CALENDAR

 

April 19th - 4th Annual Easter Bonnet Contest - Wide River Winery Tasting Room LeClaire Judging at 4 p.m. Event for the whole family!

April 19th - Trivia Night in LeClaire - Benefits Buffalo Bill Museum. LeClaire Civic Club. Doors open 6:30pm; game starts 7pm. $10 per person.  Bring your own, or purchase refreshments.  Brisket dinner also available for purchase. See www.LeClaireCivicClub.org for details and to register!

 

April 20th - Easter Sunday - First Presbyterian Church, LeClaire Two worship times, 8 and 10a.m. Free Easter Breakfast at 9 a.m.

April 20th - Easter Sunday - Asbury United Methodist Church 3 worship times: 8:30, 9:50 and 11 a.m. Free Easter Egg Hunt for children between services. 1809 Mississippi Blvd., Bettendorf

April 20th - Bier Stube - Easter Sunday Breakfast - 7 a.m. - noon. Great menu, bottomless Bloody Mary's and Mimosas available. Make reservations today!

April 20th - Faithful Pilot - Easter Brunch 2 seatings, 10:00 & 12:30 - 3 course brunch for $30.00.  No coupons, or gift certificates valid. Make reservations!

April 21st - Economic Development Meeting LeClaire City Hall - 8-9:30 a.m.

April 23rd - LeClaire Community Library - Estate Planning with Community Foundation of the Great River Bend 6pm. This event is free and open to anyone in the community.

April 25th - Masonic Center LeClaire - Taco Bar 6:30-7:30 proceeds to BSA Venture Crew 212

April 26th - "Country Breakfast" Masonic Center LeClaire - 8 a.m. - noon. Biscuits and Gravy, eggs and sausage, pancakes & coffee. Donation of $7.00 for adults, $3.50 for kids under 12. Sponsored by Silver Creek Order of the Eastern Star of LeClaire. Everyone is welcome!

Save the Date

 

May 2nd - First Friday in LeClaire

Mississippi River Distilling Company - Food and Spirit Tastings www.mrdistilling.com

Wide River Winery - Wine and Music on the Mississippi - Live, Danika Holmes, 5-8 p.m. www.wideriverwinery.com

Aunt Hattie's - Come in for a red velvet cupcake!

Razzleberries - Booze cake while it lasts!

Restaurants and several shops will be open late!

May 2nd-3rd - French Market Days - LeClaire

Friday, May 2nd

Book Sale at LeClaire Community Library

*2-3pm: Piano Roll Banner Class includes supplies and refreshments.

*5:30pm: Book Page Wreath Class includes supplies and refreshments.

5:30-8pm: First Friday including Mississippi River Distilling Co.'s tour, food and drink sampling and live music in the courtyard at Wide River Winery, and much more!

10% discount at LeClaire hotels with breakfast included. Rest and refresh for Saturday's shopping and special classes.

Saturday, May 3rd

Mother's Day Shopping Specials

*9am-noon: Cookie decorating class. Learn to do professional cookie decorating and take some home! $35 at Medic EMS Community Room

10am-noon: Children's FREE "Tour de LeClaire" Big Wheel races on the Levee.

10am-4pm: French Flea Market on the Levee. Parking spaces full of treasures will be sold on the spot from the participants just like they do in Europe.

10am-4pm: Special art projects at Reusable Usables. Donations accepted.

3-6pm: LeClaire's Riverfront Farmer's Market includes fresh produce, artisan foods, and specialty snacks.

Book Sale at LeClaire Community Library - $1 bag day.

*Reservation and pre-payment required at www.visitleclaire.com For more information: www.visitleclaire.com

 

May 3rd - Our Lady of the River Catholic Church 3rd Annual Trivia Night 2800 216th Street Place, LeClaire, IA. Doors open at 6, trivia starts at 6:30. $10 per person. Drinks and Cinco de Mayo themed Food for sale. Participants may bring food and soda, beer or wine.  Ages 12 or older may play.  Door prizes, pay out to top 2 teams.  Proceeds will go to the Parish Hall Remodel Project.  Contact Janice at tjvrom@gmail.com or (563)289-3232 for table reservations and more information.

