Free Republic

A Bettendorf couple faces felony charges after police say they stole a 500-pound welder from a construction site at the Interstate 74 Bridge. Bill Fifer, 64, and his girlfriend Emma Stephenson, 24, were in Fifer’s silver Ford F-150 flatbed truck looking for scrap metal to collect when the found a large blue Miller Bobcat 250 welder shortly before 1:30 a.m. March 7, police say in an arrest affidavit. The welder, valued at $6,000, belonged to the Helm Group construction company in the new Interstate 74 Bridge construction zone on the 1300 block of Gilbert Street in Bettendorf. The two tried...

The lead contractor for a Mississippi River bridge is involved in a now-public feud with the state of Iowa over whether the bridge is buildable. The I-74 bridge is meant to replace a bridge on the same location connecting Moline, Ill, and Bettendorf, Iowa. Known as the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge, the bridge is a pair of suspension bridges located near the geographic center of the Quad Cities. The original bridge was designed by engineer Ralph Modjeski. The first span opened in 1935 as a toll bridge. In 1961, an identical twin span, built from the same blueprint, opened to facilitate...

A 43-year-old Bettendorf man is facing felony charges after police say he stole a boat and floated down river into the Interstate 74 construction area while naked and untied several ropes that held together the barges Sunday. Tobias Tyrone Hartsfield, last known address in the 2200 block of Grant Street, was booked into the Scott County Jail around 9:30 p.m. on charges of first-degree theft, first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree mischief. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Bettendorf police responded to the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge project barges near the Isle of Capri Casino, 1777 Isle Parkway, for a report of a...

More than 100 concerned residents peppered state and local officials Monday for information about the new Interstate 74 Bridge. Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri hosted the event, part of a series of casual meetings to share ideas and air concerns about the city. Experts on site included Ryan Hippen, construction field engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation, and Danielle Mulholland, I-74 project engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation. "I don't get tired of talking about this improvement," Hippen said. The basket handle true arch twin bridge is to cost an estimated $1.2 billion, and open late in 2020 after...

Saturday, November 28Creston Retail Stop 2:00 pm Windrow Restaurant 102 West Taylor Creston, IA 50801RSVP HERELamoni Town Hall 6:00 pm Lamoni High School - Commons 301 West Main Street Lamoni, IA 50140RSVP HEREChariton Retail Stop 10:10 pm Casey's General Store 335 N Main St. Chariton, IA 50049RSVP HERESunday, November 29Speak attend/speak at morning service at Christian Life Assembly of God 10:00 am Christian Life Assembly of God 9001 Fleur Dr. Des Moines, IARSVP HERENewton Retail Stop 2:30 pm Pizza Ranch 1500 W 18th St S, Newton, IA 50208RSVP HERETama Retail Stop 4:20 pm Casey's General Store 1207 State St. Tama,...

Construction on the new Interstate 74 Bridge is supposed to be done by 2020, but money – and time – is running out. On Saturday, July 11th, 2015, Representative Cheri Bustos visited the Quad Cities to meet with local leaders about federal funding. Right now, Congress is trying to pass a highway bill to fix and fund our area’s infrastructure. However, if they don’t find a solution by July 31st, 2015, federal funding for those projects – like the I-74 Bridge – will end. Monday, July 13th, 2015, a spokesman for Bustos said that if federal funding for the project...