MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA, Aug. 22, 2014 - TODAY, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Congressman Bruce Braley will travel to Ely and Marshalltown, Ia. to announce Value-Added Producer Grants for Iowa producers and Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants that will expand healthcare and job opportunities throughout the state. Vilsack and Braley will also discuss the many ways that the Farm Bill and Rural Development programs benefit Iowa's rural economy.

The Value-Added Producer Grant program was developed to help agricultural producers generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase income. The funds being announced were authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. The 2014 Farm Bill substantially increases funding for this program. The program is an example of how farm bill provisions contribute to continued investment in rural businesses and critical infrastructure, in order to strengthen rural communities and build on rural development initiatives.

Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants provide zero-interest loans and grants to utilities that lend funds to local businesses for projects to create and retain employment in rural areas.

(DES MOINES) - Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds has been selected to serve on the National Lieutenant Governor Association (NLGA) State Strategies in Education committee for 2014-2015. The selection comes in addition to Reynolds' position as NLGA Chair-Elect and Chair of the Policy Resolutions Committee. She was nominated to serve with peers nationwide by the NLGA Chair Connecticut Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman.

"I'm honored to have been chosen, and pleased to be able to serve as the chair of this critical committee on education," said Reynolds. "Iowa has been a leader nationally in terms of our innovative Teacher Leadership and Compensation System, the Governor's Science, Technology, Education and Math Advisory Council and our transformational education reform. Governor Branstad and I know that to ensure our children are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, they must have a world-class education today. I look forward to the opportunity to share Iowa's story and am eager to hear of progress occurring in other states."

Reynolds was elected Iowa's 45^th Lieutenant Governor on Nov. 2, 2010.  She serves as the co-chair of the Governor's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Advisory Council. Her passion for STEM education was recognized by STEMconnector^TM when she was the only elected official named to their "100 Women Leaders in STEM." She currently chairs their STEM Food & Ag Council. She has led economic development trade missions to China, Germany, South Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand.

NLGA is a professional association enabling policy discussion on a broad range of topics, an exchange of best practices, and an opportunity for lieutenant governors to develop leadership priorities and shared solutions for the states and territories.  See www.nlga.us for more information.

A photo of Reynolds can be found here.  For more information on Lt. Gov. Reynolds, please visit www.ltgovernor.iowa.gov.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 21, 2014) - Quad Cities third baseman J.D. Davis hit a two-run, fifth-inning home run, and right fielder James Ramsay had a sixth-inning, go-ahead RBI single and a ninth-inning solo home run in a 5-2 River Bandits win over the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field Thursday night.

Quad Cities (28-31 second half, 63-65 overall) did not have a baserunner through the first four innings and was outhit, 11-8, but won its fourth straight game at Pohlman Field and for the 13^th time in 17 games against Beloit (20-38, 50-78), which committed three errors.

While Snappers right-hander Hunter Adkins set down the first 12 batters of the game, River Bandits right-hander Michael Feliz kept the home team scoreless until the third inning. Snappers catcher Josh Ludy led off the third inning with a double to right-center field, and center fielder B.J. Boyd hit a two-out RBI double to give his team a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Feliz allowed a leadoff single by left fielder Ryan Mathews. Designated hitter Phil Pohl hit a one-out double down the third-base line to put runners at second and third bases. Right fielder Justin Higley tapped a ground ball in front of home plate and reached first base on an infield single to load the bases. Ludy then hit a fly ball toward the right-field, where Ramsay caught it and made a one-hop throw to catcher Brian Holberton, who tagged out Mathews for an inning-ending double play. Ramsay's third outfield assist in two games kept the deficit to 1-0, although Feliz yielded six hits in the first four innings.

Adkins' perfect string snapped when River Bandits first baseman A.J. Reed led off the fifth inning with a ground-ball single to right field. Davis hit the next pitch over the left-center field fence for a 2-1 lead. With two outs, shortstop Dayne Parker reached on a fielding error by shortstop Branden Cogswell, and Ramsay drew the first walk against Adkins, who was removed from the game after 4 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits with three strikeouts. Right-hander Sam Roberts (0-4) got the inning's final out.

