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

Friday, May 24th, 2019
	Memorial honors East Moline police officer killed in line of duty 50 years ago East Moline police officers came together to remember one of their own today.The department held a police memorial to honor Officer Richard Morton.He was killed in the line of duty in 1969.The memorial took place near Morton's grave at riverside cemetery in Moline.It was emotional for Morton's former police partner."When a police officer dies, their families lose a lot also, and that's got to be remembered," said Bob Butcher. "It's... I can't say anymore, right now it's just a hard time for me."Butcher says today's attendance at shows how much community support there is.
	Florida man dies by suicide after service dog is killed by alligator PARRISH, Fla. – A man died by suicide after his service dog was eaten by an alligator last week in Manatee County, Florida, WFLA reports. Andrew Epp died Saturday, just one day after his dog Java was killed by an alligator near a dog park that sits close to Buffalo Creek. The dog park is located near wetlands and the attack reportedly happened after Java got loose while outside the fence around Dog Leg Park. On Friday, the Bradenton Herald reported that signs have been put up to warn dog owners and others in the area. Buffalo Creek, is also the site of a golf course which has made headlines over the years thanks to numerous sightings of gators, including one slow-moving, 15-foot beast known to locals as “Chubbs.” A gator trapper was sent to the area, but nothing has since been caught, according to WFLA. Epp’s family said they wanted him to see a mental health professional immediately after Java’s death; he was told the earliest he could get an appointment was August. A GoFundMe has been set up to cover Epp’s funeral costs.
	Gov. Reynolds vetoes newest Iowa medical marijuana bill DES MOINE, Iowa- Friday, May 24, Gov. Reynolds vetoed House File 732, an act that would add to Iowa’s existing medical cannabidiol program. She gave the following statement on her decision: “House File 732 would make a number of changes to expand Iowa’s medical cannabidiol (“CBD”) program. Our program was originally established to provide CBD as a treatment option for Iowans suffering from specific medical conditions. Since our program began, I have heard countless stories of the relief and remarkable improvements that CBD has offered Iowans. And I support our program and efforts to strengthen and improve the program, so that it continues to be a safe, rational, and compassionate medical CBD program. “Unlike some states, Iowa’s medical CBD program is not a medical marijuana program. To this end, current Iowa law limits the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”)—the psychoactive chemical in the cannabis plant—in medical CBD products to three percent. But recognizing the limited experience with medical CBD and potential questions surrounding the three percent limit, the Legislature had the foresight to establish a Medical Cannabidiol Board, primarily made up of medical experts. The Board is tasked with governing our program and advising the Legislature on potential statutory changes to the definition of medical CBD, including the THC limit. The Legislature was wise to understand that we were entering uncharted territory and could benefit from the Board’s expertise in navigating any potential expansion of the program. “Most of the changes included in House File 732 were the result of the Legislature and the Medical Cannabidiol Board coming together to reach agreement on appropriate and positive improvements to our medical CBD program. I fully support these changes. But unfortunately, the bill would also remove the three percent limit on THC in medical CBD products and replace it with a limit of 25 grams of THC per 90-day period. This change was not recommended by the Board. And if approved, it would drastically expand Iowa’s medical CBD program far beyond its original scope of CBD-based treatments and could open the door to significant unintended consequences to the health and safety of Iowans. “I agree that there should be some change to the three percent THC limit. There appears to be consensus, including from the Board, that a gram-based limit would be more appropriate than a percentage-based limit. But I have not been unable to discern any evidence-based justification for the specific 25-gram limit proposed in this bill. And after its review of the available evidence, the Board recommended a limit of only 4.5 grams per 90-day period. “It may be that a THC limit higher than 4.5 grams is appropriate. But the 25-gram limit in this bill would allow a person to consume more than 277 milligrams of THC per day—an amount higher than one would typically consume even with aggressive recreational marijuana use. This is all the more concerning because a participant in the program is not prescribed a particular dosage by a medical practitioner or monitored on an ongoing basis for any adverse health consequences. Iowa’s program only requires a practitioner to certify that the participant suffers from a qualifying condition on an annual basis. “Ultimately, I believe Iowa must proceed cautiously to ensure that any expansion of our medical CBD program is thoughtful and deliberate—particularly because Iowa’s program is in its infancy and the body of research that analyzes the efficacy of medical CBD is limited. So I look forward to working with the Legislature and the Medical Cannabidiol Board to find an evidence-based THC limit that we can work to enact along with the rest of the provisions in House File 732 that I support. The health and safety of Iowans is too important for us not to get this right. “For these reasons, I respectfully disapprove of House File 732 in its entirety.”
	1st West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes found in Illinois SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — State public health officials say they've confirmed Illinois' first mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus this season. The Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday that DuPage County Health Department staff collected the positive mosquitoes Tuesday in the village of Wayne. No human cases have been reported so far in 2019. The first mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus last season were collected on May 25, four days later than this year. Health department records show 74 Illinois counties reported West Nile virus positive mosquitoes or birds or a human case in 2018. There were 176 human cases last year, including 17 deaths. The virus is transmitted through mosquito bites. Symptoms include fever, nausea, headaches and muscle aches, however most people won't show symptoms.
	Washed out Memorial Weekend isn’t keeping campers away HAMPTON, Illinois -- Parts of Illiniwek Campground had been submerged for 53 days as the Mississippi River swelled to record levels and rain continued to fall. Floodwaters covering the picnic area along Great River Trail only retreated a week ago and the forecast for the long weekend predicted more rainfall. But campers here said they want to be near the water. On Friday campers began trickling in and setting up for the long weekend. John Queen arrived at the campground just before noon in his truck, pulling his camper behind him. He hoped to get set up before his girlfriend arrived later that day. He had driven just a few miles from Davenport. "I live in the Gold Coast, the flooding is about three blocks from me," he said. "I wanted to be closer," he laughed. Queen and his girlfriend call the camper their summer home. For them, the rain was not dealbreaker. "This is Iowa, Illinois. We’re used to it," he said. "Well I wouldn’t want to be in a home along the river right now," said Dennis Taylor from Denver Colorado. Decades ago, he used to live on Campbell's Island for 12 years. "I love the river," he said. "Every once in a while it gets a little out of hand," he addmitted, and that's when he prefers to live in camper, he said. "We’re mobile. We can move." The Taylors, Dennis and his wife Diane, said everything they needed was right there. "We got heat, we got electricity, we got air conditioning, heaters, tv. It's self-entertaining when it’s raining," he said. Travel buddies and furbabies Mimi and Cuddles provide companionship when the couple is not visiting with family and friends in town. "It’s not really that bad," Taylor said. Queen from Davenport agreed. "Like I told my girlfriend, it would be raining at home." Queen said he just wished it was a bit drier so his tent-camping friends could come out as well. Illiniwek Park is not allowing tents to be pitched nor any fishing along the river until further notice.
	Rosie the Riveter convention meeting in the Quad Cities for the first time; looking for more Rosies By now, many of the youngest Rosies are in their mid-nineties.
	Couple’s home burglarized while they’re at hospital with newborn baby MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man broke into a Memphis family's home while they were in the hospital with their newborn, according to WREG. Zach Peck's son, Zach Jr., was born Monday, May 20. "Every time I look at my kid's eyes he looks at me like, 'Are you gonna raise me?' And I'm like, 'Yes, I will," Peck said. Two days later, the happiest week of his life was dampened by disappointment. Police say someone broke into his Whitehaven home on Weaver Road while he and his wife were in the hospital with their newborn. Peck says the thief stole a bunch of stuff including hundreds of dollars of items he bought for the baby. "I had a big baby shelf full of baby stuff. He took 90 percent of it," Peck said. "He left like some formula and a basket that did have some shampoo and baby soap in it. All that's gone." Peck found out about the burglary from his landlord who caught part of the incident on a security camera. In the video, you see a man take off when the house alarm goes off. Police say the thief got in by breaking a window. Officers are still trying to catch him. "I want him to serve his punishment," Peck said. Peck can't believe someone would steal from a baby. "I mean, I could care less about me but that's my kid." This is the third crime he's dealt with at his home this year. He says his truck was broken into a month ago and his lawnmower was stolen weeks before that. Having said all that, he's not willing to move. "They're going to have to shoot me in my house where I'm standing because I'm not leaving."
