The Davenport Pulse

January is National Mentor Month! On this episode of The Davenport Pulse, hosts sit down with two fantastic Q.C. mentors, Kayla Kiesey and Sarah Sperry of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley, to talk about the importance of mentoring in the Quad Cities, when it began, and how it’s expanded over the years. 

Leading up to Small Business Saturday, hosts sat down with Becca Nicke and Red Perez of Abernathy’s, handmade/vintage boutique located at 432 West 3rd Street. Listen and learn more about the products they offer, how they made this dream a reality at such a young age, and what they did to celebrate their recent 10-year anniversary downtown. 

Listen to the final Veterans Day episode to learn more about Officer Daniel Hylton with the Davenport Police Department. In this episode, Officer Hylton shares how he made the decision to join the Army, talks about some of the special people he met throughout his time, and more.

In this Veterans Day episode, hosts were joined by Sgt. Jonathon Douglas, Supervisor of the Special Victims Unit with the Davenport Police Department. Sgt. Douglas discusses his time spent in service, gives advice to anyone thinking of enlisting, and shares a couple memorable stories.

Tune in to the first of three Veterans Day episodes as hosts sit down with Davenport Firefighter, Zack Micklewright. In this episode, Zack shares what led him to the path of serving, what he remembers about the day he enlisted, and how his military experience continues to positively impact his life today. 

Hosts sat down with Liz Estilow, founder of My G.E.A.R. Outreach, to talk about the non-profit organization that is committed to bringing comfort and hope to children entering foster care for the first time. Tune in to learn how My G.E.A.R. got started, what they provide to those transitioning into foster care/relative placement, how you can get involved, and more. 

Amy Driskill, Davenport Public Library Archivist and resident scary storyteller, joins your hosts again to share a few more haunted tales to get you into the Halloween spirit. Tune in to hear Amy talk about supernatural encounters with friendly (and not-so-friendly) ghosts, and more creepy-cool Davenport history that is sure to give you chills. 

District Chief Craig Black with the Davenport Fire Department joined hosts to discuss his 29 years within the profession, where his interest in becoming a fire fighter began, a few career highlights, why this position is important to have in our community, what a typical day looks like for him, and more. 

Your favorite garden kid, Cory Carter Jr. joined hosts to share more about his produce stand, what a typical day looks like for him, where his love of gardening began, where he sees himself in the next five years, and more! Tune in to hear what this young man has going on, and don’t forget to visit his produce stand, located at 3940 Rockingham Rd.

On this episode of The Davenport Pulse, Director of Parks and Recreation, Chad Dyson, joins hosts to highlight National Parks and Recreation Month! Tune in to hear more on this topic, the importance of parks and the impact they have on our community, upcoming and ongoing projects, how you can get involved, Chad’s favorite parks, and more!

In this episode, hosts sit down with Library Director Jeff Collins and Community Outreach Supervisor Brittany Peacock to talk about the exciting events 2023 has in store for patrons. Listeners will also get to know Collins and what brought him to team Davenport as Director in early 2022 and why chose Davenport to grow in his career. 

Brandon Carleton, owner of Blue Spruce General Store, joins hosts to talk about his brand new, downtown Davenport location. Tune in to learn how the bakery evolved into a general store, the products offered, including baked-fresh-daily bread, pastry items, groceries, and lunch, and how Brandon made his dreams a reality with the help of a small business loan through the City of Davenport.

On this episode hosts interview two more local businesses; The Brewed Book Coffee Shop & Used Book Store, and Hats, Hair, ‘N Wigs, both located conveniently in the Hilltop Campus Village. Find out what each has to offer and pay them a visit the next time you’re on the Hilltop.