From now until showtime June 25-26-27 and July 1-2-3, your publisher's mind will be wrapped around learning his part in Countryside Community Theatre's "The Music Man." I'll be playing Oliver Hix, a member of the school board in River City, Iowa, and baritone in the barbershop quartet.

May 14, 1981: Two longtime Walcott businesses were celebrating milestone anniversaries. The Walcott Mutual Insurance Association was 125 years old, and the Walcott Trust & Savings Bank was 50 years old. The businesses planned to celebrate with a pork and beef sandwich lunch for the public at Victory Park.

Gov. Kim Reynolds recently blamed “mixed messages” for the fact that demand for the COVID-19 vaccine has dropped to the point that most Iowa counties are refusing all or part of new shipments.

With a heavy heart, I’ve followed closely the stories printed in The North Scott Press about how the community is wrestling with issues of race and privilege. I can’t imagine what it must be like for the community members (adults and kids alike) living through it. From outrage over the junior high’s response to racial bullying and a high school curriculum choice, to a quote from the county’s chief law enforcement official, in bold large print on the front page, chiding the idea that he knew at one point, criminals would be renamed victims with law enforcement as suspects, to a lead editorial partially about the “stupidity” of the movement to defund the police. All in the wake of the Derek Chauvin conviction.

Question: Are governmental bodies required to provide video conferencing access for all meetings?

The Senate at Work: In the Iowa Senate, week 17 focused on wrapping up priorities legislation for Iowans, confirming Governor Reynolds’ appointees and debating bills that were sent back to us from the Iowa House.

"Wake up and do what's right. Obey the laws while we still have some who are willing to protect us ..."

"Senators Grassley and Ernst need to invest in our future by supporting the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan ..."

"The North Scott Post Prom committee would like to thank our generous and supportive community for helping to ensure the safety of our students at the event on May 1, 2021 ..."

"As presidents of the Quad Cities Bicycle Club and the Cornbelt Running Club, we are dismayed with Riverdale’s decision to eliminate the safest route between our region’s most popular trails, the Duck Creek Trail (DCT) and the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) ..."

A funeral service and Mass of Christian Burial for Deacon Donald Edward "Don" Frericks, 83, of Eldridge, formerly of Blue Grass, will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 19, at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Blue Grass. Visitation will be two hours prior to Mass on Wednesday at the church. For safety, masks must be worn and social distancing respected. Burial will be in Cedar Memorial Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. The Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements.

A memorial service for Harold E. Wollenhaupt Jr., 94, of Bettendorf, formerly of Stockton, Ill., will be held at Chapel Hill Gardens South, Oak Lawn, Ill., at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 30. Visitation will be 30 minutes prior to the service. The Runge Mortuary, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements.

A funeral service for Brenda Kay Adams, 71, of Buffalo, will be held at noon on Friday, May 21, in the Runge Mortuary Chapel, Davenport. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Buffalo. Visitation will be Thursday, May 20, from 5-8 p.m. at the mortuary. 

Brooke Slagle of Eldridge and Brad Hartkopf of Atlantic are engaged to be married.

Reid and Samantha Grunwald of Long Grove are the parents of a daughter born at 11:47 a.m. May 9, 2021, at Genesis East Medical Center, Davenport.

Guy “Mac” McCubbin, 89, Davenport, formerly of Long Grove, passed away at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House on May 9, 2021. Visitation and services will be held on Friday, May 14, at Long Grove Christian Church. Visitation is 1–3 p.m., with services following at 3 p.m. Weerts Funeral Home is assisting the family. Masks will be worn, and social distancing observed. Burial will follow at Long Grove Christian Church Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.weertsfh.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Long Grove Christian Church or Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House.

John H. Carmody, 84, of Eldridge, passed away on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at Westwing Place in DeWitt.

Stanley Benson, 81, of Sacramento, Calif., passed away Feb. 15, 2021, after an extended illness. Stanley requested no memorial service, but his wish was to be cremated, with his ashes scattered off of Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay.

Marian L. Behrens, 84, formerly of Eldridge, passed away on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Luther Oaks in Bloomington, Ill. 

Patricia Lybarger died April 11, 2021, peacefully in her sleep after a long battle with cancer.

A “Celebration of Life” service has been planned for our mother, Wilma Pitsenbarger, 91, formerly of LeClaire, to be held on May 22 at 11 a.m. at Our Savior Presbyterian Church, 22539 249th Ave., LeClaire.

A funeral service for Judith A. Holst, 74, of LeClaire, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at the Runge Mortuary, Davenport. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the mortuary. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery.

A funeral service for Judith A. Holst, 74, of LeClaire, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at the Runge Mortuary, Davenport. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the mortuary. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery.

Patricia Lybarger died April 11, 2021. No services will be held. She will be buried in the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements.

A funeral service for Guy "Mac" McCubbin, 89, of Davenport, formerly of Long Grove, will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, May 14, at Long Grove Christian Church. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service on Friday at the church. Masks will be worn, and social distancing observed. Burial will be in the Long Grove Christian Church Cemetery. Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting the family with arrangements.