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

Runners gear up for the Quad Cities Marathon Sunday

Road closures go into place as the Quad Cities prepare for thousands of runners to take over the streets Sunday, September 22nd.

'Day of the Dead' exhibit returns to Figge Art Museum

The exhibit returned to the Figge Art Museum in Davenport on Saturday.

Hit & run victim's sister speaks out

A sister speaking out after her brother was killed during a hit and run in Clinton. On August 30, Emiliano Barrios was struck by a vehicle, dying from his injuries. Three weeks later, police have a suspect.

Tracking heavy rain and flooding for Sunday

A Flash Flood WATCH has been issued for the entire Quad Cities region through 1am Monday. Additional heavy rainfall in the next 24-hours is likely going to increase the amount of flooding that we see in our hometowns, especially in fields. In just the last 48 hours alone several locations have picked up more than three to as much as six inches of rainfall stretching in a line from Iowa City to Muscatine to just north of Galesburg. It will be these same areas that see the threat for additional heavy rainfall through Sunday evening. The current setup involves two potent sources for moisture, the Pacific courtesy of Tropical Storms Mario and Lorena, along with the leftover moisture from Imelda that developed in the Gulf of Mexico. Both of these sources are streaming in our direction and will actually combine forces to drive a very unusual amount of moisture that showers and storms will utilize to lay down locally heavy rainfall. The amount of available moisture looks to be maximized early Sunday morning. That’s when precipitable water (a value we use to measure how much rain could fall in just one single thunderstorm) reaches above the two-inch mark. This is represented by the darker green shading on the map above. Much of the Quad Cities remains in this extremely high moisture content air mass for a good chunk of Sunday. Unfortunately, the highest values are concentrated right overtop areas that have already seen extremely heavy rainfall in the last week. It’s these areas, especially along and south of I-80, that will be vulnerable to Flash Flooding through Sunday evening. Showers and storms will come in waves, the heaviest in the morning, with moderate to locally heavy rainfall continuing in the afternoon. In all, many locations will exceed two inches of more stretching from Mount Pleasant Iowa up through Geneseo and Sterling/Rock Falls. Isolated higher amounts of more than four inches are likely in isolated locations. Because the ground is saturated and the rate of rainfall will be quite high, flash flooding is likely. The threat of severe weather is extremely low because our atmosphere is so saturated with moisture. A few lightning strikes will be possible at times. The heavy rainfall threat will quickly diminish after dark Sunday evening. Thankfully we’ll get a couple of days to dry out before the next batch of rain arrives midweek. All of this heavy rain will eventually impact rivers next week. We’ll have a better grip on how significant those impacts will be once we get a feel for how much rain has fallen during this event. Stay tuned! Meteorologist Andrew Stutzke Here’s a look at the hour-by-hour forecast from the StormTrack 8 Weather App: Click on the links below to download our free weather app:

Mississippi River at Rock Island expected to rise to near flood stage

Davenport has activated its flood plan in preparation for the Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 15 to rise to near flood stage late Monday into Tuesday.

Colorado woman picks up injured bobcat, puts it in car next to her child

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A woman in Colorado Springs picked up an injured bobcat and put it in her car on Thursday morning, according to KDVR. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials say the woman placed the mortally wounded wild cat in the backseat of her car - where her child was seated. Wildlife officials removed the bobcat from the woman's car. They say it was too injured to react to being picked up and placed in the car. Now CPW is issuing a stern warning, saying no one should ever pick up injured animals. We removed the bobcat, which was mortally wounded. Luckily, it was too injured to react to being picked up and placed in a car. But no one should EVER try this. This could have been tragic. pic.twitter.com/x5aqqnGWIC — CPW SE Region (@CPW_SE) September 19, 2019  

Amazon to buy 100,000 electric vans as part of broader climate pledge

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced a broad plan on Thursday to fight climate change, including meeting the Paris climate agreement 10 years early, which will make the company carbon neutral by 2040. As part of this pledge to fight climate change, Bezos announced Amazon will purchase 100,000 electric vans. These vehicles will begin making deliveries in 2021 and all 100,000 will be deployed by 2024, Bezos said. The vans will come from the electric vehicle company Rivian. Amazon led a $700 million investment round in the company earlier this year. Bezos laid out the pledge alongside Christiana Figueres, the United Nations’ former climate change chief, at an event held by the National Press Club in Washington, DC. In his remarks, Bezos described the planet as the best in the solar system and said more needs to be done to take care of it. “The climate science community is surprised by how quickly things are changing,” Bezos said. “We’ve been in the middle of the herd on this issue and we want to move to the forefront.” Amazon has been criticized for the environmental impact of its emphasis on faster and faster shipping. There can be tradeoffs between delivery speed and carbon emissions. With Prime, its premium membership service, Amazon offers free two-day shipping on millions of items with no minimum order size. Amazon and its competitors are trying to figure out how to balance environmental impacts while still satisfying customers who want speedy deliveries. Amazon’s announcement followed a recent pledge from 1,550 Amazon employees to walk out in protest of what they call inaction on climate change. The group, known as the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, issued a statement Thursday calling Bezos’ announcement a huge win. But they said it’s not enough and they will still walk out Friday. “We’re thrilled at what workers have been able to achieve in less than a year,” they said in a statement. “The Paris agreement, by itself, won’t get us to a livable world. Today, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we’ll be in the streets to continue the fight for a livable future.” At one point on Thursday, Bezos openly disagreed with Amazon employees who have called on the company to no longer sign cloud computing contracts with oil and gas companies. Bezos said Amazon should aid them in their transition from fossil fuels. “We should and we need to help them instead of vilify them,” he said. Amazon previously set what it described as “an ambitious goal” of being carbon neutral on 50% of all Amazon shipments by 2030. Amazon called on other businesses to sign its climate pledge, which includes measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions on a regular basis. Under the pledge, businesses would also need to implement decarbonization strategies and neutralize remaining emissions with carbon offsets. Amazon also announced a $100 million reforestation fund. Bezos called it a nature-based solution to removing carbon.

