26 Mar 2015

Don't Let These Financial Blunders Leave Your Wallet Empty

By Rick Martin

Financial Literacy Month Is A Good Time To Get Your Fiscal House In Order

To err is human, but when mistakes affect your pocketbook it's not exactly divine.

Don't feel alone if you've committed a financial blunder, though. Two-thirds of Americans have made a significant money mistake somewhere along the way, says Jim Chilton, founder and chief executive officer of the non-profit Society for Financial Awareness (www.sofausa.org).

Since April is National Financial Literacy Month, this is a good time for anyone to pledge to do a better job handling money, says Chilton, whose organization's mission is to "eliminate financial illiteracy, one community at a time."

SOFA does that by conducting free workshops and seminars for corporations, small businesses, government agencies, community colleges, libraries, churches or organizations.

"One thing I always tell people is that you can't let your emotions get in the way when you are trying to meet your financial goals," Chilton says. "When it comes to finances, there is always going to be at least a little uncertainty."

But he says people can go a long way toward financial stability if they avoid these common blunders:

•  Living without a 'net.' Bad things happen in life, even to the best people who are trying to do the right things. That's why you need to set aside savings that will serve as an emergency fund in case you suddenly have major medical problems or lose your job, Chilton says. He recommends a six to 12-month cushion that would cover your mortgage, groceries, utilities and the other necessities of day-to-day living.

•  Failing to check credit reports. More than 70 percent of credit reports contain some sort of error, Chilton says. Meanwhile, identity theft is on the rise. You should check your credit reports annually to make sure you are not a victim.

•  Giving little thought to retirement. Many people fail to properly prepare for retirement. If you think Social Security will take care of you, think again. Social Security is designed as supplemental income, not something that can replace your entire paycheck, Chilton says. You need to plan and save to make sure you can lead the lifestyle you want in your later years.

•  Racking up credit card debt. Credit seems to rule, but cash should be your real king, Chilton says. Americans are carrying more than $800 billion in credit card debt, he says. Making a conscious effort to use cash will help wean you off your reliance on plastic. "If you are struggling with credit card debt, you need to start making a plan to get rid of that debt," he says.

•  Seeking advice in the wrong places. Uncle Felix may mean well, but he's not necessarily the ideal person to offer you advice on the stock market. A trained professional is your best bet, Chilton says. Sure, word of mouth can be helpful, but it can be equally hurtful. Before you pick someone to help you with investments, though, do your homework because you want someone with a good reputation, Chilton says. Check with the Better Business Bureau and do a Google search to see what else you can learn.

•  Trying to do too much, too quickly. Financial problems that took years to create aren't going to be fixed overnight, Chilton says. So ease into your new financial plan. Instead of a dramatic overhaul that could leave you frustrated, try to make small changes that will lead to larger commitments.

"Even as we get older and presumably know more, we are still bound to make a misstep here or there," Chilton says. "We simply can't know it all, especially when it comes to our finances.

"But if we realize our limitations, we can at least learn to make fewer mistakes and do a better job of setting and meeting the goals we have for our money."

About Jim Chilton

Jim Chilton is the founder and chief executive officer for the Society for Financial Awareness, or SOFA (www.sofausa.org), a non-profit public benefit corporation with a mission to provide financial education across America. SOFA conducts free financial workshops and seminars to individuals, companies, and organizations on such topics as "Getting Fiscally Fit," "Financial Blunders," "Exploring Your Options for a Quality Retirement" and "Solving Debt." Chilton is a San Diego, Calif., native and alumnus of San Diego State University. After college, he became a high school teacher and coach, but later joined the financial services industry. After achieving a desirable level of success, Chilton felt the need to do more for the community and in 1993 founded SOFA.

26 Mar 2015

Smiddy Pushes a Plan for Doctors to Safely Practice in Multiple States

By Paul Ferraro
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - To help serve patients in rural areas at a time of shortages of physicians and more patients seeking health care state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, advanced legislation Wednesday to bring a multi-state agreement to Illinois, helping doctors safely and transparently practice medicine in multiple states.
"Many areas of Illinois have little access to healthcare, and this bill will help those areas attract doctors from cooperating states to help those patients receive the high-quality care they deserve," Smiddy said. "Illinois joining the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact will give families and seniors in our towns access to more methods of care in a safe and transparent way."
Smiddy introduced House Bill 3680 to add Illinois to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, allowing doctors to practice medicine here and in multiple states. The agreement will help expand access to healthcare, especially in rural areas which are often underserved. The compact will also help state share information regarding doctor performance and any ethical concerns to help protect patients.
25 Mar 2015

Upcoming Events at the Rock Island Library this week

By Lisa Lockheart

Duct Tape Craft,  Maker Programs Provide Free School Break Fun

Rock Island, IL: Rock Island Library continues free programming next week to keep children and teens occupied and entertained during the Rock Island/Milan Schools spring break.

