10 Sep 2013

Loebsack Questions Administration Officials at Syria Hearing

By Rick Martin

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today questioned Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey during a House Armed Service Committee hearing on President Obama's request to take military action against Syria.  The witnesses also provided initial updates on diplomatic efforts to secure Syria's chemical weapons.  As the only member from Iowa who serves on the Armed Services Committee, Loebsack posed questions about what the fallout from a strike would be. Loebsack also viewed classified materials and received a classified briefing yesterday. Video of the exchange from today's hearing can be found here.

"Today's hearing was an important chance for the American people to hear directly from the Administration with initial updates on diplomatic efforts and about their case for taking military action against Syria. The use of chemical weapons against civilians is morally reprehensible and should be unequivocally condemned by the international community. While these negotiations are in a very early stage and much remains to be seen, an effective and verifiable diplomatic path forward through the international community to secure chemical weapons would be a welcome development.

"However, after more than a decade of war during which time our troops and military families have made great sacrifices on our behalf, we must exercise extreme caution in undertaking military action. There are still too many unanswered questions from the Administration including defining the end goal for potential use of force and laying out the broader implications of military action in the region. I welcome the President's address to the nation tonight and hope that he will answer these questions and provide an update on diplomatic efforts for the American people."

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10 Sep 2013

Governor Quinn Proclaims September 11 as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance

By Brooke Anderson

"Portrait of a Soldier" Memorial Exhibition on Display at Columbia College Chicago

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today honored the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and servicemembers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by proclaiming Sept. 11, 2013 as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. The Governor also unveiled the "Portrait of a Soldier" memorial exhibit at Columbia College Chicago. The exhibit features a series of hand-drawn portraits of nearly all of the 306 Illinois men and women who died in the 9/11 terrorist attack, Iraq, Afghanistan or in combat service to our country since Sept. 11, 2001. The exhibit is part of Governor Quinn's long-standing commitment to honor Illinois' men and women in uniform.

"On the eve of the anniversary of one of America's darkest days, let us remember the brave servicemembers who have given their lives to protect our nation's freedom," Governor Quinn said. "We should never forget the individuals and first responders who lost their purposeful lives on September 11, 2001, and the military heroes who have since made the ultimate sacrifice overseas. We will honor them always."

In a joint resolution in December 2001, the U.S. Congress designated September 11 of each year as Patriot Day and on April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which includes language to officially establish September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

"The 'Portrait of a Solider' exhibit is a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made in the name of our state and country," Governor Quinn said. "These sketches are a moving tribute to those Illinois citizens who gave their last full measure of devotion to protecting our freedoms."

Governor Quinn founded the "Portrait of a Soldier" memorial exhibit to honor fallen servicemembers in 2004 after artist Cameron Schilling of Mattoon drew the first portrait of Army Spc. Charles Neeley, of Mattoon, who was killed in Iraq. Schilling then committed to drawing a portrait of every Illinois servicemember who has fallen during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The "Portrait of a Soldier" memorial exhibit will be on display at Columbia College Chicago until tomorrow afternoon. The exhibit's next stop will be at Lincoln Log Cabin in Lerna from Monday, Sept. 16, until Saturday, Oct., 5, 2013.

Governor Quinn has made our veterans, servicemembers and their families one of his top priorities throughout his career in public service. He has led programs including the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program and the Veterans Cash lottery ticket, which has awarded more than $10 million to not-for-profit organizations across the state that provide health care and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, housing assistance, disability benefits and other services to Illinois Veterans. He also championed numerous veterans' causes during his service as Lieutenant Governor and Illinois Treasurer. In 2011, Governor Quinn launched the Welcome Home Heroes program to support Illinois servicemembers seeking homeownership.

For more information on the "Portrait of a Soldier" exhibit or to view the portraits online, visit OperationHomefront.org. A copy of today's proclamation is attached.

