23 Mar 2015

West Music Announces Winners of 3rd Annual March Music Madness Pep Band Competition

By Kelly Goerdt

Coralville, IA - March 18, 2015 - West Music is proud to announce the winners of their 3rd Annual March Music Madness Pep Band Competition.  Fillmore Central, from Harmony, MN won in the 1A/2A division, and Oelwein High School, from Oelwein, IA won in the 3A/4A division.  Both bands will receive a $300 West Music gift card for use in their music programs.

"The Fillmore Central Band Department continues to be humbled and amazed by the tremendous support we receive from our staff, administration, parents, community members, and local businesses.  The communities of Harmony, Preston, and Fountain should be very proud of the commitment to excellence in our schools!" said Lane Powell, Director of Bands for Fillmore Central.

Cory McBride, director of Oelwein's pep band  added, "Our band had a great time participating in the March Music Madness competition and it definitely increased the level of energy and enthusiasm within our school.  The amount of support and excitement we saw from our students, staff, community, and even other schools was tremendous.  All of our students work hard and this was such a great way to showcase their efforts."

The competition was a huge success, drawing over 332,000 votes and over 30,000 social media mentions and shares to all participant videos in a two week voting period.  Voting for the competition began in early March and was hosted on westmusic.com/MarchMusicMadness.  The video with the most votes at the end of each round moved onto the next round.  The contest culminated in the finals that coincided with the Iowa state boys high school basketball tournament in March.  To view the official bracket and breakdown for all votes between schools, visit westmusic.com/MarchMusicMadness.

A total of 13 participating schools competed in the competition including Bellevue Community, Center Point-Urbana, Columbus Community, Easton Valley, Edgewood-Colesburg, Fillmore Central, Independence, Maquoketa Valley, Moline, North Linn, Oelwein, River Ridge, and Western Dubuque.

This event is one of many hosted by West Music throughout the year for students, teachers, friends and the general public. This is a great opportunity for students to come together to showcase their passion for music, their creativity and school spirit. Best of all, this friendly competition brings to life West Music's mission to create musical communities.

About West Music Company

Founded in 1941, West Music continues to fulfill its mission of creating musical communities by providing knowledge, products, and services people need to experience the power of making music!  West Music specializes in pianos, guitars, drums and percussion, band and orchestra instruments, and print music as well as offers music instruction, repair and music therapy services.  West Music has seven retail locations in Iowa and Illinois as well as award-winning ecommerce websites dedicated to servicing music education, percussion, and Latin music communities. For more information, visit westmusic.com or call 1-800-373-2000.

 

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23 Mar 2015

Working Out A Safe-Money Strategy

By Ginny Grimsley

Financial Consultants Say Retirees Can Take Steps To Protect Savings From Vagaries Of The Market

As people creep into the retirement "red zone" - those years just before or right after they retire - it becomes more important than ever that they find ways to keep their savings safe.

Because at that point, their retirement picture will change significantly only if they lose a lot of money, says Chris Bennett, co-founding partner of The Abbott Bennett Group, (www.theabbottbennettgroup.com).

"They are not going to change who they are," Bennett says. "But if they lose a bucket of money, they are not going to go out to eat, they won't travel, they won't be able to leave money to their children and grandchildren. They will end up having to make sacrifices."

In other words, they won't be living the retirement they envisioned all those years they were saving a nest egg.

Having a "safe money" strategy is key to a secure retirement, say Bennett and Michael Abbott, CFO of the firm. It's important to be able to create an income stream that the retiree won't outlive.

There are several areas you and your financial professional can focus on as part of an overall "safe money" strategy, Abbott and Bennett say. Here are two examples:

• Rate of return vs. sequence of return. The average rate of return on an investment can be misleading, they say. That's because in reality how well you hang onto your money depends more on "sequence of return." That is, exactly when do those profits and losses come about?

To see how that might work, imagine a 50 percent loss followed by a 50 percent gain. That would appear to average out to a zero rate of return. But that's not how it would look in your portfolio, Bennett says. If you have $100,000, a 50 percent loss drops it to $50,000. The market rebounds with a 50 percent gain. But a 50 percent gain on $50,000 just increases that investment to $75,000, so you've still taken a loss.

