QCI Welcomes New Members!
QCI is growing with four new members just this year! Welcome: All Saints Lutheran Church, Davenport, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, Social Action Office of the Diocese of Davenport, and Second Baptist Church in Rock Island. We are excited to have you around the table, working together to strengthen your congregations, develop leaders and create a more just Quad Cities Interfaith.  
One to One Training, Saturday, April 20th

This One to One training will be from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm at Broadway Presbyterian Church, 710 23rd St. Rock Island, IL. Sam Finkelstein of the Gamaliel Foundation will walk us  through the most important tool we have in building relationships and our communities: the One to One.

A one to one visit is an intentional, face to face conversation for the purpose of building a relationship, gathering information and understanding what really matters to that person.

This training is to help develop relationships within our organization,  our congregations and our community . Bring a team of leaders from your congregation to learn this essential tools and ways we can put this to use in building your congregation's ministries. This training is free but registration is required. Call 563.322.4910 to register or for more information. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided.


QCI Hosting Illinois Dept. of Transportation Secretary Anne Schneider for a Stakeholders meeting in April

Watch this Space! The Transportation Equity Task Force has organized a Transportation Jobs Stakeholders meeting with Illinois Secretary of Transportation Anne Schneider. This meeting will be held at Church of Peace in Rock Island, IL. QCI is bringing together elected officials, clergy, lay leaders, and concerned community members so we can get an update from Schneider on the progress of the rail project,  share our work on jobs and job preparedness for our community.  There are people who want jobs, and jobs coming, so how do we work together to fill in the  gap and ensure more our our community get those jobs. 
Community Members are welcome, however we require an RSVP. Please call QCI at 563-322-4910

"QCI Trivia Night Fundraiser"

On Saturday, March 2nd, 110 people attended the QCI Trivia Night. Thirteen teams joined in on some competitive fun to help us raise over $1,500! Tons of Raffle baskets were given away. We would like to thank the Bribiescos for running the game, our Chairman Joe who called the game, and everyone who donated basket prizes! Trivia Night would not have been a success without the help from QC community members.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (03/21/2013)(readMedia)-- Fifty Augustana College students studied and worked in Sydney, Australia, for the first two months of 2013. The international study program known as "Augustana in Australia" places students in career-relevant positions in Sydney and immerses them in Australian culture. Over 250 students have participated in the program in the last seven years.

Madison Logan from Moline, Ill., was among the participants. Logan is a junior at Augustana and is majoring in communication sciences and disorders and psychology. Logan interned at The Lizard Centre.

The students completed a five-week on-campus internship seminar and a complimentary class in either intercultural communication or business ethics before leaving for Australia on January 2. Once in Australia, students worked for a variety of employers in numerous fields - from healthcare to education and from hospitality to non-profit work.

During their trip, the students also visited the ANZ Stadium, where the 2000 Olympics were held; the Sydney Opera House; and the Blue Mountains just outside of Sydney. Some students traveled to New Zealand and other areas of Australia, including Melbourne, Darwin and Cairns, where they were able to snorkel and dive the Great Barrier Reef. Students returned to the United States on March 2.

According to Karen M. Petersen, Augustana's director of business internships and the Australia program's director, "The highlight of the Australia internship program is the personal growth students experience by integrating into a totally new culture - both personally and professionally."

At Augustana, students choosing to intern or study abroad can receive financial support from the college thanks to a program launched in 2009 called Augie Choice. Focused on advancing student learning in the liberal arts in alignment with the college's strategic plan, Augie Choice grants students in their junior year or beyond the opportunity to receive a one-time grant of $2,000 to offset the expenses of study abroad, an internship or research project. Augie Choice funding is a visible symbol of the college's commitment to experiential learning as a way of preparing students to stand out among their peers.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. Augustana is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Alumni include 140 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 14 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

3 Ways to Switch Up Strategies & Guarantee Your Income

If there's one thing Americans have learned from the financial crisis of 2008, it's that they do not want to lose their money - again - especially for folks of a certain age, says financial advisor Philip Rousseaux, a member of the esteemed Million Dollar Round Table association's exclusive Top of the Table forum for the world's most successful financial services professionals.

"Losing nearly everything you've worked for throughout your entire adult life is right up there with being diagnosed with a major medical condition; it means the lifeblood of your future has been drained," says Rousseaux, founder and president of Everest Wealth Management, Inc. (www.everestwm.com).

