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

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026
	ACLU holds town hall on impact of Trump administration The town hall drew more than 160 attendees.
	Public service scholarship honors Porter McNeil Longtime public servant Porter McNeil passed away in September at 65.
	1 dead, 2 injured after rollover crash west of Nashville, IA Iowa State Patrol said a car lost control when trying to avoid a vehicle mowing a ditch, causing the car to roll over.
	1 dead, 2 injured after rollover crash west of Nashville, IA Iowa State Patrol said a car lost control when trying to avoid a vehicle mowing a ditch, causing the car to roll over.
	Officials: 1 dead, 2 injured in Jackson County crash The name of the person who died has not been released at this time, pending family notification.
	Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers 2026 Condition of the State \| FULL ADDRESS For the 2026 session, Iowa lawmakers are focused on issues such as eminent domain and property tax reform. Video courtesy Iowa PBS pool feed.
	Davenport police officer speaks on saving woman during Chicago Bears game After Laura Hart went into cardiac arrest, Ofc. Riley McIntyre jumped into action. The two were recently recognized at Soldier Field during the Lions game.
	Davenport police officer performs life-saving act at Chicago Bears game Riley McIntyre was walking up the many flights of stairs at Soldier Field to section 400 to enjoy a football game between his beloved Chicago Bears and the New York Giants. It was his day off from being a Davenport police officer. All he thought he'd be doing was cheering his Bears on their way [...]
	‘If you woke up tomorrow and had nothing’: Red Cross helps 18 fire victims Organization provides immediate assistance after Dixwell Street blaze sends one man to hospital
	Rock Island center will honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center (MLK Center) in Rock Island invites the public to its 43rd Annual Memorial Service and Awards Celebration in honor of the late Rev. Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The theme for this year’s event is “A time for vigorous and [...]
	Three years and $45 million later, Illinois is seeing teacher vacancy changes According to the National Center for Education Statistics, teacher vacancies across the countryhave become increasingly harder to fill within the last decade. The state of Illinois has addressed the issue through the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program (TVGPP). The initiative has been studied over the past few years, showing 5,400 new hires - and even [...]
	Claudette Colvin, who refused to move seats on a bus at start of civil rights movement, dies Civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin has died. She was 86. Her 1955 arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus helped spark the modern civil rights movement.
	Kewanee man get 12 years in stabbing death An 18-year-old Kewanee man was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years in prison in connection with a fatal stabbing in January 2025.
	Poopy's in Savanna seeks new owners Owners of a biker-friendly tavern in Savanna say they are looking for new owners. In a Facebook post, the announcement was made that Poopy's is up for sale. We want to address the rumors head-on — 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦. Poopy’s is 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞. After the heartbreaking loss of our partner last year, the workload and [...]
	Chocolate Manor celebrates grand opening under new family ownership in Davenport After a September soft opening, Chocolate Manor officially opened its doors in Davenport, welcoming customers with made-from-scratch sweets and a family touch.
	Quad Cities business owner appointed to Illinois Finance Authority Douglas House will serve as a member of the authority pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate, according to a media release.
	Chocolate Manor celebrates grand opening under new family ownership in Davenport After a September soft opening, Chocolate Manor officially opened its doors in Davenport, welcoming customers with made-from-scratch sweets and a family touch.
	WATCH: Iowa’s 2026 Condition of the State address In her last Condition of the State address, Gov. Kim Reynolds will outline her legislative priorities for this year’s session.
	La Fuente celebrates opening in moline with ribbon cutting La Fuente, located on Avenue of the Cities in Moline, held its ribbon cutting.
	Grassley honors St. Ambrose student in Senate for blood donation efforts A St. Ambrose student who was named to the Impact Life Blood Donor Hall of Fame last fall is getting recognition in the nation’s capital.
	Iowa House lawmakers consider bill prohibiting use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines During a subcommittee meeting Tuesday, landowners, pipeline companies, agricultural associations and unions provided testimony on a bill to prohibit the use of eminent domain for building carbon capture pipelines.
	Bettendorf police step up enforcement of Iowa’s hands-free driving law Bettendorf police say too many drivers are still on their phones — even after months of warnings about Iowa’s new hands-free law.
	Burlington store coming to Moline this spring Burlington Stores announced the company plans to open a store in Moline.
	And windy start for your Wednesday morning After a warm start to the week, we have some colder temperatures making a return through the rest of the week. However, in regard to Wednesday tomorrow, it is not just the cold we will be seeing but also the winds. During the morning when all are getting ready for that morning commute wind speeds [...]
	Dallahan will be in concert at Bishop Hill Creative Commons Bishop Hill Creative Commons, Bishop Hill, Ill., will present Dallahan in concert on Friday, Jan 16, marking the band’s first U.S. tour in 10 years, a news release says. The evening will begin with an optional community potluck dinner at 6 p.m. (bring a dish to share if you’d like to join), followed by the [...]
	Iowa’s Trumpeter swan population reaches record nesting levels The large white birds are native to Iowa but the population was decimated by the late 1800s. However, the birds had a modern-day record 158 nest attempts in 2025.
	37-year-old woman suffers injuries after being struck by vehicle in Moline Police say the woman stepped suddenly into the street and was hit by a car on 34th Avenue. She suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
	Republicans say Clintons risk contempt of Congress for not testifying on Epstein House Republicans are seeking testimony as part of their investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Clintons say they've already provided in writing what little they know.
	Quad Cities National Organization for Women (NOW) holding Rally for Reproductive Freedom in Rock Island The Quad Cities National Organization for Women (NOW) will hold a Rally for Reproductive Freedom on Sunday, Jan. 18 in Rock Island, near the 53rd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion before being overturned in 2022.
	Rock Island wants to improve its rail crossings. First, it needs your help. The city wants your feedback on specific railroad crossings, so leaders can understand which areas need the most attention as they apply for federal funding grants.
	Poopy's Saloon up for sale following death of co-owner Officials with the gaming parlor said they will still be open for the upcoming season as they search for a new owner.
	3 men, dog rescued from disabled boat on Mississippi River A rescue boat was able to connect a tow strap to the disabled boat and tow it to Bulger’s Hollow.
	Living Lands and Waters' newest floating classroom docks in East Moline The Mississippi River Institute will be docked at Beacon Harbor through June.
	Iowa’s Trumpeter swan population reaches record nesting levels The large white birds are native to Iowa but the population was decimated by the late 1800s. However, the birds had a modern-day record 158 nest attempts in 2025.
	Stranded boaters rescued on Mississippi River in Clinton County Three men and a dog were rescued Monday after their disabled boat drifted down Pool 13 of the Mississippi River near Bulger’s Hollow. No injuries were reported.
	Rock Island wants to improve its rail crossings. First, it needs your help. The city wants your feedback on specific railroad crossings, so leaders can understand which areas need the most attention as they apply for federal funding grants.
	FTC accuses AI search engine of 'rampant consumer deception' Federal officials say a company that operates hundreds of landing pages for AI answers is running an operation that has duped thousands of users, who were unable to stop costly monthly charges.
	Geneseo man charged with indecent solicitation of a child He is charged with Class 3 felony indecent solicitation of a child and Class A misdemeanor sexual exploitation of a child.
	North Scott Press — January 14, 2026
	3 men, dog rescued from disabled boat on Mississippi River Three men and a dog are safe after a water rescue on the Mississippi River yesterday. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office was called to Pool 13 of the Mississippi River (Bulger’s Hollow Campground) on January 12 at about 3:49 p.m. for a report of a boat in distress, according to a news release. Deputies were [...]
	Local governments await tax reform Progress on property tax reform leads the concerns of Iowa state lawmakers, who returned to the capitol for the start of a new session Monday. Tax reform also leads the concerns of governing bodies across Scott County, who will watch legislators closely as they move to reshape the state’s property tax system. The Urban County Coalition (UCC), which unites Scott with Linn, Johnson, Dubuque, and Black Hawk Counties, has placed concerns over property tax reform at the forefront of its 2026 lobbying platform. They say the state’s efforts to curtail property taxes have left counties with an inability to fund services required by state laws and requested by citizens. The Iowa League of Cities, which represents municipal governments across the state, hopes reform will overwrite a 2023 provision that restricts tax collection as cities expand. Local officials echo both groups’ concerns. Rose Guyer, clerk of Long Grove, said lawmakers have threatened an “erosion of home rule” that would cripple local services. “The main services that get impacted are your police, your fires, and your libraries. Those are the first services that get cut,” she said. Supervisor Jean Dickson, who represents the county in the UCC, said that the county was “all-in on property tax reform,” but that local officials needed guidance from the state on how to consolidate services. “We need guidance from the legislature—what other services can we do differently,” she said. Dickson said that, if property tax losses aren’t backfilled by state funding or accompanied by guidance, the county’s “high quality level of services” could be at risk. Municipal property taxes In 2023, the state legislature passed a reform that restricted cities’ potential property tax revenue by up to 3%, depending on the growth of the tax base. The intention was to limit cities’ ability to increase tax revenue as property valuations rose. Yet it meant that, if a city’s tax base grew through expansion, it could not levy the additional taxes it might need to fund expanded services. A proposal introduced in 2025 would have capped the growth of levy rates year-to-year at 2%. It would allow cities to grow their tax base through expansion or rising valuation, but limit their ability to fund new or expanded services. That proposal could not cross the finish line before the close of the legislative session. Lawmakers returning to the capitol this week said they expected to see diverse reform proposals from the house, senate, and governor’s office. “They want property tax relief, but they don’t know what they want,” North Scott School Board member and former state senator Frank Wood said. Republican Norlin Mommsen, who represents northeast Scott County and Clinton County, said he expects discussion of different proposals to persist throughout the session. “I would have hoped that the three areas could have sat down over the summer and worked something out,” Mommsen said. “Now we’re going to spend a lot of time in session, working through each one…. to me, I wish there’d been a little more coordination.” For local governments, the shape of reform will be crucial. Eldridge City Administrator Nevada Lemke said that a proposal like the one which closed the 2025 legislative session would be an improvement over reforms passed in 2023. “For Eldridge specifically, we would like to see that tax reform,” Lemke said. “Growth is a very positive thing, it’s very positive, it’s what we strive for every year.… We’re growing rapidly, and with that growth, we’ve been reduced on our property tax levy general fund,” she continued, referring to the revenue ceiling fixed in 2023. Guyer echoed Lemke’s criticism of previous reforms. “They’re almost punishing the city’s for growing. You’ve got this double-edged sword where it’s not in the city’s interest to promote growth of any type. We can’t collect taxes on that, so how are we going to maintain services?” she said. While overwriting 2023’s reforms may yield short-term benefits for growing communities, the proposed alternative may punish in the long run. “When we’re looking regionally, or across the state, whether that 2% is going to be positive for the greater good, it’s hard to say,” Lemke said. Any tax limit was bound to bring “uncertainty” about “not being able to meet the needs” of each community, she added. “We support property tax reform. It’s just hard to find a solution that’s going to work for everyone, and I don’t know that that solution is really on the horizon or out there yet,” she said. Guyer said that it was not yet clear how either reform would impact cities in practice. “What are the analyzed impacts of either of them upon cities? Unless cities have the data in front of them to realize what those actual impacts are going to be, we’re only able to realize the impact after the law has been passed,” she said. Chelsea Hoye is the director of advocacy at the Iowa League of Cities in Des Moines. She said that while the League does not “oppose state lawmakers on any property tax reform efforts,” they were searching for a “balance between efficiency and effectiveness.” Rather than pivot toward restrictions on the levy increase, she said lawmakers should focus on fitting exemptions for new construction into the current system. “Under the current system, communities are penalized for growth. Communities are growing, and they are not able to capture that new tax base in order to pay for the expanded set of services that community really needs,” she said. “We believe there is a way to carve out new valuation, that is new construction, in the first year... in order for cities to capture that tax base.” Guyer called the League’s proposed solution “ideal,” leading to “a more balanced approach that would allow cities to grow.” For Scott County Officials say that restriction on the county’s ability to levy property taxes will further stress a budget that has been burdened with “unfunded mandates” by the state. The UCC legislative priorities for 2026, unanimously approved by the county board of supervisors in December, lists services required by state code but unaccompanied by state funds. They included operation of the courthouse, housing state offices and archiving documents, and providing emergency services. “Unfunded mandates place increasing pressure on local property taxpayers. We urge the Legislature to take meaningful action to reduce cost-shifting to counties,” the priority list summarizes. Dickson said that restrictions on the county’s ability to levy property taxes, which comprise over half of its income, would intensify the issue. New restrictions would “require us to reevaluate the services being provided—unfunded mandates and other services,” she said. “Property tax reform is only going to be accomplished through less tax collection, which is going to mean less revenue,” Dickson said. And while the county was more than willing to “take a look internally,” there was only so much it could do without state rolling back certain mandates. “We’re going to deal with this. No matter what it is, we’re just going to have to deal with this,” Dickson said. David Farmer, budget and administrative services director for the county, said that legislators should allow counties to diversify their revenue collection with user fees and other charges. “If you want to shake up the property tax system, okay. We ask that you look at other revenue sources as well,” he said. The UCC priorities list argues that discussion of property tax reform “should recognize challenges created by unfunded mandates, user fees that have not kept pace with actual costs, and the limited options available to fund critical local government services.” School board concerns School districts in Iowa receive their funding from a combination of state money and property tax levies directly informed by measures passed at the capitol each year. The State Supplemental Aid rate, which determines the annual per-pupil funding increase for Iowa schools, leads the concerns of North Scott superintendent Joe Stutting and school board member Frank Wood. Wood serves as the board’s liaison to the Iowa School Board Association, which lobbies the capitol on education issues. Both said that they are keeping a close eye on how lawmakers approach property tax reform. The North Scott School district has two property tax levies, a physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) and public education and recreational levy (PERL), that supplement state per-pupil funding. Wood said the school board has worked for years to keep those levies lower than in surrounding districts. Yet the property tax reform posed at the end of the previous session would cripple the district’s ability to raise levies in the future, if the need arose. “We don’t want to go to a higher rate. We just want the authority to go to a higher rate if we need to,” Wood explained. “We just want to have a voice at the table. If things are going to come out, we just want to make sure that we are going to be heard,” he said. Democratic state senator Mike Zimmer, who represents northeast Scott County and Clinton County, previously served as principal of North Scott High School and a member of the Central DeWitt school board. He said he was afraid few of his colleagues in the house and senate had hands-on experience as supervisors or city council or school board members, which would demonstrate the importance of property taxes. “Having served on a school board, having had to sit down and have those conversations about what property taxes we need to levy to function and operate and provide services, we didn’t take that lightly,” Zimmer said. Zimmer added that the state Legislative Services Agency (LSA) is unable “give a fiscal note on money the state does not collect.” Lawmakers approaching property tax reform would not be able to rely on the same level of context with which they approached state income or corporate taxes, he said. Public records law The League of Cities and the UCC have both requested rollbacks in Iowa public notice law, which requires governments to post legal notices and records of certain meetings in newspapers across the state. New proposals would allow certain notices to be posted only on state-run websites. Supporters of these proposals say they will save taxpayers money, while critics argue that it will decrease government transparency, accountability, and exposure. Public notices also provide newspapers with an important source of income. A state law passed in 2024 already requires newspapers to post notices online, at IowaPublicNotices.com, where they are free to view. While the League priorities request an end to third-party public notices requirements, the UCC requests a reform that would allow counties to place certain notices online while placing key records in newspapers. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) report commissioned by Governor Kim Reynolds and released in September suggested an end to third-party public notice requirements. In Eldridge, Lemke said that opinion on public notices “varies across the board, maybe even generationally.” She noted that many older residents continue to prefer paper notices and bills to digital communications. “We would continue to send our notices… for us the requirement wouldn’t necessarily change our practice,” she said. Guyer said that, in Long Grove, “the cost of publication is not overwhelming for the city budget.” Residents still read city notices in The North Scott Press, she said. “We don’t want to see our local newspapers struggling more,” Lemke added. Additional priorities Eminent domain law and water quality standards are also expected to come under discussion at this year’s legislative session. “The water quality issue—that’s out there. People are really talking about it,” Dickson said. She referred specifically to a reported link between poor water quality and rising cancer rates that she expected to draw lawmakers’ attention. Mommsen said he hoped to look at water quality and soil health this session. Princeton, where high nitrate concentrations have threatened the city water supply, lies within his district. “One issue I’m always working on is water quality and soil health. To me, they’re interchangeable,” he said. “The code is silent on anything concerning soil health—I would like to see that updated.” “Since I’m involved in ag, that’s kind of one of my pet projects,” he added. Cities, meanwhile, are looking for clarification on their liability in the event of injuries resulting from poor sidewalks or damaged structures. An Iowa Supreme Court ruling “created ambiguity about who is liable” when poorly maintained sidewalks result in an injury, the League priority document states. Clerks in Eldridge, Walcott, and Long Grove all said they hoped to see the legislature clarify sidewalk liability. Most cities have programs to help owners maintain sidewalks. Concerns about liability for damaged structures result from personal lawsuits filed after the Davenport building collapse. The League has called on the legislature to ensure that “good-faith building and code enforcement” is not penalized. State senators Scott Webster and Kerry Gruenhagen, and state representatives Bobby Kaufmann and Mike Vondran, all of whom represent parts of the North Scott area, could not be reached for comment.