Now consider that kind of activity over the course of your retirement as you are also withdrawing money from your savings to live on. Depending on when market fluctuations happened, you could take major hits. That's especially true if the dips come early in retirement when your savings are at their peak, and the rallies arrive late when there is less left in the account.

"One big downturn and that money could run dry," Bennett says.

Abbott and Bennett say there are tools that a good financial professional uses that can help people reduce the risk created by sequence of return.

• Maneuvering toward tax-free income. "Whatever the tax rates may be in the future, taxes can be a drag on your savings and may adversely impact your retirement security," Abbott says. So it's important to consider the tax implications of how you hold your assets.

Even those Social Security benefits that retirees draw can be taxed, but they don't necessarily have to be, Bennett says. Once again, a financial professional can review strategies that could help reduce or even eliminate the tax on that monthly Social Security benefit.

"It's possible to have tax-free income in retirement," Bennett says. "Talk about being in control. Then you can just enjoy your retirement with your children and your grandchildren."

About Michael Abbott and Christopher Bennett

Michael Abbott has two decades of experience assisting retirees with their 401(k)s and pension plans. He is co-founder of The Abbott Bennett Group, LLC, an independent financial services firm, where he serves as CFO. He is a lifetime member of MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), an association composed of the world's best financial services professionals, and a member of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors). He holds a Master of Estate Preservation designation.

Christopher Bennett is a 16-year financial professional who has served as CEO of The Abbott Bennett Group, LLC, since 2003. He holds a Certified in Long-Term Care designation, a Master of Estate Preservation certification, and is a lifetime member of Million Dollar Round Table). Chris is also a member of multiple chambers of commerce, and participates in the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He has hosted and conducted hundreds of seminars and workshops.

23 Mar 2015

Ashley Ramker of Davenport to present at annual psychology conference

By Laura Billingsley

PELLA, IA (03/23/2015)(readMedia)-- Ashley Ramker of Davenport was chosen to present research entitled "Power of Positive Thinking: Effects of Positive Psychology Exercises on Well-Being" with collaborative professor Randall A. Renstrom at the annual Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) conference in Chicago, April 30-May 2

This year holds a record number of 38 students presenting their scholarly research at the MPA conference. Central graduates were also selected to present research in the professional program alongside Ph.D and graduate students.

Founded in 1853, Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, residential four-year liberal arts college known for its academic rigor and strength in global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), sustainability education, athletics success and tradition, and leadership and service. Central continues to value its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America that began in 1916. The college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the Iowa Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just two minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest lake.

23 Mar 2015

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers is Now Open in Coralville, Iowa

By Tammy Lucich

Handcrafted pizza and a Hawkeye bar are just a couple of reasons to make your next stop the Mellow Mushroom Coralville.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers is now open at 1451 Coral Ridge Avenue, located at the Coral Ridge Mall. From the handcrafted food to the unique and inviting atmosphere, Mellow is a great hangout for all ages.

Owners Drew Knudsen and Kaaren Vargas are thrilled to bring Mellow Mushroom to the Coralville market. "This is an ideal setting for our guests?people who enjoy a family friendly environment along with a one-of-a-kind experience and fantastic food," states Drew.

Mellow Mushroom features a creative menu with an assortment of pizzas, hoagies, salads, calzones, appetizers and vegetarian and vegan options, using only the freshest of ingredients.  Gluten free crust and a kids as well as Vegan menu are also available.

All Mellow Mushrooms are known as places that provide an entertaining experience in a unique art filled environment, and this location carries on that tradition in an astounding way. The flawlessly detailed Cosmos meets the Heartland combined theme is finished off with vibrant splashes of color in the most unsuspected places.

Upon entering the Mellow, a never before seen Herky is displayed at the bar, along with a nod to the history of the Iowa Hawkeye football team, enjoyable for any fan to see. A large spaceship suspends in the air, contrasted with an artistic interpretation of a crop circle, alien invasion, and a disco cow being abducted into the sky.

A full service gigantic bar sits near the entry of the restaurant, with plenty of beverages for any and all tastes. The bar menu features over 200 beers with 48 of them on draft, handcrafted cocktails, and a wine list.

For a great place to catch some sports action, this Mellow has plenty of options with large flat screens and a full audio system. Looking for something unique throughout the week? Catch trivia or just make it a great night out for the entire family!

