Date of Event: June 14, 2012

Richard Lloyd of Television Show Canceled

The Redstone Room @ River Music Experience

(Davenport, IA) Richard Lloyd's show scheduled for Thursday, June 14 in the Redstone Room at River Music Experience is now canceled due to health reasons.  All pre-sold tickets will be refunded. Please remove the event from any calendar listings.
Soy Checkoff Conveys U.S. Soybean Farmers' Commitment to Stewardship

ST. LOUIS (June 13, 2012) - Most U.S. soybean farmers know they employ sustainable farming methods, such as conservation tillage, cover crops and tactics that help minimize nutrient runoff. Now a group of representatives from global food companies know it, too.

The United Soybean Board (USB) and soy checkoff's Sustainability Initiative recently organized an educational series of U.S. farm tours through three states that showed five food-industry employees firsthand what U.S. soybean farmers do to keep improving their farm's sustainability performance. The companies represented included Kellogg's, Kraft, Sodexo and Unilever, which together use a total of about 3.5 billion pounds of soybean oil annually.

"As a food company, we're dependent upon the sustainability of farmers and want to promote their efforts," says Sherilyn Brodersen, Kraft Foods' sustainable agriculture lead for the Americas. "There are so many progressive measures farmers have taken, and I'll take that information back to my company, share those stories and help increase consumers' awareness."

The food industry remains by far the biggest user of U.S. soy oil, consuming more than 80 percent of it every year. And the importance the food industry and consumers place on using sustainably sourced ingredients continues to grow.

The program took participants to farms in three large and diverse soybean-producing states - Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska - and showed them a large array of farm-management practices used today. Participants learned about strip tilling, how technology can improve efficiency, methods to remove nutrients from runoff water and more.

"Many people don't realize how high of a priority U.S. farmers place on being good stewards of our resources," says Nebraska soybean farmer Mike Thede, team lead for the checkoff's Sustainability Initiative. "I think it's important to show people how common these practices are among farmers and how we're always looking to improve even more."

The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

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DES MOINES - Today, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack will host a conference call to announce the Rural Iowans for Obama Steering Committee.  Two members of the Rural Steering Committee, Bruce Rohwer, a corn farmer from Northwest Iowa and member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Cathy Lafrenz a small business owner, who runs Miss Effie's Country Flowers from rural Scott County, will join former Iowa Governor Vilsack on the call.

The call will focus on the work the Obama administration has done to support rural Iowans and grow new economic opportunities for small towns, farmers, and Iowans across the state. Since day one, President Obama has worked to build stronger and more diverse economies in rural Iowa through investments in renewable energy, manufacturing, education and agriculture.

The Rural Iowans for Obama Steering Committee Members will play a key role in organizing their communities, talking to friends and neighbors about President Obama's record to build an economy that is built to last and Mitt Romney's lack of experience in dealing with rural issues and agriculture. Rural Iowans and Iowans all across the state launched President Obama's campaign in 2008 and will be critical to this next election.

Members of the committee come from Alta, Ames, Birmingham, Chelsea, Clarinda, Clear Lake, Creston, Des Moines, Donahue, Emmetsburg, Fort Dodge, Graettinger, Indianola, Lacona, Mingo, Mt. Pleasant, New Vienna, Paullina, Polk City, Walnut and Waukee.

Wednesday, June 13

1:00 PM

WHAT: Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack will host a conference call to announce the Rural Iowans for Obama Steering Committee Members

WHO: Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack

Bruce Rohwer, of Paullina, corn farmer from Northwest Iowa and member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

Cathy Lafrenz, of Donahue, small business owner in rural Scott County, running Miss Effie's Country Flowers.

RSVP: Click here to RSVP 

Please note: Tom Vilsack will be speaking to press in his personal capacity on behalf of Obama for America.  Please refrain from using his official title at the event and in related press reports, and note that we will not be taking questions concerning his official responsibilities.


Last week, a dozen area middle schoolers participated in the first annual JET Summer Camp at Jordan Catholic School. JET (Jordan Engineering Team) is an extra-curricular program led by veteran coaches Victor Cincola and Carlo Milani, in cooperation with FIRST LEGO League (FLL.) FIRST introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface and then participate in team competitions. FLL teams, guided by their imaginations and adult coaches, discover exciting career possibilities and, through the process, learn to make positive contributions to society. Coach Cincola began the program in 2009 with one team of ten students. This year, the program expanded to two teams and in the fall will grow to three.

During the JET Summer Camp, kids spent the first two days building rockets and using math to calculate altitude, based on engine size and rocket weight. On launch day, each member was able to launch their rocket twice with two different engine sizes. They also built devices to measure what peak altitude the rocket reached and compared that to the value calculated in the classroom. "I was surprised at how engaged and excited the kids were during the 3-day camp. They were very involved and really enjoyed the hands-
on building of their own rocket with the anticipation of the launch on the last day," explained Coach Cincola.

