15 Apr 2014

Million Trees Project Reaches over 725,000 Trees!

By Natalie Linville-Mass

Rock Island, IL/April 2014- With the help of the Quad Cities and surrounding communities, Living Lands & Waters (LL&W) is making this spring one for the record books! The MillionTrees Project (MTP) began back in 2007 with the goal of growing and distributing one million trees to help further their mission to protect, preserve and restore the natural environment of the nation's major rivers and watersheds.  After surpassing the halfway point last year, LL&W is proud to announce that this year the program's cumulative total will tally to a whopping 734,630 trees!

After a busy pre-season of taking tree orders, the 2014 MTP kicked off early this April with a tree wrapping.  Paired with their gracious hosts--the QCCA Expo Center, this year's volunteers truly proved strength really does come in numbers. "We broke several records, wrapping 10,000 more trees than last year, and having 3 times the amount of volunteers as last year. I think its great when the Quad Cities can come together for an amazing cause and do something great for the environment," said MillionTrees Project Coordinator, Ashley Stover.

Three days of hard work resulted in 15,425 Burr Oak, 12,239 Northern Red Oak, 7,200 White Oak and 13,875 Swamp White Oak wrapped for a grand total of 48,739 trees prepped and ready for delivery! LL&W will spend the duration of the project this year not only delivering and planting these trees, but going one step further by branching out with their acorn plantings. They are in route to planting their 871,000th acorn this season!

"There is always such energy in the room and the spirit of cooperation is amazing.  Total strangers working in harmony, from little bitty kids to old ladies, like me!  I'm already looking forward to next year," said volunteer Lee Ann Wille from the Iowa Master Conservationist Program.

Our Complete Volunteer Group List included: the Boys and Girls Club, Rivers Edge Home School Friends and QC Home School Coalition, Christian Care for Homeless Veterans, Christian Care for Homeless Veterans, The ARC of the Quad Cities, John Deere, Rockridge Junior High, Stern Beverage, U.S. Bank, Nahant Marsh, WIU-Quad Cities Campus, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Modern Woodmen Youth Club, Salem Lutheran Church Youth Club-Moline, Faith Assembly Youth Club, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Assumption High School, North Scott High School's Leo Club, William's Junior High School-Davenport, 4H Club, Augustana SAI and Orion Middle School.

Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America's major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a-River-Mile programs and the Million Trees Project.

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15 Apr 2014

Fair Tax Rate Structure Bill Moves Forward as Harmon Files SB350, Cutting Taxes For 94% of Illinoisans up to $205,000

By Neal Waltmire

Legislation also balances individual and corporate ratio at 1:1, applying the same progressive formula for both individual and corporate taxpayers

Springfield, IL - Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) has moved forward new legislation tying a specific rate structure to his Fair Tax Act proposal, including a fixed rate structure that would provide a tax relief for 94% of Illinoisans, including everyone making up to $205,000. Filing of SB350 marks another key step forward for a Fair Tax, which would replace Illinois' antiquated, regressive flat tax with fairer rates, while maintaining adequate revenue to protect vital investments in education, health and human services, and public safety.

Harmon's bill also equalizes the individual and corporate tax ratio at 1:1, applying the same graduated formula to both corporations and individuals?a tax cut for all businesses currently paying the 7% flat rate. Under the proposed rate structure, with lower rates for lower incomes and higher rates for higher incomes, the median individual Illinois taxpayer earning $55,137 annually would receive a tax cut of $303.

Harmon said he was incredibly encouraged by the surge of support for putting a Fair Tax on the November ballot for citizens to decide following his introduction of a rate structure, and the addition of Rep. Christian Mitchell as chief sponsor on the House side.

"The introduction of a rate structure that offers tax relief for 94% of Illinoisans while preventing draconian cuts to vital services that would result from Illinois driving off the impending fiscal cliff has been an absolute game changer," said Harmon.  "People understand this is fundamentally all about fairness."

