Boomerang Tool Company and Friends of Reservoirs Launch National Fishing Habitat Program

Help improve fishing across the country with the best tool for cutting braided, mono and fluorocarbon fishing line!

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA–Boomerang Tool Company® and the Friends of Reservoirs (FOR) have entered into a strategic partnership to improve fishing across the nation. You can help protect and restore fish habitats in our nation's reservoir systems with the Friends of Reservoirs non-profit foundation with your purchase of a unique Boomerang SNIP that cleanly cuts mono and braided line quickly and easily. Equipped with an LED light for dusk and night duty and a handy retractable line, these snips are indispensable for any fisherman. The SNIP line cutters with LED Light that will benefit the Friends of Reservoirs non-profit foundation are available in blue or gray.

The special SNIP line-cutter with LED Light that benefits the Fishing Habitat Program is available now at:

www.boomerangtool.com/shop/the-snip-wled-line-cutter-benefitting-friends-of-reservoirs.

Also available at this URL you can get a Friends of Reservoirs discount code to save on future purchases from Boomerang Tool Company. Purchases made with this code will benefit reservoir fish habitat enhancement programs.

Healthy aquatic habitats are essential ecologic and economic components of "quality of life" for the American people. The health of our nation's reservoirs is threatened by losses of fish habitat, siltation, improper shoreline development, and other stressors.  Building new reservoirs is difficult due to economic and environmental issues, so there is a need to protect and restore existing reservoirs so that our grandchildren can enjoy the quality of life that we all want for them.

According to Dan Cornell, co-Founder and President of Boomerang Tool Company, the opportunity to partner with the Friends of Reservoirs foundation was a great way to help with the effort to improve fishing across the country by assisting them with their fundraising.  "We are enthusiastic about this opportunity to work with the Friends of Reservoirs to help expand the fish habitat improvement programs.  Our unique fishing tools like The Snip, which cuts through braid and monofilament better than anything on the market, will help make fishing better for many across the country. This is an opportunity for Boomerang Tool Company, working with the Friends of Reservoirs foundation and their partners, to make a significant impact on fishing nationwide."

Jeff Boxrucker, Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership coordinator, said "I'm excited about launching this joint fundraising program with our partners at Boomerang Tool Company. We've seen declines in reservoir fish habitats across our country and a need to bring people together to  solve these problems.  The Friends of Reservoir Foundation welcomes the Boomerang Tool Company as a new business partner in this effort.  Through this program, we will generate funds to support fish habitat improvement projects that will improve fish populations, fishing opportunities, and water quality for millions of people nationwide.  The Friends of Reservoirs foundation is proud to help with the protection and restoration of fish habitat in our nation's reservoir systems.  In the coming years, I look forward to the expansion of this program for the benefit of the fishing habitats and anglers across the country."

About the Friends of Reservoirs (FOR)

Friends of Reservoirs (FOR) (www.waterhabitatlife.org) is a tax-deductible non-profit foundation dedicated to the protection and restoration of fish habitat in our nation's reservoir systems. FOR is the funding arm of the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership and represents a growing coalition of local citizen groups, individuals, businesses, and resource professionals dedicated to improving fish habitat and water quality in reservoirs.  Our reservoir fish habitats are in trouble and they need your help.  Your purchase will help keep fishing great for future generations of anglers and help maintain the health of these important waters.  Funds contributed to FOR are used to support local fish habitat improvement projects in our nation's reservoirs. If you are interested in getting involved, or wish to make a tax-deductable donation, please visit our website: www.waterhabitatlife.org . Please visit us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Reservoirs/132056723600976.

About Boomerang Tool Company

Boomerang Tool Company, Inc. is the leading global provider of innovative, high quality, retractable tools to help you save time on the water. Boomerang's tools are ideal for both freshwater and saltwater use, so every angler can enjoy the advantages and conveniences they provide. Equipped with our products, you'll be able to focus on fishing instead of worrying about where your essential tools are. "Always Handy, Never Lost, Smart Tools!" Available products include : The Snip tethered fishing line cutters, The Grip tethered fishing pliers (small, medium, and large), The Swift Cut tethered Utility Knife, and waterproof carrying pouches.  Please visit our website: www.boomerangtool.com . Please visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/boomerangtool.

