Federal Railroad Administration Issues Decision to Allow Full Build-out of Chicago-St. Louis High Speed Rail; Includes 10th Street Corridor in Springfield

CHICAGO - December 18, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today praised action by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that clears the way for the full build-out of the Chicago-St. Louis high-speed rail corridor, including a consolidated route along 10th Street in Springfield. The FRA today issued a Record of Decision that provides final environmental approval and positions the project for future federal funding that will create thousands of jobs and lead to improved passenger rail speeds, frequencies and reliability.

"Today's historic decision means Illinois will continue to lead the Midwest in the implementation of high-speed rail and 21st century transportation infrastructure," Governor Quinn said. "The decision shows that Illinois is a national model for how states and local municipalities can collaborate with the federal government and private rail partners to upgrade our transportation network, protect our environment and lay the groundwork for long-term job creation and economic prosperity. This achievement would not have been possible without the close cooperation and leadership of Senator Dick Durbin and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood."

"Three years ago, we arranged a meeting with federal, state and local officials in Springfield to identify a path forward on rail consolidation. Today's decision is the culmination of that effort," said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL).  "Tenth Street is the right decision for Springfield residents and Illinois travelers.  I will continue working with Mayor Houston, Chairman Van Meter, Governor Quinn and the Department of Transportation to make certain our effort progresses."

In addition to selecting the consolidated route along 10th Street in Springfield, the FRA selected the Rock Island Corridor as the most efficient route between Joliet and Chicago. The decision will lead to new trains and improved frequencies, which will help improve on-time performance and will ultimately reduce travel time between Chicago and St. Louis to less than four hours. The decision concurs with the recommendations included in the Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was submitted to FRA in November.

Through the leadership of Senator Durbin and Governor Quinn, Illinois has received more than $1.4 billion in federal funding to develop high-speed service between Chicago and St. Louis, which is expected to reduce travel times between the two cities and create about 6,200 direct and indirect jobs. The governor's Illinois Jobs Now! capital program has contributed $42 million toward construction. The first trains traveling at 110 mph made their successful debut on a stretch between Dwight and Pontiac during a demonstration run in October and began service for daily passengers Thanksgiving week. The project will deliver 110 mile per hour rail service between Dwight and Alton by 2015 and between Dwight and Joliet by 2017.

The FRA's Record of Decision is the final step that permits future high-speed rail design and construction work to begin once funding is available. The full build-out is estimated to carry a price tag of approximately $5 billion.

"IDOT is thrilled with this decision which marks a major milestone in our efforts to create a more modern and efficient transportation system for Illinois," Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider said. "This achievement would not have been possible without close cooperation involving state and local governments, along with our federal and private rail partners."

"We have persevered though many long meetings, discussions and studies and have successfully convinced the federal government that the 10th street approach is clearly the best approach with the least detrimental impact on the city. It is the best solution we could have hoped for with the new high-speed rail system," Springfield Mayor Mike Houston said. "I am proud to have championed this effort which saves the city from a Third Street solution that will have torn the city apart. Springfield is now positioned to lobby for hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure money from the federal government, and Springfield's residents, local businesses and workforce will be major beneficiaries of those funds."

"This is an incredibly significant day, as we move closer to the long held community goal of rail consolidation," Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter said. "I want to thank our state and federal officials, including Senator Dick Durbin, Governor Pat Quinn and IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider, for making this study a top priority, and for diligently working in the best interests of the public safety and economic development of our community. With the recommendation of the 10th Street corridor now official, I look forward to continuing to work with state and federal officials so that we can secure the funding to make this recommendation a reality."

The issuance of environmental approval through a Record of Decision is required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for federal projects that might significantly affect the environment. The EIS is required to complete the full build-out of the project, including double-tracking and route improvements between Joliet and Chicago, through the city of Springfield and from Alton to St. Louis.

The Record of Decision focuses on double-tracking the entire line, as well as 10th Street as the choice for carrying high-speed trains through Springfield. The decision also confirms that the preferred corridor for the Chicago-Joliet route is the Rock Island Corridor (RIC) instead of the existing Heritage Corridor. The estimated $1 billion cost for upgrading the RIC is $500 million less than for the Heritage, mainly because fewer grade separations would be needed.

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Red Cedar Chamber Music presents Seven Score and Ten on Saturday, February 23 at 8:00 p.m. at Brucemore. The intimate wintertime concert marks the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, featuring American music that inspired the troops, supported the war effort, and entertained those at home. Red Cedar Chamber Music's flutist Jan Boland and guitarist John Dowdall will be joined by soprano Karla Goettel. A champagne and dessert reception will be held during intermission. Tickets are $35 per person or $30 per Brucemore member. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org, by telephone at (319) 362-7375, or by visiting the Brucemore Store.

