05 Jun 2015

Farmland Leasing Meeting Set for August 5 in Tipton

By Amanda Heitz

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Cedar County is hosting a farmland leasing meeting on Wednesday, August 5, at 1:00 pm to address questions that land owners, tenants, or other interested individuals have about farmland leasing.

The meeting will be held at the Cedar County Extension Office, 107 Cedar Street. The meeting is approximately 2 ½ hours in length. Similar meetings are being held across Iowa during the month of August.

Attendees will gain understanding of current cash rental rate surveys and factors driving next year's rents such as market trends and input costs. Estimating a cash rental rate is a constant of the farm leasing arrangements meeting. This year's decreased profitability will require landlords and tenants to look closely at 2016 production cost estimates. Attendees will learn about types of leases and results of farmland value surveys. A 100-page workbook will be included with registration that includes land leasing information such as surveys, sample written lease agreement and termination forms, and many other publications.

"Due to changes in commodity markets, cash rent values, land values, and government programs, farmland owners and tenants may have more decisions over the next year than in previous years.  This meeting provides information to stay up to date on farmland lease issues." says Ryan Drollette, ISU Extension and Outreach Farm and Ag Business Management Specialist. Drollette will be the presenter at the meeting.

Registration is $25 per individual and $40 per couple. An additional $5 fee will be added if registering fewer than two calendar days before the workshop. Pre-register by calling the Cedar County Extension and Outreach office at 563-886-6157.

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05 Jun 2015

Party Poolside to Preserve Brucemore for the Community Brucemore Hosts Seventh Annual Tahitian Party

By Robert Jackson Jr.

For one night Brucemore's infamous Tahitian Room will spill out into the pool area for the estate's seventh annual Tahitian Party on June 26 from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. Throw on a hula skirt or Hawaiian shirt and dance to the beat of the steel drum band to help preserve Brucemore as a community resource. With Polynesian noshes, exotic beverages, and roast suckling pig, this popular event cannot be missed.

Brucemore's role as an irreplaceable community hub reflects the organization's mission?to engage the public in the history, traditions, resources, and on-going preservation for the enrichment of the community. Throughout the year, staff and Trustees work to preserve the buildings and grounds of this historic twenty-six acre estate to ensure that the gardens, grounds, and 21 mansion continue to be enjoyed by the community. Some of the upcoming projects include tuckpointing the east side of the mansion, repairing rotten wood in the window frames and sills, and restoring the pool area landscape design of the Douglas family, who lived in the house from 1906 to 1937. Preservation endeavors like these help to ensure that Brucemore remains a quality cultural destination and community landmark.

Tickets are $60 per person. Space is limited. Purchase tickets by June 19 by visiting www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.  On-site parking is available. On-site food vendors and bar included with ticket. Personal and corporate sponsorship levels are available starting at $125 and offer additional benefits.

About Brucemore

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.
05 Jun 2015

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE FOURTH QUARTER HONOR ROLL STUDENTS FROM JORDAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL

By Janine Parr

GRADE 6 - PRINCIPAL'S LIST

Sydney Andersen

Lily Beardsley

Annabelle Bishop

Kaden Boden

Ella Darrow

Anna Do

Joseph Dockery-Jackson

Dana Egan

Grace Ekstrom

Anthony Guzzo

Errin Hoffman

Jack Janssen

Emily Klauer

Luke Lofgren

Casey Magee

Janie Martens

Jackson Marx

Margo Maynard

Morgan Moore

Jacob Morel

John Nonnenmann

Zachary Otten-Thoms

Jack Patting

Miriana Peterson

Brook Pickslay

Audrey Reynolds

William Taylor

Brianna Waller



GRADE 6 - HONOR ROLL

Brock Clark

David Dierickx

Lucy Evans

Seth Paniamogan


GRADE 7 - PRINCIPAL'S LIST

Alexandra Amacher

Grace Anders

Samantha Coleman

Tyler Estes

Ted Fogel

Mady Freyberger

Jaylen Gore

Adam Hyder

Gianna Jewhurst

Madilynn Klauer

David Moens

Grace Moore

Daniel Smith

Megan Tanghe

Alexis Wilkens

 

