Lego Robotics

The Moline Public Library kicks off "Project Next Generation: Dream, Design, Deliver" with a Lego Robotics Workshop series. Teens and Tweens in grades 5 and up will learn how to assemble and program motorized LEGO robots using LEGO Mindstorm kits. Sessions will take place on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on November 6, 13, and 20 and December 4, 11, and 18. Attendance at all six sessions is recommended. No experience is necessary, but space is limited and registration is required. Bus passes will be available to registered participants.

For more information, or to register for the program, contact Jan LaRoche at  jlaroche@molinelibrary.org or by calling 309-524-2470.

 

TEEN-ucopia

Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:30

Teens can stop by the Teen Corner of the Moline Public Library on Wednesdays between 2:30 and 4:30 to enjoy a variety of video games, board games, crafts, and other activities. No registration required. For more information call 309-524-2440 or visit us at 3210 41st Street, Moline, IL 61265 or online at  http://www.molinelibrary.com.


Brilliant Companions

Monday, November 3 @ 6:30

The Brilliant Companions, a Doctor Who fan club, will meet at the Moline Public Library on Monday, November 3 at 6:30 to discuss our season seven of the Classic Doctor Who, featuring Jon Pertwee. This program is free and open to all ages. No registration is required. For more information call 309-524-2440 or visit us at 3210 41st Street, Moline, IL 61265 or online at  http://www.molinelibrary.com.

 

Teen Advisory Group

Thursday, November 6 @ 3:30

The Teen Advisory Group of the Moline Public Library will meet on Thursday, November 6 at 3:30. Quad City area teens in grades 6 through 12 are invited to help plan programs and events for teens, give feedback about the library, and meet new friends. No registration is required. For more information call 309-524-2440 or visit us at 3210 41st Street, Moline, IL 61265 or online at  http://www.molinelibrary.com.

 

Anime Club

Tuesday, November 18 @ 3:30

Fans of anime, manga, and all things Japanese are invited to join the Moline Public Library's Anime Club on Tuesday, November 18 at 3:30. Bring your anime and manga to share with the group or exchange for something new. This program is free and open to ages 12 to 21. No registration is required. For more information call 309-524-2440 or visit us at 3210 41st Street, Moline, IL 61265 or online at  http://www.molinelibrary.com.

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VOTER ID CHAMPION BESTS OBAMA CAMPAIGN MANAGER

 

(Cedar Rapids, IA)  Today, former Iowa Secretary of State and Mayor of Cedar Rapids, Paul D. Pate released a poll showing his message is resonating in the race to become Iowa's next Secretary of State.

On Wednesday, USA Today/Suffolk released a poll showing Pate with a 1 point lead. Today, less than three weeks before Election Day, Pate released a poll conducted by Victory Enterprises of Davenport, Iowa showing Iowans support "a change to Iowa law to require some form of official identification to be shown at the ballot box before people vote" 60.17% - 28.64% with 11.19% Undecided
Additionally, the respondents to the new VE poll said that they prefer "former Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate who supports a new voter identification law to former Obama campaign director Brad Anderson who opposes a new voter identification law 45.17% - 34.8% with still 20.04% Undecided.

Pate, "This poll is further confirmation that my plan to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat is resonating with Iowans who overwhelmingly support a voter ID requirement as I do.  Iowans expect and deserve a non-partisan chief commissioner of elections, not a career partisan political operative from Chicago who served as President Obama's Iowa campaign director.  I have previously served as Iowa Secretary of State in a non-partisan manner while encouraging voter participation and protecting the integrity of the election process."

The interactive voice response (IVR) poll conducted by Victory Enterprises was conducted Oct. 14-15 with 759 likely voters and has a margin of error of 3.56%.

A nationally recognized business leader by the Small Business Administration, Pate is the owner of a paving construction firm and recently served as Mayor of Cedar Rapids from 2002 -2006.  While Mayor, Pate was elected President of the non-partisan Iowa League of Cities representing over 870 municipalities.  Previously, he served as Iowa Secretary of State from 1995-1999 and represented NE Cedar Rapids, Marion and parts of Linn, Buchanan and Delaware Counties in the Iowa Senate from 1989-1995.

Pate is a lifelong Iowa resident, born in Ottumwa, growing up in Linn County.

