26 Sep 2014

Illinois National Guard Soldiers arrive in Poland for training exercise

By Staff Sgt. Patrick DeGeorge, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

SPRINGFIELD, IL (09/25/2014)(readMedia)-- ORZYSZ, POLAND - Nearly 100 Soldiers with the Illinois Army National Guard's 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) and 224th Digital Liaison Detachment arrived in Poland, Sept. 24 to take part in a two-week training exercise, known as Anaconda 14, with Soldiers from Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and the Czech Republic.

"I think this is a great opportunity for the brigade," said Col. Mark Jackson, of Frankfort, Illinois, the 33rd IBCT commander. "It gives us a chance to further our partnership and strengthen our relationship with Poland. It also gives us a chance to build new relationships with the other countries."

26 Sep 2014

World Alzheimers Month: 5 Brain-Health Tips from Bodybuilding Neurosurgeon

By Ginny Grimsley

During World Alzheimer's Month, Take Steps
to Care for Your Most Vital Organ

As a fitness expert and neurosurgeon, Dr. Brett Osborn says he appreciates the growing public interest in general health and fitness. Now, he says, that attention needs to extend to arguably our most essential organ - the brain.

"There are several, multi-billion dollar industries out there dedicated to burning fat and building muscle; cognitive health, on the other hand, has been largely overlooked," says Osborn, author of "Get Serious, A Neurosurgeon's Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness," www.drbrettosborn.com.

"Of course, any good health expert is quick to remind readers that it's all connected. For example, what's good for the heart will be, directly or indirectly, good for the brain."

September's an appropriate time to talk brain health: its World Alzheimer's Month, and it's the beginning of football season. By now, we know that football players in the NFL, college and even high school suffer considerable head trauma, whether through big hits resulting in concussions or moderate, repeated blows, he says.

It's also soccer season in other parts of the world. Concern continues to mount about the neurological damage done to players from repeated headers, where the ball is hit by the head. The long-term effects, including depression and other mental-health problems, are similar to those suffered by American football players, he says.

"Sports can impart great habits to kids, including discipline, fellowship and an emphasis on strength and endurance," says Osborn, a bodybuilder and father. "As our children return to school and sports, health-care providers, coaches and parents need to make it a top priority to protect our student-athletes' brains."

Osborn offers five tips to help everyone maintain brain health:

• Learn new skills. "Just as with other health concerns, brain health should be rooted in the prevention of disease," he says. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease, the causes of which, and the cure, are unknown. However, it's widely thought that brain stimulation and activity can delay the onset of the disease. The acquisition of a new skill - whether it's learning to play an instrument or taking up waterskiing - exercises the brain "muscle."

• Commit to actual exercise. Everyone knows that exercise helps protect the heart, but not everyone knows that physical activity is also good for the brain. The brain is not a muscle, but it can be worked as muscle is worked during exercise, which forges new neuron pathways.

"Let's face it, there is a component of learning in exercise," Osborn says. "You cannot master the squat overnight; the brain has to change. Neuronal connections, or 'synapses,' are formed through very complex biophysical mechanisms. That takes time."

• Don't sweat stress. There is such a thing as good stress, including the acute bodily stress involved in strength training. Of course, there's the bad stress, such as psychological stress associated with work or interpersonal relationships, and environmental stress, derived from pesticide-laden food - toxins. As always, you have a choice. You don't have to accept mental stress in your life. Reconsider toxic relationships. Rethink how you handle pressure at work. Perhaps adopt a lunchtime exercise routine.

• Fuel a better body and brain. "I don't believe in 'diets,' " Osborn says. "Fit individuals were around for eons before the term existed, and I associate the term with temporary and, often, self-destructive behaviors."

Again, it's all connected. A healthy balance of food and activity will inevitably be good for the entire body: the heart, skeleton, muscles, brain, etc. Proper nutrition is a natural mood enhancer, and good health will inevitably improve self-esteem.

• Feed your head with smart drugs. Some pharmaceuticals may help enhance cerebral blood flow and increase concentration, including Hydergine, Deprenyl and Prozac, to name a few. Ask your doctor about these. There are also over-the-counter smart drugs to consider. Piracetam is one of the oldest and has been shown to have a variety of positive effects in patients with cognitive disorders like dementia and epilepsy. Vinpocetine has potent anti-inflammatory effects, and inflammation is a key component in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and others. You may also want to check out gingko biloba and pregnenolone.

About Dr. Brett Osborn

Brett Osborn is a New York University-trained, Board-Certified neurological surgeon with a secondary certification in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. He holds a CSCS honorarium from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Dr. Osborn specializes in scientifically based nutrition and exercise as a means to achieve optimal health and preventing disease. He is the author "Get Serious, A Neurosurgeon's Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness," www.drbrettosborn.com.

