Come in out of the heat and enjoy the award-winning juggling act of "one of the hottest young performing jugglers in the country, Doug Sayers."  Stop by the Eastern Avenue Branch Library (6000 Eastern Avenue) on Thursday, July 5 at 4:00 p.m. to be amazed!

For more information about this event call 563-326-7832, or for more information about whatsup juggling visit www.whatsupjuggling.com.

Registration is not required for this FREE event!

(DES MOINES) - The governor's office today released a list of all appointments that have been made to boards and commissions since March 1 of this year. The appointments are as follows:

 

Council on Agricultural Education

Michael Earll, Sibley

Crystal Jauer, Hinton

Larry Marek, Riverside

 

Architectural Examining Board

Emily Forquer, Afton

 

Iowa Arts Council

Linda Grandquist, West Des Moines

Kent Hartwig, Des Moines

Chawne Paige, Waterloo

Frances Parrott, Council Bluffs

Lisa Walsh, Burlington

 

State Banking Council

Surasee Rodari, Des Moines

Gina Sitzmann, Sioux City

 

Advisory Council on Brain Injuries

Thomas Brown, Pleasant Hill

Dennis Byrnes, Atalissa

Roxanne Cogil, Jamaica

Michael Hall, Coralville

Kendalyn Huff, Greenfield

Karen Jones, Norwalk

Jenifer Krischel, Havelock

Joseph Linn, Fairfax

 

State Building Code Advisory Council

Amy Infelt, Coralville

Kristin Mohr, Ankeny

Mark Reetz, West Des Moines

Barbara Welander, Mt. Pleasant

 

Iowa Centennial Memorial Foundation

Janet Metcalf, Urbandale

 

Child Advocacy Board

Elaine Sanders, Sioux City

 

City Finance Committee

Kent Anderson, Orange City

Randall Cook, Creston

Chris Ward, West Liberty

Michelle Weidner, Waterloo

 

College Student Aid Commission

Roger Claypool, Le Mars

 

Criminal Justice Information Advisory Committee

John Baldwin, Clive

David Heuton, Altoona

 

Dependent Adult Protective Advisory Council

Michael Owens, Waterloo

 

Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council

Frank Forcucci, Urbandale

Emilea Hillman, Independence

Paul Kiburz, Marion

Barbara McClannahan, Des Moines

Gary Sample, Pleasantville

William Stumpf, Dubuque

Lisa Yunek, Mason City

Aaron Anderson, Mason City

Tonya Fustos, Council Bluffs

Roger Girard, Marion

Koki, Nakagawa, Ames

Nathaniel Pierson, Marion

Alissa Underfer, West Des Moines

 

Iowa Council for Early ACCESS

Jodi Angus, Mount Ayr

Mary Butler, West Des Moines

Maria Cashman, Marion

Chad Dahm, Pella

Gary Guetzko, Dubuque

Julie Hahn, Des Moines

Shari Huecksteadt, Bettendorf

Martin Ikeda, Urbandale

Representative Kevin Koester, Ankeny

Aryn Kruse, Ames

Heather Moorman, Corydon

 

State Board of Education

McKenzie Baker, Forest City

 

State Board of Educational Examiners

Mary Overholtzer, Tingley

 

Interstate Commission on Education Opportunity for Military Children

Martha Kester, Des Moines

Heather Stephenson, Ankeny

 

Electrical Examining Board

Wayne Engle, Marion

John Marino, Clear Lake

Patricia Weese, Bedford

 

Iowa Emergency Response Commission

Robin Pruisner, McCallsburg

 

Fire Services and Emergency Response Council

Mike Bryant, Ames

Gerald Hoffman, Grundy Center

Reylon Meeks, Runnells

Rex Mundt, Ankeny

 

State Board of Health

Ted George, Rockwell City

Jay Hansen, Mason City

Cheryl Straub-Morarend, Coralville

Diane Thomas, Manchester

 

