Chicago, Illinois - As gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals became more visible in the 1950s and 1960s, the mainstream media perpetuated the attitude that they were mentally ill and morally depraved queers, freaks, degenerates, perverts, misfits, and even threats to national security. In many cities, the police raided gay bars, harassing and arresting patrons.

Community-based gay newsletters and newspapers emerged to counteract the distorted view of non-heterosexuals and to support the rising gay-rights movement. They addressed gay issues, formed a sense of unity, announced demonstrations, and tracked the progress of legal and political action.

Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America, edited and co-written by Tracy Baim, publisher of Chicago's gay publication Windy City Times, is a comprehensive overview of the past, present, and future of gay print media. Baim uses essays, interviews, and hundreds of news clips and images from both mainstream and early gay publications to describe the critical role of the gay press. Award-winning historian John D'Emilio provided the book's foreword.

Part Two is a series of essays by and about journalists who documented the gay movement, recounting their experiences and providing observations and insights.

Part Three features the history of 10 gay publications in 10 major cities as told by their publishers, editors or reporters. Each one represents the challenges, risks, and struggles to survive that were common among almost all gay periodicals.

Part Four focuses on the business of gay publications. Initially, funding came from subscribers and classified ads since advertisers were reluctant to buy display ads-until they realized the growing gay population was a potentially profitable untapped market. Many major brands, retail stores, restaurant chains and service providers began targeting the gay community through its publications and even in some mainstream magazines.

Coverage in Iowa is lacking

Des Moines, IA- The United States is at a tipping point when it comes to policies that help smokers quit, according to the American Lung Association's ?Helping Smokers Quit: Tobacco Cessation Coverage 2012? report. The annual report provides a  comprehensive review of each state's tobacco cessation coverage and an up-to-date look at federal coverage and requirements
under the Affordable Care Act.

"Over the next year key decisions will be made by the federal government and the states about whether or not they will help save lives, prevent disease and reduce health costs," said Micki Sandquist, Executive Director at the American Lung Association in Iowa. "We know that the vast majority of smokers want to quit, but the complex web of state and federal coverage for effective quit smoking programs and treatments prevents too many from getting the help they need. States and the federal government can reduce the enormous health burden of tobacco use by providing access to these proven interventions."

The American Lung Association report shows that the federal government has missed several key opportunities to improve access to quit smoking medications and counseling. The record for the states is mixed, but far too many fail to ensure coverage.

The report's key findings are:

Medicaid Coverage:

Two states provide comprehensive cessation coverage: Indiana and Massachusetts; two states provide NO cessation coverage: Alabama and Georgia; four states provided new counseling benefits for pregnant women in 2012: Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota; and Connecticut and Tennessee announced new benefits for everyone in 2012 that are close to comprehensive.

State Employee Health Plan Coverage:

Four states provide comprehensive coverage: Illinois, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Rhode Island;

Zero states provide no coverage; and Florida, Georgia, Nebraska and New Jersey added new cessation benefits for state
employees in 2012.

Investment in State Quitlines:

Telephone quitlines are also an essential part of any state's tobacco cessation efforts. As more and more smokers want to quit, the majority of states are not providing adequate funding for their quitlines.

Only two states?Maine and South Dakota?currently invest in quitlines at or above the recommended amount. This is a critical lost opportunity for people who are trying to quit.

Federal Coverage:

On November 26, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a proposed rule that requires the Essential Health Benefit coverage mandated by the Affordable Care Act to cover preventive services, including tobacco cessation.  However, because HHS has not yet defined what insurers must include as part of a tobacco cessation benefit, the Administration missed a crucial opportunity. Now, each state can choose its own benchmark plan, which will then serve as the Essential Health Benefit standard for plans in that state's health insurance exchange. Until HHS officially defines a comprehensive tobacco cessation benefit, it has missed a crucial opportunity to provide many smokers with new access to help quitting, and to establish tobacco cessation as a truly essential health benefit for all health insurance coverage.

Iowa policymakers can now help smokers quit by including comprehensive tobacco cessation benefits as they implement state health insurance exchanges and Medicaid expansions.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The economic costs in the U.S. due to tobacco total $193 billion annually. Providing comprehensive quit-smoking treatments is crucial in both saving lives and curbing health costs - one recent study showed that providing this help has a 3-to-1 return on investment.

