26 Feb 2014

106th Cavalry celebrates a year full of accomplishments

By Staff Sgt. Patrick DeGeorge, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

EAST PEORIA, IL (02/24/2014)(readMedia)-- Soldiers and family members of the 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment (2-106th) gathered for the seventh annual cavalry ball at the Riverfront Conference Center in East Peoria, Ill., Feb. 22.

The evening began when the Draper Armor Leadership Award was presented to Troop B, 2-106th in Dixon, Ill., an award given to top cavalry units in the nation. Capt. Michael R. Kowalski of Chicago Heights, Ill., Troop B commander, retired 1st Sgt. Eric L. Brown of Dixon, Ill., former Troop B first sergeant and 1st Sgt. Kevin T. Guyot of Lindenhurst, Ill., current Troop B first sergeant, received the award on behalf of the troop.

"The Draper, as a troop award, really embodies how far we've come as a two-time deployed cavalry unit," Kowalski said. "This is a pretty big deal with the other brigades we were competing against."

Lt. Col. Wickliffe P. Draper established the award in 1924 as a means to competitively test the leadership of small cavalry units. Only armor companies and cavalry troops are eligible to receive the Draper Award.

"The unit has earned it," said Brown. "This troop has a history of camaraderie. A history of always working together. That is why they earned it."

Following the Draper Award presentation, retired Master Sgt. Allen J. Lynch of Gurnee, Ill., who received the Medal of Honor for actions while assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam Dec. 15, 1967, spoke to the squadron.

"It's great to be back with the cavalry," Lynch told the troopers. "It's nice to see all those Stetsons (the ceremonial headwear of the cavalry) in the audience."

Lynch spoke about the importance of training at all levels.

"When I got in my first firefight and my M-16 jammed, I don't remember fixing it," he said. "We had been so well trained at that point, I just fixed it without thinking."

Lynch also told the troopers never to allow one mistake to dictate a Soldier's career. He recalled an experience where one of his own Soldiers made a tragic mistake that cost the life of a close friend.

"After that, nobody wanted anything to do with John," said Lynch. "He had to earn his way back to being with us."

Lynch said when he left Vietnam, John had learned from his mistake and had been made a squad leader.

After his speech, Lynch was presented with a cavalry saber and plaque by Lt. Col. Mark Alessia of Sherman, Ill., the 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment commander.

"I wish I could ride a horse with this right now," Lynch said while holding the saber over his head.

Later in the evening Ashley Roux, Troop B family readiness group president, was inducted into the order of Saint Joan D' Arc for exceptional volunteerism to promote the moral and spirit of the cavalry.

The night concluded with seven Soldiers inducted into the order of Saint George. The order was established in 1986 to recognize the very best tankers and cavalrymen.

Those inducted into the order of Saint George included Staff Sgt. Travis Ellefritz of Pekin, Ill., a squad leader with Troop B; Staff Sgt. Kyle Bishop of Cherry Valley, Ill., Troop B readiness noncommissioned officer; Sgt. 1st Class Zachary MacGrath of Clinton, Ill., the former Troop B readiness noncommissioned officer; 1st Sgt. Eric Achuff of Kewanee, Ill., the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), 2-106th first sergeant; 2nd Lt. William Leak of Normal, Ill., a platoon leader with Troop A, 2-106th; 1st Lt. Brad Yakle of Washington, Ill., a staff officer with HHT, 2-106th; and Capt. Michael Kowalski of Chicago Heights, Ill., Troop B commander.

After the order of Saint George was concluded, 1st Sgt. David Ziolkowski of New Lenox, Ill., Troop C, 2-106th first sergeant, was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for more than 21 years of meritorious service to both the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment.

Once the formal ceremony concluded, the troopers and their families enjoyed a night of socializing and reminiscing.

26 Feb 2014

Mardi Gras Rajun Cajun Fest

By Rick Martin

Davenport, Iowa (February 24, 2014) - It may be cold here in the Quad Cities, but the Figge Art Museum will turn up the heat with the Mardi Gras Rajun Cajun Fest on Fat Tuesday, March 4.