	Gene therapy gets FDA approval – and a $2 million price tag The US Food and Drug Administration approved a treatment Friday for a genetic disease called spinal muscular atrophy that causes infants’ muscles to waste away, potentially killing them before age 2. And then came the price tag: $2.125 million for a one-time treatment. The gene therapy, called Zolgensma, will be marketed by AveXis, whose parent company is Novartis. “Today’s approval marks another milestone in the transformational power of gene and cell therapies to treat a wide range of diseases,” Dr. Ned Sharpless, the FDA’s acting commissioner, said in a statement Friday. “The potential for gene therapy products to change the lives of those patients who may have faced a terminal condition, or worse, death, provides hope for the future.” The list price, which was anticipated to be in the low millions, immediately reignited controversy around the rising costs of drugs and how to pay for them. “It is emblematic of our broken system that effectively forces us to pay whatever price drug corporations demand for lifesaving new drugs,” David Mitchell, founder of the advocacy group Patients For Affordable Drugs, said in a statement Friday. Novartis leaders said Friday the price met their targets of cost-effectiveness, with the newly approved treatment costing about half of what another treatment for the disorder, Spinraza, might cost over 10 years. They said the company will have patient support and payment programs in place and that they do not expect out-of-pocket costs to be prohibitive for patients who need the treatment. “We didn’t pay for the polio vaccine based on the future cost savings for kids who didn’t need to live in iron lungs,” Mitchell said in criticizing the pricing decision. The chief clinical officer of Cigna Corp. said in a statement the health insurer anticipated “continuing the work we have started with AveXis to find unique solutions like installment payments and outcomes-based agreements for these life changing gene therapies.” Spinal muscular atrophy is an inherited disorder stemming from a defective gene that leads to the death of nerve cells responsible for moving muscles that allow us to walk, talk, breathe and swallow, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Zolgensma replaces a working copy of that gene into those nerve cells before they die and symptoms develop. As many as 1 in 8,000 babies is estimated to be affected by one of the genetic mutations that causes it. That includes about 450 to 500 infants in the United States per year, according to a Novartis statement. Sharpless said Friday the agency plans to help speed up the pace of reviewing products that address unmet medical needs and bringing them to the market. In January, FDA leaders said they expect that the agency will be approving 10 to 20 cell and gene therapy products yearly by 2025. In a CNBC op-ed last week, Novartis CEO Dr. Vas Narasimhan called for a new pricing and payment model for one-time treatments like Zolgensma, versus other treatments with costs that accumulate over time. “Health-care systems, however, are accustomed to treating chronic diseases with a pay-as-you-go model, spreading costs over months and years,” Narasimhan said. “They are currently unprepared to pay for a surge of new, single-treatment therapies with the potential to provide a lifetime of benefit.” But Mitchell, a cancer patient himself, said the company was abusing a broken system, “forcing families to answer one question: ‘What are you willing to pay to save your child’s life?'”
	Scott County Emergency Management says be prepared for flooding SCOTT COUNTY -The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities is reporting that the continued rainfall, saturated ground conditions, and the potential for several rounds of thunderstorms over the weekend will lead to rising river levels. The Mississippi River is continuing to rise and potentially increase to a level between 20.5 feet 23 feet at the Rock Island location as soon as May 31st. Scott County Emergency Management Agency says to do the following: Residents and businesses are encouraged to maintain existing flood protection. The National Weather Service continues to monitor the weather situation. Please note the hydrograph projected shared by the National Weather Service https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=dvn&gage=rcki2, only takes into account 24 hours of precipitation. In order to help individuals, businesses, and communities prepare, they are now publishing a new report with river levels based upon multiple days of forecasted rain. This chart is found at https://www.weather.gov/dvn/River_Levels?fbclid=IwAR3ZYeWku6UMVU10jVQtk3t8GYAzw 7nlPnZWg8hQef3aU10j0HOuWTYcdTo#Top. Residents and businesses that need assistance with barriers that have already been removed should contact their local City Public Works Department or Scott County Emergency Management Agency. Individuals in need of volunteer help or individuals interested in volunteering are encouraged to call 563-484-3086 (Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; closed on Memorial Day).
	Owner of Moline’s newest brewery concerned about proposed tax hike MOLINE, Illinois - As Governor J.B. Pritzker looks for ways to pay for a complicated infrastructure plan that would cost more than $40 Billion, he is suggesting some tax increases on products including beer. Some craft brewers in the Quad Cities are concerned about the impact the tax increases would have on their businesses if approved. The grand opening of Galena Brewing Company in Moline was on Wednesday, May 22. "We have always been an Illinois brewery and we love the fact that we are staying in the state," said owner Warren Bell. There are about a dozen breweries in the Quad Cities now. "People have come in over and over again and said we love your beer in Galena and we are so glad that you're here now," said Bell. The Illinois governor is suggesting taxes be raised from about 23.1 cents per gallon of beer to 27.7 cents per gallon, about a 21% increase. "Many may not realize it, but taxes are the most expensive ingredient in beer. Not hops, or barley, or water. Taxes," said Danielle D'Alessandro, Executive Director of Illinois Craft Brewers Guild. She spoke during a press conference on May 24. Warren Bell said the move would increase the cost of his product. "Of course, it increases our cost. Either we swallow that or we pass the cost onto the customer." Bell said the move would also make his new small brew pub less competitive with breweries across the river in Iowa. Illinois already taxes the most per gallon in the region. In Iowa, beer is taxed at 19 cents per gallon and in Wisconsion, its taxed at just 6 cents per gallon. "Its very frustrating. Because, if we knew the reasons for this, if someone would tell us straight up what the reasons for all these tax increases are, and why its costing more to live in Illinois than across the river then maybe we could stomach it," said Bell. "It seems that its just bad government in the past that we have to pay for now. We get nothing for it." A time of frustration and concern as breweries on both sides of the Mississippi River try to make their mark in the Quad Cities.
	Meet the Quad-City native creating eco-friendly fertilizer 'for a cleaner and greener world' Quad-City area native and entrepreneur Gabriel Price is partnering with small farms in an effort to reduce agricultural waste and boost soil health and crop yields.
	Investigator who cracked 1979 murder case is named Iowa Police Officer of the Year 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was found stabbed to death outside a Cedar Rapids mall.
	No Wake ordinance issued for Rock River in Lee County, Ill. Lee County Sheriff John C. Simonton is strongly encouraging everyone to stay off the Rock River until further notice.
	Oh No, Not Again ! After several days of no change, the Mississippi River is starting to rise again, and should reach well into what's considered "major flooding" by early next week.
	Would-be robber shows hatchet, clerk pulls out gun PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A would-be robber of a convenience store brought a hatchet as a weapon. He ran when the clerk pulled out a gun. The April 28 incident at the Oak Grove Plaid Pantry was captured on surveillance video and just released by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. The video shows a man walk into the Plaid Pantry around 1 a.m., walk up to the counter and pull a 12-inch hatchet from his pants. He shows it to the clerk, who then pulls out a gun. As the clerk picked up the phone to call 911, the robber slid the hatchet across the counter, put his hands up and reportedly said, "I'm sorry. I'll leave." He then ran out of the store. The suspect, an Hispanic man in his early 20s, is about 5-feet-5. He wore a dark black jacket with hood, a dark green ski mask, khakis and dark shoes with white soles. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Watch: Surveillance video of robber with hatchet at Oak Grove Plaid Pantry
	Flood barriers going back up in Muscatine as Mississippi River rises again City officials say they will be closing the city's flood structures at Mulberry and 2nd St. at 7 a.m.
	Gov. Kim Reynolds orders flags at half staff for Memorial day DES MOINES- Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to noon on Monday, May 27, in honor of Memorial Day. Gov. Reynolds also directed that the National League of Families POW/MIA flag also be flown on Capitol grounds for the entire day. According to the governors’ office, Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be at half-staff on all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.
	Mississippi River slowly rising in the Quad Cities However, with all the rain the National Weather Service is predicting another crest as high as 18 feet and even up to 22 feet.
	What to do in the case of a mass shooting? I learned at Stop the Bleed training For anyone who hasn't done so yet: Trying to pack gauze into a foam dummy isn't easy.
