11 Sep 2015

KERNELS END BANDITS' SEASON IN 11-INNING GAME 2

By Rick Martin

Cedar Rapids scores twice in 11th inning to win 3-1, take series from Quad Cities in two games

DAVENPORT, Iowa (September 11, 2015) - Cedar Rapids right-hander Sam Gibbons held the Quad Cities River Bandits to one run in eight innings, and Kernels first baseman Chris Paul had three hits and all three RBIs - including a go-ahead, two-run single in the 11th inning - in a 3-1 win and two-game series sweep of the Midwest League Western Division Semifinal in front of 1,555 at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday night.

With the game tied at one since the fourth inning, the Kernels' 11th-inning rally began when right-hander Angel Heredia (0-1) walked third baseman T.J. White, and on center fielder LaMonte Wade's sacrifice bunt, catcher Garrett Stubbs skipped a throw to second base that went into center field, allowing White to reach third base. Shortstop Kristian Trompiz then overthrew third base, allowing Wade to reach second. Paul then rolled a grounder up the first-base line past first baseman Bryan Muñiz, scoring both White and Wade for a 3-1 Kernels lead.

Right-hander Nick Anderson saved a second straight Cedar Rapids victory with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 11th inning. That concluded a six-inning stretch in which Kernels pitchers faced the minimum number of Quad Cities batters. Right-hander Yorman Landa (1-0) earned the win with two shutout innings, only allowing a 10th-inning leadoff single to left fielder Drew Ferguson - the only Quad Cities baserunner in the last six innings - before catching a bunt popup by right fielder Ramon Laureano and doubling Ferguson off first base.

Gibbons began the game by retiring the first 10 River Bandits in order, and after allowing two hits in each of the fourth and fifth innings, retired the last nine consecutive men he faced, before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Cedar Rapids took the lead in the top of the fourth inning against River Bandits starter Brock Dykxhoorn, beginning with a fielding error on Muñiz that allowed right fielder Edgar Corcino to reach first base. White drew a walk, and Wade's sacrifice put both runners in scoring position with one out. Paul's groundout to Trompiz gave the Kernels a 1-0 lead.

Quad Cities got its run in the bottom half of the inning against Gibbons, beginning with a one-out triple to right-center field by designated hitter Jason Martin. Third baseman Nick Tanielu followed with a single through the left side of the infield to tie the game, 1-1.

The River Bandits kept the game even through the middle innings with Dykxhoorn's 6 2/3 innings, in which he allowed an unearned run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Right-hander Eric Peterson replaced Dykxhoorn after a seventh-inning, two-out single by catcher Brian Navarreto and got left fielder Austin Diemer to pop out in foul territory to Stubbs to end the inning. Heredia began the ninth inning and worked around a two-out walk. In the 10th inning, Heredia allowed consecutive two-out singles to second baseman Rafael Valera and shortstop Nick Gordon, putting runners at first and third bases, before striking out Corcino to end the inning.

The Kernels advanced to face Peoria in the best-of-three Western Division Final. The River Bandits have been swept out of the first round by Cedar Rapids in each of their two best regular seasons in franchise history - a 91-46 finish in 1992 and their 88-50 finish this season.

In addition to the best regular season winning percentage (.638) in full-season Minor League Baseball for the first time in franchise history, the River Bandits posted a franchise-record 2.65 ERA. The records came while Quad Cities led the Houston Astros organization by using 61 players and 37 pitchers - both franchise records.

The River Bandits also set the franchise attendance record at 3,906 per game at Modern Woodmen Park and welcomed a total of 250,004 - the fourth-most since the franchise joined the Midwest League in 1960 and the highest since 1995.

UP NEXT: The Ferris wheel continues to offer rides at Modern Woodmen Park through the end of October (weather permitting). Every Saturday, the Ferris wheel is open for rides 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit riverbandits.com for the 2016 River Bandits schedule and information on news and events with the River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: With the installation of the Ferris Wheel, the River Bandits ownership in 2014 made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931, and this year the club is matching that effort by opening three new areas. A two-tiered special group deck immediately behind and overlooking the corn field opened in June. A new 11,000-square-foot concourse expansion down the third-base line will open late August. Finally, the club has expanded the children's play area by an additional 5,500 square feet down the right-field line, with additional bounce houses and the newest ride - Spin Zone Bumper Cars - as the latest attraction.

