DAVENPORT, IA–Beginning Monday, July 22, Waste Commission of Scott County will extend its weekday hours at the Scott Area Landfill, 11555 110^th Avenue, Davenport. Landfill hours will be as follows:

• 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Mondays
• 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays
• 8 a.m. - noon Saturdays

Extended hours will end Friday, Aug. 30.

The landfill is located west of Davenport on County Road Y-48, three miles south of Highway 61.

Waste Commission of Scott County is an inter-governmental agency whose mission is to provide environmentally sound and economically feasible solid waste management. For more information about the Commission, please call (563) 381-1300 or visit www.wastecom.com.

Brucemore's sophisticated and saucy nightclub event, Cabaret in the Courtyard, will showcase nationally-recognized talent from Eastern Iowa during two back-to-back weekends, August 8 - 10 and 15 - 17 at 7:30 p.m. Since 2003, the lovely ambience of the historic courtyard has been magically transformed into a cabaret club with tables, chairs, twinkling lights, and stars on the stage and in the sky.

The first weekend, August 8 - 10, features Sidney Wingfield, Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School alumnus and current resident of Sarasota, Florida. After attending the University of North Dakota on a basketball scholarship, Sid began a musical career that would eventually lead to a 2001 induction into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame. An introduction and opportunity to tour Europe with Luther Allison brought him in contact with other musical legends?Muddy Waters, Albert Collins, and B.B. King, to name a few. Beyond performing at Brucemore's Cabaret in the Courtyard in 2004, Sid has performed on European cruises, as well as at the Chicago Blues Festival, Mardi Gras, Milwaukee Summerfest, and more. While notorious for playing locally at the former Piano Lounge, Sid is world-renowned for his boogie-woogie piano solos and mood-inducing organ playing. Sid guarantees the party of the year by fulfilling spontaneous requests in all genres, leading sing-alongs of dueling piano favorites, and an evening of high-energy entertaining.

The second weekend, August 15 - 17, features Chase Garrett, Iowa City native and current resident of New York City. Chase began playing piano at age nine and by seventeen was performing professionally across the United States. In his travels, he has shared the stage with some of today's most influential blues, boogie woogie, and jazz pianists including Axel Zwingenberger, Michael Kaeshammer, and James Goodwin. He is as much of a performer as he is a preservationist, teacher, and producer. He has brought world-class pianists to the Englert Theatre in Iowa City for his annual "Blues & Boogie Woogie Piano Stomp" and has taught at blues and swing festivals across the country. Voted the "Star of Tomorrow" in Brucemore's 2009 Cabaret in the Courtyard competition and "Best Local Act" by the Daily Iowan in 2011, audiences will hear a mixture of original and chart songs ranging in musical style from Chicago blues and boogie woogie to Kansas City Swing and New York Jazz.

Advance tickets are $20 per person and $18 per Brucemore member. All tickets are $25 at the gate (if available). Space is limited; please call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org to purchase tickets. Individuals reserving five or more advance tickets will have tables reserved under their name. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with gates opening at 7:00 p.m. On-site parking is available. Patrons are encouraged to bring their favorite beverages, but no food is allowed. Cabaret in the Courtyard is sponsored by Bankers Trust, Novak Design Group, and Corridor Business Journal.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

More Than 100 State Cooling Centers Open Across Illinois

CHICAGO - Ahead of another day of extreme heat, Governor Pat Quinn is reminding Illinois residents to take special precautions and make use of the state's cooling centers. Earlier this week, the Governor opened more than 100 cooling centers around Illinois in order to help those without air conditioning stay cool.

"High heat and humidity is dangerous for everyone on Illinois - young, elderly and in-between," Governor Quinn said. "I urge residents to take the proper precautions to stay safe as we endure another day of heat."

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

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

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

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

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

Creating a transition plan to make sure a farm continues as a productive business can be challenging. Farm women can learn how to plan a successful farm transition in a five-session course offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The "Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning" program, a new Annie's Project course, has been scheduled in Iowa City on Tuesday evenings, August, 20th through September, 17th.

Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning meets from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, August, 20th through September, 17^th, at the Johnson County Farm Bureau office in Iowa City, Iowa.

The cost is $75 per person, which includes a 300-page workbook with fact sheets, hands-on activities, and presentations. A light supper will be served before each class at 5:45 p.m. Course size is limited, so please register soon.

Farm women will learn about business, estate, retirement and succession planning from ISU Extension and Outreach specialists and area professionals. In addition to brief presentations, there will be discussions based on participant questions and follow-up activities for family members to complete at home.

"We're happy to be a partner in bringing this valuable program to Johnson County," said Gene Mohling, Regional Extension Education Director, "This farm transition course is an opportunity for farm women to meet with others who share similar issues and concerns. A small class size makes it comfortable for everyone to speak up and get questions answered."

Annie's Project, an agricultural risk management education program for women, has successfully reached more than 8,000 farmers and ranchers in 30 states. "This new Farm Transition program emphasizes the role women play in helping transfer farms from one generation to the next," said Ryan Drollette, ISU Extension Farm Management Specialist. "Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning will empower women to take ownership of the future of their farms," said Ryan. Farm Credit Services of America is a statewide sponsor of Annie's Project courses.

For more information contact Ryan Drollette, ISU Farm Management Specialist at 319-337-2145 or  drollett@iastate.edu; or Shannon Bielicke, at the Johnson County Extension office at 319-337-2145 or  Bielicke@iastate.edu.

Managing for Today and Tomorrow is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2011-49400-30584. More information can be found on the Annie's Project website at www.extension.iastate.edu/annie.

- 30 -