State Historical Records Advisory Board

Shelley Bishop, Council Bluffs

Michael Gibson, Dubuque

Larry Murphy, Ankeny

 

State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees

John Brown, Johnston

Alyse Hunter, Chariton

Jill Wanderscheid, Sioux City

 

Iowa Council on Homelessness

Allan Axeen, Iowa City

Zebulon Beikle-McCallum, Urbandale

David Boss, New Hampton

Ann Davidson, Fort Dodge

Carrie Dunnwald, Waterloo

Rebecca Falck, Oskaloosa

Mariliegh Fisher, Cedar Falls

David Hagen, Cedar Rapids

Kristine Harris, Cedar Rapids

Clifton Heckman, Grimes

Nancy Schulze, Council Bluffs

Timothy Wilson, Mt. Vernon

 

Hospital Licensing Board

Monte Neitzel, Creston

 

Human Rights Board

Mark Alba, Council Bluffs

Redmond Jones, Davenport

Karen Mackey, Sioux City

Sheryl Soich, Des Moines

Robert Tyson, Waterloo

Jennifer Upah, Cedar Rapids

 

Statewide Independent Living Council

Kristen Aller, Cedar Rapids

Joel Lightcap, Dubuque

Michael Cook, Des Moines

Gary "Joe" Sample, Pleasantville

 

Iowa Innovation Council

Gordon Neumann, Des Moines

 

Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System Board

Jason Leonard, Waverly

Sandra Morris, Des Moines

Rick Roe, Clive

 

Juvenile Justice Advisory Council

Jacey Bair-Waddell, Cedar Rapids

Morgan Dodson, Le Mars

Margaret Johnson, Sidney

Jeremy Kaiser, Eldridge

Bill Ockerman, Polk City

John Quinn, Urbandale

Shauna Soderstrum, West Des Moines

Zachary Thomas, Nevada

Jeralyn Westercamp, Cedar Rapids

Karen Jones, Glenwood

Tony Reed, Marshalltown

Carl Smith, Ankeny

 

Latino Affairs Commission

Ramon Rodriguez, Pleasant Hill

 

Medical Assistance Advisory Council

Julie Frischmeyer, Carroll

John Grush, Boone

Cecilia Tomlonovic, Des Moines

Mark Wiskus, Pella

 

Board of Medicine

Frank Bognanno, Des Moines

Ann Gales, Bode

Michael Thompson, Pella

 

Mid-America Port Commission

Daniel Wiedemeier, Burlington

 

Organic Advisory Council

Thomas German, Holstein

 

Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Examining Board

Susan Pleva, Woodward

 

Preserves Advisory Board

Kirk Larsen, Decorah

Leesa McNeil, Sioux City

 

Iowa Public Broadcasting Board

Mary Kramer, Clive

 

Real Estate Commission

John Goede, Spencer

 

STEM Advisory Council

Cameron Evans, Euless

Steven Leath, Ames

Bradley Woody, Monroe

 

Student Loan Liquidity Corporation

Daniel Clute, Urbandale

Scott Schneidermann, Rock Rapids

Adam Voigts, Indianola

 

Terrace Hill Commission

Deborah Hubbell, Des Moines

Kay Runge, Davenport

Eric Wieland, West Des Moines

 

Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Commission

Shirley Daniels, Des Moines

Chad Jensen, Carroll

 

Commission on Uniform State Laws

Rosemary Sackett, Okoboji

Teresa Wagner, Iowa City

David Walker, Windsor Heights

 

Vocational Rehabilitation Council

Curtis Chong, Des Moines

Sherri Clark, Red Oak

Jill Crosser, Ames

Nancy Cruz-Tretina, Ames

John Mikelson, Columbus Junction

Christopher Townsend, Davenport

 

Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service

Jordan DeGree, Dubuque

Ashley Farmer-Hanson, Alta

Patti Fields, Iowa City

Khayree Fitten, Mt. Pleasant

Gary Fry, Mitchellville

Michelle Gowdy, Des Moines

Daniel Weiser, Urbandale

 

