(Kansas City, Kan., June 27, 2012) - EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek, and others will hold a news conference Friday, June 29 to announce a new environmental partnership between EPA and the City of Iowa City, Iowa.

EPA is providing a $60,000 urban waters grant to Iowa City for modifications to the Burlington Street Dam, which will result in water quality improvements, improved fish habitat, flood mitigation and revitalization of the Riverfront Crossings District. The funding is part of EPA's Urban Waters Program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve and benefit from urban waters and surrounding land.

EPA has worked closely with the University of Iowa and Iowa City officials to initiate numerous environmental partnerships. One of the university partnerships is related to increasing awareness about the shared value of Iowa's water resources and the impact of land use along rivers. As part of the Iowa City partnerships, EPA provided a market analysis, transit development study and plans for the Riverfront Crossings District. The plan provides a vision for redevelopment of underutilized properties with a mixture of housing, commercial and civic uses and restoration of the floodplain as a major riverfront park.

WHAT: Announcement of expansion of environmental partnerships with Iowa City

WHEN:  9 a.m., June 29, 2012 (Tour of the riverfront for news media will begin at 9:30 a.m.)

WHERE: Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, Room 127, 300 S. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 (Parking is available south of the laboratory on Riverside Drive.)

WHO: EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Environmental Services Division Administrator Bill Ehm, University of Iowa Director of Hydroscience and Engineering Larry Weber, and Iowa City Chamber of Commerce Vice President Rebecca Neades

VISUALS: Iowa City officials will share project details during a tour of the riverfront highlighting Burlington Street Dam modifications for improved water quality, riverbank stabilization and fish habitat.

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Learn more about EPA's Urban Waters Program: www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7

Stay Cool at Christian Care's Rescue Mission

Rock Island - Christian Care's Rescue Mission, located at 2209 3 rd Avenue, Rock Island, will accommodate those who need a place to stay cool this summer. Anyone is welcome at the Rescue Mission between the hours of 6:30 a.m., when breakfast is served, and 7:00 p.m., when dinner ends, as well as on weekends.

"Throughout its 96-year history, Christian Care has always been about serving others," said Dr. Elaine Winter, the organization's executive director. "We welcome anyone who needs to come in from the heat, especially during these periods when the temperature heat index reaches 100 degrees. Our primary desire is to care for those who are less fortunate and who need help."

Christian Care is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization operating two facilities?a domestic violence shelter for women and children and a rescue mission for homeless men. It serves homeless individuals, victims of domestic  violence, veterans, men and women coming out of prison, and those with mental illnesses.

For all those who need a meal, Christian Care's Community Meal Site is located at its Rescue Mission, 2209 3rd Avenue, Rock Island. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekdays Monday through Friday, and for breakfast and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. Breakfast is served at 6:30 a.m., lunch at 12:15 p.m., and dinner at 6:30 p.m. If you know of someone in need, call the Christian Care Crisis Hotline any hour of the day at (309) 788-2273 or visit online at christiancareqc.org.

Production at Belvidere Plant Adds Third Shift, Creates 1,800 Jobs

CHICAGO - June 27, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by executives of Chrysler Group LLC to unveil the new 2013 Dodge Dart, just off its Illinois production line. Nearly 300 car dealers from across the Midwest drove the new Dart straight into dealerships today during a "drive-away" event held at Soldier Field. Governor Quinn test drove the Dart with Dodge CEO Reid Bigland.

"The auto industry is alive and well in Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "The next generation of Dodge Darts is being assembled at our Belvidere plant and since 2008, Chrysler has gone from 200 jobs to more than 4,000 jobs this summer. We want that growth to continue."

Chrysler invested nearly $700 million to retool its Belvidere plant and ramp up production to build the new Dodge Dart. As part of its investment, Chrysler opened a 638,000 square-foot body shop to support production of the Dart and installed new machinery, tooling and material handling equipment. The new body shop increased the size of the Belvidere assembly plant to 4.8 million square feet. The plant also includes a 330,000-square-foot stamping plant. The Belvidere facility currently produces the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot.

Chrysler Group LLC's Belvidere Assembly Plant was recognized as a winner of an Economic Development in Illinois Award (Edie). The annual award is given jointly by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Development Council to recognize significant economic development projects finished in the prior year throughout Illinois. The Edies were formally presented at an event last week at the Illinois Chamber's annual meeting in Chicago

In fall 2010, Governor Quinn made a targeted investment which bolstered Chrysler's expansion in Illinois and enabled the automaker to create an additional 1,800 new jobs. The state investment consists of Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits, Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) job-training funds that will help enhance the skills of the company's workforce, and Large Business Development Program funds for capital improvements. Chrysler is also located in an Enterprise Zone.

