreciative of the recognition and acknowledgment that it represents,” daughter Lisa Teatsworth wrote on behalf of the family. Davenport Schools athletic director Dave Shovlain said Johns was “a true inspiration to any future educator.” “He was a staple in the Walcott community, and a tremendous coach and teacher as well,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have someone like Coach Johns that’s been part of our program.” “To some who heard his stories, it seemed like Walcott won every game in every sport, was always the underdog, and won by sheer courage, resilience, mental toughness, game smarts, and teamwork,” Teatsworth recalled. “He wasn’t just a coach at Walcott; he was the school and community’s number-one fan.” Davenport Schools plan to install a new sign scoreboard at Dennis Johns Field. Superintendent TJ Schneckloth, a graduate of Johns’ football program, told Walcott City Council in April they hoped to have renderings soon. Johns worked at Walcott K–8 from 1962 to 1998. He coached the football team for 35 years, and also pitched in as coach of track and field and wwthe boys’ and girls’ basketball team. “He started the tackle football program, and a lot of the kids he coached went on and won state championships with Davenport schools,” Shovlain said. “As a family, we are grateful for Superintendent Schneckloth’s support of this endeavor, the Davenport Community Schools Board of Education’s concurrence, and the former students and players from the Walcott school community who rallied to make it all happen,” Teatsworth wrote.

Vote fails to remove county Republican leadership

Scott County Republicans nearly ousted Chair Chuck Brockmann and Vice Chair Steve Stoltenberg in a pair of votes called last week. Reached for comment, Brockmann said he survived a Central Committee vote 39–38. He said Stoltenberg survived a parallel vote 39–37. Stoltenberg told The North Scott Press he was “not going to make any statements at this point in time.” Vice Chair Kurt Whalen said it “would be improper for me to talk about the inner workings of the central committee.” “I condemn anybody who is talking to the press about the inner workings of our central committee,” Whalen added. “Our private interactions of our committee should remain private.” Brockmann was elected in March of last year, defeating incumbent Jeanita McNulty. The party’s nomination committee hoped to retain McNulty, who was defeated only after she tied two ballots with Brockmann.        

From Russia, with Love: “Fiddler on the Roof,” at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse through June 27

Fiddler on the Roof is often considered one of the final entries in the Golden Age of Broadway era, a period defined by sweeping scores, big ensembles, and stories rooted deeply in character and community. Director Georgette Kleier’s production checks nearly every one of those boxes handily.

Rountree joins Eldridge Police

The Eldridge Police Department welcomed its newest officer during a swearing-in ceremony at Monday’s city council meeting. Officer Travis Rountree, who graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy on April 24, received the oath of office from mayor Scott Campbell. “Becoming a police officer has been a lifelong goal for Travis, driven by a genuine desire to serve his community,” said police chief Andrew Lellig. “During the hiring process, he said this was the only agency he wanted to work for. So, we’re proud to have him. “Eldridge has become a community he and his family truly love, and Travis is honored to join us.” Rountree and his wife, Paige, have lived in Eldridge for five years and have two young children.

Sale of ECC to be discussed May 18

The Eldridge City Council plans to move forward with the sale of the Eldridge Community Center. A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the council’s next meeting on May 18 at City Hall. Members of the public may speak regarding the proposed sale. City administrator Nevada Lemke said staff received an appraisal of the building and are working to gather two market analysis proposals. She said that information should be available to council members prior to the May 18 meeting. Lemke said the city also received a phone call from Bettendorf representatives inquiring about the skating equipment, should a final purchase agreement on the building not include that inventory. In that event, she said the City of Bettendorf would be interested in purchasing the skating equipment for use at The Landing. Council members also learned that a gas leak occurred at the ECC over the weekend, due to a damaged pipe outside the building. She said public works director Tony Rupe and representatives from MidAmerican Energy are coordinating on next steps. The building can still be accessed, although the gas is turned off for now. Fellner’s bid approved Residents in Fellner’s Addition could start to see street reconstruction improvements as early as July, after the city council Monday approved an engineering contract for South 25th and South 26th avenues. City engineer Zach Howell told the council eight bids were submitted for the project, with the low bid of $1,049,564 coming from Ihrig Works of Long Grove. The bids were opened on April 23. “They were very close bids. Very competitive and they were below our estimate, so we were very pleased with the bids,” said Howell. According to the contract, construction shall commence after July 1, with final completion no later than Oct. 16, 2026. No one from the public spoke at a public hearing regarding the project. Engineering project at Sheridan Meadows The council approved a proposal from Terracon in the amount of $8,500 to conduct soil borings at the basin at Sheridan Meadows. This will help determine whether the existing soil conditions would support a full-depth pond at the park. Terracon conducted a similar study at Hickory Creek Park in 2024, when the Park Board was attempting to determine the feasibility of a pond at that park. City council member Brian Dockery called the study “a wise move.” Speed hump on Dammann Drive The city plans to install a permanent speed hump on Dammann Drive at a cost not to exceed $9,500. It will be located in the 400 block of West Dammann Drive, between West Davies and West Donahue streets. A temporary speed hump was installed in the same area last fall, following a request from residents to quell speeding in the neighborhood. Residents recently inquired with police chief Andrew Lellig about installing the permanent hump. According to a memo from Lemke, Lellig felt the temporary hump was effective in calming traffic last fall, and Rupe said there are no current issues or concerns with proceeding on a permanent installation. Mayor Scott Campbell asked Howell what an approximate timeline on the project might be. Howell said Rupe will get a few quotes from local contractors, and the permanent hump could be installed as soon as a contractor has time to fit it into their schedule.  New policies The council approved a slew of new policies, although it tabled a proposal for an elected and appointed officials’ code of conduct policy, pending additional information. Among the new policies is an official road closure request and approval procedure. This applies to all temporary road closures, including those for community events, construction or utility work, and special events or private activities impacting public streets. All road closure requests must be submitted to City Hall no less than 14 days prior for standard events; three business days for minor or short-duration closures (and approved at the discretion of staff); and as soon as practicable for emergency closures. All applications should also include a map or diagram of the area to be closed, a traffic control plan, emergency access plan and proof of insurance (if applicable), as well as any required permits. Closures can be approved at the administrative level if the closure will be less than 24 hours and have minimal traffic impact, or if it is a neighborhood event with prior approval history. Any closure exceeding 24 hours or affecting arterial or collector streets, or events expecting a large attendance or significant disruption must be approved by the city council. The council also approved a traffic calming policy; a surplus property disposal policy; a surveillance video monitoring policy; and a digital communications policy for members of the city council, other city boards and city employees. This last policy sets out expectations and guidance for the use of digital communication tools regarding email, text messages and social media usage to reduce risk of officials circumventing, unintentionally or otherwise, Iowa open meetings and public records laws. The council tabled an elected officials’ code of conduct policy after members asked for more information on how other municipalities handle the review process for complaints against officials. Dockery questioned whether the city administrator should be involved in the review process. “This is nothing against Nevada by any means, but … if there’s an investigation, we’re (the council) her boss. I don’t think anybody should be evaluating their boss. I’m OK with the mayor, city attorney and maybe another council member to be chosen. I think there needs to be that separation.” Lemke said she had looked into some other options for the review process and had discovered several other methods used by different municipalities. These included independent review committees, external investigators and attorneys, as well as a hybrid model that included both a review committee and external investigators. Council members asked Lemke to provide more information about these options in writing, with the goal of finalizing the policy by the next meeting on May 18. Changes to commercial zoning The council approved the first reading of a language change for permitted uses of C-3 General Commercial districts. This will remove “multiple family housing for senior citizens” as a permitted use. In a memo to the council, assistant city administrator Jeff Martens wrote, “The City of Eldridge is limited in its inventory of C-3 Commercial properties. The City currently has a large inventory of R-3 Residential properties. In recent years, we have seen several prime commercial properties developed into residential developments.” Martens said the ordinance amendment recommendation was approved by the Eldridge Planning & Zoning Commission on April 16. Campbell said a project request by Woda Cooper to construct a senior housing development on East Iowa Street, which the council learned about at its last meeting on April 20, would not be affected by the language change.  Reports Campbell gave a brief update on the status of the fire department, telling the council the last communication city staff had with the department was on April 28, “which said that, based on media postings, citing the (Eldridge Volunteer Fire Company) and chief, the members have chosen to delay the vote regarding the future of the department.” Campbell also shared that progress on the upcoming community survey regarding a proposed bond referendum to fund a new City Hall, police station and public works building is proceeding apace. He said the survey could be in mailboxes by the end of this month. Lemke reminded the council that, prior to the next meeting on May 18, there will be a special joint committee of the whole meeting with the Eldridge Utility Board. She said they will hear a presentation from Iowa American Water on “some potential utility partnerships.” Lemke also told the council that Tabbitha Kramer has accepted the position of deputy city clerk (see separate story, page 1A). Kramer will work part-time at the city through the month of May before starting full-time on June 1. Lellig told the council that there have recently been concerns about vehicles driving on the bike path on East LeClaire Road, near Tina’s Dance Studio. He and Howell are discussing putting bollards on the bike path near the driveway entrance, like those on Torrey Pines Drive. He and Howell will also discuss additional bollards on the South 1st Street trail, near East Lincoln Road.

