23 Jan 2012

Iowa Supreme Court Opinions

By Iowa Judicial Branch
January 20, 2012

Notice: The opinions posted on this site are slip opinions only. Under the Rules of Appellate Procedure a party has a limited number of days to request a rehearing after the filing of an opinion. Also, all slip opinions are subject to modification or correction by the court. Therefore, opinions on this site are not to be considered the final decisions of the court. The official published opinions of the Iowa Supreme Court are those published in the North Western Reporter published by West Group.

Opinions released before April 2006 and available in the archives are posted in Word format. Opinions released after April 2006 are posted to the website in PDF (Portable Document Format).   Note: To open a PDF you must have the free Acrobat Reader installed. PDF format preserves the original appearance of a document without requiring you to possess the software that created that document. For more information about PDF read: Using the Adobe Reader.

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NOTE: Copies of these opinions may be obtained from the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319, for a fee of fifty cents per page.

No. 08-0513

STATE OF IOWA vs. JONATHAN Q. ADAMS

No. 10-1454

STATE OF IOWA vs. ROBERT DALE LOWE, JR.
23 Jan 2012

UW-MADISON FALL DEAN'S LIST

By John Lucas

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the Dean's List for the fall semester of the 2011-2012 academic year.
Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the honor.

To view an online listing, visit http://registrar.wisc.edu/deans_list.htm. For questions or concerns about eligibility, please contact deanslist-registrar@em.wisc.edu.

Here are the students from your circulation area who have received this honor:

Michelle Kathryn Czarnecki, Bettendorf, IA, College of Letters and Science, Dean's List

Adam Samuel Vesole, Bettendorf, IA, College of Letters and Science, Dean's List

Meghan Elizabeth Khoury, Davenport, IA, School of Human Ecology, Dean's Honor List

Mehmet Gultekin Badur, Moline, IL, College of Engineering, Dean's Honor List; Brennan Lynn Price, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Dean's List

Andrew James Hoogerwerf, Rock Island, IL, College of Engineering, Dean's Honor List.

23 Jan 2012

Private Drum Lessons

By Josh Duffee

I currently have openings in my private drum studio here in Davenport.  Both my wife (Crystal) and I teach out of our home privately during the week, and we're located behind Gilda's Club in Davenport off of River Drive.

I haven't sent an e-mail out like this in over two years because my schedule has been full, but now I have a few spots open for students looking for a private drum instructor.  Here's what I offer in my studio:

*Snare Drum Technique / Rudiments / Studies / Solos
*Mallet Technique / Scales / Studies / Solos
*Timpani Technique and Studies / Solos
*Auxillary Percussion Techniques
*Drumset Studies and Styles (Rock, Latin, Jazz, Brush Technique)
*Drumset Solos and Proper Techniques
*Play-a-long with music students bring to lessons or I have in my library
*All the above will involve reading, playing and writing actual music
*Basic knowledge of Music Theory

My rate is one of the best rates in the Quad Cities for private lessons.  Most monthly half-hour lessons go for $80 a month, but here is what I charge for a month:

(4) One-hour private lessons = $110 per month flat fee

The normal rate for hour lessons is $160 per month, so my rate is considerably less than the normal rate.  I can teach one or all of the above items during the lesson.  This will give the parents, students and teacher something to choose from for lesson options.  I'm able to meet with the student for a total of 4 hours a month, compared to 2 hours with 30 minute lessons a month.  The hour lessons have shown quicker development in the overall skills with each of my students.

Teaching and performing music is a passion of mine, and this shows through my students too with high ratings during solo contests, plus district and state honors for my students too.  The students pick up on my drive to perform and teach, and this motivates them to exceed any goal they have set for themselves musically. 

If you know any student or parent interested in starting percussion or drum lessons, please forward my information on to them.  I can be contacted through e-mail (jgoldkette@msn.com) or phone ((563) 823-0174) the best.  The spots normally fill up fast when I send these e-mails out, so please inform whomever is interested to act quickly because spots are first-come first-serve.  If there are any questions, please call me so we can discuss them and get them answered right away.

Most Sincerely Yours,

Josh Duffee

23 Jan 2012

Davenport Native Kara Bartels Named to Augustana College's Dean's List

By Kelly Sprecher

SIOUX FALLS, SD (01/19/2012)(readMedia)-- Augustana College today announced that Kara Bartels, of Davenport, IA, has been named to the Dean's List for the Fall semester of the 2011-2012 academic year.

The Dean's List recognizes full-time students who have a minimum of 10 credit hours with grade-point averages at 3.5 or above.