"Just as the statewide grassroots movement of citizens supporting a Fair Tax has been surging for months, my House colleagues are now taking a hard look at the choices in front of them and many see that this is a third way?a way to provide the services people need and to do so in a way that provides tax relief for 94% of Illinois families," added Mitchell.

Polling shows that 77% of voters support a Fair Tax, with lower rate for lower incomes and higher rates for higher incomes. Since its introduction in 2013, a large and growing statewide coalition has grown in favor of a Fair Tax, and news analysis over the weekend confirms its place at the top of the legislative agenda as Springfield considers budget options for FY2015.

"The choices available today are bad for Illinois families: to extend a regressive flat tax or to cut 13,400 teachers from the classroom, to take 95,000 kids off of early childhood education, to say 'no' to 30,000 college students wishing to get a MAP grant, to close 11 prisons and release 15,000 prisoners, to lay off 3,000 corrections officers, to cut the state police by 30%. The Fair Tax is the third way," said Sen. Harmon.

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15 Apr 2014

Simon releases 2013 tax returns

By Ted Nelson

Urges officials to pass Senate Bill 1361, disclose more about personal finances

CARBONDALE - April 14, 2014. Illustrating her commitment to government transparency, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today released her 2013 tax returns along with personal financial statements for herself and her senior staff. Simon said the financial data goes beyond the disclosure required by law and is necessary for taxpayers to determine if she or her staff harbors any conflicts of interest. For a copy of Simon's returns click here.

This is the fourth consecutive year in state office that she released the data, a tradition she started as Carbondale City Council Member and will maintain while holding elected office.

"Transparency and accountability go hand in hand," Simon said. "I invite residents to view my financial information and learn that I have no conflicts of interest. I urge state lawmakers to strengthen our disclosure laws so that taxpayers can trust their leaders."

According to the tax returns, Simon and her husband, Perry Knop, a community college professor, reported adjusted gross income of $207,522 in 2013. They paid $44,393 in federal and state taxes, which equates to an effective tax rate of almost 27 percent (22 percent federal, 4.7 percent state).

Simon and Knop contributed more than $3,300 to charity, including support for Southern Illinois University Foundation and various arts, health and women's organizations. Their primary debts include a mortgage for their Carbondale home and a car loan for a Ford Focus, and they sold stock to help pay for a daughter's college tuition.

State law does not require elected officials to release tax returns, but they are mandated to file a Statement of Economic Interests each May. Simon, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and other good government advocates have criticized the mandated form for being too confusing and riddled with loopholes.

Simon backs legislation, SB 1361, that would overhaul the questions for the first time in 40 years. It passed the Senate with overwhelming support and is now in the House Rules committee.

The Chicago Tribune editorial board has called for passage, stating in a December editorial: "Disclosure statements, as they stand now, are a joke. Speaker Madigan, let this bill out of Rules and bring it to a vote. This kind of sunlight is really needed."

Until the law changes, Simon encouraged lawmakers to voluntarily disclose their finances.

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15 Apr 2014

Governor Quinn Urges Homebuyers to Act Fast and Take Advantage of Welcome Home Illinois Program

By Dave Blanchette

Program Offers First-Time Homebuyers Down-Payment Assistance and a 3.75 Percent Interest Rate on a 30-Year Fixed Mortgage

CHICAGO - Two weeks after first launching the Welcome Home Illinois loan program, Governor Pat Quinn is traveling to cities across Illinois to raise awareness of the program, discuss its benefits and explain how people can participate. The Governor is visiting Chicago, Rockford, the Quad Cities and Peoria to discuss the impact first-time homebuyers have on the state's economy and urge them to act fast while the program is available. The events are part of Governor Quinn's agenda to drive economic growth by making homeownership more affordable in Illinois.

"Welcome Home Illinois is helping first-time homebuyers afford their first home and we want to make sure that everyone who qualifies gets a chance to participate," Governor Quinn said. "This program will help give hardworking men and women the opportunity of homeownership that they deserve, and help drive our economy forward."

