Grimes, IA - Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Iowa today endorsed State Senator Joni Ernst (R-Red Oak) for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat.

"Our state needs Joni Ernst fighting for us in Washington, D.C.," said Jeremy Price, President of Hiawatha-based Price Industrial Electric and first vice chairman of the ABC of Iowa Board of Directors. "Her record of producing results as a State Senator can be counted on to roll back job-killing regulations like Obamacare and champion reforms that create jobs and grow our economy."

"Ernst's pro-growth record makes her the best candidate for the job," said Price. "She has an impressive record working tirelessly at the state level to balance Iowa's budget, lower taxes, provide relief from regulatory overreach, allow for greater competition and support worker freedom. Joni's experience as a conservative leader in Iowa means she will hit the ground running to reform government and stand up for Iowa taxpayers."

"Iowa families are better off thanks to Joni Ernst and we stand proudly behind her in the U.S. Senate election," said Greg Spenner, ABC of Iowa president. "We look forward to seeing her proven experience in balancing budgets, fighting for jobs, and supporting fair competition put to use in the U.S. Senate to benefit and grow our state and national economy."

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Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa is a statewide trade association representing commercial and industrial construction and construction-related firms who are dedicated to providing Iowa with high-quality, affordable, safe and on-time construction.

This time, we're just going to let the reviews speak for themselves...

"Hysterical...smart, stylish, satisfying""A tumultuous, thrilling, laugh-out-loud theatrical roller-coaster ride" -Jonathan Turner, The Dispatch-Argus

"A meaningful and utterly entertaining lesson in human relationships" "My partner and I were in almost-constant fits of giggling"-Thom White, The River Cities' Reader

"Wickedly smart and viciously funny" "Violently hilarious and intelligent, a blank slate of relationships awaiting your indulgence and interpretation" -Sean Leary, The Quad-City Times

Reserve your seats by emailing info@qctheatreworkshop.org letting them know which performance, which date, and number of seats requested.

Will Create Jobs and Economic Growth in Bureau, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Rock Island, Stark, Warren and Whiteside Counties

OTTAWA - Governor Pat Quinn today announced capital investments of more than $26 million for construction projects in Bureau, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Rock Island, Stark, Warren and Whiteside Counties. The investments will create jobs and improve transportation safety and efficiency throughout Northwest Illinois. Funded by his Illinois Jobs Now! construction program, the projects are part of Governor Quinn's agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois' economy forward.

"These investments across Northwest Illinois are putting people to work, creating jobs that will help drive the local economy," Governor Quinn said. "They are also helping to repair and maintain Illinois' infrastructure to improve safety and efficiency throughout the region."

Today's announcement follows last week's news that Illinois' unemployment rate declined in July to 6.8 percent from June's 7.1 percent. During July, 11,200 new private sector jobs were added, including 3,900 manufacturing jobs. The state's unemployment rate has fallen steadily since July 2013, when it stood at 9.2 percent, and has completed its steepest 12-month decline of 2.4 percentage points since August 1984. Since February 2010, Illinois has added 263,100 private sector jobs.

Construction payrolls are up by 8,500 jobs since the beginning of the year, nearly four times as strong as the gain posted for this same period in 2013. Specialty trade contractors' payrolls posted healthy gains for the third straight month, fueled in large part by Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program.

The projects below will be managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Bureau County

U.S. Route 34 will be resurfaced in Bureau County from 3200 E to 3320 E Road for $718,710 by Advanced Asphalt Company of Princeton.

A bridge carrying 470 Street over I-80 will be cleaned and painted for $274,832 by Thomas Industrial Coatings, Inc. of Pevely, Missouri, the lowest of five bidders.

11.85 miles of Illinois Route 40 will receive intermittent milling and resurfacing from north of I-80 to Illinois Route 92 for $280,076 by Advanced Asphalt Company of Princeton, the lower of two bidders.

U.S. 34 will receive 4.8 miles of resurfacing from 6th Street in Princeton to the eastern city limits of Dover for $1,287,701 by Advanced Asphalt Company of Princeton.

Bureau and LaSalle Counties

Various routes in Bureau and LaSalle Counties will receive intermittent milling, resurfacing and striping for $668,725 by Advanced Asphalt Company of Princeton.