Scott County residents 'vocal' about storm sirens

At a recent meeting of the Scott County Emergency Management Agency, Eldridge mayor Scott Campbell and other area mayors learned that many residents have recently become more “vocal” about their frustrations regarding weather sirens. “Specifically, when there’s severe weather anywhere in the county, the sirens go off for quite a while. And so, people are very frustrated with that,” he said. Campbell added that the sirens go off automatically in the event that winds are expected to hit 75 mph or golf ball-sized hail is anticipated. “They can’t control that once they’re triggered. The complaints come, as you would expect, when the storm is headed for Dixon, and no other communities are in its path. All the sirens go off in the county. So, that’s what people are upset about.” Council member Jeff Ashcraft suggested that a public information campaign might be necessary to educate the public about when and why the sirens go off. “I think my concern is, there’s starting to become some apathy with it. If a big storm comes and people aren’t paying attention, because they feel like it’s been crying wolf one too many times, we can have a disaster.” Campbell added that, while technology exists to allow sirens to go off in the direct path of a storm, it is very expensive and could be cost-prohibitive for some communities.

UnitedHealthcare to eliminate prior authorization for 30% of services

UnitedHealthcare plans to eliminate prior authorization requirements for 30% of services by the end of 2026.

How nitrate levels have moved at Lost Grove Well

Princeton severed its well on Lost Grove Road from the municipal drinking water supply in September 2024, when nitrate concentrations first breached 10 mg/L. Public Works Director Chris Rindler aggregated 18 months of nitrate data—stretching back to summer 2024—for Princeton City Council last month. That data is presented in the chart below. The council voted late last month to extend its lease on agricultural land surrounding the well. The city has kept the land out of production on the advice of water quality consultants, who have said nitrate concentrations could be the result of localized fertilizer use.

IUC opinion sheds light on power plant future

An administrative decision allowing a construction of a solar farm to proceed in Cerro Gordo County has opponents of a rural Scott County power plant on high alert. The Iowa Utilities Commission ruled last Monday that River City Energy could proceed with construction on a 500 MW solar farm near Mason City even though it did not conform to Cerro Gordo County zoning law. In its decision, the IUC held that Iowa code “unequivocally establishes that compliance with local zoning is not a condition precedent” to granting the generating certificate that allows construction to proceed. The IUC also dismissed arguments from project opponents that the quality of agricultural land beneath the solar farm should prevent its construction. Nothing in Iowa code “precludes the use of highly productive or prime farmland for purposes of power generation, especially in a situation in which all applicable land owners with to use their property in this manner,” the opinion reads. In February, Scott County supervisors decided not to create a new variance for agricultural land that would have allowed CIPCO to proceed with construction of the power plant in compliance with local zoning law. CIPCO has begun the petition process for an IUC certificate that the recent decision makes clear could overall opposition in Scott County. Supervisors Board Chair John Maxwell said that the decision jeopardized Iowa’s tradition of county home rule. “It appears, in this case, that home rule in Cerro Gordo County does not take precedence over the ruling of the IUC,” he said. Vice Chair Jean Dickson said that she found the ruling “disappointing.” “Looking at the reasoning for the decision, it could easily apply to CIPCO’s filing,” she said. The opinion was “a stark reminder to Scott County citizens that our agricultural preservation priorities… are not going to be dispositive” to the IUC.  The Concerned Citizens of Scott County, a group of project neighbors opposed to the power plant, wrote in a statement that the state of Iowa has failed to support the construction of power infrastructure in industrial areas, and has left an appointed board to approve utility projects irrespective of local land use. “The state has declared that Iowa is a ‘power state’ in order to attract development of high energy use industries, like AI and data centers,” the statement reads. “But, the state is not supporting the power needs with a plan that enables the power facilities to grow in industrial areas.” “The IUC will more than likely permit the CIPCO plant,” the statement continues. “Not because it is the best use of the land. They will permit it because that is the help that the state offers—make power decisions easier, not better.” The statement calls for CIPCO and the state to cooperate with Scott County residents and elected officials to locate the proposed plant in an industrial area. The group will continue to oppose CIPCO’s efforts to have the plant approved. CIPCO held a required informational meeting before utility commissioner Josh Byrnes April 6. At the conclusion a thirty-day term that expires this week, CIPCO may file for the generating certificate that would allow them to advance with their selected site in rural Scott County. A series of quasi-judicial hearings  will follow. Scott County or the Concerned Citizens could enter that hearing as an “intervener,” or party to the outcome of the case. Dickson said the board had not had yet discussed intervening in the case. “I expect that we will have a discussion... and I support us intervening,” she said.  Both Cerro Gordo County and local opponents intervened against their solar farm. The generating certificate was issued approximately one year after the informational meeting that began the process. A battle with Scott County could prove similarly long.    

Walcott Fire to fry up steaks May 16

The Walcott Fire Department’s annual steak fry returns Saturday, May 16. The event will be held at the Walcott American Legion, 121 Bryant St., with food served from 4-8 p.m. A steak dinner is $20 with tickets purchased in advance. Hot dog meals will also be available for $5. Arrangements may be made for carry-out and delivery. There will also be a cake decorating contest this year – donate your best “fire” themed cake for the chance to win. First place will receive $50, with $35 to second place and $15 to third place, with prizes awarded in three divisions: professional, amateur and children. Following the contest, the decorated cakes will be auctioned off. Cakes must be delivered to the Legion by 4 p.m. on May 16. In addition to steaks and cake, there will be a silent auction, raffle drawings and a live auction at 7 p.m. Dinner and raffle tickets may be purchased in advance from any volunteer fire department member or at Walcott City Hall. For more information, including a link to purchase Walcott Fire Department t-shirts and koozies, visit the Walcott Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page.

