DECORAH, Iowa-Events related to immigration fill the media, but rarely do stories about the day-to-day realities, the heart and humor of the immigrants themselves, make their way past the headlines and sound bites. Author Cristina Henríquez has filled her latest book, "The Book of Unknown Americans," with just such stories.

Henríquez will speak about the concept of identity and address common narratives about immigration as she gives the Luther College Opening Convocation Lecture "Finding Ourselves in Stories," Thursday, Sept. 3. Convocation begins at 9:40 a.m. in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall on the Luther campus and is open to the public with no charge for admission.

"The Book of Unknown Americans" is a New York Times Notable Book of 2014 and appears on many other Best of 2014 book lists. Henríquez's lecture is sponsored by Luther College's Paideia program, which chose her book as this year's all-campus summer reading. Offering a new definition of what it means to be American, the book tells stories of men and women who have come to the United States from Central and South America.

Henríquez' inspiration came in part from her father's tale of immigrating from Panama as well as stories of others living in Delaware, where she grew up. The Washington Post's review called the book, "Vivid... Striking... A ringing paean to live in general: to the love between man and wife, parent and child, outsider and newcomer, pilgrims and promised land."

Henríquez has said that her book relates stories that people might not otherwise hear in hopes that more people will feel comfortable sharing their immigration stories. To further this dream, she has created a webpage at unknownamericans.tumblr.com, which shares stories posted using the hashtag #UnknownAmerican.

In addition to "The Book of Unknown Americans," Henríquez is the author of "Come Together, Fall Apart," a collection of stories about family bonds and generational conflicts in Panama, and "The World in Half," a novel telling the story of Miraflores piecing together life after finding a father she never knew.

Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The American Scholar and The Atlantic, and she has been a guest on National Public Radio. She earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Henríquez teaches at Northwestern University.

-30-

First time author's new memoir celebrates indomitable human spirit

DES MOINES, Iowa - At the age of 96, Desmond Halcomb Bragg has a lifetime of stories to tell. In his recently released memoir, he looks back at his journey and how he overcame seemingly insurmountable odds including being orphaned at the age of four, poverty, homelessness, and a tragic accident that left him paralyzed. Readers will follow Bragg on his transformative odyssey in "Started Out from Texas" (published by Xlibris).

Born in 1918, Bragg grew up in an orphanage in Beaumont, Texas, until he was sent to live with a foster family on a dairy farm at the age of 11. At 16, he dropped out of high school and left Texas for good on a freight train at midnight, in the middle of the Great Depression. Bragg was determined to seek out his fortune with nothing in his pockets but fifty cents and a biscuit. Now, 80 years later, Bragg recognizes that fortune has come in a variety of forms - a rewarding life, lasting relationships, nuggets of wisdom and incredible resilience.

"Started Out from Texas" chronicles Bragg's remarkable life from childhood to the present. Although personal in nature, the themes in this account are universal, a tribute to the indomitable human spirit and an authentic American story of a young boy who dared to follow his dreams. The author's courage shines throughout the pages of this book.

"Almost everyone faces some challenges growing up and the transition to adult life is still a difficult time in any person's life," Bragg says, "If a poor, uneducated orphan boy from Texas can make it, so can you!"

"Started Out from Texas"

By Desmond Halcomb Bragg

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 142 pages | ISBN 9781499080841

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 142 pages | ISBN 9781499080858

E-Book | 142 pages | ISBN 9781499080865

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Desmond Halcomb Bragg was born in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1918. He holds a bachelor's degree, master's degree and doctorate in education from the University of Wisconsin. He and his wife, Jean, have three children. They settled in Iowa and Bragg became a college professor at Drake University for 25 years.

Ferrell and Deetz lead Quad Cities to first doubleheader sweep since July 6, 2014

DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 20, 2015) - Justin Ferrell pitched six shutout innings in the first game of the double header, allowing four hits and striking out six with one walk, and Dean Deetz followed with five solid innings in the second game, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks, as the Quad Cities River Bandits swept a doubleheader from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers by scores of 3-2 and 8-1 in a pair of seven-inning games in front of 2,562 at Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday night.

Ferrell (4-2) was sharp early in the first game, striking out five batters in the first three innings. Of the four hits he allowed, all came in different innings, and the first three came in innings with the bases empty and two outs.

Quad Cities (32-19 second half, 77-42 overall) scored right away against Angel Ventura (6-6), rallying for runs in both the first and second innings. With two away and nobody on base in the first, third baseman Nick Tanielu singled on an 0-2 pitch, keeping the inning alive for center fielder Ramon Laureano, who drew a walk. Second baseman Jose Fernandez followed by drawing a free pass as well, and the rally culminated with the third straight base on balls, issued to designated hitter Bryan Muniz, bringing Tanielu in to score.