"Aggressive investment strategies that offer potentially huge rewards are fine for people younger than 40, but even they should have at least a portion of their retirement portfolio in investments that will provide a guaranteed income. The closer you get to your retirement age, or if you're already retired, the more important it becomes to change the tools in your financial toolbox."

Whether investors are decades or a just a few years away from retirement, or are currently retired - and whether or not they lost most, some or no money at all during the mass money meltdown - Rousseaux offers tips and tools to help you stay retired:

• Look for the hidden fees in your employer-sponsored 401(k). Last July 1, a new Department of Labor rule required all hidden fees attached to retirement plans and mutual funds be disclosed to employers and employees. By some estimates, up to 90 percent of fees attached to retirement plans are hidden! Get an accounting of all fees and if you can't decipher the information, attend a financial workshop or talk to a financial adviser. It may be time to roll some your money into a less expensive plan. According to an AARP survey, 71 percent of those with a 401(k) had no idea they were paying fees for their retirement accounts.

• Explore fixed-rate indexed annuities: Investing all of your retirement savings in Wall Street exposes you to a lot of risk. That may be acceptable when you're in the prime of your career, but it's important to find alternatives that provide for growth while protecting savings. "Fixed-rate indexed annuities, where you loan an insurance company money and it guarantees you payments over a specified length of time, allows you to forecast the income you'll generate," Rousseaux says. "While these annuities will have a ceiling on interest rates, they'll also have a floor. Your principal is safe and you can ride an up market without the risk."

• Turn your IRA or 401k into a joint account. For many people this may sound like a new concept, but this is something Everest Wealth Management has been using a planning tool for the last decade.  While it's true the IRA, which stands for Individual Retirement Account, is something only one person can own, many alternative investments such as a fixed annuity offer benefits such as guaranteed lifetime income.  Within these plans the owners have the option to guarantee income on both lives, thus creating a joint income for both the husband and wife.

• How much you have isn't as important as you think. For years planners have touted finding your magical number so that you can afford retirement.  This is simply not an accurate measurement and isn't what matters, according to Rousseaux.  "With interest rates at 60-year lows and people living longer due to health care advances, the priority in planning is how much income can you generate and will that income last for your lifetime."  The income your investments can generate is the key to successful retirement planning in the second phase, which Rousseaux calls the distribution phase.

About Philip Rousseaux

Philip Rousseaux is the founder and president of Everest Wealth Management and Everest Investment Advisors money management firm. A staunch advocate of objectivity in investment advice, he's a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, the international association of independent advisors whose members are held to a rigid code of ethics. He is the co-author of "Climbing the Mountain to Financial Success" and co-hosts The Money Guys show on CBS Radio in various cities.  Philip received his bachelor's in economics from Towson University and completed the Wharton School of Business's Investment Strategies and Portfolio Management Executive Education Program.

Run and walk presented by Palmer Chiropractic Clinics will be Saturday, April 6, at 8 a.m.

 

DAVENPORT, Iowa (MARCH 21, 2013) - Opening Day is just three weeks from Thursday, but Modern Woodmen Park will have a unique debut for the 2013 season at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 6, when the Quad Cities River Bandits host the first-ever Bandits Race to Home 5K presented by Palmer Chiropractic Clinics, with all proceeds benefiting the Bandit Scholars Program.

The unique route of the five-kilometer run and walk will begin near Modern Woodmen Park at 8 a.m., cross the Centennial Bridge into Rock Island, Ill., and the Rock Island Arsenal Bridge back into Davenport before ending at home plate inside Modern Woodmen Park. A Fun Run for children 12 years and younger, with River Bandits mascot Rascal, will also take place at approximately 9 a.m. Every 5K registration includes a T-shirt, and every participant in the 5K and Fun Run will receive a free ticket to a 2013 River Bandits game. All registration is available at www.riverbandits.com/5K. The registration deadline is Wednesday, April 3.

"The Quad Cities community will be able to warm up for baseball season with the truly amazing and fun experience of twice crossing state lines before coming to the finish line at home plate of Modern Woodmen Park for the Bandits Race to Home 5K presented by Palmer Chiropractic Clinics," said team owner Dave Heller. "For one affordable price, each participant will have a unique race experience and a free River Bandits game while supporting the Bandit Scholars Program that pays for two Quad Cities-area students to attend college."

The 5K registration fee of $27 includes a T-shirt and a ticket to a 2013 River Bandits game. Fun Run registration for children ages 12 and younger is $17, or $22 with a T-shirt. All proceeds benefit the Bandit Scholars Program, which annually awards the Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship and the Bandit Scholarship. Each scholarship pays the entire first-year college tuition for two Quad Cities-area students, and the application deadline for the 2013 scholarships is Friday, March 29.

