Humility of Mary Housing, Inc. (HMHI) will hold its semi-annual Fresh Start Benefit Sale Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale is at the HMHI office and donation center located at 3805 Mississippi Avenue, Davenport.

This sale continues a 24 year tradition of providing a large selection of gently used or new items, all in working condition, including house wares, bedding, toys, jewelry, gift items, furniture, books, games, clothing and much more. This sale is known for the quality of items, the great values and the friendly staff.

Donations for this sale can be dropped off Monday through Friday any time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Humility of Mary Housing has 47 apartments that are used for families in the program and there is a great need for single beds, dressers and sofas to help furnish these apartments. These items can also be taken to the office and donation center. Donations are accepted throughout the year.

Donated items that cannot be used to furnish apartments or by the families are put in the sale and all proceeds are used by Humility of Mary Housing, Inc. to purchase beds and dressers and other program needs. Through the program lives get turned around, children learn there is a different way to live and parents are provided with opportunities upon which they build the foundation for a greater future for their families.

AARP Study Quantifies Social Security Benefits' Critical Contributions to National, State Economies

DES MOINES, Oct. 1 - A new study from the AARP Public Policy Institute calculates that each dollar paid to Social Security beneficiaries in Iowa generates nearly two dollars ($1.74) in spending by individuals and businesses, adding about $13.5 billion in total economic output to the Iowa economy - contributing to the $1.4 trillion total economic output Social Security added to the national economy - in 2012.  The report finds the $8.3 billion paid in Social Security benefits to Iowans in 2012 helped create or maintain more than 95,000 jobs.

Social Security's Impact on the National Economy details the powerful multiplier effect created when Social Security recipients spend their benefits and the companies that receive those dollars spend their profits and pay their employees, who in turn spend their wages. The report provides both national and state-level data.

"This report tells us that any adjustments Washington makes to Social Security will have a profound effect on individuals of all ages, businesses and our economy as a whole," said AARP State Director Kent Sovern.  "That's why AARP is fighting the chained CPI and calling for a national conversation about the future of Social Security - so those who paid into the system can have a voice in the debate and so future generations get the benefits they've earned."

AARP Iowa Associate State Director for Advocacy Anthony Carroll and AARP national leaders are visiting Capitol Hill offices today to deliver the report to Iowa's Members of Congress, along with a summary report of comments from more than 3,000 Iowans on their concerns about Social Security and Medicare collected by AARP during the 2013 Iowa State Fair.  Starting this week and continuing over the next 78 days - in honor of Social Security's 78th anniversary - AARP Iowa will be elevating the voices of Iowans about Social Security in daily social media activities.  In addition, AARP Iowa volunteers will also be delivering to more than 20,000 signed petitions to Congressional district offices representing Iowans opposed to the chained CPI.

Social Security benefit payments in 2012 supported more than $370 billion in salaries, wages and compensation for workers across the country. Of the more than nine million jobs supported by Social Security spending, about four million were in just ten industries. Nationally, the largest employment impacts were seen in the food services, real estate, health care and retail industries.

In addition to illustrating Social Security's vital role in supporting national and local economies, jobs and workers' incomes, this report reiterates the importance of Social Security as a vital source of income for millions of Americans. Social Security benefits keep 22 million people out of poverty, including more than 15 million older Americans, and serve as the foundation of a secure retirement for more than 435,929 Iowans age 65+ who receive Social Security benefits.

Social Security's Impact on the National Economy uses an economic modeling system known as IMPLAN to calculate the multiplier effect and trace the impact of Social Security spending through the national and state economies. View the full report and details on methodology here:

http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-09-2013/social-security-impact-on-the-national-economy-AARP-ppi-econ-sec.html

 

Additional resources are available at www.aarp.org/socialsecurity and www.earnedasay.org.

MOLINE, Ill. (October 1, 2013) - The Quad City Mallards will open their 2013 training camp next Monday, October 7, the Mallards announced today.

The Mallards will begin training camp with double sessions next Monday and Tuesday at the iWireless Center.  The team will hit the ice from 9:00 a.m. to noon and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. both days.  Camp will shift to the River's Edge in Davenport for single practices from 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  The Mallards enjoy an off day next Saturday, October 12.

