CALENDAR

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!

April 1^st - 12^th - Expressions In Threads Celebrates Expansion and 10th Anniversary Grand Reopening! Special Sales all days!

April 5th-12^th LeClaire Community Library - Money Smart Week - "Dash for the Stash" The DASH for the Stash will be Scavenger hunt played at nearly 100 libraries and other locations across the state. The statewide winner will be awarded $1,000 to open or add to a retirement investment account. Stop by or call the Library for more information!

April 12^th - Dahl Ford's 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt! 11am-2pm. Easter Bunny, Bounce House, Face Painting and more. Three different hunts for (1-2 yrs old, inside) (3-5 years old) and (6-12 years old). Rain or shine, no rain date. Admission is non perishable food item to be donated to the Riverbend Food Bank. Please bring no more than two (2) adults per child.

April 15th - LeClaire Community Library Children's Local Author Jill Esbaum will be visiting the library as part of our celebration for National Library Week! Jill will read one of her own books at 6:30pm and will talk about the importance of reading and writing. She will stay after to answer any questions and sign books.

April 19^th - 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 9a.m.

April 20^th - Bier Stube - Easter Sunday Breakfast - 8-11a.m. 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.

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

April 23^rd - 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 25^th - Masonic Center LeClaire - Taco Bar 6:30-7:30 proceeds to BSA Venture Crew 212

April 26^th - "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 2^nd - First Friday in LeClaire

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

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 3^rd - Our Lady of the River Catholic Church 3^rd 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 14^th - 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).

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!

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 10^th - 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 4^th 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.

First Presbyterian Church of LeClaire Sunday School each week for all ages at 9 am and worship at 10 am. Palm Sunday, April 13, 10 am worship. Maundy Thursday Worship with Communion on April 17, 7p.m. Tuesday, May 20 Women's Mini-retreat, 9:30 am to 12 noon, cost $6.Call Pastor Melody, 563-381-7777.

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

The Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle film screening and discussion series continues with the presentation of the 2012 documentary Freedom Riders on Monday, April 21^st, 6:00 p.m. at the Moline Public Library (3210 41^st Street).  Augustana College's Dr. Christopher Whitt will lead the discussion.  This event is free and no registration is required.

Attracting a diverse group of volunteers?black and white, young and old, male and female, secular and religious, northern and southern?the Freedom Rides of 1961 took the civil rights struggle out of the courtroom and onto the streets of the Jim Crow South. Freedom Riders tells the terrifying, moving, and suspenseful story of a time when white and black volunteers riding a bus into the Deep South risked being jailed, beaten, or killed, as white local and state authorities ignored or encouraged violent attacks. The film includes previously unseen amateur 8mm footage of the burning bus on which some Freedom Riders were temporarily trapped, taken by a local twelve-year-old and held as evidence since 1961 by the FBI.

A professor in the political science department of Augustana College since 2007, Dr. Christopher Whitt is one of the principal founders and contributing members of the school's Africana Studies program.  He received his M.A. and PhD from the University of Maryland, where he researched the impact of the racial wealth gap on Black political participation.  He currently teaches the course "Race, Wealth, and Inequality in American Politics" as well as courses on United States government, politics, and citizenship.

Created Equal 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 41^st Street, or by calling 309-524-2470.

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.

Debt Specialists Offer Entrepreneurial Remedy for Continuing Foreclosure Crisis
Experts Say Simple Strategy Can Help Families Keep Their Homes, Avert Proliferation of 'Zombie' Properties'

Despite the recovering economy, home foreclosures have not abated - in fact, they surged in January.

"There's a lot of distressed debt still being held by the big banks because they can't just dump it back into the market all at once; they have to  slowly release it," explains Dean Anastos, founder of Apollo Financial Group, (www.apollofinancialgrp.com).

"That means we're going to continue to see new foreclosure filings, families getting locked out of their homes, and 'zombie' foreclosures."

In January, 21 percent of all U.S. homes were in the foreclosure process, adds Ricky Brava, senior partner at Apollo, citing a recent RealtyTrac report.

"Of those, 152,000 were 'zombie' foreclosures - homes that were already vacant, resulting in declining, unmaintained eyesores," Brava says. "That creates serious problems for neighboring home values."

As for the families facing the loss of their homes, Anastos is especially sympathetic.

