I sympathize with the 20 percent in last week's NSP Online poll who called Eldridge's LeClaire Road and First Street intersection construction "insane" – but actually, the votes of the 67 percent who said it is "a minor inconvenience for a much-needed project" were more realistic.

Sometimes change is difficult, and there comes a time when you have to set tradition aside, look to the future, and step outside the box.

Sept. 30, 1982: After an all-day public meeting at the basement of Eldridge Coop, the Eldridge City Council voted 4-0 against allowing fired police chief Bill Welty to serve as a sergeant on the force. Carol Goetzke abstained, as she served on the public safety committee. Meanwhile, Eldridge would continue without a police chief until the deadline had passed for Welty to appeal his termination. Sgt. Dale Heiser would take over the day-to-day duties of running the department in the interim.

There are issues flying under the radar in our neck of the woods. Last year, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern launched a corporate merger under the purview of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), a totally autonomous federal agency. As a result, the two railroads will triple their traffic through eastern Iowa – mostly crude oil from Canada headed for refineries in Mexico. As the regulatory process continues forward, not nearly enough Iowans are aware of the proposed merger. Further, I do not believe the railroads are too strong to resist.

Since the 2020 election, it got harder to vote in Iowa, relative to other states, according to a new study.

"On behalf of the school board and our school district, I want to thank the community for supporting our referendum election and our Vision 2025 ..."

"Do not put all the blame on Davenport Community Schools for pending school closings. The leaders of Walcott should look inward. ..."

"Why don't you in your news articles let us know what is happening on the national scene ..."

"I think it’s time we take the responsibility to vote only for those who understand the commitment they made, the oath they willingly swore when taking office ..."

Peace is not present in Ukraine, as we know, but let this be a time also when we shine a light on the peacemakers. I met one such individual Friday at a big regional Rotary event in Minneapolis.

A funeral service for Dean Allan Ficke, 74, of Davenport, will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at the Runge Mortuary, Davenport. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service at the mortuary.

A funeral service for Robert E. "Bob" Petersen, 84, of Walcott, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport. Burial will be in the Maysville Cemetery. Following the burial, a Celebration of Life will be held at the Starlite Hall on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. Visitation will be Thursday, Oct. 6, from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

A memorial service will be held at a later date for Lyle B. Littrel, 76, of Deer Park, Wash., formerly of Scott County.

Joan Mary Kroeger, 83, of Davenport, formerly of Bennett, passed away Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, at Ridgecrest Retirement Village. A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, at Bentley Funeral Home, Durant.  A funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 30, at the funeral home.  Burial will take place in Durant Cemetery.  Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com.

Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Judy Noel, 80, of Davenport, will be 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Davenport.  The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed, and remembrances left, by visiting www.hmdfuneralhome.com.  Burial will follow in National Cemetery, Rock Island.  The family will greet friends in the church gathering space from 9 a.m. until the time of the Mass.  Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or St. Anthony’s Care & Share Program.

Michael Lee Hermiston, age 54, of Davenport, formerly of Walcott, Chicago, Ill., and Brooklyn, N.Y., passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Sept. 17, 2022, in Manhattan. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Blue Grass. Burial will take place in St. Ann Catholic Cemetery in Long Grove. A visitation will be held from 4–7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at St. Andrew Catholic Church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Andrew Catholic Church or a charity of the donor’s choice in his memory.  Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com.

Rosella “Rosie” Mumm, 82, of Davenport, passed away on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, at Genesis East Medical Center.  Funeral services to celebrate her life will be held on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 10 a.m. at Weerts Funeral Home.  Visitation will be on Wednesday, Sept. 28 (today), from 4 – 7 p.m. at Weerts Funeral Home.  Memorials in Rosie’s name may be made to the King’s Harvest Animal Rescue or to the Scott County Humane Society.

A funeral service for Richard D. “Rick” Kuehner, 66, of Muscatine, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at Wendt Funeral Home, 1811 15th Street Place, Moline. Mississippi Valley Cremation & Direct Burial is assisting the family with arrangements.

A funeral service for Gary Lee Shipley, 64, of Cedar Rapids, was held in Iowa City, with burial in Cedar Rapids Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Gay & Chia Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.

A celebration of life for Gregg A. Mohr, 60, of Eldridge, will be held from 3-6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Al & Gerry's Tap, Eldridge. Private burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park. The Runge Mortuary, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements.

A private family funeral service will be held in the Durant Cemetery for Gloria LaVon Hamann, 88, of Eldridge. Bentley Funeral Home, Durant, is assisting the family with arrangements.

A funeral service celebrating the life of Rosella "Rosie" Mumm, 82, of Davenport, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport. Visitation will be Wednesday, Sept. 28, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

A funeral service for Joan Mary Kroeger, 83, of Davenport, formerly of Bennett, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at the Bentley Funeral Home, Durant. Burial will be in the Durant Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, Sept. 29, from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

A funeral Mass for Michael Lee Hermiston, 54, of Davenport, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Blue Grass. Burial will be in St. Ann's Cemetery, Long Grove. Visitation will be Friday, Sept. 30, from 4-7 p.m. at the church. Bentley Funeral Home, Durant, is assisting the family with arrangements.

A funeral service and Mass of Christian Burial for Judy Rose Noel, 80, of Davenport, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Davenport. Visitation will be one hour prior to Mass on Thursday in the gathering space at the church. Burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements.