MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Joint Emergency Communication Center received a 911 call from an unknown individual at approximately 8:25 a.m. Monday (March 21) who reported there was a shooting that had just occurred at the Muscatine High School.
This same type of “swatting call” was received at several other emergency communication centers across eastern and central Iowa around the same time. A “swatting call” is a false report made to law enforcement to elicit a large response from authorities.
Members from Muscatine Police and Muscatine Fire departments along with the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Department responded to the Muscatine High School.
It was quickly determined that the 911 call had been a hoax and that there was no armed threat at the school, nor was there any threat to students or staff. The Muscatine High school and some surrounding schools were placed on a temporary lockdown while the incident was being resolved and a thorough check of the campus was being conducted.
Additional police presence remained at the high school in an effort to ease safety concerns of students and staff.
The incident remains under investigation and the Muscatine Police Department is working with outside agencies in an effort to identify those responsible. Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to contact Sgt. Jeff DeVrieze at (563) 263 – 9922, ext. 629.
Muscatine Community School District Superintendent Clint Christopher and Muscatine Police Chief Tony Kies issued a statement late this morning regarding the incident.
“Our high school was ‘swatted’ this morning,” the statement read. “That means that a fake threat was called into the Muscatine Police Department from outside of the state of Iowa. Muscatine Police responded accordingly, swept the entire building, and once they informed us that there was no credible threat, we resumed the school day.”
Similar ‘swatting’ calls happened to other school districts across the state of Iowa, and have been occurring across the country for the past several months.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center along with the Musser Public Library and HNI Community Center closed this afternoon due to the weather conditions.
The Muscatine Art Center closed at 2 p.m. today with the Mini Masters and the Alexander Clark program both cancelled. A new date for the Clark program will be announced later.
Both facilities will open at their regular times on Friday (Feb. 17).
It was announced earlier today that Republic Services had suspended recycling collection for Thursday due to the weather. Republic will resume recycling collection on Friday with a one-day delay (Thursday recycling to be picked up on Friday and Friday’s recycling on Saturday).
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Two new exhibitions opening at the Muscatine Art Center in February will focus on people. In the ultra-realistic work of Marc Sijan, the spotlight is on the individual facial characteristics that make human beings so similar, yet so unique. In the second exhibition, photographic portraits by Bob Campagna are joined with stories to capture the experiences of the first residents and staff members of Clark House as they built a community in the 1970s.
“Both exhibitions present real people and provide an opportunity for visitors to consider how these people experienced their world,” Muscatine Art Center Director, Melanie Alexander said. “Work by Marc Sijan has been presented twice before at the Muscatine Art Center, and people are always blown away by the level of detail from the pores to the veins.
“Bob Campagna is also familiar to many in Muscatine,” Alexander said. “He was the City’s first Low Income Housing Director in the 1970s, but many know him through his photography and his work with Muscatine students to create the windows and doors of Muscatine posters.”
Marc Sijan is one America’s leading hyper-realist sculptors. Sijan has received international recognition and has presented over 50 one-man museum exhibitions. His exhibitions often set attendance records whenever his work is exhibited. The exhibition in Muscatine features eight life-size figurative sculptures and opens on February 9.
Bob Campagna’s “Faces of Hope: The Original Residents of the Clark House” will open February 16 on the middle floor of the Stanley Gallery at the Muscatine Art Center. “Faces of Hope” includes portraits of most of the original residents of the Clark House, and it also explores the stories as remembered by those involved in managing aspects of the building project, selecting the first residents, assisting those first residents with move in, and establishing an environment that created a sense of community. In addition, the exhibition details some of the efforts to preserve the historic Alexander Clark house.
“The move of the historic Alexander Clark house was a dramatic moment,” Alexander said. “Beyond the logistics of moving and preserving the Alexander Clark house, there are a series of displays highlighting the story of Alexander Clark and sharing what makes Alexander Clark significant on a national level.”
Alexander Clark was Iowa’s most prominent Black citizen of the 19th century and a national leader in the cause of equal rights. His career culminated with service as U.S. ambassador to Liberia. Born free in Pennsylvania in 1826, he settled in Muscatine at age 16. He worked as a barber and acquired timberland along the Mississippi River and sold firewood for steamboats. He invested in real estate and amassed considerable wealth, becoming one of the town’s most accomplished residents.
Clark emerged as a civil-rights leader while in his early 20’s. He was a delegate to the National Convention of the Free People of Color in 1853, connecting with national leaders such as Frederick Douglass in the fight for equal rights. During the Civil War, he played a major role in the formation of Iowa’s only Black regiment.The Iowa Supreme Courts’ ruling in Clark’s lawsuit against segregated schools in 1868 affirmed the right of all Iowa children to attend public school regardless of race, religion, nationality, or appearance. Clark was also active in Republican politics and won acclaim as “the Colored Orator of the West” for his speeches on suffrage and universal rights.
Clark became the second Black graduate of the University of Iowa School of Law in 1884 at the age of 58. His son, Alexander, Jr., was the first Black graduate of the law school in 1879. Clark’s access to Black audiences swelled when, in 1882, along with his son Alexander, Jr., and fellow attorney Ferdinand L. Barnett, he purchased The Conservator, Chicago’s first Black newspaper. He served as the editor and became the sole owner in 1884. In 1887, he chaired the executive committee of the National Colored Press Association, connecting him to prominent journalist and activist Ida B. Wells.
A series of programs connected to the “Faces of Hope” exhibition will be presented in February and March. At 5:30 p.m. on February 16, local historian Dan Clark, who serves on the Alexander Clark Foundation, will join author Rachelle Chase for a discussion on efforts to reach school children, scholars, and the general public with the story of Alexander Clark. Chase is currently completing the middle school book, The Time I Was Susan Clark.
The Alexander Clark Foundation is working with a consultant and scholars to attain national significance through the National Register of Historic Places for the Alexander Clark house.
At 5:30 p.m. on February 23,, the Darwin Turner Action Theatre will perform at the Muscatine Art Center. The event is presented in partnership with Global Education at Stanley Center and the University of Iowa Arts Share program. The group was originally established in 1968 as Black Action Theatre.
The series concludes at 5:30 p.m. on March 23 with Bob Campagna discussing his memories of the Clark House and 1970s Muscatine.
All programs are offered free of charge and take place at the Muscatine Art Center. Reservations are not necessary.
Both “Faces of Hope” and “Marc Sijan: Ultra-Realistic Sculptures” will be on view through April 9, 2023.
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The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free of charge. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine County Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) is excited to announce the launch of “Prepared Live” in the dispatch center. Built by the company Prepared, the software enables the Muscatine 9-1-1 dispatch center to livestream, receive multimedia, and receive location from mobile callers in real-time.
This addition to our technology suite will significantly improve our ability to effectively and efficiently respond to emergencies in the community.
“The ability for our Public Safety Dispatchers to view live streaming from 911 callers will give our first responders a better understanding of exactly what type of situations they will be entering,” Chris Jasper, Director of Emergency Management and 911 for Muscatine County, said. “We hope that this will enhance officer safety and give them more accurate information before they arrive on scene.”
Participation in video streaming during a call is completely voluntary and consent of the caller is required. If the caller consents, they will receive a livestream link via text from the dispatcher, enabling them to activate live video upon clicking to activate the link.
It is important to note that the video call function will not provide MUSCOM with access to the contents or settings of a caller’s phone.
The launch follows three weeks of preparation and training to ensure that the dispatchers and the team are able to properly utilize the software. Working side-by-side with Prepared’s customer success team, MUSCOM has created and adopted policies to ensure that “Prepared Live” is used effectively in various scenarios.
“We are very excited to start utilizing ‘Prepared Live’ in our center as it has proven to help tremendously in various capacities across the country,” Jasper said.
Originally founded as a company focused on school safety, Prepared, led by co-founders Mike, Dylan, and Neal, is a mission-driven organization with a passion for improving public safety. In creating an app to help mitigate school emergencies, the team discovered that valuable data is lost in existing 9-1-1 processes and set out to address the problem. Since public launch in October of 2021, Prepared Live has helped protect over two million American citizens in cities around the country.
To learn more about Prepared and “Prepared Live”, visit Prepared911.com
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) received a 911 call at approximately 6:30 p.m. Monday (Jan. 16) for a possible electrical fire in a room at Addington Place, 3515 Diana Queen Drive. This is a nursing facility in Muscatine.
“All of our first responders did a great job,” Battalion Chief Ted Hillard said. “I just cannot say enough about them along with the great support we received from the Fruitland firefighters especially since we had to break off some of our crew to answer other calls.”
Upon arrival at Addington Place, fire crews found smoke in a resident’s room with smoke starting to fill up the hallway. The fire sprinkler system activated when fire crews entered the room and the fire was extinguished. The resident was checked for any injuries and the firefighters on scene ensured that the fire was completely out.
All residents were evacuated and accounted for during the fire suppression effort.
The sprinkler system for that hallway of the facility was shut down until the sprinkler company was able to respond and make needed repairs to the system. A recovery company was on scene to mitigate water damage.
The fire was contained to a heating unit and the area directly above.
Because the sprinkler system responded exactly as designed there were no injuries and the damage was limited to that one residential unit.
The on scene investigation is complete. A final cause has yet to be determined but it does appear to be an accidental fire. The initial fire loss estimate is $10,000. The resident in that room was moved to another room in the facility and was not externally displaced.
The Muscatine Police Department and Muscatine County EMA responded with the initial call. The Muscatine Fire Department was also assisted by fire crews from the Fruitland Fire Department. Approximately 20 firefighters responded to the fire. There were no injuries to any of the responders.
It was a busy evening for the fire department starting with a medical call before the response to Addington Place. Just 20 minutes after arriving at the fire scene, the Muscatine Station Two engine and firefighters were cut loose from Addington Place to a vehicle fire in the 2100 block of Hershey Avenue.
About the Muscatine Fire Department:
The Muscatine Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services, rescues (high angle, rope, water, etc.), building inspections, and public education for the City of Muscatine, and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Muscatine County with a combined population of 43,000 across 145 square miles while also providing HAZMAT for Muscatine, Louisa, Washington, Keokuk, and Henry counties. MFD firefighters and paramedics responded to 5,027 calls in 2018. The Muscatine Fire Department began as a volunteer fire company on January 7, 1875 and was established as a full-time department in January 1916. The Muscatine Fire Department ambulance service received the 2012 Career Ambulance service of the Year Award from Iowa Emergency Medical Services.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Musser Public Library and HNI Community Center will be operating reduced hours on Friday (Dec. 23). Musser Library will open at 10 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. due to the weather conditions.
The library will be closed on Saturday (Dec. 24), Sunday (Dec. 25), and Monday (Dec. 26) for the Christmas holiday. The library will resume normal hours on Tuesday (Dec. 27). Normal hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m-2 p.m.; Sunday 12-4 p.m.).
For more information visit the LIBRARY website or call 563-263-3065
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Musser Public Library and HNI Community Center, Muscatine Art Center, and Muscatine City Hall each announced early closings due to the current weather conditions.
In consideration of the safety of staff and patrons, the Musser Public Library and HNI Community Center closed at 1 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 22). Musser Library will reopen at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, weather permitting.
The library will be closed on Saturday (Dec. 24), Sunday (Dec. 25), and Monday (Dec. 26) for the Christmas holiday. The library will resume normal hours on Tuesday (Dec. 27). Normal hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m-2 p.m.; Sunday 12-4 p.m.).
For more information visit the LIBRARY website or call 563-263-3065
The Muscatine Art Center closed at 2 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 22) due to the extreme cold and snowy conditions. The Art Center will be closed for the Christmas holiday Friday (Dec. 23) through Monday (Dec. 26).
The Art Center will resume normal hours of operation on Tuesday (Dec. 27). Normal hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 1-5 p.m.). The Art Center is normally closed to the public on Mondays.
For more information, visit the ART CENTER website or call 563-263-8282.
The City of Muscatine closed City Hall at 2 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 22) due to the extreme weather conditions, City of Muscatine offices will be closed on Friday (Dec. 23) and Monday (Dec. 26) for the Christmas holiday. All offices will reopen for regular hours on Tuesday (Dec. 27).
Residents and visitors are advised to keep up to date on weather conditions before travelling during the holiday weekend. Dangerous cold temperatures, wind, and blowing snow will make travel difficult. Be safe on the road and at home this holiday season.
Download HOLIDAY SCHEDULE (PDF) for more information on the holiday schedule for the City of Muscatine.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.
The Muscatine Art Center was initially accredited in 1993. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.
Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for 50 years, the Alliance’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public.
“Completing the reaccreditation process was truly a team effort,” Melanie Alexander, Director of the Muscatine Art Center, said. “We pulled together staff members, the Board of Trustees, the Friends of the Muscatine Art Center board, the Advisory Committee for the Muscatine Art Center Support Foundation, volunteers, donors, and business and community leaders to set the direction for the next several years. The new Institutional Plan, adopted in July 2022, contributed to earning reaccreditation.”
Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, over 1,080 are currently accredited. The Muscatine Art Center is one of only 33 museums accredited in Iowa.
Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.
“Accredited museums are a community of institutions that have chosen to hold themselves publicly accountable to excellence,” Laura L. Lott, Alliance President and CEO, said. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”
About the Muscatine Art Center
The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free of charge. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events.
About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center, LULAC Muscatine, and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security are collaborating to offer an evening of dancing, music, and more from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, at the Muscatine Art Center.
The West Liberty student group, Los Cometas Mariachi, will begin the evening at 5:15 p.m. The group was founded in January 2021 under the direction of Ashley Smith, director of bands at West Liberty High School, with funding from the Racial Justice Fund awarded by the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. The mission of Los Cometas Mariachi is “Empowering youth, building community, and teaching culture through authentic music education.” The group’s first public performance was in May 2021 and they have since performed in a variety of venues.
Students from Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico (QCBF) will share the Mexican culture through the art form of dance during a one-hour performance beginning at 5:30 p.m. The QCBF consists of about 80 students ranging in ages from four- to 18-years-old. Since its founding in 1984, the group has performed at a variety of events such as local fiestas, art festivals, and school functions.
In addition to the performances, several crafts will be available including a Luchadores paper mask activity led by artist Miriam Alarcon Avila and a mini piñata craft presented by the Muscatine Art Center. Two student groups, West Liberty Latinos Americanos 4-H and Muscatine UNIDOS 4-H, will provide activities for children and families. Muscatine Community College LULAC will sell desserts.
Attendees will receive tickets for two free tacos catered by Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant.
The performance is free of charge thanks to a grant from the Mary Jo & Richard H. Stanley Human Conditions Grant through the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine.
The performances will be held on the grounds of the Muscatine Art Center, and attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, the performances and activities will be moved indoors to the Muscatine Art Center’s Music Room and studio.
The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events and to download a quarterly newsletter.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine County Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) received multiple 911 calls at approximately 2:38 p.m. today (Sept. 19), of a subject who was creating a disturbance in the parking lot of McKinley Elementary School. There were also reports that the subject was claiming to have a weapon.
Officers from the Muscatine Police Department responded to the scene and advised both McKinley Elementary School and Susan Clark Junior High School to go into lockdown until the situation was resolved.
When the Muscatine Police arrived, the individual was located sitting in his truck within the school parking lot. He was identified as Gabriel L Bishop, 40, (DOB 04/05/82).
Bishop had entered the parking lot behind another vehicle who he was upset with over an incident that had happened on the roadway prior to the vehicles entering the parking lot. Once the vehicles came to a stop, Bishop stepped out of his truck and began arguing with the occupants of the vehicle he had followed.
During that confrontation, Bishop made a statement that indicated he could be in possession of a weapon. Several people who overheard this disturbance then called 911. No weapon was immediately found on Bishop.
Bishop was taken into custody and has been charged with Harassment in the 2nd Degree and Disorderly Conduct.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Vision Center, P.C., and the City of Muscatine Department of Parks and Recreation have partnered on a rather unique project to plant trees in Muscatine and the surrounding area. The Vision Center is donating a tree to the Muscatine community with every purchase of Botaniq eyewear, and Botaniq pledges to plant one tree in partnership with One Tree Planted.
“When the rep (Jan) came in with this new line, she explained what Tura was doing with planting a tree for every frame sold,” Tawnya Strause of the Vision Center said. “It inspired us to do the same thing for our community. Not only are the glasses unique but the company was wanting to help with replacing trees for our planet and so does Vision Center.”
An initial tree planting is scheduled for September 20 inside Riverside Park with the assistance of Parks and Recreation Park Maintenance Superintendent Nick Gow and Landscape Horticulturist Melissa Baker. One larger tree was purchased to start the program with 25 saplings purchased from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that will be allowed to grow before being planted on future planting days.
The Vision Center has made a two-year commitment to the program with plans to do another planting in Spring 2023.
Tura, Inc., a Vision Center provider, is offering a new earth friendly brand of sustainable products and a manufacturing process that integrates eco-friendly packaging for frames … Botaniq Eyewear. Every element of Botaniq eyewear is designed with style and the planet in mind with the raw materials ISO-certified, which means they are environmentally safe. Some of the materials that make their product special is bio-based acetate, 60 percent stainless steel, and natural wood
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center will welcome an array of musicians for a series of free performances this fall. The opening concert will be held in the Muscatine Art Center’s Music Room at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 18.
The first concert features the music of Francis Verba, a French classical guitarist with a wide and colorful repertoire of European and Latin American music. Verba plays a unique, custom-made guitar, and his revolutionary method for holding the instrument allows him to express profoundness and purity in his sounds, enchanting all of the senses.
“The Francis Verba concert has been many, many months in the making,” Melanie Alexander, Muscatine Art Center Director, said. “We are delighted to share his talents with the Muscatine community. His performance promises to be an experience unlike any other the Muscatine Art Center has offered before.”
Verba has been awarded first prizes in several national and international competitions. He has performed in over 50 countries and served as the Executive Director of the highly prestigious “Concours International de Guitare de Radio France” guitar competition.
In addition to the performance, concertgoers will be treated to the visual delights of painted portraits by Cecile Houel, whose portrait of the Dalai Lama was included in the Muscatine Art Center’s 2020 invitational exhibition, “Hard Won, Not Done”.
Houel is a French-American artist who has dedicated her life to her art, pushing technical limits but staying true to her own artistic identity. In 2014, Houel began painting portraits of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. She paints very personalized portraits of the famous Laureates using the oil medium.
The Francis Verba concert is presented free of charge thanks to a grant from the Mary Jo and Richard Stanley Human Conditions Fund through the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. Reservations are not required.
Other upcoming concerts at the Muscatine Art Center include the Mad Creek Mudcats on October 2, the Japanese Taiko Drum performance by Japan America Society of Iowa’s Soten Taiko on October 15, Ballet Folklorico on October 20, and LADAMA in partnership with Quad City Arts on October 27. Details about these performances will be announced in the coming weeks.
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The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events and to download a quarterly newsletter.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Friends of the Muscatine Art Center will be offering a special performance of Encore for Murder that will feature a cast of local talent performing alongside Gary Sandy of WKRP in Cincinnati fame. The one-night-only performance will be held at 7 p.m. on September 17 in the Muscatine High School Auditorium.
Written by Max Allan Collins, Encore for Murder follows private eye Mike Hammer, a character originally created by Mickey Spillane and further developed by Collins. Presented in a radio show format, an actress attempting a return to Broadway receives a death threat, and Mike Hammer, played by Sandy, is on the case. The situation is complicated as the actress is recently widowed and is a former love interest of Hammer’s.
The production is a special tribute to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the publication of the first Mickey Spillane novel, I, the Jury, in 1947. Muscatine-native Collins was a childhood fan of mystery writer Mickey Spillane, and the two later became friends and collaborated on a comic book series in the 1990s called Mike Danger. Upon Spillane’s death in 2006, Collins developed the unfinished Hammer drafts, including a single page written by Spillane with the plot for this production, Encore for Murder.
In addition to authoring the radio play, Collins is Co-Director and has been actively involved in the production.
“The 75th anniversary of this iconic character will be honored a number of ways,” Collins said. “A new Mike Hammer novel, Kill Me If You Can, will be out about a week after our production, and a biography I’ve written with James Traylor, Spillane — King of Pulp Fiction, will be out early next year. My 1999 documentary Mike Hammer’s Mickey Spillane is being expanded for Blu-ray release and the streaming services.
“I’m thrilled to bring Encore to Murder to Muscatine as part of that celebration, with Gary Sandy as Mike Hammer,” Collins said. “Gary was Patty McCormack’s co-star in Mommy’s Day, the indie film we shot here in 1996.”
This is not the first time Encore for Murder has been staged. It was first presented in 2010 at the International Mystery Writers Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky. Then, in 2018, Encore for Murder was presented at the Murray Theatre in Clearwater, Florida. In both instances, Gary Sandy played the lead role of Mike Hammer.
“The pieces really fell into place once Max arranged for Gary Sandy to take the stage in Muscatine,” said Co-Director Karen Cooney. “Having performed and directed for local theater for decades, I knew our actors could rise to the occasion. It has been a truly memorable experience to work with Max and Gary.”
The project began as a modest radio show production. When Cooney learned that Collins had written a script that had already been performed, the chance to spotlight the Muscatine author and his role in continuing the Mike Hammer store was too fantastic to pass up.
The roster of local actors for the performance includes Courtney Cooper, Chris Causey, Rob Minder, Cassidy Probasco, Brian Linderman, Keith Porter, Evan Maynard, Randall Cooper, Judy Wilson, Rene Mauck, and Chad Bishop.
To accommodate a larger audience, Encore for Murder will be staged at the Muscatine High School Auditorium. 2705 Cedar Street, Muscatine. General admission tickets are $15. Premium seating with admission to the After Party at the Merrill Hotel is $50.
At the After Party, guests will enjoy a question-and-answer session with Collins and Sandy, photo opportunities, autographs, and a selection of desserts and beverages. Proceeds from the performance and After Party will benefit Friends of the Muscatine Art Center. Tickets can be purchased at macfriends.booktix.com and information is posted at muscatineartcenter.org.
Kent Corporation and the Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, through a tourism grant, are leading sponsors of the performance. Other sponsors include HNI Corporation, Bayer, Martin & Whitacre, CBI Bank & Trust, Kay Chapman CPA, and Pack-n-Ship. Partner organizations are the Merrill Hotel, Muscatine High School, Muscatine Community College, and Muscatine Access Channel Nine.
The Merrill Hotel is offering a discount for the evening of September 17 to those who are attending Encore for Murder. A reservation link to the Merrill is posted on the event page on the Muscatine Art Center’s website.
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Friends of the Muscatine Art Center is a non-profit organization with a mission to support educational program at the Muscatine Art Center. Membership dues and proceeds from events help ensure that the Muscatine Art Center can continue to offer high-quality, low-cost programming for the Muscatine community. The mailing address is 1314 Mulberry Avenue, Muscatine, Iowa. Information about Friends can be found at www.muscatineartcenter.org.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Visitors to the Muscatine Art Center can explore two very different stories from Muscatine’s past inside the Stanley Gallery starting on September 3.
The exhibition “Captivated by Japan: Laura Musser McColm & Her Era,” will be located on the main floor of the Stanley Gallery, and considers some of the factors that may have sparked Laura Musser McColm’s installation of a Japanese-style garden in 1930.
The graphic illustrations of Sean Fitzgibbon can be found on the middle floor, and tell the story of Norman Baker, his time in Muscatine, and his cancer hospital in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
“Both exhibitions are on view through October 23,” Muscatine Art Center Director Melanie Alexander said. “Objects from the permanent collection are featured on both floors. The top floor is a mix of home furnishings, clothing, and garden features that either were made in Japan or contain Japanese-inspired design elements. On the middle floor, a selection of artifacts from the Norman Baker collection are on view.”
The “Captivated by Japan” exhibition weaves in research by author and consultant Beth Cody who was contracted to investigate and write about the 1930 Japanese Garden. The original research project was funded by a grant from Humanities Iowa while Cody’s involvement in the exhibition was funded by a Humanities Project Grant from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
Cody’s research looked at trade with Japan in the late 1800s followed by Japan’s presence at highly-visited expositions such as the World’s Fairs. Laura Musser McColm attended both the 1896 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Other sources of inspiration included operas such as The Mikado and Madam Butterfly, teahouses like the Japanese Room at the Hotel Muscatine, and the availability of Japanese goods for sale through traveling bazaars, catalogues, and department stores such as the McColm & Co. Store.
Laura’s husband, Edwin, was President of McColm & Co. while Laura, herself, served as Treasurer and Secretary before becoming President upon the death of her husband in 1933.
Cody also documented landscape designers who created Japanese-style gardens in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Her research focused on landscape designers who worked in the Midwest in the decades and years just before the installation of Laura’s garden in 1930.
“The fabrics, porcelain, and decorative objects in the exhibition capture the imagination,” Alexander said. “As we prepare to rehabilitate the Japanese Garden, it has been so important that the staff, board, and broader community revisit why there is Japanese Garden in Muscatine.”
To complement the “Captivated by Japan” exhibition, staff has arranged a loan of Kokeshi dolls from the collection of Kristin McHugh-Johnston. The dolls are on view in the showcases near the front desk.
A full afternoon of programs is scheduled for October 15 starting with a look at the Kokeshi collection at 1 p.m. followed by a guided tour of the “Captivated by Japan” exhibition at 1:30 p.m. The day concludes with a Japanese Taiko Drum performance by Japan America Society of Iowa’s Soten Taiko. The performance is funded by the Mary Jo & Richard H. Stanley Human Conditions Grant.
On the middle floor of the Stanley Gallery, visitors are immersed in the strange world of Norman Baker, a Muscatine native who was an inventor, radio broadcaster, politician, and medical swindler. Baker set up a cancer hospital in Muscatine and battled the American Medical Association, along with the Federal Radio Commission. In 1933, Baker was “run out” of Iowa and set up a radio station in Mexico that broadcasted to the United States. In 1937, Baker purchased the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
The Crescent Hotel is the centerpiece of illustrator and author Sean Fitzgibbon’s graphic non-fiction book. Illustrations from the book are on view in the exhibition alongside Norman Baker artifacts. A closing reception is scheduled for October 23. Fitzgibbon will sign books, and copies of his book, What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel, are available for purchase through the Muscatine Art Center. The book signing is from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
At 3:00 p.m., the historical short film, Norman Baker: The Man in Purple, will be screened in the Music Room at the Muscatine Art Center. Filmmaker Chad Bishop and producer Laura Liegois will be on hand to discuss the film.
