MOLINE, ILLNIOIS - The sun was shining. Minus Six was performing. The Iowa game was on the big screen television, and 1,800 people tasted a variety of beers and cheeses at the 10th Annual WQPT Brew Ha Ha on Saturday, September 19th.

At the end of the day, once the ballots had been tallied, Bend River Brewing Company and Blue Cat Brew Pub took home the trophies for Best Brews at Brew Ha Ha 2009..

First Place went to Bent River Brewing Co. for their brew, Uncommon Stout. They also won Second Place with Dry Hopped Ale and their trophies were picked up by Steve Ratcliff. Third Place went to Tucks Tenacious Trippel from Blue Cat Brew Pub with Melissa Wileke picking up the award.

WQPT's Brew Ha Ha was sponsored by Old Chicago Bettendorf, Rock 104-9 and Cumulus Broadcasting, Rhythm City Casino, River Cities' Reader, KWQC, Mediacom, Pratt Audio Visual & Video Corp., Penguin's Comedy Club, Dimitri Wine & Spirits, Inc., Glazer's Distributors of Iowa, Miller Lite, Budweiser, Cabot Cheese, Downtown Partnership, City of Davenport, Hawkeye Ice, Iowa American Water, Midwest Originals Booking, Millennium Waste, Quad City Golf Cars, and Sunbelt Rentals.

WQPT is the Quad Cities local public television station located on the campus of Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois.

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MOLINE, ILLINOIS & FALLS CHURCH, VA - WQPT launches MHz Worldview as the 24th nationwide affiliate.

MHz Worldview will be available initially to over-the-air viewers from 7 am - 11 pm, on channel 24.2. Area cable systems will be adding the service within the next few weeks. A complete program schedule can be found on www.wqpt.org or at www.mhznetworks.org/mhzworldview/.

Known for its 'Programming for globally-minded people,' MHz Worldview serves as a liaison in bringing programs and understanding from around the world to American audiences.  MHz Worldview watchers will see a variety of news, public affairs and entertainment programming from around the world. News programs include "Euro News", "France 24 News", "RT News" from Russia and "Al Jazeera English News".  Sports fans can watch Australian Rules football. Entertainment programs include "BB's Presents: Best of the Blues", "Asian Variety Show", and "Bollywood Unlimited". Drama fans will see series such as the police/crime drama "The Octopus" and the French detective series "Maigret".

WQPT General Manager, Rick Best says, "The international scope of MHz Worldview will provide our globally-minded viewers with a wide array of new programs to supplement the programs from PBS and other public television sources that they are accustomed to watching on WQPT's main channel."

MHz Networks CEO, Frederick Thomas says, "WQPT brings the mission of global understanding to their viewers with the launch of MHz Worldview and we know the Quad Cities and surrounding areas will appreciate WQPT's addition of the globally-minded content."

WQPT is located on the campus of Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois.

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MHz Networks is an independent, non-commercial television broadcaster delivering international educational and arts programming and providing diverse cultural perspectives for a globally-minded audience.

MHz Worldview, MHz Networks flagship channel, brings programming to globally-minded audiences in the US though affiliates, including cable, satellite and online. A division of Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation headquartered in Richmond, VA, MHz Networks is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. MHz has studio facilities in Falls Church, VA and at Washington, DC's Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Contact for MHz Networks: Stephanie Misar, 8101 A Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042, 703-770-7100.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - Tickets for WQPT's 10th Annual Brew Ha Ha are available at a variety of locations, however, early bird ticket sales will end online at wqpt.org on Monday, September 14th at 11:00 a.m. Ticket sales will end at the WQPT offices on Friday, September 18 at 5:00 p.m. Other locations for ticket sales include Old Chicago in Bettendorf and Co-Op Records in Moline and Davenport. Tickets purchased prior to the event are $20 and $25 on the day of the event at LeClaire Park. Tickets sales at the gate are cash only. No checks or credit cards will be accepted.

WQPT Special Events Coordinator, Bea Brasel said that a number of changes for ticket sales have been implemented including an earlier cut off for web sales and the elimination of the Will Call line at the event. "There will not be a "Will Call" lane this year. Tickets will need to be purchased and picked up in advance or purchased at the gate," said Brasel.

Brew Ha Ha is celebrating its 10th Anniversary and will feature tastings, music by Minus Six and comedy by Dwayne Clark provided by Penguin's Comedy Club.

Sponsors for the event include Old Chicago, Rock 104.9, Rhythm City Casino, River Cities' Reader, Dimitri Wine & Spirits, Glazer's of Iowa, Wolfe Beverage, Vanguard Distributing, KWQC, Pratt Audio Visual & Video Corporation, Mediacom, Cabot Cheese, City of Davenport, Downtown Partnership, Hawkeye Ice, Iowa American Water, Midwest Originals Booking, Millennium Waste, Penguin's Comedy Club, Quad City Golf Cars, and Sunbelt Rentals.