Children ages eight and up can learn computer skills with a "Creation Station" program from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday, March 23 in the Rock Island Main Library Community Room, 401 19th Street. The maker-space style program will allow kids to make and play with an "art bot," to learn basic computer coding skills with the "Robot Turtles" board game, and to create simple computer animations with the Scratch program from MIT.

A "Make it Play It Time" will be offered at 4:00 pm on March 25 at the Main Library. Children from grades 2nd to 6th grades will explore the science of flight by building and flying paper airplanes. A  LEGO brick building activity will also be offered  at 4:00 pm on March 25 at the Southwest Branch.

A Duct Tape Craft for children will be offered at 10:00 am on Thursday, March 26 at the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road. Kids ages 8 and up can make a coin or pencil case out of colorful duct tape and recycled chip bags. All materials will be supplied.

Kids and families can end the week by seeing a free new release animated movie on Friday, March 27, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Main Library. The movie is rated PG, and features the adventures of a boy raised by underground box-collecting trolls. It's based on the children's book "Here Be Monsters," by Alan Snow. The movie and popcorn are free.

Other children's events for March include a Read with Rover session on March 30 at  5:30 pm at the Southwest Branch. The activity gives children from grades Kindergarten to 6th grades a chance to read aloud to certified therapy dog. The event will be immediately followed by a Pajama Storytime for ages birth to five at 6:30 pm, also at the Southwest Branch.

Teen gamers should check out Teen Gaming Night with video gaming on the XBox 360 and Wii platforms is from 5:45 pm to 7:30 pm on March 26, and a Teen Minecraft Day from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 28, also at the Main Library. Teens will take turns playing Minecraft on the library's XBox 360 system, enjoy Minecraft themed snacks, and make Minecraft "weapons" to take home. All Teen events are for ages 12 to 18.

Sign up for Pinterest Party Crafts at Rock Island 30/31 Branch Library

Rock Island, IL: If you've seen or pinned craft ideas on the Pinterest social media site, the Rock Island Library now offers programs to let you try the crafts out in a group setting.

Monthly Pinterest Parties will be offered on the final Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at the Rock Island 30/31 Branch Library, 3059 30th Street. Each night features a craft seen on Pinterest. Projects include an embellished greeting card on March 26, a recycled book craft on April 30, and a painted flower pot on May 28.

The events are free and all materials are supplied. To sign up for any of the above crafts, use the online calendar at www.rockislandlibrary.org or call 309-732-7369. Enrollment is limited to 20 adults.

Learn About Blueberries at Rock Island Library March 26

Rock Island, IL: Looking for a sweet way to add healthy foods to your diet? You can pick up some ideas at a free program next week from the Rock Island Public Library.

Blueberries: Our Native Super Fruit, a free program on growing and using blueberries, will be offered by Master Gardener LaRea McMillin at2:00 pm on Thursday, March 26 at the Main Library. Ranking only second to strawberries in US food consumption, blueberries deliver a one-two punch of flavor and cell-saving antioxidants. McMillin will present information on planting, fertilizing, maintaining, harvesting, and landscaping with blueberry plants, as well as how to store, freeze and use the berries.

The program is free and open to the public.

For more upcoming library events, visit library locations or the website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Rock Island Library on Facebook or Twitter or call 309-732-READ (7323).

###

Calendar of library programs: http://rockislandlibrary.evanced.info/signup/eventcalendar.aspx

25 Mar 2015

Illinois National Guard recognized for property, construction management

By Illinois National Guard

SPRINGFIELD, IL (03/20/2015)(readMedia)-- The Illinois National Guard's Construction Facility Management Office (CFMO) recently received awards for two specific projects and for its overall management of construction and facility maintenance programs.

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL) recognized the Normal Readiness Center in Normal, Illinois with its Merit Award.

Lt. Col. Craig Holan, of Litchfield, Illinois, and the director of CFMO, said the Normal Readiness Center is a first-of-its-kind in Illinois.

"This joint-use facility provides a permanent training center for the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, while sharing classroom, administrative and vehicle parking space with Heartland Community College," said Holan.

The Camp Lincoln Adjutant General's office building geothermal system won an ACEC-IL Honor Award and will also be recognized with a National Recognition Award at the National ACEC event in April. The project replaced an aging heating, cooling and ventilation system with a hybrid geothermal variable refrigerant system. The hybrid system eased the challenge and cost of heating and cooling the 74,000-square-foot headquarters building, while allowing for future expansion of the system.