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11 Sep 2015

News from Senator Grassley's Office Sept. 13, 2015

By Grassley Press

Senator Chuck Grassley made the following statement on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on America.

"Every September 11 brings back a flood of memories, including how America stood strong while terrorists sought to destroy our way of life.  Today we remember the horrific events and those who lost their lives that day, we honor the brave first responders who put their own lives on the line to help others, and we praise the sacrifices being made by our military men and women and their families who continue to fight those who want to do our country harm."

Senators Concerned About Continued Delays for Public Safety Officer Survivors

WASHINGTON - As the United States remembers the victims of Sept. 11, 2001, and honors the courageous first responders who ran toward the scene, Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, are expressing concern about continued delays in the Justice Department's processing of benefits for the survivors of public safety officers who die in the line of duty.  The senators are pushing the department for an update on its efforts to process the backlog of claims.

In a letter to Assistant Attorney General Karol Mason, the senators referenced a July 2015 inspector general report that found delays in processing claims for survivors were ongoing despite recommendations from a previous inspector general report and a 2009 Government Accountability Office report.

The inspector general found that the delays were caused in part by inadequate application guidance provided by the PSOB Office to applicants and the PSOB Office not adequately documenting the basis of its initial determinations.

As of June, surviving benefit claims from all 50 states in addition to Puerto Rico and Guam were pending and some claims had been pending for more than three years.

Grassley Presses for Update on "Going Dark" Developments

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is pressing the Justice Department to provide an update on recent legal developments regarding encryption technology.

In July, Grassley led a hearing in the Judiciary Committee to jump-start a conversation in the Senate about whether recent changes in the use of encryption technology have upset the balance between public safety and privacy by preventing law enforcement from obtaining evidence with court-authorized warrants in important national security and criminal investigations.  Next week, the committee will also hold a hearing about reforming the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.  The hearing will explore potential updates to the legal framework that protects email users and technology providers, including a "warrant for content" requirement, and the impact of those changes on the law enforcement community.

"The only way we're going to reach a resolution on encryption that protects national security and privacy is to have an open and honest conversation.  That includes keeping Congress informed about what's going on," Grassley said.

Grassley's letter to Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates references a recent article in the New York Times that said the Justice Department allegedly sought and obtained a court order to require a technology company to turn over text messages between suspects in a case involving guns and drugs.  According to the article, the department has not pursued the matter after the company said it could not comply because the messages were encrypted.

Here is a copy of the text of Grassley's letter.  A signed copy can be found here.

Senate Passes Bill to Help Individuals With Disabilities Set Up Special Needs Trusts

WASHINGTON - The Senate has passed bipartisan legislation from Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida and Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan to make it easier for individuals with disabilities to set up a special needs trust for themselves.  Under current law, these individuals cannot set up such a trust.  This bill fixes that discriminatory exclusion.

"Those who want and need to set up a trust to help pay for their care shouldn't have to jump through hoops to do it," Grassley said.  "This bill allows individuals to act in their own interests with their own assets without having to rely on a family member or the courts."

"Going this extra step to help persons with special needs is the right thing to do," said Nelson.

"People with disabilities deserve to be treated with dignity, which includes having control of their own care," said Stabenow. "This bill will help individuals manage their own finances while still having access to critical benefits like Medicare."

The Senate passed the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act (S. 349) by unanimous consent this week.   A companion bill is pending in the House of Representatives.

A special needs trust allows for a person with special needs to manage his or her assets without compromising access to certain government benefits, primarily Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).  To qualify for SSI, which helps low income people with special needs, an individual with personal assets greater than $2,000 is required to put those assets in a special needs trust.  Under current law, the individual must rely on a parent, grandparent or the court to create such a trust.  Court costs might consume assets that otherwise could be used for the individual's care, and family members might not be available.  The bill removes the unfair burdens on individuals simply seeking to manage their own assets.

