15 Apr 2013

Tax Filing Day

By Grassley Press
Monday, April 15, 2013

Senator Chuck Grassley made the following comment on Tax Filing Day, the annual federal income tax deadline.

"Tax Filing Day is a good day to remember that, on average, every American taxpayer works until April 18 - five days later than last year - in order to pay taxes for the year, including federal, state and local taxes, according to the Tax Foundation.

"As Washington continues the budget debate and, I hope, works toward necessary tax reform, it's also important to remember that raising taxes won't restore fiscal discipline unless spending is brought under control.  The last four years prove it.  Dramatic increases in federal spending and tax increases failed to turn around record-level unemployment.  The federal debt reached $16 trillion and is projected to top $17 trillion this year.  Federal debt now exceeds 100 percent of the gross domestic product and acts as an anchor weighing down our economy.  Research shows that when federal debt is more than 90 percent of the gross domestic project, the average rate of growth falls by a full percentage point.  High levels of government spending and interest on the national debt take money away from private-sector investments and activity that creates jobs and economic opportunities for individuals and families.

"The problem isn't that people are taxed too little but that Washington spends too much.  America needs pro-growth spending discipline and tax policy."

 

15 Apr 2013

IOWA FARM BUREAU BRINGS NATIONAL EXPERTS TO IOWA FOR SECOND ANNUAL IFBF ECONOMIC SUMMIT

By Laurie Johns

"Grain, Gridlock and Globalization: Meeting the Economic Challenges in Today's Agriculture"

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - April 15, 2013 - Compared to a year ago, Iowa farmers are facing entirely new challenges from nature as well as global markets, farm policy and soaring land prices.  Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), the state's largest grassroots farm organization, is once again bringing economic, marketing and nationally-respected financial experts to Iowa to help Iowa's crop and livestock farmers weather these new cycles of change.  The second annual IFBF Economic Summit will take place July 22-23 at the Iowa State Center Scheman Building on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa.

"The timing of this Economic Summit is at such a critical juncture; with regards to policy, weather and many other factors which impact farming sustainability and profitability," said Craig Hill, IFBF president. "While it's true that Iowa's thriving farm sector served to insulate much of our state from the worst of the recession, we have to be realistic. Fifteen percent of farmers are more leveraged today than they were before the Farm Crisis of the 1980's.  There are many things in flux: record land prices and cash rent prices for farmland, an uncertain political climate, no new Farm Bill, global market competition and trade challenges.  Corn exports are down 50 percent from just three years ago and there are many other signs which point towards an inevitable 'bubble' burst."

"Brazil will pass the U.S. in soybean production for the first time in 2013 and they're emerging as a strong beef exporter.  Ukraine just signed a MOU with China to become a soybean supplier, so you can quickly see that our 'first-in-the- nation-leading-food-exporter' status is facing new competition thanks to a drought cycle and uncertain political climate," said Dave Miller, IFBF director of research and commodity services.

"Today, our market strength depends largely on global markets, trade and things we can't predict, such as political uncertainty and climate change," Miller added.

National experts ranging from Daniel Mitchell with the D.C. think tank The CATO Institute, economist Mike Boehlje with Purdue University, American Farm Bureau economist Bob Young and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack are among many nationally-recognized monetary, policy, trade and economic experts tapped for the July IFBF Economic Summit.

For a complete listing of the panelists and schedule, click here: www.iowafarmbureau.com.

The price of the two-day summit is $50 for Iowa Farm Bureau members and $150 for non-members.  Information about the summit, lodging, online registration forms or to join IFBF can be found at www.iowafarmbureau.com.

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About Iowa Farm Bureau

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation is a grassroots, statewide organization dedicated to enhancing the People, Progress and Pride of Iowa.  More than 153,000 families in Iowa are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve farm and rural prosperity.  For more information about Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit the online Newsroom page at www.iowafarmbureau.com.

15 Apr 2013

Summer Time Shouldn't be Hungry Time

By Rick Martin

Help Feed Hungry Kids through USDA's Summer Food Service Program 

By Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

In the midst of winter/spring, it can be easy to forget those long, hot days of June, July, and August.  Even so, now is the time to start applying and planning to feed hungry children when the school year ends.

