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

Prison inmate death after run-in with staff ruled homicide

The death of an inmate following an "altercation with correctional staff" at Western Illinois Correctional Center in May has been ruled a homicide.

Fatal crash kills pregnant mother and stepson

A car crash in Iowa killed a pregnant mother and her 2-year-old stepson Friday evening.

US Army looks to social media for Midwest recruitment

U.S. Army recruiters fall short and are exploring recruiting tactics catered towards young people.

Carbon monoxide found in 4 people killed in plane crash

A small plane crash in central Iowa left four people dead. All victims died from multiple blunt force injuries in the setting of carbon monoxide toxicity. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.

Biz Bytes: Genesis Health System named one of 'most wired' hospitals

Genesis Health System was named one of this year's "most wired" hospitals.

Officer injured after Moline bar robbery

A police officer was treated for minor injuries, after a robbery in downtown Moline.It happened at Christopher D's at 514 16th Street, about 3:10 p.m. Saturday.Police caught 51-year-old Michael Hostens of Moline.He's charged with Armed Robbery and Aggravated Resisting a Peace Officer.Police tell us, Hostens implied he had a firearm, and stole an unknown amount of money from the bar, before running away.Patrons then chased after him until officers caught up with him in the 400 block of 15th Street.Officers took Hostens into custody after a brief struggle.Hostens and a Moline officer were treated for minor injuries related to the incident at a local hospital and both were released.No weapon was found.Hostens will be held at the Rock Island County Jail without bond, pending formal charges by the Rock Island State’s Attorney’s Office.

I-74 eastbound lanes closed until morning

I-74 eastbound is completely closed right now at Avenue of the Cities in Moline.The closure of the eastbound lanes of I-74 began at 7 p.m. Saturday and will remain closed until Sunday at 6 a.m.Traffic will be detoured using the on-and-off ramps there.Illinois Department of Transportation workers will be performing bridge beam repairs.

Moline police officer suffers minor injuries in armed robbery

MOLINE, Illinois  —  Moline Police were called to an armed robbery at Christopher D’s on November 17th around 3 o’clock. When they arrived, police were told a man with a firearm stole an unknown amount of money before fleeing the business. Moline Police arrested, Michael E. Hostens, a 51 year-old Moline resident on the charge Armed Robbery and Aggravated Resisting a Peace Officer. Hostens and a Moline officer were treated for minor injuries related to the incident at the hospital and both were released. The weapon was not recovered. Hostens will be held at the Rock Island County Jail without bond, pending formal charges by the Rock Island State’s Attorney’s Office.

Lighting on the Commons kicks off the holiday season

MOLINE, Illinois  --  Thousands of people kicked off the holiday season in Moline tonight for the 22nd annual Lighting on the Commons. Those who came to event were able to sit on Santa's lap, ride horse pulled wagons, and listen to holiday choirs. They were also able to enjoy cookies, hot cocoa, and cider. "Last year was our first year," attendee Matt Barr said. "We stumbled on this place on accident, because we saw the big crowd of people, so we came to see what all the fuss was about. We fell in love, so this year we came back." "It`s a really cool event," attendee Stefanie Beason said. "My kids love it, because there is Santa and hot chocolate." The night ended with the annual lighting of the tree and fireworks. It was a free event to the public.

Hawkeyes rout Illini, snap three-game losing streak

In the win Mekhi Sargent became the first Iowa running back to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark this season.  "Today was just to me, a total team victory, in everyway you looked at it," said head coach Kirk Ferentz after the win. "Our goal was for our team to play with purpose and show some resolve and hopefully show some toughness. I think the guys did that."Iowa improves to 7-4 (4-4) with the win. Illinois falls to 4-7 (2-6). The Hawkeyes will close out the regular season hosting Nebraska Friday, November 23rd. For more Hawkeye coverage, follow @AdamJRossow and @HawkeyeHQ on Twitter and Facebook -- and Hawkeye Headquarters on OurQuadCities.com all season. We're the only Quad-Cities station to follow Iowa at home and on the road, so travel with us to Illinois for the final road game of the season on November 17 and join us at Kinnick Stadium on November 23 as the Hawkeyes host Nebraska.

WIU rises up against Westboro Baptist Church protest with “Rally for Love”

MACOMB, IL – Game day is usually known for rivalry.  But this time, students are coming together; thanks to people like Dannie Kyle. “We received a notification that a Kansas-based organization was going to be protesting our football game, because we think it’s because Indiana State has an openly gay football player,” says Dannie. Indiana State defensive back, Jake Bain, came out that he was gay almost a year ago.  And it’s speculated that’s the reason the Westboro Baptist Church – an organization known for their controversial language – is protesting before the game. “I started a group chat and told everyone that we needed to do something in response,” explains Dannie. “If you come after one of us it’s all of us, and we come together to help each other.” “I came out to my parents that I am bisexual last summer, and my dad found out yesterday,” Dannie shares. Now, she has full support, especially from her parents. “My daughter is an activist,” says Dannie’s mother, Candida Kyle. “Love is love and you support your child no matter what.” On this game day – no matter your identity – these students are cheering for love. “Love is love, you know?” says Dannie “Love is so much stronger than hate."

Lighting on the Commons

Eastbound I-74 closed under Avenue of the Cities bridge

MOLINE, Illinois – As part of the I-74 River Bridge construction project, the eastbound lanes on Interstate 74 will completely close on November 17 at 7:00 P.M. The lanes will remain closed overnight and is expected to reopen at 6:00 a.m. on November 18. Drivers will be detoured, and will have to use the on and off ramps at Avenue of the Cities. Construction workers will be performing bridge beam repairs. Drivers are asked to use extreme caution when traveling through the area.

Exclusive: Davenport Superintendent on Phase II Review

Davenport Community Schools are in the middle of a Phase II Review for violations in seven areas.Local 4 News sat down exclusively with Interim Superintendent TJ Schneckloth on Friday.He tells us, this is the first time a school district this size is going through this.Schneckloth sees this an opportunity to see what's going on in the district and work with the Department of Education to improve their system."Whatever they set in front of us, we are going to put in place a system that is even better than what was for students, parents, and families. That's what they deserve. So I'm not concerned at all."Local 4 News told you Wednesday, Iowa state auditors found most changes made regarding special education students were done without notifying their parents first.Another issue surrounds the behavioral assessments of students. Auditors found three quarters of them weren't done properly. They also determined  students of color are treated very differently. They're more likely than their white counterparts to be assigned to special education, expelled, suspended, or put into seclusion rooms. "We will have some difficult times with our budget facing us right now," said Schneckloth, "but I have no doubt we will get through it and will be stronger for it, but it will be very difficult time. We'll have to make some tough decisions in terms in the area of our budget, but we're going to work hard to keep our students first and head in the right direction."This Phase II Review happened less than a month after Schneckloth took the superintendent position."This was something I definitely didn't expect, but I'm more than willing to work hard for the students and families," said Schneckloth. "That's part of being a superintendent. We have great staff here, and we have a great central office. We're going to work hard to get through it. That's the one thing that you can count on. There's going to be hard work and hard conversations that need to happen."Schools will continue to operate business as usual during the review.Schneckloth expects the next state visit in January.

Moline police officer suffers minor injuries after armed robbery at local business

A Moline Police Officer was taken to the hospital for minor injuries after an armed robbery at Christopher D’s on 16th Street Saturday.

