Celebrates Mother's Day by Walking to Fight Breast Cancer

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today celebrated Mother's Day by urging the Illinois Senate to pass House Bill 8, which provides job protections for pregnant women. The Governor called for passage of this important legislation to protect moms-to-be while walking alongside thousands of participants in the Susan G. Komen Mother's Day Race for the Cure in Grant Park to show his support for mothers and grandmothers across Illinois. The walk is dedicated to raising awareness and supporting the fight against breast cancer.

"To those near, far or forever in our memories, we should each take time on this special day to honor our moms for their love and support," Governor Quinn said. "Mother's Day is the perfect way to celebrate the women in our lives and raise awareness for legislation to help provide protections for those who have protected us.

"House Bill 8 is an important bill for our expectant mothers that will help reduce discrimination in the workplace and provide peace of mind for the safety of their babies.

"This Mother's Day I urge the Senate to pass this bill so I can sign it on behalf of Illinois' moms," the Governor said.

House Bill 8, sponsored by State Representative Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) and State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights), would provide pregnant women with important worker protections such as limits on heavy lifting and assistance in manual labor; access to places to sit; more frequent bathroom breaks; time off to recover from childbirth and break space for breast-feeding. Studies have shown that, despite existing protections, pregnant women are too often forced out of their jobs and denied reasonable job modifications that would enable them to continue working. The Governor worked with Rep. Flowers and House members to pass the legislation and it is currently before the Senate.

Since the last time pregnancy workforce protections were addressed at the federal level in 1978, the number of women who work during pregnancy has continued to rise at a high rate. According to a report issued in 2013 by the National Women's Law Center, nearly two-thirds of first-time mothers continue to work while pregnant and the majority of those work into the their last month of pregnancy. Unfortunately, as the number of pregnant women working has increased so has the number of pregnancy discrimination cases filed. A study by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shows that, from 1992 to 2011, charges of pregnancy discrimination filed increased 71 percent.

Governor Quinn urges swift passage of HB 8 to ensure employers provide these reasonable accommodations for pregnant women and stop workforce discrimination. The Governor has been committed to protecting and empowering women in Illinois since taking office. Some of his initiatives include :

·         Fought for and signed a law amending the Equal Pay Act to give victims of underpayment more time to address their claims.

• Launched the innovative Birth to Five Initiative in his 2014 State of the State address to expand access to prenatal care; early care and learning opportunities for every child; and strong parent support.
• Leading the charge to increase the state's minimum wage to at least $10 per hour - six in ten minimum wage workers in Illinois are female.
• In his 2014 State of the State address, proposed a minimum of two days of earned sick leave per year for 2.5 million Illinois workers, 78 percent of whom are women, who have no sick leave.
• Launched the first ever Women Owned Business Symposium.

The Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure honors and supports those who have battled breast cancer and continues the mission to save lives and end breast cancer.

SEWARD, NE (05/10/2014)(readMedia)-- Concordia University, Nebraska awarded more than 240 degrees to May graduates during its 2014 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 10. Graduates from August and December 2013 were also invited to participate in the commencement ceremony.

Concordia Nebraska graduates from your local or surrounding area earning their degree in May 2014 include :

Michael Scott McCartney, Davenport, Iowa, B.S.Ed.

"My advice, quite simply, is to act. Lead according to the great education and training you received here, with a strong bias for action," said Arne M. Sorenson, president and chief executive officer of Marriott International Inc. during his commencement address. "Don't let life happen to you. Grab it with both hands and embrace it. By acting, you not only can achieve more, but you will enjoy more, and by acting, you can change the world."

DAVENPORT, Iowa (May 9, 2014) - Right-hander Adrian Houser earned his first Midwest League victory as the first Quad Cities River Bandit to pitch six shutout innings this season, and his team won its season-high fourth straight game by a 5-1 final over the Beloit Snappers in front of a season-high 7,111 at Modern Woodmen Park Friday night.

Houser (1-1) retired the first eight batters of the game and had a 2-0 lead before the Snappers (13-21) had a baserunner. After pitching no more than four innings in any outing this season, Houser earned his first win since Aug. 18, 2012, and worked six innings for the first time since July 11, 2012. He scattered four hits and walked only two batters while striking out a season-high seven.

Houser stuck out at least one batter in every inning but the fifth, when Beloit managed its only two-baserunner inning against him. With two outs and runners at second and third bases, River Bandits center fielder James Ramsay chased down a deep fly ball by Snappers center fielder B.J. Boyd, ending Beloit's only chance with the tying run in scoring position over the final eight innings.

Quad Cities (16-18) took the lead in the first inning against left-hander Chris Lamb (0-1). Ramsay drew a leadoff walk, stole second base, and scored on first baseman Chase McDonald's RBI double to left-center field. Catcher Brian Holberton then singled to center field, bringing in McDonald and extending Holberton's team-season-high on-base streak to 16 games.