Chefs from the Figge, Machine Shed, Crow Valley Country Club, Sippi's, Select Specialty Hospital, Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, Paddle Wheel, Thunder Bay and Gramma's Kitchen will be set up in the lobby of the museum from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and will cook Cajun-inspired dishes for guests to sample.

The dishes of the evening will include crawfish tacos, Cajun seasoned pork tenderloin topped with candied bacon, Cajun catfish sliders with Creole slaw, slow cooked beef cheek with a Cajun crawfish celery root remoulade, Creole shrimp, spicy deep fried oysters with corn bread casserole, alligator gumbo, Louisiana stuffed jalapeno peppers with Cajun bacon, Café Du Monde liquid nitrogen ice cream, chicken and sausage etouffee and more.

Guests are invited to get into the Mardi Gras spirit by tasting all the flavorful dishes, participating in a make-your-own Mardi Gras mask art activity, enjoying a Mardi Gras themed photo area, partaking in a cash bar and casting votes for their favorite chef of the evening. The winning chef will receive a People's Choice plaque and bragging rights.

This is the second year the Figge has hosted this event and all proceeds will benefit the museum's art education outreach programs to thousands of area students. Visit www.figgeartmuseum.org to purchase advance tickets for $25. Tickets at the door will be $30.

 

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members and free to all on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

-end-
26 Feb 2014

University of Iowa 2013 fall Dean's List

By Lin Larson

IOWA CITY, IA (02/24/2014)(readMedia)-- Some 4,000 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the Dean's List for the 2013 fall semester.

The list below includes students from your area:

Alisha Lemon of Delmar, IA

Jordan Carr of Delmar, IA

Drew Kabala of Lost Nation, IA

Amanda Stahle of Bettendorf, IA

Lauren Suhl of Bettendorf, IA

Joseph Peterson of Bettendorf, IA

Ava Lynn of Bettendorf, IA

Adam Madison of Bettendorf, IA

Neel Patel of Bettendorf, IA

Reeya Patel of Bettendorf, IA

Michael Jones of Bettendorf, IA

Kelcie Eisbrener of Bettendorf, IA

Katherine Kranovich of Bettendorf, IA

Carrie TouVelle of Bettendorf, IA

Abigail Drexler of Bettendorf, IA

Bailey Ford of Bettendorf, IA

Jason Meighan of Bettendorf, IA

Courtney Corelis of Bettendorf, IA

Omar Tayh of Bettendorf, IA

Hanna Walker of Bettendorf, IA

Randy Klosak of Bettendorf, IA

Thomas Romano of Bettendorf, IA

Mohammed Ismail of Bettendorf, IA

Sarah Kowalczyk of Bettendorf, IA

Nick Martinson of Bettendorf, IA

Paul Conway of Bettendorf, IA

Emily Speer of Bettendorf, IA

Matthew Hollander of Bettendorf, IA

Sean Salter of Bettendorf, IA

Mercedez Bates of Bettendorf, IA

Kylie Hershberger of Bettendorf, IA

Lauren Kostoglanis of Bettendorf, IA

Ellen Gackle of Bettendorf, IA

Quinlan Syfert of Bettendorf, IA

Taylor Earnest of Bettendorf, IA

Brooke Wehrle of Bettendorf, IA

Eric Lee of Bettendorf, IA

Ryan Ballard of Bettendorf, IA

Kayla Kruse of Bettendorf, IA

Taylor Curran of Bettendorf, IA

Alexandra Stecker of Bettendorf, IA

Megan Sanchez of Bettendorf, IA

Jonelle Addabbo of Riverdale, IA

Joel D'Camp of Riverdale, IA

Emily Myers of Bettendorf, IA

Marie Hafner of Bettendorf, IA

Shannon Holmberg of Bettendorf, IA

Mackenzie Coopman of Bettendorf, IA

Christopher Cervantes of Bettendorf, IA

Elizabeth Ann Berger of Bettendorf, IA

Jessica Elias of Bettendorf, IA

Sarah Rodriguez of Bettendorf, IA

Tanner Lafever of Bettendorf, IA

Sanjana Ramesh of Bettendorf, IA

Mary Brandtner of Bettendorf, IA

Nicholas Gerwe of Bettendorf, IA

Lidija Stojanovic of Bettendorf, IA

Hannah Cassatt of Bettendorf, IA

Renee LaFrentz of Bettendorf, IA

Mark Steinhauser of Bettendorf, IA

Nicholas Adam of Bettendorf, IA

Carina Chandlee of Bettendorf, IA

Courtney Bright of Bettendorf, IA

Brian Paul of Bettendorf, IA

Naveen Ninan of Bettendorf, IA

Anna Cardamon of Bettendorf, IA

Daniel Morse of Bettendorf, IA

Stephanie Taylor of Bettendorf, IA

Andrew Miles of Bettendorf, IA

Sanjay Kumar of Bettendorf, IA

Prajwal Kedilaya of Bettendorf, IA

Tristan Thompson of Bettendorf, IA

Emily Wallace of Bettendorf, IA

Zachary Miller of Bettendorf, IA

Adam Fitzsimmons of Bettendorf, IA

Mitchell Koellner of Bettendorf, IA

Joseph Sink of Bettendorf, IA

Greg Windeknecht of Blue Grass, IA

Michael Conger of Blue Grass, IA

Karly Fangmann of Blue Grass, IA

Adam Hay of Blue Grass, IA

Kayla Cordova of Blue Grass, IA

Sean Beaudette of Blue Grass, IA

Andrew Holbrook of Blue Grass, IA

Natalie Wakefield of Blue Grass, IA

Derek Ahrens of Buffalo, IA

Melanie Slattery of Calamus, IA

Ian Boysen of Camanche, IA

Ashtyn Dixon of Camanche, IA

Heidi Stofer of Camanche, IA

Anna Marshall of Clinton, IA

Genna Schneeberger of Clinton, IA

Alison Sullivan of Clinton, IA

Erik Olney of Clinton, IA

Ryan Driscoll of Clinton, IA

Kaleb Frazier of Clinton, IA

Sarah Massey of Clinton, IA

Catherine Shook of Clinton, IA

Taylor Wiebers of Clinton, IA

Quinn Gunderson of Clinton, IA

John Steger of Clinton, IA

Ryan Schroeder of Clinton, IA

George Lemke of Clinton, IA

Brett Larkin of Clinton, IA

William Carr of Clinton, IA

James Alt of Clinton, IA

William Callan of Clinton, IA

Haley Courter of Clinton, IA

Angela Pretz of Clinton, IA

Catrina Jargo of Clinton, IA

Matthew Hoffmann of Clinton, IA

Nicole Hoffmann of Clinton, IA

Jacob Kruse of Clinton, IA

Brigitta Meyer of DeWitt, IA

Rylee Kerper of De Witt, IA

Kristen Holgers of De Witt, IA

Mackenzie Leonard of De Witt, IA

Haley Kreiter of De Witt, IA

Brian Kruse of De Witt, IA

Melanie Saunders of De Witt, IA

Eric Gansemer of Eldridge, IA

Victoria Hawley of Eldridge, IA

Lindsay Puls of Eldridge, IA

Austin Belk of Eldridge, IA

Hope Wilson of Eldridge, IA

Amanda Ploof of Eldridge, IA

Jacob Reed of Eldridge, IA

Abby Peeters of Eldridge, IA

Aileen Spickermann of Eldridge, IA

Amanda Burroughs of Eldridge, IA

Abby Frantz of Eldridge, IA

Nicholas Hennigan of Eldridge, IA

Michael Hackbarth of Eldridge, IA

Grace McCammant of Eldridge, IA

Kimberly Rude of Eldridge, IA