	Fake ‘Drunk Pelosi’ videos spread on social media A manipulated video being shared by some social media users to spread a false claim that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slurred her words after meeting with President Donald Trump on Wednesday has been removed by YouTube, the company told CNN on Thursday. The crudely edited video comes amid warnings from the U.S. intelligence community that more sophisticated video manipulation may be part of future disinformation campaigns targeting the American electorate. The video, which shows Pelosi’s onstage comments at the Center for American Progress on Wednesday, has been slowed down, which makes her words seem slurred. Pelosi’s spokesman declined to comment on the video when contacted by CNN. When asked about this video and other manipulated videos targeting Pelosi, her spokesman Drew Hamill told The Washington Post, which first reported the story, “We’re not going to comment on this sexist trash.” Although the video has been removed by YouTube, copies of it were still circulating on Facebook and Twitter on Thursday evening. “By my calculation, the altered video has been slowed by almost 75% introducing a significant distortion in her speech,” Hany Farid, a professor at UC Berkeley and expert in digital forensics and image analysis, told CNN. A Facebook representative told CNN on Thursday that the Pelosi video had been referred to the company’s third-party fact checkers for review, but that as of early evening on Thursday none of the third-party fact checkers had rated the video. The representative explained that Facebook does not have a policy that stipulates information people publish on Facebook must be true. Among the steps Facebook takes to tackle the spread of false information is demoting it in the Facebook News Feed so it is seen by fewer users, the representative said. If Facebook receives from its third-party fact checkers an indication that the Pelosi video is misleading, it would significantly reduce the distribution of the video on Facebook, the representative added. By Friday morning, one version of the video had been viewed almost 2.5 million times on Facebook. YouTube, owned by Google, removed the video, its spokesperson told CNN. “YouTube has clear policies that outline what content is not acceptable to post and we remove videos violating these policies when flagged to us. These videos violated our policies and have been removed,” the spokesperson said. The video did not appear prominently in YouTube search and YouTube’s recommendations, the spokesperson said. A Twitter spokesperson said the company had nothing to share about the video. On Thursday night, Fox Business’ 7 p.m. ET show featured a segment in which panelists speculated about Pelosi’s health and competence on the basis of an edited clip of her recent speech. Trump subsequently tweeted the clip with a disparaging comment. A short time later, Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani also tweeted — and then quickly deleted — a video raising similar questions about Pelosi’s fitness on the basis of an edited clip. In January, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats warned Congress of a new artificial intelligence-based technology, known as deep fakes, that make realistic video manipulation possible. “Adversaries and strategic competitors probably will attempt to use deep fakes or similar machine-learning technologies to create convincing — but false — image, audio, and video files to augment influence campaigns directed against the United States and our allies and partners,” Coats wrote in the DNI’s Worldwide Threat Assessment. But Farid said the less sophisticated editing of the Pelosi video shows that peddlers of misinformation don’t need high tech. “It is striking that such a simple manipulation can be so effective and believable, to some,” Farid told CNN. “While I think that deep-fake technology poses a real threat, this type of low-tech fake shows that there is a larger threat of misinformation campaigns — too many of us are willing to believe the worst in people that we disagree with.”
	Sylvester Stallone kept his turtles from the original ‘Rocky’ film. Now they’re 44 years old! HOLLYWOOD HILLS, Calif. – Sylvester Stallone kept the two turtles from Rocky and they are still thriving, according to People. The two turtles, Cuff and Link, starred in the 1976 film Rocky and made a comeback appearance in Creed II, released in 2018. Stallone, who is 72 years old, shared a photo with the turtles on his Instagram account earlier this month. View this post on Instagram In CREED 2 with my original buddies from the first Rocky … CUFF and LINK , now about 44 years old! A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) on May 5, 2018 at 10:46am PDT He said the turtles are now 44 years old. In Rocky, Stallone referred to the turtles as “the exotic animals I was telling you about. These are my friends, Cuff and Link” when he introduced them to his love interest in the film. Cuff and Link are alive and appear to be living a life of “relative peace and splendor,” the news outlet reports.
	A convicted serial killer and rapist was executed as 2 women who survived his attacks watched It took more than three decades, but convicted serial killer and rapist Bobby Joe Long was executed Thursday evening in Florida as two of his surviving victims looked on. “I wanted to look him in the eye,” said Lisa McVey Noland, who was 17 when Long kidnapped her early November 3, 1984, as she was riding her bicycle home from work. Long raped her and held her hostage for more 26 hours before letting her go, she said. “I wanted to be the first person he saw,” Noland said. “Unfortunately, he didn’t open his eyes.” Bobby Joe Long was executed more than three decades after terrorizing women in the Tampa Bay area.Credit: Florida Department of Corrections Long, 65, was executed at 6:55 p.m. without incident, a Florida Department of Corrections spokeswoman told reporters. He had been convicted in the killings of eight women that terrorized the Tampa Bay area in 1984, according to CNN affiliate WFLA, and received a death sentence for the murder of Michelle Simms. “Now, after 35 years, we can say we have some peace of mind, knowing that justice has been served,” said Lula Williams, whose daughter Chanel was among Long’s victims. After the execution, families of the victims and survivors addressed the media outside the Florida State Prison in Raiford, thanking Gov. Ron DeSantis and the law enforcement officers and prosecutors who they said saw to it that justice was served. The other survivor, Linda Nuttall, said there was “no describing how this moment would feel.” She and her husband had placed a classified newspaper ad in 1984 to sell some furniture. Long responded, and when he came to their home, he raped Nuttall while her two young children were in the house, she said. “It’s just surreal,” Nuttall said. “But it closes another door for me.” “He got what he deserved,” said Nuttall’s husband, Kevin. “Today’s just another chapter.” Noland, now a deputy for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, read a victim’s impact statement and asked everyone to remember those who died at Long’s hands. But Noland said she had “no ill will” toward Long and that she had forgiven him. “God has shown me the only way to really be free when someone bestows injustice against you is complete forgiveness,” she said. “My life changed forever and for the better. I chose not to remain a victim. I chose to live.”
	Police: Missouri bank teller ‘financially stalked’ woman, stole thousands from account ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A former west St. Louis County bank teller accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a bank customer is facing another stealing charge after a second victim was discovered. Michelle Green, 58, was previously charged with stealing $25,000 or more. Last week, Green was arrested again on another stealing charge. While working as a teller at Regions Bank in Ellisville, investigators said Green befriended a customer and skimmed money from that customer's bank accounts. During an "exhaustive" forensic investigation by Ellisville police and Regions Bank, investigators discovered fraudulent activity on a second customer's account. "Lo and behold, we went to my Amanda's account, and it was the same type of transactions that were taken out as mine," Debbie Montgomery said. Police said Montgomery was the first victim in this case. Detective Joey Nickles said the investigation went back seven years; they discovered more than 1,500 unauthorized transactions totaling "hundreds of thousands of dollars" of money missing from the Montgomerys' accounts. "Ms. Green would, what I would describe as financially stalk Ms. Montgomery," Nickles said. " I believe she did the same thing with the new victim." Green's attorney, Joe McCulloch, questioned these accusations. "We are still doing our due diligence, but the bank claims (Green) stole this money in $200-$400 increments," McCulloch said. "That means she would have had to do 1,200-1,400 transactions. We can't believe the bank wouldn't have caught this sooner." Montgomery said Green befriended her and often sent her friendly text messages. One in particular read, "I'm so glad friends don't come with price tags. I could never afford the wonderful friends I've got." "I just can't believe that she could look at me every day in the eyes and say, 'Good morning,' and be nice, and I'd bring her coffee and donuts, and to see that she could look me straight in the eye and think, 'Hmm, I'm going to take some money today.' I mean, I just can't believe it. It just makes me sick," Montgomery said. The investigation suggests Green viewed the Montgomerys' accounts daily and watched the activity for hours. Nickles credits Regions for helping to uncover the extent of Green's alleged activity. "This investigation absolutely could not have come to fruition without their assistance and without their intimate knowledge of their systems," he said. According to Nickles, due to a change in Missouri law and statute of limitations, the criminal charges against Green only consider the amount believed to have been taken between January 2017 and August 2018, which amounts to about $56,000 from the Montgomerys' accounts. "This isn't your money, you don't take it. You don't treat people like this. When you're with somebody like a bank, you expect them to watch your money and take care of it and not have their employees take advantage of you and your daughter," Montgomery said. Nickles encourages people to check their bank accounts often for any unusual activity. Investigators do not believe there are any additional victims. Regions Bank issued the following statement: "We continue working closely with the Ellisville Police Department. When we become aware of potential account fraud, either through our own internal controls or reports from our customers, we conduct our own investigation in cooperation with law enforcement. In cases where fraud or theft is confirmed, we reimburse any funds improperly removed from the customer’s account and terminate the employment of the associate responsible."