Buffalo pantry receives donations

The Buffalo Food Pantry received donations from all members and guests at the Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Scott County Democrats Central Committee meeting. A total of 360 pounds of food, personal hygiene products and cash were donated, pantry co-manager Janet Paustian said. The pantry is located in Buffalo City Hall, 329 Dodge Street, and has been in existence for 55 years. Its area of service stretches from South Concord to Muscatine County, south of I-8, Paustian said. The range includes the towns of Blue Grass, Buffalo and Walcott. It serves an average of 80 to 90 families per month. The pantry is open Tuesday mornings, from 9 a.m.–noon, and of the first Thursday of the month, from 5–7 p.m. For any questions on how to donate, call the Buffalo City Hall at 563-381-2226.

Feed Our Children Ministry returns this summer

Summer lunch is in the bag! Feed Our Children Ministry will provide a free sack lunch opportunity in the North Scott Community during summer break. The goal is to provide a free nutritious lunch to children in the community through this twice a week ministry, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 9-Aug. 20. Distribution will take place from 11:30-12:30 in the following locations: • Faith Lutheran Church, 500 W LeClaire Rd., Eldridge (11:30-12:30) • Eldridge United Methodist Church, 604 S. 2nd St., Eldridge (11:30-12:30) • Donahue Maintenance Bldg lot, 104 N Main St.  Donahue (11:45-Noon) • American Legion, 604 Davenport St., Dixon (12:15) • Park View, Deer Creek/Park View Lutheran Church back parking lot (11:30-12:30) • Park View, corner of Manor Drive and Lincoln (11:40) • Park View, Neil Armstrong Elementary (11:50) • Park View, Double Diamonds parking lot (12:00) • Princeton, Princeton Branch Library (3:00) Tuesdays only • McCausland, Corner Market, 102 W. 1st St. (11:40) You do not have to live in one of the listed areas to receive a lunch. Please continue to check the Facebook page (North Scott Feed Our Children Ministry or @nsfeedourchildren) for updates on locations and times. Sponsors include:  Moonlight Chase, ELCA World Hunger, Eldridge Lions Club, North Scott Hy-Vee, and North Scott Rotary.

Summer programs for adults at the Eldridge library

The Scott County Library System Scott County Library System – Eldridge Branch will host several special adult presentations this summer as part of its Summer at the Library program. No registration is required, and each program will last approximately one hour. Soundscape — Monday, June 8, 6:30 p.m. Join us as we welcome back ReCre8 Holistic Studio for another relaxing sound bath experience. Attendees are welcome to bring a yoga mat or make use of one of the library’s seating options. Civil War Ancestry — Monday, June 15, 6 p.m. Members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will present information on how to research if your ancestors served in the Civil War. Intro to Mah Jongg — Thursday, June 18, 10 a.m., and Thursday, July 9, 1 p.m. Learn to play Mah Jongg with experienced players. Players of all abilities are welcome. Cards are provided for those learning. The Civil War: Rock Island Arsenal — Wednesday, July 15, 6 p.m. Join the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War for a presentation on the history of the Rock Island Arsenal as a Civil War prisoner-of-war camp. For more information about these programs, please contact the library at 563-285-4794 or visit the Scott County Library System website.

Serving on NSEF is a life-changing experience

You don’t know what you don’t know. That’s something I had a lot of time to consider in March. Scott Campbell was on the North Scott Educational Foundation from 1991-2025, and from his earliest days on the Foundation also served on the scholarship committee. And we always knew when it was evaluation time, because his office had a revolving door in February and March. He and other members of the committee would line up all the applications, and he’d dole them out to the scholarship donors for selection. It was a lot of hard work – and paper – but somehow, at the end of that process, the committee would emerge with a list of scholarship recipients. So, when I joined the Foundation myself in January, and volunteered for the scholarship committee, I thought I knew what I was in for. Well, I was only partially correct. I’ve wanted to be on the Foundation board for a while now. When I was in high school, I was the beneficiary of a scholarship from the Foundation. It wasn’t one of the big ones – I think it was only like, $250. But it helped a little, which was nice. And it was nice to be recognized, too. So, I’ve long recognized the importance of the work the Foundation does, and the benefits to North Scott students. Being on the board just seemed like a great way to help students with their future, and when there were a few openings on the board, I jumped at the opportunity. It was an honor, and truly humbling, to be asked to join, and the rest of the board is filled with wonderful people who really do want to help kids succeed. The day of my first meeting was the day several board members went over to the high school to explain to the seniors how the application process works. And it was very different this year. In the past, they’ve done all paper applications, including essays – and that’s what resulted in Scott standing at the copier for hours. This year though, the scholarship chairs worked extremely hard to develop a digital application. The committee switched several years ago from written to video essays, in part to combat the rise of AI. Some community scholarships still require additional written essays though as part of the application process. The application deadline was in February, and when it was all said and done, 112 students submitted completed applications, which as far as anyone can tell, might be a record. I was genuinely nervous when it came time to start the evaluation process – that’s the moment I realized all that I didn’t know about the Foundation. This isn’t a process story, and I won’t get into the sausage making. That said, it’s both easy and difficult to do the evaluations. And I think it’s that way because looking through the applications, and especially seeing the videos, getting to see the students tell their story firsthand, you truly feel like you get to know them. And because one of the questions this year asked them to describe a challenge they have overcome, you quickly learn some of them have a lot going on in their lives. So, not for the first time since joining the Foundation, I felt humbled. Because these kids were genuinely trusting us to let them be vulnerable and to tell us their hopes and goals, and in many cases, the bad stuff that they’ve been through in their short lives already. Since we had about a month to complete the evaluations, I took my time with the process. I read all of the applications and watched the videos once, made some notes and sat with that for a while. Then I reviewed them again before making a final evaluation. One of our scholarship committee members, Andrea Petersen, did the math on the videos. One hundred and twelve applications at three-to-five minutes each comes out to about seven and a half hours. So, that meant 15 hours of just watching videos for me. That doesn’t count the amount of time it takes to read the rest of the applications – and some of these kids are involved. I honestly don’t know how some of them find time to breathe, much less sleep. Each of the committee members has their own slightly different way of doing the evaluations, but it’s kind of interesting how we tended to arrive at the same conclusion. The final calculations before we had our decision meeting are an actual mathematical process, and we don’t just sit there and throw darts at the wall to determine who gets scholarships. There were legitimate, serious conversations when we made some of the final determinations, but they were incredibly thoughtful, logical and respectful exchanges of ideas.  This year, thanks to a $1.9 million bequest from the Evelyn Schlunsen estate, the committee was also able to award an additional $40,000 in one-time scholarships, and that ensured every student who successfully submitted a completed application was able to receive a scholarship. You can read more about that in our special scholarship section, included with this week’s edition. Before the awards night, I asked Scott what he thought the most rewarding part of being on the scholarship committee was. And he had two things to say that I also found to be true when I was doing the evaluation. First, because of our job, we’re often able to put a face to a name in ways other board members might not necessarily be able to. Which is quite helpful when there’s a scholarship that has some pretty specific criteria set out by the donor. But he said something else that really rang true. “What I found to be the most rewarding was when they would turn in their essays and you would get a glimpse into the private side of these kids. And then you would realize the challenges that so many of them had faced in their lives that no one knew about. And then for me to think, wow, these kids have really overcome a lot to get where they’re at. “And then, for the Foundation to be able to help some of those kids that face those challenges … that’s the most rewarding thing.” I was struck by that time and time again. The notion that the work that we do on the Foundation truly could make such a difference in the life of a young person. That they might be able to go to college or trade school, escape an uncertain home life, and learn how to become the person they were meant to be. Foundation co-presidents Leah Lahann-Allen and Shelli Engelbrecht said much the same when I asked them the same question. “We all come to the table with an inner desire to serve in some capacity. We’re all volunteers and we want to see good work done,” said Leah. “I guess the personal piece for me is how rewarding and refreshing it is to see and get to know a senior class through videos or essays and think, ‘Gosh, there are good kids out in this world.’ And that feels so good, that with the education they had at North Scott, we’re helping send this group of people out into the world.” Shelli said the personal connections are their own reward, whether it’s getting to know the students through the process or working with the donors. “Just getting a glimpse of this piece of the students’ journeys. This one snapshot as they transition from high school to what’s next. But I think that also comes with the donors and getting to hear their stories and their being able to have an impact as well. To be that vehicle for them, because they also come to us with that desire to make a difference.” Leah also talked about the feeling of being in the auditorium on the night of the scholarship presentation. And she was right. I’d been to the event before, but experiencing it from the perspective of now being on the Foundation board gave it more weight. You listen to the donors’ stories with new ears, and you see the faces of the students as they receive their scholarships – how grateful and pleased they are. I thought I knew what it would be like to present those scholarships, too, but I underestimated just how the students react once they get offstage. Some of them were buzzing, practically levitating with energy. And I thought about the video that was shown at the beginning of the event, from the recipient of the very first North Scott Educational Foundation scholarship, Sara Stephens Kotrba. She said that when she reflected on what it felt like to receive that $500, she remembered most the feeling of being seen. That her efforts in school had been noticed and appreciated. Knowing what I know now, it occurs to me that for some of the students last Wednesday, it may have been one of the first times they’ve ever felt fully seen. I have loved my time on the Foundation board so far, and I will stay for as long as they’ll have me. I’m quite certain that it’s an experience I’ll never stop learning from. P.S. To the scholarship recipients – you are all wonderful and please don’t forget to write a thank-you note and maybe include your senior picture or something. It means an awful lot to the donors, who did, after all, just give you a bunch of money because they want to see you, someone who may be a total stranger, succeed. Just sayin’.    

