Critical Project Receives Yes Vote from MPO Policy Committee; Will Create Thousands of Jobs and Drive Economic Development Throughout Region

CHICAGO - After years of pushing to make it a reality, Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the Illiana Corridor Project - an innovative public-private partnership to build a much-needed, regional highway - is moving forward. Today's vote by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's MPO Policy Committee approved the project as a priority in the GO TO 2040 Plan. The Illiana, along with the South Suburban Airport, are key parts of Governor Quinn's agenda to drive economic growth throughout the South Suburbs and across Illinois.

Today's vote by the committee, which is comprised of members from throughout the Chicago region, means the Illiana project is eligible for federal funding and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) can proceed to obtain bids from the private sector.

"Today marks a major victory for economic development and jobs in the Southland, which will strengthen Illinois' economy and pave the way for future growth," Governor Quinn said. "I applaud the members of the MPO Policy Committee for making the Illiana a priority. This regional highway will not only serve the largest and fastest growing areas in Illinois, it will have a long-term economic impact of more than $4 billion in the region."

In addition to the South Suburban Airport, Governor Quinn has been pushing to make the Illiana Expressway a reality since taking office as part of his economic vision for the south suburbs of Chicago. The Illiana will be a 47-mile, access controlled highway that extends from I-55 in Illinois on the west to I-65 in Indiana on the east. When built, the Illiana Corridor Project will be an invaluable regional asset for the south suburbs, the state and the broader Midwest, promoting and supporting the business environment, workforce, local and global economy and quality of life. Potential economic benefits include the creation of more than 9,000 construction jobs and 28,000 long-term jobs.

The South Suburban Airport will serve as the third major Chicago-area airport in the south suburbs and has been one of the Governor's key priorities since 2009. Building the global transportation hub will create more than 11,000 construction jobs and as many as 14,000 long-term jobs after it becomes operational. Earlier this year, the governor secured and signed a new law to break the longstanding gridlock that will allow the airport to be built.

The Illinois and Indiana Departments of Transportation (IDOT and INDOT, respectively) have been engaged in planning the Illiana with the Federal Highway Administration since the spring of 2011. The preferred corridor for the limited access, four-lane toll road is being refined and discussed, with a public hearing on the proposed location later this year. Additional public input on the project will be sought during the state and federal agency and public-private partnership approval process. The Illiana planning process is expected to be complete in early 2014.

IDOT and INDOT will soon begin the process of selecting a private team to finance and build the Illiana Corridor project, the first public-private partnership of its kind in Illinois. This innovative financing method, which has already been used by Indiana on other projects, will bring new investment dollars into the state transportation system and allow IDOT and INDOT to make further infrastructure investments that will benefit the region. Studies by IDOT and INDOT have shown that the Illiana will provide local and regional congestion relief, create jobs, and serve as a much needed trucking corridor in the bi-state region.

SAAMBAA'S PLATFORM PROVEN TO ADD REVENUE IN FIRST MONTH

San Diego, CA. (October 11th) - saambaa recently launched their new mobile entertainment app platform for publishers with five AAN member publications: Pittsburgh City Paper, Tucson Weekly, Style Weekly, Folio Weekly and Jackson Free Press.  The platform allows any publisher to add revenue by creating a powerful mobile app, which showcases local event and entertainment content.  Saambaa's first publisher to launch, Little Village in Iowa City, saw mobile ad sales approaching $5k in their first month; they expect to double that by year-end.

"This product really helps augment the revenue models for these businesses.  We can help them increase mobile revenue by 10X."  Said saambaa CEO and co-founder, Matt Voigt.  "Over 1.5 billion smartphones are used every day and the average user spends over two hours per day on them.  Mobile websites are not enough - Nielsen reports that people prefer using apps over mobile browsers 5-to-1.  This massive structural change in behavior has opened the door for new revenue possibilities for publishers.  Our product helps publishers take advantage of this by providing technical and strategic resources they wouldn't otherwise have access to."

Saambaa does not charge fees for its platform.  Publishers get their own unique, custom-branded iPhone and Android entertainment app as part of a revenue sharing partnership with the Company.   And because it's a revenue-sharing relationship, saambaa acts as an extension of the publisher's team to ensure they're not left alone to navigate the complexities of mobile.

About saambaa:

Saambaa's apps leverage proprietary technology that gives readers the power to share listings with friends using text messages, emails and push notifications - sent by readers to their friends.  Saambaa has deep mobile experience, with technology chosen by Apple from over 500,000 apps and featured in the App Store.  This allows saambaa to be uniquely positioned to help the publishing industry transition into mobile with a best-in-class platform.

