26 Feb 2014

Governor Quinn Calls for Overhaul of Disaster Funding Rules at National Forum

By Dave Blanchette

Discusses Illinois' Disaster Response After Year of Extreme Weather

WASHINGTON - Governor Pat Quinn today delivered the keynote address at the National Journal's Natural Disaster Forum in Washington, D.C., where he discussed Illinois' preparedness and response to several major natural disasters and called for needed changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) disaster aid criteria. Under Governor Quinn's leadership the state of Illinois has managed response to disasters ranging from deadly tornadoes to recent extreme winter storms. The Governor is working with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and the congressional delegation pass legislation to improve the federal formula in the disaster assistance process and help more people rebuild their lives.

"Illinois has faced a record number of historic natural disasters in recent years," Governor Quinn said. "Disaster assistance shouldn't be based on an outdated formula that excludes some of our hardest-hit communities. FEMA has been a great partner in helping individuals and businesses recover, and this legislation will allow them to assist even more communities with disaster recovery."

In the last five years, Illinois has been through 11 natural disasters, including a record drought in 2012; deadly tornadoes in 2012 and 2013; historic winter storms earlier this year; and floods, including the spring 2013 flooding in 49 counties that broke all-time records on four major river systems.

The severe winter weather in Jan. 2014 again saw the mobilization of state resources at Governor Quinn's direction - stranded motorists were rescued, roads kept open, warming centers provided and assistance offered to keep homes and businesses heated.

Governor Quinn also directed state agencies to assist citizens, businesses and local governments when catastrophic flash floods struck Illinois in April 2013. The Governor mobilized all available state resources to aid in cleanup and recovery, including debris removal, repairs, sandbagging, evacuations, supply deliveries and a grace period to file tax returns.

State assistance was also assembled for severe storms and flooding in June and July 2011, August 2010, and July 2009; tornadoes in June 2010; and severe winter storms in March 2009 and March 2011.

A tornado outbreak on Nov. 17, 2013 killed eight people, damaged or destroyed 2,500 homes and severely impacted the towns of Brookport, Gifford, New Minden, Diamond and Washington, Ill. The state was struck by 25 confirmed tornadoes in three hours, including two EF-4 twisters, the first ever of that strength during November. Governor Quinn successfully secured federal aid to assist people and businesses in 15 counties just nine days after the tornadoes caused widespread destruction across the state. However, FEMA denied the state's request for federal assistance to help local governments in nine impacted counties, based on the existing federal criteria.

These recent disasters highlight the need to update FEMA's criteria for awarding federal disaster aid. Legislation introduced in the U.S. House and Senate would bring more fairness to the federal disaster declaration process.

The Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act of 2014 will give FEMA a clearer, more substantive formula when evaluating disaster areas. It will modify a flawed system that places small and rural communities in highly populated states at a disadvantage in the federal disaster declaration process. The bill assigns a specific weight to each of the factors already used by FEMA, and adds other economic factors for the agency to consider when determining whether or not an area should receive federal assistance.

Governor Quinn directed state agencies to assemble an $8.8 million aid package for the Harrisburg, Ill. area when FEMA was unable to provide aid to local governments for a Feb. 29, 2012 tornado that killed seven people. Several state of Illinois agencies provided funding and manpower to clean up, rebuild and improve storm-ravaged areas of southern Illinois as a part of Governor Quinn's commitment to make all possible assistance available to the area. The Governor also supported and signed a new state law preventing an increase in property taxes when a person rebuilds a home that was destroyed in a disaster.

Governor Quinn has also led the charge for improved state infrastructure so Illinois' vital transportation routes and water supplies are better equipped for what Mother Nature throws at the state. Shortly after taking office, Governor Quinn proposed, and the Illinois General Assembly passed, a $31 billion infrastructure construction program. In addition, the Illinois Tollway established a $12 billion construction program and the Governor created a $2 billion Clean Water Initiative to improve drinking and wastewater systems. Most recently the Governor announced legislation to expand the program to address flood and stormwater management issues in communities throughout Illinois.

Last year, Governor Quinn was appointed to the President's Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. The task force will recommend ways to strengthen the way states and the nation respond to natural disasters.