For the Boomerang Tool Company and Friends of Reservoirs National Fishing Habitat Program questions, assistance, press inquiries, or Boomerang Tool Company business opportunities, please contact: Mike@BoomerangTool.com.

CARLYLE - December 5, 2012. At a quarterly meeting of the Mississippi River Coordinating Council on Friday, Lt. Governor Simon will call for federal intervention to address dropping water levels in the Mississippi River. The water level from St. Louis to Cairo is at record low levels and risks being impassable by barges.

"The Mississippi River is a vital economic resource, allowing goods to be transported around the country. Already barges are being forced to carry lighter loads, and unless we work together on a solution, barge traffic will halt completely," Simon said.

Mississippi River levels - already low following the 2012 drought - are continuing to drop as a result of reduced flows from the Missouri River. Continued drop in water levels will expose rock pinnacles in southern Illinois, which will limit or even halt barge traffic along the river.

Lt. Governor Simon, as well as Governor Quinn, Navistar, Caterpillar, ADM, Great Lakes Dredge and Docks, and others have appealed to the federal government for assistance that will keep the river open. According to the American Waterways Operators, a potential closure preventing barges from transporting goods would jeopardize $7 billion in products during December and January alone.

Lt. Governor Simon chairs the Mississippi River Coordinating Council, composed of a diverse group of citizens, not-for-profit organizations, and state and federal agencies. The Council coordinates initiatives, projects and funding to promote the ecological health of the Mississippi River and its tributaries by addressing the issues in the watershed.

DATE: Friday, Dec. 7

TIME: 1:30 p.m.

PLACE: Carlyle Lake Visitors Center, 801 Lake Road, Carlyle, Ill.

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Miramax, NCM® Fathom and IGN present Quentin Tarantino's masterpieces "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction" in select theaters for only one night only this December. "Tarantino XX: 'Reservoir Dogs' 20th Anniversary Event" will hit select movie theaters nationwide on Tuesday, December 4 at 7:00 pm local time and "Tarantino XX: 'Pulp Fiction' Event" will follow on Thursday, December 6 at 7:00 pm local time (both events will have matinees in select markets).  Each night of "Tarantino XX" will also include a special feature covering Tarantino's 20-year career, and a selection of hand-picked movie trailers from films that inspired him as a filmmaker.
Tickets for "Tarantino XX: 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Pulp Fiction'" are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com beginning Oct. 23.
"Tarantino XX: 'Reservoir Dogs' 20th Anniversary Event" (December 4th) and "Tarantino XX: 'Pulp Fiction' Event" (December 6th) will be showing at the following cinemas in your area at 7 pm (local time):
Davenport 53 18 with IMAX 3601 E 53rd St Davenport IA 52807
For a complete list of participating theater locations visit here ("Reservoir Dogs") and here ("Pulp Fiction"). Theaters and participants are subject to change.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa made the following comment after a Finance Committee member meeting with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on the "fiscal cliff" presented by tax increases and budget cuts.  Grassley is a senior member of the committee.

"The Federal Reserve chairman reiterated what we already know but it can't be said enough.  Impending tax increases combined with the mandatory budget cuts would be a severe, negative shock to the economy.  As many of us have argued for months, Congress should continue the bipartisan tax relief enacted in 2001. You don't raise taxes in a weak economy.  President Obama himself recognized this in 2010 when he supported the bipartisan package that extended the 2001 provisions as well as AMT relief.  The Federal Reserve chairman's strong message should persuade Democratic members of Congress and the President to take action.  The responsible approach is to avoid raising taxes while unemployment remains at more than 8 percent."

Nation Marks POW/MIA Recognition Day Sept. 21; Story by Capt. Dutch Grove, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

SPRINGFIELD, IL (09/19/2012)(readMedia)-- A persistent interest in a locked memorial garden, a promise to a friend and the quest for free computers led a couple of teachers at Proviso East High School in Maywood, Ill., to embark on a project that is today an expansive online databases of a single National Guard organization and a fascinating chronicle of one of the most dramatic prisoner of war episodes in American history.

Inside the well maintained, park-like memorial garden at Proviso East High School are several large commemorative plaques with the names of 191 former students who died fighting during World War II etched onto them.

