Greetings!

You are invited to come see our newest exhibit, Vintage Vows & Veils featuring over 30 wedding dresses from 1868 to present!
German Wedding Traditions
At 2p.m. Kathlyn Hofmann will present on the many different ways in which German's celebrate marriage!


Book Your Wedding at GAHC!
Our fourth floor facility is available for your wedding reception or rehearsal dinner! Ask about availability or come tour the space!

Don't forget to renew your membership! Our volunteers and staff will be on hand to help you get your membership up to date or to help you join!
Sincerely,

German American Heritage Center
Weekly Events Header
Hello!
Tired of winter and ready for summer boating and outdoor fun? Head to the Boat, RV, and Vacation Show this Friday through Sunday at the RiverCenter! Now's your chance to shop boats for fishing, cruising, and water sports. Check out the multiple exhibits on resorts and fishing camps, fly-ins, vacations, and much more.
The subject of the Academy-nominated documentary Jules at Eight will be making an appearance at River Music Experience Wednesday!  Spend An Evening with Julian Lage and take in a night of jazz guitar by this Grammy-nominated virtuoso who's played with everyone from Santana to Martin Taylor.

The Twin Cities' Davina and the Vagabonds hit the stage at River Music Experience Friday night!  Davina's jazzy performance style never disappoints, and get there early to catch the Quad Cities' own Busted Chandeliers open the gig!  Head back to RME Saturday for the Kings CD Release Show with special guests Straight Up, Dividing the Masses, and Hello Ramona.

Plan to visit the Figge Art Museum for some quality family time during Portraits Family Day! Studio art activities, story time, refreshments, and more await on this  picture-perfect day. While you're there, peruse the new Young Artists at the Figge exhibition.  This week's exhibition highlights work from students from the Muscatine Community School District. Be sure to make it to the exhibition's reception Sunday, too!
Just can't get enough of weddings?  Check out the new Vintage Vows & Veils exhibit opening this Sunday at the German American Heritage Center. This exhibit, which features wedding traditions at the GAHC, will continue on until May 26th. Come check out unique, vintage photos, gowns, heirlooms, and more!

Enjoy writing original songs? Here's your chance to play, listen, and learn from leaders in the craft as they make music and talk about the process at River Music Experience. Head out for Songwriter's All-Orginial Open Mic this Saturday and hear from talented teenagers just starting out alongside polished musicians who make a living from their original material.
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This Week's Events: January 10 - January 16


Thursday, January 10

Competitor Coupon Craze

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Drop-In Hockey (Adult)

Where: River's Edge, Ice

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Price: $10

Website

 

Kilkenny's Open Mic with Karl

Where: Kilkenny's Pub

Time: 9 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Live Lunch with Lewis Knudsen

Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage

Time: Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

QC United Presents Raise the Roof Thursday

Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Quad Cities Chamber Business After Hours/Progressive Dinner

Where: Radisson Quad City Plaza, The RiverCenter, and Hotel Blackhawk

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Price: $15 in adv., $20 at the door

Website

 

River's Edge Monthly Turf & Ice Schedule

Discover dozens of sporting events at River's Edge!

Follow the links below to see the complete ice and turf schedule for the month.

Ice Schedule

Turf Schedule

Website

 

Thursdays at the Figge

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Trivia Challenge - Win Gift Certificates!

Where: Brady Street Pub

Time: 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Friday, January 11

Boat, RV, & Vacation Show

Where: RiverCenter

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Price: $6, Kids 12 and Under FREE, Matinee $4 (2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Website

Brewery Tours

Where: Great River Brewery

Time: 6:00 p.m, 7:00 p.m, and 8:00 p.m.

Price: N/A

Website

 

Davina and The Vegabonds

Where: River Music Experience, Redstone Room

Time: Doors 7:00 p.m. / Show 8:00 p.m.

Price: $10

Website


Live Lunch with Tony Hoeppner
Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage
Time: Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Price: FREE

Public Skate

Where: River's Edge Ice

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ; 8:15 p.m. - 10:15 p.m.

