25 Sep 2015

Loebsack Applauds New White House Report on Expanding Broadband Access

By Vonnie Hampel

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today applauded a new report from the White House Broadband Opportunity Council that details coordinated steps to expand access to high speed internet in poorly connected areas over the next 18 months. The report says more than 25 percent of US households do not have high speed internet because of income or geography. The Broadband Opportunity Council is chaired by Penny Pritzker, Secretary of the US Department of Commerce and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture.

Earlier this summer, Loebsack joined with fellow Members to call on the Council to modernize regulations for Rural Utility Service's (RUS) Telecommunications Program to better facilitate high speed rural broadband development. The report calls for the RUS program to revise their regulations, which will open additional funding opportunities. Loebsack is a member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over broadband issues.

"Ensuring everyone has access to high speed internet, no matter where they live, is important for rural economic development, education, job growth, businesses, farmers, and families across Iowa," said Loebsack. "I have met with many small businesses, farmers, and rural telecommunication companies who have stressed the importance of expanding high speed internet to rural areas. Broadband also gives small and rural schools the power to vastly expand their educational options, providing students with a cutting-edge 21st Century education regardless of geography.

"I am pleased President Obama, along with Secretaries Pritzker and Vilsack, laid out this plan to make sure Iowans and others in rural areas are not left behind. Expanding broadband is critical for all Iowans."

Moving forward, the federal government has made four specific commitments in response to the report to expand high speed internet, including:

·         Changing federal programs to allow broadband as an eligible expense in communities participating in the programs;

·         Creating an online inventory with details on federal assets such as telecommunications towers;

·         Streamlining applications for broadband to allow faster deployment and boost competition;

·         Creating an online information hub for communities to learn about federal broadband loan programs.

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24 Sep 2015

Longtime CWS staff member, now retired, honored with Iowa Humanitarian Award

By Jordan Bles

(Des Moines, IA)  - Longtime Church World Service staff member, the Rev. Russ Melby will be able to commemorate his retirement after three decades of service in fighting hunger and poverty when he receives the annual Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award in Des Moines Thursday.

"Russ Melby embodied so much of what Church World Service is about, in helping communities to rally in fighting hunger and poverty," CWS President and CEO, the Rev. John L. McCullough said. "I am thrilled the World Food Prize Foundation chose to honor Russ in this way, and I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Russ and his family."

Church World Service works to end hunger and poverty, and to promote peace and justice, in more than 30 countries. Melby worked to organize CROP Hunger Walks across Iowa during his tenure with the New York-based agency, in addition to engaging communities of faith to support humanitarian assistance. CWS is the national sponsor of CROP Hunger Walks, which raise money for hunger-fighting programs in the U.S. and support the life-sustaining work of CWS globally.

"Russ helped thousands of people in Iowa to see the difference they can each make in fighting hunger," McCullough said. "I can't think of a more deserving person."

The World Food Prize Foundation established the Robert D. Ray Iowa Shares Humanitarian Award in 2013 in recognition of the exceptional leadership that former Governor Ray demonstrated in dealing with multiple situations affecting refugees in Indochina, and to honor him on his 85th birthday (September 26). In doing so, the award was named after the Iowa SHARES campaign, which the Governor created in 1979 in order to send desperately needed food and medicine to suffering and dying refugees from Cambodia. Iowa SHARES stands for Iowa Sends Help to Aid Refugees and End Starvation.

The third annual Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award will be presented to Rev. Melby on Tuesday, October 13, at the Iowa Hunger Summit, a free, grassroots event organized by The World Food Prize to unite all Iowans working to alleviate hunger at home and abroad. More information, an agenda and registration is available at iowahungersummit.org.

24 Sep 2015

44th Annual CROP Hunger Walk on the Horizon

By Rick Martin

The 44th annual Quad Cities CROP Hunger Walk is taking place here in Davenport and Rock Island on Sunday, October 4th. Registration begins at 1pm, and the walk steps off at 2pm from Modern Woodmen Park.

An estimated 600 walkers will stroll through downtown Davenport, cross the Centennial Bridge, walk around the District of Rock Island, and back across the bridge to the stadium.  This six mile trek symbolizes the walk that a person (usually a woman) in a third-world country makes daily for fresh water.