"Giving all smokers access to a comprehensive cessation benefit is not only the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do," said Sandquist. "The bottom line is that quitting smoking saves lives and saves money."

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Editor's Note: Available as a standalone graphic is ?Tobacco Cessation Treatment: What is covered??? the American Lung Association's breakdown of what the biggest health insurance programs cover for tobacco cessation and how the Affordable Care Act changes coverage.

About the American Lung Association in Iowa: Our mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.LungIA.org.

RIVERMONT SENIOR RANKS TOP IN ILLINOIS

Rivermont Collegiate is ecstatic to announce senior Darsani Reddy has been named a 2013-14 Illinois State Scholar by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). Darsani is the daughter of Dr. Bouyella and Mrs. Kamala Reddy of Moline, IL.  The State Scholar Program recognizes students for outstanding academic achievement.  Approximately the top ten percent of graduates from approved high schools are recognized as State Scholars each year.

A list of State Scholars in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas is attached.

About the Illinois State Scholar Program

To be eligible, a student must be a resident of Illinois and perform in the top one-half of their class (at the end of their junior year) and/or score in the 95^th percentile on the ACT, SAT, or Prairie State Achievement Exam.  Once all students who meet these criteria are identified, a formula based on standardized test scores and performance-based academic data is used to select State Scholars.  While the prestigious recognition does not include a monetary award, recipients are encouraged to cite the award on college admission applications.  For additional information, visit http://www.isac.org.

About Darsani Reddy

Darsani, who was also recently named a Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program, is a member of National Honor Society and President of the Rivermont Computer Club.  She is a member of the Varsity Basketball team and Show Choir and enjoys participating in Rivermont theater productions and volunteering at Trinity Medical Center.  Currently, Darsani is exploring The University of Chicago, Syracuse University, and Washington University in St. Louis, among other schools.

Congratulations to Darsani - the entire Rivermont community is extremely proud of this accomplishment!

Jefferson City, Mo. – If the approach of winter doesn't already have you thinking about your summer vacation, the 2013 Official Missouri Travel Guide certainly will.

The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) has published its 2013 Official Missouri Travel Guide, a carry-along travel-planning tool for visitors seeking information about the Show-Me State's incredible lineup of attractions and destinations. The cover is an inviting scene showing a couple enjoying a beautiful sunset over the Lake of the Ozarks.

This annual publication offers information on thousands of Missouri tourism assets - from public tours and museums to live-show venues and ziplines - plus lodging options, golf courses, wineries, breweries, campgrounds, canoe outfitters and Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites.

"The Missouri Travel Guide continues to be a popular and useful tool for travelers to enjoy," says Katie Steele Danner, MDT's director. "Missouri has a diverse tourism industry, and we're pleased to share the Show-Me State with future visitors."

You can pick up a 2013 Official Missouri Travel Guide at a variety of locations across Missouri, including MDT's seven Official Welcome Centers, MDT's Affiliate Welcome Centers, local chambers of commerce, and convention and visitors bureaus. Call 800-519-4800 to order a copy of the guide, and you can order online at VisitMO.com.

In addition to listings of tourism-related businesses around Missouri, the Travel Guide includes color photos and feature stories on Missouri's vacation regions. Other content focuses on made-in-Missouri products, regional dining options (with many favorites selected by MDT's Facebook fans), and genealogy-research facilities.

For more information about the 2013 Official Missouri Travel Guide, or to schedule an interview with Tourism Director Katie Steele Danner, please contact Stephen Foutes at Stephen.Foutes@ded.mo.gov or call 573-751-3208.

About the Missouri Division of Tourism
The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is the official tourism office for the state of Missouri dedicated to marketing Missouri as a premier travel destination. Established in 1967, the Missouri Division of Tourism has worked hard to develop the tourism industry in Missouri to what it is today, an $11.2 billion industry supporting more than 279,000 jobs and generating $627 million in state taxes in Fiscal Year 2011. For every dollar spent on marketing Missouri as a travel destination in FY11, $57.76 was returned in visitor expenditures. For more information on Missouri tourism, go to www.VisitMO.com.