The Finance Committee passed the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act in June.  Grassley, Nelson and Stabenow serve on the committee.  Grassley is a senior member and former chairman.

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Iran deal debate takes on partisanship, despite bipartisan sentiment

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on the Senate procedural vote of 58 to 42 that fell short of cutting off a Democratic filibuster of a resolution to disapprove the Iran nuclear deal.

"Just a few months ago, in May, the Senate voted 98 to 1 for the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015.  The bill was bipartisan in sponsorship, and the vote to approve it was bipartisan.  The Senate voted overwhelmingly to review the Iran deal on the merits.  A few months later, the Democrats' desire to consider and vote on this agreement disappeared.  The Senate's status as a deliberative body and a check and balance on the executive branch of government disappeared this afternoon.  The Iran deal is bad for the national security of the United States and for that of our allies around the world.  If anything needs scrutiny, it's the Iran deal.  A lot of senators agree the deal is badly flawed.  A bipartisan majority opposes it.  The opposition to move to debate today was partisan, even though the opposition to the deal is not."

Drug use survey shows disappointing results; marijuana use on the rise

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, today made the following comment on the Results from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  The survey shows illicit drug use is at a 13-year high. Overall drug use has increased from the past year, fueled mostly by an increase in marijuana use.

"It's disturbing to see yet more increases in illegal drug use.  Unfortunately, it's not at all surprising that the recreational use of marijuana use is on the rise under an Administration that refuses to enforce federal law in this area and downplays the risks associated with using marijuana.  Additionally, the nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers is also driving this increase.  We need to continue to look at ways to fight pain reliever over-prescription and abuse.  The reinstatement of the federal drug take-back program, which I advocated, will help prevent the diversion of these drugs by teen-agers and others.  Finally, methamphetamine use has remained steady throughout the nation, and the drug continues to be a problem in Iowa.  Latest data indicate that meth labs are at an all-time low in Iowa, but treatment admissions are at an all-time high. This indicates that more meth is being trafficked into Iowa from other places, especially through the Southwest border.  I'll continue to look at ways to prevent meth trafficking."

The survey results are available here.
11 Sep 2015

Governor Takes Bill Action 9/10/2015

By Catherine Kelly

CHICAGO - Governor Bruce Rauner took action today on the following bills:

Bill No.: HB 303

An Act Concerning Government

Action: Signed

Effective: June 1, 2016

 

Bill No.: HB 4096

An Act Concerning State Government

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediate

 

Bill No.: SB 33

An Act Concerning Health

Action: Vetoed

Note: Veto Message Below

 

Bill No.: SB 2040

An Act Concerning Appropriations

Action: Vetoed

Note: Veto Message Below

 

 

Veto Message for SB 33

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

99th General Assembly:

 

Today I veto Senate Bill 33 from the 99th General Assembly, which would prematurely expand the Medical Cannabis Pilot Program by adding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of "debilitating medical conditions" for which a patient may be treated with medical cannabis.

The pilot program is moving forward, but remains in its early stage. Cultivation centers are just beginning to grow their crops, and the first dispensary was licensed at the end of August. No patients have yet been served, and, consequently, the State has not had the opportunity to evaluate the benefits and costs of the pilot program or determine areas for improvement or even whether to extend the program beyond its pilot period.

It is therefore premature to expand the pilot program - before any patient has been served and before we have had the chance to evaluate it.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 33, entitled "AN ACT concerning health", with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR

 

Veto Message for SB 2040

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

99th General Assembly:

 

Today I veto Senate Bill 2040 from the 99th General Assembly.

Earlier this summer the General Assembly passed, and I vetoed, an unbalanced and unconstitutional budget, which would have spent nearly $4 billion more than expected revenues. For too long, the State of Illinois has made spending promises that exceed available revenues, relied on accounting gimmicks to make budgets appear balanced, used borrowing and cost deferral strategies to push costs into the future, and delayed payments to vendors. These practices have generated backlogs of unpaid bills, a crushing debt burden, and the worst credit rating of any state.

