06 Apr 2015

"Digitization and the Future of Media. In What Form Will Newspapers Survive?" Lecture-April 8

By Tami S. Seitz

Siddiqi Selected as WIU 2015 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer; Lecture Set for April 8 at WIU-QC

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - The Western Illinois University 2015 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Mohammad Ahmadullah Siddiqi, will present "Digitization and the Future of Media. In What Form Will Newspapers Survive?" at  3 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 at the Western Illinois University-Quad Cities Riverfront Hall, room 103-104 (Moline).

In this lecture, Siddiqi, professor of journalism and public relations in the WIU Department of English and Journalism, will share the results of his studies on the impact of digitization on media content, readership and formats.

"Websites, blogging and various social media platforms are taking over the roles played by the traditional media," Siddiqi explained. "More people now receive their news, as well as entertainment, from YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Advertising revenue for traditional media is shrinking and the 'shape' of newspapers is changing," he said.

In his lecture, Siddiqi will emphasize the need for revising the journalism curriculum and teaching students about the new technologies, social media journalism and multimedia skills.

"The traditional newspaper audience exists far beyond those who buy print copies, and newspapers still serve an important function in our society," he added.

Siddiqi also said that technological developments, even unforeseen ones, are going to challenge newspapers to be more innovative in providing the in-depth news and views to their audiences. 

Siddiqi joined Western's faculty in 1987. In 2006, he became the director of Western's journalism program and served as chair for the English and journalism department (2009-10). 

During his time at WIU, Siddiqi has garnered several awards and honors, including: the President's Award of Excellence in Diversity (2013); the College of Arts and Sciences' Outstanding Service Award (2013); an award for Excellence in Multicultural Teaching (2011); and the President's Faculty Excellence Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work (1992). 

In 2014, Siddiqi was inducted into the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Hall of Fame at Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA) for his service to humanity and his spiritual guidance and mentorship. He has also served as the president of the Islamic Center of Macomb for more than two decades.

Siddiqi has published three books, numerous book chapters and more than one dozen articles in refereed journals. He serves on the editorial advisory boards of the Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research (U.K.); Journal of Media Studies (Pakistan); and Journal of the Global Communication Research Association. He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America; a lifelong member, and executive committee member, of the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR); a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR); and a member of, as well as the treasurer for, the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR). 

Siddiqi has lectured and conducted media workshops, delivered keynote addresses and presented papers in national and international conferences and conventions of professional associations of journalism and public relations. He has travelled to many countries, including most European countries, most nations in the Middle East, almost all of the countries in Asia and about half dozen countries in Africa. 

Siddiqi received his bachelor's degree (1970) and master's degree (1973), both in physics, from the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. He earned a master's degree in mass communication from University of Illinois-Chicago (1984) and his doctorate in international communication from Temple University (1987).

06 Apr 2015

ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) Workshop May 2

By Chris Young

Course Name: Using Children's Nonfiction in PreK-2nd Grade Science

Location: Western Illinois University Moline Campus, Moline

Date: May 2, 2015

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Join us for this workshop dedicated to showing early childhood educators (grades prekindergarten through three) how you can use children's nonfiction to help your students learn about Illinois fish and wildlife while meeting Common Core State Standards that emphasize nonfiction. We'll investigate field guides and incorporate resources from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) as well. Poetry from "science poets" will be discussed, and we'll demonstrate how children can make an informational book, using observations and the field guides. Led by Dr. Jean Mendoza of the University of Illinois' Illinois Early Learning Project, you'll take away resources, ideas and experiences that can be incorporated instantly into your curriculum. This workshop is part of the ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) program from the IDNR. Register at https://www.enticeworkshops.com. Professional Development Hours are available.
06 Apr 2015

Hy-Vee's Private Label Canned Tuna Among Top Five Responsibly Sourced Brands

By Rick Martin

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (April 3, 2015) – Hy-Vee, Inc.'s private label canned tuna ranked fifth in Greenpeace USA's recent Tuna Shopping Guide, which analyzed 14 well-known canned tuna brands across the United States.

Hy-Vee Select Responsible Choice skipjack and albacore tuna were recognized as ocean safe products because of their pole and line or pole and troll fishing methods, which have minimal impact on other species. The analysis also noted the grocery chain's recent strides with its Seafood Procurement Policy and the availability of information on Hy-Vee's responsible seafood efforts.