A 14-year-old boy took a ship anchor to the head – and survived. Now, his friends call him ‘Anchorman’

This teen survived a major brain injury after an anchor on a boat struck him in the head. His recovery, doctors said, is a miracle. (Kelli Bennett/Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital) Caleb Bennett has always felt at home on boats. The 14-year-old from Manatee County, Florida, grew up on the water, taking fishing trips with his family. He was on a boat when the anchor got lodged in his skull. The teen survived a major brain injury after an anchor on a boat struck him in the head. His recovery, doctors said, is a miracle. The incident earned Caleb a new nickname, too — “Anchorman.” Caleb was with his friends and brother when the anchor slipped from the back of their boat. The line holding it pulled tight, and the anchor swung back and hit his forehead. So he caught the anchor in his hands, dropped to his knees and tried not to move the metal protruding from his head. Then he asked his friend to call 911, he said, because “I’m probably going to die.” While Caleb was being rushed into emergency surgery at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, his parents were celebrating their wedding anniversary in the Bahamas. Kelli Bennett got the news sitting alone on a beach. “Needless to say, I kind of lost it,” she told CNN. His remarkable recovery is ‘one in a million’ Kelli and her husband Rick didn’t know the full extent of their son’s injuries until they rushed back to Florida that night. When they arrived, pediatric neurosurgeon Luis Rodriguez explained Caleb had had an emergency craniotomy to partially remove his frontal lobe and give his brain space to swell. Caleb was put into a medically induced coma. His physicians told his parents he might never speak, walk or move his limbs again. But within five days of waking up, he was back on his feet. “I’ve seen things like this, but I’ve never seen an anchor, number one, and number two, I’ve never seen anybody with an injury like that walk out of the hospital almost completely neurologically intact,” Rodriguez said in a clip from the hospital. “That’s one in a million.” That was in March, and recovery from brain surgery typically takes more than a year, the Bennetts said. So Caleb is still healing, keeping activities light but sneaking in a fishing trip once in a while. A few weeks ago, he had two minor seizures in the same day, his parents said. His doctors expected the side effect, but they’ve given him medicine to treat them. Rick Bennett said the seizures are a small price to pay for his son’s life. “He should’ve died right where he stood,” he said. “Even if this is our cross to bear for a while or indefinitely, it’s better than the alternative.”

Ohio woman arrested after reportedly admitting to striking child who later died, not calling 911

TOLEDO, Ohio – An Ohio woman has been arrested after reportedly admitting to striking a 5-year-old who later died, WTVG reported. According to WTVG, the Toledo Fire Department responded to multiple calls of an unconscious child who had fallen off a bed. They administered life-saving measures before taking the child to the hospital where he later died. Court documents said medical professionals told law enforcement the child’s injuries were not consistent with a fall. Police said interviews with Yisenya Flores revealed she confessed to striking the child the day before. She reportedly noticed the child was lethargic but did not call police until the following night at 6:30 p.m. Court documents stated Flores was charged with child endangerment in the incident; she appeared in court Friday and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 27.

88-year-old widow violently robbed of thousands she saved for late husband’s gravestone

NEW YORK CITY — Police are looking for a man accused of attacking and robbing a woman in her Manhattan apartment, stealing thousands she had saved up to buy a headstone for her late husband's grave. Just before noon Saturday, Maximina Osorio was arriving home at her apartment, when the unidentified man grabbed her from behind after she unlocked her door, police said. Police identified Osorio as being 89 years old, but she later told WPIX she is 88. Authorities said the man pushed Osorio through her doorway and to the ground before demanding to know, "Where's the money?" Osorio told WPIX Thursday the attacker told her to "shut up," and not to scream, even grabbing her face and nearly choking her to stop her from making noise. The frightened widow told the thief her money was in a drawer in her bedroom, according to police. The man proceeded to take $5,000 in cash from the woman's bedroom before fleeing her apartment, officials said. Osorio said she had been saving the money for two years and was planning to use it to buy a gravestone for her late husband Salvatore. The couple were married for 50 years until his death about a year ago. Her husband's death isn't the only tragedy the resilient woman has known. Osorio told WPIX she also had to bury a daughter in the past. After the violent robbery, Osorio complained of neck and back pain and she was taken to a local hospital. Osorio said she spent three days in the hospital and is worried about a head injury. While police have only released information about one man wanted in connection with the robbery, Osorio said he had an accomplice in the robbery, and that her attacker spoke both English and Spanish. The NYPD describe the man as standing about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with a full beard. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue hooded sweatshirt, a blue t-shirt, white sneakers, a backpack, and a black and blue Philadelphia Flyers baseball cap, authorities said. A local woman has launched a GoFundMe for Osario.

Non-profit, flood survivor team up to help Waddles walk again

A woman who lost nearly everything she had in the Flood of 2019, with the help of an international nonprofit organization, is helping a dog regain its mobility.

Man decorates shelter dog’s room and moves in to get her adopted

MERRIAM, Kan. -- A Kansas man determined to get a shelter dog a new home decided to decorate her room and move in with her. Queen is a 3-year-old terrier mix currently available for adoption at Great Plains SPCA in Merriam, Kansas. Although Queen is in good hands with shelter staff, she has been getting a bit lonely not having a home of her own. Scott Poor decorates Queen's room. Photo courtesy Scott Poore. That's where Scott Poore came in. Poore has dedicated his life to helping homeless animals through his company, Mission Driven Goods. When he heard about Queen, he decided to do something. "She is the most affectionate, lovable dog I've probably ever worked with. She has tons of energy," Poore said. "She's gentle and loving. The past couple months she's started losing hope, and that's what motivated me to do this. I'm not going to let her lose hope." When he saw a change in Queen's behavior after living in the shelter for more than 400 days, he decided to decorate her kennel in hopes of drawing the attention of a potential adopter. He also decided to move in with Queen to keep her company. While he's living there Poore says it's only fair he pay rent. He's asking for donations for the time he's keeping the dog company, and the shelter will match each dollar through the month of September. You can learn how to adopt Queen here.