The new loan program is administered through the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and provides first-time homebuyers $7,500 in down-payment assistance with an interest rate as low as 3.75 percent for a secure, 30-year fixed rate mortgage. Generating interest at a faster pace than other IHDA programs, the timing is perfect for Welcome Home Illinois, tailored to working families, with borrower income limits up to 140 percent of the area median income (AMI) as the spring buying cycle hits its stride. For example, a family of three in Cook County could qualify even if earning as much as $106,000 in annual household income, and a family of three in Rockford could qualify with an annual household income of $90,020.

Following an overwhelming response to the launch of the program, more than $19.7 million in financing has been reserved as residents lock in $7,500 in down-payment assistance and below-market rates. Many house hunters are already flooding the housing market during the spring buying season. More than 24,000 have visited the Welcome Home Illinois website and local home buyers are quickly recognizing the program for its historically low rates, currently at 3.75 percent, which is well below the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4.47 percent.

"We know it is time to get our own home to meet the needs of our family, but we weren't sure where to start or how we could afford it," Nick Ng, Chicago resident and prospective first-time home buyer, said. "Learning we pre-qualified for the Welcome Home Illinois program really opened the door to the possibility of homeownership for us."

Nick and his wife have been married for seven years and are parents to four young children. Hearing impaired and working as a graphic designer at Roosevelt University, Nick will soon experience the important milestone of moving out of a relative's home and into one he can finally call his own.

"Families across the state are quickly recognizing Welcome Home Illinois as a perfect first step to becoming a homeowner," IHDA Executive Director Mary R. Kenney said. "With 175 reservations made in the program's first 14 days, it's truly gratifying to see this program help real people realize their dream of home ownership, helping them to build a better future and leading to a stronger overall economy in Illinois."

According to the Illinois Association of Realtors (IAR), every home sold generates two jobs and $60,000 in ripple effects to the overall economy. This impact has already been realized statewide with other IHDA programs. In 2013, 3,000 families purchased homes through one of IHDA's programs, generating 1,500 jobs and infusing $70 million into Illinois' economy. Projections show that even just a 15 percent increase in 2014 could generate an additional 1,725 jobs and infuse another $10 million into Illinois' economy.

Welcome Home Illinois is open to qualified Illinois first-time homebuyers on a first-come, first-serve basis. The program is funded through Illinois Jobs Now! and the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In addition to creating homeownership opportunities, the Welcome Home Illinois loan will stimulate statewide economic activity and will generate an estimated:

•       1,500 full-time jobs.

•       $50 million from real estate-related industries.

•       More than $40 million in economic activity for the state.

•       Additional $16 million in other statewide spending.

With funding quickly being reserved, interested homebuyers can find additional details about the program and a list of 100 lenders at welcomehomeillinois.gov.

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14 Apr 2014

RIVER BANDITS-WHITECAPS POSTPONED MONDAY

By Marco LaNave
Quad Cities and West Michigan will play free doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, with gates opening at 4:30 p.m.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (April 14, 2014) - Monday night's game between the Quad Cities River Bandits and West Michigan Whitecaps at Modern Woodmen Park has been postponed due to snow and cold weather. The game will be made up in a doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Gates will open with free admission at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and any individual tickets for Monday's game may be exchanged at the box office for any remaining 2014 home game.
The free-admission Quad Cities Community Appreciation Night on Tuesday will now feature two free baseball games. When the gates open at 4:30 p.m., everyone can walk into Modern Woodmen Park for free. All regular individual (non-season ticket) seating is first-come, first-served. Tuesday night is also presented by WOC and Q106.5.
Quad Cities (5-5) and West Michigan (6-4) are scheduled to play a pair of seven-inning games Tuesday. It will be the third doubleheader of the season for the River Bandits, and the first of the season for the Whitecaps. Game 1 will feature River Bandits left-hander Kent Emanuel (0-0) against Whitecaps right-hander Jeff Thompson (0-0). Game 2 will is scheduled to have River Bandits right-hander Jandel Gustave (1-1) against Whitecaps left-hander Kevin Ziomek (0-1).
UP NEXT: Everyone is invited for free to the 5:30 p.m. doubleheader Tuesday on Quad Cities Community Appreciation Night at Modern Woodmen Park. To order any of the 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.
14 Apr 2014

Jordan Catholic School- Peanut Butter & Prayers

By Janine Parr

Jordan fourth grade students have collected Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Crackers for their Lenten service project "Peanut Butter & Prayers." The food will be donated to the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry to serve as a healthy snack for children. The Jordan students pray each day for all children in our community who go to bed hungry.