Watershed Improvement Review Board

Larry Alliger, Gowrie

David Coppess, Urbandale

Larry Gullett, Center Junction

Susan Heathcote, Des Moines

Jane Weber, Bettendorf

 

 

 

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Urge Governor to Sign Executive Order Implementing Illinois' Insurance Marketplace (Exchange)
Champaign, IL - The Campaign for Better Health Care today sent a letter signed by 109 diverse organizations throughout the state, representing over 2.5 million Illinoisans, to Governor Quinn calling on him to sign an Executive Order to implement Illinois' health insurance marketplace (exchange) immediately.  Illinois small businesses and Illinois families are tired of you waiting.  Illinois needs a state insurance exchange not a federal exchange.
"Now that the Supreme Court has upheld Obamacare, it is time for Governor Quinn to take action, and for the rest of political establishment get on board and work to make the Illinois Insurance Exchange the best one in the nation. We are tired of continuous political posturing in Springfield," commented Jim Duffett, Executive Director of the Campaign for Better Health Care.
Duffett continues, "the people of illinois have waited for two years for the General Assembly to take action in establishing an Illinois Insurance Exchange - they failed.  Now it is up to you to show the people of Illinois that your walk across Northern IL was not done in vain.  You must stand with small businesses and the consumers and not the insurance industry.  Any further delay will play in the hands of the insurance industry".
A major provision of Obamacare is that states must develop a competitive health care marketplace, or insurance exchange.  In Illinois, this marketplace will eventually enroll over 1 million Illinoisans.  Those that already have insurance they like and want to keep may never need to use the marketplace - but for those that do need to purchase insurance, the marketplace website will be fast and easy to use, and will let consumers make honest comparisons among plans to choose the ones that best fit their needs and budgets.  This marketplace will be a lifesaver for small businesses, sole proprietors, and the uninsured.
"Unfortunately, the Illinois General Assembly has chosen not to take legislative action this past legislative session, letting down  hundreds of thousands of uninsured Illinoisans, small businesses, and individuals, and jeopardizing their peace of mind," commented Jim Duffett, Executive Director of the Campaign for Better Health Care, the organization sponsoring the letter initiative.  Duffett continued, "This marketplace will provide access to health care - in turn providing security for families and strengthening the middle class.  Governor Quinn needs to show leadership and take action now."
Unless action is taken, Illinois will be unable to access over $200 million in federal funds available for the development and implementation of the new Illinois marketplace.
The letter states, "We believe Governor's Quinn's Executive Order must have built-in, well-defined principles and standards protecting Illinois consumers and small businesses.  This marketplace must serve the interest of the uninsured, small businesses, and consumers and not the financial interest of the insurance industry.  So much is on the line for making sure that the new Marketplace Governing Board is independent and free of conflict of interest.  Specifically:
  1. No insurance industry representatives on the governing board of the new marketplace, so as to avoid undue influence on the development or following of the rules for operating it;
  2. The board must have the right to negotiate with insurers and develop real cost containment measures;
  3. The insurance industry stands to gain over a million new customers from the development of the marketplace. Since they will profit from it, the financing of the marketplace should come from their massive reserves of over $30 BILLION dollars - not from taxing the small businesses and consumers.
"Health care reform has already proven to be morally, financially, and spiritually successful for millions of Illinoisans already.  The Illinois Marketplace will begin to provide health care access to a million other Illinoisans, a moral imperative.  The delay in moving forward is unacceptable.  We call upon Governor Quinn to show his moral committment to the people of Illinois by signing an Executive Order to establish Illinois' marketplace," said Rev. Dr. Moss III, Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ.

