Mount Carroll?Timber Lake Playhouse, the professional summer theatre of Northwest Illinois, will open its 54^th consecutive season on June 4th. Tickets for all six mainstage productions will go on sale Monday, May 18^th at 10:00 a.m. online and at the theatre box office. Subscriptions to see all six shows at a discounted rate are already available.

The season to "Dream Bigger" begins with the Tony Award winning musical Hairspray. It's 1962 Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire?to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star, using her newfound power to dethrone the reigning teen queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network, all without denting her 'do. A newcomer to TLP, Amelia Jo Parish, will star as Tracy Turnblad and TLP favorite Grant Brown returns to play Corny Collins.

Chicago theatre recognizes its best work each season with the Joseph Jefferson (Jeff) Awards. TLP brings four Jeff Award winning guest artists to Mount Carroll this summer. They include Hairspray director Lili-Anne Brown and actor Tommy Bullington, who will star as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, a role that won Harvey Fierstein a Tony Award. Jeff Award winner Brigitte Ditmars will play the Female Authority Figure in Hairspray and star in The Big Meal, which is directed by Chuck Smith, another Jeff Award winning director in his 14^th consecutive summer at the playhouse

The Big Meal, which premiered in Chicago in 2011, tells the extraordinary story of an ordinary family. Somewhere in America, in a typical suburban restaurant on a typical night, Sam and Nicole first meet. Sparks fly. And so begins an expansive, heart-warming tale that traverses five generations of a modern American family. Judy Knudtson returns to TLP for The Big Meal, along with newcomers Cullen Rogers, Paige ManWaring, Matt W. Miles and Brian Pauley. Pulitzer Prize Winner Annie Baker recently called The Big Meal, "The greatest play ever written."

In July, for the first time ever, TLP will present the Broadway musical Peter Pan starring scene stealer Cody Jolly as Captain Hook and Rose Upton in the title role made famous by Mary Martin. The playhouse will offer additional matinees of the productions to accommodate families. Zachary L. Gray, who began his career at TLP playing Baby John in West Side Story returns to direct and choreograph the show.

The fourth show (and second play) of the season is Greater Tuna, a comedy about the third smallest town in Texas, where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. Matt Webb and Cody Jolly, who have become the playhouse's greatest comedic duo in shows like Young Frankenstein, Rumors and The Music Man, reunite to play all of the citizens of Tuna, Texas -- men, women, children and animals. Chicago director and choreographer, Stephen Schellhardt, stages the madness.

Opening July 30^th, Artistic Director James Beaudry stages the stunning new musical adaptation of Big Fish. Based on the novel and the acclaimed Tim Burton film from 2003, Big Fish stars long time TLP favorite Karl Hamilton and Elizabeth Haley in the roles of Edward and Sandra Bloom, made famous on film by Albert Finney and Jessica Lange. The two are also married in real life. Samuel Leicht of Appleton, Wisconsin plays their son Will Bloom, and Daxtun Heier of Sterling, Illinois play's young Will.

Big Fish tells the story of Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman whose incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him - most of all, his adoring wife Sandra. But their son Will is determined to find the truth behind his father's fantastic tales. Overflowing with heart, humor and spectacular stage magic as Edward's stories come to life, it is an extraordinary new musical that reminds us how great stories can give us an experience richer, funnier and bigger than life itself.

The final production of the 2015 season will be Roger Miller's Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, directed by longtime TLP favorite Courtney Crouse. Propelled by an award winning country, bluegrass and gospel score, this journey down the Mississippi is a celebration of pure Americana. Twain's timeless classic is performed by actor-musicians with Grant Brown starring as Huck and John Chase returning as Pap Finn. Charles Benson, of Lansing, Michigan will play Jim.

TLP's 54^th professional resident company includes 72 performers, musicians and designers chose from over 1,200 people who auditioned in six cities around the country. The programs at Timber Lake Playhouse are partially sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, as state agency, through federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. The programs are also subsidized by hundreds of private, foundation and corporate donors from the region.

Tickets are $25.00 each. Senior, student and active duty military discounts are available. Six show subscriptions are $119 for adults and only $68 for students.

The box office will be open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. beginning May 18^th. Timber Lake Playhouse is located at 8215 Black Oak Road in rural Mount Carroll, Illinois. Box office hours expand when the season opens in June.

Tickets may be also be purchased online beginning May 18^th at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org or by calling 815-244-2035 during box office hours . The playhouse appreciates your patience, as call volume is always high during the first week of ticket sales.

Report: Former Program "Clout Heavy" and Wasteful

CHICAGO - Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today a new, unpaid summer internship program to provide Illinois students with hands-on experience in public service. Interns can earn college credit and work in areas such as legal, investment operations, marketing, unclaimed property, and policy.

"We want to provide students with a real-world, hands-on learning experience in public service," Frerichs said. "With the right tools and a solid understanding of how government works, we can put Illinois students on the path to success."

When Treasurer Frerichs took office in 2015, he called for an independent performance review to identify strengths, opportunities, and inherited challenges from the previous administration. The Plante Moran review identified a paid internship program that was "clout heavy." The lack of formal policies, procedures and supervision led to inaccurate time sheets, excessive expense claims, and travel voucher errors. It recommended the program's complete revision.

