DES MOINES, IA (05/13/2014)(readMedia)-- With graduation season upon us, there is no better time than now to start planning for the future. Whether your children are graduating from grade school or high school, a contribution to their College Savings Iowa account is a great way to show how proud of them you are.

While any form of saving for college is better than not saving at all, there are advantages to using a 529 plan, such as College Savings Iowa. With initial and ongoing contribution amounts as low as $25, College Savings Iowa is an affordable way for families to save in order to meet the rising costs of higher education. As a way to help families start saving, we are celebrating 529 College Savings Day on May 29 and giving away a $5,290 College Savings Iowa account. For more information and to enter the giveaway, please visit collegesavingsiowa.com any time before May 31.

Administered by my office, College Savings Iowa allows you to choose from multiple investment choices, including four age-based options that take into account the child's age and the account owner's tolerance for risk. As a general rule, age-based accounts opened for younger beneficiaries are heavily invested in stocks early on; these accounts try to maximize returns by taking advantage of the longer time horizon. As the beneficiary nears college age, the assets are automatically shifted to more conservative portfolios. This allows you to protect your capital and reduce the market risk before you begin making withdrawals for college expenses.

In addition, College Savings Iowa offers significant tax benefits to help your savings grow even more. Contributions and earnings grow free of federal and Iowa state income taxes while invested. They remain tax-free when they are used to pay for qualified higher education expenses at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United States or abroad. Iowa taxpayers who participate in College Savings Iowa are also allowed to deduct up to $3,098 in contributions per beneficiary account from their 2014 adjusted gross income.*

While a college education is an investment that lasts for a lifetime, the season to save for it is a lot like summer vacation - much shorter than you think. Start saving today and help make college a reality for a child in your life.

. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@Iowa529Plan) to stay up to date on all our current events and giveaways.

* Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income. The earnings portion of nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing.

College Savings Iowa is an Iowa trust sponsored by the Iowa State Treasurer's Office. The Treasurer of the State of Iowa sponsors and is responsible for overseeing the administration of the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager and Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., assists the Treasurer with marketing and distributing the Plan. Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC, provides records administration services. The Plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (05/13/2014)(readMedia)-- The Illinois National Guard, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and U.S Northern Command will hold a media availability during a week-long earthquake response exercise at the 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield at 11:00 a.m. May 14. The media availability will coincide with a visit from the Illinois National Guard's State Partners from Poland.

WHO:

• Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing based in Springfield, Ill.

• Illinois Army National Guard's 65th Troop Command Brigade based in Springfield, Ill.

• Illinois National Guard State Partnership Program Polish delegation

WHAT:

• Media availability highlighting the Illinois National Guard's earthquake response training and its strong partnership with Poland.

WHEN: Wednesday May 14, 2014 at 11:00AM Central Time (US & Canada)

WHERE:183rd Fighter Wing
1301 J. David Jones Pkwy
Springfield, Illinois 62707

NOTES:

• The Illinois National Guard is conducting a week-long exercise to prepare its units for rapidly responding to a major earthquake along the New Madrid and Wabash faults in southern Illinois.

• A delegation of Polish Army officers is visiting the Illinois National Guard to study the Guard's domestic operations mission.

• The Polish delegation will observe three days of exercises.

• The delegation is part of the National Guard's State Partnership Program, which partners U.S. states with European countries to support the Department of Defense security cooperation objectives.

• Representatives from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and advisors from U.S. Northern Command are also participating in the exercise.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced today that Ayenna Cagaanan and Amy Huynh have been selected as two of the most promising young scientific leaders in Iowa's 2014 high school graduating class.  At the invitation of Governor Earl Ray Tomblin of West Virginia, they will participate as delegates to the 2014 National Youth Science Camp held at Camp Pocahontas near Bartow in the eastern mountains of West Virginia's Potomac Highlands, and close to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank and within the unique wilderness areas of the Monongahela National Forest.

Amy Gia Han Huynh, of Ankeny, is a leader in academics and extracurricular activities. Academically Amy is on the honor roll, has received academic letters, participated in Science Bowl and Moody's Mega Math Challenge. She is co-president of the student council and participated in the Greater Des Moines Chapter of National Council of Youth Leadership, being recognized as a youth leader in central Iowa. Amy participated in Iowa State University's microbiology workshop, attended Iowa Lakeside Laboratory gaining experience in the field and the laboratory. In 2009 she represented Iowa and the United States as a People to People student ambassador in Greece, Italy and France. She is a member of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society. She served as a member and captain of the cheerleading team at Ankeny High School. Amy says, "Science and innovation propel technological advances that help us live more comfortably...The untapped wealth of knowledge in the science field awaits discovery by eager scientists among the youth of today."

Ayenna Pimentel Cagaanan, of Fort Dodge, is an enthusiastic learner in her core academic classes, elective music courses, and extra-curricular activities. She is a school leader, member of the Dodger Senate and is the Senior Class President. She has served as Officer, Secretary, and President in Junior Civitan, a member of the debate team, and speech contestant. Ayenna competes on Junior Engineering Technical Society teams and is the 12^th grade Science Quiz Bowl Team Captain. She is also a musician serving as Drum Major in 12^th grade and a member of Marching Band since 10^th grade. She has participated in Wind Ensemble (clarinet and piano), and Jass Band and a National Council on Youth Leadership finalist. Ayenna says, "I want to bring back my National Youth Science Camp experiences to Fort Dodge to encourage other teenagers to participate in STEM activities."

Established in 1963 as a part of West Virginia's Centennial Celebration, the National Youth Science Camp is an annual summer forum where two delegates representing each state exchange ideas with leading scientists and other professionals from academic and corporate worlds.  Lectures and hands-on research projects are presented by scientists from across the United States who work on some of the most provocative topics in science today - topics such as fractal geometry, the human genome project, global climate change, the history of the universe, the fate of our rain forests, and robotics.  Delegates to the NYSC are challenged to explore new areas in the biological and physical sciences, art, and music with resident staff members.  Delegates also present seminars covering their own areas of research and interest.

The National Youth Science Camp's diverse academic program is complemented by an outdoor recreation program, which leverages the Science Camp's location in the Monongahela National Forest. The Science Camp's outdoor program offers backpacking, caving, rock climbing, mountain biking and kayaking.

Ayenna and Amy will travel to Charleston, West Virginia, on June 27, 2014, and will return on Sunday, July 20, 2014, after participating in this innovative educational program.  The National Youth Science Foundation^®, based in Charleston, West Virginia, covers all expenses, including travel. More information about National Youth Science Camp is available online at www.nysf.com and www.nysc.org.

 

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Book signings for THE MANGLED SPOON are scheduled for The Book Rack from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 at the Moline store, 3937 41st Ave. Drive and at the same time on Saturday, June 7 at the Davenport store, 4764 Elmore Ave