	'An impossible situation' Anyone who might have thought passions around the Eldridge Community Center cooled over the last few weeks was sorely mistaken, as some Eldridge residents and other ECC patrons attended Monday’s city council meeting to protest what they saw as the hasty closure of the center in December. The two-hour meeting again featured more than a half hour of public comment. Rachel Smith of Hooppole, Ill., president of the Quad City Rollers roller derby team, asked the council to consider allowing the team to continue holding its practices there until the center is officially closed. She said the team has its own liability insurance and team members are also individually covered. She also said that the team would not need any additional city staff support, as they had previously been allowed to open and close the center on their own during transitions between managers. Paula Del Fabro of Eldridge asked the council to reconsider closing the center, and presented a petition signed by more than 2,000 people, including 500 Eldridge residents. She said the council’s actions seemed less than transparent to the community, especially given that in December of 2024, the council had agreed to give the community center 18 months to shore up its finances. The vote to close came after only a year. Richard Cole of Eldridge agreed that the decision seemed to have been sprung on the residents. He also pointed to the argument some city council members made that the ECC was not being utilized by Eldridge residents, saying that the Moonlight Chase and other Eldridge amenities are open to everyone. Judith Gilbert of Eldridge said the decision to close seemed to have been made without regard to the wishes of the community. She said at the Dec. 15 meeting, 17 members of the public spoke in favor of keeping the center open, with none asking for it to be closed. She asked for greater transparency from the city on the matter. James Retterer of Wilton presented a proposal for the formation of a non-profit organization to take over the management of the community center as a means of keeping it open. He asked council members to be open to the possibility of an alternate form of governance for the ECC, one that could also take advantage of other forms of funding, including grants. “It’s an opportunity to turn this into an actual community center instead of a pseudo business that’s run in a community-ish way.” Nathan Burress of Eldridge disagreed with the notion that the community center needed to be run like a business. “It’s run for the benefit of the community. This is a community that has seen value in this when they built it, it’s seen value in it when they continued to fund it and maintain it. So, to just sit here and say without transparency to the public … to say that ‘Oh, well, we’re going to end this because it’s not profitable.’ It’s not right.” He asked why the community that invested in the ECC for so many years was not given a say in whether it should be closed. “This community is owed a voice in what happens here with this building, and that’s all there is to it.” Scott Case of Eldridge said he had confidence in the decisions that the city council was making, but he understood there was a lot of hurt in the community right now. “I guess I’m here tonight to say I’ve got a lot of confidence in every one of you who are my neighbors, my friends, people I care about greatly … I know you’ll make the right decision. I know that you will – and having a dad who was a mayor for 10 years, I just can’t stand to see people who are willing to serve downgraded for making a decision they’re making that is different than theirs. I do have the confidence that you’ll figure out a way to make this what’s best for Eldridge.” Community center manager Jamie Stecker also addressed the council, saying she knew it was a difficult decision and that she did believe they had the taxpayers’ interests in mind. With that said, she said at the last meeting she was asked to determine whether some of the other events at the ECC over the last year were held with residents of other North Scott communities. That number included 12 additional events given by members of other North Scott communities. She also said that the majority of the people who participate in dog training exercises at the ECC on Monday nights are from Eldridge, and there is a homeschool group of primarily Eldridge residents that also uses the ECC. She said they are not able to track the number of residents from public events, such as open skating or line dancing nights. However, she said the winter months are the most popular months for the ECC, because parents are looking for activities for their kids to do indoors. Bob Martin of Clinton said he brought his family to the ECC at least once a month during the winter and said he hoped the city could find a way to keep the center open or find another party that was interested in keeping the center open. Stephanie Fischer and Eva Wyatt of Eldridge thanked the current staff for the work they had been doing in an uncertain time, saying that they were continuing to show up and provide quality service for the customers. Closing procedures On the council’s agenda was a resolution regarding the closing procedures for the ECC, and a schedule for the wind-down of activities. The resolution, which was written on a recommendation by city staff, stated the official closing date for the ECC as Jan. 31, with the last public skate on Jan. 18, the last school skate on Jan. 30, and the last dog training event on Jan. 26. However, several previously scheduled events for the first half of the year were left on the schedule, and were set to be run by city staff, including a North Scott Chamber mixer on Feb. 5, the Lions Club Puzzlepalooza event on Feb. 7, a fundraiser for the North Scott Trap Club on Feb. 28, a training event for Amhof Trucking in April, and the preschool graduations for Eldridge Preschool and Children’s Choice on May 20 and May 28 respectively. Assistant city administrator Jeff Martens also sought to clarify some issues regarding the way the ECC is set up and funded. Martens said that while the affordability of the ECC led to an operational deficit, that was not city staff’s primary concern in recommending the center be closed. Reading from the memo released in advance of the Dec. 15 meeting, “The most imminent concern from the perspective of City staff is the exposure to risk and liability due to the current financial processes. The major issues include but are not limited to: Daily reconciling and depositing, frequent discrepancies in sales reports, high volume of voids, cash on hand amounts and cash handling procedures, lack of internal controls, compliance with monthly and annual reporting requirements, credit card transactions, and employee discounts. Inventory of consumable products is not done to ensure loss prevention with alcoholic beverages and other items that are high risk of being given away or taken. These issues lead to non-compliance with State regulations and result in findings reported on the City’s annual financial audit. They also significantly increase our loss potential and risk of claims associated with fraud.” He said the sooner the center is closed, the sooner these concerns would be alleviated. However, Martens said there is also an issue with the way the ECC is set up for funding. “Everyone in this room and the public at large needs to understand, and I hope The NSP quotes me on this, is that the ECC is set up as a non-major enterprise fund, and they operate on user fees. “Another example of this would be the city sewer department. The sewer department is a major enterprise fund operating on user fees paid by Eldridge residents using that service. This is why the ECC cannot accept donations, and in most cases is not eligible for grant funding. This is also what sets the ECC apart from say, the Park Department, which operates on funds from the City General Fund. City codes states, “The Community Center is intended to be an Enterprise Fund of the city, and as such, the proceeds of the Center shall be kept separate and distinct from the other funds of the city.” Not one dime of the General Fund should be used to support the ECC. This is not Jeff Martens’ opinion, this is city code and state law. The people at this table cannot change state laws, but we are all bound to follow them.” Mayor Scott Campbell turned the resolution over to the council. After a motion by Ryan Iossi and a second by Jeff Ashcraft to approve the resolution, the council opened to discussion. What followed was a nearly hourlong, occasionally contentious, conversation. Council member Brian Dockery said that he was concerned about the fact that city staff and Campbell had been the ones to come up with the closure schedule, and he felt the council should have had more input, since they would ultimately be the ones to make the final decision. He asked for the decision to finalize the resolution be delayed for at least one meeting. He added that he felt the schedule was too aggressive. Ashcraft asked, if at the last meeting, it had not been decided that city staff would be the ones to come up with the closure plan. He said that had been his expectation going into Monday’s meeting. “I just think, we get all this information on Friday, and we’re supposed to mull all this information and come up with a decision on Monday?” said Dockery. “I mean, we’re affecting a lot of people here. And I don’t think another two weeks is going to change the outcome, other than we will have everything pretty defined.” “We did decide that we would put a plan together,” said Iossi. “Normally, city staff gives us options and ideas and we as a council go back and forth with it. So, if we want to have more of that discussion, I’ve got no problem with that.” Iossi also read from a prepared statement, saying in part he did not believe the ECC, as it is currently set up, fits his definition of a community center, and that it seems more like a for-profit business. “The current concerns of the Skatepark began well over a year ago. These concerns were cited from the city’s attorney, insurance company, and city staff. Recent audits have outlined these deficiencies.” Iossi said the original plan had been to give the community center a year to turn things around, but was given an additional six months after Stecker was hired last May. He said he respected the community center board and their attempts to turn things around, but the lack of systems in place put too much liability on the city. He also said the community center didn’t have enough funding to hire the necessary adult staff at sufficient wages to help prevent some of the liability issues. “Do I base my vote on my emotional attachment to a Skatepark that I grew up in, as did my kids? Or do I vote based on what is in the best interest of the City of Eldridge and the taxpayers?” ‘No official plans for the building’ Iossi also addressed rumors on social media that the building has already been sold. “No, the building is not sold, and no, there’s no deals in place. “Going forward, we the council will determine what will be done with the building and its assets. Here is my first suggestion: My suggestion would be to first set out a timeline for opportunities or offers to lease or purchase in hopes of keeping it similar.” Iossi said he would like to talk further with Retterer about his suggestion for a non-profit to keep the center open. “Later, if that does not work, then we can look at opening it for sale on the open market. But absolutely, if we can find a way to operate this with the city not being responsible for it, such as a private organization or a non-profit, I am 100% for that. “I don’t want to see this place go away, but I also don’t want that burden to be on the taxpayers when they’re using it 23, 25 or 30% of the time. There’s got to be other options out there. We need to look at those options. We don’t need to look at selling it for storage … or turning it into the police department or fire department or whatever else people want to assume is happening. There are no deals on the table.” Campbell agreed that there have been no discussions on what to do with the building, and said that if someone would like to buy the center and keep it open as a skating rink or a reception hall, city officials would like to talk to them. ‘There should have been a plan in place’ Council member Adrian Blackwell said, prior to any vote taking place on closing the community center, a plan should have already been in place. “There should have been discussions, with the city, with the council, in open session or closed session, to know firsthand what possibly the next steps would be before this was sprung on us. “I believe, mayor, you said that your voices are being heard,” Blackwell said, referring to the crowd. “Well, maybe the voices are being heard, but when we proceed without investigating everything further and looking into the ins and outs, have we really done everything possible?” Blackwell said that there had likely been some missteps with the community center, but he believed there should have been more communication, and that he was concerned that Eldridge residents were being impacted by the closure and cancellation of events. Campbell said that, if Blackwell had read his memo, he would have seen that city staff had laid out events that would not be held, and Campbell added that he believed city staff was being transparent about the series of events. Blackwell said he took offense to Campbell’s insinuation that he was unprepared for the meeting. ‘An unmanageable situation’ Dockery said, based on the fact that there is a preschool graduation scheduled for May 28, he would have less of a problem with the proposal if school skates and some other events were allowed to continue until then. “It’s twofold. It keeps this place active until then. Plus, if we do have an entity that’s interested in trying to take it over and continue to run it, it’s a lot better to have an entity that’s running smooth instead of scaling back and trying to pick it up again.” Ashcraft said, that while he wasn’t trying to relitigate the issue, based on the information about the Enterprise Fund Martens shared earlier in the meeting, the city could not continue to subsidize the center with monies from the General Fund. “It never should have,” said Martens. Ashcraft continued by saying that he believed the lack of subsidization options from the city and the liability issues were equal in his book. He asked how the city could mitigate the liability issues and continue to pay to keep the center open knowing it couldn’t plug the deficit with funds from the General Fund. As to the liability issues, Dockery said the city could require liability waivers for users. Ashcraft said waivers “are not worth the paper they’re written on” and anyone with a claim would go after whoever had the deepest pockets. Campbell asked Dockery if he was concerned about the liabilities outlined earlier in the meeting. Dockery said he was, but he believed the community center board had made steps to improve. Martens said the problems have gotten worse over the last six months. Dockery asked why those haven’t been addressed. Martens said there have been “dozens of emails” sent by city administrator Nevada Lemke to staff and members of the community center board speaking to those concerns that have gone unaddressed. Ashcraft asked if the community center board had jurisdiction over the hiring and managing of staffers at the ECC. Martens read from city code that the ECC board has the responsibility to maintain and operate the center, keep a budget, hire employees and purchase necessary equipment. “City administration doesn’t have the ability to do any of those things I just said.” “Was it set up that way initially because it was an Enterprise Fund?” asked Ashcraft. “Because that is almost an unmanageable situation for a volunteer board to do. God bless them for doing it, but for them to try to manage it and then institute the proper controls is impossible. And I think we’re seeing the fruits of that.” “And it’s impossible for a manager to work 200 hours a week to keep this going,” said Martens. “That’s what we’re saying. It’s an impossible situation, and that’s led to all these concerns.” “It’s been set up that way for years,” said Iossi. “It’s just been ignored and ignored and ignored. That’s the reality.” Blackwell said that’s on previous councils, but wondered why the council didn’t have all of that information at the Dec. 15 meeting. “Maybe I would have had a different opinion on the 15th … when I made my vote.” Martens said that there was supposed to be another joint meeting with the community center board on Dec. 15 – at their request – to discuss the financials. However, prior to that meeting, city staff learned from the community center board that they would not be able to have a quorum on Dec. 15. The only member of the ECC board to attend the Dec. 15 meeting was GiGi Siebel, who did not speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. If just two more members of the ECC board had attended the meeting, there would have been a quorum. Martens said the fact that there was no quorum from the ECC board “forced our hand,” in order to keep the liability risks from growing. “If we could have had that meeting and had the financial discussion, then we wouldn’t have had to write the memo and spring it on everyone as they say happened.” Blackwell said the council should have considered having a special meeting off the regular schedule. Amending the resolution Dockery went back to the closing schedule, saying the city shouldn’t be picking and choosing what events not to cancel. Lemke said part of the issue was that as the center closes down, the current staff will find new jobs. That will make it difficult to staff some events, and city staff may have to fill the gap. “It wasn’t blind picking and choosing, but it was making sure that these events, if we commit to them, we will have someone here to run them.” Dockery suggested that the city continue to allow the dog training classes and the QC Rollers to practice at the ECC through the May 28 preschool graduation. He also suggested that three school skates, hosted by North Scott schools, also be allowed to go on as scheduled. The council ultimately voted to amend the resolution with Dockery’s suggestions. Iossi also said that the council will also need to start discussing options for what to do with the building. Martens suggested that, at the next meeting on Jan. 26, the council discuss putting forward a Request for Proposals (RFP). The council could set a timeframe to receive the RFPs and anyone could put forth a proposal, including for-profit and non-profit entities, for future use of the building.
	Lita Ford, January 23 Currently touring in support of her forthcoming, highly anticipated new album that promises to deliver the fierce energy and signature guitar work fans around the world have come to love, rock icon Lita Ford plays Davenport's Rhythm City Casino Resort Event Center on January 23, the artist famed as the lead guitarist for The Runaways who consequently embarked on a successful glam-metal solo career.
	Living Lands and Waters’ floating classroom returns to East Moline for a second year The floating classroom is back for its second year, providing educational programs for young adults along the river.
	UTHS superintendent retiring, principal named as replacement The United Township High School Board of Education accepted the resignation with the intent to retire from Superintendent Dr. Jay Morrow at its meeting on January 12. His retirement date is June 30, 2027. The Board of Education also approved current UTHS principal Matt Wright as the next superintendent, effective July 1, 2027. Wright will [...]