About Augustana

Founded in 1860, Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., is a selective, residential, comprehensive college of the Lutheran Church. Committed to enriching lives and fostering development, Augustana combines a foundation in the liberal arts with professional skill and advanced study, leading the Templeton Guide to include the College among those that inspire students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives. With more than 1,850 students from 25 states and 30 countries, Augustana is featured among "America's Top Colleges" by Forbes; was ranked among the top 10 baccalaureate colleges in the nation for its efforts to advance social mobility, research and service by Washington Monthly; has been named a "Best Midwestern College" by The Princeton Review; and is identified in Peterson's "440 Great Colleges for Great Students."

Augustana celebrated its sesquicentennial during the 2010-2011 academic year.

23 Jan 2012

Judge rules Indiana's new school voucher program is constitutional

By Rick Martin
ISTA threatens state with more punches
By Ben Velderman
EAG Communications
INDIANAPOLIS - The nation's most comprehensive voucher program has survived its first legal test.
Last Friday, a Marion County judge ruled that Indiana's new voucher law, the Indiana Choice Scholarship program, is completely constitutional. The 2011 law gives low- and middle-income families a voucher to pay for tuition at the public or private school of their choice, including religious schools.
The Indiana State Teachers Association, the state's largest teachers union, and a collection of voucher opponents sued that state, arguing that the law violated the separation of church and state.
In his ruling, Marion Superior Court Judge Michael Keele wrote, "This Court therefore concludes that the degree of religiosity of the participating schools is immaterial to the case at hand," and noted that the scholarship program "bestows benefits onto scholarship recipients who may then choose to use the funding for education at a public, secular private, or religious school."
"(The program) is designed to benefit students, not schools, and the court recognized that very essential fact," Bert Gall, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, told IndyStar.com. "It's the most salient fact in determining that the program is constitutional."
"This is a huge victory," said Robert Enlow, president of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. "It means that the nearly 4,000 low-and middle-income children in Indiana who are participating in the program can continue to attend a high quality, non-public school using public funds."
Voucher supporters believe the favorable ruling will encourage more Hoosier families to make use of the program, which is designed to level the education playing field between poor and affluent students.
The voucher program is available to families earning up to 150 percent of the federal free and reduced price lunch program with enrollment caps set at 7,500 students in the first year, 15,000 in the second, and no limits in year three and beyond.
That last detail explains why the president of the state's teachers union has promised to appeal the ruling.
"This is just round one," said ISTA President Teresa Meredith.
It's very revealing that the teachers union frames this issue in terms of a boxing match. While lawmakers are trying to free children from failing schools and give them a brighter future, the union sees this as just another political slug-fest over money. We're disappointed by their response, but not even a little bit surprised.
GOV. CHRISTIE PROPOSES SIMILAR VOUCHER PLAN
Indiana's success in passing a voucher program may have started a domino effect throughout the country.
Last week, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said he wants a voucher program for students who attend a state-managed school district.
This week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie used his State of the State address to promote the Opportunity Scholarship Act, a voucher program that would apply only to students trapped in the Garden State's worst-performing school districts.
"Opportunity should not be offered to only those in an excellent school district, or with parents who have the money to release their children from the prison that is a failing school," Christie said.
The voucher plan was presented during last year's legislative session. Though it had strong bipartisan support, it never received an up or down vote.
It's unclear if the scholarship act will fare any better in 2012, as the New Jersey Education Association remains a powerful political player that's determined to kill the bill.
"Voucher" is still considered a dirty word by some, but at least three governors agree that it's an idea whose time has come.
NESHAMINY TEACHERS TO END STRIKE TODAY
Pennsylvania's Neshaminy Federation of Teachers has agreed to end its nearly two-week strike, and members will return to the classroom Friday morning. But that doesn't mean the nastiness is over.
The school board had refused to continue contract negotiations while the union was on strike, which means the disagreements about future pay raises, health insurance contributions and retroactive pay are still unresolved.
State law requires that a three-member arbitration panel be brought in to help assist negotiations, reports PhillyBurbs.com. The panel will make its non-binding recommendations by spring. If the district and the union still cannot agree, the NFT has the legal option of going on strike a second time this school year.
School board President Ritchie Webb said that a second strike would prompt the district to file an injunction with the state, asking that the teachers be ordered back to work.
"Teachers need to understand that you can strike until the cows come home, but it doesn't create more money in the district," Webb said. "We have limited resources."
The community seems to have had enough of the NFT's selfish behavior, too.
"I think what the teachers are doing is greedy and insulting to us - the taxpayers," said Tony Brillhart, according to LowerSouthhampton.Patch.com. "We pay them to do a job, not walk in front of the schools with posters."
"They went to strike over greed and my daughter's education is forced to suffer because of it," said Shawna Frey, a sergeant in the National Guard who served in Iraq.
Like we said, the strike might be over, but the dissension and hard feelings remain.
JUDGE ORDERS BAILOUT OF UNION-DOMINATED SCHOOL DISTRICT
These days a lot of school budgets are being held together by the accounting equivalents of bailing wire and duct tape. But one Pennsylvania school district is so broke that it needs the state to provide the wire and the tape.
The Chester Upland School District began this week with only $100,000 in its savings account, and had no way of meeting its $1 million payroll - that is, until a judge ordered the state to give the district a  $3.2 million advance in its allowance, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The money will allow the teachers to be paid and the lights to remain on, at least for a few more weeks. The district is on track to be $20 million in debt by the end of the school year.
"Anxious parents are looking at other options for their children, such as sending them to private schools or having them live with relatives and go to other public schools," the Daily Journal reported two days before the bailout was announced.
What's causing Chester Upland's financial meltdown?
According to school officials, the state has been illegally giving some of the district's money to charter schools. State officials say the law requires it to fund the schools where students actually attend, and many choose to attend charter schools. A judge is expected to settle the dispute next month.
While the district might win its case in court, it seems destined to lose in the court of public opinion.
Since 2006, Chester Upland's enrollment has dropped by almost 1,000 students. During that same time, the district has increased its workforce by 145 employees, and its budget by $28 million, reports the PhillyBurbs.com.
Members of the local teachers union have pledged to keep working "as long as they are individually able ... even if they are not paid."
While that makes for a nice press release, the Radar has learned that none the district's three school employee unions have agreed to open their contracts and offer any concessions to help the district survive.
Just another financial crisis, courtesy of Big Labor.
RECORD NUMBER OF FLORIDA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES EARN $100,000 IN 2010
Florida's Marion County school district drew national headlines last summer when it announced that it was switching to a four-day school week as a way to save money.
Other school officials took a more conventional route by laying off teachers and cutting student programs, all the while blaming Gov. Rick Scott for underfunding Florida's public schools.
Now comes a report that finds 946 school employees in the Sunshine State earned at least $100,000 in 2010. That's up 818 percent from 2005, according to the Foundation for Government Accountability.
The foundation also finds the percentage of non-school employees who earn at least six-figures has increased by only 7 percent during that same period.
"You don't have to be great in math to figure out that something is wrong with these school salaries," Tarren Bragdon, Foundation for Government Accountability CEO, told the Sunshine State News.
"During these five years, you have flat student enrollment, the biggest recession since the Great Depression and skyrocketing six-figure salaries - that adds up to a raw deal for Florida parents and taxpayers," Bragdon said.
The average salary for a Florida teacher is about $47,000, which means administrators and superintendents receive the majority of those hefty paydays.
Tea Party leader Patricia Sullivan summed it up best: "It appears the servant is now the master, and the children get the crumbs."
23 Jan 2012