	Mount Everest traffic jam creates lethal conditions for climbers Two mountaineers have died on Mount Everest after crowds of people became stuck in a queue leading to the summit of the world’s highest mountain. Indian climber Anjali Kulkarni, 55, died on her way back from climbing to the summit of Mount Everest on Wednesday, her son Shantanu Kulkarni told CNN. She had become stuck in the “traffic jam” above camp four, which, at 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), is the final camp before the summit. American mountaineer Donald Lynn Cash, 55, also died Wednesday after fainting from high altitude sickness while descending from the summit, according to the Nepalese expedition company Pioneer Adventure Pvt. Ltd. Climber Nirmal Purja posted a picture on Instagram of the heavy human traffic on the mountain Wednesday, showing a dense trail of climbers huddling on an exposed ridge to the summit. He added that there were roughly 320 people in the queue to the top of the mountain in an area known as the “death zone.” Danduraj Ghimire, director general of Nepal’s Tourism Department, rejected suggestions that the jam of climbers contributed to the deaths, calling such claims “baseless.” The summit of Mount Everest has an elevation of 8,848 meters (29,029 feet). At that level, each breath contains only one-third of the oxygen found at sea level. The human body is also rapidly deteriorating at that altitude, meaning most people can spend only a matter of minutes at the top, without extra oxygen supplies, before it becomes intolerable. “The weather has not been very great this climbing season, so when there is a small window when the weather clears up, climbers make the move,” Ghimire said. “On May 22, after several days of bad weather, there was a small window of clear weather, when more than 200 mountaineers ascended Everest. The main cause of deaths on Everest has been high altitude sickness which is what happened with most of the climbers who lost their lives this season as well.” According to Shantanu Kulkarni, his mother had trekked for over 25 years and had trained to climb Mount Everest for the past six. She had completed a number of major treks, including Mount Elbrus in southern Russia and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and was also an avid marathoner. This is the scene of Khumbu icefall on April 19, as several climbers were on their way up high camps for the first rotation. https://t.co/EC4O5w22Vf #Everest2019 pic.twitter.com/OWOxT3bqlF — Everest Today (@EverestToday) April 24, 2019 Anjali Kulkarni had owned an advertising agency with her husband, but they both retired to “pursue their dream of standing atop Mount Everest,” Shantanu said. Cash, a grandfather from Utah, collapsed near a portion of the trail which had an altitude of about 8,770 meters (28,700 feet), according to Pioneer Adventure. “Our team did their best to save his life,” the company noted, adding that Sherpa guides had attempted to keep him alive while pulling him down the mountain. “Despite their best efforts in providing the best guidance, sufficient oxygen supplies and medical support they could not save his life.” More than 200 mountaineers have died on the peak since 1922, when the first climbers’ deaths on Everest were recorded. The majority of bodies are believed to have remained buried under glaciers or snow.
	Here's a list of Memorial Day services planned in Quad-Cities area SUNDAY
	Plan and Prepare… Severe weather potential still on track for later in the day A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through Saturday morning as more scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop as we heading into the evening and overnight hours. Given the deep moisture that will be available for these storms, amounts around an inch… maybe two are possible in spots. produce 1-2 inches of rain per hour. This will cause rapid rises in creeks and streams as well as street flooding in poor drainage areas. One wave of storms is moving just south of the Quad Cities early this afternoon with additional thunderstorms later today and tonight. Not only is there a threat for flash flooding but some hail, high winds, and even an isolated tornadoes are possible as well. Temperatures overnight will only drop around the upper 60s. Last of these showers and storms will move out of the area by sunrise, Saturday, leaving us with brighter skies the rest of the day and highs around the 80 degree mark. However, more storms with heavy rain are likely Saturday night into Sunday morning before we break out with some sunshine the rest of the day. The cycle will continue that night into Monday morning with highs on Memorial Day in the upper 70s. Chief meteorologist James Zahara 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
	Red Cross assists after late-night fire in Rock Island The Red Cross is helping five people after Thursday's late-night fire in Rock Island.
	Closing Days of Ill. Leg. Session On Midwest Week, taxes, the budget, and sports betting are just a few of the major issues still facing the Illinois General Assembly, with just one week to go in the spring session.
	Moline Fire Department rips apart cars to keep community safe MOLINE, ILLINOIS -- Firefighters do more than just respond to fires. They respond to medical emergencies, car accidents, and almost all 911 calls. The job requires a lot of training. In late May the Moline Fire Department trained 10 employees on auto extractions for a new certification. "It`s just another tool for the tool box," Moline firefighter Reno Horton said. The department is practicing for a worst case scenario situation with abandoned cars donated by QC Towing. The crews are working in teams, trying to figure out how to remove trapped victims safely. "This prepares them for anything they have to do," Training officer Jamie Hudson said. "Every situation will have a different factor and kind of throw a curve ball at us," Horton said. Hudson said that different types of cars have hidden hazards. "The automobile industry is constantly changing," Hudson said. "There always making vehicles safer." It's the cars marketed for their safety features that can cause the most trouble. Hudson said newer cars have more airbags, in different places, making it difficult for first responders to know if they will accidentally deploy one. He says that since more cars are being made with better safety features, there are less auto extractions. "We probably do around 30 a year," Hudson said. Crews also have limits to how much equipment they can bring onto their engine trucks, so training helps them learn every possible saving technique. "We don`t want to run certain saws around spilled gas," Moline firefighter Justin Frederikson said. "That will create sparks and could cause the vehicle to catch fire." The department practiced for 40 hours this week, learning every technique. The department says the number one priority is to protect both the firefighters and victims during an accident.
	Moline business owner urges lawmakers to end consideration on tax hike on video gaming A small business owner in Moline, Bob Rebitzer, is calling on Illinois lawmakers to end their consideration of a tax hike on video gaming.
	River Bandits return home to Modern Woodmen ballpark DAVENPORT, Iowa-- The Quad Cities River Bandits are returning home for the first time in nearly a month. The season was supposed to start in early April but historic waters held them back. Crews also had troubles creating a temporary pedestrian bridge to allow them to get in their first home game since Canadian Pacific Railway raised the nearby tracks. The Bandits did finally have their first home game near the end of April but were only able to complete one series due to severe weather that weekend. Unfortunately, that was followed by the nearby HESCO barrier breach pushing them back on the road. Now, that the river has receded some around the ballpark the stadium is back on track. "The team has been anxious to get to their home stadium. Obviously it's not effecting their playing habits which is great but everyone is kinda looking forward to getting back to a natural routine and habit and bringing baseball back into Modern Woodmen," said general manager, Jacqueline Holm. Friday through Sunday the River Bandits will take on the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
	Chance the Rapper tweets plea for help to find his aunt a new kidney CHICAGO — Chance the Rapper tweeted a plea for help Thursday, telling his over 8 million followers that his aunt is in desperate need of a kidney. “My Auntie Toni is one of the strongest forces in my life, and she is in dire need of a #kidney,” the tweet said. The rapper said his family has exhausted all options and have been on the waitlist for years. His aunt’s blood type is O-positive. “My family believes in the power of prayer and we give this problem up to God,” the tweet said. The rapper said anyone interested in helping can get a blood test or physical done to see if they are a match. I really need help. My Auntie Toni is one of the strongest forces in my life, and she is in dire need of a #kidney. We have exhausted all options and have been wait listed for years. My family believes in the power of prayer and we give this problem up to God. — Chance The Rapper Album in July (@chancetherapper) May 23, 2019
	Human composting is now legal in Washington, and this company will help you do it SEATTLE - The composting of human remains just became legal in Washington, and Katrina Spade's company is helping people making their final resting places green. “You just get to return to nature. We want our last gesture on earth to align with the way we tried to live our lives," Spade said. In 2014, Spade launched a non-profit called “The Urban Death Project.” Her goal is to give people a natural alternative from cremation and burial: human composting. On Wednesday, Washington became the first state in the nation to legalize the composting of human remains. For Spade, some things have changed, like the business's name; which is now ‘Recompose.' “To recompose is to compose again,” Spade said. "During this process, our bodies break down on a molecular level and we are being recomposed. We are being composed again, as soil." It’s no longer a non-profit, but a public benefit corporation. Spade said it's one that holds environmental and social benefits on par with for-profits. “We have soil scientists, legal experts, project managers, architects, all working on this together,” she said. The concept remains the same. “A body is laid into a vessel, onto a bed of wood chips and straw and alfalfa. And that basically creates the perfect environment for microbes to break the body down over the next month. They are designed in a honeycomb shape and in some ways it feels like it reminds us that we are part of a collective, but we do get our own individual vessel,” Spade said. The composting process takes about a month, after which, loved ones can come pick up the remains. “The soil will be regulated, the same as ashes from cremation. And in Washington state, you can do anything you want with ashes from cremation, as long as you have permission from the landowner,” Spade said.
