60 John Deere Middle Schoolers are going on a treasure hunt this weekend looking for $300.00 in gold and silver in their backyard

(Moline, IL)  Four fields near the school will be filled with dimes and nickels Saturday morning and by using metal detectors the kids are going to get rich!  It's all about learning map skills, soil science, writing, data analysis, and graphing when they look for "gold" underground.  The Lights ON for Learning students are calling themselves the "Spartan Treasure Hunters" and the media is invited to interview them, their parents, and the sponsors?they can even hunt!

According to the Site Coordinators of the Lights ON for Learning grant, Chad Potter, the program was developed out of a partnership among the Lights On 21st Century, John Deere Middle,  Minelab USA (which is providing the metal detectors) and Chuck Smalley at SW Supplies and Prospecting.

***The hunt is being held at the John Deere Middle School in Moline (2035 11th Street) on Saturday, April 13th at 10:00 am.  The media is invited to witness the hunt in which the students will be using metal detectors to the find hidden treasures.

In addition to the hunt Potter says there will be a "Try It" station which is a mini clinic about metal detecting as a hobby put on by Minelab USA representatives for parents and teachers.  Students will participate in one of four "seeded" hunts to find coins and other interesting items.  There will also be a number of presentations related to the metal detecting hobby.  Potter says the school is going to create a metal detecting club after this initial venture.

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WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley introduced legislation to ease pressure on the heavy workloads on the Second and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals, which are two of the busiest circuit courts in the country.

"This bill is a step towards rectifying the great workload disparities between the circuit courts.  It's a common sense bill and moves judges to where they are needed.  It saves the taxpayers' money.  It won't affect President Obama's current nominee, Mr. Srinivasan. And because the bill would become effective upon enactment, President Obama would still have the opportunity to nominate two of those circuit court vacancies," Grassley said.

Grassley's legislation would add a seat to both the Second and Eleventh Circuit Courts and remove three seats from the D.C. Circuit Court.  Currently, the D.C. Circuit has 108 appeals filed per authorized judgeship, the lowest in the nation.  By contrast, the Second Circuit has 425 appeals filed per authorized judgeship and the Eleventh Circuit, the busiest appeals court in the country has 583 appeals filed per authorized judgeship.

If Grassley's legislation were enacted, the caseload would decrease by 7.5 percent in the Second and Eleventh Circuits. At the same time, even after removing three seats from the D.C. Circuit, the workload of the D.C. circuit would remain among the lowest in the country.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Orrin Hatch, Jeff Sessions, Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn, Mike Lee, Ted Cruz and Jeff Flake.

Here is a copy of Grassley's remarks that were inserted into the Senate Record upon introduction.

 

Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley

Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee
The Court Efficiency Act

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

 

Mr. President,

Today I am introducing the Court Efficiency Act, a bill that will help some of the nation's busiest courts.  Hopefully, it will also ease some of the tension that arises during debates of D.C. Circuit Court nominees.  I am pleased that Senators Hatch, Sessions, Graham, Cornyn, Lee, Cruz, and Flake are original co-sponsors.

It is no secret that the D.C. Circuit is the least-busy, least-worked appellate court in the nation.  By nearly every measurement taken by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the D.C. Circuit comes in a distant last.  Here are three of the most common measurements using the most recent data available for the 12-months ending September 30, 2012.

First, "Total Appeals Filed." Total Appeals Filed measures the amount of work coming into the court.  Simply put, it is the total number of appeals that a circuit court received in the last 12 months.  The D.C. Circuit has 108 appeals per authorized judgeship, the lowest in the nation.  To put this in perspective, the Second Circuit is 4 times higher and the Eleventh Circuit, the busiest in the nation, is more than five times as high, with 583 appeals filed per authorized judge.

Next, "Total Appeals Terminated" measures the amount of work the court is accomplishing.  Once again, the D.C. Circuit is by far the lowest in the nation with 108 total appeals terminated per authorized judgeship.  By comparison, the Second Circuit is 4 times higher and the Eleventh Circuit is 5 times higher, at 540 appeals terminated per authorized judgeship.