26 Sep 2014

Loebsack to speak at Mercy Medical Center's 125th Anniversary Celebration in Clinton

By Rick Martin

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today that he will be speaking at the 125th Anniversary Celebration of Clinton's Mercy Medical Center. The celebration will be held Friday, September 25.

Mercy Medical Center's 125th Anniversary Celebration

Mercy Medical Center

1410 North 4th St.

Clinton

Dave will arrive at 1:30pm

26 Sep 2014

Braley Continues Push for School Bus Safety, Urges House Leadership to Hold Hearings

By Kirsten Hartman

Congressman: This problem deserves additional attention

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today wrote the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Chairman Bill Shuster and Ranking Member Nick Rahall to urge the Committee to hold hearings on school bus safety before the session ends this year.

"Simply put, there are too many accidents killing children in and around school buses every year," Braley said. "There are things we can do to make our children safer, and I urge the Committee to take up this important matter before one more child is involved in a preventable accident."

An average of 6 children are killed in school bus related accidents each year while an average of 12 children are killed each year in pedestrian deaths outside of the school bus.

"According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 19 school-age children die each year due to school transportation accidents. Given these statistics, it's evident that more attention should be given to addressing school bus safety," Braley's letter reads.

Earlier this year, Braley introduced the most comprehensive overhaul of school bus safety in 15 years. Braley's School Bus Safety Act is a five-pronged approach that would protect students both in and around school buses.

· Title I: "Kadyn's Act"?named after Northwood student Kadyn Halverson, requires states to enact tough penalties for drivers who pass stopped schools buses. Kadyn's parents helped enact this portion of the law in Iowa, but in many other states, this activity, which puts children's lives in danger, is punishable by fines as low as 30 dollars.

· Title II creates grants for Motion Activated Detection Systems on the exterior of buses?these systems alert a driver when a moving target is detected within the danger zones near the front, rear and sides of the bus.

· Title III requires background checks on school bus drivers. In 2012, Iowa enacted such a law, but some states are still operating without this requirement.

· Title IV is a School Bus Seat Belt Demonstration Program. The Department of Transportation would create a Demonstration Program which would allow states to apply for funding to purchase new school buses with seat belts or to equip current ones with seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that deaths from frontal crashes could be significantly reduced with mandatory seatbelt use.

· The last portion of the legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to assess using technology to get drivers to stop for school buses. For example, studying how a particular lighting system might help prevent motorists from illegally passing stopped buses. This could also help with the situation that led to Kadyn Halverson's tragedy - utilizing technology that can get people to slow down and stop, in addition to increased penalties.

Braley's letter can be found online HERE.

# # #

26 Sep 2014

3 Tips for National Dental Hygiene Month

By Ginny Grimsley

Halloween is the Perfect Time to Take Measures for Lasting Fresh Breath and Oral Health

Halloween kicks off a series of holidays celebrated with delicious treats, from yummy chocolate candies to gut-busting dinners to seasonal alcoholic beverages.

While most parents will make sure their kids brush after eating their treats, National Dental Hygiene Month in October encourages a fuller approach to oral health.

"Teeth and gums are obviously key components of oral health care, but they're just part of the whole environment inside one's mouth," says Dr. Bob Kross, a biochemist who's been researching and developing oral health-care products since the 1980s. His patented Breath Appeal oral rinse, (www.breathappeal.com), destroys both the putrefying anaerobic bacteria that degrade food particles and body cells to form sulfurous bad breath malodorants as well as many of the bacteria associated with gum disease.

"The nooks and crannies in our mouths and gums are not the only places crammed with organic debris, which feed the bacteria that create biofilm, such as plaque, to protect themselves from oxygen," Kross says. "There are also cracks on the tongue's surface and in the other soft tissues in the mouth and pharynx where bacteria collect, further compromising dental health and creating bad breath."

Normal oral bacteria are fine, actually even necessary, when present in proper balance with each other, but it's a problem when putrefying and pathogenic bacteria start to take over, he says.

"The sticky candies and treats children and adults consume during this time of year can disrupt the normal balance of bacteria if good dental hygiene isn't practiced," says Kross, who describes how bad breath is created and how we can prevent it.

• If you develop bad breath don't simply try to mask it with mints. Anaerobic bacteria can also lead to painful and potentially serious conditions such as gingivitis and periodontitis, so it's best to attack the problem at the root. Maintaining the proper balance or oral bacteria will not only keep your breath fresh, it will help you maintain good oral health.

• Add tongue scraping and an oxidizing daily rinse to your oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing reach about 25 percent of your mouth, and that's why you should add tongue scraping and rinsing to your daily routine. That white stuff you might see on your tongue is a collection of food particles and other organic matter, which can putrefy and create oral malodorants. Oxygen inhibits the growth of the responsible anaerobic bacteria, so scraping off the film and using an oxidizing mouthwash will counter that problem.