Ryan Scott of Eldridge, IA

Paige Allison of Fruitland, IA

Brittany Stoll of Goose Lake, IA

Lance Becker of Grand Mound, IA

Ian Smith of Le Claire, IA

Louis Constantinou of Le Claire, IA

Brandon Dowty of Le Claire, IA

Hiba Irshad of Leclaire, IA

Benjamin Donovan of Le Claire, IA

Samantha Cosner of Long Grove, IA

Joseph Snyder of Long Grove, IA

Emily Kolwey of Long Grove, IA

Jenna Dugan of Moscow, IA

Benjamin Busch of Muscatine, IA

Meredith Baird of Muscatine, IA

Yesenia Darting of Muscatine, IA

Steven Bieber of Muscatine, IA

Connor McGriff of Muscatine, IA

Andrew Failor of Muscatine, IA

Emily Harrison of Muscatine, IA

Jacob Allison of Muscatine, IA

Cole Lambert of Muscatine, IA

Kathryn Temple of Muscatine, IA

Brabra Dansou of Muscatine, IA

Jacqueline Carrillo of Muscatine, IA

Leticia Trimboli of Muscatine, IA

America Obregon of Muscatine, IA

Misael Garcia of Muscatine, IA

Sarah Grimm of Muscatine, IA

Stephanie Lake-Garcia of Muscatine, IA

Gabriel Jardim of Muscatine, IA

Ismenia Castelan of Muscatine, IA

Jessica Padilla of Muscatine, IA

Kathy Degner of Muscatine, IA

Daniel Rada of Muscatine, IA

Lorena Lujan of Muscatine, IA

Raul O'campo Landa of Muscatine, IA

Alexandra Chamberlain of Muscatine, IA

Madison Dietz of Muscatine, IA

Cynthia Machael of Muscatine, IA

Hannah Eichelberger of Muscatine, IA

Kristoffer Treiber of Muscatine, IA

Kelly Van Acker of Muscatine, IA

Samantha Kistler of Muscatine, IA

Natalie Sturms of Muscatine, IA

Michael Davis of Muscatine, IA

Tanner Van Hemert of Muscatine, IA

Maddison Rankin of Muscatine, IA

Monica Ahrens of New Liberty, IA

Dyan Edwards-Cagley of Nichols, IA

Liene Topko of Princeton, IA

Brittni Weinschenk of Princeton, IA

Skylar Moore of Princeton, IA

Jeremy Tinkler of Stockton, IA

Adam Kappeler of Stockton, IA

Bryce Geurink of Walcott, IA

Dexter Golinghorst of Walcott, IA

Hayley Simon of West Liberty, IA

Elizabeth LeMay of West Liberty, IA

Catherine Martinez of West Liberty, IA

Michelle Greif of West Liberty, IA

Nathan Smith of West Liberty, IA

Emily Archer of West Liberty, IA

Melanie Pforts of West Liberty, IA

Marissa Kelly of West Liberty, IA

Christopher Moyer of Wilton, IA

Dennis Childers of Wilton, IA

Tyler Budding of Wilton, IA

Andrew Russell of Davenport, IA

Erin Abbas of Davenport, IA

Dylan Thiemann of Davenport, IA

Jenna Blessing of Davenport, IA

Jake Ryder of Davenport, IA

Michael O'Hara of Davenport, IA

Charles Holliday of Davenport, IA

Torrance Windham of Davenport, IA

Katherine Hixon of Davenport, IA

Brianne Avery of Davenport, IA

Michael Corsiglia of Davenport, IA

Rachel Schebler of Davenport, IA

Sarah Sitz of Davenport, IA

Sarah Schwind of Davenport, IA

Katherine Beydler of Davenport, IA

Max Lipnick of Davenport, IA

Dustin Sexton of Davenport, IA

Kenneth Gaskin of Davenport, IA

Taylor Gillhouse of Davenport, IA

Isaac Anderson of Davenport, IA

Shelby Tracy of Davenport, IA

Kirstan Green of Davenport, IA

Brady Stender of Davenport, IA

Dylan Beckman of Davenport, IA

Arnold Kompaniyets of Davenport, IA

Kiley Murphy of Davenport, IA

Craig Bentley of Davenport, IA

Ashley Vance of Davenport, IA

Allison Vandecar of Davenport, IA

Jason Rockwell of Davenport, IA

Jenny Gomez of Davenport, IA

Jeffrey Owens of Davenport, IA

Allison Porter of Davenport, IA

Kathleen Vondera of Davenport, IA

Claire Saskowski of Davenport, IA

Robb Laake of Davenport, IA

Tabitha Stewart of Davenport, IA

Rachel Brandt of Davenport, IA

Kaylee Denger of Davenport, IA

Joseph Matson of Davenport, IA

Natalie Del Vecchio of Davenport, IA

Gabriela Magalhaes of Davenport, IA

Brock Cavett of Davenport, IA

Melanie Hester of Davenport, IA

Olivia Day of Davenport, IA

Brody Grothus of Davenport, IA

Austin Wulf of Davenport, IA

Courtney Long of Davenport, IA

Kyle Gacke of Davenport, IA

Danielle Culver of Davenport, IA

Jeffrey Artioli of Davenport, IA

Joshua Behrendt of Davenport, IA

Zachary Behrendt of Davenport, IA

Amanda Dvorak of Davenport, IA

Matthew Hutton of Davenport, IA

Natalie Rogalski of Davenport, IA

Courtney Brokloff of Davenport, IA

Joseph Daniel of Davenport, IA

Riley De La Cruz of Davenport, IA

Alexandra Baltimore of Davenport, IA

Jay Stadelman of Davenport, IA

Eric McDonald of Davenport, IA

Mitchell Parker of Davenport, IA

Amy Whelove of Davenport, IA