Governor Quinn Announces Active Community Care Transition Plan

By Andrew Mason
Rebalancing Plan Will Increase Community Care Options for
People with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health Conditions

SPRINGFIELD - January 19, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today announced a plan to rebalance the state's approach to care for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions. Called the Active Community Care Transition (ACCT) plan, the initiative will increase the number of people with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions living in community care settings across Illinois. Under the first phase of the plan, residents of Jacksonville Developmental Center (JDC) in Jacksonville, IL and patients of Tinley Park Mental Health Center (MHC) in Tinley Park, IL will be transitioned to community settings and the facilities eventually closed.

"My administration is committed to increasing community care options and improving the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions," Governor Quinn said. "The approach we are taking will allow for the safe transition of care for some of our most vulnerable citizens to community care settings. I want to thank the members of the public, the General Assembly and advocates who worked with my administration to meet this challenge and help our state move forward."

Rebalancing Background

In November, the Quinn administration announced its intention to rebalance Illinois' use of institutionalization for the care of people with developmental disabilities. Illinois lags behind the rest of the nation in the utilization of person-centered, community-based care, which has been demonstrated to allow people with developmental disabilities to lead more active, dynamic lives.

Community settings allow individuals to receive the care they need - including 24-hour care - in their hometown and even their family home. Community care can also be significantly less costly than institution-based care. The ACCT also dovetails with the administration's recent settlement of a series of court cases related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring the expansion of community care settings.

The administration has worked collaboratively with the General Assembly on this initiative, receiving valuable input from members of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) following public hearings in October and November. The General Assembly also worked with the administration to reallocate funds to allow continued operation of all state facilities through the end of Fiscal Year 2012 (June 30, 2012).

