Help the winter months fly by! Join River Valley District Library's annual Winter Reading Program February 8th- March 19th.  Adult participants must read two hours per week and record their times on their reading log, which can be picked up at the library beginning February 8th.  Participants may read any material they choose, as long as it comes from River Valley Library.  Readers may enter their names once a week in a prize drawing.  Upon completion of the program, all participants will receive a $5.00 Borders Bookstore gift card.  Call (309) 523-3440 for more information. River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

"Our Young Authors" Children's Reading Program for Pre-12th grade will be held at River Valley District Library February 8th- March 19th.  Join us in exploring creative writing, illustration and more as we teach you to "think like a writer!"  Each week the program will showcase an influential children's book and offer projects and activities that tie in with the story.  Activity kits and instructions will be available on Monday of each week of the program.  The first Monday, February 8th at 9:30am or 6:30pm, please stop in the library to hear a reading of Jan Brett's Ukranian folktale the Mitten. Each participant must read 1 hour per week and record their times on their reading logs, which can be picked up at the library beginning February 8th.  Each week participants may enter their names in a drawing for a book by the week's featured author.  Older students may draw for a theme-related book.  Upon completion of the program, all participants will receive a book of their choosing or a $5.00 Borders Bookstore gift card.  Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Rhyme Tyme Story Time will be held Mondays from 11am-12pm and Thursdays from 10am-11am in the Community Room at River Valley District Library.  For children ages Pre-K, this class offers stories, songs and crafts based on a central theme. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Mommy and Me Story Time will be held Wednesdays from 9:15am-9:45am in the Community Room at River Valley District Library. For children ages 0-Pre, this class uses music and movement to capture children's interest.  Call (309) 523-3440 for more information. River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Pajama Story Time will be held at River Valley Library February 26th, March 26th and April 30th from 6:30-7:30pm.  Put on your pjs and join us for story time! Each child that attends will receive a free book.  Hosted by the Friends of River Valley Library. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.   River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast will be held at River Valley Library Saturday, February 27th from 8:00am-9:30am. Do you like green eggs and ham?  Come down to the library to try them at this special, Dr. Seuss-inspired breakfast! Please sign up at the library or call (309) 523-3440 for more information. River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs will be shown at River Valley Library Monday, February 15th from 12:30-2:30pm.  We will serve a free lunch and watch the movie upstairs in the Community Room.  Open to all ages. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information. River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Create Your Own Book at River Valley Library Saturday February 20th.  Children ages Pre-1st grade can make a lift a flap book from 10- 11am.  Children grades 2nd-12th can make a simple pop-up book  from 11:30-12:30pm. This is a free event, so bring the whole family! Sign up beforehand at the library, so that we can have enough supplies available. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information. River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Antique Appraisals will be held at River Valley Library Saturday, March 6th at 9am.  You may bring up to three items to be appraised, but please do not bring arms, armor, guns or knives. Please plan to stay for the full program.   Please sign up at the library or call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Avon Demonstration will be held at River Valley District Library Saturday, February 27th at 10am.  Presented by local Avon representative Holly Loy, this program will showcase Avon's new skincare and makeup product lines.  Holly will help you choose the right products for unique skin type and coloring and will be offering a door prize and samples. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Bob Ross Painting Classes led by certified Bob Ross instructor Frank Black will be held in the Community Room at River Valley Library.  Friday, February 5th there will be two seascape Make & Take classes, from 5:00-6:30pm and from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Cost is $15.00, which includes all supplies.  Saturday, February 6th is a youth seascape painting class from 10am-12pm. Cost is $15.00, which includes all supplies.  Friday, February 19th is a full-size (16"x20") seascape painting class from 5pm-8pm.  Cost is $50, which includes all supplies. Friday, March 5th there will be two floral Make & Take classes from 5:00-6:30pm and from 6:30-8:00pm.  Cost is $15.00, which includes all supplies.  Please sign up at the library or call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Cooking and Culinary Explorations with Chef Spencer Blake will be held at River Valley Library Monday, February 22nd at 5:00pm.  Join Chef Spencer as he teaches how to prepare fresh pasta with two specialty sauces, a classic tomato and a bolognese.  As he demonstrates the technique, he will also talk about the practical, historical and cultural aspects of the featured cuisine and discuss possible wine pairings.  Delectable tastings will be served and sample portions will be provided for you to take home.  The cost for this class is $20.  Future classes will be held on the last Monday of each month and topics will be barbecue methods such as smoking, spit-roasting and grilling; methods of cooking fish, methods of cooking eggs, and more.  Chef Spencer is a native of Port Byron and a recent graduate of the Culinary Institute of America of Hyde Park, New York. Please sign up at the library or call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Starting Seeds Successfully will be held at River Valley Library Thursday, February 25th at 6:30pm.  Led by Judith Williamsen, a certified Master Gardener, this presentation will cover types of seeds, supplies for getting started, the value of having a heat supply, hardening off the seedling and garden sites.  Please sign up at the library or call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Tai Chi will be held at River Valley Library every Tuesday from 6:45-8:00pm.  Led by instructor Steve Cravens, this class utilizes an ancient Chinese soft form of martial arts that increases balance, promotes relaxation and improves overall health and wellbeing. All skill levels are welcome. The cost is $7.00 per class.  Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Yoga will be held at River Valley Library every Tuesday from 5:30-6:30pm.  Led by instructor Rebecca Licandro, this class uses the ancient art of yoga to relieve stress, increase flexibility and improve health.  All skill levels are welcome. The cost is $8.00 per class. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Join us for an afternoon of good-natured rivalry as we play Bunco at River Valley Library! This Bunco group is open to all ages and skill levels, so grab a friend and join the fun! Contact Bev Skelton at (309) 523-2516 for more information. Held from 1:00pm-3:00pm Wednesdays, February 17th &  March 17th.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Quilting by the River will be held in the Community Room at River Valley Library.  Bring your current project and join this group of happy quilters as they swap quilting stories, favorite techniques and more.  Contact Pat Biskie for more information at (309) 523-2171.  Held Thursdays February 11th and March 11th.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Stitching & More will be held in the Community Room at River Valley Library.  Do you enjoy knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, or other forms of stitching?  Put your creativity to work and share your favorite tips and tricks with this fun group of ladies.  This group meets every Wednesday (except the 2nd Wednesday of each month) from 5:00-8:00pm.  Contact Bev Skelton at (309) 523-2516 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Stamping Club will be held the first Friday of each month from 9:00am-11:00am at River Valley Library.  Meet other ladies who enjoy stamping and get some great ideas on card making!  Share your own creations and learn new techniques. Contact Bev Skelton at (309) 523-2516 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

