FAYETTE, IA (07/15/2013)(readMedia)-- Upper Iowa University is pleased to announce the names of its 2013 graduates, degree earned and respective honors.

Summa cum laude is awarded to those with a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA; magna cum laude (3.6-3.79 GPA), and cum laude (3.3-3.59 GPA).

Upper Iowa University has 19 U.S. off-campus education centers, a traditional residential campus in Fayette, international centers in Hong Kong and Malaysia, as well as an extensive online program and an independent study program. About 2,000 students who completed their associate, bachelor or master degrees through these UIU offerings graduated in the UIU ceremonies. Of those, 700 graduated from the Fayette location, more than 1,000 completed their degree at a U.S. center, 500 graduated through online or independent study programs, and 250 were from the international centers. UIU is one of the most diverse universities in Iowa. In all, the graduates represented 36 states and 14 nations.

About Upper Iowa University

Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to some 6,200 students-nationally and internationally-at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and self-paced degree program. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.

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

Bill No.: HB 1533

An Act Concerning: State Government

Exempts employees of the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council from provisions of the Personnel Code and expands the eligibility for judges able to be appointed thereto.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: HB 2754

An Act Concerning: Transportation

Creates the National Wild Turkey Federation license plate and the Curing Childhood Cancer license plate.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

Bill No.: HB 2771

An Act Concerning: Children

Exempts private attorney-client communications from the reporting requirements of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: HB 3359

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Creates the Precious Metal Purchasers Task Force.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: HB 3370

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Expands the categories of expenses for which the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago may levy taxes.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 30

An Act Concerning: Government

Creates the Thomson United States Penitentiary Cession Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 32

An Act Concerning: State Government

Eliminates requirement that Department of Human Services create a medical advisory panel.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 33

An Act Concerning: Safety

Authorizes electronic reporting of environmental data.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 47

An Act Concerning: Public Aid

Allows the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to send notice of service via facsimile or electronic mail.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 48

An Act Concerning: Civil Law

Repeals the Unified Child Support Services Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 62

An Act Concerning: Health

Changes the definition of "Clinical Psychologist".

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 63

An Act Concerning: State Government

Changes the composition of the State Rehabilitation Council and makes other technical changes.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 70

An Act Concerning: Gaming

Exempts licensed video gaming establishments from the location restriction if a school or place of worship moves to or is established within the restricted area after the date on which the licensed video gaming establishment obtained its original liquor license.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 72

An Act Concerning: Safety

Makes technical changes to several Acts to address the Environmental Protection Agency's audit findings.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 93

An Act Concerning: State Government

Permits the placement of detained sexually violent persons in the Chester Mental Health Center.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 922

An Act Concerning: Transportation

Permits tow trucks to use white and/or amber oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1169

An Act Concerning: Civil Law

Permits the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to remove the termination date from the income withholding notice for child support.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1191

An Act Concerning: Civil Law

Eliminates the requirement that the Department of Children and Family Services provide a printed copy of the comprehensive list of the unsafe children's products to certain child care facilities.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1213

An Act Concerning: Juvenile Justice

Provides for the indemnification of individuals or organizations that contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), and cleans up statutory references to reflect DJJ's creation as a separate state agency.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1225

An Act Concerning: Aging

Repeals the Senior Citizens Child Care Support Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1292

An Act Concerning: Health Facilities

Increases transparency by requiring the Department of Public Health to issue a report of fines received from nursing homes.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1293

An Act Concerning: Warehouses

Changes the refrigerated warehouse licensing cycle for renewals from calendar year to fiscal year.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1321

An Act Concerning: Public Health

Revises information which must be contained in the Department of Public Health's Annual Report regarding its prostate cancer screening program.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

Bill No.: SB 1322

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Requires that the examination to determine whether a person is sexually dangerous be conducted by two qualified evaluators.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1340

An Act Concerning: Civil Law

Exempts DCFS from payment of guardian ad litem fees in specified instances.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 1603

An Act Concerning: Finance

Makes several changes that allow the Illinois Finance Authority to operate more efficiently and finance several new projects.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

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East Moline, IL/July 15, 2013 - Chad Pregracke, of Living Lands & Waters, will meet with President Barack Obama and former President George H.W. Bush on Monday, July 15th while attending an event honoring the winner of the 5,000th Daily Point of Light Award.