GRADE 7 - HONOR ROLL

Pat Barszczewski

Anthony Bullock

Collin Cincola

Dylan Fogel

Collin Snyder

Tony VanDeWalle

Vanessa Verschoore



GRADE 8 - PRINCIPAL'S LIST

Emma Beardsley

Gabe Beardsley

Chloe Boyd

Anna Darrow

John Do

Anthony Dockery-Jackson

Sydney Elliott

Jonathan Fernandez

Grant Florence

Parker Georlett

Lauren Hird

Hannah Luppen

Olivia Manternach

Aaron Mickelson

Haley Mosley

Paige Nimrick

Taylor Parker

Faith Pickslay

Mary Powers

Vanessa Reger

Ava Reynolds

Lily Schoeck

Logan Swartz

 

GRADE 8 - HONOR ROLL

Kaitlyn Bender

Emily Elliott

Morgan Mander

Nate Maynard

Olivia McCarthy

Claudia Ruiz

Lillian Steffen

Natika Woods

Kaitlynn Zonnevylle
05 Jun 2015

Gramma Golden records online radio interview for children's book

By Rick Martin

Birds teach gardener lessons in 'Bird Lady Meets Mort and Ort in "It's a Great Day for Pulling Weeds"'

LAKE CARROLL, Ill. - Author and registered nurse Janet E. Golden, writing under the pen name Gramma Golden, launched a new marketing campaign for her children's book "Bird Lady Meets Mort and Ort in 'It's a Great Day for Pulling Weeds'" (published by AuthorHouse) this year with an online radio interview about her book, which can be found online at www.toginet.com/podcasts/authortalk.

Golden shares an educational message through a whimsical story about talking birds who teach a gardener to correct her irresponsible gardening habits.

As a result of reading numerous articles and reports about the drastic loss of vital pollinators and their habitats in magazines, journals and the news media, Golden's desire is to teach the younger generation to become responsible gardeners.

"I have noticed changes in our own gardens with a decrease in butterflies, bees and blooms in the past few years," Golden says. "I want my readers to help Bird Lady in her effort to help nature and our environment survive by making changes to their practices."

Mort and Ort Aahkamort are unusually attractive and vividly colored birds who visit Bird Lady's garden. Throughout the story, Mort and Ort teach Bird Lady to recognize her careless gardening practices. The lessons Bird Lady gets from Mort and Ort help her make changes in her garden so that nature may thrive.

"Children are naturally drawn to their surroundings - they are curious and love chasing butterflies, birds, bugs and the like," Golden says. "It is vital to teach our youngsters now to become responsible in reversing our gardening practices and nurturing our environment so that wildlife can be sustained."

In attempting to reach more children and adults with her message, Golden has read her book to more than 1,700 elementary school children in the past year, a senior center gathering, Vacation Bible School attendees and as the guest author at a Young Authors Award Ceremony for children and their parents.

Golden writes blog posts in an effort to continue with her theme of educating readers, young and old, about various concerns regarding nature.  So far, a series of 12 blogs can be read on her website, www.grammagoldenbooks.com.

"Bird Lady Meets Mort and Ort in 'It's a Great Day for Pulling Weeds'"

By Gramma Golden

Softcover | 8.5 x 11 in | 38 pages | ISBN 9781491867709

E-Book | 38 pages | ISBN 9781491867716

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Gramma Golden is a registered nurse and healthcare educator. She strives to teach young readers to care for, and be responsible stewards of, the environment in which they live. She has written a monthly newspaper article for the past ten years on nature and preservation of natural habitats for the lake community in which she lives. She lives in northwestern Illinois with her husband.

. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter.

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04 Jun 2015

Minor League Baseball Announces Its Top 25 Teams In Licensed Merchandise Sales

By Marco LaNave

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Minor League Baseball today announced its list of Top 25 teams in licensed merchandise sales for 2014, with the combined totals of all 160 teams setting a Minor League Baseball record with more than $60.3 million in retail sales.