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy.  Like all Illinoisans, we are working hard to keep our heads above water in this sluggish economy.  The cost of health care or lack there of is a major cost factor for us. We are anxiously awaiting the establishment of the marketplace, as it will have a strong positive impact on businesses and consumers. But we cannot wait until next session for the Illinois General Assembly to take action.  That is why we are urging Governor Quinn to sign an Executive Order now establishing Illinois' marketplace," stated Dan Callahan, owner of a small business, Gregg Florist in Peoria.
Once an Executive Order is in place, Illinois can begin moving forward and then the Illinois General Assembly will need to codify components of the Executive Order during the Fall Veto Session, after the November election.
Due to legislative roadblocks, the governors of both Rhode Island and New York have already issued Executive Orders to create the competitive health care marketplace in their states.  "We believe Illinois needs to follow these examples in putting our state on the right track towards ensuring access to quality, affordable health care for all Illinoisans," concluded Duffett.
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About the Campaign for Better Health Care
We believe that accessible, affordable, quality health care is a basic human right for ALL people.  The Campaign for Better Health Care is the state's largest coalition representing over 300 diverse organizations, organizing to help create and advocate for an accessible, quality health care system for all.  For more information, visit www.cbhconline.org.
CREDO Action | more than a network, a movement.

Tell Iowa Department of Human Services: Follow federal law ? don't revictimize rape and incest survivors.

Dear Richard,

Iowa House Republicans are so committed to their anti-choice agenda that they're willing to revictimize rape survivors and endanger the health of low-income families.1 It's up to you, and the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS), to stop them.

Make sure Iowa protects the rights of rape and incest survivors, and protects Medicaid for low-income families. Tell the Iowa Department of Human Services to follow federal law.

No woman should be revictimized by being forced to carry her rapist's child to term, simply because she can't afford other options. For 36 years, both anti-choice and pro-choice advocates have held a truce on this issue, but now 41 extremists in the Iowa House are declaring war on Iowa women and Iowa families, for their own electoral gain.2

They've sent a petition to the DHS demanding that it break federal law and deny low-income rape and incest survivors the right to use Medicaid funds if they choose to terminate their pregnancies.

And as if that weren't bad enough, this blatant disregard for the law could jeopardize the state's entire $1.9 billion annual Medicaid grant, and put roughly 400,000 Iowans at risk of losing their health care coverage.3

Click here to tell the Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services to follow federal law and put the health of Iowa women and families before the whims of extremists.

The 41 politicians demanding this outrageous and irresponsible change in policy don't represent the will of the people. But we have to make that clear to the rulemakers in the Iowa DHS before they make a mistake that would have dire consequences for rape and incest survivors and everyday Iowans.

Sign our petition now, and we'll make sure that the Director of the Department of Human Services knows that Iowans are watching, and we want him to follow federal law.

Thanks for standing up for Iowa women and families,

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad today signed Executive Order 78, which allows state workers to voluntarily pay 20 percent of their health care insurance premium.

According to the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), 88 percent of state workers do not contribute anything toward their health insurance premium, and in total, Iowa taxpayers fund 97 cents of every one dollar spent on health care premiums.

The Executive Order is found here: https://governor.iowa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/EO-78.pdf

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A  Reuters/Ipsos poll found that when you remove the controversial individual mandate from the equation , strong majorities favor most of what's  actually in the new law:

·  61 percent of respondents favored allowing young adults to stay on their parents' insurance plans until age 26.

·  72 percent of respondents wish to maintain the requirement that companies with more than 50 workers provide health insurance for their employees.

·  82 percent of respondents favored banning insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

In recent weeks, some Republicans have come out in support of the most popular and successful Obamacare provisions, attempting to whitewash their longstanding blanket opposition. Insurance companies have also pledged to maintain key Obamacare measures regardless of the Supreme Court's ruling.

Earth Force, a non-profit organization, will use the grant to make 19 small grant awards up to $5,000 each to organizations that apply with a joint application and agree to work together as a team.  Each team applicant will identify partner organizations within their community to meet the specific goals identified in their application.  These awards will be used for the development and implementation of projects, programs and solutions to meet a variety of educational and environmental priorities.  Four of the 19 awards will be made to organizations working directly on the development of environmental literacy plans.