May 5th - Cinco de Mayo Watch for events and specials at local businesses!

May 9th - Wide River Winery, LeClaire - Music on the Mississippi The Old 57's - 5-8 p.m.

May 13th - Chamber Networking Lunch - Blue Iguana LeClaire, noon. Everyone welcome!

May 14th - Spring Concert at the LeClaire Community Library with 'Spiked Lobelia'. 6pm. Spiked Lobelia says they are both a prairie flower and a band, "Old time country/Irish/Bluegrass/eclectic goodness through & through". Bring a snack and friends for this fun family-friendly event in the brick courtyard outside the library, weather permitting. (Rain location is inside the library).

May 16th - Wide River Winery, LeClaire - Music on the Mississippi Jordan Danielsen, 5-8 p.m.

May 20th - First Presbyterian Church of LeClaire - Women's Mini-Retreat 9:30 am to 12 noon, cost $6.Call Pastor Melody, 563-381-7777.

May 23rd - Wide River Winery, LeClaire - Music on the Mississippi Olivia Dvorak, 5-8 p.m.

May 30th - Wide River Winery, LeClaire - Music on the Mississippi Pieces of Candy, 5-8 p.m.

FYI

 

Dr. Lisa Arndt, Arndt Chiropractic Center, Inc., Bettendorf, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Iowa Chiropractic Society for a second term. In addition, Dr. Arndt received the Director of the Year award for her service during the 2013-2014 term.

 

LeClaire Bierstube - Karaoke - Every Friday Night from 9pm - 1am!

Riverbend Signworks just released the latest "Updater", all about wrapping!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/it-s-a-Wrap----and-these-wraps-will-change-your-organization-.html?soid=1111968629442&aid=JeI1JCJsb9o

The LeClaire Tourism Board is now seeking applications for individuals interested in filling an upcoming vacancy on the Tourism Board representing retail. Board applications are available at City Hall during regular business hours or may be downloaded from the City's website (home page, left-hand side). For this upcoming vacancy consideration, completed applications and any accompanying information must be received at City Hall no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 23, 2014. Any and all applications timely received will be reviewed by the Board and a decision will be made on June 2, 2014. Board position to begin on July 1, 2014. If anyone has any questions or if you need further information, please feel free to contact Cindy Bruhn at info@visitleclaire.com.

 

Celebration Belle 2014 Cruising Season April 2nd - October 31st.  Make reservations online at www.celebrationbelle.com or call 1-800-297-0034

Buffalo Bill Museum archives are now open to the public for research on local and regional history, genealogies and more!

Beginning April 1st - Interiors by the Sewing Room "Celebration of Light Savings Event" offering a Rebate promotion on select Hunter Douglas shades. Give your windows a fresh look and save some money along the way. Call 309-755-0045, or stop in for details!

Mississippi River Distilling Company of LeClaire was recently recognized with 8 different awards at international tasting competitions including the San Francisco World Spirits Competition where Distillers and Importers submitted 1,474 spirits from 63 countries. River Rose Gin earned a gold medal, Cody Road Bourbon received a silver medal while Cody Road Rye Whiskey and River Pilot Vodka received bronze medals. The Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago honored Cody Road Bourbon and Cody Road Rye with silver medals and River Rose Gin a bronze medal. At the February annual conference of the American Craft Distillers Association in Denver, MRDC's peers selected River Rose Gin as a bronze medal winner. Country Living Magazine selected Cody Road Bourbon as one of the magazine's favorite bourbons made outside of Kentucky.  Whisky Advocate Magazine featured the Cody Road Whiskies in their tasting notes and buying guide along with a feature on the distillery on the magazine's blog.