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Passion of Dracula

Augustana College Theatre Department produces The Passion of Dracula on October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 at 7:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sundays at Bergendoff Hall, 3701 7th Avenue in Rock Island. This version of the Dracula legend based on the 1897 Bram Stoker novel is set in the English countryside in 1911 where several village girls have died under mysterious circumstances. Dr. Sweard presides over a nearby mental hospital that has acquired a new resident-Count Dracula! A trio of doctors, a young reporter, and a stouthearted English lord battle the Count for possession of the lovely heroine. With a dash of Holmesian sleuthing in the Baskerville hound country setting, our heroes save the heroine and dispatch the Count in the traditional manner. www.augustana.edu

MOLINE, Ill. (October 16, 2014) - The Quad City Mallards have signed forward Todd Fiddler, the Mallards announced today.

Fiddler, 21, last season finished tied for second in the Western Hockey League in goals (50) and tied for sixth in points (98).  The 5' 11", 210-pound Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan native split what was his final junior season between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Prince George Cougars before turning professional in time to score twice in eight ECHL games with the Colorado Eagles at the tail end of the campaign.

"In his last two years in major junior, Todd scored over 90 goals.  You don't do that just by being lucky," said Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski.  "He's smart and he positions himself well.  With the right centerman he could be a very productive player for us."

In just over four seasons, Fiddler scored 127 goals and added 114 assists for 241 points in 280 career WHL games.  He enjoyed a breakout season with the Spokane Chiefs when he scored 42 goals and totaled 77 points in 70 games in 2012-13 after producing a dozen goals and 28 points in 73 games while playing for both the Chiefs and Prince Albert Raiders in 2011-12.  After breaking into the WHL by playing one game for the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2009-10, Fiddler the following year scored 23 times and totaled 38 points in 70 games with Prince Albert in his first full major junior season.

With Fiddler's arrival, the Mallards' roster now consists of 21 players- 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.  Fiddler joins fellow forwards Kevin Baker, Justin Fox, Evan Haney, Jeff Lee, Paxton Leroux, Joe Perry, Antti Pusa, Johnny Rogic, Kyle Thomas, Garrett Vermeersch and Ben Woodley; defensemen Jannik Chistensen, Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel, Matt Duffy, Nick Grasso, Darren McMIllan, Mike Monfredo and Nicolas Rioux; and goaltenders Parker Milner and Evan Mosher.

The Mallards will open their first ECHL season on home ice Friday, October 24 at 7:05 p.m. against the Rapid City Rush.  Next Friday is also the season's first $1 Dog/$1 Beer Night presented by 97X and MetroLINK.  Fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $1 beers from iWireless Center concession stands during the Mallards' match-up with the Rush.

Single game tickets for each of the Mallards 36 regular season home games- including the opener- are on sale now at the iWireless Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.  Tickets are available for $10, $16, $20 and $28.

About the Quad City Mallards
A proud affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Quad City Mallards are approaching their eighteenth season and their first in the ECHL.  One of the winningest teams in all of minor league hockey, the Mallards competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007; in the International Hockey League in 2009-10; and in the Central Hockey League from 2010 through 2014.  The Mallards' proud history has seen them capture the UHL's Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league's Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record.  In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.  The iWireless Center provides a unique environment for hockey and features one-of-a-kind seating areas such as the Nest for groups and functions and the exclusive Drake Club.  For more information on the Quad City Mallards or for Mallards tickets go to www.myqcmallards.com.  Fans can also follow the Mallards via Twitter at twitter.com/myqcmallards and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/qcmallards.

 

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Better Business Bureau is now accepting nominations for Integrity Awards.

October 15, 2014 (Des Moines, IA) – It's not all scams and warnings at Better Business Bureau. Today BBB announces a call for nominations for the 2015 Integrity Awards, which honor businesses who demonstrate superior ethics, reliability and trustworthiness.

Individuals and business owners can nominate businesses online at www.bbb.org/iowa. Established in 1993, the BBB Integrity Awards give public recognition to businesses and organizations for their outstanding commitment to fair, honest and ethical marketplace practices. The awards celebrate marketplace role models who exemplify BBB principles and uphold our ideals on trust, reliability and ethics.

