On the Education Reform Package

DES MOINES, IA (05/08/2012)(readMedia)-- "The ISEA is pleased with the steps taken giving educators more time to collaborate and work together to improve their craft. Preparing and supporting quality teachers in the classroom is an integral part of student success and the ISEA has supported this concept from the beginning of our discussions on education reform. Iowa has a long history of great schools and outstanding teachers in the classroom. We have high graduation rates and test scores and our teacher mentoring program is one of the best. We can be proud of the work our educators are doing and continue to do on a daily basis. The education reform package also takes some important first steps toward early literacy and kindergarten readiness programs which are important building blocks on the road to high student achievement. However, it is very important to remember that there also has to be a willingness to invest the resources needed for our students to succeed. The education reform package falls short in finding those resources."

The ISEA is a professional organization made up of nearly 34,000 educators who are dedicated to supporting and protecting a quality public education for all Iowa students. Great Education. It's an Iowa Basic!

SPRINGFIELD - May 8, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

Bill No.: SB 3393

An Act Concerning: Education

Provides that lapsed teaching certificates may be immediately reinstated once the applicant has paid all back fees to the State Board of Education by Sept. 1, 2012. After Sept. 1, the applicant must pay all back fees and either complete nine semester course hours or pay an additional penalty fee.

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

 

 

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Lyons, NE -  Justin Doerr, a beginning farmer and military veteran from Plainview, NE, will travel to Washington D.C. on Thursday, May 10, to participate and testify at the House Ag Committee Hearing on the Farm Bill Credit Title.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to testify about the value of federal credit, training and land access programs that are absolutely crucial in helping beginning farmers get started in agriculture," said Doerr.

Doerr, who recently finished planting, commented further on the importance of his testimony,"I believe these credit programs and other efforts targeted specifically at new farmers, are very important investments the farm bill can make in ensuring that young farmers like myself have the tools and resources we need to successfully contribute to our local farm economies, spur rural economic development, preserve our natural resource base, and do our part in ensuring our nation's food security."

When:  May 10, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)


Who:  Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight and Credit - U.S. House of

Representatives Committee on Agriculture


What:  Subcommittee Hearing on Formulations of the 2012 Farm Bill Credit Programs


Where:  1300 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC

Contact the Center for Rural Affairs to schedule an interview or reach Justin Doerr directly at:

Justin D. Doerr

402-316-4919

jddoerr@gmail.com

profiles.google.com/jddoerr

twitter.com/jddoerr

Doerr grew up on a small farm in Northeast Nebraska where his family raised hogs, cattle, and some hay. After high school he joined the Army. During this time, things got tough on the farm so Justin's father sold the livestock and rented out the farm ground.  When Justin got back from overseas he wanted to move home and farm. "What I found later was I had the desire to farm but did not have the means, as I lacked the capital and resources to begin farming after the folks sold their operation," commented Doerr.

"We face a lot of barriers as beginning farmers as far as access to land and credit and barriers in crop insurance," said Doerr. "As a beginning farmer one way of getting a start is through niche markets and raising non-conventional crops, but it's hard to gain access to crop insurance for that... that problem should be addressed."

 

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CANTON, MO (05/08/2012)(readMedia)-- Culver-Stockton College continued its tradition of honoring the accomplishments of students during the annual Honors Day Convocation Monday, May 7.

Dozens of students were awarded for overall academic achievement, outstanding performance within their major, academic competition and scholar-athlete rankings. Many of the awards have been established by or in memory of Culver-Stockton alumni/ae. "This long-standing tradition of the college not only unites the student body as they honor their classmates and friends for achievements in the 2011 - 2012 academic year, but also represents the culmination of a year of hard work. I can think of no finer way to end another academic year on 'the Hill' than to pay tribute to members of our student body," commented C-SC President Richard Valentine.

Awards and recipients include :

- The Frank T. Edgar Award in History & Political Science - Kaitlyn Gutheil from Bettendorf, IA.