	City of East Moline remembers fallen Officer Richard Morton Officer Morton was taken to the local hospital where he died several hours later.
	Officials: US to send 1,500 troops to Middle East U.S. officials say the Trump administration has notified Congress it plans to send 1,500 troops to the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran.
	Watch our Midday show as we are live at Auburn Arena, honoring fallen Officer William Buechner We are live from Auburn Arena, following the story as fallen Auburn Officer William Buechner was taken to the Arena to receive an honor guard by 3,000 law enforcement officers from around the country have come to show their support.Buechner was shot alongside two of his fellow officers on Sunday as they responded to a domestic call. While his fellow officers were injured, Buechner was the only fatality. Police from all over the country have come to Auburn to honor the fallen officer's service and memory as they transport him to his final resting place.
	HEALTH BYTES: Genesis provides summer safety tips In advance of Memorial Day weekend, Genesis Health System and the American Academy of Pediatrics has provided summer safety tips to ensure you stay safe during hot summer days and nights.
	Small Business Administration leaders discuss how they can help flood victims DAVENPORT, Iowa— Leaders from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are in the Quad Cities to help victims from the flooding that happened in late April. The SBA’s Yolanda Stokes and FEMA’s Deanna Frazier are joining us during News 8 at 11 Friday, May 24 to discuss how they can help. The SBA focuses on businesses who have been affected while FEMA focuses on the residents affected. As previously reported, a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is located at the old Office Max Building at Kimberly and Northwest Boulevard in Davenport, next to the Olive Garden and the NorthPark Mall. It’s a one-stop shop for help from FEMA, the SBA, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and other voluntary agencies.
	Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus in Illinois Officials with the department issued a release Friday saying DuPage County Health Department officials collected the positive mosquitoes on May 21, 2019, in Wayne, Illinois. No human cases of West Nile have been reported so far this year.
	Outdoor warning sirens criteria go beyond tornadoes We're now in severe weather season and it's important to remember that outdoor warning sirens go off in the Quad Cities for more reasons than just tornadoes.
	The incredible journey of Silverton's 'Wonder Dog' SILVERTON, Ore. (KOIN) -- Pets can be incredible companions. They make us laugh, help us feel less alone and their unconditional love wins them special sway over our hearts. And sometimes, our pets do incredible things that defy all odds. In August 1923, the Brazier family left their home in Silverton, Oregon and took a road trip east to visit relatives in Indiana. They took their Scotch collie-English shepherd mix dog named Bobbie with them. Photos: Bobbie the Wonder Dog of Silverton But while stopped at a gas station in Wolcott, Indiana, Bobbie was chased off by a group of local dogs. The family searched for Bobbie for days; even going so far as to put up posters around town and notices in the newspaper but they never found him. Heartbroken, they returned back home to Oregon. But they hadn't seen the last of Bobbie. On a February day in 1924, one of the Brazier daughters stepped out of the cafe her family owned -- the Reo Lunch Restaurant -- and saw something miraculous. Bobbie was walking down Main Street. Gus Frederick, the vice president of the Silverton Country Historical Society, said the dog was wagging its matted tail as it approached the familiar face. He was mangy, dirty and underweight. His toenails had been worn down to almost nothing and he showed all signs of having walked the entire way home. Against all odds, Bobbie survived. And he was home. Eyewitness accounts stored at the Oregon Historical Society documented the emotional reunion between dog and humans as Bobbie was taken upstairs where Mr. Brazier was taking a nap. "He jumped on the bed and woke him up, he thought he was dreaming," Oregon Historical Society executive director Kerry Tymchuk read from the historical account. "And Bobbie was so tired and exhausted, of course, and worn down -- they fed him a sirloin, a big bowl of cream, and he didn't move for 3 days." Bobbie had somehow managed to traverse at least 2,551 miles of plains, deserts and mountains. He would have had to swim rivers and cross the Continental Divide, all during the dead of winter. Bobbie, it seemed, was a true wonder. In fact, his journey home earned him the name "Bobbie the Wonder Dog" and his incredible story quickly spread across the country thanks to radio broadcasts and newspaper articles. Video: Call of the West, Bobbie the Wonder Dog Tymchuk showed KOIN 6 News letters and telegrams from fans as far away as Australia. Within 3 months of returning home, Bobbie starred in a silent film about his journey called "The Call of the West" in which he reenacts the possible adventures he had along the way. The movie was, of course, based on a true story but only Bobbie himself ever knew the details. His journey was actually confirmed, Frederick said, by various witnesses who reported seeing Bobbie at campsites between Indiana and Oregon during the months that he was missing. Some people said they would give Bobbie some food and he would be on his way. The collie mix took his stardom in stride, making appearances at various locations, including the Portland Home Show where 40,000 people came to see him and he was presented with a fancy doghouse called "Bobbie's Castle." Bobbie even went on to sire a litter of 15 puppies -- all of which were males -- before his death in 1927. Newspapers around the world noted the passing of Bobbie the Wonder Dog. "Something marvelous roused in Bobbie's brain and roused his need and guided him on the long trail as surely as Polaris guides the Mariner," Tymchuk read from accounts. He was buried with honors at the Oregon Humane Society's Animal Cemetery and a famous movie star dog named Rin Tin Tin traveled to Oregon to lay a wreath at his grave. The doghouse Bobbie was given the year before still sits on top of his grave, surrounded by a white picket fence and trees. Today, it's impossible to know just how many people have been touched by Bobbie's incredible journey. In Silverton, a giant mural next to the original Reo cafe depicting the Wonder Dog's story continues to pass the tale on to visitors who have never heard it before. A statue of Bobbie and a replica of his special doghouse also sit loyally in Silverton. And every year, the residents of the town pay tribute to their local legend with an annual pet parade. Bobbie's son Pal was the first grand marshall of the first pet parade in 1932. Bobbie reminds us to never underestimate our animal companions or take for granted the lessons they teach us. Because sometimes, they show us the true meaning of courage, family and finding the way back home, no matter what stands in the way. Special thanks to the Crockett Family, the Oregon Historical Society, Silverton Country Historical Society and the Oregon Humane Society for their cooperation in helping tell this story.
	Father who claimed to find metal in kids’ Halloween candy is arrested for hoax OAKDALE, California — A Northern California man was arrested after investigators determined he lied about finding metal objects in his kids’ Halloween candy. Mathew Blackcloud, 32 (Credit: Oakdale Police Department) Last year, Mathew Blackcloud claimed he discovered small metal objects in five pieces of his children’s trick-or-treating candy. He told detectives he didn’t know how the objects ended up in the commercially packaged pieces of candy. The 32-year-old father was the only resident in his Burchell Hill neighborhood to make such a report and no other tainted candy was found. In response, several Oakdale residents threw their Halloween candy away or brought it to the police department to be examined. Officers and community members even got together to provide free candy replacements through what the police department called “Operation Halloween 2.0.” With the help of DNA processing and other forensic examinations, investigators determined Blackcloud was responsible for putting the objects in the candy. The police department reported Thursday he was arrested on suspicion of making a false report of food tampering.
	Booker RV Weekend Campaign Tour The weekend itinerary for Cory Booker includes several stops in eastern Iowa. The Democratic candidate for president, and New Jersey US Senator, will tour the state in an r-v, starting Friday, and focus on women's health care and flooding by the Mississippi River.