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10 Sep 2013

THE SIXTH ANNUAL ALL IN A DAY PLAY FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE CCPA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 AT 7:30PM

By Megan Flanagan

Performance Features Seven 10-Minute Plays Written and Rehearsed in Just 24 Hours

The Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, and Dreamwell Theatre announce the sixth annual All in a Day Play Festival, Saturday, September 21 at 7:30pm at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, 1301 5th Street, Coralville.

Dreamwell Theatre board president Matt Falduto notes, "The All in a Day Play Festival is a great example of the amazing things theater groups can accomplish when they work together."  At 7:30pm on Friday, September 20, seven writers, seven directors, and 30+ actors will come together to create seven original plays.  Writers will be randomly assigned a location, a genre, and one other dramatic detail they must include in their script.  Directors and actors will be randomly assigned to each playwright.  The playwrights will deliver their script to the directors and cast by 8am the next morning; the directors and actors then have the day to rehearse.

24 hours from the start of the process, audience members will be treated to a variety of new and unique shows.  Plays and performers will be adjudicated by a panel including Coralville Mayor Jim Fausett, CCPA Managing Director Megan Flanagan, and director/producer Christopher Okiishi, with awards presented for performers, playwrights, and directors.

Event co-organizer Brian Tanner of Dreamwell says, "This is one of my favorite events of the year.  I always look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with and it amazes me that everything was accomplished in such a short time!"  Liz Tracey of City Circle adds, "It is a thoroughly entertaining and original evening - and one made for the digital age.  I enjoyed myself so much last year that I signed up to direct this year."

This year's participating playwrights are Matt Falduto, Brian Tanner, Joe Jennison, Amy White, Mike Moran, Tony Craine, and Andrew Juhl.  The directors are James Trainor, Meg Dobbs, Barbara Lau, Liz Tracey, Adeara Jean Maurice, Bev Mead, and Paul Freese.

City Circle Acting Company of Coralville is Coralville's community theater and the CCPA's resident theater company.  City Circle's mission is to present professional caliber theatrical productions and provide performing and educational opportunities to people of all ages.  Upcoming productions include Monty Python's Spamalot (October 25-November 3) and A Christmas Carol (December 13-22).

Dreamwell Theatre is an award-winning theater company that creates challenging, innovative, and inclusive theatrical experiences as a "theatre of exploration."  Upcoming productions include Fictional Murders (October 11-19) and Clybourne Park (November 15-23).

Owned and operated by the City of Coralville, the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts is dedicated to enriching the community and contributing to the vitality of Coralville by offering an accessible, affordable venue for a variety of performances, presentations, and public and private events.  The 472 seat theater opened August 26, 2011 and has hosted performances from City Circle Acting Company, Orchestra Iowa, Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, Dan Knight, Lola Astanova, Lorie Line, Judy Carmichael, Jim McDonough, Nolte Academy of Dance, and many others.  Coralville schools are also able to use the Center free of charge up to three times per year; 16 school events took place at the Center in the 2012-2013 school year. The Center was named 2012 Member of the Year by the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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10 Sep 2013

Celebrating Twenty-Three Years of Helping Single Parent Families Move from Homelessness to Self-Sufficiency

By Sister Mary Ann Vogel, CHM
Humility of Mary Housing, Inc. is celebrating 21 years of service to the Quad Cities with a Jazz Brunch at Crow Valley Golf Club on Sunday, September 29, 2013, from 11am to 2pm.  Sarah Marie Young, a Chicago vocalist, will once again be the featured entertainer and she will be accompanied by a pianist and a string bass player.  To learn more about this fabulous singer with a unique voice, check out her website at www.sarahmarieyoung.

Last year we began auctioning lunches with prominent residents of the Quad Cities and the winners had a great time.  The following people have made these offers for our auction this year:

Paula Sands, KWQC personality and reporter, has graciously agreed to host a lunch for six.

David Heller, President and Owner of the River Bandits, has donated a 16 seat suite for baseball game in the 2014 season AND 10 tickets for a ride on the Ferris wheel.

Kim Findley, Putnam Museum President and Chief Executive Officer, has kindly offered to host a breakfast for six at the Putnam Museum with a private tour of the "DIANA a celebration" exhibit.  This offering will need to be arranged before January 5, 2014.

