Join us on

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

5pm until 7pm at

Augustana's Pepsico Center, 1025 - 30th St, Rock Island

FREE for Families

• Fun
• Activities
• Dinner

A free gift of the Family Concerns committee of Churches United and over a dozen other children and family friendly organizations, agencies, businesses and individuals in teh Quad Cities.

Thank you to our sponsors: Farmer Owned Prairie Farms Dairy, Rock Island Noon Kiwanis, Augustana College, and Churches United of the Quad City Area.

MADISON, WI - May 7, 2013 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today awarded $19.5 million to support research, education and Extension activities associated with climate solutions in agriculture aimed at the impacts of climate variability and change on dairy and beef cattle. USDA remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today's announcement is one part of the Department's efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

"We have seen the impact that variable climate patterns have had on production agriculture for the past several years. These projects will deliver the best tools available to accurately measure and respond to the effects of climate on beef and dairy production," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Farmers and ranchers need sound, science-based information and solutions to help them make management decisions that will sustain their productivity and keep their operations economically viable."

The University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison, Wisconsin, received $9.9 million over five years to study the environmental impact of various dairy production systems and develop best management practices for producers to implement at the farm level. The project's ultimate goal is to increase the resiliency of dairy production systems while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The team will also develop an agricultural education curriculum with an urban foods focus at Vincent High School in Milwaukee in an effort to educate future leaders and consumers about the contributions of the dairy industry to economic and environmental sustainability. Curricula at the high school and college levels will be developed related to mitigation and adaptation to climate change and agricultural sustainability.

The University of Wisconsin is partnering in the project with the University of Arkansas, Cornell University, the University of Michigan, North Carolina A&T University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Washington, along with four USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) laboratories, the U.S. Department of Energy and the industry-sponsored Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma, received $9.6 million over five years to better understand vulnerability and resilience of Southern Great Plains beef in an environment of increased climate variability, dynamic land-use and fluctuating markets. The team's goal is to safeguard regional beef production while mitigating the environmental footprint of agriculture. The project also includes education and Extension components to train the next generation of producers and researchers in addressing the impact of climate on beef cattle. Using a community- and citizen-science approach, the project will train young students and citizens to use GPS-enabled digital cameras and smartphones and web data portals to participate in field data collection. The geospatial data will be integrated into a portal for community-based analysis and inventory and used to educate the general public on climate change related to range-based beef production.

The team is comprised of 32 scientists from OSU, Kansas State University, University of Oklahoma, Tarleton State University, the Samuel R. Noble Foundation, and two ARS laboratories.

These Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) bring together teams of researchers that represent various geographic areas to support discovery, applications and promote communication leading to innovative, science-based solutions to critical and emerging national priorities and needs. This year's awards broaden NIFA's CAP climate change portfolio, which includes three projects awarded in 2010 focusing on loblolly pine in the South, corn production in the Midwest and wheat crops in the Northwest.

NIFA made the awards through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) funding opportunity. AFRI's Climate Variability and Change challenge area is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration in agricultural and forest production systems and preparing the nation's agriculture and forests to adapt to changing climates.

AFRI is NIFA's flagship competitive grant program and was established under the 2008 Farm Bill. AFRI supports work in six priority areas: 1) plant health and production and plant products; 2) animal health and production and animal products; 3) food safety, nutrition and health; 4) renewable energy, natural resources and environment; 5) agriculture systems and technology; and 6) agriculture economics and rural communities.

USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration - the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. USDA has already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $828 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. More information is available at: www.nifa.usda.gov.

###

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

NORTH RIVERSIDE, IL (05/07/2013)(readMedia)-- Approximately 20 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers who served in Sinai, Egypt as part of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) will return home this week. The 708th Medical Company based in North Riverside will have their homecoming ceremony at 1 p.m. May 8. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the North Riverside National Guard Armory, 8660 W. Cermak Road.

This is the second half of a 45-man team that mobilized in July 2012 and deployed to Sinai, Egypt after training for a brief time at Camp Atterbury, Ind. The rest of the unit returned home April 29.

The 708th was split into two teams, running operations out of two separate camps approximately 250 miles apart on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and surrounding areas in Egypt and Israel. The unit provided a full-range of medical, dental, physical therapy and preventative medicine services to more than 2,500 personnel from 14 countries who are part of the MFO. Within the medical clinics, 708th Soldiers worked with providers from the United States, Fiji, Columbia, Uruguay, Hungary and Italy.

708th personnel responded to four mass casualty incidents in a three-month period where they were required to provide expedient, quality care to the patients brought in for treatment. Overall, 40 patients were treated during those four incidents.

The unit also assisted in ensuring food-borne illnesses and the spread of diseases did not affect personnel in the area after a water shortage in October. When water returned to the region, water in the new wells was sampled to ensure the water was safe for consumption.

Because of their outstanding support, the 708th personnel and their medical clinics were nominated for the Army Superior Unit Award. Soldiers in the unit also received awards and coins from several general officers including Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff for the Army.

The MFO is an international peacekeeping force that oversees the terms of the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. For three decades the MFO has carried out its mission and has proven successful. The desire of peace on the part of both Israel and Egypt, combined with the effectiveness of the MFO, has resulted in a durable and lasting state of peace between the two nations.

Twelve nations (Australia, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of the Fiji Islands, France, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, the United States and Uruguay) contribute contingents to make up the MFO's force.

MOLINE, IL -- WQPT received more than 400 stories from students in kindergarten through third grade for the annual PBS Kids Go Writers Contest. Sixteen winners (four from each grade) were selected by educators and contest sponsors. The winners and their families will be honored and awarded prizes at Deere-Wiman House at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 19.

"We received a record number of stories this year. We are thrilled that so many teachers and parents encouraged their young authors and illustrators to participate," said Ana Kehoe, WQPT's educational outreach director.

Kindergarten

First Place: Rylan Edwards, Ekstrand Elementary, DeWitt, IA

Second Place: Ellie Curnyn, Jane Addams Elementary, Moline, IL

Third Place: Sophia Foad, Cody Elementary School, LeClaire, IA

Honorable Mention: Oliver Borders, Longfellow Liberal Arts, Rock Island, IL

First grade

First Place: Georgia Brunkan, Ed White Elementary, Eldridge, IA

Second Place: Xion Owens-Holst, McKinley Elementary, Davenport, IA

Third Place: Gianna Schwartz, Paul Norton School, Bettendorf, IA

Honorable Mention: Nate Stanger, Garfield School, Davenport, IA

Second grade

First Place: Paul Schwartz, Paul Norton School, Bettendorf, IA

Second Place: Isabella Jones, Rivermont Collegiate, Bettendorf, IA

Third Place: Nikhil Ramaraju, Riverdale Heights Elementary, Bettendorf, IA

Honorable Mention: Jena Edwards, Ekstrand Elementary, DeWitt, IA

Third grade

First Place: Dalton Morrow, Harrison Elementary, Davenport, IA

Second Place: Alana Kruse, Morning Star Academy, Bettendorf, IA

Third Place: Eden Swails, Riverdale Elementary, Port Byron, IL

Honorable Mention: Calla Brunkan, Ed White Elementary, Eldridge, IA

All the entries will be returned, along with a certificate from PBS. Stories will be displayed at the Butterworth Center from May 19-30; the Family Museum from June 3-16; and Figge Art Museum from June 18-30.

The contest is supported by WQPT-Quad Cities PBS, the Butterworth Center, Deere-Wiman House, Family Museum in Bettendorf, Figge Art Museum and the Midwest Writing Center.

WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University - Quad Cities located in Moline, Illinois.

###