ALLIANCE, OH (06/17/2015)(readMedia)-- Courtney Wachal, a Senior French and Interntional Relations major of Bettendorf, Iowa, recently participated in the University of Mount Union's Concert Choir tour in Austria.

Directed by Dr. Grant William Cook III, associate professor of music and director of choral activities, the 49-member choir performed in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck.

About the Concert Choir The University of Mount Union Concert Choir is among the oldest collegiate choirs in the United States, tracing its roots to 1896. Open by audition to all students on campus, the Concert Choir comprises musicians from a wide variety of academic disciplines and thus truly represents the University's strong liberal arts foundation. Serving as an ambassador of the University, the Concert Choir performs annually throughout the continental United States and undertakes an international tour every four years. The Concert Choir is dedicated to the rehearsal and performance of the highest quality choral literature from the Renaissance through the 21st century, including spirituals, gospel music, folk songs and music celebrating a global perspective. Recent performances include Joseph Haydn's Mass in B-flat, the so-called Theresienmesse, and Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection") with the Canton Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under the baton of Maestro Gerhardt Zimmermann. In April 2015 the Choir will again join forces with the CSO for performances of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, op. 125 and "Choral Fantasy" in C minor, op. 180.

Coal Valley, IL - June 16, 2015 - Niabi Zoo visitors have become much more than just zoo visitors for the 2015 season and beyond. With its new Quarters for Conservation program, the Zoo has empowered its guests to become wildlife heroes.

Quarters for Conservation is a new initiative that was launched in earnest at the beginning of Niabi Zoo's 2015 season. Through this program, twenty-five cents from each paid admission is automatically contributed to Niabi Zoo's conservation fund, which supports multiple conservation projects taking place around the world. With thousands of visitors each year, these quarters are adding up to be a significant help for animals.

Not only are Niabi Zoo visitors contributing to global conservation efforts, they determine where their contribution goes. Upon entry into the Zoo, each visitor receives a token to cast their vote for one of four featured conservation projects. This token represents their twenty-five cent contribution and each conservation project will receive funding according to how votes are cast. Niabi Zoo visitors may also contribute their spare change to any of the conservation causes if they would like to support wildlife conservation even further.

"We are very excited to launch our Quarters for Conservation program," said Zoo Director Marc Heinzman, "and we have heard incredible feedback from our visitors as well." Heinzman said that Quarters for Conservation is a way for Niabi Zoo visitors to know that their visit to the Zoo actually means something and has an impact on global conservation. "We have been using the slogan 'Change for Change' when talking about this program, and it has really proven true as these small donations are turning into a driving force for the protection of wild animals and wild places."

Quarters for Conservation's inaugural slate of conservation projects represents a variety of animals and field work being done by globally respected organizations. Zoo visitors can vote to support the Snow Leopard Trust, the Jaguar Conservation Fund, The Ruaha Carnivore Project, or Association Mitsinjo. The projects supported by Niabi Zoo's Quarters for Conservation may change from year to year. Nearly $30,000 has been raised so far.

Some of the most talented area actor / singers in a one-performance-only event! The second annual Rising Stars Musical Cabaret will take place Saturday, June 20 at 2:00 PM at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are only $10 each, general admission.  Tickets are available at the door, or in advance through the CCPA Box Office: 319-248-9370, www.coralvillearts.org.

Representatives from nine corridor Junior and Senior High Schools come together in a performance of thrilling music and eclectic diversity!

Familiar songs from stage and screen (including some Disney tunes) to music from five decades of radio hits, including songwriters Carol King, Van Morrison, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller to lesser known character songs from Cabaret clubs across the world.  Solos, duets, group numbers and a sing-a-long, this afternoon will showcase the wide ranging talents of young performers in our area.

Cast includes:   Mary Kate Meade, Sage Spiker, Alison DeVore, Macayle DeVore, Emma Arp, Katey Halverson, Lucy Polyak, Sofia PerezRivera, Jessie Shaw, Lydia Jennissen, Mikayla Johnston, Chad Keitel,  David Daugherty, Caroline Brown, and Gabby Finlayson.

Drew Bielinski on Piano.

2014 Farm Bill provisions will expand opportunities in the biobased sector by promoting advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased product manufacturing efforts

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the release of a new report that shows the U.S. biobased industry is generating substantial economic activity and American jobs. He also announced changes under the 2014 Farm Bill that will create additional opportunities for growth in renewable plant-based materials, supporting the Obama Administration's efforts to develop a new, rural economy and promote creation of sustainable jobs.

"This report is the first to examine and quantify the effect of the U.S. biobased products industry from an economics and jobs perspective. Before, we could only speculate at the incredible economic impact of the biobased products industry. Now, we know that in 2013 alone, America's biobased industry contributed four million jobs and $369 billion to our economy," Vilsack said. "Today, we are also adding to the number of innovative products carrying USDA's BioPreferred® label and expanding options for our nation's biorefineries. This means small businesses and global companies alike can continue to harness the power of America's farms and forests to create new and innovative biobased products that are used all around the world."

According to the Economic Impact of the Biobased Product Industry report, each job in the biobased products industry is responsible for generating 1.64 jobs in other sectors of the economy. In 2013, 1.5 million jobs directly supported the biobased product industry, resulting in 1.1 million indirect jobs in related industries, and another 1.4 million induced jobs produced from the purchase of goods and services generated by the direct and indirect jobs.

The report builds on the "Why Biobased?" report released by the USDA in October 2014. Estimates are that the use of biobased products currently displaces about 300 million gallons of petroleum per year - equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road.

The Secretary also announced changes to include new forest products in the BioPreferred program, along with proposed changes to the former Biorefinery Assistance Program to assist in the development of cutting-edge technologies for advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased product manufacturing.

The final BioPreferred® program rules will no longer exclude mature market products (those that had a significant market share prior to 1972), providing consumers with more innovative wood products and other materials carrying USDA BioPreferred® label. Forest products that meet biobased content requirements, notwithstanding the market share the product holds, the age of the product, or whether the market for the product is new or emerging, also now meet the definition of "biobased product."

The Secretary also said today that USDA is making improvements to its Biorefinery Assistance Program (Section 9003). The program, which was renamed as the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program as part of the program's Farm Bill reauthorization, provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million for the construction and retrofitting of commercial scale biorefineries and biobased product manufacturing facilities. In a rule that will be published in the Federal Register next week, biorefineries that receive funding are allowed to produce more renewable chemicals and other biobased products, and not primarily advanced biofuels. Also, biobased product manufacturing facilities would be eligible to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries into "end-user" products. The new regulations also implement a streamlined application process.

Created by the 2002 Farm Bill and reauthorized and expanded as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the USDA BioPreferred program's purpose is to spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities. The BioPreferred program commissioned the independent Economic Impact of the Biobased Product Industry report, which is primarily authored by Dr. Jay Golden, Director of Duke University's Center for Sustainability & Commerce, and Dr. Robert Handfield, Professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University's Poole College of Management.

The report found that the seven major overarching sectors that represent the U.S. biobased products industry's contribution to the U.S. economy are: agriculture and forestry, biorefining, biobased chemicals, enzymes, bioplastic bottles and packaging, forest products, and textiles.

The study also includes location quotients by state to show the impact of the industry on individual states. Seven case studies are presented from stakeholders such as The Coca-Cola Company and PlantBottle packaging, Patagonia, and Ford.

Today's announcement was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life.

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