Task Force Will Issue Recommendations to Root Out Waste, Fraud and Abuse, and Overhaul Structure to Better Serve Transit Riders

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today issued an Executive Order creating the Northeastern Illinois Public Transit Task Force, an independent panel of transit, finance and good government leaders who will issue recommendations to reform the mass transit system in northeastern Illinois. The 15-member, blue-ribbon task force is charged with developing ways to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse and streamline operations to ensure improved transit service for the millions of users each year.

The task force will issue recommendations to be considered by the General Assembly and Governor Quinn for both the veto and spring sessions.

Today's Executive Order is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to strengthen oversight of mass transit in northeastern Illinois and restore commuters' confidence. The governor's move comes in the wake of recurring scandals at Metra and ongoing accountability problems over the last decade.

"It's clear that the mass transit system in northeastern Illinois is not working for taxpayers," Governor Quinn said. "This task force is a step forward to make our transit system worthy of the public's trust. Their recommendations will be valuable as we work in both the veto and spring sessions to reform mass transit in northeastern Illinois."

The task force will develop recommendations to revamp the oversight of mass transit in northeastern Illinois. The task force will work to provide initial recommendations to the Governor and the Illinois General Assembly prior to the fall veto session, and they will issue a final report by January 31, 2014.

The members of the Northeastern Illinois Public Transit Task Force include :

Co-Chair George Ranney Jr. is President and CEO of Metropolis Strategies. A graduate of Harvard College and the University of Chicago Law School, he served as Deputy State Budget Director under Governor Richard B. Ogilvie and was the chairman of the task force which led to the creation of the Regional Transportation Authority. A trustee of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from 1991 to 2005 and an emeritus trustee at the University of Chicago, George Ranney is the former Chair and Chief Executive of Prairie Holdings Corporation, the firm which developed Prairie Crossing, a nationally recognized conservation community in north suburban Grayslake. He has served in various capacities for Inland Steel Industries, include Vice President for Raw Materials and General Counsel. In addition, Mr. Ranney is senior counsel to Mayer Brown LLP. He has worked for a number of civic and non-profit organizations including Chicago Public Television (WTTW) and the Field Foundation of Illinois and lives in Grayslake.

Co-Chair Ann L. Schneider is Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation. She has more than 25 years of service with the State of Illinois, including nearly eight with the Illinois Department of Transportation as its Chief Fiscal Officer and Chief Operating Officer. She is the chair of AASHTO's Standing Committee on Rail Transportation (SCORT) and CMAP's Policy Committee. She is a member of the AASHTO Sustainable Transportation: Energy, Infrastructure and Climate Solutions (STEICS) Steering Committee, and as Secretary, she sits on AASHTO's Board of Directors.  In June 2013, she was named chair of the U.S. Department of Transportation National Freight Advisory Committee.  Secretary Schneider has a Master's of Public Administration and has completed her coursework, all but dissertation, for a Doctorate of Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield. She lives in Springfield.

Carole L. Brown is currently a Managing Director at Barclay's Capital. For more than six years, Brown served as Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority Board, a position she held through September 2009. A native of Baltimore and a 1986 graduate of Harvard University, she went on to attend Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where she received a Master's in Management in 1989. She lives in Chicago.

Patrick Fitzgerald is the former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois whose impressive work prosecuting governmental corruption has protected the public interest. As a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates, he serves as an experienced investigator whose practice focuses on internal investigations, government enforcement matters and civil litigation. Fitzgerald has received numerous honors for his more than 20 years in public service including the Justice John Paul Stevens Award from the Chicago Bar Association. He was previously named "Lawyer of the Year" by The National Law Journal. A graduate of Amherst College, he holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He lives in Chicago.

Robert W. Guy is the Illinois State Legislative Director for the United Transportation Union (UTU). Guy graduated from Western Illinois University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism. In 1996 he was elected UTU #234's Local Legislative Representative and was reelected in 1999 and 2003, becoming State Director in 2009, where he has focused on expanding Amtrak service, working on safety legislation, and other issues. He lives in Springfield.

Adrienne M. Holloway is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at DePaul University's School of Public Service. She has more than 10 years of experience in the housing and community development industries. Dr. Holloway received her Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University, her Master's in Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York and her B.S. in Psychology from Fordham University. She serves on the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Board. She lives in Aurora.

Sylvia Jenkins is President of Moraine Valley Community College, the second largest community college in Illinois. She earned a Ph.D. in Education and Human Resource Studies specializing in Community College Leadership from Colorado State University, a Master's of Library Science from State University of New York at Albany and a B.S. in English Education from Grambling State University. She lives in Chicago.