In March 2011, Pregracke was recognized as a Service Hero at the Points of Light Tribute, which was held at the Kennedy Center, also in Washington, D.C. Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, recognizes individuals who are making a difference through service and volunteerism. About two dozen past Point of Light honorees were invited to today's event.

"It just shows clean water is important," Pregracke said of the invitation. "I'm pretty stoked. They requested video and some photos, and it'll be cool to show the president what we're doing. We have had 70,000 volunteers, and we've cleaned 22 rivers in 18 states.

Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America's major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown into an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental educational workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a- River-Mile program and the MillionTrees Project.

 

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If you don't follow baseball, you may be unaware of the controversy simmering around Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig.  He came up from the minors less than two months ago, has played on a level comparable only to that of the early Joe DiMaggio, and has singlehandedly (okay, with both hands) lifted the Dodgers from the ignominy of overpaid underperformer status into credible pennant contenders.  Fans came within inches of writing him onto the All-Star team by online ballot.

Puig has played fewer than 40 games in the Major Leagues.  The Dodgers, who had a lot of money, now have a lot less, because they agreed to pay him $42 million over seven years.

Old school baseball players and their managers take offense to an All-Star designation for a player who has barely gotten his uniform sweaty.  But the people want Puig, and there's still an outside chance that they'll have him, when the All-Star Game takes place Tuesday in New York.

Baseball traditionalists believe that All-Star status is something one earns over time.  Casual fans couldn't care less about a player's body of work; they're just interested in stars, which Puig, at least for the short term, now is.  Sports talk radio commentators recognize that baseball has a phenomenon in Puig and that the All-Star game is a marketing showcase.  Failing to include Puig, therefore, would be an unpardonable offense.

Puig had the good fortune to come of age in the age of American Idol, when you can become a star literally overnight.  You don't have to spend years paying dues; you just go viral.   Consider the difference between yesterday's Frank Sinatra and today's Psy.  Sinatra toured with big bands for years before he hit; Psy, the Korean voice of Gangnam Style (two billion YouTube hits and counting) became a planetary legend with one video.  If extraterrestrials exist, they are probably on Alpha Centauri doing the horse dance and singing, "Hey, sexy lady!"

And so it is in sports.  LeBron got his $60 million deal with Nike before he stepped on an NBA court.  Andrew Luck signed to quarterback the Indianapolis Colts for $22 million prior to throwing a single NFL pass.  And now Yasiel Puig has parlayed eight undeniably great weeks into eight figures.

The veteran players may or may not begrudge Puig the money; they definitely resent his potential All-Star status.  That's because they come from a world where what you do over a long period of time defines who you are.  Puig, baseball's flavor of the month, leaves a sour taste in their mouths.

In baseball, hitters and pitchers "solve" one another.  Meaning that tendencies are analyzed and baseball experts do everything that can to drag outliers back to the mean.  In the sport's language, the goal is to create a "book" on a player: identify his weaknesses and capitalize on them.  The fastball hitter may have trouble with a slider; a particular pitcher may struggle to keep the ball down.  Once word gets out, it's much harder for a phenom to keep up that initial momentum.

This may or may not happen with Puig.  He could be the next Henry Aaron.  Or not.   He could also run into serious trouble.  If you listened to sports talk radio the week before the Dodgers elevated Puig to the majors, the topic was the fact that he had enormous trouble coping with authority.  Not quite "cancer in the clubhouse" material, but the verdict among baseball men was that he was too immature to handle the pressures of the big leagues.

So now they're putting him front and center at the All-Star Game.