	Meet the candidates At Monday’s Eldridge City Council committee of the whole meeting, council members got to meet the six individuals who would like to join their ranks. The final decision on the new council member will be made at the Jan. 26 meeting. That individual will fill the two-year vacancy, which was created when Scott Campbell took office as mayor at the beginning of the year. Robert Dunn, Ken Kerker, Josh Haycraft, Arsal Shareef, Jillyn Kaufman and Scott La Plante all applied for the open seat. Campbell presided over a question-and-answer session at the hour-long committee of the whole meeting. Prior to the meeting, current council members were asked to submit two questions to Campbell. “Thank you all for your willingness to serve,” said Campbell. “We all appreciate that, and new perspectives are always welcome.” Campbell added that residents can still petition for a special election, which would require a petition containing the signatures of 188 Eldridge residents. That petition must be turned into city hall by no later than 14 days after the appointment. By way of introduction Kerker is a 13-year resident of Eldridge. He and his wife are Illinois natives and raised their children in Rock Island. As they looked to downsize and move into a one-story home, they looked around the Quad Cities and decided on Eldridge. He is now retired, and has experience serving on several boards, including at his church, St. Paul Lutheran in Davenport. Haycraft, 26, has lived in Eldridge his entire life “and I plan to live here for the remainder of my life.” He is employed by the Scott County Library System. Dunn has lived in Eldridge for about six years. His wife, Morgan, was recently elected to the North Scott School Board, and the couple has a 14-year-old son who attends North Scott High School. He said the family was attracted to Eldridge because of the school district, and they heard positive things about the community from people they knew who live here. Shareef and his family, which includes his wife and two-year-old child, moved to Eldridge about nine months ago. He currently serves on the Eldridge Community Center Board. Kaufman has lived in Eldridge for nearly 13 years. She said she and her husband are both from rural Illinois and wanted a similar small community-feel. She has four children and works in the mental health field. La Plante moved to Eldridge about 10 years ago after his wife, Carrie, was called to be pastor at Faith Lutheran Church. The couple has two daughters, one a recent North Scott graduate and the other a current student at the high school. He said he also enjoys small town life and “living in a city with less than five stoplights.” Why now? Campbell asked the candidates why they hadn’t run in November and what inspired them to apply now. Haycraft said he had inquired about the seat in September but found he was past the filing deadline. “So, I said, I guess I’ll be back in two years. And then a seat happened to open up.” Dunn said that, with his wife running for school board, it probably wasn’t best for his family to have two candidates running at the same time. “My plan was to run again in ’27 without having her on that same path.” Shareef said that some commitments he did have are now no longer an issue and this was a better time for him to consider being on the council. Kaufman said she had considered applying for an open seat on the Park Board, but after doing more research and talking with some people, she decided to go for the council seat. La Plante currently serves on the Park Board and the Planning & Zoning Commission. He said that, while he loves serving on both boards, a member of the community had asked him to consider running for council. He said he was focused on his board work in the fall but had further conversations with family and friends. “They know that this is kind of what I’ve been looking at my entire life,” he said, adding that his grandfather had also taught him about the importance of community service. Kerker said that he’s often been too busy, with work and other commitments, to consider public service in the past. But now he is retired and a term on a board at his church is coming to an end. “And I didn’t want to run against Jeff,” he joked, referring to new council member Jeff Ashcraft. “I’d like to thank all of you for not running against me,” Ashcraft joked back. Making tough decisions Campbell asked how the potential council members would face making tough, possibly unpopular decisions, and how they would separate their personal beliefs from the decision-making process. Dunn said it was important to consider the financial aspect of many decisions, and to remember that the council should do what is in the best interest of the taxpayers. “You have to put those things aside and do what’s best for the people who are paying their taxes in this community, who are putting their faith in the people in this room to do what’s best for them and their families.” Shareef agreed with Dunn. “For me, it’s very much, what is best for the community.” Kaufman said it’s important to stick to goals or a strategic plan that help define the values of a given mission. La Plante said that serving on boards, he’s had to make tough decisions, and he’s seen the council make tough decisions, too. He said the priority always has to be the people of Eldridge. “We are the stewards of the funds they provide us to run the city and make sure that this is not only a great place but continues to be a great place.” Kerker looked at his past business and non-profit experience, saying he’s familiar with budgeting and how financial decisions can impact employees and business structure and that those decisions can sometimes be painful. Haycraft pointed directly to the recent decision to close the Eldridge Community Center as an example of a difficult choice. “If there’s ways to go about managing it better and potentially turn a profit and seeing it succeed; but pulling the plug and looking at the situation, yeah, I can understand. Yes, you have to put this forward, because I don’t want my taxes going to just a losing business.” On the topic of tough decisions, Campbell then asked each candidate what they thought the most difficult decision they would have to make might be. Shareef said he believed the difficult decisions would center around the closing of the community center and the potential incorporation of the fire department. Kaufman said she thought a difficult decision would be one that potentially conflicted with her personal values or that was possibly unfavorable with the community. La Plante said he believed difficult decisions might center around balancing growth against maintaining the identity of the community. He said another difficult decision might involve budgetary decisions that could involve cutting staff. Kerker said “the hard part is the people.” He said decisions affect people, whether it’s city personnel or residents. “You just work those things out in your mind and try to be as empathetic as you can.” Haycraft agreed, again pointing to the community center. “People are going to lose their jobs, and I hate to see it. But at the end of the day, it’s costing taxpayer money. You’ve got to do it. You can do it with empathy, but it has to go.” “No matter what you do, you’re never going to please everybody,” said Dunn. He said when difficult decisions come up, one of the most important things to consider is what is best for the community as a whole. Services vs. taxation Campbell asked how the candidates felt the city measured up in terms of the services provided versus the amount of taxes levied. All of the candidates gave the city high marks on the subject. Kaufman said she felt the council tries to make thoughtful decisions based on the information they have and input from citizens. La Plante said, from the vantage point of his home on LeClaire Road, he has seen up close the services provided, including clearing streets and new safety features, like flashing traffic signals. He said he feels the council does a good job of making sure the city stays away from fiscal difficulty. “Well, I came from Illinois, so I think that answers your question,” quipped Kerker. He said he enjoys the services the city supplies, and the fact that city employees are friendly. He specifically cited the city yard waste truck as an amenity he thinks is a positive attribute to the community. Haycraft said he also enjoys the services provided. “We provide a lot for this city, and I’m glad to see it being spent the way it is and for the image of the town. I think it’s very well spent.” He said Eldridge has the image of a high-end town. Dunn also formerly lived in Illinois and said he feels there’s a gap in services against taxation there. He said Eldridge is much better in that aspect. He said the police department, roads department, and refuse and yard waste drop off are all good amenities. “I think we rank very well compared to the communities around us,” said Shareef. Stewards of taxpayer money Campbell asked the candidates if they have ever been in a position of being a steward of taxpayer money. La Plante sits on the Park Board and Planning & Zoning Commission and said he and his fellow board members take a hard look at their budgets and make sure they are spending the money responsibly. Kerker said that, while he’s never been on a government body, he has worked with church money. He also worked for Empowering Abilities (formerly called the Handicapped Development Center) and knew the importance of stewarding the clients’ funds. Haycraft said that, while he isn’t in a decision-making position with the library, he does see how the county-funded agency’s funds work. Dunn said that, while he’s never been on a government body, he recognized the importance of remembering that citizens put their trust in the government to responsibly administer their tax funds. Shareef currently sits on the Community Center board and previously served on the Davenport Parks & Rec advisory board. He also serves on several boards at Augustana College. Kaufman has sat on non-profit boards and currently sits on a state board. Engaging residents Campbell asked the candidates how they might engage with residents who don’t normally participate in local government, especially pertaining to difficult or unpopular decisions. Kerker said the important thing was just getting to know people. Haycraft said he would engage with residents by encouraging them to attend meetings. Dunn said that he had worked on community engagement during his wife’s school board campaign. He said he had enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with people in his neighborhood and said they could act as a sounding board for both good and bad things about the community. Shareef said talking to people was important, as was being approachable. Kaufman said it was important to try to access everyone and being aware of the different populations within the community. La Plante said community outreach was also important. He said he thought it might be a good idea to engage with businesses and civic organizations, and being present at public events as a way of being approachable. He also said it was important to build connections with people and to let them see that you are concerned about the issues affecting them. Working together Campbell’s next question pertained to how the candidates would work with city staff and the mayor and council. Haycraft said he believed communication was key. Dunn said collaboration and having candid conversations was also important. Shareef agreed that communication and collaboration were important, and being open to other’s thoughts. Kaufman said she thought the greatest collective strength would be cooperation and communication. She said her curiosity would also likely lead her to engage with others. La Plante said getting to know people was important, because everyone has a wealth of information about something and experiences he doesn’t have. “You’ve got to have the ability to talk with people, not at people.” Kerker said he looked forward to building personal relationships with people and having conversations. Past council decisions Campbell asked what each candidate thought was among the most difficult decisions or conversations the council had made over the last few months. Dunn said infrastructure and community improvements, including road work and parks improvements. Shareef agreed with Dunn about community improvements. Kaufman said public safety improvements, including more training for the police department, as well as conversations about the future of the fire department. La Plante said his bias was for improvements to the parks but said that balance in administering public funds was important. “When people can see it throughout our community and not just in one spot, they feel that they’re a more complete, more well advantaged city.” He said there were also likely challenges yet to come, including the fire department and growth along Highway 61. Kerker said the fire department was the issue he had heard the most about over the last year. “As the city grows, where do we hire full-time staff? Not that what we have isn’t great, but at some point, I think you need some full-time staff there as we grow.” He added the community center was another issue. “Now that the decision’s been made, how do you close it down and what do you do with the building?” Haycraft mentioned the new stoplight going in at LeClaire Road and 4th Avenue. He said he knew there had been some conversation earlier about the possibility of a roundabout, but he agreed with the decision to put in the stoplight. He also mentioned the community center, saying he agreed with the decision to close it, as well as additional training for the police department. Future accomplishments Campbell asked the candidates what they would like to accomplish while on the council. Shareef said he just wanted to do what was best for the citizens and the community, as well as to encourage growth. Kaufman said she wanted to see “planned, appropriate growth, where there’s mutual respect between citizens and government.” La Plante agreed growth was important, but he also wanted to maintain the hometown feel. “It’s people, not just a place.” Kerker said he’d like to see some retail growth and that he was encouraged by the things happening with the parks. He said he would also like to maintain the friendliness of the city. Haycraft said he would like to see some more lighting on the bike paths and to see more people out at community events, like the Eldridge Summer Festival. Dunn said he wanted to keep Eldridge as “the preferred city for people who are looking to move to this area.” Campbell closed by asking the candidates if they had any questions for the council. Haycraft asked what was the hardest question they have faced or the hardest task they have tackled. Council member Brian Dockery said the hardest decision they would ever have to make was one they didn’t believe was the correct one but benefitted most of the taxpayers. Kaufman asked what inspired them to serve. Campbell said, after he retired, he saw some things going on in the city that he didn’t like, and he decided to run for council to see if he had a voice. Council member Ryan Iossi said that running for council was something he always said he’d do when the time was right, but then he realized, “the right time is now. I just made a decision and jumped in.” Ashcraft said he always thought he’d get involved in politics when he was younger, but he had children and his career taking most of his energy. When he was approached to run for council last year, he initially said he was too old. But he realized that after living in the community for 37 years, he cared about the town and there were many things he could offer the council. So, he decided to “step up or step out.” He said he was also encouraged by his children to run. Council member Adrian Blackwell, who has been in city government for the last 18 years, said he believes city government is the best way to serve your community. He said it also allows him to be a voice for others in the community and serve as a catalyst for them. Dockery said he’s “not one to complain without putting the time and effort in to make things better,” and that’s part of why he got into government. He said he was also a proponent of controlled growth and being a responsible steward of taxpayer money. “Don’t complain if you’re not involved,” Dockery continued. “I thank all of you for submitting your names. It’s a thankless job – kind of like Rodney Dangerfield, you won’t get any respect. But it’s very rewarding to know that you had a positive impact on a community, your friends, your neighbors, your family. It’s well worth it.” Dunn asked what they thought was Eldridge’s greatest attribute. Campbell said the people and the school district were huge. Dockery agreed and said the location was also a great asset. Blackwell said city staff was also key. As he prepared to close the meeting, Campbell once again thanked the candidates, and encouraged them to run again in two years if they weren’t chosen. “We need people to step up and that want to be active in the community.” Iossi agreed that they should also consider running again in 2027. “It’s always nice to give the community more choices.” Dockery asked, in the event the council could not make a clear decision on Jan. 26 and was not able to come to a consensus, would there be a special election. City clerk Tracy Northcutt said the council had already made its decision to fill the seat by appointment, so in that event, the council would need to have a resolution to have a special election. Ashcraft said that, although the candidates were all excellent, he didn’t believe the task of choosing just one would be impossible. He said the council should come together and make a consensus decision, and if the city didn’t have to go through the process or expense of having a special election, the council should try its best to avoid that. City administrator Nevada Lemke said that if the council didn’t make an appointment after 60 days, it would automatically go to a special election. Campbell and Dockery both said they didn’t want to leave the seat open that long. Dockery reiterated his point that if they could not come to a consensus on Jan. 26, they should motion for a special election. “I have faith in you guys,” said Campbell. “I think you guys can do this.”
	The Jack Wharff Band, January 24 Touring in support of their 2025 Richmond's Most Wanted that Holler Country insisted "isn’t a one-and-done listening experience" given that "each listen explores something new and beautiful in their finely crafted music," the talents of The Jack Wharff Band headline a January 24 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, Holler County adding that last summer's recording "is probably one of the best debut EPs to be released in a long while, and we know how steep the competition is in country music right now."
	Xolex, January 23 Hailed by IndiePulse Music Magazine for a repertoire that's "hard-hitting while remaining airy and light on its musical feet," the Iowa-born and Nashville-based Xolex (pronounced "X O Lex") headlines a January 23 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, Iowa PBS stating that the artist "mixes pop sensibilities, soulful lyrics, and a bit of rock 'n roll behind songs that pull from personal experience to explore universal themes."
	Kevin Burt & Big Medicine, January 24 Touring in support of their most recent album Thank You Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers, the blues and soul artists of Kevin Burt & Big Medicine play a special free concert at Rock Island's RIBCO on January 24, this acclaimed recording praised by Rock & Blues Muse as a work that “hits the highest marks on all counts – phrasing, soulful delivery, musical accompaniment, and genuine conviction.”
	Steely Dane: The Ultimate Steely Dan Tribute, January 24 Their shows composed of hits and deep cuts sure to have fans leaping out of their seats and singing along, the tribute musicians of Steely Dane headline a January 24 concert event at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, the group playing in the same configuration as the Steely Dan touring band, and their sets including a four-piece horn section, two guitars, two keyboards, and female background singers.
	Working at the car wash Brad Burt could talk about the technology of car washes all day. Just ask his wife. But that passion for technology and customer satisfaction has now led Burt to open his third Aqua-Tech Car Wash, and the second in Eldridge. And this car wash is nothing if not state-of-the-art. The new Aqua-Tech tunnel wash, located at 180 N. 9th Avenue, just behind Casey’s, had its official ribbon cutting Monday. The wash is open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Burt, a chiropractor by trade, said the inspiration for opening a car wash came in about 2012. He and his wife, Katie, had been married for about a year-and-a-half. As the Burts welcomed their first child, Katie was looking to be a full-time mom and a part-time business owner. The couple began exploring opportunities and had considered rental properties or opening a 24-hour gym. But the idea that stuck came after a less than satisfactory experience for Burt. “We were going through a car wash that I didn’t care for and wasn’t doing a good job. The soaps were diluted, things were broken and lights weren’t working and I was very frustrated. My wife is from Ankeny, and when we went back to visit family all the time in Ankeny, we would go through this car wash up there that was just an absolute gem. It was beautiful, it was well-maintained and it was aesthetically pleasing. Just the way any good business should be run. I loved it. “So, we’re going through this dilapidated car wash back here in Scott County and I was griping about it. And my wife said, ‘I’m done. I’m not going to spend my marriage listening to you gripe every time we go through a car wash.’” And so, with his wife’s encouragement, Burt began exploring opening a local car wash that would match the experience in Ankeny. “I love cars. I’ve always been kind of a car fanatic. We love this car wash back in her hometown of Ankeny. It just seemed like a good fit.” The process took about two years, but the Burts opened their first car wash at 581 E. LeClaire Road in October of 2014. “It was community supported,” said Burt. “The North Scott community has just been wonderful to us.” With the rapid success of the first location, by 2019, the couple began exploring the idea of opening another site in a different market. This led to a larger car wash at 6280 N. Elmore Ave. in Davenport. As the new location opened, Burt said a problem started to emerge at the original Eldridge location: it was too popular. The technology of the automatic washes can only handle about eight cars an hour, which led to a lot of long lines and customers not wanting to wait. “The number one comment I got from a lot of my friends and neighbors, when we built the first site was, ‘Hey, Brad, I wanted to get my car washed, but the line was out to the street and it was going to be a 45-minute wait and I didn’t have the time, so I didn’t get my car washed. My joke response for a long time was, ‘I’m kind of sorry?’ I’m not sorry that we had a long line, because that means business is good, but I’m sorry that you weren’t able to partake in it. As I started to say that line more and more and more, I thought that’s really unacceptable. We really need to address this for our customers, because they’re trying to do business with us. They are trying to get their car clean and take care of their asset, and at the same time, we weren’t accessible to them because we were limited in the number of cars per hour. “When we built (the Elmore location), we thought what we really needed to do was open a tunnel car wash where we can have much more processing … and that will allow us to have shorter lines and customers can still have their choices of what they want. “It alleviated a lot of congestion for our Elmore site. And we thought by building another car wash that close, we would kind of alleviate a lot of the pressures (at the LeClaire Road location). Ultimately, that was not the case, and so we were like, we really need a tunnel car wash in Eldridge.” That process began last year, when Burt purchased land from Rob White just behind Casey’s. “The Whites have just been pivotal in this process,” said Burt, adding they have been wonderful partners to work with. Construction took place over the latter half of the year, and the tunnel wash opened in early January. Advantages of the tunnel While the traditional automatic bays at the LeClaire Road location can wash about eight cars an hour, Burt said the tunnel wash locations can efficiently handle about 80 cars per hour. “It allows us to do a good, thorough job. We could crank it up to about twice that, but we don’t want to do that because we sacrifice quality and we sacrifice safety. And frankly, it’s just not needed.” At the LeClaire Road site, “count the number of cars in front of you and multiply it by eight minutes. That’s your wait time,” said Burt. “When you pull up here, take the number of cars in front of you and multiply it by one minute, and that’s your wait time. So, if we have three cars over there, you’re waiting for 24 minutes. If we have three cars here, you’re waiting for three minutes.” Burt said tunnel technology is where the car wash industry is moving. And it’s more economical in the long run. The tunnel wash system allows Aqua-Tech to recycle water. As the water comes off, it runs through a reverse osmosis system, which completely cleans the water and allows it to be reused in future washes. The new facility also includes vacuums for interior cleaning, and Burt said these are even more environmentally friendly than the ones at the Elmore location. At Elmore, all the vacuums are hooked up to a central system. At the new wash, each vacuum has its own system, featuring more powerful suction. In terms of cost to the customer, the price of an individual wash is slightly higher than the touchless and soft touch washes at the LeClaire Road site, and it is still based on a tiered service option. But the tunnel wash also offers a membership option, which allows for unlimited washes per month, again at a tiered level. Membership plans are offered on a monthly or annual basis, starting at $19.99 per month. The plans can be purchased and managed at aquatechcarwash.net. Burt said, due to the unlimited nature of the plans, the membership can pay for itself with as little as two washes per month. ‘This is state-of-the-art’ With the new endeavor, Burt also brought along a kindred spirit to help manage all three sites. He hired St. Louis native Dave Thomas, a veteran of the car wash industry. Thomas moved to Scott County in the late fall with his family. He said in St. Louis, he ran a tunnel wash that ran 250,000 cars per year. “We brought him on specifically to manage our properties, so he is now the face of Aqua-Tech Car Wash,” said Burt. “He will be interacting with the customers, and he’s been a great asset. He really came on board quickly with us and has done a phenomenal job. And one thing that I really cheerlead Dave on is his commitment to a friendly staff.” Burt and Thomas said the new car wash is filled with state-of-the-art equipment and materials, all wrapped in an aesthetically pleasing facility. Come spring, the area will also be landscaped, leading to an even more pleasant customer experience. “We are confident that we have picked the best of the best, and our wash results will hopefully prove that,” said Burt. “What Brad’s really done, with equipment and bringing me on, with all the aesthetics – he’s brought big car wash to small town Eldridge. And he did not spare an expense in that,” said Thomas. “I love what he’s done. It really gives me confidence that he cares about what he’s doing with his business.” For customers unfamiliar with the tunnel wash, Burt said it’s as easy as putting the car into neutral when instructed and then putting it back into drive at the end. Once the vehicle is on the conveyor belt, the machines do all the work. “We’ve tried to make it as user-friendly as possible.” Thomas also pointed out another advanced feature, the foam cleaning elements. The foam fingers are non-porous, which means that dirt, grime and other elements won’t stick to them, leading to a more effective cleaning experience. He said the new tunnel wash also has a feature no other tunnel wash in the Quad Cities has: a large buffing towel made out of a series of chamois cloths that helps dry the vehicle at the end of the wash. “It’s state-of-the-art for a small town.” “What I hope the customer gets out of this, on an individual basis, is that they find it to be convenient, cost-effective, and they find it to be a pleasant, enjoyable experience,” said Burt. “This is for the community.” For more information, visit aquatechcarwash.net.