Admission to the exhibitions is free of charge. Admission to the events on October 15 and October 23 are also free of charge. Reservations are not necessary.
ABOUT THE ART CENTER – The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free of charge. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Celebrate Mother’s Day Weekend this year at the Muscatine Art Center with a special performance of Brinton Surprise, a Red Cedar Chamber Music production, at 3 p.m. on Mother’s Day (May 8) in the Muscatine Art Center’s Music Room. The performance is free and open to the public.
Red Cedar Chamber Music’s Directors and core ensemble, violinist Miera Kim and cellist Carey Bostian, present the third in a series of programs featuring early silent films and magic lantern slides accompanied by chamber music. The core ensemble is joined by flutist Claudia Anderson and guitarist John Dowdall in accompanying these rare films. Historian Michael Zahs will narrate the program.
This is Red Cedar’s third program built on the Brinton Collection. Red Cedar produced Brinton Silent Film Project in 2015, and followed that up a year later with Music and Magic Lanterns. Each project featured multiple commissions, some of which are present in today’s Brinton Surprise program. In all, 10 new works have been commissioned to accompany and enhance the incredible films and slides selected from the collection. In addition to performances in Eastern Iowa, the ensemble has presented in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, and at the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in Washington state.
BRINTON SURPRISE is a multi-media extravaganza featuring magic lantern slides and early silent films from the Brinton Collection of early entertainment materials. Michael Zahs, who rescued the collection from the garbage heap in 1981 and gifted the entire collection to the University of Iowa Special Collections, was the subject of the 2017 documentary Saving Brinton. Red Cedar will reprise several commissioned works from previous programs and have commissioned three new works to accompany six more films from the collection.
Philip Wharton has created a magical score for The Fairy of Springtime, a 1902 French film which features hand-painted color. Michael Kimber has scored Venetian Tragedy, a nine-minute drama with a surprise ending. New to Red Cedar for this project is a duo of French composers, Jean-Francois Charles and Nicolas Sidoroff, who have teamed up to create a major multi-media work (A Méliès Voyage) that explores the life of the great French filmmaker Georges Méliès, known by most from the 2011 film Hugo.
The Brinton Entertaining Company Papers, housed in a dedicated room at UI Special Collections, is over 50 linear feet and includes films, projectors, glass slides, 78 rpm records, wax cylinders, memorabilia from travels, patent applications with drawings, plans for flying machines, posters, and tickets.
“The Brinton Entertaining Company Papers provide inspiration for students, faculty, and the curious alike,” Elizabeth Riordan, lead outreach and instruction librarian for the UI Libraries Special Collections and Archives, said. “The collection’s rare films and film ephemera are enough to make it special, but the story of Frank and Indiana Brinton’s journey across the central swath of the United States showing early film is what makes it remarkable.”
Red Cedar’s founding directors, flutist Jan Boland and guitarist John Dowdall, began their partnership with historian Michael Zahs following Red Cedar’s first Rural Outreach concert at the Ainsworth Opera House in 2001. Over the years, they have collaborated with him on several concert programs featuring Michael’s collection of original civil war letters dating from 1861-1865, as well as two bus trips celebrating Red Cedar’s 10th Anniversary Season. Zahs had been showing some of the films from the Brinton Collection at the opera house since 1998.
While the three had talked about the collection, it was not until Humanities Iowa and the University of Iowa Special Collections partnered with Michael Zahs to preserve, digitize, and develop the collections that the idea of a concert program came about. In August of 2013, Jan, John and Carey traveled to Ainsworth to meet with Michael and the project was officially launched. Accompanying them was Red Cedar’s videographer and filmmaker John Richard, and the idea of a documentary about Michael and the collection took shape.
John Richard teamed up with Andrew Sherburne and Tommy Haines, and began documenting the project and Michael’s other endeavors. The feature length documentary Saving Brinton was premiered in 2018 and in part documents the journey that Zahs and Red Cedar undertook together to highlight the incredible life of Frank Brinton.
This series of concerts is made possible by support from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, AEGON Transamerica Foundation, the McIntyre Foundation, the Grandon Foundation, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, and Hills Bank. Additional support comes from the City of Marion, the Giacoletto Foundation, Farmers State Bank, CRST International, United Fire Group, and the Iowa Arts Council (a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts).
Special thanks to Artist Sponsors Juanita Dennert and Don & Irene (Naxera) Hamous.
To find out more about Brinton Surprise and all Red Cedar Chamber Music events, visit
Visitors to the Muscatine Art Center encounter paintings made by artists recognized around the world, fascinating objects connected to Muscatine’s past, beautifully crafted decorative arts, charming period rooms, and a Japanese Garden installed nearly a century ago. Learners of all ages can pique their curiosity through changing exhibitions, classes, and events. The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m-5 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. For more information, visit the Muscatine Art Center website, visit the Art Center page on the City of Muscatine website, or follow the Art Center on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, Please contact Katy Loos, Program Coordinator, with any questions about upcoming programs at (563) 263-8282 or email her at kloos@muscatineiowa.gov.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The historic Japanese Garden located at the Muscatine Art Center will be featured in two programs this spring. An informational session on the rehabilitation of the garden will be held at 5:30 p.m. on April 7 while a more in-depth look at the history of the garden will be held at 1:30 p.m. May 22.
Muscatine Art Center Director Melanie Alexander will speak about the decision-making process, the scope of the project, the roles of those involved in the project, and the project’s funding sources during the information session on April 7.