Senate Bill 2040 would have continued these bad practices for another month. Instead, we need a full year, balanced budget that makes only the promises we can afford to keep.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 2040, "AN ACT concerning appropriations", with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR

 

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11 Sep 2015

MEMORABLE 2015 SEASON FOR ASTROS FARM SYSTEM CONTINUES

By Astros Media Relations

Highlighted by a franchise-record seven playoff teams and several individual honors

HOUSTON, TX - The 2015 season has been an outstanding one for the Astros minor league system, highlighted by a franchise-record seven teams advancing to the postseason. The Triple A Fresno Grizzlies, Double A Corpus Christi Hooks, Class A Advanced Lancaster JetHawks, Class A Quad Cities River Bandits and Class A Short Season Tri-City ValleyCats are still in playoff contention, while the Rookie Level Greeneville Astros were crowned Appalachian League Champions on Tuesday.

PLAYOFF UPDATE

The Appalachian League Championship title for Greeneville marked their second in franchise history, and their first since the club's inaugural season in 2004. After dropping the first game of the three-game series vs. Princeton, the Astros rallied for two consecutive wins to capture the title. OF Kyle Tucker, the fifth overall selection in the 2015 draft, hit .375 (9x24) with three home runs and six RBI during the postseason, including a crucial three-run homer in Game 3 of the Appalachian League Championship Series.

Last night, Fresno took Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League Pacific Conference Finals, defeating El Paso by a score of 9-1 thanks to strong performances from RHP Dan Straily (1ER/6IP) and RF Alex Presley (4x5, 2 2B). The best-of-five game series continues tonight in Fresno at 9:05 p.m. CT. This marks Fresno's second postseason appearance in franchise history, with the other appearance being the club's inaugural season in 1998.

Corpus Christi took a 1-0 lead in the Texas League South Division Series with a 9-2 win over Midland last night. Texas League Midseason and Postseason All-Star RHP Chris Devenski struck out nine batters over 6.0 innings of one-run ball, while C Roberto Pena went 2x2 with a home run and five total RBI. The Hooks and RockHounds will continue the five-game series tonight in Corpus Christi with Game 2 starting at 7:05 p.m. CT.

The Lancaster JetHawks also notched a 1-0 lead in their playoff series last night, defeating High Desert, 9-7, in Game 1 of the California League South Division Mini-Series. 3B J.D. Davis (2x4) launched a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, while the Astros top selection in the 2015 draft, SS Alex Bregman, also went 2x4 with two RBI. Game 2 of the best-of-three game series will take place tonight at 9:05 p.m. CT.

Quad Cities dropped the first game of their best-of-three game series with Cedar Rapids, 5-2. Game 2 of the Midwest League Western Division Semifinal will take place tonight at 7:00 p.m. CT.

The Tri-City ValleyCats fell to Staten Island, 3-2, in Game 1 of the New York-Penn League Semi-Final series last night. The club will continue the best-of-three game series tonight at 6:00 p.m. CT.

The Dominican Summer League Astros Blue club was eliminated from the playoffs on Aug. 28, falling to the DSL Rangers1, 1-2, in their best-of-three game series. At 43-29, the DSL Astros Blue became the first DSL Astros team to capture a division title and postseason appearance since at least 2005 (the year stats started being recorded in the DSL).

REGULAR SEASON NOTES

Houston posted the best combined overall minor league record among all MLB organizations during the regular season with a 502-405 (.553) mark, becoming the first organization in the last 10 years to record over 500 minor league wins in a single season.

The Fresno Grizzlies set a franchise record with 84 regular season wins, leading the entire Triple A level in runs scored (804) and on-base percentage (.357).

Corpus Christi led all of minor league baseball with 89 wins, becoming the second Texas League team in the last 20 years to reach 89 wins in a single season (also San Antonio, 2011, 94-46).

The Lancaster JetHawks made the postseason for the fourth consecutive season after leading all of minor league baseball in runs scored (888), home runs (174), batting average (.291) and OPS (.850).

Quad Cities led all of minor league baseball in winning percentage (88-50, .638) for the first time in club history, and their 88-50 record was their second-best all-time, behind the 1992 River Bandits and their 91-46 record.

Tri-City won their fourth consecutive Stedler Division title.