Fr. Jeremy Freehill will visit Ms. Debbie Patronagio's 4th grade classroom at 9:00 a.m. this Thursday April 17th to accept the donation.

14 Apr 2014

CATHOLIC SISTERS RELEASE "EARTH AS OUR HOME" BOOKLET

By Rick Martin

Too often when we hear the word 'house' we only think of a physical building and its rooms. But what if we began to think of Earth as our house - with various rooms - what would we need to do to make this 'house' a true 'home?'  The Catholic Sisters for a Healthy Earth have prepared a reflection booklet on the various rooms of a house, placing each room and its activities into the broader context of our Earth-home. The booklet is available as a free download at www.ClintonFranciscans.com/earth.html.

The word ecology has its roots in the Greek words "oikos" meaning house or household and "logos" meaning to gather, count, recount, say, speak. Ecology is understood as the legend or logic of the dwelling place. In its essence it is the story of where we live.  This story of the house instructs us and informs our actions in managing this household we call Earth.

"We are excited to make this publication available in time for Earth Day on April 22nd," says the group's coordinator, Joy Peterson, PBVM.  "Our intention is to take a new look at how everything we do, no matter where we are, is interconnected and tied to the well-being of all living things."  The booklet includes suggestions of simple actions for families to take in order to live more sustainably and walk more gently on Earth.

Catholic Sisters for a Healthy Earth is made up of representatives from congregations of women religious from the upper Mississippi Valley in eastern Iowa and southwestern Wisconsin including: Congregation of the Humility of Mary, Davenport, IA; School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province, St. Louis, MO; Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, Sinsinawa, WI; Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dubuque, IA; Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, IA; Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque, IA and the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dubuque, IA.  The mission of the group states: "Respecting the interdependence of creation, we will promote eco-literacy and influence a just relationship with the environment.
14 Apr 2014

Agenda for Eastern Iowa MH-DS region Governing Board of Directors Meeting

By Lori Elam

EASTERN IOWA MENTAL HEALTH AND DISABILITY SERVICES REGION

Governing Board of Directors Meeting

Scott County Administration Building

Room 605

April 21, 2014

3:00 PM

  1. Roll Call

  1. Approval of Minutes

  1. Appointment of Fiscal Agent

  1. Gender Balance

  1. Website

  1. Contracts

  1. Insurance

  1. Legislative Update

  1. CEO Report

  1. Other Items

  1. Public Comment

  1. Adjournment

14 Apr 2014

Marketing on Facebook

By Ginny Grimsley

Forget the 'Likes' - How to Market Effectively
Using Today's Facebook

3 Ways to Benefit from Paid Ads & Boosted Posts

It seems nothing changes faster than the big social media platforms -- Facebook, Twitter, Google+. No sooner do marketers figure out how to best promote a product or business than they change the rules!

That's been especially true for Facebook, which had to find new ways to make money after going public two years ago. Twitter has also been making changes since its IPO in November, but most of them - including a visual redesign, tagging people and uploading multiple photos - are geared toward user friendliness. Even Google+, owned by Google, which went public way back in 2004, is constantly tweaking.

But the tweaks bringing the most squeals of protest are those being made by Facebook. Basically, it has taken away users' ability to reach - for free - all or even most of the people they've worked so hard to attract to their pages.

So, do brands and businesses just abandon the platform and the audience there?

"No - they just have to change how you use Facebook," says Jonathan Sellers, a social media strategist at EMSI Public Relations, (www.emsincorporated.com).

"In the past, the goal was to get as many people to 'like' your page - or to 'friend' you if you were using a personal page for marketing purposes," he says. "Forget likes. Now, Facebook makes you pay to get people to like your page by charging you to promote your posts, and then it makes you pay again to get your posts in front of them. That seriously devalues the like!"

