Wisconsin scores eight runs on 10 hits in sixth through eighth innings to avoid a sweep by Quad Cities

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. (APRIL 23, 2013) - The Quad Cities River Bandits kept a strong chance of sweeping the defending Midwest League Champion Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on the road with a 1-1 tie entering the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday afternoon, but Wisconsin broke through for five runs in the sixth and went on to a 9-1 victory at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium.

River Bandits designated hitter Chase Davidson tied the game, 1-1, with a towering solo home run to center field in the sixth inning against right-hander Ryan Gibbard (1-0). The Timber Rattlers answered with three straight hits and a run against left-hander Colton Cain (0-1), who started the sixth inning as part of a scheduled tandem with right-hander Mike Hauschild. Designated hitter Mitch Haniger and left fielder Victor Roache each singled for Wisconsin, and second baseman Chris McFarland followed with a go-ahead double down the right-field line.

Trailing 2-1 with no one out, Cain walked first baseman Adam Giacalone to load the bases before striking out third baseman Alfredo Rodriguez and catcher Parker Berberet. But with a 2-2 count on right fielder Michael Reed, Cain's pitch was lined back up the middle for a two-run single to extend the Wisconsin lead to 4-1. Cain then left after allowing four hits in 2/3 of an inning, and right-hander Gera Sanchez came on to allow a two-run double by right fielder Jose Sermo that made it 6-1. All five runs were charged to Cain.

Wisconsin (5-9) scored three more times with two outs in the eighth inning against Sanchez. With two outs and the bases empty, Reed and Sermo singled, and shortstop Orlando Arcia lined an RBI single to center field, before Haniger drove a two-run double to the center-field wall to make it 9-1, the largest lead an opponent has held over the River Bandits (11-6) this season. Sanchez was charged with three runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings while striking out four batters.

Gibbard held Quad Cities to four baserunners - three hits and one walk - in six innings, while walking one and striking out five. The River Bandits put two runners on in an inning for the first and only time in the eighth inning against right-hander Taylor Mangum, who struck out the side to escape the inning. Mangum worked three shutout innings out of the bullpen to earn his first save.

River Bandits right-hander Mike Hauschild worked the first five innings, striking out four, walking one and allowing five hits and a single unearned run. Wisconsin scored when Berberet led off the third inning with a double and scored when Reed's infield chopper went under the glove of shortstop Carlos Correa. The Timber Rattlers amassed eight runs on 10 hits against the Quad Cities bullpen.

Davidson's 2-for-4 day led Quad Cities' offense, while Sermo and Haniger each went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to pace the Timber Rattlers.

Quad Cities has its first scheduled off day Wednesday before opening a six-game home stand Thursday night at 7 p.m. against the Lansing Lugnuts, who visit Modern Woodmen Park for the first time since losing the clinching game of the River Bandits' 2011 Midwest League Championship. A tandem of right-hander Jordan Jankowski (0-0) and left-hander Brian Holmes (1-1) are scheduled to face Lansing right-hander Roberto Osuna (1-1). Fans should check www.riverbandits.com for updates on accessing the ballpark.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park for a six-game home stand beginning Thursday, April 25, with Manti Te'o Night and a Thirst-Day with $2 drink specials presented by Rock 104-9, the Quad Cities' CW, and the River Cities' Reader. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

ABOUT THE BANDITS: The River Bandits began the season with a great start, and they sit in second place in the Midwest League's Western Division. Meanwhile, the team's ownership is making one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 112 feet over the playing field, is planned for the ballpark, along with a new dual zip line, a carousel, a Mediacom Frog Hopper, new bounce houses and many other fun attractions. The team also boasts a new major league affiliate, the Houston Astros, and fans will see last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Carlos Correa. The Astros will also make the very first selection in the major league draft on June 6 and could have another top pick end up in the Quad Cities. With new rides, new attractions, new improvements, a new affiliate and future major league stars, this season will be one every fan will not want to miss!

Springtime is greener as remodeling gains speed

Remodeler optimism stronger than ever during first quarter

Des Plaines, Illinois, April 23, 2013?The National Association of the Remodeling Industry's (NARI) first-quarter Remodeling Business Pulse (RBP) data of current and future remodeling business conditions is reaching new heights, as quarter-over-quarter increases are seen across all sub-components measuring remodeling activity.

As remodelers approach the busy season, overall current business conditions have seen steady increases since March of 2012, now at a statistically significant 5.97 rating compared with the 5.59 rating from one year before.