A run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Laureano gave the Bandits a third run, one that proved to be valuable when the Timber Rattlers (17-33, 40-80) came to hit in the seventh, and final scheduled, inning against Angel Heredia. Right fielder Elvis Rubio singled, followed by a strikeout of left fielder Mitch Meyer. A one-out double by catcher Natanael Mejia advanced Rubio to third. Center fielder Omar Cotto struck out, and first baseman Alan Sharkey drove in both runners with a base hit, narrowing the gap to just one run. Heredia then got shortstop Blake Allemand to ground out to end the game, leaving the tying run on base for Heredia's team-high eighth save.

In the second game, Wisconsin got out to the early lead, scoring a run in the top of the first against Deetz (2-1). Alleman singled with one out and advanced to third on a groundout by third baseman Sthervin Matos. With two outs, designated hitter Tucker Neuhaus doubled down the right-field line, scoring Allemand and giving the Timber Rattlers their first lead of the doubleheader.

In the bottom of the first inning, however, the River Bandits struck back with three runs of their own against Kodi Medeiros (4-3). Left fielder Drew Ferguson led off the inning with a double. After Tanielu struck out, Laureano walked and Muniz was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Fernandez, who drew a bases-loaded walk - the second of the night for Quad Cities - to tie the game, 1-1. Right fielder Ryan Bottger followed with a fly ball to right field, deep enough to score Laureano and the River Bandits the 2-1 lead. Medeiros' second wild pitch of the inning scored Muniz to make it 3-1, more than enough of a lead for the rest of the night.

The River Bandits added a single run in the third inning and three in the fourth on a bases-clearing double by Muniz, busting the game wide open and vaulting Quad Cities to a 7-1 lead.

The sweep of Wisconsin in the doubleheader is the first for the River Bandits since July 6, 2014, when Quad Cities also swept the Timber Rattlers at Modern Woodmen Park. In its first seven doubleheaders since that date, the River Bandits had split six and lost one.

1st Annual EAST FEST arrives in the Village of East Davenport on Labor Day Weekend

The 1st annual East Fest is a celebration of the best music, food and craft brews from the Quad Cities and surrounding area. Held in the historic Village of East Davenport, East Fest will feature dozens of local food vendors and craft beer vendors, multiple musical acts with Anderson East headlining, children's rides, bounce house and much more. The festival will take place on Sunday, September 6th, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Co-headlining for the 2015 East Fest is the up-and-coming artist Anderson East. Anderson East, with his Elvis Presley-Muscle Shoals vibes, writes Sam Cooke-caliber love songs, if they had more of a honky tonk bent and were fueled by repetitive nights of hard whiskeying. The way that East has of conveying that deep-gutted hurt that can only come after an exhausting want or attraction is next level expertise. He is a spectacular, on-the-rise talent and his debut album "Delilah," out last month on Elektra Records is one of the most soulful R&B records to come out in a great many years. He is soon to be a household name.

Co-headlining is Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons.  Like notable musicians before him, singer-songwriter Cory Chisel forged his first connection to the power of song through the music he heard - and made - in church. His father was a Baptist minister, his mother played piano during services, and an upbringing surrounded by sermons and spirituals instilled in Cory the passion and portent of language and melody, and a fluency in the gospel's rich vernacular of loss and redemption.

Additional feature acts include artist Adriel Denae, Hotbreath Tea and the Invisible Branches ,Trevor Sensor, Twins and many more to come.

Also featured is a "Best of the Quad Cities" contest, a kids area, free drinking water, and a variety of specialty food, craft, and beer vendors.  The event host is Brew in the Village.

The East Fest is an event dedicated to support the growth and beautification of the Village of East Davenport. A portion of festival proceeds benefit the development of the Village of East Davenport for continued area growth and business expansion.

Event tickets are $15 in advance or $20 per person at the gate. Children age 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Food and beverage tickets are available and can be used with all vendors.

Tickets are available for purchase online at www.eastfest.org and in person at Brew in the Village in the Village of East Davenport.

Sunday gates open at 10:30 AM and the festival concludes at 10:00 PM.  The festival location is the 11th Street corridor in the Village of East Davenport.

EAST FEST

On 11th Street in the Village of East Davenport

11:00 am to 10:00 pm

Sunday, September 6th, 2015

www.eastfest.org

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner has issued the following statement on the Senate's decision to override his veto of SB 1229:

"Every Senator who voted to overturn our veto chose special interests over the taxpayers. They made it abundantly clear that they'd rather raise taxes than stand up to the politically powerful. It is now up to House members to take the responsible, pro-taxpayer position and uphold our veto."