HOME RUN KING

1B A.J. Reed led all of minor league baseball in home runs (34), RBI (127) and OPS (1.044) in what was his first full-season in professional baseball. Selected by Houston in the second round of the 2014 draft, Reed won the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Award, and was named the SEC Player of the Year, Baseball America College Player of the Year and Collegiate Baseball's National Player of the Year following his historic season at the University of Kentucky in 2014.

Reed was a finalist for USA Today's 2015 Minor League Player of the Year award, and was named the 2015 California League Most Valuable Player.

DUFFY MVP

IF Matt Duffy was named the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player after leading the PCL in RBI (102) and runs scored (90), while batting .295 (141x478) with 29 doubles, two triples and 18 homers with an .845 OPS. A 20th-round selection by Houston in the 2011 draft, Duffy has been an All-Star in each of his five seasons in the Astros minor league system. He became the fourth Astros minor leaguer to win the PCL MVP award, and the first since right-handed pitcher Donne Wall captured the honor as a member of the Tucson Toros in 1995.

 

BATTING TITLES

Two Astros minor leaguers won batting titles in their respective leagues, as OF Jon Kemmer hit .327 (119x364) to lead the Double A Texas League, and IF Bobby Wernes batted .346 (65x188) en route to the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League batting title.

Kemmer, 24, was selected by the Astros in the 21st round of the 2013 draft out of Brewton-Parker College in Georgia. Kemmer also led the Texas League in OPS (.988) while finishing tied for second in home runs (18) and second in on-base percentage (.414). Wernes, 21, was taken by the Astros in the 30th round of this year's draft from the University of Arkansas.

MANAGERS OF THE YEAR

Corpus Christi manager Rodney Linares (Texas League) and Quad Cities skipper Josh Bonifay (Midwest League) were both named Manager of the Year for their respective leagues.

It marked the second Manager of the Year award for Linares, as he received California League Manager of the Year honors in 2012 after guiding Class A Advanced Lancaster to a championship title.

For Bonifay, it was also his second career Manager of the Year award. In 2013, he received Appalachian League Manager of the Year honors when he led the Greeneville Astros to their second-best record in club history (38-30) and an appearance in the league championship series.
11 Sep 2015

Smiddy Grateful Jobs Will Remain at Exelon Plant

By Paul Ferrero
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, issued the following statement on Exelon's decision to continue operations at its Quad Cities Nuclear Plant until May of 2018:
"The Quad Cities nuclear plant is a critical employer and economic engine for our communities, and it's hard to overstate its importance to the region.
"The decision to keep the plant running will mean hundreds of families will have continued access to reliable, affordable energy while workers stay on in good, well-paying jobs. The investment will reap benefits throughout area communities and local economies.
"This continuation, however, is not a permanent solution for the plant or the region.
"I look forward to using the time to work with Exelon and other state leaders to attempt to find a way to preserve these jobs and the billions of dollars in economic benefits this plant bring to the state."
11 Sep 2015

Join Senior Star at Elmore Place in the Walk to End Alzheimer's®

By Rick Martin

Senior living community raises awareness and funds through Quad Cities Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's®

 

DAVENPORT, IA (September 10, 2015) -Quad City friends and families are invited to join the associates and residents of Senior Star at Elmore Place as they lace up their shoes in anticipation of the 2015 Quad Cities Walk to End Alzheimer's® on Saturday, September 19 at The Wireless Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline, IL.  Registration begins at 8 a.m. followed by a special ceremony at 9 a.m., and then they're off and walking!

The senior living community is thrilled to be participating in the Quad Cities Walk for a seventh year and is encouraging local friends and neighbors to join them in the fight against Alzheimer's.  To date, Team Elmore has raised more than $20,000 in support of Alzheimer's research and care, making them the number one fundraising team in both the Quad Cities area and the state of Iowa.

Alzheimer's awareness, care and funding is a Senior Star priority.  As such, they will match up to $250,000 for gifts made through all of their Senior Star teams across the nation.  Senior Star is a platinum member of the Alzheimer's Association National Team Program aiming to raise $500,000 company-wide.  "Senior Star has a profound mission to support the Alzheimer's Association," said Marc Strohschein, executive director of Senior Star at Elmore Place.  "It's such an honor to contribute to this cause since every day we have firsthand knowledge of the amazing privilege it is to care for those suffering with Alzheimer's as well as support their families.  These steps, hand-in-hand with residents and their families, are a journey we are proud to take."

