WHITEWATER, WI (07/23/2014)(readMedia)-- Samuel Knobloch was among the 1,488 students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater who received degrees this spring.

Knobloch, from East Moline, Ill., graduated with a Bachelor of Science in management computer systems.

Students celebrated their achievements with friends and families at the commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 17, held in UW-Whitewater's Kachel Fieldhouse.

Students from the College of Business and Economics, the College of Letters and Sciences, the College of Education and Professional Studies, the College of Arts and Communication and the School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education earned degrees.

Students who graduated cum laude had a grade point average of 3.4 to 3.59. Magna cum laude students had a great point average of 3.6 - 3.84. Summa cum laude students had a grade point average of 3.85 and above.

Join us on Friday, July 25, 2014 from 4pm until 7pm for a "Soul Food" dinner.

Cost is $6.00 per plate, served with your choice of lemonade or iced tea.

Our barista drinks and fresh fruit smoothies will be available at $3.00 each.

There will also be music for your soul!

For more information, please call 563-323-5295 or email: ginger@thecenter-davenport.com

Recognizing a growing need in our community, Skip-a-Long Child Development Services has made an investment in our children and will be expanding our Moline child care center to include two additional classrooms!

Why is the center adding more classrooms?

These two classrooms will serve 31 children, ages 18 months to 35 months (two + years) old. The Moline Skip-a-Long child care center has noticed a significant increase in the need for care of this age group, and has made this investment as part of the program's mission to make sure ALL children in the Quad Cities area are well-cared for early on and prepared for school. Skip-a-Long will be breaking ground on this project next week and plans to open the additional classrooms to families currently on our waiting list as early as October of 2014!

What does this expansion mean for our community?

Due to the importance and urgency of this need, Skip-a-Long is investing funds to support the center's expansion. This expansion will create additional jobs, allowing more of our community members to work full-time in the field of early care and education. This expansion also means that more families in our community will have access to a high-quality child care center. More children will have stability and consistency of care, and will learn and grow in an early education environment that will prepare them for success in school and in life!

Please join us for a ground-breaking ceremony where we will celebrate this expansion and discuss more details of the center's plans over the next year. Opportunities for photos of our center's children helping to start the construction will be available. Our Chief Executive Officer - Marcy Mendenhall, our Communications Manager - Liz Strader, and management staff will be available for comments.

WHAT: Ground-breaking ceremony for Moline Skip-a-Long expansion!

WHERE: Skip-a-Long Child Development Services - 4800 60th St., Moline, IL

WHEN: Monday, July 28th, 10:00am

Bismarck, ND--Land commissioners from 23 western states gathered in Bismarck, North Dakota during July to discuss and debate policy issues affecting land management actions on over 440 million acres of state land and water throughout the western United States.  The issue attracting the most attention was the federal Clean Water Act ("CWA"), and the Environmental Protection Agency's ("EPA") proposed rule change affecting Waters of the United States ("WOTUS").

According to the EPA, the proposed rule merely clarifies the existing jurisdictional reach of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the "Corps") over WOTUS, having little impact to existing regulations or the economy. Western land commissioners see it differently. In a resolution approved by the Association at its business meeting, the commissioners note that despite assurances to the contrary from the EPA, the proposed rule appears to greatly expand the jurisdiction of the Corp over WOTUS.

A major concern among the commissioners is that the EPA is moving forward on adoption of the proposed rule without making available a draft economic report, which the EPA claims supports the proposed rule. According to WSLCA President, John Thurston, "the draft economic report has not been released to the public, nor has it been subject to a mandatory peer review by the Science Advisory Board." While EPA has extended the public review and comment period until October 20, 2014, there will not be adequate time to complete a thoughtful, in-depth peer review and analysis to facilitate the development of meaningful comments.

On the surface it would appear that changes to the CWA, administered by the Corps, would mostly affect states having large amounts of surface waters and wetlands. However, the economies of states like Arizona could be devastated if the new rule is adopted as currently proposed. "Developers, ranchers, and private landowners in the State of Arizona could see a tremendous increase in the need to obtain expensive and time consuming Section 404 permits from the Corps," said Vanessa Hickman, Arizona State Land Commissioner. "It is equally disconcerting that under the proposed rule there is no grandfathering type of protection for those people who, in the last five years, have received a jurisdictional decision from the Corps, and are operating accordingly," Hickman said. As a result, a great deal of anxiety is being created in the development and financing industries over whether or not those with prior jurisdictional decisions would have to reapply for new decisions, and possibly new Section 404 permits. It is unclear what affect this would have on the work flow of existing projects.

The public review and comment period is open until October 20, 2014. Those interested in getting more information on this important action may do so at the following website: www.wslca.org.

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