Fulton, Henderson, Knox and Warren Counties

Bridge painting will be done on Illinois Route 17 over I-39 in Marshall County, on Illinois Route 116 over Spoon River on the west side of London Mills in Fulton County, on Illinois Route 94 over the Henderson Creek Overflow south of Bald Bluff in Henderson County, on Lincoln Park Drive over U.S. 35 in Knox County and on U.S. 67 over Middle Henderson Creek 10 miles north of Monmouth in Warren County for $823,882 by ERA Valdivia Contractors, Inc. of Chicago, the lowest of six bidders.

Knox and Warren Counties

U.S. 34/ Illinois Route 110 will receive 7 miles of patching from one mile west of Cameron Road to Main St. for $330,678 by Midwest Bridge and Crane, Inc. of Good Hope, the lower of two bidders.

Henry County

Grange Road will receive 1.97 miles of resurfacing from Illinois Route 92 to Sand Road for $328,657 by Valley Construction Company of Rock Island, the lowest of four bidders.

Knox County

Main Street in Galesburg will receive resurfacing and pavement marking from Soangetaha Road to State Street for $163,011 by Gunther Construction of Galesburg.

Improvements will be done at the intersection of Illinois Route 97 and 1st Street in Maquon for $173,176 by Gunther Construction of Galesburg, the lower of two bidders.

U.S. 150 will receive 1.6 miles of patching and resurfacing from Home Boulevard to north of North Lake Storey Road, interconnect installation, guardrail removal and replacement, and renovation on Lake Storey Bridge for $1,593,420 by Gunther Construction of Galesburg, the lowest of three bidders.

LaSalle County

A bridge carrying Interstate 39 over a service road and conveyor 0.43 miles south of U.S. 6 will be cleaned and painted for $80,766 by Thomas Industrial Coatings, Inc. of Pevely, Missouri, the lowest of five bidders.

Illinois Route 23 will receive intermittent resurfacing north and south of Streator for $265,841 by H.J. Eppel & Co., Inc of Pontiac, the lower of two bidders.

Illinois Route 71 will receive 3.76 miles of shoulder widening, rumble strips and signing from Illinois Route 89 to E. 275^th Road through Cedar Point for $785,985 by Advanced Asphalt Company of Princeton.

I-80 will receive 3.95 miles of milling and resurfacing from Fox River Bridge in Ottawa to just west of CH 15/Marseilles interchange for $8,495,025 by D Construction, Inc. of Coal City, the lower of two bidders.

I-39 will receive pavement patching from the Marshall County line to the Lee County line for $408,408 by G. M. Sipes Construction, Inc. of Rushville.

1.29 miles of work on base course widening, leveling, pipe culverts, shoulders and pavement markings will be done from 100 feet south of North 4425th Road to 75 feet north of 4550th Road for $539,625 by D Construction of Coal City, the lower of two bidders.

Lee County

Illinois Route 2 will receive 0.73 miles of resurfacing from east of River St. to Ottawa Avenue in Dixon for $420,542 by Martin & Company Excavating of Oregon, the lowest of three bidders.

Four bridges carrying I-39 over Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company Railroad and over Steward Creek will be partially cleaned and painted for $356,847 by Eagle Painting & Maintenance Co., Inc. of Lansing, the lowest of five bidders.

Two bridges carrying I-39 over U.S. 30 will be cleaned and painted for $731,637 by Three Star Painting, Inc. of Merrillville, Indiana, the lowest of four bidders.

Rock Island County

3rd Avenue will receive reconstruction from 19th St. to 23rd St. in Moline for $6,902,871 by McCarthy Improvement Company of Davenport, Iowa, the lower of two bidders.

Stark County

Removal of wingwalls and pipe, and removal and replacement of culvert will be done 1.5 miles west of Speer over the tributary to Mud Run Creek for $370,126 by Stark Excavating, Inc. of Bloomington, the lowest of three bidders.

Whiteside County

Two bridges carrying Avenue G over the Rock River in Sterling will have substructure repairs made and joint replacement done for $427,205 by Kovilic Construction Company, Inc. of Franklin Park, the lowest of four bidders.

The projects are part of Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs in the nation.

Churches United of the Quad City Area has received a $2,500.00 grant from The Walmart Foundation, in support of the new Sam's Club location in Moline.

This award supports Winnie's Place, a shelter serving women (and their children) who are homeless and/or victims of domestic violence.

Churches United has a 53-year history of reaching out to our community. Its 134 member churches represent 50,000 people from the Quad City Area. As well as Winnie's Place, Churches United operates 25 food pantries and 3 hot meal sites in the Quad City Area. For information about services offered, or ways to support Churches United, call 563-332-5002, or visit our website at www.CUQCA.org.

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