My culture, high or low

In a concession to the current “literary scene,” I bought a copy of the novel Transcription by Ben Lerner in Iowa City last weekend. I read enough of what’s new at work that I try to keep to what’s old when I read for pleasure. But here was a novel about an interview gone awry. Just the thing, I thought. And it was short enough—130 pages, hardly a novel—that I could put it down in an afternoon, like a carafe of iced tea.  I have been chastened. It turns out that 130 pages cannot support a novel of substance, despite claims of the New Yorker that the “slender new novel” yields “ample rewards.” The characters and themes do not have room to breathe: a taste of an ice cream flavor is not an adequate substitute for a well-packed cone. ℘ There is at least one image or idea that I will carry forward (that is all the book has to offer, really: fragmentary images and ideas, like a difficult poem). A well-to-do lawyer has filled his house with junk food—“Hershey’s Kisses, marshmallows, every kind of Haribo gummy”—in an effort to get his young daughter to eat. The junk food is a shock to the lawyer’s father, a famous academic and artist. The theme of the encounter is shame, principally the shame of a father unable to reach his daughter without the enticements of mass culture. A sort of decay has set in. The transmission of certain refinements has failed across the generations. ℘ I am a great lover of junk food. I love it as a tonic to my usual habits, which involve cooking for myself, and cooking well. My parents always insisted on the importance and joy of artful home cooking. But they did not insist, as the parents of certain classmates did, that a meal on the road should be packed in advance: that was why God gave us McDonald’s and the Drive-Thru. The movies were similarly an occasion for eating junk: Milk Duds or Charleston Chews preferred, Raisinets acceptable. Oreos were even, on occasion, packed in our lunch.     As an adult I find that candies sustain the spirit, and for that reason try to keep them at hand. There is simply nothing wrong with the small joys they bring, which is anyway spoiled if one consumes them constantly or in large doses. I feel similarly about McDonald’s, which is absolutely delicious, but loses its charm under demands for sustenance. Blockbuster films are junk food for the eyes and ears, and similarly excellent. I recently sat my girlfriend down for a viewing of Twister, which she had never seen. Much like a great candy, a great blockbuster is defined by its artifice: the remarkable pleasure one experiences from something so completely and intentionally alien from the real world. The defeat of the constraints of ordinary experience defines the joy. How did they achieve the consistency of this gummy bear? How did they film the destruction of a drive-in theater by a tornado?  (The fact that Twister’s signature set piece takes place at a movie theater is wonderfully self-referential and heightens the pleasurable unreality of the whole viewing experience.) ℘ It is from the fight against such low culture that any literary scene draws its energy. At best, literature and other high arts can attempt to reconcile themselves to the omnipresence of junk (one thinks of Andy Warhol). There is a way to read Transcription as the latest chapter in that tradition. The transmission of refined cultural values has failed precisely because previous generations have failed to inoculate against the real pleasures of junk: the resulting life is so miserable that it must be given up, wholesale, in a complete concession to popular trash. Yet still the novel thinks that trash, junk must be defended against. Could it think anything else? No, not easily anyway. It seems the novelist and novel reader have become such rarefied types that they must defend themselves and their own importance. That is a shame. Total seriousness is no more fun than it is honest.

