February 1, 2013 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa - "Theatre as a Community Collaboration"

Six talented individuals from REM Iowa Developmental Services Hiawatha (RDS) have
spent six exciting weeks preparing for a very special night.  As a cooperative effort
of REM Iowa Developmental Services, Theatre Cedar Rapids and Legion Arts, this self-named
group, the "Team of Super Awesome Rock Stars", will present "Three Awesome Fables"
at CSPS Hall on Friday, February 8th at 6:00pm to an audience of invited peers,
family, and community members.

Theater Cedar Rapids Education Coordinator Mike Wilhelm coached the actors weekly
with exercises to encourage self-expression and interactions between players.  Legion
Arts has generously allowed the use of the historic theater at CSPS Hall in Cedar
Rapids so the participants could have the full experience of presenting on a stage
where scores of artists have presented before them.   Local artist Sonya Darrow
worked with the actors to create inspiring and creative costumes.  Musician and
teacher Brook Hoover was eager to lend his musical talents to the show by collaborating
with the troop of six on innovative sound techniques.  Todd Kimm of Legion Arts
was instrumental in catching the vision and bringing the team together to make the
project a great experience. The actors responded with teamwork, cooperation, and
pride in their accomplishments.

The RDS actors have had a wonderful time learning about movement, projecting their
voices, and following stage direction.  "I like it.  I think it's fun," says Douglas
Franta, one of the actors.  Shawn Stender also had an enjoyable time, "It's great
and very beautiful," he says of the experience.   Stephanie Bawek, Program Director
and Kevin Connor, Program Coordinator will lend their acting chops to the performance
as well.   Kevin believes the experience will be a memorable one for RDS, "The individuals
involved relish the idea of being in the theatre," he commented.  Felicia Sales,
actor from RDS, agrees, "I like to be a mouse and I really enjoy it!"

The theatre experience exemplifies the RDS mission of quality programming and community
integration. It is one of many opportunities individuals in our services enjoy along
with art classes, music therapy, and fun fitness coaching.   We hope the relationships
created within the community through this project will continue to inspire opportunities
and enhance lives.

For more information please contact TCR Education Coordinator Mike Wilhelm at 319-366-8591
or mike@theatrecr.org.

About Theatre Cedar Rapids

Among the region's largest and longest-operating community theatres, Theatre Cedar
Rapids is located in the Iowa Theater Building in the heart of downtown Cedar Rapids,
Iowa.  Founded by regionalist artist Grant Wood, TCR is a nationally-recognized
501(c)3 nonprofit community theatre embarking on its 79th season of quality local
programs that reach more than 55,000 eastern Iowans of all ages.  Core goals of
the organization center on the quality and accessibility of programs.  During the
August to July season, the 11 full-time staff, part-time help and contract artists
fill more than 3,000 volunteer placements and work together to create an ambitious
lineup of musicals, comedies, dramas and classics in addition to providing theatre
education programs. The mission of Theatre Cedar Rapids is "to provide quality theatre,
maximizing community participation and education in theatre arts to Cedar Rapids
and the surrounding region."

Quick Facts:

* 35,000 hours volunteered last year
* Over 60,000 patrons and participants last season
* Founded by artists Grant Wood and Marvin Cone in 1925
* An independent certified public accountant audits the theatre annually

Kenosha, Wis. - Carthage College has named outstanding scholars to its Dean's List for academic excellence during the fall semester of 2012.

Dean's List honors are accorded Carthage students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average while carrying at least 14 credit hours during a semester.

Students from the local area receiving Dean's List honors include :  Erin Holst of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Jennifer Lynn Fyfe of Davenport, Iowa.

ABOUT CARTHAGE COLLEGE
Established in 1847, Carthage is a college of the liberal arts and sciences affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The College enrolls 2,500 students and is situated on the Lake Michigan shore in Kenosha, Wis., midway between Chicago and Milwaukee. The Collegiate Learning Assessment has ranked Carthage among the top eight percent of colleges and universities nationwide for the academic gains of its students.

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MOLINE, IL - WQPT-Quad Cities PBS, in conjunction with a collaboration of area non-profit organizations focused on bullying in our community (known as CARE QC - Connecting Anti-Bullying Resources and Education), will host a series of community conversations, television programming and online activities to inform parents, students and teachers about the resources available to combat bullying.

"CARE QC was formed as a result of information gathered during WQPT's 'American Graduate' work last year. At the community forums convened to discuss the drop-out crisis and the need for mentors in our community, we discovered that bullying was one of the top factors in a student's decision to drop out of school," said WQPT Interim General Manager Jamie Lange.

The community conversations will be held from 5-7:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 18 at the Martin Luther King Center in Rock Island, and Wednesday, Feb. 20 Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the Moline Public Library.

In addition, Ballet Quad Cities will offer a free performance of "The Ugly Duckling" from 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22 at Davenport North High School. The dance performance carries an anti-bullying message about treating on another with respect. Renowned anti-bullying expert Dr. Jennifer Caudle will host a short program following the event.

Related programming featured on WQPT includes:

Sunday, Feb. 17, 8 p.m.: "Official Best of Fest: Bullies." Get a glimpse into the world of bullying with two short films from Australia and the UK.

Sunday, Feb. 17, 8:30 p.m.: "Dissed Respect." The impact of bullying encourages dialogue about the need to reduce the high-risk behavior of bullying.

Monday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.: "Teaching Channel: Bullying at School." The program visits three schools where parents, teachers and students are implementing bullying prevention programs.

Monday, Feb. 18, 9 p.m.: "Enough is Enough." Learn about the evolving interactive web, social networking and cyber-bullying. Learn how to protect your child on all internet enabled devices.

For more resources, interactive surveys and information, visit wqpt.org/stopbullying.

WQPT is a public media service of Western Illinois University-Quad Cities.

VICKSBURG, Miss. – The unified command continues to respond to a crude oil spill in the lower Mississippi River near mile marker 436 in Vicksburg, Miss., Thursday.

At 10:05 a.m. today response crews removed fuel from the damaged barge MOC-12 after reconfiguring oil-pump equipment.  Following completion of the oil removal operations the damaged barge will be inspected and prepared for transit to a maritime facility in nearby Vicksburg.  The MOC-15 barge has been moved upriver from the MOC-12 oil removal operation and is waiting for transportation to a maritime facility.

Response crews have deployed 5,300 feet of boom to contain any potential oil releases. Skimming vessels have recovered approximately 8,400 gallons of oil-water mixture since the incident occurred. The tank levels are being continually monitored.

The unified command is working with the Coast Guard's Marine Transportation System Recovery Unit to coordinate vessels moving northbound at night and southbound during the day. A safety zone is in effect between mile marker 425 and mile marker 441 restricting travel to commercial vessels.  The Coast Guard is working with the Lower Mississippi River Committee to coordinate vessel movements through the safety zone.

In total, 62 vessels and 974 barges have been cleared to go northbound and southbound since the restrictions have been put into place.

There are 29 northbound vessels with 439 barges and 19 southbound vessels with 315 barges waiting in the queue due to traffic restrictions. Mississippi River vessel traffic queue management is ongoing.

The unified command consists of representatives from the Coast Guard, state on-scene coordinators from Mississippi and Louisiana and the owner of the towing vessel, Nature's Way Marine LLC. Personnel from Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River, Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Vicksburg and the Coast Guard's National Strike Force are on scene as part of a unified command effort to oversee cleanup and salvage operations.

The Coast Guard investigation into the incident is ongoing.

For further information or media inquiries contact the Information Center in Vicksburg at (601) 801-3521.

Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790.
The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History. Powerful Future.

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