Price: $5 and up

Website

 

River City 6

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Website

 

Saturday, January 12

 

$20,000 Cash is King Drawing

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 11:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Crazy Bad

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 8:00 p.m. - Midnight

Website

 

Boat, RV, & Vacation Show

Where: RiverCenter

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Price: $6, Kids 12 & Under FREE

Website

 

Brewery Tours

Where: Great River Brewery
Time: Noon, 1:00 p.m, 2:00 p.m, and 3:00 p.m.
Price: N/A

 

Exhibition: Picturing Identity: The Allure of Portraiture

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Exhibition: Portrait of Maquoketa: The Dimensional View

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Exhibition: Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Exhibition: Sculpting with Fiber

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Exhibition Opens: Young Artists at the Figge - Muscatine

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with Membership

Website

 

Freight House Farmers Market

Where: Freight House Farmer's Market

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website


Kings CD Release Show
Where: River Music Experience, Redstone Room
Time: Doors 5:00 p.m. / Show 6:00 p.m.
Price: $8
Website

Live Lunch with Keith Soko
Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage
Time: Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Price: FREE
Website

Midnight Multiplier

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: Midnight - 4:00 a.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

On the Face of It- Portraits Family Day

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Public Skate

Where: River's Edge Ice

Time: 2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. ; 9:15 p.m. - 11:15 p.m.

Price: $5 and up

Website

Rock the Pit

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 8:00 p.m.

Price: FREE
Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Songwriter's All-Orginal Open Mic

Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage

Time: 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Sunday, January 13

 

$3,000 Sunday Shake Up Slot Tournament

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Boat, RV, & Vacation Show

Where: RiverCenter

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Price: $6, Kids 12 & Under FREE

Website

 

Documentary Film Series: Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics
Where: Figge Art Museum
Time: 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Price: Museum Admission ($7) or FREE with membership
Website

Exhibition Opens: Vintage Vows & Veils
Where: German American Heritage Center
Time: Noon
Price: Museum Admission ($5, $4, or $3), or FREE with museum membership

Live Music: Five Bridges Jazz Band
Where: Brady Street Chop House
Website

Midnight Multiplier

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: Midnight - 4:00 a.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Over 30 Hockey

Where: River's Edge Ice

Time: 6:30 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.

Price: $10

Website

 

Reception: Young Artists at the Figge: Muscatine

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 12:30 p.m. & 1:00 p.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

 

Sunday Jazz Brunch at Bix Bistro

Where: Blackhawk Hotel

Time: 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Price: Adults - $17.95 and Kids - $8.95

Website

 

Tour: Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum

Where: Figge Art Museum

Time: 1:30 p.m.

Price: Museum Admission ($7), or FREE with membership

Website

Monday, January 14

 

Mexican Monday

Where: Barrel House 211

Time: 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Price: $3 Margaritas and $5 Tacos

Website

 

Nifty 50's

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 8:00 a.m. - Noon and 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Public Skate

Where: River's Edge Ice

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Price: $5 and up

Website

Tuesday, January 15


Acoustic Music Club
Where: River Music Experience, RME Cafe
Time: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Price: FREE
Website

Drop-In Hockey (Adult)
Where: The River's Edge, Ice
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Price: $10
Website

Drop-In Soccer
Where: The River's Edge, Turf
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Website

Competitor Coupon Craze

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Freight House Farmers Market
Where: Freight House Building and Parking Lot
Time: 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Price: FREE

 

It's Firkin Tuesday!

Where: Barrel House 211

Time: 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Price: $3 Burger Baskets

Website

 

Open Jam Session

Where: Brady Street Pub

Time: 8:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Quad City Kix Band

Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage

Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Wednesday, January 16

 

An Evening with Julian Lage

Where: River Music Experience, Redstone Room

Time: Doors 6:30 p.m. / Show 7:30 p.m.

Price: $12 in adv., $15 day of show

Website

 

Attack of the Casks

Where: Great River Brewery

Time: 5:00p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Price: N/A

Midday Moolah Tournament

Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Price: 100 points per entry; 10 entries max per guest

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Nifty 50's
Where: Rhythm City Casino

Time: 8:00 a.m. - Noon and 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

Follow on Facebook and Twitter

 

Public Skate

Where: River's Edge

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Price: $5 and Up

Website

 

RME Open Mic & Jam

Where: River Music Experience, Community Stage

Time: 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Price: FREE

Website

 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Committee of the Whole - 8:00 am
Board Room, 1st Floor, Administrative Center

1. Roll Call: Minard, Sunderbruch, Cusack, Earnhardt, Hancock

Presentation

2. Presentation from Quad Cities Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the Mississippi
Valley Welcome Center Board on the proposed use of the proceeds from the recent
sale of the Iowa Welcome Center property. (Item 2)