- The J. David Bursewicz Senior Scholarship Award - Kaitlyn Gutheil from Bettendorf, IA.

- The Koch Divisional Award - Kaitlyn Gutheil from Bettendorf, IA.

- The Mahan Prizes in Creative Writing - One-Act Play - Kaitlyn Gutheil from Bettendorf, IA.

- The Phi Eta Sigma Book Award - Kaitlyn Gutheil from Bettendorf, IA.

- The Stuart Hoyle Purvines English Award - Kaitlyn Gutheil from Bettendorf, IA.

Members of the class of 2012 will receive their diplomas during the Commencement Ceremony to be held Saturday, May 12 at 9:30 a.m. on the campus of Culver-Stockton College.

Washington, DC – Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) today sent a letter to the Members of Congress responsible for resolving the differences between the House and Senate versions of legislation reauthorizing our nation's critical transportation and infrastructure programs.   In the letter, Schilling notes the programs that support the priorities of the 17th Congressional District of Illinois' residents.  

"Our country as a whole is in need of a long, multi-year surface transportation authorization bill," Schilling wrote. "This long-term certainty will allow our state departments of transportation to truly address our infrastructure needs and not push them off down the road until it is too late and too expensive.  Our country is closing in on $16 trillion in debt - totaling more than $50,000 per American.  We must invest wisely, while also coming to grips with our fiscal situation.  I would like to share with you some priorities from the people I have the privilege of representing.

In today's letter, Schilling outlines his support a number of items, including:

  • Projects of National and Regional Significance:  "Projects that fall in this category are high in cost and large in scope and for that reason federal support is necessary for them to go forward.  These projects affect localities directly through economic development and more jobs."
  • Maintaining existing passenger rail:  "Rail allows people and products to travel to and from all over the country, and from there to ports across the world.  While we must be careful to separate needs from wants, growth in our economy and long-term sustainability must always weigh heavily when making decisions on infrastructure priorities."
  • The job-creating Keystone XL Pipeline:  "This pipeline and other projects like it can help ease global energy strains due to our reliance on oil from foreign countries.  ... This is a project that has the support of Republicans, Democrats, labor and business."

"Conventional wisdom is that Congress cannot get anything done, but in the spirit of Mark Twain, I believe that reports on the death of bipartisanship have been greatly exaggerated," Schilling concluded. "After all, it was this Congress that advanced three market-opening trade agreements, passed the VOW to Hire Heroes jobs bill for veterans, passed the STOCK Act, passed a Defense Authorization that will benefit manufacturing and our industrial base, and passed the Jumpstart our Business Startups legislation.  These are all now the law of the land and were accomplished through bipartisanship.  Perhaps one of the best examples is the four-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization.  It took five years and 23 short-term extensions, but this Congress finally got the job done.  It should be the goal of this Congress to achieve similar success this year with a multi-year transportation bill."

The full text of Schilling's letter can be found below.  

- - - - -
May 8, 2012

Dear Chairman Mica, Chairman Boxer, and Conferees,

Our country as a whole is in need of a long, multi-year surface transportation authorization bill.  This long-term certainty will allow our state departments of transportation to truly address our infrastructure needs and not push them off down the road until it is too late and too expensive.  Our country is closing in on $16 trillion in debt - totaling more than $50,000 per American.  We must invest wisely, while also coming to grips with our fiscal situation.  I would like to share with you some priorities from the people I have the privilege of representing.

When the near-trillion dollar stimulus was signed into law in 2009, many citizens wondered why Congress was not focused on a true job-creating measure like a long-term highway plan.  The fact that such a small percentage of the stimulus plan was devoted to transportation and infrastructure represents an unfortunate missed opportunity, especially at a time when our infrastructure is rated as "D" by the American Society of Civil Engineers and construction unemployment in the industry is 14.5 percent.  The time to focus on a long-term transportation bill is now.