One of the original team members is Mr. Cincola's daughter, Sabrina, who moves on to Alleman High School in the fall. "I'm really going to miss JET." Sabrina says. "I'll miss the competitions the most- us being together as a team. Our team started out as ten people
but by the end of the first season, we were all a family."

For more information about JET and Jordan Catholic School, please call 309-793-7350.

For Leadership in Volunteer Service & Academic Achievement

COLCHESTER, VT (06/12/2012)(readMedia)-- The following local high school students were awarded the 2012 Saint Michael's College Book Award for Academic Achievement with a Social Conscience:

Benjamin Bassier of Davenport, a student at Assumption High School

Kate Fennelly of Davenport, a student at Assumption High School

The award recognizes students who demonstrate a commitment to leadership in volunteer service and academic achievement.

Saint Michael's, located in Burlington, Vermont, one of America's top 10 college towns, was founded on the belief that serving others is part of its Catholic tradition, and through the award seeks to honor those who demonstrate the true spirit of volunteerism.

Award recipients, named at schools throughout the country, are high school juniors who are inductees of the National Honor Society or an equivalent school-sponsored honors organization. They must demonstrate a commitment to service activities in high school or community organizations, taking leadership roles in these activities.

Winners were presented the book First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (HarperCollins 2000) by Loung Ung, a 1993 Saint Michael's College graduate who has become a widely acclaimed author. In First They Killed My Father, Ung gives a powerful autobiographical account, from a child's perspective, of surviving captivity during the genocidal Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. She reveals an indomitable spirit in the face of profound suffering, including the loss of both her parents and two of her siblings. Ung has written a riveting memoir about a family's survival, and in turn, about the development of Ung's on-going crusade for a landmine free world.

Learn What Matters at Saint Michael's College, The Edmundite Catholic liberal arts college, www.smcvt.edu . Saint Michael's provides education with a social conscience, producing graduates with the intellectual tools to lead successful, purposeful lives that will contribute to peace and justice in our world. Founded in 1904 by the Society of St. Edmund and headed by President John J. Neuhauser, Saint Michael's College is located three miles from Burlington, Vermont, one of America's top college towns. Identified by the Princeton Review as one of the nations Best 376 Colleges, and included in the 2012 Fiske Guide to Colleges, Saint Michael's has 1,900 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students. Saint Michael's students and professors have received Rhodes, Woodrow Wilson, Pickering, Guggenheim, Fulbright, and other grants. The college is one of the nation's top-100, Best Liberal Arts Colleges as listed in the 2012 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Expert Shares Tips to Save Money by the Scoopful

The national crime wave that stunned the nation earlier this spring - coast-to-coast thefts of Tide laundry detergent and its use in illicit drug buys - didn't surprise Kris Anderson.

"Laundry detergent can be expensive and it's a product just about everyone values - even drug dealers," says Anderson, president of Country Save Corp. (www.countrysave.com), maker of all-natural laundry and dish detergents.

"But it's not just stores getting ripped off; it's consumers. Anyone who buys laundry detergent and doesn't pay close attention when they scoop it ends up using too much," Anderson says. "Not only is it a fallacy to believe that more soap will make your clothes cleaner, it's a huge waste of money and it's actually bad for your clothes."

Almost every brand of detergent has a declaration of loads per box on its packaging, he says. And for almost every brand, the number on the box does not match the scooper size provided in the box.

Anderson, whose environmentally safe Country Save laundry detergent is also distributed by the Department of Defense to all soldiers in the field, offers these facts about using your detergent prudently and economically.

• Don't just fill up the scoop and dump it in the washer. "You definitely won't get the maximum number of loads from the box," Anderson says. "For instance, if you use Ultra Tide's 40-load box and fill the scoop for every load, you'll get just 15 scoops per box." Instead, he says, put on your glasses, if necessary, and look at the lines on the side of the scoop. The top line, for a full load, is usually well below the lip of the scoop. Highlight the lines with a dark-colored marker to help you avoid the problem in the future. If you have soft water, using half the recommended amount is sufficient.

• Too much soap causes clothes to fade faster. Over-use of detergent is actually the leading cause of fading. Clothing may also acquire a thin, filmy layer of soap because your washer can't thoroughly rinse the fabric. Do you tend to be itchy? It could be you're wearing your detergent!

• Too much soap's not good for your washing machine, either. Excess soap can gum up the works as soap deposits and lint form in your washing machine. These can contribute to mold - and its accompanying stench; they can plug up filters and other openings; and they can lead to mechanical breakdowns. In some machines, you may also end up wasting (and spending more for) water as the machine spins into extended cycles in an effort to remove the soap.