There's something to be said for the old way of doing things, where you had to earn your stripes, pay your dues, work your way to the top.  That way allows people to make their mistakes in private, before all eyes are upon them.  Those of us who are a little older and come from that world are grateful that YouTube didn't exist when we were in our twenties or Facebook when we were in our teens.  We're very happy, thank you, that the mistakes we made in our callow years aren't on our permanent technological record.

I have no problem with Puig playing in the All-Star Game; he's definitely a star and baseball is the world's worst sport at marketing itself.  We've just seen what happens to people, especially those in the public eye, who receive too much too soon.  From Aaron Hernandez (New England Patriot accused of homicide) to Lindsey Lohan (actress accused of everything), it often turns out that sudden success is no gift from the gods.

I wish Yasiel Puig the greatest of success, personally and professionally, not that he's ever heard of me or cares about receiving my blessing.  I want him to stay on the baseball diamond and not the police blotter and enjoy his newfound celebrity.

It used to be that it took ten years to become an overnight success.  In today's world, it can take ten years to get over having been one.

Moline, IL - Memorial Christian Church would like to invite the community to a Human Trafficking Presentation at 1624 Ave of the Cities Moline, IL.  This event will be Wednesday July 17th, 2013 from 7pm - 8pm.

Maggie Tinsman from Braking Traffik will be presenting.  Their mission is Stopping Sexual & Labor Exploitation in the QCA.   Human Trafficking is modern day slavery.  Each year in the United States an estimated 100,000-300,000 American children are at risk of falling victim to sex trafficking.  

Though difficult to imagine, human trafficking exists right here in the Quad Cities- on our streets and on the Internet. 

To learn more about Human Trafficking please join us for a FREE presentation and refreshments will be available.  


TIME:  7pm - 8pm

WHEN:  Wednesday, July 17

WHERE:  1624 Ave of the Cities Moline, Illinois 61265

WHY:  To gain knowledge about Human Trafficking in the Quad Cities

Despite Major Advances, Women's Counselor Says Same-
Gender Infighting among Enduring Problems

It's safe to say that women are on the ascendancy on many accounts:

• Throughout the next decade, women will be the beneficiaries of the largest transference of wealth in the history of the United States and control two thirds of consumer wealth in the country.

• Women are now the majority of the workforce in the U.S. and fill the majority of managerial positions.

• For every two men who earn a college degree, three women will get theirs.

"It's not just college and professional women who are transforming society - and the movement is not simply money-based - because I've witnessed women developing a dramatically new point of view on how we view ourselves," says Xandra "Sunny" Moon, author of "The Power of the Titz...a woman's journey back to her self" (www.sunnymoonspowerworld.com). "I am one of those women."

As a self-described "liberated, 18-wheeler-driving, 40-plus babe," Moon meets a countless number of women who she counsels. Like her, they've suffered physical and emotional abuse as young women. And, like her, after raising a family and enduring a deeply unsatisfying lifestyle, they are climbing out of depression and getting back in touch with the woman they've always wanted to be, she says.

"But, as women, we continue to run into several obstacles; while a woman's role has evolved, much of society has not," Moon says. She lists some of those obstacles:

• Other women: While there certainly is a sisterhood among many women, Moon occasionally runs into some who are fearful, lacking in confidence and, therefore, judgmental. "I've been accused of trying to steal husbands because I embrace and show off positive physical traits such as my large breasts, and I encourage all women to take charge of their beauty," she says. "I can assure you that stealing someone's husband has never been on my to-do list; I'm too happy with my life partner and second husband, Lee Abzu, who coauthored my book."

• Domestic abuse: In the U.S., a woman is beaten every nine seconds; most domestic violence victims are women - 85 percent; it's estimated that 1.3 million women are beaten each year - a number that could be much higher since most abuse is not reported to police. In some cases, emotional abuse can be worse because it works like a "psychic prison," Moon says, keeping women locked in awful relationships year after year.

• Human Trafficking: According to the U.S. Department of State, 80 percent of transnational victims are women and girls, 70 percent of which are supplied to the commercial sex industry. With human trafficking being a $32 billion industry, the problem will be an enduring one into the future, even as women in modernized countries earn key roles in changing the world.