The certainty that a long-term bill will would provide would allow programs like the Projects of National and Regional Significance to help build much-needed infrastructure in our country.  Projects that fall in this category are high in cost and large in scope and for that reason federal support is necessary for them to go forward.  These projects affect localities directly through economic development and more jobs.  I encourage you to continue to support the Projects of National and Regional Significance program within the surface transportation authorization bill you are currently conferencing.  Projects that do not reach the threshold of National and Regional Significance, such as highway expansions and overpasses, can bring in a great amount of economic development as well.  We must continue to support programs and grants that would allow these projects to go forward so they are not politicized.

Another important issue for Illinois is our rail system.  We are at a crossroads for this mode of transportation, and it is vital that we take care of that infrastructure so that existing lines which contribute to both commuter mobility and freight shipments are not shortchanged.  Rail allows people and products to travel to and from all over the country, and from there to ports across the world.  While we must be careful to separate needs from wants, growth in our economy and long-term sustainability must always weigh heavily when making decisions on infrastructure priorities.

I also encourage you to include provisions that would address the job-creating Keystone Pipeline.  This pipeline and other projects like it can help ease global energy strains due to our reliance on oil from foreign countries.  Pipelines are the energy lifelines of our country and will not only address access to oil, but will also encourage job growth and therefore growth in our economy.  This is a project that has the support of Republicans, Democrats, labor and business.

Another important issue that we must not overlook is our locks and dams.  These vital pieces of our infrastructure need to have dedicated work and funding.  After all, this infrastructure is vital to both commerce and jobs.  More than 30,000 workers are employed on vessels and an additional 800,000 jobs are dependent on our waterways.  That is why I support the continued inclusion of the RAMP Act, H.R. 104, in the final Surface Transportation bill.  This would guarantee that the total amount available for spending from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund be equal to the Trust Fund receipts as estimated by the President's budget for that year.  This is important to addressing our nation's dredging requirements and keeps our ports and waterways at a competitive advantage with the rest of the world's waterways.  

I also support the inclusion of the bipartisan, House-passed H.R. 2273, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, into a final transportation package.  There are many types of projects across this great country that require the use of concrete, and proposed regulations on coal ash can be detrimental to getting our economy back on track and our infrastructure back up to the appropriate safety standards.  This is symptomatic of large issues of overregulation that place unnecessary hindrances on meeting our infrastructure needs.  

Finally, I encourage you to carefully consider the need for farmers to transport all farm supplies from any distribution point to a local farm retailer or end consumer.  The restriction to a single farm supply excludes multiple other critical farm supplies and severely hinders the flexibility of farmers during planting and harvesting season.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has granted several wavers over the last two years because it has recognized the need to exempt these supplies.  Please consider making this exemption of agriculture hours of service permanent.  

Conventional wisdom is that Congress cannot get anything done, but in the spirit of Mark Twain, I believe that reports on the death of bipartisanship have been greatly exaggerated.  After all, it was this Congress that advanced three market-opening trade agreements, passed the VOW to Hire Heroes jobs bill for veterans, passed the STOCK Act, passed a Defense Authorization that will benefit manufacturing and our industrial base, and passed the Jumpstart our Business Startups legislation.  These are all now the law of the land and were accomplished through bipartisanship.  Perhaps one of the best examples is the four-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization.  It took five years and 23 short-term extensions, but this Congress finally got the job done.  It should be the goal of this Congress to achieve similar success this year with a multi-year transportation bill.

I appreciate your time and consideration of my concerns and the priorities of the 17th District of Illinois.

Sincerely,
Bobby Schilling
House of Representatives

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May 10th. 2012

Independent Scholars' Evenings.

A discussion of the recent Berkshire Hathaway annual stockholders' meeting, where questions of investing and finance, as well as life lessons, are fielded by Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger.

By Charles Fisher.

Charles has his engineering degree from the University of Iowa and is a published author with books written in the techincal field of computer science. Charles is with Info Systems at Alcoa and is a resident of Rock Island.