	Tuesday’s adoptable pet: Meet Nugget Jo Nicholson with the Humane Society of Scott County introduces the audience to Nugget.
	Three compete for appointment to open seat Three residents of Walcott have expressed interest in the city’s open council seat. The council voted last Monday, Jan. 5, to fill the seat by appointment. They may choose to appoint a new member as soon as their next meeting, Jan. 19. Former councilman Jake Puck vacated the seat after assuming the mayor’s responsibilities in the new year. Lynnette Tarchinski is among the applicants for Puck’s seat. She placed third in the race for two open council seats in November, behind incumbent Kirk Koberg and newcomer Bobbie Martinez. “I’ve been involved in lots of different community groups within Walcott,” Tarchinski said. “I have experience with Walcott Women. I ran our town ball program for five years.… I was on the Calvary Preschool board for several years.” She has also managed the Walcott Chamber of Commerce newsletter. Tarchinski said that she would like to see more council members with children in Walcott schools, like herself. “Before Bobbie [Martinez] was elected in November, none of our council members had young children in their homes,” she said. “I’m not sure they can accurately represent all the different types of families we have in Walcott.” Tarchinski said she would like to focus on ensuring the town grows and the school remains open. “I feel like concern for the school branches out into everything the council touches,” she said. Joe Quick, former chair of the Walcott Day Committee, is among the two other applicants. “I’ve lived in the town for 24 years, and been involved in a lot of committees and groups in town,” Quick said. “I’d always thought about running for council, but hadn’t really pulled the trigger.” He has served as president of the Walcott Community Club and the Walcott Unified Fund, which hosts activities at the city ballpark, he said. Quick said he would hope to focus on “expansion” if chosen for the seat. “Walcott—not that it’s a stagnant town—doesn’t have a lot of room to grow.… My focus would be to find areas for new housing developments to pop up and grow the community, because that’s what Walcott needs,” he said. Megan McKibbin, vice president of the Walcott fire department, has also applied for the seat. She said it seemed like “a logical place for me to apply some of my skills.” McKibbin currently works at Front Street Brewing as their compliance director, overseeing accounting, human resources, and government reporting, skills she believes would translate well to the council. She also works freelance as a bookkeeper for various local municipalities. On the council, she said that she would hope to make Walcott a “beacon of transparency.” “I want to make sure we’re doing everything in our power to make Walcott a safe community,” she added. Appointments and reappointments Puck named councilwoman Lisa Mengler mayor pro tem. The council named Dana Petersen to the Park Board and former mayor John Kostichek to the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). Both terms will last five years and conclude in 2030. The city is still looking for two volunteers to fill empty slots on P&Z, which expire in 2029 and 2030. The council also reappointed Brent Arp to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a term that will conclude in 2030. Fire report Walcott Fire Chief Joe Hahn presented the council with a summary of the fire department’s activity in 2025. The department responded to 379 calls last year. Of those, 345 were for emergency medical services. The remainder were for other services, including structure fires. The department’s main rescue truck, Rescue 5, rode on 237 calls. Its new truck, delivered this summer and in operation by the fall, rode on 36 calls. The remaining four vehicles, three engines and a tanker, responded to a combined 110 calls. Hahn said the department had recently seen an uptick in volunteers. Five new members were due to complete their training early this year, and new member interviews were scheduled for late Monday evening. “People are getting interested,” he said. “People are finally realizing that we’re volunteer and we need help.” During his report, Hahn asked the council for permission to charge public organizations and groups for use of the department’s common room. “We’ve had damage. We've had things missing. I bought 100 forks because I have no idea where they keep going,” he said. Hahn said he planned to allow certain local groups, such as the Walcott Day committee, Lion’s Club, and Historical Society use the room free of charge, while requesting a small fee from others. Maysville and LeClaire both charge groups for use of their common spaces, Hahn said. Puck and members of the council said they would hear a written proposal to charge groups, in line with policies at other nearby departments. Council members Everett Bieri and Bobbie Martinez asked Hahn if the fire department would like the city to purchase blue lights for volunteers’ vehicles. Hahn said lights were unnecessary, as many members live or work close to the station. Other business In other news, the council: • Renamed The North Scott Press its newspaper of record. • Approved routine amendments to the city building code.
	Charles Barland, January 25 Performing a glorious repertoire of works by composers Johann Sebastian Bach, Dietrich Buxtehude, Alfred V. Fedak, David German, David Hurd, Jean Langlais, and Josef Rheinberg, University of Dubuque organist and professor of music Dr. Charles Barland will deliver a faculty organ recital of varied works on January 24, the event demonstrating the many varieties of sound and color that are possible on the Heritage Center's magnificent John and Alice Butler Pipe Organ.
	County Treasurer Tony Knobbe to conclude service at year-end Scott County Treasurer Tony Knobbe will not run for reelection at the end of his term this fall. Knobbe ran unopposed for the position of treasurer in 2022 and will close out his four-year term. He previously served as a member of the board of supervisors from 2017 to 2022, and as board chair for three years. He is a Republican. Knobbe has also served as a county condemnation juror and a member of the county Planning and Zoning Commission. “I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Scott County team for ten years as an elected official, and for several decades before that as a volunteer,” Knobbe said. “The time has come to devote some time to the many projects, hobbies, and fun that I’ve put on the back burner for 45 years.” “I’m so proud of the many accomplishments we’ve accomplished on this great team,” he added. Prior to his work at the county, Knobbe spent 33 years in the banking industry. He retired as Market President for Wells Fargo Bank in the Quad Cities in 2015. Knobbe lives in rural Scott County with his wife, Lorene. He collects antique farm equipment and farms boutique grains.
	Tasty Cafe owners to open dinner spot A new dinner spot is headed for Eldridge. The owners of Tasty Café and Quad Cities chain Flips Pancake House plan to open a restaurant at 350 E. LeClaire Road in early March. Miguel’s Street Tacos vacated the space late last year. The restaurant, called Brickstone, will be “a cozy, upscale-casual space,” the owners announced on Facebook, good for “date night, a family dinner, or just a casual evening out.” Tasty Café owner Arber Djaferi said that he has known the owners of Flips Pancake house “since we were kids.” With the success of their breakfast restaurants, they thought it was time to partner up. “We’re going to bring something good to Eldridge—both of us together,” Djaferi said. Djaferi said they hoped to open the restaurant in early March.
	Iowa senators highlight water quality improvement Leaders of the Iowa Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee centered their remarks Monday around water quality policies and improvements for the state. Committee Chair Sen. Annette Sweeney, R-Iowa Falls, said that as someone who has personally implemented many water quality improvements over the years to her farm, she “believes” in water quality. Sweeney and other leaders delivered opening remarks that all centered on water quality during the committee’s first meeting at the start of the legislative session.Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway, the committee’s vice chair, said he has always been “very conscientious” about water quality and conservation in the state. Shipley said the state has done an “awful lot” to address conservation issues that are “not unique to Iowa.” “But we can do better,” Shipley said. He said “something is being done right” because he can look out at the landscape and see birds and animals that he wasn’t able to see 20 years ago. Water quality has been noted as a key priority heading into the session from lawmakers and environmental groups, especially following a wet summer where nitrate concentrations in Iowa rivers reached near record highs. The levels were so high in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers that Central Iowa Water Works had to issue its first ever lawn watering ban in the region to manage demand and keep finished drinking water levels below the federal limits. Levels in the rivers have remained high through the winter, however, and the utility had to turn on its nitrate removal system, according to reporting from KCCI, in January to remain compliant. Sen. Art Staed of Cedar Rapids, ranking Democrat on the committee, said it was “long past time” to act on water quality issues that impact Iowan’s health. Staed pointed to the high nitrate concentrations in Iowa rivers and noted that Iowa is also one of two states with a rising cancer rate. Some studies and public health professionals indicate a potential link between nitrate concentrations and certain cancers. “Our water crisis has reached a breaking point,” Staed said. “…Protecting clean water must be a shared priority and meaningful solutions require cooperation across party lines – I hope that begins here.” Sweeney highlighted a number of programs like the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, and the state’s Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, that she has been part of or used on her farm to make improvements. “I believe that we need to make sure that we build upon what we have established; keep the conversations open for more improvement in our water quality,” Sweeney said.
	Concerned Citizens gather to discuss power plant Jan. 21 Members of the Concerned Citizens of Scott County will host a public meeting next Wednesday on the potential impact of a natural gas power plant proposed for land outside Maysville. Concerned Citizens was founded by neighbors who oppose the project, which they say will threaten nearby property values, public health, ecology, and the agricultural character of the area. The meeting is set for Jan. 21 at 6 p.m., at the Eldridge branch of the Scott County Library, 200 N. 6th Ave. Concerned Citizens has invited physician Ross Burandt, realtor Richell Stock, and meteorologist Ray Wolf to discuss how the construction of the plant could impact neighbors. Burandt will address health concerns, Stock property values, and Wolf environmental costs, according to a flyer produced by the group. Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) has optioned 90 acres of agricultural land approximately 1 mile east of Maysville, at the intersection of natural gas and transmission lines, whether they hope to site the plant. They have asked the Scott County Board of Supervisors to approve a change to county code that would allow them to request a “special use” permit to pursue construction. That request stalled in late October, when members of the public raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest that may exist between members of various county boards and farmer Tom Dittmer, the landowner who had optioned the property. The board of supervisors voted unanimously to postpone discussion until after County Attorney’s Office produced a written opinion.
	Extension to host Choose Iowa Webinar The Iowa State University Urban Agriculture Program will host a webinar focused on Choose Iowa, the state’s signature brand for Iowa-grown and Iowa-made agricultural products, on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 2 p.m. Regan Freland, Choose Iowa membership and outreach coordinator, will provide an overview of the program and explain how farmers, food and beverage producers, horticulture businesses and community organizations can benefit from participation. Choose Iowa is an Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship program that helps consumers identify products that are grown, raised or made in Iowa. Products displaying the Choose Iowa logo signal support for local farmers, businesses and communities. In 2025, the program expanded to include horticultural products, creating new opportunities for urban and small-scale growers across the state. Those interested in attending the virtual event must register online. The webinar is offered at no cost thanks to the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program. This program is part of an ongoing series connecting urban ag producers, professionals and community members with learning opportunities. For more information, contact Graham Sandersfeld at grsfeld@iastate.edu or Kathleen Delate at kdelate@iastate.edu.
	Legislative leaders call for civility, action on pipelines Civility and a step back from heated political rhetoric were prominent themes Monday in the opening-day speeches of some Iowa legislative leaders as they launched the 2026 session. Among issues lawmakers have said they intend to address this year, eminent domain with regard to liquid carbon pipelines also was a focus in leaders’ opening-day remarks, amid calls for unity. Leaders also memorialized two Iowa National Guard members killed in Syria and two senators who died in the past year – Rocky DeWitt and Claire Celsi – as well as thanking former Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, for his service. Whitver stepped down from the leadership position last year and will retire from the Senate at the end of this year as he continues treatment for a brain tumor. Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, cited shootings of two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers and their spouses last year, as well as the shooting death of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. “I watched in horror this past year as two of our neighboring colleagues were targeted and shot in their own homes. Melissa Hortman and her husband did not deserve to die. John Hoffman and his wife did not deserve to be critically injured for serving the citizens of Minnesota,” Sinclair said. “My heart grieved when a young man was callously murdered for speaking the truth. Charlie Kirk’s life was more valuable and his call to civil discourse more powerful than the bullet that took him from us in a time where our nation and our state, even our neighborhoods, have become divided along party lines, left and right, right and wrong, good and evil. “I encourage each of us to tone down our rhetoric and to get to work on what Iowans are telling us they really want,” she said. Sinclair said she’s seen a breakdown of civility in political discourse. “Today, people of all political flavors have taken name calling to new extremes. When people disagree, it has become disagreeable. The debate no longer stops with policy descriptions. It spiraled into slurs aimed at dehumanizing the opposition. Calling people fascists, scum, deplorables, bigots, and a host of things I cannot and will not repeat on the Senate floor cannot be embraced as a status quo here. I call on all of us to do better and to set a positive example of what civility looks like in our political discourse,” she said. Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, also cited the recent shooting death of Renee Good by an Immigration Customs and Enforcement agent in Minneapolis. “As Americans, we continue, as President Sinclair noted, to face political violence that has shaken us to our core. We do not live in a bubble here under the golden dome. In just the past few days, a woman was shot to death in Minnesota and a synagogue was torched in Mississippi, the same one that was firebombed nearly 60 years ago by the KKK,” Weiner said. “We Iowans, we take care of our neighbors, we are tolerant, and we stand up for the rights that are our rights too, because we all know that love thy neighbor, comes with no exceptions. So let us resolve to carry out the people’s business with civility and empathy,” she said. House speaker cites focus on crime House Speaker Pat Grassley said this session, Iowa House Republicans aim to make the state safer through a “tough on crime agenda.” He said there are growing reports of violent crimes in neighboring Midwest states and cities, House GOP lawmakers are focused on passing measures that target people repeatedly convicted of violent crimes, who he said “become a true risk to our children and our loved ones” when released. “For those of you who say, ‘well, this really isn’t a problem here, a big problem here in Iowa,’ I say that even one instance is too many,” Grassley said. He pointed to the case of Henry Dinkins, a Davenport man convicted in 2023 for the kidnapping and murder of a 10-year-old girl who had several prior convictions, including multiple felonies. “We propose that in this state, if you can’t get on the right track after two strikes, then on the third strike, you are out,” Grassley said. “Dangerous criminals that insist on repeatedly breaking our laws will not be allowed back onto the streets. This legislative session, career criminals will get the message: they are not welcome here in Iowa.” New lawmakers sworn in Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, paid tribute to his predecessor in his first speech in the leadership role. “I have no doubt he will go down in our state’s history. Is one of the greatest Republican leaders Iowa has ever seen,” he said of Whitver, citing major GOP legislative actions such as income tax cuts and restrictions on unemployment benefits and programs for low-income Iowans. Senate leaders also memorialized DeWitt and Celsi before swearing in their successors – Sen. Catelin Drey, D-Sioux City; and Sen. Renee Hardman, D-West Des Moines, the first Black woman to serve in the Iowa Senate. In the Iowa House, Rep. Wendy Larson, R-Odebolt, was sworn in following her 2025 special election victory in House District 7. Iowa House Republicans say eminent domain debate will come soon Though Republican leaders at the GOP party’s annual legislative breakfast spoke about the importance of “unity” in speeches before gaveling in, House GOP leaders said they intend to quickly move on legislation that may not be popular with Senate Republican leaders — restricting the use of eminent domain in carbon capture pipeline projects. Under eminent domain, unwilling landowners can be forced to accept easements on their property for projects deemed in the public interest, at a price set by a county commission. House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann said in his first session leading the Republican House caucus, he said “not a whole lot is going to change” compared to how the caucus operated in previous years, and that his “personality is going to be the same.” He said legislatively, his priorities should be “no surprise.” “We’re going to have an eminent domain debate, and we’re going to have it early,” Kaufmann said. “And anybody that thinks that debate is not going to be centered around eminent domain, well, you’re wrong.” Kaufmann’s comments come following Klimesh’s comments in December that he also plans to introduce legislation related to carbon capture pipeline projects early in the year. Klimesh said he plans to introduce legislation in the first week of session to address some Iowans’ concerns with the use of eminent domain in carbon capture pipeline projects — most prominently, the Summit Carbon Solutions project. Klimesh’s proposal would widen the corridor approved by the Iowa Utilities Commission in these projects, allowing utility companies and constructors in projects to find “willing landowners” to enter land easement agreements, which would allow projects to proceed without invoking the use of eminent domain. In his opening remarks, the Senate majority leader said he plans to release several proposals in 2026 to provide a “solution that respects landowners, farmers, and continues to put our state on a path of success” on the issue of eminent domain in pipeline projects. “Most critically, our proposals will expand the noticed corridor, dramatically expanding the ability of private investment and private property owners to voluntarily exchange easements and payments,” Klimesh said. “I believe this change will all but eliminate the need for eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines. Proof of this concept exists in other states and other projects. Recently, a liquid jet fuel pipeline was built from Kansas to Denver International Airport, a distance over 230 miles, and it did not use eminent domain once. We can repeat that success here.” This proposal was one of the components of an amendment introduced by Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, in the 2025 debate on a pipeline-related measure in the Iowa Senate. That amendment was not adopted, and the Senate sent a bill containing multiple proposals related to pipelines to the governor. Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed the measure in June. Kaufmann’s comments indicate the Iowa House may take up a measure similar to legislation passed by the chamber in previous years that bans the use of eminent domain in projects for pipelines transporting liquified carbon dioxide. This language was also introduced as an amendment to the bill that passed the Iowa Senate, but the amendment was called out of order and discarded. Grassley also stated in his opening remarks the issue of eminent domain is “not going away” in 2026, and reiterated that a House proposal on the issue will specifically focus on eminent domain. “We have tried multiple approaches in our efforts to protect landowners,” Grassley said. “This year, you can expect our approach to be narrowly tailored. If last year’s bill had too many components to it, then let’s return to the crux of the issue and focus on the topic of eminent domain.”