Nick Palmer is the Chief of Staff for Will County Executive Larry Walsh and oversees all the departments under the executive branch of county government.  In one of the fastest growing counties in the state, Palmer has pushed for greater transparency of county government and greater accountability of taxpayer dollars. Palmer serves as chairman of the Will County Integrated Criminal Justice Ad-Hoc Committee and initiated a Coordinated Paratransit effort in eastern Will County.  He has advocated for expansion of transit services to underserved areas of Will County. He lives in Bolingbrook.

Tony Paulauski is the Executive Director of The Arc of Illinois, a grassroots organization that advocates on behalf of individuals with disabilities and their families. Paulauski, a native Chicagoan, also serves on numerous boards and committees including the Governor's Disability Services Committee. He was appointed Chairman of the Pace Blue Ribbon Committee on Paratransit. He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, where he majored in Special Education. He lives in Tinley Park.

Raul Raymundo is the Executive Director of the Resurrection Project, an organization dedicated to creating healthy communities through organizing, education and community development. He is currently a member of the Executive Council of Chicago's Metropolis 2020. Raymundo also serves on several boards, including Chicago Metropolitan Development Association and WBEZ 91.5 FM Public Radio. He is a resident of Chicago.

Robert G. Reiter, Jr. is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL). He is a third-generation member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 and previously served as an organizer, business representative and field attorney responsible for negotiating collective bargaining agreements. He holds a juris doctor from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is a resident of Orland Park.

Ashish Sen is a member of the Chicago Transit Authority Board of Directors and served as Director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for the U.S. Department of Transportation. He served as Director of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he also held positions as Professor of Urban Planning, Professor of Mathematics, Professor of Statistics, and Professor of Computer Science. He is a resident of Chicago.

Don Tantillo is a retired high school teacher and debate coach who worked at Wheeling High School in Northwest Suburban District 214 for 30 years. He grew up in Chicago and earned an undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University and a Master's degree from Northeastern Illinois University. Tantillo was honored in 1992 at the White House as one of two outstanding teachers from Illinois. Tantillo drove a CTA bus while earning his college education. He lives in McHenry.

Kathryn Tholin is CEO of Center for Neighborhood Technology, where she directs and oversees CNT's research, demonstration and policy development. Tholin has more than 25 years of experience in program management, policy development, and research on a wide range of community development, environmental and energy issues. She is also a founder and board member of the Chicago Community Loan Fund. She lives in Chicago.

Sonia Walwyn is a Vice President of Duff & Phelps, LLC, and a member of the tax services group with over 25 years experience assisting clients in maximizing their overall savings and business efficiency across all industry sectors. She earned an LLM in taxation from Villanova School of Law in 2000 and a J.D. from Dickinson School of Law in 1988, and holds a B.S. in accounting from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. She lives in Naperville.

The Governor's Office currently has no legal ability to intervene with the Metra board or the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) board unless the Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG) files a report alleging wrongdoing. According to recent media reports, the OEIG is currently investigating. Governor Quinn expanded the OEIG's authority to include transit boards in 2011 and just this year re-appointed Ricardo Meza - who was one of the finalists for U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois - as the OEIG. The task force will conduct its work at the same time the Inspector General's office continues to review any potential wrongdoing without compromising that investigation.

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Davenport, Iowa -- On September 5, Iowa State University Extension of Scott County will sponsor the parent support and education program PACT (Parenting All Children Together) for an eight week series. The program is financially supported by Scott County Kids Early Childhood Iowa. The program is designed to educate and offer support to parents and caregivers of children age prenatal through five years old and reside in Scott County.

"Parenting is the most important job we will ever have. It is also the toughest! What we provide our children from birth through age five stays with them for the rest of their life. With this huge responsibility, we need to work together. This series will bring together parents and caregivers who want the very best for the children in their life," said Jennifer Best, Extension Educator and PACT instructor.

The upcoming PACT series is in its fourth year of programing in the Scott County community. "Over the years it has been very rewarding to watch each parent/caregiver open themselves up to the learning process," said Marisa Bloom, Families Program Assistant. "Participants were connected with formal supports offered in our community, and enjoyed forming bonds and creating informal support systems with their peers. PACT is a needed resource for these very reasons."

For participating in the PACT program member will receive a free meal at every session, free child care while adults are learning, a free gift at each session, transportation to get to the sessions if needed, $40 worth of items chosen by the participant if they attend at least 6 of the 8 sessions, fun and friendship with other families, and great information to help parents and caregivers help their children be all they can be.