"Remodelers nationwide are not only experiencing increased activity right now, but many have a backlog of projects well into the fall," says Tom O'Grady, CR, CKBR, chairman of NARI's Strategic Planning & Research Committee and president of O'Grady Builders, based in Drexel Hill, Pa. "This current condition is world's away from March of last year and suggests that the recovery is beginning to gain speed."

Growth indicators in the first quarter of 2013 are as follows:

• Current business conditions up 1.0 percent since last quarter
• Number of inquiries up 4.9 percent since last quarter
• Requests for bids up 5.2 percent since last quarter
• Conversion of bids to jobs up 1.1 percent since last quarter
• Value of jobs sold is up 0.2 percent since last quarter

Sharp increases in the number of inquiries and requests for bids point speak directly to an increase in consumer confidence, especially in housing.

"Homeowners are tired of waiting to make improvements?many have chosen to stay put?and better financial positioning has them actively approaching professionals to get work done and enhance long-term livability of the home," O'Grady says.

More specifically, drivers of remodeling activity include needing improvements due to postponement of projects (83 percent reported this as a driver) and improving home prices with 59 percent reporting (an 8 percent jump from fourth quarter data).

Other significant contributors to overall activity:

• Certainty about the future was reported by 44 percent of respondents
• Economic growth was reported by 43 percent of respondents
• Low interest rates was reported by 42 percent of respondents
• Growth in stock market was reported by 39 percent of respondents

"We knew that several things had to turn around in order for business to get better, and NARI members are finally feeling a holistic economic recovery outside and inside the housing market," O'Grady says.

Whereas two-thirds of remodelers forecasted the next three months positively in December of 2012, now 76 percent of remodelers believe there will be growth in the next three months. Only 7 percent of respondents reported declines in the near future.

To review the research in its entirety, please send your request to marketing@nari.org.

NARI is the source for homeowners seeking to hire a professional remodeling contractor. Members are full-time, dedicated remodelers who follow a strict code of ethics with high standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility.

Visit the NARI.org site to get tips on how to hire a remodeling professional and to search for NARI members in your area.

Click here to see an online version of this press release.

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About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry.  The Association, which represents 7,000 member companies nationwide?comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors? is "The Voice of the Remodeling Industry."® To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Ill., at (847) 298-9200.

The idea of a happy and meaningful life has become unnecessarily complicated in some circles, says author and certified positive psychology coach Lynda Wallace, who left a high-powered executive career with Johnson & Johnson to pursue her real passion - helping individuals and groups achieve greater happiness and success.

"Happiness has been appropriately cited as a goal in political debates on issues from taxation to the social safety net to marriage equality, but the debate is often confused," says Wallace, author of "A Short Course in Happiness: Practical Steps to a Happier Life," which topped Amazon's Self-Help Best Seller list.

"Some people claim that happiness is all in your DNA or bank account. The truth is that happiness is largely a matter of everyday choices and actions. There are straightforward, well-researched and effective things every one of us can do to create greater happiness in our lives and in the lives of those we care about."

The essential elements of a happy life are not mysterious, she says.

Research shows that the happiest people do four basic things that make the difference: they focus on what is good and positive in their lives; cope effectively with life's inevitable challenges; develop strong relationships; and pursue meaningful goals.

"We can all become happier by putting our efforts into these areas," Wallace says.

One of the first steps we can take is to get past some of the common misperceptions about happiness that can stand in our way. Wallace offers these four examples.

• Misconception #1: Happiness is about getting the big things right. It's natural to think that if we were suddenly rich, beautiful and living on the beach somewhere, we'd be happy. But that type of good fortune turns out to have a surprisingly small impact on happiness. The happiest people are most often not those in the most enviable circumstances, but those who cultivate positive emotional outlooks and actions. So how can we do it? "Take concrete steps to practice optimism, gratitude, kindness and self-compassion in your everyday life," says Wallace. "The cumulative effect of those everyday choices can have a tremendous impact on how you experience your life."

• Misconception #2: Happy people suppress negative emotions. Happy people actually experience sadness, grief, worry and other so-called negative emotions nearly as frequently as unhappy people do. The difference is what happens when those feelings occur. Happier people are generally able to experience negative feelings without losing hope for the future. "They give themselves permission to feel sad, angry, or lonely, but they remain confident that things will get better. As a result, their sadness progresses into hope and action rather than regressing into anxiety and despair."

• Misconception #3: Pursuing happiness is self-centered. The strongest of all conclusions drawn by researchers into emotional well-being is that our happiness is determined more by our relationships with other people than by any other single factor. The happiest people build their lives around good, trusting relationships. "If other priorities are getting in the way of your relationships," says Wallace, "take steps to shift the balance back to where it will really make a difference."

