The Mississippi Valley Blues Society announces that Daddy Mack will be playing at The Muddy Waters, 1708 State Street, Bettendorf, IA on Sunday, June 21 starting at 7:00 p.m. The cost to see this performance will be $5 if you are a Mississippi Valley Blues Society member, or $7 if you are have not joined the Blues Society (applications will be available at the door).

Mack Orr developed his talents sitting in with the Fieldstones at Green's Lounge, one of the most popular juke joints in Memphis, TN.  He leads this four-piece group with his guitar and vocals in a down-home traditional blues sound. Teaming up with brothers Harold and James Bonner, drummer William Faulkner, and keyboardist Charlie Wood, their raw approach to blues is something too often missing in contemporary blues.

Since 1998, they have been the house band at the Center for Southern Folklore on Beale Street, where thousands of tourists from all corners of the world have experienced their natural and soulful musical blend.  At a Blues Foundation party in April of 1999, Rolling Stones Keith Richards and Ron Wood sat in with the band and, as the story goes, they were able to keep up musically, but no one was shouting to hear "Jumpin' Jack Flash" either.

For more than a decade the Daddy Mack and his band have experienced playing for a broad spectrum of audiences.  The band has played London, Paris, Las Vegas, and before a crowd of thousands at the 2006 Chicago Blues Festival.  Mack isn't too shy to play a party for a gathering of governors from all across the United States or to walk right into the middle of a crowd with his wireless and play guitar licks while his sweat drips right onto the shoes of hollerin' blues fans.

Mack is not only doing his part to keep the blues alive for the 21st Century, he's not compromising what he thinks blues is supposed to be - fun, and with the right balance of showmanship and good music.

This event is being presented by The Mississippi Valley Blues Society. The objective of the Society is to educate the general public about the native art form of blues-related music through performance, interpretation and preservation, thus enhancing appreciation and understanding.

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EFFECTIVE JULY 1

The Scott County Recorder's office will be suspending their Passport Services until September 1, 2015.  Due to staffing needs we are not able to provide passport acceptance services on a consistent base.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa made the following statement regarding the announced resignation of U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton:

"News of Ms. Hylton's decision to resign comes as the Marshals Service faces serious allegations of misconduct within its senior ranks. The Justice Department has referred whistleblower claims I've raised to the Inspector General for further investigation, and the Office of Special Counsel is pursuing separate inquiries following charges of whistleblower retaliation.  It's never good news when the head of an agency needs to step aside in the midst of these kinds of allegations, and it also doesn't mean the investigations are complete.  The Committee's inquiry into the broad range of whistleblower allegations will continue alongside the inquiries by the Inspector General and Special Counsel.  Accountability and transparency are the best tools to restore trust in an organization that is supposed to be setting an example of respect for the rule of law.

"As the Marshals Service moves forward, the next director must be committed to bringing real, positive change to what appears to be a culture corroded by unethical hiring practices, misuse of funds and retaliation against whistleblowers."

For several months, Grassley has been investigating claims by dozens of whistleblowers across multiple divisions of the Marshals Service, ranging from hiring quid pro quos involving Hylton to misuse of funds within the Asset Forfeiture Division to nepotism. Grassley's inquiries have led the Justice Department to call for an independent investigation into the claims.

Grassley sent a letter to the Hylton on March 18 regarding alleged misuse of the Asset Forfeiture Fund, including claims that officials used the Fund to purchase extravagant office furnishings.  However, the agency's response was incomplete and contained several discrepancies, requiring a greater explanation.

Grassley also sent a letter to the Justice Department on March 19 relating to allegations of an inappropriate exchange of favors that led to the hiring of a highly-paid yet unqualified contractor and Hylton's promotion of another Marshals Service official.  Grassley followed up on his letter regarding the alleged hiring quid pro quo on April 7, after the Justice Department failed to dispel these concerns. The Justice Department later stated on April 17 that it may have provided the Committee with incomplete or inaccurate information and is continuing its investigations. In this letter, the Justice Department supplied email records supporting the claims of a quid pro quo.

These exchanges have prompted other whistleblowers to come forward to raise new concerns and corroborate some of the earlier allegations. Unfortunately, senior leadership at the Marshals Service has a sordid track record of misconduct and lack of cooperation with federal investigations. Therefore, Grassley intends to continue his own investigation, which may continue into the tenure of Hylton's replacement.

MASON CITY, IOWA (June 8, 2015) - Fly Iowa, returning July 25-26, 2015 to the Mason City Municipal Airport, has announced its performer lineup and schedule that includes Matt Younkin in his Twin Beech 18, Julie Clark in her T-34 Mentor and a performance by local Iowa band The Nadas.

"Our acts include some of the biggest names in the airshow industry today. We are very proud to be able to put on an event of this caliber for the North Iowa community," said Adam Glowaski, Fly Iowa 2015 Chair.

Performers in the show include : Matt Younkin - Twin Beech 18 / Super Decathlon, Julie Clark - T-34 Mentor, Erik Edgren - Clipped Wing Taylorcraft, The Texas Flying Legends Museum - F4-U Corsair / Zero / B-25 / P-51 / P-40 / TBM Avenger, Mike Galloway - Extra 300, The Vanguard Squadron - 4 RV-3's, Larry Lumpkin - P-51 Mustang, Larry Kramer - RC Jet, The Nadas - Iowa Band, Flashing Thunder - Fireworks

Airshow Schedule

Saturday, July 25th
2 p.m. - Gates Open
4:30 p.m. - Day Airshow Begins 7:30 p.m. - Nadas Concert
8:30 p.m. - Night Airshow Begins Fireworks after Night Airshow

Sunday, July 26th
7 a.m. - Fly In Breakfast
12 p.m. - Day Airshow Begins

The event is free and open to the public.

and Twitter at @flyiowa. If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please visit our volunteer page:

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The Iowa Aviation Promotion Group is a non-profit organization whose mission is to grow aviation by increasing the number of pilots, aviation users, and aviation supporters within the state. IAPG offers a number of programs intended to: increase awareness of the benefits of aviation, educate the public, increase the activity level of current aviation enthusiasts, increase the number of pilots and aircraft within the state, and provide opportunities for young and old to experience aviation in Iowa.