The $60.3 million total marks an 8.8 percent increase over 2013's total of $55.4 million in retail sales, which had been the second highest total recorded since Minor League Baseball's licensing program began in 1992. The previous record was $60 million in sales, set in 1994. The totals are based on total licensed merchandise sales from January 1 - December 31, 2014, and include the 160 teams in the domestic-based leagues that charge admission to their games.

Alphabetically, the list includes: the Akron RubberDucks, Albuquerque Isotopes, Birmingham Barons, Carolina Mudcats, Charlotte Knights, Columbus Clippers, Corpus Christi Hooks, Dayton Dragons, Durham Bulls, El Paso Chihuahuas, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Indianapolis Indians, Lake Elsinore Storm, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Louisville Bats, Portland Sea Dogs, Quad Cities River Bandits, Reno Aces, Richmond Flying Squirrels, Rochester Red Wings, Sacramento River Cats, Salt Lake Bees, Toledo Mud Hens, Trenton Thunder and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

"The Top 25 list reflects the popularity of Minor League Baseball team names and logos across the country," said Sandie Hebert, Director of Licensing for Minor League Baseball. "The fact that nine of the teams on this year's list were not on the list last year shows that teams are keeping their logos creative, fresh and most of all, fun."

Online sales have also played a significant role in the steady growth of merchandise sales, as Minor League Baseball experienced a 17.6 percent increase over 2013. "Our consumers are taking advantage of the opportunity to buy Minor League Baseball merchandise online and at the ballpark," said Hebert. "Our clubs reported online sales in all 50 states and several foreign countries, highlighting Minor League Baseball's popularity across the country and abroad."

Of the Top 25 teams, 24 have online stores using the MiLB platform. Visit www.MiLBStore.com to find merchandise from the Top 25 list of teams, and other MiLB teams.
About Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball teams through their farm systems. Fans are coming out in unprecedented numbers to this one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found at Minor League Baseball ballparks. In 2013, Minor League Baseball attracted more than 41 million fans to its ballparks to see the future stars of the sport hone their skills. From the electricity in the stands to the excitement on the field, Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family-friendly entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more information about Minor League Baseball, visit www.MiLB.com.

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04 Jun 2015

Sarah Walker of Davenport named to Harding University dean's list

By Hannah Beall

SEARCY, AR (06/03/2015)(readMedia)-- Davenport resident Sarah Walker, a senior painting major at Harding University, is among more than 1,200 University students included on the dean's list for grades achieved during the spring 2015 semester.

The dean's list is published each semester by Dr. Larry Long, University provost, honoring those who have achieved high scholarship. To be eligible, a student must be carrying 12 or more hours with a 3.65 or higher grade-point average and no incompletes.

Harding is the largest private university in Arkansas with 6,075 students and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report for the 21st consecutive year as a top 25 school in the South. Harding also maintains campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France, Greece, Italy and Zambia. For more information visit www.harding.edu.

04 Jun 2015

Iowa Poll: Budget Top Issue for Caucus Goers

By Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

According to a Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll, 94 percent of likely Republican caucus goers want candidates to talk about the budget deficit, more than any other issue. According to the same poll, 74 percent of likely Democratic caucus goers want candidates to talk about the budget deficit.

"When three-quarters of Democrats and 94 percent of Republicans agree that presidential candidates should talk about deficits, it's clear that neither party can sidestep our budget problems," said Maya MacGuineas, head of the Campaign to Fix the Debt. "Candidates should be tearing up their stump speeches and replacing them with ideas on how they plan to tackle our debt. Voters are demanding it."

Click here to view full polling results.

The poll findings buttress the efforts of First Budget, a joint initiative of Fix the Debt and The Concord Coalition to raise public awareness of the dangers posed by the nation's unsustainable budget policies and make solving this problem a high priority for the 2016 presidential candidates in Iowa and New Hampshire.