"Everyone knows a business who has gone above and beyond to perform ethically," says Chris Coleman, BBB CEO. "We want to celebrate those who are making the marketplaces in our communities somewhere businesses and consumers can trust each other."

Nominations for businesses are due December 15. Any company doing business in BBB's service area for at least three years is eligible to be nominated, no matter how big or how small. Following the open nomination process, nominated businesses will receive a formal application packet. An independent panel of volunteer community leaders will select this year's recipients, who will be recognized at a ceremony on April 16, 2015, at the Downtown Des Moines Marriott.

Last year's winners were Brad VanWeelden Company, Gratias Construction/Gratias Homes, Pioneer Communications, and The Rasmussen Group.

BBB also recognizes tomorrow's leaders through the Students of Integrity awards. The awards are given to three high school seniors, nominated by their guidance counselors and principals, who personify high character and ethical behavior in their leadership and contributions to their communities and schools. Student honorees are selected by a panel of judges to receive a $2,500 scholarship to an accredited school/college of their choice.

About Better Business Bureau: BBB is a nonprofit, non-governmental, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. All BBB services to consumers are free of charge. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Reviews on more than 4 million businesses, 11,000 Charity Reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. BBB Serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities and Siouxland Region was founded in 1940 and is one of 112 local, independent BBBs across North America.

For more about this story or other media inquiries, please contact Amanda Acton, Communications Director, at 515-243-8137, ext. 313 or amanda@dm.bbb.org.

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Davenport, IA - Desmond Cunningham is not like most 28 year olds. 

Desmond moved to the Quad Cities from Maywood, Illinois to attend Augustana College where he played on the football team.  Shortly after college he joined the staff at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Rock Island where he has worked for the past 6 years as the Teen-Outreach Coordinator.  He is a dedicated role model to the under-privileged children and often described as someone who consistently goes above and beyond his job duties.  But he doesn't stop there.

Desmond also works for New Choices Inc., a human service provider in Eastern Iowa.  There he supports adults with intellectual disabilities so they are able to live independently.  Despite working with individuals with challenging behavior, Desmond always maintains his composure and treats clients with the utmost respect.  He has even been known to take individuals home for Christmas to ensure they have a family to spend the holidays with and gifts to open. The service recipients' fondness for Desmond is vividly illustrated in their eagerness for his return to work.

Desmond has dedicated his life in helping others and now it's time for others to return the love.  A year ago Desmond was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (a rare cancer found in the bile ducts).  He is currently undergoing chemotherapy to buy him time but there is no known cure.  Friends and family are hosting a benefit to help support him mentally and financially.

Whether you know Desmond or not, we encourage you to attend the event on Saturday November 8th starting at 2 o'clock p.m. at Carriage Haus in Davenport.  There will be a tournament, silent auction, and raffle, along with Koozies and bracelets for sale.  All proceeds are going to help with medical bills.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 16, 2014 - Iowa is home to more top 100 agricultural cooperatives than any other state, according to recently released USDA data. The number of top 100 co-ops in Iowa, 16, is up from 11 a decade ago.

"These statistics underscore what most Iowans already know - the state is extremely important to the nation's agricultural economy," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. Farmer-owned co-ops play a major role in making it an agricultural powerhouse

USDA's annual list of the nation's top 100 agricultural cooperatives, by business volume, indicates Minnesota ranks second among the states, with 13. It is followed by Nebraska with nine, Illinois and Wisconsin with five each, then California, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Ohio, which are all tied with four.

Looking at business volume where a cooperative has its headquarters, Minnesota ranks first among the states, with $68.8 billion. Missouri is second at $16.2 billion and Illinois is third at $13.2 billion.

Like the nation's ag co-op sector as a whole, the top 100 cooperatives also enjoyed a third consecutive year of record sales. They reported revenue of $174 billion in 2013, an increase of almost 9 percent over the $166 billion reported in 2012.

Net income (after taxes) remained virtually unchanged from 2012, at $3.5 billion. The previous records for sales and net income were set in 2012.

CHS Inc., Saint Paul, Minn. - an energy, farm supply, grain and food co-op - has been the nation's largest ag co-op during the past decade. It held onto the No. 1 spot in 2013, with $44 billion in revenue. It was followed by Land O' Lakes Inc., Saint Paul, Minn., with sales of $14 billion, and Dairy Farmers of America, Kansas City, Mo., with almost $13 billion in revenue.