Business women of faith hold pop-up shop

The QC Business Women of Faith held its first ever multi-vendor pop-up shop today.There was a steady flow of traffic at the One Voice room at Northpark Mall.The organization is a multi-faith networking group open to women of all faiths.Today's event was to give the group exposure to the community with vendors also selling everything from hand-crafted items, to Tupperware, and beauty products.Proceeds will go to support Pregnancy Resources. Rachel Kratz of QC Business Women of Faith called that great resource to help people in the community."It helped over 5,000 people last year with all kinds of issues. So they do a lot to help our community, so we do a lot to support them as well."Kratz tells us, they are planning another pop-up shop for the spring.You can contact the group on Facebook here.

The 22nd Annual Lighting ceremony kicksoff winter celebrations

The 20th annual Lighting Ceremony on the Commons took off tonight. The cold couldn't stop the families from missing out on the fun and especially from seeing Santa.  Some attractions include Santa and Ms.Claus, horse draw wagon rides, live music and a children's craft area.  Cookies and hot cocoa were also provided to keep visitors warm and full. But of course, the main attraction was Santa and Ms.Claus. The line to see them got long in a matter of seconds.   

Hundreds gather to kickoff the holidays with Festival of Trees Parade

The festival of Trees Parade got many Quad Citians out of their homes today, despite the snowy weather Hundreds of spectators were greeted with Christmas carols, and lots of entertainment. It was  down third, and second streets, in Davenport. Among the fun,the big balloons. Shrek and Kermit the frog were big hits. The parade has become an annual tradition for many.  

Davenport Police investigate fraudulent purchases made at Best Buy

The Davenport Police Department said Saturday night that is has been made aware of fraudulent purchases made at Best Buy.

Another round of slick roads likely overnight

A band of light snow continues to ride along I-80 this evening stretching from Muscatine to Mount Pleasant and Galesburg. As temperatures continue to fall below freezing, roads will likely begin to take on a bit of accumulation creating a few slick spots. Road conditions early Saturday evening are already showing some snow-covered roads just southwest of the Quad Cities metro. Some minor accumulation up to an inch on grassy surfaces will also be possible for areas along and south of I-80 until around midnight Sunday when much of the snow will come to an end. Our in-house Futuretrack model keeps a band of light snow going just south of the Quad Cities through early Sunday morning before coming to an end by sunrise. Here’s how much snow has fallen so far from this system as of early Saturday morning. An additional inch of accumulation is possible, especially south of the Quad Cities overnight. Any roads that remain wet will also create a few slick spots with temperatures falling below freezing overnight. Use extra caution on surfaces that look wet and keep plenty of distance between you and the vehicle ahead. Meteorologist Andrew Stutzke

Great day for a parade

As the Festival of Trees parade arrives, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

In 1992, Quad-City Arts Festival of Trees imagined a Midwest version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, complete with helium balloon characters, costumes, floats and bands.

Big Story: A quarter century of Festival parades

The parade kicking off the Kwik Star Festival of Trees is almost as known for its dicey weather as for its helium character balloons.

Births

Births

County commissioner tells black woman he belongs to ‘master race’

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - A Leavenworth County commissioner is being asked to resign after telling a black woman he belongs to a "master race." Leavenworth County Commissioner Louis Klemp made the comment that many are calling racist on Tuesday in response to a presentation by Triveece Penelton on road development options. Klemp wasn't happy with the options Penelton and a colleague presented at the meeting, according to WDAF. "I don't want you to think I'm picking on you because we're part of the master race," Klemp told Penelton. "You know you got a gap in your teeth. You're the masters. Don’t ever forget that." Leavenworth's mayor said he's been overwhelmed with calls and emails, urging him to make a public statement against the Klemp, the county commission chair. And that's exactly what he did Thursday night. The Leavenworth City Commission released a statement, in part saying it "unequivocally denounces the use of 'master race' or any other language that has historic ties to racism, division and bigotry in any setting at any time." The Leavenworth City Commission also held a brief 10-minute special session Thursday where the mayor read the city's full statement. The mayor said it was important to take a stance because Klemp's comments brought negative attention to the entire community. The city's statement said it has no authority to remove Klemp from office but urged the county commissioner to apologize and resign immediately. Klemp's two fellow county commissioners also called for him to resign. Klemp's term on the commission is set to end in January, but with growing national attention for all the wrong reasons, the pressure is on for him to step down now. WDAF reached out to Klemp and the Leavenworth County administrator. Klemp has not responded yet, and the county administrator declined to comment. Klemp, who once ran for governor, has come under criticism in the past for making racist comments. At this time last year, Klemp also drew fire for comments during another public meeting about holidays in which he admired Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Hunter bags two-headed buck – sort of

BALLARD COUNTY, Ky. – A hunter had to take a double take when he bagged a rare buck in western Kentucky, according to WXIN. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says Bob Long took aim at the deer after he saw the big antlers in the distance in Ballard County. However, when Long approached the deer, what he found was truly astounding – it had two heads, sort of. The decomposing head of another buck was attached to the deer’s antlers. In a Facebook post, the department wrote that it’s unclear exactly what circumstances led to the buck carrying around the dead deer’s head. “Regardless, it was truly a rare harvest!!!” wrote the department.

A new kind of fast food: Restaurant delivery services flooding the Q-C market

It's only 9:30 a.m., but it's officially lunchtime for Lisa Garman.

Photos: Festival of Trees Parade 2018 – find yourself in the crowd!

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Scribble: Deb Ford

Wreath sponsors sought for National Cemetery

ROCK ISLAND — Sponsors are sought by Wreaths Across America to help place live balsam remembrance wreaths on the headstones at the Rock Island National Cemetery at the Rock Island Arsenal.

'She was this legend': 80-year-old Assumption teacher celebrates nearly 60 years of teaching

When Katherine Crosby entered Assumption High School in the fall of 2011, she quickly learned who Jan Luton, the senior English teacher, was.

Watch the 2018 Festival of Trees Parade here

The 2018 Quad City Arts Festival of Trees Hoiliday Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 17. Watch live right here.

Outtakes

Technically speaking

The Most Common Items Found During River Cleanups

Iowa Supreme Court justice battling cancer to resign

Iowa Supreme Court Justice announced he will resign from the high court. He has been receiving treatment for skin cancer, has announced he will resign from the high court.

IL marijuana companies preparing for growth

After J.B. Pritzker was elected as Illinois' new Governor, marijuana companies are preparing for growth after years of slow progress.

Federal report shows farm income on the decline

The Fed says the third-quarter report released this week was the 19th straight survey in which most bankers indicated that farm income was on the decline.

Iowa teacher has license suspended for being drunk at work.

Iowa teacher has license suspended for being intoxicated at work.

