21 May 2013

Niabi Zoo Uproar

By Niabi Zoo

KEEPER CHATS

DAILY @ 11 & 2

Wonder what your favorite animal eats or how the zookeepers help the animals exercise? All of your questions can be answered during Keeper Chats. The schedule is posted at the ticket gate kiosks and Discovery Center. Keeper Chats are free!


GIRAFFE ENCOUNTERS

 

Hand-feed a member of Niabi Zoo's giraffe herd and take a picture or two with these amazing animals.

Tickets are $4 and are available at the ticket gate kiosks or near the giraffe exhibit. Giraffe Encounters are offered daily at 11:00 and 2:00.

 


GOLFERS WANTED MAY 31

 

Skip work on Friday and join us at the zoo's annual golf outing at Short Hills Country Club in East Moline. Great prizes, free on course beverages, BBQ dinner and a chance to play a private course are all yours for $150 per golfer. Open to teams of two or four.

21 May 2013

Treasurer Fitzgerald Reminds Iowans it is Their Last Chance to Celebrate 529 Day

By Michael Fitzgerald

Register for a chance to win a $5,290 College Savings Iowa Account

DES MOINES, IA (05/21/2013)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald wants to remind Iowans it is their last chance to celebrate 529 Day by registering to win a $5,290 College Savings Iowa account for a child in their life. "I encourage everyone to register for the giveaway and explore the benefits of using a 529 plan, such as College Savings Iowa, to save for their loved ones' future higher education expenses," Fitzgerald said. "By starting early, saving a little at a time and making smart investment choices, families can make their savings work for them." For more information and to register for the giveaway, please visit www.my529iowaplan.com before May 29.

May 29, 529 Day, helps bring attention to the fact that saving for college is one of the most significant things families can do for the children in their lives. Those who begin putting away money early and save little by little can, over time, make their college savings add up to a significant amount. Because saving for future educational expenses is so important, Iowa families are encouraged to open a College Savings Iowa account for a special child in their life.

College Savings Iowa offers families a tax advantaged way to save money for their children's higher education. It only takes $25 to open an account, and anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - can invest in College Savings Iowa on behalf of a child. Participants who are Iowa taxpayers can deduct contributions up to $3,045 per beneficiary from their 2013 adjusted gross income, and there are no income or residency restrictions.* Investors can withdraw their investment federally tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and certain room and board costs at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United States or abroad. To learn more about College Savings Iowa, please visit www.myiowa529plan.com or call1-888-672-9116.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income. The earnings portion of non-qualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing.

21 May 2013

Treasurer Fitzgerald Adds More Names to the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt

By Karen Austin

DES MOINES, IA (05/21/2013)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald's Great Iowa Treasure Hunt spring publication is scheduled to be released soon. The upcoming list is the latest names of unclaimed property owners with undiscovered treasures. This is part of Fitzgerald's continuous promotion of the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt.

"In upcoming weeks, we will be publishing names of people who have had funds turned over to the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt," stated Fitzgerald. "You don't have to wait for the publication, go to greatiowatreasurehunt.com and search the entire list anytime. I encourage everyone to search for their name; a lot of individuals will be pleasantly surprised."

The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt program has returned over $160 million in unclaimed property to more than 394,000 individuals since Fitzgerald started it in 1983. Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the property's owner for a specific period of time. State law requires these institutions and companies to annually report and deliver unclaimed property to the state treasurer's office, where it is held until the owner or heir of the property is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed checks, life insurance policies, utility security deposits, safe deposit box contents and many other types of property.

Check the unclaimed property database to see if the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt has property belonging to you. Simply visit greatiowatreasurehunt.com to begin your search.

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21 May 2013

10 Soybean Farmers to See Checkoff in Action

By United Soybean Board
Soy checkoff announces "See for Yourself" participants

ST. LOUIS (May 21, 2013) - Farmer-leaders of the soy checkoff recently informed 10 U.S. soybean farmers of their selection for the 2013 See for Yourself program, an intensive, weeklong educational experience that helps soybean farmers learn more about their checkoff and industry.
"We at the national soy checkoff are thrilled with the interest we've seen this year in this important program," says David Hartke, a soybean farmer from Teutopolis, Ill., and chair of the United Soybean Board (USB) Audit and Evaluation program, which sponsors See for Yourself.
"I think we have an outstanding group of participants this year, all of whom I see as having great leadership potential for the ag industry going forward," says Hartke.
Selected through an application process, the following U.S. soybean farmers come from soybean-growing states around the country and will participate in the program:
Participants, who hail from soybean-growing states across the nation, are the following:
  • Stacey Artz, N.D.
  • Peter Bakken, S.D.
  • Jonathan Gibbs, Wis.
  • Jeffery Heimerl, Ohio
  • David Lanners, Minn.
  • Rodney Lehman, Mo.
  • Travis Matthews, Mo.
  • Quint Pottinger, Ky.
  • Austin Rincker, Ill.
  • Wallace Willoughby III, Ark.
Participants will gather July 18-26 and learn about checkoff and soy industry activities in St. Louis and the countries of Panama and Colombia.
They will see how their domestic and international customers beyond the elevator use soy meal and oil. They will also see their checkoff funds in action by visiting a number of sites that represent their biggest customers, including animal agriculture, which uses nearly 98 percent of U.S. soy meal, and the food industry, which uses two-thirds of U.S. soy oil. Participants will also visit sites that demonstrate the importance of farmers' freedom to operate.
"Many past See forYourself participants say they had no idea the checkoff works for soybean farmers in as many ways as it does," Hartke says. "Additionally, participants have the chance to provide feedback directly to me and other farmer-leaders on the checkoff programs they learn about. Hearing from farmers is one of the best ways we can evaluate checkoff investments."
The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