Humility of Mary Housing, Inc. (HMHI) has provided supportive housing for 742 single parents and their 1463 children during these past 23 years.  These families were homeless at the time they entered the program.  HMHI provides single parents with the tools and support to complete degrees, find jobs and move into their own homes.  Children learn there is a different way to live; some have become the first in their family to complete high school and go on to college.  The need is great, with nearly 400 applications a year; however, HMHI has space and staff to provide services to only 47 of these families at any one time.

Please join us in our celebration and support this valuable community asset.

For more information, please contact our office at 563-326-1330.
10 Sep 2013

Harkin Announces More than $3.2 Million for Improvements to Iowa Airports

By Sen. Tom Harkin

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that the Ankeny Regional and Davenport Municipal airports will receive a total of $3,203,322 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for runway improvements. Harkin is a senior member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds these initiatives.

"Transportation is key to Iowa's economy and this funding will help keep our airports safe and in compliance with FAA standards," said Harkin.  "Investing in our regional airports means investing in local economic development and job creation. I congratulate the Ankeny and Davenport airports on this competitive funding and I look forward to the improvements it will generate."

Ankeny Regional Airport - $1,363,457 to relocate a road and allow the full use of Runway 4/22.
Davenport Municipal Airport - $1,839,865 to reconstruct a deteriorating runway.

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10 Sep 2013

CAMP COURAGEOUS HOSTS 25th ANNUAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL FESTIVAL

By Charlie Becker
MONTICELLO, IOWA - The 25th Annual Back-To-School Festival will be held at Camp Courageous Tuesday September 17 from 10:00 am to 2:00. Camp Courageous is a year- round recreational and respite care facility for individuals with disabilities. The Back-To-School Festival has become an annual celebration of the new school year for dozens of special education classes throughout the area.

Special education classes are invited to attend this free event and enjoy games, balloon artists, prizes, hayride, wobble buggies, swimming, miniature golf, a helicopter, face painting, bounce house, train, a dance and more.

Lunch is provided for free to the special education students, teachers, volunteers, staff & campers. Camp Courageous traditionally
expects about 1000 participants.

For more information contact Jeanne Muellerleile, E-mail: jeanne@campcourageous.org or Camp Courageous, Box 418, Monticello, Iowa 52310-0418. or (319) 465-5916 ext. 2300 or Fax: 319-465-5919.
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10 Sep 2013

MWL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE - CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

By Rick Martin

Beloit, WI (9/10/13) --- The Quad Cities River Bandits, Western Division Champions, will take on the South Bend Silver Hawks, Eastern Division Champions in the Championship Series.  Schedule as follows:

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11 & THURSDAY, SEPT. 12, 2013

Quad Cities @ South Bend

Four Winds Field, South Bend, Indiana

Thurs.    7:00 PM EDT

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2013

Off Day  

 

SATURDAY, SEPT. 14, SUNDAY, SEPT. 15, & MONDAY, SEPT. 16, 2013 (if necessary)

South Bend @ Quad Cities

Modern Woodmen Park, Davenport, Iowa

Sat.       7:00 PM CDT                        

Sun.     5:00 PM CDT

Mon.    7:00 PM CDT
10 Sep 2013

Ian Sodawasser to perform in Culver-Stockton's annual musical

By Heidi Lanier

CANTON, MO (09/10/2013)(readMedia)-- Ian Sodawasser, junior musical theatre major from Davenport, Iowa has been cast in Culver-Stockton's production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Sodawasser will appear as Schroeder. Performances will be in the Mabee Little Theatre, located in the Robert W. Brown Performing Arts Center and are scheduled for Sept. 19-21 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee Sept. 22 at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students. "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" is presented as part of Culver-Stockton College Family Weekend activities and is part of the college's Academic and Cultural Affairs program. The musical is suitable for audiences of all ages.For ticket information and reservations, call the C-SC Fine Arts Office at 573-288-6346.