 

"The variety of organizations and diversity of projects to receive these environmental education sub awards will exhibit the commitment of communities to creating and sustaining a healthy environment," said Karl Brooks, Region 7 administrator.  "The rewards to be reaped from these sub awards will be visible in a stronger earth, cleaner air, reduced pollution, environmentally astute citizens, and healthier people."

 

These projects will bring together diverse organizations working on a number of environmental issues that will meet the needs of their community.  Sub award applicants will have the flexibility to support the strategic initiatives identified through one or more EPA educational priorities such as community projects, human health and the environment.

 

The Environmental Education Grant Program is a competitive grant program that supports EPA's efforts to enhance the public's awareness and knowledge about environmental issues. This grant program supports environmental education projects to increase the skills that help people make informed decisions that affect environmental quality and to take responsible actions toward the environment.

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Learn more about EPA's environmental education grant program:

www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html

 

Learn more about Earth Force:

http://www.earthforce.org/index.php

 

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/eparegion7

Army Sgt. John McSorley, counter IED trainer mentor with 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment prepares a simulated pressure plate IED for use on the Dismounted IED Visual Indicator Lane.

By Ian Lumley, Matthew Brady and William Fisher
174th Infantry Brigade Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Integration Cell

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- A major part of training service members for combat revolves around countering the insurgent's use of improvised explosive devices. IEDs remain the weapon of choice for terrorists, insurgents and criminal networks worldwide.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., serves as a mobilization training center for First Army Division East with the mission of preparing joint forces for military operations in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and other active conflict areas around the world. A great deal of time and effort is devoted to training service members how to operate effectively in an IED environment.

"Before they go to an active area of operations, they need to know what to look for," said Army Sgt. John McSorley, 174th Infantry Brigade Counter-IED trainer mentor. "The DIVIL is a great way to expose troops to multiple scenarios and increase IED awareness overall."

The latest joint base training enabler, the DIVIL, or Dismounted IED Visual Indicator Lane, encompasses 15 independent IED training stations. Each station provides information concerning a specific type of IED and provides multiple examples of the IED as it may appear in an active IED environment. The intent is to expose service members to as many devices as possible to increase potential survivability, according to McSorley.

He went on to explained that training lanes have progressed from being a simple walk in the woods where an opposing force sets off training devices and simulates gunfire. During the last 10 years training enablers have increased in complexity and changed how service members train for deployment. Training enhancements such as the Virtual Battle Space Simulator is an example of how training has evolved to assist service members preparing for missions in an IED environment. The increased realism and reduced cost from less wear and tear on traditional field equipment has proved an effective enhancement at the joint base.

"Building the lane is an ongoing project," said McSorley. "Our goal is to continuously update the exhibits and tailor the site towards multiple areas of operations and keep current with the latest tactics being used by the enemy."

The DIVIL is a joint project between the 174th and installation entities. Soldiers assigned to the 174th used their skills and experience to build realistic representations of IEDs and 174th maintains project oversight. The Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security provided and maintains the terrain, while the Training Management Division assists with work orders.
In keeping with the Army Training Model 2015, which stresses the importance of hands on training, instructors take students out of the classroom and onto automated with fully-operational simulated IEDs active lanes. Students encounter hidden IEDs along the lane, which reinforces the training they receive.

Instead of a blast, the IEDs are connected to a siren or horn to simulate a blast.

"The DIVIL affords us a more productive learning environment, and constant lane improvements will keep training relevant," said McSorley. "We are working on putting together a marine-time station to demonstrate threats Coast Guard and Navy personnel may encounter."

The 174th IN Bde., trains service members from all branches of the military in preparation for deployments around the world. This newly redesigned lane allows them to train any unit for any area of conflict.