1976: Eldridge v. Caterpillar lawsuit moves forward

May 5, 1976 • The City of Eldridge’s lawsuit against Caterpillar would move forward, as a judge rejected the company’s motion to dismiss. The $50 million suit followed Caterpillar’s announcement that it planned to voluntarily annex its Mount Joy plant into Davenport. • Approximately 150 North Scott eighth graders peddled across Scott County during the second annual North Scott Eighth Grade Bike Ride Extravaganza. After leaving from the junior high, they headed west to Donahue and Dixon, where they enjoyed lunch at Memorial Park. After lunch, they returned to Eldridge via St. Ann’s Road through Long Grove for a total trip of about 30 miles. The students were accompanied by faculty and escorted by members of the Iowa Army National Guard. • North Scott superintendent Melvin Heiler said work on Neil Armstrong Elementary School was running on schedule. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the building would be ready for classes in the fall. • A Happy Joe’s restaurant opened in Eldridge on East LeClaire Road. This location was the smallest town in the 37-restaurant franchise, which was currently in 14 midwestern states, and the Eldridge franchise was co-owned by Jim Orr and J.B. Straley. Founder Joe Whitty said he became interested in building a restaurant in Eldridge after receiving an extremely warm welcome while speaking to students at Ed White Elementary School. • The North Scott School Board voted to part ways with the Big Bend athletic conference in favor of a new league that would include Davenport Central, Davenport West, Davenport Assumption, Bettendorf, Clinton, Muscatine and Burlington. While North Scott was the largest school in the Big Bend conference, it would be the smallest in the new league. “We feel we can compete in most sports,” said athletic director Frank Wood. “In basketball, track and wrestling, we’ll be comparable, but possibly not in football right away.” He said North Scott was competitive at all levels for girls’ sports. May 7, 1986 • Park View residents were banding together to raise money for a new playground just east of Neil Armstrong Elementary School. Representatives of the Park View Lions, Park View Jaycees and Park View Women’s Club hoped to raise at least $10,000 for the project. They said they would like to have the funding in place over the summer so the project could be completed in time for the first day of school.  • John Glenn Elementary principal Joe Ragona returned to Donahue after spending a month in Germany as part of a team that was working on accreditation for schools run by the Department of Defense for the families of overseas military personnel. He was welcomed by a surprise party at the school. Ragona said the experience had been insightful and he brought plenty of ideas back he felt the North Scott School District could benefit from. He said there were some other interesting moments, such as arriving at one school on a military base to the news that the United States had just bombed Libya. • Gary and Sally Ewoldt of Davenport played hosts to a student from Nigeria who was studying at Iowa State University. Victor Okereke grew up on his parents’ cocoa plantation and chicken ranch and wanted to learn more about American farming techniques. At the Ewoldt’s farm, he went on his first horseback ride and helped with chores like feeding lambs and calves. The visit was organized by the Iowa Farm Bureau. • Randy Peel of Dixon won his age and weight class at the Iowa State Judo Championship, which was held in Waterloo. This was the fifth straight year Peel had placed in the top three of his division at the state level. He was a fifth grader at John Glenn Elementary School. • The East Area Special Olympics track and field championships were held at Brady Street Stadium, including seven students from Alan Shepard and two North Scott High School graduates. Pictured were Richie Enyeart, Ryan Smith, Matt Weibel and Tom Ganzer. May 9, 2001 • Michelle Holdorf Laughlin (Class of 1988), David Baker (Class of 1979), Sarah Albrecht Nygren (Class of 1986) and Glen Keppy (Class of 1965) were announced as the inaugural class of the North Scott Hall of Excellence. • Outgoing North Scott superintendent Dr. Pat DeLuca was named the 10th president of Marycrest International University in Davenport. • The Eldridge Summer Festival Committee announced plans to shorten the annual event due to construction on LeClaire Road and at the high school. The parade, car show, water fights and afternoon entertainment would all be scrapped. In addition to the Moonlight Chase, there would be food from 4 p.m. until midnight, and a street dance would follow the race. “The big thing we want to stress is that this is a one-year deal,” said committee chair Scott Campbell. “The committee has every intention of returning to a day-long festival in 2002.” The race was also forced to change its route due to construction, as well as the theme. Organizers had planned on a “2001: A Race Odyssey” theme, but the Bix 7 announced a similar name, so the Moonlight Chase changed its to “Out of This World.” • North Scott graduate Darcey Timmerman was chosen as a percussionist for the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and signed on for a two-year commitment to play in Kuala Lumpur. Following her time at North Scott, Timmerman graduated from the University of North Texas and earned her master’s degree in music performance from Temple University in Philadelphia. She credited North Scott band instructor Dan Anderson with inspiring her. “Mr. Anderson is one of the main reasons I’m in music today. He always gave it to me straight. He said it wouldn’t be a financial thing and that it would be a lot of hard work. He was always very clear about that. He instilled a love for music in me through his own love of teaching.” • North Scott senior Lauren Cole finished second at the MAC Meet at Flint Hills Golf Course in Burlington. She fired an 81, just one shot behind winner Janelle Bush of Bettendorf. As a team, the Lancers placed seventh. Emily Darland, Katie Yorde and Amanda Ferden rounded out the scoring. May 11, 2011 • A McDonald’s in Eldridge was coming closer to being a reality, as excavating equipment could be seen along East LeClaire Road. • Changes were proposed for the North Scott Day Care program. Among the possibilities were closing the 2–3-year-old program at Alan Shepard, eliminating the 4-year-old wrap-around program at Shepard, or moving other programming to Virgil Grissom or Ed White. “The changes are being recommended as a result of increasing space needs at Alan Shepard and changing priorities in the district for day care needs,” said superintendent Jeff Schwiebert. • More than 30 North Scott high school staff members, students and alumni were planning a benefit, North Scott’s Got Talent, to support David and Stacie Kintigh. David, a teacher at Davenport West High School, was experiencing a resurgence of cancer that he had been diagnosed with three years earlier. Stacie was a special education teacher and speech coach at the high school, and the family lived in Eldridge. Nate Curlott (Class of 2010) and senior Shayla Carlin were set to serve as emcees, and a jazz combo would also serve as the “house band.” “We are so humbled by everything, every time someone does something for us,” said Stacie. • Bailey Steffen, Derek Golinghorst, Jonathan Ferrel, Dylan Golinghorst, Adam Dickey, Thomas Black, Tanner Paustian, Jennifer Klindt, Luke Nagle and Devin Nistico were among the North Scott FFA students receiving their Greenhand Degrees at the annual FFA banquet, which was held at St. Ann’s Church. Ferrel and Paustian also received the Star Greenhand Degree. Earning their State FFA Degrees were Dean Marten, Nick Kramer, Patrick Costello, Justin Messer and Allison Radcliff. • Austin Belk was the lone MAC champion for the North Scott track teams, recording a season best 6’2” in the high jump. Louis DeFrieze finished sixth in the 100 and 200, and Patryk Cotti placed fifth in the 400. On the girls’ side, Samantha Butlett placed second in the shot put. May 5, 2021 • Members of the Walcott Hearts & Hands Foundation and city officials held a ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Wescott Park. The foundation secured $46,000 in contributions and raised in-kind donations from contractors for new fences, dugouts and a deeper field at the ball diamonds. Pictured at the ribbon cutting were mayor John Kostichek, Austin Burt, Mark Reitz, Larry Smith, Brian Mengler, Tim Hamann, Lisa Mengler, Jason Holdorf, Brent Puck, Reed Hagen, Nick Needham, Everett Bieri, Justin Carstens, Karla Burt, Jennifer Carstens, Mike Clayton, Joe Tarchinski and Lisa Hagen. • A group of North Scott students participated in an apprenticeship signing ceremony at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf. They included Ryler Plett, Anthony Carter, Naomi Powers, Olivia Stoker, Samantha Scott, Blake Kilker and Elena Kook. • The North Scott boys’ soccer team upset Pleasant Valley, 1-0. This was the first time the Lancers had beat the Spartans since 2002. • The North Scott girls’ tennis team had a busy week, falling to Central DeWitt and Davenport Assumption before closing out with a 6-3 win over Muscatine. Team members included Madison Knoche, Megan Reese, Madison Wiebel, Shea Nelson, Caelan Engelbrecht and Ella Kuesel. • Dylan Engelbrecht won the DAR “Good Citizen” Essay contest, sponsored by the Hannah Caldwell Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He received a $400 prize and was chosen to represent the 22 chapters of the Southeastern District of the Iowa DAR at the state conference in Des Moines.    