For more information about PACT or to register, contact Marisa at the Iowa State University Extension office at 563-359-7577 or mbloom@iastate.edu.

 

 

August 27, 2013 ISU Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

 

September 3, 2013 Summer Gardening Webinar, Scott County Extension Office, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm

 

September 6, 2013 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension Office, 10:00 am-2:00 pm

 

September 24, 2013 ISU Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

 

Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

Thursday August 22, 2013 at 3:00 pm

Scott County Administrative Center

Room 638

600 W. 4th St. Davenport, Iowa

1. Roll Call:  Barber, Drummond, Scheibe

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Approval of Minutes

4. Election of Officers

Current Officers:  Chairperson:  Dale Barber

Secretary: Carolyn Scheibe

Treasurer: Wilma Drummond

5. Approval of authorization of debt payment.

6. Other items of interest.

DES MOINES - AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan released the following statement concerning the need for additional staff training at the Iowa Juvenile Home in Toledo and Governor Branstad's comments regarding privatization of the Home:

"Governor Branstad and the Iowa Department of Human Services should immediately accept the offer of free staff training from the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. This organization is highly regarded and deals with other similarly-situated public facilities. Accepting their offer of assistance should be a common sense decision for this Administration.

"I want to thank the staff of the Iowa Juvenile Home. They are committed and work very hard to turn around the lives of children who truly need assistance. Much of their hard work may not make it into media reports, but I know that staff truly cares about the home's residents. The frontline staff has no control over management decisions and the amount of training they receive.

"The Governor's interest in privatizing the home is misguided and an attempt to avoid accountability for the failures of the Iowa Juvenile Home management and Department of Human Services leadership. The use of 'isolation rooms' was a decision made by the management of the Iowa Juvenile Home. If Director Palmer was not aware of their use, he should have been.

"Iowans need accountable leadership at the Iowa Juvenile Home and Department of Human Services. Hiring an outside contractor to run the home would diminish public control and oversight.

"The record of privatizing juvenile facilities in this country is a poor one. For-profit facilities put profits ahead of children and even non-profit facilities lack the accountability that comes from being directly overseen by representatives of our elected leaders. Privatized facilities have little incentive to rehabilitate youths: doing so would reduce their revenue.

Some examples of the dangers of privatized facilities include :

  • In Pennsylvania, the developer of a privatized juvenile detention facility bribed two judges to divert children to his facility.
  • One private juvenile detention facility in Mississippi run by GEO Group Inc. was found by US District Court Judge Carlton Reeves to have 'allowed a cesspool of unconstitutional and inhuman acts and conditions to germinate.' Problems at the facility included staff inciting violence between youths, hiring staff with gang affiliations, lack of adequate medical care, and lack of rehabilitation services and educational services provided to youths.

"Furthermore, privately run services are often considered out of sight, out of mind by elected officials, which leads to decreased funding and eventual elimination of services as seen most recently at Abbe Center.

"We call on the Branstad Administration and Department of Human Services leadership to immediately accept the offer of free training by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. Furthermore, they should drop proposals to privatize the home and diminish the Administration's accountability for the manner in which the facility is run."

 

Sources:

CNN Website, 2/24/2009

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/23/pennsylvania.corrupt.judges/

Southern Poverty Law Center Website, 5/3/2012:

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/news/splc-investigation-lawsuit-expose-barbaric-conditions-at-for-profit-youth-prison-i

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(DES MOINES) - Executive Order Number 81 signed by Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad on May 15, 2013, declared that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education should be strengthened as part of providing a world-class education, encouraging innovation and enhancing economic development in Iowa.  The Advisory Council's top priorities are to increase student interest and achievement in STEM in order to be well prepared for post-secondary study and the rewarding STEM careers that await them here in Iowa.

Wrapping up the first implementation year of Council programming, outcomes and indicators suggest a strong start, with plenty of work yet to do. Assessment of STEM Council programs is a collaborative effort of evaluation centers at Iowa's three public universities - the Center for Social and Behavioral Research (CSBR) at the University of Northern Iowa, the Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE) at Iowa State University, and Iowa Testing Program (ITP) at the University of Iowa. The collaborative issued their first year report Iowa STEM Monitoring Project 2012-2013 Summary Report at the biannual meeting of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council on August 15, 2013. The report is publicly available at www.IowaSTEM.gov.