"We are dedicated to delivering a high-quality seafood selection to our Midwest customers. To accomplish this, we believe we must also play an integral role in keeping our oceans healthy," said Nate Stewart, vice president of perishables at Hy-Vee. "We look forward to continuing to improve our responsible seafood efforts."

Greenpeace scored the brands in categories including traceability, fishing methods used, product labeling and consumer education, and support for marine reserves and promoting industry change. Through this scoring process, it found that only 20 percent of the canned tuna sold in the United States comes from sources that engage in responsible and nondestructive fishing practices.

Hy-Vee's Seafood Procurement Policy includes the Responsible Choice labeling initiative, which informs customers about the company's efforts to provide seafood from environmentally responsible sources. The policy was created to help Hy-Vee sell seafood that is not only safe for consumption, but that is also harvested or raised in a manner providing for its long-term viability while minimizing damage to the environment and other sea life.

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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 235 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $8.7 billion annually. Hy-Vee ranks among the top 25 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Supermarket News, the authoritative voice of the food industry, has honored the company with a Whole Health Enterprise Award for its leadership in providing services and programs that promote a healthy lifestyle. For more information, visit www.hy-vee.com.

06 Apr 2015

Play and Grow Features Guest Speaker on Child Development

By Lisa Lockheart

Rock Island, IL: In addition to fun learning play for toddlers, the April Play and Grow time at Rock Island Library will feature a special guest speaker on how parents can help toddlers learn at home.

Play and Grow meets at 10:30 am on Thursday, April 9 at the Rock Island 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street. Activities help toddlers age three and under talk, sing, play and read their way to early literacy. Chris Kitchen, parent coordinator for the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education, will also speak about the role of parents as a child's first teacher, and offer simple strategies to put a child on the road to literacy.

Play and Grow meets on the second Thursday of each month at the branch. The program is free and open to the public.

Additional information about library events and services is available by visiting www.rockislandlibrary.org, following the library's Facebook and Twitter sites, or by calling 309-732-READ (7323.)

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Founded in 1872, the Rock Island Public Library serves the area through three locations, which include the Main, 30/31 and Southwest Branches, community outreach efforts, and online opportunities that provide resources to enhance personal achievement and stimulate the imagination.

06 Apr 2015

Several Rivermont Students Place in Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest

By Jill Weitzel

We are excited to share that 5 Rivermont students placed in the 2015 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Art Contest
sponsored by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The competition was fierce with 529 entries from across Iowa.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

Michal Porubcin: First Place, Grade Group 10-12 (12th Grader)

Alexander Xiao: Third Place, Grade Group 4-6 (6th Grader)

Eve Strasser: Honorable Mention, Grade Group 4-6 (7th Grader)

Angela Jones: Honorable Mention, Grade Group 4-6 (6th Grader)

Sarah McVey: Honorable Mention, Grade Group 4-6 (6th Grader)

More information about the contest:  http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/2014jdspbrochuresdffinal-small.pdf

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only Private College Prep School for PreSchool through 12th Grade.
For more information visit www.rivermontcollegiate.org or call 563-359-1366.

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06 Apr 2015

Cultural Discipline in the Classroom

By Ginny Grimsley
Are Cultural Misinterpretations A Root Cause For
Disproportionate Discipline Of African-American Students?

Numerous studies have revealed that African-American students are more likely than their white peers to face referrals to the office, suspension, expulsion or other forms of discipline at school.

But it doesn't have to be that way, says Renae Azziz, founder and director of Virtuoso Education Consulting (www.virtuosoed.com), which provides professional development training to teachers and school district leaders.

Azziz, a school psychologist who helps districts across the nation resolve disproportionality in discipline, says in many cases it's a clash of cultures, and not necessarily racism, that leads to disproportionate punishment for minority students.

"Teachers need to understand that sometimes what they see as misbehavior is not viewed the same way by African-American students," Azziz says. "It's just that in these cases the educators come from different cultures than their students. The teachers need to increase their knowledge about those differences and improve their skills for handling the situations."

Azziz says there are a number of promising strategies schools can and are using to reduce disproportionality in discipline.

• Develop supportive relationships among and within school staff and students through the implementation of restorative-justice frameworks, which use conflict resolution and open dialogue. Restorative justice focuses students on the ramifications of their actions so that they take ownership of those actions and learn from their poor decisions.

• Engage in culturally relevant and responsive instructions and interactions to make the curriculum engaging for all learners.