Facilities & Economic Development

3. Discussion of public hearing on a request by Ed Collins / E & R Bros LLC (applicant
and owner of Horizon Outdoor Services) to rezone a 4.72 acres parcel located in part
other SE 1/4 SE 1/4 and the SW 1/4 SE 1/4 of Section 7 and part of the NW 1/3 NE
1/4 and the NE 1/4 NE 1/4 of Section 18 all in Pleasant Valley Township from
conditional Commercial and Light Industrial (C-2) with a landscaping only use
condition, to Commercial and Light Industrial (C-2) without a landscaping only use
restriction. (Item 3)

4. Discussion of public hearing and staff recommendation on the State Construction
Permit Application for Dennis Kirby, dba Kirby Farms, Inc in the SW1/4 SW 1/4
Section 21, T79N, R4E (Lincoln Township) for the expansion of a confined animal
feeding operation located at 22293 200th Avenue. (Item 4)

5. Approval of first of two readings of an ordinance to rezone approximately 5 acres
from Agricultural-Preservation District (A-P) to Agriculture Service Floating Zone (A-F)
in the southwesterly corner (precisely the west 600 feet of the south 365 feet) of the
SW 1/4 SW 1/4 of Section 18 in Butler Township. (Item 5)

Human Resources

6. Discussion of strategy of upcoming labor negotiations with the County's organized
employees pursuant to Iowa Code Section 20.17(3). - CLOSED SESSION

7. Approval of personnel actions. (Item 7)

Finance & Intergovernmental

8. Approval of GIS Software Maintenance renewal. (Item 8)

9. Approval of appointment to committees, boards and commissions. (Item 9)

10. Approval of Mt Joy Amoco and Kwik Shop, Eldridge, IA beer/liquor licenses.

11. Other items of interest.

Other Items of Interest

12. Consideration of appointments with upcoming term expirations for boards and
commissions.

o Benefited Fire District #2(McCausland)
term expiration 3/10/13 - Tom Claussen
o Benefited Fire District #3(Eldridge)
term expiration 04/01/13 - John Schnekloth
o Benefited Fire District #4 (Long Grove)
term expiration 04/01/13 - Merlyn Madden

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Regular Board Meeting - 5:30 pm
Board Room, 1st Floor, Administrative Center

Public Hearing

1. Rezoning request from Ed Collins to rezone 4.72 acres in Pleasant Valley Township
from C-2 with a landscaping only use condition to C-2 without a landscaping only use
condition.

2. State Construction Permit Application for Dennis Kirby in Lincoln Township.

Illinois Jobs Now! Capital Program Investing $15 Million to Develop New Exhibits, Improve Museum Facilities and Create Jobs

CHICAGO - January 10, 2013. Governor Pat Quinn today announced that public museums across Illinois will receive $15 million in state capital investments to improve facilities and develop new exhibits while creating more than 370 jobs. Supported by Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, the investments will help give the millions of people who visit Illinois' public museums each year a better understanding of Illinois' culture, history and natural heritage.

"Our museums expand educational frontiers by allowing visitors to learn about Illinois' history and cultural diversity in unique, interactive ways," Governor Quinn said. "These Illinois Jobs Now! grants will not only help preserve and enhance some of Illinois' greatest treasures, but also boost the economy by creating jobs and bringing more visitors to our state and its outstanding museums."

The projects are part of the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program, which is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

"The Museum Capital Grants Program assists local public museums in meeting their educational missions by upgrading or expanding museum facilities," said IDNR Director Marc Miller. "Museums play a vital role in helping students, families, and visitors to Illinois better understand the culture, history and natural heritage of local communities and the state of Illinois."

Today's grant recipients represent a wide range of cultural interests from across Illinois. The National Hellenic Museum and National Public Housing Museum in Chicago are expected to attract visitors from across the nation, as will the Lincoln Park Zoo's state-of-the-art Japanese Macaque exhibit. Glimpses into Illinois' past will be experienced at the Galena and U.S. Grant Museum's "Port of Galena" exhibit, Kankakee County Museum's celebration of "French Heritage" and the 1940s Music Store at the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Illinois children will enjoy the new "My Great Backyard" exhibit at the Children's Discovery Museum in Normal, the Kohl Children's Museum's "Books and Crannies" exhibit and the Chicago Children's Museum "I-Lab." A complete list of projects is attached.