After Holberton's hit, Lamb retired 10 of the next 11 batters. He struck out eight batters and kept the 2-0 score until the fifth inning, when shortstop Thomas Lindauer hit a leadoff single to left field. Lindauer stole second base and after Ramsay drew a one-out walk, second baseman Chan-Jong Moon grounded into a fielder's choice while beating the relay throw to first base. But Lindauer kept running and scored from second base ahead of the throw to make it 3-0. Lamb allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks in five innings.

Quad Cities' left-hander Albert Minnis started the seventh inning with a 3-0 lead. He struck out two batters but walked two and allowed a single to load the bases. Right-hander Tyler Brunnemann came in to strike out right fielder Tyler Marincov to escape the jam.

In a 3-0 game, Snappers right-hander Sam Bragg walked Ramsay to begin the bottom of the seventh inning. Moon drove an RBI triple - his third of the homestand - to center field and scored on third baseman Tyler White's sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.

The shutout was intact until Beloit second baseman led off the ninth inning with a home run off Brunnemann, whose scoreless streak ended at 17 1/3 innings dating back to April 3. Brunnemann allowed a double and two walks to load the bases with two outs before being removed after two innings of work. With the tying run at the plate, left-hander Chris Cotton entered to strike out left fielder Jaycob Brugman to earn his first save in 16 career appearances.

Friday's crowd was the seventh-largest at Modern Woodmen Park since the start of the 2002 season and the largest for any April or May game in that time. Quad Cities will conclude the homestand at 6 p.m. Saturday. River Bandits right-hander Andrew Thurman (2-2) is scheduled to face Snappers right-hander Dylan Covey (2-2), as the home team seek its first sweep of an opponent this season.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. (05/09/2014)(readMedia)-- Brig. Gen. Daniel Krumrei, the Illinois National Guard Adjutant General presented awards at the 43rd annual Winston P. Wilson (WPW) competition at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, Ark., May 8.

"Shooting is a perishable skill," said Krumrei. "What makes the competition so valuable are the skills the servicemembers bring back to our Soldiers and units. These skills improve our combat readiness and prepare us to defend our nation."

The WPW matches are held at the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center in Little Rock, Ark. Servicemembers from around the nation compete in the WPW matches. There are approximately 90 teams and 20 different matches. In order to make it to the WPW competition, the servicemembers must complete vigorous training, which includes multiple days on the range and volunteering their time to polish their shooting skills. Expert shooters from each state are sent to compete in this long time-honored competitive set of matches.

"Shooting is not only for the competitions," said Sgt. 1st Class David Perdew of Astoria, Ill., the Illinois National Guard state marksmanship coordinator. "The skill is fine tuned and leaves an impact on the servicemembers and benefits the Guard as a whole."

The reflexive fire match is one of the 20 matches in the WPW competitions. Reflexive Fire is an advanced marksmanship skill that relies on the shooters instinctive response to engage close targets in a short period of time. During this match, the servicemembers must accurately fire the rifle while doing a series of movements.

Staff Sgt. Gabe Cullers of Carrier Mills, Ill., with the Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry in Marion, Ill., took first place in the reflexive fire match.

"We work on our marksmanship skills for multiple days, shooting all day," said Cullers. "It feels good to represent the state as a first place winner."

The matches are not an easy task. The servicemembers must be well rounded in shooting, health and in dedication. The matches take a lot of time and commitment, said Gen. Frank Grass, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.

To be a committed marksman it takes time and dedication beyond normal duty obligations.

"We spent five days in Tennessee zeroing rifles and running through matches and drills on a range from sun up to sun down," said Sgt. Jeff Bugger of Springfield, Ill., with the 1844th Transportation Company in Quincy, Ill., who took second place in the reflexive fire match. "It's a good feeling to know we came out on top while competing against hundreds of other competitors."

This competition is invaluable, as the skills are passed to the junior enlisted, said Grass. Having competed in the WPW matches years ago.

"These servicemembers come from all over the country honing their skills to compete in this competition," said Grass.

Grass awarded the Chief's 50 Marksmanship Badge for their outstanding marksmanship abilities during the WPW rifle and pistol championships.

This year, two Illinois National Guardsmen received the Chief's 50 Marksmanship Badge: Sgt. 1st Class John Stockton of Springfield, Ill., with the Headquarters Company, 33rd Brigade Combat Team in Urbana, Ill., and Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Mix of Marseilles, Ill., with the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Chicago. Mix is also a distinguished marksman in both the rifle and pistol discipline. The distinguished marksmanship program has been around since 1884 and is what the shooters strive to obtain.

The competitors learned and taught each other on individual and team proficiency with rifles, pistols and shotguns during numerous matches, where they competed with the best shooters from around the nation.