Race participants may also register as a team of five to 10 individuals. The team whose top five finishers have the best total time will win a free suite rental for a River Bandits game. Individual prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers, as well as to the top three males and females in each age group (ages 19 and under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60 and above). All Fun Run participants will receive a ribbon.

Packet pick-up will be available at Modern Woodmen Park Thursday, April 4, and Friday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Pre-race packet pick-up will be 6:30-7:30 a.m. Saturday, April 6. A post-race party with results announcements and awards will include free adjustments from Palmer Chiropractic Clinics and free massages from Massage Envy, as well as snacks, $2 beers at the ballpark concession stands and bounce houses from the Jumpin' Joey's Kids Zone.

"The Bandits Race to Home 5K presented by Palmer Chiropractic Clinics will get the season off to a great start - with a day of family fun at Modern Woodmen Park," said General Manager Harold Craw. "This race will be a unique event to benefit the Bandit Scholars Program and, with Opening Day just around the corner, celebrate the return of River Bandits baseball."

Any questions about the race can be directed to Shane Huff at shane@riverbandits.com or Ryan Wright at ryan@riverbandits.com.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits are welcoming fans back to Modern Woodmen Park for a free-entry Fan Fest Saturday, March 23, from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Single-game tickets will go on sale, the team will offer special deals for ticket plans of 10 games or more, and the concession stands will offer $1 hot dogs, soda and hot chocolate, in addition to $2 drinks. To lock in your ticket plan for the 2013 season, call 563-324-3000 or visit www.riverbandits.com to download the season ticket order form. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits will make one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is scheduled to open in early June, along with two new zip lines, a carousel, a Frog HopperTM, new bounce houses and many other fun attractions. The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans will have a chance to see last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Carlos Correa. The Astros will also make the very first selection in the major league draft this June and could have another top pick end up in the Quad Cities. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, this season will be one every fan will not want to miss!

*****

Featuring Fareed Haque

Nova Singers, under the direction of Dr. Laura Lane, presents two performances of A Procession Winding Around Me, featuring classical guitarist Fareed Haque, on Saturday, April 6 at 7:30pm in Kresge Recital Hall at Knox College in Galesburg, and on Sunday, April 7 at 4:00pm at First Congregational Church in Moline.

These performances will introduce a completely different side of Nova Singers! We will join forces with Fareed Haque to explore the sound of choir and guitar. Featuring Jeffrey Van's A Procession Winding Around Me and Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Romancero Gitano, both written for a chorus of voices and a guitar accompaniment, this program is truly not to be missed.

"In each piece," says Dr. Laura Lane, "the guitar paints images of the text, such as rushing water, dissonance, or even aggression. These works highlight the incredible spectrum of emotion both guitar and voice are capable of conveying."

Nova Singers, a professional vocal ensemble under the direction of Dr. Laura Lane, hopes to share our musical soul with you.  Nova Singers is known for bringing a wide variety of choral music to its audiences, and for the beauty and charm the singers impart to their music.

Tickets will be available at the door. Admission is $18 for adults and $15 for seniors. Students are admitted free of charge. For information about group rates, tickets, recordings, or other Nova Singers' events, call 309-341-7038, or e-mail nova@knox.edu. Please take the time to check out our brand new website as well at www.novasingers.com!

_MG_0342.jpg

Nova Singers' 2012-2013 season is partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

PORT BYRON, IL - State Rep. Mike Smiddy (D-Hillsdale) invites local educators, parents, and advocates to
attend the upcoming meeting of his Education Citizens Advisory Committee on Tuesday, March 26 from 3:15
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Riverdale High School Library, located at 9622 256th St. N in Port Byron.

"Improving educational opportunities for our children is very important to me, especially as a father of two
young sons in the local public education system," said Smiddy. "Collaborating with dedicated parents and the
teachers who spend every day in the classroom helps me better understand the complex issues and challenges
we must address in Springfield. Education is the key to a strong community."