Finally, "Total Appeals Pending" measures the amount of work before the court.  In other words, it is the number of appeals the court hasn't yet addressed or the cases that are outstanding.  The D.C. Circuit has 120 appeals pending per authorized judgeship, which means it is essentially tied for last with the Tenth Circuit that has 115.  In contrast, the Second Circuit and the Eleventh Circuit have 343 and 323 appeals pending per authorized judgeship, respectively.

Back during President Bush's administration, my friends on the other side of the aisle cited the light work load of that court in order to block qualified, non-controversial nominees.  Since that time, the D.C. Circuit Court workload has only continued to decrease.

Considering the imbalance between the workloads of the Circuits, my bill essentially reallocates those vacancies to other circuits that are much busier.  The Court Efficiency Act does four things.  First, it adds one seat to the Second Circuit.  Second, it adds one seat to the Eleventh Circuit.  Third, it reduces the number of authorized judgeships for the D.C. Circuit from 11 to 8.  Fourth, it would become effective upon enactment.

Adopting this bill would be a step towards rectifying the great workload disparities between the circuit courts.  The Court Efficiency Act would ease some of the pressure on the Second and Eleventh circuits.  By moving just one judgeship each to the Second and Eleventh circuits, we would lower each circuit's respective workload by approximately 7.5%.  This reduction can be accomplished without jeopardizing the D.C. Circuit's status as the "least-busy Circuit." Even after the D.C. Circuit is reduced to 8 seats, it would still be roughly half as busy as the Circuit median in appeals filed, terminated, and pending per authorized judgeship.

I would also like to highlight several things that this bill will not do.  First, it would not impact the President's current nominee to the D.C. Circuit, Mr. Srinivasan, whose hearing occurred earlier today.  Instead, for the remaining three seats, it removes one and reallocates the other two.

Second, the bill would not affect the president's opportunity to nominate two of those Circuit court vacancies.  It simply reassigns those vacancies to other circuits that are clearly busier.

Third, this legislation will be effective immediately, rather than postponing until the beginning of the next presidential term, as has been in the past.  Immediate enactment will empower the President to quickly act to alleviate some of the heavy workloads of the Second and Eleventh Circuits.

The bill will also save the taxpayer a significant amount of money annually.  Although the bill has not been scored yet by the CBO, this estimate is based on previous estimates offered by the CBO when it has scored judgeship bills.

The last time the D.C. Circuit had 11 nominees was the end of 1999.  I want to move past the disagreements over the D.C. Circuit and shift these judges to circuits where there is a greater need to fill them.

Mr. President, this is a common sense bill.  It moves judges to where they are needed, a significant step in addressing the severe imbalance in the workloads of some of these circuit courts.  It saves the taxpayers money.  It doesn't negatively impact the D.C. Circuit Court.  It won't affect President Obama's current nominee, Mr. Srinivasan.  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the Record.

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Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley

The Motion to Proceed to the Reid Gun Control Bill

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Mr. President, earlier I met with families from Newtown, Connecticut to discuss the legislation we are currently debating.  It was emotional and difficult for all of us.  I thank them for sharing their stories of their loved ones and their concerns with me.

At the meeting, they called for a debate on the legislation, a debate we are having. Nonetheless, Mr. President, we are in the unusual position of being asked to take a leap into the unknown.  We are being asked to vote to proceed to an uncertain bill.  That bill is not even the bill that we would likely consider if the motion to proceed were successful.  The language on background checks would change.  We have not seen the actual new background check language.  But we are being asked to proceed to the bill anyway.

What we do have is a summary of the proposed background check language.  That summary raises questions. For instance, the summary states that the background check language applies to sales at gun shows and online.  Is a background check required if someone sees a gun at a gun show, then proceeds to purchase the gun outside the gun show, maybe even in a parking lot?  What if someone at a gun show trades but does not sell a gun?

And it applies beyond gun shows.  If a private person advertises a gun, then the transfer would have to go through a licensed dealer, at a price.  So if someone takes out an ad to sell their gun in the local Farm Bureau newsletter or in their church bulletin, they would have to find a licensed gun dealer to conduct a background check before sale could go through.  That is quite a limitation on private sales and ownership of guns.  And it takes time in many places in this country to find that gun dealer to conduct that background check.