Senior Star at Elmore Place continues to be at the forefront of offering creative and innovative services that provide purpose for its memory care residents.  The senior living community offers many signature programs created specifically for their residents living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.  These programs include Senior Star's Destination ProgrammingTM, the Music & MemorySM Program and Snoezelen® Therapy.

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's® is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research.  Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, this inspirational event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to reclaim the future for millions.

For more information on how you can support Team Elmore, contact team captain Jennifer Huette at 563.359.0100.

11 Sep 2015

As Wildfires Continue to Burn, New Maps Shows Expansion of Wildland-Urban Interface

By USDA Office of Communications

Growth in development raises costs and danger of fighting wildfires, highlights need for funding fix.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2015 - A new U.S. Forest Service report shows the continued expansion of housing development near forests, an area referred to as the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), with direct implications for the cost of wildfire fighting. Increasing densities of people and infrastructure in the WUI makes wildfire management more complex and requires more firefighting assets to ensure an appropriate, safe and effective response, which in turn drives up the cost of fighting wildfires. Expansion of the WUI has direct implications for wildfire management as more of the Forest Service's resources are spent each year to provide the firefighters, aircraft and other assets necessary to protect lives, property and natural resources in the wildland urban interface regions. In addition, overall fire seasons have grown longer, and the frequency, size and severity of wildland fires has increased.

In recent decades, research has shown a steady increase in the area that is part of the WUI, as documented and visually depicted in a new publication titled, "The 2010 Wildland-Urban Interface of the Conterminous United States." The percent of homes in the WUI increased by over five percent between 2000 and 2010 (latest data available). As of 2010, the WUI of the lower 48 states includes about 44 million houses, equivalent to one in every three houses in the country, with the highest concentrations of houses in the WUI in California, Texas and Florida. The publication includes new, high-resolution maps showing housing density, land ownership, land cover and wildland vegetation cover for each state.

"The expanding wildland urban interface is a critical issue for wildland firefighting and for the conservation of our forests," said Robert Bonnie. "More people, homes, and infrastructure are at risk than ever before. As the WUI grows, our fire fighters must commit greater resources to protect homes and property which dramatically increases the cost of fire suppression."

The cost of wildfire suppression reached a record $243 in a one week period during the height of suppression activity in late August. In 2015, 52% of the Forest Service budget was set aside for fire suppression, up from 16% in 1995. By September 2015, the Forest Service had already exceeded the funding set aside for fire suppression and was forced to borrow funds meant for other Forest Service activities. The bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, already introduced in the House and Senate, is an important step forward in addressing the funding problems. The proposed legislation, which mirrors a similar proposal in President Obama's Fiscal Year 2016 Budget, would provide a fiscally responsible mechanism to treat wildfires more like other natural disasters, end "fire transfers" and partially replenish the ability to restore resilient forests and protect against future fire outbreaks.

While WUI expansion has increased the likelihood that wildfire will threaten structures and people and increase the number of people affected by wildfire, not all WUI acres are at high risk of wildfire or the only management concern. Increased risk of invasive species and disruption of wildlife and ecosystem processes often accompany human habitation, making the WUI maps an important guide in conservation work.

To download a copy of this publication, visit the Northern Research Station's website.

The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the Nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

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11 Sep 2015

Local Health Partners To Release Findings from the 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment

By Nicole Carkner
The Quad City Health Initiative, Genesis Health System, UnityPoint Health-Trinity, Community Health Care, Inc., Rock Island County Health Department and Scott County Health Department will be releasing their findings from the 2015 Quad Cities Community Health Assessment on Tuesday, September 15, 2015.

Representatives from the media are invited to join the partners at Community Health Care's Rock Island clinic at 10 a.m. that morning. Leadership and staff from the partnering organizations are scheduled to provide introductory remarks and will be available for questions at or after the event. The assessment and associated documents will be available for viewing and download at http://quadcities.healthforecast.net as of September 15, 2015.