Frerichs' new, unpaid program will have an internship coordinator, job descriptions, interview process, scoring criteria, and performance evaluations. None of these existed previously.

"We will build a real internship program with proper controls to ensure a professional learning experience that shows students first-hand how government entities work together to provide important services and make sure everyone is following the rules," Frerichs said.

Applicants must be Illinois residents, 18 years of age or older, and enrolled as a full-time student with an accredited college, university, or law school. The deadline to submit applications is May 22, 2015. For more information or to apply, visit www.illinoistreasurer.gov

About Plante Moran

Plante Moran is a large, Midwestern-based accounting and consulting firm with offices in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. It is ranked 13^th nationally in size and 6^th largest in the state of Illinois. The company specializes in various industries, including government. It has a deep understanding of the unique accounting, financial, operational and technology needs of government organizations.

About the Illinois Treasurer

The Illinois Treasurer is the state's chief investment officer and Frerichs is a Certified Public Finance Officer. He protects consumers by encouraging savings plans for college or trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, and removing barriers to a secured retirement. As the state's Chief Investment Officer, he actively manages approximately $25 billion. Currently, the portfolio includes $13 billion in state funds, $7 billion in college savings plans, and $5 billion on behalf of state and local governments. The investment approach is conservative to ensure the preservation of principal and returns $28 to the state for every $1 spent in operations. The Treasurer's Office predates Illinois' incorporation in 1818. Voters in 1848 chose to make it an elected office.

by Michael Grady.

This presentation will be given by Michael Grady, a long-time Independent Scholar at this Institute. His 18 year old child was recently accepted by Iowa State on a full 100% paid scholarship to study engineering for not only a Bachelor's degree, but a Master's degree, and even more.

Over $200,000 in scholarship awards went to his Davenport West Senior daughter, Carina Grady.

Mike Grady will explain the background of this success and how it can be potentially duplicated in any child.

According to Grady, the key to unlock any child is to understand that every child is as a unique person, is unlimited in who the child can become and is unlimited is what the child can do throughout life, starting at an early age.

2^nd Floor of  the Moline Commercial Club

1530 Fifth Avenue.  Moline. Illinois.

7.00 p.m.

Free and open to the public.

Doors open at 6.30

Independent Scholars Evenings are sponsored by

THE INSTITUTE FOR CULTURAL & HEALING TRADITIONS, Ltd.

.......................................development through innovative scholarship

The Institute for Cultural & Healing Traditions, Ltd is a 501©3 since 1996

A young adult's first months out of college are about personal freedom and finding one's path as an adult. Building solid money habits is a big part of that.

Most grads are managing money alone for the first time - finding work, places to live and if they're in the majority, figuring out how to pay off college loans. For many, these are daunting challenges. If you are a young adult - or know one - here are some of the best routines to adopt from the start:

Budgeting (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/budgeting/) is the first important step in financial planning because it is difficult to make effective financial decisions without knowing where every dollar is actually going. It's a three-part exercise - tracking spending, analyzing where that money has gone and finding ways to direct that spending more effectively toward saving, investing and extinguishing debt. Even if a new grad is looking for work or waiting to find a job, budgeting is a lifetime process that should start immediately.

A graduate's first savings goal should be an emergency fund to cover everyday expenses such as the loss of a job or a major repair. The ultimate purpose of an emergency fund (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/emergencycalc) is to avoid additional debt or draining savings or investments. Emergency funds should cover at least four to seven months of living expenses.

Retirement may seem a distant spot on the horizon after graduation, but success depends on saving and investing as soon as possible. New grads can benefit from the IRS's Withholding Calculator (http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/IRS-Withholding-Calculator) to determine the right amount of tax is being withheld from weekly paychecks. From there, he or she can evaluate personal retirement savings options and employer's plans as well - both will be necessary to retire effectively. Signing up for automatic deposits into retirement accounts and personal savings allows money to grow without the temptation of spending it first.

Insurance is crucial. Renter's insurance is important not only to cover personal belongings that are lost, stolen or damaged, but most policies cover living expenses in an emergency and offer liability and medical coverage if someone gets hurt at one's apartment. Auto insurance is the law in many states, and even though disability coverage may be available at work, it is important to determine whether additional individual coverage should be purchased. Finally, the Affordable Care Act has made health coverage a must for young adults. New graduates may stay on a parent's plan until the age of 26 even if they have the option for health coverage at work. After age 26, health insurance can be bought privately or through federal and state exchanges.

Young adults should get into the habit of tracking their credit reports from the beginning. By law, everyone has the right to receive all three of their credit reports for free (https://www.annualcreditreport.com) each year, and it is important to stagger requests from the three credit bureaus - Experian, Equifax and TransUnion - to better check for inaccuracies and potential identity theft.

Finally, for those still having trouble making ends meet, moving home for a limited time period could be an option. New grads should negotiate an affordable rent on a fixed timetable and use those savings to create investment accounts that can pay for major goals like a home, a wedding or graduate school. If you're working with a financial advisor already, ask them to weigh in with additional ideas.

Bottom line: The first year out of college, young adults encounter a range of financial challenges that will shape their money behavior for a lifetime. Embracing budgeting, saving and investing is crucial even with the smallest of amount of resources.