Ian Smith, a former social studies teacher, and Jim Opolony, an English teacher at Proviso East, often talked of exploring the memorial garden, but found little opportunity until after school one day during the 1999 school year.

"The garden is an open air courtyard that classrooms overlooked and wasn't an area typically for students to go into and wander around in," said Smith. "The doors would lock automatically and we were worried we couldn't get back in. But one day we noticed the door was ajar and we went out to explore."

While they explored the memorial garden, Smith and Opolony made a rubbing of the name Robert Boerman from one of the monuments as a favor to Boerman's nephew. As they continued to explore they noticed a disproportionate number of names from the class of 1938.

"We knew Maywood had a long history with the Bataan Death March because of the parade, which was held for 50 years and the Bataan Day ceremonies," said Smith. "We wondered why there were so many from this particular class and thought it may be connected to Bataan."

The pair investigated further and discovered the building across the street from the school, visible from Smith's classroom, was the armory. Following on an oral history project they led with their students the year before, Smith and Opolony decided to get their students involved in the project of discovering and documenting the histories of the Proviso veterans who were memorialized in the garden.

As a bonus, the student's use of the Internet for the project would help the school procure computers through a school consortium. The teachers quickly found their students knew very little about their local history and the project was a great opportunity to educate them about it.

The original focus of the project was Company B, 192nd Tank Battalion, Illinois Army National Guard whose Soldiers, along with those of the rest of the battalion, would successfully repel the Japanese invasion of the Philippine's Bataan Peninsula for four months while critically short on food, bullets and other supplies. Without supplies or hope of reinforcements, the troops were ordered to surrender. Now prisoners of war, the Soldiers were made to walk the 80 miles to Camp O'Donnell suffering from dehydration, exhaustion, disease and brutal treatment at the hands of their Japanese guards.

"Originally the students got really upset," said Opolony. "We brought one of the Bataan survivors into the classroom and a student asked him 'did you want to die?' and he said 'every day.' They had tears in their eyes when they realized these men were really just boys of 17, 18, or 19 years old when this happened to them."

Opolony and Smith were successful at piquing their students' interest and said the project quickly grew wheels.

"This was such a close, local story. These guys went to the same school, played on the same ball fields and lived in the same neighborhoods as the students," said Smith. "A passion developed at that point to get the word out. Let's see if we can find survivors; let's see if we can find some relatives of those who died and get their stories out there."

Both teachers said they could not imagine how the project would grow and develop.

"We were only going to document B Company, but as soon as we went online with the project we began receiving e-mails from family members from the remainder of the battalion in Wisconsin, Ohio and Kentucky," said Opolony.

They decided to move the project forward and expand it.

"We were getting information about all four companies in the battalion," said Smith. "We decided, let's keep going with it."

Today the entire project is a site of its own (http://www.proviso.k12.il.us/bataan%20web/index.htm) and is updated as often as new information is made available from survivors and family members.

"All of the information is from primary sources; first-hand accounts. Survivors sent us pictures and letters and scrap books," said Smith. "We went to the Maywood Bataan Day event in 1999 and looked for people who looked like they were World War II veterans and asked them to do interviews and that developed into great relationships."

As the nation marks POW/MIA Recognition Day Sept. 21, Smith and Opolony take pride in their students' efforts to preserve the history of the Illinois National Guard Soldiers who are connected to Bataan.

"The students really appreciated the history. It wasn't something in a history book, it was personalized," said Smith. "We'd have addresses of where the Soldiers lived and students would say 'that's next to my house.' It made the history come alive for them."

Both have found the project impacted their lives too.

"If you would have asked me in 1999, I wouldn't have known a whole lot," said Opolony. "I'm not an authority on Bataan or World War II, but I know a ton about the tank battalion. I've made a lot of friends and have traveled to all four towns where companies of the 192nd were from."

They said most of the survivors interviewed for the project were being asked to talk about something they would rather not remember, but that talking helped the survivors and helped their families.

"We were able to find out things, fill in the pieces for families who lost someone over there, but until (this project), we knew very few details about their experience before they died. Survivors would say to us 'thank you for helping me tell these stories I've never told anybody about before,'" said Smith.