	Everybody’s talking about property taxes Property taxes. Out here, almost everyone pays them, because almost everyone owns. They are about as exciting as a trip to the dentist. Yet both are essential, or you end up with rotten teeth and rotten roads. Their importance has not stopped Iowa lawmakers on both sides of the aisle from trying to convince themselves and the public that large scale tax cuts and freezes—“reforms”—are in the best interest of the public and the individual. Last year, Republicans proposed capping the amount a city or county can raise its tax levy each year, at 2%. Democrats have raised this number to 4% yet would make up the difference with “immediate relief” rebates to both homeowners and renters. Lawmakers justify these cuts by repeating again and again that property taxes have grown. Last month (Dec. 10), we ran a column written by Governor Kim Reynolds, in which she wrote: “Altogether, local governments now collect 107% more in property taxes than they did 20 years ago…. That level of growth outpaced inflation and population increases, driving concerns that property taxes are becoming a heavy burden for too many households.” Democrats have put the same point in different terms. Last week (Jan. 7), we ran a picture of State Representative Dave Jacoby of Coralville holding up a graph showing that “property taxes have risen every year under Republicans” since 2009; total collections have increased from about $4.3 billion to $7.5 billion. Reynolds has a plain explanation for this growth. “Rising property values aren’t the problem,” she wrote. “The cost of government is.” Democrats seem to agree, though they would like to stress that the offending government has been Republican. Except, rising property values are the problem, or at least the bulk of it. According to the Federal Reserve, the average home price in Iowa has risen 91% over the last two decades. Iowa State reports that the value of farmland has tripled. While Midwestern industrial fortunes have declined, a new wave of building has brought giants like Amazon into urban and rural counties alike. Real property taxes have not doubled; they have remained about constant as real property values have grown. Anyone who ignores this fact for cheap political points demeans our intelligence and their own. Of course, it is odd to call rising property values “the problem.” For many households, their homes are their most basic form of wealth, and a rise in property value against a fixed mortgage represents a very real gain. It is just intangible. The pinch for homeowners has been a lack of rising wages, which are easily realized as paychecks and paid in taxes. Instead of offering Iowans a path to well-paying jobs, state lawmakers promise to shore up their wealth with tax cuts. Lawmakers are not offering dynamism and growth; they are offering impoverishment. Iowa will spend down its reserves and trim public services before it even considers making the investments in education and infrastructure that could spur the economy. It is clear who really benefits from lawmakers’ proposed cuts: corporations. Corporations inform every beat of the program. Unlike residents, they do not get a direct say in local tax rates. Instead, they back state politicians who promise to spare them from paying their fair share at the local level. And they recognize that tax cuts have the added benefit of hampering government oversight and easing the pain of low wages. Local communities have the authority to grow or shrink their tax rate, and they exercise it regularly. Take Long Grove, where the city council elected to delay its capital improvement plan to steady the town’s debt levy and utility rates as it builds out a new water treatment plant. Or Princeton, where the council postponed reconstruction of River Drive. Lawmakers would eliminate that local control for the benefit of the wealthiest businesses and Iowans. With lax levies frozen, Princeton would never be able to reconstruct River Drive; Eldridge would not be able to assume control of the fire department; Long Grove will never hire a police officer. Nearly every local official I talked to this week (page 1A) expressed concern at the prospect of tax “reform.” A solution? I grew up in Massachusetts, and that is where I cut my teeth as a reporter. Property taxes in Massachusetts are governed by a famous law called Proposition 2½. To me, it seems like the silver bullet for tax reform in Iowa. Here is how it works. Proposition or “prop” 2½ states that a city’s total property tax revenue cannot exceed 2.5% of the assessed value of all property within its limits. This is called the “levy ceiling.” Year to year, the city cannot increase its total collections by more than 2.5%, with exceptions for new development. This is called the “levy limit.” Suppose that a city has total property assessed at $1 million. It cannot collect more than $25,000 in taxes in a given year, due to the levy ceiling. If the city brings in $20,000 in Year 1, they cannot bring in more than $20,500 in Year 2, due to the levy limit. Prop 2½ is designed to keep cities from excessive spending and prevent unexpected tax jumps. Yet there is a key measure provided to guarantee local control: the “override.” By an open ballot measure, members of a town can vote to override, usually temporarily, their levy limit or levy ceiling. When I was growing up, the most common cause of an override—which would come along every few years—was a major capital project, like a school. Sometimes they would pass, and other times they wouldn’t. Residents can make those decisions for themselves. A similar law in Iowa would keep city budgets from the annualized creep that so scares lawmakers. It could even be tailored to reflect a more fiscally conservative outlook. Call it Proposition 2, or Proposition 1½. The law would, however, provide local communities with a direct outlet by which they could temporarily tax more if immediate needs arose.
	2021: Next generation takes over at Steve's Auto Sales Jan. 14, 1975 • Gene Green was named the Eldridge Lions “Man of the Year.” Green was cited for his activities as a charter member of the Eldridge Lions, as well as serving on the Eldridge City Council and zoning board and as zoning enforcement officer. He had also served as a Scoutmaster and Little League coach. The award was presented by Bob Pischke. • The North Scott School Board was considering creating a position to serve as K-12 curriculum coordinator. Superintendent Melvin Heiler said he saw the position as an expansion of the director of elementary education post, which was currently held by Leland Hurley. • Melvin Gutthardt retired from the Lund Implement Store in Princeton. He had worked for 35 years in the parts and purchasing department. Gutthardt said he had no particular plans for retirement but added that after working six days a week for 35 years, there were a lot of jobs piled up at home. He and his wife took a trip to Florida to celebrate. • Central Trust & Savings Bank opened a branch in Mount Joy. The 3,000 square foot facility offered four drive-up windows, five indoor teller windows, a vault, office space, a bookkeeping room and other space for customers. A temporary mobile unit, which had been set up while the Mount Joy branch was being built, would be moved to Park View, where the bank also planned to open a branch within the next few months. • The North Scott wrestling team finished fourth at its own invitational, behind Davenport West, Iowa City West and Maquoketa. Jim Goodin (112) and Randy Lage (126) were individual champions for the Lancers, while Dean Drummond (96) and John Steffen (HWT) both placed third. Jan. 15, 1986 • The North Scott School Board postponed a decision on whether to open a copy center for the district after complaints from teachers. Superintendent Doug Otto said that if a copy center was started, staff in all buildings would have their materials sent by courier to the central copy center for reproductions, rather than each building having an in-house copy machine. Although the center would initially cost more than the current system, Otto said the copy center would eventually start paying for itself. However, teachers said that the copy center system would take too long, especially if there were last minute materials needed. “We’ve got a good system that works, so why change it?” asked Virgil Grissom teacher Bea Miller. • At the same school board meeting, high school athletic director John Laughhunn said there was interest in starting a soccer program at North Scott. A survey was taken in November, and 191 students said they would try out for the program if it were offered, including 66 freshmen, 68 sophomores, 38 juniors and 19 seniors. The board directed the high school administration to conduct a cost analysis of the proposed program. Laughhunn’s report also said that the sport could be offered on a club basis in the spring of 1986 and upgraded to interscholastic status in 1987, pending finding certified coaches and board approval. • Gerry Rowland was hired as the new director of the Scott County Library System, replacing Kay Runge, who left in the fall to become director of the Davenport Public Library. Rowland had served as director of the Shenandoah Public Library since 1979. “I’ve had my eye on this system ever since I came to Iowa,” said Rowland. “The Scott County System is a unique and exciting concept in rural library service.” • Danet Claussen, daughter of Dan and Peg Claussen of LeClaire, was crowed Scott County Beef Queen. Christie Gronewold, daughter of Ralph and Marilyn Gronewold of Donahue, was named Beef Princess. • The Eldridge Police Department and Ed White Elementary School were teaming up for a new child safety program. Homes in Eldridge would be able to place a card with McGruff the Crime Dog in their windows, indicating the home would be a safe place for a child to go in case of an emergency. Eldridge was the first town in Iowa to implement the McGruff system, which began in Utah. This would replace the similar Blue Star program that had been in place in Eldridge. Ed White principal David Fairweather said the McGruff character was something children could identify better. “We feel this is a better association in the minds of children. Kids see McGruff as representing safety.” Jan. 17, 2001 • The Casey’s General Store in Eldridge was robbed at gunpoint. The robber made off with an undisclosed amount of cash and then sprayed the clerk with mace to prevent her from getting a good look at the getaway vehicle. However, two other employees who were working in the back part of the store were able to provide a description. Eldridge police were looking into the possibility that the crime was connected to another attempted robbery in Rock Island. • Maj. Dennis Conard of the Scott County Sheriff’s Department was chosen as the Republican nominee for a special election to replace former Sheriff Mike Bladel. He would face off against Democrat Lt. Kevin Murphy of the Davenport Police Department in the election on March 6. Meanwhile, Pat Gibbs, who had pursued the Republican nomination, was mulling a bid as an independent. He had until Feb. 14 to file paperwork. • Kim Langholz was hired as a companion animal veterinarian at Risius & Associates Vet Clinic in Eldridge. Langholz said the job was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. She had wanted to be a veterinarian as a child but had been discouraged from doing so because she was female. After several career changes, including a stint as a research technician for Pioneer, working with young patients at a children’s hospital in North Carolina, and a job at the Science Center of Iowa, she decided to pursue her childhood dream as she approached her 40s. “You’re never too old to do new things,” she said. • The North Scott boys’ basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 68-54 win over Davenport North. Michael Arensdorff led all scorers with 17 points, and Jason Less came off the bench to score 13. • The North Scott wrestling team defended its team title at the Marion Invitational. Adam Claussen (103), Jared Hamilton (171) and Joe DeLuca (160) were individual champions. Jan 19. 2011 • The North Scott Athletic Boosters raised $16,942 at the annual Cake Auction. Leading the way was a quilt that sold for $2,000, and the first-place professional division cake that was purchased for $2,500. In The Pit, the basketball teams split with Davenport West, with the girls winning 51-18. The boys came out on the wrong end of a 52-48 decision. • In conjunction with the school’s Scholastic Book Fair, Blue Grass Elementary celebrated “Superhero Day.” The theme of the fair was “Reading Saves the Day.” The school was decorated with pictures of superheroes, including U.S. military personnel, and students and staff were allowed to dress as their favorite superheroes. • Ed White fifth grader Brady Frank won the North Scott districtwide spelling bee and would move on to the regional bee at Augustana College in March. Other participants included Brenna Kundel, Brittany Bullock, Allison Triplett, Shane Scull, Emma Horsfield, Isabel Brimeyer and Kendal Newman. • The North Scott wrestling team finished third at the MAC meet, behind Bettendorf and Davenport Assumption. Austin Fleetwood (152) and Ben Nagle (215) claimed individual conference titles. • Bessie Sierk, formerly of Princeton, planned to celebrate her 100th birthday with a reception at Grand Haven Retirement Community. Jan. 13, 2021 • Steve and Michele Lindle sold their business, Steve’s Auto Sales in McCausland, to their daughter, Heidi Holst, and grandson, Brady Ernst. The Lindles had owned business for 50 years and said the time was right for them to retire. Longtime employees Mike Gross and Lloyd Claussen planned to stay on at Steve’s. “I’m looking forward to building on what’s already established, and to continue something that’s been so successful and has had such a good reputation,” said Ernst. “I feel so blessed to be able to be taking it over,” added Holst. • Cindy Fier retired after 48 years in the nursing profession, including 18 years at Genesis Health Group in Eldridge. She began working as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Clinton and later at Jackson County Public Hospital and a family clinic in Maquoketa before working as director of nurses at Crestridge Care Center in Maquoketa. In 2002, she decided to return to patient care and began working for Genesis. In retirement, she planned to spend time with family and do volunteer work. • Kids living in The Farms of Elm Creek neighborhood in Eldridge took to the nearby hills for some sledding adventures. Pictured were Dawson, Logan and Alexa Ruth, Mila and Mason Schmeltzer and Addie and Andrew Quick. • The North Scott wrestling team upset No. 5 Bettendorf, 41-29. Then, in a last-minute addition to the schedule, the team headed off to a tournament at Linn-Mar, where they picked up wins over Mount Vernon, the host team and Marion. All of this put the team on a nine-match win streak and upped their state ranking to No. 7. • Central DeWitt handed the North Scott girls’ basketball team its first loss since Jan. 25, 2019, ending a 39-game win streak. Coach T.J. Case was unbothered. “That streak was put on a long time ago, and most of those girls are all gone. It was probably for the best to move on and get that off our shoulders.” In any event, the team started a new streak a few days later, picking up back-to-back wins over Muscatine and Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
	Professional Champion Bull Riders & Barrel Racers, January 24 and 25 On January 24 and 25, the Vibrant Arena at the MARK will host feats of staggering skill when the touring Professional Championship Bull Riders & Barrel Racers show returns to Moline, its national success based on a simple concept: Place one determined cowboy on the back of a cranky 2,000-pound bull and see whether he can stay on the gigantic, bucking beast for eight long seconds – and do it with only one hand gripping the animal’s backside.
	Ballet Quad Cities' “Dorothy Goes to Oz,” January 24 Delivering their first stage offering of the year, as well as the professional dance company's first Family Day at the Ballet for 2026, the talents of Rock Island's Ballet Quad Cities will present a special, free performance at Moline's Black Box Theatre on January 24, Dorothy Goes to Oz a delightful, half-hour tale of friendship and teamwork adapted by L. Frank Baum's storybook classic.
	What is the long-term plan for Venezuela? By all accounts Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is a very bad man. And putting aside the issue of the legality of American intervention, the real question today is “NOW WHAT?" Again, it seems our sleep-deprived president failed to plan for tomorrow. All we know? President Trump will be “running” Venezuela “for years.” A lot of public debate has been focused on the wisdom of “regime change.” But we haven’t actually brought about a regime change. Moving Maduro loyalist and equally Chavisma Delcy Rodriquez from V.P. to acting president isn’t a sweeping change. If Rodriquez is more compliant with U.S. wishes because Trump threatened her with “worse” than Maduro got, it hardly reflects a change of heart. No “Road to Damascus” conversion for Delcy. Already we’ve seen how repressive her government is. How long will it be before Venezuelans stop celebrating Maduro’s ouster and start asking “Why bother?” Did the U.S. intervene on behalf of the freedom-loving people of Venezuela or do we just want their oil? Will Venezuelans someday want to re-assert their national sovereignty? Will they again take to the streets and jungles to wage war against the imperialists? It seems we forgot one critical “take-away” from our misguided interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. It’s easy to invade but it’s hard to occupy. So, are we liberators or invaders? Candidate Trump seemed to understand this when he pledged “no endless wars.” Now he’s threatening Colombia, Cuba and Greenland. What’s the plan? How will we know when we’ve won? Ken Croken State Representative Iowa House District 97 Davenport
	“Blues in the Quad Cities: A True American Artistic Creation,” January 25 Held in conjunction with the Davenport venue's new exhibition Play On! German Immigrants and the Quad Cities' Musical Legacy, the German American Heritage Center presents the fascinating program Blues in the Quad Cities: A True American Artistic Creation on January 25.