• Change disciplinary codes of conduct to align with positive school climates through the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that are culturally responsive.

• Commit to ongoing professional development for teachers focused on developing their awareness, knowledge and skills related to culture.

African-American students often have more negative views of their schools than white students because they perceive them as being less fair and consistent with discipline. That this perception exists, Azziz says, reinforces the idea that educators need to be culturally responsive so that the school environment meets the needs of students from all cultural backgrounds.

It's not that schools have failed to make an effort to address problems with discipline. For two decades, the method known as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been implemented across the nation as a way to decrease suspensions and expulsions, Azziz says.

That worked - sort of, she says.

Data indicates PBIS does indeed reduce the overall rates for those disciplinary actions, but there's a caveat.  Minority students, especially African Americans, still receive the majority of the punishments.

"That tells me that PBIS is not as effective for African-American students as it is for other ethnic groups," Azziz says. "So why is that?"
The answer may lie in those cultural differences, she says.

Here's an example: Teachers who expect students to raise their hands before responding in class often send African-American students to the office for repeatedly talking out.

But many of those students see classroom discussions as more informal, Azziz says.

"Some students, particularly African-American students, show that they are listening and engaged by blurting out their thoughts instead of raising their hands," Azziz says. "This is a communication-response style called back-channeling and it's often seen in the African-American culture."

Teachers who understand that back-channeling is a cultural pattern of behavior can better teach the students when that behavior is appropriate in the classroom and when they need to raise their hands, she says.

"When teachers don't know about this communications style," Azziz says, "all they see is a student who disrupted their class and it becomes a top reason for discipline referrals."

About Renae Azziz

Renae Azziz is the Founder and Director of Virtuoso Education Consulting (www.virtuosoed.com). She and her team of consultants support educators nationally in the areas of Response-to-Intervention, Data-Based Decision Making, Assessment, Positive Behavior Support, and Culturally Responsive Practices. Before starting Virtuoso Education Consulting, Renae practiced as a school psychologist in Indiana. Renae also worked on grants funded by the Indiana Department of Education supporting Indiana's Initiatives on Response to Intervention, Culturally Responsive PBIS, and Minority Disproportionality in Special Education. She was also appointed by former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to the Commission on Disproportionality in Youth Services, which resulted in several legislative outcomes. Further, Renae and her team of consultants have served as project evaluators for statewide initiatives and Corrective Action Plans in Indiana and Louisiana.

03 Apr 2015

LeClaire Chamber of Commerce Friday Announcements - 04/03/2015

By LeClaire Chamber of Commerce
RIBBON CUTTINGS!

April 11th - Unique Creations & Gifts Grand Opening - Ribbon Cutting - 10:00 a.m. Grand Opening April 10-12. We will be giving away several gift baskets and of course a couple of our unique chalk boards! 118 N. Cody Road, LeClaire.

 

April 23rd - Mindfire Communications - Ribbon Cutting - 11:30 a.m. Come see the beautiful, really "hot" new location! 126 S. Cody Road, LeClaire.

 

CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTS

April 14th - Chamber Networking Event - El Rio Spa and Wellness Lunch, noon. A representative from the LeClaire Police Department will give a presentation on "Safety".  Everyone Welcome!

 

CALENDAR

Friday, April 3rd - First Friday in LeClaire, 5-8p.m.

Mississippi River Distilling Company releasing this year's Queen Bee Honey Whiskey! Buy a bottle and get a free "I'm Buzzing" pint glass. Food and cocktail sampling, too!

Wide River Winery is serving samples of smoked fish dip paired with semi sweet white wines and will be open until 8 pm.

Antique Archaeology will be open until 6pm.

Aunt Hattie's will be open late.

Last day to get fish tacos at Blue Iguana.

Live music at The Faithful Pilot Café & Spirits by Jordan Danielson starting at 7:30pm.

Isabel Bloom will be open until 7pm.

Unique Recycled Creations & Gifts will have free snacks and be open until 7pm.

Restaurants and many shops open late!

 

April 4th - LeClaire Park Board's Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt! 11:00AM - l: 00 p.m., Hollyhock Park, LeClaire.

 

April 4th - Wide River Winery Easter Bonnet Contest Visit Wide River Winery, LeClaire 2-5pm and wear your favorite hat or bonnet to enter to win the contest. We will take your photo and post on Facebook for our "friends" to select the winner!