River Reflections will be showing My Sister's Keeper and Couple's Retreat in the Community Room at River Valley Library. Come watch these new releases on the big screen and enjoy free pop and popcorn! My Sister's Keeper will be shown Thursday February 5th from 1:00-3:30pm.  Couple's Retreat will be shown February 18th from 1:00-3:30pm and a selection of scrumptious desserts will be offered in honor of Valentine's Day. Call (309) 523-3440 for more information.  River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Port Byron Historical Society will meet in the Community Room at River Valley Library Wednesdays once a month, from 7:00-8:00pm.  Future meetings are scheduled for Feb.10th, March 10th, April 14th, May 12th..  Meetings feature a wide variety of topics, guest speakers and historical performers. For more information, contact Carl Palmer at (309) 523-3654. River Valley District Library, 214 South Main St. Port Byron, Il.

Homeschooler's Group will meet every other Tuesday in the Community Room at River Valley Library.  This group meets to provide local homeschoolers with support, classes, seasonal events and fieldtrips. Some of the classes that are planned include art, music, fiber arts, creative movement, public speaking, health, science, gardening and more.  Contact Carrie Homann at (309) 496-3330 for more information.  Future meetings include "Show and Tell" January 19th; "Fiber Arts" February 2nd; and "Science and Microscopes" February 16th.

Q:        What internship opportunities do you offer to Iowa students?

A: I strongly encourage and welcome college-age Iowans to intern in my Washington and Iowa offices.  Internships are available during the spring and fall semesters and for two six-week summer sessions.  Internships are an excellent educational opportunity where students get first-hand exposure to the legislative branch and learn about the process of representative government that's at the heart of America's democracy.  Depending on the college, these internships may qualify for course credit.  Internships also are an excellent way for young people to gain work experience in an area of interest.  More than half of the current permanent staff members in my office were interns.

Q:        What type of work do interns do?

A: Interns get put to work in my office.  They're assigned their own desks and responsibilities.  Duties include assisting permanent staff members in the administrative, legislative and communications departments, as well as the staff I hire for the Finance and Judiciary committees in the Senate.  Tasks include scheduling appointments, giving Capitol tours, answering phones, organizing press clippings, helping constituents with questions, drafting letters to government agencies, researching issues and policy proposals, and more.