	Kwik Star Criterium For the 54th year, the Quad Cities will host bicycle races on Memorial Day. The Kwik Star Criterium will be held on Monday in the Village of East Davenport.
	Kewanee preschool shows support for classmate prepping for open heart surgery Lyle School shows support for Krue Simms, Monday, May 20, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Karen Simms). KEWANEE, Illinois — Staff and students at a Kewanee preschool came together in support of a little boy who’s having to undergo open heart surgery. At age three Krue Simms is preparing to have his third open heart surgery. His mom, Karen Simms said her son was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which is a birth defect that affects blood flow to part of the heart. As the preschool student prepares for the surgery, his teachers at Lyle School orchestrated a day of support, to show him how much they care about him. On Monday, May 20, staff members and dozens of Krue’s classmates all wore black t-shirts, made to help raise awareness about his condition. Along with the shirts, some wore buttons with the brave little guy’s face on them. “It’s nice to know that people take the extra effort to show that they do care,” said Karen. Tiffany Platz, Karen Simms, Krue Simms, and sister Briar Simms (Photo courtesy of Karen Simms) Krue’s surgery is set for early June. Karen said he will be in the hospital for two to five weeks, which should have him back home before he celebrates his fourth birthday on July 21.
	Kewanee preschool shows support for student prepping for open heart surgery KEWANEE, Illinois — Staff and students at a Kewanee preschool came together in support of a little boy who’s having to undergo open heart surgery. At age three Krue Simms is preparing to have his third open heart surgery. His mom, Karen Simms said her son was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which is a birth defect that affects blood flow to part of the heart. As the preschool student prepares for the surgery, his teachers at Lyle School orchestrated a day of support, to show him how much they care about him. On Monday, May 20, staff members and dozens of Krue’s classmates all wore black t-shirts, made to help raise awareness about his condition. Along with the shirts, some wore buttons with the brave little guy’s face on them. “It’s nice to know that people take the extra effort to show that they do care,” said Karen. Krue’s surgery is set for early June. Karen said he will be in the hospital for two to five weeks, which should have him back home before he celebrates his fourth birthday on July 21.
	Foodie Friday: Flavours Fine Foods Flavours Fine Foods makes Everything fresh to order. They offer daily specials and even have a buffet on certain days. One thing they offer to guest is 50 cent wings any day of the week as long as you come in to watch a game. Any game counts. It can be softball, baseball, football or any other sport you enjoy. You name it they honor it. They are located at the corner of Kimberley Road and Eastern Avenue and are open daily 11am to 8pm.
	One person shot One person was shot in Rock Island Thursday night. It happened near 8th st. and 13th ave around 10 p.m. Police found the victim after he ran down to 9th street and 10th avenue.We don't know the name or age of the victim at this time or the current condition. We will continue to follow this story and bring you updates as we get them.
	Iowa dentist won’t be charged for would-be burglar’s death MAQUOKETA, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor says an Iowa dentist won’t be charged in the death of a man suspected of trying to steal items from the dentist’s office. Dr. Clyde Overturff had told officers that he was spending the night in an apartment at his Maquoketa office in March when he tackled and tussled with a man he found in the office’s garage. Overturff says the man slumped over and stopped fighting, ending their struggle. The Telegraph Herald reports that an autopsy report says the man, 44-year-old Richard Purcell, died from sudden cardiac arrest. Jackson County Attorney Sara Davenport says she won’t charge Overturff because Purcell’s death “was the result of pre-existing medical conditions aggravated by the actions of the property owner who was defending himself and his property.”
	One person taken to the hospital following a fire in a Clinton home House fire in Clinton sent one person to the hospital and two dogs to animal control for treatment.
	Flash Flood Watch In Effect Flash Flood Watch In Effect Until Saturday 7AM
	Rock Island firefighters battle house fire Thursday night Four people are receiving help from the Red Cross
	Theresa May says she'll quit as party chief, setting up UK leadership battle She will stay as caretaker prime minister until the new leader is chosen, a process likely to take several weeks.
	Births for Friday, May 24, 2019 GENESIS BIRTHCENTER DAVENPORT
Thursday, May 23rd, 2019
	Rock Island firefighters battling late-night blaze Rock Island firefighters are battling a blaze at 1000 16th St.
	Home burning in Rock Island neighborhood Missing Attachment Missing Attachment ROCK ISLAND, Illinois — A fire is burning at a home in a Rock Island neighborhood. Firefighters are on scene at the home, near the intersection of 16th Street and 10th Avenue. That area is north of Longview Park. WQAD News 8 has a crew on scene. Stay with us for updates as information becomes available.
	The Mississippi River will rise once again, and business owners are ready The Mississippi River is expected to rise, once again. While residents and business owners on both sides of the river are prepared, they say they're not as worried as before.
	River Action non-profit impacted by flood in more ways than one DAVENPORT, Iowa-- Parts of the riverfront in downtown Davenport remain a muddy, wet mess. But Kathy Wine with River Action hopes to get more people down, enjoying the river soon. "I can't wait to get back on the river and have some sunny days with the river tamed, back where it's supposed to be," the executive director says. River Action has plenty of events planned downtown and on the river this summer, from Floatzilla and Ride the River to Channel Cat talks and educational programs. But some of those events need to be tweaked with the high waters. Channel Cat talks have been delayed from May 28 and 30 until July 2 and 3. And Ride the River on June 16, Father's Day, may have to be rerouted if floodwaters don't recede enough to uncover the bike trail. "Everyone has to be safe and we're very conscious of those flood levels," Wine says. And the flooding has impacted where River Action can get all this planning done. Its office on E River Drive was flooded after their HESCO barriers broke just after the breach downtown. The team has now moved to a temporary office about a block away upstairs from Isabel Bloom. And the flooding has impacted them in more ways than one. "It definitely does complicate things just like it does for everyone in the Quad Cities," program manager Philip Tunnicliff says. But the disruption hasn't stopped their work with the river. "We're working with the conditions we have now though they are inefficient if I must say so myself but we're getting it done," Wine says. River Action is also putting together a River Alliance with several cities and towns along the Mississippi River. It's an effort to help with flood mitigation and improve insurance costs as a result. Wine says they're also working at lessening the severity of floods in the future.
	Dog survives leaping from RV during high-speed chase in Los Angeles One of the dogs survived a jump out of the speeding vehicle.
	Barriers back up as Davenport braces for more major flooding It's time to brace for more major flooding in Davenport. Those HESCO barriers are being installed again less than a month after being removed. Public works crews started doing it Thursday morning on River Drive between Bechtel Park and Perry Street.Local 4 News spoke with city officials. They say they're still working on determining what caused the barrier to give way last month, but they're going to reinforce the barrier this time. Some neighbors are still concerned about the crest."It made me nervous because barriers go up and it's kind of like a warning that more is coming," says Grace Wickwire, who lives in Moline but visits Davenport weekly. The warning comes as the city is still cleaning up the Mississippi's last mess. "All of the destruction that it's caused... It definitely worries me about the next flood because if it hits harder it's going to be a lot worse," Wickwire says. Destruction that Harshad Bavdekar has seen before. "Coming from Houston, I've been through a few hurricanes and floods before so yes it is a major concern. I have had friends who have lost their cars or have had floods in their houses and basically lost everything and had to get back on their feet, so I know how difficult it is, I've been through that," says Bavdekar, who lives in Downtown Davenport. He and others worry that another round of flooding will set the city back again. "All the businesses could be flooded over again, the parking lot downtown, River Drive completely flooded. I think it could be something serious again," says Steven Conan, who lives in Davenport. The three say they were shocked when these barriers broke last month. "It did surprise me. I thought we would have had taken better precautions," Bavdekar says. This time, Davenport's public works director says they're taking extra measures by building the wall twice as high and deep.Neighbors hope the barriers will hold and the river will show a little mercy."I don't think anyone has ever won a fight against mother nature, yet," Bavdekar says. "The Mississippi is pretty big and powerful so it kind of does what it wants," Conan says. It's something Wickwire, a Quad Cities native, has learned to accept. "The river is amazing until it floods but it kind of wouldn't be the Mississippi without flooding," she says. Crews are expected to finish the barrier installation on Friday. The river could get up to 22 feet.
	Florida man takes a bath in kitchen sink at Wendy’s The barefoot man wore nothing but shorts as he climbed in the sink, much to the delight of the coworkers cheering him on.
