"We were looking for ways to put a new twist on an old favorite."  said Boetje's production manager Harrison Kropp.  "We saw some interesting barrel aged mustards at the World-Wide Mustard Competition in Wisconsin last year.  So we thought it would be great to give it a try with Boetje's."

Ryan Burchett, owner and distiller at Mississippi River Distilling Company, said he didn't have to think twice about the project.  "It was a total no-brainer for us.  We were humbled to have such an established brand like Boetje's reach out to us for something like this.  It's an honor to have our name on the same label as one of our all time favorites."

The distillery gave Kropp some oak whiskey casks that had been used to age Cody Road Bourbon Whiskey.  After soaking for more than 30 days in the barrel, the mustard is ground and prepared for sale.  "It brings a unique sweetness to our mustard along with the signature Boetje's punch." added Kropp.  "I think this one is going to be a big hit once the grills start firing up."

"Our brand is all about being local." said Burchett.  "Cody Road Bourbon is made from grain sourced directly from local farmers within 25 miles of our distillery.  So to find a new local partner to do something totally different like this is a ton of fun for us."

The mustard is being made in small batches.  Initially it will only be available at the gift shops at Boetje's and Mississippi River Distilling Company.  Boetje's representatives will be at the distillery Friday night from 5:30 to 8 PM for the monthly "First Friday" celebration in LeClaire.  They will have the mustard for sale along with free samples of the new spicy treat.

Mississippi River Distilling will also be introducing a new limited edition whiskey collaboration with Great River Brewing in Davenport that evening.  Farmer Brown Whiskey was made by distilling the alcohol out of over 3,000 gallons of Farmer Brown Ale from the local brewery.  This whiskey will be available for a short time at the distillery and through local retailers around Iowa and Illinois.

#####

NOTE:  Distillery representatives will be at Boetje's 2736 12th St. in Rock Island on Thursday, March 5 at 10:30 AM to help bottle the mustard.  Please contact Boetje's if you would like to attend.

Bettendorf, IA -National dental IT company Medix Dental (headquartered in Bettendorf) unveiled a new video this week shot in Davenport's famed and historic Figge Art Musem. The creative video short features Quad City residents Chris Jess (age 35) and Brody Ford (age 11).  The video was recorded in the museum's Nobis Boardroom.

"The Figge Art Museum is a Midwest gem, so the decision to record at such a beautiful location was a no-brainer," says Medix Dental's Communication Director Laura Simmons. "I expect more and more businesses will take advantage of the state-of-the-art facility here in our own backyard, especially as video marketing continues to become a necessary marketing standard."

Highly acclaimed Josh Ford of Ford Photography (Davenport) shot and edited the playful video. "When thinking of locations for Medix Dental's video, it was difficult to envision it happening anywhere else," says Ford. "The architecture of the Figge Museum is so beautiful. My wife and I were married there, and we continue to appreciate the Figge's employee efforts and programs they continue to provide our hometown."

The video can be seen at www.medixdental.com, Medix Dental's Facebook page, or on Medix Dental's YouTube channel at youtube.com/medixtech.  See more of Josh Ford's work at www.ford-photo.com.

###

Money worries can lead to sleepless nights for just about everyone, but surveys routinely reveal that women more than men feel the anxiety from a rocky financial situation.

In a 2014 Money Magazine survey, for example, two-thirds of women said they were worried about their financial outlook, compared with 54 percent of men.

Recent studies also found that women tend to be overwhelmed by debt more frequently than men, says financial strategist Donna M. Phelan, author of "Women, Money and Prosperity: A Sister's Perspective on How to Retire Well" (www.donnamphelan.com).

They are more likely to carry over a credit card debt from one month to the next, as well as pay only the minimum required by their lender.

"That can lead to the misconception that women are bad with money, but that's not necessarily the case," Phelan says. "Emergencies arise. Children need school supplies. Elderly parents can need medication. The list can go on and on."