Credit Island travels back in time for Quad City Renaissance Faire

Credit Island Park has gotten a 16th-century makeover for the weekend. The Great Quad City Renaissance Faire, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on September 21st and 22nd,  facilitates the gathering of medieval enthusiasts and onlookers on Credit Island. Through the eye of the festivals transformation, attendees range from a king’s court to merchants to strolling commoners. The event features six stages hosting a variety of live entertainment, including music, magic, and fire-breathing. Medieval skill challenges also dot the park, including a horseback jousting tournament. Organizers say that the Faire will continue through Sunday, rain or shine, with Festival Director Adam Williams expressing his interest in keeping the gathering alive, saying, “…Just a way to get away and be somebody else and come live the fantasy. It`s always a lot of fun, you get to see a lot of the same people, one of the great things, I`m starting to see some of the kids that I remember from back in the day now bringing their kids to fairs”

Families of suicide victims walk 5K in rain to remember lost loved ones

ELDRIDGE, Iowa — Raindrops fell on the streets of Eldridge Saturday morning as families marched in remembrance of people they have lost. The tenth annual Walk with Travis in Scott County Park gathered people affected by the loss of loved ones to suicide for a 5 kilometer (about 3.1 mile) long walk to raise awareness for suicide prevention, mental health, and survivor support. The event began at 9 a.m. with a reading of names before the attendees set out on the hike in pouring rain. The event is funded by a silent auction, raffle drawings, and signup fees which are also donated to local groups working in suicide prevention. Leaders of the walk say that more work can always be done to fight suicide. Organizer Tara Dinneweth stresses the importance of normalizing attention to mental health by saying, “…a little more mental health treatment and more education. Educating our youth that it is okay to have depression, to have anxiety and letting them know that if they`re having a problem and contemplating taking their own life, they need to talk to somebody” The annual walk began in 2009 after the suicide of Travis Rasche, who family started the event after they felt that there weren’t enough resources for families affected by suicide. It has raised money for several suicide prevention organizations in local Iowa communities.

Davenport activates flood plan

Due to recent rains and a heavy dose of wet weather Saturday, the City of Davenport is prepping for flooding along the Mississippi River.

Steak, beer and politics: 2020 Democrats descend on Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With marching bands, drum lines, hundreds of yard signs and at least one fire truck, Democratic presidential candidates made a colorful and often loud pitch to Iowa Democrats at the Steak Fry fundraiser in Des Moines on Saturday. The event, a fundraiser for the Polk County Democratic Party and one of the biggest remaining opportunities for candidates to flex their organizing muscles in Iowa before the caucuses, comes as a number of candidates are facing an uncertain future in the race and shaking up their campaign strategies in an effort to break out of the pack. On Saturday morning, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker warned he may need to end his campaign if he’s unable to raise $1.7 million by the end of the third fundraising quarter. His announcement came the day after California Sen. Kamala Harris announced she’d be going all-in on Iowa in hopes of finishing in the top three. Both have been stagnant in national and Iowa surveys, with Harris polling in the middle of the pack and Booker struggling to move beyond low single digits. At the Steak Fry, however, Harris turned out her fans in force, marching into the event with hundreds of supporters and a drum line. Booker had a smaller crowd gathered to see him into the event, and the portrait the candidate painted to reporters after speaking to the Steak Fry crowd was dire. “I don’t believe people should stay in this just to stay in it,” he said. “You either have a trajectory to win or not. And right now if we don’t raise $1.7 million we won’t be able to make the investments necessary. He added: “If we don’t have a pathway to win we should get out of this race.” The event Saturday is part parade, part organizing show of force — and quintessentially Iowa, home of the 2020 race’s leadoff caucuses in February. It began as a fundraiser for Tom Harkin’s first congressional bid, where the 53 attendees could buy a steak and a foil-wrapped baked potato for $2. Harkin has retired from the Senate and is out of politics, but the steak fry lives on, now more than four decades strong. This year, more than 12,000 people were expected to join in addition to 19 presidential candidates. Attendees enjoyed the traditional steaks — 10,500 were grilled by volunteers — but they also had the option to order from a food truck or visit a craft beer tent. There are even camping grounds, where supporters of former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke spent Friday night. The county’s Democratic chairman, Sean Bagniewski, said the event has a “modern twist.” “That’s the future of the party — it’s gonna be more women in positions of leadership, it’s gonna be more people of color, and it’s going to be more young people,” he said. What hasn’t changed is the event’s significance for the candidates. When Barack Obama marched into the 2007 Iowa steak fry flanked by 1,000 supporters, skeptical Iowans were put on notice that he could win the state’s caucus. Bagniewski said that, like 2007, Democrats are looking for someone who can show they have the organizational strength to win. “Everyone wants to beat Donald Trump,” he said. “Everyone has a top five, but when you actually see that your candidate of choice has 1,000 people supporting them at the steak fry, it gives you more liberty to make that decision.” A few hours before the candidates began their speeches, gray clouds swirled overhead at the Des Moines Waterworks. People wore campaign T-shirts and chanted the names of their preferred candidates as smoke hovered over the thousands of cooking steaks at the riverside park. South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who was hoping to make a big splash Saturday as he steps up his Iowa presence, addressed hundreds of supporters sporting his campaign’s signature gold and blue T-shirts. Against this festive backdrop, former Vice President Joe Biden commented on the dust-up over a whistleblower’s complaint in Washington that involved Trump’s phone conversation with Ukraine’s leader. Although the complaint is under wraps, Trump is known to want Ukraine to investigate business dealings there by Biden’s son, Hunter, during his vice presidency. “The fact of the matter is that that fellow in the White House knows that if we get the nomination we’re gonna beat him like a drum,” Biden said. “So be prepared for every lousy thing that’s coming from him.”