Today only a few of the 192nd Tank Battalion Soldiers who served in WWII are still alive, but their stories and their memory live on as a result of the Proviso East High School Bataan Commemorative Research Project. The project has been a blessing to survivors and the families around the world and received two awards including an Illinois State Board of Education excellence award.

Smith and Opolony said the project has been a blessing on them personally as well.

"The privilege of being able to interact with and get to know these people...it has been as rewarding for Jim and I as it has been for the veterans and families who've benefitted from the project," said Smith.

(Chicago)--The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been

awarded to Rock Island County Forest Preserve District by the Government Finance Officers

Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial

report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of

governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant

accomplishment by a government and its management

An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual(s),

department or agency designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the

award-winning CAFR. This has been presented to:

County Auditor's Ofñce, Rock Island County Forest Preserve District

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program

including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its

financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government

ñnance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL, and Washington, D.C.

Again Calls for Congress to Skip Vacation and Get to Work

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the Republican Majority in the House of Representatives voted to go on vacation for five weeks.  Loebsack has called on Congress to stay in session multiple times to get critical work done.

"Time and again, Congress has kicked the can down the road, punted, and taken a pass on actually getting something done.  Now the Republican Majority has voted to go on vacation for the next five weeks while our farmers suffer through the worst drought in 60 years, Iowans struggle to find jobs, and critical issue after critical issue facing our nation goes unaddressed.   It is the height of irresponsibility.

"It's time for Washington politicians to learn what every kid in Iowa knows - if you don't do your homework all year, you get summer school, not summer vacation. Congress must stay and get to work, not continue taking votes for politics' sake and then give themselves 37 days of undeserved vacation.  Iowans are sick and tired of this Washington business as usual, and, frankly, so am I."

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Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today released the following statement after the House passed the Federal Reserve Transparency Act introduced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX). This legislation calls for an extensive audit of the Federal Reserve System before the end of 2012.

"This bill is a bipartisan, common-sense solution to make sure that there is transparency and accountability within the Federal Reserve and I'm proud to be a cosponsor.

 

"We look to the Federal Reserve to provide guidance on the stability of our economy, and as taxpayers we deserve to know that the Fed is handling its responsibilities in a fair and public way. Ensuring that the Federal Reserve undergoes an extensive audit is one way to make this happen."

 

Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced the Federal Transparency Act of 2011 last year and Rep. Braley signed on as a cosponsor, joining 273 other representatives.