	Dine at the Legion to support your community The Dixon American Legion is holding its monthly Chicken and Fish dinner Jan. 16 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. I have been a member for 50 years; my dad was a former commander; and for decades, our members have worked hard to keep this Dixon Post 353 a pillar of our community. Your attendance is the best way to help us continue that mission, and your support helps this local landmark thriving along with keeping our doors open. Rod Ferris Maysville
	'Venezuela posed no threat to the United States' I am deeply upset that Mr. Trump and his administration invaded Venezuela without Congressional support. Venezuela posed no threat to the United States. This wasn’t about drugs. It was all about the oil, regime change and, most importantly, diversion and distraction from the Epstein files. Trump’s illegal actions violated our constitution and international law. Congress needs to pass a War Powers Resolution to stop further military operations. Congress needs to block funding for this war and publicly demand oversight and accountability for those who undertook it. Trump needs to be impeached, found guilty and removed from office. Congress needs to use their power to stop this lawless president Mary Orr Eldridge
	Real cops would not behave like this He was not afraid. They (well real cops) are trained to step back in that situation. He saw the car was turning hard to the right. He felt safe enough to lean over the hood to fire, causing the contact. Contact which wouldn't hurt a wanna-be girl scout. He knew what he wanted to do, which was to get a shot into the windshield, before blasting her from the side, twice, like a real man... er ... I mean wanna-be girl scout. You could sense the kindness in her heart as she spoke. As if saying, I'm just doing "good trouble" like thousands of other 37-year-old mothers, who are trying to protect decent people. People who were doing what they were told to do, which is to check in each year. People who work and pay taxes. But now, just because we have a twisted unstable President, a criminal who says F the courts! Get those dark skinned out! (I paraphrase), but just because of him, we have thugs destroying everything we've built as an immigrant country. If you work for ICE, please resign, it's not too late to save your soul. Tom Hebbeln Davenport
	“Félix González-Torres: “Untitled” (L.A.), January 24 through June 21 Inviting visitors to reflect on themes central to the artist's practice – including the joyful celebration of LGBTQ identity, acknowledgment of ongoing challenges to the community’s rights, and the enduring impact of the AIDS epidemic – Felix Gonzalez-Torres: "Untitled" (L.A.) will be on display in the Figge Art Museum's Gildehaus Gallery from January 24 through June 26.
	Kiwanis Club celebrates 50 years of youth basketball The Kiwanis Club of North Scott is celebrating 50 years of youth basketball this month as hundreds of kids take to the court. Starting last Saturday morning, and continuing for the next three Saturdays, nearly 200 kindergarten, first, and second-grade kids will lace up their shoes at the North Scott Junior High and Neil Armstrong Elementary School. “We call it organized chaos,” Tim Andresen, the event organizer, said. “With the cooperation of the school and the use of their facilities, it has worked really well.” The program was started by former North Scott varsity basketball coach Bill McCoy in 1976, according to Andresen. It was formally taken over by the Kiwanis Club when it formed two years later. The program primarily served first through sixth-grade athletes as a practice-type setting for improving basic skills. With the rise of AAU basketball in recent years, the number of third through sixth-graders has dropped. Today, the program is tailored to kindergarten, first, and second-graders interested in basketball. The Kiwanis Club has kept the same sign-up fee, $40, for many years. “(The fee) pays for some expenses. Otherwise, it all goes back into scholarships,” Andresen said. Andresen credits the community for helping keep this program thriving for five decades. From the school district allowing access to its facilities, parents volunteering to coach and officiate, and high school service club members running time clocks, everyone plays a role in making this event an annual success.
	Ottumwa offers confidence-boosting wins As the North Scott boys’ wrestling team dealt with a reduced lineup in mid-December, the true strength of its lineup was obfuscated from the rest of the state. Anybody paying close enough attention knows that, at full strength, this Lancer squad can scrap with the best. In what was undoubtedly the best tournament team performance of the season to date, North Scott narrowly placed second at the two-day Ottumwa Invitational on Friday, Jan. 9 and Saturday, Jan. 10. North Scott led the competition after day one with 13 of its 15 wrestlers alive in the gold brackets. Heading down the home stretch, it was a race between the Lancers and Iowa City West for the team crown. Ultimately, the Trojans got the edge by four points, 636.5 to 632.5. The next closest school, Cedar Rapids Prairie, was nearly 200 points away at 425. As such, North Scott saw oodles of individual success, highlighted by senior Cole Green and junior Trey Feist standing atop their respective podiums. Green maintained his perfect record, extending his success this season to 18-0. Feist, in his return to action this week, added seven wins to his ledger now standing at 10-2. Blitzing his way through the 165-pound bracket, Green only saw the second period once in his seven matches. It was his first match, when he used a technical fall to kickstart his tournament. Every other match ended with Green earning a first-period pin. Green tagged Iowa City West’s Campbell Janis in the final at 1:34 and Tipton’s Max Lashmit in the semifinal at 0:33. Feist took a similarly efficient route to the gold medal at 215 pounds. Of his seven matches, five of them ended in pins 50 seconds or faster. This included a lightning-quick fall in the final against Newton’s Nick Milburn, which ended in 35 short seconds. North Scott also had a pair of wrestlers finish as runners-up. Senior Matthew Williams earned second-place at 126 pounds. Additionally, junior Kade Kelly turned in the best performance of his scholastic wrestling career with a runner-up spot at 190 pounds. Williams, who passed 100 career varsity wins earlier this month, took a big step in his goal of getting back to Des Moines for the state wrestling tournament. He added four wins in Ottumwa with two pins, one major decision and one decision. After defeating Walker Riggan of Louisa-Muscatine in the quarterfinals and Aiden Kirk of Cedar Rapids Prairie in the semifinals, Williams had the tough task of facing undefeated and top-ranked Alexander Pierce. The West Trojan stayed unblemished with a first-period pin, but Williams could already take the confidence gained from this event to the bank. Kelly, on the other hand, is looking to qualify for individual state for the first time. He is well on his way with an 18-8 record thus far in the 2025-26 season. On Friday, Kelly breezed through the placement round with three first-period pins. On Saturday, in the quarterfinals and semifinals, he added two second-period pins, one of which came in a friendly-fire semifinal against teammate Aaron Bergfeld. In the final, Owen Difederico of Burlington pinned Kelly at 1:19, but not before Kelly affirmed his standing in the Lancer lineup. Four different Lancers placed third at this meet with senior Will McDermott (138), Benjamin Lightle (157), junior Aaron Bergfeld (190) and freshman Zach Green (150) taking home bronze medals. McDermott won six matches over the weekend using pins, decisions and technical falls. He ended his meet with a third-place match victory over Iowa City West’s Charles Barnhouse by an 11-4 decision. Now, McDermott is up to 107 career wins after clinching No. 100 on Thursday in the dual against Pleasant Valley. Lightle went 5-2 in Ottumwa but ended his tournament odd with a bronze-medal-match victory against Mason Johnson of Mediapolis via second-period pin. Lightle also defeated a 25-5 wrestler from Albia, Kael Hutchinson, with an 8-1 decision. Zach Green continues to impress as a freshman with a record of 19 wins to just six defeats. He wrestled eight times at this tournament, winning seven bouts. He capped off his tournament with a big 19-3 technical fall in the third-place match against Luke Flynn of Sigourney-Keota. The aforementioned Bergfeld made his season debut at this event, joining Kelly in the 190-pound bracket. By both reaching the semifinal, it assured one Lancer would wrestle for gold. While Bergfeld fell short of his individual goal, he still bounced back and took care of business. Wrestling for record and pride in the third-place match, Bergfeld pinned Peyton Johnson of Mediapolis in the first period. Senior Collin Kruse (144) and junior Maxwell Davis (120) both reached this stage of the tournament as well, but ended in fourth place, still securing large amounts of points for their team. Earning fifth-place at the tournament on opposite ends of the lineup card were senior Cole Bruck (113) and junior Bryce Stewart (285). Sophomore Kepler Carmichael (175) also took home an impressive eighth-place finish. North Scott continues to wrestle well in its tough schedule, and the Lancers will look to continue that success into next week. After a home conference dual against Central DeWitt on Thursday, North Scott will prepare for the annual Ed Hadenfeldt Wrestling Invitational at Solon High School. North Scott will also send a contingent to the varsity BGM Duals in Brooklyn on Friday.
	Pedestrian injured in Moline traffic crash Tuesday morning A 37-year-old woman received non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a car in Moline on Tuesday.
	“Young Artists at the Figge,” January 24 through May 24 Always an eagerly awaited series at the Figge Art Museum, the latest incarnation of Young Artists at the Figge will be on display from January 26 through May 24, with the Davenport venue celebrating the accomplishments of budding creative talents whose works will be showcased in a continuing series of individual exhibitions.
	Ebertseder-Cole vows said in Germany Aug. 1 Vera Ebertseder and Evan Cole of Stuttgart, Germany, were married Aug. 1, 2025, in Tegernsee, Germany. Their parents are Brigitte Ebertseder and Ludvig Krumbachner of Dachau, Germany, and Drs. David and Diane Cole of Eldridge. Evan, a 2010 North Scott grad and a 2014 University of Michigan graduate, and Vera, a graduate of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, are both engineers at Mercedes-Benz, Stuttgart, where they reside. A belated honeymoon was taken in October to Japan.
	“Mosaic Moments: Storytelling by Students,” through February 13 Boasting a vibrant collection of visual narratives from University of Dubuque students in the ART 367 Digital Photography course, the exhibition Mosaic Moments: Storytelling by Students will be on display in the university's Bisignano Art Gallery through February 13, each image designed to act as a distinct tile in a larger mosaic of storytelling.
	Janice Salemink turns 90 All friends and family are invited to join Janice Salemink as she celebrates her 90th birthday. An open house will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the West Liberty Country Club. No gifts, please.
	2 vehicle crash blocks Harrison Street Davenport Police are on the scene of a crash at Harrison and 15th Streets, near Harrison Lofts. Harrison Street is blocked at 15th Street. An Our Quad Cities News crew saw two vehicles involved in the crash, with vehicle parts scattered at the scene. One person was transported by ambulance to a local hospital but [...]
	Obituary: Susan Whitney Susan M. Whitney, 81, of Eldridge, passed away peacefully on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. Born on Dec. 29, 1944, in Perry, Susan was the youngest daughter of Edward “Walter” and Hulda (Wulff) Rothfus. On April 24, 1970, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Bradford L. “Brad” Whitney, in Bouton. Together, they built a life deﬁned by devotion and laughter for 46 years until Brad’s passing in 2016. Throughout her life, Susan’s work was always an extension of her caring nature. Whether she was opening her heart and home to provide daycare for families while raising her own or serving the community at Von Maur and Target, she had a way of making everyone feel seen. Most recently, she found a second family in her colleagues and patrons at Rudy’s Tacos in Eldridge — a place that brought her immense joy and connection. A woman of many passions, Susan was a ﬁxture at the bowling alley for over 50 years and delighted in the occasional trip to the casinos. She took great pride in her German heritage, famously ﬁlling her home with the aromas of family recipes she loved to share such as Niﬄy, Beef Chow Mein, German Ribble Soup and Fried Chicken. Her spirit of generosity was quiet but profound. She was a dedicated blood donor for many years and a faithful member of Faith Lutheran Church. Above all, Susan was a woman who truly lived for others, her greatest treasure was the time spent with her children and grandchildren. She will be remembered for her effortless ability to turn a stranger into a friend with just a kind word and a perfectly timed joke. Her legacy of love lives on in her children, Jodi Whitney of Eldridge, and Brian (Heidi) Whitney of Kewanee, Ill.; her beloved grandchildren, Olivia and Emily Freund, Emma (Tony), Becca, Jackson and Owen Whitney, Krayten and Kieryn Abernathy; and her siblings, Lester (Luz) Rothfus of Kissimmee, Fla., Jim (Phyllis) Rothfus of Perry, and Helen (Bob) Hemphill of Redﬁeld. She is also survived by her supportive in-laws, John (Carol) Whitney of Atlantic, Bev (Bobby) Rhoads of Winterset, Alan “Spot” (Barb) Whitney of Ft. Mohave, Ariz., Sue Hartwigsen of DeSoto, and Rose (Andy) Lulla of Omaha, Neb., along with many nieces and nephews who will miss her dearly. Susan was preceded in death by her husband, Brad; her parents; her siblings, Arlene Greiner and Larry Rothfus; her brother-in-law, Dean Hartwigsen; and her niece and nephew, Sue Loynachan and Brad Rothfus. The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the Eldridge Medic EMS, Fire Department and Harmony Utica Ridge. A special thanks to the dedicated nurses and staff at Heartland Hospice for the gentle care and comfort they provided Susan. Service Information: A memorial service to celebrate Susan’s life will be held at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, at Chambers Funeral Home in Eldridge. Family and friends may attend the visitation from 3 p.m. until the time of service. Following the service, all are invited to continue celebrating Susan’s life at Rudy’s Tacos in Eldridge from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. In remembrance of Susan, memorials may be made to ImpactLife of Davenport, Faith Lutheran Church of Eldridge, or the American Cancer Society. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com. Custom obituary
	Obituary: Kenneth Doerscher Kenneth Doerscher Kenneth Wayne Doerscher, 87, of rural Bloomfield, passed away on Jan. 7, 2026, at Vista Woods in Ottumwa. He was born on April 6, 1938, in Davenport to Arthur and Malinda Franck Doerscher. He married Judith Kay Lepper on Sept. 10, 1957, in Eldridge. Kenneth was a lifelong farmer, raising crops and livestock. He loved being on the farm working and attending to his cattle. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. In his younger years, he also enjoyed riding motorcycles and snowmobiles. Kenneth was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church in Bloomfield where he served in many volunteer capacities, including being an usher. He also hosted several church fishing functions on his farm. He will be greatly missed by his family. He is survived by his wife, Judy Doerscher; son, Brian (Jane) Doerscher of Bloomfield; two grandchildren, Allison (Dustin) Gonterman, Wayne Doerscher both of Bloomfield; two great-grandchildren, Carter and Kaysen Gonterman; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; son and daughter-in-law, David and Cindy Doerscher; brother, Melvin (Lois) Doerscher; and a sister, Delores (Merle) Hulke. Kenneth’s wish was to be cremated, and no services are planned. Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield is assisting the family. Custom obituary
	Barely There Theatre's “What Might Have Been,” January 29 through February 7 With the latest stage presentation by Barely There Theatre a trio of brand-new one-act plays making their world premieres in the Quad Cities, playwright, producer, and Reader theatre reviewer's What Might Have Been runs at Moline's Black Box Theatre January 29 through February 7, the production boasting stories that explore the roads not taken, as well as the choices, chances, and curiosities that shape our lives.