Mom furious after discovering school’s plan to put desk for son with autism in bathroom

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A woman is furious with the Bellingham School District because of how she says they treated her son. Danielle Goodwyn says her 11-year-old son Lucas has special needs and requires a quiet learning environment.  She says she received a shock this week when she went into her son's classroom at Whatcom Middle School. "The teacher informed us that he would be studying in the bathroom," she told KCPQ. In a photo that Goodwyn took, a desk is seen sitting over the toilet, and a chair is next to the sink. "And a napping mat, so he was expected to use that mat to sleep on the bathroom floor," she said. Goodwyn tells KCPQ that Lucas has autism and loud sounds are a trigger for him. "We were trying to find a quieter place for him to work," she said. She says there have been no issues with meeting Lucas' education needs at the district in the past.  He started sixth grade this year, and says he now feels scared. "I thought this was going to be where I was for the rest of the year," he said. Goodwyn says the faculty at Whatcom Middle School did not provide any alternative learning space for her son, so she took him out of school. "We are still waiting to hear from the district," she said. Bellingham School District officials. They issued the following statement to KCPQ: We are continuing to look into this, but at this time, it appears that the restroom was set up as a possible separate quiet learning space, but no student was placed in there. The desk has been removed, and staff at the school are aware that the space should not be used for that purpose in the future. While we aren’t able to share specific details about our students, we can tell you that keeping our students safe and engaged in learning are our top priorities. "Great that they removed the desk, but that doesn't help my son's self-esteem, his embarrassment," Goodwyn said. Goodwyn says she shared her story to warn parents, and that if she did not go into her son's class that day she would never have known about any of this. The district says they received the complaint Thursday morning and are still investigating. They say that to their knowledge bathrooms have not been used as alternative learning spaces.

Fingers crossed: Early indicators are no polar vortex this winter

DES MOINES -- As summer comes to a close, early indicators seem to suggest Iowa’s winter may not be extreme as last year’s, which included a polar vortex that contributed to record low temperatures.

Geneseo Bark in the Park holds numerous activities to support county Humane Society

                                          GENESEO, Illinois — Dogs and their owners took part in a large set of activities Saturday morning to support the Henry County Humane Society. Participants gathered at Geneseo City Park at 9 a.m. to begin the days festivities. News8’s Elizabeth Wadas and her dog, Winnie, kicked it off by being the event’s first speakers as well as the day’s MC.  Organizers kept a close eye on the skies as the potential for storms threatened to end the fun early. Other speakers from groups such as the Geneseo Police and Humane Society staff filled out the rest of the itinerary until 10 a.m., when attendees set out for the main event: a one mile walk, with or without their dogs. This section of the event is when the rain kicked into full gear, but it wasn’t enough to crash the party. 11:25 a.m. saw attendees gathering back into the park for the prize-offering pet contests. Categories included Best Costume, Best Dog and Owner Costume Duo, Smallest Dog, Largest Dog, Best Talking Dog, Best Trick, and Most Lookalike Dog and Owner. This would be the final activity of the day before the event wrapped up around noon. All proceeds from Geneseo Bark in the Park benefit the Henry County Humane Society.

1,000 people participated in mental health awareness walk despite the rain

The National Alliance on Mental Health hopes the walk will change perceptions about mental illness.

In its second year, TBK Bank Sports Complex hires new CEO, looks to continue success

For more than a year, the TBK Bank Sports Complex in Bettendorf has hosted a wide array of sports and activities, from baseball to bowling to sand volleyball.

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Saturday is World Alzheimer’s Day

Saturday is World Alzheimer’s Day. It is the most common type of dementia

Last weekend of summer is looking soggy

We’ve officially made it to the last weekend of summer! Unfortunately, most of your Saturday and Sunday are looking soggy. Thunderstorms are likely throughout the day starting in the late morning. We may have a period of dry weather in the afternoon before more storms form for the evening. Severe weather threat remains to the west of our hometowns, but we can’t rule out heavy rainfall and frequent lightning with some of the storms. Highs today will reach the upper 70s. We will see a Flash Flood Watch for all of us this weekend as heavy rainfall moves in Saturday night into Sunday. Rainfall is looking to be heaviest to the south of the Quad Cities with the potential to accumulate 4 inches of rain. If you are running in the Quad Cities Marathon or going out to support the runners tomorrow morning, dress for rain and plan accordingly. Rain will fizzle out by Sunday evening… just in time to fit in some grilling for dinner! After the wet weekend, we will begin the work week with dry and less humid conditions. Mostly sunny skies for Monday and highs will remain below 80 degrees to begin for a much cooler week than last week!

Man charged with “making terrorist threats” in Monmouth

MONMOUTH, Illinois – A 41-year-old man is behind bars after police say he made threats involving homemade explosive devices. Police say they responded to 1001 W. 1st Avenue on September 20th at around 9:45 p.m. Officers made contact with Brian E. Sage, who threatened officers with a road flare and additional flammable material. He was arrested at the scene. According to a press release, Sage is charged with Making Terrorist Threats, Possession of Methamphetamine, Aggravated Assault and Resisting Arrest. Police are not releasing any more details at this time.

Rock Island woman cited for failure to yield in crash

A Rock Island woman has been cited for failure to yield at an intersection.