 

April 5th - Easter Sunday - Asbury United Methodist Church 3 worship times: 8:30, 9:50 and 11 a.m. Free Easter Egg Hunt for children between services. 1809 Mississippi Blvd., Bettendorf

 

April 5th - Bierstube Easter Brunch 7a.m. to noon. $13.95 adults, $7.95 ages 6-12. Children under 5 eat free. Reservations recommended - 563-289-2121

 

April 5th - The Faithful Pilot Café & Spirits Easter Brunch 10am & 12:30pm seating. Three courses for $35 per person. Call 563-289-4156 for reservations.

 

April 5th - Steventons Easter Brunch 10am - 2pm for $23.95. Children 12 & under are $11.95. Children 5 & under are free.  Please call ahead for reservations. 563-289-3600

 

April 7th - Princeton Community Center - Free Pancake Breakfast 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.  The general public is invited.   This is part of the Princeton Community Center Board members' "Coffee and Conversation'" program, which hosts open house the first Tuesday of each month. Princeton business man Bill Grunder from Retirement Solutions of America is sponsoring this month's event.  The PCC Board invites individuals and businesses to host the monthly event. Board President Pam Opolka invites everyone to join in celebrating Spring by arriving for good fellowship, great pancakes and the wonderful view of the Mississippi.

 

April 11th - Unique Creations & Gifts Grand Opening - Ribbon Cutting - 10:00 a.m. Grand Opening April 10-12. We will be giving away several gift baskets and of course a couple of our unique chalk boards! 118 N. Cody Road, LeClaire. Everyone welcome!

 

April 11th - LeClaire Community Library Edible Book Contest 11a.m.-1pm to kick off National Library Week. http://www.leclaire.lib.ia.us/adultser.../edible-books-contest

 

April 11th - Turpentine Wine performing at Antique Archaeology 1-2p.m. 115-1/2 Davenport Street.

 

April 11th - Trivia night to raise money for the River Valley Optimists' Club (RVOC). 6:30p.m. Gather friends, bring snacks and drinks to the LeClaire Civic Center, 127 S. Cody Road. 50/50 raffle, Mulligans and door prizes. Doors open at 6:30 and trivia will start at 7:00pm. Cost is $10 per person with a $50 minimum per table (up to 8 people per table). All proceeds go towards the RVOC programs for children in the community. Message them here to reserve a table: https://www.facebook.com/events/798739273514369/

 

April 11th - Turpentine Wine performing at Bierstube, 8p.m.1001 Canal Shore Dr. SW.

 

April 14th - Chamber Networking Event - El Rio Spa and Wellness Lunch, noon. A representative from the LeClaire Police Department will give a presentation on "Safety".  Everyone Welcome!

 

April 15th - The Friends of the Library Annual Spelling Bee 6pm. This year's event will be taking place at City Hall (325 Wisconsin Street) to make more room for participants and their families.

 

April 18th - Blue Iguana will be open early at 10:00 am for Cars & Coffee.

 

April 18th - "Wine Hop" in Downtown LeClaire 4-6pm Enjoy samples of wine at participating businesses. Proceeds to benefit Christmas in LeClaire. Blue Iguana will be offering Sangria. Steventon's will have a table in Downtown Le Claire with samples of their finest wines. More details to come! Enjoy samples of wine and snacks at other participating businesses. Start at the LeClaire Information Center, 122 N. Cody Road. $20 gets you a souvenir wine glass and sampling. Proceeds to benefit Christmas in LeClaire.

 

April 18th - Trivia Night at the LeClaire Civic Center, 127 S. Cody Road. Doors open at 6:30pm; Trivia starts at 7pm. 8-person teams; $10 per person. Everyone will be entered into a drawing for door prizes. Mulligans are 10 for $10. Each team may bring its own snacks, beer, wine, and soft drinks. Proceeds to benefit the LeClaire Riverfront Farmer's Market. Call Debbie at 563-349-4403 or email Smith5Grand@gmail.com to reserve a table.

 

April 22nd - LeClaire Community Library - Adults Book Club 'My Name is Mary Sutter' by Robin Oliveira.

 

April 23rd - Mindfire Communications - Ribbon Cutting - 11:30 a.m. Come see the beautiful new location! 126 S. Cody Road, LeClaire.