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Annual PBS KIDS Event Fosters Reading, Writing and Creativity.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT is pleased to announce that the 15th Annual READING RAINBOW Young Writers & Illustrators Contest has awarded Jayda Brunkan, a first grader from Eldridge, Iowa, a national First Place in the first grade level for her story. The Contest encourages children to use their imagination to author and illustrate their own "book." Jayda is one of only 12 authors selected from more than 35,000 Contest entrants nationwide. This is the second year in a row that Jayda has been a national winner. As a kindergartener at Ed White Elementary she was a Third Place national winner.

For her original story, Jayda wrote, and drew pictures for "Gus and the Garbage Mountain," the tale of a mouse named Gus and his friend, Cuddles who recycle, reduce, reuse and repair in order to save the planet.

"We are thrilled that Jayda has once again placed as a national winner," said WQPT Educational Outreach Director, Ana Kehoe.

Conducted by the acclaimed PBS KIDS television children's series READING RAINBOW with funding from presenting sponsor Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Inc. and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the national Contest is produced by WNED-TV/Buffalo and Smarterville Productions LLC. The Contest is public television's longest running and most successful outreach effort.

WQPT was one of 95 public television stations participating in this year's Contest, with support from the Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House, Figge Art Museum and Family Museum.

Contest entries from Kindergarteners through third graders are first judged at the local level, with local winners advancing to the national competition. There were two rounds of national judging culminating in a final judging by a distinguished panel that included representatives of children's television programming, educators, a literacy expert, a librarian and university professor.

This year's national Grand Prize Contest winners were given flat-panel TVs with DVD players. Each also receives three READING RAINBOW library sets (DVDs and books) for their home, school and library.

The illustrated stories of national Contest winners can be found at pbskids.org/readingrainbow. In mid August, the newest winners will be posted. The website also features fun, engaging activities and games for kids and information about READING RAINBOW for parents and teachers.

Just as READING RAINBOW generates excitement about reading, the Contest engages children in the process of creating stories that are uniquely their own," said Donald K. Boswell, WNED's President and CEO. "Every child who participates learns what it is like to be an author."

READING RAINBOW airs on WQPT on Saturdays at 10 am and Sundays at 9:30 am. Designed to encourage children to develop a love of reading and books, the series is now in its 26th season, making it the second-longest running PBS KIDS series still in production. The series has been honored with 26 Emmy Awards, including two in 2007 for "Outstanding Children's Series "and "Outstanding Writing In A Children's Series."

WQPT has been the local PBS station for 25 years located in Moline, Illinois.

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MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT, Quad Cities PBS announces their 2009 WQPT/PBS Ambassadors.

The WQPT/PBS Ambassador program is in its fifth year and provides an opportunity for college students to represent their local public television station at a variety of events throughout eastern Iowa and western Illinois. "Ambassadors are a highly trained extension of our volunteer team," said WQPT Special Projects Coordinator, Bea Brasel. This year WQPT/PBS Ambassadors come from Black Hawk College, Western Illinois University, University of Iowa, and Illinois College.

The 2009 Ambassadors are Daniel Brasel, Joan Frank, Troy Keegan, Alan Morris, Koko Nicoue and Stephanie Reagan.

"We are particularly happy to have a number of students return as Ambassadors because they found the experience so rewarding," said Ms. Brasel.

WQPT has been the local public television station serving western Illinois and eastern Iowa since 1983.

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MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT will air WorldFocus: Outbreak - A Special Report, a timely special on the Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Wednesday, May 6 at 9:00 p.m.   It has been the lead news story around the world for the past two weeks. Misinformation and rumors abound, Global experts will tell you what you need to know today to protect yourself from this virulent flu.  Panelists on the program include :

Dr. Stephen Morse, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health; Founding Director & Senior Res. Scientist, Center for Public Health Preparedness: Author Emerging Viruses.

Laurie Garret, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations

Simon Tay Fellow, Asia Society Chairman; Singapore Institute of International Relations

Christopher Sabatin, Senior Director of Policy, Council of the Americas

While the infection rate seems to be subsiding in Mexico for now, many other countries are preparing for potential outbreaks, either now or later in the year when the typical flu season begins again in the northern hemisphere.

The special will be hosted by Martin Savidge and Daljit Dhaliwal.

WQPT airs WorldFocus Monday through Friday at 6:30 p.m.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT, Quad Cities PBS is pleased to announce that Adam Schmidt, a broadcast student at Western Illinois University is the recipient of the WQPT 2009 Broadcast Scholarship. The $500 award can be applied to tuition, books and fees.

