RSS QC-Times Blogs
QCTimes.com Blogs (short for "weblogs") are written by Quad-City Times staff and selected members of the Quad-Cities Community. The writing is not supervised by an editor, and readers are free to converse directly with the author (and other readers) in the comments below each post. If you have an idea for a blog and are interested in becoming a community blogger, please contact our online news staff. If you already have your own blog and wish to join our blogroll, click here.
RSS Staff Bloggers
Quad-City Times staff members tackle the issues that fuel their passion.
RSS On The Campaign Trail
Quad-City Times political reporter Ed Tibbetts discusses the news of the day as it pertains to politics.
RSS Race Trax
Quad-City Times sports copy editor Nate Bloomquist discusses motorsports from the Quad-Cities and beyond.
RSSThe Workin' Mom
Quad-City Times features reporter Kay Luna is a new mommy (again) with an infant daughter and a teenage son. Kay writes about juggling life at home and in the office.
RSS To The Dogs
Stephanie De Pasquale barks about what life is like being a mom to a rambunctious puppy and a shy 2-year-old dog.
RSS Idol Chatter
American Idol fan David Heitz muses on the show as the season progress and viewers vote off the unworthy.
RSSThe Hole Story
Sports writer Craig DeVrieze takes a swing at the exhilarating and aggravating game of golf, covering topics ranging from pro tours to youngsters, from the state of his own sorry game to that of the transcendent Tiger Woods and all manner of golf in between.
RSSHealthbeat
Deirdre Cox Baker, health reporter for the Quad-City Times, blogs on all things related to developing and keeping a healthy lifestyle.
RSS Cat Tales
Jan Touney, Deb Brasier and Rachel Lemieux write about those funny felines that chose to live in our abodes.
RSS Live, From Chicago
Quad-City Times education reporter Sheena Dooley live-blogs from the National Education Writers Association conference in Chicago.
RSS Q-C Dancing With The Stars
Kay Luna straps on her jivin' shoes and hits the floor as she prepares for Q-C Dancing With The Stars.
RSS Training for Bix
Stephanie De Pasquale ties on her running shoes to get ready for this year's Quad-City Times Bix 7 race.
RSS Beijing Beat
University of Iowa student Cameron Coker writes about the sights and sounds on the ground at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.
RSS Deere Diary
Quad-City Times sports writers keep you up-to-date with all the happenings from the course at the 2008 John Deere Classic.
RSSFirst Vote
First Vote is a civic journalism project of the Quad-City Times featuring the work of Quad-City area college and high school students covering the presidential campaign from the perspective of first-time voters.
RSS Community Bloggers
Bloggers from the Quad-City community share their thoughts with readers of www.qctimes.com.
RSS Dwyer And Michaels
Radio personalities Dwyer and Michaels share their thoughts on life, liberty and the pursuit of dorkosity, and encourage you to share with them what is on your mind.
RSS Rainy Day Kids
Rock Island High School senior Amy Booker dishes on all things life, ROTC and boys playing with Barbies.
RSS Jim Fisher
Talk-radio personality Jim Fisher invites you to engage him on the issues that concern you.
RSS Weekend Musings
Quad-Citian Carmen Darland shares her lighter take on life's journey.
RSS Historian On The Move
Dr. Art Pitz offers informed commentary on issues that are in the news, both locally and around the world, from a historian's point of view.
RSS Quad-Cities River Bandits
JD Stambaugh, Mike Folli, Andrew Brown and Thomas Eager write about life on the road playing for the Quad-Cities River Bandits.
RSS Think Outside The Car
Quad-Citians explore avenues of transportation around the area without climbing behind the wheel.
RSS Summer At The Park
Nick Schmidt, 14, of Maquoketa, Iowa, shoots photos and writes about his experiences at Modern Woodmen Park this summer.
Recent Blogs
Golf is back to warm us up
January 7th, 2009 by Craig DeVrieze
Besides the NFL playoffs, January’s one redeeming quality is pictures of sun-kissed golfers playing fast by the sea.
Tiger’s not back, but PGA Tour golf is, as the Mercedes-Benz Championships tee of at 5 p.m. Thursday on The Golf Channel.
Golf in prime time. Love it.
Many of the biggest storylines of this golfing year will be written away from the golf course as the game comes to terms with a crushing recession. PGA Tour purses actually will increase this year, but the real story will be told as negotiations with tournament title sponsors for beyond 2010 proceed.
Posted in The Hole Story | 1 Comment »
Eagles: Dissecting the ticket prices
January 2nd, 2009 by David Burke
The i wireless Center officially announced that The Eagles are returning for a concert on March 18, again bringing a hefty ticket price with them. Here’s a breakdown of how much you’d pay for what seat (and a seating chart from the iwC Web site):
$185 gets the first 16 rows on the floor, plus the lower bowl in sections 102, 103, 115 and 116.
$85 gets the top half of the upper bowl.