Iowa's next generation is now ready to vote

Iowa students aren’t sitting on the sidelines, waiting their turn – they are already building our future. As Secretary of State, I often have the privilege of meeting with high school and college students. I get to travel across the state and meet students on their own turf, at their schools, and I also host many student groups at my office in the Iowa State Capitol, where visitors can see Iowa’s original Constitution from 1857 firsthand. There is a special way that viewing a piece of history like this can connect you to the present and even to our future. I am constantly impressed by the enthusiasm and passion coming from Iowa students. I maintain this sentiment when I meet with them, but I’d like to emphasize it here, for you. The youth of Iowa are not just leaders of tomorrow – but they are already actively demonstrating leadership today. In 2019, my office launched a program focused on engaging and activating these young leaders. The Carrie Chapman Catt Award program engages Iowa high school students at an important first step in civic leadership – voter registration. We named it after the legendary Iowan, Carrie Chapman Catt, a national leader in the suffrage movement. There is no better way to honor her efforts to expand voting rights for women than initiatives that encourage our youth to register to vote and engage in the process. Since the launch, we’ve registered around three to five thousand students to vote each year. That’s more than 25,000 Iowans registered to vote as soon as they are eligible, which in Iowa is age 17. This is especially important to note, given research showing that when young people receive education on the voting process and are encouraged to register to vote, they are more likely to develop lifelong civic habits. I don’t think I need to illustrate here the importance of engaged, lifelong civic participation and how it positively impacts our democracy as a whole. Each spring, when we wrap up the high school Carrie Chapman Catt Award program, we are energized by increasing numbers of students registering and participating in our elections. This year is no different. We recently announced the culmination of this year’s award program, in which 122 schools signed up to participate, and 75 were recognized for registering 50, 70, and 90% of eligible students. As part of these efforts, 5,404 high school students across 61 counties registered to vote during the 2025-2026 school year. We’ve been so thrilled with the success of the Carrie Chapman Catt Award that we’ve recently initiated a similar program at the collegiate level, challenging colleges in Iowa to get their students registered to vote, prioritize voter education, and increase student turnout during election periods. The Catt Collegiate Challenge, which launched earlier this year, is in full swing on more than a dozen college campuses across the state. The program mirrors the high school program in many ways but takes it a step further by introducing some healthy competition. Institutions that demonstrate outstanding commitment to voter registration, voter education, and student turnout are formally recognized by our office for their leadership in advancing civic engagement across the state, and the campuses that achieve the highest voter participation rates in statewide elections receive special recognition at our annual Voter Engagement Summit. We hosted the 2026 Voter Engagement Summit for college students and faculty last month, and I was, once again, blown away by the enthusiasm, passion, and leadership demonstrated by the young people in attendance. We hosted two separate days of keynotes, panel sessions, and networking opportunities on creative methods and best practices in voter registration and civic engagement. Next year, we will recognize Iowa’s highest performing college institutions with the first-ever Catt Collegiate Awards. Now is the time for our young people to put that passion and enthusiasm into action.  We are now rapidly approaching the 2026 election season. With the June 2 Primary right around the corner, here’s what you need to know: May 13—June 1: Early absentee in person voting available at county auditors’ offices May 18: The last day to request an absentee ballot by mail I feel immense pride when I think of the enthusiasm and passion coming from Iowa’s young people. That passion is exactly what our democracy needs – now let’s turn it into action. Registering to vote is just the first step. Now is the time for Iowa voters of every age to step up and show up. Voting is not just a fundamental right—it’s the very foundation of our democracy.

Make sure you register to vote

Are you ready to ensure your right to vote? There is a primary election on June 2, 2026. A primary election narrows several candidates into one. The main election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. That is the date of the midterms. It is named “midterms” because it is halfway to the next presidential election which is 2028. Are you registered to vote? Is your Voter Registration form active? It is easy to check. Go to sos.iowa.gov. Locate the word “Elections” and click. Go to the third column, go to the right-side area, and it says: “Am I registered to vote in Iowa?” Click the link and you will be asked to complete your name and zip code. It will let you know if you are eligible to vote. It will also tell you where to vote at. If not registered, there is another link to register. The presently elected candidates are in place due to our voting, or lack of in 2026. Be active, exercise your duty to vote.   Jean Semsch Stockton

Long Grove FD to host spaghetti dinner Saturday

Come out and meet your Long Grove firefighters this Saturday at the department’s annual spaghetti dinner. The May 9 event will be held from 4-8 p.m. at the Long Grove Civic Center, 114 N. 1st St. A homemade spaghetti meal will be available for a free will donation. All proceeds will go towards EMS training equipment for the department. For more information, visit the Long Grove Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page.

Register now for Chamber golf outing

You’re invited to participate in the North Scott Chamber of Commerce’s Annual North Scott Chamber Golf Outing.  This flighted tournament welcomes golfers of all skill levels and will take place at Glynns Creek Golf Course in Scott County Park, Long Grove, on Friday, June 5. This event is a fundraiser for the North Scott Chamber of Commerce, helping to fund various community events like the Free Summer Concerts, Hometown Holiday and more.  Every aspect of the Chamber Golf Outing involves and showcases North Scott Chamber member businesses from the local community. The day will kick off with check-in, a light grab-and-go breakfast, mimosas and Bloody Marys at 8 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. shotgun start. “The 19th Hole” party immediately follows play, with lunch, prizes, and awards.    New for 2026 are several Hole-in-One Contests sponsored by Cutting Edge Services and JC Landscape & Trees. There are four par-three holes offering “Hole in One” prizes including a Rangefinder, a Charcoal Smoker, an HD TV, and $10,000!  LMT Defense’s “Golf Ball Grenade Launcher” returns, with proceeds benefitting the North Scott boys’ golf team. The “Best Hole” contest, which originated in 2023, will continue, with local businesses sponsoring holes and competing against each other to win the votes of golfers. This event is open to the public and historically sells out.  Form your team now and register online at www.northscottchamber.com or call the Chamber at 563-285-9965.

Bettendorf, North Scott students compete in National History Day contest

Sixty-nine Iowa students earned top honors in the National History Day in Iowa State Contest on April 27 and advanced to compete in the national contest in June. Bettendorf School District had 43 students named as national qualifiers, national alternates, state finalists or state qualifiers. See the list of students and categories below. Four students [...]

Lee County, Illinois sheriff warns of suspicious interactions involving children

The Lee County Sheriff's Office has reported two incidents of suspicious interactions with children in Franklin Grove and Amboy, urging the public to be vigilant.

Food pricing webinar May 28

The Food Innovation and Business Hub with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a new webinar, “Know Your Costs, Keep Your Profit,” on May 28 from 11:00 am to noon. Designed to help food entrepreneurs take the guesswork out of pricing, the webinar will walk participants through calculating the real cost of their products and using that information to make better pricing decisions. The webinar will break down pricing factors and concepts into simple, practical steps that participants can apply to their business. Participants will also learn how to calculate direct costs, identify hidden indirect expenses, account for labor and allocate overhead across their products. The session will also cover how to apply margin correctly and evaluate whether a price is too high or too low. Farmers market vendors, cottage food producers, home food processing establishments and small-scale food entrepreneurs looking to improve profitability and gain confidence in their pricing are encouraged to attend the webinar by registering online. For more information, contact Alex Van Alstyne at alexv@iastate.edu.