	Obituary: Beverly Geurink Beverly J. Geurink, age 66, of Davenport, passed away Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at Genesis East Medical Center, Davenport. A memorial service will be held at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Walcott American Legion with Pastor Heather Geest officiating. A memorial gathering will be held from 1-3 p.m., following the memorial service at the Walcott American Legion. Burial will take place in Maysville Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com. Bev was born on Dec. 1, 1959, the daughter of LeRoy and Ruby (Goodell) Claussen in Davenport. She graduated from Bettendorf High School. Bev married Larry Geurink on April 8, 1983, in Walcott. Bev worked for five years at Farm & Fleet on Northwest Boulevard, serving customers as a cashier and working in the men’s department. She then spent many years dedicated to her family, staying at home to raise her children and creating a loving home. Afterward, Bev worked for 10 years at Jeff’s Market in Blue Grass, where she was known for her reliability and friendly nature. She later returned to Farm & Fleet, where she continued working until her retirement in 2020. Following retirement, Bev found great joy in watching and spending time with her grandchildren. She rarely missed an opportunity to attend their school activities and was always present for family dinners, holidays, and birthday celebrations. In her quieter moments, Bev enjoyed watching soap operas, especially General Hospital and loved to relax with a good book. Above all, Bev will be remembered for her dedication to her family, her strong work ethic, and the love she gave so freely. Bev will be dearly missed by her husband, Larry; two children, Nathan (Melissa) Geurink of Wheatland, and Kayelyn (Beau) Blake of Davenport; five grandchildren, Cheyenne, Logan, Landon, Wyatt and Tucker; and two sisters, Peggy (Doug) Dietz of Walcott, and Jody (Chris) Coffman of Eldridge; and a nephew and four nieces. Bev was preceded in death by her parents; and one brother, Larry Claussen. Custom obituary
	View the Scott County Sheriff's report from the Jan. 14 NSP! FRIDAY, JAN. 2 2:06 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident in the 28000 block of 283rd Avenue. A vehicle driven by Jay Patrick Bentley, 61, Camanche, was northbound on 283rd Avenue. Bentley’s vehicle reportedly veered into the southbound lane and into the path of a vehicle driven by David Allen Goettsch, 61, LeClaire. Goettsch reportedly applied his horn to get Bentley’s attention. Bentley attempted to get back into the northbound lane, but the side mirrors on each vehicle clipped. The tire of the trailer on Bentley’s vehicle also struck the tire of Goettsch’s vehicle. Bentley was cited for improper use of lanes. 2:53 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance on Manor Drive. 4:00 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 200 block of South Cadda Road. 5:45 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem on Park View Drive. 6:02 p.m. — Timothy Nelson Carver, 61, Bettendorf, was cited for possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) – 1st offense, violation of financial liability coverage, an open container violation and failure to maintain a safety belt, following a traffic stop near North Cody Road and Ferry Street, LeClaire. 6:44 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 100 block of 3rd Avenue. 10:10 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fireworks complaint on Park Crest Court. 11:31 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 6500 block of Brady Street. SATURDAY, JAN. 3 2:11 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 5600 block of Joshua Street. 4:11 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 12000 block of 110th Avenue, where a vehicle driven by Kofi Gbadayi Komassi, 44, Moline, struck a deer that entered the roadway. 10:35 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of West Walcott Road. 10:48 a.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 100 block of East Meuse Street. 1:35 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 10900 block of 130th Street. 1:43 p.m. — Brandon Paul Blackwell, 42, Walcott, was charged with trespassing – 1st offense, interference with official acts, 1st degree harassment and assault causing bodily injury, after deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 300 block of East James Street, Walcott. 4:50 p.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 500 block of North Cody Road. 7:02 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2900 block of North Plainview Road. SUNDAY, JAN. 4 2:16 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 3700 block of Tanglewood Road. 2:55 a.m. — Lucas Andrew Patterson, 21, Davenport, was cited for driving while barred (habitual offender) and driving with suspended/denied/revoked license or registration, following a traffic stop on North Division Street, Davenport. 6:02 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 21400 block of Scott Park Road. 9:56 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 4400 block of State Street. 10:37 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion at the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. 11:25 a.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 3400 block of North Plainview Road. 12:14 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem. 2:15 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 700 block of North Iowa 80 Road. 4:23 p.m. — Damon Lee Scott, 48, Princeton, was charged with driving while barred (habitual offender) and possession of drug paraphernalia, and cited for driving with suspended/denied/revoked license or registration, violation of financial liability coverage and operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop in the 19500 block of 210th Street, Davenport. 8:15 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 2000 block of Marquette Street. 11:51 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 7400 block of Pacific Street. MONDAY, JAN. 5 12:15 a.m. — Andrell Lonnell Delarosa, 44, Davenport, was cited for OWI – 1st offense, following a traffic stop near West 49th Street and Oakwood Drive, Davenport. 12:31 a.m. — Jill Marie Troyer, 44, Davenport, was cited for driving while barred (habitual offender), violation of financial liability coverage and operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop near Jersey Ridge Road and East 53rd Street, Davenport. 2:31 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 1400 block of Grand Avenue. 7:48 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with hit-and-run damage in the 11500 block of 100th Avenue. A witness reported a vehicle failed to properly negotiate a curve in the roadway. The vehicle ran off the road and struck a mailbox and a tree. The vehicle briefly stopped but subsequently left the scene. 7:50 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 6000 block of New Liberty Road. A vehicle driven by Katelyn Joan-Marie Tee, 21, Walcott, was westbound on New Liberty Road. Tee reportedly lost control due to icy road conditions, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and strike a ditch. The vehicle then exited the ditch and rolled back onto the roadway and slid into the eastbound lane. Tee was transported by another party to Genesis East Medical Center. 9:48 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 13800 block of 118th Avenue. 10:00 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 4400 block of State Street. 3:48 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 20600 block of 310th Street. 6:00 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of 3rd Street. 9:33 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 2300 block of West Locust Street. TUESDAY, JAN. 6 2:20 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 21400 block of Scott Park Road. 5:30 a.m. — Deputies began a death investigation in the 700 block of West Davenport Street. 7:17 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem in the 700 block of West Walcott Road. 7:21 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem near North Main Street and West Cedar Lane Drive. 10:23 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident near mile marker 3 on Interstate 280 East, Davenport, where a vehicle driven by Darren M. Rumler Jr., 45, Moline, struck debris in the roadway. 11:47 a.m. — Deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 600 block of Belmont Road. 12:18 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 14000 block of 110th Avenue. 12:46 p.m. — Deputies began a death investigation in the 24900 block of 80th Avenue. 5:07 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a one-vehicle accident in the 27900 block of Scott Park Road, where a vehicle driven by Lucas Robert Macklin, 41, Eldridge, struck a deer that entered the roadway. 5:23 p.m. — Deputies responded to a harassment complaint in the 3200 block of South 16th Avenue. 9:01 p.m. — William Thomas Patton, 35, Davenport, was charged with domestic abuse assault – 1st offense, after deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 9800 block of 130th Street, Davenport. 11:26 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of theft in the 4300 block of West Kimberly Road. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7 12:11 a.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 4700 block of Jack Drive. 1:23 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a burglary/home invasion in the 700 block of West Walcott Road. 3:30 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of South Dittmer Street. 1:17 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury in the 2100 block of Forest Road. 1:27 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 11300 block of 140th Street. 3:09 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 24900 block of 182nd Street. THURSDAY, JAN. 8 5:50 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident in the 4800 block of State Street, Riverdale. A vehicle driven by Joni J. Tucker, 67, Moline, was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Zackery Taylor Hammill, 30, Rock Island. 6:00 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of a two-vehicle accident in the 4800 block of State Street, Riverdale. A vehicle driven by Kodzo Abaya, 34, East Moline, was stopped at a stop sign. He was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Joseph Carpio Jr., 64, Bettendorf. 8:29 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a missing person in the 100 block of 3rd Street. 9:28 a.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury in the 800 block of West 4th Street. 11:22 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of an animal problem near New Liberty Road and 35th Avenue. 1:28 p.m. — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 25900 block of 288th Avenue. 3:16 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with personal injury. 5:12 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 17800 block of Spencer Road. 8:15 p.m. — Deputies responded to the scene of an accident with property damage in the 600 block of Belmont Road. 10:54 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of West Iowa 80 Road. FRIDAY, JAN. 9 10:07 a.m. — Deputies responded to a report of a disturbance in the 400 block of Main Street. 12:40 p.m. — Deputies performed a welfare check in the 600 block of North Highway 67.
	Farm couple getaway in Decorah To help farm families strengthen relationships and set family goals, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer a Farm Couple Getaway. The event is designed for farmers who want to participate in activities aimed at improving farm family communication, working on farm or family goals, navigating farm transitions or simply taking a weekend away to discuss farm and family matters. The getaway will take place from 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13, to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, at the Hotel Winneshiek in Decorah. Past Farm Couple Getaways have proven to be beneficial. “They are very productive and a delightful time to discuss items of importance to help farms and families be successful,” said Larry Tranel, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Registration will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, with all registrations due by Feb. 27. The March getaway will accommodate 10 farm couples. The registration fee is $50 per couple, with additional costs covered by local sponsorship. To register, download the registration brochure or contact Jenn Bentley, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, at jbentley@iastate.edu; the ISU Extension and Outreach Winneshiek County office at 563-382-2949; Larry Tranel at tranel@iastate.edu; or the ISU Extension and Outreach Dubuque County office at 563-583-6496.
	Register for Farm Transitions Conference The 2026 Farm Transitions Conference will be held Feb. 5–6 at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Ankeny. The conference is hosted by the Beginning Farmer Center at Iowa State University. The two-day conference will bring together farmers, landowners and agricultural professionals seeking practical guidance on farm succession planning, options to transfer land and assets and long-term farm viability. Attendees will hear from experienced attorneys, farm management specialists, economists and transition experts who understand the unique challenges facing farm families. Session topics will include: • How current tax laws affect farm transfers and estate plans • Using business entities to support succession goals • Long-term care and retirement planning while protecting land and family relationships • Considerations for non-family succession • Strategies for having productive, and sometimes difficult, family and business conversations • Practical steps to move from “we should plan” to “we have a plan” To attend, register online at the 2026 Farm Transitions Conference website. Participants who cannot attend in person may opt for the virtual option when registering. For more information, visit the Beginning Farmer Center website or contact the Beginning Farmer Center at bfc@iastate.edu or 515-357-6680.
	Lancer girls grapple on home mats There is nothing better than wrestling on home mats. For the fourth year in a row, North Scott’s girls’ wrestlers showed out at the tournament in their backyard. Five Lancers ended on the podium last Friday as the regular season races toward its conclusion. As a team, North Scott placed seventh out of 18 schools at its home tournament, with individual performances right in line with where coach Brian Thomas expected his girls to be. “It was a good day. It wasn’t a defeating day. We got girls on the podium who are getting some medals and taking that hardware home knowing we still have things to work on,” Thomas said. “For the most part, they wrestled where they needed to.” Sophomore Aviea Holden led the group with her second-place finish in the 110-pound bracket. A trio of Lancers took third-place in seniors Sierra Metcalf (135), Bryn Stephens (140) and junior Khloe Hamilton (100). Additionally, junior Sage Dzeladini finished in fourth place (235). Holden did her best to keep North Scott’s streak of home invite champions alive. After a first-round bye, she used a first and a third-period pin to propel herself into the title match. There, Blair Grennan of Sterling Newman Catholic (IL) tagged her with a 42-second pin. Holden is up to 24 wins on the season, second most on the team behind Hamilton’s 25. As she gets more wrestling experience under her belt, adding to her jiujitsu background, the tenth-ranked wrestler in 2A-110 will only get more dangerous. “(Holden) is pretty locked in on how she wants to wrestle,” Thomas said. “She’ll attack the world, and we will get there with her.” Perhaps the most exciting North Scott match of the tournament came from Metcalf in her bronze medal match. Despite being shut out for two periods, Metcalf exploded for eight points in the final frame to flip the scoreboard and defeat Brooklyn Depoorter of West Branch, 8-7. Depoorter chose top position to start the period, but two reversals and a four-point near-fall did the trick for the Lancer senior. “That’s just typical Sierra,” Thomas said. “I call her slippery. She’s never out of it. It was 5-0. She knows how to wrestle and how to capitalize on people’s mistakes.” Stephens also brawled in her third-place match, although she had the upper hand the whole way. A first-period takedown was all it took to defeat Ottumwa’s Harper Jaeger by a 3-1 decision. She and Thomas shared a laugh after the match, with Thomas jokingly clutching his heart and asking his state-qualifier senior to take it easy on the old coach. Hamilton continues to churn out wins with three more on Friday. She recorded two pins in her first two matches before falling to Emma Staebler of Clear Creek-Amana. Like Metcalf, Hamilton had an improbable victory with a late takedown stealing a decision win from Ottumwa’s Gracey Pumphrey, 4-3. Lastly, Dzeladini went 1-1 in completed matches on Friday. She pinned Serenity Dawkins of Cedar Rapids Washington in the first period of the quarterfinals, but lost her semifinal match by the same method. Wrestling in the last match of the tournament, the consolation final, Dzeladini was hurt after taking a hard fall down to the mat against Western Dubuque’s Grace McCarthy. The Bobcat won by injury default. Junior Maggie Noonan was the other Lancer out of the team’s 11-girl lineup to place at the meet. She went 1-2 in the 190-pound bracket and placed sixth. Her win came against Torye Steger of Western Dubuque via second-period pin in the consolation semifinals. Junior Alyanna Nelson (125), sophomore Emma Stender (155) and freshmen Ashlynn Nelson (105), Mae Kelly (115), and Andreaja Merrit DeLaRosa (130) all competed but did not place. “For the most part, they wrestled where they needed to,” Thomas said. “The younger girls are coming along. I’m seeing good things out of them, and I’m trying to keep them positive. Nobody likes losing. It’s not a forgiving sport. It’s the nature of the beast.” This was the most popular edition of the North Scott Girls Invitational since girls’ wrestling was sanctioned four years ago. The previous three editions have been the standard bracket format while the inaugural edition was a scramble format. In 2024, there were 14 schools in the competition. Last year, there were 16. Last Friday, 18 schools made the trip including Jerseyville, Sterling Newman, Fulton and Rock Island from the Illinois side of the river. “I got a lot of compliments from a lot of the coaches. The tournament is run well and they like what we do,” Thomas said. “We get you in and out and get you good competition. It’s pretty good when the schools that are two hours away are already committing to come back next year.” North Scott knows that with its home tournament in the rearview mirror, the winter season is starting to wind down. The second-ever Mississippi Athletic Conference tournament is set for Wednesday at Davenport West High School. After that, the Lancers have just two more competitions before regionals on Jan. 30. “We are under 30 days,” Thomas said. “We’ve got MAC. We’ve got Louisa-Muscatine. We’ve got a double dual with DeWitt and Davenport West. We don’t have much left.”
	The Penguin Project's “Frozen Jr.,” January 23 through February 1 From January 23 through February 1, the Center for Living Arts, the Penguin Project of the Quad Cities, and Augustana College's theatre department will team up to help turn adolescents and adults with special needs into stage stars for the eagerly awaited Frozen Jr., a one-act version of the Tony nominee based on Disney's Oscar-winning animated classic that stands as one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time.
	“Out of Plain Sight,” January 25 Lauded by Screen Zealots as "a cinematic wake-up call" and by Beyond the Cinemadome as "investigative documentary journalism at its finest and most urgent," Out of Plain Sight serves as the second presentation in 2026 QC Environmental Film Series hosted by River Action.
	Shaking off the winter break rust The road was unkind to North Scott’s girls’ basketball team last week in its return to action from winter break. The 4A No. 12 Lancers dropped all three contests away from The Pit, falling to 3A No. 12 Davenport Assumption (56-48), 4A No. 7 Central DeWitt (65-32) and Illinois’ Abingdon-Avon (58-38). In conference play, North Scott started strong in both games against the Knights and Sabers, but let early leads slip away as the clock ticked on. The Lancers led 15-6 after one quarter at Assumption on Tuesday (Jan. 6), were up by the same nine-point margin at halftime, but were outscored 40-23 in the second half. In a more extreme version on Friday, North Scott led Central DeWitt 13-12 after eight minutes. The Sabers’ intensity went into hyperdrive, crushing the Lancers 18-3 in the second quarter, 24-10 in the third quarter, and briefly turning on the running clock midway through the fourth quarter. “We prepare to win. Assumption, that’s a game we can win. We let that slip away by some things we did,” Lancer co-coach Paul Rucker said. “Tonight, (DeWitt) is really good. That team runs at a different speed. They have five seniors that have played together, and you can tell they are connected. “There are things we can control: body language, energy, effort, and our communication. Genetics, the other team’s height, what the refs call, all those things you can’t control. So, forget about them. It’s a non-factor to me. Sometimes we get caught up in the things we can’t control and forget about what we can control… When we compound it into two or three possessions in a row, then it goes from ‘you’re there’, to ‘you’re kind of there’, to ‘you’re not there anymore.’ That’s where we got to tonight.” Friday’s game against Central DeWitt was billed as one of the best of this year’s conference slate between two of the six ranked Mississippi Athletic Conference teams. If the result confirmed anything, it is that the Sabers are separating themselves from the rest of the pack. Central DeWitt lost their season-opener to 5A No. 8 Iowa City High. The Sabers haven’t lost since, and have knocked off four of the ranked MAC teams in the process: 5A No. 15 Pleasant Valley, 4A No. 15 Clinton, Davenport Assumption and now North Scott. The Sabers hosted Bettendorf on Tuesday to attempt a clean sweep before the MAC schedule reverses for the second half of the season. Central DeWitt has the No. 1 offense in the conference at 63.3 points per game. Rucker credits the Sabers’ ball movement for creating plenty of great looks and scoring opportunities. “You can dribble fast, but if you pass fast, you get up and down that court real quick,” he said. “You can’t outrun the basketball. You can talk about it, and you can watch film, but until you feel it, it’s different.” North Scott completed its week at Wharton Fieldhouse in an IHMVCU Shootout game against Abingdon-Avon. The Tornadoes twisted and turned the Lancers in a 20-point victory. Illinois dominated Iowa overall, winning 12 of the 14 games played between the Moline High School and Augustana College sites. After suffering this week’s losing streak, the Lancers’ overall record dropped below .500 at 5-6. “I don’t want to say I’m happy about it, because I’m not. I want to win every single game because I’m a competitive person,” Rucker said. “But does it shake my foundation of thinking and switch everything we do? No. We’re going to stick with it. We’re going to keep getting a little bit better every single day, and we’re going to be fine.” While North Scott was be briefly back home on Tuesday when it hosted Davenport Central, three more road games against Class 5A schools await them on the other side. The Lancers will travel to Pleasant Valley on Friday, Bettendorf on Jan. 20 and Muscatine on Jan. 23.
	'We love the direction we're heading in' Look no further for the definition of ‘team wins’ than last week. Despite missing multiple starters for last week’s contests at Davenport Assumption and Central DeWitt, North Scott showed its resilience in a pair of big rivalry road wins. The Lancers defeated the Knights 78-67 and the Sabers 58-50. “These last two games, we’ve had a lot of players step up,” Lancer coach Shamus Budde said. “Both these games last week were great team wins. Any time you can go on the road and get wins in our league, it’s huge. “Last week was a great week for us. We love our guys. They are so coachable. They are all positive. I love going to practice with them. We’re still young, but we love the direction we’re heading in. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of it.” The Lancers needed everybody to get over the finish line last week, and the team got contributions from each rotation player. Against Assumption, the Lancers had four players score in double-figures, led by junior Drew Fischer’s career-high 20 points. He shot six of 10 from beyond the arc as North Scott shot 51.4 percent from range as a team. Junior Khairi Harper also had a career-high with 15 points on six-of-nine shooting from the floor. Junior Josiah Harrington had 14 points and five steals, sophomore Vasaun Wilmington had 13 points and six assists, and junior Miller Haedt had seven points and a team-high seven rebounds. “Drew and Khairi have been shooting it well, defending well, getting rebounds,” Budde said. “Miller has been awesome in practice. He is overcommunicating, bringing energy, and that’s carrying over to the games. “When we get it moving offensively and get a bunch of people involved, we are really good. We’re going to need other people to step up and score, and that’s what we’ve gotten in these last two games.” Part of this emphasis on players stepping up is because the Lancers will be without Zane Rus for the foreseeable future. The junior suffered a left leg injury last week, and he will miss multiple weeks. “I feel terrible for him. He’s a great kid and puts tons of time in,” Budde said. “We are going to miss him. We’ll miss his size and him being able to stretch the court with his ability to shoot it.” Rus’s absent six-foot-six-inch presence was felt against Assumption. North Scott gave up more offensive rebounds than the Lancers had total rebounds on Tuesday. “We are lucky we shot it well because we gave up 22 offensive rebounds. For any team to be successful, you can’t give up 22 offensive rebounds,” Budde said. “It’s another one of those games where we didn’t put together a full 32 minutes. But we did in the DeWitt game. Hopefully, with more experience, we can put together these complete games.” It was a lesson taken to heart. North Scott turned around and only gave up four offensive rebounds to Central DeWitt on Friday. North Scott led this defensive slugfest 25-18 at the break, and the team’s depth was put to the test again in the second half. After a charge called against him, Harrington was ejected from the game after stepping over his DeWitt defender and making contact with his head. “We faced adversity there without Zane in the Assumption game. Then, in the DeWitt game, we faced adversity with Josiah and what happened there. Josiah will learn from this, and we’ll move on. It’s the next guy up. And our guys responded,” Budde said. Budde highlighted juniors Mason Anderson and Ryder Maher, adding that they “are doing a great job of stepping up and getting more minutes than what they were at the beginning of the year. When we’ve called their two numbers, they’ve been ready to go.” Surrounded by juniors, it was the sophomore, Wilmington, who led North Scott down the stretch against DeWitt. Wilmington scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter as North Scott never led the Sabers get within two points during the final frame. “Vasaun, in the DeWitt game, stepped up and made some big plays for us,” Budde said. “We’re getting contributions from everybody. And like I said last week, we’re going to need that for us to be successful. “That DeWitt game and that Davenport North game have been, by far, our best two games of the year. We played for a full 32 minutes. We guarded. We were mentally and physically tough. Hopefully, we can continue to build on those games.”’ The Lancers have played their last six games away from home, and they made it seven on Tuesday as North Scott played at Davenport Central. Not only is it an ask for the players, but the student section as well, which has turned out for every single game, including North Scott’s showcase at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids. “Our student section is awesome. They’ve been supporting us all year. They are loud. Even on the road, our guys are feeding off of our student section’s energy,” Budde said. A benefit to this long road trip means a staycation is in the works for the rest of conference play. Starting on Friday against 4A No. 9 Pleasant Valley, North Scott will play seven of its next nine games at home. This will give the scarlet and silver a leg up in the battle for MAC supremacy. North Scott is 5-1 after last week, tied for second place with 4A No. 4 Muscatine. Both are one game behind 6-0 Bettendorf.