• Misconception #4: I'll be happy when I achieve my goals. Have you ever noticed that when someone wins the Super Bowl or an Academy Award, or when you achieve a long-sought ambition, that wonderful sense of accomplishment and happiness seems to fade faster than you'd expect? "That's just the way our brains work," says Wallace. "Committed goal pursuit is one of the keys to a happy life, but most of the happiness we get from striving for goals comes while we're making progress toward them, not after we achieve them. That's why it's so important that we choose goals that are in synch with what we love and value, and that we make a conscious effort to enjoy them along the way."

About Lynda Wallace

After twenty years as a highly successful executive with Johnson & Johnson, where she was responsible for a $1B portfolio of businesses including Band-Aid, Neosporin and Purell, Lynda Wallace chose to change careers to pursue her passion. She now helps individuals and groups apply proven insights and techniques to achieve greater happiness and success in their lives, families, careers, and businesses. Lynda holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a certified positive psychology coach. She is also a sought-after speaker and the author of the #1 Amazon Self-Help Best Seller "A Short Course in Happiness: Practical Steps to a Happier Life." More information is available at her website: www.lyndawallace.com.

ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - Twenty-seven area nonprofit organizations will be awarded $338,950 on Wednesday, April 24th during The Amy Helpenstell Foundation's Spring Grant Reception at 8:30 a.m. at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island. This is the largest amount of funding awarded by the Foundation in a single grant cycle.

The Amy Helpenstell Foundation promotes awareness, understanding, diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in the greater Quad Cities area. Amy Helpenstell passed away in 2003 from complications related to an eating disorder. Ms. Helpenstell created the Foundation through her estate to support causes related to health, education, youth development, community development and cultural activities within a 60-mile radius of Rock Island, where she lived and worked.

"Amy's Foundation has given nearly $4 million back to the community since 2005, all to causes that she cared about very much," said Franz "Bud" Helpenstell, Amy's father and President of The Amy Helpenstell Foundation. "With the full impact of state cutbacks to nonprofits being especially noticeable now, we are happy to support these organizations in every way we can. The important work they do can be felt in the lives of real people every day."

The Spring Grant recipients and the programs that received funding include :

• Aldridge Early Learning Center - Parent Education, $2,000

• Arrowhead Ranch - Computer Based Learning Program for Arrowhead Academy, $10,750
• Augustana College - Amy Helpenstell Student Interns Program, $20,000
• Bethany for Children and Families - Youth Transitional Housing for Homeless Youth (Rock Island), $8,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley - One-to-One Mentoring, $15,000
• Black Hawk College Foundation - Nursing Education: Extending Simulation into the Classroom and Beyond, $3,000
• Black Hawk College Optional Education Program - Adult Education English as a Second Language Coordination, $20,000
• Boys and Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley - Core Mission Grant, $16,000
• Child Abuse Council - Building Capacity for the Future, $10,000
• Children's Therapy Center of the Quad Cities - Enhanced Feeding Therapy Program, $16,000
• Community Housing Services - JumpStart After School Program, $10,000
• Community Resource and Learning Center, Inc. - Preschool Project, $5,000
• Gilda's Club of the Quad Cities - Children in Need Continuation and Expansion, $15,000
• Hand in Hand - Adapted Enrichment Programs for Children With Disabilities, $4,200
• Henry County Youth Services Bureau - Free Home-Based and School-Based Counseling, $12,000
• Junior Achievement of the Heartland - Building a Stronger Community-Junior Achievement Core-Mission Programs, $15,000
• Junior High Drop-In Center / South Park Presbyterian Church - Healthy Eating Program, $3,000
• Marriage and Family Counseling Service - Spanish Family Therapy Program, $10,000
• National Alliance on Mental Illness, Scott County - NAMI Scott County Office Expansion; Bringing NAMI's Signature Education Classes In-House, $5,000
• New Kingdom Trail Riders - 2012-2014 Horse Care Project, $10,000
• Rick's House of Hope - Ongoing Training of Volunteers and Staff, $4,000
• Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health - Quad Cities Eating Disorders Consortium, $50,000
• School Health LINK, Inc. - Behavioral Health Specialist, $15,000
• Spring Forward Learning Center - After-School Tutoring and Mentoring, $15,000
• St. Ambrose University - The Amy Helpenstell Scholars Program at St. Ambrose University, $10,000
• theplace2b - theplace2b Community Outreach Project, $15,000
• Vera French Foundation - School-Based Mental Health Therapy Program, $20,000

For more information about The Amy Helpenstell Foundation, visit www.amyhelpenstell.org orcall 563-326-2840. The Amy Helpenstell Foundation is administered by the CommunityFoundation of the Great River Bend.