DEKALB, IL (02/07/2014)(readMedia)-- Northern Illinois University announced the awarding of graduate and undergraduate degrees at the conclusion of its Fall 2013 session.

Amadou Hanne of Moline is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Hanne graduated with a MBA degree from the College of Business.

Eli Gehn of Moline is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Gehn graduated with a B.S. degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Ellen Collison of Clinton is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Collison graduated with a BFA degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Jose Nunez of Moline is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Nunez graduated with a B.S. degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.

Kristen Andrews of East Moline is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Andrews graduated with a B.S. degree from the College of Health and Human Sciences.

Lawrence Vanwinkle of Hillsdale is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Vanwinkle graduated with a B.S. degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Stephanie Tunnell of Rock Island is a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Tunnell graduated with a BFA degree from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

NIU announced the awarding of graduate and undergraduate degrees at the conclusion of its fall semester, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013 and Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013 respectively.

We appreciate your assistance in acknowledging their accomplishment.

Chartered in 1895, NIU is a comprehensive teaching and research institution with a diverse and international student body of about 21,000. Located near a vibrant research and development corridor, NIU's main DeKalb campus is 65 miles west of Chicago and 45 miles southeast of Rockford. NIU provides more than 60 undergraduate majors and 100 graduate- and doctoral- level programs in seven colleges (Business, Education, Engineering and Engineering Technology, Health and Human Sciences, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts). The university also operates education centers in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, where working professionals can access NIU programs at convenient times and locations. The 16 NIU Huskies athletic teams compete in the Mid-American Conference at the highest NCAA Division I level.

Q&A:  Federal Sentencing Reforms with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q:        Which reforms is the Senate Judiciary Committee considering to the criminal justice system?

A:        A generation or so ago, homicides and other crimes of violence were linked to a rise in illegal drug trafficking.  Policymakers across all levels of government zeroed on efforts to make the nation's streets safer and public squares more secure for the citizenry.  Local efforts focused on policing and enforcement.  At the federal level, Congress passed laws requiring mandatory sentencing guidelines, mandatory minimum sentences, and increased funding for the federal prison system.  Minimum sentencing laws help bring certainty to victims and stability in the criminal justice system.  Keep in mind also that 97 percent of all federal prosecutions lead to plea bargains.  Plea bargains spare court resources, benefit victims and lead to sentences that reflect the seriousness of the crime.  Last year the U.S. Attorney General announced the Department of Justice would dial back federal prosecutions for certain mandatory minimum sentences involving nonviolent drug offenses.  The announcement opens debate about whether the administration is faithfully executing the laws passed by Congress. Notwithstanding the underlying constitutional issues that call into question the Attorney General's execution of the law, the announcement invites a serious discussion about the direction of the U.S. criminal justice system in the 21^st century.  The U.S. spends $80 billion a year on our prison system and still confronts issues with overcrowding and recidivism.  It would be prudent to consider home confinement for chronically ill prisoners or those assessed as low risk to commit new crimes.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported violent crime rose from 22.6 to 26.1 per 1000 people in 2012.  Property crime jumped ten percent.  As policymakers weigh reforms to address overcrowding, reduce mandatory minimum sentences and lessen the burden on the taxpaying public, policymakers also must consider the risks to public safety and personal property.  Taxpayers who pay for the criminal justice system and the innocent victims of violent crime and their families deserve nothing less.  The scales of justice must reflect the rights and protections of the victim as well as those of the accused in a society governed by the rule of law.

Q:        Do you support changes to mandatory minimum sentences?

A:        As the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have served on the panel which has oversight authority and legislative jurisdiction of the nation's federal judiciary and criminal justice system since I was first elected to the U.S. Senate.  I'm open to adjusting some mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent, lower-level crimes, as long as others are raised where needed, notably for the prosecution and conviction of sexual assault cases.  A balanced mix of sentencing reforms offers an opportunity to root out weaknesses in the system as we work to strengthen law and justice.  Specifically, I advanced amendments in committee this year that would improve justice for victims of sexual violence.  My amendments would establish a five-year mandatory minimum sentencing standard for crimes of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and sexual abuse of a minor or ward; set a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for murders caused in the commission of certain sex offenses; and create a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence for a conviction of interstate domestic violence in which death occurs.  As it stands today, accused sexual offenders facing prosecution don't have an incentive to enter a plea agreement.  Perversely, it stands in their interest to roll the dice, go to trial and hope for probation or a light sentence.  There are 32 categories of federal offenses, and sexual abuse cases rank 30^th in the percentage of those in which the defendant pleads guilty. When critics of the criminal justice system call for judicial discretion that's subterfuge for leniency. Times have changed since I cast my first vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee.  But the passage of time doesn't change "We the People's" proper expectation that justice be served in a nation founded upon justice for all.

February 7, 2014

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on the announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that it will begin to receive data under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act on Feb. 18.  The agency said it will post the data on its website by the end of September 2014.  Grassley is the co-author of the bipartisan Sunshine Act, enacted in 2010, that will disclose the financial relationships between drug and medical device companies and doctors.  The legislation came after Grassley's investigative and oversight work exposed numerous examples of major discrepancies between the reporting of payments and the receipt of payments.

Rock Island, IL. Bent River Brewing Co. began 2014 on an unexpected high note. Their Flagship Brew, the Uncommon Stout, was awarded a gold medal in the 2013 International Craft Awards Competition. General Manager, Nick Bowes, submitted the brewery in the summer of 2013 and was informed shortly after New Years of their achievement. This marks the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a successful year for the local company.

Bent River Brewing Co. started brewing for the Quad Cities in 1997 in downtown Moline and the beer was so popular that the demand grew and so did they. The second location was opened in early 2012 at 512 - 24th Street in Rock Island and is the main distribution hub, where all the bottled and kegged beer is packaged and sent out into now three states; Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

So much of their success is due to the Uncommon Stout; Bent River sells twice as much of the coffee-infused oatmeal stout over any of their other beers. This is why it was the one chosen to be submitted into the competition.

The brewery found out about the opportunity through an advertisement on the Brewer's Association website - a page for those in the trade - and submitted the brew that has made Bent River a household name in the Quad Cities Area. Bent River is always looking for ways it could spread its name and great beers nationwide, welcoming creative avenues as well as the unexpected. Last year, for example, they sent out 45 pallets of product to a beer of the month club that then shipped its wares all over the country to participating members.

The International Craft Awards Competition, based out of Los Angeles, California, claims the upmost respect and standards for their judging process. In the email Bent River received, they were informed of their award and how it was decided:

"Our credible process is executed by two dozen respected and influential judges, ensuring competitive integrity in selecting beer to be awarded. Beers are scored on a 100 point scale, evaluated on dozens of characteristics (i.e., appearance, taste, aromatics, flavor, mouthfeel and finish) over a multilevel blind tasting procedure."

The beloved, local brew that has taken on the Quad Cities by storm is already nearing regional status, if Bent River Brewing Co. keeps up the good work, the sky just may truly be the limit.