Births for Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019

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Police: 6 people shot, one killed in New Orleans

Six people were shot Friday night at the intersection of Canal Boulevard and City Park Avenue, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

Local advocates ask for change after presidential candidate LGBTQ+ forum

DAVENPORT, IOWA  --  10 presidential candidates were in Iowa on September 20th,2019. They were taking part in a forum for LGBTQ+ issues in Cedar Rapids. Members of the local LGBTQ+ community celebrated pride in Davenport with fall pride fest. The event runs tomorrow, Saturday, September 21st, 2019. "I have students that are transitioning and they don't know where to go for that," Pride Fest participant Wendy Wenskunas said. "And if we could have more services, especially at their age, that would be great just to have." Wenskunas said she is happy to see this kind of forum happening. She says she hopes this trickles down to the local communities in the future. "They need to ask us and bring us in," Wenskunas said. "Sit down with us and talk to real people that know and have lived through different things. We know what is out there and what kind of barriers that we engage in on a daily basis." "The health equity issues that are facing LGBTQ people in all communities across the country, they need to start to ask those questions," Pride fest participant Tyler Mitchell said. " Look at what those health factors are and how both at a local and a federal level we can start to address those better." Mental health services for youth in the LGBTQ+ community was also addressed by many local advocates. They said they would like to see cheaper resources for young people to access. September 20th forum was one of two presidential forums specifically addressing LGBTQ+ issues within the next month. Nine democratic candidates, are scheduled to participate in a town-hall-style meeting in October.

Fans wear gold to Geneseo High School football game to raise awareness

GENESEO, Illinois - The stadium at Geneseo High School was filled with people wearing the color gold on September 20. It's one way people in the community are raising awareness for childhood cancer. Jeanna Francis and her husband Matt were overwhelmed by the support of the community. They are the couple who helped to organize the "Go Gold" event. The event is in memory of their son Brantley, who passed away in 2017. "We have asked everyone to wear gold tonight whether it`s a shirt, bow, anything just to show their support for all of the kids that have been effected by childhood cancer," said Jeanna Francis. The simple request turned into a spectacle. More than 800 shirts were sold in support of the event and fans, cheerleaders and players wore gold to show their support. "It`s hard and its sometimes easier to look away but everybody in the community has stepped up and they`re not looking away and they`re helping us raise awareness and funds for research so its awesome to see," said Francis. The memory of Brantley was filling the air on Friday night, too. "It was a short time but it was an amazing three years," Jeanna said about her son. He died when he was just three-years-old. "Obviously its not easy being in and out of the hospital and long hospital stays, but he was so good and always had a smile," Jeanna said. When their son lost his battle with cancer, the dedicated family set out on a mission. They use The Brantley Francis Foundation to send gift bags filled with toys and gift cards to other children who are battling cancer, and to their families as well. They also raise funds for private research to be done. "Brantley, I think he would love what were doing," said Jeanna. Francis told News 8 that the color gold was chosen as the official color for childhood cancer awareness decades ago because "children have a heart of gold." September is childhood cancer awareness month. To learn more about Brantley's story and The Brantley Francis Foundation, click here.

Local 5 year-old knows every country and flag

A Bettendorf five-year-old can name every country in the world, find each one on the map, and identify its flag. Akshaj Chidananda can also name all of the states, their capitals, and knows their flags, with a fun way of remembering them.

Iowa Democrats’ ‘satellite caucuses’ plan wins approval

In what an Iowa Democratic Party leader called the “ultimate in seeing how sausage is made,” the national party’s rules committee approved plans Friday for satellite caucuses allowing Iowans to participate if they are unable to attend an in-person caucus…

Quad Cities students join in on world climate strike

Rallies were held across the globe to draw attention to climate change and the danger of inaction.

Iowa State fan gets year supply of Busch Light with face on can after viral fundraiser

Carson King gets year supply of Busch Light with face on the can

Davenport police find dead man in Fejervary Park, launch investigation

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Local police found a body dead in a park in the middle of the afternoon on Friday, September 20th. According to a release from the Davenport Police Department, officers were dispatched to Fejervary Park on 12th street regarding reports of an adult male found unresponsive. Davenport Fire and Medical made it to the scene before the police, and pronounced the man dead. Not much is known about what lead to the man’s death. Early information is suggesting that a medical condition could be a factor, and foul play is not current suspected. Davenport Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Quad City woman holding meeting about a federal rule that could impact immigrants and refugees

The Quad Cities is home to many immigrants and refugees. A new federal regulation could affect immigrants wanting to adjust their status or visit their families in the U.S.

Overnight camping now banned at LeClaire levee

LECLAIRE, Iowa -- LeClaire can no longer be a rest stop for those road tripping through town -- a new rule now prohibits campers from parking at the levee overnight. For the next year, Sohpie Moine and her family are taking their life on the road. Originally from France, the Moines got in their RV in Canada and plan to drive through to Panama. But on Friday, Sept. 20, their road trip across the country brought them to LeClaire. "We know Buffalo Bill so we said 'Oh it could be nice,'" Moine said describing what made her RV pull into Buffalo Bill Museum's parking lot. "When we arrived and saw the boat and the Mississippi we said we would stop here and visit the museum tomorrow morning." Moine said LeClaire was a recommended overnight stop on a RV camping app, i-Overlander. "It`s nice to be able to stay somewhere and it`s the opportunity to do shopping or visit the place," Moine said. Her family and money, now with local tourist attractions, restaurants and shops. However, on Monday Sept 16, the city voted to ban overnight camping at the levee. The city's city administrator said RVs usually blocked parking spaces where city events were typically held. Donna Walley, owner of Aunt Hattie's Gift Shop, said a few overnight guests should be welcomed, not banned. "You know they`re going to eat here. You know that they`re going to shop here.... You know they`re probably going to buy gas here," Walley said. "So I don`t understand why you would want to shoo them away." Walley said the city should instead be opening their arms to people from out of town. "When there is a city we can't stop with the RV... we don`t visit the place," Moine said. With LeClaire out of the picture for overnight camping, the next campgrounds are across the river in Hampton, Illinois.