Q:        How do students apply for your internships?

A: Interested students should visit http://grassley.senate.gov, print out a form, and send applications to cory_crowley@grassley.senate.gov or 202-224-6020 (fax).  Applying by email or fax avoids security-related delays in postal mail delivery to the U.S. Senate office buildings.  Also, my offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City and Waterloo, as well as the placement offices of Iowa colleges and universities, all have copies of Grassley internship application forms.  The application deadline for Summer 2010 internships is March 15, 2010.  I hope many students consider an internship.  If you have questions, please call my internship coordinator, Cory Crowley, at 202-224-3744.

State Invests $45 Million in Rail Passenger Service and Jobs

MOLINE - January 30, 2010. Gov. Pat Quinn today visited Moline to announce $45 million in state capital funds to establish passenger rail service from Chicago to the Quad Cities. The new service will result in up to 825 new jobs, including 440 construction jobs.

"This week, we were happy to receive $1.2 billion in federal money for high-speed rail that will take travelers between Chicago and St. Louis," said Governor Quinn. "Now we want to make sure people can travel from Chicago to Moline and beyond. This new line is going to connect Chicago to the western part of our state, create jobs and bring more visitors to the Quad Cities."

The Quad Cities have not had passenger rail service since the late 1970s. Under the new service, two daily round trips will transport passengers to and from the Quad Cities in just over three hours. The Chicago-to-Quad Cities project is one leg of a planned passenger train service extension that would connect west to Iowa City, Iowa and on to Omaha, Nebraska.

"It is important that we continue to invest in our state's rail system," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. "We hope to get this project started this year and are very excited about what the future holds for passenger rail in Illinois."

The Quad Cities project was developed in cooperation with the state of Iowa as a "green" demonstration project, in which various environmentally-friendly initiatives in construction, operations and local development will be used.

These initiatives include running the trains using biofuels, using recycled materials where possible in construction, using organic foods and environmentally friendly packaging in food services, installing "green" station upgrades to lower utility costs and increase efficiencies and encouraging pedestrian-friendly development around rail stations to reduce vehicle trips, among other improvements.

Federal officials announced Thursday that Illinois will receive $1.2 billion through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to begin track and signal upgrades for high-speed passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Louis.

The funding for this passenger rail project is part of Illinois Jobs Now!, a job generation and capital improvement program that will revive the state's ailing economy by creating and retaining over 439,000 jobs over six years.

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HARKIN URGES OBAMA TO ISSUE A DISASTER DECLARATION FOR IOWA COUNTIES AFFECTED BY BLIZZARDS, ICE STORMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) sent a letter to President Obama today supporting Governor Culver's request that two federal disaster declarations be issued for areas of Iowa affected by December's blizzards and January's ice storms.

"These storms severely damaged businesses, homes and roads, isolating many rural residents and putting the welfare of thousands in jeopardy," Senator Harkin said. "Resources and manpower have been exhausted at the local, county and state level, and so I am urging the President to declare the affected counties disaster areas so that we can recover."

Iowa has had an unusually brutal winter, logging the most snowfall in over one hundred years and extremely low temperatures.  The counties requesting a federal disaster declaration are Adair, Audubon, Calhoun, Cherokee, Fremont,  Carroll, Emmet, Guthrie, Buena Vista, Cass, Franklin, Harrison, Ida, Monona, Palo Alto, Sac, Sioux, Madison, Lyon, Osceola, Pocahontas, Woodbury, Mills, Page, Pottawattamie, Shelby and Crawford.

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WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today asked President Barack Obama to grant requests made by the state of Iowa for federal assistance after several severe storms ransacked much of the state in December 2009 and January 2010.

"Parts of Iowa were brought to a standstill after ice and snow covered the state.  Iowans have had a terrible time restoring power and digging out after record snowfall and ice storms moved through," Grassley said.  "Quick approval of the requested assistance would go a long way in helping Iowans recover from these record storms."

Grassley sent separate letters on the state's requests.  A copy of the text of the letter regarding the January storm is below.  Copies of both letters can be found on Grassley's website.

January 29, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama

President of the United States of America

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I respectfully ask that you grant the request made January 28, 2010 by Iowa Governor Chet Culver for a declaration of a major disaster for the State of Iowa as a result of damages from a severe winter storm that began January 19 and continued through January 26, 2010.  The Governor determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments to handle effectively and federal assistance is needed.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

United States Senator