Illinois has added 136,300 private sector jobs since January 2010. Since January 2010, Illinois has added 40,700 manufacturing jobs.

For more information on why Illinois is the right place for any business, visit www.illinoisbiz.biz.

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Davenport, IA (June 2012) The Board of Trustees of the Figge Art Museum is pleased to announce the appointment Tim Schiffer as the Figge's new Executive Director. He begins his new role August 1, 2012. The selection of Mr. Schiffer to head the museum is the culmination of a national search involving the review of hundreds of candidates, and it reflects the Figge's desire to hire an accomplished leader with a passion and enthusiasm for art and an engaging personality.

 

"We're really excited that Tim is joining the Figge team.  He has an exceptional track record of success, a unique blend of both management skills and artistic perception and has many wonderful and exciting ideas to lead the Figge Art Museum to new highs.  Tim and his wife are very talented people.  Both the Figge and the Quad Cities will benefit greatly from this addition to our community," said Andy Butler, President of the Figge Board of Trustees.

 

Mr. Schiffer comes to the Figge from the Museum of Ventura County, a regional history and art museum in Ventura, California, where he has been Executive Director since 1999. In that time he has led a major expansion of the museum's original facility and the creation of a new satellite agriculture museum, and has overseen significant growth in the museum's programs, membership and community support. Prior to becoming Executive Director, he was curator at the Museum for six years, planning dozens of exhibitions and leading the redesign of its long-term history exhibition, funded through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

 

Mr. Schiffer received his B.A. in Fine Art from Yale and his M.F.A. in Painting from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was a lecturer in art and gallery director at the College of Creative Studies for eight years. He also managed the west coast studio of Kenneth Noland, an internationally known abstract painter. He has served on the boards of the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau, Ganna Walska Lotusland, and the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, and has been active in numerous other community groups. In 2011 he received the City of Ventura's Mayor's Arts Award as Arts Leader of the year. Mr. Schiffer is married to Pamela Kendall Schiffer, a professional artist, and they have three grown daughters.

 

"When we visited the Figge for the first time, Pam and I were amazed by the building and by the collection, and we liked the people we met?they were all so enthusiastic about the museum. I look forward to working with the board and staff and the community to help the Figge achieve its incredible potential. It is a real honor to be chosen for this position," said Mr. Schiffer.

 

About the Figge Art Museum

The Figge Art Museum, formerly the Davenport Museum of Art, was founded in 1925 as the first regional art museum in Iowa. Since then, the Museum has pursued a community-centered mission, with a focus on programs, exhibitions, and collections that have made the institution an important regional cultural destination. The museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and Sundays 12-5 p.m.  Thursdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the museum and tour is $7. Admission is free to Figge members and institutional members. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit our website, www.figgeartmuseum.org.

 

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Iowa couple to share how the Affordable Care Act saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars


DES MOINES, IOWA - After the Supreme Court announces its ruling tomorrow regarding the Affordable Care Act, local organizations will hold a series of press events to discuss the ruling and voice their support for improved health care for all Iowans. Progress Iowa, Iowa Citizen Action Network, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, One Iowa, the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, SEIU, and Working Families Win are co-hosting the events. The full schedule is listed below.

Ross Daniels and Amy Ward, residents of West Des Moines, will speak about how the Affordable Care Act saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars because of the removal of lifetime limits on coverage.

Schedule of Events

WHEN: Thursday, June 28, 3:30 PM
WHAT: Press conference regarding health care ruling, supporting better care for Iowans
WHO: Ross Daniels and Amy Ward, of West Des Moines
Don Brown, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans
Molly Tafoya, One Iowa
WHERE: State Capitol Building, Room 116; East 9th and Grand, Des Moines, IA

WHEN: Friday, June 29, 11:00 AM
WHAT: Press conference regarding health care ruling, supporting better care for Iowans
WHO: Senator Amanda Ragan
Midge Slater, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans
Matt Sinovic, Progress Iowa
WHERE: Cerro Gordo Courthouse, 1st Floor, Board Room; 220 N Washington Ave, Mason City, IA

WHEN: Friday, June 29, 5:30 PM
WHAT: Rally and press conference regarding health care ruling, supporting better care for Iowans
WHO: Sue Dinsdale, Iowa Citizen Action Network
Chris Schwartz, Working Families Win
WHERE: At the intersection of Kimball & Ridgeway, Waterloo, IA

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Background:

Since being signed into law, Iowa families have received the following benefits from the Affordable Care Act:

  • 42,015 Iowans on Medicare saved an average of $616 on prescription drugs, for a total savings of $25,876,475.
  • 18,012 Iowans under the age of 26 gained coverage under the health care law.
  • 388,676 people with Medicare in Iowa received free preventive services - such as mammograms and colonoscopies - or a free annual wellness visit with their doctor.
  • 1,187,000 Iowans, including 433,000 women and 311,000 children, are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage.
  • Insurance companies are required to spend 80% of premium dollars on health care instead of overhead.