The summary is not specific: which private sales would be exempt from the bill's background check requirements?  The summary states that background checks are "required for sales at gun shows and online while securing certain aspects of 2nd Amendment rights for law abiding citizens."  That should cause everyone concern.  If the background check language secures "certain aspects of 2nd Amendment rights," then what aspects of 2nd Amendment rights of law abiding citizens does it not secure?

The summary says that the new language exempts "temporary transfers."    What is the difference between a "temporary" and a permanent transfer?  How would a law-abiding citizen know whether the transfer would be considered to be "temporary"?  What if the person making the transfer thought at the time it was made that the transfer would be temporary but later decides that it should be for a longer time?

And the summary claims that it will close the "gun show and other loopholes."  What "other loopholes"?  We should be skeptical about what rights could be infringed based on that claim.         It is important to understand that there is no such thing as a "gun show loophole."  Under existing law, background checks are required for gun purchases from a federally licensed firearms dealer.  This is true whether the purchase is made at a gun show or any other location.

Also, under existing law, gun purchases made through someone who is not a federally licensed firearms dealer do not require a background check.  This is true whether the sale is made at a gun show or not.  Whether a sale is made at a gun show is therefore irrelevant to whether a background check is required.

There is one rule for sales from licensed dealers and another for private sales.  But under the new language, not all private sales will be treated the same.  Some private sales will require background checks and others will not.  That distinction will create, not close, a loophole.  No longer would all private sales be treated the same.  Some private sales will require background checks and others will not.  There will be political pressure then to say that all private sales should be covered - universal background checks in other words.

And we heard testimony in the Judiciary Committee, and the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Justice has written, that universal background checks can be enforced only if gun registration is mandated.

Now it has been said on the floor recently that background check legislation cannot lead to gun registries because federal law prohibits that.     But current federal law can be changed.  And the language currently before us requires recordkeeping, a step toward registration.

Although the sponsor of that language said that the bill expressly provided that no registry could be created, the bill contains no such language at present.  The sponsor was misinformed about his own bill.  He admitted that the current background check language was not yet ready for consideration and needed clarifications that so far have not been forthcoming.

We should have answers to these and other questions before we should proceed to the bill.

And we should be wary of going to a bill when various senators have announced their intention to offer amendments to that bill that in my judgment raise serious constitutional questions under the Second Amendment.

Mr. President, how can we responsibly proceed to a bill that contains language that even its sponsor admits is not ready for consideration?

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PORT BYRON, IL–The office of state Rep. Mike Smiddy (D-Hillsdale) is hosting Satellite Office Hours on Wednesday, April 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Colona Public Library, located at 911 1st Street in Colona.

"The 71st District is geographically diverse, and I want to make my office and our services accessible to everyone - regardless of which corner of the district they live in," said Smiddy.  "Satellite office hours are another opportunity for residents to reach out to our office and get assistance on state issues."

A representative from Smiddy's office will be available to answer resident questions about state issues or state programs.

"My office will continue to host satellite office hours throughout the area, and I hope that residents are able to make it out at least once to become familiar with our office," Smiddy says. "Being accessible to the community and making sure my door is always open are the most important things to me as state Representative."

The 71st District includes the towns of Albany, Cleveland, Coal Valley, Colona, Como, Cordova, Deer Grove, Erie, Fulton, Hampton, Hillsdale, Lyndon, Morrison, Port Byron, Prophetstown, Rapids City, Rock Falls, Savanna, Sterling, Tampico, and Thomson and portions of Carbon Cliff, East Moline, Moline, and Silvis.

For more information, contact Smiddy's constituent services office at RepSmiddy@gmail.com, (309) 848-9098, or toll-free at (855) 243-4988.

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Brucemore's Hired Help Tour explores working on a country estate

 

 

Downton Abbey fans will enjoy Brucemore's Hired Help Tour - Thursday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. Join a costumed interpreter for a tour exploring the lives of Brucemore's domestic servants in the early twentieth century. Consider what it was like to live and work on one of Iowa's grandest estates while discovering the servants' living quarters and the Servants' Village, an area only open to the public during this tour. Documents, photographs, and other materials from Brucemore's collections enrich visitors' understanding of the relationships between the employers and "the hired help." Admission is $15 per person and $12 per Brucemore member. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

The Hired Help Tour is part of Brucemore's Thursday Night Lineup. Every Thursday night Brucemore will feature a different specialty tour focusing on topics for all interests, including arts and culture, Midwestern industry, gardening, landscape design, architecture, preservation, behind-the-scenes at Brucemore, and growing up in the early twentieth century. For more information on the Thursday Night Lineup or the May schedule, visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375.