Mellow Mushroom will operate 7 days a week. For more information on Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, visit http://mellowmushroom.com/store/coralville and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MellowMushroomCoralville.

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About Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

About Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers (www.mellowmushroom.com) was founded in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. This franchise, operated under Home-Grown Industries of Georgia, Inc., is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For 41 years, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has been serving up fresh, stone-baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art-filled, and family-friendly environment. Each Mellow is locally owned and operated and provides a unique feel focused around great customer service and high-quality food. For more information on Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mellowmushroomHQ, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MellowMushroom, and follow us on Pinterest at https://pinterest.com/mellowmushroom.

23 Mar 2015

Avoiding A Government Head Fake On Retirement Savings

By Ginny Grimsley

Retirees Should Reconsider Strategies on IRA, 401K Withdrawals, Financial Advisor Says

A government rule on retirement savings may be tricking retirees into looking at their financial situations all wrong, says a financial advisor who specializes in retirement planning.

The rule says retirees can't leave money in their IRA or 401k accounts forever. At age 70½ they must begin making minimum withdrawals, even if they prefer to leave the accounts untouched.

"You are forced to take money out whether you want to or not," says Dave Lopez, a mathematics and computer science major who applies his analytical mind to solving retirement challenges.

And in reality, Lopez says, you should want to take out as much as possible. That's why he likens the rule to a head fake because it causes retirees to look at the situation from the wrong perspective.

"They get fixated on that minimum amount they must withdraw, so that's how much they end up withdrawing, leaving the bulk of their savings right there in the 401k or IRA," he says.

That's a mistake, he says, especially for people who hope to leave a healthy inheritance to heirs.

"If you keep taking out the minimum amount each year, it will just about guarantee you have a large amount in there at your death," Lopez says. "Under the current tax law, if you die and your IRA or 401k is left to your heirs, they are taxed on it at a high rate. With state taxes added in, it could be 40 to 45 percent."

The percentage could end up being even more, depending when you retire and whether tax laws change, he says.

If Congress and the president raise taxes, the government's share of your retirement savings would go up and the amount left to heirs would go down.

That's where it would be good for the middle class to take a lesson from wealthy retirees, who are less likely to fall for that head fake, Lopez says. They understand that they need to withdraw greater chunks from their IRA and 401k accounts, placing the money in tax-friendlier accounts.

"While people in the middle class take out the minimum-required amount, the rich do the exact opposite," he says.

Lopez says a few strategies exist that retirees can take advantage of to make sure taxes don't deplete their legacy to their children. "You have to put these strategies into place early, though," Lopez says. "The later you wait, the less effective they are and the less your savings will be."

• Explore tax-free options. Move the money into a tax-free vehicle, such as a Roth IRA or a specially designed life insurance plan that would allow the dollars to flow tax free to heirs. Lopez says one additional advantage with the life insurance option is that, historically, when laws are changed related to life insurance the old policies are grandfathered in and not affected. "It's a top estate planning trick for the rich," he says. "The challenge is the middle class doesn't know it exists."

• Stretch out inherited IRA withdrawals. Under tax law, when your heirs inherit an IRA they don't have to take money as a lump sum. They can have it paid out over their lifetime, which could keep them in a lower tax bracket, Lopez says. They pay taxes only on what they take out, he says. "There is gamble involved with this plan," Lopez says. "You are gambling that the law that allows heirs to do this will still be in effect when you die. Many people think this law is one of the easiest ones to change because the government could just claim this is a tax loophole and they are closing the loophole."

Ultimately, he says, it will pay off to sit down ahead of time to review options with a financial advisor who understands the intricacies of retirement planning.

"You don't want to be taken in by that head fake," Lopez says. "You want to make sure you and your family get as much benefit as possible from all those years you were saving your hard-earned money."

About Dave Lopez

Dave Lopez is the founder of ILG Financial, LLC (www.ILGFinancial.com) and has been working with individuals and businesses in the Northern Virginia area since 1986. He specializes in strategies that enable his clients to potentially build a retirement nest egg that they can rely on and can never outlive. Lopez has his Bachelors of Science degree from James Madison University with a major in mathematics and computer science. He is an investment advisor representative of AlphaStar Capital Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor.

23 Mar 2015

Local resident graduates from Pacific University (Ore.)

