Marvin Cone: Quiet Integrity art talk will be given on the third Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m. at Muscatine Art Center. The program will provide information about the life of Marvin Cone, including his long friendship with Grant Wood. The two met in high school, traveled to Paris, attended the Art Institute of Chicago, and joined forces in the summer of 1932 and 1933 to create Stone City Art Colony. As people they were opposites and each followed a different path, but they did influence each other.

Cone and Wood were both active in the Cedar Rapids Art Association, one of the oldest art organizations in Iowa, which later becomes the Cedar Rapids Art Museum. The program will include the history of the association and many images from the Muscatine Art Center, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Coe College and Figge Art Museum  The cultural environment of Cedar Rapids provided both Cone and Wood with exposure to well known artists and the inspiration to become artists.

Marvin Cone lived in Cedar Rapids, married, raised a family, and taught at Coe College. Although, he does not have the fame of Grant Wood, it is clear that he was a skilled artist and an important figure in American painting.

After graduating from Coe College with liberal arts degree, he attended the Art Institute of Chicago with Grant Wood. Both joined the army during World War I. Because Marvin Cone could speak French, he was selected to attend the University of Montpellier, France, in February of 1919 before returning home. Marvin returned to Cedar Rapids to teach French at Coe College. The following summer Cone and Wood traveled to Paris, London, Liverpool, and Antwerp. Both painted in the Impressionistic style and held an exhibition of their artworks on the ship as they return to Cedar Rapids.

On the same return trip home, Grant Wood introduced Marvin to Winnifred Swift whom Marvin married in 1921. Winifred and Marvin had one daughter, Doris.

During the 1920s, Cone's activities included starting the art department at Coe College and keeping an active schedule of exhibitions with the Cedar Rapids Art Association. At the time, Cedar Rapids was a thriving atmosphere for the arts and in 1928, the American Federation of Arts and Carnegie Foundation provided a $50,000 grant to open The Little Gallery, and Edward Rowan was hired as a trained museum administrator. Rowan arranged for Cone and his wife to go back to Paris in 1929. In 1930, Grant Wood, received the Art Institute award for American Gothic and became famous.

1932, Marvin Cone and Grant Wood taught at the Stone City Colony and Art School. Background information and images of the Stone City Colony are included in the program. Courses at the Stone City Colony were accredited by Coe College. Unfortunately, the Depression caused the Colony to close after two summers. Grant Wood went on to teach at the University of Iowa, while Cone was appointed professor of painting at Coe College.

The art talk will take you through Marvin Cone's styles: landscapes, haunting interiors, barns, circus scenes, and finally abstract images. Unlike artists associated with regionalist and American scene painting of the 1930s, Marvin Cone would integrate his firsthand observation and move from realism to abstraction. Cone's work includes more than rural Midwest scenes.

On May 18, 1965, Marvin Cone died. As a tribute to his forty years of teaching, Coe College established the Marvin Cone Collection and the Marvin Cone Alumni collection with his artwork on display. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art provided images for the program as the museum has one of the largest collection of Marvin Cone's works in the United States.

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May 27, 2014 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

June 6, 2014 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension Office, 10:00 am-2:00 pm

June 24, 2014 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today released the following statement after the close of the 2014 legislative session:

"In January, Lt. Governor Reynolds and I brought forth a simple message:  'Iowa is Working.' In fact, Iowa Workforce Development recently reported that more Iowans are working than ever before in our state's history and our unemployment rate of 4.5 percent is 7^th lowest in the nation.

"We are proud to see a number of our policy proposals approved by the Iowa Legislature. We are pleased the Legislature joined us in support of a robust Renewable Fuel Standard early in the session. In early April, the House and Senate passed our plan to repurpose public buildings to serve as centers of economic development and commerce.

"The centerpiece of our legislative plan, Home Base Iowa, won broad bipartisan support. In March, Greene County became the first Home Base Iowa Community. Iowa businesses have already set a goal of filling over 2,900 jobs in our state with veterans. The Home Base Iowa jobs plan passed by the Legislature shares our vision of offering veterans a superior quality of life as they transition from the military to civilian life.

"As we travel the state, business and community leaders told us of the high-quality jobs available, but the inability to fill them because applicants lacked the specific skills. The apprenticeship bill will triple funding for apprenticeship programs and ensure more Iowans are prepared to fill the high-quality jobs available across our state.

"For the second year in a row, our budget proposal called for a tuition freeze at our Regent universities.  The Legislature's passage of our proposal to freeze tuition represents the first tuition freeze at Regent universities in consecutive years since 1980.