"I lost a property to foreclosure during the real estate crash," he says. "That's when I realized how much power the mortgage note holder has. If the banks don't want to negotiate, you're out of luck."

Anastos went to work learning the mortgage side of the real estate business and now specializes in helping families hold onto the American Dream while averting more "zombie" foreclosures.

"Basically, we buy distressed debt bank portfolios that aren't generating cash for the bank and work with the families in the homes to refinance at affordable rates," Brava says. "Because we buy the bank note for much less than its original value, we can provide the homeowner with reasonable loan terms in line with the true value of the home."

Anastos and Brava share these tips:

•  Purchase non-performing first and second lien bank notes: Non-performing bank notes are bank-originated loans that are no longer performing according to the terms they were written - they're not generating income. Look for promissory notes with an underlying mortgage or deed of trust that secures the loan by a collateralized property.

Second lien mortgage notes are riskier than first liens so they're sold for much less, however, buyers must make sure their investment is covered by the property's equity in case they need to resort to a short sale or foreclosure.

•  Do your due diligence! Before purchasing the note, conduct a thorough title search of the property to reveal any liens. Check with the county to ascertain what, if any, outstanding property taxes are due. Contact a local real estate agent to get an estimation of the property's as-is resale value. If you don't pay for a full Broker's Price Opinion, do arrange for photos of the property to be shot from the street.

•  Help the homeowner save his or her home. Most homeowners have some equity in their home and an emotional attachment to it. The shady dealings that created the housing bubble have made them unwitting victims who now cannot afford mortgages worth twice as much as their home. But because you purchased the lien at a discount, you can work out a loan modification that allows them to preserve their equity and remain in their home. When this happens, you've made a profitable investment that preserves the American Dream for one more family.

Unfortunately, not every homeowner is wiling or able to make payments even on a modified loan.

"We've found that, because the foreclosure process can take years, some people become accustomed to not making payments and they just don't want to start," Anastos says.

Unemployment and other serious problems can also affect the homeowner's ability to pay. In such cases, Anastos and Brava say, lien holders must act to protect their investment.

"You may have to foreclose or to arrange a short sale," Brava says. "These are two of the exit strategies you should consider and plan for when buying distressed debt."

About Dean Anastos and Ricky Brava

Dean Anastos is the founder of Apollo Financial Group, (www.apollofinancialgrp.com), and Ricky Brava is senior partner. Anastos is an entrepreneur with a background in real estate, computer programming and trading data communications equipment. Brava specializes in education, marketing and new business development, with an expertise in data-driven, long-term strategic planning. Both men have a strong interest in business opportunities that help resolve societal problems.

3-11 pm

Seven Bands, Eight Hours of Rock Featuring Night Ranger and Firehouse

On Sale Friday, April 25 at 10 am!

The iWireless Center is teaming up with MetroLink and the City of Moline to bring the Quad City Rockfest to downtown Moline on Saturday, July 19, 2014 featuring Night Ranger and Firehouse.  This day-long event will feature bands inside the iWireless Center and outdoor on top of the MetroLink parking garage.  Don't miss a day of BBQ, beer, vendors, contests, and a huge line-up of acts.  Tickets go on sale Friday, April 25 at 10 am.  Watch for a complete line up of acts coming soon to www.quadcityrockfest.com.

Night Ranger's debut album Dawn Patrol hit the charts hard, going instantly Top 40 with the now anthemic single, Don't Tell Me You Love Me.  They followed with a string of best-selling albums that sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. The band's popularity was fuelled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks, including, (You Can Still) Rock In America, When You Close Your Eyes, Sister Christian, Sentimental Street, and Goodbye.

Firehouse arrived at the peak of the pop metal explosion releasing their first album in 1991 The group's melodic, commercial hard rock had immediate chart success; their self-titled debut went platinum and featured two Top 20 singles, Don't Treat Me Bad and Love of a Lifetime. The following year, Firehouse released their second album, Hold Your Fire, which went gold with the strength of their mega-hit When I Look Into Your Eyes.

Ticket prices $29.50 with a limited number of $45 VIP tickets and a limited number of $99 four-packs  and will go on sale Friday, April 25 at 10 am at the iWireless Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-745-3000, or online at  www.ticketmaster.com.