The Community Health Assessment is a systematic, data-driven approach to determining the health status, behaviors and needs of residents in the Quad Cities Area. The study is a follow-up to similar studies conducted since 2002. This study is innovative for its alignment of methodology between the local health providers and public health systems.

For more information, please contact the Quad City Health Initiative office at 563-421-2815.

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11 Sep 2015

Black and White Colobus Monkey Born at Niabi Zoo

By Marc Heinzman

Coal Valley, IL - September 10, 2015 - Niabi Zoo has announced the birth of a baby Black and White Colobus monkey. The baby, a female, was born on September 1 to Shirati, a 12 year old female. This is the eighth baby for Shirati. The Colobus monkey troop's adult male, Tuli, is the father. The baby has not been named.

Zookeepers found that the baby had been born upon an early morning check that day. Shirati, who had been known to be pregnant, was cradling the baby in her arms and allowing her to nurse. As time has gone on, some of the other females in the troop have begun to serve as babysitters for Shirati from time to time. The new baby will be on display daily with her mother (weather permitting) at the African Treetops exhibit. Plans for a naming contest will be announced soon.

"We're so thrilled to have yet another healthy and thriving baby Colobus monkey," said Zoo Director Marc Heinzman. "Niabi Zoo is known in the Zoo field for having one of the most successful breeding programs for this species, and this birth is a continuation of that."

Black and White Colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) are native to the forests of west-central and east Africa. Females give birth after a 6 month pregnancy to babies which are pure white in color with pink faces. At the age of about 1 month, they begin to change to more closely resemble the black and white coats of adults. Colobus monkeys in the wild are threatened by deforestation and the bush meat trade.

With its Fall Hours beginning September 14th, Niabi Zoo will be open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday.  Niabi Zoo closes for the year after November 1st
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11 Sep 2015

USDA Announces State Finalists for the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership

By USDA Office of Communications

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Sept. 10, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 21 states will receive grants through the Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to add infrastructure needed to supply more renewable fuel to America's drivers. Since announcing the program in May 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) received applications requesting over $130 million, outpacing the $100 million that is available. With a more than 1:1 match from private and state resources, USDA estimates that the BIP grants will support nearly 5,000 pumps at over 1,400 fueling stations across the country.

"The quality and geographic diversity of the applications, backed by supportive state and private partners, demonstrate the strong demand across the country for cleaner, more affordable fuel," said Secretary Vilsack. "The Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership is one approach USDA is using to aggressively pursue investments in American-grown renewable energy to create new markets for U.S. farmers and ranchers, help Americans save money on their energy bills, support America's clean energy economy, cut carbon pollution and reduce dependence on foreign oil and costly fossil fuels."

A typical gas pump delivers fuel with 10 percent ethanol, which limits the amount of renewable energy most consumers can purchase at the pump. USDA estimates that this investment will more than double the number of stations that offer intermediate blends of ethanol, mainly E15 fuel levels, nationwide.

Through BIP, USDA will award competitive grants, matched by states, to expand the infrastructure for distribution of higher blends of ethanol. BIP funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation must be used to pay a portion of the costs related to the installation of fuel pumps and related infrastructure dedicated to the distribution of higher ethanol blends, for example E15 and E85, at vehicle fueling locations. The matching contributions may be used for these items or for related costs such as additional infrastructure to support pumps, marketing, education, data collection, program evaluation and administrative costs. This partnership will expand markets for farmers, support rural economic growth and the jobs that come with it, and ultimately give consumers more choices at the pump.

The preliminary list of state finalists and estimated pumps includes:

Colorado 28

Florida 892

Illinois 428

Indiana 110

Iowa 187

Kansas 174

Louisiana 110

Michigan 89

Minnesota 620

Missouri 171

Nebraska 80

North Carolina 190

North Dakota 90

Ohio 148

Pennsylvania 308

South Dakota 74

Texas 763

Virginia-Maryland 191

West Virginia 107

Wisconsin 120

TOTAL 4880

Funding amounts for each state will be announced at a later date. For more information about BIP, visit the Energy Programs website.

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