Source: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/ia.html

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley is scrutinizing Medicaid-funded dental clinics in response to allegations of abusive treatment of children in clinics controlled by corporate investors rather than dentists.

"We're finding that these dental practices, under pressure from owners who are not licensed dentists, have been providing services with the highest Medicaid reimbursement levels more often than less expensive, arguably more appropriate services," Grassley said.  "There are legitimate concerns that children are receiving unnecessary care, sometimes in a traumatic way, and taxpayers are paying for it."

Grassley has asked questions about ownership structures, incentives, parental notification policies, and participation in Medicaid from Small Smiles, Kool Smiles, and ReachOut Healthcare America.  The companies have been responsive to his inquiries, he said.  All three treat Medicaid children almost exclusively.

"We're finding that the business model has led to abuses because dentists are under pressure to perform as many high reimbursement services on the maximum number of children on Medicaid as possible," Grassley said.  "You have dentists under pressure to perform more services than may be necessary - giving a child a crown instead of a filling, for example - because of a bonus payment structure that creates the wrong incentives."

The issue involves an investment structure that technically meets some state-level requirements that dental practices be dentist-owned but do not, in practice, have dentists in control.  These "owner dentists" are effectively ghost owners who maintain none of the traditional aspects of ownership of their operations, allowing the corporate investors to have control over clinical operations.

A majority of states and the District of Columbia have laws that require owners of a dental practice to be licensed in the state where the practice is located.

Last year, Church Street Health Management owned 70 Small Smiles dental clinics in 22 states and the District of Columbia.  At least five of these clinics have been closed by state regulators.  NCDR, LLC owned more than 130 Kool Smiles clinics in 16 states and the District of Columbia.  ReachOut Health Care America operates mobile clinics that treat children at schools around the country.

Grassley's review of allegations about dental clinics also has led to Aspen Dental Management, Inc., which doesn't accept Medicaid patients.  Questions there have been about complaints that the company promotes unnecessary treatment plans with exorbitantly expensive credit arrangements.  Aspen Dental Management, Inc. operates more than 300 clinics in 22 states.

Grassley said he expects to issue a staff report on his findings involving the companies that serve children in the Medicaid program.  His investigation into credit arrangements offered by Aspen Dental Management, Inc. is ongoing.

Click here to see the June 26, 2012, PBS Frontline piece on these issues.

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WASHINGTON, June 27, 2012?When celebrating our nation's independence this Fourth of July, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reminds Americans that proper food handling practices can prevent their "Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness" from being threatened by foodborne illness. The warm temperatures that draw crowds of people to outdoor celebrations also encourage the growth of bacteria, and incidents of food-related illnesses rise in summer months. But four simple steps?Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill?can help families declare freedom from foodborne illness at Independence Day celebrations.

USDA.gov logo

"We want to provide families with important information that will help reduce the risk of foodborne illness during their Fourth of July celebrations," USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said.  "Small children and the elderly are among the most vulnerable to foodborne illness, and this information is essential in protecting loved ones at family barbecues and picnics."

In time for the Fourth of July holiday, FSIS has created a new infographic in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Ad Council featuring food safety tips from the Founding Fathers. The infographic, fact sheets, videos and podcasts about safe food handling and preparation in warmer months can be found on FSIS' "Grill It Safe" webpage at www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/Grill_It_Safe.

Additionally, representatives from FSIS' Meat and Poultry Hotline will answer consumer questions in English and Spanish from the Twitter handles @USDAFoodSafety and @USDAFoodSafe_es on June 28 at 1 p.m. ET.

Clean

Freedom from foodborne illnesses starts with clean surfaces and clean hands. Be sure that you and your guests wash your hands before preparing or handling food. Hands should be washed with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Equally important is making sure that the surfaces that come in contact with raw and cooked foods are clean before you start and are washed frequently.

Separate

Raw meats and poultry should be prepared separately from vegetables and cooked foods. As you chop meats and veggies, be sure to use separate cutting boards. Juices from raw meats can contain harmful bacteria that could spread to raw veggies and already cooked foods.

As you take the cooked meats off the grill, be sure to place them on a clean platter, not on the dish that held them when they were raw. The juices left on the plate from raw meat can spread bacteria to safely cooked food.

