With all of the summertime fun to be had, for many families, living within their means goes right out the window by the time June rolls around. But if you want to reach financial independence, says John Vento, you must find ways to keep boosting your savings?even when fantastic summer vacations are calling your name. He offers several great tips on how to save up this summer.

Hoboken, NJ (June 2013)?For many of us, summertime is sacred. It's the time of year for fun and relaxing with family and friends. And so, every year we try to make the absolute most of these warm months, and more often than not that means spending money we don't have. Beach vacation with the entire family? Put it on the credit card! Country club pool membership? Just take money out of the rainy day fund! New shades and other summer duds? Whip out that plastic again! Unfortunately, notes John Vento, this spend-now-worry-about-it-later mentality means severe setbacks when it comes to reaching overall, long-term financial goals.

"Naturally everyone wants to make the most of their summer, so many folks tend to go a little spending crazy," says Vento, president of his New York City-based Certified Public Accounting firm, John J. Vento, CPA, P.C., and Comprehensive Wealth Management, Ltd., as well as the author of the new book Financial Independence (Getting to Point X): An Advisor's Guide to Comprehensive Wealth Management (Wiley, 2013, ISBN: 978-1-1184-6021-4, $40.00, www.ventocpa.com).

"Rather than living within their means, they start living the high life and very rarely can they afford it. It's one of the biggest financial mistakes people make. If you want to become financially independent, you must live within your means, and that means carefully controlling and budgeting your spending over the summer."

As Vento writes in his book, living within your means requires that you live on less than your take-home salary and any other resources you receive, such as income from an annuity or a trust. Living within your means does not mean existing from paycheck to paycheck. Living within your means does not mean living on credit or on loans. It means not only figuring out how to pay for your needs and wants, but budgeting your income so that you still have a little money left over. It also requires that you save money.

"That's right, 'living within your means' includes not only such necessities as shelter, food, utilities, and clothing," notes Vento. "You must also pay into your personal savings. Ideally, that payment should be 10 percent or more of your gross pay. And all of that can't go out the window when summer rolls around and you want to go on a nice vacation. The good news is that when your entire family works together, you can easily adopt several summer savings strategies. Think about it this way: If you can implement a plan this summer that helps you save just $20 a week and then you keep it up for an entire year, you can tuck away an extra $1,040."

Read on for a few of Vento's tips excerpted from Financial Independence (Getting to Point X) on how you can save $20/week or more this summer:

Stay cool without breaking the bank. Hot summer days mean your AC is practically running non-stop, which means your summer power bills can sometimes break the bank. But you can allay some of these costs by using a programmable thermostat to minimize your utility use and cost or by installing ceiling fans to allow you to use less air conditioning. "You should also make sure your home?especially your attic?is sufficiently insulated," notes Vento. "If the insulation in your attic is less than 6 inches thick, you are under-insulated. Insulation of 12 inches thick can lower your heating and cooling costs by 25 percent in a year."

Save on gas. A great way to cut back on how much you're spending on gas each week is to trade in your car for a bike. "If you live close enough to your work, enjoy the warm weather by biking or even walking to work," says Vento. "If biking or walking isn't an option, organize a summer carpool or start taking public transportation. Of course, if you're able, these are great changes to carry over into the fall and winter."

Wash your own wheels. It can be tempting to just zip into a local carwash and pay someone else to wash your car. But depending on the level of care you're paying for, you can spend anywhere from $5 to $30. Get outside and enjoy the weather by washing your own car. You'll save some money and will probably even do a better job on your own.

Shape up... Insurance companies take into account your physical health. Therefore, people who smoke, have high cholesterol levels, have high blood pressure, are overweight, and have other problems (including depression) will usually have higher insurance premiums than a person who is in good physical shape and health. "Use the summer to make healthy life choices," says Vento. "Clean up your diet. Stop smoking and start exercising."

...but forgo the gym membership. "Bathing suit season" as it's often called will probably have you focusing a little more on your fitness. But rather than throw out a bunch of money on a membership to a gym you might not even end up using that often, think of all of the ways you can workout outside for free. Walk, run, or bike local trails. Use workout videos. Or attend donation-based classes that allow you to pay a much more reasonable amount for your workouts.