Wheaton-Dumont Cooperative Elevator, a grain co-op based in Wheaton, Minn., made the biggest climb up the Top 100. In 2012, it was not even on the list, ranking 150th. The co-op rose 58 spots, to 92nd place, in 2013.

The Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, Wahpeton, N.D., a sugarbeet co-op, was the next biggest "gainer," moving from 131st place in 2012 to 98th in 2013.

Twenty-three cooperatives improved their ranking by double-digits. Six of these are mixed co-ops (co-ops that handle grain and farm supply sales). Dairy and grain each had two co-ops make double-digit gains, while cotton, rice and sugar each had one co-op jump by at least 10 places.

Grain cooperatives have experienced the largest increase in top 100 representation during the past decade. There were 19 grain cooperatives in the top 100 in 2004. That number rose to 41 in 2013. Dairy cooperative representation in the top 100 fell from 28 to 21 during the same period, while farm supply cooperatives increased from 13 to 16.

The Sept.-Oct. issue of USDA's "Rural Cooperatives" magazine includes the top 100 list and an article that examines some of the financial trends it reveals.

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Stuck on the Same Old Starter Wines? Aficionado Shares Advice for a Maturing Palate

There's nothing wrong with liking what you like, but you can't discover new favorites unless you try new things, says wine enthusiast Howard Kleinfeld.

While recovering from throat cancer, Kleinfeld, an award-winning commercial music producer, lost his sense of taste for a few years. When it came back, he decided to embrace some of the finest tastes life had to offer and has since traveled the world to satisfy his obsession with wine.

"I became someone who decided to say 'yes' to many of the things I used to say 'no' to, which has enriched my life tremendously with adventure," says Kleinfeld, author (as Howard K) of "Dial M for Merlot," www.DialMForMerlot.com, a lighthearted novel imbued with its character's passion for wine.

"But you don't have to book a trip to Napa or the Bordeaux region of France. You just have to be willing to try a new type of wine."

Wine has grown increasingly popular in America in recent decades. The preference of just one in four in 1992, it's now the alcoholic beverage of choice for 35 percent of us, which is just one percent less than beer, according to a 2013 Gallup poll.

"With all the holiday parties and family gatherings, it's a great time of year to expand one's 'Wine-Q'," says Kleinfeld, who offers the following suggestions.

•  If you like white zinfandel, consider a Riesling.
White zin is the "Kool-Aid of wine." It can be a good introduction to the wonderful world of wine because it's sweet, and everybody likes sugar. But there are a number of wines at many price points that are also sweet and carry a much more interesting profile -- a fuller body, honey and pear or apple notes and much more. Riesling and Gewürztraminer wines are a great place to start.

Fun fact: red zinfandel hails from the same grape as white zinfandel, except the red variety includes the grape's skin - white does not. The skin gives the wine a more robust flavor and color than its popular cousin, deep, rich and full of zest. It's quite different from white zin, but worth investigating with a curious palate.

•  If your go-to white wine is strictly Chardonnay, try a bottle of white from the Côtes du Rhône or a sauvignon blanc from just about anywhere.
Wine can be confusing because varieties may refer to a grape, a region or both. Chardonnay refers to a specific green-skinned grape and is grown all over the world, most notably in Burgundy, France. Côtes du Rhône is from the region of France of the same name and is usually made from a blend of grapes, none of which, by the way, are chardonnay.

Chardonnay is very popular and, it is said, a rite-of-passage grape for wineries. While Chardonnay is a relatively straightforward selection, Côtes du Rhône offers white and red varieties that will be fun crowd-pleasers at parties, and it's inexpensive. An export grape from the region is Syrah, remarkable for its now-global prevalence, from Washington state to South America to South Africa to Australia, where it's called Shiraz. For something completely different and light, try sauvignon blanc, which can be herbal and tart , with good acidity and complexity.

