Voters will also release new polling showing overwhelming popularity of expanded benefits. Iowans receiving Social Security will share their personal stories.

(Des Moines, IA) This Tuesday at 10am (CST), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will release a new report by Social Security Works with the Alliance for Retired Americans detailing the importance of Social Security to all Iowans.

In addition to the report, Iowa voters, Social Security recipients, and local experts will release a new statewide poll showing that Senator Tom Harkin's plan for expanding Social Security benefits is popular with Iowa voters.

At the press conference, local seniors will tell personal stories of how expanded benefits would help them. The event is one of many occurring across the nation this month in honor of Social Security's 78^th birthday, and part of a major new campaign by a national coalition to rally support for the proposal of Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Mark Begich (D-AK) to expand Social Security benefits.

The coalition includes the Alliance for Retired Americans, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), Democracy For America (DFA), MoveOn.org, Social Security Works, and Credo Action; each with thousands of members in Iowa and millions nationwide.

WHAT: Press Conference -- Senator Tom Harkin, Social Security recipients talking about why they support expanding Social Security benefits. Release of a new report showing the impact of Social Security and a new poll showing support for expanding Social Security by Iowa voters.

WHEN: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 10am (CST)

WHERE: Polk County North Senior Center, 2nd & Euclid Ave (in Park Fair Mall), Des Moines, Iowa 50313

WHO: -U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (IA)
-Janice Laue, President Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans
-Max Richtman, President/CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and             
Medicare
-Social Security recipients and speakers from the Alliance for Retired Americans,   
the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), Democracy For
American (DFA), MoveOn.org, Credo Action, and Social Security Works

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SPRINGFIELD, IL (08/05/2013)(readMedia)-- Col. Albert Cox of Newark, Ill., retired from the Illinois Army National Guard July 31. He was awarded the Legion of Merit during his retirement ceremony at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Aug. 4.

"Forty years of service. Not many people can say they served their country and served their state that long," said Col. Michael Zerbonia of Chatham, Illinois National Guard Land Forces Component Commander. "He's done everything that was ever asked of him and done it better than anyone else."

Cox enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard Nov. 20, 1973 as a radio repairman with the 129th Infantry Regiment in Joliet, Ill. He achieved the rank of staff sergeant before he commissioned through the Illinois Army National Guard Officer Candidate School at Camp Lincoln in 1984.

Cox held many positions throughout his career to include platoon leader, executive officer and company commander with the 1st Battalion, 129th Infantry Regiment. He later moved to the 2nd Battalion, 202nd Air Defense Artillery where he served as battalion commander.

"Colonel Cox taught me a lot of things that I use today in my arsenal as a battalion commander," said Lt. Col. Daniel Reichen of Springfield, who is the 405th Brigade Support Battalion commander in North Riverside and served with Cox in the 2nd Battalion, 202nd Air Defense Artillery. "He is humble. He is quiet and he is a professional. He always pushes you to do the right thing."

Cox deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 as the senior liaison officer for Multi-National Force - Iraq at the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. In 2010 he commanded the International Security Assistance Force A6 team to Afghanistan in support of Task Force White Eagle of which he was the Task Force Deputy commander.

Cox culminated his career as the Director of the Illinois National Guard Training, Doctrine and Forces Development, where he prepared the National Guard to support the NATO Summit National Special Security Event (NSSE) by providing multiple pre-NSSE exercise opportunities for the consequence management forces and state leadership.

"The transformation of the Illinois Guard from 1973 to 2013 has been tremendous," said Cox. "I don't know how I could work with a better group of individuals and I appreciate the opportunity over the years."

In his civilian career, Cox is in management for Caterpillar Inc. in Aurora, Ill. After his military retirement, Cox will continue working for Caterpillar but said he will spend his extra time with family, fishing and working on an old car.

"What I respect most is his loyalty: to his family, to Caterpillar and to the Illinois Army National Guard," said Reichen. "His legacy will live on with not only Illinois Army Guard Soldiers, but the many Soldiers he influenced across the country."

Trade Up Sports Gear Fundraiser

Friday, August 9, 2013

8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

and

Saturday August 10, 2013

8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

5th Avenue and 22nd Street, Moline

Baseball • Soccer • Football • Golf

Basketball • Hockey • Tennis • Track

Shoes • Shinguards • Gloves • Helmets

Pants • Pads/Sticks • Catcher's Equipment

Skates • All types of new and used equipment!

Children's through Adults sizes available.

www.tradeupsg.com

(309) 292-0571

Cedar Rapids snaps Quad Cities' longest regular season winning streak in more than six years

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AUG. 4, 2013) - The Quad Cities River Bandits came within two outs of their longest regular season winning streak in 11 years Sunday, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels took advantage of an error by center fielder Teoscar Hernandez to score the tying run, and Joel Licon had a walk-off single for the last of his team's three ninth-inning hits in a 3-2 Kernels victory at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Quad Cities (25-16 second half, 63-47 overall) had won seven straight games and sought the club's longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2002. Shortstop Carlos Correa had three singles - including a go-ahead hit in the top of the ninth inning - to tally seven hits in the first two games of the series, and River Bandits pitchers only allowed two hits through the first eight innnings. Quad Cities left 11 runners on base and suffered its second walk-off defeat of the season - and first since June 8 in Peoria.

The River Bandits took a first-inning lead against Kernels right-hander Jose Berrios, who allowed singles by left fielder Danry Vasquez and shortstop Carlos Correa before walks to designated hitter Dan Gulbransen and first baseman Bobby Borchering, the last of which forced home the game's first run. With a 1-0 lead, left-hander Brian Holmes took the mound for his first Midwest League start since May 26. Center fielder Jonathan Murphy hit a leadoff triple and later scored when right fielder Adam Brett Walker II hit into a fielder's choice.

Holmes and Berrios kept the 1-1 tie through their six-inning starts. Berrios overcame six walks and five hits to strike out three batters and strand eight runners on base in the first six innings. Holmes kept Cedar Rapids hitless from the second batter of the game until one out in the fifth inning, and he did not allow a runner into scoring position after the first inning. In a season-high six innings, Holmes gave up two hits and two walks while striking out three batters.

Cedar Rapids (27-15, 67-43) used left-hander Brandon Bixler and right-hander Madison Boer (1-0) for scoreless seventh and eighth innings respectively, but Boer allowed Hernandez's ninth-inning leadoff double off the left-field wall. Vasquez grounded out to advance Hernandez to third base, and Correa singled through the middle of a drawn-in infield for a 2-1 lead.

After two scoreless innings by River Bandits right-hander Daniel Minor, right-hander Juan Minaya (1-5) started the bottom of the ninth inning. Second baseman Jorge Polanco hit a one-out single to right field, and Walker lined a single to center, where Hernandez had the ball go under his glove and roll to the warning track, which scored Polanco and put Walker on third. After an intentional walk to first baseman Max Kepler, Minaya struck out designated hitter Travis Harrison. But Licon grounded an 0-1 pitch up the third-base line for a two-out, game-winning single.

The River Bandits continue the series in Cedar Rapids at 6:35 p.m. Monday. Quad Cities left-hander Josh Hader will make his Midwest League debut against Kernels right-hander Christian Powell (2-4).

UP NEXT: Modern Woodmen Park is a nominee for the "Best Minor League Ballpark" in the 2013 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, and fans can vote once per day at 10Best.com until the winner is announced Aug. 14. The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park Wednesday, Aug. 7. 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.