In December, the administration created a bipartisan and bicameral working group, with members appointed by the four legislative leaders, to seek input on the rebalancing and closure process. Incorporating their input, the administration developed a series of objective criteria to determine the facilities that will transition to closure, including ability to recruit staff, economic impact, certification status and physical condition. As different issues affect the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Division of Mental Health, 10 criteria were developed for the former, 18 for the latter.

The ACCT is a policy decision that also has positive fiscal benefits for the state. In addition to improving quality of life for hundreds of individuals across the state, the move is expected to save the state of Illinois $19.8 million annually, and allow for alternative uses of some of the state's costliest facilities.

Transition Plan Development and Implementation

To accomplish the plan safely and effectively, the administration brought on Mark Doyle as the state's Transition of Care Project Manager in October. Mr. Doyle has 33 years of experience in the disability community and has worked in several states to expand community care options and move away from institutionalization. Mr. Doyle is nationally known for his work in the area of community integration and inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of life. He is highly recognized for his involvement in providing technical assistance to states, community provider agencies, schools and parent groups to create successful community integration.

Mr. Doyle, working alongside senior members of the administration and the Department of Human Services (DHS), developed the ACCT, which includes a comprehensive plan to build additional community capacity and infrastructure for care, as well as a grant to hire nationally-recognized Community Resource Associates (CRA) to conduct independent needs evaluations of each resident of state facilities to ensure they have the resources they need for a successful transition to community care.

The ACCT calls for a "person-centered approach", meaning that individuals and their families will be a significant part of designing the program that best fits their needs and desires. In accordance with the 'money follows the person approach' to rebalancing, after evaluations, each transitioning resident will receive an individualized budget based on their particular support needs. Those with more challenging needs will receive more funds for their care with the average anticipated budget of $7,000 a month per person. The smaller community care options will also allow the state to utilize federal funding for this purpose, reducing state costs.

While there are numerous community care settings currently available in Illinois, the increase in the number of individuals using community care will require the state to develop new settings and options. Unlike state institutions, which may be hundreds of miles from an individual's hometown, individuals and families will have the choice of community in which their care options are developed. Options will also be available for community care at home, if the individual and their family desires.

The ACCT will also utilize both family-to-family and individual-to-individual mentoring strategies, so that individuals and families will know what to expect and have a support system in place during and after transition. For interested individual and families, the state is also establishing microboards and cooperatives to guide and develop person-centered services options. The administration will work closely with the Illinois Association of Microboards and Cooperative in educating individuals and families as well as providing the technical assistance for those interested in that option.

Division of Developmental Disabilities - Jacksonville Developmental Center

In DHS' Division of Developmental Disabilities, a total of 600 individuals will transition into community settings over the next two and a half years, allowing DHS to close up to four state institutions, the first of which will be JDC. Working with the individual, parents and guardians, residents at JDC will be evaluated to determine their needs and their individualized and appropriate community care option. A good match between the individual's needs and community care option is essential to ensure a successful transition.

"Community-based care is about quality of life," director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Kevin Casey said. "Through this careful, deliberate process, Illinois will improve quality of life for hundreds of people with developmental disabilities, while realizing significant savings through the closure of a costly state facility."

One of the advantages of community care is its much lower cost compared to institution-based care. For people with developmental disabilities, the state spends on average, between $150,000 and $210,000 per person per year in a state facility, versus the $45,000 to $84,000 per year average in community care.

Matching individuals with both existing and new providers, the ACCT calls for 20 residents a month to move from JDC into community care settings. JDC is anticipated to complete transitions in time for an early October 2012 closure.

 

Division of Mental Health - Tinley Park MHC

In the Division of Mental Health (DMH), Tinley Park MHC will be phased out, with an increase in capacity at community providers and hospitals in the area for those with acute mental health conditions. Tinley Park MHC currently serves only acute-care patients, whose treatment periods usually last between 24 hours and 21 days. Admissions will be halted, allowing all patients to complete their course of treatment before the anticipated early July 2012 closure. Patients with challenges that require ongoing care will be transitioned to care at community providers or hospitals.

Aside from forensic patients remanded into state custody by the courts, state-run mental health facilities primarily serve acute care patients who do not have access to health insurance or Medicaid. As the Affordable Care Act continues going into effect, many people currently without access to health coverage will attain it, reducing the number of beds needed in state-run psychiatric hospitals and mental health facilities. The DMH, however, is actively securing additional beds at community providers and hospitals in the area surrounding Tinley Park MHC to ensure that services in the area are not interrupted.

"The health and safety of those with mental health conditions is our primary concern," director of the Division of Mental Health Dr. Lorrie Jones said. "This transition will allow us to expand our community and hospital partners while ensuring continued care for those with mental health challenges."