More than 21 million children in the country receive free and reduced price meals during the school year, but when summer rolls around, only about 1 in 10 of those kids (3 million) get free meals through federal summer feeding programs.  Clearly, there is a gap that needs filling.

Enter USDA's Summer Food Service Program.  Kids are at higher risk of going hungry during the summer months, and we are working to fill that void.  USDA alone, however, cannot accomplish the important work of feeding our low-income kids.  You and your organizations have an important role to play. 

Faith-based, community and private non-profit organizations are pivotal in the lives of needy children.  And schools, churches, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, and camps are all eligible and encouraged to serve summer meals in neighborhoods with a high percentage of low-income families.  These locations, by their very nature, offer safe and familiar environments and are places children gather when school is out.

But feeding hungry young people requires commitment.  Sponsors must provide a capable staff, managerial skills and food service capabilities.   Sponsors may provide their own meals, purchase meals through an agreement with an area school, or contract for meals with a food vendor.

If you don't want to be a sponsor but still want to be involved, your organization can be a summer feeding site. There are sponsors in your area who can work with you to feed the children in your community.  And don't forget to register your summer feeding sites for the National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-Hungry or 1-877-8-HAMBRE.

The most successful summer programs offer activities for kids. Children are much more likely to come out for a meal when there is an activity to keep them there. It can include anything from sports, tutoring and arts and crafts, to other creative activities with community partners. Developing partnerships with other community organizations is often the key to being able to offer great activities.

To learn more about the Summer Food Service Program or to participate in one of USDA's free webinar sessions on opportunities to provide summer meals, please visit www.summerfood.usda.gov.  These helpful webinars will highlight the program, offer an understanding of how SFSP works, detail sponsor and site roles and responsibilities, and provide outreach tips and other resources to get started.

Together we can continue to tackle childhood hunger and ensure kids receive the nutritious meals they need in summer, and throughout the year.  We look forward to working with you to meet that goal.

15 Apr 2013

All-Access Pass to the Brucemore Mansion

By Tara Richards

Visit every floor, peek into closed rooms, and satisfy curiosity through an all-access pass to the Brucemore Mansion during the Nooks and Crannies Tour - May 23 at 6:00 p.m. Marvel at the Skinner pipe organ room, discover the architectural oddities in the attic, and experience the sight and sound of a "rain storm" in the basement Tahitian Room. Examine the superior craftsmanship and learn about ongoing preservation work. The tour is not recommended for children under ten or individuals who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Admission is $15 per person and $12 per Brucemore member and includes a Historic Neighborhood Tour flipbook. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

The Nooks and Crannies 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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15 Apr 2013

" Alternative Methods of Financial Exchange" April 18th. 2013. I.S.E.

By Narveen Aryaputri
"Alternative Methods of Financial Exchange."
General and Open discussion ..

Independent Scholars Evenings.

Please Join In

Please share your experience and information with the co-learners and supporters.
Subsequently, with enough material, we may have a written completed article for circulation.

Independent Scholars Evenings. 7.00 p.m.
Thursday.
1530 Fifth Avenue. Moline. Illinois 309-762-9202 or 762-8547
Doors open at 6.30 p.m.
Free and open to the public.
Dress code: business casual.
Elevators are located through the 16th Street entrance. Please call. This door is closed after 7.00 p.m. for security reasons.
The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, LTD is a 501(c)3 at State and Federal level organization under US laws since 1996.
Please visit www.qcinstitute.org to see our archives.

AMERICAN MIDWEST ART: Please visit the Phoenix Art Gallery, specializing in American Midwest Art.
Current show is the Art of  BILL MARSOUN  in the Phoenix and  Photography by
DARREN MILLER in the Dragon, adjacent to the Phoenix.
The jewelry of  KIRAN YARLA and ELSA ROMERO is available at The Artisan Adventure in the corner: the old Fannie May store.
Artist showing at the Moline Commercial Club on the 2nd floor and in the Artisan Adventure are:
ANNA ENGELBRECHT: Midwest scenes: photography, guache on canvas.
AMBER WILLIAMS: : mixed media Midwest scenes
EKKEHARD STOEVESAND: The Mississippi river in our area. Tractors. Oil on canvas. Genre: German Expressionist Abstract.
HUGH LIFSON: mixed media
ROBERT KAMECZURA: photography, ink and pencil on paper, and giclee.