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21 May 2013

Statement from Governor Pat Quinn on Senate Committee Passage of Senate Bill 1002

By Nafia Khan

Bill Would Ban Sale of High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the passage of Senate Bill 1002 out of the Illinois Senate Executive Committee. Governor Quinn has been working to enact this common sense public safety policy since July 2012:

"Today, we took the first step towards banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines in Illinois, which will make our communities safer. By adopting Senate Bill 1002, Illinois would join 10 other states across the country that put reasonable restrictions on the size of these weapons.

"Over the past two days we have heard first-hand about the horrifying damage that high-capacity ammunition magazines can inflict. I am incredibly grateful to the Sandy Hook Elementary parents who have traveled to Illinois to share their stories and lend their voices to this important mission. We must work together on responsible gun laws to help ensure that what happened in Tucson, Ariz., Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn. does not ever happen here.

"I thank the members of the Senate Executive Committee for advancing this measure today. I urge members of both houses to take up this common sense public safety policy in the days to come."

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21 May 2013

Congratulations to the 2013 WQPT winners of the PBS Kids GO! Writers Contest!

By Lora Adams
A special celebration was held in their honor on Sunday, May 19, at the Deere-Wiman House in Moline, IL. Our 16 winners from Kindergarten through 3rd grade won some cool prizes for their outstanding stories, and the first place winners from each grade will go on to compete in the PBS national contest. All 405 children who entered the local contest received certificates for their efforts.

Their stories can be viewed at Butterworth Center in Moline, IL until May 30, at the Family Museum in Bettendorf, IA from June 3 to 16, and at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, IA from June 18 to 30.

(The kids are in order in the photos...first place on left, then second place etc. The names are listed below.)

Kindergarten

First Place                 Rylan Edwards, Ekstrand Elementary, DeWitt, IA

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

Third Place                Sophia Foad, Cody Elementary, LeClaire, IA

Hon. 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

Hon. 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, Bettendorf, IA

Hon. Mention             Jena Edwards, Ekstrand Elementary, DeWitt, IA

 

Third Grade

First Place                 Dalton Morrow, Harrison Elementary, Davenport, IA

Second Place            Alana Kruse, Morning Star Academy, Davenport, IA

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

Hon. Mention             Calla Brunkan, Ed White Elementary, Eldridge, IA

21 May 2013

Clinton Woman Sentenced to 21 Months Imprisonment for Tax Offenses

By Val Quast
DAVENPORT, IA - On May 17, 2013, Regina Jimenez, age 60, of Clinton, Iowa, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment on two counts of filing false tax returns, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.  United States District Judge Stephanie M. Rose also sentenced Jimenez to one year of supervised release and ordered her to pay $332,465.00 in restitution.

Jimenez operated AA Accounting & Tax Services, Inc. in Clinton, Iowa from approximately 2007 through 2011.  Jimenez used the business to facilitate the theft of over $300,000 from a client who believed that Jimenez would use the money to pay the client's taxes.  

Jimenez instead used the money for gambling expenditures, and did not report the stolen funds on her tax returns.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.


# # #
21 May 2013

Carol Ehlers presents lecture on the art of French artist Raoul Dufy

By Lynn Bartenhagen

The public is invited to join the Muscatine Art Center in welcoming Carol Ehlers, art history speaker, as she presents a 45 minute lecture on the art of French artist Raoul Dufy. The lecture will take place Thursday May 23 at 5:30 pm in the Muscatine Art Center's Music Room. Admission is free.

Raoul Dufy was a French painter who made his mark on the 20th Century as he helped to create a modern visual sensibility and perception. His cheerful oils and watercolors depict events of the time period, including yachting scenes, sparkling views of the French Riviera, chic parties, and musical events.

Born in Le Havre near Normandy, France in June 1877, Dufy soon showed some rare talent for drawing. To make money for his family, he left school at the age of fourteen to work in a coffee-importing company, but took art classes in the evening. At the age of 18, he started taking evening classes in art at Le Havre's municipal art school. During this period, Dufy painted mostly Norman landscapes in watercolors after being influenced by the Impressionists such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro.