About Brucemore

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.

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Former State Ward Observes National Foster Care Month in May
She's Helping Launch a Program to Replace Trash Bags with New Duffel Bags

We have some positive changes to applaud as the nation observes National Foster Care Month in May, says former foster child Margaret Iuculano.

"In Ohio, $3 million from a mortgage settlement the state won will help foster kids pursue higher education and expand court-appointed advocates. And in Florida, a new law is going to make it much easier for foster kids to do normal things like sleepovers with their friends and school field trips," she says.

"In Nebraska, they're close to boosting the pay for foster parents, which will mean the state can retain and attract more and better foster parents."

But Iuculano, spokeswoman for Duffels for Kids (www.floridafapa.org/duffelsforkids),
and founder of Angels for Foster Kids, says that sometimes, it's the smallest things foster children remember most.

"I was in foster care from age 11 to 16, when I aged out, and I was moved to 15 different homes in that time," she says. "Every time I moved, I had to pack my few belongings in a black trash bag.

"When you're already feeling abandoned, wondering whether anyone will ever want you or care about you, that trash bag seals it: No, they won't. You're a throwaway."

While workplace groups and communities have banded together and charities have sprung up across the country to address this problem, more foster care children than not continue to cart their belongings in trash bags.

"There just hasn't been enough," Iuculano says. "And often, the organizations gather used luggage. I know the intention is good, but we'd like to give these children something brand new; something all their own."

To that end, another positive to celebrate will be the first Duffels for Kids Walk, sponsored by the Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association on May 18 in Miami.

It's the kickoff to the association's drive to provide new duffel bags to every child in that state's foster care system. As the program grows, its leaders hope to have new duffel bags for each child entering the system, Iuculano says.

Duffels for Kids will initially focus on Florida, but organizer LaShaun Wallace, who's on the board of the National Foster Parents Association, hopes it will eventually go nationwide.

It's in everyone's best interests to protect the most vulnerable in our society, children without the protection of loving, caring families, Iuculano says.

"When you look at the numbers, you quickly see why we desperately need more positive changes to applaud," she says.

These were compiled from various sources:

• In recent years, there have been more than 500,000 children in foster care nationally; per one annual count, 22 percent were available for adoption.
• In that year, 18 percent of children were adopted after waiting an average 42 months in foster care.
• More than half of the children who age out of foster care will be unemployed adults.
• Almost a third will be homeless.
• One in five will be incarcerated within two years.

To support Duffels for Kids by attending the walk or making a donation, visit the website.

Some of the supporters scheduled to participate in the May 18 walk include Esther Jacobo, regional director for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties for the Florida Department of Children and Families and Children's Trust board member; Dr. Kalyani Gopal, licensed clinical psychologist and author of "Foster Parenting Step-by-Step," to be released in May, which tackles the day-to-day issues in raising foster children; and Sidarth Singh and Shifali Singh, siblings who founded the former Duffels for Angels - renamed Duffels for Kids -- and Aid for Change to provide duffel bags for foster children in Indiana.

About Duffels for Kids

Duffels for Kids is a new program coordinated by the Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association, which will coordinate distribution of new duffel bags with the help of the Department of Children and Families, private investigators, guardian ad litems and local foster parent groups. Caregivers will be able to request a duffel bag for a child by calling the state foster parent associations 800 line or request an online form.

Quad Cities' first home game will be 7 p.m. Friday; Thursday tickets good for any 2013 home game

DAVENPORT, Iowa (APRIL 11, 2013) - Thursday night's game between the Quad Cities River Bandits and Peoria Chiefs at Modern Woodmen Park has been postponed. The game will be made up in a doubleheader May 11, and all tickets for Thursday's game may be exchanged for any other 2013 home game. The River Bandits' home opener will instead be Friday night at 7 p.m. against the Chiefs.