Major findings of the first-year assessment provide plenty to build upon. For example:

  • All twelve of the 2012-13 exemplary programs scaled up across Iowa through the new STEM Network were found to increase student interest (89 percent of students reported more interest in at least one STEM subject after having participated).
  • A steady decline is observed in the interest of Iowa youth in general when it comes to STEM topics and STEM careers, from elementary to middle school to high school.
  • Ninety-four percent of surveyed Iowans believe that science and technology are making our lives better.
  • The Iowa Assessment mathematics and science scores of participants in STEM Council programs were considerably stronger than the scores of young Iowans in general (an encouraging association though evaluators point out insufficient information to conclude causation).

The Council's co-chair, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds greeted the findings with cautious optimism, "The fine work of the assessment team boosts the morale of the hundreds of professionals across the State who are working hard to implement the Council's vision," she said, "while at the same time we're reminded of the haves and have nots in Iowa when it comes to STEM who we owe our very best effort moving forward."

A disparity was revealed among parents when it comes to beliefs that their children are "very well prepared" in STEM subjects at school - 37 percent of rural versus 62 percent of urban parents felt so. One of the key considerations in rolling out exemplary STEM programs last year to almost 900 Iowa educators and 38,000 learners was to target regions of the state with the highest need.

Council co-chair Mary Andringa, President and CEO of Vermeer Corporation, sees great value in the assessment document. "STEM is a national imperative in this era of globally competitive markets, and Iowa is really well-positioned to lead by example," she said. "Data-driven decision making informed by objective measures will keep us on the front edge."

The 2012-13 Iowa STEM Monitoring Project Summary Report is available at http://www.iowastem.gov/sites/default/files/stem_monitoring_report_final8-13-13.pdf

STEM programming for FY2014 is already well underway with nine competitively selected exemplary programs being supported in some 3,800 clubs and classrooms reaching almost 100,000 Iowa youth through the Council's Network.  To learn more about STEM education in Iowa contact the Governor's STEM Advisory Council Administration Office or visit www.IowaSTEM.gov.

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About the Governor's STEM Advisory Council: Formed in 2011, the Council is a 40-member, public-private partnership dedicated to building a strong STEM education foundation for all Iowans. For more information, go to www.IowaSTEM.gov.
Overcoming Parental Challenges; Author, Entertainer &
Former Foster Child Offers Advice

Sesame Street recently addressed a topic that can be hard to talk about, even among adults, and directed it toward children. Alex is the newest character created for the program, introduced in an effort to relate to the 2.7 million children in the United States, younger than age 18, who have a parent in the country's prison system.

"Addressing social issues on a mass scale is always a challenge, and with publicly funded programs being slashed left in right due to the economic downturn, one could be reasonably concerned that underprivileged children are being left behind; fortunately, Alex serves as an example to which young children can relate," says Judy Colella, a musician and author who lived in foster care for part of her childhood. Her young-adult fantasy, "Overcomer - The Journey," is available through her website, www.themacdarachronicles.com.

"Children raised in disadvantaged homes are often shy, intimidated, afraid or angry and don't know how to reach out for help, even if it's just someone to talk to."

For guardians who find themselves in a challenging circumstance while raising a child, Colella offers advice for helping children overcome hardship:

• Heroes don't have to be sexy; they have to be available. You can be your child's hero, and the first step doesn't include a cape, or a multimillion-dollar contract with an NFL team or a starring role alongside Brad Pitt. You simply need to be there with a sympathetic ear. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24 million children in America live without their biological father, which often contributes to poverty. But poor families aren't the only ones whose children suffer. Parents with executive, round-the-clock jobs are also often neglecting in their child's emotional support.

• Show children they are not destined to repeat the mistakes of their parent(s). It's a soft bias that often trickles into the minds of disadvantaged kids - that they are doomed to repeat the fate of their parents. This could mean imprisonment, drug addiction or general underachievement. Children are at the mercy of their inexperience, and the idea of an alternative path often isn't driven home to them. Teach your child the enlightenment of measureable results. A sport, a musical instrument or specific attention to school studies is a great way of showing change.

• Understand the power of our social nature. Human beings are hardwired to be social. Children with parents who are not emotionally available can be particularly sensitive to peer pressure and bullying. Be mindful of the influences in your child's life. Positive role models like coaches, teachers and other mentors often prove to be life-changing. If your son or daughter seeks the approval of friends who encourage deviancy and underachievement, it should come as no surprise when they run into trouble.

About Judy Colella

Judy Colella is a musician, singer and author of a young adult fantasy series about a boy from 6th century Ireland who finds himself in an abusive modern-day American foster home. As a child, Cian MacDara must travel across time and continents to fulfill his destiny. Judy, who lived in foster care as a child and was adopted by a loving family, says children and teenagers need to learn the power of the choices they make.