The CFMO was also recognized by the Installations Division, National Guard Bureau this year with the William G. Troumbley, Jr. Improvement Award for demonstrating marked improvement in its management and administration of construction and facilities projects.

"This award is given to only one state or territory each year," said Holan. "Competition is very tight for this award as there is typically not much of a point spread between the top candidates."

The CFMO improved significantly in several key areas including fiscal management, project management, statutory reporting, energy use reductions, and environmental compliance

25 Mar 2015

Coming to the National Geographic Giant Screen Theater April 2nd, Hall & Oates: Live in Dublin

By Putnam Museum
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, Daryl Hall and John Oates finally return to Europe and play before a sellout crowd at Dublin's Olympia Theatre during the summer of 2014. This concert is a "must see" for all music fans, and includes some of the duo's top hits such as Private Eyes, Maneater, Kiss on My List and more!  Having six number one hits and more than 30 songs that charted, Hall & Oates music takes you back to a place, a time, a romance as soon as you hear the opening lines.  Let's all take the journey together as we experience Billboard's Number One Duo of the rock era on the GIANT Screen!
Come jam out in the theater to the best Hall & Oates songs April 2nd at 7pm!
ENTER TO WIN FREE TICKETS
Click here to enter the Facebook contest
to win 4 free tickets!
25 Mar 2015

Christian Comediennce Chonda Pierce returns!

By Adler Theatre

Chonda Pierce

"It's a Girl Thing" Tour

7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 30

Adler Theater

136 E. 3rd St, Davenport, Iowa 52801

Open about her faith and personal experiences, Chonda Pierce uses her gift of humor to help others.

In 2013, Chonda was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for her eight gold and three platinum long-form DVDs, making her the best-selling comedienne of all time!

Chonda Pierce will be joined by special guest Warren Barfield.

Tickets ($56, $34, & $28) are on sale now at the Adler Theatre Box Office (136 E 3rd St.), Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 and Ticketmaster outlets.

•             Doors open at 6:00 PM

•             VIP package includes a tour lanyard, early entry 1 hour and 10 minutes prior to showtime, a Q&A with the artist, and premium seating.

•             This event has been rescheduled from earlier to Thursday, April 30th @ 7:00 pm. All original tickets will be honored. Refunds are available at point of purchase.

Get tickets online:   TicketMaster-Chonda

 

View and print our flyer:   Click here!

25 Mar 2015

Why You Shouldn't Go Cheap When Filing Your Taxes

By Rick Martin

Financial Expert Explains Why You Should Hire A Good CPA & Not Part-time Help; Offers Tips

It's that time of year for part-time help at the local tax-preparation location, when drivers can see seasonal staff standing at busy intersections wearing costumes of the Statue of Liberty or Uncle Sam. But they're not the only ones who are hired part time, says professional advisor to Certified Public Accountants Gary Marriage, Jr.

"I sometimes ask people, 'Do you want a guy in a costume to handle your taxes?' Of course, the guy actually doing the paperwork probably won't be the guy standing near the traffic, but he's also not the person you want dealing with your bottom line," says Marriage, CEO of Nature Coast Financial Advisors (www.naturecoastfinancial.com).

"I know millionaires who go to these pop-up tax firms; they'd rather spend a few hundred dollars on their return than a grand or two with a skilled CPA. But this apparent savings comes at a cost, because a good accountant is likely to find many thousands of dollars in savings in a single tax return, and they are far less liable to make a mistake."

Marriage offers additional tips for consideration this tax season.

•  Have your records handy, and consider a long-term relationship. Not only is it advantageous to file taxes through a CPA, it's also smart to have all relevant records readily available at your disposal - no matter who is helping you with your return.

"Not only do I strongly advise you to use a reputable CPA that you can trust, I also think you should try to establish a long-term relationship with him or her," Marriage says. "Think of a financial professional as similar to a doctor or lawyer - the better they know you, the better off you'll be. High-net-worth individuals have the most incentive for professional financial services, even if they've made a hobby of saving money by doing things their own way."

•  High-income earners pay the vast majority of income taxes - don't volunteer more. Taxpayers with incomes exceeding $100,000 earn 60 percent of the country's income, yet contribute 95.2 percent of the income taxes, according to recent estimates from Congress'sJoint Committee on Taxation. Additionally, those earning more than $100,000 - a bit more than 20 percent of taxpayers - pay for 75.7 percent of total federal taxes, excluding the burden on corporate and investment taxes.

"There are many high-income earners who are passionate about their careers and love what they do; they care more about their work than their income," he says. "These tend to be the folks who need reminders that there are legal avenues available for protecting their hard-earned money."