Elizabeth Knoche of Davenport, IA

Gretchen Eubanks of Davenport, IA

Erin Levsen of Davenport, IA

Brandon Schreiner of Sterling, IL

Brittney Ross of Rock Island, IL

Cesar Garcia of Rock Island, IL

Kevin Johnson of Rock Island, IL

Gabrielle Armetta of Coal Valley, IL

JohnPatrick Brown of East Moline, IL

Miranda Schafer of Fulton, IL

Madeline Fickel of Milan, IL

Erika Price of Milan, IL

Colby Bjustrom of Milan, IL

Carissa Dewaele of Moline, IL

Melissa Dawkins of Moline, IL

Eugene Pavinato of Moline, IL

Tayler Wheatley of Moline, IL

Anubhav Balakrishnan of Moline, IL

William Elliott of Moline, IL

Scott Matthews of Prophetstown, IL

Undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the Tippie College of Business who achieve a grade point average of 3.50 or higher on 12 semester hours or more of UI graded course work during a given semester or summer session and who have no semester hours of I (incomplete) or O (no grade reported) during the same semester are recognized by inclusion on the Dean's List for that semester.

Undergraduate students in the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine may qualify for the Dean's List with fewer than 12 semester hours of graded credit if deemed appropriate by the college.

College of Nursing students participating in clinical courses must have a total of 12 semester hours of earned credit, with eight semester hours of graded credit with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher.

26 Feb 2014

Planning College Campus Visits?

By Ginny Grimsley
3 Important Criteria to Look for in Evaluating Dining

Across the country, high school students are busy planning college visits in order to winnow their wish lists before senior year applications.

"It's important to visit while classes are in session, and to pay attention to what's going on in the classroom outside of the classroom," advises David Porter, social architect, consultant to colleges and universities throughout North America and author of "The Porter Principles," a guide to college success through social engineering, (www.porterkhouwconsulting.com).

"What are the wholesome opportunities for socially rich student engagement and study on-campus?  What extra-curriculars are offered and how accessible are they? What does the college paper reveal about campus issues, concerns and opportunities?"

One often overlooked feature is the structure of campus dining, Porter says.

"Many universities require freshmen to live on campus for the first year because administrators know that students who live and dine on campus have higher GPAs and higher graduation rates than those who don't.  A properly socially engineered dining-learning commons is central to the day-to-day lives of all students living on-campus and is crucial for face-to-face social networking and study with fellow students," he says.

"But these same universities often fail to realize that student dining is as much - even more -- a factor in developing a sense of community and predicting future success.  This is the centerpiece of 'the classroom outside of the classroom'."

He offers these suggestions for evaluating campus dining commons:

• Is there a centralized dining hall or commons, or are food locations scattered? A dining-learning commons is the living room of the campus, a place where students come together and pause long enough to meet, talk, make friends, see and be seen, relax, study and collaborate. "These are all vital not only to bonding but to learning how to socialize with fellow students from a wide variety of backgrounds in a neutral environment," Porter says. "That provides once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to develop and nurture valuable networking skills for their personal and future professional lives. If the meal plan encourages them to scatter across campus - or go off campus - to pick up fast foods eaten in isolation, vital opportunities are lost."

• What are the hours of operation? Students live on a different clock than most of us.   For many students, 11 p.m. is the middle of the day. Is the dining-learning commons open, thus respecting and being conducive to their (not our) lifestyle? If so, does it offer more than microwave pizza and hot dogs? This will offer a social and safe on-campus environment, Porter says. "If the place isn't open when they're hungry, they'll go elsewhere."