	Final phase of Galena River Trail now open to the public A ribbon cutting was held on Thursday to celebrate the grand opening.
	Dixon man arrested for reckless driving after heated argument with neighbor DIXON, Illinois- A Dixon man is behind bars after a neighbor claimed he tried to run them and their dog over after a heated argument. Tuesday, May 21, the Dixon Police Department were called to the area of Prescott Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. A neighbor told police that, Damian Harris, 42, and the neighbor had gotten into an argument over their dog. The neighbor told police that shortly after words were exchanged, they saw a white Dodge van drive through the side and front yard of their property. “The van drove in close proximity to the complainant and their dogs.” The neighbor recognized the driver as Harris. Officers made contact with Harris who refused to come outside of his house to speak with officers. A warrant was issued for Harris for the following offenses: Reckless driving (class a misdemeanor) Criminal damage to property under $500 (class a misdemeanor) Reckless conduct (class a misdemeanor) On May 22nd, Officers tried to pull over Harris driving in the area of the 900 block East Chamberlin Street. Harris continued to drive through the northeast section of Dixon, running stop signs and red lights. Harris eventually stopped in the 900 block of Mary Avenue. Harris was additionally charged with: 2 Counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude (class 4 felony) 2 Counts of resisting or obstructing a peace officer (class a misdemeanor) No valid d.L. Expired Operating an uninsured motor vehicle Harris was turned over to the Lee County Jail to await a court appearance.
	Supporters urge Gov. Reynolds to sign bill expanding medical marijuana law The medical cannabis bill already passed the Iowa House and Senate.
	102-year-old accused of killing 92-year-old at French retirement home PARIS – A French centenarian is suspected of strangling and bludgeoning her 92-year-old neighbor to death. The 102-year-old woman, who has been transferred to a psychiatric hospital, allegedly told a staff member at the retirement home where the two lived that she had “killed someone,” according to the BBC. The 92-year-old victim was found dead at the home in Chézy-sur-Marne, about 60 miles east of Paris. An autopsy revealed that the woman died of “strangulation and blows to the head.” A staff member at the home reportedly found the victim lying unconscious in bed Saturday, according to the AFP. Authorities believe the suspect may have been going through a dementia-related crisis at the time of the alleged attacks and is now being monitored at the psychiatric hospital. A homicide investigation is ongoing.
	Jury acquits man accused of killing, dismembering 2-year-old dumped in Chicago lagoon CHICAGO — A Cook County jury acquitted an Illinois man accused of killing a 2-year-old boy, dismembering his body and dumping his remains in Chicago's Garfield Park Lagoon. Kamel Harris, 44, was found not guilty on Thursday in the gruesome 2015 death of 2-year-old Kyrian Knox. In August of 2015, Kyrian's mother had given the boy to Harris, the father of a friend, for a couple of weeks while she and a friend tried to find jobs in Iowa in hopes of moving there, according to the Chicago Tribune. Harris took the stand in his own defense Wednesday and said he gave Kyrian to three people after speaking by phone to a woman he believed to be the boy's mother. The toddler's body was found weeks later in the lagoon after someone saw a foot floating in the water. Harris' attorney repeatedly said that there was no forensic evidence tying his client to the crime. The boy's mother, Lanisha Knox, wailed in the courtroom after hearing the jury's verdict, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. After leaving the building, Knox reportedly said, "That was some bulls***. I can't believe this." "This is an innocent man," Assistant Public Defender Kulmeet Galhotra told the paper. "The guy who did this is still out there." Harris is expected to be released from custody soon.
	More blood donors needed at Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, gift cards up for grabs QUAD CITIES- A new campaign by the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is trying to get more people to come out to donate. Organizers there say during the summer donations fall up to 20%, but the need for blood stays the same. In order to encourage donations, Mississippi Valley will give donors $10 gift cards starting on Monday, May 27. The gift cards are good at Amazon, Casey's general store, Dairy Queen or Domino's. The center will also do several drawings for a $500 visa gift card every few weeks.
	HAVlife Foundation announces launch of football camp led by former NFL player The HAVlife Foundation is a local charity that serves the youth in the Quad Cities.
	Here's a list of Memorial Day services planned in Quad-Cities area FRIDAY
	Pictures: Storm damage around the Quad Cities QUAD CITIES- The rain and high winds wreaked havoc on trees around the QC. Below are pictures sent by viewers. you can submit yours too! Missing Attachment Missing Attachment Missing Attachment
	Student raising money for the orphanage he was adopted from Helping those in need in a faraway place. A North Scott student is raising money to help children in an orphanage in Uganda.
	Davenport police run 6 miles with a torch for Special Olympics DAVENPORT, Iowa- Dozens of officers grabbed a torch and hit the pavement for their annual law enforcement torch run benefitting Special Olympics Iowa. The six-mile route started at the Bettendorf Police Department went up to Duck Creek Park and finished in Davenport. Officers say it's their way of promoting inclusivity in their communities. Scott County law enforcement has been hosting this run for more than 20 years.
	Free dental clinic on wheels in the Quad Cities There's a way for kids in the Quad Cities to get free dental care. And you don't even have to have a car to get them to their appointment. KWQC's Sarah Jones visited with the Bethany for Children and Families’ “Give Kids a Smile” Dental Program.
	QCA communities taking precautions against rising river levels It's due to the wet forecast in the area.
	Volunteers place American Flags on tombstones at Rock Island National Cemetery ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL - Thousands of flags now stand in front of the tombstones at Rock Island National Cemetery. Volunteers of all generations met on May 23 at 4:00 p.m. to line the rows of the cemetery with flags to honor those who have died. Its in honor of Memorial Day. Some people say its a way to teach the younger generation about the importance of the military while also honoring veterans. The flags will be taken down Tuesday, May 28.
	The Carol Center Expands Thanks to a growing number of clients, a program helping people with chronic mental illness has moved to a new, and larger building. Thursday morning the Vera French Community Mental Health Center held a ribbon cutting for The Carol Center in Davenport.
	6th grade girls from Denkmann Elementary learn how to code with Modern Woodman of America ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - The organization Girls Who Code made a mark in the Quad Cities on May 23. I.T. professionals at Modern Woodman of American have spent the last few months teaching seven 6th graders from Denkmann Elementary School in Rock Island how to code and design their own website. On May 23, the girls presented their new site to employees, friends and family at the company's headquarters in Rock Island. The students say they hope their project can send a message to other girls their age. "We are all the same. Girls are not better. Boys are not better. We are all the same when it comes to reality," said Breana Reymer, one of the students who helped to design the website. Another student, Isabella Adner said she hopes the website can show young girls, "They can do anything their heart desires. I hope they just feel inspired to do anything they want to do." After their presentation, they returned to school to show off their website to their classmates for the very first time. Students from Denkmann Elementary (@R_I_Schools) present a website they CODED to employees at @ModernWoodmen today. It’s part of the Girls Who Code movement. More on @wqad tonight #IT #GirlsWhoCode #Technology pic.twitter.com/Aexyt9ip51 — Ryan Jenkins (@RyanJenkins_TV) May 23, 2019
	Quad Cities Doppler radar goes down amid severe weather DAVENPORT, Iowa -- As News Eight meteorologists were tracking some potential severe weather around the Quad Cities Wednesday night, the Doppler radar at Davenport's National Weather Service went down for three-and-a-half hours. "When it first went down, I was kind of shocked especially with all the activity coming in," said Storm Track Eight Chief Meteorologist James Zahara. Severe weather topped the Wednesday night newscast at 10 o'clock, but Zahara was not able to access weather data from the Quad Cities radar. He turned instead to radar sites further afield. "When the radar site went down in Davenport, we had to rely on the radar sites out of Lincoln as well as out of St. Louis," said Zahara. "The quality wasn’t great but we were still able to monitor where the storms were located," he said. Doing so is not ideal because it makes measuring wind velocity more difficult -- critical information in a tornado watch. Rich Kinney, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service, confirmed the outage to News Eight. "We lost radar shortly after 7 o’clock last evening," Kinney said. "As it turns out there was a failure with the motor that actually rotates the dish of the radar around as it makes its scans," he said. They got it back on and running at 10:30 p.m., making it a three-and-a-half hour outage and raising questions about the reliability of the radar system. "I think the public can certainly have confidence in the reliability of the radar," said Kinney. "With the nature of electronics you are going to occasionally have problems," he said. "In this business you have to expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to technology, so it’s always good to have that second option ready to go just in case, say, the Davenport radar goes down," said Zahara.