The galleries will be open at 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, LTD is a 501(c)3 at State and Federal level organization under US laws since 1996. Please visit
www.qcinstitute.org to see our archives.

Contributions may be sent  to:
The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd.
1530 Fifth. Avenue. Moline. IL 61265
15 Apr 2013

WHAT'S NEW AT NIABI ZOO - APRIL 2013

By Scarlet Behrens

PARTY FOR THE PLANET

Celebrate Earth Day with hands on activities and get great ideas for conservation of plants and animals. Make enrichment items for Niabi's animals, learn how to tell the age of a tree by counting rings and make and take a home for bees.

CLICK FOR MORE

PARTY FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY

 Party at Niabi! Host a birthday party for 10 people for only $150. Pump up the party experience with premium packages that include train and carrousel passes and admission for up to 30 guests. Go totally wild with an after hours zoo party for 50 guests.

CLICK FOR PACKAGES

JUNIOR ZOOKEEPERS

The deadline to apply to Niabi's Junior Zookeeper program is Monday, April 15. Students 14-17 can participate and there are a few spots open for eligible applicants. Download the application and apply before time runs out!

CLICK TO APPLY

SIGN UP FOR THE GOLF OUTING

Only a few foursomes are still available for Niabi's annual Golf Outing on Friday, May 31 at Short Hills Country Club in East Moline. Sign up your team to golf, or become a hole sponsor that includes the round of golf for your team. Several sponsorships starting at $250 are still available. Click here to find out how you can support Niabi Zoo.

15 Apr 2013

Moline Library Program: Gettysburg: One Woman's War

By Rick Martin
Michele LaRue, a professional performer appearing in period costume, will dramatically recite three stories from Elsie Singmaster's 1913 collection, Gettysburg: Stories of the Red Harvest and the Aftermath centering on the imagined life of Mary Bowman, a Civil War widow at the Moline Public Library, 3210 41st Street on Saturday, May 4 at 2:30 P.M. in the meeting rooms.

Elsie Singmaster (1879-1958) was a gifted short story writer and author of 42 books.  Her numerous stories, mostly forgotten today, appeared regularly in American literary journals and popular magazines beginning in 1905 and ending in the early 1940's. Singmaster's Gettysburg stories convey a powerful, personal sense of how war touches a life.

A native of Chicago, Michele LaRue earned her degree in Acting at the University of Kansas, and makes her home in New Jersey, just across the Hudson from the Great White Way. She has worked often with The East Lynne Company?uniquely founded to produce plays of the Long 19th Century?with which she began developing her own singular repertoire.

The program, sponsored by the Friends of the Moline Public Library, is open to all ages and free of charge. Please register at the 2nd floor Reference Desk, phone 309-524-2470, or Email reference@molinelibrary.org.

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15 Apr 2013

Cooking with Stephanie Godke at CASI

By Sarah Arp
This Tuesday, April 16, Chef Stephanie Godke is cooking up some of her new dishes from her new cookbook at the Center For Active Seniors, Inc. (CASI), 1035 West Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA 52806!  Her class will be held in CASI's kitchen from 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Come enjoy some yummy dishes while learning from the famous Chef Stephanie Godke!

- END -

For more information, please call: Sarah Arp at CASI at: 563.386.7477, 229 (office) or 563.343.0038 (cell) or email at: sarp@casiseniors.org

CASI, 1035 West Kimberly Road, Davenport, Iowa. CASI is open Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm.

www.CasiSeniors.org
15 Apr 2013

RECORD NUMBER OF JORDAN STUDENTS ACCEPTED TO SAU ENGINEERING CAMP!

By Janine Parr
SAU Engineering Acceptance.JPG
Sixteen 6th grade students at Jordan Catholic School were accepted to St. Ambrose University's Engineering Camp. The school reported a record number of students qualifying for the camp and attributes it to Jordan's strong S.T.E.M. program.