Illinois' 71st District includes all of Albany, Cleveland, Coal Valley, Colona, Como, Cordova, Deer Grove, Erie,
Fulton, Hampton, Hillsdale, Lyndon, Morrison, Port Byron, Prophetstown, Rapids City, Rock Falls, Savanna,
Sterling, Tampico, and Thomson and portions of Carbon Cliff, East Moline, Moline and Silvis.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, contact Smiddy's full-time
constituent service office at (309) 848-9098, RepSmiddy@gmail.com, or toll-free at (855) 243-4988.
TENTATIVE AGENDA
SCOTT COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
March 25 - 29, 2013

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Committee of the Whole - 8:30 am
Board Room, 1st Floor, Administrative Center

1. Roll Call: Minard, Sunderbruch, Cusack, Earnhardt, Hancock

Presentation

2. Presentation of PRIDE recognition for years of service. (Item 2).....9:00 a.m.

3. Presentation of PRIDE recognition for retirement. (Item 3)

4. Presentation of Distinguished Budget Presentation Award (Item 4)

5. Recognition of Investor Education Workshop Participants. (Item 5)

6. Recognition of the candidates who have met the County's Leadership Summit
Recertification requirements. (Item 6)

7. Presentation of PRIDE Recognition for Employee of the Quarter.

8. Discussion with the following Authorized Agencies: (Room 638)

10:00 a.m. Scott Soil Conservation/Watershed Partners- Karen Wilke, Doug
Johnson & Jan McClurg
10:30 a.m. Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds- Bob Fox

Facilities & Economic Development

9. Approval of the Bi-State copy paper order. (Item 9)

Human Resources

10. Approval of modifications to Human Resources Policy P. (Item 10)

11. Approval of personnel actions. (Item 11)

Finance & Intergovernmental

12. Approval of beer/liquor licenses for A-1 Mart, Glynns Creek Golf Course, Donahue
American Legion (5 day) and Olathea Golf Course.

Other Items of Interest

13. Consideration of appointments with upcoming term expirations for boards and
commissions. (3 month notice)

o Benefited Fire District #6- (3 year term) (Joint appointment with Muscatine Board)
Jennifer Rochholz -10 (term expires 6/30/13)

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Regular Board Meeting - 5:30 pm
Board Room, 1st Floor, Administrative Center

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on the Republican budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2014.

"A budget is a set of priorities, a vision of the direction you believe the country should be moving towards.  Unfortunately, the Republican budget that passed the House today would balance the budget on the backs of seniors and middle class families, those who did not get us into this fiscal mess.  We've got to grow the economy, create jobs and substantially reduce the unsustainable deficit over the long-term, but it must be done in a balanced way.  In order to do that, Republicans and Democrats have to sit down with one another and truly make the difficult decisions that are necessary to get our economy moving again. We must lay our political differences aside and pass a commonsense budget."

###

The latest Farm Futures survey results show growers plan to increase corn and bean acres this spring.

ST. CHARLES, ILL. (03/21/2013) – U.S. farmers are ready to increase production of corn and soybeans for 2013, according to the latest Farm Futures survey.

The magazine's survey of more than 1,750 growers found farmers ready to plant 97.43 million acres of corn, up .3% from 2012. If achieved, the total would be the most since 1936.

The increase in soybeans could be even more dramatic. Farmers said they want to plant 79.09 million acres this spring, up 2.5% from 2012 and easily an all-time record if achieved.

"With stocks of both corn and soybeans projected near historic lows, strong acreage this spring is a must to rebuild inventories," said Farm Futures Senior Editor Bryce Knorr, who conducted the research. "Spring weather could still change these numbers significantly, and prices will be important, too. Some 18% of those surveyed said they could still shift 50% or more of their acres."

Indeed, prices have already caused major adjustments in farmer planting plans since Farm Futures first surveyed growers in August. Back then, farmers were reluctant to increase corn acreage, with many feeling continuous corn exacerbated damage from the historic 2012 drought. But high prices helped lure growers back to corn in the magazine's January survey, which showed similar numbers to the latest tally. However, while farmers in the eastern Corn Belt and South boosted corn prospects, farmers to the west plan fewer acres. Instead, they're preparing a strong increase in soybean plantings this spring, with average acres in the region up 10% or more.

Farm Futures Market Analyst Paul Burgener noted the survey found farmers overall hoping to put in 2.5 million more acres of corn, soybeans and wheat this spring. "The increased acres have to come from somewhere," Burgener said. "Hay stocks are very low and grassland will be at a premium, so this shift could have a bigger impact than usual if many of these are historic grassland acres."

At least some of the western acres could come from wheat. The Farm Futures survey found growers on the northern Plains ready to plant 11.91 million acres of spring wheat, down 3% from 2012. The survey also suggests abandonment of hard red winter wheat acres could be as much as 1.35 million more than usual due to poor conditions last fall. The survey showed total wheat seedings at 56.12 million, down 1 million from earlier surveys

USDA releases its annual estimate of prospective plantings on March 28. While those numbers usually draw the big headlines, they could be overshadowed this year by the agency's estimate of March 1 grain stocks. Farm Futures showed inventory of corn and soybeans stored on farm is down dramatically due to the drought: Corn stocks are just 68.1% of last year, while soybeans are 77.9% of those seen in 2012.