###
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Join us for our annual Monarch Workshop Day Packages are $11 per person and include :

Butterfly Care Workshop 10:30am, 11:30am, or 1pm

Butterfly Themed Crafts and Activities 10am-2pm

Monarch Butterfly Slideshow 12:15pm

Flight of the Butterflies 3D in the National Geographic Giant Screen Theater
11:30am, 1pm, or 2pm

One caterpillar to take home - don't forget to bring a glass jar!
Workshop only tickets are available at $3 a person. Extra Caterpillars are $3 each.
Flight of the Butterflies 3D

Flight of the Butterflies in 3D is an interconnected scientific adventure story that spans not only thousands of miles, but generations. It's about the remarkable Monarch butterfly migration, the most incredible migration on Earth, and the determined scientist who spent 40 years trying to discover exactly where the butterflies mysteriously disappeared when they flew south for winter.

Watch movie trailer
Putnam Museum | 1717 W 12th St | Davenport | IA | 52804 | 563.324.1933Putnam.org

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

 

Bill No.: HB 175

An Act Concerning State Government

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediate

 

Bill No.: HB 2790

An Act Concerning Health

Action: Signed

Effective: July 1, 2016

 

Bill No.: HB 3093

An Act Concerning Education

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediate

 

Bill No.: HB 3538

An Act Concerning Gaming

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediate

 

Bill No.: HB 3667

An Act Concerning Finance

Action: Signed

Effective: January 1, 2016

 

Bill No.: SB 54

An Act Concerning Regulation

Action: Signed

Effective: July 1, 2016, only if certain conditions are met

 

Bill No.: SB 663

An Act Concerning Government

Action: Signed

Effective: January 1, 2016

 

###

DES MOINES, IA (08/19/2015)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald announced today that 89% of the children that have participated in the College Savings Iowa's annual State Fair survey believe a college education is a necessary step to achieving their dreams and career aspirations. "Iowa children are already thinking about their futures," stated Fitzgerald. "This survey demonstrates how important it is for families to start planning and saving early to help make college a reality for their children."

"Every year we ask children visiting the fair what they want to be when they grow up and if they will need to go to college to achieve these goals," Fitzgerald said. "Needless to say, we are always amazed by the responses they offer." Twenty-one percent are planning on becoming veterinarians, with another 20% hoping to become athletes. Teacher came in third this year with 14% of the responses.

"According to the survey, the majority of kids think a college education will cost them around $100,000," Fitzgerald added. "Families that save and invest for their children's college education will be better prepared to meet the challenge of paying for it when the time arrives, and College Savings Iowa is here to help." Anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - can invest in College Savings Iowa on behalf of a child. This year, Iowa taxpayers can deduct up to $3,163 in contributions per beneficiary account from their adjusted gross income.* Earnings grow tax free and investors can withdraw their investment federally and Iowa state tax free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and certain room and board costs at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United States or abroad.**

. You can also connect with the plan on Facebook and Twitter (@Iowa529Plan) to stay up to date on current giveaways and events.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

**Earnings on non-qualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

###

Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.CollegeSavingsIowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

Saturday, September 19, 2015, 9am- Walk for Life

2 locations:

Ben Butterworth Parkway, Moline

Veterans Memorial Park, Bettendorf

Over 150 walkers at each location last year raised over $50,000 with sponsors to support this local non-profit ministry.  PRIZES for top winners!

Pregnancy Resources has offered FREE services in the QC since 1990. For 25 years, we've helped women & men in crisis with an unplanned pregnancy. Our 2 locations annually serve over 1,200 people & we are locally funded by individuals, churches, businesses & local foundations & we receive NO government funds.

WALK EVENT SPONSOR- Whitey's Ice Cream 

Davenport, Iowa - Don helps in the Café and walks Main Street. Millie, line dances on Thursday. And each morning, you'll find Jan leading group exercise classes. Just another day until you realize these are older adults, volunteering, exercising and staying active - each playing a role to help Quad City seniors Celebrate LIFE at CASI, The Center for Active Seniors.

The National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) has deemed September National Senior Center Month and CASI - The Center for Active Seniors is celebrating. More than 5000 older adults will Celebrate LIFE this September at CASI during National Senior Center Month - dubbed A Celebration of LIFE - Learning, Independence, Friends and Energy . And like Don, Millie and Jan, the Quad Cities older adults are invited to participate, come together and Celebrate LIFE during National Senior Center Month.