Today's announcement marks the second time Governor Quinn has made a significant investment in public museums throughout Illinois. In 2010, nearly $15 million in capital dollars funded exhibit expansion and improvements at more than 50 museums, including new garden exhibits at the Botanic Gardens in both Glencoe and the Quad Cities, an interactive exhibit exploring the history of immigration at the Midway Village Museum in Rockford, and a new conservation and outreach center at the Chicago Zoological Society.

Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program is the largest in Illinois history. The program, which began in 2009, is expected to support an estimated 439,000 construction jobs over six years.

###


If you enjoyed our debut of RED, join us for our second production...

In this "comedy of suspicion," five characters inhabit multiple layers of a single, often conflicting and absurd story. Through a whirlwind of scenes and situations, the audience members act as detectives, trying to figure out what is real and what is not.



...And the return of "Pay What It's Worth"!

Our "Pay What It's Worth" ticket pricing means you pay what you think our play is worth! At the Workshop, you see the show first, then pay on your way out based on how you would value our work. This philosophy is an expression of one of our most deeply-held beliefs: The audience should have a voice in how much and what kind of theatre is created in its community.

We want to hear from you in many ways: conversations before and after the show, feedback on our facebook page, and yes...even by how much you decide to pay for your evening of entertainment. So make your reservation now, come on by and enjoy the show, and hang around afterward and say "Hi"!


Performances: January 18th - February 3rd
Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 3:00pm



We'll see you at the show!

CANTON, MO. (01/10/2013)(readMedia)-- Ian Sodawasser, a junior musical theatre major from Davenport, Iowa, was nominated for work done in "Assassins" for the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Region V Festival hosted by the University of Nebraska, Jan. 20-26.

The goals of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival are to encourage, recognize and celebrate the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theater programs, as well as to improve the quality of college theater in America. The KCACTF is comprised of eight geographic regions in the United States and honors excellence of overall production and offers student-artists individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing and design.

In January and February of each year, regional festivals showcase the finest of each region's entered productions and offer a variety of activities, including workshops, symposia and regional-level award programs. Regional festival productions are judged by a panel of three judges selected by the Kennedy Center and the KCACTF national committee. These judges select four to six of the best and most diverse regional festival productions to be showcased in the spring at the annual noncompetitive national festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Culver-Stockton College is a four-year residential, coeducational community in affiliation with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), located in Canton, Mo.

"I think we need to start taking them..."

Such were the sentiments of Democratic Iowa State Rep Dan Muhlbauer during an interview with the Carrol Daily Times. Muhlbauer stated he believed in confiscating semi-automatic firearms from Iowans, even those already legally owned by law-abiding citizens.

Will you help the Iowa GOP stand up for gun rights across the state by sending a message to all of Iowa?

"We need to get them of the streets, illegally, and even if you have them I think we need to start taking them."

That's right, Muhlbauer isn't just talking about banning guns going forward...

He's talking about confiscating them from law-abiding citizens who already own them.

Absolutely nowhere in the Constitution does it give the government the right to confiscate our guns.

That's why I've called on Iowa's elected officials to reaffirm and defend the constitutionally guaranteed right of Iowans to defend themselves and their families.

In addition, the Republican Party will lead a fervent campaign to reject these extremist views and unseat Mr. Muhlbauer in 2014 and elect a candidate who truly understands the principles of freedom.

That's why I've set a one-day fundraising goal to give us a quick start to challenge Rep. Muhlbauer in 2014.

I know 2014 seems so far away, but I'm furious that Iowans are represented by someone with such disdain for our Constitutional rights.

I want the entire media to know the Iowa GOP is committed to the second amendment and we will do everything we can to unseat this gun-grabber in the next election.

Please help defend our Constitution with a contribution today in our one-day fundraising push.

--

Defending Limited Government,

David Fischer
Iowa GOP Co-Chairman

The University of Iowa Center for New Music is proud to presentguest pianist Oni Buchanan and author/poet Jon Woodward performing"Uncanny Valley"a piano/poetry/electronics concert-length work by composer John Gibson

In this program, the piano performance of Oni Buchanan joins and reflects the spoken text of the poem Uncanny Valley as performed by its author, Jon Woodward. Uncanny Valley is a long serial poem in sixteen sections, meant to be read aloud, with numerous optional repeats throughout the text. These repetitions act as accumulations of sound, maddening as well as hypnotic, and Gibson's piece provides a sonic environment in which they can truly blossom.