CLIMATE STRIKE AT AUGIE

WATCH: Joe Biden talks with News 8’s Denise Hnytka about Iowa issues and why he’s leaving it up to voters

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Presidential hopeful, former Vice President Joe Biden, was in Iowa on Friday, September 20 for a town-hall style visit. News 8's Denise Hnytka had a one-on-one interview with the Democratic candidate, asking him about his take on issues in Iowa and his stance on the race. When asked what he thought President Donald Trump was doing right, Biden said, "I can't think of anything."  He continued on to say that he believes president had separated the United States from the rest of the world and turned his back on climate change. Biden said he's prioritizing passenger rail service, saying it would keep hundreds-of-thousands of cars off the road and ultimately save billions of gallons of gas. Iowa's unemployment rate was released on Friday, showing that its standing at an unchanged 2.5% for August 2019.  It has dropped since January of 2017, when the Iowa Workforce Development agency reported the state at a 3.3% unemployment rate. Biden said President Trump is not to thank for that rating, saying Trump was "not the reason for the unemployment rate being down." Biden is widely viewed as the front-runner, but he said polls don't matter.   A Wall street Journal poll from July showed that 88% of voters remain undecided about their pick for the 2020 election. When he was asked why Iowans should want to make a change, Biden responded saying "that's up to them to decide."

Free dental clinic draws hundreds to Davenport on first day

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The line into RiverCenter in downtown Davenport started forming Thursday afternoon. Many had brought chairs and blankets to camp out overnight. The big event: Not a concert or a show, but a free dental clinic. "We move to different cities around the State of Iowa. This is the second trip to Davenport," said Kyle Gagliardo, State Chair for the Iowa Mission of Mercy. IMOM has been organizing the clinic since 2008. On Friday more than five hundred people flocked to the RiverCenter. Some travelled from as far as Wisconsin. Some, like Tamara Shell, have waited years for care like this. She arrived at the clinic at 6 A.M. when doors openend and was sitting nervously in a waiting area after having had her medical evaluation and x-rays done. Five hours in, she was still debating whether to go through with it. "Do I stick around, because I’m very nervous, or run?" she contemplated. "I have severe anxiety, for a needle to be going towards my face, I’m a little nervous." During dental triage, she was told she needed some major oral surgery. "I’m getting eleven teeth extracted." But she also knew that in the past two years, her front teeth have embarrassed her. She said she loved to smile, but always tried to cover it up. It's affected her job as a server, and her outlook. "It stops me from smiling or even trying to be happier." 300 dental care professionals and 400 volunteers were on hand to help people like Tamara. "We have a lot of good programs in the State of Iowa to take care of children. But low income adults or adults who have insurance that doesn’t cover a lot, those are the populations that we see really still in need,' said Gagliardo. The Iowa Mission of Mercy has treated more than 14,000 patients in the past 12 years for free. For Tamara Shell, who is homeless, without health insurance and transportation, getting care for her teeth had been out of reach for the past two years. "I don’t have the money, the means to get to where the dentist wanted to send me. That’s an hour and half a way, and you go to three, four appointments before you even get them pulled," she said. She only recently heard about the Mission of Mercy and that it was in town. Dr. Craig Peterson, who normally practices at Cornerstone Family Dentistry in Davenport, performed the procedure for Tamara. Mission of Mercy is not able to get entire dentures made, but the extraction is an important step when teeth have deteriorated. Volunteers are able to connect patients with follow up care when needed. On the patient chair, Tamara's nerves got the best of her and she shed a few tears as Dr. Peterson numbed her gums. But she said she couldn't wait to have new, big, pearly teeth again. "I’m gonna be smiling with the big smile and show you the pearly teeth, next time I’m on TV," she said, and couldn't help but giggle.

Iowa unemployment rate remains unchanged at 2.5%

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 2.5% in August. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that the rate didn’t change from the previous month as the number of unemployed people and the number of residents with jobs both increased. Iowa is tied for the nation’s third-lowest unemployment rate, behind Vermont and North Dakota. Iowa’s rate ties with the rate in New Hampshire. The national unemployment rate for August was 3.7%.

Vietnam vet discovers mystery in old footlocker

For decades, the old footlocker was used to store hunting gear.

QC man wins competition by ordering queso 235 times

26-year-old wins free queso for a year

Davenport police investigating after finding body in Fejervary Park

Police say preliminary information indicates a possible medical condition contributed to the man's death.

Davenport will close roads due to rising Mississippi River

With heavy rain in the weekend forecast, the city has activated its flood plan.

DNC Allows Iowa Democrats to Host Satellite Caucuses

Shift workers, those with disabilities, members of the military, and others will be able to participate in February's democratic caucuses, even if they're not in Iowa.

Morrison police search for driver who hit bicyclist

A 13-year-old boy on a bike was struck while in the crosswalk of Genesee Street and Rt.30.

Hundreds Participate in Augie Climate Strike

Around 400 students and staff gathered at Augustana College for a climate strike on Thursday in solidarity with climate strikes going on worldwide.

SUV drives through Chicago-area mall, crashes into store

Police have arrested a man who drove through the corridors of a suburban Chicago mall before crashing into a clothing store.

Body found in Fejervary Park

The Davenport Police Department confirmed a body was found around 2:30 p.m. Friday in Fejervary Park, 1800 W 12th St., Davenport.