Closure of Facilities

While improving quality of life is the fundamental purpose of the ACCT, closure of state facilities is expected to save the state of Illinois significant annualized costs. Facilities chosen for closure were evaluated based on 10 objective criteria developed by the administration, with input from members of the legislative workgroup. The first phase of this transition will allow the state to close JDC and Tinley Park MHC, two of the state's oldest, most inefficient, and costliest facilities to run.

JDC currently costs the state approximately $27.9 million per year to run. After accounting for state costs under community care, Illinois will realize approximately $11.7 million per year in savings, after $16.2 million in community investment. Tinley Park MHC would cost $20.6 million to run in FY 2013. Savings following the closure of Tinley MHC are expected to be approximately $8.1 million after a $9.8 million reinvestment in community services for individuals with mental health challenges.

The physical condition of the facilities was a vital criterion in considering which facilities to transition to closure. Parts of JDC date from the 1850s, and the coal boiler at the facility spends $1.2 million in coal per year, or about $7,000 per resident to heat per year. Of the 8 buildings at Tinley Park MHC, only 5 are operational. The facility was decertified by the federal government in 2009, with recertification unlikely. The Tinley Park facility also shares a campus with the previously closed Howe Developmental Center, preventing the sale of prime real estate for development in Chicago's south suburbs.

Economic impact was also a criterion in evaluating facilities for transition to closure. The administration realizes that the closure of state facilities will have an economic impact on Jacksonville, Tinley Park and their surrounding communities. However, an Economic Impact Index examination demonstrated that the impacts on Jacksonville and Tinley Park were among the lowest of communities with state facilities.

The JDC currently employs 379 and Tinley Park MHC employs 175 people. Many of these jobs, however, will be absorbed into the local communities. As part of the ACCT development, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) ran a survey of employers in the counties surrounding each state facility for job openings with titles matching those at each site (i.e., registered nurse openings in the Jacksonville area). As of January 9, 2012:

  • 95 matching job titles matching 679 openings existed in the counties surrounding the JDC, and
  • 295 matching job titles matching 14,015 openings existed in the counties surrounding Tinley Park MHC.

The development of community care in these areas will also result in additional job creation in these areas.

The administration will provide regular updates to families, communities, unions, advocates and legislators on the first phase of the ACCT, as well as announcements later in the year for phase two and beyond as Illinois continues its transition to increased community care options.

###

23 Jan 2012

Lt. Gov. Simon to colleges: Focus on the finish

By Justin Stofferahn

Math, transparency key to increasing completion rates

CHICAGO - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon today urged education leaders to adopt a reform package that aims to increase the number of Illinois community college students who graduate within three years of enrollment.

"Our request of community colleges is deceptively simple: Help more of your students finish what they start," Simon said. "As a state, we must stay focused on the finish."

In a new report issued today by Simon, she states that four out of five recent high school graduates who enroll in Illinois community colleges do not complete a certificate or degree within three years.

"We're doing a good job of getting all types of students into the doors of community colleges. But now we need to do a better job of moving them across the stage at graduation with a certificate or degree that leads to a good-paying job here in Illinois," she said.

The report argues one reason students take longer to graduate - or drop out altogether - is that they are not prepared for college-level work. Almost half of recent high school graduates test into remedial courses, and most of those incoming freshmen struggle with math, Simon said.

"We have more than 142,000 unfilled jobs in Illinois right now, but thousands of people are looking for work," Simon said. "That doesn't add up to a strong economy. We need to better prepare employees for the workforce, and that starts with sending students to college ready to learn."

Simon serves as Governor Quinn's point person on education reform. In her first year in office, she conducted a fact-finding tour of the state's 48 community colleges to learn how the state can work with schools to increase completion rates and connect students to the workforce.

"Higher education is critical to ensuring that Illinois continues to compete and excel in the global economy," Governor Pat Quinn said. "I applaud Lt. Governor Simon for visiting each and every one of our community colleges last year and producing this report. By putting our community colleges front and center and focusing on preparing our students for a 21st century workforce, we can create more jobs, attract more employers and continue to grow the economy in Illinois."

A former law school professor at Southern Illinois University, Simon said she chose community colleges as her focus because they enroll more students than public universities in Illinois, but produce fewer graduates. Community colleges need to shift their focus to completion for the state to meet the demand for middle and highly skilled workers, she said.

Simon's report to the Governor and General Assembly, released today in conjunction with her first address at the City Club of Chicago, outlines several reforms that could improve student success rates while using existing resources. To move forward successfully, Simon identified two critical areas for education in Illinois: improved math instruction and transparency.

"Lt. Governor Simon sent a strong message to the higher education system by taking the time to visit every community college in the state during her first year in office," said Alexi Giannoulias, chairman of the Illinois Community College Board. "We will work with her to improve learning, build stronger ties to the business community and blur the lines between high school, community college and university."