• How far is the dining hall from dorms and the academic core of campus? "I once consulted with a university that was mystified about why two dining halls got lots of student traffic, while the third - the most beautiful -- was largely ignored," Porter says. "When I visited, I discovered the dining hall had been built on top of a rather steep hill on the far edge of campus. The location offered great views, but the climb was a bear!" Dining halls should be within easy reach of both dorms and classroom buildings in the academic core or students simply won't use them.

About David Porter

David Porter, author and social architect, is CEO and president of Porter Khouw Consulting, Inc., a foodservice master planning and design firm based in Crofton, Maryland. David has more than 40 years of hands-on food service operations and consulting experience and is a professional member of the Foodservice Consultants Society International. He is the author of "The Porter Principles, Retain & Recruit Students & Alumni, Save Millions on Dining and Stop Letting Food Service Contractors Eat Your Lunch," (www.porterkhouwconsulting.com). Porter Khouw Consulting has worked with more than 350 clients to conduct market research and develop strategic plans, master plans and designs for the college and university market. Porter is a graduate of the prestigious hospitality program at Michigan State University and has been recognized repeatedly as a leader in his field.

25 Feb 2014

Brucemore's Historic Neighborhood Walk

By Rick Martin

Did you know the land surrounding Brucemore was originally developed as the first golf course in Cedar Rapids? Or that the world-famous artist Grant Wood designed windows, murals, and woodwork, leaving his mark on the interiors of several Cedar Rapids homes? Listen to fascinating stories about the rich history and architecture of the neighborhood just outside Brucemore's gates on the Historic Neighborhood Walk - March 27, April 24, and May 22 at 6:00 p.m. Admission is $15 per person and $12 per Brucemore member and includes a Historic Neighborhood Tour flipbook. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

The Historic Neighborhood Walk is part of Brucemore's Thursday Night Lineup. Every Thursday night Brucemore will feature a different specialty tour focusing on topics for all interests, including arts and culture, Midwestern industry, gardening, landscape design, architecture, preservation, behind-the-scenes at Brucemore, and growing up in the early twentieth century. For more information on the Thursday Night Lineup or upcoming events, visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375.

About Brucemore

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

###

25 Feb 2014

Iowa Supreme Court Schedules Special Evening Session

By Iowa Judical Branch

Des Moines, February 24, 2014 –On Tuesday evening, March 4, the Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Godfrey v. State of Iowa, et al., beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Supreme Court Courtroom on the fourth floor of the Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue, Des Moines. The evening session is an opportunity for central Iowa residents, who may not be able to attend the court's regular morning and afternoon sessions, to watch the court conduct oral arguments.

Attorneys' briefs for the case and a guide to oral arguments are posted on the Iowa Judicial Branch website at:

http://www.iowacourts.gov/About_the_Courts/Supreme_Court/Evening_Oral_Arguments_Des_Moines/index.asp

Proceedings will be streamed live from the Iowa Judicial Branch web site at: http://www.iowacourts.gov/About_the_Courts/Supreme_Court/Oral_Argument_Videos/.

In this case, the Iowa Supreme Court will be asked if tort claims against state officials must be brought under the Iowa Tort Claims Act, Iowa Code chapter 669. The statute provides that if the actions of state employees that are the basis of the claim were within the scope of their employment, the employees have immunity and the State of Iowa will be substituted as defendant for the individual employees.

Plaintiff Christopher Godfrey is serving a statutory six-year term as Iowa's Workers' Compensation Commissioner. His term is due to expire April 30, 2015. He has sued the State of Iowa and several individuals, including Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, on a variety of claims, including violation of his constitutional rights, defamation, and intentional interference with contract.

Under Iowa Code section 669.5, the Iowa attorney general certified that defendants' actions were within the scope of their employment with the state. Based on the attorney general's certification, the individual defendants asked the district court to substitute the State of Iowa as the sole defendant in the case. The district court concluded that chapter 669 mandated a finding that the attorney general's certification on scope of employment was conclusive, requiring the court to substitute the State of Iowa for individual defendants. Plaintiff Godfrey contends the district court was wrong to dismiss the individual defendants from the case.