‘Iowa legend’: Man featured on Busch can after giving ‘beer money’ from viral fundraiser to hospital

DES MOINES, Iowa – Carson King is getting what he originally wanted and something he didn’t expect — his face on a beer can — after his sign on ESPN’s College GameDay last Saturday sparked a fundraiser that has netted hundreds of thousands of dollars for a good cause. After King’s sign requesting money for Busch Light went viral he decided to donate the money to the University of Iowa Stead Children’s Hospital, which as of 10:15 a.m. Friday had risen to $166,000. That means with the matching donations pledged by Busch Beer and Venmo, along with other donations, the children’s hospital will get at least $508,000. Busch Beer is now taking it to a new level with another way to thank the Iowa State Cyclone fan, who they dubbed an “Iowa Legend,”  for his good deeds. They first said King would get a year of free Busch Light, but now they’re making sure the cans he gets are “fit for a King.” Hey @CarsonKing2, we said we’d send you a year’s worth of Busch Light, but first we had to make sure the cans were fit for a King. Let us know where to send the truck. #IowaLegend pic.twitter.com/czGBuXRE92 — Busch Beer (@BuschBeer) September 20, 2019 WHO-TV Director Keith Murphy said King texted him about his reaction after learning what Busch Beer was going to do. ‪“I lost it! … OMG, you’re kidding me! ”‬ King says he’s getting a year’s supply of his own cans and believes they’re exclusive to him. ‬ King also responded to Busch Beer with this tweet: #BuschIsBae https://t.co/wlxq1ALsVA — Carson King (@CarsonKing2) September 20, 2019

Visit Quad Cities asks for survey input in tourism planning

Visit Quad Cities wants to know how you would improve the Quad-Cities.

Visit Quad Cities asks for survey input in tourism planning

Visit Quad Cities wants to know how you would improve the Quad-Cities.

Facebook says it has suspended 'tens of thousands' of apps

he probe came after revelations that data mining firm Cambridge Analytica used ill-gotten data from millions of Facebook users through an app, then used the data to try to influence U.S. elections.

Up in smoke? As potential flavor ban looms, Quad-City businesses, schools and health professionals react

Brandon Gaines is having trouble sleeping.

Sportscast September 19, 2019

Cardinals beat the Cubs in the first of four games at Wrigley 5-4 in 10 innings. Pleasant Valley gets their first win of the year 46-7 over Davenport Central. Morrison Senior, Riley Wilkens spent the summer at Boot Camp. Sterling Volleyball makes the trip to Rock Island and sweeps the Lady Rocks. QC Marathon is ready for the 22nd running.  This year the field will be one of the best.

Drenching rainfall on track for most for later part of the weekend

A steamy afternoon its turning out to be for most after seeing few drenching thunderstorms this early morning in parts of the area.  High temperatures will easily reach the 80s with a southerly wind and plenty of humidity in the air. By early evening, any chance for a passing shower will not only be isolated in coverage but brief.   So, trending dry for Friday night football games.  However, it does promise to be quite warm and humid with temperatures well in to the 70s. That takes us to the well advertised heavy rain event for most of the weekend.  Still expecting the widely scattered coverage on Saturday to become widespread and heavy Saturday night into Sunday morning before it begins to slowly wide down later Sunday.  1-4 inches of rain is still on track with a few local areas topping around 5 inches. Flash flooding will be possible in spots as these drenching thunderstorms may produce multi-inch rains in just a few hours’ time.  Street flooding is possible is spots, so don’t ever drive across a flooded roadway, even if you’re familiar with the road and travel it all the time. We’ll dry out for a couple of days to start the new week before the next round of showers arrive. Chief meteorologist James Zahara Here’s a look at the hour-by-hour forecast from the StormTrack 8 Weather App! Click on the links below to download the free app:  

Small fire breaks out in mulch bed at Moline Maid Rite

MOLINE, Illinois — A fire broke out in a mulch bed outside Maid Rite in Moline, prompting the restaurant to close for cleaning. The fire started around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 20 at the restaurant’s location on 16th Street and Avenue of the Cities.  Discarded smoking materials ignited the fire, according to Deputy Chief Steve Regenwether with the Moline Police Department. Firefighters said the fire was considered to be minor.   It was put out using a pressurized water can, but fire did make its way into the sill plate of the business. There was an estimated $3,500 in damages, said Regenwether.  There were no injuries. The inside of Maid Rite was not damaged, but Regenwether explained that since it’s a restaurant, they were forced to close, clean up, and deodorize.  They can reopen once a health inspector gives them the all-clear.

Geneseo goes gold to show awareness for childhood cancer

GENESEO, Illinois — Brantley Francis was born on Aug. 11, 2014. Three short years later, spending his life in hospitals with his parents and older sister, he would die from an uncommon type of childhood cancer. In Francis’ memory and to show support for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, the city of Geneseo is going gold. Players on the high school’s football team are wearing gold socks and cheerleaders are wearing gold bows when the team faces rival Sterling Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. at home. Francis’ meaningful, yet shot-lived story is what thousands of children endure every year:  In 2019, more than 1,000 children are expected to die from some type of pediatric cancer. To show your support, sport some gold attire or visit the Brantley Francis Foundation to make a donation. Touchdowns Against Cancer, a fundraiser through Pledge It, also accepts donations for every touchdown in September for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The gold ribbon has represented pediatric cancer since 1997.

Visit Quad Cities asking for community input on improving tourism

Two tourism organizations launched a survey asking Quad Cities residents and visitors about their experiences in an effort to develop a plan to improve tourism in the region. The survey will inform Visit Quad Cities, a nonprofit marketing organization, and Resonance Consultancy, a tourism and economic development organization based in New York and Vancouver, on a ‘Tourism Master Plan’ that will “shape the future of the Quad Cities,” according to a statement from Visit Quad Cities. The survey asks questions about the impacts of tourism in the area, quality of life, local experiences and travel trends. Participants are eligible for a $500 Visa gift card. “We are asking for all Quad Citizens and our visitors to help us with this extremely important project,” Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit Quad Cities said in the statement. “This feedback, research, and plan will simply enable us to improve our regional destination and build our story.  We need everyone connected to the QC to participate because tourism is critical to our economic development efforts and people attraction strategy.” With the results of the survey, Visit Quad Cities and Resonance will develop a plan to “promote the Quad Cities as a place to live, work and visit.” To take the survey click here. For more information on Resonance’s ‘Destination Strategic Plan’ click here.