"Sauvignon blanc can be like drinking passion fruit - not quite orange, cherry or lemon - just passion fruit," he says. "I'll never forget one time I had it with tuna sashimi. It was such a perfect pairing...These are the things that make life great

•  If you like Moscato before dinner, try Sauternes or port wine with dessert.
Again, sweet wines are popular, but Sauternes from the region of Bordeaux with the same name, has a distinct flavor because of a unique geographical attribute. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by a fungus that usually causes souring. But, thanks to the weather in the Sauternes region, the fungus instead adds sweetness and complexity to wine. Varieties range from very sweet to dry as a bone. Port, Portuguese fortified wine, and Sauternes are amazing with nuts, blue cheese and foie gras, or goose liver pâté, slathered on baguette, Kleinfeld says.

•  If you think it's time to outgrow merlot ... try another merlot.
Ever since the movie "Sideways," merlot has gotten a bad rap. Yes, some varieties can be fruit bombs (and there's nothing wrong with that!), but others are deep, rich and structured. On a wide range of levels, merlot can provide  a nuanced and rewarding experience.

"Don't be afraid to drink merlot just because you may have heard it's not hip," says Kleinfeld. "It can stand on its own and is also a big-time blending grape in some of the world's most famous wines. It's the king of the 'right bank' region of Bordeaux."

About Howard Kleinfeld (Howard K)

Howard Kleinfeld is a full-time wine enthusiast, part-time foodie, and first-time author. His new novel, "Dial M for Merlot," www.DialMForMerlot.com, written under the pen name Howard K, follows a 30-year-old math whiz's intoxicating journey of wine discovery. Kleinfeld is a longtime singer-songwriter whose compositions/productions for advertising, TV shows and indie films have earned him Emmy, Telly and Addy awards.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host an Ag Outlook and Management Seminar in Tipton at the extension office on Thursday, November 6th cost to attend the session is $45 which includes dinner. The seminar is designed to provide agribusiness professionals and producers with an evaluation of current and outlook market conditions as well as expected trends in crop and livestock income potential.

The first speaker for the evening is Dr. Lee Schulz, ISU Extension Economist, presenting on the outlook for beef and pork. Lee will also be discussing how the livestock industry may respond to current prices, margins, and future demand. What will improved margins and the current global economy mean for the future of the meat industry?

The second speaker is Ryan Drollette, ISUEO Farm Management Field Specialist, who will address 2014 Farm Bill decisions. Drollette will discuss the farm program updates and ARC versus PLC program election decisions.

The final speaker will be Dr. Chad Hart, ISU Extension Economist. Chad will discuss the market outlook for corn and soybeans. Crop commodities have experienced price variability in the past three years due to many factors including weather variability and crop size. How big is the current crop and what will happen to demand in the coming months? You won't want to miss the information on the production and demand for corn and soybeans in the coming months.

Meeting registration begins at 3:45 p.m. with the program starting at 4:00 p.m. Program will conclude by 8:00 p.m. Pre-registration cost is $45 per person. Additional fee of $5 for late registrations.

Advance registration is required by calling the ISU Extension and Outreach office in Cedar County (Tipton) at 563-886-6157.

For more information call your local county ISU Extension and Outreach office or contact Ryan Drollette at the ISU Extension and Outreach of Johnson County office at 319-337-2145 or email drollett@iastate.edu.

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Coal Valley, IL - October 16, 2014 - Niabi Zoo announced today that it will be
featuring its pair of snow leopards during a special event on Saturday, October
18. The event is titled Snow Leopard Day and will feature games, special staff
talks, and a raffle.
Snow Leopard Day is designed to put a focus on Niabi Zoo's pair of snow
leopards, Niko and Kira, in order to educate zoo guests about this endangered
species. Fun games, exclusive staff talks, and unique merchandise will be
available during the event. "We are very excited to highlight this incredible
species with its own special day," said Zoo Director Marc Heinzman. "Snow
leopards are one of the most beautiful and fascinating species of big cats in the
world, and they truly deserve special attention."
All of the activities for Snow Leopard Day are including with the regular
admission rates. Niabi Zoo will also be selling $5.00 raffle tickets for a chance to
win a snow leopard paw print or an exclusive Big Cat Encounter behind-thescenes
experience. All proceeds raised from the raffle will be donated to the
International Snow Leopard Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to
protecting snow leopards in the wild and their Asian mountain habitats. All
activities will take place from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Niabi Zoo will be open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with the last admission at 3:00
PM. Regular admission rates will apply.
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