Parental Lessons
Estranged Spouses Must Put Children First, Father Says; Offers Tips

In his wedding pictures taken during the 1980s, Steve Fenton is on top of the world. He's a handsome American newlywed with a sly smirk on his face, about to drink a toast with his beauty queen wife in a traditional wedding in Xalapa, Mexico.

Eight years later, the rising tension begins in this real-life, Hollywood-styled drama, detailed in his new book, Broken Treaty (www.BrokenTreaty.info). He became estranged from his wife Silvia, but allowed her to take their son, Stephen, 6, on a two-week trip to her native Mexico in December 1992. More than four, frantic weeks later, he found out Silvia had enrolled their son in a school there, quit her job in California and had no plans of coming back.

"I know a lot of mothers down here who have done this same thing with no problems," she told him over the phone.

Fenton also spoke with his son during that call, and could tell the boy was close to tears.

"He wanted to come back home to his friends, his school and a model submarine project we were working on," he says. "Silvia hung up the phone shortly thereafter."

He pursued the Hague Convention Treaty, an international accord signed by Mexico the previous year, to return his son. A year later, although adamantly assured by both Mexico and the U.S. State Department that his son would be returned to his birth country, Fenton saw that his only hope would be to leave diplomats to their own devices. He began quietly engineering a complex plan to bring his son home to California.

Fenton grew his hair and a beard and donned sunglasses and a hat to disguise his appearance. He hired a pilot and others to help in the extraction of his son from southeastern Mexico. After spending tens of thousands of dollars and risking his life with no guarantee of success, he landed back on U.S. soil - with Stephen.

But while the action movie portion of the story ends here, another saga - single-parenthood - would begin. He offers tips that, despite his unique circumstances, apply to all divorced parents.

• It's not about you. Although Fenton's heroics to recover his son on foreign soil were life-changing, the mission's purpose was to provide young Stephen with a better life. That meant giving his son the opportunity to continue his relationship with the mother who abducted him.

• "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished." That's the second-to-last chapter title in Fenton's book. Initially, he took his son to visit his mother at the border, where they two were separated by a tall chain-link fence. He asked authorities to reduce charges against her when she came back to the states, so that his son could continue to have a meaningful relationship with her. His reward - Silvia was perpetually taking Fenton to court for child custody and child support, though she was court-ordered to repay him $51,000 for the rescue mission.

• Forgiveness is ultimately rewarded. Fenton's second marriage broke up because of the stress on his family from his first wife's actions. He was reprimanded by his lawyer for putting himself in a compromising situation. But  the doting father got the affirmation he was looking for during a lunch with his then-22-year-old son. Stephen spelled out his gratitude for his father's instincts and actions. "Fourteen years after brining my son home, he helped me understand that I could look ahead and realize that we'd both finally made it home," Fenton says.

About Steve Fenton

Steve Fenton is a specialty building contractor. After his estranged wife spirited their son, an American, away to Xalapa, Mexico, the father decided he had to take action. With little to no help from the U.S. and Mexican governments after a year and a half, the determined father went on a clandestine recovery mission across the border. What ensued were life-changing events that have defined the lives of father and son.  His book was written with some technical assistance from Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who would later become a national hero after safely landing U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River.

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad today named Duane Magee as the new Executive Director of the Board of Educational Examiners.

Magee, who serves at the pleasure of the governor, will begin the appointment starting July 1, 2012.

"Duane will be a great leader and asset to the Board of Educational Examiners.  He holds a tremendous resume, which makes him highly skilled in educational administration," said Branstad.

Magee currently is the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Waukee Community School District. Previously, he served as director of human resources in the Waukee Community School, and before moving to Waukee, Magee was a principal in the Harlan Community School District.

Magee holds an Ed. S. in Educational Leadership from Drake University, an M.S.E. in Education Administration from Buena Vista University and a B.S.E. in Secondary Business Education from Drake University. He is an Ames Senior High School graduate.

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