	Davenport police arrest suspected crack cocaine dealer using “less than lethal” means DAVENPORT, Iowa- Police say they arrested a suspected drug dealer using “less than lethal” means. Tuesday, May 22, around 5:00 p.m. police tailed a suspected drug dealer into the 3000 block of East 53rd Street. They blocked his SUV and he rammed their cars trying to get away. Police say they tried to get him to exit his vehicle but he refused. Davenport police then say “After several commands were given to the suspect to exit, a less lethal option was deployed and utilized which caused the suspect to comply and exit his vehicle where he was taken into custody.” Police did not say what “less than lethal” actually means. No one was hurt and police arrested Darius Hayes, 34, and charged him with possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, and, interference with official acts.
	With river rises predicted, Davenport rebuilds temporary flood barrier downtown As weather experts with the National Weather Service predict the Mississippi River will rise over the coming days, Davenport’s public works department is rebuilding the temporary flood barrier downtown to head off the possibility of future flooding.
	Defense grants to support communities around the Rock Island Arsenal Area infrastructure projects could get a boost from the U.S. defense budget.Senator Tammy Duckworth tells Local 4 News the bill includes Department of Defense grants to support communities around the Rock Island Arsenal. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Bill was introduced Wednesday after passing through committee.It totals $100 million for work on roads, schools, and utilities.Duckworth tells us it was a topic she discussed with city leaders during a recent trip to the Quad Cities. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said, "Communities on both sides of the river, by the way, be able to afford to do more infrastructure projects. In no means will these grants fund the whole infrastructure projects, but it would allow our local communities to get a little federal help."The senator says this investment supports the work of the Arsenal. The 2020 defense bill still needs to be approved by Congress and signed by President Trump.
	Forecasters at NOAA expecting active hurricane season this year Experts are forecasting 15 named storms.
	Rock Island offering $5 lots, but so far only one buyer It's been almost a year since the city launched the home ownership made easy -- or home-project.At the time, the city put up 27 vacant lots for sale for just $5 each.Applicants had to agree to build a single-family home on the lot within six months and live in the home for a minimum of five years.But to date, the city has only sold one of the 27 lots.The new home is still under construction.Today, city leaders say despite some setbacks, they're not giving up on the idea."We think that the barrier of entry for people buying their own home or building their own homes sometimes is the cost of the land," said Chandler Poole Rock Island Community and Economic Development Director. "Well if the city has these, and we are able to play a part in trying to make sure that someone can build their own house to live in, we should be doing this. So we will continue this program."Coming up on Local 4 News at 5, we'll hear from the first family to buy one of those $5 lots.
	'Everywhere Man' checks Davenport off his list A man has been on a quest to travel all over the western hemisphere on a bike.His stop today: Davenport.Brett Anderson, originally from Nebraska, has been on an 18-month journey, crossing out every place mentioned in the song "I've Been Everywhere."One place mentioned is Davenport.He's been riding around on his motorcycle named Annie and more recently is accompanied by his mother, Betty.Anderson has been everywhere from Chicago to Brazil. He shares with Local 4 News what he'll take away from his journey."Just the ability to set a goal, even if it's a crazy goal, and to stick with it and just try your best every day to make it happen," Anderson said. What his adventure has been like so far on Local 4 News at 5.
	Turn up office thermostats to improve women’s productivity, study suggests It’s often quipped that women complain the office temperature is too low — but it’s not just comfort that’s at stake. Researchers say women’s productivity may improve when the thermostat is set to warmer temperatures. The new study, published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One, raises “the stakes for the battle of the thermostat.” Previous research found most modern offices use climate control systems based on the metabolic rate of an average man, with the ideal temperature for women almost 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it is for men. “People invest a lot in making sure their workers are comfortable and highly productive,” said Tom Chang, associate professor of finance and business economics at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. “This study is saying even if you care only about money, or the performance of your workers, you may want to crank up the temperature in your office buildings,” added Chang, the lead author of the study, in a press statement by the University of Southern California. Lab experiment In this latest study, women scored better on math and verbal tests when the thermostat was set to higher temperatures, according to the paper. Men saw the opposite results, although the study said these were less pronounced and not statistically significant. Some 543 students participated in a lab experiment which involved testing them on a set of math, verbal and cognitive reflection problems. The experiments were carried out in Berlin. The tests took place in rooms at various temperatures between 16.19 degrees Celsius (roughly 61 degrees Fahrenheit) to 32.57 degrees Celsius (roughly 91 degrees Fahrenheit). For the math test students were asked to complete addition without a calculator, the verbal test involved coming up with as many German words as possible from ten given letters and the cognitive reflection test was made up of questions. A relationship was found between the room’s temperature and scores on the math and verbal tests although test outcomes for both sexes on cognitive reflection were not affected by temperature. For example, upping the temperature by one-degree Celsius was linked with an 1.76% increase in the number of math questions solved correctly by women, the study found. This is a “statistically highly significant result,” said study co-author Agne Kajackaite, head of a research group at the Social Science Center (WZB) in Berlin, in an email. On the other hand, men submitted 0.63% fewer correct answers at this temperature, a finding which the study called “small and statistically insignificant.” “It’s been documented that women like warmer indoor temperatures than men–but the idea until now has been that it’s a matter of personal preference,” Chang said. “What we found is it’s not just whether you feel comfortable or not, but that your performance on things that matter — in math and verbal dimensions, and how hard you try — is affected by temperature.” Chang said that one of the study’s surprising finds was that “this isn’t about the extremes of temperature.” “Even if you go from 60 to 75 degrees, which is a relatively normal temperature range, you still see a meaningful variation in performance.” said Chang.
	Quad-City unemployment rate second lowest in Illinois last month As the region continued to add jobs last month, the Illinois Quad-Cities' unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.9%
	Can't wait until June 13 for Portillo's? You can get served now at the soft opening Despite being several weeks away from its grand opening, the Davenport Portillo's is open for business.
	Police: Mother, boyfriend beat 7-year-old, tied him up in infested basement CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. -- A 7-year-old boy who Caroline County deputies say was abused by his mother and her boyfriend is in critical care at VCU Medical Center, according to WTVR. Investigators were trying to get a clearer picture of what the sheriff called "one of the worst abuse and neglect cases" he’s seen in his over 40-year career. They executed a search warrant at the home where the boy lived with his mom, 29-year-old Ashley Karam and her boyfriend, 40-year-old Edward Childs. Neighbor Lacey Collins said she had several interactions with the boy months ago at the bus stop. She had a gut feeling that something was wrong, but she didn't want to make the boy feel awkward. "He mentioned that his back hurt, but I never checked him or anything,” she said. “I never knew." The sheriff's office got involved Sunday afternoon after a neighbor called saying the boy was at their home and had visible injuries. Sources said detectives believe the boy was left for extended periods of time at his home, bound by duct tape, surrounded by roaches and moldy walls. The sheriff said he had some old injuries and obvious new ones. "I don't even want to describe what the young boy went through," Sheriff Tony Lippa said. Karam and Childs have been charged with abduction, abuse, and cruelty. Karam has a history of child abuse dating back to 2012. WTVR reported a different child was removed from her care after she was convicted of abuse and disregard for life. She was sentenced to five years in prison. "He didn't need this. He was so sweet,” Collins said. “His mom would tell me he's bad, and I was like, ‘He's not bad,’ you know?” Aram and Childs are at Pamunkey Regional Jail with no bond. Deputies said an additional child was found to be in the custody of the accused; that child is now in protective custody.
	New center offers help to drop-ins A new Carol Center is opening at Vera French in Davenport.It now offers a peer support and drop-in center.The location honors Carol Lujack who supported the work done by Vera French.Vera French CEO Richard Whitaker Jr. spoke at the dedication ceremony."We had somebody come just about the time the office was closing down and staff saw the need," Whitaker said. "She talked about suicide. They knew that she didn't have what she needed to stay safe. They mobilized resources, took care of her immediate needs and she came back the next day thanking them for helping her and by saving her life"The peer support center can help with crisis resolution, housing assistance and socialization.

Friday, May 24th, 2019

Thursday, May 23rd, 2019