The concert presents poignant ballads like Aura Lee and Stephen Foster's Gentle Annie, lively dance tunes like Governor's Grays Schottisch and The Cruel War Quickstep, battle-inspired melodies like Ellsworth's Funeral March and Sherman's March to the Sea, and nostalgic tunes sung by soldiers both North and South like Auld Lang Syne. The artists bring an Iowa perspective to the Civil War era, interspersing the music with conversation about the impact of the war, readings from Iowa diaries and letters, and some of the earliest tunes published in Iowa.

Karla Goettel's soprano voice serves her in a career of extraordinary range. She has toured the United States, singing opera, musical theater, concerts with orchestras, and solo recitals. Karla has been a frequent soloist with Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale and Orchestra Iowa, including the 2008 Brucemorechestra concert on Brucemore's lawn. She held a 12-week contract with Old Creamery Theatre and has sung two principal roles with the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre. She has also performed with the Omaha, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Clinton, Dubuque, Wartburg, and Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestras. Karla was a National Opera Association finalist and was named an Outstanding Young Woman of America twice. She was selected to sing for the National Governor's convention in July 2005. Her CD, "Just Great Songs," was released in December 2007 to glowing reviews.

The Seven Score and Ten concert provides a natural partnership between two local cultural organizations?nineteenth-century chamber music in a nineteenth-century parlor. As artists in residence at Brucemore in 1983, Jan Boland and John Dowdall began performing nineteenth-century music on period instruments?an 1830 wooden flute and an 1830 gut-strung guitar. Currently celebrating its sixteenth season, Red Cedar Chamber Music continually strives to reach, challenge, and expand audiences that rarely have the opportunity to attend chamber music performances. Red Cedar Chamber musicians inform and entertain audiences, engaging them with lively commentary about the music, composers, and instruments. Their first recording, Czech Chamber Music, received a Critics' Choice award from the American Record Guide, which stated, "Chamber music should be just like this?intimate, bonding, and conversational." Red Cedar Chamber Music returned home to Brucemore in 2009, 2011, and 2012. For more information about Red Cedar Chamber Music or other Seven Score and Ten performances, visit www.redcedar.org or call (319) 377-8028.

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.

With each passing year Andy Warhol's quote - that everyone will have their 15 minutes of fame - rings truer.

The caveat: some people get more than 15 minutes, in large part because they actually work at their success, says award-winning indie filmmaker Kerstin Karlhuber. In fact, she calls this the "golden era of self-starters," because this is an unprecedented time in which creative doers have access to achieving an audience.

"While there are some people who see the rise and fall of their name shortly after a quirky incident on a reality TV show, the more important success stories come from devoted artists who've worked their entire adult lives on a dream - and then something clicks," says Karlhuber, who recently completed her latest project, "Tides of the Heart" (www.kerstinkarlhuber.com), an avant garde feature-length music video with no dialogue.

With some talent, a vision and that irrepressible itch to do something, amateurs such as "Fifty Shades of Grey" author E.L. James, or the co-creators of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," initially shot by three non-professionals before the FX channel contracted the show, are changing what and how audiences are receiving entertainment, says Daniel Jay Paul. His latest album, "Clean Getaway" (www.danieljaypaul.com), not only makes up much of the score for the film, but also structures the plot.

"We're living in a golden era of self-starters when it comes to the arts," he says.

Karlhuber and Paul discuss three ways those just starting out can kick-start their projects:

• New methods of financing: Sites like IndieGoGo.com are making it easier for self-starters to raise money for a variety of independent projects. It's a 501©(3) non-profit that utilizes a "crowdfunding" platform in which those who seek to raise money can create campaigns to detail their story and get the word out.

• Alternative distribution: A decade ago, it wasn't easy to get your self-made film out to audiences. If a committee liked your work, then you might get picked up by an indie movie festival, shown at the odd art house theater, Karlhuber says. Now, there are some households that go without cable or satellite, whose inhabitants rely completely on sites like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, where the Karlhuber-Paul project can be found, for their entertainment. An independent filmmaker can reasonably expect their video to be watched tens of thousands of times, if not much more. Despite these handy advances, utilizing traditional methods is a good idea, says Paul, who is continuing to enter "Tides of the Heart" into film festivals after having won awards in past events. He is expecting more theater screenings in the future, and hardcopies of the film are available.

• Marketing: The old way of advertising - billboards, newspaper space - can still be effective, but no longer necessary. If you're not utilizing a method for online marketing, including the usual suspects such as Facebook and Twitter, then you're not doing your job as a passionate artist, Paul says. "Unless you have the means or cash for a professional to handle your PR, then you have to ask yourself a simple question: What good is your project if nobody is exposed to it?" he says.