More Math

Illinois requires high school students to complete three years of math to earn a diploma. This means many incoming high school freshmen at community colleges have taken a year's vacation from math - and it shows. More than one out of three recent high school graduates test into at least one remedial math course at Illinois community colleges, and some require several semesters of these developmental skills courses.

The problem is that these remedial courses take up students' time and money, but do not count toward degrees or certificates. The longer it takes for students to complete meaningful coursework, the more likely they are to drop out or incur debilitating debt.

Simon recommends a three-pronged math reform package: (1) High schools should voluntarily require four years of high school math; (2) high schools and community colleges should partner to offer dual credit mathematics courses to all high school juniors and seniors; and (3) community colleges should redesign remediation to embed skills development into credit-bearing courses.

She is asking the Illinois State Board of Education to begin tracking high schools which voluntarily require four years of math, and is seeking researchers to track if the added year reduces remedial needs.

"Our priority is to prepare students to succeed in college and careers, and we know that the skills businesses want from an employee and what is needed to be college ready are very similar," said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. "We've already adopted new college-ready learning standards so it only makes sense to also evaluate our high school graduation requirements to make sure they're aligned with college expectations as well to give students a better chance to succeed after graduation."

Report Cards

For more than a decade, Illinois elementary and high schools have been required to publish annual school report cards illustrating the proportion of students who meet grade level skills. Not so for higher education institutions -- and that should change as the state shifts to a focus on completion, Simon said.

The state's top education advisory body, the P-20 Council, has adopted a completion goal: 60 percent of working-age adults (25-64) holding a degree or certificate by 2025. The state is moving in the right direction. Illinois was at 41.3 percent in 2010, up from 40.8 percent in 2008, according to the Lumina Foundation's analysis of census reports.

Beginning next year, community colleges should be more transparent about student success rates and progress toward the completion goal, Simon said. She proposes a two-page consumer report card be published by each college showing the number and percentage of students finishing courses, certificates, degrees and transfers.

"Tracking and reporting the progress toward our completion goal will raise the profile of community colleges and the role they play in our state's jobs recovery," said Miguel del Valle, chairman of the P-20 Council. "Annual college report cards can be an important tool in engaging students, educators and taxpayers in our pursuit of a highly educated workforce."

Performance Funding

Simon said one of her recommendations is expected to be incorporated in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. She is a member of the Performance Funding Steering Committee that is devising a system to tie a portion of state higher education funding to student success rates.

Currently, the funding mechanism for community colleges considers mid-term enrollment, rather than the number or proportion of students who pass a course or earn a credential. She favors a funding system that "focuses on the finish," and says it should be phased in over time.

"The university and community college systems are working with Lt. Governor Simon to better measure and reward success at each of our unique institutions," said George Reid, executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education and leader of the performance funding committee. "We will continue to foster this relationship and share information to ensure transfer students are prepared for university work and graduates are ready for the workforce."

Next Steps

Simon said the next step is for her office to work with stakeholders to introduce legislation where needed and to work with higher education governing bodies on reforms at the administrative level. She expects bills to be introduced later this month when the General Assembly returns to Springfield.

For a copy of the full report click here.

For a copy of the report fact sheet click here.

For a copy of the Lt. Governor's speech click here.

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23 Jan 2012

American Legion Department of Illinois Annual Caravan

By Mark Sides

Jan. 20 - 29: 2012 American Legion Department of Illinois Annual Caravan to Deliver Veterans Assistance and Rehabilitation Message National Vice
Commander Milton G. Heifner to join in visits to VA hospitals in Illinois

For Immediate Release BLOOMINGTON, Ill./EWORLDWIRE/Jan. 18, 2012 --- Among the issues to be spotlighted during the 2012 American Legion Department of Illinois Annual Caravan through the state are veterans' healthcare and Medicare reimbursement, maintenance and operations of Arlington National Cemetery, and the women veterans' program.  This year's forum continues the theme of "Veterans Assistance and Rehabilitation" and will focus on delivering key updates to military service personnel about issues that directly impact them, and to attract new members to the Legion's active base. In recent weeks, the American Legion Department of Illinois was joined by the Illinois State Senate with its endorsement of an initiative to create a centralized communications channel centered on veterans - Veterans Special Programs American National Network , also known as V-SPANN.  Community outreach efforts kick off Friday, Jan. 20, 2011, in Viola and will proceed through the state during a week-long state tour.

Statewide visits to V.A. clinics will feature National Vice Commander Milton G. Heifner, along with state and local leaders. Heifner was elected during the closing session of the 93nd National Convention in Milwaukee in September 2011; he has held many leadership positions at the post, department and national levels. A U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War era, he retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1992. Previous positions he has held include branch manager of Brenton State Bank in Woodward and agent for Erickson Insurance in Granger, Iowa.  A complete and comprehensive schedule is available at ILLegion.org (http://www.illegion.org).  