On appeal of the district court's ruling, issues before the Iowa Supreme Court include :

I. Does the attorney general's certification pursuant to Iowa Code section 669.5(2)(a) conclusively establish that a state employee was acting within the scope of his or her employment (and therefore the action is deemed to be an action against the state and the state is substituted as the defendant in place of the employee) or is the attorney general's certification subject to the court's (or a jury's) independent review?

II. If the attorney general's certification does conclusively establish that a state employee was acting within the scope of employment, then does the application of section 669.5(2)(a) result in an unconstitutional deprivation of plaintiff's due process rights?

A public reception with the supreme court justices will follow the oral arguments.

For more information, visit http://www.iowacourts.gov/About_the_Courts/Supreme_Court/

# # #

25 Feb 2014

BRADLEY UNIVERSITY CHORALE 2014 SPRING TOUR

By Mary Hogg
The Bradley University Chorale, as part of its annual spring tour, will present a concert at Riverside United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 15, 2014, at 7:00 pm.

The 35-member choir from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, will present a program entitled "Song and Dance," performing music spanning five centuries on the subject of singing and dancing. Schutz, Hassler, Purcell, Randall Thompson, Moses Hogan, music from Haiti, Lithuania, and Catalan, and American vocal jazz will all be represented.

The Bradley Chorale has performed across the United States and Europe, winning national and international recognition. The ensemble has frequently performed for state and regional music educator conventions. Last May the Chorale toured in southern Spain, presenting concerts in Granada, Seville, Carmona, and Cadiz.

Dr. John Jost, director of the Bradley Chorale and professor of music at Bradley, earned his undergraduate and advanced degrees at Stanford University and taught in California, New York, and Haiti before arriving at Bradley in 1989. Dr. Jost has served as principal violist in the Peoria Symphony, co-founded the Peoria Bach Festival, and continues to direct a music camp for Haitian youth each summer in Haiti. He has won teaching and service awards from Bradley University, the Illinois Choral Directors Association, and the Haitian Ministry of Culture.

Riverside United Methodist Church is located at 712 16th Street, Moline, IL. For more information, contact Eric Ashcraft, ashcro01@luther.edu, 309-948-1311.

25 Feb 2014

Bipartisan Group of Senators Urges U.S. to Seek Japan Agricultural Agreement in Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks

By Grassley Press

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of U.S. senators led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) urged the top U.S. trade negotiator to negotiate a comprehensive and acceptable agreement with Japan that will increase market access for all agricultural products as part of the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership talks.

In a letter to United States Trade Representative Michael Froman sent on Friday to coincide with key talks over the weekend, the senators expressed concern that Japan has not yet made a comprehensive offer on agricultural talks that would increase access for U.S. agricultural products in Japan.  The senators said the lack of a comprehensive agreement would undermine the Administration's "goal of significantly increasing market access for U.S. agricultural products in TPP party countries."

In addition to Grassley and Bennet, the senators signing the letter are Mark Pryor, Joe Donnelly, Kay Hagan, Mark Udall, Pat Roberts, John Cornyn, James Inhofe, Mark Kirk, John Thune, Mike Johanns, John Boozman, Roy Blunt, Rob Portman, Deb Fischer, Richard Burr and Jerry Moran.

A signed copy of the letter is available here.  The text of the letter is available below:


Dear Ambassador Froman:

We write to express our concerns that Japan has not yet made a comprehensive offer on agricultural products as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. We believe that this situation could undermine the Administration's goal of significantly increasing market access for U.S. agricultural products in TPP party countries.

In previous trade negotiations, the United States requested and received full and comprehensive liberalization in the agricultural sector from both developed countries like Japan as well as developing countries. By requesting special treatment for its agricultural sector in the TPP, Japan may upset the careful balance of concessions that the eleven economies involved in the negotiations have achieved. If Japan continues to insist on protecting certain agricultural products, other countries with sensitivities in the agricultural sector may make similar demands.

As intended, the TPP will facilitate additional trade relationships with Asia-Pacific countries and set an important precedent for future trade agreements. Most immediately, a positive outcome with Japan on sensitive agricultural products will buoy the prospects for reaching an acceptable agreement with the EU in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.