Hawkeye HQ predictions and pregame: No 'ship, but ship righted

It was all good just three weeks ago. People were talking about the 2018 Hawkeyes like they were the second coming of the 2002, 2009 or 2015 teams.Now fans are hearing the echoes of 2006, 2010 and 2014. From 6-1 to 6-4. Three weeks ago you'd think that was impossible. But as I warned then, don’t count your Tigerhawks before they're hatched.Kirk Ferentz threw two more Iowa teams in the mix: His personal favorites, 2008 and 2013.Here are the records for all of those teams being compared to these Hawks in the past three weeks, good and meh: 2015: 12-2 2014: 7-6 2013: 8-5 2010: 8-5 2009: 11-2 2008: 9-4 2006: 6-7But you have to go beyond the results to see how those teams really stack up:  Kirk Ferentz on his favorite teams to coach & his hope this #Hawkeyes team can finish strong. Comparison to '08 makes sense through 10 games: '08: 6-4 record, +144 PD, 4 Ls by 12 total pts, 1 x T-25 opponent '18: 6-4 record, +103 PD, 4 Ls by 23 total pts, 2 x T-25 opponents pic.twitter.com/kdvwCfXikp— Adam Rossow (@AdamJRossow) November 14, 2018  Three weeks ago, Wisconsin was the biggest indicator of who the Hawkeyes were: Win the blowouts, but lose the close games.And as any Iowa State fan is happy to tell you, the Hawkeyes haven't beaten any good teams this year. Final: #Hawkeyes 13, Iowa State 3. #CyHawk https://t.co/lOeu7z3erx— HawkeyeHQ.com's Ryan Jaster (@Hawkologist) September 9, 2018 Odd flex, but okay.Of all the teams on the disappointing side of Hawkeyes history, 2010 feels like the best fit. Mostly big wins, with losses in the closest games after a promising start. But that 2008 stat above is right there through 10 games.Someone many think might help win tight games is tight end Noah Fant. But he's not getting receptions… or targets… or snaps.Two weeks ago we talked about about being Mahoungou'd last year by Purdue. It happened again in that Purdue exploited the matchups it was given... in much the way fans would like to see their preseason All-American used.  Lack of targets, snaps and productivity again for Noah Fant in the #Hawkeyes loss to Northwestern. Fant, Kirk Ferentz and Nate Stanley try to explain why. pic.twitter.com/Avt8djRgbU— Adam Rossow (@AdamJRossow) November 11, 2018    Me when #Hawkeyes fans say Noah Fant doesn't deserve more snaps and targets. pic.twitter.com/WghVmDTYIq— HawkeyeHQ.com's Ryan Jaster (@Hawkologist) November 11, 2018   Where is Noah Fant? The standout tight end has been a small part of the #Hawkeyes offense in recent weeks. https://t.co/sZ4cA3vQ65 pic.twitter.com/lN4yv7cTHw— Hawkeye Headquarters (@HawkeyeHQ) November 13, 2018 Brian Ferentz on Noah Fant at @HawkeyeFootball Media Day. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/ZzYxLSK9K4— HawkeyeHQ.com's Ryan Jaster (@Hawkologist) August 10, 2018 For what it's worth, just one series I'd like to see Fant be the receiver Stanley locks in on… the entire series. There's nothing left to lose but the Holiday Bowl.So that's exactly what I did in this week's simulation. We'll get to that... after the picks.Celebrity prediction The Hawkeyes' all-time leader in receptions returns for a second season of picks. Kevonte Martin-Manley: Iowa 33, Illinois 7Featured predictions Hawkmania Steve Batterson: Iowa 42, Illinois 28 Even on what is expected to be a soggy mid-November day at Memorial Stadium, there should be more than enough holes in the Fighting Illini defense for Iowa to end its recent funk. Illinois has given up an average 532.9 yards and 38.6 points on an average and I don’t expect that to change against a slightly-above average Hawkeye team. Iowa should be able to re-establish its run game against a defense that is surrendering 247.9 yards on the ground.Illinois’ offense has moved the ball on pretty much every opponent it has faced with the exception of Purdue. Don’t expect that to change if Reggie Corbin is healthy enough to play. Much like last year’s game at Kinnick when Iowa needed an Akrum Wadley TD late in the first half to take a 17-13 lead at the break, expect the Illini to keep it close early but expect the strength of Iowa’s defensive front to eventually turn things in the Hawkeyes’ favor in the second half.Hawkeye Headquarters Adam Rossow: Iowa 42, Illinois 20 Dan Vasko: Iowa 35, Illinois 17 Good rush O vs Good rush D Bad rush D vs Bad rush O SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE.#Hawkeyes & #Illini predictions with @danvasko coming your way. @HawkeyeHQ pic.twitter.com/e5DxjQjEIs— Adam Rossow (@AdamJRossow) November 15, 2018  National predictions SBNation Bill Connelly: Iowa 37, Illinois 21Athlon Sports Steven Lassan: Iowa  Mitch Light: Iowa  Mark Ross: Iowa Bleacher Report David Kenyon: Iowa 34, Illinois 21Hawkeye State predictions The Athletic Scott Dochterman: Iowa 45, Illinois 20The Gazette Marc Morehouse: Iowa 38, Illinois 17Hawk Central Chad Leistikow: Iowa 49, Illinois 35Go Iowa Awesome Mark Hasty: Iowa 40, Illinois 28All Hawkeyes Pat Harty: Iowa 38, Illinois 24Hawkeyes Mic Brendan Stiles: Iowa 41, Illinois 10 Tyler Tjelmeland: Iowa 35, Illinois 10 Jack Brandsgard: Iowa 38, Illinois 17 John Patchett: Iowa 41, Illinois 24Irrelevant prediction @Hawkologist And finally, the totally irrelevant prediction based on playing EA Sports' NCAA Football 2004 on a PS2, as is the tradition since 2015. Ryan Jaster: Hawkeyes 64, Illinois 0. Hawks by a million? Not quite, but about as close as you can get in this game with these settings. The CPU passes the sticks early and I air it out almost exclusively and blindly to the tight ends. Triple coverage? No problem. I'm making a point here. Sure, 4 interceptions result, but so do 8 touchdowns, including some connections on big yardage bombs: 33, 65 and 80. Meanwhile, the Illini start with fumble, fumble, missed FG and fumble on their first 4 drives. That helps. Iowa builds a 40-0 halftime lead, starting with a 10-yard fake field goal touchdown pass and punctuating it with a fumble safety. The second half is more of the same, just not as much.  This week's totally irrelevant prediction: #Hawkeyes 64, Illinois 0. CPU passes the sticks early & I air it out to tight ends. 8 TDs & 4 INTs. Illini's 1st 4 drives: Fumble, fumble, missed FG, fumble. 40-0 lead at half built w/ fake FG TD & fumble safety. #HawksByAMillion or 64. pic.twitter.com/96OD6X1ycY— HawkeyeHQ.com's Ryan Jaster (@Hawkologist) November 16, 2018  Prognosis: Don't stop believing. The experts haven't. And I have to admit, after my suspicions from last week's prognosis were proven right in painful fashion last week, I have to think this is the game that rights the ship, even if the 'ship is now officially out of reach. No pain is predicted.  For more Hawkeye coverage, follow @AdamJRossow and @HawkeyeHQ on Twitter and Facebook -- and Hawkeye Headquarters on OurQuadCities.com all season. We're the only Quad-Cities station to follow Iowa at home and on the road, so travel with us to Illinois for the final road game of the season on November 17 and join us at Kinnick Stadium on November 23 as the Hawkeyes host Nebraska.

Parade kicks off Festival of Trees

Saturday's weather forecast calling for light snow in the morning "should be about perfect" for the Holiday Parade in downtown Davenport, putting people in the holiday spirit, Carmen Darland, CEO of Quad-City Arts, said Friday.

Medicare help offered in Rock Island

ROCK ISLAND — Four Medicare open enrollment events are planned at the Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging office in Rock Island.

Nuclear response exercise planned Dec. 4

CORDOVA — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Region VII office has announced Iowa officials, along with Scott and Clinton county officials, will participate with Exelon Generation in a one-day exercise on Dec. 4 in support…

Here's what you need to know about the Festival of Trees Parade

Snowy weather won't stop the Festival of Trees parade.Organizers say they'll be out at 6 a.m. Saturday in the MidAmerican parking lot in downtown Davenport filling the iconic balloons with helium.Festival of Trees administrator Cheryl DeCap said spectators may have some new balloons to look at this year."The balloons are changed out very often so we'll have some different balloons," DeCap said. "I think we'll have some interesting things going on with people in the parade. This year we have a spot ... for people to actually stop and do a little performance."The parade starts at 10 a.m. Third and Second Streets will be closed between Scott and Iowa Streets. Parts of Pershing Avenue and Iowa Street will also be closed for staging. All streets will be reopened by noon, according to the City of Davenport.