The name saambaa is inspired by the Brazilian tradition of music, dance, energy and people coming together - in-person - to have fun.  Download some example publisher apps and discover more about saambaa at www.saambaa.com.

It's hard to stick to a low-calorie diet day after day to lose weight, but new research shows you don't have to, says Dr. Susie Rockway, a veteran nutritional and biochemical expert in the U.S. health industry.

"Recent studies show you can lose 10 to 30 pounds in eight weeks through alternate-day fasting," she says. "Every other day, dieters in the study ate only lunch - no breakfast or dinner - between noon and 2 p.m. The following day, they could eat whatever they wanted. Not only did they not 'gorge' as expected on the feed days, most had an easier time sticking with it."

Dieting is as much about the mind as it is about the body, and most people have a difficult time staying with any sort of very strict regimen, says Sebastien Hebbelinck, a 20-year-plus veteran of the nutraceutical industry.

In the alternate day fast studies conducted by Dr. Krista Varady of the University of Illinois at Chicago, participants on average consumed only 110 percent of their energy needs on feed days, Rockway says. Lunch on fast days was 400 to 500 calories for women and 500 to 600 calories for men.

Hebbelinck, the CEO of Apax Business Development, which produces the water-soluble fat-binding supplement Lineatabs, www.lineatabs.com, offers these other suggestions for indulging your taste buds while losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight.

• Eat your bigger meals earlier in the day. Avoiding large meals at dinnertime is effective in helping to lose weight, particularly abdominal fat. In fact, another fasting study -- presented at this year's American Diabetes Association conference - showed that dieters who ate big meals at breakfast and lunch and skipped dinner lost more weight than participants who ate six small meals a day.

• Don't belly up to the buffet bar. Whether it's a cheat meal or a cheat day, throw all those studies out the window if you gorge on huge quantities of food. Eat controlled portions of healthy, nutritious foods. You can enjoy a nice lunch with a glass of wine and even a dessert, but don't go back for seconds and don't order the Decadent Chocolate-for-Four if you have no plans to share!

Rockway adds the following tips based on her nutritional and biochemical expertise.

• Include plenty of fiber and water (stay hydrated!). Unlike most nutrients in foods, we don't absorb fiber. It passes through our digestive tract, and if it's soluble fiber, it can help us feel full since it forms viscous gels. High-fiber foods include legumes, beans, avocados, nuts, whole fruits (versus juice), and whole-grain foods such as whole wheat spaghetti. On a cheat day, you may splurge on    a higher fat hamburger or fries, which case this is the perfect time to take a fiber-rich fat-binding supplement such as Lineatabs before the meal to help prevent some of the excess fats from being absorbed. Rockway likes Lineatabs because, unlike other fat-binding supplements, it dissolves in water and is consumed as a beverage, making the fiber soluble in the stomach and immediately available to bind to fats. It then forms a viscous fiber in the small intestines to form a barrier to reduce absorption. AND you get the fluid your body needs!!

• Healthy eating: Plan meals that are higher in lean protein and lower in simple carbohydrates. This will help you avoid a sugar spike that will leave you feeling hungry soon afterward. It also stabilizes your insulin levels, and protein foods are the most satiating.  If you are satisfied after you eat, you will be less likely to snack later. Some great high-protein choices include turkey or chicken  breast, pork loin chop, tuna and salmon and whey protein shakes. Avoid foods high in simple carbs, such as syrups, soft drinks and jams.

About Dr. Susie Rockway, Ph.D., C.N.S.

Dr. Susie Rockway, Ph.D., C.N.S., is a veteran nutritional and biochemical expert and decades-long health industry expert. Rockway has worked for multiple companies in executive capacities, including as an executive director of product development, a director of research, and a manager for science developing health and wellness products, where she communicated nutrition and new science updates to consumers. She has also designed testing strategies for clinical efficacy studies.

About Sebastien Hebbelinck

Sebastien Hebbelinck is an internationally recognized business entrepreneur who has been active in the nutraceutical industry for more than two decades. He is the founder and CEO of Apax Business Development, a 21-year-old company that has experienced major success in Europe with the dietary supplement Lineatabs, www.lineatabs.com. The product contains Solusitan, an all-natural fat-binding complex contained in an innovative delivery system that dissolves in water, making it immediately available in the stomach to bind with fat molecules in food.