LATEST: TV Schedules | NEWS | Summer Events | Local Shows & Documentaries
LATEST: TV Schedules | NEWS | Summer Events | Local Shows & Documentaries
Hosted by the renowned Jim Mertens, THE CITIES offers an exploration of local and national issues, events and stories impacting residents of Eastern Iowa, Western, North-Central, and Central Illinois. Plus our weekly Out and About segment featuring events happening throughout the region.
Airing Thursdays at 7:00PM.
*Encore airing on Sundays at 4:00PM.
Find our content on these popular platforms:
Find out what's happening in the region
Jim talks with Allan Ross, the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities and newly appointed member of the Iowa Attorney General' Task Force on Antisemitism, about antisemitic incidents in the US. Plus, Jayce Eustice of the American Red Cross talked about the organization's ongoing response.
Broadcast date: June 13, 2024
Jim talks with Allan Ross, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, about antisemitic incidents in the US. Plus, Jayce Eustice of the American Red Cross discusses the organization's response.
Broadcast date: June 6, 2024
Jim sits down with Illinois State Senator Mike Halpin, (D) to talk about the state's budget.
Broadcast date: May 29, 2024
Jim welcome Jack Cullen to discuss the process, status and future of Rock Island's Downtown. Plus, Daniel Sheridan and Ashley Becker, Davenport Junior Theatre discusses their new season and upcoming program changes.
Broadcast date: May 23, 2024
Jim speaks with Tom Courtney, a Vietnam Veteran, and Daniel Baltisberger of the Rock Island National Cemetery about Memorial Day and the state of the National Cemetery. Plus, Rhonda Elsbury discusses the upcoming Quad Cities Senior Olympics.
Broadcast date: May 23, 2024
Mertens is an award-winning news anchor. He joined the Cedar Rapids, Iowa ABC network affiliate KCRG-TV9 News team in 2022 after 27 years of reporting news for the Quad Cities region at WQAD-TV in Moline. Before that, Jim was a news anchor and reporter for WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He also worked for WEAU-TV in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He began his professional career in radio in 1978 at WFON-FM in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Jim has received numerous awards for his journalistic reporting. His Long-form journalism has earned him first-place awards with the Iowa Associated Press, the Iowa Broadcast News Association, and the Illinois News Broadcasters Association. He was a former president of the Iowa Broadcast News Association and the Northwest Broadcast News
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