• The other half of the population ... Some intellectuals argue that a modern, post-industrial civilization is simply better suited for women. They argue men tend to be more shiftless, inclined to take risks and, overall, living in a society in which excessive testosterone is a liability. "But it doesn't have to be that way," says Abzu, who adds his outside-the-box relationship with Moon exemplifies an ability to adapt to a changing world. "Women have always been beautiful, which means they've always had power, so it's not a huge leap to think of women as having significant sway in how the world operates." Some say that women have taken a page or two from a male-dominated world in order to get ahead; soon, however, it may be that men are the ones who will need to learn from opposite-gender leaders in society, he says.

About Xandra "Sunny" Moon

Xandra "Sunny" Moon is a survivor who came into her own after age 40. As a younger woman, she endured rape, unlawful imprisonment, mental and emotional abuse, and divorce. She has worked 14 years as a truck driver, during which she has spoken with thousands of women near or at midlife. After raising her four children, she continued her education at Idaho State University and eventually married her second husband and soul mate, Lee Abzu. She now counsels women who are seeking rebirth.

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DES MOINES, IA (07/15/2013)(readMedia)-- The world-famous Iowa State Fair Butter Cow will share the spotlight this year with the majestic Lincoln Highway. The sculptures will be on display in the Agriculture Building's 40 degree cooler throughout the Fair, August 8-18.

This year's companion sculptures honor an Iowa landmark's anniversary with a replica of the Lincoln Highway Bridge in Tama and a relief sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. As the nation celebrates the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and Gettysburg Address, Iowa's Lincoln Highway is also reaching a milestone. One of the first transcontinental highways for automobiles in the U.S., the 100-year-old highway stretches from New York to San Francisco.

In Iowa, the Lincoln Highway was built by the collective strength of small towns throughout the highway's route. Residents promoted the road, raised funds and contributed labor. To celebrate this labor of love's 100 year anniversary drivers traveled from New York to San Francisco, retracing the winding path.

In addition to the beloved butter sculptures, the Ag Building offers a variety of events and exhibits. Returning this year is the Seed Survivor exhibit where kids learn about plants and what makes them grow with this interactive display. Young Fairgoers can also explore the AgVenture Discovery Trail's 10 stops and discover the wide array of Iowa's agricultural commodities ranging from livestock production to wind energy to viticulture (grapes).

Don't miss other great exhibits and demonstrations including giant pumpkins, jumbo vegetables, Discovery Garden, daily stage presentations and more!

"Nothing Compares" to the 2013 Iowa State Fair, August 8-18. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30th and East University Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Des Moines. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit www.iowastatefair.org.

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Moline, IL. (July 15, 2013) ? There's a new light shining in America's Heartland! Trinity Broadcasting Network, the world's largest religious broadcaster and America's favorite faith-and-family channel, announced the launch of WMWC-TV Channel 53, a new full-power Christian television station covering the four Illinois and Iowa communities known as the Quad Cities: Moline and Rock Island, Illinois on the western banks of the Mississippi River, and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa to the east.

"We're excited to welcome Channel 53 to TBN's ever-growing broadcast family," said TBN founder and President, Dr. Paul Crouch. "With the addition of WMWC to our nationwide lineup of full-power stations, over a half-million potential viewers will now have 24-hour access to the life-giving Christian programming that has been TBN's hallmark for the past forty years."

Station manager Tammy Robinson said that while presently TBN is the sole network broadcasting on WMWC, she expects that in the near future Channel 53 will begin multi-casting TBN's four other premier faith-and-family networks: the Church Channel, the JCTV youth network, TBN's Enlace Spanish-language affiliate, and the Smile of a Child children's channel.

Robinson noted that local Quad Cities residents are excited to have a Christian TV station located right in their community. "While TBN has been available in the area through cable and satellite service, there are many folks who either can't afford that service, or live in rural areas where it's not available," she said. "We're already getting letters and calls from some of these individuals and families, thanking us for making TBN available for free over the air."