Please visit some of the URLs on this topic, as desired, before the presentation.

Here is the biggest URLs of a more controversial topic.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/05/he_persistence_of_rancor.html

Please attend and join the discussion at

The Moline Commercial Club, 1530 Fifth Avenue.  Moline. Illinois.

second floor of The Moline Club building . Above the Phoenix Fine Arts Gallery.

1530 Fifth Ave. Moline.

309-762-9202 for The Institute.

www.qcinstitute.org

Light refreshments, wine and beverages are served, doors open at 6.30

Independent Scholars' Evenings are sponsored by

The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd. a 501(c)3 organisation at state and federal level since 1996.


The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd.

www.qcinstitute.org

www.atthephoenix.com

www.themolinecommercialclub.com

www.themolineclub.com

WASHINGTON – Applications for fall internships with Senator Chuck Grassley are due June 15.

 

Internships are available for college-age Iowans in Grassley offices in Washington, D.C., Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City and Waterloo.  The internships last from August 20 through December 15.

 

Senate interns assist staff members with administrative, legislative and communications work, including that of Grassley's staff on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where he serves as Ranking Member.  A video about Grassley internships produced by last year's summer interns can be seen here.

 

Grassley said he encourages young Iowans who are interested in learning more about government to apply.  "Working in a congressional office is a good way for college students and new graduates to learn more about the legislative branch of the federal government while gaining valuable work experience.  Internships in my offices are available to students in all areas of study," he said.

 

Application forms are available on Grassley's Senate website and in Grassley's offices in Iowa. Due to security-related delays in postal mail delivery to U.S. Senate office buildings, internship applications should be emailed to intern_applications@grassley.senate.gov.  For additional information, send messages to intern_applications@grassley.senate.gov or call 202-224-3744.

 

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Tens of thousands of greyhounds are bred every year for the 27 racetracks in the United States, according to the U.S. Humane Society. They're intentionally over-bred so there will be ample to replace old and underperforming greyhounds at the tracks. Each year, thousands of these retired dogs do not find a home; they are killed.

"These dogs have feelings and intelligence, but they are treated like racing slaves so people can gamble," says retired police officer Irvin Cannon, a dog lover whose book, For the Love of Dog Tales (www.FortheLoveofDogTales.com), gives voice to man's best friend. "Who is the winner in this scenario?"

The Humane Society estimates thousands of retired racing dogs are put to death every year. Rabbits are another industry victim; thousands are maimed or killed in the race-training process.

Cannon says there are some things to remember for those considering adopting a greyhound:

• They typically don't have issues associated with abuse: Greyhounds may not get a lot of love in the kennels, but are not oftenabused by track personnel. They tend to respond to fear and violence by either freezing in place or running. Since they are trained to chase rabbits, they may be inclined to pursue small running animals.

• Greyhounds tend to be intelligent, timid: These dogs are considered gentle and reserved, but stubborn. If they sense they can take control, they will, so owners should quickly establish authority.

• Not used to other breeds: Greyhounds are born and raised around people and other greyhounds only. They may become confused or frightened by other dogs, and may need to get accustomed to cats.

• No fat, little hair: No dog should be left outside in the cold or heat. Greyhounds are especially sensitive to extreme temperatures and rain.

• Sweet affection: They do not bite; they show affection by licking, leaning and rubbing, much like cats.

Although there is a well-known and dedicated effort to find homes for aged-out greyhounds, Cannon said there is only one way to fix the racing industry - it must be ended. There are several national and international groups trying to put a stop to greyhound racing and gambling, including the Humane Society, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Until then, Cannon hopes these gentle dogs find homes.

"When you adopt a needy canine, you won't find a better companion," he says," whether you bring home a greyhound, a mystery mixed-breed or a purebred Labrador."

About Irvin Cannon

Irvin Cannon was a poor kid growing up in Detroit when his family took in a stray dog. It surprised young Irvin that his father would be willing to share the family's meager groceries with a dog, but he soon discovered the return on their investment was enormous. A former police officer in Detroit and Denver, he also worked as a corrections officer.