A glimpse of the future

Young learners gathered at Neil Armstrong Wednesday to sample the range of career programs that await them at North Scott schools. Industrial tech teacher Dave Linnenbrink gave a students a taste of welding with the district’s welding simulator. FFA students and instructor Jacob Hunter helped them seed starts for a home garden, while others sketched imaginary garden plots. Student’s hands also tried to catch whirling whiffle balls hurled by the North Scott Robotics Team’s latest automaton. Explanations of the program from members of the team were edifying, and distracting. Students and their parents also took advantage of a buy-one, get-one deal at the school book fair — an incentive to come out for the night.

Building a springtime snowman

Soon, Lancer fans will need to sprout a third hand to count the North Scott girls’ soccer winning streak. Over the weekend, after a pair of wins at the TBK Bank Sports Complex’s Tournament of Champions event, the Lancers are the owners of an eight-game spree. There, North Scott picked up two wins over Illinois schools: a 4-2 win over Peoria’s Normal Community on Thursday and a 3-0 shutout over Chicagoland’s Batavia on Saturday. On Monday (April 27), the Lancers blanked Davenport Central 1-0 at Brady Street Stadium to boost its conference record to 4-1. Add it all up, and the Lancers are 9-1 through 10 games. The last time this program had a mark as good was the 2023 season (9-0-1 through 10 games), which ended in a state semifinals run. “We continue to be incredibly proud of this group of girls and the way they are growing together as a team,” Lancer coach Dion Ayers said. “This is a group that genuinely enjoys playing with one another, embraces new ideas, and takes ownership of their development. While they’ve already accomplished a great deal, their hunger to improve and compete remains strong.” The stars of this show continue to be the defense, headlined by seniors Allie Moeller, Paige Coon and sophomore Delaney Hill. This group has allowed just five goals the entire season and pitched seven shutouts. “They are the soul of our team,” Lancer sophomore Reese Barnett said. “They are keeping everything together. Delaney in the center, I’ve been playing soccer with her for like 12 years now, she’s consistently just worked her tail off back there. Paige and Allie are so strong out of the air. They are a brick wall. Most offenses, even the best players from Central and Bettendorf, cannot penetrate them.” And how about a little love for junior goalkeeper Nora Barnett, who has saved 91.4 percent of the shots sent her way? “Just a little bit,” Reese joked. “I’ll give her a little credit.” Nora only needed to stop four shots against Batavia as Moeller, Coon, Hill and sophomore Lydia Schnorrenberg played what Ayers called “one of their best performances of the season.” “We knew coming in that Batavia’s front runners had dangerous speed and could capitalize quickly if allowed to get in behind us,” Ayers said. “Our girls responded right away and set the tone early, keeping everything in front of them and controlling the flow of play.” On the other side of the field, North Scott struck early and often. Senior Chloe Dorr put back a rebound in the eighth minute for a 1-0 lead. A few minutes later, quick touch passes from freshman Tannar Schild and senior Kenzie Moeller got the ball to Reese Barnett’s feet. Barnett delivered a ball off the far post and in for a 2-0 advantage. Barnett scored again in the second half, blasting the ball high and away from the keeper, to solidify the win. It was a different story against Normal Community as the Ironwomen struck first. Dorr found the net first for the Lancers here as well, but the match was locked at 1-1 heading to the break. “(Normal Community) did a really good job attacking out of that back line, their outside backs. We struggled in the first half when we allowed them to switch the point of attack,” Ayers said. “That gave them numbers on our backside. We talked about that at halftime — we have to keep them at bay. Don’t overplay, and give them the line. Use the sideline as your defender. In the second half, we were more poised on the ball.” Two minutes after halftime, Barnett connected from downtown to put the Lancers up 2-1. Not long after, junior Saeler VenHorst scored her second goal of the year to make it 3-1. Then, seconds after Barnett was tackled inside the box without a whistle, the soccer gods rewarded the Lancers with a missile from sophomore Camryn Jones, setting the scoreboard at 4-1. Another reason this year’s squad separates itself from last year’s is not just its goal-scoring ability, but the number of different contributors. North Scott scored 35 goals all of last season with only Barnett and Jones scoring at least four times. This season, North Scott has 44 goals with Barnett, Jones, Moeller, senior Bella Mohr and sophomore Julia Solis all with at least four goals. “It’s amazing. Compared to last year, we felt isolated up top,” Reese Barnett said. “Now, we have a full offense where everyone can do something. Everyone brings something different.” Different players get to be the hero each night. Take Monday’s game against Davenport Central where the lone goal was scored by freshman Myla Hanson. Hanson has scored 15 goals at the junior varsity level this season, and has three on her ledger at varsity. “She has been on fire lately,” Ayers said. “She held off the girl at the top of the box. It was a physical challenge, and she spun off her and put it in… She’s been a great surprise. Some of her strikes lately, it’s like, whoa.” The Class 2A rankings remained identical to the previous release, keeping North Scott fifth behind No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock, No. 2 Norwalk, No. 3 Dallas Center-Grimes and No. 4 North Polk. North Scott has the raw wins and the stats to be considered a state title contender, but what it lacks are statement victories. The team’s lone ranked win this season came on April 9 against 3A No. 11 Iowa City Liberty. Currently, North Scott’s strength of schedule rates as slightly above the average difficulty in Class 2A. That will not last long as the Lancers enter their most critical stretch of the regular season. Four of North Scott’s next six games are against highly-touted opponents: Norwalk (May 8), 2A No. 6 Bishop Heelan (May 9), 3A No. 8 Pleasant Valley, and a colossal home showcase against 1A No. 1 Davenport Assumption (May 19). “These games will test us, but this group is ready to embrace the challenge as we continue to find out what we’re made of in 2A and lean on one another every step of the way,” Ayers said.

