MLK Memorial Service

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center will host the 42nd Annual MLK Memorial Service and Awards next Monday, January 20th starting at 10:30 am. The public is welcome to join in person at 630 9th Street, Rock Island. The event will also be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. This year's service is extra special, as it kicks off the MLK Center's 50th anniversary year. The featured speaker will be Minnijean Brown-Trickey, who was one of the Little Rock Nine – a group of students who integrated Little Rock High School in Arkansas in 1957. Also, the Westbrook Singers, a nationally-known Gospel group originally from East Moline, will reunite to perform during the event. 

State of the City Address

The 2025 State of the City Address will be held Tuesday, January 28th at Bally’s Casino & Hotel. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the program begins at noon. This year’s theme is Reinvesting in Rock Island. The event is open and free to the public. Those who want to eat lunch are asked to register by going to the City’s website at rigov.org. 

11th Street Reconstruction

Last week the City learned it received a federal RAISE grant in the amount of $22.7 million for the redesign and reconstruction of 11th Street between 31st Avenue and Blackhawk Road. The RAISE federal grant, which stands for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, came to us after many years, four grant submissions and with the collaboration of city staff and state and federal officials. 

 The project for this important two-mile stretch of 11th Street will:

• Redesign 11th Street from four lanes to three, with a bi-directional turn lane in the middle

• Provide ADA compliant sidewalks throughout the corridor

• Add pedestrian connections between 11th Street and 9th Street, which is home to schools, community facilities and residences

• And include green infrastructure and stormwater improvements to improve sustainability.

Congratulations to everyone who pulled together and worked hard to get this very important grant for the City!