"Receiving this scholarship is an honor and will help me fulfill my dreams in the field of broadcasting," said Adam Schmidt upon learning of the award. WQPT General Manager, Rick Best said "It is always exciting to be able to help a local student. This is the third year we have offered the scholarship and all of the past recipients are busy pursuing their broadcast careers."

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT is proud to announce the winners of the 15th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. 282 children entered the contest and WQPT picked sixteen local winners (first, second, third and honorable mention) from kindergarten through third grade. Participants chose fact or fiction, prose or poetry.

Requirements included: original, single-authored stories with K - 1 students writing a minimum of 50 words and maximum of 200... and Grades 2 -3 writing a minimum of 100 words and maximum of 350. Each age group had to illustrate a minimum of 5 drawings.

Ten local readers, many retired teachers, picked their favorite stories which were then judged by five representatives from the sponsoring organizations. They selected the 16 local winners. "The judges had a difficult task picking the finalists because so many of the stories were fun and imaginative. The winning stories combined thoughtful storytelling with strong visuals to match," said WQPT Educational Outreach Director, Ana Kehoe. Sponsors for the contest were Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House, Family Museum, Figge Art Museum and WQPT, Quad Cities PBS.

Local winners will receive their awards at a ceremony on May 17th at 3:00 p.m. at the Deere-Wiman House. The winning stories will be on display at the Butterworth Center in Moline, May 17 - 29, at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, June 1 - June 19 and at the Family Museum in Bettendorf, June 22 -July 6. First place winners will compete for prizes in the national Reading Rainbow competition. The winners will be announced in July. Last year Jayda Brunkan from Eldridge was a national third place winner.

WQPT is the local public television station located in Moline, Illinois on the campus of Black Hawk College.

READING RAINBOW WINNERS 2009

KINDERGARTEN

?First Place

Baylor Verbrugge, Edward White Elementary, Eldridge.

?Second Place

Ilese Rodeffer, Avon Elementary, Avon, IL.

?Third Place

Stephanie Ruiz, Longfellow School, Rock Island.

?Honorable Mention

Qy Burke, Homeschooled, Bettendorf.

FIRST GRADE

?First Place

Jayda Brunkan, Edward White Elementary, Eldridge.

?Second Place

Abby Devinney, Temple Christian School, Moline.

?Third Place

Ellie Huh, Rivermont Collegiate, Bettendorf.

?Honorable Mention

Blake Hasson, Alwood Elementary, Alpha, IL.

SECOND GRADE

?First Place

Grace Gugelmeyer, Longfellow School, Rock Island.

?Second Place

Mabel Losey, Alwood Elementary, Alpha, IL.

?Third Place

Nicholas Epplin, Winola Elementary, Viola, IL.

?Honorable Mention

Eunice Yoon, Prophetstown Elementary, Prophetstown, IL.

THIRD GRADE

?First Place

Giavanna Mariani, Pleasant View School, Bettendorf.

?Second Place

Olivia Nelson, Cody Elementary, LeClaire.

?Third Place

Wyatt Mohr, Mediapolis Community School, Mediapolis, IA.

?Honorable Mention

Katherine Moore, Earl Hanson Elementary, Rock Island.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - Do you enjoy Public Television? Do you like to volunteer? Do you like new and exciting experiences? Then consider becoming a WQPT/PBS Ambassador.

WQPT is seeking energetic college students for an exciting volunteer opportunity. Entering its fifth year, the WQPT/PBS Ambassador program is an opportunity for college students to represent public television at a variety of events throughout eastern Iowa and western Illinois. Ambassadors are a more highly trained extension of the WQPT volunteer force representing the station at fairs, community and fundraising events and on television.

Ambassadors have come from Black Hawk College, St. Ambrose University, Illinois College, University of Iowa, Illinois State University, Kaplan University, Northern Illinois and Western Illinois University.

Former Ambassadors have said:

"The most rewarding part about being an Ambassador is seeing the smiles and joy on the kid's faces at the events. In all honesty, I feel as if I have just as much fun as the kids do - if not more!" Stephanie Regan from St. Ambrose University

"As I teach the kids, I feel as if they are teaching me something at the same moment. I learn from the kids that the simple things in life can sometimes be the most amazing ones!" Troy Keegan from Black Hawk College

"Being around kids makes me feel like I'm a kid again. Being a WQPT Ambassador is priceless--I know because I've been one for 3 years." Jessica Chen from University of Iowa

For more information and an application log on to www.wqpt.org. Application deadline is May 1, 2009. You may also mail applications to Quad Cities PBS, Attn: Ambassador Program, 6600 34th Avenue, Moline, IL 61265. Inquiries can be made at (309) 796-2424.

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