Pictured (in alphabetical order): Emma Beardsley, Chloe Boyd, Anna Darrow, John Do, Sydney Elliott, Jonathan Fernandez, Julia Fout, Parker Georlett, Lauren Hird, Evan Juarez, Nate Maynard, Aaron Mickelson, Faith Pickslay, Vanessa Reger, Ava Reynolds, Kaitlynn Zonnevylle
15 Apr 2013

VELASQUEZ & BIRCHER ARE THE RIGHT RECIPE FOR BANDITS

By Matt Bierl

Tandem pair allowed two runs in eight innings to tally third win

DAVENPORT, Iowa (APRIL 14, 2013) - Right-hander Vincent Velasquez and left-hander Joe Bircher stayed perfect in the starting tandem set for the Quad Cities River Bandits, while third baseman Rio Ruiz blasted his first home run of the season to lead Quad Cities to a 3-2 victory over Peoria on Sunday afternoon in front of 1,402 at Modern Woodmen Park.

For the second time this season and second consecutive game, an opponent put a run on the board before the River Bandits.  Peoria's Michael Swinson led off the game with a stand-up triple down the line in right and came around to score on the next at bat on a single off the bat of Alex Mejia to plate the Chiefs with an early 1-0 lead.

Ruiz belted a solo shot over the wall and onto the left field berm for the first home run of the 2013 season at Modern Woodmen Park to even up the score in the second.  With two outs, designated hitter Ryan Dineen walked and advanced to third on a single off the bat of shortstop Carlos Perdomo.  Perdomo stole second and second baseman Joe Sclafani walked to load the bases for center fielder Jordan Scott. Scott worked Peoria starter and former River Bandit Tyrell Jenkins (0-1) to a full count but struck out looking to end the inning.

Quad Cities (7-2) broke the tie with two runs on three hits in the fifth. Perdomo lined a single up the middle to start the frame. With Perdomo running on a pitch, Sclafani connected on a line-drive single to left, allowing Perdomo to take third ahead of Swinson's throw, which allowed Sclafani to reach second. With Scott at the plate, skipper Omar Lopez called for a squeeze for the fourth time this season. Scott laid down a sacrifice bunt along first-base line, scoring Perdomo and sending Sclafani to third.  First baseman Jesse Wierzbicki laced an RBI single to score Sclafani and extend his own hit streak to six games. Perdomo was the only River Bandit with two hits. Jenkins allowed all three Bandits runs off six hits, walked three and struck out one.

Peoria (4-5) drew within one run in the eighth against Bircher. Mejia reached on an error by Sclafani, and back-to-back singles by second baseman Breyvic Valera and first baseman Jordan Walton loaded the bases for designated hitter Patrick Wisdom. Bircher got Wisdom to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, allowing Mejia to score. The Bandits' southpaw got Ildemaro Vargas to ground out to escape the jam.

As the starter in the tandem for a second time, Velasquez (2-0) allowed one run on three hits, struck out one and did not issue a walk in five innings.  His partner in the tandem rotation, Bircher, allowed one unearned run on three hits and struck out two in three innings.  John Neely followed in the ninth inning, allowing a one-out single by center fielder Charlie Tilson before inducing a ground-ball double play by pinch hitter Casey Rasmus to give Neely his first save.

The victory also means The Captain's Table at 4801 River Drive in Moline will offer The Captain's Table Victory Discount on Tuesday, April 16. Anyone who mentions the River Bandits victory can receive a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of two lunches or dinners with beverages on Tuesday, April 16.

Winners of their first home series, the River Bandits (7-2) will host the Clinton LumberKings for three games, beginning Monday at 7 p.m. Right-handers Lance McCullers (0-1) and Daniel Minor (1-0) are scheduled to pitch in tandem for Quad Cities.

UP NEXT: Munchie Monday presented by 97X will debut tomorrow night.  Fans can enjoy all-you-can-eat hot dogs, nachos, peanuts and popcorn all game long for a single-price wristband.  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!

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