By Joe Lang
FOREST GROVE, Ore.(March 18, 2015  -- Heather Dumser of Bettendorf, IA has recently graduated from Pacific University (Ore.) with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.

Founded in 1849, Pacific University (Ore.) is a diverse and sustainable community dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship and practice. The university consists of colleges of Arts & Sciences, Optometry, Education, Health Professions and Business, with campuses in Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Eugene and Woodburn.

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23 Mar 2015

NOMINEES FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S TOP EMPLOYER AWARD NAMED

By Illinois National Guard

SPRINGFIELD, IL (03/18/2015)(readMedia)-- Illinois Employers Recognized by National Guard and Reserve Members

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense (DoD) office, announces more than 80 Illinois employers of Guard and Reserve employees have been nominated for the 2015 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award (commonly referred to as the "Freedom Award").

The Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the DoD to employers for their support of National Guard and Reserve members. On behalf of the Secretary of Defense, ESGR runs the annual award program, which has presented the honor to 205 employers since 1996.

Almost half of the U.S. military is made up of National Guard and Reserve members, many of whom also hold jobs with civilian employers. The Freedom Award recognizes those employers that provide the most outstanding support for these Citizen Warriors. Up to 15 employers will be selected for this year's award and honored at the Pentagon in an official ceremony in August.

Nominations for the Freedom Award must come from a Guard or Reserve member who is employed by the organization they are nominating, or from a family member. This year's nominees represent large and small employers from almost every industry, including health, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, banking, service and security (just to name a few), as well as from state and local governments. ESGR received nominations for employers in all 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

Semifinalists and finalists will be announced in sequence throughout the coming months with the recipients being announced in late June. Updates, press releases and a complete list of the 2,960 nominees can be found at www.freedomaward.mil.

2015 Freedom Award Nominations from Illinois:

AbbVie

Advocate Christ Medical Center

AIT WorldWide Logistics

Alsip Police Department

American Agricultural Insurance Company, Inc.

AMSA 138 G, 88th RSC

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

ARAMARK Healthcare

Armorstone Prestige

Astellas Pharma US, Inc.

Atlas Screen Supply Company

Avaya, Inc.

B&D Independence, Inc.

Caterpillar

Chatham Community Fire Protection District

Chicago Police Department

City of Kewanee

City of Rolling Meadows Police Department

City of Wenona Police Department

Collinsville Community Unit School District 10

ComEd

Cook County Sheriff's Office

D Hangout Bar & Grill

Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital

Equity Residential

Exelon Corporation - Byron Generating Station

Experian

Federal Bureau of Investigation*

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Fellowes, Inc.

Fort's Toyota of Pekin

Golden Corridor Family YMCA

Goodworth Kitchie and Associates LLC

GreenPath Debt Solutions

Havana Police Department

Huntley Police Department

Icon Mechanical

Illinois Gaming Investors. LLC

Illinois State Police

Information Technology Partners, Inc.

Insight

Iron Workers Local 46

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

JA Frate

JCPenney

Jet Support Services, Inc.

Kirby Medical Center

KPI Contracting

Kraft Foods Group, Inc.

Lake County State's Attorney's Office

Lake Zurich Police Department

Marseilles Area Ambulance Service

Max Muscle Sports Nutrition

NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc.

Nalco Company

National Railway Equipment Company

Paramedic Services of Illinois

Passavant Area Hospital

Presence St. Mary's Hospital

Proven Business Systems

Quantum Vision Centers

Republic Services

Rock Falls Township High School

Rock Island Arsenal - Joint Manufacturing & Technology Center (RIA-JMTC)

School of Nursing Saint Xavier University

Schrank's Smoke 'N Gun

Sherwin-Williams

Springfield Clinic

State Farm

SunDogIT

Superior Carriers

The Home Depot

The Plus Group, Inc.

Union Iron

United Airlines, Inc.