Unemployment rate in Iowa remained at 2.5% in August

Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that the rate didn't change from the previous month as the number of unemployed people and the number of residents with jobs both increased.

Stitch by stitch, this Moline boy is making a difference in other kids’ lives

MOLINE, ILLINOIS  --  Traven Hulett is just like most nine year old kids. "I do my homework and then after that I go on my tablet or watch television," Hulett said. Traven also spends his time after school and on weekends sewing. But, he isn't just sewing for fun. He is sewing with a purpose. "He said to me 'I want to sew pillows'," Traven's grandmother Pat Underwood said. "He said he wanted to donate them to a hospital." "I just have a normal white pillow," Traven said. "Compared to a nice colorful pillow, it would just make me really happy." Stitch by stitch, Traven's trying to make a difference. "My third grade teacher, Mrs. Lavin,  read us an article about a kid that made pillows for other kids in need," Traven said. "That just gave me the idea to make pillows for kids at the hospital." After a few lessons, he learned to sew from his grandma. She still helps him guide the fabric, but says this is something he likes to do by himself. "Each time he would be sewing a pillow, I could see the love for the children," Underwood said. "Every time he would sew a pillow, he would be so happy, because that meant it was time for the next pillow. If it's important to him then it's important to me." Traven used some of his own money to buy the fabric, but his teacher. Mrs. Lavin, also donated $40 to help Traven continue his passion project. "He's just that kind of little kid," Underwood said. "I know he has a little something in his heart of why he's doing what he's doing. He could be outside playing." So far, Traven has sewn 35 pillows. His goal is to sew 50. "It's exciting and fun," Traven said. "Except for the part where you have to stuff them, because it's kinda hard to get the corners." Traven doesn't plan on stopping at 50 pillows. "One thing Traven said to me was 'I want to be able to make a pillow for everybody there," Underwood said. "I'm happy that I accomplished it," Traven said. Hospital rules wont allow Traven to deliver the pillows to the patients until he is 16 years old, so his grandparents will be making the trip to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Peoria on September, 27th, 2019.

Niabi Tries for National Accreditation

On Midwest Week, why the Niabi Zoo is trying to earn national accreditation.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio drops 2020 bid

De Blasio announced the end of his brief candidacy in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe."

Iowa top ag official proposes new companion animal rules

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Agriculture proposed a new set of administrative rules Thursday that animal rights groups said could significantly improve the lives of dogs, cats and other companion animals in a state long regarded as among the worst for animal protection. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said he will submit the new rules on Friday, beginning a process that requires a legislative panel review and public comment. If approved. they would go into effect in January. The changes will affect all state-licensed commercial breeders, animal shelters, animal dealers, boarding kennels that include doggy daycares, groomers and trainers. The rules include more stringent temperature and humidity requirements, solid resting surfaces for animals kept on wire flooring, larger enclosure requirements, more rigorous cleaning and sanitation requirements, increased access to water and isolation areas to reduce the risk of spreading disease. Animal rights groups celebrated the proposal as a huge victory for pets in state-licensed facilities. "I think this is a wonderful stepping stone," said Mindi Callison, founder of Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa-based animal rights group. "When it comes to animal welfare or even laws protecting our companion animals we're constantly ranked last in the country so it will be great to have Iowa have some good news for once." Iowa was ranked 48th in the nation for animal protection last year by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a nonprofit animal welfare advocacy group. Iowa and Mississippi are the only two states without a first-offense felony penalty for animal torture. Tom Colvin, CEO of the Iowa chapter of the Animal Rescue League, said it's helpful to groups that house animals to have rules and the expectations of state regulators more clearly defined. "I think it also very significant to me in that it shows that the Iowa Department of Agriculture is interested in having bigger conversations because they, of course, realize the rulemaking process is going to bring more people together to have more open and direct conversations about how animals are cared for," Colvin said. Iowa has more hogs and chickens than any other state and farm groups have historically fought against increased oversight of animal welfare fearing it might lead to increase livestock regulation. The state also has a large commercial pet industry that includes more than 500 breeders in addition to hundreds of kennels, pet shops and animal shelters. Animal rights groups have been frustrated they can't protect pets because livestock groups contest their efforts. A bill introduced this year that included a felony charge for egregious animal cruelty and specifically exempted livestock passed the Iowa House unanimously, but failed to advance because Republican leaders in the Senate refused to bring it up for debate. "There are a handful of senators who do not want the bill passed," said Haley Anderson, executive director of the Iowa Pet Alliance, who lobbied for the bill. A second proposal that would have increased regulation of commercial dog breeding facilities failed to advance beyond the House committee level. Naig said the rule changes came about after a broader review of the department that has regulatory responsibility over livestock farm animals and the state's commercial pet industry. "I needed to bring some extra focus to it and provide some clarity in these rules. That was really what drove the start of this but certainly I know that people care deeply about their pets and we have a role in trying to help raise the bar," he said.

Good Morning for Friday, September 20, 2019

Police Remind People to Lock Cars, Take Keys

Since the beginning of the year, the number of cars stolen in Davenport has dropped 35% compared to 2018. But this month, the police department reports 13 vehicles have been stolen, including a car-jacking.

Heavy Rain This Weekend

Moisture from the remnants of Tropical Depression Imelda will be drawn northward into our area this weekend.

Tribute Fest 2 set for September 28th at Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds

Six tribute bands will perform a free concert at the Mississippi Valley Fairground on September 28th to raise money for Spinal muscular atrophy.

Lexi Rodriguez - The "Golden" Golden Warrior

Last year the Sterling Golden Warriors celebrated a state title, this season they are celebrating a gold medal for their libero. Lexi Rodriguez competed with Team USA's U18 team in the FIVB World Championship in Egypt. Rodriguez and her teammates became the first team ever to bring back World Championship gold.