"After two years of advocating for legislation to strengthen Iowa's laws against bullying, we are disappointed the Senate again failed to take action to protect Iowa's students from bullying in our schools. Unfortunately, in the closing hours of the session, Iowa Senate Democrats blocked the measure to provide a safe and secure classroom. We will continue to fight for our children because every student deserves a learning environment that is conducive to educational growth and free of harassment and bullying.

"We launched the 'Connect Every Iowan' initiative to increase access, adoption and use of broadband technology in Iowa.  Technology is the great equalizer and we know for Iowa to continue to grow and prosper, we must have quality broadband technology all across Iowa. We are disappointed that Iowa Democrats chose to put election-year politics ahead of good public policy. We plan to continue working to bring high-speed Internet access to all corners of the state, not just to population and industrial centers.

"The budget we proposed in January spent 91 percent of authorized capacity, 8 percent below the requirement by law. Our budget balanced in a five-year budget projection. It balanced when we accounted for our commitment to fully fund the historic tax reduction passed last year and our unprecedented investment in Iowa schools.

"Over the coming weeks, we will carefully review the budget passed by the Legislature. After years of budget mismanagement, Iowans expect us to maintain responsible budgeting. Our careful planning has taken us from a projected billion dollar spending gap when we took office to a $700 million budget surplus today. Our priority - and our responsibility - is to ensure we adhere to sound budgeting principles that adequately address our state's needs without following the Washington, D.C., playbook of spending ourselves into a budget cliff. Simply put, we are committed to a budget that is in balance now and in the future.

"Despite the partisan tone of the session, we are pleased there was agreement on the majority of our legislative plan. Our plan continues growing Iowa's economy, attracts and matches military members with quality careers in our communities, offers more job-training opportunities for Iowans and holds tuition steady at our Regent universities. Politics should never get in the way of passing meaningful legislation for the taxpayers we serve."

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Key 2014 Legislative Accomplishments

Protecting a robust Renewable Fuel Standard (House Resolution 101, Senate Resolution 101)

• The Iowa House and Senate followed Gov. Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds' lead in supporting a robust Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
• On January 14, 2013, in his Condition of the State Address, Gov. Branstad called for the Legislature to act right away to show broad bipartisan support for the RFS. The Iowa House and Senate adopted the resolutions on January 16, 2014.

Repurposing of Abandoned Public Buildings (Senate File 2339)

• Turns what used to be centers of education into centers of commerce.
• Repurposes the crumbling structures with renewed investment, and reinforces the foundation with new jobs.
• The bill allows public property that is vacant, blighted, obsolete, or otherwise underutilized to be eligible for grayfield site tax credits helping to promote revitalization in Iowa communities.
• The bill was signed on April 10, 2014.

The Home Base Iowa Act (Senate File 303)

• The Home Base Iowa Act fully exempts military pensions from state income tax, putting Iowa on more equal footing with states such as Florida and Texas, and our Midwestern neighbors such as Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In addition, the bill fully exempts military survivor benefits from state income tax.
• Iowa's licensing boards will adopt rules allowing credit for military training and experience in the licensing process.
• Allows private-sector companies to follow the public sector's lead by allowing a preference in hiring and promoting veterans.

• Eliminates the special plate issuance fees charged for plates associated with military service.
• Expands eligibility for the Iowa Finance Authority military homeownership assistance program. The program receives a $900,000 increase over the previous year to a $2.5 million total via House File 2463.

Reducing Student Debt (Senate File 2347)

• In 2013, Gov. Branstad proposed and signed the first tuition freeze at Regent universities in 30 years.
• This year, the Legislature again approved the Governor's call for a freeze in tuition at Regent universities. This is the first tuition freeze in consecutive years since 1980.
• The Regents universities received a 4 percent funding increase, with an additional $2.6 million of funding going to the University of Northern Iowa to ensure a tuition freeze would be possible in Cedar Falls.

The Iowa Apprenticeship and Job Training Act (House File 2460)

• Apprenticeships allow students to earn while they learn, rather than taking on significant student debt.  They provide the apprentice with focused, hands-on training and a paycheck from day one.
• Nationwide, there are registered apprenticeships for more than 1,000 occupations, with programs impacting 250,000 employers and approximately 450,000 apprentices. In Iowa in FY13, there were 662 registered apprenticeship programs, and over 8,100 registered apprentices.
• With over $8.8 billion in capital investments incentivized by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, demand for a skilled workforce has increased all across our state.
• The Governor's bill triples funding for apprenticeships while reforming and improving the state's apprenticeship program.

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Los Lonely Boys, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, North Mississippi Allstars Headline 

www.RiverRootsLive.com

(DAVENPORT- IA) River Roots Live, the Quad Cities' premiere music festival, is celebrating its ten year anniversary with an incredible lineup featuring headliners Los Lonely Boys, Robert Randolph & the Family Band and the North Mississippi Allstars.   Additional national acts include ZZ Ward, Ben Kweller, Cracker, The Jayhawks, Foxy Shazam, The Ballroom Thieves, Mr. Baber's Neighbors, and Twins.  The Quad Cities' own talent will also be showcased by the One Night Standards and The Dawn.