 

Cook

Never begin cooking without your most important tool?a food thermometer. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often brown quickly and may appear done on the outside, but still may not have reached a safe minimum internal temperature to kill any harmful bacteria. Whole cuts of pork, lamb, veal, and beef should be cooked to 145 °F as measured by a food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat, followed by a three-minute rest time before carving or consuming. Hamburgers and other ground beef should reach 160 °F. All poultry should reach a minimum temperature of 165 °F. Fish should be cooked to 145 °F. Fully cooked meats like hot dogs should be grilled to 165 °F or until steaming hot.

If you are smoking meats, the temperature in the smoker should be maintained between 225 °F and 300 °F for safety. Be sure to use your food thermometer to be certain the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.

Chill

Keeping food at a safe temperature can be a concern at outdoor picnics and cookouts. Too often, food is prepared and left to sit out while guests munch over the course of several hours. Bacteria grow most rapidly between 40 °F and 140 °F, so perishable food should never sit out for more than two hours. If the temperature is higher than 90 °F?which is common in the summer?food should not sit out more than one hour. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly and discard any food that has been sitting out too long.

It is important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods can be kept hot on the grill and cold foods can be kept chilled with ice packs or ice sources in a cooler.

Still have questions? Ask Karen!

Whether you are cooking in the kitchen or grilling out this Independence Day, make Mobile Ask Karen the first guest on your list. Ask Karen is USDA's virtual food safety representative available 24/7 at www.AskKaren.gov or m.AskKaren.gov on your smartphone. Mobile Ask Karen can also be downloaded from the Android app store. On June 26, 2012, FSIS launched "Mobile Pregúntele a Karen," the Spanish-language version of Mobile Ask Karen. Mobile Pregúntele Karen and the desktop-based Pregúntele a Karen also are available 24 hours a day at m.PregunteleaKaren.gov or PregunteleaKaren.gov.

Consumers can email, chat with a live representative, or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline directly from these apps. To use these features on the app, simply choose "Contact Us" from the menu. The live chat option and the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), are available in English and Spanish from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

This seasonal food safety outreach is part of a multi-faceted USDA initiative to prevent foodborne illness. As part of this initiative, USDA has joined the Ad Council, the FDA and the CDC to launch Food Safe Families, a consumer food safety education campaign. It is the first joint public service campaign to empower families to further reduce their risk of foodborne illness at home by checking their key food safety steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill. For more information, go to www.foodsafety.gov.

Today's action is in addition to other FSIS has put in place during President Barack Obama's Administration to date to safeguard the food supply, prevent foodborne illness, and improve consumers' knowledge about the food they eat. These initiatives support the three core principles developed by the President's Food Safety Working Group: prioritizing prevention; strengthening surveillance and enforcement; and improving response and recovery. Some of these actions include :

  • Test-and-hold policy that will significantly reduce consumer exposure to unsafe meat products, should the policy become final, because products cannot be released into commerce until Agency test results for dangerous contaminants are known.
  • Labeling requirements that provide better information to consumers about their food by requiring nutrition information for single-ingredient raw meat and poultry products and ground or chopped products.
  • Public Health Information System, a modernized, comprehensive database with information on public health trends and food safety violations at the nearly 6,100 plants FSIS regulates.
  • Performance standards for poultry establishments for continued reductions in the occurrence of pathogens. After two years of enforcing the new standards, FSIS estimates that approximately 5,000 illnesses will be prevented each year under the new Campylobacter standards, and approximately 20,000 illnesses will be prevented under the revised Salmonella standards each year.

 

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Follow FSIS on Twitter at twitter.com/usdafoodsafety.

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

On Friday, June 29 at 2:00 p.m., 21 veterans and 2 spouses will be interred at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery as part of the Missing in America Project. Military honors and dignified interment will be provided by a Military Honor Guard and the Cemetery staff.

For information on the Missing in America Project, visit their website at: http://www.miap.us

The Iowa contact for the Missing in America Project (MIAP) is Bill Lauchlin at 319-573-1616.

The Iowa Veterans Cemetery assisted the MIAP in 2009 with the interment of 7 veterans. The Cemetery is located on Interstate 80/ Van Meter Exit 113.

Last night, the US House adopted an amendment authored by Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) that requires the federal government to devote at least $10 million to helping states enforce traffic laws that punish reckless drivers for illegally passing stopped school buses.  The amendment, "Kadyn's Amendment", was named in honor of Northwood, IA, resident Kadyn Halverson, who was killed in May 2011 after a pickup truck struck her while she was boarding her school bus.  More information can be found in the release below.

For YouTube video of Rep. Braley discussing the measure during House debate last night, visit this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?

For audio of Rep. Braley discussing the measure during his weekly press conference call today, visit this link: http://www.mydigitalmanager.

(NOTE: Original participants in today's press conference call might have noticed an echo during the call interfering with audio quality.  The audio recording linked to above does not have an echo in it - or has a markedly less pronounced echo - and should help correct any issues you might have had with the call's audio quality.)

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