 

The Quad-City Times Opening Night Celebration and pennant giveaway for the first 1,500 fans courtesy of Mediacom will take place at Friday's game, which will include Eastern Iowa Toyota Dealers postgame fireworks, also presented by WLLR-FM and WQAD-TV. One lucky fan will also win a free refrigerator courtesy of American.

 

Friday night's pitching matchup is yet to be announced.

UP NEXT: The River Bandits will open their home schedule Friday night at 7 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park with an Eastern Iowa Toyota Dealers Fireworks Show, also presented by WLLR-FM and WQAD-TV. It will be the Quad-City Times Opening Night Celebration, and the first 1,500 fans will receive a pennant courtesy of Mediacom. One fan will also win a free refrigerator courtesy of American. 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 will make 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 scheduled to open in early June, along with two new zip lines, a carousel, a 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 this June 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!

DES MOINES, IA (04/11/2013)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald is encouraging Iowans to make the most of their tax refunds this year by investing in College Savings Iowa. "Much like the April 15 deadline for taxes, the time to save for college is over before you know it," said Fitzgerald. "Put your refund to good use and start saving for a loved one's future educational needs today. By starting early, saving a little at a time and making smart investment choices, families can make their savings work for them."

College Savings Iowa is designed to provide 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.* Earnings grow tax free and investors can withdraw their investment federally and Iowa state 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.**

Saving for a child's education is always a smart investment, and College Savings Iowa is there to help. To learn more about College Savings Iowa or to open an account, please visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com or call 1-888-672-9116.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

**Earnings on 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.

College Savings Iowa is an Iowa trust sponsored by the Iowa State Treasurer's Office. The Treasurer of the State of Iowa sponsors and is responsible for overseeing the administration of the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager and Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., assists the Treasurer with marketing and distributing the Plan. Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC, provides records administration services. The Plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

Iowa State University Scott County Extension Master Gardeners presents the DIG to DONATE Plant Sale on May 4th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the ISU Scott County Extension & Outreach Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf.

Pick from a wide selection of perennials, many of which are grown and donated by Master Gardners who will be available to answer your plant questions. Demonstrations will be held throughout the day.

Great prices. Good variety. Expert advice. Cash or check. Support the Master Gardener program and its horticulture education programs in Scott County. To learn more about the group or plant sale call (563) 359-7577.

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AMES, Iowa -- Understanding and using some simple tools can help cattle producers make the right selection for new herd bulls during upcoming bull sales. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef program specialist Denise Schwab said that's why a bull selection clinic is scheduled prior to the Friday, May 3, bull sale held by Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA) at the Tama Livestock Auction, Tama. There's no cost to attend and no preregistration is necessary.

"Sorting through performance measures and expected progeny differences doesn't have to be a chore or a mystery," Schwab said. "Staff from the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State have scheduled the clinic so attendees can make use of the information they receive at the bull sale immediately following the clinic." The clinic will start at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 3.

The sale will feature bulls that have been through ICA's Bull Evaluation Program, according to ICA seedstock manager Kellie Carolan. She said bulls that go through this 112-day test are evaluated for growth, carcass traits, yearling weight, disposition and scrotal circumference, and are some of the breed's best pedigrees for calving ease, performance and carcass merit. The Tama sale will also include a group of replacement heifers for sale starting at 6 pm.

Schwab said Iowa Beef Center staff will break down the process of bull selection into simple steps and assist those attending with interpreting the EPD numbers in the catalog. Dr. Patrick Gunn, the newest addition to the ISU Extension beef team and statewide cow-calf specialist, will also present at this clinic.

"We can help you evaluate your cow herd and determine the economically relevant traits that you want to emphasize," she said. "With that information, you can use the index EPDs and visually appraise the bulls to identify some options that will help you get the most benefit from your cow herd."

To learn more about ICA's Bull & Heifer Program, including a listing of bulls that will be offered at the May 3 sale, go to http://www.iacattlemen.org/bullheifer.aspx

For more information on the bull clinics, contact your Iowa State beef specialist at www.extension.iastate.edu/ag/beef

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