With his only lead of the game, Feliz allowed a fifth-inning, leadoff single by Cogswell and a walk to second baseman Melvin Mercedes. Boyd put a bunt along the third-base line, but Feliz bobbled the ball, allowing Boyd to reach and load the bases with no outs. Snappers third baseman Matt Chapman grounded to Parker, who began a double play for the first two outs while the tying run scored. Feliz struck out Mathews to finish five innings, allowing two runs - one earned - on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts. After Feliz, right-hander Frederick Tiburcio (3-3) worked around two hits and an error for 2 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out four batters without a walk.

In the sixth inning, River Bandits designated hitter Ryan Bottger reached on an error by Mercedes and went to second base on a sacrifice by catcher Brian Holberton. Parker's bunt single put runners at the first and third bases. Ramsay then lined the go-ahead single to left field, and after a groundout and walk loaded the bases, second baseman Marc Wik hit a high chopper against right-hander Joel Seddon behind the pitchers' mound for an infield RBI single to give Quad Cities a 4-2 lead. Both runs were unearned against Roberts. Seddon worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, before right-hander Tyler Vail yielded Ramsay's second home run of the season - both in the last 13 days against Beloit - in the ninth inning. River Bandits left-hander Chris Cotton worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his third Midwest League save.

Now three games behind Wisconsin and one behind Peoria for the Western Division's final playoff spot, Quad Cities continues its series in Beloit at 7 p.m. Friday. River Bandits right-hander Kevin Comer (1-4) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Kyle Finnegan (6-8).

UP NEXT: The season's final homestand opens with MidAmerican Energy Day and Family Sunday presented by KWQC and B100 at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 24. Pregame autographs are at 12:30 p.m., Bark in the Park means dogs are welcome to the Modern Woodmen Berm, and Kids Run the Bases after the game. The River Bandits are then home through Aug. 29. Tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com.

"Diane's Law" Expands Monitoring of Domestic Abusers Released on Bail

CHICAGO - Governor Quinn today signed legislation to protect survivors of domestic violence. "Diane's Law" allows the courts to order risk assessment and electronic surveillance of those charged with domestic abuse in order to increase protections for victims of domestic violence. Today's action is part of the Governor's agenda to improve public safety across Illinois.

"We need to help protect victims and prevent future tragedies from occurring," Governor Quinn said. "The tragic loss of Diane Kephart's purposeful life left us with further proof that something had to be done to strengthen protection orders. Diane's Law will help our law enforcement authorities enforce restraining orders and increase penalties for those who commit domestic violence."

Diane's Law was written following the murder of Diane Kephart by a former boyfriend on March 15, 2013. Diane was murdered three days after renewing her protective order against an ex-boyfriend.

"I think of mom every day and wonder how much different life could have been if this bill was around a year and a half ago," Jamie Kephart, daughter of Diane Kephart, said. "I pray that it helps protect victims affected by domestic violence the way it is intended to do. I am so grateful the community recognized the necessity for Diane's Law."

House Bill 3744, sponsored by State Representative Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) and State Senator Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry), allows the court to order individuals charged with intimate partner abuse including domestic battery, kidnapping, stalking, harassment and attempted murder to undergo a risk assessment evaluation as a condition of bail. The court may also require GPS monitoring of the defendant to help monitor and enforce restraining orders. The new law is effective Jan. 1, 2015.

"Hopefully this legislation will contribute towards keeping the victims of domestic violence safer in the future," said Representative Wheeler. "This measure will be an added tool in the hands of the justice system to protect those potentially in harm's way."

"In the case of Diane Kephart a protective order was not enough to prevent the tragedy that unfolded,"  Senator Althoff said. "This law goes beyond an order of protection and focuses on prevention by ensuring that a person charged with violent crimes is properly monitored by law enforcement."

Governor Quinn has supported and signed numerous initiatives to address domestic violence and protect its victims. He signed several laws in 2013 to address domestic violence and teen dating violence in Illinois, including: House Bill 958, which increases the penalties for domestic violence by classifying domestic violence as a felony if the defendant has a prior domestic violence conviction; House Bill 3379, which requires school boards to adopt a policy on teen dating violence; and House Bill 3300, which protects domestic violence victims who are covered by their abusers' insurance policies. The law allows insurance companies to communicate with the victims in ways that do not divulge personal information or current addresses to their abusers.

The Governor also signed legislation in 2012 to allow prosecutors to use prior domestic violence offenses as evidence in first- and second-degree murder cases involving domestic violence. He has supported initiatives and laws that prevent discrimination against individuals taking out orders of protection and providing time off from work for victims to help them address issues relating to domestic violence.