Participants in the CROP Hunger Walk collect donations from family, friends, co-workers, etc. to help raise money for hunger programs locally and globally.  Here in the Quad Cities, money goes to agencies like Kid's Cafe, Churches United, EFNEP, Meal Service of Scott County, and Humility of Mary Shelter.  Global funds are distributed by Church World Service.

Although this is a faith-based event and most of the walkers are from teams from their local churches and synogogues, any one is invited to walk and help us "end hunger one step at a time."  Please visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/qccropwalk for more information or to send your questions via the message feature.

Follow local churches and their online donations by going to www.crophungerwalk.org/quadcities

24 Sep 2015

Festival of Trees needs YOU!

By Megan Schoff

As today is the official FIRST DAY OF FALL, we hope some of you have FESTIVAL OF TREES on your mind - we certainly have YOU on OURS!

 

Festival is seeking talented designers to help create TABLE TRIMMINGS to be sold at Festival of Trees. Not familiar with this area? Table Trimmings are attractive centerpieces for sale at Festival on a cash and carry basis. Each centerpiece is unique and handcrafted especially for Festival of Trees by generous volunteers.

Are you a past designer and interested in expressing your Christmas creativity without the commitment of designing?

Are you a present designer and looking for an extra outlet for your holiday imagination?

Marlene Marolf, Table Trimmings Chair, would love to hear from you! She can be reached by phone at 563-391-9621 or by email at gourddzn@aol.com.

Table Trimmings creation workshops will be held mainly on Tuesday afternoons and evenings at the Table Trimmings workspace in downtown Rock Island, right across the street from Quad City Arts! Other worktimes can be coordinated with Marlene as well.

Are you interested in helping out, but would prefer to design in the comfort of your home? We'll provide the materials!

Contact Marlene (information above) with any questions you have.

Happy Holidays!
24 Sep 2015

Lunch at the Figge Café starting October 1st, 2015

By Anne Coffman

Heart of America Group is pleased to announce the opening of the Figge Café, a casual lunch café which is located within the Figge Art Museum at 225 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52801. Lunch will be served every weekday the museum is open, Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM. 

If the museum is closed during the week for a holiday, the Café will also be closed.

Chef Steve Hall will provide a new menu each week as he sources both fresh and local food options to feature, when possible. The menu will include a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts as well as Cappuccino and Espresso.  

Heart of America has been a catering partner for the Figge since 2010. The Café will add an additional attraction to the museum and as well as provide additional lunch options to the entire downtown area.

The Quad Cities based Heart of America Group owns and operates 20 restaurants in six states including The Machine Shed, Thunder Bay Grille and The J Bar in Davenport, Johnny's Italian Steakhouse in Moline and Gramma's Kitchen/Checkered Flag near Walcott.

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24 Sep 2015

SCOTT COUNTY SECONDARY ROAD OPEN NOTICE

By Angie Kersten

Road Involved: 260th Avenue is OPEN between F33 (Bluff Road) and 290th Street

Date Open: Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Description of Closure: The road was closed for a bridge replacement project over Lost Creek.  This project has been substantially completed and the road is open to traffic.

 

24 Sep 2015

News Releases from the Iowa Supreme Court

By Iowa Judicial Branch

Des Moines, September 23, 2015- On Wednesday, October 14, the Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Newton. The proceeding will take place in the Newton High School Auditorium, 800 East 4th Street South. The oral arguments are open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m.

http://www.iowacourts.gov/For_the_Media/news_releases/NewsItem77/index.asp

The Iowa Court of Appeals today posted opinions to the Judicial Branch website.

http://www.iowacourts.gov/About_the_Courts/Court_of_Appeals/Court_of_Appeals_Opinions/

24 Sep 2015

Area Students Graduate from Clarke University

By Ken Brown

DUBUQUE, Iowa (September 22, 2015) - Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, awarded degrees and honors to August graduates.

The following area students were honored:  Shannon Kussatz, DNP, Nursing, from Bettendorf; and Molly A. Haut, BA, Art from Davenport.

(Insert student(s) below)

Clarke University is a Catholic, liberal arts and sciences university dedicated to preparing students to make an impact. Known for superb teaching and academics, Clarke offers more than 40 undergraduate liberal arts and pre-professional programs and five graduate degree programs. Founded in 1843 by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Clarke is located near the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa. Clarke's 55-acre campus is a blend of historic buildings and new, state-of-the-art facilities.

