On View in the Stanley Gallery March 8 - May 24, 2015

FREE ADMISSION

Artist Reception

March 15, 2015 from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Artist's Remarks at 2 p.m.

FREE ADMISSION - Donations of Canned Goods are Encouraged

Exploring Photography Session

Local Photographers invited to participate in a group discussion with Pamela Houser

March 17, 2015 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Muscatine Art Center

FREE ADMISSION

Artist Pamela Houser has traveled the United States and finds people experiencing homelessness wherever she goes. These individuals are cold, lonely and hungry. They are "Someone's Family", a brother, sister, parent, child, and they need help. Ms. Houser's hope is that her work will help the viewer find a deeper sense of consciousness and empathy concerning the needs of the homeless. She depicts their lives through the use of black and white photography. Candid or photojournalist photos catch them in their struggle trying to find the most basic necessities. Consistent throughout the work is their obvious lack of food and housing. Artists such as Lewis Hine, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lang and Mary Ellen Mark provide inspiration for Ms. Houser as she works to document homelessness and create social awareness.

Ms. Houser explains, "On recent travels I have met some wonderful people who agreed to collaborate with my project concerning people experiencing homelessness as a way to help create social awareness. I met a middle-aged lady named Patty whose struggle with mental illness led her to the streets, lost to those who loved and tried to help her. Max was a gentleman sleeping on the streets of New York City. Some kind stranger had left him breakfast on his bed of cardboard; how nice of them. A fellow named Ray was on the corner in Seattle asking for money for shelter and food. He explained that he only needed $5 per day to survive; enough for food and a bed in the shelter. I met many of our nations' veterans struggling and experiencing homelessness right in our Nation's capitol."

Ms. Houser invites local photographers to meet with her on Tuesday, March 17^th from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Muscatine Art Center. Photographers of all experience levels may attend the group discussion and are encouraged to bring examples of their own work.

Visitors to the exhibition, "Someone's Family", are encouraged to drop off canned goods which will be donated to local food pantries. Photographs by Ms. Houser may be purchased with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Muscatine Center for Social Action (MCSA). MCSA staff members are organizing a related exhibit which highlights the experiences of people living in Muscatine as well as the resources available through MCSA. This exhibit will be installed on the second floor of the Stanley Gallery.

Please contact Melanie Alexander, Director, with any questions or concerns at 563-263-8282 or by email at malexander@muscatineiowa.gov.

The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events and to download a class brochure.

Comptroller's tax return insert will shine light on government spending

CHICAGO - As her office began issuing state income tax refunds this week, Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger urged taxpayers Thursday to register online to check the status of their returns and sign up for text message and email payment notifications.

The easy-to-use Tax Refund Alert System allows taxpayers to visit illinoiscomptroller.com and enter their name and Social Security Number to see if the Comptroller's Office has processed their refund. Taxpayers also can enter an email address and phone number to receive a payment notification.

In addition, Munger announced her office will include inserts with all tax returns detailing where the State of Illinois spent $36.7 billion in 2014, information on the state's bill backlog, and other tools to help taxpayers learn about state and local finances. Those who receive their tax refunds through Direct Deposit may view the tax insert digitally if they register for the Tax Refund Alert System.

"Our team at the Comptroller's office is dedicated to making state government more helpful for taxpayers. Our tax refund alert system and tax return insert will make it easier for them to track their refunds and monitor government spending," Munger said. "We will continue to focus on making government more efficient, transparent, and accessible while offering taxpayer-friendly tools to help our citizens follow the money."

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Eastern Iowa Hay Producers Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Area hay and forage producers are invited to attend the 32nd Annual Eastern Iowa Hay Producers Association (EIHPA) Annual Meeting and Conference on Thursday, March 19, 2015 at Buzzy's in Welton.  Registration will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the program scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.

This year's conference will focus on forage rotation and cover crops. Dr.  Matt Liebman, ISU Professor of Agronomy, will speak on forages as part of a crop rotation. Liebman's research focuses on diversified cropping systems, weed ecology and management, and the use of native perennial species for soil and water conservation and biofuel production, including crop rotations, cover crops, green manures, intercrops, reconstructed prairies, conservation strips, animal manures, composts, and insects and rodents.   Mark Carlton, ISU Extension Field Agronomist, will speak on utilizing cover crops as a forage.  He will be followed by a panel of producers who are using cover crops as a forage source for their livestock operation.  Following
lunch and a brief annual meeting to elect officers and directors, will be regional updates from Virgil Schmitt, ISU Extension Field Agronomist, and Denise Schwab, ISU Extension Beef Specialist.  Specific regional topics to be addressed include information on the newly released low lignin alfalfa and concerns about molds and mycotoxins in corn stover.

Registration for the conference is $30 and includes a memBership to EIHPA and meal.  Tickets can be purchased at the door.  Certified crop advisor credits have been applied for.  This conference is sponsored by EIHPA, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, and the Iowa Beef Center.

The Eastern Iowa Hay Producers Association provides educational workshops and field days for forage producers in Jackson, Jones, Clinton, Cedar, Scott and Muscatine counties. However, forage producers from other counties are also welcome to participate.  For more information contact Denise Schwab at dschwab@iastate.edu or Kevin Brown at brofarm@windstream.net  or 563-872-4475.

Scott County Extension Master Gardeners Offer Trip to Chicago Botanical Gardens

Join the Scott County Master Gardeners on a fun and educational bus trip to the Chicago Botanical Antiques, Garden, & Design Show on April 17th! The price of $50 includes cost of the bus, your ticket in to the event, and coffee & muffins on the trip to Chicago. Send your registrations to Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, Iowa by March 20, 2015.

Eco Family Project Starts March 19

Iowans will learn how to maximize their resources and share their extras during the 2015 Eco Family Project from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Registration is now open for the project, which begins March 19 and runs through June 11.

"People who care about healthy environments and green living will be interested in the 2015 Eco Family Project," said Kristi Cooper, a human sciences specialist in family life with ISU Extension and Outreach. "It's designed to connect people who value learning about the environment and provide an opportunity to take action in their community."

The 2015 Eco Family Project has three parts - TED-Ed lessons, online chats with other eco families and local community focused activities, said Brenda Schmitt, a human sciences specialist in family finance. Schmitt and Cooper are leading the project.

 The 2015 Eco Family Project will cover several topics:

• Learn to live green. Participants will discover ways to minimize their impact on the environment in everyday practices. They'll calculate their ecological footprint and create green cleaning products.

• Explore local food systems. Participants will examine their food footprint and find ways to source local products. Learn how to prevent food waste and start home composting.

• Evaluate priorities about "stuff." Learn about barter, trade and other ways to share goods and services. Discover and advocate for new sharing opportunities with others in the community.

• Explore where energy comes from. Participants will examine their energy consumption and find ways to conserve and share resources. Become an advocate to encourage diversity in the energy supply.

• Learn how to conserve water at home and in the community. Become an advocate for clean water.

• Find new ways to connect with nature.

Participating in the Eco Family Project tends to get people motivated to develop a greener lifestyle, Schmitt said. One participant used reclaimed building materials for a remodeling project. Another installed rain gardens and rain barrels to handle extra storm water in her yard.

"People are decluttering their homes and turning that extra stuff into cash at consignment shops, or donating it to help a charitable organizations and even get a tax deduction," Schmitt said.

"Because of what we learned from the Eco Family Project, my father-in-law designed a Little Free Library and my husband and daughter installed it on the corner of our lot. Neighbors are using it, donating books and borrowing books," Cooper said.

"It's practical and fun to do things that help the Earth and help people at the same time," Cooper said.

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