Friday (Jan. 20)  Milan (309-787-4149)  Rock Falls (815-626-3862) North Chicago (847-336-4767)

Saturday (Jan. 21) Wooddale (630-238-1205)  DeKalb (815-756-4551)  Dwight (815-674-3107)

Sunday (Jan. 22)  Chicago (773-330-5219) FDR Post 923 (773-278-0093) Giles Post 87 (773-363-2920) Calumet City 330 (708-862-8665)

Jan. 23-26: State Veterans Homes Visits  Thursday (Jan. 26)  Fairfield (618-847-5161) Friday (Jan. 27)  Benton (618-438-0861) Newton (618-783-2622) Litchfield (217-324-6213) Saturday (Jan. 28)  Alton (618-462-2644)  Bluffs (217-584-1770)  Cuba (309-785-5456)  Sunday (Jan. 29)  Delevan (309-244-7591)  Farmer City (309-928-3055)  Hoopston (217-283-6312)  

Since its founding in 1919 and subsequent Congressional Charter, The American Legion organization has operated unlike any other, exerting a  compelling influence on national leaders on issues of global significance. Legion operations enhance the lives of military families struggling through wartime and economic sacrifices. Members serve the community by building homes for disabled veterans, raising money for scholarships, coaching baseball teams, adopting military units, fighting to protect and enhance veterans' benefits, promoting wholesome youth activities and much more.

National Vice Commander Heifner stated, "This is an unprecedented time in our nation's history, with so many in need - our veterans especially need our help, and we have a moral obligation to support them. I invite everyone to join us in our annual family membership caravan at a post near you."  

To learn more about how to get involved and support the activities of the American Legion, visit JoinTheLegion.org (http://www.jointhelegion.org) or ILLegion.org (http://www.illegion.org).

23 Jan 2012

Center for Rural Affairs applauds Denial of Pipeline Construction

By Elisha Smith

Controversial Keystone XL Pipeline route rejected


Lyons, NE - Americans concerned about the proposed route of the Keystone XL Pipeline received welcome news Wednesday when the Obama administration announced the rejection of a special U.S. State Department permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

"We applaud President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton for making a common sense decision that protects both Nebraska and the entire nation," said Johnathon Hladik, Energy Policy Advocate at the Center for Rural Affairs.

Approving the Keystone XL pipeline without an established route through Nebraska would amount to a failure on the part of our federal government to consider the best interests of the American people," Hladik concluded.

According to a  U.S. State Department news release, the Department has been conducting a transparent, thorough, and rigorous review of TransCanada's permit application for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline project since 2008. As a result of this process, particularly given the concentration of concerns regarding the proposed route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, on November 10, 2011, the Department announced that it could not make a national interest determination regarding the permit application without additional information.

Specifically, the Department called for an assessment of alternative pipeline routes that avoided the uniquely sensitive terrain of the Sand Hills in Nebraska. The Department estimated, in consultation with the State of Nebraska and TransCanada and based on prior projects of similar length and scope, that it could complete the necessary review to make a decision by the first quarter of 2013.

Congress passed the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 on December 23, 2011. The Act provides 60 days for the President to determine whether the Keystone XL pipeline is in the national interest - which, according to the State Department release, the Administration considers insufficient for such a determination. The denial of the permit does not, however, preclude any subsequent permit application or applications for similar projects.

The Center for Rural Affairs rallied along with thousands of other Nebraskans during the past year building opposition to the proposed line, attending hearings across the state and expressing concern about the proposed route of the pipeline.  Many Center supporters and staff members testified in opposition to the pipeline's projected route, which would travel through 300 miles of Nebraska, including 92 miles across the Sandhills, bringing oil from tar sands in northern Canada to refineries in the southern United States. A determined set of individuals and organizations representing varied interests and communities throughout Nebraska played a pivotal role in the final decision.

"This decision is a win for the innumerable citizens, activists and advocates who made their voice heard," said Hladik. "While there is still work to be done, we can now be proud that we did our part to protect our air, land and water for this generation and the next."

23 Jan 2012

"LAST DINNER ON THE TITANIC" SERVED IN ST. LOUIS TO MARK THE CENTENNIAL OF THE LUXURY LINER

By Rick Martin
Recreating Titanic's final 11-course dinner menu is just one of the special events slated for St. Louis' Titanic Centennial Weekend, April 13-15, 2012.

ST. LOUIS -- January 19, 2012 -- One hundred years ago this April, a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch scored one of the biggest stories of the 20th century - the sinking of the H.M.S. Titanic.