The second week of camp kicks off at the River's Edge when the Mallards return to the ice on Sunday, October 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Camp returns to the i wireless Center October 14, 15 and 16.  The Mallards will skate at the River's Edge again on October 17 and 18 before opening the regular season on home ice against the Rapid City Rush on Saturday, October 19 at 7:05 p.m.

All training camp sessions are open to the public free of charge.

Tickets for the season opener and all other Mallards regular season home games are now on sale at Ticketmaster outlets, through ticketmaster.com, through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000 or at the iWireless Center ticket office.  The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

The 2013-14 season will be the Mallards' seventeenth- and their fourth in the Central Hockey League.  Season tickets as well as half season tickets and flex packs are still available.  The Mallards offer ticket packages to meet any budget and season ticket holders also receive a host of additional benefits, including a unique season ticket holder Mallards jersey.  More ticket package information is available by calling the Mallards at 309-277-1364 or emailing info@myqcmallards.com.

About the Quad City Mallards
A proud affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Quad City Mallards are approaching their seventeenth season and their fourth in the Central Hockey League.  One of the winningest teams in all of minor league hockey, the Mallards competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007 and in the International Hockey League in 2009-10.  The Mallards' proud history has seen them capture the UHL's Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league's Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record.  In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.  For more information on the Quad City Mallards or for Mallards tickets go to www.myqcmallards.com.  Fans can also follow the Mallards via Twitter at twitter.com/myqcmallards and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/quadcitymallards.

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Pioneering Psychotherapist Shares 3 Exercises for
Maintaining Emotionally While Coping with a Diagnosis

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been one of the most successful campaigns to raise public awareness in recent history. Unfortunately, in terms of successfully reducing breast-cancer mortality, the results have been mixed, which has caused fierce debate among doctors, researchers, non-profit groups and patients.

"Embedded in the message driving the campaign every October includes instruction to women to strongly consider getting screened for breast cancer, which is often asymptomatic during the early stages, in the hopes of finding cancer before it metastasizes," says cancer psychotherapist Dr. Niki Barr, author of "Emotional Wellness, The Other Half of Treating Cancer," (canceremotionalwellbeing.com).

Debate over the efficacy of screenings has arisen as new studies reveal possible shortfalls:  self-examinations haven't been proven effective; younger women experience false positives due to denser breast tissue, as well as missed positives, despite clinical examinations; and recently published studies such as The New England Journal of Medicine's findings on three decades of screening have been mixed, Dr. Barr says.

The latter found that screenings did reduce late-stage cancer rates, to a small extent, but mammograms also drastically increased over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment,  including surgeries, toxic drugs and an incalculable amount of stress and suffering, she says.

"I think each woman needs to consider screenings on an individual basis. Family history, age and other risk factors should be considered in their decision," Dr. Barr says. "It's equally important to remember that, should you or a loved one be diagnosed with breast cancer, you should care for your emotional well-being as much as you take measures to restore physical well-being."

While doctors, nurses and medical staff tend to your body, you can tend to your mental health with some of these exercises she recommends to her patients:

• "Catch" anxious feelings before they become anxiety. Prevent anxious thoughts from becoming full-blown anxiety by "catching" those feelings before they intensify. If you find anxious thoughts repeating themselves in your mind, take out some index cards and a pen and write them down, one by one, one per card. When you've written them all down, try to identify which one thought started the chain reaction.  Then find the thought that came next. Continue until you have each thought in order. Now, go back to the first thought and write down a new thought that does not make you feel anxious. When the first thought comes to mind, substitute it with the second thought. Continue through the list until you have positive, empowering thoughts for each negative, anxious one.

• Release painful feelings and then let them go: Writing down painful thoughts and feelings through journaling is an excellent way of exorcising them. Some people find rereading what they've written can be helpful, but others hesitate to use this tool for fear someone will find it and read their private thoughts. For those people, Barr suggests an extra measure of release: Shred the pages while focusing on "letting go" of those feelings.

• Give your mind respite by escaping through music and meditation: Music is a tonic for many things: It can help us relax, lift our spirits, provide an escape from anxious thoughts and the here and now. Always have favorite CDs easily accessible so you can escape with music whenever you need to. Meditation CDs are available to help you learn how to meditate and to provide guided imagery for meditation, which is scientifically proven to trigger soothing chemical changes in the brain. Try "Meditation for Beginners" by Jack Kornfield or "Guided Mindfulness Meditation" by Jon Kabat-Zin. Finally, sleep is an absolute must for both physical and emotional health. If you're having trouble sleeping, there are CDs and downloads to help! Try "Sleep Through Insomnia" by KRS Edstrom.