August 10th - LeClaire Community Night, Modern Woodman Ball Park. Game time 5:00pm, River Bandits/Beloit Snappers. Mayor Bob Scannell will throw first pitch! A night to celebrate businesses and folks of Leclaire. Awards or special on-field recognition can be done followed by short video on mega-tron highlighting special places and faces in LeClaire filmed the week before. Businesses or groups interested in participating may contact Amanda Henzen, Account Executive and Director of Merchandise 563.333.2729 amandah@riverbandits.com

LeClaire Information Center Volunteers Needed! Contact Cindy Bruhn at info@visitleclaire.com or 563-650-7963 to volunteer.

Visit the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce website www.leclairechamber.com and see us on Facebook!

If you would like to attend a Chamber Board Meeting in order to present a topic, please contact the Board in advance at LeClaireChamber@gmail.com in order to be included an upcoming agenda. Board Meetings are held the 4th Tuesday of each month.

PROPERTY LISTINGS

Commercial Property Available - 1295 and 1297 Eagle Ridge Road, LeClaire, Iowa. Please call: Mike Burke - Mel Foster Co. mburke@melforsterco.com, Mobile: 563-349-2705, Direct: 563-823-5272

Commercial Space for Sale or Lease/Purchase - 204 Jones St. - Call 563-370-2386 for more information. Will show by appointment. Commercially zoned only.

Park Run Apartments/Newbury Living complex - 1, 2, & 3 Bedrooms Available - 1701 Iowa Drive, LeClaire, Iowa 52753. 1 BR, 2 BR or 3 BR unit. Call (563) 289-5159 more information today!

Do you have Residential or Commercial property available? Please contact the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce, leclairechamber@gmail.com, with a property description, complete contact information including phone numbers and rental or purchase pricing.
LeClaire Events Coming Up!
June 6-7 - City Wide Garage Sales

August - Tug Fest

October 12- Apple Fest

October - Witch's Walk

December - Christmas in LeClaire

All of the volunteers and staff at the Bettendorf Discovery Shop are hoping that you will be able to join us Monday, May 5th for our Garden event.  We are all ready to welcome a long awaited spring by filling the shop with a variety of beautiful spring things that have been donated over the last year.

The store will be bursting with lovely items for your home and garden.  Plants & flowers for inside and outside, pictures, dishes, yard decorations, birdhouses, the list goes on and on.  We will also have lots of beautiful flowered clothing and accessories to brighten your day.  There will be a lot of great things to see, so we hope that you can stop by and take part in the fun!

The Discovery Shop is an upscale resale shop that is celebrating 26 years of successful fundraising in Bettendorf.  Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Discovery Shop raises money by selling gently used items donated by individual donors and local businesses.  Helping to make the shop such a success is the staff of wonderful volunteers that donate their time, if you are interested in joining our volunteer team we are always happy to have extra hands to help.   All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, education, patient services and advocacy.

Donations needed and welcomed anytime the shop is open and a tax receipt is always available.  Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm., Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm. and Saturday from10 am to 4 pm.

We are thankful for all the wonderful donations and excited to have this fun event for our customers.

DAVENPORT, Iowa - April 18, 2014 - Genesis Philanthropy is accepting scholarship applications until May 2 for its MetS Initiative, which includes the Naturally Slim® program and biometric screenings for metabolic syndrome (MetS).

The value of the scholarship is $500 and will be awarded to 75 area people based on clinical and financial risk.

Naturally Slim® is a Clinical Wellness Program (CWP) based in Dallas, Texas. Since its founding in 1977, Naturally Slim®, Inc. has helped tens of thousands of people successfully fulfill their dream of lasting weight loss with the added benefit of reducing risk factors of MetS.

Hundreds of Genesis Health System employees have improved their MetS risk factors while helping stabilize health insurance costs through their use of the Naturally Slim® program. Genesis Health System and its employees have saved more than $50 million since first implementing the program in 2009.