"March on-farm corn stocks could be at their lowest level since 1996," Burgener said. "Feed and ethanol use continues to pull the crop out of bins and into the pipeline even though exports have been limited."

Farm Futures surveyed more than 1,750 growers by email March 5 to March 19.

Survey results by crop:

2013 Crop Planting Intentions


Crop

Acres

Change*

Corn

97.43 million

100.3%
Soybeans

79.09 million

102.5%
All Wheat

56.12 million

100.7%
Spring Wheat

11.91 million

96.9%
Durum

2.06 million

97.2%
Soft Red Winter Wheat

9.51 million

117.2%
Hard Red Winter Wheat

29.1 million

97.5%
White Winter Wheat

3.54 million

105.8%
All Winter Wheat

42.15 million

102.0%

*Corn and soybean change is vs USDA January 2013.

###

Federal Railroad Administration Names Illinois to Lead National Procurement of 35 Next-Generation Locomotives

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn announced today that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has named Illinois to lead the multi-state procurement of next-generation locomotives for high-speed rail. With the consent of the partnering states, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will lead the effort to procure at least 35 next-generation diesel locomotives for high-speed passenger trains on behalf of five states - Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington. Today's announcement is part of the governor's commitment to bring Illinois' and our nation's transportation systems into the 21st century.

"This decision by the federal government is a testament to Illinois' role as a national leader in high-speed rail," Governor Quinn said. "This important multi-state procurement is a key to success for high-speed rail throughout the nation, and I have directed my administration to move forward quickly."

The FRA has allocated $808 million to build the next generation of passenger rail equipment, including 35 new locomotives and 130 bi-level rail cars. As lead agency, IDOT will manage and oversee the procurement, involve the other states in planning and implementing the procurement process, develop a detailed project plan, and coordinate the review of the procurement among the involved states and FRA.

"Following significant analysis and consideration, FRA recommends that IDOT be the lead agency for the multi-state locomotive procurement," the FRA stated in their decision letter. "We are confident that your team - jointly with the significant contributions from California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington - will manage the procurement process and stakeholder involvement that will lead to a successful contract award."

"We are thrilled in Illinois to have the confidence of the FRA and Governor Quinn as we move forward with this crucial procurement effort," Illinois Secretary of Transportation Ann L. Schneider said. "Our goal is to offer 110-mile-per-hour service on at least 75 percent of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor - the segment from Dwight to Alton - by the end of 2015, and these locomotives are the key to achieving that goal. It takes time to build these complex and powerful engines, however, and we are moving quickly to get this procurement under way as soon as possible."

Last year, IDOT was part of a multi-state procurement of the 130 next-generation bi-level rail cars for high-speed service, an effort led by the state of California. That procurement resulted in the selection of Nippon-Sharyo, which is building the rail cars from its plant in Rochelle, Illinois, including the 88 cars to be used on Midwest high-speed corridors. The Rochelle plant opened in 2012 and has created 250 jobs in Illinois.

Illinois debuted 110-mph service on a 15-mile segment of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor from Dwight to Pontiac in fall 2012, and IDOT is working with the private railroads and FRA to ensure that positive train control requirements and all needed track and crossing improvements are completed in order to expand 110-mph service as much as possible in the years ahead. The FRA in December provided a Record of Decision on the entire Chicago-St. Louis corridor, allowing Illinois to begin in-depth corridor segment studies and specific project studies to move toward high-speed service on the other 25 percent of the corridor as soon as possible, including segments from Joliet to Chicago and from Alton to St. Louis.  The segment from Dwight to Joliet is under development and is expected to offer 110-mph service in 2017.

Illinois also is working in close partnership with the state of Michigan to establish 110-mph service from Chicago to Detroit as the next Midwest segment targeted to run at higher speeds.

The state helps fund 28 Amtrak trains serving four corridors including those from Chicago to Milwaukee and St. Louis. The partnership with Amtrak has led to a steady increase in ridership in recent years. The state-supported corridors together carried a record 1.8 million passengers last year. Ridership growth in Illinois has been exceptional, up more than 92 percent overall since 2006, and up on the Chicago to St. Louis corridor by 224 percent.

###


Pages