St. Louis journalist Carlos Hurd was aboard the Carpathia, the vessel that scooped up Titanic's lifeboat-clinging survivors. Hurd and his wife Katherine were the first to interview the eyewitnesses to the downing of the "unsinkable" ocean liner. He wrote the world-wide headline story on rolls of toilet paper during the voyage that brought those rescued into New York harbor. Today, the legendary ship continues to make headlines in St. Louis where a weekend of special commemorative events will take place to remember this ever-fascinating piece of history.

Cruise into the Gateway City to experience the history, fashion, food and music of the elegant Edwardian era during St. Louis' Titanic Centennial Weekend, April 13-15, 2012. For more information, click on http://www.explorestlouis.com/ or www.titanic2012stl.com or call 314-657-5033. Tickets for all events and accommodations are also available through Metrotix at 314-534-1111 or www.metrotix.com.

On Friday, April 13, the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park serves up an Edwardian Champagne Reception prior to a screening of the classic 1958 Titanic film, "A Night to Remember." Guests also will view Titanic-related artifacts from the Museum's collection.

The highlight of the weekend takes place at the Fabulous Fox Theatre on Saturday, April 14. The Fox's executive chef Stephen Proctor along with the culinary teaching staff at L'Ecole Culiniare will recreate the original First Class menu served to Titanic guests on the actual 100th anniversary of the last dinner on the ship. The historic menu was meticulously researched to authentically recreate the sumptuous eleven-course meal and accompanying wines. The Titanic-sized menu includes oysters a la Russe, poached salmon, filet mignon, chicken Lyonnaise, roasted squab and Waldorf pudding.

Diners will have the opportunity to experience A Taste of History: Last Dinner on the Titanic while seated on the stage at St. Louis' Fabulous Fox Theatre. The evening is black tie. Dinner guests are encouraged to wear vintage attire (white tie for men). Upon arrival, guests will receive a boarding pass and envelope containing the name and biography of an actual first-class passenger from the Titanic. Guests can be assured that the only ice afloat at the Fox this evening will be found in drinking glasses.

Prior to dinner, a period-style cocktail reception featuring live music popular during 1912 will fill the Fox Theatre's elaborate Grand Lobby. Between courses, guests will be entertained with incredible stories about the Titanic told by actors portraying passengers and crew who had been aboard the fateful ship including Missouri's-own "Unsinkable" Molly Brown. Proceeds from the evening benefit the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, a not-for-profit which fosters and promotes the performing arts in the St. Louis area.

Those who survive the Saturday evening soiree can partake in a special champagne brunch at the Piper Palm House, the oldest standing greenhouse west of the Mississippi River. Located in St. Louis' Victorian-designed Tower Grove Park, the Palm House's distinctive architecture, soaring ceiling, stately windows and exotic plants, resemble the Titanic's Verandah Café. The brunch will be recreated from a Titanic first class breakfast menu. The buffet service meal features, along with other delicacies, smoked salmon, lamb chops, sirloin steak, prepared-to-order omelets, fruits and baked goods.

The three events range in price from $10 to $500, so everyone can "step back in time" and experience the history, fashion, food and music of the elegant Edwardian Era. A special St. Louis Titanic Weekend Travel Package is available at the newly restored Cheshire, a landmark hotel property that embodies the charm and authenticity of a traditional British inn with all the modern conveniences of today. The $389 hotel package includes deluxe accommodation for two nights (Friday and Saturday/double occupancy), an English continental breakfast on Saturday, complimentary high tea on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., and round-trip transportation to the events at the Missouri History Museum, The Fox Theatre and the Piper Palm House.

True Titanic buffs will want to tour historic Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis. St. Louisan Elizabeth McMillan Madill Robert was returning home from a year-long European tour and lodging in Cabin B-3 aboard the Titanic. She, her daughter Georgette Madill, niece Elizabeth Allen and maid Emilie Kreuchen were all rescued from Lifeboat 2. Mrs. Madill Roberts died in 1955 and is buried on the Madill family lot. Also resting at Bellefontaine are Carlos and Katherine Hurd who were traveling on the Carpathia, the White Star Line vessel that rescued Titanic lifeboat passengers. Hurd enlisted his wife to help him gather interviews for the news story of the century. Stop by the Bellefontaine Cemetery office at 4847 West Florissant Avenue for a complimentary map to these gravesites and those of hundreds of notable persons including explorer William Clark, Civil War officers, beer barons, literary personalities and more.  Information also is found at www.bellefontainecemetery.org.

Follow St. Louis on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest information on what's happening in the Gateway City. www.facebook.com/ExploreStLouis; http://twitter.com/explorestlouis

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