The network is presently working on construction of a new studio facility for Channel 53 in Moline, Illinois, which will enhance the station's ability to produce programming like Joy in Our Town and a local version of TBN's signature music and ministry program Praise the Lord. "Local pastors have told me that there's been a shortage of good, solid family programming on TV in the area," said Robinson. "Many of our church leaders are really anticipating the positive spiritual impact TBN will have on these communities."

Tim Bowman, senior pastor of Calvary Church of the Quad Cities and president of the Quad Cities Association of Evangelicals, said he and other local clergy are looking forward to working closely with TBN and WMWC on special programming and community initiatives. "It's so encouraging as a pastor to know that Trinity Broadcasting Network sensed a leading of the Lord to purchase a television station and to build a studio in the Quad Cities area to do local programming," he said. "They have committed to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to help promote life-giving organizations within our community."

TBN Vice President Matthew Crouch noted that with the combination of cable and satellite coverage, along with its 37 full-power digital stations in communities around the nation, TBN now reaches 98 percent of America's homes with 24-hour faith-and-family TV. "When you add our iTBN.org online portal and our exclusive TBN viewing app available on iPhones, iPads, and smart phones, you begin to understand the meaning of our slogan 'TBN Everywhere' ? that in reality, there is literally nowhere in the inhabited world TBN does not reach."

He added that "this commitment to cover the earth with the hope of the Gospel has been TBN's motivation for the past forty years, and it's what continues to guide all we do."

To find out more about the 24 (and growing) global members of the Trinity Broadcasting Family of Networks, visit us online at www.tbn.org.

Introducing New Hours!!!

As of today, July 15, 2013, our museum hours will be changing. 

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Friday: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Stop in to see our Sigmund Freud exhibit through August!

(309) 788-0806

700 22nd Street, Rock Island, Illinois. It was formerly a Christian Science church, designed by architect William C. Jones of Chicago in the Palladian style, it was built between 1914-1915. Its exterior walls are of brick covered by Bedford limestone.

Peaceful River Trading Co. is hosting a gallery opening for artist and crafter, Tianna Herrick and Midnight Perfumery. The event will take place Thursday, July 25th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at 302 North Salina Street in McCausland, Iowa.

McCausland, IA /July 15th, 2013 - Peaceful River Trading Co. is hosting a gallery opening for artist and crafter, Tianna Herrick and Midnight Perfumery. The event will take place Thursday, July 25th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at 302 North Salina Street in McCausland, Iowa.

Midnight Perfumery has been creating handmade body, hand & face soaps for over four years and her product line includes several varieties of scented body and home accessories. "My passion for making soaps began when my son's skin really improved for the first time in his short life. I began Midnight Perfumery roughly a year later.  We chose this name for our line, because I work on these soaps after my kids are in bed, many nights drifting well-past midnight." says Herrick.  "Choosing a technique, design, color pattern, scent and function of a soap is just fun...blending so many scents makes me feel like a perfumist The final soap design is usually inspired by the colors a scent makes me think of...sometimes this is a straight-forward choice and other times I choose to take some creative license.  Customers appreciate these soaps because they not only look beautiful, but perform wonderfully. I like to call them 'affordable luxuries," added Herrick.

Peaceful River Trading Co. Owner, Sheila Bosworth, is looking forward to the gallery opening, "Herrick's cold process soaps and scrubs are all natural and handmade. We're excited to have the opportunity to feature local creations such as hers."  Peaceful River Trading Co. offers a place for local artists and crafters to display and sell their creations.

Peaceful River brings visitors back to a simpler time and is housed in a beautiful, circa-1916 bank building, formerly the home of McCausland State Bank. They carry many items from arts and crafts to antiques, gifts, and collectibles. Peaceful River Trading Co. is open from 10am to 5pm Wednesday through Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sundays.  McCausland is located about 20 miles northeast of Davenport, just off Utica Ridge Road on F33 and 5 minutes north of Scott County Park.  Explore Peaceful River Trading Co. at www.peacefulrivertradingco.com.

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