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24 Sep 2015

World Food Prize President, Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn to Announce Recipient of Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award

By Randy Stalsberg

(Des Moines, IA) September 22, 2015 - In recognition of Governor Robert D. Ray's global humanitarian leadership, this Thursday, in honor of his 87th birthday the World Food Prize Foundation will announce and introduce the recipient of the annual Robert Dr. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award on Thursday, September 24th.

The World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, 100 Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa, in the Iowa Gallery, Second Floor. (The Iowa Gallery features artwork by Iowa artists, all depicting Iowa's greatest humanitarian and agricultural moments in history. One beautiful painting by Rose Frantzen commemorates Gov. Ray's work with refugees. The Iowa Gallery is also the location which houses the "White Dove of Peace" mural referenced in Daniel Finney's story in the September 22 Des Moines Register about Pope Francis. This may offer an opportunity for a second visual.)

The World Food Prize Foundation established the Robert D. Ray Iowa Shares Humanitarian Award in 2013 in recognition of the exceptional leadership that former Governor Ray demonstrated in dealing with multiple situations affecting refugees in Indochina, and to honor him on his 85th birthday (September 26). In doing so, the award was named after the Iowa SHARES campaign, which the Governor created in 1979 in order to send desperately needed food and medicine to suffering and dying refugees from Cambodia. Iowa SHARES stands for Iowa Sends Help to Aid Refugees and End Starvation.

The award is given annually to honor an Iowan who has provided significant leadership in confronting hunger and alleviating human suffering, both at home and abroad. The award will be formally presented to the recipient at the Iowa Hunger Summit Luncheon on October 13 in Des Moines.

The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, the World Food Prize has honored 41 outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions throughout the world. The World Food Prize annually hosts the Borlaug Dialogue international symposium and a variety of youth education programs to help further the discussion on cutting-edge global food security issues and inspire the next generation to end hunger. Press credentials for covering the October World Food Prize Week of events can be requested at www.worldfoodprize.org/press.

 

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24 Sep 2015

Gov. Branstad meets with Chinese President Xi

By Randy Stalsberg

Purchasing contracts to be signed on Thursday in Iowa

(SEATTLE, Wash.) - Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad yesterday met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese governors from the provinces of Sichuan, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Shaanxi in Seattle, Wash.  Their conversations were during the Third Annual U.S.-China Governors Forum and Dialogue, which was arranged by the Chinese Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the state of Washington.   In addition to Iowa, the states of California, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington also participated.

During the forum, Branstad highlighted Iowa's leadership in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and financial services, and stressed the importance in finding stability and predictability in regulations related to trait approval for products and services.  As a leading agriculture state in the nation, Iowa farmers produce food, fiber and fuel that are exported to China.

Last year, the United States shipped $24 billion worth of agriculture products to China, and $14 billion of that were soy exports.  That same year, China was Iowa's 4th largest export market with exports of manufactured and valued goods exceeding $946.4 million.  Overall exports to China for the first six months of this year are up more than 63% over that same period in 2014, moving China to Iowa's third largest export market.

"The state of Iowa has enjoyed a long lasting friendship with our sister state Hebei and with President Xi.  We are proud of this relationship and the quality of our goods and services that are exported to China," said Branstad.

SEE A PICTURE FROM LAST EVENING OF GOV. BRANSTAD AND PRESIDENT XI HERE

SEE THE PICTURE FROM 1985 THAT GOV. BRANSTAD PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT XI

As a follow up to these meetings in Seattle, a large Chinese commercial delegation will travel to Iowa on Thursday to sign more than a dozen contracts to purchase soybeans and health products.

Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds expressed her appreciation for the Chinese delegation's visit to Iowa.  "We are excited to welcome the Chinese commercial delegation to Iowa.  The signing of these contracts will highlight our world-class agricultural commodities throughout Iowa while delivering quality products to the Chinese people," said Reynolds.

The contract signing event will occur on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 12:15PM at The Embassy Club?Downtown (666 Grand Avenue-34th Floor, Des Moines, IA).  Lt. Gov. Reynolds will be present for the contract signing ceremony and the event is open to the press.

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