Zach Wahls, Iowan who passionately defended marriage equality in 2011 viral video elected state senator

CORALVILLE, Iowa -- At 27 years old, Zach Wahls is returning to Des Moines to become one of the youngest members of the Iowa Senate. In 2011 he gained a national profile when he gave a passionate speech to the Iowa House of Representatives defending marriage equality. The video went viral on Youtube, attracting millions of views in a matter of weeks. “I was 19 years old, I was a student at the University of Iowa­­­­ and I really had no idea what I was getting myself into,” said Wahls. He announced his run for the District 37 of the Iowa Senate nearly a year ago, in December 2017. He won the Democratic primary for the seat in June before winning the general election on November 6th. His campaign focused on issues of education, healthcare and worker's rights. Wahls and his younger sister, Zeb, were raised by two mothers. The siblings now run a small business together designing decks of playing cards featuring female icons. "He handles the business stuff, I do the art," said Zeb, a freelance artist who splits time between Iowa and Tennessee. Wahls said over the next few weeks he would be focusing on the holiday rush at his business and preparing for committee assignments in the Iowa Senate. "A of this stuff it’s not sexy, it’s not glamorous," he said. "It’s just making our government work.  And over and over that was what I heard from people, they want to make government work."  

Winter Weather Advisory issued for parts of the area

A round of accumulating snow is likely for parts of the Quad Cities lasting into Saturday morning. Some slick road conditions are likely, especially for areas to the north of the Quad Cities metro. A Winter Weather Advisory has been expanded into parts of the Quad Cities including Cedar, Jones, Clinton, and Jackson Counties in Iowa, Jo Daviess, and Carroll Counties in Illinois until 8am Saturday. Light to moderate snow at times will overspread the entire area by midnight Saturday morning lasting through 8am. A period of moderate snow is likely around sunrise before the entire system shifts to the south by noon. Thanks to our recent spell of cold temperatures, the threat for snow-covered roads will be highest from around 3am until 9am Saturday morning.   The heaviest accumulations will line up immediately north of I-88 where up to two inches will be possible. Closer to a line from Tipton to the Quad Cities to Sterling/Rock Falls you can expect around an inch of accumulation likely with a few scattered slick spots on area roads. BOTTOM LINE: Travel Saturday morning will become difficult, especially for areas north of the immediate Quad Cities metro. Allow yourself a few extra minutes to reach your destination safely if you must travel.  

Iowa wins 2K Classic beating UConn 91-72

Tyler Cook scored 26 points leading Iowa to a 91-72 win over Connecticut in the 2K Classic championship game.

Black Hawk College helping send little taste of home to troops overseas

Care packages for troops serving overseas are being put together by members of the Black Hawk College Military Students and Veterans Club. They're collecting cash and items for those packages. They started taking those donations 10 days ago.Donations can be dropped off through Dec. 6 at the Veterans Resource Center. That's in Building 4, Room 117, or at the Welcome Desk in Building 1 on the Moline campus of Black Hawk. 

Mother killed while driving cab to save for daughter’s birthday, baptism

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Family members and friends are mourning a North Carolina mother of four after she was killed while driving a taxi Wednesday. “She loved her babies. That’s why she was doing this, is for extra money,” said Tammy Woodel, Olivia Florez’s half-sister. Police say around 7:30 p.m., 35-year-old Florez was driving a Universal Taxi Cab when she pulled out of a shopping center and started southbound on New Walkertown Road. Another vehicle, a 2006 Infiniti, was traveling northbound on New Walkertown Road. For reasons police did not know at the early stages of their investigation, the vehicles collided and Florez died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle ran away before police could get there. “Did they even check on her? Did she say anything? Did she say anything? Did she have any last words?” Woodel asked while speaking with WGHP Thursday, surrounded by family members gathered in the kitchen and living room. Woodel said Florez was a mother of two girls, ages 15 and 2, and a stepmother to two boys, ages 11 and 10. “Nothing will bring her back. And her kids won’t have a mom anymore,” Maria Ramirez, Florez’s stepsister, said through tears. “[Those kids are going to] have plenty of mamas,” Woodel responded. “Just like we did.” Woodel said that Florez was driving the cab to save money for her youngest daughter’s birthday and baptism, which would take place in a couple months. “When she didn’t have money to even help, she would say, ‘OK, I’ll help, I’ll pay for this. I’ll figure it out,’” Woodel said, when asked to describe her sister. “If she had to go pawn her rings to get the money to help somebody else she would.” As the family prepares to say their final goodbyes, they are also asking that the person who ran from the other vehicle come forward. Hopefully, they say, with answers only that person can provide. “We don’t think they done it on purpose, but you know, they need to make it right,” Woodel said. “They were there when we couldn’t be there.”

Madison Keys inspires thousands through Fearlessly Girl

Rock Island native Madison Keys is inspiring thousands of girls as an Ambassador of Fearlessly Girl.

Tennis star Madison Keys hosts 3rd annual 'fearlessly girl' rally

Hundreds of young girls danced their way into the 3rd annual 'Fearlessly Girl' rally in Bettendorf Friday.A internationally recognized leadership organization created by founder Kate Whitfield in 2004."The inspiration came from really wanting girls to have each others back and support each other," Whitfield said.Hosted by tennis star and ambassador Madison Keys."It became something that happened really quickly for me and all of a sudden I was a role model," Keys said.A rally centered around building inner self confidence."Sitting there and talking to the girls and telling them about your mistakes and how you fixed them and your struggles, they just immediately relate to you," said Keys.One Keys said has allowed her to dedicate her time to something other than swinging a racket."I think the biggest thing I've noticed after doing 'Fearlessly Girl' has been how big of a fan base I've created of people who don't watch tennis," Keys said. "There's all of these girls who are now saying oh my gosh I love you not the tennis playing you."Something Whitfield said she admired the most."What really drew me to Madison as a partner in this was the fact that she really cares about the girls," Whitfield said. "I saw that she had this genuine passion and didn't want to just tweet about it she wanted to be involved and so she's been involved in every aspect of all the stuff we've done in the Quad Cities."Empowering young girls to make the world a better place. "I thought it was really cool because there were so many people who came and talked to us and it really made me feel good about myself," said 8th grader Loukia Constantinides. "It felt good knowing that you can talk to people about the struggles we face being girls.""To be able to watch that has made this whole process so amazing just to be apart of and it's something that I'm really happy that I get to be apart of," Keys said.Since the organization started, Whitfield she has talked to over 200,000 teen girls across North America.Whitfield is also the author of the book 'Fearlessly Girl.'