"Having an actual box, with three-dimensional items, gives patients something tangible to use during a confusing time," Dr. Barr says.

About Niki Barr, Ph.D. (@NikiBarrPhD)

Niki Barr, Ph.D. founded a pioneering psychotherapy practice dedicated to working with cancer patients in all stages of the disease, along with their family members, caregivers and friends. In her book, she describes an "emotional wellness toolbox" patients can put together with effective and simple strategies, ready to use at any time, for helping them move forward through cancer. Dr. Barr is a dynamic and popular speaker, sharing her insights with cancer patients and clinicians across the nation.

Quad Cities event has raised over $400,000 for humanitarian needs during nine-year history

BETTENDORF, IA - Organizers of the Quad Cities Night to Honor Israel today announced plans for their 10th annual celebration. Set for Thursday, Oct. 17th at 7:00 PM (with a pre-show musical performance at 6:30 PM), Calvary Church of the Quad Cities (4700 53rd St., Moline, IL) hosts the evening of singing, dancing and praise to honor the importance of Israel. There is no charge, but a free will offering will be made.

This year's keynote speaker is Diana Hagee. She is the wife of Pastor John Hagee, founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio Texas. The author of a best-selling book, "The King's Daughter," Mrs. Hagee is the founder of the King's Daughter, Becoming a Woman of God National Conferences. She was presented the prestigious Lion of Judah award by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston for the long-standing work she and Pastor Hagee do within Israel and currently works with Christians United for Israel, which was founded by her husband in 2006.

A free will offering this year will be used to bomb-proof the pre-school at Kibbutz Nahal Oz (http://eng.negev-net.org.il/htmls/article.aspx?C2004=12747) against missile attacks from Gaza only 700 yards away. In addition, funding will be directed toward medical equipment and supplies for Magen David Adom in Israel (www.mdais.com) ambulances in Sderot located one mile from Gaza.

During the previous nine years of the Quad Cities Night to Honor Israel, the event has generated $421,000 for Jewish immigration, underground hospital emergency rooms and computer labs for immigrant children to learn Hebrew and basic life skills in addition to other humanitarian causes.

Other speakers will include Roey Gilad, Consul General of Israel to the Midwest, and two Augustana College students who will share their experiences from the Christians United for Israel meeting this past summer in Washington, D.C. The special pre-show at 6:30 PM will feature the Java Jews and their "highly-caffeinated" klezmer music from Des Moines, IA.

"In this 10th year of our remarkable journey we are pleased to bring together Jews, Christians, Pastors, and Rabbis for one common purpose which is to speak up and stand up for Israel," said Tom McGovern, Chairman of the event and Iowa State Director of Christians United for Israel. "We hope the Quad Cities region will join us again for an unforgettable night of praising, singing, dancing, celebrating and giving."

Quad Cities Night to Honor Israel (www.qcnthi.com) is a non-conversionary tribute to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people of the world. Its purpose is to promote respect and understanding between Christians and Jews to emphasize that the beliefs held in common are far greater than the differences that separate.

It is organized by the Quad Cities Association of Evangelicals (www.qcae.org) and by the Iowa State Chapter of the Christians United for Israel (www.cufi.org).

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Beer ranks at #13 across our country's beer consumption across all states which upsets their livers mostly:).  With most of the locals preferring a bottle of Templeton Rye among other brands, they also love a good glass of wine or two, with Iowa citizens celebrating their fondness for these two drinks in festivals such as Clear Lake Harvest Festival scheduled this fall.

Beer and wine have definitely stood out among other choice of drinks, and you can see how much it has been embedded in our history as seen in the infographic: http://financesonline.com/beer-vs-wine/.

The infographic is also rich with other wine and beer related facts, figures and trivia that every enthusiast of these drinks will find interesting, or even surprising:

  • Did you know that no one enjoys wine more than the folks in the Vatican City? They are considered to be the world's biggest consumers of wine with 365 bottles a year per capita (which makes exactly one bottle a day!).
  • Those who favor wine will be thrilled to learn that California wines dominate the list of top wine brands in 2012
  • Beer fans can always boast the immense popularity of their favorite beverage as they discover that beer sells nearly 8,000 times more than wine and some archaeologists claim it may have even contributed to making our entire civilization possible!

