Mark your calendar!

Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) is proud to announce their 2014 Barge Party will be held Thursday, August 7th from 5:30pm-9:00pm. Serving as their sole fundraising event of the year, the fun kicks off with a fish fry & shrimp boil and includes a silent art auction, live music, cash bar, barge tours, meet and greet the crew, and new this year, a wine pull!

"We're really excited to be having the Barge Party at Schwiebert Park again this year. Party plans are coming along great and tables have already sold out, but individual tickets are still available. We're looking forward to seeing familiar faces and celebrating with all that continues to support LL&W and make this all possible!" said Officer Manager Amber Pribyl.

Living Lands & Waters is still on the hunt for artists to donate pieces for their silent art auction. To learn more, or to enter pieces, visit livinglandsandwaters.org/barge-party!

Thursday, August 7th - 5:30PM-9:00PM

Schwiebert Riverfront Park - 1801 1st Avenue - Rock Island, IL

 

Individual Tickets- $50 - Purchase tickets at livinglandsandwaters.org/barge-party. Print your ticket or show your digital receipt at the check-in table!

Seating is limited. Reservations required by July 31, 2014.Tables are no longer available for purchase.

Public parking is available on surrounding streets and lots, in the Modern Woodmen Lot, as well as in a Free Parking Garage located on 3rd Avenue and 17th Street in downtown Rock Island.

Handicap Parking is available on the entrance of the park.

About Living Lands & Waters - Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America's major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a- River-Mile programs and the Million Trees Project.  

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With Speculations About an Impending Downturn,
Investment Entrepreneurs Suggest Options

As major stock market indexes continue to climb, so too are concerns on the "fear market" - VIX, the CBOE S&P 500 Options Volatility Index, says entrepreneur Dean Anastos.

"Advances in the market have been relatively thin in volume, and the declines have been heavier; in general, there seems to be too much complacency among investors, and there are hints here and there that the market is not as bullish as many have supposed," says Anastos, who specializes in real estate, computer programming and trading data communications equipment.

"Now may be a really good time to look elsewhere for smart investments," says his business partner Ricky Brava.

Anastos and Brava review some of those options.

·  Real estate is still growing. No area was hit harder by the recession than real estate. Since then, however, the getting has been good for prospective buyers looking for a profit, yet many remain gun shy due to the hard lessons of 2008-09. Meanwhile, the housing recovery continues as prices are getting back to where they once were. In many markets, buying is still cheaper than renting, "although this is not true everywhere," Anastos says. "Ultimately, it depends on the area, the loan and how long you may be looking to live on the property - or, if you want to rent a property out, which continues to be very lucrative today."

·  Banks have plenty of distressed debt; consider a deal. (www.apollofinancialgrp.com). "We buy distressed debt bank portfolios that aren't generating cash for the bank and work with the families in the homes to refinance at affordable rates," says Brava, senior partner at Apollo Financial Group, founded by Anastos, who adds, "If we can't work it out with the owner, the property gets a second chance, rather than sitting vacant, when we sell the loans as non-performing first or second lien bank notes."

Conduct a thorough title search of the property to reveal any liens. Check with the county to ascertain what, if any, outstanding property taxes are due. Contact a local real estate agent to get an estimation on the property and its as-is resale value.

·  Keep in mind tax-advantaged investments. Tax-advantaged investments can include real estate partnerships, oil and gas partnerships and suitability, which refers to how appropriate an investment may or may not be to an investor. Two of the most common types of real estate partnerships, for example, are low-income housing and historic rehabilitation. The federal government grants tax credits to those who construct or rehabilitate low-income housing or who invest in the rehabilitation or preservation of historic structures.

·  Pay attention to possible changes to Roth IRAs - still a good option, so far. This is still a good investment option for retirement, even though significant changes have been proposed by the White House. Your allotted money goes into a Roth after it's already been taxed, but earnings aren't taxed. Unlike traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, Roth owners currently don't have to take annual distributions after turning 70½ ? which means the money has even more years to grow if the owner doesn't need it. And once the Roth owner dies, the beneficiary inherits the money tax-free. President Obama says this isn't what was intended in a Roth and wants to change this advantage, yet his proposal continues to face mass opposition and many think it won't pass.

About Dean Anastos and Ricky Brava

Dean Anastos is the founder of Apollo Financial Group, (www.apollofinancialgrp.com), and Ricky Brava is senior partner. Anastos is an entrepreneur with a background in real estate, computer programming and trading data communications equipment. Brava specializes in education, marketing and new business development, with an expertise in data-driven, long-term strategic planning. Both men have a strong interest in business opportunities that help resolve societal problems.

(DES MOINES) - Governor Terry E. Branstad today signed a letter to be delivered to President Obama requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 22 Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe weather that produced damaging winds, tornadoes, heavy rains, hail, and thunderstorms beginning June 26 through July 7, 2014.

The counties included in the request are: Audubon, Black Hawk, Butler, Cedar, Des Moines, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Mahaska, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Tama and Washington.

The Governor requested funding under the Public Assistance Program, which is used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities, or to cover costs of emergency work during, and debris removal after, the storms. A joint federal, state and local preliminary damage assessment of the 22 counties found the severe weather caused an estimated $13 million worth of damage that could be eligible under the Public Assistance Program.

The Governor also requested funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state.

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