• Run a test load to see if you're over-soaping. Run a load with clothes only - no detergent. Do you see suds? That's an indication of how much detergent you are wearing.

• Reduce pollutants by using an all-natural detergent. While Country Save had the first phosphate-free detergent on the market back in 1977, many companies have now removed the additive because of its harmful effects on rivers, lakes and other fresh water. However, most companies continue to use other additives, such as optic brighteners, fragrances and dyes, Anderson says. "The more often consumers choose the most natural products, the better off our environment will be - even if some people still use too much!

About Country Save Detergent

Country Save became the nation's first phosphate-free detergent when Elmer Pearson - creator of Elmer's Glue -- introduced it in 1977. A chemist and environmentalist, he developed Country Save products without animal testing or animal byproducts. They're designed to be environmentally safe and they're recommended for people with sensitive skin. The line also includes dish detergent and oxygen-powered powdered bleach. Find Country Save products on the company's website and amazon.com.

Human Rights Campaign needs you to be a part of our efforts in support of LGBT equality! No experience is necessary - new and experienced volunteers are both welcome!

To volunteer at the HRC booth, you can sign up online and select the dates and times you prefer. For questions, please contact Darrin.hurwitz@hrc.org .

Iowa City Pride
Sunday, June 16
(various shifts available throughout the day)

Dowtown Iowa City on the Pedestrian Mall
Iowa City, IA

WASHINGTON - Iowa leaders and volunteers with the National CASA Association today visited the office of Senator Chuck Grassley to present him the 2012 Children's Champion in Congress Award.

Aprile Goodman and Deb Pumphrey of Mason City and Jo Stumo and Alan Steckman of Mason City were in Washington, D.C. for an advocates' conference.  Local CASA -- or Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children -- programs train volunteers who are asked by the court to represent the best interests of children in certain child welfare-related cases.

"For all of the policy improvements Congress makes, it's the people in the field who make the policies work," Grassley said.  "Those who spend time waiting at courthouses and weeding through paperwork at child welfare agencies make a tremendous positive difference.  These advocates wade right in and take part, not for glory but out of regard for the quality of life for every child."

Pumphrey, Goodman, Sutmo, Grassley and Steckman are pictured here.

Grassley was honored this year along with Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont.  Grassley is Ranking Member and Leahy is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Here is information from the CASA website.

Children's Champions in Congress

Every four years, the National CASA Association recognizes members of Congress who are strong and powerful voices for children served by CASA/GAL volunteers. This year, we are proud to honor and acknowledge Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Chuck Grassley.

US Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Senator Grassley has a long history of fighting for the rights of abused and neglected children. First elected to the US House of Representatives in 1974, he has focused on many issues that affect foster youth, including educational stability, substance abuse, and the over-prescription of psychotropic drugs. He also has worked on several adoption-related policies, including the adoption tax credit, kinship, and adoption awareness resolutions.

Senator Grassley worked to advance the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. Since its enactment, adoptions have increased to 54,000 per year, and many states have doubled their adoptions from foster care. He was a leader in the bipartisan effort to pass the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoption Act of 2008. The act included Senator Grassley's legislation to make it easier for foster children to be permanently cared for by their own relatives, including grandparents and aunts and uncles, and to stay in their own home communities.

In 2009, Senator Grassley formed the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth with Sen. Mary Landrieu. The caucus provides a voice for foster youth in shaping the policies that affect their quality of life. The caucus has a special focus on older youth who need continued support as they age out of the system.

Most recently, Senator Grassley worked to reauthorize grants that support families who struggle with substance abuse and that improve the safety, permanency and well-being of children who are not in their homes or are likely to be removed from their homes because of substance abuse by their parents.

Senator Grassley will be honored during the State of CASA Luncheon on Sunday, June 10.

US Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont

Senator Patrick Leahy of Middlesex, VT, was elected to the United States Senate in 1974. He has a long history of standing up for women's safety and advocating for improvements in health and education that prepare children for success.

Senator Leahy is a defender of attacks on Head Start funding; a supporter of initiatives that improve access to and quality of special education; and a champion of childhood nutrition programs.

He is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 2011, Senator Leahy introduced the recently passed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA). The bill strengthens and improves programs authorized under the landmark law to assist victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Additionally, reauthorization of funding for the CASA program is included in VAWA.

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act also emphasizes the need to provide services and support to all victims of domestic and sexual violence. The bill helps to ensure access to services for all victims of domestic violence, mandating that victims seeking assistance cannot be denied services based on gender identity or sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or disability.

Senator Leahy will be honored during the Awards of Excellence Luncheon Monday, June 11.

http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.8104357/k.202B/Childrens_Champions_in_Congress.htm#.T9aVhINSx_g.twitter

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