 

April 24th-25th - 5th Annual LeClaire Girls' Getaway Weekend! Grab your gal-pals and get registered for the "5th Annual LeClaire Girls' Getaway Weekend". The event includes a style show featuring fashions from LeClaire shops and dinner at the award-winning Steventon's Restaurant overlooking the Mississippi River. Aubrey Jackson from KWQC and Paula Sands Live will be the evening's emcee. $50 per person includes Dinner, Style Show, Door Prizes, Special Offers and Demonstrations from participating LeClaire Shops. A portion of the ticket proceeds will go to "Winnie's Place", helping women in need in the Quad Cities. This event is limited to 125 participants, so make your reservations today! El Rio Spa and Wellness, a new spa offering ultimate relaxation and wellness, is coordinating the event this year. Other participating businesses and sponsors include Artswork, Aunt Hattie's Fanciful Emporium, Bierstube, Blackhawk Bank & Trust, Dwellings, Everfield, The Faithful Pilot Café & Spirits, First Central State Bank, Grasshopper's, Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream, Isabel Bloom, LeClaire Canning Company, LeClaire Chamber of Commerce, LeClaire Olive Oil Co., Mississippi River Distilling Company, Razzleberries, Reusable Usables, Steventon's, Style with P.M. Interiors, Vignette's, Wide River Winery, and Wild Horse Canvas Prints.   There will also be plenty of time to shop in the unique stores in downtown LeClaire, catch a demo on window coverings at Style with P.M. Interiors, tour the Mississippi River Distilling Company, enjoy wine tastings at Wide River Winery and Grasshoppers, get creative with a fun re-purposed craft class at Reusable Usables, and much more. Complete details and registration can be found at www.leclairegirlsgetaway.com or visit www.visitleclaire.com, or call 563-289-4242 x61135 • info@visitleclaire.com

 

April 24th - Steventons will be closed to the General Public to kick off the Girls Getaway Weekend with a special dinner and style show.

 

April 26th - Faithful Pilot - Blind Wine Tasting $15.00 for 15 wines from 3:00-5:00.  A Blind Tasting where the better you taste the wine, and guess the grape you get a better chance at wining prizes!

 

April 27th - Economic Development Meeting City Hall, 8:00a.m.

 

FYI

Princeton Community Center The fourth Wednesday of each month through October we will have An Afternoon of Euchre beginning around 12:30 p.m.  Anyone interested in lunch can meet at 11:30 a.m. and we will order from Go Fish (lunch is on their own) and have it delivered to the Center with Euchre to start after that. Zion Lutheran and Thrivent Financial are co-sponsors of the event.  There will be coffee and dessert included.  There will be no fee to play, just enjoy a fun afternoon near the Mississippi.

 

LeClaire Community Library Teen Advisory Group (TAG): Join our Youth Services Coordinator every 3rd Thursday of the month from 4-5pm for TAG. Help make the library improve their services and programs for teens AND earn service learning credits for school. Email Emily Arnold at eaarnold@leclaireiowa.gov for more details.

 

Faithful Pilot - April, May, June, July, and August

Mondays - Half Priced Martini's

Tuesdays - Tequila Tuesday $5.00 unique, and interesting tequila cocktails for $5.00

Wednesday - Half Priced Bottle of Wine Night

Thursday - $1.00 Oysters & Buckets of Beer on the patio

Saturday - Saturday Brunch 11-2 - yes Brunch is back at The Pilot on Saturdays

Sunday - reserved for wine tastings and private events.

 

Visit the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce website www.leclairechamber.com and see us on Facebook!

 

If you would like to attend a Chamber Board Meeting in order to present a topic, please contact the Board in advance at LeClaireChamber@gmail.com in order to be included an upcoming agenda. Board Meetings are held the 4th Tuesday of each month, 8a.m. at LeClaire City Hall.

 

SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND

First Presbyterian Church, LeClaire Wednesday evening program: Halftime! For kids, 5-11 years old. It's half way through the week - and it's a time of fun for the kids. We meet from 5:30-7pm, every Wednesday - there is school, through May 6. We serve dinner, play games, have a lesson and a craft. Have your child join us for a week or two to see what we are doing. We are located across from Bridgeview Elementary School, at 200 South 12th street. For more information, call Pastor Melody at 563-381-7777.

 

LeClaire Information Center Volunteers Needed! Contact Cindy Bruhn at info@visitleclaire.com or 563-650-7963 to volunteer.