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today named Matt Hinch as the new chief of staff for the Branstad-Reynolds administration. Hinch, 33, replaces Jeff Boeyink, who resigned last month for a private sector opportunity. Hinch begins October 14.

"Matt Hinch brings a diversity of experience to this position, and we are excited to begin working with him," said Branstad. "After an extensive search, I believe we have found a chief of staff who has an impressive combination of public and private sector experience, and someone who will help successfully lead my team as we approach next year's legislative session. Matt is ready to hit the ground running, and I am pleased he is taking on this responsibility on behalf of the people of Iowa."

Hinch most recently served as the senior vice president of government relations and public policy for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, where he was instrumental in building support for the governor's property tax reduction and education plans. Previously, he served as chief of staff to Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, as well as legislative director and campaign manager for Congressman Tom Latham.

"I want to thank the governor for this opportunity, and I look forward to building on his recent legislative successes," said Hinch. "Iowa has seen a turnaround under the Branstad-Reynolds administration, from instilling the fiscal discipline to again balance the budget, to record job-creating investments and a business climate that encourages higher employment. This is an exciting time for Iowa, and we will continue working to reach the administration's substantial goals for job creation, education and health care."

Reynolds noted Hinch's experience and reputation as a hard worker and problem solver.

"We are excited to see all the great things Matt will accomplish in this new role," said Reynolds. "This is a demanding job, and one Matt is uniquely qualified to fill. He shares our passion for Iowa, and will play an important part for us in building a strong foundation for the future."

Hinch is a graduate of the University of Iowa. He resides in West Des Moines with his wife Ali. They have one child.

A photo of Matt Hinch is found here: https://governor.iowa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/hinch_portrait.jpg

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The Davenport Association of Professional Firefighters Local #17 invites the public to a candidate forum.  The topic of the forum will be Public Safety.  Iowa State Representative Frank Wood will moderate. Questions from the audience may be submitted.

6:00 p.m., October 3rd at the Village Theatre, 2113 East 11th Street, Davenport.

Questions? Contact Jason Roth at 563-320-1211

Former Intelligence Officer Says U.S. Isn't Getting Full Story
Regarding Prison

When was the last time you read, saw or heard much from the media about the Guantánamo Bay prison? Eric Wentz, a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Navy who worked as an interrogator and linguist at the prison, says it's no mistake if you haven't.

"I remember when there were Guantánamo stories on a near-daily basis - that was when President Bush was in office. But there have been comparatively few Gitmo stories during President Obama's tenure," says Wentz, a former intelligence officer and  author of a new Readers Choice Award-winning novel based on his experiences, "Killing Sharks: De Profundis," (www.ericwentz.com).

"The United States is still holding more than 160 prisoners at our prison in Cuba and, while critics here and abroad have protested their indefinite detention without charges or trials, they represent a real risk to our national security," Wentz says.

"Americans should be well-informed when these debates arise, and they simply are not."

Wentz reviews five things the American public should know about Guantánamo.

• Letting go of detainees is not a good option. Al-Qaeda's current No. 1 and No. 2 leaders in Yemen were once prisoners at Guantánamo, and the terrorist group's No. 1 in Libya also came from the prison. In Southern Russia, a number of former detainees went on a rampage, killing more than 100 innocents during a single afternoon of attacks. In fact, these outcomes after detainees are released have become so common, Wikipedia has a page devoted to it: "lists of former Guantanamo Bay detainees alleged to have returned to terrorism."

• The potential for diplomatic chaos. It's not hard to ruffle the feathers of other world powers, which often compromises U.S. relations globally, as witnessed in the aftermath of Edward Snowden's leaks of NSA spying and the Syrian crisis. Imagine the blowback onto the United States if one of its military bases frees a detainee that later assassinates another nation's leader or government official.

• Gitmo: the misinformation campaign. During Wentz's time at the prison, there was absolutely no indication that torture of any kind ever occurred. "To my knowledge, only four terrorists were ever waterboarded - and that was done by the CIA, and not at Guantánamo," he says. Yet reporting insinuates that torture is a common occurrence there. "I once read a headline: 'Guantánamo Detainee, Who Was Waterboarded, Tells Int'l Community ....' It doesn't say where the waterboarding occurred, but the insinuation is there." Such misinformation campaigns are among the tactics outlined in the Manchester Document, also known as the al-Qaeda Handbook.