Sterling silo mural in full bloom as work wraps and purpose begins

  A five-story tall bouquet of flowers has blossomed out of a two-year-old dream.It's a new part of the riverfront for Sterling and Rock Falls.When Doctor Edward Miles moved to Sterling, he wanted to give the towering silos connected to his home some new life.Local Four News first got a look at the effort about two months ago and meeting the artist behind the massive work of art.Now that work is done, but its purpose is only just beginning.After nearly three months of working on this concrete canvas, all that remains is just a few final touches, and while looking up close, it’s hard to see what this colleague of color is meant to depict. When it comes to a project this large, the best view is from afar.Dr. Edward Miles, who commissioned the mural, said, “From the initial line drawings which you could barely see from the street now to the finished product that you can see across the river in Rock Falls, it’s just a work of art.”For Dr. Edward Miles, the oncologist is hoping the blooms will help aid the work cleaning up what’s broken and run down.Dr. Mile said, “I wanted to participate in the beautification of that area. There’s redevelopment going on, plans in place and I wanted to help in my own small way.”Dr. Miles said part of the inspiration is the existing array of murals throughout the community.Dr. Miles said, “I was very interested in participating with the blank slate I have on the silos.”But he required some help. While an art collector, he needed the right person to make this dream blossom. Dr. Mile said, “I have zero artistic ability myself.”That’s where artist Annie Hermes comes in, helping Doctor Miles turn this agricultural antique into something more than an eyesore.Hermes said, “He had a really innovative vision for bringing something from the past and just ushering it into the present day with a really creative piece of art.”They worked on the design together, deciding on flowers and mixing in native varieties, After an ongoing public debut, the goal is an impact on more than just the eyes.Hermes said, “A lot of inspiration, motivation and unity to a community.”Dr. Miles said, “To draw people into the downtown and hopefully provide more folks to participate in the ongoing business of downtown Sterling.”Friday, Nov. 16 was the final day of painting for the mural.  All that remains is a coating that will go over the artwork to help protect it from the elements. Hermes said she is a finalist for another mural project that would be twice the size.Dr. Miles said the reception from the community has been positive, welcoming something creative to the site. 

JA BizTown hosts ribbon cutting

MOLINE — The Junior Achievement of the Heartland on Thursday celebrated the grand opening of JA BizTown’s Agriculture Center at JA World, 116 W. 2nd St., Davenport.

Acclaimed Bettendorf native to perform Sunday at Redstone

DAVENPORT – Mike Conrad, a 30-year-old Bettendorf native, comes back home this weekend to perform at Polyrhythms’ Third Sunday Jazz Workshop & Matinee Series at the Redstone Room, 129 Main St.

Where to expect some Saturday morning snow

Ready to do a little shoveling? On the bright side, not all of us will need the snow removal equipment for Saturday morning. Another clipper-type system similar to what we saw last Friday will be quickly moving through the Quad Cities later tonight into Saturday morning spreading an area of light to moderate snow overhead by midnight. Want to watch the snow come down? Click here to watch “Sticky the Snowstick” measure the accumulation, live! The heaviest snowfall accumulations look to set up right along the US 20 corridor, especially north of the Quad Cities metro where around two inches of snow looks likely around Savanna and Dubuque. Closer to the metro around an inch or less can be expected with much lower amounts south of Interstate 80. There may be a period of a rain and snow mix in this area that will knock down overall accumulation totals. Road conditions are expected to be impacted more by this system compared to last week because we have had these colder temperatures in place for a number of days now and pavement temperatures will be more conducive to seeing some accumulation before sunrise Saturday. Plan a few extra minutes for any commutes you may have planned for the morning hours. By noon the snow will be coming to a quick end with cloudy skies remaining for the afternoon and highs in the middle 30s. A well-advertised warm-up is still on track for Thanksgiving as a nice, quiet, and warm ridge of high pressure settles overhead allowing temperatures to rise to 50 by Turkey Day! Meteorologist Andrew Stutzke Download the News 8 Weather App — for iOS, click here and for Android, click here Download the free News 8 App — for iOS, click here and for Android, click here

Enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast to support women & their children

The March of Dimes pancake breakfast is this Saturday, Nov. 17, from 8-11 a.m. in the Bettendorf High School Commons.    The March of Dimes is an organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.   The Bettendorf Future Business Leaders of America is also helping to put on the event. They help educate students about business, and also teach them important life skills such as communication and responsibility which can be used for the rest of their lives.   Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.   Lauren Kress, local president of the Bettendorf Future Business Leaders of America, joins Local 4 News to share more.   You can find out more by clicking here>>>  

Turkey Talk: Knowing When to Thaw Your Bird

The Rock Island County Health Department created a guide that aims to help consumers identify the best time to thaw their turkey for Thanksgiving.

Bids opened for demolition of Rock Island courthouse

ROCK ISLAND — Bids for demolition of the Rock Island County courthouse were opened Tuesday at the county office building by Gilbane Building Co. project manager Phil Thiele.

East Moline man faces child pornography charge

EAST MOLINE — An East Moline man was arrested Thursday on two counts of child pornography.

EICC, Moline Foundation form Talent Link

MOLINE — Talent Link, a workforce development partnership, has been formed by The Moline Foundation and Eastern Iowa Community College.

Organization donates hygiene products to local missions

ROCK ISLAND, Illinois -- The Rock Island Police Department donated hygiene items to Christian Family Care and QC Heart of Hope. It's part of the "Rock Island Stands Together" program.  Every year they choose worthy causes to support.  On Friday, November 16 they dropped off their collections. For a month prior to the donation, they collected hygiene and paper products. "You'd be surprised at how excited people are to get things like toilet paper," said Lynda Sargent, founder of QC Heart of Hope. "Things we take for granted... tooth paste, deodorant, and just basic family needs." QC Heart of Hope said they still have a need for winter gear.

West Liberty Police host free laundry event Monday

The West Liberty Police Department is "laundering money" by providing the community with free laundry service from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at Soapbox Laundry, 100 N. Spencer St., and West Liberty Coin Laundry, 122 E. 3rd St.

Man drags his love from burning home: ‘I would have died getting her out’

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. - The love Anthony Moore has for Delores Palmer burns hotter than the fire that destroyed the couple's Dinwiddie County home. The couple lost most of their possessions in the Thursday morning fire. But they still have each other. "I won't coming out there without her," Moore told WTVR. "I would have died getting her out." Anthony Moore An electric space heater sparked the fire that burned their Williamson Road home, the couple said. Moore said Palmer was in the kitchen when he spotted the fire. By the time he warned her to move away, the fire had spread. "I ran down the hall, tried to throw water on it and I ran out the door to get the water hose to hook that up to try to use the water hose to put it out," she said. But when it was obvious the fire was not going out, Palmer refused to go outside. "I told her come on, ain't no more we could do," Moore said. "But every time I tried to get her, she'd run back and the smoke had crowded us so bad." Scene of the fire "I was still trying to get in there to get my important things," she said. But Moore was insistent that his love escape their burning home. "I just asked God to let me drag her out of there, so that's what I did to get her out of there," he added. While the couple - who does not have any homeowners' insurance - lost their possessions, they were thankful to still have each other. "I would have lost my life for her," Moore said. "That's how much I love her."

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Deer Hunting Reminder

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding people about the rules for deer hunting season. This after an East Peoria man was charged with a felony for killing one too many deer.

Rock Island native Madison Keys returns to host 3rd annual “FearlesslyGIRL” event

BETTENDORF, Iowa – Madison Keys is usually known for her big serve and having one of the most powerful forehands in tennis.  Now, the Rock Island native returns back home to host the third annual “FearlesslyGIRL” conference. The event’s purpose is for girls to support girls; something the US Open tennis star knows all about. “It’s just kind of like you are a big sister to all these girls in the room,” Keys explains. Keys is now working with the “FearlesslyGIRL” team to spread words of boosting self-esteem and eliminating bullying among young women. See WQAD's one-on-one interview with Madison Keys below. “I don’t think teachers, parents, and adults in the situation are realizing – especially with the online bullying – it’s something that they never dealt with,” reminds Keys. “Girls are going through a lot, self-esteem is definitely down, especially at my school,” says student, Armonni Parks. At the conference, girls are learning to stand up to bullies.  They started by revealing their fears to the people they may fear the most – their peers. “I heard some of the girls say “I am so scared right now”, but they still went up there and they still read it,” says Kate Whitfield, “FearlesslyGIRL” founder. By the end of the conference, the room of more than 1,000 young women quickly became a safe space. “They know this is a place that no one is going to judge you, where you are among friends.  You’re with people who want to see you grow,” says event speaker, Dre Brown. The young women can now to grow with friends who will support them in the future, thanks to inspirational people like Keys. “I don’t think words can describe how it feels to someone who came from where you are from, and you know they made it somewhere you can go,” Parks says. It all starts with girls supporting girls. “We can help each other, we need each other to get through these tough times,” comments Keys. The conference has dramatically grown the past three years - 300 attended last year to more than a thousand this year. The event was streamed to thousands of other students in schools across the country.