Although the pacing is determined by the two performers, the musical specificity of each section (from Morse code to sine waves to jazz to a brief quote from Schumann) reflects the poem text in ever-different ways. Digital samples triggered by the reader enmesh the piano and spoken text, haunting the music with echoes of itself. Extending outward from the phenomenon of "semantic satiation" (whereby a single word loses all apparent meaning and identity when repeated for even a short duration), this program investigates whether the same satiation is possible with phrases, sentences, pairs of verse lines, or musical forms.

In 1970, roboticist Masahiro Mori coined the term "uncanny valley" to describe the emotional and empathetic chasm between humans and imperfect human simulacra, a gap created by their imperfection. This program searches out what is most uncanny, and most human, in both language and music.

For more information about the event, please click here.

To hear an excerpt of "Uncanny Valley," please click here.

When & Where

Sunday, January 27, 2013

7:30pm

Riverside Recital Hall

405 N. Riverside Dr.

(map)

Prohibition Researcher Cites Historic Parallels

Whether they realize it or not, residents of Colorado and Washington have traveled back in time - 80 years, to be exact.

The first two states to decriminalize recreational marijuana are sharing in the national experience of 1933: the end of Prohibition. And the similarities are uncanny, says Prohibition-era researcher and author Denise Frisino.

"As with Prohibition and the criminalization of alcohol production and sales, after marijuana possession was banned in 1937 there were many unintended negative consequences," maintains Frisino, author of "Whiskey Cove," (www.whiskeycovebook.com), a novel based on firsthand interviews with Prohibition-era bootleggers in the Pacific Northwest.

"The most obvious is the proliferation of corruption and organized gangs. After Prohibition became effective in 1920, America saw the rise of unprecedented crime."

And, as was true in the 1920s, increasing crime means a greater need for - and expenditures on - law enforcement and judicial services. Enforcing the Prohibition cost the federal government more than $300 million.

In the interest of learning from history, Frisino cites these additional parallels to Prohibition and our contemporary problems with criminalized marijuana:

• Public safety: During Prohibition, there was no regulatory oversight on the production of alcohol, which meant some illegally brewed and tampered with liquors were downright dangerous. "Bad booze actually killed people," Frisino says. On average, 1,000 people a year died from drinking tainted alcohol. Marijuana, too, can be dangerous when dealers lace their product with chemicals to make it seem more potent. One benefit of decriminalization is that the quality of substances can be monitored. In Colorado, the growing process is strictly monitored from seed to sale.

• Tax revenues: The federal and state governments lost $11 billion in tax revenues during Prohibition, which was especially painful for states like New York, where nearly 75 percent of revenue came from liquor sales. Today, with the country still reeling from the Great Recession, legalization of marijuana will provide some much-needed extra tax income for Washington and Colorado.

• Medical uses: Like marijuana, alcohol has medicinal uses. Physicians of the early 20th century prescribed it for a variety of ailments. During Prohibition pharmacies could sell medicinal liquor, which led to a spike in the numbers of pharmacies as bootleggers set up shop.

• Common criminals: As with marijuana, outlawing alcohol turned many average Americans into outlaws. During the 13 years of Prohibition, jobs were lost and families crumbled as breadwinners went to jail and became stigmatized as lawbreakers. The number of federal convicts increased 561 percent, according to Mark Thorton's, "Policy Analysis: Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure." In 2004, more than 12 percent of the drug offenders in federal and state prisons were convicted of crimes involving marijuana, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. And that's just prisons - it doesn't include local jail populations.

The Prohibition era holds valuable lessons about the unforeseen outcome of criminalizing "vices," Frisino points out. Rather than reducing alcohol consumption, which was the goal, it actually increased from 1929 to 1933, she says. In addition, legitimate jobs and businesses were destroyed and even restaurants and other entertainment businesses suffered.

"History teaches us that going about change by criminalizing certain behaviors can have a very negative impact on society," Frisino says.

About Denise Frisino

Denise Frisino is an award-winning writer, actress and arts teacher. She has spent her summers playing and working in the numerous islands that define the Pacific Northwest, where her family spans four generations. Frisino and her husband spend time at Hood Canal and reside in Seattle. Her novel, "Whiskey Cove," is a nominee for the 2013 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award.

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