Have fun for free. Check out "free events" offered in your neighborhood. Many towns offer free concerts and movies in the park or at the beach during the summer. Or take the family to the park for a Saturday afternoon or evening picnic.

Don't splurge on vacation. Of course, there's always a lot of build up around the yearly summer vacation. "But if you don't have the money to spend, you should absolutely look for more cost-effective options," recommends Vento. "Instead of going on expensive vacations, traveling first class, eating at the most expensive restaurants, going on all the most expensive tours, and going to overpriced five-star hotels, fly coach, cook in the hotel if possible, and go to a safe, fun, cheaper hotel."

Go green and save. Summer is a great time to make an effort to "go green" and start making more environmentally friendly choices. "A great way to do this is to refill your cleaning product spray bottles with less expensive refill bottles, instead of buying another more expensive spray bottle," says Vento. "Or replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). These use more than 70 percent less energy and last much longer, which will save you money on the cost of light bulbs and on your electricity bill. And of course, you should always turn off the lights when you leave a room and take advantage of all the natural light you get during the summer."

Hang it out to dry. Instead of running your dryer during the summer, hang clothes and other laundry outside to dry. This saves money on your utility bills as well as wear and tear on your clothing.

Become a thrifty foodie. First, give up junk foods completely: Not only are they expensive, they are unhealthy. Second, plan your meals. "Doing so can save you money and time," says Vento. "When grocery shopping, you will know exactly what you need to buy so there is no excess food thrown out at the end of the week. Take advantage of readily available, in-season fruits and vegetables by cooking more at home. Then brownbag your leftovers for your lunch at work the next day. And finally, buy in bulk or use grocery store rewards cards."

"Creating a summer of fun should not leave you worse off financially than when the season began," says Vento. "Be sure to discuss and share your family financial goals with your entire family so that everyone can commit to taking these easy, responsible steps toward saving and building on your financial stability. When you make these smart choices, it makes reaching long-term financial goals all the more achievable."

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stl250 Announces Year-Long Celebration to Commemorate the Founding of St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, June 3, 2013 - An outdoor community festival, reenactment of St. Louis's founding fathers arriving on the Riverfront and a region-wide Birthday Celebration are key events being planned by stl250 for the Gateway City's 250th Anniversary next year. These events are just some of many celebrations in development by St. Louis community partners, and the festivities will only grow in the coming months! stl250 is a nonprofit organization solely focused on commemoration and celebration of St. Louis's founding on its 250th anniversary in 2014. The announcement was made today at the stl250 Launch Event.

stl250 was created by area volunteers to coordinate the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of St. Louis by Pierre Laclede. The goal of the organization is to use this Semiquincentennial milestone to increase the pride in our region by building on the momentum already underway.

The 2014 celebration year will be co-hosted by City of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley. Ameren Chairman, President and CEO Tom Voss and his wife Carol will serve as stl250 co-chairs.

The stl250 celebration will begin at Grand Center's New Year's Eve First Night 2013 and will close on New Year's Eve 2014. Events will be held throughout the year by both stl250 and thousands of other organizations and communities. stl250 is planning a big splash for the 250th birthday weekend (February 14 - 16, 2014) which includes:

_{? an outdoor and environmentally friendly Valentine's Day "Burnin' Love" festival will feature} concert entertainment, a hot chocolate happy hour, sweetheart's dinners, heated culinary lounges, fireworks, permanent fire sconces in the park's canals and lakes as well as a centerpiece public art sculpture of a burning heart. This sculpture will literally be on fire in Forest Park's Grand Basin Lake.

? A re-enactment of the city's founding on Laclede's Landing as well as a scholarly symposium entitled, "The Impact of the Founding of St. Louis: on the Region and the Entire Nation".

_{? Founders Day Gala at the Missouri History Museum with satellite galas at other locations.}

? A brief celebration & an official birthday cake will immediately follow the re-enactment.