‘My name is Inigo Montoya’: Legendary screenwriter William Goldman dies at 87

A “true legend” in filmmaking has died at 87. William Goldman, who won screenwriting Oscars for All The President’s Men and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, died Thursday night at his Manhattan home due to complications from colon cancer and pneumonia, per the Washington Post. Writer William Goldman at at Madison Square Garden on December 23, 2003 in New York. (Photo by Ray Amati/Getty Images) Referring to Goldman as “one of the greats, a true legend,” Deadline reports he’d been in ill health for some time, with his condition worsening over the summer. Starting his career as a novelist, Goldman wrote his first movie script in the 1960s before adding The Princess Bride—hard to forget these lines—Marathon Man, Flowers For Algernon, A Bridge Too Far, The Stepford Wives, and many other films to his resume. He also worked on several films without taking a screen credit, per Deadline, which relays how he advised Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme to cut a huge 8-minute scene from the nearly completed movie. “It was just an extraordinary difference, an immeasurable improvement,” Demme later said. “That is William Goldman.” The Post calls attention to several other examples of Goldman’s mastery, including the opening scene of 1966’s Harper—”widely considered a masterpiece of screenwriting, revealing depths of character without a single word.” In addition to writing more than 16 novels, Goldman also penned memoirs, including 1983’s Adventures in the Screen Trade. (Another legend died this week.)

North Carolina man’s runny nose turns out to be leaking brain fluid

JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. – Greg Phillpotts said his runny nose tormented him for five years – last year his family’s Thanksgiving feast was ruined when fluid suddenly poured from one nostril and into the food, WTVD reports. “I was preparing a meal and standing in the kitchen and it just added itself to the ingredients — it screwed up the whole dinner,” the North Carolina father said. While he had surgery to correct the issue in September, he spoke recently with WTVD about his rare condition. Phillpotts had been living in New York until two years ago when he moved south to Johnston County after his wife retired. He thought it was just allergies or even just a runny nose. It turned out to be something he needed surgery for. It’s all next at 11 #ABC11 @MountSinaiNYC pic.twitter.com/Z5ZsU5s3G2 — Josh Chapin (@JoshChapinABC11) November 16, 2018 For years, Phillpotts blamed the nagging condition on allergies and told WCBS in September that doctors in North Carolina had diagnosed him with pneumonia and bronchitis. After years of stuffing tissues in his nose, one February night left him determined to figure out what was happening to his body. Phillpotts said a cough kept him up for an entire night and scared him enough to find yet another doctor. This time, he got the right diagnosis. In September, Dr. Alfred Iloreta at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital determined that Phillpotts nose had actually been leaking cerebrospinal fluid. “It’s the leakage of fluid that surrounds the brain to cushion it primarily to protect it from shock or trauma or anything like that,” Dr. Iloreta told WTVD. Left untreated, the constant leakage can result in a dangerous infection, Iloreta said. A minimally invasive skull surgery was all it took to fix the leakage – doctors used a flap of Phillpotts’ skin from another part of his body as a patch. After five years of torture, Phillpotts was overjoyed. “You ever been so congested you can’t breathe, and all of a sudden you can breathe again?” he asked. “You know what a relief that was?”

Several large Muscatine construction projects set to complete

MUSCATINE, Iowa- Several high profile construction projects are in the final stages as 2018 comes to a close. The Mississippi Drive Corridor reconstruction project (MDRCP) is two weeks from being substantially complete with the final section (Oak Street to Mad Creek) tentatively scheduled to be reopened to traffic by Friday, November, 30. The city says most of the roadway is completed but work continues on 2nd Street in the final two weeks before the tentative reopening. This includes finishing landscaping, the installation of street lights, and painting the street. City project managers say that the MDRCP will be mostly done by November 30. However, completion may take several more weeks and there may be temporary lane closures needed. The 2nd & Mulberry roundabout plan is near completion with city officials anticipating a Spring 2019 construction timeline. A presentation on the project will be scheduled after the design has been completed. Phase 4A of the West Hill Sewer separation project is in the final stages. The city says Phase 4A will be substantially complete by Friday, November, 30, with a final completion date of Friday, December,21. The Houser Street parking expansion project has the parking lot paved, the practice fields seeded, and the first portion of the West Side Trail expected to be asphalted in the coming days. Backfilling and landscaping of the lot are yet to be finished. The bases for the light poles are placed with more activity scheduled in the days before the Thanksgiving holiday. The Full Depth Patch project contractor is completing work on Division Street, Stewart Road, and Fulliam Street. The city says: “Houser and Logan Streets are 80 percent complete and are expected to be completed before the winter shutdown. The contract with All-American Concrete expires on May 1 with the final two street sections moved to Spring 2019 according to city project managers.”

Bettendorf names Acting Fire Chief Steve Knorrek to the job full-time

Bettendorf officials on Friday picked acting Fire Chief Steve Knorrek to lead the city’s fire department, giving the veteran fireman an official title he has long sought to hold.

Bettendorf Names New Fire Chief

Bettendorf Assistant Chief Steve Knorrek, who has served as Interim Fire Chief since April, will officially be sworn in as the new chief in December.

Mom screams with glee as police bust Florida drivers speeding by stopped school bus

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – A dozen Florida drivers were ticketed after blowing past a stopped school bus on US 19 in Pasco County, Florida. A group of concerned moms recorded the police sting to catch the drivers. “Go get them boys!” Monica Douglas screams to police in her now viral Facebook video. “Ha! Enjoy those tickets. Ha! Thank you!” More than 11 million people have seen the video. “Thank you all for the support and shares and comments,” she later posted on Facebook. “Just remember stop for those buses.” Warning: Video contains strong language “IT IS THE LAW to stop for stopped school buses,” a Pasco County Sheriff’s spokesperson posted on Facebook. “This is to protect the children who are unloading from the bus. With recent reports of infractions, an Enforcement Action Plan was created for a noted bus stop on US 19. This body worn camera video from Deputy Justin Smith shows himself and Deputy Ashlyn Reese making several traffic stops yesterday morning as vehicles continued driving past a stopped bus as children were unloading.”

Changes in Store for Grassley During Next Congress

In January, Iowa US Senator Chuck Grassley will probably become the third in line to the presidency. This week, Senate republicans nominated him to be Senate pro tem.

Threat against Bettendorf High School 'not credible,' but school adds police security

Bettendorf High School had at least five police cruisers stationed around its perimeter Friday, after school officials received a message Thursday indicating a potential threat.