Anyone interested in participating in the pilot program can register at www.genesisphilanthropy.org. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 2. Biometric screenings will be held on May12 and May 19. The Naturally Slim® program will kick-off on Thursday, May 29 and conclude in late July.

Genesis Philanthropy leverages the power of philanthropy throughout our region to take the next step in the health care revolution, moving from caring for sick people to improving the health and wellness of the community. Philanthropists, foundations and corporations are catalysts in this quest via their investment in Genesis Philanthropy, a new fundraising and grants-making arm devoted entirely to population health initiatives.

To learn more about the regional impact of a charitable investment in Genesis Philanthropy, contact Missy Gowey, Executive Director, (563) 421-6872.

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CENTRAL HOCKEY LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS

Quad City Mallards vs. Allen Americans

Game One: Friday, April 18 @ Allen, 7:05 p.m.

Game Two: Sunday, April 20 @ Allen, 5:05 p.m.

Game Three: Wednesday, April 23 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.

Game Four: Friday, April 25 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.

Game Five*: Saturday, April 26 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.

Game Six*: Tuesday, April 29 @ Allen, 7:05 p.m.

Game Seven*: Wednesday, April 30 @ Allen, 7:05 p.m.

*- if necessary

 

ROUND ONE

Quad City defeats Rapid City four games to three

Friday, April 4 at Rapid City: Rapid City 5 Quad City 1

Saturday, April 5 at Rapid City: Quad City 3 Rapid City 2 (OT)

Wednesday, April 9 at Quad City: Quad City 5 Rapid City 1

Friday, April 11 at Quad City: Rapid City 3 Quad City 1

Saturday, April 12 at Quad City: Quad City 3 Rapid City 1

Tuesday, April 15 at Rapid City: Rapid City 2 Quad City 1

Wednesday, April 16 at Rapid City: Quad City 3 Rapid City 1

 

Allen defeats Brampton four game to one
Wednesday, April 2 at Allen: Allen 7 Brampton 2

Thursday, April 3 at Allen: Allen 5 Brampton 3
Thursday, April 10 at Brampton: Allen 4 Brampton 1

Friday, April 11 at Brampton: Brampton 4 Allen 2
Sunday, April 13 at Brampton: Allen 4 Brampton 1

 

REGULAR SEASON

Quad City
33-23-10, 76 points
5th place
Coach: Terry Ruskowski

Allen
39-22-5, 83 points
3rd place
Coach: Steve Martinson

 

QUACK TRACKS
Round One

The fifth-seeded Mallards knocked off the fourth-seeded Rapid City Rush in seven games in round one.  The Mallards closed out the tightly contested series by winning game seven 3-1 Wednesday night in Rapid City.

 

Winning
The Mallards' round one win was their first playoff series victory in 11 years.  Prior to this year, the Mallards last won a playoff series when they downed the Muskegon Fury in six games in the 2003 United Hockey League Colonial Cup semi-finals.  The Mallards were eliminated in the first round in each of six straight postseason appearances (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013) before this spring.


Seven

Wednesday night the Mallards played in a seventh game for the first time since falling to the Danbury Trashers 6-4 in the deciding tilt of the opening round of the 2007 UHL playoffs.  The Mallards Wednesday won a game seven for the first time since they claimed the UHL Colonial Cup by title defeating the Flint Generals 3-2 in overtime in the seventh game of the 1998 finals.  All-time, the Mallards are now 3-3 in game sevens.

 

Quick Change
While the Americans have been idle since eliminating the Beast in Brampton Sunday, the puck will drop on game one of round two tomorrow night 43 hours and 40 minutes after the Mallards finished game seven of the opening round.


Tight
The Mallards finally saw off the Rush in game seven after both teams had gone 6-5-1 in 12 head-to-head meetings (regular season and playoffs combined) heading into Wednesday night.

