Hello From Moline's Riverfront

Hello from (now) sunny Moline, Illinois, along the banks of the Mississippi River, where River advocates, scientists, policy-makers and others have been gathering all this week for two back-to-back River-related events: the Mississippi River Network's annual meeting, and the Mississippi River Conference.  The Mississippi River Network meeting saw two packed days of thinking, talking, sharing, laughing and recreating, as Network members mapped a course for the organization over the next years (and decades!). The Conference was co-sponsored by the Network, River Action and the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative.  It kicked off on Thursday with an informative opening plenary presentation by Matt Rota of the Gulf Restoration Network on the Gulf Dead Zone, its connection to upstream pollution activities, and what can be done to reverse problematic past trends.  Thursday also included a lunchtime pictorial and musical journey down the Mississippi hosted by Dean Klinkenberg, the "Mississippi Valley Traveler."  You can find out more about the Conference content at its web site.  The week started drearily enough but is closing with the sun shining; mirroring at the end, perhaps, the hope-filled and energized dispositions of those facilitating, contributing to and attending the two happenings along the River.