SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today issued a statement regarding the Illinois Senate Executive Committee's passage of House Bill 183, an alternative proposal that would keep local public safety ordinances across Illinois, such as Chicago's assault weapons ban, on the books:

"Senator Kwame Raoul's legislation provides a reasonable framework that would protect critical gun safety ordinances across Illinois.

"This bill would place reasonable limits and restrictions on guns in Illinois while protecting the important principle of home rule. We must ensure that Illinois municipalities can continue to take additional steps to ensure public safety for their residents.

"I thank Senator Raoul and Senate President John Cullerton for their hard work and commitment to public safety. I will continue working with them to pass this common-sense legislation."

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SEWARD, NEB. (05/28/2013)(readMedia)-- More than 450 undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas and certificates were awarded at Concordia University, Nebraska during its 2013 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11.

Commencement speaker Dr. Douglas Tewes used Concordia's theme Bible verse for 2012-13 -- "You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of His household." - to explain a Christian's obligation to serve.

"I think that as citizens of God's kingdom, we have responsibility in our citizenship here in America," Tewes said. In addition to delivering the commencement address, Tewes also received the honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Concordia.

Undergraduates earning degrees from Concordia were eligible for distinction or high distinction honors. Up to 10 percent of those who earned, at minimum, a 3.75 GPA were designated as graduating with high distinction. An additional 15 percent of those who earned degrees with a minimum 3.5 GPA were graduated with distinction. Departmental awards were also announced.

The following are Concordia University, Nebraska graduates from your area:

Caleb Davison, Davenport, Iowa, Bachelor of Arts;

Lee Johanson, Davenport, Iowa, Bachelor of Arts;

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Neb. Concordia currently has over 2,200 students. Concordia offers more than 50 professional and liberal arts programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership. For more information, visit www.cune.edu.

Now heading into its 18th year in 2013,  Rock Camp USA is one of the country's top summer music camps, offering participants a once in a lifetime experience.  Rock Camp USA was founded in 1995 by renowned Austin, TX guitarist Dave Sebree, who also founded the Austin School of Music the same year.  Each camp is two weeks long and culminates with our young rockers giving a live performance, in a professional live music venue - such as the Redstone Room at the River Music Experience (RME) right here in the Quad Cities.  2013 marks RME's 8th year as a national affiliate of Rock Camp USA.  

Rock Camp USA in the Quad Cities is sponsored by Mediacom/OnMedia, West Music Company, and HAVlife Foundation, and is produced by the River Music Experience (RME).

The Rock Camp USA experience goes far beyond just learning how to play a few rock songs with friends and other players, but delivers life lessons about working with others towards a common goal of creating, rehearsing and performing music as an artistic unit.  Students rehearse for two weeks, record their dress
rehearsal, and then perform live to a full house in the Redstone Room for family, friends and fans.  The icing on the cake is when they receive a professionally-edited DVD of the show from Mediacom, as well as when the concerts air on Mediacom Connections Channel 22!

Rock Camp USA activities include :

Forming a band - picking your own material - rehearsing like pros - option to write your own original songs

- refining your skills - taking home a CD recording of your dress rehearsal and a DVD of your final concert
performance - improving teamwork abilities - working with seasoned area musicians and veteran Rock Campers - and performing live in a state-of-the-art venue.

Rock Camp USA franchises across the country have included: Austin, TX, Fort Worth, TX, Rio Grande Valley, TX, Davenport, IA, Chicago, IL,  New York, NY, Poughkeepsie, NY,  Miami, FL, and Hawaii.  

National sponsors include Fender, D'Addario, Sabian, Planet Waves, Vic Firth, PreSonus, and Evans Drumheads.  Fender Passport sound systems for Rock Camp USA rehearsals in the Quad Cities are provided by our friends at West Music Company.

This year you can register for Rock Camp USA - Quad Cities 2013 online at www.rivermusicexperience.org
...or visit the RME admissions desk for registration forms. Rock Camp USA - Quad Cities tuition is $425 per camper/per two-week session.  Deposit (applied towards tuition) is $200.00, with balance of $225.00 due thirty (30) days before session starts. Tuition is non-refundable without a medical excuse or family emergency.  Discounts are available for those attending multiple summer sessions, and for families with two or more campers participating in the same session.  Limited financial assistance is also available to those with a demonstrated need, courtesy of our friends at The Terry Lunardi Foundation, The HAVlife Foundation, The Moline Foundation, and also via the Karli Rose Kell Music Scholarship Fund at RME.  Submission of a separate financial assistance request form is required by those seeking assistance, and those forms are available online at www.rivermusicexperience.org and at the RME admissions desk.

For more information on Rock Camp USA in the Quad Cities, contact: Ellis Kell, Director of Rock Camp USA - Quad Cities,RME Director of Progr. & Community Outreach
RIVER MUSIC EXPERIENCE
129 Main Street, Davenport, Iowa  52801

Phone: (563) 326-1333, ext. 113  

Email: ellis@rockcampusa.com  Web Site: www.rivermusicexperience.org

The RME is a registered nonprofit helping build the Quad Cities music scene - through diverse live music and unique educational programming.

As part of CKE Restaurants' partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures for the release of "Man of Steel," Hardee's presents a super burger for super fans - the Super Bacon Cheeseburger.

Available now at all Hardee's locations, the epic new burger includes a charbroiled beef patty, American cheese, mayonnaise, tomato, onion, lettuce and a super serving of bacon, with six full bacon strips woven together into a crispy bacon nest.

The commercial for the Super Bacon Cheeseburger, titled "Potholes," features "Man of Steel" star Henry Cavill and was directed by the film's director, Zack Snyder. It highlights the unsung, everyday heroes in Superman's world, all of whom deserve a super-satisfying burger. Check out the ad, airing now, on Hardee's YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVCJIEjQd6g