 

Goals, Goals, Goals

The Mallards-Rush match-up was the lowest scoring of the four first round series.  The two clubs averaged 4.6 goals per game.  The losing team scored just one goal in six of the seven games.

 

Streaking

Thomas Frazee (4-4-8) scored the winning goal and added an assist in game seven to move into a tie with Vladimir Nikiforov (2-6-8)- who also scored in the seventh game- for the team lead in playoff points and for sixth in the CHL in postseason points.  Frazee is also tied for second in the league in goals while Nikiforov is tied for third in assists.  Jordan Mayer also had a goal and an assist in game seven and, after sitting out the first two games of the series, produced five points (three goals and two assists) in his first five career playoff games.

 

Between the Pipes
Thomas Heemskerk, who made 26 saves in game seven, went 3-1 in round one and leads the league in playoff goals against average (1.76) and ranks second in save percentage (.937).

 

Special Teams
In round one, the Mallards went 21-for-23 on the penalty kill and 5-for-30 on the power play after finishing the regular season first in shorthanded goals (12), fourth in penalty killing (83.7 percent) and ninth on power play (14.3 percent).

 

Home and Away

The Mallards went 2-1 at home in round one and 2-2 on the road.  During the regular season the Mallards went 19-11-3 at home and 14-12-7 on the road.

 

Working Overtime
Their game two win in round one was the Mallards' first postseason overtime victory since April 1, 2011, when they defeated the Colorado Eagles 4-3 in game one of an opening round series.  The Mallards had lost their three most recent playoff overtime contests- a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Colorado on April 2, 2011 and 3-2 losses to the Fort Worth Brahmas on March 30 and April 3 of last year- before winning game two.

 

Head to Head

The Mallards and Americans have never before met in the playoffs.  The two clubs split their four regular season meetings.  The Mallards went 1-1-0 at home against the Americans during the regular season and 1-1-0 in Allen.  All-time, the Mallards have posted a record of 3-5-1 against the Americans: 2-3-0 at home and 1-2-1 at the Allen Event Center.  Allen's Jamie Schaafsma (4-2-6) and Alex Lavoie (1-5-6) were the top point scorers during the regular season series while Matt Duffy (3-1-4) and Vladimir Nikiforov (0-4-4) were the Mallards' top point producers against the Americans.

 

Ins and Outs
Forward Mike Hellyer (upper body) played in game seven of round one after missing the final 22 regular season games while on injured reserve and the first six games of the playoffs...Joe Perry (upper body) missed the last five games... Jordan Mayer made his professional playoff debut in game three of round one....Jim McKenzie missed game seven of round one.  McKenzie returned April 1 the AHL's Iowa Wild, with whom he signed a professional tryout agreement January 8...Perry signed an amateur tryout agreement March 31... Ty Rimmer returned March 31 after being recalled by the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons March 25... Forward Gabriel Levesque (lower body) is on 14-day injured reserve.

 

WATCH PARTIES
The Mallards have teamed again with T.G.I. Friday's in Moline and the Lodge in Bettendorf to host watch parties tomorrow night and Sunday evening when the Mallards play games one and two of their semi-final series against the Americans.  T.G.I. Friday's is located at 1425 River Drive in Moline, adjacent to the iWireless Center.  Fans who prefer to watch the Mallards in Iowa can enjoy the playoff action in the lounge of the Lodge Hotel and Conference Center, which is located at 900 Spruce Hills Drive in Bettendorf.  T.G.I. Friday's will offer half price appetizers to Mallards fans during the watch party.  Fans who flock to the Lodge can join the watch parties for just a $3 cover charge and enjoy $1.50 drafts and hot dogs.


UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Wednesday, April 23, 7:05 p.m. - Mallards vs. Allen

CHL Semi-Finals, Game Three

The third game of the series will see the Mallards return home for the first time since game five of round one.  Tickets for game three are available for just $3.