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26 Feb 2014

Civil Air Patrol to bestow highest honor on Senator Harkin as members make annual trek to Capitol Hill

By Steve Cox

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. - Before Civil Air Patrol's Command Council convenes in Washington, D.C., this week for its annual winter meeting, it will gather on Capitol Hill for Legislative Day on Feb. 27 to brief Congress on the U.S. Air Force auxiliary's primary missions of emergency services, aerospace education and cadet programs. Legislative Day will also feature induction of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin into CAP's Hall of Honor.

Civil Air Patrol will thank Harkin for his 30 years of CAP service during a congressional reception in the Senate's Russell Office Building. Harkin - a former Navy fighter pilot who commands CAP's Congressional Squadron - will become the 34th person inducted into the Hall of Honor in CAP's 72-year history, and only the second member of Congress, joining former New York Congressman and fellow CAP Col. Lester Wolff, who was inducted in 1985.

"This Legislative Day is extra special," said CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Chuck Carr. "In addition to the opportunity to tell CAP's stories of service, sacrifice and love of country to our representatives and senators, we will also pay tribute to Sen. Harkin, who has been a staunch supporter of CAP's missions for America."

Soon after joining Civil Air Patrol in 1984, Harkin worked on the first full appropriations bill for CAP and has touted CAP's volunteer missions and programs to his Senate and House colleagues ever since. To do this he often reached across the aisle to work with his Republican colleagues on CAP issues and missions vital to the nation and thousands of communities. He has also repeatedly promoted the cost effectiveness of CAP with government agencies such as the Air Force and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Harkin has been a rated CAP mission pilot and flown a number of training and actual missions, including counterdrug flights off the southern tip of Florida. He also has served as an adviser to CAP's national commanders, providing valuable insight on how CAP can best address some of its budget and operational challenges. Most recently, he introduced Congressional Gold Medal legislation honoring the unusual service of CAP's founding members during World War II, which quickly passed the Senate under unanimous consent and with 83 co-sponsors.

CAP officers and cadets visiting Capitol Hill for Legislative Day will urge support for H.R. 755, the companion House bill to honor founding members of CAP with a Congressional Gold Medal for their volunteer service in conducting combat operations and other emergency missions during World War II.

CAP's Command Council will follow Legislative Day with its annual winter meeting, scheduled for Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Washington.

The Command Council consists of CAP's national commander, national vice commander, chief of staff,  CAP's eight region commanders and its 52 wing commanders representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its members serve as advisers to the national commander.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 60,000 members nationwide, operating a fleet of 550 aircraft. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs about 85 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 71lives annually. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 25,000 young people currently participating in the CAP cadet programs. CAP received the World Peace Prize in 2011 and has been performing missions for America for 72 years. CAP also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com for more information.

26 Feb 2014

RIVER BEND FOODBANK MOVES TO DAVENPORT

By Caren Laughlin

60,000 square foot facility will greatly increase the Foodbank's capacity to feed the hungry in its 17 Illinois counties and 5 Iowa counties

 

WHAT:  Press Conference/Tour of River Bend Foodbank's new facilities

 

WHERE:  4010 Kimmel Drive, Davenport, Iowa      

WHEN:  11 a.m., Wednesday, February 26, 2014

WHY:  To announce the Foodbank's move to a new location and hold a press tour of our new facilities

 

 

 

River Bend Foodbank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Quad Cities and surrounding communities, distributing more than 8 million lbs of food annually to more than 300 charitable feeding programs throughout a 22 county service area in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Childhood hunger programs include the Backpack Program which provides up to 1700 Quad City children with nourishing food to take home on the weekends during the school year, the Kids Café Program providing evening meals to children at three sites, and the Mobile Food Pantry which directly feeds thousands of families each month.
26 Feb 2014

Hands Off Social Security Update

By Rep. Dave Loebsack
Dear Friend,

I wanted to share with you a quick update on my efforts to protect Social Security and senior's hard earned benefits. I am pleased to let you know that after urging the President to not include what's known as "chained CPI" in his 2015 budget plan, the White House recently announced that it will not be included. This is great news! This move, which is used to calculate annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security, would have had a negative effect on Iowa's seniors.

Please know that I will continue to keep fighting for seniors and ensure that Iowans who played by the rules, paid into the system, and worked hard get their earned benefits.

Sincerely,

Dave Loebsack
Iowa's Second District
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.

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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/

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