The market access package that the Administration negotiates with Japan has the potential to support billions of dollars in future exports and hundreds of thousands of jobs. For this reason, we seek assurances from you that the U.S. will not close the TPP negotiations without an acceptable comprehensive agreement with Japan to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers in agriculture.

Sincerely,

-30-

25 Feb 2014

University of Iowa 2013 fall President's List

By Randy Stalsberg

IOWA CITY, IA (02/24/2014)(readMedia)-- Some 300 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the President's List for the 2013 spring semester.

Students from your area named to the President's List include :

Ava Lynn of Bettendorf, IA

Sarah Kowalczyk of Bettendorf, IA

Kayla Cordova of Blue Grass, IA

Melanie Slattery of Calamus, IA

Ashtyn Dixon of Camanche, IA

Catherine Shook of Clinton, IA

Brian Kruse of De Witt, IA

Kelly Van Acker of Muscatine, IA

Katherine Beydler of Davenport, IA

Allison Vandecar of Davenport, IA

Rachel Brandt of Davenport, IA

Kaylee Denger of Davenport, IA

Carissa Dewaele of Moline, IL

Melissa Dawkins of Moline, IL

The President's List was established in the fall of 1983 to recognize academic excellence. In order to be included on the list, a student must have a minimum 4.0 grade point average (4.0 is an A) in all academic subjects for the preceding two semesters, with a total of at least 12 semester hours of credit per semester during that period.

25 Feb 2014

Americans Drop Mallards 6-2

By Brian Lavelle
ALLEN, Texas (February 23, 2014) - The Allen Americans' Jamie Schaafsma and Tyler Ludwig both scored twice and Quad City Mallards coach Terry Ruskowski was ejected in the second period as the host Americans defeated the Mallards 6-2 Sunday.  The loss leaves the Mallards (25-15-8, 58 points) in sixth place in the Central Hockey League while the win lifts the Americans (28-18-4, 60 points) into fourth place.

The Mallards' afternoon took an early turn south when Jamie Schaafsma pounced on a loose puck beside the Quad City net to open the scoring at 5:06 of the first period.  Officiating first drew the ire of Ruskowski and his troops with 41 seconds left in the first when, with the Americans on the power play, Jonathan Zion scored from the slot and his goal was allowed to stand even though the Americans' Jonathan Lessard had knocked over Mallard goaltender Thomas Heemskerk just before Zion fired the puck home.

After Matt Boyd briefly sparked Quad City comeback hopes with a point-blank power play goal at 3:43 of the second period, the Americans took control by scoring three straight goals over the course of a middle frame that saw Ruskowski assessed a game misconduct.  Brian McMillan's tip-in stretched the Alllen lead to 3-1 just 22 seconds after Boyd got the Mallards on the scoreboard.  Both teams were down a man when Ludwig snapped the puck in under the cross bar from the right wing circle at 7:46 of the second to widen the gap to 4-1 and bring about the replacement of Mallard goaltender Thomas Heemskerk by Ty Rimmer.  The Americans were on the power play when Ludwig made it 5-1 with a drive from the high slot at 12:14.  It was after this goal that Ruskowski was given his marching orders.

Schaafscma scored his second goal and the Americans' sixth on a breakaway just past the midway point of the third period.  Gergo Nagy provided a belated Mallard response from the doorstep at 14:06 of the third.

The Mallards next play at home Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Mavericks.  That game is another Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's.  If the Mallards win next Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the Mallards' following Wednesday home game courtesy of T.G.I. Friday's.  After the game fans can join the Mallards at T.G.I. Friday's in Moline for a postgame party.

Tickets for next Wednesday night's game and all Mallards regular season home games can be purchased at the iWireless Center ticket office, Ticketmaster outlets, through ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The ticket 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.

Pages

more

Subscribe & Listen to Reader Podcasts

On Stands Now

 

Tagged Content

Two Ways to Subscribe

1. Subscribe to free weekly e-mail content updates.

You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Real Astrology and RCR Crossword every week?) 

Subscribe!

* indicates required

2. Get 12 monthly issues mailed first class for $48

Get 12 issues mailed monthly for $48 per year.

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Subscribe now.

 
 

Meetings Calendar

Kids Calendar

Eat & Drink Calendar