 

Friday, April 25, 7:05 p.m. - Mallards vs. Allen

CHL Semi-Finals, Game Four

The Mallards and Americans will clash in the second of the Mallards' two guaranteed semi-final games.

 

Saturday, April 26, 7:05 p.m. - Mallards vs. Allen (if necessary)

CHL Semi-Finals, Game Five

The Mallards will host the fifth game of the semi-finals should it prove necessary.


ON THE AIR
Fox Sports Radio 1230 is the radio home of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance.  Mallards games broadcast on AM 1230 also stream live online at www.wfxn.net.  A limited number of Mallards games will not air on Fox Sports Radio 1230 due to conflicts with University of Illinois basketball and football and Green Bay Packer football.  Audio webcasts of games that do not air on AM 1230 are available at myqcmallards.net.  CHL-TV pay-per-view video webcasts of all Mallards games are also available at myqcmallards.net.  For a full Mallards broadcast/webcast schedule, go to http://myqcmallards.net/schedule/broadcast_schedule/.

 

TICKETS
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets for Mallards home playoff tilts are now available.  Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets.  Single game tickets are also available at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free.  The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

 

Group Tickets
Groups of at least ten receive savings off the walk-up price and a host of group benefits.  Mallards group tickets are a great fit for youth organizations, friends, co-workers, family groups, religious groups, school functions and business events.  For more group ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.

 

-### Quad City Mallards ### -

Civil rights veteran Patti Miller will share her story of activism in the 1960s in her presentation Keeping History Alive: Freedom Summer Experience 1964 on Saturday, April 26th, 2:00 p.m. at the Moline Public Library.  This program is free and no registration is required.

Keeping History Alive is presented as part of the six-week series Created Equal and Changing America, which explores our nation's civil rights history through film, exhibition, and presentations.  More information can be found online at molinelibrary.com/createdequal, by visiting the library at 3210 - 41st Street, or by calling 309-524-2470.

In 1964, Iowa native Patti Miller was a college student at Drake University when she became part of what would become known as Freedom Summer. Freedom Summer participants were recruited to go to Mississippi to register voters, convene Freedom Schools and work on community projects. Ms. Miller went on to work with Dr. Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Chicago as part of the Project to End Slums. She is featured in the PBS American Experience film Freedom Summer and is at work on her own film covering her experiences from that pivotal year.

Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle is made possible through a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Changing America is presented by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of American History in collaboration with the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The traveling exhibition is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.

Local support for Created Equal and Changing America has been provided by Friends of the Moline Public Library, WQPT, and The Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus/QCOnline.

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Long-Term Care Crisis Prompts More Aggressive Collection Tactics
Insurance Industry Expert Shares Tips for Protecting Your Family from "Filial" Support Laws

Most people do not understand filial support laws, which are spreading to more states - 28 and counting, says insurance industry expert Chris Orestis.

"We're living longer, but for many of us, that also means we'll require some type of  long-term health care at some point," says Orestis, a longtime industry insider and author of "Help on the Way," (http://ebook.lifecarefunding.com/), which explains the problem of funding long-term care and offers solutions.

"It's a problem no matter what your age because we're experiencing a "Silver Tsunami" of retiring baby boomers and the costs of long-term care can be extremely high. Medicaid is the only option for many seniors, and that's straining the funding for that safety net. Many people are not eligible for Medicaid, but also cannot afford the expense of care."

As a result, long-term care providers and the federal government are bringing lawsuits and mandating claw-back actions against families, insurance companies and legal advisors, he says. Many are turning to filial support laws, which impose a duty upon adult children for the support of their impoverished parents. Medicaid also has the right to sue families in probate court to "claw-back" funds spent on care.

Just one recent example involved John Pittas, a 47-year-old restaurant owner who was sued by a nursing home company for $93,000 in expenses incurred by his mother over a six-month period after she was denied Medicaid eligibility.