	37-year-old woman injured after being hit by car The woman was injured and taken to the hospital for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
	Poopy’s bar and restaurant for sale The owners of Poopy’s in Savanna is looking for a new owner or investor.
	1 injured after Moline vehicle/pedestrian crash One person was taken to a local hospital after a traffic crash in Moline this morning. A news release from the Moline Police Department said officers responded to a traffic crash in the 5600 block of 34th Avenue on January 13 at about 7 a.m. A car driven by a 39-year-old man from Moline [...]
	United Township superintendent to retire in 2027; principal named successor United Township Superintendent Dr. Jay Morrow will retire in June 2027. Principal Matt Wright has been approved as the district’s next superintendent.
	Varsity bowlers split with Central DeWitt North Scott’s varsity bowling teams took a trip into Davenport last week to face the North Wildcats at Bowlmor Lanes. The meet ended in a split with the Lancer boys winning 3,171 to 3,014 but the Wildcat girls winning 2,595 to 2,233. The Lancer boys maintained their unbeaten streak in Mississippi Athletic Conference play, having already defeated Bettendorf and Clinton in December. Here, senior Lucas Persson was far and away the best bowler at the meet. His 546 series was 91 pins clear of the second-best score on the day. He rolled games of 269 and 277. Sophomore Caston Dhuse (202/216—418) and junior Kale Blodig (238/173—411) both rolled over a 400-series, and freshman Parker Persson (204/193—397) was nearly there too. Senior Johnny Grimm (168/180—348) and sophomore Clayton Schroder (149/194—343) completed the lineup’s individual portion, totaling a 2,120 score. North Scott added on 1,051 in the baker round, highlighted by a monster high game score of 256. In the adjacent lanes, the Lancer girls were rolling down one girl, giving the team no margin for error. Even with a full lineup, Davenport North’s firepower would have been too much. The Wildcats had five individuals roll a 300-or-better series, while the Lancers had just two. Senior Lindy Dhuse (188/182—370) and sophomore Jillian Rupp (199/153) paced the Lancers’ efforts at this meet. In the baker round, North Scott put up an average score of 143 with a high game of 190. The Wildcats posted an average score of 167 with a high game of 181. There was still more success to celebrate as the junior varsity boys’ team won first place at Saturday’s Clinton Invite. The JV Lancers won with a total score of 2,774, just outpacing the JV Bettendorf team which had 2,718. Three members of the varsity team, Caston Dhuse, Schroder, and Jackson Moulton, also joined and led the six-person team’s efforts. Dhuse rolled a 372 series (207/165), Schroder rolled a 368 series (205/163), and Moulton rolled a 356 series (165/191). Senior Cael Mess was right there with them, posting a 337 series, which included a 214 first game, the highest game of any Lancer at this meet. Seniors Andrew Gustas and Lucas Miller put up nearly identical totals to round out the lineup. Gustas had a 268 series (119/149), and Miller had a 267 series (132/135). In the baker rotation, the Lancers went nuclear. The team rolled a 241 first game, a 200 second game and a 279 fourth game as part of their 214.6 average. The 279 game is the highest baker game in school history in tournament play for a junior varsity team. In the frame, the team had a spare. The next 10 balls were strikes, and the final throw left a rining 10 pin. Their baker total of 1,073 was enough to propel them ahead of the Bulldogs, which rolled a 912 in the baker round. North Scott will have a bowling-filled two days later this week. On Jan. 16, North Scott will travel up to DeWitt Lanes to face the Sabers in a conference dual. The following day, the Lancers will host their annual tournament. Play begins at 2 p.m. at Rose Bowl in Muscatine.
	View the Eldridge Police report from the Jan. 14 NSP! MONDAY, JAN. 5 12:38 a.m. — Cole Diercks, 27, of Low Moor, was cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. 1:07 p.m. — Complaint of a reckless driver on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 3:04 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle in the 700 block of West Donahue Street. A tow sticker was applied to the vehicle. Handled by officer. 3:49 p.m. — Complaint of a carbon monoxide alarm going off in the 400 block of East Franklin Street. The call was turned over to MidAmerican Energy. Handled by officer. 4:53 p.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 300 block of North 4th Avenue. 11:10 p.m. — Latonya Johnson, 24, of Rock Island, was cited for no driver’s license, following a traffic stop on Highway 61. TUESDAY, JAN. 6 5:30 a.m. — Report taken for a death investigation in the 700 block of West Davenport Street. 12:12 p.m. — Complaint of a domestic disturbance in the 400 block of North 6th Street. Handled by officer. 7:44 p.m. — Complaint of hit-and-run damage to a vehicle parked in the 100 block of South 5th Street. Handled by officer. 10:12 p.m. — RD Stone, 25, of Geneseo, Ill., was cited for operation with cancelled title/suspended/revoked registration, following a traffic stop in the 200 block of West LeClaire Road. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7 7:45 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 200 block of South 1st Street. 7:52 a.m. — Complaint of a slippery roadway near South Buttermilk and West Lincoln roads. Public works was notified. Handled by officer. 8:11 a.m. — Assisted Medic with an EMS call in the 100 block of South 14th Avenue. 2:24 p.m. — Complaint of a subject in the 200 block of South 1st Street being harassed. The complaint was unfounded. Handled by officer. 6:16 p.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 200 block of South 16th Avenue. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. THURSDAY, JAN. 8 12:38 a.m. — Complaint of suspicious subjects in the 800 block of South Buttermilk Road. Handled by officer. 1:54 a.m. — Complaint of loud music in the 400 block of North 6th Street. Handled by officer. 7:29 a.m. — Report of a parking complaint near North 5th Street and West LeClaire Road. Handled by officer. 7:37 a.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose near West Donahue and North 3rd streets. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 8:23 a.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle near North 9th Avenue and East LeClaire Road. Handled by officer. 5:35 p.m. — Complaint of a semi blocking the roadway near South Buttermilk and West Lincoln roads. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 5:41 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle near South Scott Park and East Lincoln roads. Handled by officer. 6:08 p.m. — Complaint of a minor accident between two vehicles on Highway 61. Handled by officer. 6:39 p.m. — Complaint of a subject in the 3200 block of South 25th Avenue being harassed. Handled by officer. 6:49 p.m. — Complaint of a vehicle stuck in mud in the 100 block of West Franklin Street. Handled by officer. FRIDAY, JAN. 9 10:30 a.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose near South Cody Road and East Blackhawk Trail. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 4:41 p.m. — Report taken for theft of property in the 500 block of North 3rd Avenue. 6:08 p.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 200 block of South 136th Avenue. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 7:55 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle near East LeClaire and North Scott Park roads. Handled by officer. 11:08 p.m. — Assisted another agency with an incident in the 100 block of West Harvest Street. Handled by officer. SATURDAY, JAN. 10 1:01 a.m. — Removed trash from the roadway near North 9th Avenue and East Franklin Street. Handled by officer. 8:45 a.m. — Assisted another agency with an incident in the 100 block of West Harvest Street. Handled by officer. 6:03 p.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 200 block of East LeClaire Road. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 6:11 p.m. — Report of an alarm sounding in the 200 block of South 16th Avenue. Keyholder contacted. Handled by officer. 8:56 p.m. — Complaint of a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of North Scott Park Road. Handled by officer. 9:15 p.m. — Shaylynn Lacy, 17, of Davenport, was cited for no driver’s license, following a traffic stop near South 1st Street and East Blackhawk Trail. 11:04 p.m. — Complaint of a dog running loose in the 200 block of West Sheridan Drive. The animal was returned to its owner. Handled by officer. SUNDAY, JAN. 11 12:20 p.m. — Complaint of a disturbance in the 300 block of South 9th Avenue. Handled by officer. 1:12 p.m. — Complaint of wood falling off a trailer on Highway 61. Unable to locate. Handled by officer. 5:54 p.m. — Complaint of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Handled by officer.
	Iowa to expand materials science study The University of Iowa is working to upgrade equipment and expand its materials science learning capabilities for students and researchers across Iowa with the support of a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. The university announced it has received a nearly $1.5 million grant to study potential combinations of different materials to develop “light- or electronic-based quantum systems,” according to a news release. Titled “Heterogeneous Nanoscale Materials Collaborative for Quantum Technologies at The University of Iowa,” the grant-funded initiative will bring together researchers in physics, chemistry and engineering and allow for the purchase of new equipment to better study materials at sub-microscopic levels and manipulate them for combination. “We want to utilize the quantum mechanical properties of new materials,” said Ravitej Uppu, assistant professor in the UI physics and astronomy department and a principal investigator on the award, in the release. “If we can harness these new materials, functionalize them, then we could make sensors that can achieve better image quality and better sensing performance.” The UI Materials Analysis, Testing and Fabrication Facility will act as the project’s base and will see its equipment and infrastructure updated through the grant, facility director Tori Forbes said in the release. New equipment will have etching and pattern-creation capabilities, the release stated, and a new printing system will be able to layer materials “to optimize their optical and electronic properties.” Uppu said in the release the technology will help researchers potentially turn “conceptual structures into working devices” and fabricate “everything from light-routing devices to tiny transistors relevant for quantum technologies in a university research setting.” “It’s been challenging to keep this aging equipment functional and enable faculty and students to conduct research in this area,” Forbes said in the release. “This award will ensure that students can receive training on state-of-the-art equipment and faculty can continue to innovate.” Just under 30 academic teams received grants from the Department of Defense this fall through its Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or DEPSCoR. More than $19 million was awarded, with both the UI and Boise State University selected for funding up to $1.5 million over two years and the rest receiving up to $600,000 over three years. According to the release, students and faculty from other Iowa colleges and universities will have access to the work and opportunities afforded by the Materials Analysis, Testing and Fabrication Facility and the grant. Uppu said in the release the team plans to run a summer school program for students from regional colleges interested in learning to use the new equipment. “That way, we create a new bridge between the universities to start thinking about potential collaborative projects. And naturally, MATFab becomes the central hub for that, because it hosts all the required facilities,” he said in the release.
	States enact privacy laws and restrict license plate readers As part of its deportation efforts, the Trump administration has ordered states to hand over personal data from voter rolls, driver’s license records and programs such as Medicaid and food stamps. At the same time, the administration is trying to consolidate the bits of personal data held across federal agencies, creating a single trove of information on people who live in the United States. Many left-leaning states and cities are trying to protect their residents’ personal information amid the immigration crackdown. But a growing number of conservative lawmakers also want to curb the use of surveillance technologies, such as automated license plate readers, that can be used to identify and track people. Conservative-led states such as Arkansas, Idaho and Montana enacted laws last year designed to protect the personal data collected through license plate readers and other means. They joined at least five left-leaning states — Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Washington — that specifically blocked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from accessing their driver’s license records. In addition, Democratic-led cities in Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Washington last year terminated their contracts with Flock Safety, the largest provider of license plate readers in the U.S. The Trump administration’s goal is to create a “surveillance dragnet across the country,” said William Owen, communications director at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a nonprofit that advocates for stronger privacy laws. “We’re entering an increasingly dystopian era of high-tech surveillance,” Owen said. Intelligence sharing between various levels of government, he said, has “allowed ICE to sidestep sanctuary laws and co-opt local police databases and surveillance tools, including license plate readers, facial recognition and other technologies.” A new Montana law bars government entities from accessing electronic communications and related material without a warrant. Republican state Sen. Daniel Emrich, the law’s author, said “the most important thing that our entire justice system is based on is the principle against unlawful search and seizure” — the right enshrined in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. “It’s tough to find individuals who are constitutionally grounded and understand the necessity of keeping the Fourth Amendment rights intact at all times for all reasons — with minimal or zero exceptions,” Emrich said in an interview. ICE did not respond to Stateline’s requests for comment. Automated license plate readers Recently, cities and states have grown particularly concerned over the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs), which are high-speed camera and computer systems that capture license plate information on vehicles that drive by. These readers sit on top of police cars and streetlights or can be hidden within construction barrels and utility poles. Some cameras collect data that gets stored in databases for years, raising concerns among privacy advocates. One report from the Brennan Center for Justice, a progressive think tank at New York University, found the data can be susceptible to hacking. Different agencies have varying policies on how long they keep the data, according to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, a law enforcement advocacy group. Supporters of the technology, including many in law enforcement, say the technology is a powerful tool for tracking down criminal suspects. Flock Safety says it has cameras in more than 5,000 communities and is connected to more than 4,800 law enforcement agencies across 49 states. The company claims its cameras conduct more than 20 billion license plate reads a month. It collects the data and gives it to police departments, which use the information to locate people. Holly Beilin, a spokesperson for Flock Safety, told Stateline that while there are local police agencies that may be working with ICE, the company does not have a contractual relationship with the agency. Beilin also said that many liberal and even sanctuary cities continue to sign contracts with Flock Safety. She noted that the cameras have been used to solve some high-profile crimes, including identifying and leading police to the man who committed the Brown University shooting and killed an MIT professor at the end of last year. “Agencies and cities are very much able to use this technology in a way that complies with their values. So they do not have to share data out of state,” Beilin said. Pushback over data’s use But critics, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, say that Flock Safety’s cameras are not only “giving even the smallest-town police chief access to an enormously powerful driver-surveillance tool,” but also that the data is being used by ICE. One news outlet, 404 Media, obtained records of these searches and found many were being carried out by local officers on behalf of ICE. Last spring, the Denver City Council unanimously voted to terminate its contract with Flock Safety, but Democratic Mayor Mike Johnston unilaterally extended the contract in October, arguing that the technology was a useful crime-fighting tool. The ACLU of Colorado has vehemently opposed the cameras, saying last August that audit logs from the Denver Police Department show more than 1,400 searches had been conducted for ICE since June 2024. “The conversation has really gotten bigger because of the federal landscape and the focus, not only on immigrants and the functionality of ICE right now, but also on the side of really trying to reduce and or eliminate protections in regards to access to reproductive care and gender affirming care,” Anaya Robinson, public policy director at the ACLU of Colorado. “When we erode rights and access for a particular community, it’s just a matter of time before that erosion starts to touch other communities.” Jimmy Monto, a Democratic city councilor in Syracuse, New York, led the charge to eliminate Flock Safety’s contract in his city. “Syracuse has a very large immigrant population, a very large new American population, refugees that have resettled and been resettled here. So it’s a very sensitive issue,” Monto said, adding that license plate readers allow anyone reviewing the data to determine someone’s immigration status without a warrant. “When we sign a contract with someone who is collecting data on the citizens who live in a city, we have to be hyper-focused on exactly what they are doing while we’re also giving police departments the tools that they need to also solve homicides, right?” Monto said. “Certainly, if license plate readers are helpful in that way, I think the scope is right. But we have to make sure that that’s what we’re using it for, and that the companies that we are contracting with are acting in good faith.” Emrich, the Montana lawmaker, said everyone should be concerned about protecting constitutional privacy rights, regardless of their political views. “If the government is obtaining data in violation of constitutional rights, they could be violating a whole slew of individuals’ constitutional rights in pursuit of the individuals who may or may not be protected under those same constitutional rights,” he said.
	'My role was making movies that mattered,' says Jodie Foster, as 'Taxi Driver' turns 50 Foster was just 12 years old when she starred in the 1976 film. "What luck to have been part of that, our golden age of cinema in the '70s," she says. Her latest film is Vie Privée (A Private Life).
	WATCH AT 6PM: Iowa’s 2026 Condition of the State Address In her last Condition of the State address, Gov. Kim Reynolds will outline her legislative priorities for this year’s session.

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026