As always, Ribfest BBQ vendors from across the country will be serving up delicious BBQ throughout the weekend. River Roots Live will be held on Friday, August 15 and Saturday, August 16, 2014 in Davenport's LeClaire Park on the banks of the beautiful Mississippi River. The festival is free both nights before 5 p.m. and admission is only $10 after 5 p.m.

"With 2014 being the festival's ten year anniversary, we really wanted to increase the look and feel of River Roots Live, said Jason Gilliland, Director of Events, Downtown Davenport Partnership.  "Fans can expect to find a bigger second stage that includes an improved sound system and banners rivaling many other festivals in the country.  In addition, our lineup has more nationally touring acts and we're thrilled to provide a festival of this quality for the Quad Cities."

The Bands 

Hailing from Texas, Los Lonely Boys are a Grammy Awarwd-winning sibling trio whose music draws equally from Rock, Blues, Tex-Mex, Conjunto, and Tejano. After recording their debut album at Willie Nelson's studio in 2003, the single "Heaven" started climbing the charts with the album selling double Platinum.

Robert Randolph & the Family Band is a funk and soul band led by pedal steel guitarist, Robert Randolph.  This high energy, festival staple band was described by the President of Blue Note Records as having "mastered what is, arguably, the most complex instrument in the world and developed a unique voice that is equal parts street-corner and Bonnaroo." This is a high energy band that will leave you breathless and wanting more.

The North Mississippi Allstars formed in 1996, the product of a special time for modern Mississippi country blues. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson soaked up the music of their father, Memphis legend Jim Dickinson, and absorbed the North Mississippi legacy while playing and shaking it down in the juke joints with their blues ancestors. Eventually, Luther and Cody formed the North Mississippi Allstars and pioneered their own brand of blues-infused rock and roll. The Allstars continually expand the tradition of the Mississippi hill country blues that has inspired them from the beginning, but as Rolling Stone aptly notes, "the Allstars may be children of tradition, but they're digging deep in undiscovered country."

On her way to River Roots Live, ZZ Ward will be showcased at Bonnaroo, Summerfest and Red Rocks this summer.  Live, ZZ Ward's smoky vocals and deliberate, varied arrangements make her one not to miss.  Last year, she toured with Fitz and the Tantrums, Grace Potter, Gary Clark, Jr. and Allen Stone and this year launched multiple near sell-out U.S. headline tours.

Ben Kweller has been called everything from balladeer to punk rocker, anti-folker to indie-popper. His ability to weave together opposites that coexist happily on the same album is something few can do.

American alternative rockers Cracker will take the stage on Saturday.  Formed in 1991 the band has released 10 studio albums including the gold-selling album, Kerosene Hat, which included the hit songs "Low" and "Get off This."

The Jayhawks have been described as forging a rootsy sound that wasn't quite rock or country - "Hank Williams on speed." That sentiment can be heard on such hits as "Save it for a Rainy Day," "Blue," and "Waiting for the Sun."

Named one of the "100 bands you need to know" by Alternative Press, Foxy Shazam has been showing off their rock chops since 2004.  Lead singer Eric Sean Nally says "When I listen to a Foxy Shazam record I think of Evel Knievel; Bruce Springsteen; my childhood; Van Morrison; my old friends from high school I don't talk to anymore; Elton John; the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, and beyond; Iggy Pop; and my first kiss."

Rounding out this year's lineup will be the Ballroom Thieves, Mr. Baber's Neighbors, Twins, the One Night Standards and The Dawn.

Ribs & Fest Info 

It wouldn't be River Roots Live without Ribfest BBQ!  This isn't your neighbor burning some hotdogs and calling it BBQ. Our vendors travel the nation and represent the top tier of professional BBQ cookers in the United States.  So loosen your belt, and we suggest trying every single one of 'em throughout the weekend.  Patrons will be able to vote for their favorite!  The West Music Jr. Jam Tent returns to offer fun educational workshops for kids and performances from the River Music Experience's Rock Camp bands.

With well over 20,000 attendees, River Roots Live has continued to grow every year since its inception in 2005. For complete details regarding band bios and festival activities, please visit RiverRootsLive.com.

Produced by the Downtown Davenport Partnership, a division of Quad Cities Chamber, River Roots Live is supported by partners Living Lands & Waters and the River Music Experience - all nonprofit organizations.  River Roots Live is proud to help promote music education programs at the River Music Experience, environmental clean-up efforts on the Mississippi River by Living Lands & Waters, and the growth of historic downtown Davenport.