Camanche and Clinton conquests

North Scott’s boys’ tennis team is rounding into form at the perfect time. Over the past two Saturdays, the Lancers secured a team title at Camanche’s Storm Invitational and a runner-up placement at Clinton’s River King Invitational right as the postseason begins. In Camanche, all six Lancers placed in the top three of at least one of their singles or doubles brackets. In total, the Lancers won four of the nine brackets at the tournament. Coming off of a stretch of tough conference dual matches, these results lifted the spirits of the entire team. “I was very proud of the team at those invites,” Lancer coach Hugo Flores said. “It meant a lot for everyone, especially the freshmen who had tougher opponents against juniors and seniors. It was a boost of confidence for them.” In Camanche, North Scott accumulated 25.5 team points. It was far ahead of second-place Muscatine (17.5) and third-place Clinton (16) in the standings. Lancer senior Lucas Persson won the No. 1 singles bracket with an 8-1 win over the top player from Sterling Newman. Junior Jacob Link won the No. 3 singles bracket, defeating Clinton’s Vinnie Srp 8-5 in the final. Freshman Camden Wenck also won at No. 4 singles, although he accepted an injury withdrawal in the championship match. Wenck earned a second gold medal on the court. He teamed with Link at No. 2 doubles to win 8-4 over Muscatine. The No. 3 doubles team of freshmen Aidan Feller and Lachlan Suarez was the runner-up, falling to Muscatine 8-4. Flores said, “They’ve improved a lot from the first week of doubles. They have great team chemistry. I am really proud of them.” Feller also placed second as an individual in the No. 5 singles bracket, falling to Muscatine 8-5. Suarez placed third at No. 6 singles, and the Persson brothers, Lucas and Isaac, placed third at No. 1 doubles. Flores called the Clinton meet much more competitive, but the Lancers still found their way to 19 team points and a second-place finish. 1A No. 5 Central DeWitt took this team title with 35 points. North Scott posted 19, Muscatine had 10, and Davenport Central had nine among the contenders. “Almost everyone got their first round win, and then the second round was a lot more challenging,” Flores said. “It’s a great experience for the boys to show we have more things to work on in the near future.” The highlight of the meet was Lucas and Isaac Persson pairing for a second-place finish in doubles, falling against the No. 1 DeWitt team. The Persson brothers also gave Pleasant Valley’s No. 1 doubles team a great match last Tuesday (April 28). The Lancers had opportunities to take the first set, ultimately falling in a tiebreaker. The second set was on serve for the first seven games until the Spartan duo of Suvik Agrawal and Lucas Kukhar broke and held for a 6-3 decision. Isaac joined Lucas at the No. 1 doubles spot in the middle of this season, and he also occupies the No. 2 singles spot in the Lancer lineup. “The Persson brothers coach themselves. They’ve been playing tennis for quite some time,” Flores said. “There have been a few downhills because, at the end of the season, we go against some very tough teams. With Isaac coming in this season, he’s trying to figure out how he can work well with his brother.” Lucas continued his excellent run of play, defeating Agrawal at No. 1 singles 7-6, 6-0. The Lancer senior has lost just one match this season, and he appeared at No. 9 in the Class 2A individual rankings last week. Persson will aim to defend his Mississippi Athletic Conference singles championship, although Davenport Assumption’s Connor Feehan will be the No. 1 seed having gone undefeated this season. North Scott also awaits its fate for the substate team tennis tournament. New this season is the fact that only the top 32 teams in each class will qualify for the bracket. Pairings are expected to be released later this week. North Scott was already announced as a Class 2A singles and doubles district site. It will host Bettendorf, Clinton, Davenport Central, Davenport North and Pleasant Valley on May 16.

Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference May 20

Farm managers, rural appraisers, real estate brokers and others interested in the Iowa land market can expect timely updates at this year’s Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference on May 20 in Ames. Experts will examine current issues in rural property management, appraisal, the selling and buying of land and agricultural policy. The annual conference – now in its 98th year – is the longest-running at Iowa State University in research and extension. The program is planned each year by the ISU Extension and Outreach Agricultural Economics team in the Department of Economics. This year’s conference will be held at the Scheman Building, with check-in beginning at 7:30 a.m. and the conference running from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Rabail Chandio, conference chairperson, assistant professor and extension economist at ISU, said the conference will continue to educate those in the Iowa land market, enabling them to make more informed decisions. “Today’s agricultural economy is being squeezed by tightening margins and limited working capital, creating real financial stress. At the same time, longer-term forces, especially the rise of AI and emerging sector-specific opportunities in animal agriculture, are reshaping the horizon,” she said. “These pressures and possibilities affect everyone across the ag economy. Whether you’re managing land, buying and selling it or evaluating its value, there’s a lot to gain from hearing directly from experts who are tracking these issues every day.” The cost to register for the conference is $150; registration is required to attend. Participants are also eligible to receive seven hours of continuing education credit for real estate and appraisal licenses upon conclusion of the program. For more information and a full agenda, visit Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference, or contact Rabail Chandio at rchandio@iastate.edu or Nathan Cook at nmcook@iastate.edu.

Wilsons celebrate 65 years of marriage May 7

Dick and Fran (Kemp) Wilson of Eldridge will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on May 7. They are the parents of Alan Wilson of Bettendorf and Rhonda Dittman (Jeff) of Holland, Mich. Grandchildren are Brittany Wilson (Steve Swift), Jeffrey Dittman (Diamond Jachim), Ben Wilson and Hannah Wilson. They have one great-granddaughter, Kaylee Swift Wilson. A family get-together is being planned over Memorial Day weekend.

Obituary: Dennis Johns

Dennis A. Johns, affectionately known by generations of students and athletes as “Coach” Johns, passed away on April 28, 2026, in League City, Texas, following a protracted illness. A funeral service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Davenport at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 14. Visitation will be held an hour prior. Following the funeral, Dennis will be laid to rest at Rose Hill Cemetery in Buffalo. Born on March 28, 1936, in Marshalltown, to Paul and Frances Johns, he graduated from Zearing High School in 1954 and earned his teaching degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) in 1960. He later completed a master’s degree at Western Illinois University.    Dennis dedicated nearly four decades to the field of education. His career began in 1960 at Melvin Community School, where he taught and coached for two years. In 1962, he moved to Walcott, where he served as a physical education and health teacher until his retirement in 1998.   “Coach” Johns was a fixture on the football field for over 35 years. His passion for teaching extended beyond the classroom and the field; he spent an additional year as a volunteer coach after his formal retirement, unable to fully step away from the students he loved.  The Davenport Community School District recently dedicated the athletic field in his name.  Additionally, he coached boys’ and girls’ basketball. A pillar of the Davenport and Walcott communities, Dennis was renowned for his extensive leadership and service. He was also a devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, where he served as both a deacon and an elder. His commitment to youth development was further evidenced by his roles as a leader of Boy Scout Troop 4 and a softball coach for the Dad’s Club. Professionally, he contributed his expertise to the Audit and Finance Committee for the Teachers’ Credit Union for 12 years.    Dennis also found great joy in music as a highly active member of the Davenport Chordbuster Barbershop Chorus. During his tenure, he served as both president and treasurer, was honored as “Chordbuster of the Year,” and was ultimately inducted into their Hall of Fame. He produced an annual holiday concert, showcasing area musicians, as a food drive and fundraiser. In his later years, Dennis moved to League City to be near his family. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Ella Louise Macomber Johns, as well as his parents and sister, Kathryn Long.    He is survived by his son, Charles Johns (Michelle) of Palatine, Ill.; his daughter, Laura Ann Teatsworth (Jack) of League City; and seven cherished grandchildren: Elizabeth, Peter, Andrew, Margaret, Collin, Nathan, and Madeline. He also leaves behind his brother-in-law, William Macomber (Nancy), sister-in-law, JoAnn Macomber (Robert), and a host of nieces and nephews.      Custom obituary

Obituary: Phyllis Miller

A funeral service for Phyllis M. Miller, 97, of Davenport, will be held at noon on Thursday, May 7, at the Runge Mortuary & Crematory, Davenport. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service on Thursday at the mortuary. Burial will be in the Durant Cemetery. Mrs. Miller died Friday, May 1, 2026. Phyllis Arp was born July 12, 1928, in Davenport, the daughter of Arnold and Mabel (Roehlk) Arp. She married Wallace “Wally” Miller on May 1, 1949, in Davenport. He preceded her in death. Survivors include her children, Bonnie (Randy) Meyer, New Liberty, Barry (Diana) Miller, East Moline, Beverly (Patrick) Ryan, Davenport, and Bradley (Pam) Miller, Calamus; 17 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; 30 great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Shirley (Richard) Fidlar, West Des Moines. Memorials may be made to the Iowa Department for the Blind in Des Moines or to the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf. Online condolences may be made at www.rungemortuary.com.