Click here for details of children’s programming change on MyTV 8.3

Crews were called to the scene around 6 p.m. of a man who got stuck in a ditch when his tractor overturned on him. The ditch is at 19th Street and Glenwood Drive.

The man was mowing the lawn around the corner at the New Life Fellowship Church. Moline resident Scott Meents called 911 once he could hear the man in the ditch. That was about two hours after he got stuck though.

“The ravine was so deep,” Meents said. “The lawn mower was laying on top of our neighbor over here. All my son Mason and I could here were his moans and cries for help.”

Nine firefighters had to rescue the man and pull him out of the ditch with a rope. Meents did expect the man to be okay. Police have not released the man’s name.

     “We actually issued a child missing alert,” says Police Lieutenant, Clay Whelan.

     They set up a command station in the Dixon Food Center parking lot.  As it turns out the officials were not far off.   The children soon made their first appearance coming out of 320 Poplar Street which was just across the street.

     The kids had spent the day in a vacant house for sale and they left their mark.

     “There was paint either strewn about, cans open and thrown everywhere.  Walls were spray painted and glass was broken,” Lt. Whelan.

     An estimated amount of damage to the tune of $10,000 and there is nothing the police can do about it.   The children are too young to face charges

      Police say the parents are cooperating and plan to cover the cost of the damage.

His biggest adversary John Benson soon created his own cemetery less than a mile from Carlock’s Democratic cemetery. Coincidently John Benson’s tombstone stands noticeably taller.

“It’s made out of better materials, its marble. Carlock’s stone was actually made by sort of the Walmart of the cemetery makers,” says Nola Marquardt, a volunteer historian near Carlock, Illinois.

No one’s been buried in the Republican Cemetery for nearly 30 years, and while Benson may have the bigger tombstone, Abraham Carlock’s cemetery is much bigger, and still growing because they’re still burying people there.

“Well I think there are probably 250-300 people buried here, and probably 500 in the Carlock Cemetery.,“ says Marquardt.

More than a century and half later both cemetery’s still get lots of visitors, many of whom have no connection to the Carlock or Benson families.

“Paul Harvey actually ran the story of these two cemetery’s as one of his feature stories. Right after that there was much more interest in the cemeteries,” says Marquardt.

Today politics is just as bitter as it’s ever been, but the people of Carlock, Illinois say if they can set their differences aside, then so can the politicians.

”I may end up in a place called Centennial Church Cemetery. You want no part of this? I want no part of this,” says Preston Hawks of Carlock, Illinois.

“You have a bunch of family here. Are you guys Democrats? No, I’m a Republican, and I’m chairman of the board. That tell you anything?” says John Kath, chairman of the board which oversees Carlock’s Democratic Cemetary.

John Kath’s the man in charge of the Democratic Cemetery, and ironically he’s a Republican. He’s got plenty of relatives buried here, and someday he says he’ll join them. He’s not alone either. It seems over the years SOME members of Carlock and the Benson families, for reasons unknown, have put aside their differences, lying at rest next to their parents biggest adversaries.

“Don’t know if they actually jumped the fence politically, or had some beef with members of the family, I don’t know,” says Marquardt.

Regardless the reason, seeing that Carlock’s and Bensen’s lie next to each other for eternity is reason enough to hold out hope for the current generation of politicians.

“Now you know the rest of the story,” jokes Marquardt.

Today, Friday, May 25th, 2012 is Boetje Foods Incorporated Day in Rock Island, Illinois. Mayor Dennis Pauley issued the proclamation to celebrate the 123 years the company has been in business in Rock Island.

The stone ground mustard has been around since 1889 and continues to spread its unique taste across the country. When Will Kropp took over the business in 1983, the mustard was in seven states. Today, it’s in 28.

Will says there’s no big secret to small business success. It’s just about standing behind a good quality product.

“We’re fortunate that the recipe that was created was done so well and I think if you work hard and give good customer service and your product is consistent then there’s a spot for you,” says Will.

For some tasty Memorial Day Weekend recipes, go to the following website: http://www.boetjefoodsinc.com/

The hottest day of the year yesterday will take a back seat..for now.  The frontal boundary which produced some spotty activity overnight will position itself to our south today providing more of an easterly wind and highs around 80 degrees.  Some moisture may want to lift over this front later today resulting in a small chance for a light shower or sprinkle for hometowns to our west. 

By this evening, this same boundary will begin to regress its way northward.  As it does, spotty showers and thunderstorms will begin to pop up along this boundary for the rest of night before ending tomorrow morning for our hometowns more north of the Quad Cities.

The hot air will quickly pour back in for both Saturday and Sunday with the hottest day still expected by Sunday with readings at least in the lower 90s.  By Memorial Day, a cool front will pass through the area igniting a scattering of some healthy showers and thunderstorms.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!!!

Click here for details of children’s programming change on MyTV 8.3

The president came there to talk about how to create more solar energy jobs throughout the country. TPI Composites makes solar wind panels to create more clean energy.

“Lets produce more solar and wind power and other sources of energy,” Obama said.

Republicans have raised the question whether Obama’s trying to campaign though instead of trying to promote clean energy. Republicans say if Obama’s trying to get Congress to pass a bill, he should be talking to them and not the American people.

“I hope that while he’s in Iowa, he reminds people that I’m the father of the wind energy tax credit,” U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley recently said.

President Obama did not talk about Grassley Thursday, but he did thank U.S. Representative Dave Loebsack.

“If it’s possible to support something more than 100 percent,” Loebsack said. “Then this would be it.”

Obama praised him for supporting the wind energy bill. Loebsack also touched on how tired he is of Congress bickering back and forth.

“It’s very frustrating,” Loebsack said. “I was thinking the exact same thing when he was talking about that.”

Iowa is expected to be a swing state come November. The president’s speech does come two days after a Super PAC ad started airing that talks about Obama’s record with the U.S. national debt.

Knowing that this would be the new beginning for the brave dog,  the staff wanted to come up with a name that would really fit.

“We thought this is going to be the start of the trip of a life time so we named her Trippa,” Executive Director, Pamela Arndt says.

But according the Arndt, Trippa was already busy making a name for herself as a great companion among the volunteers.

“I think she is going to be a cuddler, I think she is going to be a little lap dog.”

But Trippa will need an amputation and the surgery is expected to cost the shelter around $500.

In order to help Trippa get the care she needs, the Humane Society is starting a medical fund.  One that will carry on to serve future animals in need.

“We thought Trippa would be a great first dog to start with to start building up a medical fund, so that when we do have these animals we can start treating some of these health issues.

They hope starting this fund will help animals like Trippa find forever homes.

Donations for the fund can be made at the Humane Society in Scott County on West Central Park Ave in Davenport.

Unfortunately, Trippa currently has Parvo Virus and has to be treated for that before she can have the surgery.