Panthers’ EM dedicates bench to Francis sets on-the-run Moreno A3 the pace B1 Plan your weekend with Q-C calendar B7, B9

140TH YEAR · MOLINE, Thursday, May 24, 2018 | QCOnline.com | $1.50 167TH YEAR Arsenal future on solid ground But commander doesn’t see more jobs soon JIM MEENAN jmeenan@qconline

MOLINE — Maj. Gen. Duane Gamble, the Rock Island Arsenal senior commander, said he sees many good signs for the future of the Rock Island Arsenal. Speaking Wednesday during the Midwest Small Business Sym- posium at the TaxSlayer Center attended by about 500 companies, Maj. Gen. Gamble said he could not say directly that additional jobs will be coming to the Arsenal within the next two to five years. MEG MCLAUGHLIN photos / Lee News Network He noted, however, that the Illi- A bronze replica of the Rock Island County Civil War soldier statue was unveiled Wednesday at the Rock Island County Justice Center. From left are nois National Guard is putting a Rock Island County Sheriff’s Capt. Ron Erickson, who is in charge of the restoration project; Moline artist John Ketner, who created the model that unit there this year. He also said the Civilian Human Resource was cast in bronze; and Sheriff Gerry Bustos, whose department is in charge of the county’s buildings and grounds. Agency is adding about 150 new jobs there, for a total of 600, and noted the Arsenal just built about 80 new houses on the island. “If you really want to know Civil War soldier statue about how people care about their money, look how they spend it,” Maj. Gen. Gamble said. “And so I will just tell you, watch our behavior and see what we are fo- cused on. “We are focused on growing the unveiled at courthouse Rock Island Arsenal,” he said. “And we are focusing on maxi- mizing the readiness that the or- Although replicating the statue ganizations on the Rock Island Replica stands in is the biggest part of the Rock Is- Arsenal generate for our Army. land County Civil War Soldiers’ place of leaning Monument restoration project, See ARSENAL, Page A2 there is more work and fundrais- 1869 original ing left to do, Bustos said. “We’ve got our sleeves rolled ALMA GAUL up.” Lee News Network An engineering firm will be hired to assess the durability of NFL: No ROCK ISLAND — Applause the large marble pedestal that erupted Wednesday afternoon as holds the statue and onto which Moline artist John Ketner pulled are carved the names of the 354 more a black drape, unveiling a bronze or so men from the county who replica of the Civil War soldier died in the war. statue that had long stood on Officials know the pedestal is the grounds of the Rock Island cracked, but don’t know exactly on-field County Courthouse. how deep the cracks go. If they The original infantryman, are mostly superficial, they can carved in marble and dedicated Moline artist John Ketner was especially concerned about getting the be repaired. If they are deeper, protests in April of 1869, was removed statue’s details right. To help, he borrowed actual uniforms and other the pedestal might have to be from its pedestal in October 2014 pieces from two Quad-City Civil War reenactors. reinforced with steel, Erickson after someone noticed that it had said. League says shifted in place and was in danger statue’s unveiling ceremony in After much research and fund- Second, soldier names will be of crashing to the ground. the Rock Island County Justice raising, Ketner was selected to replicated on bronze plaques, as players can sit out The statue’s shoes were actu- Center. create a statue replica. Over the many of those carved in the ex- ally extending off the edge of Because the sheriff ’s office is fall of 2017, he sculpted a clay isting marble have eroded beyond anthem in locker the base, and it wasn’t facing in in charge of county buildings and model that was taken in January recognition, he said. the same direction as it had in grounds, Bustos had appointed to a foundry in Loveland, Colo- Third, a rusting copy of the PAUL NEWBERRY 1869, Rock Island County Sher- Capt. Ron Erickson to spearhead rado, for casting and brought to Associated Press iff Gerry Bustos said at the new a restoration project. Rock Island earlier this month. See SOLDIER, Page A2 ATLANTA — Stand or stay out of sight. Looking to quell a national de- bate that was sparked by Colin Kaepernick, stoked by President Harris Pizza owners of new hockey team Trump and some say chipped away at the very popularity of They saw their team win cham- good about our area that we didn’t defense contractor for Cobham America’s game, NFL owners QC joins SPHL; pionships, flirt with the Ameri- have a professional hockey team Mission Systems in Davenport. approved a new policy Wednes- can Hockey League and experi- to continue the sport and support The former franchise, the day that allows players to pro- naming contest ence the highs and lows of the youth hockey options. Quad-City Mallards, ceased ECHL test during the national anthem three leagues that followed. “If you take that away, I think operations in April, threatening by staying in the locker room but to be held The opportunity to keep the we lose something very valuable hockey’s 22-year presence in the forbids them from sitting or tak- sport in the Quad-Cities, to be- to our community.” community. The new franchise ing a knee if they’re on the field. BOBBY METCALF come a bigger part of the com- Mosley and Dawson were an- will be a member of the South- Commissioner Roger Goodell Lee News Network munity, was too great to pass up. nounced as the owners of the ern Professional Hockey League called it a compromise aimed at “I’m very passionate about the newest Quad-Cities hockey fran- and become the 11th team of the putting the focus back on football MOLINE — Ryan Mosley and game, I eat, sleep, love hockey,” chise Wednesday during a news based in Hunters- after a tumultuous year in which John Dawson have been attending Mosley said. “With the loss of conference at the TaxSlayer ville, N.C. television ratings dipped nearly hockey games in the Quad-Cities a great, affordable family enter- Center. Mosley is a co-owner of for over 20 years. tainment option, I couldn’t feel Harris Pizza while Dawson is a See HARRIS, Page A2 See NFL, Page A2

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