About Kerstin Karlhuber & Daniel Jay Paul

Kerstin Karlhuber is an award-winning filmmaker and director. Her work in the arts has been seen around the world, from off-Broadway to Cannes, the Arclight Theater in Los Angeles to a segment on "Good Morning America." She is the founder and director of the film production company Silent Giant Productions based in New York City.

Daniel Jay Paul is a songwriter who recently released "Clean Getaway" on the Sunlight Communication Arts label. His songs have been described by Music Express' Marcus Wright as "music you hear with your heart ...." Paul is the author of the novel "The Last Sunset."

East coast remodelers focus on rebuilding communities this holiday season

Des Plaines, Illinois, December 18, 2012?It has been two difficult months since Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast, bringing devastation to areas along the coastline. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry's (NARI) 12 chapters that represent the Northeastern region are stepping up in in big ways this holiday season?lending a hand and expertise to those who need it most.

"Those affected by the storm are now trying to piece lives back together," says NARI National Chairman Michael Hydeck, MCR, CKBR, president of Hydeck Design Build Inc., in Telford, Pa. Hydeck himself assisted a fellow officer in the Long Island, N.Y. area when he loaded his car with gasoline, a generator and food and drove several hours to make the delivery.

Many of the projects out there require skilled remodeling professionals, and NARI members are doing their part to assist in rebuilding efforts in their local communities. "The NARI community is proud to come together and support each other in what will be a long and difficult rebuilding process," Hydeck says.

Here is a look at some of NARI's Sandy recovery efforts so far.

New York City/Long Island NARI chapter took action after seeing a news report about the Heckman family's struggle to treat one child's recent leukemia diagnosis with a home destroyed by the storm. The chapter immediately organized a rebuild of the home, gathering supplies and labor, for what will eventually be a new home for the family.

NARI-Staten Island Home Improvement Contractors Association is focused on education and safety for homeowners during the rebuild. They have joined forces with other groups and business leaders to form the Rebuild SI coalition, with the goal of disseminating information to more than 20,000 victims on issues like avoiding unscrupulous/unlicensed contractors, health risks associated with flood waters and hazardous materials left behind, and proper care and removal during clean up to lessen risk.

In addition, Steven Coppola, NARI-HIC of Staten Island Liaison and president of APB Security Systems Inc., in Staten Island, N.Y., says that many members are giving back in additional ways. "Remodelers are giving free estimates to help victims apply for assistance, and some are performing work without any assurance of payment," Coppola says.

NARI of Bucks-Mont chapter based in Spring House, Pa., raised funds and organized multiple supply drop-off trips to New York City. On one trip to Queens, chapter board members joined Bill Clinton, and volunteers from the Clinton Global Initiative in rebuild efforts.

Chapter Membership Chair Laura Hawley, principal of Ambiance Design based in Pipersville, Pa., continues to look for help and donations and plans to return to the same neighborhood. "There is just so much to do and still great need," Hawley says.

NARI Eastern Massachusetts chapter based in Newton Centre, Mass., organized a supply drop-off at Breezy Point, home to many New York City police and firefighters who are themselves in need of assistance from flooding and fires. Everything from light construction equipment, clothing, food and water were collected in the effort.

Building Industries Exchange of Pottstown and Vicinity Inc., member Steven Oehlert, of Oehlert Brothers Inc., a heating and cooling company in Royersford, Pa., made 20 emergency fuel deliveries to New Jersey residents and municipalities in need of gasoline and diesel to power generators and more directly following the storm. Additionally, Potty Queen, a portable restroom rental company based in Pottstown, Pa., donated portable restrooms and comfort stations in to areas in New York and New Jersey.

Remodeling Contractors Association of Connecticut chapter member Carl Loschiavo, president of Timberline Carpentry in Stratford, Conn., and property owner in the Milford Shore area, lost two homes in the storm. Nevertheless, Loschiavo and his crew started pumping water from basements during first three days following the storm and set up a grill and passed out hot dogs and hamburgers to workers and victims. "It was great to bring neighbors and workers together to talk and laugh over hot food, if even only a minute?it gave people a little break from the smell and disaster around them," Loschiavo says.

North Jersey NARI chapter members, based in Hawthorne, N.J., are doing their part to help as well, providing free delivery of materials and donating a portion of jobs sold from November to the end of January to the American Red Cross Sandy Relief fund.

"A great source of pride for remodelers comes from driving through a neighborhood and pointing out all homes and buildings that they remodeled in their communities," Hydeck says. "So when something like Sandy comes along and destroys their community, rebuilding and restoring the community becomes a labor of love. It's not over until our communities are rebuilt."

NARI is the source for homeowners seeking to hire a professional remodeling contractor because members are full-time, dedicated remodelers who follow a strict code of ethics that observes high standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility.

Visit the NARI.org site to get tips on how to hire a remodeling professional and to search for NARI members in your area.

Click here to see an online version of this press release.

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