• The International Red Cross says Gitmo is well run. The prison is well-run and should be a model for the treatment of prisoners worldwide - this is according to an assessment from the International Red Cross. This good news regarding the prison is likely something you've never read. Americans have been fed a steady stream of only bad news about the prison, but there are good reasons for its existence.

• Consider the source - the lawyers of detainees and their plea to the public. The only news coming out from Gitmo recently has involved the detainees' hunger strike, which has had some success in its original purpose: to build sympathy. One of the lawyers for the detainees has also represented, in past decades, members of the Irish Republican Army, who used the same tactic while imprisoned by the British. The hunger strike came shortly after the lawyer's visit, Wentz says, and it's not coincidence. Additionally, while the British didn't use feeding tubes, the U.S. military has, which is something detainees have come to count on, he says.

About Eric Wentz

Eric Wentz is a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served as an intelligence officer, interrogator and linguist. He has a bachelor's degree in history and English literature, a master's degree in linguistics, and a Master of Science degree and doctorate in educational administration. He is also a certified SCUBA diver and an experienced canoeist. His novel, "Killing Sharks: De Profundis," has won the Readers Choice Book Reviews Bronze Award.

Oct 1 marks the opening of enrollment through the new Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace, a major provision of the Affordable Care Act.  The Campaign for Better Health Care will host a series of media events across the state that day to explain the benefits of the law and introduce local small business owners and individuals who will be enjoying newfound access to health care through the Marketplace, because the Affordable Care Act eliminates the barriers to coverage they have faced previously.
9AM  Champaign-Urbana
Location:  Milo's Restaurant - 2870 S Philo Rd., Urbana, IL 61802 ( map)
Speakers:
- Mayor Gerard
- Mayor Prussing
- County Board member Mike Richards
- Health care consumer Jane Anderson
- Health care consumer Abby Bott
Site contact:  Robert Porter (217.819.6993)
10AM  Peoria
Location:  Gregg Florist - 1015 E War Memorial Drive, Peoria Heights, IL 61614 ( map)
Speakers:
- Larry Ivory, President, Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce
- Diana Scott, Public Information Officer, Peoria City County Health Department
- Small business owner Dan Callahan, Gregg Florist
Site contact:  Joyce Harant (309.648.3035)

2PM  Quad Cities
Location:  Genesis Health System, East Campus, 1227 E. Rusholme St., Davenport, IA ( map)
Speakers:
- Small business owner George Barajas, Old Mexico Restaurant
- Community Health Centers, Genesis Health System
- Casa Guanajuato
- Project NOW
- Illinois-Iowa Center for Independent Living
- Joyce Harant, Project Director, Small Business Health Care Consortium
Site contact:  Joyce Harant (309.648.3035)
3PM  Statewide telebriefing for media
Please register here to receive call in information.
Speakers:
- Rev. Larry Greenfield, Executive Minister, American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago and Chair of the CBHC Faith Caucus Steering Committee
- Larry Ivory, President, Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce
- Susan Swart, Executive Director, American Nurses Association Illinois (ANA-IL)
- Dr. Carrie Nelson, President, Illinois Academy of Family Physicians
- Jim Duffett, Executive Director, Campaign for Better Health Care
- Small business owner Sharon Hoyer, Dill Pickle Food Co-op, Chicago
- Health care consumer Norma Herrera
- Health care consumer Abby Bott
6:15PM  Evanston
Location: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60201 ( map)
Speakers:
- Bishop Wayne Miller, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Dr. Gary Gunderson, VP Faith and Health Ministries, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
- President Elect Lallene Rector, Garrett Seminary
- Dr. Pam Holliman, Garrett Seminary
- State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-18)
- State Senator Daniel Biss (D-9)
- Health care consumer Tim Porter
Site contact: Jessica Palys (224.622.3223)

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About Campaign for Better Health Care
We believe that accessible, affordable, quality health care is a basic human right for all people.  The Campaign for Better Health Care is the state's largest coalition representing over 300 diverse organizations, organizing to help create and advocate for an accessible, quality health care system for all.  For more information, visit www.cbhconline.org.

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