Beth Cody, author of Iowa Gardens of the Past, will present during the second program as she dives into the history of the 1930 Japanese Garden and places the garden into historical context. Cody was contracted through a grant from Humanities Iowa to explore the influences behind the creation of the garden, research landscape designers of Japanese-style gardens in the Midwest, investigate the fates of other Japanese-style gardens from the time period, and follow loose ends pertaining to the specifics of Laura Musser McColm’s garden.
When Laura Musser McColm had the Japanese-style garden installed at her home at 1314 Mulberry Avenue, it became an occasional gathering space for Laura’s clubs such as the Twentieth Century Club and the Muscatine Garden Club. When the property was gifted to the City of Muscatine in 1965, it became a public space maintained by the Muscatine Art Center and the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department.
During McColm’s lifetime, the garden underwent relatively few major changes. However, as the Muscatine Art Center added the Stanley Gallery and then a building to connect the gallery to the historic house, the ornamental sumacs original to the garden were lost and replaced with white pine trees. The Japanese yews, a fixture in the garden for many decades, are not original to the garden. There is not adequate documentation to determine if they were planted late in McColm’s lifetime or in the early years of the museum.
“Gardens grow and evolve,” Alexander said. “For years, the Muscatine Art Center staff sought professional guidance for addressing concerns related to the health and size of the yew trees. The staff also looked into options for returning the water feature to regular operations.”
However, issues in the garden were more complex and decisions made decades ago led to damage of the underground piping for the water feature and to shading out the types of plants original to the garden.
After speaking with Muscatine Art Center staff in 2020, Heidi Hohmann, Associate Professor in the Landscape Architecture Department at Iowa State University, examined archival materials held by the Muscatine Art Center, documented existing conditions in the garden, and prepared the Historic Landscape Preservation Plan. The plan included recommendations and presented options for returning historic features to the garden.
Hohmann’s photographic comparisons showing images taken in the early 1930s to those in 2020 underscored the need to address concerns in the garden. Fortunately, many of the changes can be mitigated, while some of the most prominent features, such as the streams and ponds, remain intact.
The Muscatine Art Center staff used Hohmann’s Preservation Plan to secure a $122,402 historic preservation grant from the nationally funded Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Program. In Iowa, this grant is administered by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and project reporting goes through the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office and then through the National Parks Service. The staff also secured a $100,000 grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust. The two grants, along with a few private donations, will cover all costs associated with the project.
The active phase of the project will begin in the coming weeks with archaeological work conducted by Tallgrass Archaeology, LLC. Many trees will be removed as part of the project with tree removal expected to begin as early as April. There will be periods of time when work on the site will make it necessary to close the walkway between the Muscatine Art Center’s parking lot off of Cedar Street and the main entrance on the Mulberry Avenue side of the property. The walkway closure is not expected to impact the sidewalk along Mulberry Avenue.
“While visitors have enjoyed the environment created by yews for many decades, they have caused significant problems that take away from the historic character of the garden,” Alexander said. “New plantings will be based on historic photographs and follow the Department of the Interior’s Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. For a project like this, it is important to focus on what will be gained.”
Among the gains will be the return of the historic look and feel of the garden including the return of running water on a regular basis. The historic character of the garden will also be enhanced by the return of sumac trees, other trees and shrubs found in historic photographs, the emphasis on rockwork, the reintroduction of smaller plantings that have been shaded out, and the installation of a Torii gate reproduction and other built features.
Both the April 7 and May 22 programs are scheduled for one hour and will take place in the Muscatine Art Center’s Music Room. The programs are free of charge, and there is no advance registration. A booklet about the garden is currently in development and expected to be available by summer 2022.
Visitors to the Muscatine Art Center encounter paintings made by artists recognized around the world, fascinating objects connected to Muscatine’s past, beautifully crafted decorative arts, charming period rooms, and a Japanese Garden installed nearly a century ago. Learners of all ages can pique their curiosity through changing exhibitions, classes, and events. The Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m-5 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. For more information, visit Muscatine Art Center, visit the Art Center Page on the City of Muscatine website, or follow the Art Center on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine County Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) will start the yearly testing of the Outdoor Sirens on Monday, April 4, 2022. The sirens are tested on the first Monday of every month at 11 a.m. during non-freezing months, however, if there is severe weather forecast for a testing day, the sirens will not be tested.
The county will also be participating in the Statewide Tornado Drill to be held in conjunction with Severe Weather Awareness Week. The Drill will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23. The sirens will also be activated in conjunction with this drill. For more information you can visit the National Weather Service Site at https://www.weather.gov/dvn/.
“The Statewide Drill gives businesses, schools, daycares and other facilities the chance to practice their severe weather procedures as we move into storm season. I encourage all facilities in the county to participate in the drill” said Chris Jasper, Director – Emergency Management/911.
Just as a reminder to all citizens, during a severe weather event, the sirens are activated by MUSCOM when one of the following criteria is met:
Tornado Warning issued by the National Weather Service
Tornado or funnel cloud reported by a trained weather spotter
Severe thunderstorm Warning issued by the National Weather Service or a report from a trained weather spotter that includes:
Wind 70mph or greater and/or
Golf ball sized hail or larger
According to information from the NWS most fatalities during tornadoes or severe thunderstorms occur due to falling trees or large branches. 70 mph wind is the typical threshold at which large branches and small trees break. Hail also begins to break windows when it reaches or exceeds golf ball sized hail.