DES MOINES, IA (05/08/2012)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald hosted five Iowa College Student Body Representatives in his office to join a call with President Obama regarding the potential interest rate hike for student loans. Public officials and students across the country joined together to support the President in his efforts to keep the student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1st.

Treasurer Fitzgerald invited student leaders from colleges across Iowa to participate in the discussion. The following students were able to join him on the call: Justin Meyers, Grandview College in Des Moines; Greg Ellingson, Central College in Pella; Jordan Bancroft-Smithe, the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls; Jared Knight, Iowa State University in Ames; and David Karaz, Drake University in Des Moines.

"It is great to have students actively involved in this conversation," Fitzgerald stated after the call. "Students need to use their voices to encourage their Congress Members to act. I am proud to have such high quality students here in Iowa representing all Iowa students."

President Obama urged the students on the call to get involved and ask Congress to act. "I need your help," the President explained.

"It's really great that President Obama took the time to talk with us and many other student, municipal and state leaders about the potential impending doubling of federally subsidized student loan interest rates. Here in Iowa, especially with the current "Brain Drain," it is imperative to the future of Iowa's economy that interest rates stay as low as possible. Iowa college and university students are leaving school with the highest levels of debt in the nation. If interest rates were to double, more students will be forced to leave Iowa in order to pay off those loans."- Jordan Bancroft-Smithe, Student Body President, University of Northern Iowa

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Rock Island, IL/May 4, 2012 - Stepping up to the marketing platform, the Quad City's "Mr. Voice" has joined forces with the region's only 8(a) SDB marketing firm.  Rick Davis joins the Media Link team as an Account Manager and will develop and manage new accounts.

Rick says, "I have worn many hats under the media and communications umbrella. My experience has given me a unique understanding for the time, production and placement of creative and promotional materials. I am delighted and excited to be working with Media Link because I am a "team first" person that enjoys being a resource and asset for others. I'm looking forward to my position as an Account Manager, because building new professional relationships and rekindling current ones is something I strongly value. Providing strategic, creative solutions for our clientele is something that's within my wheelhouse!"

Rick's career prior to Media Link afforded him an extraordinary perspective in the media and communication realm. With his extensive understanding and professionally trained eye for producing effective promotional vehicles, Rick has used his gift for many businesses, including the Quad City's own ComedySportz, where Rick became known as "Mr. Voice". As a sales and marketing director, Rick Davis was responsible for brand promotion through advertising mediums and clientele associations. He worked his magic to grow the customer-base by 25% over four years and launched creative outside sales initiatives. Rick's talent for thinking outside, around and all over the box does not stop there. He earned the Gold ADDY Award for some of his writing and directing of advertising. Rick's creative background has afforded him the opportunity to create media projects for many Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. Rick shines when he is performing professionally as talent for voice-over and on camera projects including radio and television ads, interactive web sites and exhibits, training videos, and corporate promotional videos. Even as Rick joins the Media Link team he still follows his passion for community involvement and building professional relationships by lending his talents to various organizations throughout the Quad Cities. Rick attended Black Hawk College in Moline, IL and Illinois State University in Normal, IL, where he found his true love...Avanti's Gondola sandwiches.

"We are so lucky to have someone with Rick's talent in our area and we are so excited to have him on our team", says Natalie Linville-Mass, President of Media Link.  "He has done some amazing work over the years and will definitely give the companies we work with a real edge on their marketing efforts."

Media Link is a full-service integrated marketing firm specializing in strategic media buying and placement. Media Link works with businesses in the Quad-Cities and around the country to develop and execute customized marketing strategies to help them more effectively reach their customers. Media Link recently developed and launched its own media buying software system.  This company is also one of the only marketing firms in the region to have obtained an 8(a) SDB certification, a designation of significance to clients who contract with the federal government.

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