"The court finding even granted discretion to the nursing home company to seek payment from any family members it wished to pursue," says Orestis.

To avoid a financial catastrophe, he says families should consider these options:

•  Know your and your family's health-care rights as a veteran. Veterans who have honorably served their country should take advantage of their VA benefits - not only for their well-being, but also for their family's health. Additional programs that may apply to family members include the VA Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), a comprehensive health-care program in which the VA shares the cost of covered services and supplies for eligible beneficiaries; the spina bifida health-care benefits program for certain Korea and Vietnam veterans' birth children; and TRICARE, another health-care program serving uniformed service members, retirees and their families.

•  You can convert your life insurance policy for long-term care. There is $27.2 trillion worth of in-force life insurance policies in the United States, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners - that's triple the amount of home equity today! Rather than cancel or drop a policy to save on premiums when faced with long-term care needs, you can use it to pay for home care, assisted-living or nursing home expenses. "I've been lobbying state Legislatures to make the public aware of their legal right to use this option," says Orestis, CEO of Life Care Funding, (www.lifecarefunding.com). Seniors can sell their policy for 30 to 60 percent of its death benefit value and put the money into an irrevocable, tax-free fund designated specifically for their care.

•  Don't be so quick to attempt to qualify for Medicaid. Many people who need significant long-term health care can't afford it, so they drop life insurance policies that they've been carrying for years in order to qualify for Medicaid. Families often turn to Medicaid to pay for nursing home care, but it comes with many restrictions, including choice of facilities. In a situation where one spouse is healthy and the other is not, the spouse living independently will also face restrictions on the amount of assets he or she can retain, for instance, a maximum $2,898.00 for monthly maintenance.

About Chris Orestis

Chris Orestis, nationally known senior health-care advocate, expert, and author is CEO of Life Care Funding, (www.lifecarefunding.com), which created the model for converting life insurance policies into protected Long-Term Care Benefit funds. His company has been providing care benefits to policy holders since 2007. A former life insurance industry lobbyist with a background in long-term care issues, he created the model to provide an option for middle-class people who are not wealthy enough to pay for long-term care, and not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.

Required Reporting of Cases Latest Measure to Slow Disease Spread

St. Paul, Minn., April 18, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that in an effort to further enhance the biosecurity and health of the US swine herd while maintaining movement of pigs in the US, the USDA will require reporting of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) and Swine Delta Coronavirus in order to slow the spread of this disease across the United States. USDA is taking this latest action due to the devastating effect on swine health since it was first confirmed in the country last year even though PEDv it is not a reportable disease under international standards. PEDv only affects pigs and does not pose a risk to people and is not a food safety concern.

"USDA has been working closely with the pork industry and our state and federal partners to solve this problem. Together, we have established testing protocols, sequenced the virus and are investigating how the virus is transmitted," said Vilsack. "Today's actions will help identify gaps in biosecurity and help us as we work together to stop the spread of these diseases and the damage caused to producers, industry and ultimately consumers."

In addition to requiring reporting of the PED virus, today's announcement will also require tracking movements of pigs, vehicles, and other equipment leaving affected premises; however, movements would still be allowed. USDA is also working with industry partners to increase assistance to producers who have experienced PED virus outbreaks in other critical areas such as disease surveillance, herd monitoring and epidemiological and technical support.

As part of USDA's coordinated response, USDA's Farm Loan Programs is working with producers to provide credit options, including restructuring loans, similar to how the Farm Service Agency successfully worked with livestock producers affected by the blizzard in South Dakota. In the case of guaranteed loans, USDA is encouraging guaranteed lenders to use all the flexibility available under existing guarantees, and to use new guarantees where appropriate to continue financing their regular customers.