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Washington, D.C., July 18, 2012- The Coalition to Preserve American Sovereignty applauds the announcement that opponents of Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) have secured enough votes to block ratification. The count of 34 votes rejecting the treaty was reached when Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) signed onto letter of opposition circulated by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), and Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) issued their own letter publicly expressing their opposition to the treaty.
The victory comes after a culmination of efforts by Americans across the country, Congressional leadership as well as the Coalition and other military, business and conservative leaders, to express their concerns that LOST's ratification would prove inimical to both the national security interests and sovereignty of the United States.
On June 14th a group of senior retired U.S. military leaders - who had earned among them a total of 33 stars - released a letter through the Coalition voicing serious concerns regarding LOST. This letter was sent on the day Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, convened a hearing on LOST featuring six currently serving U.S. military commanders - what he has called his "24-star panel" - who argued in favor of ratification. Since then, several additional military leaders, including two former Chiefs of Naval Operations - for a total of three - have signed on as well.
On June 28th a group of oil and gas industry leaders also sent a letter to Committee Chairman John Kerry, to provide an alternate opinion to a business hearing for the treaty where only proponents of the treaty were allowed to testify. Their letter expressed serious concerns about the net effect this accord would have on U.S. national, as well as commercial, interests.
The 34 Senators who have expressed opposition to the treaty are as follows:
  • Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
  • Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)
  • Richard Burr (R-N.C.)
  • John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
  • John Boozman (R-Ark.)
  • Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)
  • Dan Coats (R-Ind.)
  • Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)
  • John Cornyn (R-Texas)
  • Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
  • Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)
  • Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
  • Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
  • Dean Heller (R-Nev.)
  • John Hoeven (R-N.D.)
  • Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.)
  • Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
  • Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE)
  • Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
  • Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)
  • Mike Lee (R-Utah)
  • Jerry Moran (R-Kansas)
  • Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
  • Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
  • Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
  • Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
  • Pat Roberts (R-Kansas)
  • Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
  • Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)
  • Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)
  • John Thune (R-S.D.)
  • Pat Toomey (R-Penn.)
  • David Vitter (R-La.)
  • Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. of the Coalition to Preserve American Sovereignty said:
"Today's announcement that the Senate opponents of the Law of the Sea Treaty have secured sufficient commitments to block ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty is a great victory for American sovereignty. Despite Senator Kerry's efforts to present a selective rendering of this treaty the truth about LOST emerged - due in large part to the tireless efforts of a team of legislators and their staff and public spirited citizens who aroused their countrymen to the perils associated with LOST. The country owes a debt of gratitude to these patriots. The decision clearly shows that when the public is presented with an unadulterated perspective on the issues, they will arrive at the proper conclusion."
Military leaders who expressed their opposition to LOST through the Coalition include :
  • Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin, USA (Ret.), former Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Forces Command; former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
  • Adm. Bruce Demars USN (Ret.), former Director Naval Nuclear Propulsion
  • Adm. Thomas B. Hayward, USN (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Operations
  • Admiral Jim Holloway, USN (Ret.) former Chief of Naval Operations
  • Adm. Frank Kelso USN (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Operations
  • Adm. G.E.R. Kinnear II, USN (Ret.), former U.S. Member of the NATO Military Committee
  • Gen. Richard L. Lawson, USAF (Ret.), former Deputy Commander-in Chief, Headquarters U.S. European Command
  • Adm. James "Ace" Lyons, Jr., USN (Ret.), former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet
  • Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney, USAF (Ret.), former Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, USAF
  • Vice Adm. Robert Monroe, USN (Ret.), former Director of Navy Research, Development Testing and Evaluation
  • Gen. Carl E. Mundy, Jr., USMC (Ret.), former Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Adm. Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, USN (Ret.), former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Navy Forces Europe and NATO Allied Forces Southern Europe
Business leaders who expressed their opposition to LOST through the Coalition include :
  • Raul Brito, President, Brito Oil Company
  • Steve Dillard, Vice President, Pickrell Drilling Company
  • Mike Dixon, Owner, Dixon Oil and Gas, Inc.
  • Hon. Dennis Hedke, Owner, Hedke Saenger Geoscience Ltd.
  • Bill Johnson, Partner, McCoy Petroleum Corporation
  • A. Scott Ritchie III, President, Ritchie Exploration, Inc.
  • Scott Stewart, Owner, Bird Dog Oil LLC
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National Park Service awarded a $47,150 grant for dig

WHO Congressman Dave Loebsack

Mayor Bill Gluba

Friends of Credit Island

WHAT Press conference to discuss the recent announcement that the City of Davenport received funding from the National Park Service to perform an archeological dig at Credit Island.

WHERE Credit Island Pavilion

Davenport

WHEN TODAY, Saturday, July 7th

2:00pm

WHY Credit Island is one of the westernmost battles of the War of 1812. It was on this island in 1814 that Brevet Major Zachary Taylor was defeated by British allied Sauk and Black Hawk American Indians. The City of Davenport, following up on a Certified Local Government grant, is looking to do a subsurface archeological investigation of the site. It is hoped that the data recovered can be used for a future National Register nomination.

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Washington, D.C. - July 6, 2012 - Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that the City of Davenport will receive a $47,105 grant from the National Park Service for battlefield preservation.  The funding comes from the National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), and will be used to help preserve, protect, document and interpret America's significant battlefield lands.  Davenport will receive funding for an archeological dig at Credit Island.

"Our nation's battlefields are hallowed ground.  Preserving them ensures that the service and sacrifice of previous generations will never be forgotten," said Loebsack.  "I am pleased that this funding is coming to Davenport for the archeological dig, and excited at the possibility of a National Register nomination, which would add to Davenport's already rich cultural heritage and support economic development.  I am looking forward to seeing what they discover at the site."

Credit Island is one of the westernmost battles of the War of 1812. It was on this island in 1814 that Brevet Major Zachary Taylor was defeated by British allied Sauk and Black Hawk American Indians. The City of Davenport, following up on a Certified Local Government grant, is looking to do a subsurface archeological investigation of the site. It is hoped that the data recovered can be used for a future National Register nomination.

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