• Control bad breath by controlling the mouth's bacteria. Brush at least twice a day, floss, scrape the tongue and use a non-alcoholic rinse that has oxidizing properties. Individuals suffering from bad breath will experience optimum relief only by using alcohol-free, oxidizing oral hygiene products.

"At least 90 percent of bad breath problems are associated with the sulfurous compounds generated by the putrefying, malodor-forming, anaerobic bacteria, which hide in oral crevices, and which degrade food particles and salivary cell fragments," Kross says. "For a cleaner mouth and fresher breath, you'll need oxidants to destroy a major portion of the bacteria in these low-oxygen environments, thereby removing the root cause of persistent halitosis.

About Dr. Bob Kross

Dr. Bob Kross is a biochemist associated with All USA Direct, (www.breathappeal.com), producer of Breath Appeal products. Many of Kross' 40 U.S. patents reflect his interest in biomedical areas, including oral antimicrobials and associated conditions and diseases.

26 Sep 2014

Barley & Rye says "Thanks!"

By Chef Jared

We would like to thank you for making our first summer in downtown Moline a great success! Without all of our great farmers and our guests who are as excited about the farm to table concept as we are this summer would not have been so much fun and exciting for us! We started participating in the grower's market this year and from that has come some great partnerships for our restaurant that helps us achieve our goal of using local fresh ingredients.

Party season is right around the corner and we already have begun taking reservations! We can take reservations for smaller parties for your friends or large parties for the whole office. We have had great success lately with some larger groups and are excited to plan some more great events with you. Call us now and let's get the party started.

Barley & Rye Bistro

1320 5th Ave

Moline, IL 61265

26 Sep 2014

USDA Unveils Key New Programs to Help Farmers Manage Risk

By USDA Office of Communications

End of Direct Payments Represents One of the Most Significant Farm Policy Reforms in Decades

USDA Launches Education Efforts to Help Producers Choose New Program Right for Them

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2014 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled highly anticipated new programs to help farmers better manage risk, ushering in one of the most significant reforms to U.S. farm programs in decades.

Vilsack also announced that new tools are now available to help provide farmers the information they need to choose the new safety net program that is right for their business.

"The 2014 Farm Bill represented some of the largest farm policy reforms in decades. One of the Farm Bill's most significant reforms is finally taking effect," said Vilsack. "Farming is one of the riskiest businesses in the world. These new programs help ensure that risk can be effectively managed so that families don't lose farms that have been passed down through generations because of events beyond their control. But unlike the old direct payment program, which paid farmers in good years and bad, these new initiatives are based on market forces and include county - and individual - coverage options. These reforms provide a much more rational approach to helping farmers manage risk."

The new programs, Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are cornerstones of the commodity farm safety net programs in the 2014 Farm Bill, legislation that ended direct payments. Both programs offer farmers protection when market forces cause substantial drops in crop prices and/or revenues. Producers will have through early spring of 2015 to select which program works best for their businesses.

To help farmers choose between ARC and PLC, USDA helped create online tools that allow farmers to enter information about their operation and see projections about what each program will mean for them under possible future scenarios. The new tools are now available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. USDA provided $3 million to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri and the Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M (co-leads for the National Association of Agricultural and Food Policy), along with the University of Illinois (lead for the National Coalition for Producer Education) to develop the new programs.

"We're committed to giving farmers as much information as we can so they can make an informed decision between these programs," said Vilsack. "These resources will help farm owners and producers boil the information down, understand what their options are, and ultimately make the best decision on which choice is right for them. We are very grateful to our partners for their phenomenal work in developing these new tools within a very short time frame."

Starting Monday, Sept. 29, 2014, farm owners may begin visiting their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices if they want to update their yield history and/or reallocate base acres, the first step before choosing which new program best serves their risk management needs. Letters sent this summer enabled farm owners and producers to analyze their crop planting history in order to decide whether to keep their base acres or reallocate them according to recent plantings.

The next step in USDA's safety net implementation is scheduled for this winter when all producers on a farm begin making their election, which will remain in effect for 2014-2018 crop years between the options offered by ARC and PLC.

Today's announcement was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

26 Sep 2014

African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center

By Natalie Dunlop

Davenport, Iowa (September 25, 2014) -African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center is a new exhibition that will be opening on Saturday at the Figge Art Museum.

Sponsored by the John Deere Foundation, the exhibition chronicles the evolution and growing prominence of African American art over the past 60 years. Featuring over sixty works that cover a wide range of art styles and media, the artists explore recurring themes of race, gender, American history and slavery as well as the importance of body for artistic expression.