PROPERTY LISTINGS

Riverview Apartment for Rent - Downtown LeClaire. One Bedroom. $1250/month. Call 563-940-3742 for more information.

Commercial Property for Sale 510 N. Cody Road. Contact William Robertson (563) 940-1517 billrobertson@ruhl-ruhl.com

Commercial Property for Sale 613-617 N Cody Road, LeClaire IA 52753. Contact Jeff R. Heuer, NAI Ruhl Commercial Company, jheuer@ruhlcommercial.com, Office: 563-355-4000, Direct: 563-823-5107.

Commercial Property for Sale Cody Road, LeClaire IA 52753. Description: contact John G. Ruhl, NAI Ruhl Commercial Company, jruhl@ruhlcommercial.com, Office: 563-355-4000, Direct: 563-823-5126.

Commercial Property Available Eagle Ridge Road, LeClaire, Iowa. Please call: Mike Burke - Mel Foster Co. mburke@melforsterco.com, Mobile: 563-349-2705, Direct: 563-823-5272

Park Run Apartments/Newbury Living complex - 1, 2, & 3 Bedrooms Available - 1701 Iowa Drive, LeClaire, Iowa 52753. 1 BR, 2 BR or 3 BR unit. Call (563) 289-5159 more information today!

Do you have Residential or Commercial property available? Please contact the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce, leclairechamber@gmail.com, with a property description, complete contact information including phone numbers and rental or purchase pricing.

 

LECLAIRE EVENTS COMING UP!

April 4th - LeClaire Park Board's Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt

April 18th - Cars and Coffee on the Levee

April 18th - LeClaire Wine Hop!

April 24th-25th - Girls' Getaway Weekend!

 

CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTS - EVERYONE WELCOME!

April 14th -- El Rio - Lunch - noon

May 12th - Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill - Evening - 5:30-7p.m.

June 9th - Big Dave and Holly's - Lunch - noon

03 Apr 2015

MCC QC hosts concerts

By Jennifer Robb

Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities (MCC QC) hosts Shawn Thomas, "OUT" Christian singer/songwriter, in The Shades of Gray Tour on April 11 at 7pm and April 12 at 11am.

DAVENPORT, Iowa, March 31, 2015 - Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities announces the return of singer/songwriter Shawn Thomas who will be performing in the sanctuary of the newly remodeled church building. The church will collect a love offering to help with Shawn's travel expenses and complimentary coffee/tea will be available in the social hall prior to the 7pm concert on Saturday, April 11. Immediately after the 11am concert on Sunday, April 12, MCC QC invites the public to a potluck fellowship meet and greet in the social hall.

Shawn Thomas is a contemporary Christian singer/songwriter and worship leader whose ministry includes an outreach to the GLBT community. He is also the owner/operator of "Shawn Thomas Studios" in West Palm Beach, FL providing audio recording, production, and mastering services to independent artists, songwriters, and bands and is a member of the GrammyTM Recording Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Over the past decade, Thomas has received critical recognition awards and nominations from OutMusic, The Stonewall Society Pride in the Arts, RightOutTV, and QNation. In addition, his service to the community has also been acknowledged by The Reformed Catholic Church of the United States, The State of Arkansas Ambassador of Good Will Program, Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride in California, and various Metropolitan Community Church congregations. On December 19, 2012, Shawn Thomas was officially inducted in to the GLBT Hall of Fame.

According to the press release posted on the Hall of Fame website, he was approved for membership based on: "...the work Shawn Thomas has done to provide a positive and healing atmosphere for today's GLBT Christian... (including building) bridges of understanding and acceptance for the GLBT community within the non-GLBT Christian community... (and highlighting) the negatives thrust onto out GLBT Christians by the GLBT community."

With a minister as a father and a talented musician as his mother, Shawn's ministry is the natural combination of his musical and spiritual influences. His intention is to share the message of God's love and grace through music in order to build unity, understanding, and acceptance while still encouraging personal responsibility, self-reliance, and the development of conviction and values.

For additional information, please contact Rev. Rich Hendricks at 563-940-9630 or by email at richdhendricks@msn.com.

03 Apr 2015

Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys At The Muddy Waters, Sunday, April 12, 2015

By M V B S

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society presents Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys at The Muddy Waters, 1708 State Street, Bettendorf, on Sunday, April 12. The show starts at 6:00 p.m. An $8 per person charge for MVBS members, or $10 per person for non-members will be taken at the door (application for membership will be available).