Culver-Stockton College, located in Canton, Mo., is a four-year residential institution in affiliation with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). C-SC specializes in experiential education and is one of only two colleges in the nation to offer the 12/3 semester calendar, where the typical 15 week semester is divided into two terms, a 12-week term and a 3-week term.

10 Sep 2013

Soybean Rivals Team Up on Common Issues

By United Soybean Board
Farmers from U.S., South America unite to work toward better biotech approval system
ST. LOUIS (September 10, 2013) - Farmers who grow 90 percent of the world's soybeans and normally battle for global market share met recently to discuss how they can work together on issues that affect all farmers. Among other topics, they discussed what they could do to speed up getting new, biotechnology-enhanced soybean varieties approved in more markets around the world.
This type of gathering isn't new to these farmers, who are members of the International Soy Growers Alliance (ISGA), a group formed in 2005 to bring together Argentine, Brazilian, Paraguayan, Uruguayan and U.S. soybean farmers around issues that affect them all.
"It's important for us to come together and discuss issues we all have in common: trade relations, biotechnology, weather, to name a few," says Jim Stillman, soybean farmer and United Soybean Board (USB) chairman from Emmetsburg, Iowa. "When we are able to provide a united front on these issues that impact the global soybean industry, it makes a much stronger impression."
Farmer-leaders representing the soy checkoff, the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) participated in the most recent ISGA meeting, where members approved a resolution that, among other things, calls for science-based and more predictable approval systems for soybeans improved through biotechnology. Currently, these approvals in several countries tend to take long or not happen at all, holding up or blocking U.S. soybean sales or delay farmers' ability to plant new biotech varieties.
To show support for these issues, ISGA has also begun plans to bring together farmers from both continents to meet with common customers, decision makers and government officials next year. ISGA members will stress the importance of swift and science-based approval processes to prevent trade disruptions. In 2012, ISGA conducted a similar mission to the European Union, where U.S. and South American farmers met with officials from several countries to discuss the importance of biotechnology approvals and acceptance.
"One of the most rewarding aspects of ISGA is the opportunity to come together with farmers and representatives of other soy-growing-and-exporting countries to address the challenges we face as a global soy industry," adds Danny Murphy, soybean farmer and ASA president from Canton, Miss. "As representatives of the U.S. soy industry, together with USB and USSEC, we find that we have so many mutual goals with our ISGA partners, especially on issues like biotechnology approvals, in which barriers set up by one nation or coalition can have a significantly negative impact on all exporters."
The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.
For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard
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10 Sep 2013

Governor Quinn Urges Residents to Take Advantage of State's Cooling Centers to Beat the Heat

By Rick Martin

More Than 100 State Cooling Centers Open Across Illinois

CHICAGO - With record-breaking temperatures expected this week, Governor Pat Quinn is urging residents to take advantage of the state's cooling centers. Governor Quinn today opened more than 100 cooling centers throughout Illinois to help those without air conditioning beat the heat.

"I urge everyone in Illinois to take the proper precautions to stay safe and cool today as temperatures approach record-breaking highs," Governor Quinn said. "The state's cooling centers offer a clean, safe place to stay during the hottest part of the day."

The cooling centers are located at Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) offices throughout the state. IDHS cooling centers are open to the public during regular business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the IDHS cooling centers, the Illinois Tollway Oases in the Chicago area are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Governor Quinn and the Illinois Department of Public Health are encouraging Illinois residents to watch for signs of heat-related illnesses. These symptoms include headaches, skin that is hot to the touch, increased body temperature, loss of consciousness, seizures and irregular heartbeats.

To stay cool and avoid illness, people should increase their fluid intake but avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol and sugar; decrease strenuous, outdoor physical activity; and remain in air-conditioning when possible.

The Illinois Department on Aging also encourages relatives and friends to make daily visits or calls to senior citizens living alone. When temperatures and humidity are extremely high, seniors and people with chronic health conditions should be monitored for dehydration and other effects of extreme heat. Additionally, seniors should eat lighter meals, take longer and more frequent rests, and drink plenty of fluids.

To find a cooling center near you, call the IDHS hotline at (800) 843-6154 or visit keepcool.illinois.gov.

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