East Moline, IL- Ongoing negotiations between Rock Island County and Hope Creek Care Center are stalled again. Rock Island County Management proposed their last and final offer on September 23^rd, 2013. The contract is currently scheduled to go to arbitration. AFSCME Council #31 is responding to County Board Chairman Phil Banaszek's inaccurate statement in the Rock Island Argus on November 23^rd, 2013. Chairman Banaszek shamefully mislead the public by insinuating that the Union refused to accept a proposal from the County that would keep the Center county operated. No such proposal was ever made. On December 4^th, 2013, the Union has responded to the employer's last and final offer through a Federal mediation proposal. The Union's proposal offered the County hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings. In fact, the Union's proposal offered more savings to Rock Island County taxpayers and Hope Creek than the last and final offer by the County. It is obvious to the Union that the main problem with Hope Creek is the Chairman himself, who is intentionally and purposefully getting in the way of the Center becoming more financially secure. For more details or comments, call Dino Leone, AFSCME Council #31 Staff Representative, at 309-738-3193.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on a review from the NASA inspector general examining allegations of improper leasing of a hangar and aircraft fuel purchases between NASA's Ames Research Center and H211, a private company that manages aircraft owned or leased by Google executives.  Grassley has looked into the arrangement amid allegations of poor management by the government to taxpayers' detriment.

"I'm glad the NASA inspector general was able to clear up some of the questions surrounding NASA and Google.  I also have asked the Defense Department inspector general to take a broader look at these fuel contracts.  Given that a 'misunderstanding' between NASA and the Defense Department led to taxpayers' losing out on $3.3 million to $5.3 million in this one contract, a look at these arrangements as a whole is definitely warranted.  The inspector general recommends that NASA explore 'remedies.'  The obvious remedy would be for NASA to seek repayment to the taxpayers for the fuel benefit.  If NASA fails to pursue this option and make taxpayers whole, it's hard to imagine how NASA would justify such a corporate giveaway."

The inspector general review is available here.

DAVENPORT, IA, Dec. 11, 2013 - Adding choice and convenience to everyone's holiday list, NorthPark & SouthPark Malls have launched a new gift card program just in time for the holiday season. Shoppers can now purchase a new Mall Visa Gift Cards, plus at NorthPark shoppers can choose from a variety of popular retailer gift cards including iTunes, The Children's Place and GameStop, to name a few. All of the gift cards are available at Guest Services at NorthPark or at the Management Office at SouthPark Mall.

"Today shoppers want convenience and they want great selection, especially during the busy holiday season," said Aleshia Chiesa, Marketing Manager, NorthPark & SouthPark Malls. "Our new program offers one-stop-shopping for gift cards, along with greater brand selection, which makes gift-buying at NorthPark or SouthPark easier than ever."

The new program is a partnership between NorthPark and SouthPark's parent company, Macerich® (NYSE:MAC), and Blackhawk Network, Inc., a leading prepaid payment network that supports a large variety of physical and digital prepaid products including gift cards, general purpose reloadable and prepaid telecom.
NorthPark and SouthPark Malls deliver convenience, beautiful seasonal décor and a festive holiday experience, including: Santa, Special Holiday Hours, Entertainment, and a New Mobile App.

NorthPark Mall is located in Davenport and has five anchors, including JCPenney, Von Maur, Younkers, Dillard's and Sears, plus over 130 shops and restaurants including Barnes and Noble, Talbots, Chicos and j.jill. SouthPark Mall is located in Moline and has four anchors including JCPenney, Von Maur, Younkers and Dillard's, plus over 120 shops and restaurants including Book World, Habanero's, The Children's Place and many more. For more information, visit us at north-park-mall-ia.com or shopsouthparkmall-il.com and like us on Facebook.

Visa Gift Cards are issued by Sunrise Banks, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used in the U.S. and District of Columbia wherever Visa debit cards, are accepted. The card may not be used at any merchant, including Internet and mail or telephone order merchants, outside of the U.S. or the District of Columbia. Sunrise Banks, N.A.; Member FDIC.

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Des Moines, Iowa?Nearly a year after Newtown, Iowa still ranks low among states' efforts to protect citizens against gun violence according to a new state analysis by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Iowa received a C- and ranks sixteenth among states, in this year's, "2013 State Scorecard: Why Gun Laws Matter," produced by the organizations.

Iowa did not take up legislation to expand background checks. Policies like universal background checks on all guns not just hand guns can help to keep guns from falling into the wrong hands.

"When states act to pass stronger gun laws, those gun laws protect our citizens from gun violence and send a message to Congress that it is time to act. There is still work to be done in Iowa should be leading the way in creating a safer state we all deserve and our legislature can do more. We hope to see our legislators take action to keep us safe in the coming year," added Rev. Cheryl R. Thomas of Iowans for Gun Safety.

Gun reform measures, like expanding background checks to all gun sales, are effective and popular policies. Recent polls show 9 in 10 Americans support expanding background checks to online and gun show sales. This includes over 80% of gun owners and 74% of NRA members. 88% of Iowans supported background checks in a February poll.

The deadly shooting in Newtown prompted eight states to pass major gun reforms in 2013.

Five states passed new laws requiring background checks on all gun sales. In addition, four states approved provisions requiring owners to report lost or stolen firearms to police, while three states enacted laws aimed at strengthening record-keeping and background check requirement for ammunition sales.

The state scorecard ranks all 50 states by letter grades and on a 100-point system that is based on laws that can prevent gun violence and reduce firearm death and injury.

States received points for having effective laws in each policy area, with stronger laws receiving more points. States lost points for irresponsible measures that increase the likelihood of gun violence, such as laws that allow individuals to carry loaded, concealed weapons in public without a permit. Ultimately, every state was awarded a letter grade indicating the overall strength or weakness of its gun laws.

This collaborative report empowers advocates by putting the Law Center's in-depth research on America's gun laws into the hands of the extensive networks of the Brady Campaign and States United to Prevent Gun Violence, a coalition of 27 state groups, so they can continue to fight for effective gun policies in communities across the country.

For more information about Iowa's scores and scores of other states please visit the websites of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence http://bit.ly/GunLawsScorecard and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence http://bit.ly/GunLawsScorecard

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Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (www.bradycampaign.org)

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence works to pass, enforce, and protect sensible laws and public policy that address gun violence at the federal and state level.  We do this by engaging and activating the American public, electing officials who support common sense gun laws, and increasing public awareness of gun violence.

Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (www.smartgunlaws.org)

The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence is the only national law center focused on providing comprehensive legal expertise in support of gun violence prevention. Founded by lawyers after an assault weapon massacre at a San Francisco law firm in 1993, we remain dedicated to preventing the loss of lives caused by gun violence by providing trusted, in-depth research and information on America's gun laws.

States United to Prevent Gun Violence (www.supgv.org)

States United to Prevent Gun Violence is a national nonprofit organization working to decrease gun death and injury. States United works with a network of 27 state-based gun-violence-prevention organizations, including Iowans for Gun Safety, that believe all Americans deserve to live in a country free from the fear, threat and devastation caused by gun violence.

Iowans for Gun Safety (www.facebook.com/IA4GS)

Iowans for Gun Safety is a broad coalition of groups and individuals working to reduce gun violence in Iowa through common sense solutions to violence. Founded in 2010 by Rev. Calos Jayne, Iowans for Gun Safety works with groups throughout the state of Iowa to reduce gun deaths by homicide, suicide and accident.