Commemorative Birthday Cakes will play a key and interactive role throughout the year. A region-wide "Cakewalk" will provide an educational walk through St. Louis' history. Ornamental birthday cakes will be placed at 250 regional historical locations. Cakes will be interactive and allow those with smart phones and tablets to receive facts on their device about the location's history. Details on locations and a contest will be announced in the Fall 2013 timeframe.

"St. Louis has a long history, current momentum and a promising future," said Erin Budde, Executive Director for stl250. "It's important that we mark this major milestone in a way that engages our entire region. stl250 and its volunteer leadership have much work to do over the next seven months to finalize plans, engage partners from across the region while broadly telling the story of our past, present and future through events that range from the grassroots to grand scale," Budde continued.

Iowa Supreme Court Decision Protects Nursing Practice, Ensures Patient Access to Care

PARK RIDGE, Illinois?Iowa patients were the big winners when the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed on Friday that the supervision of fluoroscopy, a type of x-ray imaging used in healthcare procedures such as pain management, is within the scope of practice for the state's advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), including nurse anesthetists.

"The Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists (IANA) joins the Iowa Board of Nursing and the Iowa Nurses Association in applauding this momentous decision that enables thousands of Iowans to continue receiving care from highly qualified ARNPs such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, or CRNAs," said IANA spokesperson Mindy Miller, CRNA.  "We couldn't be more pleased that our state's Supreme Court recognized, in its own words, that 'allowing ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy improves access to health care for rural Iowans and helps lower costs,' especially at a time when healthcare access and cost-containment are foremost on the minds of all Americans."

In reversing a lower court's October 31, 2011 ruling against ARNP supervision of fluoroscopy, the Supreme Court stated that "the district court erred" in invalidating the Department of Public Health and Board of Nursing rules that allow qualified ARNPs to supervise fluoroscopy. The original lawsuit, brought by the Iowa Medical Society and the Iowa Society of Anesthesiologists in June 2010, alleged that the Department of Public Health and Board of Nursing had exceeded their rulemaking authority, and that the fluoroscopy rules illegally expanded ARNP scope of practice and authorized ARNPs to practice medicine.

ARNPs use fluoroscopy in numerous procedures they perform within their scope of their practice,   such as interventional pain management, catheter insertion, and foreign body location.  Use of fluoroscopy in these and other procedures allows ARNPs to see the precise spot to inject medicine or insert a device. If ARNPs were not permitted to supervise fluoroscopy, patients in rural and other medically underserved areas would have to travel?sometimes great distances?to receive their care from physicians instead of from qualified healthcare professionals closer to home.

"The Supreme Court acknowledged that CRNAs and other advanced registered nurse practitioners have been safely providing these services for years," said Miller. "The court's decision validates the fact that the Board of Nursing does indeed have authority to regulate its practitioners, and it puts patients' interests ahead of the unsupported claims of organized medicine."

About the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)
Founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., the AANA is the professional organization representing more than 45,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists.  As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs administer approximately 33 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year and are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America. In some states, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia professionals in nearly 100 percent of rural hospitals. For more information visit www.aana.com.-----------------

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley is continuing his effort to help find a humanitarian solution to pending cases for as many as 230 American families trying to adopt orphans in Russia.

Grassley joined a group of 154 members of Congress in a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to raise the adoption issue directly with President Vladimir Putin when the presidents meet at the G8 nation summit later this month.  Click here to see the letter.

"Russia's about face at the end of last year is painfully personal for families who were already matched with children," Grassley said.   Parents and children have met and bonded.  Many of the kids need medical care.  They need permanent homes."

In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law to stop Americans from adopting Russian children.  Earlier in the year, the Russian Parliament had simplified American adoptions.  The new law was a reaction to U.S. sanctions against human rights violators in Russia.

The State Department and Citizenship and Immigration Services have identified options for getting the children to the United States despite the ban.

Grassley said he hopes that having a coalition of senators speaking up can help President Obama find a way out of the political morass for these orphaned children.

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