Quad Cities loses consecutive games for first time since July 21, sits 2 1/2 games behind Cedar Rapids

CLINTON, Iowa (AUG. 14, 2013) - The Quad Cities River Bandits overcame a 4-0, first-inning deficit Wednesday night, but they later lost leads of 5-4 and 7-6 and did not score after the fourth inning, as the Clinton LumberKings rallied for a 9-7 victory at Ashford University Field.

Quad Cities (30-20 second half, 68-51 overall) played its highest scoring game - 16 runs - since July 7 and has lost consecutive games for the first time since July 21. The loss pushed the River Bandits 2 ½ games behind first-place Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League Western Division standings. Clinton (25-26, 58-62) won its third straight game.

In the first inning, River Bandits left-hander Josh Hader allowed consecutive doubles by LumberKings shortstop Brock Hebert and second baseman Tim Lopes for a 1-0 deficit. Hader walked the next three batters, and a wild pitch scored a run before a strikeout. A bases-loaded hit batter, strikeout and fourth walk in the inning made it 4-0, before right-hander Daniel Minor took over for the final out.

River Bandits third baseman Rio Ruiz homered to lead off the second inning against right-hander Rigoberto Garcia. In the third inning, right fielder Teoscar Hernandez, shortstop Carlos Correa, left fielder Danry Vasquez and first baseman Bobby Borchering hit four consecutive singles. With two outs, designated hitter Terrell Joyce hit a two-run double to left-center field for a 5-4 Quad Cities lead.

The LumberKings retook the lead in the bottom of the third, as catcher Marcus Littlewood and first baseman Taylor Ard hit consecutive doubles, and second baseman Tim Lopes hit a go-ahead, two-out single for a 6-5 Clinton lead.

In the Quad Cities fourth inning, second baseman Austin Elkins walked, and center fielder Tony Kemp hit a single, before both advanced on Hernandez's sacrifice. Correa then hit a single through the middle to bring in both runners for a 7-6 River Bandits advantage.

After Minor completed 3 1/3 innings with two runs allowed, right-hander Patrick Christensen pitched a scoreless fifth but allowed the tying run in the sixth, as a walk and hit batter put the tying run in scoring position, and Elkins' error allowed the tying run to score.

In the seventh inning, River Bandits right-hander Zach Morton allowed three straight hits, including a go-ahead single by center fielder Alfredo Morales. The LumberKings added a run in the eighth when Ard hit an RBI single.

Right-hander Richard Vargas got the final two outs of the eighth inning with the tying run in scoring position and earned his second save.

The River Bandits continue the series in Clinton at 7 p.m. Thursday. River Bandits right-hander Lance McCullers (6-5) is scheduled to face LumberKings left-hander Scott DeCecco (9-8).

UP NEXT: The first 2,000 fans to Modern Woodmen Park Saturday night will receive a bobblehead of Minnesota Twins first baseman and former River Bandit Justin Morneau, courtesy of Mediacom and the Dispatch-Argus. The 7 p.m. game kicks off a seven-game home stand through Friday, Aug. 23. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at  563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits ownership is making 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 planned for next spring, along with a carousel and other new games and attractions. This season, the team just unveiled a new 300-foot long dual zip line, a rock climbing wall, a Mediacom Frog Hopper, and a number of new bounce houses . The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans can see the first team in Minor League Baseball history with back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks - 2012 top pick Carlos Correa and 2013 top pick Mark Appel, as well as 2012 first-round draft choice Lance McCullers. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, the second half of this season is one every fan will not want to miss!

*****

Visit us at the Studio 1 Beverage Tent on SATURDAY, AUGUST 17th from 5pm until 8:30pm
WE KEEP OUR TIPS FOR GAHC!
Support live music and the German American Heritage Center. By purchasing your beverages at our tent and tipping our loyal volunteers, you will be helping us to provide great programs and events like these: http://gahc.org/calendar.htm

Thank you!


AUGUST 17th - 5pm-8:30pm

River Roots Live
for complete lineup and ticket information:

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

Bill No.: HB 1209

An Act Concerning: Conservation

Makes technical changes to clean up several acts related to the University of Illinois Prairie Research Institute.

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2163

An Act Concerning: Government

Extends amount of military leave allowed for employees of state universities and community colleges.

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2183

An Act Concerning: Transportation Procurement

Creates the Transportation Sustainability Procurement Program.

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediately

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