(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today announced appointments to fill Iowa's Regional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Boards.

The following individuals' appointments began July 1, 2014, and are not subject to Iowa Senate confirmation:

North Central Regional STEM Advisory Board

Mrs. Jan Westrum, Boone

Ms. Robin Anderson, Mason City

Dr. Paul Bartelt, Forest City

Dr. Douglas Jacobson, Ames

Northeast Regional STEM Advisory Board

Mr. James Brown, Jr., Cedar Falls

Dr. Scott Greenhalgh, New Hartford

Mr. Mason Kuhn, Cedar Falls

Mr. Steve Demuth, Decorah

Ms. Lisa Digman, Bellevue

Northwest Regional STEM Advisory Board

Mrs. Mary Trent, Carroll

Dr. Jasper Lesage, Sioux Center

Ms. Sherry McGill, Sergeant Bluff

Ms. Nancy McDowell, Sheldon

South Central Regional STEM Advisory Board

Mr. John Chai, Norwalk

Ms. Kimberly Wayne, Des Moines

Dr. Jerry Deegan, Clive

Ms. Katherine Harrington, West Des Moines

Southeast Regional STEM Advisory Board

Mr. Patrick Barnes, Bettendorf

Ms. Kimberly Beals, Swisher

Professor Tonya Peeples, Coralville

Mr. Craig Martinson, Central City

Ms. Adriana Donofrio, Cedar Rapids

Southwest Regional STEM Advisory Board 

Mr. Chris Russell, Omaha

Mrs. Kimberly Carter, Council Bluffs

Ms. Carol LaFaver, Creston

Mrs. Lori Stitz, Harlan

• Clachneart–Also referred to as the stone of strength, this is a stone weighing 16 to 22 pounds. Throwers run seven-and-a-half feet up to a toe board to throw the Clachneart like a shot put.
• Braemar Stone–This event is similar to the Clachneart except the stone weighs between 22 and 30 pounds and is thrown from a standing position.
• Weight Throws–Contestants throw a heavy and light metal implement for distance. The implements weigh 56 and 28 pounds, respectively, and arethrown from behind a toe board with one hand.
• Sheaf Toss–A hay fork is used to toss a sheaf, (or burlap bag of twine) for height. The sheaf weighs between 16 and 20 pounds and can be launched more than 30 feet in the air.
• Weight Over Bar–Also called the Test of Champions, contestants must toss a 56 pound weight for height.
• Caber Toss–The caber is a tapered, 15-20 foot pole that weighs between 90 and 140 pounds. Contestants hold the pole upright before tossing it end-over-end for accuracy.
• Irish Super Heavy Two-Handed Stone Throw–This event requires male contestants to lift a 112 pound stone and run a short distance with the stone held at chest height or above the head. The stone is heaved forward with both hands at the end of the running distance. For women, the stone is 56 pounds.

The 30th anniversary Mississippi Valley Blues Festival is on for July 3-5 in downtown Davenport!  Despite the massive flooding, the Festival is happening, and the weather prediction for the festival weekend is for dry and pleasant temperatures.

Here is a list of important information about the blues Festival:

• The location is on 2nd Street in Davenport, between Brady and Ripley Streets.
• The main gate with will call and media check-in is at Harrison Street on the north side of 2ndStreet.  A second gate is at the east end of 2nd, at Brady Street.
• Because River Drive will be closed, there is no access to the parking garage closest to the River Music Experience (at River Drive and Main Street).
• Red White and Boom has cancelled the fireworks for Thursday July 3rd.
• The Bandshell (Big Stage) will be at Ripley & 2nd, and the "Tent" stage will be in the courtyard just east of the River Music Experience at 2nd and Main.
• Admission is $10 for Thursday July 3, $25 for Friday July 4, and $25 for Saturday July 5.
• Correction: The free workshops will be held in the performance hall on the second floor of the River Music Experience, and the free retrospective Photo Exhibit will be housed in the same room.  Hours are 2:30-8:00 p.m. on July 4 and 5.
• Correction: BlueSKool will be held on the community stage at Falbo's Pizza on the first floor in the River Music Experience.  Hours are 3:30-7:00 p.m. on July 4 and 5.
• Gates open at 4:30 on Thursday July 3, and at 2:30 on July 4 and 5.

BELOIT, Wis. (July 1, 2014) - Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Michael Feliz struck out seven batters and allowed a lone unearned run in a season-high seven innings, while catcher Brian Holberton and right fielder Brett Phillips hit solo home runs to lift the visitors to a 3-1 victory over the Beloit Snappers at Pohlman Field Tuesday night.

In his longest outing since a seven-inning start last Sept. 6 in the New York-Penn League playoffs, Feliz (4-2) out-dueled Snappers right-hander Junior Mendez (2-4), who also went seven innings, allowing two runs - one earned. Each pitcher walked only one batter, and Feliz struck out seven, while Mendez fanned six. Feliz has allowed one unearned run while striking out 17 in 14 innings against Beloit.

Through four scoreless innings, each team had one hit. With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Mendez had set down 12 straight batters before Holberton launched a 1-0 fastball over the fence in right-center field for his sixth home run. In the bottom of the inning, Feliz had retired 11 batters in a row before a one-out double by Snappers right fielder Tyler Marincov. A wild pitch and walk put runners at first and third bases, but Feliz got catcher Jose Chavez to fly out to right field to keep the 1-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning, River Bandits center fielder James Ramsay hit a leadoff single, went to third base after two groundouts and scored on a passed ball by Chavez to extend the lead to 2-0. In the bottom of the sixth, a one-out throwing error by second baseman Jose Fernandez allowed center fielder B.J. Boyd to reach first base. Third baseman Matt Chapman then swatted his second double of the game to left-center field, scoring Boyd to make it 2-1. During the next at-bat, however, River Bandits catcher Jake Rodriguez threw to shortstop Thomas Lindauer to pick off Chapman, eliminating what would be the Snappers' last opportunity with the tying run in scoring position.

Rain interrupted play for seven minutes in the top of the seventh inning, but Mendez completed a season-high seven-inning start. Feliz worked around a two-out single in the bottom of the inning, before Quad Cities (6-6 second half, 41-40 overall) turned to right-hander Frederick Tiburcio to start the bottom of the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead. Tiburcio fanned the last two batters in a 1-2-3 eighth inning.

In the top of the ninth, Phillips blasted the first pitch from right-hander Bobby Wahl over the right-field fence for his fifth home run, widening the lead to 3-1. Wahl worked two innings out of the bullpen for Beloit (2-9, 32-49).

Tiburcio also worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to convert his fifth straight save opportunity. Quad Cities won its seventh straight game over Beloit, which has also lost seven straight overall

Winners of four straight series openers and now 5-4 on their 11-game road trip, the River Bandits continue their series in Beloit at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Quad Cities left-hander Evan Grills (2-3) is scheduled to face Beloit right-hander Hunter Adkins (0-1).

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return home for the Fourth of July weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. game Friday, July 4, to be followed by Fourth of July Fireworks presented by Smart Toyota of the Quad Cities, WLLR and WQAD. Game tickets are available at www.riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.