Bringing crowds to their feet at the hardest to please and sophisticated night clubs in the Midwest, Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys play traditional blues, straight up with a big dose of passion. With smoking grooves, served up with hot harmonica and smooth stinging guitar, they play original songs peppered with nods to Slim Harpo, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells, and the three Kings.

Born and raised on south side of Chicago, the Reverend has been playing the blues since 1971, when he first saw Freddy King play at the Kinetic Theatre in Chicago. After a 15-year hitch in the Navy he moved to Milwaukee, where he began a long friendship and collaboration with Madison Slim, long-time harmonica player for Jimmy Rogers. Since 1990 he has opened for B.B King, Gatemouth Brown, Pinetop Perkins, Koko Taylor Band, Junior Wells, Billy Branch, Magic Slim, Elvin Bishop, Sugar Blue, Lonnie Brooks, William Clarke, Lefty Dizz and numerous others at festivals and at Buddy Guy's Legends.

The Reverend and Chain Smokin' Altar Boys were chosen as Wisconsin Music Industry (WAMI) awardees for best blues band in 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008 and again in 2010.

03 Apr 2015

U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx Announces $500 Million in Seventh Round of TIGER Funding

By Thomas Ajashu

WASHINGTON -U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced today $500 million will be made available for transportation projects across the country under a seventh round of the highly successful Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program.  Mississippi State Senator Albert Butler and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett joined Secretary Foxx to highlight how essential federal funding is to transportation projects in their states and communities.

"The TIGER program has funded innovative projects, sparked new partnerships, created intermodal connections and enabled hard-to-fund projects that are changing the face of communities all across the country," said Secretary Foxx. "We are excited to kick off this year's competition."

TIGER 2015 discretionary grants will fund capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area.

The TIGER 2015 grant program will continue to make transformative surface transportation investments by providing significant and measurable improvements over existing conditions.  The grant program will focus on capital projects that generate economic development and improve access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation for communities, both urban and rural.

The FY 2015 Appropriations Act does not provide dedicated funding for the planning, preparation, or design of capital projects; however, these activities may be eligible to the extent that they are part of an overall construction project. A minimum of 20 percent of funds will fund projects in rural areas.

Since 2009, the TIGER grant program has provided a combined $4.1 billion to 342 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  Demand has been overwhelming, and during the previous six rounds, the Department received more than 6,000 applications requesting more than $124 billion for transportation projects across the country.

"The consistent number of high quality projects we're unable to fund through TIGER every year demonstrates the need for Congress to act to give more communities access to this vital lifeline," Secretary Foxx said. "That is why we proposed doubling TIGER in the GROW AMERICA Act."

Earlier this week, the Department reintroduced an improved surface transportation reauthorization bill, the GROW AMERICA Act.  The bill would provide $7.5 billion in funding over six years for the TIGER grant program. Under the GROW AMERICA Act, the TIGER grant program will be available for another six years, extending a proven track record of helping communities coordinate innovative, multi-modal transportation projects that serve the movement of goods and diverse travel needs of their residents and businesses in the 21st Century.

"The TIGER grant enabled the City of Oklahoma City to leverage existing state and local funding to create a long-range vision for multi-modal transportation in OKC," said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. "The grant allowed us to extend our vision of public transit in a way that will benefit our residents for decades to come."

"A brighter economic future tomorrow starts with making smart investments in transportation today. States across the country are recognizing that updating our infrastructure now is a down-payment on our future, and in Connecticut, we're working towards transformative, long-term initiative to make our system best-in-class, but it cannot be done without our federal partners," said Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. "These funds are invaluable to our growth as a state and as a nation, and I would like to thank Secretary Foxx and the U.S Department of Transportation for making these funds available."

"TIGER grants have helped my district get the funds we needed to improve transportation so our kids can get to school faster, our crops can get to market, and overall provide a better quality of life for the citizens in our area," said Senator Butler.

The highly competitive TIGER grant program supports innovative projects, including multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects, which are difficult to fund through traditional federal programs.  These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies.  The 2014 TIGER round alone is leveraging $600 million in federal investment to support $1.9 billion in overall transportation investments.

TIGER funding is provided in the FY 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, signed by President Obama on December 16, 2014.  Pre-Applications are due on May 4, 2015.  Final applications are due June 5, 2015.  For more information on how to apply, please visit www.dot.gov/TIGER.

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