From 1904-1905, fascinated by a painting by Henri Matisse, Dufy turned to Fauvism. The Fauves emphasized bright color and bold contours in their work. He then discovered the work of Paul Cézanne which led him to adopt a somewhat subtler technique. Still he only adhered to the Fauve movement during three years until 1909 after finding that he needed to instill more austerity and soberness in his works, thus his movement into Cubism. His true personality started to blossom though the public was not immediately receptive to his works.

In 1913, his painting Le Jardin abandonné (The abandoned garden) contained the early signs of what made Dufy's work so original: the dissociation of color and drawing. Dufy felt that colors had their own lives, going beyond the object, giving structure to his paintings. By 1950, his hands were struck with rheumatoid arthritis and his ability to paint diminished. Dufy died in France, in March 1953, and was buried near Matisse in Cimiez, France.

In 1992 the Muscatine Art Center's collections were significantly enriched by a gift of twenty-seven works of art by Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Degas, Boudin, Chagall, Renoir, and other European artists. The collection was a gift from the estate of Mary Musser Gilmore in honor of her parents, Richard Drew Musser and Sarah Walker Musser. The paintings are on permanent display in the Laura Musser Mansion.
21 May 2013

Lt. Governor Simon to be honored for advocacy

By Annie Thompson
SPRINGFIELD - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will receive the 2013 Moxie Award at the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault's (ICASA) Annual Statewide Sexual Assault Conference tomorrow in Springfield. Simon was selected as a result of her lifetime of advocating for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
The Moxie Award recognizes individuals who have worked with rape crisis centers in an effort to improve services to victims of sexual assault, pass legislation to end sexual violence, and improve funding for rape crisis centers.
"The recovery process for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence is a long one, and I am committed to making sure they have the tools they need to rebuild their lives," said Simon. "I appreciate ICASA's advocacy as we work to increase awareness, and prevent sexual assault and domestic violence."
Lt. Governor Simon is a former prosecutor who represented victims of domestic violence. Simon worked with Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields) on a new law that requires certain adult entertainment establishments that permit alcohol to collect a surcharge that supports programs that help sexual abuse victims.
As a law professor, she helped launch the Southern Illinois School of Law's domestic violence clinic to serve clients and train law students. Since becoming Lt. Governor, Simon has founded two virtual legal clinics that connect survivors with attorneys through webcam technology. Simon has also partnered with Verizon and advocates to raise revenue and collect used cell phones for survivors.
Simon will be joined by the members of her band, Loose Gravel, for a performance following the award presentation.
For more information, please visit www.ltgov.il.gov.
DATE: Tuesday, May 21
TIME: 5:15 p.m.
LOCATION: President Abraham Lincoln Hotel & Conference Center, Salons A and B, 701 E. Adams St., Springfield, IL, 62701
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21 May 2013

Figge Art Museum to Participate in Blue Star Museums

By Dan McNeil

The Figge Art Museum is one of more than 1,800 museums across America to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense

Davenport, Iowa (May 21, 2013) - Today the Figge Art Museum announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,800 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

Active duty military personnel and their families will be able to experience a number of traveling exhibitions at the Figge including the American Pop! Selections from the CU Art Museum Collection (through September 8), Questionable Architecture: Terry Rathje in Collaboration with Steve Banks and Monica Correia (June 1- August 25) and No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service (June 29-October 6).

"Blue Star Museums is a collaboration between the arts and military communities," said NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa. "Our work with Blue Star Families and with more than 1,800 museums ensures that we can reach out to military families and thank them for their service and sacrifice."

"Blue Star Museums is something that service members and their families look forward to every year and we are thrilled with the continued growth of the program," said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. "Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 1,800 museums across the United States, service members and their families can connect with our national treasures with this unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country's finest museums for free."

This year, more than 1,800 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 450 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved partnerships with the American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children's Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year's Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 75 children's museums. Among this year's new participants are the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California, Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum in Northport, Michigan, the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the World Museum of Mining in Butte, Montana.

About Blue Star Museums

Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,800 museums across America. The program runs from Memorial Day, May 27, 2013 through Labor Day, September 2, 2013. The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card, or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty U.S. military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps - and up to five family members. Please see the chart of the acceptable IDs (PDF). Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning. Museums that wish to participate in Blue Star Museums may contact bluestarmuseums@arts.gov, or Wendy Clark at 202-682-5451. This is the latest NEA program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families. Other NEA programs for the military have included the NEA/Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership; Great American Voices Military Base Tour; and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street.Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m. Thursdays the

museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figgemembers and institutional members and free on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is a national, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, dedicated to supporting, connecting and empowering military families. With our partners, Blue Star Families hosts a robust array of morale and empowerment programs, including Books on Bases, Blue Star Museums, Operation Honor Corp, Blue Star Careers and Operation Appreciation. Blue Star Families also works directly with the Department of Defense and senior members of local, State and Federal government to bring the most important military family issues to light. Working in concert with fellow nonprofits, community advocates, and public officials, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life and works to make military life more sustainable. Our worldwide membership includes military spouses, children, parents, and friends, as well as service members, veterans and civilians. To learn more about Blue Star Families, visit http://www.bluestarfam.org.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

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