"The Center for Active Seniors, Inc., CASI, as it is known to most, is the Quad Cities most comprehensive Senior Center. More than 80 events will happen throughout the month of September," said Laura Kopp President/CEO. "We're not your average senior center - we're here when you need us. But, don't take my word for it. Come experience CASI for yourself," added Kopp.

Senior Center Month kicks off on September 1st and 2nd when the Cities of Bettendorf and Davenport will each proclaim September as Senior Center Month. The Honorable Bob Gallagher, Mayor of Bettendorf and the Honorable Bill Gluba, Mayor of Davenport, will each proclaim September as Senior Center Month at their council meetings held September 1st and 2nd respectively. Both cities will recognize CASI's daily contributions to enhance the well-being of the older citizens of our communities.

In addition to CASI's normal schedule of activities, two special events, Laughs on Tap and Caring for the Caregiver tie in with Learning, Independence, Friends and Energy. Both events take place at CASI, 1035 W Kimberly Road, Davenport.

Thursday, September 17th:

Laughs on Tap is a first time event at CASI and serves as a Fun(ds) raising event to benefit activities and programs at Jane's Place CASI's Adult Day Service and CASI. ComedySportz, an Improv Comedy Group, will be onsite at CASI Thursday September 17th with Brews and Heavy Apps beginning at 5:30 followed by Draughts and Heavy Laughs beginning at 6:30 at CASI. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.  To order tickets: www.Eventbrite.com /Laughs on Tap (http://www.eventbrite.com/e/laughs-on-tap-tickets-17834502477?aff=es2)

Thursday, September 24th:

Caring for The Caregiver, presented by Dr. Steve Kopp, PhD, LMFT, LMHC; Genesis Psychology Associates. Often overlooked and forgotten, yet the most important person to care for is the caregiver. When a caregivers needs are met, the person being cared for will benefit, too. Learn more during this special event, Thursday, September 24th. Cost is $10 per person and reservations can be made by calling CASI at 563.386.7477 or emailing info@CASIseniors.org

Here's a sampling of CASI's month long Celebration of LIFE - Learning, Independence, Friends and Energy, will take place during September. For a complete list of all activities is available online at www.CASIseniors.org.

Learning - expand your knowledge. Educational seminars including Caring for the Caregiver, Alzheimer's and Dementia awareness, Documents your kids will need when you're gone, Electronics Clinic and more will occur during September.

Independence - live on your terms. Celebrate your independence by attending the Stand Up to Prevent Falls Balance and mobility screenings, Flu shots and 20th Anniversary Band Concert of CASI's New Horizons Band.

Friends - enjoy life, laughter & feeling connected. A special showing of Still Alice starring Julianne Moore, card games, QC Times Plus 60 Art Intake Wine and Cheese reception, Jane's Place Open House and our feature event, Laughs on Tap starring Comedy Sports, while enjoying adult beverages and appetizers.

Energy - discover health & vitality. Throughout September celebrate with daily, gentle exercise, a Spine Clinic, Zumba Class, Line Dancing, Tai Chi and plenty of other fun & fitness activities.

The NISC's national celebration of senior centers began in 1979, as just a week in the month of May. Since then, thanks to the U.S. Conference of Mayors Aging Task Force, numerous mayoral proclamations have declared Senior Center Week.

In 1985, NISC was instrumental in achieving the first Senior Center Week Presidential Proclamation signed by President Ronald Reagan. In 2007, NISC designated the entire month of September as Senior Center Month to give centers greater flexibility in scheduling celebratory events.

CASI - The Center For Active Seniors, Inc., established in 1973, serves the needs of older adults by providing a variety of events and daily activities keeping older Quad Citians socially, mentally and physically engaged. As 10,000 baby boomers turn age 65 every day, "senior citizen" is being redefined as is the senior lifestyle. CASI's multi -pronged approach to helping seniors age successfully includes health and wellness initiatives, social engagement opportunities, lifelong learning and volunteer opportunities to keep the older adult active and involved with our Quad Cities community.

Senior Advocacy programs at CASI help older adults, their families, and caregivers with needs assessment helping partner them with other area agencies and programs keeping them in their own home for as long as is safely possible.

CASI's Jane's Place, the only adult day services center in Eastern Iowa, provides a comfortable, homelike atmosphere for adults who need supervised care during the day due to stroke recovery, Alzheimer's and dementia. Jane's Place provides just the right amount of personal care allowing maximum independence while at Jane's Place Day Service Center.

For more information about the programs and services offered through CASI, Jane's  Place and/or Senior Advocacy, visit www.CASISeniors.org or call 563.386.7477.

# # #

Pages