Artists include luminaries such as Faith Ringgold, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and Sam Gilliam who opened up the possibilities for African American art and more recent examples by artists like Kara Walker, Chakaia Booker and Willie Cole. Collectively these artists reflect the growing prominence and complexity of the field of African American Art over the last six decades.

"Each of the works on display provides a glimpse into the evolution of African American Art and its significant contributions to the art of the United States," said Figge Curator Dr. Rima Girnius.

The exhibition is organized by the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland. It will be on view in the third floor gallery through January 4, 2015.

Companion Programming:

Free Family Day

Saturday September 27

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Guided Activities

Celebrate the special exhibition from the Driskell Center with hands-on art projects, performances and gallery activities. Free admission all day. Sponsored by Quad-City Times.

Film: The Loving Story

6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 2

As part of the Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Afro-American Heritage Center is hosting the documentary The Loving Story, which provides the definitive account of Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 Supreme Court decision to legalize interracial marriage. A discussion will follow.

Exhibition Opening

Thursday, October 16

5:30 p.m. Opening Reception/7 p.m. Talk

Dorit Yaron, deputy director of the Driskell Center, will speak about the Driskell Center and describe the process of curating the exhibition. Professor Curlee R. Holton, executive director, will discuss the Driskell

Center and the exhibition as they pertain to the larger scope of African American art and the American art canon.

Interpretive Response in Dance and Music

7 p.m. Thursday, October 23

Dorian Byrd?founder, director, choreographer and instructor for Imani! Dancers & Studio for Cultural Arts?will collaborate with musician and professor Coleman Harris to interpret select artworks in a performance. This program is made possible by an Arts Dollar$ grant from Quad City Arts and the group artsBASICS for coordinating this community collaboration.

Art Talk

7 p.m. Thursday, November 6

Dr. Jo-Ann Morgan will speak on African American visual culture. Dr. Morgan is Associate Professor in the African American Studies Department at Western Illinois University.

Exhibition Tours

1:30 p.m. Saturdays, October 4, 11

1:30 p.m. Sundays, October 5, 19

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

-end-

26 Sep 2014

This Week in Downtown Davenport: 9/26 - 10/2

By QC Chamber

Described as "lush, appealing and genuinely moving" by The Daily News, Jekyll & Hyde hits the stage of the Adler Theatre on Tuesday. This enthralling musical has memorized people all over the world and is one show you won't want to miss. Get your tickets now! Next door, you can participate in the Quad Cities Prayer Breakfast at the RiverCenter Saturday or the Festival of Praise Tour on Monday at the Adler.

Help Mac's Tavern celebrate a whopping 80 YEARS of business in downtown Davenport this weekend during their 80th Anniversary Celebration! Kick-off the festivities on Friday during customer appreciation cocktail hour from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. and a bags tournament starting at 10 p.m. Let the good times roll into Saturday with an antique car show at 11 a.m. followed by live music and good company later that evening. As always, you can expect superb service and friendly faces!

Looking for a good time this weekend? Look no further than River Music Experience when they present A D* Good Time Volume 8 tomorrow night. Make an evening of it by stopping at this Friday's LAST Live @ 5 in the courtyard featuring Curtis Hawkins Band beforehand. On Wednesday, the Shook Twins bring their indie folk-pop tunes downtown with opening act Under the Willow. Venture on back Thursday for the Chicago Farmer Vinyl Release Show as well.

The end of September is near, which means one thing- Final Friday at Bucktown Center for the Arts! This month's event is a fall fundraiser on behalf of the Central Community Circle Food Pantry. Donations of hygiene products or non-perishable food items are excepted and appreciated, and a portion of the night's sales will go to the cause. Make sure you stop in Atom Studio+Gallery while you're there to see The Artwork of David R. Anderson: An Artist's Walk Into Nature, which opens tomorrow night.

Surround yourself with African American Art Since 1950 in a new exhibition over at the Figge opening on Saturday. Highlighting a range of media, style, and content, this exhibition demonstrates the growing prominence and complexity of African American expression. Bring the family along in honor of FREE Family Day and explore the many other exhibitions while you're there. And don't forget to come out for tonight's Living Proof Exhibit PechaKucha Night!

With a beautiful weekend ahead, there's no reason to miss the Freight House Farmer's Market on Saturday. Make this trip fall themed by picking out your favorite pumpkin, seasonal veggies, and handmade crafts to ring in the autumn season. Hop on over to Modern Woodmen Park for a ride on the Ferris Wheel this weekend, too!

NOTE: Due to sending the newsletter on Thursday's, we've decided to start our event listing with Friday activities. With that said, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter now for information on the following Thursday's events!

See you downtown!

Friday, September 26

A D* Good Time Volume 8

Where: River Music Experience, Second Floor

Time: Doors 7:00 p.m. / Show 8:00 p.m.

Price: $10 at the door

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