Brave dog saves owner from house fire

UNION TOWNSHIP, Iowa- A brave dog saved its owner and his girlfriend from a blaze that took 12 firefighters to get under control. During the early hours of Friday, November 16, the Burlington Fire Department was called to a house fire, with flames and smoke showing. Less than 15 minutes later around 3:30 a.m. firefighters arrived at the 14000 block of Skunk River Road in Union Township south of Burlington to find a house emitting smoke from the attic and the back of the house. The owner was at home during the fire and claims he was alerted to the fire by his dog. The man and his girlfriend were able to escape without being hurt due to the early warning from their furry friend. The Burlington Fire Department says the entire single-family home sustained heavy smoke and heat damage. They estimate damages of $80,000 to the house itself and $15,000 to the contents inside. The house is insured but did not have working smoke alarms “12 Burlington firefighters responded to the call and were assisted by firefighters from Wever, Denmark, Gladstone, and West Burlington supplying water tenders and manpower. Superior Ambulance and deputies from Des Moines County Sheriff’s office also provided assistance at the scene.” Fire Marshal Mark Crooks says, firefighters remained on the scene until 6:50 a.m. and there were no injuries

Thanksgiving comes early for some of the Quad Cities' newest residents

There's more to learning a new language than just memorizing words. You also have to learn about the culture. That's why one Rock Island group invited some of the Quad Cities' newest residents to celebrate one of the country's oldest traditions: Thanksgiving.Spring Forward  has been teaching ESL classes to immigrants in the basement of Rock Island's Church of Peace for three years as part of its Family Literacy Program."It's very, very isolating to be in a situation where you don't speak the same language as everybody else around you," said Spring Forward's Director of Communications and Family Programming Stephanie Hasaskis. "The English classes help them to feel comfortable." Students attend classes four days a week, but each year in the fall they take a night off from their workbooks to celebrate Thanksgiving.SayLeh and PawDay, two longtime students of the program, said it's a night they look forward to because it brings everyone together."Teachers, friends, everybody," Pawday said.Both students are U.S. citizens. SayLeh has lived here for five years and PawDay has called Rock Island home for a decade."Their transformation in class is just terrific," Hasaskis said. "They both will go up and talk to new people and offer information and ask questions about other people where they didn't before." That confidence is key to learning a new language, Hasaskis said, and events like the Thanksgiving dinner help the students practice their English skills a slightly different setting."We love to do this as kind of a thank you to our students and a celebration of the diversity we have," Hasaskis said. "We're just gathering and being grateful for our friends and our family." That's exactly who PawDay likes to be around in class. She said the support system makes studying a little easier."I learn English better with [them]," PawDay said.Hasaskis said Spring Forward is looking for volunteers to work with ESL students one-on-one. To find out how you can get involved click here. 

East Moline Man Arrested In Child Pornography Investigation

Stephen E. Psinas III, 44, was arrested Thursday on child pornography charges after a three-month long investigation

New Bettendorf Fire Chief

Bettendorf has a new fire chief. Friday the city announced the promotion of Assistant Chief Steve Knorrek to the position of fire chief. He's served as acting chief since last April when Gerry Voelliger retired.

Snowstorm forces hundreds of students to sleep in New Jersey schools

WEST ORANGE, N.J. — A snowstorm that caused chaos for commuters Thursday also left more than two hundred students stranded in New Jersey schools overnight. School buses were unable to get to schools in West Orange, forcing the district to keep the children overnight into Friday. Administrators and teachers played host to kids at eight West Orange public schools, including a preschool, who couldn't get home. Liberty Middle School housed the most students, with about 25 teachers looking after about 100 students overnight. The school’s principal kept the public updated with pictures and the latest information on their students, who were kept entertained and fed. UPDATE...What a nor’easter ....students at Liberty are fine, transitioned back to the auditorium for the movie “Frozen”, timely movie choice, staff serving water....some students looking to grab some zzzzzzzzzz.....@woschools pic.twitter.com/iAlsADVIYH — Liberty Middle (@Liberty_WO) November 16, 2018 As of 5:30 a.m. Friday, staff began serving students French toast for breakfast. 5:30 am UPDATE.....Rise & Shine ....Liberty staff serving up FRENCH TOAST this morning....@woschools pic.twitter.com/1rpOzYaUOs — Liberty Middle (@Liberty_WO) November 16, 2018 District officials hoped roads would be clear Friday morning so buses could take the students home, but snow began to fall again. Police drove students whose families couldn't pick them up back to their homes, school officials said. A handful of students remained at school as of 9 a.m. West Orange public schools will be closed Friday.

Youth Service Bureau begins new era in Moline location

MOLINE – Juvenile crime is a painful fact of life these days.  It’s hard to watch the dreadful images that produce hopelessness. “There’s the idea that they’re bad kids,” said Nicole Zook, a counselor at Youth Service Bureau, on Friday, November 16.  “There aren’t bad kids.  There are bad choices.” Curbing those bad choices is one reason why Youth Service Bureau is moving to a new headquarters at 2610 41st Street in Moline.  Serving Rock Island County since 1972, it continues to turn lives around. “Kids are resilient,” said Executive Director Lori Luna.  “What we really focus on here is empowering and helping kids to be the best that they can be.” Youth Service Bureau focuses on school-based programs, but it also serves clients of all ages.  Referrals come from schools, courts, police, agencies and individuals. “We do primarily a lot of our work in the schools,” Zook said.  “In that way, we’re able to reach out not only here at YSB, but we’re everywhere.” In addition to the counseling, there’s also an academic mentoring program.  It’s all designed to get teens on the right path. Guests are getting a chance to see new therapy rooms. Colorful designs and a welcoming atmosphere add to an ultimate goal. “I always say that everybody needs help at some point in their life,” Luna concluded.  “Don’t be afraid to ask.”  

Bettendorf Fire Department finds new chief from within

BETTENDORF, Iowa — The Bettendorf Fire Department has promoted a worker from within to fulfill the role of fire chief. Assistant Chief Steve Knorrek is being promoted to fire chief, according to a statement from the city.  Knorrek had been acting chief since the last chief, Chief Gerry Voilliger, retired in April. The promotion will be presented to the Bettendorf City Council for approval on Tuesday, November 20. “City officials decided not to participate in a nationwide search to fill the position of fire chief, but to hire within the department,” said City Administrator Decker Ploehn.  “We feel Assistant Chief Knorrek’s impressive history with the Bettendorf Fire Department will make him an excellent leader who will continue to provide quality service to our community.” A swearing-in ceremony will be held Tuesday, December 4 at the city council meeting. Knorrek has been working with the fire department since September of 1983.

Three-month-long child porn investigation leads to arrest of East Moline man

EAST MOLINE, Illinois — An East Moline man was arrested after a three-month-long child pornography investigation. Stephen E. Psinas III, age 44, was arrested on Thursday, November 15, according to Lt. Jeff Ramsey with the East Moline Police Department.  Before the arrest, police searched a home in the 1800 block of 18th Street A. Psinas was arrested on two counts of child pornography, said Lt. Ramsey.  He was booked into the Rock Island County Jail and held on $300,000 bond.