The poll results also follow a drumbeat of activity by First Budget to raise the importance of the issue in Iowa. First Budget recently announced a Cabinet of local leaders, and in the last 10 days, First Budget leaders and volunteers have been spreading the message through media across Iowa, including in the Sioux City Journal, Newtown Daily News, the Quad City Times, WMT radio in Cedar Rapids and KXEL radio in Waterloo.

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For more information, contact Jack Deutsch at deutsch@fixthedebt.org

For more information about First Budget, please visit www.firstbudget.org

For more information about the Fix the Debt Campaign, please visit www.fixthedebt.org

04 Jun 2015

IRS whistleblower office developments

By Grassley Press

Sen. Chuck Grassley has received a response from IRS Commissioner John Koskinen to questions for the record after the February hearing on the agency's budget, including a response on the IRS whistleblower office.  Grassley authored the provisions that beefed up the IRS' whistleblower office and has monitored their implementation.  Grassley made the following comment on a Tax Court opinion this week that found the IRS is not legally justified in denying a whistleblower award simply because the whistleblower brought useful information directly to the IRS' operating division prior to filling out paperwork requesting an award with the whistleblower office.   Grassley made the following comment on the ruling.

"The law was intended to direct whistleblowers and the IRS to work together to catch tax cheats.  Bureaucratic barriers don't get the job done.  The IRS should welcome whistleblowers with a red carpet instead of putting up arbitrary legal hurdles at every turn."

The answers from Koskinen to Grassley are available here.  The Tax Court opinion is available here.

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04 Jun 2015

WQPT ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2015 AMBASSADORS

By Lora Adams

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT, Quad Cities PBS is pleased to introduce its 2015 WQPT/PBS Ambassadors, an elite volunteer corps made up of college students.

 

Entering its 11th year, the program provides college students with the opportunity to represent their local public television station at a variety of events throughout eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

 

"Our Ambassadors are an extension of the staff, and the leadership skills they acquire, as a direct result of their experiences as Ambassadors in the program, have helped them move on to jobs," said WQPT Special Projects Coordinator Bea Brasel. "This year, our Ambassadors will be focused on reaching farther out into our viewing area."

 

In 2013, the WQPT/PBS Ambassador program was honored nationally with the "Grassroots Advocacy Award" from the National Friends of Public Broadcasting. This year, two former Ambassadors received individual awards for their volunteer work for WQPT, as well.

 

The 2015 class of WQPT/PBS Ambassadors are:  Cody Hageman (Western Illinois University-QC), Iame Rea (University of Iowa), Kasey Fish (WIU-QC), Grace Brasel (Augustana College), Christopher Black (Black Hawk College); John McAfoos (WIU-QC), Rich Yerington (WIU-QC), Lauren Tague (Illinois State University), Kathryn Reed (Illinois State University), Remona Laing (St. Ambrose University), Nicolas Riojas (Augustana College); Alexandra Lenger (Iowa State University) and Katherine Williams (St. Ambrose University).

 

WQPT is the public media service of Western Illinois University.

 

# # #

04 Jun 2015

Smiddy Supports Bill Fighting Heroin Abuse

By Paul Ferrero
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - To combat the state's growing heroin problem, state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, voted to pass legislation establishing a comprehensive plan to reduce abuse of heroin.
"Thousands of Illinois families have been torn apart by heroin," Smiddy said. "Illinois must take unified, strong action if we are to halt the spread of this deadly drug and the havoc it creates in our communities."
Smiddy joined every member of the Illinois House in voting for the historic legislation. The bill, House Bill 1, includes prescription-return programs, expanded drug courts and additional treatment programs for low-level possession charges. Additionally, naloxone, a drug used to counteract heroin overdoses, will be carried by first responders, and the state will develop a heroin drug prevention program that can be implemented at any public school in the state.
"This plan combines an effort to stop the heroin-related deaths that are happening right now across the state, while attempting the change the culture around the drug and prevent its abuse long-term," Smiddy said. "I'll remain committed to making our communities safe and reducing the harm this drug can have on our children."
House Bill 1 received bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate and will await the signature of the governor to become law.
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