•  High-net-worth individuals should consider CRAT. Many people, financial professionals with years of experience, do not know about Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts, a form of financial protection that Marriage often teaches to CPAs. CRATs are a flexible and effective instrument used in financial and estate planning. A CRAT provides a significant tax shelter for any assets and property placed within it. That allows any assets in a charitable remainder annuity trust to increase in value without being taxed on the increase. A well-constructed CRAT can provide financial security for the annuitants.

"CRATs are surprisingly underutilized, but many CPAs I run into simply don't know about it," Marriage says. "It's worth asking your financial advisor about, and if your advisor is unfamiliar with the structure, encourage him or her to look into it."

About Gary Marriage

Gary Marriage Jr. is the founder and CEO of Nature Coast Financial Advisors (www.naturecoastfinancial.com), which educates retirees on how to protect their assets, increase their income and reduce their taxes. Marriage is a national speaker, delivering solutions for pre-retirees, business owners and seniors on the areas affecting their retirement and estates. He is an approved member of the National Ethics Bureau, and has been featured in "America's Top Hometown Financial Advisors 2011" and most recently selected to co-author a book with Steve Forbes titled, "SuccessOnomics: Power Principles." Marriage is also the founder of Operation Veteran Aid, an advocate for war-time veterans and their families.

25 Mar 2015

Iowa's February Workforce Index Nation's Fourteenth Best: General Business Jobs Big Gainer

By Rick Martin

February Summary

  • Iowa's workforce index (WFI) ranked 14th best in the nation, an improvement from January's 15th best.
  • Iowa's job market, based on online openings, remains healthy.
  • In absolute numbers, the greatest numbers of online job openings were in management followed by sales, and next customer services positions.
  • As a percent of employment, the largest numbers of online openings were in engineering, finance, and then automobile sales and services positions.

Iowa WFI. AIM's February WFI climbed to a healthy 65.3 from 63.4 in January. The WFI is a statistically based measurement tool produced by AIM, a not-for-profit organization in Des Moines, Iowa. The Index is a ratio of unique online job postings and the number of unemployed in Iowa (not seasonally adjusted). The Index ranges between 0 and 100. A WFI below 50.0 indicates short-term job contraction while an Index above 50.0 indicates job expansion. At 65.3, Iowa's WFI indicates a very healthy level of on-line job openings.

Fading and improving areas. The occupations showing the greatest improvements from January were:  general business positions, nursing occupations, and customer services positions.  The occupations recording the largest declines from January were:  clerical occupations, finance jobs, and maintenance jobs.

Online Openings. In February, the largest number of open online positions in absolute numbers were in 1) management, followed by 2) sales, and then 3) customer services positions.  As a share of employment, the largest numbers of job openings in descending order were: 1) engineering openings, 2) finance positions, and 3) automobile sales and services positions.

State Rankings. In terms of WFIs Indices among the states, Nebraska ranked number one with the highest WFI. Nebraska was followed by Kansas at number two, Delaware at three, Minnesota at four, and North Dakota at five.  The state with the lowest index was Maine, followed by Mississippi at 49, and California at 48.  Rounding out the bottom five states were Rhode Island at 47 and Alaska at 46.   Iowa ranked as the 14th best in the nation, a decline from the state's 15th best in the nation for January 2015.

25 Mar 2015

The Secret Garden Opens April 4 on the Old Creamery's Main Stage

By Rick Martin

Amana- The Secret Garden, The Old Creamery's first Theatre for Young Audiences show of 2015, opens April 4 and runs through April 18 on the Old Creamery's Main Stage, with shows on Saturdays at 1:00 pm with a special morning show on April 18 at 10:00 am.  

A golden key opens a secret ivy-covered door to a wondrous garden, for neglected orphan Mary. As she learns how to help the garden thrive, she blooms into a lovely young girl herself all while helping her ill cousin Collin to heal. Friendship and flowers all flourish in The Secret Garden!  

The cast includes Keegan Christopher, Katie Colletta, Jeff Haffner, Jackie McCall, Hannah Spina, and Jim Vogt. Sean McCall is the director. 

 

Tickets are $10 per person. Seating is limited so reservations are highly recommended. Sponsored by Scheels of Coralville. Media Sponsors are KHAK and KDAT. The Secret Garden is rated Theatre G. The Secret Garden has been adapted by April-Dawn Gladu and is based upon the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

 

Call the box office for tickets and information

319-622-6262 or visit us online at www.oldcreamery.com.

 

The Old Creamery Theatre is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1971 in Garrison, Iowa. In 2015, the company is celebrating 44 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest

25 Mar 2015

Deadline March 24: Apply to host a River Bandit this season!

By Marco LaNave
The River Bandits will soon be in town for the 2015 season, and we are seeking host families for April to September 2015. Find out more information and submit an application today. More »

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