$58 gets dead center in the back upper bowl, section 208, and the two half-sections that flank it; as well as seats to the side, almost behind, the stage.
Posted in The Burke Show | 11 Comments »
Discuss prevention during holidays
December 24th, 2008 by Deirdre Cox Baker
The move to stress individual personal health over a current emphasis on treating illness makes good sense, and it appears to have traction in the new year.
A recent communication from Dr. Damon Arnold, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, suggests the holiday season is prime time to discuss health with family members.
Here are several recommendations from the health department:
1. Choose to eat healthy and be active. A balanced diet and moderate daily exercise are the goals. To reach these, choose to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, keep the amount of sweets in check, and continue to exercise and stay active. Try to dance at parties, or take a neighborhood walk to see the lights. You’ll have to watch your step this year, with all the ice.
Posted in HealthBeat | No Comments »
Workin’ Mom on the radio
December 23rd, 2008 by Kay Luna
Lots of reporters in the Quad-Cities have “appeared” at some point or another on Herb Trix’s show, called “Midwest Week in Review,” on the public radio station at Augustana College — WVIK 90.3 FM.
He usually asks us about stories or things we’ve been writing, and usually it’s about whatever piques his interest. Well, this time, my newspaper column and online blog about Babycakes — and all of your comments and participation here at the “Workin’ Mom” –has caught his attention.
So, I got the chance to talk about what we’ve created together here over the past two years on his radio show today, which I’m really excited about! Thought you might be, too.
Posted in The Workin' Mom | 2 Comments »
Babycakes:`I so happy’
December 23rd, 2008 by Kay Luna
Our daycare provider, Ms. Amy, just called me at work.
I always get a little anxious when she calls, because for those first few seconds, I always think the worst (like, “Is Mia OK? Did she fall down the stairs? Is she stuck in a snowdrift????).
But to my relief and happiness, Ms. Amy just wanted to tell me a funny/cute story about something she said this morning … and as her proud Mommy, I’m always up for a cute Babycakes story! haha! Those kind of calls are always welcome!
Posted in The Workin' Mom | 2 Comments »
Winter, can’t you just look pretty?
December 22nd, 2008 by Kay Luna
Why does winter continue to lash out at us? Why can’t the snow fall in gentle flakes, and that’s it — no blowing, no arctic temperatures. Just pretty snow.
But, noooooooooo. It can’t just be pretty. Not even on my daughter’s birthday!
The frigid, blizzard-like conditions (which seemed like a repeat of the weather on her first birthday) meant only FOUR people could make it to her birthday party: My mom and sister and eventually-will-be my brother-in-law, and my Grandma, whose apartment is where we set up the party. We made the best of it, pulling out the Thomas the Train decorations and carving the cake and the whole bit. But we missed the others who couldn’t make it.
Posted in The Workin' Mom | 3 Comments »
Holiday giggles: Fun food list
December 22nd, 2008 by Deirdre Cox Baker
The holiday season’s impact on this reporter’s desk has been dozens of e-mail messages that feature one list or another: Ideas to ward off weight gain; gift suggestions; 10 best ways to stay warm; how to avoid flu; steps to effectively wash your hands. You get the idea.
Today, my sister in Ohio sent me the list below, and I just had to post it. The original author is unknown, but the e-mail is a hilarious break from the seasonal list of do’s and don’ts. Please enjoy.
Posted in HealthBeat | 1 Comment »
Looking back
December 19th, 2008 by Kay Luna
So, everyone who reads this regularly knows that Babycakes will turn 2 on Sunday.
Thanks to this blog, I’ve been able to document the past two years — essentially — by words right here online. And as they say, “We’ve come a long way, baby.”
Here’s the very first blog entry, when she was just three months old:
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007
That first day back was rough. After spending three months of maternity leave with my infant daughter, it was hard to come back to work two weeks ago.
Posted in The Workin' Mom | 2 Comments »
Determination
December 19th, 2008 by Kay Luna
My husband and I recently wrote out an official “Family Values Frame” for our family to use as a guideline for decision-making regarding ourselves and the kids. Now, we can ask, “How does that fit in our value frame?,” before we decide which way to go with things.
One of our values is determination — reminding us to always realize the power of our sheer will, and to go above and beyond to do whatever it takes to make our goals and dreams reality.
Well, I was living within that value frame this morning, because I was absolutely determined to get to work — even in the ice and snow.
Posted in The Workin' Mom | 2 Comments »
Another Q-C departure from WGN
December 17th, 2008 by David Burke
My story on Spike O’Dell’s retirement from broadcasting a couple of weeks ago apparently surprised at least a couple of people with local radio backgrounds. Besides 
O’Dell, I quoted Davenport native Bob Shomper, who worked in the Quad-Cities radio market from 1986 to 1993, and who was the program director at WGN-AM 720 in Chicago and Spike’s boss for about three years.
Posted in The Burke Show | No Comments »