“Muscatine County follows the guidelines that are set out by the National Weather Service. Due to the possibility of extreme danger from falling trees and branches we will continue to activate the siren system for Severe Thunderstorm Warnings that meet that threshold,” said Jasper.
Sirens are designed to alert citizens who are outdoors of an imminent hazard and prompt them to go indoors and seek further information.
“We encourage the public to tune into local media outlets or listen to a weather radio during severe weather and ask that they limit the use of 911 to emergencies only,” Jasper said.
Anyone that believes a siren is not working or malfunctioning can reach out to the Office of Emergency Management at 563-264-7142.
Outdoor Siren Locations
In cooperation with the Muscatine Area Geographic Information Consortium (MAGIC), a link has been created for Muscatine County residents to pinpoint where the outdoor warning sirens are located. Click on the following link to view the locations: OUTDOOR SIRENS.
Free National Weather Service Storm Spotter Training
For those interested in becoming storm spotters, the National Weather Service will be conducting both an in-person and virtual (on-line) training. Storm spotter training will be held at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 15, at Calvary Church in Muscatine. Classes cover severe weather hazards including thunderstorms and tornadoes, the general structure and movement of severe thunderstorms, identification of important storm features, and safety concerns.
All in-person and virtual classes to be conducted by the NWS Quad Cities office, and all classes last about 2 hours. Classes are free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required for virtual classes. Classes are appropriate for all ages, but ages 10 and up will likely get the most out of the training.
Testing and Activation of the Muscatine County-Wide Outdoor Warning System
The Muscatine County Emergency Management Agency has established a Guidance policy for Testing and Activation of the Muscatine County-Wide Outdoor Warning System. As a reminder, sirens are used to alert those who are outdoors of an imminent hazard and prompt them to go indoors and seek further information. The information will be available to the general public through the county and other municipalities’ websites.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – Opportunities for seasonal employment take center stage this weekend as the City of Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department hosts a seasonal job fair from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday (March 12) in the clubhouse at the Muscatine Municipal Golf Course.
The Parks and Recreation Department is actively recruiting dependable, hardworking individuals to fill seasonal positions for the spring and summer of 2022. The Muscatine City Council recently passed an increase in the hourly rate for seasonal workers making this a great opportunity for individuals, including high school and college students, seeking seasonal work.
A variety of opportunities are available including Aquatic Center Manager, lifeguards, slide attendants, cashiers, equipment operators, office clerk, Golf Clubhouse supervisors, gas dock attendants, recreation program leaders, seasonal maintenance laborers, groundskeepers and College Search Kickoff program assistants. A complete list of opportunities are available on the City of Muscatine website at SUMMER POSITIONS.
Make plans to come out to the Muscatine Municipal Golf Course to talk with current staff, review open positions, and fill out an application. Interested persons may also fill out an application ahead of time by downloading a copy from the City of Muscatine website (Seasonal Job Application).
For more information, please contact the Muscatine Parks and Recreation Department at (563) 263-0241.
Other opportunities for employment with the City of Muscatine include:
Maintenance Repairperson – Performs a variety of tasks of skilled and semi-skilled nature requiring the manual use of tools. Click on the link for a complete job description and how to apply. Applications are due by March 18, 2022.
Fire Fighter – The Muscatine Fire Department is compiling a list of prospective candidates for the position of firefighter. If you are interested in joining our premier team of firefighter-paramedics, please submit your application to be placed on the current selection list by the May 18 deadline. Click here to view our recruitment video.
Substitute Refuse Collector – The Muscatine Transfer Station is accepting applications for individuals to serve as a substitute refuse collector on an as needed basis. Hours will vary depending on need. Individuals applying should be reliable, physically able to lift 75 pounds and be able to work flexible and early morning hours. The position will remain open until filled.
Transit Driver – The Transit Division of the Department of Public Works is looking for a few people who love driving and providing excellent customer service to the community. Click on the link for more information on hours and qualifications. The position will remain open until filled and all applicants are welcomed.
For more information, visit the Employment Opportunities section on the City of Muscatine web site. The City of Muscatine is an equal employment affirmative action employer.
MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center will be closed to the public from February 21 through March 8 to facilitate the changing of exhibitions. Art Center staff will be working behind the scenes to pack up the Nature Connects exhibition, deep clean the facility, and install several new exhibitions during this time period.
During the closure, appointments must be made in advance by calling 563-263-8282. Appointments are available Monday through Friday.
Visitors to the Muscatine Art Center encounter paintings made by artists recognized around the world, fascinating objects connected to Muscatine’s past, beautifully crafted decorative arts, charming period rooms, and a Japanese Garden installed nearly a century ago. Learners of all ages can pique their curiosity through changing exhibitions, classes, and events.For more information, visit Muscatine Art Center, visit the Art Center Page on the City of Muscatine website, or follow the Art Center on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,
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Alexander Clark was Iowa’s most prominent Black citizen of the 19th century and a national leader in the cause of equal rights. His career culminated with service as U.S. ambassador to Liberia. Born free in Pennsylvania in 1826, he settled in Muscatine at age 16. He worked as a barber and acquired timberland along the Mississippi River and sold firewood for steamboats. He invested in real estate and amassed considerable wealth, becoming one of the town’s most accomplished residents. 
Houel is a French-American artist who has dedicated her life to her art, pushing technical limits but staying true to her own artistic identity. In 2014, Houel began painting portraits of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. She paints very personalized portraits of the famous Laureates using the oil medium.
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