Only 5 to 10 percent of people following your business or brand pages - sometimes even less! - will see what you have to share if you don't pay for extra visibility via a "boosted post," he says.

"So the focus should shift from working to get people following your page to getting your content to your market."

Facebook's inexpensive ads and "boosted posts" actually offer some great benefits, he notes. Here are three he says we should be taking advantage of:

•  Flexibility. Facebook allows you to create ads and boost posts for any number of reasons.  For example, you can create content designed to drive people to your website; get them to engage with you; to sign up for an event; or even track visitors.

•  Targeting. Did you know that when you create an ad on Facebook, you can choose the specific types of people you want to see the ad?  Targeting on Facebook goes far beyond the traditional demographics of age, sex and location. You can target people based on their interests. Are you a sports bar owner in Miami who wants to attract Chicago Bears fans to watch the games at your place every week? Facebook makes it super easy for you to reach people who live in your ZIP code, who are over 21 and who love the Bears.

•  Reporting. Facebook offers very detailed reporting so you can rest assured that you will see exactly where your ad dollars are going.  There is a slight learning curve to figure out the best ways to utilize the data, but it's there for you.

"This experience should be a lesson to all of us that we cannot become too dependent on any single platform," Sellers says.

"They're all going to continuously evolve to find the best mix of optimal user experience and profit."

About Jonathan Sellers

Jonathan Sellers is a social media strategist at EMSI Public Relations, a social media marketing and national pay-for-performance PR firm. A graduate of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Sellers specializes in online content marketing strategies, driving engagement through blogging best practices and use of multiple media formats including video, photos and graphics. He has managed online marketing initiatives for companies in a variety of industries, including health care and advertising.

14 Apr 2014

Sing-along 'Sound of Music' and 'Young Frankenstein' films at TLP

By Rick Martin

Mount Carroll, IL--Timber Lake Playhouse announces the Sing-a-long 'Sound of Music' Event and a one night only screening of the classic Mel Brooks film 'Young Frankenstein.' Let's start at the very beginning (a very good place to start)...

For those not yet converted, Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music is a screening of the classic Julie Andrews film musical in glorious, full-screen technicolor, complete with subtitles so that the whole audience can sing along! TLP will host two screenings, Saturday, May 3 at 6:30 pm and Sunday, May 4 at 2:00 pm.

The fun-filled show starts with a vocal warm-up led by the evening's host, who also takes the audience through their complimentary 'magic moments fun pack', containing various props to be used at strategic points throughout the film. Tickets to this interactive event are $15 and include the fun pack of props.

Then of course there is the famous costume competition in which everyone who has come in costume is invited onto the stage to show off their fantastic tailoring skills. And the more venues we play, the more elaborate the costumes get. Previous entries have included:

  • Nuns of both genders (including a pregnant nun!)

  • Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

  • A lonely Goatherd!

  • A group of twenty people were joined together and completely covered in fake turf (the alps!)

  • A man in a gold lycra catsuit (Ray a Drop of Golden Sun!)

  • A man dressed in work overalls and a tool belt (Christopher Plumber)

  • A gazebo!!

  • A carburetor

So get those vocal chords warmed up, cut up those chintz curtains and hurry down for another dose of the international smash-hit sensation! It's the perfect night out for hen parties, birthday celebrations, office outings family trips, or anyone who has ever shed a tear during 'Edelweiss'! Book early because this show sells out.

On Friday, May 2, TLP will screen the acclaimed film comedy 'Young Frankenstein.' The film begins at 7:00 pm and tickets are $10 each. Seats are reserved, so advance purchase is recommended. The film stars Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman and Madeline Kahn in unforgettable (and endlessly quotable) performances. The stage musical adaptation, also by Mel Brooks, will be presented in July as part of TLP's 53rd summer season!

To order tickets for 'The Sound of Music' or 'Young Frankenstein, or for more information, visit www.timberlakeplayhouse.org or call 815-244-2035. Concessions, including beer and wine, will be served at all events.

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