USDA is already providing assistance to researchers looking into this disease, with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) working with the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa to make models of the disease transmission and testing feedstuffs. This modeling work is contributing to some experimental vaccines to treat animals with the disease. ARS also has a representative serving as a member of the Swine Health Board. USDA also provides competitive grant funding through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program and anticipates some applications on PEDv research will be submitted soon. In addition, USDA provides formula funds to states and universities through the Hatch Act and National Animal Health Disease Section 1433 for research activities surrounding this disease.

In conjunction with the pork industry, state and federal partners, the USDA is working to develop appropriate responses to the PEDv and Swine Delta Coronavirus. A question-and-answer sheet on today's reporting requirement is available on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2014/faq_ped_reporting.pdf (PDF, 31KB). For a summary of USDA actions to date, additional information is available here: http://www.usda.gov/documents/pedv-summary-actions.pdf (PDF, 150KB).

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).


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Plan to attend the Helping with Humor fundraising event benefiting the Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc. on Sunday, May 4th at the Establishment Theatre in Rock Island. ComedySportz Quad Cities and the Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc. have partnered once again to provide you with an evening of comedy for a cause, featuring a stand-up performance by comedian Chris Schlicting followed by a ComedySportz match! This is a family friendly event. Tickets are only $10, which in turn supports one bed for one night at the Humility of Mary Shelter. Doors open at 5:15 and the fun starts at 6:00. Please purchase your tickets by calling the Establishment Theatre box office at (309)786-1111.

Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc. provides emergency shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing programs that offer opportunities for men and women experiencing homelessness to become emotionally, mentally, and physically more stable. The shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has proudly served the Quad City community since 2008.

High school, college or recently graduated (2013 & 2012).

The Dubuque Area arts collective (DAAC) is looking for upcoming artists and designers to submit to its Digital Art Exhibit that will open on June 13 (902 Main St, Dubuque IA). Exhibit will open the launch party of DAAC's Grain magazine and Ruix zine, both publications champion regional arts and creative individuals. The weekend event (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) will showcase art, music, dance, readings, and more from upcoming and established area artists. This is a great opportunity for young artists to network and present themselves and their work to the art community. Exhibit will run through June and August and it will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 7pm.

WORK ACCEPTED: Computer graphics, posters, animation, illustration (computer or hand generated), interactive art/installations, animations, digital painting/illustration, photo manipulation, video, vector art, photography, and digital collage.

DEADLINE(S):

EARLY SUBMISSIONS: MAY 12
The first 15 artists/designers who submit will get one of their submitted pieces showcased in the Fall issue of the DAAC's art magazine and website.

LATE SUBMISSIONS: MAY 30

OPENING RECEPTION: June 13, 6pm to 10pm / 902 Main St / Dubuque, IA

TO SUBMIT: Email salondbq@gmail.com with the information below
(Attach digital images of each piece. Images must be of good resolution):

Artist/Designer: Name, email, phone number, school / grade level and age.
For each piece submitted: tittle, media, size and price.

MORE INFORMATION:
www.DAartscollective.com/exhibitions
www.facebook.com/DubuqueAreaArtsCollective


About the Dubuque Area Arts Collective:
The Dubuque Area Arts Collective is a community organization that facilitates young artists' creative development by providing instructive, performance, and leadership opportunities in preparation for careers in the arts industry. Our main goals are to raise the profile of young emerging artists in Iowa, to motivate them to pursue their creative interests, to encourage them to gain experience through volunteer work, to strengthen their skills through free tutoring and workshops, and to enable them to participate in the community's art affairs.
Friends, you have one more chance to get in on a savings opportunity for a river cruise in Germany.
Our travel agent dropped by to say that we should notify our members/friends that our River Cruise for 2015 still has 15 spots available and that the cruise line is still honoring the original discount of 10% off with a $250 down payment and payment of insurance by May 1.   Interested travelers should contact Linda Meadors (all details are on our website).

The GAHC Heritage Motor Coach Tour is also still accepting travelers; no discount.

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