Women don't need to remain in perpetual state of anxiety, Phelan says. She offers seven tips for developing a fear-free plan of action:

•  Learn financial basics. Go online or to the library and read financial articles, books and newspapers. Also, Phelan says, seek the help of a financial advisor who can assess your situation, suggest ways to improve and create a financial plan that could get you on track for retirement.

"Many women avoid going to see a financial advisor because they don't have any money or are deep in debt and believe they can't afford it, but that's precisely when you should see a financial advisor," Phelan says.

•  Get organized. Rid yourself of clutter and set up systems to keep track of paperwork. If the task seems overwhelming, take it a step at a time, such as cleaning out just one desk drawer a week, Phelan says.

Balance your checkbook regularly, too. Do it weekly or bi-weekly if possible, Phelan suggests, but never go more than a month. "This isn't a chore most people enjoy, but it's necessary for a healthy budget," she says.

•  Use cash instead of credit. Credit cards distance us from the effect purchases have on our bank accounts, at least until the bill arrives. "Cash, on the other hand, is an immediate reminder of the financial consequences of that purchase," Phelan says. "Sometimes a reminder is a good thing."

One away to wean yourself off credit is to carry and use your checkbook and leave the credit cards at home, Phelan says.

•  Track your spending. Write down everything you spend money on for one week, Phelan says. Then look in your checkbook and credit-card statements and write down everything you spend money on for one month. "You will be amazed at how much you spend and where the money goes," she says.

The next step is to create a spending plan. Write down how much income you have each month and decide how you want to spend it. Pay yourself first, Phelan suggests, by saving a certain percentage each month. After that, list all your mandatory bills and find ways to cut non-essentials.

•  Look for ways to increase your income. When you can't pay your bills each month, you have two options. Increase your income or reduce expenses. "It's likely some combination of the two will be necessary," Phelan says. "No matter how you view it, you need to start looking for ways to open up new income streams."

•  Develop new retirement strategies. Women should create what Phelan refers to as Stackable Income Streams to Empower Retirement Security, or SISTERS. Essentially, they need to "stack" enough dependable income streams to meet their monthly spending needs in retirement. Women should consider non-traditional residence sharing, such as renting out empty rooms, getting a roommate or downsizing, she says. They could create profitable home-based businesses from their hobbies. Women should consider delaying their retirement start date and working part-time in retirement, Phelan says.

•  Talk with other women. What are your friends doing to better manage money and prepare for retirement? Phelan suggests women form a SISTERS club that meets regularly to discuss retirement planning. They might discover that they have ideas, talents and resources to share with other women, which might enhance the retirement planning experience and success of a larger scope of women.

About Donna M. Phelan

Donna M. Phelan is the author of "Women, Money and Prosperity: A Sister's Perspective on How to Retire Well" (www.donnamphelan.com). Donna has spent 19 years at some of Wall Street's largest and most prestigious investment firms. She holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Connecticut, and provides personal finance advice to clients in 20 states coast to coast. She has been featured in USA Today, Yahoo Finance.Com, CNBC.Com and The Houston Chronicle, among others. Donna has lectured at conferences nationwide on a broad range of financial topics and is the author of numerous articles on investments, retirement and financial planning. Donna was formerly President of the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) Connecticut state chapter and was active in the Financial Women's Association (FWA) in New York. She is currently a member of the South Bay Estate Planning Council in Los Angeles. Prior to working on Wall Street, Donna was Principal of a jewelry design and manufacturing company whose customers included Tiffany & Co, C. D. Peacock, and Cartier, for whom she did freelance design.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech. Loebsack watched the speech from his office.

"The strategic importance between Israel and the United States is as important as ever as we work towards the commonly held goal of ensuring Iran does not achieve nuclear weapons capability. Since being founded in 1948, Israel has been and remains one of our closest allies and the relationship has long been a bipartisan one. But after Speaker Boehner injected partisan politics into the debate, this speech became nothing more than a spectacle where attendance at the speech mattered more than what was actually said. It is my hope that we can now move beyond this speech and continue to move towards a deal with Iran that has strict verification mechanisms to ensure Iran does not get nuclear weapons capabilities."