A drug-free therapy that involves horses can help PTSD symptoms

While many veterans receive medications to fights PTSD symptoms, the Sundance for Our Soldiers program is offering a drug-free solution, it’s called Equine Assisted Therapy.  Equine Assisted Therapy is a range of treatments that involve activities with horses. Megan Sundeen, founder of Sundance for Our Soldiers says the horse is the key component to the therapy.  "What takes place is these horses being in their natural state free to move about within their environment gives them the ability read and mirror someone's thoughts, their body language and other things," says Sundeen.   And Megan says veterans and horse have plenty in common.  "It has the same defense mechanism with either it freezes, it fights, or it flights. And that's the same thing soldiers do when they're in battle,” says Sundeen.  “They have to know those three things. So it parallels each other and they both have a hyper vigilance to their environment."  Part of the therapy involves obstacle course between the veterans and the horses.   "The things that we set up help to create a potential metaphor- something that they can compare to in their own lives and that's where the healing starts to begin,” explains Sundeen.  And for veteran Dorothy Meindok, one session gave her a glimpse into her own battles.  "The one that I identified as myself just stood there. Just stood their frozen and looked petrified and the other horse seemed to come up and protect her,” says Dorothy.  “I think I got some really good people in my life now that are trying to cokes me to the next step and I’m just so comfortable doing what I know. It’s a hard cycle to break." Dorothy has been dealing with PTSD for more than 20 years. She says this session gave her a shocking reaction.  “I’ve been in therapy a long time I've tried a lot of things and I never got a response or a reaction on the first time ever. But I did this. And it’s so profound and so moving that it scares me a little bit," says Dorothy. Change doesn't happen overnight but Megan says the healing happens through the process. "With the two of them working together, it brings forward a lot of healing and a lot of stress relief, resiliency of PTSD symptoms. A lot of healthy behaviors are developed," says Sundeen. Megan Sundeen has made it her goal to help as many veterans win their inner-battles as possible. The program is at no cost because of grants and donations for veterans. Active servicemen and their families because she says PTSD is a family battle.  

Dog credited with alerting owner of Burlington area house fire

Justin Coppage was home when fire swept through his house on Skunk River Roud around 3:30 Friday morning.

New Siri shortcut allows you to secretly record traffic stops

CLEVELAND - Traffic stops are consistently one of the most stressful and dangerous situations for both police officers and the citizens they serve, but a new smartphone app might change that dynamic. The free app is called 'Shortcuts' and can be used to create a number of them on iPhones for everything from music to contacts.  However, one shortcut called 'Police' is getting a lot of attention. “I think it’s great because it tells both sides of the story,” said driver Suzy Buckley. Once downloaded, the user records a message like, “Siri I’m being pulled over.” Whenever that phrase is then used the shortcut will open and turn on the video camera and begin recording in 'Do Not Disturb mode.' It also notifies a predetermined contact that you are being stopped by the police and sends the video to either that person or a selected location like the Cloud or Dropbox. “Now we have some kind of independent corroboration,” said Attorney Sarah Gelsomino, “This app secures that video in a way that’s unique.” Attorney Christopher McNeal likes the app because drivers no longer have to rely on police dashcam or other surveillance videos that may or may not exist. Not every department has cameras, and sometimes they’re broken or turned off. McNeal represents a Cleveland man whose traffic stop by a Euclid police officer was captured on video and went viral. McNeal says he was outraged when he first saw the video, “This was a violent attack on our client.” The officer was fired, but then rehired after arbitration.  McNeal believes constant transparency is the only way to manifest change. “Based on my experiences rank and file police officers want the bad actors removed,” said McNeal, “It allows us to all become witnesses.” That’s why an Arizona man named Robert Petersen originally designed the shortcut, “to keep everyone safe and honest,” said Petersen. So how do officers feel about being covertly recorded? Mentor City Police Department Lt. Mike Majernik called traffic stops extremely dangerous, for a number of reasons. “You’re on the side of the street, walking up to a complete unknown,” said Lt. Majernik, “And we don’t what their state of mind is if they have weapons on them.” He hoped people using the app would mount the phone on the dash or a cup holder so that they aren’t digging around for it as the officers approach, which could appear suspicious. However, he has no problem with drivers using the app.  “It’s a good thing,” said Lt. Majernik, “We’re well aware of the fact we’re being recorded so if somebody’s recording us, there’s no problem whatsoever it’s a good thing.” He says videos have helped exonerate wrongly accused officers and also apprehend suspects, including a man who shot a Parma Heights officer during a traffic stop, and the suspect who an officer in a hit-and -run accident. “Without that video, we still might be without a suspect in that case,” said Lt. Majernik. The shortcut can also be configured to begin recording in other potentially dangerous situations for example if someones following or stalking you. “That would be nice,” said Paul Arbogast, “Then if something does happen they know what happened leading up to it.” The Shortcut app is currently only available for Apple iOS devices.

Midday Medical: Early screening for lung cancer

Alsion Beardsley, Dir. of Oncology at UnityPoint Health talks about lung cancer screening, who qualifies, and how to quit smoking.

Traffic alert: Complete closure of eastbound I-74 under Ave. of Cities starts Saturday evening

Traffic will be detoured utilizing the Avenue of the Cities on and off ramps. Workers will be performing bridge beam repairs.

On Iowa Politics: Governor on King

This week On Iowa Politics talks about Gov. Kim Reynolds' statements on Rep. Steve King, whether Democrats can reach the rural voter base, and what to expect from the 2019 legislative session.

Figge to hold final free Family Day Saturday

DAVENPORT – The Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., will hold its final Free Family Day of the year Saturday, Nov. 17.

Illinois Midterm Wrapup

On Midwest Week, a wrap-up of the statewide races in Illinois from the midterm election.

Nationally-recognized singers hail from Aledo, Illinois

ALEDO, Illinois -- Two women who grew up in Aledo, Illinois - population 3,600 - wound up becoming nationally-recognized singers;  Margo Price and Suzy Bogguss have performed for the Grand Ole Opry. “They’re the talk of the town,” says life-long resident, Pam Myers. Bogguss started her career back in the 1980s.  Her country songs topped the charts, landing her countless awards, naming her Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music. Price is now an up-and-coming star who’s appeared on almost every late-night show in America - her fame is still growing. But these two nationwide stars started on the very same small-town stage. Both singers found their voices in Aledo, Illinois back in high school.  They sang in the choir, performed in their high school theater productions, and caught the attention of people in town. “They are very driven, good-natured, very positive people,” comments Myers. “They are grounded where their roots are,” says Jim Taylor at WRMJ Radio. But small-town Aledo wasn’t enough for these two.  They had higher hopes and dreams they would one day make it to the big leagues. “I was like there is a girl from Aledo playing for the president, that’s pretty awesome,” Ruggles remembers. Bogguss shocked everyone back home when she performed for President Bill Clinton and Price followed in Bogguss’ footsteps all the way to Nashville. “I’ll never forget Russell Crowe goes ‘Hi, I’m Russell Crowe and I’m introducing Saturday Night Live’s musical guest, Margo Price’,” recalls Taylor. “I was like there is an Aledo kid who is standing next to Russell Crowe.” Like Bogguss, Price keeps it traditional. “When you listen to her albums you think of Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette as classic singers,” explains Ruggles. Yet, she adds an edge to set her apart from the rest. “She’s got the respect of the older country musicians,” Ruggles adds. “Those are the things that happen before she is the headliner.  So, I really think it’s a matter of time.” “I mean they talk about one in a million, one in a trillion shots and those are two examples,” says Taylor. Leaders in Aledo hope to have both musicians return and perform together at the town's Annual Rhubarb Festival within the next few years.

U.S. Sen. Grassley leaving Senate judiciary committee chairmanship to head finance committee

Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has chosen to step away from his role as chairman of the upper chamber’s judiciary committee, saying he plans to instead take the helm of the finance committee when the next Congress convenes…

Judaism and science explored in Sunday talk at Centennial

ROCK ISLAND -- Ohio State University professor Tamar Rudavsky will give the 2018 Stone Lecture in Judaism at Augustana College on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Centennial Hall, 3703 7th Ave.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Friday morning's WVIK newscast for Nov. 16, 2018: Meadery opens in downtown Davenport Eastbound lanes of I-74 under Ave. of Cities overpass to close Saturday night Rock Island's MLK Center to host Thanksgiving meals this weekend

Davenport officials release parade route for Festival of Trees

Officials say temporary no parking areas are already in place downtown and some streets will begin closing at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Noon update: Rain, snow likely overnight

Here's the afternoon forecast from the National Weather Service.