Good morning, Davenport.

On Wednesday, the John Deere Foundation donated $18.5 million to the Farm-to-Plate program to support food banks, including River Bend, and to expand The Farmlink Project, which links local farmers with surplus produce.

The three-year donation aims to deliver 6.4 million pounds of fresh produce and 5.3 million meals.

The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Gala and Award Celebration tomorrow at Rhythm City Casino Resort, opening doors at 5 p.m. Mark Madrid will be the keynote speaker as the event features dinner, awards, a silent auction, and entertainment.

The CPKC Holiday Train will visit Davenport on Nov.

24 from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. as part of a free tour featuring live music and food bank donation drives, running from Nov. 19 to Dec. 20.

Melissa Pepper will revive the Quad Cities Leadership Academy in January for 20 new and mid-level managers at various local sites—meeting monthly on the third Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to noon; applications are due Tuesday, Dec.

1.

The Sierra Club Iowa Chapter urged state leaders Wednesday to require renewable energy, air pollution controls, and local hiring commitments in the tax credit deal for a $15B steel project in southeast Iowa.

The group said these measures could make the mill one of the cleanest facilities in the nation.

The Girls and Boys MAC Cross Country Championships took place at Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf on Wednesday night.

Joley Sullivan of Davenport Central won the girls race and Andrew Heden won the boys race, while Pleasant Valley teams claimed the team titles.