United States Postal Service

United States Secret Service

United States Social Security Administration

UnityPoint Health - Proctor Hospital

University of Illinois

Village of Glenview

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

Walmart Supercenter #0256

Win-Bur-Sew Fire Protection District

*Denotes employer received more than one nomination

This year's complete list of nominees (representing all 56 ESGR committees) is available at: http://www.freedomaward.mil/TemplateDetailsView.aspx?TemplateID=6406&ModuleID=7

View Online: http://readme.readmedia.com/NOMINEES-FOR-DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE-S-TOP-EMPLOYER-AWARD-NAMED/10715392

 

23 Mar 2015

Quad Cities Interfaith March 2015 Newsletter

By QC Interfaith

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=3a47072ab9d67d323da333093&id=1396d7b3ef&e=74fc2b281e

23 Mar 2015

Governor Bruce Rauner Statement on Representative Aaron Schock Resigning

By Lance Trover

Governor Bruce Rauner issued the following statement:  "This is a sad day for the people of Illinois and the 18th District."

 

 

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23 Mar 2015

MRA Upcoming Programs

By Kathy Riley

MRA-The Management Association is a not-for-profit employer association that serves more than 4,000 employers throughout the Midwest, covering 800,000+ employees. As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its member organizations thrive by creating powerful teams and safe, successful workplaces. MRA conducts more than 2,000 learning events each year. Members of MRA also receive access to expert guidance, best practices, professionally facilitated roundtables, essential tools, and dozens of business services in the areas of human resources and training. The Iowa/Western Illinois MRA office is located at 3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100 in Moline, Illinois.  

To learn more on how to become a member of MRA or for more information regarding other program schedules, go to www.mratraining.com or contact Heather Roberts, Executive Director at 309-277-4183 or heather.roberts@mranet.org.  

Some upcoming courses in APRIL include :  

Project Management: The Human and Technical View  

Don't let your projects get the best of you!  In this program, gain the know-how to lead projects to successful outcomes.  Participants will learn to implement a process for planning and completing any project, using a practical, hands-on approach.  Discuss the roles and responsibilities of a project manager, including managing the human dynamics of the team and stakeholders.  A communication-style assessment guides project managers to an understanding of the power of an adaptable style. Participants will be able to explain how to affect change and influence others as projects evolve.

On day two, participants will take part in a video case study and complete an analysis of another project manager's work.

This course provides time for the participant to work on a project using templates.  Bring your project idea(s) to class.  MRA also provides the templates in MS Word as a download.  

For more information, go to www.mratraining.com/CourseDetail.asp?id=2967  

 

Affirmative Action Plan Workshop

During this workshop, you will receive the tools you need to write a federally-sound affirmative action plan from start to finish, including the preparation of all critical statistical analyses.  In addition to writing the plan, we discuss important affirmative action concepts and implementation requirements.  Our approach is unique.  First, the seminar is conducted by MRA's AA/EEO managers.  Second, this is one of the most "hands-on" and "interactive" seminars you will ever attend.  You actually prepare many elements of your plan during the seminar.

For more information, go to www.mratraining.com/CourseDetail.asp?id=2922

 

Advanced Communication Series

Push your communication skills to higher levels. In this series, participants will learn how humans take in and process language and information and the ways language and information drive our thinking and behavior.  This series will explore current science of the mind and its impact on language, behavior, understanding, and actions.  This highly interactive series seeks to move information to knowledge and then to action.

For more information, go to www.mratraining.com/SeriesDetail.asp?id=620

 

Human Resource Professional Series

Building upon the technical skills gained in the Essentials of HR Certificate Series, this certificate series continues to grow your technical HR expertise, while focusing on key HR competencies of business acumen, collaboration, influencing, and work relationships. (HRCI Credit: 16.25 Business (Strategic))

 

For more information go to www.mratraining.com/SeriesDetail.asp?id=647

 

 

Frontline Leadership Series

This series is for those individuals who provide leadership or formal guidance to a work group without the power to hire, to fire, or conduct performance reviews. (They may be called group leaders, team leaders, coordinators, leaders of work groups, "go to" people, etc.) These employees often do the work while providing leadership to their work group. 

This series introduces the important principles of motivation, interpersonal communication, employee training, influencing others to achieve results, meeting organizational objectives, and resolving conflict. Using a combination of discussion, case study, and skill practice, participants are prepared to be more productive within their organization by developing their leadership skills. This series is also effective for individuals that are being groomed for a leadership-type role. 

For new supervisors and managers who have the responsibility to hire, fire, promote, and evaluate performance, the Principles of Leadership Excellence Series is strongly recommended.

For more information go to www.mratraining.com/SeriesDetail.asp?id=631

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